Vanishing Postcards
53 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★★ - 184 ratingsVanishing Postcards is a documentary travelogue that invites listeners on a road trip exploring the hidden dives, traditions, and frequently threatened histories discovered by exiting the interstates. Named one of the Best Podcasts of 2022 by Digital Trends.
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Episodes
5. Postcard from Laredo - "Two Cities, One People"
May 11, 2023 15:55 - 29 minutes - 41.1 MBThe US-Mexico border is a constant fixture in today's 24 hour news cycle. But often lost amidst the noise of talking heads and pundits is any discussion of the rich culture and humanity that can be found there, and how turmoil on both sides has altered the region's social dynamics. Forgotten as well is that for decades Mexican borer towns were renowned for elegant, white tablecloth restaurants where jacketed waiters catered to a café society that transcended international boundaries. Among t...
4. Postcard from South Texas - "Communion through Cabrito"
May 04, 2023 16:31 - 23 minutes - 22 MBThe author and folklorist J Frank Dobie once said, "The boundaries of culture and rainfall never follow survey lines." This is certainly true of Dobie's native south Texas, which is a place shaped by both the cultures of Mexico and the American West. In this episode host Evan Stern travels below the Nueces River, to the YY Ranch where he joins the Avila Family as they convene there to roast one of this region's prized delicacies- cabrito. Amidst the revelry, the history, ethics and future of...
3. Postcard from Rockport - "Blessed Egg Rolls by the Bay”
April 27, 2023 17:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MBThe third most spoken language in Texas behind English and Spanish is Vietnamese. This is especially evident in Houston, a metropolis that's home to more than 120,000 residents of Indo Chinese descent where restaurant menus tout such Texas-Asian dishes as Viet-Cajun crawfish, brisket pho and Vietnamese beef fajitas. Considering that prior to 1975 the city's population claimed fewer than 100 Vietnamese, this community's growth and visibility is remarkable. Yet the mass migration that followed...
2. Postcard from Galveston - "Spaghetti, Sausage and a Slice of Sicily”
April 20, 2023 18:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MBOnce perhaps the greatest town of significance between New Orleans and San Francisco, Galveston's fortunes shifted following the Great Storm of 1900, and today its population doesn't even rank in the top fifty of Texas cities. But while Austinites are often apt to say that their community is really a small town with growing pains, some Galvestonians might argue that theirs is really a big city disguised as a small town. Much of this perspective is owed to its rich, immigrant history, which w...
1. Postcard from Serbin - "Noodles in a New Nation"
April 13, 2023 18:00 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBThe Central Texas hamlet of Serbin sits off a country road, about an hour past Austin. It was last included in the census over twenty years ago when its population numbered a mere thirty-seven. Yet, it remains a place of significance as the sign on the edge of town announces it as the home of the Texas Wends. In this episode, which is the first in a miniseries co-produced with the Southern Foodways Alliance's "Gravy" podcast, host Evan Stern pays a visit to Serbin's annual Wendish Fest. Ther...
Introducing - "Travel Tales by Afar"
February 23, 2023 20:00 - 29 minutes - 41.2 MBAs a special bonus, we are honored to share our space and introduce you to Travel Tales by Afar. On Travel Tales by AFAR, fascinating people share their stories of life-changing travel, from novelist Maggie Shipstead’s chilly Arctic saga to comedian Michelle Buteau’s tale of getting stood up in Paris (really!). In the Travel Tales episode we're sharing today, writer Chris Colin hits the rails with his teen daughter, Cora. As the dream of high-speed rail in California inches ever closer, ...
17. Postcard from Santa Monica - "Passing Time at the Pier's End"
February 02, 2023 19:00 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBIf you're driving East to West, the spiritual end point for Route 66, regardless of the technicalities of history, is The Santa Monica Pier. Considering this, it is no coincidence we're ending this season there where more than snapping a picture, we'll learn of the artist Bob Waldmire from vendor Mannie Mendelsohn, hear the trumpet stylings of Buddy Balou, and take some time to reflect on the journey we've taken through revisiting the voices of Michael Wallis, Jim Hinckley, Scott Piotrowski ...
16. Postcard from Bakersfield - "In Search of The Sound"
January 19, 2023 19:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBBetween the years of 1930 and 1940, some 3.5 million Americans fled the Great Plains, with the Dust Bowl blowing roughly 440,000 out of Oklahoma alone. For many, the end destination was the promised land of California and Route 66 provided a path of exodus. Some, with cars loaded, followed the road all the way to Los Angeles, but at Barstow many more detoured north to the San Joaquin Valley. In the process, these migrants not only transformed California, but in Bakersfield created a sound th...
15. Postcards from Diners - "Pride and Pies"
January 05, 2023 16:00 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBDiners are fundamental to the Route 66 experience- not just for burgers and milkshakes, but because of the connections they help facilitate. In this episode we'll step inside three in Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona to hear stories from their remarkable owners who not only labor hard to serve mouth watering pies, but compassion to those who enter. The Rock Cafe The MidPoint Cafe Westdie Lilo's --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/evan-stern1/message
Inroducing - Cerca - Texas & SpaceX: The Doorstep to Mars
December 29, 2022 19:00 - 54 minutes - 75.2 MBOn the southernmost tip of Texas, where the US and Mexican borders meet the sea, sits the tiny town of Boca Chica. Surrounded by nothing but wild open scrub land, eight miles of virgin beach and a rich array of wildlife, the twenty-something residents of Boca Chica live in peace and disconnection. Away from the noise of the modern World. It was that peace and disconnection that Maria Pointer, AKA Boca Chica Maria, and her husband Ray sought when they made their plans to settle down and reti...
14. Postcard from Williams and the Grand Canyon - "Riding the Rails to the Rim"
December 15, 2022 19:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBIn 1903, President Teddy Roosevelt addressed a crowd at The Grand Canyon. When speaking of this natural wonder, he said- “Man cannot improve on it; not a bit. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it. What you can do is keep it for your children and your children’s children and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American, if he can travel at all, should see.” More than a century later, hundreds of millions have heeded those words, and the Canyo...
13. Postcards from Haunted Hotels - "Ghosts in Gallup, Santa Fe Spirits, and Phantoms in Flagstaff!"
December 01, 2022 19:00 - 24 minutes - 33.8 MBA cigar chomping nun. A suicidal gambler. A naked property manager. And a wounded bank robber. These are just a few of the spirits whose stories are shared in today's episode which features a sampling of tales collected in old hotels out west, about people who checked in for a night of rest, but never left... The Original Santa Fe Ghost Tour La Fonda Hotel Saint Francis Inn and Spa at Loretto El Rancho Hotel La Posada Hotel Monte Vista --- Send in a voice message: https://podcaste...
Bonus - "In conversation with Will Dailey"
November 26, 2022 19:00 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBWill Dailey is an acclaimed independent recording and performing artist. His sound has been described as having a rich vintage vibe while having a firm appreciation of AM rock, pop and big hooks leading famed Rock journalist Dan Aquilante to call him “the real deal." Most recently, he has added podcasting to his list of accomplishments through his new, acclaimed show Sound of Our Town which is a travel program about the music in the next town you visit: Where to go to hear and experience th...
12. Postcard from Santa Fe - "El Embrujo de El Farol"
November 17, 2022 19:00 - 29 minutes - 27 MBSanta Fe has consistently lured free thinkers and intellectuals of different stripes. People like Georgia O’Keefe. DH Lawrence. And Robert Henri who in 1917 said, “Here painters are treated with that welcome and appreciation that is supposed to exist only in certain places in Europe.” It was around then, on a hill about a mile past the main plaza, a colony of artists began to spring up on Canyon Road. Their imprint remains in the fact that six of its blocks today house over 100 galleries. Th...
11. Postcards from Las Vegas, NM and Winslow, AZ - "The Footprints of Fred Harvey"
November 03, 2022 18:00 - 30 minutes - 41.8 MBMichael Wallis has famously said that Route 66 is for travelers, not tourists. As he tells it, "tourists like the familiar, tend to gawk at culture from afar, and generally like to cram as much into their agendas as possible provided it’s cheap, safe and by all means comfortable. Travelers, on the other hand, hanker for the hidden places and in making new discoveries often discover a thing or two about themselves." At the same time, it merits acknowledgement that this ethos is perhaps easy t...
10. Postcards from Motels - "Beds and Benedictions"
October 20, 2022 17:41 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBWhen speaking of Tucumcari, New Mexico author Jim Hinckley describes it as "a great example of what Route 66 was. What its bypass did to communities. And the future it holds." All of this is perhaps best discovered through the town's motel culture, which in recent years has enjoyed something of a renaissance thanks to pioneering owners who are working hard to reinvigorate these properties while honoring their pasts. Yet beyond the neon glare, people are drawn to these places for their offers...
9. Postcard from Amarillo - "Busting Belts at The Big Texan"
October 06, 2022 15:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBUnlike many places visited in this series, The Big Texan Steak Ranch isn’t hidden off some hard to find back road, and isn’t exactly starved for attention. But while it migrated to I-40's shoulder over 50 years ago, its story was absolutely born on Route 66, and flies in the face of anyone who might make the mistake of dismissing Amarillo as “dull.” What’s more, when you enjoy a meal there you’re not just getting prime rib and potatoes, but the kind of fun house “eatertainment” experience the...
Introducing: "Sound of Our Town"
October 01, 2022 18:00 - 32 minutes - 45.4 MBAs a special treat, we're honored to introduce and share our space with Sound of Our Town. Brought to you from the guys behind Disgraceland, Sound of our Town is hosted by award winning indie musician Will Dailey, and is born out of his mission to reaffirm how important live music is to our culture. In each episode, Will takes us from the boardwalks of Asbury Park, to the biggest and smallest stages of LA, while introducing us to historic venues and secret spots through tales that speak to t...
8. Postcards from Erick, OK, Winslow, AZ and Highland Park, CA - "Sentinels of Route 66"
September 22, 2022 18:00 - 34 minutes - 47 MBAnyone who's ever traveled Route 66 will tell you that its greatest resource can be found in the people who live and work along it. Whether diner waitresses or museum volunteers, car mechanics or preservationists, its keepers embody many forms, and all are vital. At the same time, some manage to linger in the memories of those they meet for the fact they have a way of inviting visitors to step inside their worlds. In today's episodes we'll get to know three such sentinels- Erick, Oklahoma's s...
7. Postcard from Luther, OK - "This Place Matters"
September 08, 2022 17:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBDriving Route 66 from Tulsa to Oklahoma City, about three miles before the town of Luther you'll notice an old sandstone building with peeling white gables. At first glance, it's the kind of structure a realtor might dismiss as a "tear down." But behind its dusty windows rest a pair of faded signs that simply read in orange print, "This place matters." The place is The Threatt Filling Station, which in its heyday was a black owned rest stop that serviced African American motorists throughout...
6. Postcard from Tulsa - "The Ghosts of Greenwood"
August 25, 2022 14:11 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBIn 1921, the city of Tulsa bore witness to the greatest incident of racial violence in American history when the prosperous African-American neighborhood of Greenwood was invaded and destroyed in an act of mob terrorism. But while this disgrace which resulted in as many as 300 deaths was ignored for decades, a century later, it seems to be getting its share of attention. Last year, 107 year old survivor Viola Fletcher, riveted Congress with her eyewitness testimony in a public plea for justi...
Introducing: "2 Lives"
August 18, 2022 19:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBAs a special treat, we're pleased to introduce you to one of our favorite podcasts, 2 Lives. This title comes from the quote, “We all have two lives. The second begins the moment we realize we have only one.” These are stories of people who have faced darkness and how those moments transformed them. It’s created and hosted by veteran journalist Laurel Morales who among many accomplishments claims an Edward R Murrow Award, and over 20 years behind the microphone on NPR. As it happens, she als...
5. Postcard from Tulsa - "Carousing at Cain's"
August 04, 2022 18:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB"The Carnegie Hall of Western Swing" is just one of many titles that have been bestowed on Tulsa's famed Cain's Ballroom since its opening in the 1920s. It was from this stage that Bob Wills helped introduce Western Swing to the masses, and decades later crowds continue to flock here to take a spin on its legendary dance floor. In this episode, we'll experience this venue's magic on the occasion of Asleep at the Wheel's 50th Anniversary Tour, and hang out backstage with their legendary front...
4. Postcards from Roadside Oddities - "Totem poles, whales, slug bugs and Cadillacs!"
July 21, 2022 18:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBFrom "The World's Second Largest Rocking Chair" in Cuba, Missouri, to "The Leaning Water Tower of Groom, Texas," Route 66 boasts no shortage of roadside oddities that are all great for a stop, snap and chuckle. At the same time, it's easy to forget that these sites were all built by people with hopes and dreams, and most always offer a bit more than what meets the eyes. In this episode, we'll visit Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park, The Blue Whale of Catoosa, and the Slug Bug and Cadillac Ranche...
3. Postcard from Miami, Ok - "A foreign field that is for ever England”
July 07, 2022 18:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBEntering the town of Miami, Oklahoma on Route 66, you'll pass the GAR Cemetery. A resting place for over 20,000, its director Nancy Bro is quick to say that each one of their graves holds a life that meant something for many people. This is, of course, true of all burial plots. Yet GAR is unique as walking its grounds, you will notice a Union Jack flag flying above fifteen WWII Era graves bearing the badges of Britain's Royal Air Force. In this episode, we'll pay our respects at a memorial s...
2. Postcards from Quapaw, Gallup and Lupton - "Pottery and Patriotism"
June 23, 2022 18:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBAmong the titles it's earned, Route 66 is often hailed as "The Main Street of America." But America is a lot of things and absent from many of its popular myths and legends are the stories of those who preceded the pilgrims or Jamestown. Yet it is indisputable that our country wouldn't exist as we know it without them and the same is true of the Route itself. Even today, more than half of 66 passes through Indian country and driving the road will carry you through more than twenty-five triba...
Postcards from The Mother Road - "The Roots of Route 66"
June 09, 2022 18:00 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBThe name Route 66 has a certain kind of magic. For some, it calls to mind images of muscle cars and neon. For others, the words of Kerouac and songs of Guthrie. But how did this legend come to be, and what is Route 66 to begin with? Featuring a sampling of stories collected over a journey spanning 6,845 miles, we’ll kick off this season long road trip by attempting to answer these questions through the voices of some who’ve witnessed its many transformations firsthand. Contributors include r...
1. Postcards from The Mother Road - "The Roots of Route 66"
June 09, 2022 18:00 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBThe name Route 66 has a certain kind of magic. For some, it calls to mind images of muscle cars and neon. For others, the words of Kerouac and songs of Guthrie. But how did this legend come to be, and what is Route 66 to begin with? Featuring a sampling of stories collected over a journey spanning 6,845 miles, we’ll kick off this season long road trip by attempting to answer these questions through the voices of some who’ve witnessed its many transformations firsthand. Contributors include re...
Introducing: Vanishing Postcards - The Route 66 Season
March 17, 2022 18:00 - 1 minute - 1.7 MBCOMING SOON! Named "One of the Best Podcasts You Should Listen To in 2022" by Digital Trends, Vanishing Postcards returns for a cross country odyssey on Route 66. From the plains of Oklahoma to the beaches of the Pacific Coast, ride along with host Evan Stern as he explores how the past, present and future of The Mother Road is revealed through the people and places you'll find in driving it today. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/evan-stern1/message
Bonus - A Christmas Postcard, "Remembering Charles Kuralt"
December 21, 2021 20:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBHeralded as "The Walt Whitman of American Television," Charles Kuralt while sharing a drink with a cameraman aboard a 1967 flight high above Ohio sparked upon an idea. "By God," he said. "Next time we go somewhere, we ought to drive and find out what's really going on in this country!" For nearly three decades he would do just that, inviting viewers to follow him "On the Road" as he showcased the extraordinary stories of everyday Americans. In tribute to this fine storyteller whose legacy he...
15. Postcard from Fort Worth - "Stockyard Songs and Stories"
October 28, 2021 19:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBIn this final episode of Vanishing Postcards' inaugural season, we pay a visit to Fort Worth's famed Stockyards. A historic district where western identity is embraced without the slightest hint of a wink, here rodeos are hosted each and every weekend, while crowds clamor for the fajitas at JT Garcia's before hitting the dance floor at Billy Bob's. But more than party central, it's probably the only place you can count on seeing longhorn steers paraded through the streets, and take pleasure ...
14. Postcards from Ghosts - "Weeping Women and the Ghoulish Side of Galveston"
October 14, 2021 19:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MBIt deserves mentioning that today's episode features visits to not one but two haunted houses, a cat that's likely lived more than nine lives, and the tale of a spirit that's rumored to wander the banks of the Rio Grande. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, the adrenaline we experience when hearing spooky tales has a magical way of bringing us closer. Beyond this, ghost stories also often provide reminders of our history, and enable some to confront the fears and demons that lurk in our ...
Introducing: "Fascination Street"
October 07, 2021 20:00 - 8 minutes - 8.19 MBWe're pleased to introduce our listeners to Fascination Street, an interview podcast hosted by Texas based broadcaster, Steve Owens. "I'm fascinated by stories," says Owens. "Walk with me as I share them." In his more than 250 episodes, Steve has spoken with a diverse roster of individuals including the departed Ed Asner, Tiger King's Carole Baskin, humorist Kinky Friedman, and recently Vanishing Postcards' very own Evan Stern. In this excerpt, Evan shares a bit about his personal background...
13. Postcard from Oakville - "Dobie Dichos and Legends in Live Oak County"
September 23, 2021 19:04 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBThe village of Oakville sits hidden in plain sight along an isolated stretch of I-37 between Corpus and San Antonio. Founded in 1856 by a hearty group of Irish settlers, at its zenith this one-time stagecoach station boasted a population of 400, claimed seven saloons and was a notorious site of brutal frontier justice. But while one could perhaps get away with calling this tiny community a ghost town, each year some of Texas's finest writers gather here to share stories under the stars in ho...
12. Postcard from Rosenberg - "The Boldness of Black Cowboys"
September 16, 2021 19:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBMention the word “cowboy” today and you might think of Gary Cooper in High Noon, or Gene Autry singing under “starry skies.” Indeed, one can’t overstate the impact Hollywood, comic books, and showmen like Buffalo Bill played in shaping the mythology of the American West. What is rarely reflected in too many of these depictions, however, is that in the 1800s, alongside countless Mexican vaqueros, one out of every four cowboys were black- many of them ex slaves. In this episode, we’ll introduc...
11. Postcard from Galveston - "Memories of the Maceos"
August 26, 2021 18:44 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBWhile garden clubs and hotel brochures are quick to remind visitors of Galveston’s Gilded Age, few seem to acknowledge that in the more recent past this beachfront city provided a luxurious playground where the likes of Sinatra and Alice Faye flocked to gamble and dance at hotspots like The Balinese Room. Featuring stories of the Maceo brothers who once dominated this island’s nightlife, and memories of a few who experienced these good times first hand, our latest episode takes listeners on a...
10. Postcard from Houston - "Wasting Time at The West Alabama Ice House"
August 12, 2021 19:03 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBHouston is a place that's rich in diversity and innovation. It readily embraces modernity and is less burdened by the weight of tradition one feels in other southern cities. This can be wonderfully liberating. At the same time, many argue its embrace of the new makes it challenging to define. "Houston has a bad habit of destroying our history," one resident confessed to us. But if there's one place that flies in the face of this town's sleek, steel and glass uber-developments, it's The West ...
Bonus - Bobby Earl Smith Remembers Freda and the Firedogs
August 05, 2021 19:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBAn elder statesman of Austin's music scene, Bobby Earl Smith is perhaps best known as a founding member of Freda and the Firedogs. The band that helped launch the career of legend Marcia Ball, they packed houses at The Armadillo and Split Rail, and when writing of them in 1972 The Statesman gushed, “It would be difficult to over-praise Freda and the Firedogs. This is a great bunch of youngsters, both personally and musically. They stick closely to the traditional and their brand of country m...
9. Postcards from Country Stores - "Crassness in Castell, Legacies in Ledbetter"
July 22, 2021 19:00 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MBThe Castell and Stuermer Stores are separated by about 160 miles and sit on opposite ends of Central Texas. Their hours can hardly be described as regular, nor do they boast expansive aisles dedicated to rice, face wash, or Greek yogurt. Yet, they help bridge the past of the communities they serve to our present, and provide spaces for fellowship that are essential for different, but important reasons. We'll learn about why this is by sitting down with their respective owners who share storie...
8. Postcards from Brownsville and San Antonio - "A Tale of Two Tacos"
July 08, 2021 19:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBMore than being delicious, food can bring people together, heal the body and soul, and is intertwined with generations of history and tradition. Today, we’re gonna dig into some of this by getting a taste of South Texas. We’ll start at its end point in Brownsville, then visit its gateway in San Antonio. Along the way, we’ll see what a good meal can tell you about a place, but best of all, hear from the folks doing the cooking. You could say this is a tale of two cities, but it’s really a tale...
7. Postcard from The Rio Grande Valley - "Community and Conjunto"
June 24, 2021 19:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBBorn of the blending of cultures in South Texas, the music of conjunto tells a uniquely American story. In this episode, we'll take a trip to its birthplace in San Benito, where we'll tour the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and learn of its origins from the Avila family whose patriarch, Rey, dedicated his life to preserving this art form's history. We'll also head over to nearby McAllen where we'll catch a performance from accordion prodigy Rodney Rodriguez at La Lomita Park, the venue bui...
6. Postcard from The Hill Country - "Picking Peaches in Fredericksburg"
June 10, 2021 19:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBWhile Texas summers are famously brutal, they are not without their pleasures. Towards that matter, few joys are as delicious as peach season. In this episode, we'll take a trip to The Hill Country at the peak of the harvest to sample the bounty and get to know the extraordinary families who have farmed these crops for generations. Gold Orchards- https://www.facebook.com/goldorchardsinc Vogel Orchards- https://vogelorchard.wixsite.com/vogelorchard Jenschke Orchards- https://bestfredericksbur...
5. Postcards from Museums - "Conspiracies, Curiosities, and Coffins!"
May 27, 2021 19:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBMuseums are important. They're places where we can explore our heritage, and learn about culture, history and ideas in environments that foster conversations. Say the word, and palaces of civilization like The Met, Prado or Louvre often come to mind. In this episode, however, we'll criss cross the state of Texas to visit a few you've probably never heard of. Sites featured include The Billy The Kid Museum in Hico, The Museum of Natural and Artificial Ephemarata in Austin, and Houston's Museum...
4. Postcard from East Austin - “Bygones and Barbecue”
May 13, 2021 19:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBIn a fast-changing city, no neighborhood has undergone a greater transformation than Austin's East Side. Historically African-American, and once neglected, today espresso bars have replaced convenience stores and boutique hotels tower over long vacant lots. But what is left of what had been, and what do those who grew up here feel about all of this? In this episode, we'll take a trip to the other side of I-35 to ask questions like these. Along the way we'll hear some raw, unfiltered answers,...
Bonus - The Poetry of Hoot Gibson
April 29, 2021 19:00 - 17 minutes - 16.3 MBWhile this series has introduced us to countless extraordinary individuals, in terms of personality, few have proven as expansive as cowboy renaissance man James E. "Hoot" Gibson with whom we shared a beer at Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar. Considering this, it only felt right to give him some extra time to shine, and are honored to share this special bonus episode in which you'll hear a bit more of his life story, but best of all, some poetry. To read some excerpts from Hoot’s journals, and ...
3. Postcard from Bandera - “Downstairs at The Silver Dollar”
April 22, 2021 19:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBIn Germany they have biergartens, and in Mexico they have cantinas, but Texas has honky-tonks. What is a honky-tonk? In simple terms, most will tell you it's just a beer bar with live music, and a little sawdust on the floor. In talking with the bartenders, musicians and locals at Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar, however, it's clear this place, now the oldest continuously operating honky-tonk in Texas, means a great deal more. We'll hear some music, a few tall tales, and discover along the way tha...
3. Postcard from Bandera - Downstairs at The Silver Dollar
April 22, 2021 19:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBIn Germany they have biergartens, and in Mexico they have cantinas, but Texas has honky-tonks. What is a honky-tonk? In simple terms, most will tell you it's just a beer bar with live music, and a little sawdust on the floor. In talking with the bartenders, musicians and locals at Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar, however, it's clear this place, now the oldest continuously operating honky-tonk in Texas, means a great deal more. We'll hear some music, a few tall tales, and discover along the way tha...
2. Postcard from Seaton - "Sundays at Sefcik Hall"
April 15, 2021 21:56 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBSeaton, TX hasn’t had a post office since 1907, and as of last count, its population hovered somewhere around 40. Situated on a lonely stretch of highway, about ten miles east of Temple, it’s not on most maps and is easy to miss. Yet, on Sundays, this town comes alive when couples gather, as they have for nearly 100 years, to dance at Tom Sefcik Hall. We’ll spend an evening getting to know the family that’s kept this place running for generations, share both laughs and tears with a few regula...
Postcard from Seaton - "Sundays at Sefcik Hall"
April 15, 2021 21:56 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBSeaton, TX hasn’t had a post office since 1907, and as of last count, its population hovered somewhere around 40. Situated on a lonely stretch of highway, about ten miles east of Temple, it’s not on most maps and is easy to miss. Yet, on Sundays, this town comes alive when couples gather, as they have for nearly 100 years, to dance at Tom Sefcik Hall. We’ll spend an evening getting to know the family that’s kept this place running for generations, share both laughs and tears with a few regula...
1. Postcard from West Austin - "Drinking at The Dry Creek"
April 08, 2021 20:27 - 28 minutes - 25.8 MBA beer at Austin's Dry Creek Cafe will only cost you $3. What’s more, at the time of our visit their bartender, Angel, was only the third to work there since 1953. We’ll swap stories with her over a cold one, learn about the cedar choppers who once drank here from author Ken Roberts, and hear Bobby Earl Smith perform the murderous love ballad this salty joint inspired. We’ll also talk about the infamous Sarah, who was named in her obituary “the meanest bartender in Austin,” and explore the ne...