Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast

On this episode of “Out of Office: A Travel Podcast,” the boys put on their hard hats, light their lanterns, and head underground! Ryan and Kiernan are fresh back from Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky—the largest cave system in the world! They have tales to tell about secret subterranean rivers, folksy rangers, and gypsum flowers that take eons to grow. Things we talk about in this week’s episode: Mammoth Cave National Park https://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm  The Cave Wars https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-kentucky-cave-wars.htm  Stephen Bishop https://www.nps.gov/people/stephen-bishop.htm  George Morrison https://www.nps.gov/people/george-morrison.htm  Floyd Collins https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/tragedy-at-sand-cave.htm  Frozen Niagra https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=335A7FB9-AA3A-4D2E-A446-C2F15F29DE5E  Historical Tour https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=3CDB5B65-5954-49BB-A2FE-AEA32F56FC03  Gothic Avenue Tour https://www.greatamericanhikes.com/post/gothic-avenue-tour-in-mammoth-cave-national-park  Grand Avenue Tour https://www.alittletour.com/2017/06/01/grand-avenue-tour-mammoth-cave-kentucky/  All Tours https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/cave-tours.htm Book Tours here https://recreation.gov/ticket/facility/234640  Cave City https://cavecity.com/  Wigwam Village https://historicwigwamvillage.com/   

This week on “Out of Office: A Travel Podcast,” we revisit the November 2022 episode on Richmond, Virginia. It was Ryan and Kiernan's first overnight trip together (staying in separate hotels, of course)! They discuss museums, historic homes, graves, Presidents, and plenty about the Civil War. They also share their restaurant recommendations and uncover a standout hidden treasure in a National Park! The American Civil War Museum https://acwm.org/  Virginia Museum of Fine Arts https://vmfa.museum John Marshall House https://preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/john-marshall-house/ Hollywood Cemetery https://www.hollywoodcemetery.org/ Maggie Walker House https://www.nps.gov/mawa/index.htm  Society of Cincinnati https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_Cincinnati  Virginia State Capitol http://virginiacapitol.gov/index.php/tours/  Statue of George Washington https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_George_Washington_(Houdon)  James Madison’s Montpelier https://www.montpelier.org/  Paul Jennings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Jennings_(slave)   Eater’s Richmond List https://dc.eater.com/maps/best-bars-restaurants-bakeries-richmond-dining-guide  Barcode https://www.barcoderva.com/  Triple Crossing Brewery https://triplecrossing.com/  Emily Dickinson’s House https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/arts/design/emily-dickinson-museum-renovation.html 

On this episode of "Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast," Ryan chats with “Jade,” a flight attendant for a US airline, about the high-flying lifestyle and her biggest traveler pet peeves. Recorded in-person in Boston, Ryan also complains about the Logan Airport Uber Pickup experience. Things we talk about in this week’s episode: Michelin in Mexico: https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/tags/Mexico  

On this episode of "Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan leads us through highlights from his trip to Guatemala—museums of Guatemala City, the pyramids (and howler monkeys!) of Tikal National Park, Antigua volcano hikes, and the part-devil/part-saint of Lake Atitlan. Plus, LOTS OF GORY CATHOLIC STUFF! Things we talk about in this week’s episode: The Rick Steves Guide to Life https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2024/04/29/rick-steves-home-partner-philanthropy-washington/ US State Department Guatemala Safety Information https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Guatemala.html   Brief History of Guatemala’s complicated political history and civil war https://cja.org/where-we-work/guatemala/   Palacio Nacional de la Cultura https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Palace_(Guatemala)  Museo Ixchel https://museoixchel.org/en/museo-ixchel-english/  Museo Miraflores https://www.museomiraflores.org.gt/  Museo Nacional de Arqueologia y Etnologia https://sig.muniguate.com/proyectosDIGM/cultura/museos/MUSEOS/Arqueolog%C3%ADa%20y%20Etnolog%C3%ADa.html  Tikal National Park https://www.tikalnationalpark.org/  Antigua https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigua_Guatemala  Santa Catalina Archi https://theculturetrip.com/central-america/guatemala/articles/a-brief-history-of-antiguas-santa-catalina-arch  Convento de las Capuchinas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_y_Convento_de_las_Capuchinas,_Antigua_Guatemala  Efrain Recinos sculpture park https://intothearmsofamerica.com/destinations/guatemala/antigua/the-little-museum-up-in-the-antigua-hills/  Lake Atitlan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Atitl%C3%A1n Maximon https://atitlanliving.com/guatemala-travel-information/how-to-visit-a-cofradia-in-santiago/  Michelin Star Analysis https://www.chefspencil.com/michelin-dining-costs-analysis/  Your iPhone’s Hidden Noise Machine https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/iphone-tips-tricks/   

On this episode of "Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast," Ryan interviews Emma Weissmann on the boom of concert travel led by Taylor Swift. Plus, Kiernan endorses Mitt Romney again.  Things we talk about in this week’s episode: Mitt Romney for Harvard President. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/16/mitt-romney-harvard-president-antisemitism/  Emma Interview:  TravelAge West: https://www.travelagewest.com/ Emma’s podcasts: https://www.travelagewest.com/Podcasts Taylor Swift cruise: https://www.travelagewest.com/Travel/Cruise/taylor-swift-cruise NPR article on economic impact:  https://www.npr.org/2023/12/27/1221483930/girl-economy-taylor-swift-beyonce-barbie-2023 Last Stop: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a60314481/literary-travel-boom/ https://www.bnbfinder.com/  

On this episode of "Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan digs in on regional Italian cuisine with one of the show’s most interesting guests ever: opera and Italian cuisine expert Fred Plotkin. Fred talks us through some of the most popular and most obscure foods of Italy, sharing history and wonderful anecdotes all along the way. Part 2 of 3! Things we talk about in this week’s episode: “Italy for Food Lovers” https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/italy-for-food-lovers Fred Plotkin biography https://www.wqxr.org/people/fred-plotkin/  The Atlantic’s “Crying Myself to Sleep on the Biggest Cruise Ship Ever” by Gary Shteyngart https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-icon-of-seas/677838/ CNN’s Grandmother and Son Are on the Move https://www.cnn.com/travel/grandma-joy-ryan-grandson-seven-continents/index.html 

On this episode of "Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan grades ChatGPT, evaluating its organization of three weekend getaways. Ryan shares tips on how to correctly leverage ChatGPT for travel plans. Introducing a fresh segment, "The Layover," Ryan chats with Tommy Wallach from Hatch Escapes on the launch of their latest immersive adventure, "The Ladder." Things we talk about in this week’s episode: ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/ Hatch Escapes:  https://www.hatchescapes.com/ OOO Episode on Escape Rooms: https://outofofficepod.com/podcast/episode-50-escape-rooms-with-tommy-wallach/ LAST STOP Ryan: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-accelerates-plan-to-unleash-apex-predator-near-rural-community-over-widespread-local-opposition   Kiernan: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/willy-wonka-musical-parody-inspired-by-viral-event-1235852849/  

Opera and Italian cuisine expert Fred Plotkin shares his encyclopedic knowledge on Italy in a captivating interview. The episode also touches on immersive Willy Wonka experiences, the myth of airplane mode, and global issues discussed on 'Pod Save the World' podcast.

On this episode of "Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast," Ryan ventures to Buenos Aires and shares his top neighborhood picks, eats too much steak, and embarks on a quest for elderly giraffes. Also, the boys debut a fresh segment called Nonsense Banter. Ryan's BA photos on Insgagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C32MfWpuTpH/?img_index=1 Other Links: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/02/air-canada-must-honor-refund-policy-invented-by-airlines-chatbot/

In this episode of "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Ryan speaks with Dawn Padmore, Vice President of Awards at the James Beard Foundation, about the newly released list of semi-finalists and how the JBF discovers these exceptional restaurants across the United States. Additionally, Ryan and Kiernan share some of their favorites from the list. The JBF: https://www.jamesbeard.org/ Semi-Finalists List: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2024-james-beard-awards-semifinalists Notre Dame Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/notre-dame/id1438098925?i=1000436877749