BIG WEEKLY BLEND MAGAZINE – VOL. 1, ISSUE 7, JULY 2023
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” J. R. R. Tolkien
This issue celebrates the heart of summer with new music, books, and the arts, food and wine, family festival fun, coastal and island travel, and unique southwest lodging destinations.
Check out our interviews with musician Will Hawkins, frontman of the rockin’ Nine Mile High band; comics journalist Andy Warner who returned to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park for his third National Parks Arts Foundation artist residency; Sid Balman, acclaimed Texas author of the Seventh Flag trilogy; and artist Victoria Chick who reflects on the art and legacy of Midwest artist Grant Wood, famous for his “American Gothic” painting.
When it comes to food and wine, Peggy Fiandaca, co-owner of LDV Winery, shares her tips on storing wine properly as well as her refreshing summer recipe for Jicama Shrimp Tacos. Plus, Ruth Milstein, author of the award-winning recipe book “Cooking with Love” gives food advice for putting together a family picnic party in the park.
The world of travel is busy and bustling, as are all those awesome annual festivals we’ve come to experience over the years. Hear about the upcoming Savor the San Juans Festival in Washington State, as well as the annual Cane River Zydeco Festival and Meat Pie Festival in Natchitoches, the oldest city in Louisiana.
When it comes to planning your next adventure, enjoy the features on coastal and island destinations that include the Azores’ São Miguel Island, Cascais in Portugal, the rugged Oregon Coast, and the Gulf Shores region of Mississippi and Alabama. We also shine the spotlight on unique southwest lodging destinations in Palm Springs, California, and in Gila and Chama, New Mexico.
Enjoy the magazine below or get it directly on Issuu.com or keep up with all things Big Blend on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
