Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Book Giveaway: WIN The Best Hits on the Blues Highway by Chicago Author Amy Bizzarri

What We're Reading 
Chi, IL Book Releases On Our Radar:
The Best Hits on the Blues Highway 
by Amy Bizzarri 
Enter to win a signed copy through 6/17/24

The Best Hits on the Blues Highway, Chicago-based author, Amy Bizzarri signs her latest release at the iconic Chess Records Studios, now Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation.
All photos by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List

To celebrate the release of The Best Hits on the Blues Highway, Chicago-based author, Amy Bizzarri is partnering up with us, here at ChiIL Mama, to offer a signed and personalized copy of The Best Hits on the Blues Highway to one lucky winner! ($26.95 retail value). Enter at the bottom of this post. Winner will be announced here and on our social media outlets on Monday, June 17th.

Just about everyone who wasn't raised in a cave has heard of Route 66, but what do you know about Route 61, AKA: The Blues Highway? We're so excited for this fun and informative guide for blues fans and travel lovers alike. The book even comes with a QR code to scan for some roadtrip tunes to get you started off down The Blues Highway in style! We're jonesin' to hit the road and give this guide a real world try. 

The legendary Blues Highway has played a key role in the lives of countless musicians. Running from Nashville, Tennessee, to New Orleans, Louisiana, there’s music around every bend. From the two-room home where “the King” was born to the original Heartbreak Hotel to the crossroads where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil for fame, every stop has a story to tell. 

Inspiring, practical, and entertaining, The Best Hits on the Blues Highway is the premier guide to all the off-the-radar stops along America’s Blues Highway that you simply must not miss. Author Amy Bizzarri, road trip expert and author of the bestselling guide to the Mother Road, The Best Hits on Route 66, provides a comprehensive list of 100 unique stops that you’ll want to take a moment to explore as you journey along the fascinating, 730-mile route from Nashville to New Orleans. 




The Best Hits on the Blues Highway: Nashville to New Orleans on Route 61
Amy Bizzarri
Current price: $26.95
Publication Date:  June 4th, 2024
Publisher: Globe Pequot Press
ISBN: 9781493078462
Pages: 184

Experience its world-famous music landmarks, tucked-away locations, and one-of-a-kind stops. Travel one section at a time or plan an extended trip along the entire route.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Bizzarri is a freelance travel writer with a focus on family adventures and outdoor fun. She has a keen interest in Chicago history and is the author of 111 Places in Chicago That You Must Not Miss and Discovering Vintage Chicago. She is also the author of The Best Hits on Route 66.






It was our great pleasure to shoot Amy's book release party, Sunday, May 26th at the iconic Chess Records studios at 2120 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. The lovely event included an afternoon reception and private tour of Chess Records benefiting Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation. All event proceeds support the Blues Heaven Foundation. Here's a quick photo recap below, with a full tour set coming soon, along with a detailed book review. In the meantime, check out some excellent events this month: https://www.bluesheaven.com/events.html




The Best Hits on the Blues Highway: Nashville to New Orleans on Route 61
Book release party, Sunday, May 26th at the iconic Chess Records studios 


Best Hits on the Blues Highway, published by Globe Pequot, released 6/4/24. Find or request it at your local bookstores and online. 

CLICK HERE for your chance to WIN 

The Best Hits on the Blues Highway 

by Chicago-based author, Amy Bizzarri. 

One lucky winner gets a signed and personalized copy of The Best Hits on the Blues Highway ($26.95 retail value). Enter like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. Winner will be announced here and on our social media outlets on Monday, June 17th.

The author has provided us with both a review copy and a signed copy that can be personalized, to give away to 1 of our lucky readers. As always, all opinions are our own. 

 

The Best Hits on the Blues Highway, Chicago-based author, Amy Bizzarri signs her latest release at the iconic Chess Records Studios, now Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation.

All photos by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara


Sunday, January 6, 2019

EXPO ALERT: 15th ANNUAL CHICAGO TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE SHOW Jan.12-13th, 2019

CHICAGO TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE SHOW RELEASES FULL 2019 PROGRAM SCHEDULE AND WELCOMES 75 NEW EXHIBITORS

Programming Includes Introduction to Wellness Travel, Top Travel Celebrity Discussions, Demonstrations from Master Chefs and Cultural Dance Performances 

**Admission for children age 16 and under is free!** 


Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, we love to travel. So, for years we've been making one of our first destinations of the year the CHICAGO TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE SHOW, slated for Jan.12-13th, 2019. 


This show is a great opportunity to score amazing travel deals, meet industry celebs, pick up travel tips and tricks, and stock up on loads of reusable bags. 



Best of all, kids under 17 are free! Come check it out and start making some of your new years travel resolutions a reality. 



The Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, scheduled to return to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River Rd., Rosemont) Jan. 12-13, is thrilled to announce its full program for 2019. The program includes a variety of brand new interactive experiences, celebrity speakers and first-time exhibitors that will be sure to elevate and expand the range of opportunities available for the 15th Annual Chicago Travel & Adventure Show.

The Chicago Travel & Adventure Show provides its visitors with the ultimate destination to find, plan and book their next vacation. Thousands of destinations will be represented for guests to explore, with free on-site experiences including a scuba diving pool, camel rides, master chef demonstrations and more. Some of the world’s top travel experts and celebrities including Samantha Brown, Pauline Frommer and Rick Steves will be present to answer questions on all things travel. You can also interact one on one with many of these celebrities at the show!

“Part of what makes this show so engaging every year is the broad variety of cultural experience and expertise that come together in one room,” said Travel & Adventure Show CEO John Golicz. “Whether it is a travel icon, master chef or unique travel destination, we want to welcome both old and new faces to the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show this year.”

AAA is the official Travel Agency Partner for the 2019 Chicago Travel & Adventure Show. The event’s Major Sponsor is MSC Cruises, while Supporting Sponsor Rick Steves’ Europe joins the Official Cruise Sponsor Celebrity Cruises, Contributing Sponsor Cruise Planners and Featured Destination Arizona Tourism.

The Chicago Travel & Adventure Show will run from Saturday, Jan. 12 to Sunday, Jan. 13 with timing as follows:

Saturday, January 12 
9:15 a.m. special media tour
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. for media and travel professionals.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. for the general public

Sunday, January 13 
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Attendees can (for a limited time) purchase tickets online now for the discounted rate with promo code: CHPR19:
Single day: $11
Two day: $18

On-site tickets can be purchased with cash only at the rate of:
Single day: $15
Two day: $22



The Chicago Travel & Adventure Show has 75 first-time exhibitors this year that bring an even greater range of travel options for attendees. Some of the new exhibitors include MSC Cruises, Amazing Tanzania, Safari Legacy, China Adventure Tours, Best of Costa Rica, Balmoral Resort Orlando, Gosheni Safaris, Palau Visitors Authority, Visit Tucson, JorAfrica and many more.

The Chicago Travel & Adventure Show will host a variety of experiences at its four educational and inspirational theaters throughout the two-day event. A selection of the various experiences are below. For the full schedule of panels, performances and demonstrations click here.

Travel Theater
Guests learn the newest trends, hottest tips, and most reliable tools from some of the world’s top travel experts. This year’s celebrity travel speakers include:



Rick Steves | Writer and Host, Rick Steves Europe and Travel with Rick Steves
European Travel Skills
Saturday, January 12
10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Samantha Brown | Host, Places to Love with Samantha Brown (PBS)
Travel Smart: Lessons Learned from a Life Lived on the Road
Saturday, January 12
12:45 – 1:45 p.m.



Pauline Frommer | Editorial Director, Frommer’s Guides
Spend Less, See More: Strategies for Creating Dream Vacations in ALL Price Ranges
Saturday, January 12
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.



Destination Theater
From where to go and when to go, to what to do and how to get there, destination experts give visitors the in-depth information needed to travel like a local.

James McBride | Business Development Manager, Princess Cruises
Alaska 2019 Explore the Great Land with Princess Cruises
Saturday, January 12
10:15 – 10:45 a.m.

Robert Stieve | Editor in Chief, Arizona Highways Magazine
The Ultimate Arizona Road Trip
Saturday, January 12
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Bonnie Levengood | Senior Vice President of Marketing, MSC Cruises USA
Discover the Best of the Caribbean with MSC Cruises
Saturday, January 12
12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Alex Pinelo | VP of  National Accounts, AmaWaterways River Cruises
Let’s Get Away...with AAA Travel
Saturday, January 12
2:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Savvy Traveler Theater
Showcasing travel tips, tricks and actionable advice, you’ll learn how to travel like a pro straight from the experts. Topics include packing tips, technology skills, travel safety methods, budget travel hacks, etc.

Angel Castellanos | World Travel Expert, AngelsTravelLounge.com
The Ultimate Packing & Travel Tips for the Best Trip of Your Life
Saturday, January 12
12:15 – 1:00 p.m.

Patricia Schultz | Bestselling Author of “1,000 Places to See Before You Die”
European River Cruises
Saturday, January 12
1:15 – 2:00 p.m.



Global Beats Stage
Visitors are invited to watch and participate in performances representing several destinations from around the world (right on the show floor.) The interactive performances rotate throughout the day and provide a sneak peek into a diverse range of customs and cultures. Highlights include:

Nordic Folk Dances
Saturday, January 12 at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, January 13 at 1:30 p.m.

Thai Cultural Performance
Saturday, January 12 at 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 13 at 3:15 p.m.

Bharatanatyam - Classical Indian Dance
Saturday, January 12 at 2:30 p.m.

In addition to the plethora of on-stage experiences, the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show’s exhibitors are offering a range of luxurious vacation giveaways available to visitors. 

Giveaway items include:

Peru Explorer vacation for two from AAA Travel and CostSaver
A three-day, two-night stay at the oceanfront Holiday Inn Resort provided by Daytona Beach Area CVB
A cruise provided by Cruise Planners
$10,000 Dream Home Makeover courtesy of Elite Remodeling Group
Free roundtrip flight from Oakland, CA or Boston, MA to the Azores or Lisbon
A two-week trip for two to Columbia courtesy of Tucan Travel

About Unicomm, LLC and the Travel & Adventure Show Series
UNICOMM LLC is an independent business-to-business communications company specializing in originating and managing world-class trade shows and conferences. Unicomm’s properties include the nation’s largest and longest running series of travel events, the Travel & Adventure Show in Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco/Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Philadelphia and Dallas.

For complete schedules, tickets and more information on attending at the event, please visit www.travelshows.com/chicago.



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