What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Nestled in a small pocket on the outskirts of Houston and a mere two miles from major highways to its west and east is Tomball, Texas, ladies and gentlemen.With its very own Main Street dotted with boutiques, eateries, antique and resale shops, Tomball is a small slice of idyllic charm and an eclectic throwback to times of old. Today’s special guest is Michael Dean Pierce, Tomball resident, entrepreneur and shop owner of Cloud Chief and Co. on Main Street, musician, songwriter, artist, and owner of our town’s Smallest Honky Tonk a few blocks down. Join us for one of the most fun, creative and easy flowing interviews I’ve done all season on Coloring My Way Across The Globe.Learn more about Cloud Chief & Co. here: http://www.cloudchiefcompany.comListen to Michael’s latest musical homage to Tomball, called Smallest Little Honky Tonk in Texas:  https://open.spotify.com/track/2t1gMoucIZG2LS2NEE9YEn?si=gdIwutEiQu2si2cZ9nayTA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A36P5RKHchV6Yucixok5gP0https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Our esteemed guest, Nicole Schumann-Sizaret, is a teacher and practitioner of the Feldenkrais method, which uses specific movements to open up thought processes and unleash creativity—while promoting wellness on many levels. Nicole’s specialization is expressing our creative skills through conscious exploration of movement. She owns the studio Fluent in Porto, Portugal and holds workshops at art schools and cultural venues throughout Europe. Linguistically fluent in three languages and coming along with Portuguese as her fourth, Nicole works most often with professionals in the creative and design fields. To learn more about Nicole and the Feldenkrais method, visit http://www.fluent.pt. https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren A continuation of last week’s interview with Reverend Dennis Flach, this week’s episode covers Rev. Flach’s years spent in church planting, global missions and family travels to many parts of the world. Enjoy, my colorful friends! https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Third generation New Orleanian, proud husband, father and grandfather, Rev. Dennis Flach joins us today with some stories and remembrances of his childhood and early adult years in the internationally blended, cultural melting pot that is New Orleans, Louisiana. We journey from there just across the Mississippi River to chat about the enchantment of Natchez, a quaint town rich in its own culture and heritage, and the place Rev. Flach has called home for the last few decades. https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Learn about the day in the life of an archaeologist, professor and lecturer with today’s guest Bruno Soltic. Bruno takes us on his journey around the world both for personal adventure and archaeological digs. Born and raised in Croatia, he now resides in south Florida and is a proud father of twin boys and a daughter. Enjoy the episode, friends. Follow Bruno’s travel and archaeological digs at https://www.instagram.com/diggingdeeperwithbrunohttps://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Back in the mid 90s, I learned Spanish as a second language through a full immersion program in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Newsflash: it didn’t involve a single textbook. In today’s episode I am discussing the non-traditional learning methods I employ to learn language, and why sitting in a classroom conjugating verbs for two straight years did nothing for my language fluency. Enjoy this short monologue and stay colorful, my friends! https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Today’s guest Carmen Sognonvi and I met in a tiny ramen bar in Tokyo, Japan last May as she and her family were wrapping up their three-week tour of the country. I was there as many of you know on my own two-week journey with my son.Carmen owns and operates Top Flight Family, a resource for all things luxury family travel. She is a world traveler, content creator and entrepreneur raising kids in NYC.  Her multiracial and multicultural family has roots that span four continents.Carmen is passionate about encouraging parents to take their kids to see the world, and showing families how to travel in comfort and style.How to connect with Carmen: http://www.instagram.com/topflightfamily Adventures on Instagramhttp://www.instagram.com/smallstepswithcarmen Carmen’s Podcasthttps://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Join in on this week’s episode with Dr. Carmen Landrau, my long time friend and fellow entrepreneur!  Carmen is a cardiologist, motivational keynote speaker and executive business coach. A proud native of Puerto Rico and long time Houston resident, Carmen offers cultural and language insights about Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encamto, and raising a family in a Spanish-English language speaking household. You won’t want to miss our Puerto Rican Spanish tutorial, either! What fun! See more about Dr. Carmen Landrau at https://www.drlandrau.com. https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Join us today for some adventure and comedy as we discuss Julie’s first global travel experience to Greece, how we merged our distinct traveling styles, and other aspects of life from real struggles of entrepreneurship to pursuing dreams at any age! Follow all of Julie’s adventures at: www.instagram.com/livelifelehmannSign up for exclusive, colorful and complimentary content from me below! https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren As I interviewed this week’s guest Henri Sizaret, it became abundantly clear that he represents everything that this travel and culture podcast is about: that is, telling stories of colorful places, life experiences, travels, and adventures from a multicultural, multilingual perspective. We discuss Henri’s background of world travel beginning in childhood, how he and his wife came to settle in Porto, Portugal, the discovery of a musical passion in a unique genre, and the importance of color in his line of work—brand development. With 70+ branding projects in 15 countries, Henri most assuredly understands color and branding through his work in the wine and spirits industry. Visiting Porto yourself? Here are three of Henri’s recommendations:Miss Opo   https://www.instagram.com/missopo_2011/?hl=enMaus Habitos  https://www.instagram.com/maushabitos/?hl=enComa Bem  https://pt.restaurantguru.com/Restaurante-Coma-Bem-PortoHenri’s brand development firm:   www.brandreveal.netHenri’s official discography:  www.akamuzik.bandcamp.comYoutube and Instagram :  @akamuzikhttps://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren 2023 proved to be the year of the sabbatical for host Lauren Battistini. In this episode she expounds upon what led to the “gap” year and lessons gleaned from the time away. Traveling 12 out of the 52 weeks in 2023, Lauren gained not only rest, but also direly needed family, creative and adventure time! Be sure to subscribe for more exclusive content to Coloring My Way Across The Globe’s newsletter at: https://www.LFBcolor.com. We’d love to see you there!https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Last fall I registered for a 3k open water swim competition off the island of Spetses, Greece, a 3-hour ferry ride from Athens. This proved to be the most challenging open water swim of my life, and at certain points I considered throwing in the towel! Thankfully I kept going and finished well, missing a 3rd place podium award (for my age group) by a mere 30 seconds. Darn!Today’s podcast guest is Dr. Marina Coutarelli, the founder of both the Spetses Mini Marathon and Spetsathlon events. Dr. Coutarelli is an award winning PR and communications professional who has a knack for launching some of the most successful brand campaigns in her native country of Greece and beyond. In our live interview conducted in her beautiful office in the Athenian suburb of Kifissia, Marina and I discuss the 3k open water swim, sports tourism and extending tourism season past August in Greece, best things to do while on the island of Spetses, the Greek lifestyle of living in the present, and her take on color and branding.Dr. Coutarelli is the founder and CEO of Communication Lab, a boutique communication agency based in Athens, Greece, specializing in PR, media relations, social media and crisis management. Learn all about both the Spetsathlon and Spetses Mini Marathon events at   https://www.spetsesmarathon.com.https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Last fall I registered for a 3k open water swim competition off the island of Spetses, Greece, a 3-hour ferry ride from Athens. There for a week, I stayed at the idyllic, cozy, traditional guesthouse of 7 Islands.Family owned and operated since 1987, this guesthouse delivers what it promises to “feel like home.” Nestled in a quiet neighborhood only slightly off the beaten path, 7 Islands is 550 meters from the Old Port, 450 meters from Agia Marina beach, and 900 meters from the main port of Dapia and Spetses market. Today guest Tonia Vatikiotis and I discuss how her father began guesthouse operations after a career in construction, a bit of Spetses history, the Greek concept of filoxenia, and some of the best places to visit while on her island.Learn more about 7 Islands Guesthouse at  http://www.7islandspetses.com.7 Islands GuesthouseAgia Marina, Spetses, Greece+30 2298 073059Info@7islandspetses.comhttps://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren In today’s episode I visit with Marina Tsekoura in her quaint writing studio in a lovely Athens suburb. We are here to discuss places off the beaten path in and around Athens, as well as equally enchanting parts of mainland Greece.Hear also about Marina’s international travel, language learning and role as contributing journalist at the international publication—Insights Greece.See more of Marina’s writing and cultural musings at https://insightsgreece.com/author/marina/https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren In May of 2023, my son Christian Battistini and I set off on our first ever international adventure together. We chose Japan as the destination and spent two magical, action-packed, fully immersive weeks in this culturally rich land steeped in so much beauty and tradition.In today’s episode we share perspectives as mother and son, the cultural insights we gleaned, what we learned from each other and our travel styles, and how the experience genuinely reinforced the strong bond we’ve always had.We also give you a bonus audio tour of each city we visited in Japan and some of our favorite spots. We hope you enjoy this episode and are encouraged in the process to visit Japan for yourselves!Christian and I wish to thank the beautiful souls of Japan for their kindness and hospitality, and Rob Dyer of The Real Japan for creating our travel itinerary and guiding us through the process of trip planning.https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Today’s guest has been exploring Japan and gathering insights since 2000 to bring us an exhaustive resource library for planning our own Japanese adventures! When my son and I planned our 2023 Japan trip, we employed the services of Rob with much success. Our two weeks in Japan were colorful, adventurous, and so incredibly immersive thanks to Rob’s expert guidance. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!Reach out to Rob: hello@therealjapan.comRob and his Japan travel resources:  therealjapan.comA writer and publisher from England, Rob has been exploring Japan’s islands since 2000. He specializes in traveling off the beaten track, whether on remote atolls or in the hidden streets of major cities. He’s the founder of TheRealJapan.com.Rob has launched the first in a series of City Travel Guide Google Maps, starting with Hiroshima on 1st December 2023: https://www.therealjapan.com/hiroshima-google-map/https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren What do the terms “digital nomad” and “location independent” call to mind when you hear them? For many, this is just a dream, but for today’s  guest Danielle Hu , this became her reality once she chose to walk away from a big corporate job on Wall Street. Join us for an engaging, colorful discussion about taking one—-and sometimes multiple—-giant steps to meld the worlds of entrepreneurship and travel to live a truly bold life on your own terms!GUEST INFO:Danielle Hu is a business mentor, surfer, and full-time traveler. Starting her online business, Wanderlover, has taken her to over 60 countries, and scaling her online business has taken it to multiple six-figures.The Wanderlover mission is to empower you to design a location-independent lifestyle through online entrepreneurship, and to achieve time freedom, location freedom, and financial freedom.GUEST WEBSITE: https://www.wanderlover.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewanderlover/Digital Nomad Society: https://thewanderlover.com/digital-nomad-society/https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren On a layover in Amsterdam, Holland, I met late one night with my long-time Instagram friend and favorite artist, Wendy Buiter.Woman to woman, we covered almost every topic under the sun, from single motherhood to the demands of running a globally focused business, to the almost radical confidence you must possess to have a career as an “artrepreneur,” or artistic entrepreneur. Wendy shares secrets of what it really takes to build a business from zero to having a global presence. I took copious notes and so should you, friends! GUEST INFO:Wendy Buiter is a Dutch contemporary artist, renowned for her bold, fashion-inspired artworks that depict powerful women of sophisticated style. Bold, vibrant, and fashion-forward, Wendy Buiter’s artworks are world-renowned for their lustrous elegance, timeless glamour, and alluring depiction of mystique, confident women. Statements of contemporary beauty, Wendy’s art radiates cosmopolitan style, and finds its home in publications and art collections across the globe. GUEST WEBSITE: www.wendybuiter.com https://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Welcome to the podcast, friends. Today I sit down in my color and art studio to introduce you to my latest creative pursuit, Coloring My Way Across The Globe. What began as a casual hashtag on social media has evolved into both a podcast and a newly launched art career.This episode articulates my passion for all things travel, color, art, language learning, adventure and culture related. We discuss the types of guests I’ve invited to share their stories with us, as well as the structure of the program.This isn’t just a podcast, guys. It’s a cultural conversation of sorts. Each episode I aim to chronicle the most colorful people, places and experiences I encounter off the beaten path both near and far. Through this podcast, I hope to inspire, encourage and teach you to have your own colorful adventures in life. GUEST INFO:Lauren Battistini is an architectural color expert turned professional artist, language learner and global traveler with a penchant for adventure, immersive cultural experiences, and lifelong learning.Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Lauren is proud of her Italian, Spaniard, French and Scottish heritage, describing herself as “a very Mediterranean gringa.” She is fluent in Spanish as a second language and is currently learning Greek as her third language! GUEST LINK: www.lfbcolor.com/Lauren-the-artisthttps://www.lfbcolor.com/

What did you think of the episode? Have comments. Text us here! We’d love to hear from you. XO, Lauren Who better to be my first podcast guest than the world’s most prolific color expert and forecaster, Leatrice “Lee” Eiseman? Lee is my teacher, mentor and a dear friend.Recorded from Lee’s studio in Tucson, Arizona, we discuss “color across the globe” as art form, science, business and a multi-billion dollar industry that affects almost every area of our lives. Together Lee and I share stories of our colorful travels abroad and what it means for us, two color professionals, to live life in color!GUEST INFO:Leatrice “Lee” Eiseman is the Director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information & Training AND Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.Eiseman is a professional color specialist who is often called the international color guru. Her color expertise is recognized worldwide, particularly as executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Lee has been widely quoted in many publications and recognized by Fortune Magazine and the Wall St. Journal as one of the most influential people in the world of color. She is the author of ten books on color. GUEST LINK: www.leatriceeiseman.comhttps://www.lfbcolor.com/