Talking Travel with Stefan Holt

My latest Talking Travel interview was with anchorman, journalist and pilot Stefan Holt. The full recap and interview is on Global Traveler at Talking Travel with Stefan Holt.

The son of veteran newsman Lester Holt, Stef grew up around the media field. His mother was a flight attendant, putting aviation in his blood. Stef pursued both. One was a passion, while the other was a profession.

I talked to Stef about both. My initial focus was on Standard Terminal Arrival charts. In Chicago, several paths are named after Chicago sports legends. Other cities have similar names, too. Stef explained how all of that works.

He also talked about travel to cover events, his bucket list trips and more. Last, I had a little fun asking him about his Chicago favorites and the Bears. (His wife, a granddaughter of Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Bobby Dillon) is a Packers fan.

This was a fun interview, but one with a lot of interesting aviation info. I thank Stef for his time and consideration and I encourage all to check out his Instagram account for more fun.

Lastly, please subscribe to the Global Traveler YouTube channel. It's free, easy and you won't be bothered. Plus it really helps me.

Chris 51 at Wizard World (Fan Expo)

Chris 51 is an artist, tattooist and a self-described aftertainer I met years ago at Wizard World (now Fan Expo). I watched him work his ink magic on a few people, before interviewing him. Both parts were entertaining.

Chris 51 cites his passion for pop culture as the start of his career. That might be, but a lot of people love pop culture. Some of us even have longtime sites devoted to pop culture. Few of us reach the level Chris 51 has. You have to be special to have 51 as your last name (more on that later).

Chris 51 created and starred in A&E's Epic Ink. He also appeared on My Morphin Life with Jason David Frank. He created the Geeksterink Legends Tattoo Tour at Wizard World, which is where I met him.

One cool thing about Chris 51 is his use of himself as a Simpson's character, because I got a little flack for using South Park for my character. If a talented and successful guy like Chris 51 can do it, why can't I/

Anyway, the 51 comes from the area 51. in Oregon. There are some connections between the part of Oregon and the mysterious territory in Nevada. Chris 51 does his work at Area 51 Tattoo in (wait for it) Springfield, Oregon. There's another Simpson's reference.

Chris was completely fun and cool. Although he was extremely busy and I wasn't getting a tattoo, he gave me several minutes of his time in a very entertaining interview.

Look for Chris 51 on social media and also area-51tattoo.com. For more info on FanExpo go to fanexpohq.com. Also, check here for my recurring coverage.

Chris 51 and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2016.

Thank you Carly Alvers

The 2026 DePaul softball season starts February 6 in the Dome in Rosemont. I'll be there, but Carly Alvers won't.

A native of Mokena, Alvers played 174 games, starting 157, during her four seasons at DePaul. She hit .257 with six HRs, 54 RBIs and 62 runs scored. In her last two seasons, she started 94 of 95 games at third base and was a steady force in the infield.

I like Alvers right from the start. She had a positive energy about her. She was always up for a post-game selfie and a quick chat.

It's always bittersweet as the new season starts. I miss the departing players, but I welcome getting to learn about the newbies. Sometimes, the alums come to games, but I also rarely recognize them. I am horrible at that. Most of the time, I will never see the departing players, but that's the nature of the game. The fun part though is knowing new players and seeing all their differences. I'm just a reporter and a fan. I always wonder how coaches deal with the ever-revolving door.

DePaul looks to improve on their 16-32 record of last year. I'll be at Cacciatore Stadium as often as my schedule allows. Check here for my recurring coverage. Go to depaulbluedemons.com for more info.

Carly Alvers and me in Chicago, IL-April 2025.

Friend Encounters: Goofy and Ty

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today, I am getting goofy, but only because my late friend Ty got goofy first. Actually, he got Goofy for real.

I love this picture. It shows Ty happy meeting a character. Ty met all sorts of celebrities, but mainly wrestlers. He loved wrestling. I would see him at many wrestling events and comic cons. He would always stop me for a selfie. I looked forward to those moments of catching up with my pal.

Goofy has an interesting history. He debuted in 1932 as Dippy Dawg, who is older than Goofy would come to be. Later that year, he was re-introduced as the younger Goofy. Since then, he has become a beloved part of the Disney Universe.

Ty beats me on this one. I have never met Goofy, nor any Disney characters, other than Mickey Mouse.

Fortunately, I did meet Ty many years ago and became friends. Tragically, he died too young last year. I plan to keep his memory alive here with his other celebrity encounters. RIP Ty.

Goofy and Ty in Orlando, Florida-January 2024.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #777 Cassie Duncan & Erica Day

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series featuring celebrities wearing sports jerseys. Ice Girls deserve the spotlight, too!

I don't know a lot about foemer Los Angeles Kings Ice Crew member Cassie Duncan. She was on the team for at least the 2009-10 season and was a trainer after that. Beyond that, I have nothing, but never let a good Celebrity Jersey Card opportunity pass without capitalizing on it.

I discovered slightly more about Erica Day. She was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, but made her way to Los Angeles and the Kings. She worked on the Ice Crew for at least the 2009-10 season. She also did some acting in videos and television. That's enough to merit a Celebrity Jersey Card.

Kal Herro - GLCW Champ

A new Great Lakes Championship Wrestling champ was crowned in December at Blizzard Brawl. Kal Herro now proudly wears the title belt.

I have written many times about Kal. I have known Kal for many years, having met him at a Blizzard Brawl about 15 years ago. I have watched him grow up to be an amazing young man and a skilled wrestler. Now I have seen him win his first GLCW heavyweight title.

Son of promoter David, Kal has worked hard and earned everything he has gotten. As discussed in The Herro's Journey, the documentary about David, people can say he got a lot from being David's son. They can say that, but they'd be wrong. This young man is incredibly talented and has worked towards this from a young age. He is extremely well-mannered and in awe of his father. The love they share and show is heartwarming. It's a pleasure knowing both of them.

Th next Blizzard Brawl will be in Milwaukee in December. I don't know if KJal will still be champ, but it's a good bet he will be there. Of course, there is the chance one of the big companies will see this energetic, charismatic talent and sign him.

Kal Herro, Tony and me in Waukesha, WI-December 2025.

Manifesting a Jenniffer Weigel Interview

Jenniffer Weigel has been at the top of my interview want list for years. Last year, we almost got it done, but schedules changed. I am resetting it as a goal for 2026.

Jenniffer is a Chicago media person, an author, a believe and more. The daughter of Chicago news legend Tim, Jenniffer wrote Stay Tuned, an amazing book about her attempt to communicate with her father after his passing. It's a book I read about once a year. Even if you don't believe in such things, there are plenty of other heartwarming parts to it.

Jenniffer has written a few other books and I recommend all of them. Never preachy, Jenniffer admits her own doubts, while being open to possibilities.

Why do I want this interview? I want to delve into her mindset. I want to hear how she balances doubt with searches. I want to hear more of her coincidences or signs, depending how you believe. Mostly, I want to share her stories with more people.

Go to jenweigel.com to learn more about her. Check back here to see if I achieve my goal.

Jenniffer Weigel and me in Rosemont, IL-November 2022. 

Benny the Bull Loves Me

One would think mascots would give me more respect, considering my fascination with them. Apparently, Benny the Bull doesn't care.

At Bulls Fest 2025, the Bulls mascot decided to have some fun with me, covering my face. I must admit, it is an improvement. In all fairness, he also did a regular picture with me.

Benny (or his great grandfather) debuted in 1969, becoming the first live NBA mascot. Over the years, there have been a few versions of Benny, with the current one was introduced in 2004. No matter the version, Benny is regarded as one of the most popular mascots. Some rank Benny at the top of that list.

At Bulls Fest, several former Bulls appeared for meet-and-greets. They all attracted large lines, but the biggest might have been for Benny, as kids and adults wanted pictures with the big red bull. Lucky for me, I had a media pass and didn't have to wait long. You know I would have waited though. I can't pass up a mascot.

Benny and me in Chicago, IL-August 2025.

Introducing Carla MacLeod of the PWHL

Last month, I got my first live take on the Professional Women's Hockey League. Although the PWHL doesn't have a team in Chicago, the league is playing some neutral site games. The Ottawa Charge played the Minnesota Frost in the Takeover Tour stop in Chicago.

Saturday was a day of practice, meet-and-greets and clinics in Rosemont. I attended all of it. The meet-and-greet featured four Charge players (more on them in the future). I was hoping to meet Charge Coach Carla MacLeod. Patience paid off as MacLeod came out shortly before the clinics started. I was fortunate to chat with her for a bit.

A native of Alberta, MacLeod starred at the University of Wisconsin. She also played internationally, winning the gold medal in two Olympics and a gold and three silvers in the world championships. MacLeod was a force on defense.

She began her coaching career shortly after retiring in 2010. In September 2023, she was named head coach of the Charge, one of the original six PWHL teams. In her first year, she guided them to a fifth place finish. Last season, the Charge finished in third place. Currently, the team is struggling a bit in last place.

MacLeod was very engaging. She thanked me for covering and supporting women's hockey. I said I was hoping for a Chicago team. A a former Wisconsin player, she knew what a team would mean to the area.

I had read she announced she was battling breast cancer. I did not broach the subject. I didn't think it was the time or place. I did wish her well.

The next day, the Charge beat the Frost in overtime. The game drew a respectable 7,200 fans. On the weekend before Christmas, for Chicago's first taste of women's hockey with two non-Chicago teams, I thought that was encouraging. As for the hockey itself, I was impressed. It was competitive and exciting.

For more info on Coach MacLeod and the PWHL, go to thepwhl.com. Also, check here for my recurring coverage, which hopefully will eventually include a Chciago team!

Carla MacLeod and me in Rosemont, IL-December 2025.

Happy Birthday Scott

Happy birthday to my brother-in-law Scott. I'm sure he is celebrating somewhere in Florida, but I am raising a toast to him from here.

After writing these for so many years, there really isn't much I haven't said. How do you thank someone who has been a friend, mentor, role model and brother? Scott has been all of that and more, including an occasional tormenter depending on our sports bets.

We have been across the country, at many sports events, fishing in remote Canada and even on the field interviewing Minnesota Twins coaches in Spring Training. There's so many great memories, but some of the best times are just with all the family poking, prodding and laughing.

I celebrate these birthdays because these folks in my life are so important. I am a lucky guy.

Happy birthday Scott. We'll celebrate in a couple months.

Scott, Jean and me in Chicago, IL-September 2025.