Tag: podcast

Los Angeles and Boone: What to do on a Beautiful Day

Dear Readers and Listeners,

We started off our planning for this podcast with a two-part question: If you want to get out of the house to take advantage of a beautiful summer day where you live, where do you go and what songs do you listen to on the way there and back?

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LOS ANGELES: Anne: It’s a Beautiful Day in LA, where do you go to take advantage of it? 

Point Dume
Dodgers Stadium
Griffith Park
Hollywood Bowl
Point Dume
The Last Bookstore
Santa Monica Beach
  1. Hike at Griffith Park, I like to park on the eastern side in my old neighborhood and then go up the side and across the ridge back down to the observatory.
  2. Go park at Santa Monica beach and walk on the beach or the walking path  all the way to Venice. Go to Abbott-Kinney and get lunch and do a bit of shopping, then walk back. Get a donut on the way back home at Randy’s in Santa Monica.
  3. Drive on PCH to Malibu and go to Point Dume. Lay on the beach and watch the ocean. Can also hike up the hill and do a nice short walk on the cliff above.
  4. Go downtown which is struggling a bit, but still fun things to do. Go to The Last Bookstore and peruse the aisles. Eat at the food stalls at Grand Central Market. Take a shuttle from downtown to a night Dodgers game.
  5. Shop along Melrose and La Brea. Fav store on La Brea, American Rag Cie. 
  6. Take the train to Universal and catch a movie at Universal City Walk
  7. Drive along Mullholland, drive on Benedict Canyon in the hills.
  8. Go to the Getty Center or the Getty Villa, not just for the art, but mainly for the beautiful grounds.
  9. Walk along Sunset Blvd and get a slice of Pizza at Prince Street
Anne’s LA Spots to Take Advantage of a Beautiful Day

BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA: Bill, It’s a beautiful day in Boone; where do you go to take advantage of it? 

Rough Ridge Trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway
  1. Go to Blowing Rock, North Carolina
  • Walk Main Street and Sunset Drive. Go to Blowing Rock Brewery. Walk around Mayview Lake. Longer walk around Bass Lake. You’re by the Blue Ridge Parkway here and not far from Moses Cone Manor, Fire tower hike, and Price Lake.
  1. Do the Flat Top Tower Hike off the Blue Ridge Parkway across from Moses Cone Manor. 
  • Milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Go stand on the back porch of the manor. Look down at Bass Lake in Blowing Rock. 
  1. Drive the parkway to Asheville. 
  • My daughter Izzy and I made a video of our spontaneous drive to Asheville here: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_torg/video/7378490239981079850
  • From Milepost 293 to 382. Approx 3 hour drive. Grandfather Mountain Overlook. Linville Viaduct. Craggy Gardens Pinnacle Trail.
  • Asheville recommendations: First timers usually go to the Biltmore. Downtown walking Lexington and around the Grove Park Arcade. Wicked Weed, Green Man Brewing. Have a drink at the Grove Park Inn. New Belgium Brewery on the French Broad River. Sierra Nevada Taproom. We like to eat at Rocky’s Hot Chicken and White Duck Taco.
  • Hikes near Asheville: Craggy Gardens, Graveyard Fields, Dupont State Forest.
  • Rafting: Skip the French Broad in AVL. Do Blue Heron Rafting, section 9 for adventure, north of Hot Springs my favorite stretch.
  1. Go to the Valle Crucis Park
  • Some days there is a $5 charge to park. There’s a mile trail that goes around the park. It’s on the Watauga River and there are several spots to go wade in the river. There is a large playground, a few disk golf “holes,” a baketball court, and a volleyball net. Trees that have been damaged have been carved into various works of art.
  • This is near Mast Farm, the Inn, two Mast General Stores, and there’s a new convenience store with food that I have not yet been to!
  • I go here almost every other day!
  1. Go to the Boone Greenway Trail 
  • Lots of people throw down a blanket and spend lots of time here. There is a long paved trail that winds around near a branch of the New River. There are many wide open athletic fields. There’s a trail that goes up into the woods. I think there is a new skate park there. If I want to treat myself, I will drive the seven miles into town and do my run on the Greenway. My daughter spends lots of time there with her friends and they play a fair amount of pickleball.
  1. Go to Linville Falls. 
  • This is the largest waterfall I know of around here. You can access off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. You might want to check if it’s open after the hurricane. You can also access just off of 183 turning briefly onto Old NC 105 where there is a parking area for the Lineville Falls Trail and Waterfall.
  • Watch out that there is a little town called Linville Falls too. The town is something like a mile from the falls.
  • Bonus: take your big truck or Jeep and drive Old North Carolina 105 / 1238 along the Linville Gorge. Wiseman’s View Scenic View Overlook is the highlight. 
  1. Drive Watauga River Road. 
  • It’s freshly graded with new gravel after the hurricane. Check out Laurel Creek Falls, known as Trash Can Falls, and the Watauga Gorge. There’s a different Laurel Creek Falls in TN and that could be confusing. You can do a nice little circle with Valle Crucis Park, the two Mast Stores, Watauga River Road, and then park to head over to the falls. Also lots of pull outs on the river where you might just go wade in the river or hang out on a rock.
  1. Grandfather Mountain:
  • This is a more expensive thing to do. You can drive to near the top. There’s a high swinging bridge you can stand on. Think there is even an elevator to that. There is a rescued animals habitat that I think has bears, cougars, and elk. For me the highlight is the hike the rest of the way to the top. It’s a pretty strenuous hike with vertical ladders to climb up. Your dog won’t be able to do those. You can go for free if you’re willing to do a really tough hike from the other side of the mountain.
One of the views from Watauga River Road out of Valle Crucis, NC
Driving alongside of Watauga River Road

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Original Mast Store Near Valle Crucis Park
Anne “hiking” the Grandfather Trail
Fire Tower Hike Across from Moses Cone Manor
Linville Viaduct on the way to Asheville from Blowing Rock, NC
Cooling off at the Valle Crucis Park
Linville Gorge from the Wiseman Overlook
popular spot at the Valle Crucis Park
Bill’s favorite spots on a map minus the complete drive to Asheville

We’d like to hear from you in the comment section:

  1. If you get out of the house on a beautiful day, where are you going?
  2. If you live near Boone, NC or Los Angeles, tell us what we missed.

Thanks for checking out our post and this edition of the Torg Stories Podcast!

Indiana Pacers Lose the NBA Finals, Haliburton Injury, and A Fan Reflection

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast! We’re recording Mon June 23rd, the day after the Pacers lost in game in 7 of the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Anne, I’m fresh off of Day 1 of the Watauga Girls Basketball Camp. Did you used to go to camp as a kid?

What’s most prominent in your mind after this game 7 of the NBA Finals?

It’s two things for me: Haliburton slamming the floor and after the game when his teammates came off the court and he greeted them one by one.

How would you describe the single overwhelming emotion you felt in the final minute of Game 7, win or lose?

  • Deflated. After the game the camera was following the Pacers back to the locker room. Haliburton was waiting on everyone. Felt like the producers missed the big story when they went to the championship celebration.

How did you think Haliburton going out impacted each team? Did you see anything?

Two recent experiences that might inform some of what happened in Game 7:

  1. Kate having a knee injury as a junior and missing at least a half.
  2. RJ Reynolds point guard spraining an ankle in walk through and not playing us.

Keys to the outcome:

  1. Haliburton injury. What do they lose when they lose Haliburton? (vs. McConnell)
  2. Stifling defense that made Indiana go long stretches without scoring and forced Indiana into 21 turnovers. 32-10 points off turnovers.
  3. SGA can get 29 one way or another when no one else in the game could.
  4. Five blocks by Chet Holgrem

Go over the team stats and the box score click here.

X-Factor:

  1. McConnell going 8-13 for 16 points off the bench. Chet Holmgren getting 18 on 6-8 shooting with 5 blocks. He’s not always doing that.

How does this Game 7 performance alter your perspective on the current Pacers team and their potential for the future?

Regardless of the final score, what was the biggest surprise for you in how Game 7 unfolded? Did anything completely go against your expectations?

  • The Pacers leading at halftime was a pretty big surprise.

Game Notes on a Timeline:

  1. Pacers could win the title and never get picked for like three rounds.
  2. Dort hang and over the shoulder lay up to cut to 11-8. Just fancy.
  3. Nesmith 2 fouls at over 7 mins in first.
  4. Freaking Caruso.
  5. Haliburton 4:12. Down 18-16.
  6. Everyone trying to hit a little extra tougher shot, but hanging in there 20-22 45 secs in 1st. 22-25 at QTR. Reminds me of Durant. Toronto fans seemed to cheer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBv99Orq9Ys
  7. It barely touches Haliburton’s hands. TJ dribbles a lot but he scores and forces a timeout cutting score 36-37.
  8. SGA splitting help on ball screens.
  9. Nesmith diving on floor for jump ball 40-42 2:19 in half.
  10. Dort flop with less than a minute in half.
  11. Dort hail Mary 10:37 48-52.
  12. That Dort can slide over to someone else makes it hard.
  13. Two turnovers in a row by TJ. Threes by OKC. 56-65.
  14. TJ big third quarter. Pacers trying to free him with a ball screen near half court and he gets trapped. 5 second violation 66-75 2:17 in third.
  15. Suffocating defense 8:27 68-89.
  16. 27-5 points off turnovers up 68-89.
  17. I feel irritated with the finger twirl.
  18. Wow, OKC out of timeouts with 4:11 left.

Best Commercials:

  1. State Farm Logo Commercial. Everything is easier from the logo. Sheboygan, WI!
  2. Progressive can’t protect you from becoming your parents.

Pacers Trivia Game Created by Google Gemini:

1. Question: Which legendary Boston Celtics player coached the Pacers to their first and only NBA Finals appearance in 2000?

2. Question: Who is the Pacers’ all-time franchise leader in blocked shots?

3. Question: Before moving to Gainbridge Fieldhouse (originally Conseco Fieldhouse), the Pacers played in what famously domed arena from 1974 to 1999?

4. Question: In the 1987 NBA draft, the Pacers famously selected Reggie Miller with the 11th pick. Which Indiana University star did many local fans want the team to draft instead?

5. Question: What was the well-known nickname of the 7’4″ center from the Netherlands, Rik Smits, who played his entire career with the Pacers?

6. Question: The Pacers acquired their current All-Star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, in a major trade with which Western Conference team?

7. Question: During the Paul George era in the early 2010s, which Eastern Conference rival, led by LeBron James, eliminated the Pacers from the playoffs in three consecutive seasons (2012, 2013, 2014)?

8. Question: The number 529 is retired in honor of legendary ABA coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard. What does the number 529 signify?

9. Question: Who was the last Pacers player to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, doing so in 2018?

10. Question: Which player, known for his defensive prowess, won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award as a Pacer in the 2003-2004 season?

Answer Key

  1. Answer: Larry Bird
  2. Answer: Myles Turner
  3. Answer: Market Square Arena
  4. Answer: Steve Alford
  5. Answer: The Dunking Dutchman
  6. Answer: The Sacramento Kings (in a trade for Domantas Sabonis)
  7. Answer: The Miami Heat
  8. Answer: His total number of wins as the Pacers’ head coach (a combination of ABA and NBA victories).
  9. Answer: Victor Oladipo
  10. Answer: Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest)
Indiana Pacers Haliburton achilles NBA Finals

Thanks for checking out the website and this edition of the Torg Stories Podcast!

The Last Time We Danced, Worst Days, and the End of Consciousness from the Ted Lasso episode “Beard After Hours”

It’s the last time we danced, thoughts on the end of our consciousness, some of our worst days, and before it gets too somber, fields or courts we’d most like to mess around on for this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast. It’s all inspired by the Ted Lasso episode from season two, “Beard After Hours.”

Beard After Hours Summary and Discussion Questions:

  • This episode is so far from the plot that they actually show us the end of the previous episode where Beard is going to go out and blow off steam after the blowout loss to Manchester City.
  • What do you make of the full moon?
  • What are your London experiences?
  • The football pundits on television address Beard directly. What do you make of that?
  • Nice transition he slams down beer #1 and Mae sets down beer #2 in the pub. Beard told Jane he loved her and she did not say it back.
  • Jane texts beard to come find her. I don’t remember a show with more texting and phone screens in it than this.
  • The three football fans come over: Baz, Jeremy, and Paul. I thought you needed a hug. Anne, do you ever need a hug? They ask three questions: (1) Been to Vegas (2) What’s Ted like? (3) How do you cope knowing consciousness can end in a second? As Beard finishes his answer that it’s all a simulation, there are probably close to 20 beer glasses on the table. We’ll give him 6 and say he’s had 7 on the night.
  • What counts as a date for you? I go with Say Anything: pre-arrangement with a chance for love.
  • They go to Bones and Honey, evidently a reference to London’s Milk and Honey click here. They have kind of a Good Will Hunting scene like when Ben and Matt go to the bar near Harvard. If we were going to remix favorite scenes from TV and film and make a show episode, what would we do? Paul hilarious singing Cher: Would you believe they did such a thing? Why does Mae have all those clothes under the bar? They get in by telling the hostess her flat is on fire.
  • If you could be anywhere, where would you want to be?
  • Beard knows so much about Oxford that he convinces the men they meet they studies at Oxford.
  • Beard keeps making eye contact with a girl in a red dress. He says he learned about Oxford because he listens more than he talks. He does, right?!!!
  • Beard goes into a private room with old TVs in it. He’s drinking at least beer #8. All the TVs are showing the game, then the commentators come on and talk about him again. Beard is thrown out. The woman is out there in the alley. She offers to fix his trousers. She keeps people’s pants and says the rack of trousers is like her memoir. Beard is having trouble hanging on to his keys. Beard says, “In all my happiest memories, I’m single.” Is that love, or do I just have a problem? Woman’s man calls. He seems like a different iteration of Roy.
  • Beard jumps into a garbage bin. The man chases him. He gets on a bus. He has lost his wallet. The man at the hotel won’t let Beard use any phones.
  • Beard runs into Jamie Tartt’s dad and his buddies who have been drinking after the game. Mr. Tartt has a bandage on his eye from what beard did to him before. I had a lesson in fighting three people: try to just fight one at a time attacking to the side. LOL. Tartt picks up a pipe. Jeez. The red dress girl’s (Mary) man arrives and saves Beard.
  • Cheers. Should we start saying that? Or, you be lucky, yah? Beatles song.
  • Jane does love him. The three fans pull up in a limo.
  • Beard sends the guys somewhere and tells them to tell Renee that Beard said it is okay.
  • He brakes his key off in the door. It’s a longggg day. Reminds me of the time I saw the 76ers guard in Indy. Worst days you can remember…Maui, drive home from dad’s funeral
  • Beard prays about Jane. The people in the stain glass appear to be crying because of the rain. Does this episode say anything about love or relationships Turns out he’s in the club.
  • The fans go to the address. Where did you think they were? Have you been on important fields or courts? Market Square Arena, Madison Square Garden, Hinkle, Hoosier Gym. Beard has sent them to Nelson Road, home pitch of Richmond. Queen’s We are the Champions. If you could go onto a field or court, what would it be? I think golf at Augusta for me. Maybe 3v3 at MSG. Fenway.
  • Beards finds himself in a club and dances alone. Dances to “Hello” by Martin Solveig and Dragonette. Last time you danced? Have I danced since I got married 20 years ago? Jane is there! Beard hula hoops.
  • What’s your take on Jane and Beard? I feel happy for Jane and Beard at the end of this.
  • Beard brings the coffee to the coaches in the morning. Ted plays the video from the match over the music to Benny Hill.
  • #WeAreRichmond

NFL Conference Championships Discussion:

  • Washington vs. Philly
  • Buffalo vs. KC

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!

Cape Cod Travel Journal Podcast

We four Torgs–Bill, Megan, Charlotte and Izzy–drove from where we live in Boone, North Carolina to the town of Chatham on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. We spent the night in two places on our way to Cape Cod.

The theme park is behind us in this photo at the American Dream Mall.

The first night of our trip we stayed near the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. There was a theme park, a water park, and a ski slope inside the mall. The next day, we drove around New York City taking advantage of how relatively empty the city was for the July 4th weekend.

Charlotte, Izzy and Megan on the bridge in Mystic, CT

After checking out some of our favorite spots in Manhattan, we headed up the coast stopping at Mystic, Connecticut and then spending a the second night of our trip in Newport, Rhode Island.

On Cape Cod, we spent four nights in the town of Chatham, Massachusetts. Although this podcast discussion focuses on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, we do mix in some Mystic, CT and Newport, RI. Hope you enjoy the conversation!

Click on the player above to listen to the podcast

Cape Cod Favorites:

  1. Chapin Memorial Beach near the town of Dennis on Cape Cod
  2. Provincetown on Cape Cod
  3. Chatham Wayside Inn, where we stayed in Chatham, MA
  4. Chatham Piers Fish Market and piers and docks in general.
  5. Chatham Lighthouse Beach and lighthouses in general.

We all ranked the ocean towns we visited.

  1. Dennis, MA for Chapin and Mayflower Beach
  2. Provincetown, MA for the casual atmosphere, interesting shops, multiple great beaches, and sailing options.
  3. Chatham, MA for the bustling town full of local businesses, it’s central location, and the harbor.
  4. Newport, RI for it’s Cliff Walk, restaurants and shops on the water, and location that allows for additional exploring of nearby areas.
  5. Mystic, CT for its picturesque harbor and the metal drawbridge right in the middle of town.
  6. Hyannis, MA for it’s sailing options, access to ferries, and numerous dining and shopping options.
Charlotte and Megan looking at the Hyannis Harbor

Here are some more pictures from our trip:

Thanks for checking out this page and for listening to the podcast!

NBA Round 1 Playoffs and First Morel Mushroom Finds of the Season on the Torg Stories Podcast

Click above to listen to podcast episode.

NBA Playoff Prompts for Podcast Episode Recorded Sunday, April 27, 2024:

  1. Forget the prompts. Here’s what’s most on my mind to open the show: 
  1. Fashion finds. This can be someone’s shoe you like, coach’s outfit good or bad, walking in to the game videos, whatever. Anything related to fashion. 
Reggie Miller in the blue and brown plaid suit
OKC Jalen Williams Garnered Attention for This Fit
  1. Your favorite to watch: (team, player, whatever…) 
  • Knicks v Sixers. I rank the intensity level the highest. Embiid’s health problems (knee, Bell’s Palsy) and he seems like he is losing it. Intensity of both fan bases. Like watching Brunson. I learn stuff from Nick Nurse. A couple sets I diagrammed. 
  1. Biggest surprise: how good Kyrie looks. 23 pts, 4-8 from 3 in win AND 31 pts, 10-18 from field in loss. (could have easily been how good Hardin looks too, especially in that game 1 win) 
  • Also, I thought D’Angelo Russell was worse on offense than he has been. Yes 0-7 from 3 last game and 1-9 in game 1, but he’s at 32% from 3 for series and I thought it was worse. 
  • Haliburton looked a lot better than I had heard. 
  1. Biggest disappointment: The Suns offense or lack of it. No pg. Standing around. No apparent chemistry among the big 3. 
  2. STATS! Click here to go to the Basketball Reference NBA playoff site. Give me a team stat that jumps out to you and an individual stat that jumps out to you. 
  3. Team stat: 3 pointers made per 100 possessions: (1) Heat at 19.3 (2) Celtics at 18.7 big drop to (3) Sixers at 14.7 and worst SUNS at 9.0
  4. Individual stat: same 3 pointers made (1) Josh Hart and Dame Lillard with 12 and (3 & 4) Maxey and Porter Jr with 11. ALSO Jamal Murray is 5-20 wonder if you could go under a few more of those ball screens and handoffs 
  5. Looks like I was right…  Joel Embiid is healthy enough for Sixers to make a run. 37 ppg, 8.7 rebs, 5.3 assists, 37.5% from 3 38.7 MINS per game in 3 games 
  6. I might have missed that one… Suns to win the series and not realizing how much I now think they need a point guard OR the offense is bad OR the players are unwilling to run offense and work together. 
  7. Dumbest / most illogical thing you saw…  
    • Pacers not fouling before Middleton hit the three to send to OT. 
    • didn’t hurt them but the Nuggets challenged a foul call that went against them. It could have taken away some FTs but they ended up getting a goal tend added to their challenge. 
    1. Three or so takes that we can circle back to in a week to see if you right or not…
    • Take 1: Sixers come back and win the series vs Knicks 
    • Take 2: The Heat find a way to win another game in the Celtics series. The Celtics will pull it out. 
    • Take 3: The Lakers will lose this last game. 
    1. What are you looking forward to before the next podcast? (which game, series, etc) 
    • Continued Knicks / Sixers 
    • More Haliburton. 
    • Continued Clippers / Mavs 
    • Does Embiid get a little bit healthier or are we seeing someone barely hanging on physically and will decline?

    Discussion questions: 

    1. Let’s say you were going to put together a 5 man team to try and beat the Nuggets in a 7 game season. Neither team could sub. Pick any 5 players from the NBA. You just can’t pick a Nugget. 
    • Point guard: Luka. If not Luka…what if Giannis is the point? 
    • Shooting guard: Paul George
    • Wing: Tatum 
    • Four: Anthony Davis 
    • Center: Giannis 
    • My strategy was to go big and be switch able. I want to be all set to switch that Murray and Jokic handoff. So that’s Giannis and Luka. Hmm…
    1. Let’s say you wanted to give LeBron the best chance to win a title next year. You’re going to take LeBron from the Lakers and put him on any team except for the Nuggets. Where do you put him? 
    • Need a center or two to win, right? Thunder don’t have the center. T-Wovles I’d rather have LeBron than Towns. Suns still wouldn’t have a center or a PG. 
    • I settled on the East just to get him out of the West. There actually might not be a ton of playing time for LeBron on the Celtics? Okay, sure LeBron off the bench instead of Horford. They have some players who can move around position wise to accommodate LeBron. I don’t think he’d be happy with that. Plus, their center? I think LeBron on the Lakers is pretty much the Lakers (EmBiid becomes Davis) and they have Maxey, which the Lakers don’t have at all. So I decided I’d put LeBron on the Sixers. I do think it would be fun to see LeBron on the Warriors, an old guy team. 
    • 2nd thought: Pacers? Big guards. Good defenders. Just one big? 
    1. Read the challenge rule click here. What would be your challenge strategy, Anne? 
    • Key part of challenge rule: Each team is entitled to one challenge to start the game. If that first challenge is successful, coaches will be rewarded with a second one, as of the 2023-24 season. Coaches cannot challenge a call in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and last two minutes of any overtime.
    • I want more than possession in the first 3 quarters. I want points in my favor or I want an important foul added or taken away to my advantage. I think if you’re after possession and then you don’t score, what did you get out of it? How many points per possession are you averaging? Around 1? Celtics led the league with 1.22 points per possession and Memphis was last with 1.06. 
    • Just notice how little difference there is from top to bottom. 
    1. If you were playing today, do you think you would wear anything beyond the issued uniform? Headband, sleeves, pads. 
    • I must acknowledge I wore an oversized wristband because MJ did. And I did enjoy wiping sweat from my brow on it. I also wore one thin knee pad also because of Michael but also because I had a habit of sliding on the ride side of my knee going to the floor for balls and so I wore holes in that instead of on my knee. So acknowledging I was influenced… I might wear a leg or two. 
    Martin Torgerson holding a morel mushroom found near Valle Crucis, NC April 28, 2024

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