A little audio note from us - The History Chicks : A Women's History Podcast

Summary4 min read

Episode Overview

This episode of The History Chicks, titled "A little audio note from us," serves as a quick update from hosts Susan and Beckett rather than a standard, in-depth historical episode. The main purpose is to inform listeners about the very limited remaining availability for their upcoming 2026 historical travel excursions to France’s Loire Valley and several regions of Italy. The hosts share highlights, special events, and exclusive experiences planned for these trips, inviting listeners to join and build a sense of community around a shared love of women’s history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcement of Upcoming Travel Opportunities

The hosts emphasize that this is not a regular episode, but rather an informational message about two organized tours with limited availability.
- Susan [00:00]: "This is not a regular show. Just a little notification from Susan and I. Believe it or not, we still have a few spots, a very few left for both of our upcoming trips in 2026."

2. Loire Valley, France Tour (August 23–31, 2026)

Thematic Highlight: "Hello, Chateau"—visiting 7 chateaux and one cathedral.
Unique Experiences:
- Two days in Paris, including a stay at the historic hotel where Sarah Bernhardt once resided.
- Private dinner in an orangery, sampling local wines and fromage.
- Two river cruises.
- A visit to a site associated with Leonardo da Vinci.
- Focus on forming and strengthening friendships within the group.
Base Location: Tours, France—highlighted for its charm and as a new experience for both hosts.
- Susan [00:37]: "We have private dinner in an orangery. We will sample local wines and fromage. There are not one, but two river cruises. We'll get a touch of the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and most importantly, build even greater friendships on our travels."
- Beckett [01:00]: "If you just pull up pictures of it, looks so charming. There are two days in Paris, so you'll get a little bit of Paris, but you'll get a lot of the Loire Valley."

3. Italy Tour (October 7–16, 2026)

Destinations: Rome, Florence, Venice, Parma, Modena, and an Italian countryside lunch.
Special Events:
- Private, after-hours Vatican Museum tour.
- Evening event at a 13th-century castle.
- Sampling Parmesan cheese at the source in Parma.
- Sampling balsamic vinegar at the source in Modena.
Educational Walking Tours:
- Focus on "Women of Ancient Rome" and "Women of Florence," highlighting women's roles and stories throughout history and art.
- Encounters with historical figures previously discussed on the podcast: Artemisia Gentileschi, Catherine de Medici, Diane de Poitiers, Empress Sisi.
  - Susan [01:56]: "We're going to run into some of our former friends, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitier and Empress Sissy. Ah, the women."
Episode Reference: Last year's Italy trip is recapped in Episode 275 (October), where listeners can hear firsthand experiences from previous participants.
- Beckett [01:34]: "A lot of the things we're gonna be doing are the same things we did on the tour last year. We did an episode on that. It's number 275 from last October."

4. How to Join

Both itineraries are detailed and registration is available at likemindstravel.com.
- Susan [02:16]: "We can't possibly list them all. So to check out those itineraries and to reserve your spot, go to likemindstravel.com See you there."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Susan [00:37]: "We have private dinner in an orangery. We will sample local wines and fromage. There are not one, but two river cruises...and most importantly, build even greater friendships on our travels."
Beckett [01:10]: "And then later in the fall, October 7th through the 16th, we are going to go back to Italy. Where exactly are we going to go? Well, we'll be in Rome where we have a private, private tour of the Vatican Museum."
Beckett [01:34]: "A lot of the things we're gonna be doing are the same things we did on the tour last year. We did an episode on that. It's number 275 from last October."
Susan [01:56]: "We're going to run into some of our former friends, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitier and Empress Sissy. Ah, the women."
Susan [02:16]: "We can't possibly list them all. So to check out those itineraries and to reserve your spot, go to likemindstravel.com See you there."

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:00 — Hosts introduce the episode purpose: a travel update.
00:14 — Overview of the Loire Valley tour and highlights.
01:10 — Introduction to the Italy trip, with detailed stops and events.
01:34 — Reference to past tour and related episode for further details.
01:47 — Details about food experiences in Parma and Modena.
01:56 — Discussion of women’s history-focused walking tours and revisiting notable historical figures.
02:16 — Call to action: how to find out more and join the tours.

Summary

This brief but enthusiastic audio note from The History Chicks provides a compelling invitation for listeners to immerse themselves in women’s history through thoughtfully curated travel experiences to France and Italy in 2026. The trips are filled with unique cultural, culinary, and historical highlights—all framed around the podcast's mission to celebrate and bring to life the incredible stories of women from the past. The message concludes with practical information for those interested in joining, alongside the hosts’ signature warmth and excitement.

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Transcript10 lines

[00:00]
A
Hello, friends. This is not a regular show. Just a little notification from Susan and I. Believe it or not, we still have a few spots, a very few left for both of our upcoming trips in 2026.
[00:15]
B
The first of these is the Loire Valley in France. That trip is August 23rd through the 31st. And this trip, I'm calling it hello, Chateau, because there's seven chateaus and one cathedral. But it's also so many other things. We're having two days in Paris. We're going to stay in the same hotel that Sarah Bernhard stayed in in tour.
[00:37]
A
We have private dinner in an orangery. We will sample local wines and fromage. There are not one, but two river cruises. We'll get a touch of the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and most importantly, build even greater friendships on our travels. We will be based in a city called Tours. And I'm very excited about this. It's a town I've never been to.
[01:01]
B
Me too. And if you just pull up pictures of it, looks so charming. There are two days in Paris, so you'll get a little bit of Paris, but you'll get a lot of the Loire Valley.
[01:11]
A
And then later in the fall, October 7th through the 16th, we are going to go back to Italy. Where exactly are we going to go? Well, we'll be in Rome where we have a private, private tour of the Vatican Museum. Off to Florence, my favorite. Then the picturesque history of Venice. We have an evening event at a 13th century castle, like you do.
[01:35]
B
Yeah, that is a beautiful event. A lot of the things we're gonna be doing are the same things we did on the tour last year. We did an episode on that. It's number 275 from last October. If you want details from the people who went on the tour, we're going
[01:48]
A
to sample Parmesan cheese at the Source in Parma and we're going to sample balsamic vinegar at the Source in Modena.
[01:57]
B
We're gonna be taking two specific walking tours about women. One women of ancient Rome and the other women of Flore. We're going to run into some of our former friends, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitier and Empress Sissy. Ah, the women.
[02:17]
A
We're going to have lunch in the Italian countryside, among other things. We can't possibly list them all. So to check out those itineraries and to reserve your spot, go to likemindstravel.com See you there.
[02:31]
B
Bye.