There, she picked up where she left off as a Bar Manager for 57 Below and Union Bar & Grill in the vibrant British colonial city shrouded in mystery, which had just recently opened to the outside world again.

But political unrest in Myanmar forced her and her new bride to relocate, taking refuge during the pandemic back in the U.S. and Mexico. 

Now, Jen Queen has a bright and bold new chapter to her story in Hong Kong, the preeminent hub of everything food, drink, and bar related. 

From discussing her concepts on building culture to what makes a great bar to her day-off ritual (Fresh Cut Fridays and a bottle of So Co and lemons in a dark piano bar), seeing the world through Jen’s lens of experiences makes me want to pack my suitcase again – and order another round.

Enjoy this podcast and all hail the (Jen) QUEEN!

​-Norm :-)

But he didn’t try to steal just anything or pocket things he thought he could sell. Instead, Gaspar broke into the school’s library and stole a big, virtually unused book: the English dictionary.
 
He began teaching himself one word per day, underlining it when he’d mastered it, and then, ten words and soon, forty per day. In short order, he was conversational in English in a time and place where few were. 
 
Despite his wild, hard drinking, knuckle bruising antics as a teenager and young adult, Gaspar simultaneously put himself through business school and then law school, becoming an attorney.
 
His new role as high-end "problem solver" for foreigners, the rich, and politically connected have earned him the nickname, "The Nicaraguan Ray Donovan."
 
These days, Gaspar is a family man, with a beautiful wife, Rebeca, a seven-year-old son, Gasparcito, and a newborn daughter who was less than a week old at the time of this recording, Luz (light).
 
Nothing much else has changed – he still lives in San Juan del Sur where he sells real estate, develops land, and has his sights on eventually becoming mayor, serving the people who both nurtured and sharpened him as a youth.
 
I started this humble Who in the World podcast to share the life stories of the remarkable, interesting, and downright crazy people I met around the world, and Gaspar is a prime example. 
 
In fact, his life story and these conversations bring to mind the famous quote by Mark Twain who said, “Travel is “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
 
Enjoy this podcast and some next-level real life shit with the one and only Gaspar.
 
-Norm Schriever

​I think you’ll enjoy his chill Texas drawl as much as you enjoy his wise words and worldly perspective.
 
It’s Trevor Gibbs for episode #13 of the Who in the World podcast!
 
-Norm

In the short span since then, the world has gone completely crazy and gone together, so it's nice to always hear the steady, sage voice of my buddy, Clint. 
 
In this podcast, we chat about the people, places, good times - and bad - that we've experienced together, how things may evolve through a post-Covid world, and hopes for the future. 
 
Enjoy this podcast with Clint and you can be assured there are more to come! 
 
-Norm Schriever

While Jake’s life story is remarkable, his deeply personal revelations about true love, tragic loss, and picking up the pieces to find beauty in life again will leave you in tears. 

I know they did for me. 

Enjoy this podcast with Jake Magnus and thanks for your support.

-Norm Schriever  :-)
​

Honestly, she’s one of the most chill, high-character people I’ve ever met, so it was fascinating to hear her story. 

Life has taken Sherli from humble beginnings in Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast to now working for Survivor the past eight years, splitting her time between Bali, Australia, and traveling the world.

Whether she's jumping into the ring for a boxing match, wrangling snakes, camping in Australia's Outback, or just enjoying the slow, simple island life, Sherli is one of a kind.

So, I’m really looking forward to introducing you to the great and fearless Sherli Quinn!

Let's go!

-Norm Schriever   :-)

When I found Yohaun at his cozy apartment down a back rode in the pacific village of Villareal, Costa Rica, I expected our conversation to be a primer on tea. Instead, it was much more – an honest and surprisingly vulnerable look into his family history, his tumultuous journey, and the soul of a damn fine human being. 
 
Enjoy this podcast interview with my friend, Yohaun.
 
-Norm  :-) 
 
PS Check him out soon at www.WadiGrammi.com
​

However, their soul-sapping corporate cubicle life further pushed them to the Less Than Zero life on the weekends, and soon they were depressed, despondent, and self-medicated with the prospect of spending their next 30 or 40 years that way.

So, Val and Lupe chose the road less traveled, deciding to move to the beach in Tamarindo, which is about five hours away from San Jose but may as well be another planet in terms of the pace, vibe, and the pura vida, or pure life.

It was anything but easy: the Covid pandemic essentially shut down Costa Rica from tourism for about seven months, but at least they were living a life of purpose and passion now. Finally, after months of struggle and hard work, they grew their Tierra Bendita Café, which means sacred or holy ground in Spanish. That’s an apropo term for the place that both saved their lives and serves as the center of community life in Tamarindo for so many (me included).

We talked about all of that when we sat down at Lizard Lounge recently, my favorite bar in Tamarindo, with the mic rolling and margaritas flowing.

Over our nearly two-hour conversation, Vale, Lupe and I covered the story of their move to Tamarindo, the build-up of their café against all odds, dealing with mental health, chasing their dreams, sacrificing everything to live an authentic life, and much more. These sisters couldn’t be more different in terms of personality, but I like and respect both of them a little more every single time we talk and the closer we become.

Enjoy this (slightly inebriated) part 2 of my pow wow with Val and Lupe, and shout-out to Wes at Lizard Lounge for hosting us!

-Norm  :-)
​
***
You can follow the sisters and their café life at @tierrabendita.cr on Instagram, and give some love to Lizard Lounge at @lizardloungecr

In fact, even a year ago they were living in San Jose, the capital city in Costa Rica, where they were on-track for lucrative careers in law and architecture, respectively. However, their soul-sapping corporate cubicle life further pushed them to the Less Than Zero life on the weekends, and soon they were depressed, despondent, and self-medicated with the prospect of spending their next 30 or 40 years that way.
 
So, Val and Lupe chose the road less traveled, deciding to move to the beach in Tamarindo, which is about five hours away from San Jose but may as well be another planet in terms of the pace, vibe, and the pura vida, or pure life.
 
It was anything but easy: the Covid pandemic essentially shut down Costa Rica from tourism for about seven months, but at least they were living a life of purpose and passion now. Finally, after months of struggle and hard work, they grew their Tierra Bendita Café, which means sacred or holy ground in Spanish. That’s an apropo term for the place that both saved their lives and serves as the center of community life in Tamarindo for so many (me included).
 
We talked about all of that when we sat down at Lizard Lounge recently, my favorite bar in Tamarindo, with the mic rolling and margaritas flowing. Over our nearly two-hour conversation, Val, Lupe and I covered the story of their move to Tamarindo, the build-up of their café against all odds, dealing with mental health, chasing their dreams, sacrificing everything to live an authentic life, and much more. 
 
These sisters couldn’t be more different in terms of personality, but I like and respect both of them a little more every single time we talk and the closer we become.
 
Enjoy this part 1 of my conversation with Val and Lupe, and I’ll bring you the (slightly more inebriated) part 2 very soon. (And shout-out to Wes at Lizard Lounge for hosting us and always being a stand-up dude!)
 
 ***
You can follow the sisters and their café life at @tierrabendita.cr on Instagram, 
and give some love to Lizard Lounge at @lizardloungecr

Thanks for listening! 

-Norm  :-)
 

About The Ronin Years:
 
After graduating from The Young Lions program, Judd Reid set his heart on traveling the world, teaching what he learned during his 1,000 days of training in Japan.
 
As a personal student of Sosai Mas Oyama, Judd knew it was his duty to carry on his teacher’s legacy and share his wisdom.
 
From Sweden to Thailand, Australia to the United States, and many countries in between, Judd explores the world like a Ronin of old, or a Samurai without a master. He bounces at a Tokyo nightclub, trains Thai SWAT forces, and later becomes heavyweight champion as well as completing the legendary 100-man kumite.
 
Through it all, his best friend Anton Cavka was there to share in the adventures and document it all, putting together an award-winning film, the 100-Man Fight. But Judd's world is turned upside down by an unexpected tragedy.
 
Picking up the pieces, Judd finally finds peace and happiness, honoring Sosai Oyama's life's work while finally opening his own Kyokushin Karate dojo back home in Melbourne, Australia. 
 
If you liked Judd Reid's first book, The Young Lions, The Ronin Years is a must-read!
 
***
​