Noshing With Warren Kozak – March 7, 2024

Author (along with Barbara Scott), Looking For Legends

This Week on Ira’s Everything Bagel Podcast, join Ira Sternberg as he chats with Tom Tarantino, co-author of the captivating travelogue, Looking for Legends. In this episode, Tom shares fascinating insights into his and Barbara Scott’s global adventures.

Getting to know our guests

Tom Tarantino is an accomplished entrepreneur and investor. His vast library of over 5,000 books fuels his love for learning and allows him to embark on journeys, even while staying at home.

Barbara Scott is a remarkable woman who defies age. A multi-talented individual, she’s an athlete, equestrian, coach, mentor, and explorer. Despite being a grandmother eight times over and a great-grandmother to fifteen, she continues to travel the world, exploring over fifty countries. Her ability to adapt to diverse cultures and situations is truly inspiring.

The inspiration behind “looking for Legends”

Tom shares his and Barbara Scott’s inspiring journeys of global exploration, from the serene landscapes of Ghost Ranch in New Mexico to the bustling cities of Europe, they have traversed the globe, seeking out extraordinary people and places.

The art of travel: planning, packing, and navigating

Their unique approach to travel involves immersing themselves in different cultures in order to gain an authentic experience. They enjoyed personally connecting with the locals, learning about their interesting cultures and stories. They prefer encountering the world firsthand.

Overcoming challenges and adapting to different situations

In this episode, Tom discusses the challenges and rewards of their adventures. They share stories of overcoming obstacles and thinking on their feet. It wasn’t always simple adapting to different cultures, but they wound up finding inspiration in the most unexpected places.

The lasting impact of travel experiences

Tune in to learn about their 24-hour rule for expanding horizons, the importance of planning and spontaneity, and the enduring impression of their travels. Discover how their experiences have shaped their perspectives and enriched their lives.

Watch the full Podcast Video

Read The Full Transcript

Ira Sternberg: Welcome to Ira’s Everything Bagel, where I talk with intriguing people about everything—their passions, pursuits, and points of view. Are you a well-seasoned traveler? Do you think you’ve visited all the great spots in the world? More importantly, have you met interesting people in their own environment? Well, you may or may not have, but you’ll learn about places and people you may not know from my guest, Tom Tarantino. He’s an entrepreneur, private investor, and author, along with Barbara Scott, of Looking for Legends, whose subtitle reads in part, Let Us Take You Somewhere You’ve Never Been Before. Looking for Legends will be available in April on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all the usual places. For everything about Looking for Legends, look for their new website, lookingforlegends.com, coming up shortly. Tom Tarantino, welcome to the show.

Tom Tarantino: Thank you for having me. I love your donuts—or your bagels.

Ira Sternberg: Yes, bagels exactly. A great background.

Tom Tarantino: Thank you.

Ira Sternberg: They both have holes, but bagels are definitely different than donuts—and probably healthier too. Let’s start with your background. I want to talk about the Ghost Ranch in a moment, but give us some insight into your background and why you decided to write this book along with Barbara Scott.

Tom Tarantino: We kind of fell into it. We were sponsoring professional squash tournaments in Philadelphia as America transitioned from the hardball game to the softball game. We found that the most grateful people were the women players. So, we talked to the head of the organization and said, “Let’s sponsor something internationally.” We would get the top women players in the world to fly into young squash countries like Kenya and play the top men—and they’d kill them. It was a lot of fun. We went to a lot of places. We were probably shy at first, but then we got braver and learned how to travel. After that, we started visiting places beyond squash countries. One thing led to another, and here we are.

We like to say that most of our best friends are dead.

Ira Sternberg: Because of the reference in your book?

Tom Tarantin...