EP40: Aruba Ray Ellin presents Aruba Ray’s Comedy

Podcast

On the 40th episode of One Happy podcast, Aruba Ray Ellin stops past tell talk about the newest installment of “Aruba Ray’s Comedy”. He and his cohorts will have shows running from February 3rd through March 4th at the Aruba Marriott Stellaris Hotel and Casino. Each night will feature Ray Ellin as your host and two other New York city comic’s doing a 90 minute show.

In my opinion Aruba Ray’s Comedy is the best way to spend an evening on the island. In September I was able to catch two shows and both were fantastic. If you are a fan of comedy clubs there is nothing else like this in Aruba. If you are someone who has never been to a comedy club Aruba Ray’s Comedy is a great introduction into what you have been missing out on.

Ray himself is an extremely accomplished NYC comedian and all of the guests he brings down to the island are equally incredible. These guys and girls have been featured on late night shows such as the Tonight Show, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien. The have been in major motion pictures such as “Trainwreck” with Amy Schumer, “Invincible” with Mark Wahlberg and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” with Ben Stiller. I have actually been a fan of one of the comics, Tony Woods for about decade when I saw him in “P. Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy”. So many of you will probably recognize many others Last Comic Standing, TRU Tv, HGTV and comedy specials of their own on HBO, Showtime and Comedy Central. Basically what I am saying is normally you would need to visit a big city comedy club to see this level of talent.

 
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EP39: What Curt Spends While Vacationing in Aruba

Podcast

An Aruba expense report is the topic of discussion on episode 39 of One Happy Podcast. The idea for this episode came from a few questions I recently saw on the Aruba Facebook groups. Would be visitors to the island were asking for advice on how much they would be looking at spending while on the island. Estimates were all over the place, with none being very specific. I don’t blame the people answering the questions for this vagueness as it’s a natural limitation to Facebook groups. It’s just really hard to give a complete answer on a one paragraph Facebook post. Thankfully I have a podcast, which allows me to give a much more detailed answers.

On this episode of the show I use my September 2015 Aruba trip as an example of what a trip to Aruba can cost. What I do with that data is list actual prices we paid for car rentals and dinners on the island. Hopefully by providing that information to you guys it will help you figure out your own budgeting. This post is geared more towards Aruba newbies but can also prove helpful for anyone wondering how their expenses stack up.

Sometimes it comes off like it’s taboo to discuss specific numbers, but in my opinion specifics are the only way to be helpful. When someone asks for recommendations for an affordable place to eat if only a name is tossed out it means nothing. Affordable to you may be completely different than it does for the person asking the question. By providing not only the actual amount spent at a particular restaurant but what it was spent on it allows for a more complete picture for the person making the inquiry.

 
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EP37 – How Aruba Can Save Your Life and Make You a Better Person

Podcast

On this episode of One Happy Podcast we tackle the subject of how Aruba can save your life and make you a better person. I know you are probably thinking “Aruba Curt you are full of it”. Trust me on this one as I have listed 10 ways that taking a trip to Aruba can make a very real and profound difference in your life.

You see, Aruba is more than shopping drinking and eating. It is actually a way of life that when you are exposed to it has the ability to wash away everyday stress. If you have visited there once or twice I am sure you know what I mean. If you have yet to make your first visit to the island soon you will understand. Aruba really does get into your soul.

 
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One Happy Podcast Presents: The 12 Days of Christmas (2015)

Podcast

  The One Happy Podcast Holiday Carolers present the Twelve Days of Christmas. You can also check out last year’s Christmas episode Twas the Night Before Christmas. Featuring: Day 12 Vallon Davis EP4 Day 11 Andrea James EP2 and EP20 Day 10 Marelene Scherrenburg EP32 Day 9 Chloe and Lori Donlan EP18 Day 8 Cheryl Talcof…

 
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EP36: Amy White and the Divi Dutch Village

Podcast

Joining me today on One Happy Podcast is fellow Aruba fanatic Amy White. Amy was first exposed to Aruba many years ago thanks to a college friend and has been in love ever since. Over the years she has taken many trips that range from family getaways with her son to girl only trips perfect for letting loose. Over the years Aruba has taught Amy many lessons, one of which is to not make too many plans if you really want to experience all that the island has to offer.

Amy frequently stays at the Divi Dutch Village but has stayed all over the island in not only the high rise and low rise areas but also apartments outside of the hotel zone. Amy is extremely adept at finding deals, which has allows her to visit Aruba without breaking the bank.

 
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EP34: Creating Fortuna Villas with Debbie and Patrick

Podcast

Joining me today on Episode 34 of One Happy Podcast – the Officially Unofficial Podcast of Aruba are two very special guests, Debbie Mitchell and Patrick Mallison. If those names aren’t familiar to you just think back couple of months. Do you remember a couple from the UK who purchased and began renovation on a villa in the Savaneta area of the island? It was an incredible project that transformed what was a quaint home relatively traditional looking Aruba home into something truly magnificent.

There were lots of posts about the project in the various Aruba centered Facebook groups. Eventually those postings became so popular that a dedicated Facebook page was started for those of us who wanted to keep up. It was then that Fortuna Villas was born. Then over a 2 month period many of us followed along living vicariously through the adventures of Patrick and Debbie. If memory serves me, at one point we were even enlisted to help make a design decision.

Now finally after so many weeks of dedication, focus and hard work Debbie and Patrick were kind enough to come on the show. In this episode of One Happy Podcast we talk about their discovery of the island and how falling in love at first sight compelled them to do what so many of us dream about… buying a home on the island of Aruba.

 
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EP33: Kristina Tisellano and the Playa Linda

Podcast

Joining me today on One Happy Podcast is Kristina Tisellano an Aruba traveler who has been visiting the island nearly her entire life. First visiting the island at the age of 4, Kristina, now 26 spends multiple weeks each year on the island. I guess you could say she grew up on the island.

Typically Kristina and her family stay at the Playa Linda, the resort property where her parents purchased that first timeshare many years ago. Not being familiar with the Playa Linda, Kristina painted an incredible picture for me, highlighting the family friendly atmosphere of the resort. One thing I thought was particularly cool is there way the families the Kristina has met over the years gather year after year becoming a sort of vacation family. She also mentions several of the staff members who have also become part of her Aruba family over the years.

As you could probably guess, a 26 year old who has been visiting the island for more than 20 years knows all of the ins and outs. Kristina was kind enough to share with us many of her favorite restaurants. One part of the interview that will be of interest to those who struggle searching for nightlife is where Kristina talks about some of her favorite night time hotspots.

 
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EP32: Marlene Nichols-Scherrenburg Shares What It’s Like Living on Aruba

Podcast

Today on One Happy Podcast I am being joined by Marlene Nichols-Scherrenburg. Marlene is a Chicago born but raised in California girl who has been living on the island of Aruba for the last 15 years. Over the course of those 15 years Marlene has experienced the island in ways that most of us will only ever dream about. I met Marlene on my latest trip to Aruba while visiting Cheryl Talcof (from episode 19) and asked her to be on the show. Just like some of you at first Marlene didn’t know she was the right kind of person for the show but as you will find out she was actually a fantastic guest.

On this episode of the show Marlene gives a glimpse into Aruba from the point of view of someone who lives and works on the island. As an Aruba vacationer we do things one way but, when you are living on Aruba things can be quite different. Listen as Marlene explains what adjustments she needed to make in order to get used to life in paradise. Also find out what restaurants earn Marlene’s seal of approval as awesome values. You may want to pay special attention to the food part as in addition to Marlene being a foodie she is also married to one of the best chefs on the island, Jan Scherrenburg of Barney’s.

While most of the episodes of One Happy Podcast are geared towards vacationers this is a must listen for those considering someday making the move. As many of you can attest it’s quite normal to dream about moving to the island while on vacation. Marlene did things a bit differently as she moved there without having ever been to Aruba. On Episode 32 you will not only hear why this isn’t the best way to go about things but Marlene also shares valuable advice for the right way to decide whether or not Aruba is the right place for you to relocate to.

 
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EP31: Aruba! Off the Beaten Path with Nancy Gallagher

Podcast

Joining me today on One Happy Podcast is Nancy Gallagher. Nancy is a listener of the show who you may recognize if you are a member of any of the popular Aruba Facebook groups. Known for her stunning photography and insightful posts I asked Nancy to be a guest on the podcast a couple of months ago, but she was reluctant. Fearful that listeners wouldn’t be interested in her version of Aruba, Nancy asked in one of the Facebook groups what they thought. The support that was shown was overwhelming and as a result at fantastic podcast episode was born.

Nancy has been visiting Aruba since 1990 and over the course of that time she has seen it all… literally. I am sure you will agree that most visitors to Aruba actually only see a small portion of the already small island, but not Nancy. Over the course of the 26 years she has been visiting the island of Aruba, Nancy has made it a point to get off the tourist trail and to actually get to know the island we all love so much. Although the bulk of her vacations are spent at the Divi Dutch Village, Nancy’s trips usually start out with a couple of days booked at a lesser known property out of the tourist area. This practice that has exposed Nancy to the Aruba that locals live.

Listen as Nancy tells us about her version of Aruba which starts at the Coral Reef Beach villas in Savaneta and finishes in her timeshare at the Divi Dutch Village, just 32 steps from the beach. Over the course of the interview Nancy tells us about those two properties as well as about some of her favorite restaurants on the island, many of which you don’t need to make reservations at even during high season. We also learn about some of Aruba’s off the beaten path treasures such as Seroe Crystal and Aruba’s National Art Gallery which is a great way to learn more about the culture of this very special island.

 
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EP30: Aruba Flight Volunteers with Marie Geerman

Podcast

Joining me today on One Happy Podcast is a repeat guest, Marie Geerman. You may remember Marie from episode 15, “Rescuing Dogs with Marie Geerman”. In that episode Marie took us on a journey to her Aruba. Marie took us all the way from her first exposure to Aruba, through taking on the task of feeding Aruba’s homeless animals, all the way to her present day work of trying to completely eliminate the stray animal problem in Aruba by educating and informing Arubans on the benefits of responsible ownership.

I asked Marie to come back onto One Happy Podcast to not only check up on the status of her spay and neuter campaign but to also learn more about Aruba Flight Volunteers. Aruba Flight Volunteers is a Facebook page that was started to better organize the animal transportation efforts from Aruba to the United States.

For a while now I have been aware of the generosity many tourists show in helping getting adopted dogs and cats from their birthplace of Aruba to their “fur-ever” homes back in the states, but like many of you I was completely ignorant of the process. This lack of information really struck home on this last trip to Aruba when I made my first trip to the Aruba Animal Shelter. Visiting those puppies and kittens really makes you want to help and although we did make a donation we wanted to do more. Maggie came up with the idea of possibly transporting a puppy home. The only problem is we had absolutely no idea how to go about setting something like this up.

When I arrived back home I promised that I would find out more about the transportation process and figured what better place to turn for that information than Aruba Flight Volunteers. That I when I got in contact with Marie to set up another interview. It is my hope that this newest interview with Marie answers not only my own questions about animal transportation but also the questions of so many others that have the inclination but not the information to help save a life.

While I hope every episode of One Happy Podcast is informative, this one goes the extra mile to provide focused insight into the topic of Aruba Animal Transportation. My hopes are that it can be used as a primer for those curious about transporting in the future. Both Marie and I realize there are questions that weren’t answered in the podcast and can’t be answered in this format due to everyone have different circumstances but it’s a start. Your next step next step should be to go to the Aruba Flight Volunteer’s page and like it on Facebook; there you will be able to find even more information about transporting.

 
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