Houston, Texas -
samantha brown's places to love

Samantha joins 3rd generation deli-man, Ziggy Gruber, in the kitchen to make matzoh ball soup then discusses Ziggy's storied family/deli history, and why his Houston-based Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen is tops in the nation. Freedmen's Town was originally a community located in the fourth ward of Houston that began in 1865 as the destination for former enslaved people from surrounding plantations in Texas and Louisiana after the Civil War. At the historic Bethel Baptist Church, Samantha talks with Zion Escobar at about this important history, how Juneteenth led to Freedmen's Town and the legendary Jack Yates. Samantha continues that conversation when she visits the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, with its current pastor and his wife, the great, great granddaughter of Jack Yates. Spanning over 33 acres, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir of Houston is a traditional Hindu temple that Samantha visits next, where she discusses Hinduism and the history of Mandir. At the supremely eco-friendly White Rhino, Samantha finds live music, "Ranch Water" cocktails and a machine that grinds empty booze bottles into sand for the expansive patio. Samantha then visits Magpies & Peacocks, the nation's only 501(c)3 non-profit design house dedicated to the collection and sustainable reuse of post-consumer clothing, scrap textiles and accessories diverted from landfill. At Blood Bros. BBQ, Texas Meets China Meets Vietnam and is put on full display when Samantha is welcomed by brothers Robin and Terry, and Pitmaster Quy, who have embraced Texas and Houston barbecue traditions while expanding and reinterpreting them. Samantha then takes orbit, when she visits Space Center Houston and speaks with Astronaut Dr. Anna Lee Fisher about her NASA experience and being a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle Discovery, as well as being the first mother in space. To finish off her visit, Samantha gets her sneakers converted into custom roller skates and is joi

Episode Duration: 26 minutes and 46 seconds

Episode Number: 504

About Samantha Brown's Places to Love:

For more than 17 years, TV host Samantha Brown has been exploring all four corners of the world, visiting more than 260 cities in 62 countries, sharing her adventures and introducing new cultures to viewers.

Now, the two-time Emmy Award-winner embarks on her next journey with her new travel series SAMANTHA BROWN'S PLACES TO LOVE.

Unlike a traditional travelogue show with a formulaic itinerary, PLACES TO LOVE delivers decidedly refreshing and enriching travel experiences by taking viewers on a discovery of the emotional heart of travel and highlighting the people who are changing, challenging and strengthening a destination.

From Brooklyn, New York and Monterey, California to Shanghai, China and Donegal in Ireland, Samantha seeks out the little-known spots and haunts where innovators and disrupters are creating a brand new travel experience.

Whether it's through food and drink, art and design, culture or adventure, at the end of each episode, viewers will have a well-curated list of new experiences that focus on not just how to visit a destination, but how to fully immerse in it.

The 13-part series encourages viewers to experience the passion of people and the soul of a place in a way that only traveling can do.

Samantha's career as a television travel host happened by accident.

A producer spotted her work in a commercial and recommended her to the Travel Channel in 1999 to audition for a new show called Great Vacation Homes.

A decade of various series followed, including Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Samantha Brown's Asia, The Trip, 50/50, and many others.

Samantha's fun-loving style has made her a beloved and engaging television personality whose approach is less expert and more a person you would want to travel with.

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