host monika Ana varn
Monika Varn highlights tourist hot spots and shares the beauty & grandeur of the Chama Valley through interviews with local artists, business owners, and experts of the region. She is involved with organizing and promoting the Chama Makers & Farmers Market. Orignally from Poland, Monika and her husband Aaron own the Manna Valley Farm in Chama, NM, with her lovely goat family. She is the Owner/Operator at Creative Manna Consulting. She started her independent business after working in Mexico City as the Digital PR & Content Marketing Account Strategist at 3Difica.
beautiful chama valley travel show
EPisode 19: 2023 Chama Snoball Rally II
EPisode 17: Stone House lodge & Super Bowl Party
EPisode 19: 2023 Chama Snoball Rally II
LIsten Hot Air Balloon pilot Conrad Murray brings his entire crew to the KXJR Eagle studio for another interview the day before launch on the Beautiful Chama Valley Travel Show to fill Host Monika Varn and listeners in on the most current conditions and events of the Chama Snoball Rally 2023.
EPisode 18: 2023 Chama Snoball Rally I
EPisode 17: Stone House lodge & Super Bowl Party
EPisode 19: 2023 Chama Snoball Rally II
LIsten as Host Monika Varn interviews one of the hot air balloon pilots a week prior to the 2023 Chama Snoball Rally. Albuquerque based pilot Conrad Murray of Albuquerque about the logistics of the Chama Snoball Hot Air Balloon Rally. The 2023 Rally is expected to be quite colorful boasting 14 balloons. Conrad says the best way to know the routes and to get up in the air in a balloon is to show up at the Pilot's Meeting the night before launch and volunteer. He also says sponsors of balloons have first priority for flight. Conrad discusses how they check air and weather conditions for safest flights and more.
EPisode 17: Stone House lodge & Super Bowl Party
EPisode 17: Stone House lodge & Super Bowl Party
EPisode 17: Stone House lodge & Super Bowl Party
2.10.23 LIsten to a special interview with Roberta Candelaria the new owner of the Stone House Lodge near Heron Lake and their upcoming Super Bowl party.
Episode 16: Valentine's Day Art, Food & Dancing
EPisode 14:Flickering Flame Inn & Spinato Glass Creations
EPisode 17: Stone House lodge & Super Bowl Party
LIsten to Valentine's Day! Art, Food, & Dancing Interviews with artist and chef Russ Thornton and hotel owner/Rotary Club representative Karlee Phippen
EPisode 15: Vista del rio Lodge & art classes
EPisode 14:Flickering Flame Inn & Spinato Glass Creations
EPisode 14:Flickering Flame Inn & Spinato Glass Creations
1.27.23 Listen to find out what Vista del Rio Lodge owner Ana Pobar and artists Mary Cardin have to offer tourists and locals alike.
EPisode 14:Flickering Flame Inn & Spinato Glass Creations
EPisode 14:Flickering Flame Inn & Spinato Glass Creations
EPisode 14:Flickering Flame Inn & Spinato Glass Creations
1.13.23 Listen to Interviews with Flickering Flame owners Suhana and Sean Spinato. Sean is also a glass blowing artists at his studio Spinato Glass Creations.
EPisode 13: NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS
EPisode 13: NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS
EPisode 13: NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS
LIsten to host Monika Varn interview Chama Valley locals like Leslie Ulibarri talk bout local New Year's Eve traditions like folks gathering to light the Farolitos (aka luminarias or candles in bags) to light the way along the roadsides and at the churches.
EPisode 12: Chama Local Restaurant
EPisode 13: NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS
EPisode 13: NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS
LIsten to host Monika Varn interview Chama Valley Chama Local Restaurant's new manager Jonathon Wacker about pizza and New Western Cuisine.
EPisode 11:Chama Downtown stories
EPisode 13: NEW YEAR'S EVE TRADITIONS
EPisode 10:AgroTourism & Farmer's Markets
LIsten: Chama, New Mexico has lots of stories with lots of colorful characters. Listen to Margaret Palmer, longtime Chama resident, share stories of Chama's Downtown area with Host Monika Varn.
EPisode 10:AgroTourism & Farmer's Markets
EPisode 9:Annual Winter market, Chama christmas stroll, & Christmas tree lighting
EPisode 10:AgroTourism & Farmer's Markets
EPisode 9:Annual Winter market, Chama christmas stroll, & Christmas tree lighting
EPisode 9:Annual Winter market, Chama christmas stroll, & Christmas tree lighting
EPisode 9:Annual Winter market, Chama christmas stroll, & Christmas tree lighting
LISTEN to join in the Christmas Celebration! A jolly crowd joins host Monika Varn in KXJR Eagle's station in December of 2022 to share the fun and details of the annual winter market, the Christmas Stroll to various businesses with caroling, and the community tree lighting. Anita Massari, the Director of Chama Valley Arts, shares the who, what, where of featured artists along the stroll. Matt Koppel of Corner Stone lets folks know what the downtown businesses have available, and The Filliowich's sing a few Christmas carols.
EPisode 8:Chama Days & Movies Filmed in Chama valley
EPisode 9:Annual Winter market, Chama christmas stroll, & Christmas tree lighting
EPisode 9:Annual Winter market, Chama christmas stroll, & Christmas tree lighting
Host Monika Varn interviews director Eddie Vigil about Chama's community event Chama Days and shares an interesting list of movies have been filmed in the Chama River Valley since 1968. Many movies have been made in the area for it's mountain beauty, variety of wild and beautiful landscapes, as well as access to the Cumbres Toltec steam vintage powered trains. Hollywood stars including George Mitchell, Gregory Peck, Dean Martin, and Rock Hudson have graced the region with their presence. Listen
LIsten to Past Episodes!
episode 7: Rio Chama Corridor
Host Monika Varn describes scenic hotspots for camping, hiking, biking fishing, boating, archeology and adventure along the Rio Chama Corridor along Highway 84. Listen
episode 6: Hitting the trails of the san Juan Mountains
11.11.22 Hitting the Trail in the San Juan Mountains: A Multiseasonal Approach w/ Mary Steuver longtime biologist and forester with the NM Fish and Wildlife Department. LISTEN
episode 5:Historical Fosters bar & Restaurant
Listen to co-owner Rebecca Nuno tell stories of her family's restaurant and bar historic Foster's. In operation since the 1800s, the saloon has passed through several hands and several generations of rascals, colorful local characters, adn even ghosts!
episode 4:Heron and El Vado State Parks
Listen to Heron and El Vado State Park Superintendent David Ford describe what these amazing parks in the Chama Valley have to offer.
episode 3: Tierra Wools Keeping the Wool Arts Alive
Listen to Toni Broaddus of Tierra Wools tells how she and the Manzanares family keep the Northern New Mexico sheep ranching and wool arts traditions alive in the Chama Valley. Tierra Wools is a family operated business that spins, dyes, and weaves wool sheared from their own Churro sheep in Rio Arriba County.
EPISODE 2: Chama valley photographer Ruben hernandez
Rubern Hernandez is a native of the Chama Valley region who takes breathtaking professional photos of the Rocky Mountain landscape, wildlife, and people. Find out his favorite Chama Valley scenic sites. LISTEN
episode 1: Chama valley hunting & fishing
10/7/22 LISTEN to Interviews with Coleen Payne of the NM Dept. of Game & Fish and Ray Milligan, owner of MIlligan Brande Outfitters, about hunting and fishing in the Chama Valley.