Steve Blanchard and Besta (Tim) Hinton were Florida transplants from St. Louis and Atlanta, respectively. The married couple has known each other for nearly 15 years and can thank the COVID-19 Pandemic for finally bringing them together. Now they reside in Lisbon, Portugal and are starting an entirely new chapter of adventures together.
Steve has long been interested in the paranormal and the historic locations in which alleged hauntings are said to be found. Before launching into a professional career as a print journalist after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia, he came “this close” to becoming a history teacher.
While he loved his career as a journalist, he adjusted his career in 2015 and entered the world of public relations. For 11 years he worked for a healthcare facility in Tampa, sharing patient stories and research breakthroughs with the local community and the media. It was in 2018 that he launched his podcast, Phantom History, which dives into the history of eerie locations and offers interviews with people who have had unexplainable encounters.
When he’s not writing or researching for a publication or looking for a ghost story, Steve remains committed to spending time in the gym and amateur bodybuilding. Today he spends his time lifting in the gym, working freelance for several publications and digging into the intriguing and complex histories of Portugal’s many fascinating and beautiful locations.
Tim’s friends call him “Beast” and he now goes by “Besta.” Besta (pronounced “Besh-ta”) means Beast in Portuguese, and he adopted that name to embrace his new Portuguese life. Besta has always been musical, starting piano at age 5 and french horn in fourth grade. After earning a master’s degree in Music Education and teaching for ten years, Tim started his own business as a musician and arranger. When he started the Marching Roundtable podcast in 2011 he became known as “The Beast of the Marching Arts.” You can find all his music and educational resources at www.TimHinton.com
Besta loves reading, theme parks, college football, Star Wars, and exploring his new home in Portugal. He has trained as a bodybuilder his entire life and incorporated martial arts into his fitness regimen about 15 years ago. He is proud to have earned his second degree black belt in martial arts. His strategy for staying young and healthy includes the gym, martial arts, plus walking up Lisbon’s many hills and stairways. Besta looks forward to exploring Europe with Steve and enjoys sharing their adventures on their Besta and Steve YouTube Channel.
