Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
As one of the breakout stars of the Netflix original series “Orange Is the New Black,” Jessica Pimentel brings life to complicated inmate Maria Ruiz. The actress has another side to her as well: musician. She fronts the indie death-metal band Alekhine’s Gun. A huge fan of New York, Pimentel resides in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn.
On his truTV series “The Carbonaro Effect,” Michael Carbonaro puts a spin on the hidden camera reality series by adding a magical touch. Imagine “Candid Camera,” but with more pranks and sleight of hand tricks.
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden by his adoptive family, Chef Marcus Samuelsson currently resides in the United States with his wife, model Gate Maya Haile. Samuelsson, a TV personality and “Top Chef Masters” champion, runs his restaurants Red Rooster Harlem and Ginny’s Supper Club in New York and Norda in Gothenburg, Sweden. His latest project is his memoir, “Yes, Chef” (Random House, $27).
After almost 16 years together, the Donnas are still going strong with their hard-rocking live shows. Their latest album, “Bitchin’,” proves that this group hasn’t lost its punk roots or its feverish love of rock. The band, which owes more to the Ramones than it does to the Runaways, includes lead singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Allison Robertson, bassist Maya Ford and drummer Torry Castellano, who says that thanks to years of touring, the band has gotten to see a good chunk of the world — a perk of their job.
Juliana Hatfield had a knack for penning clever songs with her group the Blake Babies. She was an indie sensation. What her fans didn’t know was that Hatfield was battling an eating disorder and depression. With her telling memoir “When I Grow Up” (Wiley, $24.95), Hatfield describes her life as a rock star. She also writes about being filled with self-doubt. Hatfield, who also has a new CD out called “How to Walk Away,” is an avid traveler who got the bug to get up and go at a young age.
Scandinavia is known for its high standard of living and its equally high prices. But by using Frommer’s Scandinavia on $50 a Day and doing a little bargaining, we were able to find decent accommodations at reasonable prices.