Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Becky Sauerbrunn is the co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team, which will be competing next month at the Olympics. Asked if she would squeeze in any sightseeing, she said, “There won’t be a lot of time! We play in stadiums all around Brazil and won’t be in Rio until the end of the tournament, if all goes well. If I have some time, however, I would like to see the National Library of Brazil. It’s one of the largest libraries in the world.”
Tyler Hoechlin has played a lycanthrope (“Teen Wolf”) and will portray an author in the upcoming “Fifty Shades of Grey” sequels (“Fifty Shades Darker,” “Fifty Shades Freed”). And later this year, he will appear as Superman in the series, “Supergirl.” But in his latest film, “Everybody Wants Some!!” (now available on DVD and Blu-ray), Hoechlin played a part he knows well: a college baseball player. He played infield at the University of California at Irvine.
Born in Lake Forest, Ill., to Dutch parents, 6-foot-8 inch Matt Grevers swam for Northwestern University and went on to win gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing (2008) and London (2012).
Olympic medalist Steve Furniss competed for the United States at the 1972 Olympics in Munich and also in Montreal four years later. A resident of Huntington Beach, California, he is a co-founder of the swimwear line TYR, which earned a place in pop culture by designing the iconic red swimsuits worn by the cast of “Baywatch.” At the Munich Games, Furniss was 19 and excited to be competing in Germany, but horrified to learn about the massacre of the members of the Israeli wrestling team. Now 63, he shares some of his memories of those Games and more.
“You don’t have to give up carbs to lose weight,” says celebrity dietician Tanya Zuckerbrot. “I try to impart on my clients that fresh, unprocessed food and smaller portion sizes have a huge impact on healthy weight management.”
An avid traveler who has written for television (“American Dad,” “The Office,” “30 Rock”) and received an Emmy nomination (“Late Show with David Letterman”), Steve Hely also hosts the popular podcast, “The Great Debates.” His latest project is “The Wonder Trail: True Stories from Los Angeles to the End of the World,” where he writes about his adventures traveling from his home in Los Angeles to Patagonia.
We first met Lauren Conrad when she was a teenager on MTV’s reality series, “Laguna Beach” and its spinoff series, “The Hills.” Since then, Conrad, has translated her on-air popularity into the real world. A best-selling author (“L.A. Candy”), she has launched beauty and fashion lines, including Paper Crown. Her latest endeavor with co-founder Hannah Skvarla is The Little Market, an online store where the entrepreneurs promote fair trade for the artisans who provide their handmade products.
“Entertainment Tonight” correspondent Cameron Mathison says that living in California makes it easy for his family to take mini vacations throughout the year. “We have so many options for an easy weekend getaway,” says the 46-year-old actor. “We have the ocean, mountain, forest and desert choices — all within a few hours.”
Asked to pick a favorite destination, Joanna Going didn’t hesitate: Newport (Rhode Island), where she grew up. “When I was 18, I took it for granted and was eager to move on to the bigger cities like Boston and then New York,” says the Los Angeles-based actress. “But I’ve been to enough places to have gained a greater appreciation for the beauty and rich culture of all of Rhode Island. I am grateful for all that it offered during my childhood.”
Author Allison Amend took her first trip as a baby, studied for a year at a Barcelona high school and came home speaking Catalan and then — after graduating from Stanford University — moved to Lyon (France) on a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship. Now based out of New York City, Amend, 41, counts the Big Apple, Chicago and Barcelona as three of her favorite cities. Her latest book is “Enchanted Islands” (Nan A. Talese, $26.95).
Andi Dorfman, formerly of “The Bachelorette” says, “My best vacation memory was eating at a hole-in-the-wall Korean barbecue restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. It was one of my favorite meals. My worst memory has to be when I got food poisoning on a trip to Mexico. That was my first and last time drinking tap water there.”
“There’s nothing better than getting paid to see my country and connect with the fans who gave me a career,” says Iliza Shlesinger, host of TBS’ relationship-based game show “Separation Anxiety” and a former winner of “Last Comic Standing.” The savvy world traveler says she is up for going anywhere, anytime: “I’m a travel fiend. If I’m in love, I want to go to Paris. And if I want to eat everything and get lost in someone’s culture, I’ll take anywhere in Asia. I loved Cambodia and I can’t wait to go back to Japan. I also loved Europe.”
“I admit I really only travel to places that have strong culinary cultures,” says chef Judy Joo. ? Word!
As the daughter of Eagles rocker Joe Walsh, Lucy Walsh grew up with music. It didn’t surprise her famous family (her uncle via marriage is Ringo Starr) when she launched her own musical career. But, like her father, Lucy has also delved into acting. After roles in “Criminal Minds” and “NCIS,” she appears opposite Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston in the feature film, “Mother’s Day.” Her song, “On My Way,” is also featured in the soundtrack.
Author John Preston resides in London, England. Having traveled the world, he says that trips become more meaningful when you don’t set unrealistic expectations. “People often have this strange idea that if you go on holiday, you’ll leave all your problems behind,” says the 62-year-old author of “The Dig” (Other Press, $16.95). “You won’t, of course, and you may well find yourself with more time than usual to brood on them. It’s best not to set your sights too high, and simply bask in the unfamiliarity of it all.”
Based out of a small village 40 minutes outside of Paris, French film producer and “Mon amie americaine” author Michèle Halberstadt says, “I live in a house that used to be an old farm. Although it’s close to the city, I’m surrounded by nature. I’m 60 years old and I’ve read from an Italian writer that 50 is the old age of youth, and 60 is the youth of old age. I like that.”
Originally from Melbourne, Australia, designer Aimee Kestenberg moved to New York in 2007 to attend Parsons School for Design at the New School. “I am very proud to say that last year, I earned my U.S. citizenship!” says the 29-year-old entrepreneur. “(I return home) to Australia to be with my family during the holidays. It’s always really special and it’s summer time (there) during Christmas and Hanukkah!”
Born and raised in Sweden, television personality Fredrik Eklund, 38, says one of the reasons he moved to New York is because he remembered a childhood trip he took with his family to the Big Apple. “I came here from Stockholm as a little boy and was obsessed with the energy of the city,” says the real estate broker. “So, I made the city my life and work. Today, I’m selling the city. I am a part of changing it and its skyline.” Eklund is one of the stars of Bravo’s real estate reality series, “Million Dollar Listing New York.”
Portraying the titular role in “Antwone Fisher” put Derek Luke on the acting map. Since that 2002 film, the actor has built up a strong portfolio of work in films and on television (“Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Empire,” “Hawthorne”). Currently, he may be seen on DIRECTV’s “Rogue.”
Thanks to his striking good looks, Daniel Henney was cast in a Korean television series — despite the fact that he couldn’t speak any Korean at the time. Today, his work takes him around the world. With a resume that includes roles in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Big Hero 6” (he was the voice of Tadashi), Henney is one of the stars of the new CBS procedural, “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.” Fans may follow him on Twitter and on Instagram, where he posts photos of his travels and his dog, Mango.