Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Jewelry designer April Star Davis has created pieces worn onscreen and off by celebs such as Jennifer Garner, Justin Timberlake and Kate Moss. But one of her proudest accomplishments was founding Designers 4 Africa, which helps nonprofit groups raise funds for those needing aid in Africa. Davis recently traveled to Uganda to teach HIV positive widows how to create their own jewelry — work they can do while caring for their children.
Marissa Jaret Winokur won a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway musical “Hairspray,” competed on “Dancing with the Stars” and currently is a co-host on the CBS day-time chat show “The Talk.” “Life is good,” says the 36-year-old actress who beat cervical cancer a few years ago. “I am so busy working and being a mom that it’s all I can do to get a shower in every now and again. But I’ll take it. The good, bad — everything.”
On “Blais Off,” chef Richard Blais takes a scientific approach to cooking. That’s fitting, since the series airs on the Science Channel. “I’m not a scientist so I have to do a lot of fact-checking to make sure everything’s correct,” says Blais, 38.
“I rarely have bad experiences traveling,” Dave Kox says. “However even if there are travel nightmares, I always feel blessed to be able to see and experience new things. It’s what keeps me always coming back for more.”
Linebacker Scott Fujita is a team captain for the Cleveland Browns and has played football for the New Orleans Saints, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. But his home base is in Carmel Valley, Calif. “Basically, we chose a vacation destination as our permanent residence,” he says. Fujita, who cites National Geographic Traveler as one of his favorite magazines, loves exploring and shares some of his favorite spots.
Kathy Benziger Threlkeld knows her wine. The 44-year-old Sonoma, Calif., resident is a partner in the family business: Benziger Family Winery. An avid traveler who enjoys destinations that offer both snow and beachfront views, she picks a Wisconsin resort as her all-time favorite hotel.
Born in Canberra, Australia, and raised in Sydney, Alex O’Loughlin’s thick Aussie accent is nowhere to be heard on “Hawaii Five-0,” where he plays the lead character Steve McGarrett. “I heard that some people thought I was American,” says the 34-year-old actor during a break from shooting in Honolulu. “I take that as a great compliment. I try to be as authentic as I can for each role that I take. But once I’m done shooting, I sound like me again. I can’t hide it.” “Hawaii Five-0” airs Mondays on CBS.
Singer, actress and former “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee, 26, was born and raised in Los Angeles, where she currently resides. “I love traveling and am on the road all the time for work, but I don’t get to go on as many vacations as people would think,” she says. “But a lot of people can work on vacation or relax while they’re traveling for business. And that’s what I’ve started to do.” Her favorite vacation memory, actually, is of the days off she had during a business trip to Italy. McPhee’s latest CD is “Christmas is the Time …(To Say I Love You).”
Exene Cervenka has lived quite the life. Born in Illinois and currently residing in Missouri, the 54-year-old artist earned early fame as the co-lead vocalist of the punk rock band X. She co-starred in the 1987 film “Salvation!” with Viggo Mortensen, where the two played a married couple. In real life, the couple followed suit, but divorced after their son Henry was born. When author Michael Blake was writing “Dances with Wolves,” he crashed at her house and dedicated the book to her. Blake — as well as Kevin Costner who would go on to star in film adaptation of “Dances with Wolves” — appears in her cowboy satire “Bad Day” (www.baddaymovie.com), which is available via digital download.
Actor Jon Seda is a Jersey boy at heart, though he currently lives on the West Coast with his wife and children. “For most of my career I’ve been on the East Coast, but for about the past four or five years I’ve been based out of California,” says Seda, who was born in New York. “I’ve just recently celebrated my 40th birthday. Oh yeah, it’s all up hill from here!” Seda, who’s best known for his roles in the films “Gladiator” and “Selena,” earned rave reviews for his portrayal of World War II hero John Basilone in the HBO miniseries “The Pacific,” which has just been released on DVD.
Born in San Jose, Calif., and currently residing in Manhattan, scientist Michio Kaku enjoys traveling with his wife. “One of my favorite places is Germany,” says Dr. Kaku, 63. “In its glory days prior to World War II, it was ranked No. 1 in science and is known as the place that gave birth to modern quantum theory. For a scientist, it’s about as close as you could get to a sacred site.” A leading theoretical physicist, Kaku is the host of the Science Channel’s weekly “Sci Fi Science.
In his recently published memoir “Late, Late at Night” ($26, Touchstone), musician-actor Rick Springfield, 61, reveals a dark side that few fans knew about. He tried to commit suicide when he was 17, cheated multiple times on his wife of 26 years and underwent plastic surgery at the ripe old age of 23 in an attempt to look even more youthful than he already did. Springfield, who wrote the book without a co-author or a ghostwriter, exhibits a humorous and poignant touch as he examines the ebbs and flows of his career.
When Jennifer Knapp decides to take time off, she really goes for it. When the 36-year-old singer from Kansas wanted to reassess her life, she took seven years off and spent a good chunk of that time exploring Australia. She didn’t return to the United States until she was good and ready to start recording again. And she announced that she was gay.
As the co-founder and CEO of Kolo — a line of colorful photo albums designed to maintain archival-quality photos without breaking the bank — Peter Dunn loves to travel, even though one-third of his year is spent on the road for business. A resident of Connecticut, Dunn uses websites to hunt down good travel bargains when he goes away to places like Italy and Hong Kong.
French composer Bruno Coulais is used to helping convey a film’s tone with his music. But for “Babies” — which focuses on four tiny, chubby and (for a while) bald stars — the 56-year-old Parisian, best known for the 2009 stop-motion film “Coraline,” had his work cut out for him. The documentary features no dialogue from its main stars, so Coulais’ compositions at times have to speak for the infants. “Babies” is now available on DVD.
Guitar legend Joe Satriani and his wife, Rubina, are big fans of traveling, whether it’s a quick flight to Vancouver or an exotic vacation on Tioman Island. Though he enjoys the peace and tranquility of villas that offer little distraction by way of phones and televisions, he also admits he’s partial to having access to the Internet, especially when he’s on tour.
The tweens have Justin Bieber. The toddlers have Laurie Berkner. A former preschool teacher who taught music to kids by day and rocked out with her bands Lois Lane and Red Onion by night, Berkner writes smart music that gets kids to think as well as dance. A staple on the Nick Jr. cable channel, the 41-year-old performer’s latest DVD “Let’s Hear It for the Laurie Berkner Band” features some of her most popular music videos and hits stores on Sept. 28.
Scott Simon, National Public Radio host and author, chose a subject close to home for his latest book, “Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other: In Praise of Adoption” (Random House, $22). He and his French wife, former film producer Caroline Richard, have adopted two daughters from China and his poignant and witty memoir speaks not only of their family’s experiences, but also those of other adoptive parents, such as “Freakonomics” author Steven Levitt. Simon, 58, resides on the East Coast with Richard and their daughters Elise and Lina. Currently on a nationwide book tour, Simon’s tour dates are available on his website (www.scottsimonbooks.com).
For children’s author Ginger Rue, the best trips are the ones where she can spend time with her two young children. Based in Northport, Ala., Rue, 39, says the best vacation memory she has is of “seeing the unadulterated joy on my daughters’ faces when we took them to Disney World. I’ll always treasure that.” As for the worst? “When my younger daughter got a stomach bug during a car trip to Dallas,” she recalls. Rue’s latest book “Jump” (Tricycle Press, $15.99) chronicles the life of a high school Mean Girl who develops some empathy when she unexpectedly jumps into the bodies of some of the kids she has bullied. “Jump” hits stores on Sept. 14.
WNBA basketball star Candace Parker loves to travel and try new restaurants with her husband, Shelden Williams (of the Denver Nuggets) and their 15-month-old daughter Lailaa. “That girl can eat 900 times a day,” says Parker, who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks. “She is always running around kicking a soccer ball and is always hungry. She likes everything. It’s wonderful because we don’t have to worry much about what she might like when we travel.” Parker, 24, has most her summer free now that her season is over. But she’s currently in the process of moving her family from California to Colorado to accommodate her husband’s basketball schedule.