Go Away With … Luka Jones
“When I was younger, I spent a month living in Belgrade, Serbia,” says “Shrill” actor Luka Jones. “But all I can recall from that time are some curse words!”
Category: Travel
Go Away With … Scott Turow
“I have regarded myself unambiguously as a Chicagoan,” says “Presumed Innocent” author Scott Turow. “But we will spend more time in Naples than any other city. Sandy Stern, my main character, is an elderly lawyer. To me, there is a lot to love in Naples, but Stern despises all of Florida. He says that America’s elderly are like characters in a Shaw play who do not realize they are actually in hell.”
Go Away With … Erinn Hayes
It’s only fitting that globetrotting actress Erinn Hayes stars in the new Netflix series, “Medical Police,” where she plays a doctor chasing down a life-threatening virus worldwide. The Emmy-nominated actress films most of the series in Croatia, which doubles for countries such as Italy and Brazil. This summer, Hayes will be seen in “Bill and Ted Face the Music,” where she portrays Keanu Reeves’ wife.
Go Away With … Kurt Reifler
Musician Kurt Reifler divides his time between the United States, Germany and Malta. His motto for getting from one home to the other is the same as when he tours or travels for pleasure: less is more. “I travel with a Timbuk2 daypack and have lived out of that for months at a time, no problem. The clothes on my back, plus about three days more in the bag,” he says. “I either wear the coat I’m bringing, purchase one when I arrive or, better yet, I try not to be in places that would require a coat.”
Go Away With … Victoria Arlen
Diagnosed with a pair of rare disorders that kept her in a vegetative state for four years, Victoria Arlen began her recovery nine years ago, relearning how to walk, eat and speak. In 2012, she won four medals (including a gold) at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. A former competitor on “Dancing with the Stars,” Arlen is the author of “Locked In: The Will to Survive and the Resolve to Live,” which was made into an ESPN Films documentary, and she models for Jockey. In early 2020, she will make her debut as one of the co-hosts of “American Ninja Warrior Junior.”
Go Away With … Alex Castillo
Raised in Chicago and currently a resident of Los Angeles, Alex Castillo portrays a row inmate awaiting his execution in Chinonye Chukwu’s film “Clemency.” There’s a big buzz surrounding the film, which won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize earlier this year. Castillo is also the founder of Castle2000 Films, which aims to produce thought-provoking and diverse projects.
Go Away With … Kayla Waters
Jazz pianist Kayla Waters kick-started her career with back-to-back No. 1 singles on Billboard. Her latest release, “Full Bloom” (from her CD “Coevolve”) is zooming up the Smooth Jazz Songs chart as well. Residing in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, D.C., Waters says touring is a perk of her job. But even when she doesn’t have to travel, she enjoys squeezing in a quick visit somewhere.
Go Away With … Dr. Jen Gunter
Dr. Jen Gunter has two New York Times columns dedicated to women’s health, a Canadian docuseries called “Jensplaining” and a very active social media presence where she disseminates medical fallacies in a way that the general public can understand. Her latest project is the book “The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina: Separating the Myth from the Medicine” (Citadel, $18.95) — a Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestseller.
Go Away With … NCT 127
Born and raised in Chicago, NCT 127’s John Suh got his first taste of concerts thanks to his mother, who worked for a local radio station. “I was too young to remember who I saw, but I remember myself having a lot of fun,” says Suh, who goes by the stage name of simply Johnny. “(One day), I would love to see Coldplay at Soldier Field. That would be very awesome.” Johnny and some of his band mates took a breather from promoting their EP “We Are Superhuman” to participate in this interview.
Go Away With … Misha Collins
Raised by a single mom, “Supernatural” actor, philanthropist and author Misha Collins remembers how hard his mother worked to make sure there was food on the dinner table, even when they were homeless and living off food stamps. “My mom always found a way for us to eat meals together,” says Collins, who resides with his own family in the Pacific Northwest. “We were poor enough that my little brother and I understood how lucky we were to have the food we had and appreciated it accordingly.
Go Away With … Seth Berkman
November is National Adoption Awareness Month. Journalist, author and adoptee, Seth Berkman, got a taste of his birth country when the New York Times sent him to report on the United Korean women’s hockey team. Consisting of players from both North and South Korea, select players trained and competed together as teammates at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Go Away With … Omar Dorsey
Omar J. Dorsey has had parts in critically acclaimed films such as “Selma,” “Django Unchained” and “The Blind Side.” The actor’s latest role is in the Harriet Tubman biopic, “Harriet,” where he plays Bigger Long, a free black man who captures runaway slaves for their white owners.
Go Away With … Diana Panton
Jazz vocalist Diana Panton says that when people ask her for travel tips, she recommends visiting Portugal. “I was impressed with the affordability (there),” says the Canadian musician. “It’s a great place to go on a budget. There’s lots of interesting architecture, history, tasty food and natural landscapes at a fraction of the price of most other European countries.”
Go Away With … Shakespears Sister
Siobhan Fahey played her first overseas concert in 1983, when she was part of the trio Bananarama. “It was a weird, impromptu appearance by Bananarama in New York supporting Steel Pulse,” says the Irish-born musician. “(It was) the wrong audience for us — irreverent punky club kids that we were. It utterly confused the crowd — and us. (It was) one of many surreal situations I’ve found myself in my life.”
Lotte Hotel Busan
The Lotte Hotel Busan is a 15-minute cab ride from the train terminal. We drove past the famous Haeundae Beach, where they were setting up for some of the Busan International Film Festival events. It was too cold to go swimming when we were there, but it’s a gorgeous spot to take a walk.
Go Away With … mxmtoon
Like other young female musicians such as H.E.R. and Billie Eilish, mxmtoon is making her mark as a singer-songwriter. Her debut album, “the masquerade,” is out and the 19-year-old artist hosts a podcast called “21 Days,” which gives fans insight into her life and her work process. Based out of Oakland, California, mxmtoon says traveling so much for work can be helpful when it comes to creating new songs. She also says she’s looking forward to seeing more of her colleagues on stage.
Go Away With … Tate McRae
Trained at the School of Alberta Ballet, Tate McRae finished third on “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation” in 2016. She was a voice actress for the “Lalaloopsy” series. And her YouTube channel, “Create with Tate,” has more than 1.7 million subscribers. Recently signed to RCA Records, the 16-year-old Canadian entertainer is following up her debut single, “tear myself apart,” with “all my friends are fake.”
Go Away With … Jai Rodriguez
Best known as the culture vulture on the original version of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” Jai Rodriguez got his start on Broadway portraying Angel in the critically acclaimed musical “RENT.” His post-“Queer Eye” work has included acting roles (“Bones,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Harry’s Law”), as well as host of “Dance Moms.” Though he travels frequently for work, Rodriguez says, “I actually don’t vacation. However, work has taken me to some exceptional places. I usually extend my work trip by a day or two to enjoy the city. Sydney, Key West and New York City are among my favorites for different reasons. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be in awe of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The park and wildlife there are amazing.”
Go Away With … Amanda Deibert
Amanda Deibert remembers the family vacations she took as a child with fond memories. “When I was a little girl, we only had one vacation,” says the television and comic book writer (“Wonder Woman ‘77,” “DC Super Hero Girls,” “Teen Titans Go!”). “It was road trips from Florida to North Carolina to visit my grandparents. I loved stopping at all the weird roadside attractions.”
Go Away With … Dan Payne
“The worst vacation memory was when my wife and I were flying home from Australia and were suddenly forced to land in Hawaii because 9/11 had just happened,” says “Descendants 3” actor Dan Payne. “The pilot didn’t explain much except that the plane was in perfect working order, however, there was an FAA closure of all U.S. airspace. We spent four days there trying to figure out what had just happened to the world before we could go home.”