Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“My favorite memories are of my children and my husband walking along the beaches searching for seashells and sea creatures,” says “Entertainment Tonight” host and Evine fashion designer Nancy O’Dell. “It seems so simple, but we do this on every Hawaii or beach trip and we love it. It just makes me happy to think of it. I could probably make 10 scrapbooks alone of all the beautiful things from nature we have found on the beach.”
“On so many levels, my dream trip still remains South Korea,” says “Top Chef” winner and “36 Hours” host Kristen Kish. “When my time is right, it will happen. I’m not quite ready yet, but it doesn’t keep me from thinking about exploring the place where I was born.”
An avid traveler, model and author Carol Alt says that there are still a few key places on her bucket list. “I’ve never been to the Far East,” says Alt. “I’ve been offered many trips there, but the moment was never right. I think it would really be worth it to go there one day.”
“The first trip I took with my family was to Disney World and I absolutely loved it!” says actress Tamera Mowry. “I was 16 years old and we did the Mickey Mouse Club tour and I got to meet Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. I hope to share a Disney experience with my family in the coming years. It’s such a fun and exciting trip for the whole family!”
“China Rich Girlfriend” author Kevin Kwan has traveled the world, but he says that London reminds him of home. “I live in Manhattan and this summer marks my 20th year as a New Yorker,” says Kwan. “But London has a strong kinship to New York. They are both cosmopolitan cities overflowing with history and culture and yet completely focused on modern life. The tea and scones are much better in London, though.”
Our son likes to travel. He has taken high-speed KTX “bullet” trains in Seoul, played in New York City’s Central Park and fed dolphins in Paradise Island (Bahamas). All of that was amazing. But it’s wonderful having a first-rate destination with skyscapers, museums and all the delicious dining choices right in our own back yard. Chicago, we can’t quit you!
“I had been to Ireland with my family many times,” says Chicago-based TV personality Colleen Kelly. “I just knew that I had to kick off my travel show with an episode about this special place. I wanted people to see how family-friendly Ireland can be. Also, I wanted people to see some of the surprises, like the culinary scene, which has been revolutionized over the past 20 years.”
More than two decades ago, Cheryl Della Pietra worked as Hunter S. Thompson’s editorial assistant. Her job description included late-night partying with the famous author and ensuring that he typed up a page each evening to turn into his publisher. In her lively debut novel, “Gonzo Girl,” Della Pietra writes about a young Ivy League graduate who will only get paid if her boss, gonzo journalist Walker Reade, completes the book he owes his editor.
Our kid likes to travel. He has taken high-speed KTX trains in Seoul, played in New York City’s Central Park and fed dolphins in Paradise Island (Bahamas). All of that was amazing. But it’s wonderful having a first-rate destination with skyscapers, museums and all the dining choices right in our own back yard. We’ll be back, Chicago, because we can’t quit you.
“I’m so thankful that I got to travel from a relatively young age,” says “True Dective” actress Abigail Spencer. “Travel is the only way to get empathy for other people’s mindsets — to know their struggles and what they’re drawn to.”
Besides acting, Nicole Ari Parker co-founded Sophie’s Voice Foundation (www.sophiesvoicefoundation.org), to raise awareness for global health and wellness initiatives in multicultural communities. The fashionista also created Save Your Do, a stylish headband for women who work out.
“Traveling opens your eyes to different cultures,” says “UnREAL” actress Constance Zimmer. “I have learned that there are many, many people living in countries with so much less than what we have and they sometimes seem much happier (than us).”
“I strongly believe that traveling allows you to discover new opportunities, not only professionally, but also at a more personal level,” says DramaFever co-founder Suk Park. “Previous to starting DramaFever, I worked for an American media company that allowed me to travel extensively, mainly throughout Asia. It was then that I discovered the popularity of Korean dramas throughout the entire continent. I could be in Taipei, Tokyo, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and at least one broadcaster dedicated their primetime television to a Korean drama.”
Skier Mikaela Shiffrin, 20, born and raised in Colorado, is already an Olympic gold medalist and the youngest slalom champion in Olympic alpine skiing history. “I travel mostly for skiing and feel so lucky to get to do that,” she says. “In Europe, I will have a couple days off from training and my mom and I will just kind of pick up and go to Salzburg or Innsbruck. It’s fun to go into the city and enjoy the scenery.”
Musician Rick Braun says, “I speak some German, but I can be lost. A third-grader can leave me in the dust. I was the MVP of the Rod Stewart tour in 1989, though, when we got to Germany ‘cause I could communicate. I was the hero. “
“We were lucky enough to grow up in a house where both parents were into cooking,” says DavidFung. “I’d definitely hop on a flight back to Seattle for some steamed salmon fish and Dungeness crab real quick.” His brother, Andrew, adds that he would love to revisit the Gum Moon Ting restaurant in Hong Kong to devour the xiao long bao dumplings.
Betty Ann Boeving says that one of her proudest accomplishments has been founding the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition (BAATC), which fights against human trafficking. Boeving, 39, has visited all seven continents, traveled to more than 85 countries and even climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for her cause. “Understanding the cultural dynamics that lead to this outsourcing and exploitation of so many young women is essential to reducing the number of trafficking victims worldwide,” she says.
A resident of Woodstock, Conn., Caroll Spinney also spends time on the Upper West Side of New York when he films “Sesame Street.” Since 1969, he has been the puppeteer inside the Big Bird costume. Spinney, 81, said it has been fun playing such a famous character without being recognized himself.
Of the first overseas trip he made with the Ramones in 1976, Marky Ramone says, “We were with Richard Hell and toured with the Clash. It was great. London was everything that I had thought it would be. It was like what we had seen on TV, postcards and the movies.”
“For me growing up, the night sky was at the local planetarium,” says astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, who resides in New York. “There’s no other way I would’ve been able to see it.” Laughing, he adds, “I want to write a novel one day where the plot will include a group of amateur astronomers. During a blackout that always seems to happen in big cities, people will go outside and be forced to look up to really see the night sky for the first time.”