Year: 2009

Go Away With … Ivanka Trump

Jae-Ha Kim

Ivanka Trump could’ve coasted on her good looks and her father’s money, but that’s not her style. Armed with a degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, Trump, 28, may be more low-key than her famous father, Donald, but she may be just as driven. Besides being a vice president at her family’s real estate company, Trump has authored the new book The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life (Touchstone, $24.99). She also has a line of fine jewelry featured in her Ivanka Trump Collection.

Go Away With … Rob Thomas

Jae-Ha Kim

Born in West Germany on a U.S. military base, Rob Thomas was born to travel. The frontman for Matchbox Twenty, Thomas also collaborated with Carlos Santana (he was the voice of the hit single “Smooth”) and is currently finishing up a U.S. tour to promote his second solo album “Cradlesong.” After that he’ll head off to Australia in February to perform concerts there. “My first time out of the country was to Australia,” says Thomas, 37. “Every first trip is fun, but after you’ve visited a few times, you get the lay of the land down and find favorite spots. Each spot gets better every trip.”

“Kyle XY” — 3rd and final season

Jae-Ha Kim

Originally airing on ABC Family in 2009, the third season of “Kyle XY” begins with promise. Kyle (Matt Dallas) effortlessly goes into heroic mode when he has to rescue his girlfriend Amanda (Kristen Prout) from a covert organization. When he himself is endangered, he relies on his fellow lab-created “sister” Jessi XX (Jaimie Alexander) to come to his aid.

Go Away With…Paul Potts

Jae-Ha Kim

Before Susan Boyle made a name for herself on “Britain’s Got Talent,” there was Paul Potts. The former cell phone salesman and amateur opera singer won the first season of the talent show in 2007 and sparked both interest and controversy. Some naysayers said he was a working musician and should’ve been disqualified from the competition. In truth, Potts did have stage experience, but he had never received payment for his work. In other words, he hadn’t relinquished his amateur status.

Go Away With … Larry Harris

Jae-Ha Kim

For a good chunk of the ’70s, disco was synonymous with Casablanca Records, thanks to its roster of artists such as Donna Summer and the Village People. Label co-founder Larry Harris, 62, writes about the wild and crazy times in his book And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records (Backbeat, $24.99). Currently residing in Port Angeles, Wash., Harris talks about his love of New York and why he really wants to get to Italy.

Go Away With … Justin Guarini

Jae-Ha Kim

“I got the travel bug early,” Justin Guarini says. “Some Americans don’t like going outside of the U.S. Although that’s not my choice, I can understand it to a certain point. But with what’s going on with the rest of the world’s views on America, I do think that it’s imperative that Americans travel and try to understand other cultures if they can. Besides, it’s so much fun to get a glimpse of other parts of the world.”

Go Away With … Sung J. Woo

Jae-Ha Kim

With his critically acclaimed debut novel “Everything Asian,” Sung J. Woo succinctly and poignantly captures a year in the life of a 12-year-old immigrant who tries to navigate life in the United States, while also trying to understand his estranged father. A resident of Washington, N.J., the 38-year-old author chats about his recent trip to Alaska, how he gets the best hotel deals and why he often feels like a tourist — even when he’s not far from home.

Go Away With … Jill Litwin

Jae-Ha Kim

When a friend asked Jill Litwin to help her make healthy and tasty meals for her child, Litwin put together a few yummy, kid-friendly dishes. These ideas became the starting point for Peas of Mind, an organic frozen food company catering to kids who’ve outgrown standard jarred baby food. Based in San Francisco, the energetic 35-year-old CEO loves to travel, whether it’s to nearby Sonoma or to the beaches of Jamaica. Litwin talks about some of her favorite hotels, why she always travels with a scarf and a custard shop in Greenfield, Wis., that makes her mouth water.

Go Away With … Carlos Mencia

Jae-Ha Kim

Best known for his comedy series “Mind of Mencia” and roles in films such as “The Heartbreak Kid,” Carlos Mencia works nonstop. Whether he’s writing standup material, new skits or developing film ideas, Mencia says he often is wary of taking a few days off because he doesn’t want to get in the “vacation mode” — unless he’s heading for Maui. “It is the closest to paradise a living person can hope for,” says the 42-year-old comic.

Go Away With … Neil Strauss

Jae-Ha Kim

His background as a New York Times rock music critic and Rolling Stone contributing editor made Neil Strauss the perfect candidate to co-write books with Marilyn Manson, Motley Crue and Dave Navarro. But few people expected that the intellectual, slightly built journalist would earn fame writing about his real-life experience as a pick-up artist in the bestselling book The Game.