Go Away With … Amanda Beard

March 27, 2012December 25, 2019 Jae-Ha Kim

Swimmer Amanda Beard won her first Olympic gold medal in 1996 at the summer games in Atlanta. Now 30, the swimming champion — who has won seven medals at the Olympics — is hoping to bring home more gold for the United States in her fifth consecutive Olympiad this summer in London. Beard, who also has a successful sideline career as a model (including a nude spread in Playboy), recently penned “In the Water They Can’t See You Cry” (Touchstone, $24.99). The revealing memoir gives readers a look at the struggles she faced with bulimia, learning disorders and broken relationships.

Peninsula Chicago

March 25, 2012December 11, 2021 Jae-Ha Kim

Located in the heart of the Magnificent Mile, the Peninsula Chicago is a gorgeous hotel. What made it stand out for me wasn’t the room (which was nice, but not extraordinary). Rather, it was the fabulous indoor pool with a gorgeous view of the city. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed at a hotel with a pool and deck as lovely.

Go Away With … Katie Barberi

March 20, 2012December 25, 2019 Jae-Ha Kim

Born in Mexico and raised in the United States, actress-singer Katie Barberi fondly recalls a childhood where her family moved to dozens of cities in both countries to accommodate her parents’ careers. “I loved it,” says Barberi, 40. “I’m sure my love of travel is tied to all the different places we lived.”

Go Away With … Samuel Park

March 13, 2012May 29, 2023 Jae-Ha Kim

Born in Sao Paulo to Korean parents, author Samuel Park is a dual citizen of Brazil and the United States. “I left Brazil at age 14 (for Los Angeles), so my Portuguese is pretty fluent, even though I don’t have any Portuguese-speaking friends,” says Park, 36. “But I watch Brazilian soaps obsessively every day! So I can understand the language as well as I did 20 years ago. My Korean, incidentally, is quite weak, and much worse than my Portuguese.”

Go Away With … Sara Moulton

March 6, 2012April 24, 2024 Jae-Ha Kim

As a kid, Sara Moulton didn’t know she wanted to be a chef, but she says her mother did. “When my parents took me on a trip to Europe, I not only loved all the food we ate but I took notes about it,” says the New Yorker, who may be the only chef whose work has been name-checked by the Beastie Boys. “I even wrote about what I ate on the airplane. I was a typical teenager, but I guess I always was really interested in how food was made.”