Go Away With … Dianne Hales
Author Dianne Hales says, “If you were to offer me a ticket almost anywhere, but I had to leave in an hour, I wouldn’t hesitate. There’s nothing I need that can’t be bought somewhere.”
Year: 2014
Katie Barberi interview & Mariposa Katie giveaway
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel from a young age,” says actress and jewelry designer Katie Barberi. “I’ve grown up seeing so much diversity and beauty in different cultures. I draw inspiration from that all the time.”
And So This Is Christmas
To this day, when I see a bag of M&M’s, it reminds me of a time when it was difficult being the new kid who couldn’t speak English, who had no idea what was going on and who desperately wanted to go back home to Seoul. I hope that Santa enjoys the cookies and M&M’s my son left out for him tonight. And I hope that you all have a very happy holiday season.
Go Away With … Alex Borstein
“My favorite trip to Italy was my post-college backpacking trip and my best friend and I ended up in Cinque Terre,” says “Family Guy” actress Alex Borstein. “It’s a small stretch on the Italian coast that’s made up of five magical-looking villages.”
Let them be
As I was wiping the polish off my son’s tiny fingernails, I told him that there’s nothing wrong with nail polish on boys or girls, just as there’s nothing wrong with pierced ears (at an appropriate age) on girls or boys. That there is no toy that is the property of one gender, just as there is no career that only boys can do and not girls.
Go Away With … Idris Elba
Idris Elba is famous for his acting. Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his starring role in “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” Elba is also known for playing Russell “Stringer” Bell on HBO’s “The Wire.” He’ll next be seen reprising his role of Heimdall in 2015’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” But it was his role playing Nelson Mandela that spurred him on to record “mi Mandela.”
Pics ‘n’ Props
If there are some of you who have yet to order your cards, I would like to share this tip. Order more than you need. Not only will they come in handy when you rush to mail out last-minute cards to people you’ve forgotten about (oops!), but they’ll be really fun to send out in the upcoming years. One day, when our children are no longer small and adorable, they may not want to pose for cute holiday card photos. In fact, they may look downright surly. And let’s face it — when kids are surly at 3, 4 or 5 — they’re still pretty darned sweet looking. At 16 or 17, not so much.
Props to you
Oh, I’ve got ideas for holiday cards & I’m also doing a little giveaway. 
Happy holidays! #WinWithJae
Imagine
I was cleaning out my file cabinet the other day and found this. When I was young, I had written Lennon a letter. His assistant typed back a thank you note. At the bottom, John had scrawled a personalized note.
Go Away With … Reggie Lee
Born in the Philippines and raised in Ohio, Reggie Lee currently splits his time between Los Angeles and Portland, where he has a co-starring role as Sgt. Wu on the NBC hit series “Grimm.” Lee’s film credits include “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Fast and the Furious “ and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.” Lee says he loves shooting on location in Oregon, but he’s looking forward to doing some traveling soon. “I generally like to stay home and be with family for the holidays. But, right after Christmas, I’m headed to London and then Paris for New Year’s.”
Korean cuisine beyond barbecue and kimchi
When I was young, I went through a phase where I hated Korean food. My mother would make fresh, home-cooked meals from scratch. And instead of realizing what a treat that was, I would ask why we couldn’t just eat TV dinners like all my friends. But these days, there’s no cuisine I enjoy more than Korean. And if someone else is willing to cook it for me, all the better! So when my family and I traveled to South Korea this fall, eating well was a top priority.
Go Away With … Scott Pelley
Scott Pelley is a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” as well as the anchor and managing editor of the “CBS Evening News.” The 57-year-old journalist travels constantly for his work and says he wouldn’t have it any other way. “Whenever I give commencement addresses at colleges, I tell young people to get a passport,” Pelley says. “There is no education on earth as good as the education you get from travel. I never tire of going to a place I’ve never been before. I’m still filled with excitement about getting on a plane, boat or train.”
Two Dollars
We were at the store today picking up some groceries. A full cartload, actually. As the cashier was ringing up our items, I looked back to see an elderly gentleman holding just one object: a pie. He wasn’t impatient or annoyed, but I could see that he was tired. There were no other lanes open and I hated the idea of him having to stand there to wait for us.
Go Away With … Sasha Goodlett
WNBA center Sasha Goodlett currently plays for South Korea’s Woori Bank Hansae. “Adjusting to the culture and the language barrier was challenging,” says the 24-year-old basketball star. “It’s hard trying to understand someone when they don’t know English and you don’t know Korean. But, I am learning Korean! So, hopefully by the end of the year I will be relatively fluent in it.”
Go Away With … Sarah Piampiano
As a child, Sarah Piampiano dreamed of being an Olympian. But, as an adult, she figured her life as an investment banker would prevent her from becoming a full-time athlete. Five years ago, she made a lifestyle switch, quitting her job, moving to the West Coast and devoting all her time and energy into becoming a pro triathlete. Piampiano, 34, says that switching from finance to the world of elite athletes hasn’t been the easiest transition, but one for which she has a passion.
Go Away With … Zoe McLellan
Best known for her roles on “JAG” and “Dirty Sexy Money,” Zoe McLellan stars as Meredith Brody in the hit CBS series “NCIS: New Orleans.” The actress, who was born in California and raised in Washington, is based out of Louisiana, where her series is filmed. “I currently reside in New Orleans and have never felt more at home anywhere in my life,” McLellan says. ‘It’s in my blood now.”
Go Away With … Chelsea Cain
New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Cain’s latest thriller, “One Kick” (Simon and Schuster, $25.99), kicks off a new series of novels centered on a former abductee, who becomes immersed in a missing child case. Based out of Portland, Oregon, Cain says nothing completes a road trip like a gas station Payday bar. As for her dream trip? “Murder on the Orient Express!” says Cain, 42.
Kimbap, kimchi and me
My little guy wanted to bring a delicious pork-filled Chinese steamed bun to school for lunch today. I told him no, but I didn’t tell him why. One day, when he’s a little older and less likely to burst into tears if teased, I will let him choose. But, today wasn’t that day.
Go Away With … Noureen DeWulf
“It’s hard not to be changed by traveling to India,” says “Anger Management” actress Noureen DeWulf. “My trips there have really impacted me as a person. I have gratitude in very a deep way for my life and my career. When you see the kind of poverty that exists there, and people struggling on such a primal level, it stays with you forever.”
Trick or Treat
A few years ago, a whole family began showing up at our house. It just seemed odd to me, especially since none of them were in costume. Then it hit me. Perhaps they were hungry and realized they could get free food (albeit candy) one day a year without getting too much flack from people.