Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“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.”
“Our concert schedule takes us to so many places and we always arrive ready to explore,” says 123 Andrés. “Recently we performed in Lake Jackson, which is south of Houston. We had never heard of this city before, but we ended up having a lot of fun. This is one reason we love being performers — we get to arrive to a new city or town with no plans and get tips from the families who live there. No city, town or neighborhood should be written off as boring or a dump. Every place has something to show us, if you are willing and open to seeing it.”
“I’ve been to Montego Bay several times and absolutely love it there,” says “Ambitions” actress Mara Hall. “The culture, the food, the people — it is such an amazing place. Visit White House. They sell fresh fried fish and bammy (cassava flatbread). It’s absolutely delicious!”
David Archuleta was just 16 years old when he became the runner-up (to David Cook) on “American Idol.” Since then, the singer — now 28 — has released a steady stream of music, including his brand-new single “Paralyzed.” A perk of his career is getting to travel. “I’ve recently gotten to see Russia for my first time for a youth conference,” says Archuleta, who resides in Nashville.
Once best known as MC Mystic in his group Bass is Base, Roger Mooking is recognized by foodies worldwide for his work on television (“Man Fire Food,” “Heat Seekers,” “Everyday Exotic”) and cookbooks. Born in Trinidad and raised in Canada, Mooking is based out of Toronto. The chef and restaurateur says that one of the small pleasures of life is finding ice cream and gelato spots wherever he travels. “I would eat ice cream every single day and after every single meal if I could get away with it, says Mooking, whose latest album is “Eat Your Words.”
It has been a busy year for Jeannie Mai. Besides co-hosting the talk show “The Real,” she is a correspondent on Stephen Curry’s ABC mini-golf competition series, “Holey Moley.” Whenever she can carve out some free time, the on-air talent says she enjoys exploring new cities. One of her favorite memories is a childhood trip she took with her family. “We went to Yosemite and I absolutely loved it,” said Mai, 40. “We lost my little brother for a second and set bear traps, thinking he was bear napped. But that story is for another time.”
Actress Roselyn Sanchez says when she thinks of the perfect vacation destination, Puerto Rico is always on her mind.
Monsta X has been nominated for their first MTV Video Music Award for their English-language single “Who Do U Love?” They will become the first K-Pop group to perform at the iHeartRadio Music Festival later this year. (They previously were the first Korean boy band to take the stage at Jingle Ball.) But a highlight of 2019 for the group was performing in Oslo for South Korean president Moon Jae-in and King Harald V of Norway, where the countries’ dignitaries celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Norway.
Born in the Dominican Republic, actress Katherine Castro (“Someday”) has a minimalist’s approach to hitting the road. “Travel light,” she says. “Less is more. If it doesn’t fit in your carry-on, you don’t need it.” A resident of West Hollywood, Castro says it’s helpful that she speaks several languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Arabic), but stepping outside of your comfort zone can make trips an enjoyable learning experience regardless of your level of fluency.
Best known for playing Katana in “Suicide Squad,” Karen Fukuhara will next be seen in the Amazon series, “The Boys” (premiering on July 26). Her resume also includes the feature film “Stray” and Netflix’s “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.” An avid traveler, the actress says she’d like to explore Southeast Asia next.