Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Linebacker Scott Fujita is a team captain for the Cleveland Browns and has played football for the New Orleans Saints, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. But his home base is in Carmel Valley, Calif. “Basically, we chose a vacation destination as our permanent residence,” he says. Fujita, who cites National Geographic Traveler as one of his favorite magazines, loves exploring and shares some of his favorite spots.
Actor Jon Seda is a Jersey boy at heart, though he currently lives on the West Coast with his wife and children. “For most of my career I’ve been on the East Coast, but for about the past four or five years I’ve been based out of California,” says Seda, who was born in New York. “I’ve just recently celebrated my 40th birthday. Oh yeah, it’s all up hill from here!” Seda, who’s best known for his roles in the films “Gladiator” and “Selena,” earned rave reviews for his portrayal of World War II hero John Basilone in the HBO miniseries “The Pacific,” which has just been released on DVD.
Guitar legend Joe Satriani and his wife, Rubina, are big fans of traveling, whether it’s a quick flight to Vancouver or an exotic vacation on Tioman Island. Though he enjoys the peace and tranquility of villas that offer little distraction by way of phones and televisions, he also admits he’s partial to having access to the Internet, especially when he’s on tour.
Though Jordin Spark’s tours have taken her to many destinations, the young singer has a long list of places she’d still like to visit. And she plans on taking her dog with her, if at all possible.
Music legend Neil Sedaka is back on the road performing concerts to promote his latest album, “Music of My Life.” Based out of New York and Los Angeles, the 71-year-old singer-songwriter loves to travel, whether it’s a family vacation to Hawaii or a staycation in his beloved Big Apple. Next on his list of places he’d like to visit? “It seems I’ve been everywhere, but I’ve never been to Eastern Europe,” Sedaka says. “(I’d like to travel to) Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania one day.”
Aaron Zigman’s music isn’t as flashy as the designer wardrobe that Sarah Jessica Parker wears in “Sex and the City 2” — opening in theaters on May 27. But his score does set the tone for the film, whether Carrie and her girls are in New York City or gallivanting around the world. Based out of Los Angeles, the 47-year-old composer (whose previous work includes “The Notebook” and “The Proposal”) talks about his own love of traveling, whether it’s to Paris or Charleston, S.C.
Rock legend Todd Rundgren has been performing for more than 40 years. Best known for hits such as “Hello It’s Me,” “I Saw the Light” and “Bang the Drum All Day,” Rundgren is currently on tour. The 61-year-old Pennsylvania-born musician now resides in Hawaii. “I used to live in Upstate New York where we got incredibly bitter cold for weeks on end,” Rundgren says. “And I remember the winters from growing up in Pennsylvania. I have no desire to relive them.”
Actor-comedian Larry Miller is well known for his appearances on “Seinfeld,” “Mad About You” and the feature film “10 Things I Hate About You.” He also co-stars in the ABC Family television series based on the movie, which begins its second season on Monday, March 29. Of his travel schedule, Miller, 53, says, “Once you get married and have kids, and the kids have teams that play on the weekends, and I do shows on the weekends. … If my wife and I get one lone Saturday night free? Believe me, a fire and a drink and holding hands downstairs for 10 minutes is the best getaway possible.” Still, he’d love to get away to Hawaii one day.
Jeff Housenbold uses Shutterfly to process all the pictures he takes on vacation. Of course, he gets a little break since he’s the president and CEO of the online photo company. A resident of Atherton, Calif., where he resides with his wife and three sons, Housenbold, 40, travels often for business and pleasure. While the warm islands of Hawaii are family favorites, the Housenbolds look forward to upcoming trips to Israel and Ireland.
Elliott Yamin says there’s something special about getting to stay home every now and again, especially since he has purchased a new house in Los Angeles. “I have a big, beautiful house that I never really get to see,” says the 30-year-old former “American Idol” contestant. “Sometimes it feels like I’m on vacation when I just get to sit on my sofa and hang out in front of my TV. But I will say that the thought of a really great, relaxing vacation can get me off my butt in no time because I really do love to travel. I love every part of it. Getting the chance to see the world is just an amazing perk of my job. It’s great.”