Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Sixteen years after Tia Mowry became a household name on the sitcom, “Sister, Sister,” the busy actress stars in two series. She appears on TV Land’s “Instant Mom” and “Tia Mowry at Home,” her own lifestyle show on the Cooking Channel. Married to actor Cory Hardrict, she says her family travels all the time and never tires of it.
“It’s interesting living and working in two different countries — both India and the United States,” says “The Big Bang Theory” star Kunal Nayyar. “Whenever I have time, I go to India and see my mom and dad. We’ll be there for Christmas. And for work, I’m based out of Los Angeles.”
Fans love to hate Joe Morton’s portrayal of Rowan (Olivia Pope’s father) on the hit ABC drama, “Scandal.” The actor, 68, remembers, “I was in Williamstown, Mass., to see some plays and this woman came up to me and said, ‘I didn’t recognize you right away, but I knew I hated you!’” Laughing, he adds, “We had a lovely long conversation after that. But people do react to my role on ‘Scandal.’”
Former co-stars (“Charmed”) and real-life best friends, actresses Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs star in the Great American Country reality series, “Off the Map with Shannen and Holly.” “Holly and I experienced so many memorable moments,” says Doherty, 43, who resides in Malibu. “We ziplined in Kentucky and handled an alligator in Georgia. But, most of all, the people we met were so special and I truly feel blessed to have had this experience.”
A former home economics teacher, Kanae Minato rocked Japan’s literary world with her 2008 debut novel, “Confessions.” A movie adaptation of the psychological thriller was selected as Japan’s entry for the best foreign language film at the 2010 Academy Awards. This past summer, the book was released in English.
Musician Lisa Loeb (of “Stay” fame) has some tips for traveling with young children: “Prepare yourself! Bring tons of snacks and activities, make sure you get a good night’s sleep before you venture out, don’t forget extra diapers and bring strollers and car seats with you. And lots of wipes. And maybe some Starbucks gift cards for the people around you on the plane.”
“I just got home from Japan, and it is by far one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to,” says U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe. “The culture is so unique. We actually got to do a little bit of sightseeing on this trip and visit some of the temples. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. All the castles and architecture of Europe are beautiful. But then seeing Japan and its architecture is completely different and so special. Also, we went to Kazakhstan for a World Cup race and it was by far the coldest place I’ve ever been to so far. But it was a beautiful area. The buildings looked so cool and futuristic.”
Professional motorcycle racer Shelina Moreda has always liked moving fast. She was just a toddler when she rode ATVs. She fell in love with dirt bikes at the age of 12. Her mother and father — who raced cars and dirt bikes himself — were supportive when she announced her career choice. Moreda, now 27, lives in Petaluma, Calif., one of just three women to race in the AMA Pro Road Racing National Series.
When Tony Hawk started skateboarding, he never dreamed that the sport would grow to what it is today — or that his name would become synonymous with skateboarding to so many people around the world. “I just always loved it and still have such a passion for it,” says the laid-back 42-year-old champ.
It’s not easy to travel incognito when every tween and teenage girl in the world knows what you look like. But Justin Bieber gave it a good shot during a recent trip to the Bahamas. When the 16-year-old pop star wanted to try out the waterslides at the Atlantis resort in Paradise Island, he wrapped a beach towel over his trademark mane of floppy blond hair.