Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“I may be biased but I swear every time I go to Puerto Rico, I keep finding new things to see and do,” said “The Time Traveler’s Wife” actress Natasha López. “If you are staying in the San Juan area you must visit El Yunque National Forest and Old San Juan.”
“You have to be willing to try new things and experiment (when traveling),” said “All American” actress Alondra Delgado. “I am very picky with food, but now I’ve learned to just give things a try, because every place has its own thing and food connects you a lot to the culture.”
“I haven’t traveled at all during the pandemic,” said Emmy Award winner Ashley Nicole Black. “At first, I was spending a lot of my down time taking long walks with my dog — too long. She started refusing the walks! My mom built a gazebo in her backyard with a couch, chairs, fans, a TV, the works. So, our new vacation spot is her backyard with a glass of ice tea.”
“The first trip I remember taking as a child was to Orlando, Florida,” says “The Baker and the Beauty” actress Lisa Vidal. “My aunt took me to Disney World when I was about eight years old and I had a blast. I loved all the activities and the sunshine in the palm trees.”
Actress Roselyn Sanchez says when she thinks of the perfect vacation destination, Puerto Rico is always on her mind.
Nearly 20 years after their last No. 1 album, the Backstreet Boys’ debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their latest release, “DNA.” As the group prepares to kick off their North American tour, Howie D (born Howard Dorough) is also celebrating the July 12 release of his debut children’s album, “Which One Am I?”
Chef Jose Andres was no novice to helping people who suffered catastrophes. After Hurricanes Sandy and Harvey, he worked with local chefs to help feed the survivors. But those events didn’t prepare him for the devastation he saw when he landed in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria hit. Working with his nonprofit World Central Kitchen and local chefs, the Michelin-starred Andres set up shop in the parking lot of a stadium to feed anyone who needed a hot meal.
Journalist Bill Weir explores the world in his CNN series, “The Wonder List.” As a kid, his family did a lot of car camping across Wisconsin. “We paddled the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and backpacked in Colorado with my dad. These are some of my fondest memories, and since he taught me to love the natural world, these trips were the original inspiration for ‘The Wonder List.’“
Olympian Kelsey Robinson helped Team USA win the bronze medal in volleyball at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, but her love of basketball is evident by the number on the back of her team jersey — 23. The number, of course, is in honor of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, but it also makes her feel close to her Chicago-area roots, says Robinson, 24.
Becky Sauerbrunn is the co-captain of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team, which will be competing next month at the Olympics. Asked if she would squeeze in any sightseeing, she said, “There won’t be a lot of time! We play in stadiums all around Brazil and won’t be in Rio until the end of the tournament, if all goes well. If I have some time, however, I would like to see the National Library of Brazil. It’s one of the largest libraries in the world.”
“When I was 11, I went to Puerto Rico for a month to stay with my grandmother,” says Andrea Navedo of “Jane the Virgin.” “To see the way people lived there and experience my own culture was wonderful. It helped give me insight into my own cultural identity. I remember that the food and coffee there was amazing.”
Lara Spencer has a lot on her plate these days. A co-anchor for ABC’s “Good Morning America,” she’s also the host of “Flea Market Flip” on Great American Country. She also has a new book out, “Flea Market Fabulous: Designing Gorgeous Rooms with Vintage Treasures” (Stewart, Tabori and Chang, $25.95). A resident of Greenwich, Connecticut, Spencer says that even though she travels constantly for her work, if the opportunity arises, she will never pass up the opportunity to head out for a few days with her family.
Talk show host Wendy Williams’ idea of a vacation doesn’t include sightseeing: “We’re that family that doesn’t care about seeing ancient ruins or centuries old landmarks. All we want to do is lay down on the beach and eat $12 M&M’s from the minibar.”
While “Twilight” fans may refer to themselves as Team Edward or Team Jacob, “True Blood” aficionados are all about the new werewolf in town: Alcide Herveaux. Joe Manganiello plays the sexy lycanthrope in the third season of the vampire series, which airs on HBO. (The first two seasons of the drama are available on DVD on HBO Home Video.) Born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, the 33-year-old actor who once earned a living as a roadie for the rock band Goldfinger now calls Los Angeles home. As for his next destination, Europe, where he has never visited, is calling him.