Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Amanda Deibert remembers the family vacations she took as a child with fond memories. “When I was a little girl, we only had one vacation,” says the television and comic book writer (“Wonder Woman ‘77,” “DC Super Hero Girls,” “Teen Titans Go!”). “It was road trips from Florida to North Carolina to visit my grandparents. I loved stopping at all the weird roadside attractions.”
Tiffany Young is the new face and voice of H&M’s Divided Music campaign. Born and raised in California, Young spent more than a decade in South Korea as a member of the band Girls’ Generation, before moving back to Los Angeles to study acting. “I just finished shooting this video for (my new solo single) ‘Teach You,’” says Young. “And I get to tell you first: My bandmates (Hyo-yeon Kim and Soo-young Choi) make cameos in it!”
Before moving to London at the age of 22, Sam Heughan studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The Scottish actor has returned to his roots to portray Jamie Fraser on the hit Starz series, “Outlander,” which is filmed in Scotland. Based out of Glasgow, the 37-year-old philanthropist also is the founder of My Peak Challenge, a charitable foundation that advocates for a healthy lifestyle.
In her memoir “A Stitch of Time: The Year a Brain Injury Changed My Language and Life” (Simon & Schuster, $26), Lauren Marks recounts her brain aneurysm and how aphasia affected her life. “At the time, I was an actor, director and Ph.D. student living in New York City,” she says. “I was 27 years old and had largely lost my abilities to speak, read and write. I was a foreigner in my native tongue.”
As the daughter of Eagles rocker Joe Walsh, Lucy Walsh grew up with music. It didn’t surprise her famous family (her uncle via marriage is Ringo Starr) when she launched her own musical career. But, like her father, Lucy has also delved into acting. After roles in “Criminal Minds” and “NCIS,” she appears opposite Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston in the feature film, “Mother’s Day.” Her song, “On My Way,” is also featured in the soundtrack.
Actress Caitriona Balfe says she can relate to her time-traveling character, Claire Randall, in the Starz series “Outlander.” “I’ve lived in Los Angeles and New York for long periods of time,” she says. “And now I’m in Glasgow. It’s not like having different lives in each place, but each is unique. The country is a key character in the series. The Scottish Highlands are incredible. There seems to be magic and poetry everywhere.”
“Property Brothers” star Jonathan Scott says, “I don’t think you can truly appreciate where you came from unless you have experienced how other cultures live. Travel has made me a more humble person with a better perspective on life.”
What does singer Rosanne Cash bring in her carryon? “Really good moisturizer, good headphones, a warm scarf — even in summer — for airplanes, a bag of almonds in my handbag in case there is no time for a meal and my phone.”
When author Dan Brown visited Rosslyn Chapel four years ago, the small working church wasn’t on any tourist maps. Though located just seven miles south of Edinburgh, Rosslyn didn’t have the same cachet, as say, the more famous and majestic Edinburgh Castle. But thanks to Brown’s international bestseller, “The Da Vinci Code” — in which Rosslyn is prominently featured — the little chapel that no one expected to become a tourist attraction has become one of the country’s most coveted sites.
Director and author Paul Feig may be the one American who vacations in suits. “My wife and I just love to travel,” says the 47-year-old Los Angeles resident. “We go to Europe quite a bit. I think most of the photos have me in suits. OK, maybe not most of them, but I do like to wear suits a lot. I guess I’m a throwback to the days when people dressed up to travel.” Best known for creating “Freaks and Geeks,” Feig also co-executive produced “The Office,” directed episodes of “Nurse Jackie” and acted in films such as “Knocked Up.”