Meet the inimitable, talented and charming Bobby Flay, known for his frequent appearances on features such as the wildly popular Entourage and his variety of shows on Food Network. He’s one of the world’s most beloved and best-known chefs — a class act known for his winning smile and culinary savvy.

A savory success story

    Flay’s first restaurant, Mesa Grill, opened in 1991 and Gael Greene, then renowned critic of New York magazine, awarded Mesa Grill the sought-after title of Best Restaurant in 1992. One year later, Flay was named the James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef of the Year. 1993 was filled with success, including the opening of Flay’s Bolo Bar and Restaurant in New York City’s Flatiron District. The story continues with his second Mesa Grill opened in Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas in 2004, and another at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas in 2007. Flay has become an American institution with a host of marvelous restaurants including Bar Americain, Bobby Flay Steak, GATO and the wildly popular Bobby’s Burger Palace, which just opened its 17th location in Concourse B of Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.
    He was an instant on-air success when Food Network brought him aboard in 1994. Viewers around the globe tuned in to see Iron Chef Bobby Flay in shows such as Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Brunch @ Bobby’s (on the Cooking Channel), the current Emmy Award-winning Bobby Flay’s BBQ Addiction and the exceptionally popular Beat Bobby Flay. 

Flay’s latest venture: a win for ATL

    Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the world’s busiest airport, just snagged the celebrity chef’s Bobby’s Burger Palace, which opened to great acclaim in October. Atlanta-based Concessions International and H & H Hospitality worked with Flay and his partner Laurence Kretchmer. “I wanted to partner with Concessions International because they were Food First operators,” says Flay.
    Atlanta’s Bobby’s Burger Palace is the first of several other locations to be positioned in an airport. According to Flay, he chose the Georgia capital to launch first because “it doesn’t get any busier than Atlanta.”
    “I think we were waiting for the right partners and we found them here,” says Flay. “I have to say that as a chef I started cooking professionally when I was 17; that was a very long time ago. Airport food has come a long way since then. I was always skeptical earlier in my career about opening in an airport, but things have really changed so much. So, I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to open in an airport like this, and to see my employees’ enthusiasm, not to just have a job but to be working in a place that they feel really proud to work in. They are inspired and have passion for learning how to do something and to further their career. It’s really great to see!”
    Flay’s can-do attitude is contagious. “There’s no ‘meal period’. We start at 6 a.m. and go until 10 p.m. at night. If there’s a storm that rolls through here, which often happens, or a flight delay, we will stay open as needed to feed people and make their cocktails.”
    He’s ready to raise the bar on airport dining. “We want this to be the best meal you’ve ever had, and we are at the price point where everybody can afford to eat here,” says Flay. Among the menu items are the Crunchburger ($6.95); Philly Burger ($8.75); milkshakes ($5.75), and fries ($3.50). It is signature Flay, and the airport eatery is already a smashing success just a few weeks in operation.

The backstory on Vegas and more

    Questioned about his foray into Las Vegas, Flay replied, “Las Vegas decided they would not be able to live on gambling alone. They realized they needed better food and they started bringing in better chefs — chefs with names who could deliver a wonderful dining experience. Walk around Vegas and you will meet some of the best chefs, not just in America but also from around the world. It’s a great place for a first class restaurant.”
    When asked about the source of his passion for cooking, he explained, “I needed a job; I dropped out of high school in the tenth grade and started working in a restaurant. I sort of fell into it. I didn’t know I could cook but after a while I realized that working with my hands and cooking was really gratifying for me and I went to culinary school after that.”
    Flay became enamored with Southwestern cuisine working at Buds and Jams, where Chef Jonathan Waxman became a mentor. According to Flay, “My passion for Southwestern cuisine came from working for a phenomenal chef named Jonathan Waxman.”
    Bobby Flay (born Robert William Flay) has opened a cadre of restaurants but at heart he says, “I’m a burger guy. When I hang out with chefs after work we aren’t going out for caviar; we want food that’s comforting. Some of my friends want to go eat fried chicken and some want barbeque; I always want a burger. When I was a kid a burger was always my go-to food. For me there’s a myriad of things that make a burger good and I want to make sure my employees know the fundamentals — the basics of cooking the perfect burger. When you dine at Bobby’s Burger Palace and look at the burger options, in some ways it’s like a tour around America on a burger. We use very simple and obvious ingredients that make sense; nothing is complicated.”
     Chef, restauranteur, cookbook author, television star, Food Network star, Bobby Flay has mastered it all. He’s also an avid traveler and his favorite destination is Rome where he spent a glorious six weeks last summer. Bobby is incredibly philanthropic. In October he partnered with the Susan G. Komen Foundation giving 50 percent of the proceeds of his strawberry milkshakes to help in the fight against breast cancer. He lost his beloved mother to the disease last April.
    Bravo Bobby Flay!!! We will be dining at Bobby’s Burger Palace on Concourse B at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and at all of your other delicious restaurants. 

All photos by Nikon Ambassador Dixie Dixon Courtesy of Jon Carrasco

She’s been on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue (multiple times!) and Forbes Magazine — and we’re delighted that her sun-drenched smile is now on the cover of Travelgirl Magazine. Truly someone who’s gorgeous inside and out, Ms. Ireland is known for her philanthropy as much as her business acumen. She’s a success story with undeniable depth of character, and someone with a keen perspective on the evolving role of women and the issues making headlines today. Travelgirl Publisher Renee Werbin asked the supermodel turned supermogul to share some of her insights.

TG: You have had the most remarkable career; how did your modeling career begin? Did anyone in your family object to a modeling career at such a young age?
KI: My entrepreneurial career actually began long before my modeling one. First, I sold painted rocks from my wagon. I remember one day I was freshly home from school, had barely put down my books and I had homework to be done, when Dad gently shoved the newspaper under my nose. The glaring, politically incorrect, and thankfully, now illegal, employment offer read: “NEWSPAPER CARRIER WANTED! ARE YOU THE BOY FOR THE JOB?” Dad knew what reaction he was going to get.
    We were raised to believe we could have any career in the world. Our parents were truly ahead of their time. I wrote a letter to the editor, and said, “No, I’m not the boy for the job… I’m the GIRL for the job. I can do this route as well as any boy.” After being hired, I won carrier of the year for as long as I held the route.
The next entrepreneurial job was fashion. Working as a model, I always felt like I was on the wrong side of the camera. I wanted to be the client. That’s a dream that’s come true.

TG: You appeared in an unprecedented 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated issues. What was the environment for women like back when you began modeling?
KI: It was a very sexist time. People who didn’t know their boundaries were easily exploited. Whenever there’s an accusation of predatory conduct, it’s important to accept that something ugly has transpired. One question that I always ask is: “Who is the predator?” For too long, women were not believed. What we’re seeing is an opening of the doors of women and men telling their truth.
   It’s important not to categorize what’s inappropriate or tasteless as an attack. One of my concerns is that behaviors that require an apology are possibly being placed alongside situations where someone should be put on trial. In those cases, I believe in letting the appropriate result be the resolution.
   There have been times when I’ve learned of predatory accusations. Because of my background, I always assumed no one would say such a thing if it weren’t true. What I’ve learned, after all these years, is that although it is rare, every single person who makes an accusation is not necessarily living in total integrity.
    When men of questionable character tried to dominate me, I got in their faces! I remember telling one, “There’s no way I’m going to sleep with you… and you took my time, so you’re going to give me this job… and you’re going to pay me!”
Bullies must be confronted. Another photographer insisted I pose topless. Nothing wrong with that… but not comfortable for me. He went too far. He gave me a little push, and I gave him double-fisted punches in the face! He was hurt… not badly, but hurt physically… and again, I finished the job. The drugs… the sex… the exploitation of young girls was horrible.
   My years with Sports Illustrated were sweet, because of a great mentor, editor and producer, Jule Campbell, who is Aunt Jule to our kids. We are still closer than close. I love the way she navigated the politics and stood strong for women during her tenure. MJ Day is the current editor of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. Like Jule, she is a strong, gifted, powerful woman.

TG: Did you have a mentor when you began your career?
KI: I’ve been fortunate enough to have many incredible mentors, starting with my parents. Dad always taught me to under-promise and over-deliver. If the customer expects the paper in the driveway, you put it on the front porch.
I learned early on to be paid for work. Some customers on the paper route were really generous. When customers didn’t pay, or bounced a check, I tried to work out a payment plan with them.

TG: You’ve had a modeling, film and television career; you are an accomplished author and your business judgment is legendary. Do you have a favorite part of your career; which one has been the most rewarding?
KI: You’re very kind! I wouldn’t call my on-camera work as an actor a career. My personal priorities are faith, family and being of service through our work. Being an entrepreneur is extremely rewarding, and being a mom is the best, and most important job I’ll ever have.

TG: You began your business career with a line of socks. Where did that idea originate?
KI: Our great partners, John and Marilyn Moretz offered an opportunity to model a pair of socks. [John Moretz is President and CEO of Moretz Marketing and was named managing director for kathy ireland® Worldwide.]
   We said “no” to that (the modeling), but we did want to go into business with these extraordinary people. This is a wonderful moment to give John and Marilyn a personal shout-out of how much we love and appreciate them. That’s something we haven’t done enough of in the past.

TG: Talk about kathy ireland® Worldwide and how you turned a modeling career into a business empire.
KI: When our team learned of an opportunity to model a pair of socks, it was crucial to say “no” to that offer, and to propose a partnership strategy that is still in place today — after 23 years, and over 100 million pairs of socks sold globally. Sometimes we need to say no to good things in an effort to do great things. That disruption led to incredible growth in fashion apparel, fitness programming, and thousands of SKUs [a number used to identify an item in a company’s inventory] in the home industry.
   So many female entrepreneurs, who began their careers during the same era as our company’s launch… have sold, given up, or somehow lost control of their entities. All geniuses. The market is littered with girls not winning at the boys’ game of owning your disruption.
   Elizabeth Taylor… Warren Buffett… to a leader in the home industry, Irv Blumkin. All great disruptors.
   The greatest disruptor of all? My best friend, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The greatest mistake that anyone in our generation can make is being an obstacle, rather than a bridge, to your faith and your opportunities.

TG: You have an extraordinary friendship with Warren Buffett. Talk about the advice he gave you and how it impacted your direction.
KI: Mr. Buffett and I had met casually, however our friendship began through a mutual friend, Irv Blumkin, CEO of Nebraska Furniture Mart, and our first customer in the world of furniture. Irv is one of Mr. Buffett’s best friends, and friendships lead to other friendships!
   Warren Buffett, who is clearly a business genius, mentor and friend, often reminds us, that despite the challenges in our country, to live in America is far more valuable… regardless of race or gender … than winning the lottery. America is the world’s most fertile soil for the uprising plant of disruption. One piece of advice given that made a great impact was, “Always do 10 things for someone else before asking for one.” That’s a philosophy we apply every day at kathy ireland® Worldwide.

TG: Your philanthropic endeavors are impressive, from the Marine Corps, to Toys for Tots, and the Friends of Sheba Medical Center in Israel — and there are many more listed on your website. Plus, you were recently named an ambassador for one organization, tell me about that.
KI: Elizabeth Taylor, an iconic film star, and beloved member of our family, disrupted our government, bigotry, schools, churches and the industries of science and medicine… by starting amFAR (American Foundation for Aids Research), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS research organization, as well as the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation for patient care, where I serve as ambassador. Before Elizabeth, everyone infected died of AIDS. Today, millions of people all over the world live healthy lives with HIV, because of Elizabeth’s disruption.

TG: Do you have a travel bucket list?
KI: I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many places around the world that would qualify for most bucket lists!

TG: What’s your favorite destination?
KI: Visiting Israel is always a dream. It feels more like home than any place besides our literal home. Also Haiti… Honduras… Spain… Africa… it’s an endless list.

TG: What advice do you have for those who hope to follow in your famous footsteps?
KI: Whatever your choice, please understand your personal values and priorities… why do you believe what you believe? Please don’t succumb to groupthink! Have conviction and put boundaries in place that will protect your values — they will be challenged. Knowing them, and making the decision to honor them, is a great protective mechanism. It’s never too late to start.
   So often, we limit ourselves; if my career proves anything, it’s that everything is possible if you work to achieve your dreams. If this could happen to me, just imagine what is out there for you to go and get.

She’s a working mom, a superstar performer and a trendsetter when it comes to lifestyle fashions.

Her well-respected stage work set the tone for her phenomenal launch into designer handbags, luggage and accessories. The two-time Travelgirl covergirl is an unparalleled overachiever.

See her at Caesars

The legendary Céline Dion’s inaugural performance at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace happened on March 25, 2003. In fact, the venue was designed and built especially for her so that every audience member would have a clear view of the stage. Two hundred acoustical panels were installed to control the amplified sound, and a state-of-the-art humidity control system was put in to help protect the star’s voice.

Her original show, created and directed by Franco Dragone, ran for 717 sold-out performances. Céline took a three-year hiatus and returned to the famed Colosseum on March 15, 2011. The show — not surprisingly — garnered unprecedented rave reviews. On Oct. 8, 2016, this amazing working mom celebrated a significant milestone as she performed her 1,000th show at her beloved Colosseum.

Even if you’ve seen her in other venues, there’s nothing like the electrifying Vegas performance at Caesars Palace. Celine’s current show, directed by Grammy Awards producer Ken Ehrlich, comprises a kaleidoscope of her favorite hits. It’s a musical parade of timeless standards by several iconic artists that spans decades and celebrates all music genres.

The Céline Dion Collection

She’s not only a powerhouse on stage, but also when it comes to lifestyle trends, and we’re delighted to share the highlights of her latest accomplishment, her own brand of handbags, luggage and accessories.
The Céline Dion Collection is the latest chapter in her 30-year career that includes five Grammys, two Oscars, selling more than 200 million records and winning seven American Music Awards.

The luggage and accessory collections will be unveiled at the International Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas in April 2017.The luggage line features 13 stylish, three-piece sets of soft and hard luggage while the accessory line will include belts, leather bracelets, wallets, phone and tablet cases in both leather and faux leather.

It’s something Céline Dion and fashionistas around the world have been waiting for — the Céline Dion Collection will hit stores in September. The complete line of more than 200 pieces of high-quality, exquisite handbags, elegant luggage sets and must-have accessories won’t be available for a couple of months but Céline Dion, who cares deeply about her fans, is offering a pre-sale of four exclusive bags on her web store at www.celinedion.com.

Described as “bold,” “feminine,” and “sophisticated,” the entire collection took four months to develop and was conceived in collaboration with the world famous bugatti Group. The Quebec-based bugatti Group’s design team incorporated every element that echoes the Canadian chanteuse’s preferences and sense of style without compromising functionality and practicality.

The four pre-sale bags include one item from each of the Cavatina, Vibrato, Octave and Pizzicate collections. Each of these bags is more beautiful and functional than the other and represents the singing sensation’s unique style and positive attitude toward life.

A Childhood of Love and Music

One of 14 children, Céline was born into a very loving family and realized early on that she could sing beautifully. “When I was five years old my brother Michel asked me to sing at his wedding and everyone there told me I sang really well. That was the first time that I realized I had a good voice.” Her parents were wonderful role models, says Céline. “My mother is amazing. She took care of 14 children and never complained about a thing. She and my dad gave us so much love growing up.”

Céline met the love of her life, René Angélil, when she was only 12 years old. René mentored the young Céline after he listened to a tape of her music sent to him by her brother, Michel. Angélil became her manager and guided her into superstardom. Although 26 years her senior, René became the love of her life and the two married in 1994. Proud parents of three sons, René-Charles, who was born in 2001, and fraternal twins Eddy and Nelson, who were born in 2010, her beloved René lost his long and courageous battle with cancer on Jan. 14, 2016 at the age of 73.

“We are healing each day,” she told “Us Magazine” in an interview. “My kids are doing really well and eventually you have to just move on. Yesterday is over, tomorrow is not here yet, so today is today.”

A devoted wife and adoring mother, Céline always puts her children’s needs first. “I’m sure I speak for all moms out there, it’s a lot harder to be a mom than it is to do a job. A mom’s life is 24/7.  A job you can leave behind when the day’s work is done. It’s the same for a singer,” she says. “When I come off the stage, or I leave the theatre or recording studio, I don’t think about it anymore but I’m always thinking about my children.”

Céline Dion’s Pre-Sale

For her fans, the pre-sale of four items is exciting.  The first bag is named after the natural phenomenon “The Octave Relationship,” which is also known as the “basic miracle of music.” This collection embraces what Céline Dion is all about. It’s effortlessly chic with a touch of greatness. The octave collection is the “pièce de résistance” of the collection.

Made of soft leather, this double handle satchel opens up onto a main compartment and is fastened with a brush gold hardware featuring the CD logo. It comes with an adjustable and removable shoulder strap and is available in sand, black, grey, bordeaux and winter white. $298 US; $398 CAN.

In music, the staff is the set of five horizontal lines containing notes, rests and musical symbols. These lines that look inconsequential are the beginning of magical sounds that could become legendary. It’s the same with the Vibrato collection. It’s all about the power!
Made of quilted sheepskin, this multi-pocket bag has horizontal quilted detailing and zips up thanks to the light gold hardware closure. This spacious, and frankly beautiful bag, is available in black and chocolate. $268 US; $368 CAN.

Redesigning femininity, the Pizzicato collection offers a classic look with a new edgy dimension, which is so Céline Dion! With a pinch of metal hardware reminding us of the keys on a guitar, this collection embodies cool femininity.

Made of faux leather, this hobo bag with a top magnet closure has a front side stud detailing in a mixture of light gold, silver and gun metal colors. With a removable interior pouch and a multi-colored pom pom, this bag is available in black, purple and teal. $108 US; $128 CAN.

Refined in its simplicity, Cavatina is a staple collection that matches any style. Empowering by the choice of polished leather and the sleekness of its physique, the Cavatina collection is a practical yet gracious companion for the hands-on Céline woman.
The fourth item offered in the pre-sale is a top grain leather wallet that features a zip-around closure that opens up onto two compartments that will hold 20 cards. It is available in black and bordeaux and priced at $88 US; $108 CAN.

Meet the Collection

The entire 200-piece collection was designed in Canada and made in some of Celine’s hottest fan-based destinations, including Canada, Europe and Asia. Each piece is inspired by Céline’s love for fashion, art and music, and the collection offers premium quality accessories at a range of price points to appeal to women from around the globe and from all walks of life. Céline’s appeal is universal and so is her collection.

The handbag collection is comprised of 25 different stunning lines and made up of nappa, cowhide and lambskin leather as well as sheepskin, embossed suede, faux leather and nylon. The lines are available in an array of different color palettes, including black, grey, navy, burgundy, teal, taupe, tan, chocolate, blue and purple. Prices of the handbags range from $78 to $1,998.

The bugatti Group was Céline’s choice of a design partner because the company’s global vision brings more than 75 years of high quality, well-designed and meticulously crafted luggage, travel bags, computer bags, handbags and briefcases to the needs of customers around the world.

Tickets for Céline at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace are now on sale and may be purchased in person at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Box Office by calling 866-320-9763 or online at 
www.thecolosseum.com or www.axs.com.

The Secrets of a Broadway Dancer

Sarah Meahl had a secret; so did her mother. Sarah’s secret was wanting to dance on Broadway. Her mother, Kelly’s secret was financial. “She was taking money out of all these different accounts so my dad didn’t know how much they were spending on dance lessons,” Sarah says with a laugh.

Years later it all came together as Sarah landed a leading role in Cirque du Soleil’s “Paramour” on Broadway. Sarah, who plays the second female role – is also the understudy for the top role. A few weeks into the run, in the Broadway tradition, the lead was off and Sarah was the star. Her parents happened to be in the audience. “When I took my final bow, it was terrifying. I saw my parents, I just lost it. I did it. I was dancing on Broadway, but it was the fruit of all of our labors.”

Sarah wanted to be a dancer before she was even potty trained. “I was a pushy two-and-a-half year old and wanted dance lessons,” she says. “But I had to be potty trained and I wasn’t. I promised my mom there would be no accidents. Even at that age I loved dancing. By the time I was eight, I knew I wanted to be a dancer.”

One of her dance teachers, Miss Denise, changed her life. “I studied her posture, how she talked and did her hair. She had danced at Disney World, which was really cool,” she says. Kelly took Sarah to watch the Disney dancers. “It was magical. I loved the dancing and the costumes. Early on I became aware that the dancers and actors had a job. I could make money dancing. My goal was to dance at Disney.”

Her first professional gig was playing Barney when she was 12. She won dance contests and practiced incessantly. She danced at Disney World and did commercials. “It was enough to start accruing points for my Equity card. I was very focused.” Her father, Rick, worried that she was “putting so much into dancing. I don’t think he ever saw where it was heading until I went to college. When I was 21 my father saw me in “Cats” and saw I could do this. It only took him half of my life to realize that I was serious,” she says laughing.

Goodbye Disney, Hello Broadway.

When she was 13 her parents took her to Broadway to see “The Lion King.” It was life changing. “I didn’t know what Broadway was. I didn’t know there was anything bigger than Disney. By that time I had been dancing for 11 years. I looked at those Broadway dancers and thought ‘I can do that! I am doing that!’”

And, that is when the little secret was born. “I knew I could do it. I was sitting in the audience watching and I knew I would do it. I didn’t want to tell anyone,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to put this goal on a pedestal. I didn’t want it to be so far out there that you think it’s out of reach. My mom always told me that if you believe in yourself you can do anything – and I believed.”

Sarah pursued her dream with more dance lessons and added voice and acting lessons. She auditioned at Point Park University in Pittsburgh for both dance and musical theater. She was rejected for dance but accepted into the musical theater program. “The school rejected me in dance because they wanted me in musical theater where I would get more acting and voice lessons.” Dance was her minor, her focus was on old school jazz. “I worked hard but I knew it would pay off.”

It did. She headed to New York City right after graduation and booked her first job. “Lucky, not normal. I had one stellar audition and hit the ground running.”

She toured the country in regional theater until she built her resume up enough to get in the door for a Broadway audition. She told her agent she wanted to stay in New York and be on Broadway.

Cirque Du Soleil was auditioning for “Paramour,” a Broadway musical with (naturally) incredible acrobatic and gymnastic stunts. Sarah, a trained gymnast, was hired for the ensemble and then the understudy job for the lead. During rehearsals it was obvious that a second female lead was needed. Sarah got the part and helped create Gina. “She’s from Long Island and Marilyn Monroe is her idol. She’s got sex appeal and sass but she’s not a floozy. She knows where she’s from and doesn’t care that someone thinks less of her. I made her up and I learn from her.”

While “Paramour” was successful and planned on running for years, the theater was bought out by the Harry Potter musical for $25 million and “Paramour” will close – for now. There is talk of moving to another theater and also opening in Germany.

New Goals

But ever the Broadway trooper, Sarah is moving on. She has already booked a “dream role” in one of her favorite shows at a summer stock theater. “This is the life I choose and I trust that, if I work hard and I am kind, I will book my next show. You have to move on and have faith.”

Ironically, when she formulated her secret, it never was playing the Broadway lead. “I never aimed at the lead, I just wanted to dance and, as a dancer, you get more roles than being the star. I fulfilled my dream and have to set new goals.”

Some of those goals include doing commercials, fitness modeling and teaching. She is even considering opening up a dance studio. She would love to go back to Broadway, especially in a revival with classic choreography.

Her favorite place to work is St. Louis. “I’m never so happy as when I’m at the Muny, an outdoor theater. It’s just lovely.”

She also hopes to perform in New Orleans, as well as Chicago (where she has family) and Orlando. “I grew up around there and my parents live near there.”

Her family traveled often. “We call ourselves the Meahls on wheels,” she says laughing. Venice is the family’s favorite spot. “I love the gypsy life. We were always traveling.”  Whether it’s on vacation or touring, she likes to see the landmarks and museums but also go native. “I’ll ask Facebook friends where’s the best place to get a cup of coffee or someplace where actual locals go.”

However, when she’s homesick, she has a cure. “I go to Target because it reminds me of Florida and shopping with my mom. It makes me happy. And, I go to Starbucks because it is a nice, safe, comfy place and it is familiar.”

As she plots her next moves toward stardom, Sarah knows that she made her secret dream a reality. “Being in the show you make people happy and you take them away from their troubles. It’s an absolute joy,” she says. “I love hitting the beat and telling stories. Maybe those stories gave them hope, made them stronger or maybe just made them call their mom.”

She adds, “Being on Broadway is a gift and I enjoy every minute and I know the next great thing will come.”

Marlo Thomas

Her smile is known worldwide, both for her performances and for the passion she brings to her father’s legacy: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Along with her siblings, Terre and Tony, Marlo Thomas carries the torch in the fight against childhood cancer. This is the perfect season to join That Girl and open your heart to help St. Jude kids. Marlo shared some thoughts with Travelgirl Publisher Renee Werbin.

tg: What was it like growing up with such a celebrated father?

Marlo: We weren’t under the impression that we were living with Danny Thomas. We were living with our dad.  It never seemed unusual to us; it was normal. I had a mom and a dad, a sister and a brother. We went to school; my father went to work; my mother stayed home and we went to Mass every Sunday as a family. We had brunch afterwards together. The reason it appeared normal is because it was normal. I don’t think there was anything too exotic about my childhood except for the fact that my father was on television.  My father and mother didn’t seem any different than my friends’ parents. They were nice and thoughtful and they drove us to school; they made our Halloween costumes and they took us trick-or-treating. It looked normal because it was.

tg: It’s an honor to promote St. Jude and to recognize your tireless devotion. What was your father’s inspiration?

Marlo: My father grew up very poor. He and his family were immigrants from Lebanon. They didn’t have any money and my grandmother had 10 babies; all born at home without a doctor. The children never went to the doctor or to the dentist. In fact, my father had false teeth later in life because he never saw a dentist as a child.
There were many children in his neighborhood in the same condition with immigrant parents. Children in the neighborhood died from things like appendicitis and influenza and accidents, all without a doctor.
My dad had a front seat at the inequity of health care in this country. As he grew up he thought about that a lot. When I was about to be born it was going to cost $50 to get me and my mother out of the hospital and my father had $10 to his name.
He was a struggling actor and radio comedian. He had no money and he went to church that Sunday. The sermon was on St. Jude, patron of the hopeless cases. My father prayed to St. Jude and said who was more hopeless than I am? I have $10 and I need $50 to get my family out of the hospital. He was terrified that he was going to grow up and be on welfare like his father was (at that time they called it relief) and was afraid he would not be able to provide for his family.
He prayed to St. Jude to give him a sign that he was going in the right direction. He said he needed $70 to take my family out of the hospital and to have food for them.  He prayed if St. Jude will just give him a sign that he would someday build a shrine in his name. St. Jude was a forgotten name, because his name was so much like Judas, the betrayer at the Last Supper. The next day was a Monday and my father received a phone call that he had gotten a radio job as a singing toothbrush in a commercial and the pay was $75; he had a sign.
He followed those signs all through his life. When he became very successful he decided he must pay St. Jude back and build that shrine but the shrine he had in mind was just a little statue in a courtyard.  Since he had gotten so famous and so successful, he decided he would do something bigger. He wanted to build a hospital for children with hopeless diseases where nobody would ever pay and that became St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

tg: I applaud your father’s achievements and your determination to follow in his noble footsteps. You give the precious gift of hope to children and families. How can our readers help?

Marlo: The best way is to donate because no patient pays. It costs us $2.5 million a day to operate St. Jude. Our lifeblood for the hospital is the pubic funds. Because we are not-for-profit and nobody pays, we have to obtain 78 percent of our money from the public. A regular hospital, a for-profit hospital, only has to get about 8 percent of their money from the public.
We are completely dependent on public funds because we don’t have any paying customers.The best thing to do is to go online to St.jude.org and donate. People can also host events in their town, have a little party or a tea and also be part of the St. Jude Walk. There are many ways to participate in helping St. Jude but donating is the most important thing your readers can do.
I will tell you something my father used to say that I think your readers will appreciate. He used to say “There are two kinds of people in the world: the givers and the takers. The takers may sometimes eat better but the givers always sleep better”.

tg: Travelgirl readers want to know your favorite travel destinations. Where do Marlo and Phil go when they want to get away?

Marlo: We love St. Barts, Barbados and Italy. Those are our favorite places to go.

tg: Do you have a travel bucket list?

Marlo: We have talked about taking a safari and we also want to go to the Galapagos Islands. Those are two places on our bucket list.

tg: Is there one item you never leave home without when you are packing to take a trip?

Marlo: Yes, my own pillow; I take it everywhere I travel.

tg: I’ve read that acting is your first love. In the past few years, you’ve had great success appearing on and Off-Broadway in New York. Do you prefer stage or screen?

Marlo: They’re completely different animals, and I love each one. In film and TV, the camera is up close, so the actor gets to convey more intimate thoughts and feelings. And, of course, in TV and film, you can do a scene several times until you and the director are satisfied.
But if I had to confess a preference, I’d say that I find stage work more rewarding because it’s all happening live–you’re living the character in real time, in the precise chronology that the playwright intended. And you also have the exciting challenge of connecting with a live audience every night, holding their attention and their interest for a few hours, and telling the whole story.  I feel most alive when I’m onstage. It’s very exhilarating—and I’m the happiest there.

tg: I was a big fan of That Girl. Please talk about the impact that show had on your life and your career. The show is almost 50 years old and still resonates today.

Marlo: When I first came up with the idea for That Girl, I was basically creating a character [Ann Marie] who reflected my own life: a young, independent, struggling actress – whose eyes were on the horizon, not the hearth. At the time, all of my girlfriends were getting married – I was a bridesmaid 17 times! – but I had no desire to settle down myself. I had read The Feminist Mystique by Betty Friedan, which had opened my eyes to the women’s movement that had been bubbling beneath the surface for years and was on the brink of breaking through. As the producer and star of That Girl, I was hoping for a show that everyone liked. But the enormous impact it had on the culture – and the thousands of letters we received every week from women who identified with Ann – proved to us that there were That Girls all across America. Ultimately, the show would connect me with the emerging feminist movement, which nurtured in me a social conscientiousness that has been a huge part of my life.

Ultimately, the show “That Girl” would connect me with the emerging feminist movement, which nurtured in me a social conscientiousness that has been a huge part of my life.

tg:  You were ahead of your time; the show was a groundbreaker for women.

Marlo: I think it was inevitable that TV would eventually catch up with the lives of real American women. But, it was exciting to be the first. As my dear pal Billy Persky – who created the show with Sam Denoff – often says, “That Girl threw the grenade into the bunker, and Mary Richards [The Mary Tyler Moore Show], Kate & Allie and Murphy Brown got to march right in!”

tg: Travelgirl is excited to hear you are launching a clothing line, “That Woman,” in January. What inspired you to design a line of clothing?

Marlo: As you know, part of the appeal of That Girl was the fabulous wardrobe Ann wore on the show every week – mod and trendy clothing that was flying off the racks in Europe but hadn’t yet arrived in America.  It was revolutionary fashion that was a liberation from the standard house dresses and Peter Pan collars worn by the TV women of that era. To my complete delight Ann became a fashion icon – and me along with her! – and that experience instilled in me the lifelong idea that clothing can and should express who we are. But in recent years, I’ve become discouraged by clothing trends that don’t speak to women over 40 – and when they try to, they often get it wrong. So I decided to create a brand that I would want to wear, and that I think other women would wear, too – clothing that makes us feel confident and comfortable and desirable. Calling it That Woman seemed perfect to describe it.

tg:  Please tell our readers all about the clothing and where it can be purchased.

Marlo: When I sat down with my designers, we focused on coming up with a timeless look – something fun and flirty, sophisticated and casually chic. And all of the clothing and accessories have distinct and thoughtfully designed details, so that you always feel as great as you look. My feeling is: We don’t have to give up on style and fit just because we’ve reached a certain age. I’m so excited about the launch, which happens on the Home Shopping Network on January 19.

tg: It’s also another opportunity to give support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Your generosity is endless!

Marlo: My father [Danny Thomas] founded St. Jude in 1962. He worked all his life nurturing it to become the leading research and treatment center in the world for children. My sister, brother and I are proud to follow his legacy. Not just in honor of him, but for all the children and the moms and dads who come to St. Jude when there is nowhere to turn when they get the awful news that their child has a deadly cancer. And we work hard to always keep my father’s promise that no family would pay for anything – not for treatment, travel, housing or food. St. Jude is a significant part of my life. In addition to being the National Outreach Director for St. Jude, I always include the hospital in the proceeds of any project I take on.

tg:  In 2014, President Obama awarded you the Presidential Medal of Freedom for both your “trailblazing career,” and for your work and dedication to St. Jude. I am sure your dad is looking over your shoulder smiling. Can you comment on this milestone achievement?

Marlo: I was, of course, staggered by the news that I was being awarded the medal, which is the highest honor a civilian can receive. And if you look at the pictures of President Obama draping the medal on me, you can see that I’m crying. I couldn’t help thinking about my father and my immigrant grandparents, and how proud they would be that their granddaughter was receiving this recognition from the president of the country that had embraced them and that they so dearly loved. And so I humbly accepted that incredible honor in their name and in the spirit of the American dream.

tg: I’ve watched you over the years. You are a great role model and an activist for women forever.

Marlo: I really do care. It’s a part of my life and I was lucky to live with a man, my father, who believed we all are here to take care of each other.

tg: Marlo, you are a philanthropist, a multi-talented star and have lent your time and your name to the most worthwhile of causes. Do you have any sage advice for those who hope to follow in your famous footsteps?

Marlo: That’s rather humbling. I don’t know that anybody should follow in my footsteps. I think the most important asset I have is that I notice things, people and situations where I can be helpful. Whether it’s women’s rights or gay rights or children’s rights, or civil rights, all my life I’ve been involved in these causes since I was a teenager.
I think noticing and listening are assets of mine and a gift to me because I do feel that I am part of the community. That’s something I learned from my father. My father very much believed that he was part of the neighborhood and the community and therefore the world, and we are all responsible for each other. You are not really alive if you are not doing anything to help other people. It’s not to follow in my footsteps but for people to try to have a good, meaningful and purposeful life. That’s a gift.

tg: You’ve been successfully married to Phil Donahue for more than 36 years. You both seem very much in love. Can you give our readers some insight into how you keep your marriage your priority coupled with your successful career and your philanthropic work for St. Jude?

Marlo: You’re very sweet to say that, and I wish I could give you some magical answer. But we all know, anything that is successful takes a lot of work! Yes, 36 years later, my white-haired, blue-eyed Irishman and I are still head-over-heels for each other. And I think the reason for that – and the reason I’m able to keep all the other balls in the air – is because we really do put time aside for each other. That means knowing when to log off the computer and take the phone off the hook and hang out with my husband – like taking a stroll, or exercising, or going to a comedy club and laughing. The only thing that gets in my way is the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day. If I could fix that one little thing, everything would be perfect.

 

The extraordinarily talented Gloria Estefan has been on her feet since she was a little girl. A Cuban immigrant, Gloria made her mark in America garnering numerous awards and a host of devoted fans around the world.

She became an international success in the mid-70s when she partnered with Emilio Estefan to become the lead singer of his band, Miami Latin Boys, which later became the renowned Miami Sound Machine. Gloria and Emilio married a few years later and became a dynamic force in the music industry.

Their inspiring life story plays out each night at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway in the very successful show On Your Feet! It’s a fabulous and engaging musical about their lives that will have you singing long after the evening is over!

Singer, writer and philanthropist, Gloria has overcome obstacles all her life and perservered with grace. She’s a shining example of courage — someone who always lands on her feet.

tg: We are honored to have you aboard! You are an inspiration to all of our readers. You were born in Cuba but left when you were very young. Do you have any memories from that time?

Gloria: I was so young. I am sure most of my memories are things that I’ve heard from my mom and my grandmother. There is one memory that does stand out: When the revolution in Cuba took place, my father, who was a police officer, and his father, who was a commander in the army, were both arrested by Castro.

I remember my mom, my grandmother and I were trying to get to see them so we could give them care packages, and I remember how frightening the whole situation was. I remember being very thirsty and wanting water while we were waiting for them. One of the guys nearby pulled this metal cup from the wall and put water in it. My mom, as a mom would do, was trying to stop me from drinking it. The man got very upset and said if the water was good enough for him it was good enough for everyone, and I drank it. I got a horrible infection in my mouth from it and was ill for several weeks. That incident has stuck with me from the Cuba of that day. I do have beautiful, nostalgic memories from the stories my mother, grandmother and whole family told me, and those are always with me too.

“I spent my whole young life loving my dad from afar.”

tg: You must have been so proud of your dad and of all he did to bring your family to the United States.

Gloria: My dad was a very idealistic man. Originally, he had been chosen to escort [Marta Fernández Miranda de] Batista, the First Lady of Cuba, and people were confused by that and thought he was her bodyguard. He was not a bodyguard; my father was a very moral police officer and he wanted to be in the military. His father, my grandfather, was in the military and he didn’t want to be accused of nepotism, so he actually ripped up my father’s application to the army. When my dad asked my grandfather what had happened, my grandfather told him that people might think because he was in the military, that my father would get special privileges if he joined also. That’s why my dad became a police officer.

My father was an amazing man. He knew very clearly what was coming in Cuba and knew that it was important to take me and my mom out of there as quickly as possible. He traveled to Miami on the ferry to find a place for us to live. He brought us to America and then he disappeared. He left us a note, but he couldn’t tell us that he was going to train for the Bay of Pigs invasion. He came back the night before the invasion; I remember it clearly because the next day, which was the day of the invasion, was actually his birthday, April 17. After the invasion he became a political prisoner for two years and when he came back he joined the U.S. Army. The Army offered all the Cubans who had been involved in the Bay of Pigs the opportunity to enter the Army as officers if they spoke English. My dad took an intensive English course at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was gone for six months.
I spent my whole young life loving my dad from afar. Our happiest years were when we were stationed in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, before my dad went to Vietnam. I have beautiful memories of our family life for two years, but when my dad came home to us in Miami, after Vietnam, he was very ill, and we eventually found out it was from Agent Orange poisoning.

I really didn’t have the opportunity to have conversations with my dad. By the time we were able to be together he was already very ill and I was taking care of him. My father was quite a man; all of his friends admired him. He was the type of man everyone wanted on their team. He was the head of the Tanks Division in the Bay of Pigs, and I’ve heard amazing stories of his great courage and strength of character. He rarely spoke of it; he didn’t like to toot his own horn. I have a lot of his personality. He was very quiet but also funny and a bit sarcastic, and his brothers and his mom, they were all musical. He was the only one in his family who didn’t officially sing or play an instrument, but he was very musical in his own way. He was a gorgeous man. He was an athlete, and I have the Bronze Medal he won for the Pan Am Games in Mexico in 1955. He was on the Cuban volleyball team. He was also an amazing jockey. My dad was an all-around wonderful guy.

tg: When you were young you played the guitar and wrote poetry. Did you aspire to become a singer? Did your mother inspire you? Tell us about your cousin and her influences on your career.

Gloria: No aspirations at all. Music was my escape while I was home helping my mother and taking care of my father. It was my own personal catharsis. I would lock myself up in my room and just sing and cry. The tears would come; I wanted to be strong for my mom through the whole process of my father’s illness. I didn’t want my mother to see the cracks, so music was my escape.

I don’t enjoy being the center of attention; it’s not my nature. My mom was the diva in the family. She still has a very big personality. She actually won a contest to be Shirley Temple’s double. Hollywood had an international contest because they wanted to dub Shirley Temple’s movies in Spanish and my grandfather had a conniption and said there was no way my mother could go and he nipped that career in the bud.

Growing up around my mom, it was natural to me that she would be the center of attention and the star. She was always the person who would sing and tell jokes at family parties. It was not my intention to perform, but I did start sending my cousin Merci Navarro tapes of me singing. Merci’s father was stationed in the Air Force in Hawaii and Merci sent me back tapes of herself playing the guitar, and when she got to Miami we would sing duets and harmonize together.

Merci was really driven. I remember we sent a tape to The Ed Sullivan Show; we were going to call ourselves the Foreign Imports. At the time, I was only doing that for her. Later on when I joined the band I brought Merci along with me. I was told they couldn’t hire anyone else, and I said I was just doing this for fun and that whatever they paid me I would split with my cousin Merci. I also knew my mother would be happier if I wasn’t alone out there with a bunch of guys playing music.

We eventually named our publishing company Foreign Imported Productions from the old name Merci and I were going to use. I started in the band just for fun. I had several jobs at the time: I was in the college work-study program; I was an interpreter at the Miami International Airport for French and English. French had been my minor in college and although I was a psychology and communications major, I loved languages. I joined the band because I thought it would be a great opportunity to make music with actual musicians and it all grew naturally from there. I never really thought about being famous by any stretch of the imagination. It just happened.

tg: Fast forward to 1975 when you met Emilio. He heard you sing, and you could say the rest became history. The Miami Latin Boys became the Miami Sound Machine and you became an international success.

Gloria: Yes indeed. Emilio had a band in Cuba when he was eight years old. When he came to the States he had to go to high school at night so he could work. It was tough for his parents to find jobs; they didn’t speak English, and they were already older so Emilio always had to work. He started the band because he loved music. He started playing the accordion for tips in restaurants and by the time I joined in 1975 his band had grown to nine pieces. He had a full horn section and percussion, and they rehearsed in the apartment that he shared with his parents.

We had been trying to form a band for a one-night retreat, and Emilio had been invited over to give us some tips on how to get a band together. He listened to me sing that night. He had brought his accordion over and was wearing some very short shorts. He gave us some tips and we thanked him and went our separate ways, back to our lives and to our schools.

That summer my mother insisted I go with her to a wedding of the daughter of one of my dad’s army buddies. When I walked into the reception hall a band was performing and the lead guy was playing Do the Hustle on his accordion, which I thought was very brave. He had charisma. When I got closer to the band I recognized him, and he remembered meeting me the night he came over with his accordion. He asked me to sing a few songs with the band. I knew all of these Cuban standards I had learned to sing with my grandma. I loved Cuban music and I sang two classic tunes, and at the end of the night Emilio asked me if I would be interested in joining the band because they didn’t have a lead singer. I told him I couldn’t. I knew my mother would kill me and at the time I was super busy. I had two other jobs; I was still an interpreter at the airport, and I was teaching guitar at a community school two nights a week plus going to school full time. Emilio tracked me down two weeks later and said, “Look, we just do this for fun. We rehearse one night a week or possibly two and we play on the weekends.”

He asked me to bring my mom to a rehearsal so I brought my mother, my grandmother and my sister, and I remember standing with my back against the wall in this tiny apartment. I told my mom I really wanted to join the band. She wasn’t happy about it, but I was 18 at the time. I joined the band and that’s how it all started.

tg: You became very successful, married Emilio and had a son together. In 1990 your tour bus was involved in a terrible accident with a tractor-trailer and you were seriously injured. How did you manage to come back from such a traumatic injury? I am amazed at your determination. You couldn’t walk, but you persevered and became an example for all of us.

Gloria: Thank you very much. My experience with my dad was a very difficult one and at the same time I learned a lot. I knew a lot about the spine and how it works. My dad had MS and was in a wheelchair, and I knew exactly what my family was in store for if I ended up in that chair. But I would have found a way to live a life where I give back, and I would have kept writing. The accident and the realization of what I faced made me fight very hard. I also had people’s prayers. I had been to Catholic school and prayer was always a very ethereal concept. I could physically feel people’s prayers when I was in the hospital. It was a force I could never imagine and I channeled it. I meditated every day lying in the bed. I would channel those prayers, and finally when I got home, I would rehab seven to eight hours a day.

In the beginning I couldn’t walk but I would do whatever I was capable of doing. I would float in the pool and strengthen myself that way. I also used biofeedback and massage, but the bottom line was I had a bit of a crises and I realized the situation I was in. I let myself grieve, but knew I had to move forward. I did my utmost to give myself the best outcome possible, and I worked very hard and never let myself get down. I pumped myself into getting out of bed and starting over.

I had very small goals each day so I could achieve something.Even though they were small goals in my mind, I focused on what I could do each day. At first I was only thinking about walking and being independent again. I wasn’t thinking about getting back on that stage. Four months after my accident, when I was finally able to put on my underwear by myself, I wanted to throw a party! At that point I thought, “If I can do this then I can be an example to all of these people who are sending me amazing letters and prayers.”
These are people who have never met me but were so incredibly kind, gracious and generous with their time and their love. I thought maybe it’s all about this; about coming out of things and giving back. Then it became a goal of mine to try to help with whatever people in need may be going through in their lives. I had a bigger purpose than just getting back on stage to sing again. I wanted to show people that no matter what happens to you, you can have a hand in the outcome.

tg: I’m so proud of you; you have amazing strength of character.

Gloria: Thank you. A lot of the strength came with me as a kid. Going through the experiences I had as a child wouldn’t allow me to just let myself wallow. I had a son and a husband who needed me; I had a family. I had my mother and I was her rock and her support, and I had my younger sister and it was important for me to do my best for them. It was a good motivator. I also had my fans who had sent so much love my way and that was such a good part of the inspiration that moved me forward.

tg: The musical On Your Feet!, which is based on your life story, is getting rave reviews. What prompted you to write it?

Gloria: I was approached 25 years ago by the Nederlander Organization about writing something Latin for Broadway. It would have been something like Into the Heights, but I was at the peak of my career and knew something like this would be time consuming. Emilio and I knew this would require lots of our time, dedication and work and if we took it on we weren’t going to do it halfway. We decided that someday in the future, if the opportunity arose again, we would take this on and go for it.

On Your Feet! is a story about our lives — to share the contributions that immigrants have made to this country. That’s a wonderful thing to do.  I’m proud of the show and of the wonderful performers. I told Ana Villafañe, the lead in On Your Feet!, that she has the hardest job in show business. There is nothing more difficult than what she has taken on; working in a Broadway show. The singing, the dancing — the musical performers work harder and more often than any other entertainers. I have great respect for them.
I also told the performers that they have the opportunity, every single night to inspire someone by what they are doing on that stage. There are so many subplots in the play; there’s the situation where my mom stopped talking to me because I made the decision to take my sister on the road. My mom was against it and I didn’t do what my mom wanted me to do. I thought it was important for me to do something for my sister and my mom wouldn’t speak to me. When I had the accident my mom hadn’t spoken to me in two years.
That whole scenario plays out on stage each night. Perhaps someone in the audience is experiencing a similar thing in his or her family. The play shows the importance of communication and how life can change in one moment. It teaches you not to waste a second of your life. There is also the accident that happened when we were at the top of our game. When we were rear-ended by that bus, Emilio was actually on the phone with his brother in Miami who was heading our office there. He was reading Emilio the headline from the Miami Herald that essentially said “Gloria and Emilio have the world in their hands.” As he was reading that line we were rear-ended by that bus and everything shifted. You go from the best moment in your life to the worst in one split second.

“We have to stay on our feet, evolve and grow, and that’s why we wanted to do this show.”

Our music, the music that the audience has heard through the years, coupled with the amazing performances of the actors, singers and dancers in On Your Feet! is the essence of the play. The time spans from when Emilio met me to when I got back on stage at the American Music Awards after the accident.  Alexander Dinelaris Jr., who won an Oscar for Birdman, wrote our amazing book; he is also an immigrant and we were on the same page.
When we were talking to him about writing this book he told me he had done so much research on our lives; the one thing that struck him was how many times we had gotten back up on our feet. That is exactly why we chose the title On Your Feet! It’s not just the song Get On Your Feet, which had become such a big hit, but he said you’ve had adversity and gotten through it and succeeded. You had to leave your country and start over here in the States. You had to overcome those who said your music would never work and people who told you to change your name and your sound. He was right; we stuck to our guns and that’s why the play is called On Your Feet! It’s what we as human beings need to do every day of our lives no matter what happens. We have to stay on our feet, evolve and grow, and that’s why we wanted to do this show. It’s on the Great White Way, one of the most iconic places in the world, and it’s quite an honor and a privilege to have our life’s story being told in that venue in that way.

tg: You are multi-talented. Talk about the children’s books you’ve written.

Gloria: I am a writer so any time I can expand on this I do! The beauty of writing the Noel books was watching my dog Noel, who was this amazingly inspirational force in my life. My mom was a teacher, and my goal was to have these books become a resource for teachers, and it has become that.  My first book was about maintaining who you are and what makes you special and how that is a very big gift. What you may think is a shortcoming may become your most important contribution to the world. I was a big Dr. Seuss fan so I’ve kind of written a 31-page song. I worked closely with the illustrator with pictures of the actual Noel, and everything in the book was inspired in some way from the experience of having her. I am working on the third one, Noel and Lulu, which will be about sibling rivalry. I try to have a moral in the book and be very true. It’s a lot of fun for me to be a writer and expand and grow. Writing is really what I love the most; of the four careers writing has been the biggest motivator because through my writing I can reach people that I may never meet. I perform on stage and feel very comfortable there. I receive letters all the time about how my songs inspire my fans and got them through a tough moment. Songs were my saviors when I was growing up and a way for me to connect with someone that I may never meet. As a writer I have a very strong interest in what makes us the same rather than different.

tg: As publisher of a national travel publication, I’d like to know if there is any place on your bucket list that you would like to visit; some place you’ve never been to before?

Gloria: My gosh, we’ve traveled so, so much. I would like to visit Bhutan. I’ve heard that it’s a very special place. I watched a documentary on Bhutan that said it was the happiest place on Earth. I was very curious about that. It’s high in the mountains near Tibet and it’s supposed to be very spiritual. You have to be accepted as a tourist there and I am anxious to visit.

tg: What’s your best vacation spot, your happiest place on earth?

Gloria: It’s my home in Vero Beach. I love being there, and I always say it’s really my happiest place on earth.

tg: You’ve made great inroads with spinal cord research through your Gloria Estefan Foundation.

Gloria: My father was in a wheelchair, and I had the debilitating accident that resulted in my not being able to walk for a while, so I know firsthand the struggles families and individuals face with these types of injuries. It’s so important to me to help find a cure for spinal cord injuries. Our original purpose with the Foundation was to be part of spinal cord research. The Foundation works alongside the Miami Foundation to cure paralysis and we are already in healing trials. We have no doubt that ultimately a cure will be found and that’s our goal — to help make this happen.

There was a lot of enriching activity when I was growing up in New York.

She was only eight years old when she made her professional acting debut in the off-Broadway production of Sophistry with Ethan Hawke. Today Scarlett Johansson is a screen icon with a long list of legendary film credits, whose career exploded after her breakout role opposite Bill Murray in Lost in Translation. In fact, she’s so successful that the website Box Office Mojo recently listed her as Hollywood’s top-grossing actress, with film earnings of more than $3.3 billion.

Perhaps you’ve seen The Horse Whisperer, Ghost World, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Nanny Diaries, The Other Boleyn Girl, Hitchcock or The Avengers — those are just a few of the films that show off her incredible screen presence.

The multi-talented superstar is also a Tony award winner for her performance in A View From the Bridge. She’s gracious, gorgeous and philanthropic and known for her sultry, deep voice. Currently, her voice has a starring role in The Jungle Book — she says she had a glorious time voicing the role of Kaa, the snake. Ms. Johansson can also be seen in her recurring role as the fictional superhero Black Widow (Natasha Romanova) in Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War. It’s an honor to have her on the cover of our summer issue.

TG: It’s a pleasure to welcome you to the cover of Travelgirl Magazine. We are honored to have you. You grew up in one of our favorite cities, New York. Did growing up in a city so rich in theater and film have something to do with your desire to become an actress?

SJ: There was a lot of enriching activity when I was growing up in New York. Back when I was young, casting directors would organize their Los Angeles casting and then would fly to New York to see all the actors working there before making their final decisions. I don’t know exactly what formulated my decision but growing up in New York certainly made it easier to become a successful professional actor. I grew up going to the theater and dance performances. I had so many opportunities because New York is such an incredibly alive and diverse city. It’s inspiring artistically and is filled with prospects that allow you to learn and hone your craft.

TG: Your grandfather was a screenwriter and director and your mother became a producer. Did the fact that they were involved in film help guide your choice to become an actor?

SJ: My mother became a producer after I was already working; she started producing when I was 15, and by that time I had been working for eight years. I never knew my grandfather; he was my father’s father and he was a successful radio producer in Copenhagen, which is such a different world than the Hollywood world that I grew up with. My mom was always a great movie lover; she is somewhat of an encyclopedia for film, and I think she has incredible taste as far as movies go. I guess my interest in film must have stemmed from her enthusiasm for cinema. I think the fact that I took it on as a calling allowed my mother to experience the other side, the production side of film. She got to see the practical side of movie making, and she probably would have never had that opportunity otherwise — somewhat how one hand helps the other. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have a child become successful; it must be a thrill but you would have to ask her.

TG: It sounds somewhat like you mentored each other.

SJ: I think in a way we did. Of course, it is always much easier to imagine a parent mentoring a child, but as you get older and things change, you learn a lot from one another. We inspired each other in different ways over time.

TG: Would you talk about your singing and the impact musical theater had on you?

SJ: I took many, many vocal lessons when I was growing up. When I was a kid, part of becoming an actor was training you to become a triple threat. They wanted you to become an actor, a singer and a dancer. I never managed the dancing part fully but I always loved to sing. I used to imagine that I would star in a great musical like Oklahoma; growing up I always loved Broadway. Also, I have such a deep voice. This very specific deep voice came out of me — this tiny, blonde person — and it was a really unusual voice for a kid. I put singing on the back burner. My dreams of being in a musical such as Meet Me in St. Louis kind of faded away for a time. As I got older, I had several boyfriends who were musicians and I always liked to sing. After hearing me sing on a friend’s album, Warner Brothers contacted me. They knew I loved to sing and loved the style of my voice, and they wanted to know if there were any types of musical projects I wanted to do. Eventually I did an album for a collection of Tom Waits covers. It was an amazing experience and I enjoyed every moment. I’ve continued to work on several musical projects. I voiced Jungle Book and I sang Trust in Me from the original Disney score produced by Mark Robson. It was terrific and fun and I enjoyed it tremendously. I have had a lot of great opportunities to delve back into music and it’s so nice to return to that genre every so often.

TG: You were a student of acting school; would you recommend that for those budding young hopefuls who want to become actors one day?

SJ: I think drama school is an amazing way not only to explore methods of acting, but also to build confidence. It’s a terrific way to learn how to express yourself in a safe environment and to learn how to be free with your thoughts and your voice. It allows you to put yourself into challenging situations. If you want to become an actor then drama school is a wonderful path to help you accomplish your dreams. Acting is incredibly competitive. If you are going to follow that path it’s important to understand what you need to do to get there. It affords you the opportunity to figure out if acting is something you like and want to pursue. I absolutely recommend it; it was a wonderful experience for me.

TG: Which is more rewarding for you, acting in a film or acting on stage?

SJ: Both are rewarding, but in very different ways. When you work on stage you are living and breathing with the audience. The people in the audience are both experiencing a part of the performance and also part of the experience. It’s the mutual give-and-take that is just exhilarating. It’s dangerous, as you don’t really know what will happen. You can imagine doing the same play, six months straight, eight plays a week, and you wonder ‘How will I go on every night?’ — but you just don’t know what will happen each night and it’s a great opportunity. Film is more cerebral, it’s a very different medium and a big part of it is your relationship with the camera and the operator. You have a much smaller audience. You are focusing on one very particular moment and the elements that lead up to that moment. It’s a totally different experience, but both are very rewarding in their own way.

One of my favorite travel destinations is New Orleans; I love that city and can never get there enough.

TG: Do you have a favorite travel destination that you love to visit when you have a moment off from your busy career?

SJ: One of my favorite travel destinations is New Orleans; I love that city and can never get there enough. I have good friends that live in the area, and I will always return there my whole life. It’s just such a magical place. The spirit of the people is so sexy. New Orleans is soulful and welcoming — just such a great town to be in — so full of character.

TG: Travelgirl agrees with you. Our editor-in-chief moved to New Orleans a few years ago and couldn’t be happier living in such a vibrant place. Is there a travel destination you haven’t visited — one that’s on your bucket list?

SJ: I have been to India before and visited Varanasi and New Delhi, but that trip was just a few weeks; it wasn’t nearly long enough. I would love to be able to explore all the different parts of the country. The people are so incredibly inviting, warm and wonderful. I want to take a train around India and just get lost there for some part of my life. It’s a place I will definitely return to; I loved the people, the country and the warmth I felt there.

TG: Would you talk about Soles 4 Souls? You’ve been incredibly supportive of this and so many other worthwhile charities.

SJ: Soles 4 Souls is an awesome organization. I’ve helped fundraise for their cause. It’s a charity that’s so easy to support; you don’t even have to think about it. You can literally clean out your closet and make a difference in someone’s life. Spring-cleaning feels like something you can’t say no to. I also continue to work with Red, a huge fundraiser in the fight against the spread of HIV AIDS. Red partners with corporations like American Express and Converse to continue the effort for the conscious consumer to support the Global Fund, which supports the Atlas team in Africa that is struggling with HIV AIDS, and continues to provide not only anti-viral treatments but also to provide education to the people living with these diseases. The number-one preventive measure is to educate people. It’s a great cause and a great charity that I’m so proud to be associated with.

My first love is always family — my children and my husband. They make my world go round.

Charlie’s Angels catapulted Jaclyn Smith to fame in the 1970s, and this great beauty has captivated us ever since. Talented, gracious and kind, she’s also a phenomenally successful entrepreneur. For the past 31 years her Jaclyn Smith brand has anchored Kmart’s fashion line, offering the public great value and affordable, fashionable clothing. She also has a line of fabrics, wigs and skincare and somehow finds the time to work ardently for several charities. But the most important part of her life is her family, including husband, Dr. Brad Allen, a renowned medical researcher, and her children, Spencer Margaret and Gaston. Travelgirl is honored to have this glamorous star grace our cover.

tg: It’s a pleasure to welcome you to the cover of Travelgirl Magazine! We are honored to have you. You grew up in Texas with wonderful values; you started taking dancing lessons when you were a small child. You attended Trinity University in San Antonio, where you studied but continued to love to dance. What was your goal when you left college?

JS: My goal was to open a ballet school and probably live in Houston down the street from my family because I was so attached to them. When I went to New York to get additional training and widen my horizons all of a sudden I found myself testing for commercials and pilots. Over time I realized this was something I really loved. When I first went to New York I made it two months — from October 1 until December 1 — and then went home. In that time I realized, wow, I really liked New York. I liked the lifestyle, the art, dance, theatre and fashion. It was a place where I felt really at home. I went back to New York and my career started. An agent discovered me when I was dancing in Central Park in a show. His name was Harry Abrams, and he started sending me out on commercials, and one thing led to another. It was different then; you went to a dance call and all of a sudden you would be reading for a part in a play. It was less structured when I started.

tg: How did growing up in Texas impact your life? You’ve stayed quite grounded despite your celebrity status.

JS: I had the greatest parents in the world. I was very close to my grandfather who was a Methodist minister and lived to be almost 102. I look at my upbringing as all that was good and right and my family gave me that. It gave me a balance in life and the way my parents lived their lives was an example to me that I aspire to even today. I respected my parents’ choices and the way they chose to live. That was what was most important to me. Celebrity is great but you have to be grounded or it separates you from your friends, from life, from everything. When you are at the top of your career everything is done for you; decisions are made and everything is at your fingertips. You have to realize that celebrity is wonderful but it isn’t real life. I love the life my parents chose to live; that was real life to me. Even though I am not living in Texas and my parents are gone now, they are with me with every breath I take.

tg: I remember you starred in commercials as the Breck Girl for Breck Shampoo. How were you “discovered” for the commercials?

JS: The Breck commercial got me my first acting job, which was on McCloud. The producer of McCloud saw me in a Breck commercial. Dennis Weaver brought me in and I thought, ‘I don’t know if I’m up to this,’ and all of a sudden Dennis Weaver told me I was going to do this, and he got me a great director named Lou Antonio who I still work with today. Lou teaches at the Actor’s Studio and is an award-winning director and was also an actor. That was the beginning of my acting career.

tg: Let’s talk about Charlie’s Angels. Your role brought you immense success. Did you realize at the time the impact that role would have on your career? It must have been a fun time in your life.

JS: It was a wonderful training ground and the beginning of a whole new world and life for me. Friendships were made and our lives changed in a split second because of the popularity of that show. It was a winning concept and I loved doing it; it’s part of my history and I’m grateful for it.

tg: You’ve had phenomenal success as a businesswoman. What inspired that addition to your career? Tell me about the development of your own brand.

JS: Thirty-one years ago Kmart approached me about designing a brand. I first turned them down because I wasn’t quite sure about fashion and Kmart. I was asked to at least attend a meeting, which I agreed to do. I realized after the meeting that designing fashion at affordable prices might be challenging work, so I agreed to it. I traveled the country every month to launch my line at Kmart. The merchandise was beautiful, and I built a very loyal customer base. It evolved, and that’s how I got into business. I learned about price points and how to cut the cost of a particular garment. Kmart is a master of producing in mass. We have a team of really talented people and we can give the public value: beautiful clothes at affordable prices. The success spilled over into other areas including home and design. Being a businesswoman, I didn’t just put my name on the brand. I was hands-on with all aspects of the business from hang tags to fabrics, styling, commercials and even the print ads.

Celebrity is great but you have to be grounded or
it separates you from your friends, from life, from everything.

Branding is an everyday process; you can’t let down; you have to constantly reinvent. It’s challenging, but it’s a great feeling to be able to give back and have a loyal customer. Kmart is also a morally conscious company and is the biggest supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. I am a breast cancer survivor, and Kmart also supports breast cancer research. A portion of the sales of a certain collection goes to this great cause. I love working with fabrics; my fabric line is by Fabricut and my particular line is called Trend. I also have my wigs, and even though I didn’t have to have chemo, I saw many people who did. Hair is so much of a woman’s identity. We made these wigs very affordable and they are gorgeous. My friend Jose Eber came in and worked with us on them, and they are out there with Paula Young. You can also see the wigs on my website: jaclynsmith.com. The value is just tremendous.

tg: Which is your favorite role, your career in acting or in business?

JS: I don’t think my entrepreneurial success would have come without my acting career, so I am very grateful for that. The acting is something so personal. It is a joy, and it defined me and gave me emotional and financial independence. With acting I could pick up my kids and travel. The business part of my career is more challenging because it’s ongoing, but I think God has a plan. I still do the odd movie if I love it. I recently did a Hallmark movie because they are heartwarming and always have a happy ending. My first love is always family — my children and my husband. They make my world go round. I would have to say that because of the way my career started, acting is my favorite. It made all the others possible.

tg: Would you talk a bit about the skin care products you developed with your husband, Dr. Brad Allen? Where can they be purchased?

JS: The products are absolutely wonderful and are available on my website: jaclynsmith.com. You don’t have to purchase the whole set. If you prefer, you can purchase the retinol cream or the eye cream, and they are a very good value. My husband put his heart into these and developed products adding cutting edge, anti-aging ingredients. I’m really proud of these products. My day cream is three creams in one and I don’t go a day without it. It includes a UVA and UVB sunblock, a primer, a moisturizer — and it contains pearl dust and diamond dust, which reflect light. When you reflect light fewer lines show.

tg: You support so many wonderful charities through your philanthropy. Would you talk about Ability First?

JS: Ability First is a wonderful charity that I’ve helped for 40 years. It started out as the Crippled Children’s Society of Southern California, but we have to be politically correct so they changed the name to Ability First, which helps both children and adults with disabilities. I started with this charity after Charlie’s Angels and went to a Christmas party to sign autographs and just fell in love with what they do. I visited camps and was intrigued because these kids in wheelchairs were playing basketball and baseball and they were swinging from a special platform that held their wheelchairs. I saw that the world was their oyster too. I was so enchanted with the foundation! It’s so close to my heart and every year we host a fundraiser at Universal for this special organization.

tg: Do you have a favorite travel destination?

JS: Yes, my home first, and at one time I would also have said Houston, Texas, but I don’t have my parents there anymore. I also love to visit my brother and sister-in-law. A dream place I want to visit is Berlin, and I also want to travel to Amsterdam. I love Paris, London and Italy; those I’ve been to and they are all so romantic. My dad served in World War II, and I want to see some of the history that Daddy spoke about during the war so I want to visit those sites as well. I found all of my parents’ love letters during the war and they are better than any book or movie.

tg: Is there one item you never leave home without when you pack your bags?

JS: I always travel with pictures of my family and with a necklace my mother had made for me.

tg: Do you have any advice for those young hopefuls who hope to one day walk in your shoes?

JS: You have to work hard at whatever you choose to do — especially today. You need range if you want to be an actress. Apply to a reputable acting school; that’s very important. If you want to be involved in marketing there are wonderful schools you can attend. Get the proper education and work really hard. Being well trained is important because the competition is so tough.