Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Michael Carbonaro
A. I haven't been back to Amsterdam since my last semester of school. I'd love to go back.
Q. What is on your travel bucket list?
A. I've never been to Australia. And I know somebody there, so I won't get lost. I'm also fascinated by the Icehotel in (Jukkasjarvi) Sweden. I'd love to find the right person and go there.
Q. Is there a special holiday you like to celebrate in the same place every year?
A. Yes! My favorite season is fall. Nothing beats October in New York City. I have never not been in New York for the Halloween parade. I love Halloween and New York.
Q. Are you an adventurous eater?
A. I could be. I tried the escargot in Paris and was pleasantly surprised. I would try anything food-wise, even spiders fried up. I'd give it a shot.
Q. Do you seek out other entertainers to watch when you're on vacation?
A. Sometimes. Germany had a really cool sense of performance and their cabarets were really cool. Paris has this really great show called "Le Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde." In contrast to what we have in the States, it's a variety show where they really showcase their appreciation for variety acts. Our variety shows tend to be competition based and I think that does something to the mentality of the performance. You hear someone singing and all of a sudden you wonder if someone's going to hit a buzzer.
Q. Where have you seen the most amazing magic show?
A. It was a group called Dogtroep and it was in Amsterdam. There's a moment in the show where someone has been carrying around a mannequin that she assembles piece by piece and she leaves it in the middle and walks away from it. And then the thing starts to come to life. And it stood up and it was like a real person. As a magician, I have no idea how they did it. I thought it was a puppet or maybe a person inside of that suit? I really don't know. There are some people who really want to know how that's done and others who really like to ride the ride. I love to be fooled. Once you know the secret, it's like being bit by a vampire. You can't go back.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. I like Quest energy bars. Have to have Ray-Ban sunglasses. They're like my pacifier. If I drop it underneath my seat, I'll be crying like a toddler. I really like to bring something mindless to look at on airplanes. That's the one time you really do escape from the world.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?
A. I like to ship coffee from Cafe Grumpy in New York, if I'll be there for a long stay.
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Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow "Go Away With..." on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.
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