Blogs

Pandemic must haves   The most often used products over the last year that I now can’t live without   We are officially 12 months into a pandemic that has killed nearly 3 million people […]

Why Black History Month is American History Month “I don’t want a Black History Month. Black History is American History.” Those words uttered by actor Morgan Freeman are as destructive as they are candid and […]

One of the most in-depth interviews of my career   During the early summer of 2020, I was contacted through social media, by a young man from Italy named Pietro, a huge fan of Kevin […]

And why staying silent is not a choice anymore   CBactortraveler.com was started in December of 2019 as a vehicle to practice writing in a way that would allow me to begin submitting pitches and […]

Sourdough at Home When Lucio’s bread baking class saved my quarantine blues   There are very few things in life that are more satisfying than baking bread. Watching the amazing process of turning flour, water […]

Celebrating Moms around the world “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. […]

Okonomiyaki and Mayuko’s little kitchen cooking class The most delicious pancake, Japanese style Mayuko’s little kitchen cooking class – Shibuya, Tokyo Spending any amount of time in Japan and it inspires multiple stories. The longer […]

This week we breathe – Alaska As the planet breathes for the first time in over a century, so too should we   Astrological signs are not the kinds of things I’ve completely bought into […]

A plea from the Foodbanks A painful reality check   It’s been over 20 years since the death of my father from liver cancer devastated my world. The 5 months from diagnosis to death were […]

Da Bomb Baked Potato Soup Comfort food at its best   Before I begin, I want to give a huge shout-out to our state and local leaders. I feel very fortunate to live in California […]

For the Love of Seattle Jazz How seeing Arturo Sandoval 3 years ago is helping with isolation   Ok 2 things. 1: Seattle Jazz is a misnomer. Jimi Hendrix is the most famous jazz musician […]

Who Knew? Surviving the Quarantine and adjusting to the new normal   These are definitely historic times. Never before have I done daily inventory on basic household products with a constant mind on rationing. “Ok, […]

Lucy’s Gluten free Lemon Squares These are what started it all Sooo Good!   When I was 7, I caught the chicken pox. I was in second grade and I had to stay home from […]

Note: I’ve updated this due to the ongoing pandemic outbreak of the COVID-19 or Coronavirus in the US and, in particular in LA. Currently, Los Angeles County has 27 diagnosed cases and 1 death. Most […]

Vanity Fair celebrates Hollywood in Pictures Hollywood legends shot by iconic photographers on display at the Annenberg Space for Photography   Through July 26, 2020, Southern Californians have the opportunity, for free mind you, to […]

Ceviche-Chile Style It’s an appetizer perfecto, gracias a la Cocina de Tatan y Santiago   Quick, easy, delicious   Cristian Mellado, or Tatan as he’s known, is early to pick me up for my much […]

Central High School Visitors Center More important than the school itself? The most important in America? A while ago, I attended a travel writers conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. Having done my research prior to, […]

Gettin’ woke in DC   How 2 days in a museum changed my life. The National Museum of African American History and Culture   I gave myself 2 days. Probably needed an extra day. 6 […]

The Racial Harmony Chocolate Chip Cookie If all these chips can coexist in deliciousness, shouldn’t we?   Remember going to the mall when you were a kid? When I was young, close to 1000 years […]

Trying to see the Hemingway house on our last day in Cuba This is the restored Hemingway house turned museum, Finca Vigia or Lookout Estate, after a preservation effort with both adversaries, Cuba and the […]

5 Must Haves for flying anywhere Things I bring to get me from Departure to Arrival with my sanity   Let’s face it, flying these days is like playing the lotto. Every flight, be it […]

The Cherry Stuff The #1 most requested, beloved dessert in my family for over 40 years. On June 12, 1976, my mother, Ruby Birt. attended the church’s annual Taste Delight Luncheon, a gathering of ladies who […]

An Afternoon highlight for visitors to Japan’s capital Brad Bennett, owner of Freewheeling Japan, a bike adventure and urban hiking company, picks you up at Sasazuka station in Shibuya City right on time. He’s easy […]

Usually, by this time of the year, I’ve looked at the calendar to see what breaks I have in the new year and where I’d like to go. The world a big place and there’s so much I haven’t seen.

Tokyo Baseball – Singing with the Swallows How the energy of the game cured my jetlag “Get up Chris! The game starts in an hour and you have no idea where you’re going!” In a […]

It’s been nearly 28 years since that photo was taken. When my agent turned manager, Carmella Gallien, called me and said

Most of us that are of a certain age, hear the word “Jitney” and it harkens back to a time when African Americans