Ruben Restrepo in his “office.”

I’m been reading every story I can find about the Chilean miners trapped deep inside the earth. It makes me shutter just to think that it will be another four months before they’re rescued. I spent about an hour 1600 feet below ground in a Colombian mine earlier this year and that was enough to last me a lifetime. I can still see the soot-filled air and the dark, narrow passageways I had to traverse to find the miner I wanted to interview. You can read about him in the July issue of Mountain Bike magazine, as well as here.

And keep in mind that this past June, over 70 Colombian miners died in a blast in a mine not too far from the one I visited.

Google was able to track my exact location next to a pool in Cape May, New Jersey. Pretty amazing. If you look closely, you may be able to see my drink!

My cover story on Colombian actress Catalina Sandino Moreno for the August issue of Latina magazine is hitting stands any second now. I’m excited to read it in print.

She was in the movie Maria Full of Grace, about a drug mule who travels to New York with a belly full of heroin pellets. The role earned her an Academy Awards nomination for Best Actress and countless other accolades. And although she took two years off to be a mom, she is back in action in the latest edition of the Twilight saga, Eclipse, playing an evil Mexican vampire.

For the interview, we met up at MoMA and saw the Tim Burton career retrospective and the Marina Abramovic show. The latter was interesting in that we both took part in the exhibition by squeezing between two naked men blocking a doorway. It was awkward for about two seconds but it definitely gave us a lot to talk.

I’ll post the whole interview as soon as I can get my hands on it!

I was very proud of the friends that participated in today’s marathon. Though they wore quite conventional athletic gear—at least in comparison to the folks pictured here—they did a great job.

I cheered the runners at the 25th mile point and began to have those “what if” thoughts as I saw the diversity of people inching towards the finish line. It was truly inspiring.

They say that after a certain point it’s all in the head and I wonder if I could convince my mind to undertake such a daunting challenge. Hmm, I’ll have to ponder that a bit more.

Calle 13 in Colombia.

Grammy Award–winning duo Calle 13 recently ventured across South America in search of the indigenous music, culture and spirit that still thrives in parts of the continent. They documented the whole experience in the film Sin Mapa, which follows the Puerto Rican reggaetoneros to Peru’s La Rinconada, Colombia’s Sierra Nevada, Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca and other far-flung locales. “I understood how much the indigenous love the earth,” said lead singer Residente of the trip. Sadly, I’ve yet to see any of the spots these guys visited but I hope to one day make it to Colombia’s ancient Ciudad Perdida (or Lost City). In the meantime, I’ll have to live vicariously through Calle 13.

I’m lucky to be able to stay with friends and extended family every time I visit London, a town that isn’t exactly cheap. And while their hospitality is much appreciated, there’s something about sleeping in a snazzy, well-situated hotel after a day of gallery-hopping and window-shopping that makes me feel a bit more glamourous. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve come to discover some really cool nabes (and interesting bus routes) through the nice folks that are always willing to put up with me, but if given the chance, I’d rather stay at The May Fair. The luxury hotel is right around the corner from my favorite tea room (the Wolseley); a stone’s throw from the city’s most beautiful department store (Fortnum & Mason); and a quick jog from both Green Park and Hyde Park. Aside from location, the signature rooms are super-stylish. The Schiaparelli Suite is a retro Asian-inspired bachelorette pad (hot pink is one of the predominant tones as you can see above) and the Platinum Suite reminds me of old Hollywood (see below). No wonder the property was chosen as the host hotel for London Fashion Week for the next five seasons!

As far as toilet-side views go, this has to be one of the best. This photo was taken from room 1023 at the Renaissance Hotel in Pittsburgh. You can see the Allegheny River; the Roberto Clemente Bridge; and PNC Park Stadium, home of the Pirates — beats reading a magazine.

Tayrona National Park in Santa Marta, Colombia.

I’m moving to Colombia. No, not really. But it’s not such a far-fetched idea. A friend of mine recently sent me a link to an article in Business Week titled “The (New) World’s Happiest Countries” and, guess what, Colombia is no. 3. It’s right behind Denmark and Puerto Rico and right before Iceland, which has probably tumbled in the rankings since this article was written.

In any case, woohoo, Colombia! Here’s how the writer described this beautiful country:

Population: 45,013,674
Life Expectancy: 73
GDP Per Capita: $6,700

Today it’s the world’s third happiest country, but “cocaine” and “cartel” are traditionally more easily associated with Colombia than “carefree” and “contented.” The change: Surging tourism and economic
growth have accompanied the South American country’s efforts in recent years to reassert control over its decades-old rebel violence and lucrative drug operations. Even though per capita income is far lower than in the top 10 countries, Colombia’s literacy rate is 94%, well above the world average. And the ethnically tolerant country supports thriving coastal communities of Arabs, Jews, Italians, Germans,
French, Portuguese, and Roma descendants.

Somewhere down there.

Despite its political ups and downs (or maybe because of it), South America knows how to party. In countries like Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela, it’s all about living for today: As long as the cervezas are flowing, the steak is cooking, and hips are swaying, troubles are easily forgotten. So go ahead and join the fun, and don’t worry about booking a flight you can’t afford. Check out my guide — from this week’s New York magazine — to catching some of that spirit in your own backyard for relatively cheap.

The lobby at The Drake Hotel.

Next time I’ll stay at The Drake Hotel: It has a corner cafe (try the scones at brunch!), music bar, lounge, and rooftop patio all in one nice, tucked away destination in the gallery district. Plus, I’m a sucker for old-fashion photo booths. I didn’t get a chance to check out any rooms but I hear they’re outfitted with vintage furniture, customized wall paper, and artwork by local talents.