Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? This week, Duff Goldman, star of Food Network’s Ace of Cakes
and owner of Charm City Cakes, shares his favorite destinations and what he never leaves home without.
Name: Duff Goldman
Occupation: Chef/Baker/Cake Decorator
Hometown: Sandwich, MA.
Residence: L.A., Baltimore
Website: CharmCityCakes.com; CharmCityCakesWest.com; DuffsCakemix.com
Twitter: @Duff_Goldman
YouTube: YouTube.com/hungry
Short Bio: A professionally trained pastry chef, Duff Goldman is best known for his starring role in Food Network’s Ace of Cakes, and is the founder of Baltimore’s Charm City Cakes, as well as Duff’s Cakemix and Charm City Cakes West in Los Angeles. He has been nominated for two James Beard Foundation awards for both Best TV Food Personality and Best Television program. Distinguished by his vibrant personality and outrageously artistic cakes, Duff is also a graffiti artist, metal sculptor and bass player in the Elvis tribute band Danger Ace and the indie band Sand Ox, and is known to employ artists at his bakeries.
How often do you fly: 4-6 times per month
How many countries have you been to: +\- 20
How many continents have you been to: 5
Favorite American city: Baltimore, MD.
Favorite international city: Istanbul
Favorite World Heritage Site: Western Wall, Jerusalem
Favorite airline: British Airways
Favorite aircraft type: 777
Aisle or window: Window
Favorite airport lounge: Meditation Room, BWI
Favorite U.S. airport: Minneapolis–Saint Paul Airport – MSP (they have pinball machines)
Favorite international airport: Ben Gurion
Favorite hotel: The Maritime, NYC
Favorite island: Ambergris Caye, Belize
Favorite fancy restaurant: St. John, London
Favorite hole in the wall: Barbacoa Taco stand 1/2 hour south of Cancun Airport.
Favorite fruit: Lychee
Favorite food: Cold butter fresh radish sandwich on crusty bread with sea salt
Least favorite food: Wendy’s fries
Drink of choice (In the air and on the ground): Whole milk
Favorite travel movie(s): The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Favorite travel show(s): Long Way Round
Favorite travel book(s): Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Right now I am reading: The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts
Five things you bring on a plane: iPad, headphones, Kindle, lunch, and Carl. (Carl travels everywhere with me, he is a little plush buffalo that lives in my backpack)
What do you always seem to forget: Cash
What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport duty free store?: Giant bags of jelly beans
Favorite travel iPhone app(s): Tetris
Most embarrassing travel moment: Losing my luggage and having to speak at a conference in army shorts and a Ravens jersey.
Worst travel moment: Driving a piece of sh*t “fun mover” RV across country while filming and having the tires blow, the radiator bust, the weather stripping disintegrate, and the brakes catch fire. The show became a how-to video on fixing your crappy ride on 4th of July weekend with duct tape and pee in the radiator.
What’s your dream destination: I want to ride a motorcycle from Boston to Buenos Aires.
Best travel tip: Pack light. Keep smiling, especially in the airport. A positive disposition makes the hell of air travel so much more magical.
