Having seen many travel pictures on media personality Patricia Kara‘s social media pages, I thought she would be a good guest on Talking Travel. When she responded to my interview request with “Travel is my favorite topic,” I knew she would be perfect.

I followed Chicago native Kara’s career from her time on television’s Deal or No Deal. Kara was with the show for many years, first accompanying Briefcase No. 9, then assuming other roles. Kara and Howie Mandel are the only cast members to appear on all three versions of the show.

Now living on the West Coast, Kara stays close to her Chicago roots. She happened to be visiting her sister in a Chicago suburb when we did the interview.

She started by explaining why travel is her favorite topic. That led to discussing her favorite destinations here and abroad. Turning the tables on me, Kara asked for my Chicago-area restaurants and attractions recommendations.

Of course, when Chicagoans get together, pizza must be part of the discussion. We delved into the debate over thin crust or deep dish. Kara came up with the perfect solution.

Before finishing, talk turned to Kara’s just-released book, Dream On … Now Deliver. In an effort to give back, Kara shares lessons she learned from her 30 years in the entertainment industry. Starting in the pre-internet days with limited resources and no connections, Kara relied on instincts and determination to achieve her dream. With Dream On … Now Deliver, she hopes to make that path easier for others.

This was actually my second interview with Kara. Back in 2011 she was one of my first celebrity interviews, and she couldn’t have been nicer. That interview was in person at a convention, while this one was via Zoom. I do hope to see Kara again on her upcoming book tour.

Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.

— John Wroblewski, online writer