Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Nicole Ari Parker
A. Cabo and the coastal woods in Northern California. Boris and I love to take the short flight to Cabo San Lucas and stay at Palmilla. The service, the seclusion and the sunshine make the perfect weekend getaway. There's nothing like that Highway 1 drive up the coast of California. The woods are very calming and restorative.
Q. If you've ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?
A. We've recently spent two Christmases in Fiji, but my husband is from the picturesque town of Gundelfingen in Germany that is absolutely beautiful in winter, so we usually make a trip there as a family. As a result, my kids ski like champs. They leave me on the kiddie slopes! We also got married there in a 900-year-old church and then walked through the cobblestone streets to his Oma's house, where he grew up. This is one of those places where the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker really do exist.
Q. What are some of your favorite cities?
A. Paris. New York City. I went to New York University and began living my dream to be an actress, so this city will always be in my heart. New Orleans for its swampiness, the music and the beignets. Accra. I love that my children's heritage is directly connected to the motherland. My husband's father is from this beautiful city.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. Prague, Hong Kong, India and Tibet.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. When I'm away from home, I always have my favorite scarf from Ethiopia, tweezers, red lipstick, perfume, my hair moisturizer and my Save Your Do gym wrap. With these essential items I can be ready for anything -- meeting a diplomat, praying at a temple or dancing wildly at a music festival.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?
A. French fries and hot sauce with everything! And a little chocolate. In all my travels, I've always managed to find a place that nailed these three key items.
Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?
A. My fondest vacation memory as a parent was traveling to Central America with my children, so that my daughter, Sophie, could see a homeopathic specialist for her neurogenic bladder, which is one of the manifestations of being born with Spina bifida. While in Guatemala and El Salvador, I witnessed my very American children interacting, showing kindness, respect and generosity to people who live differently than them. They did not complain, they spoke Spanish and embraced all of the beautiful sights and sounds around us. It was extremely gratifying. I have yet to have a bad vacation.
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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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