ArcaMax

A. I was really inspired by all the colors in India. I was currently working on a spring collection for Paper Crown and the whole color palette was inspired by the photos I took while I was there.

Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A. If I have a three-day weekend, I love running away to Cabo San Lucas. It's a short flight from Los Angeles and the weather is amazing.

Q. If you've ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?

A. The only time I have ever been away from home during a big holiday was one Thanksgiving years ago. I was filming "The Hills" at the time and we were shooting in Paris. It was strange to celebrate an American holiday at a French restaurant, but it was nice to be able to spend it with the crew.

Q. What are your favorite hotels?

A. Smaller boutique hotels. Airbnb is also a great option.

Q. What are your favorite restaurants?

A. When my husband and I are going out to dinner in L.A., we prefer a more casual setting. We love going to Versailles (http://www.versaillescuban.com/) for Cuban food. If I am heading out with girlfriends, we like eating at Grasias Madre (http://graciasmadreweho.com/) or Mercado (http://www.mercadorestaurant.com/los-angeles/). If I am in Laguna, I love going to Javier's (http://www.javiers-cantina.com/) for Mexican food.

Q. What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A. One of my favorite memories from traveling was in Africa. We were staying at the Arusha Coffee Lodge in Tanzania. Hannah (Skvarla) knocked on my door early one morning, just as the sun was rising and told me to come quickly. The fields of coffee beans were filled with dik-diks (small antelopes), which is one of the cutest animals I've ever seen in my life. We were running up and down the rows of coffee plants chasing them around. It was kind of amazing. My worst memory was on that same trip. When we arrived at the lodge in Burundi, I was handed an emergency walkie-talkie and made my way to my room, which was a structure with canvas walls. When I arrived, I was surprised and delighted to find a clawfoot tub in the middle of the room. When I got closer, I noticed dark spots in the center of the tub that resembled blood. I looked up to see if the roof was leaking and saw a bat hanging directly above me.

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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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