Celebrity Travel: Go away with Pictoria Vark

Jae-Ha Kim, Tribune Content Agency on Jan 30, 2024

A: I always have a stuffed animal goat with me named Greg. He comes onstage sometimes at the shows. He’s a lucky charm and a reminder of home. Other items would be a neck pillow, eye mask, foam roller, lavender sage mist, a journal, a disposable film camera and a good book.

Q: What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?

A: Spending too much money on food, [Laughs.] My dad is a really amazing chef and I was lucky to grow up surrounded by good food. But it unfortunately made my taste very particular. Sometimes all I want or need is a good meal – usually sushi or pho if I’m having a tough day. And paddleboarding when it’s warm! I love being out on the water to think and get in my body. Not so much a guilty pleasure but my worst tour habit is that I always need like 12 consecutive alarms to wake up in the morning, much to the chagrin of my bandmates. Sorry, everyone.

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

A: My favorite memory from my travels was when we were on tour in 2022 in Ventura, California, and I went paddleboarding by myself between load-in and soundcheck. It was in this weird harbor and I thought it wasn’t going to be that cool because it wasn’t out on the ocean, but there was a whole family of seals resting on the docks and barking at each other. I got to be way closer to them than I would’ve otherwise. It’s a cherished moment I have just with myself.

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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.)