Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Chynna Phillips
A. I'm not sure if it was my first vacation, but it was my first true getaway where we were gone for an extended period of time when I was about seven. I lived in London for a year and I loved it. It really changed who I was. Before I left for London, I was on the lower end of my class scholastically. But when I returned to Los Angeles, I climbed to the top of my class and probably had the best penmanship in the Los Angeles school district! I lived in a six-story house with my mother who, at the time, was shooting a film called "Valentino." It didn't have an elevator so I also came back with the best hamstrings of all my girlfriends. I remember watching The Changing of the Guard, going to see Big Ben, walking in Hyde Park and I remember collecting acorns in the park. It's funny how you remember little things like that.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. My favorite weekend getaways in California are Monterey Bay and wine country, especially Sonoma. My husband and I love to take a drive up the coast. It's such a romantic and beautiful place.
Q. How do your travels differ depending on whether you're working or taking a vacation with loved ones?
A. Hotels are always different, but really it doesn't differ much because I still have to bring my arsenal of kitchenware wherever I go: my steamer, blender, chopping block, knife, organic fruits and vegetables and a cooler. I'm basically a traveling kitchen. No matter where we are or what we're doing or who's traveling with me, I'm always prepping a home-cooked meal. Knowing exactly what I am eating and how it is prepared is very important to me. I've found prepping my own food when I travel is the one way I can really stay sane when we're on the road for a tour or on vacation!
Q. What are your favorite hotels?
A. My favorite hotels are the ones that don't have elevators. I'm not one for loving high floors. A one-floor hotel with less than 50 rooms is my dream, but since finding those are impossible, unless you're on a beach somewhere, I like boutique hotels. But the Peninsula (www.peninsula.com) is great, too. The service is impeccable and it's so gorgeous.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. Paris, London, Capetown, South Africa, Florence and Rome. I've been so blessed to be able to see so many places in my lifetime.
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
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