Celebrity Travel: Go away with Adrienne Rose White

In the black comedy “Nightbitch” – currently streaming on Hulu – actress Adrienne Rose White portrays Sally, a curator at a top art gallery. “Sally is smart, upbeat, maybe a little naive, and has a great eye,” White said. “She knows everything about the art scene and almost nothing about motherhood.” The actress said Sally is interesting enough that “she’d be an incredible travel companion. She’d find cool art showings and happenings [and] know what’s up.” The Los Angeles-based actress stays in touch with fans on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/adriennerosewhite).

Q: What trips do you have planned for this year?

A: My fiancé and I are going to Tokyo! The theme of the trip is Kaizen – a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement through tiny changes. One of our friends from Japan teamed up with a friend who knows how to party and a friend who knows how to plan, and that’s a dream team right there! They’re putting the itinerary together. The specifics are going to be a surprise, but I know it’ll be a mix of great food, deep conversation and adventures.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?

A: Buenos Aires! The steak was phenomenal. And the ice cream was out of this world. They took gelato and made it better. It’s so light and soft, they don’t even scoop it. They just whip it onto the cone or cup. The art and fashion made my heart sing, and the tango just lit my whole body on fire.

Q: Do you ever pick projects based on where they will be filmed?

A: Sometimes I’ll write a TV or feature project for a specific location, just to have an excuse to go stay there. I co-wrote a feature script set in Salton Sea after I saw these gorgeous photos of this lake in a desolate desert. And now that you’ve asked, I think I’ll set my next feature in Fiji. This is a brilliant, life-changing question right here.

Q: What untapped destination should people know about?

A: Mullet Lake in Michigan. I went there for a Fourth of July weekend, and it was right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. There was a little parade of kids on bicycles during the day. At night, we drank cocktails around a fire and watched fireworks explode over the lake. That was probably my favorite Fourth of July of all time.

Q: What was a childhood trip that still stands out?

A: I remember road- tripping from Chesterfield, Missouri, to Milwaukee to visit my grandparents. It was a long trip to share a back seat with my brother and the air conditioning didn't deliver in the July heat. But my brother and I loved the playlists we made for the trip, and the McFlurry and fries we’d get on the way. We weren’t normally allowed to have a lot of fast food, so we’d get so excited about those French fries. Looking back, I kinda love it.

Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?

A: Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you prefer a food truck or fine dining?

A: I gotta go with fine dining, because I dig a curated vibe to go with delicious, fresh, healthy-ish food. Bring in that visual design element. I love a feast for the senses. Oh, and I like sitting down when I eat.

Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A: Big Sur! Woodsy and near the ocean. It’s so beautiful. And Malibu for the same reasons, but it’s closer.

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

A: One time I was invited on a last- minute trip to Upstate New York for New Year’s Eve. It felt like this magical whirlwind to this cozy farmhouse. I met a lot of cool, interesting new people. The snow made the area look like a winter wonderland. Usually, I don’t travel around the holidays, but that was a fun one.

Q: What languages do you speak?

A: Spanish. I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, so I try to keep those skills up. And a very little bit of Korean. I think when I’m focused and relaxed, I pick up new languages fairly easily.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: Not including Los Angeles, I’d say New York, Buenos Aires, Seoul, Chandigarh [India], and Shanghai.

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

A: I got Delhi-belly when I went to India for a wedding, and food poisoning in Argentina right before a road trip. And honestly? It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I lived the full range of the human experience. And that’s what traveling is for.

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A: Eye mask, because I sleep when I want to. Zinc to keep my immune system strong. And cheap sunglasses that I won’t cry over when I inevitably break or lose them.

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

A: Skipping whatever dance club or museum or cultural activity that was planned. Sometimes all I want is room service and a good book.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A: Mexico City. I’ve heard so many good things.

Q: What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?

A: I always check the weather when I’m packing.

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and journalist. You can reach her at www.jaehakim.com, follow her on Instagram and X @goawaywithjae, or read more from her on Substack (jaehakim.substack.com).)