By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Content Agency
December 23, 2014
Alex Borstein is known as much for her voice as for her face. The actress is the voice of Lois Griffin on the animated series “Family Guy.” Also a writer, producer and comedian, Borstein was most recently seen as Dawn on the HBO series “Getting On.” Born in Illinois, Borstein currently resides in California with her family.
“I live in Pasadena, California, home of the Rose Bowl and The Hat where you can get the best pastrami sandwich in Los Angeles,” Borstein says. Fans may follow her on Twitter.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. Anywhere in Italy!
Q. To someone who was going there, what would you recommend that they do during their visit?
A. Eat! My favorite trip to Italy was back in 1994. It was my post-college backpacking trip and my best friend and I ended up in Cinque Terre. It’s a small stretch on the Italian coast that’s made up of five magical-looking villages. The best way to move between the villages is on foot on a walking trail called Sentiero Azzurro. My favorite of the villages was called Riomaggiore, where we ate gelato three times a day and drank a bottle of wine each night.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. I have a feeling that Cinque Terre is now well traveled, but back in the day it was quite the hidden gem. Is there such a thing as an untapped destination now? I have heard great things about Croatia. I heard the beaches are beautiful.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. The first plane ride was from Chicago to Los Angeles with my dad on our way to a cousin’s bat mitzvah. Does that count? The first big trip, internationally, was to Budapest and Israel when I was 12 years old and I loved it! That was the birth of my wanderlust for sure.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A. My favorite thing about traveling is getting to a new destination and having to hit the ground running. I like to be somewhere where a different language is primary and I’m forced to figure things out for myself. Traveling has taught me to be very resourceful, aware and open to things going very wrong. It’s the adventure that I love. A smooth trip that is too well planned can be boring and feel constricting. But most of all, traveling has taught me how very small I am. How very small my existence is on this great planet.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. I have two kids. No such thing as a weekend getaway anymore. Although, I did escape for a day to Terranea, right here in Rancho Palos Verdes in Southern California for a spa day that was fantastic. I plan to return for an overnight when I can.
Q. Where is the most romantic destination?
A. I think New York City is one of the most romantic cities in the world. Has to be in the fall, though.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. Riomaggiore, Rome, New York, Chicago, Pasadena.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. This spring I am finally going to Buenos Aires! I am so excited.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. Hand lotion, lip balm, two to three great books, eye mask and a great pen for postcard writing.
Q. What would be your dream trip?
A. Right now I’m fantasizing about a ski trip to some amazing location like Aspen, or maybe Switzerland, where I stay in a cabin or lodge that offers ski in-ski out access to the lifts. I hate dragging skis and boots around, but I love skiing and hot chocolate.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A. As in car trips? Oh, that’s easy. Junk food; all kinds of greasy fast-food from weird local joints along the way!
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. I try to do a lot of word-of-mouth research and ask people who’ve been there what’s worth seeing. I also Google and pick up travel books sometimes by Lonely Planet and Rick Steves.
Q. What is your worst travel experience?
A. Worst travel memory was after I arrived in Rome for work. Guess the jet lag hit me harder than I thought. I threw up all over the place at a wardrobe fitting after arriving from Los Angeles.
Q. What are your favorite hotels?
A. The Bowery in New York. In most other cities, I try to rent condos or houses, because it gives me a better feeling of what it’s like to live in that city.
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A. Madrid.
Q. What are your favorite restaurants?
A. Rome: La Sorrelle. New York: Il Mulino. And any place anywhere that serves bone marrow.
© 2014 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
