Go Away With … Noureen DeWulf

By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Content Agency
October 28, 2014

Noureen DeWulf has appeared in such films as “They Came Together,” “The Back-Up Plan” and “West Bank Story.” She currently co-stars on Charlie Sheen’s FX series, “Anger Management.” The actress, born in New York and residing in Los Angeles, is of Indian descent and says, “It’s hard not to be changed by traveling to India. My trips there have really impacted me as a person. I have gratitude in very a deep way for my life and my career. When you see the kind of poverty that exists there, and people struggling on such a primal level, it stays with you forever.” DeWulf, 30, stays in touch with fans on Twitter.

Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?

A. I love traveling to Paris. I feel like you can go to Paris throughout your life and keep discovering a new side of the city. I lived in Paris for one year to study French in 2000. I feel like it was the time that I grew the most as a person. I’m not sure if it was because I was living abroad for the first time or the feeling of knowing no one and discovering yourself, but I was changed when I came back home. I think the style of French women is inspirational. I also love the food and the beautiful architecture.

Q. To someone who was going to Paris for the first time, what would you recommend that they do during their visit?

A. The tops of many of the buildings are intricate and beautiful, so make sure you look up. Take a ferry across the Seine. Go out for a late night in the Latin Quarter. Shop in Galeries Lafayette. Sit at a cafe and people-watch. And never go in August. Almost everything is closed and there is no air conditioning.

Q. What untapped destination should people know about?

A. I think Ojai, California, is a magical place about two hours north of Los Angeles. The land there is peaceful and smells like lavender. There are lots of spas. It’s just a great place to unwind.

Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?

A. I remember going to Disney World as a little girl in Florida and crying a lot because we got stuck on Space Mountain for an hour in the dark. I went to Disneyland in California last year for the first time, and then with some of my girlfriends for my birthday and I’ve never had such a good time. We laughed and ran around the park for 10 hours, maybe because they now serve drinks to adults! One of my friends was wearing a pedometer and it turned out that we walked 11 miles that day without even knowing it. The next day we were all skinnier. Best birthday ever.

Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?

A. Wine country is my favorite for getaways: Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley and Los Olivos.

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

A. I love being in New York around Christmas. I love the big decorated store windows. I also love being in the snow and skiing at Christmas.

Q. What are your favorite hotels?

A. I like the Dream Hotel Downtown in New York and the Trump Soho. I got married at the Sunset Tower in Los Angeles, so that’s one of my cherished hotels in L.A. In Paris, I love the old-world feel of Le Meurice. The Gansevoort in Turks and Caicos was heavenly and I would recommend it to anyone.

Q. What are your five favorite cities?

A. Paris, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Dubai and Rome.

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

A. I really want to go to Santorini and London! And I also want to go to Sedona, Arizona.

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

A. I bring my steamer. I can’t stand looking wrinkly. I also bring workout clothes and sneakers, though sometimes they never come out of my bag. A pair of walking flats and, of course, I always bring a dress and heels for a nice dinner.

Q. What would be your dream/fantasy trip?

A. I’ve heard of these bike wine tours across Italy where you bike from one vineyard to the next eating and drinking for an entire week. It’s indulgent, but also healthy. Sounds like my kind of trip.

Q. What are your favorite restaurants?

A. For sushi, I love Katsuya and Sugarfish in Los Angeles. I also love Mozza for Italian in L.A., though I can never get a reservation. In New York, Scarpetta. In Paris, Entrecote for dinner and Le Meurice for breakfast.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?

A. On road trips I think it is very acceptable to eat from gas stations! Chips and sodas and beef jerky. Drive-thru fries and doughnuts.

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

A. I do a lot of Googling. I look online at Yelp and Trip Advisor and read what people say. I talk to my friends.

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

A. I recently went to Turks and Caicos. I thought it was dreamy. The balmy weather and the warm water were just amazing. Some of my worst vacations have occurred in Hawaii. I’m not sure why. I think I need some better advice on how to do the islands right.