By Jae-Ha Kim
Los Angeles Times
April 3, 2018
In the hit film “Love, Simon,” Clark Moore plays a high school student named Ethan, who — unlike the titular character — is out and self-aware of his sexuality. Clark, who grew up in Atlanta and currently resides in Los Angeles, says that every time he leaves Los Angeles, he “flirts with the idea of moving. I found myself looking at apartment listings in the windows of real estate agencies in Paris on my last trip. When my mind drifts, I often find myself on Zillow looking at houses on Martha’s Vineyard. Hopefully, these big trips will become more frequent.”
Moore’s fans may stay in touch with him on Twitter, Instagram and his website.
Q. What would be your dream trip?
A. Attending the royal wedding (of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle).
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. I have vague memories of going on a Carnival or Disney cruise and loving it! I must have been 7 or 8 when I went. I remember there was a kids’ club where parents would drop off their children and go drink on the deck or enjoy a romantic dinner. But, I interpreted that as “no parents allowed” and reveled in its exclusivity. I remember telling my parents, “I’m going to the kids’ club. You can’t come.”
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
A. It’s a close tie between Martha’s Vineyard and Paris! In Paris, I would encourage (people) to stay long enough to see all of the big tourist sites, but still be able to go off the beaten path and explore some of the outer Arrondissements (of Paris). On Martha’s Vineyard, I would encourage them to throw out their itinerary and just enjoy being there in the moment — sunrise walks on the beach, watching the summer showers from a rocking chair on the porch and midday catnaps.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
A. I don’t know how untapped it is, but I recently spent a couple of days in the English countryside and found the crisp, clean air incredibly rejuvenating.
Q. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A. Always be willing to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. My most recent trip to Paris was a solo adventure. At first I was terrified, but the time to myself gave me space for self-reflection and introspection for which I’m profoundly grateful.
Q. What is your worst vacation memory?
A. On my trip to Oxfordshire, I ate the British dessert Spotted Dick, which is sort of like a bread pudding with raisins and custard. It was absolutely delicious. I hadn’t eaten sugar in almost a year, because I live in L.A. and I’m an annoying person with an unnecessarily restrictive diet. So, the next day, even though I didn’t drink, I had the worst hangover I’ve ever had from all of the sugar.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A. I love to get out to Palm Springs from time to time. The desert can be very relaxing and peaceful! And my good friend from college has a lovely family home in Ventura that I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a couple of times. There’s nothing as soothing as falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the sea wall.
Q. If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?
A. We always spend our holidays between my family home in Atlanta or my grandmother’s home in St. Louis. I’ve been trying to convince my family to spend Christmas in Gstaad (Switzerland), but my mother loathes the cold.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A. I have been dying to get to Stockholm and Oslo. Generally, I want to explore the Scandinavian countryside.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A. A power converter, a good book and patience.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
A. Chain restaurants.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A. I usually source the best spots from my friends who live there or are from there. I try to stay away from the popular places, because I’m very prone to being caught in a tourist trap.
Q. What are your favorite hotels?
A. Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs, the Ace Hotel in Downtown L.A., Shutters on the Beach. And the Waldorf Astoria in New York — RIP for now.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
A. Paris, Atlanta, Helsinki, New York, Malibu.
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A. Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
Q. What are your favorite restaurants?
A. Sugarfish in L.A., the Polo Bar in New York and any cafe in Paris that will let me sit for two hours and only buy a €1 coffee.
© 2018 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
