Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune
February 8, 2021
Best known for her role as Ciara Brady on “Days of Our Lives,” Victoria Konefal said that filming on location helped set the mood for her upcoming movie, “Living Dead Presents: Fog City,” which is set for a Halloween release. “We were flown out to Dennis Port, Massachusetts,” she said. “It’s a lovely little fishing town. The energy surrounding the town was eerie. There was one road and it was mostly empty, but it worked to our advantage (for a horror film). I’m a fan of getting spooked, so I was soaking it all in. There was a constant fog rolling in that kept us from being able to see more than 30 feet ahead of us. The air was crisp, the mood was haunting and being there really allowed me to separate from my life and throw myself into the character work. The bonding experience with my castmates was also one for the books.” Konefal interacts with fans on Twitter and Instagram (username: @victoriakonefal).
Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?
A: I do! I am a first-generation American. Both of my parents immigrated from Poland separately and met in New York City years later. Polish was actually my first language. I remember learning English by watching “Sesame Street” and “Barney” on repeat. I was a big fan. I can speak conversational Spanish and I remember taking kindly to my French Rosetta Stone in high school. I would have to put in much more effort to be able to have a fluent conversation in French. Learning other languages comes very easily to me, and I assume it’s because I was raised bilingual.
Q: What is your best vacation memory?
A: One that sticks out happened while I was visiting Croatia. My travel buddies had already set back for the States and I had two extra days booked in Mlini. After exploring for a bit, I made some friends out by the beach. Croatian and Polish are very similar languages, so we were able to communicate in a broken yet beautiful way. We ended up climbing the rooftop of my Airbnb to watch the sunset over the ocean. My host then brought us a few beers, a basket full of cucumbers and a handful of berries as a welcome gift. It was such a simple moment, but the simple things in life make me the happiest. The humanity in Croatia is so loving and welcoming, and it was beautiful not only to witness it but to be a direct part of it. Not to mention it was the most breathtaking sunset I’ve ever seen.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: Greece is my favorite country so far. I have only ever been to the island of Crete. Once traveling becomes part of my normal routine again, I’ll hopefully be able to visit more of the Islands.
Q: What untapped destination should people know about?
A: Lipari is located among the Aeolian Islands off the northern coast of Sicily. It’s not a particularly popular tourist destination, but it is such a charming place. The bakeries and restaurants are all family owned. I’ve never had a cannoli blow my mind the way that Lipari’s cannolis have. It’s also surrounded by active volcanoes and I was lucky enough to witness one erupt. It was far enough away that it didn’t compromise our safety, but close enough for it to be able to light up the entire night sky.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A: Music is the universal love language. Vibing to the rhythm and enjoying a total stranger’s company in such a pure way is magical. Everyone loves to dance, no matter what the style is. Also, people are generally kind of mean in America. I notice a change of treatment the second I step foot back on American soil. That’s when I blast some music on my speakers and start spreading love through dance.
Q: What are your five favorite cities?
A: In order, it’s my hometown of New York City, Dubrovnik (Croatia), Chania (Greece), San Francisco and Sayulita (Mexico).
Q: Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
A: The reason why San Francisco is one of my favorite cities is that it reminds me so much of New York. It’s like California’s Big Apple. However, I will say that the air quality in San Fran beats New York by a landslide. The first time I visited, I spent an hour in my hotel room just breathing with my head hanging out the window. I was mesmerized by how crisp it was. Along with my cup of coffee, it was the perfect start to my morning.
Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: Literally everywhere. Iceland, Bali, Morocco, Zambia and Japan are very high on my list, though.
Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A: Sunblock, multiple forms of currency, a significant part of my robe collection and my hoop earrings.
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