Veteran actress Susan Gallagher’s credits include “Loki” and “The Karate Kid” spinoff “Cobra Kai.” She will next be seen in the Hallmark Channel’s original movie, “A Taste of Love,” on Feb. 19. “It was mostly filmed in the charming beach town of Dunedin, Florida, which is near Tampa,” Gallagher said. “It is the perfect backdrop for a Hallmark movie and the audiences are going to love the beautiful cinematography and Florida beaches.” As for where she’s based out of, she did this interview while in New York, but spends winters in Florida and North Carolina during the summers. “However, I’m also in Atlanta quite often and keep a condo there,” she said. Fans may find the actress on Instagram and Facebook.
Q: Do you have any upcoming trips planned?
A: Since my work as an actress and producer takes me all over, I plan to be in Atlanta in early 2023. My production company will be filming a TV movie that’s currently in pre-production. I’ve been cast in a movie that’s filming in Connecticut in February and another job that’s filming in New York City, so mostly up and down the East Coast for now. My family is planning a trip to Alaska before my second grandson is born in May. [I] might still sneak to Park City for a few days of snow skiing in March during spring break.
Q: Where are some places you have filmed your work?
A: I’ve enjoyed working over the years in New Orleans and the surrounding area. The Phillip Noyce film, “Fast Charlie,” starring Pierce Brosnan – which I have a small part in – was filmed a lot in NOLA. It’s always a pleasure to work there and enjoy the creole food, unique dialects and music on every corner in the French Quarter. I have fond memories of racing from one location to the next [in New York City]. Whether we’re filming on the subway late at night or Riverside Park on the Upper West Side, the results never disappoint. There are also numerous locations available that rent by the hour, so the city can meet a lot of our needs and is much more film-friendly than you might think.
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: The Caribbean island of Saint Barthelemy, because of its beautiful private villas, flawless beaches, shopping and wonderful restaurants. Even though it’s a little more effort to get there, it’s a true tropical paradise that makes it worth the effort. We went for our friend’s 60th birthday and celebrated by taking a boat to a private island where we enjoyed a feast, the sun and sea. The quality of service from the staff at the various businesses and locals far exceeded my expectations. Luckily, I’m the non-drinker designated driver, because it can be tricky navigating a vehicle around the windy roads at night after a wonderful dinner.
Q: What untapped destination should people know about?
A: Asheville is a small cozy city in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. It’s home to the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore estate. You can jump on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and drive for miles crossing the Tennessee line.
Q: What was a trip you took as a child that stands out?
A: Taking a cruise with my parents to the Bahamas was a memorable trip. The water and beaches are beautiful and the cruise was enjoyable. I loved it because it was a rare occasion to have that much time with my parents, who were having serious marital problems. So it was relaxing for them and me. What still stands out to me is how many small children were begging from all of us tourists. The fact that they were instructed to pretend they were blind in order to help feed their families broke my heart and made me a more compassionate child and adult. Even though they were deceiving us tourists, it’s their job to earn money to help their families and they had no other options.
Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A: I love being in Jupiter, Florida, visiting my one-year-old grandson, Gallagher. He is a happy boy and I could sit and watch him all day. We share a beach house with my husband’s siblings and enjoy it once a month. Both our kids are not far, so we get the gang together and love having Gallagher and our stepkids swimming and having fun and creating lifelong memories.
Q: What are your favorite cities?
A: My favorite city of all is New York City. I’ve lived there off and on since my youngest went to college. I also love Paris and London, but since I’m Irish, I’ll have to include Dublin. Atlanta, New Orleans and Jupiter also have my heart.
Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: I’ve always wanted to visit Greece and am still trying to get it on our calendar. We have a friend who’s Greek, so he’s giving me the best places to visit there. Egypt is another place I haven’t been and would love to visit.
Q: What is your best vacation memory?
A: My best vacation memory is skiing in Park City with my family. We’ve skied all over the country, mostly in Utah and Colorado. But we also love Whistler, British Columbia, and Davos, Switzerland. Even with my husband’s Parkinson’s, he usually can ski a few runs with the kids in Park City, which is like home.
(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow “Go Away With…” on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)