While some people dream of far-off lands and exotic locales for their vacation destinations, Brian Flores likes to spend his down time in his hometown state: Colorado. The 23-year-old Boulder native, who graduated from the University of Michigan last year and now lives in New York City, will be in Boston for a two-week run (beginning Feb. 2) of the musical “Pippin’’ at The Boston Opera House. Flores, who plays the title role, called his first major acting job “a dream come true’’ and said he can’t wait to perform in Boston. We caught up with Flores to talk about all things travel.
Favorite vacation spot? That’s a tough one. I love the ocean and beaches and would typically go somewhere tropical like the Bahamas or Mexico, but I’m a Colorado boy and haven’t been skiing (or snowboarding in my case) in over five years. I absolutely love the Colorado mountains and have many wonderful memories of past ski trips with my family. There’s nothing like spending a day on the beautiful snow-covered slopes of Colorado, so I’d have to say any Colorado ski resort (Vail, Snowmass, Aspen, or Beaver Creek) would be my favorite vacation spot if I had to choose.
Favorite food or drink while vacationing? I love Spanish food — tapas-style dining is my favorite because you get a little bite of everything. It’s like your own little smorgasbord. When I traveled to Madrid and Barcelona in college, I was in total heaven. I must’ve gained 15 pounds in the week I was there. I love the attention to detail that goes into each dish. . . . Who knew that something as small as a lamb meatball could have so many ingredients? And churros — need I say more?
Where would you like to travel to but haven’t? I’ve been really fortunate to have the opportunity to travel a lot. In college, I studied abroad in London, England (one of my favorite places in the world), and was able to explore some of the UK’s European neighbors. But I must say that Europe is my favorite continent of them all and I’d love to continue to explore. I’ve never been to Belgium; I’d love to explore more of Germany, to return to Italy and France. . . . The list goes on. When I was abroad, I was surrounded by other American students and I don’t think I had the opportunity to let the culture really seep into my bones. But, the stars have aligned and “Pippin’’ is going to Amsterdam in March. It’s a dream come true to have the opportunity to go back to Europe.
One item you can’t leave home without when traveling? Remember Bert and Ernie? The Muppets? Yeah. Since I was a kid, I always had an Ernie doll — a little stuffed Ernie Muppet doll. I bring him with me everywhere. Embarrassing? Yeah. Necessary? Definitely.
Aisle or window? Those who know me know I have the weakest bladder in the entire world. It’s actually something that I should probably get checked out. [Laughs] I am always peeing! Every day before the show I think “This is it. This is the show where I pee my pants onstage.’’ Luckily, I’ve been good so far. So, definitely the aisle seat — preferably by a bathroom.
Favorite childhood travel memory? In seventh grade we had a family reunion in Maui, Hawaii. That was awesome — especially for a seventh-grade boy with unlimited food, sugar, and playtime. For two weeks, too. The only downside to that trip was the massive sunburn I got by day two — but it made for a good tan later on.
Guilty pleasure when traveling? Chocolate. Chocolate. Oh yeah, and chocolate.
Best travel tip? Plan ahead. Make sure you know what you want to do and where you want to go. I’ve tried to “wing it’’ before and I ended up in the middle of Alexanderplatz [in Berlin] not knowing where the hell I was. Find the things that you like to do — visit museums, walk in parks, eat good food — and make little itineraries for each day you’re traveling. Don’t be afraid to ask the locals for their favorite places, too — they’re often not touristy and have authenticity and charm.
JULIET PENNINGTON
