What June Diane Raphael Can’t Travel Without

The actor and comedian June Diane Raphael has starred in television shows as varied as “The Bachelor” spoof “Burning Love,and “Grace & Frankie.” Co-written with the author Kate Black, her book, “Represent: The Woman’s Guide to Running for Office and Changing the World,” will be published Sept. 3.

Ms. Raphael has two children with her husband, Paul Scheer, the actor. A vacation with children is, she says, “a work trip.”

“One with tons of enjoyment and fun, but I’ve had to really divorce myself from the word ‘vacation’ because it implies something that is relaxing and luxurious, and when you have small children and you’re traveling, there’s just so much grit and hard work that goes into it.”

When she gets a chance, she loves to head to the most decadent hotel she can find; she treats herself to one every Mother’s Day.

“I love the Four Seasons, I love the Peninsula. I love being in a robe. I am the person who will use every amenity offered to me and provided to me. I want to go to the gym, I want to go to the spa, I need a service, I will be in every hot tub, I will be in it all.”

Here’s what she can’t travel without.

“I do love those Away suitcases. I can’t say enough about this bag. To me it’s just a smooth operator, I just enjoy the sensory experience.”

“I’m never proud of what I’m buying, but I’m definitely like, ‘oh, what is this Kate Middleton story? I’ll be picking you up, and I’ll be picking you up, Domino, and I’ll be picking you up, O magazine.’ The royal stuff is what really draws me. I’m like, ‘where are Meghan and Harry?’ So whatever publication they’re on, from Us Weekly magazine to OK!, I’m going to be purchasing.”

“I just read ‘Thick: And Other Essays’ by Tressie McMillan Cottom, and I loved it. It’s one of those books where I read an essay, had to reread it, had to look up all the footnotes, do some other reading around it. It was just such a deep dive, and it’s such a wild mixture of academic research and data and intellectual thought and personal experience and her own sort of vulnerable writing.”

“Both of my parents have passed away and I have their mass cards, which have pictures on them, with me at all times. So that’s a very personal thing that I travel with, and then when I’m on set or if I’m on location, those come with me and I put them out, and if I’m in a hotel room for a while, I’ll put them out. And it’s just a lovely reminder and reflection, and a way to have them with me.”

“I usually do a lot of work on airplanes and it’s that kind of sustained, focused work that I’m not often able to do in my everyday life. Then if that’s done or if my computer runs out of juice, I will head into a movie or a TV show. I find myself more emotional on fights. I think there’s something about not being on earth, but not being dead. I’m more vulnerable and my emotions are more available. I’ve had several experiences on flights where I’ve watched a movie and have been crying hysterically to the point where people are like, ‘Are you O.K., ma’am?’ So I have to be wary of not watching anything that’s really triggering.”

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.


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