Since they met, model Helen Owen and The Bachelorette star Zack Kalter have been traveling the world together. Here, the jet-setting duo discuss their favorite global destinations, their wellness essentials and their new photo-editing app, The Phlow.
Zack Kalter and Helen Owen share a romantic meal in Tuscany. PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACK KALTER AND HELEN OWEN, EDITED WITH THE PHLOW (THEPHLOW.COM)
How did the two of you first meet?
HO: We actually first met in Cabo, Mexico! We were both there to take part in a TV commercial along with another couple who were also in the commercial. We spent our first few days aft er meeting each other filming this commercial for a backpack company, which consisted of activities such as riding ATVs on the beach, sunset cruises, zip lining, etc.
ZK: Yeah, it’s funny looking back now because that trip in Cabo was almost foreshadowing for all the adventuring that was to come. Not to mention it was also a really fun way to first meet someone!
Your Insta feed offers serious travel inspo... What are some of your favorite destinations you have visited together?
HO: When we think back to some of our favorite places, those places and experiences are always highlighted by specific memories we have tied to each trip. Of all the places we’ve been, Greece holds a very tender place in our memories because it’s where we first really began to fall in love!
ZK: All that magic surrounding the initial attraction between us—before we were even official—took place in Santorini and Mykonos, and whenever we think of our favorite place, that one is top of mind. Since then we’ve been back to Greece four or five times together. We also absolutely loved Japan (snowboarding in Niseko!), and the Swiss Alps really was something else. Oh, and of course we can’t forget Italy… hard to beat those Italian summers!
Kalter and Owen rely on Athletic Greens as a multivitamin PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACK KALTER AND HELEN OWEN, EDITED WITH THE PHLOW (THEPHLOW.COM)
What destinations are still on your bucket list?
HO & ZK: High on our bucket list [is] Machu Picchu, Peru; Finland; Antarctica… oh, and we want to see the pyramids in Egypt.
Hilma resolves digestive discomfort. PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACK KALTER AND HELEN OWEN, EDITED WITH THE PHLOW (THEPHLOW.COM)
How do you balance the sometimes-toxic nature of social media with staying grounded and keeping a healthy mindset?
ZK: I think I do a pretty good job of staying levelheaded despite social media’s tendency to be toxic and triggering—I’ve just learned to not let things get to me, especially when coming from strangers on the internet. I always remind myself that we’re all human and we all have our own issues. All we can control is our own mind and attitude toward life.
HO: Me on the other hand, I tend to be a little more sensitive… so whenever I know I’m in a more fragile state mentally, I remove myself from the comment section, the newsfeed or my DMs to protect my energy. I think it’s important to be in tune with yourself enough to have the self-awareness to know when it’s time to put your phone down and focus on what’s physically around you instead of the online world.
How do you stay fit while traveling?
HO: We actually aren’t too strict about having a specific workout regimen while we’re traveling like we do at home. Depending on the trip, we usually stay active with walks, hikes, swimming, skiing, etc. While traveling, I love to find local Pilates classes to try, but in general we take it easier while traveling as we’re usually working hard and expending enough energy in other ways, namely creating content.
ZK: Yes, you might be surprised but (great) content creation is exhausting. You have to be creative and have the stamina to shoot multiple locations, hike to get to a secluded spot, wait for the right lighting, etc. It can be mentally and physically draining, but it’s always rewarding. As far as staying fit, I keep it simple and work out whenever I can. Thirty pushups or air squats here and there throughout the day does more than you think.
What are some of your current wellness essentials and why do you love them? (For travel and at home: supplements, skincare, apps, etc.)
HO: We have a few favorites! We both love SuperYou from Moon Juice—it’s an adaptogenic stress-management pill that helps with brain fog and mental clarity. We also love Athletic Greens as a multivitamin that we always travel with, and lately we have been obsessed with Hilma for any kind of digestive discomfort—happens a lot while traveling! Oh, and magnesium for winding down at the end of the day.
ZK: Yes, ditto to all of that. I will also travel with plant-based protein mix to have handy when I need it.
What other projects are you working on now?
HO: We have a huge new endeavor in the creative space that we are so head over heels excited for. Over the past couple years, we have built a creative community surrounding our photo editing process called The Phlow (thephlow.com).
SuperYou from Moon Juice helps with brain fog and mental clarity PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACK KALTER AND HELEN OWEN, EDITED WITH THE PHLOW (THEPHLOW.COM)
ZK: Yes! During quarantine I really dove head in and built a professional editing tool that anyone can use. It’s been extremely successful for our Phlow community, so the next logical step was to build an app! We are so pumped for this next venture into the app world and can’t wait to build this community into something special. As I always say: We are all creators.
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