Kilkenny, Ireland

This beautiful medieval city may be my favorite place in Ireland. On my first visit 10 years ago, I fell in love with the narrow winding streets, the river valleys and Kilkenny Castle. On my most recent visit a few months ago, I spent time walking the quiet streets, exploring the churchyards and drinking and dining at local restaurants. I seriously wondered how I could relocate my family to live there for a few months a year. Alas, family commitments keep me in Chicago, but it's Kilkenny that I dream of.
Kilkenny is a popular weekend destination for Dubliners who want to escape the big city for a small village with a thriving social scene. The nightlife in Kilkenny is well known and well deserved. The winding streets are lined with pubs featuring nightly music and entertainment. If you are not interested in visiting Kilkenny for the night life, then come for the food. Surprisingly, my favorite Italian restaurant (probably until I visit Italy in 2007), is located in Kilkenny. Ristorante Rinuccini is located across the street from the Castle at 1 The Parade. This excellent restaurant is on the first floor of a charming townhome and proprietors Antonio and Marion Cavaliere also rent luxury rooms above the restaurant. The service is top notch and personal and the food was unforgettable.
When in Kilkenny, a visit to Kilkenny Castle is a must. The castle is operated by the OPW (Office of Public Works) and tickets for castle tours must be bought the day of the tour. Weekends sell out quickly, mostly by tour bus visitors, but if you arrive before the castle office opens, you can queue up for tickets. The castle is beautifully restored and the 45 minute tour is a glimpse inside a past time. While waiting for your appointed tour time, explore the castle grounds which are immense and give an excellent view of the castle and the river is sits upon. When inside, you'll see the Long Gallery, an amazing vaulted room covered from floor to ceiling in portraits and tapestries. On a cozier scale is the Library and Drawing Room, beautifully restored with gold fabric walls, red brocade drapes and sitting areas centered around large windows, fireplaces and bookshelves. The neatest feature...the fabric wall coverings cover horse hair stuffed walls which insulated the rooms but also created a major fire hazard.
Shopping in Kilkenny is excellent and half the fun is stumbling upon shops as you walk the curvy lanes. Both my husband and I bought coats here and a few trinkets for our home. After a day of shopping, the fun of Kilkenny is the nightlife. My favorite place is the infamous Kyteler's Inn, a rustic and charming historic pub with a shocking history and a resident ghost. The best Irish music we heard on our trip was in this pub. And a must for dinner or a drink is Langton House, an unbelievable place which accommodates a hotel and 2 bars with gorgeous private courtyards and a ballroom, all secretly located behind an unassuming brick storefront. Absolutely one of the most amazing locations for a destination wedding I can think of.
Accommodations are varied and most are within walking distance of the center of town. We stayed at the Kilkenny River Court hotel, located across the River Nore from Kilkenny Castle. The rooms were cheaply decorated, but the inner private courtyard parking and views of the Castle made this hotel a nice 1 night stay.

Madrid

I visited Spain in November 2005 and hope to return within the next year. Easily a country I could see living in permanently. The people know how to live, when to work, when to relax and how to eat.
I spent a few days in Madrid and while it was definitely not one of my favorite destinations, I did find certain aspects of the city wonderful. The Prado Museum is breathtaking and worth an entire day. The great Spanish painters, Velazquez and Goya are prominent as are an amazing collection of nudes by Ruben, Titian and others. The audioguide is well worth the money and a fun way to learn about the art.
The nightlife in Madrid is legendary and well worth the reputation. Try the areas around the Plaza de Santa Barbara or Paseo de la Castellana. The hardest adjustment at the beginning of my stay, was adapting to the late, late nights. Restaurants don't even open until 8 or 9 in the evening and leaving for a dinner reservation at 11:00 p.m. was the norm. The food is more than tapas, beer is local and the wine, well I can't say enough about the wine. After dinner, strolling the cobblestone streets at 1 or 2 in the morning, with thousands of people, families and tourists is really an experience.
Avoid the public transportation, pickpockets are rampant. Cabs are easy to hail but walking is the best way to see Madrid.
Another memorable experience, a massage in my hotel room. Definitely not like in America. Full body and totally naked. And EVERYTHING was massaged. My husband loves that story.

Florida

I just returned from a few days visiting family in Florida. From my experiences with travelers, people either love Florida or they hate it. I am a Florida fan. While growing up, my parents had homes in Florida and Colorado and when my sister and I were not in school in Illinois, we were growing up on the beaches of Florida or the ski hills of Colorado. I had a large group of friends in the small town of Gulfport Florida were we lived and have kept in touch with many of them during the last 25 years.
I had a lot more freedom as a teenager in Florida than in Illinois, maybe it was the freedom of a lifestyle lived on the beach where your main concern of the day was trying to fit in a swim before the afternoon rains.
As an adult living in the Chicago area we often have 4 seasons in 1 day so about this time of year I start craving Florida, clear warm nights, the smell of salt water and the boardwalk of Gulfport.
My parents currently live in Punta Gorda, which was heavily damaged by a hurricane a few years ago. They live on a waterway in a lovely home with a warm pool. The community where they live is a maze of streets, all backed by waterways or golf courses. The small town feel of where I grew up in Gulfport is absent, mainly because Punta Gorda is a newer planned community and because so many buildings were blown away in the hurricane.
During my previous visit last winter, I was able to spend a day driving up the coast to the St. Pete Beach area and visiting Gulfport. My grandparents home is still standing on Beach Blvd, but is sadly neglected since it was sold a few years ago. Gulfport under went a transformation in the late 90's and early 2000's when it was discovered as the quaint sleepy bay town it is. Many of the small storefronts were bought and the waterfront downtown area was transformed into a artist community and gay friendly place to life. Gulfport is tiny, but along the beach there are numerous restaurants and bars that throw their french doors open so you can mingle in between strolls on the beach. The Casino is also a favorite place, especially with the Seniors on dance nights. There are no decent hotels in Gulfport, but there are a few charming B&B's near the beach. Across the bay you can see the buildings on St. Pete Beach which is only a 15 minutes drive.
St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille Beach, home of the famous Don CeSar Hotel (pink castle), is a favorite spring break destination. I grew up pool hopping, sunbathing and skim boarding with friends on this beach and know every restaurant and bar for miles. It is still my favorite place in the world to go and relax. If you happen to be in the area, don't miss The Hurricane Restaurant. The roof top bar is the best place for a grouper sandwich, a beer, a game of pool and the perfect view of a Florida sunset.

Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland

While driving through Ireland on my most recent visit, I visited Kinsale, a small coastal village on the south-west coast. Kinsale is a culinary and scenic treasure and well worth a visit when visiting the Emerald Isle. I stayed at Harbour Lodge, owned and operated by a friendly local man named Peter. The accommodations were superior and meals were prepared by request using locally grown food. My room had a small balcony with breathtaking views of the harbour and there is simply no comparison to waking up to the sounds of the marina and Irish fisherman.
Next door to the Harbour Lodge is the Spinnacker Pub, a cozy place which is perfect for a pint on a rainy night. Next to the Spinnacker is the Harbour Bar, absolutely the most eccentric establishment I have ever stepped into. A waterfront house where the owner operates a pub out of his living room, is cozy, cluttered and bizarre. He lives upstairs and comes down to serve a pint to visitors. He'll gladly start a fire for you and tell you stories of his life and his visitors. Why this place is worth a visit, the beer selection is amazing and you'll never find a stranger place for a drink in Ireland.
While in Kinsale, don't miss a visit to Charles Fort, a star shaped fortress built in the 17th century with cliff tops views of the harbour it protects. A short walk from the Fort is The Bulman, a charming waterfront pub where you can sample a pint or two in front of one of their roaring fireplaces.
For great local music, try the The Spaniard, also exceptional for a meal. And for unforgettable fish, a meal at Fishy Fishy is a must. Visitors come from all over the world to sample their food and you won't be disappointed.