Irene Rawlings
April 2020
Apr 15, 2020Madeira’s Mesmerizing Natural Beauty
DRAMATIC MOUNTAINS. INTOXICATING VISTAS. Spring-like weather. And 5-star hotels. All this originally attracted an older, moneyed crowd to the Portuguese island of Madeira — located in the Atlantic, 700 miles from the Portuguese mainland. George Bernard Shaw learned to tango on the lawn of the iconic Reid’s Palace Hotel (now a Belmond). Sir Winston Churchill came here to paint the island’s staggeringly beautiful seascapes.
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Hit the High Notes in Nashville
Nashville’s once-modest skyline continues to evolve as its luxury market grows. Lavish hotel properties are added to the landscape while acclaimed chefs stake claim in the robust culinary scene and premier cultural offerings round out the city’s repertoire.
February 2020
Feb 4, 2020Check the Northern Lights Off your Bucket-List
MY OBSESSION WITH AURORA BOREALIS (northern lights) started in my grandma’s attic. I was there to help her clean out “old junk,” but instead I sat with a pile of old National Geographic magazines — riveted by spectacular photos of northern lights that seemed to shimmer and dance right there on the page.