Leslie's Favorite Travel Smells (from In Scents, 2/01)

diesel fumes, horse dung, Chanel No. 5, wet dog, cheeses wrapped in waxed papers, green wines, Hai Karate, Maribou chocolates, damp stone, mowed lawn, old books, turpentine, aging cordura luggage, and Dektol.

Jeremy Hart's Favorite Places (So Far) In Ireland (see also In Search of Irish Chowder, 4/01)

5. The waterfall in Powerscourt Deerpark, just outside Dublin. It's a big hangout for Dubliners on sunny, warm days, but doesn't seem to get all that many real tourists, which is kind of nice, and the waterfall's great.

4. The Wicklow Way, a hiking trail that winds south from Dublin. Not well-marked, unfortunately, but the scenery along the way's amazing. (Just watch out for the midges & flies during the warmer months -- they bite.)

3. The An Spailpin Finac pub in Cork, supposedly *the* oldest bar in Ireland...which is saying something, since at least one bar in Dublin proudly displays the King's Charter that opened the place back in the 16th century or so. Particularly fun if there's a band playing.

2. The southern coast, down near Cork & Mizen Head, which is especially cool if you stop in at The Sea Urchin in Goleen for dinner. Incredible food, and the staff are great people; I ended up chatting for quite a bit with the chef -- he's Irish, but grew up in Phoenix, of all places...

1. And at the absolute top of the list, the monastic "city" of Glendalough. A popular tourist spot, but even the hordes can't disturb the tranquility of this place -- it was one of THE centers of learning in Ireland in ancient times, hanging onto knowledge even through the Dark Ages, when nobody else really did. Awe-inspiring, truly.

Terrorist Demands

Air mail stamps. A typewriter.
Vicks Vap-O-Rub. Pez.

Scotch tape. A fountain pen.
Chocolate frappes. Scones.

The sound and taste of night trains.
Fantasy Island. The smell of lint.

Kickball. Sand pits. Milkweed.
A bird still singing from childhood.

Baking soda. Steel guitars.
Red wine, thumb tacks, twine.

Silver Surfer, Silly Putty, Seaside.
Wildwood, WorldÌs End, French fries.

Grace Kelly leaning into the frame to exquisitely kiss
a snoozing Jimmy Stewart in slow-mo.

This cast iron bathtub,
and in the middle, stillness.

- Ethan Gilsdorf