By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Media Services
December 4, 2012
One of Pat Benatar’s best-known songs is “Love is a Battlefield.” But for the four-time Grammy-winning singer and her long-time husband, guitarist Neil Giraldo, 57, love is hardly a struggle. The couple has collaborated for more than three decades, with Giraldo writing and arranging some of her biggest hits. Thanks to a prolific touring schedule, the twosome has been around the world and say they get along famously, whether on tour or on vacation. Benatar, 59, and Giraldo are so in tune with each other that they often speak as one, finishing each other’s sentences. For upcoming tour information, check out http://benatargiraldo.com.
Q. Where are you based these days?
Neil Giraldo: We live in Malibu, but we also enjoy getting to spend time at our home in Hawaii.
Q. What untapped destination should people know about?
Pat Benatar: Wyoming. You never hear people talk about Wyoming, but it’s a beautiful state. It’s clean, and we have met some really cool and nice people while visiting there.
Q. Where did you perform your first concert together?
Neil Giraldo: The first show we performed together was at a club called My Father’s Place in New Jersey. It was in the fall of 1979, and it was in either early October or late September.
Q. What is your favorite vacation destination?
Pat Benatar: We love to visit Idaho in the winter. In the fall, areas that we enjoy spending time in are Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Early fall when the colors turn in the Midwest is also a beautiful place to be for us.
Q. Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
Pat Benatar: Going to the Santa Barbara area. It’s quick and it is also easy to get to and is just a great place for getting away.
Q. What’s it like when you’re traveling for shows?
Neil Giraldo: When we’re on the road, we are on our custom tour bus that’s equipped with things like a refrigerator, televisions and other items that we need. There are also a lot of people around. But when we’re on our own as a family, there’s no entourage and we like to travel by car instead of using other forms of transportation.
Q. What are your favorite hotels?
Neil Giraldo: We like to stay at any Ritz-Carlton hotel. Most of them are just fantastic. We like Four Seasons hotels as well. Beautiful, boutique hotels are great to stay at too.
Q. What are your five favorite cities?
Pat Benatar: New York, Dallas, Boston, Boise and Chicago are definitely on the list for our top cities to visit.
Q. Where have you traveled to that most reminded you of home?
Neil Giraldo: It’s New York.
Q. Where would you like to go that you have never been before?
Pat Benatar: A beautiful island like Bora Bora.
Q. When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
Neil Giraldo: The items that are definite must-haves are a portable washer and dryer. Pat finds doing laundry relaxing. Other items that have to go everywhere with us are golf clubs, running shoes, a jump rope, a teapot for green tea in the morning. That teapot is a big one.
Pat Benatar: And a good cap to wear for wild morning hair for Neil.
Q. What would be your fantasy trip?
Neil Giraldo: For us, a dream trip destination would be having one-way tickets to Italy. It would be great to go to Sicily.
Q. What are your favorite restaurants?
Neil Giraldo: When we’re in New York, it is Cafe Boulud. Jezebel’s was a soul food place that we liked going to in New York. The food was so good there, especially the chicken, but it disappeared!
Pat Benatar: When we are in Chicago, we love going to Table Fifty-Two.
Q. What is your guilty pleasure when you’re on the road?
Neil Giraldo: Great ice cream is definitely a guilty pleasure for us! Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt in Ohio could possibly be the best ice cream in America.
Pat Benatar: A couple of other guilty pleasures are great cigars and, of course, playing golf. These are thoroughly enjoyed by Neil.
Q. What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
Neil Giraldo: Before we pack up and hit the road, Pat likes to do research on hotels and resorts that have great spas. Those things are important to her. For me, it’s about golf courses. I love being able to play golf along with getting to work out and go running before doing a show when we’re on tour.
© 2012 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
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