Over the Mississippi River and Through the Woods

Polar Express

To Grandmother’s house we go! (With a little detour through Memphis for sister-in-law’s college graduation.) Sing with me… the horse knows the way, to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow. Hey!

Me and the husband are off for our Christmas holiday in Kentucky. But not to worry, we have plenty of posts lined up for you, so you won’t be without your Sweet Iced Tea through the holidays!

One wonderful way to get over the river and through the woods in true magical style is to take a train. While I love trains in any way, shape, or form (so much better than flying — romantic, less security hassle, more leg room), it would be so much fun to take a train ride (especially with little ones) on the Polar Express.

Many trains are offering Polar Express rides during the holidays, complete with Santa, hot chocolate and ringing bells, and an invitation to wear your pjs!

There are many available, right here in our own South, or if you’re traveling (well, bless your hearts), all around the country.

Here is one at the Charleston Inn. Another in the Great Smokey Mountains of Bryson City, North Carolina (some little friends of mine participated in this one last year and loved it!). Florida, Alabama, and around the country!

If you somehow missed this classic children’s story, go and find it immediately. But for most of us that are familiar with Chris Van Allsburg’s story (or the more recent Tom Hanks movie), the rides recreate the experience.

All you must do is believe! All aboard!

Ice, Ice Baby!

If you happen to live in the deep South, as I do at the moment, snow and ice are just things we don’t see much in this (still) 80 degree weather.

That is, unless you can make it to Orlando at the Gaylord Palms for the ICE! exhibit. Complete with millions of pounds of hand-carved ice slides, sculptures, and even a carosel, this winter wonderland is just waiting to be explored at Christmastime and all winter long.

Just another Southern destination suggestion for any Southerner out there wanting to have a white Christmas! Head South!

Tender Tennessee Christmas

If you’re still looking for a destination to spend your (hopefully, white) Christmas, I’ve got a few suggestions to share with you over the next few days.

Trinity Music City (formerly Twitty City)

For the first of these, I suggest a state in the heart of the South – Tennessee. I spent a good few years of my childhood in Nashville, spending long days at Opryland Theme Park, and Twitty City in Hendersonville (now owned by Trinity, but I hear it’s still twinkly with lights). While these landmarks are gone today, Nashville is still a magical place to spend the holidays.

The Opryland Hotel

We always went for a Christmas meal and a stroll around the Opryland Hotel atrium. They decorate lavishly, and it’s just like a magical gingerbread house with what seems like a million lights. I even hear that since my days, they have a Rockettes Christmas Spectacular show there, so if you get a chance to wander into this beautiful hotel, take advantage.

If you’re looking for another traditional place to stay, check out the Hermitage. The have special rates and packages for Christmas, and the hotel is beautiful.

One of my favorite memories is a visit to the Nashville Parthenon. Modeled after the original Parthenon in Greece, the monument and statue are full-size. It’s also filled with art, but it’s closed Christmas Eve and Christmas day, so make sure you plan your schedule around a visit.

I remember my parents always took a ride on the Southern showboat the General Jackson. Named after (who else?) Andrew Jackson, the famous Tennessean, there are always country or gospel shows aboard, and during the holiday season there is a Christmas in Music City show, featuring Christmas songs new and old.

If you’re after a little shopping, the Opryland mall is your place. It’s huge, and filled with many outlet stores to get the best prices.

And the classic Nashville experience — the Grand Ole Opry House. You can’t miss this monument to country music. Each week, they host the a radio show, and they’ve got some great shows lined up for this holiday season. But if you can’t make it to a show, be sure to take a tour of this Music City landmark.

Where are you spending your holidays?

Around the South: Week of December 13th, 2009

There’s so much going on around the South!

We here at SIT wish we could get to each and every one of our events, but alas, we have families and jobs and well, a normal-sized pocketbook. But we have friends in Southern places – you!

So each week (we’ll try and post these on Mondays, so you can plan your week), we’ll post a little sampling about what goes on around our parts of the world. Isn’t the South great? There’s always much to see and do.

Our only request is that you report back to us, okay? Send us pictures, other events you may know of, anything! We consider you far and wide our friends, so let’s have a little chat, ok.

Lexington, Kentucky

• Southern Lights 2009 in Lexington, KY from November 20- December 31. A dazzling array of lights through the Kentucky Horse Park complete with a petting zoo, pony and camel rides and craft vendors.
• Christmas in the Park in Elizabethtown, KY from November 26-Jan 1. More than 100 holiday light displays (over 1 million lights) on Freeman Lake.
• Winter Wonderland in Owensboro, KY from November 27-Jan 1. This really sounds like the best one around! They have tons of holiday happenings including the tri-state’s largest outdoor skating rink. Free ice skating on Mondays!
• Southern Living listed Louisville as one of the top five cities for a Southern Christmas! Light up Lake Forest: 1200 homeowners light up houses and lawns beginning the first week in December about 25 minutes from the city.

Many thanks to my friends, Laura and David, over at the Dawkins Narrative for many of the tips in my beloved Kentucky.

Moonpie Over Mobile for New Year’s Eve

Ok, Well it seems that we are on an Alabama kick today, but sometimes this can be fun! Stay with me…

I am always looking into new ideas, and places to visit for New Year’s Eve, and this is because each and every year my night is somewhat of a letdown. Perhaps, over the course of a year, I build up the perfect New Year evening idea in my head, and dream about some fairytale as prescribed by movies I love.  Nevertheless, I am still searching for the perfect New Year’s Eve.  While the National Championship might be in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, you could go to Mobile, Alabama and get in the BAMA spirit at the “Moonpie over Mobile” event for New Year’s Eve. 

The party includes live music, food (breakfast buffet..yummy), champagne, and party favors.  There is also something so intriguing about the idea of seeing a crane lift a large Moonpie over the city at midnight….Definitely something to think about!

Where are you going for New Year’s Eve?

Southern Living at ATL

Just another little something Southern to keep in your minds as you travel this Christmas season. If you’re flying in the South, most likely you’ll have a layover in Atlanta at some point or another.

Be sure to keep your eyes out for the Southern Living News store for a welcome break to all the hustle and bustle running to make that flight or waiting for hours between ‘em.

(It’s located in Concourse B and sorry for the bad shaky picture… I took it with my phone literally running to catch a flight — shock, our incoming was delayed and husband was about to pick me up and carry me if I didn’t come on, so there was no time to stop. Aren’t I a good friend for risking my life and limb just to take a picture for you, beloved readers?)

Daily Grocery Co-Op

Do you ever find a place that you think is so fascinating that you cannot help but tell everyone you know? It almost becomes infectious and just takes over.  I often feel that way about a new recipe, restaurant or a song that is simply amazing.  I pretty much feel this way about the Daily Grocery Co-Op in Athens, Georgia. 

Offering organic products (produce, deli, groceries, toiletries), the Daily seeks to respond to the needs of the community through ethical practices.  Membership is an option, but the store is also open to the public. 

You must see the vat of peanut butter in the back!

Road Trip Re-Cap

Ginger and I had a blast on our second annual road trip around the south, and we hope you enjoyed it as well. Hopefully, you discovered a new restaurant, store, learned a bit of history and just had plain fun! The 30 hours spent in the car was well worth each and every moment around our beloved south.  Truly, there is so much beauty and it isn’t hard to find.  All you really need to do is open your eyes.  Beauty is everywhere.  Here is a recap of all of our excitement.  Who knows where we will go next year, any suggestions?

Road Trip with Sweet Iced Tea

Road Trip Route

Chattanooga Pics

Chattanooga Pics, Part 2

Music Highway

Memories of the Chattanooga Choo-Choo

Pardon Me Boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo-Choo?

Pardon Me Boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo-Choo? Part 2

Oxford Square

University of Mississippi

Oxford, Mississippi Photos

Oxford, The Grove

Walkin’ in Memphis

Hotty Toddy

Amelia and Erin Austen Abbott

Amelia and Erin Austen Abbott, Part 2

Erin Austen Abbott

Athens, Georgia Home and Katie S.

Trappeze

Screen Door Series: Athens

Do you ever find yourself listening to a stranger’s conversation in a public place, or creating your own scenario of what might be happening between people when you cannot hear the words, but can read the body language?  Then I think you will understand where I am coming from, when I say I do this all of the time, and it even overflows into evening walks with my boyfriend.  We often walk in the evenings and I love his neighborhood.  Just love it.  Because so many of the homes are older and carry their own personalities, I tend to make up little stories in my head about their owners (who I do not know), and notice their décor as we stroll by.  I realize it might sound a bit strange, as I basically love looking into people’s houses, but it is fascinating to see how other people live. Just for the record, we are on a walk, so we do not stop and look into people’s homes.  Most observations are just casual comments on our evening stroll.   I know many of your Southern cities are great for this including, Charleston, which is perfect for walks of observation, especially at night. 

With this being said, we found the cutest screen door on our fall road trip in Athens, Georgia.  When I come across such delights, I instantly think of who and what could have lived in such a home. For example, could this home originally been a wedding gift to a young couple, who’s parents wanted their daughter to have a great social life thus moving her into the heart of Athens? All the while being funded by her banker father until the new husband found his footing?  As you well know, one must live in the best places to meet the best people and find the best jobs.  Of course, this is how many people lived “back in the day,” but perhaps over the years as the couple grew older the home became a burden to their children and they were obliged to sell.  As a result, the home is now occupied by a university professor or perhaps by an older man who lives his day to read the paper, smell a cup of coffee and walk the neighbor noticing the change in seasons.  He keeps things tidy, of course, and Horace, the cat brings him constant cheer and companionship.  Don’t fret over his companionship as he is very active in the Presbyterian Church around the corner, and sings in the choir each Sunday.  “God is good,” he says, and lives another grateful day. 

Really, I do not know the history behind this screen door, but it doesn’t stop me from dreaming.  If you think about all of the screen doors and the stories they carry with each swing, you will never be bored or tired for amusement. 

All pictures are from www.sweeticedtea.wordpress.com

Road Trip Feature: Erin Austen Abbott

Over the past few years my family began the most interesting process of beekeeping.  Since this time, there have been stings, harvests, and the most delicious honey.  On our fall trip around the south we met Erin Austen Abbott in her store, Amelia in Oxford, Mississippi.  To my amazement, Erin had these beautiful shots of beehives on the walls of her store.  With a simple inquiry and even further excitement, we found out that Erin herself was indeed the photographer. 

Below is the last segment of our interview with Erin.  I know you will enjoy these photos and appreciate the sheer simplicity, and creativity and also be reminded that bees are amazing insects! All of the pictures below are from Erin and she can be reached at erinaustenabbott@gmail.com for details.

Q:While shopping in your store I was overwhelmed by the beautiful beehive photographs, which as it turns out, you took yourself.  How did you decide to start a portfolio of beehives photos?  Is there anywhere you are hoping to take pictures of other beehives?

Well, thank you first off for your kind words with regards to my photography. When I start a new body of work, I sort-of become engrossed in the project. It becomes like the hunt in a thrift store for the perfect Pyrex bowl, just for example. I seek out a subject matter that leaves me searching. My last body of work was tornado shelters throughout Mississippi. I began a search and found dozens and dozens.

With that said, I once heard about how in New York City, local honey was sold and that each batch tasted different depending on which borough it came from. I was hooked. I had to know more. I began getting these images in my mind of a hive on a rooftop with the whole city behind them. I found some beekeepers and flew up to take their pictures. I am proud to say, I shot that image that I saw in my mind while starting this series. I say starting because I do have plans to shoot more. On my honeymoon in Paris this spring, I’m hoping to take some there, and in San Francisco and Chicago.  I have plans to take some rooftop beekeeper photos there as well. It’s definitely an ongoing project.

Thank you Erin for sharing your amazing photograhps, Amelia and your home with us!