Night of a Thousand Candles

Night of a Thousand Candles is an annual event at Brookgreen Gardens where the gardens are transformed into a spectacular winter wonderland.  The gardens are beautiful by day as well, but seeing them at night is completely different, especially when the old oaks are draped in white lights and candles appear to glide on water.  It is absolutely stunning.  Visitors can make an entire evening out of this event since there are three entertainment tents that you can circle through, and with a full food menu and beverages, there are plenty of options to fill your belly.  Here are some photos to transport you there:

Ben took me for the first time last year (I know! It's hard to believe I have lived on the Grand Strand for so many years and had never been to this), and I was blown away with how spectacular it was.  We went this year on the opening weekend, and it was, again, very impressive.  I stood and walked in awe at the beauty of this seemingly magical place.  Our friends Brian and Nancy also joined us this year, and it was great to watch them as they were seeing everything for the first time.  We also listened to some of the musical entertainment and indulged in some delicious food.  This year it was much warmer, so we were able to enjoy being outside in the cool night air.  My personal favorite is the Palmetto garden where they have large Chinese-style lanterns weaving between the trees above the pathway.  You feel as if you have been transported to some fictional land, until you are almost run over by someone in a wheelchair or a family with three strollers and kids running about.  I think this is a great family event, and it is great to see children enjoying the lights.  An "adult only" evening would be wonderful, even if it was on a weeknight.  I would be willing to pay a little extra to not have to be bumping into strollers and hearing crying children.  It would definitely lend itself to being a peaceful night, where guests really can be transported into a magical place.  It was a very enjoyable evening regardless, and it is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.
This is definitely a must see!  If you can't make it during the Christmas season, Brookgreen Gardens is still a very beautiful place to visit, especially in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom.  Just don't forget those allergy meds!
http://www.brookgreen.org/NOTC.cfm

Sweet Home Alabama

Thanksgiving brought us to Foley, Alabama to visit my maternal grandparents for the long weekend.  Ben was a great sport, making the 11+ hour car ride with us, and we had a nice visit, a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, and explorations along the Gulf Coast.  Saturday, Ben and I had the opportunity to take a drive into Gulf Shores and head east towards Orange Beach.  We drove along the ocean road, comparing the resort atmosphere that we are so familiar with in Myrtle Beach, and admiring the large expanse of state park that splits highway 182.  Ben took some pictures of the beach resorts, and we took a nice walk through the fluffy, white sands along the Gulf Coast.

That afternoon, we went to downtown Foley for some more exploration.  The old train station that was part of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad is a centerpiece of the downtown area.  There are 4 stationary cars on the old tracks, including the engine and a caboose.

We also looked at the Magnolia Inn, which is a large bed and breakfast on Main Street.  There is quite a juxtaposition between the historical architecture of the main house, the modern connecting bridge to the restaurant with a gigantic crystal chandelier, and the Art Nouveau influenced sign in the front lawn.  As it was adorned for the holiday season, it drew even more attention to itself, so we decided to step inside.  The inside was no less bizarre and over the top.  Large classical architectural elements, including oversized pediments and busts, adorned the main lounge area off the entry, and the furniture was extremely traditional and stiff.  In the word of my grandmother, "The furniture in the lounge is the most uncomfortable furniture I have ever had to sit in."

It was quite interesting taking in all of these elements, but it seems that much of the South chooses to be "over the top."  Regardless of the styles, it seems that the proprietor of this particular establishment chose whichever style was her liking to incorporate into the decor and exterior of the property.  Not exactly the best idea, but somehow in all the hodge-podge of the mess that was this bed and breakfast, there was a distinct charm to it.  It had a home-like quality, where everything had a story and history to it, and that if the walls could talk, they would have some interesting stories to tell of all the people that had come through the doors.  Much of the South is like this, and we have much more exploring to do...

Auburn

A stop at Auburn's campus on the way to the Gulf coast was a nice break for us on our car trip to my grandparent's house.  We were able to look around the campus, see Toomer's oaks, and check out the architecture building.  It is another beautiful college campus.