Southern Breeze 2007 Holiday Issue

PLACES TO GO Many a traveler along I-10 has surely done a double take at the sight of the Battleship USS Alabama looming in Mobile Bay on the southern side of the I-10 bridge (which locals call the Bayway). After serving in World War II, this iconic landmark was once destined for the scrap heap, but a group of Mobilians—aided by Mobile’s schoolchildren, who collected coins for the effort—saved the battleship from imminent destruction and had it towed to its present location, where it opened to the public in 1965. Over the years, other military artifacts—the submarine USS Drum, as well as an assortment of aircraft housed in a pavilion at the Battleship Park—were added. Another Mobile landmark is the lovely Bellingrath Gardens, which in recent years have been looking better than ever thanks to the effort of Executive Director Bill Barrick, formerly of Callaway Gardens in Georgia, and his hardworking staff. There’s truly something blooming year-round at Bellingrath, but the standout months are March, when the azaleas are blooming; November, when crysanthemums are at their peak; and December, when Magic Christmas in Lights draws thousands for 42 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m BELLINGRATH IMAGES COURTESY OF BELLINGRATH HOME & GARDENS, USS ALABAMA IMAGE COURTESY OF MOBILE BAY CVB. S Speaking of history, Mobile is one of the oldest cities along the Gulf Coast. Founded in 1702 by the explorer Bienville, Mobile has been under six flags—French, Spanish, British, the Republic of Alabama, the Confederacy, and the United States—and the influence of each is apparent in its architecture, culture, and customs. The city is rooted in its past but, like the ancient oaks shading the city’s most picturesque thoroughfare, Government Street, Mobile is spreading its branches and always growing, while maintaining its beauty and charm. nightly walks through a winter wonderland created by millions of tiny lights strewn on wire forms. Though I had been to the gardens many times, I had never been inside the home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, so I went on a tour on a recent visit. Don’t miss the opportunity to talk to the delightful Tom McGehee, director of the Bellingrath Museum Home. A walking, talking history book, McGehee brings the home and gardens to life with his tales of the Bellingraths and his obvious affection for the couple who gave so much to Mobile by preserving their land and turning it into such a fabulous public garden. The home’s kitchen is a delightful time warp from the 1930s. Family photos on the table show how it looks just the same now as it did back then. I also took my first cruise aboard the Southern Belle, which is docked just down the hill from the Bellingrath home on Fowl River. This riverboat has an air-conditioned lower deck, complete with a bar (I recommend the pineapple juice and coconut rum concoction called the Bellingrath Cooler to set the mood for your gentle ride), but the covered upstairs deck is the place to sit and enjoy the view of this former cypress forest. The captain will entertain you with a bit of history of the river and point out sights along the way, including osprey nests. Another unusual way to witness the natural beauty surrounding Mobile is from the water along the Causeway crossing Mobile Bay between Mobile and Spanish Fort. Airboat rides offer a thrilling way to experience the Mobile River Delta. Capt. Geoff Woodliff of Delta Airboat Express guarantees to show you alligators along the way, and he will. A little farther east on the Causeway, the new 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, which opened earlier this year, rents canoes and kayaks to let you tour area waterways at your own pace. http://southernbreeze.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2007 Holiday Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Words & Notes Coastal Calendar Storefronts Sweet Dreams Art of Living Fixtures Our Backyard Make Yourself at Home Beach Bam! A Big Easy Christmas Upwardly Mobile Can't Drive Old Dixie Down Rock On! The Play's the Thing Cheers Dish Chef's Table Let's Eat Reader Services Last Bite

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