Touring the Historic Tennessee Theatre

A week ago, the southern beau and I attended a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic Tennessee Theatre located on Gay Street in Knoxville, and I wanted to share some of the pictures I took of the gorgeous facility. Opening in 1928 as a silent movie house, it’s the Official State Theatre of Tennessee as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The theatre is designed in the Spanish Moorish style, and was totally restored prior to its grand re-opening in 2005. Even down to the carpet pattern, styles and designs are as authentic as they could get to match what it would have been back in its hey day.

The first film to play at the Tennessee Theatre back in the 1920s was The Fleet’s In, staring the IT girl herself, Clara Bow. Since then the theatre has been a place to see movies, concerts, musicals and even hold your wedding or high school prom.

I was lucky enough to perform on the stage of the Tennessee Theatre while in college when my sorority competed in the annual All Sing competition. This was prior to the renovations, but it was still an awesome experience.

One of my best friends saw Les Miserables there this week and I’m trying not to be too jealous. It’s just such a wonderful venue to see a show. The grandeur of it sort of overtakes you and creates a really magical time.

Have you ever been to the Tennessee Theatre? If not, I highly recommend you go. And even if you can’t see a show, just take a peek in the lobby.

Are you a person who enjoys attending live performances? What was the last great show you saw? Or if it’s been awhile, what’s the next one you’re dreaming of seeing?

147 Years After the Burning of Atlanta

I don’t remember the first time I saw Gone with the Wind as a child nor all the subsequent viewings thereafter (there were many), but I vaguely remember the first time I saw it after learning that many aspects of the story’s setting and background happenings had really taken place once upon a time.

Probably the scene which had the most impact on me as a child was the burning of Atlanta by Sherman and his men. I’d be on the edge of my seat watching as Rhett tried to coax that poor horse, with Scarlett’s shawl over its eyes, through the depot as the flames leapt around them. Even though I knew they’d make it, I always watched as if anything could happen.

You might wonder why I’m mentioning this today. On November 15, 1864 General William Sherman and his men left the scorched ruins of Atlanta and began their march to the sea. To be clear, I’m no Civil War scholar…just your average southern girl with a blog celebrating life in the south. Those were dark times in our nation’s history…not the first, not the last, but  they helped shape what the south was to become, some good and some not so good. I like President Herbert Hoover’s quote in which he states “the supreme purpose of history is a better world.”

Thankfully the fair city of Atlanta rebuilt. It’s home to Coca-Cola, the Braves and Julia Sugarbaker…to me, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Grandeur in ruin {traveling adventures}

When you’ve vacationed in the same place for your entire life (in my case Ormond Beach, Florida) it can often be challenging to find new and different things to do. This most recent trip (last week) I managed to experience two new things…one of which I had dreamed about since childhood and the other I’d only recently discovered.

The childhood dream was visiting a certain landmark restaurant, but I’ll share more about that a little later. The other new thing we saw was an historical site we’d never heard of: the Calle Grande colonnade and arches.

In 1926, Walter C. Hardesty developed and built a luxury subdivision in Ormond Beach called Rio Vista on the Halifax. Hardesty made his fortune in manufacturing, creating arts and craft-style furniture in Dover, Ohio. By 1927 Rio Vista had a large hotel, 38 homes and more than 15 miles of paved roads. Hardesty wanted the experience of driving up to the site to be breathtaking so he constructed a set of formal marble arches as well as 20 columns on either side of the entrance, strategically positioned by a small canal.

We couldn’t believe the effort that must have gone into creating these gorgeous structures. If you’re wondering what happened to Rio Vista and Mr. Hardesty’s dreams as a real estate mogul, everything pretty much halted with the stock market collapse and the Depression. But these ruins still serve as a reminder of a grander time. And to think they have been there all these years right under our noses.

Do you venture out and find new sights to see even when visiting a beloved, well-known locale?