A Weekend in Atlanta

Last weekend found us in Atlanta for a conference. Long car trips make me ever-so-grateful for the luxury of a DVD player in our car -- "Radio" and "Amazing Grace" on the way up, "North & South" on the way back! While my dad and sister were tied up in meetings, my mother and I explored the Atlanta area. While I was looking for Atlanta area attractions, I discovered historic Roswell, a little town just north of where we stayed. Barrington Hall is a beautiful mansion, built in 1842 by Barrington King.

We were treated to a "private tour" (apparently Thursday mornings aren't busy for them!), led by a very knowledgeable and chatty tour guide.

And the gardens! Oh, the gardens!

There was also a massive pecan tree, growing on the site of the old kitchens (which burned down in 1902 -- apparently it was a good idea to have the kitchen separate from the house!).

Roswell is a delightful little place, full of antique stores, cafes, and charm. I highly recommend a visit, especially if you have a few hours to spend puttering about! The next day we drove through Druid Hills, the neighborhood filmed in the 1989 classic, "Driving Miss Daisy." Tree-lined streets, beautiful homes from the 20's and 30's, and lovely gardens...

 

For lunch we stopped by the Swan Coach House, which is just adjacent to the Atlanta History Center. We had visited the History Center a few years ago -- it includes the gorgeous Swan House mansion, located on the property.

And I have to post a photo of Swan House from our previous visit! It's just too lovely for words!

To finish up our visit, we headed to nearby Chamblee and loitered in antique shops for a few hours. What bliss! My favorite places are the "hidden treasure" shops, where everything is jumbled together. The shop pictured below was the sort of place TGIFridays would get their restaurant decor! I couldn't decide between the miniature giraffe and the giant spoon...

 

It's always amazing how good it is to return home after traveling, no matter how short a jaunt it may be. And even when "home" consists of boxes, handtrucks, and packing peanuts. Wouldn't it be much more glamorous to arrive home via ruby red slippers, rather than a Honda Odyssey!