Huntington Beach and Atalaya

With Hurricane Florence bearing down on the Carolinas, I thought I would pay homage to an iconic coastal state park and the most recent of our coastal South Carolina adventures - Huntington Beach State Park. Huntington Beach (along with others including Myrtle Beach, Edisto Beach and Charles Towne Landing) has been closed until further notice due to mandatory hurricane evacuation orders. There is some irony in that our Labor Day trip was the result of two previous hurricanes; it was after Hurricane Hugo that the south campground was abandoned, but this year 42 new full-service campsites were added to this southern-most point of the park, and we were invited to take a look for ourselves. Hurricane Matthew changed our initial plans, but a few weeks ago we packed up and headed to the coast to enjoy the last bit of summer in what had been a relatively hurricane-free season so far. Now we are holding our breath while Mother Nature does her thing…

The Atalaya inner courtyard and watchtower at Huntington Island State Park

Although just 15 miles south of Myrtle Beach State Park, Huntington Beach couldn’t be further from Myrtle in style. The quiet, near empty beaches are just as appealing, even more so if you don’t fancy setting up your beach umbrella inches away from the next family. Book a site in one of the campgrounds and enjoy beach access away from the hustle and bustle at the public beach access points; even on our Labor Day weekend visit we virtually had the beach to ourselves.

A great starting point is the Park Office. The building also houses camper registration and the gift shop; this is the place to pick up ice for your coolers, wood for the evening’s campfire, and get that park stamp in your Ultimate Outsider book. They’ll also have info on the week’s programs, which during our stay included a snakes and reptiles program, crabbing catch and release, hikes with rangers, and guided tours of Atalaya.

This National Historic Landmark home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington is located between the South Beach Access and South Campground. Take a self-guided audio tour or a ranger-led tour of the picturesque, Moorish-style home that was the winter retreat of the renowned 20th-century sculptor. Named ‘Atalaya,’ a Spanish term for watchtower, the house was designed after the Moorish architecture of the Spanish Mediterranean Coast. From the fascinating, square form of the outer walls to the grassy inner courtyards; from the 40ft tall watchtower (which actually was the water tower) in the center to the bear pen for Anna Huntington’s ursine models – Atalaya is a picturesque refuge that has withstood many hurricane-force winds. In tribute to Mrs. Huntington, the annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival is held in the Castle next week, during what annually is the fourth weekend of September; stay tuned to the SC State Parks website for more info how this might be affected by Hurricane Florence.

The Atalaya grillwork was designed by Anna Huntington

Archer Huntington designed Atalaya, but Anna’s influence is everywhere – from the grillwork she designed for the windows, to the spacious indoor/outdoor studios and the facilities to host the animals she traveled with. Locally hired workers alternated between construction on Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens (just next door) in the early 1930s, and the home was used up until Mr. Huntington’s death in 1955. Admission is $2/person, but the really adventurous can wait until early November when guests can spend the night in Atalaya, complete with ghost stories by the campfire, nighttime beach walks and dinner/breakfast (for pricing and more info see Huntington Beach official website).

Watching it rain over the ocean

The east side of Atalaya faced the ocean and the pristine Grand Strand beach, although today the view is of scrub and maritime forest. However, the surrounding area has always been well known to birders, who for years have been coming to see some of the more than 300 species that have been recorded in the park. Visitors looking to spot wildlife will want to check out one of the four trails within the Park, the best known of which might be the Atalaya Straight Road; the 0.5 mile trail leads directly from Atalaya west between Mallard Pond and Mullet Pond. Between 3 to 7pm it is common to see alligators moving between the ponds, but sightings aren’t restricted by the clock; on our visit we spotted a giant gator hanging out near the trail in the early afternoon. Reptiles, birds, spiders and wildlife galore – bring binoculars, pick up a bird list at the Park Office, and heed the warnings to stay on the trail!

A snowy egret and a roseate spoonbill in Mullet Pond

The three miles of beach can be easily accessed from the South and North Beach Access points, as well as from the campgrounds. Beachcombers will enjoy hiking along the beach another 1.2 miles up from the north access to the very northern tip of the Park and the jetty, passing through the bird sanctuary and enjoying the ocean breeze. We hit the beach at different times of day, and each time had a slightly different experience. With low tide we dug up mole crabs and watched them burrow back in. High tide brought with it a shark’s tooth for Lauris to find. While the morning meant an almost-empty beach and cooler temperatures, dusk/twilight was perfect for hunting sand crabs. Even during the heat of the day we saw numerous birds, crabs and even jellyfish (yes, jellyfish, so careful in the water).

Even crabs need love

If you want to see dozens of crabs without the effort of chasing after them on the beach, try walking out on one of the two boardwalks over the marsh. Much of the park is salt marsh, one of the world’s most productive eco-systems. The 1/4-mile Kerrigan Trail and the 0.1 mile Boardwalk extend out into the saltmarsh and freshwater lagoon for exceptional wildlife viewing; visitors may spot pelicans and alligators, as well as catching rare glimpses of nesting loggerhead sea turtles and roseate spoonbills. There is a parking area at the first intersection after entering the Park/admissions and driving across the causeway; it gives access to the walkways and viewing points along the causeway, with frequent alligator sightings as well as excellent birdwatching almost any time of day.

We saw these baby alligators near Mullet Pond, but the 8ft giant was in Mallard Pond

Florence isn’t the first hurricane to come ashore on the beaches of the Carolina, nor is it likely to be the last. While we wait to see what the results of Hurricane Florence will be, please stay safe. Heed evacuation warnings, don’t drive into water, and be mindful of downed wires. Our beaches are ever-shifting, and hurricanes, while significantly affecting our coastline, are a natural occurrence; time will tell what Florence does with the Carolinas.

*** Sculpture by Anna Huntington can be found in nearby Brookgreen Gardens, or if you are in the Upstate, visit Andrew Jackson State Park to see her piece Boy of the Waxhaws. For my first post on Huntington Beach State Park, click here.

Chihuly Nights at Biltmore

If you haven’t yet been to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville to see the Chihuly exhibit, you have until the first week in October to see this captivating art installation, the first art exhibition in Biltmore’s historic gardens, and the first garden exhibition of Chihuly’s works in North Carolina.

Solo d'Oro (2017)

Electric Yellow and Deep Coral Tower (2017)

Artist Dale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor, famous for his environmental artwork. We have our very own Chihuly piece right here in Falls Park – Rose Crystal Tower – although it is constructed of Polyvitro instead of glass (see my post Chihuly Comes to Greenville).

Pergola Garden Fiori (2018)

Red Reeds (2017)

  

We opted for Chihuly Nights tickets, as they include an evening visit to Biltmore as well as daytime admission the day of your evening visit or the following day to the Gardens, Conservatory, Antler Hill Village & Winery, the shops and the restaurant. The only difference between a day and night ticket really seems to be your entry time into the Biltmore House; an evening tour is self-guided and restricted to the First Floor.

Paintbrush Tower (2014)

Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds (2015) outside the Conservatory

You will want to tour the house, as Laguna Torcello II is located in the Winter Garden. It is the only piece located inside the Biltmore House; Sky Blue and Cobalt Fiori is located just outside the main entrance.

Laguna Torcello II (2018)

Sky Blue and Cobalt Fiori (2017)

Portions of the exhibit can be found along the Pergola, in the Shrub Garden, in the Walled Garden and Italian Garden, and in the Conservatory. The centerpiece, Sole d’Oro, is located on the Esplanade, and two more pieces can be found in Antler Hill Village: Alabaster and Amber Spire Towers & Turquoise and Erbium Fiori.

Sole d'Oro (2017)

The orchids in the Conservator almost showed up the Chihuly chandeliers...

Burnished Amber, Citron, and Teal Chandeliers (2017) - one of two in the Conservatory

  

Our visit was made even more interesting by a summer thunderstorm. Not only did we have the gardens to ourselves, the colors seemed more lush and vibrant. In addition there were some fantastic skies serving as a backdrop to the Châteauesque residence.

We saw the storm coming a long way off

Float Boat (2017) and the Italian Garden

  

If Sole d’Oro is the centerpiece, the sculptures in the Italian Garden are a crescendo – the five works are floating in the ponds, water lilies and koi living among them.

Niijima Floats (2018) and the resident carp among the clouds

Fiori Boat (2017), Neodymium Reeds with Fiori Verdi (2014) in background

It was here that I definitely noticed the Italian influence on Chihuly's work. One of the pieces is titled Palazzo Ducale Tower, and it is the oldest in the exhibition. The initial phase of Chandelier exploration culminated in his Chihuly over Venice project, and the ceilings that could not support chandeliers challenged the artist to create towers. I wrote about Venice, Palazzo Ducale and the Murano glassblowing legacy in my post Venice and Lido, Italy.

Palazzo Ducale Tower (1996) in he Italian Garden is the oldest piece in the exhibition

A visit to Biltmore in the coming months offers the Chihuly experience alongside the landscape architecture of Frederick Law Olmstead; it is no wonder that it has taken nearly two years of preparation to host this exhibit, and it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that is worth the trip.

Red Reeds (2017)

Sole d'Oro (2017) as seen from the Statue of Diana

Backstage at the Latvian National Opera

The grand 19^th century theater was built on the grounds where a bastion of the city’s defenses had formerly stood; the site went from being a fortification of a military nature to a cultural one, providing a home to theater, opera and ballet for the next 150 years. Today, it stands on the banks of the Rīga canal resplendent not only in architecture but also in its contribution to the cultural scene of Europe: Latvijas Nacionālā opera un balets, home to the Latvian National Opera and the Latvian National Ballet.

August Volz's "Nymph" and the Latvian National Opera

We gathered for our tour on the steps facing the square and Bastejkalna parks, formal gardens with meandering paths, fountains and expanses of lush green grass providing a backdrop to the ornate National Opera. The fountain visible just to the north was created in 1887 by August Volz, and features a maiden balancing a large seashell above her head, four cherubic children frolicking with dolphins at the base. Legend has it that work on the fountain took forever to complete because Volz had fallen in love with the young woman who posed for the sculpture, and only finished it after she agreed to be married. The statue we see today is actually a replica, as the original Nymph was made of zinc – the city could not afford bronze at the time it was commissioned. However, this frugality was what possibly saved the sculpture from being carted off to Russia during WWI along with most of Rīga’s bronze monuments, and in 1986 sculptor Mirdza Lukaža created a bronze replacement, the original removed to Rundāle Palace park. Volz also created the statue of Roland in Ratslaukums and the lions in Vērmanes dārzs.

From the statue we turned our attention to the ornate building before us. When the center of Rīga was redesigned in 1856 a site on the Rīga canal was chosen for the new theater, and in 1860 a design by architect Ludwig Bohnstedt was chosen and construction begun. The neo-classical building was opened to the public in 1863 as the Rīga German Theater. Not even twenty years later a major portion was destroyed by fire, although Rīga's chief architect Reinholds Schmaeling faithfully followed Bohnstedt's original design and completed its reconstruction by 1887.

Soon after Latvia declared its independence on November 18^th, 1918, the Latvian National Opera Company was founded. Joined by the first professional Latvian ballet ensemble in the 1920s, the opera house was a cultural center for the next twenty years. In 1944, following the illegal occupation of Latvia by Soviet Union, the Latvian National Opera became the Latvian S.S.R. State Opera and Ballet Theater and remained as such until 1990.

Backstage with the set

Multiple small-scale renovations to the building were completed in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until 1990 that a complete reconstruction and restoration was begun. The work of architects Imants Jākobsons and Juris Gertmanis to the front of the house and to the stage enabled the National Opera to re-open with the production of Jānis Mediņš’ Uguns un nakts (Fire and Night) in 1995.

Sarkanā zāle

In 2001, a new annex was completed, providing offices and a rehearsal stage, as well as additional performace space. Jaunā zāle (the ‘New Hall’) seats 300 and hosts chamber operas, concerts and lectures. It, along with the main hall, the red hall and the beletāžas zāle are also available for rental; I attending a beautiful wedding reception in the jaunā zāle a dozen years and one week ago (laimīgu laulības jubileju K & A!!!)

Over the course of their September-June season, the Latvian National Opera and Ballet sees more than 200 performances, and many world-renowned musicians have launched their careers in the great hall including conductor Andris Nelsons, operatic sopranos Kristīne Opolais and Marina Rebeka, mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča, and tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko. Mikhail Baryshnikov was born in Rīga, and trained there until leaving the country in 1964 to pursue an international career. In recent years he has returned for multiple projects including a solo show “Letter to a Man” at the Latvian National Opera.

An enormous paldies to our wonderfully knowledgeable guide Mārtiņš, who was so patient with our questions and easily passed on to us his enthusiasm for the history of this grand building. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to take the stage of the National Opera, and I will not soon forget the chance to see the majestic chandelier up close, climb the spiral staircase in the red room, emerge on the Ionic portico for a look over the gardens, or peek into the President’s alcove.

Tours are about 45 minutes in length and are conducted in Latvian, English, German or Russian. For more information on scheduling your tour, please visit the LNO website.

Rīga with Kids!

Congratulations! You’ve booked your trip to Latvia this summer, scored the hard-to-get tickets to the historic LV100 Dziesmu un Deju Svētki, and survived the 10 hour flight with your kiddos (extra points for each connection!). Now what? Some days are filled with concerts, cultural events and other LV100 opportunities, however you know that the children will need some downtime – a little time to explore and be kids. After being asked a couple of times for favorite spots to go as a family, I’ve put together a list of things to do with children in and around Rīga.

Parks

The easiest way to squeeze in some time outdoors is at one of the nearby parks. Vērmanes dārzs is one of our favorites as it is centrally located, has a playground with plenty of shaded benches around, and offers trampolines/bounce houses/kids car rides (for a small fee). Buy some ice cream or freshly spun cotton candy and explore the gardens, or time your visit to coincide with one of the many festivals and tirdziņi that take place there every summer such as the Dziesmu svētku gadatirgus (July 1-8) or Rīgas svētki 2018 (August 17-19). Catch a concert on one of the stages and relax before heading further to Vecrīga.

Fellow blogger Brigita suggests the Centra sporta kvartāls park on Krišjāņa Barona iela for Rīga-themed and sports-based fun. You can read her post here – Rīga With Kids Tip.

The song festival wall in Viesturdārzs

Kronvalda parks takes you along the canal and past some cool statues and historical sites. If you’re in town for the song festival, you’ll want to visit the oldest park in Rīga, Viesturdārzs; also known as the song festival park, it has a reflecting pool with fountains and portrait wall dedicated to Dziesmu svētki. And adjacent to Brīvības piemineklis is Bastejkalns park, with memorials to those who died in 1991, the foundations of an old castle, a mini bridge with love locks, and scenic views of the canal. 

Activities

See Rīga from above! A neat way to get the lay of the land during the first days of your stay is by visiting one of the many places that offers a scenic view of the city. Svētā Petera baznīca provides one of our favorite views, although if you would like to enjoy the scenery while enjoying a drink in a retro bar, try Skyline Bar. The Radio tower is also an option, although a bit harder to get to from downtown Rīga.

The view from St. Peter's Church

Take a wooden boat tour of the Rīga canal! Combined with a short stretch of the Daugava River, the canal makes a big loop around Vecrīga - allowing for the distinctive opportunity to sightsee a city by boat.

Those who prefer to travel by land will want to walk the streets of Vecrīga. There is no better way to explore the cobblestoned streets and hidden courtyards of the old city than by foot! Sit down at an outdoor alus dārzs for ķiploku grauzdiņi for the kids, cross through the historic city gates, shop for everything from amber jewelry to folk music to children's literature, spot the cats adorning the infamous Kaķu nams, and admire the elegant beauty of the many churches while soaking in the history of the city that was born in 1201!

Spotted one of the cats!

Head to one of the many markets! Centrāltirgus is the biggest, and you can spend hours wandering through the giant zeppelin hangars. Buy some berries picked that morning while shopping for dinner, or just pick up a couple of souvenirs and ogle/smell the fish stalls.

Don't forget to eat! The LIDO chain is popular with many children and parents, simply because it lets them see the food they are ordering - which can be a relief for parents of fussy eaters or just those unfamiliar with Latvian cuisine. The LIDO Recreation Centre offers not just a meal, but a dining experience complete with live music and family recreation.

Educational opportunities

You’ll want to visit the magnificent National Library while you’re in Rīga, Gaismas pils. Older children might enjoy going on the free tour, while younger kids will love to spend some time in the children’s library. Make sure to take them to see the dainu skapis on the 5th floor that once stored the folk song collection of Krišjānis Barons.

Exploring the Art Nouveu District on a self-guided tour or with an official tour service might be a good choice for a group of varied ages. The younger children can have fun spotting all the animals & mythical creatures contained within the building facades, while older kids and adults can delve into the distinctive architectural unlike any in the world. 

Laima Chocolate Museum is a must for the chocolate lover.

The Rīga Zoo is just a tram ride away. It’s located adjacent to Mežaparks where you’ll find all sorts of other family-friendly activities such as a paintball center and a mini golf course.

Botāniskā dārzā

The Botanical Gardens of the University of Latvia can be a little harder to reach if you’re utilizing public transportation, but are worth the effort. Boasting an arboretum, palm house and butterfly house, the 40-acre gardens also have a rabbit enclosure that will delight smaller children. 

For a deeper look into the painful history of the Baltics, older children would benefit from a visit to the Okupācijas muzējs. Note, this museum is more appropriate for young adults than young children, and delves into very serious subject matter. However for those of us who grew up outside of Latvia, it offers insight into the tragic years that shaped our tēvuzeme. 

There are dozens of museums in Rīga, it’s just a matter of finding one to suit your interests. See if this post by Family With Kids helps: Things to Do and See with Kids in Riga, a Family Vacation in Latvia

  

LV100/Dziesmusvētki

In addition to all the ticketed events there will be many free, open to the public concerts and other events taking place across the city. One of our favorites is the Dziesmu svētku gājiens, where every song and dance festival participant parades down Brīvības ielas on the final day of the festival. 

Check out the Live Rīga website for events taking place across the city in honor of LV100 and the song festival.

Day Trips

Cross Lielupe to reach Jūrmala, 20 miles of beach on the Baltic Sea. Each municipality has its own distinct vibe, so with a little research you’ll quickly find the area that best suits your needs. Or, if you don’t want to go all the way to Jūrmala, stop at Līvu akvaparks for waterpark fun.

If you’re looking to head to the beach but want something a little quieter than Jūrmala, try heading east, to Saulkrasti. Need a little extra convincing? Take a look at these photos...

Ķemeru nacionālais parks is the closest National Park to the capital, and has miles of trails and boarwalks that explore the unique ecosystems within.

The bogs of Ķemeri National Park

And about an hour east of Rīga (by car) you’ll find Sigulda (and neighboring Krimulda), with Gūtmaņala and the ancient castle of Turaida, all popular tourist destinations.

I hope you enjoy your time in Rīga, and urge you to make the absolute most of your time there! Dziesmu svētki in Latvia are a unique chance to see the country all dressed up for the festivities, and to sample the many cultural, natural, historical and culinary experiences it has to offer. I would love to hear what your favorite places were to visit as a family, and please let me know what I’ve missed. Safe travels!!!

Washington DC on foot, part 1

Washington DC. One of the rare big cities that you can explore for days, with kids in tow, without a car… Which is good, because the cost/headaches of parking are certainly discouraging, and public transportation isn’t an option in some cases. We found ourselves trailing Roberts recently to a conference in the Capital, and set out to see what we could see during our long weekend there.

Day 1: National Mall from the Capitol to the Potomac

It is only about 2.5 miles from one end to the other, but add on getting there, the various meanders, and a couple of side trips, and I estimate we walked at least 6 miles. From the hotel we headed to the US Capitol building, admired the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial and Capitol Reflecting Pool then headed west.

While we weren’t exploring any of the museums on this particular visit, we did have our National Parks passports with, and the boys wanted to work on a Junior Ranger program. The easiest way to jump right into it is to contact the National Mall and Memorial Parks ahead of time to request a booklet; that way you won’t be walking from visitor center to bookstore to info station searching for the brochure. If this isn’t an option, your best bet is heading to one of the 5 ranger stations (see map mentioned in resources listed at the end of part 2 for locations). Stamping your passport can also be a challenge; while some monuments/memorials have info stations & bookstores that have the stamp, others do not. Some kiosks were closed, others didn’t have certain stamps. Tip: keep a list of which monuments etc. you visited and then make a stop at the Washington Monument Lodge – they have ALL the stamps.

The Mall is lined with national attractions: the Smithsonian Museums of American History, Natural History and National Air & Space Museum, among others. We haven’t visited any of them as of yet (although we did make it to the much larger Udvar-Hazy Center, which I definitely recommend as the more expansive sister museum of the National Air & Space Museum), with the idea that the boys will be better able to appreciate them when they are a little older. However we admired each grand building as we passed, discussing what was housed there and generating ideas for future trips.

From the 555 ft. tall Washington Monument (which remains closed for repairs) we turned north towards the White House. To request a WH tour, visitors must contact their state reps at least 3 months before travel. Even then it isn’t guaranteed you’ll get a ticket; we’ve tried three times, unsuccessfully. However depending on who is accompanying you, it might be worth walking up to Pennsylvania Avenue to get your photograph of the iconic building, before going over to the White House Visitor Center on the east side.

The visitor center is open from 7:30am until 4pm daily (except January 1, Thanksgiving, and December 25), and admission is free. Visitors can explore an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House, view over 90 artifacts from the White House collection and a 15 minute film, and shop at the White House Historical Association retail store. Tip: Leave the pocket knives, food and water bottles at home to make it through security, or split your party in two – one group takes all the backpacks and walks over to take in the view of the White House from the north lawn while the other explores the Visitor Center. We made sure to stop at the Boy Scout Memorial just across the street from the visitor center, near the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion. You'll also encounter the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail which traces the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake.

Disappointed to see the Boy Scout Memorial in disrepair

After the obligatory selfies with the White House we circled the Ellipse and headed to the World War II Memorial. The day had heated up some (90°+ already!) and we stuck to the shaded trails while exploring the Constitution Gardens, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the DC War Memorial to completely circle the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Tip: this portion of the Mall is open 24 hours/day, so if you want to beat the heat schedule your visit for late in the evening and enjoy the atmosphere without the crowds.

The boys were starting to slow their gait, so we crossed the street and lingered in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial bookstore, enjoying the AC and browsing the titles acquiring ideas for books we would like to read. Once they had perked up we entered the MLK Jr. Memorial, studying the quotes engraved in the memorial and enjoying the view over the Tidal Basin. This is the National Mall’s first memorial dedicated to an African American, and to a nonpresident. Behind the Stone of Hope (MLK’s image) are two blocks that represent the Mountain of Despair; the piece was carved by sculptor Lei Yixin.

Continuing around the edge of the water (which just a month ago had been awash in cherry blossoms) we soon arrived at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Up until now we were more familiar with FDR’s cousin Teddy: from our visit to the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in NYC, his work in the field of conservation, and from reading books such as A Splendid Savage. This made it more interesting to tour the five outdoor “rooms” with their statues, quotes, water features and plantings, and I feel as if I learned a great deal. Overall the feel of the Memorial was more of a secluded corner of some extravagant botanical gardens, unusual for one of the more expansive memorials in the area.

At this point we called it quits, however we returned to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on Day 3 of our Washington DC stay. Only another ½ mile further, the circular, open-air domed structure is my favorite architecturally of the National Mall Memorials. Located opposite from the MLK Jr. Memorial on the Tidal Basin, it is a popular spot while the cherry blossoms are blooming, but not as crowded on a warm Sunday morning. While touring the cool interior my thoughts drifted to our visit to Jefferson’s Monticello a few years ago, parallels drawn between the domes and columns of the two structures…

To be continued...

(Part 2 of Washington DC on foot: Ford's Theater, the Old Post Office Tower and the International Spy Museum)