Fairhope, Alabama

WARNING: Lots of pictures to follow....

In my last post I mentioned that Mr. EA and I were on a mini vacation/buying trip in Fairhope, AL.  We stayed at the Marriott Grand in Point Clear, Alabama which is on the Mobile Bay.  This is a gorgeous resort that was originally built in 1847.

The Grand Hotel represents a long resort tradition on this site. A modest hotel was here as early as 1820. By 1847 the first Grand Hotel was constructed and soon became famous for it's warm hospitality and good cheer. During the Civil War the hotel served as a Confederate hospital for the Southern wounded and 300 of these soldiers were laid to rest in the Confederate Cemetery on these grounds. While serving as a hospital the hotel was lightly shelled by Union gunboats. After the war the hotel burned and was rebuilt in 1875. Disaster soon struck again, when the steamer Ocean Wave exploded at the hotel pier with great loss of life. By 1941 the hotel had deteriorated badly as was replaced by the present structure. During World War II the hotel served as a training base for the United States Army Air Force for amphibious landings.

The grounds are spectacular:

The views out over the bay were fabulous:

This is the cannon that was fired everyday to signify that High Tea had began, there was also a color guard, complete with drums.  High Tea...not really my cup of tea, sorry I had to say it!!

What did I like the most....the TREES and all that oh so SOUTHERN spanish moss!

We spent a day exploring the beautiful city of Fairhope, Alabama and I fell in LOVE.  I sooooo want to live there, maybe someday!   It is full of antique shops (HEAVEN), loft style living over downtown shops, if you lived in the city proper one could actually get around on foot or least a bicycle. In case you don't know, south Alabama or L.A. (lower Alabama) as it is sometimes called, is flat, unlike where I live!  We saw a number of people riding their bicycles around.

The parks were stunning, and they all looked out over the bay:

(The city of Mobile skyline)

Now turn around and take a look at this:

(Yes that is a house at the top of the hill!)

This is the scene just down the beach:

(MB said I should have zoomed in to the left of the pavilion!)

Here's another park along the bay:

So that was facing the bay, here's what is behind you...

(What a great entrance!)

I wanted to take more pictures of houses but I felt a little funny stopping in front of someones house and snapping pictures.  I got all of the ones above walking down the sidewalk in the park.

Most of the really BIG houses were too far down a driveway to get a picture.  But we did pull over and get a picture of the gate to one of the homes.  We couldn't see the house!!!

There seemed to be a lot of places to live in downtown Fairhope.  Several of the stores had lofts above them and there were condos also.  I've always wanted to live somewhere that I could walk to most of my destinations. 

(This is the backside and upper floor of shops that faced main street.)

(These condos were in the middle of down town.)

This next and last picture is of my favorite shop, there is also a loft above the store.

This is A Fairhope Find and I enjoyed shopping there very much.  The owners are Kevin and Mimi McCandless, super nice people.  I also met Brenda who has a booth there.  She calls her business "The Booth in the Back", why...because her booth is in the back of the store.  She has so many cute things at very reasonable prices.  As a matter of fact many of her goodies came home with me, some you will find at Elizabeth Ann's and some you will find in my home.  I bought lots of great things at A Fairhope Find, again some have found their way to Elizabeth Ann's and some will stay with me at home.  If you are ever in Fairhope you have to check out A Fairhope Find it's located at 52 S. Section, Fairhope, AL their phone number is (251)929-2928.  (Brenda, if you read this please leave me a comment with your contact info, I won't publish it, so we can connect next time you're in B'ham.)

Okay, sorry one more picture...my beloved Gulf Shores!!!

I hope you enjoyed my photo tour of Fairhope and aren't brain dead after looking at all the pictures and reading my ramblings.  But if you are looking for a vacation spot, try L.A. there are lots of great places!

Joyfully,

Elizabeth Ann

P.S. Come back soon, I'll have pictures of all the goodies that went into Elizabeth Ann's!