Southern Relaxation Method - Bed & Breakfast

Click here to go to the NatchezMS.com Bed & Breakfast page.

Stress relief should be about relaxation, right?  How about sleeping in a soft bed, surrounded by beautiful furnishings, waking to the smell of bacon, biscuits and coffee, with a view of beautiful gardens out the window.  Fantasy?  No, that's a typical guest being pampered in a Natchez Bed & Breakfast.  What sets them apart from the rest?

First thing is, Historical Setting.  Practically every Natchez Bed & Breakfast is an antebellum home (built before the Civil War) or a Victorian home.  Checking into one is like stepping back in time.  The architecture historic, the furnishings authentic, so your bed may be a large, comfy, beautifully canopied, four-poster Tester.  A stay almost always includes a tour of the home, but you can ALWAYS figure on Southern Hospitality, and that brings me to the second thing...

The Second thing is - you guessed it, Southern Hospitality.  We're just naturally friendly and welcoming.  Guests don't stay strangers for long; after all, you are sleeping in our beds and eating at our tables.  You've got a question or request?  Just ask.  We consider it our privilege and pleasure, as well as a social obligation to help you feel comfortable and enjoy your time in Natchez to its fullest.  That's just the way our Mamas raised us.

So comfort and hospitality are tops, but nobody makes breakfast like Natchez.  Full Southern Breakfast, with eggs, sausage, bacon, or ham, grits, and those fine biscuits.  You've got a full day ahead of you, touring the homes, shopping, seeing the historical sites, and strolling along the bluff. You're gonna need your energy.

And that's Natchez Bed and Breakfast in a nutshell.  Stress relief?  I haven't even mentioned cocktails on the porch, coffee in the garden, or the innkeeper who becomes more of a friend than a service provider.  Spending time in one of Natchez' bed & breakfasts gets you to slow down, gives you the chance to catch your breath, and leaves you feeling a lot more relaxed.

And isn't that why you took time off in the first place?

Click here to go to the NatchezMS.com Bed & Breakfast page.

Stress Reliever No. 2, Horse-drawn Carriage Ride Through Downtown Natchez

Stressed out at work? Too much pressure from deadlines, quotas, and the like? I can show you a way to relieve that stress without:

• Spending tons of money
• Reading a boring self-help book

Oh Look Mommy, Horses!

Once you're in the downtown area of Natchez, you're sure to arrive at Canal Street, which runs north and south just one block from the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.  On the corner of Canal and State Street you'll see a line of carriages, drawn by horses of good stock.  Riding around the town in one of them automatically sounds like a good idea, but then you think of how expensive they must be, and don't you have better things to do?

Well, they're not - expensive that is.  And there's really no better way to see the downtown area.  For just Fifteen bucks, not only do you get to ride around town, pretending you're antebellum royalty, but you get a great spiel, too.  Each driver is an experienced story-teller and knows each building and location's history like the back of his (or sometimes her) hand.   You'll laugh, you'll be amazed, and you'll wonder at the beauty and charm of Natchez, all while relaxing in the best seat in the house.

It's an easy-going ride that could just as easily lull you into a nap, except that you'd miss all the good stories.  And you'll be sorry when it's all over, especially when you realize that now you'll have to walk on your own, or worse yet, get back into an automobile and drive yourself.  But you're refreshed, and I guarantee you'll thank your driver/guide prodigiously.  Be generous - he really was a nice guy.

And that, my friends, is Stress Reliever No. 2.  Oh, there's more to come, but you'll just have to wait to hear the rest of them - or you could save the suspense and come on down to Natchez.  I'll bet any Natchez local has his or her own way of relieving stress that they'll gladly share with you.

Find Out More

Oh, I almost forgot!  When you want to find out more about Natchez, just log onto NatchezMS.com, the Travel and Tourism directory.

Natchez' Under-The-Hill Saloon, Stress Reliever No. 1

Stressed out at work? Too much pressure from deadlines, quotas, and the like? I can show you a way to relieve that stress without:

• Spending tons of money
• Reading a boring self-help book

Stress Reliever No. 1 - Under-The-Hill Saloon

(Find out more about Natchez at NatchezMS.com.)

Along that very historical section of town below the bluff called Natchez Under The Hill is an oasis for the work world weary. It's the Under-The-Hill Saloon. Offering respite for visitors and locals alike, the Saloon is a rustic old building containing one of the coolest, most storied bars in the U.S.A. Old pictures and relics of times past line the back-bar, or are tacked to the ancient brick walls. Initials carved into the heavy wooden tables testify to the frequent good times had in this bar.

But more than being just a bar, it's a place where greatly diverse people have gathered for decades. Bikers and farmers mingle with business people and tourists, all forgetting their troubles and remembering the good times. Rub elbows with the regulars at the bar, listen to some live music at one of those carved up tables, or grab a seat on the porch and watch the world go by.

If sipping a cool libation in a big, comfortable rocking chair while watching the mightiest of rivers roll down toward New Orleans won't help you forget your troubles, nothing will.

But the Under-The-Hill Saloon is just one of the many "Stress Relievers" we could tell you about in Natchez. There's more to come, but you'll have to keep watching this Blog to find them all out! (how's THAT for a tease?)

Life is too short! Take that trip you've been wanting to take. Relax and have some fun instead of working yourself to an early grave.

That way, when the Grim Reaper walks by and sneers at you, you can sneer back. "Take that, you skeletal cronie!" I had FUN in life. I've seen NATCHEZ!"

"That's right, I feasted sumptuously, shopped for the finest antiques, watched the mighty river roll by, read the freedman's diary, slept where Aaron Burr, Henry Clay, and Jefferson Davis slept. Walked where Indians, flatboatmen, lawyers and other robbers traveled, and saw the place where Mark Twain's steamboat tied up for the night."

"And it was FUN!"

To see more ways to cure stress in Natchez, see NatchezMS.com.

Lights - Camera - Incentive!

I just read an exciting piece of news about the film industry in Mississippi.  According to the Mississippi Business Journal, the state's cash rebate program has been expanded by a new bill, just signed by Gov. Haley Barbour.  The legislation includes a 25-30% rebate on cast and crew payrolls, with caps of $8Million per project and $20Million per year.  That's a lot of incentive, I think, to get some cameras rolling in Natchez!
We've done it many times before, with Huckleberry Finn (twice that I know of), Freedom Road, North & South (both I and II), and Beulah Land, to name those that come to the top of my head, plus a few TV shows and music videos.
It would be great to have another movie production company in town with all that new money, but there's another cool part to this expansion; the program is expanded to include streaming video and internet delivery as qualified distribution!  That means that someone local could produce a YouTube-type video and get a cash rebate!  Did I read that wrong?  I don't think so.  To quote the article, "animation, 3D applications, video game cinematics, visual effects and motion capture within the fields of feature film, television, commercials and games, were added as qualified production."
According to this, the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau could produce a TV or internet commercial and get a big rebate, further stretching their advertising dollars.  Local TV/Video advertising companies were already able to take advantage of these rebates, but now even more so.
By the way, apparently the 30% rebate is reserved for folks using Mississippi locals, so that's a great incentive to use local folks in your videos, and a great way for local actors to make a little extra cash.
Read the Mississippi Business Journal Article to get more information about the state rebate program.
Meanwhile, I'm ready for my close-up, Ms Durkin...


And don't forget to check out NatchezMS.com periodically to see places to stay, things to do, and where to dine in Natchez, Mississippi!

Hoopskirts, Greek Columns, and Antiques, Oh My!

It would be great if I could just describe some of the historical wonders you'll see during Spring Pilgrimage in Natchez, and have you convinced that immediate reservations were in order.  For most of you, however, those descriptions would just make your eyes glaze over.

Looking up at Longwood

Until you're standing next to the gigantic Greek columns of Stanton Hall feeling small and completely awed, or looking up 4 floors into the unfinished rafters of Longwood, or trying to figure out how the wondrously unsupported spiral staircase of Auburn holds weight...until you're actually there, it's hard to understand.  Most historic places of any significance are like that, I think.
But history is only a part of the reason folks travel by the hundreds to Natchez during this season.  Yes, the gardens are beautiful, and the townfolk hospitable, but there's even more.

Downtown Shopping

Like to eat?  Step out the door of your B&B or hotel room and you're probably just a few steps away from rich cuisine of some sort.  And what do you want?  Barbecue?  Fried Catfish?  Sure, we've got plenty and you're welcome to it.  How about some fine, white-tablecloth dining with a great wine list?  Yes, we have that, too.  Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  If you're in a group of 20 Natchezians, most likely one or two of them are world class chefs.  No brag, just fact.
Like to shop?  Natchez has been voted one of the very best places to shop in Mississippi, even in the South.  You may never have seen so many really great antiques shops in one place.  I'm not talking curios and flea markets, but yes, we have those, too.  There are book stores, coffee shops, gift shops, clothing, and fine art shops lining Main Street, Franklin Street, and most of the cross streets between the two.

Kids take part in the Natchez Pageant

Want to see a show?  Take your choice; a Gospel choir freeing you from the chains of slavery; a Pageant that dances and sings its way through the different eras of Natchez history; or stage comedians spoofing Pilgrimage itself.  Something about the folks here, we just love to entertain.
But the part you may enjoy the most?  Simply walking to the edge of the bluff, looking out over the magnificent Mississippi River some 150 feet below, and catching sight of one of the most breathtaking sunsets imaginable.

Sunset on the Mississippi

So, did my descriptions get you thinking about it, at least?  Check out NatchezMS.com's pages full of Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Hotels, and Bed & Breakfasts, then come on down and spend a few days with us, especially during Spring Pilgrimage.  Chances are, you'll find a lot more to excite you than just a few historical wonders.

Feathers, Females, and Fun!

This blog entry is supposed to be about Mardi Gras time in Natchez, Mississippi, but in going through my photos of Mardi Gras past, I find that practically all of them are of females having fun!  They're throwing beads, dancing, smiling, watching parades..and acting downright queenly.
Now, if you don't think you can have just bunches of fun at Mardi Gras in a small town, just look at these pictures and be convinced.

Two big parades come through town  - one of them's a night parade with lights all over the floats.  It's a sight to behold!  Floats of all kinds, marching bands, trucks and cars full of folks throwin' wampum, just about anything that can keep up with the rest of the parade.
We show a schedule of the parades - and other Mardi Gras events - on the home page of www.NatchezMS.com.

We have Call Out Balls, Grand Balls, After-Parade Parties, and lots and lots of bead-throwin', balcony-stompin', music-blarin' good times, with men and women dressed to the nines and dancing like their pants were on fire!

You'll meet kings and queens.  That person next to you who's competing for the beads thrown from parade floats may be a prince or a pauper.  And none of that will matter, because they all want to be your friends.  I know I've often sat down to drink with people I had never met before.
And since all of this happens right in downtown Natchez, you're always within a few steps of good food, refreshing drinks, shops full of goodies and a warm bed.
Want to find out about restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, attractions, and shopping in Natchez?  Go to www.NatchezMS.com!

One word of warning:  save a little room in your luggage for all the pretty beads and trinkets you're gonna want to bring back with you.  And don't worry about wearing a smile.  We'll give you one when you get here - absolutely free!

The Colorful Costumes of Pow-Wow

For centuries before the first white man laid eyes on the land that is now part of the Natchez area, the Natchez Indians lived, and celebrated, and worshipped "The Great Sun." The Natchez are all but extinct now, but several village, burial and ceremonial sites have been found here. One of those is now called "The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians." It is here that the singers, dancers, and peoples of other tribes gather to celebrate a culture that will never come again.
It's a made-for-camera weekend. The dancers flail in their bright costumes, drummers beat out their heartbeat rhythm, singers chant the ancient songs, calling the people to celebrate life the old way.

This past March I was able to be there, trusty camera in hand, to take a few photos.  Enjoy the photography, but come on down yourself next year and experience this event for yourself.  Besides the music and dancing, there's also food and Native American arts and crafts for sale.  It's a fun - and maybe educating - afternoon outing that the whole family can enjoy.
It's just one more of many reasons to come to Natchez for a weekend or so.
If you'd like to see more of my Natchez Pow-Wow photos, Go to my Flickr.com Page!
And to see more about Natchez, Mississippi, click on NatchezMS.Com, The Travel and Tourism Guide to Natchez, Mississippi.