Good Day Atlanta viewer information: Dec. 13, 2023
ATLANTA - Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atalnta Botanical Garden How long did it take you to decorate your house for the holidays? An hour? Maybe two?
Well, the team at Atlanta Botanical Garden worked a little bit longer than that to create the 13th annual Garden Lights, Holiday Nights show. And 7,288 hours later, it’s time for visitors to stop in and enjoy the finished results!
This year’s Garden Lights, Holiday Nights opened for the season in November and runs through Jan. 14, blanketing Atlanta Botanical Garden with more than a million colorful lights and special holiday-themed installations. Although it’s the 13th year of the seasonal light show, there are some big new additions this time around — emphasis on the big.
First-year features include a 144-foot-long "skynet" installed by artist Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics (whom we interviewed back in 2021 during the "SUPERnatural: Aerial Art in Motion, Glass Art in Bloom" exhibition), metal deer and bird sculptures by French artist Cedric Le Borgne, and 11-foot-wide lighted butterflies hovering just under the treetops above Camellia Walk.
And, of course, there are strands of lights wrapped around just about every tree in sight; designers say the total length of all the light strings used in this year’s show is more than 60 miles, with more than 15,000 lights in the hair of the iconic Ice Goddess alone! And as if you needed any further evidence of just how special Garden Lights, Holiday Nights really is, the event was just featured on the television show "The Great Christmas Light Fight!"
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights is open nightly at Atlanta Botanical Garden from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. — admission varies by date, and more information on tickets is available here. And for a special look inside this year’s event, click the video player in this article!
Preparing parents, students for winter break
In just a few days, classes for kids across Georgia will be dismissed for winter break, and having the right tools to navigate the holidays can make all the difference. Judy Baumstein, a licensed therapist with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Strong4Life, shares with Alyse Eady how to make the winter break enjoyable for the whole family.
School break tips with Jody Baumstein: When school is out for winter break, it can be both a fun and challenging time for families. Whether you're traveling a lot, spending more time at home, or somewhere in between, one thing is for sure - school breaks are a big adjustment for the entire family. Regardless of what you have planned, it can help to prepare for it ahead of time by talking about what's to come so that the entire family knows what to expect. To help parents and caregivers better understand how to prepare for school breaks, and navigate the end-of-year holidays, Strong4Life's Jody Baumstein shared a few tips.
Tess Hammock gives details on upcoming castings in Georgia: Two Georgia-based TV productions are looking to fill some slots fast. Entertainment insider Tess Hammock has the details. Follow her on Instagram here.
Going biblical with LaKeith Stanfield and Jaymes Samuel
'The Book of Clarence' is set in the year 33 AD in Jerusalem and tells a well-known story with a big twist. Visionary writer and director Jeymes Samuel and Oscar-nominated actor LaKeith Stanfield sat down with Sharon Lawson to talk about the movie and share some wisdom.
LaKeith Stanfield and director and writer Jeymes Samuel talk "The Book of Clarence": From visionary filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, "The Book of Clarence" is a bold new take on the timeless Biblical-era epic. Streetwise but down-on-his-luck Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is struggling to find a better life for his family while fighting to free himself of debt. Captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah and His apostles, he risks everything to carve his own path to a divine life and ultimately discovers that the redemptive power of belief may be his only way out. The film features new music by Jeymes Samuel, Jay-Z, and more. Stanfield is no stranger to Atlanta as he starred as "Darius" in the FX series Atlanta. Most recently, he starred and directed "The Changeling" on Apple TV+ and also starred this summer in "Haunted Mansion." Click here to watch the trailer.
Flavor Rich Restaurant shares holiday menu
If you are looking for a breakfast or lunch that is sure to tantalize your taste buds, look no further than Suwanee's Flavor Rich. The restaurant and food truck serves up fresh, local ingredients to create satisfying dishes daily. Chef Chris Fletcher joined Joanne Feldman in the Good Day Kitchen to make his strawberry cheesecake French toast.
Chris Fletcher of Flavor Rich demos one of their popular holiday menu items: Strawberry cheesecake French toast is a signature French toast with macerated strawberries, vanilla bean cream cheese, graham cracker crumbs and whip cream. Flavor Rich Food Truck opened in April 2018 by Christopher Fletcher and Angelica Finley, who met while working at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta together. The brick and mortar location opened in 2020 and focuses on serving high quality dishes using fresh, local ingredients. For more information click here.
Niecey Shaw talks the latest in entertainment news: Two-time Emmy nominee Andre Braugher has died, and Kenya Moore's divorce is finalized. Niecey Shaw has the details.