Savannah On My Mind
When we decided to hold this year's retreat in Savannah, I must admit I was excited. Now the work of putting together a retreat (most of which Gwen does) did not excite me, but the chance to return to one of the most charming cities I've ever visited got me giddy. Savannah is one of those towns that's just easy to fall in love with.
The famed 24 squares that make up the center of the town are simply beautiful. You could hang out there all day. Forsythe Square is probably the buzziest square of them all, with the most people, but even still there's something quaint about it. Filled with Colonial-era statues, and swaying willow trees, it makes the perfect location for a picnic or a quiet stroll.
Speaking of town squares in Savannah, grab some sweets and walk over to Chippewa Square to have a seat and relive that famous "Life is like a box of chocolates." moment from Forrest Gump which was filmed in the same spot. The original bench is in a nearby museum, but the nostalgia is still there. Then there's the Mercer House which birthed the source material for the Kevin Spacey film, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" which sits right in Monterey Square. Landmarks that indicate other Savannah filmed movies like Glory and Something to Talk About are littered throughout the city. If you don't want to take the walking tour you can always visit the Savannah History Museum where props from the films are on display.
I know what you're thinking, How did I get this far into a blog about Savannah and not mention the food? Well, I could write about that for days, but I'll keep it to just a couple of highlights from our trip. First, there's The Olde Pink House which is set in a 18th-century mansion with beautiful pink stucco. The setting is nice and romantic, and the food is great. I recommend the fried green tomatoes to start and then the salmon. They take an upscale approach to down-home, southern favorites. They have a nice tavern and wine cellar downstairs if you want to end the night with a libation.
If you didn't know, Paula Deen resides in Savannah, and she has a restaurant there. Listen, I admittedly didn't want to like the fried chicken there, but let me be the first to say I was floored. Usually, famous TV chefs are great at making fancy dishes but comfort foods are a challenge for them. Not Paula's place, they're cranking out fried chicken just like Mama used to make, and it man it's good. Nothing fancy. Just straightforward southern cooking. Oh, they give you free Hoecakes just for showing up too. There's always a line at The Lady & Sons so make sure to get reservations.
If you're into burgers and a fun atmosphere, check out B&D Burgers. They have fun bartenders and great burgers. For a sweet treat, walk over near the SCAD campus and visit Leopold's Ice Cream. It's an old-school ice cream parlor that first opened its doors in 1919. They have some creative flavors and they make all their ice cream from scratch.