Savannah
Drayton Glassworks in Savannah
Biking home with a fresh loaf of bread from the Back in the Day Bakery, we passed a tiny shop in which someone was at work blowing glass. Curiosity stoked, we returned to the Drayton Glassworks a couple days later to meet Jonathan Poirier.
No Liquor! No Slaves! No Lawyers! No Catholics!
When he founded Savannah, the capital of his newly chartered colony of Georgia, James Oglethorpe had some utopian ideas. His planned city would be built around four squares and four simple prohibitions. No rum. No slavery. No lawyers. No Papists.
Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons
While we were living in Spain, eating incredible, organic dishes fresh off the fields, the Paula Deen Phenomenon was sweeping America. And by the time we moved to Savannah, she had become a bona fide celebrity.
The Scarborough House: Ships of the Sea
William Scarborough was an early American from North Carolina, who made his fortune in shipping. He was perhaps best known as the mastermind behind the famous S.S. Savannah, the first steamship to successfully cross the Atlantic.
Fine Dining at The Olde Pink House
The Olde Pink House, on the western side of Reynolds Square, was built in 1771 and is the oldest surviving mansion in all of Savannah. Today, it’s one of the city’s most beloved restaurants, and is also home to a popular bar on its bottom floor.
Washington Square
The most northeastern of Savannah’s squares, Washington is a lovely garden in a quiet residential neighborhood. It was named in honor of our first president, who visited the city shortly after his election.
The Heroic Genius of To-Go Cups
“Now just to make absolutely sure: you’re saying that you’ll put my beer in a cup, and then I can walk around outside, in front of cops, and there will be no problems?” The bartender was growing exasperated with me. “Yes, dude. For the hundredth time, yes. You’re golden.”
Johnson Square
We had 24 squares to explore during our time in Savannah, and decided to start with the oldest and largest. Johnson Square was established in 1733, and named in honor of South Carolina’s colonial governor Robert Johnson.
The 24 Squares of Savannah
At the time of its founding in 1733, Savannah was the first North American city planned around public squares. General Oglethorpe’s grand design for his new capital called for four squares to serve as gardens and meeting areas. The western and eastern sides of each square were reserved for public buildings, such as churches and…
Forsyth Park
Drayton and Whitaker Street, Forsyth is Savannah’s answer to NYC’s Central Park. It’s not as massive as its counterpart, but blends more seamlessly into the city, and has long been a part of its history.
First Impressions and Images of Savannah
Our first full day in Savannah was warm and overcast. Luckily, the rain held off and we were able to spend the afternoon getting familiar with the city that would be our home for the next few months.
The Road to Savannah
At 3pm on a brisk November afternoon, Jürgen and I parked a smashed-up car in front of our new Savannah home, and pulled our exhausted bodies up the front steps. We had arrived after a whirlwind trip that had brought us from Oviedo, Spain, to Madrid, Chicago, Denver, Ohio, Kentucky and finally southeastern Georgia.
