Sweet Savannah

So, I did my patriotic duty and voted first thing this morning. Now I am settling down with a drink and preparing to drown my sorrows (not really, Mom). Instead of dreading the imminent downsizing of NASA and defense spending (i.e., both of our jobs as well as the backbone of our community), I've decided to concentrate on happier times.

Like this past weekend. We left Thursday for a short and sweet trip to Savannah, GA. I've always wanted to go and since Matt got to pick our last Harnation getaway (Asheville, NC), it was my turn!

I did a lot of research beforehand and had a whole list of places to go and things to see (and eat). I think we made it through just about everything and still had time to relax. We started off on Friday with a lunch trip to Mrs. Wilke's Boarding House and were greeted to family-style dining that consisted of something like 24 dishes. Yum!



When we went to the hotel to check in, they told us that our room wasn't quite ready and suggested some things for us to do... the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) was having its annual Film Festival, or there was the Savannah Historics going on at the Westin...

Car Show?! Matt's eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas. Of course, he didn't want to make us spend our time at yet another track on our vacation (High Performance Driver's Education at Thunderhill and the American Le Mans Race at Leguna Seca last year, Daytona's Track Tour this summer, etc.), but it sounded interesting and we decided to check it out. The inn owner gave us some free hot lap passes and we got to ride with a professional driver in the new BMW M3 for two very fast laps. Plus, we got to see some neat restored cars, like this really old race car.


After breakfast on Saturday, we heard a parade going on. We decided to check it out and had quite a cultural experience. We think the parade was for a local college's homecoming, but it was not like the "parades" we had at Auburn! A big truck pulling a trailer loaded 6' high with mega speakers (powered by the generator in the truck bed) and a yellow school bus labeled "Urban Christian Academy" blaring Christian Rap music was something we'd never seen before. It was a lot more fun than our college homecoming parades though and I felt jipped.



We went on a downtown "Gates and Gardens" walking tour and got to go into a few private residences' gardens - which was probably my favorite part. I loved seeing how these historic homes have been restored and how every inch of their small lots is put to use.

Here's my new dream home, the Kehoe House. All of the white is painted wrought iron - the original builder owned the iron works and used it extensively in the house design. I'd have to have a much bigger yard, however, to house my plants and puppies.


We also saw the Mercer Williams House (of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil fame), and looked through this incredible antiques store next door that filled every available inch of a run down 4-story mansion. (I say looked because we couldn't afford a single thing in there! Who knew antiques were so expensive?!!) We checked out Forsyth Park and people watched before walking to SCAD's Gryphon Tea Room for "high tea".

On Sunday, we headed over to Independent Presbyterian Church (an oxymoron, if you ask me). The church was beautiful - not really WPC's style, but still gorgeous with its coastal/Southern charm. Matt and I were both excited by how much the service had in common with our own. We loved being in a place away from home that had the same solid scriptural teaching and preaching of the Word. I do think, however, that Charlie should start catching up with the times and posting his sermons to public podcasts. ;)

IPC - the white part of the steeple is iron

We spent the rest of the day driving over to Tybee Island, checking out Bonaventure Cemetery and Wormsloe State Park, and topped the trip off with dinner at The Olde Pink House. Phew!

Now we just have to figure out where to go next. I say Spain (if we're both still employed by then). I've been begging Matt to take me there for several years, but I think he gets to pick next and he's been leaning towards D.C. - which is much more affordable.