Hello Robert Redford!

This morning we were eating a delicious dinner at Avia Hotel in Savannah (http://www.aviahotels.com/). I couldn’t get over how good their grits were, then the waitress told me they are ground in Savannah and specially made…that explains a lot. During breakfast, I couldn’t help but overhear the table next to us as several men were discussing “character development” and “plot theme.” Obviously, they were talking about a movie, but I didn’t pay that much attention or look that way. Halfway through our meal, Leah asked me, “Is that Robert Redford?” I glanced over quickly and looked back at her and replied, “Yes.” We couldn’t believe it. Robert Redford was sitting next to us in Savannah, GA having breakfast. To make a long story short, we finally asked him for a photo and he was kind enough to pose with us twice. I have to admit that he is the best-looking, seventy-something year-old-man I have ever seen.

After our ‘real’ celebrity “run in” this morning, we were so excited that we just HAD to go shopping. We walked to Broughton Street and perused many of the great stores. Our favorites were Bleu Belle (http://www.bleubelle.com/) & James Gunn (http://www.jamesgunnonline.com/). That afternoon, we drove to Tybee Island (www.TybeeIsland.com), which is a quaint and low-key seaside community located 18 miles east of Savannah. We drove around this resort community and stopped in at the Atlantic Beacon Gallery to see the Ticklish Mermaid art. We also stopped at a cluster of gifts shops where I found a great napkin quote: "I'll have a cafe mocha vodka valium latte to go please." Too funny!

As we drove back to Savannah, we talked about the fun we had the past few days and how much we are looking forward to our next Girls Getaway!

Overstuffed at Paula Deen's

The next day we skipped breakfast and opted to save room for an early lunch at Paula Deen’s Restaurant named Lady and Sons (http://www.ladyandsons.com/). What a process to get in here. Fortunately, it wasn’t too crowded. However, we did put our name on the list an hour before we wanted to eat. Then, at 11:45, we had to line up with several other hungry Paula Deen fans to be “officially” notified of “time to eat,” which was done by a cook ringing a dinner bell. After the dinner bell, we still had to wait to be called to cross the street and enter the restaurant. After all that, we were escorted to our seats and shown the amazing buffet that consisted of fried chicken, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, black eyed peas, lima beans, hoecakes and more! In fact, we ate so much that we had to take our Banana Pudding home with us.

After lunch, it was time to start our Savannah sightseeing. We climbed aboard the Oglethorpe Trolley Tour (http://www.oglethorpetours.com/) for a 90-minute tour of Savannah’s historic squares and old-fashioned charm. We learned a lot about the town’s history and saw the location of “the bench” Tom Hanks sat on during the filming of Forrest Gump. After the trolley tour, we boarded the Savannah River Queen (http://www.savannah-riverboat.com/) for a tour of the harbor and port. We climbed to the third and top deck of this 600-passenger patriotic themed vessel and listened to our captain and tour guide offer historic and fun facts about Savannah’s nautical heritage. At the end of the 60-minute tour, we saw the town’s infamous “Waving Girl” statue and the site where the 1996 Olympic Torch made landfall in the U.S. on its way to Atlanta.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's adventures in Savannah!

Girls Getaway to Savannah

Leah drove from Atlanta to meet me in Savannah for a Girls Getaway to this beautiful, historic town. We arrived at the brand new Avia Hotel in Savannah (http://www.aviahotels.com/) for a wonderful Girls Getaway to Savannah. Trendy and charming, we both loved this hotel the moment we walked in. This new boutique hotel chain currently has four properties in the U.S. and makes guests feel welcome both in the hotel as well as the city they are visiting.

Founded in 1733 as Georgia’s first city, Savannah offers visitors a look at southern life with its architecture, charm and soulful food. We started our adventure relaxing on River Street (www.RiverStreetSavannah.com), which offers a wide variety of more than 100 galleries, shops, pubs restaurants and hotels. We enjoyed the River Street happy hour with live acoustic music, a great view of the Savannah River and some interesting people watching. We had our first celeb sighting and just had to take our picture with her (thanks Marilyn).

After asking a few locals for a restaurant recommendation, we decided to try Garibaldi Cafe (http://www.garibaldirestaurant.com/), where I started with the Bloody Mary Oysters and a Raspberry Mojito Martini. After indulging in delicious (and fattening) Lowcountry fare in Charleston, Garibaldi provided a nice change to “comforting Italian” and seafood.

Bicycles, cow milking, Poe's Tavern, Magnolia's and more fried green tomatoes

Sunday morning was a warm one, but we climbed aboard some of the Venue Inn’s bicycles and started exploring the historic city on our own. We rode along Murray Blvd with the Charleston Harbor on one side of us and beautiful historic mansions on the other. It was a wonderful ride and a great way to enjoy this lovely city. We packed up and said goodbye to Vendue Inn, then headed to Sullivan’s Island to meet our friend Aimee for lunch and a quick tour. After a quick stop at the beach and a few photos with the lighthouse, we stopped the infamous Poe’s Tavern (http://www.poestavern.com/) for lunch. This place was founded to preserve the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe, a man who at once celebrated and bemoaned life, and always enjoyed a good drink…or several.

That afternoon, we were off to Middleton Place (http://www.middletonplace.org/), which is a National Historic Landmark and a carefully preserved 18th-century plantation that has survived revolutions, Civil War, and an earthquake. It was the home of four generations of Middletons, who each played a significant role in U.S. and South Carolina’s history. Located on the Ashley River, Middleton Place visitors are invited to tour the Gardens, the House Museum, and the Plantation Stableyards. Heather and I enjoyed touring the gorgeous grounds and milking a cow, but we prefer to get our milk from the grocery versus the old-fashioned way.

We enjoyed another incredible Charleston meal at a Magnolia’s Restaurant (http://www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com/), which provided more southern and low country meal options. The worst part about the dinner was making choices. We wanted to try it all! So we narrowed it down to just a few items: Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Okra, Collard Greens, Macaroni & Cheese, Parmesan Crusted Flounder and Pan Seared Grouper. I felt like I was gaining weight by the forkful. As we “rolled” out of another restaurant, we wondered how people who live in Charleston stay so thin with all this delicious lowcountry cooking. Heather said, “They must be bulimic.”

What Do Wine, Vodka, Angel, Firefly, Peninsula and Banana Pudding Have in Common?

After a “tough” morning of shopping, we were excited to drive to the Irvin House Vineyards (http://www.charlestonwine.com/) and Firefly Vodka Distillery (http://www.fireflyvodka.com/) for a tour and tasting. Located on Wadmalaw Island, about 30 minutes from town, Jim and Ann Irvin feature the only domestic winery in Charleston. In 2008, they launched the Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka brand, which I loved before I even arrived in Charleston. Many thanks to Jim for the fantastic private tour, as well as Ann and Erin for the hospitality and warm welcome. (We heard Ann is a big fan of Girls Getaways, so we cannot wait for her to join us on an upcoming trip). On the way back to Vendue Inn, we stopped to see the magnificent Angel Oak Tree (www.AngelOakTree.org), which is 65 feet high, provides 17,000 square feet of shade and is believed to be 1,500 years old.

That night we decided to try the Peninsula Grill (http://www.peninsulagrill.com/) for dinner. After hearing so much about the Grill’s Ultimate Coconut Cake, we just couldn’t at least try it. We split the New York Strip and opted for extra sides (Citrus Glazed Spinach and the Bacon & Cheddar Fingerling Potatoes). Realizing just how full we were after our main course, we debated whether we could even begin to enjoy the enormous Coconut Cake. Not ones to follow the usual trend, we opted for the staff’s favorite dessert – the Banana Pudding. We were thrilled with our choice and will have to make another trip to Charleston just for the Ultimate Coconut Cake.

SOBs vs SNOBs

On Saturday morning we enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage tour of the historic city thanks to Carolina Polo & Carriage Company (http://cpcc.com/). Our four-legged host Winston who pulled us around town during this 60-minute tour. Also, thank you Greg, who is one of Charleston’s best historians and taught me how to drive the carriage. Charleston was founded in 1670 and is known as the ‘holy city’ because of all the churches. Despite much damage due to battles and hurricanes, Charleston has done a wonderful job preserving its heritage and history. During the tour, we also learned the difference between the S.O.Bs and the S.N.O.Bs. If you don’t already know this, you’ll have to join us for our Girls Getaway to Charleston in November to learn more!

After the fun and educational carriage tour, we strolled through the City Market where we found all sorts of crafts and good for sale in four huge buildings. The market is best known for the sweet grass basket weavers who are actually making the baskets as they sell them. The market is open 365 days a year, so be sure to check it out during your next visit. After the market, we strolled along King Street where we found tons of stores, including most stores you’d find in malls (Bebe, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ann Taylor and Nicole Miller) as well as some great specialty stores like Lily and Eden Boheme.

Girls Getaway to Charleston

On Friday morning, Heather and I started our road trip to Charleston, SC. We felt as though we were in college again driving to a fabulous Spring Break destination. With our lives so busy and very different, the drive gave us time to talk and catch up on each other’s lives, both personal and professional.

We arrived at Vendue Inn (http://www.vendueinn.com/) just in time to get settled in our beautiful room and catch the very end of the afternoon manager’s reception. After several glasses of wine and meeting some of Vendue’s amazing staff, we headed to the nearby Rooftop Bar & Restaurant where we met up with several of our girlfriends who now reside in Charleston. After cocktails and conversation with the girls, we walked to Carolina’s Restaurant (http://www.carolinasrestaurant/) for a fabulous dinner. With a champagne toast and Fried Green Tomatoes to start, we had a wonderful time catching up with everyone. I loved the Pan Seared Grouper, and Heather had been looking forward to her Carolina Shrimp & Grits all week.

Stay tuned as this adventure has just begun!