{"id":1371,"date":"2016-04-12T22:57:37","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T22:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/?p=1371"},"modified":"2016-04-18T11:28:26","modified_gmt":"2016-04-18T11:28:26","slug":"savannah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/2016\/04\/12\/savannah\/","title":{"rendered":"Savannah"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>After our very long stay in Florida we moved on to Georgia. \u00a0But only for a few days. \u00a0We headed straight to Skidaway Island State Park just outside of Savannah. \u00a0Our first day out we spent the day in downtown Savannah. \u00a0I really liked the historic area. \u00a0The squares were beautiful and plentiful&#8230;every couple blocks there is another one. \u00a0Not that I know anything about it but I like the architecture. \u00a0Living in an old house myself (our sticks and bricks) I guess I&#8217;m partial to older buildings. \u00a0The weather was perfect the day we were there; not too hot, not too cold.<br \/>\n<a title=\"Forsythe park\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/25853990684\/in\/album-72157664883867103\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1497\/25853990684_f4d1014f61_n.jpg\" alt=\"Forsythe park\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n We took a guided walking tour that was free and got great reviews. \u00a0While it is &#8220;free&#8221; they believe you will like the tour so much that you will tip your guide. \u00a0I think it would be better for them to just say &#8220;you decide the ticket price&#8221;. \u00a0But that&#8217;s just semantics. \u00a0Our guide was a young kid who loved history and really did a good job of conveying Savannah&#8217;s important role in history. \u00a0He pointed out the important tid bits like where the opening scene of Forest Gump was filmed, where the bus stop bench in Forest Gump was, and where the first Girl Scouts headquarters were (and that there was another girl scout related historic building in town that sold cookies for $2\/box&#8230;we were unable to confirm this).<\/p>\n<p>He also made a few suggestions for other things to do. \u00a0At one stop he pointed down the block and said &#8220;see that loooong line of people? \u00a0That&#8217;s the line to have lunch at <a href=\"http:\/\/mrswilkes.com\/\">Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room<\/a>. \u00a0Best southern food ever. \u00a0They close at 2:00 so show up at 1:50 and you&#8217;ll barely have to wait. \u00a0Show up hungry and in your stretchy pants.&#8221; \u00a0I don&#8217;t know if it was because I was super hungry, or the claim of &#8220;best southern food ever&#8221;, or my desire to wear stretchy pants&#8230;but I immediately googled this place to see if it was a viable option for our wallet. \u00a0$22 per adult, $11 per child (10 and under). \u00a0It seemed expensive but I reasoned if we ate a late lunch maybe it would serve as both lunch and dinner. \u00a0Steph and the kids were all game to go and a bit\u00a0surprised because tightwad Papa rarely suggests we eat out. \u00a0We have eaten out a total of 16\u00a0times in the almost 3 months we&#8217;ve been traveling. \u00a0Four of those were Subway,\u00a0five were visiting with friends\/family and two were in Orlando parks&#8230;so I almost don&#8217;t count those. \u00a0Anyway, we showed up and maybe waited in line about 15 minutes before being invited in to the basement dining room and sat at a table with 4 other strangers and a HUGE spread of food.<br \/>\n <a title=\"The spread\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/26458863225\/in\/album-72157664883867103\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1607\/26458863225_b85c432bf9_n.jpg\" alt=\"The spread\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mrs. Wilkes started this &#8220;boarding house&#8221; long ago as a place for locals to get a home cooked, hearty meal. \u00a0And hearty it was!! \u00a0We had mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread stuffing, butter beans, rutabaga, cabbage, coleslaw, sweet potato souffle, beef stew, green beans, collard greens, baked beans, cream corn, okra, BBQ pork, fried chicken, black eyed peas, red rice, biscuits and cornbread. \u00a0For desert there was peach cobbler and banana pudding. \u00a0The food was amazing! \u00a0Perhaps it&#8217;s my eastern European roots but the cabbage was probably my favorite side dish. \u00a0The fried chicken is very popular but the BBQ pork was my meat of choice. \u00a0And the peach cobbler&#8230;oh that peach cobbler&#8230;unbelievably delicious. \u00a0As you can see in the photo above the meal\u00a0was served family style which I thought was really cool. \u00a0Reminded me of Juniper Valley Ranch\u00a0south of Colorado Springs&#8230;.it was in a house, there was no menu, and all served family style. \u00a0The other two couples at our table were fun to chat with and were super nice.<\/p>\n<p>Was it worth it? \u00a0Yes!! \u00a0When I went up to pay (cash and check only, no cards!) I told the cashier I have 2 adults, a 12 year old at the adult price, and two kids. \u00a0He said in his southern accent, &#8220;I think we should do two adults and 3 kids&#8230;.does that work for you?&#8221; \u00a0Heck yeah it works for me! \u00a0I did not tell him that all three kids put the food down like full grown adults. \u00a0So it was $77 even and we left $16 tip (the serving ladies were so sweet and fun). \u00a0It was a splurge, but I think it was well worth it. \u00a0All said and done we paid $43 more than we did for our dinner at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/2016\/03\/08\/a-magical-family-day\/\">Disney World<\/a> where we got \u00a0basic hamburgers and fries. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With our bellies pressing against our belts we decided to &#8220;shop&#8221; at an antique store that our tour guide told us about. \u00a0I like antique stores in general but this one was over the top. \u00a0It was a 4 story house\/mansion with 15 foot ceilings and completely stuffed with antiques. \u00a0Total fire hazard. \u00a0The pieces were amazing themselves but how it was packed in there and how they even got some of the bigger pieces in or out was even more amazing. \u00a0The cheapest thing we found was a $125 basket (I think you can get one at HobyLobby for $5) and the most expensive thing we saw was a $35,000 table from London. \u00a0The building itself was very impressive. \u00a0However, it was in total disrepair. \u00a0Giant pieces of plaster missing on the walls and ceilings revealing the lathe underneath. \u00a0Enormous ornate crown mouldings that were covered in peeling paint (probably full of lead too!). \u00a0It was hard for me to see a house with so much potential just deteriorating.<br \/>\n <a title=\"The house is an antique\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/26186011940\/in\/album-72157664883867103\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/farm2.staticflickr.com\/1700\/26186011940_ff7fde1a46_n.jpg\" alt=\"The house is an antique\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our final stop of the day was the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, another suggestion from our guide. \u00a0It was spectacular inside. \u00a0The stain glass, the alter area and the pipe organ were highly detailed and beautiful. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It started to drizzle just as we got back to the car but it stopped by the time we arrived home. \u00a0And for dinner&#8230;well, Mrs. Wilkes came through for us&#8230;.nobody was hungry enough for dinner. \u00a0Oh maybe Brielle had some carrots or something but no meal prep took place.<\/p>\n<p>I definitely liked Savannah!<\/p>\n<div id=\"flickr_72157664883867103_7812\"><div class=\"slickr-flickr-slideshow landscape medium \"><div class=\"active\"><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1633\/26441458585_470474a1fb.jpg\" title=\"Which of these is not like the other\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Which of these is not like the other<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1555\/25853984414_413b185f0b.jpg\" title=\"Downspout\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Downspout<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1632\/26458859275_17ee824f31.jpg\" title=\"Oglethorpe\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Oglethorpe<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1596\/26432942136_db1a41e1d8.jpg\" title=\"Forest Gump bench location\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Forest Gump bench location<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1463\/25856030013_f3007858b7.jpg\" title=\"Phone booth\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Phone booth<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1497\/25853990684_f4d1014f61.jpg\" title=\"Forsyth park\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Forsyth park<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1707\/26392674051_9d47bde6db.jpg\" title=\"The Wilkes house\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>The Wilkes house<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1552\/26366526032_b42408f774.jpg\" title=\"Waiting for food\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Waiting for food<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1607\/26458863225_b85c432bf9.jpg\" title=\"The spread\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>The spread<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1660\/26349150082_13d82c7241.jpg\" title=\"A lotta food!\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>A lotta food!<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1709\/26185982660_2e9ba8f094.jpg\" title=\"Antique piles\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Antique piles<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1520\/25856033323_4bcef108a5.jpg\" title=\"More antiques\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>More antiques<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1472\/25853990304_8f01cd3389.jpg\" title=\"High priced table\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>High priced table<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1555\/26432945216_7d83bdaccd.jpg\" title=\"Spooky stairs\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Spooky stairs<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1700\/26186011940_ff7fde1a46.jpg\" title=\"The house is an antique\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>The house is an antique<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1546\/26458862395_674f294290.jpg\" title=\"Porch of antiques\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Porch of antiques<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1688\/25853989604_604cdd83ed.jpg\" title=\"The kids\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>The kids<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1480\/25856036413_02dfae256a.jpg\" title=\"Cathedral pano\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Cathedral pano<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1595\/26458860795_10a9734021.jpg\" title=\"Organ\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Organ<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1514\/25853989104_f3907cfdf8.jpg\" title=\"St John Cathedral\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>St John Cathedral<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1468\/26392698221_2d60a5c42f.jpg\" title=\"Our Girl Scout\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Our Girl Scout<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm2.static.flickr.com\/1685\/26392697861_049a280f30.jpg\" title=\"Sherman\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Sherman<\/p><\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">jQuery(\"#flickr_72157664883867103_7812\").data(\"options\",{\"delay\":3000,\"autoplay\":true,\"transition\":500,\"link\":\"next\",\"target\":\"_self\",\"width\":\"\",\"height\":\"\"});<\/script><div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After our very long stay in Florida we moved on to Georgia. \u00a0But only for a few days. \u00a0We headed straight to Skidaway Island State Park just outside of Savannah. \u00a0Our first day out we spent the day in downtown Savannah. \u00a0I really liked the historic area. \u00a0The squares were beautiful and plentiful&#8230;every couple blocks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[36,37],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1371"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1387,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1371\/revisions\/1387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}