Savannah is a city where an event can spontaneously erupt. There are twenty-two public squares and several public parks, so there are a lot of open areas for people to gather. It is also a place where people organize and people of diverse backgrounds come together. Matthew Duplessie planned and organized ManiFest, a holistic event, at Morrell Park which is never River Street. It was an afternoon where people came together for storytelling, music, yoga, gratitude circle and more.
Located near the Starland District, the Metro Star Urban Garden is a small garden on 38th Street and Howard. It is one of the urban gardens that is part of the Savannah Urban Garden Alliance (SUGA). SUGA is a group that connects and educates fellow gardeners in the Savannah area.
Betty Bombers is an all-American restaurant located in the back of the historic American Legion Post 135 which is on Bull Street. The burgers are delicious. I ordered a hamburger with blue cheese and had buffalo wing sauce as the dip for my French fries, so it was like having the flavor of Buffalo wings without the chicken or the celery.
I like living in cities with a river view. I have lived in Cincinnati, New York and now Savannah. I went to Top Deck, a rooftop bar at the Cotton Sail Hotel. There’s a great view of the Savannah River at Top Deck. I was there for a Yelp Elite event, and it was great meeting new people and getting recommendations of places to go in Savannah. 17hundred90 is now on my list.
I stopped by Back In The Day Bakery and had a blueberry maple pie bar. It was yummy. I love blueberry in baked goods. The flavor combination of blueberry and maple reminded me of Anarchy in A Jar’s Easy Like Sunday Morning preserves. Laena McCarthy is the proprietor of Anarchy In A Jar. I have known her years even before her jams were selling out at The Brooklyn Flea. By the way, both Laena McCarthy and Cheryl and Griffith Day, owners of Back In Day Bakery have cookbooks.
Jam On: The Art of Canning Fruit by Laena McCarthy
Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl and Griffith Day
Back in the Day Bakery Made with Love: More than 100 Recipes and Make-It-Yourself Projects to Create and Share by Cheryl and Griffith Day
At Back In The Day Bakery on Bull Street, in addition to cookies, brownies and cupcakes, they serve delicious sandwiches for lunch. One of these is the pig and pimento cheese sandwich. Pimento cheese is trending as a condiment. I have seen pimento cheese on the menu as a spread for hamburgers, sandwiches or a dip for French fries. Pimento cheese is pretty easy to make at home. I made it once, and it was delicious. However, it’s the kind of dish that you make to share with people either for a party or a dinner. Most recipes call for cheddar cheese, but I am sure you could substitute other cheeses like Manchego or Gruyere. There’s even a pimento cheese cookbook, Pimento Cheese The Cookbook: 50 Recipes from Snacks to Main Dishes Inspired by the Classic Southern Favorite.
As much as Savannah is a historic city, you can find modernity in the street art around the city. On Desoto Avenue, there is an open space that is full on street art. The area is open to the public on First Friday Art March which is on Desoto Avenue in the Starland District.
I like blueberries on their own, but I love them in a pastry or dessert. In fact, when I am in a bakery, I will always choose a blueberry danish over an apple or apricot one. Recently I stopped in Savannah Coffee Roasters, and I ate this beautiful blueberry pastry in addition to my coffee. If you love to include berries, check out this round-up of summer berry recipes. Savannah Coffee Roasters is in the historic district of the city near hotels and the civic center. Apparently, they served JLo when she was in Savannah last week for the American Idol auditions.
Georgia is known as the “Peach” state, but I hear that South Carolina produces more peaches. When you in this part of the South, the Low Country, you get the best produce from both states. Watsonia Farms is a regular vendor at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, and they bring pretty peaches every week. Watsonia Farms is a family farm based in Monetta, South Carolina that is nearly 100 years old.
This is a photo of two women appreciating the art of Amani Farris at Jepson Center for Art. The Jepson Center is one of the Telfair museums in Savannah. Most of the contemporary art exhibitions are at Jepson. With movies and art lectures, the Jepson’s event programming is great and tends to include all of the Savannah community.