Well, it has been a whole ass year since I have posted on this site. I spend more time providing content to Gnatty Savannah’s Instagram and Gnatty Savannah Facebook Page.
What’s new?
The only new place that has opened in Savannah that I know of is Hop Atomica located at 535 E 39th St. Hop Atomica is a gastropub. I haven’t been yet, but I will post about it when I do go.
Not entirely new, but worth noting is the Loki Food Bus which is often parked at Starland Yard. It’s a bus, not a truck.
Over the weekend, Starland Yard opened. It’s a welcome addition to the Thomas Square neighborhood. I am so happy that Kyle Jacovino is back making pies, so check out Vittoria Savannah.
Today is the first day of school here in Savannah.
National Night Out is tomorrow, August 6th.
Flock to the Wok, a new Chinese restaurant just opened on Whitaker.
MoodRights is a bar that is opening soon on Abercorn.
GnattySavannah.com had been on hiatus for a minute, but we are back up.
What’s new?
I am one of the community fellows for Code For America, and I wrote about the project which is focused on sea level resiliency.
Fat Radish is open at 36 MLK Blvd.. I had a peach cocktail opening night, but will go back for dinner. I can’t wait to try the schnitzel.
Squirrel Pizza is open at 2218 Bull Street. Go for pizza, and they have Two Tides’ Chromatose on tap.
Y’all, I had a lightbulb moment. I have long known that Savannah is a “Facebook Town”, but I am a blogger and avid Twitterer. While listening to a lunchtime presentation on web traffic (sponsored by Hubspot), I realized that I needed to have a place to post events, news, comedy shows, restaurant openings, art exhibitions and more. This blog is doing an OK job, but Facebook is way more efficient. I already have a community there. So to supplement this blog, I have a launched a Facebook Page for Gnatty Savannah. It will be updated daily, so like Gnatty Savannah to stay in the loop.
Two weeks, I hosted a fun variety show featuring local Savannah talent. My friend Joanne Morton came up with the idea of doing a Planned Parenthood fundraiser. All of the performers were cool women. They were fucking cool women. There was singing, poetry, spoken word, comedy, dance and hula hooping. We raised over $400 for Planned Parenthood.
I did Friday night of this year’s Savannah Stopover, and it was a blast. Savannah Stopover is a three day music festival featuring bands from all over. Many of the bands stop over in Savannah before heading to SXSW in Austin.
I first stopped by the secret show at West Elm. Christopher Paul Stelling performed an acoustic set. His new album, ‘Itinerant Arias’, will drop on 05/05/17. After his set, I grabbed some dinner from the Chazitos Latin Food Truck. The empanadas and plaintains are delicious.
Then I went to see Becca Mancari play at Trinity Church. She’s originally from Staten Island, but plays country music. Listening to secular music in a church is pretty cool.
Later on, I saw Gracie and Rachel play. Their sound is orchestral pop. Their choral acoustic cover of Kreayshawn’s “Gucci, Gucci’ is the best cover I have heard this year.
Alanna Royale is an authentic soul singer. She has so much stage presence that it is imperative that you see her live. She is a great complement to Lee Fields and the Expressions who performed in the most handsome shiny suits.
They played baby-making music with an old school vibe, and it felt so good. However, seeing Alanna and Lee actually reminded me of Sharon Jones which made me feel a little melancholy. It was time for me to change venues, so I walked to Club One to see Floco Torres. Floco Torres is a hip hop artist from Macon, Georgia. His flow reminded me of 90’s hip hop. Next up was Deantoni Parks who used to be the drummer for Mars Volta. Wearing a first ‘Batman movie era joker t-shirt and playing drums, Deantoni was like if The Art of Noise met up with Prince and early Can. He was great! Last but not least was the dj collective, A Tribe Called Red. They are a Canadian first nation group. I saw all of the amazing music for less than $40. The three-day passes are more, but I highly recommend coming to Savannah for Stopover next year.
This past weekend, I went to the newly opened Ghost Coast Distillery which is located at 641 Indian Street near the Talmadge Bridge. Ghost Coast is the first distillery in Savannah in 261 years. The tour itself starts with a video that gives a great history of drinking in Savannah. The video mentions essential figures in Savannah history including James Oglethorpe, the Yamacraw, and Chief Tomochichi. The name of their first Vodka, Vodka 261, pays homage to the 261 years between the end of Georgia’s first prohibition to the establishment of Ghost Coast Distillery. The tour includes a visit to the aging room for the bourbon they are making. In three years, there will also be bourbon available to drink. BTW, you can find Ghost Coast 261 vodka at Alleycat Lounge, a new cocktail bar.The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and after the tour we got to have a Vodka Gimlet and a Moscow Mule. I would recommend the tour to learn about Savannah history and the craft distilling process.
Friday, March 3: First Fridays in Starland. There will be art at Sulfur Studios and music at Foxy Loxy.
Saturday, March 4: Front Porch Improv, a hilarious monthly improv comedy show.
Tuesday, March 7: Looking for more comedy?! Chicks and Giggles’ celebrates Women History Month with a fun lineup of local female comedians at The Sentient Bean. Performers include Tara Scott, Mo Scheffler, Hannah Grace, Sarah Ann Knight, Ann Van Epps and more. I will be hosting.
Thursday, March 9-11: Savannah Stopover begins. It’s the music festival that features up and coming bands before they head to SXSW in Austin. I went last year and had a blast.
Happy Sunday!
Yesterday, I stopped by the Savannah Book Festival yesterday and I got a cookbook, The Casserole Queens Make-a-Meal Cookbook.
Shop The Fox, the shop next door to Foxy Loxy, is closing and a big moving sale is happening today (Sunday, February 19th). I love the space, and look forward to its next incarnation in the near future.
Ghost Coast Distillery is now open! Ghost Coast is the first legal craft distillery to open in Savannah in 100 years. The distillery is located on 641 Indian Street. You can go for a tour and a tasting. Like them on Facebook to check out their schedule and events.
The Savannah Stopover is coming up soon, March 9-11th. I went last year and I had a blast checking out bands that I never heard of like PWR BTTM. Now, they’re getting press in Fader.