Tag Archives: Georgia

Mimi’s Back: June Round-Up and Home for the Fourth of July

Avignon Papal Palace
The Papal Palace in Avignon, France

Mimi has returned from Europe concluding her roundabout travels of local, national and international destinations. She explored Georgia, Tennessee, France and Germany by boat, train, airplane, auto, taxi, van, bus, bicycle, ATV, helicopter, zipline, raft and on foot.

Sainte Chapelle
Sainte Chapelle in Paris

She hiked a trail in the Smoky Mountains, descended into Forbidden Caverns and strolled the Champs Elysées. She was drenched by the swirling StormChaser and snoozed on a bed at 35,000 feet. She discovered the wonders of the medieval Papal Palace in Avignon and Sainte Chapelle in Paris built by French King Louis IX to display Christ's crown of thorns.

She savored apple fritters in a restaurant encircled by orchards, French croissants still warm from the oven and barbequed ribs that were finger licking good. She lingered at sidewalk cafés tasting escargot and pâté and sipped robust Chateauneuf du Pape wine. She drank beer in Munich's famous Hofbrahaus where she met a complete stranger from her hometown.

Lavender Field
Farmhouse in the Lavender Fields of Provence, France

Debi in the lavenderShe photographed lavender fields by day and cathedrals at night; farmer's markets; mountain streams and her two month old grandson's feet.

It was a month on the move and Mimi is tired. She's glad to be home to watch fireworks and celebrate the Fourth of July. In upcoming blog posts she will share her recommendations on hotels, restaurants, activities, places of interest and compelling reasons to visit.

Feet
Family Feet--Jonah, Mommy and Daddy

Photo of Mimi (AKA Debi) in the field of lavender by Susan Bowen.

Pop Rock Shrimp

Lang’s Marina Restaurant

307 West St. Marys Street
St. Marys, Georgia

Remember Pop Rocks—the tiny colorful candy nuggets that came in tightly sealed packets? You placed a few kernel-sized pieces on your tongue and they detonated in your mouth with a sizzling sound.I always thought the candy left a tingling sensation on my tongue.

Biting into a fried rock shrimp at Lang’s Seafood Restaurant in St. Marys, Georgia is very similar.The small shrimp are covered in a thin batter and briefly fried.They puff to the size of a cotton ball, but should not to be confused with popcorn shrimp.

Continue reading Pop Rock Shrimp

Springtime in the Gardens of Savannah and Tybee Island

Savannah's Forsyth Fountain
Savannah’s Forsyth Fountain

Seductive Savannah, Georgia’s first city, beckons with sophisticated stature: iron fences and balconies adorn stately antebellum mansions; renovated townhouses abut cobblestone streets; green squares blossom and aged live oaks drip with Spanish moss. She flaunts mystery with tales of murder and ghosts.

Neighboring Tybee Island, a 20-minute drive, bespeaks an altogether different aura; she tempts visitors to tiny raised cottages, marsh grass, tidal beaches and sea breezes. Where Savannah oozes Southern charm and elegance, Tybee prefers laid back relaxation. Both vacation spots offer ideal springtime getaways.

Savannah‘s historic district is divided into a grid. Walk or hop on a tour bus to review her past and visit high-end antique shops, quirky boutiques or art museums. Fans of John Berendt’s, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, will enjoy touring sites from the book, including the Mercer Williams House and serene Bonaventure Cemetery.

Mercer House
Mercer House

Make sure to dine at Paula Deen’s The Lady & Son’s Restaurant, probably the most sought out reservation in town or Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, a former boardinghouse that dishes a lunch that lasts all day. Another favorite, The Pink House, serves elegant southern cuisine. If you want to splurge on lodging, check into The Mansion on Forsyth Park or consider numerous bed-and-breakfast inns at www.historicinnsofsavannah.com.

Cross the causeway and let your hair fly. Tybee Island’s claim to fame is Fort Pulaski, where a famous Civil War battle occurred, and Tybee Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Georgia. Sign-on for deep-sea fishing charters, perhaps a dolphin cruise, rent a bike or kayak, bird-watch, surf or simply rest on her shores. The beach is perfect for weddings and many couples choose to wed along the five miles of sandy dunes

Island shopping offers beach-themed kitsch, bait and tackle shops, and art exhibits. May 15th is the date for the 21st annual Beach Bum Parade. Spectators line the parade route armed with buckets, squirt guns and hoses. What results is an all-out water war.

The Savannah Beach Inn on Tybee, offers lodging in a restored 1898 Victorian house. The owners prepare a luscious gourmet breakfast, featuring Bananas Foster French Toast, host daily wine and cheese receptions and leave bedtime, milk and cookies.

For dinner try the famous Crab Shack for seafood low-country boil or catch a sunset meal at a local’s favorite, A.J’s Dockside Restaurant.

Give yourself a springtime fling in one of America’s loveliest cities or interesting islands.

For more information on Savannah’s events, please visit www.SavannahVisit.com, for Tybee Island: www.tybeevisit.com.