Let me start by saying… Savannah is peak dog. If you are looking for a G O O D B O Y E, just take a quick stroll through Forsyth Park or the historic district. You will see many. Records indicate that Savannah has the highest goldendoodle per capita index in the country. If you love dogs and want to talk to people about how much you love dogs, come to Savannah.
The Spanish Moss and centuries-old live oak trees are truly majestic, and together with the brick roads and flowering azaleas, give Savannah a very unique atmosphere that feels worlds away from our last home, Asheville. It’s highly walkable thanks to an early urban planning initiative by Savannah’s founder, James Oglethorpe. Every few blocks there’s a public square, each one offering green space and a fountain, historical marker, or statue.
That said, the historic district seems to just cut off at the edges. There’s more to Savannah out there, but it’s not really accessible. The historic district is gorgeous and high end… but starts to feel a bit sketchy towards the edges… almost as if it’s designed to keep visitors inside.
On the weekend, it’s very touristy – mainly herds of bachelorettes calling “woo hoo” from their pedal parties, plus horse-drawn carriages and trolly tours. There are tons of great restaurants and the weather is perfect for sitting out on the patio, so everyone seems happy to be here.
Savannah is the kind of place where, if it’s colder than about 65°, people put on their Ugg boots and say things like “it’s freezing.” I used to be one of those people, but after spending the winter in Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Asheville, I feel like I’ve developed some hardiness. The first thing I did when we got here was pack away our winter gear. A cold front blew through today – and it seems like everyone is staying inside.
We saw our 4th sports-related theater production, Lombardi, a couple of weeks ago. It follows the life of famed Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi through the eyes of a young reporter. It was well done with a small cast and really creative set design – astro turf, stadium lights, and green-painted plywood furniture standing in for the practice field, locker room, and Lombardi living room. Oh, and there was a bar cart – it was set in the 60’s, after all.
I’ve been spending most of my days working at coffee shops. If it’s filled with SCAD students you know it’s a good one. Foxy Loxy is my usual spot – it has amazing Texan kolaches and a nice upstairs patio. Forsyth Park is my other favorite spot in the city for its great people (and dog) watching opportunities. There’s always something going on – an ultimate frisbee game, goldendoodle meetup, or even a wedding. I think we’ve seen about six weddings!
Our friends are coming to visit us next weekend and we’ve got a few things planned – Tybee Island, a historical walking tour, and more good eating. We’re leaving just before St. Patrick’s Day because things get CRAZY (and rents go through the roof) that weekend. Next stop: Charleston.
We have been talking a lot about where we want to end up. We still have three cities on our itinerary, so nothing is set in stone, but we’ve learned a lot about what we’re looking for and the kind of home we want to find. More on that in a future post. 🙂