Southern Charm Part 2

After 3 days in Charleston, we jumped in the car and drove the 90 minutes from the Palmetto state to the Peach State. We began our time in Georgia in Savannah, a city I have been itching to visit for a long time. Generally, Savannah lived up to expectations, especially in the beauty department with the Spanish Moss practically dripping off the oaks. However, two days was plenty of time in the city since there’s not a ton of attractions and the food options didn’t wow us. Savannah is considered one of the most haunted cities in America and Brian begrudgingly missed out on a ghost tour because his girlfriend was admittedly too scared. Add a ghost tour onto my list below if you won’t have nightmares like I would. Here’s the skinny on our non-frightening time in Savannah:

Accomodations

The Brice: This recently opened Kimpton hotel was a 180 from our historic hotel in

Happy hour at The Brice

Charleston. We loved the decor and the good location but we were underwhelmed with the housekeeping and the lack of concierge help. The best part about staying at a Kimpton is the 5pm complimentary happy hour and, if the weather had been better, we would have loved to drink our wine in the inner courtyard. Bring a bathing suit for warm weather and enjoy your stay! http://www.bricehotel.com/

Food

The Olde Pink House: One of Savannah’s most famous and haunted establishments was a must do during our stay. The staff was very knowledgeable about the history of the house and the ghosts that still loom in the different rooms. Brian ate their signature crispy scoured flounder and the “BLT” salad which was featured on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever ate. He thought they were both very good although maybe did not live up to those superlatives. My shrimp and grits were delicious! Reservations can be hard to get but you can eat at the tavern downstairs, featuring a nightly piano player, or the side bar without planning ahead. You also have access to roam around the entire house after your meal. http://www.plantersinnsavannah.com/the-olde-pink-house/

The Olde Pink House is really pink!

J. Christophers: A good brunch joint that had a lot of omelette options. No reservations necessary and right in the middle of the city. http://www.jchristophers.com/

The Florence: As devoted Top Chef fans, I wanted us to try Hugh Acheson’s new digs in Savannah. I knew I’d have a hard time because it’s an Italian restaurant, but we were both underwhelmed with our meal. Brian liked his entree of cider glazed pork ribs, but the meatball starter was blah and his cannoli dessert, which the waitress claimed was her favorite, was so bad, with filling bordering on sour (like it had been sitting out for a couple hours), that it’s the only cannoli Brian has ever not finished. Our only disappointing meal of the trip. http://theflorencesavannah.com/

Back in the Day Bakery: Off the beaten track bakery that our friends from Atlanta told us we couldn’t leave Savannah without visiting. We got the last Star Brownie only 2 hours after the bakery opened, so go first thing in the morning to try every option on the menu. http://www.backinthedaybakery.com/

Savannah Dan

What to Do

Savannah Dan: If there’s anyone who embodies Savannah, it’s this tall man in a seersucker suit. He was hysterical and knowledgeable all at the same time. Dan took us through 6 of the 24 squares that are laid out proportionally throughout the city. He provided us with fun facts like that Georgia was originally a free state without any slavery and he pointed out that bench where Forrest Gump intoned that “Life is like a box of chocolates…” doesn’t even exist. There are so many tours to choose from but this is the one to go on! http://www.savannahdan.com/

We made it to all 24 squares!

 

 

 

 

Mercer Williams House: I read about half of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt and we watched the Clint Eastwood movie before we left, so we wanted to see the home that was the scene of the murder from the story. The tour was short and the guide highlighted all the amazing antiques that Jim Williams accumulated but we really wanted to hear about the murder and all the parties that he threw there. http://www.mercerhouse.com/

Spanish Moss

Bonaventure Cemetery: It’s a little bit of a drive out of the city and it probably would have been better for us if we had gone on a tour but it was still a spectacular place. We spent time in the Jewish section and then we wove our way through the historic section. Some of the gravestones were so ornate! The setting is beautiful, right on the water, but don’t expect to find the Bird Girl statue from the cover of Midnight; it has a new home in the Telfair Museum of Art. http://www.bonaventurehistorical.org/

From Savannah we drove the long and boring ride 4 hour ride to Atlanta. It was well worth it though because we were thrilled to spend New Year’s with the Friedmans and have them show us around their city.

Georgia Aquarium: Buy your tickets online ahead of time for a discounted price to America’s largest aquarium. This place is huge. We missed the dolphin show but Mike, Dayna, and their 3 year old Blake assured us that it was pretty impressive. It was amazing to see the whale sharks and manta rays because of their size and I loved seeing the Beluga whales. Definitely give yourself plenty of time to check out every exhibit and go either as soon as it’s opening or a couple hours before closing. You should grab lunch at The Varsity, the world’s largest drive-in restaurant and an Atlanta staple for the past 87 years! http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum: Well it’s really not a complete trip unless we can squeeze some presidential history in. Carter may not be the most interesting president, but his museum was very well done. We enjoyed watching the introductory video and I really appreciated learning about his early life and grassroots campaigning. The most informative exhibit was about the Camp David Accords which is certainly the highlight of his career as president. http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/

 

 

 

 

 

And then we had to board a plane back to chilly NYC. Good times, good food and good friends made for an amazing Southeastern vacation. If this trip is any indication of the upcoming year, then 2015 is going to be wonderful.

California Love Part 2

Part 2 focuses on our drive from San Fran to Los Angeles, primarily on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Day 5…

– Breakfast at Dottie’s: It was recommended by many, especially Dara and Andrew, and it was worth the 30 minute wait, in the sun, surrounded by bums. Dishes are huge and Brian thought their jalapeno jelly on cornbread should not be missed.. http://dotties.biz/

– We took US 1 from SF to Monterey. It was about a 3 hour drive. It’s faster if you take the freeway.

– Monterey Bay Aquarium: Admission was a part of the CityPass and it was highly suggested. We were a little underwhelmed but probably because we had been spoiled by the aquarium at the California Academy of Science. The highlights of the aquarium were the kelp forest, which is filled with bay water that is continuously pumped through the exhibit, the deep sea tank with large tuna, sunfish and hammerheads, and the otters, who were playful and mesmerizing to watch. There are movie presentations and feeding times each day as well. http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/ 

– We drove to Carmel and stayed at the Carmel Lodge. It was a simple place and conveniently located within the adorable town of Carmel by the Sea. http://www.carmellodge.com/

 

– Dinner at Flaherty’s: The reviews online were great but the hotel cautioned against the restaurant because previous hotel guests had complained about the terrible service. We went anyways and were pleasantly surprised. There were tons of gluten free options and the food was really good. Fine dining is plentiful in Carmel and we were told it’s hard to pick a bad place to eat. http://www.flahertysseafood.com/home

– If we could do it again, we’d get on the road earlier and take the freeway to the aquarium. Monterey is one big tourist trap so we’d leave the city and take 17 Mile drive through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach to Carmel. Then we’d spend time walking around the town of Carmel before dinner. They had great shops but we ran out of time to see everything this quaint town had to offer.

Day 6…

– Breakfast at Katy’s: It was exactly the type of brunch you want before hitting the road; hearty and tasty. Gluten free pancakes to boot! http://www.katysplacecarmel.com/

– Carmel: We walked around the town a bit and bought some gifts. There’s so much to buy! I  wish we had more time though because it’s supposed to be beautiful and romantic!

– Drive down the PCH: Now this is what we were waiting for. The drive is spectacular. We wanted to pull off at every vista point but you have to be choosy if you’re ever going to make it to your destination. Bixby Bridge and Hurricane Point were two of our favorites. Don’t forget to bring binoculars! We were not aware of this but everyone we met let us borrow theirs as we all noticed a pod of dolphins and whales near shore. It was spectacular. We also saw otters and heard sea lions barking. The drive through Big Sur is breathtaking as you make your way along the windy roads of the coast and the steep incline though the redwoods of Los Padres National Forest.

 

 

 

 

– Limekiln State Park: We stopped off at this state park for a quick hike as recommended by my dear friend Laura who recently did the drive. It was perfect because it only took us about 20 minutes to hike to a waterfall. There were other paths we would have loved to explore but we just ran out of time. Also, the park goes right to the ocean and we it had great campgrounds. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=577

– Elephant Seal Rookery: Right as we entered San Simeon, we pulled off the highway and saw a beach-ful of elephant seals! They are tremendous and hilarious and you won’t believe how many seals are snoring on the beach! We were told that if you want to see more action and less sleeping, that you should visit the rookery earlier in the day. http://www.elephantseal.org/Rookery/where.html

– Hearst Castle: We booked the last tour of the day about a week before we went on the trip. The website suggested The Grand Rooms Tour for first time visitors and I thought it was a great choice. It gave you a great overview of the history of the house and Hearst. After the 45 minute tour you can explore the pools and grounds. There were many docents spread out over the property who were knowledgeable and answered our many questions. Just be prepared to be awed. This castle, is just that, a castle and after 28 years of working with architect Julia Morgan on the home, Hearst felt it was only 50% finished! http://hearstcastle.org/

 

 

 

 

– We stayed at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. Each room at this infamous hotel is uniquely decorated with just the right amount of kitsch and fun. We stayed in a room called Floral Fantasy and it was floor to ceiling pink and red. We worried that the hotel would be old, dirty and dated but we were pleasantly surprised with how nice it was. It was a hoot to stay there and a perfect stopping point after a long day on the road. http://www.madonnainn.com/

Our room at the Madonna Inn

– The only thing we’d change about Day 6 is that we’d stretch it out over a few days and probably camp. There’s so many vista points we wanted to stop at and so many places we would have hiked, that it would have been great to feel less in a rush as we made our way down US 1.

Day 7…

– Los Olivos: We headed directly to the town of Los Olivos and met up with Brian’s sister, Bonnie, for a fun day of wine tasting. We visited 3 wineries: Alexander and Wayne, Arthur Earl and Carhartt. My favorite was Carhartt because their wine was delicious and they had a beautiful outdoor patio space to enjoy the drinks. (http://www.arthurearl.com/AW http://www.arthurearl.com/ http://www.carharttvineyard.com/) 

– Lunch at Panino: Delicious sandwiches (I did mine wrapped in lettuce). Bonnie said that on the weekend this place is packed and we could see why. (http://www.paninorestaurants.com/index.php)

– We stayed at the Hadsten House in Solvang. The hotel was great, especially for the price. Upon arrival you receive a complimentary wine pass to local wineries. The town of Solvang is a Danish enclave in the middle of California. All the buildings make you feel like you are in Denmark, windmills and all! We dined at Root 246. It was a delicious meal in a beautiful building. (http://www.hadstenhouse.com/ http://www.root-246.com/)

Day 8 starts with our final leg of the drive to Los Angeles, with a stop at the Reagan Presidential Library along the way. If you want to see great photographs of the highway being built check out this link: http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/from-the-roosevelt-highway-to-the-one-a-brief-history-of-pacific-coast-highway.html.

The takeaway from the drive was that it was fantastic and we wished it was longer. Between the scenery, the wildlife and the sights along the way, it’s no wonder that the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the best drives in America. What would you add to our drive? We heard Pismo Beach would have been a great stop!