Savannah Vacation News

SCAD Lucas Theatre presents screening of Funny Face starring Audrey Hepburn

On Sunday, September 23rd at 7 p.m. the Savannah Film Society invites you to bring your family to the Lucas Theatre to enjoy a screening of Funny Face starring Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire.

Audrey Hepburn stars in this frolicsome galavant through Paris as a model with more than just a pretty face. Convinced by fashion photographer Fred Astaire that her looks are alluring, not 'funny', she is whisked off to the City of Lights for a fashion shoot. But the headstrong girl is much more interested in discussion empathicalism with the philosophers in the dens of Montmartre than posing for vapid photographers.

You saw the GAP ads, now see the film! Audrey sings the music of George Gershwin (she is not dubbed over as she was in My Fair Lady) and dances, (easily keeping up with Mr. Astaire) in the roll her mother said she was born to play!

You can purchase your tickets by calling (912) 525-5050 or online at the SCAD box office. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors. The film is not rated and runs 103 minutes.

Incan Artifacts, Savannah’s Historic District, Jepson Lecture Series

If you have an interest in Archaeological digs in far away places, then a lecture by one of the leaders in her field may be of interest to you in late September.  A recent press release by the Savannah Business Report and Journal broke the story of a nice collaboration by the city’s Cultural Affairs Department, the Telfair Museum of Art, and Armstrong State University to take place in Savannah's Landmark Historic District at the Jepson Center of the Arts.

The City of Savannah's Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the Telfair Museum of Art and Armstrong Atlantic State University, will be hosting internationally renowned Argentine High-Altitude Archaeologist Constanza Ceruti for a free lecture on Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. at the Telfair's Jepson Center for the Arts. Ceruti, a Buenos Aires native and the only female Andean high-altitude archaeologist in the world, will present a lecture entitled, "Sacred Mountains, Frozen Mummies and Inca Archaeology." She will discuss her work on a National Geographic Society-funded expedition, during which three of the best-preserved mummies in the world were discovered, along with other enlightening Inca artifacts.

Ceruti has climbed over 100 mountains above 16,500 feet to conduct research which has resulted in more than fifty publications, including six books. She is a scientific investigator for the National Council for Scientific Research (CONICET) in Argentina, a professor of Inca Archaeology at Catholic University of Salta and the director of the Institute of High Mountain Research there. In 2005 she became an "Emerging Explorer" of the National Geographic Society. In 2007, she received the "Women of Discovery Courage Award" from Wings Worldquest.

Captain Michael's Coffee

Paula Deen’s husband, Michael Groover, along with Savannah Coffee Roasters reveals new line of coffee. With eight flavors to choose from including Captain’s Choice, First Mate’s Blend, Paula’s Hazelnut Rum Cake, The Lady’s Double Chocolate Cream, Savannah Seduction and River Street Blues.

Captain Michael's coffee is carefully blended with beans grown in Valle del Cauca region of Colombia.

As a bonus for Paula fans, for a limited time if you joint the Roastmaster’s Club you will receive a free autographed copy of her memoir, It Ain’t All About the Cookin’.

Celebrate Labor Day enjoying Tybee Island Luau

Enjoy your Labor Day holiday this year with a luau on Tybee Island. The 2nd annual Lei’bor Day Luau will be held Sunday, September 2nd from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Memorial Park.

The event will feature Polynesian dancers, live music, luau food, festive drinks and children’s activities. There will be hula hoop and limbo contests and a dunking booth.

The luau is free and open to the public and will feature tropical themed live music by Brother Roy and the Parrot Head Revival.

According to the official website:

Participating Community Organizations: The Tybee Island Marine Science Center will offer a program on the Diamondback Terrapin with mini-presentations from 4 - 7 pm. Kids can participate in arts and crafts projects and take their photo in front of the turtle backdrop. The Tybee Island Arts Association will display the Tybee Turtles and host kid friendly activities. The Tybee Island YMCA will assist with Children's activities.

Come and join Tybee Island in celebrating the Aloha Spirit this Labor Day weekend!

Triathletes travel to varied Low Country Triathlon Event Venues

Here at Savannah Getaways, we frequently receive accommodation requests for traveling sportsmen of every persuasion from flat water kayakers to deep sea fishing to birders seeking the widest variety of bird sightings along coastal Georgia’s storied Colonial Coast Birding Trail.  If Czech born champion triathlete and fellow Savannahian, Radek Parnica, has anything to say about it our reservation lines will be lit up again for a different kind of outdoor lover, the gritty triathlon seeking participant for the Inaugural triathlon event scheduled for October 21st at L. Scott Stell Community Park in the greater Savannah area.  Granted none of the above described events take place in Savannah’s Landmark Historic District but more and more savvy travelers look to make a twofer around their sporting weekend getaways by taking in the uniquely Savannah ambiance found in the district when not pursuing their outdoor hobby.

Radek convinced Chatham County to open up Stell Community Park to triathlete enthusiasts that travel a circuit throughout the southeast. Triathlons are not a stranger to Lowcountry South Carolina with three popular events taking place in Charleston, Parris Island and out on Hilton Head Island as well as many scheduled events all across the Palmetto State. And Radek, a personal trainer by trade, should know these venues as he has won many of these events already, having participated in 150 of them so far.  So welcome aboard all you triathletes looking for accommodations in the historic district while participating  in the First Annual Savannah Sprint Triathlon in late October.  After you sign your group up, touch base with our reservation desk for your historic district accommodation in one of our European styled self catered townhouses. 

Wine Tasting in the Low Country along the Heritage Corridor

More and more mountain wineries are springing up in the Georgia and Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains at such old money locations as The Biltmore Estate or Chateau Elan as well as newly minted gated enclaves for the retiring boomer in the Cliffs Communities as for instance. Not to be outdone, our own coastal low country wineries are doing just fine thank you.  Though we have fewer in number and are limited to a handful of varieties of grape due to the coastal growing conditions, wine connoisseurs none the less seek out our coastal wineries. Day trippers enthusiastically sample award winning renderings and even take dedicated coastal wine tasting tours.  There are two wineries that are diligently pursuing their craft while dabbling in spirits more identified with Russia, vodka. 

Wine enthusiasts and their families have been familiar with the Irvin-House Vineyards on Wadmalaw Island south of Charleston since their 2001 opening. Billed as Charleston’s only vineyard and winery, they have a Blessing of the vineyard Festival every November 11 which borrows heavily from the coastal tradition of blessing of the fleet in harvesting of fresh seafood in our lowcountry waters. Butterducks Winery is located just a piece up the road out of Savannah along Interstate 16 in Guyton, Georgia.  Though younger than Irwin-House Vineyards, their wines have done well in wine tasting competition over the past few years.  Make it a point to visit these and other low country wineries on your next visit to coastal Georgia and South Carolina.  And by the way, we were yanking your chain a wee bit with the Jerry Lee Lewis blast from the past about drinking wine, wine, wine.

Kitchenware Outfitters, featuring products seen on the Food Network

Kitchenware Outfitters, located at Twelve Oaks Shopping Center, 5500 Abercorn St., Savannah is a retail store featuring many of the items seen on the Food Network. With a recently expanded on-line store featuring over 55,000 items, Kitchenware Outfitters provides everything you need to a master chef in your own kitchen in addition to recipes, food articles, how-to videos and information guides about kitchen tools.

Recently featured in a six-page spread in the national magazine Gourmet Retailer Kitchenware Outfitters serves a diverse and growing population in the Savannah and Hilton Head area, now you can take advantage of their products on-line.

Blue Humor Comedian Dave Chappelle to play Savannah

Stand-up Legend Dave Chappelle rolls into Savannah tonight at the Civic Center.  This incredibly creative foul mouthed young talent gained notoriety when he walked out on a massive $50 million Comedy Central contract renewal which left his many confused fans to wonder why until it became apparent Mr. Chappelle was actually remaining true to his fan base and craft by continuing to shred racial stereotypes and the dominant culture in a much needed national discourse on his own terms.  Chappelle wields comedy as the appropriate tool to shatter those myths that still remain along the racial divide. For those of you unfamiliar with Dave Chappelle, Wikipedia in part characterizes him in the following manner.

In 2003, Chappelle debuted his own weekly sketch comedy show on Comedy Central called Chappelle's Show. The show parodied many aspects of American culture including racial stereotypes, politics and pop culture. Chappelle's pointed social and political commentary quickly helped the show garner critical and commercial success as well as controversy. Richard Pryor, one of Chappelle's comedic influences, was a fan of the show and stated that he had "passed the torch" to Chappelle. He received two Emmy nominations for the show.

After leaving the Chappelle Show, Chappelle went back to his preferred environment of live stand-up comedic appearances where his shows are typically late scheduled appearances (his appearance at the Johnny Mercer Theatre was only announced on August 13th) that sell out quickly.  Who knows, maybe Mr. Chappelle might be hanging out in Savannah's City Market or River Street at some point today as his show is most assuredly sold out tonight.  It is highly doubtful you will find him sharing the spotlight with Paula on the Cooking Channel! 

WARNING – don’t click on the video below if salty language and blue humor offend you, wouldn’t be Dave Chappelle without those two components mixed liberally with some socially conscious bitingly funny dialogue.

Savannah Theater has been cranking out the oldies for five years now

Funny thing about operating a busy hospitality business in Savannah’s Landmark Historic District, you don’t always have the time to stop and take in all the restaurants, tours, or scenic attractions that our guests come to coastal Georgia to see in the district.  Well the wife and I finally got around to taking in one such must see attraction we have been talking about for years.  We took in the much ballyhooed Return to the Fifties Musical Extravaganza at the storied Savannah Theatre this past Saturday night and what a show it was.

As any Savannah Tour Guide can tell you, the Savannah Theatre is the oldest continuously operating theater site in the country. The first theater on Chippewa Square actually opened in 1818 but was destroyed by fire in 1906 and was resurrected once again in 1948 at the present location.  In 1981, The Savannah Theatre Company was formed after purchasing the present theater and since a renovation effort in 2002, the current trio of owners has been instrumental in bringing well received musical delights to Savannah like Jukebox Journey, Broadway on Bull, and Return to the Fifties.  As I was saying we finally decided to pay attention to all the rave comments in our guest books and see what the fuss was all about.  Now that we have seen this accomplished troupe dance and sing their way through a two hour show, we highly recommend you be in attendance at this high energy show as it is unreservedly well worth the price of admission.

We be coasting awhile the rest of the week along the Golden Isles

I really would like to have posted something a bit more in depth for today about destination tourism south of Savannah but the fact of the matter is, we are walking out the door to partake of our own long weekend getaway.  So we are going to direct you to the fine folks at the  St. Mary’s Tourism Council down the coast apiece and let you read their travel tips as they are the experts for this island destination.  In the meantime, as they say around Brunswick, Georgia - Come Coast Awhile!  Enjoy and we’ll be back next week!

Discover a quaint, serene, and friendly town. Experience the beauty of the waterfront and an historic village blending charm and southern hospitality. Cumberland Island National Seashore is the largest and southernmost barrier island in Georgia offering visitors over 17 miles of secluded, white, sandy beaches. Take the short ferry ride out to this unspoiled island and you'll feel you have stepped back in time. On this National Seashore, it is the animals that rule and people are only visitors. Wild horses run free through the marshes and wind swept dunes, while the inland forests shelter deer, alligator, armadillo, and mink.

St. Marys Submarine Museum Military buffs and people just fascinated by adventures undersea won't want to miss the St.Marys Submarine Museum. Both residents and visitors to Kingsland and St. Marys are fascinated by the local Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, the Atlantic coast home of Trident nuclear submarines, and the museum is the perfect way to learn more about how these amazing underwater machines work. The museum houses more than 3,500 items, including models, photographs, written histories, artifacts, and a working periscope, through which visitors may view the surrounding area.