birthday trip to savannah – day 2

(Check out Day 1 here!)

On Friday morning, my plan was to be up and at breakfast by 8:30 AM. Unfortunately, I had a pretty sleepless night because something disagreed with me, so we took our time and went at a bit of a slower pace.

We took the ferry back over to River Street

and then found our way to B Matthews Eatery on Bay Street. I was in need of a big, southern-style breakfast.For some reason, a Bloody Mary sounded good, but I could only do a few sips before switching over to water. I  did, however, demolish my breakfast of scrambled eggs, (the best) bacon (I have ever eaten in my life), cheese grits topped with chopped tomatoes and green onions and biscuit.

Breakfast is easily my least favorite meal of the day, but if I lived closer to B Matthews, I would visit almost daily. It was that good.

Our next stop was The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. I love old churches and I was so excited to get to spend some time in this one. Dedicated in 1876, the cathedral exemplifies the French Gothic style. It is complete with stunning stained glass, murals, sculptures and architectural details.

I could have stayed there all day.

After reflecting in the cool silence, it was time to walk again. Part of what I wanted to do was just wander the streets and take pictures, and Mr PugRunner obliged me.

This rooster gate handle was absolutely charming.

I loved this arrangement of doorbells on the exterior wall of an apartment building.

Even the squares had lovely details, like this teal colored fountain.

We wandered and wandered until we reached Forsyth Park. Even though it was a Friday morning, the park was busy with runners, bikers, musicians, artists and tourists. Not packed, but comfortably bustling.

The fountain was gorgeous and all the magnolias were in full bloom. We camped out on a bench and relaxed together.

But there was more to see.

We booked a 12:30 tour to the Mercer-Williams house, the famous home of Jim Williams, about whom Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was based.

Unfortunately, no photos were allowed in the house or the gardens, so you will have to take my word that everything was incredible. Guests are only allowed on the first floor of the residence, due to fire codes and the fact that Mr. Williams sister still lives in the home, but those rooms were chock-full of original artwork from Mr. Williams’ actual working collection. Gorgeous.

By this time, we had worked off our breakfast and we were ready for lunch. I had heard that the burgers at the Crystal Beer Parlor were great, and so we set off to find that establishment. We got turned around a bit, so it took a little longer than expected, but so worth it.

Sometimes, all you need is a good cheeseburger. The bun wasn’t as good as the burger deserved, but I generally only eat the bottom bun anyway, so it didn’t matter. Mr PugRunner had a salad that he loved. Stuffed to the brim, we decided to get a nap back in the room before our night on the town.

We had plans to meet up with a friend and his girlfriend at Leoci’s Trattoria. We and 8:00 reservations, and so we enjoyed a nice walk to the restaurant. When we arrived around 7:30, they were able to seat us at an intimate table. We decided on a bottle of Italian pinot noir and mulled over the menu of delicious dishes, full of fresh ingredients and handmade pasta. The chef wasn’t accommodating any special requests that evening, so I selected a simple pomodoro. I really wanted to enjoy the pasta, and the fresh tomato and garlic was the perfect way to do so. We took our time, chatting, sipping wine and clearing our plates. I kind of wanted dessert but nothing really sounded good, so we grabbed a cab to our next stop.

Savannah Smiles is a dueling piano bar close to the water. It’s been ages since I’ve been to one, and it sounded like a fun night. The place wasn’t packed, and we were able to enjoy a few drinks and some songs before calling it a night.

Unfortunately, we had missed the last ferry, so we had to get a cab back to the hotel. Mr PugRunner was starving (all that fresh air can work up an appetite), so we got some room service before bed.

There were still some things I wanted to see, but it was a very full and productive day. We had til Saturday after lunch to take in some more sightseeing and shopping and I was looking forward to it.