Georgia on My Mind

I feel the need to update my blog because I am always disappointed when other people don't have anything new for me to read on their blogs.

What's new here? you ask. Well, not much. Tyler and I did go on a trip last weekend for our anniversary. It was a week and a half early, but it's when my parents could come to stay with the kids, so we were flexible. We went to Savannah, Georgia. A location I picked. Which many people seem to view as a strange choice. I have just read many books with references to Savannah and it's beauty and charm. I've wanted to see it for myself for several years. That being said, I have not read THE BOOK that you must read (apparently)if you visit this city. It is one of the things that marred the visit. There were two main things that marred the visit:
1) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. This is the NY Times bestseller based on a true Savannah murder. I haven't read it, but I have seen the cemetery where the characters drink champagne at midnight, the statue that was photographed for the book's cover, the home where the shooting took place, and enough souvenirs concerning The Book to take away any spark of interest I may have ever had about reading it for myself.
2) Paula Deen. I hadn't thought of Savannah as having anything to do with Paula Deen before we went - but I sure know now. What this woman has done to her image in Savannah is close to indecent. Her products are everywhere. Paula Deen Hoecake Mix, Paula Deen Peach Preserves, Paula's Deen Spiced Peanuts, and the list goes on...and on. Not only that but there is "Paula Deen Approved Captain Michael's Coffee" (Captain Michael is her husband). Not only is she selling herself at every possible turn, but she is selling other people with herself as well. I can sometimes be prone to exaggeration, but this time I am telling you straight that her face is on every single cookbook for sale in the city, no matter who wrote it - but chances are it is one of her's or her sons'. The restaurant that started it all and made her famous in the first place is in Savannah, but to eat there you have to line up at 7:30 in the morning, wait until 9:30 for someone to come take your name, and then come line up again at 11 to be seated at 12. Ridiculous. All the locals we asked about it said that the food isn't even very good anymore. She hasn't done the cooking for years, naturally. We didn't even bother trying to eat there. We left that experience for all the people who paid hundreds of dollars to go on the "Paula Deen Tour" of Savannah where you ride around in a trolley and see all the places she ever shopped or ate. I used to enjoy watching Paula Deen's cooking show every once in a while, but her commercial overtaking of Savannah has left me immune to her charms.

On the flip side, Savannah was beautiful, just like all the books said. We had the most perfect weather you are ever likely to have in Georgia. The best thing about Savannah is walking around the historic district looking at the amazing restored homes and the Live Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss. We could have taken a picture on every corner, but since we did that on our Honeymoon when we waked around the historic neighborhood of New Orleans, we restrained ourselves. We figured we didn't need dozens of pictures of one or the other of us standing in front of random beautiful homes. Although i guess it could have been a good source of comparitive materials, same pictures, five years apart.

So there you have it - something new to read!