It’s easy to invoke the lyrics of legendary Savannah, Ga., songwriter Johnny Mercer and “accentuate the positive” about his elegant city.
The heat intensifies during the summer ? like Scotch Tape on skin ? but a lazy breeze comes in off the river, as one strolls the avenues entranced by a stunning cityscape. Savannah is a “sweet tea” kind of place with an infusion of cultures from Yamacraw Indian to old Southern hospitality. One also notices a huge Irish influence with an office for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, which annually draws 300,000 revelers.
No place captures the eccentricity of Savannah better than the Soho South Cafe. Chef Bonnie Retsas lived in New York City for 20 years before she returned to her hometown in 1997 and opened a restaurant.
“We picked this old garage and created a restaurant inside an art gallery,” she said.
The lunch menu includes specialties such as a grilled salmon BLT on challah bread, a smoked ham, brie and apple sandwich and key lime pie.
“I call the cuisine ‘eclectic bistro,? ” she said.
Located on a bluff 40 feet above the Savannah River, the city is divided into 21 squares ? each with its own supply of Spanish moss drooping from massive oak trees. British visionary James Oglethorpe designed the distinctive grid in 1733.
Forsyth Place commands the largest square in the city, created in the 1850s and influenced by Parisian urban renewal. Its focal point is the fountain, similar to the one in the Palace de Concorde, which was built only a few years before. It features a robed female figure in contrapposto. You can picnic in the shade of an oak tree and walk a few a short blocks to the river.
Once along the river, one can’t miss the distinctive Romanesque style of the Cotton Exchange. Designed by well-known Boston architect William Gibbons Preston, it was completed in 1887. In those days, Savannah ranked first as a cotton seaport on the Atlantic, exporting two million bales a year.
Today, Savannah continues to thrive. Once a sleepy port, the Savannah harbor has experienced unprecedented growth over the past two years.
“The food scene is expanding with more restaurants and dining options,” said Retsas. “[There?s] not so much traditional Southern fare around.”
The Cotton Exchange is now the Chamber of Commerce. The sign outside reads: All are cordially invited in for a visit.
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