Half Price Words: October 2013

Destination: Savannah, Georgia

Date: August 20^th-25^th, 2013

Three days after my twenty-first birthday I packed my bags, hopped in my friend Jennifer’s Ford Escape and headed East toward the sunrise. In twelve hours, with only four stops we hit Atlanta, Georgia. That night I took my first taxi ride to the ATL party spot called the “Highlands” where we celebrated with Thai food and fireball shots before returning to crash in the fancy Omni Hotel downtown. The next morning, despite headaches and fatigue we rose early to make our way to our final destination: Savannah. Also known as "America's Most Haunted City."

Upon arrival we were met with heavy rain and flooded streets, but the weather let up just as we arrived at Bradley’s Lock and Key shop. Bradley’s is a family owned locksmith and key shop that has been in business since 1883 and is the oldest family owned business in Georgia. Inside the shop is where you really start to see how special this place is. It is filled with thousands of keys all over the walls; some new and other rusted and old, looking like they had been there since the very beginning. The place has a unique character and history that takes you back in time. Above Bradley’s is a boarding house where my friend Jen lives with seven other people. The shop is said to be haunted and is a popular stop for the Savannah Ghost Tours where you can hear scary stories of paranormal activity that have gone on in the shop. I stayed here for a week, and the place was actually very cozy; no ghosts were seen!

Bradley's Lock and Key in Savannah, GA
Alexandra Price Photography © 2013

No vacation is complete without trying the amazing local cuisine. There were two places that I ate during my trip that are definitely worth mentioning; the first being Zunzi’s. A unique place located off York St. with a mixture of flavors and cultural influences from Swiss and Italian to South African and Dutch. It is a very popular place for the locals during lunchtime, with a line that sometimes winds around the block. My menu choice was the Conquistador sandwich: a baguette of French bread sliced open and stuffed full with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato and Zunzi’s special sauce. It was a pretty incredible sandwich, so large that I had to eat it with a fork. I recommend this little shop to anyone who visits Savannah. And the locals will agree with me, you won’t be disappointed!

Zunzi's Conquistador sandwich.
Alexandra Price Photography © 2013

The second restaurant worth mentioning is a place called Moon River Brewing Company. Aside from the food, the building has an interesting history! It is said to be the most haunted building in the city; built in 1821, it use to be the City Hotel. It was Savannah’s first hotel. The building was used as a hotel up till 1864, when the Civil War caused it to close. It reopened at the turn of the century as a lumber and coal warehouse, and then in the 60’s it was turned into an office supply store. After a tragic accident that caused damage to the roof the store closed in ’79 and remained vacant until 1995 when it was renovated to it’s current state as a pub. Moon River is Savannah's only brew pub and was ranked by BeerAdvocate.com as #28 in the “Top 50 American Brewpubs.” I did not try one of their famous beers, however, I did try their fried green tomatoes! This classic southern favorite featured delicious fried tomatoes that were layered with real blue crab salad and topped with cusabi (cucumber and wasabi) sauce. They were to die for!

Fried green tomatoes at Moon River Brewing Company
Alexandra Price Photography © 2013

Though it may seem a little strange, one of my favorite places that I visited in Savannah was the Colonial Park Cemetery! These historical gravestones are full of symbolism that you do not see very often, such as Masonic symbols marking the graves of Freemasons. The current park is much smaller than the original graveyard, which actually extends beyond the gates and under the surrounding streets and buildings. Savannah is a city that is literally built on the dead! No wonder it is considered America's most haunted city! The cemetery was established 1750 and is the resting place of many historical figures including Buttonn Gwinnett, whose signature is on the Declaration of Independence. In addition to historical figures, the cemetery also holds more than 700 victims of the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1820. There are also men buried there who were killed in duels during Savannah’s “dueling era,” the first dueling death was in 1740. A number of these duels took place in the cemetery itself. On the 1815 headstone of James Wilde, it reads:

“He fell into a duel on the 16^th of January, 1815, by the hand of a man who, a short time ago, would have been friendless, but for him. . . . By his untimely death the prop of a Mother’s age is broken: The hope and consolation of the Sisters is destroyed, the pride of Brothers humbled in the dust and a whole family, happy until then, overwhelmed with affliction.”

Notice the square and compass Masonic symbol at the top tombstone, identifying that the deceased was a member of the Freemasons.
Alexandra Price Photography © 2013

Another square and compass Masonic symbol on the first tombstone; the deceased was a Freemason
On the third you see a weeping willow, which is sign for mourning.
Alexandra Price Photography © 2013

I covered most of the highlights of my trip, however, much was left out. It was amazing being in such a beautiful city with such a rich history. Here are a few more photos from my trip and I hope you decide to visit Savannah sometime in the future and see the beauty for yourself!

Hope you enjoyed my Half Price Words!