Our Savannah and Tybee Island Vacation! (Part One)

"Mr. Cozy" and I just got back from the best vacation together!  With him in medical school we don't have very much quality time together at all.  Most of the time he is intensely studying whenever he is at home, or reading, or just plain exhausted from the long days he has to put in at the hospital.  He is nearing the end to his third year of medical school!  (Yay...the end is getting closer!!!)  Thankfully, he knew that he was going to have the second week in May off, so back in the cold winter we jumped at the opportunity to plan a warm weather trip together--just the two of us!  This was the first week- long vacation that just us two have had together since our honeymoon, 6 1/2 years ago!  Needless to say, this was very much anticipated!

I told Mr. Cozy to surprise me with a destination for our special trip.  He did just that, and in early April he revealed to me that he was taking me to a place we have always wanted to go...Savannah, GA!!!  We are in love with anything old world and historical and any place that is beautiful and boast of yummy cuisine.  Savannah is just what the doctor ordered!  Knowing that I also love the beach, he found out about this sweet little island just off the coast of Savannah, Tybee Island.  It is a relaxed, (non tourist-y) island with a quaint little town that had a beautiful, picturesque beach that included a pier and lighthouse!  Perfect!  My vacation surprise was even more than I'd dreamed!  (Yes, I have a husband that is pretty much wonderful at giving surprises.  That was one of the things I prayed for in my husband, thank you God!)

So, I want to share some of our trip with you all!

Whenever we got off the interstate into Historic Savannah, we were nearly speechless at what we found.

Everything we saw looked like a movie set.  Street after clean street of impecably restored historic homes, buildings and shops that were bursting with character and charm, in a backdrop of lush victorian gardens and majestic live oak trees canopying the streets and squares with their low lying crooked branches and waterfalls of spanish moss!  Okay, so this is my kind of city!!!  Horse drawn carriages and trollys everywhere.  Flowers and hanging baskets lining the sidewalks and front proches.  Talk about a city of romance... we've been in Paris, France and Savannah is a city to rival even the City of Lights!  (This is a Southern gal talkin' here!)

This is the beautiful Mercer House.  The setting of the book and movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and real life home of Jim Williams.  We toured through it and saw all of the incredible art, and antiques he left behind.  One man who owned so much history.  His home was like a museum! 

Here is the magnificent fountain which serves as the center piece of  beautiful Forsyth Park.

It was getting hot and humid on our walk around the city!  Just the perfect time to cool off in the shade of a square.

We stayed in the beautiful historic Azalea Inn.  Once again, I flat as though we were stepping into a movie set that took place in the turn of the last century.  The decor and furnishings were impeccable.     Breakfast was no less than amazing--we especially loved the watermelon benedict.

The garden and pool in the back--gorgeous!

Here he comes through the garden gate.

This was the parlor. 

The morning light spilling in was so inviting.

The Staircase up to the second floor and our room.

The dining room--stunning!--hand painted murals of historical painting all around the room.

(Here is in our room.) Huge windows...in fact the one on the right works as a door out to the private balcony. It looks like we've already plopped down on the comfy bed!

Our first meal in Savannah was in the City Market at Anne's. 

We sat outside on the patio area on this beautiful afternoon-- we were starving after our long trip there-- and gobbled up our wonderful pepperoni pizza and greek salad. This wasn't just any salad and pizza.

The fresh greek salad came in a crunchy tortilla bowl included things like kalamata olives and big chunks of feta cheese and served with homemade greek vinegarette.  So good!

If you look closely, you can see that there are two very thin, crispy crusts with cheese in the middle with sauce and more cheese on top.  The "crusts" were tortillas!  What a great idea...it tasted just like an extra cheesy thin crust pizza with pepperonis.

Dinner at The Pink House was one of the highlights of our trip!

This restarant in a building built in the 18th century, that simply oozes with elegance, romance and perfect food!  We climbed the spiral staircase up to the second floor to the room our table was in.  It was painted in a deep shade of "Savannah black" (more like eggplant), and we sat at a two top bistro table covered in white linens and a candle, next to two huge, floor to ceiling windows.  In fact, every room was glowing from candles and soft lighting, wall sconces.  Romantic!  I couldn't have been happier with our restaurant choice.

(As you see here, we were the last ones to leave this room for the night.)

Here I am with a nearly empty plate of food!
(I was encouraging my husband to quickly take the picture since we had to use a flash.)

(Unfortunately, we didn't take any good pictures of our the food. *Sad face*)  

We started off by sharing a bowl of their signature She-Crab soup!  This is unbelievably creamy and flavorful!  We've never had anything like it.

For an entrée, 

I got the tender, braised pork shank with a pineapple glaze and melt in your mouth collard greens and gooey baked macaroni and cheese. 

Mr. Cozy and I shared a mouth watering dessert that was so creative and beautiful. A praline shaped into a little basket filled with mango sorbet and raspberries and blackberries garnished with chantilly cream and a mint leaf!

                                              What a perfect way to end a perfect meal!

 For breakfast at the Azalea Inn we had a delicious Watermelon Benedict!

There is no egg in this, actually. It includes a lovely stack of watermelon and kiwi on homemade granola with a dollop of yogurt.  Garnished with mint.

We were also served a cheese covered chicken and broccoli quiche.  

Amazing!  

Served with skillet potatoes.

This is why we love B&B's!

Of course we had to go to Paula Dean's restaurant, The Lady & Sons!

Paula has a lovely gift shop filled with all of her cookware, cookbooks, home decor and more.

We bought a bag of Captain Micheal's Praline's & Cream coffee (her husband) and we are very impressed!  It has a nice rich, but smooth taste with just undertones of pralines and cream!  So good!

The restaurant's atmosphere was warm and homey.  We were seated on the top floor and had a table right by the window, which made for a nice view.

Of course, we came for the good ole Southern cookin'! 

We especially loved the Luzianne sweet tea that was perfectly sweet and garnished with lemon and a large sprig of mint!  I pushed it down and muddled it in the tea with my spoon--Yum.

We got the buffet, and had more than enough good food to eat! 

Everyone is served a "hoecake" (fried cornbread) and a delicious cheddar biscuit when they're first seated.

Fried Chicken, baked chicken, collard greens, mac 'n' cheese, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas and sweet potatoes filled my plate.  Dessert was chocolate gooey butter cake.  (My ooey gooey butter cake is her recipe.)

Yes, I did come here to eat! 

Later that afternoon, we had to go to Leopold's Ice Cream!  He has been on Paula Deen's show, and comes highly recommended in Southern Living, April '11, for the best homemade ice cream!

I got a double scoop: butter pecan and lemon custard.  

Mr. Cozy got a double scoop of the lemon custard.

WOW, the lemon was especially good.  So creamy!

Aren't the classic ice cream dishes adorable?

This place is a must if you visit Savannah, especially on a hot day.

After more strolling around and taking pictures in Savannah's gorgeous historic district, we make our way out of Savannah, into true low-country, through miles of beautiful palms and marshes, to the happy island.  Tybee Island - our new home away from home!  

Seabiscuit Cottage, here we come!!!

But that is for my next blog...so much more to share!