La Follette’s dream
In the mountain passes and open canyons around Sonoma and Mendocino counties in California there are but a handful of optimally cool vineyards suitable for premier Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Overall, the entire region offers the long, cool nights that are perfect for these two varietals. The terroir is rich for the two wines. But…
Breakfast with a side of nostalgia
A wave of nostalgia swept over me as I stepped through the door of The Diner on Abercorn Street — “Pankake Palace” is still woven into the entryway’s ceramic tile floor. The classic-style diner had become worn, I’ll admit that. Booths were torn, table tops were nearly rubbed through from the scores of plates and…
Zookeeper, Horrible Bosses
ZOOKEEPER * Leave it to Zoolander to have the foresight to succinctly sum up Zookeeper. In that 2001 comedy, Owen Wilson’s Hansel blares, “Taste my pain, bitch!” – a declaration that Kevin James was directing at me for the duration of this ghastly film’s 100 minutes. I’m sure that taste will still be lingering in…
Newsbriefs
Cycle survey People like the ideas of seeing more bicyclists in their communities, but aren’t totally sure about the laws, those are some of the findings of a recent statewide survey. The Athens-based non-profit group Georgia Bikes released results from a statewide survey they did in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and…
Maybe mushrooms
It was a vile, putrid odor. It seemed to be sourced underneath the house by the back porch. I called my neighbor, Mark. This action revealed my sexist tendency to call a man when a bad smell needs to be identified or when a crawlspace possibly needs to be entered. Mark sniffed the air thoughtfully…
Mark Your Calendar: Panic in Savannah
Tickets go on sale Friday, July 15 for a pair of Johnny Mercer Theatre shows by Georgia’s own jam-band road warriors, Widespread Panic. The concerts are set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 4 and 5; tickets will be $35 at etix.com. Arch fans of the hard-rocking band (and there are plenty of them) will be…
“I can’t believe you called the police”
A dispute between neighbors attracted the attention of police and resulted in charges against one of the men. When officers arrived on the scene they spoke with a man who said that his neighbor had threatened to shoot him with a gun. He told officers the man had been drinking all day. According to his…
‘Fun as all get out’
For many people, “crafts” means the hokey, country–kitschy stuff one might find at a flea market or perhaps a First Saturday on River Street. For others, crafts can be a fine arts pursuit every bit on a par with oils, watercolors, and marble sculpture. Count Telfair Museums Studio Manager Kip Bradley in the latter category.…
Mark Your Calendar: Joe Bonamassa
Blues guitarist extraordinaire Joe Bonamassa brings his band to the Savannah Civic Center’s Johnny Mercer Theatre Nov. 20. That’s quite a ways off, but tickets ($49-$79) are on sale now. Called “A certifiable blues guitar hero and the face of his blues generation” by Guitar Edge, Bonamassa is seen by many as the heir apparent…
Goddamn Gallows, Little Tybee
GODDAMN GALLOWS With Viva le Vox, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band At 1 p.m. Friday, July 8 The Jinx, 127 Congress St. $6 Raw and hard–flailed and plucked electric guitar twang. Standup bass played like slaps of galloping thunder. Drums from some heavy tribal hell. Electric washboard – weird enough in itself – and…
Cruising along
The central topic of conversation at City Council’s pre–meeting workshop last week was about progress toward making Savannah a home port for cruise ships. After months of study and speculation, city officials are tasked with determining how (and whether) to proceed. The outlook appears rosy, but there are still many significant questions that need to…
Movin’ on up
Paul Jefferson and Lisa Brokop were sweethearts for years before figuring out that they should sing together professionally. Both are respected songwriters with numerous hits in their pockets; Jefferson’s pleasing country tenor, blended with Brokop’s soaring alto, is a natural fit. They sound as if they grew up singing together. But they didn’t, and it…
The return of Pakwan
I was always pleased when dining at Pakwan at Oglethorpe Mall — and equally disappointed when it closed several months ago. But the little Indian restaurant is back — this time in the former Daiquiri Island location on Abercorn Street. The menu is solid, authentic Indian food. On my recent visit, I dug into the…
Mondavi does summer
It’s hard for me to not yada–yada Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. This week alone, I’ve had enthusiastic vineyard reps present me with tastes of at least 10 Pinot Grigios and about a half dozen Sauv Blancs. The wines ranged from across the globe: America, France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Still, with our summer…
The Museum and the Justice
The Pin Point Heritage Museum was vaulted into the national spotlight last week after a New York Times investigative piece (“Friendship of Justice and Magnate Puts Focus on Ethics” by Mike McIntire) linked the museum to a series of potential ethical breaches by Pin Point’s most notable native son, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The…
Dance from the past
Savannah likes to talk about the parts of her history that still remain. But she’s a little reticent about the history she let slip through her fingers. One such blast from the past is the Municipal Auditorium. Built on Orleans Square in 1916, the grand structure was demolished in 1971 to make room for the…
Wetter? Dryer? Who NOAAs?
Like you, I’ve noticed the strange weather we’ve had so far across the U.S. So I decided to investigate and see what the rest of summer might offer. Taxpayer–funded scientific sites, like NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and ATTRA (the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service) are generally great weather resources for people like…
Cyclist’s guide to safe driving
She swerved right, hopped the curb onto the sidewalk and quickly passed the cars waiting for the light to change. She reached the intersection and when she detected a break in traffic, she crossed Victory Drive in the crosswalk. On the other side of the intersection, she crossed the centerline and traveled against traffic for…
Dark days and decadence
What goes around comes around. Cabaret takes place in 1931 Berlin; the play opened in New York City in 1967. The Oscar–winning film version appeared in 1972, and in 2003 the look of the show was almost completely overhauled (“deconstructed,” to use the appropriate theater term) in London and became something a lot closer to…
Let’s make a Neil
Students in Armstrong Atlantic State University’s performing arts department are about to get a lesson in real–world theater. For the Masquers’ Summer of Simon series, they’re doing three beloved Neil Simon comedies in quick succession, over three consecutive weekends. It was, by all accounts, theater professor Pam Sears – an unabashedly big fan of the…
Exhibits & openings this week
Cash for Clunkers – A ceramics exhibit by artist Julia Licht whose work is inspired by abandoned cars in grass lots. Opening reception: July 8, 5-7pm S.P.A.C.E. Gallery , 9 W. Henry St. , http://www.savannahga.gov/arts Ebb and Flow – An exhibition of photos and other historical memorabilia related to the project documenting East Savannah and…
Did firemen ever really catch people in big nets?
There’s an old comedy cliché about firemen holding a big net and asking people to jump. Is this a fictional invention, or was there really a time when this was how we rescued people from burning buildings? If there was, what was the highest someone could leap from and be saved? -Nate Solloway Life nets…
