Leaving Savannah - Cargo Ships, Double Staircases and Pink Cats

Our Winter time away is coming to an end. It is lovely and mind-refreshing to immerse yourself in another place for weeks at a time. Our version of Hilton Head is a relaxed at the ocean experience; we park the car and stay 'local' with the shops and restaurants in our walkable vicinity.

Savannah - the Historic and Victorian districts - make this one of the most walkable cities ever. And we are ever finding something new or looking at some familiar anew.

My husband is a great aficionado of watching the huge cargo ships on the Savannah river.  In Hilton Head, we could see them parked on the horizon in the sea waiting to go into the Savannah Port near Tybee Island.  I caught this ship on the Savannah River Walk just as it passed the Georgia Queen paddle-wheeler cruise boat [I attended a wedding on it once!] ~ a perfect Savannah combo. The 'cargo' includes watermelons from a painting in our rental cottage and pie, from a painting on a shop wall. I found the perfect plate for it; my favorite, Fiesta Ware.

Cargo on the Savannah River collage

Savannah, GA

There are many wonderful double staircase buildings in Savannah. It was a hallmark of the 'Federalist Revival' architecture of the 19th century.  This building caught my eye, with the late afternoon light making it pinkish.  Our dreamlike lady has the Forsyth Park Fountain as a special added element to her elegant hat.

Double Stairs Dreamscape

Savannah, GA

The color Pink showed up a lot in my travels this time.  Here a painted pink cat was the doorway guardian. Surely our stylish lady was the artist.  Cat stockings seemed the needed embellishment.

Pink Cat At The Door collage

Savannah, GA

Thank you for all your comments and for joining me in my travels.  I enjoy these travels where daily collage is on the calendar.  

The Everyday awaits us in Virginia, so truly, till next time, whenever that may be.

Art Around Savannah

It was great fun to come upon this 'Self-Serve' art studio caravan parked next to Forsyth Park. As the sign says, it is indeed self-serve, as the artist, Laci McCea, or anyone else, were not onsite.  Of course, I've altered things a bit, but the colors of the caravan are basically true to life. The chair with the head on it is from a house here in Savannah and our art connoisseur is from a poster I found on a wall. I altered some of her colors and added the fish. It's a wooden 'art' fish, so most appropriate.

Self-Serve Art Gallery collage

Savannah, GA

We came across this wonderful shop filled with art, sculptures, masks, crystals and jewelry.  Pangea on Broughton Street opened in March of 2025, which was after our time here last year, so a fresh discovery for us.  I enjoyed a lively conversation with the owner and a wonderful globe of Pyrite came home with us.

Taking my usual liberties with actuality, the Pangea shop here is a rearrangement and composite of many elements within the store.  Our flowered madame echoes the calm, mystic energies.

Pangea One World on Broughton Street

Savannah, GA

Collage was on hold for a bit, as we had a lovely visit with friends from Washington, DC.  It was fun to wander Savannah together and just hang out, with plenty of open-ended time for conversations to go where-ever they may want to with no time-line.  A treasure.  

Next up is lunch with two friends from North Carolina who are in Savannah for a few days.  We've had more visitors on our trip than at home. Fun!

Our wandering is continuing. So many places and things that catch the eye. I'm thankful for this era of the camera in a phone. Enlivening!

Till next time.

Eclectic Savannah - Bars and Funky Fashion

Savannah is eclectic, not just the vaunted brick heritage buildings and Victorian architecture. We came across the West Broad Bandshell Bar in our wanderings. An interesting place whose tag line is 'Where Seoul Meets Soul', as they offer a menu of classic Southern dishes and Korean food and are also a music venue, hence, Bandshell.  

The building was once a jazz bar and kept the wonderful mural dedicated to Joseph Nathan 'King Oliver' one of the roots of jazz as we know it and mentor and teacher of Louis Armstrong. King Oliver spent his last years in Savannah.

We came for lunch late on a weekday afternoon and had the place to ourselves. We tried 'Tteok', Korean rice cakes smothered in a spicy-sweet glaze, featured in this collage. We then shared their, fabulous Katsu sandwich, Korean fried pork cutlet topped with Korean slaw. 

Bandshell Bar In The Afternoon collage

Savannah, GA

Another day came across 'The House of Strut' vintage clothing with style. 

VINTAGE - House of Strut collage

Savannah, GA

The weather is warming. Extra inviting for wandering.

Till next time.

Yellow In Savannah

 Yellow is a favorite color of mine. Always attracts my eye.  

The owner of this house likes their 'pop' of color, with the yellow/green door and those great purple shutters. I liked it too.  The woman with the umbrella and she with the baseball jacket were captured from some art I saw high on the walls of a restaurant.

At the Yellow Door House collage

Savannah, GA

The John Lynch Building was built in 1880 and faces Monterey Square. The concept of the lovely 'squares', small parks,  of  Savannah were part of the city's original design; founded in 1733 and one of the first 'planned' cities.  The plan included designated residential and commercial 'sides' to each square, to keep the city open and balanced. 

Today, the bright yellow striped awning at the Custard boutique is indeed a eye-catcher.  The shop owner then surrounded the door with yellow flowers.  Inviting. And certainly a place for lemon meringue pie.

Yellow and Meringue collage

Savannah, GA

Savannah moments.

Still have more wandering to do.

Till next time.

Breakfast, Beauty and Beyond

 Kim's Cafe is a favorite spot of ours. Breakfast, lunch or dinner.   Classic southern 'diner' food.  

Couldn't resist  capturing this image at Kim's the other day, with the fantastic wall of art as the backdrop.

Breakfast At Kim's Cafe collage

Savannah, GA

Beauty and Beyond certainly caught my eye as well.  I believe the skirted mannequins are modeling school uniform skirts. 

Beauty and Beyond collage

Savannah, GA

We've continued with the unusually cold weather and even a bit of snow, but nothing like our Northern neighbors. More typical, warmer weather is expected later this week.

Tiny Savannah Snowman

Camellias -  the day before the snow

Till next time.

Savannah 2026!

There's so much going on these days. And yet, sometimes we need a little something else. Something fun. A little odd. Perhaps just something in Pink!  Turning one's attention away for the world for a moment, doesn't mean you have turned away. Sometimes we just need to look out another window for awhile before we can find a the way through, a solution, or just how to cope. I share my bit of whimsy in this way.

Savannah is so rich in architecture of all kinds. Always an inspiration to me. Always finding still something I haven't seen before or even if I have, I see it another way. Savannah just speaks to me.

In my inner world, Ocotopi can show up at any time or place.

Octos on Gaston Street collage

Savannah, GA

PINK!  Mia loves pink.  She's a DearHeart in my life. Pink has always been her favorite color, one that makes her happy.  She lived here for a time and I am especially happy when I can send her Pink from Savannah.  Her brother, Alexander, loves pink too. A family trait???

Pink In Savannah collage

Savannah, GA

Walking about every day. More to come.

Till next time.

Sunday Afternoons and Lounging With Dolphins

It's been a lovely time here in Hilton Head, although I did not expect to wear my winter clothes so often. But as I've said, even when it's a bit too cold to be out all day, the lovely ocean view is always available from the living room.  Thank you 'Big Window'. 

Everyone should get to enjoy a Sunday afternoon at the beach, especially with a squid and swimming pool.

Sunday Afternoon At the Beach collage

Hilton Head Island

We've seen a lot of dolphins from our window and deck. There is a large, all-year-round population of Bottlenose Dolphins in Hilton Head. Mostly we've seen them just pop up out of the sea, not as dramatic as our friends pictured here. 

Dolphin Lounge

Hilton Head Island

Thanks for letting me share with you.

Till next time.

Ice Cream and Sea Grass, Spheres and Balls

It's been cool here and eating ice cream has not been on my list, but I was inspired by the colorful ice cream shop signs.  And as I began to write this post, I noticed that spheres and balls are inhabiting my collages.  I do like the addition of a random sphere, ball or dot.

Ice Cream In The Sea collage

Hilton Head Island

Windows in improbable places are as much fun as balls and spheres. Red shoes are always welcome in my collages.

By The Sea In The Grass collage

Hilton Head Island

A bit more time and then off to the urban delights of Savannah.

Till next time.

Diners!!!

We came across a great little breakfast and lunch spot tucked away in a small shopping area and with one of my most favorite things, classic 'diner' decor.  The Southern Coney and Breakfast has two great specialties -  'Best Ever Pancakes' and Coney Hot Dogs.  Now being from the East Coast, I assumed that referred to Coney Island, NY, but learned there is a famous hot dog maker in Michigan known for its 'Coney' hot dogs.

The pancakes were indeed 'Best Ever' and I've seen many a box of pancake mix leave with diners after breakfast.  Haven't tried to Coney's yet.

Best Ever Pancakes collage

Hilton Head, SC

Well, diners led to conversations on 'diners we have known' and I remembered with affection the Horn and Hardart Auto-Mat in downtown Philadelphia. I remember if mostly for a quick stop for an after work slice of pie.

Pie At the Automat

Hilton Head, SC

It's been cooler here, offering plenty of  'inside' afternoons for collage with the view of the sea through 'Big Window', as I now refer to it.

Till next time.

By the Sea

 Fortunate I am to be spending unstructured days by the sea.  Our lovely rental offers a daily panorama of the ocean. We're in a walkable part of town, so daily meanderings, then back to the sea view with time being off-the grid.

The window is such a feature of our time here. You can be with the sea through chilly, rainy, foggy days. It's presence is ever strong.  It sets me in a mysterious mood, mermaids and madams of the sea.

Sea View collage

Hilton Head Island, SC

Octopi are another totem of mine. Here meeting with my ubiquitous teacups, sea shells and pearls.

Octo Moon collage

Hilton Head Island, SC

Till another time.