Hi there! I recently returned from an inspiring, relaxing trip to the Georgia and South Carolina coast and wanted to share some of it with you here.
Four generations of Jones girls, ten of us total, met in Savannah to enjoy each other’s company surrounded by huge live oak trees covered in Spanish moss, horse drawn carriages, delicious food, beautiful architecture, rich history, and good shopping.
The Gingerbread House. Home sweet home for the week.
The architecture of the house we stayed at is called Steamboat Gothic. Elaborately carved woodwork with lots of ornate features is what sets this look apart.
Cord Asendorf built the Gingerbread House in 1899. Today his nameplate remains on the front porch steps.
Sadie’s paper doll house set up in the family room.
Once we got settled in, I could hardly wait to get out and explore Savannah.
Mom, sis, Laura, Emily.
At Forsyth Park.
We did most of our sightseeing by foot, so we stopped frequently for some relief from the heat and refreshments. 🙂
Chocolate Soda from Leopold’s.
My sis at The Paris Market and Brocante.
The Paris Market and Brocante was filled with antiques, home goods, jewelry, perfumes, books, candles, candies, and a small cafe.
We saw this and thought mom should get a Riggy medallion to stick on her car. 😉 (Riggy is mom and dad’s little doggie.)
Love the old carriage stoops found right by the road.
Ornate windows of the Alex Raskin Antique Store.
Have you read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil? I’m reading it now. This is the Mercer Williams House where the tragedy took place.
The Mercer House.
Here is a closeup of the windows. Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside when we toured the home.
The Mercer Williams carriage house shutters.
Chocolate shopping at Chocolat by Adam Turoni.
Dinner out was amazing at The Olde Pink House, an 18th century mansion. The story is that the stucco on top of brick turned a pink color when the heat from a fire occurred. The stucco remains the pale pink color it became at the time of the fire.
The crew!
The girls had fun trying new foods at dinner.
One day, I drove over to Charleston, South Carolina with my mom and sister. First stop was Boone Hall Plantation.
Founded in 1681, the Boone Hall Plantation.
The plantation started as an indigo farm, selling the blue dye back to Europe. The deep rich, blue dye extracted from the indigo plant was rare and expensive. It was a symbol of status and wealth, and in high demand in Europe.
Mom at the mansion gates.
Over the years rice, cotton, bricks, pecans were grown/made at the farm. Now a much smaller farm, it still produces peaches, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Inside one of the tiny slave houses.
Pretty plate and pottery fragments, found in the old slave quarters.
Inside the butterfly garden at Boone Hall Plantation.
The mansion on the property is not the original. This one was actually built in the 1930s.
My sister stands at the mansion gates. Unfortunately no photos were allowed on the house tour.
Another structure on the plantation property.
After the plantation tour, we headed into town for lunch where we found some delicious Lowcountry shrimp n’ grits, chicken n’ biscuits, and crab cakes. We ate it quicker than I could snap a pic!
After lunch, we toured Charleston in style.
Carriage ride! (Me, sis, mom.)
A Charleston “shotgun home” in need of some TLC. Notice the porch doesn’t face the street but rather the neighbor’s house. The way the house is situated, the breeze is supposed to flow through the porches.
The old city jail.
I don’t watch Southern Charm, but when I saw this house (below) I knew it was familiar…
The street entrance.
The newly restored Isaac Jenkins Mikell House in Charleston, SC.
It’s the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House, which Joni blogged about HERE. The renovation story is quite good and the house has been shown in several magazines – as well as the Bravo TV show.
After the ride, our horse was given lots of water and rested. And we went out for ice cream. 🙂
Peach ice cream. Yum!
On the way back to Savannah, we pulled a u-ey for this cute roadside store.
Spicy boiled peanuts for the road.
Back in Savannah, we did more walking, shopping, and hit the beach.
The Alex Raskin Antique Store.
The main entry hall, filled with antiques for sale.
Another view inside the antique store.
Jones Street.
Back with the bump. Sis almost went to school here a long time ago.
Creeping fig on the stairs of this home we passed by looks so pretty.
Making taffy at Savannah Candy Kitchen.
One cool morning, we drove over to Bonaventure Cemetery. It has some neat old tombs and headstones.
Gracie.
Mom and sis at the Owens Thomas House.
By the way, have you heard of Find One Place One – The Kindness Rocks Project? I hadn’t until the young girls mentioned it. They brought painted rocks to place around the city. These are some pretties that my aunt Julie made.
Aren’t they the cutest?
Beach day at nearby Tybee Island.
Conch fritters on the dock.
I hope you are able to squeeze in a vacation this summer. Savannah and Charleston did not disappoint.
More updates on the house project coming soon!
~ Miranda
dat Chablis tho