Savannah Coffee Roasters

Savannah Coffee Roasters was a great find for us on our recent trip to Savannah.  We stopped by for some coffee and pastries, and ended up having a nice lunch here.

I love coffee shops like this where they offer great beverages and nice lunches.  The place is clean, cozy, and classy.

Being on the road, our internal clocks were a bit off, and we were ready for lunch around 10:30.  We asked these guys how early they started serving lunch, and they had no problem getting things going early just for us!


Inside there were plenty of seats, and it did not feel cramped at all.  We saw lots of people coming through, but the place never felt too crowded.

I grabbed a couple of bags of their decaf to take home, and I am so glad that I did!

Savannah Georgia

We JUST completed a very enjoyable trip around Georgia and the Carolinas- with a bit of a focus on Savannah!

This was our second trip through Savannah (check out my write up from 2010 here).

We were able stay at the same great hotel we stayed at before, the Savannah Hyatt Regency.  We loved staying here last time, and it was so great this time too.  Its perfectly located right on the very exciting River Street.  I know a nice historic place might have been the way to go here, but this is a nice, very updated and clean hotel. 

I took the night photo from the balcony at the bar in the hotel.  Check that out!  I really love that view.

The concierge there, Sally, gave us a great deal on a trolley and river tour.  Phil, who had worked there before, gave us a similar deal last time.

I really don't know what to say about Savannah that hasn't been said before.  In fact, there are mountains of books and articles about Savannah, and its amazing history.  I guess the most I can contribute is telling about my own experiences.

Like last time, we utilized the orange/green on/off trolley.  This is a great way to get around.  Its convenient, and the drivers are great narrators and informative.


As I mentioned in 2010, Savannah is so real.  The history and stories are real.  Not to devalue other town's histories, but Savannah has so much going on that feels authentic.  There are old houses around, with documented histories.  Historical events happened all around, and you can feel it.  Very few replicas are present.

I can think of many other historic places, where replica buildings and homes are constructed, on sites where people think something happened, maybe.  Museums show off large artist interpretations, with no authentic relics.  That is not the case at all in this legendary Georgia town.

Remember when I wrote about finding all of those great coffee shops around Lake Michigan?  Well, I didn't have as much luck on this trip as far as coffee shops went.  I did find two great ones though.  I did want to mention the very cool independent coffee shop The Coffee Fox.  I forgot to get pictures while I was there, but this was one of the few coffee shops we visited that was really good in town.  We also liked Savannah Coffee Roasters (more on them later, I DID get some photos).  We stopped by Vic's in town too which is at a very convenient location, but we cannot recommend them.  The Fox Coffee and Savannah Coffee Roasters care about making a tasty, quality product.

I will talk more about some of the specific places we liked later....

Fayette County Fire Truck

This is another great photo I found dated from the early 1970s.  A car fire is being put out.  Been there.

Berea College Farm Store- Berea KY

So, I JUST realized there is a great little store on the campus of Berea.  It is where the old security building was when I was a student there.

You MUST check this place out!  We bought some great bread, some veggie jerky, and some other nice items.

They have a butcher there too who is super cool, and very knowledgeable about meats.  The day we were there, he was giving away samples of sausage that he made!  They were AMAZING and I plan on going back for more next time I am in Berea.

So, make sure you stop by- the Berea College Farm Store is walking distance from the college campus!

Boone Tavern Hotel Matchbook

Here is an old Boone Tavern matchbook I found recently!

Berea Bull- Berea Kentucky

This bull has been in Berea, in front of Near New Auto Center forever!  He is one of the first things I remember seeing my first day in Berea.

Heres a photo- check him out!

Berea Bulk Food Store in Berea Kentucky

I thought I would post a few photos from the Old Town Amish Store in Berea Kentucky.  It reminds me of a smaller version of The End of the Commons near Cleveland.

This is a great small store that sells all sorts of cheeses and bulk foods.  They have a deli area, and a lot of local products too!

Weston Studios Glass in Berea

I am almost ashamed to admit that I JUST found out about Weston Studios Glass in Berea.  The gallery is small, but each piece is amazing!  This is a MUST SEE site in Berea.

Check out the amazing seahorses and jellyfish!  Those small egg shaped paperweights look like a real jellyfish is frozen in time inside!

Some of the other works of art looked like a small reef was inside.  For such intricate and beautiful art pieces, we felt that the prices were reasonable too!


Check out my photos, and check out artists/gallery owner's studio site- there are more amazing photos!

Boone Tavern in Berea Kentucky

I have had a long and personal relationship with Berea College, AND with Boone Tavern.  I will say openly that I love the college and the historic hotel. 

I got my degree from the school.  I had a lot of fun while I was there.  I am still friends with a lot of people I went to school with there.

AND, I met my future wife at Berea College, while we both worked at Boone Tavern!

That's a story for another day.  Anyway, we decided that a weekend away at Boone Tavern would be nice.

Sure, we are in Berea a lot for day trips, or just to enjoy Papalino's, but an actual casual weekend with no real plans would be great.  Maybe we could take a tour, walk around old town, and just enjoy being there.

I did call the Berea College Visitor Center to schedule a tour for Saturday morning.  They took my name and number.  Well, when we got there Saturday morning, no one was there to give us our tour.  We even went back later in the day, and the visitor center wasn't open at all, despite posted hours that they would be.

That's the one issue I have with the place.....  Berea doesn't always bring its A game.  Students do run a lot of things around campus, and that IS nice, but they sometimes use that as an excuse.  In fact, I talked to someone on campus after our "no show" tour, and they said, "well, students give those tours so....".

I did email the visitor engagement manager about this and she blamed it on the tour guides car trouble.


Other than that, we had a great time back on campus.  We had a couple of great meals at Boone Tavern, and it had been some times since I actually set down for a meal there.  Spoonbread is what the place is known for.  I don't know how to explain spoonbread exactly, but it is like cornbrean but fluffier.

Chicken Flakes in a Birds Nest is another thing that has been on the menu here forever.  Anyway, everything was good.

Our room was cozy too.  For a historic hotel, Boone Tavern is very modern.  They did some major upgrades recently, and you can tell.

We were thinking about our trip to Talbot Tavern not too long ago.  I love Talbot Tavern in Bardstown, but as far as the rooms go, Boone Tavern is superior.

We actually spent a lot of time reading and relaxing in our room.  It was very cozy.  We also enjoyed the vibe around Boone Tavern.  In the evening, there was a young girl playing piano and singing in the lobby.

And, the main block where Boone Tavern is located is very lively for such a small place.  We enjoyed some coffee at Berea Coffee and Tea (my old hang out from the 90s) which was open pretty late.  Papalino's was also still busy later in the evening.

The college book store, Appalachian Fireside Gallery, Peace Craft, and ice cream/fudge shop, and other businesses are all on the square, a few steps from Boone Tavern,

Boone Tavern is a very nice getaway from Louisville or Lexington.  Its also just a couple of hours way from Knoxville and Gatlinburg.  Check it out when you have a chance!

UK Football 1972 at Stoll Field

In my last post, I mentioned that Peter Brackney covers Stoll Field in his book, "Lost Lexington".  Well, here are some old photos I recently came across from the old football venue!

These photos are variously dated 1971 and 1972, Stoll Field!  1972 was the last season that the UK football field used this facility.

Lost Lexington Kentucky by Peter Brackney

I got Peter Brackney's book "Lost Lexington Kentucky" as a gift recently.  This book is a very easy read covering some of the lost building treasures in and around Lexington.

Brackney's book contains several chapters, each covering a different historic building that used to be in Lexington.  He also gives space to Joyland Park and Stoll Field.

It kind of breaks your heart hearing about all of the history that went on in some of these lost places.  Reading about the Phoenix Hotel gives me goosebumps.  I really wish I could have seen the place.  I can, however, think about it as I walk by its former location next time I am downtown.

How exciting it must have been in Lexington, when these sites hosted legendary weddings, races, football games, and other social events.

One of my favorite stories from the book involves a situation in 1819 when two (possibly three) presidents were in the same building in Lexington at the same time!

Another tale in the book covers a lost mansion that must have been amazing.  Sadly, no photos exist of the home which ended up being abused by the farmer who purchased it.

Its stories like this that make me really enjoy this book, and enhance my appreciation of Lexington's past.  Peter Brackney doesn't get caught up in boring descriptions of the architecture of the buildings.  He tells about what happened inside of them.  He shows that these places are more than just bricks and mud occupying a space for a few decades.  They are important sites that witness history- and when we let these places go the community experiences a great loss.

Check out Peter's blog, where he goes into more detail on local history!

http://www.kaintuckeean.com/

Peter talks about some of the more recent losses that Lexington has experienced like that of the Springs Inn, and its neighbor, Turfland Mall.  Hamburg place went from being a horse farm, to being a shopping destination (I did not know there is a horse cemetery near Wal-Mart!).  The are some current news topics that I keep hearing about (Centrepointe and Towne Branch) that Brackney covers.

Frankfort Kentucky Random Photos

Just some random photos I took in Frankfort........

Deer in Frankfort Kentucky

I saw these guys very close to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Frankfort.

Buddy's Pizza in Frankfort

Have you been to Buddy's Pizza in Frankfort?  My buddy and I went the other night and we love this place!  The place does have a family friendly/yet its still a bar kind of feel.  I saw small kids and families, but there were still college kids hanging out watching the game.

Cool, mostly dog related art and pictures hung on the walls, and we were able to watch some basketball on their TV.  My pal was very pleased with the beer selection here too.

So, I kind of felt like Buddy's was a nice place to go with the family, but it was still a festive place to watch a game.  Its like it had all of the good features of a bar and quality pizza place, but none of the bad features.

Our pizza was amazing too!  They didn't skimp and we had plenty to take home.

Buddy's is in the very scenic downtown Frankfort area, so it is close to some of the other cool shops around too!

Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Frankfort

I stopped by the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Frankfort the other day.  Man, it is attractive.  If you haven't been, you should go just because.

I have a name I look for each time because of my personal connections to the War.

This is a stunning site.  I have mentioned it before, but all of the names of the more than 1,000 Kentuckians killed in the Vietnam War are listed.


You can see the state Capitol from here.  It seems like every time I visit, the clouds are perfect, and the area feels silent.  I am glad that this memorial is at this location.

It is a very short drive from any of the other attractions you might want to see in Frankfort, but the setting has an extremely rural feel.