GEORGIA ON MY MIND!

For the first time in YEARS (last real vacation was to Maine in 1997) we are hitting the road - and it comes at a time when we ALL need it!

The occasion? My sweet Olivia's 18th birthday! The destination? Savannah! More precisely, The Paris Market & Brocante! WOO-HOO! Ya'll, if you live anywhere near that store, I'd advise you to get there and get what you want, because when we leave that store, there will be NOTHIN' LEFT! :)

Olivia has been pulling pages from various magazines that feature travel stories on Savannah or on The Paris Market in particular. She's been stowing said magazine pages in a file (yes, she's a type-A personality and has a filing system for these things. Well, I do too -- can you say "stuffed in a drawer somewhere??") along with pages about other cities she'd like to see (Chicago, Seattle, Paris...).

Well, of all the cities in the file, Savannah was the most accessible for us considering we'd be driving and it would have to be a whirlwind trip. So, the hotel reservations were made and we've kept the trip a secret from Olivia until last night.

Victoria magazine did the feature shown below on The Paris Market in a very recent issue -- it makes the store sound incredible -- I just know it will be!

Oh, I found out that the place I chose for us to stay at was listed on The Travel Channel's list of "America's Most Haunted Hotels & Inns". Great. So here's the thing -- I've made it known that if I hear so much as even ONE thing go "bump" in the night, its OUT TO THE CAR for me! Its practicially as big as a Sherman tank and I'll sleep out there, thank you very much! :)

This is a picture of the hotel in its early days -- it dates back to the same era as our house does, so it will be interesting to stay there and see if there are any similarities architecturally....

This is how the hotel looks today -- quite lovely for her age, isn't she? Oh that we could be so well preserved! :)

Above is a picture (from the inn's media kit) of the beautifully restored hotel -- the best of old and new!

So anyway, last night we couldn't keep the secret any longer and we presented Olivia with a gift certificate to The Paris Market ... a little confusing to her until we filled her in on "the plan" -- "HONEY! WE'RE GOIN' TO SAVANNAH!"

So...off we go and even though we'll be back in what will seem like the blink of an eye, it will surely be a real memory-making trip for us all.

Can't wait to share the beauty of that gorgeous old city and all the landmarks and architecture steeped in history. No doubt it is going to be sensory-overload, but oh what a way to over-do it!