Hostess Savannah

10/17/2026

10/15/2026

At the corner of Abercorn and Jones Streets, Clary’s Cafe is an icon.

​What started as a neighborhood drug store founded by Luther Clary in the 1930s has grown into one of the city's most beloved greasy spoons. It gained global fame in John Berendt’s book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

​Today, you'll find framed photos from the 1997 Clint Eastwood film adaptation lining the walls, nostalgic soda fountain memorabilia, and a menu packed with local favorites—from their famous crab cakes Benedict and corned beef hash to oversized cheese danishes and pancakes.

​What's your go-to order at Clarys Cafe?

10/14/2026

Construction continues on Hutchinson Island for the Signia by Hilton Savannah, which will be Savannah's largest hotel once it's complete.

​18 stories tall, the 398 million dollar project developed alongside the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority will feature 444 guest rooms and suites. ​It will connect to the convention center, but the hotel itself brings another 34,000 square feet of dedicated meeting space, to include a 13,000 square foot grand ballroom. Guest experience features include multiple dining concepts spearheaded by the team behind The Grey, a riverfront pool deck, a full-service spa, and wellness facilities.

​The property is currently slated for completion in 2028.

10/12/2026

Tomochichi, the Mico (chief) of the Yamacraw tribe that occupied the bluff that Oglethorpe climbed to found the colony of Georgia/settlement of Savannah in 1733, was one of the most vital figures in Georgia’s founding history. Rather than choosing conflict, Tomochichi approached the colonists with a peaceful alliance built on mutual respect, trade, and diplomacy.

​Despite being in his late eighties, Tomochichi’s leadership helped to bridge two vastly different cultures. He traveled to England in 1734 to meet King George II, in an attempt to secure fair trade policies and educational commitments for his people.

​Upon his death in 1739, Tomochichi requested to be buried among his friends in Savannah. He was laid to rest in Wright Square with Oglethorpe proportedly serving as a pall-bearer. While there was drama surrounding his graveside (that's another story for another post), there now stands a large granite boulder in the southeaat corner of that square in Tomochichi's honor.

10/11/2026

Florence Martus, AKA Savannah's Waving Girl, spent over forty years greeting ships that transited the Savannah River. Between 1887 and 1931, she stood by the river at Elba Island, waving a white cloth by day and a lantern by night to welcome sailors to town. Legend says she was watching for a lost love, but mostly she just became a comforting symbol of hospitality for folks arriving from afar. Today, you can see her statue down at the eastern end of River Street, still waving at the ships going by!

10/10/2026

The sky was absolutely GIVING this day, so I had to snap a picture of it over this gorgeous building that houses Corcoran Austin Hill Realty on Bull Street! I think this picture highlights a detail on a lot of Victorian houses that doesn't get talked about nearly enough.

The lace-like cast iron framing the top of the roof is known as roof cresting. This detail was popular in the late 1800s, serving a great mix of both aesthetic design and practical function.

​Architecturally, mansard roofs have flat upper tops that can look blunt from street level. Adding this intricate cresting softened that harsh horizontal line and drew the eye upward, making homes appear taller and grander. At the same time, the late 19th-century foundry boom meant ironwork could be cast quickly and shipped directly, giving homeowners an affordable way to add high-end detail to their homes.

​Beyond looks, cresting had subtle jobs to do, too. The sharp points and scrolls deterred birds from roosting along the roofline, while the iron base helped break up sliding ice sheets (in northern homes, obviously) and disguise the flashing seams where the roof decks joined together.

I say bring it back!

10/08/2026

Over on Montgomery Street, the SCAD Student Center is housed in a building with a really cool architectural heritage story. Completed in 1909, the structure was originally built as a synagogue for Congregation B'nai B'rith Jacob, designed by renowned local architect Hyman Witcover - the same guy who designed Savannah's city hall.

​Witcover chose a Moorish Revival design, filling the facade and interior with arches, keyhole windows, intricate tile motifs, and decorative domes that set it apart from other buildings in the surrounding neighborhood. After the congregation relocated to a larger space in the 1950s, the building spent decades serving as a local church before being acquired and carefully rehabilitated by SCAD in 2003.

​Today, it serves as a daily hub for student life and campus activities. It is a fantastic example of adaptive reuse in our historic district, giving a piece of Savannah's historic religious architecture a vibrant new purpose.