Connect Savannah May 25, 2016 by Connect Savannah

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;best indie film venueâ&#x20AC;? the extra-terrestrial

MAY 25-31, 2016

05 - 28 - 16 8:00 pm 2

lucastheatre.com 912.525.5050 $9 gen. admission $6 student/senior/military

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Week At A h

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Glance

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compiled by Rachael Flora To have an event listed in Week at a glance email WAG@connectsavannah.com. Include dates, time, locations with addresses, cost and a contact number. Deadline for inclusion is 5pm Friday, to appear in next Wednesday’s edition.

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Tybee Lighthouse Sunset Tour FRI / 27

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to experience the lighthouse after hours on a small private tour that includes a climb to the top. Children 12 and under not allowed. Tour lasts about 90 minutes. Tybee Island Lighthouse, 30 Meddin Ave. $25 912-786-5801

Our Great Big Backyard Storytime SAT / 28

To help commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Laura Bush and her daughter Jenna Bush Hager have created an exuberant picture book tribute to the country’s national parks that highlights the importance and fun of connecting with nature. Coloring and activities will follow a special reading of Our Great Big Backyard. 11 a.m Barnes & Noble, 7804 Abercorn St. Free 912-353-7757 Photo by Lawrence G. Miller

Collin’s Barefoot Comedy Club SUN / 29

MAY 25-31, 2016

Film: E.T. SAT / 28

After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott. Soon, however, E.T. falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire situation for both Elliott and the alien. 8 p.m 4 Lucas Theatre for the Arts, 32 Abercorn St.

National comedian Collin Moulton launches his own monthly stand-up comedy show at the Post Theater. Collin is one of the most fun, personable, and sought-after headliners today, and he is creating his own comedy club on Tybee and will be bringing some of his superstar stand-up pals to join in the fun. 8-10:15 p.m The Tybee Post Theater, 10 Van Horne Ave. $15 tybeeposttheater.showare.com/

Wednesday / 25 Bethesda Farm and Gardens Stand

Each week, this popular organic farm stand, managed by Bethesda students and staff, sells fresh produce, seasonal vegetables, herbs, free range eggs, a variety of plants, goat milk soap, firewood and more. 3-5 p.m Bethesda Academy, 9250 Ferguson Ave. bethesdaacademy.org

Common Grounds

Common Grounds is a collaboration of the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Wesley Fellowship. Open theological discussion on hot button issues. All are welcome regardless of faith background. Open and affirming of the LGBT community. Order for Compline by candlelight is offered on Sunday nights at 8PM. 8 p.m The Foundery Coffee Pub, 1313 Habersham St. facebook.com/commongroundssavannah

Film: The Ghoul

Seen by very few, the reputation of this creepy low budget shocker has grown over the years - fueled by the fact that it has never been released on DVD anywhere in the world, and is almost never broadcast, despite Cushing winning Best Actor at the Catalonian International Film Fest for his portrayal of a former priest who harbors a dark and terrible secret in the attic of his remote, palatial British estate. 8 p.m The Sentient Bean, 13 East Park Ave. $7

Grand Opening of The Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery

Join for the ribbon cutting of the only art gallery on the East Coast dedicated to Australian Aboriginal art. Enjoy complimentary Australian wine and light hors d’oeuvres, Australian Pavlova from Savannah Coffee Roasters, a live Didgeridoo performance, and a painting silent auction with proceeds benefiting The Dwayne & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah at Memorial Health. 5:30-7:30 p.m The Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery, 404 W. Broughton St. Free

week at a Glance

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Terry Kay

Kay will be reading from his new novel set in Savannah, “The King Who Made paper Flowers,” and discussing a career that earned him a place in the Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame. Books available for purchase and signing. 6:30 p.m The Book Lady Bookstore, 6 East Liberty St. Free and open to the public

d Friday

/ 27

Film: Body

Through intertwined stories of a criminal prosecutor, his anorexic daughter, and her therapist who claims psychic powers, the young and incredibly thoughtful Polish director, Malgorzata Szumowska offers a profound and utterly captivating meditation on the human body as a link between the soul and the world. Winner of the Berlin and Polish Film Festival with extraordinary performances by Janusz Gajos and Maja Ostaszewska. In Polish s with English subtitles. 8 p.m Muse Arts Warehouse, 703 Louisville Rd. $10

Nonstop Glow Run

This night run includes an LED tunnel and an 85’ inflatable obstacle course. 9:30 p.m Lake Mayer, 1850 E. Montgomery Crossroads.

Theatre: The Little Mermaid

Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, this classic love story is Disney storytelling at its best. Unsatisfied with her life at sea, Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to experience life and love in the world above, and in the process, finds her own voice. 8-10 p.m Savannah Children’s Theatre, 2160 East Victory Dr. $15-$20 912-238-9015. savannahchildrenstheatre.org

Saturday / 28 Film: E.T.

Film: Love Story

Wine and hankies provided for the second installment in this monthly movie series for Tybee’s gals (and guys with a heart). This month’s feature film is the tragic tearjerker of the ‘70s generation. Love Story, starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw. Your $10 ticket gets you a glass of wine, pack of hankies and this special screening that will make you cry all over again. 7-9 p.m The Tybee Post Theater, 10 Van Horne Ave. $10 912-472-4790. info@tybeeposttheater.org. tybeeposttheater.showare.com/

Forsyth Farmers Market

Local and regional produce, honey, meat, dairy, pasta, baked goods and other delights. Rain or shine. 9 a.m.-1 p.m Forsyth Park forsythfarmersmarket.com

Memorial Day Commemoration

Help the fort pay tribute to our fellow patriots who served our country throughout the years with a commemoration and reenactment. There will be cannon and musket firings, Civil War-era demonstrations, and living history programs throughout the day. 9 a.m.-4 p.m Fort McAllister Historic Park, 3894 Fort McAllister Rd. $8 adults, $5 children, free for kids under 6

Our Great Big Backyard Storytime

To help commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, #1 Take advantage of this unique opportunity New York Times bestselling authors Laura to experience the lighthouse after hours Bush and her daughter Jenna Bush Hager on a small private tour that includes a have created an exuberant picture book climb to the top. Children 12 and under not tribute to the country’s national parks allowed. Tour lasts about 90 minutes. that highlights the importance and fun Tybee Island Lighthouse, 30 Meddin Ave. of connecting with nature. Coloring and $25 activities will follow a special reading of Our Great Big Backyard. . 912-786-5801 11 a.m Critical Mass Savannah Barnes & Noble, 7804 Abercorn St. Join Savannah’s bicycle community for a Free free ride to raise awareness for bike rights. 912-353-7757 Last Friday of every month, 6 p.m Forsyth Park, Drayton St. & East Park Ave. continues on p. 6

MAY 25-31, 2016

Tybee Lighthouse Sunset Tour

week at a Glance

continued from previous page

Theatre: The Little Mermaid

Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, this classic love story is Disney storytelling at its best. Unsatisfied with her life at sea, Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to experience life and love in the world above, and in the process, finds her own voice. 3 & 8 p.m Savannah Children’s Theatre, 2160 East Victory Dr. $15-$20 912-238-9015. savannahchildrenstheatre.org

Wilmington Island Farmers’ Market

Tons to buy and see. 9 a.m.-1 p.m Islands High School, 170 Whitemarsh Island Road. free wifarmersmarket.org/spring-2016-session. html

Sunday / 29 Collin’s Barefoot Comedy Club

Trinity UMC’s Last Hymn & Hurrah for Rev. Enoch Hendry and Family

The party features music by Payne Bridges, Waits & Co., City Hotel, Velvet Caravan and the Train Wrecks, plus food by Brian Graves Catering. All proceeds from the $25 tickets go the Trinity Church Restoration Fund. 4-8pm, Telfair Square $25/Kids 10 & under free Trinity1848.org

Monday / 30 Memorial Day Commemoration

Savannah Chapter Veterans for Peace invites public to a Memorial Day comBased on the fairy tale by Hans Christian memoration reading of names of Andersen, this classic love story is Disney Georgians who made the ultimate sacristorytelling at its best. Unsatisfied with her fice in service to their country. life at sea, Ariel longs to leave her ocean 10 a.m.-noon home to experience life and love in the Johnson Square world above, and in the process, finds her Memorial Day Observance own voice. The City of Richmond Hill will hold its 3 p.m annual Memorial Day Observance. Savannah Children’s Theatre, 2160 East Speakers, a 21-gun salute, posting of the Victory Dr. colors, and laying of the wreath. $15-$20 912-238-9015. savannahchildrenstheatre.org 11 a.m J. F. Gregory Park, Richmond Hill. Free and open to the public

Theatre: The Little Mermaid

train fOr a career in hiGh demand

Wednesday / 1 Film: Middle Age Crazy

In this surprisingly well-made and entertaining independent feature that is loosely based on the lyrics to a country song by Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Dern plays a 40-year-old married man who goes through a mid-life crisis that finds him cheating on his lovely wife, leading her to start an adulterous affair of her own. 8 p.m The Sentient Bean, 13 East Park Ave. $7

Freedom Fighter Show w/ Culture Vulture, Xuluprophet, A. YI

This show doubles as a fundraiser to help Savannah resident Josh Taft with legal expenses. Taft was arrested protesting against a white-supremacist Klan rally in Stone Mountain, Georgia on April 23. He was charged with Aggravated Assault With a Deadly Weapon while sitting peacefully on a park bench, with the Stone Mountain Police Department stating that he threw smoke bombs/fireworks at the police with intention to harm them. 7:30-11 p.m Sulfur Studios, 2301 Bull Street. $10 door/ $8 online facebook.com/events/604879989678819/

Enroll Now for Summer

On-Site Production assistant info Sessions: May 26 at 10am & 6:30pm May 31 at 2pm & 6:30pm MAY 25-31, 2016

Room 7126, 5717 White Bluff Rd., Savannah, GA 31405

financial aid available

WWW.Savannahtech.edu/Ga-film

For graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, etc., visit www.savannahtech.edu/GainfulEmployment. An equal opportunity institution. Photo courtesy of Savannah Film Office.

news & Opinion Editor’s Note

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Connect Savannah is published every Wednesday by Morris Multimedia, Inc 1464 East Victory Drive Savannah, GA, 31404 Phone: (912) 238-2040 Fax: (912) 238-2041 www.connectsavannah.com twitter: @ConnectSavannah Facebook.com/connectsav Administrative Chris Griffin, General Manager chris@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4378 Editorial Jim Morekis, Editor-in-Chief jim@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4360 Jessica Leigh Lebos, Community Editor jll@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4386 Anna Chandler, Arts & Entertainment Editor anna@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4356 Rachael Flora, Events Editor rachael@connectsavannah.com Contributors John Bennett, Matt Brunson, Raymond Gaddy, Kayla Goggin, Jared A. Jackson, Geoff L. Johnson, Orlando Montoya, Jon Waits, Your Pal Erin

#BOS2016: No superdelegates! by Jim Morekis

jim@connectsavannah.com

IT’S THE TIME of year everyone awaits. Best of Savannah time. Savannah’s most comprehensive readerdriven community recognitions return for another ginormous print and online annual edition. Not to mention the festive awards party. And the very festive afterparty. This year we had another increase in the raw vote total for our 300+ categories, arranged in the old faithful sections: Music & Culture, City Life & Public Affairs, Media, Food, Nightlife, Recreation, Health & Beauty, and Shopping & Services. Most all of you know this already, but it’s always worth pointing out: All of these votes come directly from readers, and what we got is what you get. There are no stinkin’ superdelegates, no partial vote-counting, no rigging. Just pure democracy. The good, the bad, and in a couple of cases, the ugly. One of my favorite pasttimes each year is to notice the runners-up. While they receive much less attention, the runner-up listings are often a great leading indicator for who or what is up-and-coming.

Look for many of the runners-up to be winners one year, maybe soon. As in years past, we have chosen to highlight some winners with extended profiles among the usual blurbs. We choose these extended profiles on the basis of the winners being new and/or noteworthy in some way. The authors of the extended profiles are tagged in italics at the end of each. This year’s cover shoot is by longtime Connect contributing photographer Geoff L. Johnson, who this year was voted Best Local Photographer and Best Wedding Photographer by our readers. While all our Readers Poll winners are deserving, we chose the cover models for their freshness, recognizability, mad skills.... and of course because they’re all just so freakin’ photogenic! This year’s cover models are: Gil Cruz (Best Bartender, Most Crushworthy) Mashama Bailey (Executive Chef, Best Overall & Best Downtown Restaurant The Grey) Trae Gurley (Best Vocalist) Renata Duran (Best Hairstylist) Clinton Edminster (Best New Store/ Best Green Business/Best Arts & Crafts Starland Creative Supply)

The photo shoot was in this year’s Best New Bar winner, The Original. This year’s Best of Savannah issue is a truly massive undertaking that seemingly gets more massive each year. We couldn’t do it without a coordinated team effort. Thanks to the rest of our epic editorial staff for working so hard on the Best of Savannah sections: Community Editor Jessica Leigh Lebos, Arts & Entertainment Editor Anna Chandler, and Events Editor Rachael Flora. Thanks to our fantastic design staff of Art/Production Director Brandon Blatcher and Graphic Designer Britt Scott. Thanks to our esteemed sales staff of General Manager/Dear Leader Chris Griffin, Account Executive Super Extraordinaire Jay Lane, and Super Sales Rep Matt Twining. And most of all of course, thanks to you, our readers, who are really the ones who contribute the heart and soul of this issue and give us so many interesting and inspiring things and people and places to write about. cs

Advertising Information: (912) 721-4378 sales@connectsavannah.com Jay Lane, Account Executive jay@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4381 Design & Production Brandon Blatcher, Art Director artdirector@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4379 Britt Scott, Graphic Designer ads@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4380 Distribution Wayne Franklin, Distribution Manager (912) 721-4376 Classifieds

A cover shoot outtake at The Original, by Geoff L. Johnson.

MAY 25-31, 2016

Call (912) 231-0250

News & Opinion The (Civil) Society Column

Simply the Best By Jessica Leigh Lebos

jll@connectsavannah.com

We humans sure do like to rank stuff. We love our Top Ten tallies and our listicles. We fuss over algorithms and catalogue click-throughs. It’s charmingly obsessive, the way we gather up data and shuffle the numbers like industrious squirrels organizing their acorn stash. The system that yielded Connect Savannah’s Best of 2016 is as simple as it gets— you voted, we spreadsheeted—but it’s still a formidable feat of arithmetic to compute more than 300 categories into this definitive directory of stupendous superlatives. Of course, there’s plenty to champion about living here that we can’t quantify, like the dynamic tango of creativity and commerce and the dogged work of those who persevere against poverty and violence. How about the absolute atmospheric perfection of these weeks when it’s not too hot or too cold, before the humidity returns to smother us in its summer-long hug like a crazy old aunt who likes to air dry her panties over the bed? And then there’s the Chatham Savannah Citizens Advocacy’s Biggest and

The Citizens Advocacy Biggest and Best Cover Dish Supper always fills Savannah Station with good vibes and great food. Photo by Jon waits

Best Covered Dish Supper that took place earlier this month. You won’t find this yearly event among the BOS 2016 winners, though I think anyone who’s attended will agree that this grassroots gathering surely brings out the best of Savannah.

True, it’s no fancy gala or tourism draw. It touts itself as the world’s biggest potluck, but the Guinness folks haven’t issued anything official. No one makes a dollar off it, since admission is either something edible to share or a $5 donation if you can’t grab a bag of

King Hawaiian rolls from Kroger on the way, though I’ve never seen anyone turned away for empty hands. But show me another event where hundreds of people from every walk (or roll) of life can show up with no RSVPs to a party with no set menu, no paid servers

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and a crowd sourced collection of different colored plates, and I’ll eat my hat. (Fortunately, most people just bring casseroles.) The potluck started as the annual conclave of the organization that pairs able-bodied denizens with those at risk of falling through the cracks. Run by bearded social change maestro and 2016’s Best Activist Tom Kohler, our local chapter of Citizens Advocacy has demonstrated what inclusion looks like since 1978, helping those with developmental disabilities claim their God-given dignity. Its cheerfully laissez-faire yearly celebration has expanded and evolved into the chosen meeting place of Savannah’s Beloved Community, defined by Dr. Martin Luther King as that blessed web of connection where every citizen is seen as worthy and capable of contribution. To say it all happens by a wave of the Kumbaya fairy’s magic wand would be wildly deceptive. Citizen Advocacy’s Ashley O’Brien may possess the lovely smile of a fairy godmother, but she puts in a great deal of time directing the flow of this freefor-all feast. “Every year, it always just seems to work,” she shrugged modestly as she passed out silverware and linen napkins to the volunteer table-setters, each responsible for bringing a centerpiece, ten plates and ten inexpensive, inspiring party favors. Most coveted were the tables proffering tickets to Savannah Stage Company’s upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz and miniature voodoo dolls picked up on a recent New Orleans Jazz Fest jaunt by artists Karen Abato and Corey Houlihan. I was super stoked to sit down to tiny, handcrafted treasures made by Loop it Up Savannah’s little cute people. (Those who chose my table got bubbles and packs of gum. Must up my favor game next year.) In spite of some traffic rerouting around Savannah Station due to the eruption of yet another massive hotel going up downtown, the evening began as it always does, with drinks outside and a soulful serenade by house band Soap. (ICYMI, these musical maestros delivered a couple of bubbly sets at Huc-APoos on Tybee Island last Saturday night, amplified by killer guitar licks from Matt Eckstine of 2016’s Best Local Folk Band, the Accomplices.) There was the familiar air of relaxed camaraderie and the seasonal scent of jasmine and asphalt as the bouncy rhythms of Samba Savannah ushered us inside, where we hugged the necks of the city’s usual social justice suspects and kissed the cheeks of the newcomers. “Who doesn’t love Savannah in the springtime?” rallied regular emcee and Savannah’s funniest attorney Wade Herring, who always manages to come up with new material every year.

“Who doesn’t love a covered dish supper, especially when nobody died?” This was my family’s seventh dinner, and by now I’ve shed all self-consciousness about pushing back my chair to head up front to sing “Imagine” with the Come On Up Community Choir. I’m not the only one, and it was glorious to stand between Citizens Advocacy coordinator George Seaborough and consummate community cheerleader Jamie Arkins Smith, who can really hold down a harmony. There was the non-denominational offering of grace and many, many admissions of gratitude, for the food, for the company, for the moment itself. “Saying thank you changes your heart and changes your mind,” nodded Wade from the podium. Then it was time to eat: Thanks to Wade’s explicit directives, the hangry remained civil as we piled plates with multiple kinds of fried chicken, rainbows of roasted vegetables, an endless array of mac ‘n’ cheese and other homemade delights. (Whoever brought the nasturtium flower salad: You’re my favorite.) Following the well-worn agendas of potlucks past, after the plates were cleared we heard from citizen advocates and their protégés, learning time and time again of the satisfaction that comes from sharing our resources to enable everyone to lead a capable, confident life. You can say that I’m a dreamer to think a community covered dish supper can solve our most serious ills. But as I sat at the table playing with my little treasure favor as Lana Abbott, director of the antiviolence group Solidarity in Savannah, engaged in thoughtful conversation with DA Meg Heap, my conviction that the wisdom to be won from sitting down to eat together only flourished. I hold deep faith that we are at our best when we are mindful of the needs of others and keep our hearts open to those different than ourselves, even when we disagree. When we remember that no matter how society ranks us—by our ability or our bank accounts or our privilege—we are all in this together. In other words, we ought to treat each other as if we’re all winners, even if that makes me sounds like one of those nerdy parents that thinks every kid should get a trophy (is that so wrong?) Though I can’t say I’m not skipping around my cubicle with joy to be voted Best Newspaper Columnist for another year. Thank you, Savannah, thank you. Y’all keep shining your light, and may we always bring out the best in each other. cs

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The (Civil) Society Column

slug signorino

news & Opinion straight dope

What’s that mysterious booming sound? Since April 2011, a mysterious deep, echoing, boom has been heard every Tuesday morning, spring through fall, throughout

northwest Washington, D.C. It’s always the same noise, between 6:30-8 AM, and seems to originate from the south, likely across the Potomac River. The rumor was that it was early-morning drills from Arlington Cemetery, but I haven’t been able to confirm this. Conspiracy? Very loud garbage truck? My dog and I are dying to hear your answer booming across cyberspace. —Beth Venit YOU, your dog, and everyone else, my friend. The mysterious-boom phenomenon is widespread enough to warrant an entry in the dictionary—brontide, defined by Merriam-Webster as “a low muffled sound like distant thunder” that’s “thought to be caused by feeble earth tremors”—as well as a robust selection of regional appellations worldwide: off the coast of the Netherlands, they’re called

MAY 25-31, 2016

n ldre Chi under & 12 REE t F dul a ! with ission adm

mistpoeffers; in Haiti, it’s the gouffre. Here in the U.S., noises of murky provenance have been reported, in recent memory, as far afield as Charleston, South Carolina, and Clintonville, Wisconsin. The latter, a series of which Wisconsinites heard in 2012, were ultimately blamed on shallow earthquakes, not strong enough to cause any shaking but variously audible, according to CNN, as “rattling pipes, clanging metal, thunder or firecrackers.” The former? Who knows? It’s not like no one’s had time to work it out, either— these booms have been going off for centuries. On expedition in Montana in 1805, Meriwether Lewis (of “and Clark” fame) reported hearing at irregular intervals a noise he called “the unaccountable artillery of the Rocky Mountains.” James Fenimore Cooper, describing circa 1850 the noises heard over Seneca Lake in upstate New York, arrived at the same metaphor: “a sound resembling the explosion of a heavy piece of artillery, that can be accounted for by none of the known laws of nature. The report is deep, hollow, distant, and imposing. The lake seems to be speaking to the surrounding hills, which send back the echoes of its voice in accurate reply.” “Seneca guns” caught on as a term for the phenomenon, yet folks are still fighting about what it actually is; no less than the U.S. Geological Survey concedes that there “does not appear to be any agreement on what causes the Seneca guns.” Let’s look at some of the contenders: • It’s probably not UFOs, not that that hasn’t been (inevitably) suggested. It’s also probably not a hypersonic U.S. spy plane, though some Brits were keen to suggest such when they heard a series of loud booms coming from the sky in late 2014. That said, the military has claimed responsibility in some cases; some coastal Virginians spent weeks trying to figure out the source of one boom in the 1970s before the Navy finally admitted that, yep, one of its planes had gone supersonic off the coast. It’s probably worth keeping in mind that Charleston, where such noises are frequently reported, is home to a joint Air Force-Navy base, and it’s not like those guys are eager to spill the beans about what they’re getting up to. • The credit for those booming noises in Britain ultimately went to a meteorite, which—it was surmised—flamed out over the British Isles before ditching into the sea.

• As mentioned above, seismic activity is always a good guess. According to a 2011 paper from the Seismological Society of America, “it seems that even smaller earthquakes are capable of producing audible sounds with no perceptible shaking,” as was the case in Wisconsin. This includes activity offshore—tsunamis, such as those caused by subsea earthquakes, are known to be capable of producing loud booming sounds—and a phenomenon called cryoseisms, wherein subterranean ice thaws or freezes rapidly, giving off a cracking sound in the process. • Back at Seneca Lake, the prevailing theory points to underground natural gas deposits escaping to the surface. Given your proximity to the U.S. Capitol, Beth, I don’t think gaseous outbursts can be definitively ruled out here. While we’re here, we’d be remiss not to mention the mysterious boom’s sonic cousin known as “the Hum”: a low-frequency auditory phenomenon that, by some estimates, between 2 and 10 percent of the world’s population is able to hear. (And perhaps be driven mad by—at least one amateur researcher has tried to link the Hum to the prevalence of U.S. mass shootings.) A 2004 paper in the <ital>Journal of Scientific Exploration<> excluded the possibility that it’s just tinnitus (for what it’s worth, I’d excluded that possibility myself in a 1998 column) and suggested—not conclusively—that radio transmissions might have something to do with it. Further tests are pending. Anyway, which of the above is you? Well, none of them, actually—I’m afraid your initial hunch was the correct one. “Yes, it is coming from here,” emails Jennifer Lynch, a public affairs officer at Arlington National Cemetery. “The Old Guard practices its battery salute every Tuesday before the cemetery opens.” The Old Guard, officially known as the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, conducts military ceremonies at high-profile occasions—presidential inaugurations, state funerals, and the like—and thus naturally needs to stay sharp. So much for nature’s timeless mysteries. cs By cecil adams Send questions to Cecil via straightdope.com or write him c/o Chicago Reader, 350 N. Orleans, Chicago 60654.

DownloaD the FrEE Sav happS app! SAV HAPPS

Elvis at 21 is organized by Govinda Gallery, Washington, DC, and is dedicated to the memory of Kirk Varnedoe, a devoted Elvis fan. Generous support for this exhibition is provided by Agnes Gund, The Gretsch Family Foundation in honor of Elizabeth and Adam Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Cay III, Mrs. Robert O. Levitt, and Mrs. Helen R. Steward.

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news & Opinion blotter 2016 Sav/Chatham County Crime Stats through Sunday May 22

Homicide Total

(7 solved)

Non-fatal Shootings

Teens arrested after posing with guns in Daffin Park

Metro Police Undercover Narcotics Investigation Team arrested 5 teens on gun and drug charges in Daffin Park. “At approximately 4:30 p.m. on May, 20 officers from the UNIT observed the teens holding firearms while posing for photos on a park bench, then concealing them in their waistbands,” police say. Jason Hazel, 18, was charged with carrying a concealed firearm, possession of marijuana and possession of a drug related object. James White, 17, and two 16-yearold males were arrested and charged with possession of a handgun under 18 and carrying a concealed firearm. Another 16-year-old was also arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. Officers seized 4 handguns, a rifle, marijuana, and miscellaneous ammunition.

Meth lab in residence equipped with generators, video surveillance

“Late last night, CNT agents executed a search warrant at 41 Moon River Drive on Burnside Island. There, agents located an inactive methamphetamine lab and all ingredients needed to manufacture meth,” according to a CNT spokesperson. “A further search of the residence and the three of acres of property resulted in the discovery of evidence that previous cooks had occurred. Several burn piles were also located on the property,” the spokesperson says. A shotgun and various forms of controlled substances were also seized during the search warrant. “Despite no power at the residence, it was equipped with video surveillance cameras running off generators,” CNT says. CNT arrested 30-year-old Brian Mastison of Savannah on multiple felonies. “CNT’s investigation into the residence began in March 2016 after agents identified the residence as a location utilized by known meth manufacturers, dealers and users,” the spokesperson says. CNT identified additional people during its investigation and determined meth was being manufactured there. CNT also received information from concerned neighbors who reported suspicious

on him at the time of his arrest.” CNT’s investigation began in March “following information a male by the name of ‘G’ was selling controlled substances at Studio 6 Hotel at 60 W. Montgomery Crossroad. CNT agents made contact with Baker and he sold agents drugs over a period of two months,” they say. “It was determined Baker was living at the hotel and regularly switching hotel rooms in an attempt to avoid law enforcement. He has a long criminal history and was on probation at the time of his arrest.”

Brian Mastison

activity, heavy vehicle traffic and strange smells coming from the residence.” CNT says it is filing to seize the residence property.

Two shot on East 32nd Street

Detectives are investigating a shooting that occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m., May 17, in a residential area near the intersection of East 32nd and Dieter Street. CNT makes arrest in motel coke op Jenard Brown, 20, and a 16-year-old One person is in custody following an male were wounded. undercover operation by the ChathamDetectives describe the suspect vehicle Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). as a black, four-door sedan that was last “CNT agents arrested 27-year-old Joel seen fleeing the scene east on E. 32nd. “G” Baker of Savannah. Baker was arrested after selling cocaine to an undercover CNT Man shot near Wessels Homes Detectives are investigating a shooting agent,” a CNT spokesperson says. at 9:30 p.m., May 19, near Wheaton and “Following the drug deal, agents attempted to arrest Baker who tried to flee Randolph. Phillip Lowrance, 27, was shot and fight with agents. Baker was taken into in the Fred Wessels housing; his injuries custody and treated for minor injuries. He are non-life threatening. The suspects are had various forms of controlled substances described as two black teenage males.

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news & Opinion News of the weird Medical Milestone

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign announced they had recently (a first, they claimed) transmitted high-speed digital data through slabs of pork loin and beef liver. The signal cleared the muscle and gristle so cleanly that it permitted streaming of high-definition video -- enough to watch Netflix, said the lead researcher. (Actually, the advance is crucial in that it allows a patient to swallow a transmitter and for physicians to monitor inner workings of the body in real time and externally control implanted devices such as cranial sensors and defibrillators.)

Can’t Possibly Be True

• Religious leaders associated with the “quiverfull” ministry announced intentions for a November retreat this year in Wichita, Kansas, at which parents will meet to plan “arranged” Christian marriages for their prepubescent daughters, to maximize the future couples’ childbearing potential -- supposedly the No. 1 priority of all females. Quiverfull activist Vaughn Ohlman has written that female fertility is optimal during their teens (actually, just after age 12) and drops off in their 20s. The local district attorney, queried by The Wichita Eagle, said such marriages are legal as long as all parties consent -- but Ohlman has maintained that the Bible does not require the bride’s consent if her father has given his. • Apparently, Japanese taste buds easily become bored, for manufacturers seem eager to create extravagant food combinations to satisfy them that might prove daunting to most Americans. The latest exhibit: the familiar Kit Kat chocolatecoated wafer -- but with the taste of ripe melon and cheese (specifically, “Hokkaido Melon With Mascarpone Cheese”). As Japanese foodies know, Kit Kats in Japan come in at least 15 coatings, according to a 2013 review by Kotaku.com, including Edamame Soybean, Purple Sweet Potato, Hot Japanese Chili, Matcha-Green Tea, Wasabi and Red Bean Sandwich. • The Daily Pakistan newspaper, covering the Anti-Terrorism Court in Karachi in April, reported that a judge in Courtroom III asked a constable if he knew how the

grenade entered into evidence worked. Rather than assume that an explanation was requested, the constable pulled the pin to demonstrate, and the resulting explosion injured the constable, a court clerk and another police officer. The constable is said to be facing severe discipline as soon as he recovers.

admitted to the Beijing Morning Post that they might have pampered her excessively over the years, even lending her the equivalent of $23,000 to buy a house. (Still, she stayed.)

New World Order

Gynecologists interviewed by The New York Times for an April report said they Latest Religious Messages were baffled by the recent increase in • Great Britain’s prisoners teenage girls demanding claiming to be adherents of cosmetic surgery on the the ancient Celtic pagan reliexternal folds of their vulgion are allowed, under rules vas -- since there is rarely from the National Offender a medical need and the Management Services, to safety of the operation on be excused from jailhouse young girls has not been #BOS2016 routines to celebrate four demonstrated. Some docfestivals, including (of tors called the “need” just course) the Festival of the an extreme example of Lactating Sheep. Although teen girls’ beauty obses“Skyclad,” or naked worship, sions and suggested the is forbidden, prisoners can presence in some girls of wear the silver pagan ring the psychiatric malady (to avoid “distress”) and are of “body dysmorphic dispermitted their own chalorder,” in which a person ices, crystals, “worry beads,” imagines or exaggerates pentagram necklaces, a physical characteristic. hoodless robes and flexible (The phenomenon is diftwig-wands. ferent from the “vaginal • An Israeli man (unidenrejuvenation” requested tified in press reports) petitioned the Haifa by older women, especially after childMagistrate’s Court recently for a restrain- birth, because that involves tightening ing order against God, pointing out that internal tissue.) the Almighty has exhibited (according to Texas School Blues a May Times of Israel report) “a seriously (1) Houston’s KHOU-TV revealed in negative attitude toward him,” especially May that the French teacher at the Housover the previous three years. The judge rejected the petition even though God was ton school district’s Energy Institute High School doesn’t speak French (but did take not present to argue against it (or at least one year of it, in high school). (2) The ShelHis presence could not be detected). don school district near Houston admitParental Values ted in May that a 7-year-old student at (1) In the latest ruling on a familiar Sheldon Elementary had written her own theme, a court in Modena, Italy, ordered a successful “please excuse Rosabella early” father to continue paying living expenses note (using lettering typical of 7-yearfor his son, age 28, who had meandered olds) and was allowed to go home instead through a degree in literature but now has of attending her after-school program. (3) decided to seek another, in experimental School police at Christa McAuliffe Middle cinema. (Almost two-thirds of Italians School in Houston threatened to arrest a aged 18 to 34 still live with their parents.) 13-year-old girl during the last school year (2) In Beijing, an elderly couple secured because they were unaware that the girl’s a court order in March forcing their $2 bill (cafeteria payment) was valid U.S. 36-year-old daughter finally to move out currency. after she had refused for years. The couple

Police Reports

(1) In April, police in Brighton, Ontario, responded to what was reported by neighbors as a domestic dispute, involving shrieks like, “I hope you die!” They found only a man “arguing” with his pet parrot (who the man said was “beaking off” at him). No arrests were made. (2) Kayvon Mavaddat, 28, was arrested in Natick, Massachusetts, as police enforced three arrest warrants. He had been on the loose until May 6, when he politely (inadvisedly) held open a door at Natick Mall for a police officer who, in that brief moment, thought he recognized Mavaddat. Checking his cruiser’s computer, he found the warrants, went back inside and arrested Mavaddat.

Cavalcade of Rednecks

Timothy Trammell, 36, was arrested on several charges in Jonesville, South Carolina, in May after a sheriff’s deputy spotted him spray-painting a car that was not his. According to the deputy’s report, Trammell had just finished angrily painting “C-h-e-e-t-e-r” (sic) on the car (belonging to a woman, identified in a WSPA-TV report as his girlfriend).

Updates

(1) In April in Oslo district court, Norway’s most notorious terrorist, Anders Behring Breivik (77 killed in 2011), prevailed in his complaint against prison treatment and was awarded the equivalent of about $41,000. The prison (part of a system generally regarded as the world’s most inmate-friendly) was found to violate Breivik’s human rights by restricting his outside contacts and excessively restraining and strip-searching him. (He had also complained of poor food choices.) (2) The Veterans Affairs hospital in Tomah, Wisconsin, among the system’s most troubled (in personnel issues, falsifying reports and overdependence on patient opiod use), is reportedly working on a “100-day plan” for reform and recently posted a job opening -- for interior decorator ($77,000 position, doctoral degree) to, presumably, improve everyone’s attitude.

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BOS16 Music

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Music &Culture

PHOTO BY STEPHEN MORTON

MAY 25-31, 2016

Best Actor

Eric Salles

Savannah, meet The Collective Face Theatre Ensemble’s chameleon. Ensemble member Eric Salles is fresh to the acting game, but Managing Director Dandy Barrett has referred to him as “the company’s utility player.” “For some reason, to steal one of our subscriber’s descriptions of me, I look really different every time you see me,” says Salles. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing, but it works!” The Boeing, Boeing and Death of a Salesman lead ultimately got into acting by accident. “Lynne Jones, my girlfriend, was trying to get back into acting,” he explains. “She’s the actor in the family!” The couple met Barrett when she performed in Steel Magnolias and were invited to experience The Collective Face live and in person. “As soon as I saw them, I said, ‘Lynne, these are the people we want to work with,’” Salles remembers. Jones decided to audition for the ensemble’s production of Angels in America; supportive partner Salles accompanied her and ended up auditioning, too. “It was the worst audition you could ever imagine!” he laughs. “But something must have happened, because a year later, David [Poole] calls and says, “I have a part for Eric—he doesn’t even have to audition.” Salles got his first role in What the Butler Saw. “From that audition, they must have seen a spark in me,” he remarks. “They asked me to be an ensemble member, and that was it. I delved right into it.” Surrounded by the incredible talent of The Collective Face, Salles was eager to gain knowledge and experience and truly tuned in as an attentive learner and team member. “I had hours and hours of conversations with David Poole, Dandy Barrett, Christopher Blair, Maggie Lee Hart, learning as much as possible from these amazing performers,” he shares. “Any time I had the opportunity to stage manage and see a play from behind the scenes and learn, I kept applying what they taught me.” Being the new kid on the block hasn’t been easy. Salles remembers a moment in Pride and Prejudice rehearsals when he considered ditching theatre entirely. “I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’” he recalls. “‘Look at the people surrounding me: SCAD students, theatre students. Why am I here?’”

Poole, his mentor, explained that the way Salles was learning was actually the traditional method of developing acting skills: give the actor a small role here and there, and then bigger roles to stretch them. Playing the lead of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman was certainly Salles’ biggest and most challenging role yet. “It’s considered to be the greatest American tragedy ever written, but the success has been just beyond my wildest dreams,” he marvels. The highest compliment came from an audience member who waited until Salles emerged from the dressing room to disclose that he thought Dustin Hoffman portrayed Willy Loman best—until he saw Salles. “The accolades have been like that—so over-the-top!” Salles says in disbelief. Even when fans are whipping out programs for him to sign at his day job at Lucky’s Market, Salles remains an indebted and humble fresh talent, singing the praises of his fellow cast and crew members. He advises that anyone looking to get into acting do their research. “An actor who doesn’t do their homework is a dead actor,” he states. The best advice he ever received came from Calendar Girls’ Karla Knudsen: You can’t fake life onstage. “One challenge has been to show intimacy, vulnerability,” says Salles. “Which is so odd—it’s an attribute I admire when I see other actors do it. To show vulnerability is to show weakness is how I was interpreting it. But we all have our moments of weakness. Once I started to make more peace and understanding and started studying Willy Loman, I started picking up and making everything real in the moment. If it’s not real for at least one moment, and the audience sees it, you lose them.” Salles returns in Collective Face’s 201617 season as Doolittle in Pygmalion. “I just got the script yesterday and am already doing my research!” the hardworking actor reveals. He’s looking forward to many more performances and can’t wait to get back on the stage. “I tell ya, I get a real kick out of performing in Savannah,” he says. “The audiences have been amazing. Thanks to them: they keep me going. I love coming back and hearing that applause.” – Anna Chandler Runner-up: Justin Kent

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Thank you for voTing us

“BesT CulTural evenT” “BesT fesTival” (ThaT is noT sT. paTriCk’s day) March 23–april 8, 2017

MAY 25-31, 2016

savannahmusicfestival.org

i s a s p o n s o r o f t h e s ava n n a h M u s i c f e st i va l

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PHOTO BY RACHEL FLORA

Best New Local Book

A New Death

(Savannah’s Only Zombie Novel)

MAY 25-31, 2016

Josh Vasquez knows what they all say: “You can try and leave Savannah, but it always brings you back.” It’s even harder to leave when the place’s infested with zombies. The 30-year-old author of the Savannah’s Only Zombie Novel Series has found success in the self-publishing world, bringing the zombie apocalypse right to Chatham County. A lifelong zombie freak (“Me and my friends were really into zombie movies before it was cool,” Vasquez clarifies), he was originally interested in creating a low-budget film about the living dead in high school. “I wrote out this outline and the first few pages of a script,” he remembers. “But since we were in high school and had no money, that’s as far as it got.” When the age of e-books and Kindle emerged, Vasquez saw an opportunity. “I realized you could publish books 16 yourself on there,” he remarks. “I

never thought about writing a book but thought, ‘Hey, this could be fun. I’ll try it.’” With A New Death, published in 2013, Vasquez spun a vision of a Savannah crawling with the living dead. Fans are hooked on the story of 19-year-old Jeremy, a bagboy college dropout. He’s helping his mom out with the bills and feels frustrated with his relationship with his father, a wealthy man disconnected from the family. Distinctly Southern in its exploration of family dynamics and the murky swamps (just thinking about getting from the islands to mainland Savannah in a zombie apocalypse is enough to make any local hyperventilate), Vasquez’s novels are unique in their broad vision of our town. Beyond Bonaventure, beyond River Street, the author captures a realistic, often overlooked Savannah.

“In most music and books, it’s all downtown and the Historic District,” Vasquez says. “It’s the more appealing parts of Savannah. In the books, I go through industrial areas…part of it takes place off Victory and Ogeechee in a warehouse. I was working there at the time, so I had an insider’s look.” The author has taken a unique approach in tying the storyline together. After completing book one, Vasquez followed up with “CJ’s Story,” a short story following the 13-year-old son of a character introduced in A New Death. Book two, A New Darkness, published in March of 2014, chronicles a journey from Savannah to the Georgia countryside. To sate fans, a second short, “Lexx’s Story,” followed in 2015. Vasquez is heavily inspired by classics like filmmaker George Romero and contemporaries like Max Brooks. “The Zombie Survival Guide is my non-Bible Bible,” he says with a laugh. The zombies in his series follow pretty standard zombie mythology: you’ve got slow-movers, “runners” with agility and speed, and then an evolved kind of “Hulk-like” zombie that “require a little bit more finesse.” A New Death is Vasquez’s first completed novel, but the author has been writing all of his life. “It started off as a coping mechanism,” he shares. “My parents were divorced, my stepdad and I had a rough relationship. We moved down here and I left my friends behind. I wrote stories to keep my friends with me and as an escape, then it turned out to be something I enjoy doing. This is the first story I ever finished and stuck with.” A lead dock guy for a local trucking company, Vasquez works hard to strike a balance between his busy work life, marriage, life as a new dad, and writing. Novel three is in the works; meanwhile, grab a paperback of A New Death at E. Shaver Booksellers, Planet Fun, or online via Amazon. Vasquez is wary of the zombie craze fizzling out—right now, The Walking Dead seems to be a driving force in the genre’s staying power—but his passion for storytelling won’t die. “I think it’s getting close to the bubble where it’s going to hit and not be cool anymore. But,” he says with a twinkle in his eye, “I’ll still be one hundred percent in.” —Anna Chandler Runner-up: Heave, Ho!

Best Cultural Event Best Festival (that’s not St. Patrick’s Day) Savannah Music Festival March Music Madness spills over into April courtesy of longtime winner Savannah Music Festival. Each year, the great team behind the three-week celebration of song creates a diverse and fascinating roster of outstanding players from around the world. Wanna sashay to some calypso? Check. Have your hair stand on end during the last note of a violin concerto? Yep. Stomp your boots and swing your partner? Can do. This year’s sensational lineup included everyone from Sharon Jones to Andrew Bird to a Ry Cooder, Ricky Skaggs, and Sharon White team-up to Drive-By Truckers. It’s not only fun for the audience and great for tourism—the fest’s outreach and music education programs allow students to learn from the greats gracing the stage. Music fans wait with bated breath to seeing what Rob Gibson and his great team come up with for 2017. Runner-up, Best Cultural Event: St. Patrick’s Day Runner-up, Best Festival (that’s not St. Patrick’s Day): Savannah Stopover

Best Film Festival Savannah Film Festival MovieMaker just named SCAD’s Savannah Film Festival among the Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee. ‘Course, we Savannahians have known that for years! Olivia Wilde, Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen, rom-com darling Meg Ryan and rising star Saoirse Ronan (who’s since become a household name with the success of SFF-screened Brooklyn) were among this year’s honorees and distinguished guests. On-screen, attendees were treated to must-sees like Spotlight, Suffragette, Youth, Truth, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, He Named Me Malala, and troves of fabulous shorts, panels, and Q&As. Runner-up: Psychotronic Film Series

Best Indie Film Venue The Lucas Theatre for the Arts Watching the films you grew up surrounded by the historic beauty of the Lucas is about as good as it gets. Often riffing on a theme (April closed out with a The

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Best Local Theatre Production

H.M.S. Pinafore

Savannah’s only church to bring Broadway into the sanctuary continued the tradition in 2016 with a rousing take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1878 comic opera H.M.S. Pinafore. Rev. Billy Hester, a successful actor and singer who performed in The Pirates of Penzance, Pippin, and other productions during his time as lead tenor in the Light Opera of Manhattan, once starred in a production of Pinafore, making him the perfect director for Asbury’s rendition. A seven-piece orchestra of oboe, cello, bass, piano, flute, percussion and violin provided the musical accompaniment to Asbury’s production. A chorus, featuring Rhonda Bruckman, Wendy Mason, Mickey Dodge, Pat Prokop, Sharon Page, Brittany Shirley, Gary Shelby, Kristin Pair, Don Cohen, James Hamrick, Kim Patrick-Limehouse, Steve Reed, Andy Wallington and Shane Conner added to the joyful spirit. In its heyday, H.M.S. Pinafore was an international sensation. The fourth operatic production of Gilbert and Sullivan, it’s a love story set on the high (and turbulent) seas. Problems arise when Captain Corcoran’s daughter, Josephine (played by Ashley Roper), falls in love with Ralph Rackstraw, a sailor (Joseph Lee). She’s set to marry Sir Joseph Porter (Les Taylor), the First Lord of Admiralty in the Royal Navy who stands heads above Rackstraw in class. However, Sir Joseph is an advocate of the equality of humankind, and surprisingly encourages lovebirds Josephine and Ralph to go for it and buck the social system in the process. Papa Captain Corcoran (Jonathan Rabb) gets word of the plan, but a surprise disclosure wraps things up neatly at the end of the tale. Pinafore was the third Gilbert and Sullivan show that Asbury has produced (Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado were past favorites) and a landmark one: with perhaps their largest cast ever, members of the community and congregation had their shot to get onstage and give theatre a chance. With incredible music and an engaging, entertaining cast, Pinafore is a firsttime win for Asbury Memorial Theatre. We look forward to seeing what they get into next. Runner-up: Death of a Salesman by Collective Face Theatre Ensemble

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MAY 25-31, 2016

by Asbury Memorial Theatre

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& Culture | continued from previous page Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia! in tribute to Meryl Streep), a movie night in the Greek revival-style theatre is a full experience (shout-out to the audience at the Purple Rain screening, basically like a live concert with all the communal love the 1,200-seater could hold). Next up, it’s Spielberg classic E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Runner-up: Muse Arts Warehouse

Best Movie Theatre Royal Cinemas & IMAX

Best Art Gallery

MAY 25-31, 2016

Sulfur Studios

Sulfur Studios’ secret to success is staying busy. “In order to survive in this town, you have to constantly have shows,” cofounder Jennifer Moss says. However, the studio’s founders—Moss, Emily Earl, and AJ Perez—don’t just hang art on the walls and call it a day. They also lease out studios, host workshops and classes, put on all-ages shows and offer professional art installation through the new Sulfur Art Services. “We’ve been trying to keep the momentum going and stay really busy. I guess that’s what keeps us in people’s minds,” says Earl. “There’s always something every weekend.” That’s no understatement, especially since this late spring stretch is Savannah’s busiest time for exhibitions. The team still doesn’t slack, though, when they’re going through their slow season, which is usually fall. “What are our slow times, our busy times, what’s the rhythm of the city?” Earl asks. “When are people really excited about doing things and when are they hibernating and working? When people are not showing as much, we still have to show stuff.” All artists, Earl, Perez and Moss met while they were working at the Sentient Bean and were friends long before they were business partners. Moss had her eye on a space that she thought would be good for a studio, so she rented it out herself and told her friends about it. “I had multiple times where we’d be hanging out at night saying this thing needs to happen and then it was just like, you know what? Let’s make it happen,” Moss recalls. Another key to success is their common artistic values. “We all have our influences but we also share a very similar aesthetic and eye for what looks good, what’s quality,” Perez explains. For a space that prioritizes diversity as much as Sulfur, though, the selection process goes beyond what looks good. The owners themselves present a variety of media—Earl photography, Perez painting and music, Moss fibers— which furthers their mission of diversity. “Some galleries are very specific interest, and that’s great,” Earl says. “We’re just kind of on the flip side of that. We’re interested in everything, and variety is important.” “It reflects the space as a whole,” Perez adds. “You have so many different types of artists and creatives in each studio, so to me, it would be weird if we have this diverse body of artists but we were always doing one kind of show. It wouldn’t really work.” —Rachael Flora Runner-up: Non-Fiction Gallery

Go big or go home, right? Royal Cinemas & IMAX in Pooler is basically like a theme park for movie-lovers. Enjoy dinner while you catch a movie in the dinner theatre, sip an adult beverage at the bar before your screening, cozy up in comfy seats, and enjoy the hottest flicks in IMAX or Dolby 3D. Runner-up: Carmike 10

Best Performance Troupe Best Instagram Best Website The Savannah Sweet Tease Burlesque Revue Savannah loves its unique burlesque troupe. The “naked family” of The Savannah Sweet Tease emit a delightful sense of camaraderie, diversity, community, and, of course, dazzling stage skills that keeps crowds coming back for more. The gang hits the road again this summer—check their schedule to tip off outof-town friends, and catch them shaking their tassels here on the home stage. Runner-up: Odd Lot Productions

Best Local Theatre Director David I.L. Poole Savannah’s leading theatre guru had a huge year: directing Boeing Boeing, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Underpants, Death of a Salesman, and, currently, Calendar Girls for Collective Face Theatre Ensemble, designing masks for Savannah Children’s Theatre’s production of Servant of Two Masters, and designing puppets and costumes for the Children’s Theatre’s current production of The Little Mermaid. Next up, he’ll direct The Collective Face’s Savannah Sipping Society and Pygmalion. Runner-up: JinHi Soucy Rand

Best Local Actress Maggie Lee Hart Maggie Lee Hart remains a theatre fan favorite. When she’s not shining onstage, the Collective Face Theatre Ensemble member keeps busy as an acting coach, offering private lessons to budding stars. Catch her back in action for Collective Face’s production of Tennessee Williams’ classic drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in May 2017. Runner-up: Cecilia Arango

Best Local Author Jose Lucio The nom de plume of visual artist/ DJ Jose Ray, Heave Ho! was a delightful children’s book about teamwork that debuted in 2015 and found a permanent place on Savannah’s bookshelves. Jose is working on his next children’s book, hoping to release it in Fall ’16. Runner-up: Zach Powers

Best Museum Jepson Center for the Arts Now celebrating its tenth year, the Telfair Museums’ Jepson keeps art fun and fascinating with exciting events year-round. If you haven’t seen “Elvis at 21,” a touring exhibition featuring Alfred Wertheimer’s intimate portraits of the young King, wiggle your pelvis on over to the Telfair Square landmark before it’s gone on October 2. This summer, look forward to the annual Juneteenth Festival, the oldest celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Live performances, art activities, and educational opportunities abound for Savannahians of all ages. Runner-Up: Fort Pulaski

Best Art Show First Friday Art March The best way to cool your heels after a busy work week? Keep your mind stimulated with a stroll through over 30 galleries, boutiques, and cafes filled with unique works of art! First Friday Art March has been hugely responsible for the Starland District’s big boom—with two free trollies to get you there and plenty of community comradery filling Bull Street and continues on p. 20

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BEST MOVIE THEATRE

Trae Gurley SAVANNAH’S Sinatra is finding his voice. First-time Best of Savannah winner Trae Gurley has the art of crooning the music of Ol’ Blue Eyes down to a science and is ready to explore new sounds. Gurley’s by no means a Sinatra impersonator, but he does favor him, from the twinkle in his own blue eyes to his casual elegance. “I’m not shying away from it,” he explains. “I’m taking a break because I’ve been doing that music for so long, and I play so many styles. I’ve kind of taken a hiatus.” Gurley was deeply inspired from his trip to SXSW with Velvet Caravan. Acting as guest vocalist for the Savannah gypsy-jazz band in an environment teeming with talent drove him to come home and create. “In the fall, I’m hoping to do a new album, hopefully with Velvet Caravan as the backing band,” he shares. “It’d be nice for us to focus on doing something different.” Gurley has been enchanting locals and tourists alike for 12 years at Jazz’d Tapas Bar; it’s there that he honed his Sinatra evening. Jazz standards have been his mainstay for gigs at upscale restaurants and clubs and private parties; he’s received incredible praise for his vintage covers, but Gurley also performs his own original tunes around town, too. With a sound akin to Jason Isbell or Ryan Adams, SingerSongwriter Gurley nights can get a little confusing for his Sinatra fanbase. “People say, ‘Let’s go hear the Sinatra guy,’” he says. “And if I have my guitar and am playing an acoustic set, they’ll ask, ‘Could you do any Sinatra?’ I have to explain, ‘This is not a Sinatra gig tonight. I’m doing acoustic singer-songwriter stuff.’ So it is a little weird for my audience, and me too!” How’s a professional like Gurley get ready for an evening of singing? “I have a drink,” he says. “Lately, it’s been Jack Daniels, my go-to—usually I’d drink something a bit nicer, but it’s like your old best pair of socks you want to put on, you know? I have horrible stage fright, as a lot of people do, so I’ll have the one drink, and before I get onstage, I try to warm up a little bit—sometimes just singing in the car. I think that counts!” Savannahians can get their Gurley fix at The Lucas Theatre’s Cabaret series over the summer. The singer is surprised and flattered by his Best of Savannah award. “I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he says, “so it’s an affirmation that I should keep doing what I’m doing. Thank you, readers!” —Anna Chandler Runner-up: Anna Chandler

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MAY 25-31, 2016

Best Local Vocalist

BOS16 Music

& Culture | continued from previous page its offshoots, Art March is the feel-good event of the month. On June 3, rally friends and family to attend Mega Art March, running from The Butcher on Bay Street to The Florence. Runner-up: The Damned In Distress (House of Gunt)

Best Hip-Hop/Rap Artist

MAY 25-31, 2016

Dope KNife

For Kedrick Mack, a.k.a. Dope KNife, his first win as an independent hip-hop artist was completely unexpected. “It’s the icing on the cake of 2016 so far,” he confirms. We’re only five months in, but 2016 has been a helluva year for the Savannah rapper, director, producer, and visual artist. In March, renowned rapper/spoken word artist Sage Francis signed Mack to his independent label Strange Famous Records. Around since the late ‘90s, the label boasts an assortment of emotive hip-hop artists, making Mack a standout on the roster. “My stuff is definitely one hundred percent boom-bap hip-hop,” Mack says describes. “They’re digging it, and they believe in me as an artist.” Since the beginning, Mack has tried to differentiate himself from mainstream hip-hop trends. “I’ve been trying to do a brand of hip-hop that’s just the opposite of what is popular,” he shares. “I grew up listening to pop music and whatever was available—I have those sensibilities ingrained in me—but the whole notion is that I don’t want to sound like the next person. I’m keeping my head down and doing my thing, trying to release as much music as possible.” Any follower of Dope KNife’s social media knows he’s always onto something new, from releasing fresh tracks on Soundcloud to producing songs and albums from fellow Savannah artists like Cult Cyph. “I’m one of those people who, if I’m working on one thing, nine times out of ten, I’m also working on the next thing, too,” he laughs. “I just love doing it. That’s pretty much what it is. If none of this stuff with Strange Famous had even happened, I’d still be putting out music on my own.” Balancing visual art, filmmaking, and producing helps Mack stay in tune with his craft and not get burnt out while

Best Visual Artist Jose Ray From pen and ink on paper to technicolor murals, Jose Ray is a Savannah art staple. Catch Ray’s work wrapping Farm Truck 912 (with their smiles and expressive eyes, you’ve never seen friendlier veggies), on the Barnard side of Revolution Yoga, and in galleries around town. Look for a mural that Jose’s working on with DEEP Center and Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum coming this summer. Runner-up: The Damned In Distress (House of Gunt)

“It’s one or the other,” he explains. “I have my ruts. When I don’t feel like working on music for some nondescript long period of time, I’m writing stories or drawing.” Mack’s Strange Famous debut is NineteenEightyFour. For him, it’s not just a reference to Orwell’s classic work of dystopian literature. “If I had my way, it would come out in January on my birthday, January 17, 1984,” he says. “I’m working on the loose ends and final touches. It’s taking themes from the novel and applying them to my life. So, for example, there’s a concept in the book of newspeak, and there’s a song about specifically how it’s applied in the book. There’s a song on the album on civil discourse and freedom of speech and misunderstanding of how freedom of speech actually is and how that applies to me specifically. I’m not rapping characters from a book.” Listen for pop culture references from the year 1984 peppered throughout the record. “I had to approach it like I was doing something introductory, because it will be the first time a lot of people ever hear of me, but I don’t want to approach it like I’m a 20-year-old newbie artist,” he explains. “I have to have that

introduction, but a fourth solo album, too.” The majority of the beats on NineteenEightyFour are live, recorded instruments played by Savannah musicians like Jeff DeRosa, Tony Bavaro, Garrett Deming, and Matt Duplessie, among others. “It’s probably the most musical thing I’ve done,” Mack says. “I just have acts come to the house, record them, and chop up what they record. It’s one of those albums that, if you’re not really that huge of a rap fan, then musically, there’s a lot of cool, jazzy, or industrial shit going on.” A founding member of Dope Sandwich, Mack notes that the label/collective is still releasing new material and bringing new artists to light. Mack’s got more Dope KNife news on the way for fans and an upcoming summer tour, but for now, Savannah’s Best Hip-Hop/R&B Artist is taking it all in. “At my age, there times where I’m like, ‘Fuck, man, is it worth it?’” he poses. “But the last two months have quite literally been people I’ve looked up to and listened to since high school telling me, ‘All that stuff you’ve been doing is worth it.’”—Anna Chandler Runner-Up: Basik Lee

Best Local Photographer Best Wedding Photographer Geoff L. Johnson Geoff’s your man for beautiful, crisp photos commemorating the unforgettable moments in life. With 25 years of experience under his camera strap, the frequent contributor to Connect was named Best Local Photographer in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and again in 2016. Runner-up: Jon Waits

Best Fashion Event Junk2Funk Trash-to-treasure never looked so good. Through the eyes of Savannah Arts Academy’s incredible students riffing on a theme (this year’s was “Intergalactic”), one person’s rubbish becomes another’s accoutrement. The results? A dazzling display of high-haute realness, detailing, and intricacies. It’s the hottest fashion ticket in town, so make sure to keep a hawk’s eye on ticket sales next year to claim your seat in the crowd. Runner-up: SCAD Fashion Week

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Soul Group/Artist

A Nickel Bag of Funk June 1 to July 31 Ages 0-18 years

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MAY 25-31, 2016

A resilient band of innovators, longtime Best Of winners A Nickel Bag of Funk have recently suffered a great tragedy. Driving back from seeing Stevie Wonder at NOLA Jazz Fest, vocalist Leslie Adele and founding manager/silent partner Kesi “Pip” Shaw were in a devastating car accident in Florida. The trip was a part of a “fan tour” the duo had planned for the year—they’d caught Prince’s final show in Atlanta the week prior. Nickel Bag’s number one fan and biggest supporter, Shaw, did not survive the crash; Adele was very seriously injured and was airlifted out of the scene. Adele was released from the hospital last week and has been “furiously putting her feelings to melody,” Sabrina Cooper of OCS Entertainment, LLC shares on behalf of the band. “Leslie isn’t performing yet, but she has assured us that as soon as she is up to it, Peter at Dollhouse Studios is going to take this tragedy and turn it into our most personal and inspirational original material yet.” The album will be named Epiphany after Pip. In a post on the band’s Facebook page, Adele called Pip “the one who believed in us, even when I doubted. The one who knew greater was just over the horizon, if we just pushed a little harder. She supported us, kept us focused, fed us, chauffeured us, hit us upside our heads when necessary and offered us hugs when we needed. Protected us, believed in us, pushed us, paid us, financed us, and kept us in and out of trouble. She was the original number one fan and also our harshest critic. OK wasn’t good enough, we had to be great, and we did not want to disappoint Pip.” As Adele heals, backup vocalist TreStyle has been taking the lead; Adele plans to return to the stage for ADA’s Kiss-A-Pig Gala. It’s an important and fitting return: Pip’s father suffers from diabetes, as did Adele’s grandmother, who passed away in 2002. The band expresses gratitude toward Connect readers for consistently supporting and voting for the group each year. “We do not take that for granted,” Cooper imparts. —Anna Chandler continues on p. 22 Runner-up: Voodoo Soup

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Best Local Comedian/ Best Local Country/ Americana Band Comedy Team Odd Lot Productions Your local comedy team keeps the laughs coming. Their latest endeavor? The Hysterical History Tour of Savannah, a goofy take on a traditional downtown walkabout. At just $15 for adults and $10 for kids, it’s a punny perspective that will be fresh for everyone, even natives who think they’ve lived to see it all! Runner-up: Michael McGuire

PHOTO BY GEOFF L. JOHNSON

Best Local Metal Band

Best Concert Best Local Album of 2015

MAY 25-31, 2016

Black Tusk, Pillars of Ash

It’s been four months since the release of the Savannah metal band’s final recording with Jonathan Athon, founding Black Tusk bassist who passed away last year from to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Looking back on the highly-anticipated release, guitarist/vocalist Andrew Fidler is deeply pleased with his, drummer James May, and Athon’s final recording together, and is glad that Black Tusk’s rabid fans were, too. “I feel like it went over quite well,” Fidler remarks. “It got a lot of attention, being Athon’s last record—you have to acknowledge that—but the record stood up by itself. It’s the best thing we’ve done to date.” A landmark release for the band, Pillars of Ash is 34 minutes of unbridled hardcore punk-infused sludge metal. Having toured that material for months with new bassist Corey Barhorst, the band’s ready to start writing new material. “There a bit of a learning curve for all of us,” says Fidler of writing with Barhorst for the first time. “It’s pretty natural. We play so well together, it’s like putting the other show on.” Black Tusk will play its first Savannah all-ages show in years this weekend at Sulfur Studios. To Fidler’s memory, the last time folks under 21 could get into a SAV Black Tusk show was the DIY spot at The Pony Pen’s second-to-last show. “It was ridiculously packed,” he recalls of the house gig. “We had to set our pedals and mic stands inside James’s drum kit and put the mics between the cymbals. I remember being so hot and sweaty, I couldn’t get a firm stance!” The merch table will be equipped with advance copies of Taste the Sin reissue cassettes. Fidler looks forward to hearing their first release as a band the oldschool way—as soon as he can find a tape player. “Someone broke into my car and stole my tapes and stereo. So I’ve got all these tapes in my house, but I’ve been trying to find a tape player to hear it!” With two Tusk babies—Fidler’s son just turned one, and Barhorst and his wife, Amber, just welcomed a baby girl in April—the importance of all-ages shows seems to be a priority now more than ever. The May 28 show at Sulfur Studios is an early gig—new band Lies In Stone will kick it off, followed by Cray Bags and Black Tusk. Doors are at 7 p.m., so get there early to wish our Tusk boys well before they head off to New Zealand and Australia for the first time as a band. Runner-up, Best Local Album: Mountain Buzz, The Accomplices Runner-up, Best Metal Band: Kylesa

Widespread Panic Spreadheads filled the Civic Center parking lot once more to watch the good ole Athens boys jam. 2016 marks 30 years since the band formed; longtime fans and new generations of music lovers drove from miles to catch the gig. The sold-out show was also a target for undercover GBI and DEA agents who arrested eight folks on felony drug charges. Runner-up: The Wailers (SCAD Alumni Concert)

Damon and the Shitkickers

You’ve got company coming to town for the first time. They’re Yankees. They’re suffocating in the heat, marveling at the friendliness of passersby. Where do you take them? Right on down to The Jinx for Saturday happy hour to kick it with Damon and the fellas. Order a house special, throw back the whiskey with a quick-but-thoughtful “Welcome to the South” toast, and hit the floor with PBR in hand to boot-scoot-boogie to the Shitkickers’ classic country sound. Runner-up: The Train Wrecks

Best Local Folk Band/Artist The Accomplices

Longtime runner-ups, first-time winners: Matt Eckstine (vocals, guitar), Colleen Heine Smith (vocals, fiddle), Zach Smith (upright bass, vocals) and Stan Ray (drums) continue to create some of the most fun, roots-infused music the East Coast is serving up right now. With innovative venue and release party strategies, they’re experts at keeping fans engaged, stimulated, and in tune with their community while performing harmonyladen toe-tappin’ tunes with energy and Britt Scott warmth. It’s a first-time win for Savannah vocalRunner-up: Velvet Caravan ist, guitarist, percussionist, and lyricist Britt Scott. Most frequently spotted around town in the three-songwriterstrong Americana Goth-Pop group American Hologram, Scott’s currently writing for a solo EP, Diving Bell, coming City Hotel 2017. The Lowcountry four-piece City Runner-up: Jason Bible Hotel is a staple of the Savannah acoustic scene. By merging a laid-back, warm listening environment with excitingly fresh renditions of traditional music and poignant lyricism, Aaron Zimmer, Cory Chambers, Jay Rudd, and Anthony TeixEric Culberson eira are leaders in Southern charm and All around town, up and down the East riveting musicianship. Coast from D.C. to Key West, you can Runner-up: The Accomplices catch hometown hero Eric Culberson playing his heart and his six-string out. A standout performance from the fiery guitarist came in the form of October’s Blues Cray Bags Trinity show as Culberson, Ray Lundy, Née “Crazy Bag Lady,” Savannah’s and many more paid tribute to the music favorite punks recently curtailed their of Albert, Freddie, and B.B. King. moniker to Cray Bags. They take the Runner-up: Ricardo Ochoa stage with Black Tusk this weekend for an all-ages show at Sulfur Studios. Vinyl fans: Snap up the limited-edition Hunks

Best Singer-Songwriter

Best Local Bluegrass Band

Best All-Around Musician

Best Local Punk Band

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LP via the Retro Futurist Records online store. Limited to a run of 50 copies, the 2014 debut features handdrawn covers featuring art by Clayton Walsh of Fist City, members of Cray Bags, and members of the Retro Futurist team. Each is hand-numbered, and you can request your favorite artwork from the online selection. Runner-Up: The Gumps

Best Local Rock Band/Artist Niche A title long held by Cusses, currently taking a break from performing and life in Savannah, the town’s chosen our ‘70s-inspired hard-rockin’ pysch guitar gods Niche as Savannah’s Best Local Rock Band. The band’s 2015 Retro Futurist Records LP, Heading East, solidified them as a force to be reckoned with: from the tight dueling guitar leads to organ strains and big vocals, Niche boasts cross-generational appeal that just plain rocks. Runner-up: COEDS

Best Local Jazz Band/Artist

Shock, guitar and vocals in The Lipschitz, and pursuing his beloved electronic project, Sunglow. 2016 started in a jarring way for Lynch: Velvet Caravan his van, the one that hauls all his equipThe Velvet boys have gone big, taking ment and gets Cray Bags from town to their gypsy-jazz sound around the world town on tour, was totaled. Just a week under the wing of Kosson Talent. How later, his electronic music generator was lucky are we to say that we knew them tampered with at a gig, leaving it comback when…? pletely fried and void of irreplaceable, Runner-up: Jackson Evans original data. Fans and the Savannah scene came to Lynch’s aid after his sister set up a GoFundMe page; now, he’s back on his feet, last appearing as Sunglow at a Basik Lee Starland gig with Triathalon and Kewl. Renaissance man Steven Baumgardner Runner-up: Jeff Zagers hits the decks all around town, spinning classic soul into ‘90s hip-hop favorites and digging out unexpected deep cuts that keep the dance floor packed all night long. Dollhouse Productions Runner-up: Jose Ray The Dollhouse team has had a busy year with a truly eclectic slate of projects. From Savannah Stopover sessions to Street Clothes’ album to Winn-Dixie/ Dollywood commercials, the dynamic Sunglow duo of Peter and Blake Mavrogeorgis can Daniel Lynch is one of the busiest do it all. musicians ‘round town, playing drums Runner-up: The Garage Savannah in Cray Bags and Greta O. and The Toxic

Best Local Club DJ

Best Local Recording Studio

Best Local Electronic Artist

Best Record Label Best Record Store Graveface Records If you’ve perused the stacks of Graveface Records & Curiosities without picking up a release from the label itself, do yourself a favor and start digging in. Ryan Graveface arrived in Savannah with a label with a cult following and continues to grow it here in America’s Most Haunted City, and our scene’s better for it. Runner-up: Bomb Shelter Records

Best Local Music Video COEDS, “Do the Beast Stomp” This black & white Hi 8 homage to classic late-night horror-kitsch TV programs features the garage/surf outfit performing this spirited and irresistible Ramones-length rave-up onstage at Dollhouse Productions, with the dancing assistance of the Savannah Sweet Tease Burlesque Revue. Runner-up: Wet Socks, “Library

ART/HISTORY/ARCHITECTURE

Thanks Savannah for your Support!

BEST HISTORIC BUILDING Telfair Museums’ Owens-Thomas House

BEST MUSEUM Telfair Museums’ Jepson Center

MAY 25-31, 2016

TELFAIR.ORG

BOS16 City

Life & Public Affairs

City Life & Public Affairs

Best City Council Member

Best Conservative

MAY 25-31, 2016

Eddie DeLoach

We’re all adults here, so let’s be honest. If anyone had told you a year ago that deep blue Savannah—arguably the most Democrat-heavy place in the state outside Atlanta—would soon have a Republican Mayor, you’d have said, “Go home, you’re drunk.” If they had told you we’d soon have a Republican Mayor from Garden City, you’d have taken their keys and called them an Uber. Indeed, the comparatively late entry into the race of former Chatham County Commissioner Eddie DeLoach seemed to reinforce some observers’ initial impressions that he was a Johnny-Come-Lately into what was already a contentious effort to unseat now-former Mayor Edna Jackson. DeLoach’s relaxed persona and folksy drawl did nothing to dispel the idea that maybe he didn’t have the right amount of fire in the belly for a hard-fought campaign. While mayoral candidate Murray Silver Jr. said, not without some accuracy, that DeLoach had co-opted many of his own calls for change, it soon became obvious that DeLoach had something no one else in the race had: Actual outsider status as well as a claim to legitimate political experience, simultaneously. The DeLoach family name, long a powerhouse in West Chatham politics, certainly didn’t hurt. But the game changer was the frustration of downtown business donors, many of whom enthusiastically supported Jackson’s election four years prior, with the perception that the Jackson administration had buried its head in the sand on the issue of violent crime. DeLoach’s tough rhetoric on the crime issue, seemingly more at home in a Tea Party primary than in a mostly Democratic metro area, was probably the last thing a political consultant would have advised a candidate to use in a city as diverse as Savannah.

But in fall 2015, in that time and that place, it was precisely that rhetoric that won the battle. Jackson survived Election Day only to find herself in a runoff with DeLoach. In the runoff, a noticeably lackluster performance in some of the precincts Jackson needed most for reelection— combined with DeLoach’s very robust showing in a single district, District 4— gave DeLoach a clearcut victory which wasn’t near the nail-biter some observers predicted. Before he was even sworn in, Jackson loyalists —some still in a certain amount of denial—were already planning DeLoach’s demise, saying he’ll be vulnerable in four years just on demographic and partisan grounds alone. And as Savannah’s homicides not only continue unabated but are now at higher levels than at any time in Jackson’s term, they may well be proven right. But DeLoach’s strong, no-nonsense management style has in just a few short months already resulted in a win-win deal to replace beleaguered City Manager Stephanie Cutter, the start of the Summer 500 youth jobs initiative, and most importantly, the long-promised full staffing of the Savannah-Chatham Metro Police for the first time in 16 years. (Sixteen years also being, perhaps not coincidentally, the amount of time Edna Jackson served on City Council as Alderwoman and then as Mayor.) Even the most cynical observer—like oh say, myself for example—would have to conclude it is the best realistically possible beginning for a new Mayor you’re likely to see. — Jim Morekis Runner-up, City Council: Bill Durrence Runner-up, Conservative: Ben Crystal

continues on p. 26

2015 City of Savannah water quality report is available now at

savannahga.gov/waterqualityreport

MAY 25-31, 2016

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in your drinking water?

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Biggest Waste of Taxpayer Money

Savannahian You Love To Hate

Alderman Tony Thomas

MAY 25-31, 2016

Biggest Local Political Scandal

Craziest Local Crime Story

One of the many selfies Thomas has posted on his controversial Facebook page

ONE IS tempted to snicker at the continuing controversy over the behavior of City Alderman Tony Thomas, involving as it does the venerable Savannah traditions of partying, sex, gossip, intrigue, and over-the-top displays of eccentric personality. But the story also reveals the age-old affinity for reckless hedonism which is always just under the surface of Savannah’s genteel veneer. The strange and seemingly endless saga of Tony Thomas really exploded into public consciousness only this year, but according to many observers it was two decades in the making. Rumors circulated for years about Thomas’s apparent taste for the high life. But the rumors never seemed to hinder his political career, and might possibly have helped it along, Savannah being Savannah. A majority of his Southside constituents continued to regard him as a very effective representative, and continued to swear by him regardless of what they might have heard through the grapevine. Indeed, in November 2015 Thomas was reelected with ease, swatting aside several challengers in one of the most impressive performances by any of the incumbents who survived the DeLoach wave. However, the unveiling this past February of “The Troll Chronicles,” —an anonymous, professionally produced series of web videos—laid bare on-camera accounts of underage sexual impropriety, providing alcohol to minors, and possible misuse of City funds to entertain underage and other paramours. While The Troll Chronicles broke the internet for a few days, Thomas responded, not without merit, that none of the on-camera charges by alleged abuse victims had any evidence behind them. The interviews were convincing enough on the surface, and were historic in that the subjects of the interviews did so in the open, under their own names, with no attempt to disguise their identities. The inclusion on-camera of longtime local gay rights activist Kevin Clark seemed intended to undercut charges that the attacks on Thomas were motivated more by homophobia than by concern for public welfare. But, as Thomas maintained, at the end of the day there still seemed to be no smoking gun, no paper trail of malfeasance. No there, there. For all the fanfare, the Troll Chronicles might have come and gone with little impact had Thomas not insisted on upping the ante at every turn. As the attacks on him came in, Thomas noticeably amped up the already robust and often pointedly personal responses launched on his Facebook page. Not one, but two ethics complaints were filed against Thomas by a pair of constituents, who cited constant mentions of them on his Facebook page which they allege were not only far beyond proper behavior for an elected official, but which were cyberbullying at a minimum and possibly very close to terroristic threats. (One ethics complaint was dismissed, and the second was withdrawn by the complainants because they said they couldn’t get the GBI to release pertinent info.) Thomas has had a deeply symbiotic, and some would say quite unhealthily addictive, relationship with Facebook for quite awhile. Even before Mayor–elect Eddie DeLoach was officially sworn in, Thomas kept up a barrage of ugly social media attacks on the new Mayor. (Not that all of his rumor-mongering was false; Thomas’s charge that a deal had been made for City Manager Stephanie Cutter to retire turned out to be basically true.) As for the very serious and so far unproven allegations of bringing underage paramours on City-funded trips, Chatham County District Attorney Meg Heap says the allegations have been referred to the GBI. Meanwhile, Thomas’s fellow Council members have uttered nary a public word of censure or concern about their colleagues’ behavior, which surely reflects poorly on every elected official in the City. — Jim Morekis Runner-up, Scandal & Crime: Yusuf Shabazz Hit ‘n’ Run Runner-up, Waste: Parking Meter Consultant Study Runner-up, Hate: Yusuf Shabazz

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Finally, a spay/neuter clinic that every pet owner can afford…

Spay Clinic of Savannah Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Best Place of Worship Best Private School The centerpiece of Savannah’s Irish celebration, this revered sanctuary— fresh off a multimillion dollar renovation—has its roots in a congregation of French Catholics who escaped Haiti. Runner-up: Savannah Christian Church

Best Historic Local Building

Owens-Thomas House Many years City Hall wins this category. No disrespect to City Hall, but the Owens-Thomas House is not only the most significant single piece of architecture in Savannah, it is one of the most unique and historically significant in the nation. The William Jay-designed Regency masterpiece is a popular house museum run by Telfair Museums and one of the area’s premier attractions. Runner-up: Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Best Priest/ Pastor/Rabbi Rev. Cam Huxford The shepherd of the flock at Savannah Christian Church is beloved not only for his gregarious and enthusiastic spirit, but for the many outreach and missionary ventures he helps organize for this large and still-growing congregation Runner-up: Rabbi Robert Haas

St. Vincent’s Academy

Best Headmaster/ Principal Mary Anne Hogan

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The all-girl’s Catholic school, led by longtime beloved headmaster Mary Anne Hogan, doesn’t only get high marks for its educational excellence, it is one of downtown’s most important historic and cultural landmarks. Runner-up: Savannah Country Day

Best Public School Savannah Arts Academy

This dedicated performing arts high school—in the historic old location of Savannah High—was just rated sixth most challenging school in Georgia, and is in the top 200 most challenging schools in the entire country. Runner-up: Charles Ellis Montessori Academy

THANKS FOR VOTING US BEST COSTUME STORE, SAVANNAH!!! COSTUME SALES & RENTALS, MAKE-UP & ACCESORIES

Best Activist Best Progressive Tom Kohler

The forever young and forever hip Tom Kohler in his day job is executive director of Chatham Savannah Citizens Advocacy. That would be enough for most folks. But Tom is also a one-man clearinghouse for community-oriented and progressive local causes. If he’s not involved with it, continues on p. 28

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MAY 25-31, 2016

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Male Cat - $45 Male Dog - $70 Female Cat - $55 Female Dog - $80 Rabies vaccine (or proof thereof) required - $6

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City Life & Public Affairs | continued from previous page

Best Facebook Page Best Savannahian

The Stone Stairs of Death THE SKEWERING social commentary. The gleeful swearing. The honest-to-gawd actual news, spread faster than most media sources can keep up. It’s no wonder the local phenomenon known only as The Stone Stairs of Death has been voted Best Facebook Page for the third year in a row. But now y’all have gone and crowned him Best Savannahian? AWESOME. “I’m really honored, thank you all,” offers this disembodied voice represented only by a treacherous, practically vertical pathway connecting Factor’s Walk to River Street. SSOD is an actual person, of course, but revealing his true identity would result in total online character assassination and possible lifetime banishment from Best New Bar The Original, where Stone Stairs might be found downing a can of PBR at three o’clock in the afternoon. “It’s nuts, because the Facebook page literally started out as a joke between me and five buddies,” he muses on his rise to local fame with over 14,000 loyal followers. “I can’t believe how many people feel the way I do about certain things.” Though he has moved away from the actual stairs that gave him his first inspired material, SSOD continues to rail on his favorite topics, which include, in no particular order, drunk tourists, moronic bar owners, lying pedophiles, hotel magnates sticking taxpayers with the bill for their hotel parking garages, a certain Wilmington Island restaurateur, and of course, the man everyone loves to hate, Alderman Tony Thomas. The SSOD comments section is also salty af, but anyone ranting racist or homophobic will be quickly blocked. “I will not tolerate that shit whatsoever,” promises its sole admin. His well-guarded anonymity allows him to hold back nothing, though SSOD admits that he has voluntarily dialed back his colorful usage of the terms “douchetard,” “tournatard,” and “vagitard” since several readers pointed out that it is discourteous to the disabled community. “I never meant to be derogatory in that way. If there’s a term that’s offensive to a particular group of innocent people, I have no problem expunging it from my vocabulary,” says the cynic with a heart of gold. “But, you know, everyone else can go fuck themselves.” He is working on a book about his adventures and observations, and he’s toying with the idea of joining the local political fray. Yes, really! Stone Stairs of Death reportedly received one percent of the mayoral votes through write-in ballots—what could happen if he actually campaigned? While that would mean giving up the persona, SSOD loves Savannah enough to get serious. “I’d consider it,” he says. “Let’s see what happens this term.”—Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner-up, Savannahian: Tom Kohler Runner-up, Facebook: Savannah Sweet Tease Burlesque Revue

he knows who is and he can get all the key players together. Combine that with modesty and a great sense of humor and you get a true Savannah classic. Runner-up: Clinton Edminister

Best Local Nonprofit

MAY 25-31, 2016

Coastal Pet Rescue

This all-volunteer operation is a consistent winner in this category, doing outstanding work for a great cause. They find homes for Savannah’s large homeless pet population, and do so on a very efficient budget. If CPR was in charge of everything in this town, a lot more would get done. Runner-up: Art Rise Savannah

Best Liberal Travis Coles The young, energetic and persuasive Coles ran a great race in his bid for City Council, narrowly missing the runoff for the Post 2 at-large seat. In his day (actually mostly night) job as manager at Club One, he comes face to face with many pressing issues facing small businesses in Savannah today. There is no doubt he has a bright future should he decide to throw his hat in the ring again. Run, Travis, Run! Runner-up: Tom Kohler

Best County Commissioner

Best School Board Member

Dean Kicklighter

Jolene Byrne

West Chatham’s longtime representative on the County Commission is also its most stalwart and vigilant guardian of tax money. The Republican isn’t afraid of casting the lone no vote on something he considers a waste of your funds. Runner-up: Helen L. Stone

Now with her first full school year under her belt—she was sworn in January 2015—Jolene has made good on many of her promises to bring taxpayer and parent-friendly reform to the local public schools. The long saga of the school bus system—in which the local daily paper with little success tried to portray Byrne as an airhead—has ended with the subsuming of the bus service within the local school system itself. For the first time in generations, Savannah-Chatham will be running its own buses. Runner-up: Julie M. Wade

BOS16 City

Life & Public Affairs | continued from previous page An added benefit, the Mayor contends, is that crime will be reduced because more young people will have more opportunities. Summer 500 initially came under fire because it requires passing a drug test and applicants can’t have any felonies. The Mayor and City Manager’s response is that there is already a similar program for at-risk youth, and that most employers for insurance reasons cannot take on interns with a law enforcement record. —Jim Morekis VISITS VACATION Runner-up: Hiring more police

Pet care in your Petown carehome! in your own home!

DOG WALKING VACATION VISITS Best CATCounty SITTING DOG WALKING Employee PET TRANSPORTATION CAT SITTING Jefferson Kirkland

MEDICATION heard Beyonce makes Lemonade? PET You TRANSPORTATION The Kirk-Man makes Kirkolade. ChaADMINISTRATION A participant in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure MEDICATION tham County’s Environmental Coordinator helps keep us all on the green side PET-LESS HOUSE CHECKS ADMINISTRATION of the cutting edge. The Kirkmeister combined with a very successful Race for PROFESSIONAL PET CARE continues his Kirkalicious winning ways PET-LESS HOUSE CHECKS Best City Employee the Cure last month have this local charBret Bell Looking for a Facebook food-fight at 11 p.m. over the decade-by-decade comparison of City millage rates vs. national and regional norms, adjusted for inflation? Bret’s your huckleberry. Far from a run-of-the-mill spinmeister, this fearless and persuasive spokesman for the City of Savannah government has a set of facts and figures at the ready to back up his statements in any debate. Runner-up: Sean Brandon

Best Charity Event Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure A brand-new executive director for the Coastal Georgia affiliate, Aileen Gabby,

with yet another win in this Kirkegory.

ity on a high. Runner-up: Kiss A Pig

Keeping Savannah pets PROFESSIONAL PET CARE Runner-up: Van Johnson

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BOS16 City

Life & Public Affairs | continued from previous page

YOUR favorite police officer of 2014 returns to the helm, though he looks a little different this time around. Now a group supervisor with the Chatham Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, the good sergeant has switched out his blue uniform for jeans and has grown out a beard to keep his identity on the down-low. (Does he not look like Serpico-era Al Pacino, except taller? Anyone?) While Arango serves mostly as a leader and mentor to the CNT officers busting up drug rings and meth labs, he’d rather do it from the streets than sit behind a desk. “I prefer to be as hands on as possible,” says the 11 year veteran of SCMPD who also assists with the SWAT team. “I’m out there with my guys.” The Savannah native and Armstrong grad once thought he might go to law school after college, but the pull of the police department has kept him in the ranks, in spite of the current climate for cops in this country. The terrifying and tragic events of the last two years— including the deaths of Eric Garner and Freddie Gray at the hands of police—have put the conduct of every officer in the spotlight. “Social media has definitely changed the way we do things,” he says, musing that body cameras have their pros and cons. “Public perception has made a lot of good cops gun shy about doing their jobs.” He reports that cocaine and crack sales are down, meth is up and heroin is “coming back in a big way.” From his perspective, it is this thriving drug market that drives the violent crime in Savannah and Chatham County. “It’s about the money,” he says. “Plus, these kids don’t know how to talk to each other, they don’t know how to fight. Unfortunately, there is an abundance of predatory people out there who have no concept of human life or what the consequences are for their actions. They just shoot. ” He remains compassionate for those committing crimes and shakes his head at a broken justice system that offers little in the way of rehabilitation. “There’s always opportunity for redemption,” he says. “But you’ve got kids going into prison with a GED in weed and coming out with a Ph.D in armed robbery.” Married to local actress/athletic star Celia Arango, the dad of two says he doesn’t play much good cop/bad cop at home with his kids. “I guess I’m kind of an anomaly. I’m not super strict,” he laughs. “If you limit things, it usually backfires, so we just teach common sense.” While he acknowledges that the socioeconomic tangle of poverty, crime and apathy may always exist here, Arango chooses to focus on making Savannah safer, one bust at a time. “It can be overwhelming. But I just try to do my job with integrity.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner-up: Barry Lewis

Photo by Jon waits

Best Cop

Sgt. Mike Arango

Life & Public Affairs | continued from previous page

Best Firefighter Jack Calvin Borders III Your top choice in this heroic category serves his country as Driver/Operator for the Georgia Air National Guard’s 165th Airlift Wing Fire Department. Runner-up: Morgan Windsor

Best Judge Louisa Abbot The Superior Court judge is a perennially popular winner in this category. She was appointed in 2000 and reelected three times. We hope one day all this publicity might pay off for us. Runner-up: William Moore

RIP: Local Person You’ll Miss Most

Jonathan Athon While local metal band Black Tusk continues to tour and record and melt faces all over the country, their late, great bassist still has a fond place in every local rock ‘n’ roll fan’s heart. Runner-up: Robyn Reeder

Best Celeb Sighting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson HOW could it be otherwise? Perhaps today’s single most bankable global movie star spent weeks in town filming the Baywatch reboot, which if the planet-wide success of the ‘90s TV series is any indication, might conceivably end up being the highest-grossing film ever made. Right here on Tybee! Along the way he continued his geniuslevel mastery of Instagram, posting all kinds of heart-stirring tributes to local just-folks who he is aw-shucks so happy to get to know, even if just for an hour between shoots —which according to him, are always getting delayed because he “calls an audible” to go talk to some kids or seniors or kiss some puppies. (His producers must tear their hair out!) If The Rock ever runs for president, he’ll get 90 percent of the vote and will no doubt be sworn in while wearing a tank top, loose workout pants and flip-flops. Hey, he’s got like ten votes just in the little Connect office alone, and we generally vote several times each.—Jim Morekis Runner-up: Adam Sandler

T H E M A N AG E M E N T A N D E M P LOY E E S O F H O G A N ’ S M A R I N A W O U L D L I K E TO T H A N K O U R PA T R O N S F O R V OT I N G U S T H E

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BOS16 City

BOS16 Media

Media Best Local Meteorologist

MAY 25-31, 2016

Kris Allred, WSAV

When you talk about the weather with Kris Allred, it’s not about making chitchat. There’s no topic more serious for the chief meteorologist at WSAV, who has dedicated her life to studying the changes in the elements that can bring us sunshine-y days or disastrous tempests. The science of the skies first caught her interest when her grandfather, who had lost his leg from a rare type of aneurysm, used to experience phantom pains whenever a storm was coming. “The weather would change, and he would feel it,” recalls the Alabama native. That led to a research paper in high school about how weather and climate affects us physically and psychologically, and the budding atmospheric enthusiast began watching the local news for the nightly forecast. That’s when she noticed something a little uneven in the broadcast. “It was all men reporting on the weather in the Birmingham markets, which I thought had to be a mistake,” she says with a laugh. The determined student decided on her career at 17, graduating from Alabama and earning her Masters’ at Mississippi State. She’s been applying her knowledge to Savannah’s clime since 2007 and documenting all manner of atmospheric phenomena on her fascinating blog, Weather She Wrote. While the heat, humidity and storms are dependably present, she acknowledges that predicting Savannah’s weather isn’t an exact science. “We have several different models that we look at every single day to try and determine what’s going on and where it’s going,” she explains, adding that the government has decreased its funding of weather departments across the country and that most of her colleagues now use European models for better results. “It’s like a math problem. But you also have to go with your gut.” Strange weather patterns put her on edge, and she says that climate change is indeed a thing. A few years ago, drought threatened the entire state; this year rains flood the streets, but she’s most concerned that the seasonal tropical activity of past decades has dropped away. “It’s been really quiet lately,” muses Allred, adding that in her field, it’s all about the “H” word. “Working in this market I have to stay aware of hurricanes, and the last tropical storm to really hit Savannah was in 1979. I wonder every year if this summer is going to be it, and it’s going to be my responsibility to cover it. It’s always on my mind.” Outside of the weather room, her life revolves around her kids, ages 12 and 9, and her regular workouts at the YMCA. But when the clouds start building and the thunder starts rumbling, this master meteorologist can’t wait to get back to the radar screen. “I like tracking thunderstorms,” she admits gleefully. “I like the excitement of it.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: John Wetherbee

Most Important Local News Story

2015 Elections

In the most bitterly contested City election in a generation, Mayor Edna Jackson was unseated after one term, and a new majority was ushered onto City Council. When you put it like that, it sounds so simple. The backstory leading up to that result involved pent-up voter anger over crime, corruption, and mismanagement, a stew of discontent that set the table by giving each and every incumbent City Council member a challenger. Or two. Or three. As the homicides piled up on the streets of Savannah and a new police chief attempted to deal with the problem with limited resources, it became more and more difficult for Jackson and other incumbents—who previously had eagerly stood together as a team—to defend their record, together or apart. As is often the case in Savannah, race was a subtext of the entire campaign. When the December runoffs materialized and lo and behold, all three matchups were of a white man vs. a black woman—including the main event of Edna Jackson vs. Eddie DeLoach—it seemed to lay bare the true, volatile dynamics of the campaign. That said, a closer look shows that in many cases the campaign boiled down to a case-by-case referendum on each incumbent. Mary Osborne, for example, faced frustration from constituents of all backgrounds because of the lack of economic stimulus in the 2nd District. Incumbents Carol Bell and Van Johnson, both African-American, easily won reelection against African-American challengers. Longtime incumbent Mary Ellen Sprague was overwhelmingly defeated by challenger Julian Miller, with race being a complete non-factor. The most bitter and narrow contest of all was between incumbent Estella Shabazz and challenger Shaundra McKeithen, a clash between two African-American women in a heavily African-American district. When the dust settled, a key moment came at the inauguration when Edna Jackson and former Mayor Otis Johnson joined Mayor-Elect Eddie DeLoach at the podium in the Johnny Mercer Theatre. —Jim Morekis Runner-up: Tony Thomas scandal

Best Local TV News Anchor Don Logana, WTOC OK so this win is stretching the definition of “anchor” a bit. But hey, the readers are always right. In any case, there’s no question that Don—or “Dandy Don,” as we will henceforth nickname him, at least for the next couple of paragraphs—has raised the bar for onair news reporting in this market. His energetic social media presence—Dandy Don gets up early in the morning—keeps the pot stirred, and his popular “Asked and Answered” segment is one of the most popular things any local media person has ever done. Hey, we’re jealous and we own it. Runner-up: Dawn Baker

BOS16 Media

| continued from previous page

Best Local Investigative Reporter David Klugh, WTOC

Personality Ryan Koch, music director and “Night Shift with Ryan” host at Alpha Media’s Rock 106.1 FM. The Detroit native also hosts the station’s local music highlight show, “Underexposed,” Sunday nights. Runner-up: Kotter, 106.1

Throughout the realm, malefactors quaked in fear of the dread words: “I heard Klugh’s on it.” In his comparatively short time in the market, Klugh has gained a reputation as willing to go where Tim Leary & the Morning hothers won’t, or can’t. For example, his series exploring the allegations against Showgram Alderman Tony Thomas. In a corporate and generic national Runner-up: Don Logana radio scene, the uber-popular morning drive show on BOB 106.9 features an alllocal cast of characters, headed up by the funny and sharp Tim himself. Runner-up: Lex & Terry

Best Morning Show

THANK YOU SAVANNAH!

for Voting WRHQ “Best Radio Station”

Best Local TV Sports Anchor

Who needs Sports Center when you got the Big Guy? For solid, entertaining coverage of everything from NFL to MLB to NBA to UGA to local high school sports to soccer—OK maybe not soccer so much—Frank covers it all with gusto. Runner-up: Ken Griner

Best Local Newspaper Columnist Jessica Leigh Lebos Your valiant “Civil Society” columnist and Connect Community Editor is still number one in your hearts. Runner-up: Bill Dawers

Best Local Blog hissing lawns

They’re so good they don’t need no stinkin’ capital letters. The brainchild of Bill Dawers, helped along by a colorful cast of contributors—including the one and only Larry Jack Sammons—chronicles the local and regional music scene with a photo-heavy feed of concert and album reviews and breaking music news. Runner-up: Stone Stairs of Death

Best Local Radio Personality Ryan Koch, 106.1

It’s a manifesto to live by: “I do not watch cable TV, I do not read the news and I do not care about celebrities. I do love my community, my local music scene, mom-and-pop shops, coffee and old school video games.” So says first-time Best Local Radio

Best Local Radio Station WRHQ Q105.3 An old champion in this category reclaims the top spot. Their mix of Quality Rock dominates Savannah airwaves, blending classic tunes with new music in a totally unique form of programming. Runner-up: Rock 106.1

Good Music. WRHQ.com

Pure & Simple.

Best Talk Radio Station GPB Savannah

An ambitious makeover of the previously buttoned-down local public radio station has paid off in a dynamic new journalistic presence in town. At any given point you can find the all-woman team at GPB Savannah talking about pop culture, Third Wave feminism, national politics, or of course local issues. Runner-up: WTKS

Digital Magazine

Best Local TV Commercial Casino Law Firm

Jamie Casino didn’t produce a big internet-breaking Super Bowl ad as in the previous two years, but his stellar reputation surely precedes itself, as he bags another win. Runner-up: Mike Hostilo

Best Local App WTOC Weather So are people still using apps? Yup, especially WTOC’s excellent weather app. Runner-up: Lucky Savannah

Available at GPB.ORG

MAY 25-31, 2016

Frank “The Big Guy” Sulkowski, WJCL

Bos16 Food

& Restaurants

Food & Restaurants

Best New Restaurant

Cotton & Rye MAY 25-31, 2016

It’s the casually elegant midtown eatery we’ve all been waiting for: Cotton & Rye opened in the Thomas Square neighborhood last August, and the adoration was instantaneous. Located inside an old bank that has hosted a slew of other fine eateries, Cotton & Rye upped Savannah’s fine dining game and delivers exactly what 34 you’d expect from the name: Classical

inspiration and damn good cocktails. Owner Zach Shultz and Chef Brandon Whitestone have developed a clever, contemporary take on Southern fare with dishes like Andouille-spiced Carolina trout and shrimp ‘n’ grits topped with crumbled bacon and seared tomatoes. Chef’s wife Kimberly Whitestone rounds out this highly palatable

Photo by Jon waits

partnership as general manager and chief bartender, shaking and stirring up a delightful array of concoctions with selections from the wall of craft whiskeys. (The Antebellum with its dash of Dijon mustard is not to be missed. The “rye” also applies to C&R’s signature bread, baked fresh daily and served in a white cotton cloth. But don’t spoil your appetite for the generous appetizers and entrees. “The menu is simple and each dish exudes a farm-to-table freshness that makes you want to order just one more,” Connect food writer Cheryl

Baisden Solis advised in her review. Dessert is a whole other bowl of wonderful, from sweet confections to traditional cheese plates piled with chutney and fruit. We’re currently obsessed with the Chocolate Buttermilk Pie, a sinful caramel-infused indulgence topped with salted whipped cream. Menus change seasonally which means you’ll have to stop in often to enjoy the full range of Cotton & Rye’s culinary capacities. But considering its undeniable popularity, you’d best make reservations. —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: The Grey

continues on p. 36

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Bos16 Food

& Restaurants | continued from previous page

It stands to reason that a restaurant that prioritizes beer would have excellent pub food. After all, the two go hand in hand, don’t they? After drinking for hours, food is necessary, not just to sober up but to satisfy. Sure, you could bolt to Wendy’s for a Baconator, but you could simplify the process by staying at the same place all night long. Crystal Beer Parlor is your one-stop shop—come for one of their 26 beers on tap, stay for their bleu chips, which owner John Nichols calls “addictive.” The success of Crystal’s pub food rests in its familiarity and its appeal to every palate. “We don’t try to scare people,” Nichols muses. Most of the menu is familiar American fare like burgers and salads, but Nichols notes, “Our menu has got a little bit of Greek, or Greek-American.” There’s the Aegean Sampler, with hummus, tzatziki, and dolmas, and a standard Greek salad that punch up the menu. Nichols points to the Au Poivre Burger as a big hit. Named for a French method of coating a steak in cracked peppercorns, this rendition involves a green peppercorn brandy cream sauce and grilled onions on top of the burger. Nichols is also especially proud of the Baked Southern Deviled Crab, a traditional Southern recipe that doesn’t mess around. “So many places have a lot of filler and breading,” he says, “but ours is mostly crab meat.” One of Crystal’s biggest selling points is its reasonably-priced food. Guests know they won’t break the bank by eating and drinking there, and Nichols takes pride in that reputation. “I’d rather sell twenty burgers than one,” he says. “I want a butt in every chair.” After all, maybe the reason Crystal Beer Parlor is so popular is how well Nichols knows the people and what they need. “People want good, well-prepared food, good service, reasonable prices, and a stiff drink,” he laughs. “We’ve got all that.” —Rachael Flora Runner-up: Green Truck Pub continues on p. 38

MAY 25-31, 2016

Best Pub Food

Crystal Beer Parlor

“You got that right!”

MAY 25-31, 2016

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Now serving mimosas with fresh-squeezed OJ & Savannah Sake Bloody Mary’s!

Bos16 Food

& Restaurants | continued from previous page

Best Cheesesteak

Betty Bombers

MAY 25-31, 2016

Ask any native Philadelphian and they’ll tell you that cheesesteaks are a serious matter. You can’t just use any beef and cheese in this sandwich, after all. But just because it’s not called a “Savvy” cheesesteak doesn’t mean local restaurants can skimp on the flavor. Betty Bombers brings the Philly fave to the SAV in a big way. “I’ve been saying for years we’ve got the best cheesesteak in town,” owner Seth Musler says proudly. Before opening Betty Bombers with Patrick Zimmerman in 2012, Musler 38 traveled to Philly for a cheesesteak

tasting, where he tasted nine cheesesteaks in three days. “I decided what I liked and what I didn’t, and I kinda built it from there,” he says. “I figured it was a good fit for our team and our clientele. I wanted to do one right.” The key to a Betty’s cheesesteak is in the details. “Anyone can get a beef, onions and cheese,” Musler says. “Our hoagie roll we use was specifically chosen for cheesesteaks. We use a real cheese sauce, we use real butter on the buns, we use a seasoning mixture using high quality spices. These things make a difference.”

Photo by rachel flora

(I tried one—you know, for science— and can personally attest that this is an excellent cheesesteak. The cheese sauce has a great kick to it, and the meat is thinly cut but still soft. Even as a fairweather cheesesteak fan, I am definitely here for this.) Musler and Zimmerman both started out as fine dining chefs before they opened Betty Bombers—and its sister, Butterhead Greens—so the methods they learned run deep in the restaurant. “We try to apply some of those techniques to this style of food,” Musler says. “When we’re training our new folks in the kitchen, we tell them it’s important to get a good sear on the beef, it’s important to cook things properly and the way we think they should.” The cheesesteak is the perfect fit for the menu, which offers an inspired selection of “everyman food” that seems picked straight out of 1940s-era

kitchens. Musler and Zimmerman opened Betty’s after seeing the location—the space nestled behind the Legion was perfect for a World War II-era diner. “The location created the theme,” Musler recalls. “This place has a lot of historical significance to that time. The Mighty Eighth was created in this building, our landlords are a bunch of military guys—we liked the idea.” Part of Betty’s immense charm is the counter girls, who wear pinup-style red bandanas and vintage clothes. Musler says the style was on the rise when they were dreaming up the place. “I think the interest was there before we were,” he says. “The Rosie the Riveter fashion thing was already a thing; we were kind of peripherally aware of it already.” —Rachael Flora Runner-up: Screamin’ Mimi’s

continues on p. 41

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& Restaurants | continued from previous page

Best Overall Restaurant Best Downtown Restaurant

Best Takeout Best Caterer Best Gourmet Sandwich

The Grey

Zunzi’s

In our profile of John Morisano for the Grey’s Best New Restaurant win last year, he had high hopes for the Grey’s future, saying, “We want to be the spot for Savannahians. We want to be that neighborhood spot. We want people to say, ‘Should we cook or should we go to the Grey?’ on a weeknight. And if we become one of those spots in five years, I’ll call it success.” It looks like the Grey is quickly on their way to achieving that goal. They recently partnered with MusicFile Productions for live music in the yard and began offering lunch at the counter. Runner-up, Overall: Green Truck Pub Runner-up, Downtown: Treylor Park

Even with Z2 making the switch to Nine Drayton this year, the original Zunzi’s with its walk-up ordering and colorful patio is still thriving. Runner-up, Takeout: Green Truck Runner-up, Caterer: Paul Kennedy Runner-up, Sandwich: Starland

Best Food Event of 2015 Savannah Food and Wine Festival Savannahians love their food and wine, so it’s only natural that this event took top honors this year. Runner-up: Jewish Food Festival

Best Wait Staff Best Farm-to-Table Best Gourmet Burger Best Veggie Burger Best Fries Green Truck Pub Green Truck has obviously tapped into a method that works. From the service to the food, everything is top-notch at this place. Runner-up, Staff: The Grey Runner-up, Farm: Cha Bella Runner-up, Gourmet & Veggie: B&D Runner-up, Fries: Five Guys

Most Romantic Best Fine Dining The Olde Pink House

THANKS FOR VOTING US BEST BRUNCH

Whether it’s haunted or not is debatable, but the Olde Pink House is still the best place to take your date for an upscale dinner. Runner-up: Elizabeth on 37th

Best Late Night Restaurant Sweet Melissa’s Open until 4 a.m. and just steps from all the bars, Sweet Melissa’s will forever be appreciated for its convenience. Runner-up: Betty Bomber’s

Best Tapas Jazz’d Tapas Bar With live music six nights a week, a diverse tapas menu and a swanky vibe, Jazz’d is the ideal spot for a ritzy night. Runner-up: bar.food

Best Place for Steak Ruth’s Chris Steak House Ruth’s Chris offers a plethora of cuts, from a 4-ounce petite filet to a whopping 40 oz. tomahawk ribeye that’s so big it has to be cut tableside. Runner-up: Vic’s On The River

Serving brunch every Saturday and Sunday. Avoid the wait by making your reservation today! 325 E. Bay St. • 912.233.1319 • bmatthewseatery.com

Best Pancakes The Original Pancake House If the place has pancakes in the name, how could they not be good? Runner-up: J. Christopher’s

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MAY 25-31, 2016

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Best Breakfast J. Christopher’s Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all, and J. Christopher’s breakfast will start your day off right. Runner-up: The Breakfast Club

Best Brunch B. Matthew’s Brunch at B. Matthews is somewhat of a hot ticket item—lines are often out the door and the wait can verge on hours, so always call ahead. Runner-up: J. Christopher’s

Best Burger for $6 or Less Five Guys

OF SAVANNAH • 2014 •

Best Fried Chicken Best Southern Food Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room For when Grandma’s cooking just won’t cut it. This venerable institution is on every tourist’s must-do list, and clearly the locals love it, too. Runner-up, Both: Sisters of the New South

Best Wings Wild Wing Cafe Wing lovers rejoice at Wild Wing, where the 33 sauces are ranked by hotness and come in every flavor imaginable, from lemon pepper to honey lime sriracha. Runner-up: 520 Wings

Best Sub Shop THANK YOU SAVANNAH FOR VOTING US

MAY 25-31, 2016

Best Shrimp and Grits Vic’s on the River Everyone in the South claims that theirs are the best, but Vic’s take is a variation on a theme that really hits the mark. They use Georgia shrimp and smoked cheddar in their stone ground grits and top it off with applewood bacon and rosemary barbecue sauce. And it’s available for both lunch and dinner! Runner-up: The Public Kitchen & Bar

Best Pizzeria Vinnie Van Go-Go’s

Three locations in Savannah mean that Good pizza, plain and simple—just burger lovers can get their meat fix anymake sure you bring cash. time, anywhere. Runner-up: Mellow Mushroom Runner-up: B&D Burgers

BEST

mall on the Southside, but the Midtown Deli is the real deal—their bagels are awesome. Runner-up: Panera

BEST GREEK

RESTAURANT FRESH & LOCAL FOR OVER 20 YEARS 5 E. RIVER ST • 233.3131 • LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

Best Delivery Pizza Screamin’ Mimi’s

When hunger for local pizza strikes, there’s no need to leave the house. Screamin’ Mimi’s delivers their pizzas to the downtown area—that’s something worth screamin’ about. Runner-up: Vinnie Van Go-Go’s

Best Bakery Back in the Day Charm and taste collide in everything Cheryl and Griffith Day bake, from their intricately decorated cupcakes to their mouthwatering bread. Runner-up: Baker’s Pride

Best Chocolatier Chocolat by Adam Turoni

Now with a second location on Bull Street, Adam Turoni’s Chocolat continBaldino’s ues to fascinate even the most casual of Baldino’s uses fresh ingredients, bread chocolate lovers. Runner-up: Lulu’s Chocolate Bar baked in-store, and sliced-to-order meats for their subs. Runner-up: Jimmy John’s

Best Cupcakes

Best Bagel Best Deli Midtown Deli and Bagel Shop It’s an unassuming storefront in a strip

Gigi’s Cupcakes For fans of cupcakes with a mountain of icing, Gigi’s always hits the spot. Runner-up: Back in the Day Bakery

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Best BBQ

Sandfly BBQ’s barbecue style is an eclectic one, culling regions together to make what owner Keith Latture calls “Savannah-style.” Latture was trained in Memphis, arguably the barbecue capital of the world. That means he really knows what he’s doing when he fires up the smoker. The meats are smoked over a pecan-hickory combo that packs a punch of flavor. To finish it up, Latture uses three sauces: a Memphis sweet sauce, a Savannah zesty sauce, and a spicy Western North Carolina sauce. The strength of Sandfly BBQ’s menu comes from its simplicity. Choose your meat and whether you want it on a sandwich, on a plate, or family style. Add sides that you’d find at any down-home cookout, like mac and cheese or Brunswick stew. For dinner specials, the menu fancies up a little bit but sticks true to its roots. Latture blends Creole, Cajun and Southwestern flavors to show the versatility of barbecue. Past experiments include shrimp and grits with bacon, brisket tacos, and red beans and rice. Sandfly BBQ’s new location in the Streamliner on Henry and Barnard feels a little bit old-school, like you’re back in Memphis in the 1950s eating your pulled pork straight from the smoker. —Rachael Flora Runner-up: Angel’s

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MAY 25-31, 2016

Sandfly BBQ

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Best Desserts Lulu’s Chocolate Bar If you have yet to try the Strawberry Suspension Cake or the chocolate chip cheesecake, you’re really missing out. Runner-up: Back in the Day Bakery

Best Ice Cream Leopold’s How could any ice cream shop beat Leopold’s in this city? Runner-up: Cold Stone Creamery

Best Frozen Yogurt

Thank you for voting us

BEST SEAFOOD

Connect Savannah readers!

Lovin’ Spoons Disco isn’t dead after all. The funky 70s-themed shop is perfect for getting your froyo fix and for feeling like you stepped right into 1975. Runner-up: La’Berry

Best Coffeehouse Foxy Loxy Foxy is more than just good coffee and baked goods. Catch live music, standup comedy, art shows, vinyl night, s’mores night, and more. Runner-up: Sentient Bean

Best Local Coffee Roaster PERC If you’ve ever had a really terrible cup of coffee, you know that making coffee is not always as easy as it seems. Not anyone can be trusted with the drink we all rely on to get through the day. Fortunately for us, PERC is a local roaster that produces truly great coffee, close to home. Runner-up: Savannah Coffee Roasters

BEST

SEAFOOD

MAY 25-31, 2016

since 1998!

912.786.9857 www.thecrabshack.com 40 Estill Hammock Rd • Tybee Island, GA

Best Grocery Store Publix Where shopping is always a pleasure. Runner-up: Lucky’ Market

Best Seafood Market Russo’s Seafood This family-owned market boasts fresh, high quality seafood and overnight shipping. Runner-up: Jackie’s Seafood

Best Seafood Restaurant The Crab Shack This Tybee spot is a favorite for both tourists and locals, thanks to its fresh seafood and great location on the water. Runner-up: A.J.’s Dockside

Best Farmer’s Market/Food Co-Op Forsyth Farmer’s Market If you haven’t jumped on the farmer’s market trend yet, consider that the produce is all local and sustainable, and buying local sustainable food gives back to the community—and the environment— in a big way. Runner-up: Savannah Food Co-op

Best Gourmet Food Store Best Health Food Store Brighter Day Brighter Day makes it easy to eat well. With its friendly service and workshops offered in the store, it makes healthy eating more accessible. Runner-up, Gourmet: Whole Foods Market Runner-up, Health: GNC

Best Cheese Shop Whole Foods Market Dairy fans, take note: Whole Foods has a wide assortment of cheeses for your enjoyment. Runner-up: Smith Bros.

Best Spice Shop The Salt Table Open for five years in July, the Salt Table produces over two hundred flavors of spices at its Broughton Street shop. Runner-up: Spice & Tea Exchange

Best Soul Food Restaurant Sisters of the New South Sisters provides down-home cooking that really satisfies. Runner-up: Sweet Potatoes

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Best French Restaurant Circa 1875 For authentic French cuisine—yes, including escargot—look no further than Circa 1875, where you’re sure to find food you love. Runner-up: 39 Rue de Jean

Best Japanese Restaurant Miyabi’s Miyabi’s offers the undeniable thrill of having a giant flame fly up from the grill and warm your face as you sip on miso soup. Runner-up: Ta Ca Sushi

Best Sushi Restaurant Sushi Zen Sushi Zen goes above and beyond with their quality and selection of rolls. Runner-up: Ta Ca Sushi

Best Indian Restaurant

Best Asian Fusion Best Noodle Bowl Best Vietnamese The Flying Monk Noodle Bar Ele and Sean Tran have really struck a chord with their Broughton Street venture. Noodle bowls are a great comfort food, and the rest of the menu is a culinary Asian adventure. Runner-up, Fusion: Fire Street Food Runner-up, Noodles: Noodle Bowl Runner-up, Vietnamese: Saigon Bistro

Best Italian Restaurant Bella’s Located in Habersham Village, Bella’s offers plenty of authentic Italian food and a wide selection of wine. Runner-up: Corleone’s

Best Mexican Restaurant Best Burrito Tequila’s Town

Now with two locations, Tequila’s Town brings Mexican flavor wherever Indian food is more than just curry and you go. The tableside guacamole is defitikka masala. Taste of India gives you an nitely a must when you go. authentic foray into Indian cuisine. Runner-up: Jalapeno’s Runner-up: Pakwan Indian Cuisine

Taste of India

Al Salaam At Al Salaam, you can get as adventurous with Middle Eastern cuisine as you want. You can start small with hummus, go hard with baba ganoush or ful medamas, or skip it entirely and stick with a cheeseburger. Runner-up: Troy Mediterranean

Best Chinese Restaurant Wang’s II

Best Greek Restaurant Olympia Cafe

Olympia Cafe has their Greek olives shipped to them from Kalamata—it can’t get much more authentic than that. Runner-up: Troy Mediterranean Restaurant

Best Caribbean Restaurant Sweet Spice Everything is nice at Sweet Spice, from their plantains to their fried chicken. Runner-up: Rancho Alegre MAY 25-31, 2016

Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

With Wang’s II around, there’s no reason to get Chinese takeout. Runner-up: The Noodle Bowl continues on p. 46

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Best Outdoor Dining

Blowin’ Smoke Best Ribs

MAY 25-31, 2016

Maybe it goes without saying, but working in a restaurant kitchen is a lot different than cooking at home. The head chef at a restaurant is responsible for an entire crew of cooks, tasked with thinking about food costs and creating interesting specials, and, of course, consistently producing great food. A good chef knows how to make the moving parts work. A great chef gets in there and helps make it happen. “I’m definitely not that guy that surfs the clipboard,” says Neil Youngblood, head chef at Blowin’ Smoke. “I open the restaurant myself five days a week and work the line. I’m back there making tacos; if I’m staffed well enough, I’m in the window expoing and making sure the food is going out the way I want it to.” In other words, he does it all. Youngblood got his start as a line cook at Waffle House around the time he started taking culinary classes at Savannah Tech eleven years ago. He worked as a sous chef all over town—“I felt like the boy named Sue,” he jokes—before landing his first executive chef position at Blowin’ Smoke. He’ll never forget where he came from, literally—his “resume sleeve” has a visual assortment of past jobs, from Alligator Soul right on down to WaHo. Youngblood recently streamlined Blowin’ Smoke’s menu to focus mainly on tacos and their award-winning ribs, working toward a better, faster experience. “The food just flies out,” he says proudly. But that doesn’t mean it’s just a taco place now. Youngblood’s challenge was “to put fine dining in a taco,” which means using classical techniques like braising and smoking. Every taco has its own unique flavor that complements the technique. Take, for instance, the Smoked Pork Belly taco. The pork belly is smoked for eight to ten hours, flash fried, then smashed into lardons and paired with a spicy 46 mustard and pineapple salsa.

Photo by rachel flora

While designing the new menu, Youngblood considered the guests and what would make them want to come back. “What reminds you of your childhood? Taste and smell are the senses that make you remember, feel that comfort,” he explains. “What I try to bring is a mixture of soul and comfort and flavor and what would really make you remember this place.” One of the worst complaints a restaurant can receive is an inconsistent experience, and Youngblood is determined not to let that happen at Blowin’ Smoke. “I don’t 86 shit,” he says. “I want people to know that when they come back, they can get the things they want. It’s all about thinking and being a couple steps ahead and making sure not to run out of product.” That kind of attitude is what separates the men from the boys, but Youngblood doesn’t feel above anyone at all. “Reading [Anthony Bourdain’s] Kitchen Confidential, I wanted more of that; camaraderie was being compared to pirates and I fell in love with that kind of imagery,” he says. “With the chefs in Savannah, I feel like I got in this awesome frat of cooks and pirates.” —Rachael Flora Runner-up, Outdoor: The Wyld Runner-up, Ribs: Sandfly BBQ Runner-up, Chef: Mashama Bailey

Best Chef

Neil Youngblood Photo by rachel flora

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Best Tybee Restaurant Best Southside Restaurant Sundae Cafe

Best Thai Restaurant King & I Another one of Ele and Sean Tran’s awesome, authentic eateries, this one serving up traditional Thai food on Hodgson Memorial. Runner-up: Chiriya’s

Best Family Restaurant

Come for the casual food, stay for the creative martinis, like the Oh’ Pear or the Georgia Peach. Runner-up: North Beach Bar & Grill

Best Richmond Hill Restaurant Fish Tales

Carey Hilliard’s Carey’s has a huge menu that appeals to everyone in the family, making it the perfect place to take the whole gang. Runner-up: Basil’s Pizza & Deli

Best Islands Restaurant

The perfect place to enjoy great food and live music on the water. Runner-up: Bubba’s Bistro

Best Pooler Restaurant Cheddar’s

Lili’s At Lili’s, go with your old favorites or try something new—the menu has it all. Runner-up: Basil’s Pizza & Deli

As Pooler continues to expand, it brings great restaurants like Cheddar’s,. Runner-up: Mellow Mushroom

THANK YOU SAVANNAH!

VOTED

Voted Best Salad & Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Tangerine Fusion A sophisticated Thai restaurant on Savannah’s southside, this hidden gem is yet another great member of Ele and Sean Tran’s culinary family. Runner-up: Spanky’s Southside

Best Vegetarian Best Salad

Thanks Savannah!

Kayak Kafe This longtime champion in both these key categories now has an awesome Midtown location as well as its flagship, bustling Broughton location. Runner-up, Veggie: The Sentient Bean Runner-up, Salad: Starland Cafe

OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER!

233.6044 · 1 e. broughton st 349.4371 · 5002 paulsen st eatkayak.com

Dear Savannah, Thanks For Voting Us

BEST

SUSHI

Best Breakfast!!!

J. Christopher’s DOWNTOWN: 30 MLK JR. BLVD • 233-1187 1100 EISENHOWER DR. 4-B • 303-0141

WWW.SUSHIZEN-SAV.COM

Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch

122 E. Liberty St • 236.7494

MAY 25-31, 2016

Bos16 Food

BOS16 Nightlife

Nightlife

Best Overall Bar Best Downtown Bar

Best Bar Staff

Best Bartender

MAY 25-31, 2016

Gil Cruz @The Jinx 48

Most Crushworthy Savannahian

photo by jon waits

The Jinx

Best Bar to Spot a Celebrity Best Live Music

THE JINX has been cleaning house in the Best of Savannah awards for years now. “In the infamous words of Rakim: ‘We got the juice,’” explains Gil Cruz, longtime employee. A hustling multitasker and Renaissance man in a black-band-tee-and-cap uniform, Cruz is a Jinx bartender, booker, DJ, Rock ‘n’ Roll Bingo director, karaoke host, and occasional onstage vocal guest. He’s also a husband, dad, a helluva cook, and now Savannah’s “Best Bartender” and “Most Crushworthy Savannahian.” “We’ve been doing it right for so long, the bar almost does it by itself,” he says of The Jinx’s strange magic. As a music venue, the place is unparalleled in the consistent quality and diversity of acts it ropes in, from Skeletonwitch to American Aquarium to their infamous twonight Halloween celebration. Buy one, get one for a dollar happy hour is a favorite; Hip-Hop Night is a staple, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Bingo is a Wednesday night tradition. Now, back to that Best Bartender. Frequenters of The Jinx’s predecessor, The Velvet Elvis, may have occasionally caught Cruz behind the bar back in the day. “I would do the door once in a while and DJ’d a couple of times,” he adds. When Susanne Guest Warnekros, Cruz’s friend of over 20 years, bought The Velvet Elvis in 2003, he picked up shifts as bar back and bartender. “I can’t put a number on it, but it’s been on and off at least for the last 13 years [The Jinx] has been a bar,” he reports of his time slinging drinks. Cruz discloses that the secret to a good bartender is “attentiveness and neutrality.” “Being neutral, especially if your friends and fellow employees are at the bar when you have main customers, is important,” he recommends. Typically, The Jinx keeps it simple—shot-and-a-beer and whiskey Coke-type fare are the mainstay of many regulars, but occasionally you’ll find a limited-edition cocktail advertised in chalk above the coolers. Cruz looks forward to bringing back The Jinx’s annual summer cocktail menu—he whips up a mean homemade horchata that, when spiked with rum, is a delicious treat on a hot day, as is the green tea mojito. When he’s not working, Cruz likes to wind down with a shot (whiskey), beer, or a gin and juice. “The only lady’s name I have tattooed on me is ‘Gin,’” he says with a mischievous grin. Speaking of the ladies, Cruz was deeply surprised to have won the enviable crown of “Most Crushworthy Savannahian.” “I’m flattered,” he says humbly. “I still don’t think it’s real. I think I’m being tricked! I’m often referred to as an asshole at best, so I’m very surprised and flattered.” Yes, folks, he is taken, by designer/artist/Savannah Sweet Tease Art Director Jessica Knapp, and the couple welcomed a child, Strummer, last year. Cruz suggests that the best way to woo a person you’re interested in is by simply being yourself. “That’s all I’ve ever been,” he shrugs. To maintain a healthy relationship, he advises “saying yes every once in a while.” Or, he jokes, “Work a bar job so you’re always at work and don’t argue all the time!” As he celebrates another year of marriage and another year of Jinx wins, Cruz acknowledges that The Jinx’s communal environment and supportive patrons are responsible for the bar’s continued success. “If there wasn’t that Savannah family, the community—that’s what holds this all together,” he asserts. —Anna Chandler Runner-up, Overall & Downtown: Abe’s on Lincoln Runner-up, Live Music: Barrelhouse South Runner-up, Staff: The Rail Pub Runner-up, Crushworthy: Christopher Stanley Runner-up, Bartender: Tony Beasley, The Jinx

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MAY 25-31, 2016

301 west jones st. www.crystalbeerparlor.com

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Best Sommelier

MAY 25-31, 2016

Jason Restivo

Legendary French gourmet Andre Simon once wrote that “wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.” 2016’s Best Sommelier Jason Restivo would add that wine also makes life more interesting. “What I love best about wine are the stories,” muses the lifelong oenophile. “Not just about the terroir and the vintage, but the people who make it, who harvest the grapes and spend years waiting for them to become magical.” He’s traveled the world spending time with vintners and tasting their wares, from South African Shirazes to French Burgundies, all in the name of recommending the perfect bottle for the table. Not that he doesn’t consider terroir—the imprint the environment makes on a particular harvest—important: He admits bringing bring back soil and rock samples from the ends of the earth for souvenirs. A hospitality service veteran who got his start washing dishes at 15 in San Luis Obispo, CA, Restivo learned fine dining finesse at the famed Carmel Pebble Beach Resorts, where he also met his wife, Jennifer. The Restivos moved to the south in 2004, where Jason has made a name charming diners at Garibaldi’s and the Olde Pink House. He has lent his services to the ever-growing Savannah Food & Wine Festival, and the bottle-strewn aftermaths of the Restivos’ house parties are legendary. (Even the cat is named Grüner Veltliner, after the crisp Austrian white.) The Restivos will continue to bring their passion for the finest wine, food and company this fall with the Atlantic, currently under construction at the corner of Victory and Drayton. A European-style eatery with generous outdoor seating, the Atlantic promises to fill a niche in Savannah’s rising food scene with seasonally-driven small plates, all day service, and a vintage bathtub full of chilled rosé varietals. “Rosés, in my opinion, are some of the best wines for Savannah, especially when it’s warm,” says Restivo, corkscrew in hand for a magnum bottle of blush-hued Red Car Rosé of Pinot Noir. “They complement the flavors of Southern food, and their lower alcohol content lets you enjoy them with brunch and beyond. This town loves to drink in the afternoon.” While he could wax on about bouquet and floral notes, this sommelier actually prefers to pour and let the wine speak for itself. “Wine is a vessel for the experience,” he nods sagely as he sips. “The whole point is to complement the conversation at the table.”—Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: Allison Crumpton at the Grey

photo by jon waits

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KS FOR THAN G US IN VOT

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140 JOHNNY MERCER BLVD. / WILMINGTON ISLAND 912.898.4257

Th a n k s g n f or Votei st Us B r Out d oo Ba r! THURSDAY 5-26

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$2.50 BOURBON & CRAFT BEER NIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT

TRIVIA @9PM

$100 FIRST PRIZE • PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS

Best Cans in Town! “Best Beer Selection,” “Best Wine Selection”

Best Cans in Town! Thank you, Savannah! Thank you, Savannah! www.HabershamBeverage.com @HabershamBev

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MAY 25-31, 2016

“Best Beer Selection,” “Best Wine Selection”

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Best Bar Event of 2015 Best River Street Bar Best Irish Pub Stattsfest This annual day-long bash at The Jinx celebrates the resilience and art and community presence of Jason H. Statts, former bassist of surt [the destroyer]. The victim of a shooting during an armed robbery on 48th Street in 2008 after a gig downtown, Statts is now paraplegic. But he has dedicated himself to visual art and music, using the latest technology to overcome his disability. Talking to Jason is inspiring not only because of his struggle. He is a man of sharp humor and observation, capable of truly deep and reflective wisdom. As for Stattfest itself—which held its 7th edition in 2015—the funds help Jason’s care and treatment, and also serve as a celebration of local music, with local bands clearly giving their best performances. And that really is the best way to honor Jason.

Kevin Barry’s This staple of Savannah’s bar scene since before the tourist boom continues to be one of the East Coast’s main hubs of Irish traditional music. Runner-up, River Street: Chuck’s Runner-up, Irish: O’Connell’s

Best Place for Craft Beer Best Pooler Bar World of Beer

Part of a national franchise chain, World of Beer offers hundreds of beers on tap at two locations in the area. The Pooler franchise has quickly become an entertainment hub for that rapidly growing part of Chatham County. Runner-up, Craft Beer: The Distillery Runner-up, Pooler: Molly MacPherson’s

Best City Market Bar

Best Tybee Bar

Wild Wing Cafe

Huc-A-Poo’s

This stalwart anchor of the east end of City Market continues to be a huge draw year after year. In 2016 they hosted some Savannah Stopover shows, including a killer set from Athens faves Mothers. Runner-up: The Bar Bar

Not only Tybee’s perennial best, but really one of Georgia’s great watering holes. A great old bar, great live music, a fun, lively atmosphere ... and some of the best pizza pretty much anywhere. Runner-up: Bernie’s

Best Southside Bar Tailgate Sports Bar & Grill

An oasis of downhome fun, cold beer, and great wings amid the Southside’s sprawl. Runner-up: Spanky’s

Best Islands Bar Britannia Pub

Overlooking the marsh on the Turner’s Creek side is Wilmington Island’s own little slice of England. Runner-up: Huc-A-Poo’s

Best Neighborhood Bar bar.food

As downtown Savannah becomes more and more difficult to make casual trips to—what with parking, congestion, and crime—this Habersham Village outpost with a ton of fun regulars and friendlyh bartenders is an easy-peasy little getaway. Runner-up: The Original

Thanks Savannah! Voted best

Karaoke! mCdonough’s

Savannah’s Favorite Restaurant & Bar MAY 25-31, 2016

in historic downtown savannah

happy hour mon-fri 8am-7pm 21 e. mcdonough st. • 912.233.6136 • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner anytime mcdonoughssavannah.com • billysplacesavannah.com

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Booze ry & u sic M Cave rn G US N I T O V R O T HA N K SLIVFE MUSIC BAR (121-02101-1260) 16)

R (20 OVERALL BA BAR (2010-2016) N DOWNTOW 011-2016) (2 BARTENDER 010-2016) 16) (2 Y (2010-20 BAR STAFF T I R B E L E C TA BAR TO SPO

The Original Since time immemorial, the Hopi tribe have lived atop the same three mesas in the Arizona desert. You can drive through them today on State Route 264. The tribe has an ancient teaching that the end of the world is nigh when the Hopi come down from the mesas. So to keep the world intact, the tribe remains there no matter what, millennium after millennium, in the same adobe houses. Savannah has its own much less stately version of the Hopi legend: The Savannah Apocalypse will surely come when there is no longer a bar within 318 Drayton Street. So how very Savannah that the Best New Bar this year would in a sense be one of our most beloved old bars. The Original—named for the moniker on the big PBR sign out front—is of course the reincarnation of Pinkie Masters’, Savannah’s most legendary watering hole and one of the nation’s great dive bars. The owners of the Pinkie’s name ran into a variety of difficulties in keeping the business open at the hallowed location at Drayton and Harris, and a few months ago relocated their effort, under the Pinkie’s name, to a Factors Walk location. For awhile, we all feared the worst: That another tourist tchotchke shop or frozen yogurt place would occupy the hallowed ground of the old Pinkie’s. But the cosmos returned to natural order when Matt Garappolo, of Sapphire Grill fame, took over the spot. The key point: He kept it as a by-damn bar. The Original not only maintains the dive bar vibe of Pinkie’s, it pretty definitively solves the issues which contributed to the erosion of the Pinkie’s brand in the first place, i.e., it’s cleaner (but not too clean), it smells better (but not too fragrant), and the bathrooms are now significantly above Third World quality. Add in a new, welcoming vibe and the traditional low-low Pinkie’s drink prices, and you’ve got yourself a winner in the mold of the venerable, um, original. Some of the old Pinkie’s memorabilia is intact, and in instances where they couldn’t keep the exact artifact—as with the famous “You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s” vintage ad poster—they acquired replicas. Meanwhile, and sadly, the “new” Pinkie’s location bearing the historic name at last check appears to have died a-borning. — Jim Morekis Runner-up: Ampersand continues on p. 54

sents: PBR Pre

LL O R N K C O R O BING nah Presents:

e Savan The Ga rag RECORDS

ION ARTY APHELN P LAU CH RODRIGUEZ . r with A.M u o H y p p a H

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MAY 25-31, 2016

Best New Bar

photo by Geoff L. Johnson

VOTED BEST LOCAL OPEN MIC!

THANKS SAVANNAH!

BOS16 Nightlife

| continued from previous page

Best Rooftop Bar Rocks on the Roof Hey, look. Up until pretty recently the only rooftop bars in town were just Rocks on the Roof and Churchill’s. Lately a couple of other entrants have come into the field, and that will only expand with all the new hotel projects in the works. But the perennial winner atop the Bohemian again comes out ... wait for it ... on top. Get it. Comes out on top! It’s gold, Jerry! Comedy gold! Runner-up: Top Deck at Cottonsail

Best Happy Hour Best Trivia Night Mellow Mushroom

The Tuesday night shenanigans feature trivia, TVs, pizza, and awesome drink specials. Runner-up: The Jinx

Best Martini Best Signature Drink Jen’s and Friends

OPEN MIC STREAMS LIVE!!!

OPEN MIC EVERY MON & WED 8PM-3AM

Best Margarita

MAY 25-31, 2016

Best Bar/ Restaurant Wine Selection

KITCHEN OPEN LATE

The original Habersham Village location of this longtime local fave is basically where Savannah meets to stock up for the weekend. You’ll run into old friends, old girlfriends, co-workers, bosses, everybody. The Southside mega superstore offers an expanded range of products spanning the gamut of adult beverage possibilities. Runner-up, Wine: Le Chai Runner-up, Beer: Hops & Barley

Best British Pub Six Pence Pub

One of downtown’s favorite all-around fun spots has appeal for residents and visitors to town alike. Runner-up: Churchill’s Pub

Best Scottish Pub Molly MacPherson’s

Best Local Brewery

Pretty much the only place in Savannah with an honest to goodness big-city tequila bar, with incredible hand-crafted margaritas galore. Runner-up: Jalapeno’s

2307 BULL ST. @39TH

Habersham Beverage

With hoppin’ locations on Congress Jen’s has always been known as the place in town for a damn by-God Martini. Street, Pooler, and Richmond Hill, the But just in time for Memorial Day week- Scots are taking over the world. Runner-up: Six Pence end, don’t forget the Lavender Lemonade signature cocktail. Go get ya some. Welcome to summer. Runner-up, Signature Drinks and Martinis: Lulu’s Chocolate Bar Southbound Brewery

Tequila’s Town

MON-SAT NOON-3AM

Best Local Wine Shop Best Retail Beer Selection

In Vino Veritas In wine, truth. True dat. This spot on the ground floor of Drayton Tower features a swank interior with a wine list to match. Runner-up: The Florence

Not only brewing some tasty beers, which you can find on tap at finer establishments throughout Georgia now, Southbound is also a hub for live music at many special events throughout the year. Runner-up: Service Brewing

Best Open Mic The Wormhole

You never know who will saunter up there on Monday and Wednesday nights. But this we know: You’ll be a better person for having seen and heard it. Runner-up: Abe’s

continues on p. 56

Thank you to the readers of Connect Savannah for voting us Best British Pub

Six Pence Pub

NOW

OFFERING

CRAFT AND LOCAL BEERS ON TAP

912-233-3156 / 245 Bull St. (Across From the Desoto Hilton)

MAY 25-31, 2016

In The Heart of the Historic District

BOS16 Nightlife

| continued from previous page

Best Pool Hall Sunny’s Lounge The last great old-fashioned pool hall in Savannah. This little spot off Highway 17 is also a big pay-per-view fave and features frequent special events.

Best Gay Bar Best Adult Entertainment Club One

Best Local Spirits Best College Bar Best Dance Club

MAY 25-31, 2016

Ampersand

If you’re even tangentially involved in the nightlife scene on Congress Street, you know that Ampersand is the place to go. It’s the perfect location—at the corner of MLK and Congress, it’s where everyone goes to regroup, meet friends, or call an Uber. The all-glass facade hides nothing about what’s going on inside, and owner James Reese calls that both a blessing and a curse. “People walk by and say, ‘it’s dead! Gosh, how do they even stay open?’ They come back twenty minutes later and it’s packed,” he says. Seeing other people having a good time is always encouragement. Unlike other bars on the strip, hidden behind historic exteriors, Ampersand allows a glance at what the vibe is like before you take the leap of faith and go in for a drink. And whether the crowd is coming or going, there’s always good music to keep you dancing. Reese, who’s overseen the bar for a year and a half, books the live music and has three go-to DJs: Luis, Cleveland, and Leo. He met Leo when he owned a gay bar on Hilton Head and hired him as their DJ. When Reese came to Savannah, he brought Leo with him. “Leo is really good with house music, Miami Beach, things of that nature,” Reese explains. The house music is a surefire attraction for college kids, and unlike other clubs, Ampersand is a safe space for them to dance, which is often a key factor in choosing which place to frequent.

“We never have any fights, everyone has a great time,” Reese says. “It’s not a bad crowd. It makes the girls feel safe.” SCAD kids are the obvious market for Ampersand because of their proximity to downtown, and Reese says that clientele came with the space. “I’ve got a lot of kids that work for me that go to SCAD, and on the third floor we do a lot of art installations for SCAD students, a lot of shows,” he explains. “We have things that are directed towards a lot of what they do. But a lot of it is also Armstrong kids, and Army people come there. It’s really weird, the mix of people, and how it all kind of flows and goes together.” Reese also isn’t afraid to try new things with music—he brought in Daas Unterground, a traveling DJ who plays EDM and house music. “They brought in a whole different dynamic and a different type of SCAD crowd we didn’t have before,” he says. Another big draw for Ampersand is that they use local spirits like Daufuskie Island Rum and Savannah Bourbon in their craft cocktails, which, admittedly, doesn’t always matter to college kids but makes a big difference in taste. Ampersand’s ability to appeal to multiple people—the craft cocktail set and the college kids—makes it the perfect bar for any night out.—Rachael Flora Runner-up, Best College Bar: Congress St. Social Club Runner-up, Best Dance Club: Club One Runner-up, Best Local Spirits: Habersham Beverage

The One Club to Rule Them All is not only the spiritual center of Savannah’s LGBT community, it’s got a really awesome dance floor and soundsystem for everyone’s enjoyment. Drag shows galore, anchored by the show calendar of the one and only Lady Chablis. Runner-up, Gay: Ampersand Runner-up, Adult: Savannah Sweet Tease

Best Sports Bar Coach’s Corner

This Eastside/Thunderbolt staple not only has great times, great brews, great games and frequent outdoor concerts—their menu kicks ass as well. Runner-up: Wild Wing Cafe

Best Outdoor Bar

Congress St. Social Club This very popular watering hole features a wonderfully shady outdoor beer garden. Runner-up: Moon River

Best Karaoke McDonough’s

Pretty much Savannah’s original go-to karaoke night is still the best in your considered opinion. Runner-up: Bay Street Blues

Voted Best New Restaurant!

BEST OF SAVANNAH • 2014 •

THANKS FOR VOTING US

Thanks Savannah! 1801 Habersham St. | (912) 777-6286 cottonandrye.com

Best

DESSERTS 9 YEARS IN A ROW!

SUN-THURS 2PM-1AM • FRI & SAT 2PM-1:30AM

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habersham shopping village 912.352.7818 — coffee • deli 912.355.5956 — bar • food

coffee ∙ deli

MAY 25-31, 2016

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BOS16 Recreation,

Health & Beauty

Recreation, Health & Beauty Best Yoga Instructor (Shelley Lowther) Best Yoga Studio

Dancing Dogs Yoga

MAY 25-31, 2016

Shelley Lowther’s teaching method is to tell, not show. At Dancing Dogs Yoga, instead of moving through a position with the students, the instructor walks around the room and watches what’s going on. Lowther believes that the best yoga teachers see their students and recognize what they need. “I enjoy a teacher who sees me and sees the class rather than a teacher who comes in with their own agenda,” she says. “Like a Photo by Abri Kruger teacher who wants to teach handstands but doesn’t take into account that the room isn’t ready for handstands.” In fact, Dancing Dogs has a policy that forbids instructors from practicing yoga while they’re instructing a class—they’re not allowed to place a mat. “I don’t think you can teach from your yoga mat,” Lowther muses. That approach sets Dancing Dogs apart from many other studios, but that’s exactly what makes it special. The studio has been open for just over a year, but the method really resonates with students. “We’ve definitely had a few students say they didn’t like that the teacher didn’t practice,” says Lowther, “but we’re like, ‘Well, this is how we do it here. We’re gonna teach you, we’re gonna tell you where to put your foot. You can look around the room if you need to see it.’” Lowther stresses that yoga is an individual experience, which is why the teacher doesn’t practice and why students don’t need to see someone doing the pose. “It doesn’t matter if you can make your body look like the person next to you,” she urges. However, Lowther and the Dancing Dogs staff teach to all levels and recognize that not everyone is a pro yet. Some classes have assistants who show students where to put their hands and give them more “body awareness,” as Lowther says. The staff also uses a road map of sorts to get the students in the right mindset. “The words we use are very physical. We teach to physicality, and then we teach to possibility, and then we teach to empowerment,” Lowther explains. “I need to tell you where to put your feet before I tell you how you’re supposed to feel.” Lowther herself is scheduled for three to four classes a week, but she typically ends up teaching more because she picks up classes and does special events. “I’m pretty consistent; people know me,” she says. “If I’m not teaching, I’m in class or at the desk.”—Rachael Flora Runner up, Yoga Studio: Savannah Yoga Center 58 Runner up, Yoga Instructor: Melissa DeLynn

Best Running/Walk Event Best Local Sports Event of the Year Savannah Rock N’ Roll Marathon No matter how it arranges its 26.2 miles around town, this annual event always brings the party to the pavement. With its super cool swag and live bands at every turn, it’s no wonder that tens of thousands of runners sprint to Savannah to participate. Heat and humidity may have sullied last year’s marathon experience, but this crash course in Southern stamina is here to stay—organizers announced in February that the race will continue at least through 2018. Runner up, Best Running/Walk Event: Color Run 5K Runner up, Best Running/Walk Event: Savannah Hockey Classic

Best Local High School Team Benedictine Cadets The boys in uniform may have ceded their state Class AA football title this season, but they’re still winners in our book. But most voters didn’t actually specify which BC team they liked the best! Can we assume the loyalty lies with the private military academy’s entire athletic program—ranked No. 1 in Southeast Georgia—and its regional domination not only on the football field but also in baseball, cross country, soccer, golf and tennis? Runner up: Islands High

Best Local College Sports Team Georgia Southern Eagles Our collegiate neighbors to the west win, though again, most of y’all didn’t indicate which of Georgia Southern’s winning teams got your vote. Since Statesboro is indeed football country, we’re going to guess that you meant the 2014 Sun Belt Conference champions. But it must be noted that Eagles’ baseball

rallied hard this season before losing out to the Clemson Tigers in a weekend series earlier this month, and women’s track took home several medals this spring in the Sun Belt Championships in Lafayette, LA. Runner up: Armstrong Pirates

Best Local Sports Coach Robert Zoller Wrangling a bunch of young men into formation ain’t easy, but the new Islands football coach has plenty of experience: He already served as defensive and offensive coordinator at Islands when the program debuted in 2014 and has more than 15 years’ experience shouting strategies from the sidelines. Go Sharks! Runner up: Stephanie Britt of Savannah Cheer

Best Massage Therapist Best Day Spa Best Tanning Salon Spa Bleu Extra congratulations to Spa Bleu’s crew of licensed massage therapists, who have earned your vote for the fifth year in a row! Succumb to skilled hands in one of downtown’s most luxurious settings and learn the true meaning of Lowcountry relaxation. Add on amazing extras like hot river stones, invigorating scrubs and raindrop aromatherapy, and the couples’ suite lets you share the bliss with your favorite person. It’s called a “day spa” because you could spend all day enjoying its facial, nail, make-up and waxing services—and their sunless tanning treatments make you look like you’ve spent a week bronzing at the beach. Runner up, Massage Therapist: Savannah Day Spa Runner up, Day Spa: Savannah Day Spa Runner up, Tanning Salon: Palm Beach Tan

continues on p. 60

SAVE $18 on mara

thon, 1/2 & relay with code

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NNAH

exp: 6/30

PROUD TO BE SAVANNAH’S BEST

MAY 25-31, 2016

& HARD AT WORK TO BE EVEN BETTER THIS FALL

Savannah’s Best Kept Secret!

BOS16 Recreation,

Health & Beauty | continued from previous page

Best Athlete

Hello Kidney, Best Local Club Sports Team

Savannah Derby Devils

Atelier Galerie 150 Abercorn St. (912) 233-3140 Corner of Oglethorpe Ave.

Mon-Sat 10-5:30 • Sun 11-4

Thanks Savannah, for voting us

MAY 25-31, 2016

BEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE!

6 E. LIBERTY, SAVANNAH, GA 31401 • 912.233.3628 WWW.THEBOOKLADYBOOKSTORE.COM

Ever since the Savannah Derby Devils rolled into town in 2006, this city has been an edgier, less gentle place—in the best of ways. The woman-positive sport of flat-track roller derby found a legion of budding athletes ready to rumble in ripped fishnet stockings, and the team and its dedicated fans outgrew the old Supergoose for the Civic Center in 2011. Now ranked by the national Women’s Flat Track Derby Association league, our own roller derby queens will host their first big deal tournament, The Savannah Summer Slam, June 18-19. SDD’s All Stars set the bar for its B team as well as its breathtakingly badass underage line-up, the mighty Savannah Jr. Derbytaunts (a raucous play on “debutantes,” get it?!) Any female looking to skate with the big girls can start with the weekly wRECk league or, if you really want to feel the pain, the Devils’ annual boot camp. That’s where this year’s Best Athlete Hello Kidney first hip-checked her way into the league in 2011. Small, compact and blazing fast on wheels, Kidney has risen through the ranks to become one of the All Star team’s finest jammers. Originally from Palatka, FL, the former high school semi-jock grew up playing in the bleachers as her father coached almost every sport. “I always secretly wanted to play football,” she says with a grin as she describes settling for soccer instead. “What I lacked in skill, I made up for in aggression.” Like many derby women, she loved roller skating as a kid, though she was one of the rarities who didn’t give in to changing trends. “All my friends got into rollerblading, but I kept my skates. I’d go out with them, looking like a dorky champ.” That commitment paid off when she was recruited to the team. Super disciplined during the season–she cut out sugar last year and plans to abstain from alcohol this turn—Hello Kidney rarely misses a three-time-a-week practice and cross trains regularly with weights and running. In real life, however, this dedicated, daunting competitor with the Joan Jett eyeliner is the mild-mannered Ginny Clagett, a work-at-home mother of four, ages 8 and under. While the ruckus and rampage of roller derby might be intimidating for some, it’s practically a picnic compared to her full house. “Hello Kidney can actually be nicer than my mom persona,” she laughs. While she’s had to take time off over the years for a broken wrist and the pregnancy and birth of her youngest—what derby women refer to as “the nine-month injury”—the various bumps and bruises she’s suffered have only made Hello Kidney stronger, fiercer and ready to lap the competition. “My shins are permanently lumpy, but I don’t care,” she says with a shrug. “They’re my battle scars, and I love them.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up, Club Sports: Savannah United Runner up, Best Athlete: SDD’s Felony Melanie continues on p. 62

CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. ROBERT HOFFMAN

Five Years In A Row! Thank You For Choosing Glow!

ON BEING VOTED BEST ORTHOPAEDIC DOCTOR IN SAVANNAH BY READERS!

Voted Best Medical Spa 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016 BEST OF SAVANNAH • 2014 •

www.glowsavannah.com • 912.303.9611

Thank You For Voting Us Best Veterinary Clinic! Robert D. Hoffman, M.D.

ChathamOrtho.com

We would like to thank our patients for voting us the

BEST ORTHODONTIC OFFICE IN SAVANNAH

500 Eisenhower Dr. Savannah, GA

912.355.7022

www.savannahorthodontics.com

Wilmington Island • Pooler • Swainsboro • Bluﬀton

912.234.4772 • 2417 Bull St CentralAnimalHospitalSav.com

MAY 25-31, 2016

It has been our privilege to serve the Savannah community for the past 49 years!

BOS16 Recreation,

Health & Beauty | continued from previous page

Sheena Allen

Best Zumba Instructor

Photo by Jon waits

Best Pilates Studio Savannah Yoga Barre The airy studio at Skidaway and Victory offers five classes a week centered on the 4 S’s of Pilates: Strength, stretch, stamina and stability. The strong and stunning Betsy Hughes oversees the matbased workouts for all levels, incorporating more than 500 exercises to develop your core and improve posture. Runner up: Dancing Dogs Yoga

Best Exercise Studio Best Barre Studio Pure Barre Savannah If you thought ballet was for sissies, you’ve clearly never seen the muscles on the people who take Pure Barre. Using proven techniques to strengthen arms, tone thighs and flatten abs, the international franchise has a loyal local following and offers specials for brides and new moms. Runner up, Barre: Savannah Yoga Barre Runner up, Exercise: Fit 46

Best Fitness Club YMCA of Coastal Georgia MAY 25-31, 2016

From water aerobics to weight training to Zumba, there’s a fun way to get your body moving at the Y! With reasonable rates and locations in midtown, the Southside, Whitemarsh Island, Tybee Island and Richmond Hill, there’s just no excuse not to exercise. 62 Runner up: Pure Barre

When Sheena Allen says you’re gonna werk werk werk werk werk, you’d better get ready to shake your booty. The bubbly powerhouse knows how to make Savannah move with kickin’ jams and easy-to-follow choreography. Borrowing from Latin, West African and hip hop styles, she strives to make sure her routines are accessible to all ages, abilities and fitness levels. “I really want everyone to get it,” says Sheena. “My passion is to see everyone on the floor having fun.” She keeps Savannah bouncing with three packed classes a week: Mondays at 6 at G Force Films next to Portman’s Music, Tuesdays at 4:30 at the Habersham YMCA and Thursdays at 6 at White Bluff UMC, plus special events. (For updates, check out her Facebook page, Zumba Fitness with Sheena.) A former cheerleader and performer with Sankofa Dance Theatre, Sheena has been a certified Zumba instructor for three years. This force of groove is also a mom of four kids ages two through 14, and she shares her practice studio with a car seat and a steering wheel. “I do a lot of choreographing in the car because that’s the only time I have. I’m always driving somebody someplace!” For anyone who’s thinking about coming to one of her classes but feels shy, she has some special advice: “This is about getting out of your comfort zone and having a good time. No one cares what you look like; they’re all busy worrying about themselves. So come on out and dance!” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: Justin Tootie

Best Personal Trainer Best Psychologist Mark Lebos, M.S. Who’s been voted the best person to help you fit in your jeans for five years running? This guy. Mark Lebos combines a master’s degree in exercise physiology with a sense of humor, a touch of sadism and more than 20 years of applied knowledge to keep his clients healthy and injury-free. His team at the state-of-theart Strong Gym on Bull Street specializes in one-on-one and group fitness, massage therapy, post-surgical rehab, neurofitness and cancer recovery, and Mark oversees every session with expertise and unflappable cheer. Just don’t make him angry. He makes you do extra squats when he’s angry. Runner up: Zachary Burke

Best Weight Loss Center Phil Barone, D.C. Obesity is the root of more than 60 debilitating and degenerative diseases, and Dr. Phil Barone has made it his mission to help his patients lose weight healthfully and naturally. The Wilmington Island chiropractor has developed his own nutritional cleansing program and can prove it really works—he lost over 200 pounds himself. Runner up: Scale Solutions

Best Urgent Care

Kristen L. Coln, PhD

Urgent Care 24/7

Applying compassion and kindness to her practice at Coastal Psychology, Dr. Coln helps adults, adolescents and families navigate a range of emotional, behavioral and relationship issues. She also conducts comprehensive psychological evaluations to identify and treat Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and other developmental concerns.

Need to see a doctor RIGHT NOW? From a busted lip to a high fever, the physicians at Urgent Care 24/7 Savannah have the skills and tools to handle many major and minor medical issues. You’re bound to be a short drive from the six locations owned by local Dr. Jerry Williams, and office visits start at $99. Runner up: Southern Urgent Care

Runner up: Dr. Kevin Winders

Best Local Pharmacy CVS Friendly, knowledgeable pharmacists fill your scrips at this national chain, open 24 hours in some locations. If you’re anything like us, you’ll end up with a cart full of candy, beach toys and “As Seen on TV” gadgets while you wait! Runner up: Walgreen’s

Best Hospital Candler Hospital The hard-working nurses, orderlies and doctors of Candler strive to make a trip to the emergency room or an outpatient experience as a pleasant experience as possible. The hospital also focuses on preventative medicine, offering wellness programs and fitness classes as well as informative online tools to help maintain good health. Runner up: Memorial Health

Best Primary Care Physician Eduard Docu, MD From the young’uns to the geriatrics, Dr. Eduard Docu devotes his time and expertise to his patients’ good health at his Docu Family Medicine Center. The native Romanian served in the U.S. Air Force and retains the rank of Captain as a Ready Reserve Officer. Runner up: Dr. Kristen Updegraff

Best OB/GYN Dina Linfoot, MD This seasoned physician knows a little somethin’ about birthin’ babies. The obstetrics and gynecology doctor delivers dozens of newborns a year at Memorial Health and is known for keeping their mamas healthy, too—plus she has three kids of her own. Runner up: Carmela Pettigrew continues on p. 64

Thank you Savannah FOR VOTING US THE BEST!

DUDLEY STONE, MD MELISSA BEHM, MD KELSEY ALEXANDER, MD JESSICA GLOVER, NP-C 2 Wheeler St. • Savannah, GA 31405 912.353.7744 • mycoastalpediatrics.com

2016 BEST SLEEP SPECIALIST

Anthony M. Costrini, MD, FACP Costrini Sleep Services

HEALTHY HAPPENS HERE Thank you for voting the YMCA of Coastal Georgia Best Fitness Center and Sheena Allen Best Zumba Instructor! Serving and supporting our community for over 160 years.

YMCAofcoastalga.org

11909 McAuley Drive Plaza C, Suite A-1 Savannah | 912.927.6680 costrinisleep.com

MAY 25-31, 2016

Thanks to all my patients for their conﬁdence in me and our expert team, consisting of nurses, respiratory therapists, sleep technologists, and support staff. The past 38 years have raced by, and we look forward to practicing sleep medicine in Savannah and the Low Country for years to come. Have a good night’s sleep – be safe – be healthy!

THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR VOTES! Best Nurse Heidi Longenberger, LPN Best Midwife Jill Whitﬁeld, CNM

• Women’s Health Care •

Annual exams Preconception planning Contraception and family planning Menopause care and management Pregnancy and birth Ultrasounds Birth center delivery Area hospital delivery Water birth Pain management during labor

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Best Allergist

Bruce Finkel MD Watery eyes? Runny nose? Uncontrollable grumpiness? Dr. Finkel can help. The Columbia, SC native has been helping Savannah manage its allergies for over two decades at Coastal Allergy & Asthma, the practice he cofounded with Dr. Brad Goodman in 1999. The good doctor keeps busy all year round with your nasal miseries, caused by the sticky yellow pollen falling from all that gorgeous foliage for which our city is so famous. “Our tree season typically lasts from February to the end of April, while our grass season starts in midApril and persists through July,” explains Dr. Finkel, adding that weed season starts in August and persists until the first freeze, with a hearty mold season in between. “As such, people with seasonal triggers can actually have symptoms in our area for approximately ten months out of the year.” That doesn’t even take into account perennial allergens like pet dander, dust mites and difficult relatives (OK, we made the last one up.) The allergy and clinical immunological expert says most of the patients he sees are there for chronic rhinitis (the inflammation of the mucus membranes that cause us to always tuck tissues in our pockets), but he also sees a fair amount of asthma, pruritic skin rashes, atopic dermatitis, recurrent infections and symptoms caused by congenital immune deficiencies. Dr. Finkel says that avoidance is the most important therapeutic intervention for allergies. But since giving the cat away or going grocery shopping in a bubble isn’t always possible, he advises keeping windows and doors closed and AC units clean, washing sheets regularly in hot water and placing allergen-proof casings over pillows and mattresses. He also often recommends over-the-counter nasal corticosteroids, such as Flonase and Rhinocort, and antihistamines like Allegra and Claritin, but says the generics work just as well. Dr. Finkel spent his fellowship at Duke University and once considered a career in the laboratory. But there the allergens are relegated to petri dishes, and he realized he’d rather see what they do in real life. “I’d always wanted to be an immunologist and I thought I’d be an academician,” he recalls. “Then I began doing research and decided I like taking care of patients better.” Thank goodness for that, since we sure do need his services around here. But Savanah’s Best Allergist humbly insists that CAA’s other practitioners, nurses and administrators must share in this win. “The provider in a practice is only one small part of the overall ability to provide care for our patients,” says Dr. Finkel. “We are fortunate to have an excellent, knowledgeable and accomplished staff that enables us to effectively care for patients.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: Dr. Brad Goodman continues on p. 66

THANK YOU CONNECT SAVANNAH READERS FOR VOTING US

BEST PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER E. Ronald Finger, MD

Board Certiﬁed Plastic Surgeon, Medical Director & Master Injector, Author of Why Grow Old?

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Ask About Our Extensive List of Surgical & Non-Surgical Procedures First Outpatient Surgery Center in Georgia First Medical Spa in Savannah First to Perform Liposuction First NeoGraft Hair Restoration Center in Georgia PRP Therapy & Scalp Therapy for Hair Regrowth Micro-Needling with PRP for Anti-Aging of the Skin ThermiTight & ThermiSmooth for Skin Laxity and Cellulite Reduction of the Neck, Face, Abdomen, Arms, Legs, Thighs and Buttocks NO PAIN | NO DOWNTIME Go Tattless with Pain-free Tattoo Removal!

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MAY 25-31, 2016

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Health & Beauty | continued from previous page at Coastal Pediatrics, where the friendly staff ensures that nobody leaves in tears. Runner up: Dr. Ramon Ramos

Best Nurse Heidi Longenberger, LPN Since 2013, the nurse manager at the Midwife Group and Birth Center on Chatham Parkway has been our readers’ favorite supportive presence during pregnancy, birth and beyond. Runner up: Jason Cook

Best Midwife Jill Whitfield, RN, MSN, CNM, CCE The longtime certified nurse midwife at the Midwife Group and Birth Center has been easing babies into to the world as naturally as possible for decades— which means now she’s delivering the babies of those babies! *mindblown* Runner up: GeorgAnna Wiley of Savannah Midwifery

Best Pediatrician Dudley W. Stone, MD A sick kid is serious business, and Dr. Stone takes every symptom seriously. The good doctor also promotes wellness

Best Dermatologist Georgia Skin & Cancer Clinic With three physicians, a legion of capable of physician’s assistants plus a caring staff of nurses and admins in multiple locations, your epidermis is in excellent hands with this busy family of clinics. But you’d still better slather on the SPF 75 anyway. Runner up: Chatham Skin and Center Center

Best Cardiologist John Spellman, MD If you’ve got issues with your ticker, take heart: This Georgia native knows the ventricles and valves of that organ inside and out. Specializing in angina, atrial flutter and anything aortic, Dr. Spellman practices at Memorial Health. Runner up: Dr. William Wallace

Best Gastroenterologist Mark Murphy, MD A prolific writer who has penned chapters in medical textbooks as well as editorial page columns, Dr. Murphy founded the Center for Digestive and Liver Health in 1994. If you’ve got gut issues, he’s your GI guy. Runner up: Dr. Christopher Rittmeyer

Best Chiropractor Whelan Chiropractic Once again, Savannah’s favorite manipulator is the gentle and generous Dr. Whelan, whose busy downtown practice helps thousands of people a year straighten up and fly right. In his spare time, the spine aligner donates his services to the Special Olympics and volunteers as a swim coach at the JEA. Runner up: Whitemarsh Chiropractic

Thanks for voting us

Best Day Spa, Best Tanning Salon & Best Massage Therapy

Best Cosmetic Surgery Center Finger and Associates Dr. Ronald Finger was the first doctor in Savannah to perform a breast augmentation and continues to enhance the appearances of his adoring patients, specializing in sculptural injections and liposuction. He has contributed numerous articles to scientific journals and surgical textbooks and is the author of the anti-aging book, Why Grow Old?. Runner up: Savannah Plastic Surgery

Best Orthopedist Robert Hoffman, MD Broken bones, shredded cartilage and torn rotator cuffs are all the domain of Dr. Hoffman, one of the partners at Chatham Orthopedics. A sports medicine expert, he’s also on call for the athletic teams of SCAD and Calvary Day School. Runner up: Dr. John Prather

Thanks For Voting Us Best Pilates Studio!

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Best Dentist Kevin C. Dickinson Dentistry Since 1986, Dr. Dickinson has been caring for Savannah’s pearly whites with careful attention. From a simple cleaning to a full-on set of implants, he has the skills to attend to what’s going on in your mouth. Runner up: Howard Family Dental

Best Cosmetic Dentistry Brad Durham, DMD The craftsman behind many of Savannah’s most famous smiles, Dr. Durham defends his title as the city’s favorite cosmetic dentist. But he’s more than just a flashy grin—he also treats TMJ and offers full reconstructive services at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry, the downtown practice he shares with Dr. Rod Strickland and Dr. Ryan Reeves. Runner up: Dr. Kevin C. Dickinson

Best Pediatric Dentistry

Best Optometrist

Best Sleep Specialist

Donald L. Watson, OD

Anthony M. Costrini, MD

Cara De Leon, DDS

Oh, say do you see? Dr. Watson can help you see even better with the stateof-the-art diagnostic technology and eye care products at Watson Eye Center. He can also help you look snazzy with a curated selection of eyeglass frames and the appropriate lens for your lifestyle. Runner up: Edward Sammons

Just because the teeth are tinier, that doesn’t make them easier! The friendly and kind Dr. De Leon of Pediatric Dentistry of Savannah takes the fear out of the chair by calming her patients with jokes—and we hear her post-visit treasure chest is legendary. Runner up: Dr. Kevin C. Dickinson

Best Orthodontist Broderick, Dusek and De Leon Brace yourself: These guys win again for keeping local mouths in alignment. Drs. Tom Broderick, Mark Dusek and Christopher De Leon rotate between five offices adjusting bands, fitting retainers and scolding you for not wearing your headgear at night. Runner up: Dr. Robert Vaught

Best Ophthalmologist Markesh K. Monocha, MD Jeepers, it might be all about the peepers: You might be referred to an ophthalmologist to address your headaches or autoimmune condition, and Dr. Monocha—who practices at Memorial Health and all around the region—knows the eyes have it. Runner up: Dr. Michael S. Landa

Congratulations! We agree with Connect Savannah readers — Memorial Health physicians are the BEST! Need a doctor? Call MD Connect for an appointment with one of our outstanding primary care physicians or specialists:

Up all night? Your insomnia might be due to your Walking Dead binge, or it could be something more serious: Dr. Costrini addresses your slumber issues from a respiratory and pulmonary perspective as well as assesses your sleep hygiene and habits—which isn’t necessarily about eating crackers in bed. Runner up: Dr. James Anthony Daly III continues on p. 68

BEST

OB/GYN

Dina E. Linfoot, M.D.

Provident OB/GYN Associates

912-350-6487 or 877-287-6487.

memorialhealth.com

CARDIOLOGIST John G. Spellman, M.D.

Memorial Cardiovascular Consultants

MAY 25-31, 2016

BEST

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Best Waxing Salon

Wax and Wane

Photo by Jon waits

Best Vision Center Georgia Eye Institute Whether you need a new prescription for your astigmatism or you just want to while away an hour trying on cool sunglasses, this two-floor optical wonderland on the Memorial Health campus offers every ocular service in sight. Runner up: Watson Eye Center

Best Veterinarian

MAY 25-31, 2016

Brian Mulvey, DVM

A first time win for the hardworking Dr. Mulvey, who owns Savannah Veterinary Medical Center on Victory Drive. Both canines and felines receive the finest care from the Maryland native and his staff of kind animal lovers, from regular check-ups to emergency care, and the clinic offers a wide range of specialized lab, surgical and preventative health services. Runner up: Dr. Alex Hill of Central Animal Hospital

Best Veterinary Clinic Central Animal Hospital Let’s give a round of “ah-paws” to Central Animal Hospital, who now adds a fourth “Best of” plaque to its collection! The Starland pet clinic treats all cats and dogs with love and dignity as well as with up-to-the-minute techniques like MLS laser therapy. Runner up: Savannah Veterinary Medical Center

Best Barber Shop The Barber Pole Whether you’re rocking a killer fade or a traditional crewcut, the ladies and gents at this venerable downtown institution can shape your head how ya like it. A shave and a haircut costs a hair more than two bits these days, but you’re worth it, bro. Runner up: Juan’s Barber Shop

Best Hair Salon B Street Salon Cutting and coloring your lovely locks isn’t just a job for the stylists at B

Listen, nobody wants to talk about your hair “down there.” Well, almost nobody. The empathetic estheticians of Wax and Wane Waxing Salon don’t mind discussing your full frontal predilections, whether you go bikini, Brazilian or all the way. Located in the bottom floor of the cozy Victorian next door to Foxy Loxy, Wax and Wane is the place to rid yourself of extraneous fur from head to toe and everywhere in between (summer is coming, hobbits!) The cozy, chic, and most importantly, extremely clean rooms feel less like a spa than your BFF’s luxurious bain de sale, and the body-positive atmosphere promotes beauty for all (yes, dudes, too!) “This is a no-judgment zone,” promises Wax and Wane’s charming proprietor, Jena Berenberg. “Our goal is for everyone to feel comfortable and happy.” Originally from Minnesota, the former artist, traveler and massage therapist opened Savannah’s first fully-dedicated waxing salon four years ago. She’s been a licensed esthetician for 13 years, but the sleepy nature of facials and massages led her to switch waxing as her sole endeavor. “I wanted to be able to talk with my clients and get to know them,” she says. “Plus, I get to see instant results.” Berenberg trains all of her staff personally, each one certified and schooled in the fine art and smooth craft of body hair removal, exclusively employing a special hard wax to keep the stinging to a minimum. Aftercare is provided by I Love My Muff products, which can be purchased up front along with a variety of adorable gifts and gorgeous jewelry. “No matter which one of us you see, you’re going to get the same excellent service,” vows the head hirsute assailiant. “We have clients who come out dancing!” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: Spa Bleu

Street Salon, it’s an art. Monica McMasters and her team have been beautifying the world from Broughton Street for almost two decades, and their monumental contributions to community efforts like Junk 2 Funk, Stattsfest and the Savannah Bicycle Campaign prove that a great haircut goes a long way. Runner up: Colorboxx

Best Hair Stylist Renata Duran All hail the Hair Princess of Savannah, who returns to the throne after a twoyear hiatus! Wielding her formidable scissor skills and chill demeanor at Salon Aqua, Renata is a passionate believer in continuing education and staying on top of the latest style trends. Her clients also deeply appreciate her adherence to her commitment to client-stylist confidentiality. What’s said in the chair, stays in the chair… Runner up: Nickie Beatty

Best Hair Colorist Nickie Beatty Ombre! Nickie knows how to throw the right kind of shade on your tresses. The master cosmetologist is available

for appointments at Salt Water Spa on Wilmington Island, which offers salon services as well as massage, sauna, nails and waxing services. Runner up: Renata Duran

Best Nail Salon La Bella Decorate your digits at this clean spot in the Crawford Square Shopping Plaza at Oglethorpe and Price streets. With massage, waxing and those fabulous vibrating chairs, you might end up spending the entire afternoon. Runner up: Sweet Water Spa

Best Medical Spa Glow Medical Spa Glow has racked up five years in a row as a winner in this category, but it hasn’t aged a bit! Offering fabulous facials, sunless skin bronzing and expert brow sculpting, Glow also provides services like facial fillers and permanent makeup to give your appearance that extra gorgeous oomph. Runner up: Sweet Water Spa

continues on p. 70

VOTED

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER FIVE YEARS RUNNING!

Specializing In: Personal and Group Training, Massage Therapy, Injury Rehabilitation, Boot Camp & Sports Conditioning, Senior Fitness, Cancer Recovery FREE YOGA for 2 Days

Life Takes Strength

30 Day Yoga Challenge

Transform your body & life in 30 days! Take 26 classes in 30 days for a chance to win a month of unlimited yoga. Visit our website for details 1319 BULL ST | (912) 232-2994 | SAVANNAHYOGA.COM

BEST OF SAVANNAH • 2014 •

MARK LEBOS,

Owner & Trainer

1321 BULL STREET

912.443.4006

MAY 25-31, 2016

Yoga Fest June 11-12, 9-12pm 40 min beginner friendly sample size classes. Just Show Up!

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Best Tattoo Artist

Cory Hand Best Tattoo Studio

The Butcher

Photo by Rachel Flora

Cory Hand hasn’t always been into tattooing. Not too long ago, he was burning the candle from both ends, balancing multiple jobs and school and running on little to no sleep, when he fell asleep at the wheel. The ensuing crash left a small scar and some memory loss, but in a roundabout sort of way, it also forged a path ahead. “I ended up dropping out of school. After months of reconstructive surgery I had to wear this mask,” he says, gesturing to an area that encompasses his entire face. “It’s hard to go to school and concentrate when you have this big plastic thing on your face. So I dropped out and kept tattooing. I already had a career at that point, I was just trying to make my parents happy.” Hand started tattooing in Alabama ten years ago and, from there, moved to Mississippi and then to Savannah. The Butcher isn’t the first place in town he’s worked, but it’s the bes t fit. “You’ve gotta have a good chemistry,” he says. “They’re more relaxed about stuff, more concerned with us doing what we want to do and enjoying work. You don’t want it to be stressful; you get your best product when you feel comfortable.” Hand credits the Butcher’s location for its popularity—the Bay Street location means the shop gets a lot of foot traffic and a lot of walk-ins. “We have tons of people trying to get tattooed, but there’s only room enough for five of us,” he says.

VOTED BEST MOTORCYCLE DEALER annah!

MAY 25-31, 2016

u Sav Than k yo

912.925.0005 1 Fort Argyle Rd • Savannah SAVANNAHHD.COM

“We have to turn most of them away. If they don’t want to set appointments or are only in town for a little bit, we take the time to hang out with them and talk to them and help them develop their ideas. If we can’t do it, we let them know where to go in town.” There’s a lot of camaraderie between the shops in town, Hand says, that really creates a cohesive tattoo community. “It’s pretty friendly compared to most,” he says. “Everybody hangs out together. If we see something another artist would be better equipped to do, we’ll send them there instead of trying to get all the money.” One style Hand will pass on to a different shop? “Traditional, oddly enough,” he says. “I can’t wrap my mind around it for some reason. You have to simplify it to a point, and I can’t.” Hand’s down to tattoo everything else, though— he loves his job and the work he does. “I just like to tattoo,” Hand shrugs. “I definitely enjoy making the money we make, but for the most part I like drawing on people. It’s a fun job. You get to meet a lot of cool people; everything’s usually super chill.” —Rachael Flora Runner up, Best Tattoo Artist: Marcus Dove Runner up, Best Tattoo Studio: Black Orchid Tattoo Studio & Gallery

Thanks Savannah for Voting Us the

BEST BARRE STUDIO & BEST EXERCISE STUDIO

912.665.1129

5521 Abercorn St. • Suite 500 Savannah, Georgia 31405

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Best Golf Course Wilmington Island Club Gorgeous greens, a championship 18-hole course and affordable memberships that include use of the clubhouse and pool make this private club a hole in one for those who love the links. It’s also a great place to introduce the little ones to the clubs: The staff recently received an honorable mention by U.S. Kids Golf. Runner up: The Club at Savannah Harbor

Best Bowling Alley

Best Marina

Best Piercing Studio

Frames N’ Games

Hogan’s Marina

Planet 3

Strike a pose at one of the flashiest alleys around! Pooler’s Frames ‘N’ Games boasts 28 lanes of pure pin-smashing goodness, plus an arcade, laser tag and— to every parent’s delight—a full bar. Check out daily specials like $1 games on Mondays and the “Kids Bowl Free” summer program. Runner up: AMF Savannah Lanes

Goin’ fishing? The folks at Hogan’s have everything you need to drop in a line in the water, including bait, tackle and dry storage for that boat you’re going to invite us out on, right? The family-owned marina on glorious Turner’s Creek also offers kayak rentals, snacks and ice cold beer. Runner up: Isle of Hope

Best Piercer Mason Smith, Planet 3 You wouldn’t trust just anybody with that needle, would ya? Planet 3 consistently prevails in this category for its clean, chillaxed atmosphere and awesome selection of gauges and jewelry. Head piercer Mason Smith takes the title this year the city’s favorite spike driver for his gentle handling of your nostrils, septums and nipples. Runner up, Studio: Black Orchid Runner up, Piercer: Rhiannon Frette of Planet 3

Thank You Savannah! for voting our office

Best Chiropractor!

SAVANNAH’S EXCLUSIVE WAXING SALON PROVIDING HEAD TO TOE HAIR REMOVAL SERVICES

Whelan Chiropractic We’ve got your back! 602 Abercorn St Savannah 912.232.1900

1917 BULL ST • 912.233.7002 SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT ONLINE AT

WAXANDWANEWAXING.COM

MAY 25-31, 2016

Thank you Connect Savannah readers for voting Wax and Wane as Savannah’s best waxing salon and choosing us to keep you hair-free!

BOS16 Shopping

& Services

Shopping & Services

Best Arts/ Crafts Store

Best New Store

Starlandia Creative Supply

Best Green Business

MAY 25-31, 2016

A pink and purple storefront that sells used art supplies and is populated by colorful characters might sound like a hilariously ironic Portlandia sketch, but it’s all so so so real. The enterprising and kaleidoscopic Clinton Edminster threw open the doors to Starlandia Creative Supply on Bull Street exactly a year ago, offering a wonderland of incomplete paint sets, slightly frayed paintbrushes, rattling cans of spray paint, grab bags of beads, neatly folded fabric remnants, piles of paper, stacks of frames and everything else an artist could want or use, all at modest prices. Predicated on a supply chain fed by donations and scrounge scores as well as new inventory, Starlandia recycles 72 unwanted art materials by sorting them in a surprisingly organized back room

Heather MacRae, Clinton Edminster and Liz Rhaney photo by jon waits

and repackaging them for the treasurepacked aisles. The crafty concept saves garbage from the landfill and thesis projects from going over-budget—and yes, it’s turning a profit. “The system is working,” reports general manager Heather MacRae, referred to “Manager General” by her boss. “It shows that we’re filling a need that was genuinely there.” The mood is always light and the music always jamming at Starlandia, where a small mannequin dubbed Tom the Time-Traveling Transvestite oversees the wares. Weekly art workshops on everything from kite-making to publishing your own ‘zine keep hands and minds busy, and the massive community bulletin board offers plenty of connective resources. The store has also helped anchor the

thriving commercial scene in the Starland District and serves as the hub for Art Rise Savannah and the First Friday Art March, both organized by the indomitable Edminster. This 25 year-old community wunderkind also collaborated with the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority this spring to host Better Block, a temporary installation that created 30,000 square feet of public space and opportunities for grassroots change. In a way, Starlandia is just a front for Edminster’s endless enthusiasm for engaging Savannah’s citizenry in supporting local art and commerce. His plans are to evolve the shop into a “neighborhood utility store” by adding more tools and fix-it items, and conscious consumers can expect the shelves to offer more new art supplies, because

“sometimes you just want a full marker.” So stop it with the hipster jokes already: Starlandia might be a wacky galaxy of wonderful weirdness, but its ideology is here to stay. “Sustainability is the core of our business plan, and I honestly believe in capitalism as the most effective way of providing resources and choices to people’s lives,” muses Edminster, twirling a paintbrush. “I really think it’s possible to have both.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up, New Store: Lucky’s Market Runner up, Green Business: Beetnix Runner up, Arts/Crafts: Hobby Lobby continues on p. 74

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BOS16 Shopping

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& Services | continued from previous page

Best Independent Bookstore

Best Lawn & Garden Store

This is a great and long overdue win for a vital local institution. Joni SaxonGiusti not only has editions you literally can’t find anywhere else, The Book Lady hosts frequent signings and local literati events such as in the Seersucker series. Runner up: E. Shaver Booksellers

It’s usually neck-and-neck each year between the Atlanta-based giant and locals Hester and Zipperer, and this year your nod went to the corporate chain. Runner up: Hester and Zipperer

The Book Lady

Best Comic Book Store Comics ‘N’ More This comics capital on Montgomery Crossroad provides the best selection for its devoted customer base. Runner up: Planet Fun

Best Musical Instrument Store Portman’s Music Superstore Portman’s is a Savannah institution and long ago expanded well beyond its roots as a school band instrument renter. Runner up: Rody’s Audio Warehouse

Best Furniture Store 24e Ruel Joyner and Co. have completed a successful rebranding of sorts, venturing into curated home furnishings in addition to the furniture offerings that are this Broughton institution’s original claim to fame. Runner up: Haverty’s

Best Cigar/Tobacco Shop Ye Olde Tobacco Shop With two locations, one downtown and one on Eisenhower, to serve your artisanal tobacco desires. Runner up: Savannah Cigars Inc.

Best Smoke Shop MAY 25-31, 2016

Planet 3

Sharing a retail space with Planet 3’s piercing parlor, the smoke shop offers a wide range of paraphernalia for your advanced enjoyment. Runner up: Ye Olde Tobacco Shop

Home Depot

Best Motorcycle Dealer Savannah Harley Davidson American Iron, Savannah style. Runner up: Honda Yamaha of Savannah

Best Scooter Dealer Motorini Vespa of Savannah This paradise of hot little numbers for rent or sale recently moved to West Duffy Street. Runner up: Hawg Scooters

Best Bicycle Shop Quality Bike Shop This Montgomery Crossroad stalwart of the local bicycling scene has a large showroom from which to pick your pedal power. Runner up: Bicycle Link

Best Place to Buy a New Car Best Place to Buy a Used Car Grainger Honda This longtime family-owned business is a repeat winner in both these categories. They have satisfied literally generations of happy customers in the Savannah area. Runner up, New and Used: Savannah Toyota

Best Automotive Repair Savannah Toyota This year you picked a new winner in this category. Based on Abercorn Extension near the end of the Truman Parkway, Savannah Toyota has a team of trained Toyota-Scion specialists. Runner up: Mall Auto Repair

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Best Vape Shop photo by jon waits

Vape Savvy

The hottest trend in inhalation has swept the country into its sweet-smelling plume, and Savannah is no exception. Out of the many vape shops that have popped up around town in the past year, discerning vapers have elevated Vape Savvy as their favorite outpost. The retail hangout recently relocated from downtown to Whitemarsh Island next to Wiley’s BBQ, offering an even larger selection of top-of-the line equipment and an e-liquid menu reminiscent of a hipster donut shop, with complex flavors like “Lenola Cream” and “Chocolate Peanut Butter Infused with Maple Pecans” crafted from scratch by resident e-juicemaster Bobby Goldner. The new space is three times larger than the original, with a VIP lounge atmosphere featuring leather couches and a pool table for fostering the “mixing of the minds” that comes with vape culture. “Vapers forge strong bonds,” Vape Savvy’s owner Jason Luu told us earlier this year. “People are so thankful to be off cigarettes that they come together.” Indeed, vaping has been hailed as way to reduce nicotine dependence since the amount of the addictive substance can be controlled. However, the habit is still subject to local smoking ordinances and federal regulations, and vapers continue to face ongoing criticism of their habit. But vapers can puff with pride at Vape Savvy with a community of like-lunged folks who enjoy the tobacco-less life. Says Luu: “There are no butts, no ashtrays to empty...this is a much cleaner lifestyle.”—Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: Southeast Vapes

continues on p. 76

SAVANNAH 50 Berwick Blvd Suite 360 912.233.8810

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MAY 25-31, 2016

VOTED BEST PET GROOMING! THANKS SAVANNAH!

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Best Place for Tires Savannah Tire With nine, count ‘em, nine locations throughout the area, Savannah Tire is where the rubber meets the road. Runner up: SOS Tire & Auto

Best Car Wash Savannah Car Wash This megasite on Abercorn offers all your motor vehicle hygiene needs and is a perennial winner in this category. They have expanded their clean machine empire to Pooler. Runner up: Auto Shine Car Wash

Best Rental Car Company Enterprise Rent-A-Car Savannah likes to beam up its rental car needs to the Starship Enterprise. Runner up: Budget Car Rental

Best Men’s Clothing Store

J. Parker Limited photo by jon waits

MAY 25-31, 2016

J. Parker Limited has been dressing Savannah men head to toe for business and pleasure since 1971, ever since Jimmy Parker made his stand on Southern style with his knit collared shirts emblazoned with a crab. Now located on the sunny side of Broughton Street, this Savannah staple offers everything for the discerning Lowcountry gentleman: Tailored suits, crisp shirts, rainbows of Robert Talbott bowties and High Cotton pocket squares. There’s also essential collections of quality weekend wear and accessories, perfect for going from the dock to the club. (Those Bermuda shorts with the embroidered palmetto trees are a must for oyster roast season!) While the clientele tends to be all about the classics, Parker’s son, Kieffer, who’s run the shop for ages, has noticed some changes in the trends. “Guys are more concerned about fit and fabric now than any time I’ve ever seen,” marvels the style scion. 76 “We’re seeing trimmer lines and shorter jacket lengths.”

If the thought of giving up your stretched-out t-shirts and dressing like a grown man strikes fear in your heart and wallet, Kieffer and his staff of helpful haberdashers are here to help. There’s something on the ready-to-wear racks to fit any budget and occasion, and they’ll be honest on whether you’re the type of gent who can pull off a seersucker suit. When in doubt, Kieffer says Savannah’s best-dressed dudes can always rely on the traditional Southern uniform: “You just can’t go wrong with a navy blazer and well-fitting pair of khakis.” He also has a vital piece of advice for young men just beginning to build their wardrobes. “The one item that should be in every guy’s closet is a charcoal gray suit,” he counsels. “You can wear it to a wedding or a funeral, and it works in every season.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner up: Banana Republic

Best Place to Buy a Boat Best Sporting Goods Store Bass Pro Shops If you go in Bass Pro, be careful. It’s hard to come out of there without loading up on some of the great stuff they have in so many different departments. You might have to buy a boat just to get it all home. Runner up, Buy a Boat: Sea Ray of Savannah Runner up, Sporting Goods: Half Moon Outfitters

Best Art Supply Store Best Frame Shop Blick Art Materials The Blick story in Savannah is linked to the tale of the old and much-beloved Primary Art Supply, the labor of love of the late, great Robyn Reeder. A win/win negotiation when Blick came to town kept alive the spirit of Primary, just down the street in a much bigger space on Broughton. Runner up, Art Supply: Starlandia Creative Supply Runner up, Frame Shop: Frame of Mind

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Best Local Toy Store Planet Fun Another win and a great success story in this category for a local store over the big corporate chain. Planet Fun not only offers toys, but comics and collectibles. Runner up: Toys ‘R’ Us

Best Daycare Maggie’s Morning School Colorful crafts and creative classrooms are part of the child-centered philosophy at Maggie’s, where kids love to play all day long. Runner up: Savannah Christian Prep

Best Children’s Clothing Store Sara Jane Children’s Boutique A fifth win in a row for this popular boutique on 37th Street. Sara Jane is the namesake of owner/operator Sara Jane Strickland Stroupe, who parlayed an education at SCAD and Ole Miss and a corporate background into the perfect mix of fashion sense and business acumen. Runner up: Punch and Judy

Best Clothing Boutique Red Clover Fun, fashion-forward youthful style for all ages and attitudes. Runner up: Anthropologie

Best Women’s Clothing Store Best Thrift/Vintage Best Consignment Civvies Like Blick, the Civvies story is also linked to the late Robyn Reeder, who opened it in an upstairs space on Broughton Street. That building was sold recently—not to Ben Carter as is often thought—and Civvies came full circle, back in the old Primary Art Supply space opened by Reeder herself. Runner up, Women’s: Red Clover Runner up, Thrift/Vintage Clothing: The Future on Forsyth

Best Local Clothing Designer Brooke Atwood Savannah style with New York attitude is why she’s a winner. Runner up: Emily Bargeron

Best Fashion Accessory Store

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The Future on Forsyth Last year’s “Best New Store” is now first in your heart for accessories. Runner up: Civvies

Best Shoe Store Globe Shoe Company Broughton Street institution that survived the Ben Carter influx is still going strong after over a century in business. Runner up: Fleet Feet continues on p. 78

Thank You for voting us

BEST HEATING AND AIR SERVICE COMPANY ! (912) 756-6688 CANADYS.COM

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MAY 25-31, 2016

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& Services | continued from previous page Runner up: Joker Novelties

Best Bead Store

Best Lingerie Store

Epiphany Bead & Jewelry Studio

Victoria’s Secret

You got a bead on the best beads that’s ever been, or been seen.

Best Jewelry Store Levy Jewelers A favorite longtime Savannah institution, now occupying the city’s premier real estate corner at Bull and Broughton. Runner up: Zia Boutique

Best Costume Store ACME Costumes

If you buy their stuff, you will look exactly like the models in the window displays. Trust us. Runner up: Joker Novelties

Best Gift Store Savannah Bee Company One of the great Savannah retail success stories of recent years, this unique retail/gift/gourmet shop has several locations, with an important environmental message as well. Save The Bees! Runner up: Paris Market & Brocante

They put the Midnight in the Garden in Garden City. Runner up: Land of Misfit Toys

Best Antique Shop

Best Adult Toy Store

Habersham Antique Market & Collectibles

Sunset Novelties A beloved family-run operation joyfully serving your grown-up proclivities since 2002, and winning this category in pretty much every year it’s been open.

This wonderful, rambling space has a great, one-of-a-kind find around every corner. Runner up: Jere’s Antiques

Best Dry Cleaner

David’s Dry Cleaners With three locations around town, this family-owned business is devoted to keeping you looking sharp and is staying on top of the latest eco-friendly industry developments. Runner up: Savannah Dry Cleaners

Best Pest Control Yates Astro Termite & Pest The Savannah-born Yates is nearly a century in business, with locations all along coastal Georgia. Runner up: Orkin

Best Outdoor Outfitters Half Moon Outfitters This Charleston-based regional chain has had a longtime presence on Broughton Street, with clothing and camping gear for any outdoor-minded person. Runner up: Bass Pro Shops

Best Lighting Store Circa Lighting This veteran winner in this retail category is one of the anchor institutions in the Downtown Design District on Whitaker near Forsyth Park. Runner up: Pace Lighting

Best Flooring Store Floor & Décor True Story: The Connect offices were once located right where this large fullservice flooring store is now. We are lobbying to get a wing named for us. Or perhaps a modest plaque. Runner up: Coastal Floor Covering, Inc.

Best Heating & Air Canady’s Precision Air Conditioning & Heating A quarter century of cooling. And heating! The only climate change is through your thermometer. Runner up: McDevitt Air

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MAY 25-31, 2016

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Best Jewelry Designer

Zia Sachedina

photo by jon waits

This might be a first time win for Zia in this category, but that just means we’re finally catching up with the rest of the world’s obsession with his jewelry. His striking designs have been featured in Vogue, Ebony and other glossy magazines adorning stars and supermodels, and pair of his chunky earrings made a stunning appearance on an episode of “Gossip Girl.” Celebrity stylists go mad for his African-influenced Kalahari collection, featured last year at the Telfair Fashion Show. The Kenyan-born Zia has been bringing global style to the corner of Broughton and Montgomery for 11 years via his eponymous boutique, where he started out showcasing the jewelry of others. But after a couple of years, an urge emerged to bring his own visions to the napes and earlobes of his clients. “I couldn’t find what I wanted to sell at the trade shows, so I began creating my own designs,” says the artistic entrepreneur. That quickly led to a wholesale venture that at its peak supplied his beautiful bangles, necklaces and earrings to 400 stores in seven countries, though these days he has dialed back to offering them exclusively at his elegant Savannah shop and on his website. “I was always out of the country, and while that was wonderful, it became exhausting after a while,” laments Zia, who recently renovated an exquisite townhome on Calhoun Square with his partner, Eli Hale. Domestic bliss hasn’t slowed down his productivity, and Zia continues to conceive unique accessories for the fashion forward. His crazy sexy body chains complement formal dresses or bikinis, and the long strands of beads and pearls he calls “modern rosaries” are statements unto themselves. Combining fanciful stones like cinnabar and gaspeite, a lime green carbonate from Australia, with delicate sculptures of gold and sterling silver, his nature-inspired pieces reflect his international upbringing and jet-setting travels. “I love tropical places, anywhere hot where the food is spicy and the foliage is really lush,” he says, holding up a necklace of sea foam stones that evokes the movement of a cascading waterfall. He describes a recent trip to Bali, where he sat on a hillside studying the swaying of the grass in the breeze for hours with his sketchbook. “The natural world is so mesmerizing,” says Zia. “I want to capture that movement and curvature.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos Runner-up: Phyllis Lang continues on p. 80

MAY 25-31, 2016

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Best Hotel Best New Hotel

Best Landscaping Company photo by jon waits

Victory Gardens

The guys at Victory Gardens believe the best kind of landscaping is native, environmentally responsible—and best case scenario—edible. Organic farmers Reid Archer and Kerry Shay first forged their partnership running Bethesda Academy’s garden program and created their own company in 2013 to bring the joys of backyard homesteading to the masses. With a mission of “crafting ecological and abundant spaces for coastal Georgia,” the tilling team has built hundreds of garden beds around town and filled them with seedlings cultivated on leased acreage behind their headquarters at the Old Dairy off Tennessee Ave. They’re responsible for the bountiful landscapes growing at Trustees Garden and several schools as well as private residences, and they offer year round services to keep the land flourishing. “We don’t do the ‘mow and blow’ stuff, but we maintain gardens, remove invasive species and fertilize the soil,” says Shay. They’ve recently added hardscapes to their menu, creating patios and flagstone paths through the foliage. Always in demand are their aluminum-sided garden beds and drip irrigation systems that save water, and they continue to seek out more knowledge as their field expands. “We really value the spirit of craftsmanship,” Shay vows. “We want to build thing that are durable and serve somebody a long time.” Both the daddies of young kids, the owners of Victory Gardens have plans for their business as their families grow. Their land will soon yield a crop of sweet potatoes to sell at the farmers market, and plans are in motion for a retail shop to provide veggies, tools and other essentials for the urban farmer. But no matter how much their ventures yield, their commitment to the values they’ve seeded remain strong. “We do everything organically,” promises Shay. “Not once have we sprayed a non-organic chemical on anything.” —Jessica Leigh Lebos 80 Runner up: RP Shaver Lawn & Garden

MAY 25-31, 2016

Andaz Best Upscale Bar Best Place for Craft Cocktails

22 Square

What makes a good hotel great? Every hotel has its fluffy pillows, helpful staff and killer amenities (indoor pool, we’re looking at you). Hotels are, after all, in the hospitality industry, so it stands to reason that they excel at hospitality. And since Savannah is a city known for its Southern hospitality, the best hotel here has to truly stand out. The difference with Andaz is that it goes above and beyond for its guests and its locals. It’s becoming a destination for people who live within city limits, just as it’s a destination for people looking to explore the city. “I think there are a lot of Savannahians that are coming out and finding the Andaz and the restaurant,” says general manager Sid Ramani. “I think we have an amazingly unique experience. People have the most genuine, authentic hospitality experience here.” Besides hosting guests, Andaz hosts plenty of events, like art receptions and parties, which draw in people from all over town. Once there, they experience 22 Square, the restaurant attached to the hotel. 22 Square is a farm-to-table restaurant that uses local and ethical ingredients, like grass-fed beef and produce from the Forsyth Farmer’s Market. That approach may be more expensive, but it’s worth it for the quality it provides. “We incur a much higher food cost, but we run it efficiently in ways that other hotels would find unacceptable,” Ramani explains. “It is truly genuine and local; it’s more than marketing.” The Andaz staff cares about the treatment out-of-towners get. Tourists leave the Andaz feeling like they belong in Savannah, thanks to the hospitality they receive while they’re here. “We do a tremendous job of truly putting people out of town in touch with Savannah and giving them a good experience in a very authentic way,” says Ramani. “It’s the real deal, I think—if you walk into the hotel, you can feel it.” —Rachael Flora Runner up, Hotel: The Bohemian Runner up, New Hotel: The Brice Runner-up, Upscale Bar: Rocks on the Roof Runner-up, Cocktails: Jen’s & Friends

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Best Surf Shop High Tide Surf Shop on Tybee Jeff Spicoli shops here. Runner up: Waves

Best Maid Service Merry Maids This franchised chain has a very strong presence in the area and is a perennial winner in this category. Runner up: Saved by the Belles Cleaning and Concierge

Best Mall/Shopping Center Oglethorpe Mall The Oglethorpe Mall is the O.G. Runner up: Tanger Outlets

Best Florist John Davis Congrats to John on his recent marriage to Jennifer Abshire! So who provided the flowers for your wedding? … Just kidding. Runner up: Garden on the Square

Best Photography Service Bay Camera Company Longtime veteran winners in this category, holding down the action at Habersham Village. Runner up: Geoff L. Johnson Photography

Best Photo Studio Daly and Salter Photography Studio

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICE

They have been chronicling area nuptials since the 1960s. Runner up: Christine Hall

Best Pawn Shop Welsh Pawn If you need it, they got it. Over 100 years in operation, now with two Savannah locations and one in Rincon. Runner up: Cash American Pawn

818 Abercorn Street // 912.233.7708 www.dalyandsalterphoto.com // studio@dalyandsalterphoto.com

Best Pet Store Best Pet Boutique Tailsspin Pet Supplies This fast-rising local retail presence now has a trio of locations, the flagship store in Habersham Village, and a Whitemarsh and a Pooler store. Runner up, Pet Store: PetSmart Runner up, Pet Boutique: Woof Gang Bakery

Best Pet Grooming Top Dog Grooming Spa In a seasonally driven place like Savannah, your top dog needs top-notch grooming. Runner up: PetSmart

Best Pet Daycare Catnip-n-Biscuits Doggie Day Care and Luxury Pet Hotel This fun spot at tucked behind the Victory and Skidaway location has ample outdoor play space. Runner up: Club Fido & Friends

continues on p. 83

Savannah’s Best

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BEST Real Estate Company

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Best Window Display

Paris Market & Brocante

MAY 25-31, 2016

Part of Paris Market’s magic is its awe-inspiring window displays. Every season, the front and side windows are transformed into intricate, imaginative scenes, thought up by Paula Danyluk and brought to life by interior design assistant and store manager Aeriel Whitworth and her team. The windows facing Broughton are more sophisticated, while the side windows lining Whitaker are decorated in kid-friendly themes—this spring’s is Mary Mary Quite Contrary. Danyluk and co. check out Pinterest, magazines and other storefronts to get inspiration for their windows. “Recently, we went to High Point, a big furniture store in North Carolina,” Whitworth says. “They had really amazing showrooms to get inspiration from, 82 too. It’s cool to see what all the furniture

companies are doing and what the trends are.” The windows change with the seasons and the trends, Whitworth says. “Right now, we have a spring garden window since it’s spring,” she explains. “We’ll be switching over to summer windows, and we’re doing kind of a nautical theme for that, like boats. We’re going to do an octopus, we’re going to make sea creatures out of foam.” The team used to change the windows monthly, but the process of switching out the windows can get complicated. “They take so much effort to do that we want to leave them up and have people be able to appreciate them for a couple months,” Whitworth says. When possible, Danyluk tries to use local designers in their windows. Recently, Lovelane Designs, a local

children’s play wear line, collaborated with the store. “She brought us a teepee and put that in front when we did a camping scene last summer,” says Whitworth. “It’s fun collaborating with people for the windows.” Paris Market also uses products found in the store for the windows, though Whitworth emphasizes that it’s not about selling the products. “We try to make it store items because a lot of times people will call and be like, ‘Oh, I love that peacock that you have in your window! Is it for sale?’ And we can say yes,” she explains. “There was a time we did a beach scene and we added more products to it because it didn’t have enough, so we added some skincare products and shells we sell in the store.” With the expansion and

commercialization of Broughton Street, local stores like Paris Market feel special, even rare. The windows always draw attention from tourists, and Whitworth is proud to tell them that Paris Market is one of a kind. “We have a lot of people come in and ask, ‘Oh, are there a lot of other local shops like this?’ So we try to point them out to Prospector or Sylvester and Co.,” she says. “I feel like that’s what people want. They don’t want the big box stores.” Thanks to those windows, Paris Market can continue attracting attention and being that local flavor Broughton Street desperately needs. —Rachael Flora Runner up: 24e

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Best Boutique Hotel

Best Law Firm

Best Realtor

Bohemian Hotel

Michael Hostilo Attorneys at Law

Chelsea Phillips

Not the first of the Kessler wave of high-quality boutique offerings around town, but definitely your favorite. Runner up: Andaz

Best Bed & Breakfast The Marshall House

OK, so y’all got a bit abstract with this one. The Marshall House of course isn’t technically a B&B—nor is it actually a B&B at all—but what the voters clearly meant is that it has the luxurious feel and ample customer attention of a Bed & Breakfast. Runner up: The Gastonian

Best Lawyer Joel Gerber A refreshing new name in this category, this comparatively low-controversy attorney engages in less-glamorous pursuits than most previous winners, mostly in real estate law. Runner up: Jamie Casino

This well-known personal injury attorney has a devoted following in the region and is a very frequent winner in this category. Runner up: Jamie Casino

Best Local Insurance Agency Sam Sharpe of State Farm Sam is so sharp they had to add an “e” to his name so dictionaries would stop putting is picture by the word “sharp.” Runner up: Bernard Williams

Best Realty Company Keller Williams Realty This firm is doing great business in the real estate recovery. Runner up: Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty

Chelsea will sell your house even if you don’t want her to. Just kidding, she’s the best! Runner up: Don Callahan

Best Home Security Company

Best Self Storage Chatham Parkway Self Storage The least glamorous but arguably in the top ten most important industries. Runner up: 24 Hour Self Store

Best Apartment Community Buccaneer Trace Apartments

For the most peace of mind in a dangerous place and time. Runner up: Safe Touch

Great shady, wooded, attractive lots and landscaping at this Wilmington oasis. Runner up: Panther Effingham Parc

Best Local Moving Company

Best Local Homebuilder

ADT

Two Men and A Truck Perennial winners in this category. Almost makes you want to move just to hire them. Almost. Runner up: American Moving and Storage

Fred Williams Homes Survived the downturn in fine form and is prospering in the upturn. Runner up: Beacon Builders Inc.

continues on p. 83

CHELSEA PHILLIPS Thank you for being SO smart 4 years in a row & voting your truly,

912.509.0522 ChelseaP@kw.com

BEST OF SAVANNAH • 2014 •

MAY 25-31, 2016

Chelsea Phillips

BEST Real Estate Agent

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Best Local Nail Technician

Ashleigh Young

Best Place to Work Best Physical Therapist

Sweet Water Spa

MAY 25-31, 2016

Sweet Water Spa exudes a certain kind of calmness that makes it the best place to work, but owner Somer Patton acknowledges that it takes a lot of effort to get there. “It’s not really relaxing working here!” she laughs. “It’s hectic behind the scenes, but everyone works well together.” Patton strives to keep a positive work environment in her spa, which includes culling her relatively small staff to be not only the most talented, but the most positive. “I do try to encourage positivity, and I don’t normally keep people around if they seem to be more of a negative type of person,” she explains. “Constant complaining affects everybody and creates resentment we don’t need. Our job is to relax people—life is stressful enough.” Sarah McNamara, head massage therapist at the spa, is that kind of positive that Patton likes to keep around. She loves that her boss lets everyone be themselves. “She sees everyone’s uniqueness and lets us be that way,” McNamara says. “Everyone has their own style of 84 doing things, and she’s more about celebrating you and

how you are instead of making everyone conform. I like that.” “We do have certain protocols for certain services, certain things I want them all to do the same, but I also want them to have their own identity,” Patton explains. “One therapist isn’t for everybody. I want them to have their own identity. That helps them build their clientele.” Both McNamara and Patton acknowledge that other spas are strict and tend to go by the book, but when every customer has different needs, tuning in with them becomes more important than procedure. “When it comes to massage, what separates a lot of people is just that they are really in tune with their client and their energy,” McNamara explains. “Energy is a big part of all spas.” “I’ve been doing massage for a long time, and I never liked that every place I worked they wanted to tell me how to do my massage,” says Patton, who’s owned the spa since 2011. “I did’t want to conform to their ideas.” With every appointment, McNamara follows up with her clients on post-massage care to ensure they get the

photo by Rachel Flora

Left to right: Megan Turner, Sarah McNamara, Tanner Leekley, Somer Patton, Kelliama Aman, Ashleigh Young.

most out of their experience. “I’d rather you go home and feel good the next day, rather than just have the great experience that one day,” she says. That caring aspect is present throughout the entire spa, from the top down. “Somer is really understanding about everyone’s needs and everything. She actually does care,” says McNamara. “I have bosses that literally work you to death and don’t care. She’d rather you do a good job and give it a hundred percent than be really tired.” Patton’s easygoing management style is obviously working out. “I think I’m pretty laid back, and I have certain things I’m very particular about,” Patton says, “but as long as everyone’s showing up on time and being professional in front of the clients, it’s all good.” —Rachael Flora Runner-up, Work: Gulfstream Aerospace Runner-up, Therapy: Ernest Ledesma Runner-up, Nail Tech: Cora Lynn Crystal, Spa Bleu

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Best New Home Community Teal Lake This new community by Lamar Smith between Hwy 17 and I-95 is close to a road named—wait for it— Chief of Love Road. We kid you not. Runner up: Bradley Pointe Apartments

Best Computer Repair Digital Doc Ghosted your files? Lacerated your laptop? 86ed your PC? Whacked your Mac? Take the wreckage to Digital Doc. Runner up: Tech Yeah

Best Cellular Service Provider Verizon Wireless A consistent winner in this category which affects everyone so much today. Runner up: AT&T

Best Cellphone Repair iRepair While a cracked screen is itself a fashion accessory among tweens, you may actually need to use your phone like a grownup. Take the brick to iRepair at one of several locations around town. Runner up: iDoctor

Best Bank Wells Fargo People who switch to Wells Fargo typically wonder why they didn’t do it sooner. Runner up: Suntrust

Thank you for voting us

Best Taxi Service

Best Clot hing Boutique!

Savannah Pedicab One of the oldest pedicab companies in the South is still your favorite go-to when you’re out and about downtown. Runner up: Yellow Cab of Savannah

Best Limo Service

THANK YOU FOR WEARING CLOTHES & VOTING US BEST OF SAVANNAH!

Coastal Limousine When you’ve got to roll in style. Runner up: Above & Beyond Limousine Service

Store or Business You’re Most Sorry to See Close Johnny Harris The longtime Victory Drive institution, complete with Glenn Miller-era ballroom will close at the end of this month pending an as-yet-to-be determined retail development which at one point threatened to take up 11 acres in this already crowded commercial corridor. Runner up: Hang Fire

Best Category We Forgot Best Drag Queen Many attempts at timely humor come to mind but discretion being the better part of valor, we’ll just leave this right here. Runner up: Best Facials/Skincare

Savannah’s Green Dry Cleaner!

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THANK YOU CONNECT SAVANNAH READERS FOR VOTING US

“Best Place for Tires”

2016

Best Credit Union Navy Federal Credit Union

9 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

Fans of credit unions will tell you there’s not really such a thing as a bad credit union. But your vote this year went to Navy Federal. Runner up: Georgia Heritage Federal

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music local spotlight

Thomas Oliver: Catching songs

One of the forces behind Savannah Songwriters Series muses on mystery of creativity By Orlando Montoya

SAVANNAHPODCAST.COM

MAY 25-31, 2016

AS I WRITE this, a California songwriter named Jonathan Mann is 2,688 days (that’s seven years) into a project to write a new song each and every day. Here on another coast, Tybee Island songwriter Thomas Oliver isn’t nearly that prolific. But the former Atlanta newspaper reporter does write a lot. “I don’t give myself deadlines on songs,” he says. “But I write every day.” Oliver’s “Song Blog” appears to be churning out new creations at the rate of about two a month these days. But who’s counting when the muse is calling? “I try to make myself open and aware of situations that would create songs,” he says of his creative process. “That’s one of the reasons why I journal.”

Writers need discipline. Believe me. It’s easy just to stare at a blank page. Oliver’s dedication is admirable and worthy of my own deadline-setting. “The really good songs you catch,” he says. “You need to be there. It’s going to come by and if you’re not there, you’re going to miss it.” So his pocket always holds pen and paper, something his father taught him to do. Song ideas spring from conversations, travels and the glory of living. “I’ve written songs that were really good that I was scared I’d never be able to do it again because I didn’t understand how I was able to do it,” he says. The mystery of creativity intoxicates him. So does the mystery of how some songs become laser beams into listener hearts while others zoom past them. He relates a story about how one of his songs, “Don’t Worry About Me,” really touched a woman profoundly. He later found out that she was dying.

“You think you’re toiling in obscurity and nobody hears you or pays you and then you have an experience like that,” he says. “It blows you away.” This happened in the beautiful main dining room of Johnny Harris restaurant where Oliver used to corral the monthly Savannah Songwriters Series. The alliterative musical showcase now plays at the Tybee Post Theater since the iconic eatery decided to close. It’s a continuing labor of love for Oliver. “It was to foster more appreciation of original music and foster a community of songwriters,” he says. “A place they know that they can be appreciated.” The acoustic champion has released about six different albums and has won Georgia Music Industry Association “Best of Country” Awards five times. But when he made that move from Atlanta to Tybee in 2008, he clearly shed some of his Merle Haggard country swing. He chalks that up to Doc’s Bar.

“It literally changed my life,” he says of the landmark Tybee Island watering hole. “I met some of the people who are now my closest friends there.” He sat in at Doc’s Tuesday jam sessions for five years, rediscovering Tom Waits and the Grateful Dead through the selections of all his new friends. Tybee is a place like that. Now what comes from his pen is a mix of all his journeys. But I’ll say his voice still has the lilt of Alabama’s Randy Owens. “Any songwriter, the ones I know and admire and the one I try to be, tries to absorb what he’s experiencing, the environment and the people,” he says. In other words, surround yourself with good people and grow and change from their presence and what they can teach you in their words and deeds. I know I’ve done exactly that over 18 years of interviewing people that I’m grateful to have here in the Coastal Empire, including Thomas Oliver. cs

“I try to make myself open and aware of situations that would create songs,” he says of his creative process. “That’s one of the reasons why I journal.” Photo by Craig Tanner

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Fetish Night: Alice in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass @The Wormhole

Freedom Fighter Show: A Fundraiser for Josh Taft’s Legal Expenses @Sulfur Studios Annex

On April 23, local musician and activist Josh Taft was arrested for protesting against the KKK at a white supremacist rally in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon while seated peacefully on a park bench, the Stone Mountain Police Department stated that Taft threw smoke bombs/ fireworks at the police with intention to harm them. While Taft resiliently stood at the front lines of the protest, shot by rubber bullets, he never harmed another human being in the process. Even when punched in the face by a fellow protestor while Taft attempted to put out a fire started by a protestor, he remained peaceful. The Generation Pill bassist was bonded out of jail but has a long legal battle ahead of him. All funds from Wednesday’s concert will go directly to his legal expenses. The Freedom Fighter show features performances from Culture Vulture, Xuluprophet, FAMLe, and Taft’s own The Hippie and the Punk. Local dance/flow group The Stardust Pixxies will appear, as well. Wednesday, June 1, 7:30 p.m., $8 via Eventbrite.com, $10 at the door, all-ages

THE

Clavvs Photo by Leah Roth

Torpo Photo by Sean Thomas

Freedom Fighter

music The band page

Aphelion Records Launch Party/Album Release @The Jinx

The good folks over at The Garage Savannah, a recording studio/rehearsal/music lesson space that’s become a staple of Savannah’s scene, are taking things to the next level: creating their own record label. On Thursday, The Garage’s Matt Collett and Colin Motlagh bring a thrilling mix of local and regional talent to The Jinx stage. “I wanna throw a lot of different stuff at everyone,” Collett says of the lineup. Savannah’s own DJ Skypager kicks off the evening and will fill in between sets. Atlanta electro-pop outfit CLAVVS open the night. Featuring four-time Grammy winner Graham Marsh and Amber Renee, the duo spin shadowy pop with ethereal synths and Renee’s sultry vocals. Collett and Motlagh’s own band, BEAR FiGHT, take the stage after CLAVVS, followed by Savannah’s Isaac Smith, and then a wealth of Savannah’s best hip-hop artists and rappers: TAZ GUTTA, Torpo Be Stickin, Clay Hodges, Don Doe, Z Dolla, and Yung Mike. “This is less of a label and more of a collective,” Collett explains of Aphelion. “Part of our idea with the label is for our projects to be able to put them all in one place, link to artists and other material, and build a hub for any artists that want to help with it.” All the material released on Aphelion is produced by Collett and Motlagh. “We’re not developing anybody,” Collett explains. “They’ve all been doing their thing for a long time. Since Colin and I’ve been in the game, we’ve navigated between everything, every kind of music. It’s crazy to my friends—they don’t understand why we’re doing this at 30 years old. But having the studio platform home base, I want to start really combining these events and combining what we’re involved in. I want to make Savannah un-ignorable on all fronts, besides the heavy music scene.” Aphelion Records has a sampler up on Soundcloud; go give it a spin and get an earful of the incredible talent they’re cultivating. Thursday, May 26, 10 p.m., 21+

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Dovetailing with the world premiere of Disney’s latest Alice in Wonderland installment, Chris Cook Theme Parties presents an evening of kinky fun down the Worm—er, rabbit—hole. Start off with a killer costume and earn prizes in the best-dressed competition. Classical, kinky, or Gothic Alice in Wonderland-themed attire is encouraged, so find your best hat for a Mad Hatter, some devilish kitty ears for a truly mischievous Cheshire Cat, or break out the hearts for a Red Queen ensemble. Dressing up is not required, but it certainly makes the evening more fun for all. The Tied & Tasseled Fetish Cabaret has a special show in store with performances from Ginger Von Bleu, Bo Blush, Cocktavian, Daniel Holmes, Kim the Dancing Fool, Stella Galore, Sweet Caroline, Sarah So Rude, Mona Ramona, and Sparkle Kittie. Analog Kid will spin all night, and there’s plenty of trouble to get into in the free play area, including rope play and suspension. Friday, May 27, doors at 9 p.m., music at 10 p.m., show at 11 p.m., costume contest at 1 p.m., tickets via wormholebar.com ($5 early bird, $10 general admission, $20 premium with table service)

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Glass Mansions

The Grand Gestures

music The band page

Glass Mansions, The Wave Slaves @The Sentient Bean

The Grand Gestures, The Hypnotics @The Jinx

Glass Mansions, formerly known as Death of Paris, have been a Savannah favorite for awhile. Hailing from Columbia, South Carolina, the poprock group makes an exciting kind of hook-laden electro-pop helmed by Jayna Doyle’s magnetic vocals. Latest single “Matches” is heavy on the Metric and Paramore influence with hard-hitting drums, soaring synths, and showy guitar riffs. Local surf-rockers The Wave Slaves join the bill. Friday, May 27, 8 p.m., $5 suggested donation, all-ages

Savannah’s honky-tonk super-group returns for an evening of rock ‘n’ roll and good times. Featuring City Hotel’s Aaron Zimmer, Cory Chambers, Jay Rudd and Anthony Teixeira, local guitar hero Anders Thomsen (Anders Thomsen Trio, Damon & The Shitkickers), Colleen Heine (The Accomplices), Jared Hall (Velvet Caravan) and Chris Fullerton (Savannah Theater), it’s boot-scoot boogie fun in the vein of Diamond Rugs, George Jones, and Patsy Cline. Throwback garage wizards The Hypnotics bring classic rock ‘n’ roll flash to the evening. Friday, May 27, 10 p.m., 21+

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or l f Out l Ca ke Ta

MAY 25-31, 2016

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Music Wednesday / 25

Barrelhouse South Ben Lewis Bay Street Blues Hitman Bayou Cafe Thomas Claxton Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Thea, piano/vocals Boomy’s Eric Culberson Band coffee deli Acoustic Jam Driftaway Cafe Chuck Courtenay El-Rocko Lounge Happy Hour w/ Anders Thomsen Jazz’d Tapas Bar Jeff Beasley Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub Carroll Brown Rachael’s 1190 Jeremy Riddle The Sandbar Open Mic SEED Eco Lounge Latin Music Night Treehouse Wobble Wednesday Vic’s on The River Jimmy Frushon The Warehouse Jubal Kane Wild Wing Cafe Brandon Reeves The Wormhole Open Mic

Trivia & Games

The Chromatic Dragon Geeky Trivia Night The Jinx Rock n Roll Bingo Rachael’s 1190 Team Trivia Tailgate Trivia World of Beer Trivia

Karaoke

Ampersand Karaoke Club One Karaoke Hercules Bar & Grill Karaoke Little Lucky’s Karaoke McDonough’s Karaoke Mediterranean Tavern Karaoke hosted by K-Rawk Wet Willie’s Karaoke

Comedy

Mutuals Club Phatt Katt Comedy Thang

Little Lucky’s DJ Mixx Masta Matao SEED Eco Lounge DJ Cesar

Thursday / 26

MAY 25-31, 2016

Barrelhouse South Ancient Sun w/Xuluprophet Bay Street Blues Hitman Bayou Cafe Eric Culberson Band Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Nancy Witt (piano and vocals) Cocktail Co. Open Mic Huc-A-Poo’s At Sundown Jazz’d Tapas Bar Trae Gurley The Jinx Aphelion Records Launch Party Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub Carroll Brown Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub Harbor Pilots North Beach Grill Chambers and Rudd The Foundery Coffee Pub Open Mic 90 Vic’s on The River Jimmy

Soundboard Frushon Wild Wing Cafe Bucky & Barry Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) CC Witt The Wormhole Mobile Deathcamp, Citadel

Scarlet Unplugged World of Beer (Pooler) Prettier Than Matt The Wormhole Pussy Launcher, Goodfires, Push, Birdperson

Trivia & Games

Karaoke

The Britannia British Pub Trivia Dub’s Pub Trivia McDonough’s Trivia Mediterranean Tavern Butt Naked Trivia with Kowboi Melody’s Coastal Cafe and Sandbar Cantina Trivia Pour Larry’s Explicit Trivia Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint Trivia

Photo by Jon Waits | @JWAITSPHOTO

Anders Thomsen Trio @El-rocko lounge

Karaoke

Applebee’s Karaoke The Chromatic Dragon Karaoke Night Club One Karaoke Doodles Karaoke Thursday & Saturdays Flashback Karaoke Jukebox Bar & Grill Karaoke Little Lucky’s Karaoke McDonough’s Karaoke Mediterranean Tavern Karaoke Rachael’s 1190 Karaoke Rusty Rudders Tap House Karaoke Tailgate Open Mic World of Beer Karaoke

Congress Street Social Club DJ Blackout Little Lucky’s DJ Mixx Masta Matao Mediterranean Tavern DJ Kirby Rusty Rudders Tap House DJ Tap SEED Eco Lounge DJ Cesar

Bar & Club Events

Carnival Bar Theatre Downtown Delilahs present Le Carnivale, Where the Freaks Meet Club One Drag Show SEED Eco Lounge Daas Unterground Thursdays

Friday / 27

Barrelhouse South Josh Roberts and the Hinges, Cranford Hollow Bayou Cafe David Harbuck, Ben Keiser Band Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Nancy Witt (piano and vocals) Congress Street Social Club Tropidelic Doc’s Bar Crazy Chester Driftaway Cafe The Skiples Fannie’s on the Beach Christy Alan Band Fiore Italian Bar and Grill Anne Allman Huc-A-Poo’s Gopher Broke Jazz’d Tapas Bar Danielle Hicks and the Resistance The Jinx The Grand Gestures, The Hypnotics Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub Carroll Brown Lucky Nomads Bottles & Cans

Soundboard is a free service - to be included, please send your live music information weekly to soundboard@connectsavannah.com. Deadline for inclusion is noon monday, to appear in Wednesday’s edition. We reserve the right to edit or cut listings due to space limitations.

The rock ‘n’ roll, country, and honky-tonk vibes of Anders Thomsen and friends pair perfectly with El-Rocko’s killer happy hour specials (Jameson and Jaeger shots for $3, barrel-aged cocktails for $6, $2 bottled PBR). It’s a weekly gig, so pencil this one in to your routine. wednesday, may 25, 6 p.m., free, 21+ Mansion on Forsyth Park Tradewinds Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub The Accomplices Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub (Pooler) As Seen from Space North Beach Grill Roshambeaux Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Jody Espina Trio Ruth’s Chris Steak House David Duckworth & Kim Polote Saddle Bags 4 Year Anniversary Party w/ Parmalee The Sentient Bean The Wave Slaves, Glass Mansions Vic’s on The River Diana Rogers Wild Wing Cafe Souls Harbor, Liquid Ginger Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) 8 Mile Bend World of Beer (Pooler) Chuck Courtenay

Trivia & Games

Coach’s Corner Movies & Music Trivia

Karaoke

Bay Street Blues Karaoke The Islander Karaoke Little Lucky’s Karaoke McDonough’s Karaoke Rachael’s 1190 Karaoke Sunny’s Lounge Karaoke Tailgate Karaoke/DJ

Club 309 West DJ Zay Cocktail Co. Cocktails & Beats Doubles Nightclub DJ Sam Diamond Hercules Bar & Grill DJ Little Lucky’s DJ Sweet Treat Melissa Rusty Rudders Tap House DJ Tap SEED Eco Lounge DJ C-Rok Treehouse DJ Phive Star

Bar & Club Events

Abe’s on Lincoln DJ Doc Ock Carnival Bar Theatre Downtown

Delilahs present Le Carnivale, Where the Freaks Meet Club One Drag Show The Wormhole Alice in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass Fetish Night

Saturday / 28

17 Hundred 90 Restaurant Gail Thurmond Barrelhouse South CBDB, Roshambeaux Bayou Cafe David Harbuck, High Velocity Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Nancy Witt (piano and vocals) Casimir’s Lounge Jackson Evans Trio Coach’s Corner Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love Driftaway Cafe G.E. Perry and Strange Brew Fannie’s on the Beach Christy Alan Band The Grey Stopover in the Yard w/ Ambrose Huc-A-Poo’s Whiskey Diablo Jazz’d Tapas Bar Bottles & Cans The Jinx COEDS Single Release Party w/ Someday River, Jeff Zagers Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub Carroll Brown Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub Hitman Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub (Pooler) John O’Mary North Beach Grill Ambrose The Olde Pink House David Duckworth & Kim Polote Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Jody Espina Trio Sulfur Studios Black Tusk, Crazy Bag Lady, Lies in Stone Vic’s on The River Diana Rogers Wild Wing Cafe U-Phonik, City Hotel Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) Tell

Applebee’s Karaoke Bay Street Blues Karaoke Doodles Karaoke Thursday & Saturdays The Islander Karaoke Jukebox Bar & Grill Karaoke Little Lucky’s Karaoke McDonough’s Karaoke Melody’s Coastal Cafe and Sandbar Cantina Karaoke Rachael’s 1190 Karaoke

Cocktail Co. Cocktails & Beats Congress Street Social Club DJ Square One Doubles Nightclub DJ Sam Diamond Little Lucky’s DJ Sweet Treat Melissa Rusty Rudders Tap House DJ Tap SEED Eco Lounge DJ Pieces Treehouse DJ Phive Star

Comedy

Tybee Post Theater Collin’s Barefoot Comedy Club

Boomy’s DJ Basik Lee

Bar & Club Events

Ampersand Blues & Brews

Monday / 30

Abe’s on Lincoln Open Mike with Craig Tanner and Mr. Williams Cocktail Co. Monday Night Live Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub JJ Smith Vic’s on The River Jimmy Frushon The Wormhole Open Mic

Trivia & Games

32 Degrees Midtown Grille and Ale House Trivia The Britannia British Pub Bingo McDonough’s Trivia Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub (Pooler) Bingo

Karaoke

Bar & Club Events

Boomy’s Karaoke Club One Karaoke Little Lucky’s Karaoke McDonough’s Karaoke Wet Willie’s Karaoke

Sunday / 29

The Jinx DJ Lucky Bastard Little Lucky’s DJ Mixx Masta Matao SEED Eco Lounge DJ Pieces

Carnival Bar Theatre Downtown Delilahs present Le Carnivale, Where the Freaks Meet Club One Drag Show 17 Hundred 90 Restaurant Gail Thurmond Aqua Star Restaurant (Westin Harbor Hotel) Sunday Jazz Brunch Bayou Cafe Don Coyer Bernie’s (Tybee) Anne Allman and Michael Moody Congress Street Social Club Voodoo Soup Huc-A-Poo’s Bottles & Cans Jazz’d Tapas Bar Painter & Poet Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub Carroll Brown Marlin Monroe’s Surfside Grill Christy Alan Band North Beach Grill Jimmy Wollings Band The Olde Pink House Eddie Wilson Tybee Island Social Club Sunday Bluegrass Brunch Vic’s on The River Jimmy Frushon Wild Wing Cafe Bucky & Barry, Liquid Ginger

Trivia & Games

Lulu’s Chocolate Bar Sunday Afternoon Trivia Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill Trivia

Karaoke

Club One Karaoke McDonough’s Karaoke Tailgate Karaoke/DJ

Tuesday / 31

Bay Street Blues Ben Keiser Band Bayou Cafe Jam Night with Eric Culberson Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Thea, piano/vocals Foxy Loxy Cafe Jason Bible Jazz’d Tapas Bar Eric Britt The Jinx Hip-Hop Night Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub JJ Smith Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub Open Mic Vic’s on The River Jimmy Frushon The Warehouse Hitman Wild Wing Cafe Chuck Courtenay The Wormhole Mitchell & Friends Acoustic Happy Hour

Trivia & Games

The Chromatic Dragon Board Game Night Coach’s Corner Trivia CoCo’s Sunset Grille Trivia Congress Street Social Club Trivia Fia Rua Irish Pub Trivia Mediterranean Tavern Battle of The Sexes Game Mellow Mushroom Trivia Savannah Taphouse Trivia Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) Trivia The Wormhole Trivia

MAY 25-31, 2016

culture theatre

The Little Mermaid: ‘A special place in our cultural memory’ Savannah Children’s Theatre performs the greatest fish tale of them all by jim morekis

jim@connectsavannah.com

SINCE its release in 1989, The Little Mermaid has taken its place among the most classic Disney offerings ever. This past weekend Savannah Children’s Theatre opened its much-anticipated stage musical adaptation of Ariel’s tale. (Get it? Ariel’s tale/tail? We’re here all week folks, try the veal.) There are two more weekends left to enjoy the show. We had a quick chat with SCT director Laura Keena Wild about her life aquatic. (Hey-oooooo!) What is the appeal of The Little Mermaid? Laura: It’s a multi-generational favorite! Young parents today were kids themselves when the film came out. The Little Mermaid is hailed as the movie that breathed life back into the art of the Disney animated film and began the era of the Disney Renaissance. It holds a special place in our cultural memory. The story is perennially adored.

Ariel is played by Anna Schneider. Photo by Shannon Kuanfung

MAY 25-31, 2016

What are the main differences between the stage musical and the animated film?

Laura: The plot remains true to the beloved Disney classic, but the characters are given an more up to date point of view. The script explores the relationships between a single father raising seven teenage daughters, and ultimately a young girl trying to find her own voice.

Eric is portrayed by Harrison Redd. Photo by Shannon Kuanfung

theatre

continued from previous page

What makes this production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid so special? Laura: Above any of our past productions, we are so thrilled to include flying by ZFX, Inc, moving lights and a bevvy of hand-crafted costumes and puppets. We are really excited to offer high quality special effects in a community theatre environment. cs

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The Little Mermaid

The cast is rounded out by Thomas Houston as Sebastian (above), Finn Repella as Flounder, Ricardo Maldonado as Scuttle, Chris Bass as Triton, Laura Wild as Ursula Juan Miguel Vidales as Flotsam, Kelly Charbonneau as Jetsam, Zach Blaylock as Grimsby, and Len James as Chef Louis. Photo by Shannon Kuanfung

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Art

Patrol

Art Patrol is a free service - to be included, please send your information weekly to artpatrol@connectsavannah.com. Deadline for inclusion is 5pm Friday, to appear in next Wednesday’s edition. We reserve the right to edit or cut listings due to space limitations

Openings & Receptions

The American Dream — The photo series by Bin Feng continues to explore the idea of the American Dream from an eastern male gaze. Iconic elements such as “the white picket fence” and “the golden retriever dog” are employed to reconstruct the spectacle. Fri., May 27. Welmont Gallery, 1930 Montgomery Ave. An American Hero — An American Hero by Sidney Davidson is an illustration exhibition that uses visual metaphors to communicate ideas. Some are good, some are bad. May 27-29. Sulfur Studios, 2301 Bull Street. Grand Opening of The Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery — Join for the ribbon cutting of the only art gallery on the East Coast dedicated to Australian Aboriginal art. Enjoy complimentary Australian wine and light hors d’oeuvres, Australian Pavlova from Savannah Coffee Roasters, a live Didgeridoo performance, and a painting silent auction with proceeds benefiting The Dwayne & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah at Memorial Health. Free Wed., May 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Australian Aboriginal Art Gallery, 404 W. Broughton St. Proclivity — Proclivity is a multi-disciplinary group exhibition featuring the work of Emily Beasley, Thomas Flynn II, Christopher Mark, and Katie Smith-Day. An artist talk is scheduled for Saturday, May 28 from 1-2pm. Opening reception May 27, 6-9pm. May 2730. Non-Fiction Gallery, 1522 Bull St. Sonder — Sonder is an exhibition featuring SCAD Senior Illustration students Derik Hobbs, Francesca Killian, Sarah Evelyn Bloom, and Seth Fite. Sonder is the moment of realization that each person has a life as complex, detailed, and rich in story as your own. The works featured in the show are an exploration of various mediums and disciplines including: Printmaking, Acrylic, Digital and Traditional combined media, Original Paintings, and more. free and open to the public May 25-28, 6-9 p.m. Sulfur Studios, 2301 Bull Street. We’re Not in Kansas Anymore — We’re Not in Kansas Anymore is an exhibition of work by Justin Armstrong, Emily Parnell and Jiyeon Pereira. Through humor their work highlights the range of possibilities in representational painting. May 27-31. The Lee O’Neil Gallery, 2217 Bull Street.

Alfred Wertheimer’s photos of young Elvis are at this year’s Best Museum, the Jepson Center

Continuing Exhibits Abstract Meets Real — Gerry King, a master watercolorist, captures memories and feelings about his hometown, New Bern, in the 1970’s. Monica Rene Williams captures the subtlety and interaction of line, color and motion to absorb the viewer’s attention in the work’s hidden depth. Beach Institute, 502 E. Harris St. Art Life — Photography by Labeeb Abdullah. The Butcher Tattoo Studio, 19 East Bay St. Boxed In/Break Out — Tricia Cookson has been selected to install a site-specific work for Boxed In/Break Out. This project encouraged artists to propose a creative installation that activates six windows at the Jepson Center (facing Barnard Street) with original artwork. Cookson’s installation features colored cotton cord stretched in various patterns that progress from chaos to cohesion in the windows. Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St. Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer — Taken during the year Elvis Presley turned 21, Alfred Wertheimer’s photographs are a remarkable visual record of rock ‘n’ roll’s most enduring figure. Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St. Kim Miller and Brian Attaway — Kim Miller draws inspiration from the landscapes of coastal Georgia to create mixed media and acrylic paintings with rich color and texture. Ceramics artist Brian Attaway takes a humorous approach to his craft, inspired by the human condition. Gallery 209, 209 E River St.

Landmark: A Decade of Collecting at the Jepson Center — To celebrate the remarkable strides made in collecting during the Jepson Center era, this exhibition highlights 10 of the most significant acquisitions made from 2006 to the present. The selections include silver from the 437-object donation made in 2012 by Dr. Frank A. Rizza; a 19th-century painting of Dutch peasants by Gari Melchers; an iconic Chuck Close selfportrait; and a mixed media assemblage by contemporary artist Whitfield Lovell. Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St. Melange — Kipling Collins displays his recent paintings, and proceeds benefit United Ministries of Savannah Emmaus House Location Gallery, 417 Whitaker St. Parish Kohanim — Parish is an award winning commercial photographer and has been a Canon “Explorer of Light” since 1994. Galerie 124, 124 East Taylor Street. Prints from the Collection — This exhibit features approximately 40 European and American works dating from the 16th century through 1945 and includes works by Rembrandt, Cezanne, Degas, Renoir, Goya, and others. This exceptional exhibit at the Telfair Academy, Savannah’s only historic mansion and art museum, includes original etchings, lithographs and wood engravings on paper by Rembrandt, Cezanne, Degas, Renoir, Goya, and others. It also features American printmakers, such as Whistler and Bellows, and a special selection focused on the South. The exhibit includes one of the most recognizable images in the world, Adam and Eve, by Albrecht Dürer. Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, 121 Barnard St.

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MAY 25-31, 2016

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culture Food & Drink

Randy’s: Barbecue is as barbecue does By Jared A. Jackson

jacksonjared48@gmail.com

MAY 25-31, 2016

IN CELEBRATION of National Barbecue Month, I wanted to take the time to highlight a local restaurant that has been one of the most consistent spots our city has to offer. Now don’t plan on sitting down to eat, because this space is the definition of a “hole in the wall,” but the flavors created from the intention within that hole are well worth the energy spent licking your fingers clean. Located on Wheaton Street across from Restaurant Supply, this mom ‘n’ pop business has remained consistent for almost two decades, which explains why they usually have a line that extends to the street during lunch time. A line filled with everyday people on their break conveys a message of consistency and trust from within the neighborhoods it serves. Randy’s BBQ pays homage to its cultural roots and the influence of its recipes which have been curated for generations. You see, barbecue is not something that you can rush, and just like an oil painting, it takes a lot of intention and patience in order to create the vibration you desire on the plate. Randy’s takes that same approach, though you won’t have to wait long for your food. I believe it is so important for the identity of any restaurant to remain consistent, simple, and true to who they are. Barbecue is what Randy’s does, and they damn sure do it well. Alongside the building you can see, and smell, a few of Randy’s keys to success: their meat smokers. Stacked inside a mesh tent, the history of these smokers can almost be felt from the flavors pouring out of them. A few of them dedicated strictly for the mouthwatering rib plates that make this place locally famous. Another few dedicated toward the juicy pieces of chicken that they marinate and paint with their delicious sauce. It is in these moments when we become witnesses towards the masterful alchemy of food. The combination of these ingredients, cooked for the perfect amount of time, at a pace designed to ensure that we don’t lose a single ounce of flavor, is something that can only produce the best results. The identity of a business or a person is not what is on the surface, but rather what 96 happens behind closed doors.

Photos by Melissa DeLynn

Building a culture designed around food and dedicated to serving the neighborhood is no easy task. Taking on that responsibility and carrying out those tasks, while gaining the trust of your patrons, are signs of a business that will be here for generations to come. Savannah lacks consistent authenticity, which is why a lot of new restaurants go as quickly as they come. They lack the right intention, to keep stride beyond the waves of SCAD students and tourists. Customers can feel the time and energy put into the preparation of the food because it shines through on the plates. At Randy’s, it is apparent that magic coated on every piece of chicken and rack of ribs is the real deal. This place has what it takes, and does justice to a type of food which has been woven into the fabric of the Southern identity. The South is known for its hospitality, seafood, and barbeque. Randy’s is doing its part to make sure Savannah is represented where it is most important. If we want to continue to nourish the culture that we seek in Savannah, we have

to travel into the neighborhoods that are embracing its history. Food is a great way to see where we have been, and what direction we are moving towards. We have to embrace these locally owned businesses, especially the ones off the beaten path, because they provide the diversity of culture which pumps the life force promoting growth and change in our city. We have to go out of our way to try places we’ve never been to before, and become patrons of the “moms and

pops” that provide our city with so much authenticity. Food is the driving force of culture; therefore we must put our collective energy towards what will provide us with the richest future we can envision. Let’s keep stirring that pot. cs For more of Jared’s food writing go to www.asliceofthyme.com

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film screenshots

by Matt Brunson

Visit our website online at www.connectsavannah.com/ savannah/MovieTimes for daily movie times and trailers

multiplexes CARMIKE 10 www.carmike.com 511 Stephenson Ave. 353-8683

spotlight EISENHOWER savannah.spotlighttheatres.com/ 1100 Eisenhower Dr. 352-3533

\ REGAL SAVANNAH 10 www.regmovies.com 1132 Shawnee St. 927-7700

VICTORY SQUARE 9 www.franktheatres.com 1901 E. Victory 355-5000

Carmike WYNNSONG 11 www.carmike.com 1150 Shawnee St. 920-3994

POOLER Stadium 12 www.gtcmovies.com 425 POOLER PKWY. 330-0777

ROYAL Cinemas POOLER www.royalcinemaspooler. com 5 TOWN CENTER CT. 988-4025

Indie venues Call or Visit the venue ‘s website for specific movies and times

Muse Arts Warehouse www.musesavannah.org

MAY 25-31, 2016

703 Louisville Rd (912) 713-1137

Sentient bean www.sentientbean.com 13 E Park Ave (912) 232-4447

Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling play the “buddy action comedy” card in The Nice Guys

THE NICE GUYS

/// The original Lethal Weapon back in 1987 has been given far too much credit as the movie that largely birthed the “buddy action comedy” (48 Hrs. and Running Scared are but two that preceded it), but it was definitely the most successful in that it led to three sequels even more lucrative at the box office. It was also the calling call for Shane Black, who was in his early 20s when he wrote the script and went on to pen other pictures like Last Action Hero and The Long Kiss Goodbye and write and direct Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (his best film) and, most recently, the cluttered Iron Man 3. After that brief dalliance with Marvel, Black returns to his cinematic milieu with The Nice Guys, a witty romp starring the unlikely team of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. The Crowe-Gosling pairing might stir unhappy memories of such past whatwere-they-thinking? twofers as Pat Morita and Jay Leno (Collision Course), Ted Danson and Howie Mandel (A Fine Mess) or Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds (R.I.P.D.), but the truth is that they turn out to be a dynamic duo, going together as well as peanut butter and chocolate. Their characters, the bearish Jackson Healy (Crowe) and the bumbling Holland March (Gosling), are private dicks who pool their hot-and-cold talents to track down a missing woman named Amelia (Margaret Qualley) while subsequently investigating the murder of porn star Misty Mountains (Murielle Telio). And because it’s set in 1977 Los Angeles, unfortunate clothing and hairstyle choices abound, although Healy and March aren’t about to allow sartorial suckiness and grotesque grooming to stand in their way.

Like practically all of Black’s scripts, the one for The Nice Guys is cold and steely to the touch, with little warmth or sympathy to be found anywhere. And while his convoluted plot aspires to stir memories of the likes of Chinatown and L.A. Confidential (the latter starring two of this film’s players, Crowe and Kim Basinger), it’s really not much more polished than any given episode of Magnum, P.I. Instead, Black’s strengths rest elsewhere, particularly his facility with clever dialogue and his ability to set up hilarious gags (cue the uproarious Richard Nixon cameo). Black’s homages are also a nice touch: Gosling amusingly channels Lou Costello in panic-stricken mode at one point, and there’s a glimpse of a billboard promoting Airport ’77 and an early teaser ad for 1978’s Jaws 2 (I’m guessing Universal Pictures paid Warner Bros. a hefty sum for those plugs, since Warner is behind The Nice Guys while Universal has both the Airport and Jaws franchises arriving on Blu-ray next month). In the manner of Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs, the movie has several lethal weapons, including a dapper killer (Matt Bomer) who goes by the name John Boy (thanks to his Richard Thomas-esque facial mole). It also has a secret weapon in newcomer Angourie Rice, cast as March’s brainy daughter Holly. This 15-year-old Australian actress is terrific in a key role — she’s as integral to the action as the two stars — and comparisons to the teenage Reese Witherspoon are not inappropriate. Whether she ends up enjoying a similarly vibrant career remains to be seen, but she’s off to a terrific start.

THE MEDDLER

/// Overbearing mothers in movies are as plentiful as shells on the sand, but rare is the overbearing mother who’s written with such love and care that she ends up being less defined by her obnoxiousness than by everything else. Such a mom can be found at the center of The Meddler, the new film from writer-director Lorene Scafaria. Scafaria wrote the script for the insufferable 2008 film Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, but that marked her first behindthe-scenes credit (she started out before that as an actress), so all is forgiven. More recently, she wrote and directed 2012’s lovely and unique Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, which made my 10 Best list that year but bombed at the box office and left most other critics cold. Hopefully, Scafaria will have more all-around success with The Meddler, a rich motion picture hiding behind a sillysounding title. (I would have gone with Heavy Meddle; insert audible groan here.) Not that The Meddler doesn’t describe what’s going on within the confines of the picture. Following the death of her husband, Marnie Minervini (Susan Sarandon) takes herself and her sizable wealth (her spouse left her set for life) from the East Coast to the West, where she hopes to spend more time with her grown daughter Lori (Rose Byrne). Lori is a Hollywood screenwriter still stinging over the guy who left her — she’s also a workaholic, which means she has little time for a mom who calls her incessantly on her cell phone and babbles endlessly about whatever pops into her head. Forced to fill her days by other means, Marnie ends up immersing herself in the business of others but actually doing them good – whether it’s her daughter’s lesbian

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friend (Cecily Strong), who couldn’t afford to have a proper wedding, or the young iPhone salesman (Jerrod Carmichael), who just needs the proper push to continue his education. Marnie even finds time to hang out with a potential beau, a retired cop who goes by Zipper (J.K. Simmons), although her own romantic reticence means her interested suitor has his work cut out for him. Marnie is a terrific character, brought to life not only by Sarandon (it’s her best work in ages) but also by Scafaria, who refuses to let the woman lapse into the same sort of cartoonish caricature displayed by, for instance, Barbra Streisand in 2012’s The Guilt Trip or even Sarandon herself in 2014’s Tammy. Marnie is a high-maintenance handful, but she’s never without our sympathy or our concern. Byrne is also good as the daughter who just wants some room to breathe, while Simmons is absolutely charming as the gruff yet soft-hearted guy who knows it’s never too late for love (presumably, Sam Elliott was busy). Scafaria makes a few missteps — there’s the now-obligatory scene of a senior citizen under the influence (in this case, pot), and it adds nothing – but her instincts as both a writer and a director ensure that The Meddler always ends up back on the right path.

NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING

unreasonable and disloyal, and director Nicholas Stoller and his five (all-male) scripters believe that having the sorority sisters throw bloody tampons at a neighbor’s window and rip the clothes off a middle-aged man are sterling examples of feminist empowerment. There are a few chuckles tossed like birdseed along the way, though most of the humor is of the desperate, gross-out variety (the movie even begins with Kelly puking all over Mac’s face). And while the so-so original had trouble maintaining consistency with its characters, at least it had characters – Mac and Kelly, so likable in the first flick as they struggled to hold onto their own youthful zeal, are empty shells here, merely marking time as the next gag is being set up. And didn’t Neighbors end with Mac and Teddy on good terms? That’s tossed out because it didn’t jibe with the direction the scripters wanted to take with this followup. Such a lazy stance proves to be less Creative Writing 101 and more Uncreative Loafing 101.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

///1 In the long run, it’s unlikely the notion of Team Cap or Team Iron Man will take root in the cultural lexicon in the same manner as, say, Team Beatles or Team Elvis or even Team Boxers or Team Briefs, but that’s mainly because Team Marvel trumps them both. In an era when superhero flicks hit theaters with the same frequency as bugs hit windshields, Captain America: Civil War still manages to rise above the fray and declare itself one of the finest pictures yet from Team Stan Lee. Or should this thing have been called Avengers: Civil War? It could certainly go both ways. With no less than 12 superheroes on display, this clearly isn’t a one-man show; at the same time, it’s apparent that

Captain America (as always, played to perfection by Chris Evans) is the principal character in this chapter of the ongoing saga, more personally tied to the proceedings thanks to the involvement of his childhood friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), now known (and feared) as the Winter Soldier. Directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo and scripters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely are able to make Civil War feel like a direct follow-up to both 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier and 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Intriguingly, it shares narrative material with the lambasted Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, with a discussion of whether superheroes should be allowed to roam— and fight—as they please or whether there should be some sort of governmental oversight when their actions lead to collateral damage. This issue comes to a head right at the beginning of this picture, as civilian deaths lead both the U.S. government (repped by William Hurt) and the United Nations to propose a resolution wherein the Avengers will only act when given permission by these bodies. And here’s where the movie really starts to flex its intelligence, since it would be logical to assume that the patriotic, bythe-book Cap/Steve Rogers would be the one to agree to this and the arrogant, maverick Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) would be the one to snort and walk away. But after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, wherein Steve witnessed corruption at the highest levels of government, he’s no longer the all-trusting innocent, and he balks at this executive order. Stark, on the other hand, is haunted by a number of deaths—many at the hands of his creation Ultron—and he thinks that maybe the Avengers should be reined in a bit. The line in the sand becomes even more

/ The law of diminishing returns comes down with Mjolnir force on Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, a needless sequel that feels even more needless than the usual needless sequel. The 2014 hit Neighbors found married couple and new parents Mac and Kelly Radner (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) having to contend with rowdy fraternity brothers who move in next door. This sequel ingeniously finds Mac and Kelly now having to contend with rowdy sorority sisters who move in next door. The leader of the college clique is Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz), who understandably is upset with the sexist double standards that exist within the university Greek system and elects to create her own sorority house off campus. Mac and Kelly are initially losing the battle since the sisters are being aided by Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), the frat rat who gave the Radners so much trouble the first time around. But once Teddy is forced to switch his allegiance, the battle lines are more clearly drawn and the sides more evenly matched. The notion of making a college-set comedy that tackles patriarchal norms among students sounds intriguing until one realizes that this film is even less progressive than such similar efforts as 2007’s Sydney White and 2008’s The House Bunny. NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING, you know you’re half interested in seeing it. Shelby and her friends are all painted as

pronounced once Bucky is fingered for a terrorist bombing and Rogers comes to his aid, thereby establishing himself and his allies as fugitives. Some, like War Machine/James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and Vision (Paul Bettany), strongly side with Iron Man. Others, such as the Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), firmly align themselves with Cap. And with heroes to the left of her, heroes to the right, here’s Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), stuck in the middle. Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanoff) continues to be perhaps the most fascinating and complex character in this Marvel world order: smart, brave, witty, troubled, and able to read people and situations better than most of the others. She’s a dynamic figure—gee, you think somebody would give her a movie of her own. There’s very little that Civil War does wrong. After Avengers: Age of Ultron, which allowed too much bloat to get in the way of some socko individual scenes, this one establishes a beautiful balance between quieter character-driven sequences and splashy action set-pieces (the airport skirmish goes on a tad too long for my liking, but since it’s clearly the movie’s showcase moment, others doubtless won’t complain). Tom Holland is introduced as the new Spider-Man/Peter Parker, and after the miscasting of Andrew Garfield in those underwhelming Amazing Spider-Hipster flicks, he’s simply divine, the geeky, motormouth teen we all know and love—along with Anthony Mackie’s Falcon/Sam Wilson and Paul Rudd’s AntMan/Scott Lang, he provides most of the film’s knowing laughs. Also new to the roster is T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman, 42’s Jackie Robinson and Get On Up’s James Brown), African royalty who dons the sleek duds to fight crime as the Black Panther. T’Challa’s involvement in the proceedings ultimately becomes as personal as Steve’s, and he figures in many of the picture’s best moments. Finally, there’s the villain of the piece: Zemo (Daniel Bruhl, so excellent as Rush’s Niki Lauda), an ordinary man as opposed to the godlike likes of Loki and Ultron. Never missing a chance to add twisty issues of morality to their saga, Markus and McFeely provide even Zemo with enough backstory to make his reasons for his wrongdoing impossible to dismiss out of hand. And, yes, there’s the requisite cameo by Stan Lee. The Marvel maestro has now clocked appearances in over two dozen superhero films, but his brief bit here ranks among the best. So does the movie itself.

MAY 25-31, 2016

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Happenings

compiled by Rachael Flora happenings@connectsavannah.com Happenings is Connect Savannah’s listing of community events, classes and groups. Visit our website at connectsavannah.com to submit a listing. We reserve the right to edit or cut listings due to space limitations.

Activism & Politics

One of the Guys Guys, have you found yourself in a social rut, or just have a need for the art of conversation? Make a change in 2016. The past decade a diverse group of guys have been getting together about every two weeks to share dinner and opinions on just about any topic. No membership requirements or dues. Just an open mind and willingness to expand your friendship base. For more information visit us on Facebook at Savannah Men’s Club, or if you prefer, email details/questions to savannahmensclub@gmail.com. ongoing. Downtown Savannah, downtown. Saturdays with Alderwoman Shabazz Residents in Savannah’s 5th District are invited to meet with their Alderwoman every 4th Saturday of the month. Residents may come with specific issues and concerns, or just to meet their representative on Savannah City Council. District 5 runs roughly west of Bull Street and north of 36th Street, and also includes newly developing areas of the City in the southwest quadrant of Chatham County. Free and open to the public. fourth Saturday of every month, 2-4 p.m. 912-651-6410. Shabazz Seafood Restaurant, 502 W. Victory Dr. Savannah Area Young Republicans Get involved. Contact is Michael Johnson, via email or telephone, or see website for info. 912-604-0797. chairman@sayr. org. sayr.org. Call or see website for information. Free ongoing. 912-308-3020. savannahyoungrepublicans.com. Savannah Libertarians Join the Facebook group to find out about upcoming local events. Mondays. Facebook. com/groups/SAVlibertarians. Young Democrats Mondays at 7pm on the second level of Foxy Loxy, Bull Street. Call or visit the Young Democrats Facebook page for more information. Free ongoing. 423-619-7712. foxyloxycafe.com/. Foxy Loxy Cafe, 1919 Bull St.

Auditions and Calls for Entries

MAY 25-31, 2016

Auditions for Armstrong Youth Orchestra Open to students enrolled in primary grades through high school and including Armstrong students (available for course credit). Auditions, by appointment, are in Armstrong Fine Arts Hall. To schedule an audition, e-mail: savaayo@yahoo.com. Info is also available at www.savaayo.org. AYO is sponsored in part by the Savannah Friends of Music, www.savannahfriendsofmusic. com ongoing. about.armstrong.edu/Maps/ index.html. Armstrong State University, 11935 Abercorn St. Call for Applications for Weave a Dream Initiative The City of Savannah’s Weave-A-Dream 100 (WAD) Panel has issued a call for proposals

Hiking & Biking at Skidaway Island State Park

Year round fitness opportunities. Walk or run the 1-mile Sandpiper Nature Trail (accessible) the additional 1-mile Avian Loop Trail, or 3-mile Big Ferry Trail. Bicycle and street strider rentals. Guided hikes scheduled. $5 parking. Open daily 7am-10pm. Call or see website. ongoing. 912-598-2300. gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland. gastateparks.org/ info/skidaway/. Skidaway Island State Park, 52 Diamond Cswy.

for the 2016 Weave-A-Dream Cultural & Arts Projects initiative. Applications will be accepted through the calendar year, while funds are available. Programs are to be completed prior to December 31, 2016. The application must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to the start date of the project; the last date an application can be submitted is October 21, 2016. Project funding is available up to $2,000 for specific and innovative arts, cultural, or heritage projects or presentations that have a measurable, quantifiable benefit to Savannah’s diverse populations. The Weave-A-Dream Panel seeks proposals that actively involve youth, seniors, and those who have limited access to arts based programs in Savannah. A priority of the WAD funding program is that organizations reach neighborhood communities, encompassing all city districts. To be eligible for consideration, an organization must be a non-profit, 501c3, head-quartered in Savannah’s corporate limits. Proposed programs must also be produced within the City’s corporate limits. No individual artist applications will be accepted. Agencies funded by the City of Savannah for 2016 are not eligible to apply. Applications are available at www.savannahga.gov/

arts. Applying organizations may request application materials and technical assistance by contacting Rebecca Brown at 912-651-6760 or rbrown02@savannahga. gov Through Oct. 21. City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, 9 West Henry St. Call for Collegiate Chapters for Yeshua Next Generation Young adults between the ages of 21-25 with technical and people skills are needed to attend Savannah Chamber of Commerce events and to act as Overseers for collegiate chapters. Please contact Reverend Brenda Lee at (912) 236-3154, email:revbrendalee@ yahoo.com ongoing. Downtown Savannah, downtown. Call for Participants in Medical Study Armstrong State University’s Biodynamics and Human Performance Center is currently seeking adults over the age of 60 to participate in a study sponsored by Biodex Medical Systems. The goal of the study is to identify a screening test that can be used to screen individuals at risk for falls. The study, seeking both males and females, will utilize and evaluate a machine, which notes the movement of individuals attempting to balance on a non-moving platform. The

study requires participants to have neither a history of lower-body musculoskeletal or neurological problems, nor undergone a serious surgery within the past year. Prior to participating, other health stipulations, such as uncontrolled heart disease, will be screened. Participants should be available for a single test lasting no longer than 30 minutes and will be compensated with a Kroger gift card. If you qualify and would like to participate in either of these studies, please contact Kelsey Piersol at ASUbiomechanics@gmail.com or (912) 2472982. Through July 31. about.armstrong. edu/Maps/index.html. Armstrong State University, 11935 Abercorn St. Call for Participants in PTSD Study Are you a recent combat veteran experiencing psychological or emotional stress related to your combat? You may be eligible to receive first-line medication and talk therapy interventions with proven effectiveness. PROGrESS is a study looking to learn more about how to effectively treat recent combat veterans with PTSD. The therapies are not experimental. You will be randomly assigned to receive either psychotherapy, medication, or both. For more information about the PROGrESS study, please call 912-920-0214 ext. 2169. ongoing. Online only, none. Call for Proposals for 2017 Contracts for Cultural Arts and Services The City of Savannah’s Cultural Affairs Commission has issued a “Call for Proposals” for the 2017 Contracts for Cultural & Arts Services Program. In 2017, two investment program categories are available: Project Investment and Partner Investment. To be eligible for consideration, an organization must have a non-profit 501(c) 3 status and be headquartered within the City of Savannah. Proposed programs must take place during the 2017 calendar year. Submitted proposals will be reviewed by the Cultural Affairs Commission, whose recommendations will be sent to the City Manager, the Mayor, and the City Council for review and final funding approval. Applications, guidelines, and program information will be available on the Department of Cultural Affairs website (www.savannahga.gov/arts) or by contacting Rebecca Brown at RBrown02@ savannahga.gov or 912-651-6760. Through June 24. City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, 9 West Henry St. Call for Submissions for Dank Memes Non-Fiction Gallery invites you to dig deep and decode the cultural viruses that live in you. Show us your dank memes. Through June 22. nonfictiongallery.com. Non-Fiction Gallery, 1522 Bull St. Homeschool Music Classes Music classes for homeschool students ages 8-18 and their parents. Offered in Guyton and Savannah. See website for details. ongoing. CoastalEmpireMusic.com.

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Oatland Island Seeks Memories and Recollections for 40th Anniversary Oatland Island Education Center is looking for memories of Oatland Island in honor of their 40th anniversary. People who were part of the Youth Conservation Corp that helped to build Oatland Island Education Center in the 1970’s. Great memories from field trips. Special family memories of Oatland Island. Send your photos and stories to memories@ oatland40th.org. Deadline is August 31. undefined. 912-395-1500. oatlandisland.org. Tell Us Your Ghost Story? Organization seeks to document your first hand experiences with psychical phenomenon for analysis and potential investigation. Our investigators have reputable credentials and long time investigation training and connections with the top minds and researchers in parapsychology field research and other areas. We are especially interested in Chatham and neighboring counties with special emphasis on Savannah itself and the Historic District. Interviewees should be comfortable with video documentation of themselves and events w/privacy level negotiated beforehand. ongoing. amchclub@yahoo.com. Downtown Savannah, downtown.

Benefits

$5 Bikram Yoga Class to Benefit Local Charities Bikram Yoga Savannah offers a weekly Karma class to raise money for local charities. Thursdays during the 6:30pm class. Pay $5 for class and proceeds are donated to a different charity each month. This is a regular Bikram Yoga class. ongoing. 912.356.8280. bikramyogasavannah.com. Runway in Bloom Fashion show fundraiser to benefit the new children’s garden and education at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. Fashion show will include pieces from local designers including botanical designs from garden staff. VIP tickets include dinner, terrace seating, and tour of the gardens. $50 VIP, $20 general admission Sun., May 29, 5-8 p.m. 912-921-5460. tedders@uga. edu, sparrow@uga.edu. https://facebook. com/BambooFarmCoastalGardens/. coastalgeorgiabg.org/. Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, 2 Canebrake Rd. SCMPD Animal Control seeks Volunteers Savannah Chatham County Animal Control seeks volunteers to serve various tasks as needed by the shelter. No prior animal shelter experience is necessary. Newly trained volunteers will be authorized to serve immediately after orientation. Potential volunteers are asked to notify J. Lewis prior to orientation; though, walk-ins are welcome. Volunteers must be at least 17-yearsold. ongoing. (912) 525-2151. jlewis01@ savannahga.gov.

Classes, Camps & Workshops

Art, Music, Piano, Voice Coaching Coaching for all ages, beginners through advanced. Classic, modern, jazz

improvization and theory. Serious inquiries only. 912-961-7021 or 912-667-1056. Ballroom Dance Party with Free Lesson Join us every 4th Friday for a free group lesson followed by a party for dancers. Come and practice all of your patterns that you have learned in class while meeting some fun people along the way. All ages and levels welcome. You don’t need a partner or have experience to come and enjoy dance with us. $10 per person or $15 per couple fourth Friday of every month, 7:30-10 p.m. 612.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr. Beading Classses at Epiphany Bead & Jewelry Studio Learn jewelry-making techniques from beginner to advanced. Call for class times. 912-677-3983. epiphany.indiemade.com. Epiphany Bead & Jewelry Studio, 101 N. Fahm St. Beginning Belly Dance Classes Taught by Happenstance Bellydance. All skill levels and styles. Private instruction available. $15 912-704-2940. happenstancebellydance@gmail.com. happenstancebellydance.wordpress.com. Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop Placed under one of your downspouts, rain barrels conveniently collect rainwater that you can use to water gardens and lawns, wash cars or even fill birdbaths and ponds. A 1000 square foot roof yields about 600 gallons per inch of rainfall, so that’s a lot of water (and money) to be saved. Registration includes the barrel and kit to connect it to your gutter downspout. All necessary tools and equipment will be provided. $25 Thu., May 26, 10 a.m.-noon. 912-790-1647. Suzanne.vanparreren@dnr.state.ga.us. https://surveymonkey.com/r/SavMay26. Chatham County Resource Conservation Education Center, 1321 Eisenhower Drive. Champions Training Center Offering a variety of classes and training in mixed martial arts, jui-jitsu, judo and other disciplines for children and adults. All skill levels. 525 Windsor Rd. 912-349-4582. ctcsavannah.com. Chinese Language Classes The Confucius Institute at Savannah State University offers free Chinese language classes starting January 17. To register, please call 912-358-3160. ongoing. 912-3583160. confuciusinstitute@savannahstate. edu. savannahstate.edu. savstate.edu/. Savannah State University, 3219 College St. Clay Classes Savannah Clay Studio at Beaulieu offers handbuilding, sculpture, and handmade tiles, basic glazing and firing. 912-351-4578. sav.. claystudio@gmail.com. Boating Classes Classes on boat handling, boating safety and navigation offered by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. See website or call to register. 912897-7656. savannahaux.com. Creativity Coaching Do you have a creative idea but don’t know where to start? Is it time to move forward continues on p. 102

Thanks For Voting Us Best, Savannah!

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MAY 25-31, 2016

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with your project? Work with your very own creativity coach and learn how to blast through blocks, plan your time, and enjoy the richness of a creative life. See website for more info at www.laurenl.com/creativity_ coaching/ or contact Creativity@LaurenL. com ongoing. Online, ---. Credit Workshop Participants will get tips on accessing credit reports and improving credit scores. Participants will also have the opportunity to pull and print their credit report after class. Space is limited. Contact Consumer Credit Counseling Service at 912.691.2227 to reserve your seat now. Free Wed., May 25, 6-7 p.m. 912.691.2227. stepupsavannah. org/events/credit-workshop_may_2016/. Rincon Library, 17th Street & Highway 21. Credit Workshop: Improving Your Credit Score Learn how to pull, read, and correct errors on your credit report for free. Participants will get tips on accessing credit reports

and improving credit scores. Participants will also have the opportunity to pull and print their credit report after class. Space is limited. Contact Consumer Credit Counseling Service at 912.691.2227 to reserve your seat now. Free Wed., May 25, 6-7 p.m. 912-691-2227. stepupsavannah. org/events/credit-workshop_may_2016/. Rincon Library, 17th Street & Highway 21. DUI Prevention Group Offers victim impact panels for intoxicated drivers, DUI, offenders, and anyone seeking knowledge about the dangers of driving while impaired. A must see for teen drivers. Meets monthly. $40/session 912-443-0410. Family Law Workshop The Mediation Center has three workshops per month for people who do not have legal representation in a family matter: divorce, legitimation, modifications of child support, visitation, contempt. Schedule: 1st Tues, 2nd Mon, 4th Thursday. Call for times. $30 912354-6686. mediationsavannah.com.

Fany’s Spanish/English Institute Spanish is fun. Classes for adults and children held at 15 E. Montgomery Crossroad. Register by phone. ongoing. 912921-4646. Guitar, Mandolin, or Bass Guitar Lessons Emphasis on theory, reading music, and improvisation. Located in Ardsley Park. ongoing. 912-232-5987. Housing Authority Neighborhood Resource Center Housing Authority of Savannah hosts classes at the Neighborhood Resource Center. Adult literacy/GED prep: Mon-Thurs, 9am-12pm & 1pm-4pm. Financial education: 4th Fri each month, 9am-11am. Basic computer training: Tues & Thurs, 1pm3pm. Community computer lab: Mon-Fri, 3pm-4:30pm. ongoing. 912-232-4232 x115. savannahpha.com. savannahpha.com/NRC. html. Neighborhood Resource Center, 1407 Wheaton St. Knitting & Crochet Classes Offered at The Frayed Knot, 6 W. State St. See the calendar of events on website. Mondays. 912-233-1240. thefrayedknotsav. com. Music Lessons--Multiple Instruments Savannah Musicians’ Institute offers private instruction for all ages and experience levels in Guitar (electric, acoustic,classical), Piano, Bass, Voice, Banjo, Mandolin, Ukulele, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Music Theory/Composition/Songwriting. 609

69th Street, Savannah GA. ongoing. 912398-8828. smisavannah@gmail.com. savmusiciansinstitute.com. New Horizons Adult Band Program Music program for adults who played a band instrument in high school/college and would like to play again. Mondays at 6:30pm at Portman’s. $30 per month. All ages and ability levels welcome. Call for info. ongoing. 912-354-1500. portmansmusic.com. Portman’s Music Superstore, 7650 Abercorn St. Novel Writing Write a novel, finish the one you’ve started, revise it or pursue publication. Awardwinning Savannah author offers one-onone or small group classes, mentoring, manuscript critique, ebook formatting. Email for pricing and scheduling info. ongoing. pmasoninsavannah@gmail.com. Photography Classes Beginner photography to post production. Instruction for all levels. $20 for two-hour class. See website for complete class list. 410-251-4421. chris@chrismorrisphotography.com. chrismorrisphotography.com. Piano Voice-Coaching Pianist with M/degree,classical modern jazz improvisation, no age limit. Call 912-961-7021 or 912-667-1056. Serious inquiries only. ongoing. Portrait Study Open Studio Improve your life drawing skills with continues on p. 104

302 West Victory Drive

MAY 25-31, 2016

www.smokecartel.com

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Savannah’s New Smoke Shop (912) 574 2000

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our open studio portrait model sessions every Thursday evening 6pm to 9pm from April 28 to May 26. Non-instructional. Walk ins and beginners welcome. $15, model fees inclusive. Practice makes the artist better. There is no other way. Come join our group and have some too. $15 Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.. 912-484-6415. info@thestudioschoolsavannah.com. thestudioschoolsavannah.com/weeklyfigure-drawing.html. Studio School, 1319 Bull St. R&B Soul Adult Line Dancing The R&B Soul line dance group Savannah Show Stoppers are conducting line dance classes every Monday night at the West Broad St. YMCA and every Tuesday nights at the John Delaware Center. Both classes starts at 6:30. Lamont Hunter, the founder of the Savannah Show Stoppers, is the Instructor. Donations Mondays, 6:30-8 p.m. and Tuesdays, 6:30-8 p.m. 912-220-7712. hlamont70@yahoo.com. YMCA-West Broad St, 1110 May St. A. Roper Studio - Voice Technique and Coaching Experienced and successful voice instructor is accepting students. Nurturing and collaborative studio. Services offered include strengthening the voice, range extension, relaxation techniques, and coaching through various styles of music. Audition and competition preparation. Located 15 minutes from downtown. Varies Mondays-Saturdays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 912-4840628. Downtown Savannah, downtown. Russian Language Classes Learn to speak Russian. All experience levels welcome, beginner to expert. Call for info. ongoing. 912-713-2718. Saturday Figure Life Drawing Train your hand and mind to represent the human figure in our Saturday Figure Life Drawing sessions for a long and short pose variation May 14 & May 28 or long pose May 21. Non-instructional with guidance provided if requested. Beginners welcome! Registration necessary. 20 Sat., May 28, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 912-484-6415. info@thestudioschoolsavannah.com. thestudioschoolsavannah.com/currentclasses.html. Studio School, 1319 Bull St. Summer Literacy Classes Royce Learning Center’s Adult & Community Education program has partnered with the White Bluff United Methodist Church to offer a free Summer class. Classes will focus on preparing adult students for High School Graduation, Reading & Literacy Support, and the General Education Development Diploma (GED). The Adult & Community Education (ACE) at Royce Learning Center is a program designed for adult learners of all ages and abilities. ACE uses an individualized, learner centered approach with an understanding that each learner has a different motivation for seeking education. Mondays, Wednesdays.. 912-354-4047. wbumc.org/. White Bluff United Methodist Church, 11911 White Bluff Rd.

Clubs & Organizations

1 Million Cups 1 Million Cups is a free, weekly national program designed to educate, engage, and 104 connect entrepreneurs. Developed by the

Savannah Brewers’ League

Meets 1st Wednesday of the month, 7:30pm at Moon River Brewing Co. Call or see website for info. ongoing. 912-447-0943.hdb.org. moonriverbrewing.com/. Moon River Brewing Co., 21 West Bay St.

Kauffman Foundation, 1MC is based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and network over a million cups of coffee. Free Wednesdays, 9 a.m.. 1millioncups. com/savannah. Creators’ Foundry, 415 W Boundary St. Abeni Cultural Arts Dance Classes Classses for multiple ages in performance dance and adult fitness dance. African, modern, ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, gospel. Held at Abeni Cultural Arts studio, 8400-B Abercorn St. Call Muriel, 912-6313452, or Darowe, 912-272-2797. ongoing. abeniculturalarts@gmail.com. Avegost LARP Live action role playing group that exists in a medieval fantasy realm. generallly meets the second weekend of the month. Free for your first event or if you’re a non-player character. $35 fee for returning characters. ongoing. godzillaunknown@gmail.com. avegost.com. Buccaneer Region SCCA Local chapter of the Sports Car Club of America, hosting monthly solo/autocross driving events in the Savannah area. Anyone with a safe car, insurance and a valid driver’s license is eligible to participate. See website. ongoing. buccaneerregion.org. Business Networking on the Islands Small Business Professionals Islands Networking Group meets first Thursday each month, 9:30am-10:30am. Tradewinds Ice Cream & Coffee, 107 Charlotte Rd. Call for info. ongoing. 912-308-6768. Chatham Sailing Club Friday evening social event at the clubhouse. Meet Members and their families who all enjoy water based activities but whose prime interest is sailing. This BYOB event is free and all are welcome, but Membership is encouraged after several visits once interest is gauged!! We look forward to meeting you. Fridays, 7-10 p.m. pranschkec3@gmail.com. Young’s Marina, 218 Wilmington Island Rd. Coastal Bead Society

Coastal Bead Society monthly meetings, 12 noon on the third Friday of the Month at the Coastal Georgia Center, 303 Fahm Street, near SCAD. All beaders are welcome. ongoing. wyrnut18@gmail.com. cgc. georgiasouthern.edu/. Coastal Georgia Center, 305 Fahm Street. Fiber Guild of the Savannahs A club focusing on weaving, spinning, basket making, knitting, crocheting, quilting, beading, rug hooking, doll making, and other fiber arts. Meets at Oatland Island Wildlife Center, first Saturday of the month (Sept.-June) 10:15am. Mondays, 10:30 a.m. fiberguildsavannah.homestead.com/. Fiber Guild of the Savannahs, 711 Sandtown Road GA. Historic Flight Savannah A non-profit organization dedicated to sending area Korean War and WWII veterans to Washington, DC, to visit the WWII Memorial. All expenses paid by Honor Flight Savannah. Honor Flight seeks contributions, and any veterans interested in a trip to Washington. Call for info. ongoing. 912-5961962. honorflightsavannah.org. Historic Savannah Chapter: ABWA Meets the second Thursday of every month from 6pm-7:30pm. Tubby’s Tank House, 2909 River Drive, Thunderbolt. Attendees pay for their own meals. RSVP by phone. ongoing. 912-660-8257. Knitters, Needlepoint and Crochet Meets every Wednesday. Different locations downtown. Call for info. No fees. Want to learn? Join us. ongoing. 912-308-6768. Low Country Turners A club for wood-turning enthusiasts. Call Steve Cook for info at number below. ongoing. 912-313-2230. Military Order of the Purple Heart Ladies Auxiliary Meets the first Saturday of the month at 1:00pm. Call for info. ongoing. 912-7864508. American Legion Post 184, 3003 Rowland Ave. Philo Cafe Discussion group that meets every Monday, 7:30pm - 9:00pm at various locations. Anyone craving good conversation is invited. Free to attend. Email for info, or see Facebook.com/SavannahPhiloCafe. Mondays. athenapluto@yahoo.com. R.U.F.F. - Retirees United for the Future RUFF meets the last Friday of each month at 10am to protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and related senior issues. Parking in the rear. Free to all Seniors ongoing. 912344-5127. Savannah Tree Foundation, 3025 Bull Street. Safe Kids Savannah A coalition dedicated to preventing childhood injuries. Meets 2nd Tuesday each month, 11:30am-1:00pm. See website or call for info. ongoing. 912-353-3148. safekidssavannah.org. Savannah Brewers’ League Meets 1st Wednesday of the month, 7:30pm at Moon River Brewing Co. Call or see website for info. ongoing. 912-447-0943. hdb.org. moonriverbrewing.com/. Moon River Brewing Co., 21 West Bay St. Savannah Charlesfunders Investment Discussion Group

Meets Saturdays, 8:30am to discuss stocks, bonds and better investing. Contact by email for info. ongoing. charlesfund@gmail. com. panerabread.com/. Panera Bread (Broughton St.), 1 West Broughton St. Savannah Council, Navy League of the United States A dinner meeting every 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm at local restaurants. 3rd Tuesday in November; none in December. For dinner reservations, please call Sybil Cannon at 912-964-5366. ongoing. 912-7487020. savannahnavyleague.us. Savannah Go Club This is a new club for the board game “go” (igo, weiqi, baduk). For places and times, please call John at 734-355-2005. ongoing. Downtown Savannah, downtown. Savannah Go Green Meets most Saturdays. Green events and places. Share ways to Go Green each day. Call for info. ongoing. 912-308-6768. Savannah Kennel Club Monthly meetings open to the public the 4th Monday each month, Sept. through June. ongoing, 7 p.m. savannahkennelclub.org. Carey Hilliard’s (Southside), 11111 Abercorn St. Savannah Newcomers Club Open to women who have lived in the Savannah area for less than two years. Membership includes monthly luncheon and program. Activities, tours and events help you learn about Savannah and make new friends. Ongoing sign-up. savannahnewcomers.com. ongoing. Savannah Parrot Head Club Beach, Buffet and no dress code. Check website for events calendar or send an email for Parrot Head gatherings. ongoing. savannahphc@yahoo.com. savannahphc. com. Society for Creative Anachronism Meets every Saturday at the south end of Forsyth Park for fighter practice and general hanging out. For people interested in re-creating the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Free Saturdays, 11 a.m.. savannahsca.org. Forsyth Park, Drayton St. & East Park Ave. Savannah Toastmasters Helps improve speaking and leadership skills in a friendly, supportive environment. Mondays, 6:15pm, Memorial Health University Medical Center, in the Conference Room C. ongoing. 912-484-6710. memorialhealth.com/. Memorial Health University Medical Center, 4700 Waters Ave. Savannah Veggies and Vegans Join the Facebook group to find out more about vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, and to hear about upcoming local events. Mondays. Toastmasters Toastmasters International is an organization which gives its members the opportunity to develop and improve their public speaking abilities through local club meetings, seminars, and contests. Regardless of your level of comfort with public speaking, you will find a club that is interested in helping you improve your speaking abilities. Free Tuesdays, 6-7 p.m.. hostesscity.toastmastersclubs.org. thincsavannah.com. Thinc Savannah, 35 Barnard St. 3rd Floor.

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U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla A volunteer organization that assists the U.S. Coast Guard. Meets 4th Wednesday at 6pm at Barnes, 5320 Waters Ave. All ages welcome. Prior experience/boat ownership not required. fourth Wednesday of every month.. 912-598-7387. savannahaux.com. Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 671 Meets second Monday of each month, 7pm, at the American Legion Post 135, 1108 Bull St. ongoing. 912-429-0940. rws521@msn. com. vvasav.com. Woodville-Tompkins Scholarship Foundation Meets second Tuesday each month (except October) 6:00pm, Woodville-Tompkins, 151 Coach Joe Turner St. Call or email for info. ongoing. 912-232-3549. chesteraellis@ comcast.net.

Comedy

Collin’s Barefoot Comedy Club National comedian Collin Moulton launches his own monthly stand-up comedy show at the Post Theater. Collin is one of the most fun, personable, and sought-after headliners today, and he is creating his own comedy club on Tybee and will be bringing some of his superstar stand-up pals to join in the fun. $15 Sun., May 29, 8-10:15 p.m. 912-47s4790. info@tybeeposttheater.org. https:// tybeeposttheater.showare.com/. The Tybee Post Theater, 10 Van Horne Ave. Comedy Night

Join us for an evening of ice cream and laughter...the perfect combo for your Friday night! All ages welcome. Free Fridays, 8-10 p.m. Odd Lot Improv An improv comedy show in the style of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” $5 Mondays, 8 p.m. musesavannah.org/. Muse Arts Warehouse, 703 Louisville Rd. Odd Lot Improv: On The Spot Mysteries Dinner Theatre Odd Lot is teaming up with the brilliant Chefs of Savannah Coffee Roasters to bring you a whole new dining experience. The always surprising talent of Odd Lot will perform a fully interactive Friday night Murder Mystery while you dine on a delicious three course meal. Seating is at 6:30pm Friday nights. Reservations are strongly recommended. Four actors and three courses all for $40. It’s certain to be a night to remember. Great for groups, parties, or anyone who loves a good show. $40 Fridays, 6:30 p.m. justin@oddlot.org. oddlot. org. Savannah Coffee Roasters, 215 West Liberty Street.

Jonesin’ Crossword by matt Jones

“Freemium” —another freestyle display of words.

Dance

Adult Ballet Class Maxine Patterson School of Dance, 2212 Lincoln St, offers adult ballet on Thursdays, 6:30pm-7:30pm $12 per class. Call for info. ongoing. 912-234-8745. Adult Ballet Toning Always wanted the body of a ballerina? Well.. YOU CAN! Our class is designed to

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Across

1 Brake quickly and accurately 12 Zapp Brannigan’s timid, green assistant on “Futurama” 15 Interactive Twitter game on Comedy Central’s “@midnight” 16 Eggy prefix 17 Part of a content warning, maybe 18 Columnist Savage 19 Palindromic “War on Poverty” agcy. 20 Providing funds for 22 Body part in a lot of cow puns 25 Kind of dye containing nitrogen 26 Without a stitch 27 Bob Ross ‘dos 28 Fault finder 31 Physicians’ medical gp. 32 “Cast Away” costar (in a way) 33 Clearance sale container 34 Herd of whales 35 Grass bought in rolls 36 Be the author 37 Greek vowel that resembles an English consonant 38 Title for a Khan 39 “Thirteen at Dinner” detective 41 Bon ___ (cleanser brand) 42 Stuck trying to get somewhere, maybe

44 Aesopian conclusion 46 Drei squared 47 “M*A*S*H” soldier, briefly 48 Orgs. 49 Pull forcibly on 52 Hard ending? 53 Comedian Notaro 54 2014 bio subtitled “Paul McCartney in the 1970s” 59 Ending for winter or weather 60 Assimilate a different way of life, perhaps 61 French possessive meaning “your” 62 Cinematographer’s option

Down

1 “___-La-La” (1974 Al Green hit) 2 One of Lincoln’s sons 3 Sch. for Cowboys, Buckeyes, or Beavers 4 Innermost layer of tree bark 5 Sleek, whiskered swimmers 6 Gp. with a phonetic alphabet 7 Comics outburst 8 Frank Zappa’s oldest son 9 1975 Leonard Nimoy autobiography (with an “opposite” 1995 follow-up) 10 “A horse is a horse” horse 11 Canadian (and former U.S.) fuel brand

12 Southern Alaskan omnivores (and the largest of their kind) 13 Director of “Ghostbusters” and “Ghostbusters II” 14 Bad things to use on a chalkboard 21 Pugilist’s org. 22 In a difficult situation 23 Render a credit card useless, e.g. 24 Theater consultants of sorts 25 Folk rocker with the 2014 album “Allergic to Water” 29 Jim Morrison, e.g. 30 Business off the highway 32 “Scratch me behind the ears!” 35 Place for some “me time” 40 Hilariously funny 43 “Messenger” molecule 44 Biz Markie vocals played over Metallica, say 45 Some blenders 50 Apple that debuted 18 years ago 51 It dissolves in H2O 52 Caesar’s “And you?” 55 Atlanta Braves’ MLB div. 56 “Go, old-timey baseball team!” 57 “Teach ___ Fly” (2009 single for Wiz Khalifa) 58 Make after expenses

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MAY 25-31, 2016

stretch, tone, and enhance your body to become healthier than ever. Join us and check out the calendar for dates to enroll. (this is apart of our fitness package of 10 classes for $80) $10.00 Mondays, 5 p.m. 912.312.3549. reservetodance@gmail. com. salondebailedancestudio.com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. Adult Intermediate Ballet Mondays and Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm. $12/class or $90/8 classes. Call for info. Academy of Dance, 74 W. Montgomery Crossroad. Wednesdays. 912-921-2190. Argentine Tango Wednesdays, 7 p.m. salondebailedancestudio.com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. Lessons Sundays 1:303;30pm. Open to the public. $3 per person. Wear closed toe leather shoes if possible. Doris Martin Dance Studio, 8511-h ferguson Ave. Call or email for info. ongoing. 912-9257416. savh_tango@yahoo.com. Awaken with Chakradance™ A free-flowing, meditative dance, with eclectic music selected to resonate with each specific chakra, along with guided imagery. No dance experience or chakras knowledge needed. $20 ongoing, 7-8:30 p.m. 912-663-1306. Chakradancer@ comcast.net. chakradance.com/. synergisticbodies.com. Synergistic Bodies, 7901 Waters Ave. Ballet FIT! Love ballet? We are ready to get that body in ballet shape. This total body workout is great for low impact and high impact movements. With a series of bar, floor, and mat exercises, you will leave refreshed and stretched. Toning, stretching, and strengthening are our goals for you. See calendar for details. $15.00, $10.00, $8.00, $5.00 Thursdays, 5-6 p.m. 412.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr. Ballroom Group Dance Class Weekly ballroom dance classes focus on two types of dance each month. Open to partners/couples or to solos. The $35 for 4 weeks or $10 drop in Mondays, 7 p.m. 912.312.3549. reservetodance@gmail. com. salondebailedancestudio.com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. Ballroom/Latin Group Class Group classes every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm. Tuesdays focus on fundamental steps, styling, and techniques. Wednesday’s classes are more specific, with advanced elements. $15/person and $25/ couple Wednesdays, 8 p.m. and Tuesdays.. 912-335-3335. savannahballroom@gmail. com. savannahballroomdancing.com. Savannah Ballroom Dance Studio, 11 Travis Street. Basic Shag Lessons Every Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. ongoing. doublesnightclub.com/. Doubles Nightclub, 7100 Abercorn St. Beginner’s Belly Dance Classes Learn basic moves and choreography with 106 local Belly Dancer, Nicole Edge. Class is

open to all ages and skill levels. Walk-ins welcome. 15.00 Wednesdays, 7-8 p.m. 912-596-0889. edgebelly@gmail.com. edgebellydance.com. Fitness on Broughton, 1 E. Broughton St. Beginners Belly Dance Classes Instructed by Nicole Edge. All ages/Skill levels welcome. Sundays, 12pm-1pm. Fitness body and balance studio. 2127 1//2 E. Victory Dr. $15/class or $48/hour. Call or see website. ongoing. 912-596-0889. cairoonthecoast.com. Beginners Belly Dancing with Cybelle For those with little-to-no dance background. Instructor is formally trained, has performed for over ten years. $15/person. Tues. 7pm8pm. Private classes and walk ins available. Synergistic Bodies, 7724 Waters Ave. ongoing. 912-414-1091. info@cybelle3.com. cybelle3.com. C.C. Express Dance Team Wednesdays, 6pm-8pm. Clogging or tap dance experience is necessary. Call Claudia Collier for info. ongoing. 912-748-0731. Windsor Forest Recreation Building, Windsor Forest. Dance for Peace A weekly gathering to benefit locals in need. Music, dancing, fun for all ages. Donations of nonperishable food and gently used or new clothing are welcomed. Free and open to the public. Sundays, 3 p.m. 912-547-6449. xavris21@yahoo.com. Forsyth Park, Drayton St. & East Park Ave. Dance Night Salsa Savannah sponsors this dance night. Be advised that locations often change. Visit salsasavannah.com or call 912-704-8726 for updated locations. Thursdays, 10 p.m. Gatsby’s, 408 West Broughton Street. Salsa Savannah sponsors this dance night. Be advised that locations often change. Visit salsasavannah.com or call 912-704-8726 for updated locations. Fridays, 10 p.m. Latin Chicks (Waters Ave.), 5205 Waters Avenue. Dance Party Dance on Thursdays at 8pm--fun, friendship, and dancing. Free for Savannah Ballroom students. $10 for visitors ($15 for couples). free - $15 Thursdays, 8 p.m. 912-3353335. savannahballroom@gmail.com. savannahballroomdancing.com. Savannah Ballroom Dance Studio, 11 Travis Street. DJ Greer DJ Greer spinning some old and new R&B. Happy hour all night long. Fridays, 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m. 828 216 9005. jgoodfellas@ yahoo.com. doublesnightclub.com/. Doubles Nightclub, 7100 Abercorn St. Free Dance Thursdays at Lake Mayer Lake Mayer is offering free dance and fitness classes for all ages every Thursday, in the Community Center. 9:30 am and 10:30 am is the “Little Movers” class for toddlers. 12:00 pm Lunch Break Fitness. 1:30 pm Super Seniors. 5:30 pm youth hip hop. 6:30 pm Adult African Fitness. FREE ongoing, 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. 912-652-6780. sdavis@ chathamcounty.org. Lake Mayer, 1850 E. Montgomery Crossroads. Free Trial Shimmy Chic: Belly Dance Fitness Shimmy and Shake with a BRAND NEW dance fitness program that we will start

offering in January after the holiday break. Shimmy Chic is a low impact, high cardio workout that is designed to teach beginners and challenge the seasoned dancer. You will learn the true skill of belly dance while getting a great workout. Our instructor, Kit Dobry, is the only one certified in the Savannah area to teach this great workout! *Yoga mat is required Join us for a FREE trial Thursday, December 17th. FREE Thursdays, 7-8 p.m.. 612-470683. salondebaile.dance@gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. Home Cookin’ Cloggers Wednesdays, 6pm-8pm, Nassau Woods Recreation Building, Dean Forest Road. No beginner classes at this time. Call Claudia Collier for info. ongoing. 912-748-0731. Kids Ballroom Group Class Get the next generation involved with all the styles of partnership dances. We teach etiquette, the history, and how to actually dance them! Get them involved today to get ready for our Monthly Ballroom Dance. $40 for 4 weeks Tuesdays, 6-6:45 p.m. 612.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr. Kids Hip Hop and Jazz Mondays, 6 p.m. salondebailedancestudio. com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. Kids Tap Teaching two skills in one class: music and dance. Join our newest tap class for kids to enjoy learning different rhythms and foot patters for fun music. Tap shoes are required and can be purchased at our studio! Sign up today and start tomorrow. $40 for 4 weeks Thursdays, 6-6:45 p.m. 612.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr. Kids/Youth Dance Class Kids Group class on various Ballroom and Latin dances. Multiple teachers. Ages 4-17 currently enrolled in the program. Prepares youth for social and/or competitive dancing. $15/person Saturdays, 10 a.m. 912-3353335. savannahballroom@gmail.com. savannahballroomdancing.com. Savannah Ballroom Dance Studio, 11 Travis Street. LaBlast Dance Fitness Created by world renowned dancer and ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” professional, Louis Van Amstel, LaBlast uniquely combines a wide variety of ballroom dance styles and music genres. Do the Cha Cha Cha, Disco, Jive, Merengue, Salsa and Samba set to everything from pop and rock to hip-hop and country – and burn fat and blast calories! No experience and no partner necessary. $15.00 drop in or 10 classes for $80.00 Mondays, 6-7 p.m. and Wednesdays, 6-7 p.m. 912.312.3549. reservetodance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. Latin Nite Salsa DJ Vaina Enventos brings Latin Night to

Doubles. Happy hour all night long. NONE Thursdays, 8 p.m.-2:30 a.m. 828 216 9005. jgoodfellas@yahoo.com. doublesnightclub. com/. Doubles Nightclub, 7100 Abercorn St. Mahogany Shades of Beauty Dance classes - hip hop, modern, jazz, West African, ballet, lyrical and step. Modeling and acting classes. All ages/levels welcome. Call Mahogany for info. ongoing. 912-2728329. Modern Dance Class Beginner and intermediate classes. Fridays 10am-11:15am. Doris Martin Studio, 7360 Skidaway Rd. Call Elizabeth for info. ongoing. 912-354-5586. Mom and ME DANCE Classes Does your baby love to dance? Sign up for our MOM and Me Dance class and explore movement to fun music and learn the basic skills of dance to develop better motor skills for your child. 18 months to 2 years old. $40.00 for 4 weeks Saturdays, 9-9:30 a.m. 612.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr. Salsa Lessons Learn to dance salsa and bachata, and try it free before you buy it. Call 912-704-8726 to reserve your space and visit salsasavannah. com for more information. ongoing. Salsa Savannah Latin Dance Studio, 408 Bull Street. Salsa Night Come and shake it to the best latin grooves and bachata the night away in Pooler where it’s cooler. Wednesdays, 8-11 p.m. 912988-1052. medi.tavern314@gmail.com. Mediterranean Tavern, 125 Foxfield Way. Salsa! Salsa! Salsa! 0 Thursdays, 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. 828 216 9005. jgoodfellas@yahoo.com. doublesnightclub. com/. Doubles Nightclub, 7100 Abercorn St. Savannah Shag Club Wednesdays, 7pm,at Doubles Lounge. Fridays, 7pm, at American Legion Post 36, 2309 E. Victory Dr. ongoing. doublesnightclub.com/. Doubles Nightclub, 7100 Abercorn St. Savannah Swing Cats--Swing Dancing ongoing. doublesnightclub.com/. Doubles Nightclub, 7100 Abercorn St. Shimmy Chic Dance Fitness Shimmy and Shake with a brand new dance fitness program that will have you burning calories while learning the true skill of belly dance. Shimmy Chic is a low impact, high cardio workout that is designed to teach beginners and challenge the seasoned dancer. Yoga mats will be required. See calendars for details. $15.00, $10.00, $8.00, $5.00 Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. 612.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr. Sizzle: Dance and Cardio A class designed to maintain that summer body by dancing and having fun. Incorporates dance and cardio to fun, spicy songs. $10 drop in or 10 classes for $80 Tuesdays, Fridays, 10

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a.m. 912-312-3549. reservetodance@gmail. com. salondebailedancestudio.com. Salon de Baile Dance Studio, 7064 Hodgson Memorial Drive. West Coast Swing Group Class Love to swing dance? This class is for you. Join us for 4 weeks of triple steps, rock steps, and whips! Need to practice? We got that covered too. Get ready and join this class to come to our Monthly Swing/Blues Night! $40.00 for 4 weeks Thursdays, 6-7 p.m. 612.470.6683. salondebaile.dance@ gmail.com. salondebailedancestudio.com. salondebaileballroomdancestudio.com/. Salón de Baile Dance & Fitness Studio, 7068 Hodgson Memorial Dr.

Health

Armstrong Prescription Drug Drop-Off Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. hosts a permanent drop box for disposing of unused prescription drugs and over the counter medication. In the lobby of the University Police building on campus. Open to the public 24 hours/day, year round. Confidential. All items collected are destroyed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. ongoing. 912-344-3333. armstrong.edu. about.armstrong.edu/Maps/ index.html. Armstrong State University, 11935 Abercorn St. Blood Pressure Screenings St. Joseph’s/Candler’s SmartSenior offers blood pressure screenings on every Monday from 10 AM to Noon in the SmartSenior office, #8 Medical Arts on 836 E. 65th Street. No appointment is necessary; the screenings are free and open to the public. For more information, call (912) 352-4405. ongoing. St. Joseph’s/Candler Medical Arts Building, 836 E. 65th St. Coastal Empire Polio Survivors Association The Coastal Empire Polio Survivors Association will meet at 10:30 am at the Lewis Cancer Pavilion, 2nd floor, room 203, 225 Candler Drive on the Candler Hospital campus in Savannah. Polio survivors and guests are invited. For information call 912927-8332. fourth Saturday of every month, 10:30 a.m. Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion, 225 Reynolds Ave. Dietary Approaches to Manage Hypertension The Habersham Y will present 4 different

topic seminars. The first one on February 24th will be on DASH- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Please see location site. FREE Wed., May 25, 12-1 p.m. 912354-6223. deder@ymcaofcoastalga.org. Southside Fleet Maintence Shop, 6900 Sallie Mood Drive. Free Hearing and Speech Screening Hearing: Thursdays, 9am-11am. Speech: First Thursdays. Call or see website for times. ongoing. 912-3554601. savannahspeechandhearing.org. savannahspeechandhearing.org/. Savannah Speech and Hearing Center, 1206 E 66th St. Free Hearing Screenings The Savannah Speech and Hearing Center offers free hearing screenings every Thursday from 9-11 a.m. Children ages three years old to adults of all ages are screened on a first-come, first-serve basis by a trained audiology assistant. If necessary, a full audiological evaluation will be recommended. Free and open to the public Thursdays, 9-11 a.m. 912355-4601. speechandhearingsav.org. savannahspeechandhearing.org/. Savannah Speech and Hearing Center, 1206 E 66th St. Free HIV Testing at Chatham County Health Dept. Free walk-in HIV testing. 8am-4pm Mon.-Fri. No appointment needed. Test results in 20 minutes. Follow-up visit and counseling will be set up for anyone testing positive. Call for info. ongoing. 912-644-5217. Chatham

GET ON TO GET OFF

County Health Dept., 1395 Eisenhower Dr. Health Care for Uninsured People Open for primary care for uninsured residents of Chatham County. Mon.Fri., 8:30am-3:30pm. Call for info or appointment. ongoing. 912-443-9409. St. Joseph’s/Candler--St. Mary’s Health Center, 1302 Drayton St. Hypnosis, Guided Imagery and Relaxation Therapy Helps everyday ordinary people with everyday ordinary problems: smoking, weight loss, phobias, fears, ptsd, life coaching. Caring, qualified professional help. See website or call for info. ongoing. 912-927-3432. savannahypnosis.com. Know Your Water What everyone ought to know about our drinking water (bottled, tap, distilled, reverse osmosis, filtered, alkaline and spring.) Are you paying thousands of money for water that is making you sick? Find out what water is best for your body. FREE Tuesdays, 7-8:15 p.m. 703-989-6995. oggisavannah@gmail. com. Anahata Healing Arts Center, 2424 Drayton St. Suite B. La Leche League of Savannah A breast feeding support group for new/ expectant monthers. Meeting/gathering first Thursdays, 10am. Call or see website for location and other info. ongoing. 912-8979544. lllusa.org/web/savannahga.html. Living Smart Fitness Club An exercise program encouraging healthy lifestyle changes. Mon. & Wed. 6pm-7:15pm Hip Hop low impact aerobics

at Delaware Center. Tues. 5:30-7:00 Zumba at St. Joseph’s Candler African American Resource Center. (Program sponsors.) ongoing. 912-447-6605. Planned Parenthood Hotline First Line is a statewide hotline for women seeking information on health services. Open 7pm-11pm nightly. ongoing. 800-2647154. Prepared Childbirth Class This course gives an overview of reproductive anatomy and physiology and explains the process of labor and delivery in simple, easy-to-understand terms. The four-week course includes a tour of the labor and delivery unit. This class is popular, so please register early $75 per couple Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 912-350-2676. memorialhealth.com/. Memorial Health University Medical Center, 4700 Waters Ave. The Savannah 7-Day Diabetes Repair If you are ready to take control of your life and health, call today, enroll in this fun but intensive seven week program to heal your body of diabetes. You will learn how changing can heal. You can reverse diabetes by following a new protocol, even if you have been diabetic for years. Includes over a year of follow-up support. $450 Thursdays, Saturdays. 912-598-8457. jeff@heartbeatsforlife-ga.org. Southwest Chatham Library, 14097 Abercorn St. continues on p. 108

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LGBT

First City Network Georgia’s oldest LGBT organization (founded in 1985), is a local non-profit community service organization whose mission is to share resources of health care, counseling, education, advocacy and mutual support in the Coastal Empire. Members and guests enjoy many special events throughout the year, including First Saturday Socials held the first Saturday of each month at 7pm. Mondays. 912-236-CITY. firstcitynetwork. org. Gay AA Meeting True Colors Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, a gay and lesbian AA meeting

that welcomes all alcoholics, meets Thursdays and Sundays, 7:30pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 311 E. Harris, 2nd floor. New location effective 11/2012. ongoing. Georgia Equality Savannah Local chapter of Georgia’s largest gay rights group. 104 W. 38th St. 912-547-6263. ongoing. Savannah Pride, Inc. Organizes the annual Savannah Pride Festival and helps promote the well-being of the LGBTQI community in the South. Mission: unity through diversity and social awareness. Second Tuesday/month. PO Box 6044, Savannah, GA 31414. 501c non-

profit. ongoing. info@savannahpride.com. savannahpride.com. Stand Out Youth A gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth organization. Meets every Friday at 7pm. Call, email or see website for info. Fridays, 7-9 p.m. 912-288-1034. info@standoutyouth.org. standoutyouth. org. Vineyard Church Office, 1020 Abercorn Street. What Makes a Family A children’s therapy group for children of GLBT parents. Ages 10 to 18. Meets twice a month. Call for info. ongoing. 912-352-2611.

Free Will Astrology ARIES (March 21-April 19)

To convey the best strategy for you to employ in the coming weeks, I have drawn inspiration from a set of instructions composed by aphorist Alex Stein: *Scribble, scribble, erase. Scribble, erase, scribble. Scribble, scribble, scribble, scribble. Erase, erase, erase. Scribble, erase. Keep what’s left.* In other words, Aries, you have a mandate to be innocently empirical, robustly experimental, and cheerfully improvisational -- with the understanding that you must also balance your fun with ruthless editing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

“One must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being,” wrote Taurus memoirist May Sarton. That’s a dauntingly high standard to live up to, but for the foreseeable future it’s important that you try. In the coming weeks, you will need to maintain a heroic level of potency and excellence if you hope to keep your dreams on track and your integrity intact. Luckily, you will have an extraordinary potential to do just that. But you’ll have to work hard to fulfill the potential -- as hard as a hero on a quest to find the real Holy Grail in the midst of all the fake Holy Grails.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

“Whatever you’re meant to do, do it now,” said novelist Doris Lessing. “The conditions are always impossible.” I hope you take her advice to heart, Gemini. In my astrological opinion, there is no good excuse for you to postpone your gratification or to procrastinate about moving to the next stage of a big dream. It’s senseless to tell yourself that you will finally get serious as soon as all the circumstances are perfect. Perfection does not and will never exist. The future is now. You’re as ready as you will ever be.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

MAY 25-31, 2016

French painter Henri Matisse didn’t mind being unmoored, befuddled, or in-between. In fact, he regarded these states as being potentially valuable to his creative process. Here’s his testimony: “In art, truth and reality begin when one no longer understands what one is doing or what one knows.” I’m recommending that you try out his attitude, Cancerian. In my astrological opinion, the time has come for you to drum up the inspirations and revelations that become available when you don’t know where the hell you are and what the hell you’re doing.

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

Proposed experiment: Imagine that all the lovers and would-be lovers you have ever adored are in your presence. Review in detail your memories of the times you felt thrillingly close to them. Fill yourself up with feelings of praise and gratitude for their mysteries. Sing the love

Religious & Spiritual

12-Step Recovery Eucharist/Holy Communion 12-Step Recovery Eucharist/Holy Communion is offered at 8:00AM every fourth Friday of the month at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 34th St & Abercorn, Savannah. Everyone is welcome. fourth Saturday of every month, 8 a.m. 912925-4609. alan.phyllis@att.net. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 34th & Abercorn Sts. Band of Sisters Prayer Group All women are invited. Second Tuesdays, 7:30am-8:30am. Fellowship Assembly, 5224 Augusta Rd. Email or call Jeanne Seaver or see website for info. “The king’s heart is

by Rob brezsny

beautyandtruth@freewillastrology.com

songs you love best. Look into a mirror and rehearse your “I only have eyes for you” gaze until it is both luminous and smoldering. Cultivate facial expressions that are full of tender, focused affection. Got all that, Leo? My purpose in urging you to engage in these practices is that it’s the High Sexy Time of year for you. You have a license to be as erotically attractive and wisely intimate as you dare.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

“Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others,” wrote editor Jacob M. Braude. Normally I would endorse his poignant counsel, but for the foreseeable future I am predicting that the first half of it won’t fully apply to you. Why? Because you are entering a phase that I regard as unusually favorable for the project of transforming yourself. It may not be easy to do so, but it’ll be easier than it has been in a long time. And I bet you will find the challenge to reimagine, reinvent, and reshape yourself at least as much fun as it is hard work.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

“Never turn down an adventure without a really good reason,” says author Rebecca Solnit in her book *The Far Away Nearby.* That’s a thought she had as she contemplated the possibility of riding a raft down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. Here’s how I suspect this meditation applies to you, Libra: There have been other times and there will be other times when you will have good reasons for not embarking on an available adventure. But now is not one of those moments.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Russian poet Vera Pavlova tells about how once when she was using a pen and paper to jot down some fresh ideas, she got a paper cut on her palm. Annoying, right? On the contrary. She loved the fact that the new mark substantially extended her life line. The palmistry-lover in her celebrated. I’m seeing a comparable twist in your near future, Scorpio. A minor inconvenience or mild setback will be a sign that a symbolic revitalization or enhancement is nigh.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Norway is mountainous, but its neighbor Finland is quite flat. A group of Norwegians has launched a campaign to partially remedy the imbalance. They propose that to mark the hundredth anniversary of Finland’s independence, their country will offer a unique birthday gift: the top of Halti mountain. Right now the 4,479-foot peak is in Norway. But under the proposed plan, the border between countries will be shifted so that the peak will be transferred to Finland. I would love you to contemplate gener-

ous gestures like this in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. It’s a highly favorable time for you to bestow extra imaginative blessings. (P.S. The consequences will be invigorating to your own dreams.)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

I believe that every one of us should set aside a few days every year when we celebrate our gaffes, our flaws, and our bloopers. During this crooked holiday, we are not embarrassed about the false moves we have made. We don’t decry our bad judgment or criticize our delusional behavior. Instead, we forgive ourselves of our sins. We work to understand and feel compassion for the ignorance that led us astray. Maybe we even find redemptive value in our apparent lapses; we come to see that they saved us from some painful experience or helped us avoid getting a supposed treasure that would have turned out to be a booby prize. Now would be a perfect time for you to observe this crooked holiday.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Sometimes the love you experience for those you care about makes you feel vulnerable. You may worry about being out of control or swooping so deeply into your tenderness that you lose yourself. Giving yourself permission to cherish and nurture can make you feel exposed, even unsafe. But none of that applies in the coming weeks. According to my interpretation of the astrological omens, love will be a source of potency and magnificence for you. It will make you smarter, braver, and cooler. Your words of power will be this declaration by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani: “When I love / I feel that I am the king of time / I possess the earth and everything on it / and ride into the sun upon my horse.” (Translated by Lena Jayyusi and Christopher Middleton.)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

In November 1916, at the height of World War I, the Swedish schooner Jönköping set sail for Finland, carrying 4,400 bottles of champagne intended for officers of the occupying Russian army. But the delivery was interrupted. A hostile German submarine sunk the boat, and the precious cargo drifted to the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The story didn’t end there, however. More than eight decades later, a Swedish salvage team retrieved a portion of the lost treasure, which had been well-preserved in the frosty abyss. Taste tests revealed that the bubbly alcholic beverage was “remarkably light-bodied, extraordinarily elegant and fantastically fresh, with discreet, slow-building toasty aromas of great finesse.” (Source: tinyurl.com/toastyaromas.) I foresee the potential of a similar resurrection in your future, Pisces. How deep are you willing to dive?

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like channels of water in the hands of the Lord.” (Prov. 21:1) ongoing. 912-663-8728. jeanneseaver@aol.com. capitolcom.org/ georgia. Buddhist Meditation All ages, lineages, and newcomers welcome. Our schedule is: Tuesdays 6-7:30 PM- for 30 minutes mediation followed by study group, $10. Wednesdays 6-7:30 PM- one hour of gentle yoga followed by 30 minutes of guided meditation, $15. Sundays 9-10:30 AM- Mediation, dharma talk and tea, $10. Reiki healing is offered by appointment. Text Rev. Cindy Beach at (912) 429-7265 for more info or visit savannahzencenter.com or find us on Facebook. Located atLocated at 640 E 40th St and Reynolds. $10-$15 ongoing. The Savannah Zen Center, 640 E. 40th St. Catholic Singles A group of Catholic singles age 30-50 meet frequently for fun, fellowship and service. Send email or check website to receive announcements of activities and to suggest activities for the group. ongoing. familylife@ diosav.org. diosav.org/familylife-singles. Gratitude Circle in the Squares Join Joanne Morton and others on Wednesdays for a weekly gathering of positive energy. All are welcome. Free hugs. View calendar for the square of the week. Wednesdays, 12-12:30 p.m. 917-6764280. magicpassionlove.com/savannahgratitude/. Downtown Savannah, downtown. Guided Silent Prayer Acoustical songs, 30 minutes of guided silent prayer, and minutes to receive prayer or remain in silence. Wednesdays, 6:45-8:00pm at Vineyard Church, 615 Montgomery St. See website for info. ongoing. vineyardsavannah.org. Maritime Bethel “Sundays on Thursdays” worship at the Fellowship Assembly. Plenty of parking for large trucks. Free Thursdays. 912-220-2976. The Fellowship Assembly of God Church, 5224 Augusta Road. A New Church in the City, For the City Gather on Sundays at 10:30am. Like the Facebook page “Savannah Church Plant.” ongoing. Bryson Hall, 5 E. Perry St. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Courses are now being offered at the new Savannah Extension of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Full course loads for both Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees will be offered. Apply now at www.nobts. edu to start classes this winter. ongoing. 912-232-1033. revwasson@gmail.com. Savannah Baptist Center, 704 Wheaton Street. Read the Bible in One Year A Bible book club for those wanting to read the Bible in one year. Open to all. Book club format, not a traditional Bible study. All welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, religion. Thurs. 6:00pm-7:00pm. Call for info. ongoing. 912-233-5354. Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 622 E. 37th Street. Savannah Friends Meeting (Quakers) Un-programmed worship. 11am Sundays, third floor of Trinity United Methodist Church. Call or email for info.

All are welcome. ongoing. 636-2331772. savannahquakers@gmail.com. trinitychurch1848.org/. Trinity United Methodist Church, 225 West President St. Savannah Reiki Share During shares, participants take turns giving and receiving universal life force energy via Reiki and other healing modalities. Present at the shares are usually no less than 2 Reiki Masters. Come share with us on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month at the Sweet Water Spa in downtown Savannah. Sign up at Savannah Reiki Share or Reiki by Appointment on Facebook. Free ongoing, 7 p.m. 440-371-5209. Sweet Water Spa, 148 Abercorn Street. Service of Compline Enter the stillness of another age. Gregorian Chant sung by candlelight at 9:00-9:30 p.m. every Sunday night by the Complne Choir of Christ Church Anglican. Come, say good nigh to God. All are welcome. ongoing. Christ Church Anglican, 37th and Bull. South Valley Baptist Church Weekly Sunday services. Sunday school, 10:00am. Worship, 11:30am. Tuesday Bible Study/Prayer Service, 6:30pm. Pastor Rev. Dr. Barry B. Jackson, 480 Pine Barren Road, Pooler, GA “Saving a nation one soul at a time.” ongoing. Sundays on Thursdays Worship Service Thursdays. 912-826-0206. maritimebethelatsavannah.org. The Fellowship Assembly of God Church, 5224 Augusta Road. Tapestry Church A church for all people! We don’t care what you are wearing, just that you are here. From the moment you walk in until the moment you leave, Tapestry is committed to delivering a creative, challenging, straight forward, and honest message about the role of biblical principles in your life. Come experience an environment that helps you connect with God and discover his incredible purpose for your life. Join us every Sunday morning 10AM at the Habersham YMCA. Sundays, 10 a.m. tapestrysavannah.com. ymcaofcoastalga.org/. YMCA (Habersham Branch), 6400 Habersham St. Theology on Tap Meets on the third Monday, 8:30pm-10:30pm. Like the Facebook page: Theology on Tap Downtown Savannah. ongoing. distillerysavannah.com. The Distillery, 416 W. Liberty St.

Crossword Answers

the ghost dog diaries

Mercury What-rograde? Everything I know about Mercury Retrograde I learned from my college psychicyourpalerin@gmail.com roommate, who was an avid astrologer. www.yourpalerin.com Whenever I complained about the chips hitting the fan in my love life, my work DEAR ERIN, life or with my electronics, she would Everyone keeps saying we’re in the happily chirp, “It’s Mercury Retromiddle of Mercury Retrograde and it sucks. What exactly does that mean? The grade!” During our first year together, I pretty much dismissed it as hogwash; retrograde part, I mean. The suck part is pretty clear. Now I just want to under- by year three I was noticing a definite pattern. stand why. That’s when she explained that MerThanks, cury Retrograde is the equivalent of Joe the Earth having its period. The three weeks before Mercury Retrograde is Dear Joe, the PMS (or “pre-shadow”) phase when Even though your question is a geneveryone starts feeling pissy and irrieral one, my Spidey Senses are tapping table. The three actual weeks of Mercury into your frustration. I can feel what a Retrograde itself (Mercury Retrograde tough time you’ve been having lately. Know that I am sending lots of love and “proper”) is when the bloodshed occurs —fighting words are said, breakups good juju to you. occur, people do things totally out of Mercury Retrograde is an astrocharacter that they inevitably regret; logical phenomenon that happens four computer programs meltdown inexplitimes a year when the planet Mercury cably; bad haircuts ensue. appears to jump backward in its orbit During the “post-shadow” phase, around the sun. This doesn’t mean that things calm down, people apologize, the Mercury actually goes backward. It’s Apple Genius saves the day and things go an optical illusion that happens here back to normal…except for those unruly on Earth, because of our own position, relative the other eight planets as we all haircuts. They take some time to grow out. Happily, as of May 22 we are offiorbit around the sun. (Sorry Pluto naycially in the post-shadow phase of Mersayers! My column, my rules.) cury Retrograde. Perhaps you remember back in Please resume your regularly schedelementary school art class when you uled programming. learned how to make a mobius strip by The same cycles hold true for the other taking a straight piece of paper, twisting eight planets. This means we tend to it once and gluing the ends together? experience additional upsets in our love During Mercury Retrograde the planet life during Venus retrograde and unexappears to be falling into the backward pected truces during Mars (the planet of twist of its own orbit. war) retrograde, to give a couple of other I repeat: this is just an optical illuexamples. sion. If it were an actual emergency, (Because we can’t see ourselves, Earth the alarm you just heard would have will never experience the phenomenon been accompanied by additional of Earth Retrograde, but I am curious to instructions. know how it affects life on other planets!) Now for the suck part: for some The reason that this particular retroinexplicable reason, this “twist” in grade packed such a wallop is because Mercury’s orbit wreaks havoc in our communications during its retrograde. five of the eight planets were also in retThis is because astrologically, Mercury rograde during this time. Hopefully this information will give rules communications. you some insight and clarity, Joe. If you As a result, we say things that we or any of my other happy readers have don’t mean; people misunderstand additional questions, feel free to write the things we do mean to say; contract me at psychicyourpalerin@gmail.com. negotiations go south; pretty much Sending light and love to all in the every person and piece of electronic meantime! hardware or software on the planet Your pal, goes batshit crazy. Windows 10? DefiErin nitely the bastard child of someone’s Mercury Retrograde fuckfest. By Your Pal Erin

MAY 25-31, 2016

Happenings

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Exchange

Announcements

For Your Information FINE ART NUDES Savannah photographer, Jack Wegener introduced artistic nude photography regionally in 1975. Mr. Wegener creates hand-colored & black-and-white photographs using film. Women wanted as models. www. jackwegener.com

MAKE A CONNECTION. REAL PEOPLE, FLIRTY CHAT Call FREE! 912.544.0013 or 800.926.6000 www.livelinks.com 18+

COMMERCIAL PLUMBERS & HELPERS

Needed for project in Savannah. Must pass drug test, have your own transportation to job site and furnish your own hand tools. Pay is commensurate with experience. Contact B&R Plumbing @ 678-423-3422 or Brian Boyd @ 404-713-6284. You may also email resume to dboyd@newnanbiz.net or fax to 770-252-4005.

Searching for Experienced Landscaper Crew Leader or Laborers. Must have experience, driver’s license & transportation to and from work. Established Lawn care company for over 20 years. References needed. Call (912) 756-6726 or fax resume to (912) 756-6728. SMALL DAYCARE has positions open: Handyman needed for a few hours per week. Childcare Teacher also needed. Call 912443-4649

partner seeking to establish your own business location. Call John, 912-234-0548

Jobs Employment Wanted

Optim Healthcare is seeking a full-time Pain Management RN Supervisor for our Savannah location. For more details and to apply, please visit optimhealth.com/ careers.

NURSES NEEDED

Teach 7-week Nurse Aide Course in classroom and clinical. 8am-12:30pm and 5pm-9:30pm, Monday-Friday. FAX resume: 912-354-3113 Apply: 7160 Hodgson Mem. Dr. Ste. 103 RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICIAN & HELPER NEEDED. Must have valid driver’s license. Local company. Call 912-604-9649

Help Wanted CDL DRIVERS & MECHANICS NEEDED for Richmond Hill, Savannah, Hinesville and Hardeeville. Good Benefits & Top Pay! Call Joseph, 912-330-0058

MAY 25-31, 2016

Call 912-721-4350 and Place Your Classified Ad Today!

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Thousands of People Are Looking At This Space.

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NOW HIRING!! ER & Med/Surg RNs (Metter, GA) Mental Health LPNs (Savannah, GA)

Competitive Rates *FT, PT, PRN & Contract positions available

Apply online @ www.healthcare-staffing.com Contact Coco today to schedule your interview! *Also hiring Mental Health: Techs, CNAs, House Leaders & Medical Assistants

Ads received by 5pm friday will appear in the Wednesday issue of the next week.

ROOFERS NEEDED 10+ Years Experience CALL 912-272-1933

EXPERIENCED CARPENTERS Used Car Sales has opening for NEEDED. CALL 912-210-1069 a ASE Certified Mechanic. As a

No experience needed, $12.00 per hour, starting. Local Boar’s Head distributor is looking for Warehouse and Driver/ Merchandisers. Must have valid drivers license. Part Time and Full time available. Call: (912) 201-3370; Fax: (912) 201-3370 Email: office@ctwprovisions.com

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call 238-2040 business rates |place your classified ad online for free at connectsavannahexchange.com

Optim Healthcare is seeking a full-time Case Manager/ Employee Health Nurse for our Screven/Jenkins location. For more details and to apply, please visit optimhealth.com/careers

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3BD/2BA Near Thunderbolt/ NY Ave. Fenced backyard, Hardwoods, Remodeled Kitchen, Washer/Dryer Included. $850/Month, $400 Deposit. Call 912-927-2750

Optim Healthcare is seeking a fulltime Director of Marketing for our Savannah location. For more details and to apply, please visit optimhealth.com/ careers. Real Estate For Rent

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B Net Management Inc. For pictures & videos of properties *Credit Issues, Prior Evictions, Bankruptcies may still apply 1535 E. 54th St. Apt. B

1BR/1BA Efficiency, off Waters Ave. Washer/dryer, kitchen with appliances. $680/month (utilities included) or $179/weekly option payment. 2wks. deposit needed.

2031 New B. 1BR/1BA

Mexico

Apt.

Efficiency, off Pennsylvania. Kitchen w/ appliances, LR, carpet, ceiling fans. $720/month includes utilities or $189/weekly option payment. 2wks. deposit needed.

2031 New Mexico: Off Pennsylvania. 3BR/1BA, LR, DR, carpet & hardwood floors, laundry room, kitchen w/appliances, fenced yard. $895/mo. (Utility allowance $30). 503-1/2 W.42nd St: 2BR/1BA Apt. off MLK. Carpet, tile floors, laundry hookup, kitchen w/ appliances, ceiling fans, large rooms, secured entrance. Downstairs unit. $645/month. 2304 Shirley Drive: 3BR/1BA House, LR, DR, CH&A, kitchen w/ appliances, ceiling fans, carpet, hardwood floors, laundry room, fenced backyard $925/month. 807-809 Paulsen St. 2BR/1BA Apt. Appliances, central heat/air, carpet & hardwood floors $645$675/month.

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You Can Find It Our Website! www.connectsavannah.com

FOR RENT: 2BR/1BA on Amy St. Central heat/air, stove & refrigerator, washer/dryer hook up. $650/month plus $650/sec. deposit. 912-398-0404 FURNISHED APTS. STARTING AT $170/WK. Private bath and kitchen, cable, utilities, washer furnished. AC & heat, bus stop on property. No deposit required. Completely safe, manager on property. Contact Gail, (912)650-9358; Linda, (912)690-9097.

RENT OR RENT-TO-OWN: Remodeled mobile homes, in Garden City mobile home park, 3BR/2BA. Low down, affordable payments. Credit check approval. Call Gwen, Manager, at 912-9647675 SAVANNAH’S HOUSE OF GRACE

SENIOR LIVING AT IT’S BEST FOR AGES 50 & BETTER Shared community living for full functioning seniors ages 50 & above. Nice comfortable living at affordable rates. Shared kitchen & bathroom. All bedrooms have central heating/air and cable. Bedrooms are fully furnished and private. Make this community one you will want to call home. SAVANNAH’S HOUSE OF GRACE also has community housing with its own private bath. Different rates apply. Income must be verifiable. We accept gov. vouchers. Prices starting at $550.

Call 912-844-5995

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DUPLEX: 1119 East 53rd Street. 2BR/1BA $550/month plus $550/ deposit. One block off Waters Avenue, close to Daffin Park. Call 912-335-3211 or email adamrealstate@gmail.com. Days/ Nights/Weekends.

Off ACL Blvd. & Westlake Ave.

SECTION 8 ACCEPTED *713 E. 34TH Street: Very large 2 BR house. Great porch $775 *22B MASTICK: 3BR/2BA w/ washer/dryer $750. 2223 MISSISSIPPI: 2BR. All New! $725. Call 912-257-6181

912-228-4630 Mon-Sat 10am-5pm www. bnetmanagement.com WE ACCEPT SECTION 8 *For Qualified Applicants with 1+ years on Job.*

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2 & 3BR, 1 Bath Apts. Newly Renovated, hardwood floors, carpet, ceiling fans, appliances, central heat/air, washer/dryer hookups. $595-$765/month for 2bdrs and $715-$850/month for 3bdrs.

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ROOMS FOR RENT

Westside / Eastside Savannah: 37th, 38th, & 42nd Streets. Adult Living. Furnished, all utilities included. Washer/Dryer on premises, cable TV, WiFi/ Internet. $130-$150/weekly. Requirements: Pay stubs/ID. Call 912-677-0271

STUDIO APARTMENT FOR RENT: $800/month + $200 deposit. Nice/clean environment with private kitchen and bath. Utilities included. Call 912-428-4722

SHARED LIVING: Fully Furnished Apts. $170 weekly. No deposit. All utilities included. Call 912-844-5995

VERY NICE HOUSE FOR RENT

SINGLE, Family Home w/ Room for Rent: Furnished, includes utilities, central heat/air, Comcast cable, washer/dryer. Ceramic tile in kitchen & bath. Shared Kitchen & bath. Call 912210-0144, leave message

*2117 Brentwood Dr. 4BR/1BA, CH/A, new carpet & appliances, large yard. $975/month plus $975//Deposit. 912-507-7934, 912-927-2853, or 912-631-7644.

Room for Rent ROOMS FOR RENT $75 MOVE-IN SPECIAL ON 2ND WEEK Clean, large, furnished. Busline, cable, utilities, central heat/air. $100-$130/weekly. Rooms with bath $145. Call 912-289-0410. *Paycheck stub or Proof of income and ID required.

Cars/Trucks/Vans FENDER BENDER ?? Paint & Body Work. Reasonably Priced. Insurance Claims. We buy wrecks. Call 912-355-5932.

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ROOMS FOR RENT - Ages 40 & better. $150 weekly. No deposit. Furnished rooms. All utilities included. On Busline. Call 912-844-5995

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THUNDERBOLT LOCATION

Room available, across from SSU. Shower, toilet, sink included in room, washer/dryer available. $130/week. $100/deposit. $15/ mo. cable. 912-844-3990 or 912655-9121

$12 per week $14 per week $12 per week $10 per week $10 per week $10 per week

HOW tO PlacE an ad • call our classifieds department at 912-231-0250 • ads Must Be Placed By 11am On Monday Prior to Publication • all ads Must be PrePaid (credit cards accepted) • Basic rate includes up to 25 words.

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FOR ALL TYPES OF MASONRY REPAIR

Brick, Block, Concrete, Stucco, Brick Paving, Grading, Clearing, etc., New & Repair Work. Call Michael Mobley, 912-631-0306

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MAY 25-31, 2016

Seeking Reliable Couple for brick home in Lamarville Subdivision. 2133 Westlake Ave. 3BR, LR/DR combo, large den, large back yard. $875/month. OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, June 4,12:00PM-3:00PM.Serious inquiries only, call 912-200-4197 or 912-436-2062

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