We started our day off with a small breakfast as provided by Bayside Inn. It was comprised of a variey homemade coffee cake, banana bread, a variety of fruit, cereals, and a breakfast quiche. I broke in my antique coffee pot with some coffee I bought the other day from Uncommon Grounds Roasters here in Saugatuck. I would certainly not stay at Bayside Inn for the breakfast.
After breakfast I spent sometime catching up on my blog and Shannon spent time knitting, and re-knitting a shrug she’s making for her sister. I know, not much of an adventure, but when you’re used to going all the time, doing leisurely things like this are a luxury. I’ve kept up with some of my emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc. but being away physically has been just what we’ve needed to re-spark, refresh, and rejuvenate.
The Carol Ann Ice Breaker in Action
Carol Ann Ice Cutter - Holland, MI (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)
The wasn’t a total wash however, because during our relaxation time a drama on the river outside our suite began to unfold. To our delight and amazement, a couple of ice-cutters were docked just next door to our inn. The Carol Ann (Holland, MI) began cutting through the ice flows like butter until she reached a fairly large flow that required several full-steam stabs to get it to break. Below is a video account of one of the stabs.
Honestly, I can’t think of a cooler (no pun intended) way to spend the morning than watching these guys trudge head long into huge ice flows. Even Shannon was having a blast watching the drama unfold. This may be a common occurance here in Saugatuck, but for us it was a real treat.
After a relaxing morning of room-service breakfast we headed toward Saugatuck. I swung by Biggby Coffee and tried one of their “skinny” Teddy Bear coffee drinks and it was superb! That fueled me for the drive west and about an hour and half later we drove into Saugatuck and were greeted by one of their more notable landmarks the “Peterson Mill.” I snapped a few shots off of the mill and the surrounding frozen water.
Blue Star Antique Pavilion
We drove through the small water town and since it was only 11 a.m. we decided to seek out some antique shops I had looked up online. Fortunately for us, we started with the best the area had to offer in our opinion – Blue Star Antique Pavilion located at 2945 Blue Star Highway Douglas, MI. Their website is http://www.bluestarantiquepavilion.com/
This place is so filled with treasures, the hardest part about shopping here is knowing where to begin and how to fit it all in. We shopped for 2 ½ hours and spent about $130. We purchased a silver chafing dish, several Zane Grey books, a 1969 Farmer’s Almanac, a small jewelry dish, and a set of (4) 24kt. gold leafed bowls, and (2) plates to match. The best treasure of all was stainless steel Sunbeam Coffee Percolator for $20! This was a treasure for a variety of reasons, not the least of which that it was made in America, coffee strength selector dial, and extremely quiet percolation. This little pot buries the “made in China” models I’ve had in the past for quality, speed, and yes, price. Judging by the cord configuration this model is circa 1970…hmmm not bad for 40 years old!
We will definitely make this a regular place to visit if we are ever in the area. For any antique enthusiast, this store is a MUST! The staff were friendly and accommodating and overall we felt the pricing was within reason. 5 out of 5 ‘Stars’ for us!
Uncommon Grounds Coffee Roasters
Another Saugatuck MUST for coffee lovers (and tea) is Uncommon Grounds Coffee Roasters. You are greeted by the intoxicating aroma of not just fresh ground coffee, but fresh ROASTED coffee! Roasts varying from their House Roast, to Guatemalan, Columbian, Kenyan, Fog Cutter, and their Coffee Lover’s which after being given a complimentary taste I had to buy a pound!
Land Sharks of Saugatuck
We hit the 50% Off Winter Sale at Saugatuck’s Land Sharks. I bought a pair of Keen’s, my favorite shoe maker of all time. And a pair of Patagonia’s which made me feel guilty for cheating on my Keen’s! For less than $150 I upgraded my casual/outdoor shoes. I even got the approval of my cousin Matt Bowen who also is a Keen Enthusiast!
Kilwin’s of Saugatuck
No anniversary celebration is complete with CHOCOLATE! Kilwin’s more than fits the bill here. At first we were disappointed as we drove into town to see their former location boarded up. As we drove further into town we were relieved to find their new location just before the 4-way light. Shan picked out a few of her fav’s as did I. I had a hard time making up my mind, but came up with quite an assortment including several truffles of dark and milk chocolate.
Pizza Mambo
After settling into our suite for the night, the last thing we felt like was heading back out into the cold. We googled pizza places in Saugatuck and were pleasantly surprised by Pizza Mambo’s. We ordered 2 salads; 1 Caprese and 1 Antipasto. For pizza we ordered a 12” medium with mushrooms, onions, bacon, and green peppers.
Awesome is a way overly used word to describe things, but in terms of pizza and salad this raised the bar. The pizza was thin-crusted and used provolone instead of mozzarella. What a change from the blasé typical pizzas. The show stoppers were the European-style Caprese and Antipasto. Fresh Mozzarella, Basil and Sliced Tomato, drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar adorned the Caprese. Prosciutto, Salami, Sausage, Smoked Provolone, Parmegiano Reggiano, House Marinated Olives & Giardiniera on a bed of Romaine. Served with Grilled Italian Bread was enough to share for the Antipasto! Is your mouth-watering yet? Definitely a ‘do-again’ is in order for this place. Delivered for $38, but gourmet all the way. Incidentally, delivery is the only way to go with this place as it is entirely too small to eat-in.
Tybee Lighthouse behind the Palms by Rodger Mangold
Savannah, Georgia – Just 80 or so miles from the villa is Savannah, Georgia. My in-laws went there earlier in the week and were very pleased withtheir trip. Shannon and I opted not to go with them, but today, unknowns to me, the Tybee Island Lighthouse is located just outside of Savannah, and we decided to go see it. My in-laws wanted to come along for the ride. On the way we had a lengthy discussion about our GPSwhich helped us navigate to our destination without incident. My in-laws have a Magellan that they are not happy with and I was touting all the features of my Delphi Nav200. Their son, David, has one as well and they were going to look into getting one. I say “were” for a reason…read on!
The Tybee Island Lighthouse – A very picturesque setting plays home to this stripped behemoth of a light. Black and white and almost 200′ tall and Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th colony, in 1732, the Tybee Island Light Station has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years. The Tybee Island Light Station is one of America’s most intact having all of its historic support buildings on its five-acre site. Rebuilt several times the current light station displays its 1916 day-mark with 178 stairs, and a First Order Fresnel lens (nine feet tall).
Believe it or not, I was able to make it up all 178 steps to the top and what a spectacular view of the ocean, and the surrounding fort. The cost was $6.00 for adults and $5.00 for seniors. Certainly worth it considering how beautifully the grounds and the light are kept up and cared for. I didn’t make it to the houses surrounding the lighthouse (I was taking too many pictures), but Shannon said I should have, she was very intrigued with the history.
Downtown Savannah, River Street – With being so close to downtown Savannah, we had to stop by the River Street Shops. We originally were looking for the Peanut Shop. My in-laws had purchased a huge can of some of the best peanuts I have ever had, WAY better than Planter’s ever dared to be, and we wanted to by some for ourselves. In addition to the large can of peanuts, we bought cashews, mixed nuts, and some New Orleans flavored peanuts. On our way to the Peanut Shop however, we were detoured by the smell of the Savannah Candy Kitchen where they make pecan praline and give out free samples. This was so mouth watering we had to buy some. We also bought several of their other treats including their Divinity, roasted pecans, and salt water taffy. Everything tasted so wonderful! If you are ever in Savannah, this entire strip is an absolute MUST!
Savannah Yarn Store – Wild Fibre Of course no trip would ever be complete unless we plugged in a yarn store. We did just that and using our VZ Navigator located a store called Wild Fibre. If length of visit is any indicator here, Shannon really liked this store. She walked out with a bag chocked full of yarn, and a pattern. She is a woman on a mission now for sure. She spent about $75, and was thrilled with the store. I was content to sit in the car like I almost always do and keep the chariot ready for the Queen of Knitting! Shannon would highly recommend this store for knitters if you are in the area. There website is http://www.wildfibreyarns.com/1.html. It is located at 409 E. Liberty Street in Savannah between Habersham and Price Streets (Map HERE).
GPS Crash – Nicknamed “Betty” my GPScrashed on the way out of Savannah. After all the bragging and promoting I did for this fantastic product, the Delphi Nav200 locked up and would not provide us with directions back to Hilton Head. At one point, I was getting so frustrated (yes me), we were driving over some railroad tracks and I threatened that if she didn’t start working, I was going to toss her onto the tracks! I even went as far as to re-name what GPS stood for…GETTING PRETTY STUPID! Fortunately, I had my VZNavigator for a back-up. I am amazed and ashamed at the same time how dependent we have become on technology. I know I could have broke down and bought a map, but witha $200 unit, and a $200 phone, both with GPS, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The VZ worked just fine and we made it home, only to have Betty kick back on. The error message I was getting was, “non-sufficient memory to perform this operation.” I think she may have gotten over-heated. We used her for the rest of the our entire vacation without incident.
Putt-Putt and Shopping – Since my injury prevents me from playing real golf, and since I have endured watching some poorly executed tee shots from our deck, I have had the itch to try my hand at golf. Unfortunately, putt-putt is as close as I’ll get for a while. We found a great place on William Hilton Parkway, near our villa called Legendary Golf. This plays unlike any putt-putt course you’ve ever been to. Each hole is set up and contoured just like a miniature golf hole. There are bunkers, water hazards, roughs, and flags at each hole. The total price for our family was $34.00, but worth every penny. Interestingly enough, each tee included a scripture about the gospel; very inspirational, educational, and recreational all in one. This will likely become one of our Hilton Head Haunts when we return.
Outlets – There are several outlets in Hilton Head, two of which are Tanger Outlets and the kids love going to them as do we. We didn’t spend a lot of money, but enjoyed walking around looking for bargains. Nate and I bought a pair of tennis shoes at the Famous Footwear Shoe Outlet, located at Hilton Head Village 1460 Fording Island Road, Suite 240, Bluffton, SC 29910 Phone: (843) 836-3304. I bought a pair of K-Swiss for me and a pair of Hurley’s for Nate. Our bill came to $60 for 2 pair of designer shoes. My shoes are so comfortable to walk in, even with the brace and my support sock.
My Reading Material – The Innocent Man by John Grisham – There was a lot of leisure time being at the villa so I took advantage of that by reading a book by John Grisham called the Innocent Man, which is a true story about a small town police force and small-time prosecuting attorney in Ada, Oklahoma, that wrongfully brought about the conviction of several innocent men, one of which was sentenced to die by lethal injection. This was a superbly written novel, that reads more like fiction and the reader will be amazed at how corrupt the judicial system can be. If you’re a supporter of the death penalty, this will make you second guess your logic.
Shipyard Plantation – Galleon Golf Course – My favorite place to read was on the deck in view of the 6th hole of our resort’s Galleon Golf Course location in the Shipyard Plantation. Here is a VIDEO of a flyover of the golf course. Interestingly enough, there were several botched tee shots that found there way on the very deck I was reading on, many others hit some of the homes across the fairway from us as well. Be very careful when reading or enjoying time on the deck. If you hear the tee shot, be watching for the ball!
The Weather – The weather was forecasted to be thunderstorms everyday. We ran into some weather off and on, but nothing that took away from our trip. One night the thunder and lightening was deafening, unlike any I had ever experienced. The next day, there were tree limbs and such blown in the roadway and bike paths, but all in all, it sounded much worse than it was. There is a tropical storm (later turned hurricane) in the middle of the Atlantic called Bertha that is causing a bit of a raucous with the beaches, but nothing that prevented us from enjoying the water. The waves were a little more rough and the weather man warned against rip currents that actually were blamed for 3 deaths on the New Jersey Coastline.
Land Sharks of Saugatuck
Kilwin’s of Saugatuck
Pizza Mambo
Rodger's Rants, Writings, and Rambles 