The Pink House: Ladies Who Lunch

You’ve all heard of the term “The Ladies Who Lunch”; the stereotypical definition for this reads as follows:

Well-off, well-dressed women who meet for social luncheons, usually during the working week. Typically, the women involved are married and non-working.

No judgment here; if you can snag a situation like that, go for it! Here’s what one of those groups of ladies might have looked like back in 1952, outside The Old Pink House Restaurant on Reynolds Square in Savannah, Georgia. Purses, hats, and gloves. These ladies have it all covered.



The Olde (the “e” was added at some point) Pink House is a Daveland favorite.



My menu choices rarely deviate when I go (why mess with success?). The BLT salad to start, which includes a fried green tomato:



…and the Fried Pork Chop. Words cannot even begin to describe it.



Know any ladies who lunch?

See more Pink House restaurant photos at my main website.

A Very Pink History

Faithful readers of this blog know what a nut I am for The Pink House, one of my favorite restaurants in Savannah, Georgia. The recent acquisition of a vintage slide has spawned today's post, which shows this Savannah staple through the years. First up is a previously posted shot from 1958 when it was known as the Georgian Tea Room. This June 1966 shot shows the Tea Room framed perfectly by the trees in Reynold Square.



Yup...still serving Tea.



This Spring 2005 image is from my very first trip to Savannah and the Pink House.



Yes, back when my hair still had color.



Two more contemporary views of the exterior:





And of course the main reason I go here every time I visit Savannah: the infamous Fried Pork Chop.



Get more Pink at my main website.

Eating My Way Through Savannah

Whenever I travel, finding good eats is always top of the list. This is why Savannah is one of my favorite cities to visit. Let's dig right into my most recent visit there when I ate my way through the city. It can be a curse to like both salty and sweet; my waistline will attest to that. The Florence is on Victory Drive just on the border of the historic district. I've tried it twice and had decent meals, but this is not a place that I put on my "must" list whenever I venture into town. Still, we had a great time (it's all about the company you keep!) and enjoyed our beverages and food. Especially the beverages. Another Pimm's Cup, please!



Leopold's Ice Cream is not only on my "must" list, but it's a an every day occurrence. I just cannot get enough of their ice cream. Somebody start an intervention.



Grant and I had to explain to 20-something Shawn what a phone booth was.



When your trainer eats ice cream, you take photos. They come in handy later.



The Gryphon Tea Room is on my once every 3 or 5 years or so list. It's more about experiencing the historic interior than anything else.



Full of rich details, it still has many traces of its former glory as a pharmacy.



The face Grant is making is not because of the food; it's because we were seated near the bathroom. Yes, we got a discount on our bill.



The Grey never disappoints.



Although it is probably the most hip and trendy place in town, the food is not pretentious. Just creative and tasty. I want more of these red pea pancakes.





My mouth is watering. I can't wait to go back.



We were all happy campers that night. Love this place.



What? Ice cream at Leopold's after having dessert at The Grey? Who cares...you only live once. I wanted my Tutti Frutti ice cream, and I'm sure all the walking I did made everything kosher.



Dinner at The Pink House is also part of my ritual.



No complaints from my travel companions on this one, either. It was a great southern meal.



And yes, I get the same thing every time. I don't care if that's boring; why should you? The Fried Pork Chop is just crazy good.



Grant was digging the basement tour, where the Pink House is supposedly haunted.



After dinner it was back to the Grey for a beverage and to visit Scotty, the best bartender/manager.



And then...yup, you guessed it. Leopold's.



Our last meal together in Savannah was at Huey's on the River for brunch. This one made my once every 100 years or so list.



Still hungry? There's more Savannah goodness at my main website.

Haunted Savannah, Pt. 2

Known as "The Pink House," this Savannah restaurant favorite is also known for its haunted history. This vintage 1958 photo shows it when it was functioning as the Georgian Tea Room.



The house itself is not necessarily scary looking. Supposedly its pink hue comes from the red bricks whose color continually seeped through to the white stucco, much to the consternation of its original owner, James Habersham. Now they just paint the place pink and therefore don't have to wait for the bricks to do their magic.



The basement area is where most of the ghostly apparitions have been seen. According to the Haunted Houses website, patrons and employees have seen slave children ghosts running around the basement area who like to throw dice against the wall in the hallway by the bathrooms. These children used to take wine bottles out of their places behind the bar and hit the bartender with them. The wine bottles are now chilled in a glass-enclosed refrigerator.



Some entity liked to lock women in the bathroom. The management finally took the lock off the door, which curtailed the problem somewhat, though a force does on occasion hold the door shut for a bit, keeping the annoyed patron stuck inside for a short time.



About the only thing that haunts me about this place is its Fried Pork Chop.



Need more Pink? Visit my main website.

Rock 'n Savannah, Pt. 4

Broughton Street in Savannah, Georgia, was once a vibrant center of retail, restaurants, and hotes. Thankfully, the same can be said today. Even though some of the players have changed, the storefronts and feel of a thriving community have survived.



Levy Jewelers is on the corner of Bull & Broughton, having just moved from its previous location of 75 years, Drayton & Broughton.



The flags were out over Broughton in honor of Veterans Day.



This little gem of a coffee house, The Coffee Fox, apparently has an interesting history.



Old and new, living together; I love the idea of repurposing an old building rather than simply tearing it down..



A shot of the interior of The Coffee Fox:



The Marshall House on Broughton has the distinction of being the oldest hotel in Savannah, having been built in 1851. It also boasts a pretty darn good location, too.



My favorite area of Broughton Street is the one that has Leopold's Ice Cream Parlour and SCAD's Trustees Theater (formerly the Weis Theater which opened back in 1946):



Back to home base after walking around town and taking some photos, it was time for a few drinks at the Mansion on Forsyth's Bar, located above the 700 Drayton Restaurant.



The bar matched the rest of the hotel; a somewhat modern look with a few vintage upscale yet kitschy touches.



How about this colorful chandelier?



I especially liked these two paintings; not sure who the artist is.



They seem like something from the WPA era...mixed in with a psychedelic trip for good measure.



After drinks, it was time for the after-race celebratory dinner, meaning we had to hightale it up to Reynolds Square, where a statue of John Wesley (credited as the founder of the Methodist movement) resides.



and the Lucas Theatre. Unfortunately, we would be leaving just before Jim Brickman was to perform there.



The final destination was The Olde Pink House, seen in this aerial shot:



This restaurant is a must-dine for me every time I visit Savannah.



The warm interior...



The Colonial decor...



and the Fried Pork Chop.



It's no wonder I found myself running 8 miles only 2 days after the race.

See more Daveland Savannah photos on my Savannah web pages.