Go East Old Man, Pt. 1

As my mother so “gently” reminded me, it had been almost four years since my last visit out east - yikes! Nobody fires a guilt bullet with better aim than a mother. I had sent a stash of Leopold’s Ice Cream from Savannah (shipping to Philly is much cheaper than to San Diego!) so that we could both enjoy the best ice cream in the country.



Upon my arrival at the Philadelphia Airport, I noticed a Rocky statue on display in the terminal.



It looked pretty much like the one parked outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Sylvester Stallone made his famous climb of the steps back in 1976. Art patrons were not necessarily thrilled about the piece.



The airport also had a replica of the Liberty Bell that looked like it had been freshly minted from a basement 3D printer:



Waiting for my Lyft, I snapped this one:



In my family, food is always at the forefront of travel. Mom and I went to a local favorite, Nudy’s Cafe in Malvern:



Mom enjoyed her wrap:



Time for a selfie; if you don’t take one, it never happened. At least, that’s what I’ve read.



The "Best Ever" Carrot Cake French Toast was interesting, but I wouldn’t say it lived up to its name.



Interesting art on the walls:



What do you do after you fuel up? Friday Night Bingo! I didn’t win, but it’s always a hoot playing with the residents of mom’s retirement community. No, we didn’t play Jailhouse.



Rather than hit the Mother’s Day crowd, I took Mom out the night before. We went to the little town of Marshallton and had dinner at the Four Dogs Tavern, a historic building next door to the Marshalton Inn. For all you Karens out there, I didn’t make a typo; the name of the Inn is spelled with only one “l” due to a typographic error on a deed transfer and it has remained that way ever since.



This place “had” me at the name.



The interior was warm and well appointed:





Huh. “Interesting” is what I would call this piece.



The pear salad was DELICIOUS!!



As was the bolognese:



Mom enjoyed her meal as well:



The pineapple cake was a tasty way to end the meal (but you can rest assured that Leopold’s was consumed when we got home).



The Marshalton Inn:





This vintage 1930 Ford was parked out back:







More to come on my east coast travels!
 
See more Philadelphia photos at my main website.

Leopold's in Savannah

I finally made it back to that southern city that I love, Savannah, Georgia. One of my rituals is a daily trip to Leopold’s. If you’re not an ice cream fan, then this probably won’t make sense to you. Look at that line...it’s not for the opening of Star Wars Land, but rather to get into Leopold’s for a few scoops of that delectable dairy treat.



Here it is. This is what caused me to run six miles every day while on vacation.



The owner, Stratton Leopold, is also a producer, director and actor who has been in the film business for 40+ years. Some of the movies he’s been involved with include “Mission: Impossible III,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.” But back to ice cream. Here’s an interior shot of Leopold’s with a painting of the man who started it all, Stratton’s father Peter.



A jukebox plays vintage tunes, perfectly complementing the atmosphere inside this vibrant space which is mainly staffed by energetic SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) students.



For the first time, my Mom and I coordinated our almost annual visits to Savannah and after a delicious brunch, we stopped by Leopold’s for dessert. Both she and her friends agreed it was the best. Look at those smiles!



On my last visit to Leopold’s, I also enjoyed a tasty lunch…



which justified my double scoop of dessert. Or was it a triple. Oh how I miss it.



See more Savannah photos 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.