Blog Post Five

• In your final reflection, you may address the following:
• What was your goal this project? Did you actually get to do what you plan to do? My goal was to explore Savannah and share my knowledge with others about the cultures I experience. Yes I got it all done. 
• What was it like for you to self-direct and manage the learning process? It was very very easy. I am used to managing myself. 
• Please describe in detail what it is that you have learned and achieved from this project. I have learned about presenting information online professionally and always re-checking myself to make sure that I am correct in my knowledge and in my writing. I have learned about making videos and about being part of something bigger than me. 
• What feedback did you receive from peer review and from audience members at the showcase? Do you agree or disagree? Why? I received very helpful peer reviews and I was very very glad that my classmates were to the point in the reveiws. 
• What are some of the feedback that you have addressed? What changes have you made or plan to make? I have kept my artifact mainly the same because not really any changes were called for in peer review. However I do plan to slow the slide transitions so the viewer can watch easier. 

Blog Post for Week Four: Peer Review

After reading my awesome peer reviews I am going to follow their advice and work on adding in a more international aspect to my video and adding in a bit more information to it. I am very excited to finish this project and show it to the world!

I am very glad that my peers enjoyed the video and the blog, and I am very glad that they gave such informative feed back! It makes me feel a lot less stressed now that I have some more pointers on where to take the video!

Rebecca

Return Trip to Tondees

Once again I returned to my beloved Tondee's Tavern. This time I introduced two of my friends to the wonder that is this Savannah gem.  

There's absolutely nothing like a night out in Savannah to relieve some of the stress of college life. 

Good times at Tondee's Tavern! 

My ever loving fiance. 

Michael approves of Tondees. 

This time I had a classic BLT with mashed potatoes and strawberry cheesecake for dessert! Sheer perfection. 

Total Cost of trip: $10 for Gas, $20 for food. 

~Rebecca

Adventuring in Savannah Georgia

Tybee

Last week my little crew took a trip to Tybee Island. 

Tybee is a fairly large but also smallish island on the tip of the Georgia coast. Inland, there are a host of little restaurants and shops that looked adorable. We unfortunately didn't get to stop by any of them. We were a little distracted by the film crew that was on the island for the day. When you travel with two film majors you find things like this extremely interesting. 

We stopped by the fort and the lighthouse. It's a nine dollar charge to get up in the actual lighthouse, and they were closed by the time we came. If it wasn't, would I, the broke college student, have paid that fee to get an amazing view of the coast? Maybe.....Probably.....Okay yes.

Once we got on the beach we were greeted with a stiff sea breeze and a glorious view of the ocean. How wonderful. The beach was fairly deserted as it is the off season, so we had the whole area to ourselves! 

Which provided for Michael to get pictures for the new rap album he is gonna drop. Not. 

Martin enjoyed messing with Michael...and vise versa. 

It's the ocean, seagulls abound, and so does the roaming Michael. Chasing his prey just to have a little fun....and get his exercise for the day. 

SELFIE!! 

Adventures are best with good friends and seagulls. 

The trip was a huge blast, a bit calmer of an adventure here--but still a blast. 

Total Cost of Trip: Aside from the nine dollars I probably would have spent to climb the lighthouse, it was just 12 dollars in gas money. Not bad right? 

Keep Exploring! 

~Rebecca 

Strolling Along River Street

If you travel to the historic district of Savannah Ga one of the main stops should be River Street. Paved with 200 year old cobblestones, River Street offers a unique and beautiful experience. Dozens of small shops and resturants line the waterfront along with towering hotels that provide gorgeous views of the river.

This store, the Honey Store as we dubbed it but really it's called the Savannah Bee Company, is one of our favorites. My fiance's best friend introduced us to this little wonder! Inside you can purchase and try any number of exotic types of honey and honey related products! We even got to eat honeycomb! Very yummy, waxy of course, but delicious. BEE TAFFY! 

But also there are a large number of body butters and lotions to try! Free samples galore and also some wonderful stories about honey and how it's created and interesting Bee Facts. So set this in your bucket list: Honey Tasting at the Savannah Bee Company! 

Strolling through the squares we got to see Washington's Guns, guns used by President George Washington at Yorktown to end the Revolutionary War! So fascinating!

River Street is such a beautiful place to visit! Definitely worth a visit! Upcoming posts will include a visit to the Candy Kitchen and River Street Sweets, a visit to Tybee Island, return trip to Tondees, and a new trampoline park that just opened in Savannah! So stay tuned!

Final Cost of Trip: 10 dollars in gas

Rebecca

Blog Post Week Three

• Content: Review five more sources regarding your topic. It maybe Wikipedia, a government website, scholarly articles, news articles, commercial website, or somebody's blog post. What have I learned? (Make note of the website or other sources of information you are using in your blog. If you use a video on YouTube, you may embed the YouTube video on your blog post.)

Savannah's Historic River Street: 

http://www.visit-historic-savannah.com/river-street.html

Things to Do In Savannah by Visit Savannah: 

http://www.visitsavannah.com/essential-savannah/things-to-do-in-savannah.aspx

Savannah Georgia Official Guide: 

http://www.officialsavannahguide.com/

Savannah, Georgia by Wikipedia 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah,_Georgia

The Cathedral of John The Baptist:

http://www.savannahcathedral.org/

• Audience: Who are my audiences?  What are they like? What should I consider about their characteristics to effectively share the information? 

College students or young adults looking for adventures that don't destroy their bank accounts. Also, people who perhaps want to see Savannah or find good spots to visit! I should consider putting an estimated price on how much certain adventures would cost. Perhaps list how much it cost me. 

• Artifact: What would be the best format to deliver my topic content? What would be the best way to reach out to my audiences? What would I make for the final artifact?  What information should it contain?

A video, plain and simple. Either by Moovly , or Windows Movie Maker will be the way I create the video but I will use YouTube to post the video! I am going to make a montage of pictures and video clips showing my adventures in Savannah at at the International Festival which is coming up! Interviews with friends who accompanied me, and also a personal message about adventuring and having an adventurous spirit. 

Visiting Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah Ga

Earlier this month, my fiancee and I traveled to the famous Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah Ga. While not being Savannah's oldest cemetery, that distinction belongs to Colonial Cemetery, but it is certainly one of the largest and most famous cemeteries. Featured on the cover of the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, Bonaventure has gained fame in recent years for being one of the "spookiest" places to visit. Ghost tours and hunters often visit the cemetery for spooky adventures or contact with other worldy figures. 

The cemetery is home to hundreds of beautiful statues sadly over looking long forgotten graves. Many yellow fever victims from the early days of Savannah now reside in the cemetery along with holocaust victims and soldiers from long ended wars.

The many statues that grace the grounds stand out against the moss covered trees. As you walk along the dirt paths, white stone faces loom out from the darkness--eerie, silent beauty.

Angels are a common sight in the cemetery, although a grim reaper is rumored to roam among the angels--but Ben and I were unable to find him. 

There is also a grave finder that you can use, make sure to ask some of the keepers of the grounds about it if there is a specific grave you want to find--like Gracie Watkins, a young yellow fever victim who's grave is often visited.  

The cemetery has beautiful illustrations of other cultural graves. A melting pot of cultures is often thought of as a school--very rarely do we see it as a cemetery. A rather dark realization I know, but an interesting one all the same. 

Final Cost of Trip: 10 dollars gas money. 

So until next time, this is your adventuring blogger! 

Rebecca 

A Visit to Tondee's Tavern

Built originally as a 1850's bank, Tondee's tavern was named after one of Savannah's popular taverns from colonial times owned by the legendary Peter Tondee. Tondee's has since hosted hundreds of eager visitors who seek good food, good times, and ghost stories.

Peter Tondee's beloved tavern also played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. In 1775 the Liberty Boys met in the tavern to discuss replacing British rule, and Georgia's Son's of Liberty often met to discuss politics. Revolutionary spirit grew wild within the walls of Tondee's tavern, however Peter did not live to see the new country take flight as he died in the fall of that year.

However the Tavern continued to stand and operate after Peter's death and was still a popular hot spot. President Washington was even introduced to some of Savannah's beautiful young ladies in the tavern.

Known for being one of Savannah's more haunted site, the Tondee's staff is no stranger to odd occurrences. According to staff, who wished not to be named, the TV's flicker on and off at mysterious hours, mason jar lids fly off of shelves, and a woman's screams can be heard from the sealed off tunnels below the tavern. Never the less, none of the apparitions have ever proved harmful, and staff believe the most famous of the spirits is the legendary Peter Tondee himself. They joke that if strange things begin happening, a simple cry of "Peter, stop!" will quiet the noisy ghost.



Tondee's is a beautiful place to grab a drink or a bite to eat, I myself highly recommend a pina colada and peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake! The flavor combination is amazing! Also, don't be afraid to ask staff about ghostly encounters! There are great stories behind the smiling faces of the staff! Also, you won't get better service anywhere else! Excellent on all accounts!

My fiancee and I had a blast talking with the staff and making new friends! We loved the feel of the restaurant and of course the food and drink! Seriously, try the pina colada and chocolate peanut butter cheesecake! It's not just slap your mama good, it's slap your pastor and sell your soul good. Yea, the little baptist girl just went there.

Also, it's right across the street from River Street, so if your feeling some shopping or strolling just walk across the street! Just take care on the historical steps....the last thing you need to do after a night of pina coladas or bloody mary's is to try and navigate the steep stairwells of historic River Street. If you're feeling nervous be smart, take a ramp. I on the other hand usually take the steps--why? Because a broken ankle to me is a good story. ;)

I intend to visit Tondee's again this week and introduce three new friends to the wonders of this beautiful spot! And yes, they are going to at least try the pina colada and cheesecake because even if they don't like it---and they'd be crazy not to--I get to finish what's left over. Diet good bye, Tondee's cheesecake is here!!

More upcoming trips include Bonaventure Cemetery, the French Market, The International Festival, A River Boat Cruise aboard the Savannah River Queen and a visit to the Candy Kitchen of River Street. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Until next time!

Rebecca

Final Cost of Trip: 10 dollars for food. Of course I only ordered cheesecake and a Pina Colada so...



Citation:

Weeks, C., & Starbuck, O. (n.d.). Georgia Heritage 1999 - Life and Times of Peter Tondee. Retrieved November 4, 2015, from http://savannahnow.com/features/year2000/gaheritage/tondee.html


For more Information, visit these awesome sites: 

The Georgia Historical Society: The Life and Times of Peter Tondee

http://savannahnow.com/features/year2000/gaheritage/tondee.html

Or the Tondee's Official Site:

http://tondees.com/Home_Page.html

Blog Post Week Three:

Hello Blog Friends, Here is another post for my class and a few awesome sites for you to check out if you want to know more about some of the places I visit! 

• Review five more sources regarding your topic. It maybe Wikipedia, a government website, scholarly articles, news articles, commercial website, or somebody's blog post.  

The Pirates House Official Site

http://www.thepirateshouse.com/

The Six Pence Pub Official Site 

http://www.sixpencepub.com/

Girls Weekend Getaway Guide to Tybee Island: By Heidi Rew at Parties for Pennies 

http://partiesforpennies.com/2014/02/girls-weekend-getaway-guide-tybee-island/#.Uwj_S_3UOCY

A First-Timer's Guide to Savannah Georgia, Where to Eat, Shop, and Sleep by Natalie at Cosmos Mariners 

http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/cosmos-mariners-12393599?post=4066015995&group=0&frame_type=a&context=&context_ids=&blog=12393599&frame=1&click=0&user=0&viewer=true

Tondee's Tavern Official Site: 

http://tondees.com/

• What have I learned? (Make note of the website or other sources of information you are using in your blog. If you use a video on YouTube, you may embed the YouTube video on your blog post.)

I have learned new places where to visit, and I have learned new information about the Six Pence Pub and The Pirates House histories, which I am very excited about sharing! I have also spoken with the Tondee's staff about the history and haunting of their establishment! So excited to learn more! 

• How are you making sure you are not plagiarizing or violating copyrights?

If I use any information that I gathered from another website, like history, menu, or other information I make sure to properly attribute it to the website from which I gathered it. 

• Audience: Who will benefit from what you learn through your 20% project? With whom would you like to share what you learn through your 20% project? What are their characteristics? What should you consider about their characteristics to effectively share the information?

Young college students seeking a bit of adventure! I would love to share my findings with like minded peers who want to explore the history of Savannah! Characteristics might be a love of mystery, history, and adventure. I should try to include as much detail about the benefits of visiting these places as well as the history of these sites. 

• Artifact: What would be the best format to deliver my topic content? What would be the best way to reach out to my audiences? What would I make for the final artifact?  What information should it contain?

Video slide show of all my adventures in Savannah and around the Statesboro area! Pictures of the beautiful sites, the friends I made, a few quotes from the people I meet. 

Blog Post for Week Two

• What do I need to learn about this topic? Where should I look? It's a good question to ask. What should I learn? What am I trying to accomplish? Well, I am looking for great places to visit in Savannah, awesome adventures to be had and to share with others! 
• Review five sources regarding your topic. It maybe Wikipedia, a government website, scholarly articles, news articles, commercial website, or somebody's blog post. 

1) Best Places to Visit in Savannah by Tiffany at Seeing Sunshine! 

http://seeingsunshine.com/2014/04/21/best-places-to-visit-in-savannah/

2) Free Things to Do in Savannah by Heidi at Save more Spend Less 

http://smslwithheidi.com/free-things-savannah-georgia/

3) Top 10 Things to Do in Savannah by Trip Advisor 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60814-Activities-Savannah_Georgia.html

4) Top 25 Free Things to Do In Savannah by Jenny at Southern Savers 

http://www.southernsavers.com/2014/05/savannah/

5) 100 Things to Do in Savannah by the Savannah Morning News 

• What information have I gathered about this topic? (Make note of the website or other sources of information you are using in your blog. If you use a video on YouTube, you may embed the YouTube video on your blog post.) I have gathered a lot of new ideas about things to do in Savannah. I have visited most of the places they have suggested already, but there are a few new places for me to visit now! 
• From the two major sources you want to use for your project, conduct the website evaluation. Answer the following questions for each of the two websites.

1) 100 Things to Do in Savannah by the Savannah Morning News 

http://savannahnow.com/slideshow/2014-12-27/100-things-do-savannah#slide-1

2) Top 10 Things to Do in Savannah by Trip Advisor 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60814-Activities-Savannah_Georgia.html

a. Is it a primary or a secondary source? Number One and Two are Primary sources for me. 

b. How relevant is a source to your research topic? Very very relevant on both accounts. 

c. What type of source is it? Number one is a News source and the second is Information published by a business or organization 

• Scholarly works
• Serious trade books and articles
• News sources
• Popular books and magazines
• Vanity publications
• Information published by a business or organization

d. Criteria for Evaluating a Source of Information

1. Who is the author, and what qualifications does that person have to provide information on that topic? Both sites keep their authors anonymous but are very respected sights that keep their information controlled and monitored. 
2. Who published the information or put it on the Web? The Savannah Morning News and Trip Advisor 
3. How timely is the information? $ Is the information biased? Both are kept up to date with new information and ideas. The Savannah Morning news may be slightly biased as it is based in Savannah but Trip Advisor is not. 
4. Finally, use your independent judgment when you evaluate any source of information. I use these two sources the most because I trust them and have evaluated them thoroughly. 

Six Pence Pub, Savannah GA

The Six Pence Pub in Savannah GA has been a popular spot for over forty years. It's a great place to get a taste of English fair, and have a few pints with friends. While this site didn't offer too much English food, it's still a great place to visit. It's designed like a traditional English Pub, and sits on the gorgeous Bull Street in Savannah GA, just a few blocks from the historic River Street. 

My favorite part of this adventure was probably the telephone booth--to be honest. 

There were a few things that were added to give it a more touristy feel, but by all accounts it is authentic. My friend Sunni and I enjoyed looking at it, while also taking a few touristy pictures in front of it. 

I would highly recommend this place for a weekend adventure or weekday night out. However, if you are going just to get wasted I wouldn't recommend it. Part of the allure of the Six Pence is the atmosphere and the experience, if you are just going to drink then stay away. The drinks aren't cheap and you won't appreciate the beauty around you. But as more my drink recommendation, I would say go with the cider, it's fantastic! 

The food is also fantastic! The most impressive of our orders was probably the beef guinness! Beef stew served in a warm bread bowl. Delicious! And paired with the cider...perfection! 

So for a little bit of England in our Southern state, head on down to the Six Pence! 

Final Cost of Trip: 20 dollars in food, 10 dollars in gas money. 

~Rebecca

What Do We See?

Photography Credit to Rebecca Blount Photography 

What do we see? 

The world around us moves continually onward, a rushing stream of people, sounds, stories...but what do we actually see? 

We are bombarded by an increasing desire to travel, to see what all the world has to offer. Because college is when we fully see that the world has so much to offer. We can feel adventure on our finger tips, feeling the wind pushing us to the cusp of the world...but often we can't go.

Study abroad is offered to us as an opportunity to see the world, but it is often too expensive for us. Scholarships help some, but often we must wait and save to finally go and see the rest of the world. So what can we do until then?

Or better yet....how can we expect to fully experience the rest of the world when we cannot experience the one around us.

All around us, other cultures live and thrive, yet do we see them? Do we experience them? How can we appreciate cultures from across the globe if we cannot appreciate the ones that live beside us.

This blog is my journey to change my filter, to see the world with fresh eyes. To experience other cultures that live beside me. Also, it is about my journey to fully experience and appreciate the adventures that lie in plain sight around me.