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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Monday, June 10th, 2013

Let’s face it. For most of us, spending time with our girlfriends consistently slips to the bottom of our to-do lists. But stealing away for precious time together can do wonders for the spirit – and bring us all back home with a renewed enthusiasm for all that we do. So when my group of my favorite metro Atlanta gal pals floated the idea of a girls’ weekend, we quickly settled on the perfect destination: the legendary King and Prince Resort on St. Simon’s Island. Just a few hours drive, it gave us the chance to let our hair down and reconnect without everyday distractions.

Now before I share a few of our (edited for publication!) antics, I’d like to introduce the motley crew in our posse. Full disclosure: I’ve changed the names to protect the innocent, but I’ll bet you’ll recognize a few of these personalities among the women in your own life.

For starters, I’m a writer in less than perfect physical condition. File me under “Foodie.” Our group also included Evelyn, dynamo who adores crafts and never stops moving (or talking!), Jackie, a health-conscious exercise enthusiast, Pam, former Girl Scout leader and

All You Can Eat Crablegs at The King's Tavern

All You Can Eat Crablegs at The King’s Tavern at The King and Prince, St. Simons Island

lover of architecture. The last member was Katie, Scottish by birth, and interested in all things historic and representative of the Old South.

We piled into my mini-van (hip, right?!) and headed down to the King and Prince Resort on a Friday afternoon. With every mile, I could feel the tension slipping away. Our group grew more excited as we traveled. Other than a few arguments over music and where to stop for snacks, we had a peaceful journey.

When we finally arrived at the King and Prince, all of us were inspired by its grand architecture. This was going to be a weekend to remember! We checked in with plenty of time to indulge in the resort’s restaurant for dinner. After hearing about this fantastic repast for more than a decade, it was wonderful to finally sample it for myself. We all enjoyed ourselves – and the luxury of enjoying wine with dinner without  having to drive home.

It took me a while to decide, but I finally splurged on an appetizer of mussels and grilled sourdough, followed by the Low Country Shrimp and Grits. You only live once, right? My meal was unbelievable, with fresh shrimp and really creamy grits. I told our waitress I wanted to recreate it back home for my family and turns out the recipe is already posted online. (Low Country Shrimp and Grits Recipe).

The other ladies were also thrilled with dinner. Jackie ordered the Char Cedar Salmon, which came with a fantastic corn bread pudding and a vegetable I had never tried before called broccoli.  Landlubber Pam opted for dry rubbed “Kurobuta” pork with candied yams and some kind of a bourbon glaze. Evelyn and Jackie both wanted Chicken and Waffles, which was served with an adorable tiny bottle of tabasco sauce. Instant souvenir! I’m not at liberty to discuss our libations, but believe me, everyone left dinner happy and very mellow.

The resort itself was as spectacular as our meal. With its soaring ceiling and intricate moldings, The King and Prince transports you back in time to gentler age. The vast main lobby lifted our spirits the moment we arrived. It was like the clouds had parted, freeing us to be our true selves and simply enjoy each other’s company.

Our fully appointed two bedroom,  two bath Tabby House suite was complete with all the comforts of home (without all the dirty socks, sports equipment and backpacks, of course).  You could see immediately how much care had gone into the decoration of every room, from the beautiful brocade draperies to the high thread count sheets. I wish our house back in Norcross was as nice!

After dinner we slipped into bathing suits and cover-ups and strolled over to the pool area (there are three on the property!) to melt in the indoor hot tub and take a dip. Virtuous Jackie insisted on swimming some laps to burn off her dessert. The rest of us just climbed in and let the hot water ease away the stresses of everyday life. It felt so magical, I’m thinking of adding a hot tub to next year’s holiday wish list.

Girls Getaway Weekend, St. Simons Island Georgia

Girls Getaway Weekend at The King and Prince Resort

Saturday morning we took a short walking tour of downtown St. Simons. The little shops were full of unusual gifts and specialties like packages of flavored grits and candied nuts. Our crafter, Evelyn, was inspired by seeing so many handmade creations. I think she bought one of everything. Sure, there were plenty of souvenir t-shirts. But I was amazed by the availability of nicer, boutique dresses and beachwear. Those in need of a new swimsuit, summer cocktail dress or resort-worthy earrings won’t be disappointed. For a split second I regretted having ordered dessert the night before.

For lunch, we headed for a heavenly little spot the Concierge recommended: “Iguana’s” which was filled with tourists and locals alike.  In minutes, our table was piled high with crispy fried shrimp (dubbed “the island’s best” multiple years running), shrimp po-boys, giant caesar salads with grilled salmon and a tantalizing platter of assorted roasted oysters.

As the grand finale of our afternoon, we took a breathtaking kayak trip with Southeast Adventure Outfitters. We headed out to the marsh led by an experienced tour guide, and spent a blissful couple of hours watching egrets, pelicans, and a glorious sunset that made it seem like we were worlds away instead of on the Georgia coast. The peace wasn’t lost on our usually talkative crew. Everyone grew quiet and enjoyed moving across the water as the tide gently rocked our kayaks.

Our weekend was such a raving success that we went ahead and booked another trip for next year. Somehow, I’m sure that juggling everything on my plate will be easier with another visit to the King and Prince to look forward to!

Contact the King and Prince to set up Your Girls Weekend of Fun!

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Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts

Monday, May 20th, 2013

St. Simons Island Ghost Tours

Saint Simon’s Island is rich with history. Colonial history. Civil War history. Religious history. Family histories. It is an island filled with stories, some of which, it seems, have not yet ended.

 Mary

They say she wanders the beaches and roads of Saint Simon’s Island.  She wears a long white dress, a wedding dress.  Her dress is wet, and clings to her slender body.  Her long hair flows behind her. It is wet, always wet.

You might see her from the tall windows of the restaurant at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort or spot her from the pool patio right on the beachfront as she wanders by in the moonlight. She sometimes walks through Massengale Park. It’s been said that sometimes she’s seen in the marsh. Her name is Mary.

Some people call her Sad Mary.  She is dolorous, lost.  It is said that she was soon to be wed to her true love, but as he rowed his boat across a wide creek to fetch her, the wind and waves overcame him. His boat capsized, and he drowned.

Waiting on the shore, Mary witnessed the disaster, and threw herself into the waves.  Perhaps she was attempting to save him. Some say that she knew she could not, and went to be with him rather than face a life without him.  She wanders the island now, searching.

She is elusive, but often encountered. She walked towards a man on the beach one night. He was puzzled at the pretty girl walking slowly with her head down, dressed so oddly.  As he passed, she raised her head as if to search his face for a sign of recognition.  But she, herself, had no face. He looked away, shocked, but when he looked back, she was gone.

 

The Schoolteacher and the Raven

History tells us America’s witch hunts centered around northeastern towns like Salem, Mass.  Sadly, the madness made its way one day to Saint Simon’s Island, and what could have been a fanciful story of love transcending death ended, instead, in tragedy.

In the plantation times, young Margaret was hired by the plantation owners to be a schoolmarm to their children.  She was an off-islander, but had attended the best schools, and was a sophisticated European traveler. She was a perfect fit for the gentile aristocracy of the island.

When she arrived she began to teach, and everyone was thrilled.  As time went on, however, her more worldly point of view challenged the notion that slaves were just chattel; she believed that they, too, deserved an education.

Teaching Blacks to read and write was against the law of the time. Slaveowners feared an educated slave population that might rise up against them. But Margaret was headstrong, and took to teaching Black children at night after the plantation children had gone home.  This did not go unnoticed by the plantation owners, but they looked the other way since they were so happy with the work she was doing with their own children.  However, she had earned their mistrust, and they kept a wary eye on her.

Of all her students, Joshua was her favorite.  He was a slave boy, sharp, inquisitive and eager. He had a special love of poetry, and long after the other children had gone, he would stay behind and beg Margaret to read poetry to him.  She readily obliged, sitting in a chair by the window where he stood outside, listening. This, too, did not go unnoticed as their friendship grew.

Soon after, there was a slave uprising on one of the plantations. It was quickly and cruelly suppressed, but the rage of the plantation owners and their crews knew no bounds. Marauding bands of white men attacked black slave towns, tearing into homes, randomly beating and killing in reprisal.  Rising to defend his mother, Joshua was clubbed to death.

Margaret was stricken by the news, and isolated herself, only going to the schoolhouse to teach her lessons. Otherwise, she would wander the island roads and paths to avoid contact with other people. Her behavior became more worrisome, erratic.

One day, a large black raven seemed to be following her. It was there wherever she went.  It would perch on the windowsill where she used to read to Joshua.  It would follow her to and from the schoolhouse.  One afternoon, after the children had gone home, and still very much missing Joshua, she sat in the chair by the window and began to read poetry.

The raven bobbed his head up and down, and it seemed to her that he was listening attentively, as Joshua had done. She began to read to the raven every day after school, perhaps as a way to ease her grief.

Some children returned to the school late one afternoon and saw her by the window reading to the bird, which nodded its head up and down, seemingly in the rhythm of the rhyme. The children screamed home and told their parents that Margaret was a witch, and had brought the little black boy Joshua back to life as a bird.

Few parents today would believe such a tale, but Saint Simon’s Island in the early 1800’s was a fiercely religious and superstitious place. Margaret had already proven rebellious with her worldly views, disregard of the law, and her increasingly odd behavior.  Some went the next afternoon to see for themselves, and they spied Margaret reading to the raven, smiling at him, and watched him seem to knowingly respond.  They were angered and terrified, and reported what they saw to the rest of the islanders, that Margaret was a witch.

Not long after, an angry mob dragged Margaret from her home and killed her, leaving her body to scavengers.  Her remains were refused burial at Christ Church and no other cemetery would accept her. Finally, one sympathetic landowner allocated a tiny plot by the side of the main road, and she was buried there, friendless and abandoned.  It is said that nothing grows around her lonely grave.

 

Stories of love, tragedy, and treachery abound on this historic island.  See for yourself.  Let the concierge at the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort arrange a ghost tour with Lighthouse Trolleys.  Pick a dark and stormy night, and contact www.kingandprince.com.

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Christ Church History – Romance Abounds on Barrier Island Beaches

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Romance abounds on barrier island beaches. The pounding of the surf is like a beating heart.  The sunrise from the east is like new love dawning.  Quiet moments on the sand rejuvenate and rekindle dormant, forgotten, or just time burdened feelings.

But true romance, the romance of legend, can be found in a tale of Georgia’s Saint Simons Island. It is both shocking and sweet, heartbreaking and enlightening.

After a breakfast buffet at the oceanfront dining room at the famed King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort, it’s a short drive or a flat, easy seven mile bike ride to Christ Church, on the road to historic Fort Frederica.

Christ Church has a history as distinctive as its beautiful grounds and sanctuary. The original Christ Church was built in 1820.

christs church 2 141From 1736 to 1766, its early congregations were led by, among others, Charles and John Wesley, before their return to England and the advent of Methodism. A museum of their short sojourn can be found at Epworth-by-the-Sea, on historic Gascoigne Bluff, which plays prominently in the tale.

Anson Greene Phelps Dodge, a wealthy industrialist from Connecticut, became a major landholder on Saint Simons Island in those times. Dodge made untold riches harvesting the mighty southern oaks that populated the island’s forests. His lumber works, shipbuilding enterprises and ship’s landings were at Gascoigne Bluff on the Frederica River.  The original Christ Church was built to provide a place of worship for the small city of lumber workers, seamen, shipwrights and their families in the Dodge enterprise.

During the Civil War, however, Union troops took over the old church, bivouacked their men on the lawns and used the inside of the church as stables for the officer’s horses. The decimated and abandoned church remained a shambles well after the “Late Unpleasantness Between the States” had ended.

At about that time, the young scion of the family, Anson Greene Phelps Dodge, Junior had decided that he was neither lumberjack nor shipbuilder.

Determined to enter the clergy, he was sent back to Connecticut to study divinity at Yale.  It was there that the books took a back seat to romance, and young Dodge became enamored of a young woman named Ellen Dodge. They fell deeply in love, and pledged to marry.

christs church 2 143

Dodge Junior returned home to secure his father’s blessing to marry the young woman with the awkwardly coincidental last name, and was shocked to learn that she was actually a first cousin. They were accordingly forbidden to wed.

This was a judgment that the young lovers could not accept, claiming their love innocent and above any taboo. With money no object, the couple eloped and embarked on a lavish, honeymoon tour of the most exotic extremes of the world.  They were abroad for nearly three years of excitement, wonder and bliss.

Tragically, while in India, Ellen took sick with cholera. Anson was by her bedside day and night. She begged him never to leave her side, and he promised he would always be beside her.

Ellen died in India, little more than a child.  In his grief, Anson honored his pledge, and brought her body home to Saint Simon’s Island in 1884, and to Christ Church, which he rebuilt with loving care…the church that sits today on the road to Frederica. True to his word, he had her sarcophagus housed under the altar that he preached from every Sunday, her everlong companion.

Years passed, and Anson, still a young man in his early thirties, met Anna Gould, granddaughter of James Gould, who built the first Saint Simon’s lighthouse. They married in 1890 and spent many happy years together.

Anson died suddenly in 1898 at only thirty eight years of age. His widow Anna had the remains of his first wife, Ellen, reburied next to her husband, a testament of her own love for him that she honored his promise.  Today, the old cemetery at Christ Church includes a Phelps-Dodge family plot where Anson Greene Phelps Dodge Junior lays side-by-side with the two loves of his life, Ellen and Anna.

To learn more about Christ Church, and historical St. Simons Tours, visit the Historical Sites and Tours page of www.KingandPrince.com

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Biking Through History

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
St. Simons Bike Trails

St. Simons Island Bike Trails

There’s no better way to unwind on vacation than on a bike. Just a short walk from The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island, Ocean Motion offers a variety of bikes for all riders. Local maps clearly delineate the major bike paths as you embark on your tour, complete with the tangy salt smell of the sea filling the breeze as you glide by.  The beaches are a natural avenue of sand, and you can ride from the village at the island’s southernmost tip all the way up to a breathtaking inlet.  You might see a mighty cargo ship as it follows the channel out to sea from Brunswick. You’ll ride past pretty beach cottages and stunning modern beach homes alike. Look out to sea and you’ll probably see a small pod of dolphins that likes to play just outside the breakers.

 

Further up the beach, you can visit the old Coast Guard and Maritime Museum. Built 150 or so years ago, the station sits several hundred yards from the beachfront. Once it was right at water’s edge where the Coast Guard could launch its rescue boats, but the powerful tides and drifting sand have changed the ocean front face of the island. The Maritime Museum features numerous galleries that feature both the history of the island and its ecology. It’s a great place to learn about this island’s beaches, marshes and forests.

Coast Guard Station and Maritime Museum

Coast Guard Station and Maritime Museum – photo courtesy of AtlantaMoms.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cross the East Beach Causeway – a two lane road across a beautiful section of marsh – to find the site of The Battle of Bloody Marsh.  James Oglethorpe led the colonization of Georgia for Great Britain, beginning to fortify St. Simon’s Island in the 1730’s against the Spanish in Florida. Tensions over trade and border disputes between England and Spain were at a boiling point, and the path up the eastern coast north of Georgia was potentially a clear road of conquest for Spain.

Battle of the Bloody Marsh

Battle of the Bloody Marsh site

A Spanish attack led by Spanish Governor Don Manuel De Montiano from St. Augustine was met by Oglethorpe.  Montiano’s  vastly outnumbered force was quickly driven off the island, not to return, on July 18, 1742. This decisive victory likely saved Georgia and the early colonies from Spanish rule. The battleground is so named for claims that the marsh ran red with the blood of Spanish soldiers. In truth, only seven were killed. There’s not much there now but a monument and a plaque, a great view across the marsh and a somber atmosphere of history.

Some seven miles or so north is Fort Frederica, with a monument and visitor’s center commemorating the archaeological remnants of a fort and town built by Oglethorpe between 1736 and 1748.  About 630 British troops and 500 colonial residents lived in the fort and town. By 1749, however, the Spanish no longer threatened the colony and the government disbanded the garrison. The village soon fell into economic decline, and by 1755 it was mostly abandoned. A fire in 1758 sealed the town’s fate. A charming visitor’s center with film presentations, walking paths, and a number of restorative archaeological digs give a great picture of early colonial life.

 

Fort Frederica National Monument

Fort Frederica National Monument – photo courtesy of TripAdvisor.com

Back at the village, the famed St. Simon’s Lighthouse, one of only a few major lighthouses remaining on the southern coast, dominates a waterside park just a walk across the street from restaurants and shops in a tiny, friendly little metropolis.

In its current iteration the lighthouse is a fully automated aid to navigation, but its history goes all the way back to 1804. At that time, the finished structure stood 85 feet tall and was constructed entirely from tabby, a local material comprised largely of oyster shells. It was an 8 sided pyramid, the top of which was an iron lantern ten feet high. Destroyed by the Confederates in 1862 to prevent its use by invading Union forces, it was rebuilt in 1872, including a new Victorian style Keeper’s cottage. The keeper and his assistant shared the dwelling. Tempers flared one Sunday morning in March 1880 between the head keeper and his assistant, leaving the keeper, Frederick Osborne, dead.

St Simons Lighthouse

St Simons Island Lighthouse

In 2004, the lighthouse was deeded to the Coastal Georgia Historical Society under the Lighthouse Preservation Act. Evidently, Fred remained; his footsteps in the tower have been heard by the wives of later keepers … and by lighthouse visitors.

Saint Simon’s Island is rich with history and many other historical sites. Don’t miss Christ Church, for instance, visited frequently by American presidents, and the home of a story of loyalty and love that is pure inspiration. On the very same road, approaching Fort Frederica be sure to visit the first African church in America, built by slaves, for slaves.

To learn more about Saint Simon’s Island, history tours, beaches, marshes and ghosts, contact the King and Prince Resort at www.kingandprince.com.

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Water, Water Everywhere

Monday, May 13th, 2013

The East Beach of Georgia’s Saint Simon’s Island greets the Atlantic with a 5-mile long, wide strip of clean packed sand custom made for a family stroll, or a bike excursion, or an introspective look at

East Beach on St. Simonsthe evening stars.  The ocean is either calm and flat, or swirling with the changes of the tides. There are shallows and sandbars, and deep blue channels.

Views of water are everywhere, ready to refresh the minds and spirits of weary travelers.

Even on holidays, the beach bustles with walkers and runners, children and adults tracing sand patterns with recumbent bikes, Frisbee players and kite flyers. There is always a spot for quiet reflection. A place to watch the changing sea and sand.

The tides on Saint Simon’s Island range from 8 to 10 feet, the largest tidal range on the East Coast excluding Maine. Sandbars exposed at the lowest tide teem with sea birds, little crabs and creatures…and vacationers who frequently make their way across the small, deeper channels to land there, latter day explorers on a voyage of discovery.

Right in front of the fabled King and Prince Resort, which has elegantly stood guard over the beach for 78 years, one can see several of these new worlds.  Some sandbars are bare sand; some are just barely awash with warm, ankle deep water. They enclose an inland sea of flat, sun heated water that’s just right for kayaks and the beach rented catamaran sailboats that glide almost silently by.

Farther out, too far to walk or wade, but visible from the restaurant’s tall, arched windows, small fishing boats congregate around what the local folk call “Whiting Hole,” a deep indentation in the bottom that is the seasonal home of its namesake. Whiting is a fish that’s deliciously mild and easy to prepare, but just feisty enough not to be too easy to catch on light tackle. Chances are, the pod of dolphins that work the length of East Beach will show up to observe, nature’s oversight on the circle of life that is the sea.

The sea is everywhere. After all, it’s an island. The ship channel between Saint Simon’s and historic Jekyll Island carries some of the world’s largest ships; most of America’s east coast automobiles land at Brunswick, GA.  These and other enormous cargo carriers pass right by the Saint Simon’s Village pier, almost close enough to touch. As they leave, they angle slightly northward, easily viewed in their majesty from the poolside veranda of the King and Prince.

On the island’s west side there are beautiful bays and miles and miles of breathtaking marshes that are the breeding grounds for all the creatures that populate these coastal waters, including the renowned Wild Georgia Shrimp. They say these shrimp are unique in all the world because they are bred in a sea grasses that don’t exist anywhere but in the broad marshes of the Georgia coast. Try a dish of local shrimp & grits for yourself and prepare to be amazed!

Frederica River winds in from the inlet past the historic sites of Gascoigne Bluff and historic Fort Frederica into an expansive bay that

Kayaking Tours on St Simons Islandwas the harbor for slavers and ships of commerce since before America’s independence.  There isn’t a place on the island that doesn’t somehow look to the sea.  Sightseeing abounds; take a bike to the fort, to Christ Church or to the archaeological digs at Fort Frederica (or a great trolley tour!). The sea, or its stories, are a constant presence.

Not far north along the beach from the King & Prince, there is a low spit of sand that extends way out into the ocean.  At low tide, you can walk its length, and a moment just before the tide begins to roll back in.  There’s a moment, a single, memorable snapshot in time where you’re totally surrounded by water. Where there is nothing but you and the sea and the sky and the salt-scented breeze. Where you are humbled, and small, and joyous in the realization that there is so much grace and beauty so much larger than yourself.

 

Find out more about the beaches and sea at Saint Simon’s Island. Go to www.kingandprince.com.

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A Local Literary Legend

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012

The Travel Belles have posted a lovely blog about Eugenia Price – a historical fiction author who lived nearly half her life on St. Simons Island. She wrote a series of novels based on historical events on the island as well.  It all started with a side trip:

A 1961 book-signing tour with her friend Joyce Blackburn proved that a turning point can be both literal and figurative. At a road junction on the Georgia coast the women were intrigued by a nearby island they saw on a map. On a whim they turned off to investigate. The four-mile drive over the bridge to Saint Simons Island was to change their lives forever.

For the entire article, please click here.   Also be sure to follow the Travel Belles’ fun blog, “for women who know getting out of town is a beautiful thing”.

 

Eugenia Price: The Writer who put Saint Simons Island on the Map USA saint simons island Georgia

http://www.TravelBelles.com

 

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Atlanta area vacationers, fly Delta and avoid the long drive!

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Did you know that Delta Airlines services Brunswick Golden Isles Airport directly from Atlanta?  A 40-minute flight puts you a 20-minute drive from The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort.  If you’re traveling between August and December, check out this deal!  For more information, visit www.delta.com.  The airport code is BQK.

Glynn County Airport CommissionAIRPORT UPDATE

 

July 24, 2012

 

 
Gateway to Georgia’s Golden Isles

BQK

Brunswick Golden Isles Airport

FREE PARKING

www.flygcairports.com

FLY BETWEEN ATLANTA & BRUNSWICK

FOR JUST $173.60!

Plan now for August-December travel

Brunswick Golden Isles Airport to/from Atlanta

Roundtrip just $173.60 including ALL taxes/fees

The fine print:

  • Purchase by July 30
  • Fly Monday-Saturday
  • Travel between August 21 and December 13, 2012
  • Limited availability
  • Blackout Dates: Sept. 3, Nov. 17, 20, 21, & 24 – 26

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Simon Says: You are a Saint

Monday, July 9th, 2012

Elayne Spencer took a recent trip to The King and Prince for fun, food & relaxation.  She wasn’t disappointed!  Read on…  For more of Elayne’s stories, visit www.homeschoolingparent.com

 

Experiencing the history, beauty, tranquility and the food of St. Simons Island

By Elayne Spencer

Part One: In this installment, I am focusing on the food I found while staying on St. Simons Island. In my next installment, I will share with you the historical highlights of the Island, making it a perfect place for a fall field trip.

 

If the coast of Georgia isn’t on your mind as a destination for a family/educational get-away, you’ll want to add it to your list immediately. If you’re trying to work in
an affordable “field trip” for your homeschooling family, fall or early spring are exceptional times to visit the area. The rates are lower than in the summer months, but the days are warm and the nights are cool… perfect weather for exploring all the island has to offer.

Nestled among the coastline and barrier islands of Georgia, Brunswick and the
Golden Isles welcome you to a truly exhilarating expanse of sea, sun, and fun. There is so much do and see! Yet, just relaxing and taking in the beauty of these fabled shores will give you enough wonderful memories to last for years. After experiencing the hospitality and beauty of St. Simons Island, it’s apparent why Georgia stays in the minds of so many, evoking images of open arms and peaceful dreams.

There’s a peaceful, laid-back feel on St. Simons Island. It’s quiet. It’s established. It has many year-round residents. Yet, you feel at home. When you enter restaurants and shops you are treated not as a guest but as a friend. There’s a lack of pretentiousness that personifies the soul of the South.

YUM YUM YUM

And the food? I’m not sure I could find better food. Anywhere.

There are foods that I have not been particularly drawn to in the past. Before I left for this trip, however, I decided to open up my mind (and my palate) and view every culinary exposure as an adventure. I was not disappointed.

After checking in at The King and Prince Resort, the adventure began! At dinner, I was seated next to Vinny D’Agostino, Food & Beverage Director at The King and Prince. Besides having a contagious and delightful sense of fun and adventure, Vinny has an amazing grasp on the nuances of food preparation, history and creation. Throughout the rest of the trip, I stayed close to Vinny and experienced food I’d never been brave enough to try. The first culinary treat was Apalachiacola Oysters on the half shell with sweet corn, asparagus, tomato and cilantro vinaigrette. I planned to pretend I liked the dish, but as it turned out, no acting skills were necessary. It was delectable! No one was more surprised than I. I think Vinny had a napkin handy … just in case.

We were joined by Chef Jeff Kaplan and Bud St. Pierre, Director of Sales and Marketing. Dinner was prepared before our eyes and I never expected to be so smitten with grits! I’d had grits before, but none that rival the ones served to us that night … Wild Georgia Low Country Shrimp and Grits.

I love shrimp prepared any way. Fried, boiled, grilled … you name it. I have eaten shrimp all over the country, but there is something that distinguishes Wild Georgia shrimp from any other shrimp I’ve ever eaten. They’re unusually sweet. According toWild Georgia Shrimp, they have their own unique flavor. The flesh is firm and the color is fresh. Wild Georgia Shrimp grow naturally. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, “Southeast Asian wetlands, especially mangrove forests, are being destroyed to create commercial shrimp farms. These ponds build up muck which can cause shrimp to have pollutants or disease.” Yuck. There’s none of that muck in this sweet, succulent shrimp.

Chef Kaplan prepared Shrimp and Grits in a Tasso Cream Sauce. If you’d like to try your hand at it, here’s the recipe. I’m pretty sure the addition of asiago cheese is a nod to Vinny’s Italian roots. I’ve never met an Italian spin I didn’t like.

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King and Prince Shrimp & Grits in a Tasso Cream Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup heaving cream
1/3 cup tasso ham
¼ cup kernel corn
¼ cup diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
½ cup wild Georgia shrimp
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
¼ cup asiago cheese
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Preparation: In a sauce pan, sauté the Georgia shrimp with Cajun seasoning using olive oil. In another pan, sauté tasso ham, corn, tomatoes, and green onions: add heavy cream and asiago cheese: let simmer two minutes. Add shrimp and serve over stone ground grits of your choice.
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I could go on and on about the food. (Too late … I think I already have!) We visitedSouthern Soul Barbeque, housed in a converted 1940s gas station. All the smoking is done with wood. Prior to our visit,  Guy Fieri from Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives visited. (Watch here…)

Among our group, we tried nearly every kind of smoked meat on the menu – it was all delicious. My mouth is still watering over the fried green beans. Delicious! Take a look at the menu … it’s so affordable. It’s also gone through its share of challenges and hasrisen from the ashes, so to speak, only a month or so after being visited by Guy.

Tom and Leslie DeLaney

Palmer’s Cafe is an Artist Studio as Well as a Restaurant

 

Heading to the downtown area, we visited Palmer’s Cafe to see Palmer Fortune and his beloved team. I can’t think of a breakfast food I like more than Eggs Benedict. Palmer’s puts a distinctive, southern spin on its version. Their version of Eggs Benedict is fondly called “The Southern.” It is two poached eggs, collards and ham served on an open faced biscuit with homemade ‘pot-licker’ gravy. In place of the usual Canadian Bacon, there was a thick, crispy fried green tomato. I have spent nights awake thinking about that scrumptious tomato. I grew up on fried green tomatoes, but they were nothing like the one I had at Palmer’s. (Sorry, Mom.) Check out their breakfast menu.

Chef Dave Snyder of Halyards surpassed all of our expectations with a sampling of what must have been every single item he serves at his restaurant. Every selection on the menu is prepared fresh – seafood, beef, poultry, game, sauces, soups and sweets. And every single thing is made from scratch. How can you not love a place that hangs its hat on using fresh food and making everything from scratch? While my mouth watered while tasting his luscious the seafood, I have to say … the grilled vegetables were some of the best I’ve ever eaten. Probably because they were fresh … And made from scratch.

And Vinny D’Agostino? Are you reading this? I am waiting on my batch of homemade Limoncello to arrive … It’s been a hot summer here! I need a refreshing treat!

Special thanks to my fellow journalists and Leigh Cort. I look forward to perhaps
crossing paths with all of you again. Maybe a reunion?

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

 

Chef Dave Snyder of Halyards

 

 

It's okay ... we sent him back to the sea after we visited

There’s more than shrimp in that net!

 

 

“The Southern” at Palmer’s Cafe

 

 

Shark attack! Follow Will’s travel adventures http://blogs.gonomad.com/wake-and-wander/

 

 

Chef Snyder’s fresh selection of seafood

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The Royal Treatment

Thursday, July 5th, 2012

Diane Leone enjoyed “The Royal Treatment” on her recent visit to The King and Prince.   For Jacksonville Magazine, she writes about her experiences – from our delicious Eggs Benedict to Shrimpin’ aboard the Lady Jane – all on “island time”!

Southern Cuisine, Ocean Breezes, and History — All at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island
By Diane Leone

It’s almost impossible not to feel a bit like royalty while staying at The King and Prince. It’s not just the sparkling water in the sprawling pool area or the ocean breeze from the blue Atlantic just outside your room — it’s also the history of the resort, having started in 1935 as a private dance club only to become The King and Prince Hotel in 1941. And the royal feel continues as you learn the history of St. Simons and enjoy the Southern hospitality of the local residents and business owners. They are on “island time” and it won’t be long before you are, too. Soon you’ll never want to leave this paradise.

Attending the four-day “Southern Culinary Cuisine” event at The King and Prince is an amazing treat.

With the recent addition of Executive Chef Jeff Kaplan, The King and Prince has succeeded in creating an exceptional Southern Cuisine experience for its guests. Chef Kaplan embraces the “Food to Table Movement.” This was apparent from the first evening, when the menu included inventive drinks from Georgia’s 13th Colony Distillery, an amazing spread of artisan cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy (Thomasville, GA) paired with local honeys and jams, delicious White Georgia Shrimp & Grits, melt-in-your-mouth crème brûlée with fresh Georgia peaches, and buttery Chardonnay made from the Muscadine grape (compliments of Georgia’s Still Pond Winery).

You will awake to the sound of the ocean waves hitting the beach. Don’t miss a chance to watch the sunrise over the ocean before you make your way to the culinary delight that awaits you for breakfast. One such dish is Chef Kaplan’s take on traditional eggs benedict, a delightful meal with perfectly poached eggs resting on fried green tomatoes, bacon, and goat cheese on top of English muffins.

Although you could simply      spend the day at the edge of the ocean or at the pool, basking in the sun and sampling the Southern fare, there are activities to explore on St. Simons that will help you burn some calories so you can enjoy more Southern Cuisine delights. One such option is The King and Prince Golf Course, designed by architect Joe Lee; the course is famous for a group of four spectacular signature holes delicately situated in the marsh. Watch for the eagle nest and alligators if the grand 300-year-old oaks with moss hanging lazily off their limbs are not enough to capture your attention while experiencing this beautiful golf course. If you want to see the island and hear stories of its history, take a trolley tour with Cap Fendig, whose family has resided on St. Simons since the 1800s.

To really feel the local vibe of the fresh food you are tasting, take the Let’s Go Shrimpin’ tour on the Lady Jane shrimp boat, where you’ll have the chance to touch the bounty hauled up from the water. Experience the thrill of seeing all of the different fish, sharks, shrimp, and stingrays. During our excursion, a sea turtle was caught in the nets (it’s rare for this to happen), great to see but always put back in the water. Everything caught is put back after guests get to touch, hold, and photograph the catch, except for the shrimp, because the trademark white shrimp are boiled up for guests to dine on before departing the Lady Jane.

For a truly local feel, consider Southern Soul Barbeque, a casual place with benches outside where you can smell the ribs, chicken, pulled pork and killer ‘sides’ cooking. The restaurant has nationwide appeal (featured on shows such as Diners, Drive-ins and Dives).

Don’t miss a visit to Palmer’s Village Café where you’ll find delightful locally-sourced dishes with a beautiful backdrop of local artists’ paintings. The art makes the café feel light and airy and it’s for sale if you find a piece you just have to have. Palmer’s offers up creative breakfast dishes such as a mini biscuit with café sausage and pimento cheese — a Southern tradition — or challah French toast and blueberry orange compote with warm, fresh maple syrup.

While on the island, you simply cannot afford to miss a meal at the award-winning Halyards restaurant, where Chef Dave Snyder features a “seafood demo” with 10-15 varieties of local fish. Our menu included grilled whole shrimp with salsa, sautéed flounder with caramelized vidalia crab scampi butter, oysters grilled with garlic oil and chimichurri, and much more. It’s a must-experience local eatery.

The delightful Sugar Marsh Cottage, located just 13 miles from Brunswick, offered an amazing chocolate tasting, complete with information on how to rate chocolate. This was wonderful — and yet there was more! A honey sampling from Savannah Bee Company was truly an inspiring experience. Who knew there were so many delectable types of honey?

To round out your gourmet sampling of the incredible Southern Culinary Cuisine event, find Food and Beverage Director Mr. Vinny D’Agostino to get his recipe for homemade limoncello. Not only does this Italian after-dinner liqueur aid in digestion, it’s smooth and sublime.

 

At the end of the day, The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, along with St. Simons Island, are worth experiencing. You’ll find yourself on island time in no time at all.

If you’d like to purchase this article for your publication, click here to contact the author directly.

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St. Simons Scavenger Hunt

Friday, June 15th, 2012

“Atlanta Moms” blog founder Alicia Hagan has a fun and unique idea to explore St. Simons… make it a scavenger hunt!  Read this and more of Alicia’s stories at www.atlantamoms.com

Make a Trip to St. Simons Island Fun and Educational with a Scavenger Hunt!

by Alicia on JUNE 8, 2012

Since my recent trip to The King and Prince Resort on St. Simons Island I have been very interested in the history of St. Simons Island.  St. Simons Island is a fun and historical destination that your whole family will enjoy. This special destination graces the corner of Georgia’s coast and was called “San Simone” by 16th century Spanish explorers.

St. Simons Island LighthouseSt. Simons Island Lighthouse (source: StSimonsLighthouse.org)

With it carries many historical sites and monuments such as the beautiful St. Simons Island Lighthouse which dates back to 1804. Unfortunately, the original lighthouse was destroyed by the Confederate Army in 1862. A new lighthouse was then erected twenty five feet from the original site in 1872 and is a welcome sight for visitors who want to climb the 129 stairs to the top to get a spectacular view of the whole island.

Christ Church - St. Simons Island, GeorgiaChrist Church – St. Simons Island, Georgia

Other interesting landmarks include the Christ Church which was first erected back in 1820 although history states that religious services were being held on that site prior to 1776. The first structure was partially destroyed by the Union Army between the states and the current church was rebuilt in 1884. You can enjoy the current Christ Church with its beautiful and glorious stained glass windows. The grounds of the church is set in a natural wooded surroundings with a cemetery that includes graves from settlers of years ago.

Maritime Museum on St. Simons IslandMaritime Center at Historic Coast Guard Station
A fun adventure with tons of history for adults and children alike can be found at the beautiful Maritime Center. Here you can visit seven galleries full of information about the beaches, marshes and forests. Learn their relationship to factors with the area coast guards and historic military.There is so much to do and a lot to learn when visiting St. Simons Island as part of a family vacation. You can take a trolley ride throughout the area to visit various memorable sites including the lighthouse and museum.
The Hofwyl Broadfield Plantation offers a glimpse into the lives of the planters and slaves some 200 years ago. You can tour the home on this plantation as well as all the old farm equipment still displayed in the barn.

Have fun that’s also educational, with a St. Simons Island Scavenger hunt!

St. Simons Island Scavenger HuntSt. Simons Island Scavenger Hunt

A great activity would be a fun scavenger hunt at which time you can locate major points of interest such as the lighthouse, museum, the church and the famous Gascoigne Bluff. The Gascoigne Bluff is a Native American campground. During Colonial Days, this area became Georgia’s first naval base.

During your St. Simons Island scavenger hunt you and your kids can have fun by making notes of each point of interest visited, gathering memorabilia and taking photos to reflect on all you have learned. Compare your findings with those who joined in this activity to see who got the most information and varying types of historic collectibles.

Other great activities families can enjoy while at this beautiful picturesque vacation destination:

  • Swimming or walking along the endless beaches with undisturbed nature and miles of unspoiled, perfect coastlines.
  • Your family can go bicycling along the coast as well as canoeing, kayaking and many other water sports that are great for adults and kids.

The beauty of St. Simons Island is breathtaking.  There aren’t too many vacation destinations where your family can enjoy so many activities for fun and have a historic venture, all in one.

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