Haunted Houses of Savannah! EEEK!

 The Olde Pink House and Piano Bar built in 1771, is a pink colored-stuccoed Georgian mansion with an attic and a basement that houses the wine cellar. It is said to be haunted by the original owner, James Habersham Jr. He was one of three sons of a colonial planter and cotton merchant, James Habershamn Sr. 

Sr. was an ardent loyalist and a driving force to get the ban lifted on slavery in Georgia. How brokenhearted he was when he died because all three of his sons sided with the colonial patriot cause. They were all involved with the Sons of Liberty.

Habersham Jr. begin building the mansion in 1771, but not finishing it until 1789. The British occupied his mansion during the Revolutionary War. It survived the Civil War and the fire of 1820 and the War of 1812. But the most aggravating thing about the mansion is that the red brick was covered over with white plaster. The red brick kept bleeding through the white plaster causing it to turn pink. This meant it had to be painted often to keep the pink from showing. As years passed, it was owned by many different families. In 1920 the lady of the house said let's just paint it pink and call it a day! So it became the Olde Pink House.

The ghost of Habersham Jr. has been physically seen by all the employees who work there October through March, especially on quiet Sunday afternoons. Creepy! When we were there, it was filled with diners, so I wasn't scared at all! We crept up the tiny staircase to the second floor, passing through a living room with a beautiful fire roaring in the fireplace and a huge table full of guests. Every room in the mansion was a place to dine. We made it to our room, sat down, and had a lovely meal. 

I"m getting to the wine! Don't worry! Our menu was fixed for us, but we had choices to make for each entree. I chose Low Country She Crab soup, crispy scored flounder with apricot shallot sauce, and a praline basket with almonds and pecans filled with vanilla bean ice-cream covered in a mango puree and topped with seasonal fruit. Oh my!

Here are the wines we had to choose from:

2013 Allan Scott Family Winemakers Sauvignon Blanc ($17) a New Zealand wine. The fruit is bright and clean with tropical aromas. The flavors in the mouth have hints of lemon, lime, and grapefruit. It is smooth and fruit driven with lively acidity to carry the fruit leaving a lingering mouthwatering finish that keeps you wanting more!

2012 Archery Summit Premier Cuvee Pinot Noir ($54), from the Willamette Valley. This wine is a combination of grapes from six distinctive vineyards. This was their stellar vintage. A mixture of blackberries, star anise, cinnamon, and rose petals on the nose, plush dark fruits flavors with a dusting of milk chocolate on the palate. The wine finishes with a real opulence and finesse.

Well, we didn't see any ghosts, but we had some really great entertainment from a fine Southern lady. I don't know who's playing the piano, but our singer sang acappella. She snapped her fingers on the jazzy songs and we clapped and joined in the singing.

We all took photos out on the balcony where it would be lovely to have a brunch or dinner without the rain!

So long Savannah, Georgia! I long to see you again someday!