Last Savannah Post- I Promise- Paula Deen Tour

For those of my readers who have (a) been hiding with Osama, (b) been on a top-secret 5-year Mars expedition, or (c) absolutely no interest in such things, you need some background. The rest of you, read on anyway just for delight in exposure to my elegant prose.

There exists a highly popular cable/satellite TV channel called The Food Network. Essentially, its programming niche consists of about 736 million different people, each having his or her own show about various elements of the gastronomical arts, food selection and preparation, etc. etc. etc. I, and no doubt vast numbers of other men, have arrived at a sort of quid pro quo with our Significant Others. Specifically, we 'permit' (HA!) the TV to be tuned there for extended periods as a kind of barter currency to exchange for being allowed to (occasionally) watch football, the Sci-Fi Channel, and other belch-and-fart guy stuff.

Those of us guys that actually WATCH the durned thing from time to time (I know there are some because I've gotten other guys to admit it) will, if held at the point of a large-caliber firearm, admit that the network can occasionally be entertaining. I personally like The Food Doctor, Alton Brown, host of a show called Good Eats. He's cool 'cause he's actually a scientist and reminds me of Doctor Strangelove...

ANYWAY, it turns out that one of the superstars of the channel is a lady named Paula Deen. See if you recognize her; if not, choose (a) (b) or (c) above.

Paula Dean Stock Photo, Used Totally W/O Permission:


She is actually from Albany originally, and we got a unique insight into her early years because the owner of the RV park where we stayed, Jack Stone (famous throughout SW Georgia and Dougherty County and proud owner of Jack Stone's Creekside RV Resort) is also a 30-year County Commissioner and went to high school with both Paula and her long-time (and now ex-) husband Jimmy Deen.

Paula grew up dirt-poor, and is a pretty cool example of The American Dream. She now has about a jillion cookbooks, an autobiography that has sold more copies than The Bible, and two or three little shows on Food Network that together garner enough viewers to turn Ted Turner green. She puts two pounds of butter in every recipe and I can feel my arteries stenosing every time I see her face.

AGAIN ANYWAY, Allison is a huge fan, so we took a guided tour of Paula's Savannah and here are some pictures...

The Market Where Paula Got Her First Produce:


The Church Where Paula And Michael Groover Got Married:


Her shows are:
Paula's Home Cooking
Paula's Party

Her restaurants are:
The Lady And Sons
Bubba's Oyster House (see picture below, we met Bubba, Paula's brother here)

See her Web site here: http://www.pauladeen.com

Scotty And Allison And Bubba At Bubba's Oyster House:


NOTE: We had broiled oysters and what they call in Georgia a 'Low Country Boil' at Bubba's; that is one of the best restaurants we have ever been in. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Me On The Back Veranda At Bubba's; Yes, It Is Right On The Marsh:


AND NOW I'M DONE WITH GEORGIA. I can hear the cheers all the way from my current perch, which consists of my feet dangling in the (ICE-COLD!) Yellowstone River. I have a LOT more Georgia pictures, including one that I forgot to tell you about where a fellow RV couple felt sorry for the lone mallard in the pond at the campground. These people actually called a bird dealer (?!?) and had another duck DELIVERED TO THE CAMPGROUND. Wow, we RVers are a weird bunch...

Oh, Hell, Here It Is, Duck And New Friend:


FINALLY, A Candid Pic Of Forrest Gump's Alabama:


SO: we say adios, sayonara, hasta, goodbye to Georgia. Hadda good time there, folks are real nice, but DO NOT wanna be there when full summer arrives.

NEXT UP: Texas Hill Country, the Boat Fiasco, and lotsa other stuff. Tired now. Bye.