Recently, I had a discussion with a Savannah innkeeper about the lack of interest from young professionals in bed and breakfast accommodations. We talked about many issues, including price and perception – the idea that the small inns are too stuffy for the new generations of travelers.

I can’t say I agree with that mindset, although I understand why it exists. Traditionally, bed and breakfasts were known to foster a feeling of bunking at grandma’s house, however there is movement to get out from underneath that blanket - the idea that these inns can be hip in addition to comfy and cozy.

Shannon Romine is the youngest innkeeper I’ve met to date, and although I’m not going to talk numbers (she’d kill me), I will say there is an energy at the Dresser Palmer House that is refreshing. Recently removed from the restaurant business in Savannah, Romine is a source for the newest restaurants and late-night hang out spots, offering personal recommendations based not only on her own experiences, but relationships and knowledge of the chefs and staffs of local establishments. She’s also a big fan of picklebacks – but I’ll let her fill you in on those stories (make sure you have a drink at the full-service bar, a rare find at a B&B).

There is also another energy flowing through the Dresser Palmer, however this one is in no way fueled by whiskey. It comes in the form of a ghost, no surprise considering Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in America.

From Shannon:

Being an old house (built in 1876), it is expected that there will be creaks and knocks from the settling of the home, but these occurrences were different and far too coincidental to have happened over and over. The housekeepers would complain that while in the Henry Dresser Room, the shower would cut on and soak them when they were cleaning. Guests would say they saw a child sitting at the end of their bed in the middle of the night.  Children’s voices could be heard throughout the house, particularly in the Western side.

Four years ago, the house was remodeled and a photographer came in to take photos for the website. The concierge took him around and into the Henry Dresser room, and after the shoot he went downstairs to the parlor to upload his work.What they discovered you can see below: A ghostly little girl appeared in one of the photos.

She is there in a period nightgown and cap, you can even see her hair and eyes. Curiosity from the image caused employees to research Mr. Dresser, and it was then discovered that he had a daughter by the name of Madaline that died when she was ten years old – turns out she died in the house when her nightgown caught on fire. It is believed that she passed in the John Wesley Room, which back then would have been the living area (orbs can be seen in photographs by the fireplace).

According to the housekeepers, an indention in the sheets could be seen on the bed in the Wesley Room, as if someone were laying there and watching. In addition to her these pranks, she loves to steal and leave pennies all over the house and will flicker the lights when children are present.

Whether you view the potential presence of a ghost as good news or bad news, it certainly makes things interesting. I unfortunately/fortunately had no encounters during my stay, but a part of me wishes Madaline would have paid me a visit. I had the opportunity to take an official tour of the spooky sites around town on my final night in Savannah – that story to come.

For now, check out the photo of Madeline and let me know: Are you a believer?

Ted Dennard of Savannah Bee Company believes that the traditional view of honey - the sticky jar or honey-bear bottle that's been in the cabinet for years - deserves to be tossed into the trash, once and for all.

Sampling honey as a sommelier would wine, he spouts off tasting notes: Quality, varietal, the whole deal. I've seen him use a scoop and carefully savor his product, but most times he sticks his finger into the barrel and laughs. His hair is blonde and wavy and he resembles a surfer, his smile revealing a boy's spirit in a man's body.

A closer look at Ted's background shines light on his expertise. But it also tells a tale of a worldly man whose knowledge and experience go well beyond the business of bees:

He kept bees in high school then at college at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. In a tour with the Peace Corps after college, Ted taught beekeeping to village farmers in Central America. He traveled the world to see bees making medicinal manuka honey in New Zealand, rubber honey in Vietnam, logwood honey in Jamaica, heather honey in Ireland, and the famous tilleul lavender honey of France.

Obviously, this guy is good for a conversation.

Both of his stores that I visited in the Savannah area were designed as a tasting room. The walls are lined with bottles of honey, most resembling a slender bottle of wine. He said he's trying to change the public's perception, to inform people that grocery-store honey is the Two-Buck Chuck of the honey world.

While it's Ted's love for his craft that ultimately elevates his product, the honey business is much more exciting that I had originally speculated, especially when you volunteer yourself for a close encounter with the busy bees themselves.

I had the opportunity to head out into the field and hear a bit about the process, interact with the bees. I learned how the queen bee is chosen and fed royal jelly and even saw one up close, but the latter was what I had been anticipating - I wanted to replicate what I've seen on television where someone's entire body is covered with bees. Ted wouldn't go that far, but he did assist me in digging through the hives and holding a few dozen in my hand (see photos... they were actually very friendly).

His only advice: Don't squeeze.

Products of Savannah Bee Company:

Tupelo Honey: Ted's not shy about letting it be known that this is his favorite type of honey. I hate to play favorites, but it's the jar I find myself going back to most often. Pretty cool: The trees from which it comes only bloom once a year for two weeks in the spring.

Cheese, Grill, and Tea Honey: No clue what pairs with what? Savannah Bee puts its accouterment right on the label.

Raw Honeycomb: Bees gather nectar from thousands of flowers and deposit it into a beeswax cell, then stand over it and fan their wings to evaporate the water, leaving behind a rich, syrupy substance (honey). The cell is then capped with a thin layer of beeswax and reserved as food supply for the colony - we know it as honeycomb. This delicacy is an amazing appetizer or dessert, best enjoyed with slices of tart green apple and a wedge of salty sharp cheddar.

A final fact that blew my mind: Five hundred and fifty bees have to visit two million flower blossoms to create one pound of honey, and then they must consume six pounds of honey to generate one pound of beeswax.

Check out these recipes for more ideas on how to add honey to your diet. You can order honey and other products online via Savannah Bee Company's website. When you're in Savannah, stop by and see Ted and his crew. They will be happy to show you around.

Photos:

Bees building honeycomb.

 

 

View inside a hive. 

Yours truly handling the bees!