Loran Smith: After first visiting Savannah, it always finds a way to lure you back

SAVANNAH – I never tire of coming here whether to renew old passions for seaboard relaxation, while underscoring a lazy river mentality, re-exploring the city’s fascinating history, revisiting the charming haunts which are endless, or reminiscing over Savannah’s highlights as you move about.

Savannah is a feel-good city even in summer’s heat as you browse about underneath the moss-draped oaks. Savannah is about taking delight in the food and ingesting the sights and sounds of a coastal treasure trove which connects you with the Old World and nature’s glorious bounty.

I have always enjoyed tourist outings, especially when there is a historical link. You can adventure into an exotic drink when suddenly, out of the corner or your eye, you see a 100,000-ton freighter from some distant port sliding by almost within arm’s length. If you have done that, don’t tell me you don’t want to do it again?

Savannah has play-that-song-again appeal. Its allure is like a night out on Broadway. You can’t wait to do it again. There is so much rapture from the landscape, the water, and the atmosphere, you find yourself pining for more. Not that many visitors get out to Tybee, but those who do not only enjoy a refreshing experience, but many want to live there. It is a growing community.

Whether you are a resident or a visitor, and you want the best seafood, you should stop by the Flying Fish Restaurant on Highway 80 where Mike McMahon and his wife, Robin, will make your day. If you want to talk Georgia football, Mike is always ready when you are. And he is not opposed to conversation about Savannah’s historical heritage.

Flannery O’Connor, the author; Greg Allman, the musician; and, Conrad Aiken, the prize-winning poet and novelist, were all born in Savannah.

Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scout’s organization, was a Savannah native. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was born in nearby Pin Point, and Paula Deen, the distinguished TV chef, calls Savannah home.

The most enduring emotional treat is to find your way to Moon River and raise a toast to Johnny Mercer, the Tin Pan alley lyricist who was a singer, composer, and songwriter. “Moon River” was a big hit and was one of four Mercer songs which won Academy Awards.

I love Johnny Mercer’s music. It remains so soothing and emotionally uplifting. It doesn’t rattle your bones.

On my next trip here, I am going out to St. Bonaventure Cemetery and pay a visit to Johnny’s grave and tell him thanks for his music, starting with “Moon River.” Then softly singing along some of his most appreciated songs. “You must have been a beautiful baby,” “That Old Black Magic,” “The Days of Wine and Roses,” “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “Atcheson, Topeka, and Santa Fe,” “Accentuate the Positive,” and the many other titles with which he became affiliated at one time or another. The list is longer than what you find in the Broadman Hymnal.

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As I move about Savannah and visit with Ken Griner, who played baseball for Steve Webber at Georgia, we reminisced about two iconic restaurants of the past, which are no more: Williams Seafood and Johnny Harris’ Restaurant. With the latter, there was recall of the times when Jackie Gleason traveled to Miami on his yacht. He would anchor offshore, and the Johnny Harris family would deliver a batch of barbecue ribs to the Savoy. That is how much the colorful entertainer enjoyed Johnny Harris’ ribs.

I love recalling past trips to Savannah and remembering the personalities and scenes that remain indelible, like fishing with Sonny Seiler, Remer Lane, and Johnny Peters with Uga, the UGA mascot, often joining us.

Of all the things I appreciate about Savannah, the most sentimental is the long-time relationship the university has had with the Seiler family and Uga. Damn Good Dawg.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Loran Smith: Revisiting Savannah never gets old