SIBA -- Day 2 Friday

Kathy and I decided that we'd sleep in on Friday because we nothing planned but a little sightseeing in the morning. Ha ha! If you know Kathy and me at all, you probably know that we aren't very good at sleeping in or relaxing for that matter. We managed to sleep past 7:00 (which is pretty good!) and decided to head to Savannah.

When we arrived, we definitely had plans to investigate parking garages. Since we weren't planning on staying too late that night, it wasn't a major issue; however, we knew Saturday night would be one. We found an outdoor one very close to the hotel. It was perfect because we could just walk a block, cross the street and put our books in the car!

I mentioned last week that I loved Savannah, and Friday morning couldn't have been more gorgeous. The temperature was mild and we decided to just walk around and take in the sights. Savannah is a terrific walking city, and we managed to hit a few of Kathy's favorite shoe stores. We also decided to eat at Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons Restaurant... because you have to do that when in Savannah!

The Lady and Sons Restaurant

The building is an old factory and I thought it was extremely cool. The food, on the other hand, was just okay. Maybe that's because I'm not a huge fan of Southern food, or it's possible that I just ordered the wrong thing. The highlight was discovering that we had just missed Paula and her sons who were all there for a photo shoot!

Next up, Kathy and I decided to tour the Juliet Gordon Low Birthplace. I admit total ignorance that I didn't even know who Juliet Gordon Low was; however, Kathy gently reminded me that she was the founder of Girl Scouts. What can I say? It's been a long time since I was a Brownie. This tour was one of my favorite parts of the trip. There were three of us on the tour with two tour guides! The house was spectacular, as was Gordon Low's life. There was even a very fun interactive library. I left wanting to know more about this interesting woman's life!

Juliet Gordon Low Birthplace

Out first planned event at SIBA was at 2:00. While I was enjoying seeing Savannah and visiting with Kathy, I was excited to meet authors and hear about their books. SIBA took over an entire restaurant in the Hilton De Soto and turned it into a Signaround. Basically, you just walked up to an author sitting at a table and they signed a book for you. While it was a bit crowded, we had no issues meeting every author on our list... and a few more! Some of the terrific books I managed to gather were:

HAMSTER PRINCESS: RAPUNZEL by Ursula Vernon

THE MIGHTY ODDS by Amy Ignitor

THE SECOND MRS. HOCKADAY by Susan Rivers

THE EDUCATION OF DIXIE DUPREE by Donna Eberhart

AMONG THE LIVING by Jonathan Rabb

We did a little more of touring Savannah, including taking a peek at the First African Baptist Church which was organized in 1773; and we also walked around the City Market. Since we ate lunch so early, we decided to have an early dinner at The Treylor Park. Kathy had heard this restaurant had a good beer list and an interesting menu, and I was definitely game. I ordered a sandwich I'm confident that I would only get in the south. It was a grilled apple pie sandwich with cheddar, cinnamon apples, and bacon served on brioche. I added chicken to it so I'd get some protein and just in case it was too sweet. Never did I imagine that it would be a big old hunk of fried chicken! 

Treylor Park

We finished dinner just in time to head back to SIBA for the Rep Pix panel. This was definitely a treat! It was a one hour panel and each rep was given two minutes -- yes, two minutes with no exceptions -- to pitch their favorite books for the upcoming season. I loved this format and I couldn't take notes fast enough although I admit I was a bit overwhelmed! I compiled a huge list of books to look for on the show floor and add to my must-read pile! 

Immediately after the Rep Pix panel, we headed downstairs to the First 180 Days Party... and what a party it was. The room was packed beyond belief, but the lines to see the authors weren't too long. Despite trying to show some restraint, I still got excited when I saw all of those books! I grabbed some must reads including many I heard about at the Rep Pix panel. Here's a brief list of books that I can't wait to read:

INSPECTOR FLYTRAP IN THE GOAT WHO CHEWED TOO MUCH by Tom Angleberger

THE ORPHAN'S TALE by Pam Jenoff

THE DRIFTER by Christine Lennon

THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown

THE BOOK OF POLLY by Kathy Hepinstall

GIRL IN DISGUISE by Greer Macallister

BRIDGE ACROSS THE OCEAN by Susan Meissner

After loading our stash into the car, we decided to head back to Hilton Head and get some rest. We needed to get up bright and early the next morning because we had to be at the SIBA breakfast by 7:30!