© Rachel M Cotton 2009-2011

After 2 years of planning, thinking, and talking, we have taken a huge step forward in the development and planning for the book.  Shawndra and her hubs drafted the most amazing query letter for us to send out to our list of publishers.  A perfectionist with her words as I am with my art, we are going to make such a great team.  The creative energy seems to roll off of us and almost circulate in the air between us. We have marketing plans, we have our baby goals, our longer term goals, and even goals for the future all mapped out.  And isn’t that the hardest part of life sometimes – figuring out what you want.  The only question after that is how to get it.

I have created the first mock up sample page, and I am so excited about the possibilities. I believe it is totally possible to convey the atmosphere, the character, and the energy of a place through a page, and I intend to prove it with this book.  For me this is an exploration of the ability to visually convey the spirit of a place.

We have also applied for a trademark for the word Barstinations. How funny to think that a crazy idea about boozin it up and partying two years ago has blossomed into a more mature idea of nurturing the local economy while introducing tourists and locals alike to places they may never have experienced otherwise. A visual celebration of the art, architecture, and character of Savannah so carefully and lovingly constructed even locals will want copies for their personal libraries. Bam!

Well, the query letters are out, and as the St Patty’s celebration continues this weekend, we await the incredible offers that are soon to come pouring in… Positive, positive, positive.

We came to Crystal Beer Parlor for my birthday last week, and not only did the owner come over and personally thank us for bringing a big group in, he also bought me and my co-birthday partner in crime a free beer-anything we want (and I like the expensive Belgium stuff).

Although a bit out of the way, this makes me like Crystal Beer Parlor even more. The old time feel, great staff, and wonderful beer selection only second to the Distillery makes it my place to start off any night in Savannah. By the way, if you want a base to start your night of drinking, order any of their burgers–gooey deliciousness that makes your bun soggy (in a good way!).

You know how every group of friends talks about opening a bar/restaurant? Cotton’s husband dreams of this still, but for now, we feel like we own a tiny piece of all the bars we visit/draw/write about. Here’s how the project started…

Monday night of St. Patty’s week this year we were riding down to B and D Burgers Southside for beers (why when we were getting up the next day for St. Patty’s festivities at 6am? Don’t ask me.), and Cotton was talking about her next project idea…Sketching Savannah. She decided to start the next day when we claimed our end-of -the- St.- Patty’s- parade spot at 6am (of course drinking Kaluha and coffee). Since there is so much to do and see in Savannah, we thought, Why not focus on just the bars at first since they are a big part of the attraction, history, and culture of Savannah? I mean, we have the second largest St. Patty’s celebration in America, AND we are one of only two American cities (New Orleans being the other) that you can walk around downtown with an open container! Crammed in the back of Cotton’s little Toyota Tacoma backseat while the hubby’s sat up front and told us to pipe down, we squealed at a high pitch as we hurled ideas out:

“Let’s call the project Barstination.”

Let’s go every week to a different bar.”

“I’ll take notes, you can sketch, and Hummel can take pics.”

“This is so f***ing cool/original/genius!”

We have been at it every since, starting with a list of 52 bars and will narrow it to the 25 bars that we love the best and feel most represent the Real Savannah.

Murphy's Law in Pencil

Murphy’s Law is located on Congress Street in downtown Savannah. This place is huge on space and character. We started this night with Car Bombs and a very nice fellow that sharpened my pencil with his own handy dandy pocket knife. I feel every man should own one just in case I need one

The Guitar Bar is a small establishment decked out in guitars and posters, St Patty’s beads, and the famous mannequin that will be featured in an upcoming HBO pilot.  Andy, the barkeep, showed us the proper way to take THE MAN SHOT proving his manhood beyond a doubt.  The Man Shot begins with a snort of salt, then lime in the eye, followed by a shot of tequila, and then a heavy slap across the face – Amazing!  We enjoyed our $2 PBR drafts, a large array of imported beers, and a Hookah loaded with Apple Tobacco.  To top off the amazing trip, we held out for the live entertainment.  Two musicians performed together with a Guitar and a Violin – it was amazing.  If you haven’t been to The Guitar Bar, you MUST check it out.  And tell Elaine we said hello!

Me: “Mine has big flavor and hit all the right spots.”"Cotton: I wish I could find a man that could do that.”

After our best beers in town, the hubby’s met up with us so we could all visit the Guitar Bar for the first time together. You walk in and think ‘dirty hippie hangout’  as 2 black labs greets you at the door, hookahs hang off the walls, and a half-dressed mannequin that looks suspiciously drunk stares down at your from atop the bar. After we made buddies with Andy, the bartender, we instantly felt more accepted as he made us free grasshopper shots and demonstrated the man-shot (snort salt, lime in eye, drink tequila, and get bitched-slapped at the end). “If that’s what it takes to me manly, I want to be a woman”-Hummel’s huband. Make sure you meet Elaine, the sole remaining Jewish owner left on the block, and have her string up a real apple tobacco hookah (she might even partake as she did with us). 4 out of 6 of us were Hookah virgins, so the cracks were endless:

“Solider down”-Hookah pipe fell out

“I just suck?” -Hummel’s husband

“Where’s Kay?” Giant Hookah hid me.

“This is my third love”-Kay’s husband (after me and red rock opium in his past life)

“We’re hookah’en”-Hummel

“God bless the [Barstination] book” -Kay’s husband

We ended the night listening to the best musical duo I have ever heard live-a couple playing violin (her) and guitar (him). Oh, and we did the Sonic drive through and stuffed ourselves (“I’m having Sonic’s baby tonight!”-Hummel). While waiting, we had the anal sex conversation-who’s done it (Cotton), who hasn’t (Hummel), and who wants to (the men), and Cotton offered “the guy was pinkie-sized so I didn’t feel it in my butt.” Just another fuckin’ awesome Barstination night, making the Guitar Bar my favorite live music bar.