Savannah’s bachelors reveal pieces of prime real estate suited for the single life.

The American bachelor pad is iconic, to say the least. In its most recognizable form, it boasts chic, black leather furniture, a well-stocked wet bar for entertaining, and possibly a view of the city skyline, all meant to swoon unsuspecting bachelorettes.

But in Savannah, a city notorious for attracting some of the world’s choosiest style connoisseurs, it’s no surprise that the bachelors know how to put a spectacular Southern twist on the macho abode. To prove it, four eligible men invited The South into their homes for a glimpse of how a few good single men live here in the South.

Uga VII, the University of Georgia’s beloved bulldog mascot, lives in Savannah with the Seiler family, who has owned the line of white English bulldogs since 1956. Swann Seiler, whose parents raise and train the dogs, spoke to The South about Uga VII’s second season at the head of the Dawg pack.

The Off-Season

“A lot of people don’t realize that Uga doesn’t just work during football season; he works year-round. He is very busy attending other university events, and his calendar is still full.”

The Treats

“One of his favorite things is on Saturdays, I would take him to McDonald’s to get a hamburger, and he just loved it. We used to get him cheeseburgers, but we noticed he was putting on weight, so we cut it down to plain hamburgers.”

Chart House Executive Chef Jim O’Connor believes good food is all about the details.

A restaurant group based in Texas can’t know much about coastal provisions in Savannah … or can it?

Chart House, overlooking River Street, is one of the few restaurants under the corporate umbrella of Landry’s that proudly allows its chef the creative freedom to build a local menu. Executive Chef Jim O’Connor started with Landry’s Restaurants in Alexandria and Annapolis before landing the Savannah location, where he has created a Lowcountry menu. And Savannahians are taking note.

The menu at Chart House changes nightly to feature such local fare as stone crabs from Hilton Head. O’Connor attributes his success in Savannah to his emphasis on consistency. “The details make the difference. It’s the little things that make food great,” O’Connor professes when the question of his food philosophy is brought up. “When a step is missed, it simply won’t come out right. I really want the details taken care of.” 

Hosting a dinner party in the Hostess City involves a pinch of skill, a dash of courage—and a little strategy.

I love to cook.

And I love to watch other people savoring my dishes; it’s a natural form of nurturing.

Naming a gathering “dinner party” can be intimidating while living in the Hostess City and being bombarded with the social expectations marketed by recent icons of everything perfect. Even though I am determined to be a first-rate hostess, I cannot claim to be an expert. In fact, it may even bring me bad fortune and cause my next sauce to curdle, my soufflé to fall and my meringue to weep.

Entertaining is an art form practiced by men and women all over the South. Southerners know there’s a difference between asking someone to supper and inviting someone to a dinner. In the South, the distinction is in the preparation, the guest list and the goal. In that spirit, here is my simple recipe for having a successful food fete.

Southern books to ease the sting of late summer heat.

Southern Girl

Author: Daisy Mae Byrd

Publisher: Williams and Company Book Publishers, $18.95

The Story: A riveting memoir about an African-American woman’s quest to find herself while in a Southern community where she constantly battles social and economical forces beyond her control.

About the Author: Daisy Mae Byrd was born and raised in Candler, Georgia. She now lives in Savannah with her two daughters. Southern Girl is her first book.

Where to Buy: Southern Girl is available for purchase at Carriage Jewelers, on Byrd’s website (www.daisymaebyrd.com) as well as in Barnes & Noble bookstores.

A local tennis pro bridges the distance between Savannah and the vast savannas of Africa.

He is an unexpected gust of wind, and chances are that you’ll hear Alan Davies before you see him. The booming, resonant English accent of the skilled tennis player turned instructor is first to greet you as you make your way down the sidewalk toward the green clay courts of the Wilmington Island Club. Yet you cannot help but see him as he stands to the side of the court, a man with a commanding presence, dressed in navy tennis clothing, waiting in his usual stance—one that is akin to the virile, debonair Cary Grant of the Golden Era—to begin the lesson.

From the fast track to luxury lane, this is one auto party with something for everyone.

The Lowcountry is known for its big festivals, like Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, but a Hilton Head event has been slowly and quietly growing into the largest of its kind on the East Coast. The Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival is a three-day event celebrating everything in the car world. “Unlike other races and shows, this one is unique because of its location in Savannah and Hilton Head Island,” says Bob Craig, former racer and now manager of the Savannah/Hilton Head Speed Classic. “That means whether you are a race fan, a vintage car enthusiast or someone who might only want to attend an event or two, all that Savannah and Hilton Head have to offer is also right at your fingertips as part of the whole package.”

With its one-of-a-kind sounds and free-ticket appeal, this is one Savannah tradition that is music to your ears and wallet.

These days, finding something free is truly rare—if not impossible. And if you do stumble upon an elusive freebie, chances are, you get what you pay for. Nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to the soulful American sounds of the 2009 Savannah Jazz Festival. Since its beginnings in October 1983 when the sweet slides, skats and beats of jazz music rippled through an eager audience at Grayson Stadium, the Savannah Jazz Festival has continued its tradition of hosting an incomparable musical treat free of charge and open to the public.

Today, the Savannah Jazz Festival is considered one of the best free jazz festivals in the country, and this year, beginning September 20, the annual gathering of this unique event will again be held at various locations throughout the city.

“We have our sponsors to thank for that,” says Lacy Manigault, festival chairman. “From the city of Savannah to various corporate sponsors, they are the reason Savannah is able to enjoy this one-of-a-kind event absolutely free.”

The Southern-born dance is half a century old, but still jumpin’ and jivin’ in the Lowcountry.

If you haven’t heard of shag dancing, one thing is for certain: You aren’t from the Carolinas. Shagging came into fashion in the 1950s after originating in and around Myrtle Beach with rebellious boys and girls in canvas shoes and bobby socks. It became the official state dance of South Carolina in 1984, and the state music is—you guessed it—beach music.

So how did the dance fever shimmy its way down to Savannah? By way of devoted Savannah Shag Club members Gloria Moak and her partner, Walter Purcell.

Can’t afford a yacht? Build your own.

If you thought racing yachts was strictly the province of Fortune 500 CEOs, the salty dogs at the Sun City Model Yacht Club would beg to differ.

Yes, model yachts—miniature versions of the real thing.

The Sun City Model Yacht Club started nearly 13 years ago in the Sun City community, an upscale 55-and-over retirement community in nearby Bluffton. The group sails two types of boats: an East Coast 12 Meter (5 feet long by 6 feet high, weighing 26 pounds) and a Soling One Meter (1 foot long by 4 feet high, weighing 10 pounds).

The club has 32 members and sails four days a week on Lake Somerset, competing in spring, summer and fall series. In addition, the club hosts two regattas.