Looking at MY image on the on the OTHER side of this page, The Rock N' Roll Food Guy, no doubt you can tell that my on camera prowess has led me to mega riches. Still, I haven't quite made it to the top of the list yet. Look at this Rachel Ray. She began winning audiences with catch phrases like "EVOO" (for extra-virgin olive oil) on her first Food Network show, 30 Minute Meals, in 2001. Today, she has four Food Network programs, including Tasty Travels and $40 a Day. Her nationally syndicated, Oprah-backed talk show, Rachael Ray, is averaging 2.6 million viewers this season, and her Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine has 1.5 million readers. She endorses Dunkin' Donuts too--all to the tune of $18 million a year.
Forbes Mag says she is now the highest paid famous foodie..
Here's the rest of the list:
2. Wolfgang Puck - $16 million
3. Gordon Ramsay- $7.5 million
4. Nobuyuki Matsuhisa - $5 million
5. Alain Ducasse - $5 million
6. Paula Deen - $4.5 million
7. Mario Batali - $3 million
8. Tom Colicchio - $2 million
9. Bobby Flay - $1.5 million
10. Anthony Bourdain - $1.5 million
What One Visitor Writes About Savannah...
*From Zabelle on the IgoUgo Travel journal at igougo.com
Savannah now ranks as one of the most fascinating cities I have ever visited. I had no idea what an important role it has played in the history of our country. The most decisive British victory in the Revolutionary War was the Battle of Savannah. As a former Girl Scout, I was aware that this was where Juliet Gordon Low had founded the Girl Scouts, but I didn’t know how Savannah had embraced her. Four days was not enough time to do all that Savannah has to offer. I would recommend a minimum of 5 days, and I think I could have filled 7 days quite easily.
1. Savannah History Museum/Visitor Center: begin your visit here. Pick up brochures, visit the museum, and begin your plan.
2. Greyline Tour: this is one of many tours available. Taking a tour will introduce you to the geography of Savannah. I highly recommend an orientation tour.
3. Visit the squares. With 21 squares, you will find one or more of great interest. If you are looking for the square where Forrest Gump sat, it is Chipewa Square. Johnson Square is the oldest square.
4. Visit some of the beautiful houses that are open to the public. There is the Mercer-Williams House for those fascinated with Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Low or Gordon House for Girl Scout lovers, and Owen Thomas House to see an excellent example of William Jay architecture.
5. Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House: one big disappointment of our visit was the fact that Mrs. Wilkes is closed for the month of January.
6. Riverwalk: You have to go here if only to see the waving Girl Sculpture. This is a very touristy area with lots of shops and restaurants.
7. City Market: again, another very touristy area. With restaurants and shops, it is worth a visit just to get some of Vinnie Van Go Go’s pizza.
Quick Tips:
Discounts
Stop at the visitor center as soon as you arrive. There are many discounts to be had in the brochures they offer. You can get $2 off some of the tours, and we got the Ghost Tour for half price with a coupon. There is a combination ticket for the Telfair Museum and the Telfair House that will save you $4.
When you book your hotel or B&B, ask about off-season rates or AAA or AARP discounts. We got 2 nights of our visit for $40 less than the other 2 nights because we asked.
There are several brochures available that have suggestions and discounts. See the "Savannah Scene ", "Best Read Guide," and the "Savannah 2005 Official Planner."
Free
The 21 squares are free to visit, as is the Riverwalk. Even if you didn’t want to visit any of the houses surrounding them, the squares all have a story of their own to tell. There is also a plethora of churches to visit, and don’t forget the synagogue.
Best Way To Get Around:
Savannah is one of the top-10 walking cities in the United States. With 21 beautiful squares to explore, put on your walking shoes and hit the pavement. Walk carefully, however, as walking on the brick sidewalks can be treacherous, and we all stumbled several times. The historic part of the city is on the top of the bluff and very flat, so conditions are ideal for a stroll. Riverwalk involves either walking down a cobblestone street or steep stairs, and going through the Hyatt is an option.
There are several bus choices. You can purchase an on-off ticket from one of the companies for about $20. They all run on a very similar schedule, doing the route about every 30 minutes. However, the best deal of all is CAT. These buses are free! They run a loop through the historic district and connect with other buses in their system. We used it several times and it came in handy. Pick up a schedule at the visitor center.
If you must drive, purchase a parking pass. You can park in designated location for $8 for 2 days. The regular fee at the visitor center was about $1 an hour.
If you want to cut back on gas, you could carpool with that weird smelling guy from work . . . drive as slow as your grandmother . . . or ride that bike you haven't touched in 10 years. But just don't believe any of those gas-saving myths.
According to the American Automobile Association, "Consumer Reports", and the dudes on "MythBusters" -- the gas-saving myths we've all heard about don't work.
Here are the five most common:
- Buy gas early in the day before the gas gets hot and expands. That's not true. Whether it's in the holding tank at the gas station or in your car's tank, gas generally stays the same temperature.
- Turn off the AC to save gas. Sure, you COULD make your car smell like a locker room . . . but it's not worth it. Turning off the AC only saves you a half mile per gallon, which is pretty negligible.
- Buy the expensive stuff to get better gas mileage. If you drive a car that only requires regular fuel, stick to that. Premium fuel is only for people who need extra performance . . . and it won't do your car any good.
- Constantly buy clean air filters to get better gas mileage. Here's the thing . . . air filters won't save you gas if your car was made after '97 . . . but properly inflated tires will. So check your tire pressure every month and stay at the recommended level.
- Use magical potions to get better mileage. The pros have tried every one of those additives that claim to get you better mileage and they're all a waste of money.
- And finally, the guys on "MythBusters" found that people who go for a drive when they're angry use 50% more gas than people who chill out. In fact, going out for a drive to blow off steam affects your fuel economy MORE than anything else.
CHEAP GAS SIGHTINGS CLICK HERE!!
© 2008