Barbeque. Bar-b-que. BBQ. Regardless of the spelling, the mere hint at the word sets mouths to watering and noses sniffing for telltale hints of delicious hickory smoke. And Savannah is blessed to have several little smokehouses downtown and many more in the surrounding areas. Here are some favorites.

Think the life of a restaurant reviewer and food critic sounds like fun?  Think again. There’s more to the story than meets the taste buds.

Americans consumed more than 55 billion cups of tea last year alone, and approximately 85 percent of that was served over ice. But there is a revival brewing, and many of us are returning to the traditional hot tea of our ancestors. Three local tearooms make enjoying a cup of tea a pleasurable affair.

Vintage is everywhere and remains a highly regarded expression season after season.

August 14, 2005, will mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Savannahian Tony Cope, who now lives in Ireland, shares his childhood memories of that moment in history.

Gleaming glass and steel stand in contrast to old brick and well-worn wood. Big, bold, colorful paintings convey a sense of fun and drive home the point that music and a cocktail- partylike atmosphere are de rigueur for the subterranean Jazz’d Tapas Bar.

When I was growing up in Valdosta, summertime meant crossing the road in front of my house to go with my brothers deep into the woods, where we would search for blackberries. We would go tearing from bush to bush to fill our bowls with berries, braving the stickers that grabbed at our bare legs, leaving trickles of blood behind. Oh, the price one will pay for a fresh-picked berry.

“What do you think about publishing 16 Savannah classics in honor of our 16th anniversary as your ‘Savoring Savannah’ column?” asked my editor, Linda Wittish.

What did I think about deciding upon 16 of Savannah’s culinary treasures? “Throw me in the Briar Patch, Brer Fox!”

Alan Power wants people to know about the serious subject of invasive species along our coast.

Whether introduced intentionally or accidentally, these harmful, non-native plants and animals degrade natural habitats, displace native species and cost billions of dollars annually to control. Worst of all, invasive species contribute to the extinction of native species.

An antebellum mansion seems an unlikely home for trendy modern pursuits such as “aromatherapy massage” and “microdermabrasion facials.” But when Celeste Hobson, purveyor of these and like services, was looking to move her Savannah Day Spa from quarters it had outgrown on Broughton Street, her instincts homed in on the 1826, five-story mansion she found for sale at 18 E. Oglethorpe Ave.