CityTrex Blog

Frogmore Stew, aka "Lowcountry Boil," and "Beaufort Stew."

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:35:04 -0500

In the Lowcountry of Savannah Georgia, Beaufort South Carolina, and Charleston South Carolina, this meal is a social institution. Originally named after Frogmore, South Carolina (the once remote "T" crossroads of St. Helena Island), this social finger food was adopted by the surrounding barrier islands and mainland because of the unique way it is served - plus it tastes great.

Into boiling water add in the following order:
Several spices, link sausages, round potatoes (optional), corn on the cob, and then beaucoup local shrimp by the pound. Allow to return to boil between each added ingredient. Do not over cook the shrimp.

Strain, and then pour food onto newspapers on a picnic table or the door of a trawler shrimp net. Eaten with your hands, it has a casual "standing and eating while chatting" vibe.

Sometimes an error in judgment causes a (too) formal affair to mistakenly serve Frogmore Stew. It's wet and nicely messy and so is best consumed in a bathing suit where there is available salt water to jump into.
Come for a visit and CityTrex will find or host a Frogmore Stew session for you!

walk the bridge in Charleston

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:13:09 -0500

A walking tour of Charleston, SC could include a stroll on the pedestrian lane of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River portion of Charleston Harbor. The sidewalk is the size of a car lane and is separated from the auto lanes by partitions - keeping you safe and clear from the drivers. They even separate foot traffic from bikes, so it's quite spacious up there.

The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is currently is the longest cable stayed bridge on the east coast of the United States.
You can photograph downtown Charleston from the roadway, 186 feet above Charleston Harbor.The towers are 572 feet above the roadway, putting the tops of the towers 758 feet above Charleston Harbor.

The pedestrian lane runs from E. Bay St. near the cruise ship terminal in downtown Charleston, or from the Mt. Pleasant side look for parking around the Patriots Point area. It's well marked, including mileage markers of the 3 mile crossing.
Charleston even provides water fountains and benches, so grab your camera and hold on to your hat!
Open to pedestrian traffic 24/7.

It is home of the annual Cooper River Bridge Run, held every April.

Hunting Island, South Carolina

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:52:22 -0500

"Hunting Island State Park on TripAdvisor's Top 10 Beach List"

Hey, don't tell anyone ...
... but we have one of the most pristine beaches in the world right here in the Lowcountry - and it's accessible by vehicle - no boat needed.

This isolated barrier island is the end of the line of SC Hwy 21.
In the 1970's it had a decent surf break, dudes from Florida even made the safari to ride the Hunting Island, South Carolina swells.

Today it's the most popular campground in SC.
Enjoy the isolated beach, climb the lighthouse, lose yourself picking up shells, watch the few remaining shrimp boats, and - one last word: "bikinis." Carolina girls and Georgia peaches in two pieces.

We have mixed emotions about letting you in on this.
Please be respectful of the place. It's a wonderful treasure.

From I-95: Take Hwy 21 E. toward Beaufort, SC.
Drive 42 mi. Hwy 21 ends at the park.
85 miles from Charleston, S.C.
56 miles from Savannah, GA.

Perfect for a day trekker to stretch their legs in the fresh air and sun.

Charleston, SC: "Holy City Tours Go High Tech"

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:29:05 -0500

CityTrex made the front page of the South's oldest daily newspaper, The Post and Courier.

CityTrex and our audio walking tours of Charleston, South Carolina are front page news! We're below the fold, but still...

"The Holy City goes high-tech" with CityTrex iTours.
Read the entire story at charleston.net, the online version The Post and Courier.

Charleston, South Carolina is on the cutting edge of digital tourism thanks to CityTrex audio walking tours!
Watch for additional iTours by veteran Charleston tour guide Ed Macy.
Ed Macy will guide you thru the back alleys and haunts of Charleston. Ed Macy provides year-around ghost tours, historical walks, College of Charleston or Citadel orientation tours, and... what might you request?

If you enjoy these Charleston audio walking tours, you'll also enjoy the other CityTrex iTour offerings in Savannah, GA and Beaufort, SC.

CityTrex on Sustainable Savannah

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:48:07 -0500

Thanks to John Bennett for writing about CityTrex at the blog Sustainable Savannah. Sustainable Savannah is a great resource for locals looking for information on how to make their lives more eco-friendly.

Here's an excerpt from the post:

CityTrex aims to allow Savannah visitors the chance to "experience history in immersive and interactive iTours," according to Burton Sauls, cofounder of CityTrex. "Using iPods and handheld GPS units, visitors gain so much more than from being passive listeners."

Sauls said the system will allow users to "map out points of interest" and "customize a walking tour will create a richer visit." What's more, CityTrex claims the goal of making Savannah "a more pedestrian-friendly destination." That would be good for tourists and locals alike.

We couldn't agree more.

CityTrex, LLC Nabs CBETA Award!

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 22:23:22 -0500

Savannah - GA CityTrex, LLC was awarded the coveted CBETA Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Emerging Company at the recent 2007 CBETA Technology Awards Banquet.

Tourism - A Macro Look

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:49:53 -0500

The international travel industry is vital to the U.S. economy. In 2006 the United States welcomed almost 51 million international visitors. These visitors spent a record $108 billion on travel and tourism-related goods and services, positioning international travel as one of the country’s largest service exports. Economic impact aside, international visitation also presents the United States with a tremendous opportunity to show people from near and far what defines this country and what makes our culture unique. According to the UNWTO, global tourism set a new record in 2006, with 842 million arrivals worldwide and global tourism-related spending reaching $735 billion. The United States leads the world in global tourism receipts and is ranked third among world destinations in terms of visitation. The United States’ share of world arrivals has been steady for the last three years (6.1%). The United States is on pace to set a new record for international arrivals and spending in 2007.

Savannah Film Festival 2007

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:06:21 -0500

SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Savannah College of Art and Design announced today that it will honor two-time Academy Award-winner Michael Douglas and Emmy Award-winning journalist Charlie Rose at its milestone tenth annual Savannah Film Festival, Oct. 27–Nov. 3. Douglas will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the festival. He is known for his iconic roles in films such as “The China Syndrome” (1979), “Fatal Attraction” (1987), “Wall Street” (1987) and “The War of the Roses” (1989). He also served as a producer for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975), for which he was honored with his first Oscar. Rose, the well-known broadcast journalist behind the PBS talk-show series “The Charlie Rose Show,” will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Entertainment Journalism. Previous winners of this award have included Roger Ebert, Rex Reed and Army Archerd. Additional honorees at the festival include award-winning thespian siblings Vanessa, Lynn and Corin Redgrave, who have never been honored together in the United States or their native Britain. SCAD also will honor Academy Award-winning directors Milos Forman and William Friedkin; director Brett Ratner; and actor, writer, producer and director John Sayles, who will premiere his latest film “Honeydripper” at the festival with close friend Chris Cooper and one of the film’s stars, Savannah native Stacy Keach, in attendance. Other guests slated to attend the Savannah Film Festival include James Franco, who will screen his new film, “Good Time Max” (2007); director James Ivory, known for his longtime collaboration with producer Ismail Merchant on films such as “A Room with a View” (1985) and “Howards End” (1992); actor, producer and director Griffin Dunne, who starred in “An American Werewolf in Paris” (1981) and “After Hours” (1985); Bob Balaban of the Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy films “Best in Show” (2000), “A Mighty Wind” (2003) and “For Your Consideration” (2006); and Catherine Zeta-Jones, star of “Traffic” (2000), “Chicago” (2002) and “Ocean’s Twelve” (2004). Nightly gala film screenings are arranged, including Marc Forster’s “The Kite Runner” (2007), Julian Schnabel’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (2007), Tamara Jenkins’ “The Savages” (2007), James C. Strouse’s “Grace is Gone” (2007), Eran Kolirin’s “The Band’s Visit” (2007), Terry George’s “Reservation Road” (2007) and the animated film “Persepolis” (2007), which won the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. The Savannah Film Festival is hosted by SCAD and features independent, innovative and influential film from around the world, as well as workshops, panel discussions and presentations of well-known visiting artists and filmmakers. In 2006, all but one of the evening gala screenings went on to be nominated for an Academy Award, and all but two of those films won the Oscar in their category. SCAD students from across the college’s more than 30 accredited academic disciplines participate in the festival to learn about the art of filmmaking from industry leaders. Award presentations and film screenings will be held at the historic Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St., and Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St. Workshops and other presentations will take place at Red Gallery, 201 E. Broughton St. Passes to the Savannah Film Festival are available for purchase through the SCAD box office, 216 E. Broughton St., online at www.scadboxoffice.com, or by phone at 912.525.5050. A Reserved Seating Pass may be purchased for $750 and entitles patrons to attend all scheduled films, workshops, lectures and opening and closing night receptions, as well as all scheduled evening receptions, and a reserved seat at all evening screenings up to five minutes prior to the screening time. A Gold Pass may be purchased for $400 and entitles patrons to attend all scheduled films, workshops, lectures and opening and closing night receptions, as well as all scheduled receptions. Silver and bronze passes are sold out. A limited number of individual tickets to screenings and workshops will be available at the SCAD box office beginning Oct. 1. Morning and afternoon screenings and panels will be $5 for the general public, $3 for students, senior and military, and free for SCAD students, faculty and staff with a valid SCAD ID. The price for tickets to the evening screenings will be $10 for the general public and $5 for SCAD students, faculty and staff with a valid SCAD ID. Group discounts are available. For media inquires, contact 912.525.5225.

Smart Tours :: Cool Places - The CityTrex Video

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 22:11:02 -0500

What's on Your iPod?

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:19:44 -0500

Savannah, Georgia headquartered CityTrex, LLC, a digital media development and distribution company, has acquired tourism industry pioneer iTour Savannah. As the first downloadable audio tour company in the Southern USA, iTour Savannah creates and distributes original content for the travel and tourism industry through iToursavannah.com. The popular tours have been played locally on handheld devices for about two years. “It's satisfying to see iTour Savannah reach this level,” says iTour founder Phil Sellers, who was named the new CEO of CityTrex LLC. “The CityTrex media platform brings the expanded vision and vital technology needed to grow our proven business model.” CityTrex was conceived when three media producers formed an alliance with the mission to improve communications in the tourism, corporate travel, and convention markets. By creating and distributing enhanced portable media content, CityTrex benefits all parties involved: visitors, guides, corporate marketers, and merchants needing to reach the growing portable and eco-friendly travel market. CityTrex Chief Operations Officer Burton Sauls sees a solid business model. “The successful use of technology by iToursavannah.com is a base on which we can build a scalable media publishing platform. We are fortunate to have a management team with a shared vision of how to best apply technology to proven markets. The CityTrex.com platform provides a marketplace that will serve everyone involved; from creators and content providers, to end-users, even including ancillary merchants wanting to capture revenue from our markets.” The final beta version of the CityTrex.com website will launch in September 2007 with a full release to follow in October 2007. ABOUT CityTrex, LLC: "Smart Tours :: Cool Places" A Georgia LLC, CityTrex is a digital content development company engaged in the capture, creation, production, and marketing of digital communications for playback on iPods, mp3 players, iPhones and cell-phones. Among those seeing benefits are an increasing number of cities supporting “green” tourism. CityTrex.com integrates media, mapping, social networking, and VoIP. Primary services are immersive and eco-friendly experiences that benefit travelers, guides, and selected destinations worldwide. In addition, the secondary service markets of CityTrex include media creation services of instructional and presentation media for conventions, museums, and any interface that calls for a concise communication of a complex issue. CONTACT: Phil Sellers, CEO, Co-Founder City Trex, LLC 912-660-3175 phil@citytrex.com www.citytrex.com END

Fort McAllister Historic Park

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:09:11 -0500

Located on the bank of the Great Ogeechee River south of Savannah, this park is the home of the best preserved earthwork fortification of the Confederacy. The sand and mud earthworks were attacked seven times by Union ironclads, but did not fall until captured in 1864 by Gen. William T. Sherman during his infamous “March to the Sea.” Nestled among giant live oaks and beautiful salt marsh, this park is a quiet location for camping, hiking, fishing and picnicking. The park’s Civil War museum features an interior designed to resemble a bombproof, containing exhibits and artifacts, a video and gift shop. Three cottages sit on stilts at the marsh edge, surrounded by palm trees and palmettos. The campground is bordered by tidal Redbird Creek, a boat ramp and nature trail. Reservations (800) 864-7275 Park (912) 727-2339

FS La Fayette to Visit Savannah & Battlefield Park

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:55:32 -0500

French navy frigate La Fayette will visit Savannah June 24-27, 2007. The La Fayette, named for the French hero of the American Revolution the Marquis de Lafayette, is the namesake frigate in the hi-tech La Fayette class. The ship is coming to Savannah in response to an invitation from Mayor Otis Johnson and the Coastal Heritage Society, and in recognition of the thousands of French soldiers and sailors who fought here during the Battle of Savannah on Oct. 9, 1779. The French naval attaché from Washington will be here as well. As it cruises up the Savannah River, La Fayette will receive a cannon salute as it passes Old Fort Jackson from a soldier wearing an historic French uniform like those worn by French troops in the Battle of Savannah. The Coastal Heritage Society is also working with local heritage groups including the Sons of the Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, Alliance Francaise, and the Navy League to plan a ceremony for the crew at Battlefield Park.

Steam Days at the Roundhouse!

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:48:47 -0500

Event: Steam Days at the Roundhouse Date: 06/22/2007 - 07/15/2007 Place: Roundhouse Museum For more information call 912-651-6823 Steam Days at the Roundhouse! Watch the Rail Operations crew fire up the Georgia Power #30 locomotive and move rolling stock around the site, using newly-laid track and a massive turntable. Demonstrations at 10am and 2pm, lasting roughly 45 minutes apiece. Regular admission is charged.

The Code Talkers

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:51:50 -0500

17th JUNE, This coming Sunday @ 7:00 PM! THE CODE TALKERS THIS IS A SPECIAL EVENT! BROUGHT TO RANDY WOODS BY REQUEST! Rock & roll needs fresh blood to thrive, and it's rarely had a more exuberant, beautifully crafted infusion than Bobby Lee Rodgers & The Code Talkers, a fiery trio that taps into the primal mojo of '50s pioneers embellished with the captivating twists & turns of hard electric blues TICKETS $25.00 + TAX Randy Wood Guitars www.randywoodguitars.com 1304 East Hwy 80 Bloomingdale, GA 31302 912-748-1930

The 12th Annual Savannah Asian Festival

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:09:00 -0500

Saturday, June 16 -- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Savannah Civic Center MLK Arena Presented by the City of Savannah's Department of Cultural Affairs and the Savannah Asian Festival Committee Polish your chopsticks and loosen your belt, as the 12th Annual Savannah Asian Festival rolls into town with an entire continent's worth of exotic food, performances and fun! This festival continues to grow in popularity every year, and has become one of the largest celebrations of Asian culture in the South. The City of Savannah's Department of Cultural Affairs and hundreds of Asian-American volunteers work together to present this one-day, whirlwind tour of the Orient all under one roof. Bring your family to enjoy live stage performances including the thunderous Matsuriza Taiko Drummers, amazing acrobatic tricks by Liang, a nationally recognized Chinese acrobat; and a unique fusion of rock and classical influences from violin virtuoso Bobby Yang and His Unrivaled Players! In addition, there will be an array of other live musical, martial arts and dance performances on stage. Watch unique demonstrations, such as origami, the Japanese art of paper folding; Menhdi, the Pakistani art of body decorating; and Batik, or fabric resist dying, techniques from Malaysia. Sample a world of exotic cuisines, from Pakistan, Polynesia, China, Japan, the Philippines, India and Thailand, to name a few. Browse the Cultural Marketplace to learn more about each country and discover the traditional arts, crafts, fashions and treasures unique to each nation. The Savannah Asian Festival is free and open to the public. The festival will take place Saturday, June 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Savannah Civic Center, located at Montgomery and Liberty Streets. Parking in the Civic Center lot is free; $5 at the Liberty Street Garage. There is a charge for food and purchases from the Cultural Marketplace. For more information visit, www.savannahga.gov/arts or call (912) 651-6417.