I'm Kelly. I live downtown, and I know this city.
Not "I visited Savannah and loved it." Not "I've been coming here for years." I mean I live in the heart of the historic district — right in the middle of everything — and I've spent five years learning this city the way you can only learn a place when it's actually home.
Be Our Gaston exists because people kept asking me where to eat, where to stay, what to skip, and how to spend their time here — and I kept giving them the same answer I'd give a close friend: honest, specific, and shaped by real experience. At some point it made sense to write it all down.
How we ended up here
My family — my husband, our two youngest kids, and two dogs — sold our home in Virginia during Covid and spent nine months touring the country, living out of Airbnbs and short-term rentals. We worked remotely, we moved constantly, and we learned more about what makes a place feel like home (and what makes a rental feel hollow) than any travel article ever taught us.
When it was time to put down roots, Savannah kept coming back as the answer. I'm originally from New Orleans — my family has been there since the 1700s — and Savannah has that same quality: history you can feel, a pace that doesn't apologize for itself, beauty that isn't trying to impress you. It just is.
We also had a son who graduated from SCAD, Savannah's renowned art school — and now another one there. So the city had already become part of our story before we made it official.
That's me on the left, photobombing my own family. Savannah rooftop, golden hour. This city doesn't quit.
What Be Our Gaston actually is
BOG started as a listing site for our two Savannah rentals. It grew into something else: a guide people actually use to plan their trips. Travelers told us it was easier to figure out where to stay, what to eat, and how to spend their time here than after hours on TripAdvisor — and that feedback shaped what the site became.
This isn't a tourism board. There are no paid placements, no posts written by someone who flew in for a weekend. Every recommendation on this site comes from someone who eats at these restaurants on a Tuesday, walks these neighborhoods with her kids, and gets invited to soft openings because people in this city know she'll give them a fair read.
I'm also a psychologist and content strategist by training, which means I think a lot about how people make decisions — and I've tried to build a site that helps you make better ones, faster, with less noise.
The rentals
Yes, we still have our two Savannah properties — and yes, they're the kind of places we'd want to stay in ourselves, because that was always the standard. If you're interested, you can find them under BOG Rentals in the nav (or The Garden of Good and A Walk in the Park). But even if you never book with us, I hope this site makes your Savannah trip better.
A few things people ask me
Do you get paid for your recommendations?
Not in any way that compromises what I recommend. I do have a small number of affiliate links — primarily for tours and experiences I'd point you toward anyway — and I'll always disclose when that's the case. There are no paid placements, no sponsored posts, and no tourism board relationships shaping what makes it onto this site. If it's here, it's because I actually think it's worth your time.
How do I reach you?
Email is best: BeOurGaston@gmail.com. I read everything and try to respond to everyone.
How often is the site updated?
Constantly. Savannah's restaurant scene moves fast. I live here — I notice when things change, and I update accordingly.
Is Be Our Gaston connected to TheTripThread?
I also founded TheTripThread — a curated destination reference for the Greater Caribbean, for when you're planning your next trip beyond Savannah. Same editorial philosophy, different geography.