For most people, it’s a bit of a thrill to catch a glimpse of a celebrity and even more exiting to talk to them. Some famous folks are in Savannah and the Lowcountry making movies or television shows, while others are sightseeing. Some even own houses or property in the area.
A family vacation was the reason that former first daughter Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner, and their three children stopped in Savannah. They checked into the Perry Lane Hotel and ate lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room, which is owned by Marcia Thompson and family. (Marcia is Mrs. Wilkes’ only grandchild.)
Marcia and her son, Ryon Thompson, are accustomed to welcoming celebrities, who seem to flock to the place where they dine on Southern-style dishes like butter beans, squash, green beans, homemade biscuits, and platters full of other scrumptious food.
Former President Barack Obama dined there when he was in the White House and movie stars like Ryan Reynolds and Blakey Lively also have dropped in to sample the fare. Nevertheless, Marcia said, it’s always exciting when celebrities gravitate to the restaurant.
Local celebrity sightings:
• Savannah welcomes President Barack Obama
• Movies Filming in Savannah (Part 1)
• Movies Filming in Savannah (Part 2)
• Paula Deen and her family in Savannah (Part 1)
• Paula Deen and her family in Savannah (Part 2)
•Actress Sandra Bullock sells Tybee Island home for $4.1 Million
Excitement was in the air a couple of Thursdays ago when the U.S. Secret Service called and asked if a couple and their three children could stop in the following day. Everyone at Mrs. Wilkes was taking guesses as to who it would be.
“I figured it was either Ivanka or Jenna Bush,” Marcia recalled. The following day Marcia decided to wear a dress that she purchased a few years ago from T.J. Maxx that Ivanka designed. “I wear it to work a lot,” she explained.
Sure enough, Marcia was correct in her assumption. The family walked inside the restaurant, which since the pandemic has only offered outside or takeout service. Marcia welcomed them and their Secret Service entourage inside with her usual greeting — “We’re so glad to have you” — and was struck how tall Ivanka and Jared were and how well-behaved their children were.
“They are so tall,” Marcia said, adding that the two were “delightful” to talk to, especially Jared, who always seems so quiet on TV, she said. Ivanka was wearing white shorts with a white top and blue earrings. The family ate vegetables but took along a bag of fried chicken to give to a friend, Marcia said.
Another celebrity sighting happened a few days later, when Francie and Toby Browne, and their children and families, visited Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, to celebrate Toby’s 75th birthday. The longtime local golf pro and his entourage stayed at a home near Bloody Point.
Francie said one day their son Toby Jr. came running into the house and asked if she had a lighter. “I had one in my pocket that I had used to light the candles on Toby’s birthday cake,” she said. Toby Jr. said singer/songwriter John Mellencamp had ridden up the road to the house on a bicycle and asked for a lighter. Mellencamp owns a house on Daufuskie.
Francie and Toby Sr. rushed outside to join Toby Jr. and his sister, Lizzie Poston, who already were making “small talk” about music with Mellencamp and a woman.
“They were very nice,” Francie said, adding that she gave him the lighter to keep. Someone asked the singer if he would mind having his picture taken and he was very gracious about it, Francie said.
One never knows who will be spotted around Savannah and vicinity next time.
If you have a celebrity sighting and a photo to go with it, send your information and photo to online@savannahnow.com.
Polly Powers Stramm is a contributing lifestyles columnist for the Savannah Morning News. Contact Polly at 912-657-3877 or pollparrot@aol.com. See more columns by Polly Powers Stramm at SavannahNow.com/lifestyle/.
Celebrity sightings
To see more photos of celebrities who were in Savannah, read this story online at SavannahNow.com/lifestyle/.
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