SCOOP: Scout Designs (part 2)

This week, Scout Designs partner Callie Jenschke joins us for part two of the Scout story:

Q: How long have you both been in NYC?

A: I am about to celebrate my 6th year anniversary come May. I am originally from Fredericksburg, Texas, a super quaint little town in the Texas Hill Country. Like Nicki, I thought I would be in NYC for a couple of years, but this place is like a bug that I can't get over!

Q: How has being from the south influenced your design aesthetic (assuming it has)?

A: Well, southerners are not afraid of color. We definitely love to inject pops of color into each project. Also, being nature lovers, we are huge fans of adding texture and natural elements into a space.

Q: Do you have any fave southern (owned, themed, based) shops/restaurants here in NYC?

A: Nicki called it! We love Hill Country BBQ. I grew up eating at Kreuz's in Lockhart, Texas (the inspiration for Hill Country). Whenever I get a pang of home sickness, that place feeds the soul!

Q: What’s one cool place from back home that you miss (place, thing, experience)?

A: I think people from the south have a connection to the land that most north easterners do not. I grew up on a ranch and love the outdoors. I often pine for those big Texas skies and wide open ranges.

Q: Is there anything else about being “southern in the city” that you’d like to comment on?

A: There is an undeniable attraction to other southerners here in this city. I moved here not knowing many friends. But after 6 years, I have seemed to cultivate a plethora of southerners! I just love folks from the south–especially the ones that love NYC as much as me.

For more info, please check out the Scout Designs site.

SCOOP: Scout Designs (part one)

I first read about the NYC-based dynamic southern design duo Nicki Clendening and Callie Jenschke of Scout Designs on Daily Candy. Southernist digs a little deeper with our 2 part Q&A with the women. First up, Nicki Clendening :

Q: How long have you both been here?

A: Almost 10 years! I thought I'd be here 2....no plans to leave but I get back to Charleston and New Orleans several times a year thankfully!

Q: How has being from the south influenced your design aesthetic (assuming it has).

A: It definitely has for me. For me, the South has a 'patina' to it that I grew up with and gravitate towards in design, in particular in New Orleans and Charleston where I lived and worked before moving to NYC. Because both places were/are important port cities, you have so many wonderful homes (and stores) filled with pieces from around the globe that help create the exotic mix of furnishings I love (antiques from Europe, furniture from Asia, African artifacts, textiles from India....) and it's the way the interiors we design our interiors. Always a mix.

A: Do you have any fave southern (owned, themed, based) shops/restaurants here in NYC?

A: Hill Country BBQ! We eat there almost every Saturday after our flea visit. I love the pulled pork BBQ of S.C. but have become a devoted Texas BBQ fan now too!

Q: What’s one cool place from back home that you miss (place, thing, experience)?

A: There are a lot of things, of course, that I do miss but two things probably most: being able to be outdoors for the vast majority of the year, and the people and ease of life. People in the South are just more 'open' than people in the North. It's a "the more the merrier mentality", come sit on the porch and have a cocktail, the door is always open, come over for Sunday supper...it's just easy and welcoming. If you asked any of my Northern friends this is what they'd say I struggle with here, still, the most. I have enough glasses in my tiny NYC kitchen to host a group of 30 for cocktails! I always want people to just drop by and sit and have a cocktail and catch up, but suffice to say that's not really a NYC way of life. We laugh, but sometimes it takes a month to get a date that works for everyone to get together for dinner.

Q: Is there anything else about being “southern in the city” that you’d like to comment on?

A: When I first moved here I was a bit self-conscious about my Southern accent...which isn't that strong but got a lot of comments like "where are you from little darlin'..."! I railed against that for a while, but I let it go shortly after having someone from Long Island who had a very strong accent pick on me for my slight Southern one.

And, most importantly, good manners, or lack thereof. Sorry NYC, but it's something men AND women need to work on. I know it's every man/woman for themselves in NYC but, really, would it kill you to hold the door, or not elbow your way into the train past others, is it really that important that you get somewhere 10 seconds faster? Now, that's a very Southern thing of me to say. ha!

Be on the lookout for part 2 with Callie Jenschke next week!

SCOOP: NY Times' "36 Hours In Richmond"

From Sunday's New York Times: AS the heart of the old Confederacy, Richmond, Va., watched with envy as other cities like Atlanta and Charlotte became the economic and cultural pillars of the New South. But Richmond may finally be having its big moment: a building boom in the last few years has seen century-old tobacco warehouses transformed into lofts and art studios. Chefs are setting up kitchens in formerly gritty neighborhoods, and the city’s buttoned-up downtown suddenly has life after dusk, thanks to new bars, a just-opened hotel and a performing arts complex, Richmond CenterStage. Richmond is strutting with confidence, moving beyond its Civil War legacy and emerging as a new player on the Southern art and culinary scene. (Read more of Justin Bergman's piece here)

SCENE/SPORT/SCOOP: Derby Day from NYC to KY

Tomorrow brings the running of the 135th Kentucky Derby!

STUCK IN NYC FOR THE BIG DAY? Freelance food writer and New Orleans native Ashley Fryer has celebration tips no matter what your budget:

The Kentucky Derby…it’s the one day of the year that it’s perfectly normal to don an overtly garish bonnet and sip straight Bourbon (with a little sugar and mint thrown in for a bit of flavor). Don’t have thousands of dollars to transport yourself from the streets of the Big Apple to the grandstands of the Big Race? No worries. Here are three options to celebrate quite possibly the best marriage of sport, gambling, and hedonistic celebration ever created:

ONE: If you’re all for dolling it up and living large, Esquire has partnered with Eleven Madison Park to throw a swanky celebration of the race, complete with a cigar lounge, open bar, live Derby coverage, and Chef Daniel Humm’s spin on “Derby cuisine.” Cost is $250 per person all-in (including gratuity). For reservations visit the restaurant's site and for more information, email derby@elevenmadisonpark.com or check out their Facebook page.

TWO: If beer and betting is more your style, you’re in luck. The Playwright Irish Pub on West 35^th St. not only serves up Irish fare and stout, but is lucky enough to be the only Manhattan bar sanctioned by NYC OTB. Adorned with more than 70 flat screen TVs (there’s really not a bad seat in the bar), the best part of The Playwright on Derby Day are the 2-person betting windows and electronic kiosks. Want to throw down a last-minute trifecta before post time? No problem! Pick up your pint and saunter over to those who are happy to take your money. There’s no cost to reserve a table, but plan to block out your afternoon if you’d like a guaranteed place to sit. The Playwright is accepting reservations only before 1 PM, and post time is set for just after 6 PM. Five hours of mint julep tailgating = not for the faint of heart! Call 212-268-8868 for reservations or more information.

THREE: Finally, if you’re looking for the recession redux version of a Kentucky Derby party, why not bring the Derby to you? Dig through your closet to find an old hat (or anything you can wear on your head), mix up a batch of mint juleps using the official Churchill Downs recipe, place your bets via Twin Spires (the Derby’s official wagering site) and enjoy front-row viewing from the comfy-ness of your own couch. NBC’s coverage begins at 4 PM Eastern, and post time is set for 6:10 PM on the dot.

WHEN IN KENTUCKY: Now, if you are lucky enough to be in Kentucky tomorrow, local artist Natasha Sud (aka "The Lady of Assemblage") shares the inside scoop what’s really ‘hood in Louisville:

Sweet, sweet Louisville! This weekend is the Kentucky Derby and things are already starting to get crazy. If coming to town now or ever, check out these people, places and things:

STAY

21C

The Seelbach

Galt House

The Brown Hotel

EAT

Ramsi's

Basa

Bourbon's Bistro

Mayan Cafe

El Mundo

Vietnam Kitchen

Havana Rumba

Cumberland Brews

BARS

Nach Bar

The Back Door

Seidefaden's

The Swan Dive: ( Swan St. / no website)

Cumberland Brews

LISTEN - Louisville is obviously known for its music scene. We have had a lot of great bands come out of here: Slint, Will Oldham, MMJ, etc etc. Here are some from the next wave:

Wax Fang

Joe Manning

Health and Happiness Gospel Band

SHOP

Dot Fox

Why Louisville

The Makery

Ear X Tacy

Wild and Wooly

Louisville Antique Mall

YOGA: Eternal Health

GUITARS Guitar Emporium

THEATERS: Baxter Ave and Village 8

"The Lady of Assemblage" is Natasha Sud, a Russian native who grew up in Louisville and recently moved back there after seven years in Los Angeles. The Lady makes collages and loves photography. She has shown her work in many solo and group shows and festivals. She also designed the two album covers for The Watson Twins. Check her out at www.ladyofassemblage.com and http://www.whylouisville.com/natasha.asp.

SCOOP: St. Patrick's in Savannah? by Meryl Truett

Photo by today's guest blogger Meryl Truett!

St. Patrick’s Day is bigger than Christmas in Savannah, Georgia. Everyone who’s anyone takes the day off and heads down to the Historic District for the parade. More than 400,000 visitors are expected but here’s the low down on how to get around and make the most of what our hostess city has to offer during this festive weekend.

When I moved to Savannah 12 years ago, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” was at the height of its popularity. The movie came out in 1997 and yes the party scenes are true Savannah. On St. Patty’s Day, Bloody Mary’s and green grits are served on verandas all over town starting at 8AM. Just the thing to put spectators in the correct frame of mind for the big parade. If you don’t know anyone throwing a morning party, then stake out a seat on one of the twenty-one oak tree laden/Spanish moss dripping historic squares that local floats and marching bands wind their way through the parade route or just travel along the sidewalks maneuvering your way through the costumed revelers and souvenir vendors. Watch out for the “Kiss me I’m Irish” crowd or you could end up smothered in red lipstick.

So here’s the inside skinny………..

Stay: award winning Thunderbird Inn Motel just on the edge of the historic district from $99.00 a night 866.324.2661.

EAT:

Wall’s BBQ

Leopold’s Ice Cream on Broughton Street on the parade route 912.234.4442

Local 11 ten at the south end of Forsyth Park 912. 790.9000

SHOP/ART: ShopScad on corner of Bull and Charlton…….very cool store selling the unique wares of student, faculty and alumni of Savannah College of Art and Design Pick up a copy of my book Thump Queen and Other Southern Anomalies, a collection of eccentric southern images exploring the world of Thump Queens, Velvet Elvises, Soul Palaces, and Bad Antiques…….

Jepson Center/Telfair Museum of Arts- 207 West York……permanent collection (recent acquisitions include large scale photographs by Meryl Truett) and traveling exhibitions plus a fun to browse museum shop.

The café on the second floor is a lovely spot for an upscale lunch.

Meryl Truett is a fine art and editorial photographer. The second printing of her book Thump Queen and Other Southern Anomalies is available through Amazon. com.

SCOOP/EAT: Orangeburg, SC by Four Moons Chef Charles Zeran and Pastry Chef Colleen Zeran

Four Moons restaurant Chef Charles Zeran and Pastry Chef Colleen Zeran share some of what they love in Orangeburg, SC, as well as their version of one of the South's most talked about treats, RC Cola and a Moon Pie:

ART: Leo Twiggs’ paintings are done in a unique, innovative batik technique that he developed after several years of experimenting with the traditional medium. He has had over 60 one-man shows and his work has received international recognition, with exhibits at the Studio Museum and the American Crafts Museum in New York and in U. S. Embassies in Rome, Dakar and Togoland among others. His work has been widely published in art textbooks and featured in several television documentaries. In 2002, he was selected to design an ornament for the White House Christmas tree. (source)

A native of St. Stephen, Twiggs received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Claflin University and later studied at the Arts Institute of Chicago. He earned a masters degree from New York University, where he studied under famed black painter and muralist Hale Woodruff. Twiggs was the first black individual to receive a doctorate in art education from the University of Georgia. At South Carolina State University, together with then-president Dr. M. Maceo Nance, Twiggs developed the Stanback Museum and established the university's first art department. The Stanback Museum has one of the largest exhibit spaces among Historically Black Colleges and Universities and is the only museum connected to a facility.

ROSES: If you enjoy the sight and scent of thousands of roses, grab a picnic lunch from Four Moons and head over to Edisto Memorial Gardens. The site is also host to the annual Festival of Roses each spring. While at the park, you can stroll the boardwalk that takes you through the Horne Wetlands Park adjacent to the banks of the Edisto River. The Edisto is a nationally recognized pristine black water river that flows from the midlands of SC to the Atlantic.

MUSEUM: The Stanback Museum at SC State University is a highly respected museum with a great space for exhibitions of the works of nationally recognized artists. The planetarium features seasonal shows and programs about night skies that can be seen in the Orangeburg area. The museum also features films from the Southern Circuit Film Series, a tour of independent films from independent filmmakers. Currently on exhibit, Journey from Africa to Gullah.

FOUR MOONS “MOON PIES”

CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 cup butter, softened
2 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder, euro dark
2 tsp. baking powder
½ Tbsp. baking soda
2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. salt
3 eggs, large
2 cups hot water

Combine softened butter and sugar together in mixing bowl with paddle attachment. Cream until light yellow and slowly add eggs, scraping well. Alternate the dry ingredients with the water until well combined. Line sheet or two half sheet pans with parchment, pour mixture evenly and bake at 350 until tester comes out clean in center.

GRAHAM CRACKERS
8 oz. whole wheat flour
4 oz. all purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cold water
2 oz. unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ oz. sugar
4 ¾ oz. honey
1 ½ oz. dark molasses
1 egg, large

Combine wheat flour, all purpose flour and salt, set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until light and pale in color. Add the honey and molasses and the egg, scrape well. In small bowl combine water and baking soda. Then add to creamed mixture. Add half of the dry ingredients until combined then add the remaining. Form dough into a disk and refrigerate overnight. Roll out dough into 1/8” thick and place on parchment lined sheet pans. Bake at 325 until lightly golden brown.

VANILLA BANANA FILLING
2 cups mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup sugar
Vanilla Bean, scraped
3 ripe bananas
Banana Liqueur to taste

In mixing bowl with whip attachment mix all ingredients together until well combined and thickened.

ASSEMBLY
Place one layer of chocolate cake on work surface. Take one pan of graham cracker and brush with banana liqueur place this side towards chocolate cake. Brush the top of the graham cracker with more banana liqueur. Press the two layers firmly together. Spread the vanilla banana filling evenly over the graham layer. Continue with another layer of graham brushed with banana liqueur and top with chocolate cake. Wrap tightly and place it freezer until almost frozen, then cut into a moon shape.

Melt equal parts bittersweet chocolate and cocoa butter and place in a Wagner paint sprayer. (Or if you prefer to use your paint sprayer for paint, you can arrange the Moon Pies on a wire rack set into a parchment lined sheet pan and pour the chocolate coating over the Moon Pies). Coat moon pie evenly and allow to dry before coating with gold dust.

TO SERVE
To make the RC Cola Float: Using a small glass (juice sized glass), add a spoonful of rich vanilla ice cream to the glass and pour RC Cola over it. Set glass on a plate dusted with Cocoa powder. Place the Moon Pie adjacent to it and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and sprig of mint or seasonal flower.

SCOOP: FT. RUCKER, AL by Katrina Rodgers

Just in time for Veteran’s Day, Army wife-to-be Katrina Rogers gives us “THE SCOOP” on Ft. Rucker, AL:

When I tell people I live in Alabama, they usually think I’m close to Birmingham. I actually live 3-4 hours south of Birmingham and have never been here; Alabama is bigger than you think! Chances are, if you are not an Alabama native, you’re not exactly up to speed on your Alabama geography, and I’m sure if my fiance and I had not moved here with the Army, we would never have heard of the area known as the “Wiregrass.” This area includes southeast Alabama, very northern Florida, and southwest Georgia. You might be wondering what on earth there is to do in this area of the country—I know I was! Well, you just have to know where to look.

If you’re feeling ambitious, Atlanta is only 3 and half hours away, and there are so many thing to do there I couldn’t even begin to count (the aquarium is fun; the Coca Cola factory lets active duty military in free!) Montgomery, the capitol of Alabama, is not quite two hours away, and that’s where you’ll find the closest reasonably priced airfare. Panama City and Destin, Florida, are only a two and a half hour drive—here you can find the Gulf of Mexico, many beaches, and all accompanying activities (crab restaurants!)

But no one wants to go that far every weekend, and certainly not with the high gas prices we have had lately as a result of hurricane season. So what is there to do in your own backyard down here? The first thing you have to see in Enterprise is the statue in the middle of town. Long ago, the Boll Weevil, an insect, destroyed all of the area’s cotton crops. Farmers were forced to switch to another crop, peanuts, which turned out to be a fantastic economic change for the region. The statue was erected in 1919 to honor the Boll Weevil for bringing, in a roundabout way, prosperity to the area. Originally the statue was just a woman; the Boll Weevil at the top was added in 1949. The statue in the center of town now is just a replica—the original was moved to the Enterprise Depot Museum in 1998 due to vandalism (the Boll Weevil was stolen right off the top). It is the only statue in the country and most likely in the world to honor an agricultural pest.

Peanuts are also honored in the Wiregrass area. The city of Dothan, 30 miles from Enterprise, is known as the Peanut Capital of the Nation, and rightly so. Sixty-five percent of all the peanuts grown in the United States are grown within a 100 mile radius of Dothan! To celebrate this title, Dothan holds the National Peanut Festival every fall. The festival was first held in 1938 and lasted 3 days; it is now a 10 day event that draws over 163,000 visitors. Be prepared to wait in line to park! At the festival, you can find more than your average share of carnival rides, carnival games, displays (this year they had sea lions!), arts and crafts, a parade, fireworks, and a Miss National Peanut Festival Pageant. In addition, Dothan is a good place for many army wives to find jobs. There also an airport here, although it is horribly overpriced and only flies to and from Atlanta.

Speaking of army wives: last but never least, the Wiregrass area is the home of Ft. Rucker, the primary home of Army Aviation and flight training. It is also the home of Warrant Officer Candidate (WOC) School. Ft. Rucker opened on May 1, 1942 as Camp Rucker (the name was changed in 1955). The population on post in the 2000 census was 6,000, but many army folks live off post. The important thing to remember is that because of this, Enterprise and neighboring Daleville are much more transient areas than other towns. Flight training generally takes about one and a half to two years, so the real estate trends don’t necessarily follow the economic trends since people are always buying, selling, and renting. I have never seen so many townhouses in my life as in Enterprise, Alabama!

So, bottom line: there is more happening here than you think. A good place to get more information about local events and activities in the Wiregrass is on the website of the local radio station, WKMX in their “What’s Up Wiregrass” section. There are things going on at Ft. Rucker several times a month, so there are no excuses for not getting out and getting to know the area! (end)

Katrina Rodgers is a Gettysburg College graduate with a degree in Women’s Studies. She is currently living in Enterprise, Alabama with her fiance and looking forward to finally marrying him in December!

SCOOP: Time Out NY's Southern Saunter (edited!)

photo credit: David Sifry

Excerpted from Time Out NY's sorta goofy and ignorant but still maybe a bit useful:

Great walks - A Southern saunter By Allie Haake

Head on down to Brother Jimmy’s BBQ (multiple locations), a premiere Dixieland college sports hangout. Grab a PBR and hone those Dick Cheney shooting skills on the Big Buck Hunter. (Camo not included.)

Mosey on down to The Trailer Park Lounge & Grill (271 W 23rd St at Eighth Ave; 212-463-8000), where every inch of the haunt is done up in Gummo kitsch: Vintage soda signs, a 40¢ cigarette-vending machine and a PBR-swilling, fuzzy-slipper-wearing pregnant mannequin are just the beginning. We suggest the impressively strong $5 frozen strawberry margarita or the Can-O-Champagne ($7).

Ax that hunger with a slab of award-winning meat from RUB BBQ (208 W 23rd St between Seventh and Eighth Aves; 212-524-4300). No honky-tonk stuff here—just a modern take on burnt ends, fried green tomatoes and deep-fried Oreos.

Wanna-be Southern belles and Texas cowboys can find themselves some real deals at The Family Jewels Vintage Clothing emporium (130 W 23rd between Sixth and Seventh Aves; 212-633-6020), which specializes in square-dancing dresses, one-of-a-kind Western shirts and shitkicker boots.

Juicy tidbit! The red building on the corner of Sixth Avenue and 11th Street (adjacent to the cemetery) has a secret. It sits on the former site of the Grapevine, a Civil War tavern where Union officers (and Confederate spies) collected to drink and talk business. Hence the phrase I heard it through the Grapevine.

Cool off at The Pink Tea Cup (42 Grove St between Bedford and Bleecker Sts; 212-807-6755) with the sweetest sweet tea you’ve ever tasted. *NOTE: Southernist would begin here with breakfast - fish n' grits, eggs, biscuits, turkey sausage = heaven! *

What better way to remember your walk than with a Southern-themed souvenir? Continue down Grove, go north on Hudson and stop at the Cowgirl General Store (519 Hudson St at 10th St; 212-633-1133), great for braided belts, rock candy, farm toys and other geegaws. *NOTE: Southernist considers this more western but yummmmmy regardless - frito-pie!*

We’re hoping you’ve saved room for some Paula Deen–caliber desserts. Bourbon Street Southern Gourmet Pantry (529 Hudson St between Charles and W 10th Sts, 212-337-0988) boasts award-winning sweet jams and syrups, plus an organic hummingbird cake made with banana, vanilla, cinnamon, and topped with cream cheese icing.

SCOOP: Ft. Gaines, GA by Mallory Hill

As I drive, I a catch the faint smell of peanuts through the AC. I instinctively roll down the windows and take in the fresh country air. The smell of the harvest rolls over me and I realize, I am home.

This is how I feel when I go home, though the seasons and the smells change, I can always tell by the change in the air I am nearing home. It's a different and fresh world, and I love it. For me Fort Gaines, Georgia is home. It is a small quiet town in rural Southwest Georgia, but it has become one of the favorite getaways for the friends I've made over the years. They always love going home with me because they know it is an escape each time. The world moves a little slower and it's easy to just relax.

I know for most "city folk" would look at this town as a place where there's nothing to do. Well they are right and dead wrong all at the same time. You can drink in history or you can just sit in a swing and drink sweet tea; it makes no difference to us. Just kick back and relax as the world spins a little slower.

Fort Gaines was an active fort during the Indian wars. It held a prime spot on a bluff over-looking the Chattahoochee River. The fort is long gone but there is a historic village that has been created where it once stood. Historic homes that once rested all over the region have been donated and moved to this location to give visitors an idea of what things looked like 200 years ago. A tower stands atop the hill that is a recreation of one of the towers that originally stood as a part of the fort. As you climb inside and look across the river you realize why this was the perfect place to set up defenses. A massive cannon is still perched ready to fire on Alabama. The Frontier Village as it is called is a wonderful place to visit any time of year. Most of the buildings on the site are open and you are free to look around. There is a large hall that remains locked that was once home to the Fort Gaines Women's Club and is still used today for gatherings of all kinds including my wedding reception.

There is one day each year this building is open to the public. It is the day Fort Gaines and the Frontier Village sees the most visitors and that is the day of the annual Christmas at the Fort. Every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving the Frontier Village is swarmed with guests browsing the seemingly endless lines of vendors carrying everything from home-made jams and jellies, crafts, jewelry, boiled p-nuts and fresh ground cane juice and syrup made as you watch. If you're hungry grab one of Granny's Apple Dumplings after you've picked up your barbecue made in the VW Bug smoker or any of the delicious goodies you can find. Wonder around the used book sale as you enjoy the music from live local performers. Everyone's friendly and you're sure to find something you love.

November has become a busy month in Fort Gaines now that they are having the second annual Georgia's Longest Yard Sale. It stretches from the Georgia line down 60 something miles of Hwy 37 through numerous small towns. You can find all kinds of goodies from antiques to crafts and home-made barbeque on the Saturday before Veterans Day each year. You may want to bring a trailer to carry all of your goodies home with you.

On the northern side of town you will find Lake Walter F George. Here you can find some of the South's best fishing in this 23 mile long lake stretching between Georgia and Alabama. The dam houses some of Georgia Power's best hydroelectric generators and helped form this beautiful lake. The shores are home to the annual July 4th fireworks show that draws visitors from areas all around. A few miles north of town you will find George T Bagby State Park sitting right on the banks of the lake. Here you can stay in their spacious lodge and enjoy your meals in the restaurant porch while you gaze at the lake or share a more intimate visit in one of their lakefront cabins. The park has several hiking trails that wonder through the woods and allow you to experience its southern nature. If you take a walk through the park around sunset you are almost guaranteed to see some of the many deer that inhabit this park or the local family of foxes that call it home. If you are a golfer , Bagby is home to one of Georgia's championship golf courses.

If you just want to experience more of the town's history there is a town tour you can take. Put on your walking shoes or hop in your car and follow the map around town. It points at many historic locations and gives you some of the history of these places. Don't expect to be able to go inside most of these locations since many of them are homes, including my parents house which was built in 1880. One place you can go in and look around is the museum. Located downtown, it is filled with items that have been donated by families in the area and is rich with history.

Crickets and frogs will sing you to sleep each night and you'll see more stars than you can imagine. As you drive on to where ever the road leads you every car you meet will greet you with a smile. It's a simple town but its simplicity will relax your mind and rejuvenate your soul. Roll down your window and drink it in.

Mallory Hill is a proud Army wife who splits her time between Fort Gaines, GA and Fort Hood, TX. She recently started her own photography business, Pope Hill Photography, with which she specializes in helping military families share their lives.

SCOOP: Greensboro, NC by Stephanie Sherman

Elsewhere Artist Collaborative's Director of Concept and Design Stephanie Sherman gives Southernist "the scoop" on insider hotspots in Greensboro, NC:

ART: Elsewhere!! is an arts production site and experimental museum that brings innovative contemporary artists to Greensboro to participate in the transformation of a three-story former thrift store housing one woman's immense 58-year collection of surplus objects. (See more info below)

SLEEP: The Proximity Hotel is an awesome new green hotel. New World Moxie - Old World Hospitality -Vibrant Restaurant - Creative Events - Stylish Loft-Like Guestrooms - A Green & Eco Friendly Hotel. "Greensboro is an apt name for a town that will be home to one of the greenest hotels in the country." - New York Times, September 2007

EAT: 223 restaurant (223 south elm street) has incredible experimental southern food that appears totally wacky but is actually delicious. Very innovative combinations.

SHOP: A new store on McGee St. in downtown called "Love Your Friends Be Social"is a mix of skateboard, hip-hop, designer genre with some really great colorful kicks and nice sunglasses. Also, there's a great vintage store called Design Archives on Tate Street (a little ways from downtown).

More about Elsewhere: Elsewhere's international visiting artist program invites innovative cultural producers to create new, site specific works across media using the materials of Elsewhere's collection. Artists work with and within a living artwork, continually transforming Sylvia's collection and past artists' work into a building-wide collaborative installation. At Elsewhere neither object nor artwork is for sale, instead, a continually circulating environment of art and object provides imaginative experiences for audiences and artists alike. Elsewhere's fifth season, running March to November 2008, will include over 35 international creators and feature a complete schedule of openings, Artist Conversations, performances, workshops, new installations, happenings, and events.

2008 marks the bicentennial of Greensboro, NC.