Last year, in honor of Mother’s Day, we asked readers to submit vintage photos of the Southern women who inspired them. The result was an incredible collection of snapshots, portraits, and candids every bit as soulful and spirited as the women pictured (See the gallery here). This year, though, it’s time to give the gentlemen their due with a photo gallery of our Southern fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers.

Seven years ago, local New Orleans musicians Alex McMurray of the band Tin Men and his buddy Chaz Leary were lamenting the difficulty of securing a place on stage at the city’s annual Jazz Fest. So, motivated by a mix of frustration and inspiration, they decided to throw their own musical gathering, dubbed ChazFest. Held last week on May 2, the backyard Bywater event drew music enthusiasts from around America. For seven hours, grassroots acts of all sorts rocked the two small stages, playing to packed crowds.

The James Beard Foundation Awards, held earlier this week, are pretty much the Oscars of the food world. The awards recognize chefs, cookbooks, bar and wine programs, and more. A big congrats to all the winners, but especially to those right here in Dixie, many of whom have contributed to the pages of G&G. Check out the stories and recipes below featuring some of the South’s finest, and for a full list of all the winners, click here

For the second year in a row, we asked photographer Michael Harlan Turkell to document the tipples, toppers, and mint-flavored merriment of Derby Day at Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan. Click here to see the photos.

For our April/May story on Ted Juracsik (The Man Who Changed Fly Fishing Forever), we sent Los Angeles-based photographer Joe Pugliese to south Florida to photograph Juracsik, his reels, and his favorite fishing spots. Here is his story:

Last week's High Point Furniture Spring Market was a delightful, caffeine-fueled whirlwind of meetings, previews, and frenzied note-taking. Everyone from Bob Timberlake and the Hable sisters to Suzanne Kasler and Alexa Hampton was on hand to offer insight and observations and to answer questions about the new collections on display. I saw the return and elevation of made-to-measure options at Hickory Chair, champagne-bubbles-smart pieces at Lee Industries (zipper-backed chairs!), and the most insanely comfortable woven leather loungers and wide-armed couches (the better for sitting side-saddle) at Hancock & Moore. But the truly interesting takeaways are the trends that emerge from the market as a whole. Here are six to keep an eye on.

“There is nothing like a hurricane followed by an epic flood to upset the order of things and blow in some literal winds of change,” observes G&G contributor, Julia Reed in her introduction to lifestyle photographer Kerri McCaffety’s forthcoming design tome, New Orleans, New Elegance (The Monacelli Press, May 2012) which explores the Crescent City’s evolving interior design sensibilities as it emerges from the rubble left behind by Katrina

Justin Simoneaux grew up in Raceland, Louisiana, and while he now calls San Francisco home, his daily activities still include frying alligator. We sat down with the 27-year-old chef is behind the Boxing Room—one of the best places on the west coast to chow down on a plate of Cajun and Creole cuisine (especially fried gator)

In the pantheon of dress code–worthy occasions, the Kentucky Derby is up there with 7 p.m. weddings and Halloween parties. We’ve created our version of a His-and-Hers race-day style guide. From classic-with-a-twist hats to festive accessories, we’d wager there’s something here for everyone

The 138th Kentucky Derby is May 5, and whether you're heading to Louisville or just gathering at home to watch the race, here's a menu full of Kentucky flavor.