Dec 09/Jan 10 | 

Below the Line, December 09 - January 10

Goings-On in the South & Beyond

Alabama
THE BIG DIP

Let’s be realistic. If you’re really going to partake in a polar bear swim on New Year’s morning, you might as well choose someplace where the water isn’t, well, freezing. We suggest heading to the famed Flora-Bama Lounge, located beachside on Perdido Key near the Alabama-Florida state line. Here, at the crack of noon, some five hundred fearless souls go forth into the brisk Gulf waters—usually hovering around sixty degrees—for the Polar Bear Dip, a Flora-Bama ritual dating back a quarter century. Of course, it helps to have a Bloody Mary or two to get in the spirit, and there’s a hot meal of black-eyed peas and cornbread waiting to warm you up afterward. Just be warned, if you want to get fed, you’ve got to get wet. florabama.com

Arkansas
AND THEY'RE OFF

One of the South’s premier horse racing tracks, Oaklawn in Hot Springs kicks off its live racing season on January 15 after a slew of expansions. Slated to wrap up in early 2010, additions include a posh lounge, a new simulcasting center, and enhanced gaming facilities. But most eyes will be on the track, which draws close to twenty-five hundred Thoroughbreds throughout the season. Top-notch three-year-olds compete in high-stakes races, including the Smarty Jones Stakes on January 18, honoring the Oaklawn runner and 2004 Kentucky Derby winner. oaklawn.com

Florida
ALL LEG

When nature gives you a more-than-healthy population of frogs, might as well gig ’em, batter ’em, deep-fry ’em, and call it a party. At least that’s the sentiment behind the Frog Leg Festival (January 21–24) in Fellsmere, an amphibian paradise thanks to the nearby Stick Marsh and home to many full-time froggers. During the four-day affair, the tiny town swells with more than eighty thousand visitors hungry for a helping of the local specialty, served up Southern style with grits, hush puppies, and coleslaw. They’ll down about four thousand pounds of legs, along with another three thousand pounds of gator meat. Eat up. froglegfestival.com

Georgia
GARDEN PARTY

If you walk into one of the seminars at the Southern Gardening Symposium and see a man wearing a cape, not to worry. You’re in the right place. That’s William Cureton, aka Captain Compost, just one of the assembled speakers on hand for the three-day symposium (January 29–31) at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain. Along with the daily seminars, there’s also a marketplace and a silent auction, where guests can snag everything from one-of-a-kind garden art to heirloom roses and fruit trees. Whether you’re looking to stock up for the upcoming season, you’re in need of some expert advice, or you just want to mingle with like-minded enthusiasts, this is the place to be. callawaygardens.com

Kentucky
FINE 'SHINE

Though it hasn’t been on the scene long, the Corsair Artisan Distillery in Bowling Green has rapidly made a name for itself with a varied selection of high-quality small-batch spirits, including an award-winning gin and an unusual red absinthe, infused with hibiscus. But the distillery’s latest creation takes the cake (or maybe the gourd)—Pumpkin Spice Moonshine. Inspired by traditional pumpkin ales, the recipe uses malted barley and wheat, along with cooked pumpkin and subtle hints of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger, with a little added kick, of course, at 85 proof. No, you can’t get it by mail. But stop by the distillery’s gift shop in Bowling Green, or check the Web site for additional retail distributors, and grab a bottle while you can. Come spring, it will be long gone. corsairartisan.com

Louisiana
BIG EASY OPERA

On Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the Hurricane may be the drink of choice, but there’s something new to sample at the Inn on Bourbon—opera. Built over the site of the famed French Opera House, which burned to the ground in 1919, the Inn welcomes the music back to its roots with Opera on Tap, a franchise that started in New York to promote opera outside the stuffy confines of the opera house. A rousing success when the program was introduced to New Orleans in 2007, Opera on Tap continually packed out its first venue, the Rusty Nail, before expanding to both the Inn and Abita Brew Pub. Catch local New Orleans Opera performers at one of the free ninety-minute concerts on January 6 at the Inn or January 13 at the Rusty Nail. Best of all, no black tie required. neworleansopera.org/opera-on-tap

Maryland
WILD THINGS

Whether you’re on the hunt for a wooden duck decoy or a stainless-steel marlin sculpture, the Nautical & Wildlife Art Festival (January 16–17) is a treasure trove for outdoor junkies. At the Ocean City Convention Center, peruse close to ninety booths showcasing the work of noted artists from across the Mid-Atlantic—painters, sculptors, photographers, model-ship builders, and more. And if you’re so inclined, take a gander at the North American Craft Show, a sister exhibition of artwork going on downstairs. ococean.com

Mississippi
FLOWER FEST

Don’t be alarmed if you pick up the distinct stench of rotting meat while browsing the displays at the Gulf Coast Orchid Society Show in Gautier (January 29–31); it’s just the Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis. A gigantic orchid with drooping four-foot leaves, this unusual species emits a putrid odor to attract its pollinator, the carrion fly. Of course, with more than 350 plants on view at the annual gathering, the only orchid show in Mississippi, there will be plenty of sweet-smelling varieties as well, including exhibits from clubs and vendors around the region. Many orchids will be up for grabs, though not the Bulbophyllum phalaenopsis, so take a good look. And hold your nose. gcorchids.org