Sept/Oct 08 | Features

Best of the New South

50 people, places and things that make us proud

You can tell a lot about a man by his tie. Sort of like his shoes. Only softer. And completely functionless. Anyway, if you have to wear one, why not pick a design that says something other than “I’m a stuffed shirt”? Pelican Coast ties feature coastal and Southern themes, such as oysters, magnolias, and, of course, pelicans. Introduced by fourth-generation New Orleans native Virginia Rowan and her family in 2007, the line began as a philanthropic endeavor to benefit wetlands conservation but has rapidly morphed into a style success. “People are buying them not knowing anything about the wetlands, just because they’re fashionable,” Rowan says. Either way, 20 percent of proceeds go to the America’s WETLAND Foundation, dedicated to preserving and restoring Louisiana’s coastal landscape. That’s our kind of tie. (pelicancoastneckwear.com; 504-722-0438)

Trail

Alabama Scenic River Trail

For paddlers, boaters, anglers, history buffs, or anyone with a taste for outdoor adventure, Alabama just got a little sweeter. This year marked the grand opening of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, the longest single-state river trail in the country. Stretching for a staggering 631 miles, it begins on the Coosa River, near the Georgia state line in northeastern Alabama, and heads southward across multiple rivers and lakes, through the bayous of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay before reaching its end point at Fort Morgan and the Gulf of Mexico.

Plenty of access points along the route provide for shorter day or overnight trips, but for an epic journey, gear up and tackle the whole damn thing. Shouldn’t take more than about, oh, forty days or so by canoe (give or take a week or two). (alabamascenicrivertrail.com)

Toy

YOLO Original Stand-up Paddle Board

The paddle-surfing wave is sweeping up everyone from beach-going families to hard-core flats anglers. These hybridized surfboards allow riders to stand upright while using a long single paddle to glide across the water’s surface. “Pretty much anyone can do it,” says John Denney, co-owner of East Coast Paddle Surfing in Jupiter, Florida. “But the feeling is just unbelievable.” The 12-foot-by-31-inch YOLO (You Only Live Once) board is an excellent choice for a stable, all-around model, whether you’re looking to shred frothy waves or simply take in the view while “walking” on top of a glassy inshore creek. (yoloboard.com; 850-622-5760)

Web Site

The Southern Foodways Alliance, Oxford, Mississippi