(I visited Mose Tolliver at his home in 2005.)

I'm heading to Tallahassee, FL, this week to interview an artist for an upcoming feature on the great Southern folk artists you need to buy now.

(I would tell ya more about it, but I don't want to scoop the story.  Keep your eye on the mag...) 

I'm a folk art enthusiast, investing any extra cash into pieces I admire and the artists who create them. The trip reminds me of my first folk art encounter: A trip to see Mose Tolliver, one of the most noted artists of the contemporary folk art genre... 

(photo by Robbie Caponetto)

“Everybody wants to know when they will win the lottery," said Margaret "Miss Maggie" Burkley. "It’s not the winning or the losing, though. It’s the playing of the game.”

SL Photographer Robbie Caponetto and I sat down with Miss Maggie last March while researching our story The Allure of Natchez in the March '09 issue.  We found her, because when we asked locals about the unique personalities and characters, they all recommended we make an appointment to see her at her pink house on the bluff. 

Why?  She was the town psychic, and even though I called ahead, I had a feeling she knew we were coming... 

The first thing John David Montgomery ever gave me was a pair of red chopsticks.  To be fair, they were the only things he ever gave me.  To be even fairer, he tried to give me a Bud Light when last I saw him, but I politely passed.  I still had a ways to go on the bottle in my hand...

The towns of Marfa, Alpine, and Marathon embody the far west Texas spirit of wide open possibility. If you react like locals to the almost endless spread of landscape, you'll be on the next plane to El Paso. For some backstory on the assignment and my three trips out west, watch the audio slideshow.

A great reporter digs to find the facts and writes them as he knows them.  When he is wrong, he admits his mistakes.

I was wrong.

After a previous post regarding St. Nick in Fredericksburg, I got a call from Santa.  Rather, I missed a call from Santa.

(Listen to Santa's message.)

Local Santa, Santa Claus (see Retraction post), loves sharing the joy of Christmas. photo by Scott Suchman

I sent our photographer, Scott Suchman, a rather detailed shot list last December for my story, "Shop Fredericksburg."  I gave him specific locations and angles I thought would work.  The main theme, though, was to convey Chrismas in this charming Virginia town. 

I never asked him to find Santa Claus.

Nashville artist Herb Williams, who's been written about in this magazine, continues his quest to create a world out of crayons. He sent me an email this morning to introduce his latest portrait, that of Senator Obama, just ready for Election Day across America. Though SL does not call itself blue or red, we couldn't resist showing off our friend Herb, one of Tennessee's most creative and all-around-swell guys. We love the South and its people much more than we love politics. If you are Nashville, your best bet to meet Herb is to stop by the Rymer Gallery downtown, where he curates and builds his crayon masterpieces. Warning: He may enlist your help in cutting the color sticks, if you are lucky.

Find time to exercise your right to vote today. And while your at it, buy a box of 64 Crayola's. There's nothing like that fresh smell.

The Blue Dog artist shouldn't feel blue this week. Today Governor Bobby Jindal announced George Rodrigue, the man behind the wonderful motif, as Louisiana's Artist Laureate. Well done George! George hits the road this month on book tour for Blue Dog Speaks. To find the Louisiana Laureate somewhere near you, starting October 5th in Texas, click here. 

Wetin na yu nem? Last week, I traveled to Sierra Leone and Liberia in west Africa with a non-profit group called Living Water International. Beyond the many poignant interactions, the hopefulness among such great physical need, and daily dirt-road adventures, the trip opened my eyes to the connectedness between the places where I travel for Southern Living and the villages that welcomed me in Africa, especially in how we speak. By the way, earlier, I asked you your name. Wetin na yu nem?

Windy days in South Florida.

(Photograph via the National Archives)

Sometimes you have a celebrity sighting of a famous Southerner, and it makes for an interesting blip in the day. Other times, you see a legend, and it sticks in your mind for a long while. We had the latter experience this week, on a Southwest plane from Louisville to Chicago, when Muhammad Ali sat across the aisle from us.

(Photos by Jennifer V. Cole and Kathryn Cole)

This week, on a twisty stretch of Highway 21 outside Philadelphia, Mississippi, the 119-year-old Neshoba County Fair celebrates the very essence of Southern hospitality (July 25-August 1). I've been going since I was 3-months-old, and I can tell you, there's a reason it's known as "Mississippi's Giant House Party." For seven days, folks do a lot of eating (fried foods required), drinking (you might find some 'shine), front porch sittin', and late-night pickin'. It's a time to slow down. To forget laptops and cell phones. And to practice the art of conversation and storytelling on a lazy summer day. I just spent a weekend at the Fair catching up with friends and chasing around after my nieces and nephews (I've got the red-clay-stained feet to prove it), and I can't think of a better place to be in the month of July. If you've never been, add it to your list.  If you have been, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Here are a few photos of life at the Fair:

It's often said that the word "cocktail" originated in New Orleans. That it is derived from the French word coquetier, an egg cup that was used to serve spirited beverages in the Crescent City in the early 19th century. Whether New Orleans is the official home to the "cocktail" or not, a visit to NOLA (as the city's affectionately called) proves, if anything, that they take their drinks seriously. And now, the city has been honored with its own official cocktail--the sazerac. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

(Photo of Charleston's Beard-winner, Hominy Grill, by Shayna Anne)

Foodie powers-that-be recently announced this year's James Beard Awards, the highest culinary accolade out there, America's meal medal of honor. The shindig, which you can see via pictures on the JB Foundation website, looked to be a real tony affair, with the tops of our nation's restauranteurs/chefs/food writers toasting their love of cuisine. And once again the  contingent who call our proud region home showed up bigtime at the celebration.

Paris Hatters, North Broadway in San Antonio

Eighty years plus in the hat business is long enough to fill Paris Hatters with a week's worth of anecdotes. For delightful confirmation, go meet the founder's son, Abe Cortez, pictured here.

In case you missed them, here are the most popular posts for May:

1. Louisiana's Blue Dog Artist
George Rodrigue's Blue Dog paintings and silkcreen prints have nosed their way into our American visual iconography. Rodrigue walks Assistant Travel Editor Taylor Bruce through his latest exhibit with photos and exclusive audio interviews.

2. Blue Spring State Park Marine Life Part I
Is this a face only a mother could love? Apparently not, as sailfin suckermouth catfish (Pterygoplicthys disjunctivus), like the one pictured, are breeding in such numbers they threaten the health of the rivers in which they live.  Livings Editor Richard Banks gets up close and personal with this "armored catfish."

3. Wakeboarding - Orlando, Florida
Wakeboarding combines the gravity defying, aerial marvels of gymnastics with the ramps, speed, and whacky jargon of skateboarding. While working on a story on an Orlando-based wakeboarder, Livings Editor Richard Banks visited the Air Nautique Wake Games at the Orlando Watersports Complex and saw first-hand just how incredible the sport is.

4. Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman, Alabama
When I first stumbled upon the Ave Maria Grotto, a vast collection of miniature religious sculptures in Cullman, Alabama, I almost dismissed it as mere Southern kitsch. The "Jerusalem in Miniature," however, deserves a closer look.

5. TPC Sawgrass: Dad Conquered #17
"Good luck on #17."
The valet guys at the Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL whisper it when you toss them your keys. Our breakfast waitress winked when she said it while dropping off the check. No surprise, really. This is arguably one of the most famous holes in golf, and if you play the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass—-home to THE PLAYERS Championship—-it’s the hole that’s stuck in your head from your first swing on the practice range until your final putt on 18.

6. Hotel Monaco Concierge Saves the Day
Associate Travel Editor Jennifer V. Cole prides herself on being a good packer. She should be--she packs and unpacks a suitcase about twice a week. So when she forgot a certain "unmentionable" item on a recent trip to Washington, D.C., it took a hotel concierge willing to go the extra mile to save Cole from days of discomfort.

7. A Tree Growing Straight Through a Truck
A tree grew straight through the passenger side window of this rusted-out 1957 Chevy truck in Providence Canyon State Park in Lumpkin, Georgia. Ironically, at this point removing the truck would do more harm than good to the surrounding park.

8. Sunset Over the Mighty Mississippi
Associate Travel Editor Tanner Latham stood in Natchez--Under The Hill, to be exact--when the sky went pastel as the sun set behind the far banks of the Mississippi River. Cross that bridge, and you'll find yourself in Louisiana. Vidalia.

9. Skippers, Virginia: The Perfect Southern Accent
Associate Travel Editor Tanner Latham grew up in a small town in Alabama. So he has a Southern accent that digs deep or floats shallow, depending on the situation. He thought he knew Southern accents, until he met Lindsey Vincent at the Good Earth Peanut Company while researching a story out last month on the best stops off I-95.

10. Modern Architecture in Nashville
When you think of cutting-edge architecture, Nashville may not be the first city that comes to mind. Designers like Ryan Thewes, however, are making a name for themselves and giving Nashville a splash of unique homes.

When you think of cutting-edge architecture, Nashville may not be the first city that comes to mind. Designers like Ryan Thewes, however, are making a name for themselves and giving Nashville a splash of unique homes (and getting some well-deserved praise here, here, here and this last one is a digital magazine, but you can flip to page 38 to see an award Thewes pulled in).

(Photo by Art Meripol)

I grew up in a small town in Alabama. I have a Southern accent that digs deep or floats shallow, depending on the situation. I thought I knew Southern accents, until I met Lindsey Vincent at the Good Earth Peanut Company while researching a story out this month on the best stops off I-95.

Kentucky knows how to show off. That's a good thing. We went to the 134th annual Kentucky Derby this weekend, and we started on Friday, the day before the race, with a tour of Calumet, probably the most legendary horse farm in the world. And despite the tragic ending for Eight Belles, the Kentucky Derby remains an icon of the South, rich with history and pride.

We're one month in here at Tales From the Road, and here are the most popular posts for April:

1. Top 5 Paths to Plane Peace
Want to avoid that chatty seat mate on your next flight? Follow Annette Thompson's five tips to ensure a peaceful plane ride.

2. Backstage with Dierks Bentley
Meet country music's "hardest working man" with travel editor Jennifer V. Cole.

3. "World Peace and Bacon Grease!"
In Charleston, South Carolina, (and perhaps elsewhere in the South), "World Peace and Bacon Grease!" as an appropriate salutation. Read Jennifer V. Cole's reflections on returning to life in the South...

4. Comet Ping Pong Wins Best Family Restaurant in D.C.
Check out the best ping-pong pizza restaurant in Washington D.C. and get in a quick round of table tennis while you wait for your (other) table...

5. Decadence in Miniature: Stealing Hotel Shampoo
Don't let all that perfectly usable hotel shampoo go to waste. In an era when traveling with toiletries is a matter of national security, these small 2-3 ounce bottles come in handy.

6. Free Art in Dallas
The only thing better than fine art is free art, and in Dallas, you can appreciate both. Take a walking tour of some of the most creative artwork this Texas hub has to offer.

7. Stuck in the Memphis Airport
So you're stranded in the Memphis Airport, but don't fear. Livings Editor Richard Banks has a tip that will make an unexpected hours-long layover fly by.

8. Forest Fire Razes Talladega Superspeedway...Wait, No
A hazy smoke lingers over the Talladega Speedway on race weekend. A forest fire? No, just thousands of happy, grilling NASCAR fans.

9. Only Pumpkin in the Patch: Middleburg, VA
Meet Pumpkin Lee of Middleburg, Virginia. She's done tack repair work for Olympian equestrians, and she's an only child - the only pumpkin in the patch, so to speak.

10. Birmingham Jazz Legend - Cleveland Eaton
So you missed Jazzfest. Well, if you live anywhere near Birmingham, you can check out this living legend every week.

(Photos by Richard Banks)

Wakeboarding combines the gravity defying, aerial marvels of gymnastics with the ramps, speed, and whacky jargon of skateboarding. While working on a story on an Orlando-based wakeboarder, I visited the Air Nautique Wake Games at the Orlando Watersports Complex and saw first-hand just how incredible the sport is. While being pulled by a boat like a water skier, wakeboarders flipped backwards and forwards, twisted, whirled, jumped ramps, rode rails, and seemingly flew just yards off shore. It was jaw-dropping, crazy wild, baby.

George Rodrigue's Blue Dog paintings and silkcreen prints have nosed their way into our American visual iconography. Ask anyone anywhere if they know the Blue Dog and chances are you'll get a bright-eyed yes. In recognition of such a colorful, distinguised, and massive career, the New Orleans Museum of Art and Rodrigue gather a 40-year retrospective "Cajuns, Blue Dogs, and Beyond Katrina," showing until June 8. What visitors realize when roaming the multiple rooms and viewing the 200 plus original works: this man treasures Louisiana. And, judging by reception in NOLA, the feeling is certainly mutual.

I live in Birmingham. In fact, all of us editors live here. And one of the city’s lesser-known treasures, even to travel writers, plays jazz every Wednesday night at a little Crestline neighborhood café called the Open Door. His name is Cleveland Eaton. Cleve was Count Basie’s last standup bass player, which makes him a living legend in jazz circuits, and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame inducted him to their Montgomery space barely two months ago. I first met Cleve two years ago when, researching a feature story for another magazine, I covered the Birmingham vanguard of players, several of whom drop in on the Wednesday night jams.

(Portrait by Jason Wallis)

Dierks Bentley, dubbed the "hardest working man in country music" for the number of live shows he performs each year, stopped in Birmingham, Alabama, this past weekend as part of his "Throttle Wide Open" tour.  Before the show, I got a chance to spend a little time with the man himself.