The rain didn’t stop Nashville from attending G&G’s City Portrait party at Belle Meade Mansion’s Carriage House on October 16. More than 200 G&G enthusiasts came out to enjoy delicious Southern fare from Martha’s at the Plantation including the Passion Fruit Mint Julep (named Best Cocktail in the South in our September/October issue), as well as crawfish cakes, sweet potato biscuits with Benton’s country ham, and miniature MoonPies.

What happens when Garden & Gun and Grady-White get together?  Plenty of good fun, lots of good cooking, and good times on a great boat.  This past week, Garden & Gun’s David DiBenedetto and Brittney Forrister met with Grady-White’s Joey Weller, David Neese, and Justin Wallace to explore Bath, North Carolina, by boat.  Our home base was a very swank house on Bath Creek owned by Grady-White President Kris Carroll.

After checking out historic Bath, our group toured the 2,900-acre hunting plantation owned by Grady-White CEO Eddie Smith—one of the sweetest spreads we’ve spent time on.  Our ride for the day was Grady’s new Tournament 307 (http://gradywhite.com/307/).  A new entry in the dual console market, the boat has the chops (and hull) to run offshore and fish in snotty conditions yet can be equally at home during a barrier island picnic.  No surprise, the 307 has been a hot ticket at fall boat shows.  Our favorite feature was the grill hidden beneath the Corian countertop (not to mention the tuna kabobs we cooked on it).  To check out photos of the trip, see below.

With the perfect weather, venue, and guests in tow, Garden & Gun co-hosted a party with Seven Falls Golf and River Resort and the American College of Building Arts to celebrate the beauty each brings to the South.  The folks from Seven Falls arrived in Charleston to present to the Lowcountry their private golf and river community situated on the banks of the French Broad River in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  Meanwhile, the American College of Building Arts (ACBA) showcased the designs and artwork created by the members of its first graduating class.  Guests from the Charleston community all gathered at the beautiful historic Old Jail on Magazine Street to hear about the exciting developments with Seven Falls, the ACBA, and Garden & Gun while enjoying delectable hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and live banjo music.  A good time was had by all as some exciting new energy lit up this autumn night at the Old Jail!

Garden & Gun and the Buckhead Chapter of Ducks Unlimited in Atlanta recently teamed up to toast their common goals of preservation and conservation with a lively evening full of fine cuisine and spirits, raffles and auctions.  The night’s festivities kicked off at The Capital City Country Club in Brookhaven where patrons bid on everything from getaways to guns to hunting gear to golf.  Bidders found much to be desired on the auction block with offerings from the likes of Wynfield Plantation, Grainger McKoy, Hampton Island Preserve, and Barnsley Gardens.  With over 120 people in attendance raising over $30,000, the night was a hit as DU and G&G raised big bucks for the ducks!

As Garden & Gun’s Best of the New South issue hit newsstands, the magazine celebrated one of the region’s prize cities with its first portrait party featuring Atlanta. The September/October issue highlights Atlanta’s progressive spirit and traditional charm. On August 21, guests gathered at innovative Atlanta eatery Repast to toast the many gems Atlanta lends to the New South. Guests enjoyed specialties such as foie gras haute dogs, tuna tataki, and bacon wrapped dates while sipping on the restaurant’s signature spirit, the Repastini. Locals featured in the City Portrait such as Susan Bridges and Sid Mashburn mingled with fellow Atlantans and enjoyed the unseasonably cool August evening. Thanks to Atlanta for a great night!

Garden & Gun magazine is pleased to announce our sponsorship of the 33rd annual Hampton Classic Horse Show. The event, which is the largest hunter/jumper show in the United States, will attract more than 40,000 spectators, exhibit over 1,500 horses and showcase many of the finest show jumping athletes in the country.

Since it’s inception Garden & Gun has highlighted the best of the equestrian world, featuring the athletes, enthusiasts and writers, who demonstrate a passion for the sport.

Take a break form the August heat and join Garden & Gun above the Mason-Dixon line in Bridgehampton, NY for what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest and best shows to date.

See you there August 24th through 31st!

Michael Paraskevas

With the start of oyster season and sweater weather still months away here in the low country, G&G’s fall style shoot, (which took place on a sweltering summer day in late June), was a bit of a tease for the G&G team. The photos portray a classic fall oyster roast hosted by a couple at their cottage on the marsh. Cozy sweaters, colorful scarves and boots abound as the couple, ( jewelry designer, Jane Pope and fiance, Tyler Cooper), and their friends enjoy oysters and a laid back autumn evening along the water.

After the shoot the whole team hung out and cooled off over a few beers and a delicious spread of red rice, hoppin’ john, and biscuits by caterer, Lowcountry Eats.

Keep an eye out for frequent Garden & Gun photographer, Squire Fox’s beautiful photos in the upcoming September/ October issue. In the meantime, check out a behind the scenes sneak preview compliments of your friends at Garden & Gun!

Garden & Gun was selected as one of 50 exceptional publications from the around the world by Festival of the Photograph. Throughout the exhibit, G&G’s gorgeous photographs graced storefront windows and a large projection screen in the center of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall in “Pages,” an outdoor projection exhibit.

The Festival of the Photograph, created by photographers, celebrates legendary artists as well as emerging talent. For a weekend in June, the festival transforms Charlottesville into a living exhibit with outdoor screenings, exhibitions, and artist interviews. Garden & Gun was honored to be a part of such a special event. Thanks to Festival of the Photograph for highlighting Garden & Gun’s beautiful photography and to everyone who gave us such positive feedback at the festival!

Check out this month’s City Profile in Garden & Gun and learn about all of the other fascinating things going on in Charlottesville, VA.

Thursday evening Garden & Gun hosted a party celebrating the opening of Billy Reid’s new shop in Charleston. Guests enjoyed delicious chicken liver pâté by chef Mike Lata of FIG, served with pickled peaches and okra as well as cocktails amidst Billy’s smart designs, vintage photographs and charming antiques. It was a full house and in the know guests headed downstairs to the candlelit brick basement to cool off and tap into the supply of Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 year old bourbon. The King Street store is Billy Reid’s fifth in the South since he won the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s award as the best new men’s-wear designer in 2001.

Thanks to Billy Reid for a lovely evening and welcome to Charleston!

The South’s Newest Magazine and America’s Newest Tall Ship

G&G and the South Carolina Maritime Foundation co hosted a party aboard the Spirit of South Carolina, a traditionally rigged double masted wooden schooner, at the North Cove Marina in downtown Manhattan. The G&G team, up from Charleston, our New York City staff and friends enjoyed cocktails, cooler temps and a spectacular view of the sunset over the Hudson River. A good time was had by all but the highlight of the evening was certainly the tall ship itself. A classic beauty at 180-feet, the Spirit of South Carolina was modeled after the Frances Elizabeth, a vessel built in Charleston in 1897. Representing the South’s rich maritime heritage and providing a variety of educational and youth development programs, the Spirit has served more than 2,000 students in her first year of service.

This incredible Southern ship, with its proud craftsmanship and classic lines, was the perfect setting to toast G&G’s success over the past 18 months!