In Savannah to tape an episode of her newest series, Travel Channel star Samantha Brown spends an afternoon with The South discussing what it’s like to have one of the world’s best jobs.

Typically, when people first ride in my dusty, dirty ‘96 Toyota station wagon, I’ve known them for a while. They’re familiar enough with me to excuse the broken air conditioning, crumpled pages of Googlemapped directions, gum wrappers and piles of fast-food napkins stowed hastily atop the center console. But when I ushered Samantha Brown across Bull Street and to the dinged door of my car that warm, windless day, I worried that she and I didn’t know each other well enough for the ride.

As a guide with Old Savannah Tours, Bob Register leads the way to a thorough appreciation of the city for thousands of tourists a year.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that speaks more fluently—or frequently—on Savannah’s storied history than Bob Register. As a tour guide with Old Savannah Tours for the last 15 years, he leads over 750 tours annually and has shaped the experiences of literally thousands of visitors with his genteel manners, erudite delivery and homespun Hostess City charm.

Thanks to the efforts of over 300 members, the Two Hundred Club of the Coastal Empire ensures that  the sacrifices made by local firefighters and law enforcement officials will never go unappreciated.

On December 11, 1999, 36-year-old Christopher Argentinis said goodbye to his family and reported for duty as a patrolman with the Wareham Police Department in Massachusetts. He would never return home. Struck by a car while in a foot chase with a suspected drug offender, Chris succumbed to head injuries two days later, leaving a wife and two young sons, ages 6 and 4, to mourn his sudden loss.

It’s been said that there are two types of people in this world, dog people and cat people. Realistically, the labels may not be so cut and dry, but one thing is for sure: Here in Savannah there are many outstanding individuals worthy of the classification “animal people.” These are the individuals caring and advocating for our feathered, furry or flying friends. The South presents five individuals that are a truly breed of their own.

Led by a group of dedicated locals, the Coastal Georgia Greenway may offer a key to the area’s pressing environmental and economic questions. Here’s a hint: Blaze a trail.

Penetrating sunshine, whimsical shades of khaki and green marsh grass, fiddler crabs scurrying from one habitat to the next—these are treasures found in abundance along the Georgia coast. And if you have ever wished you could safely bike or walk your way through this extraordinary environment, you’re not alone.

Thanks to the dedication and passion of a growing group of citizens, the Coastal Georgia Greenway (CGG) is drawing closer to realizing its vision of a 450-mile, connected trail system that will link South Carolina to Florida along Georgia’s pristine coastline. This breathtaking stretch of paved trails will be part of the larger, East Coast

Greenway trail system that when complete, will connect Key West, Florida to Calais, Maine—totaling 3,000 miles. To date, the entire system is 30 percent complete, with most trails found in the Northeast.

Kevin McPherson of Belford’s Seafood and Steaks hastens the way to delectable dining.

After 27 years in the restaurant business, Kevin McPherson wastes no time laying down the facts. “I’m not an actual chef,” he says, referring to the absence of an official culinary education in his extensive career. “I started out in Charleston as a busboy,” McPherson explains. “I learned a lot, but didn’t do much cooking.”

After eight and a half years of learning the ropes in a French restaurant, McPherson moved to Savannah, gained some confidence in the kitchen, and ended up at Belford’s Seafood and Steaks in City Market, where he’s been sending out scrumptious dishes for the last 10 years. While McPherson primarily focuses on expediting these days (making sure dishes transition from the kitchen to the servers’ trays cleanly and quickly), he can still relate to the food. “Our Shrimp, Greens and Grits entree is my favorite,” he says of the award-winning dish. “I didn’t create it, but I feel connected to it.” With local shrimp and apple-smoked bacon resting on top of buttery grit cakes alongside wilted collard greens, all soaking in a Chardonnay butter sauce, one can’t help but wish to be connected to this dish too.

With SCAD Style and it’s highly anticipated spring fashion show on the horizon, The South profiles the lines of six senior fashion students preparing to make their mark on the world of high style.

It’s the time of year when Savannah becomes a month-long Milan, a part-time Paris—an a la mode fashion capital hosting its signature event, SCAD Style. For six weeks, the Savannah College of Art and Design plays host to innovative designers and artists, simultaneously showcasing student work in programs of study like fashion, interior design, architecture and jewelry design. From lectures to trunk shows, special film screenings to exhibitions—our chic city brims with trendsetting talent.

Armed with one of the Peach State’s most abundant resources, one Georgia-based company is stepping up with an answer to the world’s energy crisis.

Deep in the South hides a material that could revolutionize the way the United States—and the world—consumes energy. It’s renewable, plentiful and probably in most backyards. It’s the Georgia pine tree. Disbelievers need only ask Ross Harding, senior advisor at Energy Launch Partners, about the power of the pine.

“Georgia has over 24 million acres of pine trees,” Harding explains. “New Mexico has solar energy, Montana has wind energy, and here in Georgia we have the ability to turn woody biomass into cellulose-based energy.” According to Harding, the Peach State lucked out in the natural resource department—unlike other forms of energy, wood can be used to produce not only heat, but also power, electricity and liquid fuels.

It’s one of those breezy, 75-degree Savannah spring days, and all you can think of is a way to get out of the office and into the sunshine. Yet once you’ve been freed from the confines of three cubical walls, you can’t quite figure how to best embrace the perfect weather.

If you are experiencing this situation at least once a week, you probably have what’s commonly referred to as “yadunnowhattodo-itis.” Don’t worry; it’s not fatal. But if left untreated, it could lead to a severe case of spring fever. The South’s Guide to Getting Out has been proven to reduce the symptoms of this debilitating condition, by offering suggestions for what to do on those irresistibly sunny days. Read it twice and call us in the morning. Oh yeah, and we are responsible for any pleasant side effects.

Wiley’s: Beef Brisket
Wiley McCrary spent six years honing his brisket skills, balancing the multifaceted textures and flavors for an unbeatable outcome. His brisket is ranked one of the top in the nation, and it is no wonder why.

“The trouble with brisket is that some people treat it like a roast beef,” explains McCrary. “And it certainly is not. It is a delicacy unto itself when cooked correctly.” And a delicacy it is. The beef is smoked with cedar and hickory for 12 to 14 hours before a dry rub is applied, enhancing the flavor while keeping in all the juices. The end result is meat so deliciously tender that it melts like chocolate in your mouth.

McCrary recommends some old-fashioned macaroni and cheese as a side to his brisket rather than your average mashed potatoes. Even better is his Dutch crust sweet potato casserole, which is reportedly so decadent many diners say it should be a dessert rather than a side.