Several popular Southern establishments have faced significant setbacks in recent months. But better days are ahead. An update:


> The Red Bar in Grayton Beach, Florida, a funky beach hangout beloved by locals and Gulf Coast visitors alike, was destroyed by a fire in February. The site has been cleared, and construction of a new building is underway. Co-owner Oli Petit says they aim to reopen in October.

> B’s Cracklin’ Barbecue in Atlanta, award-winning pit master Bryan Furman’s second restaurant, sustained heavy damage from a fire in March. Furman says he has signed a lease for a temporary space, in a former pizzeria near Emory University, and plans to open in July or August.

> Indian Pass Raw Bar in Port St. Joe, Florida, located in a building that goes back ninety years, was hit hard by Hurricane Michael in October: Its doors were literally blown off. Meredith McNeill Panjic, of the family that owns the bar, tells G&G that they’re in the process of rebuilding and plan to reopen in July or August.

> Motts Channel Seafood in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, a dockside favorite offering daily catches from local fishermen, was battered by Hurricane Florence in September. Owners Alison and Gene Long reopened earlier this year.

Raymond Li Jr., the executive chef at Palmar, a Latin-influenced Chinese restaurant in Miami, puts his own spin on Szechuan smashed cucumbers, adding Florida citrus and Japanese spices to a dish that makes an ideal summer salad. “It’s great for hot weather,” Li says. “Although it’s spicy, it’s actually refreshing.”

From its live oak–canopied entrance to its abundant hunting and fishing opportunities, Tomotley Plantation is a true Lowcountry gem. The sporting estate sits on 1,010 acres an hour south of Charleston, in South Carolina’s gorgeous ACE Basin, and is now available to own for the first time in nearly three decades. For waterfowlers, nearly 250 acres of controlled impoundments draw teal, wood ducks, pintails, ringnecks, and more. Another 240 acres surrounding the Old Sheldon Church Ruins are old-growth quail woods and also prime habitat for deer and turkey. In addition, redfish and other brackish water species abound along Huspah Creek on the property’s southeastern end. The five-bedroom main residence is 5,000 square feet and overlooks a 14-acre lake from the back porch, while the grounds also include a carriage house, hunting lodge, and barns and stables. Visit Garden & Gun Land for more photos and details.

Last week we asked you to write a caption for this photo by Kate T. Parker of her nephew Luke.

Some of your responses:

UFO: Unidentified flailing object. —Amy W.

And they said it will be fun. —Joseph L.

Hey Dad, can you slow down just a little? —Kevin M.

Once you reel it in, this is wonderful battered and fried with a side of coleslaw. —John W.

Air male. —Nancy H.

The Maiden Flight of the Blue Honey Bun —E. David B.

Look Ma, no hands! —John E.

Wedgie in progress. —Jessica S.

Pie in the sky. —Lisa D.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the new “oh crap” emoji. —Eric L.

What’s a waaaaaaaaaaake?? —Sandra W.

The nation’s oldest city is hosting the nation’s largest free classical music festival. The St. Augustine Music Festival invites internationally renowned virtuosos to play alongside the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra in the circa-1793 Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.

Friday marks the official first day of summer. Get in the spirit with Guy Martin’s ode to the season, and start it off right with some of our favorite summer recipes.

Natchez, Mississippi, celebrates its first ever Crepe Myrtle Festival with garden and home tours, a marketplace, and advice from experts on—among other dos and don’ts—how to avoid crepe murder.

Basket weaving, blacksmithing, broom making, and open hearth cooking are just a few of the Southern Appalachian traditions on display at the annual Foxfire Heritage Day in Mountain City, Georgia.