Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

TOP IMAGE COURTESY OF DESTIN COMMONS/CRAIG TANNER, MIDDLE RIGHT RENDERING COURTESY OF PERKINS ROWE, BOTTOM PHOTO COURTESY OF GREEN BAY PACKERS/JIM BIEVER Shopping & Tanning re-circulated air as they browse for bargains. There’s bad news for all you mall rats out there: the enclosed shopping behemoths are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Shoppers—especially in our mild climes—prefer salty coastal breezes to So while the malls of yesterday are turning into junior colleges, offices, or being razed altogether, new, updated versions called lifestyle centers are growing in popularity across the Gulf Coast and beyond. While outlet malls have always been more outdoorsy than their names imply, these new lifestyle centers are often not constructed in one tightly knit cluster, but laid out like a miniature cityscape or town square. The epitome of this trend can be found in Alabama at the Eastern Shore Centre in Spanish Fort and The Pinnacle at Craft Farms in Gulf Shores, Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Destin Commons in Destin, and the brand new Pier Park in Panama City Beach, Florida. These centers feature high-end stores like Pottery Barn, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and Sharper Image and concentrate on trendy eateries, art galleries, and movie theaters. Padded chairs have replaced concrete benches and dogs and bicyclists mingle with pedestrians clutching a rainbow of overflowing shopping bags. A live concert might take place by a dancing water feature where children frolic as a Mardi Gras parade snakes through this 21st century version of a shopping center. So what if you have to bring an umbrella on a day when it’s a little overcast? I’ll take chirping birds and sunshine to buzzing fluorescent tubes any day! —Mark A. Newman 8 5 9Favre on the history of the sport. from over BRETT FAVRE HAS COME A LONG WAY FROM THE DIRT ROADS OF MISSISSIPPI AS ONE OF TODAY’S HOTTEST FIGURES IN SPORTS—IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE! Leading his Green Bay Packers to victory time and time again, Brett Favre is one of the most acclaimed quarterbacks in NFL history. He’s hot and just keeps getting hotter. That’s why it was such a shock when he announced his retirement in March. “To retire or not to retire?” That’s the question Brett struggled with over the past few seasons. He could have retired and devoted all of his time to his family, or he could’ve continued in the sports world, with the opportunity to break records and make an impact This Gulf Coast native made the decision to stay through his 17th season, and it’s a good thing he did. Throughout his career, Brett was honored as the Sport Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year,” NFL’s Most Valuable Player for three consecutive years, and led his Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl victory. But most recently, Brett accomplished his greatest feat when he broke Dan Marino’s record for most career touchdowns—a record he would not have broken had he retired before his last season. The journey that began on the dirt roads of Kiln, Mississippi took Brett far from home. Playing the game he loved to play on the Gulf Coast as a child took this athlete to new heights as he starred in commercials, appeared in centerfolds, brought home the NFL’s most coveted title, and even had a pivotal cameo in the Ben Stiller/Cameron Diaz smash There’s Something About Mary. Unfortunately, his career playing his favorite childhood game eventually had to come to an end, but that doesn’t mean that’s the last you’ll hear of this year’s hottest retiree. Even though he won’t be heating up Monday nights with his stellar athletic ability (and good looks, to boot), Brett Favre’s impact on the world of sports is far from over! —Courtney Austin Spring 2008 35

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Seen & Heard Coastal Calendar Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel Art of Living - Marking Time Fixtures - A Fitting End Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life The Southern Breeze Hot List Unexpected Destin-ation Visual Zydeco We're an American Band The Good Life From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops Reader Services Cheers - Lazy Libations Dish - Mississippi Yearning Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations Last Bite

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