Letter from the Editor: Wanderlust 2022

Our love for the South is evident in what we do. Good Grit began as an ode to Southern Culture from the perspective of those who live, work, heal, and thrive here. In each issue, the stories we uncover provide our team with constant inspiration and a more profound love for our region. Countless moments and testimonies have been collected and curated by talented creatives to share the distinct aesthetic and modern stories of Southern Culture. Our goal is to introduce you to what might not otherwise be easy to find, and this issue holds some of our favorite lesser known spots worth exploring this summer.

        As the temperatures warm and our days get longer, the southern coastline pulls us to its shores. The Good Grit team is made up of women who have resided in the South for the vast majority of their lives, and we were all surprised at how many southern road trip destinations we learned about during the last two years. Explored in our Special Promotion—the idea of Island Hopping the South (pg. 28) may have been new to many of us, but offered the sandy, sunny spots we crave for summer without the typical beach crowds. My favorite, St. George Island, is filled with gravel backroads and turquoise beaches sans the high-rise condos. St. George Island also gave us the perfect backdrop for our Wanderlust cover, graced by a couple of the creatives who put each page together, Cat Buchanan and Shivani Kapoor. This issue allowed us to celebrate summer, celebrate our talent, and celebrate the South.

        The pace of our world seems to intensify each day. So many humans have recently transplanted to the South—and if you have, and are holding this magazine, we hope to give you a glimpse of the wonderful place you’ve arrived. We hope that you have felt the authenticity of Southern Hospitality, and we hope to hear your story.

-Shelly Brown