Travel and Recreation

Discovering Manteo

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY KRISTI PARSONS

Mountains to the Sea

FOR AS long as I can remember, I had heard stories of the Outer Banks, the oceanside end of North Carolina, a state that begins with mountains and ends at the sea. I was intrigued by the fact that though the islands are consistently shifting, they still have roots that run as deep as Appalachia. Whispers of pirates that once used the OBX as their honey hole for treasures, due to the high number of shipwrecks, drifted in from time to time. Images of the Milky Way spreading across the sky over beautiful beacons of light often popped up online. The lighthouses are symbols of beauty and hope today, but in years past, they guided seamen to safety and back home to their families. I knew that this place of beaches, beacons, and beauty, where the red wolves and wild horses run free, was a place that I needed to see. So, I packed my bags and headed east to the sandy shores of the Atlantic.

The Spirit of the Outer Banks So, I have returned time and time again.

I have spent time in the shopping and luxurious relaxing area of Duck, NC, at one of the stunning Bees Nees Getaways properties. I have stayed in the wonderfully charming Saltwood Cottage, a tiny beach house in Kitty Hawk. I called Hatteras home for a week, and I took a spur of the moment trip for just a few days to Buxton. However, my most favorite town of all so far has been Manteo - a coastal gem that awaits just before crossing over the Roanoke Sound that leads to Nags Head and the entrance to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

My first visit to the Outer Banks led to me finding a place that feels like a second home but is also still a dreamland. I unplugged from the world for a week in February 2020 and immersed myself in connecting with the spirit of the Outer Banks. During that week, I had the honor of being shown the best spots around by my friend and fellow photographer, Mark VanDyke. Mark leads private and group workshops in the area, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I quickly found that the Outer Banks is a place where even strangers are welcomed as friends, time stands still, opportunities for adventures are limitless, and there is far more to discover than just one stay in Avon would allow.

Discovering Manteo

In 2021, I had the privilege of spending almost a full month in the heart of downtown Manteo, NC. The cottage where I stayed was a short walk from wonderful locally owned spots like OBX On the Fly, Downtown Books, Charis Coffee Company, Vineyards On the Scuppernong, Wanchese Pottery, Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop, Outer Banks Distilling, and more. An early morning walk on the boardwalk to watch the sunrise at the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and then over to Roanoke Island Festival Park

became a daily ritual. Downtown was quiet and peaceful; a random local cat would stroll by from time to time, or spontaneous conversation would be sparked by someone blessed to call Manteo home.

Summer days bring a heavier flow of folks, holidays are celebrated with an indescribable essence, autumn brings some of the best bluegrass artists to town with the annual Bluegrass Island Festival, and there is always both something new and something old to discover in Manteo.

One interesting piece of Manteo that many miss is The Mother Vine, the oldest grape vine in North America that is believed to be 400 years old. Another piece of history there is Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island, which leads to a story of both heartbreak and hope. It’s the lesser-known lost colony that was a place of safety for those formerly enslaved during the Civil War. The history that lies within Manteo adds to the spirit of a place that few have truly experienced.

Home Away from Home

Calling Manteo your home away from home when in the Outer Banks allows you to not only see firsthand a coastal gem, but it supports the locals that run highly rated inns, bed and breakfast spots, locally owned hotels, vacation rentals, and all of the small business owners that work daily to thrive in their communities. Staying in Manteo also puts you in a central location to explore all of the OBX towns, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, and more. My favorite spots for lodging in Manteo? The Roanoke Island Inn & Croatan Cottage, The Tranquil House Inn, and White Doe Inn. All locations are within walking distance of the best spots around downtown and are owned and run by good local folks that want their guests to have an incredible and authentic experience in the birthplace of English colonization in America, also known as Manteo. Kristi Parsons is a local photographer and writer with a love for the mountains, art, music, travel, and all things local. @Kristi_Parsons

Always a Good Time to Expand Your Knowledge

BY JEFF GOTCHER

MY BELOVED essentially travels for a living, so I have spare time to do things like yard work and watching movies. I can actually sit down with a nice glass of wine and unplug.

One of my favorite movies is Bottle Shock. It’s about the 1976 “Judgment of Paris” and stars Alan Rickman. This competition put Californian wine on the map. The sentiment at the time was that American wine wasn’t in the same ballpark as French wines. Steven Spurrier, a name loathed by most Vol fans, was played by Rickman, who organized a contest where the judges would “blind taste” various wines and score their quality. In that competition, a California Chardonnay would beat out some of the top producers in Burgundy, which is the equivalent of the “Miracle on Ice.”

The Court of Master Sommeliers requires individuals to “blind taste” wines and correctly identify the varietal, origin, and vintage to be a sommelier. It requires extensive knowledge of “wine theory” and lots of practice. So how do you break down wine like a pro? You break it down by sight, smell, and taste.

When you look at your favorite wine, you see a glass of your favorite wine. When I see a glass of wine, whether it is my favorite or a blind pour, I see a pale lemon or a medium ruby. I’m looking at how old the wine is or whether or not there are any faults.

When you smell your wine, you are seeking to identify fruits and maybe some oak. You don’t care because you like the wine. When I smell a wine, I’m sensing different levels of aromas that can hint at what kind of grape, the climate, the altitude, and the winemaking techniques I know might be particular to a specific region.

There is so much more to wine than the taste itself. If I’m doing a blind taste, I make sure that the aromas match up with the flavors on the palate. If it’s red, does it have big tannins? How is the acidity? Is it balanced? What is the intensity? Is the wine complex or simple? The answer to all these questions, with some detective work, allows one to identify the possible varietals, possible countries and climates, and the age range of the wine. Here is where wine theory comes into play. Once you get good enough to do that consistently, you can get into the realm of judging for quality.

Blind tasting is a unique parlor trick. Like everything else in the wine world, it takes practice. I’d encourage you to not only practice, but read up on a particular region and try its wines... starting with California. Cheers!

My recommendation: • 2017 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay - $57.99

Jeff Gotcher is a graduate of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, member of the Wine Scholar Guild, and a winemaker who resides in Knoxville.

BY CARRIE MCCONKEY, WWW.CARRIEMCCONKEY.COM

AS THE DOGWOODS bloom in East Tennessee, springtime is the perfect time to clean and organize your garage and its contents. Use this checklist to get ready for the outdoor activities that lie just around the corner.

Tune Your Garden Tools - Check your potting soil supply, search for the missing pruning shears, and make a shopping list of any other gardening items you may need.

Survey Your Sports Equipment - Air up your bicycle tires, replace worn cleats, and order extra golf balls in place of the ones that went rogue.

Gauge Your Garage Door - Scrub your garage door, frame, and windows, and have professionals perform preventive maintenance to guarantee you’ll get out when you need to.

Service Your Lawnmower - Sharpen the blades, change the oil, and check the tire pressure of your lawnmower, and make sure you’re stocked up on extra line for your weedeater.

Declutter and Clean - Empty everything else out of your garage and sweep out the dust, dirt, and cobwebs. Clean the windows, and haul off any hazardous waste products.

Plan Garage Updates - Consider an attractive epoxy floor for easy cleaning, cabinetry and overhead storage to provide more living space, and versatile slatwall to clear items off the floor. Take advantage of longer days and milder temperatures to get your garage all set for spring. And for easier maintenance of your garage and its contents all year long, contact Chris McKenry and his talented design team at Designer Garages today! Designer Garages

201 Center Park Drive, #1070 Knoxville, TN 37922 865.268.4868 DesignerGarages.com

Success for Trigeminal Neuralgia Sufferers!

Sometimes the pain was so bad that it felt like a hot knife was stabbing my face.

PERRY HAS SUFFERED with severe pain in his jaw for almost three years. The pain starts from around his right ear and radiates down the side of his jaw to his chin. He always has a constant, low grade pain, but a few times a month he gets the unbearable stabbing pain. His doctor diagnosed him with Trigeminal Neuralgia and put him on Gabapentin, which helps some but doesn’t relieve the daily constant pain or the unbearable stabbing pain.

Not having any other options, Perry found out about West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine off Cedar Bluff and gave them a call. He scheduled an initial consultation to see if they could help. During his consultation, they reviewed his medical history and performed an exam while he told them all about his problem. The good news was that they told him they thought they could help because they have seen hundreds of patients just like him throughout about 20 years working in clinics and hospitals, in addition to their private practices. Perry was thrilled that someone thought they could actually help him!

They laid out a customized treatment plan that he should follow in order to have the best chance of success. He decided to start treatment right away.

He’s only about halfway through his recommended treatment plan, and already he has noticed significant relief. The constant, low grade pain isn’t as bad, and he hasn’t had an episode of the unbearable stabbing pains since his treatment began. Perry has also been able to reduce his medications from taking them every day to now only taking about two to three per week because he is feeling that much better.

The pain is not completely gone, but he didn’t expect a miracle overnight. He still has about a month of treatment left before they evaluate him again, but if he is doing this well already, his chances of success are very good.

If you or someone you know suffer from pain and don’t know where else to turn, call 865-275-2444 today to set up an appointment at West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine.

I have now been able to reduce my medications from every day to only two to three per week!

West Knox Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine

9125 Cross Park Drive, Suite 150 Knoxville, TN 37923 865.275.2444 WestKnoxAcupuncture.com