August 2024: The Laurel Magazine by The Laurel Magazine of Highlands NC and Cashiers NC

L aURe L

The Heart of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau

Grit and Gratitude

Cover Artist, Elena Kister

Publisher’s Note

Hello, and welcome to our just-this-sideof-frantic August 2024 Issue!

In a normal year, we’d be mentioning how August gives us just a bit of a breather from July’s nonstop buzz, but this isn’t a normal year, is it?

So, let’s pledge to extract every measure of Goodness out of this month, and throw ourselves into the pleasures that we’ve outlined in these pages.

And of course, along the way, feel free to converse with us. Every one of us here at The Laurel is a natural chatterbox, and your words and ideas help to keep our magazine fresh and lively!

With appreciation, Janet and Marjorie

JANET CUMMINGS Managing Partner janet@thelaurelmagazine.com

MICHELLE MUNGER Art Director mungerclan5@aol.com

SARAH FIELDING Account Manager sarah@thelaurelmagazine.com

MARLENE OSTEEN Writer marlene.osteen@gmail.com

DONNA RHODES Writer dmrhodes847@gmail.com

MARJORIE N. DEAL Managing Partner marjorie@thelaurelmagazine.com

LUKE OSTEEN Editor / Writer luke@thelaurelmagazine.com

EMILY MUNGER Account Manager emily@thelaurelmagazine.com

MARY JANE MCCALL Writer mjmccall777@gmail.com

THOMAS CUMMINGS Distribution Manager jothcu@yahoo.com

Contributing Writers: Mary Adair Trumbly, Sue Blair, David Stroud, William McReynolds, Stuart Ferguson, Debby Hall, Deena Bouknight, and Zach Claxton

Contributing Photographers: Susan Renfro, Mary Gillan Renfro, Greg Clarkson, Charles Johnson, Peter Ray, Terry Barnes, Ryan Karcher, and Colleen Kerrigan.

Copyright © 2024 by The Mountain Laurel, LLC. All rights reserved. Laurel Magazine is published eleven times per year. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publishers and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Laurel Magazine’s right to edit. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs and drawings. Every effort has been made to assure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Laurel Magazine nor any of its staff is responsible for advertising errors, omissions, or information that has been misrepresented in or to the magazine. Any substantial errors that are the fault of the magazine will be subject to a reduction or reimbursement of the amounts paid by the advertiser, but in no case will any claim arising from such error exceed the amount paid for the advertisement by the advertiser. Visit us online thelaurelmagazine.com phone 828.526.0173 email info@thelaurelmagazine.com mail Post Office Box 565 Highlands, North Carolina 28741

TO DO Pages 14-75

Photo by Susan Renfro

AI’s Take on August

William matches wits with a silicon mind – humanity still wins!

Are you curious about AI or Artificial Intelligence?

I asked one AI chat bot: “What’s important and interesting about the month of August?” Here’s what came back, verbatim:

Here are some fascinating facts about the month of August:

1. Augustus Caesar: The month was named after Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome.

2. National Golf Month: In the United States, August is celebrated as National Golf Month.

3. Olympic Games Origins: The Olympic Games originally took place in August.

4. Roller Coaster Debut: On August 16th, 1884, the world’s first roller coaster opened at Coney Island.

5. Harvest Traditions: In the UK, August 1st marks Lammas Day, celebrating the first day of harvest.

6. Weed Month: Back in the days of the AngloSaxons, August was called Weod Monath, which literally translates to “weed month.” It’s when weeds and other plants grow rapidly in the northern hemisphere.

7. Last of Summer: In the northern hemisphere, August is the last month of summer, while in the southern hemisphere, it’s the last of the winter months.

8. Unique Calendar Position: In a standard year, August begins on a different day of the week than any other month. In a leap year, it aligns with February.

9. European Holiday Season: Many European countries observe August as a holiday period. Major cities like Paris become quieter as locals take time off, although tourists still flock to these destinations.

10. Birthstones: The birthstones for August are peridot and sardonyx. These gemstones add a touch of vibrancy to the late summer month.

So whether you’re enjoying the heat of summer or embracing the cooler days, August has its own unique charm.

The information AI generated is accurate. It searched the Internet and, with its linguistic programming, captured and restated the relevant and oft-mentioned facts.

What’s missing, of course, is the mood and full human delight in the month of August. No mention, for instance, of our August

plenty of fruit and vegetables: peaches, tomatoes, corn, green beans, did I mention slurpy peaches galore.

For comparison, here are a couple of things I have said with my writerly human intelligence (HI), about the month of August on these pages.

August has been officially the declared “Happiness Happens Month.” I’m not making this up. The Secret Society of Happy People (don’t ask, just Google it) declared August, Happiness Happens Month, in 1998. How good is that?!

If that doesn’t ring your bell, August is also National Catfish Month, National Peach Month and National Sandwich Month. Making peach cobbler this month is patriotic.

A fried catfish sandwich? Sounds good to me. Toasted ciabatta with plenty of tartar sauce. One must relish one’s celebratory compliances.

‘Nuf said.

by William McReynolds –and a Disambiguated Mind in Sunnyvale, California

Wild Visions

The evocative works of George Masa will be explored and celebrated with this month’s Village Nature Series presentation – 5:30 P.M. August 20 in Lewis Hall at the Village Green. For more information go to hcltnc.org and villagegreencashiersnc.com.

This month’s installment in the Village Nature Series is a lecture by Brent Martin who will be discussing his 2022 book “George Masa’s Wild Vision: A Japanese Immigrant Imagines Western North Carolina.”

The lecture will be on August 20 at 5:30 P.M. in Lewis Hall at the Village Green in Cashiers.

George Masa, sometimes referred to as the “Ansel Adams of the Smokies” was an enigmatic figure. Born in Japan, not

Brent Martin

much is known of his early life before his arrival in the United States in the early 20th century. Eventually Masa made his way to Asheville and found employment at the Grove Park Inn.

An indefatigable hiker with a passion for photography, he soon became known for his evocative photographs of the Great Smoky Mountains and western North Carolina. His pictures, accompanied by the prose of his friend Horace Kephart, were instrumental to the successful campaign for creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

In the 1920s Masa was lured to Highlands and Cashiers by Frank Cook, then manager of the Highlands Inn, who hoped that Masa photographs could provide a similar boost to his establishment.

In George Masa’s Wild Vision Brent Martin “explores the locations Masa visited, using first-person narratives to contrast, lament, and exalt the condition of the landscape the photographer so loved and worked to interpret and protect.” The book was honored with the Thomas Wolfe Award and was a finalist for the 2023 Philip D. Reed Environmental Writing Award by the Southern Environmental Law Center.

… using first-person narratives to contrast, lament, and exalt the condition of the landscape the photographer so loved…

Martin’s poetry and essays have been published in the North Carolina Literary Review, Pisgah Review, Tar River Poetry, Chattahoochee Review, Eno Journal, New Southerner, Kudzu Literary Journal, Smoky Mountain News and elsewhere. His books include The Changing Blue Ridge Mountains: Essays on Journeys Past and Present and A Hiker’s Guide to the Bartram National Recreation Trail in Georgia and North Carolina. He is the Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy and lives in the Cowee community where he and his wife, Angela Faye Martin, run Alarka Institute.

The Village Nature Series is a program co-founded and administered by the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and The Village Green and sponsored by Cedar Creek Club.

by Lance Hardin, Highlands Cashiers Land Trust

Scan to learn more.

The Green be Groovin’

Groovin’ on the Green reaches its sultry, summer-y crescendo with a trio of August concerts. You can find more information at villagegreencashiersnc.com/concerts.

Now that we’re deep into what’s shaping up to be the Plateau’s busiest Busy Season, we’re all invited to enjoy the happy sounds of Groovin’ on the Green –three swing-for-the-fences concerts that are certain to banish the Dog Days doldrums.

For this month, Groovin’ is hosting Angela Easterling + The Beguilers (sponsored by Rusticks) on Friday, August 2.

Country Standard Time reports that, “Easterling can flat out sing, and whether the song is reflective and hopeful or carrying significant historical heft, she delivers a full-bodied performance. Songs inspired by family and Pete Seeger, faith and Springsteen-like nostalgia connect with the universals of our daily survival. Lively country music with lyrical substance – no beers, no tailgating, no gals in shorts – and memorable melodies and arrangements.”

On Friday, August 16, it’s Martin and Kelly (sponsored by Cashiers Valley Real Estate).

The incredibly talented duo of Jilly Martin and Ryan Brooks Kelly have become the next must-see act from New England to Nashville. Over the years, they’ve been featured as support acts for many traditional, and mainstream country artists.

Standouts in today’s crossover country music scene, Jilly and Ryan’s songs bridge the boundary between traditional and new country. They’ve made their mark with highly-acclaimed original music and are winning over audiences each and every time they perform. Jilly and Ryan’s compelling songwriting, dynamic vocal harmonies and stunning musicianship have them poised for a breakthrough in the music industry.

Finally, on August 30, Brevard’s Pretty Little Goat (presenting sponsor – Landmark Realty Group) brings its reverence for traditional music to the Village Green.

As young lovers of old-time music, Pretty Little Goat began winning string band competitions right away. Over the last six years the Goats have collaborated with many well-respected

local musicians including Jamie Laval, Blake Ellege, members of the Steep Canyon Rangers, Jeff Sipe, Jonathan Grey of Jump Little Children and many others.

Pretty Little Goat sees traditional music as a living art form; vibrant and evolving. The Goats’ second album, “Let The Sun Shine In,” is full of groovy original music that is “as close as we will ever be to our past while being as current as we need it to be” (Mike Ashworth, Steep Canyon Rangers).”

The Goat’s latest album “Big Storm” continues the saga with an album of catchy original and traditional music that is sure to stick with you.

Please bring your own chairs and tables.

Rain or shine, the concerts kick off at 6:00 P.M. on The Village Green Commons Lawn.

by Luke Osteen

Summer’s Soundtrack

The sounds of Friday Night Live and Saturdays on Pine are Highlands’ official Summer Soundtrack. The concerts are free, family-friendly and handicapped accessible.

Highlanders have long known that the best way to shake off the world’s worries is to listen to live music, kick up your heels, and leave your cares behind.

From the days of Helen’s Barn to our current live concerts every weekend, family memories are made so join your friends and neighbors and enjoy the sweet sounds that drift across the plateau most Friday and Saturday nights during the season.

The Highlands Chamber of Commerce/ Visit Highlands, NC sponsors two events: Friday Night Live at Town Square and Saturdays on Pine at the Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park. These events are held each Friday and Saturday night from 6:00 to 8:30 PM and are free to attend.

Friday Night Live has a full schedule this month starting on August 2 with local husband and wife team Ezra and Katie, who have been playing acoustic music together for over 10 years. This creative

duo plays an eclectic mix of sounds from traditional Appalachian hymns to folk, Americana, and Country.

The talented and versatile ABC Combo Band plays on August 9 and you’ll enjoy their blistering bluegrass sounds and more. This band can play it all so feel free to shout out your requests.

The Steady Hand String Band from Long Creek, SC appears on August 16. Steady Hand performs tunes that originated mostly before the 1930s with a handful of old country tunes thrown in as well.

Southern Highland Band returns on August 23. Lifelong friends Tom Nixon and Dean English form the basis of this bluegrass band with their rotating band of merry music makers.

Hailing from Upstate South Carolina, Spare Parts Bluegrass Band closes out Friday Nights on August 30. Their delicate harmonies as well as tried and true bluegrass barn burners are always crowd favorites.

Saturdays on Pine has a bit of an abbrevi-

ated schedule in August as they have to share the park with other community events but trust us, they are bringing out the big guns for the three concerts that are scheduled.

The Holiday Band brings the sounds of the Grand Strand to town with their beach music on August 3. These inductees into the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame will have you on your feet, doing the shag, and singing along, all evening long.

Motown lovers won’t want to miss the Will Thompson Band on August 10. Voted the best band on the Emerald Coast, these musicians know how to entertain a crowd.

Full Circle plays on August 31 covering everything from 60’s hits to country.

For more information on these concerts visit highlandschamber.org or call (828) 526-5841.

by Mary Jane McCall

Fresh From Our Farmers

Sun-ripened and plump, home-grown tomatoes are taking center stage at our local Farmers’ Markets.

Just one weekly trip to Locally Grown at The Village Green in Cashiers or Highlands Farmers’ Market (aw, heck, visit both) can provide nearly everything you need for your fully-stocked summer kitchen.

It’s that time of year when fruit and veggies are ripening gloriously. Dutifully, your taste buds are pulling you to the Plateau’s meccas of Yum.

You’ve been waiting a whole year for the tangy zip of a juicy, vine-ripened tomato. Slice one and slide it onto a wedge of fresh homemade bread with a slather of mayo and a dash of seasoned salt. That’s about as close to heaven as you can get on this mountaintop.

What else shall you drop into your grocery satchel? How about an array of squashes, melons, radishes, berries, and cheeses for a crudité worthy of a royal court. Corn, beans, field peas, peppers, okra, eggplant, and summer veggies of all types are so perfectly picked they need neither sniff nor squeeze. And don’t forget the home-crafted soaps, candles, and other hand-made, one-of-akind gifts.

If you live near these markets and have a small farm-based business that you think meets the markets’ missions, why not apply to be a regular vendor? They are always accepting applications for new and exciting products.

Locally Grown at The Village Green

in Cashiers opens every Wednesday, though October 30, 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Exception: August 7 (Cashiers Annual Antique Show).

And, Village Green now has music to shop-by to round out your producebuying pleasure on select Wednesdays.

Highlands Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. in Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on Pine Street in Highlands.

And if you tilt your ears toward the mountaintops, you can hear echoes of luscious, sweet tomatoes calling your name.

by Donna Rhodes

The Joy of Learning

The Center for Life Enrichment’s August offerings spotlight golf, our precious First Amendment rights, and the art of felting. For more information on programs and registration, visit clehighlands.com, call (828) 526-8811, or stop by the office at the Peggy Crosby Center, 5th Street in Highlands, anytime Monday through Friday, 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

Kim Keelor

Robert Corn-Revere

Dr. Catherine Lewis

On a pristine carpet of grass at Merion Golf Club in September of 1930, a 28-year-old golfer from Georgia made history.

Bobby Jones became the first ever to complete golf’s Grand Slam by winning the British Amateur, British Open, the U.S. Open, and the U.S. Amateur competitions within the same year. His legacy and impact on the game cannot be overstated, as his love of innovation affects golf course design to this day. Join Dr. Catherine Lewis at her lecture on Tuesday, August 13, from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M., at the Highlands-Cashiers Center for Life Enrichment as she goes over the life and accomplishments of Bobby Jones.

The next day on Wednesday, August 14, from 10:00 A.M. to Noon, she will talk about President Eisenhower’s love of golf and how it shaped 1950s America.

Dr. Lewis works at Kennesaw State

University and is also on the Museum Committee for the U.S. Golf Association.

Robert Corn-Revere is Chief Counsel for the Foundation For Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), an organization committed to both defending and promoting freedom of speech. CornRevere has successfully advocated to protect freedom of speech throughout his 40-year career. His book, The Mind of the Censor and the Eye of the Beholder: The First Amendment and the Censor’s Dilemma, was published by Oxford University Press in 2021 and explores how freedom of speech and expression has become a cornerstone of American identity. He will be giving a lecture on freedom of speech at CLE on Monday, August 19, 10:00 A.M. Noon.

Kim Keelor will be teaching a creative workshop on Thursday, August 29, from 9:30 A.M. to Noon, on felting wool necklaces. Wet felting is an ancient art

technique that uses friction, soap, and water to agitate wool fibers to create everything from landscapes to still lifes. Kim’s art is heavily influenced by the natural world, and she completed an artist residency in 2022 with the Working Artist Studio Provisions of Scotland on the Isle of Skye. Her work has also been selected for 19 juried competitions all across the country. In her workshop, attendees will learn how to wet felt, needle felt, and create necklaces with wool pendants. Kim’s studio, Carolina Artworks, is located in Franklin.

Lewis and Corn-Revere’s lectures will cost $30 for CLE members and $40 for non-members, and Kim Keelor’s art workshop will cost $95 for members and $105 for non-members.

by Matt Salerno, CLE Summer Programs and Events Assistant

Music, Mud, and Matt

Matt Rogers brings his heartfelt brand of musical storytelling to the Thursday, August 15, Orchard Session at Old Edwards. For updates and to book online, visit OldEdwardsHospitality. com/OrchardSessions.

Matt Rogers

Matt Rogers, a country musician, and serenading heartthrob, with 15 songwriting awards to his credit will be crooning to audiences at The Orchard Sessions at Old Edwards on Thursday, August 15.

Born in Eatonton, Georgia, Rogers got his first taste of music singing in church and playing with youth praise bands. He dabbled in various other genres, trying to find his voice in the industry, before finding his way to country and Nashville.

“I had an affinity for guitar, so I wanted to play solos and rock out all the time,” Rogers says of his early years. “I had a garage band through high school where we played rock music. I started writing songs in college, playing covers for free wings and beer.”

Though he was working in the medical field after college he put together a band, started performing locally and eventu-

ally playing gigs further out. It was then that he began traveling to Nashville and taking meetings, slowly coming to the realization that if he intended to pursue music full time he had to move.

Although he now calls Tennessee home, Rogers still finds inspiration from his Georgia upbringing for the music he writes.

“The music that I grew up on that still lives in the Muddy Banks going through Macon, Georgia,” Rogers continues.

“You just start writing about your life and your experiences and it takes you to where you end up. I don’t try to border myself with genres, but it’s country to the bone.”

All this autobiographical drama spills off onstage.

“When people hear my music, I want them to be able to relate to it. My songs are inspired by real life. I write about what I know.” They are told, as one critic put it, in a voice, “invigorated with

rawness and authenticity.” Indeed, his idiosyncratic sound – rowdy and gritty with a gravelly voice and toe tapping lyrics – is as he describes it, “commercial without compromise.”

He loves playing in front of live audiences. “Their energy becomes my energy, and the connection with them is authentic. It’s inspiring to see fans consume a song and watch their reaction to it. They are the fuel.”

Show begin each evening at 6:00 P.M. and finish at 8:00 P.M. – perhaps just in time for a showing of nature’s own Klieg light, the rising of the moon.

Admission is $25 for Old Edwards Inn and Half-Mile Farm Hotel Guests and Members, and general admission is $40 and includes light bites and a cash bar. The session will move indoors to the new Orchard House in the event of rain.

by Marlene Osteen

Highlands’ Day of Music

Breeze Cable, possessor of the coolest name in the Western World, once more brings her astonishing musical talents to Porchfest – Sunday, September 15.

Breeze Cable

Highlands Porchfest is the Plateau’s premier community music festival.

On Sunday, September 15, from 1:00 to 6:00 P.M., over 30 musicians will perform across 14 different venues throughout downtown Highlands.

The festival is free to attend and attracts visitors from all over the country. Returning this year for her third Highlands Porchfest is singer-songwriter Breeze Cable.

At the age of 21, Breeze has already been performing for six years. She performed her first gig at a local Huntersville bar, near where she grew up in Charlotte, at the age of 15.

“My mom said I was humming before I could talk,” Breeze said.

She started writing her own original songs in the fifth grade and her teacher, seeing her budding talent, brought his guitar in and taught her a few chords.

She attended Appalachian State briefly, studying Music Production, before leaving to focus on her music.

She now lives near Highlands and performs three or four days a week, enough to get by on music alone. She credits Porchfest for helping her gain visibility and book more gigs locally. She even has a few regulars who come out to see her performances whenever they can.

Last year Breeze performed at High Country Wine and Provisions after Jerius Duncan. Duncan, a former contestant on American Idol, stuck around after his performance to listen to Breeze.

After Breeze’s set, someone in the audience suggested they sing a song together. Breeze accepted, although was nervous as she had never sung with someone before. The duet was one of the most memorable moments of the 2023 Highlands Porchfest as the two performed “I Was Born by the River.”

The two have kept in touch, even meeting up for a few jam sessions.

In the build-up to this year’s Porchfest, Breeze is busy with performances at bars and breweries, but her heights are set high. She hopes to release a single or an album in the future and is patiently waiting for the right opportunity while working hard doing what she loves most.

The 2024 Highlands Porchfest is organized and presented by the Highlands Cashiers Center For Life Enrichment.

The festival is free to attend, and will be held on Sunday, September 15, from 1:00 to 6:00 P.M. in downtown Highlands.

For more information or to learn about sponsorship opportunities please visit highlandsporchfest.com, call (828) 5268811, or visit the CLE’s office anytime Monday through Friday, 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

by Matt Salerno, CLE Summer Programs and Events Assistant

Run to Play

A new playground at Highlands Rec Park is the clear winner of the Twilight 5K Road Race and Walk – Saturday, August 17, through Highlands.

Although the Twilight 5K Road Race and Walk is an event attracting all ages for a day of activity and fun, its more serious side involves raising money for a worthy cause. Presently, the August 17 run event is focused on providing funds for a new playground at Highlands Rec Park. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Highlands, the Twilight 5K “helps with awareness, provides a healthy event for our community, and brings visitors to town,” pointed out organizer Derek Taylor. “We have been able to raise over $200,000 over the years for Highlands’ children’s education efforts.”

Donations are encouraged during the event, but monies to support the new playground come primarily from Twilight 5K runners’ fees and sponsorships.

The Twilight 5K race this year begins at 6:00 P.M. at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park. Registration and check-in for Twilight 5K will begin at 4:00 P.M. on

Saturday, August 17, with early packet pick up the night before the race from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Highlands Recreation Park. Parking will be available around the Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park, Highlands Recreation Park, Highlands Ballfield, and Highlands Post Office.

Evening music by the V-8s begins at 7:30 P.M. The race is kid-friendly, with glow toys presented to children who attend. Plus, kids under 5 years of age can participate in the 5K for free and ages 5 to 9 for $10.

To sign up, visit runsignup.com/Race/NC/ Highlands/HighlandsTwilight5K. Contact Taylor at (828) 200-9226 for questions or to sponsor the event.

Proceeds from the run will be used to help build a new playground at Highlands Rec Park.

Having an inclusive outdoor playground is vital to engaging all children and youth, regardless of abilities, in physical activity

and outdoor play. Systematic reviews have consistently identified positive associations between time spent outdoors and physical activity. And a growing body of evidence shows that spending more time outdoors is beneficial for social-emotional and cognitive development, psychosocial health, and vision.

The playground will not only have inclusive play equipment but also feature a built-in scavenger hunt where children will learn about the local environment and native species. In a bit of Highlands panache, a large six-foot salamander will be the centerpiece of the playground.

Of course, if you’d like to contribute to the building of the playground but avoid participating in the Twilight 5K, you’re encouraged to contribute on your own. To donate, you send a check to PO Box 460, Highlands NC 28741, or pay by credit card, please call (828) 526-2118.

by Luke Osteen

The Joy of Reading

Reader’s Delight! The twin libraries are hosting “authorized” events throughout August. It’s all free and everyone is invited.

This month, our local libraries are celebrating the joy of reading by hosting events with beloved authors. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to connect with the literary pulse of the Plateau.

Meet The Authors

Diane McPhail, Follow the Stars Home

August 21, 12:30 P.M., Hudson Library

August 24, 2:00 P.M., Albert CarltonCashiers Community Library

Diane McPhail, an artist, minister, therapist, and acclaimed hometown author, launches her new book. Billed as a historical romance novel, the book is a captivating reimagining of a fearless woman who braves violent earthquakes and treacherous waters on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River and redefine America. Read more on page 118.

Dr. James Costa: Darwin and the Art of Botany

August 2; 11:00 A.M.: Hudson Library

Charles Darwin is best known for his work on the evolution of animals, but in fact a large part of his contribution to the natural sciences is focused on plants. Executive Director of the Highlands Biological Station, evolutionary botanist and science historian James Costa brings his expertise to each entry, situating Darwin’s words in the context of the knowledge and research of the time.

Maggie Bailey, Quilty as Charged

August 23, 11:00 A.M.: Hudson Library

The launch of Bailey’s latest novel – a delightful cozy mystery that follows Lydia Barnes, the owner of a fabric store in Georgia. With her business struggling, Lydia decides to host a sewing retreat at her friend Fran’s mountain home. In between sewing lessons and quick lunches, a severe winter storm approaches. When Fran’s body is discovered, murder is the only explanation, and the remaining six attendants are all suspects.

Susan Posey, A Weave of Old and New

August 9, 3:00 P.M.: Albert CarltonCashiers Community Library

The much-requested sequel to A Home on Wilder Shores. In 1753, the Welsh sisters Ardath and Gwyn return to their Philadelphia home from their adventures on the Great Wagon Road and the North Carolina frontier.

Mid-Week Music

The Interlude Concert Series, which is sponsored by Highlands First Presbyterian Church, continues with a great lineup this month. Concerts are on Wednesdays at 2:00 P.M. at First Presbyterian Church.

Isabella Chaney

Featured on August 7 will be Edward Eikner, Pianist. Eikner, a native Texan, attended Baylor University on a Van Cliburn Scholarship and did his graduate work at the Eastman School of Music. He pursued extended studies in Europe on a Fullbright grant. His appearances as a recitalist, soloist with symphony orchestras and as a chamber musician have taken him all over the world. After 40 years as Comer Professor of Fine Arts at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, he recently retired to become Professor Emeritus.

On Wednesday, August 21, featured will be Georgia State University vocalists Isabella Chaney, Mezzo Soprano, and Maxwell Clements, Baritone.

Ms. Chaney, a senior at GSU, most recently performed the role of Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen. Other notable performances include Tisbe in La Cenertola with FIO Italia in Urbania, Italy; La Ciesca in Gianni Shicci; L’infermiera

in Suor Angelica; Nancy in Albert Herring at the Harrower Summer Opera, and her Shiler “Best Leading Actress” Award winning performance of Nettie Fowler in Carousel

Clements, a rising senior at GSU, has performed in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Puccini’s

La Boheme, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and Roram’s Our Town. Other performances include the role of Dancaire in Bizet’s Carmen and Marco in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. He recently traveled to Istanbul to perform in the World Symposium on Choral Music with the Georgia State University Singers. There is no admission charge for the Interlude concerts, which constitute a ministry in music to the community. Dress is casual–come as you are. First Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of Main and Fifth Streets. Handicapped accessible entrances are located on Church Street and on Fifth Street.

by Angela Jenkins

Maxwell Clements

Triumphant Summer Nights

Though its triumphant Summer Season is winding down, Mountain Theatre Company still has some fat rabbits to pull from its hat.

Tickets are available at mountaintheatre.com/on-stage.

As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, Mountain Theatre Company applauds the incredible work that went into their hit-Summer season with Grease and Catch Me If You Can

This “Season of Escape” kicked off with sock-hops, Pink Ladies and T Birds in an all-new, high-octane production that is now Mountain Theatre Company’s second-most successful show in their 86-year history.

The most thrilling part of our 86th season has been this summer’s audience. We have had some young audience members experiencing not just MTC for the first time, but live theatre in general. Our Executive Artistic Director Scott Daniel often calls our team the Magic Makers, and this season’s Magic has only just begun.

Following the success of Grease, Catch Me If You Can quickly became the talk of the town. Based off the hit DreamWorks Motion Picture starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, this non-stop, explosion of song and dance, brought the feel of the Vegas strip to the

town of Highlands.

I was given the dream cast of dancers who could not only do all the movement, but who could also set the tone and focus for the audience – for a choreographer, that’s nirvana. This musical is so much more than songs with flashy, big dance moves – it’s a musical about family, love, acceptance and the search for it – and I believe the choreography helped convey that message to the audience all while allowing them to forget about the struggles of their own lives for a few hours.

So, what makes a show at Mountain Theatre Company successful?

Support. Support can come in many different forms; audience attendance, volunteers, production staff, the talent on stage, but what support is the most important to the triumph of Mountain Theatre Company?

Sponsors. Mountain Theatre Company is a non-profit organization and is solely dependent on contributions made by those who believe in the magic of live theater. Ticket sales only make up 40% of the operating budget, so MTC relies

heavily on funding from sponsors and donors to create the Broadway-style production and talent that MTC has become known for. It’s important to our organization that we maintain a living-wage in the arts for our staff, actors, and creative team. You can play a leading role in supporting the arts our community by visiting our website –mountaintheatre.com/support.

Our “Season of Escape” is not over yet! Join us for The Burnt Part Boys, which is an empowering and thrilling theatrical experience for all ages about siblings from a mining town who learn the power of self-reliance in the Appalachian bluegrass-inspired journey, live on stage October 11– 26. Then to round out our season is the return of Home for the Holidays with a holiday spectacular sure to fill audiences with good, oldfashioned holiday cheer, live on stage December 6 – 22. Tickets are available at mountaintheatre.com/on-stage.

by Erin Leigh Knowles, Mountain Theatre Company -

A Mountain of Tastes

2024’s incarnation of Highlands Food & Wine Festival, set for November 7 through 10, is serving up lots of comfortable old favorite features and some tantalizing surprises to keep everyone sated and oh-so-happy. For tickets and more information visit highlandsfoodandwine.com.

They come from far away and nearby, they are young and not-so-young, visitors and locals alike. They are bankers, lawyers, craftsman, tradesmen, chefs, artisans and laborers.

They’ve come together to participate in the eighth annual Highlands Food & Wine Festival, a grand celebration of culinary arts and fine wine, happening from November 7–10.

Spilling across the picturesque mountain town of Highlands, the festival’s four signature events move from iconic locations – the Bascom Center for the Visual Arts, Kelsey-Hutchinson Park and Main Street.

The festival will kick off with the Grand Tasting on Thursday, November 7 at the Bascom Center for the Visual Arts. Where dedicated oenophiles and casual sippers alike can indulge in hundreds of wines sample small tastes from celebrated local and visiting. Adding to all the fun is a blend of bluegrass music from Virginia’s Love Canon band. (This event is sold out.)

On Friday, November 8, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park transforms

into a food truck fair for the popular Truckin’ event. Dozens of vendors will populate the lawn while attendees munch on delicious bites from innovative food trucks, sip on craft cocktails and stroll down the “Highway of Ale” to taste samples from numerous craft breweries. Highlands Chefs Massimiliano Proietti from Paoletti’s and Jacky Cabler of the Old Edwards Club will be on hand to enhance the festivities, accompanied by the music of the Wilder Woods band with Needtobreathe frontman Bear Rinehart, who crafts soulful pop with an introspective folk tone and some R& B flair. Also performing is Texas-born soul singer/songwriter and guitarist and country singer Alex Lambert.

Highlands Main Street is home to the Main Event on Saturday afternoon, November 9. It’s where it’s all happening as food and wine lovers gather to slurp oysters and savor small plates by celebrated chefs. Michigan’s Greensky Bluegrass enlivens with classic American style tunes along with the innovative flat-picking guitarist Larry Keel and Appalachian singer/songwriter Jon Stickley. (This is also sold out!)

A Shot at Redemption, the

culminating final get-together on Sunday afternoon, November 10 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park affords an opportunity for last sips and farewells. It’s the festival’s take on Sunday brunch; think of it as going to church Highlands Food & Wine style.

Wrap up the festival experience with tastes of delicacies from Highlands’ chefs Massimiliano Prioietti of Paoletti’s and Jason Tardo of Half-Mile Farm at Old Edwards (stay tuned for more to come). Enjoy the Bloody Mary Bar hosted by Tito’s Vodka and let your soul be stirred by the voice of Lee Fields. Hailed by Rolling Stone for his classic American soul sound, Lee Fields is arguably the greatest pure soul singer alive. In an age when the shelf life of an artist largely depends on posturing and trends, he has proven to be an unassailable force of nature with five decades plus career that spans more than 20 albums over 40 singles. Opening for Field is retro-soul artist Abraham Alexander, known for his mellow mix of rustic folk and soul and ‘beguiling voice which offers both honey and grit.”

by Marlene Osteen

2024 Cashiers Designer Showhouse

The Cashiers Designer Showhouse, set for August 23-31, is a deep dive into gracious Plateau Living. For a complete listing of events and times, visit cashiershistoricalsociety.org.

The Cashiers Historical Society – a nonprofit that honors and preserves the historical past of Cashiers – announces that tickets are now available for the 2024 Cashiers Designer Showhouse.

Taking place August 23 through August 31, the 2024 Showhouse is nestled in the heart of town and exemplifies the beauty of modern mountain living. Fifteen acclaimed designers will showcase their unique talents and design styles, incorporating creative trends into this charming home.

Tickets are $40 per person and available at cashiershistoricalsociety.org/cds-2024 and at the Cashiers Historical Society, Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce, Rusticks, and Acorns Boutique in Highlands.

The Showhouse is open daily from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and from Noon to 4:00 PM on Sunday. Shuttle service to the Showhouse will be from The Village Green and will run approximately every

15 minutes from 10:00 AM to 3:50 PM and Noon to 3:50 PM on Sunday. The last patron pickup from the Showhouse will be at 4:30 PM. The Village Green’s Lewis Hall also features a variety of highly regarded vendors offering unique lifestyle items from apparel and antiques to home décor and barware.

In addition to daily Showhouse tours and shopping, there will be an impressive line-up of free and ticketed special events.

Among the highlights:

Historically Cashiers Designer Panel Luncheon: Friday, August 23, 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at Canyon Kitchen in Lonesome Valley.

Oconee Bell Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society: Introduction to Mountain Gardening: What am I supposed to do with my landscape? Sunday, August 25, 1:00 to 2:00 P.M. at The Pavilion at The Village Green.

“Entertaining with Biscuits”: Food

and Lifestyle Expert Chadwick Boyd brings his lifelong passion for food and community to Cashiers. Chadwick is a multi-talented chef, author, James Beard Foundation Journalism Judge, and regularly appears on network TV. He will entertain guests with a live cooking demonstration, followed by lunch featuring a dish and dessert crafted by Chadwick himself. Thursday, August 29, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at The Orchard Events Barn.

“Shag You Say, Let’s Dance The Night Away”: Step into the World of Carolina Shag with Danie Beck; Monday, August 26, 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. at Micas.

High Tea at the Inn at High Hampton: Friday, August 30, 3:00 P.M. Spend an enchanting afternoon at The Inn at High Hampton with our 2024 Showhouse Designers. by Lauren Carmichael, Cashiers Historical Society

Happy 20thBirthday

Norman Mackenzie returns to First Presbyterian Church of Highlands to celebrate the 20th birthday of the church’s magnificent Wicks pipe organ – 5:00 P.M. Thursday, August 15. Everyone is invited to this free concert.

Norman Mackenzie

The public is cordially invited to a free concert at 5:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 15, at Highlands First Presbyterian Church, commemorating our Wicks pipe organ’s 20th Birthday.

The organ has around 1,000 pipes.

Featured will be renowned organist Norman Mackenzie, who also performed the inaugural concert on the organ in 2004.

Norman Mackenzie’s abilities as a music collaborator, conductor, and concert organist have brought him international recognition. He holds the position of Director of Music and Fine Arts at Atlanta’s Trinity Presbyterian Church and is also a Grammy award winner as Director of

Choruses with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The two-manual 16-rank pipe organ was crafted by the Wicks Organ Company in Highland, Illinois. It was the desire of the organ committee for the instrument to look and sound like an organ of 1885, the year the church was dedicated.

The organ has around 1,000 pipes. The visible pipes are adorned with stenciled designs that were inspired by symbolism found throughout the Christian faith.

First Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of Main and Fifth Streets. Handicapped accessible entrances are located on Church Street and on Fifth Street.

It was the desire of the organ committee for the instrument to look and sound like an organ of 1885, the year the church was dedicated.

by Angela Jenkins, First Presbyterian Church of

Highlands

Dahlias that Dazzle

The inescapable charm of Dahlias earns them center stage honors with Highlands’ Dazzling Dahlia Festival, September 6-7.

Summer is in full swing on the Plateau, people are everywhere, and we are being blessed with our sumptuous bounty of natural beauty, as the plateau is in glorious full bloom.

Our summertime star, Dahlia, is beginning her showy reign in all her beguiling sizes and colors. Did you know dahlias come in every color except blue? Yes, there are even black dahlias, and if you come to Highlands Historical Society’s Dazzling Dahlia Festival on September 6 and 7, you may spot some!

This September 6 and 7 marks the 14th annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival, our whole town celebration of the best of

summer. Highlands Historical Society, Visit Highlands, The Bascom and the Dahliabolicals are very proud to host an event for the entire town that is free of charge.

All of the incredible beauty and talent you will see on display at the dahlia festival is created by our whole town’s (area’s) shared generosity.

Everybody can participate in some way. We need your talent to create a vignette in this year’s theme, “Flower Power.” We need your flowers on 9/6 to create these vignettes, we want you to enter your specimen dahlias in the Single Bloom on September 6, and we want you to come

September 6-7 to take in the beauty, creativity, history and great music. Groovy baby!

This year HHS is having an “Elevated Woodstock” patron’s party on Tuesday August 27. Highlands Smokehouse, High Country Wine & Provisions, the Mountain home of Davis Family Wines will cohost the grooviest costume party in Highlands. Tickets are $150 per person or $1000 for a VIP experience for two. Visit highlandshistory.com for info and tickets.

The festivities officially begin Thursday September 5, with a kick off dahlia poster party at the Bascom from 5:00-6:30 P.M.

Marina Tsatch, the artist who painted this year’s beautiful Dahlia Festival poster will receive her $500 check; there will be appetizers, wine, and a surprise offering as well. There is no charge for this party.

On Friday, September 6, the Single Bloom competition will accept flowers at The Bascom from 8:00 to 10:00 A.M. (There is a $20 charge to enter up to eight flowers, this is the only charge all weekend.)

The amateur single bloom, professionallyjudged show is free and open to the public at The Bascom, from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. Friday and 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday. There are amateur and professional categories, with Best of Show in each category winning $100.

On Saturday, the Dazzling Dahlia/Native Plant Vignettes will be available throughout town for viewing all day. A map with

the vignette locations will be available at the chamber, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, the Historical Village and The Bascom.

The Historical Village will have an entire day of storytelling, music, clogging, food and docent guided tours of the Prince house and museum. Make Saturday your day to experience Flower Power.

The Vignette Festival Competition awards a $500 prize to the Best of Show winner, as selected by a secret panel of qualified judges. The public can vote for their favorites for “People’s Choice” online. The festivities will culminate with an elevated Saturday concert in KHFP, as a generous group of sponsors, the Dahliabolicals are sponsoring the 10-piece dance band Steel Toe Stiletto. Festival winners will be announced

during intermission. Get your groove on, and be young, be foolish and be happy!

It takes all the dahlias, native flowers and plants we can find to drape Highlands in florals! Friday, September 6, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park will become the Dahlia Depot – please drop off any flowers, especially dahlias, and greenery as well, between 8:00 A.M. to Noon. We use all the flowers for vignettes and make 200 Mason jar arrangements to offer for sale.

Nonprofits will be featured in the park. If you want to be proud of Highlands, walk through and see the nonprofits that support every aspect of life on the Plateau. A great example of the astounding level of generosity found here.

by Kim Daugherty, Highlands Historical Society

An Unforgettable Berlin Tale

Author Katherine Reay may enjoy the HighlandsCashiers Plateau, but she clearly relishes the shadowy world of espionage. Discover how this passion has given her novels a potent immediacy –3:00 P.M. Wednesday, August 14, at Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library.

Katherine Reay

Readers and lovers of historical fiction will be delighted to know that renowned bestselling author Katherine Reay will be on the plateau in August for a handful of events. She will speak at private events for two area book clubs and at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library on August 14 at 3:00 P.M. Everyone’s invited.

Katherine loves the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, having been introduced to the area by her publicist, Kathie Bennett. Kathie is the founder of Magic Time Literary Publicity, which represents over 20 bestselling authors. They have brought over 30 authors to the Plateau in the past 10 years.

Katherine’s latest novel, The Berlin Letters, follows the success of A Shadow in Moscow. Katherine lived for a brief period in Russia which piqued her interest in that culture and sparked an interest in the Cold War, the results

of which are reflected in these two page-turning thrillers.

The Berlin Letters is an unforgettable tale of the Cold War and a spunky CIA code breaker who risks everything to free her father from an East German prison. Set in the Cold War era and the fall of the Berlin Wall, this action-packed novel is a narrative about a daughter who is a brilliant CIA code breaker with an uncanny knack for solving puzzles and cracking codes. She stumbles upon a hidden cache of coded letters, revealing family secrets about her grandfather’s covert espionage work, and the fact that her father whom she had long believed to be dead might still be alive. She embarks on a perilous journey to Berlin where she risks everything in the hopes of freeing her father and leading him out of the clutches of East Berlin.

The Berlin Letters is a well-researched, fast-paced tale of intrigue and espionage

that will have the reader enthralled in edge-of-your-seat, page-turning suspense. You won’t want to put this book down. It is also a story of humanity and the unbreakable bonds of family, and of hope, loyalty, and resilience, painting a gripping picture of the impact of the Berlin Wall on so many families.

It has been said that when you complete one of Katherine’s books you feel a bit of a book hangover, sorry to leave her characters behind. The antidote is to pick up another of her books as quickly as possible and to take the opportunity to hear her speak at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library. You can also follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

by Mary Jane McCall

Carolina’s Annual Dahlia Show

It’s a Garden of Earthly Delights – Carolinas Dahlia Society’s 35th Annual Dahlia Show, set for September 14 and 15 at the Village Green, is a celebration of this most transcendent of blossoms. For more details, visit carolinasdahliasociety.org.

The Carolinas Dahlia Society 35th Annual Dahlia Show Event will be staged at Lewis Hall at the Village Green in Cashiers, September 14 and 15.

This yearly event will be open to the public, offering a spectacular display of dahlias in full bloom.

Event Highlights:

• Public Viewing: Guests are invited to marvel at the stunning dahlia exhibits on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 P.M., and Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

• Buds & Bouquets: Beautiful dahlia bouquets will be available for purchase, allowing visitors to take a piece of the beauty home with them.

This year’s show promises to be a feast for the eyes, featuring an array of dahlias grown by our dedicated members and enthusiasts from the southeast region. It’s a perfect opportunity for garden lovers, families, and photographers to enjoy the

rich colors and intricate patterns of these exquisite flowers.

“The Annual Dahlia Show is a highlight of our calendar,” said Debbie McElreath, President of the Carolinas Dahlia Society. “We are excited to welcome the community to experience the beauty of dahlias and support our ongoing efforts to promote dahlia growing and education.”

In addition to the displays, attendees can engage with experienced growers, gain insights into dahlia cultivation, and learn about the Carolinas Dahlia Society’s mission and activities.

Admission Details:

• Entry Fee: Free

• Parking: Free ample parking at The Village Green of Cashiers

The Carolinas Dahlia Society is a non-profit organization committed to the growth, education, and exhibition of dahlias. We aim to foster a deeper appreciation for these stunning flowers and provide resources and support for both amateur and professional growers.

Drew English, The English Gardener Scan to learn more.

Supporting Our Neighbors

Highlands Emergency Council’s Neighborhood Cookout, set for September 1 at Highlands Community Building, is a cheerful celebration of what’s best about Plateau Life.

Highlands Emergency Council is a beehive of activity and a visit there reminds us of all that is good about this wonderful community we call home – neighbors supporting neighbors.

On any given day you’ll see Teresa, Marie, and their merry band of volunteers who work six days a week to ensure that this place runs like a well-oiled machine. You’ll be greeted with warm smiles and called by name whether you are there to donate or to receive.

This Labor Day weekend they invite everyone to join them for a cookout on Sunday, September 1, from 12:30 P.M. until 2:30 at the Highlands Community Building on Poplar Street.

The accomplished chefs from Wilson Gas will be manning the grills and for $10 you can enjoy a hamburger or hot dog meal complete with sides, drinks, and dessert. The event will be held rain or shine. No community cookout would

be complete without live music, so of course there will be music. In fact, if you’re a local musician looking for a jam session or a chance to show your talents you might want to give them a call at (828) 526-4357 and see if there’s a place on the roster for you.

Since 1985 the Highlands Emergency Council has provided an ongoing and nocost food assistance program in which they distribute weekly food boxes filled with staple items, as well as fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, and dairy, to individuals and families in need.

The need is greater than one might imagine. In June they assisted 1,600 people. It is important to note that approximately 75 percent of those they assist are working folks who need help making ends meet. The services they provide are invaluable.

Besides providing food they also provide so much more-clothing, household goods, personal grooming items, and

lots more. Their fuel assistance program is vital to keeping homes heated during the winter months. They provide firewood as well as fuel assistance to those in need.

Highlands Emergency Council is located at 71 Poplar Street and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 until 2:00 and on Saturday from 8:00 until 1:00. They accept and encourage monetary donations and donations of gently used household items, furniture, linens, and appliances. Or you can drop new, unopened items that are always in great demand such as diapers, pet food, feminine products, and canned goods.

Join them for their cookout but also check out their website at highlandsemergencycouncil.com for more information. You’ll want to support this 501c3 organization when you can. Tax donation forms are provided.

by Mary Jane McCall

Movies at PAC

Highlands Performing Arts Center’s Movie Experience in Dolby 7.1 Cinema Surround Sound is being screened Sunday, August 4, 5:30 P.M.; Tuesday, August 6, at 2:00 and 5:30 P.M.; Tuesday, August 13, at 2:00 P.M.; Tuesday, August 20 at 2:00 P.M.; and Tuesday, August 27, at 2:00 and 5:30 P.M.

Highlands Performing Arts Center is offering first-run Hollywood movies throughout the month, a feature begun this summer and continuing year-round.

“We’re showing movies in comfortable cabaret seating in the PAC’s MartinLipscomb Theater,” says PAC’s Director of Operations, Jack Austin. “All people need to do is visit highlandsperformingarts.com or thelaurelmagazine.com to see what’s playing.”

The road to Martin-Lipscomb Theater’s Cinema was fraught with confounding circumstances, punctuated by 2020’s Covid-19 turmoil.

“Of course, none of this would be

possible if we didn’t have strong community support – especially from Rachel Friday and Jeff Schenck. Those two really made this happen. One of the mottos of Highlands Performing Arts Center is ‘Built for the Community, By the Community.’ Rachel and Jeff are the embodiment of that sentiment.”

If you’d like to contribute to this community effort, you can do so by purchasing on-screen ads for your business or organization.

According to PAC Executive Director Mary Adair Trumbly, PAC will be showing a mix of first-run movies, previous Oscar Winners, and classics. “And just imagine how much more impressive Live

at the Met, Great Art on Screen, and National Theatre Live will be on the big screen with the new system.”

“We’re going to appeal to the general public, and film buffs and people looking for a good time out on the town.”

“I love movies, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw one in a theater,” says Austin. “It’s such a hassle going off the Plateau and driving at night isn’t as easy as it once was. Now I can’t wait to spend a couple of hours watching a movie on the big screen. And with the cabaret seating and sharing a bottle of wine with friends – well, it’s a genuine experience. Stay tuned!”

by Luke Osteen

Dance the Night Away

The Bascom’s Community Barn Dance is a toetapping valentine to the halcyon days of Helen’s Barn – 5:30 P.M. Thursday, August 15.

If you’re a Plateau dweller of a certain age, the memory of the good times at Helen’s Barn can still evoke a wistful smile.

According to the Highlands Historical Society, “The highlight of a Highlands summer was the excellent fiddling, buck dancing, and clogging found only at Helen’s Barn. Tickets to the dances cost 25¢ with upwards of 100 people in attendance. Off season dances for locals were free. In winter, a pot bellied stove -- and lots of energetic movement – ensured that everyone kept warm.”

Those boisterous good times are returning this summer with The Bascom’s Community Dance, set for 5:30 P.M. Thursday, August 15, at The Bascom’s Terrace.

“Join us for an evening filled with toe-tapping rhythm and lively tunes, as bluegrass band Jackson Grimm and the

Bull Moose Party takes the stage,” says The Bascom’s Billy Love. “Get ready to dance the night away, create unforgettable memories, and embrace the vibrant spirit of community.

“The Barn Dance has always been popular, and we received numerous requests to bring the event back,” said Love.

Get ready to dance the night away, create unforgettable memories, and embrace the vibrant spirit of community.

“Throughout the summer, we do our best to host events that engage the community, and the Barn Dance is for that purpose. We want the community to feel welcome on the campus and to keep the campus activated throughout

the season.”

The Secret Garden from Highlands will have sandwiches, chips and drinks for sale. The Bascom will host a bar with alcoholic beverages for sale.

“There will be seating and hay bales and free popcorn because The Bascom believes popcorn should be free” says Love. “Tickets are $10 and kids 12 and under get in free. There are 130 tickets available, so as soon as you read this, head over to thebascom.org.”

by Luke Osteen

Scan to learn more.

Place Your Paws

It’s no gamble – the Place your Paws fundraiser, set for October 16 at Highlands Country Club, promises to be a howling good time.

Wednesday, October 16, will be an evening of firsts for the Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society. Place Your Paws is our first-ever fundraiser at Highlands Country Club and our first-ever casino night!

The evening begins at 5:00 P.M. when you arrive and the valet parks your car at one of the most prestigious private clubs in the North Carolina mountains. Then get ready for a night of tail-wagging fun and games, including blackjack, roulette, craps and poker.

When you’re not “placing your paws” at one of the games, make sure to enjoy the multiple food stations featuring prime rib, seafood, luscious vegetables and of course, delightful desserts. You will also experience other delectable goodies from the passed hors d’oeuvres throughout the evening.

And don’t forget to visit one of the two bars offering beer, wine, curated cocktails including a CHHS “signature

drink” in a keepsake glass.

To add to the non-stop entertainment, Place Your Paws will have a fun-filled memory-making photo booth, raffle prizes, and additional ways for you to show your love and support for the animals at our no-kill shelter.

Tickets are $195 per person and include admission, incredible food, open bar, and a starter bag of chips. For anyone needing extra chances to be a “lucky dog”, additional chips can be purchased that night from the “Pit Bull Boss.” Tickets are sold exclusively through chhumanesociety.org/placeyourpaws.

Corporate sponsorships are available that feature pre-event and on-site logo recognition as well as a reserved table for eight guests that evening. Interested sponsors can email david@chhumanesociety.org for more information.

So mark your calendar and join the fun for a great cause at Place Your Paws on Wednesday, October 16, at Highlands

Country Club!

Established in 1987, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization located at 200 Gable Drive in Sapphire, oneand-a-half miles east of the Cashiers Ingles in between Cedar Creek Club and Lonesome Valley on Highway 64. Our no-kill shelter is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.. Tax-deductible donations to support our lifesaving work can be mailed to: CHHS, P.O. Box 638, Cashiers, NC 28717.

by David Stroud, Cashiers-Highlands

Humane Society

photo by Marty Boone

Scan to learn more.

Snip, Sip, andSupport

You’re invited to an afternoon of snipping and sipping and supporting the youngest members of the Plateau Community when Highlands Community Child Development Center stages a Flower Arranging Demonstration at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation at 4:00 P.M. Wednesday, September 18.

Highlands Community Child Development Center is offering a Flower Arranging Demonstration and Childcare Celebration at the Church of the Incarnation at 4:00 P.M. Wednesday, September 18.

Participants will enjoy a floral demonstration from Christy Curcuru from Growing Studio. Ms. Curcuru graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 2006 with a focus in painting and sculpture. Her extensive training in the arts quickly led her to work with flowers and plants as a sculptural medium. Her floral styling has been featured in Martha Stewart, Vogue Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Southern Living and other online and print publications.

For tickets, visit eventbright.com and enter sip-snip-and-support.

If you’d like to help sponsor the event, email cmmuir1@gmail.com.

“It’s daunting to reflect on how many conversations many of us have had about the crisis around childcare and the related costs” says HCCDC President Cathy Manning. “Parents must have a safe, caring and growth-focused place to leave their children, so that they can have full time employment. Daycare centers have to charge enough tuition to pay reasonable salaries to its teachers, have educational materials and curriculum available for preschoolers and provide 3 meals per day to students. At HCCDC, less than 40% of the operating budget is covered by tuition. The remaining 60% has to be raised by HCCDC each year to keep the center open.”

“Childcare is not glorified babysitting. Academic and social benefits from attending childcare programs result in brain development in the first five years of life that can set the stage for future success. Without it, employers will find it increasingly difficult to

hire the quality employees they need to prosper. Without it, today’s employees won’t be able to stay in the workforce and new crises will be on our doorstep much sooner than expected.”

Highlands Community Child Development Center provides affordable, high quality preschool childcare and early childhood education in a safe and loving environment to young children and their families.

But the simple truth is that it’s extremely difficult to operate a self-supporting high-quality facility without charging rates so high that most families cannot possibly afford them. In order to provide tuition money to parents who are unable to afford it, HCCDC relies on grants and contributions and events like the September 18 Floral Celebration. by Luke Osteen

The Hunt for History

Everything old is new again – it’s the 46th Cashiers Annual Antique Show, August 9 through 11 at The Village Green. For information, visit Cashiersannualantiqueshow.com.

Attention antique lovers! The eagerly anticipated 2024 Cashiers Annual Antique Show will be held August 9-11 at the Village Green Commons at 160 Frank Allen Road in Cashiers.

It’s their 46th annual show and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Hours are from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Friday and Saturday and 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Sunday, with an opportunity for early shoppers to gain access on Friday from 7:30 -9:00 A.M. with an early admission ticket. Tickets for early admission shoppers are $35 which is good for all three days. Regular admission is $18 and is good for all three days.

Show manager Hazel Giles, reminds everyone that this year’s door prize is an exquisite antique summer hand-quilted and hand-sewn quilt in the unusual Drunkard’s Path pattern. A chance to win such a lovely quilt is icing on the cake for attendees who know the real prizes await within the show where

exhibitors will have their carefully chosen pieces for sale.

The show will once again be held on The Village Green, utilizing Lewis Hall and the nearby pavilion, as well as an expansive adjoining tent complete with interlocking floor panels so shoppers will stay dry no matter the weather.

That means the show will go on rain or shine. Attendees are reminded that they must enter through Lewis Hall, even if they are prepaid, to receive their wristband and program.

Over 40 exhibitors from across the country and as far away as Great Britain will be here for this show. Antique lovers will find a myriad of treasures including 18th and 19th century European and American Furniture. They will also have selections of mid-century furniture; lighting, including chandeliers; barometers (and barometer repair); fine art; exquisite vintage linens; oriental rugs; American and European pottery; Black Forest carvings and furniture; fine silver; brilliant cut glass; magnificent jewelry; fine Asian and European porcelains;

bronzes; early sporting memorabilia; Majolica; and, much more.

This show is recognized as among the best in the Southeast as it features items for serious collectors and antique lovers. Many designers count on this show to find one-of-a-kind items for their latest projects.

For early risers, Chocolate Heaven will once again be on hand to offer breakfast goodies and coffee will be available. Proceeds from all coffee sales will go to the Fishes and Loaves food pantry. Lobster Dogs of Asheville will have fabulous lunch offerings for purchase.

For more information visit their website at cashiersannualantiqueshow.com and their Facebook page. Information on pre-purchasing tickets is listed on both sites and prebuying your tickets will allow you more time to shop.

Whatever you do, don’t miss this worldclass event!

by Mary Jane McCall

Jude Frances Jewelry, Acorns. Bluegrass, 10:30 AM-1 PM, Highlander Mountain House. Catch Me If You Can, 2 PM, Highlands PAC. Movies at PAC, 5:30 PM, Martin Lipscomb Theater.

“...August still stretched before us – long and golden and reassuring, like an endless period of delicious sleep.” — Lauren Oliver 9 5 4 6 7

Iris Setlakwe Trunk Show, Wish & Shoes.

Highlands Food Pantry, 10 AM-6 PM, Highlands Methodist. Dancing on the Green, 7 PM, The Village Green.

Come Sing! 7-8 PM, Little Church in the Wildwood.

Music Bingo, 7:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Elizabeth Locke Jewelry, Acorns.

Cashiers Antique Show, 9 AM-5 PM, Village Green Commons. Bluegrass, 10:30 AM-1 PM, Highlander Mountain House. Come Sing! 7-8 PM, Little Church in the Wildwood. Music Bingo, 7:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Highlands Food Pantry, 10 AM-6 PM, Highlands Methodist.

Iris Setlakwe Trunk Show, Wish & Shoes.

Movies at PAC, 2 PM and 5:30 PM, Martin Lipscomb Theater. HCCMF Concert, 6 PM, PAC.

Live Music, Swingin’ Medallions, 7 PM, Sapphire Valley Ski Slopes.

Highlands Food Pantry, 10 AM-6 PM, Highlands Methodist. Movies at PAC, 2 PM, Martin Lipscomb Theater. Yoga in the Park, 6-7 PM, KH Park.

The Bookworm 11 AM-4 PM.

Interlude Concert, Edward Eikner, 2 PM, First Presbyterian Church, Highlands.

Bluegrass Wednesday, 6:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Catch Me If You Can, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM-1 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church.

1

Blues Music, 5 PM, Ruffed Grouse Tavern.

Zahner Lecture Series, 6 PM, Highlands Biological Station.

Catch Me If You Can, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Trivia, 7:30 PM, High Dive.

Bazaar Barn,10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM.

Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church.

Catch Me If You Can, 2 PM 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC Live Music, Jake Mathews, 6-9 PM, Happs Place. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:30 PM, Lewis Hall. Blues Music, 6-8 PM, Ruffed Grouse Tavern. Zahner Lecture Series, 6 PM, Highlands Biological Station. Trivia, 7:30 PM, High Dive.

The Bookworm , 11 AM-4 PM.

Locally Grown on the Green, 11 AM-3 PM, Village Green.

Community Barn Dance, 5:30 PM, The Bascom.

Bluegrass Wednesday, 6:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM.

Jude Frances Jewelry, 10 AM-5 PM, Acorns.

The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM.

Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird. Live Music, Ezra & Katie, 6-8:30 PM, Town Square.

Live Music, Nero and the Sunsetters, 6-9 PM, Happs Place.

Catch Me If You Can, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Groovin’ with Angela Easterling + The Beguilers, 6 PM, Village Green. Live Music, 9 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM-1 PM.

Cashiers Antique Show, 9 AM-5 PM, Village Green Commons. The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM.

Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird.

Live Music, ABC Combo, 6-8:30 PM, Town Square.

Live Music, Remnants 6-9 PM, Happs Place.

Catch Me If You Can, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC.

Live Music, 9 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM-1 PM.

Isabelle Ambrose Jewelry, Acorns.

Kinross Trunk Show, Wit’s End.

Suzy Landa Jewelry Trunk Show, Peak Experience.

Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird.

Live Music, Steady Hand String Band, 6-8:30 PM, Town Square.

Live Music, Blue Jazz, 6-9 PM, Happs Place.

Groovin’ with Martin + Kelly, 6 PM, Village Green.

Live Music, 9 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM.

Bluegrass, 10:30 AM1 PM, Highlander Mountain House.

Come Sing! 7-8 PM, Little Church in the Wildwood.

Music Bingo, 7:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Highlands Food Pantry, 10 AM-6 PM, Highlands Methodist.

Movies at PAC, 2 PM, Martin Lipscomb Theater. Village Nature Series, 5:30 PM, The Village Green.

The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Jude Frances Jewelry, Acorns. Iris Setlakwe Show, Wish & Shoes.

The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM. Pop-Up Pipers, 4:30 PM, Highlands. Catch Me If You Can, 2 PM and 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird. HCCMF Concert, 6 PM, PAC. Live Music, Doug Ramsey, 6-9 PM, Happs Place. Live Music, The Holiday Band, 6-8:30 PM, KH Park. Live Music, 9 PM, High Dive.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Cashiers Antique Show, 9 AM-5 PM, Village Green Commons. Artfest for Children, Macon County Public Library. 10th Anniversary Party, 10 AM-5 PM, Whole Life Market. Catch Me If You Can, 2 PM and 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird. Live Music, 6 PM, Happs Place. Live Music, Dive Bar Divas, 6-8:30 PM, KH Park. Live Music, 9 PM, High Dive. 10

Highlands Marketplace, 8 AM-12:30 PM, KH Park. Mountain Findings, 10 AM-1 PM. Suzy Landa Jewelry Trunk Show, Peak Experience. Kinross Trunk Show, Wit’s End. Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM. The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM. Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird. Live Music, Dillion and Co., 6-9 PM, Happs Place. Highlands Twilight 5k Run, Walk or Stroll, 6 PM, KH Park. Live Music, 9 PM, High Dive.

Bazaar Barn 10 AM-2 PM. Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Interlude Concert, 2 PM, First Presbyterian Church, Highlands. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:30 PM, Lewis Hall. Blues Music, 6-8 PM, Ruffed Grouse Tavern. Zahner Lecture Series, 6 PM, Highlands Biological Station. Orchard Sessions, Matt Rogers, 6 PM, The Farm at Old Edwards. Chi-Town, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC Trivia, 7:30 PM, High Dive. 22 23 24 13 12 16 15 14 17 8 3 18

Mountaintop Art and Craft Show, 10 AM-5 PM, KH Park. Southern Bungalow Candles, Acorns.

Bluegrass, 10:30 AM-1 PM, Highlander Mountain House.

HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 2 PM, Highlands PAC.

Sunday Supper, 6 PM, The Farm at Old Edwards.

Come Sing! 7-8 PM, Little Church in the Wildwood.

Music Bingo, 7:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Highlands Food Pantry, 10 AM-6 PM, Highlands Methodist. World of Carolina Shag, 3-5 PM, Mica’s. Benefiting Cashiers Historical Society. Art League of Highlands-Cashiers meeting, speaker Leslie Jeffery, 4:30 PM, The Bascom terrace.

Highlands Food Pantry, 10 AM-6 PM, Highlands Methodist.

Locally Grown on the Green, 11 AM-3 PM, Village Green. Interlude Concert, Georgia State University Vocalists, 2 PM, First Presbyterian Church, Highlands.

Bluegrass Wednesday, 6:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Movies at PAC, 2 PM and 5:30 PM, Martin Lipscomb Theater. Elevated Woodstock, 5-8 PM, High Country Wine & Provisions and Highlands Smokehouse. Village Nature Series, 5:30 PM, The Village Green. 20 19 21

Bazaar Barn 10 AM-2 PM. Estelle & Finn Trunk Show, Wish & Shoes.

The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM. Cashiers Quilters, 12:30 PM, St. Jude’s Catholic Church. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:30 PM, Lewis Hall. Blues Music, 6-8 PM, Ruffed Grouse Tavern. Zahner Lecture Series, 6 PM, Highlands Biological Station. HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Trivia, 7:30 PM, High Dive.

Wednesday, 6:30 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Bazaar Barn 10 AM-2 PM.

Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Cashiers Valley Community Chorus, 5:30 PM, Lewis Hall. Blues Music, 6-8 PM, Ruffed Grouse Tavern.

Bazaar Barn 10 AM-2 PM. Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Estelle & Finn Trunk Show, Wish & Shoes.

Southern Bungalow Candles, Acorns.

The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM.

Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird.

Live Music, Highlands Band, 6-8:30 PM, Town Square. Live Music, Alamo Band, 6-9 PM, Happs Place. HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Live Music, 9 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Pancake Breakfast, 8 AM, Scaly School House.

Estelle & Finn, Wish & Shoes. Southern Bungalow Candles, Acorns. Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM. Mountaintop Art and Craft Show, 10 AM - 5 PM, KH Park. Nashville’s Songwriters Round, 6 PM, Boys & Girls Club. Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird. Live Music, Rock Hollar, 6-9 PM, Happs Place. HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Live Music, 9 PM, High Dive.

Bazaar Barn 10 AM-2 PM. Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Robert Zur Trunk Show, Wish & Shoes. The Bookworm, 11 AM-4 PM.

Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird.

Zahner Lecture Series, 6 PM, Highlands Biological Station.

HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Trivia, 7:30 PM, High Dive. Salon Series: Caleb Caudle & The Sweet Critters, 8:30 PM, Highlander Mountain House.

Live Music, Spare Parts Bluegrass Band, 6-8:30 PM, Town Square.

Live Music, Charles Walker Band, 6-9 PM, Happs Place. Groovin,’ Pretty Little Goat, 6 PM, The Village Green.

HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC.

Live Music, 9 PM, Ugly Dog Pub.

Bazaar Barn, 10 AM-2 PM. Mountain Findings, 10 AM. Robert Zur Trunk Show, Wish & Shoes. Art Benefit, drawing 5 PM, Betsy Paul Real Estate. Live Music, 5:30 PM, Hummingbird. Live Music, The Breakfast Club, 6-8:30 PM, KH Park. Live Music, Doug Ramsey, 6-9 PM, Happs Place. HCP Lifespan of a Fact, 7:30 PM, Highlands PAC. Live Music, 9 PM, High Dive.

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ON THE HORIZON

September Events

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Groovin’ On The Green 6:30 PM, The Village Green Groovin’ will feature Back Porch Orchestra. They started their journey as a modern band, and there’s no doubt that they’re shaped by their homegrown, traditional roots. villagegreencashiersnc.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Bel Canto

4 PM, Highlands Performing Arts Center

This yearly recital series is an affiliate of The Bascom, and proceeds go to supplement music education at two preschool programs, music education at our public schools, a college scholarship in the performing arts, and to the acquisition of art for special art exhibitions.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

Oyster and Seafood Fest

September brings the last of summertime celebrations but, fortunately for oyster lovers, it also means the return of their favorite shellfish. Passed hors d’oeuvres, a lavish raw bar, and creative cocktails will set the stage for deliciousness to follow in this fun seafood dinner with live music at The Farm at Old Edwards. oldedwardshospitality.com

THURSDAY-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5-7

Dahlia Festival

Highlands

Dust off your 60’s clothes, get your groovy on and come experience an elevated Woodstock in Highlands as we lean into Flower Power with music, libations, good food, an art show, auction and other fun surprises. highlandshistory.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Porchfest

1-6 PM, Highlands

Downtown Highlands will transform into a stage for the third annual Porchfest - a one-day, family-friendly musical event that’ll see musical acts performing across the town. An impressive event presented and organized by the Center for Life Enrichment. highlandsporchfest.com

October Events

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11-13

Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival

The Village Green

Celebrate the changing of the leaves. This popular and free event welcomes 90 artisans to the park. Visitors will find unique handcrafted wood, pottery, jewelry and much more on display and for purchase throughout the weekend. Food, drink, and live music add to the festive spirit of this event. villagegreencashiersnc.com

SATURDAY-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19-20

Fall Colors Fine Art Show

10 AM-5 PM, Highlands Civic Center

This event features the original artwork of talented regional artists. Paintings, photographs, glass, wood, one-of-a-kind jewelry and other original artwork will be on display and for sale. artleaguehighlands-cashiers.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

All Hallows Eve - Halloween in Highlands 6-8 PM, Highlands

Creating a safe, fun experience for ghosts and goblins of all ages, Highlands’ Main Street (from 2nd to 5th Streets) will be open to pedestrians with participating area merchants distributing candy. visithighlandsnc.com

EVENT SERIES

Locally Grown On The Green Wednesdays | 11 AM-3 PM | The Village Green

Friday Night Live Fridays | 6-8:30 PM | Town Square

Highlands Marketplace Saturdays | 8 AM-12:30 PM | KH Park

Saturdays on Pine Saturdays | 6-8:30 PM | KH Park

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12

Highlands Heritage Jamboree

3:30-7:30 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park

Highlands Heritage Jamboree celebrates and honors the town’s history with traditional music, dancing, moonshine and more.

visithighlandsnc.com

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Halloween Block Party 5-7 PM, Frank Allen Road

The Village Green is collaborating with the Albert Carlton Cashiers Library, Jackson County Parks and Recreation Center, and the Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau to bring the second annual Halloween Block Party along Frank Allen Road! villagegreencashiersnc.com

Village Nature Series Last Tuesdays | 5 PM | The Village Green Pop-Up Pipers First Saturdays | 4:30-5 PM | Around Highlands Orchard Sessions Select Dates | 6-8 PM | The Farm at Old Edwards Aug. 15, Oct. 10 Weekly Monthly

Old Edwards Chef Dinners Select Dates | 6:30 PM | The Farm at Old Edwards | Aug. 25, Sept. 22, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Nov. 9

Groovin’ On The Green Select Fridays | 6:30 PM | The Village Green | Aug. 2, Aug. 16, Aug. 30, Sept. 6

Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays & Saturdays | July 6 - August 11

Atelier Maison & Co's In-Home Design Consultation Services

When it comes to transforming your home, the right design can make all the difference. At Atelier Maison & Co, we understand that every space is unique, as are the tastes and needs of each homeowner. That’s why we offer a comprehensive in-home design consultation service that brings together our healthy, design-forward furniture, accessories, and elevated design expertise to create spaces that are not only beautiful but also functional and tailored to your lifestyle.

The experience begins with an in-store consultation with one of our experienced designers. During this meeting, we discuss vision, preferences, and specific needs. Our designers listen carefully and provide initial suggestions.

Following the in-store consultation, our designer will visit your home to see the space firsthand, take precise measurements, and understand the layout. This ensures that every design element fits perfectly and enhances the overall aesthetic of your home.

After the in-home visit, our designer will create a detailed design proposal, including mood boards, color palettes, and furniture selections. Your feedback is integral to this process, ensuring the final design aligns with your vision.

Once approved, we manage the delivery and installation of your new furniture and accessories, transforming your space into a beautifully curated environment that reflects your unique style. Trust Atelier Maison & Co to elevate your home with elegance and personal flair.

Conveniently located next to the Village Green at 110 Frank Allen Road, Cashiers, North Carolina, Atelier Maison & Co is open year-round, and ready to assist you in revamping your space one selection at a time.

Photo by Susan Renfro

Secret Explorations

Who would imagine that a waterfall so beautiful could ever be kept a secret?

Is Secret Falls actually a secret?

Well, not so much as it used to be. In the past, only the locals were aware of it. In recent years, it has become a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.

As luck would have it though, Secret Falls is not typically crowded. This moderate hike is about 0.75 miles long. Cindy and I, along with William and Linda McReynolds, visited the Falls and there were only a few others present. William writes monthly articles for Laurel Magazine

This 45-foot waterfall can be viewed from the top or at the base. The view from the top can be hazardous and is not recommended for children. The base affords visitors the best and safest view. The water at the base provides a nice swim-

ming hole. From the base, another smaller waterfall can also be viewed.

Driving Directions:

From downtown Highlands, drive east on Main Street. The name of the street will change to Horse Cove Road. At the edge of town, the road will begin a steep descent. From the bottom of the descent, drive a little less than a mile to Walkingstick Road (SR1608) and turn right. Go about three miles and turn right on FR 4567. Be aware that FR4567 is not obviously marked. From there, drive 0.25 miles to the parking area on the left.

Hike Description:

The trail begins at the rear of the parking area and is easy to

spot. It descends to two small creeks that are easy to cross. Beyond the creeks, the trail ascends for a short distance and continues to descend. Just before reaching the falls, there is a fork in the trail. Go to the left to reach the top of the falls and to the right to reach the bottom. To get to the base, descend 125 steps.

Keep in mind that you must climb the steps when you go back. This waterfall is one of the most beautiful in the area and is well worth the effort.

by Ed and Cindy Boos

At a Glance Waterfall Guide

Enjoy this sampling of area waterfalls, for a deep dive visit thelaurelmagazine.com/recreation.

HIGHLANDS

Bridal Veil Falls

From NC 106 in Highlands, drive 2.3 miles west on US 64; Waterfall GPS: N35.07180 W-83.22910. Difficulty: You can park your car in a little parking area and walk 50 feet.

Dry Falls

From NC 106 in Highlands, drive 3.15 miles west on US 64 to a parking area on the left; Waterfall GPS: N35.06884 W-83.23869. Difficulty: There are lots of steps you must go down to get behind Dry Falls.

Bust Your Butt Falls

From NC 106 in Highlands, drive 6.35 miles west on US 64 to the pullout on the left; Waterfall GPS: N35.09268 W-83.26573. Difficulty: Don’t stop on the road itself!

Glen Falls

From the junction of US 64 and NC 106 in Highlands, drive 1.75 miles south on NC 106 and bear left at the sign for Glen Falls. Take Glen Falls Road, not Holt Road. Drive 1.05 miles to the parking area. Waterfall GPS: N35.03128 W-83.23829. Difficulty: There’s some climbing involved here.

Upper Middle Creek Falls

From the intersection of NC 106 and US 64, follow NC 106 South for 9.3 miles. Exactly 1 mile before you reach the Georgia state line, and about 0.3 miles after NC 106 crosses Middle Creek, a yellow School Bus Stop sign will be on the right. Park on the right side of the road right at the sign. Waterfall GPS: N35.00714 W-83.32916. Difficulty: The four-tenths of a mile hike is not strenuous but it can be confusing.

CASHIERS

Silver Run Falls

From US 64 in Cashiers, head south on NC 107 for 4.05 miles – there’s a pullout area on the left. Waterfall GPS N35.06599 W-83.06558. Difficulty: No difficulty.

Whitewater Falls

From US 64 west of Lake Toxaway, take NC 281 for 8.5 miles and turn left at the sign for Whitewater Falls into a parking area. Difficulty: Not strenuous, though the paved path is a bit uneven.

Cashiers Sliding Rock

Cashiers Sliding Rock, a million miles from the cares of the 21st century, is easy to get to. From the Cashiers Crossroads, travel south on NC 107 to Whiteside Cove Road. Head down the road for 2.6 miles to where the road crosses the Chattooga River and pull over just across the bridge. Difficulty: A piece of cake.

Spoonauger Falls

From Cashiers, travel on NC 107 8.2 miles. The name changes to SC 107 – travel for 4.9 miles. Turn right onto Burrells Ford Road. Drive approximately 2.0 miles to the Chattooga Trail parking area on the left (look for the Forest Service Bulletin Board) Hike north on the Chattooga Trail, which roughly parallels the Chattooga River for 0.25 mile, then cross Spoonauger Creek. Immediately on the right will be a side trail. Difficulty: There’s nothing tricky.

Schoolhouse Falls

Scan for more information on the many waterfalls in the Highlands and Cashiers area.

From US 64, take NC 281 North for 0.85 miles and bear left on Cold Mountain Road. Stay on the road. When it becomes unpaved, travel about 0.1 miles. Take the road on the right and travel for 0.1 miles to a parking area. Take the trail to the right of the information kiosk. At the intersection, proceed straight on Panthertown Valley Trail. Turn left onto Little Green Trail. Schoolhouse Falls is about 0.15 miles ahead. Waterfall GPS N35.16330 W-83.00674 Difficulty: The hike isn’t challenging.

Nearby Living History

Cades Cove is a spectacular window into a past where people and woods and wildlife lived in harmony.

Sometimes we forget, but we have one of the most visited national parks of the 63 total right here in our backyard.

Just an hour or so drive toward Cherokee and we can enter for free (although a parking pass is needed) the preserved Great Smoky Mountain National Park, which is filled with protected wildlife and historic structures.

And one of the most fascinating aspects of the 814-square miles of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which encompasses a portion of both North Carolina and Tennessee, is Cades Cove. The 6,800-acre valley is geologically unique for the area because of its limestone window, meaning weathering limestone resulted in deep, fertile soil. A true valley of lush meadows surrounded by a perimeter of forests and protected by a ring of mountains, Cades Cove became a haven for upwards of close to 700 settlers during the 1800s and into the

early 1900s.

Before the land was purchased for the establishment of the 21st national park, Cades Cove residents flourished due to plentiful natural resources. Not only was the soil more than sufficient for growing mostly corn as well as wheat, oats, and rye, but it offered nutrient-rich grasses on which livestock could fatten. Plus, an over-abundance of chestnuts fed animals and people. Today, deer, turkeys, bears, and squirrels are still abundant in the valley as well.

An 11-mile loop affords anyone traveling by car or by bicycle an opportunity to see the animals up close and personal. On Wednesdays, through October, no cars are allowed on the loop, so cyclists can meander without worrying about weaving in and out of cars.

For anyone not bringing their own bike, bicycles can be rented near the entrance to the loop at the Cades Cove campground. The walking/hiking or biking is

doable for most any activity levels.

More than 80 preserved structures still existing in Cades Cove attest to the settlers’ resourcefulness when it came to constructing their log home, corn crib, smokehouse, outhouse, chicken house, and barn, all of which were standard for anyone setting down permanent roots in the valley.

Cades Cove has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district since July 13, 1977.

From the entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to the Cades Cove loop is approximately 60 miles, and drivers there can expect to see plenty of elk and an occasional bear while on the drive. see plenty of elk and an occasional bear while on the drive.

by Deena Bouknight

Summer Beauty

The jaunty male American Goldfinch is a lemonyellow exclamation point darting through the Plateau’s forests and meadows.

Male American Goldfinch in Summer Plumage

You can’t miss the summer beauty of this avian resident of the Highlands Plateau.

The male American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) transforms itself in spring into the yellow and black delight you see above. Goldfinch molt twice a year, once in the fall and again in spring.

The male’s lemon-yellow body plumage of summer contrasts with black wings and tail feathers to give it a canary-like appearance. Note the jaunty black cap the male sports. The female is a more modest olive green with yellow appointments.

Goldfinches live in flocks and colonies and forage in small flocks or “charms” of goldfinch. Easily recognized in flight, their wing beats alternate with coasting to produce a flight pattern that is wavelike, an undulating scallop.

These are seed eaters that have beaks well suited to opening seedpods. They mob birdfeeders offering black oil

sunflower seeds. They also eat insects, the sushi of the forest.

Some are short-range migrants, ranging widely in North America. In the summer breeding season, they are found coast to coast from western Canada and California, east to North Carolina, and in the winter in the southern U.S. into Mexico. Their favorite habitat is weedy fields and meadows and open areas in woodlands including transitional woodlands with both old and new growth.

Their pair bonds are monogamous and lasting. A pair raises broods together year after year. At night the female emits a small sound to guide the male back to the nest.

Goldfinch breed in late summer when seeds are plentiful. The female builds the nest with the male bringing her nesting materials. The nest will contain 4 to 6 peanut-sized, blueish white eggs. The female incubates the eggs, the male bringing her food, for about two

weeks. The mother feeds her hatchlings regurgitated seeds. Their first plumage is complete enough in two weeks for fledging to begin. The male feeds the young fledges after they have left the nest.

Happy August bird watching from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society. Look for these yellow flashes midlevel in the woodlands and in flight.

The mission of the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society is to provide opportunities to enjoy and learn about birds and other wildlife and to promote conservation and restoration of the habitats that support them. HPAS is a 501 (c) (3) organization, a Chapter of the National Audubon Society. Visit highlandsaudubonsociety.org for information on membership and all activities.

by William McReynolds,

Highlands Plateau Audubon

Merci, Local Bees

Let’s raise a spoonful of honey (or a Gold Rush cocktail) to our hardworking local bees.

“How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour, And gather honey all the day

From every opening flower!”

So begins a poem by Issac Watts (1674-1748), an ode to the hardworking bee. But Watts’s praise is justified; more than 80 percent of the flowering plants in the world and at least a third of the world’s crops depend on animal pollinators, primarily bees.

Honeybees, which are not native to the United States, get a lot of credit for their role in agriculture (in fact, “National Honey Bee Day” is August 17) but there are more than 500 native bee species in North Carolina that also play vital roles. Honeybees arrived on English ships in the early 1600s and spread quickly; in the 1800s North Carolina led the nation in production of beeswax, and the state’s annual honey production eventually topped 2.5 million pounds. The honeybee was named North Carolina’s state insect in 1973.

But our native bumblebees also play an important role in agriculture; thank a bumblebee the next time you enjoy blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, zucchini, yellow squash, or onions.

The bumblebee is an outstanding pollinator due to its ability to “buzz,” resulting in sound waves that help dislodge a plant’s pollen, which is collected on the bumble bees’ fuzz.

And of course, our native bees contribute aesthetically as well, as pollinators that facilitate reproduction for the stunning flowering trees and wildflowers that blanket our area.

Unfortunately, scientists have reported massive declines in the populations of wild bees and other pollinators over the past two decades.

The Rusty Patched Bumblebee, once common in Western North Carolina, is feared to be almost extinct. The causes include use of pesticides, loss of habitat, climate change, and disease.

Want to help? Curtailing use of pesticides

is the most important step. As is letting some of your garden go a bit “wild,” as bees love a more natural habitat, preferably one full of native wildflowers.

So how will you celebrate National Honeybee Day?

If creating a new wildflower garden sounds like too much work for today, go to your favorite establishment and order a Gold Rush (bourbon, lemon juice, and, of course, a simple syrup made from honey – you’re welcome!) and offer a toast of health and prosperity to not only honey bees, but also our hardworking native bee species.

The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is committed to preserving our natural resources, including pollinator habitats. For more information go to hcltnc.org.

by Lance Hardin, Highlands Cashiers

Land Trust

Jail House Beauties

It’s not on TripAdvisor’s List of Top 10 Plateau Experiences, but a visit to Highlands’ Historic Jail brings its own subtle delights.

Visiting the Historic Jail in downtown Highlands can be a charming experience!

If you haven’t taken a stroll down Maple Street to see it, make sure to stop by and admire the blooming flowers and plants that grace its gardens each season. You’ll be treated to a variety of native North Carolina plants such as Wild Geranium, Stokes Aster, Cutleaf Coneflower, Columbine, Scarlet Beebalm, and Orange Coneflower. Placed among these beauties, you’ll also find Shasta Daisy, Stringy Stonecrop, Obedient Plant, Panicle Hydrangea, and Smooth Hydrangea. These are just some of the many colorful flowers in the gardens.

As an Atlanta ex-pat, I’ve always been partial to the more typical plants that grace that city’s many landscapes. I still love most of them but since I have lived on the Plateau and become a member of the Highlands Mountain Garden Club,

I’ve gained a new appreciation for native plants for these reasons:

1. Adaptability: Native plants are well-adapted to the local climate, soil, and environmental conditions, making them more resilient to fluctuations and requiring less maintenance.

2. Water Efficiency: Once established, native plants typically require less water than non-native species because they have evolved to thrive in local rainfall patterns.

3. Wildlife Habitat: Native plants provide food and shelter for local wildlife, including birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects, supporting biodiversity in your garden.

4. Reduced Need for Fertilizers and Pesticides: Native plants often have natural defenses against pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical interventions that can harm the environment.

5. Low Maintenance: Because they are

adapted to the local ecosystem, native plants generally require less fertilizer, pruning, and other maintenance compared to non-native plants.

6. Aesthetic Appeal: Native plants can enhance the beauty of your garden with their unique colors, shapes, and textures that reflect the natural landscape of your region.

7. Conservation of Resources: By using native plants, you contribute to the conservation of indigenous flora and help preserve the genetic diversity of local plant species.

I hope you will enjoy many visits to the jail and learn the benefits of gardening with natives.

As Always, Happy Gardening!

by Debby Hall

Supporting Researchers

The Highlands Biological Foundation’s Grants-in-Aid program boosts our understanding of the Plateau’s wild denizens.

Highlands Biological Foundation is steadfast in its mission to stimulate, promote, and fund biological research and education in the southern Appalachians.

A cornerstone of this mission is the Grants-in-Aid of Scientific Research (GIA) program, which has supported researchers studying the region’s vast biodiversity for over 50 years.

Vetted by HBS’s Board of Scientific Advisors, six outstanding researchers were selected to receive GIA funding and joined the vibrant research community at the Station this summer. Their projects spanned a range of topics, from insect trophic dynamics to salamander life history strategies, reflecting the rich diversity of research encouraged and supported by HBF.

David Kyle Breault, a master’s student from the University of Alabama, spent time at HBS this summer investigating the trophic dynamics of the shredding

caddisfly, Pycnopsyche spp.

Utilizing whole-genome shotgun sequencing, David aims to improve the understanding of these insects’ dietary habits, providing valuable insights for stream ecologists.

Former Highlands Field Site student Tayton Alvis, an undergraduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, assisted aquatic biomonitoring efforts for the Little Tennessee River. His research focuses on understanding long-term patterns in abundance for the Smoky Dace (Clinostomus sp.), an undescribed endemic minnow species in the Little Tennessee River.

Jenna Jordan, a first-year master’s student at UNC-Greensboro, studied the vocal communication and behaviors of the Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus insignis). Her innovative use of acoustic detectors and thermal imaging in the wild will provide the first detailed characterization of call types for

this species. Studying animal behavior through this and similar projects allows researchers to better answer important evolutionary questions.

Baaqeyah Muhammad, a PhD student at the University of Connecticut, explored the origins of direct development in salamanders. Her research uses phylogenetic character reconstruction to understand how certain salamander species bypass metamorphosis, shedding light on evolutionary processes within Plethodontidae (lungless salamanders).

The GIA program’s success is evident in the hundreds of graduate theses and thousands of scholarly works it has generated. HBF remains committed to stimulating and funding biological research and education in the Southern Appalachians, and looks forward to the contributions of this year’s GIA recipients. by Winter Gary, Highlands Biological Foundation

Walking Cashiers

WALK CASHIERS is enhancing the Cashiers Greenway Ramble to preserve the Plateau’s favorite pastime – rambling.

Cashiers is taking a significant step towards enhancing the community experience and preserving its unique charm with the introduction of the WALK CASHIERS initiative.

This ambitious project aims to build a comprehensive 5-mile network of sidewalks, pathways, boardwalks, and public spaces known as the Cashiers Greenway Ramble. WALK CASHIERS is a collaboration between Jackson County, the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce and Vision Cashiers.

What is WALK CASHIERS? It’s a transformative initiative dedicated to creating an interconnected system of walkways and recreational areas in Cashiers. The centerpiece of this project, the Cashiers Greenway Ramble, will connect residents and visitors to the heart of our community, promoting a more walkable and vibrant environment.

The Ramble includes small parks, outdoor sculptures, and native plantings sourced by the local chapter of the North Carolina Native Plant Society from areas undergoing development. In partnership with The Bascom, unique art installations, by local artists will be placed along the paths, starting at the Thomas Taulbee Memorial Entrance next to the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce.

All pathways will offer Wi-Fi connectivity and electricity for

low-level lighting, ensuring a “smart” and safe experience. The walkways are designed to be friendly for strollers and wheelchairs.

Small parks and gathering areas along the trail provide opportunities for rest and reflection, fostering a deeper connection with nature and each other.

The first phase of the Cashiers Greenway Ramble has officially opened, featuring a one-mile stretch that begins and ends at the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce. This initial section sets the stage for the full 5-mile network, illustrating the project’s potential to transform Cashiers into a more walkable and connected community.

The Thomas Taulbee Memorial Entrance, named in honor of the former executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, serves as a welcoming gateway next to the Chamber building. This is enhanced by a 7-foot floral sculpture by local artist, MG Morrow. And of course, at the heart of this project is the question: Why WALK CASHIERS?

• Improving Walkability: According to a study by the Urban Land Institute, enhancing walkability and connectivity is crucial for preserving Cashiers’ unique character and charm. This initiative addresses the village’s growth proactively,

ensuring that the essence of Cashiers is maintained while fostering development.

• Community Cohesion: WALK CASHIERS aims to create public spaces and parks where neighbors can meet and connect, strengthening community bonds. By providing venues for social interaction and engagement, the initiative helps build a more cohesive and unified community.

• Local Small Business Access: Pathways and sidewalks will connect small businesses in town so it will be easy to park and walk to enjoy a meal or shop for a local treasure.

WALK CASHIERS thrives on community support. There are several ways you can contribute:

• Donations: Individuals can make donations to dedicate sections of the trail or sculptures in honor of loved ones.

• Volunteering: There are numerous opportunities to volunteer and support the initiative. Whether it’s helping with plantings, maintaining the trails, or assisting in community events, your involvement is crucial to the success of WALK CASHIERS.

Join in this exciting endeavor to enhance the walkability, security, and charm of our beloved village.

For more information see walkcashiers.visioncashiers.com.

See you on the trail!

by Barbara Jamison

Photo by Susan Renfro

Grit and Gratitude

Cover artist Elena Kister’s lifetime of study and practice has found its full flowering with her arrival on the Plateau.

Not long ago, Ukrainian artist Elena Kister narrowly escaped Russian soldiers near her home in Kyiv.

She left with only her wallet and passport. Her adult son Victor, who lives and works in Cashiers, helped her make the final trek to America, her new home.

Although English isn’t her primary

language her artistic voice has been active as long as she can remember.

As a child Elena was gifted in art and at the age of four, she knew she was creative.

“I was a painter from the beginning, my grandmother taught me,” She says.

At age six she entered Studio level training and eventually would graduate from The Academy of Fine Arts and

Architecture in Kyiv, with a degree in Art and Design.

“All my life I have worked as an artist,” she says.

Before leaving Kyiv, she was employed at an Advertising agency and painted in her studio.

Her drawings and paintings reflect deep emotion. Marks and strokes

powerfully, yet elegantly unfold and tell their stories. They weave and whirl throughout her anthology of Nature’s feathers, flowers, foxes, fawns, and all the flora and fauna of the Nantahala, each creature speaking volumes. When Elena’s odyssey settled her into Cashiers she met with two local gallerists – David Berger at Mountain Mist, and Susan Whiteside Williams at Whiteside Art Gallery. They coaxed her to expand her repertoire to include landscapes and animals.

She says, “My focus is bright and beautiful colors.”

Elena works in acrylic, oils, oil pastels, graphite and ink. As a multimedia artist she creates in smaller 10” x 12” canvas’s on up to 48” x 48” and will do commission pieces.

She’s fallen in love with the beauty of the Appalachians. She says, “I am trying to

make beautiful art, because I see all this beauty everywhere.”

I was a painter from the beginning…

You can view her beautiful work at Whiteside Art Gallery, Mountain Mist Gallery, and Object d’ Art, all three in Cashiers.

by Donna Rhodes

From the Lowlands to the Highlands

Nationally-recognized artist Will Henry Stevens (you know, The Bascom Bridge Guy) and his locallyinspired portfolio will be celebrated at The Bascom.

Will Henry Stevens, Untitled, 1934, Courtesy of the Blue Spiral 1 collection

Following necessary repairs and the rededication of the Will Henry Stevens Bridge on The Bascom Campus, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Will Henry Stevens will be displayed in The Bascom’s Bunzl Gallery August 17 – January 11.

Curated by Michael Manes, Gallery Director at Blue Spiral 1 in Asheville, From the Lowlands to the Highlands presents works by Stevens depicting landscapes and abstracts from his extensive travels in New Orleans and the mountains of Western North Carolina. Will Henry Stevens’ life (1881-1949) began and ended in a small riverboat community along the Ohio River, but the years between spent in New Orleans and Western North Carolina were defined by his tireless pursuit of a visual language for his vast creative energy. His enduring curiosity about the natural world, and his belief that there was a purpose – a design – in nature, led him effortlessly

between representational and abstraction as he freely adjusted both style and medium to convey nature’s essence.

In this spirit, From the Lowlands to the Highlands includes both landscapes and abstracts capturing the two regions closest to the artist’s heart, the Louisiana bayou and the Appalachian Mountains. Stevens was drawn to “humble” scenes such as log cabins, cemeteries, and the mountaineers of Western North Carolina, as well as the bayou and common people of Louisiana. This monumental exhibition will showcase Stevens’ love for nature, his understanding and proficiency with color, materials, and composition, and how two very different environments shaped the career of a Southern Modernist.

Companion Exhibits exploring other dimensions of the work and life of Will Henry Stevens will be produced with our organizational partners Blue Spiral Gallery and the New Orleans Academy

of Fine Arts in the Summer 2024 through Winter 2025.

Andrew Rogers, Executive Director of the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art will be conducting a workshop based on a Will Henry Stevens curriculum in The Bascom studios and off-site at the North Carolina Arboretum in conjunction with an en plein air event organized by Blue Spiral 1, Plein Air Painting in the Gardens & Forest on August 23.

For more information, please visit thebascom.org, bluespiral1.com, and ncarboretum.org.

Billy Love, The Bascom

Scan to learn more.

Better than Moonshine

A pair of tribute bands bring the power sounds of the 70s and 80s to Highlands Performing Arts Center.

End of The Line

If these dog days of summer have you pining for the sounds of a simpler time, we have a pair of concerts coming up that’ll transport you immediately back to the 1970s.

Chi-Town Transit Authority is an 8-piece Chicago tribute band founded in 2017 and based out of Atlanta dedicated to reproducing the “Chicago” concert experience without any pre-recorded tracks.

The key to their success has been knitting together a highly accomplished team of long-time musicians who truly love the music of Chicago. With this foundation, they pay close attention to detail in recreating the best of Chicago’s songs from studio and live versions and then design a show that first captures the audience, then gets them involved and finally brings down the house.

It’s easy to do because the band is having as much fun as the audience is. The

band doesn’t lack for large selection of instantly recognizable songs. They are able to choose from the steady stream of Chicago hits starting in the late ‘60s. This allows the band ample opportunity to spotlight each of the three main vocalists as well as showcase a tight horn section and beautifully arranged vocal harmonies.

They have honed their craft by playing casinos, festivals, theaters and music venues all around the Southeastern US. Enjoy the show and you will know why Beat Atlanta Magazine calls them “The best tribute band out there.” Join us at 7:30 P.M. Thursday, August 15.

End of the Line is the premier Allman Brothers Tribute Band. Having carved up the Southeast with Sold-Out shows. End of the Line is making a name for themselves with a sound as classic and heavy as the original brothers themselves. From the authentic, raspy vocal approach

of Juston Smith to the chugging drum/ percussion train of Chase Bader, Dave Czuba and Ryan McClanahan, the band both pays homage while pushing the boundaries of the timeless and extensive catalog. With endorsements from the Official Allman Brothers Museum, The Big House, the End of the Line carries on the legacy of the Allman Brothers with poise and power. Come experience the soul, the guitarmony, the jam and the ramblin’ spirit that still lives on through each note 7:30 P.M. Saturday, September 7.

Tickets are available at HighlandsPerformingArts.com. Highlands PAC is located at 507 Chestnut Street.

by Mary Adair Trumbly, Highlands Performing Arts Center

Better Together

Highlands Chamber Music Festival’s Gershon/Cohn Final Gala Concert and Dinner – set for August 11 at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club – closes out the 2024 Season with exuberance and an unrestrained sense of playfulness. Call (828) 526-9060 or email hccmfnc@gmail.com for tickets or more information.

David Coucheron

Vijay Venkatesh

The Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival is a testament to the belief that music, like life, only gets better when we make it together.

As happens at every session of the festival when we (the audience) get to share in the exhilaration and power of music performed by artists so close at hand.

August 11 marks a return to the annual Gershon/Cohn Final Gala Concert and Dinner – when the festival concludes its regular season in glamorous style. In a perfect convergence of chamber music and gourmet dining, the festival brings the world’s leading ensembles and soloists to the Highlands Performing Arts Center, followed by dinner at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club.

The gala, titled “Invitation to the Dance,” opens with the piece that inspired its name, composed by Carl Maria von Weber, known as the father of the Romantic movement in music.

Renowned pianist Vijay Venkatesh, hailed by The Washington Post for his “transcendent technique, unbridled passion and irresistible charisma,” joins festival artistic director, master teacher, and acclaimed soloist William Ransom on dual pianos, promising an event a chamber music fan can simply not ignore.

Following this classical gem, the session delves into a composition from the revered Baroque Master of Sacred Compositions, J. S. Bach, played on violin by international award winner Alice Hong. Venkatesh returns to dazzle with Frank Liszt’s virtuosic piano works before collaborating with esteemed cellist Grace Bahng Gavin in a composition from the Argentina composer celebrated for revolutionizing tango music, Astor Piazzolla.

Violinist and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, David Coucheron joins Venkatesh for Johannes Brahms’s exuberant, spirited piece, Hungarian Dance #5, followed by Tango

for String Quartet, featuring Coucheron, Hong, Gavin and prize-winning violist Joseph Skerik.

The enchanting Waltz of the Flowers, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic and beloved piece from The Nutcracker, performed by Venkatesh and the ensemble precedes a humorous piece from Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Elephant Waltz for Bass & Piano –interpreted by bassist Jonathan Colbert alongside Venkatesh.

The evening concludes with great flourish and in a thrilling finale with all performers uniting for George Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody #1 for Piano & String Quintet.

Dinner follows the concert at the Wildcat Cliffs Country Club. Call (828) 526-9060 or email hccmfnc@gmail.com for tickets.

by Marlene Osteen

Delightful Works of Art

Bigger and somehow even better, Mountaintop Rotary’s Art and Craft Show returns to KelseyHutchinson Founders Park, August 24 and 25. For more information, visit highlandsartshow.com or visit their Facebook page for the latest updates.

Mountaintop Rotary’s Art and Craft Show returns on August 24 and 25 at the Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park on Pine Street in Highlands. Hours are from 10:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. on Saturday and 10:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. on Sunday. This two-day event sets a new standard for art festivals with over 118 of the most respected and sought-after artisans from throughout the Southeast and beyond, a testament to its broad appeal.

This is a true art festival offering art for serious collectors as well as casual shoppers who find that just right item that they weren’t expecting. In addition, there are activities and entertainment for the entire family. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in a bit of our area’s unique culture and heritage, as well as shop for items from an immensely talented array of artisans who will be displaying their work.

The Kid’s Zone will delight children of all ages with activities including games,

face painting, and the not-to-be-missed Teddy Bear Hospital hosted by the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. Here sick bears are cared for by the children with the assistance of local medical personnel. The hospital provides every child with a bear to treat and take home.

There’s music provided by bluegrass sensations Nitrograss, who play Saturday afternoon from 1:00 until 4:00 P.M.

While the delightful works of art, family fun, and music are what draws the crowds, let’s not forget that this effort is Mountaintop Rotary’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Attendance and parking are free, but donations are welcomed and encouraged so they can continue to make a difference through their charitable projects.

Locally, the Counseling Center of Highlands, Highlands’s student scholarships, and the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic were recipients. This year the shows will benefit the Boys and Girls

Club of the Plateau Highlands. These Rotarians are the boots on the ground aiding their neighbors when and where needed. Throughout the year, they’ve tackled numerous service projects, including a community coat drive providing over 3000 winter garments to those in need; assisting the Highlands Emergency Council by chopping firewood for families needing help heating their homes; and participating in regular roadside cleanups.

Mayor Pat Taylor says it best, “One factor that made the art show successful was the Rotary volunteers, who made sure every exhibiting artist was supported and that visitors had a pleasant experience. Those volunteers did the hard labor so that the Rotary Club could donate thousands of dollars to nonprofits in the community.” by Mary Jane McCall

Bel Canto and Gala Dinner

For its 32nd Anniversary Recital, Bel Canto’s September 8 performance at Highlands Performing Arts Center puts a graceful note on this busy season in this busy year. For information about tickets, call (828) 526-4949.

The 32nd annual Bel Canto Recital will be held in Highlands on Sunday, September 8, at 4:00 P.M. in the Highlands Performing Arts Center. This will be followed by a gala dinner at the Highlands Country Club. Our generous patrons have contributed to the success of Bel Canto, and they have enabled us to fully fund music education at two preschool programs, supplement music education at our public school, fund a college scholarship in the performing arts, and sponsor special art exhibitions at The Bascom.

In total, Bel Canto has contributed over $800,000 to these worthy programs. The recipients of our gifts certainly benefit from your generosity, and a benefit to you is an increased tax deduction.

This year’s artists are Aviva Fortunata, Anna Kelly, Derrek Stark, and Daniel Belcher. These artists are internationally known, and it is remarkable that all four will be together for this event.

Soprano Aviva Fortunata, named twice as one of the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s Top Canadian Classical Artists Under 30, is earning international attention with her “velvety timbre”, “gleaming tone”, and voice “of diva soprano quality and strength”. Ms. Fortunata’s opera credits include main roles at Pacific Opera Victoria, Calgary Opera, l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Sarasota Opera. She is on the Metropolitan Opera roster.

Praised as a “divine” mezzo soprano (Palm Beach Post) having a “rich,” and “beautifully emotional” sound (DC Metro Arts), Anna Kelly is an up-andcoming mezzo who was recently named a National Semi-finalist in the 2022 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. She was a finalist with the Giulio Gari competition and Opera Florham, and the winner of the James Toland Tier 2 competition. Anna has sung major roles with the Palm Beach Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Sarasota Opera.

Hailed by Opera News for his “handsome sound,” and described as a “standout” by the Wall Street Journal, tenor Derrek Stark is quickly establishing a reputation as an elegant performer with nuanced and stylish singing. He has sung major roles with Opera Tampa, Eugene Opera, Lakeland Symphony, Gulfshore Opera, Bar Harbor Music Festival, and Opera Fuoco. He is also on The Metropolitan Opera roster. GRAMMY® Award-winning baritone Daniel Belcher has graced the stages of the world’s foremost music capitals. His commanding presence and remarkable talent have left an indelible mark on audiences in cities that include Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Toronto, San Francisco and Houston. Tickets will be available in mid-August. For information about this recital series, please call The Bascom at (828) 526-4949. by Dr. Michael Crowe, Bel Canto

Follow the Stars Home

The perils and promises built into the exploration of the Mississippi River are limned in local author Diane McPhail’s new novel, Follow the Stars Home

Diane McPhail

Local author Diane McPhail is launching her third book, Follow the Stars Home, at the Hudson Library on August 21 at 12:30 P.M. and also at Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Libraryon August 24 at 2:00 P.M.

Diane is an acclaimed author, but she is also a spellbinding storyteller, so joining her for this launch is the perfect introduction to this gripping tale of her intrepid heroine, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt.

This biographical novel is a well-researched and captivatingly written reimagining of the life of Lydia, a headstrong independent young woman eight months pregnant and with a toddler in tow, who accompanies her husband, Nicholas Roosevelt, on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River. a journey that revolutionized travel and trade and opened the West to expansion.

Lydia was the daughter of one of the architects of the United States Capital Building. Nicholas Roosevelt was her

father’s business colleague with whom, much to her father’s chagrin, Lydia fell in love and married at age 17. He designed and piloted the New Orleans, the first steamboat to navigate the Mississippi River. It is this treacherous maiden voyage that is the focus of the book.

The couple prepared for the steamboat journey by spending their honeymoon traveling on a fact-finding trip aboard a primitive flatboat along the same route. That journey had its share of complications ending with them having to travel from Natchez to New Orleans by rowboat when their flatboat sank.

Undeterred they proceeded with their planned steamboat voyage to make the historic trip from Pittsburg, down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, encountering the treacherous Falls of Ohio, a 60-foot drop considered unnavigable by such a large boat, the hostile conditions of the Mississippi River, and the powerful New Madrid earthquakes, a series of over

2,000 earthquakes, three of which were magnitude 8 or greater. During the voyage, Lydia gave birth to her second child. When asked what sparked her interest in this fascinating tale Diane says that the idea grew from a presentation she gave to a group of 60 gentlemen. Recognizing that this was no ordinary book club, Diane delved into her family memories of a childhood near the Mississippi River thinking of a subject that would be of interest to men. Realistic tales of a perilous river beyond the rather romantic Mark Twain versions we usually think of seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

The presentation was a success and the seeds of Follow the Stars Home were planted. Diane’s deep family roots along the Mississippi and her commitment to authenticity and accuracy make her the perfect person to tell this engaging story. More good news for her readers is that she is already hard at work on her fourth novel set in 1700 France and early Louisiana.

A Weave of Old and New

Susan Posey’s new novel follows the struggles and triumphs of two sisters from Wales trying to survive in Colonial America, continuing the saga begun in A Home on Wilder Shores.

Susan Posey

Author Susan Posey, who divides her time between Cashiers and Asheville, has just fulfilled the wishes of the devoted readers who devoured her ambitious first novel A Home On Wilder Shores with a muchanticipated sequel A Weave of Old and New, a Historical Novel. Each can also be read by itself.

A Home on Wilder Shores was ambitious for several reasons – it was Susan’s first novel; women in her family inspired it; it was extensively researched and meticulously historically accurate; and it was 534 pages long. According to her readers, that was not enough time to spend with her richly drawn characters, so the sequel is a welcome addition to everyone’s reading list.

A Home on Wilder Shores follows sisters Ardath and Gwyn who immigrated to Philadelphia and the North Carolina frontier in the 1750s. Their mother disappears in Wales and their

father dies in the smallpox epidemic on their voyage across the Atlantic. They settle in Philadelphia but soon leave for North Carolina.

A Weave of Old and New, a Historical Novel follows the sisters as they return to Philadelphia from North Carolina during the yellow fever epidemic and the looming French and Indian War. Both novels thread the sisters’ Old World lives with their New World adventures and are rich character studies of resilient women.

Susan’s previous career as a psychotherapist provides her with the unique ability to develop richly nuanced characters that her readers instantly bond with.

She traveled back to her ancestor’s home place in Wales researching her family’s roots and discovering Welsh traditional medicine. Ardath and Gwyn were herbal healers who gathered herbs along the trail to North Carolina. Susan has long had a fascination with wild plants. Like her ancestors, she spent much of her

childhood exploring the woods and discovering the fascinating world of trees, flowers, and healing plants.

She and her husband also traveled along portions of the Great Wagon Road and spent time in Philadelphia and Colonial Williamsburg, immersing themselves in colonial life and history.

You can meet Susan on August 9 at 3:00 P.M. at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library.

If you haven’t discovered Susan’s books yet put them on your Reading List now and treat yourself. They are available at GreatRockPress.com and in e-book form on Kindle. She will also happily personalize books for you if you request on your website order, or if you reach out to her at susanposeync@gmail.com.

by Mary Jane McCall

Art League in August

Friend-of-The-Laurel Leslie Jeffery and her marvelous portfolio will take center stage at The Art League’s August 26 meeting at The Bascom.

The monthly meeting of the Art League of Highlands-Cashiers will be held on The Bascom Terrace at 5:00 P.M., August 26, following social time at 4:30 P.M.

Her paintings are widely exhibited and have received numerous awards.

The guest speaker will be Leslie Jeffery. Ms. Jeffery was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and became aware of “art” at a young age painting with her grandmother, an accomplished oil painter. She studied painting, art history and constructive design at Florida State University, and she holds a B.S. in Art Education.

Her paintings are widely exhibited and have received numerous awards. She is a member of the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) and NAWA-FL. She is a Signature Member

of the International Society of Acrylic Painters (ISAP); The Florida Artists Group (FLAG) and numerous other art organizations. She is a Member and Past President of Las Damas de Arte, a Tampa based group of women

who exhibit together and raise money for art scholarships.

While she is an accomplished artist in various genres, she is best known for her medium-to-large abstract work, much of which adorns regional businesses. To see much of her work, visit lesliejeffery. art. Her presentation will be centered on a special series of paintings she has undertaken in the past year that she calls “80@80.”

We hope you will be able to join us for both the social and the presentation.

…she is best known for her medium-to-large abstract work…

She was co-founder of Carolina Gallery of Fine Art in Highlands and is a member of the Art League of HighlandsCashiers. She currently splits her time between North Carolina and Florida with a studio in each location.

For more information, visit artleaguehighlandscashiers.com.

by Zach Claxton,

Highlands-Cashiers Art League Scan to learn more.

Lifespan of a Fact

Getting to the truth of the matter (or somewhere close to the truth) lies at the heart of Lifespan of a Fact , Highlands-Cashiers Players’ funny, timely play set for Highlands Performing Arts Center, August 22-September 1.

During his first show in 2005, talk-show host Stephen Colbert presented the word “truthiness,” using it to express a kind of “truth” that is derived from a visceral feeling rather than from any known facts.

Lifespan of a Fact is a play, based on the book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal, that tells the true story of what happens when a nonfiction writer who relies on truthiness (D’Agata) goes up against a dedicated fact-checker (Fingal). Although the play, written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, takes some dramatic liberties from the true story in the book, it stays loyal to the essence of the real-life battle between D’Agata and Fingal.

The play has a small cast of only three performers. First up is HCP veteran Randy Lucas as John D’Agata, the essayist who wrote the article in question and is very defensive when an upstart fact checker questions his work. D’Agata believes that a certain amount

of ‘truthiness’ is necessary in areas that don’t change the overall meaning of the story but give his essay more rhythm and meaning.

Next up is Michael Burel, a newcomer to the Highlands stage, playing Jim Fingal, who doesn’t have nearly as much journalism experience as John D’Agata, but takes his new assignment as a fact-checker very seriously. Jim insists on full accuracy in all details, stating “By misrepresenting official and searchable documents, you undermine your argument, you undermine society’s trust in itself.”

Familiar HCP stage actress Julie Harris rounds out the cast as editor Emily Penrose, who has the thankless job of trying to navigate the tension between John and Jim and get the article (which John insists on calling an essay) to the printer by the deadline.

HCP veteran actor/director Michael Lanzilotta directs the show. Susan Kent is the assistant director and Cathy Myers

is the stage manager.

“I am very excited to be presenting this play at this time in Highlands. ‘Alternative facts’ and disinformation have become de rigueur, and hopefully Lifespan of a Fact will remind us of the importance of being wise consumers of media and information, because the truth will set us free,” said Lanzilotta.

The production opens on August 22 in the Martin-Lipscomb Theater at the PAC with a free wine and light bites reception following the opening night show. Shows continue August 23-25 and August 29 through September 1. The Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 P.M. and the Sunday shows are matinees at 2:00 P.M.

Get your tickets today for this timely performance at HighlandsCashiersPlayers. com or by calling (828) 526-9047. Cabaret seating is available. by Luke Osteen / photo by Susan Renfro

(L-R) Michael Lanzilotta (Director), Cathy Myers (Stage Manager, Michael Burel, Julie Harris, and Randy Lucas (cast) and Susan Kent (Assistant Director).

DINING Pages 132-151

Photo by Susan Renfro

A Marvelous Experience

Lakeside Restaurant continues to excel at the meals delivered by its supremely talented kitchen, but there’s another part of the equation that’s equally vital.

We were delighted when we made reservations at Lakeside Restaurant, not simply because this little jewel on the shore of Harris Lake is nothing short of top-tier dining.

Manager Kelly Reeme announced that we’d be seated out on the patio at Golden Hour, a sublime experience that I’ve been waiting 20 years to experience.

(This is probably a good time to mention that if you’re serious about your Plateau Dining Experience, you need to get into the habit of making your reservations as soon as possible. I tried to make reservations a week in advance and was placed on the Wait List. A rare Saturday night cancellation secured our table,

otherwise we’d be running this review in our October Issue.)

When we arrived however, we were saddened to learn that the threat of a summer thunderstorm meant that all the patio people were going to be dining indoors, in Lakeside’s soon-to-bestrained-to-capacity dining room.

I mention this easy-to-dismiss detail because it spotlights one of this Highlands Dining Experience’s unsung strengths –its impeccably trained staff, who boosted the room’s seating capacity by a third without missing a beat, without sacrificing the relaxing ambiance, or crimping their relentlessly cheerful façade.

This so-happy-to-serve-you mantra is a hallmark of Lakeside Restaurant.

As evidence, let me submit a tale from 1993 when then-owners Marty Rosenfield and Donna Woods invited Miss Chalker’s Great Beginnings class at Highlands School to their kitchen to learn how to make desserts. My son Alex was one of those pseudo-sous chefs, and the experience left him with a passion for cooking and for indulging in fine food. They were instrumental in founding and managing the Highlands Food Pantry, which has enriched countless local families.

Lakeside, under the aegis of owner Laura Huerta, has continued to support the Plateau’s people and charitable causes.

And that generosity of spirit is felt

within the restaurant as well.

When we arrived for our July meal, we were welcomed by Kelly, who remembered us from previous visits and asked about our lives in this busy season.

Our server Sue continued the conversation, apologizing for the “coziness” of the hastily re-arranged dining room. She was bright and composed and heaps of fun as she outlined the specials in a spirit that I can only classify as “Highlands-y.”

And then there was Merrell, who wasn’t assigned to our table, but stopped by to ask about Alex, whom she’d first encountered decades ago. How’s that for a burst of small-town friendliness?

And we were charmed by Laura, who made a point to visit every table and engage in the sort of small talk that’s been keeping people returning to the restaurant for generations.

The servers pinballed around the little dining room with a grace that recalled the complex slide-step motions of a ballet company. It was fun to watch, and it somehow mirrored the wonderful paintings that adorn the walls – warm and silly local animals engaged in human-adjacent occupations. I challenge you not to smile at these whimsical creations.

But of course, all of those high spirits, all of the fun adornments, would be for naught if the kitchen couldn’t deliver, and our table was delighted that Chef Kevin Turner’s high standards paid off in spades.

Among the dishes presented in short order were Hazelnut Encrusted Halibut, Crab Cakes, and Stuffed Rainbow Trout. It’s an eternal mystery how seafood so fresh could be served in a landlocked

mountain town a thousand miles from the Gulf. Laura assures me that the trout wasn’t pulled from Harris Lake an hour before it ended up on our table.

Well, I’ve squandered my word count by going on and on about the warm service and genuine delights built into this place, and I don’t have room to tell you how much we enjoyed our meal.

I’ve written before in these pages about the culinary treats served up, but I wanted to underline what a marvelous experience it is to visit Lakeside Restaurant. Be sure to make reservations for this little jewel on the shore of Harris Lake by calling (828) 526-9419. View the menu online at lakesiderestaurant.info.

by Luke Osteen

photos by Susan Renfro

Best Served Chilled

If you’re considering plunging into the deep, seductive sea of superior wine, Marlene offers some sound advice.

Of all the many writings on wine I have stumbled upon, the legendary importer Kermit Lynch remains my favorite. His delight in both wine and words is evident in this excerpt from a recent column in which he reveals a discovery about President Thomas Jefferson: “We do however learn that Jefferson, the complicated genius, was up to downing a glass or two of Riesling with breakfast. If that detail warms your heart, you’ve come to the right place.”

But I am not content to learn about wine solely from the pages of a book. For me, there is no better place to learn than a well-run shop. Which is how, after all, I came to the perfect place – the Highlands Wine Shoppe.

Stephanie Miskew, a Certified Sommelier, and her husband Steve took over this shop several ago following their purchase of Buck’s Café in Cashiers.

Recently I spent a few joyous hours there

exchanging tales about bottles on the shelves. I could feel their joy and taste on relating what they chose to select and what to recommend: four whites and two reds best served chilled.

2023 Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli, Txakolina, Spain: Floral and spice notes waft through the juicy flavors of red apple, tangerine zest and honeydew melon on display in this sleek white, with a light, pleasing plumpness on the palate. $23.99

2023 Valentino Butussi Sauvignon Colli Orientali del Friuli, Fruili, Italy: A classic Sauvignon Blanc and a fabulous, elegant wine, bursting with passionfruit, peach and freshly cut herbs. $24.99

2022 Castello Banfi ‘La Pettegola’ Vermentino, Tuscany, Italy: Straw yellow wine, with intense citrus and yellow peach aromas accompanied by notes of flowers and sage. Its full body is well balanced by its freshness. $23.99

2019 Empire Estate Dry Riesling, Finger

Lakes, NY: So easy to love! Intense mineral aromas of crushed gravel, wet shale and limestone, combined with notes of green and golden apple, peach, and white flower. $21.99

2021 Cantine Valpane Rosso Pietro Barbera del Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy: Aoaring aromatics and flavors of black cherries, herbs, blackcurrant, and earth. A wine made for pure pleasure, and you’ll be amazed by how much refinement and complexity are also on display. $18.99

2020 Dupre Goujon Cote de Brouilly L’Heronde, Beaujolais, France: Supple and charming for a young wine from Dupré Gujon. Bursting with aromas of blackberries, plums and sweet soil tones, it’s medium- to full-bodied with a fleshy core of fruit, tangy acids and an expansive finish. $38.99

by Marlene Osteen

None Better Than Markie’s

Capering Capers! Markie Weinstein’s Grilled Caesar Salad teaches new tricks to this century-old kitchen classic.

Markie Weinstein, the newly anointed head chef at the everpopular Ugly Dog Pub, found her culinary inspiration at an early age, inspired by her mother and grandmothers. After earning a degree in culinary arts from the Art Institute of Chicago, she headed South to Auburn, Alabama, to work for David Bancroft at his legendary Southern food restaurant, Acre. She had risen to the position of sous chef by the time she left to become Executive Chef at several leading Atlanta restaurants, including General Muir.

As the traveling Executive Chef for the Indigo Road Hospitality Group, she and her husband, Matt Weinstein, moved to Highlands to head up the culinary operations at the Skyline Lodge. Off duty, Markie delights in cooking for

friends and family, often showcasing her astonishingly good Caesar Salad.

I’ve made more variations of what has become the eponymous Caesar Salad than I can recount. But none better than Markie’s - a decadent hymn to the “stylish salad” often served to Ladies Who Lunch. Resplendent with the smoky saltiness of bacon, she grills the romaine leaves to a slightly softened and charred center, before topping it off with juicy grilled chicken thighs, pickled red onions and hard-boiled eggs.

Grilled Caesar Salad Serves 4

For the Salad Dressing Ingredients

2 small garlic cloves, peeled

6 anchovy fillets

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons capers, drained

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Texas Pete

¼ cup grated Parmesan

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅔ cup canola oil

Directions

Step 1: Insert the chopping blade into the work bowl of the food processor. With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube and process until

Markie Weinstein

finely chopped. Add the anchovies, egg yolks, capers, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Texas Pete and pepper to the work bowl. Process until well blended.

Step 2: With the machine running, slowly pour olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream until the dressing is emulsified, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

For the Salad

Ingredients

½ red onion, very thinly sliced into ribbons

Kosher salt

¼ cup red wine vinegar

8ounces high-quality bacon, coarsely chopped

2 large heads (about 1½ pounds) romaine lettuce, trimmed and quartered

1 1/2 pounds skinless and boneless

chicken thighs

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 hard-cooked eggs, quartered

½ cup grated parmesan

Step 1: Make the Pickled Onions. Place onion in a bowl, and season with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle vinegar on top, and let sit 10 minutes more.

Step 2: Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it has rendered all its fat and the pieces are crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate or bowl, leaving the fat behind in the skillet; set bacon aside.

Step 3: Make the chicken: Rub chicken with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set a grill to medium-high. Generously oil the grates, then add the chicken and cook until the bottom is charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Use tongs to turn over the thighs and con-

tinue to grill until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces; turn thighs over again if necessary. Move thighs to a cooler part of the grill if browning too quickly. Transfer to a platter

Step 4: Grill romaine: toss romaine with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer and grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and softened all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer romaine to a large serving platter.

Step 5: Remove lettuces to a large platter or individual plates. Paint the dressing into the crevices between the leaves of the romaine. Top with chicken, hard-boiled egg, pickled onion, and bacon bits. Drizzle with more of the Caesar dressing and sprinkle grated parmesan to taste.

by Marlene Osteen / photos by Susan Renfro

A Megawatt Collaboration

The long-cherished traditional Sunday Supper is elevated to nearlegendary status with Old Edwards’ Sunday Supper at The Farm at Old Edwards – Sunday, August 25.

On Sunday, August 25, Old Edwards honors that tradition at the Third Annual Sunday Supper at The Farm at Old Edwards. In a megawatt collaboration, Chef Sam Fore of Tuk Tuk in Lexington, Kentucky, and Chef David Bancroft of Acre in Auburn, Alabama, are teaming up in what promises to be a pitch-perfect ode to the Sunday Supper.

Many of you may remember Bancroft from last year’s event. He’s the guy that Garden & Gun Magazine dubbed, “Renaissance Chef.” A fitting description for the four-time semifinalist James Beard Awards Best Chef South and winner of Food Network’s Iron Chef Showdown competition in 2017. And he’s also a forager, fisherman, hunter, gardener, and farmer. In 2013 he opened his fine-dining restaurant Acre in Auburn, followed in 2018 with the opening of Bow & Arrow – which he describes as, “Texas smokehouse meets

Alabama potluck.”

Best known as “the Sri Lankan Snack Queen,” Chef Sam Fore likes to think of the Sri Lankan food she grew up eating in her mother’s kitchen as, “the love child of Indian and Thai food.” In 2016, following her return to her Kentucky birthplace, she started a pop-up series. Most recently she was honored by the James Beard Foundation as a finalist for Best Chef Southeast and she’s a member of the cast of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street which air nationally on PBS channels.

For the ultimate Southern Sunday Supper, Fore and Bancroft will convene to craft a four-course menu with hors d’oeuvres that marries both culinary styles.

The authentic evening begins with an alfresco cocktail hour with small tastes, a preview of what’s to come: Fore’s Coconut Curry Deviled Eggs and Oysters and Caviar presented by Bancroft.

For the seated dinner that follows,

Fore prepares a first course of Tomato, cucumber, and onion salad with tamarind lime vinaigrette and fried eggplant. The second course, Bancroft makes the most of summer bounty in a dish of “summer tomato rigatoni with blue crab and deckhand butter.”

The chefs team up for the main course: Tuk’s signature fried chicken with coconut garlic gravy and Bancroft’s St. Louis-style ribs with fermented Chile honey. On the side there’s more homage to the season – butter beans, creamed corn, okra, and tomatoes. Wine pairing and good company complement the dinner and live music rounds out the evening.

For more information and to book online, visit oldedwardshospitality.com/ chefdinners.

by Marlene Osteen

Pancakes for Scholars

Let’s raise a glass of OJ! The Scaly Mountain Women’s Club is bringing back their famous Pancake Breakfasts – from 8:00 to 10:30 AM. on August 24 at the Scaly Mountain Community Center.

The Scaly Mountain Women’s Club was organized in 1988, when 14 like-minded ladies joined forces to provide scholarships to residents for post-high school/technical school education. The club has grown to over 80 members, currently supporting 15 students with their academic endeavors.

The scholars receive eight semesters of college or technical college tuition in a reimbursement program. Since inception, the Scaly Mountain Women’s Club has raised over $500,000 for scholarships and donations to the community.

In addition to scholarships, the club supports several non-profit organizations such as The Highlands Emergency Council, The Scaly Mountain Historical Society, The Counseling Center of Highlands, The Sky Valley-Scaly Mountain Volunteer Fire Department,

and the Highlands Community Child Development Center.

The first pancake breakfast of the Scaly Mountain Women’s Club was held Saturday, June 22, at the Scaly Mountain Community Center (Scaly School House)

…has raised over $500,000 for scholarships…

off Buck Knob/Dillard Road in Scaly Mountain, NC from 8:00 to 10:30 AM.

Like the June 22 event, the August 24 breakfast is completely organized, staffed and cooked by dedicated members of the club and their families and have always been viewed as an act of community service and involvement. Come enjoy homemade blueberry

or plain pancakes, sausage, coffee, orange juice, and fellowship with your neighbors. There will be games – corn hole, putt putt, etc. – with prizes awarded at the end of the summer. Last year, the prizes were fantastic handcarved eagles and bears donated by an anonymous Scaly Mountain Crafters customer. Cost is $8/ adult; $6/child; and $30/family.

For more information on this event or for a membership form to join this group of enthusiastic, hard-working women, contact scalymountainwomen@gmail.com. Everyone is welcome!

by Dee Vollmer, Scaly Mountain Women’s Club

The Coffee Bar at Outpost Inn

With attention to detail and an unshakable commitment to relaxation, Jason Reeves opens up The Outpost Inn – 790 North 4th Street in Highlands.

“It’s where Neil Young would be at home if he came to Appalachia,” is how Jason Reeves described it. He was talking about his latest venture, or should I say adventure – the conversion of the former Wells Hotel into what is now The Outpost Inn.

A native of Virginia, Reeves discovered Highlands while studying at Sewanee. But it wasn’t until 2016 that he decided that Highlands was where he wanted to put his money. After college he moved to Charleston and spent some time restoring 18th century houses before enrolling at Boston University where he received a Master’s in Historic Preservation. He got another master’s at Harvard in design studies with a focus on real estate, spent 15 years working in New York City, and moved back to Charleston.

In 2016, Reeves and his young daughter outran a hurricane and ended up at Main Street Inn. “We ate at Main Street

Inn, and I knew I wanted to invest and create Highlander Mountain House,” he said. He chased it down for years before finally getting a contract in 2019. At Highlander Mountain House, “The whole concept is the English country house hotels found in the Cotswolds, transposed into Southern Appalachia,” he explained.

Mixing eras and design influences is Reeves’ thing. It is the same design ethos he followed at the Outpost Inn, which he says feels like a funky mountain retreat from the 70s. Like the rooms, the inn’s generous public spaces are furnished with a mix of important mid-century pieces from prominent designers, sprinkled with primitive and rustic pieces found at flea markets. With tables for workspaces, comfortable chairs, and low-slung lounge seating, the spacious lobby, and adjacent outdoor areas that include a terrace, side patio, and main firepit area, offered a dazzling opportunity to locate the perfect

European-style coffee bar.

Open six days a week, the Coffee Bar brews Methodical espresso-based coffees, drip coffee, cold brew, and chai tea along with complimentary banana bread from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Reeves has said that he designs his spaces to be immersive, that he wants his guests to be enveloped, to feel cozy. The setting for the morning routine matters – there’s something especially pleasing about sipping coffee, reading the paper or meeting a friend in an environment so whimsical and enchanting. The mood is welcoming and casual – the coffee simply tastes better here.

Soon – by Labor Day – the Coffee Bar will convert to a Craft Beer and Natural Wine Bar at night with a rotating selection of beer and wines, serving house-made charcuterie and trout dip. Stay tuned for details.

For more informaion, visit outpostinnhighlands.com.

by Marlene Osteen | photos by Susan Renfro

Plateau Dining Guide

Lakeside Restaurant Smallwood Avenue (828)

CASHIERS, NC

Buck’s Coffee Cafe - (828) 743-9997

Chile Loco - (828) 743-1160

Cornucopia Restaurant - (828) 743-3750

El Manzanillo - (828) 743-5522

On the Side BBQ - (828) 743-4334

Native Prime Provisions (828) 743-3743

Subway - (828) 743-1300

Ugly Dog - (828) 743-3000

Whiteside Brewing Company - (828) 743-6000

GLENVILLE, NC

JJ’s Canteen and Eatery - (828) 743-7778

HIGHLANDS, NC

Asia House - (828) 787-1680

Black Bear Cafe - (828) 482-7020

The Blue Bike Cafe - (828) 526-9922

Bryson’s Deli - (828) 526-3775

Divine South Baking Company - (828) 421-2042

Dusty’s - (828) 526-2762

El Azteca - (828) 526-2244

Fressers

Courtyard Cafe - (828) 526-4188

Highlands Tavern - (828) 526-9002

Madison’s Restaurant - (828) 787-2525

Mountain Fresh - (828) 526-2400

The Ruffed Grouse - (828) 526-2590

Spinx Highlands - (828) 526-4191

The Stubborn Seed - (828) 200-0813

Subway - (828) 526-1706

Wild Thyme Gourmet - (828) 526-4035

LAKE TOXAWAY, NC

Grand Olde Station - (828) 966-4242

Los Vaqueros - (828) 966-7662

Sweetwater Perk & Creamery, LLC - (828) 577-0469

Villa Amato (828) 885-7700

SAPPHIRE, NC

The Fix Bar & Lounge - (828) 743-7477

Jim’s Place at Sapphire Country Store - (828) 966-4011

Mica’s Restaurant - (828) 743-5740

Panthertown Cafe - (828) 862-3663

Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company - (828) 743-0220

Slopeside Tavern - (828) 743-8655

Plateau Lodging Guide

Accommodations on the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

HOTELS / MOTELS / BED & BREAKFASTS

Fire Mountain Resort & Spa 700 Happy Hill Rd | Scaly Mountain firemt.com

BREVARD, NC:

Meraki Escape - (828) 463-7440

CASHIERS, NC:

High Hampton Resort - (800) 648-4252

Hotel Cashiers - (828) 743-7706

The Lakehouse - (904) 753-0247

Landmark Vacation Rentals- (877) 926-1780

Mountain Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-0258

The Orchard Guest Cottage - (828) 743-7614

Pebble Creek Village - (828) 743-0623

Silver Creek Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-1999

The Wells HotelA Cashiers Experience - (828) 761-6289

FRANKLIN, NC:

Southern Belles

Glamping - (828) 371-9890

GLENVILLE, NC:

Innisfree Bed & Breakfast - (828) 743-2946

Mountain Lake Rentals - (828) 743-6875

Prime Property Rentals - (828) 743-3482

HIGHLANDS, NC:

200 Main - (855) 271-2809

Berkshire Realty Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-1717

Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-3717

Fairview House - (866) 526-8008

Half Mile Farm - (855) 271-7246

Highlander Mountain House - (828) 526-2590

Highlands House Bed and Breakfast - (828) 787-1186

Highlands Inn - (828) 526-9380

Highlands Inn Lodge - (828) 526-5899

Highlands Resort Rentals - (828) 526-5839

The Inn at Mill Creek - 828-526-9999

Lotts of Sky - (404) 395-4000

Lullwater House - (423) 488-2799

Old Edwards Inn and Spa - (866) 526-8008

Outpost Inn (828) 482-7736

Park on Main - (800) 221-5078

Ray’s Roost - (678) 534-6870

Rent in Highlands - CCP - (800) 684-2171 x 302

Rockwood Lodge - (828) 526-8919

Silver Creek Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-2999

Trailborn Highlands (828) 482-1581

Valentine Manor - (561) 613-1496

The Wells Hotel - (828) 482-7736

Whiteside Cove Cottages - (828) 526-2222

SAPPHIRE, NC:

Club Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-3441

Foxhunt at Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-7667

Hampton Inn & SuitesCashiers-Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-4545

Mt Toxaway Lodge & Motel - (828) 966-4582

Sapphire Run at Whisper Lake - (863) 412-5734

Whispering Falls - (352) 470-4085

Woods at Buc - (770) 714-9211

SCALY MOUNTAIN, NC:

Fire Mountain Resort & Spa - (800) 775-4446

The Vineyard at 37 High Holly - (828) 505-6190

LAKE TOXAWAY, NC:

Cabins at Seven Foxes - (828) 877-6333

Earthshine Lodge - (828) 862-4207

Greystone Inn - (828) 966-4700

Lake Toxaway Realty Company - (828) 508-9141

Photo by Susan Renfro

Plateau Picks

A few of our favorite things

LIKE THE WHITE WINGED DOVE

The Chinese felt the dove was a symbol of peace and long life. To early Greeks and Romans, doves represented love, devotion, and care for family. And according to the Bible – the dove is the symbol of true love, beauty, peace, hope, and freedom.

Woman with Bird, 30x40 acrylic | $ 2000

Laura Moser Art | Cashiers

HOPE AND PROTECTION

From Gracewear’s newest Always Collection, this gold vermeil paperclip choker is both elegant and stunning. It is embellished by their iconic Shield of Faith charm, placed on a symbolic dogwood bloom.

Choker with Dogwood Shield of Faith Charm | $196 Gracewear Collection | Cashiers

A HEAD FOR ADVENTURE

Hiking our trails just got breezier. This sun hat features cover from the sun and Tilly’s signature mesh ventilation to keep the cool air flowing. Made from 100% recycled nylon, it also repels the rainkeeping you cool and styling in the great outdoors.

Tlley Airflow Sun Hat | $ 89 Headwaters Outfitters | Lake Toxaway

NATURAL BEAUTY

We love the beautiful maple leaf motif on these earrings and accompanying ring. Pair them with this stunning gemstone necklace for a look of natural sophistication.

4kt Maple Leaf Earrings | $ 650

Diamonds and 18kt Maple Leaf Ring | $ 3800

14kt Multi-Gem Neckpiece | $ 4300

Jannie Bean Designs | Highlands

DREAMY NIGHTS

What’s not to love about this colorful 100% cotton pjs? Cool against the skin, the pants are wide-legged with an extra comfy stretch waistband, and pockets! The button-up top has a comfy swing fit and is very stylish with piped ribbon details. Prepare for the most dreamy night you have ever had.

Mersea Pajama Set | $145

The Dry Sink | Highlands

GOLDEN ELEGANCE

This beautiful lingerie set offers outstanding support with a wonderfully lightweight feel. We love the old-style gold shade –simply luxurious.

Empreinte Bra $215 | Empreinte Underwear $96

Haley’s Fine Lingerie | Highlands

Four Talented Creators

Style, sensibility, and a dash of panache – Acorns’ August pop-up offerings are perfect for the season and far into the future.

Isabelle Ambrose Jewelry

It’s where the magic happens – the annual season of pop-ups at Acorns, Old Edwards home décor and furnishing store.

In August, four talented creators of designer jewelry and home goods will be spotlighted. It’s a chance to glimpse four very special collections, preview new and exclusive offerings, and form a one-to-one connection with the artist or representative.

Anyone who loves jewelry, collects jewelry, or is simply interested in jewelry wants to do one thing, visit a place where jewelry that makes a statement is offered. That’s not always easy to find – which is why these shows are so compelling.

Friday through Sunday, August 2-4: Jude Frances Jewelry Showcase – Minimalist, geometric designs inspired by nature and architecture and made from high quality metals – sterling silver and gold – are signatures of the Los Angeles-based brand from Jude Frances.

Friday through Sunday, August 9-11: Elizabeth Locke Jewelry Showcase –Elizabeth Locke has firmly established a brand synonymous with worldly treasures and unique materials. Timeless designs, exquisite craftsmanship and the incorporation of both gemstones and unique materials (ancient coins and vintage intaglios) are hallmarks of designer Elizabeth Locke. Classic elegance and modern sensibility combine in her collection resulting in the heirloom quality pieces that can be passed down through generations. Veranda Magazine compared her pieces to, “artifacts returning to life and connecting us to a world’s long past.”

Friday through Saturday, August 16-17: Isabelle Ambrose Jewelry Designer PopUp. At the heart of Isabelle Ambrose’s collection are the bracelets, necklaces, and earrings she handcrafts from semiprecious stones, pearls and other high-quality materials. Her works reflect both her beginnings in Santa Rosa,

Florida in 2016, and her current residence in Highlands – drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains and the Emerald Coast of Florida. And there’s never been a better time to add a touch of Southern charm to your home or shop for an elevated, artful gift that will always be appreciated.

Friday through Sunday, August 23-25: Southern Bungalow Candles Designer Pop-Up. A home that any Southerner would appreciate is filled with the luxuriant scents of candles from Southern Bungalow. The carefully curated and inspired-by-nature candles are infused with essential oils, and come in a variety of scents, including Beach House, Coastal Citrus, and Magnolia Blossom. There’s always something new happening in the world of design at Acorns. To learn more about these and future happenings, visit oldedwardshospitality.com/ designerpopup.

by Marlene Osteen

Monkee’s Fashion High

Imagine a store beyond your wildest dreams—an upscale, stylish boutique where the owner knows customers by name and aims to provide the ultimate shopping experience. That’s Monkee’s —a place that prides itself on offering an intimate shopping experience, helping friends leave feeling beautiful and looking their best.

Catering to women of all ages and price points, Elena likes to say, “We offer one-stop shopping where you can find anything from a casual outfit to an event dress.” Every Southern wardrobe needs a seriously pretty summer dress, and Monkee’s is the perfect place to stock up on easy, elegant looks for work, errands, or any occasion, day or night. The boutique offers some of the loveliest summer frocks from upscale designers, including Emerson Fry, Farm Rio, Sue Sartor, and Allison New York. The list of designers is compelling, featuring dresses by Ro’s Garden and Hutch, and shoes from Bibi Lou and Sam Edelman.

Monkee’s 383 Main Street, Highlands (828) 482-1487

Ava Schmitt (left) is wearing dress by Hutch, sandals by Sam Edelman, and clutch by BTB Los Angeles.

Leah Grace Craig (right) is wearing dress by Ro’s Garden, sandals by Bibi Lou and shoulder bag by Olga Berg.

Half-Mile Farm | Highlands, NC

photos by Susan Renfro and Mary Gillan Renfro

Bungalow Boutique Fashion High

Looking to elevate your wellbeing? Look no further than Bungalow Boutique. Owned by Mary Abranyi, a local realtor passionate about creating a holistic environment for her clients, Bungalow bridges the gap between cultivating inner peace and curating a stylish haven for your active lifestyle.

Bungalow offers more than just yoga apparel and essentials (though you’ll find a curated selection of those too!). Discover comfortable clothing for all your outdoor pursuits, whether you’re hiking, dominating the tennis court, or perfecting your swing on the golf course.

Bungalow elevates function with fashion. Browse their selection of fun and functional sunglasses, Italian purses, and one-of-a-kind bags from local artisans. Each piece is both beautiful and practical, perfectly complementing your active lifestyle. Take the feeling of tranquility home with you. Bungalow offers a delightful collection of aromatic candles, cozy pillows, and mindful jewelry. Indulge further with luxurious throws and spa essentials handcrafted by local makers.

Bungalow Boutique 21 A Lance Road, Cashiers (828) 743-9350

Leah Grace Craig (left) is wearing a racer back tank and leggings by Beyond Yoga Active Clothing.

Ava Schmitt (right) is wearing a sports dress by Beyond Yoga Active Clothing.

Half-Mile Farm | Highlands, NC

photos by Susan Renfro and Mary Gillan Renfro

C. Orrico Fashion High

The only C. Orrico location outside South Florida, the Highlands store, opened by the three sisters, Casey, Kathie, and Colleen celebrates 13 years! We cater to generational families who cross vacation between Florida and here.

True to the store’s motto, “Where Highlands comes to play,” the shop offers a collection of fresh, fun, and flirty apparel with a classic preppy aesthetic.

If you’re looking to stock up on breezy, breathable, and fashionable frocks for the summer, C. Orrico has the very best variety in a rainbow of colors, patterns, and styles from Oliphant, Amanda Uprichard, Celia B, Hale Bob, Love the Label, and more. These versatile styles can easily take you from day to night. For those cooler evenings, luxurious sweaters from White and Warren to cozy signature sweatshirts will be the perfect add-on piece. As one enthusiastic client commented, “This is a one-stop shopping haven for every girl in the world.”

C. Orrico

343 Main Street, Highlands (828) 526-9122

Ava Schmitt (left) is wearing dress by Miss June.

Leah Grace Craig (right) is wearing dress by Gaya.

Half-Mile Farm | Highlands, NC

photos by Susan Renfro and Mary Gillan Renfro

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WEST END

1. On The Verandah Restaurant

2. Highlands Smokehouse

3. High Country Wine & Provisions

5. The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts

6. The Bascom Shop

7. The Dave Drake Ceramic Barn at The Bascom

SOUTH END

22. Trailborn Highlands

25. 4118 Kitchen & Bar

27. Dauntless Printing

37. Lupoli Construction

38. Allen Tate/Pat Allen Realty Group

39. Highlands Decorating Center

45. Don Leon’s

47. M & Co.

48. ACP Home Interiors

50. The Summer House

51. Nancy’s Fancys/ The Exchange

60. Divine South Baking Company

MAIN STREET

101. Main Street Nursery

102. Rosewood Market

104. Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center

106. Los Vaqueros

122. Highlander Mountain House & Ruffed Grouse Tavern

123. The Park on Main Hotel

124. Landmark Realty

126. Shiraz Oriental Rug Galleries

128. Primary Kitchen + Bar

132. Elevation: High Fashion for Women

134. The Southern Way

136. Dutchmans

141. Main Street Gifts

146. Wit’s End Shoppe

147. Calders Coffee Cafe

148. Highlands Fine Art & Estate Jewelry + Wine Shop

152. Highlands Sotheby’s International Realty

153. Allison Diane Clothing

158. C. Orrico

160. TJ Bailey for Men

163. Spoiled Rotten

166. Annawear

167. The Christmas Tree

169. Country Club Properties

170. Highlands Pizza Place

174. Elena’s

175. Monkee’s

180. Bijou

185. Ristorante Paoletti

187. The Dry Sink

190. Wolfgang’s Restaurant & Wine Bistro

191. Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Meadows Mountain Realty

195. Old Edwards Inn

196. Madison’s Restaurant

197. The Wine Garden

198. Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar

203. Country Club Properties

208. Highland Hiker Shoes

210. Creative Concepts Salon

211. Highland Hiker

WRIGHT SQUARE on MAIN

(Factoid: Named after Whiteside hero)

115. Preferred Properties of Highlands 117. Country Club Properties, Wright Square Office

ON THE HILL

300. Highlands Gem Shop

302. Wish & Shoes

303. Mirror Lake Antiques

305. Jeanie Edwards Fine Art

306. Acorns

308. Highlands Burrito

310. McCulley’s

311. Martha Anne’s on the Hill

312. The Ugly Dog Public House

313. Old Edwards Inn

318. Peggy Crosby Center: - Center for Life Enrichment

- The Kitchen Carry Away & Catering

- Highlands Cashiers

Health Foundation

319. Lakeside Restaurant

SPRING VILLAGE

400. Jannie Bean Fine Custom Jewelry

403. Oakleaf

406. Brookings Fly Shop

VILLAGE PARK

612. The Highlands Hatter

613. Cleaveland Realty

616. Fressers Courtyard Cafe

618. Secret Garden

619. Christie’s Internatonal Real Estate Highlands Cashiers

CAROLINA VILLAGE

701. Mountain Life Properties

702. Highlands Historic Village

704. Creekside Village: - Suncoast Equity Management

708. Haley’s Fine Lingerie

709. Wayah Insurance

710. The High Dive

710. The Hideaway at The High Dive

711. Roots & Vine

712. Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals

NorthHighlands,Carolina

NORTH END

801. Green Mountain Builders

808. Whole Life Market & Nectar Juice Bar

812. The Outpost Inn

815. Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival

815. Highlands-Cashiers Players

815. Highlands Performing Arts Center

815. Mountain Theatre Company

OUT NC 106

➡ Peak Experience

➡ Highlands Outpost

➡ Allan Dearth and Sons

Generators

➡ Fire Mountain Resort & Spa/ Cloud 7 Restaurant

➡ Highlands Aerial Park

➡ Vineyard at High Holly

➡ Sky Valley Country Club

OUT 64 WEST

➡ Jackson Hole Gem Mine

OUT 64 EAST

➡ Black Rock Design Build

➡ Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services

Meadows Mountain Realty

➡ WHLC

➡ Highlands Lawn & Garden

➡ High Camp

➡ Highlands Rock Yard

➡ Mission Health

➡ Rejuvenate Laser Center

➡ Reclamations

➡ The Brier Patch

➡ Allen Tate/ Pat Allen Realty Group

➡ Highlands Dermatology

➡ Roman’s Roofing

VISIT FRANKLIN

➡ The Attic Antiques

➡ Clark & Co Hardscape Supply

➡ Diva’s on Main

➡ Uptown Gallery

VISIT CLAYTON

➡ Butler Galleries

➡ Downtown Clayton, GA

➡ Mountain Lakes Physicians Group

➡ Mountain Home Spa

➡ Porch Living

➡ Willow Valley RV Resort

For a complete listing please visit our website, thelaurelmagazine.com.

Being added to our listing is easy! Simply advertise with The Laurel.

Visit Our Advertisers

NORTH

107

2. Zookeeper Bistro

6. Slab Town Pizza

16. Stork’s - Wrap. Pack. Ship.

19. The Look Boutique

20. Mountain Mermaid

21. Sashay Around Ladies Boutique

THE SHOPS AT CASHIERS COMMONS

22. Joan Anderson Interiors

25. Bella Cotn

27. Bird Barn & Garden

28. Cashiers Kitchen Co.

30. Bombshell Hair Boutique

31. The Watershed Shoppe

33. Zoller Hardware

AT THE CROSSROADS

37. Landmark Realty Group

39. Cashiers Farmers Market

CHESTNUT SQUARE

43. A Jones Company

45. Cashiers Valley Real Estate

47. Lehotsky & Sons, Builders

54. Mountain Home Consignments

55. Fusion Yoga & Wellness

55. The Bungalow Boutique

59. Las Margaritas

EAST 64

62. Laurel Terrace:

- Natural Element Homes

63. Alexander Gardens:

- Victoria’s Closet

- Victoria’s Closet Shoes & Purses

- Vic’s for Men

72. Ingles Plaza

- Allen Tate/ Pat Allen Realty Group

75. Carolina Rustic Furniture

76. Blue Ridge Bedding

79. Jennings Builders Supply

VILLAGE WALK

80. A-List Antiques

80. Josephine’s Emporium

80. Laura Moser Art

82. The Village Hound

82 Dana Kelly Oriental Rugs

85. Children’s Edit

86. Nora & Co.

89. Nearly New Furniture Consignment

90. Gracewear Boutique

96. Dr. Anita Dormer

SOUTH

107

102. TJ Bailey’s for Men

105. Atelier Maison

105. ID.ology Interiors & Design

105. Living Stone Design + Build

107. Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Meadows Mountain Realty

108. Landmark Realty Group

110. McCulley’s

111. Rusticks

111. Cashiers Designer Showhouse Tickets

112. Vivianne Metzger Antiques

113. Brookings Fly Shop & Cashiers Village Outfitters

115. Chestnut Cove

116. Tampa Bay Trust Company

121. Robin’s Nest

122. Landmark Realty Group

123. Caliber Fine Properties

128. Mountainworks

Custom Home Design LTD.

130. The Cashiers Store

136. Cashiers Sotheby’s International RealtyThe McKee Group

137. Bounds Cave Rug Gallery

138. The Orchard Restaurant, Events Barn & Guest Cottage

THE VILLAGE

GREEN

142. Village Green Commons

143. The Village Green

WEST 64

145. Edgewood Antiques

146. Shoppes On The Green: - Sugar Creek Custom Cabinets

154. Cashiers Valley Smokehouse

155. Cashiers Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center

155. Cashiers Designer Showhouse Tickets

156. Creekside: - Toby West Antiques

157. Sotheby’s International Realty

172. Whiteside Art Gallery

173. Betsy Paul Properties

176. Lenz Gifts

DOWN 107 NORTH

➡ Bazaar Barn

DOWN 107 SOUTH

➡ Silver Run Reserve

➡ Cashiers Historical Society

➡ Cashiers Designer Showhouse Tickets

VISIT BREVARD

➡ Number 7 Arts

VISIT CULLOWHEE

➡ Four Seasons Landscape

VISIT GLENVILLE

➡ Crawford Construction

➡ Happ’s Place

➡ Smoky Mountain Transportation

VISIT LAKE TOXAWAY

➡ The Greystone Inn

➡ Los Vaqueros

VISIT SAPPHIRE :

➡ Burlingame

➡ Sapphire Valley Real Estate

VISIT SYLVA :

➡ Baxter’s Tree Service

For a complete listing please visit our website, thelaurelmagazine.com.

Being added to our listing is easy! Simply advertise with The Laurel.

Pages 176-185

Photo by Susan Renfro

Meraki Escape

Meraki Escape is a retreat from the stresses of 21st Century life and a passport to adventure and discovery. For more information, visit merakiescape.com.

The mountains are a master secret keeper.

In the thicket of the nearby Pisgah National Forest, bear and coyotes wander among the lush greens.

In a clearing on Frozen Creek lives another secret: the luxury log cabins, waterfalls, and hiking trails of Meraki Escape. The cinematic beauty of the discrete two cabin hideaway can be attributed to the natural glory of the Blue Ridge Mountains and its founders: Dana and David Antonuccio.

Meraki Escape is unique because of how it began. During the 3 years they lived in Heidelberg, Germany, from 2014 to 2017 the Antonuccios, along with their two daughters traveled to 24 countries. Their journeys ignited a passion for hospitality business, inspiring them to dedicate their “second phase” of life—between being empty nesters and retirees—to creating an exceptional retreat.

Enriched by travels in the Far East, Western Europe, Canada, Mexico and the US, they determined to create a haven that would include all their passions. “We love hiking, waterfalls,

biking, fishing and everything outdoors. We also love luxury and feel everyone needs a bit of that in their lives even if for just a short while.”

In 2021, after a lengthy search and extensive exploration they discovered their idyllic spot.

On acquiring the 10-acre property, the Antonuccios meticulously crafted an idyllic mountain retreat that is at once deeply comfortable and private. Each cabin at 2,800-feet elevation with views of both the forests and the mountains. In designing the cabins, they embraced a deluxe but cozy aesthetic – big windows with French doors opening to the outdoors, spa-like bathrooms, fireplaces, and covered porches – in tune with the intoxicating natural beauty of the surroundings.

Their goal was to create a retreat where every guest would feel a sense of belonging at Meraki Escape. The names of the cabins reflect this intent. Meraki, a Greek word, means doing something with soul, love and passion. Ukiyo, Japanese, means living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life. Cynefin, Welsh, means a place where a person feels it

out to live and belong, where nature around you feels right and welcoming.

Guests experiencing the good life at Meraki can retreat to their own private hot tub or venture out to the property’s half-mile hiking trail, visit one of its three waterfalls or book a private yoga and guided meditation session.

For adventure seekers looking for thrills beyond Meraki’s scenic trails and waterfalls, the location provides more chances for exploring. A mere half mile from Gorges State Park’s rear entrance, it’s a quick car or bike ride to more hiking and waterfall adventures.

The log cabins are 12 miles from the center of downtown Brevard, 8 miles from Lake Toxaway, 21 miles from Cashiers, 50 miles from the iconic hotspot, the city of Asheville, and Biltmore Estate, and 20 miles from The Blue Ridge Parkway.

Meraki Escape, an adult only retreat, is open year-round.

by Marlene Osteen

Treasures and Tickets

Jan Plemmons’ Ticket to Toxaway paints a vivid portrait of the lake in the early 20th century and the larger-than-life personalities that sustained it.

What sounds good for breakfast? Radishes? Picked Up Codfish in Cream?

Better save room for the Minced Sweetbreads on Toast!

That’s from the Sunday, Oct. 15, 1905, menu of the Toxaway Inn. To be fair, guests could also get steak, eggs and griddle cakes.

“Luncheon” a few hours later offered roast beef and dinner featured escalloped oysters and pear fritters with claret sauce.

Thanks to the wonderful, fascinating, 2004 Ticket to Toxaway by Jan C. Plemmons – itself a major updating and revision of her 1984 Treasures of Toxaway – readers can go back to Lake Toxaway’s first heyday when from 1903 until 1916 (when the dam impounding the lake failed disastrously), a 200-room hotel sat on its eastern shore. Guests enjoyed hiking, swimming, fishing and boating (gas and electric launches,

sailboats, rowboats and canoes); horse and carriage rides on the vast property; a nine-hole golf course; a dance orchestra and of course all those lovely vittles.

But the Toxaway Company’s 26,000acre fiefdom stretched up to the Sapphire Lodge (which burned in the early 20th century) on Sapphire Lake and on to the Fairfield Inn on Fairfield Lake, which was still standing in the mid-1980s, when I remember having dinner there and being waited on by a high-school buddy.

While “Ticket” discusses all three inns, along with the tanning and lumbering businesses nearby, its main focus is the Toxaway Inn, and is comprised of awesome photos and reprints of local newspaper stories, brought together by a good narrative and reminiscences of those involved. The small-but-stunning images of the grand Inn’s towers rising above the forest, with a cloud-capped Toxaway Mountain looming across the

lake, remind you of the Adirondacks or White Mountains.

As Brevard’s Sylvan Valley News said of Toxaway in 1903: “Mere words fail to convey the true beauties of this magnificent section…No flights of poesy are needed in this case and none will be indulged in.”

Ms. Plemmons, an educator and historian who was born in Buncombe County and has degrees from Mars Hill and East Tennessee State, still lives on Lake Toxaway, which she discovered in 1972 – a decade after a new dam restored its glorious waters.

If you’re lucky, you can find Ms. Plemmons’s books for sale online, and the Transylvania County Library in Brevard has multiple copies available. by Stuart Ferguson, local historian, armchair traveler, and irrepressible raconteur. He reviews books for The Highland Hiker, which maintains an extensive collection of local literature.

Pages 188-191

Photo by Susan Renfro

Preserving History

Through his perseverance and passion for historical accuracy, Dr. Ran Shaffner is the unimpeachable authority on the life and times of Highlands, and so much more.

When you think of the history of the Highlands plateau, likely names like Kelsey, Hutchinson, and Lapham come to mind. Yet history is being made every day, and Highlands Historical Society wants to take a moment to recognize one of our contemporary history makers, Dr. Randolph P. Shaffner.

If you have been around Highlands for a long time you will remember Cyrano’s bookstore located on Main Street; It was a wonderful book shop; owned and carefully curated by Ran and his endless knowledge of what was worth reading. He could and would find books that were out of print and provide excellent reading recommendations for every type of reader. His love of books made a trip to Cyrano’s a literary adventure that was not to to be missed. While that was his business, his knowledge and passion for Highlands was not contained within a book shop.

Today we consider the Highlands Historical Society and Highlands

Historical Village on 4th Street a beloved part of Highlands.

That was not always the case, as a historical society had formed and failed in Highlands in the past.

In the 1990’s things in Highlands we’re changing fast, and a lot of old historic buildings were being torn down. Some locals began to take notice and in 1999 a group of committed folks, including Ran, Isabel Chambers, Dennis DeWolfe and a few others decided that it was time to reactivate the Highlands Historical Society. They restarted Highlands Historical Society and led by Ran they set out to preserve the history and buildings of this unique place.

By 2000 HHS had raised the funds for and purchased the oldest remaining house in Highlands. The Elizabeth Wright Prince house became the new home of the historical society and thus HHS settled into the Prince House on 4th Street. These visionaries saved the oldest house, enlisted 200 members,

raised funds to pay off the house and have money in their treasury, and also began a very impressive archive.

Ran led the charge with this organization, and in 2002 the North Carolina Society of Historians awarded the Highlands Historical Society the prestigious Malcolm Fowler Society Award.

The judges based their decision on the fact that in three short years, the newly reactivated society had overcome many obstacles and certainly surpassed any expectations to become the amazing heroes of historical preservation in Highlands. Ran has been involved in HHS since its relaunch, he is the archivist extraordinaire whose knowledge and ability to recall every person, place and event is as sharp today as it was in 1999.

In addition Ran’s Heart of the Blue Ridge, Highlands, North Carolina book became the de-facto source for all things Highlands history. His masterful summary brought the history of Highlands alive with pictures, brilliant

literary technique and a knowledge of people, places and events that will engage everyone.

Heart of the Blue Ridge was awarded the Willie Parker Peace History Book Award, also in 2002. If you love Highlands this book should be part of your library. It’s available today at Highlands Historical Village as well as on Amazon.

One would think that the above epic achievements would be enough, but somehow in addition, in 2005 Ran, Hillrie Quin and a volunteer group of people and organizations formed the Highlands Greenway Committee. It was a comprehensive group with churches, garden clubs, Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, Highlands Biological Station, the Highlands Cashiers Land Trust, Land Stewards of the Highlands Plateau, Highlands Historical Society, and representatives of the Town of Highlands all coming together to form the “Friends of the Greenway.”

They created a master plan that would focus on natural areas and historic sites in the Town of Highlands, with walking trails to shopping, schools,

and civic destinations.

A conceptual map of proposed trails was designed to incorporate botanical points of interest, historic sites, important birding areas, art, scenic overlooks, and other areas of natural beauty. Thus, the Greenway as we know it today was begun, also from the neverending knowledge, passion and love of Highlands of Ran Shaffner.

In 2019 Ran Shaffner was honored by the Society of North Carolina Historians with its highest award – 2019 Historian of the Year.

So when you drive around Highlands and see a historic marker sign, whether freestanding or on a building or site, take a moment to remember and thank Ran Shaffner.

Ran and his bride Margaret spend most of their time in Black Mountain these days, but they maintain a place in Highlands, and Ran is still deeply connected to Highlands and involved in HHS.

Highlands Historical Society wants to do something to honor this great educator and modern history maker of Highlands.

To honor an educator, it seems fitting to pay it forward, so it is with the greatest pleasure and excitement that the Highlands Historical Society is beginning a scholarship for a Highlands School student in Randolph P. Shaffner’s name.

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year there will be an annual scholarship awarded to a Highlands School student in Ran’s name.

The funds will come from HHS, predominately the upcoming Dazzling Dahlia Patrons Party, “Elevated Woodstock” to be held on August 27 at High Country Wine and Provisions and Highlands Smokehouse. The details and specifics of the scholarship are still being sorted.

For more info and to donate go to Highlandshistory.com. If you want a donation to go towards the scholarship, please note it on your donation.

by Kim Daugherty, Highlands Historical Society

The End of An Era

First Presbyterian Church organist (and let’s face it – child prodigy) Angie Jenkins wraps up 58 years of beautiful service.

Angie Jenkins

If you’ve attended services there at any time during the past 58 years, then you have been blessed by Angie Jenkins’ sensitive and skillful piano and organ playing. After serving her church for so many years as organist and pianist, seventh-generation Highlander Angie Jenkins played her final service at the church this past Sunday.

A fourth-generation member of the church, Angie is the longest tenured Organist and Pianist in the history of Highlands area churches and probably in all of Western North Carolina.

Angie began her musical involvement at the church by joining the adult choir at age eight. That same year, she began playing the piano for Sunday School each week.

“It’s been such a joy to serve the Lord in this way,” she said. “I have had the opportunity to work with 16 wonderful ministers and 13 choir directors during my 58-year tenure, all of whom have

become lifelong friends. I have had the opportunity to play our beautiful Wicks pipe organ for two decades.”

Angie’s teachers were: first, her paternal grandmother, Mrs. Lizette B. Lewis of Raleigh, who was a church organist; and the former organists of First Presbyterian Church, Mrs. Edwina Summer and Mrs. Mary Dupree, were her teachers through high school graduation.

Angie became the official church pianist at age 12. When she became Assistant Organist at age 14, she first played the Hammond electric organ. In 1981, the Hammond was replaced by an Allen organ. Then in 2004, a two manual 16 rank pipe organ took the Allen organ’s place. Dedicated on Feb. 4, 2004, the organ’s “Cymbelstern” stop was dedicated in honor of Angie.

In addition to serving as Organist and Pianist, Angie also serves as “Director of Music Ministry” at the church. In this position, she oversees every aspect of the

church’s extensive music ministry. Angie plans to continue in her role as “Director of Music Ministry” at the church and will be very visible as she continues directing the church’s extensive music ministry.

As Chairman of the Music Committee at First Presbyterian Church, I want to express my extreme gratitude to Angie for faithfully dedicating her extraordinary talents to the First Presbyterian Church of Highlands for so many years.

byStell

Huie, Highlands First Presbyterian Church (Editor’s Note: I’d like to mention Angie’s effect upon my son Alex and generations of Highlands-Cashiers kids. Miss Angie brought her music and her boundless enthusiasm to the children of HCCDC, Wilma Gordon’s Preschool, and the Great Beginnings Program at Highlands School. Those early lessons had a profound effect upon Alex and kindled within him a lifelong passion for

Photo by Susan Renfro

Building Upon a Legacy

Old Edwards Inn and Spa’s new owners, James and Jessica Whitley, are committed to maintaining the stratospheric standards set by Art and Angela Williams.

Angela and Art Williams came to Highlands in 1996. He, a financial titan, founder of A. L. Williams & Associates (now Primerica Financial Services) brought his business acumen. She, an interior designer with a keen sensibility, brought her affection for genteel European style.

Together they set in motion a pivotal era in the socio-economic history of Highlands in the 21st century. It all started when the Williamses purchased what was the 1878 Central House boarding house and the neighboring 1929 Hotel Edwards, inaugurat-

ing a $100 million, three-year-long project to transform them into a world class destination.

And it marked the beginning of a series of strategic renovations and expansions: they remodeled the former KelseyHutchinson Lodge into the prestigious Lodge at Old Edwards; revamped The Spa into a renowned wellness center, and established The Farm as a spectacular venue for special events, and added an Executive Conference Center. Madison’s Restaurant was refurbished and reinvigorated with a thoughtful menu of Southern delicacies.

But this was just the beginning. More accommodations for visitors were introduced – Half-Mile Farm, 200 Main, Falls Cottages, along with restaurants (Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar, Highlands Burrito), a retail operation (Acorns), and two golf clubs (Old Edwards Club and GlenCove.)

And as their vision for the town expanded, they developed residential communities – Cottages on 4th, Cottages on 5th, Satulah Cottages, Norton Ridge, and GlenCove. Meanwhile the town of Highlands swelled around it. What had been a sleepy seasonal community was

James,Britten, Bronson, and Jessica Whitley

now a yearround destination.

Today Old Edwards is recognized and lauded worldwide for its resplendent lodgings and gracious hospitality. It is a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection of independent hotels, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the recipient of numerous accolades and awards.

After 23 years of stewardship, the Williamses have decided to pass the baton to new owners, James and Jessica Whitley of Athens, Georgia.

Art expressed in a letter to the community, “As Angela and I entered into our eighties we began to realize we didn’t have the energy or stamina to continue owning and overseeing this amazing company.”

Despite previous reluctance to sell, they found in James and Jessica Whitley the perfect successors who share their passion for Highlands and Old Edwards.

“However, the more we got to know James and Jessica and their team, we became convinced they were exactly the right people to entrust with this company and brand. We couldn’t imagine anyone caring about this special place as much as we do,” Williams said.

The parallels between the two couples are evident. James Whitley is a successful businessman; Co-Founder and COO

of Athens-based Landmark Properties, and he has been involved in the orchestration, design, development, construction, and management of over $14 billion worth of top-level student housing projects across the United States.

Jessica, a creative artist and designer and the Creative Director of Jessica Whitley Studio, leads the design across all the family’s projects, including their recently opened boutique hotel in Athens, Rivet House. The couple also owns The Reserve at Lake Keowee, a private, residential mountain and lake club in Sunset, South Carolina.

The Whitley’s long ago fell in love with Highlands. The multi-strand pearl necklace that Jessica wore on her wedding day in 2012 was purchased at the Old Edwards store, Acorns. They also have two children – 9-year-old

daughter Britten and 7-year-old son, Bronson.

Jessica and Angela found mutual interests, and the two “hit it off right out of the gate.”

“When the concept of the sale first came up, I considered it a very high honor they would even consider it.”

Jessica said.

James understands that he and Jessica are caretakers of Old Edwards and what it means to honor that history. “I look at this as an opportunity to pick up a tremendous legacy and I concede that those are big shoes to fill. Jessica and I don’t take that lightly and we are excited about engaging with the team at Old Edwards. It is our intent to continue what has been ongoing and to evolve in the direction that Art and Angela started; and to honor them, to be great stewards.”

Old Edwards’ President and Managing Director Richard Delany adds, “We are all very excited about James and Jessica Whitley taking ownership and the positive momentum this represents for the future of the company. Old Edwards Hospitality Group has changed ownership – but all staffing, operations, events, memberships, partnerships, policies, vendors, and contracts remain the same.”

by Marlene Osteen

Angela and Art Williams, with grandchildren

What a Day Brings

Kids, critters, bruins big and small and, of course, horses – Carpe Diem Farms is bursting with exuberant life.

What an incredible summer we’re having at Carpe Diem Farms!

Our Momma Bear, who lives in the woods behind my house and has never been seen just sent her newest offspring –Cub Number Four.

Momma Bear has been appearing with a new cub every year since 2021. This one is much smaller than those in years past. Very curious and brave. We will look forward to seeing her again.

Last year’s cub, now a juvenile has been visiting, too. In addition to the bears, we have two raccoons and their friend, a possum who are the evening cleanup crew! Nature abounds.

The excitement at the farm isn’t just the wildlife. It’s “wildly” alive with the sounds of young people having fun; swimming in the creeks and a variety of games in the fields, creating journals and artwork in Dead Eye’s Barn, playing and enjoying each other. Every Friday afternoon a group joins me in the stables to learn and care for

the horses of Carpe Diem.

The staff of the Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau are amazing! Their summer camp program, which was originally scheduled to take place at their Cashiers location and their newly-rented and freshly-renovated Highlands space, hit a roadblock.

Some of you may have attended the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony or saw the photos in The Highlander. Just a few days before camp was to begin, they were notified by the Fire Marshall that the existing fire wall built originally was no longer up to code, had to be rebuilt and they were denied a CO (Certificate of Occupancy.) What do you do when 400-plus kids are signed up and will show up in a matter of days?

The dedicated, creative team took on the task. They reached out to me on Friday and set a meeting for that afternoon with me at CDF. Camp was starting Monday! They explained what had happened and asked if there was anything I could offer

to them at Carpe Diem. In addition to our prescheduled Fridays with the horses it looked like additional children might be here every day for ten weeks. I decided that the kids needed us and together we could make it work.

I offered them the Pavilion, cleared space and tables in the Easy’s Slipper production center and asked them if they could also get a big tent to add to the indoor activity space, they did, it’s up and in use!

We also had to work out who could use the fields when since seven horses need play time too. The horses have the morning for grazing and kids in the afternoon for field games. It’s all working Great!

Carpe Diem Farms Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational foundation – Exploring the Human Potential Through Equines.

by Sue Blair, Carpe Diem Farms

Introducing Healthy Plateau, Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation’s New Initiative for Community Well-Being.

The Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation envisions a community that is healthy and flourishing. With a mission to enhance health and well-being, we are excited to introduce a new community initiative named Healthy Plateau.

Healthy Plateau is a community-focused program dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of our residents. Through a multifaceted approach that includes partnerships, community events, public education, traditional media outreach, and social media engagement, Healthy Plateau aims to positively impact the health and wellbeing of everyone on the Plateau.

What is Healthy Plateau?

Healthy Plateau is an exciting and engaging initiative designed to bring the Health Foundation’s vision and mission directly to the community. The program’s emphasis on overall well-being and community involvement sets it apart as an innovative approach to improving

health outcomes. Some examples of our goals include promoting regular check-ups and screenings, encouraging physical activity, advocating for proper nutrition, fostering participation in community programs, and supporting positive lifestyle choices.

Why Healthy Plateau Matters

By promoting good practices such as regular check-ups and screenings, physical activity, proper nutrition, and community involvement, we can empower individuals to take control of their health and make informed lifestyle choices. Through this initiative, we hope to build a community that prioritizes well-being and supports each other in living healthier and happier lives.

The Healthy Plateau initiative represents a significant step towards realizing our vision of a healthy and thriving community. By fostering partnerships and engaging the community through various channels, we are confident that this program will positively impact the

well-being of our residents.

Get Involved!

We are actively seeking organizations and individuals who share our vision for a healthier community to join us in this initiative. Whether you are a local business, healthcare provider, or community organization, we invite you to reach out and become a part of Healthy Plateau. Together, we can make a significant impact on the well-being of our community.

We are excited to embark on this journey and invite you to join us in making Healthy Plateau a success. Together, let’s create a community where everyone has the opportunity to live their healthiest life.

For more information on how to get involved in the Healthy Plateau initiative, please visit healthyplateau.org or contact me at j.bryson@HCHealthFnd.org.

by Josh Bryson, Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation

The Name Game

There are things named after people and people named after things.

My mother, an obstetrics R.N., came home with tales of parents desperate for a unique baby name. Some chose cool-sounding names/words, things overheard in their immediate environment. They fell in love with the sound of medical terms, not knowing the meaning.

The all-time winner was Placenta (not kidding). Still, if you didn’t know its definition, the word’s lyrical resonance could trump its meaning. And often did. Poor Placenta. She had to have a rough-go at recess.

There are oodles of name stories in the world. A friend told me about her family’s late uncle, Cuba Maine. The USS Maine sank in Havana in 1898, setting-off the Spanish American War. Cuba Maine’s ancestor went down with the ship, but the family kept his memory and the event alive.

After you roll Cuba Maine around in your mouth a few times, it begins to feel legit.

I was born August 9, the date of the second nuclear bombdrop that ended WWII.

And, years later, on the infamous August 9, Nixon resigned. Thank goodness I wasn’t named Nagasaki Donna. Or worse yet, Milhous Rhodes. There’s no amount of rolling-around one’s tongue to make those names poetic.

Without benefit of segue, let’s move from war to vegans. Many vegans assume a nickname, often associated with nature. River Phoenix, for example. My late husband, Robert (aka Bobbo and a carnivore to his dying day) and I visited a vegan cooking school in Tavares, Florida. Don’t ask me why.

A young woman met us at the gate. She introduced herself as Rainbow. I shook hands and said. “I’m Donna and this is my husband, Bobbo.”

Bobbo said, “If I am Bobbo and you are Rainbow, we must be related.”

I chortled. As for Rainbow – crickets.

In fact, our jokes belly-upped all afternoon. We decided veganism wasn’t for us. There must be an undiscovered gland in human bodies that regulates laughing. It goes dormant if you don’t eat things with feathers, scales, or feet.

It just occurred to me. Maybe I knew Rainbow before she became vegan. Now it’s like I never saw herbivore.

by Donna Rhodes

art by Norma Jean Zahner

Financial Focus® Whom Should You Choose as A Trustee?

When drawing up your estate plans, you might find it useful to create a revocable or irrevocable trust, either of which can help your estate avoid probate court and give you significant control over how and when your assets are distributed. But who should oversee your trust?

As the person who established the trust — known as the “grantor” or “settlor” — you can also name yourself as trustee. However, this may not be the best move, particularly if the trust is irrevocable. An irrevocable trust protects the assets in the trust from creditors and civil judgments, but if you serve as trustee, this protection will disappear.

It might be more advantageous for you to be the trustee of a revocable (living) trust, which can be modified without much trouble and allows you to move assets in and out of the trust and to change trust beneficiaries. You should work with a qualified estate-planning attorney to

determine which type of trust, if any, is appropriate for your situation, and to get some guidance on the wisdom of serving as your own trustee.

If you decide to choose someone else as trustee, you’ll want to consider the following factors:

Trust – In thinking about whom you might want to serve as your trustee, the most important attribute is trust. Do you trust that this individual will always act in your best interest? If so, then they may be a good trustee candidate, but you’ll also need to look at other considerations.

Financial management skills – The person you choose to be your trustee doesn’t have to be an accountant or a financial professional — but they should be skilled at managing their own finances. And they should be well-organized and good with details.

Mental and physical fitness – Your trustee could serve in that position for

many years, so you’ll want to name someone who is in good physical and mental health. Of course, things can change over time, so if you observe that your chosen trustee has begun to suffer physical or mental decline, you may need to name a successor trustee in your trust document.

Conflict of interest – You want your trustee to carry out your wishes in a fair manner — so, you should pick someone who doesn’t have a conflict of interest with any of the beneficiaries you’ve named in your trust. Of course, this can be tricky if you want to name a family member as trustee. So, if you do, you’ll need to spell out your wishes clearly — to the trustee and to other family members.

Here’s something else to think about: Instead of choosing an individual, you could name a corporate trustee. By doing so, you can receive some key benefits, such as objectivity and potentially

avoiding some of the family-related disputes that can arise when an estate is settled. Also, corporate trustees have the expertise and resources to navigate the various tax and inheritance laws affecting living trusts.

Whether it’s a trusted individual or a corporate entity, the right trustee can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your living trust — and, by extension, the outcome of your comprehensive estate plans. So, start your search, get the help you need and take the steps necessary to arrive at a choice for trustee that’s right for you and your family.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Todd Holder

A Gift for Expressing

For Pastor Randy Lucas, Divine Encounters are embedded within the most ordinary circumstances.

Randy Lucas

Afamiliar face around town, Randy Lucas, senior minister at Highlands United Methodist Church, is always on the go, whether through his Church ministry and outreach, appearing in local theatre productions, or lending a willing heart and healing hand to many causes throughout town.

This led to his publishing two books of poetry, Poems from a Park Bench, and Are You Jesus? and other poems, prayers and ponderings. His third book coming in late fall is a book of short stories for Advent and Christmas entitled Naomi’s Snow. His poems reflect his growing appreciation that “God is present in the simplest of things, in life’s ordinary moments, people and places.”

Park benches have become a spiritual metaphor for him as he has “envisioned sitting beside God on a park bench. In my imagination, there is no need for words in that moment. I’ve often reflected that

being in the presence of God would be sufficient. No revelation needed.”

Those holy encounters involve slowing down, sitting on a park bench, or on a mountain, or beside a babbling creek, and being present in the moment.

From his most recent work, Are you Jesus?, the poem Stopping reminds us to do just that:

Stopping by a mountain range I’ve often hurried by, I seemed to have some extra time to soak in earth and sky. And armed with books to ponder, by Merton, Nowen, Rohr, I wondered if I took the time, what stopping had in store. And so between my reading and pausing just to breathe, it seemed my weary soul exhaled, least that’s what I believe. So reading, resting, praying,

I spent some morning time and found the sabbath mystery of quiet peace, sublime.

It set my mind to thinking of the wisdom of it all. God’s gentle gift of respite, a divine and sacred call.

And with a grateful heart, I packed up and drove away. But the memory of the moment remains with me this day.

Recalling simple blessings of a lovely mountain top, I hear God’s invitation to pause, to pray, to stop.

by Mary Jane McCall

Heartfelt Investment

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and Eckerd Living Center are built upon a commitment to quality patient care and the trust of their Plateau communities.

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and Eckerd Living Center are ever changing and ever growing, and because of that patients can count on us to be forward-focused innovators. We’re grateful for the investment from the community, our board, local government, partners like the police and fire departments and EMT services, and HCA Healthcare which allow us to keep thriving.

Living proof of this is that HCA Healthcare invested $15 million in us when they acquired Highlands-Cashiers Hospital. This translated to updated imaging technology, Surgical Suite renovations, and more, in addition to significant infrastructure improvements. The element that allows us to meet our strategic goals and provide superior care across many service lines is our people -- our most important resources. I prioritize recruiting and retaining the kindest, most concerned, and engaged providers and staff who all share the same goal — to care for every patient and their loved ones with the utmost sensitivity — from the moment they enter our facility to when they are discharged, whether their stay lasts hours, days, weeks, or months. This investment has earned us some of the highest marks within HCA Healthcare for employee and physician satisfaction.

Investment in training is important and I’m happy to report that this past fall,

two graduates of our Highlands-Cashiers Hospital CNA Training Program were accepted to Galen College of Nursing. Our training program allows those who hope to work as CNAs to get trained during a five-week program. We offer attractive incentives to participants, including paid training, a generous sign-on bonus, and the opportunity to start their career with us at Mission. This is transformational for these students, and also allows them to launch their nursing careers.

We are also enthusiastic about our partnership with Southwestern Community College, whose Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program features a clinical rotation at both Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and Eckerd Living Center. Hands-on opportunities like this are invaluable for creating exceptional caregivers.

Additionally, the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation (HCHF) is helping to increase access to primary care for individuals and families on the Plateau by funding a new Community Health Center. It will house a rural teaching program, together with UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC (Mountain Area Health Education Center). A partnership with Blue Ridge Health (BRH) and MAHEC means that we have powerful allies whose priorities focus on making Highlands, Cashiers, and the surrounding communities healthier. Also important to our success in

delivering extraordinary care to our patients is continuously investing in new technology and services, which in turn allows more patients in our community to receive their care close to home. We are proud to hold the number one spot within HCA Healthcare for offering an outstanding Emergency Department experience. We’re also in the Top 10 for both inpatient and outpatient surgery, and there hasn’t been a case here of either of the two most frequently suffered hospital-acquired infections in a decade. In addition, we’re grateful to have earned Primary Stroke Care Accreditation for a second time last year.

Another ingredient in our recipe for success and continued growth is our commitment to community involvement. This takes many forms, from our involvement in Halloween and Christmas events, showing appreciation for veterans in the community, the Crush the Crisis prescription drug takeback event, our popular Teddy bear clinics for kids, and more.

These meaningful, deep investments — in our services, community, and caregivers — have built our success for generations and will continue to, far into the future. We are all deeply grateful for your investment in us.

by Tom Neal RN, MBA, MHA, CEO/CNO,

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital

Freedom of Movement

You’re invited to join Yoga Highlands for a free Community Stretch & Yoga at 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, August 20, at KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

If you’ve been reading The Laurel for any length of time, you know Ashby Underwood, the co-owner (with her husband Chad Garner) of Yoga Highlands. For years now, she’s been doling out wise advice for maintaining physical and emotional wellness.

That’s also why the Yoga Highlands team is leading a Community Stretch and Yoga at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on August 20. Sponsored by Highlands Chamber of Commerce-Visit Highlands NC, this event is free and open to everyone, regardless of experience or level of fitness.

“This seems to be the perfect time for people to drop their sense of urgency and embrace the simplicity of experiencing the present moment,” Ashby says. “More people are realizing that movement can bring other benefits, such as fitness of body, mind and emotions. We also

release stress when we are out in nature because of the simple connection to life! It’s a solution that we can return to –unfortunately society keeps our minds racing and we miss this. Instructors Diane Levine and Rose Mary White will also be on site, so everyone can receive attention and guidance.”

…and embrace the simplicity of experiencing the present moment.

relationships with others.

“When we change our movement patterns, we can change our perceptions of life in the now. Breathing and moving intelligently with instruction help us engage what is forgotten and ease what is struggling. The door swings open to empower healing.”

“This is Yoga Highlands’ 20th year, how nice to have a celebration of conscious movement in our front yard – Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.”

“Our body is our vehicle to experience the journey of life. Pain and dysfunction can teach us what is balanced and what’s not. Postural and movement patterns are carried in the fabric of our soft tissues and can influence our emotions, and thus our thinking, energy levels, and even our

“Please bring a mat and water, dress comfortably, and let’s celebrate health and relaxation. No experience necessary!”

by Luke Osteen

Photo by Susan Renfro

Power and Promise

A loving adult can help a child navigate the perils and the promises embedded within the process of growing up.

In today’s world, the influence of a positive role model can significantly alter a child’s future. Among organizations dedicated to this cause, Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC (BBBSWNC) stands out for its unique approach to mentorship.

BBBSWNC has a singular mission: to build and support one-to-one relationships to ignite the power and promise of youth. BBBSWNC pairs adult mentors, known as “Bigs,” with children, referred to as “Littles,” fostering relationships that have profound, lasting impacts. This personalized approach ensures that each child receives the attention and guidance they need to thrive.

The demand for mentors at BBBSWNC has never been higher. With thousands of children on waiting lists across our region, the call for “Bigs’’ is urgent.

Volunteering with BBBSWNC is a minimal time commitment with a potentially life-changing impact. Mentors typically spend a few hours per month with their Littles, engaging in everyday activities

like playing sports, cooking, or simply talking. This consistent presence can significantly influence a child’s development and future prospects.

With ample flexibility, even part-time residents of the area can have a tremendous impact on the life of a child in Cashiers or Highlands, Macon or Jackson Counties.

BBBSWNC relies heavily on community support and donations to continue its essential services. Funding ensures the organization can cover the costs of background checks for volunteers, training programs, and materials for activities. Financial support also aids in expanding outreach efforts to serve more children in need.

Having served the Cashiers and Highlands community since 2002, the impact of BBBSWNC services and mentors has reached numerous children over the last two decades. The program has also founded and continues to lead several community-wide initiatives, including Rescue Responders

in Highlands, and two annual events like Dia del Nino in Cashiers and the Community Volunteer and Resources Expo in Cashiers.

The need for mentors and support for BBBSWNC cannot be overstated. By becoming a volunteer or donor, you can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our youth. BBBSWNC provides a powerful avenue for making a lasting, personal impact on a child’s life. Various avenues of involvement are available, including becoming a mentor, donating to BBBSWNC’s mission, hosting an enrichment activity, assisting with events, and attending fundraising celebrations highlighting the impact of the program.

For more information on how to volunteer or donate, visit Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC at bbbswnc.org or email cashiers@bbbswnc.org.

by Danielle Hernandez, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jackson-Macon

Little Alston, Big Mike

Basket o’ Kittens

Kitten Season is straining the resources of CashiersHighlands Humane Society.

Each summer I can’t help but think about the similarities between Hurricane Season and Kitten Season.

Both types of “storms” give you a little bit of advance notice before they arrive, and in both cases advance preparation is key to surviving their outcome.

But one thing that can’t be predicted with 100 percent accuracy is the intensity of the upcoming season. There are a couple of indicators, though, that suggest we’re in for a rough ride in 2024 on both fronts.

In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued their annual outlook for the Atlantic Hurricane Season. The report forecasts a range of 17 to 25 named storms. Of those, 8 to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes, including 4 to 7 major hurricanes. The number of predicted storms is the “highest NOAA has ever issued for the May outlook,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad in a

press conference.

Here on the ground in kitten season, the forecast is just as ominous. At this writing, we currently have 74 cats and kittens in our care at the CHHS Feline Adoption Center. That is the second-most number of kitty cats we have ever had at this time of year. The highest number was experienced in 2019, when by the peak of kitten season in August that year, we were caring for more than 90 felines.

To commemorate kitten season each year, we ask the awesome photographer Marty Boone to do the near-impossible.

With the assistance of staff, we ask Marty to help “herd cats” and capture a memorable picture we call “Basket o’ Kittens.”

The stars of this year’s photograph are (L-R) Garfield, Toto, Dorothy, Fallon and Callen.

If there was ever a time you felt you could open your heart and home for an adorable, adoptable CHHS shelter cat,

whether it be for permanent adoption or temporary foster, we sure would appreciate it if that time was now. We’ll even provide the basket.

Please visit our website at chhumanesociety.org to see all the cats and kittens looking for Forever Homes or call us at (828) 743-5752 for more information.

Established in 1987, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization located at 200 Gable Drive in Sapphire, oneand-a-half miles east of the Cashiers Ingles in between Cedar Creek Club and Lonesome Valley on Highway 64. Our no-kill shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Tax-deductible donations to support our lifesaving work can be mailed to: CHHS, P.O. Box 638, Cashiers, NC 28717. by David Stroud, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society photo by Marty Boone

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Author Shelby Van Pelt brings her vision for the bright horizons of literacy and learning to a special fundraiser Sunday, September 15, at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club.

Shelby Van Pelt

Calling all book lovers and education advocates! The Literacy & Learning Center is thrilled to announce its fall fundraiser, featuring Shelby Van Pelt, the acclaimed author of the Instant New York Times Bestseller Remarkably Bright Creatures

Save the Date: Sunday, September 15, at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club.

Get ready to be enthralled by Van Pelt’s heartwarming and thought-provoking insights on education, literacy, and her personal writing journey.

Her book, Remarkably Bright Creatures, narrates the story of a widow’s unique friendship with an octopus while she searches for answers about her son’s disappearance. This unique and creative story is a beautifully written tale of loss, resilience, and unexpected connections that can spark joy and hope even in the darkest times.

Van Pelt’s elegant prose brings the characters and the aquarium setting to life, making Remarkably Bright Creatures a captivating read that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

…a beautifully written tale of loss, resilience, and unexpected connections…

Her literary debut has taken the world by storm. In recognition of her exceptional work, Van Pelt was awarded the prestigious Heartland Prize for Fiction and the McLaughlin-Eastman-Stearns First Novel Prize from The Writer’s Center in 2023. With over a million copies sold and a year spent dominating the New York Times Hardcover Bestseller list, Remarkably Bright Creatures is

a testament to Van Pelt’s captivating storytelling talent.

By attending this event, you’re not just in for a delightful evening of literature, but you’re also making a significant contribution to the Literacy & Learning Center’s cause.

Take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate education and enjoy a captivating author talk with a rising literary star while you support a worthy cause!

by Anna Norton

The Literacy & Learning Center

Scan to learn more.

Gratitude for Community

Many hands and a battalion of generous organizations/ donors keep The Peggy Crosby Center a vital community treasure.

Recently, we at The Peggy Crosby Center have been able to make invaluable improvements to our facility: LED lighting, carpets, upgrades for the parking area, and new plantings for the Pollinator Garden.

• The Cullasaja Women’s Club helped keep us under the same roof, literally-speaking. Better put, it helped keep a roof at all on Peggy’s pate. CWC also donated money for the new LED lighting throughout the Peggy Crosby Center building. These exceptional lights brighten not only the offices and hallways, but our spirits. Another bonus, the new lights are cost-effective, lowering our monthly energy bills noticeably. Huzzah!

• From ceiling to floor, we are grateful to Mountain Findings for giving us footing with new carpeting in three offices used by The Land Trust. This is what we mean: what you give us doesn’t

stop with us or even our building. It builds connections. One link connects to another, then another, and pretty soon, the whole community is benefitting from what your fund raising, donations, and more have contributed. Zowie!

…it still falls short in thanking you for keeping Peggy healthy, thriving, and reliable…

• The parking lot’s good ol’ railroad ties have played a huge service to tenants and visitors for decades, but, it’s time to retire them. The Laurel Garden Club provided funds for their replacement, but this time it will be lovely stonework, tied, as it were, to the theme of gardens, pollinators, Mother Nature and the natural elements of the land. The Garden Club also provided upgrades for new plantings around the building including

the Pollinator Garden. Yahoo!

We’re going to keep saying it: Thank you, thank you, thank you. And for all our huzzahs, zowies, and yahoos, it still falls short in thanking you for keeping Peggy healthy, thriving, and reliable for those who need it most. Donations keep our energy flowing in so many ways. Lowering costs make our rents affordable to our tenants. We thank you for your part in providing this vital role for our community on the plateau.

Visit peggycrosbycenter.org for more information about how you can connect or give her another huzzah in the near future.

by Linda Schowalter, The Peggy Crosby Center

Anything’s Paw-sible

Through dogged commitment and a genuine love for their charges, Kim Moss and Kaitlynn Villarreal have notched 10 years’ of service to CashiersHighlands Humane Society.

Kim Moss and Kaitlyn Villarreal

Let’s raise the woof and celebrate two marvelous mavens at the Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society, Development Manager Kim Moss and Shelter Manager Kaitlyn Villarreal.

It’s their 10th anniversaries (hired May and June 2014) with the Humane Society. That qualifies them for membership in the CHHS Ten Year Club. One thing for certain, C-H Society pups think their keepers are the ulti-mutt.

Kim and Kaitlyn have a lot in common. They started their CHHS employment a month apart. Both have immeasurable love for just about any critter. And they even have genes in common. Wait a minute.

Genes? Yep. They are related, about as close as you can get –mother and daughter.

But wait. There’s more.

The daughter, Kaitlyn, is the boss of

her mother.

How’s that working out? Beautifully. Kim, the mom, says they know each other so well, they can finish each other’s sentences. That kind of communion makes for a pretty smooth operation, the kind you need when there’s an occasional ruff day.

Part of the wonder of this mom/daughter team is that they have worked together a decade and still adore each other, their workplace, and the four-leggers they work with.

David Stroud, Executive Director of the CHHS, joined the Ten Year Club in 2022. And his devotion only grows. How many companies do you know that keep directors and employees that long – employees who have no thought of ever leaving.

Add to this accolade one more reason for app-paws.

There’s another management level

employee who celebrated her 10th year last December, Jodi Henkel, Assistant Manager.

With regard to these four-decade devotees – aw, heck, let’s call ‘em heroes -- David says, “That alone is quite an accomplishment, in that all four senior managers at a non-profit on the Plateau have been with the organization 10 years or more.”

You think these fabulous four will be here in another ten? It’s quite paws-ible.

To learn more about the dedicated staff and the amazing adoptees they care for, visit chhumanesociety.org.

by Donna Rhodes

Scan to learn more.

Highlands Trail Town

Highlands remains committed to the primacy of the Outdoor Experience.

Highlands is one of 15 communities in North Carolina recognized for its diverse trail experiences and dedication to promoting accessible outdoor activities, responsible visitation, and sustainable tourism.

We are honored to be a part of the Outdoor NC Trail Town Stewardship Designation Program which officially launches this month.

Outdoor NC is committed to promoting stewardship throughout North Carolina, inspiring everyone to not only experience the outdoors, but embrace and protect it as well. It provides a wide variety of resources which educate outdoor adventurers on how they can recreate responsibly, respectfully, and safely.

As proud partners of the Outdoor NC Alliance, we urge everyone to Join the Movement to help us safeguard our beloved outdoor spaces.

Joining the movement is simpler than one might think. Whether adhering to the Leave No Trace Seven Principles or actively participating in our initiatives, such as Plateau Pickup, to preserve Highlands as a stunning destination, every action counts.

Whatever level of involvement, we welcome everyone to share in our commitment to being considerate, inclusive, respectful, and safe in our natural playground. Go to outdoornc. com or scan the QR code provided to learn more.

We recognize that our journey towards destination stewardship requires a collective effort, and we value the pivotal role that our residents and businesses play. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on our community and the natural environment.

Here are The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace –

an easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. The Principles can be applied anywhere — from remote wilderness areas to local parks and even in your backyard. Each Principle covers a specific topic and provides detailed information to empower you to minimize your impacts.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

4. Leave What You Find

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

6. Respect Wildlife

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors by Johanna Fein, Highlands Chamber

of Commerce / Visit Highlands, NC

Scan to learn more.

Leadership Cashiers

Members of the Leadership Cashiers Class of 2024 are deep in their lessons about serving their community.

Leadership Cashiers Class of 2023

Now in its sixth year, with over 100 graduates, the Leadership Cashiers Program continues to Inform, Connect, and Engage individuals seeking greater community involvement.

The Class of 2024 is composed of Dona Ampova, Mountain Dog Spa; Hope Corbin, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust; Tony Daddona, Whiteside Brewing Co.; Nicole Ernst, Keller Williams; Michael Geisler, Ace Handyman Services; Amelia Golcheski, Cashiers Historical Society; Kylee Hamby, Landmark Vacation Rentals; Tom Hessling, Mountain Construction Engineering; Siobhan Hunter, Jubilee Healing Farm and Fusion Yoga; Kittrell Brooks, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services; Max Lawson, High Hampton Inn; Karla Magana, International Friendship Center; Mark Moser, Community Volunteer; Josh Payne, Grand Olde Station; Leigh Ann Pezick, High Hampton Inn; Alison Schultz, Church of the Good Shepherd; Alan Webster, Loudermilk Custom Homes; and Richard

Yow, Community Volunteer.

Monthly sessions are typically held on one Tuesday a month, May through December, with a two-day opening retreat.

In the class, personal leadership skills are developed through academic and teambuilding exercises led by Angela Owen of Truventure Enterprises who serves as Program Director. She is also executive director and course instructor of Vision Transylvania, a similar program in Brevard.

In 2017 a task force of the Cashiers Area Chamber and Vision Cashiers developed Leadership Cashiers. The curriculum is based on a model used by many cities/areas across the country. By taking an intensive look into the issues affecting the area, they prepare and motivate participants to offer quality community leadership.

The Vision of Leadership Cashiers is to build a cadre of area leaders with the necessary tools and connectivity for making a meaningful positive impact on

our community, as well as insight on our future challenges – fulfilling its mission to inform, connect, and engage individuals by studying civic issues, building strong working relationships, and motivating participants to provide enlightened, dynamic community leadership.

The program is open to Cashiers Area residents and stakeholders (both permanent and seasonal). Participant criteria include a strong Cashiers orientation, community stakeholder, demonstrated elements of leadership, and community civic involvement and commitment in the Cashiers area.

The Leadership Cashiers Program is also supported by numerous generous sponsors in the business, non-profit, and educational sectors.

You can learn about the program and its goals by visiting leadershipcashiers.org. by Susan Gregory Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Cashiers Class of 2022

Strong Community Connections

With Marci Sherwood and Robin Cook at the helm, Suncoast Equity Management’s new Highlands office (431 N. 4th Street) is in wise, confident hands.

Left to right: Al Dopking, Beth Neal, Marci Sherwood, Don Jowdy, Robin Cook, Jeff Strouse, and Frank Wyatt

Good news for those seeking Investment and Wealth Services

– Suncoast Equity Management has opened an office in Highlands at 431 N. 4th Street.

Established in 1997, Suncoast’s headquarters are in Tampa, Florida. The Highlands location originally opened in an administrative capacity in 2023 and expanded into an official client service office in June.

One reason for the delayed opening as a client service office was their belief that it was crucial to have the right individual to represent the firm locally.

Fortunately, they found Marci Sherwood, who has strong connections to the community through her work with the Highlands Chamber and other activities. Her professionalism and community ties completed their vision for the fullservice location.

Initially, Suncoast founder Don Jowdy

and his wife Christine were introduced to the Highlands area through personal connections with a Tampa-based charitable organization they have long been involved with, Quantum Leap Farm. Founded by Edie Dopking, QLF provides clients with equine-assisted therapy.

Given their deep connections to charitable organizations, Highlands was a natural fit for SEM. As much as possible, they align their service model with their clients’ interests, often being accessible personally where and when clients need them. Many of their Tampa Bay clients have established homes in the Highlands area, and SEM felt it was important to provide a location that would make it easier for them to work with the firm.

Additionally, several SEM team members have visited Highlands for years and have homes locally. The strong ties to the area mean Highlands not only aligns with their commitment to charity and giving but also meets the needs of their

clients, making it an ideal location for their new office.

Joining Marci in the Highlands office is Robin Cook, who currently serves the Sanibel/Captiva market and will be overseeing the new Highlands location.

SEM provides tailored financial planning and investment management services. As fiduciaries, their team of financial advisors provides personalized investment advice, ensuring clients achieve their financial goals with confidence and security.

Since its inception, its three equity growth portfolios have beaten market indexes while taking less risk, earning four and five out of five-star rankings from Morningstar. For more information, call (828) 487-8009.

by Mary Jane McCall

photo by Mary Gillan

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

The McKee Group

Cashiers Sotheby’s International Realty

Beth Townsend and Liz Harris, Co-Owners of McKee Properties, along with McKee Brokers, are continuing the legacy as The McKee Group brokered by Cashiers Sotheby’s International Realty. Nearly half a century of local luxury real estate expertise is now backed by the Sotheby’s brand offering worldwide exposure and world-class resources for their clients.

SANDY BARROW JOHN BARROW CLAY CANTLER JESSICA HOHEISEL

BETH TOWNSEND LIZ HARRIS COLEEN GOTTLOEB MAGGIE ELMER

Holly Forest

3 BR / 4 BA / 1.52 ACRES Welcome to Buckberry Lodge, a meticulously maintained residence nestled in the scenic enclave of Sapphire, NC. This turnkey property oﬀers a blend of comfort and practicality, ideally suited for both family living and rental income potential. Spanning three spacious bedrooms and four renovated bathrooms, each bedroom boasts new carpeting and private access to its own bathroom. The heart of the home features cozy gas log ﬁreplaces, one each level, creating a warm ambiance perfect for relaxing evenings. The house is equipped with modern necessities including two washing machines and two dryers, catering to the demands of a busy household or a thriving

Offered for $889,000

rental operation. The owners have intentionally invested back in the property to ensure it longevity by making upgrades and updates every year. Ask your agent for a full list of these improvements. The full basement oﬀers additional space, serving as a recreational area and includes two additional king bedroom suites and storage. The ample porch space on both levels oﬀers even more options for relaxing in the cool mountain air. Whether you’re looking for a serene family home or an investment opportunity with proven rental success, Buckberry Lodge represents a perfect blend of functionality, style, and prime location.

MLS 104403

Offered for $785,000

2 BR / 3 BA / 1 ACRE — Discover serene living in the picturesque setting of Highlands, NC with this charming home close to downtown shopping and dining. Freshly updated to offer a light and bright ambiance overlooking a babbling creek, this house is ideally suited for both relaxation and entertaining. Step inside to find a welcoming sunroom with fireplace, perfect for enjoying your morning coffee, and a covered porch that overlooks a peaceful creek — ideal for

tranquil afternoons. The property also features an outdoor ﬁre pit, enhancing the enjoyment of the natural surroundings. Adding to the home’s appeal is a detached guest house, oﬀering comfortable accommodation for guests or additional family members, and ample parking. Noteworthy upgrades include a new roof and all new appliances. MLS 104442

Liz Harris

CONSISTENTLY A TOP-RANKED BROKER ON THE PLATEAU

“Liz Harris is on top of the Cashiers real estate market.She is proactive and creative and someone you want working for you.We’ve worked with her on several transactions and enjoy her personally as well as professionally.” – renee h

“Liz has successfully been my Broker on two occasions.First,she coordinated with other Brokers to get top-dollar for my home in Mountaintop.Next,she was able to secure a property I really wanted after it was just sold to someone else,and find a solution that satisfied everyone.In a word she is tenacious,and gets the job done.” – chris e

Get to Know Liz, Broker & Co-Founder of The McKee Group

Liz Harris, consistently a top-ranked broker on the Highlands/Cashiers Plateau, successfully assists clients in reaching their dreams and goals for their mountain homes, estates, and developments. Guided by the late A. William McKee, her effective and creative style transforms the real estate journey into a genuine pleasure for clients.

With two decades of expertise, Liz specializes in high-end communities like Wade Hampton Golf Club, Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club, Silver Run Reserve, The Chattooga Club, and others, as well as private gated communities throughout the area, and lakefront properties around Lake Glenville. With her involvement and partnership in several successful real estate projects, Liz offers clients a seasoned perspective and valuable connections to experts in development, construction, and design.

Liz’s commitment to her town extends to community service, actively participating in various fundraising opportunities and serving on the board of the Boys and Girls Club. Liz and her family savor the outdoor lifestyle of Cashiers, engaging in activities such as hiking, golfing, and boating on Lake Glenville. Proud residents, the Harris family is dedicated to preserving the unique character and vitality of the Cashiers-Highlands plateau.

Lake Glenville Estate

5 BR / 7 BA / 1.52 ACRES Discover this stunning new estate on the picturesque Lake Glenville, nestled on the Cashiers-Highlands Plateau in the mountains of Western North Carolina. This luxurious home sits handsomely

for $9,950,000

on the most beautiful stone point on the lake, boasting an elevation of around 3,500 feet and offering pleasant summer temperatures and fabulous lake living. This home is a rare gem. MLS 102929

Big Sheepcliff

4 BR / 4.5 BA / 6.27 ACRES Perched majestically atop the mountains of Cashiers, NC, this remarkable estate boasts an elevation of 4500 feet and offers a rare opportunity to experience magnificent mountain living. Sweeping vistas from nearly every room stretch across the expanse of Cashiers and beyond to the neighboring states of South Carolina and Georgia. Commanding over six acres within the gated community of Big Sheepcliff, the privacy and exclusivity of this estate is just a short drive from the town’s center. The handsome home has been meticulously remodeled from top to bottom, marrying modern luxury with timeless elegance. Rich warmth of antique timber accents infuses the home with a sense of history and authenticity. The expansive great room and adjoining family room are both graced by majestic masonry stone fireplaces that invite you to unwind and soak in the breathtaking scenery surrounding you. The expansive chef’s kitchen beckons culinary

for $6,989,000

enthusiasts with its generous proportions and top-of-the-line amenities. Entertain with ease in the elegant formal dining room featuring a beautiful masonry stone fireplace, or casually on the generous back deck which offers yet another stone fireplace, spacious sitting and dining areas and stunning endless views. Two primary suites on the main level offer a peaceful sanctuary complete with a cozy fireplace, lavish bath, and private porch retreat. Upstairs, two additional generously sized suites, each with their own private sitting room, provide comfort and seclusion for family and friends. Handsomely landscaped grounds showcase the fabulous views, extensive rock work and stone patios, creating inviting spaces for entertaining and relaxation. A large grilling/dining patio welcomes an evening grill-out and the nearby firepit is the perfect spot to gather under the starlit sky, for memories that will last a lifetime. MLS 104103

Cashiers, Hwy 107 South

39.18 ACRES A rare opportunity to acquire this premier Cashiers, NC acreage located on the prestigious Hwy 107S corridor, 3-minutes from town! Much of the land is nearly level featuring a creek and stream running through it, and an elevated area oﬀering great homesites with gentle topography and beautiful views of Chimneytop Mountain, Rock Mountain, Big Sheepcliﬀ and

Offered for $6,900,000

others. This property would make a beautiful private estate just 3-minutes from the center of Cashiers and close to Wade Hampton, High Hampton, and Chattooga Club. This land also oﬀers excellent commercial, residential or mixed use development potential with its excellent location, frontage on Hwy 107S, gentle topography, and views. MLS 101855

Silver Run Reserve * Offered for $6,500,000

5 BR / 5.5 BA / 8.57 ACRES This gorgeous 8.5 acre estate is located in the beautiful Silver Run Reserve, just 5-minutes from Cashiers. It features a brand new 5 bedroom home scheduled for completion at the end of April 2024just in time to enjoy for the upcoming Summer Season here on the plateau! The fantastic home is designed by renowned architect TS Adams and constructed by one of Cashiers’ ﬁnest builders, Harris Custom Builders. The gentle, rolling lot boasts beautiful views of Whiteside Mountain that sweep through the trees

and beyond into the Meadows of Silver Run Reserve. Silver Run Creek flows just below the house providing excellent ﬁshing, natural plunge pools, and wading areas for children. This home is located an easy walking distance to all of Silver Run Reserve’s wonderful amenities, and is a convenient location within the community yet tucked back in the acreage for ultimate privacy. MLS 101991

*LOTS & NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION AVAILABLE!

Wade Hampton Golf Club

4 BR / 4 BA / 0.82 ACRES This impeccably renovated family residence within the prestigious Wade Hampton Golf Club oﬀers captivating views of Chimneytop, Rock Mountain, and winter panoramas of Whiteside Mountain. Boasting close proximity to town and just inside the main gates of Wade Hampton, this property presents a prime location as an added beneﬁt. The Main Level is flooded with natural light, courtesy of tall windows and doors enveloping the great room. Large doors lead to an expansive covered deck, providing a scenic outlook. The newly upgraded kitchen features state-of-the-art appliances, elegant cabinetry, and a spacious island. The dining room, with its charming, vaulted

4 BR / 4.5 BA / 1.70 ACRES Located in Wade Hampton Golf Club, this home oﬀers mountain and golf course vistas, just 5-minutes from Cashiers. With 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and 2 bonus rooms, the main house features a

for $2,950,000 (JUST REDUCED)

ceiling, seamlessly connects to the deck. The Primary Suite on the main level impresses with vaulted ceilings, stunning views, and a generously sized en-suite bathroom featuring marble floors, oversized shower, and an inviting soaking tub. A second en-suite on the main level ensures convenience for guests. Upstairs, you’ll ﬁnd an additional en-suite Bedroom, along with a spacious loft area. The Lower Level oﬀers a family room equipped with a wet bar, a fourth generous guest ensuite, bonus space, and a sizeable, covered porch. An attached, two-car carport is conveniently located adjacent to the laundry room. The gentle topography of the property invites the possibility of additional gardens. MLS 103841

for $2,150,000

vaulted great room, stone ﬁreplace, kitchen ﬁreplace, and a spacious primary suite. The Carriage House provides extra space for guests. MLS 102267

Silver

Call

Fairway Hamlets

5 BR / 4 BA / 0.46 ACRES Great location, a picturesque setting and excellent condition are three top attributes of this charming home in the heart of Country Club Estates, Sapphire Valley, and this is just the beginning! The oversized lot has beautiful landscaping, flat driveway with ample parking, stone paths, privacy fencing and exterior lighting. A separate two car/one cart garage with workspace has a chic upstairs apartment with a small kitchen, den, full bath and bedroom. Inside the home there are hardwood floors throughout the main level and stairs, vaulted ceilings, stone ﬁ replace with gas logs, and a wet bar with icemaker. The kitchen with herb garden window has

for $1,799,000

KitchenAid stainless appliances, stone backsplash and custom cabinets. The chef has a commanding view of the dining, living and the screened Carolina Room with its own wood burning ﬁ replace and skylights. The two primary bedrooms — one upstairs and one on main level have full bathrooms with dual sinks, jacuzzi tubs and showers. New 22KW generator. This home sits on a quiet little lane and is just steps away from the private Country Club of Sapphire Valley and a gentle rolling walk (or golf cart ride) to the Library, Ski Slopes and Mica’s restaurants. MLS 103741

Glenville

2 BR / 3 BA / 1.06 ACRES This charming yet sophisticated lakefront home sits in a cove in the desirable, gated Glenshore neighborhood. The two story cottage is situated above a gently sloping yard with mature landscaping and is only steps from its own private dock. Inside one is greeted by warm wood floors and ceilings and a pretty stone ﬁ replace in the living room. Two bedrooms are located on the main floor, the primary has an en suite bath, there is a hall

Offered for $1,495,000

bath for guests. Downstairs is a large family room with a wood burning stove and gameroom. The lower level also features a bonus room and an additional bathroom. It has been recently updated with paint, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, new bathrooms and appliance upgrades. Oﬀered mostly furnished with few exceptions. This home is ready for the next owner to enjoy all that Lake Glenville and the Highlands-Cashiers plateau have to oﬀer. MLS 104593

Beth Townsend

Land Planner and Project Manager for William McKee’s Wade Hampton Golf Club, and others + Cashiers roots since 1970 + Landscape Architecture degree, University of Florida + Broker & Co-Founder of The McKee Group

“When selling a challenging property, you want Beth on your team.Sheisdetermined,creativeandperseverestomeetyour goals. From emails and texts on the weekend to going above and beyond her ‘broker duties,’ you know instantly that you haveanessentialadvocateonyourside.” – seAn l

Offered for $1,250,000

2 BR / 3 BA / 42.95 ACRES In the heart of “Old Sapphire,” this darling cottage is perched over a small private pond and surrounded by lush vegetation. The 42.95-acre property is part of an old estate that had an open ﬁeld (overgrown but easily returned to grass), streams, trails and a knoll that adjoins another property that is now a designated conservation easement. The property is unrestricted and located in a quiet spot oﬀ of the Upper Whitewater Road which connects to Highway 64 in two places, at the Whisper Lake entrance, and at Burlingame Country Club. The cottage could be purchased with a smaller tract of 6.5 +/- acres, see MLS 104493. MLS 104491

4 BR / 5 BA / 2 HBA / 2.15 ACRES

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to own two homes on a private pond. This is a fantastic option for a multi-family retreat or investment property. The larger home has two bedrooms, two full baths with 2 half baths set in a serene, mountain environment. Its floorplan and design oﬀ er potential buyers an exciting opportunity to customize and transform it into their dream home. As you step inside, you’ll appreciate the abundant natural light that ﬁ lls each space, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The house features a spacious interior that seamlessly leads to multiple levels of deck areas — both covered and open — perfect for enjoying the outdoors no matter the weather. There is

Offered for $1,024,900

a large fi nished lower level with living space, half bathroom and workshop. The smaller dwelling is a charming two bedroom, three bath cabin with an upstairs sleeping loft. The lower level has been fi nished off and there are spacious covered decks on both levels. The grounds are a true highlight, boasting lush, mature landscaping which surrounds a charming private pond equipped with lighting and two decorative fountains. This feature adds a peaceful and picturesque quality to the property, making it a tranquil retreat. The property sits comfortably with ample space for both living and entertaining. The lot itself is generously sized, providing ample room for potential expansions or enhancements according to your tastes and needs. MLS 104362 COLEEN GOTTLOEB, BROKER-IN-CHARGE coleen@cashiers.com | 828.226.2227

Chinquapin Offered for $230,000

2.92 ACRES Chinquapin is a 2,000 acre high-end development nestled in the heart of nature, boasting beautiful walking, biking and ATV trails that wind through the lush forest, along meandering streams and in and out of the surrounding 700 acre conservation land. This dog friendly community is perfect for those who love exploring the great outdoors with their furry

companions. One of the many standout features of Chinquapin is The Outpost, a charming gathering spot for residents to relax and socialize. Lot 70 is a prime piece of real estate within the development, oﬀering wonderful views of the nearby mountains and easy access to walking trails. The lot sits at an elevation of 4,000 feet and has the driveway already cut in. MLS 104560

828.226.2227 | coleen@cashiers.com

Coleen Gottloeb

A CERTIFIED LUXURY HOME MARKETING SPECIALIST (CLHMS)

“When buying or selling a property it’s easy to imagine all sorts of unknown pitfalls that will complicate your life. The best way to ease your real estate stress is to call Coleen Gottloeb, one of Cashiers most qualified and respected brokers,and let her guide you through a process that will always be handled efficiently and effectively.With her vast experience as not only a salesperson, but a Broker-in-Charge and a former agency Owner she knows everything and everybody that will keep the process of buying or selling flowing smoothly and give you the results you are seeking. Coleen is a delight to work with and projects an inner calm that resonates with professionalism. There is nothing that can replace top-notch experience. She’sgotthat,andmore.Icannotrecommendherhighlyenough.” –dee b

COLEENGOTTLOEBBROKER.COM

Get to Know Coleen, Broker-In-Charge

With over 25 years of real estate experience in the Cashiers area, Coleen is excited to be a part of The McKee Group brokered by Cashiers Sotheby’s International Realty and carry on as the Broker-In-Charge. As a seasoned Broker she has crafted a career out of transforming the seemingly ordinary into the extraordinary, helping to unite Buyers and Sellers in pursuit of their desires and dreams.

But it’s not just about the numbers and deals. Her true passion lies in forging connections, understanding the unique aspirations of each client and transforming their vision into a tangible reality. She prides herself on being not just a Broker, but a trusted confidant and advisor throughout the entire process.

A native of St. Cloud in central Florida, Coleen holds a bachelor of science in marketing from Florida State University, making her a third-generation Seminole. She earned her NC real estate license in 1996. Her professional designations include Certified Residential Specialist (CRS); Graduate, REALTOR ® Institute (GRI); Green; Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS); Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES); and a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS).

| ColeenGottloebBroker.com

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