essence issue 94

Page 25

Travel | GEORGIA

soaker tubs. There is a croquet lawn and swimming pool. It’s run by former insurance underwriter Nicole Greer Munn and her husband John, a jet mechanic. Son Parker provides the turndown service and leaves chocolate truffles by the bed. Chris and Travis act the roles of servants brilliantly. Says Nicole: “It was my favourite house growing up. When it became available I knew I had to buy it and make it beautiful again. All thirty windows were gone and there was a lot of water damage.” The Twelve Oaks offers authentic five star antebellum bliss with caramel apple pancakes, peaches and cream-stuffed French toast, strawberry shortcake with bourbon whipped cream, buttermilk biscuits and granola and berry yoghurt served in antique champagne glasses for a down home breakfast. On display are repro GWTW suits and period gowns and dresses. The Twelve Oaks is part of Georgia’s Gone With The Wind Trail which remains as popular as ever. The Vampire Diaries was filmed in Covington and the executive producer always stayed with the Greer Munns. Nearby, on north Cherokee Road in Social Circle, Louis and Billie van Dyke’s Greek revival mansion Blue Willow Inn offers formal dressy southern buffets. Mitchell visited many times while

The Twelve Oaks’ pool IMAGE COPYRIGHT: THE TWELVE OAKS

courting Redd Upshaw, her first husband and inspiration for Clark Gable’s character. It offers traditional cuisine in the form of collards (heartless cabbage), grits (corn porridge), catfish, hushpuppies (savoury deep fried balls), peach cobbler (Georgia is, after all, the Peach State) and fried green tomatoes, although not necessarily in that order.>>>

SEPTEMBER 2018 | essence-magazine.co.uk 23


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