The Laurel Magazine of Highlands and Cashiers NC July 2020

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L UR L The Heart of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau

Wear, Wait & Wash Community Spirit and Compassion pg 52

Mingling in the Magic of Oils Our cover artist, Jill Wolfe July 2020

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CON T E N T S July 2020

16 What To Do

20 Village Nature Series

49 Coping with Corona 50 Plant for the Plateau

67 Arts

74 Intermission is Almost Over

83 Dining

90 Peace, Love and Laurent Perrier

102 Shopping

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108 Plateau Picks

119 Outdoors

130 Highlands Aerial Park

135 History

138 Bloomers and Bicycles

145 Lifestyles & Wellness

156 Shakespeare & Company

165 Giving Back

170 Carpe Diem Farms

174 Business Highlights

176 Cashiers Chamber of Commerce

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102

There’s no masking natural talent

A siren song for serious shoppers

Behind the Masks

Feel Good Shopping

40 Calendar | 94 Dining Guide | 96 Accommodations Guide | 110 Highlands Map | 112 Cashiers Map | 160 Service Guide | 239 Advertiser’s Index

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VOLUME EIGHTEEN, ISSUE SIX

JANET CUMMINGS Managing Partner

janet@thelaurelmagazine.com

MARJORIE CHRISTIANSEN Managing Partner marjorie@thelaurelmagazine.com

MICHELLE MUNGER Art Director mungerclan5@aol.com

SARAH FIELDING Account Manager sarah@thelaurelmagazine.com

LORNA ALEXANDER Account Manager lorna@thelaurelmagazine.com

LUKE OSTEEN Editor / Writer luke@thelaurelmagazine.com

DONNA RHODES Writer dmrhodes847@gmail.com

MARY JANE MCCALL Writer mjmccall777@gmail.com

DEENA BOUKNIGHT Writer dknight865@gmail.com

THOMAS CUMMINGS Distribution Manager jothcu@yahoo.com

Publisher’s Note Well, here it is July, the month when the Plateau is revealed in all its glory – the days languid and full of promise, and the evenings cool and inviting.

Here at The Laurel, we’re always looking to the future. Part of that’s built into the architecture of this magazine – we’re previewing events and profiling personalities that help to shape life here.

And part of that’s the sense of optimism that’s bestowed upon everyone who lays a claim to a life here.. It seems fanciful, but it’s true.

But for this month, we thought we’d offer a glimpse back as well. You’ll find Coronavirus Stories throughout this issue. This is Us and It’s What We Did. Sincerely, Janet and Marjorie

Visit us online thelaurelmagazine.com phone 828.526.0173 email info@thelaurelmagazine.com mail Post Office Box 565 Highlands, North Carolina 28741

Contributing Writers: Jane Gibson Nardy, Mary Adair Trumbly, Sue Blair, Dr. Anastasia Halldin, David Stroud, Jeannie Chambers, William McReynolds, Sue Aery, Ann Self, Zach Claxton, Charlotte Muir, Mary Abranyi, Ashby Underwood, and Chris Wilkes Contributing Photographers: Susan Renfro, Greg Clarkson, Charles Johnson, Peter Ray, Terry Barnes and Kevin FitzPatrick Copyright © 2020 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.

WHAT TO DO Pages 16-39

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Stars, Stripes

& Fireworks

The Friends of Lake Glenville’s Annual Fireworks Display, provisionally set for the evening of Friday, July 3, is a showstopper that draws viewers from across the Southeast. For the latest information, visit friendsof lakeglenville.com.

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he Fourth of July just wouldn’t be Fourth of July without a stunning fireworks display. And, locally, Independence Day fever will be in abundant evidence on July 3 as the Friends of Lake Glenville (FLG) stage an impressive presentation for America’s birthday. Watched by a large audience along the water’s edge and on boats, the spectacular show is based at the Point at Glenville Lake subdivision on Highway 107, allowing the water to act as a natural reflecting surface while providing an echo effect to enhance the extravaganza. The tradition, begun more than a decade ago by Stuart Hall and friends when they fashioned a small but remarkable show from a barge near Buck

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Knob Island, has for the last 23 years been funded and produced by the Friends of Lake Glenville.

It’s no wonder that the Glenville fireworks display is one of the most sought after in the region. Certainly part of its success is due to the locale. Lake Glenville is a beautiful, pristine reservoir, bounded by the mountains that meet its coastline, and just 8 miles from Cashiers. With 26 miles of shoreline, and the highest elevation of any lake east of the Mississippi (3494 feet), Lake Glenville is an ideal setting for a quintessential Independence Day celebration. The pyrotechnics will begin at 9:30, just as the sun has gone down with gaily-lit boats lining the lake, and

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the Glenville community shining across the water. The impressive 25 minute show lighting up the sky and the lake is known for its dazzling fireworks and patriotic displays.

Celebrants are known to ooh and aah over this all-American celebration, the glittering patriotism-inspiring show and its rousing grand finale.

Organizers encourage spectators to arrive early to claim their viewing spot. In compliance with Covid 19 guidelines, observers will be asked to respect social distancing guidelines. Please note that as of this writing, FLG is still awaiting approval for the event from the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. Vice-President of FLG, Marianne Smith, said that the due to their hiatus during the Pandemic, the Board experienced a back log of requests for event approval and does expect the ok to be forthcoming. Visit friendsoflakeglenville.com for up to the minute information.

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Cashiers July 4th

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he traditional Fireworks Extravaganza on the Green has been canceled because of coronavirus-related public safety challenges.

Ann Self, executive director of The Village Green, which organizes the annual July 4th community event, expressed: “The continuing uncertainty of the pandemic and ongoing concern for the health and safety of participants were two of the key factors in making this decision.”

“Even before the Phase 2 announcement, we knew that we would not be able to accommodate the thousands of attendees that this event draws under social distancing guidelines.

She shared that the fundraising target for the fireworks event is $25,000 and, due to shut-downs and the ongoing pandemic crisis, no money has been donated in 2020 and The Village Green fundraising activities have been hampered by the coronavirus.

Some good news: “We will be planning a Cashiers Community Together celebration when the pandemic is over.

In the meantime, we continue to do everything we can to keep The Village Green safe and accessible to everyone.”

by Deena Bouknight

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Highlands July 4th

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ith uncertainty swirling about the Plateau’s health situation as the state prepares to enact Phase 3 of the Coronavirus Response, the Highlands Chamber of Commerce has decided to postpone the town’s traditional Fourth of July Fireworks Display, moving the date to Saturday, September 5, on the presumably safer Labor Day weekend.

Highlands Mayor Pat Taylor’s said, “Given the circumstances, it is very uncertain as to whether large gatherings will be, or should be, permitted at that time. The Highlands Town Board of Commissioners were consulted and deferred this decision to the sponsoring organization.”

The 7:00 P.M. Fourth of July concert of The Wobblers, will be live-streamed through the chamber’s Facebook page.

For an up-to-date calendar of events on the Plateau, sign up to the Highlands Cashiers Weekly Calendar email by using qr code below.

Point phone camera at QR code to sign up to Highlands Cashiers Weekly Calendar Email.

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The Village Nature Series The imperiled status of the birds making their home on the HighlandsCashiers Plateau will be explored on the Zoom’d Vir tual Village Nature Series, Tuesday, July 28, at 5:00 P.M. To join this free program, send a link request to director @ cashiersgreen.com.

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here’s been a lot of controversy over whether or not “climate change” is real.

Here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, we’re only just now seeing some real changes with later autumns, earlier summers, and record rainfalls, both high and low. These shifts in climate can have subtle impacts on our biotic diversity.

For example, the early warm temperatures may cause the early emergence of short-lived insects that are the energy-rich prey items our breeding birds depend upon. If the insects emerge early, they may be gone before migrating breeding birds show up. That could translate to hungry baby birds and poor survival rates. Couple this with habitat destruction both here and where the birds overwinter, and it could result in a reduced number of birds.

For over 100 years, the National Audubon Society has focused on making

the world a better place for birds.

In 2014, they released a Birds and Climate Change Report. The report established that shrinking and shifting ranges due to the changing climate could imperil more than half of the 588 species of North America breeding birds involved in the study within this century.

This seven-year science investigation, made possible by decades of communityscience data, sounded an alarm that made news around the world. In early October of 2019, National Audubon released a follow-up report – Survival by Degrees – that paints an even more challenging situation for birds if the world does not take action to reduce global warming.

To learn more about this study and actions that individuals can take to help birds, join Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust and The Village Green on Tuesday, July 28, at 5:00 P.M. for our next virtual Village Nature Series program, Survival

by Degrees: The Impact of Climate Change on Birds.

Our July program will be presented

by Tom Tribble, who served six years as President and is now Immediate-Past President of Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, the local Audubon chapter that covers Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and several adjacent counties in Western North Carolina. Tom has been an Audubon member and avid birder for 45 years and worked for 30 years at the North Carolina Center for Geographic Information & Analysis. For a link to join this free Zoom presentation, email director@cashiersgreen.com. Thank you to Cedar Creek Club for being our 2020 Village Nature Series sponsor.

by Julie Schott, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust Point phone camera at QR code for more information on Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust

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Always Fresh

Always Local With sensible precautions in place, Locally Grown on the Green, staged ever y Wednesday at the Cashiers Village Green Commons, resumes its status as a vital player on the community’s dynamic summer social calendar.

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hoose the food less traveled at Locally Grown On the Green, Cashiers’ farm stand market for local growers.

The market is “producer only,” meaning that the vendor must be the grower or producer of all the products they sell. Vendors must produce within a 125-mile radius of Cashiers. That means that the season for each fruit and vegetable is longer. Shopping at the Locally Grown On the Green market provides a forum for learning how food is grown, who grew it, and why it tastes

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so good.

Fill your basket with naturally raised meat and dairy items, fresh eggs, jams, pickles, freshly baked bread and delicious granola. Set your table with fresh cut flowers that morning or plant your entryway with locally grown perennials.

Always fresh. Always local.

Locally Grown On the Green is open during the growing season from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. every Wednesday at The Village Green Commons on Frank Allen Road next to the Cashiers Post Office.

During this time of physical

distancing, the green market will follow best practices to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our vendors. Customers should plan to bring face coverings and gloves to shop. Only one household member will be allowed into the market and the number of customers permitted to shop will be limited to provide ample space between shoppers who will follow a one-way traffic pattern. No dogs will be allowed this summer. Market hours will be strictly observed; no early shopping. Customers should stay home if they are experiencing illness of any

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Perfect Tonic for Minds A kaleidoscopic view of the world and its intricate histor y, the Center for Life Enrichment’s 2020 lineup of classes is the per fect tonic for minds that are just coming out of quarantine.

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kind. Vendors will also follow similar procedures in addition to sanitizing practices.

Special market events are planned throughout summer with the lessening of Covid-19 restrictions. Be sure to visit the market website, www.CashiersGreenMarket.com, “Like” us on Facebook (CashiersGreen) or follow us on Instagram and Twitter @cashiersgreen to keep current with vendor information and market news.

The Village Green provides a beautiful, free public park for the people. However it is privately conserved by a nonprofit organization that depends on contributions to maintain the park and provide such an exceptional venue for the community. To learn more about The Village Green and community events like the green market or to make a donation, call (828) 743-3434 or visit VillageGreenCashiersNC.com.

by Ann Self, The Village Green

he Center for Life Enrichment launches its 2020 season with a full slate of compelling presentations.

We start off with two powerhouse presenters from UNC-Chapel Hill. Max Owre will discuss Charles De Gaulle’s military ideas and his commitment to continuing the fight against Hitler’s Germany when most of France, demoralized by the army’s collapse in 1940, accepted defeat. In a second lecture he will explore in colorful detail the events leading up to Waterloo and how the fighting played out on the battlefield. Eren Tasar is an expert in topics regarding the Middle East and will be presenting an exploration of Turkey and its current conditions and will be back the following day to discuss Iran and its relationship with their neighbors and the United States.

Sports lovers will enjoy “The United States and the Olympic Games,” which will explore the complex relationship between the U.S. and the Olympic movement. Mr. College Football, Tony Barnhart, returns for his fifth year to share his 2020 college football predictions. Charlie Battle, who served on the committee that helped bring the Olympics to Atlanta, will tell the inside story in “Atlanta and the 1996 Olympic Games.”

Stay up-to-date with an iphone/ipad class with Loraine Smith an Apple Certified Business Partner.

Given the nation’s unrest with the killing of George Floyd, presenter Kent Germany of the University of Virginia will present very appropriate lectures time-wise on two significant figures who made huge impacts on the Civil Rights Movement.

His first lecture, “The 1964 Presidential Campaign and the Birth of Modern America,” will tell the story of LBJ’s tumultuous campaign and how his run helped define the modern Democratic Party. The following day he returns to examine Martin Luther King Jr.’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.

The CLE staff will be sanitizing all learning areas between events and the Peggy Crosby Center, which is home for CLE’s office and events, is being sanitized daily. For your protection, masks and hand sanitizer will be available in the lecture hall and classroom. Please visit clehighlands.com or call (828) 526-8811 for full details and an updated schedule of classes and events being offered at CLE this year.

by Bonnie Dayton, Center for Life Enrichment

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Natural Settings

Showcased

The Cashiers Historical Society’s 2020 Designer Showhouse, slated for August 22-September 5, is a deeply seductive display of the latest decorating trends and timehonored craftsmanship, all ser ved up with a reverence for the home’s natural settings.

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he Cashiers Historical Society has announced the opening of the 2020 Cashiers Designer Showhouse.

Located at the Silver Run Reserve property, the showhouse is set amidst 300 acres of natural beauty, bordering the Nantahala National Forest. Originally developed 40 years ago as a private family estate, Silver Run is today being revived and transformed into a private mountain community. The 4,000 square-foot Mountain Modern Cottage, site of the 2020 showhouse, was custom designed by the renowned Meyer Greeson Paulin Benson firm and built by Cashiers firm Harris Custom Homes Builders.

Beginning with an opening party on August 21, and running through September 5, guests are invited to view one of Cashiers’ most storied properties. This beautifully decorated home presents a professional designer’s view of style and decoration

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and is certain to provide an inspiration to anyone interested in design aesthetics or planning a home.

On display is a collection of rooms staged by the South’s most prominent and influential tastemakers – all of them represented by their finest work. Well-known area landscapers have installed serene and inviting late-summer mountain gardens to showcase and augment the home’s mountain setting, while providing idyllic pathways for strolling visitors.

Also a platform for a variety of workshops, book signings and panel discussions from creatives and artists around the country, the setting is the locale for outdoor activities including gardening workshops, yoga, fly fishing, hiking, cocktail hours and more.

2020 Showhouse Chair Melissa Warren Hudson describes the event as “Plateau magic,” and notes that “Celebrating and preserving our town’s history for future generations is very close

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Man-Made Whitewater

Seasoned kayakers and adrenaline junkies are drawn to the Tuckasegee River for a series of summer dam releases.

E to my heart. With roots in Cashiers going back to the 1930’s, and now raising my young family here, it is important for me to do whatever I can to help sustain CHS, one of our area’s most vital organizations.”

This annual benefit combines the work of the Cashiers Historical Society and Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and is the primary fundraiser for the society, raising funds to support their mission and cultural programming. Interested parties should visit cashiershistoricalsociety.org for real time updates, a complete description of the 2020 Cashiers Designer Showhouse, and details on individual tickets and benefactor packages. To arrange a corporate sponsorship, please contact cds@cashiershistoricalsociety.org.

xperienced paddlers from throughout the Southeast turn out for the West Fork annual recreational dam releases.

During the summer months, the Lake Glenville Dam releases whitewater into the west fork of the Tuckasegee River, creating class IV rapids over a 5.5-mile stretch. Release dates for 2020 are July 11, July 25, and August 8 and 22 from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Access to the High Falls trail is directly across from the Lake Glenville sandy swim beach.

High flows and the natural environment where such flows occur can create dangerous conditions in the bypassed reach.

Duke Energy releases these flows solely to comply with its license requirements. Duke Energy neither encourages nor discourages recreational use of high flows by the public. Any recreational use by the public during high flows should be limited to experienced boaters.

Most of the lower trail is not on Duke Energy property. The landowners allow public access provided visitors follow these conditions: no four-wheelers or other motorized vehicles, no littering, no camping, no campfires of any kind, no fishing or hunting. In other words, conduct yourself as you would anytime you’re on another person’s property. Break these rules and access for everyone could be denied.

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Wild Lives & Wild Places Mountain Wildlife Days, set for July 17-18 at Sapphire Valley Resor t, showcases the beasts and birds that share the neighborhood, as well as fauna from far away.

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f you’re wondering Where the Wild Things Are during this strange pandemic summer, well, it turns out they’re in Sapphire.

Sapphire Valley Resort’s 17th Annual Wildlife Mountain Days will be held on July 17 and 18 at the Sapphire Valley Resort.

This annual event promotes a better understanding of, and connection with, wildlife through a diverse mixture of children’s and adult programs featuring live animals, exceptional speakers, bird walks, hikes, exhibits and more.

This year’s event opens Friday morning, July 17, with a bird walk led by “birders” from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society. There are also two hikes to area scenic locations and waterfalls led by experienced hike leaders Mike Kettles and Robin Lurie. Reservations are required (call (828) 743-7663), as group size

is limited. These events are free.

The Friday afternoon program (3:30 to 4:30 P.M.) for youth groups, campers, and children will feature the very popular Rob Gudger with his wolves, explaining why they are “Our Most Misunderstood Animals.”

At 6:30 P.M., the silent auction exhibit will open at the Community Center, preceding a special evening presentation at 7:00 PM by Rob Gudger and his wolves. This will be followed by the main event, headlining Bill Lea with “The Wonder, Beauty and Magic of God’s Creation,” accompanied, of course, by his incredible photography.

Saturday morning at 10:30 A.M. features Snake Man Steve O’Neil and his collection of native reptiles, amphibians and other animals.

Next up is Michael Skinner from the Balsam Mountain Trust with

“Hunters of the Sky,” showcasing hawks, falcons, owls and eagles.

The Saturday afternoon program brings the “North Georgia Zoo to You” with some unusual animals from the Australian Outback.

There is a $5 entry fee for adults for the Friday evening event and $8 for all day on Saturday. Children are admitted free.

Mountain Wildlife Days is directed by John Edwards and sponsored by the Sapphire Valley Resort, area merchants and friends of wildlife. Proceeds from the silent auction are used to fund the Mountain Wildlife Days Western North Carolina Wildlife Outreach.

For additional info, visit mountainwildlifedays.com or call the Sapphire Resort Community Center at (828) 743-7663.

by Mary Jane McCall

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Music in The Orchard The hear tfelt music of Max Watson, set for July 9 at The Farm at Old Edwards, leads The Orchard Sessions, a stirring selection of fromthe-soul ar tists running through October 29. For tickets and information, call (828) 787-2635 or (828) 787-2916 or visit oldedwardshospitality.com/ orchardsessions.

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Max Watson

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he collaboration of musicians and the out-of-doors can be quite magical, even when it includes the occasional cricket solo or thunderclap percussion.

Over the next few months, music lovers can join with musicians in an orchard under sprawling oak trees at The Farm at Old Edwards. Known as the “Orchard Sessions,” the series of five concerts showcases a diverse selection of established and upcoming singers (through October 29). And while the setting is casual, the music is anything but.

One can listen to the musical poetry of Max Watson and revel in the intimacy and immediacy of his Americana-Folk songs on July 9.

Young Olivia Daponte displays her gentle twang and heartfelt emotion in her solo-written country songs on August 27.

The outdoor venue is certain

to take on new vibrancy with the performance by Mike Kinnebrew on September 24. Creating stories from words that “speak language in song,” Kinnebrew has a unique way of pulling his listeners in with his gently demanding voice that “speaks a little truth to you.”

The 2020 series culminates and concludes on October 29 with Rod Picott, performing the poignantly blatant, honest, emotive songs that have been called “mesmerizing”

by Rolling Stone and likened to Raymond Carver short stories by The Houston Chronicle.

The lure of the song-writing that Glide Magazine called “bare and bones grace, reminiscent of Springsteen’s Nebraska,” and The Boston Globe said “proves he’s a ringmaster at turning misery into art” has reaped Picott a cult following.

Shows begin each evening at 6:00 PM and finish at 8:00 PM – perhaps just in time for a showing of nature’s own Klieg light, the rising of the moon. There is a $10 cover charge that includes complimentary nibbles and a cash bar. Advance ticket purchase required. Call (828) 787-2635 or (828) 787-2916 to book. Limited seating is available and taking a seat in the grass is certainly welcome. The sessions will move indoors to the new Orchard House in the event of rain.

Check the website as the season may extend: oldedwardshospitality.com/ orchardsessions.

by Marlene Osteen

Point phone camera at QR code for more information about Orchard Sessions

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lein Air Festival – Ann/Luke

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sidebar

Cashiers'

Plein Air Festival The ar tists and bedazzled spectators of the Cashiers Plein Air Festival will be popping up all over the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau during the Six th Biennial Cashiers Plein Air Festival, July 15-19.

Visit CashiersPleinAirFestival.com for more information and tickets.

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ationally-acclaimed painters from throughout the country set up their easels to capture the beautiful landscape and charming lifestyle of the North Carolina Mountains, July 15-19.

This is the Sixth Biennial Cashiers Plein Air Festival, a premier outdoor painting event benefiting The Village Green. The festival artists’ original art is displayed for viewing and sale at a pop-up art gallery at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers.

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Cashiers. Palette Pass holders will have access to these exclusive painting events.

These include an extraordinary private garden, the magnificent Blue Star Ranch and a kite festival at Silver Run Reserve.

Look for artists in and around The Village Green, Cashiers, Highlands, and Glenville, along the highways, byways, main streets, and everywhere in between.

Visit the festival gallery daily from 10:00 A.M to 5:00 P.M. to see the entire collection of these special paintings depicting the unparalleled beauty of the area. Cashiers Plein Air Festival is for artists and appreciators alike.

In addition to the outdoor art, the festival will also feature two outdoor themed cooking classes. Learn tips and tricks to pack a picnic like a pro as well as how to prepare tasty salads and wraps to enjoy al fresco at 4:00 P.M. Thursday, July 16. Picnic Basket 101 is the first class offered as part of the new Uncomplicated Cuisine monthly series of cooking classes.

Zoller’s Hardware will also present an open air cooking class at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, July 18. Discover the newest grill trend of culinary smokenomics!

Explore adventurous cooking tricks with Traeger Grill. Both classes are $50 per

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Favor Local Flavor

Packed with natural goodness and infused with a sunny spirit, the Highlands Marketplace is the place to safely gather for a shot of post-quarantine grace.

S person and will be held at The Village Green Commons.

Visit CashiersPleinAirFestival.com for the full schedule, along with Palette Pass and cooking class ticket information. You can also email info@cashiersgreen with questions or to learn how to volunteer.

The Village Green is the 13-acre privately conserved park for public enjoyment in the center of Cashiers.

Funds raised from the sale of art ensures its preservation and operation for the community. The Village Green is proud to welcome these fine artists to the Cashiers area. The Village Green is also pleased to present a festival that celebrates the beauty of the area while providing art and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.

by Ann Self, The Village Green

aturday mornings offer the promise of a weekend brimming with the possibilities of your best day ever. There is no better place to start your weekend than the Highlands Marketplace held at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park every Saturday morning from July through October from 8:00 A.M. until 12:30 P.M. This open air market is a feast for the senses, offering our area’s freshest and most colorful produce and products.

Local farmers, craftsmen, and artists gather here under colorful tents selling the bounty of the season. Fresh produce of every imaginable kind can be found here on any given Saturday.

Tomatoes, corn, green beans, peppers, onions, squashes and lettuces of every type offer you a chance to prepare the ultimate farm to table meal.

You’ll also find fresh eggs, homemade breads, pastries, pies, quiches, jams, jellies, relishes, and dips, just to mention a few of the many delicious items available. Your options are practically limitless, so take your time to savor the selections. It’s a new

and different delight every week, so plan to start your weekend choosing the best of the mountains.

Local artisans and craftsmen are always also on hand to share their wares and their stories. Your perfect basket, homemade quilt, beautiful painting or piece of pottery will take on a special meaning when you have a chance to meet the artist, and hear firsthand the inspiration and hard work that went into each piece.

Naturally, these scheduled dates are pending, subject to North Carolina’s Phase 3 Reopening Plan progressing as currently anticipated. Currently that means the scheduled July dates are a go, but that could change if the state sees a need to delay Phase 3.

We’re recommending you plan on donning your favorite face covering and planning on being at the inaugural events.

Who knows, this year’s hit product might be a stylish face mask!

by Mary Jane McCall

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Going Forward While Looking Back Both Alber t Carlton-Cashiers Community Librar y and Hudson Librar y remind their patrons and guests that they’ve always been beacons of compassionate community ser vice.

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hat a year 2020 has been so far.

For the community not to get discouraged about how a global pandemic derailed everyone’s lives, Librarian Serenity Richards shared some significant milestones of the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library as reminders of what it has already come through in its short history: 2001 – September 11 “We had news coverage on the TV and continued to be a place of safety and comfort, where people could get together and talk, console one another, and have the connections to each other that makes us human.”

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2016 – Wildfires “We organized Thank You campaigns for the men and women working the fires.

We made cards from both children and adults thanking the crews, and we took donations of books to the staging areas of the out-of-town firefighters.”

2017 – Eclipse “The eclipse was on a Monday, a day when the library is closed, but that didn’t stop us from taking the library to the Village Green. We brought out solar scopes and solar glasses, we brought crafts, games, and activities for all ages, some direct from NASA themselves, and we hosted a selfie station for everyone to capture the day.”

And 2020 seems to be “the year that lasts forever,” expressed Richards. “But the library has tried to provide services through all of this.”

That viewpoint is shared by Hudson Librarian Carlyn Morenus “The Covid pandemic has been very challenging for our libraries,” she says.

“Our first concern has been keeping patrons and staff safe. While we were closed, we continued to offer as many services as possible, focusing on our free public Wi-Fi access and our many e-resources. We have seen significant increases in the use of our e-resources, especially checkouts of e-books and e-audiobooks.”

W H AT TO DO

The Bascom’s Residencies

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A pair of new resident ar tists bring a dynamic new energy to The Bascom.

he Bascom’s residency program has been an important part of the organization’s mission for many years. Throughout the year, talented artists from around the country apply to participate. Resident artists are an essential part of Bascom programming, and provide a fresh perspective, new skills sets, and big ideas.

In return, The Bascom works to provide professional development opportunities, and real-world work experience for these artists. This year, more than ever, Bascom residents will play a key role in helping develop and deliver new programming to the community.

This summer, The Bascom welcomes two new resident artists to the team: Laura Leichter, Education Fellow, from Cincinnati, Ohio; and LeAnn Siefferman,

Ceramics Resident, from Orlando, Florida. Both have very different backgrounds, but share a common perspective regarding the power of seeing, thinking, and doing.

Laura Leichter tells us, “This past summer I was an artist-in-residence in a local pottery studio that facilitated classes, and space for artists of all ages to work. This experience shaped the way I saw Art Education and a community unify together. I saw community art be deeper than having individuals come and share a physical space or take classes together. It was about having people bring their own backgrounds and stories together, saying to one another, ‘Your failures are welcome, and let’s learn together from them.’”

Similarly, LeAnn Siefferman states, “I

enjoy being a part of the creative process and cherish the relationships I have made and witnessed over clay. Community studios are one of those rare places where you can walk in and find family no matter where you are, and I look forward to helping others navigate all that the Dave Drake Studio has to offer them.”

Though each resident will have a different focus during their time at The Bascom – Laura on developing new community-based programs for the new world ahead, and LeAnn on providing ceramic studio management and instruction – both are important assets to The Bascom and the community at large.

Please join us in welcoming Laura Leichter and LeAnn Siefferman.

by Teresa Osborn, The Bascom

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W H AT TO DO

Highlands Twilight Race

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n August 15, Highlanders have a chance to wage a battle against their athletic abilities while relishing a gorgeous summer evening, racing through the beauty of the mountains and the idyllic scenery of the Highlands plateau.

Runners in the Highlands Twilight Race can sign up for the event distancing of their choice: The 5K course, which takes runners through beautiful Harris Lake at Highlands Park, is the flattest of its distance in Highlands with gently rolling hills and one short steeper section (50 Yards) and is the more accepting, allowing for walkers, and runners of all abilities. Still a favorite among new and returning racers, the 5K is the perfect distance to push strollers while challenging faster runners. The more demanding 10k course, the ideal blend between distance and speed, offers a true athletic test. The route, taking runners partly on the 5K

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course, will take a detour through Gibson Street, up Bear Pen Mountain, and back to the starting area at Kelsey Hutchinson Park. (Runners of the 10K course must be at least 15 years of age.) Participants will be greeted across the finish line in the park before celebrating in style with a rock and roll concert by Tea 4 Three from 6 to 10 PM, an awards presentation, trophies and free beer provided by Ugly Dog to all runners of legal age and light up necklaces for the kids. T-shirts are guaranteed to those who register by July 15.

What started as a race in 2013 with a goal to raise $8500 for equipment at the Civic Center, has now grown into an event raising more than $25,000 to improve local youth mental health services and purchase-improved technology for our schools. Sponsors of the run, The Rotary Club of Highlands, is asking the community

W H AT TO DO

Food Pantry Food Drive Fishes & Loaves Food Pantr y is staging a Food Drive on Saturday, July 4.

Call (828) 226-4411 for information.

to help save the race by signing up now, sponsoring or donating with the commitment to allow them to retain the entry fee or sponsorship as a donation. As Highlands and the schools try to adapt to the new circumstances created by the pandemic, more laptops are needed now more than ever.

Should Covid circumstance dictate cancellation of the initial date, the alternate date is Saturday, November 28 at 9AM. Music or beer is not offered for the alternate date. Check out the details and sign up at highlandstwilight5kand10k.com or contact Derek at 828-200-9226 for questions or to sponsor.

Point phone camera at QR code for more information the Twilight Race.

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his year, Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry’s annual fundraising breakfast has been cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns, a disappointment because not only does that mean the pantry is losing out on the monies raised at its biggest fundraiser, but also because the food pantry is facing unprecedented demand for its resources.

To help to fill that painful shortfall, Fishes & Loaves will stage its first Big Ol’ Mountain Food Drive from 9:00 to noon Saturday, July 4, at the Pantry behind the Cashiers-Glenville Fire Station on Highway 64 West.

“We’ll be gratefully accepting canned food, soups, dried beans, mac and cheese and pastas in a box,” says Fishes & Loaves’ Carole Stork. “We’ll also be accepting monetary donations that day, or people can visit our website at fishesandloavescashiers.org.”

For more information, please call Diane Stumm at (828) 226-4411.

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W H AT TO DO

J U LY Though it may seem a little wobbly due to the strange circumstances of 2020, life on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau is at its glory in July – just keep this calendar close by.

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All 2 the events that 3 we’ve previewed here may not happen when their appointed time arrives.

• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Locally Grown on the Green, 3:00 to 6:00 P.M., The Village Green Commons.

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Antique & Estate Jewelry Trunk Show, 2:00 to 5:00 P.M., The Village Hound, (828) 743-5990.

• Friends of Lake Glenville’s Annual Fireworks Display, friendsoflakeglenville.com.

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• Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry Food Drive, 9:00 A.M. to Noon, at Pantry, (828) 226-4411.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

• Fourth of July concert of The Wobblers, Highlands Chamber Facebook page livestream, 7:00 P.M.

• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Locally Grown on the Green, 3:00 to 6:00 P.M., The Village Green Commons.

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Lafayette 148 New York Trunk Show, Narcissus, (828) 743-7887.

• The Orchard Sessions with Max Watson, The Farm at Old Edwards, (828) 787-2635.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Lafayette 148 New York Trunk Show, Narcissus, (828) 743-7887.

• Anatomie Clothing Trunk Show, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Lafayette 148 New York Trunk Show, Narcissus, (828) 743-7887.

• Anatomie Clothing Trunk Show, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

•Artist Theresa Forman Trunk Show, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

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• Sixth Biennial Cashiers Plein Air Festival, visit CashiersPleinAirFestival. com for more information and tickets.

•Mountain Wildlife Days, Sapphire Valley Resort, (828) 743-7663, mountainwildlifedays. com.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse.

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• Zoller Hardware Open Air Cooking Classes, 11:00 A.M., Village Green Commons.

• Cashiers Plein Air Festival, Cashiers PleinAirFestival.com.

• Mountain Wildlife Days, Sapphire Valley Resort, (828) 743-7663, • Artist Carol Misner Trunk Show, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

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• Suzy Landa Jewelry Trunk Show, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., Peak Experience, (828) 526-0229.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

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• Dena Lyons Scarves Trunk Show, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

Please be sure and call ahead before attending.

• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

• Anatomie Clothing Trunk Show, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

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• Ali & Bird Jewelry Trunk Show, July 1-12, Acorns, (828) 787-1877.

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12

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• Locally Grown on the Green, 3:00 to 6:00 P.M., The Village Green Commons.

• Sixth Biennial Cashiers Plein Air Festival, visit CashiersPleinAirFestival. com for more information and tickets. .

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• Locally Grown on the Green, 3:00 to 6:00 P.M., The Village Green Commons.

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• ShuShu Trunk Show, Narcissus, (828) 743-743-7887.

• Locally Grown on the Green, 3:00 to 6:00 P.M., The Village Green Commons.

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• Virtual Village Nature Series Partners in Flight, 5:00 P.M. To join this free program, send a link request to director@ cashiersgreen.com.

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• Sixth Biennial Cashiers Plein Air Festival, visit CashiersPleinAirFestival. com for more information and tickets. .• Picnic Basket 101, Village Green Commons, Tiket info: info@ cashiersgreen.com.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

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• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

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• ShuShu Trunk Show, Narcissus, (828) 743-743-7887.

• Old Edwards Inn’s Peace, Love and Laurent Perrier Party, The Farm, (828) 787-2635 or (828) 727-2916 or visit oldedwardshospitality. com/champagnedinner.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org..

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• Highlands Marketplace, 8:00 AM to 12:30 P.M., Kelsey Hutchinson Park.

• Suzy Landa Jewelry Trunk Show, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., Peak Experience, (828) 526-0229.

• Poppy Hour, 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Highlands Playhouse, highlandsplayhouse.org.

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View the complete Highlands Cashiers Plateau Calendar

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COPING with CORONA Pages 48-63

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

All in This

Together

Mayor Pat Taylor

F

Highlands Mayor Pat Taylor took the reins to get the community through the disquieting days of the quarantine.

ew things have tested the mettle and resilience of our community like the ongoing COVID-19 crisis which has affected all our lives and livelihoods in one way or another. Few understand this better than Mayor Patrick Taylor who, in conjunction with our town board, has dedicated countless hours planning policies to keep our community safe and our businesses viable.

Determining the initial steps to slow the spread were among the most difficult because state guidelines had not yet been implemented. Mayor Taylor said he and the board researched the best practices from other cities and counties, and combined those ideas with their own to 48 J ul y 2020 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

decide on our initial response. Now that the state has issued guidelines we are adhering to those.

A few of the initial policies were a bit controversial, in particular asking second homeowners to stay away in the shortterm as we sought to flatten the curve.

Likewise, the road compliance checks were unpopular with some but succeeded in making people aware of the need to follow protocols, stay home as much as possible, and only travel when necessary.

Mayor Taylor emphasized that in true Highlander fashion people came together and cooperated, making our initial efforts so successful.

Likewise, he said it can’t be overstated

that this has been a community effort with everyone doing their sincere best to follow guidelines and prevent spread.

Merchants have done an outstanding job following protocols to keep their customers and employees safe. The Chamber of Commerce has been a vital partner in devising ways to keep businesses open and the public safe, most recently helping to place hand sanitizing stations, provided by the Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation, throughout town.

As we continue our slow and measured reopening phase Taylor stresses that following the three W’s: Wash your hands, Wear face coverings and Wait at

C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Jerry Hermanson

Community Care Clinic

Nimble management and a compassionate staff allows the Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers to deliver quality health care in the midst of a pandemic.

T least six feet away from other people, will be crucial to keeping us safe and businesses open. The need for caution is still very real.

Like all of us Mayor Taylor and his wife, Sallie, have been finding ways to cope while social distancing and spending more time at home. They rediscovered their love of cooking and have honed their culinary skills.

An artist by trade, he has had a lot more time in his pottery studio, which has resulted in a lot of new pieces for sale. His inventory levels have never been higher but the catch-22, and one familiar to many, is that sales are slow.

We are indeed all in this together.

he 2020 global pandemic has altered, either temporarily or irrevocably, the way organizations and businesses operate.

Executive Director Jerry Hermanson of Community Care Clinic of HighlandsCashiers is not certain which will be the case, but for now there are operational procedures in place to protect the health and safety of patients and staff as COVID-19 continues to threaten.

Community Care Clinic’s mission is to enable, “The medically under-served to have access to affordable, quality healthcare.”

“We are pretty much a volunteer driven organization with over 40 volunteers,” said Hermanson, who’s been the director of the clinic since it was founded 15 years ago. “Yet, all our volunteers are in a high risk group, so we made the decision early on that even though we need to take care of the patients, we also needed to protect our volunteers.”

Overnight, Hermanson said the clinic had to figure out how to “make it work” with just a staff of three, plus a physician’s assistant.

“What happens now, is the staff members do the intake, documentation, screening …

It works without volunteers right now because the volume of patients has dropped. We bring them in one at a time instead of having them in a waiting room, and we pre-screen over the phone. We get geared up with PPE, go out, check temps, give them a mask, and bring them directly into an exam room. With fewer patients it’s worked out really well and we are running the normal hours.”

Although Hermanson said he did notice an increase in volume going into June, as people began to feel more comfortable, there are no immediate plans “to go back to preCOVID practices, as long as there is a concern over community spread.”

Currently, the clinic is still able to fulfill prescriptions. Patients call and a staff member takes it out to them.

by Mary Jane McCall

by Deena Bouknight

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Plant for

The Plateau

Marty Rosenfield, The Food Pantry of Highlands

Helping to stock local food pantries draws upon a tradition going back to the Plateau’s f irst inhabitants.

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hen the founders of Highlands drew up their plans for this tiny corner of Western North Carolina, they envisioned that the fertile meadows of Horse Cove and the Flats, the temperate climate, and abundant rainfall would allow the community to develop as an important agricultural hub.

Well, Mssrs. Kelsey and Hutchinson may have been a little too ambitious in their vision, but you can see that their notions about good farming were on the money – just witness the groaning display tables at Highlands Marketplace and Locally Grown on the Green in Cashiers.

Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, The Food

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Pantry of Highlands, and The Mountain’s Many Hand Peace Farm are asking locals and seasonal residents to consider this wealth of agricultural potential and Plant for the Plateau.

Planting fresh vegetables that’ll be donated to these food pantries will ensure that numerous families on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau will have enough to eat during this time of calamitous economic hardship.

In fact, doing so draws upon a tradition that goes back even further than the visions of Kelsey and Hutchinson.

According to George Powell of Highlands Aerial Park, the local tradition

of sharing food with neighbors goes back to the early 18th century, when the Cherokee welcomed the first English settlers to the Plateau. It was their custom to give generously without question when there was a need.

“The Cherokee shared their bounty with the settlers, and they taught them about “The Three Sisters” – the planting together of Corn, Beans, and Squash,” says Powell. “This trio of plants would grow in harmony with each other and prevent the soil from losing its richness, and, this is critical, provide a family with enough food to survive the winter.”

The idea behind Plant for the Plateau is

C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Four of the 52 Neighbors Helping Neighbors volunteers Pictured Left to Right: Donna Philips, Diane McPhail, Melanie Ham and Carol Taylor

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Highlands’ remarkably resilient spirit of community takes centerstage with the emergence of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program.

C simple: Pledge and plant one or more of the following crops – tomatoes, squash, peppers, corn, onions, potatoes, carrots, and beans. Then email PlantForThePlateau@gmail. com with a list of the vegetables you pledge to grow, and whether you plan to donate to the food pantry in Highlands or Cashiers. Then, harvest and deliver your crops. It’s that easy.

To encourage community gardening, a Facebook Group named PLANT FOR THE PLATEAU is available, where local farmers and gardeners can share tips and tricks.

If you’d like to join the effort but don’t have room to plant a garden, the Many Hands Peace Farm has field space to plant. Contact the MHPF at (828) 526-5838.

oming together in times of crisis is one of the things that makes Highlands such a special place to live. Never has this been more evident than during the recent and ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

The Highlands Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in devising ways to help our community weather these unusual times. A suggestion was made to start a program of Neighbors Helping Neighbors and the chamber fully embraced the idea. They set up parameters for the program, made additions to their website, and launched an effort seeking volunteers to respond to their neighbor’s needs.

The response has been overwhelming with over 50 responders volunteering to help their neighbors in need. This program helps people who cannot leave their homes for health or safety concerns who just need a little extra help. The responders provide a myriad of services, including shopping, pickup and delivery of items from grocery stores, pharmacies, and mailing and delivering packages. Transportation can also be provided when needed for doctor’s appointments or other errands. They also offer assistance to people who need help with computer issues since online learning and transactions are more important than ever.

Local businesses such as Bryson’s Food Store and Highlands Pharmacy, among others, have been very cooperative in helping implement this program, and helped ensure the program’s success.

Responder Carol Taylor was quick to volunteer and was quickly matched by the chamber with a nearby neighbor who was unable to leave her home and needed help with pickup and delivery of groceries and other errands. It has proved a practical way to help her neighbor, build new friendships, and foster a sense of community.

Responder Elizabeth Gordon has a heart for giving, so this program seems tailor-made for her to reach out to those in need.

Elizabeth, who is “so thankful for our community and how we always come together in times of hardship,” says she has enjoyed helping and meeting new people.

For more information, if you’d like to volunteer or need help, contact the Chamber at (828) 526-5841.

by Mary Jane McCall

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Wear, Wait & Wash Restoring Highlands’ summer vitality is a matter of community spirit and compassion.

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

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usiness as we knew it has been disrupted but there’s something mystical about mountains, flowing streams, moss covered paths and old growth forests of birch, hickory, oak, and maple trees and you’ll find that in abundance in Highlands. And this mysticism has been calling people here for centuries.

Worldwide, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought travel and tourism to a near-standstill, and no one is sure when it will return to normal.

As travel begins again, look for it to start with road trips not too far from home. And Highlands has always been a drive to destination.

Our businesses have been working for months to prepare for the return of neighbors and visitors and are ready to greet all with unassuming luxury and small-town ease.

Business owners are modifying operations to accommodate changes while continuing to satisfy loyal customers.

As we move into our summer months it is vital for all to remember some simple safety precautions, we can take to protect ourselves and others, Wait, Wash and Wear. We love our

small town and all those who live and visit here.

Please join us and Love Highlands by following these 3 simple precautions.

Just as Highlands’ strengths sustained its people in past disasters, it shall again. The region’s hospitality, talent, nature, real estate, minerals, arts, healthy/restful environment, intrigue, history, and so much more are the calling cards that sustain those of us who live here and keep visitors coming back time after time. The mountain is calling on us to be a part of the solution please Wait, Wash, Wear.

by Donna Rhodes

Point phone camera at QR code for more information from Highlands Visitors Center

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Landmar k

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Coming through Renewed After the Coronavirus scare, real estate professionals emerged from quarantine to discover that there’s a renewed interest in settling down on the Plateau.

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Terry Potts

C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

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ince the real estate market is fundamental to the Plateau’s economic health, the arrival of the Coronavirus and its social distancing mandates added another layer of anxiety to an already shaken population.

“All of a sudden, all of us in real estate were dead in the water,” says Terry Potts, owner of Country Club Properties. “Of course, everyone closed their offices, which meant we were doing our best to conduct all of our business online. The only trouble was, there really wasn’t any business to do online.”

That time at home gave Potts and his fellow real estate professionals across the Plateau the chance to formulate sensible health policies that would ensure that the field

could once again thrive.

And sure enough, once the social distancing restrictions began to be lifted, Potts implemented those procedures for his employees and his buyers and sellers.

“We’re applying hand sanitizer throughout the day, and we’re masked in the office and when we’re out showing properties,” he explains.

For the other part of the equation, Potts reports that after keeping their distance during the quarantine, buyers are once again looking to buy on the Plateau.

“I think being cooped up wherever they were for quarantine made it clear to a lot of people that they’d really be happier living here in this part of Western North

Carolina. Once Georgia opened up, a lot of people were coming up the mountain to see what we have to offer.”

Of course, the other part of the equation means that some sellers have reservations about letting agents and prospective buyers into their homes while Covid-19 is a possibility.

“If that’s the case, we can still show homes through virtual tours and let the buyers go through the floor plans. That allows them to sit in the comfort of their home and visit properties all over the Plateau.”

by Luke Osteen

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Who's Behind

The Masks Nan Rios

There’s no masking our Feature Ar tist’s natural talents and non-stop ar tist’s imagination – their breathtaking designs speak for themselves.

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hen beautiful art binds with perfect function, the result is fantastic craft.

Nan and her mother, Nok, have joined creative forces to produce an indispensable creation in these troubled times...fashionable, protective face masks, custom-designed for men, women, and children, all ages, all sizes.

Eleven years ago Nan flew from Thailand to Western North Carolina with a student visa in hand. Since early childhood, she dreamed of a home in America, learning English while immersing herself in Western culture. She worked hard, fitting nicely into the Highlands community, and serving the patrons of Mountain Fresh.

A little over a decade later, she’s now fluent in English, happily married, the proud mom of two toddlers, and starting her own cottage industry. Her American dream came true.

Another part of her dream materialized out of the Covid 19 crisis. While she felt very fortunate for her family’s good health, she kept thinking, “How can we help people not so lucky?”

Her mother came for a visit to help with Nan’s newborn. She got waylaid by travel restrictions, so she had to remain stateside.

Nan said, “That turned out to be a huge bonus. Mom had a sewing talent. She made all my clothes when I was growing up.

We were aware there was a shortage of face masks in the U.S., so I suggested that she make masks to occupy her time and do a

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good deed in the process. We had no idea the concept would meet with such success,” she laughed.

They made a few masks and posted them on Facebook. It caught the attention of many Highlands residents. Orders started rolling in. Custom orders of flag designs, animals, both pet and wild, particularly bear prints are among local favorites.

Nok can accommodate nearly any request. Turn-around time is just a few days. These reversible masks are made of 100 percent cotton and are three layers thick with a filter pouch. While they are not medical grade, they are more than adequate for office visits, shopping, etc.

And they are an original design, typically more comfortable than other bulky products you see online. They are hand-wash items, but can be machine-washed on delicate cycle. The best part … the price is only $5 (plus shipping if required).

When the crisis subsides, Nan and Nok plan on making cloth shopping bags to help with another crisis … the crush of plastic waste that affects climate and just might be contributing to the viral situation.

To learn more, visit Nan on Facebook (private message her: Nannypris), email her at nanny_89_@live.com, or call her at (828) 347-2905.

by Donna Rhodes

C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

Nok

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C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

T Time is an Abundant Luxury The Clock Tower above the Highlands Town Hall Admonishes us not to get Uptight about Time.

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ime is the fourth dimension after the three spatial dimensions. In Newtonian physics time moves forward, never backwards, and cannot be speeded up or slowed down. In human experience, however, time crawls, hangs heavy, drags by, creeps up, passes quickly, runs out, flies and slips away.

While home sheltering during this pandemic, many people find they have “time on their hands.” That even with all the hand washing. “Time is money,” Ben Franklin famously said. Are we all wealthy now? “Time is the coin of your life,” Carl Sandburg added: “It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.”

And yet, we have all this “free time.”

We have often complained about not having enough time and wished to have more time. Given the choice between more time and more money, most would choose time. With social distancing and staying at home, we now have more time than anything else.

As if a wish has been granted, we have a luxurious amount of the thing we most value. So what should we be doing with this new abundance of time, this surplus of the thing most valued in life, this quicksilver that is the metric of existence?

There are some obvious answers to this fortunate question. Every task and plan, every good intention that you have ever had and have never acted upon is now knocking at your door. What luck! Those letters not written, phone calls not made, pieces of furniture not refinished, closets not purged, books not read, and on and on, now stand at the ready before you.

Time alone or in pensive self-reflection is time well spent. Go within. Witness your own thoughts in quiet moments; get to better know someone interesting — yourself.

Reach out. Practice being the fullness of the person you have always known yourself to be.

Enjoy the abundant luxury of time.

by William McReynolds

C O P I N G W I T H C OV I D

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ike the rest of the world, my life seemed to completely change in the matter of days.

I was a second semester junior at college.

Before I was sent home from school in March I was living in an apartment on campus, I was working hard, getting good grades, and enjoying living with my significant other for the first time after not seeing each other for five months. I felt like I was finally being allowed to grow up and live independently, and I loved it.

For spring break, I decided to stay on campus with my boyfriend. Over the course of two days my friends who worked for the school told us, what we thought were rumors, about the campus closing down and then suddenly we were calling our parents to tell them we had to come home the next day.

We were told it would be a month break, so I took as much as would fit in my tiny car and drove back here, home.

Since my family decided it was safest for me to quarantine alone, my day felt like I

was always working. It felt like a continuous cycle of needing to take a break from working, because I hadn’t in 12 hours, and then immediately feeling bad for taking a break because there was still so much work to get done. Without having my professors and friends there physically to support me, I felt like I was drowning.

The one thing that kept me sane throughout was the support of my friends and family digitally. My group of girlfriends still have a wine night once a week and just talk and laugh. Luckily, I have gotten through the most difficult part of online school because we are told we are going back in the fall, fingers crossed.

But now the world is falling apart for other reasons and as a young person I just want to help and make change, but I don’t see an end in sight and I’m so sad.

Remember to always choose love, stay safe and strong, let no one take your voice!

by Kathryn Potts

Kathryn Potts

Celebrate Your Voice

The quarantine is a bit lonelier when you’re separated from your college, your friends, and your family.

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Reinventing Her Restaurant Meritage Bistro emerges from the quarantine with a smar t new business plan that draws upon lessons learned in its early days.

Andrea Schmitt

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arch 17, 2020.

The celebratory sounds of a traditional St Patrick’s Day celebration were silenced today as North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper halted dine-in service across Highlands. In its place, you could barely hear the air sucked out of the lungs of local restaurateurs – the hard-working folks who had spent decades serving the community.

Meritage Bistro owner Andrea Schmitt struggled with the decision that faced everyone in the industry: To close or pivot to a new business model?

Three-and-a-half weeks later, the Easter holiday provided a way back, and the restaurant celebrated for its Mediterranean cuisine began offering curbside pick-up.

“We wanted to provide an escape for our customers who we knew were seeking a fine-dining take-out option, and we needed to show them that we were still remaining optimistic and positive,” said Schmitt.

Customer and employee safety were prioritized, and sanitary measures were

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instituted along with policies requiring not only the employees but also their entire famililies to self-quarantine.

Schmitt herself pledged to not visit other stores.

Reinventing her business “on the fly,” the culinary team adapted a take-out menu of customer favorites, including Sea Scallop Caponata and Farroe island Salmon with Wild Mushroom and Leeks. Schmitt looked back to her beginnings as the creator of the original Wild Thyme, a retail wine shop with a café, and began offering wine specials, encouraging customers to stock their cellars at reduced pricing.

Adapting a fine-dining restaurant for take-out had been a challenge, but an enthusiastic response reaffirmed that the effort was worth doing. Customers reacted immediately to the new business model – supporting the restaurant not only with weekly orders for wine and food, but sending emails to friends praising their meals and promoting the Thursday through Sunday take-out option. Curbside also allowed Andrea

and the staff a window on its audience, to see the gratitude of their guests and to feel their satisfaction.

“We were reduced to these short interactions when people pick up and it’s literally what sustained us as a group,” she says.

With the onset of Phase 2, Meritage has re-opened at 50 percent capacity. All of the former, available staff has been re-hired and the restaurant continues to advocate for preventative measures for customers and staff. The would-beempty tables are populated now with wine bottles, and the retail wine business flourishes as Schmitt has opened up her extensive wine cellars, accumulated over many years and more recently enlarged in synchronization with a Wine Spectator Award application.

As she ponders how best to balance safety with customer expectations, Schmitt has discovered that “being back in business now feels more exciting and joyful, and not just about loss.”

by Marlene Osteen

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Coping and an Old Rope Swing A family uses imagination, determination, and a healthy dose of cheer to get through the sheltering in place.

Gray, Erick, Jessica, Silas, and Zack Martin

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here are a lot of stories as to what the current coronavirus crisis is revealing about family life, society, the educational system, and our economy.

Here, Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library’s Jessica Martin reflects on what sheltering-in-place revealed to her, her husband and three boys.

Taken together, the details of Jessica’s day-to-day life and its meaning in the larger context of her life tells the story of an anxious, yet resilient, family life on “pause.”

For 13-year-old Gray and nine-yearold Silas life was transformed – the Blue Ridge School they attended closed, play dates and sports were cancelled. For 18-year-old Erick, who was at Marine Corps boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina, at the onset, it meant not being able to share graduation with his family.

With the library shut down, Jessica remained at home, overseeing the online classes of Gray and home-schooling Silas. Husband Zach, a stonemason with his own business, continued to work outside the home. In one sense, the pandemic had reaped an unexpected benefit – access to the internet. From the onset, Jessica understood that setting a routine for her two boys was critical to establish normalcy and minimize anxiety – particularly for nine-year-old Silas, struggling to understand the disruption that surrounded him.

A rigid, Monday through Friday schedule was set in place. Following a family breakfast, classes began at 8:30 AM. Gray in the Google Classroom on his computer, Silas and Mom studying from the materials provided by Blue Ridge so that schoolwork could continue at home.

At 10:30 AM, a 20-minute Snack Break, lunch at Noon, then two more lessons

before school let out. On weekends with Dad at home, the family enjoyed the outdoors – whitewater kayaking, hiking, and trail blazing.

In between, the boys kept up with their friends through telephone calls and social media.

Certainly acclimating to the lockdown was hard, but it revealed a family closer together with a greater and deeper appreciation of each other.

Though Jessica returned to work at the end of May, the boys are still sheltering at home with grandparents and family, not knowing what the Fall 2020 Blue Ridge School schedule will bring. Meanwhile, Jessica and Zach yearn to see Erick soon and celebrate the graduation that never was.

by Marlene Osteen

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W H AT TO DO

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Mingling in the

Magic of Oils Cover Ar tist Jill Wolfe’s style is the cultivation of her own creative sensibilities and the techniques impar ted by bold visionaries.

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here’s nothing plain about Jill Wolfe’s latest Laurel cover heralding this summer’s Plein Air Festival, set for July 15-19 on the Village Green.

In her capable hands, Abstraction, Impressionism, and interpretive realism mingle in a mashup of landscape magic.

That’s a style she’s perfected and settled into after years of experimentation

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and study with world class masters. Her work is in high-demand and hanging in the finest regional residences, often as a focal point in her all-the-comforts-ofhome interior designs.

She’s one of the few commissionable artists who can accommodate unusual corners, craftable crevices, anomalous spaces. She’s a wow-factor wonder with a psychic meter that registers what you

secretly desire. She’ll leave you cooing, “Jeepers. I never knew I wanted, no, needed that!”

As Jill’s evolution as a painter progressed, she absorbed vital tips from the greats, among them Marianne Mitchell.

“Marianne instilled the insight that abstraction must have a quality that draws the viewer. Without it, the painting

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is lifeless, she says.”

It’s tricky business since abstraction, by its very definition, is not representational.

So Jill hybridized genres to express her feel for nature, her love of color, and her expression of emotion to catch the eye and fill the heart.

When asked how Covid 19 affected her production, she replies, “I’m selling online now. I post one painting at a time and they sell pretty quickly. The gallery system is evolving. I don’t know how

brick and mortar galleries will shift, but I do know galleries and museums play an important role in the real-life visual art experience. In the meantime, artists and their representatives are looking for creative alternatives to the salon concept.

There’s always opportunities. You’ve just got to find them.”

In the meantime, she’s active in the Plein Air Festival, serving on the committee and participating on the Green. She’s selling paintings online, and

her Angelhouse Interior Design business keeps her hopping.

You can contact Jill at angelhouse111@ gmail.com; angelhousedesigns.com or jillwolfefineart.com.

by Donna Rhodes

Point phone camera at QR code for more info on Jill Wolfe’s art

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Intermission is

Almost Over Proving that The Show Must Go On, the Highlands Per forming Ar ts Center unveils a full slate of per formances by the National Theatre of London.

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t’ll be nice to open the Highlands Performing Arts Center once again.

We’ve missed y’all.

Dependent on Governor Cooper’s announcement on June 26 concerning Phase 3 of reopening of NC, PAC will begin screening encore presentations from the National Theatre of London in July. Please check the PAC website for dates and times – HighlandsPAC.org or HighlandsPeformingArts.com.

The productions that will be shown: James McAvoy (X-Men, Atonement) returns to the stage in an inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. Fierce with a pen and notorious in combat, 74 J ul y 2020 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Cyrano almost has it all – if only he could win the heart of his true love Roxane.

There’s just one big problem: He has a nose as huge as his heart.

Welcome to the original, hilarious, one woman play that inspired the BBC’s hit TV series Fleabag. A rip-roaring look at some sort of woman living her sort of life.

Fleabag may seem oversexed, emotionally unfiltered and self-obsessed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and directed by Vicky Jones.

Winner of every major Best Musical award on Broadway and in the West End, it’s Kinky Boots! With songs by Grammy

and Tony Award-winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, it’s based on the comedy film about a son who reluctantly inherits his father’s shoe factor. Big-hearted and highspirited, inspired by true events. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save the family business from bankruptcy, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, an entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos.

The Lehman Trilogy is the story of a family and a company that changed the world, told in three parts on a single evening. On a cold September morning in 1844 a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside. Dreaming of a new

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Poppy Hour Highlands Playhouse’s Poppy Hour, staged upon its sheltered patio from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, is a mar velously indulgent way to rekindle the passion for watching a f irst-run movie amongst a lively crowd.

S life in the new world. An American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, and triggers the largest financial crisis in history.

Please check the website for dates of the rescheduled concerts and the Covid-19 Procedures, Precautions & Protocols that Pac will initiate when we reopen. Find us at HighlandsPAC.org.

by Mary Adair Trumbly, Highlands Performing Arts Center Point phone camera at QR code to keep up to date on happenings at Highlands PAC.

omewhere in the Covid equation of health and safety, there’s got to be room to rest and reset … a place of comfort and a brief escape from the pressures of these sometimes trying and tumultuous times.

But how do you socialize while observing all the local and state health requisites?

Highlands Playhouse has the answer. It’s called Poppy Hour. The Playhouse has one of the largest covered patios in town. Rain or shine, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M., they’ll offer fresh movie theater popcorn, candy, a new assortment of snacks, and, of course, a variety of fine wine.

“It’s a great way to engage the community and reconnect with our patrons after our long hiatus...” says Lance Matzke, Highlands Playhouse Managing Director, “...and we hope to make some new friends, too. We are looking for novel ways to stay relevant and to provide entertainment to our crowds on the Plateau. We all eagerly await phase three, the reopening of our first-run films.”

There’s plenty of room to comply with social-distancing at the Playhouse, yet have the satisfaction of mingling with friends. There’s a spacious deck to spread out the fun with plenty of seats inside to separate, relax, and still enjoy.

These few months have given us a chance to rest and reset. We’ve watched plenty of movies, shows, and documentaries in our home theaters. Now it’s time to reconnect in an open space.

When we’re back in gear, you’ll be able to experience that “extra something” that occurs when the lights go down and the curtains rise. Home theaters are great, but there’s nothing like the “reel” deal of a classic cinema.

Visit highlandsplayhouse.org for the latest views and Playhouse news.

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Art League’s Hopeful October

The turn of this strange year has forced the Highlands-Cashiers Ar t League to make some tough decisions, but its attention is focused on a successful Fall Fine Ar t Show and a robust 2021.

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n 1785, Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, wrote “To a Mouse.” A line from that poem, put into modern English, suggests that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

So has it been with the Art League’s 2020 season, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Each year, April through October, the League sponsors seven presentations by local and regional artists. These informative and entertaining events are free and open to the public. In addition, it sponsors two fine art shows each year, the Summer Show in Sapphire Valley and the Fall Show in Highlands.

In cooperation with the Rec Park, it has for many years sponsored a children’s art camp in July and August. This year, the Art

League was to host the August Chamber of Commerce’s After Hours event. Plans were made; venues were reserved and speakers were scheduled.

The best laid plans…

The League’s first victim of the virus was the April presentation. Back then, we had hopes that things would normalize soon, so we rescheduled April’s speaker to May. It quickly became clear that “soon” was not to be. The May presentation was cancelled, and we held out hope that by June we could start the season, but hope faded fast. The June presentation, as well as the Summer Fine Art Show were both cancelled, and contrary to our hope in March, it was obvious that returning to something like our pre-virus world would be a slow process.

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So, the Art League’s Executive Committee recently met, and because of the uncertainty of venues and attendance, made the tough decision to forego the remaining 2020 presentations, the hosting of the After Hours event and the Children’s Art Camp. For the first time in its 40 years of existence, the Art League’s season was not to be. The only activity the Executive Committee left open to possibility is the Fall Fine Art Show, currently scheduled for the third weekend of October.

Look for continuing articles about future programs. For more information about the Art League, visit artleaguehighlandscashiers.com.

by Zach Claxton, The Art League of Highlands-Cashiers

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ere we are in July, right in the middle of a busy, strange summer.

We still want to be outside enjoying the great outdoors, nature at her finest, and we can still do so, just like John Anderson, better known as “Cornbread” to the droves of his fans and collectors.

Cornbread takes to the outdoors, no social distancing required, as he partakes in his favorite time-honored pastime – fishing!

Although aptly named the John James Audubon of the 21st Century for his depictions of various fowl, Cornbread also has quite the body of work in the finned realm.

Yes, the fishing bug has bit, and Cornbread has a number of new pieces, some of the fish he has never painted before, or they are painted in a different combination. New from his palette is a

Fish & Cornbread

Bluegill and an underwater series.

These pieces in the series are numbers 1, 2, and 3, with the featured fish being Largemouth Bass, Catfish, Bluegills, Minnows, and a Snapping Turtle patrolling amongst the fish, each painting a little different in nature. Number 2 in the series shows the fish with a lure, the first one he ever turned on a lathe.

He has painted two Mahi Mahi, and the one shown here is Number 2. If you love

Cornbread’s new pieces and his older trout, you might also be interested in his hand-turned fishing lures.

Other news: At the gallery, we are excited to add our Summer Folk Art Flash Sale. With many summer travel plans cancelled for many, due to Covid-19, turn your time at home towards increasing your folk art collection and invest in art.

To help us make it through the summer heat, we will offer, for a limited time, cool prices on selected pieces each week.

Check our Facebook page each week to see that week’s flash sale. To see these new fish pieces, paintings and lures, as well as all of Cornbread’s other fabulous works, until we officially reopen, please feel free to call for an appointment.

Around Back at Rocky’s Place at 3631 Highway 53 East in Dawsonville, Georgia. Call (706) 265-6030 or check online at aroundbackatrockysplace.com.

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DINING Pages 84-94

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The Pleasure of

Dining Out

Crab Cakes

A meal at Julep Kitchen, 500 Highway 246 in Dillard, Georgia, is a f itting celebration of the lifting of quarantine restrictions.

Call (706) 960-9600 or visit julep.farm for reser vations or more information.

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re you like me?

Has your outlook brightened by a factor of eight with the return of that supremely gratifying experience of Dining Out? Not that plating a takeout dinner in the comfort of home didn’t have its own subtle charm, but the restaurant experience is singularly indulgent, with its own nonpareil suite of pleasures.

All of these blessings were served up during our visit to Julep Kitchen, the fine dining experience at the heart of Julep Farms in Dillard, Georgia.

It’s the beautifully-appointed creation of Rick and Lauren Weaver, a pair of dynamos who’ve arrived on the local scene and developed the beguiling Julep Farms into a luxury-rustic resort destination.

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Dynamos?

That’s Rick in the kitchen, preparing your meal. He and his Lead Chef James focus on seasonal cooking with highquality, fresh ingredients.

That’s Rick, coming out to chat with you about your meal and the state of affairs of the Farm and the world in general.

At the moment, Lauren’s somewhere in the office, making sure that everything comes together. But her presence is felt through the enterprise.

The pristine elegance of the shop and dining room, with its bold color scheme of navy blue and blinding white accents?

That’s her, showing off her talents built over a career as an interior designer.

Or, if she’s not to be found in the office, she’s pruning her perfect gardens, on

the mower touching up a corner of the property, baking delicious treats, making sure the numbers are working, or greeting guests in Julep Market.

They’re clearly a perfectly paired couple.

We chose to dine on the expansive umbrella’d patio.

Our server Tina was bright, and attentive, and at the top of her game. Her timing was impeccable and her touch was light and unobtrusive.

And the food? Well, that’s where Julep Farms (and Rick) really shone.

I ordered the Julep Chicken Tender Platter.

Now you may be saying, “Luke, with a complete menu of Lunch Savories, why would you settle on something as mundane as Chicken Tenders?”

It’s a strategy I’ve developed over

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Julep Bloody Mary Old Fashioned

Pan Seared Ahi Tuna

Parmesan Crusted Salmon

the course of the years writing these reviews. Sometimes, with no planning, I’ll casually order something you’d find on the menus of a half-dozen restaurants within a seven-mile radius. It’s a good test of the kitchen’s creativity and attention to detail. A clever chef will always find a way to make the ordinary into something memorable and magic.

OK, Chef Rick, if you’re reading this, stand up and take a bow.

Your plump chicken tenders, which you’d marinated overnight, dredged in a light tempura/pancake batter, and fried

Pimento Bacon Burger

with precision, were astounding.

Go ahead, take another bow! You earned it.

Here’s how my companion described her Crab Cakes, “So much crabmeat!

Huge tasty lumps, perfectly seasoned and cooked – I could not stop eating the freshness.”

But there was more to her meal than a generous serving of crabmeat, “the unsung hero of the dish was the creative corn remoulade sauce – just what you would dream of from a meal at a working farm!”

As you can see, Julep Kitchen at Julep Farms is a full-blown celebration of the unalloyed pleasures of Dining Out. We’ve all been waiting for this!

by Luke Osteen

Point phone camera at QR code for Julep Kitchen Menu.

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Adult Snickerdoodles

Carol Misner

For Carol Misner, ser ving up a dish of her mar velously indulgent Adult Snickerdoodles is just an ex tension of her natural exuberance.

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rtist Carol Misner has the warm and happy smile of someone you want to befriend.

An engaging and exuberant woman she exudes the same grace, elegance and gentility of her paintings.

For nearly two decades, the painterly storyteller has been creating her famed botanical paintings. Her illustrations, prized for the fragility and beauty she discovers in nature in Highlands, capture a certain kind of flora power.

But Carol is also and always was a cook – a passionate hostess, eager and proficient at the stove, her creativity and artistic sensibility as apparent in her kitchen as her studio.

Pre-virus, she liked to take on parties from four to 40. Now, quarantining at home with her partner Ann Huckstep she continues to paint – she has an upcoming trunk show of her works on July 18 at

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But entertaining has had to take on the strict requirements of the pandemic environment, along with the challenge of feeding the people Carol loves while maintaining social distancing.

And so she turned to baking – leaving bags of delightful sweet treats at the doors of her beloved friends.

Recently she came across the cookie recipe here, which she has aptly named “Adult Snickerdoodle.”

From Carol: “The first time I followed the recipe exactly and was met with ‘yum’ and other words of praise. The next couple of times, I used a sugar substitute called Swerve and found them to be even more delicious, they just melted in your mouth. They are great with morning coffee, as a snack in the afternoon or with a bourbon at night.”

Adult Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe Ingredients 1 Tablespoon Hot Water 1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Crystals ½ Cup Butter, softened ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar (or Swerve) ¾ Cup Brown Sugar (or Swerve Brown Sugar) 2 teaspoon Baking Powder ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg ¼ teaspoon Salt ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves 2 Eggs 2 ¼ Cup All-Purpose Flour Directions 1, Stir coffee crystals into 1 Tablespoon Hot Water until dissolved, set aside.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the Butter and Shortening

for about 45 seconds or until well blended. Add Sugars, Cinnamon, Baking Powder, Nutmeg, Baking Soda, Salt, and Cloves, beat until well combined. Add the Vanilla and the Coffee Mixture, beat until combined. Beat in the Flour a little at a time until well combined. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or overnight!

3. Preheat oven to 325. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.

In a small bowl stir together 1/3 Cup Sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Shape the dough into small balls, about ¾” to 1”, roll in sugar mixture. Place about 2” apart and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set. The centers will look a little underdone. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet three to four minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

by Marlene Osteen

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Peace, Love, & Laurent Perrier

Old Edwards Inn’s Peace, Love and Laurent Perrier Par ty, set for July 30 at The Farm, is a restaging of those halcyon days when life was meant to be lived in harmony with ever y thing good. For reser vations or more information, call (828) 787-2635 or (828) 727-2916 or visit oldedwardshospitality.com/champagnedinner.

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ld Edwards Inn is known for its love of hosting parties, innovative and collaborative events that focus on and present their favorite finds.

That’s precisely what they’ll do on July 30, at the Peace, Love, and Laurent Perrier Party at The Farm.

The evening, featuring the champagnes of Laurent Perrier, promises to recapture the easy swinging style and laid-back rhythms of the Swinging Sixties. On the agenda, a chance to return to the nostalgia and spirit of a decade that also belonged to the Kennedy mythos, the Beatles, and go-go boots. Included is all the hedonism that fit the era, swanky settings, sharp outfits, sharkskin suits, sensational champagne, stiff drinks and the saloon style songs spawned in Las Vegas by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and others. (We will forgo the cigarettes with or without the Surgeon General’s warnings).

DJ Yvonne Monet’s playlist for the evening promises to include everyone’s favorites, a reminder that the music from the generation of love still lives on.

In a summation of 60’s nostalgic history, guests will fill their coupes at a champagne fountain while admiring the hand-crafted pink and white ice sculptures, and have their photos snapped alongside Bubbles the Car, a 1963 Citroen.

Vice President of Champagne Laurent Perrier Camille Cox brings all her knowledge, energy and passion to an hors d’oeuvre-matched reception in The Orchard, while pouring champagne from large format bottles.

Although many associate champagne with a celebration or an aperitif before dinner, Executive Chef Chris Huerta of Madison’s likes to think of it as he would any other wine, or in the case of champagne, what dinner is best served with it. And so, the menu served at

dinner in The Farm Pavilion emphasizes seasonality, quality of ingredients, and a delicious procession of dishes perfectly chosen to complement the wines.

Discussion is a must as Camille guides guests on how to recognize different flavors and styles of champagne.

Camaraderie, laughter, and story-telling are sure to follow.

Guests are encouraged to slip into their favorite white vinyl boots, rock ‘n roll get-up, or hippie attire, and relax into an evening of pleasure and immersion delivered straight from the 60’s. Cost is $175 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity), which includes champagne throughout the evening. For more information call (828) 787-2635 or ( 828) 727-2916 or visit oldedwardshospitality. com/champagnedinner.

by Marlene Osteen

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Live Entertainment

Dress Code

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The Restaurants of the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

Full Bar

Plateau Dining Guide

Children’s Menu

To see the most up-to-date information about dining on the plateau visit: https://www.highlands-cashiers.info/highlands-restaurants https://www.highlands-cashiers.info/cashiers-restaurants

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(828) 526-3807

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(828) 820-8686

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Reservations Required

(828) 526-4446

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465 Main Street

(828) 787-2990

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Village Square, 470 Oak Street

(828) 526-4188

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350 S. Fifth Street

(828) 526-2110

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Smallwood Avenue

(828) 526-9419

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445 Main Street

(828) 787-2525

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Meritage Bistro

490 Carolina Way

(828) 526-1019

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Mountain Fresh

Corner of Fifth and Main

(828) 526-2400

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Highway 64 (Franklin Road)

(828) 526-2338

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440 Main Street

(828) 526-4906

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Main Street

(828) 526-0383

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Corner of 4th and Main

(828) 526-9632

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298 South 4th Street

(828) 526-8364

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460 Main Street

(828) 526-3807

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Cashiers Farmers Market

Crossroads

(828) 743-4334

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Cashiers Valley Smokehouse

US 64 West

(828) 547-3096

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220 Greystone Lane

(828) 966-4700

45 Slab Town Road

(828) 743-0020

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14 Raggedy Lane

(828) 547-1300

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25 Frank Allen Road

(828) 743-3000

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45 Slabtown Road

(828) 743-7711

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500 Highway 246, Dillard, Ga,

(706) 960-9600

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HIGHLANDS AREA RESTAURANTS 64 Highlands Plaza

(828) 526-5002

The Bistro at Wolfgang’s

460 Main Street

Brunch HQ

137 Main Street

4118 Kitchen + Bar

Fire + Water Restaurant Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar Fressers Courtyard Cafe *

The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering

Lakeside Restaurant Madison’s Restaurant & Wine Garden

On the Verandah Paoletti’s *Rosewood Market SweeTreats/Highlands Deli The Ugly Dog Pub Wolfgang’s Restaurant

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CASHIERS AREA RESTAURANTS

The Greystone Inn Slab Town Pizza Town & Country General Store Deli The Ugly Dog Pub Zookeeper

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ADDITIONAL AREA RESTAURANTS Julep Farms B Breakfast

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Lunch

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HIGHLANDS AREA RESTAURANTS Asia House - (828) 787-1680 Bella’s Junction Cafe - (828) 526-0803 Bistro on Main/Main Street Inn - (828) 526-2590 The Blue Bike Cafe - (828) 526-9922 The Bridge at Mill Creek - (828) 526-5500 Bryson’s Deli - (828) 526-3775 The Cake Bar at Mill Creek - (828) 421-2042 Calder’s Coffee Cafe - (828) 526-0020 Dusty’s - (828) 526-2762 El Azteca - (828) 526-2244 El Manzanillo - (828) 526-0608 The Log Cabin - (828) 526-5777 M-brace - (828) 787-1212

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Takeout Only

Meritage Bistro - (828) 526-1019 Midpoint (828) 526-2277 Pescado’s - (828) 526-9313 Pizza Place - (828) 526-5660 Tug’s Proper - (828) 526-3555 Subway - (828) 526-1706 Wild Thyme Gourmet - (828) 526-4035 CASHIERS AREA RESTAURANTS Buck’s Coffee Cafe - (828) 743-9997 Canyon Kitchen - (828) 743-7967 Chile Loco - (828) 743-1160 Cornucopia Restaurant - (828) 743-3750 Cork & Barrel Lounge - (828) 743-7477

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El Manzanillo - (828) 743-5522 JJ’s Eatery and Canteen - (828) 743-7778 Mica’s Restaurant - (828) 743-5740 The Orchard - (828) 743-7614 Randevu Restaurant - (828) 743-0190 Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company - (828) 743-0220 Subway - (828) 743-1300 The Blind Mule - (828) 553-8978 The Falls Cafe and Grill - 828-877-3322 The Library Kitchen and Bar - (828) 743-5512 Table 64 - (828) 743-4135 Wendy’s - (828) 743-7777 Winslow’s Hideaway - (828) 743-2226

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LDOI D NG I NI N GG thelaurelmagazine.com/lodging

Ad On Page

Pet Policy

Banquet Facilities Wireless Internet

Cable/Satellite TV

In Room Microwave/Fridge

Accommodations on the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

Whirlpool Rooms Exercise Facility

On Site Restaurant

Plateau Lodging

On Site Bar/Lounge Pool

CALL TO CONFIRM BEFORE YOUR VISIT.

HOTELS / MOTELS / BED & BREAKFASTS 19386 Rosman Hwy | Sapphire

Black Bear Lodge of Sapphire

blackbearlodgeofsapphire.com | (828) 553-6535

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Fire Mountain

700 Happy Hill Rd | Scaly Mountain

firemt.com | (800) 775-4446 n n

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Greystone Inn

220 Greystone Ln | Lake Toxaway

thegreystoneinn.com | (828) 966-4700 n n

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Hotel Cashiers

7 Slab Town Road | Cashiers 445 Main St | Highlands

Old Edwards Inn and Spa

hotelcashiers.com | (828) 743-7706 n

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VACATION RENTALS The Chateau

Highlands

thehighlandschateau.com | (561) 613-1496

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Fairview House

Highlands

highlandsfairviewhouse.com | (866) 526-8008

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Julep Farms

500 Highway 246, Dillard, Ga,

Pebble Creek Village

Highway 64 East | Cashiers

julep.farm |(706) 960-9600 n n pebble-creek.com | (828) 743-0623

The Vineyard at 37 High Holly 37 High Holly Road | Scaly Mountain thevineyardat37highholly.com | (828)-505-6190 VACATION RENTAL AGENCIES Berkshire Realty Vacation Rentals

488 Main Street | Highlands

meadowsmountainrealty.com | (828) 526-1717

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CCP Vacation Rentals

507 Main Street | Highlands

rentinhighlands.com | (800) 684-2171 x 302

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401 N 5th St | Highlands

highlandsiscalling.com | (828) 526-3717

148x

17 US Hwy 64 E | Cashiers

landmarkvacations.com | (877) 926-1780

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Silver Creek Vacation Rentals 341 Hwy 64 W, Ste 102 | Cashiers

ncliving.com | (828) 743-1999

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Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals Landmark Vacation Rentals

CASHIERS, NC: High Hampton Resort - (800) 334-255 Hotel Cashiers - (828) 743-7706 The Lakehouse - (904) 753-0247 Landmark Vacation Rentals- (877) 926-1780 Laurelwood Inn - (828) 743-9939 Mountain Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-0258 The Orchard Guest Cottage - (828) 743-7614 Pebble Creek Village - (828) 743-0623 Reid Resort Rentals - (828) 743-5955 Silver Creek Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-1999 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 96 96 JU H EELL A AU U RR EELL M MA AG GA AZ ZII N N EE ..C CO OM M J uLY l y 22002200 || TT H

CCP Vacation Rentals - (800) 684-2171 x 302 Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-3717 The Chandler Inn - (678) 982-8406 The Chateau - (561) 613-1496 Fairview House - (866) 526-8008 Half Mile Farm - (855) 271-7246 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 The Lodge at Old Edwards - (828) 787-2560 Lullwater House - (423) 488-2799 Main Street Inn - (828) 526-2590 Mitchell’s Lodge & Cottages - (828) 526-2267 Old Edwards Inn and Spa - (866) 526-8008 Park on Main - (800) 221-5078 Ray’s Roost - (678) 534-6870 Rockwood Lodge - (828) 526-8919 Skyline Lodge - (828) 526-2121 Whiteside Cove Cottages - (828) 526-2222

SAPPHIRE, NC Black Bear Lodge of Sapphire - (828) 553-6535 Club Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-3441 Foxhunt At Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-7667 Hampton Inn & Suites Cashiers-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 - (800) 775-4446 LAKE TOXAWAY, NC Cabins at Seven Foxes - (828) 877-6333 Greystone Inn - (828) 966-4700 Lake Toxaway Realty Company - (828) 508-9141 DILLARD, GA: Julep Farms - (706) 960-9600

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SHOPPING Pages 102-109

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shopping dist sidebar

Feel-good

Shopping A re-opened, revitalized downtown Highlands is a siren song for serious shoppers and casual browsers.

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ow that we can stroll downtown Highlands again, it’s time to catch up one of the town’s most popular summertime activities – shopping.

It’s no exaggeration that over the decades, the town has built up an astonishing collection of shops and galleries and boutiques that draws casual browsers and serious shoppers from around the country.

CK Swan and Harllee Gallery is kaleidoscopic in its range of merchandise.

You’ll discover fine antiques, 18th to 21st century decorative furnishings, gifts that’ll be cherished, candles, unique jewelry, an adorable collection of children’s clothes, and the works of talented local artists. They’re located at 233 North Fourth Street, and you can find

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them online at Facebook.

J. Elliot Style at 215 North Fourth Street is a “Purveyor Of Fine Home Furnishings, Bespoke Goods,” and the showcase for the full interior design talents of Jamie Elliott McPherson. His love for creating classic, comfortable, and inspired living spaces brought him to create J. Elliott Style, a boutique interior furnishings and kitchen design showroom. Along with bespoke cabinetry, upholstery and case goods, J. Elliott Style offers interior design services, original local art, unique accessories, and a wide variety of specialty candles. Jamie believes, while injecting his fresh and modern approach to design, every project should be personalized for his clients and an authentic representation of who they are. You’ll also find him on Facebook.

Located at 221 North Fourth Street, Easely An Artist is like no studio you’ve encountered before. That’s because it’s animated by Artist and Nonstop Creative Spirit Jeanie Edwards. Here’s how she describes the place, “Need a place to relax, have a good time with friends and let your creative side show? Then this is the place for you! Come in during the day for open studio or at night for step by step instruction to create your oneof-a-kind masterpiece. We also would love to host your next birthday, bridal shower, corporate event or just a night out with friends! You can register for classes online at easelyanartist.com.

You’ll find The Molly Grace at 207 North Fourth Street. It’s filled with irresistible choices of home goods and decor, adorable apparel, baby gifts,

Bardo

J. Elliot Style

Gold-N-Clipper

CK Swan

hostess gifts, servingware, beautiful coffee table books, greeting cards, and jewelry. It’s a shop that demands a careful browse. You’ll also find The Molly Grace on Facebook.

Gold-N-Clipper is located at 410 Main Street, inside The Highlands Inn. The jewelry in its display window is entrancing, and the seduction grows even more intense once you step inside.

This is a locally-owned jewelry store that proudly proclaims that it offers an “Exquisite and Luxurious collection of Jewelry as unique as the woman who wears it.” You’ll also find luxury watches, and, like all exotic bazaars, surprising and exquisite treasures. Gold-N-Clipper can also be found on Facebook.

With nearly 50 years in business, The Dry Sink, located at 450 Main Street, has become a Highlands institution. It’s earned that longevity with its unparalleled collection of merchandise, from kitchen cookware, gadgets and small appliances,

to a huge selection of candles, glassware, bath & body items, and other gifts. The Hallmark card selection is extensive, as are the offerings of partyware and seasonal items. You can also find The Dry Sink at thedrysink.com and on Facebook.

At 468 Main Street, Smitten serves as a showcase for deeply personal art.

“Our team is made up of artists, crafters, jewelers and people fueled by passion to create. We believe that in order to understand the value of something, you must be able to see, touch and experience it. Therefore, we travel across the USA to meet with local artisans and experience their craftsmanship first hand, bringing back not only the item, but the story behind it.” You’ll also notice more than a hint of whimsy in the collection. Smitten can be found online at smittenofhighlands.com and on Facebook.

Mill Creek Gallery & Framing in the Highlands Village Square on Oak Street is a dynamic spotlight for the photography

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of owner Cynthia Strain, but that’s not all. “The gallery features primarily my photography, but I also sell photography

by Bill Lea of Franklin, North Carolina, as well as his books; books by Franklin photographer Hildegard Sandhusen; pottery by Cathy Christie; my hand-made birdhouse Christmas ornaments; and decorative birdhouses,” she says. You’ll also find Mill Creek Gallery & Framing at cystrainphotos.com.

We already highlight Shakespeare & Company on Page 156, but this bears repeating. Visitors to this two-story bookstore can expect plenty of regional and natural history selections, a great literary biography section, as well as poetry, decorating and design coffeetable books and cookbooks, and, of course, novels galore, contemporary titles and classics. It’s located at 204 North Fourth Street and online at shakespeareandcompanyhighlands.com.

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Through Eyes of a Master Jeweler The exquisite creations of Bijou owner Laurel Parham-Mar tinez are the product of an ar tist’s unique vision and a master jeweler’s exacting standards. You can see them on display at Bijou, 177 West Main Street in Highlands.

Laurel Parham-Martinez

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ijou, the new jewelry store at 177 West Main Street in Highlands, is appropriately named, as it’s indeed a small, delicate and exquisitely wrought jewel.

Master jeweler Laurel Parham-Martinez has created the perfect showcase for her one of a kind creations.

Laurel is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design with a bachelor of fine art in design and metalsmithing. She has furthered her craft by studying under a German jeweler, a Spanish jeweler, and taking various courses with Master Jewelers at William Holland Lapidary School and the John C Campbell Folk School. Laurel is skilled in design, fabrication, stone setting, TIG welding, forging, casting, and computer aided design.

Her love of nature and appreciation of organic forms inspire her original designs. She works hand-in-hand with her customers, listening closely to their ideas and bringing their visions to life.

She also offers a stunning array of her original pieces which are on display in the store. Working with natural gems, not lab-created or synthetic, Laurel designs and creates her unique masterpieces. She also has an extensive catalog of her past creations that customers can look through for inspiration. If you dream it, Laurel can create it.

Laurel specializes in the latest trending styles using gold, platinum, and silver.

Her showroom is a gleaming creative space showcasing many of her custom designs, loose gemstones, fossils, and metaphysical crystals.

Laurel also specializes in restoring or repurposing heirloom pieces, as well as

restoring and repairing damaged jewelry.

Utilize Laurel’s unique visions and talents by having her turn your something old that you seldom wear into something new that you’ll proudly show off.

Make it a point to stop by and visit this enchanting place. Laurel is more than happy to show you around and inspire you to dream a little magic for yourself.

Hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 A.M. until 5:00 PM. and Sunday Noon until 5:00 P.M.

by Mary Jane McCall

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80 Years on Main Street

Caroline, Susie and David Young

Susie, Mary Lu Young and Earle Young; 1990

Weathering the current health crisis is simply one more chapter in Wit’s End’s remarkable 80-year Main Street stor y.

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it’s End, a family-owned and managed retail store opened in the summer of 1940, six months before the start of World War II. To say the business has weathered its share of economic storms during its 80 years is an understatement.

Susie Young explained that after closing for two months this year, Wit’s End, like other businesses in Highlands, reopened to a drastically altered environment.

“We are doing everything we can to maintain a safe environment for our customers and employees. We are constantly sanitizing hard surfaces and

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using disinfectant on all soft surfaces.

We have hands-free sanitizer locations throughout the store and contact-free checkout. We require masks of our employees and customers and limit the number of customers in the store to just 12. We are also offering shopping by appointment to our customers who wish to shop privately.”

When Wit’s End opened on the eve of America’s involvement in the Second World War, a mass Depression had been overcome and people were optimistic about the country’s future.

“Margaret Suthard Young was a

seasonal resident from West Palm Beach, Florida,” shared Susie. “Her husband had recently died and she purchased the old meat market building from Luke Rice and opened the shop to provide income for herself and two young children. The shop sold old English silver, European porcelain, needlepoint, linens, and old prints to “southern ladies and their families.”

Her son, Earle, worked in the shop from the age of 12 and took over the proprietorship with his wife, Mary Lu, in 1953. In 1960, Earle and Mary Lu opened a second location on Worth Avenue in

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Narcissus, the charming women’s boutique at the Cashiers Crossroads, will be offering a pair of exclusive trunk shows on July 9 and 11. For information, visit the shop at 71 Highway 107 South, or call (828) 743-743-7877.

T Earle Young; 1942

Palm Beach, which operated successfully for 22 years. In the 1970’s Wits’ End began carrying ladies clothing and gradually phased out of the gift and interiors business.”

Today, the family tradition is carried on by both Susie and David Young as well as their four children, specifically their daughters, Rebecca and Caroline, who have spent many summers working in the store.

“There have been many changes in Highlands over the last 80 years but our customers are always so happy to see that Wit’s End is a constant on Main Street!”

by Deena Bouknight

his summer, Narcissus in Cashiers is highlighting a trunk show by Lafayette 148, a New York-based company. The show will take place Thursday, July 9, through Saturday, July 11. The line features modern, sophisticated, luxurious, Italian designer fabrics in a wide range of sizes - from petite to regular, and women’s XL. Then, on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday July 30, ShuShu, with her beautiful smile and talented and unusual creativity, returns to Narcissus. Her El Tonobi line has one-of-a-kind pieces made with pearls and semi-precious stones. “It is always an amazing surprise to see her designs,” said Giuliana Kaufman, owner of Narcissus.

After 11 years in Highlands, 18 years ago Kaufman found an old, almost 100-years-old, run-down mountain cottage in which to house her Narcissus boutique. She had the cottage restored, but left the original structure intact and just made some modifications. This year she had a beautiful new European oak floor added. The structure was saved and is now listed with the Cashiers Historical Society, which awarded Kaufman for her preservation of the building.

Kaufman, a native of Florence, Italy, was educated in art and fashion design and has worked with world-renown fashion designers. After coming to the United States, she became a fashion consultant at Neman Marcus and a freelance buyer for European boutiques as well as a fashion consultant.

“At Narcissus, you will find a variety of American and European clothing, Italian purses of buttery kid leather, quality, creativity, and exceptional accessories, plus ultra-personalized service,” said Kaufman, adding that by-appointment consulting is also offered.

She conveyed that Narcissus is “a woman’s indispensable destination in Cashiers.”

For an appointment or additional information, call (828) 743-7887. Narcissus is located at Highway 107 South in Cashiers.

by Deena Bouknight

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COMBATING SUMMER

SōL Gemstone Oil is hand crafted, nourishing and smells like heaven – perfect for super dry summer skin. The Ronert MD collagen moisturizing lip treatment with SPF 15 boosts the appearance of dry, thin lips and promotes the look of plumpness.

SōL Gemstone Oil | $56 Ronert MD Collagen Lip Enhancement | $30 Canyon Spa | Cashiers

THE BEAUTY OF THE CULLASAJA

Local artist Peter Ray takes you on a of photographic journey of a mountain river of wonder – with over 100 pages of incredible beauty.

Use this handy clip on book light to illuminate every breathtaking image

The Cullasaja | $39.95 Clip On Book Light | $13.95 The Book Nook Highlands

s k c i P u a e t P la

a fe w o f o u r fav o r it e fi n d s

THE ALLURING ALEXANDRITE

INSPIRED BY NATURE

Inspired by nature, Klements progressive prints combine contrasting elements, storytelling and imagination.

Klements Patti Dress | $ 614 Matching Scarf | $286 Wish & Shoes | Highlands

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A stunning 8.83 ct Alexandrite sparkles in this platinum ring. Changing from a violet shade to olive green, this rare stone is surrounded by 2 carats of round brilliant white diamonds.

Alexandrite and Diamond Ring $ 28,500 Highlands Fine Art & Estate Jewelry Highlands

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FOR THE DISCERNING CHEF Le Creuset’s iconic cookware has been the undisputed choice of discerning chefs and home cooks, celebrated for its quality, performance, durability and style.

3.5 Dutch Oven $284.99 | Coffee Mug $17.99 Cashiers Kitchen Co. | Cashiers

COLORFUL & FLATTERING

The single button and stand up collar of this timeless style add sophistication that can be dressed up or down. The slight curves and length of this jacket provide an always f lattering and comfortable fit.

Trimdin Jacket $205 | Foxcroft Shirt $90 Robin’s Nest | Cashiers

SOPHISTICATED FUN We are in love with these Lisette L Montreal Pants featuring a bold party print, in a stretch cotton that f lattens and f latters! Pair it with the complimentary blouse, and handcrafted necklaces for an ensemble that is both fun and f lattering.

Lisettel Blouse $105 | Lisettel Fun Party Pant $149 Drop Necklace $79 | Stranded Pearl Necklace $398 Sashay Around | Cashiers

COLOR ME DAZZLED

This leather crossbody market tote is uniquely stylish, casual and elegant. It’s lightweight, roomy and easy to wear - and available in a dazzling array of must have colors.

Crossbody Market Bag | $145 C.Orrico | Highlands

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Visit Our Advertisers WEST END

1. On The Verandah Restaurant 4. The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts 5 The Dave Drake Ceramic Barn at The Bascom

SOUTH END

13. 4118 Kitchen & Bar 15. Dauntless Printing 20. Crown Heritage Flowers 26. Lupoli Construction 27. Pat Allen Realty Group 31. The Laurel 35. ACP Home Interiors 36. The Summer House Bed & Bath 37. The Summer House 44. Blue Elephant Consignment Studio 45. Head Innovations 46. Cake Bar & Chocolate Heaven

MAIN STREET

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100. Main Street Nursery 101. Rosewood Market 103. Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center 111. Brunch HQ 124. Landmark Realty Group 126. Shiraz Oriental Rug Gallery 134. The Southern Way 140. The Book Nook 141. Bags on Main 142. Main Street Gifts 146. Wit’s End Shoppe 148. Highlands Fine Art & Estate Jewelry 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 178. McCulley’s II 179. SweeTreats & Highlands Deli 181. Oak Leaf 185. Ristorante Paoletti 189. Smitten 190. Wolfgang’s Restaurant & Wine Bistro 191.Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services Meadows Mountain Realty 194. Old Edwards Inn 195. Madison’s Restaurant 196. The Wine Garden 197. Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar 202. Country Club Properties 203. Mountain Fresh Grocery 207. Creative Concepts Salon

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WRIGHT SQUARE on MAIN (Factoid: Named after Whiteside hero) 111. Brunch HQ 113. Edward Jones 116. Bijou Jeweler 117. Country Club Properties

ON THE HILL

302. Wish & Shoes 303. Mirror Lake Antiques 310. McCulley’s 311. Martha Anne’s on the Hill 312. The Ugly Dog Public House 313. Old Edwards Inn 318. Peggy Crosby Center: - The Kitchen Carry Away & Catering 319. Lakeside Restaurant

SPRING VILLAGE

403. Warth Construction 406. Brookings

VILLAGE PARK

613. John Cleaveland Realty 615. Shakespeare & Co. Books 616. Fressers Courtyard Cafe

CAROLINA VILLAGE 704. Creekside Village: - Cake Bar 707. Yoga Highlands 710. Meritage Bistro 711. Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals

NORTH END

813. Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center 814. Fairview House

OUT NC 106

➡ Peak Experience ➡ Fire + Water ➡ Highlands Aerial Park ➡ The Vineyard at 37 High Holly ➡ Pat Calderone Gallery ➡ Tom’s Golf Tours ➡ Julep Farms

OUT 64 EAST

➡ Black Rock Granite ➡ Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services Meadows Mountain Realty ➡ WHLC ➡ Center for Plastic Surgery ➡ Highlands Cashiers Hospital ➡ The Brier Patch ➡ Cullasaja Club ➡ Roman’s Roofing ➡ Pat Allen Realty Group ➡ GlenCove

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

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Visit Our Advertisers SLABTOWN

2. Zookeeper Bistro 6. Slab Town Pizza 13. Valley Bakery 14. Hotel Cashiers

128. Mountainworks Custom Home Design LTD. 135. Dillard Jones 136. McKee Properties 137. Bounds Cave Rug Gallery

NORTH 107

THE VILLAGE GREEN

16. Stork’s - Wrap. Pack. Ship.

19. The Look Boutique 20. Mountain Mermaid 21. Sashay Around Ladies Boutique

THE SHOPS AT CASHIERS COMMONS 30. Bombshell Hair Boutique

AT THE CROSSROADS 37. Landmark Realty Group 39. Cashiers Farmers Market 40. On the Side BBQ

142.Village Green Commons 143. The Village Green

WEST 64

154. Cashiers Smokehouse 155. Cashiers Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center 156. Creekside: - Silver Creek Real Estate Group 165. Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry 173. Betsy Paul Properties 175. Srebalus Construction 176. Lenz Gifts

CHESTNUT SQUARE 43. A Jones Company 47. Lehotsky & Sons, Builders 55. Cashiers Valley Fusion

EAST 64

64. Alexander Gardens: - Victoria’s Closet - Victoria’s Closet Shoes & Purses - VC for Men 73. Pebble Creek Village 75. Carolina Rustic Furniture 76. Blue Ridge Bedding 78. Lonesome Valley 79. Jennings Builders Supply

VILLAGE WALK

80. Josephine’s Emporium 80. A-List Antiques 82. The Village Hound 86. Nora & Co. 89. Nearly New Furniture Consignment 99. Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Meadows Mountain Realty

SOUTH 107

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101. Narcissus 102. TJ Baileys for Men 103. Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming 104. Brookings Fly Shop & Cashiers Village Outfitters 108. Landmark Realty Group 109. Ugly Dog Public House 110. McCulley’s 111. Rusticks Antiques 112. Vivianne Metzger Antiques 115. J. Gabriel 121. Robin’s Nest 123. Caliber Fine Properties

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VISIT CULLOWHEE Four Seasons Landscape

VISIT GLENVILLE Lakeshore Marina

VISIT LAKE TOXAWAY Balistreri Realty The Greystone Inn

VISIT NORTON:

The Town and Country General Store

VISIT SAPPHIRE : Appalachian Golf Cars Black Bear Lodge Preserve at Rock Creek Sapphire Valley Real Estate Blue Ridge Public Safety

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OUTDOORS Pages 120-131

OO UU TT DD OO OO RR SS

Seductive

Panthertown

An excursion through Panther town is an easy trip to something ver y old and seductive.

C

heck out Wilderness Falls and Frolictown Falls in a gorgeous two-mile loop trek that can be done in an hour or two in Panthertown Valley’s west side. The Valley is over 6,000 acres of protected forest land in Jackson County between Cashiers and Lake Toxaway.

There are entrances on the east and west sides of the Valley, Wilderness and Frolictown Falls are near the Salt Rock Gap entrance on the west side.

The trail is moderate difficulty with approximately 300 feet of elevation change. After heavy rains, the trail can become a flowing creek, making hikers question if they’re on the correct path.

However, the trails are well-marked with great maps at the trailhead in the

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parking area.

Wilderness Falls is a tall-cascading waterfall over a flat face of granite that looks gorgeous in the afternoon sunlight.

Frolictown Falls is smaller and more subtle with a wonderful spot to relax and have a picnic at its base.

Joe Huisinga and Sky Druffel, who both work for the US Forest Service in Montana, spent the day hanging out at Frolictown Falls and said they were both enjoying their first visit to Panthertown Valley.

“Seeing all the granite faces on the way in was amazing,” said Huisinga.

“Wilderness Falls is pretty big, and I love how the falls have carved through the bare rock. Frolictown is tucked away and quiet. It’s a great place to chill.”

Druffel said Panthertown has been a blast so far.

“This is my first time here and it’s so quiet,” she said. “I read it’s the ‘Yosemite of the East,’ and I get that vibe. I’ve never been to North Carolina and it’s bigger than I expected, and the weather is awesome.”

To get to the Salt Rock Gap entrance from Cashiers: Take US 64 East and turn left onto Cedar Creek Road. Take Cedar Creek Road to Breedlove Road and turn right. The parking area is located at the end of Breedlove Road.

by Brian O’Shea, Plateau Daily News

OO UU TT DD OO OO RR SS

Sky Druffel and Joe Huisinga

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OUTDOORS

The Carolinian

Catbird

The subtle charm of the Gray Catbird is reinforced by its beguiling vocalizations.

T

he Gray Catbird gets its vernacular name from its distinctive vocalization that sounds like a cat’s mew. Not somewhat like a cat’s mew, the call is a clear feline “mew.” Prepare to be surprised.

The Catbird’s formidable Latin name is Dumetella carolinensis, which refers to its being a small thornbush dweller in the Carolinas. Yes, it’s a Carolinian. Not our state bird, but an avian namesake and backyard delight.

This neotropical migrant, protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty, is widespread and plentiful in the eastern and northern U.S. and Canada. Catbirds that breed in the upper Midwest winter in Central America. Those that nest in the midAtlantic and New England winter in Florida and the Caribbean.

Their plumage is as pictured: lead gray with a black cap, black beak, eyes, legs and feet. Rarely seen is a chestnut red patch under the long black tail. Females are indistinguishable from males except in nesting behavior. The nest, a cup near ground level in the woods, holds two or three light blue eggs. Both parents feed 122 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

the hatchlings.

Catbirds eat berries and fruit, comprising 50 percent of their diet, as well as insects and seeds. They forage at ground level in leaf litter, shrubs and bushes. Offer them soaked raisins or orange slices and you’ll make their day.

These birds are first cousins to mockingbirds. Their songs and calls are similar to those of mockingbirds with two exceptions.

First, catbirds “mew” and that is an unmistakable field sign.

Second, mockingbirds repeat vocal phrases and catbirds do not repeat.

Catbirds have a vocal repertoire of 100 different sounds. Its long and varied song can last 10 minutes. Like mockingbirds, they are profuse imitators of other birds. Ornithologists have theorized that extensive vocal mimicking makes males attractive to females as a sign of “having been around.” Come to think of it, some human females are attracted to human males who can sing Italian, French and German arias. Such is the singular fabric of life.

Careful banding and tracking have

revealed that catbirds return to the same breeding ground year after year. Only 60 percent of catbirds survive from one year to the next. The oldest known (banded) catbird had lived 17 years and 11 months.

Happy July birding from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society.

Birds and birders are natural social distancers. Watch the bushes and shrubs and listen for the characteristic “mew” to spot this bird.

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 Society

OUTDOORS

A Great Escape The awe and tranquility at the hear t of f ly-f ishing are more vital than ever.

W

hat a wild year 2020 has been so far!

Most all of us were affected one way or the other this past spring by the effects of Covid–19.

Even if you weren’t directly impacted by the virus, or even the quarantine, it’s almost a given that your stress levels went up a bit. Whether they have found a cure or vaccine for the virus by the time this article is published is still a mystery, but there is a cure for the stress!

If you are reading this article, it’s very likely you are reading it close to the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, which means it’s also very likely you are reading this within just a few miles of a trout stream. Trout streams here in Western North Carolina are a thing of beauty, and they are also a place of therapy for anyone that has ever stepped into one.

Fly fishing is not all about catching fish…that’s just the bonus. The sport itself is all about connecting with Mother Nature, and interacting with Her. When you step into that stream, fly rod in hand and all you can hear is the sound of water tumbling over rocks everything else sort of fades away.

If you want to learn about the greatest sport on earth, go visit your local fly shop!

by Matt Canter, Brookings Anglers

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OUTDOORS

A Garden in Every Season

An innovative media outreach allows The Highlands Nature Center to share the bounty of the Plateau’s natural heritage with people all over the world – vir tual tours and and live streaming presentations are available free of charge at HBS’s Facebook page (@ highlandsbiologicalstation) and on the HBF’s YouTube channel (Highlands Biological).

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Paige Engelbrektsson

OUTDOORS

T

he Highlands Nature Center at the Highlands Biological Station may not be physically open, but we continue to provide the Plateau community and beyond with environmental content and resources that can be enjoyed from the comfort of home.

In order to connect with our community during the pandemic, the Highlands Biological Foundation transitioned some of our in-person programming to virtual experiences that can be shared and experienced far beyond our usual reach.

One such experience is our “A Garden in Every Season” Tours led by our Nature Center Education Specialist, Paige Engelbrektsson.

As spring came along and brought the Highlands Botanical Garden to life, it remained relatively vacant despite being open daily from dawn to dusk as most of its usual visitors

were quarantining or even out of state. Paige saw an opportunity to connect with those who could not come to the Botanical Garden while also showcasing the wonderful biodiversity of the garden itself and sharing the incredible natural history of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.

The ‘A Garden in Every Season’ Tours began in-person prior to the pandemic but were converted to a Facebook livesteam experience beginning in April. Although it has only been a few months, there have been several livestreams as Paige filmed tours every Monday in May, because there was just so much changing in the Botanical Garden! Each livestream has had a theme ranging from spring ephemerals and look-alike plants to common ferns found on the Plateau. These tours will continue throughout the summer, and all of the past tours are available to watch on the HBS’s Facebook page (@

highlandsbiologicalstation) and on the HBF’s YouTube channel (Highlands Biological). Tune in live the first Monday of each month on the HBS Facebook page to engage with Paige, ask questions about the plants featured, or share your own knowledge and experiences of the hundreds of species that call our campus home.

When you’re in town, stop by the Botanical Garden and see these wonderful species in person. The garden is open each day from dawn to dusk and is free to the public.

The Highlands Biological Station is a multi-center campus of Western Carolina University. For more information about our virtual offerings or other programming, visit our website, highlandsbiological.org, or call us at (828) 526-2221.

by Winter Gary, Highlands Biological Foundation

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OUTDOORS

Bugbane, Buttercup’s Cousin Don’t be put off by its humble looks and strange odor, Black Cohosh is a friend to mankind, appearing in lots of folk remedies.

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OUTDOORS

B

lack Cohosh (Actaea racemose) is from the Ranunculaceae family and is a cousin of the Buttercup.

It’s from the genus cimicifuga which translates to “bug flight,” rendering the common name for Cohosh or Bugbane because of its bug-repellent qualities. Other names for this plant are Black Rattlesnake or Rattlesnake Root, because it is also known for treating snake bites.

This medicinal plant has been used for hundreds of years by Native Americans to help with childbirth and other things, but now it’s available in pill form to help treat all kinds of things like hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, heart palpitations, ringing in the ears, vertigo, bone density loss, heart disease, and reduced mental performance in postmenopausal women. The jury is still out as to whether any of the claims are documented, and as always, you should contact your physician before starting any new medicinal regimen.

It’s a good thing Black Cohosh has so many good claims, because it sure won’t get in your

good graces with its unpleasant aroma. This plant is found around the Plateau in shady, wooded areas, and as far north as Canada, south to Georgia, and west to Missouri. The flowers aren’t flowers at all, but little green balls that burst open along a tall spire. These spires can sometimes resemble the white spires of Gooseneck (Lysimachia) or the simple spire of the Galax plant, but they’re not related.

Another good thing about this plant is its ability to attract bees and other pollinators.

Remember there’s no flower, right? That doesn’t stop the bees, as they use their subsonic sound waves to vibrate the plant and release the pollen.

I imagine Black Cohosh is somewhat of a lonely plant seeing as how it’s so smelly, but deep in the forest, he goes on about his business, holding his head up high. Really high. The spire of Black cohosh can reach up towards eight feet. He’s walking tall.

by Jeannie Chambers, The Accidental Gardner

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OUTDOORS

Go Small Before You Go Big A Pro’s Golden Advice: Star t out small.

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Erika Mason

OUTDOORS

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he old saying, “Go big or go home” does not apply here.

I feel fortunate – over the past nine years at Old Edwards Club, I have had the opportunity to work with and observe a variety of players.

From beginners, to returning beginners, to avid golfers, they all invariably approach the game from the same direction, from the tee box to the green.

I took the same approach until a few years ago. After being introduced to a player development program called Operation 36, I switched my approach and now move backwards from the green to the tee.

Working from small to big makes for a more conducive learning environment. Think about different areas of your life where you were/ are trying to learn a task or skill. I often use basketball as an analogy.

Anyone who’s played basketball knows that the first shot you learn is a layup. You know, the easiest one, the one right next to the basket.

No one would hand you a ball and send you out to the 3-point line, so why should I send someone out to a 500-yard par 5 with a driver in their hand and expect it to end well?

This season is the first year that I’ll have the chance to really test this small-first theory. With our addition of The Saddle, a 12hole short course by Beau Welling Design, students will have the opportunity to sharpen their short game skills and learn how to shoot actual golf scores, i.e. birdies and pars, before they progress back to their longer clubs. Each player must determine what the appropriate length course is for their game.

The best way to determine this is to go out and play nine holes from 50 yards out. If you can shoot 36 or

better, then the next time you play move back to 100 yards. If you can break 36 from there, then move back again. Keep progressing back until you find what distance is right for you! I am willing to bet that focusing your time and attention on the short game will pay huge dividends when you total up your scorecard at the end of a round.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or with thoughts and suggestions on upcoming articles.

by Erika Mason, PGA Director of Instruction Old Edwards Club emason@oldedwardsclub.com

Point phone camera at QR code to learn more about Old Edwards Club.

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LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

Highlands

Aerial Park

Highlands Aerial Park ’s new UTV tours offer a completely different perspective of the park ’s 95 acres. For information or to book adventures, call (828) 526-8773 or visit highlandsaerialpark.com.

H

ighlands Aerial Park is recognized as one of the finest “Tree Based” Zipline Parks in the World by several knowledgeable sources. The signature “Squealing Mare” line has been claimed to be the singular best experience of its kind. Trip Advisor, the number one rating service, named HAP in the top five operations in the country, currently top 15 in the world, and consistently in the top five of over 300 outdoor activities in North Carolina.

No wonder this attraction has served over 100,000 visitors in the last eight years and is the “Must Do” attraction when in the area.

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HAP is beginning its ninth year, and every two years or so they have added an attraction to satisfy the adventurous repeat guest. After all, a day at the park has become a tradition for families to return to each year as the youngsters qualify for the next challenge level.

This year’s addition is a departure from the new daring thrill event to a more comfortable meandering tour designed for the parents and grandparents who have zipped, climbed, swung, and hiked enough and need a more relaxing experience while the more active of their party enjoy exhilarating thrills at height and speed in the trees.

The guided UTV tour of the Park’s 95 acres surrounded by the adjoining 100,000 acres of National Forest Service land is a leisurely 75- to 90-minute ride spent discussing the area’s history, both ancient and recent, the botanical and ecological features, the native wildlife, and the generational settlers of this particular land.

The information is provided with humor and local color.

Questions, comments, and personal insights are welcome in establishing a dialogue between guide and guests.

The forest’s natural beauty with seasonal highlights, the little known falls of Middle Creek, and the unparalleled

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

panoramic view site offer photo opportunities galore.

A knowledgeable guide will tailor the loosely-structured experience to the guests’ particular interest.

The UTV tour is limited to a maximum of four guests and advanced reservations are strongly encouraged.

Visit Highlandsaerialpark.com or call (828) 526-8773 for booking info.

Point phone camera at QR code to learn more about Highlands Aerial Park

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OUTDOORS

A

udubon

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OUTDOORS

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H ISTORY

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HISTORY Pages 136-141

H ISTORY

Two Small

Shards I

Introduction by Jeff Norman Co-owner of Franklin Picture Framing

ntrigue, confusion, fear, excitement, joy, tears…it was all there, a full spectrum, and oddly enough, the embodiment of those emotions came into the frame shop one day in a small sandwich baggie. Carefully laid out before me on my design table, there they were…. so famous…actual pieces of freedom.

As I listened to the captivating story of how Franklin residents James and Margaret Freeman came to possess these items, their experiences seemed to me to be the type of adventure usually reserved for a spy novel or Netflix miniseries. Two small shards of concrete and a document, that’s it. But it was enough to suddenly place them into the front seat of an emotional rollercoaster that they and the world would never forget.

The Freeman’s story, so poignant at a time when America is having difficulty catching her breath, is a witnessed account of the first breaths of a nation united and set free. This is their story…

In the summer of 1989, I had been 136 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

assigned to a new position with the US Army Veterinary Corps as an exchange officer with the British Army of the Rhine in Germany. While there, my primary job was the inspection and training of British military dog units through northern Germany. One of those units was in the British sector of West Berlin and within a month or so of taking my new position I was told that that unit was due a visit.

It was customary for spouses to travel to Berlin for these trips, so I was delighted that Margaret would be joining me. Back then, military travel to Berlin required “Flag Orders” and in this case, passage on the British Military Train – The Berliner. It took several weeks to organize our travel logistics and the final documentation bearing all rubberstamped approvals for 6-13 November were now in hand. As we left our house that day, little did we know what the fast paced, heart pounding events of those next several days in the fall of 1989 would mean to the world at large.

Upon departure, The Berliner and its accommodations were what you might expect from a military transport train but as we crossed the border into East Germany, it suddenly took on an opulence we previously had not noticed.

Sights from our carriage window astutely reminded us that, by comparison, we were indeed traveling in luxury. Almost as if playing roles in a black and white movie, we were profoundly stuck by how devoid of color the landscape was as we passed into East Germany. By contrast, as Americans we lived in a Crayola box set of 120, and the East Germans lived in a child’s pack of four - black, white and two shades of gray.

After our arrival in Berlin and two and a half days of inspections, my work was complete, leaving extra time for Margaret and myself to explore West Berlin. On the 9th, we arranged with our host, the Royal Military Police (RMPs) to be escorted across Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin for a nighttime visit. The East Berliners

H ISTORY

were accustomed to these brief visits by US service members, so our presence was not at all unusual as we walked down streets and into shops. At about the time we were being seated for a quiet dinner, little did we know that the very earth beneath us was shifting in ways not measured on a Richter scale. In disbelief, news anchors broke into scheduled radio and television programming and stumbled through announcements that they were handed only moments earlier. Seismic shock waves instantly rippled throughout every community. The timing of our visit indicated that nothing of this magnitude would be remotely possible, but defying all imagination, yes, it was true. The German portion of the physical and ideological 28 year old “iron curtain”…. had fallen….the East and West would be reunited as one democracy!

As we passed back through Checkpoint Charlie later that evening, it was like stepping into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Only hours before, the inspection of our papers by stoic armed guards, now had the added element of hastily assembled news crews. A complex

spider web of cables, blinding lights and handheld cameras instantly beamed iconic images around the world. Everyone anxiously awaiting the highly anticipated throngs of East Berliners to step across the border into their new lives, however, proved to be anticlimactic. Nearly three decades of oppression and confinement left most East Berliners confused and suspicious. Some celebrations began that night at other points along the wall, but those were tame compared to what was to come.

On the 10th at dawn, huge crowds of people, both East and West, were converging on hastily opened gaps in the wall, and to capture every detail, camera lenses were quickly switched to wide angle. The West German government gave every East German citizen 100 Deutschmarks as a welcoming gift, so throughout the city the banks had lines of East Berliners wrapped around numerous city blocks as people queued up to get their cash. Deprived of a democratic economy and thirsty for any taste of the good life, items like boom boxes, fresh fruit and, of course, Coca-Cola left nothing but dust

on retailer’s shelves.

On the evening of the 10th we returned once again to the wall but this time we had an elevated view from the Checkpoint Charlie museum. By now the crowds had become massive. A personal body space sufficient for one, was now occupied by three and their compacted press became nearly powerful enough to topple the wall itself. Tiny East German cars, bumper to bumper, freely streamed across the border into West Berlin to a deafening cacophony of joyous noise and celebration. At moments, seeing freedom, equality and justice defined before us became too much to absorb all at once.

Margaret, like many others, was in tears a good bit of the time, no longer able to contain her feelings of joy. For us history was up close and personal for those days in November 1989. It was and remains the most moving experience of our lives.

by James and Margaret Freeman More information about these types of projects may be found at FranklinPictureFraming.com

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H ISTORY

Bloomers and Bicycles A new exhibit at Cashiers Historical Society’s Col. John’s Cabin offers illumination on the hear tbreaks and triumphs in the long battle for American women to achieve the right to vote.

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H ISTORY

B

loomers and Bicycles. What do they have to do with the Centennial celebration of the ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote? Just step into Colonel John’s Cabin on the grounds of the historic ZacharyTolbert house at the Cashiers Historical Society and view their exhibit A National Milestone With a Mountain View: 100 years of women’s suffrage in North Carolina.

You’ll discover that connection and so much more.

This exhibit runs through September 5th and offers a fascinating and creative look at the women’s suffrage movement, paying special homage to Amelia Bloomer who invented the divided skirt which allowed women to ride bicycles.

Little could she have imagined that her practical invention would offer women freedom they’d never

known. Susan B. Anthony once said that she thought the bicycle had done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.

Fans of Mark Twain may not realize that he was a champion of women’s right to vote, albeit it an initially reluctant one. Upon marrying he quickly changed his tune from being against women’s rights to supporting their efforts, even coining the phrase “Votes For Women.”

Among the other fascinating and informative displays is one of local interest honoring Gertrude Dills McKee, the first woman to serve in the North Carolina Senate. This display was curated

by Robert Gleason, the collections manager at High Hampton Heritage Center. Posters for the exhibit were created by Jasper Spurlock, a WCU student and the

exhibit was built by Sarah Rogers.

Also on display are the winning essays by two local students, Tristan Biddix and Kaitlyn Stewart, who submitted their winning entries in the Crouch Foundation’s competition on the history and influence of the 19th amendment to the U. S. Constitution. Each student won a $3,000 scholarship to the school of their choice.

Children have their own activity room complete with crafts and activities including a delightful XIX Amendment activity booklet which was authored by Sandi Rogers and designed and illustrated by Kat Ford.

by Mary Jane McCall.

Point phone camera at QR code to learn more about Cashiers Historical Society

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H ISTORY

Native Gemstones

It’s not so much gold in them thar hills, but corundum and its attendant rubies and sapphires.

M

acon County’s corundum mining placed its shiny pin on the map in the early 1870s.

Hiram Crisp, a shoemaker and farmer, was the first in the county to plow up corundum. File that away for the next time you’re planting petunias.

Trace elements such as iron or chromium turn corundum blue, red, or occasionally yellow, white, or green. If it’s red, it’s a ruby; blue, a sapphire. The rest, I’m not so sure. Corundum can be a conundrum.

Nineteen year-old Charlie Jenks and his father, Col. Charles W. Jenks of St. Louis, launched the first corundum mine down where Sugartown Creek coursed out into the valley. Today it’s known as Corundum Hill. Their operation generated quality gems which they sold to Tiffany’s,

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the British Museum, J.P. Morgan, and Amherst. Who knew a chunk of mountain from a creek in the Carolinas could wind up in a cluster of Tiffany gloriousness?

More mines followed the first. Eventually the area was so productive it lay claim to the title: Gem Capital of the World, but there were obstacles … for one, the money panic of 1872-73 that shut things down.

Even so, the mining industry eventually came back in different guises. Corundum is second only to diamonds in hardness. That made it an excellent industrial abrasive.

But when cheaper, synthetic corundum made its debut, the expensive real deal couldn’t compete. Its shiny pin fell right off the map.

Still, jewelers would always be looking for perfect stones. There were old claims

that there was a mother lode of rubies and sapphires in the Cowee Range, but in spite of the American Mining and Prospecting Company’s best efforts, it was never found. People still search for that corundum deposit, but the mountains hold their secret dear.

If you are interested in learning more about the adventures of 95-pound Charlie Jenks who spent his next three years hunting and trapping in the Plateau region, enjoy a fascinating read in Ran Shaffner’s Heart of the Blue Ridge. For additional info about the history of the region, go to highlandshistory.com or email highlandshistory@nctv.com.

by Donna Rhodes

H ISTORY

Dreams of Becoming Rich

F

The promise of golden for tunes led to the settlement of Cashiers.

or 12 years before Cashiers was named “Cashier’s Valley’’ by Jonathan Zachary in 1839, settlers were already coming in and making their homestead claims.

The first to stake a claim in the area we now know as Cashiers Township was Barak Norton. His homestead claim was just below the dramatic cliff side of Whiteside Mountain. Barak had another claim on the southern slopes near the top of the Blue Ridge or the Eastern Continental Divide, where he camped out for days at a time, searching for gold dust and nuggets. The site of his gold mining claim was just down from the springhead of the Horsepasture River, which is now in the stream above the rearmost portion of todays Lancewood Subdivision.

An old Indian trail crossed Barak’s claim

going north to the new farming village of Hamburgh, just beginning to be settled along the banks of the Tuckasegee River on the northern side of the Blue Ridge Divide.

Barak must have had findings to show off, because others came and decided to join him at his gold mining site. They were Thomas Millsaps Sr. and his son, David from Tennessee, William Holmes “Billy” Bryson from the Scotts Creek area of what was then Haywood County, and John Dobson from the Waynesville area of Haywood County.

These men all joined together to make a gold mining company in 1836 and made a formal State Entry claim of 100 acres, taking in their works and Barak’s crude cabin.

Eventually their divided interests spread to include six men.

Thomas Millsaps Sr. expanded to another claim just to the west and started a second

gold mine pit. It had an old Indian trail crossing it that has now become known as Slabtown Road. John Dobson joined Thomas Millsaps Sr. on this 200-acre second claim, along with Seth W. Hyatt from the Qualla section of Haywood County in 1838.

They recorded their Land Grant in 1843, so the tract must have still been productive enough for all of the men five years later.

Thomas’ son David and grandson, Isaac Millsaps, kept up their Millsap’s claim until 1842 when they sold out to John Dobson.

This second gold mining site was described in the old handwritten Land Grant as being located on the Blue Ridge and on the south side of Laurel Knob. Also written in the Grant were the words “including Millsaps Gold Mine and Camp.”

by Carol M. Bryson, Historian

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Clean Hands: The Best Medicine Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation Funds Covid-19 Initiatives .

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ighlands Cashiers Health Foundation is spreading the word (and the hand-sanitizer) about good health practices in Western North Carolina.

Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation is abuzz.

“This is an exceptional year of need,” says Foundation Chair Dr. Walter Clark.

“With the unprecedented dynamics of Covid-19, we are trying to do everything we can to help our communities be safe and healthy through these unusual times.”

The foundation’s board recently voted to pivot a portion of its funding activities to Covid-related initiatives.

The first of these involves teaming with four Chambers of Commerce (Cashiers, Highlands, Jackson County, and Macon County) to fund, acquire and place 200 hand-sanitizer stands in restaurants and high-traffic areas across Jackson and Macon Counties.

In another example, HCHF is sponsoring and coordinating two COVID-19 drivethrough testing programs in Cashiers and

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Highlands. Foundation Board Member Dr. Richard Ellin provided medical guidance to ensure the program followed CDC, FDA and DHHS guidelines.

A third project under way involves 5,000 two-ounce bottles of hand sanitizers to be used as giveaways — a handy reminder of hand hygiene.

“This is something everyone can use.” says Board Member Chris Byrd, whose leadership and donation were instrumental in making this project happen. “It’s convenient and one more way we can help.”

In addition to COVID-19 related issues the Foundation’s 2020 focus areas will include health and access to healthcare; education initiatives; and transformational opportunities to improve our mountain communities.

The Foundation recently announced a landmark strategy to expand access to health care, partnering with Blue Ridge Health and Mountain Area Health Education Center. Over the next several months, the partnership will work toward

establishing a rural teaching program in conjunction with UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC and opening a primary care clinic operated by BRH in the HighlandsCashiers area.

“This is only a sampling of what’s to come in 2020 and beyond, said Foundation CEO Robin Tindall. “We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our generous community support and our engaged and committed Board of Directors for making it all possible.

Thank you!”

by Deena Bouknight

Point phone camera at QR code to learn more about Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

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The Power of Stem Cells and Healing!

A new therapy offered at Aer y Chiropractic & Acupuncture gives a boost to the body’s hard-working Stem Cells, critical to a vital, happy life. For more information or reser vations call (828) 526-1022.

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he Power of Stem Cells – We need them to heal us and take away our pain!

Let’s live alive every day. Push away the thought of injections, medications and surgery – make every minute count!

Dear Patient, we have very exciting news at Aery Chiropractic & Acupuncture!

We are now offering Tissue Regeneration Therapy by way of “The Stem Cell Machine,” as it was named on the television show “The Doctors.” Stem Cell Therapy is used for pain relief and tissue healing, usually in the form of injections – and costly ones at that!

Insurance has not yet recognized the need and efficacy of Stem Cell Therapy, but now we have a new and available Class II Medical Device that will encourage the body to produce more stem cells to help the body heal, without an injection.

This non-invasive therapy is effective and simple! We are proud to be able to offer pain management without the use of drugs, surgery or addictive medications!

Understanding the power of Stem Cells is very important. Human Stem Cells are extremely versatile, they can multiply quickly and become the specific cell needed for a specific healing process.

Whether it’s a shoulder injury, arthritis or neuropathy – your Stem Cells are needed to heal.

The problem is, without any outer stimulation (a shot or our new machine), the body cannot produce the quantity and characteristic of the needed Stem Cells in order to fix the chronic problem.

The “Stem Cell Machine” uses technology similar to Lithotripsy (used to break up kidney stones) to disrupt normal cells and trick them into thinking that an injury has just occurred, therefore recruiting and multiplying the necessary Stem Cells, in all varieties, to rush to the affected area and get the healing done!

by Dr. Sue Aery, Aery Chiropractic & Acupuncture

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Improving with Age Yoga Highlands adds movement specialists Patti and Donnie Abel to its core-centered Rolf ing and Yoga Program. Visit YogaHighlands.com for updates, and online and in-person class schedules.

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Ashby Underwood-Garner

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body that improves with age is possible with the right teachers.

During this pandemic and shutdown, Chad and I have launched a dream with our community in mind.

We’ve been in a vortex of change and growth leading into our 16th year in Highlands – our core offerings keep refining.

Movement is life and movement heals.

We are welcoming Patti and Donnie Abel to our team at Yoga Highlands with the expansion of our Movement Education and Therapeutics Studio.

As Franklin natives, avid hikers, and parents, they specialize in the holistic pursuit of balance.

Donnie has been involved with bodywork his entire life – martial arts, functional fitness, and physical rehabilitation. He’s been working in the physical therapy world for over 20 years with athletes for sports training, assisting

with preventive education to avoid orthopedic injuries.

Patti says about the Abel team, “We take great joy in partnering alongside others to help find their potential and what their bodies are truly capable of.

We’ve been blessed with the training to see the body and the person as a whole.

Helping individuals feel and understand how each intricate part of the body comes together is an honor. The physical body can be molded by our life experiences.

These experiences may define us for a time, however they do not have to define us for our entire life. Humans have the capability to change and go beyond what they think is possible.

“The Pilates and movement I teach is truly designed for everyone. If your mind is saying ‘I can’t do that,’ I believe I can help you change that. The body/mind is resilient and given the right movement tools, it will become strong again.”

By joining with the Abels, we are fulfilling a need for the Plateau. You can schedule a consultation for Pilates and therapeutic private sessions at the new studio on the ground floor at 460 Carolina Way or virtually to learn more.

Visit YogaHighlands.com for updates, and online and in-person class schedules.

by Ashby Underwood-Garner, LMBT, Yoga Highlands, Ashby Underwood works with clients 1:1 and teaches integrative health classes and retreats locally and abroad. She believes that a life well lived is one full of vitality to do what you love with whom you love. Reach out to her: ashby@yogahighlands.com

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Managing Withdrawals Carefully Can Protect Retirement Income

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hroughout much of your working life, you contribute to your 401(k), IRA and other investment accounts to help ensure a comfortable retirement.

However, once you do retire, you’ll need to shift your focus somewhat from building these investments to using them – in other words, you’ll have to start withdrawing from your portfolio to meet the costs of living. How can you be sure you’re not taking out so much that you risk outliving your resources?

First of all, you need to establish a proper withdrawal rate – the percentage of your portfolio’s value needed for one year’s worth of retirement expenses.

Ideally, if you were to stick with this rate, your portfolio would last as long as you do. Your withdrawal rate should be based on a number of factors, including your age, amount of assets, portfolio mix and retirement lifestyle. A financial professional can help you determine the rate that’s right for you, but it’s important

to understand that this rate is a starting point since you will want to review your withdrawals each year to ensure they are still appropriate.

If the financial markets performed smoothly and predictably, year in and year out, any adjustments you make would likely be more modest.

But, as you know, and as we’ve all been reminded the last several months, the markets are neither smooth nor predictable. Rather than constantly trying to change your withdrawal rate and spending in response to movements in the markets – which may be challenging if you have grown accustomed to a certain standard of living – you might be better off adopting a more conservative rate at the beginning of your retirement.

For example, if you are in your mid60s, you could start at a withdrawal rate of about four percent, which also assumes an increase in withdrawals (a “raise”) of approximately three percent each year to incorporate inflation. By starting at a

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS more modest withdrawal rate, you’d have some flexibility for those years in which the market drops significantly. And you could increase your chances of extending the lifetime of your portfolio.

But even if you started out with a conservative rate, you may need to review it during periods of extreme market movements.

If, for instance, your portfolio were to fall 20 percent in one year, the four percent you had planned to withdraw would actually become five percent because you’re taking out the amount you had planned, but now it’s from a smaller pool of money. If this happens, should you consider making an adjustment?

There’s no easy answer. The amount you withdraw from your portfolio has a major impact on how long your money lasts. You’ll improve your likelihood of success if you are able to be flexible and make some spending adjustments – spending less on some of your discretionary items, for example, or

not taking a “raise” until your portfolio recovers. Importantly, your financial advisor can help run different scenarios to determine if adjustments need to be made to ensure you remain on track.

In any case, think carefully about your withdrawal rate. By managing it carefully, and reviewing it over time, you can take greater control over your retirement income.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones.

Member SIPC.

Mary Beth Brody

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Eclectic History to Match Eclectic Book Offerings Shakespeare & Company somehow successfully translates a cherished Parisian experience into a quiet mountain setting.

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Rosemary Fleming and Stuart Ferguson

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n Paris, France, just across the Seine River from the famous and medieval Notre-Dame, is the Shakespeare & Company bookstore. It opened in 1951 and quickly became a meeting place for anglophone (that means English-speaking) writers and authors, and it is housed in a 17th century building that was originally a monastery. It was not uncommon for people to temporarily live in the bookstore.

One of those people was Katherine Willoughby, when she resided in Paris in the 1960s and ‘70s.

In the spirit of that experience, but on much smaller scale, Willoughby decided to open a Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Highlands in 1999. It is located in a charming, gabled, picture-window building just off Main Street. “I started the store with my own collection. The books were purchased during the many years of social work when I dreamed of opening a book shop in Highlands. I used the Shakespeare and Company model, which means little use of electronics, and sales

have been in cash or check,” explained Willoughby. “The shop has always been seasonal and a good proportion of sales are by tourists and destination customers that return to the shop every year.”

Stuart Ferguson, who worked at New York City’s Rizzoli bookstore, famous for its art books, is now co-owner with Willoughby. “And we don’t want to forget the wonderful Rosemary Fleming, our other colleague at the store,” said Ferguson.

“She and I worked together at Cyrano’s Bookshop [in Highlands] for many years.

Rosemary’s great passion is books about natural history, plants animals, etc.; she’s also great with the children’s section — as is Katherine. My latest addiction is Golden Age mysteries, 1920s to 1960s, whether British or American, and I’m trying to get more used copies for the store.”

The offerings at Shakespeare & Company, in fact, are just as eclectic as its history.

And even though not as many new books are available this year due to the pandemic hindering the ordering process, there are

two floors of books for customers to peruse.

Ferguson said customers can expect plenty of regional and natural history selections.

“We have a great literary biography section, as well as poetry. Plus, great selections of decorating and design coffee-table books and cookbooks.” And, there are novels galore, contemporary titles and classics.

Willoughby said that because the store is closed during the winter and early spring months anyway, the pandemic has not greatly impacted the business – at least so far. However, holding on to quaint ways had to be altered. “We started taking credit cards for the first time. This is partially due to the virus and the closing of Bank of America and Wells Fargo in Highlands.”

By Deena C. Bouknight (Deena C. Bouknight was in the original Shakespeare & Company Bookstore in Paris, France, back in 2014. She fell in love with that venerable old store with its nooks and crannies and was thrilled to learn that a miniature version of it exists in Highlands.)

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SE RV IC E S

ACCOMMODATIONS

ACCOMMODATIONS

BEAUTY

BEAUTY

CABINETRY

CLEANING

CLEANING

CLEANING

CONSTRUCTION

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SE RV IC E S

CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION

HOME CARE

HOME DECOR

JEWELER

PICTURE FRAMING

PRINTING

REAL ESTATE

ROOFING

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GIVING BACK Pages 166-171

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Max and Me Perhaps it’s true that ever y dog has its day. Max is a ver y good dog. The residents and staff of Chestnut Hill made sure that his day was equally wonder ful.

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ast month marked a very special birthday and anniversary for Max and me.

It was Max’s 13th birthday and our 10th anniversary of doing pet therapy visits together at senior living communities. The residents of Chestnut Hill in Highlands helped Max celebrate by hosting a party featuring a safe outdoor gathering on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Max’s first visit to Chestnut Hill was in 2012 and we have years of wonderful memories brightening the days and lifting the spirits of the amazing folks who live there. God knows they have certainly brightened and lifted ours!

I rescued Max in a puppy mill raid south of Orlando in 2010. He was a three-year-old breeding male and was kept in horrific conditions. From being confined

in a small crate for weeks on end, he suffered burns on the underside of his body so severe that once he was rescued, he had to wear a cone around his neck for an entire month. Throughout his recovery Max displayed the kind and gentle nature that soon made it possible for him to become certified as a therapy dog. Max and I started the pet therapy program at the Gulf Coast Humane Society in Fort Myers, and we started the program here at CHHS in 2012 when we moved to the Western North Carolina mountains.

Max and I thank Chestnut Hill for sharing this special day with us, and we also share our heartfelt thanks to our awesome friends at Woof Gang Bakery in Cashiers for generously donating all of Max’s party supplies and treats. In these uncertain and unsettling times,

we continue to be grateful and thankful for the love, kindness and compassion of the people of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.

Established in 1987, CashiersHighlands Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization located at 200 Gable Drive in Sapphire, one-and-a-half miles east of the Cashiers Ingles in between Cedar Creek Club and Lonesome Valley on Highway 64 East. For more information, please call (828) 743-5752 or visit chhumanesociety.org.

by David Stroud, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society

Point phone camera at QR code to learn more about Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society

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Peggy Crosby Center The Peggy Crosby Center, located at 348 South Fifth Street in Highlands, is the one-stop spot for good things being done for the community and its people.

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Board Member Martha Anne Carmichael

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ven though the Peggy Crosby Center is practically a legend in Highlands, there are still those who aren’t sure of its true purpose.

Simply put, the Peggy Crosby Center provides low-cost office space to aid helping-hand organizations and small business ventures on the Plateau.

Why is that crucial? Peggy Crosby Center Board members responded: Martha Anne Carmichael: “So, I’ve decided I want to help my community.

I want to help/support/educate/train.

The people that need an ear to listen, need someone to teach them a language, someone to show them how to fill out a form, put them in touch with other people.

I want to do all this, but how do I start?

Where can I find a space to organize this, a place where everyone can come and join, a place where the work is valued and can be expanded upon? Ah…the Peggy Crosby Center. A place by the community and for the community.”

Joan Dyer: “Peggy, with her pretty face and open arms, welcomes those who visit her to learn, heal, preserve, obtain assistance and enhance our community.

Peggy Crosby Center is a real gem in our town. Her concept is unique and we are the envy of other communities.“ Robert E Smith: “The town’s nonprofits are greatly aided when affordable office space can be obtained. This also goes for small business ventures. Keeping and maintaining a key older building by repurposing it preserves our history and memories as well as demonstrating the value of preservation of the property and in our case its historic trees.”

Ellis McIntyre: “I love the energy I get from working with the Peggy Crosby Center. Watch the transformation of this old dingy building into a bright lively building filled with tenants going about the business of making the Highlands community a better place and watching the grounds being transformed from dry,

eroded landscaping to a cutting edge conservation-oriented pollinator habitat is amazing to me. In my nine years serving on the board of PCC, the entire campus has moved from outdated into the modern age. The fact that our tenants can create their magic for Highlands, knowing that their low rent rate lets them increase their programs and outreach in our community is very gratifying to me. I wish everyone in Highlands knew the story and could appreciate the fact that giving to PCC helps every single tenant in our building.”

If you’d like to know more about the center, located at 348 South Fifth Street, call (828) 526-9938, or, and this is the Highlands way, stop in for a chat with Executive Manager James Plemmons.

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Easy’s Slippers Save Gentle Giants The timely application of Easy’s Slipper has saved the lives of a trio of noble Clydesdales.

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he horses of Carpe Diem Farms continue to help save other horses’ lives.

Many of you know that the farm is also home to Easy’s Slipper by Advanced Equine Comfort. The scientifically proven, glue-on, innovative, patented, composite rubber horseshoe alternative was developed and is manufactured at the farm. It exists today because of the horses of Carpe Diem and it’s making a difference in horses’ lives around the globe.

Most recently we have experienced the most remarkable results with three Clydesdales, one in New Zealand, one in Virginia and one in Tennessee!

Easy’s Slipper is the only product of its kind developed specifically for the large breeds. Many times,

which was the case for two of these three horses, their attending veterinarians recommended humanely euthanizing them because they had no solutions.

It was the good fortune of the owners to have farriers who knew and used Easy’s Slippers. In these cases, one had a puncture wound, one laminitic on all four, one chronically foundered and lame.

Problems we see with horses’ feet today are related to nutrition, exercise, concussion, the amount of shock absorption and shock vibration dissipation they must tolerate in the jobs we ask of them on the ground surfaces in which we ask them to work and perform. For as big and powerful as they appear, especially these 2,500-pound plus steeds have a very fragile metabolic

system which can be turned upside down by the food they eat and the stress they are asked to endure.

Easy’s Slippers is helping to resolve the damage created, provide comfort and grow better, stronger hooves. All three of these horses have a new opportunity to live!

by Sue Blair, Carpe Diem Farms

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The Grand & Glorious

Daniel Fletcher and Ashley Stewart

Packed with style, comfor t and a healthy dose of mountain ease, Hotel Cashiers is a destination uniquely suited for this season of worr y. For more information or reser vations, visit hotelcashiers.com or call (828) 743-7706.

P

acked with style, comfort and a healthy dose of mountain ease, Hotel Cashiers is a destination uniquely suited for this season of worry.

In a year that’s shaken Americans’ notions of relaxation and escape, Hotel Cashiers, located in the heart of Cashiers, is a welcome remedy.

Drawing inspiration from the days when family vacations consisted of road trips and mountain motor lodges, Hotel Cashiers combines the charm of a midcentury inn and all the details you’d

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expect from a high-end boutique hotel.

The team behind Hotel Cashiers long dreamed of bringing modern design and hospitality to the mountains and set out to do just that when they completely renovated the hotel this past winter.

“Cashiers has long been a hidden gem and we wanted to create a place that inspired new visitors to discover the unrivaled nature in Cashiers. For the design, we wanted a fresh and modern look that complemented the incredible natural surroundings of the area,” said

Daniel Fletcher, one of the partners of Hotel Cashiers.

Hotel Cashiers embodies a midcentury modern design throughout while featuring perfect rustic, Cashiers-y touches. Guest rooms feature light oak floors, custom-designed furniture and art, and deluxe linens and towels. With reliable high speed internet, large flat screen cable TV’s, in-room personal coffee makers, and mini refrigerators, Hotel Cashiers is the perfect basecamp for any trip to the area.

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Outside the guest rooms, landscaped terraces are tucked beneath trees and are a relaxing setting to enjoy a morning coffee or to relax after an afternoon outdoors. Guests also have four year-round dining options as well as nail and hair salons just steps away at Slabtown Plaza.

As we all emerge from quarantine and start to think about traveling again, heading out on a classic American road trip to Hotel Cashiers is a no brainer. And, with remote check-in and keyless entry, nature is the only thing you’re sure to be surrounded by.

If you’d like to learn more about Hotel Cashiers or make reservations, visit hotelcashiers.com or call (828) 743-7706.

Point phone camera at QR code to learn more about Hotel Cashiers

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KleenStations Impact COVID The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce, drawing upon the resources of a varied list of par tners, has taken concrete steps to make the Plateau a safer space.

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ith the generous financial support through a grant from the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation, the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce recently lead an initiative to provide commercial-grade, foot-operated hand sanitizing stations to independent restaurants in Jackson and Macon Counties, including Cashiers, Highlands, Sylva, Franklin and Dillsboro.

In coordination with the Highlands, Jackson County and Franklin Chambers of Commerce, staff distributed 200 units to help ensure the hygiene and safety of customers, workers and visitors to area eateries and select high-traffic public venues.

Hand washing and sanitizing has proven to be a major factor in slowing transmission of the

COVID-19 virus and other diseases.

“We were delighted to receive significant funding from the Foundation to pursue the project and to have the unique and timely opportunity to work with an industry expert to secure these heavy-duty stations in a time of such need,” said Mary Lanning, President of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “Special thanks to Cashiers resident Sarah Chapin for her resourcefulness and commitment to connect us with a national provider of both the dispensers and sanitizer.”

The project was presented to the Foundation in May, approved and executed in less than 30 days.

The KleenStation hand sanitizing stations retail for nearly $500 each, but by purchasing in bulk, the chamber received a valuable volume discount. The units were palletized

and delivered by common carrier across the region.

Cashiers Area Chamber board director Glenn Ubertino, owner of Zoller Hardware, was a valuable partner in the effort in lending the use of his store’s loading dock to receive the largest tractor-trailer loads.

In addition, Zoller is now a local distributor for both the units and the 80 percent alcohol-based sanitizer liquid.

These installations in the local food and beverage industry will promote increased hand washing, generate familiarity with sanitary protocols and instill consumer confidence as our small businesses transition to full recovery from the COVID-19 health crisis impact.

by Stephanie Edwards, Cashiers Chamber of Commerce

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TO DIS C OV ER YOUR P E RS ON A L S A NC TUA RY,

ask someone who knows the way.

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CASHIERS.COM

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YELLOW MOUNTAIN PRESERVE

MLS# 85322 / $6,950,000

151+ ACRES — This is the finest estate opportunity in the beautiful mountains of Cashiers-Highlands, North Carolina. Located minutes from Mountaintop Golf Club and Old Edwards Club, Yellow Mountain Preserve boasts the highest elevation on the Cashiers-Highlands Plateau at 5,100+ feet. It is a true legacy property. The 151-acre estate has roads and utilities in place for a low-density estate development, or it can be enjoyed as a single family or shared family estate. Elevation reaches 5,127 feet at its highest point, offering unique vegetation and the finest, grandest views in the area. The estate adjoins 12,000 acres of the Nantahala National Forest, offering unlimited trails for hiking, mountain biking and

horse-back riding. A 26-acre gentleman’s farm site sits at 4,600 feet and provides a peaceful 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. At the summit, the Yellow Mountain fire tower rests near the boundary of the National Forest. The stunning panoramic views include Cashiers Valley, Whiteside Mountain, Lake Glenville and Sapphire Valley. Mountain laurel, blueberries and other heaths grow on the open bald of the summit, making it a truly special place. All the views and natural surroundings combined with electronic access through a stoned entry, a paved road, high-speed internet access and full cell phone coverage makes Yellow Mountain Preserve an exceptional and unique piece of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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PRESERVE AT EAGLE CREST

MLS# 92219 / $3,900,000

79.97 ACRES — This is a fantastic estate property with views of Lake Glenville, Yellow Mountain and many more mountain ranges. The property sits up on your own ridge, where you have long-range views of many other mountains. It can be used as a private estate property compound or can be subdivided. The property has no restrictions.

Three buildings made out of antique materials are available to use

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as guest house and/or workout facility. It includes plenty of areas to locate the main residence — almost anywhere you want! You need to see this one to appreciate it. The property is located about halfway between Cashiers and Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, with easy access to Lake Glenville for boating, fishing and swimming. A property as nice and unique as this does not come along often!

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181 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

CHATTOOGA CLUB

MLS# 93286 / $2,295,000

5 BR / 5.5 BA — Overlooking Whiteside Mountain, this custom built home is situated on a ridgetop, capturing the most majestic views of Horse Cove Valley and Whiteside. The western-facing views do not disappoint at sunset. Built in the English manor style, wood beams adorn the main living areas, but it is the stone fireplace that takes center stage in the great room. The house has beautiful, rich hardwood floors, trim and doorways, indicative of the superior craftsmanship throughout the home. The open floor plan offers continuity of space, yet maintains a feeling of mountain coziness. A large covered outdoor living area has a stone fireplace for those chilly evenings. The master bedroom on the

main level, has a gas log stone fireplace, grand views, coffered ceiling, a large walk in closet and a spacious bathroom with a tiled room shower and garden tub. The gourmet kitchen is well appointed with a large center island. Off the kitchen is the breakfast nook which features its own fireplace. The roomy dining area offers beautiful views for both you and your guests to enjoy. Downstairs are three en suite bedrooms with unobstructed Whiteside views, a storage room, a small kitchenette and a bonus room/den area. An additional guest suite is located over the garage. The home is being offered fully furnished with some of the finest furnishings, antiques and high-end appliances you will find.

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PHILIP BRADLEY 182 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

MLS# 89365 / $2,150,000

4 BR / 4.5 BA — A McKee Development — Located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, this home nestled in the woods offers ultimate privacy and peace. A beautiful covered bridge spans three rainy-day streams and leads to the front door where one is greeted by the warmth and casual mountain sophistication this home exudes. The spacious great room with its vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling dry stacked masonry fireplace, and walls of windows is both cozy and expansive. It flows beautifully onto the screened porch overlooking gorgeous views of Wade Hampton’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th golf holes and the mountains beyond. The porch offers vaulted ceilings with horizontal beam accents and a stacked stone fireplace. Just off the

other side of the great room is a lovely stone terrace garden surrounded by peaceful forest and native plantings. The elegant kitchen is the perfect size, with appointments fit for a chef and style fit for a designer. Just off the kitchen in its own little “cove” sits the dining area that overlooks the golf course and the mountain views. A beautiful master bedroom and cozy den/ library on the main level offers plenty of living space. The bright lower level features tall ceilings, great views from each bedroom and a charming family room — perfect for a cozy evening indoors. A two-car carport, complete with storage, and lovely perennial low-maintenance landscaping complete this perfect home package.

REDUCED PRICE

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183 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

MLS# 93182 / $2,185,000

4 BR / 4.5 BA — A McKee Development — This elegant mountain home located on a quiet cul-de-sac in Wade Hampton is full of charm.

It offers excellent views of the club’s 13th golf hole and a peek at Whiteside Mountain. The arched, dry stacked stone entry opens into a pretty foyer that leads to a beautiful great room. The dry stacked stone fireplace, reclaimed-timber beams and a wall of French doors that access the covered porch make this a stunning great room. The large, lovely kitchen features elegant off-white cabinets and hand plaster finish on the walls. The intimate dining room includes a fireplace and French doors that open onto the covered deck. The master bedroom

suite is on the main level with spacious classic appointments; three beautiful guest suites are upstairs. The lower level offers space and roughed-in systems for an additional family room, game room and bedroom suites — should one wish to add those. The estate lot is 0.78 acres of gentle land that adjoins the golf course. A two-car carport and lovely perennial low-maintenance landscaping complete this beautiful home.

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CASHIERS, NC 28717

MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM

THE DIVIDE AT BALD ROCK

MLS# 90104 / $1,491,000

3 BR / 3.5 BA — This is a handsome Equestrian Estate located in a convenient location near the entrance to the community and close to golfing, dining and the beautiful mountain town of Cashiers, NC. A 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath mission-style mountain lodge with approximately 4,745 heated sq. ft., it is nestled in 6.55 nearly-level acres overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Built in 2006, it features rough log beams with soaring tongue-and-groove ceilings and a stacked stone floor-toceiling fireplace. Natural light encompasses this modern, rustic home.

A three-stall custom, top-of-the-line barn with pastures, an arena and electrobraid fencing comes with unfinished guest space above it with

roughed in plumbing and electric. An elevation above 4,000 feet, a location adjoining National Forest and endless riding and hiking trails make this an outdoor and an equestrian lover’s paradise! The community and property boarders Panthertown National Forest, providing endless trails for horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking. Discover some of nature’s finest enchanted forests, waterfalls, views and rock outcroppings right outside your door. The Bald Rock community attracts horse owners, outdoor lovers, golfers and anyone who enjoys the beauty and cool temperatures of the Cashiers-Highlands mountains.

LIZ HARRIS, GUILD™ C

828.342.3194

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LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

185 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

HIGH HAMPTON

MLS# 92477 / $1,295,000

5 BR / 7 BA — Reminiscent of the good old days of High Hampton, this lovely family home is filled with charm, light, happiness and inviting mountain style. From the long private driveway to the casual entrance to the open vaulted great room and on to the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the gorgeous view, this home will draw you in for the perfect mountain lifestyle. The spacious open great room, dining room and sun room area easily finds room for the entire family and friends.

Three large bedroom suites on the main level have excellent views of Chimneytop and Rock mountains and offer easy accommodations without the hassle of steps. The loft area above the great room provides

the perfect slumber party area for the kids, with four sets of built-in bunk beds accommodating eight little — or grown — cuties. Another room on the main level provides space for an additional bedroom or a library/ study, complete with a full bathroom. Two large guest suites downstairs are spacious and bright with beautiful mountain views. An expansive deck spreads along the front of the home’s upper and lower levels and is accessed from each room by large sliding glass doors. Also on the property is an adorable playhouse, tiny guest house, artist studio, or whatever one might want it to be.

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WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

MLS# 92247 / $1,290,000

4 BR / 4 BA — A McKee Development — This beautiful home is located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the prestigious Wade Hampton Golf Club. This cottage’s design and finishes are current and elegant, with all the spaces perfect for a true mountain home. The main level offers a large great room with soaring ceilings and a floor-to-ceiling stone masonry fireplace. A lovely dining area and kitchen are situated just off the great room, with excellent entertaining flow to the living area and outdoor screened Carolina porch. The porch offers a floor-to-ceiling masonry stone fireplace and plenty of room for both a sitting area and a dining area. The master bedroom suite on the main level also adjoins the

covered Carolina porch and features a vaulted ceiling and tall windows that fill the room with beautiful natural light. Another guest bedroom and a den/office on the main level provide lovely spaces for guests to enjoy without accessing steps. Two generous-sized guest suites and a large family room with kitchenette are located on the lower level. The family room and the screened patio off of the family room both offer floor-toceiling masonry stone fireplaces. Other features include a powder room and laundry room on the main level, additional bonus/storage space downstairs and a two-car garage. This home is situated on a nearly-level lot full of beautiful forest timbers, mosses and ferns.

LIZ HARRIS, GUILD™ C

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LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

187 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

SAPPHIRE SANCTUARY

MLS# 91238 / $1,200,000

67+ ACRES — This stunning 67+ acre property is bisected

by Little Hogback Creek and aptly named The Sanctuary. Enjoy beautiful mountain views while listening to the sound of rushing waters from the numerous small waterfalls located throughout the property. A picturesque cabin with a kitchen and bath overlooks the creek. Adjacent to the cabin are several open-air bunk shelters and large decks. Also on the property are picnic pavilions, platforms and a large woodshed. Well-maintained roads and trails allow easy access to different parts of the property. Why drive to a state or

national park when you can own one? An optional membership to the Sapphire Master Association is available and would provide access to amenities such as tennis, golf, a fitness facility and swimming.

The property has several excellent building sites and is perfect for a family compound — or, it could be subdivided. Portions of the property are in a conservation easement.

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BLUE VALLEY FALLS POINTE

MLS# 93557 / $1,125,000

11 ACRES — Everyone is looking for that “special place” in the mountains. Well, this is it. This 11-acre property in Highlands, NC has a long-range view of the mountains and the Nantahala National Forest.

The entire Southern border of this property is adjacent to the national forest. Located five minutes from downtown, these three lots give you an abundance of privacy to build your dream mountain getaway or room to grow your own compound for family and friends. The mostly-level building lot has been cleared and septic for a five-bedroom home is installed. The other two lots have expired septic permits for which you could re-apply. As

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you enter the beautiful neighborhood of Blue Valley Falls, you immediately come to the gated entrance of your home. The driveway is surrounded by lush, green laurel and great hardwoods. As you park in front of where your home will be, you can spot a path of stone steps that descend into the woods. Following this path to the right and down the hill brings you to the “hobbit house,” a fairytale of a picnic gazebo overhanging a rushing stream of water. The stone gazebo with a cedar shake shingle roof has a fireplace and picnic area. Waterfalls above and below give an almost deafening sound of water. Come to this space to BE with nature.

PHILIP@CASHIERS.COM MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM

189 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

CULLASA JA CLUB

MLS# 93127 / $1,100,000

4 BR / 3 BA — This family home located in the beautiful Cullasaja Club boasts stunning, dramatic views of Whiteside Mountain. Its floorto-ceiling window wall in the great room and hip architectural style give this home a bright, charming treehouse vibe with just enough modern. Located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, yet close to all of the amenities of Cullasaja Club, its location is very convenient and private.

The bright, open great room, kitchen and dining floor plan welcomes family and guests and flows out to a large deck and the home’s stunning Whiteside Mountain views. The master suite is on the main level, two

guest bedrooms and a bathroom are located upstairs, and a fourth guest bedroom and bath is downstairs. The lower level also offers a family room with a fireplace, covered decks and an extra storage area or game room.

Cullasaja Club features a wide variety of amenities, including an Arnold Palmer golf course, an elegant clubhouse with several dining venues, an outdoor pool, a fitness center with a weight room, an aerobic room, a classroom, tennis courts, a croquet lawn, a private fishing/canoeing lake and much more! Membership is available upon approval.

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WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

MLS# 93093 / $1,100,000

3 BR / 3 BA — A McKee Development — This lovely threebedroom, three-bath home is located in Cashiers, NC in the renowned Wade Hampton Golf Club. It occupies a nearly-level lot with excellent views of Chimneytop Mountain, the Wade Hampton golf course, low maintenance perennial gardens and a pretty stream that flows along the boundary. Its location near the end of the cul-de-sac is private and provides opportunity for a beautiful near-level walk along the golf course to the Wade Hampton clubhouse. The home offers convenient one-level living, complete with an open vaulted living, dining, and kitchen area

looking out through large floor-to-ceiling windows towards the view, three spacious bedroom suites and a family room/den/office. A one-car attached carport is located at the front, providing covered entry into the home. A brand-new roof is an added bonus! The prestigious Wade Hampton Golf Club membership is available by invitation and offers one of the finest memberships and golfing experiences in the world.

Don’t miss out on this lovely one!

UNDER CONTRACT

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LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

191 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

LEAWOOD

MLS# 91234 / $945,000

7 FALLS OF SAPPHIRE

MLS# 93201 / $858,000

4 BR / 4.5 BA — This majestic mountain home is built to impress, with a rare sunset-facing view over Lake Glenville. Two outdoor living porches are screened and offer additional space for entertaining. The master bedroom on the main level offers privacy and its own screened porch. The fantastic kitchen is big enough for all the chefs in the house.

4 BR / 4 BA / 2 HBA — A serenity estate like no other! This home is privately tucked away on 4.5 acres at 3,100 feet elevation off Whitewater Falls Road in the community of Sapphire, NC and situated between Gorges State Park and Whitewater Falls. Cascading waterfalls and mountain views are only two of the tranquil features of this mountain getaway.

BRIGHT MOUNTAIN

BRIGHT MOUNTAIN

MLS# 93267 / $625,000

2 BR / 2.5 BA — Enjoy lake front living close to town! This gentle, sloping property sits alongside the Lake Glenville shoreline in the Norton Cove, where Norton Falls can be heard echoing across the lake. As you walk in this home you are captivated by the lake view directly in front of you. The adjacent property is also for sale.

4 BR / 2 BA — This quintessential lake cottage is situated on the shoreline of Lake Glenville in the Norton Cove. It includes rights to a commonly-owned dock. The large open deck is perfect for entertaining friends, family and guests. This home has been very well maintained and is “move in ready.” The adjacent property is also for sale.

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MLS# 93268 / $625,000

828.743.3411

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MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM

HIGHLANDS COVE

MLS# 92522 / $485,000

3 BR / 3 BA — This end-unit, ground-floor condo has been meticulously taken care of. It includes beautiful hardwood floors throughout the living space and wall-to-wall carpet in the bedrooms.

The kitchen offers a breakfast area, wet bar and kitchen island. The screened porch is spacious enough for all your outdoor entertaining.

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

MLS# 93270 / $100,000

0.94 ACRES — A McKee Development — Offering a fantastic

opportunity to own a buildable lot in the exclusive community of Wade Hampton, this beautiful, wooded lot has a rock face on the back of the property that would be a great natural accent to any garden. This lot is one of a kind and can be best appreciated only by seeing it in person.

UNDER CONTRACT

BRIGHT MOUNTAIN

MLS# 90314 / $79,500

0.76 ACRES — This beautiful lot on top of Bright Mountain

overlooks a picturesque mountain view. A partially cleared and manicured lot with just enough woods to preserve your privacy, this is a perfect location to build your dream mountain home. The lot is mostly level and ready to be built on.

PHILIP BRADLEY “Philip helped us find our perfect mountain getaway. He was super easy to work with and gave us guidance in choosing the right home.”

– GARTH & JIMMY / CHARLESTON, SC

“Philip made a point to listen to our thoughts and went above and beyond finding and showing us homes that would fit our needs. We are so happy with our purchase and know it would not have been possible without his guidance.

– BEN & MAGGIE / CASHIERS, NC

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PHILIP@CASHIERS.COM MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM

193 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

WILDWOOD MOUNTAIN

MLS# 92626 / $599,900

3 BR / 3 BA — Curb appeal abounds as you drive into the circular driveway of this charming home. The home’s spacious great room has a vaulted ceiling with floor-to-ceiling windows and a stone wood burning fireplace with a gas starter. Large sliding glass doors open onto the inviting outdoor deck.

TRILLIUM LINKS

MLS# 93559 / $329,000

3 BR / 2 BA — This is a delightful, very well-maintained log-construction

home with a split floor plan. It features a nice office/family room addition to the main house. Estimated to be 1,800 sq. ft., it includes rich, wood interiors and flooring, adding to the mountain feel of this home. Great rental potential!

EMERALD COVE CONDO

MLS# 93065 / $177,000

3 BR / 2.5 BA — Enjoy year-round mountain views from this furnished, well-maintained, three-bedroom, two-bath condominium at Emerald Cove.

The light-filled great room with a fireplace opens onto the spacious deck overlooking the wooded area with mountains beyond.

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WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

MLS# 92836 / $699,000

3 BR / 3 BA — A McKee Development — This cottage is currently one of the

best deals in the community. Its modest size offers low maintenance and lots of time to enjoy the mountains and all the area amenities. This home features a great room with vaulted ceilings, wood flooring and a stone fireplace. It includes an open kitchen with a breakfast bar and an open deck for enjoying the cool summer breezes.

LOTS & LAND LOT

ACRES

158

1.30

E-5

DESCRIPTION

MLS#

SUBDIVISION

PRICE

One of the best view lots in Mountaintop!

89860

MOUNTAINTOP GOLF CLUB

$615,000

0.58

Great views of Whiteside Mountain

90630

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

$475,000

104

0.78

Gentle estate lot with mountain views possible

90107

MOUNTAINTOP GOLF CLUB

$475,000

103

0.52

Opportunity to combine with lot 104 (above)

90106

MOUNTAINTOP GOLF CLUB

$395,000

B-6

0.51

Flat lot, walking distance to clubhouse

93159

CHATTOOGA CLUB

$325,000

24

4.83

Gentle lot with great view

91728

CROSS CREEK PRESERVE

$250,000

R-45

0.84

Mountain views, end of cul-de-sac

91592

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

$195,000

364

2.86

Small stream running through lot

93091

CROSS CREEK PRESERVE

$175,000

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LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

195 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

CEDAR CREEK

MLS# 93425 / $985,000

3 BR / 3 BA / 3 HBA — Old world charm with big mountain views!

Located on 29+ acres with a stream, waterfall and pond -- as well as a barn/stable with fenced in pasture land for livestock -- this private retreat has a magnificent setting. The home is of Old England “tithe barn” style.

WHITESIDE COVE

MLS# 92400 / $494,000

8.48 ACRES — Enjoy an awesome view of Whiteside Mountain and a large waterfall with a wading pond below. This is two lots being sold together that can be subdivided. A great house site sits above waterfall with big view of Whiteside. A property like this does not come along often.

SPRING FOREST

MLS# 89031 / $84,900

2.38 ACRES — This lot has a big beautiful view with nice access. It’s a great lot on which to build your home and have big, year-round, long-range mountain and golf course (CCSV) views from Windemere Way. The upper portion of parcel is gently rolling.

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CEDAR CREEK

MLS# 93098 / $2,800,000

5 BR / 5.5 BA — Tucked away in glorious privacy on 67 acres, yet just 10 minutes from the center of Cashiers, nestles this handsome Rocky Mountain log home. Its massive timbers are reclaimed from forests, creating a commanding presence throughout the home. The soaring vault of the great room looks out to multiple mountain ranges and exudes both grandness and comfort. Large decks wrap two sides of the home and look out towards the views and into the beautiful natural landscaping. Gentle sounds of running water, happy birdsong and cool breezes soothe and inspire. A warm, inviting kitchen and dining room adjoin the great room on one side and on the other is a beautiful master suite, all boasting the

beautiful large timbers. Two spacious guest suites and a loft upstairs offer lovely vaulted spaces for guests. The lower level offers a great place for gathering, with its large seating and game area as well as two additional large guest suites. This beautiful estate offers pristine, gentle topography.

Moss-covered and tree-canopied trails flow throughout the estate, leading to a wide, stunning waterfall and the crystal clear streams that flow from it.

Dip your toes or swim in your own private swimming hole at the base of the waterfall. Beautiful perennial gardens throughout offer a peaceful haven.

Butterflies, bees and many adorable creatures enjoy these garden havens.

This beautiful estate is a special property full of grandeur and peace.

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LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

197 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Between two North Carolina mountain ridges lies an expansive grassy meadow. Silver Run Creek winds along the middle, sparkling in the sunshine. This is Silver Run Reserve.

A community that more than surrounds you with peace and beauty, it fills you up. Here you are free to roam and run… to hike and play… to seize the day and savor the moment.

Here at Silver Run Reserve, you’re free to be.

EXPERIENCE C ASUAL MOUNTAIN LUXURY

828.342.3194

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SilverRunReserve.com

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SILVER RUN RESERVE MOUNTAIN MODERN COT TAGE $1,400,000

| 4 BR / 4.5 BA

A Meyer-Greeson-Paulin Benson designed home with 3,010

heated sq. ft. and ~650 sq. ft. of screened porch, featuring a floor plan with two master bedrooms on the main floor and two additional bedrooms on the second floor.

200 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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OWNER / BROKER LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

201 J U LY 2 0 2 0 | T H E L A U R E L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

S T O N E F LY offered at $6,500,000

CASHIERS

Just minutes from the shopping and fine dining of downtown Cashiers, Blue Bear Camp is the ultimate Adirondack-style mountain lodge. This prime property borders the Nantahala National Forest, ensuring privacy and abundant wildlife. Another world awaits in the dream-like setting amid the wild Chattooga River, flowering landscaping, sparkling waterfall, and lush forest, all against the stunning backdrop of Whiteside Mountain and Devil's Courthouse. The sprawling three-story home with an elevator offers an abundance of space for family and guests to explore, including a sunroom, library, an artist studio, game room, wine cellar, a resplendent home theater, and a fitness room with a sauna and steam room. MLS# 91521.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

THE CHATTOOGA CLUB offered at $3,250,000

CASHIERS

Skylark is a charming lakefront home with a two-car garage in the exclusive gated community of The Chattooga Club. Located on a serene, private street, this well-maintained home exudes elegant yet relaxed Southern style with heart pine floors, reclaimed timbers, and hand-hewn beams. Perfect for quick getaways or hosting family and friends, the comfortable floor plan features a roomy master bedroom with his and her baths on the main floor, as well as two spacious bedrooms, two baths, and an office area with a wet bar on the upper level. The lower level has one large bedroom and bath, a family room, wine cellar, and a full bar—perfect for entertaining! MLS# 92309.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB offered at $3,000,000

C A SCHAI SE H R ISE R S

Offered for the first time, this elegant sanctuary designed by Tim Greene sits high in the Blue Ridge Mountains inside the premier golf club of Wade Hampton. A serene setting along with the highest quality materials, fine craftsmanship and thoughtful architectural details make it an exceptional find.

Dubbed Sassafras-Chambertin, the current owners named the home after a Burgundy wine produced by the world-renowned Domaine Armand Rousseau, a boutique winery in France. MLS# 87969.

UNDER CONTRACT

REAL ESTATE GROUP

GOLF CLUB ESTATES offered at $2,900,000

SAPPHIRE

Just a short stroll or golf cart ride from the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, At Last Lodge is a custom-built, gated estate featuring artisanal, elegant finishes and the ultimate in creature comforts. Secluded and peaceful, the 4.7+ acre property is flat with many enclaves to enjoy outdoor living, such as a chimney garden with a woodburning fireplace from the 1800s, a koi pond, waterfall, and a stone patio with a fire pit. Golf Club Estates is easily accessible and centrally located with shopping, restaurants and outdoor activities just minutes away. Membership to the Country Club of Sapphire Valley is by invitation only. MLS# 93275.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

BALD ROCK offered at $2,375,000

SAPPHIRE

Sitting on over 13 acres in the premier gated community of Bald Rock, this grand estate was created with the gardener, autophile, or equestrian in mind. Featuring a creek and footbridge, the gently rolling property is surrounded by mature hardwoods for privacy. Four bedrooms and separate guest quarters over the threecar garage provide plenty of room for guests. An additional garage is part of the main house and provides ample spaces for the car enthusiast. Two game rooms, a media room, a fully equipped home gym, a massage

NEWLY PRICED

REAL ESTATE GROUP

room, and a half-court basketball court will ensure that everyone has an activity to enjoy. MLS# 92143.

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB offered at $2,350,000 offered at $2,350,000

CASHIERS

Tour this contemporary masterpiece for an awe-inspiring experience! Filled with natural light, this luxurious home boasts a spacious gourmet kitchen, a family room, an office/den, two laundry rooms, a wine cellar, an elevator, and an inviting, three-season porch that can be enclosed or left open and screened, complete with stone fireplace. Designed by Al Platt and sitting on over five acres, this home is perfectly sited for taking in the highly desirable eastern views of the Nantahala Forest. A wall of windows in the living room displays the panoramic mountain views while an impressive stacked stone fireplace provides a welcoming ambiance. MLS# 93087.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

THE L AKE CLUB $1,995,000 Situated in the gated Lake Club, this stately manor has huge views looking south over Lake Glenville to the mountains beyond. This architectural masterpiece features a large chef's kitchen with a breakfast bar perfect for relaxed entertaining. The sophisticated living areas flow onto an expansive deck and a roomy covered porch with a wood-burning fireplace. Antique oak floors, custom built-ins, and shiplap paneling accent the huge stone fireplaces in the upstairs and downstairs living rooms. Unlike many mountain homes, this home has storage for vehicles, with both a carport and a two-level garage. The downstairs garage has plenty of room for toys with room remaining for a workshop. MLS# 89659.

GOLF CLUB ESTATES $1,950,000 Located on two lots encompassing over two acres just a short walk from the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, Serenity Now was custom built and filled with fine finishes, architectural details, and spectacular built-ins. The porte cochere and three-car garage with space for a golf cart will please any car aficionado. The imposing great room features exposed timber beams and a wet bar, opening to the large gourmet kitchen with a cozy eat-in dining area. The master suite offers access to a private deck and beamed cathedral ceilings, as well as an en suite office and bath with a steam shower. MLS# 92267.

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NEWLY PRICED

THE CHAT TOOGA CLUB $1,900,000 This warm and inviting home offers majestic views of Whiteside Mountain from every room. Entertaining family and friends is a joy in the beautiful great room with wet bar, formal dining space, gourmet kitchen with large center island and breakfast bar, and an expansive porch with its own cozy fireplace and hot tub. Perfect for casual entertaining and hosting guests, the spacious two-story floor plan features two bedrooms on the main floor with his and her bathrooms, while the lower level includes two bedrooms, two baths, a sitting room with fireplace, and another covered deck. Kids and pets will love the fenced-in yard and garden area. Club membership is by invitation only. MLS# 93544.

7 4 ACRES

SNOWBIRD $1,899,000 This 74-acre property includes the entire summit of Wolf Knob at nearly 4,700 feet elevation. The mountain top is virtually flat and upon it sits a Tim Greene designed rustic lodge. Owning the whole mountain top, 360-degree views are dramatic! From the top, the property drops to about 4,200 feet elevation where there is a barn and an open field with an abundance of wildlife. Disconnect from the world, get off the grid, relax! MLS# 91327.Â

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

WHITEWATER RIDGE $1,750,000 Sitting at 3,700 feet of elevation on Waddle Mountain, this well-built estate overlooks a 180-degree majestic view of Lakes Jocassee, Hartwell, and Keowee and the mountains beyond, as well as innumerable other landmarks, such as Caesar's Head, Whiteside Mountain, and the distant night lights of Greenville, South Carolina. Designed by Allen Brown and built by Sapphire Builders, the home sits on over four acres of manicured lawns in the premier gated community of Whitewater Ridge. Three of the four bedrooms offer private balconies overlooking the unbelievable view. Outside, a three-car garage provides space for vehicles, while a shed stores gardening tools. MLS# 92180.

BIG RIDGE $1,495,000 Created by acclaimed architectural designer Tim Greene, this beautiful home offers breathtaking views of the Great Balsam Mountains with layers that seem to go on forever. The spacious layout is perfect for hosting friends and family, with the master suite on the main level and three guest suites upstairs. The gourmet kitchen features custom cabinetry, an eat-in area, ample countertops for serving, and premium appliances including a six-burner gas range, dual wall ovens and a warming drawer. MLS# 93523.

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UNDER CONTRACT

OLD EDWARDS AT HIGHL ANDS COVE $1,450,000 Conveniently located between Cashiers and Highlands, your dream home awaits just inside the gates of the coveted Old Edwards Club at Highlands Cove. This like-new home has everything needed for comfortable living, such as an open floor plan and a master suite on the main floor. Featuring a full array of Viking appliances, the chef's kitchen opens to the dining and living rooms for easy entertaining. The lower level provides a second living area and three bedrooms and baths with a separate laundry room for guests. Enjoy the tremendous long-range mountain views from almost every room or from the wonderful outdoor living spaces on either deck on the main or lower level. MLS# 93110.

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB $1,395,000 Nestled up against National Forest lands, this exceptional Al Platt designed home is located in the exclusive gated community of Wade Hampton Golf Club. With four bedrooms and four and a half baths in an open split floor plan, The Lodge is ideally suited for savoring the mountain lifestyle with family and friends. The home boasts an abundance of curb appeal with Old World details, attractive landscaping, stone walking paths, and water features. Highlighted by a feel of casual elegance, the spacious living room with fireplace and wet bar opens onto the expansive screened porch with its own fireplace for cool evenings.

MLS# 91358.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

BIG SHEEPCLIFF $1,395,000 Spectacular layered panoramic views of Cashiers Valley, including Whiteside, Chimneytop, and Rock Mountains, along with Cashiers Lake, can be seen from most rooms of this character-filled home located just minutes to town. Offered for the first time, this Tim Greene designed abode is flooded with natural light. Entertaining is truly a joy in this home with its expansive ipe deck and guest house, which includes a living area, kitchenette, and bedroom suite. Three stone fireplaces provide a cozy atmosphere throughout the home, and a separate den and family room on the lower level offer multiple spaces for loved ones to gather. MLS# 92174.

SUMMER HILL $1,300,000 The complete package for relaxed lake living, this fully furnished traditional home with rustic touches is being offered with an additional lot for privacy or expansion. A boat and two jet skis are also included for endless fun on the lake. In the beautiful gated community of Summer Hill, the home features two bedrooms on the main level and two bedrooms upstairs, along with a roomy loft. An additional bonus room over the garage provides privacy for guests or space for a secluded office. Gaze out over the mountain view while enjoying the cool summer breezes in the roomy screened-in porch at about 3,800 feet of elevation. Don't miss out on this opportunity to begin enjoying lake life immediately! MLS# 91622.

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NEWLY PRICED ROUND HILL ESTATES $1,297,000 Situated on tranquil Fairfield Lake, Nestledown is truly a masterpiece of architectural, interior, and landscape design. Massive stone walls, columns, and mature landscaping grace the approach. The porte cochère's stonework offers an impressive entry to this elegant estate home with a level of craftsmanship and artistry that is unsurpassed. As the magnificent entry door swings open, your eyes are immediately drawn to the stone fireplace which anchors the two-story living room finished in the finest wood paneling. As you enter, you are greeted by views of the lake and the pristine mountains beyond. The main level, which includes the master bedroom suite, is brimming with architectural details wherever you look. Additional bedrooms on the upper level also take advantage of the stunning vistas. MLS# 93598.

NEWLY LISTED

STONEFLY $1,295,000 This newly constructed getaway boasts a Cashiers in-town location on a gently rolling wooded lot with a fantastic stream and small falls. Abounding with curb appeal, the home has easy access with a level entry, a large parking area, and an oversized attached double garage. High-end finishes include hardwood floors, state-of-the-art appliances, and beautiful tile work in the entryway and baths. The great room opens onto a large screened porch for gathering around the stone fireplace while listening to the sounds of the cascading creek a few steps away. Outdoor living is a pleasure on this beautiful lot with a fire pit and over 250 feet of stream frontage. Only 1.2 miles from the center of town, this new home offers easy access to shopping and restaurants. The peaceful community of Stonefly is walkable and adjoins national forestlands. MLS# 93674.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

23 ACRES

GLENVILLE $1,270,000 Let your imagination run wild with this amazing farm located conveniently near the shores of Lake Glenville. The property consists of gently rolling hills, fenced pasture land, and a beautiful pond fed by three different springs. A scenic, meandering drive leads to the top of the property, where you’ll find a large, comfortable log home perfect for kicking up your feet after a long day of playing outside. The home offers incredible seclusion, sitting at almost 4,000’ elevation with wonderful long-range mountain views from both inside and outside the home. The lower level provides private living for in-laws or guests, complete with a separate entrance, its own bedroom, bathroom, living area, laundry room, and even a kitchen. The property is currently being enjoyed as a gentleman's farm and estate, but the fact that there are no restrictions makes its uses limitless. MLS# 90574.

NE W CONSTRUCTION

STONEFLY $1,250,000 Nestled among the local flora of the Stonefly gated community, this newly constructed four-bedroom, three-bath home features an open concept floor plan, thoughtful details, tons of rustic charm, and craftsman accents. The spacious great room with a cozy fireplace, custom cabinetry and countertops, and an expansive screened porch make this home ideal for entertaining and relaxing. The master bedroom and en-suite master bath are spacious, providing a luxurious, secluded respite from everyday life. There are three additional bedrooms on the main level and a bonus room on the upper level, offering plenty of additional space for friends and family as they enjoy all this splendid home and gorgeous area have to offer. MLS# 91750.

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NEWLY LISTED

BIG SHEEPCLIFF $1,250,000 Situated in the gated Big Sheepcliff community at a cool 4,300 + feet in elevation, this wonderfully designed three-bedroom three-and-a-half-bath mountain retreat offers indescribably gorgeous views. The thoughtful floor plan includes a main-level master suite, an open concept kitchen and dining area, and plenty of deck space for outdoor entertainment. The great room is equipped with soaring cathedral ceilings, a stone gas-burning fireplace, and views from every corner. The master bedroom is spacious, featuring an en-suite sunroom for reading or relaxing, as well as an ensuite master bathroom with a jetted tub and separate shower. The lower level is perfect for guests with its second kitchen and living area, as well as two additional bedrooms, a bonus room, and two full bathrooms. MLS# 93669.

THE CHAT TOOGA CLUB $1,229,000 Sassafras is a charming and spacious three-bedroom, three-bath Tudor-style Club Cottage in the premier gated community of The Chattooga Club.

Ideally located just steps away from all club amenities and minutes from downtown Cashiers, this carefree cottage has been completely renovated with a fresh, modern look. The elegant exterior is welcoming with a new roof and poplar siding. On the inside, custom cabinetry and high-end finishes in the kitchen, dining room, and master bedroom provide a luxe sanctuary. The divine screened living porch offers space for dining or relaxing. Mature landscaping with beautiful indigenous plants and trees surround this very inviting summer home. MLS# 91852.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

34+ ACRES $1,150,000 Tucked away on over 34 acres of gently rolling hills with thousands of feet of stream frontage, this gorgeous farm property is truly a special find!

With one bedroom and one bath, the cottage features a wrap-around deck for maximum enjoyment of your natural surroundings. The cottage is situated on an extremely gently rolling parcel with several established pastures, as well as thousands of feet of bold stream frontage on the protected trout waters of Norton Creek. MLS# 93244.

SUMMER HILL $995,000 Bring your suitcase and toothbrush — this custom-built mountain retreat on Lake Glenville is ready for its new owners to enjoy. Nothing was overlooked in creating this spacious showpiece, including fine woodwork, rustic architectural details and lots of glass for abundant natural light. Take in the grand mountain and lake views from the covered and open decks while relaxing by the cozy outdoor fireplace or cooking dinner on the built-in grill. MLS# 89267.

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HICKORY RIDGE $975,000 This spacious home on over six acres is located just minutes from Cashiers and offers beautiful Whiteside Mountain views. Soak in the tranquility of the mountains while sitting on the wraparound porch, or take advantage of the central location and enjoy the area's renowned dining, shopping, and golf, all just minutes away. The expansive great room is part of an open floor plan that offers plenty of room for entertaining large groups with a large dining area, hardwood floors, and a dramatic floor-to-ceiling fireplace. MLS# 89934.

WHISPER L AKE $950,000 Rushing Burlingame Creek borders this contemporary refuge on three sides, while the living room and screened porch overlook a waterfall only fifteen feet away. Over three hundred feet of rapids thread through this rare property, and the home was situated so as to ensure complete privacy. Walls of windows reveal nature's artwork and fill the soaring ceilings and open floor plan with natural light. This retreat is replete with fine finishes such as granite countertops and Brazilian cherry cabinets and floors. MLS# 93224.

THE CHAT TOOGA CLUB $950,000 This charming cottage is located in the well established, gated community of The Chattooga Club on Highway 107 South. The vaulted ceilings of the main level highlight the impressive stone wood-burning fireplace in the great room. Two bedrooms and baths round out the main level with a third bedroom and bath upstairs. A loft adjoins the upstairs bedroom and could be used as an office, family gathering area, or extra sleeping space. Admire the pretty view of Chimneytop Mountain from the outdoor deck with a wood burning stone fireplace while enjoying evening cocktails on cool summer evenings. MLS# 92147.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

WILDCAT CLIFFS COUNTRY CLUB $915,000 Renovations have begun to make this unique sanctuary in Wildcat Cliffs Country Club more amenable than ever. Major upgrades will include a chef's kitchen with LG stainless steel appliances, custom-built cabinets, a mosaic stone backsplash, and island seating. Dubbed The Sanctuary, this haven is centrally located between Highlands and Cashiers within walking distance from the picturesque, iconic Whiteside Mountain and across the street from the clubhouse. Oversized, sun-filled windows and three levels of spacious decks encourage outdoor living in the meticulously landscaped gardens filled with mature and native plants. MLS# 90919.

CEDAR HILL $899,000 Lots of natural light fills the spacious great room, which includes vaulted ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace, impressive windows, built-ins, and rich wood floors. A master suite and guest bedroom are on the main level. Don’t be afraid to invite the whole family over, because on the lower level are the family room, a second kitchen, and three additional bedroom suites, as well as a large deck. Spectacular mountain and rock face views and a central location minutes to Cashiers and Sapphire make this a perfect seasonal retreat or year round home. MLS# 93616.

UNDER CONTRACT

SILVER SLIP FALLS $895,000

REAL ESTATE GROUP

All brightened up and ready for the season, this home offers the best of the best features: convenient location, charming curb appeal, stream frontage, four bedrooms and three and a half baths, beautifully finished and furnished! This newly painted, open floor plan home in gated Silver Slip Falls checks all the boxes for most discriminating buyers. Roomy and upscale kitchen for many chefs and helpers, plush but comfortable master suite with gas fireplace, screened and open outdoor spaces with plenty of room to garden and grow. See it to believe it! MLS# 93618.

U NDER CONTRACT THE L AKE CLUB $889,000 One of the most beautiful homes on Lake Glenville, this getaway is situated in a serene setting at 3,800 feet overlooking the common meadow area of the gated Lake Club.

The Southern Living design offers a light and bright open floor plan with the master on the main level. The master suite has its own sunny sitting room, as well as a spa-like bath and walk-in closet. The spacious gourmet kitchen features Sub-Zero and Viking appliances and an eat-in dining area, which opens to a screened-in outdoor sitting area with a fireplace. Upstairs, a library in the loft provides a cozy area to read and work. Guests will love the separate bonus room above the two-car garage. MLS# 93381.

U NDER CONTRACT TRILLIUM LINKS & L AKE CLUB $799,000 Spread your wings in this beautiful home, offered fully furnished so you can begin enjoying mountain life immediately. The spacious retreat is superb for entertaining a large group of friends and family! Overlooking the fifth green of Trillium Links Golf Course, it boasts five bedrooms, each with en suite bathrooms, as well as a loft area to accommodate even more guests. Just a short drive from Trillium's Lake Glenville amenities, the property is near Trillium's main clubhouse, swimming pool, and outdoor tennis courts.

Membership to Trillium Links and Lake Club is completely optional in this offering. MLS# 93386.

TRILLIUM HIGH $799,000 Magical views of Whiteside Mountain, Chimneytop Mountain, and Sapphire National Golf Course surround this custom-built epitomic mountain cabin which is situated on a large ridgeline lot. The wraparound deck encourages outdoor living, providing a covered area to dine al fresco while soaking in the sunset. Replete with rustic accents, the living room is impressive, with cathedral ceilings, warm wood walls, beams, and wide-plank floors. MLS# 92694.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

NEWLY PRICED

HICKORY RIDGE $795,000 Enjoy panoramic views of Whiteside and Chimneytop Mountains from this spacious four bedroom, four and a half bath home in Hickory Ridge, a picturesque enclave located just minutes from town. Vaulted ceilings and skylights bring in lots of natural light to the open floor plan. The master suite, one guest room and an office are located on the main level.

Two additional guest rooms are located on the lower level, along with an indoor pool with glass doors opening onto a stone patio. The covered decks expand the living area and let you enjoy cool summer breezes along with the amazing views. MLS# 93630.

NEWLY PRICED THE CHAT TOOGA CLUB $750,000 Located in the premier gated community of The Chattooga Club, this light and airy family home offers beautiful views of Chimney Top and Rock Mountain from the expansive back deck. With five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, and a large family room, this spacious home boasts plenty of room for the entire family. Get cozy by the wood-burning fireplace in the office, which adjoins the master bedroom on the main floor; two additional bedrooms and baths are on the second floor. Two bedrooms and two baths plus a large family room with a wood-burning fireplace are on the lower level. MLS# 93680.

NEWLY LISTED BALD ROCK $729,000 Situated on a magical homesite offering mountain views, stream frontage, and waterfall frontage, this home features expansive decks on both upper and lower levels from which to relax and enjoy it all. There's enough room for you, your family, and friends to enjoy with three bedrooms and three baths, plus two separate living areas! MLS# 93647.

HIGH MEADOWS $719,000 Situated only minutes from Cashiers in the private High Meadows community, this custom-built getaway features the perfect blend of a mountain-inspired rustic feel with all the modern accouterments. Every detail was thoughtfully designed in this light and bright home, including Douglas fir posts and beams, shiplap wall coverings, and impressive exterior stonework. MLS# 93632.

SHEEPCLIFF WOODS $649,000 Behind the gates of the quaint Sheepcliff Woods community, this immaculate, well-maintained home is situated on a very private, wooded lot with mountain views just a short one-and-a-half-mile drive from the village of Cashiers. Admire the sights and sounds of nature as you sip your cup of coffee or enjoy a glass of wine from a covered or uncovered portion of the back deck that runs the length of the house. MLS# 93504.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

FALLS COVE $645,000 Tucked away in the quite Falls Cove neighborhood is this charming lakefront cabin.

Norton Falls, the largest waterfall on the lake, is only a few hundred feet from the dock and the relaxing sounds of rushing water can be heard throughout the house. The deck on the back of the home is the perfect place to enjoy the fantastic waterfall. MLS# 88303.

UNDER CONTRACT DEER RUN $599,000 Your end of the road mountain escape awaits complete with 5 bedrooms, each with their own full bath and two half baths. Sitting at an elevation of approximately 3,366 ft, the views of Nix, Chimney Top, Rocky, Yellow, Black Rock, Little Sheepcliff, Glassy Rock, Cowrock, Laurel Knob and Meadow Lake below provide an atmosphere for all to enjoy! MLS# 85961.

BRIGHT MOUNTAIN $598,000 This lovely home sits high atop Bright Mountain with excellent southerly views of the Trillium Links & Lake Club and the mountains beyond. The owners have turned the property into an outside living paradise with a fire pit located by a huge rock outcropping and other seating areas. Two unique cottages, currently used as a potting room/ bar and an office. MLS# 85959.

HIGHWAY 64 WEST $575,000 This haven was recently renovated in 2018 and offers panoramic, impressive views of Whiteside Mountain and various mountain vistas. Conveniently located in an idyllic setting ten minutes from historic Highlands and the quaint village of Cashiers, the home's gentle circular driveway has two entrances off Highway 64 adjacent to Rhodes Big View Overlook. Experience a spacious mountain respite close to exquisite restaurants, fabulous shopping, and an incredible arts scene. MLS# 92198.

NEWLY LISTED TRILLIUM LINKS & L AKE CLUB $559,000 Elegant details and fine finishes abound in this spacious turnkey unit in the tranquil Trillium Links and Lake Club community. Cathedral ceilings in the living room highlight the floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace and magnificent long-range mountain views.

The views are also featured in the chef's kitchen with its premium Wolf and Décor appliances, providing a spectacular backdrop for casual or formal entertaining. Trillium membership is optional. MLS# 93666.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

UNDER CONTRACT

TRILLIUM LINKS & L AKE CLUB $559,000 Contemporary touches and fine finishes abound in this newly constructed unit in the tranquil Balsam View community. Adjacent to a lovely water feature, the home offers a floor plan that makes the most of the incredible view. The kitchen offers Frigidaire Gallery Series SS appliances, providing a spectacular backdrop for casual or formal entertaining. Cozy up to the outdoor stone fireplace on one of the two covered porches on cool summer nights before retiring to the luxurious master suite with its modern bath, his-and-her vanities, and walk-in closet. MLS# 93722.

SHEPHERDS MOUNTAIN $525,000 Situated at a cool 3,900+ feet in elevation, the 2.10 acre lot is teeming with natural flora and fauna and features a view you’ll never grow tired of! Both the main and lower level have spacious decks looking out to Lake Glenville and the mountains beyond. If the sights of the cool lake beyond entice you to go for a swim, the public beach access is only a quick ten-minute drive from your front door! There is also a private walking trail that leads to the community lake access that has an additional picnic area, perfect for lake days! MLS# 90049.

UNDER CONTRACT STONECREEK CROSSING $525,000 On the market for the first time, this immaculately maintained home is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Stonecreek Crossing within walking distance of The Country Club of Sapphire Valley (membership by invitation only) and the Sapphire Valley Resort. Setting it apart from other properties in a very popular price range, this getaway features convenient single-level living and updated decor. MLS# 92855.

L AUREL L AKE $525,000 Sitting on a rare, oversized gentle lot in a convenient in-town location, this spacious getaway includes many custom features for the best in mountain living. The floor plan keeps the kitchen, living, and dining areas open, and special touches make this home truly unique, such as custom plasterwork, wooden beams, and high-quality built-ins.

Large uncovered and covered decks provide plenty of gathering spots to enjoy nature during sunshine or rain. MLS# 93372.

UNDER CONT RACT ROUND HILL $525,000 Unique opportunity to own a charming cottage in a peaceful setting yet just minutes from Cashiers! Revel at the stunning mountain and rock face view of Bald Rock Mountain from the brand new, partially screened and partially open, back deck. Beautiful park-like setting with a nearly level, and low maintenance yard, with plenty of space for gardening or pets to enjoy. All one level living with two bedrooms, two baths and an additional bonus room currently being used as master closet/laundry/bunk room.

MLS# 93563.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

NEWLY LISTED CATS PAW $510,000 This attractive, well-maintained home has exceptional long-range, layered mountain views extending as far as Clingman's Dome, Newfound Gap and the Balsams. At 4,700 feet, cool summertime temperatures are the norm - no air conditioning needed! Rustic yet refined, the interiors are light and bright with lots of windows. Preparing drinks and appetizers or big family meals is a pleasure in the stylish kitchen with Corian countertops, a gas range, wine cooler, center island and three sinks. MLS# 93670.

SUMMER HILL $499,000 Panoramic, long-range views of Lake Glenville and the mountains beyond await from this incredible property. With a guest house already in place, it is ready for the construction of a new dream home. The very gentle lot minimizes foundation costs and a four-bedroom septic system has been installed. A full set of Southern Living plans will convey with purchase. The guest house features a large living and dining area, kitchen and laundry room downstairs, and two sleeping areas with a full bath upstairs.

MLS# 93088.

BIG RIDGE $495,000 On the market for the first time, this mountain retreat is located on 20 wooded acres for the ultimate in privacy and tranquility, yet with a convenient location very near Lake Glenville. The possibilities of this property are endless; many homes sites with views could be created with a little tree clearing. In addition to multiple home sites, the property includes a 24’ x 30’ detached double garage and two complete RV sites. The property also features a spring that is the headwaters to Shoal Creek. MLS# 89870.

BEE TREE RIDGE $489,000 A newer construction, this well-built home is just perfect for year-round or vacation living. With quality finishes and plenty of storage, this secluded property is ready for immediate occupancy. Relax while enjoying the cool mountain breezes and delightful mountain views from the covered deck. The one-level open floor plan is spacious with split bedrooms for the utmost privacy in the master bedroom, while the large unfinished basement is ready for your vision! MLS# 92760.

L AKE GLENVILLE $475,000 This rustic mountain log home is just a short stroll or golf cart ride away from Ralph J. Andrews Park, where families can swim, fish, canoe, or picnic by the lake, with a public boat ramp for added convenience. The spacious master is on the main floor, and a wraparound covered porch extends the living space and provides cozy areas to sit in a rocking chair enjoying the cool mountain summer. This home must be sold with an adjacent lot which accesses the driveway and well (MLS# 93191). MLS# 93190.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES $459,000 Investors, look no further than this turnkey seasonal mountain home with excellent rental history. Located in the desirable gated community of Country Club Estates near the Country Club of Sapphire Valley, this home is within walking distance to the Sapphire Valley Resort amenities and is spacious with three bedrooms and a bonus room. The master bedroom, guest room, and laundry are all situated on the main level, just a few steps from the parking area. MLS# 93084.

TRILLIUM LINKS & L AKE CLUB $450,000 Finished with just the right amount of mountain elegance, this turnkey retreat is located right off the 14th green of Trillium's renowned golf course. A striking stacked stone fireplace in the living room soars to the heights of the cathedral ceiling, while wood walls and ceilings give this home a warm, welcoming feel. Enjoy the lovely golf views on the covered deck with its own woodburning fireplace or admire your own private waterfall as you stroll along the garden paths through lush landscaping. Your own private golf cart storage is just a few steps away. MLS# 89260.

NEWLY LISTED BEE TREE RIDGE $424,900 This newly priced, big view home is located in the quiet neighborhood of Bee Tree Ridge, situated on 7 +/- acres so your privacy is ensured and views are controlled. The home is immaculately maintained and includes all the comforts, including an attached two-car garage. There is plenty of space for friends and family with all three guest rooms located on the upper level, maximizing privacy for the large, inviting master suite, which is on the main level. MLS# 93667.

L AUREL FALLS $409,500 Tucked away on a gentle knoll in the low-density gated community of Laurel Falls, this newly constructed one-bedroom, one-bath getaway is situated on a spacious 11.47+/- estate lot. This fresh and tidy home features expansive long range mountain views, including Mount Lyn Lowry, Waterrock Knob, and Wesner Bald of the Blue Ridge Parkway. MLS# 90367.

UNDER CONTRACT GANA SITA $385,000 Centrally located in the village of Cashiers with a phenomenal view, this threebedroom, two-bath cottage is situated on a generous 2.55+/- acre lot. The home features a functional open floor plan, including a large bonus room off the left wing.

The main living area offers a large stone fireplace and fabulous long-range mountain views. An additional lot below the house is included in the sale and allows for tree trimming to maintain the stunning view as the years go by. MLS# 93235.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

SAPPHIRE HIGH $349,000 Sitting at 3400' elevation, on over four acres, this light and bright home in Sapphire High offers privacy and tranquility. This home has been carefully maintained with an all-new kitchen in 2012, new hardwood floors and a new roof in 2016. The kitchen has an eat-in area perfect for cozy breakfasts and opens to the dining and living areas. The master and laundry room are on the main floor, with two guest bedrooms and a second full bath upstairs. MLS# 93352.

NEWLY PRICED HOLLY FOREST $344,500 This spacious three-bedroom, three-bath mountain home with a bonus loft in Holly Forest is in excellent condition! Little Hogback Creek meanders through the green space that adjoins the back of this property, providing a private setting to relax while listening to the rushing stream from the back deck. Built for year-round living, the great room welcomes guests with natural light, wood floors, a wood-burning fireplace, and an open kitchen. MLS# 93006.

HOLLY FOREST $339,000 On the market for the first time, this fully furnished home is in impeccable move-in condition. The spacious kitchen, living, and dining areas are all on the main level, making it perfect for entertaining family and friends or simply relaxing by the fire with a good book. The master suite and two guest bedrooms are also on the main level, while a separate family room and a bonus room provide cozy areas for guests to gather on the lower level. MLS# 92256.

HIGHL ANDS FALLS COUNTRY CLUB $330,000 Situated near the entrance of gated Highlands Falls Country Club, this property is a wonderful opportunity to purchase the value of two homes for the price of one. The main level features two bedrooms with two baths, a great room, a kitchen, and a wonderful screened porch next to open decking. The lower level is separate, with its own family room, two more bedrooms, and an efficiency kitchen. Golf cart storage provides the convenience of quick trips to the course. MLS# 92755.

UNDER CONTRACT COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES $320,000 This is a rare opportunity to purchase a short sale property, which is priced well below tax value! Situated on a level lot, this unique home with golf course frontage has an attached two-car garage. Its exceptional location in the gated Country Club Estates area is near the end of a cul-de-sac free from road noise, and is just a short walk or golf cart ride to the Sapphire Valley Resort amenities, including Red Bird Golf Links and several fine restaurants. MLS# 90988.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

NEWLY PRICED

SAPPHIRE VILL AGE $290,000 Situated in an unrestricted neighborhood in the beautiful Sapphire Valley, this home would make a wonderful family home or a rental opportunity. The log and stone siding, large front deck, and screened porch encourage outdoor mountain living. The almost level property has a utility shed, a playground, and a double carport that accesses the lower level. MLS# 92814.

HICKORY KNOLL $299,900 Located in the quiet and tranquil neighborhood of Hickory Knoll, this wonderful threebedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home is situated on a double lot with a serene pond and stream. The living, dining, and kitchen areas all feature an open floor plan, providing an ideal space for entertaining. The kitchen is well-designed with sturdy and appealing countertops, double wall ovens for multiple dishes, a large breakfast bar, and plenty of counter space for preparation and serving. MLS# 93560.

CASHIERS $275,000 Tucked away in the mountains of Cashiers, this quaint, one-level cabin is loaded with rustic charm! As you enter the home via the covered carport, you're greeted by an open concept floor plan between the dining, kitchen and living areas. The kitchen features updated stainless steel appliances that bring modern-day comforts to this historic home. The kitchen also has a built-in breakfast bar which becomes an epicenter for lively conversations with the chef as they prepare the meals.MLS# 92508.

UNDER CONTRACT HOLLY FOREST $250,000 Be inspired by the unbelievable long-range mountain views from this perfect weekend getaway spot or rental investment opportunity. This adorable home has two bedrooms with a shared hall bath on the main level and a large partially open loft with a full bath upstairs. A spacious deck for entertaining guests overlooks the fire pit and the sitting area below. MLS# 93495.

UNDER CONTRACT WALNUT GAP $249,000 Situated at more than 4,100 feet of elevation on 1.80+/- acres, this wonderful mountain getaway offers an open and flowing floor plan with plenty of windows for natural light. The woodburning fireplaces on the main and lower levels offer a cozy spot to relax on chilly mountain nights. The light-filled loft can be used as a bonus room or an office, while a spacious lower level provides additional entertaining space. The backyard is gently sloping with a wet weather stream, a small pond, and a fire pit area. MLS# 93108.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

CULLOWHEE $225,000 Looking for your affordable piece of paradise only a few miles from beautiful Lake Glenville's public boat launch and park? This cute cottage with a mountain view offers privacy and one-level living. On both sides of the stunning stone fireplace, sliding glass doors provide easy access to the spacious covered porch to enjoy the cool breezes and mountain ridge views. The abundance of storage space includes a walk-out partial basement. MLS# 91692.

RIVER RUN $225,000 A desirable corner unit with updated kitchen featuring granite counter tops and baths, this delightful, light and bright home in River Run is within walking distance to the Sapphire Valley Resort. This one-story unit with southern exposure offers a great living area with views over the deck and green space. Each bedroom features cathedral ceilings, a private deck, and an en suite bath. This unit is ready for immediate occupancy. MLS# 92105.

SCALY MOUNTAIN $200,000 This mountain retreat only two hours from Atlanta has stunning long-range mountain and sunset views. This two-bedroom, one-bath, one-level home offers a masonry fireplace and a large open deck, waiting for you to enjoy the cool mountain breezes in the summer. Conveniently located a short distance from the Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center for winter tubing, as well as the Highlands Aerial Park, which has two zipline canopy tours and many hiking trails for the outdoor enthusiast. MLS# 93138.

L AUREL FALLS $199,000 Situated in gated Laurel Falls in Glenville, this sturdy log cabin is the ideal low-maintenance mountain getaway! The peaceful and private setting is convenient to Panthertown Valley for hiking and other outdoor activities, or simply relax on the porch while enjoying the wildlife and mountain breezes. The reverse osmosis system on a high yield private well provides great water! The large stone fireplace in the living room will take the chill off on cool mountain evenings. MLS# 93046.

UNDER CONTRACT

CASHIERS $140,000 This adorable cabin with winter mountain views is just minutes to Cashiers. Situated on over two acres for privacy, the living room features a great stone fireplace, perfect for those winter or cool summer days. This well-priced home sits on a large lot just minutes from the dining and shopping of Cashiers and Sapphire. MLS# 93004.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

SAPPHIRE $100,000 Situated in a quiet wooded setting, this executive townhome is conveniently located in the middle of Sapphire Valley, only a short walk from lovely Meadow Lake. Vaulted ceilings and a gas fireplace highlight the cozy living area, while the spacious covered and screened-in back deck encourage outdoor living amid the fresh mountain air. The main level also includes a half bath and laundry room with a master suite upstairs which overlooks the living area below. Offered fully furnished, this townhome is ready for you to start enjoying all that Sapphire has to offer immediately. MLS# 92453

NEWLY LISTED

SAPPHIRE $79,000 Only a short walk from Lake Fairfield, this one-level, one-bedroom, one-and-a half-bath unit is turnkey and just waiting for its new owners to begin their mountain lifestyle. The many upgrades include new wood floors throughout the main living area, gorgeous marble floors in the kitchen and baths, and new vanities and mirrors. Enjoy cool evenings by the remodeled wood-burning fireplace with a new larger wrap-around mantle. MLS# 93642.

LOTS & LAND BIG R I DGE 11.23 acres of beautiful rolling pasture land with exceptional mountain views and all situated above 4,000 ft. elevation! Equestrian lover's will delight at the thought of riding in this heavenly setting, but anyone who wants to enjoy long range mountain views in a peaceful and serene setting will appreciate this land.

The perfect building knoll sits just a tad higher than the rest of the acreage providing great sight lines in all directions. Lot faces west for remarkable sunset views! Located in the Big Ridge area, approximately 10 miles from town, it's far enough out to be private yet close enough to go to town to go to the grocery store or enjoy one of the many fine shoppes or restaurants in the area. Cashiers offers many free local events to enjoy as well such as Groovin' on the Green concerts every Friday night in the summertime. Call to schedule a showing of this property! MLS# 90175. $399,000.

BR I DGE CR E E K Bridge Creek is a wonderful gated community only 4 miles from the Cashiers crossroads. Lot 59 is a big view lot with underground utilities, an easy build site and end of the road privacy. Common amenities include a chimney garden and fishing/swimming pond. No time limit for beginning to build. Wonderfully maintained community with easy year round access and close to both Cashiers and REAL ESTATE GROUP

Highlands NC. MLS# 87144. $50,000.

garden. MLS# 90943. $20,000.

Bridge Creek is a wonderful gated community only 4 miles from the Cashiers crossroads. Lot 40 is a nearly level stream front lot with underground utilities and an easy build site. Common amenities include a chimney garden and fishing/swimming pond. No time limit for beginning to build. Wonderfully maintained community with easy year round access and close to both Cashiers and Highlands NC. MLS# 87141. $30,000.

Super gentle lot with winter mountain ridge views and a noisy stream to enjoy! If you are looking for a private house site that isn't far from town, this is the ideal location! Bridge Creek has a gated entrance and a charming covered bridge that you drive through to enter the community. Property owners enjoy use of the community pond and picnic area with an outdoor stone fireplace. Great price for an easy building lot!

MLS# 90331. $18,000.

Beautiful lot in gated community. Long layered mountain views all the way to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Community has paved roads, impressive covered bridge entry, large community pond and chimney garden.

Close to Cashiers and Highlands. Near Lake Glenville and all the water activities. MLS# 90944. $40,000.

North facing lot with big mountain views. Gated community close to both Cashiers and Highlands. Impressive covered bridge at entrance. Community pond and chimney garden. MLS# 90945. $40,000.

0.50 acre lot at 3,900 feet elevation with tucked away views of Lake Glenville. Located in the low density neighborhood of Bridge Creek, just a short scenic drive to Cashiers and 25 minutes to Highlands. Cross over the charming covered bridge spanning the trout waters of Norton Creek to enter the quaint community of Bridge Creek which offers a community pond, picnic area, outdoor chimney garden and hiking trails. MLS# 91223. $12,000.

Affordable lot in a gated community convenient to both Cashiers and Highlands. Paved roads, beautiful covered bridge entrance, large pond and chimney

Located in the quiet and low density gated neighborhood of Bridge Creek is this incredibly affordable lot.

As you enter the community you'll notice the gorgeous rustic covered bridge that straddles Knob Creek as well as the serene feeling that comes with the area.

Gentle building site and privacy of the surrounding woods make this lot perfect for someone looking to construct their mountain dream home in a fantastic community! Bridge Creek is an easy 10-minute drive to Cashiers' dining, shopping and more. MLS# 92624. $15,000.

C A SC A DE S AT CE DA R CR E E K Extremely gentle and easy lot to build on in a beautiful community close to Lake Glenville. Lot has winter mountain views from the back side of the lot. This home site is a stone’s throw from the private community clubhouse, Cedar Creek stream, playground and covered pavilion. MLS# 84182. $24,500.

CE DA R H I L L

UNDER CONTRACT The Meridian at Cedar Hill is the final phase of the very popular neighborhood of Cedar Hill. These lots are at over 4,000 feet elevation with private sewer access, water, paved roads and underground power. A well maintained neighborhood with pristine roads, gated entry and lovely homes. Exceptional mountain views including Bald Rock and Lonesome Valley Canyon set this estate lot apart. Cedar Hill is an upscale gated community offering its residents awe-inspiring views and the very best in luxury mountain living. If you're searching for the perfect lot for your future dream home, Cedar Hill will not disappoint. Convenient to the heart of Cashiers and Sapphire. $195,000. MLS# 92958.

Situated on a quiet street in the gated community of Cedar, located just minutes to Cashiers and Sapphire. The lot has a great view potential and is ideal for designing your dream mountain home and enjoy the cool summer temperatures. The community features a pavilion with stone fireplace along Rochester Creek, perfect for an afternoon picnic or hike. The community is very well maintained and welcomes residents to their mountain retreat. MLS# 91330. $120,000.

Located on a cul-de-sac for additional privacy in the gated community of Cedar Hill, this 3.6 acre lot is perfectly suited to build a mountain dream home.

Just minutes to downtown Cashiers and Sapphire.

The property borders Cedar Hill POA common area property along Rochester Creek. MLS# 91545. $58,000.

43+ private acres in the Cedar Hill neighborhood offering four high elevation building sites with spectacular views. Property adjoins Conservation Easement held by Highlands Cashiers Land Trust, and backs up to the back side of High Hampton's Rock Mountain. A one-of-a-kind property with dramatic views and the comforts of a gated community with paved roads, water system and location close to town. $750,000. MLS# 92959.

Beautiful long range views from the Summit in Cedar Hill. Views of Big Sheepcliff mountain and beyond. Convenient to both Cashiers and Sapphire amenities. MLS# 92773. $250,000.

The Meridian at Cedar Hill is the final phase of the very popular neighborhood of Cedar Hill. These lots are at over 4,000 feet elevation with private sewer access, water, paved roads and underground power. A well maintained neighborhood with pristine roads, gated entry and lovely homes. Exceptional mountain views including Bald Rock and Lonesome Valley Canyon set this estate lot apart. Cedar Hill is an upscale gated community offering its residents awe-inspiring views and the very best in luxury mountain living. If you're searching for the perfect lot for your future dream home, Cedar Hill will not disappoint. Convenient to the heart of Cashiers and Sapphire. $195,000. MLS# 92957.

CE DA R R I DGE E STAT E S Great views of Big Sheepcliff mountain from this elevated building site. Build your mountain dream home on this lot and start enjoying the cool summer temperatures found on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau. This premium lot is priced to sell, so don't miss the opportunity to purchase this home site in the well-established Cedar Ridge Estates community. Located just minutes to Sapphire and Cashiers with all the amenities these two communities have to offer. MLS# 89686. $30,000.

T H E CH AT T OOG A CLU B Beautiful lot on corner of Club Drive and Gorge Trail in the well-established Chattooga Club community.

Beautiful waterfall on the property with lots of hardwoods and indigenous plants including Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurels. Club membership by invitation only. MLS# 91502. $695,000.

Enjoy the soothing sounds of splashing water, from this beautiful lake-front lot behind the gates of the prestigious Chattooga Club. This lot provides you the opportunity to site your dream home so you can enjoy the combination of seeing, and listening to, continuous water pouring over the dam in one

direction‌while enjoying a nice long view of Lake Chattooga from the other. Owner has beautiful set of house plans, designed by Meyer-Greeson-Paullin-Benson out of Charlotte, NC, that includes an observation deck and an optional guest house. One of the premier lots in all of Chattooga Club-now priced to sell, so you can start enjoy luxury lake living in the mountains. MLS# 89283. $349,000.

CH I NQUA PI N

LOTS & LAND

NEWLY PRICED Great lot with over an acre of land to build your vacation home! Pond frontage and overlooks the community clubhouse, park, playground and rushing Cedar Creek. The private clubhouse features a full kitchen, living area, pool table, fitness center, shower facilities and a beautiful outdoor grilling area with patio for entertaining. Short range mountain views may be possible with tree trimming.

MLS# 88242. $18,000.

Just minutes from world class dining, shopping, art and music, this is a gentle building lot with mountain views in a serene community immersed with nature. Within the gates is a magical outdoor world just waiting to be discovered. Chinquapin's elevation is 4,500 feet encompassing 2,000 acres in all.

Amenities include hiking trails, fishing, swimming, canoeing or simply observing the wonders of this natural paradise. MLS# 91930. $159,000.

Perched at an elevation of 4,000 plus feet, this gentle rolling, wooded and mountain view lot, surrounded by a stream, is part of the pristine preserve of Chinquapin just three miles from downtown Cashiers, North Carolina. A perfect building lot for families wanting to create lasting memories in an incredible natural setting in Western North Carolina.

Walking trails and a stream surround this lot and the new owners can enjoy the amenities which include fishing, swimming and canoeing, to name a few.

MLS# 93055. $145,000.

C OL D S P R I N G S NEWLY LISTED Great lakefront lot in Cold Springs.

Looking for a great lot on a small lake near Highlands and Cashiers, this is it. Build your dream home at over 3,500 feet elevation and spend time enjoying paddling or canoeing around the lake. Community amenities include a stable and pasture, if you have horses. Convenient to downtown Highlands and just around the corner from the Highlands/Cashiers Hospital and medical facilities. For a change to a leisurely pace, this is the place to be. MLS# 93463. $189,000.

CROSS CR E E K PR E SE RV E Unique 2.68 acre lot with a BOLD stream and 2 waterfalls with mountain views backing up to the common area. Nearly level building site, underground utilities, community water, expired 3 bedroom septic permit. MLS# 87680. $199,900.

Amazing long range mountain views can be seen from this home site in the prestiCASHIERS: 828 743 1999 gious gated HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

community of Cross Creek Preserve. As you enter the community through the charming covered bridge you will see that this is a very well maintained neighborhood with nice common areas including a trout fishing pond with waterfall and a huge field and fire pit for owners to enjoy. Nearby Trillium Links & Lake Club can be seen from this north facing lot. Surrounded by several upscale neighborhoods, Cross Creek is also close to Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club and Old Edwards Club. Conveniently situated between Highlands and Cashiers for quick trips to town for shopping and dining. Seller already has a complete set of ready to build custom house plans designed specifically for this lot for a 3-4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home. Contact listing agent for more details! MLS# 89979. $149,900.

lake access and plenty of room to spread out. A four bedroom septic evaluation is on file with Jackson County Health Department. Sit and enjoy the sounds of the waterfall from any location on this lot! MLS# 88354. $599,000.

Glenridge community is a very short distance to the entrance to Panthertown Valley - a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. MLS# 90987. $189,000.

F E N L E Y F OR E ST T R A I L

Lake Glenville access lot with dedicated boat slip. No need to share, this lot has short walk to community boat dock and across drive from community tennis court. Very level building site. Some lake view. Underground utilities. MLS# 81650. $80,000.

CU L L A SAJA CLU B

This lot is a investor’s dream, an entire subdivision ready for completion! This 53 acre gated development features signature views of Whiteside and Chimneytop mountains. The entrance alone is grand with it’s own waterfall! The first 4 of the 18 lots have been sold, leaving the remaining 14 contiguous lots totaling 41 acres as a package deal. The lots can be sold individually or held as a private estate. MLS# 88178. $350,000.

Build your dream home on these two lots being sold together within the upscale, gated community of the Cullasaja Club! Coming in at over two acres, these gently rolling adjacent properties boast gratifying potential for a build site that, with some trimming, could open up a beautiful view. Cullasaja Club combines luxury living and the ultimate in leisure for a true one-of-a-kind Western North Carolina community. At the heart of this exclusive gated enclave lies a par 72, 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course, as well as a clubhouse with mixed grill & formal dining room. Cullasaja Club also boasts one hard surface & five lighted clay tennis courts, state-of-the-art fully-staffed fitness and activity center, and canoeing, kayaking or fishing on fully-stocked Lake Ravenel. There aren't many of these opportunities left! MLS# 93358. $275,000.

Well priced lakefront lot on Lake Glenville located on a quiet little cove. 4 bedroom septic evaluation in hand along with a new survey. Shared well. MLS# 90419. $295,000.

F I V E ST ON E

GL E N V I E W

Exceptional year round lake and mountain view lots with paved access and community water. Three wellpriced lots to choose from, so cherry-pick the best one! Expired septic evaluations on file. Easy 15 minute drive to Cashiers. MLS# 87042, 87043 and 87044. $50,000 each.

Mountaintop acreage directly across the street from Panthertown Preserve at 4,300 feet elevation. Perfect for an estate or subdivide with views of Whiteside, Chimneytop, Rock, and Sheepcliff mountains. MLS# 88183. $350,000.

H IGH WAY 6 4 E A ST

FA L L S COV E

REAL ESTATE GROUP

Lake Glenville access lot with dedicated boat slip. No need to share when you have your own slip in community dock. Gated community with tennis court. Norton Creek Falls just a few yards away can be heard clearly.

MLS# 81652. $75,000.

GL E N R I DGE

FA L CON R I DGE

This lot looks directly at Norton Falls, the largest waterfall on Lake Glenville.

Has great

GL E N P OI N T E

Incredible panoramic, long-range mountain vistas from this premier lot located behind the gates of the Glenridge subdivision. At 4,300’ elevation, this lot offers cool temperatures and an easy flat build site and then drops off-assuring you will own this incredible view. A large circular driveway has already been cut in, off the paved road and septic system and water are already in place. The lot is more than 3 acres in size, ensuring that you will have privacy and elbow room around you.

All that’s left to do, is grab an architect and builder to start creating your dream home in the mountains. The

COMMERCIAL Stunning and picturesque level property on Highway 64 in Sapphire Valley located across the street from Lonesome Valley entrance. The rear of the property is bordered by the Horsepasture River with cascading waterfalls and rapids. This property is suited for a variety of development opportunities including multi-family, restaurant, RV resort, or a host of other commercial uses. MLS# 93236. $500,000.

HOL LY F OR E ST NEWLY PRICED Unbelievable long range views from this fantastic building site in Holly Forest XIV. Community features include paved roads, underground utilities with public water and sewer available at road.

Southwesterly views from this lot sitting at 3,800 ft.

Affordable building lot with long and short range southeasterly mountain views! This nearly level home site sits at approximately 3,660 ft. elevation in the popular neighborhood of Eagle Ridge. The minimum square footage building requirement is only 1,300 heated square feet and water and sewer is readily available to the lot. Located near the Sapphire National Golf Club and Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company. Ownership comes with Sapphire Valley Resort amenities - including golf, tennis, fitness center, indoor/outdoor swimming pools, carpet golf, park/playground and Lake Fairfield access where you can rent canoes and paddle boats, kayak, enjoy the trail around the lake or have a picnic at the covered pavilion. MLS# 93229. $25,000.

NEWLY PRICED Nice gentle lot with over an acre of land and year-round mountain view potential!

This property has a long private driveway already roughed in so it’s easy to see where the best home site would be. Both lots on each side already have homes built on them so privacy won’t be an issue.

Expired 4 bedroom septic permit on file. MLS# 88273. $20,000.

Located in the wonderful Holly Forest community of Sapphire Valley is this near level and very affordable lot with fantastic building potential. As you adventure around this lot you'll notice some ridgeline views, easy access from the road, and an abundance of lush natural flora. This lot has loads of potential for you to construct your very own mountain home with ease, and is priced to sell. The community of Holly Forest is close to town and features Sapphire Valley amenities - a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, skiing, tennis, golf, lakes, and more! Don't miss out on this affordable land ownership opportunity. MLS# 93279. $15,000.

Tucked away in the hills of Sapphire Valley in the quaint community of Holly Forest is this gentle and very affordable lot with great building potential.

As you explore the lot you'll find an abundance of natural flora and a peaceful atmosphere, one that's only found in the gorgeous mountains of Western North Carolina! This lot has fantastic potential for you to construct your very own mountain home, and is priced to sell. The community of Holly Forest is close to town and features Sapphire Valley amenities - a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, skiing, tennis, golf, lakes, and more! MLS# 93278. $15,000.

Great view lot in the heart of Sapphire Valley. Just minutes to Cashiers and Sapphire, as well as all the Sapphire Valley amenities. Year round view will be available from the home once the trees are trimmed. MLS# 89042. $9,900.

UNDER CONTRACT A noisy stream runs along the bottom portion of this lot! This gently sloping home site will make the perfect mountain cabin spot. A

great location for nature lover’s with a canopy of trees surrounding the property. Just a short walk to the Narrows waterfall and common area. This would be a great building site for a 2 story home that overlooks the stream. Expired septic permit on file and community has low homeowner’s fees.

Ownership comes with Sapphire Valley amenities.

MLS# 88627. $6,500.

UNDER CONTRACT This gentle home site will be a breeze to build on! Great location with easy paved driving access into the community and just a few minutes’ drive to Cashiers. Drive past pretty Hogback Creek on the way to and from this lot! Located towards the end of a cul-de-sac for extra privacy.

Lot backs up to a wide Holly Forest green space area and is also just a short walk to the community waterfall common area called Narrows Falls. Just around the corner from the public Sapphire National Golf Club and the Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company restaurant. Ownership comes with Sapphire Valley Resort amenities including golf, tennis, indoor/outdoor swimming pools, fitness center, Horsepasture River picnic area, track/playground, ski slope, zip line and more. This lot is also walking distance to Lake Fairfield where you can enjoy the 3 mile trail around the lake, the beach area or rent a canoe or paddle boat from the boat house. MLS# 90253. $4,000.

Great lot to build your mountain home on or simply use as an amenity lot for the Sapphire Valley Master Association. Gentle building site with expired three bedroom septic evaluation. Bring ALL offers! $2,750.

MLS# 92962.

K I L L I A N ’ S PA R K NEWLY LISTED Tucked away in the Killian's Park community is this gentle lake access lot awaiting your arrival. This lot is an easy walk to the shores of Lake Glenville, and a dock application is being applied for. This spot is perfect to enjoy all the sights and sounds of Lake Glenville from your very own lakefront retreat, and all at an affordable price!

MLS# 93549. $125,000.

L A N C E WO OD Truly unique opportunity to own 2 Lots that are deeded together, making a really nice 2 acre in-town home site! The lower of the two lots is very gentle and should provide an economical build. Use your imagination here...Lancewood is enjoying a gentrification of summer cottages and year round residences. THE most convenient in-town location for those who enjoy walking to town, events and restaurants.

Great neighbors and unrestricted. There aren't very many in-town home sites like this left. MLS# 93079. $110,000.

L AU R E L FA L L S Over 15 acres of land to enjoy at 4,100+ ft. elevation! Long range mountain views and short ridge views from these 2 northerly facing lots. A gorgeous property that is truly unique and offers a ton of sprawling level acreage. Position your house anywhere you'd like among the native flora and ferns that cover the property. The driveway is already partially roughed in and leads you to a clearing and a fire pit area where you will enjoy the best views.

Laurel Falls is a private neighborhood with gated access and low property owner fees. Nature lovers will appreciate the community's private access into the 6,300 acre Panthertown National Forest and trout fishing in Robinson Creek. Laurel Falls only has a 1,000 sq. ft. minimum building requirement making it the perfect spot to build a mountain cabin.

These two lots are being listed together and offered at a discounted price for 15.89 acres. This property backs up to Chinquapin land for added privacy.

MLS# 89652. $230,000.

LOTS & LAND

elevation. Enjoy the panoramic vistas of Chimneytop Mountain and Rocky Mountain. MLS# 88095. $90,000.

Over 7 acres of land to enjoy at 4,100+ ft. elevation!

Long range mountain views and short ridge views from this northerly facing lot. A gorgeous property that is truly unique and offers a ton of sprawling level acreage. The driveway is already partially roughed in and leads you to a clearing and a fire pit area where you will enjoy the best views. Laurel Falls is a private neighborhood with gated access and low property owner fees. Nature lovers will appreciate the community's private access into the 6,300 acre Panthertown National Forest and trout fishing in Robinson Creek. Laurel Falls only has a 1,000 sq. ft. minimum building requirement making it the perfect spot to build a mountain cabin. An adjacent 8.66 acre lot is also available for purchase so buy both for a discount and own over 15 acres. This acreage backs up to Chinquapin property for added privacy.

MLS# 89645. $125,000.

Over 8.5 acres of land to enjoy at 4,100+ ft. elevation! Short range mountain views, and possibly some long range views, from this north westerly facing lot. A gently laying lot with a trail leading to the partially cleared house site. There is currently a shared driveway roughed in but buyer may put in their own driveway if they wish. Lots of options with this property. Laurel Falls is a private neighborhood with gated access and low property owner fees. Nature lovers will appreciate the community's private access into the 6,300 acre Panthertown National Forest and trout fishing in Robinson Creek. Laurel Falls only has a 1,000 sq. ft. minimum building requirement making it the perfect spot to build a mountain cabin. An adjacent 7.23 acre lot is also available for purchase so buy both for a discount and own over 15 acres. This land backs up to Chinquapin property for added privacy. MLS# 89644. $115,000.

Two great adjoining lots in the scenic,

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

wild and gated subdivision of Laurel Falls. Each lot has a survey, septic evaluation for a 3 bedroom home with easy building sites! A small stream runs through the property providing additional mountain charm.

Ridgeline views with tree trimming. Lots of usable land. Laurel Falls is bordered by thousands of acres of protected Panthertown Valley. The Yosemite of the East. MLS# 91969. $65,000.

PI L O T S K NOB NEWLY LISTED Seldom do you find a flat mountain lot with huge views. In addition, it is above 4,000 feet in elevation, so you will have cool summers and a pleasant breeze. This lot is an easy build where you would have very little foundation expense. Yet at the edge of the lot, the elevation takes a drastic plunge, opening up miles and miles of views. View is all the way to the Great Smokies and Blue Ridge Parkway. Community water, gated, paved community roads. This lot will take your breath away. MLS# 93505. $94,900.

viding a true mountain escape! MLS# 92364. $89,900.

The communities' finest big view lots handpicked for ease of build and their incalculable long range views!

Pilots Knob is a hot and new gated, mountain top community with high elevation lots rising above 4,100 feet. The community offers paved roads, green space, beautiful landscaping, a community pond, fire pit and refreshingly low HOA fees. With recent home sales, numerous lot sales, developer owned spec builds and privately owned custom builds are underway, Pilots Knob is quickly becoming a bustling mountain community! While manicured and elegant, Pilots Knob's beauty remains unspoiled and the wildlife is abundant.

Conveniently located just minutes from Lake Glenville, the areas premier lake, with access to boating, hiking, a public lake front park, a waterfall hike and a whitewater kayaking boat launch is all just around the corner.

MLS# 92362. $86,000.

views and quaint Christmas tree farms as they drive through the area. Community features a pond and fire pit common area. Pilots Knob is paved throughout and has an inviting gated entrance with a pretty waterfall feature. This particular lot has a very gentle building site with easy driveway access and large rock outcroppings for built-in landscaping features. Winter mountain long range views with possibility of more year-round views with tree trimming. Low POA fees and underground utilities make this a great place to build your mountain escape at 4,000+ feet elevation!

MLS# 85489. $25,000.

S A SS A F R A S R I DGE 24.31 acre tract in gated Sassafras Ridge. Boasting 2 or 3 gentle home sites, short mountain views and waterfall. A fabulous place to call home, and wonderful location for a family estate! Convenient to shopping, restaurants and all things mountain. $500,000. MLS# 92775.

An idyllic setting for a family estate! This luxurious parcel is rich with indigenous plantings and wildlife galore. Sassafras Ridge is a newer development that features larger estate-sized parcels, underground utilities and is gated for privacy. Very conveniently located for shopping, restaurants and Cashiers and Highlands for events. $300,000. MLS# 92776.

NEWLY PRICED Exceptional view lot high above Sapphire Valley in the gated community of Sassafras Ridge. This high elevation lot is perfect for enjoying cool summer breezes and panoramic mountain views.

MLS# 90868. $115,000.

The communities finest big view lots handpicked for ease of build and their incalculable long range views!

Pilots Knob is a hot and new gated, mountain top community with high elevation lots rising above 4,100 feet. The community offers paved roads, green space, beautiful landscaping, a community pond, fire pit and refreshingly low HOA fees. With recent home sales, numerous lot sales, developer owned spec builds and privately owned custom builds are underway, Pilots Knob is quickly becoming a bustling mountain community! While manicured and elegant, Pilots Knob's beauty remains unspoiled and the wildlife is abundant.

Conveniently located just minutes from Lake Glenville, the areas premier lake, with access to boating, hiking, a public lake front park, a waterfall hike and a whitewater kayaking boat launch is all just around the corner. Pilots Knob is a scenic drive from Cashiers or Highlands and allows for easy access to restaurants, shopping and groceries while proREAL ESTATE GROUP

Perched at almost 4,000’ elevation, you’ll enjoy beautiful long-range mountain views and a long private driveway that leads to this lot. This almost 2 acre lot provides you views that leave no doubt where you are.

Very gentle, nearly flat driveway cut in that leads to a flat build site for the main level. The property drops off below the homesite, assuring you’ll own the view for years to come. MLS# 85946. $49,000.

NEWLY LISTED This gently sloping, easy build site is ready for your dream home to be built upon it. This lot, located on Beechfern Drive, is perched within the quiet, gated community aptly named Pilots Knob.

Enter through the beautiful gates of Pilots Knob and you'll find a true sense of peace in the mountains. The community itself is situated at an elevation of over 3,500 ft, offers paved access and roads throughout, a common pond area as well as a beautiful green space with a fire-pit perfect for family picnics while taking in the truly awe inspiring long range mountain views.

Reasonably priced annual fees and close proximity to Lake Glenville and everything Cashiers has to offer are just a few of many additional bonuses that are at your disposal. MLS# 93162. $35,000.

Fantastic building lot in the desirable neighborhood of Pilots Knob! Truly a hidden gem of a community where owners enjoy beautiful majestic long range mountain

SH E E P CL I F F WOODS Only 1 mile from the center of downtown Cashiers to this property-very easy building envelope, to keep your foundation costs minimized. Sitting at 3600’ elevation, this lot has a view of the famed Whiteside Mountain.

Community water in place and an expired 3 BR septic permit in hand, that could likely be improved-given the size of the lot. MLS# 87480. $49,900.

SH E PH E R DS MOU N TA I N This almost 2 acre lot is located in the exclusive gated community of Shepherds Mountain -- that provides property owners in-ground utilities, nice wide paved roads, a small clubhouse, play area for the kids. Very close to public access and beach area as well. Enjoy the privacy and soothing sounds of nature, while perching your home at approximately 3,800' elevation.

MLS# 91600. $15,000.

S I LV E R S L I P FA L L S A great opportunity to own a very nice, gentle building site in gated Silver Slip Falls. This 1.69 acres fronts

1+ acre lot is ready for your lakefront home. The home site features: driveway, potable and non-potable water lines, and underground power. The house site is cleared and a large dock is in place. Â Come see and imagine yourself on this beautiful piece of mountain waterfront property. MLS# 84508. $425,000.

SU M M E R H I L L

WA DE H A M P T ON Lot has a good view of Whiteside Mountain in well-established and exclusive neighborhood of Wade Hampton. Priced below market value! Motivated seller! MLS# 90236. $85,000.

WAT E R DA N C E

LOTS & LAND

the Chattooga River and will provide sights and sounds from the flowing water to be enjoyed by all your family and friends! Private, quiet and a scant, convenient .9 miles to Cashiers' shopping, restaurants and events. Pick the site for your home from a couple of easy build spots. Silver Slip offers paved access and stocked pond for water fun. This could be the place for your dream home. MLS# 92787. $195,000.

SI M S VA L L E Y Extremely desirable building lot with bold stream frontage and a nearly level building site. This is the ideal place to build a mountain home overlooking a beautiful babbling stream with many small waterfalls. Enjoy some short and long range mountain views from this peaceful setting as well. Conveniently located near the community clubhouse, outdoor pool, fitness center and pavilion that owners can use for social gatherings. MLS# 85846. $44,000.

UNDER CONTRACT Beautiful almost level lot with easy year round access and a near perfect build site. A rock lined bridge driveway goes level onto the lot. Betsy Creek boarders the property to the right of the driveway. Mountain views possible with tree trimming. Sims Valley is a scenic gated community located just 20 mins outside of Cashiers NC and offers amenities to include a clubhouse, pool, exercise facility, pond and picnic areas. MLS# 87145.$10,000.

S P R I N G F OR E S T Tucked away in the Spring Forest gated community at above 3,300 ft elevation is this buildable lot that has great view potential with some tree trimming.

The Spring Forest community is just a quick drive from Sapphire and Cashiers' shopping, dining, and more making it an ideal location for someone looking to feel a sense of privacy while still having modern amenities readily available. MLS# 91791. $40,000.

ST ON ECR E E K E STAT E S Lots 15, 32, and 36 in Stone Creek Estates with public water and sewer available. Conveniently located behind the gates at The Country Club of Sapphire Valley. A short walk or golf cart ride to the amenities of Sapphire Valley including golf, tennis, indoor/ outdoor pools, fitness center, ski slope, zip lines and more. Membership to The Country Club of Sapphire Valley is by invitation only. $59,000. MLS# 93049.

Lots can also be purchased individually.

ST ON E P OI N T E Nestled on the western shores of Lake Glenville, this

This property has huge views of Lake Glenville and many mountain ranges, all the way to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The community has a fantastic lake front community lot with marina and picnic shelter. Lake Glenville is the highest major lake in the eastern US with numerous water related activities to keep you busy. The community access has plenty of parking and the lake here has a white sand beach and very gradual slope, perfect for swimming. In addition, the Summer Hill community is only about 15 minutes from Cashiers and 25 minutes from Highlands. Therefore, easy access to shopping and restaurants. Enjoy the best of views and lake living, all rolled into one! $290,000. MLS# 92972.

Almost 3 acre lot in Summer Hill, a premier Lake Glenville community. Driveway partially in. Big lake and mountain view. Community dock, boat launch ramp, sandy beach, picnic shelter with fireplace and tennis court. Well managed gated community with wide paved roads and friendly neighbors. MLS# 88751. $199,000.

TA H A L A S HOR E S Wonderful and inexpensive Lake Glenville lake front lot. Access from either Strawberry Hill or Woods Mountain. Shared well and driveway. Faces east with a septic already installed. MLS# 93172. $250,000.

NEWLY LISTED Located in the scenic Waterdance gated community is this great 1.76 acre riverfront lot! The lot has a roughed in road leading directly to the potential building site, which is just steps away from the rushing Tuckasegee River. Whether you are an avid angler, or simply looking for the perfect place to construct your riverfront dream home, this lot is sure to please. There is an expired three bedroom septic permit on file (no septic tank installed yet) and community water is readily available. The community itself features paved roads, covered bridge, gated access, and gorgeous water features such as the waterfall that is up the road from this lot. Don't miss your chance to snag this lot, owner financing is also available! MLS# 93295. $123,000.

W H I SPE R L A K E Just around the corner from the Whisper Lake common area, this home site is the perfect setting to build a mountain getaway! The Whisper Lake common area has a lake side picnic area and dock where you can enjoy swimming, canoeing and kayaking. This beautiful lot also comes with Sapphire Valley amenities. MLS# 88503. $25,000.

CASHIERS: 828 743 1999 HIGHL ANDS: 828 526 2999 NCLIVING.COM

COMME RCIAL SAPPHIRE $949,000

A CASHIERS $225,000

CASHIERS $75,000 BUSINESS ONLY

C

B A

Let your imagination run wild in this spacious-almost 12,000 sf building. No restrictions on the property. Currently being leased by Wyndham/Diamond Resorts. Would make for a great office building, restaurant, retail space or even employee housing. CWS sewer and water in place, and has capacity to expand current # bathrooms in building. Property is almost two acres and has a total of 70 parking spaces. MLS# 85231.

B

C

REAL ESTATE GROUP

Prime retail/office location with frontage along Highway 64 West, located just east of the Cashier's crossroads. Own your space which located on the ground level in Laurel Terrace and suitable for both retail or office. Currently used as an owner/user space. This is a double unit with multiple office and conference area, as well as open space. This former bank location also features a vault!

Tired of paying rent, this is the perfect in-town location. Desks and conference room furniture included. MLS# 92608.

In the picturesque mountain village of Cashiers, North Carolina, this highly successful boutique spa exudes peace, serenity, and the highest level of service for its clients. Currently located in a leased historical cabin that's a landmark to the community, Mantra Integrative Spa has access to over 1,000 existing clients. MLS# 92129.

YOUR PROPERTY DESERVES EXCEPTIONAL MARKETING. HERE’S WHY

W H Y M A R K E T I N G M AT T E R S SELL YOUR HOME FASTER AND FOR A BETTER PRICE

OVER 95,000 MAILED NC Living Magazine encompasses the lifestyle of our beloved HighlandsCashiers Plateau. Your property will be featured in each issue and an average of 95,000 copies are sent to subscribers each year both digitally and in print.

#5 IN THE COUNTRY Your property will also be featured on our website, which was ranked fifth in REAL Trends’ rankings of top brokerage websites in the country.

95% MORE LIKELY Studies have shown that 3D virtual tours make potential buyers 95% more likely to call about a property.*

4X THE INQUIRIES Real estate listings that include video receive 4 times the inquiries than those without video.*

*Statistics according to matterport.com

ESSENTIAL MARKETING CHECKLIST W H AT E V E RY H O M E S E L L E R N E E D S TO S U CC E E D

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Feature on awardwinning NCLiving.com

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Feature in The Real Estate Magazine

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Feature on Zillow.com, Realtor.com, and many other national portals

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Professionally printed custom brochures

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White glove showings

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Direct mail marketing

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Expertly written property description

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E-blast to brokers in the area and around the country

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Exposure in national magazines such as Architectural Digest and Vanity Fair

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Feature on LeadingRE.com and LuxuryPortfolio.com

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Feature on MansionGlobal.com

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Professional photography

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Professional video created

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Aerial photography

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3D virtual home tour

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Exposure to the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World network

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Monthly e-blasts to potential buyers

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Custom floor plans

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Feature in NC Living Magazine

Social media exposure on Facebook and Instagram

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Feature in The Laurel Magazine

Editorial exposure on HGTV.com via the HGTV Ultimate House Hunt

Only one brokerage has it all.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

EXCEPTIONAL MARKETING DELIVERING RESULTS EXCEPTIONAL MARKETING DELIVERING RESULTS

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B U I L D I N G R E L AT I O N S H I P S COMBINING THE FINEST MARKETING WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE

JOCHEN LUCKE

BAMBI FAMOUS KAINE

CHUCK SELF

DAN ALLEN

MERRY SOELLNER

LINDA PRIDGEN

CAROL MATHEWS

CASSIE NEAL

EDDY MCDONALD

KEVIN KOACH

PARKER ANDERSON

RAY TRINE

REAL ESTATE GROUP

NCLIVING.COM

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A DV E R T I S E R’ S I N D E X 4118 Kitchen and Bar A-List Antiques Acorns ACP Home Interiors A Jones Company Allison Diane Annawear Annell Appalachian Golf Cars Around Back at Rocky’s Place Bags On Main Balistreri Realty The Bascom Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Betsy Paul Art Raffle Betsy Paul Properties Big & Blue Travel Big Brothers Big Sisters Bijou Jeweler Black Bear Lodge Black Rock Granite and Cabinetry The Blue Elephant Blue Ridge Bedding Blue Ridge Music Blue Ridge Public Safety Bombshell Hair Boutique The Book Nook Bounds Cave’s Rug Gallery The Brier Patch Brookings Fly Shop Brunch HQ Bullzeye Construction C. Orrico

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P5 P 154 P 17 P 18 P 128 P 149 P 151, 161 P 39 P 38 P 72, 73 P 93 P 152 P 89 P 54-55 P 161 P 54-55 P 71 P 36, 161 P 127 P 71 P 42-45 P 29 P 170 P 41, 161 P 36 P 148 P 166

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Michele PagePage Webster pagetheartist.com P 73P 73 Michele Webster pagetheartist.com Mirror LakeLake Antiques P 17P 17 Mirror Antiques Morales Painting P 157 Morales Painting P 157 Mountain Mountain FreshFresh mfgro.com mfgro.com P 93P 93 Mountain Mountain Mermaid Mermaid P 172 P 172 Mountain Mountain Spring Spring SpasSpas andand PoolsPoolsmountainhotspring.com mountainhotspring.com P 52P 52 Mountainworks Mountainworks Design Design mtnworks.com mtnworks.com P 14P 14 Narcissus Narcissus P 79P 79 Nearly Nearly NewNew nearlynewnc.com nearlynewnc.com P 105 P 105 NoraNora & Co & Co P 59P 59 Oakleaf Oakleaf oakleafstyle.com oakleafstyle.com P 21P 21 OldOld Edwards Edwards Inn Inn & Spa & Spa oldedwardsinn.com oldedwardsinn.com P 41,P 160 41, 160 On On the Verandah the Verandah ontheverandah.com ontheverandah.com P 91P 91 Pat Allen Pat Allen Realty Realty patallenrealtygroup.com patallenrealtygroup.com P 12-13 P 12-13 Pat Pat Calderone Calderone calderonegallery.com calderonegallery.com P 76P 76 PeakPeak Experience Experience peakexp.com peakexp.com P 18.P 168 18. 168 Pebble Pebble Creek Creek Village Village pebble-creek.com pebble-creek.com P 97P 97 Peggy Peggy Marra Marra peggymarra.com peggymarra.com P 73P 73 Preserve Preserve at Rock at Rock Creek Creek rockcreek-nc.com rockcreek-nc.com P 149 P 149 ProClean ProClean Services Services procleanserves.com procleanserves.com P 160 P 160 Pro-Servicess Pro-Servicess P 161 P 161 Quintana Quintana FineFine Art Art Imagery Imagery quitanafineart.com quitanafineart.com P 61P 61 Rebecka’s Rebecka’s Home Home Cleaning Cleaning Service Service P 160 P 160 Reach Reach of Macon of Macon County County reachofmaconcounty.org reachofmaconcounty.org P 56P 56 Ristorante Ristorante Paoletti Paoletti paolettis.com paolettis.com P 92P 92 Robin’s Robin’s NestNest robinsnest-com robinsnest-com P 30P 30 Roman’s Roman’s Roofing Roofing LLCLLC romansroofingnc.com romansroofingnc.com P 161 P 161 Rosewood Rosewood P 87P 87 P 142 Rusticks Rusticks rusticks.com rusticks.com P 142 Sapphire Sapphire ValleyValley RealReal Estate Estate sapphirevalleyrealestate.com sapphirevalleyrealestate.com P 164 P 164 Sashay Sashay Around Around P 169 P 169 Shakespeare Shakespeare & Company & Company shakespearandcompanyhighlands.com shakespearandcompanyhighlands.com P 127 P 127 Shiraz Shiraz Oriental Oriental RugRug Gallery Gallery shirazruggalleries.com shirazruggalleries.com P 177 P 177 SilverSilver Creek Creek RealReal Estate Estate Group Groupncliving.com ncliving.com P 202-238 P 202-238 Skweeky Skweeky Kleen Kleen Cleaning Cleaning Services Services ` ` P 160 P 160 Slabtown Slabtown PizzaPizza slabtownpizza.com slabtownpizza.com P 86P 86 Smitten Smitten P 93P 93 Southern Southern WayWay P 156 P 156 Spoiled Spoiled Rotten Rotten spoiledrotten2.com spoiledrotten2.com P 175 P 175 Srebalus Srebalus Construction Construction Co. Co. srebalusconstruction.com srebalusconstruction.com P 161 P 161 Stork’s Stork’s Wrap, Wrap, PackPack & Ship & Ship P 53P 53 TheThe Summer Summer House House summerhousehighlands.com summerhousehighlands.com P 114 P 114 SweeTreats/Highlands SweeTreats/Highlands DeliDeli sweetreatshighlands.com sweetreatshighlands.com P 88P 88 T Fitness T Fitness P 141 P 141 TJ Bailey TJ Bailey for Men for Men tjbmens.com tjbmens.com P 66P 66 Tom’s Tom’s GolfGolf Tours Tours tomsgolftours.com tomsgolftours.com P 118 P 118 Town Town & Country & Country General General Store Storetandcgeneralstore.com tandcgeneralstore.com P 150 P 150 TheThe UglyUgly DogDog PubPub - Highlands - Highlands theuglydogpub.com theuglydogpub.com P 87P 87 TheThe UglyUgly DogDog PubPub - Cashiers - Cashiers theuglydogpub.com theuglydogpub.com P 87P 87 VC VC for Men for Men victoriasclosetnc.com victoriasclosetnc.com P 105 P 105 Victoria’s Victoria’s Closet Closet victoriasclosetnc.com victoriasclosetnc.com P 105 P 105 Victoria’s Victoria’s Sportswear Sportswear victoriasclosetnc.com victoriasclosetnc.com P 105 P 105 TheThe Village Village Green Green villagegreencashiersnc.com villagegreencashiersnc.com P 78P 78 Village Village Hound Hound P 33P 33 TheThe Vineyard Vineyard at at 37 High 37 High HollyHolly thevineyardat37highholly.com thevineyardat37highholly.com P 97P 97 Vivianne Vivianne Metzger Metzger Antiques Antiques vmantiques.com vmantiques.com P 142 P 142 Warth Warth Construction Construction warthconstruction.com warthconstruction.com P 244 P 244 WestWest Paces Paces Advisors Advisors westpaceadvisors.com westpaceadvisors.com P 11P 11 WHLC WHLC FM FM 104.5 104.5 whlc.com whlc.com P 53P 53 Wilbanks Wilbanks SmileSmile Center Center - Dr. Joe Dr. Wilbanks Joe Wilbanks wilbankssmilecenter.com wilbankssmilecenter.com P 147 P 147 WishWish AndAnd Shoes Shoes wishandshoes.com wishandshoes.com P 100 P 100 Wit’sWit’s EndEnd P 132 P 132 Wolfgang’s Wolfgang’s Restaurant Restaurant & Wine & Wine Bistro Bistro wolfgangs.net wolfgangs.net P 5P 5 Woofgang Woofgang Bakery Bakery & Grooming & Grooming P 167 P 167 YogaYoga of Highlands of Highlands yogahighlands.com yogahighlands.com P 152 P 152 TheThe Zookeeper Zookeeper Bistro Bistro thezookeeperbistro.com thezookeeperbistro.com P 92P 92

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