Winter 2022: The Laurel Magazine

a e

L UR L The Heart of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau for 20 Years

Highlands Snow Fest at 4118 pg. 16

What Stops Me

in My Tracks Winter 2022

Cover Artist, Susie deVille

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CON T E N T S Winter 2022

13 What To Do

18 Bear Shadow Music Festival

37 Recreation & Creation 40 Winter Hiking

55 Arts

58 Crafty Sisters

71 Dining

72 Los Vaqueros

85 Shopping

30

86 Plateau Picks

97 History

38

98 Cashiers History

103 Lifestyles & Wellness

108 Mountain Lakes Physicians Group

113 Giving Back

124 The Literacy & Learning Center

126 Business

126 Cashiers Chamber of Commerce

58

Crafty Sisters

At a Glance Guides

118

Winter Shopping

30 Calendar | 60 Dining Guide | 62 Accommodations Guide | 72 Highlands Map | 74 Cashiers Map | 102 Service Guide | 128 Advertiser’s Index 32 Calendar | 80 Dining Guide | 82 Accommodations Guide 90 Highlands Map | 92 Cashiers Map | 110 Service Directory | 144 Adver tiser’s Index

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VOLUME TWENTY, ISSUE ONE

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

LUKE OSTEEN Editor / Writer luke@thelaurelmagazine.com

DONNA RHODES Writer dmrhodes847@gmail.com

MARLENE OSTEEN Writer marlene.osteen@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 Happy 2022!

Normally in our Winter Issue, we’d be casting our gaze to the year ahead.

But allow us to look backwards just this once, because 2022 marks our 20th anniversary of publication.

In 2002, there were people (OK, a lot of people) who told us that we were delusional dreamers.

But we believed that the people who live here and the things that they dream, even the extraordinary landscape itself and its wild denizens, deserve to have their story told.

We celebrate you and this glorious piece of the Southern Appalachians every month, and it’s a timeless tale that we’ll never grow tired of telling.

Thanks for Everything!

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, David Stroud, William McReynolds, Sue Aery, Ann Self, Zach Claxton, Ashby Underwood, and Chris Wilkes. Contributing Photographers: Susan Renfro, Greg Clarkson, Charles Johnson, Peter Ray, Terry Barnes, and Colleen Kerrigan.

Copyright © 2022 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 14-33

photo by Ginger Moseley

W H AT TO DO

Seasonal Beauty

Beacons

B

Winter beauty surrounds us.

eauty is an entirely human experience.

We alone among the living witness and create artful beauty.

Poignant beauty is about the muchness and suchness of the moment.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand.

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower.

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand.

And Eternity in an hour.

Blake’s words glory in poignant beauty. There is much year-round poignant beauty here in our wooded mountains.

Beauty’s constant companion is Awe. The first time I saw Winged Victory in The Louvre, I swooned. The flesh looked real beneath the ancient sculpted fabric. Time had removed her head and arms, but her wings remained, and I saw her courage…and beauty. Couldn’t leave the spot for a while.

That’s Awe.

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Winter on our Plateau holds much poignant beauty, giving rise to highly recognizable Awe. We know it in ourselves and see it in others when we can’t take our eyes off a mountain vista or fresh snowfall. We hike in to see a waterfall or mountain peak and swoon.

Many of us have chosen to be here on the Plateau because the first time we came we saw great Beauty. As such, we are a self-selected Tribe of Beauty.

Forest vistas with snow on tree branches and snow drifts turning countryside and meadow into a soft, undulating purity of white.

A hazy, winter moon, 60 watts, shining through high-flying Cirrus clouds making a wispy, icy halo against a background of deep, fullmoon blue.

The lingering holiday lights in downtown Highlands as new snow falls, reinstating our mountain winter wonderland.

Misty morning sunbeams spearing through tall still trees, crisp air and crystalline blue skies.

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The gentle face of a startled doe: perfect stillness, ears up, statuesque, soft eyes looking for understanding.

The rosy cheeks and excited eyes of a beloved child swathed in winter wool and plaid.

The look of satisfaction on the cook’s face as the table rises to praise the meal.

Kind eyes peering up at you in gratitude as you lovingly minister bedside to her needs and return her many acts of kindness back to her.

Such is Winter Beauty. Beauty surrounds us and decorates our lives. We are part of the tableau.

Wishing you much Winter Beauty and many moments of quiet Awe.

by William McReynolds photo by Alex Osteen

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Snow Fest

4118

Oh, the Weather Outside Might be Frightful, But…Snow Fest 4118 adds an element of fun and excitement. It’ll be staged Saturday and Sunday, Januar y 29 and 30, at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

J

ust when you might have thought that nothing fun happens during winter months, Snow Fest 4118 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, sponsored by Highlands Chamber of Commerce, promises an opportunity for merriment, mingling, and perhaps a bit of magic.

Amidst the continued twinkling lights that were installed in the park for the holiday season, participants on January 29 and 30 can bundle up and brave inclement weather to check out a variety of festivities.

This first-annual Highlands’ Snow Fest 4118 is for “the adventurous

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who are unfazed by the blustery wind and temps,” said Kaye McHan, director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an outdoor activity that is just the ticket to fight off those wintertime blues.”

Snow Festers can expect two full days of a snowball target throw, ice slides for various ages, a snow tube merry-go-round, smores, snow yoga, a DJ, and much more.

Plus, ice skating is a main attraction at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park, and with the whole town of Highlands under a wintry wonderland spell, activity seekers can enjoy walking to shops and restaurants before or after checking out Snow Fest, which runs from 10:00

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A.M. until 9:00 P.M. on Saturday and from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Sunday.

The festival’s name is derived from the town’s elevation of 4,118 feet, making it one of the highest incorporated towns east of the Mississippi River. Average snowfall in Highlands is around 11 inches, and the average low winter temperature is 25.

Whether the white, fluffy, icy stuff dusting or blanketing the town for the first Snow Fest 4118 is provided by Mother Nature or the snow blowing machines you can be sure it will be fun for all.

by Deena Bouknight

Scan for more information.

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Music to

Muse By

Sharing the same spirit as our Black Bears coming out of hibernation, Bear Shadow Music Festival returns to the Plateau’s cultural calendar with a steady back beat and a commitment to raucous good times, April 29 through May 1.

B

ear Shadow Music Festival is back!

Launched in the spring of 2021, the festival will return to Winfield Farms the weekend of April 29–May 1.

And with its arrival, the promise to bring to its audience the intrinsic pleasure that comes with hearing music while seeing it performed live and viewing musicians in action.

Like last year, the 2022 festival boasts an extraordinary line up talent. As of this writing the following acts have been confirmed (with more to be added at a later date): Band of Horses: Known for their signature “reverb-blurred” sound that combines atmospheric guitars with lived-in Southern storytelling and earned them their “indie rock” and “alt-country” tags. Full of “profundity and truth,” their songs have become anthems and touchstones for the millions of their devoted fans.

Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real: Son of country music star Willie Nelson, Lukas Nelson has been forging his own musical journey since the late 2000’s. A difficult artist to pigeonhole,

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Lukas is known for alternating between “rowdy rock and roller” and “sensitive troubadour”, drawing on a variety of genres to create his singular sound.

Trampled by Turtles: From their beginnings in 2003 in Minnesota, this Americana band has carved out a fast frenetic sound that owes as much to rock & roll as bluegrass.

Jamestown Revival: Since 2010, this Texas-based duo has been attracting fans to their harmony filled, Western-accented Americana folk songs, reminiscent of Lone Bellow, Shovels & Rope, and the Lumineers.

Wild Rivers: This Canadian Indie Pop trio have a gift for composing introspective lyrics and melodies that are both deeply reflective and undeniably relatable.

49 Winchester: From the heart of Appalachia in Russell County, VA, this Alt-Country group delivers “poetically straightforward songs” of lead singer/guitarist Isaac Gibson. It’s rock & roll with mountain music roots.

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Susto & Kitchen Dwellers: Steeped in Southern Gothic and Psychedila – Susto, based in Charleston, was founded in 2013 by songwriter Justin Osborne while he was living in Havana.

Also on the agenda, as noted by event organizer Casey Reid, are “daily in-town programming that focuses both on live music and enjoying the great outdoors including Bearfoot in the Park (morning yoga), Hike & Mic Guitar ( a guided hike culminating in a musical performance), Guitar/Mandolin Clinics, and storyteller events.”

Tickets will go on sale on January 6 at 10:00 A.M. There will be both general admission and VIP 3-day packages available along with a small number of Platinum VIP packages that will include reserved seating.

Details about the listed events and more can be found at bearshadownc.com.

Bear Shadow, owned by Highlands Festivals Inc., is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that also owns the annual Highlands Food & Wine Festival. The organization is dedicated to promoting Highlands as a world-class culinary, retail, shopping, and outdoor lifestyle destination.

by Marlene Osteen

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Weekends

of Wow

The comfor ting, cozy magic of biscuits and tea is celebrated at Half-Mile Farm with a pair of weekend escapes. Hosted events are for Half-Mile guests only. To book your stay, visit halfmilefarm.com.

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S

o here is a shout-out to the creative team at Half-Mile Farm by Old Edwards. Just in time to escape the winter doldrums, they are hosting two true sensory experiences – joyful escapades through the culinary landscape.

The weekend of January 21–23, Cheese Biscuit Queen Mary Greene is on property, demonstrating and talking about the traditional flavors of her Southern heritage as handed down from her family’s history.

Attendees are sure to see a genial, warm, and engaging Greene doing her thing – demonstrating the art of making cheese biscuits and chatting by the fireside on Saturday. On weekend evenings, accompanied by complimentary hors d’oeuvres, live music, and craft cocktails, she will dish about folks she met along the way of a political journey – in which food was her medium to connect.

Greene will relate how she forged her path by feeding as a way to win friends and influence people in her lobbying and business careers. Likely she will share political anecdotes from her book The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All, about the famous – Hilary Clinton, Walter Mondale, Governor Mark Sanford among them – and the lesser-known.

With her legendary lack of pretense and a knack for keeping the conversation fresh and lively, Greene has nailed the formula for an invigorating weekend of discovery and laughter.

Sara Scarborough, founder of Tea Huntress in Nashville, will take

the stage the weekend of February 18-20, sharing how tea’s ancient art and rituals can feed both your body and soul while connecting you to nature in profound ways.

Since 2001, Scarborough has been connecting tea lovers with tea growers to improve the lives of both.

This “Mistress of Tea” will relate her incredible journey during social hour on on Friday and Saturday evenings. Born to an American father and Finnish mother, she grew up in both countries and developed a love of nature that took her to studies in sustainable agriculture. After college, she founded her first tea company – in New Zealand – and eventually returned to the U.S., spending time in Montana and California, working as a buyer, and traveling the world to identify the best teas.

That experience led to the creation of her company, Firepot Nomadic Teas – beautifully packaged, caffeine-free, and hippiedippy in a delightfully health-minded way.

Even if tea isn’t your thing, Tea Huntress is likely to make it so.

You’ll learn about tea’s medicinal properties as an aid in meditation and relaxation and learn to buy the right tea wares for your practice.

“There is much confusion around tea — what type to choose, how to steep, which teaware to use,” she says. “It is my greatest pleasure to demystify tea.”

by Marlene Osteen

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Farm-to-Table

Pioneers

Culinar y superstars Hugh Acheson, Chris Hathcock, and Sam Herndon take the spotlight when The Farm at Old Edwards hosts the Chefs’ Dinner Sunday, Februar y 27.

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T

he Farm at Old Edwards has, for several years, hosted a series of dinners where some of the most noteworthy chefs of the region are celebrated, their signature dishes served. On those evenings discerning visitors and local movers, shakers, and foodlovers fill The Farm eager for the flawless meals that await them. The first such dinner of the new year will feature the food of Chefs Hugh Acheson and Chris Hathcock.

A farm-to-table pioneer, Ottawa native Acheson adopted Georgia as his home state in the mid-1990s and rose to national prominence, beginning with his Athens restaurant Five & Ten and now including Atlanta’s Empire State South, and consulting projects with hotels in Atlanta and San Destin.

As food-writer John T. Edge famously said, Acheson has “a bareknuckle approach to flavors.”

The approach has served him well, gaining him a loyal following for his restaurants, a voracious readership for his six cookbooks, two James Beard Awards – Best Chef South and Best American Cookbook – and a celebrity judge spot on Bravo TV’s Top Chef.

Sam Herndon, culinary director at Empire State South will join Acheson behind the stoves. His latest book, How to Cook, winner of an IACP Cookbook Award, was written when one of his children left for college and teaches fundamental skills and how to mix techniques.

Chris Hathcock runs the kitchen at Savannah’s Husk Restaurant, where he explores the foodways of Coastal Georgia

and takes inspiration from the ever-changing bounty of local farmers and growers.

Named a finalist for Eater’s Young Gun List in 2014 and 2015, he was recognized on Forbes’ 2016 list of “30 under 30.”

Recently I talked to Acheson, who told me he is eager to return to Highlands for his sixth visit to Old Edwards. “There is something really calming about the whole place, it’s such a gem in the mountains.”

As to the evening’s menu, for his part, he envisions courses that highlight the wintery flavors of the season with a touch of lightness.

Dishes that balance texture, color, and intensity of flavor with deftness and finesse. They include a course of Golden and Chioggia Beets from Woodlands Garden with Pine Nut, Horseradish, and a simple application of Lemon Verbena. A dish of similar excellence to follow consists of Pork Loin from Bear Creek Farm in Tennessee, with Sunchokes, Dried Fruits, and Vadouban – a Middle Eastern Spice Blend.

For the sweet tooth, Acheson has concocted an irresistible dessert consisting of Coconut Cake with Blood Orange Sabayon, Streusel, and Bee Pollen.

To secure a coveted seat, book online at oldedwardshospitality. com/AchesonandHathcock. (Please note, the event is for guests 21 and older.)

by Marlene Osteen

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Blanket & Book

& Roaring Fires The twin libraries host book clubs and community activities throughout the winter months to kindle that precious feeling of community and connection.

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F

or generations, commonplace are social events, presentations, lectures, and clubs involving the focus of a particular book.

While solitary reading and relaxing by a roaring fire with a cozy blanket and steamy beverage are especially appealing this time of year, bleak midwinters can become, well, bleak when fewer opportunities for interaction exist and outdoor activities are hampered by inclement weather. Yet, books are most certainly worth interacting over!

Book activities abound at local libraries. Just ask about them at the front desks at the Albert-Carlton Cashiers Community Library and Highlands’ Hudson Library.

“Hearing other people’s interpretations and points of view on the same text encourages you to open up to different ideas and to approach life with a wider lens,” said Serenity Richards, branch librarian at the Cashiers library. “People from all walks of life can come together in an appreciation of a good book and find common ground.”

Bibliophiles is Cashiers’ library’s monthly book club, sponsored by the Friends of the Library. They meet September through May, the second Wednesday of the month at 5:30 P.M., in the library’s Meeting Room.

“The entire community is invited to attend and join the discussion,” said Richards. “Just read the book and come to the session; each book selection is moderated by a member of the group.”

Bibliophiles’ January book is The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa and the February book is The Headmaster by John McPhee. “Book clubs can foster a deeper understanding of the work being discussed and build community,” Richards added.

Also, the statewide book club, North Carolina Reads, kicks off in February. It’s sponsored by North Carolina Humanities and will feature opportunities for virtual discussions with people and scholars from across the state.

Besides being a place for book events and club meetings, requests for tech help increases since so many people are gifted new devices during the holidays.

And weekly movies mean individuals and families can get out of the house and relish a welcoming environment while enjoying free entertainment.

by Deena Bouknight

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W H AT TO DO

A Carolina

Valentine

Add a bit of blush to your gray winter calendar with a Valentine’s Getaway.

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ho’s up for a romantic getaway to the mountains over the long Valentine’s Day weekend? After the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the hustle and bustle of the holidays, couples should make plans now for a weekend away from it all.

Nothing could be finer than Valentine’s with a bit of pampering and a view, so make your reservations now. Add a gourmet meal at one of our fine restaurants and you’ve got once in a lifetime memories to be made.

Many accommodations offer winter escape packages and on Valentine’s Day many offer special touches to complete your romantic getaway.

For example, Anna Bracco of Earthshine Lodge in Lake Toxaway shares that they always have a special treat for couples that stay with them at Valentine’s Day – a bottle of champagne and handmade chocolates from Downtown Chocolates in Brevard.

Please inquire when making your reservations. A special getaway requires a bit of pampering.

Accommodations on The Plateau Old Edwards Inn – Highlands (828) 526-8008, oldedwardshospitality.com Inn at Half Mile Farm – Highlands (855) 271-7246, oldedwardshospitality.com

200 Main – Highlands (855) 271-2809, oldedwardshospitality.com Greystone Inn – Lake Toxaway (828) 966-4700, greystoneinn.com Fire Mountain Inn – Scaly Mountain (800) 775-4446, firemt.com Hotel Cashiers – Cashiers (828) 743-7706, hotelcashiers.com Earthshine Lodge - Lake Toxaway (828) 862-4207, earthshinenc.com Skyline Lodge – Highlands (828) 526-4008, skyline-lodge.com The Wells Hotel – Highlands (828) 482-7736, thewellshotel.com Highlands Inn Lodge – Highlands (828) 526-5899, highlandsinnlodge.com The Park on Main – Highlands (800) 221-5078, theparkonmain.com Highlander Mountain House – Highlands (828) 526-2590, highlandermountainhouse.com

by Mary Jane McCall

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Icy Business

It’s a winter activity, it’s a par ty – the Highlands Ice Rink delivers a splash of cold weather excitement, ser ved up with a dash of old school charm.

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or the last few years, ice skating in Highlands has been anticipated by young and old alike.

Beginning the week before Thanksgiving each year, a portion of Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park is transformed from walking, picnicking, and general gathering space – during warm seasons – to a 43-foot by 82-foot fenced-in skating rink with a solid base of ice chilled to 17 degrees F. Lester Norris of the Highlands Parks and Recreation Department explained that while much is involved in the planning, preparing, and maintaining of the ice skating rink through the winter season, the laughter, smiles, and thrills experienced on the ice are well worth the effort.

The skating rink draws hundreds annually. “We are full-time residents in Highlands and have been bringing our grandchildren to the rink since it opened,” said David Cashion. “We truly enjoy what it means to Highlands and enjoy going as often as our schedule permits.”

For $5, a fee that includes both the rental skates and time on the ice, participants can enjoy learning or practicing the activity. More than 100 pairs of adult and youth skates, sharpened and maintained, are available

for rent. Plus, a concession stand sells hot chocolate and coffee for individuals watching instead of skating – as well as for the thirsty and cold skaters to enjoy after coming off the ice.

The ice skating rink schedule is as follows: Thursday through Sunday through March 6th, with specific times each day as Thursday 1:00-8:00 P.M.; Friday and Saturday 1:00-10:00 P.M.; and Sunday 1:00-5:00 P.M. Last year, due to the rise in Covid-19 cases, participants were required to make a reservation for a block of time on the rink. Only about 30 people were allowed on the rink at a time and masks were required.

This season, however, reservations are no longer needed and will not be taken.

Private parties can be scheduled on the Mondays and Tuesdays that the rink is not open to the public, from 6:00-8:00 P.M., but must be booked two weeks in advance. Private parties are limited to 30 skaters and must be scheduled through Lester Norris at (828) 526-3556.

by Deena Bouknight

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Share the

Seasonal Beauty Open your eyes and your hear t to the beauty of the season. Your vision could land you on the cover of our Winter 2023 edition.

Photo by Dr. Richard Santee

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Photo by Carole Shepardson

W

e all know that the concept of Winter Wonderland applies to The Plateau all winter long.

After the holiday lights are gone, the stark beauty of winter surrounds us. The softly filtered light, stark branches, icy landscapes and Carolina blue skies beckon the inner photographer in us all to take a few moments to try and capture the beauty of the moment.

From the bright red flash of a cardinal or holly berry against the barren trees, to sunrises and sunsets that explode with color, or sunlight glistening on a freshly fallen snow, winter is a perfect time to enjoy a few moments in nature with our cameras.

Whether you’re a professional photographer, or just someone who loves to capture the magic of the moment on your cell phone, The Laurel is offering you a chance to become a cover artist. That’s right, the 2022 Laurel Winter Photo Contest has begun, so grab your camera and start snapping your way to fame!

Your winning photograph could be the cover of our 2023 winter edition. Pictured are some of our favorites from last year’s competition. One of these might be just the inspiration you need to

capture your own winning shot. All you have to do is keep an eye open for the beauty of this, our quietest and most reflective season, and capture that moment on film.

Aspiring cover artists should enter their seasonal and magazine appropriate shots at thelaurelmagazine.com/contest/winter2022 by March 31, 2022. Submitted photographs should be high resolution and must be of the Highlands-Cashiers area. Amateurs, professionals, young and old, are encouraged to join the fun and share the beauty of the season.

Pictures will appear on The Laurel Facebook and Instagram, and readers can vote for their favorite at thelaurelmagazine.com/contest/winter2022 The deadline to enter and to vote is March 31 and the winner will be announced on Facebook. The winning photograph will appear on the cover of the 2023 January-February edition of The Laurel.

by Mary Jane McCall

Scan to enter and vote

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J A N UA RY Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

– Edith Sitwell

1

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

The Bookworm, 11 AM to 3 PM Met Opera: Cinderella by Massenet, 12:55 PM, PAC. Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

View the complete Highlands Cashiers Plateau Calendar

2

Ice Skating Rink open, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

3

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

10

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

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Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

24

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

9

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

16

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church,

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Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

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31

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Snow Fest 4118, 10 AM - 5 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

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5

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, United Methodist Church.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

6

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. The Bookworm open 11 AM to 3 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

12

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, United Methodist Church.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Storytelling Tips with Lee Lyons, 2-4 PM, Shakespeare and Company Bookseller.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

13

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

14

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

19

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church, Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

20

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

21

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Live Music, 9:30 PM, The High Dive.

26

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church, Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

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Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

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Snow Fest 4118, 10 AM - 9 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

4

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

11

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

18

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

25

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

7

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

The Bookworm, 11 AM to 3 PM

8

15

22

29

W H AT TO DO

F E B RUA RY Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but look what they can do when they stick together.

– Vesta M. Kelly

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

1

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

2

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, United Methodist Church.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

3

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. The Bookworm open 11 AM to 3 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

4

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

The Bookworm, 11 AM to 3 PM Live Music, 9:30 PM, High Dive.

8

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

9

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, United Methodist Church.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Storytelling Tips with Lee Lyons, 2-4 PM, Shakespeare and Company Bookseller.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

10

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. The Bookworm open 11 AM to 3 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

11

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Met Opera: Terrance Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones, 12:55 PM, PAC. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

The Bookworm, 11 AM to 3 PM

15

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

16

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, United Methodist Church.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

17

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

18

Bazaar Barn, open 10 AM to 2 PM. Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Black Violin, 7:30 PM, Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

22

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

Bluegrass Wednesday, 7:30 PM, The Ugly Dog Pub.

23

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church, Ice Skating Rink open, 1-8 PM, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Highlands Wine Shoppe Wine Tasting, 4 PM to 7 PM. Thursday Night Trivia, 7:30 PM, The High Dive.

25

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Live Music, 9:30 PM, The High Dive.

View the complete Highlands Cashiers Plateau Calendar

6

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

13

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

20

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church,

27

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

Betsy Paul Art Benefit supporting the CashiersGlenville Fire Department, 5 PM drawing.

Ice Skating Rink open, Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Ice Skating Rink open, 1- 5 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

7

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

14

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

21

Highlands Food Pantry Open, 10 AM to 6 PM, behind and below The Highlands United Methodist Church.

24

Ice Skating Rink open, 1-10 PM, KelseyHutchinson Founders Park.

Comedian James Gregory, 7:30 PM, PAC.

5

12

19

26

28

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RECREATION & CREATION Pages 38-47

photo by Greg Clarkson

OUTDOORS

Winter

Bird Watching

W

Slate-colored Junco

These cold weather neighbors get by in the winter (with a little help from their friends).

e know about the birds that go through the winter here on the Plateau because we count them.

Every year.

In December the National Audubon Society sponsors the Christmas Bird Count or CBC that mobilizes local Audubon chapters and volunteers into an international “count your birds” event.

Yes, the Audubon Society counts our North American birds every year. It’s serious ornithology in the form of citizen science.

These Christmas Bird Counts have occurred every winter since 1900. CBCs now take place across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and beyond. Counters include upwards of 2,400 counting groups including over 60,000 individuals whose counts total over 68 million birds. These yearly bird counts feed what is perhaps the largest citizen science database in the world.

Our local Highlands Plateau Audubon Society participates in these 38 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

bird counts every year and, as a result, we know what birds winter with us. Looking across years, we see upwards of 50 species and 2,000 birds every year.

Some years we see over 500 Slate-Colored Juncos, for instance, making this our most abundant winter species. These precious little birds have white bellies and skitter about at ground level in a manner reminiscent of pigeons. They eat seeds and are friendly with other birds.

Another common winter bird is the Carolina Chickadee. This namesake bird is often the first to come to a winter feeder, ahead of the mixed winter flock soon to follow. Our Chickadees, like our high-count Song Sparrows and Carolina Wren, puff themselves up in a down blanket for warmth. The normally sleek Wren can look like a brown-feathered tennis ball on a frigid winter day.

Our winter birds benefit greatly from backyard feeders. Their

OUTDOORS

Song Sparrow

Carolina Chickadee

favorite seed is black oil sunflower. Winter birds such as Downy Woodpeckers and Nuthatch will also come to a suet feeder. Bird feeders are sold in many places, local shops, and big box stores.

If you decide to join the ranks of those who feed the birds, remember that you should provide a bird feeder with perching posts of some sort that keep birds from standing in the seed they are feeding on, and you must bring the feeders in at night to avoid attracting racoons and bears. Cats behind glass, always.

Wash your hands after tending your feeder.

Locate your feeder such that you can watch it, glancing at it as you move about. Binoculars will greatly enhance the experience of watching the birds come and go.

Happy winter bird watching from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society. Find us at highlandsaudubonsociety.org.

by William McReynolds, Highlands Plateau Audubon Society photos by William McReynolds

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OUTDOORS

Winter Magic

on this Mountain

Whiteside Mountain’s magnif icence is even richer in the winter.

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OUTDOORS

I

t’s a strange twist of fate that you’re seeing a column about visiting Whiteside Mountain in the same issue that’s fronted by that legendary chunk of gneiss.

We sure didn’t plan it that way. But when Donna profiled our Annual Winter Cover Contest Winner Artist, the estimable Susie deVille, it was clear that she deals with subjects that touch us on a deeper level.

And me, well, in planning this issue highlighting the New Year, I could think of no better representation of the potential and possibilities to be found in 2022 than this beguiling, endlessly surprising landmark.

But perhaps the synchronicity is inevitable. There’s something mysterious and transcendent about Whiteside, enough for Susie and me to bring the best of our talents to capture at least a portion of its majesty.

If it’s been a while since you’ve traversed the mountain or if you’re a new arrival on the Plateau, let me make the case to enjoy it during this quiet season.

First off, a visit at this time of year means that you’ll be virtually uninterrupted as you make your way to the overlook and back down.

This unhurried pace allows you to truly embrace the magic of this mountain.

See if you can spot the rare Thyme Leaf Bluet, Catesby’s Trillium (common in the Piedmont, extremely rare here on the Plateau), and

the woefully-named One-Flowered Cancer Root (It’s not rare here or anywhere in America, but what a nomenclature! Up there with Hooded Skullcap and Corpse Flower).

If you take your time, you’ll discover several hidden thickets of blueberries, recognizable by their distinctive silvery leaves.

But the reason for Whiteside’s inclusion in this Winter issue is that the power and transcendence of its vistas and its daunting precipices are somehow amplified with the solitude and silence that accompanies Plateau life in this quiet season.

And taking it all in in the midst of this haunting Pandemic Age gives the experience another, deeper dimension, like something that Ralph Waldo Emerson was always suggesting in his best works.

If you’re new to the area or just visiting, you can reach the Whiteside Mountain Loop Trail by traveling U.S. 64 (east from Highlands, west from Cashiers) to Whiteside Mountain Road (SR 1600). Follow for one mile to the signed parking area on the left. There is a $2-a-day area-use fee at the parking area.

Please don’t try to wiggle out of paying the two bucks. That’s a cheap price to pay for Enlightenment.

by Luke Osteen

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OUTDOORS

Take a Spin

on a Tube

Highlands Outpost in Scaly Mountain has the tonic for whatever winter time blahs you’re trudging through – snow, speed, and a sharp burst of excitement. For hours, rates, and more details, visit highlandsoutpost.com.

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OUTDOORS

H

ere’s a little secret – snow tubing. Sledding is a wonderful right of passage for many kids – all you need is snow, a hill, and a sliding device, but snow tubing at a winter sports center is sledding on steroids.

Locally, the Alpine tradition of winter tubing, or sledding on inner tubes, was adopted by Highlands Outpost on the Dillard Road so that everyone could enjoy winter – even those folks who don’t ski or snowboard.

Featured are super slick lanes with a consistent surface, thanks to snowmaking, and comfy, inflated tubes designed for a maximum rush. Best of all, and a significant difference from hometown sledding, is that you don’t have to trudge back to the top of the hill. Instead, you get pulled up the hill, sitting on the tube, and the course is groomed to make the snow fast and fun.

Tubing at the Outpost, one of the fastest and steepest snow tubing hills in the region, is a great outdoor activity that the whole family can enjoy. Adults and kids alike can be seen hurtling down the rolling hills, holding onto the handles on one another’s tubes, whooping and laughing as they reach the bottom of the slopes. Everyone living and visiting the Plateau in winter yearns to get outside at some point, and tubing is fun with family and friends.

Even before the pandemic nudged more activities outdoors, the Highlands Outpost, formerly named Scaly

Mountain Outdoor Center, had long been celebrating winter outdoors. The center initially opened in the 1980s as Ski Scaly, a down-home version of a ski slope during the winter months and a cabbage patch for the owners during the summer. When it became apparent that there was not enough snow for skiing, snow tubing was introduced. As the perfect pandemic excursion for the warmly dressed, it continues to reign as one of the best winter sports facilities in the region, churning out man-made snow when nature doesn’t provide. After all, who doesn’t love the look of snow – everything pretty and white?

Participants must be 42 inches or taller and four-years old to ride and are urged to wear warm clothes as “fingers and toes get cold fast.”

Kiddie Hill/Snow Play is available for tubers 8 years and younger, and group rates are available for parties of 20 or more.

After tubing, the Outpost Café is open from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. daily to enjoy a hot chocolate, a beer, glass of wine, or a meal. Expanded hours are in place during holidays and select weekends.

by Marlene Osteen

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OUTDOORS

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OUTDOORS

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OUTDOORS

Nature’s Guide

to Nurture Kids

Unlike our slumbering Black Bears, the Highlands Biological Foundation is staying busy throughout the winter.

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OUTDOORS

W

hile the Highlands Nature Center may be closed in these quiet months of winter, the Highlands Biological Foundation’s educational work never stops.

Much like the informal Postal Service motto, neither snow nor rain can stop us from bringing place-based programming to our community – and, as a matter of fact, we’re very likely to go out and play in the snow as part of it!

In addition to the events the foundation holds throughout the off-season, we work extensively with local youth organizations in Highlands and Cashiers.

In a given week, we may be making snowflakes with Gordon Center preschool students, sharpening our observation skills with the Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau, or looking for tracks in the Highlands Botanical Garden with children in the Highlands United Methodist Church Afterschool Program.

These place-based experiences emphasize the children’s immediate surroundings and build on their natural history knowledge, setting the stage for critical thinking and a deeper connection to nature.

The foundation is proud to support these organizations in their work educating our community.

We are able to provide all of this free of charge through the generosity of our grantors and donors.

Their support, and yours, help us continue inspiring children across the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau to preserve and protect this beautiful place.

As the new year begins, we will continue to guide and nurture this next generation of naturalists.

The Highlands Nature Center and Botanical Garden are part of the Highlands Biological Station, a multi-campus center of Western Carolina University.

To learn more about our programs and outreach, and to donate, go to highlandsbiological.org.

by Paige Engelbrektsson Education Specialist,

The Highlands Biological Foundation

Scan for more information.

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REAL ESTATE GROUP

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DEBBY HALL BROKER When Debby began splitting time between her homes in Highlands and Atlanta 15 years ago, she knew eventually her beloved mountain town would become her permanent address—and a couple of years ago, it did. A highly accomplished interior designer whose work has been featured at the Atlanta Symphony Showhouse and Christmas at Callanwolde events, Debby knows how to see the possibilities within a space, then work with architects, builders, and artisans to turn the vision into reality.

CHRIS DUFFY BROKER Widely recognized as the former “Voice of the Plateau” on WHLC FM 104.5, Chris now uses his voice—as well as his deep knowledge of Highlands—to guide his clients through an exceptional real estate experience. From selling properties in club communities to lots for dream homes, Chris puts his passion to work for his clients. He can also be found courtside at Highlands High School, volunteering his time and talent to call basketball games.

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ARTS Pages 56-67

photo by Susan Renfro

AA RR TT SS

What Stops Me

in My Tracks

For Susie deVille, unlocking the mind’s power of creativity is essential to f inding success in business and happiness in life.

W

hen you’re a Highlands native, you’re born wealthy – wealth that’s measured in Mother Nature’s bounty. That beauty makes for a very rich soul, if you’re an artist/ photographer like the remarkable Susie deVille.

Susie is a gifted artist, coach, and writer. Rather than try to sprinkle glitter on a Monet, I am going to share some of Susie’s own eloquent words in a Q&A format.

When did you and Art fall in love?

As a child I was primed to pay attention to the alchemical power of Art. When I began making my own discoveries through playing in the woods, reading literature and poetry, going to museums to see works of art, viewing handmade artifacts, listening to music, and going to performances, I paid very close attention to what the artist

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was doing or had done and the effect it had on me.

How did Art show you that being an author, entrepreneur coach, and artist was your true calling?

While the power of Art has been revealing itself to me my entire life, a catalytic moment was in 2006 in an Innovation & Creativity class that was part of my masters in Entrepreneurship program. We watched a Nightline episode which featured the Palo Alto design firm, IDEO, and their design-thinking process.

As I watched the film, my eyes darted back and forth trying to take in every detail, every comment, as if I were experiencing REM sleep with my eyes wide open. And then one of the design leads said, “Enlightened trial and error succeeds over the planning of the lone genius.”

A RTS

Susie deVille

The top of my head came off.

Name a few photography inspirations/mentors.

I became interested in photography through my dad’s fascination with capturing images. I had a Brownie camera growing up and took a ton of really awful photos. We’d drop the film at the pharmacy on Main Street and pick up the prints a week or so later. Even though the pictures I made were truly terrible, Dad continued to encourage me. He gave me pointers on how to frame my subject and remarked about the power of cropping a scene in your mind so that you and the viewer would see something compelling. Little by little, I began to understand how to direct my point of view in a way that excited me and prompted new ways of seeing and appreciating even the most seemingly mundane objects.

And about the Photograph Capture on Whiteside Mountain?

I spent last winter working on my book at the family house on top of Whiteside Mountain. On Christmas morning, I was writing in my journal while seated at a table near the wall of windows in the living

room. As the sun peeked over the distant ridges, the room began to be filled with the most impossible pink and orange hues. I looked up and gasped. I grabbed my camera, ran outside, and began clicking away.

Susie is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs build wildly successful businesses by rediscovering their creativity and leveraging the power of their true nature. An author, coach, and entrepreneur who built and sold a highly profitable real estate firm, she has been researching innovation and creativity since 2005. She is the founder and CEO of the Innovation & Creativity Institute. Her first book will be published in 2022. Visit InnovationAndCreativityInstitute.com for more information.

by Donna Rhodes

Scan to read more about Susie deVille

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A RTS

Barbara Bannon and Mary Longacre

Crafty Sisters

For sisters Barbara Bannon and Mar y Longacre, life is a never-ending source of ar tistic inspiration and creative energy.

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A RTS

B

arbara Bannon and Mary Longacre are not only two talented sisters, they’re best buddies in Craft and in Life.

In the past few years they’ve created and sold hundreds of scarves (Mary) and pottery vessels (Barbara). Percentages of those sales were donated to Darren and Michelle Gillett’s Pens with a Purpose (See Laurel’s December 2020 issue). That money feeds the hungry around the country and halfway ‘round the world.

With all that energy and commitment, it’s hard to believe only one of the sisters, Barbara, has first-rate vision. Mary was born with a congenital vision dysfunction, leaving her technically blind with only one weak eye, the other eye removed.

But that limited sight, when coupled with her unlimited spunk, spurs her on, and she produces beautiful scarves day-after-day. After so many hooks and loops it’s become Zen. Mary was a military wife. Along the moves base-to-base, she met a woman who taught her to crochet. Let’s just say she was hooked for life.

Barbara took up her craft, pottery, after taking lessons with Frank Vickery at The

Bascom. That encouraged her to subsequently take a series of classes with visiting artists from all over the country.

Now, with the skill and confidence she has honed over time, she says, “I give basic classes at both my Scaly Mountain Studio and Sky Valley Country Club in Sky Valley, Georgia.” For more info, email barbarajbannon@gmail.com.

Whether digging their fingers into silky-soft yarn or silky-soft clay, the sisters are perfectly content up-to-their elbows in their mediums. It’s hard to know if they get more satisfaction from creating or from donating. Whichever it is, the world is a better place for the beauty and the bounty they bring.

Barbara and Mary invite you to see their work by visiting The Scaly Mountain Crafters Store or by emailing The Gilletts at pens.dstm@gmail. com, or call (678) 794-5996.

by Donna Rhodes

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A RTS

The Significance

of Place

The Bascom is laying out its ambitious 2022 schedule, focusing on the geographic and emotional evocation of Place.

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A RTS

A

nnually in January, The Bascom is excited to announce its upcoming annual exhibition and education programs. Working with the annual theme of Place, we look forward to exploring this concept throughout the year in many aspects of our programming.

Everyone has a place in The Bascom Family. Though the geography of Western North Carolina can isolate the surrounding towns and gathering spaces, a multitude of communities exist within this secluded mountainous region.

Southern Appalachia has a rich history regarding arts and culture, the environment, and the people that inhabit these mountains. For more than 30 years, The Bascom has been a physical “place” for these communities to gather, share experiences, and engage in the visual arts.

Join us this winter for two engaging exhibitions that explore the new annual theme, and that highlight the works of emerging artists in the region.

The Bascom is proud to present our third annual call for entries for Emergence: A Survey of Southeastern Studio Programs (formerly 100 Miles), opening January 15. This exhibition series has proven to be so popular that we decided to expand our scope to the entire Southeast!

Emergence will showcase the work of faculty and student

pairs, celebrating the role of teaching and mentoring in artist development.

The Bascom Winter Resident Artist Program, better known as the WRAP, calls on Students or Faculty from the surrounding universities to submit site-specific installation proposals for The Bascom’s intimate Thompson Gallery. The results of 2021-2022 WRAP recipient Colin Dawson will open on January 11.

We are also releasing our 2022 summer workshop schedule in January. The Bascom encourages members to take advantage of Early Bird Registration from January to March. This member benefit gives enthusiasts, amateurs, and professional artists alike the opportunity to secure their spot in one of The Bascom’s over 30 workshop intensives led by visiting professional artists from throughout the region.

For 2022, we invite you to celebrate your “place” in The Bascom Family, and to explore the impact that place has on the communities we serve that make this region a beautiful and vibrant place to exist.

by Billy Love, The Bascom

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A RTS

Highlands Playhouse Takes the Spotlight

Tested by the last two years of Covid anxiety, Highlands Playhouse has unleashed a pent-up pool of The Show Must Go On Spirit.

T

he last 22 months have been a constant OMG at the Playhouse as things swung from a cataclysmic OMG to a super-wow OMG. It all began with a fire in September of 2019, followed by Covid-19 and finished with a grand and glorious dénouement in December.

Taking a deep breath after all that, Scott Daniel, Executive Artistic Director of the Highlands Playhouse says, “We’re getting ready to announce our exciting 2022 season!”

But first, this remarkable news: Playhouse success has also boosted town employment as jobs were created for professional performers and craftspeople. Last year, the Playhouse generated 40 contracted jobs. For 2022, the playhouse is predicting 87 contracted positions along with two full-time staff positions for Director of Marketing and Company Manager.

When the new marketing director comes on board, Scott will be freed-up to hopefully drop a couple of hours from his current 60+hour week. But he’s not complaining. It’s his hard work that has helped make 2021 one of our best years ever – and that’s in the shadow of a pandemic.

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From July 1 through December 24, reserve your Historical Highlands Playhouse seat for four mainstage productions. And there’s more – you can taste and experience a world-premiere theatrical event in tandem with the acclaimed Highlands Food and Wine Festival.

Because this is pre-season, theatrical licensing rules prevent announcing this season’s selections, but Scott says, “We will feature a show developed by the same team that brought us the World Premiere of Music in Motion this past fall. Though this show production is not a world premiere, it’s had a rather prestigious path to Highlands. Sentimental Journey; the Songs of WWII is sure to be a hit in 2022 season.

“We will also maintain our mission to create a Highlands tradition with a family friendly Holiday show – an original story will ring in the spirit of the season while featuring some of your favorite holiday hits.”

Two shows directly from the Broadway stage will be dispersed among these incredible original works, and the food and wine event promises to entertain as the audience joins a singing sommelier while enjoying a flight of curated wines and bubblies.

Visit highlandsplayhouse.org and keep up-to-date on the latest highlights and announcements.

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A RTS

Winter Fun

in Highlands

The Highlands Per forming Ar ts Center has laced this winter with plenty of surprises to add sound and color to your mental landscape. Tickets for all events are available at HighlandsPerformingArts.com.

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e’ve come up with a calendar of events that’ll keep you coming to the Highlands Performing Arts Center throughout these “quiet” months.

On Saturday, January 29, the MET Opera will present (live via satellite) a new production of Verdi’s Rigoletto, beginning at 12:55 P.M. Tony Award–winning director Bartlett Sher creates a bold new take on Verdi’s timeless tragedy, resetting the opera’s action in 1920s Europe, with Art Deco sets by Michael Yeargan and elegant costumes by Catherine Zuber.

Baritone Quinn Kelsey, a commanding artist at the height of his powers, brings his searing portrayal of the title role to the Met for the first time, starring alongside soprano Rosa Feola as Gilda and tenor Piotr Beczała as the Duke of Mantua, with leading maestro Daniele Rustioni on the podium. A pre-opera discussion begins at 12:30 P.M. After an unprecedented success in October the MET has decided to present an encore performance of Terrance Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones on Saturday, February 12, at 12:55 P.M. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Grammy Award-winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir. The first opera

by a Black composer presented on the Met stage and featuring a libretto by filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, the opera tells a poignant and profound story about a young man’s journey to overcome a life of trauma and hardship.

James Robinson and Camille A. Brown – two of the creators of the recent production of the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess – co-direct this new staging, live in cinemas on October 23. Baritone Will Liverman, one of opera’s most exciting young artists, stars as Charles, alongside sopranos Angel Blue as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta and Latonia Moore as Billie. A pre-opera discussion begins at 12:30 P.M. Great Art on Screen will begin again during February.

To be shown throughout the year: Maverick Modigliani, Raphael: The Young Prodigy, Pompei: Sin City, Botticelli: Florence and the Medici, and Venice: Infinitely AvantGarde. Please check the website for titles and dates.

Check out comedian James Gregory on Friday, February 25, at 7:30 P.M. Tickets for all events are available online at HighlandsPerformingArts.com. Join us at 507 Chestnut Street.

by Mary Adair Trumbly, Highlands Performing Arts Center

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DINING Pages 72-81

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A Chilly Night

For Chiles

A meal at Los Vaqueros naturally evolves into a celebration. Discover for yourself – 30 Dillard Road (nex t to Farmer’s Market); (828) 482-7040.

I

t makes sense that our group of friends would gather on a chilly December evening at Los Vaqueros, Highlands’ newest restaurant in the space next to Farmer’s Market.

The authentic Mexican dishes featured on its expansive menu were simple to make, inexpensive, and informal.

All of that’s conducive to a lively table and conversations that pinball back and forth and across the margins, enlivened by the steady intake of precisely engineered Margaritas.

Those Margaritas, so potent in their conversation-inducing/ seducing, were of the Texas variety. That means that their smooth palate presentation was enhanced by the application of jalapeño agave. When that unique hot sweetness is blended with tequila and lime, well, it’s a sensation that’ll play arpeggios on your palate.

Not only that, it’s an efficient tongue-loosener, which’ll definitely enhance the tabletop conversation.

Add to that the arrival of chips and salsa, chips and queso, and chips and glorious guacamole, and you can guess that we were in lovely conversation mode.

We banked those embers of vital discussion when the food arrived, and this is where the true glory of Los Vaqueros is revealed.

It’s easy to get sloppy when you’re turning out Mexican dishes.

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serving the dishes with brutal efficiency.

Without attention to detail, the delivered dishes are uninspired and just this side of tragic.

But we were delighted to discover that the people manning the kitchen at Los Vaqueros were at the top of their game, and each item was obviously crafted with care.

The Chimichanga, a deep-fried meat-filled burrito, was a thing of beauty, and quickly sampled by everyone at our table, to the chagrin of the person who ordered it and was left with a mini-chimi.

In addition to that sadly-diminished Chimichanga, we devoured our Burrito California, our Fajita del Mar, the Chiles Poblanos and my marvelous Chori Pollo, a fantastic blending of Chorizo and Grilled Chicken. Seeing what happened to that Chimichanga, I was not so good about sharing it with my companions.

Oh, and before I wrap this up, let me put in my highest compliments to our server, Carlos. It’s not easy taking care of a table of chatty revelers, and he did it with aplomb and gentle good humor.

Oh, and if this review seems to wander around a bit, I’m going to blame it on those Texas Margaritas. You may remember a few issues ago when I said that I just didn’t like alcohol, but Tricia allowed me to sip some of hers. And sip. And sip.

by Luke Osteen | photos by Susan Renfro

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A Cultural Classic

Hugh Acheson’s classic Catf ish Stew comes drenched in histor y, with a hard kernel of pain at its core.

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erhaps you landed on another page in this month’s issue about Hugh Acheson, featured chef at The Farm at Old Edwards, and were intrigued and tantalized by his flavors and history.

The recipe here for Catfish Stew, reprinted from his book, The Chef and the Slow Cooker, will give you a glimpse into his unique slant on the South’s culinary history and a taste of the bold flavor that catapulted him to stardom.

Catfish Stew From Hugh Acheson Serves 4 - 6 “Is it Southern? I mean, what is Southern food? You got six months for a chat over a number of cases of bourbon? There will be some tears and some wrestling of emotions and probably real wrestling, too. The short of it is that the idea of a catfish stew is widely found in western Africa, particularly Nigeria, and the very similar method and results of that stew has been around before George Washington’s parents ever got to first base. So yes, it is a Southern recipe, because it exists in our tome of Southern food, but it had a different cultural significance long before that and only exists here because of slavery.

That is true for much of the Southern culinary canon and the time is right to acknowledge where a lot of our treasured gastronomy comes from and the pain that brought it to the table. So go make some food and gather round the table, and talk about where all of these flavors come from and what that all means. ‘Cause it means a lot.”

DI NI NG Ingredients 1 28-ounce can Italian Plum Tomatoes ½ pound Slab Bacon, diced 1 large Sweet Onion, diced 1 large Red Bell Pepper, cored and diced 1 branch of Celery, diced 4 cloves Garlic, minced 4 whole Cloves 1 teaspoon Ground Mace 1 teaspoon ground Allspice 2 cups Clam Juice 2 cups Fish Stock or Vegetable Stock 1 pound Fingerling Potatoes, cut into 1-inch long rounds Kosher Salt 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce 1½ pounds Catfish Filets, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) Unsalted Butter ¼ cup minced Parsley ½ cup Pickled Banana Peppers, thinly sliced Freshly ground Black Pepper

Directions 1. Preheat a slow cooker on high for at least 15 minutes.

2. Place the can of tomatoes and their liquid into a food processor and pulse to break them down a bit.

3. Set a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook for 10 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered. Add the onions, peppers, and celery and cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and add the mixture to the slow cooker.

4. Add the tomatoes, cloves, mace, allspice, clam juice, stock, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on low heat. The potatoes should be fork-tender at this point.

5. Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, and half-teaspoon of salt.

6. Season the catfish pieces with half-teaspoon of salt, then add them to the slow cooker and cook for 20 minutes. Add the butter to the pot, stir gently, then ladle the stew into a soup tureen or individual bowls.

Garnish with the parsley, banana peppers, and finish with a grind of black pepper and additional salt to taste.

by Marlene Osteen

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Pairing Valentines

and Wines

The correct application of a carefully-selected wine enhances ever y Valentine’s Day celebration.

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s yet another holiday approaches – Valentine’s Day this time – thoughts again turn to wine. Two categories come to mind – dry sparkling (because, of course, it’s celebratory) and dessert wines (sweets for your sweetheart).

It may be a cliché, but rose champagne never goes unappreciated on Valentine’s Day, and hey, if ever there was an occasion to splurge on love, then Valentine’s the day, right?

And these two bottles of Rose Champagne– more than just pretty in pink though they are that too – are exceptional. With notes of smoky red berry fruit and warm biscuit, the iconic, full-bodied LaurentPerrier Brut Rose NV is a heady and sophisticated gastronomic rose that is certain to seduce.

As giving and demonstrative as an attentive lover is the Billecart Salmon Brut Rose. Pillowy and elegant with racy acids and notions of peach dried flowers and a generous core of fruit, it’s a delightful and entrancing charmer.

As inevitable as long stem roses and lingerie, the Valentine’s day quandary about what wine goes best with chocolate for the occasion often comes up. Though I remain not personally much interested in the combination – a sort of guilty pleasure – I am happy to resolve the dilemma.

There are, in fact, some excellent answers. Most experts agree that the resolution hinges not merely on which wine but also on which chocolate you plan to eat. The mild sweetness of milk chocolate is

more versatile than the darker chocolates, which have a distinct bitterness that can clash with wines not equipped to handle it. That being the case, fortified wines are the best choices – specifically Madeira and Port. As to Madeira, the sweetest Madeira’s – labeled “malmsey” are best. Blandy’s 5-year Malmsey is an excellent entrylevel choice, or even better, their 15-year Madeira which has a bright, refreshing flavor that is superb with chocolate. As to Port, tawny ports with their mellowed nuttiness from long barrel aging are lively enough to match with dark chocolates – try those from reliable labels Taylor, Sandeman, and Cockburn. A decent alternative is a young ruby port like Graham’s Six Grapes. One sensational unfortified wine choice is a Tokai Aszu from Hungary – made with grapes that have been inflicted with noble rot. – they are both overtly sweet and wonderfully acidic.

Then again, nothing says I love you quite like a bottle of romantically named wine. Set the mood with a bottle of the classic and understated Christophe Pacalet Saint-Amour Beaujolais, or demonstrate your passion for your love with a left bank Bordeaux, Chateau La Tour Carnet Medoc Passion. The heart-adorned, lip-smacking bottle of the delectable Carignan-dominant red blend from Broc Cellars labelled Love Red is perfect for a romantic evening and just might enchant your lover.

by Marlene Osteen

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Delicious Food Drinks & Ambiance In a move that’ll tilt the Plateau’s culinar y landscape, Hummingbird Lounge has expanded its offerings into lunch and dinner settings. It’s located in Old Edwards Inn, 445 Main Street in Highlands.

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O

ld Edwards Inn has opened its Hummingbird Lounge for lunch and dinner.

That means you can relax in a parlor-room fireside setting and enjoy all your favorites from the Madison’s menu.

Take a break from afternoon shopping to sip a crisp Pinot Grigio with a fresh garden salad – or discover the popular shrimp and grits.

For dinner, settle in with a glass of Burgundy and savor the taste of fall’s Pumpkin Ravioli – or sink your teeth into a cast iron-seared New York Strip.

Finish your delightful meal with a Hot Toddy or a frothy Cappuccino paired with a housemade dessert like Madison’s Pecan Pie. Hummingbird Lounge at Old Edwards Inn is an irresistible place to stop in for a cozy respite of delicious food, beverages, and ambiance.

In fact, here’s what I said about a mid-winter visit last year, “Hummingbird Lounge is a sweet oasis for those who hunger for a bit of lively conversation shared over groaning tables

of food and generous pours.”

“What a precious commodity, and a callback to a more languorous, genteel time.”

“The place is designed for easy conversation and sophisticated dining. There’s an almost irresistible library setting of overstuffed chairs and a sofa in front of a carefully tended fireplace. Settle in here, and it’ll take a spatula to get you out of your seat and back out into the real world.”

“If you manage to resist plopping yourself in this easy fireplace vignette, you’ll find yourself in a cozy lounge with tall bistro tables and plush chairs along the perimeter.”

They’re serving daily from 11:30 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. For a full menu, visit oldedwardsinn. com/dine.

by Luke Osteen

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DI NI NG thelaurelmagazine.com/cuisine

Ad On Page

Take Out

Outdoor Dining

Live Entertainment

Dress Code

Reservations Recommended

Vegetarian Selections

Full Bar

Meals

The Restaurants of the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

Wine

Plateau Dining Guide

Children’s Menu

To see the most up-to-date information about dining on the plateau visit thelaurelmagazine.com/restaurants

HIGHLANDS AREA RESTAURANTS 64 Highlands Plaza

4118 Kitchen + Bar

(828) 526-5002

L, D

n n

n C n 75

The Bistro at Wolfgang’s

460 Main Street

(828) 526-3807 D n n n n NC n n

Calder’s Cafe

384 Main Street

(828) 200-9308

B, L

Reservations Required

(828) 526-4446

B, L n n C n

Fire + Water Restaurant

465 Main Street (828) 787-2990

Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar

455 Main Street Highlands, NC

Hummingbird Lounge *

C n n 74

15

n n n C n n 79

(828) 787-2525 L n n n NC n 45

350 S. Fifth Street

(828) 526-2110

L, D

470 Skyline Lodge Rd

(828) 482-4720

D, SB

n n n n NC n n n 70

Highway 64 (Franklin Road)

(828) 526-2338

D, SB

n n n n C n n 78

476 Carolina Way

L, D

n n n n C n n 81

298 South 4th Street

(828) 526-8364

L, D, SB

n n n n C n n n 81

460 Main Street

(828) 526-3807

D

US 64 West

(828) 547-2096

220 Greystone Lane

(828) 966-4700

45 Slab Town Road

(828) 743-0020

L, D

n n C n n 76

25 Frank Allen Road

(828) 743-3000

L, D, SB

n n n n C n n n 81

45 Slabtown Road

(828) 743-7711

B, L, SB n C n n 74

3093 Hwy 64 East, Sapphire

The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering

Oak Steakhouse at Skyline Lodge On the Verandah

L ,D

n

5

Truckin at The High Dive The Ugly Dog Pub Wolfgang’s Restaurant

n n 75

n n n n NC n n

5

CASHIERS AREA RESTAURANTS Cashiers Valley Smokehouse The Greystone Inn Slab Town Pizza The Ugly Dog Pub Zookeeper

L, D C n n n 76 B, L, D, SB n n n NC n n

4

SAPPHIRE/TOXAWAY AREA RESTAURANTS The Fix B Breakfast

L

Lunch

D Dinner

HIGHLANDS AREA RESTAURANTS 4th Street Market - (828) 526-4191 Asia House - (828) 787-1680 Bella’s Junction Cafe - (828) 526-0803 Black Bear Restaurant - (828) 482-7020 The Blue Bike Cafe - (828) 526-9922 Bridge at Mill Creek (828_ 526=5500 Bryson’s Deli - (828) 526-3775 The Cake Bar - (828) 421-2042 Dusty’s - (828) 526-2762 El Azteca - (828) 526-2244 Fressers Courtyard Cafe - (828) 526-4188 Highlander Mountain House - (828) 526-2590 Highlands Burritos - (828) 526-9313 Highlands Deli/SweeTreats - (828) 526-9632 Highlands Smokehouse - (828) 526-3554 Los Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant - (828) 482-7040 Lakeside Restaurant - (828) 526-9419

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SB Sunday Brunch

*

Takeout Only

Madison’s Restaurant - (828) 787-2525 Meritage Bistro (828) 526-1019 Midpoint (828) 526-2277 Mountain Fresh - (828) 526-2400 Paoletti’s - (828) 526-4906 Pizza Place - (828) 526-5660 Rosewood Market - (828) 526-0383 Ruffed Grouse (828) 526-2590 Subway - (828) 526-1706 Tug’s Proper - (828) 526-3555 Wild Thyme Gourmet - (828) 526-4035 CASHIERS AREA RESTAURANTS Buck’s Coffee Cafe - (828) 743-9997 Canyon Kitchen - (828) 743-7967 Cashiers Farmers Markket (828) 743-4334 Chile Loco - (828) 743-1160 Cornucopia Restaurant - (828) 743-3750

D

OPENING IN THE SPRING

Dress Code: C Casual

NC Nice Casual

73

J Jacket

Cork & Barrel Lounge - (828) 743-7477 El Manzanillo - (828) 743-5522 The Falls Cafe and Grill - 828-877-3322 JJ’s Eatery and Canteen - (828) 743-7778 The Library Kitchen and Bar - (828) 743-5512 Mica’s Restaurant - (828) 743-5740 Mountain Cafe - (828) 577-0469 Panthertown Cafe LLC (828) 862-366 Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company - (828) 743-0220 Subway - (828) 743-1300 Slopeside Tavern - (828) 743-8655 Table 64 - (828) 743-4135 Town and Country General Store Deli - (828) 547-1300 Villa Amato (828) 885-7700 Wendy’s - (828) 743-7777 Whiteside Brewing Company - (828) 743-6000 Winslow’s Hideaway - (828) 743-2226 s

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LDOI D NG I NI N GG

Ad On Page

Pet Policy

Banquet Facilities Wireless Internet

Cable/Satellite TV

In Room Microwave/Fridge

Exercise Facility

Accommodations on the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

Whirlpool Rooms

On Site Restaurant

Plateau Lodging

On Site Bar/Lounge Pool

thelaurelmagazine.com/lodging

HOTELS / MOTELS / BED & BREAKFASTS 19386 Rosman Hwy | Sapphire blackbearlodgeofsapphire.com | (828) 553-6535 n n n n 28

Black Bear Lodge of Sapphire Fire Mountain

700 Happy Hill Rd | Scaly Mountain

Greystone Inn

220 Greystone Ln | Lake Toxaway

Hotel Cashiers

7 Slab Town Road | Cashiers

hotelcashiers.com | (828) 743-7706 n n n n n 116

445 Main St | Highlands

oldedwardsinn.com | (866) 526-8008 n n n n n n n n n 45

Old Edwards Inn and Spa Skyline Lodge

firemt.com | (800) 775-4446 n n n n n n 15 thegreystoneinn.com | (828) 966-4700 n n

n n n n

4

470 Skyline Lodge Rd | Highlands skyline-lodge.com n n n n n n 70

VACATION RENTAL AGENCIES Berkshire Realty Vacation Rentals

488 Main Street | Highlands meadowsmountainrealty.com | (828) 526-1717

63

401 N 5th St | Highlands

highlandsiscalling.com | (828) 526-3717

27

Landmark Vacation Rentals

17 US Hwy 64 E | Cashiers

landmarkvacations.com | (877) 926-1780

111

Rent in Highlands - CCP

507 Main Street | Highlands

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

83

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

ncliving.com | (828) 743-1999

48

Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals

CASHIERS, NC: High Hampton Resort - (800) 648-4252 Hotel Cashiers - (828) 743-7706 The Lakehouse - (904) 753-0247 Landmark Vacation Rentals- (877) 926-1780 Mountain Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-0258 The Orchard Guest Cottage - (828) 743-7614 Pebble Creek Village - (828) 743-0623 Reid Resort Rentals - (828) 743-5955 Silver Creek Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-1999 The Wells Hotel A Cashiers Experience - (828) 761-6289 GLENVILLE, NC: Innisfree Bed & Breakfast - (828) 743-2946 Mountain Lake Rentals - (828) 743-6875 Prime Property Rentals - (828) 743-3482 HIGHLANDS, NC 200 Main - (855) 271-2809 Berkshire Realty Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-1717 Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-3717 82 W inte r 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

The Chateau - (561) 613-1496 Fairview House - (866) 526-8008 Half Mile Farm - (855) 271-7246 Highlander Mountain House - (828) 526-2590 Highlands House Bed and Breakfast - (828) 787-1186 Highlands Inn - (828) 526-9380 Highlands Inn Lodge - (828) 526-5899 Highlands Resort Rentals - (828) 526-5839 The Inn at Mill Creek - 828-526-9999 The Lodge at Old Edwards - (828) 787-2560 Lullwater House - (423) 488-2799 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 Rent in Highlands - CCP - (800) 684-2171 x 302 Rockwood Lodge - (828) 526-8919 The Wells Hotel - (828) 482-7736 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 The Vineyard at 37 High Holly - (828) 505-6190 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 86-81

photo by Charles Johnson

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MOULTHROP’S HACKBERRY This exquisite, museum-quality vessel is hand-turned by Philip Moulthrop and made from the indigenous hackberry tree.

Philip comes from a family of award-winning artists, and he pioneered the mosaic, composite style of wood turning.

Hand-Turned Bowl | $2,600 The Bascom | Highlands

WRAPPED IN LUXURY

Make a style statement with these elevated basics.

Layer up in a gorgeous equestrian-themed cashmere shawl with rex rabbit fur trim. Complete the look with an iconic quilted genuine Italian leather purse.

Quilted Italian Leather Purse | $250 Cashmere and Rabbit Fur Wrap | $ 598 McCulley’s | Highlands

P la t e a u P i c k s SCENTS OF SPACE

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

HAND-TURNED HANDLES

Created especially for Skyline Lodge, this 14-ounce soy candle recreates the aromas and emotions discovered by walking the wildwoods of Highlands.

This is the last ice cream scoop you’ll ever need! With it’s wonderful feel of the hand-turned wood handle, and durable stainless steel, these scoops cut through your ice cream like butter. Scoop detaches from handle for easy cleaning. Available in a wide variety of woods.

Wood Fire & Juniper Scented Candle | $25 Skyline Lodge | Highlands

Patagonia Rosewood $ 44 | Cedar $ 42 | Olivewood $ 44 Scaly Mountain Crafters | Scaly Mountain

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SELF-CARE TRIFECTA FLUFFIES FOR FUR BABIES Cute, fluffy, and squeaky - the perfect play companion for your own cute and fluffy. Features a squeaker and available in a menagiere of cuteness.

Fluffy Moose and Polar Bear | $19 99ea Woof Gang Bakery | Cashiers

Begin 2022 with a commitment to you. Esker line of beauty enhancements are derived from the natural world around us. The Restorative Oil is full of natural, antioxidant-rich properties; the Body Plane will leave the skin soothed and smoothed; and use the Dry Brush to exfoliate while it improves circulation.

Restorative Oil $ 40 | Body Plane $ 45 | Dry Brush $18 Greystone Inn | Lake Toxaway

AN ELEGANT SHIELD ART ON FIRE The Gold scented candle from the ONNO collection is a mesmerizing and mysterious flower, housed in a beautiful glass designed and hand-cut by artisans. Gold brings a warmth to your home with its addictive notes of incense, spices and fleshy woods. This chic and elegant perfume will delight your senses and add a piece of art to your home.

From Gracewear’s Shield of Faith Collection, this 38.5” necklace is crafted with fresh water pearls, and supports a beautiful shield medallion. Putting on the Full Armor of God has never been so elegant.

Linked Medallion Pearl Tassel Necklace | $188 Gracewear | Cashiers

Jewel Black Extra Large Candle | $1699 Lenz Gifts | Cashiers

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SHOPPI NG

Find the Finest

on the Plateau

Fueled by a post-lockdown giddiness and a greater emphasis on seasonal recreation possibilities, winter shopping on the Plateau is red hot.

N

ot so long ago Highlands and Cashiers crept into hibernation mode when the temperatures plummeted, and the days shortened.

The saying was that we rolled up the streets after Labor Day and didn’t roll them back out until Memorial Day. That’s certainly no longer the case as is evidenced by the world class shopping opportunities that are available year-round.

The Plateau is nationally recognized as one of the best small town shopping experiences in America. It’s no wonder, because you can 88 W inte r 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

find it all here, complemented by second to none personal customer service. Our business owners and their employees take pride in making your visit one to remember.

Whether you’re looking for luxury items that you’d associate with Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, one-of-a-kind items you’d normally troll Etsy for, winter clothing, jewelry, shoes, gift items, home décor, or everyday necessities, you’ll find it here – with fewer crowds. There’s no need to rush. Take your time and savor the experience.

Escape the frigid temperatures outside and step into one of our

SHOPPI NG

many shops and enjoy a pampered shopping experience. Who knows, you might even find the ultimate bargain as stores are beginning to clear winter inventory for spring items.

For those considering updating items for your home, rest assured that you can find it all here. Looking to improve the quality of your long winter’s nap? You can find mattresses, pillows and luxury linens that will envelope you in comfort. You can also find new furniture for every style and taste. How about a statement rug, painting or floral arrangement? It’s all here and the shopping is easy and stress free.

Don’t forget to browse our consignment shops that often offer gently used items at a fraction of their original cost.

You can find anything you need here on the Plateau without

the need to travel, face the crowds at a big box store, worry about shipping concerns, or battle for a parking space. Shopping on the Plateau is the envy of many so claim your bragging rights and take advantage of all our area offers. The winter season is the perfect time to proudly buy local.

by Mary Jane McCall

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Visit Our Advertisers WEST END

1. On The Verandah Restaurant 5. The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts 6. The Bascom Shop 7. The Dave Drake Ceramic Barn at The Bascom

SOUTH END

25. 4118 Kitchen & Bar 27. Dauntless Printing 30. The Literacy Council 38. Lupoli Construction 39. Allen Tate/Pat Allen Realty Group 43. Mountain Lakes Physicians Group 47. ACP Home Interiors 48. Nancy’s Fancys/ The Exchange 49. The Summer House Bed &Bath 50. The Summer House 57. Blue Elephant Consignment Studio 58. Head Innovations 59. Cake Bar & Chocolate Heaven

MAIN STREET

103. Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center 136. Dutchmans 140. The Toy Store/The Book Nook 142. Main Street Gifts 146. Wit’s End Shoppe 147. Calders Coffee Cafe 148. Highlands Fine Art & Estate Jewelry + Wine Shop 152. Highlands Sotheby’s International Realty 160. TJ Bailey for Men 167. The Christmas Tree 169. Country Club Properties 174. Elena’s Women’s Golf and Activewear 178. McCulley’s II 180. White Oak Realty Group 187. The Dry Sink 189B. Smitten 190. Wolfgang’s Restaurant & Wine Bistro 191. Berkshire Hathaway Home 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 206. Business Spot 207. Creative Concepts Salon

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WRIGHT SQUARE on MAIN

(Factoid: Named after Whiteside hero) 113. Edward Jones 117. Country Club Properties, Wright Square Office

ON THE HILL

310. McCulley’s 312. The Ugly Dog Public House 313. Old Edwards Inn 318. Peggy Crosby Center: - The Kitchen Carry Away & Catering

VILLAGE PARK

613. Cleaveland Realty 615. Shakespeare & Co.

CAROLINA VILLAGE

707. Yoga Highlands 709. High Dive 709. Truckin’ at the High Dive 711. Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals

NORTH END

814. Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center

OUT NC 106

➡ Peak Experience ➡ Futral Construction ➡ Highlands Outpost ➡ Highlands Aerial Park ➡ Fire + Water ➡ Pat Calderone Gallery

OUT 64 EAST

➡ Black Rock Granite ➡ Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services Meadows Mountain Realty ➡ WHLC ➡ Highlands Lawn & Garden ➡ Skyline Lodge/ Oak Steakhouse ➡ Highlands Rock Yard ➡ Futral Construction ➡ Center for Plastic Surgery ➡ Allen Tate/ Pat Allen Realty Group ➡ Roman’s Roofing

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

Being added to our listing is easy!

Simply advertise with The Laurel.

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Visit Our Advertisers SLABTOWN 2. Zookeeper Bistro 6. Slab Town Pizza 14. Hotel Cashiers

NORTH 107 16. Stork’s - Wrap. Pack. Ship

THE SHOPS AT CASHIERS COMMONS 29. The Business Spot 30. Bombshell Hair Boutique

AT THE CROSSROADS 37. Landmark Realty Group

CHESTNUT SQUARE 43. A Jones Company 47. Lehotsky & Sons, Builders 55. Fusion Yoga & Wellness

THE VILLAGE GREEN 142.Village Green Commons 143. The Village Green 147. Bazaar Barn

WEST 64 154. Cashiers Valley Smokehouse 155. Cashiers Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center 156. Creekside: - Silver Creek Real Estate Group 172. Whiteside Art Gallery 173. Betsy Paul Properties 176. Lenz Gifts

DOWN 107 SOUTH ➡ Silver Run Reserve

EAST 64 64. Alexander Gardens: - Victoria’s Closet - Victoria’s Closet Shoes & Purses - Vic’s for Men 75. Carolina Rustic Furniture 76. Blue Ridge Bedding 79. Jennings Builders Supply

VILLAGE WALK 80. A-List Antiques 80. Josephine’s Emporium 80. Laura Moser Art 80. Merrell Thompson Photography 82. The Village Hound 89. Nearly New Furniture Consignment 90. Gracewear Boutique 99. Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Meadows Mountain Realty

SOUTH 107 102. TJ Bailey’s for Men 103. Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming 108. Landmark Realty Group 109. Ugly Dog Public House 110. McCulley’s 111. Rusticks 115. J. Gabriel 123. Caliber Fine Properties 128. Mountainworks Custom Home Design LTD. 136. McKee Properties 137. Bounds Cave Rug Gallery

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VISIT LAKE TOXAWAY ➡ The Greystone Inn ➡ Alair Homes

VISIT SAPPHIRE : ➡ Appalachian Golf Cars ➡ Black Bear Lodge ➡ Sapphire Valley Real Estate ➡ The Fix VISIT SYLVA : ➡ Imperial Security

, s r e i h s a C arolina C th r o N For a complete listing please visit our website, thelaurelmagazine.com.

Being added to our listing is easy!

Simply advertise with The Laurel.

93 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

H ISTORY

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HISTORY Pages 98-101

photo by Terry Barnes

H ISTORY

The treasured furnishings of Mordecai Zachar y’s home are making their way back to Cashiers.

O

Sidebar

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ne of the most compelling features about the Cashiers Historical Society’s House Museum in Cashiers are the many pieces of Mordecai Zachary’s hand-made furniture.

During the 10 years it took him to build his two-story boarding house, he was also crafting enough furniture to fill all the rooms in the house.

In 2008, Mordecai’s house was visited by the Senior Furniture Conservator for the Smithsonian, who wrote our historical society with high praise for Mordecai’s furniture.

He wrote, “I can sum up my afternoon tour through the house with two words: Holy Cow! It was witness and testimony to the work of ‘wakened’ hands as I saw the tool marks of a supremely confident workman everywhere I turned.”

When Mordecai’s daughter, Flora Jane Zachary, got ready to move to Dillsboro in northern Jackson County in the 1880s, she took with her one of her father’s bookcases.

She married Squire Watkins and they became the parents of a large family.

Later in life, after the death of her husband, Flora Jane’s daughter Rosa and her husband James Coleman “Cole” Cannon moved in with Flora Jane.

And so it went through time until today when the bookcase is in the care of John Zachary Cannon, who is in the process of returning Mordecai’s bookcase back to the place where it was made. For more than 100 years that bookcase, never leaving Jackson County, has remained always in the possession of a descendant of Flora Jane.

I’d like to thank John Zachary Cannon, who’s the person who’s made the return of the bookcase possible and who also took the picture of the bookcase for this article.

by Jane Gibson Nardy, Historian, Cashiers Historical Society

H ISTORY

300 Million New Years For the Cherokee, our landscape had a much more elegant origin than the current tale of crashing continents and violent uplifts.

I

t’s January, the beginning of the year 2022 C.E. (the Common Era).

Timewise, that’s a tiny tick on Mother Earth’s clock. 300 million years ago, give or take, the land under our feet took a tumultuous ride to the top of a gigantic rock pile. That’s when future Africa and North America did a slo-mo crash into each other.

The result? The Appalachians.

When land masses, continents, planets, and asteroids throw their weight around, they are the Cosmos’s large scale home decorators, and we can thank them for our beautiful landscape and panoramas.

The Cherokee have a much lovelier way of putting things. The following excerpt is from James Mooney’s Myths of the Cherokee.

It begins with tribute to The Great Buzzard, a remarkable bird for its size (the Air Force has wingspan envy), its evolution, its loyalty, its remarkable ability to ride the air as though it were an elevator to heaven. Surely buzzards have a thousand bird-words for air.

“When the Great Buzzard, the father of all the buzzards we now see, reached the Cherokee country, he was very tired, and his wings began to flap and strike the ground, and wherever they struck the earth, there was a valley, and where they turned up again there was a mountain. When the animals above saw this, they were afraid that the whole world would be mountains, so they called him back, but the Cherokee country remains full of mountains to this day.”

As we welcome in the New Year, let’s elevate the buzzard as he elevated us, and begin with appreciation of the Plateau on all its remarkable levels. To learn more about how Highlands became high lands, read Ran Shaffner’s Heart of the Blue Ridge, Chapter I, “In the Beginning.” You can visit highlandshistory.com or email hhs@ highlandshistory.com.

by Donna Rhodes

Scan to read more about the history of Highlands and Cashiers

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H ISTORY

Winter Tales of

Warmer Climes

Dr. Barbara Carlton’s This Nearly Was Mine is a vivid account of the people who inhabited a wilder, freer Florida.

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H ISTORY

W

inter is the time for stories—maybe of warmer climes.

It helps if you’ve got someone to preside, your very own Chaucer or Boccaccio.

Here in Cashiers and Highlands we’re lucky to have Barbara Carlton and Lee Lyons. If, like me, you’re a fan of “Old Florida” and also seek a break from the cold, you’ll enjoy This Nearly Was Mine (2009) by Dr. Barbara Castleberry Carlton (along with Barbara Oehlbeck).

A Cashiers summer resident since 1965, Dr. Carlton spends the rest of the year in Wauchula, Florida, deep in the cattle and citrus lands due west of Bradenton. Her handsome book gathers memories of that area from those who knew her late husband Albert and his family, as well as Dr. Carlton’s own accounts of being the one and only physician there for many years.

We’re talking Cracker Country: snakes, gators and guns. But the book also talks of the Carltons’ love of Cashiers. Dr. Carlton donated the land for the library and has been a great supporter ever since. It’s named for Albert, a charming, hardworking man who served on Florida’s citrus commission and was president of the Florida Citrus Mutual.

Dr Carlton met her future husband on her second day in Wauchula where, as a newly-minted physician from Georgia in 1959, she had come to fill in for the local practitioner who was himself ill.

Albert Carlton came from an old Florida family. The First Carlton to come to the state was killed in the Third Seminole War in 1856; his son (Albert’s great grandfather) was badly wounded in the same

skirmish. Albert’s uncle, Doyle Carlton, was Florida governor from 1929 to 1933.

Hardee County was still rural and precarious when Dr. Carlton arrived.

Which makes for good stories! Don’t miss the one—told four different ways—about young Albert and his cronies being continually stopped at the county line in the 1940s to make sure they weren’t transporting fever-tick-infested animals. After getting the rigamarole from the same ornery wildlife officer once too often, they “…decided we’d see how much wildlife that inspector could handle” and springloaded the trunk of their car to launch a (just barely) dead alligator into the arms of the next person who opened it.

This Nearly Was Mine is available for borrowing from the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library and is also for sale at both the library’s bookstore and Shakespeare & Co. (all proceeds go to the library’s Friends organization).

And if you want to master delivery of your own yarns, come to Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers, on the second Thursday of every month from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M., starting in January. Novelist (Southern Shamrock) and accomplished storyteller Lee Lyons will lead discussions on how to improve your technique.

by Stuart Ferguson, Local Historian, Co-Owner Shakespeare & Company

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H ISTORY

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LIFESTYLES & WELLNESS Pages 104-108

photo by Greg Clarkson

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

Words That

Launched Love

Sabrina and Dave Cashion

I

Sabrina and Dave Cashion’s loving relationship is based upon a healthy dose of laughter and a romantic sense of inevitability.

t began in 2001 with an email – or so it may seem. Because really, they’d met nearly 20 years earlier, when Sabrina Cashion, then a teacher’s assistant, met shop teacher and coach Dave Cashion at Highlands School.

That was the early 80’s. At the time, Dave was married with a young son. And Sabrina was about to return to college and embark on a 15-year teaching stint in Virginia.

Though born in Alaska, Sabrina always called Highlands home, and she longed to return to teach at the Highlands School where her mother, father, and grandmother had taught.

On a trip home to interview for a teaching position, she encountered

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Dave, now single, at a conference. he must have made an impression because he was quick to send an email: “Welcome back to Macon County. I know you always wanted to teach at home. How about you take me to the movies? I’ll drive and buy the ticket.”

And those were the words that launched a love story. They can no longer recall the movie’s name – a comedy, perhaps? What is remembered is that they spent the evening in laughter – not at the cinema but with and at each other, and simply having a good time.

Sabrina was smitten not only with Dave’s sense of humor but his intent on “treating her like a lady” – a value that aligns with his membership

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

Sabrina and Dave, 2002

and allegiance to the Freemasons.

They quickly became involved. Sabrina secured a position at the Highlands School teaching Family and Consumer Sciences, while Dave continued to teach carpentry, woodworking, and computer drafting skills.

She was reminded of her observations of Dave so many years earlier: “He was always so happy. He loved teaching and working with the students and had such a positive attitude.” Now she fell in love also with “his love of Masonry, his love of family, his love of God.” When Sabrina experienced a brief rough patch due to a bureaucratic snafu at school eight months later, Dave was reassuringly by her side.

She knew then that the relationship would endure.

The following year Dave told her to “Go ahead and find yourself a ring and pick a date.” They got married in January 2003 at

the Highlands United Methodist Church, where Sabrina had been baptized.

Dave retired from teaching this year, and Sabrina misses being with him on campus.

But, they still, as Sabrina says, “fit like two peas in a pod. I feel like I have known him forever – we finish each other’s sentences.”

Throughout 18 years of marriage, they have enjoyed traveling and laughing and, most of all, their son and the two grandchildren whom “we spoil every chance we get.” Their hopes for the rest of the marriage? More of the same – “to continue loving and laughing with and at one another.”

by Marlene Osteen

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LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

Should inflation affect your investment moves?

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A

s you know, inflation heated up in 2021, following years of pretty stable – and low – numbers.

And now, early in 2022, we’re still seeing elevated prices. As a consumer, you may need to adjust your activities somewhat, but as an investor, how should you respond to inflation?

First, it helps to know the causes of this recent inflationary spike.

Essentially, it’s a case of basic economics – strong demand for goods meeting inadequate supply, caused by material and labor shortages, along with shipping and delivery logjams. In other words, too many dollars chasing too few goods.

Once the supply chain issues begin to ease and consumer spending moves from goods to services as the Covid-19 pandemic wanes, it’s likely that inflation will moderate, but it may still stay above pre-pandemic levels throughout 2022.

Given this outlook, you may want to review your investment portfolio.

First, consider stocks. Generally speaking, stocks can do well in inflationary periods because companies’ revenues and earnings may increase along with inflation.

But some sectors of the stock market typically do better than others during inflationary times. Companies that can pass along higher costs to consumers due to strong demand for their goods – such as firms that produce building materials or supply steel or other commodities to other businesses – can do well.

Conversely, companies that sell nonessential goods and services, such as appliances, athletic apparel and entertainment, may struggle more when prices are rising.

Of course, it’s still a good idea to own a variety of stocks from various industries because it can help reduce the impact of market volatility on any one sector. And to help counteract the effects of rising prices, you might also consider investing in companies that have a long track

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS record of paying and raising stock dividends. (Keep in mind, though, that these companies are not obligated to pay dividends and can reduce or discontinue them at any time.)

Apart from stocks, how can inflation affect other types of investments?

Think about bonds. When you invest in a bond, you receive regular interest payments until the bond matures. But these payments stay the same, so, over time, rising inflation can eat into your bond’s future income, which may also cause the price of your bond to drop – a concern if you decide to sell the bond before it matures. The impact of inflation is especially sharp on the price of longer-term bonds because of the cumulative loss of purchasing power.

However, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) can provide some protection against inflation. The face value, or principal amount, of each TIPS is $1,000, but this principal is adjusted based on changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index. So, during periods of inflation, your principal will increase, also increasing your interest payments. When inflation drops, though, your principal and interest payments will decrease, but you’ll never receive less than the original principal value when the TIPS mature. Talk to your financial advisor to determine if TIPS may be appropriate for you.

Ultimately, inflation may indeed be something to consider when managing your investments.

But other factors – especially your risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term goals – should still be the driving force behind your investment decisions. A solid investment strategy can serve you well, regardless of whether prices move up or down.

Todd Holder

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

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LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

New Urgent Care in Highlands

Dr. Michael Hollifield

T

Dr. Julie Farrow

his spring, when Mountain Lakes Physicians Group opens its Primary Care/Urgent Care office at 478 Dillard Road in Highlands, it’ll be offering a full suite of services for the community, seven days a week.

As you’d expect, there’ll be wellness care, chronic disease management, school services and sports physicals, wellness/nutrition education, tests and treatments for flu, strep, minor colds, cuts, urinary tract infections, and onsite x-rays, labs, and physical therapy.

This will be overseen by Dr. Michael Hollifield, an internal medicine doctor; and a staff of mid-level providers.

But the office will also offer the services of Dr. Julie Farrow, Dr. Jim

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Dr. Jim Fordyce

Dr. Keith Jackson

Fordyce, and Dr. Keith Jackson.

Dr. Farrow is an OB/GYN and she’ll provide annual wellness exams, menopausal therapy, contraception, outpatient laparoscopy, minimally invasive surgery, and cervical cancer screening.

Dr. Fordyce is an Orthopedist, offering total knee replacements, splinting and casting, evaluations and treatments, and surgical interventions.

Dr. Jackson is an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist).

That means he’ll be providing tonsillectomies, sinus surgery, rhinoplasty, thyroid surgery, ear tube surgery, and laryngoscopies.

LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

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SE RV IC E

ACCOMMODATIONS

ACCOMMODATIONS

BEAUTY

BEAUTY

CABINETRY

CLEANING

CONSTRUCTION

HOME CARE

HOME DECOR

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SE RV IC E

HOME MONITORING

PICTURE FRAMING

PRINTING

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

ROOFING

SERVICE

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BUSI NESS

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BUSI NESS

GIVING BACK Pages 114-125

113 photo by Bob Sutton

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GI V I NG BAC K

New Year,

New Hope

Sweet Sandy’s sojourn under the tender care of Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society is a tale of resilience and hope.

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mong the many lessons we learn from the animals we rescue and care for each year is this – never give up hope.

It’s nothing short of miraculous that after all these animals have been through, they still have a will to live, and even more amazing, the capacity to forgive. Inspired by their love and loyalty, we pledge to these animals a solemn vow that we will never give up on them.

As a no-kill shelter, we give them all the time they need until they find a forever home. We give them hope.

Sandy is just one example of the thousands of abandoned, abused and neglected animals we have saved in the past 35 years.

Sandy first arrived at our doors in February 2016.

As we have done for all the dogs and cats entrusted to our safekeeping, we gave Sandy plenty of love, affection and compassion, nutritious meals, a safe, warm bed, and any and all necessary veterinary care.

We also made sure that Sandy had plenty of exercise and socialization, not only with daily romps in our acres of outdoor play yards, but also with offsite adventures as well.

Sandy is pictured here during a CHHS Hikers for Hounds trip to the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River.

After 1,704 days of tender loving care by CHHS staff and volunteers, Sandy found a loving mom and a new forever home in October 2020. Sandy never gave up hope. And neither did we.

As we start a new year, we have a renewed sense of hope. A hope that tomorrow will bring kindness, compassion, good health, safety, and a home filled with love. We give that hope to the animals we save.

And they give that hope back to us, too.

Established in 1987, Cashiers-Highlands 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. Our no-kill shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. For more information, visit us online at chhumanesociety.org or call (828) 743-5752.

by David Stroud, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society

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LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

Be a Champion

to a Child

Little Brother Alex takes down the pinata at the 2021 Field Day event in June as onlooking Littles cheer him on!

The long-lasting relationships forged by Bigs and Littles are built upon a foundation of trust, respect, and Love. If you’d like to become a Big, call (828) 399-9133, or email cashiers@bbbswnc.org.

Little Sister Kira and Big Sister Karla MaganaAlmanza at the 2021 Highlands Christmas parade with the llamas of Llama Caddy

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LIFESTYLES & W ELLNESS

T

he holidays and the New Year afford us all so many possibilities for change, improvement and reflection. It’s a time for family, friends and community to come together and learn and grow from one another.

One of the goals of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands is to ensure we are taking an active role in reaching an integral part of our community that is often underrepresented – our neighbors and friends, the Latinx community.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion-focused youth empowerment organization offering one-to-one mentoring services to youth in our communities through supportive services.

BBBS carefully selects and matches mentors with children and teens facing adversity and provides supportive activities, training, and supportive services to ensure healthy, long-lasting connections.

We are about the relationships that impact the lives of children and we know it works! We see it every day and we hear about the longlasting impacts mentors have in the lives of youth and their families across our region, including right here in Cashiers and Highlands.

Several mentors, and even parents of Littles, are former Littles themselves – what a tremendous honor it is to engage with Littles in this new way!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands works closely with various community members to ensure we are reaching everyone

and providing opportunities for children across varying cultures right here on the Plateau.

It’s important to bridge these cultural gaps by learning about each other’s cultures. BBBS of Cashiers and Highlands regularly incorporates aspects of both American and Latinx cultures in our activities together, as well as resources provided to mentors for possible outing experiences and information comes available.

For example, this year alone, our council member Faviola Olvera and her Big Sister Karla have come together to develop an educational video on the holiday Three Kings Day, which included information about the holiday itself, as well as a portion on how to make a hearty, and fruity, drink called ponche (pone-chay) and some spiced cookies called polvorones (poll-vo-rone-ays). The excitement continued throughout the year with opportunities to engage with learning about El Dia de los Muertos, and interacting with a pinata. The coming year is sure to offer even more opportunities for inclusion and collaboration across the community!

If you’re looking for a way to give back to your community and are seeking to be a Champion to a child, please reach out to me, Danielle Hernandez, at (828) 399-9133, or by email at cashiers@bbbswnc. org. To learn more about the impacts of mentoring through our program visit bbbswnc.org.

by Danielle Hernandez, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands

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GI V I NG BAC K

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GI V I NG BAC K

On the Go

The Mountaintop Rotar y Club continuously met the challenges that 2021 brought to the community.

Duncan Greenlee

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R

otary Club is all about serving, and Mountaintop Rotary Club finished 2021 with an impressive 10 service projects accomplished.

Long-term Rotarian and past president Duncan Greenlee, who is co-chair of the Service Committee with Jim Spencer, said the service projects included holiday food boxes at Highlands Food Pantry, Halloween book distributions, a toy and shoes’ drive, and roadside garbage cleanups, to name a few.

At the Highlands Food Pantry, Mountaintop Rotarians Barb and Kirk Dornbush, Jeff Owens, Michael Lanzilotta, Susan Cox, Kiki McClure, and Nick Sharpe, as well as other community volunteers, assembled 120 boxes of food.

During Halloween, hundreds of books and hotdogs were given out.

“Members stepped up to the plate and donated toys to almost 50 underprivileged children,” said Greenlee, “and some needy school children received shoes. In January we do a coat drive. Several of the efforts are in conjunction and cooperation with other community groups. We really believe in participating and partnering with other organizations. It extends our reach in what we’re able to do. It builds friendships that benefit the community. The whole idea behind Rotary is to do good in the world. Many members are members of other organizations so it makes our partnering easier and stronger.”

Included among the 10 service projects are handwashing stations and assisting with the Covid Call Clinic and providing shots.

“That’s a lot of community involvement for a small club,” said Greenlee. “But we’re a growing club.”

And 2022 promises to include just as many service projects and year-round support of such initiatives as the Food Pantry, which is essential to meeting food insecurity concerns on the Plateau.

Maintaining a stock of nutritious foods is especially a focus for struggling individuals and families throughout winter months when gardens are not viable for obtaining fresh produce. Besides food items, the pantry accepts toiletries and personal hygiene items, egg cartons, and more.

Another major focus of Rotarians is to raise money for the community.

“We also provide grant money to several local entities such as Highlands’ Biological Station and The Church in the Wildwood,” said Michael Burel, Mountaintop Rotary Club’s secretary.

by Deena Bouknight

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Chop Wood, Tote Water,

Love Horses

Somehow, keeping all those horses healthy and happy becomes even more complicated in the winter.

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GI V I NG BAC K

H

appy 2022!

It’s quite remarkable that we have put another year in the history books. Time to begin again with a fresh slate and experience anew all that’s ahead.

At Carpe Diem Farms, we truly live in the moment. With an ever-aging herd of eight horses we never quite know what a day will bring.

We are blessed by having a group of employees who “show up” every day to “chop wood, carry water.” The Zen of each day is not rocket science, it’s a consciousness of doing what it takes to provide a safe, healthy, clean environment in which the horses live, play and exercise. We are an inter-species family of humans and equines combining individual personalities; and balancing lives with the element that nature presents.

Winter adds challenges – cold, snow, ice, sleet, and wind which makes the humans be hypervigilant about safety. We are blessed to have safe, warm, and secure stables to house the girls in the worst of weather. Heated water buckets and troughs allow them to have the critical element of fresh water always. Our riding arena gives us added space to allow freedom of moving when the elements are too

extreme for them to be outside.

God made horses to move. Wild herds travel 2040 miles a day to graze and water. It is not healthy for them to be confined to stalls. They were also hard wired to continually graze. Unlike humans, their gastric juices flow constantly which can ulcerate their stomach if not continually munching.

We provide a constant source of hay (35 tons a year, which comes chemical free from the Amish in the Northeast) when the ground is covered in snow or ice.

Grooming is critical in the winter to keep their coats “fluffy,” helping them to better regulate their temperatures.

Excellent hoof care is also essential for overall well-being and winter nutritional needs change as well and are closely monitored.

We welcome winter helpers to come and groom a horse, pick a hoof, or fill a water bucket!

Carpe Diem Farms is a 501(c)(3) educational foundation, “Exploring the human potential through equines.”

123 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

GI V I NG BAC K

The Literacy &

Learning Center

The Literacy & Learning Center is offering an entire suite of educational programs and volunteer oppor tunities to ensure that 2022 is bursting with promise.

124 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Jenni Edwards, Bonnie Potts, and Anna Norton

GI V I NG BAC K “We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives ... not looking for flaws but for potential.” – Ellen Goodman

D

o you have any New Year’s resolutions?

Perhaps you want to start volunteering more in this community, work towards your GED, strengthen your English language skills, or simply read more! The Literacy & Learning Center can help. TL&LC has many volunteer opportunities and is host to several book-borrowing opportunities.

TL&LC also offers free English as a Second Language classes. These classes are held in-person at The Presbyterian Church in Highlands and are available on The Literacy & Learning Center’s YouTube channel! Held from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M., the classes also include snacks and child-friendly activities to keep little ones entertained while their caregivers participate in the class. Anyone can join, and no

registration is required.

Additionally, TL&LC offers a program that makes earning a State of North Carolina high school equivalency certificate accessible for anyone. TL&LC will supply the GED textbook at no charge and completely cover the cost of the North Carolina GED test! To sign up for this program, just call (828) 526-0863 or email anorton@maconncliteracy.org.

There’s no better time than the present to further your education and achieve the goals you have set for yourself. The Literacy & Learning Center strives to make that possible for everyone in our community. And all of our programs are completely free of charge.

Visit maconncliteracy.org to find out more about TL&LC’s Free Little Library and other book-borrowing programs, or to learn more about volunteering!

by Jenni Edwards, Literacy & Learning Center

125 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

BUSI NESS

Recognizing

Local Champions

Left to Right: Carter Giegerich/Junior Appalachian MusiciansArts & Culture Advocates of the Year, Drew English-Evergreen Award Winner, Stacy McNabbEducator of the Year, Nat Turner-Citizen of the Year, Ralph Campbell-Volunteer of the Year, and Brandy and Mark Letson/Cashiers Valley Pharmacy-Businesspersons of the Year

The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce salutes the men and women who’ve brought their energy and their talents to the task of making the Plateau a wonder ful place to live and visit.

T

he Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce recently awarded their 2021 Spirit of Our Community Awards recognizing well-deserving individuals who dedicate their lives and talents to positively influence the Cashiers, Glenville, Lake Toxaway, and Sapphire communities.

Chamber Executive Director Stephanie Edwards explains that the Spirit of Our Community Awards shine the spotlight on people who truly represent the character of the Cashiers Area.

“They are our friends, neighbors, teachers, business owners, nonprofit advocates and others who give beyond what is simply asked,” she says.

Nat Turner, President of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Plateau, was named Citizen of the Year. Under his watch, the club raised capital to construct an impressive and expanded campus. Additionally, he is a thoughtful leader of Vision Cashiers/Crossroads Society and is a first responder with the Glenville Cashiers Rescue Squad.

Ralph Campbell, often considered the “Unofficial Mayor of Glenville,” was honored as Volunteer of the Year. He has touched many lives through his work as Pastor of the Glenville Wesleyan Church, as the former Chaplain of the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital and Eckerd Living Center, and as President of Glenville Community Development Club and Glenville Historical Society, among many other causes.

Recognized as Educator of the Year was Stacy McNabb, a Lead Teacher at Blue Ridge Elementary and Blue Ridge Early College.

During her 26-year career as an educator, she’s worn many hats

126 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

including teaching kindergarten, combination classes and sixth grades, served on numerous committees, coached volleyball and mentored new teachers.

Brandy and Mark Letson of Cashiers Valley Pharmacy were honored as Businesspersons of the Year, proving themselves more than just business-owners, but also generous members of the community.

Their contributions and donations are many but especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic they provided exceptional services, resources, and comfort to our community.

The Evergreen Award went to Drew English, a man with a green thumb and a big heart, whose horticultural and artistic efforts have enhanced our landscape. In addition to managing the Dahlia Garden at High Hampton, he spearheaded the campaign to upgrade the Village Lights Holiday Display.

The Blue Ridge Chapter of Junior Appalachian Musicians, under the direction of Carter Giegerich, were named the Arts and Culture Advocate of the Year award. The program enhances the lives of local children through music, offering lessons for students grades 3 through 12 on a variety of instruments.

The Spirit Award winners were featured in the annual Cashiers Christmas Parade, applauded with a reception for recipients and sponsors in their honor, recognized in other publications and social media posts and celebrated by their friends, families, and colleagues across the Plateau.

Coffee and cookies for the reception were compliments of Steve and Stephanie Miskew, new owners of Buck’s Coffee Café.

by Mary Jane McCall

BUSI NESS

Chamber and Visit Highlands Focus on

Strategic Planning

Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visit Highlands, NC cast their gaze toward keeping Highlands, NC a great place to live.

L

ast year, we at the Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visit Highlands, NC worked diligently to lay groundwork for a new, strategic plan.

As this New Year begins, our Board of Directors is already finalizing that plan and readying its implementation. Over the next three years, we will leverage tourism to sustain and improve quality of life, advocate for new talent and focus on keeping Highlands a great place to live and work.

A Great Place to Live is our mantra, though it could become our Highlands Theme Song. It is inspired by a Maura Gast quote: “If you build a place people want to visit, you build a place where people want to live.

If you build a place where people want to live, you’ll build a place where people want to work.

If you build a place where people want to work, you’ll build a place where business has to be.

And if you build a place where business has to be, you’ll build a place where people have to visit.“

From now to 2025 the Chamber is focusing on promoting Highlands as a year-round upscale, arts-centric, outdoor destination that is a great place to live and visit. We will work to foster and support an improved experience in Highlands for visitors and residents.

If we are building a great place, we must raise awareness of the Two Big “E”s: Economy and Environment.

It’s one thing to have good numbers and natural beauty today, but we must look ahead and sustain what we have worked so hard to acquire.

We are here doing that work on your behalf. We look forward to serving collaboratively with our residents, businesses and town government in 2022 to make Highlands a great place to live, a rewarding place to work, and a successful place to build a business.

by Kaye McHan, Executive Director, Highlands Chamber of Commerce

127 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

A private, low-density mountain community, located five minutes from Cashiers, NC on the prestigious 107 South corridor.

With five distinct residential offerings, including cottages and estate homesites, Silver Run Reserve features curated and natural amenities for indoor and outdoor fun and wellness.

LIVE WELL. RUN FREE. SilverRunReserve.com

128 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

LIZ HARRIS, GUILD™ CO-OWNER / BROKER 828.342.3194 (CELL) LIZ@CASHIERS.COM 129 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

OUR TEAM OF BROKERS

BETH TOWNSEND Co-Owner / Broker

LIZ HARRIS

Co-Owner / Broker

ANN MCKEE AUSTIN Co-Owner / Broker

COLEEN GOTTLOEB Broker-In-Charge

SANDY BARROW Broker

JOHN BARROW Broker / Rental Coordinator

WAYNE MONDAY Broker

PHILIP BRADLEY Broker

MAGGIE ELMER Broker

JOANNE BRYSON Broker

GUS BRIGHT

Broker Associate

CLAY CANTLER

Broker / Licensed Asst.

LOGAN CROCKER

Broker / Licensed Asst.

JESSICA HOHEISEL

Broker / Licensed Asst.

KARALINE SHOMAKER Broker / Administrator

619 HWY 107 S

|

CASHIERS, NC 28717

|

828.743.3411

LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC MINNIE COLE HOUSE 130 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

A Founding Partner

McKee Properties is proud to be a Founding Partner of G&G Land, a feature program of Garden & Gun magazine, highlighting properties that are dedicated to an “authentic sense of place and inherent responsibility to the natural world.”

MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF LUXURY REAL ESTATE EXPERTISE IN THE CASHIERS-HIGHLANDS AREA

M C K E E P R O P E R T I E S. C O M 131 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Winfield Farm 142+/- ACRES — Nestled between national forest and a ridgetop of gorgeous mountain views lies the beautiful Winfield Farm. This multigenerational family farm is located in Scaly Mountain on the southern edge of the Nantahala National Forest just 10 minutes from Highlands, North Carolina. Winfield Farm features long range mountain views, gently rolling pastures, heirloom apple trees and gardens, spring-fed lakes and ponds, mountain streams, multiple homes, barns, and other structures.

The main home is perched on a gentle knoll overlooking the farm, while two other homes are within easy walking distance. Another lovely home is tucked in a large meadow bowl that looks up to the surrounding

OFFERED FOR $6,950,000 mountains. Two large barns, workshops, and a historic lodge are also contained within the 142 acres. Fabulous views can be enjoyed from everywhere on the farm/estate and the gentle topography makes the land very usable. A portion of the property fronts Dillard Road, offering great commercial potential on this parcel. Winfield Farm is just two hours from Atlanta and minutes from hiking trails, waterfalls, and all the clubs and amenities the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau has to offer. This is the first time on the market for this beautiful farm that has caught the eye of all who pass by. I look forward to showing it to you! MLS 97357

619 HWY 107 S

|

CASHIERS, NC 28717

MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM 132 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

|

828.743.3411

LIZ HARRIS, GUILD™ CC 828.342.3194 828.342.3194

|

LIZ@CASHIERS.COM 133 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Magnificent Private Estate OFFERED FOR $6,950,000 3 BR / 2 BA; 214+ ACRES — This fine estate property boasts all the wonderful outdoor features that draw people to Cashiers, NC: spectacular, long-range mountain views; rolling, open meadows (some fenced and cross fenced); a pond with an active, flowing stream and private waterfalls; and miles of trails! This property is unrestricted. The renovated cottage with recently updated bathrooms is charming and overlooks the majority of the property. Plus, there are many fine additional building sites for a future main house or subdividing. It is conveniently located only 9.5 miles from the middle of Cashiers. MLS 95503

619 HWY 107 S

|

CASHIERS, NC 28717

MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM 134 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

|

828.743.3411

Cedar Creek Road OFFERED FOR $2,800,000 200 ACRES — This pristine large tract located approximately five miles to the center of Cashiers is almost completely surrounded by three conservation easements: Chinquapin’s (700 acres), The Webb family’s (600 acres) and Campbell’s (50+ acres). This parcel has old logging trails, rock outcroppings and a central “bowl” — prime for clearing as a meadow. A pretty stream headwaters on this high elevation tract and has several small sets of ripples and falls. The views have not been cleared, but will be substantial. MLS 92920

BETH TOWNSEND, GUILD™ C

828.421.6193

|

BETH@CASHIERS.COM 135 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Glenville Lake Estates 4 BR / 4 BA — This beautiful lake home is set up to enjoy immediately with its updated interior, expansive decks and large dock all resting in a quiet cove on the desirable southeast side of Lake Glenville, close to town. The home features a master suite and guest room on the main level, a third guest suite on the upper level and a fourth suite on the lower level. The dining, kitchen and great room

OFFERED FOR $1,995,000 featuring a stone fireplace flow together with vaulted ceilings and lake views off the front deck to enjoy the pristine setting on the lake.

The large family and game room on the lower level provides for cozy evenings around the fireplace and a fun family game room, all while enjoying beautiful lake views. MLS 96991

619 HWY 107 S

|

CASHIERS, NC 28717

MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM 136 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

|

828.743.3411

Little Ellijay Farm 4 BR / 4 BA — This beautiful 63-acre farm in the Cashiers/ Glenville area beside the Snowbird Community is full of charm. It features gorgeous views, rolling land, a main house, a guest house, an

OFFERED FOR $1,772,000 art studio, a large functioning barn, gardens, a chicken coop, fruit trees, fenced pasture land, fresh water ponds, springs and creeks throughout!

Contact Liz today for a tour of this beautiful mountain farm. MLS 97011

LIZ HARRIS, GUILD™ C

828.342.3194

|

LIZ@CASHIERS.COM 137 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Cullowhee Forest 3 BR / 3.5 BA — Located on 17+ acres with incredible mountain views, this move-in ready home is the perfect mountain retreat and sanctuary. Surrounded by towering hardwoods, mature rhododendron and other native flora, the house has stunning views of Pilot Knob and surrounding mountains. The well-maintained home features 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. The spacious kitchen has beautiful cabinetry and includes a breakfast area looking out onto the porch and the beautiful view. Next to the kitchen is an ample sized utility room with washer, dryer, and utility sink. The living room has a lovely stone faced, wood-burning fireplace, gorgeous wood floors, adjoins a spacious dining area, and opens onto a porch and deck that runs the length of the house. Also on the main

OFFERED FOR $855,000 level is the master bedroom with doors opening to the deck and porch.

Completing the master suite is a commodious walk-in closet and master bathroom with his and hers vanities, garden tub, and shower. On the lower level are 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, an inviting den, a light-filled office, large workshop area, storage space and a large deck. Added security is provided by a full featured alarm system and a whole house generator.

The surrounding grounds feature native specimen plants, hiking trails and a small spring-fed pond. Whether inside partaking in the comforts of the well-appointed home or outside enjoying the natural beauty of the property, this is mountain living at its best! MLS 96988

|

SANDY BARROW JOHN BARROW 138 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

|

C C

478.737.9664

828.506.9356

Snowbird

OFFERED FOR $875,000

3 BR / 3 BA — The Snowbird lifestyle is essential to this beautiful property; abundant private hiking trails and postcard views are scattered throughout the gated 1,250 acre community with light restrictions and great neighbors. This cottage is current, classy, comfortable and exudes charm. Cozy living room with wood-burning fireplace has direct connection to open kitchen and also opens onto the massive covered porch. Master on main has cathedral ceiling and opens onto a pretty

side porch. Down a short hallway, the office/bonus room, stack washer/ dryer and full bath. Upstairs are two bedrooms with cathedral ceilings and shared bath. One of the upper bedrooms has a Rapunzel balcony overlooking the large covered porch and out to the long mountain views.

Perch yourself on the covered porch at 4,120 elevation and watch the world go by, or kick it up a notch and test your skills on over 10 miles of great PRIVATE hiking trails! MLS 97787

UNDER CONTRACT

Sarvis Ridge

$875,000

High Hampton

$759,000

49 ACRES — This property features a rolling meadow, dense

1.53 ACRES — It is rare to find a resale lot in High Hampton, and

woods, table flat building site at the top and over 4,020 feet elevation.

There is a small dipping pond in the meadow. The property can be divided into four parcels with 5-acre minimums. The Webb Lake 1930’s cabin, common area lake and trails, and caretaker home are directly across the road from this prime tract. This heritage property has unlimited potential! MLS 95707

this one is prime! The property is located on the “original/Inn” side of the neighborhood, which means no highway crossing is needed to walk to the great amenities. Grand potential view of famed Rock Mountain with approved clearing, this lot also fronts the Cherokee Campgrounds’ green space with direct access to the trail system. East to southeast views to the mountain provide sunsets “on the rock.” MLS 97439

JUST REDUCED

BETH TOWNSEND, GUILD™ C

828.421.6193

|

BETH@CASHIERS.COM 139 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Sapphire High 3 BR / 3.5 BA — This charming home with year-round views is located in the desirable neighborhood of Sapphire High. The home is three levels with the living room, dining room, kitchen, a powder room and master bed and bath on the main level. The main level has an elegant stone fireplace and expansive windows to take in the spectacular view. The master has a walk-in closet and private access to the deck. Two levels feature expansive covered decks to enjoy the

OFFERED FOR $675,000 refreshing mountain air. The second bedroom is on the upper level and has its own private balcony. Also upstairs is a loft space and an extra room that would be perfect for an office or craft room. The lower level has a third bedroom and bath, a family room, laundry room, one-car garage and a large workshop. Its large lot has a waterfall, boulder field and terraced yard space perfect for the outdoor enthusiast. MLS 97276

MAGGIE ELMER

|

C

803.493.5734

KARALINE SHOMAKER 140 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

|

C

828.200.1146

Holly Forest 2 BR / 2 BA — This 2 BR / 2 BA home with a mountain view has recently gone through an extensive renovation! The main level consists of the living room with a stone fireplace, dining room, kitchen, and a bedroom with a Jack and Jill bathroom to an office / bonus room. The master bedroom is upstairs and has its own private bath. The lower level features a game room with a pool table, air hockey table and foosball.

OFFERED FOR $675,000 Outside is plenty of deck space to enjoy the cool mountain air. This home has a brand-new roof, interior paint and landscaping. All the furnishings are new and include linens, box springs, wall art, utensils, pots and pans. The home truly lacks nothing! All you need to do is hang up your clothes and go to the grocery store when you move in. It also has great rental potential. MLS 97471

WAYNE MONDAY C

828.508.8661

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WAYNE@CASHIERS.COM 141 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

LOTS & LAND LOT

ACRES

DESCRIPTION

N/A

30

Mountain views adjoining National Forest

97163

CASHIERS

$895,000

R-22

2.50

Near the Clubhouse with Whiteside views

97365

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

$550,000

E-32

0.92

Golf and mountain views

95880

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

$475,000

B-6

0.51

Flat lot near the Clubhouse

96186

CHATTOOGA CLUB

$325,000

M-36

2.68

Whiteside Mountain views

95874

WHITESIDE FOREST

$198,750

7

2.86

Mountain views with a stream running through 97119

CROSS CREEK PRESERVE

$175,000

N-55

0.81

Gently rolling with winter golf course view

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB

$160,000

WADE HAMPTON GOLF CLUB / MLS 97365

MLS

95803

SUBDIVISION

PRICE

WHITESIDE FOREST / MLS 95874

LIZ HARRIS, GUILD™ C

142 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

828.342.3194

|

LIZ@CASHIERS.COM

Wade Hampton Golf Club LOTS & LAND

LOT

ACRES

DESCRIPTION

MLS

LOCATION

PRICE

ESTATE PARCELS

L-8

3.85

National Forest and mountain views

94616

Silver Springs Road

$375,000

GOLF FRONT

E-32

0.92

Golf and mountain view

95880

Chimney Top Trail

$475,000

N-19

0.66

Great golf views

96232

Fox Fire

$225,000

N-55

0.81

Winter golf views, gently rolling

95803

Chimney Top Trail

$160,000

MOUNTAIN VIEWS

R-22

2.50

Near the Clubhouse with Whiteside views

97365

Chimney Top Trail

$550,000

D-17

2.87

Long range mountain views

97956

Cherokee Trace

$320,000

S-10

1.56

Mountain view, gently sloping

94614

Cherokee Trace

$195,000

R-50

0.65

Mountain and golf views

96573

Cherokee Trace

$ 60,000

FOREST FLOOR

R-43

0.72

Gently rolling, end of cul-de-sac

95244

Ox Lock Road

$185,000

R-25

0.91

Wooded, gently rolling

94896

Cherokee Trace

$100,000

R-26

0.94

Wooded, easy build site

97657

Cherokee Trace

$ 85,000

R-49

1.25

Access to Katydid Road or The Low Road

83185

Katydid Road

$ 80,000

E-25

0.98

Gently rolling and wooded

96006

Mayapple Road

$ 75,000

619 HWY 107 S

|

CASHIERS, NC 28717

|

828.743.3411

MCKEEPROPERTIES.COM 143 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

A DV E R T I S E R’ S I N D E X

4118 Kitchen and Bar A Jones Company A-List Antiques ACP Home Interiors Alair Homes Allaben Fine Art Allen Tate/Pat Allen Realty Group Annell Metsker, Artist Appalachian Golf Cars Around Back at Rocky’s Place The Bascom Barbara Jamison Paintings Bardo Arts Center Western Carolina University Bazaar Barn Bear Shadow Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beth Bowser, Artist Betsy Paul Art Benefit Betsy Paul Properties Black Bear Lodge Black Rock Granite and Cabinetry The Blue Elephant Blue Ridge Bedding Blue Ridge Music Bombshell Hair Boutique The Book Nook Bounds Cave’s Rug Gallery The Business Spot Calders Coffee Cafe Caliber Fine Properties Carolina Rustic Furniture Cashiers Chamber of Commerce Cashiers Candy Shoppe Cashiers Valley Smokehouse Center for Plastic Surgery Robert T. Buchanan, MD Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals Charles Johnson Fine Art Photography Chocolate Heaven/Cake Bar Christine’s Home Decor The Christmas Tree Classic Lighting & Design, Inc. Country Club Properties Creative Concepts Dauntless Printing Diane McPhail, Artist Dinner With Duffy The Dry Sink Dutchmans Edward Jones Investments Elena’s Women’s Golf and Activewear The Exchange

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144 W I N T ER 202 2 | T H EL AU R EL M AG A ZI N E .CO M

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P 141

A DV E R T I S E R’ S I N D E X

McKee Properties - Karaline Shomaker McKee Properties - Beth Townsend Merrell Thompson Photography Michele Page Webster, Artist Morales Painting Mountain Lakes Physicians Group Mountain Spring Spas and Pools Mountainworks Custom Home Design, Ltd. Nancy’s Fancys Nearly New Oak Steakhouse Old Edwards Inn & Spa On the Verandah Pat Calderone Peggy Marra Peak Experience Preferred Properties of Highlands - Ann Scott ProServicess Reach of Macon County Rebecka’s Home Cleaning Service Rent In Highlands-CCP Roman’s Roofing LLC Rusticks Sapphire Valley Real Estate

mckeeproperties.com

P 149

mckeeproperties.com merrellthompson.com pagetheartist.com

P 69, 134-135, 139 P5 P 64 P 17 P 108 P 19

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P 111 P 110 P 116

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P 110 P 83 P 111 P 11 P 112

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P 60

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