Mountain Escapes Aug-Sept 2023 Edition

Sequoyah birthplace museum cherokee fall festival pg 12

This issue of Mountain Escapes is chock full of events across the Southeast. Some of our favorite education and celebrate the Cherokee Nation.

First is the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival kicks off with speakers from the Museum of the Cherokee Indian,

Historically in film, literature, galleries, and textbooks, Native stories have been told by nonNative voices. In this panel, we’ll hear from citizens of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), North Carolina’s only federally recognized tribe, who are contributing to the international movement for Indigenous self-representation in media through writing, podcasting, visual art, and cultural perpetuation.

• Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle (Eastern Band Cherokee) Award-winning Author of Even as We Breathe. She lives in Qualla, NC and sits on the Board of Directors for the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and is President of the North Carolina Writers Network. She is also an Appalachian Futures Series editor for the University Press of Kentucky.

•Shana Bushyhead Condill (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) Museum of the Cherokee Indian Executive Director, has worked in the museum and cultural field for over twenty years. As Executive Director of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Condill furthers a career-spanning commitment to cultivating Native representation and selfrepresentation in public spaces, advocating for the intentional combining of mainstream best practices with Native best practices in cultural preservation.

•Nola Pina (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) Museum of the Cherokee Indian Lead Cultural Specialist. Nina grew up and still currently resides in the on the Qualla Boundary. As a Lead Cultural Specialist at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Nola enjoys demonstrating and teaching fingerweaving (she is a first-generation finger weaver herself), as well as storytelling and leading tours through the permanent exhibit.

• Rhiannon ‘Skye’ Tafoya (Eastern Band Cherokee and Santa Clara Pueblo) Is a visual artist that employs printmaking, digital design, and basketry techniques in creating her artist’s books, prints,

and paper weavings. Both of her Tribal heritages, cultures, and lineages are manifested in her twoand three-dimensional artworks that range in size from a few inches to a few feet.

• Sheyahshe Littledave (Eastern Band Cherokee) Writer/podcaster, is passionate about storytelling and writing to highlight the Indigenous experience. Her work includes publication in National Geographic, NPR, and writing children’s books. In 2021, she became the co-host of “We are Resilient: An MMIW True Crime Podcast,” dedicated to telling the untold stories of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women.

Want to learn more? Visit cmlitfest.org for more information and event schedules.

Next following right behind on September 9-10, 2023, Sequoyah Museum in Vonore, TN celebrates their 32nd annual Cherokee Fall Festival.

The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, in Vonore, Tennessee’s only tribally owned museum. Visitors will have the opportunity to step back in time to experience Native American food, Cherokee arts and crafts demonstrations, music and dance .In the museum we will be demonstrating our 1800’s Acorn Printing Press. A blacksmith will be doing on-site demonstrations in the shop both days. Other demonstrations and displays will include Cherokee life in 1700’s and a Civil War encampment. Visitors will be able to meet and talk with Cherokees from the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. Special entertainment will be provided by the Warrior Dancers of Ani-Kituhwa who are the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians official ambassadors. Check out our reconstructed 1800’s dog-trot log cabin. Meet and chat with Miss Cherokee and have your name written in Cherokee. Also there will be Cherokee cooking demonstrations. Other activities include posters from Cherokee Elementary school. We will also host a children’s blowgun competition and an adult blowgun competition on both days. Traditional Indian Fry bread and Indian tacos, and other food and drinks will be sold. This event is funded in part by Tennessee Arts Commission Rural Arts Program Grant, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. For more information read more on page 12 of Mountain Escapes!

ON THE COVER

MOUNTAIN ESCAPES

prints 6 times per year.

HOW TO ADVERTISE OR REQUEST A MEDIA KIT: CONTACT TERRY PATTERSON 865-242-1512

MOUNTAINESCAPES10@GMAIL.COM

PUBLISHER | Terry Patterson

DESIGNER | Cajun Graham

SOCIAL MEDIA | Hiring!

DISTRIBUTION | Karsten Lueth, Gary Flanagan

DISTRIBUTION AREAS

Western North Carolina, Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee & Seasonal North Georgia

ADVERTISING DEADLINES:

OCT/NOV ISSUE: September 15th

DEC/JAN ISSUE: November 15th

FEB/MAR ISSUE: January 15th

APR/MAY ISSUE: March 15th

Be Like Britain Boy

When life is crazy, the weather is hot, time is just flying by... sometimes you need to just be still.

WWW.MOUNTAINESCAPESMAGAZINE.COM

Enjoy these last summer days. Take a walk with a friend, stop and smell the flowers before the fall leaves hit and above it all, take it easy... Britain is the perfect example, take that nap!

Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) has announced the lineup for the 22nd annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, scheduled for Sept. 8-10 in Historic Downtown Bristol, Va.Tenn., which includes previously announced headliners Nickel Creek, Margo Price, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Watchhouse, The Mavericks, 49 Winchester, Larkin Poe, Allison Russell, Amythyst Kiah, and Wilderado.

We’re excited to announce the full lineup which includes the additions of Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Sierra Hull, Darrell Scott’s Electrifying Band, Daniel Donato, Alison Brown,

Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion’s has a long tradition of female inclusivity within its lineup. Approximately 46% of the acts booked in 2023 are women or include bands with at least one female. In celebration of the groundbreaking women who came before them, festival goers are encouraged to take in the special exhibit “I’ve Endured: Women in Old-Time Music” on display now through Dec. 31 at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, located steps away from a main entrance into the festival. The exhibit honors the hidden heroines, activists, and commercial success stories of women that have impacted the roots and branches of

and innovators Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Martha Spencer and Molly Tuttle, the exhibit was curated by a women-led content team at the museum and will be the first exhibition by the museum designed to travel to other institutions. Tickets to tour the museum and the special exhibit are sold separately. Tour of special exhibit is included in the price of regular museum admission.

In conjunction with the special exhibit, the Birthplace of Country

Music Museum is partnering with The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail to bring old-time music by the Mustard Cutters, The Loose Strings Band, Ferrum College’s Orchestra Appalachia, Whitetop Mountain Band, and Addie Levy to the museum during Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. Festival wristband required to attend. Weekend passes to Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion are on sale now at BristolRhythm. com.

Jim Lauderdale, Adia Victoria, Oliver Wood Trio, Sons of the East, Illiterate Light, Handmade Moments, TK & The Holy Know Nothings, The Quebe Sisters, and many others.

old-time music, past and present. From iconic musicians like Mother Maybelle and Sara Carter, Ola Belle Reed, Elizabeth Cotten, Lily May Ledford, Hazel Dickens, Etta Baker and Alice Gerrard to torchbearers

The GreeneHouse

405 Tusculum Blvd

Greeneville, TN 37745

423-823-9611

@thegreenehousegreeneville shopthegreenehouse.com

MEET THE SHOPKEEPERS

We are Robert & Becky McNeese. Born and raised in Greeneville, TN.

We are proud to call this community home. Opening The GreeneHouse in the spring of 2018 in the former Down Towne Plan Farm location on Tusculum Boulevard has been the start of an amazing adventure. We love connecting with old friends and new.

What will find at the Greenehouse? From houseplants to home décor, we have curated a fine collection of home, garden, and gift wares to brighten your living space, both indoors and out.

Our plant nursery has an excellent selection of annuals, perennials, native plants, trees and shrubs.

Don’t miss our finely curated selection of gifts, home decor, and house plants to help make your house feel like home.

Need an expert opinion? Let us take the hassle out of keeping the planters at your home or office looking great with our custom planter service.

The 45th Mountain Makins Festival will be celebrated at Rose Center, Saturday, October 22 from 10-5 and Sunday, October 23 from 11-5. The festival will feature a combination of crafts, food, music, dancing, and fun. The excitement of having a live, in person event is building, as preparations are being made to welcome visitors back to the award-winning festival this year.

can see skilled craftsmen, enjoy the sounds of bluegrass music and watch several dance groups perform throughout the weekend. Storytellers and local authors will be eager to share some tall tales both days of the event. The Country Store will be stocked with baked goods, including many southern favorites, and other food vendors will be selling kettle corn, funnel cakes and more.

Sept 22, 23, Sept 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 24, 29, 30, & Oct 1 & Oct 1

The celebration begins with a Preview Party on Friday, October 21, from 6:30 - 9 p.m. Advance-only tickets for this special evening are $35, or $40 after October 11. Guests will enjoy a gourmet buffet, live music, and will have a first look at crafts with the opportunity to purchase. Tickets for the Preview Party include admission Saturday and Sunday as well.

Rose Center looks forward to guests roaming the grounds of its historic building which will be decorated in full fall dress. Visitors

Children’s activities will be available to entertain the younger crowd.

Crafters, vendors and makers interested in participating in the festival should refer to the website www.rosecenter.org for more information. Clear your calendars and plan to join the Mountain Makins Festival in and around historic Rose Center, located at 442 W. Second North Street in Morristown. More information about the festival is available at 423-581-4330 or

www.rosecenter.org.

Re-enactment Celebration

Join us for our annual Sevier Day open house, a unique re-enactment event that celebrates the life and times of John Sevier, one of the most influential figures in Tennessee's history. This year, we'll be honoring John Sevier's birthday and deathday with a day-long celebration filled with 18th-century reenactments, demonstrations, and activities.

Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of the 18th century as you watch skilled re-enactors bring history to life. Explore our historic cabins, try your hand at traditional crafts and games, and discover what life was like for early settlers in Tennessee.

Whether you're a history buff, a fan of re-enactments, or simply looking for a fun and educational day out, Sevier Day is an event you won't want to miss.

Admission is FREE, and all ages are welcome. Bring your family and friends and make a day of it!

Marble Springs State

Historic Site is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Tennessee Historical Commission”

www.Facebook.com/ events/777109983812171

Tips 4 Trips

You’re on a day trip in the full sun feeling parched and hungry. The weather changes, there is a light drizzle and the wind has picked up. You don’t have enough money to stop in a cafe to escape the elements as that chill has run deep into your bones. Not to mention that sinking feeling as you have been unable to record all the great things you’d seen because you forgot to bring a camera. It could all have been avoided if you’d only stopped to include a few essentials on your day trip packing list.

#1. Easy to carry bag or light backpack. Personally, I like a small backpack style, whilst it’s not that glamorous it is comfortable and safe.

#2. Staying Hydrated. No matter where I go; a museum, hiking about a national park or even sailing on a day cruise – I’ll get thirsty. These days I use my own water bottle*, filled with filtered water from home.

#3. Fuel. There’s not much worse than a rumbling tummy or my sugar levels dropping so much that I start to get the shakes. I like to choose something like a piece of fruit (apple) or a muesli bar that stays fresh and won’t go off during the day.

#4. Record the Fun. Throughout my day trip, I always see and experience new and interesting things you don’t want to forget So pack a camera or make sure your smartphone is fully charged.

#5. Going to Have to Pay for Something. I usually try to budget how much I will need for the day, add in a contingency amount and take a credit card for backup.

#6. Weather or Not. I don’t generally pack for wet weather unless I know it’s forecast. If I have to take something, I add a small fold-up umbrella or rain poncho. Small and light are what I want in my day pack.

32nd Annual Cherokee Fall Festival

The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum in Vonore, Tennessee’s only tribally owned museum, will host its 32nd annual Cherokee Fall Festival on September 9th & 10th, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each day.

Visitors will have the opportunity to step back in time to experience Native American food, Cherokee arts and crafts demonstrations, music and dance .In the museum we will be demonstrating our 1800’s Acorn Printing Press.

A blacksmith will be doing on-site demonstrations in the shop both days. Other demonstrations and displays will include Cherokee life in 1700’s and a Civil War encampment. Visitors will be able to meet and talk with Cherokees from the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. Special entertainment will be provided by the Warrior Dancers of Ani-Kituhwa who are the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians official

Come Visit Our Newly Renovated Museum!

Stay informed - check out our website or like us on Facebook. Visit & enjoy our outdoor exhibits and take a walk on a 1.5 mile trail.

ambassadors. Check out our reconstructed 1800’s dog-trot log cabin. Meet and chat with Miss Cherokee and have your name written in Cherokee. Also there

Program Grant, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Tickets Adults are $10.00, children 13-18 years old are $5.00 and children 12 and

will be Cherokee cooking demonstrations. Other activities include posters from Cherokee Elementary school. We will also host a children’s blowgun competition and an adult blowgun competition on both days. Traditional Indian Fry bread and Indian tacos, and other food and drinks will be sold.

This event is funded in part by Tennessee Arts Commission Rural Arts

under are free. Family rate for $25.00 also available. For more information about the Festival, contact the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum at (423) 884-6246

Asheville may be the most popular when it comes to Western North Carolina destinations, but it’s far from the only incredible place the region has to offer. There are mountain towns and communities packed with charm throughout the area, many within close proximity to scenic drives, picturesque waterfalls, and some of the best hiking in the state. Madison County, in particular, is less than an hour from Asheville, and it’s home to the Pisgah National Forest, the Appalachian Trail, and the resort town of Hot Springs.

Tucked along the banks of the French Broad River, Hot Springs has a population of around 500. Small, yes,

but this quaint town holds its own when it comes to outdoor activities and tourist attractions. As the name implies, Hot Springs has long

been known for its healing mineral springs, which have been drawing visitors since the late 1700s. In fact, it’s the only place in North Carolina where you’ll find geothermal springs. That, along with the fact that the Appalachian Trail goes right through town, is more than enough reason to plan a summer or fall getaway to this historic mountain town.

You can experience the area’s therapeutic waters in two places: Broadwing Farm or Hot Springs Resort & Spa. The former has cabins that can be booked for nightly stays, and each one has a private outdoor hot tub filled with fresh mineral water. You can also choose to stay overnight at Hot Springs Resort & Spa (some of the accommodations

come with their own hot tubs) or reserve the jetted hot tubs — which sit along the banks of the French Broad River and Spring Creek — by the hour. The tubs are drained and sanitized after each use, but you’ll need to bring your own towels. The hot water purportedly helps relieve stress, fatigue, and pain and stiffness of the joints and muscles; after a day of hiking or driving, there’s nothing better.

Travelers may visit Hot Springs because of its reputation for healing waters, but there are also plenty of other activities, especially in the summer. Hot Springs also has opportunities for mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding, and even llama trekking tours, a unique way to hike through the valley and into Pisgah National Forest.

To really enjoy everything Hot Springs has to offer, you’ll want to visit in the warmer months. Summer is the best season for partaking in the area’s outdoor recreation activities, particularly rafting and kayaking. Fall, on the other hand, is absolutely glorious for leaf peeping. Hot Springs Resort & Spa is open year round, but the campground’s main comfort stations are closed in the winter.

828-536-5400

quilt-n-code.com

208 West Blvd Suite 1A Burnsville, NC 28714

Shop Hop ‘Til You Drop

Shop Hop Inc hosts state and regional events that promote the textile arts by bringing together sewing and quilting enthusiasts in support of local stores and communities. Each Shop Hop event features a magazine, exclusive fabrics, giveaways, patterns and prizes.

Not only is it an amazing event bringing the textile art community together, but their magazine features one of our won amazing advertisers!

The All Carolinas Shop Hop brings together sewing and quilting enthusiasts from across North and South Carolina as well as neighboring states. The event will run September 1 - October 31 in 2023.

The All Carolinas Shop Hop Magazine is your guide to all things about the event, participating stores and sponsors. The Magazine also includes valuable patterns, projects and articles along with the official passport and map. Each participating store offers the exclusive Shop Hop fabric, along with

other give-aways, raffles and prizes. Participants have their passport stamped at each store they visit to qualify for additional prizes.

Julianne’s quilt, “On My List”, is featured on the cover! Kits are available for preorder here:

www.caryquilting.com/ products/on-my-list-quilt-kit

Besides an Official Passport and Map of Stores, the magazine contains patterns, articles and other resources for sewing and quilting.

The magazine notes special Shop Hop store hours and Regional and State maps that make it easy to plan your route.

Each person in your party will need a passport in order to register for prizes.

You’ll want to reference your magazine all year. Use it to find a quilt shop whenever you are meandering through the Carolinas. Be inspired by the patterns, projects and articles.

Make sure you stop by Quilt-N-Code at 208 West Blvd Suite 1A in Burnsville, NC to snag a copy for your self!

Fall is the Best Time to Plant

Autumn is a special season as temperatures cool and a kaleidoscope of colors fills the landscape. Avid gardeners are cleaning out their gardens in anticipation of the change of season from fall to winter. So why is fall the “Best Time to Plant?” A valid question indeed!

What plants benefit from a fall installation? For trees and shrubs, planting in the fall is ideal. It is the perfect time to establish a “green screen” for privacy between neighbors using emerald green or green giant arborvitae, Leyland cypress or skip laurels. Looking forward to the spring, a tree-lined street or yard filled with beautiful redbuds, flowering dogwoods or

cherry trees will greet you with blooms in 2021 if installed this fall.

What are the benefits of fall planting?

As temperatures cool and rain showers increase, Mother Nature is preparing us for a transition from fall to winter. Installing trees and shrubs during this transition allows the roots to get established in warmer temperatures before the freeze sets in. There is less care needed in comparison to the spring and hot summer months, when regular watering several times a week is required. Cooler nights and mornings help plants retain moisture and settle in.

What are the secrets to success when planting in the fall?

A well-laid foundation is the key to success for any project. When installing trees and shrubs, it is important to research the needs of your chosen plant to help it get off to a good start. In general, a hole has to be dug to the specifications needed by the plant, and its roots should be loosened prior to placing it in the ground. It often helps to amend the native soil with products that will enhance the fertility, drainage and moisture retention of your plant’s new home. One ingredient our team uses is a root stimulator that helps drives success when added to the amended soil mixture. Most importantly, you should water the plant with an open hose. Then, top dress around it with mulch, being careful to avoid the trunk/stem of the plant. Once it is installed, fall and winter rains will set in and allow your new tree or shrub to become well established by

spring. Spring rains will be the “wake up call” that ushers in a season of glorious growth.

How can I protect my plants through the winter?

Slow growth patterns take over in fall, and fall plantings begin to go into dormancy as winter sets in. Watering plants as needed ensures well-insulated roots that will help maintain the wellbeing of the plant. In recent years, we have had warmer winters. During warm winter days and before a severe freeze, be sure to soak the root ball with an open hose to insulate the roots with water, providing moisture for the entire plant. There is no need for sprinklers or other watering devices, just an open hose is needed for a root drench at the mulch line.

Gardening in Western North Carolina is a four-season affair, and fall is the perfect time to incorporate new trees and shrubs for a rainbow of color yearround. Since many garden retailers will be getting in fresh shipments from the West Coast, the month of September is a great time to source unique conifers and spring-blooming trees that will beautify your landscape for years to come.

40th Annual Mountain Glory Festival

Celebrate the arrival of autumn in the Blue Ridge Mountains during Marion, North Carolina’s 40th Annual Mountain Glory Festival. This event spotlights regional makers and the joys of small-town living. Visitors looking for original handicrafts will find plenty of choices for shopping with three jam-packed blocks, featuring over 150 craft, food, non-profit and sponsor booths of locally made arts and crafts; festival foods and local restaurants. Plus, two stages presenting Marion’s finest musicians.

One of the signature events during the festival is the Mountain Glory Quilt Show inside of the McDowell Arts Council, located at 50 South Main Street. Make plans to visit the show, where you can see a variety of handmade quilts created by quilters from around the region.

Bring the kiddos for a day of family fun. This year’s event features a "Kid’s Korner" with handson activities, local entertainment and the ever popular best-dressed pet contest.

If you have a pet that you love to dress up, the best-dressed pet contest is for you. Simply bring your furry or feathered best friend, strut your stuff in the contest and wait for the crowd to vote for the best dressed.

Free shuttle services will run from Rose’s parking lot, located at 600 North Main Street, to the festival site every half hour. Handicap Parking will be available behind State Farm Insurance, located at 70 North Main Street.

Come for the culture. Stay for the fun. Who knows, you might even see Marion’s Official Animal, Bigfoot.

The festival is sponsored by the City of Marion. For festival information, visit wwwmtngloryfestival.com or call 828-652-2215. To find additional area events, attractions and lodging information, visit www.blueridgetraveler. com or call toll free (888-233-6111) to receive a free visitor guide and map.

A destination for visitors from across the US and a cherished asset for local residents, the Virginia Creeper Trail is best known as a biking trail, but in reality, the VCT is a multi-use trail with opportunities to bike, walk, run, fish, horseback ride, people watch, cross country ski and geocache, along with chances to observe and learn about the native fauna and flora, as well as the fascinating historical and economic role the railroad played in southwest Virginia.

From Whitetop Station near the top of the second highest peak in Virginia, the Creeper Trail meanders (mostly!) down hill through and over some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable – open farmlands and fields, dense forests, Christmas tree farms, rushing streams and creeks. On your way, you’ll sail across nearly 50 wooden trestles as you glide above this stunning scenery and travel through small, charming towns and past restored railroad depots. The VCT will

intersect with the Appalachian Trail at a few points along your journey and, between Damascus and Whitetop, you’ll find Whitetop Laurel Creek, one of Virginia’s largest and most beautiful wild trout streams, just feet from the trail.

The diverse landscape, the elevation variability and multiple access points all combine to make for a design-your-own Creeper Trail adventure and a chance to individualize your experience according to your time constraints, what portions of the trail you’d like to see, or whether you’re riding with very young children or energetic teens.

Most visitors rent bikes from any of the multiple bike shops, outfitters and shuttle operators in Damascus and Abingdon, who can also provide shuttle service to the access point of your choice whether it be at Whitetop Station, Abingdon or Damascus. You’ll find the prices reasonable and the owners and staff friendly, knowledgeable and

accommodating. Feel free to bring your own bike too – and then grab a shuttle from a bike shop to your desired drop-off!

Whether you’re headed up or down, you’ll find many places to eat in both Damascus and Abingdon and several great little cafés and ice cream stops, right along the trail – even a pet fountain just off the trail in Abingdon! In addition, there are

several vault toilets trail side, as well as restroom facilities at several of the restored rail depots and at the trail head.

Come soon and visit often – for an adventure all yours! www.vacreepertrail.org

Handpicked Memories

In Antwerp, a jeweler finds quality and value

Amidst the medieval streets and Renaissance monuments dominating the centuries-old city of Antwerp, Belgium, lies a single square mile of mostly nondescriptlooking 20th century structures. Remarkably, the $54 billion annual business that lies within those few city blocks places Antwerp at the heart of the world’s trade for one specific product: diamonds.

Last October, Fountain City jeweler Mark Enix and his wife made their way along the main traffic artery of the city’s Diamond Quarter to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, at the center of the district. Steel barricades and heavily armed guards are a constant reminder of the “heist of the century,” the largest diamond theft in history. Almost 20 years after a small band of criminals pulled off such an audacious caper, those involved with the trade have yet to forget the more than $100 billion worth of diamonds, gold and other jewelry that disappeared in the dead of night.

Enix was part of a trip organized by the Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO), an association that helps its members purchase diamonds in Antwerp for their stores and customers each year. Every IJO-planned trip includes an upclose look at how the industry operates, from rough to expertly cut and polished diamonds.

“Going to Belgium is a great opportunity for me to personally pick out my client’s diamonds directly from the world’s best diamond cutters and dealers,” says Enix, the owner of Fountain City Jewelers, a full-service, familyowned jewelry store located near the duck pond in Fountain City.

“It’s an exciting experience for me, and my customers love the fact that I travel to the ‘Diamond Capital of the World’ to select diamonds especially for them. Because I become my clients’ personal broker, the diamonds I buy for them are personal. When a man gives a handpicked diamond to his wife, girlfriend or fiancée, there’s now a special story that goes along with it.” Mark stays in contact with his clients during the whole process making sure they are apart of the experience.

through various parcels. It’s just an amazing experience.”

Mark’s yearly trek to Antwerp, will be in September of 2023 to hand select the perfect diamonds for his clients, delivering that personal touch Mark is known for. Mark takes the journey to Antwerp as his special mission to hand select diamonds for his customers, and he doesn’t charge his customers for going the extra mile either, rather it’s a service he wants to provide so his clients know they are getting the very best he can offer. “It’s a great opportunity to look through thousands of diamonds to find the exact one they have been looking for at the best price,” said Enix. His attention to detail and heart for his customers results in not just the purchase of a diamond, but the realization of someone’s dream.

carat, color, clarity and cut the customer wants.

It’s my job to narrow those options down based on what I know about diamonds and what I know about my customer. Of course, I send my customer photos of the last three or four options I’ve selected, along with my recommendations, but in the end it usually comes down to one question, ‘Which one would you pick?’ I’m please to say that, so far, my customers have been extremely happy with the diamonds I’ve personally selected for them.”

According to Enix, about 84 percent of the world’s diamonds go to Antwerp’s bustling diamond district to be cut, polished and/or distributed. To accommodate this constant flow of precious gems, the district is home to 380 workshops that serve 1,500 companies. More than 3,500 brokers, merchants and diamond cutters work in the district.

“Because you can eliminate the middleman, it is one of the few places on earth to get the best prices on diamonds,” explains Enix, a diamond grader and appraiser. “And your selection is only limited by the amount of time you have to sort

“No one diamond is perfect for everybody,” he states. “But when I go on an international buying trip, I put a lot of pressure on myself to get the best deal possible on one that I think is right for a particular customer. When I have a customer standing right in front of me, I can ask which of several diamonds he likes the best, and he can choose. But when you’re almost 4,300 miles away, you have to know exactly what he is looking for. Rather than have three or four diamonds to look at, there are hundreds or even thousands of diamonds right in front of you that are close to the

Along with the diamonds he purchased specifically for customers during his last trip to Antwerp, Mark also selected a number of gorgeous polished stones for his store that he’ll use to create unique diamond jewelry. His next expedition to Belgium will include his wife,Flower, who is gemologist and accredited jewelry professional for the Gemological Institute of America. Between the two of them, they share over 50 years experience so together they are sure to pick out the diamond of their client’s dreams. “Being a personal diamond broker for my valued customers is, to me, the ultimate in customer service.”