Visit Highlands, NC

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Highlands, NC is one of the highest towns east of the Mississippi River with an elevation

[00:00:07] [SPEAKER_00]: of 4,118 feet.

[00:00:11] [SPEAKER_00]: It is located in one of the few temperate rainforests in North America.

[00:00:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Join us at the table as we discuss the Highlands of NC.

[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to the Steel Magnolias Podcast.

[00:00:24] [SPEAKER_01]: We are two sisters here to have uplifting conversations about life in the South.

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_00]: The South is full of beautiful diversity in landscape, people groups and culture.

[00:00:35] [SPEAKER_00]: And we want to showcase each part.

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: We've got plenty of room at our table so pull up your chair.

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back to the table and welcome home sis.

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Laura Beth.

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm Lainie.

[00:00:50] [SPEAKER_01]: And we are here to discuss your recent trip to Highlands, NC.

[00:00:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah I made it to the Highlands for the first time.

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_00]: The Highlands of NC that is.

[00:01:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Now do they say the Highlands or is it Highlands?

[00:01:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Just Highlands.

[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay so when you...

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: The Highlands is really more Scotland I think.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's why I was confused as to what you guys were going to be doing.

[00:01:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I was like now haven't you already been to the Highland Games that they do in North

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Carolina and you were like yes but that's different.

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I know it is confusing and it is a beautiful area.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_00]: It's mountainous and your friend Christy who lives in Blowing Rock had commented on a

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_00]: picture I put up and said you should be in Blowing Rock.

[00:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And I thought I can see that these two mountain towns may have a little competition.

[00:01:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe even Banner Elk as well which is a different spot.

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Like all of them are adorable mountain towns and I've not actually made it to Banner

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Elk but Blowing Rock is so sweet.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_00]: But I was really glad to go to Highlands.

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Well I'm looking at the map so this is way west North Carolina, western North Carolina.

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And almost to the Georgia line.

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_00]: The Georgia North Carolina line like low.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Did you guys drive from Nashville?

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Did you go through Chattanooga?

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_00]: We did.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_00]: You can go through Knoxville and when we came home because we were up high in a

[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_00]: different part we came home through Knoxville.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh you did.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Alright.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00]: But we went there from here through Chattanooga.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay cool.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Which took me the same way I went when I went to the Blue Ridge.

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh when you were over in the Blue Ridge, Georgia.

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_00]: But then kind of darted, went further west.

[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you guys, what did it take you what?

[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Five hours from Nashville.

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And just I was going to get to this but I'll go ahead and say.

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And sometimes people call it the Highlands Cashiers area.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I heard too.

[00:02:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Because those are both towns.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Cashiers is a city name?

[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a city as well.

[00:02:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So the Highlands Cashiers area is about 130 miles north of Atlanta.

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_00]: So and then about 70 miles southwest of Asheville.

[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So that kind of puts in perspective where it is in the state.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I mentioned that it's you know one of the highest towns east of the Mississippi.

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And because it's in this rainforest, which is unique and it's located on a plateau in

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_00]: the southern Appalachian Mountains.

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Lovely.

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I saw a ton of different Native American words.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: So an example it's within the Nantahala National Forest.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: But you see a lot of words that you can tell are Native American words.

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Anyhow, but they experience notably cooler weather.

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Is that why you all picked to go there?

[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Than the rest of the American South, which is why I wanted to go there for one.

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Why I wanted to go in you know late summer Labor Day kind of time frame.

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: It's pretty hot here and because of that altitude that's why it's cooler.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: But that's also why so many people this is a wild thing about this area.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_00]: The population, the permanent, let me say the permanent population for the 2020 census

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_00]: was a thousand fourteen.

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_00]: That's tiny.

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, that's tiny.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_00]: That is so tiny.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_01]: I think I know where you're going with this, but how many homeowners?

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_00]: So lots of Atlanta people have a second home in Highlands or cashiers because they

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_00]: want to get away from that heat.

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And this is just a couple of hours so I can get there.

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And I've even known people here who say when it's the heat of summer, we're getting

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: away to Highlands because we want to have cooler temps.

[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So it's a second hometown.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a second hometown.

[00:05:01] [SPEAKER_01]: So when I was hearing this from mom because she went with you, I was asking, I was

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_01]: like, what's that word for when people have the home in one place when it's cool

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_01]: and the other home when it, and she goes rich.

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_01]: I call them weather chasers, but no, like snowbirds, I think was the word that I

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_01]: was looking for, but like something like along those lines.

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_01]: But yes, also that.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's going to explain some of the things that were observations is keep in

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_00]: mind there's a thousand people that are there permanently, but most of the

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: people are there part time.

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:05:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you have a second home, that usually means you have means.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Means.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: So that showed up in some of my observations anyway, I didn't want to

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_00]: mention this because it was so cute as I was driving around, I passed a school,

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_00]: the Highlands school.

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_00]: They're only public school.

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, K through 12.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, wow.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Can you imagine?

[00:06:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause oh my gosh, home of the Highlanders.

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, wow.

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_00]: The Highland school, home of the Highlanders.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was a guy in a kilt.

[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I was like, I love this place.

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I love Scotland.

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, class.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Now Highlands was founded in 1875 and I found this interesting as well.

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00]: So Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson were the founders.

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_00]: But according to, I think it was Wikipedia where I read this, they

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: drew lines from Chicago to Savannah and New Orleans to New York City.

[00:06:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And they felt that the place where these lines met would eventually become a

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_00]: great trading center in commercial crossroads.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And they named it Highlands for the lofty elevation.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's the point where they cross, where their lines crossed.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Where those two lines crossed.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Very interesting to me.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I thought you were going to say that's how they ended up marking

[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_01]: off where North Carolina was.

[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_01]: But no, that's an even, wow.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Isn't that cool?

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00]: In the 1930s, this area became a golfing Mecca when Bobby Jones of

[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Atlanta and some of his golf buddies founded the Highlands Country Club.

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_00]: So today that is one of seven successful residential country

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_00]: clubs in that area.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_00]: So again, people with me.

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_00]: So I already told kind of where it falls in relation to, you know,

[00:07:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Atlanta and Nashville.

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Gorgeous.

[00:07:34] [SPEAKER_00]: But this area is, you know, great weather in your, in the mountains,

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_00]: but it has a lot of beautiful waterfalls.

[00:07:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh really?

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_00]: So I knew that from a few people's pictures, I had seen that at least

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: there was a couple, so I thought, well, I'm going to look up

[00:07:51] [SPEAKER_00]: waterfalls to see, you know, is that something I can see while I'm there?

[00:07:55] [SPEAKER_00]: There's like 12.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Right in that area.

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Some are longer hikes than others, but I mean, there's many that are,

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_00]: you know, like a mile in or like not crazy, crazy hikes.

[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_00]: There was one literally you just barely pulled off the road to see.

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_00]: And then another that you could see pretty, it was pretty far away from

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_00]: the road, but then they had this nice path that you could walk down and

[00:08:28] [SPEAKER_00]: then go under it.

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Ooh, cool.

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_00]: So, and I think there was a $3 fee to park to get to that one

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_00]: that's called dry falls.

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_00]: So definitely recommend seeing dry falls, but there were so many

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_00]: and I only was a three day trip, so I didn't get to do a lot of

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_00]: that and also see the towns and everything.

[00:08:48] [SPEAKER_00]: But so you saw dry falls and you saw which other one?

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: The other one was just called bridal veil falls, which you just barely

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_00]: had to pull off the road to see.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And oh my gosh, speaking of roads, let me tell you that part of the story.

[00:09:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you get car sick?

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Not at all because I was the driver, but that's no joke.

[00:09:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know that I've ever driven that many windy.

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I'm talking dragon tail roads.

[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's you got to, I have to mentally prepare for

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_01]: that as driver or passenger.

[00:09:18] [SPEAKER_00]: And I actually, it was so beautiful that I enjoyed it.

[00:09:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:09:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Just something I thought this is worth mentioning.

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I was really glad I was in an SUV and not my little bitty car.

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I used to have last year.

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Did you feel like the air was different?

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_00]: The air was just clean and crisp feeling.

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I love that feeling.

[00:09:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I do too.

[00:09:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Cause you don't really notice it until you are in the good.

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_00]: That's right.

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Until you're in it and out of what you're used to.

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_00]: This is so again, when you're in the heat of the American south,

[00:09:54] [SPEAKER_00]: that's so refreshing.

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_00]: It really is.

[00:09:58] [SPEAKER_00]: What else did y'all do or eat or see?

[00:10:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, there's a lot to see and do again with waterfalls comes hiking

[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and with waterfalls having water comes fishing.

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: So if those are your things, did you see anybody?

[00:10:13] [SPEAKER_00]: We did see people fishing.

[00:10:15] [SPEAKER_00]: They have fly fishing, which I've never tried but want to, as well

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_00]: as just normal fishing and they're known for brown rainbow and wild brook trout.

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, there's many rivers in the area.

[00:10:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Most of which have native American names that I don't want to butcher.

[00:10:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Nantahala.

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_00]: We'll put a link.

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Tuckasegee.

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_00]: To some of this.

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Koolasaja.

[00:10:41] [SPEAKER_00]: There you go.

[00:10:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_00]: So May through October are the prime fishing months.

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And I would say May through October are kind of the prime months to be there

[00:10:54] [SPEAKER_00]: because of the reprieve of the heat.

[00:10:57] [SPEAKER_00]: For sure.

[00:10:57] [SPEAKER_01]: That's where the population goes up.

[00:11:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I also mentioned golf.

[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_00]: There are many private golf courses in the area and so if that's your

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_00]: thing, definitely that would be a hook to want to visit here.

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_00]: And many of them have these high elevations with these stunning vistas.

[00:11:19] [SPEAKER_00]: I bet that's cool.

[00:11:20] [SPEAKER_00]: So.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_00]: That's got to be cool.

[00:11:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:11:23] [SPEAKER_00]: So I really enjoyed that.

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Now we also got to see cashiers because they're just right together.

[00:11:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Like 10 minutes?

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:11:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:11:32] [SPEAKER_00]: The center of that community is the intersection of North Carolina

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Highway 107 and US Highway 64.

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_00]: They have lots of similarities in what shops they even have.

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_00]: So when I get to talking about some shopping, I did find it funny that some

[00:11:51] [SPEAKER_00]: of the shops were their only two locations, cashiers and highlands where

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, they're so close together.

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_00]: That's really funny to me.

[00:12:00] [SPEAKER_01]: But.

[00:12:00] [SPEAKER_01]: And this is a big furniture hub.

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Is that correct?

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Or am I thinking of a different?

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_00]: No, that's a different area.

[00:12:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:12:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:12:06] [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, so that would be funny to think of having two locations, 10 minutes apart.

[00:12:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[00:12:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:12:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I thought that was funny.

[00:12:14] [SPEAKER_00]: What else to say about that?

[00:12:15] [SPEAKER_00]: They had a little cashiers farmers market that we went to, which was great.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_00]: It's not a like Saturday farmers market thing.

[00:12:24] [SPEAKER_00]: This is like a always there.

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, okay.

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Farmers market, lots of produce.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I tried a couple of muscadines.

[00:12:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Did you know not something I see very often.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I tried the.

[00:12:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I saw our Aldi has muscadines right now.

[00:12:40] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if that's a normal thing for them to carry this time of year,

[00:12:43] [SPEAKER_01]: but I was surprised.

[00:12:44] [SPEAKER_00]: It's just such a unique taste.

[00:12:46] [SPEAKER_00]: It's very earthy in the taste.

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I don't know the verdict still out how much I actually like them,

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER_00]: but I appreciate the flavor.

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure.

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_00]: So if you don't want to know what we're talking about, we did a

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_01]: whole episode on muscadines.

[00:13:02] [SPEAKER_01]: A big part of Southern produce.

[00:13:05] [SPEAKER_00]: It is.

[00:13:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And even our, a lot of our wines in this region are from muscadines, but anyhow,

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_00]: they had lots of local fare there as well and some regional stuff.

[00:13:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I bought hub's peanuts because I love hub's peanuts and you know,

[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_00]: they had them and I wanted a couple of snacks to have around.

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_00]: So fun.

[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And Lake Glenville is just a few miles north of cashiers and it's a

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_00]: good size lake.

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_00]: It is the lake with the highest elevation East of the Mississippi at 3,500 feet.

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a great place for fishing and boating.

[00:13:41] [SPEAKER_00]: That's where I saw a lot of people fishing.

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_00]: There is a beach across from the high falls trailhead where you can rent

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_00]: pontoon boats and just a lot to do in this area, a lot of outdoor things

[00:13:55] [SPEAKER_00]: to do.

[00:13:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I would expect so was such pretty scenery.

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_00]: I know.

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I really enjoyed it.

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Now, as I mentioned with this being a place where a lot of the population is

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_00]: their second home and that they had means one of the things I found was a

[00:14:16] [SPEAKER_00]: lot of the dining was fine dining.

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And a lot of the shops were bougie boutiques.

[00:14:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:24] [SPEAKER_00]: So just know that going.

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_00]: It was a little sticker shock ish for me.

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I didn't buy a lot in the shops because it was just out of my league,

[00:14:36] [SPEAKER_00]: but I enjoyed it.

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I enjoyed looking around and getting ideas and things like that.

[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_00]: But did they have like a downtown area?

[00:14:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Think what they were made straight.

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: They drag.

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_00]: They do.

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And then that's where the shopping was.

[00:14:50] [SPEAKER_00]: It is.

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_00]: And, and a lot of the restaurants and ample parking.

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I will say that.

[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Like I never had trouble finding parking.

[00:15:01] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's kind of funny in a mountain town, like I would feel like it's the

[00:15:05] [SPEAKER_01]: layout, the landscape is interesting.

[00:15:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Like there was a layout of a lot of parking in the center and

[00:15:12] [SPEAKER_00]: the shops are all around.

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_00]: So they've done some serious city planning before.

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_00]: It seems like it or in the expansions that came or something.

[00:15:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I felt like they did that really well and kind of the crown jewel.

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_00]: If you will, of the town is the old Edward Inn and spa.

[00:15:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So that is a sounds old.

[00:15:35] [SPEAKER_00]: It's old.

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_00]: It's from the 1800s.

[00:15:38] [SPEAKER_00]: It's on the historic, you know, um, places.

[00:15:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Forget what it's.

[00:15:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah.

[00:15:44] [SPEAKER_00]: The national registry.

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm gonna, I don't know why I had like a little brain fog there.

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_00]: So it's gorgeous.

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_00]: So there's no question.

[00:15:53] [SPEAKER_00]: It's gorgeous.

[00:15:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:15:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I looked at, you know, it was out of my league to stay there, but I love

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER_00]: seeing places like that.

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_00]: So we did have one meal there, which I'll get to, but, um, yeah.

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_00]: So it's the actual, so they have several properties.

[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_00]: It's really funny because they're kind of the hub, if you will,

[00:16:15] [SPEAKER_00]: of that main street area.

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_00]: The, um, main in has 69 rooms.

[00:16:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's a lot.

[00:16:24] [SPEAKER_00]: That's a decent size.

[00:16:26] [SPEAKER_00]: They also have other properties.

[00:16:28] [SPEAKER_00]: They have half mile farm, which has 31 rooms.

[00:16:31] [SPEAKER_00]: They have a old Edwards club, which is a private Tom Jackson designed

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: golf course, which, you know, has its own dining and fitness centers

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER_00]: and all the things that golf clubs are, you know, have.

[00:16:46] [SPEAKER_00]: So several different properties, not just the one in, but that main

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_00]: in 69 rooms, um, a lot of them have fireplaces and very, um, I would say

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_00]: English looking, um, decor.

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:17:05] [SPEAKER_00]: When you first come into the hotel, lots of dark wood and, you know,

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I can picture this paintings and it's beautiful.

[00:17:15] [SPEAKER_00]: They have a bar area that's all dark wood.

[00:17:19] [SPEAKER_00]: And I thought that would be, it was early in the day.

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_00]: So it wasn't even open, but I thought that would be a nice place to hear some

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_00]: music and have a drink or something like that.

[00:17:30] [SPEAKER_00]: They have, um, two or three restaurants.

[00:17:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, wow.

[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, they're at the end kind of different themes.

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I think one of them is like a pizza bistro.

[00:17:42] [SPEAKER_00]: One is the main restaurant called Madison's and then Madison's has

[00:17:47] [SPEAKER_00]: an outdoor area wine garden, which is where we ate.

[00:17:51] [SPEAKER_00]: So I'll get to that food in a minute, but yeah.

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_00]: So the inn and then across the street, it has its own shop called Acorns where

[00:18:02] [SPEAKER_00]: they sell linens and some of the things that they have in the hotel.

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah.

[00:18:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So the old Edwards Inn is kind of a focal point of the town.

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Good to know.

[00:18:16] [SPEAKER_00]: So anyhow, with the, um, restaurants that they have to offer, we had a

[00:18:23] [SPEAKER_00]: meal that was so spectacular.

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I know I can't wait to talk about it.

[00:18:29] [SPEAKER_00]: So the restaurant is called Lakeside restaurant.

[00:18:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:18:34] [SPEAKER_00]: It is Lakeside.

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_00]: It's on Harris Lake.

[00:18:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:18:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Uh, this was their, I think they're in their 35th season.

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's no small thing for a small, for a restaurant.

[00:18:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And it is fine dining.

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And I would just say they're kind of known for featuring fresh seafood,

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_00]: which I love and they had a very extensive wine list.

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Were there wineries around there or that's a good question.

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't remember saying that.

[00:19:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, extensive in the sense of, you know, Italian, California.

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_00]: They got you covered from, you know, they had.

[00:19:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Plenty of choices by the glass and many, many, many more by the bottle.

[00:19:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Of course.

[00:19:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, they got your Opus one, the whole, the whole nine yards, whatever

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_00]: your price point is.

[00:19:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I know they're crowd.

[00:19:27] [SPEAKER_00]: How did you find out about this place?

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Were you just doing some research before your trip?

[00:19:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I was doing research before I went and you know, lots of good

[00:19:34] [SPEAKER_00]: reviews and the service was really good.

[00:19:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Makes such a difference.

[00:19:40] [SPEAKER_00]: And this is a restaurant that I think there was only 12 tables, so not large,

[00:19:45] [SPEAKER_00]: but that's why they do everything so well.

[00:19:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I think.

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Anyway, if this is a place you go regularly and you haven't been,

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER_00]: you got to try Lakeside.

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_00]: If you've never been, make sure to put this on your list when you go.

[00:20:00] [SPEAKER_00]: So I, you know, if somebody's known for seafood, I'm sticking

[00:20:03] [SPEAKER_00]: with seafood because I love it.

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_00]: So we had, um, and this was our big meal of the trip.

[00:20:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So we did appetizer salads, the whole deal appetizer wise.

[00:20:16] [SPEAKER_00]: We had scallops and they served them on this carrot and ginger puree.

[00:20:22] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, that sounds so good.

[00:20:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Some crumbled goat cheese and we had their seared Ahi tuna.

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:20:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I love Ahi tuna.

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And of course you'll, when I tell you this, you'll know why I loved it.

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER_00]: It was very Asian.

[00:20:37] [SPEAKER_01]: That carrot ginger puree already sounded Asian.

[00:20:41] [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, this was pickled vegetables, sesame seeds, avocado,

[00:20:46] [SPEAKER_00]: chili, basil, vinaigrette.

[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_00]: That's got Lainey written all over it.

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Loved that appetizer the most.

[00:20:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, salads, mom had a salad of the day and I'm not going to

[00:20:58] [SPEAKER_00]: remember exactly what all it had in it, but it was a lot of fruit,

[00:21:02] [SPEAKER_00]: kiwi, strawberry, that kind of thing.

[00:21:05] [SPEAKER_00]: I love a roasted beet salad because it's something I don't ever make at home.

[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_00]: So this one was, um, Mandarin oranges, walnuts, feta, obviously the

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_00]: roasted beets, but a champagne citrus vinaigrette.

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_00]: There we go.

[00:21:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that works.

[00:21:23] [SPEAKER_00]: That works really well.

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_00]: So delicious.

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I've never made a champagne vinaigrette.

[00:21:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Have you?

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Never in my life.

[00:21:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was so good champagne citrus.

[00:21:34] [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, I mean, how do you go wrong?

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I might want to try that because I'm always drawn anytime I see on a

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_01]: menu, a champagne vinaigrette.

[00:21:42] [SPEAKER_01]: So good.

[00:21:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe I'm just drawn to champagne.

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_00]: You had me at champagne.

[00:21:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Entrees.

[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, so I've mentioned that there's a lot of trout in the area.

[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_00]: So we did try some trout.

[00:21:57] [SPEAKER_01]: I was hoping you did.

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_00]: We did.

[00:21:59] [SPEAKER_00]: They're known for their North Carolina rainbow trout.

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I think they get it from 45 minutes away.

[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause I said, is this, you know, great.

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_00]: So good.

[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, it's sauteed in wine, lemon and butter.

[00:22:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Yum.

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER_00]: All you need right there.

[00:22:12] [SPEAKER_01]: That is, I mean, that's right.

[00:22:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Delicious.

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_00]: The fewer ingredients, the better in any regard.

[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_00]: They also had a delicious hazelnut encrusted halibut.

[00:22:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I love halibut so much.

[00:22:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And it came on champagne, mushroom risotto and had asparagus with it.

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:22:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Delightful.

[00:22:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I know y'all are probably going, y'all had a lot of food.

[00:22:39] [SPEAKER_00]: We did.

[00:22:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:22:40] [SPEAKER_00]: This was the big meal and mom had butter roasted lobster tail.

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Of course she did.

[00:22:46] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was so interesting because it was on a, um, I don't want to butcher

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_00]: this.

[00:22:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know how to say it.

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Pap, Pepperdale, which is a pasta with wild mushrooms, cherry

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER_00]: tomatoes and this delicious sauce.

[00:23:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh my gosh.

[00:23:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was two lobster tails.

[00:23:05] [SPEAKER_00]: No way.

[00:23:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:23:07] [SPEAKER_00]: They were very generous.

[00:23:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Was she surprised when that came out?

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_01]: When there was two, I'll just tell you that we rolled out of there and

[00:23:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I had to drive the curvy roads home.

[00:23:19] [SPEAKER_00]: So I did get coffee with my full of C.

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, we had dessert.

[00:23:25] [SPEAKER_00]: We did have dessert.

[00:23:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I said, just bring us what you want to bring us for dessert.

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Like, and we're going to share one.

[00:23:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was a, like a chocolate and peanut butter situation cake thing.

[00:23:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:23:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Very good.

[00:23:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:23:41] [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, I just can't say enough.

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, we didn't finish it.

[00:23:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying, wow.

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_01]: I finished a lot of things.

[00:23:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Seeing why y'all rolled out.

[00:23:49] [SPEAKER_01]: You just wanted to try, try, try.

[00:23:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Which is how you get to know a place.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_01]: It's really difficult to say much about a place if you don't try a lot of stuff.

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Try some things.

[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, when they say that they are fine dining and fresh seafood, so

[00:24:04] [SPEAKER_00]: highly recommend dinner at Lakeside restaurant, their chef, Kevin Turner

[00:24:09] [SPEAKER_00]: and sous chef Todd Grove did an amazing job.

[00:24:14] [SPEAKER_00]: So y'all check them out for sure.

[00:24:16] [SPEAKER_00]: So good.

[00:24:18] [SPEAKER_01]: So you were very full from that.

[00:24:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Were there other very light breakfast?

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Were there other meals that you all had out?

[00:24:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Cause you were staying at a VRBO.

[00:24:28] [SPEAKER_00]: So we did some of our meals in, but we did have some things, some more

[00:24:33] [SPEAKER_00]: meals out, there was a place.

[00:24:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I hope I say this right.

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Edelweiss pastry boutique.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:24:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Is it Edelweiss?

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_00]: It's Edelweiss.

[00:24:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Edelweiss?

[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Is that Edelweiss?

[00:24:47] [SPEAKER_00]: How funny.

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I did not even put that together.

[00:24:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I want to tell people you may want to follow them on Instagram or Facebook

[00:24:55] [SPEAKER_00]: because just to see the beauty.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I cannot tell you how beautiful these things were.

[00:25:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:25:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I took a few pictures that I can show, but even their Facebook had more

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_00]: pictures that I'm like, these are so much better than what I took through

[00:25:09] [SPEAKER_00]: a case.

[00:25:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure.

[00:25:11] [SPEAKER_00]: You know what I mean?

[00:25:12] [SPEAKER_00]: It just gets a glare on it and that kind of thing, but it's owned

[00:25:17] [SPEAKER_00]: and operated by pastry chef, chocolatier and confectioner Oksana.

[00:25:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not even going to try to say this.

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER_00]: So they're probably Austrian.

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Sounds like it.

[00:25:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:25:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And it looks like it.

[00:25:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So anyway, these pastries and tarts and cheesecakes and eclairs and croissants

[00:25:39] [SPEAKER_00]: are delicious.

[00:25:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Beautiful.

[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I brought Philip something.

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if he mentioned if it was good.

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Also a peanut butter chocolate.

[00:25:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, because I know he likes that.

[00:25:51] [SPEAKER_00]: So anyway, that is a place you I got chocolate croissants because I

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_00]: love those with a coffee.

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Lady finds good places.

[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, when something's first of all, it's in this house that has a huge porch.

[00:26:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh cool.

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Like you just notice it as you're driving and then it's called a pastry

[00:26:13] [SPEAKER_00]: boutique.

[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, who's not going to stop at that?

[00:26:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I've never been in a pastry boutique.

[00:26:17] [SPEAKER_00]: It was spectacular.

[00:26:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[00:26:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Another meal that we had, I mentioned at old Edwards Inn.

[00:26:24] [SPEAKER_00]: They have the wine garden, which was outside under kind of market umbrellas.

[00:26:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Beautiful music playing.

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a little waterfall with, you know, the nature sounds, not a lot of

[00:26:42] [SPEAKER_00]: tables.

[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, it has a bar as you're walking in that you see that's outside as well.

[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_00]: It is, it was so lovely.

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I was like that.

[00:26:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm picturing this so wonderfully.

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it was lovely.

[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's, you know, you're looking at the hotel on one side and you

[00:26:59] [SPEAKER_00]: know, the waterfall and everything.

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_00]: It's just beautiful.

[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_00]: So a lot, it's kind of what you might expect a lunch menu to be.

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause we had lunch there.

[00:27:08] [SPEAKER_00]: It's salads, nice salads, nice sandwiches, that kind of thing.

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, they had an appetizer that we started with.

[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, they have several great appetizers, but, um, we tried their, um, hummus

[00:27:27] [SPEAKER_00]: and their smoked mountain trout dip.

[00:27:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Ooh, yum.

[00:27:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh my Lord.

[00:27:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I've had a trout dip before and I loved it.

[00:27:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I've had both that I liked and that I didn't like.

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_00]: This one was so good that I decided I needed more of it in my life.

[00:27:45] [SPEAKER_00]: So for lunch, I had the smoked mountain trout melt.

[00:27:51] [SPEAKER_00]: I had not landed on what I was going to have and I'm like, this is so good.

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I want to try it on a sandwich as a melt.

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:27:59] [SPEAKER_01]: So that was great.

[00:28:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Was it just like stringed instruments or like, oh no, it had, no, it was

[00:28:06] [SPEAKER_00]: but it was kind of just mellow and yeah, James Taylor kind of, it wasn't even

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER_00]: artists that I knew, which I wasn't focused on it, but yet it was just

[00:28:17] [SPEAKER_00]: nice and pleasant.

[00:28:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:28:19] [SPEAKER_00]: That sounds so fun.

[00:28:21] [SPEAKER_00]: So fun.

[00:28:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:28:23] [SPEAKER_00]: So more trout for me, but it was delicious there.

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I also had as my side instead of getting fries, I got the soup of the

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_00]: day, which was like a hot, which was a, um, like cauliflower that had, um,

[00:28:43] [SPEAKER_00]: little bit of mushroom in it.

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER_00]: It was very, very good.

[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Nice.

[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:28:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Always nice to have something other than fries.

[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, for sure.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, I can get those anywhere.

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't want that.

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure y'all do fries well, but yeah.

[00:28:58] [SPEAKER_00]: What else would you say?

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's dive into a little bit of the shopping.

[00:29:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, one of the things that was really cool to me about the Highlands cashiers

[00:29:06] [SPEAKER_00]: area, it's made up of a lot of small businesses and some really small

[00:29:12] [SPEAKER_00]: chains as well, but I always just find that so much more interesting.

[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Especially once you've done a small business, like you just get it.

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_00]: That's so true.

[00:29:21] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, you're a small business owner, so you totally understand

[00:29:25] [SPEAKER_01]: the hardship that they're facing.

[00:29:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Really facing.

[00:29:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:29:29] [SPEAKER_00]: You have to make a name.

[00:29:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever they're selling.

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_00]: No one knows coming in your door.

[00:29:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, in 2023 Highlands was again named a winner in the USA Today's 10

[00:29:40] [SPEAKER_00]: best Reader's Choice Travel Award Contest for best small town shopping.

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Reader's Choice.

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_01]: That makes a big difference.

[00:29:47] [SPEAKER_01]: That means there was no like affiliate partnership.

[00:29:51] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, whining and dinin' sweet talkin' kind of.

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_01]: That was just people that went.

[00:29:56] [SPEAKER_00]: And this is not a large town.

[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So for it to end up in the 10 best, I was impressed.

[00:30:01] [SPEAKER_00]: And I see why.

[00:30:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:30:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Now my favorite shop in the whole town was called Citizen Wilder.

[00:30:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:30:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I loved this shop.

[00:30:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I went twice.

[00:30:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:30:15] [SPEAKER_00]: In what?

[00:30:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Three days.

[00:30:16] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's pretty, that says something.

[00:30:19] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't even know how to describe it honestly, but I saw on their website,

[00:30:24] [SPEAKER_00]: this is how they worded it.

[00:30:26] [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm just going to read it.

[00:30:27] [SPEAKER_00]: An enchanting garden wonderland.

[00:30:31] [SPEAKER_00]: That is what it is.

[00:30:33] [SPEAKER_01]: An enchanting garden wonderland.

[00:30:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I walked, even before you walk in, you're getting hit with like good smells.

[00:30:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Florals.

[00:30:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Plants.

[00:30:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Or almost kind of more amber-y.

[00:30:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:30:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Smells.

[00:30:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Woodsy.

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Earthy smells.

[00:30:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Which is something I really like.

[00:30:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The owner and designer, Chris Nelson has crafted a series of garden

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_00]: miniatures for the home.

[00:31:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, there's lots of plants and dried plants and just, it's not just

[00:31:12] [SPEAKER_00]: for people that have a garden.

[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, this mostly is stuff you would use inside your home.

[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_00]: They had a few antiques, a few, um, lots of lovely candles and room sprays

[00:31:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and, but all home and garden decor.

[00:31:31] [SPEAKER_01]: No clothes, shoes, accessories, anything like that.

[00:31:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Right?

[00:31:34] [SPEAKER_00]: No, not, no, no.

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Lots of candles, lots of, they had these stick candles that are made in

[00:31:41] [SPEAKER_00]: the area that look like, um, stick, I mean, like a branch with like

[00:31:48] [SPEAKER_00]: things coming off, but they're candles and you know, different heights,

[00:31:52] [SPEAKER_00]: the largest being maybe a foot tall.

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Something like that.

[00:31:57] [SPEAKER_00]: That's fun.

[00:31:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:31:59] [SPEAKER_00]: It was lots of cool things.

[00:32:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, the stick candles.

[00:32:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I just read this in my notes created by co-owner Doug Colum.

[00:32:07] [SPEAKER_00]: So cool.

[00:32:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Colum.

[00:32:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, yeah, I really enjoyed that shop.

[00:32:12] [SPEAKER_00]: So if you make your way to Highlands, don't miss Citizen Wilder.

[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Fun.

[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Lots of just, lots of creative beauty in that shop.

[00:32:20] [SPEAKER_00]: They also had, I've mentioned this on the podcast before this company

[00:32:26] [SPEAKER_00]: based out of Hilton head, but I think it started in Defuski Island.

[00:32:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Is that how you say it?

[00:32:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:32:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Spartina 4-4-9.

[00:32:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:32:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:32:35] [SPEAKER_00]: What a cute shop.

[00:32:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I just really liked they have a lot of jewelry, a lot of clothing for women.

[00:32:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And, um, yeah, again, from their website, sometimes they can say

[00:32:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I can get better than I can.

[00:32:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Established as an easily recognized brand of upscale attainable luxury,

[00:32:56] [SPEAKER_00]: designer apparel, handbags, accessories, jewelry, and more.

[00:33:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I thought that was a good way to say it.

[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Did you feel like it was attainable luxury?

[00:33:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I didn't buy anything, but it was attainable, I can say.

[00:33:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Like, um, yeah, this was way more attainable than a few of the stores

[00:33:13] [SPEAKER_00]: that I don't even know that I'll mention because I didn't spend much time in them.

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I really like this Spartina 4-4-9.

[00:33:19] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's adorable.

[00:33:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Now they have stores in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia,

[00:33:26] [SPEAKER_00]: including Hartsfield airport.

[00:33:28] [SPEAKER_00]: So I wanted to mention that in case somebody's just coming through.

[00:33:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_00]: They're in Atlanta.

[00:33:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and that big busy airport, if you haven't ever seen one of these

[00:33:38] [SPEAKER_00]: shops, you can check it out.

[00:33:40] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I thought this was funny.

[00:33:41] [SPEAKER_00]: They also have one store because everything I just mentioned is in the south.

[00:33:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:33:46] [SPEAKER_00]: One store in Newport, Rhode Island.

[00:33:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh fun.

[00:33:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And I thought, actually I can see that because that's such a, um, wealthy,

[00:33:55] [SPEAKER_00]: but yet kind of nautical themed city, their town that you can see how they

[00:34:03] [SPEAKER_00]: would like this Spartina 4-4-9 look.

[00:34:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I can see that.

[00:34:07] Yeah.

[00:34:07] [SPEAKER_01]: That's cool.

[00:34:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Another store that they had both in cashiers and Highlands that I really

[00:34:14] [SPEAKER_00]: like the look of.

[00:34:16] [SPEAKER_00]: And I didn't realize it was this big, 140 retail stores in the U S is J McLaughlin.

[00:34:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I like that store.

[00:34:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:34:23] [SPEAKER_01]: So cool.

[00:34:24] [SPEAKER_00]: I really liked their clothes.

[00:34:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So, um, you get that catalog, I think, or you used to, I used to see

[00:34:30] [SPEAKER_01]: it come here, but we have those stores in Nashville here.

[00:34:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if I've ever gotten their catalog.

[00:34:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe I have, but I do love their, their look of their clothes.

[00:34:38] [SPEAKER_00]: So they had those, there was a men's shop that I really liked.

[00:34:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I walked in and just kind of peeked around wishing I could buy stuff

[00:34:46] [SPEAKER_00]: for some handsome fella.

[00:34:49] [SPEAKER_00]: TJ Bailey is the name of that shop.

[00:34:51] [SPEAKER_00]: And they had locations in both Highlands and cashiers.

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I mentioned Acorns, which is, um, this shop for the old Edwards in,

[00:35:02] [SPEAKER_00]: they had a lot of brands that you would know.

[00:35:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause it's kind of a gift shop.

[00:35:07] [SPEAKER_00]: It is what it is.

[00:35:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:35:09] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a gift shop.

[00:35:09] [SPEAKER_00]: So they had the molten brown.

[00:35:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:35:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Bath products.

[00:35:14] [SPEAKER_00]: They had vineyard vines and, um, the art italica and some of the home

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_00]: brands that we have in, you know, nice shops that people use for their registries.

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Um, there was another shop mom really liked, and I enjoyed it too,

[00:35:32] [SPEAKER_00]: called Dutchman's casual living.

[00:35:35] [SPEAKER_00]: They had a lot of really pretty, um, it was all for the home.

[00:35:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:35:39] [SPEAKER_00]: And lots of nice linens and, um, artwork and different things like that.

[00:35:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Pretty pots for plants.

[00:35:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And did you see very many art galleries?

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_01]: There was a few.

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:35:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:35:51] [SPEAKER_00]: There were a few art galleries, um, in all different styles.

[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_00]: One of them I went in was all over the place with the styles that they

[00:36:01] [SPEAKER_00]: had, which is kind of fun, I think, but this Dutchman's casual living,

[00:36:05] [SPEAKER_00]: they have five stores in Georgia and North Carolina.

[00:36:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's what I meant by small chain.

[00:36:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Like it is a chain, but it's just five stores.

[00:36:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Also the owner can drive there to all the locations in a couple of days.

[00:36:19] [SPEAKER_01]: That's exactly right.

[00:36:21] [SPEAKER_00]: There was a McCully's cashmere really nice shop in cashiers and highlands.

[00:36:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So it was, I think it was all women's cashmere, but really lovely shop.

[00:36:34] [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, lots of, um, there was also a state jewelry and antique stores.

[00:36:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't spend much time going in those.

[00:36:43] [SPEAKER_00]: How fun.

[00:36:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:36:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Good shopping, good fine dining and beauty.

[00:36:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Was it, um, like a lot of pets or dogs?

[00:36:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:36:54] [SPEAKER_00]: So I took the dog with me and very pet friendly.

[00:36:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[00:36:58] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, most of the shops would say you can bring her in.

[00:37:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm like thinking to myself, I do not want her to bump into something.

[00:37:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?

[00:37:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I can, but I shouldn't.

[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.

[00:37:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I did not take her in many shops just in a couple, but lots of

[00:37:14] [SPEAKER_00]: water bowls out on the sidewalks and everything.

[00:37:18] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's cool.

[00:37:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:37:19] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a very pet friendly area.

[00:37:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I guess most hiking places should be.

[00:37:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Probably.

[00:37:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know though.

[00:37:27] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, if it's really a lot of fine sorts of places, you never know.

[00:37:30] [SPEAKER_01]: That's true.

[00:37:31] [SPEAKER_01]: That's true.

[00:37:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Standards that they don't want pets around.

[00:37:35] [SPEAKER_00]: So, yeah.

[00:37:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think the old Edwards Inn had certain rooms that were pet friendly.

[00:37:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Probably.

[00:37:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Certain rooms that weren't.

[00:37:42] [SPEAKER_00]: So if you're staying there.

[00:37:44] [SPEAKER_01]: All hotels should do that, but they don't just say, you know, if

[00:37:48] [SPEAKER_01]: you're staying at a pet friendly hotel, there are not ones that

[00:37:51] [SPEAKER_01]: are just earmarked usually for pets.

[00:37:55] [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, highly recommend.

[00:37:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Put this on your list.

[00:37:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And a three day weekend was perfect.

[00:38:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Perfect.

[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, it really was.

[00:38:03] [SPEAKER_00]: May through October.

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, that's the peak season.

[00:38:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Population exceeds 1000.

[00:38:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I love it.

[00:38:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, thanks for the wrap up.

[00:38:12] [SPEAKER_01]: You did so good.

[00:38:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Sounds like a really, really, really fun place to visit.

[00:38:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Girls trip.

[00:38:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:38:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:38:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Very good for a girls trip.

[00:38:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Mother daughter like you did.

[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:38:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Cool.

[00:38:24] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:38:24] [SPEAKER_01]: You'll have a great week.

[00:38:25] [SPEAKER_01]: We will see you back here next time for more Southern culture.

[00:38:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I hope you feel the crisp mountain air, no matter where you live.

[00:38:33] [SPEAKER_00]: That's right.

[00:38:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Light a candle that reminds you of the mountains.

[00:38:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:38:37] [SPEAKER_00]: The sense of cedar or something and dream.

[00:38:40] [SPEAKER_00]: You're in Highlands.

[00:38:41] [SPEAKER_00]: That's right.

[00:38:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Peace be with y'all.

[00:38:48] [SPEAKER_01]: You've just listened to an episode of the steel Magnolias podcast,

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