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A Little Economic Stimulus of Our Own
Posted by admin in Relocation on August 27, 2010
People have asked why we moved and how we did it in this crazy economy, so let me explain…
First of all, we have three sons, their wives, and nine grandchildren in Greenville, South Carolina, and we wanted to see them more often. (For most of the past 10 years we’ve been living in Wilmington, NC, which is about five hours away from our family.) Since it didn’t seem likely that our sons would move their families closer to us, we started thinking — and praying — about moving closer to them.
Last fall we made a trip to Hendersonville to check out the housing. We looked at a number of nice communities, but one stood out among them all: Carriage Park.
The pond at the entrance made a great impression…
We drove up Carriage Parkway and knew it would provide some good exercise…
At the top of the first ridge, we could see the Asheville Airport in the distance…
As we drove through the community looking at available lots, we thought the homes were very nice, without being ostentatious…
We drove by the lake and continued our search for the perfect lot to build our home…
In the sunset of our lives, we found a great community with amazing views…
The developer and sales team at Carriage Park have been terrific, and we’ve already made friends in the community and at church. But the best part is our close proximity to family…
If your retirement is approaching or you can work from home in almost any location, maybe it’s time for you to stimulate the economy. You won’t find a more beautiful and friendly place than Carriage Park in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Check it out today.
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We Found a Place With Great Milkshakes
Posted by admin in Dining, Meanderings on August 20, 2010
My brother is thinking about starting a new franchise so he asked me to show him around Hendersonville today. By midafternoon we reached the corner of N.C. 191 and Highway 280 in Mills River…
We were a little thirsty so my brother suggested we stop somewhere and get a bottle of water. While sitting at a red light we looked to our right and saw this…
The big “Milkshakes” sign made us immediately forget about water… and our diet. When we went inside we were fascinated by the black and white photos hanging on the walls — all from the local Mills River area, dating from the late 1880s to the present.
One picture grabbed my attention. It was a young man driving what looked like my very first car — a 1955 Willys Jeep station wagon…
We walked up to the counter and looked over the menu. In addition to hot dogs of all shapes, sizes and combinations, DogTown offers Chicken strips, chicken livers, pork BBQ, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Philly steaks, reubens and more. Sides include cheddar fries, French fries, chili-cheese fries, bacon-cheddar fries, tater tots, onion rings and cole slaw.
But we came in for one thing. A milkshake. I wanted strawberry. My brother asked for peanut butter mixed with vanilla. We weren’t disappointed. They served them with straws and spoons because they’re so thick. If the rest of the food on the menu is half as good as their shakes, I’m in trouble. Before long I’ll be 25 pounds heavier…
After checking into DogTown a little more, I found out we were lucky — there’s a line at lunch time. So, to avoid the wait, visit this popular eatery after 2 p.m. like we did.
Climbed the Highest Peak East of the Mississippi
Posted by admin in Meanderings on August 10, 2010
I rode my motorcycle yesterday up to Boone, North Carolina. I took the Blue Ridge Parkway the whole way. It was a beautiful ride, but rain put a damper on the first day. I enjoyed perfect temperatures and a beautiful mist when I started out again this morning…
One of my first stops was at the serene Price Lake…
The vegetation at these higher altitudes along this section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is very different from the rest of North Carolina. Trees resemble many found in northern areas of the United States and Canada…
Now that I have nine grandchildren I had to stop and see Grandfather Mountain. The switchbacks and altitude changes riding up the mountain are exciting, and maybe a little risky for inexperienced riders…
When I stopped at Little Switzerland, I realized why it’s called Little. This is just about it…
On my way up to the highest peak east of the Mississippi I stopped at the Mt. Mitchell Restaurant and found a special parking area just for pack mules…
I can’t give you a report on the food at the Mt. Mitchell Restaurant because I didn’t stay long enough to eat. But I can tell you the views from the dining room are awesome. Here’s an example…
From the restaurant I rode up to the top of Mt. Mitchell. Awesome…
The mountain views along the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Boone, North Carolina, are stunning. Here’s a mid-day, hazy example…
A few construction projects on the Blue Ridge Parkway reveal our stimulas dollars at work…
But don’t let that discourage you. The roads are nearly pristene and the scenery is inspiring…
Celebrating at Grove Park Inn’s Sunset Terrace
We’ve been dating for the past 43 years, and this time we went to a very special place — the Grove Park Inn & Resort’s Sunset Terrace restaurant. We drove up to the hotel…
…but we didn’t get too close to the front door. We just drove by and parked in valet parking space #202 — without permission, of course. (I’ll bet my little Suzi felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman…)
We had reservations and were seated at a great table near the edge of the Sunset Terrace. We enjoyed a beautiful view of the golf course below and Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance…
The prices aren’t cheap, but the food is excellent. Chef Geoffrey Bragg prepared my sirloin steak perfectly and it was one of the most tender, delicious steaks I’ve eaten…
Of the course, the best part of the whole evening was my beautiful date…
The Sunset Terrace offers daily “three for $30 menu features” with a selection of three-course lunches and dinners for only $30. Each meal — first course, entrée and dessert — features classic American favorites such as Waldorf salad, Steak Dianne and crème brulee.
I don’t think you’ll find a better way to celebrate a special evening or weekend with your spouse than the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa.
Steaks, Chops, Seafood & Wiseguys
Four of us enjoyed a great dinner last night at Frankie Bones Restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. To be more precise, we went to The Fabulous Frankie Bones Restaurant and Lounge, as the restaurant is called on their web site. And it lived up to it’s name…
When we walked through the door into the restaurant we were taken back in time…
The atmosphere is truly fun, with an amazing collection of photos from the 1960s. And the food was terrific, with a great selection of Italian and American entrées…
We received excellent service by a team of hard-working, upbeat waiters and managers…
Even the entertainment was fun, with the Sherri Lynn & Mountain Friends bluegrass band…
We had so much fun that we didn’t want to leave, so we forgot our diet and had dessert…
On the Frankie Bones web site I noticed this interesting statement…
“I remember a time we called Camelot. It was the early 60’s. A carefree time… a GREAT time in America. The Rat Pack ruled and “swanky” and “high roller” meant a great show, great laughs and a great martini. My pals and my best gal travelled to the big casino cities and ate at all the best joints. Subway floors, leather booths, and blacked out windows. Now that’s culture. We celebrated big food, big wine, hand shaken martini’s and the simple things in life.” – F.B.
That’s the vision behind the ambience, good food and great service at Frankie Bones Restaurant & Lounge. It’s the reason we were temporarily taken back to the “carefree days” we will never forget.
My Perfect World Continued…
Posted by admin in Dining, Meanderings on July 22, 2010
I left Parkway Harley-Davidson yesterday and headed east on I-40 toward Black Mountain.
My first stop was for food — breakfast and lunch — at Phil’s Bar-B-Que Pit. I knew it would be good when I saw four or five police cars parked in the lot. They always seem to know the best places to eat, and this time was no exception. I had a small pork sandwich and fries. Perfect…
When I got back on the road I stopped at the kind of sign I love when it’s a sunny day and I’m on my motorcycle… Steep winding road with switchbacks and no trucks — perfect!
The road didn’t disappoint me. It was perfect, with the Broad River along side and bright blue sky with a few white clouds overhead…
After some fun riding I took a break at the Bat Cave Apple House…
I wanted to take some peaches and a watermelon back home, but I couldn’t figure out where to put them, so I settled for a cold bottle of water. Sarah was helpful and sweet…
I rode through Chimney Rock into beautiful Lake Lure…
When I saw Lake Lure Inn & Spa, I knew I’d be back on another perfect day, with a perfect companion…
North Carolina State Laws Can Be Complicated
Posted by admin in Meanderings on July 22, 2010
When you move in North Carolina you are required to change your address within 60 days on your drivers license and vehicle registration.
With this in mind I went to the local DMV office to update my motorcycle registration. When I got there the nice lady behind the counter said my registration was “locked” because my motorcycle hadn’t been inspected within the last 90 days.
So I drove to a local NC Vehicle Inspection Station, only to find out they don’t inspect motorcycles — just cars. They suggested I go down the street to Myers Motorcycles. So I did, but they were too busy to inspect my bike.
This gave me a good excuse to take a longer ride up to Parkway Harley-Davidson in Swannanoa…
When I walked into the service department there was a guy ahead of me who was being helped by the service advisor. He just needed a fuse and a state inspection. After he was signed in I asked the service advisor how long it would take to inspect my bike.
“In a perfect world, just a few minutes,” he said jokingly.
Then, to my surprise, he wheeled my bike into the shop, bumped me ahead of everyone else, and inspected it. (I guess I live in a perfect world, because it only took a few minutes!)
Good Progess Continues On Our Relocation
Posted by admin in Relocation on July 18, 2010
Thanks to a great team, we continue to see good progress in our relocation to Western North Carolina. Ben Fowler of Fowler and Associates calls himself a building contractor, but he’s more like the conductor of an orchestra, who makes sure everyone comes together in perfect timing…
Bud Laughter, the former logger-turned-mountain-mover who founded Laughter Grading, looks intimidating, but he actually has a great sense of humor…
Bud’s son Brian is a creative artist with a lot of talent…
After a long day with only a short stop for lunch, the orchestra is ready to go home. From left to right, Bud, Danny, Ben, Ethan and Brian…
They turned a steep ridge into a beautiful, level spot for our new home…
(I hope they’re not going to charge extra for my “helpful” supervision – and watching them work.)
Home Construction Has Begun in Hendersonville
Posted by admin in Relocation on July 16, 2010
It’s hard to capture the slope of our lot. It’s up on a ridge. I think the altitude is about 2400 ft. Here’s what it looked like before we broke ground…
Then the guys at Laughter Grading (pronounced law-ter) drove their track hoe and bulldozer up the bank…
At the end of the second day, our driveway seemed fairly steep. Here’s a picture for perspective…
We Stopped for a Sonic Sundae and Super-Sonic Sunset
Posted by admin in Meanderings on July 13, 2010
Our hot fudge sundaes tasted so good we downed them before I could get a picture. Sorry. But here’s some info from the Sonic Web site…
I took a quick photo of the fabulous sunset while we ate our hot fudge sundaes…
