A Weekend Trip to the North Carolina Mountains | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Kathy Manos Penn is a native of the “Big Apple,” who settled in the “Peach City” – Atlanta. A former English teacher now happily retired from a corporate career in communications, she writes a weekly column for the Dunwoody Crier. Read her blogs and purchase her book, “The Ink Penn: Celebrating the Magic in the Everyday” on her website theinkpenn.com.

Kathy Manos Penn
    We don't need an excuse to visit the mountains, especially when the summer heat arrives in Hotlanta, but the excuse for this trip was a book signing in Highlands. We gathered up some friends and headed to Otto, North Carolina to stay in my sister-in-law's cabin.

    Once everyone arrived, we sat on the porch with wine and snacks as a thunderstorm raged overhead. When the rain let up, we drove to Franklin to eat at Root and Barrel. Several of us had eaten there on a girls trip last year. Though the name had changed since our first visit, the menu was the same and the food just as good.

    Day two, we girls went back to Franklin to browse the shops while the boys visited the local hardware store and toured the mountain roads. We never know which shop will catch our attention. This time, it was the kitchen shop where I bought my first micro planer. Next was a stop at Books Unlimited to say hi to Suzanne, the owner, since she's been kind enough to carry my book.

    From there, we wandered into the Art Room. As one of my friends is an artist, we usually do find at least one gallery to explore. We spent time with a local artist as she showed us a cat portrait she was painting. By then, it was time for lunch, and our new artist friend recommended Rockin Rollie Pollies.

    We weren't starving but wanted a little something to tide us over 'til dinner. The three of us all wanted to split the grilled pimento cheese sandwich. Overhearing our dilemma, the waitress suggested we order a sandwich and a half. Problem solved. It was a delicious choice.

    Dinner that night was at the cabin. I'd made Bolognese sauce and brought the ingredients for a Greek salad, and another couple had made bread and butter to bring the mountains. Yes, you read right, they made butter. Is your mouth watering yet? I tried out my new micro planer on the asiago cheese I'd brought, and we enjoyed a Mediterranean feast.

    Day three, we headed to Highlands for my book signing. While the gang investigated other shops, Banjo and I spent several hours at The Molly Grace, the gift shop that carries my book. Banjo's book, "Lord Banjo the Royal Pooch" comes out soon, so he worked on perfecting the royal act of rolling over for belly rubs as I signed books and shopped. I could easily have come home with bags and bags of treasures but bought only a purple shirt made by Trust Your Journey, a company founded by two women with the simple message: "Wherever life takes you--Trust your Journey." That's just one of the many unique items you can find.

    Meanwhile, my friends visited the hardware store-a recurring theme-the Highland Hiker, Highlands Mountain Paws, and a few other shops. One friend had been on an unsuccessful quest for stoneground grits to take back to her husband. Stephanie, the owner of The Molly Grace, called the Dusty Rhodes Superette to see whether they had them, and sure enough, they did. That was our last stop on the way out of town.

    We all had a grand time and agreed we needed to schedule a return visit. Lord Banjo already has plans for a book signing at The Molly Grace on the day of the Highlands Christmas Parade, so hopefully, that date will work for all of us-if we can wait that long.

    Look for Kathy's new book "Lord Banjo the Royal Pooch" due out in late August and find her collection of columns, "The Ink Penn: Celebrating the Magic in the Everyday," on Amazon. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com.
Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )



Comments

( August 7th, 2017 @ 7:08 pm )
 
Cool. You are an inspiration to me.

Hey, you can now use your fun travels as a tax write-off.
( August 6th, 2017 @ 1:32 pm )
 
Thanks, Stan. I'm having loads of fun. I even have a book signing scheduled in October in St. Simons for my new book! Since this one is written by the dog, Island Dog is hosting the event.
( August 5th, 2017 @ 2:54 pm )
 
Kathy, I am so proud of you having these book signings in so many different and interesting locales, while being most happy that you continue to publish in our modest, humble BCN.

Keep up the good work Kathy.



Feeding Wild Geese . . . and Wind The Ink Penn, Public Perspective, Body & Soul Company Came and Made Me Glad


HbAD0

Latest Body & Soul

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a Community Partner Engagement Plan to ensure the voices of North Carolina communities and families continue to be at the center of the department’s work.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.
Part of ongoing effort to raise awareness and combat rising congenital syphilis cases
Recognition affirms ECU Health’s commitment to providing highly-reliable, human-centered care
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a new Statewide Peer Warmline on Feb. 20, 2024. The new Peer Warmline will work in tandem with the North Carolina 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by giving callers the option to speak with a Peer Support Specialist.
A subsidiary of one of the largest health insurance agencies in the U.S. was hit by a cyberattack earlier this week from what it believes is a foreign “nation-state” actor, crippling many pharmacies’ ability to process prescriptions across the country.
The John Locke Foundation is supporting a New Bern eye surgeon's legal fight against North Carolina's certificate-of-need restrictions on healthcare providers.
Shia LaBeouf received the Sacrament of Confirmation, completing his conversion to Catholicism, on Sunday, and the actor’s confirmation sponsor suggested LaBeouf may become a deacon “in the future.”
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the following statement on the Trails Carolina investigation:

HbAD1

 
Back to Top