~~August Calendar of Events~~North Georgia Mountains - 07/28/08 03:51 PM
 

 

 
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The Best Little Restaurant in Ellijay, GA - 07/24/08 07:35 PM

Probably my favorite restaurant in the North Georgia Mountains is Cantaberry's. Located at 51 River Street in Ellijay, Cantaberry's is open only for lunch--or as the sign on the front door says: 11 to 3-ish. The tiny cafe, which only seats about 30, offers up the most delicious soups, sandwiches and salads around.
They are probably best known for their tomato-basil soup, which, like all their other fare, is made fresh on the premises. Rich, savory, with small chunks of tomato, basil, and infused with a touch of cream, the soup is bursting with flavor. Team the soup up with … (12 comments)

Woman Kills Self for Foreclosure - 07/24/08 09:06 AM
A 53-year old Massachussetts wife and mother used her husband's high-powered rifle to kill herself on Tuesday, just hours before the house she and her husband owned was slated to be auctioned off. 
The mortgage company alerted the authorities after they received a fax from Carlene Balderrama stating, "By the time you foreclose on my house, I'll be dead."  
Click here to read the article that appeared in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Mercier Orchard -- The Apple of Blue Ridge's Eye - 07/22/08 11:28 PM
No trip to Blue Ridge is complete without a visit to Mercier Orchards. It is a full-working orchard, but it is so much more. In addition to fresh-picked fruits in season, Mercier's (pronounced Mer-seers) has several shops--Blue Ridge Bird Seed Company, Mountain Blooms, Buck's Fancy Meats-an extensive gift department, various fresh pressed ciders, a café that serves delicious sandwiches and salads, a candy shop and a hand-dipped ice cream stand.
And, let us never forget the bakery where the world's best fried pies are made. In addition to the perennial favorite, apple, other fried pies include peach, cherry, blueberry, sweet potato … (6 comments)

41 Red Oak Court, Blue Ridge, GA~~Southern Country Cottage~~ - 07/21/08 01:42 PM
41 Red Oak Court--Your "Prescription" for Gracious Southern Living!!Location: Blue Ridge, GA This charming three-bedroom, two-bath southern country cottage features a unique split-floor plan. The heart of the home is an open Great Room with soaring wood vaulted ceilings, wood floors, and fireplace. The living room, dining room and kitchen are incorporated in the Great Room, making it a warm and welcoming gathering place for family and friends.The kitchen is well-laid out and with its ample counter and cabinet space, side-by-side refrigerator, cook-top range, garbage disposal, task lighting and island, it will delight the cooks in the family!The master suite offers … (10 comments)

Georgia Mountain Fair--Where Fun, Music & Mountain Culture Meet - 07/19/08 10:25 AM

This year's Georgia Mountain Fair marks it's 60th ANNIVERSARY! This means this wonderful event is providing fun, food, and entertainment to a third generation of fair-goers.
The fair starts this coming Wednesday, July 21, and runs through July 31st. This year's musical acts include Roy Clark, Brenda Lee, the Bellamy Brothers, and Ray Price, to name but a few. Sunday, July 25, will feature a day of inspirational artists including The McKamey's and The Primitives.
Admission to the fair is only $9 per person, $8 on Customer Appreciation Day, July 28th.
The fair is held at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds … (8 comments)

Are the Clouds Parting? A Market Analysis for Blue Ridge, GA - 07/16/08 08:52 AM
Mid-year 2008 finds the real estate industry in the North Georgia Mountains in a state of uncertainty. Agents--many of them with considerable experience--are dropping out of real estate to pursue "real" jobs. Most others are hunkering down to try to ride out the worst of the storm. Cutting out all but the most essential expenses, agents are doing some serious belt-tightening.  One needs only to pick up a current edition of The Real Estate Book--once a healthy publication that used to swell up to nearly 200 pages, now down to less than 60 pages--to see that agents are cutting back.
Is … (4 comments)

Fannie, Freddie and You...Oh, My! - 07/16/08 08:21 AM
It is looking more and more likely that the taxpayer will pick up the tab for the all-but-inevitable bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Is that a bad thing? And, just how much blame do these two institutional giants bear for the current crisis in the lending industry?
 
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman captures the essence of the debate in his July 14, 2008 column, Fannie, Freddie and You.
 
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675 Riverfront Drive, E. Ellijay, GA ~~CARTECAY RIVER FRONT~~ - 07/12/08 08:59 PM
675 Riverfront Drive~~Cartecay River Lodge~~Location: Horseshoe~~CARTECAY ENCHANTRESS~~Beautiful 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath cabin on a point on the noisy and shimmering Cartecay River----giving you river frontage on TWO sides!! No creature-comfort has been overlooked in this spectacularly appointed cabin. Chock full of builder's options: Gourmet kitchen with granite surfaces, a large island with seating, shelving, sink, tiled backsplash, task lighting, top-of-the-line appliances, pot rack, furniture-grade cabinetry, and a breakfast nook.The master suite features a double-sided fireplace that warms both the bedroom on one side and the oversized jetted tub in the master bath on the other. The master bath also has a MASSIVE tiled … (4 comments)

Have a "Hot" Time on the Old Town! Blue Ridge Chili Cook-Off Benefit - 07/11/08 08:52 AM
 
 Second Chance Animal Sanctuary is hosting its first chili cook off to benefit the animals in its care. There will be hay rides, music, face painting and hot dogs for the kids. The cook off and tasting will be held at the Equestrian Center at Cadence Community rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Taster tickets are $10.00 in advance, $12.00 at the door, and children 12 and under are free.
For more information, tickets and entry forms, please call 706-946-6082
Second Chance Animal Sanctuary - is a no-kill rescue group operating in Blue Ridge. They offer spay … (3 comments)

Atlanta Issuing Tickets to Listing Agents for Run-Down Properties - 07/10/08 05:28 AM
"We don't know how to get hold of out-of-state asset managers. We know how to get hold of you."
So said a City of Atlanta code enforcement officer to real estate agent Wayne Flanagan after issuing Flanagan a ticket for code violations on a foreclosed property that he had listed.
According to an article that appears in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, another agent was hit with $3,311 in fines one month for an apartment complex that he had on the market. Despite the fact that the property had been professionally boarded up, vandals repeatedly tore down the boards and accessed the buildings. The agent paid … (10 comments)

~~July Calendar of Events~~North Georgia Mountains - 07/08/08 10:41 PM

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218 Mattie Mitchell Road, Blue Ridge, GA~~TWO OAKS LODGE ON PRETTY POND~~ - 07/06/08 09:07 PM
~~TWO OAKS LODGE~~Location: PRETTY POND~~TWO OAKS LODGE: RUSTIC ELEGANCE DEFINED~~Enter a rarified world where natural and man-made beauty achieves the perfect balance. A hand-crafted, nearly 4,000 sq. ft. home down a private road sits majestically on 3.8 lushly forested acres overlooking pastoral and pristine Pretty Pond. The unique post-and-beam style lodge features a wide-open floor plan on both levels. The home is centered on a graceful Great Room and kitchen, each lending an air of refinement and comfort that flows effortlessly throughout the rest of the home. The kitchen up to the standards of even the most exacting chef features a … (0 comments)

Cherokee Fish Trap -- Ancient Relic in a Modern World - 07/06/08 02:39 PM

One of the things that I find most fascinating about living in the North Georgia mountains is the deep connection with the not-too-distant past, when the southern Appalachians were the domain of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee had lived in these mountains for hundreds of years by the time the first Europeans began to explore the area. In the mid-seventeenth century, the Cherokee commanded over 20,000 square miles and had a population estimated to be about 22,000.
 
The Cherokee peacefully co-existed with the new settlers, adopting many Western European customs and practices.  Primarily an agrarian society, the Cherokee had … (6 comments)

Winding Road, Blue Ridge, GA -- ~~ASKA ADVENTURE AREA~~ - 07/05/08 01:19 PM
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