I love good, brick-oven baked pizza. For me, there's nothing like it. There are several great pizzerias in Atlanta, but that's almost 2 hours from where we live up here in the North Georgia mountains, so I have been "jonesing" for a great pizza joint to come to this area. The Blue Ridge area has several franchise pizza joints, but if you are a "pizza snob", which I have found out recently, I AM, there is a taste of Italy right here in our own back yard. In Ellijay, Georgia, in a strip mall across from a Dominos Pizza, is a slice of Italy called Il Forno. The name means, brick-oven or fired oven, and there is one such firey pit right in the kitchen of this classic Italian restaraunt. As soon as you step through the front doors, you are transported from the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the It... 04/05/2009

The City of Blue Ridge, Georgia took it's first steps towards wetting it's whistle, when the city council of Blue Ridge, in a 3 to 2 vote, elected to enact an ordinance to offer pouring licenses within the city limits. Last fall, Fannin County passed the liquor license law, changing our county from high and dry to wet n' wild. Now, the same seems to be occurring in the city limits, and most would say, "it's long overdue." This is really great news for local restaurants who desperately need a boost to survive in this economy. The addition of liquor to the menu may prove to be the saving grace for many of our areas fine establishments. There is also the idea that allowing alcohol to be served within the city will bring more restaurants, creating more jobs, which we also need in these chal... 04/03/2009

Today I found out one more way that blogging can result in a real estate sale. I was finishing up my work on Sunday, after pulling a floor duty shift, and decided to knock out a blog post before calling it a day. An hour later, I was just finishing up adding some photos to the post, and at 6p.m. on Sunday night, in walk a young couple. They asked if the office was closed, and I explained, “Yes, but that’s no matter. I’m here. You’re here. That’s all you need.” They could not get over how affordable properties were here, and further explained what they were looking for. They had pulled a property from our listing board, and I offered to take them right out to see it, if they were interested, as I have shown that property often, and I knew right where it was...which was on my way home. We... 04/01/2009

APRIL 2009 CALENDAR OF EVENTS April 4 / Mountain Adventure Race    Blue Ridge, Ga. 12th annual race. A challenging contest consisting of running, paddling, biking and navigating. Up to 100 co-ed teams of 3 participate yearly. Live music, food and fun at finish line downtown for spectators. (706) 946-6003 chamber@blueridgemountains.com    April 8 & 11 / Gorilla Haven    Private, behind the scenes small group walking tours of gorilla facilities. Photography allowed. (706) 851-9440 www.gorilla-haven.org April 11 / Easter “Egg-spress”    Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Downtown BR Depot. Sat 4:00pm. Ride the Train with the Easter Bunny!  (706) 632-9833 www.brscenic.com April 11 / An Evening of Astronomy    Pine Mountain, GA. Roosevelt State Park 9pm – 10pm.  Join the Columbus Coca-Cola Space ce... 03/28/2009

I don't know what it is, but there's just something about Spring in the Mountains that rejuvenates my winter weary soul. The dismal colorless winter gives way to the new life and color of Spring in all it's glory. It reminds me of the recent economic seasons we have been experiencing, believe it or not, and I see sign of Spring there, too. In the winter, things seem bleak and desolate. It's harder to get out of bed in the morning and face the cold relentless weather out there. You just want to pull the covers over your head and stay in bed, and some days you do, but most days you just keep going; facing the gray days. The dark is longer and the daylight is shorter, and it seems like everything is working against your getting anything done. Driving conditions can be dangerous as storms o... 03/24/2009

Spring in the North Georgia mountains is not just an intellectual exercise triggered when the calendar reads March 20.  No, the bursting tree buds and daffodils that fill the woods, yards, and roadsides herald the beginning of the season with nary a calendar in sight. Along with the buds and blooms, you can find both the casual gardener and professional farmer alike tilling our red Georgia clay into neat rows in anticipation of the growing season.  The National Gardening Association predicts that 43 million households will grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs this year, up 19 percent from last year. Last week, first lady Michelle Obama showed her support for what might be called a 'growing' movement, by breaking ground for a vegetable garden on the South Lawn of the White House. ... 03/23/2009

If you've ever visited Blue Ridge, Georgia, you've probably been waved to by various members of the local community. There's an old time feel to the Blue Ridge lifestyle that is reminiscent of the days some of us grew up in, before shops stayed open past 7 pm, or opened on Sundays. 10 years ago, there weren't even traffic lights in this sleepy little town. A fun night in Blue Ridge consisted of sitting on your front porch step, watching the sun go down, waving to the neighbors. Now, let me preface this by saying this lifestyle is not for everyone, but some of us reach an age where we have a new appreciation for the things we grew up with, that we thought were gone for ever, but still exist here in Blue Ridge.When my family first moved to the Blue Ridge area, I noticed that every other c... 03/22/2009

As my daughter limped towards the car, my first thought was a very un-Mommy like one: Does this mean we're not going to be able to go to the cabin for the weekend?  I listened to her war story. She and the defender had gotten to the ball at the same time. Both gave their best kicks; the defender's landed on the ball, my daughter's, on the defender's foot. According to the school nurse, she had jammed her big toe. It would be sore for a few days, but with R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation), she should be back on the soccer field in time for the next game.  Whew, we'd be able to go to the cabin after all.  On Saturday morning, my daughter called us up to her bedroom. She pointed to her foot. It looked like at some point during the night, her foot had been replaced by a giant egg... 03/15/2009

You buy a cabin in the beautiful North Georgia mountains to escape from the stresses and worries of your life in the city. There are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your cabin is one step closer to being worry-free by cutting down on needlessly high energy costs. And almost all of them are easy enough that you can tackle them yourself in a weekend.  One of the biggest -- and simplest -- steps you can take is to invest in a programmable thermostat. You can set the thermostat so that the heat and air conditioning maintain minimum temperatures during the week, and then automatically  adjust to the temperature you're most comfortable with at, say, 7 p.m. on Friday. You should easily be able to recoup your initial investment on a $100 Energy Star programmable thermostat with... 03/12/2009

North Georgia mountain's Gorilla Haven -- the only privately-owned gorilla sanctuary approved by the National Association of Zoos & Aquariums -- is in great financial need right now.   The above video shows one of Gorilla Haven's residents -- Oliver -- thoughtfully eating his apple snacks. This amazing facilty, built and maintained by Jane & Steuart Dewar, offers a home to gorillas that were born and raised in zoos, but who were ultimately labeled 'misfits.'  You can read more about Gorilla Haven in this great article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "A Misfit's Sanctuary." Please read this poignant letter from Jane Dewar and consider helping in some way: Dear Gorilla Haven Friends and Supporters,THANK YOU for your support after our first email appeal in December. We sincerely ap... 03/10/2009

I'm battered, bruised, exhausted...but happy. Fannn County's Residential Market Analysis for February shows that you HAVE been paying attention after all! Me so proud!When I first pulled the numbers, I was ecstatic -- the median sales price for February '09 was $248,000, compared with $179,825 in February of '08. That represents a 27% jump in the median sales price! WOW! The market's up, happy days are here again! I probably should have stopped there; ignorance, after all, is bliss.   But, I noticed that on the flip side, the total number of sales for the month were down over last year. In February '08, 28 residential units were sold, as opposed to 23 units this February, down 18%. That would indicate that the market is still not rebounding as much as we'd like.Trying to make sense of t... 03/05/2009

Joe and Oliver make two unlikely Cinderellas. After having spent the first part of their lives in zoos, Joe and Oliver were whisked away from unhappy lives by their 'fairy godparents,' Jane and Steuart Dewar, to Gorilla Haven, a 324-acre spread in the North Georgia Mountains, just outside of Blue Ridge. Here they are given space to roam and loving care to help heal the emotional scars of their past.  Unable to peacefully co-exist with his fellow gorillas, Joe was relegated to solitary confinement in a concrete cell for 10-years. Born at the Bronx Zoo in 1988, Oliver, who was born deaf, was unable to communicate with his fellow gorillas and had to be separated from the others for his own safety. At Gorilla Haven, both have finally found a life of peace. The Dewar's have underwritten the ... 03/01/2009

The other morning, while I was out putting up a sign and lockbox on a new listing in Mountain High subdivision, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful layers of mountains draped in the misty morning fog. I always try to take advantage of a photo opportunity when I see one. The mountain view encompasses three states worth of mountians; North Caprolina, Georgia & Tennessee. Here are a couple of the shots I took. It was even more breathtaking in person. Can you imagine waking up to this view every morning? And the Blue Ridge mountains are really that BLUE. 02/26/2009

I had a listing call up in Turtletown Tennessee the other day. The house was am amazing prow front log cabin on a private lake with 20 rolling acres and a nice garage workshop.                   In addition to getting the listing, I also got an unbelievable amount of barn photos. That, combined with the dusting of snow that stuck in the more northern elevations gave me some great shots. I love old barns, and a sideline to my Real Estate activities has been photographing interesting old barns I see along the way. Well, I saw more barns in this short trip into Tennessee than I could begin to photograph. These are just a few of the gray ghosts I snapped that day.                                       02/26/2009

Why did the Chicken cross the road? (And how does he know to use the crosswalk?) The answer to this age-old question, and many others can be found in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Not to be too cocky, but Blue Ridge is a town like no other that exists in this day and age, and residents like it that way. Though many city downtown areas are foul, only in Blue Ridge will you find such pride in the downtown area’s “fowl”ness. Sometimes, you just gotta “crow” about what makes you special, silly as it may be. When you visit the Blue Ridge historic district, in addition to the historic railroad train depot, and all the unique shops and various bistros that populate the streets, you will find Blue Ridge’s most “fowl” and well known residents; the downtown Rooster and his Hen. This couple strolls the en... 02/25/2009

                      From February 27, 2009 Comedy / Marrying Walt To March 01, 2009 Blue Ridge Community Theater March 01, 2009 Comedy / Marrying Walt Blue Ridge Community Theater March 05, 2009 Winter Pickn' The Pickin Coup March 12, 2009 Winter Pickn' The Pickin Coup From March 13, 2009 Kid's Say the Darndest Things To March 15, 2009 Blue Ridge Community Theater March 19, 2009 Winter Pickn' The Pickin Coup From March 20, 2009 Kid's Say the Darndest Things To March 22, 2009 Blue Ridge Community Theater March 26, 2009 Winter Pickn' The Pickin Coup March 28, 2009 Blue Ridge Writers Conference North Georgia Technical College     02/23/2009

Blue Ridge, Georgia draws people to it, like a magnet. It’s a special place, almost like stepping back into a simpler time, to when life was slower paced and people waved to you as you passed by. But, the transition to the simple life’s not so simple for many transplants who come from more contemporary urban cultures. I see so many people who move to Blue Ridge from more modern settings struggle with the cultural differences they encounter once theyt live here. The very things that first attract folks to the area, later appear to be obstacles to be overcome. It’s the old adage of “Wherever we go, we bring ourselves with us”, but in this case, we bring our old cultural conditioning with us. Moving to this community requires stepping back and making a conscious decision to leave behind t... 02/20/2009

Gone are the days when the word 'foreclosure' conjured up images of dilapidated homes with broken windows and boarded-up doors.  Meet the new face of foreclosure. My client just closed on this spectacular 5-bedroom, 4-1/2 bath home on Wednesday. Nestled on five wooded acres in a desirable gated community in Ellijay, this home was built with no expense spared: two fireplaces; granite kitchen; two enormous master suites; a full-finished basement with media center; library; slate, tile, and wood floors throughout; top-of-the-line bathroom fixtures; butler's pantry. You get the drift... Before the original owner lost the home, he had it on the market for $899,000. That was definitely wishful thinking on his part -- a price closer to $650,000 would have been more like it. Needless to say, th... 02/19/2009

I never cease to marvel at the talented array of people who are drawn to our little hometown community of Blue Ridge Georgia. Take, for instance, Ann Blonder, the owner of one of downtown Blue Ridge’s premier dining facilities, REPAZ ON MAIN.   Originally from Buckhead, Ann owned a home on Lake Blue Ridge for years before she finally opened REPAZ, at the urging of her children. After years of watching their mother host events and cook amazing meals, it seemed to them the logical next step. In fact, it was the names of her 3 children, REbecca, PAige & Zachary, that inspired the name she eventually chose for her fine establishment. Dining at REPAZ is not just eating: it is an occasion. Where the rustic charm and elegant atmosphere leave off, the amazing, ever- changing menu and exquisitel... 02/19/2009

Moving from the city to the country has put me at a definite disadvantage when it comes to insights into my relationship with my wife. The way a woman’s mind works has always been hard to keep up with, keeping track of their ever-changing wants and needs, but now that we live on 50 acres in Blue Ridge, Georgia…forget about it. Valentines Day came and went this year, and I gave my wife a beautiful, multi-strand sterling necklace with 3 gemstone pendants that can hang from it interchangeably. I mean, come on, it’s jewelry. Don’t all women like jewelry? She liked it all right. On my way home from a walk-through Saturday, I stopped by the flea market to say hello to some friends of mine, and I saw some old chicken roosts for sale. I inquired as to the price, and decided to come back on Sund... 02/17/2009