Saturday's Artist Colony Run
by Lady Blue » 22 Nov 2009, 14:36

Ladies,
We seem to have a knack for searching out those little hidden gems on our travels. Saturday's run with our group was a wonderful trip with surprises all over the place. Not to mention the restaurant. We had four cars, with seven Madams in attendance.

Some of you may know about the Artist's Colony above Gatlinburg's main shopping area, towards Cosby. If not, you should make the trip. We definitely will be going back. I admit, I had become disillusioned when the town started being taken over by all of the little shops with imported, mass produced junk. It lost it's charm and became another Myrtle Beach, full of kitsch and t-shirts. This collection of establishments is where everyone migrated to. There are a couple of stores that still carry inventory from wholesale vendors, but there are plenty of the real things available.

If you are a native of the area, you may remember the Cliff Dwellers building of shops, formerly located in downtown Gatlinburg. Several years, it was set for demolition due to new developments. It was bought by the artist Jim Gray and faithfully moved and restored in this area. This information is courtesy of Debbie Ellis. Interesting bit of history. Very rich in cultural art of the region.

There are too many places to mention, but it is eight miles of one shop after another. My favorite was the Foxhill Studios on the hill across for Cliff Dwellers. The proprietor is a weaver by trade, with gorgeous handwoven wearable art. While you are there, check out the tile surround on the fireplace and be sure and go into the ladies room. There is too much to mention, but in a small place. For those interested in one of a kind, unique artistic pieces, this is the place to be. It has an excellent selection of merchandise, from jewelry to textiles to large art pieces. Great place to do your Christmas shopping. They teach all types of classes there, starting in the spring, and The Madam Miatas have been invited to participate in a class of our choosing, just for us. Look for this on the spring schedule, date to be determined.

I had heard of our luncheon destination for years, yet never had the opportunity to experience it. And what an experience it was. The Wild Plum Tearoom is tucked off the beaten path in a natural Appalachian setting, housed in a log cabin structure. Using wild plums as a basis for their menus, the food is some of the best with delicate layers of flavorings and textures. For example, the tea, which comes hot or iced, has a subtle hint of plum, along with the tiny muffins and accompanying jelly. I had the special, a lobster and artichoke pie, similar to a chicken pot pie. Not quite what you would expect in this establishment, but equal to the finest restaurant on the coast. And they sell their recipes in the Wild Plum Cookbook. There is no advertisement and reservations are recommended. They are only open from sometime in March through December 12th of this year. Definitely go and do not wait until next spring.

You may find out more by going to the website gatlinburg.com and searching out The Wild Plum Tearoom, as they do not have a website. More information is available from:

THE WILD PLUM TEA ROOM
555 Buckhorn Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Tele: (865) 436-3808
Send Email To: rrothwellc@aol.com

Hand-made gourmet lunch in log cabin Austrian-Style tearoom. Wine and Beer. Parking. Open 11:00am - 3:00pm Mon- Sat. Children's Menu.

Carolyn, Debbie and I wore everyone else out and continued to shop. If lunch was not enough, we ended up at the Legends Grill on the main drag in town for a quick supper bite. The deep fried olives with tomato sauce dip made a good snack with the artichoke/spinach dip and tortilla chips. Besides the quality of the food, the chips are unlike the regular corn kind you usually expect. They are fresh cooked, flour tortilla chips, very tasty.

After this, Carolyn dropped out and Debbie and I persevered on the trail to Pigeon Forge to The Christmas Place. I had a seasonal installation coming up and needed some sparkly things, along with some inspiration. If you haven't been here, go. It will surely get you in the Christmas spirit. And in addition to the hotel they have added across the street, they are building a restaurant, due to open in 2010.

Needless to say, we shopped until we dropped. Everyone was a trooper on this extravaganza, especially Debbie and Carolyn. Not many can keep up with me on a full day like this. I applaud all of our Madam Miatas who came on the trip and encourage the rest of you to add the next one to your schedule, or plan your own.

It's a great way to get to know one another!
Georgiana