Exploring the NE Georgia mountains!

Happy 2021, y'all! 

I know - it's been forever.  I'm going to be better about posting in 2021!   

It's been a hard 14 months.  But I'm digging my way out and moving forward. 

Today I am going to share a super-fun place to have lunch in the NE Georgia mountains. 

I first heard about Fenders Diner in Cornelia, GA on Facebook.   I checked out the menu online and knew it was a place I wanted to try.    My friend Katherine came to visit in January from Houston, Texas.  I love when she comes to visit because we stay on the go most of her visits! 

Here we are being goofballs on Snapchat - we have such fun times together! 

This particular day started in my little town at one of our antique stores.  So many cool things to see (and buy!) there.   

Next we headed up to the Amish store in Homer, GA.  It's about 45 minutes from me, but SO worth the drive.  They have every spice you can imagine, in bulk. They sell the marshmallows from Lucky Charms in large bags - yum!! They sell Amish popcorn, jellies, preserves, sauces and more.  Plus there is a deli/meat counter where you can get a sub to go, brisket burgers, and other fresh meat and seafood.  Don't get me started on the Amish butter and cheese!! And chilled sodas in glass bottles that you don't usually find everywhere - like Cheerwine, one of our faves!  They have a nice selection of soup and dip mixes too.  And a few personal care items like CBD oil, natural remedies, and Amish soap.   It's a little bit of everything, and one of my favorite places to shop.  The prices can't be beat, either. 

This gem is called David and Katie's Amish Store, and it is located at 969 Historic Homer Highway, in Homer.  Click here for their Facebook page. They post specials, changes in hours, etc. there, so give them a look before you head up to Homer. 

A few of the goodies I got on this trip.  The dehydrated cantaloupe chunks were amazing.

After we left David and Katie's, we headed up to Cornelia.  Despite living in Georgia for all of my adult life,  I haven't ventured up to this corner of the state much.  We loved seeing Cornelia. It's your typical all-American small town.  And Fender's is the cutest retro diner - both inside and out! 

We started with the Hot Southern Mess appetizer - crispy french fries, topped with sausage gravy, cheese, bacon and jalapenos (we got those on the side). YUM! 

I decided to try the Rockin Chicken - it's a Nashville Hot fried chicken breast served on a huge 1/2 lb cheddar cathead biscuit.  I asked for a side of ranch, and I chose their grits for my side.  They were the best grits ever - super creamy and delicious.  The chicken was HOT and perfect! 

Katherine chose the Southern Lovin' - a Southern fried chicken breast served with a mac n cheese waffle and sauteed green beans.  I only got a pic of that waffle! She said it was all wonderful! 

The service was good and we enjoyed our visit to Fenders.  I'll definitely go back!

Fenders is located at  631 Irvin Street, Cornelia GA 30531.  They have a website and a FB page, too. 

Mural near Fenders in Cornelia, GA 

Nice views looking down from Cornelia.

More from downtown Cornelia. 

We ended our day by heading down 985 to Jaemor Farms store in Lula, GA.  We picked up some fried pies and other delicious treats before heading home.  

We had some other fun experiences while Katherine was here, and I'll try to add those here soon! 

What's your favorite Diner, wherever you live? I LOVE Diners! Leave me a comment, maybe I'll get to try it one day!

Y'all take good care, and thanks for stopping by! 

Red Oak Lavender Farm ~ Dahlonega, GA

I love using herbs, botanicals and essential oils.  Especially lavender! I have a sleep mist, linen spray, bath salts, bath bombs and more that use this flower's calming fragrance.  It's definitely a favorite scent!

Three years ago, we first heard of Red Oak Lavender Farm.  I took my son to visit in the summer of 2016 and it was all I could have hoped for!  Beautiful gardens with rows of lavender, and the most amazing gift shop with homemade goodies and more!  Spending time out with the lavender is so peaceful and calming! Butterflies are everywhere and there are so many photo opportunities!

We took lots of pictures, and I knew wanted to come back soon.  However, an allergy to bees and other stinging insects made my son nervous to come back - bees are all over the farm, doing their thing!  So I didn't get to visit for a while.

Last summer my friend Katherine visited Atlanta from Houston.  She, like me, loves lavender and other essential oils.  So I knew she would appreciate a visit there.  She traveled with her one year old, and I think he enjoyed it too - lots of room to walk and explore!

This farm is not like the huge ones you see pictured in France or the Pacific Northwest with row after row of lavender.  Georgia does not have the ideal climate for lavender, but these folks have made it possible with a lot of hard work!  They have approximately 2.5 acres of lavender - about 60 rows that are 100 feet long.  They grow over 20 varieties of lavender on the farm.  It's really amazing, considering this plant should not grow here due to our humidity, clay, and other factors.

The family that owns the farm lives in the house attached to the gift shop. Not only do they harvest the lavender to sell, they distill the oil from plants to make pampering treats for you.  There are also culinary treats like Lavender Sugar, Lavender and Pink Himalayan Salt, and Herbs de Provence.  Those busy bees out by the lavender make the most delicious lavender honey.  You can get it fresh from the farm here!

I've purchased linen sprays, lavender-filled bookmarks, bunches of dried lavender, lavender soap, lavender honey, and a few other wonderful gifts there for myself or family/friends. The prices are great and the products are lovely.  Please check it out when you go!

Here it is, summertime again.  I'm ready for another relaxing trip to Red Oak.  I hope you will give them a visit, too!  There is a $5 fee for adults to visit during June, but now that it is July, entry is free!  From my home in NE Gwinnett, it was less than an hour drive to get there.

Check out this video I made on our visit last year!

And here are some of my favorite pictures from both visits...

D back in 2016.  He's grown up since then - now he is tall and skinny! 

Baby Lennox got his picture taken in this adorable butterfly chair last summer.

Sign from 2016 - they grow double that, now! 

Bee Hives!

Parking is in the front yard or along the driveway.  For special events, they offer parking at a neighbor's farm across the street.

Don't forget to visit the gift shop!

It smells so lovely, too - the scent of lavender is everywhere.

Here's what you need to know to plan your visit!

Red Oak Lavender Farm
2882 Red Oak Flats Road
Dahlonega, GA 30533
Phone: 706-974-8230 during business hours
March 1 - December 15 ~ Wednesday - Friday 11 - 3  Saturday 10 - 4
Closed on July 3 & 4, 2019
Email: RedOakLavender@gmail.com

A little taste of Hawaii in Georgia - Truett's Luau Chick-fil-A

The kids and I have taken so many day trips around Georgia over the years. I have thousands of pictures on my laptop, so I'm going to work hard to get these here on the blog this summer!

One of our favorite discoveries was Truett's Luau in Fayetteville!  It was opened by Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy in 2013, when he was 92.  This was his last project, and he put his heart and soul into it! He handpicked most every piece of decor, and he tested menu items as they were developed so that he could be sure a little bit of Hawaii was brought to Fayetteville, Georgia through the menu at this restaurant.

At 8000 square feet, this is a MASSIVE Chick-fil-A!  And it's beautiful - inside and out.   There are tropical plants, beautiful furniture, even ukeleles to take and play at your table!  This is the coolest place to spend time with your family, enjoying amazing food and a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.

Choose to eat in the fast food dining room on your left, which is like any Chick-fil-A, or choose table service in the beautiful dining room to your right! We've only eaten in the table service side, which is pictured above.  It's bright, airy and absolutely lovely in there! Some of the tables are made of the most beautiful wood, as shown in the last picture.  That picnic-style table with benches is huge!

The menu has your favorite CFA items, but it also offers amazing Hawaiian specialties.   Appetizers include Calamari, Hawaiian Pork Nachos, and Tropical Nuggets (in an awesome sweet chili sauce!)

Appetizer Sampler with Lava Rocks, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries and Tropical Nuggets 

Hawaiian Pork Nachos 

For your entree, you can try a Kalua Pork plate, Mahi Mahi, Maui Shrimp or even Teriyaki Chicken!

They even have a burger!! The Luau burger is topped with fresh pineapple, bacon and colby jack cheese on a King's Hawaiian bun. Yum!! Or try an Awapui BBQ chicken sandwich or a Kalua pork sandwich.  So many choices!

Sides include Asian pasta salad, sweet potato waffle fries (my favorite!), pineapple fried rice, and stir-fried vegetables.  They also have the usual CFA salads, plus a Hula chicken noodle bowl.

Desserts here are something special.   Try a Frosted Pineapple (similar to the Frosted Lemonade, but with pineapple juice), or a Pineapple Macadamia milkshake.  Or the King's Hawaiian Bread Pudding, Skillet Cookie or Lava Cake.  Deliciousness!

Outside, the curb appeal is just as great as the decor inside!  Lush greenery, rocks, plus the typical landscaping care that is evident at all Chick-fil-A's make this place look beautiful.

I've gone with my kids, and I've also taken my sweet friend Katherine when she visited from Texas.  The service is perfect and the food is like nothing I've ever had in Georgia.  It's a long drive from NE Gwinnett, but it is surely worth the stressful Atlanta traffic - I promise!  I can't wait til our next visit!

Some of our favorite choices here are the pork nachos, tropical nuggets, teriyaki chicken, those delicious sweet potato waffle fries, and the frosted pineapple!!  Everything we have tried is delicious and freshly cooked to order.  If you have time to make that drive, you've absolutely GOT to give Truett's Luau a try!!

Their address is: 600 West Lanier Ave., Suite 103
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(770) 461-5828

The website is here.  You can see the menu items here!
Thanks for stopping by!


Have you been to Truett's Luau?  If so, what did you think?  What is your favorite item on the menu?

Georgia Renaissance Festival - 2013

Well, I really wanted to share the pictures I took at the Festival in this review, but I am having issues with my camera!  I wanted to get this up asap so that those interested will still have time to visit before the Festival ends in early June!  So here it is, with a couple pictures from the Festival's site & FB page.  If I am able to retrieve the photos from my camera, I will update this with them later....

The Georgia Renaissance Festival is open Saturdays & Sundays (plus Memorial Day!) now through June 2, 2013.  Hours are 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.   Click here for directions!  Ticket information is here. Parking is FREE! Wear your walking shoes - the Festival grounds are situated on 32 acres!

Next weekend is Mother's Day & Sweet Treat Weekend:
On Mother’s Day, Moms can shop, feast and be honored on her special day!  On Sunday, the first 100 Moms through the gate will receive complimentary flowers!  Also check out the Royal Cupcake Wars Competition! 

May 18 & 19 is Arrrgh!! It's Pirates Weekend!
Scalawags and swashbucklers abound for a Pirate Hijinks Adventure!
For our Knights and Ladies on Bikes, show your motorcycle license at the box office and get $4.00 off adult tickets! (limit 2 purchases per license)

We went on opening day this year, and traffic was pretty heavy on the road leading to the Festival.  We were happy that there was no wait at the ticket area - we got inside the Festival grounds very quickly!  There is so much to see - it really feels like you have stepped back in time!   We saw knights, maidens, jesters, royalty and many other characters from the past.  It was really cool for David to see all these folks!  There were cool men on stilts that he just loved watching!  Once inside we walked back a bit and found a little stand that was offering free archery lessons. David loved giving that a try!   A little farther back he decided to try the Jacob's Ladder challenge.  We saw two tiny tots win money, but David didn't make it all the way up!  

There are games EVERYWHERE! Some of the things my son & husband tried:  Knife throwing, Star throwing,  Vegetable Justice (throw tomatoes at a heckler!), and the Test of Strength! They had a blast! David also did a few rides: the Corkscrew Slide, the Maze, and Junior Jousting! The rides & games cost between $1 and $5. There are ATM's on site, in case you need more cash!

David also enjoyed the kids area.  It has face painting, crafts, a fun playground, and juggling classes! There is also a petting zoo!

Some of the unique food items found at the Festival included fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mac n cheese on a stick, Scotch eggs, and conch fritters, root beer floats, and apple dumpling sundaes!  We got smoothies and frozen lemonade to keep us cooled off.

Did you know that there are 150 shows EVERY day at the Festival?! I had no idea! Our favorite show this year was Adam Crack - Fire Whip Show.  Holding 7 Guinness World Records, including the most bullwhips cracks in one minute (253!)  and the fastest whip (10 targets in 4.53 seconds!) - you will be amazed at Adam & his whip!!

We always plan to see the Joust but have never been in that area at show time.  One day, we will see it!  We also liked Barely Balanced and also the Mud Show! There is so much to choose from entertainment-wise!  Here is the schedule for the shows at the Festival....

We also enjoyed the lively music of The Rogues, who were special guests that weekend.

The shops at the Renaissance Festival are awesome.  You can buy so much great stuff there.  We came home with herbs, tea, flavored honey sticks, a wooden dagger and shield for David, and pocket knives for both my husband and David.  If we'd had the money, I would have spent so much more! :)

Here is a listing of all of the shops at the Renaissance Festival.  There are also Artisan Demonstrations!

We enjoyed a wonderful, busy day at the Festival.   We can't wait til next year!   Please make plans to visit this gem of a Festival;  we are so lucky to have it come here to Atlanta!!   To keep up with all the promotions and fun of the festival, like them on Facebook!

Disclaimer: The Georgia Renaissance Festival provided me with two passes to the Festival so I could attend the Festival and review it here on the blog.  No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are my own! 


       

Stone Mountain Spring FUN Break Part 2

Part Two of our fun-filled day at Stone Mountain Park's Spring FUN Break!

Baby Hedgehog

After our delicious lunch at Campfire Grill,  David and I headed over to the  Wildlife Wonders’ Animal Babies show.  From a baby otter to a kangaroo, animal experts immerse guests in an educational and interactive animal encounter!  We really enjoyed the show, and David was so excited to get to touch the animals.

We learned many cool facts about the baby animals showcased, and got to touch them all, except for the baby otter.  She has very sharp, strong teeth, so no touching allowed!

David was ready to run around and have some fun so next up we headed over to the Sky Hike & Camp Highland Outpost.  The line for Sky Hike (one of the nation's largest family adventure courses) was a little long so we checked out the kid-friendly Camp Highland Outpost.  The low ropes course, three line bridges, and zip line were perfect for my 9 year old! He had a blast!!


Geyser Towers was the perfect end to our time in the Crossroads Section of Stone Mountain Park.  It was getting awfully warm by this time and David was ready to cool down.  The rope bridges and various platforms are so much for hot kiddos to play on, and they are surprised by sporadic "eruptions" of water that cool them off and fill the air with screams of delight! (Note: Kids must have close toed shoes on to play at Geyser Towers.)  We like to end our day at Geyser Towers so David can go straight to the car and change into dry clothes!

As we were leaving, we decided on an impulse to visit the Antebellum Plantation & Farmyard, located right off the road we take to exit Stone Mountain.  I have been visiting Stone Mountain since I was a kid, and I don't know that I've ever taken the time to visit the Plantation.  I am so thrilled we took the time to do so this visit! We've been missing out on a hidden gem at SMP.

You enter this part of the park through a general store.  If you purchased an Adventure Pass for all of the fun over at Crossroads, then you may also explore the Plantation area with no additional charge.  If not, you can purchase a pass just for the Plantation.   You get to take a self guided tour through a collection of original buildings from Georgia, built between 1783 and 1875.  All were moved to SMP, carefully restored and furnished with period furniture and accessories.  The plantation homes are beautiful.   I think I should have lived during the Antebellum era - this speaks to my heart! The homes and their furnishings were just lovely.

The slave cabins, cookhouse and doctor's cabin were very interesting to see and read about.  The gardens are lovely.  We enjoyed ducking under the shady canopy of a huge magnolia tree - it was so much cooler under the shade!

We also ducked into the barnyard for a visit.  I quickly found out that there is one young goat who really, really likes pink - whether shirt, bag, shoes - he will find you if you have pink on! He had half my shirt in his mouth before I even realized it, lol! So don't wear pink! :)    Keep an eye out for this one:

We loved that the rest of the goats were all together on the path enjoying a nap in the sunshine. They patiently let my boy brush them.  There were also little piggies and lambs to see. 

This garden of herbs had signs explaining what each was used for medicinally.  Loved it!

After we spent about an hour wandering around the various buildings and gardens, we were pooped.  We could have stayed for the Laser Show, but we were so tired!  

So instead, we got in the van and headed north, back to our part of town.  We had spent the most delightful day at Stone Mountain Park during our Spring Break staycation!  Can't wait to see what they have to offer this summer, and over the holidays! It is one of Atlanta's best destinations for family fun!

Stone Mountain Park offers a variety of value-priced options for families to enjoy the park and the special SFB activities. 

Adventure Pass

$28 Adults/$22 Children 3-11 (tax not included)

Includes all of the SFB activities and other popular attractions such as the new Journey 2: The

Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience, Geyser Towers^®, Sky Hike^®, the Summit Skyride, the

Great Locomotive Chase Adventure Golf, The Great Barn^®, Scenic Railroad, the Antebellum

Plantation & Farmyard and Memorial Hall Museum.

Mountain Membership Annual Pass

$56 Adults /$44 Children 3-11 (tax not included)

Pays for itself in two visits. An annual pass lets families come again and again throughout the

year to take advantage of the park’s attractions, special events and exclusive discounts. 

Family Value Pass

$125 for a family of four (tax not included).

Saves families 30 percent. Sold exclusively online, pass includes Adventure Passes, meal tickets

and complimentary cups with unlimited refills all day.

Families may also enjoy great vacation and staycation accommodations right inside the Park at two Marriott hotels. Family Escape Packages, beginning at $189 a night, include a one-night stay at the Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort or Stone Mountain Inn, 2-day Adventure Passes and breakfast.

Listed in Frommer’s 500 Places to Visit with Your Kids Before They Grow Up and cited by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of “35 Natural Wonders in Georgia You Must See”, Stone Mountain Park is located 16 miles east of downtown Atlanta. To get to the park, take I-285 to Exit 39B, Hwy. 78 East. Stone Mountain Park is Exit 8 on Hwy. 78. More information on Spring FUN Break, Stone Mountain Park attractions and hours of operation is available at www.stonemountainpark.com or by calling 770-498-5690.

Disclaimer: I was provided free passes to SMP in order to review the shows and attractions for the blog.  No other compensation was received and as always, all opinion are my own!