An honest review of a fan-favorite, family-style restaurant in Pigeon Forge: Mama’s Farmhouse I sometimes struggle to review family or farmhouse-style restaurants. Why? My grandmother, who we called Nanny. A tiny Hoosier from Southern Indiana, she was an excellent cook who made down-home classics like chicken and dumplings and meatloaf that you could have served to any food critic in
These are the 10 commandments of Buc-ee’s, as imagined by a Buc-ee’s superfan Society doesn’t have rules because of the easy times. Rules are born of chaos, strife or stress. For example, the guy who invented speed limits didn’t come up with them because everyone was driving a serene 55 mph. Society saw the outliers, the speed demons weaving in
Ready to take the path less traveled? Here are three suggestions from a local In many ways, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park isn’t for the locals. Think back to the park’s founding. The people of the mountains were moved out so that the land could be preserved. It was a national movement led, in large part, by people who
A local reflects on mistakes and bad experiences he’s had in autumn time in the Smoky Mountains I’ve spent much of my life running around East Tennessee and Western North Carolina mountains. While the mountains are a destination for many, they’re just a part of my life. Go out the driveway, turn left, turn right and turn right again and
Why locals both love and fear this 100-year-old restaurant in the Smoky Mountains There’s a fine dining establishment in the heart of the Smoky Mountains where the prices aren’t the scariest thing. Welcome to The Greenbrier, one of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg, the Smoky Mountains and all of East Tennessee. The Greenbrier is well-known for its historic location in
Local takes a look at current conditions of NC, TN one month after a devastating hurricane As we approach the one-month “anniversary” of the biblical flooding in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Helene, the mountains and their people are in various stages of recovery. Things are back to business in some places like Gatlinburg
Local lists top spots to get the biggest, juiciest steak around the Smoky Mountains As someone who has personally spent a lifetime in search of the perfect steak, I understand that the biggest doesn’t always mean the best. But as a red-blooded American, I also know that sometimes the biggest dang well does mean the best. When dining out in
A local offers advice on avoiding these common mistakes when visiting the Smoky Mountains in the fall It’s hard to pick a favorite season in the mountains. From the blooms of spring to the verdant greens of summer to the explosion of color in autumn, even the snowcapped mountains of a snowy winter, something is appealing about every season in
A local shares his top favorite snacks from the Apple Barn You get a little ego boost when you’re out and about and you pick a little snack that draws oohs and aahs from other guests. You walk out with your little treat, and someone says in admiration, “Oh, that looks good.” It is even better when someone says “What
Below are this year’s estimates on when we expect East Tennessee to reach peak fall foilage by county There is a grove of trees somewhat near the entrance to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains, and it is my favorite spot to view the fall foliage. I’m not sure what the type of trees are, but the grove is