Which Stall to Use?

Well, Dahlonega and Beyond has been 'off the air' for a while, but we're back...and today we're posing a burning question for women. Here goes: When you go into a bathroom with multiple stalls, which one do you use?

While this is not a subject that comes up often at a dinner table, it's one that gives you food for thought. Is the first one on your right, the one to use? Do you go to the middle, thinking fewer people would use that one, or do you use the last one - again thinking that's the one that is not used as much.

Even if you're not a germ-a-phobe, you've got to be thinking, "Which one is the cleanest? Which one did the little kid not stand on? Which one has the fewest users?"

Next time you go into a multi-stall venue, look at the other women there. Bet they are thinking the same thing...."Should I use the one on the right? Or maybe the handicap one?"

No Air Jordan Shoe Fights in North Georgia

A sight you probably will never see in a North Georgia mountain town is nine thousand people standing in line for a pair of shoes. And definitely no local crowd would storm a store door and fight off others just to buy a pair of sports shoes. (As happened in Atlanta and across the country last week when the new Nike Air Jordans came out.)

In Atlanta, people were shoved, pushed, scraped, hit, and fired upon just for those $180 white leather shoes. (While stores sold out of these shoes within minutes, if you really want a pair, ebay is selling them for $450.)

Why no big Nike shoe rush in Dahlonega and Beyond? Here's just a few reasons we doubt that will never happen here:

1. The 'malls'  we have are more inclined to have Walmart as the anchor store...not a Nike or a Macy's.
2. Walmart isn't known for carrying sports shoes in the $100+ range. 
3. Most counties in North Georgia don't even have 9,000 people living in them.
4. People try to avoid buying white shoes because Georgia red clay makes a horrible mess on the soles.
5. We've got more important things to spend our money on.

The Stockings Hung by the Chimney with Care

They may not be pretty, but they are TRADITION.

Dozens of years ago, D took out her new sewing machine and tackled one of her first crafty projects - making Christmas stockings.

Oh, the love that went into the stockings (but alas, very little craft ability.) And year after year, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care... to the delight of the children, big and small. No one seemed to mind that the stockings were not needle-pointed nor Martha Stewart inspired.

This Christmas, a new grandson meant new stockings and a dilemma. Do we toss out the old 'home made' stockings and buy new, more stylish stockings for all so that our stockings matched?

Tradition won out. D dusted off the sewing machine (yes, the machine literally was dust-covered), re-read the 'how to use this machine' directions, and got eye-strain threading that ity-bity sewing machine needle.

Two and a half hours later, the Bates had two new family stockings that will hang for the first time on the mantel of our mountain home. The tradition continues.

The First Thanksgiving Turkey Disaster

Decades ago, D&B celebrated our first Thanksgiving in Georgia, hosting B's parents who had flown in for the holiday. This would be the first time that D cooked Thanksgiving dinner for her in-laws or for anyone for that matter.

Wanting to impress her in-laws, especially her mother-in-law, D pulled out recipe book after recipe book and made one long distance call after another to her father, the family chef, for his secret turkey cooking tips.

The table was set with the fine china, the family silver, and fresh fall flowers. The soon-to-be family favorites green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, fruit salad, cornbread dressing, and chocolate pie were ready. It was time to unveil the turkey.

Fresh out of the oven, the 22 lb. turkey was picture perfect - golden brown with luscious, aromatic broth. B grabbed the carving set and made the first slice into the turkey breast, and, of course, had to take a taste of the 'cookbook' perfect looking turkey.

That's when he realized that the turkey breast meat wasn't very hot. In fact, it barely was lukewarm. What was wrong? Well, after a bit of turkey investigation, he discovered that the plastic bags with the turkey innards were still 'inside' the turkey. Chef D seemed to have missed the critical step of turkey cooking - REMOVE all bags inside the turkey cavity.

Needless to say, that Thanksgiving feast was turkey free...and the mother-in-law was not impressed!

Farewell Larry Munson

The University of Georgia and UGA fans worldwide have lost an icon with the death of 89 year old Larry Munson, the legendary voice of Georgia football.

Whether you watched the Georgia games on television or listened on the radio, it was Larry's color commentary and voice that made you feel like you had a front row seats on the 50 yard line.

My favorite Munsonism comes from the UGA/Tennesse game in 1980, as Georgia beats the Vols thanks to a dramatic 16 yard run by Herschel Walker. Larry cheered and hollered: "Oh, you, Herschel Walker. My God Almighty, he ran right through two men....He drove right over orange shirts, just driving and running with those big thighs. My God, a freshman!" 

While Larry Munson may be gone, his plays and commentary will live on.  Here's a tribute to all his years of cheering on the dogs.

Yes, Virginia, There Still Is a Thanksgiving

The one holiday that Americans - no matter what their religion - can celebrate together is Thanksgiving, the day our nation and our people 'offically' give thanks for our blessings.

Unfortunately, Thanksgiving Day is now the forgotten holiday. The one that we seem to squeeze in between Halloween and Christmas.

Years ago, Thanksgiving was the day that kicked off the Christmas season. We started our Christmas shopping the day AFTER Thanksgiving. Stores' Christmas decorations went up AFTER Thanksgiving. Christmas songs and carols began playing AFTER Thanksgiving. Children made their Santa list AFTER Thanksgiving, and Santa made his first appearance in ON Thanksgiving in the Macy's parade.

That's not the case in 2011. Christmas decorations have been up in the local big box stores since early October - often displayed right next to the Halloween masks and candy. The day AFTER Halloween Christmas music was playing in the local Walmart. And Santa is already here. Unbelievably, he arrived at one area store on November 6. What's next? Santa sharing the stage with the Great Pumpkin?

Here's an idea. Let's bring back Thanksgiving. Put aside the hub-bub of Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving. Relish in the beauty and bounty of fall. Bring out the mums and pumpkin/turkey decorations. Take more time than just Thanksgiving dinner to reflect on our blessings. More importantly, let's celebrate Thanksgiving from November 1 to the day AFTER Thanksgiving.

Dahlonega-Lumpkin Business Leads Group

One of the best networking groups in the Dahlonega-Lumpkin Chamber of Commerce is the Business Leads Group.

This team of small business owners works to promote not just their own businesses but those of all the members of the group. But they do a great deal more than that. You'll see the BLG volunteering at events throughout the county.

They were at the Six Gap Century Bicycle Race handing out water. They were downtown Halloween night, dishing out candy to the thousands of children trick or treating on the square. They made chili and competed in the NOA Annual Chili Cook-Off. (While the BLG didn't win the Best Chili award, testers were heard praising the smokiness flavor of the group's chili and rice dish.)

Need more information on this group, contact President Davis Palmour.

Stranded in London Scam

CNN writer receives scam email too.

Last week, a high school friend (someone we hadn't seen in 40 years) send us an email pleading for our help. She and her family were stranded in London, after being mugged and all their money stolen. She needed us to urgently wire her money so that the family could get back to the states.

Now to begin with, this sounded fishy. Why would someone we hadn't seen in decades ask US of all people for our help? That's when we turned to Snopes.com, the best scam detective service on the Internet, to see if this plea was real or not.

With a quick search of the terms - money, robbed, stranded - up popped a SCAM Report that contained an almost word-to-word repeat of the email we received. Also, a real-life story of a how this email had upset and frightened a couple when they received the same email from their grandson.

The moral of this story is if a relative or friends say they are stranded in some foreign city, BEWARE and check out Snopes.

11-11-11

Today's 11-11-11. It's a rarity. Not often does the same digit appear in the day, month and year. Thousands of brides have chosen this day to be wed (husbands can't exactly forget this anniversary date) and way-too-many mothers have 'elected' to give birth today so their babies will have a unique birth date.

But the true importance of today is that 11-11 is Veterans Day...the day that we honor our veterans, the men and women who served in the military and too often gave their lives for our country.

On this November 11, D&B honors three important veterans - G. L. Bates, Jr., a U.S. Navy Sea-Bee who served in the Pacific during World War II; W.W. Nickerson, Jr., a U.S. Marine who fought on Guadalcanal; and Bill Nickerson, III, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.

We're proud of their service and proud of the many men and women who help make our country a safer, better place to live. As we honor our veterans, we must also remember those servicemen fighting for our freedom today in Afghanistan, Iraq, and way too many other places in the word. God bless you all.

Age - An Issue of Mind Over Matter and other Twainisms

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. How often have you seen this witticism on a poster or refrigerator magnet? But did you know that the author of these 'oh so true' words was the legendary Mark Twain? 

Twain - a newspaper reporter, riverboat pilot, printer, and author - had a great deal to say. Here are just a few Twainisms:

1. Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.  
2. Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.
3. Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn’t any. But this wrongs the jackass.
4. Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. 
5. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand. 
6. There are three kinds of people--Commonplace Men, Remarkable Men, and Lunatics.
7. Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
8. Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.
9. It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.
10. The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.

Want more Twain? Mark Twain (aka Kurt Sutton) is performing tomorrow (Nov. 11) at the Holley Theater, 7 p.m., in downtown Dahlonega.

Ga. Voters Approve Sunday Alcohol Sales

In Tuesday's election, voters across Georgia overwhelmingly approved the sale of alcohol on Sundays. In some cities, such as Grayson, Ga., voters said YES, not just to Sunday sales, but also to the sale of liquor for the first time within their city limits.

In nearby Hall county, Sunday sales were approved in Oakwood, Gainesville and Flowery Branch.

Unfortunately, Lumpkin, Dawson and Forsyth didn't have the option to vote on Sunday liquor sales. Perhaps, our commissioners will give us this opportunity next year. We need to be able to at least say YES or NO on an issue as important as this.
 

Read More - Sunday Sales Okayed

Mark Twain Coming to Town

Kurt Sutton in An Evening with Mark Twain

That controversial writer, Mark Twain, is coming to Dahlonega. Author of the often banned book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and such best sellers as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Prince and the Pauper, Twain is a literary legend know for his wit, sarcasm, and social criticism. And he's scheduled to perform November 11 on the state of Dahlonega's Holley Theater. 

Well, the real Mark Twain isn't actually going to perform. Actor and literary historian Kurt H. Sutton will portray Twain in An Evening with Mark Twain, at the Holley Theater. Sutton's Twain performance is part of the three day Dahlonega  Literary Festival sponsored by The Dahlonega Arts Council and North Georgia College and State University.

The performance starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $15 each. To purchase tickets, go to http://www.hollytheater.com/live_on_stage.html

What Were the Thieves Thinking?

Lumpkin County, just like its big cousins to the South - Fulton, Dekalb and Gwinnett counties - has its share or thefts and burglaries....only the items being pilfered in this area of North Georgia aren't always the large ticket items as in the big Atlanta metro counties.

When you look at this list of recently stolen items from Lumpkin residents or stores, all you can say is, "What were those thieves thinking?" On the 'stolen' list included:

• Tomatoes from someone's tomato plant 
• 20 signs for a local business 
• Knobs from a kitchen stove 
• Half a carton of cigarettes
• A woman's purse
• A diamond bracelet
• A pair of shoes and bottles of shampoo and conditioner, and
• A toothbrush, male enhancement pills and KY Jelly from Walmart

We had our own little crime wave in our neighborhood last week, too. No thefts; just five bashed in mailboxes (which, dear mailbox batterers, is a Federal offense.) Unfortunately, ours was one of those five. But at least no one broke in to our house and stole the knobs off our kitchen stove or took our shampoo!

Dunkin Donuts Coming to Town

If you're from Georgia, your idea of sweet roll heaven is a hot, hot, sugary-sweet Krispy Kreme glazed donut. Yet, if you're from New England, then the world's best donut has got to be the melt-in-your-mouth Dunkin' Donut cake donut.

Since D&B are long time Georgians, our Southern taste buds are partial to Krispy Kremes but with the Dunkin' Donut franchise coming soon to Dahlonega, we could become DD fans.

The new DD will be located next to Moe's Southwestern Grill on Morrison Moore Parkway West and just a block or two from the North Georgia College and State University campus.

Now what should our first Dunkin' Donut be? The traditional or something wild and crazy like the Boston Scream or the Chocolate Iced Bismark. Decisions. Decisions.

2011 Halloween Facts

Today is Halloween, which, next to Christmas, is the most popular holiday in the United States. Here are a few facts you may not know about this costume-wearing, candy gobbling day:

• The most popular Halloween candy is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
• 7 of every 10 Americans will celebrate Halloween this year.
• 43 percent of Americans will dress up for the holiday (up 3% from 2010.)
• Over 2.6 children and adults will dress as zombies.
• The most popular adult costume is the witch.
• The pumpkin is the costume of choice for pets.
• Halloween expenditures are up over $1 billion from last year.
• The average person will spend $72.31 on decorations, candy, costumes.
• Halloween has been celebrated for over 2,000 years.

And here's one of our favorite facts, decades ago people made their Halloween costumes instead of buying them at Party City, Target or Walmart.

Information for these facts found in National Geographic article on Halloween 2011.

Thousands of Trick or Treaters Expected

Imagine buying enough candy to handout to thousands of mini ghosts, goblins, pirates and princesses. That's the feat facing the merchants in Dahlonega, Ga., when the city hosts its annual Trick or Treat on the Square event, on Halloween from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

In 2010, according to reports, approximately 4,000 children (and parents) filled the town's square, lining up to go store-to-store, block-by-block for lollipops, chocolate bars, candy corn and other sugary sweets. This year should be no different.

Along with merchants, other Dahlonega civic organizations will be on the Square to dispense candy too. In fact, D&B is scheduled to be one of the hander-outers with the Business Leads Group for the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce. Can't wait to see all the costumes!
P.S. Roads through the square will be closed and traffic re-routed for the event.

Revooners raid Dawsonville moonshine still

Photo from Dawson Advertiser

Yep. The 'Revooners' (aka ATF) conducted a daring daylight raid on the Dawsonville Moonshine Distillery Friday, hoping to find moonshine in production. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had gotten a tip that moonshine was not only being brewed at the Distillery but also the dreaded white lightening was being sold on the premises.

AFT agents spent four hours at the Distillery, (which just so happens to be located next to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame), and left after they couldn't find any moonshine. They did find a still, which the owner of the Dawsonville Moonshine Distillery had unloaded the day before in anticipation of the 44th annual Mountain Moonshine Festival. The festival honors Dawsonville's legendary bootlegging, moonshining heritage.

"I thought I was going to jail," said Calvin Byrd, one of the organizers of the festival, as he described the AFT's raid.

While no moonshine was being produced when the AFT agents swarmed the place, that doesn't mean that the Distillery isn't going to LEGALLY make moonshine some day. In fact, plans call for the 6,5000 sq. ft. space located in the Dawsonville City Hall to one day produce moonshine which will ultimately be sold to a distributor for eventual sale to consumers. No moonshine will be sold on the Distillery's premises.

Operations permits are still pending. Expected to open by the end of the year, the Distillery will produce 'white lightning' based on recipes handed down from one generation of moonshiners to another. For more details, check out this AJC article.

Save a Hemlock tree.

A healthy hemlock tree

 

Growing as tall as 100 feet, the magnificent hemlock trees found throughout the Applachian mountains are in danger of becoming extinct. All because of a little Asian insect called the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid or HWA, a tree killer that has no local natural predator.

The hemlocks, vital to our ecosystem,  grow in mountainous areas where other trees don't and prevent land erosion, provide shade, and offer protection for wildlife. According to tree experts, within the next 15 years, if the deadly HWA isn't stopped, Georgia could lose its magnificent hemlocks.

The Hemlock Wooly Adel

You can help the hemlocks and have a fun weekend by attending the annual Hemlock Festival in Dahlonega. 100% of the proceeds go to saving the hemlocks.

At the three day, 2011 festival, you'll hear a variety of music from blue/newgrass and blues to classic oldies, Celtic and folk music. Plus, you can shop at artisan and craft booths, fill up on fudge and other festival goodies, and feel good knowing you're saving a hemlock or two.

The Hemlock Festival starts at 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, running  until 12:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and closing at 3 p.m. Sunday. The location is off Hwy. 52 outside of Dahlonega at 396 Starbridge Rd.

Harvesting Bear

"We had a bear harvested on Duke's Creek that was 525 pounds," a Gainesville biologist was quoted saying in a recent Dahlonega Nugget news article on the growing bear population in the region.

After reading that, we wondered just what does "harvesting bears" mean? Is 'harvesting' a euphemism for killing? Or does it mean they stun gunned the 525 lb. bear? Or maybe they 'harvested' it for a quiet, boring life in a Georgia zoo.

(Unfortunately, we're pretty sure that the first definition of bear harvesting is correct.)

2011 is sure to be a good year for bear 'harvesting' in North Georgia since this hunting season the limit for hunters is now two kills per season (or make that two 'harvests' per season.)

What this means is if you're a bear hunter, no need to go to some exotic place to 'harvest' a black bear. Just come to North Georgia where the bear population mushroomed from 2,500 18 months ago to about 4,000 now.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the bear boom is a good sign, since over-hunting had nearly decimated the state's bear population. Bear harvesting is popular even in California, where according to statistics, 1,503 bears were harvested in 2010.

Best Social Club in Dahlonega

Okay. To be fair to the Lions Club, D&B hasn't been to a Dahlonega Lions Club meeting yet, so this is sort of a prejudiced Best OF Dahlonega & Beyond selection of Best Club. (Last  month, the Lions Club tied with the Dahlonega Women's Club in local voting for Best Club for 2011.)

But after just one visit to the Dahlonega Women's Club, D&B has to say, "Wow. The Lions Club must be amazing to have tied with the Women's Club."

Our guest visit at the Women's Club started with a mini chili cookoff to determine which chili recipe would represent the club at the town's upcoming chili cookoff. Then for the next hour, one group chairman after another told of the amazing work the club is doing - Meals on Wheels, senior citizen center visits, time and funds donated to the library, participation in the Lumpkin Literacy Coalition's Spelling Bee, trash pickup along the highway, a fund for purchase flower seeds for highway medians, volunteering for charity events, and the list goes on and on.

Does that club stay busy! The local joke is that every event the Women's Club participates in involves a meal of some type. We can see why. Those meals provide the members with the fuel they need to take on all the charity work and volunteerism they do.

Nugget Is Parade's Grand Marshal

Nugget thinking about her role as Grand Marshal.

And the Dahlonega Gold Rush Days' Parade Grand Marshal is.....Nugget the dog! Announcement of Nugget's selection came in Wednesday's Dahlonega Nugget newspaper.

Nugget, Dahlonega's unofficial town dog, is the first canine parade grand marshal in the 57 year history of the Gold Rush Festival. Nugget will lead the parade through downtown Dahlonega Saturday, Oct. 15, riding along with her adopted parents Michelle and Craig Codrington.

"We like the grand marshal to not be only an example for Dahlonega but something significant for Dahlonega that year," said Melinda Maxwell, a member of the Dahlonega Jaycees, Gold Rush Days sponsor.

Nugget, who now has her own Facebook page with thousands of followers, definitely is a significant part of Dahlonega. Until adopted by her new family this summer, Nugget made the streets of Dahlonega and the Golden Pantry parking lot her home for years. Her story made national news as Dahlonega and beyond embraced Nugget as 'their dog.

The Gold Rush Days' Parade starts at 3 p.m. Get there early. You don't want to miss Grand Marshal Nugget!

Gold Rush in Dahlonega

At the height of the gold rush in North Georgia, historians say that as many as 15,000 miners came to the Dahlonega area searching for gold. That 15,000 is nothing compared to the 200,000 or so folks coming to Dahlonega this weekend, Oct. 15-16, for the 2011 Gold Rush.

Voted one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast, the Dahlonega Gold Rush Days are part county fair, part arts and craft show, and part food festival. The streets of Dahlonega (while not paved with gold) will be filled with booths - approximately 300 in fact - and clogged with crowds as adults, teens and children shop, eat, and have darn good time.

On the agenda for the two day event are a parade, fashion show, gospel music and contests for gold panning, hog calling, and buck dancing (not sure what that is) plus much much more. And, of course, you can feast on fried Twinkies and fried Snickers, turkey legs, corn on the cob, and homemade lemonade while you stroll from one artisans' booth to another. (Want to see what it's really like - watch this YouTube video.)

But be warned. Traffic is terrible. Come early and, of course, stay late.

Most Expensive Water in the U.S.

As the water flows in Lumpkin, so does the $$$$.

The day that we moved into our Dahlonega and Beyond home, a neighbor greeted us with the typical, "Welcome to the neighborhood" salutation. Then, what he said next was jaw-dropping - "Thought you might want to know that Lumpkin County has the most expensive water in the U.S." 

Not exactly something we wanted to hear and certainly something our real estate agent forgot to mention. 

To be honest, those of us served by the Lumpkin County Water & Sewer Authority don't exactly have the highest water bills in the country, but our water costs must be on the top 10 or 20 Most Expensive List.

Right now, the county and city of Dahlonega are haggling over water fees. The county water authority buys water from the city and the city fathers say, "The rates are going up." Who knows? Perhaps, one day soon, we can rightly say, "Lumpkin has the most expensive water in the U.S."

Leaf Looking with Your Pup

Nessie thinking about doing some 'leaf looking'

In the coming weeks, hundreds of thousands of people, from all over the United States, will travel to the breathtaking Appalachian mountains in North Georgia to leaf look.

Some of those lookers will bring along their pups...not just to view the gorgeous reds and yellows of the Georgian leaves, but also to take walks in local parks or downtowns. If you're making a leaf look with your pet, may we suggest you bring along:

1. Folding Dog Travel Bowl - This folding container surprisingly holds lots of water. It's a must have when D&B's dog Nessie travels. 
2. KoolCollar - Sunny fall days can mean temperatures in the high 70's or low 80's. This 'cool' collar will keep your dog comfortable.
3. Dog Calming CD - Dog jumping on seats or misbehaving? Play classical, dog-tested music that calms the inner beast of your pup.
4. Bags on Board Bone Dispenser  - This poop bag holder makes picking up after your dog oh so much easier. People using the same paths and sidewalks your pup uses will be most appreciative is you bag up.
5. Motion Sickness Drops - Go more than 10 miles and D&B's pup throws up. So traveling on mountainous Ga. roads means she gets motion sickness meds. This is a homeopathic version that might help your pup.   

If you do plan to do some leaf peeping, Lumpkin, Dawson, Pickens, and White counties have some fabulous mountain views!

Dahlonega Chamber - We Love Ya!

One of the first steps we took when moving to Dahlonega and Beyond was to join the Dahlonega- Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce. To be honest, we weren't expecting much. Boy, were we in for a surprise!

The DLCCC is extremely well organized and run by an experienced staff, people who know how to get the job done (and done well.) Just last weekend the Chamber hosted the biggest cycling event in the Southeast - over 2400 cyclists converged on the city for the 23rd Annual Six Gap Century and Three Gap Fifty Rides. 

One of our favorite events is the Chamber's monthly Business After Hours where we hob-nob with the mayor, city council members, state legislatures and county commissioners, and meet other Lumpkin area business owners. And of course, we eat. It seems that the host of the month tries to out do the previous hosts when it comes to food. (This month's menu included mini-crab cakes and gourmet cheeses.)

When we lived in metro Atlanta, we worked with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and Metro Atlanta Chamber as well. Now that we're a part of the Dahlonega-Lumpkin Chamber, we're not so impressed with those big Atlanta area chambers any more. Dahlonega Chamber - We love ya!

Hunger on Sesame Street and Dahlonega and Beyond

Meet Lily - Newest Muppet

Meet Lily. She's the newest muppet, who appeared for the first time Sunday on an hour long Sesame Street  that focused on hunger in America.

Lily, a cute little red headed muppet, is food insecure, which means she has limited or uncertain availability to meet basic food needs due to a lack of financial resources. According to Sesame Street statistics, 15 percent of U.S. households in 2009 were identified as being food insecure.

In Dahlonega and Beyond, unfortunately, the description food insecure  fits way too many children. A 2010 U.S. Department of Education report notes that 55% of Lumpkin County Middle School students and 50% of the Dawson County Middle School students qualify for free or reduced lunches. (A figure that's up 8 percent in Lumpkin and 11 percent in Dawson in one year.)

Children shouldn't go hungry. Remember that when someone asks you to donate to a food drive or help with a Feed the Hungry program.

Best Of Dahlonega & Beyond - Our Take 2

In the spirit of Dahlonega's Nugget's 2011 BEST OF contest, Dahlonega and Beyond has a few more of our own Best OF recommendations.

• Best Dog - Hands down Nugget wins Best Dog award. Not only did she live for years at the Golden Pantry, but she's captured the hearts of thousands throughout Lumpkin and the world over. Nugget even has her own Facebook page.
• Best Museum - Since this is Dahlonega and Beyond, our vote for best area museum is the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville. The exhibits there trace NASCAR from its moonshine running days to Dawsonville's Bill Elliott's racing career and beyond.
• Best Ga. NASCAR Eating Experience - The Dawsonville Pool Room is a must-eat-at spot. Filled with Georgia racing memorial, the restaurant/diner serves a great Bully Burger and has daily Meat and Two specials.
• Best Hotel - While we were house hunting, we stayed several times at The Park Place Hotel  in downtown Dahlonega. Each suite is unique, you get a bottle of wine when you check in, and it has a patio on the square that's a fun place for people watching. 
• Best Local Park - The Yahoola Creek Park in Dahlonega is a perfect spot for picnics, for the children to play in the creek, and for short hikes or walks.
• Best Spelling Bee - That's the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition's annual adult spelling bee. Lots of laughs as adults try spelling such words as ailurophile, equinoctial and horripilation.

We'll be posting more Best Of awards. Stay tuned.

Now Casting - "Big Foot - The Movie"

Want to be in a Bigfoot movie? Here's your chance.

A local area film company is making a movie based on the legend that Bigfoot lives in Dahlonega...or at least in the forests in the Dahlonega and Beyond area. (In recent years, credible sources - from Army Rangers to a Lumpkin County Sheriff's Deputy - have reported seeing Bigfoot-like creatures running or foraging in the woods.)

The film company will be casting roles soon. (Wonder who will play Bigfoot?) Watch here for more details. The story of the Dahlonega Bigfoot could be coming to a theater near year....or maybe your DVD player.

More Lumpkin Jail Antics

If you are a member of the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Department, life is not boring. Especially not based on some of the recent reports we've been getting.

There's the story of the inmate at the LCSD detention center who was playing tic-tac-toe. Only problem was that he was ticing, tacing and toeing on his cell door....causing approximately $1,700 in damages to the door. AND, he now has a new charge against him - Criminal Interference with Government Property.

In other LCSD news, last week a LCSD trustee, assigned to the Red Oak Flats county shop, walked away from his work detail. In fact, he walked right into his girl friend's car that just happened to pull up at the same time. Fortunately, LCSD had the trustee back in custody a few hours later.

Before he walked away, the 30 year old trustee was serving a short sentence for a misdemeanor or probation violation. Now according to Lumpkin Sheriff Stacy Jarrard, the 'former' trustee is "looking at five years for nine hours of freedom."

Best of Dahlonega - Our Take

The people have spoken...at least those who voted in the Dahlonega Nugget's BEST OF contest. The newspaper released Wednesday a list of those people and businesses that were voted Dahlonega's Best of...

While D&B agrees with a number of Best of Picks, we have a few of our own:

• Best Real Estate Agent - Sandra Williams of Sellers Realty. She patiently showed us dozens of homes before we found our new home in Dahlonega. She was savvy and definitely knowledgeable.
• Best Coffee - It's not Starbucks. The best coffee in Dahlonega is at the Picnic Cafe and Dessertery on the square. Our favorite is Hazelnut. YUM! 
• Best Appetizer - In our opinion, the crab cake appetizer at the Backdoor Porch Oyster Bar is the best in the city. The chef doesn't use breading, so the crab cake has LOTS of crab.
• Best Photographer - Well this is a no-brainer. Lamar Bates of Lamar Photography. A photo volunteer for the Lumpkin Chamber of Commerce, he's doing a fabulous job capturing the fun events in this area. 
• Best Sunday Brunch - This honor has to go to the Bourbon Street Grill. Eggs Benedict, beignets, coffee with chicory and eating on the porch overlooking the town square. Can't beat that.
• Best Chicken Pot Pie- This is definitely one of the most popular dishes at Yahoola Creek Grill. After you've eaten the first bite, you will know why.
• Best Hamburger - When we took friends to Shenanigans Irish Pub and we all ordered the pub burger, one friend announced, "This is the best hamburger I've ever eaten." Yes, their burgers are that good.
• Best Dog Groomer - PeeWee Grooming wins this award. D&B's Scottie came home with the best cut/trim she's ever had. PeeWee definitely knows their doggie cuts.
• Best Wine Vixen - That has to be Vicki at Naturally Georgia tasting room in The Bleu Gallery on the downtown square. Vicki serves up wine from two North Ga. wineries, adding a bit of personality with each glass she pours.
• Best New Wine - According to Mr. B, Cavendar Creek Vineyards and Winery's 2010 vintage of Petit Manseng is fabulous. For a taste test, visit the vineyards' tasting room, 12-5 Friday and Saturday, 1-5 Sunday. Tastings are free.

Stay tuned to Dahlonega and Beyond for more of our Best Of's.

Cruise Tips from Monarch of the Seas

D&B have just returned from a vacation way beyond Dahlonega, cruising on Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas, our 5th time on that ship.

As serial cruisers or frequent floaters, people often ask us for cruising tips. Here's a few we've learned after almost 70 cruises:

1. Try new foods. For example, B never eats fish, but on this cruise, he tried Shrimp and Mahi Mahi Tempura for the first time. He liked it so much that he ordered a second plate.
2. Always pack a sewing kit and safety pins. When buttons pop or hems come out, you are prepared.
3. Just say no to the Seasick Patch. First the seas are usually pretty calm but if you feel woozy, use the motion sickness wrist bands. We tried the seasick patches once. They do work, but after a day or two you feel lightheaded and have trouble focusing. Reading a menu becomes a challenge.
4. Take a Dramamine before going to sleep at night. We've done this on every cruise and while others complain of feeling the waves while in bed, we sleep the night through.
5. Think twice before buying spa products. After a massage or other spa treatment, the technicians will offer you a variety of "must have" products. Watch out. They can be expensive, very expensive.

More cruising tips to come later.

The Smith House - The Legend, The Fried Chicken

The Smith House is legendary in North Georgia. On Sundays, the front yard of this Dahlonega home style restaurant is filled with people waiting their turn for family-style fare - for fried chicken, ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, corn bread, fried okra and so much more.

The Smith House is a boarding house style eatery (with great reviews) where strangers are thrown together for the meal. People share conversation as they crunch on the extra crispy chicken, sip the super sweet tea, and repeatedly ask, "Would you pass the..."

Long before Paula Deen's Southern fare became popular, Georgians flocked to The Smith House for a true Southern food. D&B included. In fact our first trip there was over 30 years ago.

D&B was back at The Smith House a few days ago. We were seated at a table with a man from Elijah who had migrated to North Georgia from metro Atlanta. A true Southern gentleman, the man from Elijah didn't mind a bit when we asked him to pass the potatoes, pass the gravy, and please pass us another piece of chicken!

While The Smith House may never win a James Beard award or five culinary stars, it's a great place for Southern fare and a great place to make new friends. It's also another MUST VISIT spot when traveling North Georgia.

Fiddlehead Fest

America's Got Talent may not have loved the Fiddleheads, but Dahlonega sure does. The Fiddleheads are a local group of North Georgia College and State University grads and students who competed on America's Got Talent earlier this summer.

The local group wowed fans, but, unfortunately, not all the judges. But that was then....this is now. The fiddling fan favorite is making their first post-competition appearance in Dahlonega on Thursday, Sept. 29. The 'new grass' band will play at the university's Greenfest, at 6:30 p.m.on the school's drill-field.

The Greenfest organizers are hoping for a large crowd as the community and university welcome the Fiddleheads back home. If you can't make the Fiddleheads' Dahlonega show, plan on buying the group's first CD, which they are in the process of recording.

Inmate Restrained Because of Sprinkler

Last month, Dahlonega and Beyond wrote about how a couple of inmates at the Lumpkin County Detention Center had a weird fascination with toilet water. This month, instead of the toilet, sprinkler heads are the latest point of interest for an inmate.

According to the Dahlonega Nugget's Crime Beat, a Lumpkin County inmate was restrained "after he reportedly tried to throw his mattress at the sprinkler heads in his cell. That was the second time the inmate had to be restrained that day. Earlier he was "put in a restraint chair after he threatened to bang his head on the wall."

Guess those spending time at the local jail just like water containment devises.

Cyclists Coming to Dahlonega

Over 3,000 people are coming to Dahlonega, Saturday, Sept. 25, to participate in or watch Georgia's Premier Cycling event, the Six Gap Century & Three Gap Fifty rides. Hundreds of cyclists will travel along curvy, challenging mountain roads across North Georgia, riding on Tour de Georgia routes.

The Six Gap route includes six of the steepest climbs in the North Georgia mountains, with more than 11,200 feet of vertical climbing over 104 miles. Elevations, according to race officials, range from 1,400 to 3,460 ft. The Hogpen Gap has a 7% grade for seven miles. The Three Gap Fifty is half what the distance of the Six Gap, but cyclists will still face the same elevations.

D&B will work as a volunteer for the race with Mr. D&B photographing the event for the Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce, the key sponsor the race. A bike expo will take place on Dahlonega's square Saturday. The races kick off Saturday and Sunday at the Dahlonega High School.

Click Photo to See Race Details and Video

Race Details and VIdeo

Bad Guy Take on Taser

Tasers work. They stop do-badders right in their tracks. At least that's what a Lumpkin County deputy thought until he tased a man who was resisting arrest. The deputy zapped the guy and waited for him to drop to the ground.

But the To-Be-Arrested Man didn't go down. Instead, he ripped one of the taser probes from his chest and went after the deputy. Again, the deputy fired his taser gun. And again, nothing happened. The tasers didn't phase the "You're Not Going to Arrest Me" man.

The skirmish continued. Soon other deputies rushed to the aid of the Deputy One. After kicking one deputy and pushing another against the wall (all while handcuffed), the really angry "Tasers Don't Work on Me" man was finally subdued and was arrested.

Lesson learned here - You can't always count on your taser gun to take down the bad guys.

Looking for something to do Saturday?

Come to Dahlonega if you're looking for something to do Saturday, Sept. 17. The weather is going to be fabulously fall-like and there's plenty of activities for you, such as:

• Shop at the Farmers & Artists Market, Hancock Park, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Homemade jams, jellies, pickles and more are available as well as handmade jewelry, pottery, and other handicraft.
• Listen to Appalachian music on the Square, 2 to 5 p.m. - You'll hear acoustic bluegrass and old time string music at Saturday's 2011 Dahlonega Appalachian Jam. Bring a chair so you can sit on the Gold Museum's lawn or even an instrument and play along with the music makers.
• Want more music? - If you are on the square, stop by Shenanigan's Pub and listen to the sounds of Stoned Sandwich. (And be sure to order one of Shenanigan's famous pub burgers.) You can also hear Tom Talton, who toured with Gregg Allman,  at the Crimson Moon; and the Remember When Band at the Sidewinder Grill at Hwy. 19/129.
• Walk the Scarecrow Trail at the North Georgia Zoo - Of course, take a tour of the zoo too.
• Stay for the Rita Graham Jazz and Blues Concert at the Holly Theater, 8 p.m. - Tickets are $20 - You'll love this refurbished theater, its old time concession stand, and, of course, the great jazz and blues.
• Feast on fall food featured at the Yahoola Creek Grill. Choose between chicken and dumplings, roasted vegetable lasagna, and my favorite, barbecue brie ribeye (oh yum.)

If this isn't enough for ya'll, go wine tasting, rent a kayak, hike up to a water fall or stop at Connie's Sandwich Shop for a double dip ice cream cone. Now I don't want to hear anyone say that coming to Dahlonega is BORING.