OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO - CLASSIC ON NOBLE

Classic On Noble

(Written By Sheila Gail Landgraf)

 I wanted to tell you about a very special restaurant I discovered once upon a time as we were traveling through Anniston, Alabama.   It is called Classic On Noble, and it is located, just as the name implies, on Noble Street in Anniston, Alabama.

You will never find a more cozy and quaint dining experience.  This has become a place to go on special occasions for my family.  

We’ve always been for dinner in the evenings, but I’m told that their brunches are amazing, delicious and well attended.  I’ve had the brunch idea marked on my bucket list for awhile, and I know I will find it worth the drive when I get around to it.  Brunch seems to be the rave with the locals for sure. 

 In the meantime, my dinner experiences there have certainly been excellent. 

David and Cathy Mashburn are the restaurant owners.  It seems they were well established in the catering business when they noticed that the old Levy and Clark Building in Anniston’s historic district was for sale.  

The building was constructed in 1894, and had been boarded up and closed off since 1919.  When they first toured the dusty old building full of cobwebs, Cathy thought it was a hopeless case, but David thought it was “perfect.”  David won the disagreement.  Classic On Noble soon became a key element toward the revitalization of historic downtown Noble Street.  Cathy now openly admits that David had the vision from the start, and it has come together just as he imagined; “perfectly.”   

You enter the restaurant from the main street and step into an elegant fresh flowered entrance way that will either lead you back to many beautiful rooms of white linen covered antique tables graced by a lovely grand piano, or you can turn left and go upstairs via a winding stairwell to The Green Olive Room.  The downstairs interior has hardwood floors and is beautifully decorated in an elegant upbeat yet traditional style that compliments the building.  This is where brunch, lunch and some special receptions are held.  There is a station at the foot of the stairway where your hostess will greet you.  You may sign a guest book that is kept there if you like, and you will soon find yourself led to a pretty table and very comfortably seated and pampered by excellent service.

Classic Catering creates wonderful food art for a wedding reception, or any other special occasion.  

They have catered to small and large crowds for offices, events, and special occassions in homes around the Southeast, regularly delivering excellent services to people in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.   

They are willing to travel to you, or you may rent the space of their restaurant for your event.   

The last time my husband and I came for dinner a wedding party was just leaving their reception from the front door.  People threw rose buds at the bride and groom as they escaped to the outside sidewalk.  Once the wedding crowd cleared, we were able to enter the restaurant ourselves, walking in over a fresh trail of pink, yellow and red rose petals that had been left behind.  I felt like God had planned the time out for us to arrive just when we did.  It added a bit of whimsy to the time we were anticipating, and made for a great beginning to a wonderful dining experience.

Our table was reserved in The Green Olive, the upstairs upscale bar area that is full of unique original art, antique furniture, vintage chandeliers and beautiful woodwork.    There is an amazing antique chess set in one area, and some of the former wedding party I mentioned earlier, were having a mixed drink and playing a game of chess while waiting on their meal.  

Our cozy table by the window was all very quite though, and that is one of the things I like so much about the place, you can actually have a conversation and hear what the other people at your table are saying. 

The Green Olive Room proclaims selections from a well stocked wine cellar.  The atmosphere of the bar area might remind you of the fact that once there was a time in the early history of the building during the Prohibition era, when the Green Olive Room’s floors were covertly being used to sell alcohol.  There was also live dancing and music back in those days.  Often there were raids by the local law enforcement.  However, no such commotion is happening now.   It is quite the opposite, and there is such a peaceful, elegant, “living-room feeling” in the Green Olive Room.   

We chose an excellent wine from the wine list, although you may also order mixed drinks.   We sipped our wine in the comfort of the pleasant surroundings as our waiter took our order from the delicious choices found on the menu.  I was amused that the waiters have to carry the food up to everyone from the other floors of the building.   The building is three stories high, so I guess this means that every time they bring food they must navigate three flights of stairs.   In spite of this fact, our waiter was very accommodating and didn’t mind making extra trips for our requests.    

There are several menu choices available, and we have tried all of them on different trips.  I’ve found them all to be quite delicious.  The Chef here is wonderful, and adds an elegant, yet southern flair to everything.  I love that.  This girl is not ashamed of being Southern.  

The Nobel Salad is famous, and so is The Wedge, but my favorite salad is the Fried Green Tomato Salad.  It is very tasty, and the presentation is very pretty and unique.    

There are many excellent choices for entrée’s.  My favorites were the Shrimp and Grits, The Stuffed Pork Tenderloin and the Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cakes.

Dessert is never the same and changes each time we go.  I especially remember sharing some fried ice cream once that was” to die for.”  Whatever they are offering for dessert is always excellent and there are always plenty of special choices. 
   

I was not surprised to learn that Classic On Noble has been featured in Southern Living, Historical Restaurants of the South, 100 Places to Eat Before You Die, The Anniston Star, The Birmingham News and many other well known publications.  

Nor was I surprised to learn that many famous and well known personalities have enjoyed their fine food.  The list includes former President Jimmy Carter, US Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, Congressman, Mike Rogers, former and present Governors from Alabama and otherwise, Amy Grant, the band called Alabama, among many others.  We added some more people to that impressive list by bringing our daughter and son-in-law with us the last time we went.  They loved the restaurant too.

So what are you waiting for?  It is well worth the drive.  

Go for brunch, or an elegant dinner.  

Call them up for your next special catering occasion.   

Check out their website, it has excellent driving directions from anywhere. 

I'm told this is the perfect restaurant to visit during Christmas holidays, because it is always decorated like a winter wonderland. 

Bon Appétit!

  

OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO - BLUE RIDGE, GEORGIA IN THE FALL

                                                 
TAKING A TRAIN RIDE THROUGH BLUE RIDGE IN THE FALL
(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

If you want a whole weekend full of train-riding fun, pack up your jeans and head for

Blue Ridge, Georgia.

This is such a quaint, lovely little Appalachian town located in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains.  You have never seen anything as pretty as the fall foliage in this area!  The colors are always totally amazing, and it is even more fun when you can take a seat on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway and ride through the valleys and hills to gaze at it all.  The colors are so beautiful here that it has been designated one of the top five places to visit in the south to enjoy the fall foliage. 

The train ride follows the route of the Toccoa River and makes a stop in McCaysville before returning to Blue Ridge.  McCaysville, Georgia is an authentic mountain town where a blue line on the street separates it from Copperhill, Tennessee.  In this spot you can stand with a foot in two states at once.  These two little towns are known for being in the Copper Basin and have a rich mining history to tell.  There is a museum in nearby Ducktown, Tennessee that does a good job of explaining all this mining history.  We didn’t mine for copper, but found McCaysville to be a great place to visit antique and junk stores.  There are treasures hiding in those hills. 

The railway runs from Friday through Monday during September and daily in October.  Special trips include the annual Rotary Dinner Train and the Pumpkin Pickin Special.  See the details for these excursions by calling 877-413-TRAIN or visit the website at www.brscenic.com. 

One of my fondest memories is a trip to Blue Ridge with my parents on Halloween Weekend.  The town blocks off its streets and the merchants dress up in costumes.  Every doorway has free candy to give away, both to the younger and the older kids alike.  Hot apple cider and hot cocoa are offered at almost every shop.  The shops here are very novel and fun.   There is something unique for everyone on your list.  There are wonderful little restaurants sprinkled among the shops here and there.   
  

There are 106,000 beautiful acres of the Chattahoochee National Forest to explore in this county.  It is a fantastic place to take long hikes and the woods are loaded with gorgeous waterfalls.  There is rafting on the Ocoee River, or if you like calmer waters, there is Lake Blue Ridge and Morganton Point.  You will find lots of good fishing.  Fannin County is the trout Capital of Georgia.  Plenty of zipline adventures, established trails and horseback riding are available. 

We like to stay at The Blue Ridge Lodge by Comfort Inn and Suites.  It is pretty with a nice welcoming fireplace in the lobby, great continental breakfasts in the mornings, game rooms for the kiddies and nicely decorated clean and comfortable rooms for a reasonable price.  I promise you though, you won’t be spending much time at the hotel.  There is too much to do otherwise.

One of the most astounding things about this town, aside from the most important train and depot, is the local artist and craftsmen who live here.  There are a surprising number of very nice art museums and the town has a local theater community that performs on the weekends.  Don’t miss the Fall Arts in the Park event usually held in October.  There is also a national juried photography exhibit held at the local Art Center.  Visit www.blueridgearts.net for more information. There are numerous opportunities to hear live music by great artist, especially blue grass.  Festivals abound.  There is a fun Blues and BBQ Festival in September if you like to hear the blues. 

I’ve only given you a glimpse. 

When you arrive in Blue Ridge to ride the train all sorts of other fall adventures will jump out at you. 

What are you waiting for? 

FUN UNDER THE SUN - GORHAM'S BLUFF

(Writing and photography by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Now is the perfect time to take a break and get away from it all.  There is a beautiful little escape just waiting for you.  It is not too far away, an easy drive from Birmingham.  It is not too crowded, and it is still (except for scheduled public events) rather hidden from the public attention.  This amazing place is called Gorham’s Bluff and it is located in the small town of Pisgah, Alabama.

In 1892 W.B. Gorham was deeded eighty acres of land by the US Government.  At that time Mr. Gorham was more fondly known by the locals as “Uncle Billy.”  Uncle Billy was a Confederate veteran who built his family a remote lean-to shack in a very isolated and lonely place on the bluff.  It was so lonely that his wife and children later decided to move back down to the valley where there were a few more people.  Uncle Billy, however; continued to live in isolation.  He spent his time growing strawberries, playing his fiddle and feeding himself well with the money he received from his soldier 's pension.

About one hundred years after Uncle Billy owned the land, it was purchased by a family named McGriff.  The McGriffs loved gathering their extended family together and having picnics at one of the huge rocks on the bluff. They called this pretty little area Picnic Rock.  In 1992 the McGriff’s decided they would like to share the area with others if they could think of a way to do so without distracting from the natural beauty of the land.  They came up with an idea for a fully integrated holistic community.  A Florida neighborhood called "Seaside" was inspirational to the McGriffs as they formed their first ideas for sharing their land.    A real estate agent from Seaside, Chris Kent, introduced the McGriff’s to an architect from New Orleans named Lloyd Vogt.  Mr. Vogt sat down and shared his ideas with the McGriff’s.  In their conversations he spelled out the qualities he thought defined the best of neighborhoods.  These qualities incorporated a seamless interlacing of history, culture and architecture.   Keeping these defining thoughts in mind, the group sketched out a town plan.  This is how the dream began to form for the future of a place now known as Gorham’s Bluff.

One of the first areas to be completed was the outdoor Amphitheater The lovely open-air theater sits on the edge of the bluff.  Existing trees and rock outcroppings were incorporated into the design of the natural and artistic structure.  Today audiences can enjoy a performance while at the same time enjoying the amazing view.  The outdoor amphitheater now fills up regularly with great performing artists from all over the country.  If you are interested in performing yourself you can rent the venue - just call (256) 451-8439 and speak with the Innkeeper at The Lodge.  Just keep in mind that the amphitheater closes by 11 p.m. 

Construction started on the first home of the development during the summer of 1993.  Mr. Vogt gave each home the signature look of the town.  They all contained front porches, tower rooms, scenic views, and natural surroundings.  You may purchase one of these homes if you want; just contact Gorham's Bluff Realty.

 

In 1994 construction began on The Lodge.  This lovely building opened to the public in 1995. There have been a steady stream of happy guests lodging in the pristine serenity of this place since that first day.  It is a wonderful place for conferences, reunions and weddings.  There are public events scheduled often that you would love to enjoy for a weekend.

Three years after the building of the Lodge
 another interesting structure was added.  It was the former 1938 Pisgah High School school house where the McGriff’s had attended high school.  The building was to be torn down in order to build a new more modern one, and the McGriffs decided to move the old building to Gorham’s Bluff.  It now stands in the heart of the land with a new roof on top and new bricks on the outside and has become a community arts and activities center.  

There is a lovely mixture of the old and the new, and it all works quite well. 

Adjacent to the old school/new community arts and activities center is The Gorham’s Bluff Meeting House, which was completed in 2001 and designed by  Lloyd Vogt.   The Meeting House has cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling windows.  The building has excellent acoustics.  It is an perfect place for meetings, performances, and workshops.  There is also a bi-weekly nondenominational church meeting held here.

As the little town began to grow people bought lots and built houses.  The true mission of the property and community began to take shape and grow.  From early on the mission of the community has been to promote arts and cultural activities in the area.  A non-profit institute was formed to promote local artist and to give the people living in this region art that they might not have otherwise experienced.  The Meeting House became the stage for theater, concerts, dance and other artistic performances. 

One of the first performances, held at the Amphitheater, was the production of a play called “Foxfire.”  This Hume Cronyn play was directed by Joe Warfield, a New York University professor, in the summer of 1994.   Next was the Gerhart Chamber Music Festival.  The Institute began bringing in top-notch classical musicians and established their signature annual event called Concert under the Stars.  This event serves a gourmet meal for 200 guests and doles out amazing performances by world class musicians.  The people of the area love this annual midsummer bluff side evening. 

Soon The Alabama Ballet became interested in Gorham’s Bluff and established a week long summer dance residency on the premises.  At the time they had the idea to bring some of their talent to the community there was no place for them to rehearse and perform.  They improvised with an open tent/stage set near the bluff.  The tent was located near a great outdoor space for setting up tables and serving gourmet meals to the audiences during their performances.  This was a very successful idea.  The tent coupled with the intimacy of the bluff side panoramic view created a one of a kind experience for both the dancers and their audiences. 

Soon the Institute incorporated a Storytelling Festival into its growing schedule of events.  The power of the story and the spoken word of the narrative were brought forth by some renowned and amazing storytellers.  This success soon led to the formation of ARTSACCESS, the Institute’s arts-education outreach.  Storytellers started visiting public schools and held assemblies and workshops with visiting dancers and musicians.  Local libraries also began to participate.  This has greatly improved the exposure to various art forms in the education of school children in the area.

In 2001 the community held a charrette (an intense, focused architectural planning session.)  They decided to consult with Mr. Steve Mouzon of Mouzon & Associates, Architects; a traditional Town Planner in Huntsville, AL.  Mr. Mouzon took on the role of Gorham’s Bluff's Town Architect, and the town hosted 75 like-minded “souls” who were all believers of the Traditional Neighborhood movement.   These people moved in for awhile and were compensated only with four meals a day and a place to sleep.  The group consisted of a full list of impressive architects, planners, developers, writers, educators, etc.  In this 48 hour charrette the various artist sketched and talked and illustrated the ideas presented by the community.  Mouzon put it all together in one package and took the presentation to the Congress of New Urbanism’s 9^th Annual Conference in New York.    That conference provided a roundtable of feedback for the community to consider. 

Four significant revisions were identified and recommended:

1)     A new concept for Main Street that would  redirect the street so that the school’s “signature” cupola is the focal point as you approach downtown from either direction with the larger homes giving way to cozier two-story homes on smaller lots to make Main Street a more viable option for young professionals and families.

2)    A plan to move the elder residences closer to the center of the town, underlining the town’s desire to be a fully inter-generational community.  The services and amenities that were generally included in independent and assisted living centers (restaurants, hair salons, libraries, clothing and retail) would be expanded to serve the entire town, with the elder residences closest to all of them.

3)    It was decided to scrap; the idea to dam up the branch on the east side of town and turn that area into a place called “Shepard Park.”  The park preserves the meandering creek, leaves the forest and creates a play area for kids.  Some Birmingham architects, Jeff Dungan and Louis Nequette, were hired to design the Shepard Park Tree House, and it was built in 2002.  This is one of the favorite places for people to gather with their children. 

4)    It was decided to design an open air performance center at the crest of downtown Gorham’s Bluff.  The plan was changed to include a quad of artists and student residences as well as a black box theatre. 

From 2003 – 2007 the Institute moved to year round programs of small events utilizing the Amphitheater and the Meeting House.  They also began to offer community arts workshops.  They continued to bring art educational opportunities for local schools, but encouraged the schools to come to the bluff instead of the bluff going to the schools. 

So now the bluff has evolved into a thriving community of artist and educators who have built on the land and are living in the community.  They are always eager to share their art and teach something new.

If this sounds interesting to you, check the schedule of events on the blog located at www.gorhamsbluff.com  and see which event you need to sign up for.

The art I would chose to indulge in here is the art of the written word.  This would be a wonderful place for any aspiring author to retreat away into the quiet and natural beauty.  One could write for hours at a time, with refreshing breaks in between each session.  You could stroll the grounds, take in some great concerts in the evenings, hike or swim, or maybe even participate in a storytelling workshop or two. 

There is an elegant southern style restaurant at The Lodge, you would not have to drive off the property to be well fed.  Evenings are quite a treat with candlelight and a four course meal.  You might want to invite someone special to share these with you. 

This spectacular retreat perches on a stately ridge hundreds of feet above the mighty Tennessee River.  It has one of the most delightful views I’ve ever seen, totally surrounded by natural beauty.   You can gaze at the luscious landscape and take in the dazzling river below the ridge from your own comfortable chair off of your lodge room’s private porch, or from the windows inside your luxurious guest quarters.  There is a lovely large Gazebo behind the Lodge. 
Anywhere you care to be or go in this area contains some type of amazing view.  It is a very scenic way to start the day while having your morning coffee.  

This scenic bluff along a mountain ridge with a river running through it has more history than Uncle Billy and the McGriffs.  It is also known as the long ago land of the Cherokee Indians, who were also drawn to the magic of the bluff.   Every time we visit this place I remember that  my great grandmother was a Cherokee,  and I always wonder if any of the Cherokee ancestors from my own family might have roamed these grounds years before I was ever born.   

You can visit Gorham's Bluff any time you wish.  Just call The Lodge ahead of time to make your reservations for a room at The Lodge or to rent one of the guest houses on the property for your family or group of friends.  

I will warn you though, if you go, you just might want to stay forever.    

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