Solar Eclipse Part II: Blount County, Tennessee

This summer, a rare thing happens. Parts of the United States will experience its first total solar eclipse in 26 years, and the path of totality travels right across the South. While everyone in the country should be able to see a partial eclipse, only those in the direct path will witness the total blockage of the sun. The path of totality — don’t you love that expression? — will cross parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Missouri.

This is a big deal, folks. The last solar eclipse to cross the continental United States was in 1918 and the next solar eclipse will take place on Aug. 12, 2045. And that next one won’t be as good.

Where’s a good place to watch the total eclipse? This is the second of many blog posts showcasing totality hot spots. Today, we’re looking at Blount County, Tennessee, thanks to SmokyMountains.org.

  

Cades Cove, Townsend

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host an informal event at the historic Cable Mill in Cades Cove. Visitors for the Cades Cove viewing will have the added educational benefit of docents provided by the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. The Institute is holding a four-day science program for local, under-served, inner city high school students who have expressed an interest and aptitude for science. This science-themed leadership program trains the students to be solar eclipse docents—sharing their newly gained knowledge. There is no fee to participate. Vehicle access may be closed when parking becomes full or roads become congested.    

       

Cades Cove

Chilhowee Inn, Walland

Chilhowee Inn will offer a three-day eclipse special which includes a three-night stay at the Inn, a picnic lunch the day of the eclipse and ISO CE certified eclipse viewing glasses.

Dancing Bear Lodge, Townsend

Guests of the lodge and members of the community are invited to the Total Solar Eclipse Party, a picnic on the lawn at Dancing Bear Lodge, to witness the eclipse. Lunch will be served “food truck style” on the deck from 1-2 p.m. and the lodge will provide blankets, chairs and eclipse glasses to each guest. The event is free. Dancing Bear Lodge Owner Mark Oldham urges visitors to book reservations by visiting them online or calling 800-369-0111 as accommodations are selling quickly.

Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Townsend

The Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center is hosting a Solar Eclipse Tour to one of the best viewing areas, Cades Cove. Guests will depart from the Center at 9:30 a.m. and the $30 per person fee covers a box lunch and a pair of solar eclipse viewing glasses. The tour is limited to 46 guests and can be booked by calling 865-448-8838.

Solar eclipse path over Tennessee

Harmony Family Center, Maryville

For those who prefer to stay in town, the city of Maryville, Tenn., will also offer solar eclipse viewing events. One such event is the Harmony Family Center’s Great American Eclipse Viewing Party in the Montvale community. The pool and basketball courts will be open with food and beer trucks and experts speaking on the details of the eclipse. Tickets to the Harmony Family Center event are $25 for adults and $10 for children and include viewing glasses. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and will the event will end at 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Center’s programs.

Look Rock, Walland

One of the best views of the Tennessee mountains is from the observation tower at Look Rock. The concrete tower is high above the trees and mountains with plenty of parking along Foothills Parkway. The trail crosses the road at the end of the parking lot. It’s a short hike up to the observation tower.

Pellissippi State Community College’s “Tailgating in Totality” event, Maryville

Pellissippi State’s Blount County campus is planning a community and college-wide watch party, Tailgating in Totality, from noon to 3 p.m. The free event is touted as “the largest solar eclipse tailgate in the world.”

 

River Rat Tubing’s “Totally Tuber Solar Eclipse Celebration,” Townsend

River Rat Tubing will host an afternoon shindig, the Totally Tuber Solar Eclipse Celebration starting at the time of the eclipse, around 1:30 p.m. Afterwards, attendees will enjoy live music and family activities at River Rat Tubing’s main building at 205 Wears Valley Road. The $25 fee includes tubing, a glow in the dark t-shirt and a unique view of the eclipse.

Visitors to Blount County for the solar eclipse have the added benefit of another must-see event: The inaugural Great Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival. Taking place two days prior to the eclipse, the festival will feature tethered hot air balloon rides, food, craft vendors and children’s activities. The event will take place from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Townsend Visitors Center located at 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway. For more information on the Hot Air Balloon Festival, visit http://www.gsmballoonfest.com.

For more information to understand and prepare for the solar eclipse, visit the NASA website or https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/.

Coming up next: Capital City/Lake Murray County in South Carolina and Blue Ridge and Helen, Georgia.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, and simply cannot wait until the total solar eclipse.

Windsor Court in New Orleans offering spirited menu dedicated to American jazz greats

I must admit, I’m a sucker for fascinating cocktails and other spirits. If you read back through my blog, you’ll notice a pattern here.

Which is why I'm writing about two events at the Windsor Court Hotel of New Orleans that spotlight great food and cocktails in honor of American jazz greats. It's all part of the annual Tales of the Cocktail festival July 18-23 in New Orleans.

The Windsor Court Spirited Dinner will take place July 30 and include live music and Jonathan Pogash, aka The Cocktail Guru, in an evening of specialty cocktails themed around history’s jazz superstars, paired with culinary creations from The Grill Room Chef de Cuisine Gabriel Charpentier. 

Here’s the complete dinner menu:

Ella FitzGerald

Cocktail: Ella’s Delight (Variation on a Fitzgerald Cocktail)

Hendricks gin, Meyer lemon juice, rosemary-hibiscus syrup, lavender bitters, prosecco with hors d'oeuvres.

Jelly Roll Morton

Cocktail: The Jelly Roll 

Montelobos Mezcal, Anchor Reyes chili liqueur, Perfect Puree ginger sour, lemon marmalade, Sandeman Founder's Reserve Port, Creole spiced rum, Peychaud’s bitters with coconut shrimp toast, shrimp mousse, brioche, coconut, habanero, and mango salsa.

Thelonious Monk

Cocktail: The Loneliest Monk 

Muddled cucumbers and basil, Milagro blanco tequila, yellow chartreuse, honey syrup, sea saltwith monkfish ceviche, avocado puree, compressed cucumber, cilantro, Thai basil, jalapeno, and orange.

Miles Davis

Cocktail: Round About Midnight 

Hudson white whiskey, Suze liqueur, perfect puree caramelized pineapple, butterfly pea flower extract paired with strip steak, black bean paste, snap peas, sweet corn, pickled pineapple, and pepper jelly.

Scott Joplin

Cocktail: Maple Leaf Rag 

Balvenie single malt scotch whiskey, maple syrup, Amaro, apple pie bitters, salted caramel cream with dessert, Textures of Vanilla.

And if that's not enticing enough, on July 21 and 22 the hotel's Le Salon will transform into a New Orleans speakeasy, dedicated to the life and times of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, two American icons of the Jazz Age. At Prohibition Tea, guests will enjoy a spirited tea service with specialty cocktails like Paris After Midnight and Moon over Montgomery, concocted by master mixologist Kent Westmoreland and served in tea cups – true Prohibition style. Three courses of brunch-inspired bites, seasonal scones, and desserts will also be served.

Seats at the Spirited Dinner are $120, plus a 22 percent service charge and applicable sales taxes, per person. Pricing for Prohibition Tea is $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Limited seating is available at all events, and reservations are required. To make reservations or view the entire menu, call (504) 522-1994 or visit www.grillroomneworleans.com. Windsor Court is located at 300 Gravier St. in the heart of New Orleans.

And that's still not all! The Cocktail Bar at Windsor Court is one of only two bars in town featuring the official festival cocktail – the Embrasse de la Terre – an innovative spin on the classic martini. The cocktail was designated after a competition with the winning entry going to Zachary Faden of Mirabelle in Washington, D.C. Embrasse de la terre roughly translates to “to kiss the earth.” The cocktail’s recipe is below. 

Here’s the recipe for Embrasse de la Terre, the official 2017 Tales of the Cocktail cocktail:

Embrasse de la Terre

2 ounces Rutte Old Simon Genever

1 ounce Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry

1⁄4 ounce Yellow Chartreuse

3 dashes Bitter Truth Celery Bitters

Directions: Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to chill. Strain into a chilled coupe. Enjoy. No garnish. The drink blooms while stirred and is pleasantly aromatic.

  

Note: This information provided by a press release from the Windsor Court and information from the Tales of the Cocktail website.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, not to mention an innovative cocktail.

Solar Eclipse Part I: Rabun Gap, Georgia

This summer, a rare thing happens. Parts of the United States will experience its first total solar eclipse in 26 years, and the path of totality travels right across the South. While everyone in the country should be able to see a partial eclipse, only those in the direct path will witness the total blockage of the sun. The path of totality — don’t you love that expression? — will cross parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Missouri.

This is a big deal, folks. The last solar eclipse to cross the continental United States was in 1918 and the next solar eclipse will take place on Aug. 12, 2045. And that next one won’t be as good.

Where’s a good place to watch the total eclipse? This will be the first of many blog posts showcasing totality hot spots. Today, we’re looking at Rabun Gap, Georgia.

The only spot in Georgia to spot the total eclipse of the sun is Rabun Gap, Dillard and Sky Valley in Rabun and Stephens counties and Rabun Gap will be the second longest viewing in the entire United States, clocking in at 2.38 minutes. Rabun Gap will be hosting an Eclipse Viewing Party at the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21. In addition to watching the sun disappear, there will be live music, vendors, food, Jumbotrons with NASA’s live feed of the eclipse, Georgia State University professors explaining the phenomenun and much more.

"We're expecting 7,000 to 10,000 people," said Teka Earnhardt, executive director of Rabun County Tourism Development Authority. "There will be two LED jumbo screens with NASA feeds, the local marching band, cheering songs, and food trucks."

Admission is $5 and includes glasses for viewing the eclipse (you cannot look at it with the naked eye). There are plenty accommodations in Rabun County but things are filling up fast. Lodging is also available in neighboring counties, Earhhardt said.

Other events include:

Saturday, Aug. 19: Square dance and fish fry from 6-9 p.m. at Andy’s Trout Farm.

Downtown Clayton Scavenger Hunt and Block Party

Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 19-20

Dillard “Experience Extraordinary” Total Solar Eclipse festival at Dillard City Hall in Dillard

Sunday, Aug. 20

Eclipse Gold Tournament and 19th Hole Festivities, Sky Valley Country Club and the City of Sky Valley

Eclipse Lecture at the Rearden Theatre, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School

Monday, Aug. 21

Tallulah Gorge Total Solar Eclipse Festival, Tallulah Gorge State Park

For more information to understand and prepare for the solar eclipse, visit the NASA website or https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/.

Cheré Coen is a food and travel writer who loves weird and unusual things, and simply cannot wait until the total solar eclipse.