Happenings in and around Lake James

With all of the house construction "busy-ness".  I've been neglectful in mentioning some of the upcoming events in and around the Lake James area. Now that spring is here and the water level at  Lake James will be too low for recreational use until May,  there are lots of fun things to do in the area.  It's one of the main reasons we moved to this area from Charlotte!

 http://www.burkehospice.org/31-bike

The Burke County Hospice Metric Century is a 62 mile bike ride on Saturday, April 17th.  It is the first year for this event that is sponsored by the new (and awesome!) bike shop in town, Cycle Wright.



http://www.maydaybiathlon.com/



The 21st Annual May Day Biathlon and 5K run will be held on Saturday, April 30th and Sunday, May 1st.  Dave and I participated in the Biathlon last year.  It's a 5K run followed by a challenging 30K bike ride from Freedom High School,  up to Lake James and back.  



http://www.mtatriathlon.blueridgemultisports.com/



The 2nd Annual Lake James Triathlon will be held Saturday, May 24th at the Lake James State Park, Paddy's Creek location.  It is a 750 Meter swim, 22 mile bike around the lake and a 5K trail run in the park.  I did this race as a relay with my son, Davis last year.  He did the swim portion and was one of the first few racers out of the water---at age 13!  We won the mixed relay category and received a medal for our efforts! It's a beautiful place to hold a triathlon!

For those who may not be interested in athletic competitions, there are plenty of options for entertainment coming to the area:

 

The Art of Chocolate on Friday, May 6th is an elegant evening held at the Armory of Morganton.

This will be the fourth year that OPTIONS, Inc. has successfully collaborated with local artists, musicians, chocolatiers, floral designers, culinary artists and volunteers to present The Art of Chocolate.  OPTIONS, Inc. is a non profit organization that provides shelter, counseling and legal support to women and children suffering from domestic violence and rape.

 The first annual Art in the Park will be held at the Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton on Saturday, May 14th.   There will be booths displaying sculpture, pottery, jewelry, metal work and other fine arts for sale as well as live music and food vendors.  Admission is free!  Come enjoy a spring Saturday strolling the greenway along the Catawba River.  One of the most picturesque spots in the city!

While you're here explore the thrilling zip line course at Catawba Meadows Park.  Beanstalk Journey is a blend of zip line tours and ropes courses, incorporates fun and excitement with education and recreation for children and adults alike. The Journey transports individuals and groups through a labyrinth of independent tree houses which serve as rest stops and educational destinations. Each station offers 360-degree views suspended as high as 50-feet above the ground.



Click here to see the complete list of events

Lake James State Park has an action-packed event calendar for April and May!  Hosting events like a Turtle Stroll, Canoe Excursion, History of Lake James Hike, Predators of the Park and Astronomy, something is going on every week.  It's worth printing out the monthly list of events to keep on your refrigerator.

There's really just too many fun things to do that I'm running out of space (and energy!) to name them all.  You're just going to have to come here and experience some of these things in person.  Heck, you may just have to move here because this place is so freakin' fun!

One final thing that I want to mention because it's near and dear to my heart...touring pretty houses.  On Saturday, May 14th Linville United Methodist Church presents the Tour of Homes by the Waters from 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.  Featuring 5 private homes on Lake James and the Linville River.  Tickets are $15 and lunch is available at the church that day.

Surely one of these events will entice you!  Hope to see you around this spring!





Faucets and Fridges and Sinks, Oh My!

From Refrigerators...






..to faucets...



...sinks...

....and wall ovens...

The sheer number of options is frightening.  Faucets and fridges and ovens...oh my!

One trip to showroom was all it took to shake my confidence.  Up until then I was sure that I'd  be able to make my selections with ease.  Hey, it would even be fun!  I thought that I'd lived in enough houses to know what I did and did not like.  I have a developed sense of style by now and above all else, I'm practical (and budget conscious)...how hard could it be, right?  HA! 

My husband, David, and I walked into the showroom one Friday morning with our house plans and budget numbers in hand.  We wandered around looking at beautiful model kitchens with state of the art appliances and "statement" faucets and sinks.  We looked at shower fixtures that had 16 water jets coming out at all angles, like a drive-thru carwash.  We saw sinks made from rocks, faucets shaped  koi fish and ultra-sleek contemporary bath tubs.

Now, I appreciate artistic fixtures in an upscale restaurant or high-end hotel when I visit (the hotel rooms at the Kohler Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin have, by far, the coolest bathroom fixtures I've ever seen! Now THAT was a "car wash" style shower, and it was AWESOME!) but do I really need to have my fixtures making statements about me in my house?  What would they be saying?  If I were to choose, say, the Koi Fish Faucet, I think it'd be saying that I'm an idiot. 

It didn't take long for David and I to realize that we were not going to find what we were looking for in the showroom.  One peek at a kitchen faucet price tag of $2095 assured us of that.

A few days later, Adam, a sales rep from the same showroom visited me at my office. They must have a whole department to deal with people like us.  Maybe they've dubbed us "Hopelessy Practical" or "Non-Statement Makers" or just, "Boring".   He came with a small, glossy page catalog featuring a manageable number of "ordinary" faucets, sinks, shower fixtures, bathtubs and toilets.  In about half an hour he walked me through the selection process for fixtures for 4 bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room that our house will need.  The fixtures that I selected are quality brands (better quality than any I've had in any home so far) and stylish.  The quote came in under budget.  I think the only "statement" they make is that the owners of the house are practical and budget conscious.  But I guess I'll have to wait until they're installed before I can hear what they have to say.