Congratulations to the Dillard House

The January 2009 issue of Southern Living magazine features the “Reader Choice Awards.” The Dillard House received two awards this year - a ‘Best Breakfast/Brunch’ and a ‘Southern Favorite’. Congratulations to the Dillards for this well-deserved recognition! Here's a link to all of the awards.

Planning an event? The newly renovated Dillard House conference center has doubled in size. For more information on group planning, activities, dining and meetings, please call 1-800-541-0671 | ext. 200 or 70.

Chocolate and Wine at Tiger Mountain Vineyards

Martha and John Ezzard invite the public to a chocolate and wine week end at Tiger Mountain Vineyards Feb. 14-15, 1 to 4 p.m. — live music, artisan cheeses and breads, chocolate fondue and truffles — and Tiger Mountain’s latest award winning wines! The winery will also release its 06 Malbec, the only locally grown Malbec in Georgia.

The Ezzards are kicking off the winery’s 10th anniversary year and the “15th leaf ” of the Ezzard vineyards, planted on the 170-year-old Arrendale -Ezzard farm at Tiger Mountain in 1995. Recently Bill and Leckie Stack, former co-owners, sold their shares of the winery. The Ezzards, who hold the majority ownership, are creating a new board to focus on “Georgia Grown” wines with the aim of utilizing sustainable growing methods and wine consulting expertise to further enhance their quality wine making.

Major new investors in Tiger Mountain Vineyards are John and Marilyn McMullan. John McMullan, a high school classmate of John Ezzard, is an Atlanta businessman and wine collector. Also joining the new board is Dr. Carl Fackler. He and his wife, Carla, started Stonewall Creek Vineyards in Tiger three years ago. The Facklers will process most of their grapes and create their wines at Tiger Mountain. “ With record sales in 2008 and a distinctive brand image,” said John Ezzard, “the winery has a bright future.” "Our first priority remains our commitment to the local community and the growing North Georgia wine industry,” said Martha Ezzard.All of the winery staff will continue in their positions, including winery manager Jabe Hilson and winery administrator Judy Ruth.

For details on all upcoming winery events, see www.tigerwine.com

Lillian E. Smith Center featured on Southern Literary Trail

The Lillian E. Smith Center, located in Clayton, has been selected as one of seven sites in Georgia on the tri-state (Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia) Southern Literary Trail, a project uniting homes of writers and literary landmarks into one tri-state pathway. The Southern Literary trail in Georgia features Lillian E. Smith, Margaret Mitchell, Joel Chandler Harris, Erskine Caldwell, Alice Walker, Flannery O’Connor and Carson McCullers.

The weekend of March 14-15 will recognize Lillian E. Smith, with events including:

Presentations and open discussions by two recognized scholars and writers:

1. Rose Gladney, recognized for her scholarly, pedagogical, and writing talents, served on the American Studies faculty of the University of Alabama until her retirement. She continues her professional contributions as a participant and presenter at various conferences and symposiums. She is the author of the award winning HOW AM I TO BE HEARD: Letters of Lillian E. Smith.
2. Will Brantley, professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University, is author of FEMININE SENSE IN SOUTHERN MEMOIR, which was awarded the 1992 Eudora Welty Prize. (this book addresses the significance of six writers identified with the Southern Literary Renaissance: Lillian Smith, Ellen Glasgow, Eudora Welty, Lillian Hellman, Katherine Ann Porter, and Zora Neale Hurston).

Showings of two documentary films:

1. Miss Smith of Georgia
2. Miss Lil’s Camp

Guided tours of the Lillian E. Smith Center, which was Smith’s home place and the site where she did most of her writing. This includes her living spaces, her library, cottages from the camp she directed, a small house museum where she did her final writing, and her gravesite.

Supper based on Lillian Smith’s family recipes (reservation only)

Exhibit at the Rabun County Historical Society

Special features on southern writers at the Rabun County Library, with the month of March focusing on Lillian E. Smith

Special display at Prater’s Main Street Books

Area restaurants featuring Lillian E. Smith family recipes during March

For more information and group reservations, please contact the CVB at 706-982-4754.

22nd Annual Rabun Rendezvous

The 22nd annual Rabun Rendezvous will take place on Saturday, January 24, 2009, at the NEW Dillard House Conference Center. Program presenter will be Commissioner Noel Holcomb, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The cost is $30 for adults and $25 for youth of 15 and under. Payment may be made with cash, personal check, Visa or Mastercard. Reservations are not needed. Just pay at the door.5 PM Social, 6:30 PM Dinner;

There will be a special auction for a framed pen & ink Tom Landreth original: Brook Trout (never before offered). All the proceeds from sale of this striking original will be donated to the Georgia Back the Brookie program in Tom’s memory.

There will be door prizes, over 80 bucket raffle items, and over 100 silent auction items including art, crafts, rods & reels, fly tying materials, fly vests, tackle packs, fly assortments, a Big Green Egg, goodies from the kitchens of the Rabunites, the famous Rabunite map of THE RIVER and much, much more. Special items include: Three different framed limited edition Tom Landreth prints, Broderick Crawford’s 1st place Commemorative Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp print, a framed limited edition TU Special Edition print, and a rare duck stamp print; An Orvis Zero Gravity Rod 906-4 with Mid Arbor III reel, SAGE Z-Axis rod 905-4, Orvis CFO III reel, plus 4 or 5 other rod and reel outfits;Â hand-crafted fly tying desk by Ray Kearns; fishing vests by Cabela’s, LL Bean, & Woolrich; woodworking, sewing & knitting crafts.

For more details about the Rendezvous, click HERE or E-mail edadams1@alltel.net; For lodging call toll Free 1-800-541-0671. Mention you are coming to the Trout Unlimited Rendezvous for the best rates.