We went to Black Mountain the other day and enjoyed the charm of such a quaint little town. It put me in mind of a town we visited as children, but with more to do. In Piggott, AR there is little to do, but the feeling is similar, charming, quiet and as though time simply stopped moving. It was a little surreal, when we had lunch at a cafe sporting the world's largest collection of Dr. Pepper memorabilia, I was instantly transported to a diner we used to go to some 20 years ago- it had the exact same weird, musty smell of a really old building. I ordered the reuben and it was excellent, my sis says the patty melt was more than satisfactory. After that we headed to the toy shop around the corner and played for a bit, then it became too crowded so we made our way to the chocolate shop across the street. Chocolate Gems is just that, a little gem of a shop in the mountains, featuring interesting concoctions like 'lavender infused dark chocolate truffles' and a tempting 'green tea and chamomile truffle'. Needless to say we tried more than a few! I liked their flavors and the silky texture of their ganache, not to mention how friendly the chocolatiers were, but I still love Chocolate Fetish the best. I've tried loads of truffles (probably a ton in my lifetime, possibly more) in almost every state (I haven't made it to North Dakota or Wyoming yet) and a few countries and it is the the best. Yes,I do gorge on chocolate pretty frequently, every day, so I opt for the good stuff...I heard it's really good for you like special vitamins that make you happy.
I think I'll have to go to Black Mountain the next time I'm in town. Once upon a time there used to be an amazing art school there. I know the museum is in Asheville. I wonder if anything is left of it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the chocolate too! Those gems look good.
It's true that Piggot was charming in its own way. I think for me it was that it was summer's at Grandma and Grandpa's and playtime with the cousins that was the best. I remember going to Uncle CF's bait shop and the big pieces of petrified wood in the town square. I remember Aunt Edna-May's doll shop. Who could forget that cute little library just down the street? I remember our cousin who had all the wild critters, even a bobcat and a bear. But I also remember being taunted while walking down the street. I remember being spat at and to "go back home where I belong." I can still see the kids with buzzed hair cuts and Cool-Aid stained mouths. The town was stuck in the past in more than just one way.