Pucker’s Sports Bar and Grill

Looking for the night life in Gatlinburg?  Look no further then Puckers Sports Bar and Grill.  Great food and good times take center stage at Puckers and they are not only for locals that have made this their favorite hangout, tourist and visitors alike are welcome to spend the night hanging out with the great staff at Puckers.  They will make you feel at home.

The Food

Puckers might have the best comfort food in Gatlinburg.  Burgers, fries, wings and more.  All of the selections are Puck-Tastic and some are very punny.  Here are just a few of their offerings:

  • The World Famous Gatlinburger – A 5lbs burger, yes, you read that correctly, a FIVE pound burger.  It is one of those massive menu items that if you eat the whole thing in the prescribed amount of time.. they pay for it and you get a t-shirt.  This isn’t just a huge burger though it is really good.  Get it and share it with the whole table.
  • Pucked Up Fries – Seasoned fries topped with chili, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, sour cream and scallions.  Big enough for meal but great to share with fiends.
  • Fried Dill Pickels (“Pub” Pickles) – delicately fried and fantastic.
  • Chicken Wings – These are available with several different sauces:  applewood smoked, mild, hot, oriental express, ranch, honey BBQ, teriyaki, chipotle honey BBQ, garlic, Carolina mustard or Real Puckin Hot.

The Drinks

Puckers is a full service bar.  Get that after dinner drink or enjoy beers from the top.  Puckers runs specials every night, whether it is a special beer for the evening or some other drink.

Puckers has become a destination for people returning year after year.  Their menu is fun and full of comfort food, their bartenders are excellent and ready to get you something cold to drink.  The atmosphere is more then just a typical bar, they allow you to let your hair down and get a crazy or just sit around and have a good time.  Play pool, play darts, sing karaoke or just have a good time hanging with friends.

Puckers Sports Bar and Grill
745 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
865-430-7755
http://www.puckerssportsbar.com/

Cherokee Grill

A great night our with that special someone is always on tap at the Cherokee Grill in Gatlinburg, TN.  They are located on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park end of town, right on the Parkway.  The food is out of this world and the atmosphere is second to none.  Steaks, seafood, pasta and more are all prepared form the freshest ingredients by cooks that want to make sure you have the best experience possible.

Cherokee Grill is right next to Calhoun’s in Gatlinburg.  At the front of Calhoun’s Village, this restaurant is among the handful of eateries that have their own parking so you don’t have to worry about finding a parking place, walking for blocks or paying to park.  If you are headed toward the National Park from Pigeon Forge, you will see the Cherokee Grill on the left hand side of the road.  This beautifully made building of stone and brick is as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside and the attention to detail they took when building this structure is shown in the care they take with their food and menu as well.

And the food is wonderful.  This is a grill and steakhouse but the menu is mch more then just those types of comfort food.  This is an elegant menu for an equally elegant atmosphere.  Steak Au Poivre, Boursin Filet, Filet Mignon, Prime Rib, Crab Cakes, Herb Crusted Trout and more make up the menu.  This is not a place to go in, in a rush and grab some grub.  This menu will cause you to por over the choices and really dig into what they have to offer.  One of the favorites is their Prosperity Steak.  This entree features a a 10 ounce sirloin that has been marinated with olive oil, garlic and pepper and then finished with Worcestershire butter.

And then you have the atmosphere. In fact, this might be one of the most romantic venues in Gatlinburg.  Granite and walnut have been used as the basis for the interior of this restaurant.  The perfect atmosphere for a great night out.  If you have a special occasion to celebrate or if you are looking for a great meal while you are on your honeymoon, Cherokee Grill will fit the bill.

Cherokee Grill is full of flavor from the care taken in building the structure to the menu.  The staff is there to guarantee that you have a good experience, that make sure that you are happy, well fed and that you had a great time.  Let Cherokee Grill impress you with their ability to bring out the best that Gatlinburg has to offer.

Cherokee Grill & Steakhouse
1002 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-4827
Website

More Than A Candle

A great place to stop while you are shopping in the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community is a little place known as More Than a Candle.  This shop is in the Covered Bridge section of Glades Road and is just a brief trip down the road from Hwy 321 and downtown Gatlinburg.  For 9 years now, More Than a Candle has been bringing their mix of handmade soy candles and soaps to people visiting the area and locals and the people that shop with them have loved their wares and have taken them places near and far across the country.

More Than a Candle makes soy candles right in their own shop. Soy candles, if you are not familiar with them are made from soybean wax.  Soybean wax is all natural and is a renewable resource. It creates jobs and keeps hard working farmers working.  Another nice thing about this style of candle is that due tot he soybean wax and oils that are used, these candles burn cleaner and stay smelling good for much longer then a regular candle.  All of their candles are made on site.

Their handmade soap is made on site as well.  Their natural soaps are made of natural products and do not contain dyes of any kind.  They make two different kinds of soap:  Tea Tree Oil Soap & Lavender Soap.  The tea Tree Oil soap is a natural antiseptic, helping to heal cuts and scraps.  This soap can even help with the treatment of acne, dermatitis and eczema.  With these factors in mind, it is a great soap for people that are dealing with wound treatment or for everyday use.  Lavender soap is known for its ability to ease stress with its aromatherapy properties and it is also used to ease the itching of dry skin.  Of course, with its anti-fungal properties it can help with skin disorders like acne, wrinkles and psoriasis.

Along with these two main products, More Than a Candle also produces gift baskets, the sell candle accessories and of course they have lots of home decor items.  Being able to buy those items to give your house the country or primitive look you can’t do much better then a place that allows you to buy a candle to make your home smell better and the items you need to make your home a cabin away from the Smokies.  More Than a Candle is a one stop shop to give your home a country style facelift, to buy a candle to make your house take on a different olfactory feel and of course you can even pick up some soap, made by hand, like the people used to make it here in the Smokies, decades ago.

More Than a Candle 
849 Glades Road
Gatlinburg, TN
865-325-8142
http://www.morethanacandle.com

Anna Porter Public Library

The Anna Porter Public Library in Gatlinburg is a wonderful place if you’re looking to find out more on the history of Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains area, find some compelling guides for the national park, or just simply check out the newest fiction or non-fiction best seller.

In addition to books and other historical materials, the library provides residents and visitors alike with movie rental services, audio book rentals, ebooks, a magazine and newspaper section as well as access to the Internet free of charge.

As mentioned, Gatlinburg’s Anna Porter Public Library is a regional history mecca. Their special collection is ever-growing and currently houses approximately 600 historical items detailing the cultural and natural history of Gatlinburg, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and southern Appalachia. Included in their collection are oral history audio tapes recorded anywhere from 30 to 40 years ago (with transcripts) and more recently recorded oral history video tapes.

Each year, the library holds a number of children-centered initiatives aimed at getting children involved in reading and preparing them for school. Each Saturday, the library has a pre-school story time from 10:30-11:30 am, and Thursdays the library holds a toddlers story time from 10:30-11:30 am.

Other current initiatives include Wednesday beginner computer classes from 10-11 am in the computer center.

To reach the library from downtown Gatlinburg, travel east on US-321N/TN-73N for 3.7 miles, then make a left on Proffitt Rd. The library is connected to the community center.

Anna Porter Public Library
158 Proffitt Rd.
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865-436-5588

Alewine Pottery

“If you have a dream, trust God and work hard… it can be done”

Alewine Pottery is home to some of the best of the potter’s art that you will find in Gatlinburg’s Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community.  The family that owns and runs Alewine has been maing pottery since 1972 and they have been a business in Gatlinburg since 1983.  Robert Alewine, the owner and artist in this case has put his stamp on the pottery scene in the Smokies much like his familiar maple leaf is stamped on his pottery. And that familiar maple leaf can be seen all over the Smokies.  In galleries on both sides of the mountain, Alewine Pottery is on display.  At festivals in towns such as Dillsboro and in Gatlinburg at the Craftsman shows, Alewine Pottery is literally everywhere.  Beautiful, functional pieces of art, thrown with love and a devotion to attention and quality.

If you visit the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community, you will not be able to miss Alewine Pottery.  Travel down Glades Road and you will pass smallish shops on the right and the left.  When you come to the small crafts mall on the left hand side of the road you will find Alewine Pottery directly behind it on the left hand side of the road.  Pull into the parking lot and head inside to be amazed, to be astounded to be captivated by the beauty of the pottery that you will find lining the shelves once you get inside.

Alewine Pottery and the potters that work there have been a this for years.  There ability to craft a vessel, a piece of art out of a ball of clay is miraculous.  The colors that the reproduce in the glazes they use, the textures they get from the clay feel right, somehow in your hand.  And though you need to be careful when you do so, pick up a piece of their pottery and feel how right it ‘feels’ in your hand.  Look for the mark of excellence where Alewine is carved into the bottom of the vessel.  Look for the maple leaf and know that you have something beautiful and wonderful in your hands.  Find the right color to go with the decor of your house and if you are having a hard time finding the piece that matches the rest of your everyday-ware then ask someone, they might be able to help.  Realize that what you are looking at is art, but it is also usable.

Yup, almost everything you see at Alewine is a usable piece of art.  Not just for show or to be put up on a shelf, if you buy a pitcher, you can fill it with lemonade an use it to serve at your next picnic.  Take a piece of the Smokies home with you.  Take home a piece of art.  Take home a piece of Alewine Pottery and know that you have bought a family heirloom in the making.

Alewine Pottery
623 Glades Road
Gatlinburg, TN
865-430-7828
http://alewinepottery.net/

Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort to open December 7!!!

Ober Gatlinburg is the only ski resort in Gatlinburg, TN and is now open for the 2012 season! Get lift tickets rates, directions, schedules, and more! Ski Gatlinburg, TN at the Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort.

The information below is for the 2012 ski season:

It’s once again that time of year again – time to hit the slopes as Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort opens up for the old town’s winter season! Officially, Ober is planning to open its doors its doors for skiing and snowboarding on December 7 following months of snow-making.

If you plan on skiing in Gatlinburg, TN during your next vacation, church retreat, or Smoky Mountain getaway then the Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort is where you’ll wind up. This is the only ski resort in Tennessee, so if you’re looking for more choices you’ll need to look a little farther east in North Carolina at slopes such as Sugar Mountain, Ski Beech, Appalachian, etc.

Ober Gatlinburg is a family ski resort that has activities for everyone. If part of your family doesn’t ski or snowboard, there are other fun things to do such as ice skating, arcade, alpine slide, scenic chair lift, and more. Even party poopers have something to do as they can sit by the fire in the lounge or even “people-watch” around the ice skating rink. Ober’s been a Smoky Mountain staple since 1962 when it comes to entertaining family, friends, and even yourself.

If you plan on making Ober Gatlinburg your ski resort vacation destination, then you have two options of getting up there. You can either ride the aerial tramway (which happens to be the largest aerial tramway in America) from downtown Gatlinburg or you can drive up the mountain on Ski Mountain Road. Simply turn at traffic light #9 on the south end of Gatlinburg (closest to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park) and follow the winding road (Ski Mountain Road) all the way to the top…just have cash ready to park. The earlier you go, the better. The are three tiers of parking lots and if you get there early, you have a better shot at getting a parking spot at the top near the resort. Otherwise, it’s a short hike from the lower parking lots, but the locals call that the warmup!

The 2012-13 ski season in Gatlinburg, TN is upon us!

A Troll in the Park

You might not think that you would find trolls in the National Park but one family has been turning out trolls in the shadows of the Smokies for years.  At A Troll in the Park, trolls have been the art of the day for a long time and though they are not located on Glades or Buckhorn Road anymore, they are still a part of the Great SMoky Arts and Crafts Community and they produce the famous Arsenbak Trolls that they ship out to people all over the world and of course tot he tourists that come to the area each year.

Ken Arsenbak (a Danish Born lithographer) and his family have been at this business for years.  Ken was a painter by trade but he started making these trolls to give to his children and their friends in Columbus, OH when he and his family settled there.  Upon his retirement, the family moved to Cosby, TN and founded the 5 Arts Studio and started making trolls for visitors to the Smokies.  This was during the 70s and they were one of the crafters that helped to found what is now known as the Great SmokyArts and Crafts Community.  So, since 1971, the Arsenbak Troll has been a part of the art scene here in the Smokies, made with the mythos of Europe in mind, they jumped the pond and have made a home in the nooks and crannies of the Smoky Mountains.

The Arsenbak troll is a made primarily of natural fibers.  Fashioned from the base of a tree and then covered with natural fibers, the facial expressions are made from seeds and nuts and each has a curious expression… almost as if they were about to ask a question or make a comical statement about the state of things.  They also all have professions.  Some are doctors, some are nurses, some are carpenters and some are gardners.  There is no end to the jobs that these trolls have performed and again, they are all hand made and signed on the base, signifying that they are an Arsenbak original.  These trolls now cover the whole globe.  north to south, east to west, they can be found in almost every country as people have gotten them for that special someone in their life.  Range from the smallest at 4 inches to a massive 52 inches tall, these trolls adorn book shelves and entryways throughout polite society.

The next time you come tot he mountains, find Arsenbak’s Troll House.  Find that one troll that is calling to you to take it home.  Find that spot in your house for the troll to sit and let them become a part of your families story, to be handed down as a piece of art and a part of the family throughout the ages.

A Troll in the Park
2635 East Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
865-436-0091
www.atrollinthepark.com

Lisa Deater Gallery

One of Gatlinburg’s best artists is going to be closing her shop in November of 2012.  Lisa Deater, part sculptor – part painter – all artist has been a member of the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community for years.  Her gallery is home to prints, paintings and sculptures of every shape and size and her themes range from the beach to the mountains and everything in between.

Paintings

Lisa Deater captures beauty in all of her paintings but her ability to capture the human form and the natural is remarkable.  One of her paintings, called At Rest, is a great example of this.  The painting shows a woman in a red dress sitting in the floor.  Her legs are splayed out in front of her, her dress pools around her in plumes and peaks and valleys of fabric.  The features of her face are very simple and very demurely drawn.  The design and the attention to detail is simple wonderful.

She also has a series of beach paintings.  The figures again are very stylized and the faces are almost always hidden, giving a bit of a mystery to the figures.  The beaches always seem very windy and you can almost swear that you can feel the spray blowing off the water onto the faces of the people on the beach.

Sculptures

Lisa Deaters sculptures tend to focus on animals, most of which are based on those that reside here in the National Park.  From bunnies to bears and everything in between, these sculptures capture the animals at play, lounging and of course just standing there with a curious expression on their faces.  By far the pieces that I find the most interesting are the bears.  From the ones that are called the GatlinBears to the ones that are a tad more realistic, all of Lisa’s bears are wonderful and fun to look at.  The GatlinBears – of which there are currently three, are named and they all have that touch of Gatlinburg in there settings and in there demeanor.  These three bears would look great setting on any shelf or cabinet or really anywhere in your house.

Lisa Deater is currently in the process of closing her gallery on Glades Road.  She is wanting to focus more on her art then on running a gallery.  She is going to be creating more and delighting her fans both old and new with sculptures and paintings alike.  You can call her or email her and visit her studio to see what she is working on and you can always visit her online gallery to see what she has to offer.  If you happen to be in the Gatlinburg area during the month of November, you can stop by and take advantage of the moving sale.

Lisa Deater Gallery
865-277-7377
lisa@lisadeatergallery.com
http://www.lisadeatergallery.com/

Gatlinburg Preps for the Holidays

With Thanksgiving now within ear shot, Gatlinburg is busy putting on its best holiday shoes and jewelry. Or, let’s just say the town has started decorating for Christmas and the holiday season.

If you take a drive downtown you’ll notice that lights and decor have started going up in some places. Of course, River Road and the Parkway gets the most attention with its Santa and festive elf decorations, though many stores downtown have taken it upon themselves to try and outdo each other while keeping with the holiday spirit.

Officials with Gatlinburg have even let some in on a few secrets. One of those happens to be that the town starts decorating before even November. Apparently, October is when those beautiful LED lights start going up all over town. Many miss that part because they’re still staring at the trees and all the fall color.

In all, workers drape the town in more than 3 million holiday lights in various displays and around poles, fences, and buildings downtown. And all these LED lights are environmentally friendly.

And it doesn’t just stop there, the tourism industry – the vital lifeblood of the Smokies, prepares for an always busy holiday season. Smoky Mountain cabin rental companies are booking up fast for the holidays. Businesses like Sugar Maple Cabins, Majestic Mountain Vacations, The Preserve Resort, and Sherwood Forest Resort see reservations really spike over the coming months.

From mid November till Thanksgiving and into December, Christmas, and through new years, families are shuffling in and out of the thousands of Smoky Mountain cabins that line the various ridges and hillsides just outside of town. The year end rush is upon everyone from town employees to area businesses.

To sum it all up, Gatlinburg thrives on this time of year. The bustling of people coming in and out of town, the decorations going up everything, the shopping, the lights…. It’s a season like no other in the Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. What are you waiting for?

Christ in the Smokies

If you have ever taken River Road in Gatlinburg, you might have noticed a place called Christ in the Smokies.  This museum is a wonderland for people wanting to learn more about Biblical history and experience the Bible stories in life size dioramas.  Combining the museum with a beautiful garden area and the magnificent face of Christ chiseled into marble makes the Christ int he Smokies museum and Gardens a special attraction when you visit Gatlinburg.

The main attraction at Christ in the Smokies is the life-size figures that tell the story of Christ in stark detail.  You will get to stand before a full-size version of the Last Supper, be present for the miracles and of course stand directly in front of the manager during the nativity.  You will get a sense for the personhood and the humanity of Christ as you see Him depicted with people, standing among people and working with them and form them.  There has been great attention to detail and you can see the faith of the people that created the exhibits shine through.  You will feel that you are walking along with the disciples as you walk through the museum.

Along with the main part of the museum, telling the story of the life of Christ, is the garden at the center of the museum.  The garden contains one of the most amazing pieces of art work that you will ever see.  In the center of the garden is a a marble depiction of the face of Christ that seems to follow you as you walk from the right to the left.  Of course, this is just an optical illusion and a tribute to the skill of the artist that chiseled the face out of the stone but it is still amazing to walk from one side to the other in the garden and see the face seem to turn to follow your path.  Many people of spent many of hours watching the reactions of the people as they encounter the the Face of Christ for the first time.  It is a truly powerful and moving experience, especially after leaving the museum itself.

When you are done with the main parts of the museum tour, the dioramas and the gardens, you will be able to take in the gift shop and the exhibit of coins and gems form the Holy Land.  Every visit to the Christ in the Smokies Museum brings you closer to your faith and you will find something more each time you visit.  The Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens is easy to find.  It is in the middle of Gatlinburg in River Road.  If you are on the Parkway, headed toward the GSMNP, go to the SkyLift and take a right.  When you come to the traffic light at the bottom of the hill you will be facing Christ in the Smokies.

Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens
510 River Road
Gatlinburg, TN
http://christinthesmokies.com