Bed and Breakfast in Franklin NC: Oakhill Country Inn

Jul5

I like going to Bed and Breakfast Inns because they are relaxing and the breakfast is usually really, really delicious. I was looking for a nice B&B that was not too expensive and decided on Oak Hill Country Inn in Franklin NC. The Inn is located on a hill that is a little off of the main road. It is located in a residential area that is quiet. I needed my GPS to find the place because I was not familiar with Franklin.

Once I arrived, the first person I met was Connie. She was very hospitable, warm and friendly. I was excited about my visit. It was at that point that I saw the cat lounging on the sofa. I was a little hesitant because I was not sure how temperamental this cat would be. Over the course of the day though, the cat proved to be somewhat friendly too (or rather as sociable as a cat could be).

I was in the Amethyst room. It was decorated in true B&B Victorian fashion. The bed was so comfortable. However, for the better part of the day since my arrival, I lounged outside in the hammock on the porch and read one of the romance novels from Connie’s bookcase. I did not see any of the other guests during my lounging period. It was a truly relaxing afternoon. Later that evening I got a cup of tea and chatted some more with Connie.

In the morning, bright and early (I think it was about 8am), I went to the table for breakfast. Connie cooked a feast with French toast, bacon and eggs along with grapes and cantaloupe. There was also streusel coffee cake. By the time I decided to take a picture, I had eaten everything but the grapes and cantaloupe.

There is something to be said about the B&B experience. There are 10-12 people who do not know each other, sitting together and enjoying a meal. Even if you are not a sociable person, the relaxed atmosphere can incite even the most reticent person to open up. By the end of breakfast, everyone is usually sated from eating and in a pleasant mood because of the great time talking.

Overall, Connie (I did not meet Michael on my visit) was an excellent hostess. The accommodations were all that I could have hoped they would be. And the breakfast was so delicious, I wanted to stay another night just to eat again.

Oak Hill Country Inn
Innkeepers: Connie and Michael Grubermann
www.oakhillcountryinn.com
1689 Old Murphy Road, Franklin, North Carolina 28734
(828) 349-9194

Romance Novels: This is not REAL life people!

Jul2

Since I like to try to read books in a series, in the future, I will be reviewing several romance novels by the author Brenda Jackson. This post about the author is to give you an idea of what to expect when you read her books.

I like to say that Ms Jackson’s books are short novels (about 200 pages) since the books I usually read are double in length. I have read one book from her Kimani series and several more from her Westmoreland series. The Westmoreland series feature members of the super-rich Westmoreland family. Each generation of the family likes to have a lot of children. Even though they are born into a wealthy family, they have all appreciated what advantages they have had financially to work in various fields of expertise from professionals to sheep farmers. As a result, they are no strangers to hard work and they are down-to-earth (insert your daydreamy “Ooooo” here).

Ms Jackson’s books follow a simple formula:

Guy meets girl.
The intense attraction and desire between them is immediate (they cannot explain or deny their lack of self-control).
For whatever reason, one or both of them do not want a long term relationship
They usually fall in love in a matter of weeks. (from the books I have read so far, I think the quickest was 2 weeks)

Some readers who have bought Ms Jackson’s books have complained in their reviews about the lack of realism. To that I reply, “Whatever!”. I do realize that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but people have to be reasonable. By choosing a romance novel, I think that a reader has to suspend normal belief to think that all of these short, passion filled relationships are going to lead to a long term, lasting happy marriages. I am sure it is possible, but the odds are not very likely. With inventive and fanciful storylines, these books are contemporary fairy tales, not to be confused with real life. Knowing the predictability of Ms Jackson’s books does not detract from the entertainment value for me.

If you are looking for real life romance stories, look it up in the encyclopedia. If you want an amusing diversion in the form of a romance novel, Ms Brenda Jackson will not disappoint.

That being said, as I read her books, I will be summing them up and reviewing them on here.

South of the Border

Jun26

If you have travelled Interstate 95 North from Florida through Georgia and South Carolina, you have probably seen the signs telling you about South of the Border. South of the Border is a tourist trap at the SC/NC line. After years and years of seeing the signs urging me to visit, I felt like I had to go just to see what it was all about. Yes, I knew it was a tourist trap but my curiosity got the best of me. Once we took the exit to South of the Border, I saw a hotel, reptile lagoon, gift shop, and a small amusement park. I did not go to the reptile lagoon because I did not have a desire to see a bunch of snakes. The hotel, with its faded paint, looked like a downgrade from Motel 6 from the outside. Not commenting on the number of stars of the hotel per se becasue I don’t know what the rooms look like. Just saying, it did not look like much from the outside. The amusement park was not open but the rides looked like fair rides for children. I do not have children, so I did not check that out either.

The place is as kitschy as you can get. I thought that they go overboard with the stereotypical depiction of Mexican people. Brightly colored ponchos and other souvenir items were for sale in the gift shop.
Back in its hay day, I am sure that South of the Border was probably a happening, lively excursion for the enjoyment of the entire family. Now days, they probably need to figure how to revamp the place, slap on a new coat of paint, and come up with some activities to attract more people. Water park anyone?

Overall, since I do not have children, there is probably not anything that would inspire me to go back.

Omega Pancake House – Myrtle Beach

Jun26

Going to Myrtle Beach means eventually ending up at one of the many pancake houses. Unfortunately for us, we went to Omega Pancake House on Kings Hwy near the Convention Center. The fact that there were only 4 cars in the parking lot should have been a clue that we should have went elsewhere. But it was 1:00 in the afternoon. I was thinking that we arrived after the brunch/lunch time rush.

In any case, we entered a nearly empty restaurant.

I ordered French toast, bacon, and 2 fried eggs. Dave ordered chicken sandwich and fries. I did not take a picture of our food because it was kind of sad. Scratch that. It was very sad. I only took a picture of the sign on the outside after I left because I realized that I need to tell people about the disappointment they should expect if they decide to dine at this restaurant.

1. The French toast was Texas toast that has not been fully coated in the egg mixture. It was more fried Texas toast than French toast.

2. The eggs were supposed to be fried hard, but had a very liquid center. I don’t like liquid center.

3. The chicken sandwich was inedible because the chicken was so tough. Dave tried to cut the chicken with a steak knife with little success.

The service at the restaurant was okay and our server was friendly enough. We did not send our food back because we were doubtful the cook would be able to bring us something better. I felt like we were on an episode of Restaurant Impossible BEFORE celebrity chef Robert Irvine shows up. I wanted to go Hell’s Kitchen on the cook and yell “What the #$%* is this mess you are trying to pass off as lunch?” But I did not feel like getting arrested.

I realized the best word to summarize the food was MEDIOCRE

Overall, unless they appear on Restaurant Impossible for a total makeover or have a change in management, I doubt the food will improve. Better to go to IHOP than this pancake house (and that is saying something because I don’t like to recommend chain restaurants).