Serenity now, insanity later...

Remember the Seinfeld episode when Frank Costanza's doctor prescribes a relaxation cassette that cues him to say "serenity now" when his blood pressure gets too high. Instead of saying it he yells it. Well that's how I feel when I've had enough family togetherness.

A few months ago, I sent my friends an email message with the subject line reading "it's time." They agreed that a get away was in order before the end of the school year. We decided that Mother's Day weekend would be perfect. How could our husbands say no?

After much discussion and research on venues, we chose the mountains over the beach. Although I was a bit tentative about staying in a cabin (I don't do rustic.), my friend Allison assured me that it was a really nice cabin. I took her word for it.

I was delighted when we arrived at our sprawling home nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains.

View from back terrace and our horse hitching post.

Our plan was to settle in and go out for a bite. Most places closed at 9:00 pm so we were SOL. After driving around in circles in the pitch dark, we made our way to Ingles for some provisions before it closed at 11:00.

Mr. Mophead is always so curious about girl's getaways. He finds it hard to believe that we have enough to do and talk about for three days.

It's pretty simple.

Drink.

Read.

Relax.

And, soak in our hot tub with freshly painted toes.

We spent Friday afternoon getting pedicures and massages at Serenity in the Mountains Day Spa, which was featured several years ago in Rachel Rays' magazine as one of the "ten best value spas in the country." It wasn't the Four Seasons, but the services were ample and the staff courteous and accommodating. As promised, it was a serene experience. Plus they gave us red roses and chocolate dipped strawberries for Mother's Day.

A few words about charming down town Blue Ridge before I launch into the shopping and eating portion of the trip.

Founded in 1886 Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of its pure mineral waters. Established as a railroad town, visitors would ride the train to town, eat dinner at the Blue Ridge Hotel, and take a leisurely walk to the mineral springs after dinner. It is now known as the “antique capital” of Georgia with friendly folks and an old time atmosphere.

The train depot is still in the heart of town, and you can ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway on a 26 mile round trip along the Toccoa River with stops in McCaysville, GA and Copperhill, TN. We didn’t have time to ride the train. But we did spend some time on Main Street shopping and dining.

Shopping...

I'm not one for clothes shopping. The House of Threads of Blue Ridge (another location in McCaysville) is a cute little boutique I did enjoy visiting. There was good stuff inside, but the owner wouldn't let me take photos. Silly for a small town shop.

Many of the shops -- housed in historic buildings -- were designed with cool architectural and industrial salvage. Like this fan.

Loved this vintage Chevy parked behind an antique store.

My favorite shop was the Blue Ridge Olive Oil Company. A tasting room for international olive oils and vinegars. I've never seen anything like it. A plethora of pure, extra virgin, organic and infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars in every flavor imaginable. You can sample 'til your heart's content from these really cool stainless urns. When you're done tasting, the friendly and knowledgeable staff fill your bottles, label then seal them with heat guns. Just in case you're wondering, I bought an EVOO and pomegranate balsamic. Suggested pairings available in store and on line. Check it out if you love to cook. Culinary gifts galore.

Eating...

Blue Ridge has lots to offer from casual to fine dining. We had some yummy meals. If I had to pick, Cucina Rustica was my fave. Who knew you could find amazing northern Italian cuisine in the Georgia mountains.

Dining at Harvest on Main -- a farm-to-table experience with a southern twist -- is a must.

Lucky for us we hit the grand opening of Blue Ridge Grocery. A from scratch bakery, deli, cafe and coffee bar all in the second oldest building in town circa 1890s. We popped in for coffee and take-away dips and other happy hour provisions. And, ate breakfast there Sunday morning. I loved everything about it, especially the vintage coffee and meat grinders, old butcher knives and milk bottles that littered the space. Cool fresh-squeezed orange juice machine! Another must visit place while in town.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. I will not share any photos of what my house looked like when I returned. The most interesting finding was hair clippings in various places. My kids did really need haircuts, but I thought they had outgrown self hair cuts. Guess not.

Insanity revisited.