The other afternoon I was looking through my new issue of Wine Spectator, the restaurant issue.

Admittedly, I’m not sure that the criteria by which the magazine judges these restaurants is all that telling: it’s not to the level of Michelin standards by any means. But it does mean something, is indicative of a restaurant’s commitment to building and maintaining a noteworthy wine collection.

Highlands has SIX Wine Spectator Award winning restaurants, two at the “two-star” classification. SIX!!

As most of you know, Highlands is a little town. Supposedly in the winter, we have a population under 2,000.

I didn’t do an exhaustive study, but I started looking through the magazine at other relatively small resort areas with which I’m familiar such as Telluride or Whistler. They didn’t have six. Beaver Creek and Vail and Aspen–larger areas–were in the same ball park. But they’re bigger–and, for crying out loud, famous the world over.

I doubt if there’s any place in the world which can compete with Highlands on a per capita basis. This is a wine-loving town, and a town with some of the best restaurants in the Southeast. That’s indisputable.

As I mentioned on this site not too long ago, it’s worth visiting the Chamber’s site to get a sense of how much activity goes on up here. Astonishing, really.

Over the last few years, more and more people are moving up here full time, knowing that the proliferation of opportunities may well be unmatched in a town of this size.

Great beauty, great natural activity, great art and culture, great restaurants and wine.

A great place to call home. (Or just a good place for a visit…)

Give me a call, let’s wander and see what’s available; let’s find you a place you can call home.

I don’t really like that expression, but we all know what it means.

The weather is still wonderful: I’ve had to put a sweatshirt on a couple of mornings recently. I heard we hit 51 one morning last week. Not raining as much. Beautiful blue skies. The mountain laurel and rhodos have had perhaps their best season ever.

Please note that I just added a “Current Highlands Weather” link to the top of the homepage. Keep coming back so you can compare how we’re enjoying up here with what you’re enduring wherever you are.

And the market is still moving in fits and starts: we are seeing more activity, some buyers making offers, some sellers having to determine whether they want to sell or not. Those who want to are listening to offers; others are just hanging tight. Makes for an interesting market. Deals are out there to be had, but some buyers aren’t finding the perfect combination: the house they want at a price they’re willing to pay.

But as I’ve said before–and I’m still beating this horse: if you have some money and want to put it somewhere where the long-term potential for growth is good, look in this area. And after all, you can’t spend pleasant weekends in your safety deposit box: you can’t retire there either.

Not long ago, I was surfing my own site, looking at the various links I’ve included on my links page. My gosh: absolutely astonishing how much goes on in the town of Highlands and throughout the entire area. If indeed you really are looking for a place not only as an escape from the heat and busyness and dailiness of life, but also as a potential place to make a life, to join a community, to be a part of a verdant, thriving–but low key and relaxing–world, this is it.

As always, let me know how I can help.