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The Greystone in Bloom

See what’s coming to life this season on the shores of Lake Toxaway.

It’s a season of rebirth as the brilliant colors surrounding us in the Blue Ridge Mountains and on Lake Toxaway are awakened. Step outside and breathe in deep. What can you smell? The scent of flowers blooming from the tulip, daffodil, and hyacinth bulbs that we planted last fall; the sweet aroma of trees beginning to flower, like the dogwood trees; the smell of freshly cut grass at our hotel; and the subtle smell of fire pits in the evening as guests gather around to roast marshmallows.

Take a moment to look around outside. Vibrant, beautiful colors are coming back as the leaves begin to grow on trees and blooms pop up in the garden. Look closely and you might be rewarded with the sight of the wildlife that likes to call our property home. You can see baby deer, bunnies hopping along, and even the elusive white squirrel.

Bees are flitting from flower to flower, pollenating as they go and keeping our flowers looking stunning. It’s a time when everyone wants to be outdoors! You’ll hear the hum of a boat’s motor as one cruises by, enjoying the warm sunshine and the splendor of Lake Toxaway. You’ll see kayakers dropping their kayaks into the water and heading out for a leisurely paddle or an afternoon of fishing. Guests are taking their morning coffee outside as they look over the lake, and next door, the Lake Toxaway Country Club is busy preparing for their opening weekend in April.

All of your senses are engaged with the coming of spring as all of The Greystone and Lake Toxaway begins to bloom. Winter has come to an end and we’re excited to welcome Spring.

Flora and Fauna you can spot at The Greystone:

• White squirrels
• Rabbits
• White-tailed deer
• Geranium
• Marigold
• Jasmine
• White Lilly
• Ranunculus
• Mint
• Spearmint
• Chamomile
• Rosemary
• Sage

The Land of Waterfalls Reawakens in the Spring

The icy chill of winter is thawing—Literally! We are located in an area of North Carolina fondly referred to as The Land of Waterfalls due to the abundance (over 250!) of waterfalls that surround us. They are coming alive this spring as they melt and begin flowing once again.

Warmer weather and longer days are here to stay—Check out our monthly newsletter where we highlight a local waterfall each month.

Click here to see a list of local waterfalls!

It’s understandable why you’d want to get to the root of one of our most popular lunch dishes. It starts with a trip to the local farmer’s market and ends with a sprinkling of pine nuts and golden raisins. Here, we share the recipe so you can prepare this beloved farm-to-table classic in your own kitchen.

Grilled Carrot Salad
Ingredients:
6 Heirloom Carrots, peeled and halved
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
4 Cups Arugula
¼ Cup Pine Nuts
¼ Cup Golden Raisins
1 Cup Caper Vinaigrette

Instructions:
Lightly oil the carrots and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat and set aside. Next place arugula in a large mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and dress with 1/4 cup of Vinaigrette. Divide arugula onto 4 plates. Finally place grilled carrots onto the salads, and evenly divide the pine nuts and golden raisins.

Caper Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients:
½ Cup Shallots
Zest of 1 Lemon
¼ Cup Parsley Leaves, picked and washed
2 Tbsp Mint Leaves, picked and washed
½ Cup White Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Capers, drained and rinsed
1 ½ Cups Canola Oil

Instructions:
Combine all Ingredients except oil in a blender. Add ½ cup of oil in blender and puree on high until a smooth paste has formed. Reduce blender speed to medium and slowly add the additional cup of oil to emulsify dressing. Remove from blender and store in an airtight container until needed.

The therapeutic benefits of walking in nature have long been touted, but it’s much more than the sight of the blue-hued mountains and deep green forests that calm and center us. The subtle scents of the rocks, rivers, plants and trees play a major role in elevating our mood and state of mind.

To extend the wellness of the woods beyond the trails, The Greystone Inn teamed with Elder and Co., makers of handmade soy wax candles in Brevard, North Carolina, to create a custom Greystone candle for our guests. Before getting to work in her studio, Ellie Tate, owner of Elder and Co., began the creative process with a visit to our special lakeside location to experience firsthand the essence of The Greystone. From there, we put our noses to work, noting our reactions to sample candles, essential oils, and each potential ingredient Tate suggested.

“After creating samples, I always burn the candles in my own home and live with the scent before presenting them to my clients,” said Tate. “Of the seven samples I created for The Greystone, I felt that two truly captured the allure of the inn and its unique setting.”

The final winner – a lovely combination of all things Greystone – moss, soil, balsam, cedar and pine – that can be enjoyed throughout the hotel and anywhere you’d like to take The Greystone with you. The Greystone candle is available for purchase at The Greystone Inn Market or in the hotel lobby to bring the magic of Lake Toxaway and The Greystone Inn to your own home.

Shop now (https://thegreystoneinnmarket.com)

Branches of Hope
Fraser fir. Red spruce. Yellow birch. Ask anyone in North Carolina their favorite tree and you’re likely to get a variety of answers. Ask anyone in Transylvania County and you’re likely to hear just one – the Angel Giving Tree.

This year will be the fifth year The Greystone Inn will put up the Angel Giving Tree – a partnership with Lake Toxaway Charities and Rosman area schools to provide gifts and food to over 200 prequalified school children, the elderly and disabled. The Angel Tree program provides children ages pre-K through high school with a complete set of new clothing and a stocking filled with toiletries and essentials. Each child also receives a wrapped gift from Santa and a box of food for the entire family.

Hear why this program is near and dear to Patrick Chapman, Principal at Lake Toxaway’s T.C. Henderson School of Science and Technology, and look for more information on how you can participate in this special annual charity event in our upcoming October e-newsletter.

5 tips for meditative yoga:

1. Find a calm place
2. Set a manageable time limit
3. Take stock of your body
4. Feel your breath
5. Focus your attention

Join us at 9 a.m. on Saturdays for a Sunrise Salutation meditation and set your intentions for a wonderful weekend!

Hotel guests – $25
Local visitors – $35
24-hour advance reservation required

You can’t have summer without peaches!  Here’s how to create our newest signature drink – the Grilled Peach Tea Cocktail! Perfect for nights out on the patio. Smokey peaches, whiskey, and wine–summer in a glass!

Grilled Peach Tea Cocktail for Two
Ingredients:

• Whiskey
• Fortified wine
• Grilled peach tea syrup

 

Garnish:

• Toasted almonds
• Orange peel
• Thyme
• Fresh peaches
• Lemon Juice

Come see what’s growing in the Greystone garden! This season, we’re very proud of our cauliflower crops, so much so they’ve made their way onto the dinner menu.

Featured Dish of the Season: Cauliflower Steak
Cauliflower purée, roasted grapes, marcona almond, curry oil

Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and Festival
The Greystone Inn is proud to support the Brevard Summer Series, a festival of musical events including classical, jazz, and even a Star Wars soundtrack tribute!

Click here for more information

Fishing the Backwaters:
3 Tips from Local Experts of Headwaters Outfitters:

1. Move Slow: Backcountry fish can be extremely spooky. Methodical movements are key to success!
2. Bring a Buddy: Two minds are greater than one. Having an extra set of eyes can help you better decipher water!
3. Lighter tippet: Backcountry fish tend to be smaller than your average stocked fish, however, these fish are still smart and will steer clear of flies attached to heavy fluorocarbon.

 

Let’s Go Foraging!
In Western NC, there are more than 3,000 mushrooms and 200 of them are edible. Mushrooms are commonly found in wooded areas near bodies of water of areas that are very moist all the time.

Most commonly found in the area:

• Chanterelle
• Chicken of the Woods
• Lactarius
• Lion’s Mane
• Bear’s Head
• Cinnabon
• Trumpet

 

The Black Trumpet Mushroom has no poisonous look-alikes, making this a great mushroom for beginners to identify. Their dark color and strange shape make them look like little black holes on the forest floor.

Featured Dish of the Season: Forager’s Manicotti
Wild mushrooms, kale ricotta, truffle crème fraiche, pecorino cheese
Try this dish at The Greystone Inn!

Mint Julep – Kentucky Derby
Black-Eyed Susan – Preakness Stakes
Belmont Jewel – Belmont Stakes

Essential Oils 101
with The Greystone Inn’s Masseuse Marlene

Used for thousands of years, essential oils have many therapeutic properties – antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal, to name a few. Many use oils to help calm, destress, reduce tension and muscle soreness, as well as ease symptoms of colds, stomach upset…the list is almost endless!

Combined with a massage, or used even during yoga & meditation, oils can be very powerful as they take less than a minute to enter the bloodstream and can make significant physical changes. In spring, floral oils such as lavender and rose are a joy to use to highlight the season.

For yoga, I recommend grounding oils such as frankincense, cypress, sandalwood or blends. For stress or an emotional recharge, a blend of wood & grass is the ticket. I’ve even seen success with using oregano oil for plantar warts!

Join us in raising a toast to our legendary “Lady of Lake Toxaway” on April 23rd!

“I’ve traveled the world twice and I believe Lake Toxaway to be the most beautiful and special place on earth.”
– Lucy Armstrong Moltz, 23 Apr 1883 – 24 Sep 1970