Favorite Memories from Our First Year

Mary Celeste Beall, Proprietor - What an amazing first year! Some of my favorite moments have come from seeing guests explore the Mountain like we always dreamed. There have been so many special times. I love hearing a guest rave about a new experience they can’t wait to tell their friends about – like soundbathing, aerial yoga or an awesome hike. Or the fun of seeing our guests and owners get creative with everything from making their own pottery to tie dying to mandala stone painting. I’ve loved hearing the awe guests have felt watching a sunrise from Goat Hill or seeing the clouds roll in from the Watchman Cabins. We even celebrated our first Mountain wedding just a few weeks ago!

This whole year has been full of firsts. It truly has been a dream come true. I know that Sam would be so proud and as excited as I am to see how Blackberry Mountain has come to life. Thank you to our guests and team members for a wonderful first year!

Logan Griffin, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage - I have three favorite Blackberry Mountain moments from our first year. The first was having a guest tell me that our wine list was one of the most fun selections that he had seen, with hidden gems and awesome prices. Second, being able to watch Blackberry Mountain’s Fourth of July firework display while simultaneously getting to see the Farm’s display in the distance. Seeing the guests’ reaction to that was pretty cool. Although it was not intentional, it seemed that way! To round out my top three, seeing the Firetower and Blackberry Mountain make the cover of Travel + Leisure magazine. It was great getting to share in the excitement with the Food and Beverage team.

Dr. Jill Beasley, Holistic Health Specialist - When I reflect on the first year at Blackberry Mountain, my favorite moments are the small ones. As the holistic health specialist, I work one-on-one with guests and often get to introduce an idea or treatment for the first time, whether its information about herbal remedies or experiencing acupuncture. It’s a gift to open the door to holistic health and to see people in moments of discovery about new concepts and themselves. I love getting to see people recognize ways in which they can find more joy and meaning in their lives and how they plan to take part of the Blackberry experience home. As adults, we often forget the importance of adventure, play, curiosity and discovery, and it is an honor and joy to help people embrace those experiences at the Mountain.

Josh Feathers, Three Sisters Executive Chef -The best thing about our first year is how new our property was to us and our guests. The adventure that we have all experienced on the Mountain, creating something new for our brand, for our guests and for ourselves, is not something that will soon be forgotten.

Joel Werner, Firetower Executive Chef - My favorite moment since Blackberry Mountain opened was the day we decided to answer every phone call to the kitchen, “Thank you for calling the Firetower kitchen where every day is a great day!"