The Derosia Team

Tourist destinations are packed full of restaurants; most of them being the well known chain restaurants that can be dined in all over the country.  However, every city has the smaller restaurants that are usually out of the hustle and bustle of the city life.  These restaurants are  local favorites and mom and pop establishments that don't make it into the guidebooks and vacation brochures.  Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and the other surrounding areas of the Smoky Mountains have several well-kept secrets that the locals love.   These establishments in the Smoky Mountains are often a great place to go and learn about the local culture, as well as eat some of the best local food.  Most of the establishments have more reasonable prices than the chain restaurants in town.  The service is above and beyond in these family owned establishments and the food is worth coming back for over and over again. Because there are so ...

The 37th annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair is underway.  The fair began on October 11 and will continue until October 28, 2012 at the Gatlinburg Convention Center.  Voted as one of the top 20 "Most Popular Events" in the southern U.S. by the Southeast Tourism Society,  the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair host Artisans and Craftsmen from all over the United States.  There are over 200 booths with unique and one-of-a-kind handmade products, are displayed, as these skilled individuals demonstrate their talents.  Each participant is subject to a jury process to insure the uniqueness and quality of their products. The Artisans and Craftsmen of the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair not only make their products available for viewing and sale, but also demonstrate their special talents and skills during the show. Admission to the fair is $6.00 for adults and children 12 and under are free. Country and Bluegrass entertainment is included in admission. This years entertain...

Jodi Derosia, the youngest daughter of Phil and Darlene and younger sister of Phillip, is spearheading a senior project for DECA to raise money and awareness for SafeSpace . For those who are not familiar with SafeSpace , it is a non-profit organization that provides safety and support to survivors of domestic violence and their families.  The primary purpose of SafeSpace is to provide emergency shelter, crisis intervention, court advocacy, resource referrals, and counseling to victims of domestic violence.   SafeSpace believes in empowerment.  They are there to provide information share skills, and support victims of domestic violence who choose to be self-reliant and leave their abusive situation.  Domestic Violence Is More Common Than You May Think: An act of domestic violence occurs every 12 seconds in the US. Each year in the US, more than 4 million women are battered by their partners. 97-99% of victims are women; 1-3% are men. Battering is the sing...

October is here!  In the Great Smoky Mountains this means the leafs are starting to change colors.  This is the time of year where visitors come from all over to view and photograph the beauty the Smoky Mountains can bring. Why are fall colors so remarkable in the Great Smoky Mountains?  The first reason is the parks diversity of trees.  One hundred species of native trees live in the Great Smoky Mountains and the majority of these are deciduous. How do colors change? According to the National Park Service, as the summer comes to an end, the green pigments in leaves deteriorate, giving other colors a chance to shine.  The pigment that makes carrots orange and leaves yellow, carotenoids, are exposed as the green fades.  the reds and purples come from a pigment that is formed when sugars in leaves break down in bright autumn sunlight. The Great Smoky Mountains usually experience an autumn leaf season of seven weeks as the fall colors travel down the m...