Life, Love & Golf in the West Virginia Mountains

Ingrid Lemme
2 hours ago
4 min read

Glade Springs, West Virginia —

A Place That Became Part of My Heart

By Ingrid Lemme-Chalut

First published in the November issue of The Montauk Sun, in print from Montauk, The Hamptons, to Manhattan. Edited by John Lomitola

This isn’t the kind of travel feature my readers might expect from Escape from Paradise. It’s not about a new resort, a cruise, or an assignment on the road, but about a place that quietly became part of our lives. Between our mountain seasons in Glade Springs and winters by the sea, this community has given us something lasting — peace, purpose, and belonging.

Since the beautiful Glade Springs Resort in West Virginia — where Marcus and I have spent part of our summers for more than a decade — has recently been listed for sale, I felt compelled to feature it, to honor the place that has touched our hearts so deeply.

On a summer morning in Glade Springs, you’ll often find me lacing up my hiking shoes and heading into the woods. I rarely go without my camera — or rather, my phone — pausing to capture wildflowers, mist rising over the Stonehaven fairways, or a deer grazing by the lake. These snapshots have become part of my Glade Smiles photo diary on Nextdoor — a little love letter to the mountain and its people.

Meanwhile, Marcus is on the golf course, living his best game on the Stonehaven greens. A later-in-life player, he loves both the challenge and camaraderie of it. He plays; I wander.

Then I hike up to Small Talk Café for my half-coffee, half-hot-water creation and a chat with friends beneath the umbrellas outside.

Our lives flow between two worlds — the stillness of Glade Springs and the coastal rhythm of Palm Coast, Florida. Down south, palms sway outside our windows, and the ocean is never far away.

From Jacksonville or Port Canaveral, cruise ships beckon us toward new horizons. Cruising has become one of our shared joys — part adventure, part reflection, and part celebration of life’s second act.

Both Marcus and I have known loss. Each of us was married for decades until cancer changed everything. Many Montaukers will remember my late husband Sunny, Sunshine Lemme, a devoted member of the Montauk Fire Department. His memory will forever remain part of my beloved seaside community.

For a long time, the thought of finding love again seemed unimaginable. Yet fate intervened — gently, persistently — through the quiet connection of an online exchange. What began as cautious correspondence grew into something extraordinary. Three months later, we tested our bond by traveling together — first to Puerto Vallarta, then to Costa Rica.

We explored, cooked, laughed, and learned each other’s rhythms. That trip became the foundation of everything that followed. By God’s grace, we’ll celebrate ten years of marriage next March — a milestone both miraculous and natural.

Born in Germany, my own “American Dream” found its home in Montauk, New York, where I built a career in hospitality and media. For 17 years, I hosted The American Dream Show, interviewing more than 500 guests, and for two decades I served as Marketing and PR Director for one of Montauk’s most beloved resorts, then known as Gurney’s Inn Resort & SeaWater Spa. The Montauk Sun — now celebrating its 25th year — has long been my publishing home.

Through Escape from Paradise, I continue to share the world’s beauty — from Montauk’s beaches to the mountains of West Virginia. Each story is a celebration of life’s textures and flavors, proof that paradise is not a place but a feeling.

What makes Glade Springs unique is its rare blend of natural serenity and resort-style living. Spread across thousands of wooded acres, the community includes more than 1,200 residences, beautiful Lake Chatham, and three championship golf courses.

The historic Cobb Course belongs to the resort, while Stonehaven and Woodhaven are owned by the Property Owners Association, ensuring residents’ continued enjoyment regardless of the resort’s future.

Beyond golf, the amenities abound — a hotel, restaurants, café, sports bar, spa, pools, and year-round recreation, including shuttles to nearby Winterplace Ski Resort. And just beyond lie New River Gorge National Park and Skyline Mountain, inviting exploration with breathtaking vistas and outdoor adventure.

Marcus, who built his career manufacturing golf shirts in Pinehurst, North Carolina, brings quiet strength and steady humor to our partnership. Together, we’ve faced his battle with metastatic skin cancer — a journey that deepened our gratitude for every sunrise, every laugh, every walk. “I couldn’t have done it without her,” he says. But truthfully, I couldn’t have done it without him either.

Our kitchen has become a gathering place. Whether it’s rustic bread, fresh salads, or old-world comfort dishes, food connects us to both place and memory. My #IngridCooks meals have become their own little tradition among friends and neighbors.

Pastor Troy from Glade Community Church still talks about the night we hosted a flounder fish fry with my son Dominic’s fresh North Carolina catch and homemade potato salad. Dominic grew up in Montauk, where the ocean shaped his spirit — much as the mountains shape ours today.

Glade Springs has been many things: a golf destination, a mountain retreat, a gathering place for families and friends. For us, it has been home — a refuge where love and peace quietly coexist.

As the resort looks toward a new chapter under future ownership, I can only hope its next stewards will preserve what makes it so special: the serenity of its trails, the friendships on its fairways, and the warmth of a community that welcomes all.

Until next month — from another interesting location.

Yours in travel, Love, Ingrid

First published in the November issue of The Montauk Sun, in print from Montauk, The Hamptons, to Manhattan.