I had a lazy morning with two cups of coffee in bed while insulting trump on facebook. I finally got out of my PJs and put on a robe. That is as dressed as I'm getting today. Rosie came to the front door for a walk. I opened the door to let her see that it was raining and she turned around and went right back into the bedroom. That is one of the many reasons she is the perfect doggie for me, and I am not the only one who thinks so. My neighbor Tom (of Lynn and Tom) just texted me this meme a few minutes ago. They all know her!Jan and I had a great time and, other than missing Rosie, it was good to get-away. I picked Jan up in Charleston and we had two nights there. Charleston is such a pretty city and it is always easy to find something new to show guests. It also has great food. We had dinner at 82 Queen, lunch at Husk (which has a delicious vegetarian plate not listed on the menu) and a light dinner at 39 Rue de Jean (Fried Goat Cheese Salad with beets, etc). Our luck with food continued throughout our whole trip. While there we took and on-and-off tour of the city and then drop out to Boone Hall Plantation, which I had not seen before. As you know to expect, photos to follow!
We then had four nights in Asheville, stopping in the Greenville area to check it out a bit. We had a great lunch at the Kitchen Sync. We found it online and when we drove by we thought it was closed. Then we did a second drive-by and there was a sign out front saying "open". So, we turned in and the parking lot out back was full, as was the restaurant. They had many vegetarian options and I settled on the potato tacos upon the waitress's recommendation. It was delicious and gave me taco ideas. The hostess was from Liverpool and we had a nice chat with her. After lunch, we spent some time seeing a few sites like a downtown park, a covered bridge, and so on. It really is a nice area which I'd like to explore a bit more.
I really enjoyed time in Asheville, which I'd not been to since a child. It is very picturesque, more diverse than here, and a bit funky, which I like. We did another city tour with a fun guide, and it was great to just drive through the city and see the various parts and learn its history. I hadn't realized that Zelda Fitzgerald had spent so much time (and died) there and I came away wanting to read more about her. We had lunch at the Grove Park Inn, which was fantastic. It was a beautiful day and we got a prime seat overlooking the mountains. We then had dinner at the Laughing Seed (vegetarian) in a hippy-ish part of town. More good food all day long!
Our plan for the next day was to take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We didn't get as far as planned because a tree fell and blocked the road not long after we had gotten on the parkway. It took them about an hour and a half to clear it, so we just watched and chatted with the other folks who were in the same position as we. Once it was cleared, everyone went on their way. That night we had dinner at Benne on Eagle, which was exceptional. I had GRILLED EGGPLANT AND CAULIFLOWER — Fairytale Eggplant, Wild Mushrooms, Field Peas, Sunflower Seed, Preserved Lime. The restaurant has a rich, interesting history, which you can read HERE. After dinner, we walked through The Foundry Hotel of which the restaurant is a part. A band was about to play so we sat just to listen for a bit. Well, once the band began, most of the room got up and danced! It was great. I chatted with one of the ladies who said they just liked to dance to this band. Everyone knew when and where they were playing and just showed up to enjoy themselves. It really was neat and we felt like we'd just stumbled onto a little local tradition.
The next day was devoted to the Biltmore Estate.....and WOW! Being a Tarheel, I am finally glad I can say that I've seen it. The opulence is difficult to describe and I am glad to have finally seen it. The gardens were not at their peak; but, even so, they were beautiful and one could easily imagine their beauty in the spring. Our lunch was at The Stables, which had literally once been the stables with tile walls, wrought iron on the stalls, etc. Our waiter was Carlos who had been voted the Waiter of the Year and he definitely had his shmooze down pat!
After Asheville, we took off for Bryson City where we were to ride the steam train. I'm following my trusty Waze GPS app when we find ourselves on a tertiary road with no GPS. This road is dirt, pretty much one-way. Cars were parked along the side so we knew people were around, but we didn't see anyone. Finally, I see two guys in trucks with hunting dogs, so I stop and ask directions. I told him our destination was Bryson City but we were looking for Looking Glass Falls. To go back to the falls would take us out of our way, but he would lead us to get us back on track to Bryson City. We must have followed him for 20 miles on dirt roads, gravel roads, and finally paved roads. I told Jan I thought we were okay as long as we didn't begin to hear dueling banjoes!! Actually, he was a very nice young man and got us back on track.
I have to mention our good fortune to have stayed at the Marriot in Asheville. The employees were welcoming and helpful, especially in the Bistro. We had breakfast there every morning, and sometimes a light dinner. We got to know John who ran the Bistro in the evenings and enjoyed chatting with him. We were surprised to have a great salad there which both Jan and I have made since returning. It was their Signature Spinach Salad. I was thinking of just a green salad, but it was chocked full of yummy things - brown rice and quinoa, sweet potato, dates, gorgonzola, etc. It was outstanding! Knowing I was vegetarian, he left out the bacon and gave me a larger portion, which I scarfed down like a champ!
In Bryson City, we stayed at the charming McKinley Edwards Inn. The couple running it had only taken over about several months earlier and were very welcoming. They also had great ideas for publicizing and broadening the appeal of the inn. Our time there was very pleasant. The next morning we were out early to take the train. We were lucky to have an informed and interesting young guide (Janessa), as well as a passenger (Craig) who sat across the aisle from us, who had grown up in the area, and was a horticulturist!! He was especially interested in the paw-paw tree and its fruit but he was a wealth of knowledge. It took our minds off the six screaming (literally) children that were also in the car!! Those parents should be ashamed....and those kids will be inflicted on some teacher! Anyway, Janessa hung out with us as much as she could and we enjoyed the info we got from Craig.
Our final stop was in Athens, Ga, which was a lovely town. I don't know what I was expecting but I found it charming. The highlights were driving through the antebellum section and dining at The National. I had the vegetable plate (roasted tatume squash with paprika-salsa verde and preserved lemon; collard green falafel with beet tzatziki and Aleppo chili; roasted zucchini and chickpea salad with mint and tahini-ranch; roasted cauliflower salad with harissa and honey; seared okra with almonds; quinoa salad with roasted tomato; lightly dressed arugula) and it tired with Benne on Eagle for best meals on the trip. It was fantastic and somehow we didn't get a photo of us enjoying it!
We got back to my place and I gathered "The Squad" at our favorite falafel place. It was good to see everyone and catch up. It is great to introduce longtime friends to newer friends and allow them to put faces to the names they hear about here. In the afternoon, we went to see the Savannah Gardens in Berkley Hall. There was an article about it in a local magazine, but when we went to the gate to get in to see it, he wouldn't let us in. Needless to say, we took that as a challenge!! We came back to my place and looked for phone numbers. I found one of the community realtor and within an hour we were strolling the garden.
Our last dinner together did not disappoint. We went to La Dolce Vita in Bluffton. When Jan saw it in a restaurant guide, I asked where it was located because I knew I'd seen it before but couldn't remember. Well, it's in the same little strip mall where Chris and I used to make wine. Come to find out, it has been there for about 5 years. The owner/chef was born in Sicily and has been a chef for 40 years, much of it in NYC. Customers order and pick up his bread, pasta sauce, etc. It was excellent Italian food and I brought home as much as I ate. I will definitely be going back.
It was a great visit and I give Jan full credit for a fun trip. She planned the whole thing, made hotel and dinner reservations, everything! It made it very easy on me....and I knew it would be enjoyable for her, as it was for me. Thank you, Jan!
