The weekend after Thanksgiving was spent in the [cold] mountains of Asheville. We decided to stay somewhere different and choose the
Bent Creek Lodge. It is listed as a "Bed & Breakfast" but it is a wonderful, semi-rustic, cozy mountain lodge just south of Asheville (address is Arden). If the weather had been warmer/dryer and Paul's bike wasn't broken, it would have been the perfect place for us to mountain bike. We stayed in the "tree room" and enjoyed sitting by the fire, watching birds and eating the amazing breakfast. If you're looking for an alternative to the overpriced, under impressive hotels in Asheville, check out the Bent Creek Lodge.
Paul enjoying the fire & reading materials in the common room
While in Asheville, we did the usual things - eat at
Apollo Flame,
Tupelo Honey (buy honey to take home), walk around the
Grove Arcade, visit
UNCA, pay $6 to park/visit the
NC Arboretum, you know the usual things we do. It's more fun to say it with pictures:
Interior of the Arcade
Exterior of the Arcade
Paul at the
riveting NC Arboretum exhibit (the history of flowerpots, seriously)
Mom & Dad at the quilt garden
Yews are serious plants (ha!)
Bonsai Garden (the cold wind was sucking the life out of us, but it was an awesome garden)
Gates at the Bonsai garden
Size perspective
Can you tell we liked the Bonsai?
Visiting the Alma Mater (it has been 5 years since we graduated!) - check out the new science building being built next to the library - it is a MONSTER!
The University Seal - me squinty
Our different meal was SUSHI! with mom & dad. We ate the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Biltmore Village. Their sushi was ok, nothing like our neighborhood sushi joint, but it sorta hit the spot. Mom, Paul and I split "sushi for 3" which means it comes out on a BIG BOAT (dad stuck with hibachi shrimp).
And our trip to Asheville wouldn't be complete without a visit to the
Grove Park Inn. This time of year they host the "
National Gingerbread House Competition" and it is one of my favorite things to go and see. This year did not disappoint. They only had the "top winners" on display at the Inn (other entries were around town, like at the Grove Arcade). I'm testing the slide show for these photos (let me know if it works for you and if you like it/not).
Gingerbread Houses at the Grove Park Inn (and other superfluous photos of us and the parents)
Want to see more pictures of the gingerbread houses?
Go here (they aren't mine and show a little more detail)
