What we did:

From Asheville we were headed to Bay Village, Ohio to visit Bill’s mother. It was a bit too far for one day, so we were going to stop in Charleston, West Virginia to break up the drive. Well, we didn’t make to Charleston. A rare spring storm sprang up forcing us to alter our plans.

At first it was kind of pretty. The snow began to collect on the trees, creating a Rockwell-like vista for us to enjoy. But, as you can see from the overturned truck, it also became a bit dangerous at the same time!

And, as the day went on, traffic became a bit less enjoyable and even more dangerous.  We opted to make an early stop and spend the afternoon and evening in Wytheville, Virginia at a Hampton Inn, hoping the roads would be clear by morning.

Everything went well the next morning. Just after crossing into Ohio we stopped for lunch.  This little family restaurant had great, down home cookin’. Fortunately, it fortified us for the drive. It seems we caught up to the storm and, unfortunately, got ahead of the road clearing crews! We white knuckled it for about 3 hours before driving out of the snow laden highways around Akron.  I suppose one down side to visiting the Appalachians in the spring are the consequences of an inopportune snow. Oh well, we still made it on schedule, just a little more frazzled from the drive than we wished for.

The Grove Park Inn; image from flickr by Suzie T

Where we ate:   

She said:   

The next night we dined at the Grove Park Inn, also recommended by the Albemarle Inn.  Isn’t it beautiful?  As you might expect, its not an inexpensive place to stay. The rooms start at $280.00/night!        

View from the back porch of the Grove Park Inn; image from flickr by Skvidal

Asheville is such a beautiful town!  We were at the inn in the evening so, unfortunately, we didn’t experience this stunning view.      

This is the Horizons Dining Room, one of about 10 or 12 places to eat at the inn.       

Here’s Bill studying the menu.  It was very good, but pricey.  So much so, that I passed on my all time favorite appetizer – grilled artisan duck foie gras – and simply had the diver scallops.  Bill had the fish de jour.   

He said:   

We asked for a special, fine dining recommendation and, per our hosts, the Horizon Dining Room was the only place to consider. And they were right!  The Grove Park Inn is a marvelous establishment and has hosted many celebrities and dignitaries, including Presidents. Remember hearing about our current first family’s spring break to Asheville? Well, this is where they were!!!  I loved our meal. We were the only ones in the restaurant (a snow/ice storm was just beginning). A wonderful pianist, who’s been at the inn for about forty years, serenaded us with delightful blend of classical music mixed with an occasional show tune.  I’m sure we’ll be back to Asheville sometime and, when we’re here, I definitely want to see the Grove Park Inn in the daylight – sans the snow and ice!!

Where we ate:

She said:

We asked the Albemarle Inn for dinner recommendations and they suggested Bouchon.  It is French comfort food. 

Here I am, patiently awaiting my first portion of mussels.  It was a cute little restaurant.  We both had their Tuesday special – all you can eat mussels and a choice of five different sauces – for $14.00. We tried them all!!  We liked the Parisienne and Mediterranean sauces the best.

He said:

It was easy to choose among the various recommendations offered by our hosts.

A unique, local restaurant.    Marla loves mussels.      All you can eat.      Need I say more!!

This was a lively spot right downtown.  The mussels were fine.  Judging from the number of local patrons, many of whom were choosing entrees other than the mussels, I would definitely visit again.

What we did:

After visiting the Biltmore Estate, you must drive around and see The Inn on Biltmore Estate and the Biltmore Winery.  This is the back of the Inn, which shares the architectural theme of the main estate, albeit far less ornate.  Current rates for rooms are from $250.00/night.

This is the entrance to the Inn.  It is very beautiful inside.  Check out their website.  Since a multiple day stay is necessary to see, in depth, the whole estate and grounds, this would be a perfect place to stay for those wanting to take in everything.

Our last stop was Antler Hill Village that features a number of attractions.  I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn we did visit the Winery.  We were going to a tasting, followed by lunch in the Bistro, one of seven restaurants to choose from  on the estate.  But, because of our huge breakfast at the Albemarle Inn, and the fact that we were going to have a special dinner, we opted just to sample wine!  We had to do that!  They just were finishing a renovation and enlargement of the winery, and it was beautiful.  We were directed into the back room and were given a long list of wines to sample—FREE.  Well, actually, it is part of the estate admission cost. There are some premium tasting programs for which there are charges. We ended up doing both the complimentary and a premium tasting, and, since we bought a couple of bottles, the premium cost was deducted from our wine purchase. I’m not sure if this is true of the more elaborate tastings.

A visit to Antler Hill Village is a great way to decompress from the tour of the main estate. And, a few sips of wine certainly capped a wonderful experience!!

What we did:

She said:

Our first day of exploring in Asheville, North Carolina was spent at The Biltmore.  If you’ve never been, it is a “must see”!  The Biltmore, built in 1895, was the family home of George W. Vanderbilt and took four years to complete.  It is now owned by his grandson, William A.V. Cecil, and son of daughter Cornelia and remains a private residence.  There are now 55 rooms open for viewing.  If you go, be sure to do the audio tour.  You’ll learn so much.  I like to imagine what it would have been like to live at this time and in this house.  Even though we were visiting in an off time, we really enjoyed it because we were able to wander around with very few people.

This is the greenhouse in the back of the house.  In the spring and summer this area is filled with beautiful flowers.  The millions of trees and rhododendrons are also beautiful with flowers.

Too bad the sun wasn’t shining.  This is a magnificent view of the back of the house.

He said:

I have to admit that visiting The Biltmore is not just a “chick thing”. I loved it! The 125,00 acres of Frederick Law Olmsted designed grounds (NYC’s Central Park and father of American landscape architecture) provides such a magnificent setting it is, I’m sure, an undertaking that will never be replicated! The estate is patterned after a 16th century French chateaux and, itself, encompasses over 4 acres of floor space! The construction and workmanship was overseen by Richard Morris Hunt and is simply awe inspiring. There is no way to do justice describing the luscious detail and grandeur of The Biltmore. You’ll just have to go see it yourself. I would, however, recommend the off season. There were probably less that an few hundred other visitors, which made our tour stress free, allowing for leisurely viewing and listening to the audio tape guide. As for imaging  family life here, I don’t get a warm, cozy feeling because it is so big and museum-like. Since there obviously was a huge staff always present, relaxation wasn’t often a private experience. I can see why, beyond the obvious maintenance expense, the Cecil’s turned it into a tourist destination. Its like a living dinosaur of the days of excess defined by extravagance and wealth.

The Albemarle Inn B&B: image from flickr by Anoldent

Where we stayed: 

She said:  

We arrived at the Albemarle Bed and Breakfast right before the BIG snowstorm.  Many people cancelled out for the weekend, so we were given our pick of the rooms.  We selected the one that had a big bedroom with a sitting porch.  The bathroom was a nice size with nice amenities.   It was late afternoon; we settled in and because there was no one there for the social hour, we were brought a tray of wine and fruits and cheeses and crackers.  All in all very comfortable and FUN!! 

This was our bedroom.    A bit much don’t you think???  I did need a ladder to climb into it.   It was also very comfortable!  The breakfasts in the mornings were very good and there was always an abundance of food.  A great way to start  the day! 

He said: 

I must admit, I’m getting to enjoy B&B’s more and more. The Albermarle Inn was perfect! And since there was only one other guest, it felt as if we were at our own home. It is located among a quiet residential area that is convenient to just about everything in Asheville. Outside of the Grove Park Inn, which, incidently is just up the road, this is THE place to stay when visiting Asheville.

Where we ate:

She said:

This is the Casa Monica Hotel.  It is one of the oldest hotels in the United States.

No…..we didn’t stay here the rooms start at around $250/night, but we did eat here for our second dinner in St. Augustine.

This is the hotel lobby and yes, it was very impressive.

There is an entrance to the restaurant on the side of the hotel, as well as through the lobby.

95 Cordova was also recommended to us by the St. Francis Inn.

This is the dining room and, guess what??  They actually had menus that opened up and lighted up!!!  The food is new world, middle eastern and Asian influence.  Bill had the Ahi Tuna and I had the scallops.  All very good but on the pricey side.

He said:

I liked dining here. I was a bit worried about reading the menu since its pretty dark, but the lighted menu’s (like a Kindle) were needed - and appreciated. We were like most of the other diners, opening and closing our menus, enjoying the treat of being able to read in the dark! I suppose we were like kids playing at dinner and, probably would have been repremanded for our behavior!

What we did:

When we drove into St. Augustine we noticed this grand building, the home of Flagler College.  Our hostess at the St. Francis Inn informed us what it was and explained they had guided tours, so we put it on our list of things to do. And were we ever glad!  It was constructed in 1888 for Henry Flagler as a luxury hotel, the Ponce de Leon, for his New England friends.  And it wasn’t just for anyone.  To secure a room, one had to pay for a 3 month stay even if they were there for only 2 weeks.  The type of accommodation you then were assigned depended upon your social standing.

A pair of young architects, John Carrere and Thomas Hastings, created the Spanish Renaissance masterpiece. Their later, more renown works include the New York Public Library and the House and Senate Buildings in Washington, D.C.  It was a time of the Gilded Age and everything in the hotel was ahead of it’s time and, of course, very extravagant!  Guests even had running water from the roof top holding tanks! 

The hotel was turned into a small, liberal arts college in 1968. The student population is limited to approximately 2,500 students with a significant portion being international.  And, for a private university, the annual cost for tuition, housing and a meal plan of around $20-22,000 is fairly reasonable.

The college still has the original murals on its’ walls painted by George W. Maynard and Virgilio Tojetti, both very well respected and famous painters who’s works can be found in many art museums around the world.

The college uses the main dining hall as it was even down to a few of the original Tiffany chairs.

The Ponce de Leon Hotel was one of the first buildings in the nation with electrical lighting – and so much of it, over 4,000 bulbs!

All of the windows in the college are the original Tiffany windows and, as such, represent the largest collection of Tiffany glass in one place.  These are just a few of the building’s highlights from the student lead tour and we would definitely recommend a visit here to anyone visiting St. Augustine.

What we did:

She said:

Just around the corner from our room at the St. Francis Inn is the Gonzalez-Alvarez House.  It was built sometime in the 1700′s and exhibits much of St. Augustine’s history.  When it was opened to the public it was billed as “The Oldest House in the United States”.  But actually its not!  It is the oldest house in Florida.  And St. Augustine is the oldest, continuously inhabited, European founded city in North America. So, as you can see, there are many ways to claim being the oldest!  Regardless, the house is very interesting and the tour makes visiting worth the time.

 At one point the owner was Major Joseph Peavett, the paymaster for the barracks right across the street.  Conveniently, Major Peavett ran a bar and modest gambling establishment in the lower level of the house, allowing him to collect a large portion of the wages he distributed as paymaster, generously supplementing his government wages. Sounds a bit like some of today’s government employees who are “there to help you”!!!

This charming little courtyard is part of the grounds.  This house is definitely a “must see”!

He said:

I really enjoyed the tour and information regarding the numerous owners, but most of all, I was amazed by the living under the conditions of our ancestors. I suppose it wouldn’t be so difficult if I never experienced the convenience of electric lights, gas furnaces, air conditioning, refrigeration, and all the modern kitchen appliances we take for granted.

Bistro de Leon: image from flickr by Travelin'John's

Where we ate:   

She said:   

We asked for a recommendation from the inn for dinner that evening and their first suggestion was the Bistro de Leon.  It’s a cute little French bistro with entrees in the $20 range.  I had the special and it was wonderful!  The couple that was next to us were back the second night in a row.  It was so good that we, too, were considering  coming back the next night, but decided we should try something new.     

It was also suggested by the inn that we should try the A1A Ale Works for lunch.    

It was a fun little place for lunch.  I had the crab BLT sandwich with sweet potato fries for $10.00, and Bill was very good with a spinach salad for $11.00  All was very good!  

He said:  

Bistro de Leon was one of my favorite spots. I guess I liked the cozy, European feel. The attentive, courteous wait staff and delicious food made it all the more memorable. It is located on a quaint park near the center of town and was within walking distance from the St. Francis Inn.  

The A1A Ale works was what I expected, being that it was right on the main road near the river. The food was decent, but not exceedingly memorable. I would imagine that it gets quite busy during the warmer months. And the two story seating areas – both without door options – make it a a pleasant resting spot to eat, drink and/or people watch.