Weekend Getaway: Asheville

This last weekend was my fall break from University. My very last one. I can only say it was a much needed break and that Thanksgiving cannot come fast enough. But since South Carolina doesn't have much of a fall most years (though this year has been pretty nice), I snuck home and then went up to Asheville with my mom.

Our trip was mostly just to see the leaves changing, hang out in the mountains, and hit some of our favorite spots in the area. With having such a wet summer, the leaves weren't quite to their peak color which we figured we'd be hitting perfectly. Hoever there was a lot of color and it wasn't disappointing. 

We dropped by the Biltmore Estate, the largest private home in the United States, built and still owned by the Vanderbilts. For years we were pass holders because it was so much cheaper to do when we went up several times a year, but not so much now that my parents travel with work and I'm busy with school. We've seen it in every season, but fall is one of my favorites.

A new activity mom and I tried was the Biltmore Bubbly Tour. The Biltmore Estate is a very large regional wine producer and now produces 6 types of sparkling wine. Our tour took us through the process of creating the sparkling wine, which takes place entirely in the bottle in which it will be distributed, unlike wine which spends time in barrels. We also got to see the machine that corks the bottle and depressurized it. The cage over the cork is attached with 3 turns, so any time you are opening a bottle, it takes 6 half turns and then you're free to enjoy.

We forgoed visiting the house, and decided to just walk around the gardens and grounds.

For food this trip, our tour guide recommended Chestnut, a contemporary American restaurant with a constantly changing menu. I had lobster bisque that was to die for and thai curry mussels. Mom had a beet and goat cheese salad and a roasted chicken with green beans, risotto and a delightful orange sauce. We tried several of their house wines and were able to get a free dessert by sharing a picture of our meal on social media. We chose a chocolate mousse cake and each had a glass of Frangelico.

We also ate lunch at The Grove Park Inn. This is a giant hotel built entirely out of giant stones on the outside. It offers one of the most amazing views over Asheville and we enjoyed lunch on the terrace. I had their crab cake burger with duck fat fries and mom had their house burger. I also tried their centennial pale ale as they are celebrating 100 years. Mom had the Highland Octoberfest. Both were very nice.

A short trip, but a nice long weekend. Unless any other small trips come up, I'll see you next time in Bonaire!

Ocracoke: Day 3

We woke up around 8:30. Chad and Erin had eggs, french toast, and sausage, ready for us and another couple also, on their screened in porch. After, we got ready for the day, went to the end of Ocracoke, and caught the ferry over to Cape Hatteras. The lighthouse is a couple miles up from the docking point. Once we arrived, we received a 11:20 time to go up. Hatteras is the tallest lighthouse in the United States. It was moved 3 miles from its original spot in 1999, a few years before we visited for the first time. The dredging marks from moving it are pretty much gone, but you can still see the old spot where it stood. The diamond point, which is the peak of the cape now has a small beacon in the water because it's still known to cause wrecks. There are 250 steps to the top with 7 landings. 

We left Hatteras and drove 18 miles down NC-12 to Rodanthe. The house that was used in the [Nicholas Sparks] movie Nights in Rodanthe. Since the movie was shot, it's been moved as well. Because it was right on the water, there was a major concern of it being knocked down by rising waters  and the state wanted to condem the house. A local guy loved the house and wanted to save it so he raised the money and moved the house 3/4th of a mile to where it stands now. The house is available to rent. We also stopped at the Rodanthe Pier. There was a really beautiful stretch of beach that went as far as you could see in either direction. 

We came back and spent some good quality R&R time. We went down for wine and cheese at 5. The young couple from Charlotte was there as well. We went to dinner at Dajio. Mom and I were pretty sure we had eaten there on our first trip, though it had a different name and management. We all had very good meals. The crab bisque was especially good. We watched sunset on the beach again. There were some great streaks in the sky. Mom and I finished up the day watching Nights in Rodanthe with tea. A lovely day. Heading home at noon.