I said Asheville, not Nashville, Pt. 4

If Antler Hill Village is not your style, downtown Asheville has another interesting shopping mall called The Grove Arcade.



Entered on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grove Arcade was part of E.W. Grove's desire to give Asheville a vibrant downtown. The self-made millionaire hired Charles Parker as the architect for this unique shopping center which opened in 1929.



Tenants included candy & cigar stores, a haberdashery, a public stenography office, fruit stands, millinery shops, beauty parlors and barbershops, a photography center, bookstalls, and specialty groceries. Offices were located on the upper floors.



For 13 years, the Arcade was the heart of downtown Asheville until it was closed by Federal Government as part of the effort to win World War II. It was chosen because it was large and located in a safe, remote place—important considerations in the war effort. 74 shops and 127 offices were evicted with less than one month’s notice. Following the war, the Arcade continued under Federal ownership until citizens pushed for a plan to return the Arcade to its original use.



In the 1980’s, the government announced plans to enlarge and remodel the Arcade building, which reopened in late 2002 featuring a variety of shops, restaurants, offices, and 42 luxury apartments. .



For the arts-minded tourist, a stop at The River Arts District is a must.



I enjoyed seeing the selection of talented local artisans who displayed their pottery, paintings, and clothing in various shops sprinkled throughout the area.





Signs of the imminent blooming of Spring were everywhere.





One of the last things I was able to experience while in Asheville was a tour of the French Broad Chocolate Factory, which touts a sustainable Bean-to-Bar philosophy.



Crawford was our tour guide, showing us around the facility while describing the process of growing and harvesting cacao:



A touch of Alice In Wonderland was found here:





The final product:



Crawford taught us the fine art of appreciating chocolate; there is as much to appreciating its complex flavors as there are for wine.



Here's part of the gang from UCDA that toured the factory:



So ends my mini-tour of Asheville. I left well-fed and creatively nourished, thanks to UCDA's Design Summit!

See more Asheville photos on my Asheville web page.

I said Asheville, Not Nashville, Pt. 3

It was funny to notice that The Biltmore was run very much like a Disney property. It was obvious that they were doing their best to provide an experience that would appeal to all, and made sure that shopping, entertainment, and attractions were all located nearby, enticing guests to spend as much time (and money) as possible.

Antler Hill Village would be the equivalent of Downtown Disney, offering exhibition space, a village green with live entertainment, dining, shopping, a winery, and an outdoor adventure center.



We had lunch at the Bistro, where guests can dine on dishes inspired by their seasonal field-to-table philosophy...



while drinking local wines from the Biltmore Estate. It was a lovely restaurant with delicious food and attentive service.



Nearby was a museum that helped flesh out in more detail the history of the Vanderbilt family, the estate, and how the family continues to operate it for the public to enjoy.



Some of the Vanderbilt family china was on display:



as well as other interesting family treasures:



It was truly enjoyable to be able to just walk about this well-designed pedestrian-friendly area:



The holly berries at Antler Hill Village provided a beautiful burst of color:



See more Biltmore Estate in Asheville photos on my Biltmore web page.

I said Asheville, Not Nashville, Pt. 2

When I knew I was going to Asheville for a conference, I was most excited about getting to see the George Vanderbilt estate, The Biltmore. It definitely, did not disappoint!

Obviously, from this panorama shot that I took, the sheer size of the property will bowl you over.



Having lived in southern california for the last 14 years, I often forget that there still exists undeveloped land where trees and wildlife are still in abundance. Even harder to believe that this is all part of a private estate.









Drawing in a bit closer, I also enjoyed all of the architectural details that were in abundance:









I only had two disappointments, with the first being that I couldn't take photos inside. Oh how painful that was!



The other was that I was probably about a week or two premature to being able to see the property in full springtime bloom. Going through the Conservatory on the grounds helped alleviate that particular issue.









I could only begin to imagine owning such an estate; I just felt fortunate that the family has taken such good care of it and opened it up to the public. What a national treasure!

See more Biltmore Estate in Asheville photos on my Biltmore web page.

I said Asheville, not Nashville, Pt. 1

Last month, I found myself in Asheville, North Carolina for the UCDA Design Summit. Asheville seemed like an east coast sibling of Portland or Seattle; kind of artsy, somewhat granola, and fairly laid back. Today's post shows some of the restaurants I visited as I ate my way through the town. One of my favorites was the Tupelo Honey Cafe. Here is one of their famous biscuits, surrounded by a jar of Tupelo Honey, Blueberry Jam, and a delicious Peach Rosemary Lemonade. The honey is harvested only from the wild river basins of Florida’s panhandle, and is a product of the White Tupelo Gum Tree. Because of its low dextrose content, it is the only honey that doesn't granulate.



I actually ate at Tupelo twice; the reason I came back was to get another slice of their amazing Blueberry Hill Thrill Cream Cheese Pie. It is truly heaven on a plate.



For lunch one day, I ventured away from the Summit to try a meal at the 12 Bones Smokehouse.



With a line that snaked around the corner, I knew that the rave reviews about this place had to be correct...



even if the signage was a tad bit politically incorrect!



The pulled port sandwich, sweet vinegar cole slaw, and mashed sweet potatoes really hit the spot.



For those of you who prefer ribs, here's what 12 Bones' ribs look like:



Mayfel's Restaurant was located in the same block as the Tupelo Honey Cafe.



The interior was very eclectic, the servers were friendly, and the food was super tasty!



I devoured the Fried Green Tomatoes and truly enjoyed the Muffuletta; it had been years since I'd had one, and this one didn't disappoint. It pretty much melted in my mouth.



Sorry, no food photos here. Once the food arrived, I put the camera down and focused on eating.



Call Bodega Bay; one of their birds is missing!



On the outskirts of town near the Biltmore Estate (more on that later!) is The Grand Bohemian, a hip Tudor-style hotel.



The vibe is upscale, but definitely with a sense of humor and flair.



Kind of like hunting-lodge-meets-trendy-nightclub.



The Red Stag Grill is the restaurant located inside; I was pretty stuffed from lunch at Mayfel's, so I probably didn't enjoy my dinner as much as I should have. Still, with very limited time in Asheville, I wanted to try as many different places and see as much as I could. This is why I am always sleep deprived!



As for the rest of Asheville, I wish I had more time to wander around with my camera. So many cool buildings and architectural details! A local walking by pointed out that the wheel on this sculpture actually moved, and when spinning, would trigger sound effects from a speaker hidden in a nearby bush.



They just don't make details like this anymore!



This eclectic mix of old and new pretty much sums up the Asheville vibe.





Here is the Thomas Wolfe home and museum; unfortunately, time ran out before I was able to take a tour.



I really loved the old-fashioned streets and alleys that featured a cool variety of shops and restaurants. So many to see...so little time to do it in.



See more Asheville, North Carolina photos on my Asheville web pages.