I heard that the Biltmore has an amazing tour during the holidays, and finally decided to go! I went with Brandy (who I used to live with), and Lisa and Rachel from my ward. We drove up after I got off work on Monday, and we had a good time singing our hearts out in the car. It was dark by the time we got to Asheville, but we made it just in time to go on the candlelight tour of the Biltmore. Somehow we got the price of 2 days for the price of 1! We got to see most of the 255 rooms in the house, at night, but we also got to enjoy the Christmas decorations the next day, too! This is us waiting in a quick line to get in (while it was freezing!):
After the candlelight tour, we were starving and needed somewhere pronto to spend the new year celebration that was more exciting than our hotel room (although that was nice too!). The only place open and that could seat us was a bar about a mile away from our car (ok, but it FELT like a mile!). It was a little less exciting than people watching usually is, and we left smelling like food and the champaign that the bar tender sprayed all over everyone to celebrate. As we were walking down the street to the car some random drunk guy shouted out Lisa’s name… I had no idea she was so famous, or that the guy was so good at guessing names! We still wanted a little celebration that was more our pace. Luckily, Brandy packed a bottle of Martinelli’s, and not so luckily we forgot the bottle opener. But, on the our way to our car, we did find someone who worked at a winery and could help us. Lucky girl didn’t know what she scored: a bottle that had rolled around the car for a few hours and then sat in a purse for a day! It sprayed ALL over the place! Lisa’s eye, Brandy’s coat, my face and hair, it was epic. Although, somehow I don’t remember the girl who gave us the opener getting we at all. Oh well, she was probably too drunk to remember us (hopefully).
On New Year’s Day we were able to go back to the Biltmore to look around the gardens and what was outside in the dark the night before. Lisa was a good distraction from the scenery though
I was the only one who forgot my boots, so my feet had bigger puddles than the ditches! Which made my feet freezing, and my hair frizzy. The Biltmore has quite the beautiful grounds, even when nothing is growing outside.
Although I did enjoy the green house where they sported these two bad boys:
It was rainy and cold pretty much the whole time we were there but that didn’t stop us. I researched a few places to go, and was really excited to try them out. Among them was a chocolate cafe!!! We tried it out and it was a dream come true! The hot chocolate was made with a ganache, and it was a little thicker than regular hot chocolate and was D E L I C I O U S. I’d go back to Asheville just for that.
Hopefully we get to go again!
Laura Bain 