Asheville in the spring - unleash the plant geek

 We are still sorting through pictures from our spring adventures and I came across some of my favorites from our trip to Asheville this spring.  We returned because we loved our trip in December and we had a free hotel night to use.

We did so much in the short weekend.  Some of my favorite stops had plants at the center.  In fact, I think that my husband actually said, "unleash the plant geek" when I started to go crazy about something.

We decided to make an afternoon of the Asheville Botanical Gardens because we could tour the gardens and do some hiking.

One of my favorite "rooms" was this quilt garden.  The pansies were planted so perfectly.  You couldn't really get the full effect until you went to the higher level to view it.

 See what I mean!?  Beautiful and precise. 

 

Wisteria.  Cool, right?

 And then you figure out it is in the bonsai garden!  A miniature....really lovely!

 We also hiked some of the trails.  I loved the tall trees.  The weather was great so we could take our time and just enjoy the day.

 This container was at Sunny Point Cafe - one of our favorite restaurants of both trips. I am a big fan of succulents and loved the plants and the contrast of the different colors of green against the white container.  Cool

 

One of the best things about Sunny Point is the garden in the back.  The restaurant has a farm-to-table approach and you can see that they grow some of their ingredients right next door!  We finished our late lunch and then went to just relax in the garden.  We selected a couple of chairs in the shade and took in the whole place. (I mean, they have bowling balls as garden accents.  Love it!)

 

Here was our view from our chairs.  Check out the garden boxes on the fence - what a great idea for maximizing a small space!

 We were also inspired by the various ways they created vertical gardens with hog and cattle panels.  Loved the sunshine arch. 

We were inspired in so many ways...maybe it was because we had just enjoyed such delicious food.

New year, new finds

 One of my ambitions in the new year is to do some updating and editing around our home.  I am inspired by the idea to surround yourself with things that bring you joy.  My new questions when either purchasing something or deciding whether to keep to sell/donate/toss something are:

Does it bring you joy?

Is it useful?

Is it beautiful or delightfully odd?  (All lovers of vintage items have to have the "odd and unusual" disclaimer.)

My other ambition is that when we decide on something, we do it Examples:  Buy a new picture, hang it. Decide to let something go, sell/donate/toss it.

Maybe with some time, I can knock down the piles.  Send me good thoughts!

When we were in Asheville, we found so many really great items.  I was so excited to *finally* get our box of goods we had shipped home.  Yes, we had that much stuff!  We outgrew our suitcases pretty early in the trip and decided to just get a flat rate box and carefully wrap all of the breakables and take our chances.  Our two day delivery turned into about ten days and one item did break in transit.  In the end, it all worked out.

Some of my favorite finds included some new decor for the house.  And, it's early in the year and I am still on the "get things done" bandwagon.  I wanted to share three new pieces with you and I am proud to report, they are all on the wall.

The farm kid with the dairy cow caught my eye right away in the Antique Tobacco Barn.  The base is a burlap wrapped frame and I am guessing someone enlarged a black and white photo and decoupaged it to the top, roughing up the corners.  It was dusty and tucked above a door frame.  It caught my eye - love at first sight.  But, I decided to walk around and think about it.  In the end, it went home with me and I am so glad.

I knew it was a good buy because so many people have commented on it.  It hangs in our kitchen and I really, really love it.
 

 For years we have had this vintage frame hanging in the half-bath off of our bedroom.  It is the perfect color - a light cream - and has beautiful age.  A family member gave it to me and we have really treasured it.  I had ideas about adding a mirror or framing some family hankies, including the one my grandma gave me to carry for my wedding.  In the end, I just decided to hang it for what it was - a beautiful vintage family piece. 

While we were roaming around in the Antique Tobacco Barn, we found this set of angel wings. We had been on the hunt for some wings and had considered everything from giant wooden versions to tiny metal options.  We found something in the middle.  They are mid-sized and are a metal base with some texture.  I am not sure exactly how they created the layers and texture, but it makes them look really cool.

When our box finally arrived, I was so anxious to see if the wings and the frame made a good pairing and luckily, the wings fit!  I am happy with how this turned out.

We found this beautiful woodcut print at the arts center off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We had a great time walking around the usual exhibits of local artists and was surprised to see that they had a separate area for an expanded show.  We browsed through the booths and discovered Nancy Darrell's work.  We bought this framed print and two sets of note cards.  She called the bull "Ferdinand" and that name has stuck.  So, meet Ferdinand who has a prominent spot in our kitchen.

I feel like I get extra gold stars for making progress on my updating.  Now, for more editing!

Plant geek: New life for old doors

 We are still sorting through our pictures and memories from our trip to Asheville.  One of our stops was the Biltmore Estate. We loved so much about this place, including the conservatory.

I totally geeked out, surrounded by beautiful plant and blown away by how artfully things were arranged.  It was also wonderful to experience green plants and blooms since we are still a few months away from the start of gardening season.

In one of the sections of the conservatory, the curators used vintage doors - just how we like them - with peeling, chippy paint as a display for wreaths.  Instant plant geek crush.

Check out this backdrop.

 And, this option with the simple wreath and small pots attached.

We still have this screen door at the studio.  I am thinking about dressing it up for Valentine's Day.  I might not be able to work out the live plant option, but maybe something else.

Plant geek: holiday wreaths

 For the past three years, we have been able to sneak away for short vacations before the Christmas holiday.  It has been a blessing for many reason - primarily because we need the time away.  However, I have been surprised to learn that I can enjoy the holidays in a different way when we take the time to break up the regular routine and slow down just a bit.  When we return, we always jump right back into the madness of our schedules, but for a few days, we can just soak up some of the season.

On each of these trips, I found inspiration in the decor.  Asheville's wreaths just blew me away!

You might know that the Biltmore is a huge attraction for Asheville.  We went on the night tour and our tickets also provided access to the grounds for the following day.  We spent several hours walking the gardens and trails and hanging out in the conservatory.  The wreaths on the doors of the conservatory were out of this world - big and beautiful and full of natural elements.

 I am a big fan of the dried hydrangea.

.

 Check out the use of the dried wasp nest for the top focal point.

 Here is an idea of how the wasp nest wreaths looked on the main entry to the conservatory.

 These wreaths were on the backside of the conservatory - closest to the gift shop.

 I like the "messiness" of this wreath - free form and lovely.

 We ventured up to the barns and stables and found this great barn and a wreath accent.  We loved the tin star in the center.

 The burlap bow with red accents was perfect for this wreath.

 We found this great wreath at the farmstead near the winery.

I really like the unique way of using the ribbon (burlap is hot, folks!) and the bells.  Super simple and cute.

I have a few more posts planned to geek out over the plants and holiday decor from our trip.  You have been warned!

Asheville good eats

 A friend is headed to Asheville in a few days and I promised to share some of our favorite restaurants from our trip.  We are huge fans of eating at unique, local places.  When traveling, we have become a little better at doing our research to identify some of our options and prioritizing.  Our latest method is to eat a big breakfast, share a light lunch and then find a nice place for dinner.

On our first morning in town, we were on the hunt for a great breakfast place and we found the first of several that made our favorites list, along with some other great local places.

Sunny Point Cafe & Bakery did not disappoint.  We got there just in time to grab a table before the line started to form.  I ended up buying a t-shirt and cookbook because we loved the place so much - real comfort food with great flavors.  And, I grits off my list, something I usually only order in the south.

Tupelo Honey Cafe was a lunchtime stop.  We had a short wait, but all of the reviews told us to expect a wait.  We had delicious pulled pork and fried chicken with fried okra, collard greens, and mac and cheese.  Perfect comfort foods for a cool day.

Biscuit Head was a fun and funky place in West Asheville, not too far from Sunny Point.  We had two giant, delicious biscuits loaded with great toppings.  I had a pulled pork version - yum!

Early Girl Eatery was another bustling place.  We went pretty early on a Sunday morning, and had only a short wait.  The farm-to-table freshness showed through in both of our dishes.  Who would have thought that sweet potatoes in a breakfast scramble would be so delicious?

French Broad Chocolate Lounge was a delightful little place.  We picked up some dessert to take back to our hotel - butter cake, a macaroon brownie and a pecan tart.  We survived a long line and was so glad that we waited.

Farm Burger offered great burgers with really amazing choices of toppings.  We shared some fries on the side.  I spent more time admiring the decor - awesome metal stools, mason jars, and pictures of cows.

There were still several restaurants and breweries on our list that we didn't have the chance to sample - Mellow Mushroom, The Thirsty Monk, Wicked Weed brewery, Carmel's Kitchen and Bar, Rhubarb, and more!  We can't wait to return.

Asheville Glass

On our vacation in Asheville, we decided to try our hand at glassblowing.  We found the Asheville Glass Center - a great place that offered several different kinds of classes, including a 30 minute basic class.

We had a choice of making a glass, Christmas ornament or a paperweight.  I decided to make a glass and my husband made a bud vase.

We had a ton of fun and took away some super cool mementos.  We really liked our instructor as he was very patient and really clear in explaining the process.

I think the next time we travel, we will look for another opportunity to do something similar.  We loved the hands-on aspect and the chance to be creative and learn.  We are super nerdy that way.

You have to love their walk-in schedule.  It was fun to see our names on the list and we loved the giant chalkboard.

And this is why we shouldn't ask people to take our photo

When we travel, we have this tradition of taking photos...lots of photos.

Over the years, we have discovered that we are better off with the selfie.  My husband is the better camera operator and his phone works best.

Look at this example - us and the beautiful Carolina mountains behind us.  Nice, right?

When other people politely offer to take our photo, usually after they watch us clumsily get ready to take our selfie, it turns out bad.  Usually hilariously bad.

Case in point...the antlers growing out of our head in the photo below.

The background:  We were at the beautiful Omni Grove Park Inn to see the National Gingerbread Competition and the historic inn and golf course.  It was breathtaking from start to finish. 

On one of the verandas, they have this great setting for photos - a decorated tree, a north pole looking sign, and a sled pulled by reindeer. In this case, you see the tree and the ANTLERS of the reindeer growing out of our head. 

For goodness sake.  At least we are consistent. 

If you need more proof, check out the bar growing out of my head in the photo with my mom when we celebrated her birthday last spring.  This is a thing for me.

A little vacation does the heart good

Here is a sneak peak at our vacation to Asheville, NC.  We took some time to get away and in a longer post, we can explain why Asheville and why this time of year.

Until then, you should know that we climbed on some high things and zip lined all around a repurposed golf course.  It was completely safe and a serious amount of fun.

A few vacations ago, I learned that the best vacation agendas had to include something outdoor and adventure related - the more active, the better.  Too much history or touring or sitting (even on a pristine beach) equaled a stir crazy husband.

The best vacations (for us) also include some...

 Vintage shopping.  Preferably in places with central air or heat set to a comfortable temperature.  But, hey, if you have the chance to go through a 77,000 square foot vintage store and it doesn't have heat and it's a cold, rainy day, you go anyway.

Great food - preferably local and preferably delicious.  We have found several great local places and found some great tasting southern classics - like pulled pork, fried okra and collard greens.  We may or may not have had pulled pork in two different dishes for breakfast two days in a row.

 

Learn some stuff.  This trip, it was glass blowing.  Don't I look like a boss in those safety glasses?  I was actually super nervous until we got started and our glass blowing expert was super cool and put me at ease. We pick up our vase and cup today.  Can't wait to see how we did.

 For this time of year - getting into the holiday spirit.  Nothing gets you ready for the holidays more than touring America's largest home - The Biltmore - all decked out in lights and trees and garland and full of live choirs and musicians.  Simply beautiful.

Photos - lot of photos.  Even out of car windows.  Sometimes not in focus.  Sometimes on our phones or with the actual camera.  We don't care...we just want to remember.

So, more soon - just wanted to offer a little teaser about our fun times in Asheville.