Travel Snapshots | Asheville, NC

Three fun facts we learned about Asheville during our visit last weekend:

1. It’s WAY more hipster than I was expecting – think a mix between San Francisco + Austin.
2. This place is about the most dog friendly city I’ve ever experienced. Every single hotel, restaurant, boutique, business etc. caters to our canine friends.
3. Pimento cheese is KING! And I dig it. You can find this spreadable deliciousness in multiple variations on pretty much every menu in town.

Biltmore Vineyards + Winery | We did the ‘Vine to Wine’ Tour which took us on a bus ride through the vineyard, walked through the production area + ended back at the main winery building for a private tasting. It was overall a nice experience {small group of 6}, but a little too long + drawn out. Since we’ve been to Napa a few times, it wasn’t necessarily anything new – but still cool! Their rose is on point.Jeweled Sandals + White Denim The Chocolate Lounge | Coco lovers unite. This place is actually pretty big inside, and serves up any kind of chocolate treat imaginable {although Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory will win my heart over any day – I grew up visiting the original store in Colorado Springs}. Bomba Cafe | seriously the best arepas Sterling + I have had. Ever. And that’s saying a lot living in South Florida. 
Blue Ridge Mountains | This turned out to bit a bit more of a mission than we anticipated, but still a fun adventure. After about a 35 min drive from downtown Asheville to ‘Craggy Garden’, the visitor center was closed {at 9PM on a Monday}. So we weren’t able to get our hands on any kind of trail map. The trails are pretty poorly marked, so we just kind of winged it! Although I’ll admit I didn’t last too long. I’m such a scared-y cat, that I kept envisioning us in a Criminal Minds episode…oh gosh. Poor Sterling.

Can you spot the bee?!The Biltmore Estate | just magnificent. Definitely plan an ENTIRE day if you want to visit the estate home, the grounds, the garden, the winery, etc. This place is massive, which we weren’t really prepared for. If I could do it over, we would have arrived early in the morning {right when they open} and hung around all day. We actually missed one of our pre-paid tours because of timing. It takes a while to actually get your tickets from will call + drive to the parking lot, THEN walk to where you’re going. It’s totally worth the cost in my opinion, but set aside a day in order to get your moneys worth. Tupelo Honey Cafe | by far the most recommend restaurant I received prior to the trip. It certainly did not disappoint. Get there RIGHT when they open to avoid waiting for a table {or if you want to sit outside – we missed this option by like 5 mins, boo}. I ordered the infamous ‘sweet potato pancake’ {added granola – my fave} – talk about fall-in-a-bite! The sweet potato, pecans, maple syrup + lemon curd butter was a flavor combination or excellence. Defiantly on the sweet side, but would absolutely crave this in the fall months if I lived in Asheville. Not pictured, however, are their biscuits + homemade jam – O.M.G. probably the best biscuits I’ve ever had. Barley’s Taproom + Pizzeria | Pizza may not be your first thought for a North Carolina staple {and rightfully so – it’s not southern by any means}, however Barley’s serves up some surprisingly killer New York style pies. Along with a great selection of draft craft beers. Nothing fancy here, but it’s right downtown + a great snack spot {by the slice} or late night treat.

Biscuit Head | Anyone who knows me well, understands I am a self-proclaimed coneseuer in two food groups: mashed potatoes and biscuits + gravy. Meaning, I’ve eaten {and judged} these two dishes across the country, at countless venues. So I’m not messin’ around here – it’s one of those, if it’s on the menu, you better believe I’m trying it. Therefore I can attest to the fact that Biscuit Head is hands down a must-visit for Asheville. Although their sausage gravy {the southern classic} didn’t beat out my all time favorite {The Lost Dog | Folly Beach, SC}, it’s a solid contender. If you’re going to make a stop out of it, bring empty bellies, and try out the gravy flight. Yes, they offer a flight of 3 different gravy flavors of your choice. And worth every calorie. The real star at BH is their stacked selection of flavored butters, jams + preserves. After trying {pretty much} every option at the spreadable bar, there was a unanimous front runner – ‘sweet potato + chai’ {fireeeeeee}.

Travel Style: Jeans | Sneakers | Tote | Laptop Case