Asheville

I just realized it's been four months since my birthday trip to Asheville, and I still haven't posted my pictures! I really have no excuse, since I've been on lockdown for the past few months.

Over Presidents Day weekend, I drove down to Asheville, North Carolina, with a group of girlfriends in honor of my milestone birthday. I've always wanted to visit Biltmore, and there just happened to be a Downton Abbey exhibit! Talk about a perfect birthday trip. 😊

The facade of historic Biltmore, the largest private residence in the U.S.

This beautiful conservatory greets you as soon as you walk into the house.

The gorgeous library.

I think I spent the most time in here out of any room in the house.

The patron saint of libraries?

Some of the Downton Abbey costumes were scattered throughout the house.

The lady's bedroom.

Dramatic staircase!

The imposing grand hall.

This is presumably where the men would retire after dinner for cigars and brandy.

The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the piazza.

The guest rooms had these little cards with the name of the guest that was staying there. Delightful!

Isn't this fireplace amazing?

Old timey bathroom!

We took these tunnels underneath the house to reach the lower rooms. It felt like being in a bunker.

The basement had murals painted on the walls. I forget the story, but I think the Vanderbilt family painted them for a New Year's Eve party or something like that.

They even incorporated the pipes into the paintings!

The bowling alley.

The changing rooms for the pool.

The swimming pool.

The gymnasium. 

Old timey kitchen!

The servant's hall.

After taking a break for lunch, we started on the Downton Abbey exhibit! It was a sprawling exhibit featuring props, sets, and costumes from the beloved series.

The good-luck token Lady Mary gave to Matthew before he went off to war. *sniffle*

All hail the Dowager Countess!

The Downton kitchen, with costumes from Mrs. Patmore and Daisy.

The iconic bell board! (Can't you just hear the theme music?)

The servants' hall. There was no barrier so I just took a seat!

Lady Mary's bedroom.

Time to dress for dinner!

The dining room, site of many memorable scenes.

It wasn't quite dinnertime for us. Instead, we did a chocolate and wine tasting at the Biltmore Winery.

To get to the tasting room, we had to go through this long tunnel, which I believe used to be the actual wine cellar.

It was so charming!

I definitely came home with a few souvenirs. 😉

The next morning we went to Hole Doughnuts. They actually make your doughnuts to order, so you get them fresh and piping hot.

On the way out of town, we stopped at the historic Grove Park Inn to look around.

Built in the Arts and Crafts style, it almost looks as if it grew out of the ground.

It was stunning. I would love to come back and stay sometime.

Lastly, after several hours on the road, we stopped in Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia, for lunch.

We had lunch in Tennessee, and then walked down the street and got dessert in Virginia!

That about wraps it up. Thanks for stopping by, and stay safe! 💖

Rome: Part 4

The fifth day consisted of another walking tour. This time I headed across the Tiber River to check out Trastevere, a working-class neighborhood. My walk took me past Circus Maximus, the site of ancient chariot races.

It's amazing that the track is still visible.

My walk also took me past the famous Mouth of Truth outside the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. There was a line of about 20 people waiting to take their picture, but I didn't want to wait around for that. So I took a picture of this random person...

A lovely view of the Tiber.

The ruins of a previous bridge.

A typical street in Trastevere.

The Church of St. Cecilia. The church was built on the site of her house, where early Christians would secretly meet. Cecilia was eventually martyred for her faith.

A statue of St. Cecilia is at the altar. Her remains are buried underneath the church in the crypt.

As with so many churches in Rome, the interior is beautiful.

There is an active community of nuns here.

Piazza Santa Maria and the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

This church was also stunning. The interior is rather dark and gloomy; however, you can put a coin in a box by the altar, and the lights come on and illuminate the mosaics on the dome.

The portico of the church is decorated with stones from catacombs of early Christians.

This guy looks like he's doing jazz hands, but it's most likely a posture of prayer.

As I crossed back over the Tiber, I caught a view of St. Peter's Basilica.

Piazza Navone.

I had done quite a bit of walking at this point and needed a break. So I stopped at the famous Caffe Greco, once frequented by literary greats such as Keats and Shelly. Full disclosure, it was very, very expensive, and I almost walked out when I looked at the menu. But I also really needed to use the restroom.

I spent the rest of the day doing a bit of shopping. The next day, it was arranged for us to get a tour of the American Embassy, which happens to be housed in a former palace.

Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures inside the compound. So all I have are these few pictures from outside on the street.

Later in the day, I visited the Capitoline Museums, which is allegedly the world's first public museum and houses the largest collection of Roman antiquities.

It sits on Piazza del Campidoglio, which was also designed by Michaelangelo (it seems there is little in Rome not designed by him). This is where the seat of government was in ancient Rome.

Remnants of a giant statue of Constantine.

I think this is Minerva? I can't remember.

The famous Capitoline Venus.

Whew! And that wraps up my last day in Rome. I had a wonderful time, and look forward to returning to Italy some day.

Ciao!