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June 12, 2009
guest blogger: Anne Fritz, The Jet Set Girls
Mom-Daughter Getaway
*Hola fellow Novias! The gals over at The Jet Set Girls took a special mom/daughter bonding trip and are here to tell us all about it. I for one, wish I could treat the mama bear (and wedding planner extraordinaire) to such a fabu pre-wed vacay, but alas my days are limited—19 to be exact. Perhaps post-wed and post-honeymoon, we'll do a spaaaaaah getaway, just the two of us special ladies. xoxo, Jenna
Growing up in the south, I always wanted to go to Asheville. It’s consistently rated one of the top vacation destinations by Southern Living and the Biltmore, the Vanderbilt’s former vacation residence, is the closest thing we have in this country to a castle. But somehow I never found time to make the trek to this town, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Until now…
My mom lives in Mobile, Alabama and I reside in New York City. When we were looking for a spot to rendez vous for Mother’s Day weekend, we realized Asheville was the perfect halfway spot. Funny enough, it was easier for me to get there than her, thanks to a non-stop flight from Newark on Continental.
We stayed at the brand new Grand Bohemian Asheville and signed up for the “Girlfriend Getaway” package. The hotel is loosely designed to look like a hunting lodge, but in a very modern and sexy, yet totally comfortable way. The lobby has a fireplace, animal statues, a smattering of animal trophies and an antler chandelier studded with crystals. We were delighted with our room, particularly the oversized tub and plush beds.
Our first stop was Laurey’s catering for lunch. The wide selection of veggies, salads and grilled chicken was just the thing mom and I needed after our respective mornings of travel. We left our rental car there and walked around town. Now that I’m a homeowner, home design stores are more interesting to me than clothing stores. (I hope this is merely a phase that will soon pass, so I can get back to focusing on shoes!) Asheville is known for its art galleries and antique shops. Mom and I had fun perusing them and dreaming about how we would decorate my apartment if we had an unlimited budget.
The entire downtown area is easy to navigate on foot. Many of the original art deco building built in the 1920s survived. Be sure to check out the Grove Arcade and nearby S&W cafeteria is you’re into architecture. In addition to the art galleries, you’ll want to stop by Top’s, the area’s largest shoe store. It carries everything from Frye to Cole Hahn to Birkenstocks. Alas, I didn’t indulge as my boyfriend and I are saving to redo my kitchen.
Mom and I had dinner that night at the Corner Kitchen, a small restaurant that makes good use of the local produce and seafood. My mom had the pecan-crusted trout and I had the macadamia nut pesto mahi mahi. It was a short walk from the Grand Bohemian hotel and obviously a local fave for a special night out—we saw quite a few tables of young couples headed to prom.
The next day was Mother’s Day and mom and I headed out early for the Biltmore Estate. Our tickets were included in our “Girlfriend Getaway” package. While the entrance to the estate is just across the street from the Grand Bohemian, a car is a must. The entire estate is 125,000 acres! We opted to tour the gardens first, as we figured it would be too hot later in the day. The walk around the Italian Gardens and Rose Gardens was gorgeous, though about 2 weeks out of full bloom, and took about an hour.
By the time we got to the house itself, mom was a little tired and the house was crowded. We took an abbreviated tour (it’s self-guided) of the 250-room home. (I told you it’s the closest thing to a castle we have in America!) By then we were ready for lunch at the Stable Café, adjacent to the house. We both enjoyed gigantic salads and bottomless glasses of iced tea along with the best cornbread I’ve ever tasted. The secret is creamed corn—don’t want to think about the calorie count in that one!
Next stop was the estate’s winery for wine tasting. Yes, the estate is big enough that they grow the grapes on site and blend the wine! Mom loved the cabernet sauvignon, while I was partial to the Riesling. We each bought a few bottles of our favorite to enjoy at home.
After touring the Biltmore, we were pretty beat, so we rested before dinner. Thankfully it was in the Red Stag Grill, the hotel’s restaurant, so we didn’t have to go far. I stuck with the fish and enjoyed Chilean Sea Bass, while mom opted for the filet mignon.
Before flying out the following morning, mom and I both enjoyed massages in the hotel’s spa (also included in the “Girlfriend Getaway” package). I couldn’t’ think of a better way to end a mom/daughter weekend!
Posted by Jenna at 11:26 a.m.
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