When the Cat's Away the Mice will Play

So really the mice left but what does it matter?!

Last Wednesday Chase and I left for 4 glorious nights...our destination...Asheville, NC. Chase's company was thanking them for all the hard work they put in last year to become region of the year. They celebrated by having a spouse retreat at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. This place is awesome and the perfect retreat that we needed. Seriously, I could live in Asheville. It is a BEAUTIFUL place and there is SO much to do.

Our first 2 nights were on Chase's company. Like I said we stayed at the Grove Park Inn (if you ever go to Asheville, you need to stay in this place). This hotel has been open for 100 years. In that time they have certainly expanded and remodeled several times but it still retains it's old world charm in the main part of the hotel. My pictures really don't do it justice...you just need to go!

This was the view from our room.

Continued view from room.

The Grove Park Inn. Opened in 1913. This weekend was their centennial celebration.

There are 2 huge fireplaces on either side of the large main lobby.

See...huge! You can't really tell in the picture but I am actually inside the fireplace. Oh and this is me saying "Diagon Alley!" All you fellow Harry Potter fans will appreciate that!

The main lobby.

The view from the back of the hotel. You step out of the lobby and see this!

Thursday, Chase had a meeting that morning so I enjoyed a WONDERFUL massage in their amazing spa! It was fantastic and worth every penny. I almost fell asleep. After his meeting was over we went downtown to walk around and people watch. There are a lot of great little stores and yummy places to eat. Thursday night was the dinner at the club house with Best Distributing. The food was wonderful and the company even better.

Jon (Asheville), Adam (LaVergne), Cody (Clarksville), Chase (Nashville), Josh (Knoxville), and Dave (Chattanooga). The Tennessee Managers plus Jon from the Asheville store.

All dressed up.

Don't we look cute?!

Samantha, Cody, Mamie, and Josh at dinner.

Us with Samantha and Cody at dinner.

We continued our night at the Piano Bar called Elaine's

Both of the Elaine's with Best. The boys played a trick on them so they had to get up and dance in front of everyone!

Friday we spent the day hiking on various trails off the Blue Ridge Parkway. I didn't realize how out of shape I was until we started hiking! And we didn't do anything too strenuous! Sad!

This was our first stop. Looking Glass Falls. No hiking involved on this one. It was right off the road. Again, The pictures don't do it justice.

Chase getting a better view. It wasn't a climb I could do!

Looking Glass Falls

Second stop was Moore Cove. This did involve a hike but it was a nice one. The weather was perfect for hiking that day. 65 degrees or so with a nice breeze.

This was our last stop and of course Chase's favorite! It was a swimming hole at mile marker 417 on the Parkway. We actually went to this same place 2 years ago when we were here last time.

Trying to catch his breath after jumping. That water was quite cold...like 55/60 degrees...COLD!!

We had a small debate on what this was shaped like...Dragon, basilisk...whatever it looks like, it is a very strange looking tree. It was on the trail to the swimming hole.

Looking Glass Rock lookout point. It was the parking area buy our last stop.

 

Had to put on the big lens for this picture.

Friday night we went to downtown Asheville to eat dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe, which was wonderful, and see the Friday night drum circle. Glad we went but it wasn't really what we had expected. Also, Friday we moved hotels. Since it was the hotel's centennial celebration, it was packed and cost WAY more than we wanted to pay! Ha!

Part of Downtown Asheville. That is Vance monument in the left of the picture and some old buildings on the right! Ha!

Saturday we ventured to the Asheville Farmer's Market and to Biltmore Village. We saw the Biltmore Estate when we were there 2 years ago so we skipped it this time. Next time I see it, I want to see it at Christmas. Saturday night we went to a new brewery called Wicked Weed. It was named after a saying presumably said by King Henry the VII, stating hops were a "wicked and pernicious weed" that would ruin ale. Guess he was wrong since there are many brewers that make lots of money using it in their beer!  

Talk about a small world. We actually ran into a friend of Chase's from high school and his wife. Landon and Amanda moved to Asheville in May. She is also pregnant and due in December so we hung out with our water while the boys played catch up!

We had a GREAT time and had mixed emotions about leaving. Ultimately we had had our fill and were SOOOO ready to see our babies! We couldn't get home fast enough to see them and get some loving!! Maybe we will retire to Asheville...don't worry Nashville peeps...we won't be going anytime soon! :)