Sweet Biscuit Inn
Asheville, NC
November 26-29th, 2013
The Red Chair Travels visited Innkeepers Claudia and Christian Hickl of the Sweet Biscuit Inn in Asheville, NC over Thanksgiving this year. Staying here was such a wonderful time for the Red Chair it did not want to leave after the few very short days here! With a trip to visit the Asheville Fire Department, the Vance Monument, the Biltmore Estate, and one of the numerous Breweries in Asheville, the Red Chair stayed quite busy. Each morning Red was able to enjoy Chef Claudia's three course breakfasts, did you know that breakfast has desert too? Staying so close to downtown Asheville, the Red Chair was able to get a lot of its holiday shopping done in the many shops, galleries, restaurants and more! It was such a fun time, Red cannot wait to head back.
Inn on Mill Creek
Old Fort, NC
November 23-25th, 2013
The Red Chair was quite the adventurer while it was hanging out with the Innkeepers of the Inn on Mill Creek in Old Fort, NC. Well who wouldn't be with all of the beautiful views to see on the Blue Ridge Parkway, in Black Mountain and around Old Fort/McDowell County?
First stop was to the Curtis Creek Recreation Area, which has the distinction of being the first tract of land purchased under the Weeks Act of 1911, enabling the creation of National Forests in the eastern United States. Next it was onto the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs along the Black Mountain Range. This Range contains six of the ten tallest peaks in the eastern U.S. Red was so excited to be so close, just viewing was not enough. Red HAD to be at the tallest point of the east, so it was off to Mt. Mitchell State Park to make the trek to the top. While already on the Parkway the Innkeepers wanted to share with the Red Chair the Green Knob overlook, which can actually be seen from the Inn on Mill Creek's orchard! Just down the road from the Inn is Andrews Geyser, a pond adjacent to the Inn's property actually feeds into this geyser. Red had never seen such a natural phenomenon before!
The last day of Red's stay was quite full, with a trip into the town of Old Fort where the Red Chair checked out the hand-carved granite Arrowhead Monument. This monument was erected in 1930 as a peace symbol between the descendants of the colonial settlers and the Catawba and Cherokee Tribes. Davidson's Fort was the next stop, which is a replica of the same Revolutionary War fort. Winding down the day Red visited the town of Black Mountain where the Red Chair met with the big red rocking chair that symbolizes Black Mountain's place of honor as the "Front Porch of Western North Carolina." Red's last two stops were at Lake Tomahawk and Lake Eden. Both have such unique and stunning backdrops, you just have to see with your own eyes. Also a fun fact, Lake Eden served as one of the settings for Nicholas Spark's new novel: The Longest Ride.
First stop was to the Curtis Creek Recreation Area, which has the distinction of being the first tract of land purchased under the Weeks Act of 1911, enabling the creation of National Forests in the eastern United States. Next it was onto the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs along the Black Mountain Range. This Range contains six of the ten tallest peaks in the eastern U.S. Red was so excited to be so close, just viewing was not enough. Red HAD to be at the tallest point of the east, so it was off to Mt. Mitchell State Park to make the trek to the top. While already on the Parkway the Innkeepers wanted to share with the Red Chair the Green Knob overlook, which can actually be seen from the Inn on Mill Creek's orchard! Just down the road from the Inn is Andrews Geyser, a pond adjacent to the Inn's property actually feeds into this geyser. Red had never seen such a natural phenomenon before!
The last day of Red's stay was quite full, with a trip into the town of Old Fort where the Red Chair checked out the hand-carved granite Arrowhead Monument. This monument was erected in 1930 as a peace symbol between the descendants of the colonial settlers and the Catawba and Cherokee Tribes. Davidson's Fort was the next stop, which is a replica of the same Revolutionary War fort. Winding down the day Red visited the town of Black Mountain where the Red Chair met with the big red rocking chair that symbolizes Black Mountain's place of honor as the "Front Porch of Western North Carolina." Red's last two stops were at Lake Tomahawk and Lake Eden. Both have such unique and stunning backdrops, you just have to see with your own eyes. Also a fun fact, Lake Eden served as one of the settings for Nicholas Spark's new novel: The Longest Ride.
The Mast Farm Inn
Banner Elk, NC
November 17-19th, 2013
Red explored the Mast Farm Inn grounds, marveling at the charm of the many historic buildings: the Blacksmith Shop, the Woodwork Shop, the old Spring House. It was like visiting another era. For a while Red just sat in a sunny spot next to the Old Wine Cellar and let a fat grey cat take a nap in Reds lap. The Red Chair headed across the street to explore the currently red clover-covered gardens that provide fresh organic produce for the Inn’s upscale restaurant. Red walked around the weathered Civil War era barn and met the Inn’s farm animals: Roxy the horse, Pancho the donkey, Dolly the goat and all the clucking chickens. Roxy took a particular interest in Red and he was quite thankful that she didn’t try to take a seat or use the Red Chair as a scratching post.
After a delicious farmer’s lunch of local meats and cheeses, Red decided to head over to the Mast General Store where it toured the area’s original post office, still working today. Red grabbed a cold glass bottle soda pop, some salt water taffy and propped itself up next to the pot bellied stove, listening to the old timers pick out a little bluegrass tune while a couple of young’uns played a game of checkers nearby.
Red headed back to the Inn for a quick nap next to the fireside with the cozy parlor chairs. When Red woke up, it was feeling contemplative, so Red headed back to the pond and ventured out on the dock. There Red whiled away the afternoon, just quietly sitting and soaking in the peace of the crisp clear day, watching the clouds drift across the sky, listening to the wind blowing through the winter trees, greeting the big mouth bass and bluegill as they swam to the surface of the water. Red felt full of quiet tranquility, like Red truly had stepped back in time to another day and age. A time without all the hustle and bustle of constant travel and attention from his admirers, a time when a red chair could just be a red chair, sitting in a warm spot of sunshine.
After a delicious farmer’s lunch of local meats and cheeses, Red decided to head over to the Mast General Store where it toured the area’s original post office, still working today. Red grabbed a cold glass bottle soda pop, some salt water taffy and propped itself up next to the pot bellied stove, listening to the old timers pick out a little bluegrass tune while a couple of young’uns played a game of checkers nearby.
Red headed back to the Inn for a quick nap next to the fireside with the cozy parlor chairs. When Red woke up, it was feeling contemplative, so Red headed back to the pond and ventured out on the dock. There Red whiled away the afternoon, just quietly sitting and soaking in the peace of the crisp clear day, watching the clouds drift across the sky, listening to the wind blowing through the winter trees, greeting the big mouth bass and bluegill as they swam to the surface of the water. Red felt full of quiet tranquility, like Red truly had stepped back in time to another day and age. A time without all the hustle and bustle of constant travel and attention from his admirers, a time when a red chair could just be a red chair, sitting in a warm spot of sunshine.
