Asheville Bound!

Greetings and Happy Friday!!  This is an especially Happy Friday for me as I am heading to Asheville this weekend after work.  This week has not been my favorite, so I am looking forward to a little getaway.  I have heard nothing but great things about this area so I am excited to check it out.  Since it is only 2 hours away, I think it's a place I will go back to multiple times as there is so much to see and do!

As I said in my Tuesday foot update post, I will not be able to visit the Biltmore, which is the #1 tourist attraction in the Asheville area, but I am planning to go there in August when my friend Heidi visits.  It looks like a French castle and I have heard nothing but good things about it!  Even though I can't visit it on this trip, I will find plenty of things to do and see!  Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to!

- When I get there tonight, I am going to have dinner and will try to catch some of the drumming that happens in a park on Friday nights.  I've heard it's a pretty cool thing to experience.  After that, I am heading over to Battery Park Book Exchange Champagne Bar.  You guys - it is a combination book store and wine bar!!!  Be still my heart.  Some nights they will have live music so it sounds like an awesome place to chill out for the evening.  Wine and books are two of my favorite things so I will be in heaven.  I only wish I could teleport some of my book-obsessed friends there for the evening.

- On Saturday I am going to do a kayak excursion on the French Broad river through a local outdoor company.  It will go by the back of the Biltmore, so it sounds like I'll get to see a bit of the grounds.  I went kayaking for the first time last summer and LOVED it so I am really looking forward to it.  I am so glad I found an activity to do that will get me outdoors but keep me off my feet.  There is a chance this might get cancelled as the water levels have been too high lately due to all the rain we've had, but hopefully it goes as planned.

- On Saturday night I am going to Posana for dinner, which is a 100% gluten free restaurant!!  The menu looks amazing and I had the hardest time deciding between visiting this place for brunch or dinner, but decided to treat myself to a nice dinner there.  I usually don't get dessert but I might just have to treat myself to the pot de creme, which has dark chocolate, mint, and sea salt chocolate bark!  Yum!

- I don't have any specific plans on Sunday, so I will go to mass and then pick from the many brunch options I have and wander around the shops of downtown Asheville for a bit before heading back to Charlotte.

I am so excited for my little getaway!  One benefit of living in Charlotte is that there is a lot to do/see that is driving distance away.  I'll be staying in a cute apartment that I rented through VRBO; it's walking distance from a lot of the shops and restaurants I want to check out, so I am really excited about that!

Have you ever used VRBO?  I rent my Paris apartments through an individual's website, so this is my first vrbo.com experience.  The owner has been so helpful so far with directions and has offered to make suggestions on things to do and see.  For me, renting an apartment is way better than getting a hotel as I like having access to a kitchen so I don't have to eat out for every meal.