Two weeks ago, I joined my mom and sister for a road trip up to Asheville, North Carolina. My sister’s friend was getting married and I wasn’t doing anything, so I decided to tag along. I’m not much of a mountain girl, but I always love spending time in Asheville. I hoped to swing by a few breweries during the weekend, but my time was mostly devoted to the wedding.
We left Atlanta around lunchtime on Friday and made it into town with just enough time to check into our hotel, change clothes and start the trek up the mountain for the rehearsal dinner. Set at a barn on the hillside, it was a stunning location, but we both seemed to be improperly dressed. It got rather chilly in my Encircled dress, but I couldn’t help but be amazed at the surroundings.
That evening, we dropped off my mom at the Country Inn & Suites and went downtown to meet Sammi’s boss for a coffee gear drop off for a new location. He took us out, where we tried to go to Wicked Weed but were deterred by the long lines. Instead, we ended up at The Prospect, a “private club” bar with a patio and mural of Marilyn Monroe, not to mention some delicious local craft brews.
Saturday morning was spent in the one place I always go to in Asheville: the J.Crew clearance outlet. It opens at 10 am and there were already five cars in the parking lot waiting for it to open. They were also having a huge sale, so I left with a winter coat, cords, a top and earrings for under $150.
Luckily it wasn’t too crowded and I was able to try things on. If you go during the sidewalk sale, be ready to just buy without trying on (see: how to survive a J.Crew sale). I also got to check out Frugal Backpacker, a discount outdoor gear store where I snagged a pair of Lole pants for 60% off.
After a big lunch at Universal Joint and a short nap, it was time to get ready for the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful, right on the hill, and Sammi did a reading. The bride and groom were glowing. We spend much of the night on the dance floor until almost 11 pm, when they left and that signaled our time to go crash.
The next morning we slowly packed up our belongings and tried to get as much out of our remaining time as possible. For Sammi, this meant driving along her beloved Blue Ridge Parkway. It wasn’t yet full-on fall, but you could see where some leaves were starting to change color. It’s truly one of the most beautiful drives in the South and I recommend driving at least part of it if you’re ever in Asheville.
The final goodbye to Asheville was a brunch at Tupelo Honey Cafe, the most (rightfully) hyped restaurant in town. I got a fried egg BLT that I could have eaten four more of and a mimosa to top it off. The short trip only made me want to come back again soon and revisit some favorite haunts and try new ones. Next time I’ll try to go to Wicked Weed much earlier!
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