Once again A Bed of Roses has joined with the members of the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association and the Montford Park Players to offer a one of a kind theater experience. The longest running Shakespearean theater company in North Carolina is right here in the historic Montford District of Asheville, performing outdoors in the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre in Montford Park during the summer months and in the historic Masonic Temple Theater during the winter months. Well known and beloved in the area for bringing “free Shakespeare to the Park”, the Montford Park Players are a hidden treasure not often experienced by visitors to Asheville.
Now you can not only see a Montford Park Players production, but you can get the full VIP treatment! The VIP pass includes special reserved seating, a signed play script, a lawn blanket (for couples), a free T-shirt designed for that performance only and a complimentary beverage (wine, beer or soda). But the best part is you will have the opportunity to “dress up” and take a costumed walk-on roll in a scene of the production!
The Summer Season in Montford Park runs from May 9th until September 14th, starting with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged and hilarious) and ending with Hamlet. Performances this year include The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, and Love’s Labor Lost. Performances go inside to the Masonic Temple theater on October 10th for Othello, running until Oct 27th and A Christmas Carol December 5-22.
Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30PM. For performance schedules click here www.montfordparkplayers.org.
There’s so much to do in Asheville in the summer. The season is full of festivals, music and arts events as well as outdoor activities. Enjoy the party or lounge on the front porch overlooking our rose gardens. Start off with a fresh bouquet of flowers, chocolate truffles and a sparkling beverage waiting for you in your room. Then enjoy dinner at your choice of outstanding local restaurants. Two tickets to the Biltmore Estate and Gardens as well as Antler Village and the Biltmore Winery are included and they are good for two consecutive days, so you will have lots of time to tour the mansion and enjoy the beautiful gardens. During the summer the Biltmore offers all sorts of outdoor activities, from rafting trips to shady hiking trails. This package can be added to a two night stay at any of our rooms for $220.
What does Peru have to do with an innkeeper in Asheville? Very little, but I know our guests love to travel and so do I, Running a busy B&B gives us very little time off this time of year, since it’s such a popular time to see the mountains of North Carolina! Following my sister’s travels through the mountains of Peru is a great way to get to experience an amazing place in real time and share the neat things my sister is discovering with my fellow travelers.
Aiden left Asheville last Sunday. Her first trip was to see the Ballestas Islands, with Penguins, seals and thousands of migrating and nesting birds. The area was at the epicenter of an earthquake in 2007 and tourism to the islands is helping the economy recover.
El Candelabro
One tourist attraction there is El Candelabaro, a strange lamp dug into the sand. The exact age of this geoglyph is unknown and there are various theories about why it was created. Archeologists found pottery belonging to the Paracas people from around 200 B.C. near the site. It may be a representation of the lightning rod of the god Viracocha, a mythological figure known throughout South America, or a sign to sailors. At 595 feet long, it would be visible from sea for miles.
The next thing on her itinerary was to fly over the mysterious Nazca Lines, the most famous geoglyphs, dating from between 800 B.C. and 800 A.D. This amazing site is on a dry plateau in southern Peru and stretches over 50 miles. The pictographs range from simple geometric designs to complex figures of animals and birds.
A figure from the Nasca Lines
Archeologists, historians and mathematicians have studied these lines since they were discovered in 1927 but why they were created is still a mystery. They were probably scraped from the copper colored rocks between 200 BC and 700 AD by the Nazca Indians for religious purposes. A popular book published in 1968, “Chariots of the Gods” by Erich Von Daniken proposed that they were created by aliens to use as landing strips!
Next Aiden travels to Arequipa and then the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
For the 10th year in a row our Historic Montford District is hosting the best and largest one-day festival just a block from A Bed of Roses. Asheville is home to many great arts and music festivals but this is our favorite. The local art and crafts displayed by over 100 vendors is eclectic and of the highest quality. The music is fantastic and runs continuously on two stages, one on Montford Avenue and one on Soco Street from 10:15 in the morning to 6:15 in the evening. Several bands will be returning this year including WestSound which has been a great hit for the past four years, Ira Bernstein, a world-class percussive step dancer who is one of the founders of the festival and Free Flow Band playing “Old skool R&B and Funk”. There will be everything from “Global Americana” music from The Billy Sea to Paul’s Creek acoustic string band and the garage pop duo, The Mad Tea. The artwork displayed is always a wonderful mix of fine arts, jewelry, wearable art, sculpture, wood crafts, glass and pottery. There will even be body art this year.
Tribal beads of africa from Gem on a Wire
And of course there will be food. Nine Mile, a favorite neighborhood restaurant with Jamaican food is in the heart of the festival but there will also be a wide range of food trucks, from El Kimchi to Gypsy Queen Cuisine as well as MacDaddy’s Lemonade and lots of icecream and gelato. It’s looking to be a great day in the neighborhood!
A Bed of Roses is a proud sponsor of the Montford Music & Arts Festival again this year. See picutres of last years festival in our photo gallery!
You’ve decided that maybe a B&B really is a “better way to stay” than an anonymous hotel with cookie cutter rooms. Now how do you make sure that you’re really getting all the benefits of a bed and breakfast when you’ve never been to one before? Here are some tips on how to maximize your stay and make it really memorable.
First of all, at a bed and breakfast be sure to stay for breakfast! This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s natural to want to pack the most into your vacation or weekend stay in a new place. You want to see it all and do it all! But breakfast at a bed and breakfast is the main event. It’s integral to the whole experience of an inn versus a hotel. Of course there’s the food. One of the reasons people become innkeepers is because they love to cook and they love to present their guests with a beautiful plate that will make their inn stand out in the crowd. Most likely it is home cooked from scratch, many times from fresh local ingredients or even from the innkeeper’s own garden. It’s not at all unusual for an innkeeper to have culinary training in gourmet cooking or catering. You won’t be getting short order eggs and bacon! It’s going to be special.
Dining Room Table Set for Breakfast
Beyond just the delicious food is the experience of sharing your breakfast with the other guests. Depending upon how the individual inn handles breakfast, you will meet all or many of the other guests staying at the inn at the breakfast table. I’ve always felt that this is where the magic happens! People from all different regions of the country or the world, with totally different backgrounds, ages and in different stages of their lives come together over a good meal. Connections are made, discoveries are shared and conversation flourishes. It’s definitely worth scheduling that tour a little later in the day. Most B&Bs will post the time(s) they serve breakfast on the website. If not be sure to ask!
Another thing that helps to make your breakfast a wonderful experience is to share any dietary restrictions or things you don’t eat for breakfast with your innkeeper well in advance of your arrival. That way you’re sure to get a breakfast that will be enjoyable for you. There’s no need to feel uncomfortable about not eating when everyone around you is enjoying the meal. Innkeepers want to prepare a meal you’ll relish, so don’t be afraid to ask them to leave out the onions or bacon on yours. Some restrictions, like not being able to eat dairy or eggs take time to prepare for or may involve buying special ingredients so be sure to let your hosts know well in advance. If they aren’t able to accommodate you they will let you know, but most innkeepers are adept at special meals.
Shopping in Asheville
Pick your innkeeper’s brain about things to do, places to eat and must see attractions in their area. The Internet is great about advertising these things, but the locals know what’s really good or what’s all hype. They can help you find what you will like, not just what’s popular. An innkeeper is also used to being a concierge. They can get you a reservation, schedule a tour, and sometimes get you a little extra special care at places they know well. Plus they know the shortcuts that your GPS won’t tell you!
Be sure to make use of the common areas. There usually are menus available for area restaurants and brochures on things to do and see. It’s also a great opportunity to socialize with other guests and find out what they’ve enjoyed doing in the area.
Pick your room carefully. This isn’t going to be like a hotel, where the rooms are basically the same with different prices for different size beds. Each room in a B&B is unique, just like those in any home. Each has its own décor, some frilly and filled with antiques and others more masculine or modern. Some are large suites and some are cozy nooks. You may have a shower but no bath or a jetted tub with no shower. Pick what you like and what is important to you. Don’t judge a room just by its price. A less expensive room may not be a value if it doesn’t have the amenities you want. Photos will make the room look as good as possible so don’t be afraid to ask how large the room is, how many windows it has or where in the house it’s located. Having expectations that are based on as much information as possible will help you avoid disappointment. Staying at a B&B should be a delight!
For more tips on your first stay at a B&B see our whole series:
It’s finally Springtime! One of the harbingers of Spring that I really look forward to is tender fresh asparagus that hasn’t been shipped all the way from Peru! One of my favorite ways of enjoying asparagus is in a light tart with local goat cheese paired with a minted fruit salad of fresh strawberries, pineapple and sliced kiwis.
Ingredients:
One 1/2-pound frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
1/2 bunch scallions (white and pale green parts only), sliced thin (around 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices, reserving tips
On a lightly floured board, roll out pastry into a 14-inch square and fit into an 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim.
Roll a rolling pin over top of tart to trim pastry flush with top of rim. Chill pastry shell while making filling.
Preheat oven to 425°F. with a baking sheet on lowest rack.
In a small skillet, cook scallions in butter with salt to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Cool.
In a steamer set over boiling water, arrange asparagus slices and top with reserved tips. Steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, and drain well, reserving tips separately.
In a blender, blend eggs, goat cheese, milk, and salt with pepper to taste. Add tarragon and pulse custard to combine.
Spread scallions and asparagus slices in pastry shell and arrange reserved tips decoratively on top. Pour custard slowly over vegetables
Bake tart in pan on heated baking sheet in the oven 15 minutes
Reduce temperature to 375°F. and bake tart until set, about 8 minutes. Transfer tart in pan to a rack.
Remove rim of pan carefully and serve tart warm or at room temperature.
If you haven’t heard, Asheville is Beer City USA again this year and it is a true destination for lovers of craft brewing. Our local paper even has it’s own “beer guy” column. And now for the second year in a row the Asheville Brewers Alliance is hosting a week of tastings, dinners, seminars and beer related fun, ending in the Beer City Festival on June 1st on Roger McGuire Green. Live music and dozens of craft breweries will be at the Festival. The week kicks off with a party, of course, on May 24th in the new Mill Room, Asheville Brewing Company’s new special events space, with live music, catered beer and wine as well as the cornhole tournament signup. Yes there will be a cornhole tournament! I have to admit I had never heard of cornhole, but the American Cornhole Organization posts official tournament rules if you would like to learn more. Sounds like fun. There will be a Homebrew Festival featuring 50 home brewers on May 25th. LaZoom will have a special Beer Run on May 26th.
The LaZoom Beer Tour
LaZoom is a hilarious tour bus comedy group that takes people on their big purple bus around Asheville. The Feral Chihuahuas comedy group’s special take on Asheville history will focus on our beer history on this tour and include at least one brewery stop. There will be lots of special tastings at the Thirsty Monk, and Bruisin’ Ales and a Sierra Nevada Southern Hospitality Beer Dinner at the Sunny Point Café. On May 31st there will be a Rare & Wild Beer Tasting that will be a benefit for Pints for Prostates. The culmination of the week, the Beer City Festival, is a team effort between the Asheville Brewer’s Alliance and the folks who put on the Brewgrass Festival here every September. Asheville hosts at least 4 Beer Festivals during the year, starting in January with the Winter Warmer Beer Fest and ending with the Asheville Oktoberfest. There are also brewery tours all year round and I’ve counted at least 20 craft breweries in the area. Our beer culture has attracted some big names like New Belgium and Sierra Nevada to locate here. A visit to just about any restaurant in town will present you with a huge variety of local beers on tap so you don’t have to wait for a beer festival to be part of the fun!
The world acclaimed 26th National Grove Park Inn Arts & Crafts Conference is this weekend, February 22nd, 23rd & 24th and will attract Arts & Crafts antique dealers, collectors and tradesmen from all over the world to it’s extensive program of seminars, workshops and shows. Even the New Times hails it as the “most important weekend of the year for arts & crafts collectors”. But even if you aren’t a serious collector or dealer and don’t really want to pay $150 for a seminar package you can gain admission to the three selling shows for just $10 at the door. They include the Arts & Crafts Antiques Show, the Contemporary Craftsfirms Show, and the Books, Magazines & More Show. 125 exhibitors will be selling arts & crafts period furniture, pottery, and textiles as well as jewelry, metalwork and lamps. You also get to see the historic and architecturally significant Grove Park Inn. The striking intimacy between the building and its natural environment is a hallmark of the movement and the panoramic views of our mountains are worth the trip alone. People often wonder why the owner of a bed and breakfast would send her guests to see a hotel! The Grove Park Inn is more that just a hotel, though. It’s an important historical site.
The Historic Grove Park Inn
Edwin Grove built the magnificent lodge in 1912 using his son-in-law, an amateur designer, as the architect and contractor. The inn is built in terrace-like sections along the mountain ridge from boulders quarried right on the property, Sunset Mountain. Distinguished guests over the years have included Eleanor Roosevelt, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, F. Scott Fitzgerald, President Woodrow Wilson as well as President Barack Obama. The public is always free to explore the extensive grounds or watch the sunset with views of the mountains while enjoying a drink on the Sunset Terrace. Just off the beaten track you can even find an antique auto museum or a sculpture garden. The Grovewood Gallery and the associated Grovewood Studios were established on the grounds of the Grove Park Inn in 1992 and support local craftspeople with resident artists and studio tours by appointment. During the Arts & Crafts Conference there will be Open Studio Tours from 11am to 4pm on Friday and Saturday.
On the heels of the successful first Asheville Restaurant Week Feb 1-7 Asheville’s Independent Restaurants are gearing up for the Small Plate Crawl, a delicious and fun 3 day event on February 26th, 27th and 28th. Asheville has been dubbed “Foodtopia” with good reason. The farm to table movement has taken hold in a big way here and there are over 40 restaurants in the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association alone, every one of them well worth sampling. What better way than 3 days of restaurant hopping where you will sample small plates priced from $3 to $8 each? When you get your AIRpass punched for each plate you are eligible for raffle prizes besides! There will be drawings for prizes in 5 different levels, from a $20 restaurant gift card if you get 5-9 total small plates to Biltmore Estate Year Passes for 26-29 small plates. Other raffle prizes include Wildwater zipline passes and Asheville Food & Wine Festival tickets. If ANYONE in a group purchases a plate, EVERYONE in the group gets their AIRpass validated.
Chai-Pani’s Somosas
According to their press release over 30 restaurants will be participating in this year’s Crawl and I definitely saw some of my favorites in there. This event is aimed at the locals but visitors can get in on the fun, even if they only participate for one day. We could only participate for one day last year and while we didn’t rack up enough plates to qualify for one of the raffles, we had more than enough excellent food at affordable prices at some world class restaurants. Check out the Asheville restaurant scene and get a feel for what all the good press we’ve been getting is all about.
$108.00
Package is for two daytime tickets at the Biltmore Estate, the Winery and the Gardens. The tickets may be used on two consecutive days. Effective March 21st through January 1st.
The Montford Park Players New VIP Package
Romantic Summertime Asheville Get-away Package
Following Aiden through Peru: An Innkeeper Travels Vicariously