As expected, the only negative part of my trip was the drive. On the way to Asheville, I managed to get caught in a few torrential rain storms. It made the 4 hour drive closer to 4.5 hours. And on the way back I had to drive 4 hours in the evening after conducting a training all day. It made for a very long day.
But I cannot complain about my visit to Asheville, it was a wonderful experience. I seemed to immediately be at peace moments after checking into my hotel. I had never stayed at Hotel Indigo before, but I was extremely impressed that a hotel that nice would allow dogs and take the state rate. If Colin didn't have to attend training, I definitely would have brought him and Darwin with me! Asheville is also a dog-friendly city.
This was the first view of my room - I love the privacy screen.
I really appreciated the coffee/tea area at the entrance.
The decor was so modern and tranquil.
The entire hotel was clean and comfortable, with modern decor and tasteful artwork. One of my favorite aspects of the room was the wood floors. It just feels so much more comfortable than carpet!
I also can't talk about Asheville without mentioning the amazing food. Since I've been there several times, and I've eaten at some of the more popular eateries like Early Girl Eatery and Tupelo Honey, I wanted to try something different. I trusted the advice of some coworkers and ate at Modesto Wood Fire Kitchen the first night and The Black Bird restaurant on the second night. The owner of Modesto also owns a restaurant next door called Chorizo, which serves more Latin American inspired fare. Since I was in the mood for Italian, I opted Modesto and ordered the prosciutto, fig pizza. It was delicious and so filling!
Indulging in the prosciutto, fig pizza at Modesto
On the second night in Asheville, I went for a 4.5 mile run with my colleague from the area. Rebecca is such a sweet person, and was a joy to teach with all day. She loves to run, and took me through the lovely areas of Historic Montford, UNC-Asheville, Jackson Park, and Five Points. It was certainly a challenge for me with the steep hills and us talking during the run! But it was a beautiful evening with clear skies and temperatures in the mid-70s.
After working up my appetite, I made my way through downtown to The Black Bird. I immediately loved the large open windows and modern look to the restaurant. I didn't know how big the portions were, so I opted for a bowl of tomato soup and the soft shell crab appetizer. I'm glad I didn't order an entree because the appetizer was huge! In retrospect, I should have only ordered the appetizer. While the soup was tasty, it paled in comparison to the crab with tomatoes and croutons, and I ended up feeling too full at the end of the meal. To say the soft shell crab appetizer was delicious is an understatement. The sauce and the saltiness were perfectly combined and I savored every bite of the dish.
My tomato soup, bread and butter
The soft-shell crab appetizer
Walking back to the hotel from the restaurant, I stopped in the French Broad Chocolate and considered ordering dessert before I realized I was too full. I also considered taking something back to the room for the next day, but didn't see anything that really appealed to me.
Throughout the two days I was in Asheville, I felt at peace with the world. I know part of it had to do with being in the mountains, but I also think it had to do with my colleague and our teaching experience. It is such a joy to share with people the skills to manage their health. The training we conducted taught community leaders how to teach this type of program to their community. And my colleague is so compassionate and an experienced leader, which made the training flow so smoothly.
I'm glad I was able to go and experience the beauty and tranquility of the mountains and the experience. It certainly more than negates the long, tedious drive each way.
What do you love about Asheville?
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