{"id":2418,"date":"2011-04-29T09:23:36","date_gmt":"2011-04-29T14:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/?p=2418"},"modified":"2011-12-06T15:57:44","modified_gmt":"2011-12-06T20:57:44","slug":"a-very-biltmore-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/?p=2418","title":{"rendered":"A Very Biltmore Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friday – April 29, 2011<\/span><\/p>\n

Two important events occurred today: Prince William married Kate Middleton in London, England and we visited The Biltmore Estate in the city of Asheville, North Carolina.\u00a0 It might have been raining in London, but in Asheville the weather was perfect!\u00a0 It was a bright sunny day with a brilliant cloudless-blue sky.\u00a0 The temperature in the morning was 55 degrees. \u00a0The mountain air was crisp and clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Biltmore House<\/span><\/p>\n

The Biltmore House is the largest home in the United States with 250 rooms.\u00a0 It was built between 1889 and 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt and modelled after several French Chateaus in the Loire Valley.\u00a0 He was the youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt and the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who had generated great wealth by building railroads and shipping companies.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Architectural Details<\/span><\/p>\n

As the story goes, George traveled to Asheville with his mother in the 1880s and fell in love with the beautiful mountainous region.\u00a0 Asheville was renowned during Victorian times for its health spas and Mrs. Vanderbilt, who was elderly, wanted to “take the waters” for her arthritis. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Biltmore Estates<\/p>\n

George bought thousands of acres of land very cheaply and hired Richard Morris Hunt to design the house and Frederick Law Olmsted to create the landscape and gardens.\u00a0 The house is still privately owned and operated as a business by George’s descendents.\u00a0 The estate today covers 8,000 acres and has become an international tourist destination.\u00a0 Daily tickets to the house and grounds cost $54.00 each for adults.\u00a0 We had bought our tickets at the hotel the day before and they were good for two-days admission to the estate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>View of the Estates from the Balcony<\/span><\/p>\n

We arrived at the Biltmore Estate by 10:00 o’clock and drove through the beautiful landscaped grounds for many miles. \u00a0We followed a long string of cars before we were directed to Parking Lot C and then walked to the small station to wait for the shuttle from the parking lot to the house.\u00a0 The bus filled up quickly and we rode for more scenic miles to the mansion.\u00a0 The driver told the riders about the history of the house and family and then explained the general rules of the Biltmore.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The first view of the house is very impressive!\u00a0 The mansion is huge and really looks like one of the French castles along the French Loire Valley.\u00a0 The shuttle bus left us off right in front of the main entrance to the house.\u00a0 Jeff saw a sign somewhere with a list of guided tours and, because we’re both interested in architecture, he thought it would be fun to take the Architect’s Tour.\u00a0 We bought additional tickets at $17.00 each and, after taking a few exterior photos, walked up the stairs and into the magnificent entrance of the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Fresh flowers in huge vases greet visitors in the vestibule.\u00a0 At the top of the interior stairs is the large inner hall.\u00a0 The first room that the visitor sees to the right is the Winter Garden.\u00a0 It is a three-story glass and wood domed atrium filled with beautiful tropical plants and trees.\u00a0 Lovely iron Art-Deco lanterns hang down from the ceiling.\u00a0 The light was exquisite.\u00a0 Our camera shutter-fingers were itching, but there was NO photography in the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Winter Garden<\/span><\/p>\n

The “Architects Tour” started at 11:00 and was conducted by one of Biltmore’s professional guides, Garrett LaBoda.\u00a0 After he gave everyone a tag, we followed him out to the front of the building where Garrett talked about the design of the exterior.\u00a0 He told us the history and showed us the hidden acorns and leaves in the masonry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Exterior of the Main Staircase<\/span><\/p>\n

Next we entered a side door and Garrett led the small group of about a dozen people up the magnificent main marble staircase to the fifth floor. \u00a0A family elevator had been installed near the stairs, but this is only used by handicapped people today. \u00a0We climbed up to a section near the roof of the house which is not open to the general public.\u00a0 There was a huge model of the house in the middle of the room and prints of the French Chateaus and English Castles on the walls.\u00a0 The next room was George Vanderbilt’s office and later his wife’s art studio which was at the top of the front tower of the house. \u00a0We were also able to see a small narrow attic space which gave us a glimpse at the construction of the building. \u00a0Unlike the medieval French Chateaus which were built of stone blocks, Biltmore was constructed of iron and bricks with a facade of cement to look like stone blocks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Gargoyle Near the Roof<\/span><\/p>\n

A small door led out to a narrow balcony which encircled the top of the tower room.\u00a0 We all walked out on it and looked around.\u00a0 We were able to take photographs here.\u00a0 There were a couple of charming gargoyles which decorated the corners of the balcony.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Another Roof View<\/span><\/p>\n

We followed Garrett across the studio to the roof of a dome which supported the magnificent five-story iron chandelier which hung down through the main staircase.\u00a0 We enjoyed another wonderful bird’s eye view of the grounds and gardens.\u00a0 We also went out onto a large porch toward the back of the house.\u00a0 In each of these locations, Garrett pointed out architectural details of interest and told many interesting stories about the Vanderbilts. \u00a0It was an engaging tour and the hour passed quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>View of the Mountains From a Balcony<\/span><\/p>\n

Afterwards, we walked to the former stables of the estate which had been converted to restaurants and gift shops. \u00a0We sat for a while and enjoyed Southern sweet tea before continuing our self-guided tour of the mansion. \u00a0We have found that it helps to take sitting breaks when we’re sight-seeing so we don’t get burned out before the end of the day. \u00a0I guess that’s one of the disadvantages to our age.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Rear Balcony<\/span><\/p>\n

With the official Biltmore self-guided tour pamphlet in hand, we began our tour of the house. \u00a0Unfortunately, photography is strictly forbidden so I have no photos of the interior. \u00a0Over many years, we have seen many large mansions which belonged to wealthy robber-barrons of American history, including Newport’s “summer cottages” and William Randolph Hearst’s house in California. \u00a0A couple of weeks ago we visited Flagler’s mansion in Palm Beach Florida. \u00a0Biltmore ranks high on this list of impressive “homes” with huge marble ballrooms and dining rooms decorated with Flemish tapestries and exotic wood and marble. \u00a0It was noted that George Washington Vanderbilt’s library contained 23,000 books and had Napoleon’s chess set on display. \u00a0The cozy family bedroom suites were decorated in antiques and rich fabrics. \u00a0There was heavy red brocade in George’s bedroom with hidden closets. \u00a0Edith’s bedroom was decorated in an eye-opening bright yellow and purple satin, which were supposed to be her favorite colors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Architectural Detail<\/span><\/p>\n

Probably the most interesting were the “downstairs” rooms. \u00a0This is where the servants lived and worked to support the “upstairs” owners. \u00a0We saw bedrooms, kitchens, pantries, storage rooms, laundry rooms, and rooms to store dishes and silverware. \u00a0Downstairs was also the location of an exercise room, changing rooms for guests, and the indoor heated swimming pool. \u00a0Many rooms in the house were on display and visitors followed a path through the open rooms. \u00a0The self-guided pamphlet gave adequate explanations of the highlights of what we were seeing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Former Stables of the Biltmore Estates<\/span><\/p>\n

Afterwards, we left the house and debated how tired we were and whether we wanted to see the grounds today or save it for tomorrow. \u00a0We took the shuttle back to the car and drove to Antler Village on the estate grounds. \u00a0This was a small grouping of buildings which included restrooms, a pub & restaurant, winery with tours, dairy for ice cream, and The Legacy Building. \u00a0The Inn at Biltmore looks down on the village and shuttle buses transport Inn guests anywhere on the estate. \u00a0There is a fountain and a gazebo in the center of the village where a couple of young people were playing music. \u00a0We walked around the village and stopped at the dairy to sit and have an ice cream break.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Exterior Courtyard<\/span><\/p>\n

Our architectural tour guide had enthusiastically recommended a stop at the Legacy Building. \u00a0When we entered, the woman at the door said that a “talk” had just begun in the auditorium. \u00a0The professional tour guides gave free talks about the Vanderbilts, Biltmore history, and their experiences working there and answered visitor’s questions. \u00a0The woman giving the talk was very enthusiastic about Biltmore. \u00a0She talked about the history and told anecdotes of the family and the Saint Bernard dog, Cedric. \u00a0We learned that Antler Village was built less that a year ago. \u00a0Outside the auditorium, there was a display of Vanderbilt family possessions and photos of the current descendants who own and operate the Biltmore Estates. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Guarding the Palace<\/p>\n

A sister of the CEO manufactures and sells reproductions from the house. \u00a0We definitely had the feeling that the entire estate is one very large business enterprise. \u00a0It was amazing that the people of the city of Asheville also support and buy into the positive caring message of the current owners. \u00a0Perhaps the quantity of tourists who come to Asheville to see Biltmore help the economy of the city. \u00a0Also, yearly passes cost about $100. which gives people unlimited access to the estate. \u00a0Besides the house, the hotel, and Antler Village, there are hiking trails, horse stables, picnic tables, and 8,000 acres of beautiful land to explore for local residents.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Mosaic Plaque<\/span><\/p>\n

We had spent the entire day at Biltmore. \u00a0We were getting tired, so at about 4:30 we drove back to our hotel to rest before dinner. \u00a0In the early evening we drove into downtown Asheville. \u00a0The city is in the process of celebrating its Art Deco architectural history by restoring many of the buildings in the downtown. \u00a0It was Friday night and we had a bit of difficulty finding parking. \u00a0As we got out of the car, we could hear drumming. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Across Patton Avenue<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a small triangular-shaped park, called Pritchard Park at the intersection of College Street and Patton Avenue and it was full of people. \u00a0A large group of men and women were drumming in unison and others were dancing barefoot in the center. \u00a0Some people were twirling hoola-hoops and a few were kicking around a hacky-sack. \u00a0It was a flash-back to the <\/span>’60s! \u00a0It was easy to move to the loud drumming. \u00a0We learned later that this was the Friday evening drum circle, a weekly event.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Pritchard Park<\/span><\/p>\n

Our goal was a popular restaurant called Tupelo Honey Cafe across the street from the park. \u00a0Michael, the desk clerk at the hotel, had recommended Tupelo because it serves fresh seasonal food and gets much of its produce and meat from local farms. \u00a0We had to wait 40 minutes for a table because there were so many people. \u00a0We waited outside and watched the parade of interesting passersby and listened to the drum beats. \u00a0When we finally got a table, the menu was wonderful with lots of fresh veggie dishes and innovative combinations. \u00a0I ordered “three sides” of mashed root vegetables, fried tofu, and benne Brussels sprouts. \u00a0They were delicious!!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dancer in the Park<\/span><\/p>\n

It was dark when we finished dinner. \u00a0It was a pleasant crisp clear evening. \u00a0The drumming was louder and the dancing area was packed with gyrating bodies. \u00a0We walked back to the car. \u00a0Asheville is a “happening place”! \u00a0We didn’t see much of it so we have a good excuse to return someday. \u00a0We missed the River Arts District near the FrenchBroad River, where artists’ studios and performance spaces are housed in old warehouses. \u00a0We didn’t visit the Victorian home of the American author, Thomas Wolfe. \u00a0We did see the Main Street area of innovative shops selling everything from clothes to housewares to handmade crafts. \u00a0There is much to see and do in Asheville and I will return, someday soon.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Friday – April 29, 2011 Two important events occurred today: Prince William married Kate Middleton in London, England and we visited The Biltmore Estate in the city of Asheville, North Carolina.\u00a0 It might have been raining in London, but in Asheville the weather was perfect!\u00a0 It was a bright sunny day with a brilliant cloudless-blue […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-eastern-united-states","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2418"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3660,"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418\/revisions\/3660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gallivantinggrandma.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}