2017 Nov. Mother/Daughter trip to Sapphire, North Carolina

 Nov. 7-9 mother/daughter trip into the Southern North Carolina mountains:

It was time to get back up into the mountains and see the leaves in fall colors!  So I booked a couple nights at another Wyndham that we hadn't been to, Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Sapphire Valley.  I was able to use our VIP status and get it at 50% fewer points and upgraded to a 2 bedroom unit.  So I asked Angie if she'd like to go.  She did.  So Ken decided to stay home and let us girls go on another mother/daughter trip.  We did and we had a great time!

11-7-17   on our way to the Wyndham at Sapphire Resort

11-7-17  Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Sapphire Valley

11-7-17  on to Whitewater Falls

11-8-17  on our way to The Biltmore, by way of more waterfalls and the Blue Ridge Parkway

11-8-17  The Biltmore decorated for the holidays

11-9-17  traveling back to Buford, Ga, by way of more waterfalls: Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls

As Angie said---this was a perfect little get-away!  It was only a couple hours away and there is so much to do in the area!  We were only gone for 2 nights, but it was like having 3 full days to explore the area.  They like to advertise that there are over 250 waterfalls in the area.  We're going to have to take a lot more little get-aways to see them all!

2017 Aug. 3 night trip to Lake Lure, North Carolina

Aug. 22-25 trip to Lake Lure with Ken:

After spending 2 nights here last month with Angie and Faith, I was excited to pick up another 3 nights here for Ken and me.


8-22-17  To Lake Lure


8-23-17  off to some waterfalls, the Pisgah Mountains, and the Biltmore


8-24-17 Hickory Nut Falls and kicking around Lake Lure


8-25-17 scenic ride back to Atlanta


Lake Lure is appropriately named---it keeps luring us back!   I'm sure this will be one of our go to places for a short get away from Atlanta!  Such a beautiful area and beautiful ride there!


 

2017-July girls' weekend to N. Carolina

2017 July 21-23: girls' weekend to North Carolina!

Since I had a $500 gift certificate to use at the Biltmore Estate, I decided it would be fun to take the "girls" out for a weekend trip.  So we decided to go to the nearest Wyndham resort to the Biltmore for a weekend and go to the Biltmore for one of those days.  Turned out to be great decision!  Angie had bragged about theWyndham Fairfield Mountain Resort at Lake Lure, N. Carolina every since she and Josh went there last year.   She was right---it's a pretty awesome place!  And it was only about a 3 1/2 hour ride for Angie and me; about 2 1/2 hours for Faith.  But it's a gorgeous ride, so the time went fast.  Not just the ride, but the whole weekend!

7-21-17 Lake Lure and Wyndham Fairfield Mountain resort

7-22-17 A day at the Biltmore!

7-23-17 boat ride on Lake Lure

It was a great weekend.  Only spent about $350 of the $500, so maybe there will be another girls' trip including the Biltmore in the not too distant future!

2010 Fall trip to the Biltmore

Ok---not suppose to really be a vacation, but it came at a time when I really needed to get away. So it was a vacation for me! I was actually going to the Biltmore estate to check out photo ops for a wedding that I'm taking pictures of in April. I also took engagement pictures of the happy couple. They are both architects who worked on constructing Antler Hill Village and are very knowledgable about the whole estate. I felt like I had my own personal tour guides.

On Oct. 28th, we (Emily, Brian, Angie, and I) left after they got off work and drove about 7 hours 'til we got somewhere in Tennessee. The next morning we continued our trip and arrived in Asheville, NC, a little after noon. First stop was to talk to the florist. Then we were off to the Biltmore where we met up with Beth who took us to Lioncrest where we checked out the place for the reception and sampled appetizers and cakes.

Then we were off to take some engagement photos.

It was a beautiful afternoon/evening and I had a great time. I made Angie be my 2nd shooter.

Emily and Brian knew all the places to go for fantastic views.

We also spent a little time in Antler Hill Village where they showed off their work. They did a fabulous job as the architects for it.

As the sun was going down, we wandered around the outside of the Biltmore House. The 250 room home opened in 1895 and is quite a sight to see.

I bet there were some grand parties out here on the terraces of the house.

The setting of the estate was gorgeous. Lots of rolling hills in the background and lots of trees.

Another view of the house from the big terrace running from the side of it.

Going back up the great lawn in front of the house, we marveled at the size of the place. Unfortunately, the light was really dipping low and not the best for photography by then.

Next day we headed up to the Blue Ridge mountains to enjoy the colorful leaves on the trees. It was a little past peak season, but still very beautiful.

At least from a distance the mountains appeared colorful.

A picture of my 2nd shooter.

More of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Emily and Brian even knew where to stop to get this great view of the Biltmore house from the mountains.

Of course we weren't going to leave without touring the house! We even were treated to the tickets via Beth---Thanks, Beth! It is definately a place to see!

We parked above and walked down enjoying the midday light on the house.

These italian gardens grace the side front of the house.

Unfortunately pictures weren't allowed inside the house, but I did take a couple looking out at the lawn from inside the house.

After a couple hours enjoying the inside of the house and pondering what it must have been like to live there, we headed back outside to walk around the grounds some more.

A short ways from the house are the estate gardens designed by Frederick Olmsted. There's even a grand Consevatory with free floral demonstrations daily.

In Oct., the mums were the star of the gardens.

Back at Antler Hill Village, we did a personal tour of the wine cellar on our way to the wine tasting.

Decisions, decisions! Which wine to buy!? Between all of us, we ended up with about 5 cases.

Back to the Village to check out the lighting for sunset (where and when their wedding will be).

While we were waiting for our dinner reservations at the restaurant (Cedrics) there in the Village, we had an appetizer of ice cream from the Creamery. Both were great!

As we watched the sunset, we discussed how to run the actual wedding ceremony.

The only bad thing about the trip was that it ended too soon! I can't wait to go back in April to celebrate a very special occassion.