Scenic Runway

Having always lived in large cities in the Southwest and Northeast, I had little to no reference of what to expect while planning my visit to North Carolina. While traveling through North Carolina, I discovered a state filled with history, friendly people, delicious food and scenic beauty. To my surprise I fell in love with the artsy town of Asheville located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 2132 feet above sea level. The attraction of Asheville for me was the creative laid back atmosphere with the breathtaking beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains as its backdrop.

The Biltmore Estate built in 1895 by George W. Vanderbilt is the largest privately owned house in the United States. The family owned 250-room French Renaissance manor is located in Asheville, North Carolina with daily tours in designated areas of the manor. The biggest surprise for me during the tour was the basement which included an indoor pool, bowling alley and a fitness room among other things. I could not believe a home built in 1895 had those amenities at that time.

Childhood home of author Thomas Wolfe best known for his autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel about his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina.

The historic Grove Park Inn opened on July 1, 1913, it was completed in 11 months and 27 days. Located in Asheville on Sunset Mountain, the Grove Park Inn is an amazing example of craftsmanship. Ten U.S. Presidents have stayed at the Grove Park Inn, including President Obama. The views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the terrace literally took my breath away!

The historic Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, North Carolina opened on Halloween night in 1927. Greensboro is also home to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, the former Woolworth’s site of the non-violent sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

Without a doubt the best Chicken and Waffles I’ve ever tasted!

Black Mountain, North Carolina

Bronze Metal Wall Decor made by a local Asheville Artist. Design is of a tree with roots that spell out Asheville. This unique one of a kind piece looks amazing hanging on my family room wall!

I often say that travel has the ability to teach and/or to inspire, North Carolina did both.

It is rare that we at Scenic Runway fall so quickly in love with a city but we did just that in Asheville, North Carolina! This friendly artsy city is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Filled with historic landmarks, art deco buildings, local restaurants and amazingly beautiful mountain views, Asheville’s creative vibe captured our hearts! Below are a few images of the city!

Downtown Asheville

Horse Drinking Fountain Sculpture

Local Pub in Downtown Asheville

Metal Flat Iron near Asheville’s Flatiron Building

Long before the invention of the commercial airline, transatlantic ocean liners were the only way to get back and forth between North America and Europe. Today, transatlantic cruises are an option for people who love to cruise and/or for people we want an adventure. There are some cruise lines whose normal itinerary are transatlantic cruises but others need to reposition some of their ships at certain times during the year (normally in the spring and fall) as a result with a little research bargains can normally be found.

A repositioning cruise ship moves from one destination to another. Some repositioning cruises have unusual port of calls that the average traveler would normally not think of such as Ponta Delgada, Azores. Be sure to check with your selected cruise line regarding ports of call as they may differ from year to year.

You may wonder what would you do on a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean for 4 to 6 days? Well the answer is many things; cruise lines have a wide variety of activities for passengers such as spa treatments, fitness center, casino games, cooking classes, theatrical shows, dance classes, art shows, bingo, bowling, etc. Your daily newsletter will display the various activities that are available for your participation, keep in mind that activities differ from each cruise line and ship. Some cruisers find that doing absolutely nothing is just fine for them; the decision of what to do, if anything, is up to you which is truly what a vacation should be all about.

While in Arlington, Virginia just minutes from Washington, DC, I noticed a collection of bikes. As well as the words “Judge Less“, which is a message we all should consider!

Everyone should have a calm place!

A quick stop for Cupcakes!

Each Friday from May to October the USDA Farmers Market is open to the public.

Every Friday at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, approved artists within the Copyist Program are allowed to copy famous works of art located within the gallery.

What an amazing opportunity for artists to study from the masters of art.