Day 8: Destination SE: Windy day with a wonderful ending

As we prepare to depart, I thought it would be a good time to post about one of my favorite features of our "airbnb" lodgings here in Asheville.

See the photo above? Nothing but a telltale tile threshold to indicate anything different about the room behind the door. But when you open it, a big tiled walk-in shower is revealed! It's a nice solution for travelers, allowing one of us to use the commode in the half bath while the other is using the shower.

Thursday was very windy, bringing the windchill down to single digits here in Asheville and curtailing our usual downtown explorations. Ken walked into town to have a hamburger at the Lexington Avenue Brewery, and while his walk downtown was fine, the trip back up to the flat was into the wind and mighty chilly.

I opted for walking at the local mall. Got in about 5,000 steps there.

I also visited a spot on Swannanoa River Rd. known for antique stores. Found one I liked really well--it had some unusual second-hand artwork and lots of reclaimed architectural pieces, including a huge selection of windows with stained glass elements and lots of wrought iron garden fences and doors. I really liked the blue moon window, which must have adorned a shop back in the day, and the wood and iron pub tables, which I thought would look great in Jonna's loft.

Earlier in the week, I persevered through an entire movie with two older couples in the theater chatting and commenting to each other throughout. Very aggravating. When I went to the movies today, once again a silver-haired couple yakked through the ads and previews, and I resolved to leave if they continued after the film started. They did, and I did. Got my refund and left muttering about unfortunate Southern traditions--apparently talking during the movie is one of them??

The day was more than redeemed by the wonderful dinner we had at The Junction, a little place recommended to us by the proprietor of a shop I loved downtown called Horses+Hope. The bartender, a petite pregnant woman, asked us where we were from, and when we said Michigan, she said, "Funny! The family in the next room is from Michigan, and so is she," pointing to the woman next to us at the bar. So everyone in the entire place was from Michigan.

But the kicker was, Chelsea, the young woman at the bar, worked for Bell's Brewery. That made me giggle with glee, and of course we conversed with her on and off during dinner. She is originally from Kalamazoo, and was born in Battle Creek--same as Ken! I explained to her that Ken is known in some parts of the state as "Dr. Oberon," and the joke goes so far that some refer to me as "Mrs. O."

Note the Bell's logo on Chelsea's shirt

The food was delicious. Ken had city chicken and I had monkfish, which doesn't begin to describe the complexity and inventiveness of both dishes. I also enjoyed my Scarborough Faire martini, flavored with--you guessed it--parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

So on that serendipitous note, our Asheville adventure comes to and end. We're chasing somewhat warmer weather, and will be in Charleston for three nights.