Mountain Thankee's

Mountains at the end of every view

If the travel bug is in your genes, you know that moving onward with some regret at leaving is a very good thing. That's how I'll feel about leaving Asheville. Beside the enjoyment of seeing an old friend and the easy comfort meeting his wife and knowing a new friend, there is a good feeling about this area that, even with sand in my genetic shoes, makes it feel very homey. But when the mechanic signs off (oh, I didn't mention that the tie rods were about to fall off the Turtle; remember that luckiest woman in the world crown? It is planted firmly on my head) it will be time to go. The day goal is Chattanooga, we'll see how that works out. 

Yesterday I checked out West Asheville. Well, I checked out one street of West Asheville, but it was a really good street.

This old theatre is now a current theatre, but with music instead of movies

A nice thing around here is that many of the old buildings have been turned into something rather than being torn down. The warmth of brick and stone, the little architectural details setting off roofs and corners - they do a lot for a place. 

Oh yes it does

This little restaurant is set in a triangle patch of land
Once a house? Gas station? I have no idea,
but it's pretty adorable as buildings go.

There are a LOT of bars on this street
(and I didn't go into any of them. A record, perhaps or time of day).
An interesting feature is that the front wall
opens almost entirely to the street and open air.
I don't know what they do in winter but what they do in
summer, spring and fall works well.

On a corner with a parking lot and a little pocket park, between the bakery and the organic market and deli, there is a little garden area planted on what seems to be a public piece of land. The growing season has about run its course, but there are some trees and vegetables and berries planted that hopefully will make it through the winter. 

It was a good reminder that public planting doesn't need to be a big thing, it just needs to be a thing. 

I don't know what this is, I just liked it

Imagination station

Park the car in the shade, dear

After Bill was done with his errands, we were heading back to the house but made this detour along the way. What a great detour! The Grove Place Inn is older than the Biltmore mansion and more than equally grand in its way (considering it's an Inn, not a Home). Next time it would be fun to stop at the old part of the inn for drinks. Where we did stop was pretty awesome.

This is not Grove Place Inn, but it is a pretty cool condominium building

THIS is Grove Place Inn

It's pretty impossible to capture the amazement in this building
but hopefully you'll get a taste of it
You can read more about it here.And here too.
It's worth the read if you like historical stories.

Official greeter

One of the cottages 

This is now an amazing art galley, but once other craftsmen and woman worked here

Flutes are still made here. Right now.

There was a lot of weaving going on in this part of the museum

The machines, so intricate and needing so much knowledge to produce strong wool cloth, have stood the test of time.

This could be made and worn today without missing a fashion beat

This is an o l d globe. Try to find Miami!

Pony up, wool factory owners!

10 and 11 cents a yard, the high wages barely made it out of the teens.

There was one building filled with antique cars but alas, my battery died!
So I went to the phone for the rest.

This was the art gallery, in the same place where other craftsmen once worked. If I'd taken a photo of everything that was awesome, you'd be here all day. 

The first thing that caught me

Each 'block' row in this stool is flexible, strung on heavy cord.
It was very surprisingly comfortable

Because we all need a little whimsy. See below.

I don't wear dresses often, but I'd wear this one. While flying above this bed.

All in all, a day of quiet surprises for the eyes. Now it is waiting on a call from the mechanic, who is going to test drive the Turtle so I can be on my way safely. 

Thank you, Bill and Jo! Thank you, Asheville, for living up to the hype. I'll be back for more. 

Have a tantalizing Thursday. Do something tracking thankfulness.