Tag Archive | north carolina

Asheville area Bed & Breakfast: Dry Ridge Inn

Back when we were doing a lot of traveling, we decided to go to a bed-and-breakfast in North Carolina to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

After doing a lot of research, we chose Dry Ridge Inn.

The inn keepers were gracious hosts. We also loved the location as it was walking distance from the town’s restaurants. And we were also close enough to Asheville that we could drive there in about 15 minutes when we wanted to visit downtown.

I would definitely visit again. I also recommend this location to anyone wanting a change of scenery when visiting this region in North Carolina.

Enjoy some pictures from our stay-

I ordered eclairs to artivr at check in. Celebration calories dont count 😉

Relax at Oakhill Country Inn in Franklin NC

Jan30

Oakhill Country Inn – Bed and Breakfast , Franklin NC

I made another visit to the Oakhill Country Inn – Bed and Breakfast in Franklin NC. I could not stay away. I was craving the tranquility, peace, and quiet. Plus, I wanted to take some better pictures so you can get an idea of how great this place it.

This time, I spent a longer vacation here, which gave me time to explore more of the home, relax, and unwind. As usual, I loved the breakfast. It was simple but delicious.
One day, I walked around the property. There is a moderately steep hill in the backyard. I thought that there was a creek at the bottom, but I did not get that far. I decided I was exerting myself too much for a leisurely vacation and returned to the house where I could lounge around and read a book.

I love Connie’s (the innkeeper) attention to detail with setting the table. Using fine china plates and teacups made me feel like a special guest.

I think the pictures speak for themselves, showing the personality of Oakhill Country Inn. This is my favorite B&B. I want to try others in the area to compare, but I am hesitant, thinking that they will not live up to the high expectations that I am accustomed to having.

Bed and Breakfast in Franklin NC: Oakhill Country Inn

Jul5

I like going to Bed and Breakfast Inns because they are relaxing and the breakfast is usually really, really delicious. I was looking for a nice B&B that was not too expensive and decided on Oak Hill Country Inn in Franklin NC. The Inn is located on a hill that is a little off of the main road. It is located in a residential area that is quiet. I needed my GPS to find the place because I was not familiar with Franklin.

Once I arrived, the first person I met was Connie. She was very hospitable, warm and friendly. I was excited about my visit. It was at that point that I saw the cat lounging on the sofa. I was a little hesitant because I was not sure how temperamental this cat would be. Over the course of the day though, the cat proved to be somewhat friendly too (or rather as sociable as a cat could be).

I was in the Amethyst room. It was decorated in true B&B Victorian fashion. The bed was so comfortable. However, for the better part of the day since my arrival, I lounged outside in the hammock on the porch and read one of the romance novels from Connie’s bookcase. I did not see any of the other guests during my lounging period. It was a truly relaxing afternoon. Later that evening I got a cup of tea and chatted some more with Connie.

In the morning, bright and early (I think it was about 8am), I went to the table for breakfast. Connie cooked a feast with French toast, bacon and eggs along with grapes and cantaloupe. There was also streusel coffee cake. By the time I decided to take a picture, I had eaten everything but the grapes and cantaloupe.

There is something to be said about the B&B experience. There are 10-12 people who do not know each other, sitting together and enjoying a meal. Even if you are not a sociable person, the relaxed atmosphere can incite even the most reticent person to open up. By the end of breakfast, everyone is usually sated from eating and in a pleasant mood because of the great time talking.

Overall, Connie (I did not meet Michael on my visit) was an excellent hostess. The accommodations were all that I could have hoped they would be. And the breakfast was so delicious, I wanted to stay another night just to eat again.

Oak Hill Country Inn
Innkeepers: Connie and Michael Grubermann
www.oakhillcountryinn.com
1689 Old Murphy Road, Franklin, North Carolina 28734
(828) 349-9194

Brasa – Raleigh NC

Oct24

Brasa is a Brazilian steakhouse located in Raleigh, NC. This was my first time at a Brazilian rodizio style restaurant. Dinner with the rodizio service was $37.95. They offered other options, but why go to a Brazilian rodizio restaurant and not order the all-you-can-eat meat?

After I was seated and they took my drink order, they explained the set up. I had a rock that was painted red on one side and green on the other side. Green means to keep passing by with over 12 different cuts of meat (pork, beef, lamb, chicken, etc). Red means stop. In addition to the copious amounts of meat that was being offered, there was an extensive salad bar. I did look over the bar just to see what was being offered. I picked over one plate of food, and since I was there for the meat, I did not want to fill up on salad, rice, and bread.

My rock show GREEN and I was ready to eat. At this point, the service was a little slow. I am guessing it was because they had to cook the food. I am not sure. Maybe the time passed slower because I was so hungry. It seemed like I was waiting a long time to eat. It was not as I imagined, person after person passing by the table with different meats. The waiter would come with chicken and ask if I wanted some. If so, he would slice a piece for me. Then he would move on to the next table. Five or ten minutes later, he would come by again with another meat. One time he came by with chicken hearts. I decided to leave that alone. He was stingy with the lamb, slicing very small slivers (see picture). I kept asking him for more until he gave me what I thought was a sufficient amount.

When I was at the point that I felt I had enough, I turned my rock over to RED. Then the waitress asked if we wanted dessert. Grilled pineapple coated with cinnamon sugar was served. The caramelization of the grilled sugar gave the pineapple a little crunch exterior. On the inside, it was warm and juicy. I never had grilled pineapple before, but it was a satisfying end to a delicious meal.

They are little stingy when serving the meat, but if I kept asking for more, they kept cutting. They were also slow to come around with the more expensive cuts. Everytime I turned around, they were trying to serve chicken and sausage. This was another reason why I tried to get what I wanted when they had it because I did not want to have to wait a long time for them to return. Overall, I would eat here again.