We spent much of the day eating! After a light breakfast, we drove to Asheville and went to the Grove Park Inn for Sunday brunch. Almost every breakfast food you could imagine was there, as well as lunch fare. Lise always starts with rare roast beef, and I get Eggs Benedict. This time I added Oysters Rockefeller after Shrimp and Grits. I knew about the oyster dish only from thumbing through cookbooks. It was heavenly. Magda discovered the crab bisque, which Lise and I shared later. Next time I’ll know to look at the soup first. Sander laughed at himself, saying he had planned to take a tiny bite of everything. He changed his mind after walking through the elaborate buffet. I think all of us skipped the salad bar. Charlotte commented on the bacon, which was thick and crisp.

Since Lise was born in the month of November, she qualified for a birthday gift. She was given some fancy coffee concoction, probably pumpkin spice, which she gave to Sander. She also received a glass mug to take home. It was etched with the National Gingerbread Contest name.

I wouldn’t have noticed Sander’s plate if Lise hadn’t comment on his having bacon on the cheesecake. Magda went for the cheesecake, too, it being a favorite. I had one or two non-chocolate things for dessert, but if I ever go again, I’ll restrict myself to dark brown things.

We went to two different floors to see the display of gingerbread creations which had been judged there at the inn. I tried to get a photo of our people looking at them, but only Magda’s face shows. Some of the entries looked like they had been made by children, but the winning one was elaborate. Lise had good photos of it, which I hope to get when she has time to share them.

We came back home as the sun was setting behind a nearby mountain. It wasn’t very late, but we didn’t have time to go on the Blue Ridge Parkway to see it set properly.
That sounds like it was so much fun, and very delicious! I enjoy getting to meet your international guests through Lise’s visits. It makes me think all that European time and travel made its mark–like your own mini cosmopolity.
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I love Lise’s friends.
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I can see why. I always enjoyed when we had international visitors when we lived in Texas. It is such a gift to meet people from other places, and I always had wonderful hosts when I visited overseas.
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I’m glad you have experienced this, too.
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Goodness, that sounds amazing! So is this place like a bed and breakfast?
Bacon makes everything better.
Sander looks just like this guy Colin that used to work for David!
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The place is an upscale hotel in a beautiful mountain setting.
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Can’t beat a good day spent eating!! Yummmm!!!
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Oh, that buffet sounds amazing! I do love Oysters Rockefeller! I made some just last week with sorrel instead of spinach. I liked the extra tartness the sorrel added. I now know a place to visit in Asheville!
I enjoyed seeing the gingerbread houses. They looked pretty elaborate to me. The Broadmoor Hotel does a life-sized gingerbread house in the hotel lobby. They are very beautiful.
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Such a delicious post!😋 And a festive kick off to the holidays with the gingerbread🎄!
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The foods sounds nice and yummy and everyone looks happy
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We were very happy.
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Nice brunch and gingerbread houses too!
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Those buffets can be dangerous! It all sounds very good.
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One certainly needs self control! Not that I had it!!
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What a nice selection to sample and/or feast on as you munched your way through the day!
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