Day 3: Guests of the Vanderbilts

Day 3:  Moving to the Vanderbilts

Saying goodbye (or see you again soon) to a prayer garden is similar to saying goodbye to a horse.  It doesn’t take words, exactly…much more of a punctuation.  As many times as I have been there, each time has given me a new insight in life, and upon the people who are behind its scenes…both past and present.  I have always felt a kinship to its host of Christians, but until today I never knew why.  As I left I stopped to read about the man, brother Wilson, to whom the garden was dedicated. 

There it was:  Youth for Christ VP, and travel companion of Billy Graham, whose foundation helped fund the garden.  Uncanny that only this year I was drawn to the Youth for Christ group, and learned it was founded by Billy Graham, whose house presides over this whole area in its spiritual influence.  You can feel it.  Now I know it wasn’t my imagination.  They are all there in that garden…all those kids, and all those who paved the way before them…in my garden.  No wonder we were drawn here. 

We checked out and flew like homing pigeons back to our café in Black Mountain.  We didn’t follow our meal with an artisan coffee as we had yesterday from the Dripolator coffee shop, but opted instead to move in early as Biltmore guests. 

The inn was  bedecked just like the house itself…a giant tree in the center of the main entry hall…garlands, lights, vintage toys under the tree…not a corner was without adornment, well thought out to give even an errant guest in the corridor  the feeling of being welcomed into holiday  festivities fit for the Vanderbilts themselves.    “I think we’re gonna like this”…..I said to Ery as we first entered, swept away with the holiday elegance, fragrances, roaring fires, and sumptuous décor. 

We had time enough to explore the antler village shops, just down the hill… and the petting zoo,

(we barely escaped the temptation to stuff the baby goat into our car for the trip home),





....then back to the Inn for high tea.  We sat not far from the fireplace...

as beautiful arrangements of tea delicacies were brought our way:  banana scones this time, and the lemon curd with clotted cream that Dave and I have grown to expect…a fragrant black tea from Provence…ahhhhh yes…..a true sensory fulfillment. 

Even the pianist had arranged understated versions of hymns of the holiday with classical twist that made it all seem vaguely familiar, evoking distant memories  of other precious times.  And the view, as before, was spectacular.

We had time for one more jaunt down the hill for shopping and viewing of the exquisite Tiffany display before dinner.  The few minutes we spent taking in the Tiffanies filled our senses to overload with color and light…the rendering of which was true genius… in each lamp a work of art and artisan.  Those privileged enough to be the first to have these in their homes must have experienced such a different perspective…they must have looked forward to each evening when their lamps were to be lit.

A change of clothing, and we met again, this time directly in front of the largest fireplace in the Inn, for formal dinner. 

Among the highlights of the meal were the sea bass with lobster bread pudding, the parmesan crusted filet mignon, and the pumpkin ravioli. 





The meal, the fragrances, the flavors, the warmth of the fire, and, of course, the company, was the manifestation of the holiday itself, in all its forms. ..the essence of blessing…nourishment for the soul and spirit.