Gingerbread!

This is one my favorite times of the year, not necessarily for the turkey or cranberries, but because the gingerbread houses are back at the Grove Park Inn!  Perhaps you read my first post about the gingerbread houses from 2010.  If you aren't familiar with the Grove Park Inn's gingerbread competition, here's what it is in a nutshell:  contestants from around the country submit 100% edible gingerbread houses for judgement at the historic inn here in Asheville.  The entries are displayed throughout the GPI until January 2012 for the public, as well as guests, to view for free.  Usually, my family likes to make trip to the Grove Park Inn on a Sunday in November or December, but this year, I went with one of my roommates.  We had a blast wandering around the beautiful inn, examining the gingerbread houses, and enjoying the warm atmosphere.  Are you curious about which houses stood out the most to us?  Check it out below, or if you're in the area, swing by the GPI to see for yourself~

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Grove Park Inn

On Sunday, my friends and I took a little trip to the Grove Park Inn, which is literally right down the road from the UNC Asheville campus (probably less than a 10-minute drive).  You might remember a post from last November about the gingerbread houses on display here around Thanksgiving. Even without the Gingerbread houses, the Grove Park Inn as worth a visit any time.  Its unique architecture, beautiful views, spa, gift shops, and restaurants offer local Ashevillians a chance to experience the hotel without actually having to stay there. 
Now, being college students, we didn't exactly treat ourselves to a day at the spa, or dine out! Rather, we had a lot of fun simply wandering around the hotel grounds, chatting, and enjoying the beautiful fall weather together.  The architecture of the GPI is quite beautifully suited to its natural surroundings, so we all noticed that the hotel went beautifully with the reds and golds of fall.  If you're going to be in the Asheville area in the next few weeks, why not stop by and take a self-guided tour of the inn?  Check out this beautiful Asheville landmark for yourself, and enjoy autumn in Western North Carolina! 

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Gingerbread Wonderland

Wow!  Is it just me, or did Thanksgiving Break seem to fly by?  One minute I was unpacking my bag at home, the next, I was back in my dorm room with no homework done and a load of clean laundry to put away.  I was thankful for the time the break allowed me to spend with family and friends, so I definitely made the most of my days off, and did not even think about the final papers and exams that comprise the last weeks of the semester.  Instead, I went out for dinner, did a lot of seasonal baking at home, saw Harry Potter again (even better the second time), and went to the Grove Park Inn twice to see the gingerbread houses. 

The entries this year were awesome!  I saw them on Wednesday night with some old high school friends and on Thursday morning with my family (a holiday tradition).  The houses will be on display (free of charge) until January 2, so if you haven't been able to see them yet, go!  For those of you who cannot visit, or live too far away to do so, below are some pictures of my favorite entries from this year.   



In addition to the gingerbread house competition, the Grove Park Inn is also known around this time of year for its display of lavishly decorated Christmas trees.  On each wing of the main floor of the hotel are a series of evergreens with elaborate and often whimsical decorations that are so much fun to admire.  This year, there was a peacock-themed tree (topped with a fake peacock!) and quite possibly a flamingo-themed tree (decorated generously with pink feathers).  Here are a few pictures of the trees and the GPI to give you a better idea of what it's like here.




Enjoying the last of the nice days of the break on the porch of the GPI; my brother and I (right and center, respectively) both attend UNCA.

 



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