travel

Four Days in Asheville

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Asheville is an easy three hour drive from Atlanta which includes driving through north Georgia, a sliver of South Carolina and landing in western North Carolina. I planned it so we would arrive in Asheville for a late lunch and then have time to meander and orient myself before our reservation at Rhubarb at 6 p.m.

As I expected for a city of its size, Asheville was easy to navigate. I found the Center for Craft, which introduced me to the robust and active arts and crafts community in Asheville. This amazing space believes “Craft is for Everyone” with materials ranging from glass, yarns, paper, pottery and so much more. There is a library of craft-focused books, a materials exploration area and even a co-working space.

I then moved on to the Asheville Urban Trail. This self-directed tour invites the visitor to learn about Asheville’s history by walking downtown and finding sculptures, reading plaques and listening to online audio clips with an online map. It was a great way to learn my way around and get a feel for the influences that shaped Asheville. I noticed immediately that Asheville is very clean with not a drop of litter anywhere (even though there are homeless folks around, garbage is disposed of properly).

The next morning, we drove 13 miles to Black Mountain, a quaint town with shops and galleries. We landed at Cousins Cuban Cafe for some excellent cafe con leche and a guava and cheese pastelito. After enjoying my Cuban decadence, we drove to the River Arts District (RAD). This warehouse district along the French Broad River is perfect for strolling, exploring and taking in all the creativity this city prides itself in. The river also has an esplanade where runners, walkers and dogs seem to congregate. The multi-street area contained galleries, studios and cafes. Apparently this district was quite devastated during Hurricane Helene and continues to rebuild and improve. It was fabulous.

Next up was the Biltmore Estate. The expansive grounds of over 40 acres included the house, conservatory and gardens, a winery with tasting room, hotel and event space with exhibitions (currently King Tut’s tomb and treasures). We took the audio tour of the house, walked the gardens and viewed the King Tut exhibit. The house displayed such opulence and told the story of the Vanderbilt legacy.

Once back to the hotel, I walked to the historic Grove Arcade before dinner. I did not go to shop, but instead to look at this amazing Art Deco building. Built in 1929 I felt the quality of the structure and the grandeur of the time. The arched glass roof was truly beautiful. Dinner at Chestnut did not disappoint. The lobster bisque was divine. This restaurant is housed in another old, beautiful building and I love how Asheville has preserved the past by keeping these historic buildings around.

The next day focused on the outdoors as Asheville is surrounded with the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Pisgah National Forest. The fog over the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is serene and we drove just a snippet of this 469 mile trek. There were multiple overlooks that allowed us to stop and take in the breathtaking views. We lunched in Brevard at The Square Root. After lunch we hunted down two different waterfalls, drove through the Pisgah National Forest, looped back on the Blue Ridge Parkway and landed back in Asheville for our final dinner at Curate. This tapas restaurant was amazing. The eggplant with honey and rosemary will be on my mind for a long time!

On our drive out of town the next morning, we drove through west Asheville and stopped at Owl Bakery. The breads and pastries were excellent (try the Pasteis de Nata) and landed at Biscuit Head for breakfast. Biscuit Head’s mantra is, “Put some South in your mouth” and I recommend you do just that. On our way back to Atlanta, we stopped in Greenville, SC. It has a lively downtown area along the river. I will definitely head there for a separate long weekend of exploration as this city is on my list to investigate.

Biltmore House

Posted on by Seniye Groff

175,000 square feet and 250 rooms define the former residence of the Vanderbilt’s estate. The construction began in 1890 and required so many laborers. Art and antiques from Gilded Age fill this museum. The grounds are spectacular and house several buildings across the expansive property including an exhibit hall, winery, hotel and more.

The gardens are equally spectacular and the conservatory was packed with beautiful plants and flowers.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today I visited an amazing national park focused on MLK Jr.’s life and teachings. The park consists of his birth home (where he lived until he was 12 years old). It was located on the east side of Boulevard, which was the dividing marker of a white vs. Black neighborhood. Auburn Avenue was a desirable area for Black citizens. In 1906 a race riot occurred and then Blacks were able to buy homes in the area, which MLK Jr.’s grandfather purchased. The home is currently closed for repairs, as was the visitor center. The visitor center is temporarily in the historic Fire Station No. 6. Blacks were not allowed in the fire house until the 60’s!

I also visited The King Center, which had a small exhibit inside and, outside, a reflection pool and the tombs of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr. I attended a tour with a park ranger of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The church is 140 years old this April and has had only five senior pastors in that entire time. The ranger’s presentation was interesting and informative and I learned a lot. Did you know that MLK Jr’s name was Michael until he was five years old, when it was changed to Martin?

The tour started in the fellowship hall (basement) and then moved to the sanctuary where the church is still in its original state. Even the pews are original, as is the piano that Mama King would play until she was shot and killed in 1974. This NP is a must-see and is even free, believe it or not.

Hotlanta!

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I’ve been in Atlanta less than three weeks and it feels like months. Granted, I’ve been busy cleaning, organizing and running errands. But a routine is forming, too. I joined a gym for the next three months and it offers a bevvy of activities such as open play Pickleball, Barre, Pilates, Yoga and even trivia night (which we placed third – amazingly – given my lack of erroneous knowledge).


My day starts (and ends) with walking three dogs…wowzah! Anyone watching must be waiting for a catastrophe to happen. All three dogs sleep with me nightly, too. I am wedged in the corner of the bed – the dogs sleep comfortably.

Being in one place means being able to cook again. Yesterday at the grocery store, I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I turned, someone kindly said, “You are beautiful”. Whoa, that hasn’t happened in 30 years!

I’ve met several Turkish people. That never happens. I recognized the language immediately and one of them is helping me reinvigorate my lacking command of the language.

I survived the ice storm. We lost power for four hours and ice coated the roads. The daytime highs range from 16 to 28 degrees…not exactly the warm, Southern weather I anticipated. Snow is forecasted again for this Saturday but should not be as debilitating as the ice.

I am getting braver about driving here. Yes, I drove across the country but am timid in Atlanta due to the myriad of the spiderweb tangle of I-285, I-20, I-75 and I-85 and the smaller side roads like 140. It’s intimidating but I will figure it out since next week my car is being serviced. I will drive the farthest distance, yet, in the city.

This weekend we are renting a U-Haul to move belongings from an assisted living unit to the storage unit. Once this happens, I should have more time to explore Atlanta and beyond. My immediate exploration list includes Asheville (scheduled for February 26-March 1), Charleston, New Orleans and Montgomery (to see The Legacy Museum).

Life is not flawless (even if social media tries to convince us otherwise) and my experimental journey stretches me on a daily basis. But I know that I am lucky to have this freedom and am enjoying this unburdened time. Having a stopping point for three months is a great break from being in a different location nightly. I have a temporary address so I can complete some larger tasks. Come visit me.

Gee’s Bend

Posted on by Seniye Groff

This morning I left Camden (goodbye!) and headed to Gee’s Bend. Gee’s Bend refers to the area historically known as Gee’s Bend (but currently listed as Boykin, AL on maps). This is an extremely remote area with not even a coffee shop. I did drive by an assembly of double wide trailers with a Hunting Club sign. Private. Keep out. Clearly hunters outweigh coffee drinkers here.

My friend told me about this area a couple of years ago and I was intrigued. The quilters of Gee’s Bend are currently residing in the area or are descendants of folks from that area. The Quilters Collective is located within Boykin. These quilts have received worldwide acclaim.

https://www.geesbend.org/history-of-gees-bend

My plan was to complete the self-guided tour and then meet up with one of the quilters. The signage isn’t great so it took me a bit to find it (and a few phone calls to my friend). Unfortunately, the person I was supposed to meet did not show up so I drove around and read the panels and looked at the beautiful photos of the quilts. I had forgotten that Sundays in the South are extremely quiet. I am sure my quilting meeting would have happened if it were not a Sunday.

My plan was to move on to Selma and I secured a short-term rental for the night. It was about a 45 minute drive and I arrived around noon in Selma. The perimeter of the city was lovely so I was really surprised when I drove down Broad Street. Buildings were empty, boarded up and some were falling down. Glass was everywhere. I couldn’t imagine leaving my rental at night (even during the day was sketchy). I decided to walk Pete over the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge. As I was walking over the bridge I realized I did not feel comfortable enough to stay the night.

My dilemma became what to do next. The three museums I wanted to see in Montgomery are closed Monday and Tuesday, which meant Sunday until Wednesday I would need to figure out how to fill the time. I looked at the map and realized a drive to Atlanta would only be about 3.5 hours. And so that is what I did.

With travel, flexibility is key and with a car I can pivot easily. Pete is thrilled to be out of the car and running around in a large backyard. I look forward to creating a routine and digging deeper into Atlanta. I can visit Montgomery during a day trip or a quick overnighter while I am here.

Vicksburg, MS to Camden, AL

Posted on by Seniye Groff

The night was filled with thunder, lightening and rain. So much rain that the hotel’s kitchen flooded so breakfast was a minimal affair. There was even a tornado watch, but fortunately it did not materialize. I drove 235 miles today which took me from Vicksburg to Jackson and then Camden (yes, I crossed the Alabama line).

Jackson was on my list because I wanted to visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. I got a bonus of visiting the Museum of Mississippi History since they are housed in the same modern, architecturally-interesting building. The focus of the museum is the civil rights movement in Mississippi from 1945-1970. There were eight galleries that each focused on a topic. In the middle was a beautiful, colorful rotunda that highlighted the names of Blacks killed (as opposed to lynched which was in one of the galleries). The amount of information presented was overwhelming at times but the photos, films and multimedia presentations helped make the concepts more digestible.

I was fortunate to meet Hezekiah Watkins while I was in the museum. He shared his story of being arrested at the age of 13 because he entered the bus station entrance that was for whites only. In reality his friend pushed him but that detail was irrelevant to the police. He was sent to prison without a trial or even informing his mother. He was later released because JFK got involved with the Mississippi governor at the time. Mr. Watkins joined the Freedom Riders and was arrested 109 times! Watkins was nonchalant and humble and we talked openly about the state of the country today as racism continues. He wrote a book, “Pushing Forward” and I cannot wait to read it.

This is a ceiling of one of the galleries

The Museum of Mississippi History shared nine galleries beginning with13,000 BC to joining the U.S., the cotton era and so much more. Although not as riveting as the Civil Rights Museum, it was interesting and the displays were informative.

I then drove around downtown Jackson. It was quiet and spotless and had a lot of beautiful buildings. I was surprised how quiet it was on a Saturday morning – truly not a soul around.

At 3 p.m. I landed in Camden, AL, which is truly in the middle of nowhere. But it is the jumping off point for tomorrow’s adventure: Gee’s Bend to see the Heritage Trail and Heritage Builders.

Shreveport, LA to Vicksburg, MS

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I arrived in Shreveport, LA around 3 p.m. yesterday and found my historic B&B called Fairfield Place. It was a large manor from the 1800’s. It was nestled in the Fairfield Historic District where old, large homes reined. I took Pete for several walks just to look at the houses (and even though they are large and historic many were priced in the $200’s which compared to Portland is insane).

Once we were settled I headed with Pete to R. W. Norton Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens. Although Pete was not allowed in the gallery, we were able to walk the incredible gardens. It is important to note that the gallery and gardens are in the middle of a picturesque neighborhood of homes. We then drove to the Riverfront to see the Red River. It was pretty touristy and the main attractions are the casinos so a drive-by was all I needed.

I decided to focus on B&Bs while in the south because they are often steeped with history given they originated as a manor or plantation house. For example, Ruthie (an employee at the B&B) grew up in Shreveport on the plantation that her father was an overseer for. I have to say I had the best night of sleep last night and John (the owner) provided a large breakfast before I took off.

John highly recommended the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum so I visited. It was fascinating and one of the best museums I’ve seen. There were 22 very detailed dioramas made with wax depicting life in Louisiana, focusing on agriculture (sugar cane, fishing, farming) and business (oil, glass, textiles and clay for dishes). The building was round so visitors walked in a circle replicating the passage of time. There were displays of other artifacts, too. I did not realize that Libbey Glass was in Shreveport (closed in 2020). The executive director was a wealth of knowledge and her pride of Louisiana was evident.

I drove 190 miles to Vicksburg, MS. Vicksburg was on my radar because a good friend mentioned the Vicksburg Civil War Museum that should not be missed. It is the only Civil War museum owned by a Black man and his knowledge is unmatched. Unfortunately, when I arrived it was closed. I will try again tomorrow. I drove around town looking at all the historical buildings and grand homes instead.

I’m staying at another B&B named Inn at Cedar Grove. It’s pretty spectacular and the current owners saved it from being demolished. It is majestic and I’m told it has a ghost (hopefully it won’t visit me!). Tomorrow after breakfast I am taking a house tour and will learn even more history.

I am getting the hang of driving long distances every day. Pete still doesn’t love it. I will say the worst thing about the driving is the truckers on the road. They are dangerous and sometimes don’t see the cars on the road or swerve around (maybe from fatigue). Defensive driving is key! The other thing I am noticing on my travels is the pride displayed wherever I go. Every person I talk to believes their area is the best place to live and are very proud to be from there. I think that is pretty awesome.

Tulsa, OK

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today I drove about an hour and forty-five minutes to Tulsa. I went to the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center in Tulsa. It shared the story of Greenwood as a successful enclave of Black business until the Tulsa Race Massacre in 1921. This museum created an immersive experience. My favorite was the barbershop where I was able to sit in the barbershop chair and watch holographic barbers talk about early dreams for Greenwood.

The museum shared examples of systemic oppression and asks visitors to commit to racial reconciliation. I loved the message of the museum through media, stories, pictures and interactive displays. The museum does not shy away from the work that still needs to be done by all of us.

http://www.greenwoodrisong.org

I then drove down Route 66.

Afterwards I wandered the downtown area to see the many churches, examples of art deco and numerous murals. Tulsa was very clean but few people are out and about on the streets.