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| Do these glasses make me look old? |
Today, got my exercise in before I had breakfast and moved out.
My first stop the Antique Tobacco Barn. This is just outside Biltmore Village (as in The Biltmore Estate) so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The building is an old Tobacco Barn the old wooden beams where I imagine bundles of tobacco hung from are still intact. I saw quite a few comments on line that the place wasn't heated or air-conditioned and can see how that might be an issue in the winter/mid-summer, but today the weather was perfect.
77,000 square feet of furniture, antiques, oddities, old Pyrex, clothing, signs, junk bargains and miscellany! What an adventure. I've been looking for a dining room table....a very specific dining room table...within a very specific budget. I'm sure some day these two things will come together, not today. In the meantime, I almost made an impulse purchase (and may go back tomorrow after I've had a chance to sleep on it). Two green oil lamps that were 50% off....we'll see. My goal of simplifying doesn't quite coordinate with their purchase, but so I'll think on them until tomorrow.
I spent a couple of hours here....no dining room table, so no purchase. Folks! This is a major milestone. I just have to keep reminding myself "I'm simplifying. I'm simplifying"
Then it was time for lunch. I had plans to do an early dinner tonight at a restaurant called Plant in downtown Asheville, but I was hungry at about 3:30. I decided to try a place that I've wanted to try since I started coming to Asheville...6 or 7 years ago, The Laughing See Cafe. I was not disappointed. There's a patio at the front ample seating inside and a sunny little area in the back. I wanted to be in/near a sunny spot and the hostess accommodated my request. The staff was very helpful, when I mentioned that it was my first time, I was walked through the menu and given non-alcoholic beverage options.
I settled on the vegan Bahn Mi Sandwich with Jalapeno-Onion Fries and Citrus based Elixer. Everything was delicious! I skipped dessert for a trip to The Chocolate Fetish...my one must stop every time I'm in Asheville! A couple trips ago, I happened on the Habanero Sea Salt Caramels. Two...to avoid too much temptation later...haha! I say later like the two the I bought lasted past the bookstore. I actually bit into one as I was crossing the street and got hit....with that habanero punch. Oh my! Just as good as I remember, but my lips were on fire! Only one way to quench it....eat the other one!
Walking out some of my lunch I stopped in one of the many small import stores and checked out some of the merchandise....clear sunglasses caught my eye....I tried on a few pairs and settled on none.
I then ran up to Malaprops Bookstore for a quick look see. Love that place. Things were on a roll! Great day so far.
On my way back to the hotel I made a stop that changed my whole mood. The Goodwill Outlet stores. You may ask "Goodwill has an outlet?"....I had heard of this before but had never been. Now I'm not sure if all the Goodwill Outlets (if more than one) are like this one, and I love a good deal just as much as the next person but no! no! no! This is where the stuff comes to die or maybe it's the stuff that was dead before it got to Goodwill.
Everything (including furniture, books and appliances) sold by the pound and in bins. Bins that are not specific to any one item, so there are shoes, cookbooks, cookie tins, waffle irons, lampshades, window screens - all together in a single bin. I was afraid to put any hands into these bins so I just looked. When you're ready to check out, your cart goes on the industrial scale that's by the register and you're weighed out. Happy to say I left without purchasing anything....shudders!
So I haven't found my carrot cake yet, but have a back up waiting for me in Atlanta....I'll check around tomorrow before heading home.
Tomorrow...Let's see what homeward bound adventures I'll have.
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