Christmas at Biltmore.
On Monday the Dutchboy and I decided (you can read that as I made the decision and he went along with it) to take a trip to Biltmore Estate in Asheville. I've wanted to do their candlelight Christmas tour for a long time now but this seemed like the right time-- Major Home Improvement Retailer that employs Dutchboy gets a discount at Biltmore. Whee! Cheap tickets!
We arrived early, around 2:30 in the afternoon, and spent time at Biltmore winery (I only bought two bottles. Go me!) and at Riverbend Farm where I petted baby goats. I love goats. They're soooo....goat-ish. Dutch fell in love with a tractor named Oliver. It was unrequited love, however, as Dutch's rear wheels proved too tiny for the hulking brute,Oliver. Ah, the melancholia of leaving a lover behind....
Anyway, then we headed to the conservatory where they had the most beautiful displays of orchids and poinsettias! The poinsettias were hot pink and green-- very mod looking. I think Paul Weller would approve. ;-P
Finally, at 6:00pm we went on our house tour. It was gorgeous! Instead of being cold, drafty and creepy as I thought it would be, the house was instead cozy and warm. Inviting, really. It is so easy to imagine the women floating down the stairs, their heels clicking lightly against the stone. So easy to imagine the scent of cigars and the laughter of the gentlemen as the played billiards in the game room. Just beautiful. There were 65 Christmas trees throughout the house, the largest in the banquet hall was hovering near 70 foot-tall ceiling height. All through the house there were musicians, carolers, performers of various types, and many employees giving the history of the house. One lady told us that the staff is still invited to a Christmas gathering with the family. Engraved invitations featuring the Vanderbilt logo are sent out and the house is closed to guests for the evening. The staff and their families are treated to a catered dinner in the banquet hall. Every child under the age of eleven has a gift with their name on it on the Christmas tree, carrying on the tradition set by Edith Vanderbilt. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the house, but we did manage to get a few decent shots of the house at night.
Baby Goat!!!
My favorite from the series. Statue on the side terrace at sunset.
The house at night from the rampart.
You can see all the rest of the Christmas at Biltmore Set on Flickr.
We arrived early, around 2:30 in the afternoon, and spent time at Biltmore winery (I only bought two bottles. Go me!) and at Riverbend Farm where I petted baby goats. I love goats. They're soooo....goat-ish. Dutch fell in love with a tractor named Oliver. It was unrequited love, however, as Dutch's rear wheels proved too tiny for the hulking brute,Oliver. Ah, the melancholia of leaving a lover behind....
Anyway, then we headed to the conservatory where they had the most beautiful displays of orchids and poinsettias! The poinsettias were hot pink and green-- very mod looking. I think Paul Weller would approve. ;-P
Finally, at 6:00pm we went on our house tour. It was gorgeous! Instead of being cold, drafty and creepy as I thought it would be, the house was instead cozy and warm. Inviting, really. It is so easy to imagine the women floating down the stairs, their heels clicking lightly against the stone. So easy to imagine the scent of cigars and the laughter of the gentlemen as the played billiards in the game room. Just beautiful. There were 65 Christmas trees throughout the house, the largest in the banquet hall was hovering near 70 foot-tall ceiling height. All through the house there were musicians, carolers, performers of various types, and many employees giving the history of the house. One lady told us that the staff is still invited to a Christmas gathering with the family. Engraved invitations featuring the Vanderbilt logo are sent out and the house is closed to guests for the evening. The staff and their families are treated to a catered dinner in the banquet hall. Every child under the age of eleven has a gift with their name on it on the Christmas tree, carrying on the tradition set by Edith Vanderbilt. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the house, but we did manage to get a few decent shots of the house at night.
Baby Goat!!!
My favorite from the series. Statue on the side terrace at sunset.
The house at night from the rampart.
You can see all the rest of the Christmas at Biltmore Set on Flickr.