You could always visit the Biltmore Estates.  It’s America’s largest home, a national landmark, and a beautiful wonderful place to imagine how the fabled gentry lived in years past.   But if you’ve been there, done that (or if you’re not interested in somebody else’s 75 acre home and garden), here are a few fun things to do instead:

1. Eat at the Early Girl Eatery.  They have the BEST hand cut french fries, and, as an added bonus, they serve breakfast all day!!  On historic Wall Street in downtown Asheville. 

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2. Visit Mast General Store.  The Asheville store has been a retail landmark in downtown since the mid 40s when it was built by Fain’s . . . and even before that when it was Mears Bros. General Mercantile (but in a much older building).Inside, this downtown emporium has been restored to its 1940s heyday featuring fixtures from the era and other mementos from the past.  Mast’s signature items can be found in the Mercantile Department, which is just jam-packed with cast iron cookware, pottery, baskets and other crafts, old fashioned toys, and a candy section featuring over 500 old-fashioned hard-to-find candies. 

3. Visit Woolworth Walk to see beautiful works from over 150 local artists, and have an ice cream soda at the renovated soda fountain!  The Old “F.W. Woolworth Building” was built in the 1930′s and was restored in 2001.  It has received two Griffin Awards for historic appropriateness.  It’s definitely worth the walk!

Sometimes, I can be a real touristy tourist.  Like this past weekend in Boston.  

There are a lot of things on the “not-to-miss” list for Boston, but today, my top 3 things not to miss are:

A Red Sox game at Fenway Park 

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A lobster roll at Legal Seafood  

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A cannoli at Mike’s Pastry

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We went to the Oregon coast to celebrate the Fourth of July at an old fashion parade. Cannon Beach hosts the fun and patriotic event each year since 1988. Crowds begin to line the parade route an hour before the event as people vie for coveted spots along the curb which make it easier for kids (of all ages) to catch the candy, necklaces and other treats which are passed out as the floats and parade participants walk by.

As parades along the Oregon get ready to start, the National Guard perform a fly by along the length of the coast. The homemade floats are fun and patriotic to watch as local businesses, civic services, families and friends creatively participate.  The crowd applauds each group as they move by…with extra cheers for the fire engines, coast guard patrol boats, parents with young children in wagons festooned with banners or on tricycles, marching bands playing Tupperware instruments and another using cooking and grilling equipment and the local restaurant that did a little dance along the parade route.

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Just in case you were wondering…..grilled peaches may be the best dessert around ( I’m a die hard chocoholic, and even I say that!!).  Here in Georgia, we are starting to see an abundance of beautiful Georgia peaches.   After a while, even I get tired of drippy sticky peach juice running down my chin.  And besides, eating a whole peach isn’t exactly an elegant dessert. 

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But grilled peaches are….and they are so easy to make!   I cut the peaches in half, take out the pit, brush them with a tiny bit of plain tasting oil (like Canola or Rice Bran) and plop them on a medium heated grill, cut side down.   While my yummy peaches are sizzling, I mix some balsamic vinegar with brown sugar (2 parts vinegar to 1 part sugar) and heat up gently on the stove so the flavors mix and the vinegar becomes syrupy.

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Now comes the good part – put some yummy vanilla ice cream in a bowl, top with the peaches, and drizzle the balsamic glaze over the whole thing.  Easy as can be, elegant, and fabulously delicious.  Enjoy!!