Starting to settle in, but there definitely is an adjustment period. The highlights of Week 2 in Asheville was really my birthday! Celebrating your birthday in a new city is a great idea, when you do it right. I made the mistake of working during my birthday and celebrating during the weekend. It made the day feel extremely lonely because all of my loved ones are so far away.
Everything seemed to be going wrong. We decided not to go on a hike. We did not wake up early enough to get breakfast at the place I finally decided on. The waterpark for Dollywood was closed Friday and that is when we were supposed to go. The closest Starbucks to us does not give out rewards, so I could not get my free drink. In hindsight, all of these “wrongs” were minor and I should not have focused on them so much.
Thursday Day
We landed on going to Geraldine’s bakery to order breakfast sandwiches. The key to exploring new places is to do your research. I ordered a sausage, egg & cheese on a roll and was delighted. Sam ordered bacon, egg & cheese on a bagel and was disappointed. I am a proud bagel & pizza snob. You will not catch me trying these foods outside of the tristate area.
I spent the afternoon working from the park which was relaxing and allowed me to clear my head. Once I logged off of work, I talked to my parents and then Facetimed my sisters. It helped the day feel more special to chat with them. While I was chatting it up with my family, Sam was cooking me up a feast. He cooked for what felt like forever. As requested, he made me Steak, Smashed Potatoes, & Asparagus. Hats off to the chef. It was delicious.
Thursday Night
After dinner, we went into the city of Asheville for dessert (since it would have been wasteful to buy an entire cake). We went to Crave Dessert bar and felt overwhelmed in the best possible way by their menu. They make it easy to be gluttonous. Their menu selection is unique which made us want to try everything. We were originally going to order 3 desserts and each indulge in 1.5, but we decided to eat our first desserts before ordering the third. We could not even finish the first because they were so rich.
I ordered the molten lava cake and Sam ordered the bread pudding. There were “sippable dessert” cocktails that were intriguing, but I felt they could have easily been disgusting. With a glass of red wine to pair with my chocolate, I was in heaven. The bar also had cute decor. My favorite was a painting of a bag of goldfish. Yes, the snack that smiles back.
The adventure continues in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. While I am exploring my own country, I continue to be shocked by how different it feels. People are taking bets as to if we are going to come back. From what I have seen so far, I cannot imagine a life anywhere else.
Challenge
Try to focus on the similarities rather than the differences. I am happy that we do not live in a homogenous society and at our core, we all have the same basic needs.