Nancy and I lucked out with the best helpers and best food sponsors anyone could ever wish for during the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association Spring Inn Tour this past weekend. We had more than 100 guests, most local but a few from out of state, and couldn’t have accommodated them without help from three great volunteers. Jennifer McGaha, Anita Walling and Cindy Tedesco were so cool, so informative, so organized and so friendly you’d think they do this for a living. They made it possible for us to schmooze and sing the praises of Inn on Main Street and Weaverville.
Speaking of Weaverville, we were very proud that our two food sponsors, Stoney Knob Cafe and Jack of Hearts Pub and Restaurant, showed our visitors that it’s worth the drive out from Asheville to enjoy some world-class eating. Jack of Hearts supplied Reuben sandwiches and mini carrot cupcakes that brought rave reviews. Stoney Knob went over the top, providing about 10 platters of everything from roast pepper hummus to pesto olives to spanakopita to petit fours to prosciutto to mountains of fruit … you get the idea.
Their generous contributions should pay off for Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, which will receive some of the proceeds from the tour.
The payoff for an innkeeper is meeting new people, and learning about what makes us all the same, yet unique. It was fun connecting with so many in one day and finding we had gone to the same school with one, worked in Florida with another, shared pottery interests with a few others, and generally all fell in love with the warmth and comfort of our old house. It was exhausting, but we’d love to do it all again.
Please keep a watch at the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association tour page for next year’s tour dates.