Elegance for a Day

Now that we are finally unpacked, cleaned, and organized (and I've adequately played with my little hamster), I can spend some more time telling you about the beautiful Biltmore Manor in Asheville, North Carolina. For the few hours that we were inside touring the house, I nearly forgot that we were in America, because the architecture and mere size of the place reminded me of palaces I've visited in Europe. Let's just say I was greatly pleased to discover a place of this magnitude and beauty right here in my country. I was also glad that we visited this place after one of our few showers. I don't think the "country-club" crowd that frequented Biltmore would've been as forgiving of our smell as our usual camping crowd.

First, some history: George Washington Vanderbilt inherited his immense wealth from his father (who was in the railroad business, I believe). When he built the mansion, which was completed in 1898, he was still a bachelor, but, naturally, once he had that epic house, he quickly became the bachelor of the year. He did marry a fashionable young woman named Edith, and despite what you may think, they were madly in love. In one of their lounges hangs this striking portrait of her. We learned that in the course of a day, she would have changed outfits six to eight times, depending on how many meals and teas she attended and how many times she wished to wander her gardens or ride her horse. I can't even imagine owning that many outfits. I'm indecisive enough about my clothes!

George and Edith had one daughter, Cornelia, who was the one who eventually opened the house to the public (partly to earn money during the Depression and partly as a way to preserve her father's greatest work). These three were the people who owned the house, but there were about fifty other people who lived with them, mostly servants and their families. If I had to be a servant for anyone, I think I would choose this family. They seemed very understanding and down-to-earth. Each Christmas, the Vanderbilt's gave all the servants' children presents. Those same children were Cornelia's main playmates. They obviously did not segregate themselves.

Tragically, after fifteen years of happy marriage, George died from a failed appendectomy. Edith was crushed. She was now left to run this huge home all by herself, and money was becoming tight (relatively so, I suppose). Because she didn't want to see any of her servants lose their jobs and be without homes, she sold off a huge portion of her 8,000-acre land. This land became part of a National Forest.

Anyway, enough of the people. Here are some of my favorite places:

- Conservatory. This room was located near the front entrance and ensured that the family always had greenery and life, even during the winter months. The ceiling in this room was remarkable.

This image is from a postcard

- Library. George Vanderbilt was a very well-read man, as evidenced by his collection of 23,000 books. This library houses 10,000 of them; the others are scattered throughout the house in elegant bookshelves. There are so many features in this room that make me smile: the massive fireplace (a full-grown person can stand up inside it), the books, the intricate rod-iron banisters, the two floors, the spiral staircase. But the best feature is actually hidden behind that tapestry. The walkway continues behind the artwork, so that people can get to the other side of the room, which has more books. Also behind the tapestry is a "secret" stairway that goes directly to George's bedroom. That way, he could get to the library quickly and without bothering anyone. Even if I never get a library like this, I think I'd still like to have a secret way to access it ;)

-The bowling alley in the basement. On the other side of the back wall is the chef's bedroom. If guests stayed up late to bowl, their constant noise would keep the chef awake. The next morning, they could expect a poor breakfast.

- The expansive gardens. The man who designed all the landscaping was Frederick Law Olmsted, the same man who designed Central Park in New York City. Doesn't this peaceful place call for a spot of tea? Perhaps chai?

Well, I hope I intrigued you rather than bored you. These are but a few of the things we saw at Biltmore, and I really would encourage you to visit yourself. And if you go, be sure to get the cashew chicken salad sandwich on a croissant roll and the "special recipe" vanilla ice cream. Sometimes I wish I could keep tastes on my taste buds forever :)