Lexington BBQ

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Our friends picked us up, and we headed to Lexington BBQ. When we arrived, it wasn’t too busy, but that changed quickly. Before long, the place had filled up.

I often think barbecue is underrated. Too often, we equate it with backyard grilling, but real barbecue is an art. It is meat smoked low and slow, and there is nothing better than really good barbecue.

North Carolina takes barbecue very seriously. While Texas focuses more on beef and dry rubs, pork and vinegar-based sauces take center stage in North Carolina. Even within the state, there are regional differences. Lexington-style barbecue, also known as Piedmont or Western-style barbecue, usually adds a little tomato to the vinegar-based sauce.

When it comes to barbecue, the sides are almost as important as the meat. At Lexington BBQ, they offer free refills on the hush puppies. Everything was delicious, and the hush puppies were the best I had ever had.

After lunch, we walked around downtown Lexington. We got a kick out of the artistically decorated pigs scattered throughout the city. We also stopped in a Southern grocery store that felt like a step back in time. They had old-school candy, including Bit-O-Honey, which I hadn’t seen since I was a kid. They also had refrigerators full of pimento cheese, which felt very appropriate for where we were.

Did I mention I love pimento cheese?

That night, we went back to Blue Denim. I ordered the same dish I had before, and it was just as good as I remembered.

Lexington Pigs

Lexington Pigs

Pimento Cheese

Hush Puppies

Mother Strong Tail

Sunday, May 17, 2026

How time flies. It was already the last day of our trip.

Since we were flying out of Raleigh-Durham the following morning, we decided to spend the day in Raleigh and stay near the airport that night.

After packing everything up and loading the car, we met our friends at Scrambled Southern Diner. We had eaten there before, and it was every bit as good as I remembered. I had the traditional eggs Benedict and loved it, while Sophon went with biscuits and gravy.

From there, we drove to the Fairfield Inn near RDU, where the girls met us before we all headed over to Dorothea Dix Park to see the giant wooden sculptures known as the Trolls. These larger-than-life figures are mythical guardians of the forest and were created from reclaimed materials, including pallets, fallen branches and old shipping materials. I loved the idea that things that might otherwise have been discarded could be transformed into art.

I enjoyed walking through the park and finding the different trolls, but I have to admit, I am not used to the humidity. It was hot and sticky, and I struggled with it more than I expected.

After seeing the trolls, we headed over to Sam Jones BBQ for one more taste of North Carolina barbecue. In my opinion, you can never have too much BBQ!

Daddy Bird Eye

Dux

Dax

Dix

Friday, May 15, 2026

We checked out of our hotel and headed to Corner Kitchen for brunch. We had eaten there the other night and wanted to go back to try their brunch menu. Despite it being a weekday, we weren’t the only ones waiting for the restaurant to open.

They seated us upstairs, and after we ordered, I noticed that the table next to us had little brass plaques on the corners. I read the one closest to me, and it said “Michelle Obama, April 24, 2010.” Needless to say, the other plaque had Barack Obama’s name on it.

Brunch was awesome. We started with deviled eggs, I had the chicken sandwich, and Sophon had shrimp and grits. If I didn’t have to drive back to Greensboro, I would have ordered a Bloody Mary.

Before leaving Asheville, I wanted to make one final stop. Our GuideAlong app had highly recommended the Folk Art Center. Normally, this isn’t the kind of stop I would go out of my way for, but the app made it sound worthwhile. I am glad we stopped. There were definitely a few things I wanted to buy, but I kept reminding myself that I am supposed to be getting rid of stuff, not accumulating more of it.

Afterward, we headed back to Greensboro. It was about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. We arrived at our hotel around 2:00, but our room wasn’t ready yet, so we drove around the area for a bit. I also stopped at Costco to fill up the gas tank.

That night, we met up with the girls and went to a restaurant called Machete. We had been there before and really liked it, so I was happy to go back. I was surprised to see a blue cheese-infused gin cocktail on the menu, and even more surprised by how good it was.

It was a great evening with wonderful company. We had a golden beet salad, trout, a charcuterie board, and ribs. Everything was very good — just as good as I remembered it.

Charcuterie board at Machete

Folk Art Center

The Obama Table

Shrimp and Grits at Corner Kitchen

Ribs at Machete

Chicken Sandwich at Corner Kitchen

May 14th, 2026

After visiting the arboretum, we drove south on the Blue Ridge Parkway and once again, it was extremely enjoyable. There is something about that drive that makes you want to keep pulling over, slowing down, and taking it all in.

Eventually, we made our way to Brevard and stopped at Pisgah Bakehouse for a late lunch. It is an artisan bakery known for its gourmet pizzas and breads, and it turned out to be another great meal on a trip that had been full of them.

I wasn’t expecting a bakehouse in a small, rural town to have such good pizza and bread, but they absolutely did.

Thursday, May 14, 2026

We had considered taking the hop-on, hop-off Gray Line Trolley Tour in Asheville, but decided against it. Those tours can be a great way to get an overview of a city, but Asheville isn’t exactly huge, and we felt like we had already seen enough of it on our own.

Instead, we planned a morning at the North Carolina Arboretum, with a quick detour into Pisgah National Forest to see Looking Glass Falls. But first, breakfast.

We stopped at a place called Flour, known for its Southern biscuits. As I enjoyed every single bite of my breakfast biscuit sandwich, I found myself wondering: if I lived here, would I ever get tired of Southern food? Could I resist places like this — and Hot Fish — a few times a week? More importantly, how much weight would I gain?

After breakfast, we headed toward Pisgah National Forest. Looking Glass Falls was an easy stop, and we spent about half an hour there taking pictures and enjoying the scenery before continuing on to the North Carolina Arboretum.

We arrived around 9:00 AM, which meant the grounds were open, but the visitor center and gift shops were not. It was a chilly, somewhat windy morning as we started wandering through the gardens. At one point, a woman with a large dog stopped to chat with us and casually mentioned that she had just seen a bear behind the education center. I wasn’t sure if she was warning us or simply making conversation.

After checking out the bonsai exhibit and exploring a few of the trails, we decided to follow a loop that would eventually bring us back to the visitor center. We were enjoying the quiet of the trail when I noticed movement up ahead. At first, I thought they were dogs. There were plenty of people walking dogs that morning, so it seemed reasonable — until those “dogs” ran up a tree.

Then I saw it: a massive black bear paw and arm on the ground below them.

We stopped dead in our tracks. Our hearts were pounding, and we both immediately started backing away. It was clear the cubs had seen us, which is why they scrambled up the tree, but the mother bear didn’t seem to be paying much attention to us. That was fine with me. I had no interest in becoming one of those tourists who puts himself in danger for an Instagram photo.

Once we were far enough back, I snapped a couple of quick photos and watched as the cubs came down from the tree before all of them disappeared into the woods.

After making it safely back to the visitor center, we checked out the gift shop and bought a magnet with a bear on it to commemorate our unexpected wildlife encounter at the North Carolina Arboretum.

If I am ever in the Asheville area again, the arboretum would absolutely be a must-do stop for me.

Thursday, May 13, 2026

In the morning, I got caught up on a few work-related items and then went to Good Hot Fish, an acclaimed local restaurant, where I had boiled peanuts as one of my sides. I had seen boiled peanuts at a few stops and had heard they were a regional specialty. As an avid fan of peanut butter, I figured I was either going to love them or despise them.

I loved the flavor, but getting the soft peanut out of the soggy shell was nothing short of a huge mess. I knew I was doing something wrong. They sell these at convenience stores and gas stations, and I certainly wouldn’t try eating them in my car. I wish I had watched a few YouTube videos first on how to eat them without looking like a Yankee.

After lunch, we decided to see the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile national parkway stretching along the Blue Ridge Mountains through North Carolina and Virginia.

We started at the visitor center and asked whether we should go north or south. We were told we would see more by going north. The ranger highlighted sections of the parkway that were closed due to Hurricane Helene, and then handed us the map and sent us on our way!  We went back to the car and turned on our GuideAlong app and headed out.

It was another beautiful day, and we enjoyed listening to the tour while driving along and occasionally stopping to enjoy the views which were stunning!   Although it was mid-may, it was still early spring in the mountains and the Rhododendrons weren’t in bloom yet.  I cannot imgine what it would be like in a another few weeks.

It was only a couple of years ago that I made it a point to start visiting our national parks and forests. Whoever thought of creating a national parkway along the southern Appalachian Mountains was ingenious. I have yet to visit a national park or forest and feel underwhelmed. It is nice knowing these places will be preserved and enjoyed for years to come.

(Really) Good Hot Fish

Boiled Peanuts and Potato Salad

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

After driving through McDonald’s for our morning coffee, we spent the day sightseeing with a GuideAlong driving tour through the Smoky Mountains, eventually making our way into Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

The tour started in Cherokee, North Carolina, about an hour from our hotel and near the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It felt like we saw everything that day: beautiful overlooks, waterfalls, deer, elk, and bears. What more can you ask for on a tour?

The Smoky Mountains were beautiful. Although there were some clouds, the weather cooperated. We hiked up to the highest summit and went to the top of the lookout tower. The GuideAlong tour guide said that on a clear day, you can see seven different states: Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. I’m not sure how many we could actually see, but the views were impressive.

On the other side of the national park are Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where we stopped for lunch. The only thing I really knew about Pigeon Forge was that it was home to Dollywood.

After driving through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, I found myself trying to figure out how to describe the neighboring cities. I still struggle with that. Both are tourist destinations with plenty of shopping, neon signs, restaurants, and attractions. I found myself thinking it was a little like Niagara Falls without the falls, or Las Vegas without the gambling. Gatlinburg seemed a little nicer.

After lunch, we headed back into the national park.

On the way back, we turned off to visit Cades Cove. It is a flat area within the mountains and was once the site of a settlement. We followed the loop road through the cove and saw seven bears, a few deer, elk, and wild turkeys. Unfortunately, photographing wildlife is always a challenge, especially when you are at a distance. My pictures of the bears mostly look like balls of fur in the grass.

Unfortunately, we were there later in the day, and Cades Cove is a very popular part of the park. It took hours to get around the relatively short loop. People on bicycles were moving faster than the cars.

After Cades Cove, we headed back to Cherokee and then returned to our hotel. That night, we had dinner at the Corner Kitchen, which specialized in Southern cuisine. It was delicious.

Sunday, May 10, 2026

Luminer was fun and entertaining.  Overall, I enjoyed it overall, but I would hardly call it a must-see. The advertisements I saw on Facebook and Instagram made it look a lot more impressive than it actually was.

As we parked and started walking toward the main house, an older couple began chatting with us. In North Carolina, that is not unusual. People are friendly and chatty. At any rate, I got a big chuckle when the woman asked, “Where are you from?” When I said, “Los Angeles,” she didn’t miss a beat and replied, “I’m sure you don’t want to go back!” I found myself thinking that she was more right than wrong.

The event started at the main house, where we sat on the lawn waiting for the show to begin. They projected a film about the history of the estate onto the front of the house. It lasted about half an hour and was very interesting.

After that, we walked through the main garden and the conservatory, which were both lit up for the event. Some parts were cool and entertaining, while other parts were just okay. Overall, I am glad I went and saw it. Would I go back and see it again? Probably not. And that is why I said upfront that I didn’t want to oversell it.

Sunday, May 10, 2026

We had booked the Lumière package at one of the hotels on the Biltmore Estate. Although I had read all of the emails carefully, I still found myself confused about whether we were allowed to access the estate before checking in, and whether we could stay on the estate after checking out.

As we approached the main gate, there were signs saying that we had to have tickets before entering. We stopped at the visitor center, only to be told that we simply needed to tell the guy at the main gate that we were staying at the hotel, and he would give us our pass. Yes, we could access the estate before and after our official check-in and check-out times. However, if we wanted to return on other days, we would have to pay the regular entrance fees.

We found our hotel, checked in, and then immediately headed out to explore. I asked the front desk agent about the trolleys, and she explained that we could either take the trolley or drive ourselves. The main difference was that with the trolley, we would have to wait for the next one. With driving, we could go where we wanted, when we wanted, but we would probably end up doing more walking.

After dropping our things off in the room, we headed out. We did a complete loop around the estate and then circled back to park near the main house and adjacent gardens. We would tour the inside of the house the following day.

Before visiting the Biltmore, I had done some research. It was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II during the Gilded Age in the late 1800s. The main house has more than 250 rooms and originally sat on 125,000 acres of land. George had inherited his money from the Vanderbilt family fortune, much of which came from railroads and shipping.

It must have taken an army of people to build the place. Frederick Law Olmsted, the same man who designed Central Park in New York City, was brought in to landscape the grounds. Once it was built, the number of staff required to maintain the property must have been extensive.

Yet unlike Hearst Castle, which was donated to the state of California, the Biltmore House remains privately owned by the descendants of George Vanderbilt. It was, and still is, the largest privately owned home in the United States.

As hard as I tried to imagine that sort of wealth and what life must have been like living there, I couldn’t.