My girlfriends and I deserve a record for how much we packed into 24 hours in Asheville while still staying totally relaxed and in vacation mode. We ate, drank, shopped, yogaed and talked non-stop. Side note, I think I need a second residence in Asheville. I would be up there all the time to eat, hike and yoga! This post will be a quick photo-filled look at highlights of the trip. I’m going to write separate posts about my shopping finds and two AMAZING meals that we had at restaurants I had never tried before.

I got up Saturday morning, went for a quick 3 mile run and then got showered and packed to head to Asheville. We were on the road a little after 10.

We stopped into a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar store in Biltmore Village. The (very, very wise) saleswoman asked if we liked ice cream. The next thing that we knew she brought us small cups of ice cream and instructed us to try the different balsamics with the ice cream. OMG. SO GOOD! A drizzle of aged balsamic will now be a go-to ice cream topping for me. We all ended up going home with a selection of oils and vinegars. I got a fig balsamic and a white truffle olive oil. Lately, I have been using really good olive oil and aged balsamic as salad dressings and finishings for dinners and it makes all the difference in the world. So worth the splurge for the return you get in flavor.

Hello mountains…you make me so happy! The weather was lovely. A little overcast but not too cold.

There is an awesome shoe store in downtown Asheville and we spent a solid hour and a half there. During this time I went back and forth on these shoes until Instagram finally convinced me to go for it and that I could pull them off. These Tom’s wedges are crazy comfy. I can’t wait to wear them with tights and a sweater dress.

More shopping damage. We bought matching Tom’s wedges and dresses! 🙂

Post-shopping cheese plate and cocktails.

All dressed up for dinner out.

Brussels sprouts cooked with bacon and topped with manchego cheese. We immediately ordered a second round of these after taking one bite.

Post-yoga homemade (warm) vegan cinnamon roll at brunch. (Split four ways!!!)

And a stop by French Broad Chocolate Lounge to bring a couple slices of the carrot cake that I dream about regularly home with me.

Love these girls and our fun travels! We’ve got Mexico and NYC coming up in 2014!!! 😛

Read about some of our other girl’s weekends here:
Chicago Part One, Chicago Part Two
Asheville 2012 Part One, Asheville 2012 Part Two, Asheville 2012 Part Three