Teens Visit the Biltmore-Part Two

Let me begin part two of this series from our visit to the Biltmore last Thanksgiving with … if you’ve never seen a mountain or vista in real life and only in a book, well, there’s no comparison. Your eyes will tell you, the beauty, the magnificence lasts forever!

This is when our visit got real. We stepped out onto the portico and looked through a screen to the North Carolina Mountains beyond. Behold the beauty of the United States of America, this is what our grandfather’s saw and wanted to protect; this is what the Indians had for countless years to themselves. My husband introduced me to our parks out west like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Natural Bridges, Mesa Verde, and the one made famous by Ansel Adams. His grandparents lived out west for a short time and talked about it with him, so much that he wanted to see the places with me! It was an adventure.

Why do I tell you this? Because this place is as grand as the canyon (well, maybe), and its right here down south in beautiful North Carolina.

I wonder what they are imagining? Maybe something great, or that wow the earth is beautiful and natural. Whatever they see it’s planted in their brain like a tree, a seedling from mother earth. I’m glad we made the trek.

It was out on the veranda the girls made a connection and yes, the teen kind. A couple other students, classmates were also here at the Biltmore on this very day! Back in our day one would probably never know that unless we saw them. With their connections they snap-chatted, posted Instagrams, etc. Suddenly the smiles came readily.

Hey mom, you are not so boring after all. Guess what? Our friends are here! This place is cool-so cool that others are visiting too. Phew, glad that happened. It is how they communicate. Wake up world the young are moving faster in many directions and we must impact them just a little before they leave the nest. I know my grandparents were a huge influence on me as were my husbands on his life. We were very fortunate to have had that exposure, that historical exposure that helps us to know we are all the same with individual traits.

Above pictures are the music room with piano, a text check or face time photo, an accordion sconce, a screened vista view from balcony (looks like a tapestry), and lastly the library. The library is exquisite with volumes of books, artistic ceiling paintings, red sofas, paneled walls, and an enormous fireplace, all the while a movable ladder’s in place to help you find a classic novel. I’ll mention George Vanderbilt, who built the place in around 1895, took five years, thousands of workers, had a hospital on the premises, was an art aficionado, avid reader, spoke eight languages, and brought many items over here from Europe. He modeled the place after chateaus from across the ocean. If this is your first time here I’d recommend the audio as you’ll find out facts that maybe you didn’t learn in school. The painting on the ceiling is still regarded as one of the finest, titled Chariots of Fire by Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini from the Pisani Palace in Venice. Facts from the book Biltmore Estate House Gardens Winery 1985, The Biltmore Company. Visit the Biltmore.

A commissioned piece! Can you imagine dressing up with the gown and beautiful hat atop styled hair while a famous painter painted you? I can’t either but just imagine it for a moment. All the attention is on yourself and who couldn’t use a little of that? No chores that day, someone else is minding the children and you’ll have a lovely tea come midday!

Or maybe champagne when you get to see the final eight foot plus completion. Amazing. She’s lovely, Mrs. Edith Vanderbilt, the wife of George Vanderbilt. Where on earth did they get all the money to build this place? Let’s have tea and continue on …

No words are necessary.

Extraordinary details are everywhere. It’s a delight for the eye and you find yourself picking out favorites. The room above with the green drapery, light floor, and fine loveseat is my favorite! It faces the west, is on the corner and light filled. I decided this is where I’d like to stay for the summer. The picture to the right of that, namely the curtain drawn back with a brace to open the window, I believe I could write a poem. And probably I will.

This is my husband Michael who has brought so much to my life. We worked out a majority of our life together and the rowing machine (center photo) is a favorite of mine. I need to do that again. We visited many large mansions in our day along with national parks, east and west coast, and much in between. I wanted to mention here that the drive coming into the Biltmore is like going back 100-200 years. The old growth trees and plantings are unbelievable! I only wish we had more places like this to visit. The third picture is one of my favorite photos I took while there; I found this little sparkling tree off the kitchen. It seemed it was all by itself. The window behind made it a piece of art I’d say. Around this time I lost the teens in the mansion.

Finally, this last photo taken for my personal pleasure seems surreal. For me this signifies what I always thought Paris might look like on the inside. I’ll hold that view as I’ve never been there before. I shall dream. Come back and read part three of Teens Visit the Biltmore. We must find out where they went off to.

Caroline Clemens

Thanks for visiting my blog. Photos by me. Nothing may be reproduced, copied, or reblogged. No sharing. This is a personal account of a trip to the Biltmore which I wish to share with my followers as they have helped me to become better and better at writing, photography and blogging. Thanks to all of you.