When it comes to the holiday season, it just isn’t Thanksgiving without mooching. This year, my co-fellow graciously invited those of us here to join her family for dinner. The full spread included all the traditional dishes – roasted free-range fresh turkey, country-cured baked ham, roasted yams with marshmallows, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy – as well as other goodies like roasted brussels sprouts and braised kale. Melody landed just in time to join us for pumpkin and strawberry-rhubarb pies a la mode for dessert. We began driving early on Friday for lackluster Black Friday deals in Mebane before reaching Asheville for lunch at Corner Kitchen. Using my friend’s season tickets, we managed to pass ourselves off as a Bosnian couple to explore the Biltmore Estate. George Vanderbilt’s magnificent mansion was reminiscent of a small-scale European palace. The complex network of servant’s quarters, food preparation rooms, private bowling alley and swimming pool, as well as seemingly endless rows of guest rooms, gave hints to the luxurious lifestyle of the railroad magnate’s family. We finished touring the house and gardens just in time to check in at the North Lodge bed & breakfast, followed by dinner at The Admiral. Here, tasty Kumomoto oysters and PEI mussels were followed by richly-braised short ribs and delicate sea scallops with grits cooked to tender perfection. We spent the evening perusing the eclectic shops of downtown Asheville. The cold drove us to stand in line at the French Broad chocolate lounge for heavenly hot chocolates, liquid truffles, and other artisan delectables while enjoying live music from a local band. After basking in silky sheets in our cozy library room, we awoke to breakfast with a table of retired medical folks discussing how to deal with their ex’s. Feeling out of place, we excused ourselves and returned to town for tapas at Curate. Sitting at the bar gave us front row seats to our dishes being prepared – fried eggplant with honey, salt cod and potato puree, squid noodle paella, and braised oxtail – a gourmet experience that steered clear of the standard gambas & patatas bravas. We shopped around for rat-shaped ornaments before dinner at Table. The satisfying meal kept our bellies warm for the drive back. Despite getting home late, we pushed bedtime back to make further progress in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. On Sunday, we awoke at brunch time for French bistro food at Vin Rouge while getting the oil changed for the car. We had little time for anything else before picking up some locopops on the way to the airport. Having done so much over these three days actually made Melody’s visit feel especially short this time. I think we’ll have to plan less when I fly to Sacramento this Christmas.