V is for Vanderbilt

This evening finds us on the enormous 8,000 acre Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.  Built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt, this 250 room chateau is the largest home in America.  We are staying at the elegant Inn on Biltmore Estate for the next two nights, and this image is a velvet pillow on our lavish king size bed, emblazoned with the Vanderbilt V!

We drove to Asheville from Virginia International Raceway down the Blue Ridge Parkway -- a really scenic drive through stunning mountain scenery complete with beautiful Fall foliage (see extra).  We arrived 8 1/2 hours later, and are now quite weary!  We are looking forward to an extravagant dinner in the elegant dining room here, and then a good long sleep before tomorrow's tour of (most of) the 250 room mansion and 2.5 miles of gardens designed by the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead.