We stayed at a hotel tucked just outside of town. Sunday morning, or if I’m being honest, more like Sunday at noon or Sunday slightly after noon, found us circling the streets of downtown Asheville in search of a parking spot. As we passed by, the scene outside Tupelo Honey Cafe felt like a movie about someone’s charmed life. It was a beautiful sunny day. Happy and beautiful couples sat at little tables outside, shaded by an awning and enjoying a view of the park across the street. Families were out walking their dogs and retired couples were popping in and out of nearby art galleries.

Once we found a parking spot, we decided that today this was going to be our charmed life too. We stepped into Tupelo Honey and were greeted with the pleasant sound of dishes clinking and the hum conversation. No surprise, there was about a 20 minute wait for a table. But no worries. They have free self-serve coffee while you wait. Brilliant idea.

We were shown to a table in the very front of the restaurant with a view out the front window, overlooking all the happy and beautiful couples seated at little tables outside. We didn’t get a patio table, but we got the next best thing.

Most of the time, I try to surreptitiously shoot photographs, taking a quick picture or two and then putting the camera down at my side, before I make people too nervous. Nate’s dad does not have those same inhibitions. We handed over the camera and he took his time looking for the perfect shot. He took long enough for our cheeks to ache from trying to hold a smile. And to have a little conversion and giggle about how next time maybe we should hand the camera to his mother. And for the the tables around us to start looking from him to us and back again. But all kidding aside, I’m certainly glad to have the photo.

He also tried going outside and shooting through the window. He said that it was no good and there were too many reflections, but I kind of like this one.

Speaking of having photo mementos…. Due to our table location, we could see this lovely couple just outside the window. I was trying my hardest to ignore the urge to take photos of them. I tend to be rather shy about this. I don’t like to make people feel uncomfortable about some stranger with a camera. We noticed that they were busy passing their own little camera back and fourth, taking smiling photos of each other. “Should we offer to take their picture?” Nate whispers in my ear. “I was thinking the same thing,” I whisper back “but I don’t want to draw more attention to our selves.” Especially after our little photo session with Nate’s dad. But then, we saw them trying the classic one-arm-held-out-self-portrait. That’s when Nate popped up, stepped out onto the patio and offered to take a few photos. In the picture below, Nate is off-camera to the left taking a photo with their little point & shoot camera.

Aren’t they cute? I probably should have given them a business card or something so I could give them these photos.

About this time our waitress arrived with fluffy, beautiful, delicious scratch-made biscuit, followed shortly by our meals. Can you tell I love biscuits? I could eat them for dessert. Wait, I have eaten them as dessert…

Yum!

Honey Pecan Chicken:

Eggs Betty: