The Lovely Princess Gwen and I did a little time traveling recently and dined at the LAKE LURE INN. Admit it, you’ve been driving past the place for years, admiring its timeless beauty and then continuing on in your search of a meal. But trust me, the place holds so many wonderful antiques and photos of yesteryear, the next time those relatives you’re not nuts about come visit you can take them there and tell them it’s The Biltmore. You’ll save yourself a couple hundred bucks and a few gallons of gas. In fact, the establishment’s lobby and the lovely bar have so much early Twentieth Century memorabilia I half expected my mother to make an appearance. But she would be one-hundred-seven next January, so I didn’t hold out hope.
The Princess and I enjoyed our customary cocktail and an excellent Ahi tuna appetizer, and as I perused the quite traditional menu I began reflecting that the LAKE LURE INN might be a nice place to take one’s Mom for Mothers Day. Then my jaw dropped when a slight lady wearing a bright red shawl and a pair of matching eyeglasses entered and gave me a somewhat reproachful glance. Not much later, our meals having arrived, I caught the faintest whiff of Estee Lauder’s White Linen and immediately sat up straighter and stopped playing with my broccoli.
I noticed Princess Gwen was somewhat quiet – she rolled her eyes but didn’t comment on my broccoli hijinks – and I wondered if she too was possibly remembering her mother. You may have seen an amusing commercial running on television these days in which a gentleman schools a group of young folks on how to avoid becoming their parents. My point is, The Princess has almost completed becoming her mother – she says “please” and “thank you” to Alexa, just as I’m sure her mother would, were she around today. So, Gwen has just about realized her maternal transition which is fortunate, because her mother was once voted “the nicest person on Earth”. I don’t remember who was voting, but I’ve never disputed the tally.
The LAKE LURE INN has a variety of lovely dining areas including the Veranda Restaurant and the Moose and Goose Lounge, and I’m told their regular Sunday brunch is very nice as well as a number of special events they hold each season. They’re located at 2771 Memorial Highway and reservations can be made at (828) 625-2525.
Gwen and I enjoyed our pasta entrees and over-tipped a very capable and pleasant young server named Jeremy. Then, walking out of the inn, I stood looking across the hi-way at the lovely Lake Lure beach and remembered my sister, my mother and I on a vacation in Wisconsin. It was a wonderful summer many years ago, and I wanted to go back inside to see if I could trigger another memory or two. You oughta try it.
When not eating, k.c. Friese wrote for a number of television shows and authored the novel STATE OF DISARRAY, which is available via Amazon. Got a suggestion for a restaurant review? E-mail editor@mountainbreeze.online.
