Gadding About at the World Equestrian Events in Tryon

This past weekend my friend Jen and I made a quick trip to the western part of North Carolina to spend one day at the World Equestrian Events in Tryon, NC.  This is the Olympics for Equestrian Events and is held every four years.

We stayed at my place on Chatfield, in Cleveland County and traveled up to Tryon for the day from there.

Notice the Modrian art dish displayed on the end table.  The hostess gift from Jen fits the decor at Chatfield perfectly.  

We passed Forest City on the way to Tryon, and it was a perfect opportunity to enjoy breakfast at Smith's Drugstore.  It is known for its breakfast and for its pimento cheese.  I had to have a liver mush biscuit, and don't knock liver mush until you have tried it. I think of it as poor man's pate'.  Jen even had a grilled pimento cheese sandwich.  We were having a late breakfast or early lunch.

My liver mush biscuit. 

I'm not very knowledgeable about horses and Equestrian Events but I enjoyed the Vaulting immensely.  The horses were beautiful and well trained and the riders performed spectacular acrobatics on top of the moving horses. The video below shows one of the female vaulting contestants.

Me with the Grand Master of Ceremonies. 

In the evening we met friends in Boiling Springs for dinner at the Italian Garden.  Always good to see friends when I'm back in Cleveland County.

We were still having fun as we traveled back home on Sunday.  Lunch at the Green Valley Grill at the O Henry Hotel in Greensboro is never disappointing.  In fact I think I am going to add to my bucket list a night at the O Henry followed by dinner at the Green Valley Grill.  (I'll splurge.  Maybe a gift to myself.)  Or maybe I'll invite a friend.

My toad in a hole: fried egg in toasted brioche with Italian sausage bits and tomato compote on top.   

Checkered cab in front of O Henry Hotel.  It is used to transport guests.  

We packed a lot in during the three day trip.

Christmas Lights in Forest City, NC

Main Street Decorated for Christmas in Forest City, NC

Jen had never heard of Forest City. but when we visited it in our way to Asheville, she fell in love with it.  We had lunch on the way up at Smith's Drug Store that is known for its pimento cheese.  It was fun sitting at the counter, and we each enjoyed a toasted pimento cheese sandwich.

The counter at Smith's Drug Store. 

A lovely mural painted on the wall of one of the buildings. 

After we returned from Asheville, we went back to Forest City from Shelby with a couple of friends in tow just to see the beautiful Christmas lights on Main Street there.

The snowman. 

A decorated door with  reflections of the street lights. 

We ate dinner there.  DeDe had jambalaya.  

Jen waiting on her order. 

Main Street.

Decorated window. 

All the tree trunks are decorated with little white lights.  Beautiful. 

For a small town the Christmas decorations are extraordinary.