Birmingham Blues

Dear Husband and I have returned from the anniversary lovefest (Zach, you’re a hoot), and we had a lovely time.  Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes, and kudos to Zach for babysitting the blog and the children with such flair.

I highly recommend our romantic getaway, the Blue Spring Manor near Vincent, Alabama, about 20 miles from Birmingham.  The Manor sits in a lovely setting: a huge lawn with lots of space to wander, a tree-shaded creek, a 200-year-old willow oak, a very attractive swimming pool with hot tub, and porches where you can sit and admire it all.

The Manor started life as a barn on a farm in what is now the pricey Greystone development just outside of Birmingham.  It was renovated for use as a single-family home in the 1980’s and was featured several times in Progressive Farmer.  In 1998, the house was disassembled and moved to its present location.

The current owners kept the wide plank pine floors and stone fireplace, and they added family furniture and pictures that make for elegant and comfortable accommodations.  We stayed in the Dillingham suite on the third floor, which gave us a nice view of the property.

And did I mention the food is exquisite?  We arrived yesterday in time for a picnic lunch on the grounds.  There was a nice breeze blowing, and we took our basket out under the trees.  Last night’s dinner started with a salad, but it wasn’t your ordinary salad; it included Granny Smith apples, goat cheese, white cheddar, crispy onions, and a hot mustard dressing.  It was followed by a perfectly grilled filet with a sauce of balsamic vinaigrette and red wine, mashed potatoes, and a zucchini-corn combination seasoned with fresh herbs.  Dessert was rustic blueberry pie, which was actually a pastry that literally fell apart when we cut it.  And, of course, there was breakfast, that began with a brandied pear and gorgonzola cheese.  The main course was an outstanding version of the usual country breakfast.

The owners were also celebrating their anniversary yesterday (38 years for them), and there was another couple there who got married yesterday.  I guess March 31 is a good day for weddings, and it seems to be good for marriages as well.

Hospitality, good food, comfortable surroundings, and no kids for a day — it was perfect! 

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 1st, 2007 at 4:01 pm and is filed under Suburban Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.