Connecticut attorneys left the fast track for Asheville, NC and
entered the elegant world of bed and breakfast inns.
Stamford, Connecticut attorneys Cathy and Larry Sklar were
seeking a change when they discovered the world of Asheville,
North Carolina and embarked on a new journey as the owners of a bed and breakfast inn. Larry, counsel to
a Fortune 500 company, had visited the city on business and
returned with his wife to vacation there. He and Cathy, who
specialized in trust and estate law, hoped to find more satisfaction
from their careers by relocating.
"Larry loved Asheville. He was ready to move," says Cathy
about their first visit in 1997. They thought of staying in
a hotel, but "a friend recommended a B&B instead of a hotel
as a way to meet people and get feedback about the area." They
booked a room at the Albemarle Inn and started interviewing
for legal jobs. But after meeting their hosts, a couple who
had taken early retirement from IBM, they began to rethink
their goals. "Seeing people our age with similar backgrounds,
doing something that seemed a whole lot more fun, was inspiring," says
Cathy.
Husband and wife searched Asheville, NC bed and breakfasts
to find the perfect property.
Cathy and Larry returned a few months later with the idea
of buying an Asheville inn. They stayed five nights at a different
B&B each night, then met with a realtor who specialized in Asheville
bed and breakfast properties. When they learned that the Albemarle
Inn was for sale, they quickly made the decision to buy it.
Couple finds a perfect match between their interests
and responsibilities at Albemarle Inn.
"My job is to make people feel comfortable and relaxed," says
Cathy Sklar. Despite the long hours, her variety-filled days
among her guests or in the kitchen fit her inclinations effortlessly.
Compared to the stressful environment of dealing with clients,
the IRS, and opposing attorneys, she says, "Innkeeping doesn't
feel like work."
For Larry, who loves outdoor work and spends most of his time in the garden
and grounds, "this is a very satisfying way to live." He dug and planted
the English garden that Cathy designed and ensures that the expansive, park-like
property is meticulously maintained. Larry assessed his values carefully
before exchanging the corporate environment for the more natural one of an
Asheville bed and breakfast, and now he does what he likes best every day. "It
feels like an endless weekend." |
