Category Archives: Asheville Live

Image by Peachy Tex via Flickr

In a list of Top 10 Best Green Restaurants in the country, Asheville’s very own Tupelo Honey Cafe rounded out the list. The combination of food with flair and using Farm to Table local ingredients made Tupelo Honey Cafe a favorite with the Treehugger.com crowd.

Tupelo Honey Cafein downtown Asheville, North Carolina, offers a fresh take on Southern cuisine. The restaurant also sells a cookbook that benefits Manna FoodBank and the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.

“Wonderful service, too,” adds readers Stephanie Sanders-Cunningham.

Tupelo Honey Cafe has two locations, the downtown location on Prichard Park at 12 College Street offers great people watching. The new location at 1829 Hendersonville Road is a newly built location designed with the same charm- decorated with screen doors and hanging windows.

The food is delicious and creative, a wonderful place to bring out of town guests. I recently had my best friend in from the Outer Banks. I knew I had to take her somewhere great, because she and her husband own the Kill Devil Grill in the Outer Banks. Her husband is the fabulous chef who is constantly on the look out for new variations on Southern favorites. Their food is over the top scrumptious and well priced.

Problems? There were plenty. First- What to order? She finally narrowed it down to 5 dishes, filling her side of the table and mind with dishes, like a Chinese restaurant where you share meals. She moved from bites of the heavenly biscuits with blueberry jam to salad to cornbread to chicken to grilled cheese sandwich, delighted with each dish. The second problem was what to finish and what to bring home. We had plenty of left-overs for the rest of the week.

I’ve tried both locations, each quite a few times, and my favorite is the downtown location. When a friend told me he had tried the new location and didn’t think the food tasted the same, I didn’t believe him. But after numerous comparisons, I have to say it’s true. The food is just a little bit better at the College Street location. Maybe, as my friend theorized, it’s the age of the grill. But what the new location has is more tables and the friendliest staff in all of Asheville. Try both and see what you think.

Image by anoldent via Flickr

After Hours Cabaret at the Diana Wortham

The benefit for ArtSpace Charter School in Swannanoa has something for everyone. The evening’s entertainment includes Grammy Award winning folk musicians All Petteway and Amy White, West African drumming and dancing by BoomChix, and the Swayback Sisters, Asheville’s own all female singing groups.

Kate Steinbeck and David Novak bring flute and storytelling. Claire Dima heats up the stage with bellydancing. Tongue and Groove brings jazz styling and folk music.

Improv. fans will enjoy comedy with Mondy Carter and Karen Stobbe. Mark Guest will delight with jazz guitar. Americana folk is performed by the Porch Dragons.

The benefit for ArtSpace, a charter school in Swannanoa focusing on integrating the arts with every subject, will have a cash bar with a selection of wines from the Wine Studio. Local breweries are donating beer.

In addition to fine entertainment, peruse the many items available at the Silent Auction, and maybe place a bid.  

ArtSpace Charter School is a tuition-free public school offering a creative, arts-integrated approach to a complete education.

The school offers a complete education through integrated curricula based on the visual and performing arts, utilizing an experiential approach. We believe in a family oriented, cooperative approach to education that encourages parental involvement and community relationships to nurture responsive citizenship.

Doors open at 6:00 PM on February 18. Performances begin at 7:00 PM.

Ticket prices are $20, and include food.   

Contact ArtSpace Charter School: (828) 298-2787 or Diana Wortham Theatre: (828) 257-4350

Location

Diana Wortham Theatre
2 S. Pack Square
Asheville , NC 28801

Image via Wikipedia

When skiers head for the slopes and kids grab their sleds, I head up the mountain to Shoji Retreat, just off the intersection of I-40, 240, and 74-A. Warning, if you’re not comfortable driving in snow- it’s steep, narrow, and winding on the way up! But the views, the relaxation, the indulgence of it all. Bliss!

We recently went during a light, wet snow, which later turned to rain. Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly and given Japanese style cotton robes, slip on sandals, and towels. We brought our own, pro-bottled mimosas, and the front desk wrapped it in plastic wrap with a towel, and presented it with a tray with plastic champagne flutes. After a quick shower, we spent an hour indulging in a clean, bubbling hot tub with view of the mountains. It felt fabulous to have the cold snow on our heads, with the steam rising from the hot tub.

The hot tub was enclosed on 3 sides, and open to a view of the endless mountains of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was like being in a snow globe. After an hour, they rang a discreet bell to let us know it was time for our massages.

Our masseuses greeted us and led us to an upstairs room with a fireplace. They gave us a few minutes to get settled, then we basked in an hour of Swedish massage and a facial. The head to toe massage was the perfect balm to the wintery weather and the fact that just that morning, I had turned 40. I honestly didn’t mind with the music, the darkened room, and the talented masseuse.

As with all good things, it did come to an end, and we laid there for a few minutes, not speaking, willing the feeling to last all day.

Shoji Retreat offers upscale accommodations, discounts for locals, and Valentine Specials good for the entire month of February.

Image by pumpkincat210 via Flickr

February 12th is the 5th Flip Flop Hop, a lighthearted and fun evening to benefit the Western North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance. All proceeds will go to the fund that provides scholarships for summer camps, support for families, monthly parent meetings, and the annual family picnic.

100% of the funds from this event will be used to benefit individuals/families within WNC.

Asheville favorite The Caribbean Cowboys Band will provide tropical vibes including reggae, island, Buffet, blues, and boogie.

The $50 cover charge includes silent and live auction with items in a variety of price points, 2 drink tickets, and catering by Marta’s Catering from The Venue.

Doors open @ 7:00. 

To purchase tickets, visit http://www.flipflophop.com/

Thank you Western North Carolina
The Western North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance would like to thank all of the event sponsors, volunteers and the WNC Community for their support of “Asheville’s only Tropical Gala – The Flip Flop Hop” which has been a successful event since 2006! (Check back often to see our auction items and visit our Facebook pagefor additional upates.)

Fodor’s is telling the world what Asheville residents and visitors already know- it’s among the world’s top travel destinations. Out of 21 destinations in Fodor’s “Where We’re Going in 2011” Asheville is number 1, with 16 of the 21 places to visit outside of the US.  

Fodor’s recognizes the plethora of choices, from natural beauty to micro-breweries, that make this small city among the most enjoyable in the world.

With a compact downtown, everything is within walking distance, with dressed up Art Deco buildings and casual, bohemian eateries. Nature lovers will appreciate the nearby trails, including the Mountains to the Sea Trail and the Appalachian Trail, which is just north of the city.

Why Go Now:Get a taste of Asheville while it still feels local and before it goes global. On the edge of the alluring Smoky Mountains, the food and drink scene of the recently dubbed “Beer City USA” is the perfect compliment to the scenery. You’ll find over 30 galleries and 20 music venues devoted to everything from folk pieces to modern mash-ups.

Best ways to see the sights

Asheville Food Tours- join a walking tour of either downtown Asheville or Biltmore Village, eating and drinking at 6 restaurants. Sample food and local culture.

La Zoom Comedy Tours- the big, purple bus is operated by a husband and wife comedian team. The tour is heavy on laughs with local tidbits thrown in for fun.

Trolley Tour- hop off and on the trolley tour, either the historic white ones, or the Gray Lines red trolleys, with informative guides and a tour at your own pace.

Segway Tours- whiz passed other tourists on this guided, eco-friendly Segway tour, departing from the Asheville Visitor Center.