My Asheville 2008 by Stacey

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

living in the mountains

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Local festivals Famous authors Secret shopping places Be a tourist WNC map Best views Antiques & auctions Places to eat Beer Spas Famous locals Landmarks Hiking & whitewater

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WHOM TO CONTACT Virgil L. Smith, Chairman 232-5934 Randy Hammer, Publisher 232-5933 Jackie S. Stenseth, Controller 232-5858 Gayle J. Smith, Advertising Director 232-5886 Tim A. Alexander, Circulation Director 232-5929 James P. Burns, Production Director 667-4093 Stacey Z. Wasielewski, IT Director 232-5887 John C. Yenne, Digital Director 232-5979 Cynthia A. Spencer, HR Director 232-5971

CREDITS Cover photo: Bill Sanders. Cover design: Mai Ly. Section design: Mai Ly and Tim Rawal. Editor: Karen Chávez.

BILL SANDERS PHOTO

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June 2008

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festivals

In the season of festivals, mind Ben Franklin o, you’re here in the mountains and you’ve just learned that by law you must attend one of our many festivals. “How do I go about this?” you ask. “What do I wear?” “What is that smell?” Don’t worry, I’m here to help. I’m a veteran of multiple local festivals, some of which I actually remember. First up, the biggie:

Bele Chere Friday-Sunday, July 25-27. Held the last weekend of July in downtown Asheville to fully utilize every micro-degree of heat we can muster, Bele Chere can wear your derriere out, and not just because 300,000 people allegedly attend it over three days (“Bele Chere” is French for “Beautiful Attendance,” you know). It can be unbearably hot, and you will get jostled at this free street fair. Please don’t call the police. It’s just my way of saying howdy. Seriously, consider these tips: ❖ Please, wear sunscreen and bring some more with you to reapply. Trust me, you’ll enjoy the music much more if your flesh hasn’t burned off. ❖ Target a few musical acts you really like, then hit those. Come back at night when it’s cooler. ❖ Bring a light pack with some water in it — and some rain gear. Every year, it pours like Noah’s flood at least once. You don’t want to spend the day sunburned, drunk and smelling like wet dog. ❖ Don’t get too drunk. Seriously, excessive drinking leads to excessive sunburn, not to mention unseemly displays of backfat, spastic public dancing and passing out by 6 p.m. Moderation worked for Ben Franklin, and it can work for you, too. ❖ Comfortable shoes. They’re a must, period.

John Boyle Columnist

Brewgrass Noon-7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20, Martin Luther King ballfields, downtown Asheville. Tickets are $30. This is my favorite local festival, mugs down. I’m not quite sure why I love Brewgrass so much. Oh yeah: It’s a friggin’ BEER festival. A few dozen craft brewers lovingly prepare their best suds for this event, and you get to

swill them like a pirate all day long and listen to some really great bluegrass. Again, heed Ben Franklin. Imbibe slowly or you’ll wake up at 3 a.m. wondering why someone is driving a railroad spike into your brain. And… ❖ Stop and eat. Plenty of food is available, and you need some of it — and not just kettle corn. Tried that one year, and trust me: Kettle corn does not soak up alcohol. ❖ Stop and drink — water. Around 4 p.m. last year I knocked back two bottles of water, and it was the best move ever. No 3 a.m. railroad spike, I didn’t lose any clothing and I felt fine the next day. ❖ Arrange a ride home — No one should drive home after a day of drinking beer, unless you’re driving a giant sponge. Even then I don’t recommend it. No one drives better

drunk. Take a cab, walk or get a friend or overjoyed spouse to pick you up.

Goombay! Aug. 22-24, Market and Eagle Streets, downtown Asheville. Scale down Bele Chere, add a serious African-Caribbean vibe and funkier music, and you’ve got Goombay! Sponsored by the YMI Cultural Center, this three-day festival offers great food and vendors hawking everything from cell phone accessories to African baskets. Your to do list here includes: ❖ Eat. Plan on taking advantage of the food. Whether it’s Jamaican jerk chicken or ribs, you’ll eat like a king. ❖ Wear your dancing shoes. Goombay is all about the rhythm, whether it’s African drums or soul singing. It’s infectious. But please, don’t ask me to dance. It will scar your memory forever.

The N.C. Apple Festival Downtown Hendersonville, Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29–Sept. 1.

LESLIE BOYD/LBOYD@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

John Boyle and Michael Flynn enjoy time together at Brewgrass.

This is Hendersonville’s answer to Bele Chere, without the public regurgitation. You won’t have to deal with the freakiness of Bele Chere, but you’ll still have plenty of opportunities for severe sunburn and general exhaustion. Avoid the mid-day sun barrage, which on the downtown asphalt gets downright brutal. And… ❖ Bring cash — Food, drink and crafts won’t come cheap. There’s plenty of cool stuff to buy, but just like at Bele Chere, nothing’s cheap. ❖ Buy apples. Henderson County grows more apples than any other county in North Carolina. They’re also the freshest, juiciest, tastiest apples you’ll dine on, so do yourself — and local growers — a favor and buy a peck or two.

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June 2008

writers

Writers who can go home again You can go home again Here are five writers who call Western North Carolina home both for their residence and their books. ❖ Sarah Addison Allen, Asheville. She hit the New York Times bestseller lists with her debut novel, “Garden Spells” last year. She just released her new novel, “The Sugar Queen.” ❖ Katherine Stripling Byers, the poet laureate of North Carolina, lives in Sylva. She is former writer-in-residence at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. ❖ Jan Karon, Blowing Rock, author of the popular Mitford novels featuring the Episcopal priest Father Timothy Kavanagh and his flock of parishioners. ❖ Robert Morgan, poet, novelist and biographer originally from the Green River section of Henderson County. His “Gap Creek” became a national bestseller after being chosen for Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club. His most recent book is a biography of Daniel Boone. ❖ Ron Rash, the Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Culture at Western Carolina University, has been named one of four finalists for the PEN/Faulkner Award for his compilation of short stories “Chemistry and Other Stories.” Rash’s most recent novel, “The World Made Straight,” earned him the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for 2006. His earlier prize-winning novels include “Saints at the River” and “One Foot in Eden.”

By Dale Neal DNEAL@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — For best-selling author Charles Frazier, his native Asheville is both the perfect place to write, and to not write. “The hardest part for me about writing in Asheville is not being on my mountain bike long enough to do it,” Frazier admitted in a recent phone interview. Last summer, Frazier estimated he logged about 1,500 miles with almost daily rides at Bent Creek and DuPont State Forest. “Last summer at a fast-food restaurant over in Bent Creek, the woman at the drive-through window said, ‘You don’t need to be riding your bike as much. You need to be home working.’” Frazier recalled with a laugh. After his morning ride, Frazier does head home to write in the afternoon, polishing the distinctive prose that won him a National Book Award and worldwide readership with his debut novel “Cold Mountain.” Last year, he published his second novel, “Thirteen Moons” which in part recounts the tragic history of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. While Asheville’s first literary son, Thomas Wolfe, had a tortured relationship with his hometown as related in his posthumous novel “You Can’t Go Home Again,” Frazier couldn’t wait to call Asheville home again after years away from the mountains in teaching positions. After the phenomenal success of his first novel “Cold Mountain,” Frazier and his family were able to relocate to his hometown, buying a home atop Town Mountain. For the past 10 years, Frazier splits his time between

Asheville and a horse farm in Florida. “It’s home. I was born down in Biltmore Village, and my family all live too far away,” said Frazier, who grew up in Andrews and Franklin under the shadow of Cold Mountain, the Haywood County landmark that supplied the title and inspiration for his first novel. Besides the scenery and mountain bike trails, Frazier appreciates the “arty reputation” of Asheville which has drawn writers here from O. Henry to F. Scott Fitzgerald and birthed others like Gail Godwin and John Ehle. Frazier is at work now on a new book. “It’s in the early stages, but it keeps changing every couple of weeks. It’s set in Western North Carolina, but I’ve made my way into the 20th century,” Frazier said. Both “Cold Mountain” and “Thirteen Moons” were set around the Civil War era and in the 19th century. “It’s going to be a shorter book than the last two.” With a contract in hand, Frazier envisions the new novel to hit bookstores in another couple of years. When he’s not writing or riding his mountain bike, Frazier does read and follow works of fellow Asheville authors like Wayne Caldwell, who wrote a novel based on his family history in nearby Catalochee Valley, now part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “I’ve had a really good time following Wayne’s career. I read the manuscript of ‘Cataloochee’ as far back as 2002, then it was great seeing that book come out last year. I also enjoy reading Thomas Rain Crowe.” Crowe has penned several volumes of poetry, translation and the non-fiction book “Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods.”

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June 2008

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secret shopping places

Hidden shopping treasures and pleasures P eople often write requesting I take them thrift shopping. One of my only talents is finding a bargain, such as the Kate Spade handbag I nabbed for $3 at the Goodwill. Originally, the purse retailed for more than $200. But everyone knows about the Goodwill. What people don’t always discover are those out-of-the-way gems selling new and used clothing and fabulous goods at prices that nearly anyone could afford. Take Judy Weppel’s store in Waynesville, Within Reach, a thrift shop that benefits the shelter for domestic violence. “We’re having a dollar sale right now,” Weppel said. “All men and women’s clothes are a dollar, and shoes are half off. “Kids’ clothes,” she said, “are only 10 cents.” I’ve personally been to this shop and it’s as neat and clean as any store in the mall. “I’m having this sale because I feel

Susan Reinhardt Columnist

like the government isn’t going to give the people a break,” Weppel said. “I have a large inventory and can afford to keep my prices down.” Nothing dirty goes on her racks. It’s all cleaned and steamed before buyers get their hands on it. Location: Waynesville, NC, 456 Hazelwood Ave., 454-5998.

A few other hidden treasures in the area: Fletcher: LuLu’s Consignment Boutique. While the prices are fairly low to moderate, this is mostly an upscale and contemporary consignment shop. The majority of items, from clothing to household, are 50 to

70 percent off retail. Whether one needs a new outfit or one-of-a-kind treasure, try LuLu’s Consignment Boutique, 3461 Hendersonville Road, Fletcher, NC. Call 687-7565 for store hours and details or go to www.ilovelulus.net. If you haven’t been to Sanctuary of Stuff, gather a group of friends and make a day or evening of this shopping haven. While bargains aren’t de rigueur, uniqueness and hand-made objects, clothing and furnishing, as well as other décor items made by local artists and craftspeople are a great part of the inventory. While you’re shopping, relax in the antique-filled tearoom. Yes, the tea is free. One person wrote, “After shopping at Sanctuary of Stuff, I feel like I’ve been hugged.” Here, more than 250 artists sell their works in a 4,000-square-foot space. Don’t miss this shopping experi-

ence located at 116 N. Woodfin Avenue in Woodfin. Call 255-8388 or go to www.sanctuaryofstuff.com. While nearly every thrift store and retail shop around Western North Carolina deserves shoppers and ink on the page, there’s just not room to include them all. One suggestion is to go online and look them up by Googling “Thrift stores” in the town of your choice. Most of these stores donate the money earned to worthwhile causes, such as my newest find, For the Love of Dogs, Thrift Boutique, 2188 Hendersonville Road, with all proceeds benefiting Brother Wolf Canine Rescue. This store often holds fill-a-box for $5 sales, and personally, I bought the cutest summer dress I’ve ever seen for about $3, along with a funky limegreen décor table. The boutique is half a mile south of Long Shoals Road. Call 676-1220 for details.

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June 2008

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tourist spots

Wolfe brings Cherokee history to life By Jon Ostendorff

JON OSTENDORFF/JOSTENDORFF@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

JOSTENDORFF@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Jerry Wolfe stands with an exhibit at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Wolfe, an elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, offers information about the tribe’s history and culture to museum visitors.

CHEROKEE — Jerry Wolfe didn’t set out to be the voice and the face of his people. He fell into the job 10 years ago by accident when a man came to see him after visiting the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. The man said a cashier had been rude, almost throwing his change at him after he paid for admission. Wolfe, a retired carpenter and mason, went to the museum’s managers with his concern. “We need someone here to talk to the people,” Wolfe recalled the museum’s director saying to a co-worker after hearing the complaint. “We don’t have anyone to greet them or to tell them welcome or tell them anything when they come in. Where in the world can we get a person like that?” The woman the museum’s director had been talking to quickly replied. “He is standing right by you,” she said. Since then, Wolfe, 83, has worked Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the museum. He is an elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and a true expert on the tribe’s history, stories, culture and its current role as one of Western North Carolina’s economic leaders. If you are planning a trip to the museum, try to stop by when he is working. You’ll come away with a better understanding of the Principal People.

❖ Biltmore Estate: On U.S. 25 three blocks north of Exit 50 on Interstate 40, Asheville. Call 800-624-1575 or visit www.biltmore.com. ❖ Blue Ridge Parkway: The scenic roadway winding 469 miles from Shenandoah to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park intersects Asheville at U.S. 25, U.S. 70 and U.S. 74A. The parkway is open year-round, weather permitting. Admission is free. Call 298-0398 for automated road and weather conditions. Call parkway headquarters at 271-4779 or visit www.nps.gov/blri. ❖ Cherokee/Qualla Boundary: The ancestral homeland of the Cherokee, the area features attractions and events celebrating Cherokee history, culture and art, including the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, the Oconaluftee Indian Village living history museum (open May-October), Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual. The outdoor drama “Unto These Hills” (summers only), and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. Call 800-438-1601 or visit www.cherokee-nc.com.

Museum of the Cherokee Indian The museum, which opened in 1948 and was completely remodeled in 1998, is a state-of-the-art facility located on the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Follow the signs to the museum from downtown Cherokee. It uses computer-generated imagery, special effects and audio with an extensive artifact collection to tell the story of the Cherokee and their ancestors from 12,000 B.C. to today. The self-guided tour begins at the Story Lodge where visitors learn ancient Cherokee legends. The next stop is the Paleo period, which depicts the hunting practices of the pre-Cherokee people and then the Archaic and Woodland periods when the Cherokee started farming, built villages and began trade. In the Mississippian period, visitors learn about ceremonial traditions that are still alive today.

Top 5 tourism spots in WNC

The museum’s exhibits on European contact often stir emotion in visitors who knew little about the Cherokee before stepping through the gate. The exhibits tell the story of the Trail of Tears when federal troops in the spring of 1838 rounded up 17,000 Cherokee Indians and forced them to walk 1,000 miles to Oklahoma. At least 4,000 died on the way. The Cherokee called the forced march “Nunahi-Duna-DloHilu-I:” the “Trail Where They Cried.” A new exhibit about early European contact returned recently from a stay at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington. “Emissaries of Peace: The 1762 Cherokee and British Delegations” chronicles the 1762 story of British delegation to the Cherokee capitol of Echota in eastern Tennessee, after which

Cherokee leaders traveled to Williamsburg and London to meet British officials and King George III. The museum also features the story of Will Thomas, a white man who served as chief of the tribe during the removal. He was the inspiration for the main character in Charles Frazier’s novel “Thirteen Moons.” Wolfe said visitors sometimes offer an apology after learning about the disease, war and destruction that came with European contact. He tells them its fine to apologize but it is better to understand what has happened and think about the future. “We got to look ahead,” he said. “We got to look for tomorrow. We got to look for so many miles down the road and so many years down the road. We got to look for improvement and respect for each other.”

❖ Chimney Rock Park: On U.S. 64/74A, 25 miles southeast of Asheville, this is WNC’s newest state park. It features hiking trails, including a path to the 404-foot Hickory Nut Falls and a mile-long children’s trail. Admission charged. Call 625-9611 or 800-277-9611 or visit www.chimney rockpark.com or www.ncparks.gov. ❖ Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: Departs from Bryson City and Dillsboro on scheduled excursions year-round. Dinner trains depart Dillsboro on scheduled excursions February though mid-November. Call 800-872-4681 or visit www.gsmr.com for a schedule and reservations.

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June 2008

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WNC map WATAUGA

Western North Carolina

Boone Grandfather Mountain

AVERY

Mileage from Asheville MITCHELL

Cherokee...............................48.8 Bryson City............................62.2 Franklin.................................67.6 Blowing Rock ........................75.6 Highlands..............................79.1 Boone ...................................81.9

19 23

Cullowhee

23 441

281

Lake Toxaway 64

Lake Sapphire Sapphir

Highlands

215

281

Rock

HENDERSON 276

280

Cradle of Forestr estry Forestry

191

Hendersonville Henderson ville Flat Rock Brevard Lake T R A N S Y LV A N I A Summit

Pisgah ah Ctr. Ctr for Wildlife Education

JACKSON Thor pe Thorpe Lake

Pisgah

Parkw

MACON

CLAY

State Route

Chimney R U T H E R F O R D Lake Lure

Lake Lure

Lake Adger 26 Gr

Great Smoky Mountians Railway

Br o

POLK

er Riv

er Riv ad

19 129

23 441

Sylva R iv er

107

Nantahala Lake

Lake Brasstown Chatuge Chatug

ne sse e

Franklin

Hayesville 64 74

ase gee

Marion

Appalachian Trail

Cold Mountain

Ri v

Murph Murphy

L i ttl e T

19 129

iver h al a R

Andrews

nt a

19 74

Robbinsville

GRAHAM

Lake Hiwassee

Tuc k

SWAIN

e Blu

19 74

United States Route

Biltmoree House Biltmor WNC Farmers FFarmer mers Market

Canton Mount Waynesville

23 74

Dillsboro

Santeetlah Lake

Cherohala Skyway

CHEROKEE

Cherokee

Bryson City

Fontana Lake

Interstate Route

ASHEVILLE

Lak Maggie Lake Valley 19 Junaluska

Cherokee Reservation

Old Fort

Black Mountain

BUNCOMBE

HAYWOOD

441

Craggy Gardens

Little Switzerland Switzerland

Lake James

McDOWELL

Vance Birthplace

Weaverville

Cataloochee

Clingmans Dome 129

Mount Mitchell

25 70

ive r

Marshall

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Blue Ridge Parkway

of Y A N C E Y Museum NC Minerals

Mars Hill

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

19E

MADISON

Gatlinburg, TN

Cades Cove

Map Key:

226

Burnsville 23

Hot Springs

Blowing Rock

Newland

Bakersville

19W

Toe R

Weaverville ..............................9.0 Black Mountain .....................17.3 Hendersonville.......................25.2 Maggie Valley ........................33.8 Lake Lure ..............................41.3 Brevard .................................43.9 Dillsboro ...............................46.4 .4

Forest City

County lines Cities/Towns Points of interest

Tryon

276 178

miles 10

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June 2008

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best views

A photographer’s eye Text and photos by Bill Sanders PHOTO EDITOR

At work I photograph the news and events happening in Western North Carolina for the newspaper and Web site. But when the time belongs to me there’s nothing like the soft gurgle of a mountain stream, a misty forest trail, or majestic vistas from a mountaintop to attract my photographic attention. The diversity of climate and ecology in Western North Carolina make for a photographic paradise unmatched anywhere else on the East Coast of the U.S. Below are just a few of my favorite locations.

Favorite spots to shoot photos like a pro

Cataloochee Surrounded by rolling mountains, this secluded valley is part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The open valley floor is an ideal place for photographing wildlife, particularly in the early morning or late afternoon. Famous for the elk population first reintroduced in 2001, it is not uncommon to see 20 or more elk at easy to photograph distances. Use a 200mm lens or longer for the best elk close-ups. Bear, turkey and woodchuck are common in the valley as well. Several historical buildings made good photo subjects including a church, school, grist mill, barn and old home. A small creek runs through the valley, and there are many hiking and horse riding trails to explore with your camera. Cataloochee is located west of Asheville off I-40. Take Exit 20 (U.S. 276), travel 2/10 mile and turn right on Cove Creek Road. The narrow, winding, 11-mile long mountain road, parts of which are unpaved, ends in the Cataloochee Valley.

Blue Ridge Parkway Extending along the crest of the South Appalachians for more than 460 miles, the Blue Ridge Parkway passes through the edge of Asheville and is a wonderful source for inspirational scenic photographs. Every day, every hour can yield a different photo experience even from locations you might have visited dozens of times. Two of my favorite photo locations are Craggy Gardens and the Balsam Mountain range. Craggy Gardens, about 18 miles north of Asheville, is a rhododendron lovers paradise with whole mountainsides covered in the purple and pink hues of the flowering shrub in May and June. Vistas from overlooks such as Graybeard Mountain reveal ridge upon ridge of forested mountaintops. Use a polarizing filter to cut the haze and darken the sky. Beside the overlook the Mountains to Sea trail runs through a grove of birch trees with native grasses that are a delight to the photographic senses. There’s also a trail that leads to the peak of Craggy Dome. The Balsam Mountains are south on the Parkway beginning around milepost 440. Native Catawba Rhododendron, cascading streams and high mountain vistas characterize this area that is mostly above 5,000 feet. Be sure to stop at Waterrock Knob for breathtaking views and take a side trip on Heintooga Ridge Road. Heintooga Overlook in the picnic area is a great sunset spot. You’ll need a tripod for the best sunset shots.

N.C. 197 Barnardsville Driving through rolling farmland

ferns and wildflowers are your prime photo subjects. Use a tripod and slow shutter speeds to capture the subdued light and wet look on foliage. A polarizing filter will help cut the glare and make green foliage “pop,” even on a cloudy day. From Asheville take I-26 west past Weaverville to the Barnardsville exit, turn right and begin your photo adventure.

Asheville

PHOTOS BY BILL SANDERS/WSANDERS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Water flows down a rock formation with spring plant growth on Heintooga Ridge Road off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Balsam Mountain area near Soco Gap. before beginning a mountainous climb is a prime time to photograph on this through Pisgah National Forest, N.C. road. In the farming country look for 197 in the Barnardsville area can occu- weathered barns, old farm equipment, py an entire photo day when conditions and fence lines. Once you start climbare right. An overcast day with drizzle ing to the high ridges, stream scenes,

From the lively downtown Asheville scene with street musicians and drum circles, to the Grove Park Inn and Biltmore Estate, photographic opportunities are almost endless in the city. For overall views of downtown Asheville try Town Mountain Road, Sunset drive, Mountain Street, or Clemons Street Sunsets and the city lights work well from any of these locations. Wait for the “afterglow” when the sun is no longer visible for the best colorful sky. A tripod is a must. A split neutral density filter will allow you to cut the bright sky exposure so you can hold some of the shadow detail of the darker city scene. Other good city

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June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE

scene locations are on Bingham Road, Crest Mountain Road, and from the Blue Ridge Parkway just about the French Broad River Overlook.

N.C. 215 Winter is a magical time photographically in the higher mountains. One of my favorite mountain locations for winter scenics is N.C. 215 at the Blue Ridge Parkway. N.C. 215 follows the Pigeon River offering many opportunities for winter scenics, small frozen waterfalls, and winter forest landscapes. Just east of the Parkway intersection are steep rock walls where you will find ice climbers most winter weekends. The Parkway, closed most of the winter and often covered in snow — even when there is no snow at lower elevations — offers winter wonderland scenics. Most weekends you’ll find people cross country skiing on this section of the Parkway as well. Walking south on the Parkway it is less than a mile to Devil’s Courthouse. Dress warmly with waterproof hiking boots. Keep extra camera batteries in your pockets to keep them as warm as possible. Chemical heat packs for your hands and feet are a welcome addition to your gear. N.C. 215 turns off I-40 west in Canton.

Three elk walk through a pasture in Cataloochee Cove as fog settles over the mountaintops, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Leaves caught in a mountain stream whirlpool blur as they swirl around in this long exposure taken off NC 197 near the Buncombe-Yancey county line.

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June 2008

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antiques & auctions

Asheville — at the auction Several auction houses make the city a collector’s dream By Barbara Blake BBLAKE@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Brunk Auctions Since opening in 1983, Brunk Auctions has grown from a small regional auction house to a national auction service with an international clientele. Now occupying a 26,000square-foot facility with a multimedia auction gallery, three exhibition galleries and a photography studio, Brunk Auctions has a full time staff of 19 including specialists in fine and decorative arts, collectibles, ephemera and jewelry. Brunk Auctions has about seven major catalog sales a year — including one coming up July 12-13 — with color brochures sent to about 20,000 buyers in 50 states and 30 foreign countries. Auctions have four types of bidders: people in the gallery, people on the phones, people who have left bids ahead of time, and people bidding on the Internet. “We have a strong local clientele and sell objects for many people in our area, but our reach is international,’’ said founder and owner Robert S. Brunk. “Many people in the Asheville area are avid collectors of fine art, including furniture, jewelry, paintings, silver, rugs, folk art and many related fields, so it is a fertile place to buy and/or sell pieces for a personal or corporate collection,’’ he said. What: Brunk Auctions

Where: 117 Tunnel Road, enter between Applebee’s and Olive Garden restaurants. Contact: 254-6846; www.brunk auctions.com; email auction@brunk auctions.com.

Tommy Tuten & Johnny Penland Auctions Johnny Penland and his father, Grover Penland, began Penland’s Used Furniture in the late 1950s with two stores, one on Haywood Road and the warehouse on

Craven Street, where the auctions are held today. In 1985, Grover and his wife, Willie, retired, and Johnny and his wife, Ann, continued the auctions. In 1988, their son-in-law, Tommy Tuten, joined the business. In 2002, Johnny and Ann officially retired and Tommy and his wife, Beth, assumed ownership. An absolute auction is held at the popular auction house at 6 p.m. every Friday, featuring a wide assortment of goods. “We do a lot of estate work for differ-

ent banks and attorneys in town, but we do everything from fine antiques to household items you’d get from estates,’’ Tommy Tuten said. “That’s what we specialize in — estates, antiques and collectables.” Tuten and Penland Auctions also stands out because of its long, family tradition. “Mr. and Mrs. Penland retired, but they’re still here a lot and they help keep things going,” Tuten said. “It’s really all in the family — everybody here is part of the family.”

STEVE DIXON/SDIXON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Robert S. Brunk shows off an enameled Russian Faberge cup expected to bring $200,000-$300,000 at the next Brunk Auctions sale July 12-13.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

STEVE DIXON/SDIXON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Tommy Tuten, left, and Johnny Penland are surrounded by auction items in their Craven Street auction house. What: Tommy Tuten & Johnny Penland Auctions Where: 155 Craven St., just below Westgate Shopping Center. Contact: 253-7712; www.tommy tutenandjohnnypenlandauction.com; email etuten@aol.com.

Road near the WNC Farmer’s Market. Contact: 667-8992; www.morse auctions.com; e-mail morseauctions@ bellsouth.net.

Morse Auction Co. Western North Carolina native Charles “Buddy” Morse and his wife, Evon, started Morse Auction Company about 10 years ago in a space near the WNC Farmer’s Market. Morse conducts about 15 or 16 auctions per year, typically on the second Saturday of the month, along with “country store,’’ advertising memorabilia and annual toy auctions. Among his specialties are advertising memorabilia from service stations such as ESSO and Gulf, porcelain car dealership signs, and Coca-Cola memorabilia. The auction house also is filled with antiques, furniture, glassware, pottery, old tools and toys and an assortment of other items. “One of the hottest things going around here would be Biltmore Dairy memorabilia,’’ Morse said. “We had a Biltmore sign that brought $1,300 the other day, and one on the Internet brought over $6,000.” What: Morse Auction Company Where: 96 McIntosh Road off Pond

BARBARA BLAKE/BBLAKE@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Charles “Buddy” Morse, owner of Morse Auction Company in West Asheville, displays an antique glove box decorated with Flemish art.

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June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

Asheville’s rich food scene boasts local ingredients By Carol Motsinger CMOTSINGER@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — It’s hard for Mark Rosenstein, the chef and owner of The Market Place, to isolate Asheville’s creative sources. The arts, craft and food tradition all feed into each other, he said. “There is a reason why we have become recognized as a place to be,” Rosenstein said. “It’s filled with a diverse crowd … We WEB EXTRA have a lot of intelliFor more Asheville gence and a lot of eateries, see the creativity here.” Rosenstein is part Dining Guide at of the first generation CITIZENof chefs that have TIMES.com/ made Asheville a top myasheville. culinary destination in the Southeast. He founded The Market Place, a fine dining establishment on Wall Street, in 1979 and has witnessed and participated in the growth of Asheville’s independent restaurant scene since. “There are high spots of quality here that are equal with any place in the world,” said Rosenstein. “It’s a small market … the potential is for this to keep on growing.” The Market Place menu has maintained its emphasis on fine food produced with local ingredients, but the restaurant’s new “casual sibling,” Bar

Mark Rosenstein is the owner of the Market Place on Wall Street in downtown Asheville. 100, revolves around this idea, Rosenstein said. Everything served at the bar within the restaurant is made from ingredients found within 100 miles of Asheville, he said. This addition to the Market Place tradition fits nicely into the overall growing local food movement in the region. This concept originates from “the mindfulness of the impact of food on our economy, our environment and our culture,” Rosenstein said.

❖ Rosetta’s

❖ Sunny Point Café

111 Broadway 232-0738 Vegan and vegetarian cuisine www.rosettaskitchen.com.

626 Haywood Road. 252-0055 Diverse comfort food with a Southern flare www.sunnypointcafe.com.

❖ Chorizo

❖ Pomodoros

1 Page Ave. 350-1332 Latin American fare

1070 Tunnel Road. 299-3032 75 Long Shoals Road. 687-3884 Greek and Italian cuisine www.pomodoroscafe.com.

❖ Stoney Knob Café and Patio 337 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville 645-3309 Eclectic, including Greek, Asian, Italian and American cuisine www.stoneyknobcafe.com.

ASHLEY ROSS/AAROSS@ASHEVILL.GANNETT.COM

❖ Spirits on the River 571 Swannanoa River Road. 299-1404 Native American cuisine www.mohicanpress.com/spirits_menu.html

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June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

Cranberry and blood orange glaze garnishes roasted Cornish game hen at Sugo.

❖ Sugo

❖ Noi’s Thai Kitchen

90 Patton Ave. 251-5552 Italian-inspired fine dining www.sugoasheville.com.

535 Merrimon Ave. C 251-1960 Traditional Thai food

❖ Chop House Asheville

❖ 12 Bones

22 Woodfin St. 253-1851. American carnivorous comfort food

5 Riverside Dr. 253-4499 Casual barbecue restaurant www.12bones.com.

Porterhouse steak at the Chop House.

Gra Tiem shrimp at Noi’s Thai Kitchen.

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June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

JOHN COUTLAKIS/JCOUTLAKIS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

The Citizen-Times’ very own beer connoisseur Tony Kiss enjoys a beverage at McCormick Field.

Asheville is home to many breweries, ales and lagers By Tony Kiss TKISS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — If craft beer is your thing, Asheville is a pure slice of heaven. Buncombe County is the craft beer center of the Southeast, with six brewing companies turning out dozens of ales and lagers. From pale ales to porters and beyond, it’s being made around here. The breweries have their own personalities and styles. The Wedge Brewing Co., which just opened in May in Asheville’s River Arts District, is the latest player on a scene that includes Highland Brewing, Asheville Pizza and Brewing (and its sister Asheville Brewing Co.), Green Man Brewing, French Broad Brewing and in Black Mountain, Pisgah Brewing. Here are five great local beers that deserve a taste: ❖ Highland Gaelic: The first of the Asheville microbrews, it is widely available in bottles and on taps around both Carolinas, Georgia and much of Tennessee. ❖ Red Light IPA: This extremely drinkable, moder-

ately hopped brew is sold at Asheville Pizza and Brewing, 675 Merrimon Ave. and Asheville Brewing Co., 77 Coxe Ave. ❖ Pisgah Pale: The most popular beer made by Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, it’s on draft around Buncombe County in restaurants and taprooms, and at the brewery, at Eastside Business Park, on old U.S. 70 in Black Mountain. ❖ Green Man cask conditioned ales: Whatever they’re pouring on cask (often it’s an IPA), enjoy this “real ale” naturally carbonated ale only at the Green Man brewery on Buxton Avenue, also known as “Dirty Jacks, ” 23 Buxton Ave. ❖ French Broad Gateway Kolsch: A tasty, golden German-style brew that beats the heat. Find at area restaurants and pubs and at the French Broad Brewing Co., 101- D Fairview Road.

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June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

Hear it in Asheville All genres come together in area music scene By Tony Kiss TKISS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — Bluegrass, blues, big time rock — it’s all on stage in and around Asheville. Summer is a great time to enjoy the sounds of Western North Carolina, but the beat goes on all year long. Here are five places to stop, look and listen. ❖ The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. This downtown venue was named one of America’s top five music venues by Rolling Stone. The Smashing Pumpkins played a nine-show residency there, and such stars as Bob Dylan, The Indigo Girls and the Flaming Lips have rocked the joint. www.theorangepeel.net. ❖ The Asheville Civic Center arena and adjoining Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. These two halls pull big-name talent to the area and always have. Elvis played there. More recent shows include the annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam, and concerts by Tom Waits, Widespread Panic, Arcade Fire, Nickel Creek, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. www.ticketmaster.com.

❖ Biltmore Estate’s Summer Evening Concert Series. The shows are presented on the South Terrace lawn, with a spectacular view of the mountains. This summer’s lineup includes B.B. King, Gladys Knight and R.E.O. Speedwagon. www.biltmore.com. ❖ Brevard Music Center. Just a short drive from Asheville, the BMC serves as an educational center for talented young musicians, as well as a concert venue. This year, Keith Lockhart, maestro of the Boston Pops, takes over the top musical spot as artistic advisory and principal conductor. This year’s concert highlights include Doc Severinsen, Yo-Yo Ma (now sold out) and Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, plus lots of classical music, chamber music and opera. www.brevardmusic.org. ❖ Shindig on the Green and the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. Enjoy free outdoor mountain music shows at Martin Luther King Jr. Park on June 28; July 5, 12, 19; and August 9, 16, 23, 30. The 81st annual Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, America’s oldest event of its kind, is performed July 31-Aug. 2. For tickets, call 257-4530. www.folkheritage.org.

CITIZEN TIMES FILE PHOTO

The Smashing Pumpkins played a nine-show stand at The Orange Peel last summer.

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June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

ASHLEY ROSS/AAROSS@ASHEVILL.GANNETT.COM

The Spa at Biltmore Village is one of the numerous spas Asheville has to offer. The area has become a hub for places to unwind and rejuvenate.

Find the right spa By Ashley Wilson AWILSON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — The seemingly powerful healing nature of the mountains is one of the reasons behind the legion of spas in Asheville, local owners said. For centuries, people have been flocking to the region to take advantage of its natural rejuvenation properties, making the city home to numerous relaxation destinations. “Asheville has a long history in the healing art,” said Ilana Craig, co-owner of Innovative Spa Management, which owns three local spas. “People used to come here to take in the good air when tuberculosis was prevalent in the country.” The local culture of Asheville is what sets its spas apart from those in other cities, spa -goers said. The region’s focus on organic products and locally grown food has made its way into spas. At Spa Theology, customers can enjoy an organic orange blossom scrub made with some locally grown ingredients. Frequent spa customers also said

Top 5 Spas ❖ The Spa at the Grove Park Inn Resort 290 Macon Ave., Asheville 877-772-0747 www.groveparkinn.com. ❖ Spa Theology 53 College Street, Asheville 255-4171 www.spatheology.com. ❖ Sensibilities Day Spa with two Asheville locations

that Asheville spas seem to be more focused on making sure the customer feels relaxed beginning the moment they set foot in the spa by using the art of Feng Shui to arrange furniture and decorate their facilities. “I think the ones around Asheville might be a little more focused on health and wellness instead of beauty,” said Jen Charlton, owner of Sensibilities Day Spa. “Here even our skin care, we are very focused on the wellness side. It’s definitely very popular because of the greening of day spas.” The spa industry has gotten so big in Asheville that local owners are thinking of creating an association in order to maintain customer standards, network with other spa owners and better understand the nuances of the industry. “I think probably the biggest reasons we would do that is to just protect consumers,” said Cristy Patten, co-owner of the Spa at Biltmore Village. “I think when you establish a standard of excellence, you can ensure the continuous elevation of professionalism and quality.”

59 Haywood St. 253-3222 2 Town Square Blvd. 687-8760 www.sensibiliites-spa.com. ❖ Suraj Spa Salon 520 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 277-7705 www.surajspasalon.com. ❖ Spa at Biltmore Village 18 Brook St., Suite 104, Asheville 277-2639

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June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE

Asheville’s famous faces — summer 2008 By Clarke Morrison CMORRISON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — From the world’s most renowned evangelist to a former NBA All-Star to an accomplished Hollywood actress, the Asheville area has more than its share of the famous residing in its midst. Most everyone here knows that the Rev. Billy Graham, who has preached to millions across the globe, resides in Montreat. Or that movie star Andie MacDowell has made Biltmore Forest her home for the past decade. “I feel more comfortable here than I have felt anywhere else,” MacDowell, star of such films as “Groundhog Day,” “sex, lies and videotape” and “St. Elmo’s Fire,” said shortly after returning to the region she often visited as a child from her native Gaffney, S.C. Famous residents like MacDowell say they are drawn to the mountains because of their charm, culture and scenic beauty. But they also use their celebrity to give back to the community in a variety of ways. One of MacDowell’s most cherished causes is animal welfare. Just last year she was among several hundred on the Biltmore Estate participating in the Walk for Animals sponsored by the Asheville Humane Society, and is helping spearhead a campaign to raise $2.5 million for a new animal shelter. Graham’s presence locally can be felt in many ways. Recently, the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, located just east of Asheville, celebrated its 20th anniversary. Brad Daugherty, an Owen High School standout in basketball who starred for the North Carolina Tar Heels, returned home after a prolific professional career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now a NASCAR television analyst, Daugherty is involved in local causes. Last year his foundation contributed to a buy-back program aimed at getting guns off the street. He’s also on the board of the Eblen Foundation. Grammy- award winning singer Gladys Knight last year bought a house in Fairview. Knight, who made it big in the 1960s with her group Gladys Knight and the Pips, in May spoke and sang at a get-out-the-vote event for presidential contender Barack Obama at

Andie MacDowell UNC Asheville. Actor-magician Harry Anderson, star of TV’s “Night Court” and “Dave’s World,” left hurricane-battered New Orleans and moved to Asheville’s Montford community in 2006. “We wanted to live somewhere we could walk ourselves to downtown,” he said. “The town has welcomed us.” Beyond the celebrities who now call Western North Carolina home, many others visit the mountains both for work and pleasure. The region has provided a backdrop for scores of Hollywood releases. Veteran actors Jack Lemmon and James Garner shot the 1996 political comedy “My Fellow Americans” here. The string of big-budget films and the actors who visited also include “Richie Rich” with Macaulay Culkin, “Last of the Mohicans” with Daniel Day-Lewis, “Nell” starring Jodie Foster, “The Fugitive” starring Harrison Ford, “Bull Durham” with Kevin Costner, “Patch Adams” with Robin Williams and “Dirty Dancing” starring Patrick Swayze. Mega-star Robert Redford spent about six weeks in Western North Carolina in 2002 filming the thriller “The Clearing.” But supposed celebrity sightings in Asheville don’t always turn out to be right. A wildly popular rumor that actor Tom Cruise was about town for awhile turned out to be untrue.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

M Y ASHEVILLE >>

landmarks

What to see and do here By Leslie Boyd LBOYD@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

There’s a reason people come from all over the country to visit Asheville. Actually, there are dozens of reasons, from the nation’s biggest mansion to exquisite arts and crafts and the magnificent mountains. You can take in a baseball game at historic McCormick Field, ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway or explore the history and culture of the Cherokee people in the Qualla Boundary. The region is rich with historical attractions, including the Biltmore Estate, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial and the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

The Biltmore Estate The country’s largest privately owned residence was built by George W. Vanderbilt and debuted to friends and family on Christmas Eve 1895. It took six years to build. The estate originally had 125,000 acres, and its grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Its grounds still are renowned for the beautiful landscaping and lavish gardens. Today, the 8,000-acre estate features the mansion and gardens, a winery, restaurants, the Inn at Biltmore Estate, horseback riding, fly- fishing school and more. It is open year-round. This summer’s concert performers include B.B. King, Gladys Knight, REO Speedwagon, K.C. and the Sunshine Band and The Village People. The admission gate and reception and ticket center are open 8:30 a.m.5 p.m. Call 800-624-1575 or visit www.biltmore.com.

JOHANSEN KRAUSE/SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Biltmore Estate

WEB EXTRA Check out CITIZEN-TIMES.com for a guide to the best of WNC. before his death in 1937 from tubercular meningitis. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. TuesdaySaturday through October. Sunday hours are 1-4 p.m. until early June, then 1- 5 p.m. through October. Closed Mondays. Admission fee. Call 253-8304 or visit www.wolfememorial.com.

Vance Birthplace

McCormick Field The baseball park, home to the minor league Asheville Tourists, opened in 1924 and was remodeled in 1992. The park seats 4,000. It was named for bacteriologist Dr. Lewis McCormick. The Tourists, formed in 1915, were part of the fastest professional game on record, a 31-minute “speed-up” game on Aug. 31, 1916. The opponent, Winston-Salem, needed to catch a train out of town. The batboy in that game was 15-year-old Thomas Wolfe. Before games, players offer autographs, and mascot Ted E. Tourist wan-

CITIZEN-TIMES FILE PHOTO

David and Anne Allison work in the kitchen during the annual Christmas Candlelight Tour of the Vance Birthplace on Reems Creek Road. ders the stadium, entertaining children. The park is on McCormick Place. Tickets are $10 for box seats ($7 for seniors, military or children); general admission seats are $7 for adults ($6 for seniors, military or children).

Thomas Wolfe Memorial The boyhood home of novelist Thomas Wolfe is at 52 N. Market St. in downtown Asheville. A fire nearly destroyed the building in 1998, and it took six years to restore it.

The 29-room boardinghouse, named “The Old Kentucky Home” by a previous owner, was immortalized as “Dixieland” in Wolfe’s first novel, “Look Homeward, Angel.” Wolfe’s mother, Julia, moved into the home in 1906, bringing her son Thomas with her. She renovated the home and added 11 rooms in 1916, the year the current restoration is designed to mimic. Born in 1900, Wolfe became one of America’s most celebrated authors

The restored late 18th-century homestead of U.S. Sen. and Civil War Gov. Zebulon B. Vance is on Reems Creek Road, off U.S. 25/70 near Weaverville. The site is open year-round and offers tours and re-enactments. Summer hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; winter hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. November through March. Admission is free. Call 645-6706 or visit www.weaverville.com/vance/index.html. For more information on these and other attractions, consult “Craft Heritage Trails of WNC,” a 145-page guidebook that includes seven driving tours with almost 450 stops, including galleries, historic inns and restaurants. Call HandMade in America at 800-3314154, or visit www.handmadein america.org.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

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hiking & whitewater

Take a hike ... with your dog By Karen Chávez

Want to try whitewater?

KCHAVEZ@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — Ever since Shelby, my faithful black Lab, and I wrote our first book, “Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina,” everyone we meet asks, “What’s your favorite hike?” The short answer is: “Any place I can hike with my dog.” The truth is, Western North Carolina is so saturated with good hiking, it’s hard to pick just one trail that tops all others. What makes the WNC mountains so excellent? One is the diversity of elevation. Ranging from around 2,000 feet to nearly 7,000 feet in the sky, the abrupt and undulating elevation offers a great variety of vegetation, topography, climate and habitat. WNC also has year-round accessibility. You can hike throughout all four seasons, simply by heading higher or lower. In the summer, when it’s too hot to hike in other parts of the state, you can just head up higher into the mountains for a cool, shady walk. In the winter, when snow, ice and dangerously cold temperatures make the high country prohibitive to hiking, there are trails down in the lower river valleys that are just perfect. And pretty much any elevation in the spring and fall will find you a place to hike. An abundance of water also makes for good hiking — especially with dogs. We’ve got just about every kind of water source to hike along, around and over, from trickling streams to roaring rivers to serene lakes to crashing waterfalls. While I can’t pick just one, here are five of my favorite WNC hikes: ❖ Mount Mitchell State Park. The drive to get there from Asheville is a little bit longer now that the direct link — the Blue Ridge Parkway — is closed part way between Asheville and Mount Mitchell through spring 2009. But climbing to the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, the 6,684-foot-high Mitchell is still worth the ride and the hike. Trail maps are available at the park office. Call the park at 675-4611 or visit www.ncparks.gov. ❖ Sam Knob-Flat Laurel Creek. Here’s another high-elevation area that makes for great summer hiking. In the Pisgah National Forest, access the trailhead just a mile south of the Graveyard Fields area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 816

SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Karen Chávez, author of “Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina,” and her black Lab, Shelby, on top of Sam Knob in the Pisgah National Forest.

WEB EXTRA ■ For a list of hiking clubs in the Outdoors Calendar, a database to hiking trails and more outdoors news, visit CITIZENTIMES.com/outdoors. ■ See a hiking safety checklist at CITIZENTIMES.com/outdoors. and go to the end of the road. Sam Knob tops out with 360-degree views at an elevation of 6,040 feet, and connects with the Flat Laurel Creek Trail with plenty of river crossings for water-loving dogs. Pick up a National Geographic Trails Illustrated Pisgah Ranger District map or call the U.S. Forest Service’s Pisgah Ranger District office at 877-3265. ❖ North Carolina Arboretum. These public gardens are also home to acres and acres of well-maintained forested trails. It’s a treat to have so close to Asheville. Just take Brevard Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance, or if you’re on the parkway, exit at Milepost 393. I like the Carolina Mountain Trail, which crosses Bent Creek. Pick up a map at the arboretum’s Visitor Education Center, call 665-2492 or visit

www.ncarboretum.org. ❖ Crabtree Falls. I love waterfalls, and so does Shelby. I like Crabtree because you get there by walking on a scenic loop trail and can safely enjoy the splashing from a sturdy boardwalk directly in front of the falls. The trailhead is at Milepost 339 in the Crabtree Falls Campground off the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 8 miles south of Spruce Pine. Call the Spruce Pine Ranger station at 765-4319 or the parkway’s automated road and weather condition line at 298-0398. ❖ Max Patch. This is a great hike to take with your dog or without. But you’ll be sure to bump into a lot of dog lovers on top of this bald — a mountaintop without trees in the Hot Springs area of Pisgah National Forest. There’s lots of grassy areas to spread a picnic blanket, run around with your dog, fly a kite, or just lie down and gaze at the rolling, spacious, gorgeous scenery. Talk about a room with a view. On a clear day, you have a 360degree panorama. Pick up a Pisgah National Forest map showing the Harmon Den and Hot Springs area or call the U.S. Forest Service office at 622-3202.

Western North Carolina is blessed with a bounty of mountains through which miles and miles of whitewater rivers flow. There’s a river and an adventure for everyone, from the calm, child-friendly French Broad River that flows through Asheville, to the more rapidly moving Nantahala and Tuckasegee, to the roiling rapids of the Cheoah, and lots more in between. Several outdoor outfitters offer guided trips on rafts, kayaks and canoes, as well as offer self-guided trips and clinics and one-on-one instruction. Most outfitters have weight and age minimums and require that boaters wear lifejackets and helmets. Prices can range from $30 to $150 per person, depending on the river and the length of the trip.

Some local rafting companies include: ❖ French Broad Rafting Expeditions, Marshall, 649-0486, www.french broadrafting.com. ❖ Southern Waterways, Asheville, 232-1970, www.paddlewithus.com. ❖ The Class IV Cheoah River runs only on a limited number of weekends through the summer. Rafters and paddlers must have experience to take one of these trips. Four whitewater outfitters have received permits for trips.

Contact the following outfitters for details: ❖ Nantahala Outdoor Center, Wesser, www.noc.com. ❖ Wildwater Limited, Nantahala Gorge, 800-451- 9972, www.wild waterrafting.com. ❖ Endless River Adventures, 4886199, 800-224-7238, www.endless riveradventures.com. ❖ Outland Expeditions, Cleveland, Tenn., 800-827-1442, www.outland expeditions.com.

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June 2008

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wine

Wine bars, shops quench local thirsts By Joel Burgess JBURGESS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

If you’ve got a thirst for fermented grape juice, the mountains have a plethora of restaurants and bars that pour a good glass of malbec or merlot. Now though, establishments are popping up in and around Asheville that focus almost entirely on wine. Two years ago, four San Diego, Calif., transplants opened Sante Wine Bar downtown in the northeast corner of the Grove Arcade. It was the second attempt at a downtown drinkery centered on wine. The first, The Grape Escape, is now closed. But Carla Baden and her Sante co-owners thought the concept could still work. “We wanted to take the fussiness out of wine,” Baden said. “We’re offering a casual setting in which you can be adventurous and playful with wine instead of some-

thing that is uptight and squeaky.” That means no long wine lists that can intimidate and confuse customers. Instead Sante offers just 16 wines — eight whites and eight reds that change weekly. Because it’s a retail shop, you can drink a glass, a bottle, or buy a bottle and take it home. Bottle prices are similar to what you would pay at a wine shop, many around $18, Baden said. Meanwhile, retail wine shops continue to crop up and offer tastings of wine from around the world. The oldest is The Weinhaus that has occupied its spot on Patton Avenue since Hunt Mallett’s father, Dave, opened it in 1977. Hunt Mallett now owns it with his brother-in-law, Gene Hollar, and each of their sons and offers weekly tastings. “We have a theme tasting every third Saturday, but we generally open a bottle or two every Saturday,” Mallett said.

Wine bars ❖ Enoteca: Italian-style wine bar with appetizers, small courses and desserts. 28 Hendersonville Road, Biltmore Village, 277-1510, www.rezaz.com. ❖ Vaso de Vino: Italian-style wine bar with deli items.75 Long Shoals Road, Suite 220, The Overlook at Lake James, 687-3838, www.vasodevino.com. ❖ Sante Wine Bar: European/California-style wine bar with appetizers. 1 Page Ave., Suites 146/152, The Grove Arcade, 254-8188, www.santewinebar.com. ❖ Vigne Restaurant and Bar: Euro-American restaurant with wine bar. 125 S. Lexington Ave., 271-4946, www.vigneculture.com.

Wine shops ❖ Asheville Wine Market. 65 Biltmore Ave., 253-0060, www.ashevillewine.com. ❖ Vino Vino Wine Market. 1457 Merrimon Ave., 258-2177, www.vinovinowines.com. ❖ The Weinhaus. 86 Patton Ave., 254-6453, www.weinhaus.com. ❖ Wine Emporium. 229 Airport Road, Arden, 687-8028, www.wineemporiumnc.com. ❖ The Wine Guy. 555 Merrimon Ave. 254-6500 and 1200 Hendersonville Road, 277-1120, www.theashevillewineguy.com.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

shopping

Shop caters to clients Downtown store finds key to success in Asheville By Barbara Blake BBLAKE@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

BARBARA BLAKE/BBLAKE@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Donna Wright, owner of Jazzy Giraffe

Rule one for a successful small business in downtown Asheville: Decide who your customer is going to be, and cater to that person. That’s the advice from Donna Wright, who, with her husband, Thomas, owns the Jazzy Giraffe, an upscale women’s clothing and accessories shop in the historic Grove Arcade. “You’re not going to open a shop, restaurant or bar that is going to be all things for all people — small downtown shops just can’t and don’t want to be department stores,’’ Wright said. “Build your client base and get to know them; let them know that you relate to that person and their taste, and that’s why of all the places to shop, they’ve paid you the compliment of choosing yours.”

Downtown Asheville’s distinct geography and its restaurant scene are also contributors to the success of a small business, Wright believes. “Downtown has such a wonderful mix of architecture, accentuated by the natural, uneven landscape,’’ she said. “Most cities are just flat and dull, but this one rolls and makes it a mystery to find what lies around the next corner or down the next street. “Also, for a town our size, we have unbelievable dining opportunities in our downtown; I think we’re becoming a dining destination, and I appreciate the incredible effort our restaurants make,” Wright said. “Great retail and dining go hand in hand toward building a draw for visitors and locals. One simply does not make it without the other.” Wright, who has owned the shop in

the Grove Arcade for three years and recently opened a second Jazzy Giraffe in Biltmore Village, said she is “still learning daily what makes a small shop survive in a town like Asheville.” “But one thing I’ve discovered is that our success is based on a solid mix of locals and visitors — it also makes the shop more interesting since we get input from those living here as well as people from all over the country,’’ she said. In the end, Wright said, success comes down to the relationship between the shop owner and the customer. “The most rewarding situation is always working with a return customer, whether from here or a visitor who comes back year after year,’’ she said. “We get to know them — their taste, size, personality, lifestyle — and get to really

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June 2008

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shopping

practice the art of clothiers when that is the case. “It becomes so comfortable, and shopping turns into more of a social occasion for us and our customer,’’ she said. “That’s when retail stops being work and starts being fun!” Visit www.thejazzygiraffe.com, 2511616.

honey, butter, cheese, eggs, flowers and other wares. Also on site are Jesse Israel & Sons Garden and Nursery Center and the Moose Café serving three meals daily. There also are a number of smaller tailgate markets throughout WNC, including the new Asheville City Market on South Charlotte Street, that sell 100 percent locally-grown or produced meats, produce, plants, cheeses, arts and crafts and more. For a complete listing, visit www.asapconnections.org.

Other WNC shopping spots Downtown Asheville Asheville’s downtown business district is a mecca for shoppers, with more than 200 locally-owned stores, 30 galleries and dozens of independent restaurants. Check out the shopping scene in the Grove Arcade, America’s first indoor shopping mall built by E.W. Grove in 1929, and the River Arts District, with its plethora of local artists honing their crafts in riverside studios and galleries. Other whimsical and eclectic shops can be found on Wall Street, Lexington Avenue, Haywood Street, Broadway, Biltmore Avenue, Pritchard Park, Pack Square, Patton Avenue and dozens of nooks and crannies in between.

Biltmore Village Built in the late 1890’s as a classic planned community at the entrance to George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Village today is home to more than 30 unique shops and 10 cafes and restaurants located on tree-lined streets with brick sidewalks adjacent to the historic Cathedral of All Souls. Village shops and galleries offer a diverse selection ranging from original artwork to custom-designed jewelry, clothing, home accessories and antiques. Free parking is available on the street. To reach Biltmore Village from downtown, take Biltmore Avenue south two miles. From I-40, take exit 50.

Downtown Black Mountain Located about 15 miles east of Asheville, downtown Black Mountain is a quaint village with about a dozen restaurants and some 40 unique shops, including Town Hardware and General Store, Seven Sisters Gallery, Black Mountain Iron Works, the Naked Sheep Yarn Shop and the block-long Tyson Furniture Company. After shopping, just a few blocks from town the Lake Tomahawk city park offers a well lighted, level path for safe strolling in the evening. From Asheville, take I-40 east to the Black Mountain/Montreat exit, and turn left.

Smiley’s Flea Market

ERIN BRETHAUER/EBRETHAU@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Dixie Liggett, of Asheville, feels the cantaloupes for the one she wants from the WNC Farmers Market.

The WNC Farmers Market Operated by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the market is open year round 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (summer and

fall hours) on a 36-acre site on Brevard Road near the I-40 and I-26 interchanges. Among the offerings are local and regional fruits and vegetables, mountain crafts, jams, jellies, sourwood

This longtime institution on Hendersonville Road in Fletcher opened in 1984 on 20 acres and 50,000 square feet of covered selling area. Today, the outdoor market has grown to more than 100,000 square feet with vendors at 700 outside selling spaces and an antique mall longer than a football field. Smiley’s is known as the best and biggest flea market in both Carolinas. The market is open from 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday, 1/2 mile north of I-26 on U.S. 25, Hendersonville Road.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

art

Asheville arts Area attracts, cultivates and inspires local artists By Paul Clark PCLARK@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

MICHELLE FUNK/ SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Asheville artist Rick Melby says there’s enough art in Asheville for residents to be tourists in their own town.

ASHEVILLE — A vibrant arts scene, creative people in every coffee house — artist Rick Melby moved to Asheville 12 years ago for many of the same reasons that have made the city one of the nation’s top arts destinations. “For a city of this size and the community of artists that is here, it’s a very fertile place, very creative,” said Melby, a glass sculptor who shows his work (www.rickmelby.com) in Curve Studios, in Asheville’s highly regarded River Arts District. “Worldclass artists live and work here. “Just to have a gallery like Blue Spiral 1 in a city this size, that’s a tremendous asset. And having Penland School of Crafts and other (art) schools so close, that’s quite a resource.” It’s easy to come up with the short list of why Asheville was rated the No. 2 small city for the arts by AmericanStyle magazine. Items would include Haywood Community College’s professional crafts program, Asheville’s downtown and river arts districts and the city’s being the cultural center of a region full of artists and craftspeople

whose client lists extend far into the world. It’s just as easy to come up with a longer list, which would include the nationally (and internationally) acclaimed teachers at The Fine Arts League of the Carolinas and Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts. The list would include the inimitable talents of ceramics artist Cynthia Bringle of Burnsville, painter Julyan Davis of Asheville and Highlands and Asheville sculptors John Payne, Robert Winkler and Sean Pace. But ultimately, a top-five favorites list is highly personal. Here are Melby’s favorite galleries, in no particular order: Blue Spiral, 38 Biltmore Ave. Front Gallery at Asheville Area Art Council, 11 Biltmore Ave. Asheville Art Museum, Pack Place. Folk Art Center, milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway. American Folk Art & Framing, 64 Biltmore Ave. MICHAEL MAUNEY/ SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

“Twisted,” a lamp by Rick Melby, is an example of his varied glasswork.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE ❖ Asheville Art Museum Description: Dedicated to the preservation, collection, and interpretation of American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Location: 2 S. Pack Square at Pack Place in downtown Asheville. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1717, Asheville, NC 28802. Telephone: 253-3227. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. -5 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. Web site: www.ashevilleart.org. ❖ Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center Description: An exhibition space and resources center dedicated to exploring the history and legacy of Black Mountain College. Location: 56 Broadway St., downtown Asheville. Mailing address: 56 Broadway St., Asheville, NC 28801. Telephone: 350-8484. Hours: Wednesday-Saturday noon-4 p.m. and by appointment. Web site: www.blackmountaincollege.org. ❖ Canton Area Historical Museum Description: Devoted to collecting artifacts and images of the towns of Canton, Bethel, and Cruso. Location: 36 Park St., Canton, NC 28716. Mailing address: 36 Park St., Canton. Telephone: 646-3412. Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Web site: www.canton.com. ❖ Carl Sandburg Home Description: Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is dedicated to preserving the life and significance of Carl Sandburg as an American, poet, writer, historian, biographer of Abraham Lincoln and social activist. Location: Little River Road off N.C. 225 in Flat Rock, NC. Mailing address: 81 Carl Sandburg Lane, Flat Rock, NC 28731. Telephone: 693-4178. Hours: Daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Web site: www.nps.gov/carl. ❖ Cherokee County Historical Museum Description: The museum offers a vast collection of artifacts excavated from Indian mounds and discovered in the local region. Location: Next to the Cherokee County Courthouse, Murphy.

27 Mailing address: 87 Peachtree St., Murphy, NC 28906. Telephone: 837-6792. Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

❖ Colburn Earth Science Museum Description: Take visitors from the earliest mining in the state through present-day mines and minerals. Location: Pack Place Arts Center, Asheville. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1617, Asheville, NC 28802. Telephone: 254-7162. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m.; Closed Monday. Web site: www.colburnmuseum.org. ❖ Cradle of Forestry in America Description: The Cradle of Forestry in America is the site of the first forestry school in America — the Biltmore Forest School, founded in 1898. Location: U.S. 276 in the Pisgah National Forest, 14 miles from Brevard or four miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 411. Mailing address: 1001 Pisgah Highway, Brevard, NC 28712. Telephone: 877-3130. Hours: Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (April November). Web site: www.cradleofforestry.org. ❖ Folk Art Center — Southern Highland Craft Guild Description: Discover, preserve, and promote knowledge and appreciation of traditional and contemporary crafts of the region. Location: Milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway. Mailing address: P.O. Box 9545, Asheville, NC 28815. Telephone: 298-7928. Hours: Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Web site: www.southernhighlandguild.org. ❖ Historic Johnson Farm Description: Historic Johnson Farm operates as a heritage learning center for school children and the community. Visitors can tour the historic buildings, walk the nature trails and have a picnic. Location: 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville. Mailing address: 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, NC 28791. Telephone: 891-6585. Hours: Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Saturday by appointment; closed school holidays. Web site: www.historicjohnsonfarm.org For a complete listing of Friends of Mountains History museums, go to www.fomhnc.org.

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June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

demographics

County, and Apple County Transportation serves Henderson County.

Cost of living Living in the Asheville area is relatively more expensive than in several other Southeastern cities but less expensive than many larger metropolitan areas. The average for this index is 100. Cities with a score of less than 100 have a lower cost of living and those above a higher one. Figures are for the fourth quarter of 2007. Asheville Charlotte Raleigh Wilmington Atlanta Knoxville, Tenn. Miami New York City

JOHN FLETCHER/JFLETCHER@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Pinebrook Farms in North Asheville.

Home sales

Where the jobs are April 2008 employment for Buncombe, Madison, Haywood and Henderson counties. Figures are in thousands of jobs.

Source: N.C. Employment Security Commission

This chart shows the average income per person in Western North Carolina counties as of 2006.

99.6 89.7 99.3 100.2 96.1 87 115.4 212.8

Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Natural resources, mining and construction Manufacturing Retail and wholesale trade Transportation, warehouse and utilities Information Finance Professional and business services Educational and health services Leisure and hospitality services Other services Government

Income

12.1 20.5 28.5 4.4 2.2 6.1 17.7 30.0 23.8 7.2 7.6

Home prices in Buncombe, Madison, Haywood, Henderson and Transylvania counties have dropped off some from 2007, according to the Western North Carolina Regional Multiple Listing Service. Figures are for all of 2007 and April 2008.

Homes sold Average days on Market Average selling price Median selling price Average list price Median list price

2007 7,471 103

April 2008 473 127

$277,636 $265,090 $220,000 $218,500 $285,723 $278,918 $229,900 $229,000

Transportation Major roads: Interstate 40 runs east to west. It intersects Interstate 26 on Asheville’s

southwest side. I-26 signs are confusing. What the signs call “West” I-26 actually runs north to Tennessee. “East” I-26 goes south to South Carolina. Great Smoky Mountains Expressway — follow U.S. 74 — is the main route to communities like Waynesville, Sylva and Murphy in the western part of the state. Air: Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and US Airways offer service to Asheville Regional Airport through commuter affiliates. Nonstop flights go to Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Newark, N.J. Some travelers drive to Charlotte or Greenville, S.C., then fly. Rail: Great Smoky Mountains Railway offers leisure excursions out of Dillsboro and Bryson City, but there is no other regularly scheduled passenger service in the region. Amtrak serves Charlotte, Gastonia, Greenville and Spartanburg, S.C. Bus: Greyhound offers inter-city service from Asheville and Waynesville. Asheville Transit System offer local service in Buncombe

Avery Buncombe Cherokee Clay Graham Haywood Henderson Jackson Macon Madison McDowell Mitchell Polk Rutherford Swain Transylvania Watauga Yancey N.C. U.S.

$24,747 31,345 22,384 24,222 23,919 27,869 32,431 26,074 27,203 24,284 23,568 23,392 37,873 25,504 23,430 29,642 28,835 21,982 32,247 36,714

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

Crime in Asheville Violent Crime Property crime Murder Forcible rape Robbery Aggravated assault Burglary Larceny

2005 434 5,266 2 16 229 187

2006 2007 473 505 4,099 4,249 4 10 49 27 206 229 21 239

991 3,642

793 1,014 2,834 2,818

Source: State Bureau of Investigation

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

30 MY ASHEVILLE >> education, hospitals Education WNC offers variety of health care facilities Percentage of students scoring at or above grade level on ABC’s End-of-Grade Test, 2006-2007 ❖ Asheville City: Reading: 87.4 percent. Math: 74.8 percent. ❖ Buncombe County: Reading: 89.1 percent. Math: 74.2 percent. ❖ North Carolina: Reading: 85.5 percent. Math: 66.4 percent. Percentage of high school dropouts, 06-07: ❖ Asheville City: 4.63 percent. ❖ Buncombe County: 5.38 percent. ❖ North Carolina: 5.27 percent. Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

By Nanci Bompey NBOMPEY@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Buncombe County

From herbalists to hospitals, Asheville has it all when it comes to health. At the top of the food chain is Mission Hospitals, the regional referral center for the mountain region and biggest employer west of Charlotte. The 800-bed hospital has been nationally recognized for its endocrinology, heart and orthopedic services. It also boasts a genetics center, children’s hospital, women’s health center, spinal program, neurosciences center, vascular center, a range of cancer services, and sports medicine and sleep centers. Mission recently opened an epilepsy monitoring unit, and its weight-loss program includes both nonsurgical and surgical weight-loss options, including offering the new gastric sleeve procedure. The $80 million, six-level Dogwood Building, that will house surgical facilities, patient rooms and a neuro-trauma intensive care unit, is expected to open in 2009. “Our region is growing and continues to have higher-than-average number of people who are older and very active, and we have to make sure our facilities are prepared to provide the level of modern care that is becoming available,” said Mission Hospitals spokeswoman Merrell Gregory. Western North Carolina is also making efforts to become a national center for health and wellness. UNC Asheville is building the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness and a collaboration between the college, Western Carolina University and the Mountain Area

❖ Mission Health and Hospitals 509 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 213-1111 www.missionhospitals.org ❖ Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care Urgent Care South 1812 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 274-1462 ❖ Urgent Care West 8 New Leicester Highway, Asheville 252-4878 ❖ Urgent Care North 155 Weaver Boulevard, Weaverville 645-5088 www.urgentcares.com ❖ CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital 68 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville 277-4800 www.carepartners.org ❖ Buncombe County Health Center 35 Woodfin Avenue, Asheville 250-5000 ❖ WNC Community Health Services 10 Ridgelawn Road, Asheville 285-0622 ❖ Asheville VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road, Asheville 298-7911 or 800-932-6408

Health Education Center will see another center devoted to health and aging coming to the region. A region-wide effort is also under-

❖ Hope — A woman’s Cancer Center 100 Ridgefield Court, Asheville 670-8403 www.hopeawcc.com

Haywood County ❖ Haywood Regional Medical Center 262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde 456-7311 or 800-834-1729 www.haymed.org

Henderson County ❖ Park Ridge Hospital 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville 684-8501 www.parkridgehospital.org ❖ Pardee Hospital 800 N. Justice St.t, Hendersonville 696-1000 www.pardeehospital.org

McDowell County ❖ McDowell Hospital 430 Rankin Drive, Marion 659-5000 www.mcdhospital.org

Transylvania County ❖ Transylvania Community Hospital 90 Hospital Drive, Brevard 884-9111 www.tchospital.org way to bring third- and fourth-year medical students from UNC Chapel Hill to the mountains to help increase the number of physicians in the region.

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June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

Voters register Democrat but vote Republican Voters in Buncombe County and the rest of Western North Carolina tend to register as Democrats, but they often send Republicans to Washington. Buncombe is home to 72,894 registered Democrats, according to April statistics. They outnumber the 49,015 registered Republicans or the 42,655 unaffiliated voters. Similarly, the 15-county 11th Congressional District includes more registered Democrats (195,661) than Republicans (166,546) or unaffiliated voters (121,582). But conservative leanings here helped President Bush win the county, the region and the state — twice. More recently, WNC Democrats supported Sen.

voters & government

STEVE DIXON/SDIXON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

The crowd applauds a remark by Hillary Clinton during a campaign appearance May 2 in Hendersonville. Hillary Clinton in the party’s May 6 primary. Buncombe County, though, followed the state’s lead in choosing Sen. Barack Obama. More than 38 percent of

the county’s registered voters turned out for the primary, beating the average state turnout. Jordan Schrader

Local legislators ❖ REP. BOB ENGLAND D-Ellenboro 919-733-5749 District: 112 Bobe@ncleg.net

❖ REP. CAROLYN JUSTUS R-Hendersonville 919-733-5956 District 117 Carolynj@ncleg.net

❖ SEN. TOM APODACA R-Hendersonville 919-733-5745 District 48 Toma@ncleg.net

❖ REP. SUSAN FISHER D-West Asheville 919-715-2013 District 114 Susanf@ncleg.net

❖ REP. RAY RAPP D-Mars Hill 919-733-5732 District 118 Raymondr@ncleg.net

❖ SEN. WALTER DALTON D-Rutherfordton 919-715-3038 District 46 Walterd@ncleg.net

❖ REP. PHILLIP FRYE R-Spruce Pine 919-733-5661 District 84 Phillipf@ncleg.net

❖ REP. CULLIE TARLETON D-Blowing Rock 919-733-7727 District 93 Culliet@ncleg.net

❖ SEN. STEVE GOSS D-Boone 919-733-5742 District 45 Steveg@ncleg.net

❖ REP. MITCH GILLESPIE R-Marion 919-733-5862 District 85 Mitchg@ncleg.net

❖ REP. CHARLES THOMAS R-Arden 919-715-3012 District 116 Charlest@ncleg.net

❖ SEN. MARTIN NESBITT D-Asheville 919-715-3001 District 49 martinn@ncleg.net

❖ REP. BRUCE GOFORTH D-E. Asheville 919-733-5746 District 115 Bruceg@ncleg.net

❖ REP. TRUDI WALEND R-Brevard 919-715-4466 District 113 Trudiw@ncleg.net

❖ SEN. JOE SAM QUEEN D-Waynesville 919-733-3460 District 47 JoeQ@ncleg.net

❖ REP. PHILLIP HAIRE D-Sylva 919-715-3005 District 119 Philliph@ncleg.net

❖ REP. ROGER WEST R-Marble 919-733-5859 District 120 Rogerw@ncleg.net

❖ SEN. JOHN SNOW D-Murphy 919-733-5875 District 50 Johnsn@ncleg.net

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >> Appalachian State University

❖ Location: Boone ❖ Number of students: 15,871 total ❖ Academic focus: Five undergraduate colleges and schools, one graduate school ❖ Affiliation: University of North Carolina system ❖ Founded: 1899 ❖ Nickname: Mountaineers ❖ On the Net: www.appstate.edu

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

❖ Location: Asheville, with campuses in Enka and Marshall ❖ Number of Students: 25,817, including curriculum and continuing education students ❖ Academic focus: Career and technical programs and college transfers ❖ Affiliation: North Carolina community college system ❖ Founded: 1959 ❖ Sports: None ❖ On the Net: www.abtech.edu

colleges & universities

UNC Asheville

❖ Location: Asheville ❖ Number of students: 3,193 ❖ Academic focus: Liberal arts and sciences ❖ Affiliation: UNC system ❖ Founded: 1927 ❖ Nickname: Bulldogs ❖ On the Net: www.unca.edu

Blue Ridge Community College

❖ Location: Flat Rock, with a satellite center in Brevard ❖ Number of students: 1,983 total number of students ❖ Academic focus: technical and vocational education. ❖ Affiliation: N.C. community college system ❖ Founded: 1969 ❖ Sports: men’s baseball and women’s volleyball. ❖ On the Net: www.blueridge.edu

Brevard College

❖ Location: Brevard ❖ Number of students: More than 700 ❖ Academic focus: Comprehensive liberal arts college.

❖ Affiliation: WNC Conference of The United Methodist Church ❖ Founded: 1853 ❖ Nickname: Tornados ❖ On the Net: www.brevard.edu

Mars Hill College

❖ Location: Mars Hill ❖ Number of students: 1,250 undergraduates ❖ Academic focus: Liberal arts ❖ Affiliation: Baptist State Convention of North Carolina ❖ Founded: 1856 ❖ Nickname: Mountain Lions ❖ On the Net: www.mhc.edu

Montreat College

❖ Location: Montreat (with campuses in Asheville and Charlotte) ❖ Number of students: 995 in traditional and adult studies programs. ❖ Academic focus: Liberal arts. ❖ Affiliation: Association of Presbyterian Colleges & Universities, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, and Council of Independent Colleges.

❖ Founded: 1916 ❖ Nickname: Cavaliers ❖ On the Net: www.montreat.edu

Warren Wilson College ❖ Location: Swannanoa ❖ Number of students: 850 ❖ Academic focus: Liberal arts; M.F.A. in creative writing. ❖ Affiliation: Private college affiliated with Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). ❖ Founded: 1894 ❖ Nickname: Owls ❖ On the Net: www.warren-wilson.edu

Western Carolina University ❖ Location: Cullowhee ❖ Number of students: More than 9,000 students ❖ Academic focus: Awards bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctor’s degrees in more than 120 specialties. ❖ Affiliation: UNC system ❖ Founded: 1889 ❖ Nickname: Catamounts ❖ On the Net: www.wcu.edu

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >> City of Asheville Population/demographics (2006 estimate) ❖ Total: 83,019 ❖ Male: 45.4 percent ❖ Female: 54.6 percent ❖ Median age: 37.9 ❖ Younger than 5 years: 5.2 percent ❖ 18 years and older: 79.8 percent ❖ 65 years and older: 17.0 percent ❖ White: 80.7 percent ❖ African-American: 14.8 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.2 percent ❖ Asian: 1.8 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 6.9 percent

❖ White: 89.0 percent ❖ African-American: 3.3 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.2 percent ❖ Asian: 0.9 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 8.3 percent

Haywood County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 56,447 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 97.1 percent ❖ African-American: 1.4 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.6 percent ❖ Asian: 0.3 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 1.7 percent

Buncombe County

Jackson County

Population/demographics (2006 estimate) ❖ Total: 222,174 ❖ Male: 47.7 percent ❖ Female: 52.3 percent ❖ Median age: 40.9 ❖ Younger than 5 years: 5.6 percent ❖ 18 years and older: 78.9 percent ❖ 65 years and older: 15.2 percent ❖ White: 89.2 percent ❖ African-American: 7.3 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.3 percent ❖ Asian: 0.9 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 4.0 percent

Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 35,562 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 85.48 percent ❖ African-American: 2.14 percent ❖ American Indian: 10.22 percent ❖ Asian: 0.74 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 2.02 percent

Henderson County Population/demographics (2006 estimate) ❖ Total: 99,033 ❖ Male: 48.8 percent ❖ Female: 51.2 percent ❖ Median age: 42.7 ❖ Younger than 5 years: 5.6 percent ❖ 18 years and older: 79.2 percent ❖ 65 years and older: 21.4 percent

population demographics

Madison County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 20,355 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 98.0 percent ❖ African-American: 1.0 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.3 percent ❖ Asian: 0.4 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 1.6 percent

Transylvania County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 29,780 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 93.7 percent ❖ African-American: 4.6 percent

❖ American Indian: 0.3 percent ❖ Asian: 0.5 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 1.1 percent

McDowell County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 43,414 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 94.2 percent ❖ African-American: 4.0 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.3 percent ❖ Asian: 1.0 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 4.2 percent

Mitchell County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 15,681 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 98.5 percent ❖ African-American: 0.4 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.6 percent ❖ Asian: 0.2 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 3.0 percent

Polk County Population/demographics (2005 estimate)

❖ Total: 19,226 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 93.03 percent ❖ African-American: 5.67 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.33 percent ❖ Asian: 0.33 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 3.41 percent

Rutherford County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 63,867 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 87.08 percent ❖ African-American: 11.30 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.23 percent ❖ Asian: 0.42 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 2.14 percent

Yancey County Population/demographics (2005 estimate) ❖ Total: 18,421 (2006 estimate) ❖ White: 97.92 percent ❖ African American: 0.92 percent ❖ American Indian: 0.37 percent ❖ Asian: 0.18 percent ❖ Hispanic origin: 4.4 percent Source: U.S. Census Bureau

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June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

souvenirs

Take home a piece of Asheville Art, crafts make unique souvenirs By Paul Clark PCLARK@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ROBERT LUDLOW/SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Robert Ludlow’s 12x18-inch prints of downtown Asheville are available at The Grove Arcade ARTS & Heritage Gallery.

ASHEVILLE — You don’t want to leave Asheville without something that gives you an excuse to tell people about your time here. And there’s not much cuter than a face jug, a quintessential folk art item that isn’t cheap but has great value in being fun. Rodney Leftwich, a craftsman who lives in Horse Shoe, has been making them since the late 1970s. He sells them at the Folk Art Center, on the Blue Ridge Parkway just east of Asheville (pick it up from U.S. 70 East). “People still buy them. That’s one reason I still make them,” Leftwich said. Each one he makes is unique, he said, unlike some face jug potters who churn out the same designs. The face he creates depends on how he feels that day. “It would bore me to tears if I had to make every one exactly alike,” he said. Face jugs are popular among potters, collectors and souvenir hunters because people like images of themselves, Leftwich believes. He himself is a collector of the jugs, having some that date to the 1920s. He started making them in 1978, a year after he visited potter Burlon Craig in Vale, N.C. Craig, awarded a National Endowment of the Arts National Heritage Fellowship in 1984, was one of the few potters still making traditional wood-fired mountain pottery, which included face jugs, Leftwich said. “I was interested in meeting someone still making them, and I was fascinated with the wood-fire process,” Leftwich said. “He let me learn from him in exchange for help loading, firing and unloading the kilns. “I’ve been making them, along with my other pottery, ever since.”

Some other souvenirs to consider are: A photo. The Grove Arcade ARTS & Heritage Gallery sells prints ($150 $200) by Canton photographer Robert Ludlow of waterfalls and farms, among other things. Five-by 7-

SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN-TIMES

Jan Kransberger’s “The Flowering” ($800) is available at The Bender Gallery. inch prints are $4, and postcards are $1. Sourwood honey. Buy it at the Sourwood Festival in Black Mountain Aug. 9-10. The family-friendly arts, crafts and music festival will sell 12ounce honey bears for $3 and 20-ounce jars for $8. Handcrafted glasswork. Jan Kransberger of Asheville casts the female form in glass and sells the figures at The Bender Gallery, 57 Haywood St., downtown Asheville, for $600-$950. A T-shirt. Around Asheville, they come in all flavors, including these: ❖ Fun — Bele Chere T-shirts, sold during the downtown Asheville festival July 25-27. ❖ Sporty — Asheville Tourists ball club T-shirts, sold weekdays at McCormick Field. ❖ Classy — Artsy-type Asheville Tshirts, sold at the visitors center, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce on Montford Avenue (take exit 4C off Interstate 240).

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June 2008

MY ASHEVILLE >>

outdoors

Experts list top places to get out outdoors Top 5 places to motorcycle FROM RICHARD HARSHAW, DIRECTOR OF THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN HARLEY OWNERS GROUP

1. The Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the ultimate motorcycle experience, whether you ride the Blue Ridge Parkway for just one hour or decide to make the complete ride from start to finish. The Parkway runs through Western North Carolina. The Parkway has a 45 miles per hour speed limit. Commercial vehicles are prohibited. For more information call 271-4779 or visit www.nps.gov/blri. 2. Deals Gap (The Tail of the Dragon) and Cherohala Skyway. Deals Gap is famous for 318 curves in 11 miles. Commonly known as “The Tail of the Dragon,” it is visited mostly by sport bikes, cruisers, and sports cars of all types. U.S. 129 is the road number on the map and depending on your starting point runs between WNC and Tennessee. When arriving be sure to check out the gift shop, restaurant, and resort for that special Dragon’s Tail souvenir. Cherohala Skyway is close and not to be passed up on this trip. For more information, visit tailofthedragon.com. 3. Blowing Rock. Accessible from multiple great roads, Blue Ridge Parkway, U.S. 221 or U.S. 321. En route to Blowing Rock, be sure to schedule plenty of time for the many attractions along the way. On this ride, be sure to put Blowing Rock Park on your list and check out the legend of Indian lore. The Blowing Rock village draws visitors with its quaint restaurants and the many other attractions in the area. For more information, visit www.blowingrock.com. 4. Cherokee. Nestled in a mountain valley, home of The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, it is popular for Harrah’s Casino and Motel, “Unto these Hills” outdoor drama, pay-by-the day trout fishing in the local streams and lots more fun activities. With all good riding on U.S. 441, Blue Ridge Parkway or U.S. 19 through Maggie Valley, a trip to Cherokee is a must. For more information, visit www.cherokee-nc.com. 5. Chimney Rock/Lake Lure. With easy access from Charlotte by way of U.S. 74 west, this lake resort has the interesting road a motorcycle rider likes, and those mountain and lake views take your breath away. Enjoy an afternoon of visiting the many gift shops or relax in any of the biker friendly restaurants. Be

sure to cruise up to Chimney Rock Park for a close look at a rock formation unlike any in the world. For more information, visit www.chimneyrockpark.com and www.lakelure.com.

Top five places to road bike, mountain bike FROM BRUCE ROGERS, PRESIDENT OF THE BLUE RIDGE BICYCLE CLUB

1. Roadbiking the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mount Pisgah: Starting at the French Broad River, this is a 29-mile round trip. It requires about 2,500 feet of climbing, but offers a heck of a coast back down. A great choice for the summertime, when it’s usually 5 or 10 degrees cooler at Pisgah. Be sure to take lights for the tunnels. 2. An after-work circumnavigation of Bent Creek by mountain bike: Park at the Rice Pinnacle lot. Start out Rice Pinnacle road, then continue on North Boundary, Hickory Top, Sidehill, Explorer, Pine Tree, Homestead, and the Hard-times Connector. Roughly 14 miles, mostly single-track. Requires some single-track experience and a reasonable fitness level. 3. The Rugby Scrum road ride: An easy 20-mile road ride from Fletcher Park out into the South Mills River area and back. Rolling country and lots of pretty scenery. 4. The Caney Bottom mountain bike ride: Start at the Fish Hatchery on the Davidson River in Pisgah Forest. Ride up gravel road 479B and return via the Caney Bottom Trail and Davidson River Trail. Probably 10 miles total. The beauty of this ride is that you do most of your climbing on the road and then enjoy a long, gradual descent on single-

track. Lightly technical — requires some experience on single-track. 5. The Jeter Mountain Metric Century: A moderately difficult, 64-mile road ride that loops from Etowah down into Transylvania County and back. 4650 feet of climbing and beautiful, mostly rolling scenery. Ride cue sheets are available at blueridgebicycleclub.org.

Top camping spots FROM GARY EBLEN, COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER FOR DIAMOND BRAND OUTDOORS

For RV/Car Camping: Cades Cove Campground in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Camping in Cades Cove in late February means few fellow campers, heated bathrooms and picnic tables. Bring your firewood and lawn chairs. Spend the day doing long day hikes and at night sit in the chair by the fire sipping your favorite beverage. For more information, visit cadescove.net. Hot Springs Campground in late September/early October. Early Fall, between Labor Day and Nov 1, the Campground has plenty of room, the sound of the French Broad, and if you don’t like your own cooking after a long loop hike over Rich Mountain, walk to town for food and a few pints. Don’t forget the hot tubs. For more information, visit nchotsprings.com.

Tent camping, backpacking 1. There are a half dozen good places within an hour walk of the Black Balsam Parking Lot in Shining Rock. One I’m willing to mention is at the base of Sam Knob near Flat Laurel Creek. It can be a nice place almost any time of year except holiday weekends or when the Parkway is closed.

2. Any of the non-rationed backcountry campsites in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. No. 26, Dripping Spring Mountain is just off the Miry Ridge Trail about halfway between Elkmont and the Appalachian Trail. The campsite is in a hemlock grove and the spring is nearby. At 4,500 feet elevation, this campsite can be cool, even in summer. 3. Caldwell Fork Campsite No. 41 in Cataloochee Section of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This campsite is nice in late fall whether you’re doing a loop or an out and back. The walk in from the valley is fairly flat and about a half mile from the campsite are some of the biggest poplar trees in the Park. 4. An easy lower elevation spot would be on Slate Rock Creek about a mile or so above Yellow Gap Road in Pisgah National Forest. Since the trail is old railroad grade, it makes for a fairly easy walk. 5. Cantrell Creek is in Pisgah National Forest near the old lodge site. A 4-mile walk in from Turkey Pen Gap makes this very accessible.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

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Green living

Asheville’s ‘Green man’ By Nanci Bompey NBOMPEY@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ETOWAH — Ned Doyle’s home in Etowah doesn’t have utilities, but it has plenty of power. With the exception of a small generator that he cranks up only when necessary, Doyle’s 450-square-foot home runs completely on power generated by solar photovoltaic cells. The lights, water, computer, TV, DVD player, even his cell phone charger, all run on energy generated from the sun. “That was one of my first criteria, there would be no physical connections to the grid,” said Doyle, who moved onto the four-acre property more than a decade ago. “It meant starting from the beginning. There were two chilly winters.” Doyle’s interest in solar energy and sustainable living started when he was in high school. From there, Doyle’s interest grew, eventually leading him to Western North Carolina in 1979 to

work for the Mother Earth News magazine and its Eco-Village, a sustainable living demonstration project. Doyle stayed in Asheville after the magazine was sold and eventually launched the Southern Energy and Environment Expo, an annual event highlighting energy conservation and cleaning the environment. Doyle drives a 1983 Volvo station wagon, which still gets 30 miles to the gallon, but only when necessary. Although he doesn’t grow all of his own food — just some fruits and vegetables — about 90 percent of the food he does eat is local and organic. After more than 30 years of talking and educating people about the importance of living a sustainable life, Doyle said he has great optimism that people are coming around to the importance of energy conservation and its connection to the environment. Today, solar panels are gracing the roofs of buildings all over Western North Carolina, and more people are thinking about how they get their energy and build their homes. The number of homes in the region that have achieved N.C. HealthyBuilt Home certification, the statewide program for residences that conserve energy and reduce waste, has increased five-fold in the past year and a half. Western North Carolina is home to 95 percent of the HealthyBuilt Homes in North Carolina, according to Matt Siegel, director of the WNC Green Building Council. The region also boasts many alternative energy companies, and more people in WNC are thinking about living a more sustainable life.

Ned Doyle “There is no doubt in my mind that Asheville and Western North Carolina is the sustainable leader in the entire Southeast,” Doyle said. But, Doyle adds, everything is relative, and compared to the rest of the country, Western North Carolina still has a way to go. “We have to look at this holistically to be able to preserve something other than just a wasteland for the children,” Doyle said. “I would like to have my name on a list of people, they weren’t much to look at, but they were right.”

Green examples ❖ Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa has several “green” buildings including its admission building and eco dorm. The school offers green walkabout tours. Contact Stan Cross at 771-3782 or scross@warren-wilson.edu to arrange a tour. ❖ The physical plant building at UNC Asheville. ❖ The Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center. ❖ The Hudson Street development in West Asheville. ❖ Westwood Co-housing off Vermont Avenue in West Asheville. ❖ The WNC Green Building Council also runs an annual Green Home Tour in October. Source: Matt Siegel, WNC Green Building Council. For a list of green building resources, visit the WNC Green Building council’s Web site at www.wncgbc.org.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

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golf

Top 5 WNC golf courses SHEVILLE — The old cliché about listing your Top 5 concerning anything you are passionate about is often answered by, “That’s like asking which child is my favorite.” Golf courses aren’t babies, but for those who love the game there is a feeling of excitement and a high comfort level when 18 holes at a preferred layout is scheduled. Here is one hacker’s opinion on the best choices of Western North Carolina courses available to the public, including:

Keith Jarrett Columnist

It is a time-honored tradition to make the mountainous trek to Mount Mitchell Golf Course near Burnsville, and the drive through curvy, two-lane roads is well worth it.

Carved out of the surrounding Pisgah National Forest, Mount Mitchell is postcard beautiful and a joy to play. The name implies mountain golf, but with the exception of a couple of severe elevation changes on the back nine, it is a relatively flat course with incredible routing and the soothing South Toe River running through the course.

Etowah Valley Country Club offers a traditional 18 holes highlighted by lengthy par-4s and par-5s, subtle doglegs and just enough sand and water to add beauty and challenge to the round. A third nine is more of a resort, scoring friendly side with a trio of par-5 and two shortish par-3s. Together the 27 holes provide one of the area’s sternest but fairest tests of your skills. A heavily played municipal course is not often on a favorites list, but a Donald Ross design with two completely different nines qualifies for the local must-play list. Asheville Municipal GC begins benignly with five holes of wideopen, easy-to-score holes before demanding that accurate tee balls and approach shots be played. An up-and-down backside that winds through a neighborhood is a shot-maker’s delight and provides a memorable experience.

STEVE DIXON/SDIXON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Keith Jarrett’s favorite hole at Etowah Valley Country Club is the 4th hole on the South course.

A links course in the mountains? Broadmoor Golf Links in Fletcher pulls it off, with water on 11 holes and

enough fairway twists and turns to make this affordable public course a top 5 fixture. This Karl Litten design offers an impressive variety of holes, leaving players wondering — and enjoying — what’s coming up next, and a strong risk-and-reward par-5 finishing hole completes a fun 18 holes.

Solid nine-hole courses have almost gone the way of the mashie and stymie, but Old Fort GC is a pleasurable exception. Tree-lined from start to finish and with enough change in tee boxes to produce some different looks for 18 holes, Old Fort requires more finesse that length and the ability to play shots from sidehill lies. Other favorites: Black Mountain GC, Maggie Valley Club, Reems Creek, Southern Tee, Waynesville CC.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com/myasheville

June 2008

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fun activities for kids

Kids can have fun, too Ted E. Tourist highlights a few activities for visitors and newcomers By Jason McGill JMCGILL@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

ASHEVILLE — Ted E. Tourist — the Asheville Tourists mascot — may not have much to say when he’s working at McCormick Field. In fact, he’s much more comfortable leading the crowd in a “YMCA” singalong from atop the home dugout than talking. But I was able to corner the bear for an interview on what makes Asheville such a great place for children. Citizen-Times: When you’re not hibernating during the winter, what are some highlights for kids around Western North Carolina? Ted E. Tourist: “I love Asheville because there is so much fun stuff to do around here, like going to Fun Depot, Chimney Rock, the Biltmore House and most of all the Asheville Tourists games — being able to be a part of all

Five fun things for kids ❖ Asheville Tourists baseball. ❖ WNC Nature Center. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 298-5600. Web site: www.wildwnc.org. ❖ Fun Depot. Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Monday-Thursday), 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (Friday), 10 a.m.-11 p.m. (Saturday). Phone: 277-2386 Web site: www.ashevillesfundepot.com ❖ Health Adventure. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tuesday-Saturday), the Tourists games is the best.” CT: So, what is your favorite thing about the Tourists games?

1 p.m.-5 p.m. (Sunday). Phone: 254-6373. Web site: www.thehealthadventure.org. ❖ Lake Julian. Phone: 250-4620.

Want to watch some baseball? Visit www.theashevilletourists.com to see a schedule of games. Tickets: Box seats: Adults $10; Children, senior citizens, military $7. General admission: Adults $7; Children, senior citizens, military $6. For more information, call 258-0428 or e-mail info@theashevilletourists.com. TET: “I love seeing all the people who come out to the games, but I must admit racing a kid every game has to be the best part. Even though those kids beat me every time, I still enjoy it.” CT: What else is there to do at the games? TET: “Some of the other things I enjoy at the Tourists games are the inflatable games (on the concourse), the concession food and the merchandise store (where fans can purchase a hat like the one Ted E. wears to each game).” CT: Thank you, Ted. E. If baseball isn’t your thing, there are plenty of kid-friendly activities just a short drive from McCormick Field, including the WNC Nature Center in East Asheville, the Health Adventure in Pack Place, Lake Powhatan and Lake

JOHN COUTLAKIS/JCOUTLAKIS@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM

Cooper Ingle, 6, of Asheville, pulls ahead of Ted E. Tourist, the mascot for the Asheville Tourists, in a race around the bases. Julian, and the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. But if you want to meet Ted E., you’ll have to stop by the ballpark in downtown Asheville.