Capital at Play February 2016 by Capital at Play Magazine

Justin Harrell

As Time Goes By p.12

Patrice Kennedy-Murillo & Manuel Murillo Green Screens & A Lot of Imagination p.62

The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

THE

Magic OF Mary

Edmonds p.48

Volume VI - Edition II complimentary edition

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February 2016

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February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

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’m “the new guy” here at the magazine, so for obvious reasons, you’d think it’s too early for me to have an emotional stake in it. Yet I already feel a deep sense of pride in being part of the Capital at Play team. It is, in fact, a kind of dream job for me. While I intuitively grasp the importance of digital media and wholeheartedly embrace its potential, with my background in newspapers and magazines, the traditionalist in me—some might say, “the luddite”—has never been able to let go of a profound love of print. And I said as much when originally interviewing for the Managing Editor position.

Coincidentally (or not), the February issue highlights several people who reached for, and hopefully found, their own dream jobs. Justin Harrell launched The Watchmaker’s Shop after honing his craft for a number of years with the Rolex company, while Mary Edmonds, of Mary’s Magic Tailoring, took a natural affinity for sewing that reached all the way back to her childhood and steered it towards a successful long-term career as a business owner. And in a stroke of providence that surprised even them, Patrice and Manuel Murillo were able to turn their mutual passions, photography and calligraphy, into a unique, linked, pair of businesses, Indulge Images and TEXTure Gallery, Studio and Art Bar. Those are the types of people that Capital at Play finds intriguing: dreamers who became doers. I’ve gradually been going through the magazine’s back issues while settling in to the office routines here, and I’ve noticed how that dreamer/ doer dichotomy is a recurring theme. Sometimes stated directly, others more subtly. But it’s definitely there, and it strikes a chord for me. I trust that the very fact you are reading this means you feel similarly. So by way of introduction, I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank you for helping us keep the faith.

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| February 2016

Sincerely,

Fred Mills

ANYTOWN SUBARU ANYTOWN SUBARU Built to my take you to the Cancel Good Good news. news. place you’ve never been. or winding roads. appointments. or winding It’s It’s winter. winter.roads.

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February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

Magazine n e w to t h i s

The Free Spirit Of Enterprise

publisher

Oby Morgan associate publisher

Jeffrey Green managing editor

Fred Mills briefs and events editor

Leslee Kulba copy editors

Dasha O. Morgan, Brenda Murphy contributing writers & photogr aphers

Emily Ballard, Amy Cherrix, Bill Fishburne, Anthony Harden, Jared Kay, Roger McCredie, Marla Hardee Milling, Toni Sherwood, Matthew Wright

fred mills m a n ag i n g e d ito r

gr aphic designer

F r e d M i l l s h a s wo r k e d i n journalism since the Eighties, and in that pursuit he’s worn pretty much every hat there is, from freelance writer to newspaper staffer to office proofreader to magazine editor. As a result, over the years he’s been privy to the many changes that have taken place within the journalism world. Last summer he and his family moved back to Asheville, having previously lived here from 2002-12. During that time many changes were also taking place in Western North Carolina, so he brings both a fresh outlook and a long-term viewpoint to the magazine.

marketing & advertising David Morgan, Katrina Morgan, Pat Starnes

Information & Inquiries gener al advertising inquiries

e-mail advertising@capitalatplay.com or call 828.274.7305 for subscription information

subscribe online at www.capitalatplay.com or call 828.274.7305

ive rs a

rs a

ive

UM ia

| February 2016

UM Universal

Media

U n ive rs al

Un ive rs a

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This magazine is printed with soy based ink on recycled paper. Please recycle.

UniversalMedia

want to talk with fred? connect with us at:

dia ia selected and produced Editorial contentdis because of its interest to our readership. Editorial content is not for sale and cannot be bought. Capital At Play is financially sustained by advertisers who find value in exposure alongside our unique content and with the readers who follow it.

– oby morgan

for editorial inquiries

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“We’re very excited to have Fred’s 30+ years of experience on our staff, and I personally look forward to his lasting imprint on our unique publication.”

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Published by Universal Media Inc. PO Box 5615, Asheville, NC. 28813

Capital At Play is protec ted through Tr ademar k Regis tr ation in the United States. The content found within this publication does not necessar ily ref lec t the views of Univer sal Media , Inc. and its companies. Univer sal Media , Inc. and its employees are not liable for any adver tising or editor ial content found in Capital At Play. The ar ticles, photogr aphy, and illus tr ations found in Capital at Play may not be reproduced or used in any fashion without express wr it ten consent by Univer sal Media , Inc.

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

| February 2016

this page :

A collection of watches on display at The Watchmaker’s Shop photo by Anthony Harden

F E AT U R E S vol. vi

AS TIME GOES BY JUSTIN HARRELL

ed. ii

EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES MARY EDMONDS

62 GREEN SCREENS & A LOT OF IMAGINATION PATRICE KENNEDY-MURILLO & MANUEL MURILLO

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

HEC SHARPES ON T EN T S

THE ST HE STA

SHARPEST L

f e b r u a r y 2 016

photo courtesy Appalachian Ski Mountain

d? The war for top talent is real, even w

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Real Estate Year in Review 2015

Lookin’ For Love in All The Digital Places

Just Schussing Around

lo c a l i n d u s t r y

“It was a very good year…” — Frank Sinatra

e Rd. Suite B B colu m ns

72 I nvesting 2016…

in Human Capital

Companies are realizing the need to invest in their most important asset. Written by Matthew Wright

on the cover :

l e i s u r e & l i b at i o n

briefs

34 Carolina in the West 58 The Old North State 74 National & World News

Some of the many colorful threads used at Mary’s Magic Tailoring, photo by Anthony Harden. 10

| February 2016

c a p i ta l a d v e n t u r i s t

Fresh skiing options right here in your own backyard.

p e o p l e at p l ay

88 Annual Homecoming

Career Fair at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center

events

90 Cold enough for you?

Stay warm by taking in some theater, concerts, an art exhibition, or even some indoor motocross!

ST FINDNEEDLE THE SHARPEST NEEDLE FIND THE SHARPEST NEEDLE FIND NEEDLE FINDFIND THE THE SHARPEST SHARPEST NEEDLE THE NEEDLE

TACK. IN THE STACK. IN THE STACK. STACK. ACK. TH ININ

with Feeling high overwhelmed? unemployment. The war for top talent is real, even with high unemployment.

Feeling overwhelmed? The war for real, even with high unemployment. igh Feeling unemployment. overwhelmed? overwhelmed? Feeling The The war war for top top talent overwhelmed? talentyou isteam. real, even withhigh highunemployment. unemployment. The best TopFeeling businesses people know that on to befor competitive your need thewith best But people on your team. But ght person for the ticking and job finding requires the right person for the job requires when it’s time toknow hire, the eople Top businesses businesses on T know op that your thatclock to tobe beis competitive competitive team. you need need the theBut best bestpeople people know on on your your team. team. But that But TopTop businesses know that tobusinesses be competitive the best people on your team. But erson for the is ticking ticking and andrequires finding right person person forfor for the the jobjob job requires requires when when it’s time time to when hire, hire, the the clock clock it’s time to hire, the c time and resources you just don’t have. isisjob ticking finding the theright right person the requires when it’sit’s time toto hire, the clock

time time and and resources resources time you youjust justdon’t don’t and have. have. you jus time and resources you just don’t have. ess Express of Employment sorting Professionals through is in the resources full-time business the ofstack sorting through the stack f sorting Express Express Employment Employment Express through Professionals Professionals is in the the Employment full-time full-time the business stack ofof ofsorting sorting through through thethe Profe the stack stack of applicants and finding the sharpest person for the business job. Express Employment Professionals isisin in the full-time business sorting through stack

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(L-R) Sergio Berrios, Ryan George, owner Justin Harrell, and Jane Margaret Bell 12

| February 2016

Time

Goes By Self-confessed â&#x20AC;&#x153;watch nerdâ&#x20AC;? Justin Harrell is keeping the craft of watchmaking alive. written by marl a hardee milling

photos by anthony harden

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

jane margaret bell

tools of the tr ade : set of Bergeon

screwdrivers used for watch repair.

| February 2016

limited edition Breitling for Bentley watch (solid 18k rose gold chronograph) on display at the store.

HERE’S SOMETHING OF A ZEN NATURE GOING ON at a small but efficient shop located in the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. Not only does proprietor Justin Harrell’s work keep him focused on the present moment as he practices patience by doing intricate repair work on watches, he doesn’t get overly attached to material things. If a customer walks into his store and falls in love with the watch he’s wearing, he’ll take it off and sell it. “I sell them off my wrist a couple times a year,” says Harrell. “It’s like if the watchmaker is wearing it, it must be good.” He pushes his sleeve back to reveal his current choice—a stylish Omega Planet Ocean watch attached to a black strap featuring orange stitching. He admits, however, that there are two he won’t sell at The Watchmaker’s Shop. “Everything I own is for sale except the one I made at school and the Tudor engraved watch Rolex gave me when I graduated [from the Rolex-founded Lititz Watch Technicum]. I still have the first Rolex I bought [originally made in 1974]. It’s for sale in the front window, but I’m asking too much for it. I don’t really want to sell it.”

The Countdown to a Career Harrell grew up in the jewelry business. His mother was a goldsmith and his grandfather opened the East Tennessee Diamond Company in the 1970s in Morristown, Tennessee. Today that company is still owned by his grandmother and operated by his uncle. “I worked there part-time when I was in college and kept hearing about the shortage of younger watchmakers,” explains Harrell. “I applied to the Rolex school which only accepts 12 students a year. It’s located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.” At the end of that two-year program at the prestigious Lititz watchmaking school (he attended from 2005 to 2007), Harrell landed a job in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, employed by A.H. Riise as their Rolex technician. During his three years in “paradise,” he met the woman who would become his wife. Justin and Holly married in March 2010 and about two months later they decided to relocate to Asheville. She’s originally from Wichita, Kansas, and works now at Mission Hospital in lab informatics. The 34-year-old Harrell credits his wife for giving him the opportunity to grow a successful business. They live off her income while putting all profits from the shop back into the business. The tools needed to work on Rolex watches are especially pricey, and he has been able to build a good inventory of the needed equipment and supplies over the past five years. “She understands it’s an investment in our future,” he says. “All my people get paid, but I don’t take a salary.” They don’t have any kids and live on South French Broad Avenue, which is conveniently located between her work at Mission and his shop. “I ride a scooter to work,” he says, pointing to a Honda moped parked outside his business. “I could probably make more money in larger cities, but it’s all about quality of life.” February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

He launched the shop with $12,000 in savings—it was first located in the atrium of the Haywood Park Hotel and then moved to the Grove Arcade in June 2013. Situated on the Page Avenue side of the Arcade and sandwiched in between True Confections and a real estate office, The Watchmaker’s Shop

random pieces that look like oversized watch parts surrounded by a wire cage. The parts were repurposed from a time clock at the Georgia Pacific Railroad Station. The top of the sign says “The Watchmaker’s Shop” with “Precision Service” underneath. There’s also a welded railing outside the store with the same type of oversized parts. The store space encompasses a modest 500-sq.-ft. and features display cases made by local artisan Doug Quade filled with new and pre-owned watches. Quade also handcrafts the wooden sleeves used to showcase individual watches. Brands like Seiko, Citizen, 40Nine, and Casio sit side-by-side for customers to view. While the shop doesn’t sell clocks, there is an eye-catching one on the wall: a round, yellow clock featuring a picture of the late reggae legend Bob Marley. Next to it are three photos of a toddler holding a pocket watch. Small green plants in pots line the inside of the front window in stark contrast

A welded piece of random pieces that look like oversized watch parts… that were repurposed from a time clock at the Georgia Pacific Railroad Station. sports a black awning with its name, along with its website, www.thewatchmakersshop.com, and phone number, 828254-0011, embossed on the front door. It’s the street level sign, however, that draws the most attention. Harrell sees a constant flow of people stopping to snap photos of the sign with their phones. It’s a welded piece of 16

| February 2016

certified watchmaker Sergio Berrios February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 17

to the oversized bright yellow Swatch watch hanging from the ceiling with “CAUTION” spelled out in huge black letters across the band. Since 2014, Harrell has also been leasing a 1300-sq.-ft. space in the Biltmore area that’s utilized as his shop’s service center. At this time, customers can only visit the Grove Arcade location, but if Harrell’s long-term plans come to fruition they’ll one day be able to drop items off at the service center. Before that happens he wants to find a building he can purchase. “I don’t know if that will happen this year or in five years, but I’m looking,” he notes.

Watchmakers in Demand

justin harrell examining

a customer’s watch 18

| February 2016

On a recent day, Harrell is seated at his workbench in the store, gazing steadily at a well-illuminated watch as he installs a battery. When the owner walks back in to pick it up, Harrell is still in the process of finishing up. “I’m sorry it took me a little longer than I said,” he explains to her, “but there was a speck of dust between the movement and the glass and I wanted to get that out.” As he talks, he snaps the band back in place while a new employee, Jane Margaret Bell, rings her up. “It was just me working here, for awhile,” says Harrell. “I learned quickly that I couldn’t work on watches and run a business. I do quick service here like replacing batteries and bands, but for repairs or other work we do it at the service center.” He’s joined by Sergio Berrios, another certified watchmaker. Both men have WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program) Certification and CW21 (Certified Watchmaker 21st Century) Certification, among others. They are also currently mentoring a student in a dual system with the Lititz Watch Technicum. That student, Ryan George, goes up to the school for 14 days of intense training four times a year. He’ll do this for two years. In between he receives mentoring by Harrell and Berrios.

repl acement parts and

repair equipment at the shop’s service center

“It’s a good way to train another person without them having to spend a full two years at school,” he says. “We’re very serious about the term ‘certified watchmakers.’ We’re watch nerds and pretty open about our love for it.” Years ago most every town had its own watchmaker, but as battery-operated varieties came on the market, many watchmaking schools shut down. Other companies, especially Swiss brands, continued making high-end mechanical watches, and that posed a problem. When consumers spent a good chunk of money on a luxury watch, they wanted a trained technician to repair it and keep it serviced. Rolex recognized the problem and created the school in Pennsylvania. Harrell says there are only about four other watchmaking schools in the United States. “I don’t know of a certified watchmaker who doesn’t have more work than he wants,” says Harrell. “There’s a shortage everywhere.” One long-term dream is franchising the business and encouraging those who have gone to school for watchmaking to set up a shop in other cities. He can also see the franchise model working for those who aren’t certified. “We can train someone to replace batteries and bands and then send the more sensitive orders back here to our service center,” he says.

watch winder , used

during quality control

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 19

Time is On Their Side Locals often discover The Watchmaker’s Shop by searching Google for watch repair, while tourists stumble upon it while roaming around town. Customers appreciate the fact that their watches won’t be shipped off to another place—simple work is done at the store, while more complicated work is performed at their service center. Harrell says sometimes people from other states will stop in to inquire about the work they do. Once they return home, they’ll mail their watches back to Asheville for repair. “We are factory trained with Rolex and use only genuine Rolex parts,” says Harrell “We’re the only place in Western North Carolina to do that without sending in to Rolex. While Rolex is our specialty, we also do batteries and bands for pretty much all watches. We

can do it all right here without sending to anybody else and that is a win-win situation: Customers pay less, but we make more money. Plus, all of our repairs come with a warranty.” He also takes pride in satisfying customers’ concerns about safety. “We’ve spent a lot of money on alarms and security cameras at both locations,” he says. “It’s very secure to give customers peace of mind. We’re also fully insured. Even if it’s a $200,000 watch, it’s covered.” On average, The Wat ch ma ker ’s Shop is working on fifty to sixty watches at any given time. “We track all customer jobs, so if anyone calls, we can pull up a document and see exactly where it is in the process,” says Harrell. The average price of repair work for a mechanical watch is $500, while work on battery operated models often falls into the $65 to $75 range. They do the obvious work, like putting in new crystals

The current high-dollar items include a $25,000 Breitling for Bentley and a $17,000 Patek Philippe. Most of the watches here range between $4,000 and $10,000.

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| February 2016

justin harrell

and replacing stems and crowns, but they also do specialty work, such as pressure proofing on dive watches. For those searching for a watch to buy, there’s something for almost every price range at The Watchmaker’s Shop. The current high-dollar items include a $25,000 Breitling for Bentley and a $17,000 Patek Philippe. Most of the watches here range between $4,000 and $10,000. “That said, we have a ton of watches for $25 and everything in between,” says Harrell. While there are a few pocket watches in the window for sale, these are items that Harrell discourages people from bringing in for repair. For the most part, the parts and labor on vintage items will exceed the worth of the watch. He also says that he stays so backed up with orders for modern wristwatches that he doesn’t have the time to devote to pocket watches. What are the next steps in the growth of the business? “We’re going to get another display case and add a lot more inventory in 2016 and [offer] new brands like Bertucci,” explains Harrell. He has also just revamped the website. It now offers pictures of the shop’s entire inventory. In addition, customers can obtain a free repair estimate online. In terms of other expansion, time will tell.

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REAL ESTATE Year in Review 2015

“It was a very good year…” - Frank Sinatra

written by bill fishburne

| February 2016

local industry

n 2015, for the first time in nearly a decade, Western North Carolina realtors are reporting that real estate had a very good year. Everything that should be up was up, and only inventory is down. All in all, it was easily the best year for residential home sales in the region since 2006. Preliminary figures show that 8,285 homes, condos, and townhouses sold in 2015 in the seven county region that comprises the Western North Carolina Regional Multiple Listing Service (WNCRMLS). By contrast, total residential sales in 2014 were 7,374 units. (The counties in the WNCRMLS are Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood, Transylvania, Rutherford, Polk, and Madison.) Western North Carolina scored an overall market improvement of roughly 12 percent in both units and dollar volume prior to adjustments. To be specific, residential market volume was $2.085 billion, up from $1.708 billion in 2014. Residential unit prices also increased by 4.6 percent, with the average single family home selling for $258,282 versus $246,247 in 2014. That’s not a big increase. According to Standard & Poor’s/CaseShiller, the residential price index in 2015 is expected to show prices increased an average of more than five percent nationwide. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is in agreement with Case-Shiller. Although final numbers have not been

released, NAR sees existing-home sales reaching 5.25 million units for 2015, the highest in nine years, with continued growth through 2016. Bank of America/Merrill Lynch (BOA/ML) is also bullish, predicting a 10 percent growth rate in existing home sales, coupled with 1.275 million new home starts. But while pricing normally has a direct relationship between supply and demand, BOA/ML is not so bullish about 2016. BOA/ ML only sees a one percent price appreciation nationwide “as a reflection of home price overvaluation relative to income.” What that means is that prices might not climb because the buyers just can’t go much higher without generating more income. Asheville is in the middle of that situation now, with low unemployment but relatively high housing prices relative to income. BOA/ML also discounts the impact of long-overdue mortgage rate increases. The argument is that the Fed’s go-slow approach will alleviate that financial impact as market demand continues to grow. BOA/ML’s bottom line is that sales will climb, but prices will increase only a nominal amount because people just can’t afford to keep on paying more and more for houses. Not everyone shares that nationwide perspective. Locally, many realtors look at today’s low inventory and believe that the desirability of the region will override everything and lead to another year of significant price increases. Additionally, there are hundreds of new rental properties coming onto the market

December New Listings entire mls

15,000

buncombe county

13,965

haywood county

henderson county

14,272

13,883

12,500 10,000 7,500 5,000 2,500

5,555

5,464

5,439

1,638

1,633

-0.6% 2013

2,712

2,710

2,735

+0.5%

+0.3%

2014

1,610 -0.9%

+2.8%

+1.7%

-1.7%

+0.1%

2015

entire mls & buncombe county & haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 23

local industry

December Homes for Sale entire mls

25K

buncombe county

haywood county

henderson county

23,892

23,866

20,432

20K 15K 10K 5K

2,334

1,099

2,251

1,380 +0.1%

2013

-3.6%

1,104

1,281

1,846

+0.5%

-7.2%

-14.5% -18.0% -10.7%

2014

986

1,052 -17.9%

2015

inventory for single-family home & condo-townhomes at the end of december for the past three years

Months Supply of Homes for Sale entire mls

buncombe county

haywood county

henderson county

25K

20K

15K

10K

1-2012

1-2013

1-2014

1-2015

entire mls & buncombe county & haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome

| February 2016

in and around Buncombe County that will meet the needs of highly price-resistant buyers. Many homeowners who want longterm income will also choose to rent. Combine everything and it would be reasonable to expect a higher than average upward price adjustment in 2016.

More Government Help: TRID

It is not true that the unfortunate (and slightly skewed) acronym for the new federal government mandated mortgage closing process, TRID, stands for The Reason I Drink. TRID might tend to push buyers, sellers, real estate agents, and mortgage brokers in that direction, but in fact, it stands for the Truth in Lending Act-Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. A mortgage applicant’s first introduction to TRID will come in the form of an enhanced briefing from their mortgage broker and will end when they finally sign their Integrated Disclosure form at the closing table. Except it doesn’t end there. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s training program for agents provides an example of the process: In the example, the application is received October 5, 2015, then ends at closing on December 30, 2015, for a total of 85 days. But in an effort to make sure that consumers have every possible chance to have a perfect closing, TRID includes post-closing remedies up to 60 days after the deed is filed. All this is in response to the real estate crash of 2007 and the Great Recession that followed. Inarguably, the mortgage problems of that time began when politicians began to think everyone should be able to buy a house. Mortgage requirements were gradually dropped, to a point where the primary requirement for a mortgage was a pulse. Far too many bad mortgages were issued, and both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bought them by the millions. Markets were created for Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) and Credit Default Swap (CDS), products that were so complicated as to be incomprehensible. No one knew how much debt there was hidden on a balance sheet because the bankers themselves often didn’t know—or didn’t want to know. Institutional financial liabilities at the end of 2007, when the financial walls were tumbling down, were estimated to exceed $62.2 trillion (Source: International Swaps and Derivatives Association). The United States economy floundered, and politicians flailed away at finding some magic bullet to stop it. In 2010 Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which ultimately created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Five years later we have TRID.

Prior to TRID, buyers were looking at 45 to 60 days between contract and closing when the buyer applies for a mortgage. Today, that figure is at least three days longer and many say more. According to TRID examples, a mortgage application received October 5 would close on December 30. That can be shortened but it can also be lengthened. It is, in the opinions of many, too soon to tell what long-term impact TRID will have. In early November, Victor Lund, Founding Partner of WAV Group consultants, reported a downward trend in residential sales beyond explanation other than a TRID impact. “October was the kind of month that researchers like the WAV Group would prefer to remove from results, or at least circle,” Lund reported. “Whenever certain technical anomalies like the implementation of the new TRID requirements impact home sales processing, it throws off the data.” Lund went on to report an acceleration of mortgage applications in September as the industry moved things forward to avoid TRID. Unsettlingly, mortgage applications fell more than expected in October and resulted in fewer closing than forecast in November. The monthly index for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) also fell to 106.9, after rising in October for the first time in two months. NAR says recent index performance shows a “modestly slowing trend” that began after pending sales hit a nine-year high in May. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said, in a November statement: “Affordability issues could creep up enough to temper sales growth—especially to first-time buyers in higher priced markets.” Whether these market changes are related to TRID or more to other economic issues remains to be seen.

Prices and sales are up but inventory is down. To maintain today’s sales pace, houses will have to be put on the market at an increasing rate and new homes/condos/townhouses will also have to come on line.

COUNTY BY COUNTY Buncombe County

Real estate in Buncombe County is on a roll. Prices and sales are up but inventory is down. To maintain today’s sales pace, houses will have to be put on the market at an increasing rate and new homes/condos/townhouses will also have to come on line. Yet for these same reasons, plus the economic outlook, it’s a good time to buy in Buncombe. Residential unit sales exceeded 4,000 in 2015, the highest sales volume since 2006 when they hit 4,122 units. Sales volume in 2015 was $996 million, compared with $970 million in 2014 and $1.131 billion in 2006 (not adjusted for inflation). Buncombe’s average single-family house price was up five percent in 2015 to $290,728—up from $275,841 in 2014. February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 25

local industry

December Average Sale Price entire mls

buncombe county

300K 250K 200K

haywood county

henderson county

$282,251

$270,383

$259,794

$249,237

$240,272

$230,273 $180,654

$231,165

$217,075

$211,701

$191,437

$188,024

150K 100K 50K 0

+4.3%

+4.1%

2013

+4.1%

+2.5%

+3.7%

2014

+4.4%

+1.8%

+6.5%

2015

entire mls & buncombe county & haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome

Condos and townhouses saw a 1.6 percent decline in average selling price, from $237,169 to $233,219, possibly representing a shortage of newer properties with their attendant higher prices. Buncombe County has changed from being a Buyer’s market two years ago to being a Seller’s market today. At the end of the year, there were only 1,173 units on the market in the county, down from 1,629 in 2014. That equates to a 3.5-month supply at the December sales rate. A balanced market (equal advantage to buyer and seller) is a six-month supply. If Buncombe’s sales and listing rates continue to be unbalanced, there will be significant upward pricing pressure. Other positive factors for Buncombe County include its eclectic growth pattern, the influx of jobs (everything from beer to bicycles), and Asheville’s unique blend of tradition and the avant-garde. Someone once said that Asheville is where the necktie meets the tie-dye; while that phrase may be out of style today, it was apt in its time, and it certainly captures what Asheville is all about. The county is also working hard with major programs designed to attract desirable new businesses. At a Metro Economy Outlook meeting in September, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce announced a program to generate 3,000 new jobs in the next five years that pay an average of $50,000. The program will also target acquiring 50 new “high-growth” companies that will make Asheville their national headquarters. A new Chamber slogan might be: “Asheville—it’s not just the beer.” 26

| February 2016

Haywood County

Haywood County is one of Western North Carolina’s secret treasures. On one side, it is the gateway to the Cherokee Indian Reservation, while the gateway to Asheville is on the other. Haywood County residents enjoy some of the prettiest scenery in the mountains and there is no shortage of cultural events or good schools. If you look at houses there, you’ll have to dig deep to find a reason not to buy one. Prices are relatively low compared to Buncombe and everything in Asheville is still very convenient. In fact, you have to locate deep up in a cove somewhere to get more than an hour from the Asheville airport. The average single-family residence in Haywood County sold for $194,693 in 2015, up just 3.4 percent from the year prior. At the peak in 2006, the average home in Haywood County sold for $234,716. Haywood County sales reached 932 units in 2015 versus 781 in 2014, an increase of 16 percent. That’s huge for anyone and especially for a small county (60,000 residents) where the total residential sales dollar volume was just $178 million. At year’s end, there were 701 houses, condos, and townhouses on the market, down from 1,016 in 2014. With December sales of 78 units (preliminary figures), there still is an overall 8.9-month supply of houses, making it a very competitive and reasonably priced alternative to Buncombe County. Considering all the factors, Haywood County’s real estate outlook in 2016 is positive and getting better. What buyers

Average Price Per Square Foot entire mls

buncombe county

haywood county

henderson county

$150

$140

$130 * entire mls & buncombe county

$120

& haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS,

$110

single-family & condo-townhome

$100

$90

1-2012

1-2013

1-2014

*each data point is 12 months of activity. data is from january 8, 2016.

1-2015

Median Days on the Market entire mls

buncombe county

haywood county

henderson county

160

140 * entire mls &

120

buncombe county

& haywood county & henderson county:

100

ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome

*each data point is 12 months of activity. data is

2016.

from january

1-2012

1-2013

1-2014

1-2015

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 27

local industry

Haywood doesn’t attract on its own may come anyway, after their realtors have shown everything they can find in housing-starved Buncombe. It isn’t much of a problem to shoot over to Haywood to check things out. And don’t miss Waynesville’s Main Street, the Folkmoot dance festival in late July, or Maggie Valley in the spring, summer, and fall. Lovely places, lots of things to do, and vibrant, friendly people.

Henderson County

Time was when folks said Hendersonville rolled up the sidewalks at 6 PM, Fletcher was the third place you looked to buy a Chevrolet, and Flat Rock was equally wellknown for its Playhouse and Lilian Sandburg’s goats. Times have changed. Hendersonville today is still small, around 14,000 residents, but Henderson County has grown to a population of more than 109,000. It still retains its character as the state’s largest producer of apples, but Hendersonville’s sidewalks are now filled with people long after dinnertime and well into the night. The four-day North Carolina Apple Festival on Labor Day weekend is family centered, and there is Music on Main Street with free concerts all summer long. And that little Flat Rock Playhouse is now one of the nation’s finest professional theatres and is the official State Theatre of North Carolina. For family fun, dinner with a date, or local shopping, Hendersonville is hard to beat. So too is Fletcher, now incorporated and conveniently bordering on Buncombe County, halfway between Hendersonville and Asheville. Fletcher is the actual physical location of the Asheville regional Airport, and they’ve done a good job of offsetting any of its negative impact. Traffic is light; there are plenty of houses and other dwelling places for sale; taxes are relatively low. The average price of a single family residence in Henderson County last year was $243,860, up from $227,015 the year before. Sales in 2015 reached 1,972 units versus 1,814 in 2014; Hendersonville’s inventory at year’s end was down to just 677 units, single family residences, and condos/townhouses. That equates to a 4.2-month supply in both categories, based on December sales. All things considered, the real estate outlook in Henderson County is excellent. More and more traffic is coming from Florida, and the traditional feeder regions of Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York/New Jersey remain active. Gorgeous mountainside developments, golf communities, and more modestly priced subdivisions have all seen a resurgence in popularity in 2015. The odds of this slowing down during the coming year are slim.

All things considered, the real estate outlook in Henderson County is excellent. More and more traffic is coming from Florida, and the traditional feeder regions of Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York/New Jersey remain active.

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Transylvania County

For many retirees, there is nothing that can equal Brevard and Transylvania County. The county is small, at just 34,000 people, but it borders Henderson and 28

| February 2016

Closed Sales entire mls

buncombe county

haywood county

henderson county

10K

* entire mls &

buncombe county

& haywood county & henderson county:

ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome

*each data point is 12 months of activity. data is from january

1-2012

1-2013

1-2014

2016.

1-2015

December Average Percent of Original Price entire mls

100% 80%

89.9%

buncombe county

92.1%

86.7%

90.6%

haywood county

90.9%

93.1%

+1.1%

88.1%

henderson county

91.8%

92.4%

+1.3%

+1.7%

94.5%

89.8%

93.4%

60% 40% 20% 0 2013

+1.6%

2014

+1.5%

+1.9%

+1.7%

2015

entire mls & buncombe county & haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 29

local industry

Months Supply of Homes for Sale entire mls

polk county

rutherford county

transylvania county

30K

25K

20K

15K

10K

1-2012

1-2013

1-2014

1-2015

entire mls & buncombe county & haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome

December Closed Sales entire mls

polk county

rutherford county

10K 8K

transylvania county

8,979 7,959

7,363

6K 4K 2K 0

302

198

408 +8.1%

2013

350

232

487

+17.2% +15.9% +19.4% 2014

415

208

+12.8% -10.3% +18.6% +15.8% 2015

inventory for single-family home & condo-townhomes at the end of december for the past three years

| February 2016

564

December Average Sale Price entire mls

polk county

rutherford county

300K 250K 200K

transylvania county

$272,760 $230,273 $212,449

$235,009

$249,237

$240,272$238,210

$181,736

$262,494

$255,701 $196,496

$175,538

150K 100K 50K 0

+4.3%

+12.1% -3.4%

2013

2014

+16.1%

+3.7% +10.2% +11.9% -6.3% 2015

entire mls & buncombe county & haywood county & henderson county: ncmountainsMLS, single-family & condo-townhome

Buncombe Counties and provides a cultural scene that is unsurpassed. And it has white squirrels. The heart of Brevard’s summertime is the Brevard Music Center (BMC). For seven weeks each summer, June through August, classical musicians from around the world gather to teach, study, and perform. The concert venue is the 1800-seat Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. This covered amphitheater features excellent acoustics, plus theatre quality seats and side curtains that are generally left open during concerts in good weather. Families and friends often sit outside on the grass to take in the music on cool summer nights. More than 400 students, ranging in age from 14 to seniors, attend classes and training sessions each summer at BMC. Under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Lockhart, students and faculty present more than 80 concerts in the Auditorium and other nearby locations. The program of instruction includes ensembles, private lessons, and chamber music. Alumni of BMC range from famous musicians (including Lockhart), to local orchestra members and directors, soloists, and well-known professionals from around the world. Lockhart is also the music director of the Boston Pops and the BBC Proms Orchestra in London. Many other musical styles fill the air in Transylvania County. Fiddle players (you can’t tell a fiddle from a violin until the bow hits the strings) abound, as do guitarists and banjo pickers. A

steadily rising number of followers participate in the Mountain Song Festival in September, and Brevard’s growing microbrew industry is drawing many folk singers, reminiscent of the coffee house scene of the late 1950s in Boston, Newport, and Greenwich Village. As for real estate, 503 houses and 60 condos/townhouses were sold in Transylvania County in 2015. That’s an increase from 423 houses and 64 condos/townhouses in 2014. The average single family residence price last year was $262,741 versus $275,277 in 2014. The apparent decline is an anomaly because in 2014 two houses sold for more than $2 million each and skewed the averages. None of these higher priced homes sold in 2015. The outlook in Transylvania is pretty much the same as elsewhere in the four larger counties: Very Good to Excellent. Growth figures and forecasts don’t really apply due to the small baseline. People pick Transylvania because they fall in love with it, not because the houses are less expensive. Our opinion is that houses will continue to sell well throughout the county as long as there is no great international financial crisis. The area is highly attractive, has more waterfalls than Niagara (www. visitwaterfalls.com), and is downright gorgeous from April through Thanksgiving. Even the winters are mild. And if it ever snows again at Christmas, you won’t want to be anywhere else. Did we mention it has white squirrels? February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

local industry

Madison County

Madison County certainly is a unique and distinct market, but it is small and is part of the Land of the Sky Association of Realtors (Asheville-Brevard). Madison features Mars Hill University, the Wolf Laurel ski slopes and development, several other developments, and a few famous places, including Shelton Laurel and Hot Springs. Shelton Laurel was the setting for the sad and tragic book and movie, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. One of the featured songs in the movie, “Wayfaring Stranger,” was in D minor, as was Sinatra’s version of “It Was a Very Good Year.” It is alleged that scientific studies have shown music in D minor makes you want to cry, go to a movie, and buy a Sinatra album. Hot Springs has been one of the East Coast’s premier destinations for the medicinal benefits of the hot spring waters for more than 200 years, dating back to the days when it was Cherokee Indian territory. The springs are still a destination point for thousands of people each year, including those hiking the Appalachian Trail, which runs down the middle of Main Street.

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| February 2016

According to MLS data, 188 houses were sold in the county in 2015, at an average price of $208,868.

Polk County

Polk County includes the towns of Tryon (on the South Carolina border), the county seat of Columbus just off of I-26, and Saluda further up U.S. 176 near Hendersonville. It is the home of the Tryon International Equestrian Center and has significant growth potential, due to the excellent transportation system and the breathtaking beauty of its location. Polk County is served by the nearby Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, as well as the Asheville Regional Airport. Polk County saw sales of 207 houses and condos in 2015, at an average price of $261,478. The units were down slightly from 230 in 2014, but the average price increased from $238,441.

Rutherford County

Rutherfordton is the county seat of Rutherford County and is located at the intersection of U.S. 221 and U.S. 64. The Western

North Carolina Regional MLS reports 422 units were sold in the county in 2015 versus 348 the previous year. That is a significant 14 percent unit growth. Dollar volume in 2015 was $82.5 million versus $62 million in 2014. The average home sold for $195,575 in 2015, an increase from $178,160.

Final Thoughts

Living in Western North Carolina doesn’t guarantee happiness, but it’s a pretty good start. Residents often see their children go away to see the world, but they are also pretty sure the kids will come back when they’re ready. Low crime rates in most areas are a big attraction, as is truly seasonal weather. The best altitude for any individual is up to them, but most of the mountain regions described in this article range from

1,500 to 2,500 feet. Lake Lure is about 1,000 feet above sea level (in Rutherford County). The French Broad River Valley, running from Brevard and Hendersonville through Asheville, is about 2,100 feet. Haywood and Madison Counties are somewhat higher, with delightful resorts and full-time developments that start at over 3,000 feet. There are lower valleys and higher mountains, of course, which means you really need to be there to appreciate it. Check us out. It will be a very good year.

provided by Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association. Data deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Powered by 10K Research and Marketing. Provided by Bill Fishburne of Beverly-Hanks & Assoc.

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CAROLINA in the

WEST [

news briefs

The Punster’s on Caffeine transylvania county

Oskar Blues has a way of innovating its way into headlines as it closes in on its goal of distributing to all fifty states. The craft brewer reportedly shook up the craft beer industry when it started selling in cans. Then, founder Dale Katechis decided to start roasting coffee beans for customers. That interest spun off as Hotbox Roasters, which sells high-quality, fair-trade coffee beans—in twelve-ounce cans. Now, Oskar Blues and Hotbox Roasters are collaborating on a limited edition combination of the two: Hotbox Coffee Porter. The novelty begins with a brew of English and German roasted and caramel malts, combined with flavors like roasted nuts, crème brûlée, cocoa, and caramel. Then, the coffee beans add aromas of dark plums,

]

chocolate, and blueberry. The names of the roasters, honoring their points of origin, can be appreciated in any state of mind: Kenya Dig It, Bolivia Newton John, and Frank Sumatra. Incidentally, Oskar Blues has a history of daringly combining passions and then giving the creation a hysterical name. For example, CyclHOPS is a CANtina for bicyclists. Oskar brews in Brevard, North Carolina, and Longmont, ColoRADo (capitalizations theirs). The beanery and a handful of fooderies remain exclusively in Longmont.

She Had Made Me Happy, Happy, Happy buncombe county

This September, Asheville florist Janet Frye accepted a personal invitation to

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help prepare four floats for the 2016 Rose Bowl Parade. Frye had turned down previous offers to volunteer, due to the time and money involved in traveling to Pasadena. But this time, she accepted a position supervising volunteers. Frye worked on a four-person team to put together floats designed by 20-year veteran Charles Meier. Meier is the owner of Paradiso Parade Floats. 92% of the floats Meier designs receive awards, and that is the best record in the industry. Meier decides what flower species go where, and assistants, like Meier, put things together with finesse. This year’s float themes were a Chinese dragon, DonateLife, Downton Abbey, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The workers had to construct things, like castles and a 1919 Bentley, with—as the rules require—nothing but natural botanicals. Frye left Asheville on December 26 for a fast and furious week of assembly with thousands of fragile flowers, and she believes the opportunity opened through her accreditation by the American Institute of Floral Design. Frye works at the Enchanted Florist in Asheville, which she opened in 1985. After sixteen years running a walk-in retail space, she now focuses mostly on arranging for weddings and parties.

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| February 2016

“Established 1992”

Sun-Brewed

the old north state

national & world

The Way of the Eight-Track

buncombe county

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) presented their Solar Champion Award to a number of brewers in the Asheville area that are using solar power. Recipients of the award were Appalachian Mountain Brewery, French Broad Brewery, Highland Brewing Company, Innovation Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. The businesses were recognized for making low-impact energy choices as well as creating jobs for the solar industry. They were hailed for showcasing for clientele and vendors how it’s done. For example, the Highland Brewing Company is constructing rooftop dining that will overlook their solar array. The awards were presented at Highland, whose 325 kilowatt solar system can, on a normal day, power all their operations. All the breweries honored, combined, can supply enough solar to run 150-200 households. Statewide, solar systems have the potential to generate 1264 megawatts of power, or enough to run 135,000 homes. North Carolina has for some time been ranked fourth in the nation for megawatts of solar installed. SEIA is the national trade association lobbying for all things solar on behalf of 1000 member companies.

buncombe county

Late la st year, A r vato, one of We aver v i l le’s l a r g e st employer s, announced it would be permanently closing its CD/DVD replication factory. The closure marks the end of a thirty-two-year run for Arvato, formerly Sonopress, in the town. At the beginning of December, 120 employees were notified their last day would be February 5. Arvato promised a full severance package with health insurance to all employees who stayed to the bitter end, and it is working to place employees in new jobs. A professional outplacement company was to be brought onboard in 2016 to help. At its peak, Arvato employed 1,500. Arvato had seen sales drop by about 20% a year for some time, as more and more consumers play their recordings in digital formats. Arvato still has customers, but not enough to justify retaining the 420,000-sq.-ft. building. Management expects Arvato’s competitors will have the capacity to absorb remaining demand. Arvato is a diversified manufacturer and service provider employing over 70,000 in over forty countries. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of German-based Bertelsmann. Arvato hopes to continue to operate its

carolina in the west

call center out of the building as long as any new owner will allow. The call center, which opened five years ago and services the financial industry, employs 240.

For Your Neighbors’ Eyes watauga county

At its holiday season gathering at the Boone Mall, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of this year’s architectural awards. Winning in the Multi-Family Housing category were the Lofts on King Street by the Winkler Organization. This mixed-use development on an unusually narrow plot provided infill, urban, and residential development while not deviating from the town’s architectural traditions. Winning in the New Construction – Small Commercial category were both the Bubbles Car Wash and the new Bojangles’. The car wash was praised for its natural look, landscaping, and traffic flow. The judges also liked the Bojangles’ traffic flow and landscaping. They liked its masonry, too. The Most Improved award went to Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation. Its facelift integrated stone and shingle siding with metal roofing. A community room and heated garage were highly-praised amenities. Lastly, winning

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carolina in the west

Tryon Fine Arts Center presents

in the Adaptive Re-Use category was the offices of Griff Gilbert, LCSW, LCAS, BCD. The refurbishers remade an old garage with results that got the judges excited, inside and out. The awards were presented with a backdrop of entertainment by the Carolina Snowbelles dance troupe, the Holy Cross Handbell Choir, and the Watauga Community Band.

Cain’t Learn This in the Farmer’s Almanac swain county

Eugene O’Neill’s Award Winning Classic

A MOON fOr thE MisbEgOttEN Friday, March 4 8 pm Tickets: $35*

Performed by Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theater America’s Oldest Theater Company in its 207th Season

Thanks to a $5,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, the Appalachian Farm School will return to Southwestern Community College for a second year. The Farm School helps agriculturalists develop business plans with sustainability in mind. Participants will learn strategies for evaluating their farms and setting goals, learn marketing techniques, and become acquainted with rules-ofthumb for light accounting. The program teaches more about political angles of farming, including pertinent current events, rules and regulations, grant opportunities, and other services. In its pilot year, twenty-six farmers showed up. Organizers view the strong interest as indicative of the need for the school in Jackson, Macon, Swain, and Cherokee counties. The program is a creation of the Western North Carolina Food Policy Council, and it is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. The class meets for three hours, once a week, for eight weeks. Classes started in January.

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Mixing up Pirates and Yogurt transylvania county

34 Melrose Avenue, Tryon NC 828-859-8322 tryonarts.org

* price includes 6.75% nc admissions tax and vendini ticketing fee.

| February 2016

Jen and Nathaniel Jolly opened a piratethemed frozen yogurt joint December 19. Jolly Goode Yogurt answers concerns that Brevard had no frozen yogurt shop.

On opening day, the couple encouraged patrons to dress and talk like pirates while they enjoyed 10% off their orders. Free pirate hats were given to kids. The shop is designed to look like the interior of a wooden ship. A big treasure map and pirate flags are among the initial decorations. Nathaniel hopes to continue to decorate until the business takes on a Pirates of the Caribbean feel. In addition to selling toy treasure chests and other gear for little pirates, the store features six frozen yogurt machines. Twelve flavors are available including one flavor of the week. The machines are like the self-serve, soft-serve ice cream machines found in cafeterias. Each machine has two flavors plus a middle lever for swirling. Toppings include sprinkles, chocolates, marshmallow sauce, and gummy worms. The yogurt is sold by the ounce. Nathaniel reasoned winter was as good a time as any to open, as people who like frozen weather are likely to enjoy their yogurt the same way.

Because It’s There henderson county

Pardee Hospital has purchased 20 acres of land on N.C. 280 in Mills River, by the new Ingles. The land was purchased from the Moore family for $1.75 million following a rezoning from Residential to Commercial. Representatives of the hospital and Allison Development Group out of Flat Rock are being very reserved and scripted in their messaging for media inquiries. The hospital’s objective was described as “part of a larger endeavor to strategically plan for and accommodate patient growth and delivery of healthcare.” Spokeswoman Erica Allison said the hospital intended to “reach people” in Etowah, Mills River, and Fletcher. Allison indicated the hospital anticipates several large industrial employers will be locating in the area soon, and the hospital wanted time to consult with their leadership about their employees’ needs. “To be as fiscally responsible as we can to our board and our community, Pardee will take measured steps to determine

MANAGEMENT ADVISORY SERVICE

the final plans for the property and not jump ahead to offer hypothetical options.” Pardee is a nonprofit community hospital managed by UNC Health Care, and buying land for unspecified future use is not foreign to the university. In both 2011 and 2014, the UNC – Asheville Foundation acquired parcels to “allow the university the space and flexibility to adapt to educational opportunities going forward.”

Slammed for the 2016 Season

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Macon County’s new Parker Meadows Recreation Complex is fully booked for 2016. Bookings for tournaments at the eight-field complex began in November, and by December 7, the calendars were full, with twenty-three tournaments. Recreation Director Seth Adams indicated he wanted to keep one weekend a month open for makeup dates for leagues and local tournaments. Three associations with proven records will be hosting the tournaments: Mountain Sports USSSA, ASA, and Perfect Game. The average USSSA tournament brings thirty teams together, but their multi-day tournaments, which Adams booked, may well bring forty-five. ASA Girls tournaments can bring around twenty teams, and Perfect Game tournaments will bring between twenty and thirty teams. For each team, it is estimated twenty-five visitors will come to the area. Using numbers presented by an economic impact analysis prepared for the county, the recreation complex would thus bring $6 million to the town of Franklin and surrounding areas. Macon County will collect $1500 per tournament from field rentals and concession cuts. It will also have to hire more part-time staff to work the events. Reasons given for Parker Meadows being such a great draw include the views and the layout. Two tournaments were held at Parker Meadows in 2015, and Adams feels they provided enough practice to meet the onslaught coming in 2016.

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photos accompanying this article are stock images . all implied awkwardness is strictly intentional .

| February 2016

L leisure & libation

Lookinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; For

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IN ALL THE

written by amy cherrix

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 39

leisure & libation

ethan gets his hopes

up prematurely.

What do a trucker in Des Moines and a hospital administrator in Albany have in common? Well... me, actually. While I was in graduate school, I worked as a professional online dating profile writer. For a fee, I made anyone look good on paper... er... in pixels, that is. Looking for love but don’t have a job? No problem. You’re not “unemployed,” you’re “seeking a new opportunity that creates a better work-life balance.” No dating experience? No matter. You’re branching out into the online dating scene because you’re looking for a new adventure. No car? You like to walk, thankyouverymuch, because have you heard of global warming? No desire to get married? Not to worry. 40

| February 2016

I can promise that you’ll get out of online dating exactly what you’re willing to put into it. Having written hundreds of dating profiles, I’ve learned a lot about what hits and misses the matchmaking mark. As I’m retired from my profile writing days, I wanted to share some hard-won knowledge during this particularly meaningful time of year. It’s February, after all, so what better season to help you help yourself in finding love online? Disclaimer: I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist, or magician. What follows is anecdotal evidence based on the sum total of extensive email correspondence with people who paid me to write their dating profiles. I was more MacGyver than Dr. Ruth in that sense, helping online date-seekers to craft a version of their best selves from the interests they all too often may have overlooked or deemed insignificant. With a mouse, keyboard, and a little selfreflection, you too can find yourself a date or a life partner.

je annette fails to heed the maxim, “Do not drink alcohol while operating heavy machinery or viewing online dating profiles.”

Don’t you want me, baby… Online dating is big business— a two billion dollar a year business, in fact. A Pew Center study from 2013 examined the statistics around online dating. One in ten Americans has used an online dating site or app. Take a look around. Everyone is plugged into his or her smartphone. You’re already getting acquainted with strangers online via social media. What may have initially felt like an unnatural way to meet someone has become commonplace. Utilizing an Internet-based dating service is a natural extension of our digital lives, as easy as updating your Facebook status in most cases. The Pew study cited some negative aspects of this form of dating in the 21st Century. Fifty-four percent of online daters felt that someone dramatically misrepresented themselves in their

profile. The truth is, when you expose yourself to the world at large, you’re going to occasionally meet some unsavory characters that are less than honest. The best thing you can do is to make sure your profile positions you in the most appealing light. Here’s the bad news. Writing a dating profile is about as sexy as writing a resume for your dream job, and the stakes are just as high. At best, you’re looking for a life partner; and at worst, a lunch companion who, despite what a disaster the meeting was, at least chewed with her mouth closed. Finding lifelong love and mitigating disaster both begin with a well-worded profile that best represents you. I’ve collected a few case studies here for your consideration. Of course, names, locations, and other details have been altered so as not to infringe upon anyone’s privacy or impugn their character. But all of these folks’ experiences have something to teach us about online dating.

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 41

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Going to the chapel and we’re gonna get married… Case in point: I wrote a profile for a woman we will call Carol. She was in her late forties, smart, had a great job as a hospital administrator, was an avid cyclist, and wanted to be married. I know all of this because she completed an extensive questionnaire before I began writing her profile. She said she liked coffee shops, antiquing, and reading good books while she ran on the treadmill. She had photos to share that revealed her as an attractive woman who obviously took great care of herself. I took one look at her and could envision the man she wanted: athletic, educated, and hardworking, who enjoyed an intellectual but active life. In my head, maybe he looked like the actor, Tim Daly (swoon!). I wrote Carol a whiz-bang profile that I thought captured all of the great qualities she had to offer. When she received it, she emailed me almost immediately. She hated it. While she appreciated my efforts on her behalf, the profile was not going to appeal to the type of man she wanted. She said I made her sound like an over-caffeinated exercise fiend. I was stunned. I’d seen the pictures of her racing bikes. We had enjoyed a lively separate email exchange detailing her love of attending coffee tastings and pride at having finished well in a recent road race. Naturally, I asked Carol what she really wanted. Her reply was swift and simple: She wanted an older gentleman, retired, who was looking to settle down. Carol worried that I had made her sound too youthful and vibrant for the kind of man she sought. The lesson from Carol? Ask for what you want, but know exactly what you want before creating your profile. When crafting an online persona, it’s tempting to brag

mist y & br ad simultaneously decide that their waiter is more interesting than either of them.

and embellish, but make sure the person you seek matches the experiences you hope to have with that person. I read somewhere that the music of our lives can overwhelm what we try to say. That happened to Carol. Who she was and what she wanted seemed at odds with each other. Did she really want someone so very different from herself? Maybe, maybe notâ&#x20AC;Ś

The takeaway here is to be specific. Make a huge list of your interests and places you like to go beyond your weekly routine.

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cal once auditioned for “The Bachelorette”

Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man… Let’s look at another example. Hugh was a trucker from Iowa who was proud of being a “real meat and potatoes kind of guy.” He had a simple life, full of family who meant the world to him, and a love of the open road. Hugh was a rambling man from way back—an Allman Brothers song made real. It was refreshing to encounter a person so unencumbered by the Digital Age, but at the same time seemingly willing to embrace technology to meet a life partner. In a brief email exchange, he sketched out his hopes for the profile, and I emailed him the requisite questionnaire. When I received the reply, he had written only one sentence at the top of the page: “I want a fun, interesting woman, who likes to do interesting things that are fun.” He had responded to none of the questions. There wasn’t much I could do. Hugh obviously didn’t think the questionnaire was either fun or interesting, and for a guy who made road trips for a living, he seemed far more interested in the destination (a date) than the journey (writing a profile). I sketched a spare profile based on our correspondence, and he was pleased. The takeaway here is to be specific. Make a huge list of your interests and places you like to go beyond your weekly routine. If you hike, what are your favorite climbs, or where would you hope to go? If you love Thai food, tell me why? If you hate television, what do you do instead? Do you read? What kinds of books? What moved you about them and what are the ten books you think everyone should read before they die? In the absence of details, the person whom you may want to date you is left only with a generic list of traits that could be anyone, rather than something that is uniquely you.

L meghan (thinking):

“Why on earth did I swipe right?””

Picture this… Photos are a huge part of online dating. In fact, I’d argue they are the single most important choices you make when crafting a dating profile. Pictures show rather than tell. The very nature of photography suggests that whatever happened was significant because we bothered to snap the picture in the first place. If you’re bad at writing or don’t want to pay someone to write your profile, make it sing through pictures. Do you bake, swim, or travel? Show the world with your pictures. Do you look just as fabulous in denim as you do in formal wear? (Sidebar: this may be the most clichéd phrase in the history of online dating so avoid it like the plague, okay?) Post photos of yourself at your best. Are you funny? Do your friends think you nail the Halloween costume party every year with a brilliant combination of whimsy and wit? By all means, let us see that in words and pictures. In this case, the old adage is true: A picture really is worth a thousand words. Of course, there’s a downside to posting photos. In this day of digital photography, Instagram filters, and Photoshop, more often than not, looks are deceiving. So for this last bit of advice, I’m turning the spotlight on myself.

carolyn just recognized her date

as the same guy who went out with her daughter last month.

not on the first date

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 45

leisure & libation

I’ll be your mirror... Before I began writing profiles, I used an online dating service too. I met a nice guy online. We began chatting via email, and after a couple of weeks, decided to chat by phone before our

say, “challenging.” I took a breath and mumbled something about being an open book. “How much do you weigh?” he asked in a rush. “I couldn’t tell from your photo.” Now, it’s no secret that this question—next to “How old are you?”— is the one most despised by women. Within a ten-second span, I vacillated between blinding rage, righteous indignation, and humiliation. I finally landed on “tacky” as the best word to describe this knucklehead that I’d been so eager to meet only moments earlier. The photo in question was one of me, taken just before a ten-mile run while I was training for a marathon. In that instant, it didn’t matter that I was in the best physical shape of my life, it only mattered that this person, this stranger, was judging me. “Sorry,” he said, “it’s just that the photo is only of the top half of your body. I don’t want to seem superficial, but I have no way of knowing if you’re deliberately hiding something.” And you know what? He was right. That’s when it hit me. Public vulnerability is the harshest and most basic part of online dating. I had posted that picture because I felt happy, proud,

Regardless of your opinion of digital dating, the numbers suggest it is here to stay. One-in-five adults, ages 25-34 years old, have used online dating, but that it’s also popular with older singles, too. first date. We had a great conversation and as we finalized plans for our first meeting, he said he had “an awkward question he needed to ask.” Now at the time, I was living in Los Angeles. There really was no telling what he was going to say. The greater LA area is notorious in online dating circles for being, shall we

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L empowered, and vital—all things someone looking to ask me out might appreciate. I had not cropped it strategically. It was the original photo. What followed was an even more awkward conversation, trying to reassure this person that I was not hiding anything, and that in fact, I was a runner (and in better shape than he was, frankly). The bottom line is that physical attraction is important to some people who are dating online. Making peace with that reality of dating, whether in person or via the Internet, is just part of looking for love. Regardless of your opinion of digital dating, the numbers suggest it is here to stay. The aforementioned Pew study found that one-in-five adults, ages 25-34 years old, have used online dating, but that it’s also popular with older singles, too. The question isn’t what are you willing to lose; it’s what are you willing to risk? Aldous Huxley famously envisioned a brave new world wherein technology may have gotten the better of humanity. Still, I can’t help but wonder what his own online dating profile might have said. I bet he wanted someone “nice” and “interesting,” because isn’t that what we all really want, connection? And in the age of the Internet, if we’re lucky, courageous, and maybe just a little bit daring, love may only be a mouse click away.

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working on an alteration

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Every Little Thing She Does Ashevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mary Edmonds is spreading her tailoring magic, one stitch at a time. written by emily ball ard photos by anthony harden February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 49

hundreds of spindles of thread on the walls

here are a lucky few who know from an early age exactly what they want to do and find a lifetime of success doing it. Mary Edmonds is one of those fortunate individuals. A small lady with a big personality, a distinctive laugh, and a self-deprecating humor, she is the owner of Mary’s Magic Tailoring, a custom tailor, monogram, and alterations shop on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. 50

| February 2016

As a child she found she had a natural skill in sewing, and as she sits in one of the fitting rooms telling her story and reflecting on her long career, she emanates a sincere pride in her craft. She jokes that she doesn’t recognize the old lady that she sees when she looks at pictures of herself, but instead of considering retirement she has inspiring hopes for her future.

A Resourceful Upbringing Born and raised in Flat Creek, North Carolina, Mary hails from a family of nine. Her father was a sharecropper and a deacon at their church, Coles Cove Independent Baptist. He had traditional views and strong opinions. Raising a family of that size meant that they lived frugally and expertly utilized what resources they had. “By the time I was 10, I was making all of my clothes and two of my sister’s clothes,” Mary recalls. Mary says that she has always had a natural proclivity for sewing. Some people are born with an artistic ability to sketch or to write beautiful stories, but Mary feels that she was born to sew. “Momma had my great grandmother’s pedal machine from the 1800s, but I couldn’t get on it too much before she

a vintage AMF Reece sewing

machine in Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop

mary edmonds

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

mary ’s embroidery machine

r acks of customers’ clothing

for repair and alterations

caught me,” she says, with a mischievous laugh. Mary’s mother made quilts, but no one else in the family showed any interest in sewing. Since Mary’s father deemed television a sin, the children were only allowed to listen to the radio. When she was eight years old, Mary and her sister heard an advertisement for a contest on the Marshall radio station. The task was to make as many words out of the letters in “sewing machine” as possible. She and her sister combed through the dictionary and diligently constructed an impressive list. “It took us all week and we hunted everything we could find in it and made 108 words,” she remembers. “And we got first prize!” Because of their age they had to sneakily submit their entry under their mother’s name, and although her mother was furious about this indiscretion, the reward was a brand new sewing machine from the Atlas company. Now Mary had the means to develop her craft at her fingertips, and she dove right in. “When I was about 10 they let me come to Asheville one time and get a pattern. I didn’t know that they came in little girl’s sizes, so I bought a misses, which was like 100 sizes too big for me, and I went home and cut it down because I didn’t have sense enough to know any better,” she chuckles. The family always had a mysterious abundance of fabric with beautiful patterns and designs that Mary would use to make dresses for her sisters and shirts for her brother. She noticed that the fabric swatches were always the same size and there would be multiples of the same color. The origin of the fabric was finally revealed as the feed sacks from the 52

| February 2016

dairy barn that the family ran, the ultimate in recycled fabric. Mary laughs loudly at the memory of sewing and dressing in such an unusual medium, yet it taught her an important lesson in creativity.

A Career in the Making While Mary was in high school, she had already taken three years of home economics when she was one of 13 students selected to take a course called custom sewing. The class taught all of the basics, many of which Mary was already skilled in, such as tailoring, alterations, drapery, and house cushions. They placed the students in a factory to gain experience, starting at the cutting table and moving all the way down the line to the finishing department, learning to use all of the different sewing machines.

mary edmonds

goal of the course was to train them to be supervisors. This was a lucrative trade, but it just didn’t sit well with Mary. “I didn’t like manufacturing,” she says. “I didn’t like repeatedly doing the same thing all day long.” And although the program urged her to go on to college, her father’s old-fashioned beliefs forbade her to pursue that route, even with a scholarship. So she instead decided to go into alterations. W hen she wa s 18 years old she worked at a clothing store called John Carroll’s, what she describes as the most exclusive store in Asheville. This is where she learned to cut patterns. “Of course I couldn’t afford to buy any clothes there, I had never even seen anything that cost that much,” she says. “But I would try their designer dresses on and try to sketch them out and then go home and make them.”

“I had never even seen anything that cost that much,” she says. “But I would try their designer dresses on and try to sketch them out and then go home and make them.” At the time, this area was thriving with factories. Mary says that there were at least 15 between Asheville and Weaverville, and they would hire anyone to work in the sewing factories. The

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

fixing a fabric seam

A Focus Shift At the age of 21, Mary got married and a year later had kids of her own. She was out of the work force for the next 10 years, focusing on raising her children. She still sewed, making clothing for her kids as well as her husband. Often times, this was done out of necessity. There were hard times in which excess money was scarce. One Christmas she decided to make a Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy doll for her children. When friends and neighbors saw her finished product the orders started to pour in. She remembers that fabric was a fraction of the cost that it is today. She was able to purchase a yard of fabric for 25 cents, what today would be an average of $15. Mary could make four dolls for $1 and she charged $25 per doll. Not too shabby for a stay-at-home mom. Then things took a turn for the worse. Mary’s husband passed away and she was suddenly faced with raising two kids alone. She explains that this was a time when the general public’s awareness of the adverse effects of Agent Orange on military personnel was just starting to become widespread; Mary found herself fighting with the government over compensation for her husband’s untimely death. Her claim denied, and without a steady income, she was forced to find a job. She saw an advertisement in the paper for a tailoring position at a department store called Zachary’s. After a bit of training, she got the job, and found that her reputation preceded her. “When I answered the ad, the manager and all the people at Zachary’s had heard of me. They knew me before I walked in… from working at John Carroll’s 10 years before. I was so honored, it wasn’t even funny,” Mary says, a look of amazement on her face even after all these years. At a time in her life when she felt everything was going wrong, a bit of encouragement went a long way. 54

| February 2016

For the next seven years she worked and built her clientele, and when Zachary’s closed she took a position at a clothing store located at 555 Merrimon Ave, the exact location of her business today.

Putting Together the Pieces Originally, the clothing store was owned by Benjamin Lewis and his wife. Mary joined the company in 1991, and although Mr.Lewis eventually decided to pursue a career in finance, Mary and Mrs. Lewis decided to stay on, with a specialty in tuxedos and alterations. After a couple of years, the Lewises decided to close up shop and Mary was once again faced with a crossroads in her life. “I had no place to go, so guess what? I stayed! They couldn’t run me off. And I was scared to death.” She started out doing alterations in just one of the back rooms, for around $100 in rent. Her loyal customers got dressed in the bathroom because there was no space for a dressing room. Even though the fear of expansion, expenses, and failure loomed over her head, she eventually outgrew her one room operation and took over the entire space. Over the years, she has added various machines and employees. February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

She refers to her monogram machine as her “baby” and her “gravy”—a profitable asset to the business. There are three employees sewing in addition to herself, and her granddaughter, Micah, works at the front greeting customers and completing various other tasks. As Mary walks through the space, she proudly introduces her “grandbaby” while at the same time instructing her to put away the vacuum and pick up the plastic wrap, a familial love mixed with a business owner’s authority. “The biggest challenge was finding people to work,” Mary admits. “Whenever we were growing up, everybody sewed. It was taught in the schools and it was a necessity.” She says she sees it as a dying art, and she has high ambitions of preserving her craft and teaching others.

A Seasoned Teacher Although Mary’s shop is bustling with activity and she has made quite a name for her business and herself as a Master Tailor, starting a sewing school in order to teach others her carefully honed skills is her ultimate dream. “If you learn to

make a blouse with a collar and sleeves and buttons and button holes, and you learn to make a skirt with lining and pockets and a waistband, then you can make just about anything you want to,” Mary explains. She feels that this is a service she can provide that is lacking in society today. She remembers as a child using the wire from hay bales and old newspaper to complete arts and craft projects. Over time, a bit of this ingenuity has been lost and Mary would love to play a part in reviving it. “You really had to get creative,” she reflects on her younger days. “You had to go out and find your pine cones; you didn’t buy them already scented. I would like to see more of that done now, for the kids to get creative. It’s too easy for them now.” Despite growing up in a strict household, Mary experimented with her own creativity and rule bending. She remembers dress codes that prohibited girls from wearing shorts so she designed a skirt with a slit up the side and shorts built in underneath. She enjoyed the challenges of her time and it undoubtedly shaped her future endeavors. As customers enter her shop with simple tasks such as sewing a hem or attaching a button, Mary ponders the idea of charging

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a small fee to teach them these basic skills and techniques for them to practice themselves at home. Mary feels lucky to be part of a supportive community that enables her to keep her doors open with minimal advertising. The majority of her customers come to her by word-of-mouth, and she upholds a professional relationship with local stores that refer clients to her.

Magical Threads For the holidays Mary decorated an ironing board to resemble a Christmas tree, adorned with antique sewing paraphernalia. Each iron-on patch, wooden spindle, and pin holds a story from the past and demonstrates the creativity of a woman who truly loves what she does. When Mary first opened her own business she contemplated what to name it. Her original thought was to call it “Mary Tailor Moore,” a witty name. But her sister recognized the special talent that Mary possessed and commented that not just anyone could do it. She mused that there was a little bit of magic in her work: Mary’s Magic Tailoring was born. “People ask me if it is hard to do,” Mary says. “I don’t think anything is hard to do because I have been doing it all my life.” As she proceeds with designing and altering garments for her customers, she continues to dream of ways to share her magic.

“You really had to get creative,” she reflects on her younger days. “You had to go out and find pine cones; you didn’t buy them already scented.” “We are busy all the time, and we are just honored that people come to see us, because there are several people in this area that can do what we can do,” says Mary. “But the bottom line is, there is enough work for anyone who really wants to do it.”

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Center in Durham last month. Mullinax told business leaders and intelligence officers about the efforts that Duke, the country’s largest electric company, is taking to safeguard the electric grid. Duke serves over seven million customers in six states. Its dams, nuclear power plants, and traditional power plants represent three of sixteen critical infrastructure elements targeted by “criminal hackers and hostile governments.” Mullinax said Duke was on constant alert for cyber attacks aimed at disrupting critical power generation and distribution. Mullinax carries government clearance that allows him to be briefed by intelligence agency officials. While he is not privy to details, he is instructed about what preventive measures his company must take. Names were withheld, but the audience was told there have been a dozen serious attacks on computer systems managing critical infrastructure in the United States in about as many years.

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North Carolina is First in Flight. It also played a part in making Michimasa Fujino’s dreams come alive, when deliveries of HondaJet got off the ground December 23. Fujino fell in love with Piedmont Triad International Airport and determined that would be the place for him to develop a small, high-performance jet. Fujino earned his Federal Aviation Administration certification and procured a $2 billion investment from Honda, which was willing to put its stellar corporation on the line for the endeavor. Capable of speeds up to 483 mph, Honda claims this jet is the fastest and most efficient in its class. Competitive edges are gained through replacing aluminum with lightweight composites and aerodynamic wing design. GE came into the

]

picture to help develop the HondaJet engines, which are capable of 2,050-ft-lb of no-load thrust. The cockpit and cabin are designed for human scale with better views, more head and leg room, and sound damping features. For starters, the jet will be marketed for $4.5 million to dealers in North and South America and Europe. Deliveries started a year and a half after the jet’s first test flight.

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and chocolate caramels that are actually good for the teeth and not harmful to the rest of the body. The secret ingredient is xylitol, a natural sugar derived from birch trees. The candies were invented by Dr. Sindhura [Jenny] Citineni, DDS, and her husband, Dr. Thomas [Tom] Thekkekandam, MD. Both are sugar freaks, so Jenny understood the futility of telling patients to lay off. Tom, a food-science enthusiast with business acumen, came to his wife’s rescue. With help from award-wining chef James Beard, Tom spent two years in the kitchen perfecting the taste and texture. Tom now cooks about 10,000 pieces of candy a month in the couple’s home kitchen in Morrisville. Bags of 24 pieces sell for $6.99 each, but they’re currently on backorder. Tom and Jenny are in talks with a couple of major manufacturers, exploring how to scale-up production while maintaining the integrity of the gourmet experience.

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States motorcycle flags. For $24.99, cyclists can get a 6”x9” or 10”x15” flag brandishing uploaded artwork. Images should have to be of a high resolution and quality print file. Scanned documents will not work. Flags are printed double-sided in Pantone PMS color on white, double-stitched cloth. The cloth is a heavy-duty, machine washable, UV-coated poplin intended to survive the road. The only catches are that a minimum of five flags must be ordered, and images known to be copyrighted (like college or professional sports logos) will be rejected. A disclaimer puts the responsibility of any infringement on the person submitting the order. There is no charge for artwork or setup, and discounts are available for bulk orders. Initial reviews have been rave, bragging on customer service and tech support. Starting as seat retrofitters, the cyclers at Pro Pad began making their own flags for lack of an acceptable product on the market.

the old north state

upgraded as necessary throughout his eighteen years of business, but demand of late has taken off. He recently purchased new trucks, and now operations have outgrown the old facility. Parker has hired four new employees, a full-time human resources manager, and a new general manager. He has also invested in state-ofthe-art iPad technology for dispatching and documentation. The expansion to a 7000-sq.-ft. facility put a lot of emphasis on a well-equipped training room. Parker wants to have the best plumbers in the Charlotte area, and believes collaboration and competition are key. One typical training activity involves looking at and discussing videos taken by other plumbers to better prepare plumbers for obscure and unique situations.

Injection Molder Going Med asheboro

Anything That Isn’t Copyrighted

Pouring Money Back into the Business

mooresville

matthews

Pro Pad, Incorporated, a manufacturer of motorcycle parts and accessories, is now offering custom, 100% made in the United

ER Plumbing Services of Matthews, has undergone an extensive expansion and upgrade. Owner Dave Parker said he has

Injection molder Technimark, LLC, purchased Ci Medical Technologies, Incor porated, for an undisclosed amount. Ci Medical, founded in 1971, molds detailed, complex scientific tools, like insulin pumps and surgical utensils, to rigid standards. It handles

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 59

T:11.5”

the old north state

Reinvented from the outside in.

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T:10.5”

Reinvented from the inside out.

manufacturing, assembly, packaging, and logistics with plants in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, El Paso, Texas, Ponce, Puerto Rico, Durham, England, and Juarez, Mexico. The manufactories will add 550 employees to Technimark’s workforce and bring its total number of facilities to fourteen. Prior to the merger, Technimark manufactured consumer packaged goods for household care and special industrial applications. Headquartered in Asheboro, North Carolina, the company had previously announced intentions to expand into the medical industry. The sale, which followed a year of negotiations, marks the first move in that direction. Technimark hopes in the near future to sustain its own medical division.

The Strategic Alternative That Maximized Shareholder Value charlotte

It’s final. The Belk department store chain is sold. Speculation about a sale began brewing in August of 2014 when senior executives shared they were exploring a “broad range of potential strategic alternatives [to] maximize shareholder value.” Shortly thereafter, Goldman Sachs was retained to help evaluate the alternatives. Sycamore Partners, which holds stakes in Aeropostale, Nine West, Jones New York, Talbots, and other retailers, purchased Belk for $3 billion. The sale was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10. The sale marked Belk’s first change in ownership in 127 years. William Henry Belk founded the store as New York Racket in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, with $750 in savings, a $500 loan, and $3000 in merchandise. The store grew to become the nation’s largest family-owned-and-operated department store, with close to 300 locations in 16 states and $4 billion in annual sales. Tim Belk, representing the

third generation of family leadership, will continue to serve as CEO of the Belk stores, and no layoffs are foreseen.

Beating Infection chapel hill

Cempra, Incorporated, administered the first dose of Taksta in its Phase 3 clinical trial. Cempra is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of antibiotics. Taksta is the sodium salt of fusidic acid, and it is being administered orally to test its efficacy and safety in the treatment of acute skin infections. The trial will randomly administer either Taksta or linezolid to 712 patients diagnosed with skin infections. To date, linezolid, sold as Zyvox, is the only FDA-approved, oral treatment for MRSA infection. The tests are justified in light of increasing rates of resistance developing in bacterial strains. If successful, the test will show noninferiority of Taksta in the early treatment of two strains of MRSA. Marked signs of improvement should be observed within 2-3 days. In September the FDA granted Taksta qualified infectious disease product (QIDP) status, which allows the approval process to be fast-tracked. Longer-term research is exploring the drug’s efficacy in treating bone and joint infections.

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The North Carolina East Alliance, an economic development group representing twenty-four counties, hosted a breakfast to discuss pros and cons of offshore oil drilling. In anticipation of the draft plan about to be released by the Obama administration, a number of coastal governments have gone on record opposing drilling off the Atlantic Coast. The East Alliance president, John Chaffee, refuted claims that the rigs would obstruct viewsheds, arguing

they are not allowed within fifty feet of land and will therefore not be invisible to non-marine tourists. Activists from Environment America argued the rigs would destabilize oceanic habitat, thus putting marine harvesters out of business and causing tourism to sag. Randall Luthi, president of the National Ocean Industries Association, said that was not necessarily so, as the artificial reefs built for rigs could promote a healthier oceanic ecosystem for better fishing. Even so, it would be at least ten years before any rigs were built, which would then require seismic testing and permits.

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Wilmington swiped the Ironman race that the Bluffton Chamber of Commerce was attempting to win for Hilton Head. The event will be renamed Ironman North Carolina. World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) organizes a series of triathlons consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112mile bicycle ride, and a 26.2-mile foot race. The events, famous for the training and stamina required of participants, are now held each year in a number of cities throughout the world. Organizers had been searching for a location in the Southeast for eighteen months. They liked Hilton Head for its accessibility and tourist orientation. Unfortunately, they ran into loggerjams with securing permits from the city. When it became apparent that support for the requisite road closures would not be forthcoming, WTC organizers determined acquiring an event would be easier than wasting more time pursuing permits to launch elsewhere. Wilmington’s Beach2Battleship triathlon had been running for eight years, so it was an easy go. Hilton Head leaders were told the events bring thousands of tourists to communities, and the average athlete has an income above $100,000. But finance professionals were skeptical of economic impact analyses claiming the events would bring $10 million a year to Hilton Head.

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Green

Screens, A Little Skin, & A LOT OF

Imagination

finalized product of an Indulge Images green screen photo session

| February 2016

Inside the oftentimes-fantasy world of Patrice and Manny written by roger mccredie

photos by anthony harden February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 63

patrice kennedy- murillo

The word “camera” is Latin for “room.” This is because the first ones actually were. Rooms, that is.

manny murillo

| February 2016

They were called camera obscura, and they were chambers with a tiny hole in one wall, placed so that a light from outside could strike a translucent image in the center of the chamber and be reproduced, albeit upside down, on the opposite wall. Mirrors on the ceiling were later used to turn the illuminated image right-side up so that it could then be traced onto paper. By applying some basic math and physics, later experimenters were able to reduce the camera obscura from a room or closed booth to an easily portable gadget that could be used on any steady surface. And, in 1816 Nicéphore Niépce successfully projected an image directly onto a piece of paper coated with silver chloride, which darkened where the light hit it. Niépce’s student and partner, Louis Daguerre, perfected this process, gave his name to it, and launched the careers of Matthew Brady, Ansel Adams, and Hugh Hefner. From early on, and possibly because of its origin as a drawing tool, the camera became known for its ability not only to capture images but also to manipulate them. Special effects are as old as photography. In 1920 two teenage English girls, using an outdated camera and watercolored cutouts mounted on hatpins, convinced a good many Brits that they (the girls) had successfully photographed the fairies lurking in their back yard. Among those famously taken in by this skillful and imaginative prank was none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the most savagely rational and hardest-to-fool character in all literature: Sherlock Holmes. So when Patrice Kennedy-Murillo’s mother gifted her with an old camera, Patrice determined at once to get to know the instrument so well that she could bend it to the will of her fertile imagination and restless creativity. She didn’t realize at the time that she was opening the door to a challenging career and a multi-faceted business. “The camera was a dinosaur,” she recalls, “and it was my textbook.” This was 1989 and the young Patrice was working as a nanny in upstate New York. She decided to commit some of her precious free time to attending a photography class at a local community college, and she brought along the dinosaur. “It turns out it was the very camera to bring to that class,” she says. “It was so basic, and the class was geared to a very basic understanding of photography. It was really easy to apply the things I was learning to operating my own camera. I don’t think I would have gotten that good a foundation in photography if I’d gotten ahead of myself and walked in with some really sophisticated camera. There [would] have been holes in my education. As it was, I learned from the ground up.” But although Patrice became a fairly proficient photographer, she viewed her new skill set as nothing more than a hobby. Nannying was her profession, and she looked after other people’s kids on a contract basis in a succession of states—Colorado, Texas, New York, and

patrice photographs a new client in front of the studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green screen

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 65

patrice and assistant Tadd

Singleton examine photos from a green screen shoot

Connecticut—before landing a position in Florida. And that was when everything changed. “I’ve always written poetry,” she says, “and I’ve always gotten a kick out of reading my own poetry. So one night I was at a poetry jam in this club in Florida, and there was this guy reading his poetry—[she pauses for effect]—and his poetry was really good, and he was really good looking, but he looked like he was about seventeen and I thought, ‘Forget it, no way’—I was twenty-six at the time—and so I went to the bar. “And at the bar I met a really nice man, and we started talking about poetry in general, and then I said how much I liked the guy who was performing, both his poetry and himself, but then I laughed and said, ‘I’m too old for him, though.’ Well, the man I was talking to said, ‘That’s my son, Manuel—Manny—and he’s twenty-one.’” That put a different light on things. “He finished his reading and came over and joined us,” she says. “His dad told him I was skeptical about his legal age. He started going through his wallet and pulling out his driver’s license, his library card, whatever had his birthday on it. His father told me, ‘Trust me. He’s twenty-one.’ Then he turned to Manny and said, ‘Would you just go ahead and ask the girl out?’ That was in September. By November we had moved in together. That was 19 years ago.” 66

| February 2016

Shortly after Patrice and Manny set up housekeeping, the family she was nannying for announced they were moving to Asheville, North Carolina. They asked Patrice if she could be induced to come with them. “There was really nothing to keep us in Florida,” Patrice says. “Manny was working in his father’s cabinet business, but he was basically just marking time while he figured out what he really wanted to do. We had heard great things about Asheville and we said, ‘Why not?’ So we did.”

Creating a Niche A few months after moving to Asheville, Manny and Patrice got married. They had already made a good many friends who shared their creative interests, so instead of having a traditional wedding they decided to say their vows at their very own masked ball. “It was glorious,” Patrice remembers. “Our friends outdid themselves putting together all sorts of elaborate, fantastic costumes. And of course we wanted to memorialize everything, so we hired a photographer to shoot the whole evening.” And thus befell one of those fortuitous disappointments that sometimes propel people into taking charge of their future, with no plan-killing pause to reconsider or look back.

green screen photos

have the backgrounds added digitally

“The wedding photos were awful,” Patrice says. “Really terrible. After the beautiful wedding masquerade, to get these yucky photos—it was a major disappointment. I just wanted to sit down and cry. We looked at each other and said, ‘We can do better than this ourselves.’” That’s how it all began. “We had no plan at all,” Patrice laughs. “We did know we had some skills we could bring to the table, and we were fortunate enough to have made friends in the arts community. We just started putting the word out. I did several freebie shoots just for the sake of getting people to know me and my work, and then lo and behold, people started paying us.” Through all of this Manny acted as general factotum, keeping his nine-to-five job while assisting at shoots and helping build the business. To pay the light bill, the couple depended on the usual commercial photography categories—weddings and

“I love doing live performance work,” Patrice says. “The excitement and the spontaneity—it’s all infectious.” family gatherings, office parties and other commercial events, and portraits—but they found themselves injecting their own innovative and sometimes edgy approach into photographing these normally mundane subjects. “I don’t think we could have done Olan Mills even if we’d tried,” Patrice says, adding that their customers seemed to like their fresh, candid, let-it-happen approach, so much so that when they needed a name for the business “Indulge” suggested itself. Through friends they had made in the local drama and music scene they found themselves shooting live performances, both from out front and backstage. “I love doing live performance work,” Patrice says. “The excitement and the spontaneity—it’s all infectious. You get totally caught up in it, and that comes out in the work.” Perhaps inevitably, Manny and Patrice found that if they wanted to pursue what had by now become a clear vision of the kinds of work they wanted to do, there would be conflicts and they would have to make choices. “There was one company that hired us to do Santa Claus photos for them,” Patrice recalls. “It was going to be a five-day shoot, with us getting in close to sort of eavesdrop visually on the kids’ conversations with Santa. We love to do that. It’s wonderful when you can capture the moment that some wide-eyed kid tells Santa exactly what he or she wants for February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 67

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| February 2016

processed green screen photos are printed

out for the clients

manny creating in

the TEXTure space

Christmas—all the awe and wonder and excitement. And if I do say, we had done well and gotten some really delightful shots—keepsake stuff. “Then, on the fifth morning, the phone rang early. It was the site management, and they wanted to know if we could come in right away. They sounded upset. “When we went in to talk with them, they were really awkward and apologetic. They said they were going to have to terminate our gig right then, on the spot. Naturally we asked why. “They said, ‘We’ve had word from some people who have been looking at your website. You do porn.’” “No we don’t,” said Patrice, considerably taken aback. Then the penny dropped. “I realized somebody must have checked out the ‘Boudoir’ section on our site,” she says. “That’s where we highlight the glamour stuff. There’s some semi-nudity on it, but the last thing it is, is pornography.” Indeed, the more “adult” end of Indulge’s services spectrum is on the website, IndulgeImages.com, for all to see, right along with the wedding, maternity, and family sections, “because it, too, is a niche,” says Patrice. “Most commercial studios who claim to be creative offer something like it; it’s actually pretty mainstream, and we’re as proud of our work in that genre as we are of anything else we do.” The gauzy, moody, glamour-boudoir work they do is driven in part by models looking to expand their portfolios, and also by a steady if oh-so-quiet demand from ordinary people.

“Brides, particularly, like to give their new husbands a glamour shot as a wedding present,” Patrice says. “Maybe they want to remind them that they’re lucky to be getting what they’re getting. And guys will sometimes give their fiancées a present of a shoot before the wedding, particularly for a pin-up.” (Indulge’s “pin-up” category is a lighthearted homage to the leggy glamour shots of the 1930s and ‘40s, with costumes—or lack thereof— that on the titillation scale is north of Betty Grable but south of Betty Page.) “And any number of times,” she continues, “I’ve been in the middle of a family portrait gig or a wedding shoot and had one of the women—even older ones—sidle up to me and say, ‘Uh… you know those sexy glamour photos you do? Do you… um … think I could…’” Patrice laughs. “It’s so dear. And one man gave his wife a glamour session as a fiftieth anniversary present.”

Green Screen Work But Indulge Images’ long suit—their biggest business generator and the biggest showcase for their photographic creativity—is their green screen work. Green screen photography, a technique originally developed by motion picture studios, subsequently perfected by the advertising industry, and now used extensively for in-studio backdrops, is the technique of filming a person or an object against a green monochrome backdrop and then replacing the plain green background with a moving or still image projected February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 69

from another source. This is how actors appear to be in a moving car when they’re sitting in a stationary set; or a locomotive appears to be bearing down on hapless Little Nell, who is bound to the railroad tracks; or the genial weatherperson who casts no clumsy shadow while pointing to the low pressure system that’s about to mess up your weekend. It’s a very portable, easily set up process that lends itself handily to event photography. And Patrice and Manny discovered, once their business began to take off, that they had hit the mother lode in Asheville, where bumper stickers still urge people to “Keep Asheville Weird,” and where the line between fantasy and reality is often blurred. Ashevillians dearly love to put on fancy dress and have a party. Anytime. For anything. And whether it’s a one-evening gala or a week-long convention, the event-goers want themselves, their getups, and their good times memorialized in pictures. With just a green backdrop and a projector, an Indulge photographer can provide Asheville’s elves and with backdrops from woodland glades to enchanted caves to magical hollows filled with fireflies. Or put “ancient warriors” into a burning castle, or yucky zombies into a creepy crypt. Hence, Patrice and Manny have found themselves chronicling such fantasy-driven gatherings as the Asheville Faerie Arts Festival and the Asheville Zombie Walk. And since success

begets success, and like begets like (and referrals), they have progressed from local-level conventions to regional and national ones—going, for instance, from the comic book themed Asheville ComicCon to national ComicCon/AnimeCon events up and down the East Coast. They’ve even worked one-on-one with several cast members of the Starz TV series Spartacus, in connection with that franchise’s convention spinoff, SpartaCon, held, in of all places, a baseball stadium. Their glamour work has opened national doors for them as well, getting them gigs at regional and national burlesque and pin-up conventions. (In addition to photo galleries of the many events Indulge has documented, the website includes a section called “Burlesque Reviews” featuring a wealth of provocative and eye-catching photos.) All this while they’ve been pulling down gigs for such prestigious, if less exotic, clients as Publix, New Belgium Beer, and the conservation advocacy group Dogwood Alliance.

Getting the TEXTure right And that’s not all. Indulge Images’ office/studio is housed, along with several other art-related businesses, in a former textile mill at 2004 Riverside Drive in Asheville. But the space is also home to

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TEXTure Gallery, Studio and Art Bar, a combination school, showcase, and clubhouse for graphic artists of all stripes, and especially calligraphers. This end of the business is presided over by Manny, a gifted calligrapher in his own right, who also teaches classes and gives individual lessons, guiding

conducted by other artists, many of them nationally known. The TEXTure space also houses a retail calligraphy supply store, which features a comprehensive line of papers, inks, pens, and brushes. A unique twist is the Art Bar concept: For a flat fee patrons can come in, help themselves to the studio’s materials, access the extensive library of books and manuals, and spend several hours creating whatever they want to create. This all takes place whether Patrice and Manny themselves are there in person or not— and “not,” these days, is increasingly the case, with them regularly packing up their screens and gear to travel to events across the region and country. “We did twelve conventions last year,” Patrice says, “and ten of them have asked us back this year. We’ll also be shooting at three belly dancing conventions in Canada.” In fact, as Capital at Play’s own photo shoot draws to a close, a local belly dancer arrives for a session. In front of a green screen, of course.

They had hit the mother lode in Asheville, where bumper stickers still urge people to “Keep Asheville Weird,” and where the line between fantasy and reality is often blurred. devotees of the art of forming letters through the mechanics of shaping uncials (as in medieval manucripts), roman fonts (as in temple inscriptions), and copperplate script (as in “ye Purfuit of Happinefs”). TEXTure started as a one-man operation, but as word spread and interest increased, it now hosts workshops and seminars

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column

Investing 2016… in Human Capital

Companies are realizing the need to invest in their most important asset.

“

matthew wright

is Director of Retail Initiatives & Growth Strategy for Mission Health and their Center for Leadership & Professional Development.

U M BL E C ON FIDENCE .” T H AT IS T HE answer I was given when I walked up to one of the giants of the medical distribution industry to introduce myself. I simply asked, “What message do you try to convey to your leadership team, and to your staff, every day?”

I heard two words: “humble confidence.” I smiled sheepishly, realizing I had been hiding the humble for quite some time. Just a few years ago, I was living my dream. Over the course of eight years in my career at a small ($6 million) privately-owned medical distributor serving the Carolinas, I’d gone from sales rep—attempting to call on 15 medical facilities per day, and in the process averaging 35,000 miles per year in my car—to company president. As a distributor, we sold everything imaginable in the medical office, except pharmaceuticals, from disposable supplies (bandages, syringes, gloves, gauze) to equipment (exam tables, stools, blood pressure, EKG machines), and as a regional player, we built lasting success on trust and dependability. So there I was—a smart, young, highly motivated and hard-working guy with the best of intentions. I knew the company inside and out: the products, the company’s strengths and challenges, the financials, the strategies for growth, and all the relevant metrics. But there was a problem.

| February 2016

I quickly realized that, despite all those positives, I had absolutely no clue about how to lead people. I didn’t realize how lonely it would be at the top of this organization that was so familiar to me, and I came to see I was completely unprepared to truly lead anyone. As leaders, young and old, we have a natural tendency to think we know it all, and we think demonstrating that confidence will in turn instill confidence in our team. From my experience, that proved to be short-sighted and stunted my (and the business’s) growth. I had lost a balance physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I had isolated myself from family and friends—which, looking back, meant I was missing opportunities for encouragement and development. I had robbed those closest to me of the ability to offer encouragement and support. I went into survival mode for myself, and upon reflection, I am sure the business struggled for a time because of that. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for me to put my pride and ego aside and go in search of some outside expertise. In typical fashion it took me observing

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some of the most successful and influential leaders in our industry before I recognized the need to jump into action. I had been invited to a private round-table discussion with some of those leaders to discuss new trends, technologies, and industry innovations. I was honored to be there, and I prepared for the meeting as if I should be the expert on all subject matter. Rookie mistake… I quickly learned that this setting was an opportunity for these individuals to share confidentially about issues involving specific employee scenarios, employee engagement successes, managing difficult personalities, talent retention, generational gaps, and more. I realized my seat at that table was an opportunity for me to listen, rather than talk—to absorb every word and apply it to my organization. I also realized that the more vulnerable each of these highly respected leaders became, the more I naturally appreciated them. I was so profoundly moved by this experience that I used my own funds to hire a coach to help me identify and develop my own leadership skills. We started with aligning my personal vision and our company’s vision. I discovered that once those two factors aligned, I could begin the development process. It was a tremendous experience. The coach was someone I could complain to, be vulnerable and let down my guard with, and someone I could talk with confidentially about business concerns. The coach also offered insight on my ideas about restructuring the company, and ways to communicate with and empower my employees to take ownership of changes we needed to make. Most importantly, by working on developing my own leadership skills, I was able to lead the company through a critical change in management process and help this mom-and-pop, relationship-based business find its niche in a highly competitive market. The results spoke for themselves; by the time I left the company in 2014, it was turning a profit after three previously unprofitable years. Fast-forward two years; I now find myself in a very different place, in an entrepreneurial role with a large organization that is continuously striving to develop and retain talented employees. I welcomed the chance to return to my hometown and to a company that would keep pushing me to develop professionally. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” [—Proverbs 27:17]. As humans, we need encouragement. As leaders, we need even more. If we do not hear encouragement from our board of directors, our colleagues, our family and friends, we will naturally go in search of it. In many cases professionally, that results in employee turnover. Companies of all sizes are realizing the need to invest in their most important asset: their people. The job market has gained momentum, and talented employees are being gobbled up quickly by those organizations that seek to surround themselves with dynamic, highly motivated staff. Companies are shifting their focus to tap into the strengths of their employees, rather than cramming employees into roles that don’t quite fit. Western North Carolina has a thriving entrepreneurial initiative in motion. Leaders in the region have created a plan to attract new jobs and new business, and to keep business here in our backyard. Even the best and the brightest leaders need consistent encouragement and coaching, inside and outside of their organization. My vision is that leaders from all kinds and sizes of organizations will seize opportunities to tap into local expertise. My hope is that no business leader has to scramble, like I did, to get help developing themselves and their people. Bottom line: Learning how to communicate more effectively with your employees will strengthen you, it’ll strengthen your staff, and you’ll see a significant return on investment both personally and professionally as you lead with humble confidence.

2onCrescent

828.274.1276 • 2oncrescent.com Sunday - Saturday 11 - 5 4 All Souls Crescent, Biltmore Village February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 73

UPDATES FOR

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news briefs

Now They Can Get Some Sleep jerusalem, israel

Netanel Eyal and Yoni Bazak believe they have found the world’s first allaround solution to snoring noise. The invention started five years ago when Eyal heard a relative snoring incredibly loudly. He found that available solutions worked only for specific kinds of snoring, or they were too complicated or too cumbersome for sleep. So he fixed the problem. Halfway into its Indiegogo campaign, their startup Silent Partner had raised $185,000, which came out to 463% of its goal. The titular device is a lightweight smart patch for the nose that uses noise cancellation technology that has been used in high-tech earphones for a long time. Its senses the amplitude

]

and frequency of snoring sounds and subsequently generating waves to interrupt them, effectively quieting snoring to 40 decibels or less. The inventors say that the most complicated part of the invention process was trying to figure out why nobody else had thought of it.

Maybe It Was the Wider Acceptance boston, ma

Fidelity Investments announced it would no longer do business with credit card companies A mer ican Express Company and Bank of America Corporation, marking the end of two 12-year relationships that garnered billions of dollars in fees for Fidelity. The blow to American Express is its second

in recent months, the first being Costco Wholesale Corporation’s decision to stop accepting their cards. As a consequence, American Express’ stock was down 25%. Fidelity’s president, Ram Subramaniam, gave no reason for ending the partnership. US Bancorp and Visa, Incorporated, will be Fidelity’s new, exclusive credit card partners. The cards will feature chip technology, access to digital wallets, and a rewards program. They will also be accepted at 38% more locations, in an effort to provide customers more convenience (and Fidelity more fees).

Paying for What You Don’t Do berlin, germany

The shocking headline was that, beginning in 2016, Apple was going to raise the price on its handheld devices sold in Germany in order to pay recording artists and producers. More accurately, Apple, Samsung, and other electronics manufacturers agreed with the German government to pay $5.50-$7.70 for each smartphone or tablet imported to Germany. Apple’s increase will merely recover costs. The fees are charged in accordance with a 1965 German law

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| February 2016

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satellite imagery from Google Earth to assess shade issues, industry pricing, and available subsidies to determine how long it would take installations to pay for themselves. It also weighs options for purchasing, renting, or getting a loan. The program piloted in Boston and select California cities; by December it became available in sixteen additional metropolitan areas. Using Project Sunroof is more convenient than having a contractor perform a site evaluation, and it is more user-friendly than the United States Energy Department’s calculator.

A Fair Cost-Benefit Analysis

Curing Cancer & Reading Tax Law

united states

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Google was once a search engine. Now, among numerous other undertakings, it provides an online service, Project Sunroof, to weight the costs and benefits of installing solar panels on a housetop. Solar power now accounts for 1% of reported power generation in the United States, and one-third of that amount is provided by photovoltaic panels installed by onesies and twosies on businesses and houses. The Google algorithm uses years of data on cloud coverage and

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Baxalta, Incorporated, announced a deal to work with the Danish company Symphogen to expand its immune-oncology business. The science stimulates a person’s immune system to work against tumor growth. There are a number of strategies that could be combined to treat various types of cancer. Symphogen was to receive an upfront payment of $175 million in exchange for exclusive rights to six therapies. Long-term, the deal could

Your town is my town.

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involve $1.6 billion in fees and royalties. Meanwhile, the Irish drugmaker Shire has been in negotiations to purchase Baxalta. The latter company rejected Shire’s $30 billion offer in August, but Shire persisted; more recently, Baxalta seemed ready to bite on a $32 billion offer, paid largely in cash, but then Shire balked. The Irish company has to consult attorneys to make sure the deal does not run afoul of IRS rules preventing spinoffs, like Baxalta, from being used to funnel tax-exempt cash to shareholders.

Paying Bots to Watch Pixels sunnyvale, ca

Investors are not happy campers. Among other troubles swirling for Yahoo are allegations of fraud in Yahoo’s ad business. One client discovered 30-70 % of its ads were not running in areas they were supposed to. Another discovered that their ads slated to run before videos were running as banners, which cost a tenth of what they paid. A third complainant discovered most of claimed “viewer” traffic was coming from IP addresses at data centers; in other words, the ads had an audience of bots. Inept staff and known

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that allows consumers to make copies of productions if they pay a small surcharge when purchasing a media player. Opponents argue subscription or payper-use services would be fairer, while lobbyists who negotiated the surcharge claim it is fairer because people will always find a way to work around paying. As it turns out, the surcharge is being made retroactive to 2008 for smartphones and 2012 for tablets. Proceeds from the surcharge are distributed among content producers—among them, musicians, actors, and, yes, producers of porn.

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 75

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national & world news

in the future broken technology behind the company’s ad management were other problems cited. According to CNBC, Yahoo is not the only digital ad fraudster. Each year, an estimated $18.5 billion in fraud is perpetrated in an industry worth about three times that much. Three big forms of ad fraud are bot views, single-pixel ads, and failure to follow through with posts. On a somewhat brighter side, Yahoo’s threatened 10% layoffs were targeted heavily toward its ad business.

Keeping up with Technology new haven, ct

CDS Alumni Graduating from UNC Medical School

With a passion for learning and teaching, our exceptional faculty leads by example and brings out your child’s personal bests. The 47 Members of the Class of 2015: •

Included a United States Military Academy appointee, National Merit Commended Scholar, National Merit Semifinalist, National Merit Finalist, and National Achievement Boule Foundation Scholarship winner

•

Logged more than 4,000 hours of community service

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Were accepted into 18 honors colleges/special programs

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Were offered $4 million in academic and athletic merit scholarships

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Are attending 30 different colleges in 16 states and two countries

THE BOTTOM LINE: Lifelong Value Carolina Day School inspires students to become innovative thinkers who communicate with intelligence and clarity, create with vision and purpose, and act with courage and compassion to confidently make a meaningful difference in the world. 76

| February 2016

Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy apparently motivated electrical companies to take advantage of better technology. United Illuminating Company deemed existing tools for damage assessment, streamlining, and customer interaction to be wanting. The company therefore invested in mobile technology and a metering system capable of two-way communication. The most strategic move, however, was contracting with Accenture and The Structure Group to integrate the company’s ABB Outage Lifecycle Management Software with existing information and operating technology. The integration earned UI a spot on Gartner, Incorporated’s list of Top 10 Tech Trends. The integration is made possible by a growing number of smart technologies capable of detecting when things go bad, or even keeping a record of data for analytics algorithms to identify trends, and communicating the issues across networks to all affected parties.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens is on-track to become the top grossing movie in box office international history, moving at a breakneck pace. Avatar,

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which to date has grossed $2.8 billion, is expected to be surpassed by the time you read this. The Force Awakens has already broken other records. For example, advance ticket sales topped $100 million, and the night before its official opening, the movie racked in $57 million from preview screenings. On its first day, the show brought in $120 million. Before that, no single show had grossed more than $1 million on a single day. Having opened December 18, the movie brought in enough to make 2015 the biggest year ever in box office history. Analysts attribute the movie’s drawing power to the appearance of original cast members Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, and Carrie Fisher as General Leia; keeping plot details quiet, even when it meant foregoing early awards; and the building of a massive social media profile.

Partnering to Undercut the Competition detroit, mi

On January 4th, General Motors Company announced it had invested $500 million in Lyft, Incorporated, as part of a $1 billion round of fundraising. This gave GM a seat on Lyft’s board and access to the rideshare company’s software. According to the terms of the deal, GM will become Lyft’s preferred vehicle provider. The companies will further collaborate in the operation of a network of hubs where people without cars may rent GM vehicles to drive for Lyft. Long-range, however, the plan is to develop driverless cars that can be summoned with Lyft’s mobile app. Besides giving both companies complementary access to expertise they need to develop a self-driving vehicle, the deal gives the partnership an edge over automakers like Daimler AG and Ford Motor Company that are developing their own ridesharing services, and the rideshare leader, Uber, which is developing its own self-driving cars.

Trouble in Paradise nassau, bahamas

A $3.5 billion beachfront paradise outside Nassau sits vacant. With a casino, 2200 guest rooms, shops, and a Jack Nicklaus golf course, Baha Mar was supposed to generate 12% of the Bahamas’ GDP. It started in 2005 with a deal between Prime Minister Perry Christie and businessman Sarkis Izmirlian. Izmirlian invested $900 million and recruited big-name partners like Caesars Resort Hotel. When the recession hit in 2008, investors had second thoughts. That’s when China State Construction Engineering Corporation, the world’s second largest contractor, stepped in. China State invested $150 million and encouraged Izmirlian to get a $2.45 billion construction loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, the terms of which protected China State from being fired and mandated that laborers be Chinese. At that point Izmirlian began complaining about sub-code work, missed payments, and other problems. China State countered Izmirlian had constantly changed plans on them. A false opening date left Izmirlian paying $4 million a month for staff to run an empty hotel. He filed for bankruptcy, but the claims were dismissed, sending the project into liquidation and pushing the Bahamas’ BBB- Standard & Poor’s rating closer to junk.

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February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 77

view of Cataloochee,

photo courtesy Cataloochee Ski Area

Just

Schussing AROUND written by toni sherwood

| February 2016

Before you book that trip to Aspen or Utah’s Snowbasin, maybe consider some of the fresh skiing options right here in your own Western North Carolina backyard.

rime skiing conditions make February the best month for snow sports in the Western North Carolina region. It’s typically the coldest month; plus, temperatures remain steady, and natural snowfalls often complement the man-made snow. With the slopes in peak condition, and a President’s Day/Valentine’s Day combo weekend to celebrate, local ski resorts are hosting all kinds of events. But who really needs an excuse to get out on the slopes? February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 79

photo courtesy Appalachain Ski Mountain

fireworks being shot

off at ASM, photo courtesy Appalachain Ski Mountain

Family Fun Weekend at Appalachian Ski Mountain Located in Blowing Rock, Appalachian Ski Mountain (ASM) prides itself on a consistent deep snow base accomplished with top of the line snowmaking equipment. In the past three years they’ve made huge investments in equipment upgrades. According to their website, their peak season base depths often exceed that of resorts out west. The ASM Valentine’s Day Family Weekend event (Feb. 12-15) will light up the winter sky with fireworks, feature special hours, and offer a free family digital ski portrait. This year they’ve also expanded their late night skiing event, Midnight Blast, to every Friday and Saturday night, as well as Valentine’s Day Sunday. Besides downhill skiing, ASM boasts an iceskating rink and an App Terrain Park, which is a freestyle area for skiers and snowboarders. Freestyle is like a cross between extreme skateboarding, skiing, and Parkour. This network of three terrain parks got its humble start as a volunteer effort. Designed by those who love the sport, it is in constant flux as the course is updated regularly, and with dozens of rails, boxes, jibs, and jumps to maneuver, this park is a challenge to the body and mind. The App Terrain Park will offer a special Ladies Park Night on February 20 at 7PM. A custom terrain segment of the park will be open to women skiers and snowboarders of all ages and abilities to learn and progress. Coaches will be on hand to offer advice. Learn more at: www.appskimtn.com

| February 2016

top : night shot from above below : a child learning to ski,

photos courtesy Cataloochee Ski Area

Nighttime Skiing at Cataloochee Ski Area With the sun setting by six o’clock, nighttime skiing is a great way to stave off the winter blues. It also makes for a fun date. You can snuggle up with your honey as you ride the lift and admire each other’s form as you race down the mountain. The Cataloochee Ski Area is located just four miles off U.S. 19 above Maggie Valley, and is easily accessed from I-40. The fifty skiable acres include eighteen slopes and trails of various difficulty levels, along with the Cat Cage Terrain Park. Cataloochee’s President’s Day Holiday Weekend event (Feb. 12-15) will offer special rates. They’ll also extend their Tuesday through Saturday twilight and night skiing schedule to include Valentine’s Sunday. Sam Lloyd has been a ski instructor since 2003. Although he lives in Tryon, he regularly commutes to Cataloochee Ski Area where he teaches. For the past eight seasons, Lloyd has been focused on teaching special needs folks. He founded the Adaptive Ski Program at the Cataloochee Ski Area in 2007. “I have one student who’s a paraplegic,” Lloyd says. “She rides February 2016 | capitalatplay.com

sam lloyd with special Ski

on a chair set atop a frame with a ski underneath it and a shock absorber.” Adaptive skiing started in Europe around the time of WWII. The benefits of skiing for injured vets motivated the development of equipment to make it possible despite disabilities. For these athletes, the sense of freedom that skiing provides rivals other sports, while the multiple benefits include confidence building, increased balance, and even improved social skills. Cataloochee has special ski equipment available for all types of athletes, including those with visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injuries. “Basically any physical, mental, or emotional disability,” Lloyd says. Lloyd is a veteran himself, and he teaches many injured veterans who benefit from the program. “It gets them back on track,” he explains. “Let’s say a guy lost both legs; suddenly he’s skiing again, and he knows he can do anything he wants to do. He sees life in a chair is not much different than life on legs.” Wounded veterans always ski free at Cataloochee. They also have regular appreciation days for military personnel, law enforcement officers, and fire and rescue providers. Lloyd says he will occasionally teach able-bodied students, but only when needed; his heart lies in teaching those with special needs. Learn more at: www.cataloochee.com

ski school Bunny Hill, photo courtesy Cataloochee Ski Area

| February 2016

Totally ‘80s Retro Ski Weekend at Beech Mountain Beech Mountain hails as the highest town in the Eastern United States. With elevation in their favor at 5506, the average snowfall of 84 inches helps transform the mountain into a snow lover’s dream. And with 95 acres of skiable terrain, there’s plenty of open space to enjoy. At the base of the slopes, the Alpine Village at Beech Mountain Resort has unique shops, dining, and a 7000-sq.-ft. ice-skating rink. The most recent addition is a state-of-the-art snow-tubing park.

a benefit for

Tryon Fine Arts Center

5th annual

headliners above : Retro ‘80s weekend 2014, photo courtesy Beech Mountain

At the top of the mountain, one can step off the chair lift into the 5506’, a skybar with a huge deck and a glass roundhouse. Grab some food and drinks while taking in the spectacular views. Perhaps the most unique and outrageous event of the month is Beech Mountain’s Totally ‘80s Retro Ski Weekend (Feb. 18-21). Who can resist all day “retro skiing”? Get out your headbands and spandex and tease up that big hair for a totally awesome skiing experience. They’ll have live eighties music nightly, fun competitions such as the Pac-Man contest, Rubik’s Cube contest, and the Madonna look-alike contest. And of course there’s a late night eighties dance party for folks wanting to recreate the memorable era in style. Beech Mountain also has an Adaptive Snow Sports Center to support adults with disabilities. Lloyd regularly participates in the Disabled Sports USA Adaptive Learn to Ski Event that takes place annually on Martin Luther King weekend. Learn more at: www.beechmtn.com

Stolen Hearts Band Chuck Beattie Band

Plus … Jim Peterman Band, Brandon Turner & Freddie Vanderford, Riyen Roots & Kenny Dore

Saturday February 20 Non-stop music — 6-11 pm $30 General Admission $80 Patron Lounge … Emcee Christy Henderson WSPA Channel 7 media sponsors

34 Melrose Ave, Tryon, NC 828-859-8322 online ticket sales www.tryonarts.org February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 83

beech mountain 5506â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Skybar, photo by Sam Dean Photography

eric sanstedt racer with the Ski Club at Sugar Mountain, photo courtesy The Asheville Ski Club

| February 2016

Skiing is a skill to be mastered A lot of us have tried skiing. Maybe we went with some friends who gave us their tips. We wore jeans, fell down, and bumped our heads— multiple times—to end up cold and frustrated. (Or was that just me?) Turns out, a couple of lessons can make all the difference between trying to ski—and enjoying it. Michelle Long Shuford is one of the instructors at the French Swiss Ski College, which operates at ASM. She has been a professional ski instructor for 25 years. “The instructors here [in Western North Carolina] are as good or better than the instructors out West,” Shuford says. All professional ski instructors must meet national standards, but our region offers some unique challenges to skiers. “We have far more marginal conditions, from scant snow to more icy conditions,” she explains, “so skiing here is more challenging.” Shuford feels this is actually a positive thing that keeps her on top of her skiing game. “We live in an area that can be 30 degrees tonight, and tomorrow it’s 55,” fellow instructor Lloyd says. “It’ll look like somebody took a cup of Slurpee and threw it on the slope.” Although man-made snow is what makes our ski resorts possible, Lloyd notes that the new snow guns only make snow in certain humidity and temperatures, so even they have their limits. And the machines don’t run themselves. Often the snow has to be blown overnight, so while you are resting up for the slopes, a crew is hard at work preparing the snow. Typically, three lessons will get you beyond the basics and into tackling the intermediate terrain, which is where the fun begins. That free-flying feeling that skiers love really kicks in once they can comfortably navigate the intermediate slopes. Each slope is marked to let skiers know which skill level corresponds with it; a green circle signifies Beginner, a blue square is Intermediate, and a black diamond is Advanced. There’s even a double black diamond to distinguish the most challenging slopes. “It’s also less expensive to take lessons in our region,” Shuford adds. With top-of-the line instructors available, why not give yourself a leg up? Skiing is a skill that, once mastered, will offer a lifetime of fun and fitness.

john oswald racing at Appalachian Ski Mountain, photo courtesy The Asheville Ski Club

photo courtesy The Asheville Ski Club

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 85

photo courtesy The Asheville Ski Club

Find ski pals at Asheville Ski Club When Shuford relocated to Asheville in 1993, she immediately got involved with the Asheville Ski Club. This active group makes regular trips out of the area to prime ski destinations. They also participate in local racing competitions and just-for-fun ski events. They hold monthly meetings to socialize and make plans. Among the regular outings the ski club participates in are ski racing weekends. “There are five different weekends,” Shuford says. “We have teams and race against each other.” But they are also racing against every skier in the country. “It’s sort of like a golf handicap,” she explains. “NASTAR [the National Standard Race ski race program] sets the numerical threshold everyone races against. You pay for a run and they time you. For your age and gender, you

| February 2016

can score bronze, silver, or gold.” NASTAR then holds a final competition for all silver and gold winners. “There’s lots of smack talk going on [but] it’s good camaraderie even if you’re not racing,” Shuford adds. “I don’t race anymore; I blew both knees out. I’m actually skiing at a better level now, but it got in my head.” The Asheville Ski Club also makes several destination ski trips annually. They’ll be in Canada in February and Montana’s Big Sky in March. But if you’d like to join them, you have to register well in advance: These trips sold out last November. Shuford loves networking with ski friends all over the country. “On those trips I tend to get together with friends in other clubs who I don’t get to see too often.” The fateful meeting of Shuford and Lloyd happened through the Asheville Ski Club. The club was looking for someone to be a liaison with the Buncombe County Special Olympics. Shuford volunteered. She had plenty of experience coaching these athletes in college, so she was a natural to jump-start the program. One of the first programs she helped develop was a Dryland Clinic for Buncombe County Special Olympics. This clinic is perfect for beginners to learn how to move their bodies in ski equipment. “You learn how to fall down and side

step before adding sliding on snow,” Shuford says. “It’s also great for pre-season conditioning.” But Shuford credits Lloyd for growing the program into what it is now, noting, “It really took off when Sam took over most of the organization.” The Special Olympics Southeast Winter Games will take place at Appalachian Ski Mountain, February 7-9, and is open to spectators. “Anyone can come out and watch,” Lloyd says. “Sunday and Monday they practice, then Tuesday is the actual race.” As much as he loves the region, Lloyd highly encourages his students to experience other destinations as well, not only to interact with larger and more diverse skiing populations, but also to meet skiers with similar lifestyles and interests. Still, with so many great ski spots to choose from in Western North Carolina, Shuford admits that she has a hard time choosing her favorite. “It’s wherever I am at the moment—as long as I’m skiing and not working.” “Everyone wants to ski the fluffy stuff,” Lloyd says. “But if you can ski in the Southeastern U.S., you can ski anywhere in the world.”

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February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 87

People Play at

1. Joy Kish of Mars Hill University 2. Sara Phillips & Paul Baker with HomeTrust Bank 3. Kathy Sinclair of NC Works Career Center

| February 2016

4. Bryan Kerns discussing jobs with AVL Technologies 5. Pam Timmons with North American Roofing 6. Whitney Whitson of First Bank

7. Citizen-Times Career Booth 8. Michael Horvath passionately describes jobs with Hampton Inn - Homewood Suites

10TH Annual Homecoming Career Fair at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center

January 7, 2016 | photos by Jared Kay, Amplified Media Amplified Mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core values reflect a commitment to sharing community stories through creative video marketing and commercial photography.

9. Alianna Timmins & Stephanie Rerych of Goodwill 10. Christina Corey of The Family Health Centers 11. Jennifer Rouse with Cintas

12.Jesse Boeckermann with Montreat College 13. Michael Thorpe of Doubletree - Biltmore Farms

14. L-R Michael Trufant with Crunch Media, Mary Smith & Brittany Baliles with Northwestern Mutual

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 89

events

february 1- 4

february

EVENTS february 1- 29

Recorded Matter: Ceramics In Motion 10AM – 6PM (Tue-Sat) Center For Craft, Creativity & Design 67 Broadway, Asheville, NC Ceramicists normally craft objects. These guys take the “life is a journey” approach to the trade and record for YouTube what it’s like to make things or what is done with the finished products. Featured artists include Sam Brennan, Forrest Sincoff Gard, Ben Harle, Jo Kamm, Roberto Lugo, Jeffrey Miller and Thomas Schmidt, Cheyenne Rudolph, Jason Lee Starin, Eva Vogelsang, and Man Yau. The presentation is curated by Garth Johnson of Arizona State University.

> Free > 828-785-1357 > craftcreativitydesign.org

Dine Out for Children with Cancer at Mission’s Cancer Center Times/Locations Vary Dine out for a great cause. Green Side Up Foundation has arranged for 10% of all meal proceeds to be donated to the Mission Health Cancer Center when you dine at the following places: Feb. 1st, Mela, Isa’s Bistro and White Duck Taco (both locations), Dinner; Feb. 2nd, Isa’s Bistro and White Duck Taco (both locations), Dinner; Feb 3rd, Wicked Weed Brewing, Lunch/Dinner, and Isa’s Bistro and White Duck Taco (both locations), Dinner; Feb 4th, Mellow Mushroom, Isa’s Bistro and White Duck Taco (both locations), Dinner.

> taryn@greensideup.foundation > greensideup.foundation february 2

11th Annual Grady’s Groundhog Day 10:30AM - 12PM Chimney Rock State Park 431 Main Street, Chimney Rock, NC Traditionally people gather around a groundhog hole on February 2. It is said if

the groundhog sees his shadow when he comes out, there will be six more weeks of winter. If the sun was out and there weren’t six more weeks of winter, they say the groundhog wasn’t looking. More likely than anything, people just need an excuse to take off work and do some climbing at the Chimney. Groundhog Day activities are free with admission.

> Admission: Adult $15, Youth (5-15) $7, Infant (0-4) Free

> 800-277-9611 > chimneyrockpark.com february 5 - 6

Indoor Motocross 6:30 - 9:30PM Western North Carolina Agricultural Center: 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher, NC Victory Sports’ 2015-2016 Indoor Winter Series continues with its third weekend at the Western North Carolina Ag Center. The series consists of six weekends of offroad motorcycle racing at various venues in Tennessee and Western North Carolina.

> Admission: Adult $15, Child $10 > 423-323-5497 > wncagcenter.org

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| February 2016

february 5 - 6

Celtic Adventure Weekend Omni Grove Park Inn 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC Friday night, the very blonde Gothard Sisters will entertain with a high-energy combination of fiddles and percussive guitar, wailing, and clogging. Saturday, Gaelic Storm will put on a show of fast and easy pub fare. One of their videos actually features bar-brawling LEGO people. Overnight packages are available for Scots-Irish heritage enthusiasts who won’t want to go home after watching the Gothards.

>Tickets: Friday $40, Saturday $50 > 828-438-5800 > omnihotels.com february 5 -7

Mountain RV, Boat, and Recreation Show 10AM - 8PM (Fri-Sat), 10AM - 5PM (Sun) Western North Carolina Agricultural Center: 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher, NC This is the largest show of its kind in Western North Carolina. It’s so big, it’s indoor and outdoor, and taking up both

the Davis Event Center and the Expo Center. Leading dealers of RV, automotive, and marine brands will be showcasing.

> Admission: Adult $5, Child (0-12) Free > 828-628-6611 > mountainrvboatshow.com

february 6

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet 8PM Diana Wortham Theatre 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC Guided by Shakespeare’s famous prose, the timeless story of forbidden love and warring families—we don’t mean the Hatfields and McCoys— is brought to life by the talents of the Aquila Theatre. Redirecting some of the focus to other relationships at play, a 30-foot-long gown links Juliet and Lady Capulet as they navigate the treacherous waters of arranged marriages, teenage rebellion, and all that befalls this famous household.

>Tickets: Adult $38, Student $33, Child $20 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

february 6

Jennifer Nettles 7:30PM Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center: 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC Jennifer Nettles is a singer-songwriter, actress, and multi-instrumentalist. She has professionally played piano, guitar, base, flute, mandolin, harmonica, and, most importantly, the tambourine. She has sung with Sugarland and had a number-one hit with Bon Jovi for “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” For her knack for singing a mean country line with the greatest of ease, she’s been the winner of a number of CMA, Grammy, and Academy of Country Music awards.

>Tickets: $35-$70 > 828-497-8899 > ticketmaster.com february 11-14

Music On The Rock: The Music Of Barry Manilow Flat Rock Playhouse – Downtown 125 South Main Strt, Hendersonville, NC Although you’re too proud to admit it, you know you like Barry Manilow. (He is

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events

Free Sewing Classes with a new sewing machine purchase

music, and he writes the songs.) What’s more, your funny Valentine likes him, too. So why not reminisce together? Maybe the old songs will bring back the old times and make him/her want to stay. Note: The show merely features the music of Barry Manilow; the artist himself is not booked.

For The Love of Sewing:

> Admission: $28 and up > 828-693-0731 > flatrockplayhouse.com

BERNINA • BABY LOCK • HORN 1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville (next to Harris Teeter) 828-277-4100 • Mon-Sat, 10a-5:30p

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Feather Your Nest

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| February 2016

> Admission: Adult $60, Youth (10-16) $30

> 800-411-3812 > biltmore.com february 12 -14 & 19 - 21

Matters Of Choice

february 11

7:30PM (Fri & Sat), 2PM (Sun)

10AM

Hendersonville Community Theatre 229 South Washington Street, Hendersonville, NC

Mummenschanz: The Musicians Of Silence FABRIC • SEWING MACHINES

in Antler Hill Village. Renowned costumiers Cosprop of London will recreate the gown worn by Cornelia Vanderbilt for the occasion.

Diana Wortham Theatre 2 Pack Square, Asheville, NC This program is geared to school-age kids. It isn’t your scary, white-faced mime pretending the box is closing in on him. Rather, it’s a production of highly-skilled, silent acrobats and dancers in a wild array of imaginative costumes; simple shapes with a lot of attitude. See website for special group pricing.

>Tickets: Individual $8.50 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com february 12 - july 4

Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns In Film 9AM - 5PM The Biltmore House 1 Approach Road, Asheville, NC The Biltmore House has a rich history of weddings, beginning in 1898 with the union of George and Edith Vanderbilt. To celebrate, iconic gowns from movies like Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Out of Africa, will be on display at the house; mementos from the Vanderbilt and Cecil family weddings will be showcased at the Biltmore Legacy

Don’t switch off! Three short plays by local writer Sue Bargeloh explore tough social predicaments we will all likely face: aging gracefully, dying with dignity, and the humane treatment of animals. Bring your thinking cap and that special analytical somebody so you can enjoy hours of discussion in the following days.

>Tickets: Adult $22, Student (18+) $18, Youth (0-17) $12

> 828-692-1082 > hendersonvilletheatre.org february 12 – march 6

Seussical

7:30PM (Fri & Sat), 2:30PM (Sun) Asheville Community Theatre 35 East Walnut Street, Asheville, NC The Cat in the Hat is host and emcee for a review of Seuss classics. The plot is described as a “complex amalgamation” of Seuss stories with primary emphasis on Horton, of Who-hearing fame. Seussical is a musical that debuted on Broadway.

>Tickets: $15-$25 > 828-254-1320 > ashevilletheatre.org

february 13

Valentine’s Day Bookmaking Workshop 10AM - 7PM Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC Just in time for a last-minute Valentine’s gift, you can make a heart-shaped, accordion folding book. Pages and covers will be cut and covered in decorative paper as a backdrop for your personal poetry, prose, and photographs. All but your poetry and photographs is covered in the cost of the workshop. Preregistration is required no later than February 10.

> Admission: Member $25, Nonmember $30 > 828-295-9099 > blowingrockmuseum.org

Bank Local.

february 13

Dr. John & the Nite Trippers 7 - 9PM Schaefer Center For The Performing Arts 733 Rivers Street, Boone, NC Dr. John has won six Grammy Awards for his funky, bluesy, boogie-woogie, New Orleans sound. He has recorded over twenty albums, and is best known for his 1973 hit, “Right Place Wrong Time.” He has been writing, producing, and arranging with unmitigated passion since the late 1960s. The Nite Trippers have been contributing a New Orleans backdrop to Dr. John’s performances for a number of years.

>Tickets: Adult $30, Child $15 > 800-841-2787 > theschaefercenter.org february 13

Sounds Of The Mountains 7:30 - 9:30PM Ashe Civic Center: 962 Mt. Jefferson Road, West Jefferson, NC Native Western North Carolinians Reggie and Ryan (a.k.a. the Harris Brothers) professionally and effortlessly create a perfect backdrop of live mountain music. Whether it’s blues, vintage country, or rock and roll, the music takes you back to a simpler place and time.

>Tickets: Adult $16, Student $5 > 336-846-2787 > ashecivic.com

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Awakening for Women

events

february 18 & 19

Yamato The Drummers of Japan 8PM Diana Wortham Theatre: 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC

Discover that strength and feminine are synonymous A 4-Day Workshop: April 7 - 10 or April 21 - 24 For more information: 828-682-9157 | info@equinection.org | equinection.org

As part of the Diana Wortham Theatre Special Attractions Series, Yamato brings a brand new show to the Mainstage: Bakuonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Legend of the Heartbeat, complete with its trademark taiko drumming, infectious enthusiasm, and jaw-dropping skill. Worth noting: The drummers previously created quite a stir when they performed in Asheville in 2013.

>Tickets: Adult $42, Student $37, Child $20 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

february 19

We Build Dreams. CUSTOM CARS & RESTORATIONS

Malcolm Holcombe (Album Release Show) 8PM The Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Avenue, Asheville, NC Asheville native Malcolm Holcombe will play selections from his 2015 release, The RCA Sessions. The compilation consists of re-recordings of tracks from each of Holcombeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ten full-length albums. Singing and playing guitar, Holcombe masters a number of folk styles.

Rebuilding family memories.

1968 Mercedes 280 SL RESTORATIONS CUSTOM CREATIONS CUSTOM PAINT KIT CARS

828-693-8246

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| February 2016

>Tickets: Advance $12, Door $15 > 828-232-5800 > thegreyeagle.com february 20

Chase Away the Blues 5:30PM Tryon Fine Arts Center 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon, NC The annual Chase Away the Blues event aims to raise funds to use for operational

expenses and support youth programs at the Fine Arts Center. Music will start in the lobby when the doors open at 5:30. Slated for the Main Stage starting at 6PM: a “History of the Blues” by Brandon Turner, along with regional blues artists Jim Peterman, Riyen Roots and Kenny Dore, Brandon Turner and Freddy Vanderford, and headliners Stolen Hearts and the Chuck Beattie Band, both highly-acclaimed and award-winning performers.

> 828-859-8322 > tryonfinearts.org february 20

Swannanoa Rim Hike #2: Rhododendron Ridge 8AM Black Mountain Savings Bank 200 East State Street, Black Mountain, NC A moderate four-mile hike explores the property of Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino, best-known locally for designing the Basilica of St. Lawrence. His Black Mountain estate is known as the Spanish Castle.

> Admission: Member $30,

Nonmember $50 > 828-669-9566 > swannanoavalleymuseum.org

february 21

Mini Matinee: Heroes Of The Underground Railroad 2-3PM Blowing Rock Art & History Museum 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC The museum invites members of the public to help them celebrate AfricanAmerican History Month with reviews of the life and work of abolitionists and slaves, heroes from the Underground Railroad. Vignettes will be recreated by actors from Bright Star Touring

Theatre in Asheville. Organizers hope the show will encourage youth to stand more firmly in defense of their beliefs. A study guide is available at brightstartheatre.com.

> Admission: Family $10, Individual $8 > 828-295-9099 > blowingrockmuseum.org february 21

Andalusian Nights Mesmerizing Music For Guitar And Harpsichord 3PM St. Matthias Episcopal Church 1 Dundee Street, Asheville, NC Guitarist Amy Bruksch and harpsichordist Barbara Weiss will play 400-year-old Mediterranean street music, from which flamenco descended. The tones are described as “boisterous and eerie, hypnotic and animated.” The program is presented by Asheville artist collective Pan Harmonia.

> Suggested Donation: $10 > 828-285-0033 > stmatthiasepiscopal.com february 26

Breaking Benjamin 9PM Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Event Center: 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC Breaking Benjamin can fill stadiums. Their electrifying, 21st century music is a good mix of edgy guitars, metal chorus harmonies, and polished professional delivery. The lyrics are billed as angstful, but they’re actually epistemologically stirring. Hits include “So Cold” and “I Will Not Bow.” The band is now touring with their latest album, Dark before Dawn.

>Tickets: $10-$25 > 828-497-8899 > ticketmaster.com February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 95

REVIVING

REDEVELOPING

with excellence

events

february 26 - 27

The Making of Superstrip

Asheville Brewer’s Alliance Beer Expo

8PM Diana Wortham Theatre 2 Pack Square, Asheville, NC

1-8PM 21 North Market Street, Asheville, NC

Say you want to go on a date. You like rough and grubby sports, while your friend likes to watch people tippy-toeing in tutus. You’ll probably both be able to find something to enjoy in Lucky Plush Productions Trip the Light Fantastic: The Making of SuperStrip. It combines superbly athletic dancers, dressed unpretentiously as common folk or comic strip characters, with projected video. Sounds like a real trip.

>Tickets: Adult $42, Student $37, Child $20 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

february 27- 28

Build & Remodel Expo Timeless, Award Winning Architecture. Top-Notch Retailers.

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february 27

10AM-6PM (Sat), 12-5PM (Sun) Western North Carolina Agricultural Center: 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher, NC Now that construction is picking up, it could be time to start thinking of how you will tame your abode into a little bit of heaven on earth. Asheville’s Build & Remodel Expo is a one-stop shop for inspiration and nuts-and-bolts instruction. Wouldn’t you and yours love to improve form and function while adding feng shui and sustainability? This is so much more than granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Over 100 experts will be on hand to help source and budget your dreams, be they but a rough sketch or only a gleam in your eye. The promo photo is simply divine.

> Admission: $10 > 828-687-1414 > wncagcenter.org

Why relax with beer when you can intellectualize it? The first annual Asheville Beer Expo will feature over thirty brewers and more beer than you could possibly enjoy. Two three hour sessions will be the programmatic focus. Panel discussion topics include the history of craft brewing in Asheville, beer ingredients, how to start a brewery, and “Talk & Tastes.”

> Admission: $25/session > avlbeerexpo.com february 27

Opera Winter Gala 5:30PM Doubletree By Hilton 115 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC Break a glass. The Asheville Lyric Opera hosts its annual fundraiser and introduction to the upcoming season with a multi-course meal, short performances from the upcoming season, and live and silent auctions. Won’t it be fun to mingle with the stars who will be performing in Carmen, Man of La Mancha, and Lucia di Lammermoor?

>Tickets: Single $100, Champagne Package $1000 > 828-236-0670 > ashevillelyric.org

february 28

Lúnasa with special guest Tim O’Brien 7PM Diana Wortham Theatre 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC They won’t be just fiddin’ around this evening: As part of the Diane Wortham

Theatre Celtic Series, Lúnasa joins its fresh Irish melodies with the beloved music of Appalachia in a performance with master folk and bluegrass musician Tim O’Brien.

>Tickets: Adult $32, Student $27, Child $20 > 828-257-4530 > dwtheatre.com

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february 28

La Bombarde! Concert of Bombarde, Bassoon, And Organ 3PM Asheville First Presbyterian Church 40 Church Street, Asheville, NC You may not like the sound of the snake-charmer’s horn, and you may not like the hurdy-gurdy, grinding noises of the pipe organ, but you won’t believe how awesome they sound together. The sound is rich and full, slightly haunting. One can only imagine what the plaintive bassoon can add. In preparation for this event, another instrument, the bombarde, will be introduced in a free lecture February 26 at 3PM at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNCAsheville. Both events are presented by the Asheville artist collective Pan Harmonia.

>Tickets: Advance $15, Door $20, Student $5 > 828-254-7123 > panharmonia.org

If your organization has any local press releases for our briefs section, or events that you would like to see here, feel free to email us at events@capitalatplay.com. Please submit your event by the first day of the month preceding your event.

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ALL-WHEEL ELECTRIC THRILL.

The first-ever BMW X5 eDrive

bmwofasheville.com 828-681-9900

INTRODUCING THE FIRST-EVER BMW X5 eDRIVE. The X5 eDrive is the ﬁrst Sports Activity Vehicle® to combine the innovative eDrive system found in the award-winning BMW i8, with xDrive, the intelligent all-wheeldrive system. Enjoy the exhilarating performance of this efﬁcient combination that makes the jump from 0–60 mph in an exciting 6.5 seconds. See your local BMW Center to schedule a test drive today.

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Experience the Difference.

February 2016 | capitalatplay.com 99

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| February 2016