Mountain Xpress 04.20.16

OUR 22ND YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 22 NO. 39 APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

Is Asheville’s tourism sustainable?

An Earth Day celebration guide

Honoring

Masa

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and the making of our National Park

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PaGe 14 MOUNTaIN MaJeSTY More than 10 million people flocked to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2014. But how many know about the park’s origins and its enigmatic promoter, Masahara Izuka, aka George Masa? Xpress takes a look. cover photo Courtesy N.C. Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville cover design Alane Mason

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40 finding your groove Two Asheville women find their “new normal” after spinal-cord injuries

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43 meet, greet and eat better Connect with farmers and their philosophies at tailgate markets

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20 tourism and its discontents Residents, officials seek to balance costs and benefits

54 maKing room Two new art spaces ready to open in Asheville

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56 word for word Sara Gruen headlines this year’s Blue Ridge Bookfest

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cARto o n BY R A nD Y mo Lt o n

HB2 based on false Internet meme It would laughable, a skit on “Saturday Night Live” if it weren’t so insane; this HB2 — like so many other ALEC-inspired legislations — seeks to develop an answer for a nonexistent question, and while it’s at it, risks the North Carolina economy, all for nothing that is real or a problem.

Like so many other regressive social engineering laws, this one is built on a complete fabrication, a lie. I teach 10th-12th-grade religious education, and we had a student present the transgendered bathroom access as a concern. And rather than just spout some false meme from the Internet, we researched the issue throughly.

I called the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office and spoke with an assistant attorney general. I asked her what were the crime statistics on assaults by: 1. Men dressing as women, passing as transgendered, in order to assault someone in a public bathroom and 2. by transgendered people entering restrooms and assaulting people.

She stated that she had never heard of a real event of either scenario, that the state didn’t have any data on these types of assaults. She

did, however, have hate-crime data on transexual folks being assaulted when using restrooms of their birth sex and assaults in bars and other public places in general. In my own research, I was unable to find any creditable reports of assaults by transgendered folks in bathrooms.

I was, however, able to find reports of Speakers of the House, clergy, “Christian” camp counselors, priests and Penn State coaches assaulting children in bathrooms and beyond.

How about passing and enforcing a law against them before we try to impose bigoted laws on others.

People accept Internet postings as fact without ever researching and debunking. This law is blatantly based on a lie, a false Internet meme and should be repealed immediately. Let’s not make North Carolina another Mississippi or a theocracy, or impose this kind of Sharia law on our people.

— Michael E. Beech Asheville

We want to hear from you Please send your letters to: Editor, Mountain Xpress, 2 Wall St., Asheville, NC 28801 or by email to letters@mountainx.com.

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Xpress usually does not publish letters that don’t fully identify their authors.

However, we decided to make an exception in the next four letters because of the writers’ ages and in the interest of fostering the community discussion around the topic.

Fight for a world without hatred Hi. I am a sophomore at Odyssey Community School in Asheville. I am writing this letter as an outlet for voicing my opinion about the HB2 bill that was recently passed in North Carolina.

This bill is disguised as something that will protect citizens’ privacy in the state of North Carolina. However, the bill provokes discrimination and bullying to not only the LGBT community but also discriminates against people because of their religion, race, color, national origin, biological sex and handicap.

This world, sadly, is not perfect, not by a long stretch. I am growing up in a world already full of discrimination and hate. Progress has been made over many years; fights have been lost and won.

This bill is not a step toward privacy and comfort, but millions of steps backward, toward a world that encourages hate, prejudice and inequity.

I urge my fellow students, adults, people of all walks of life to fight against this injustice and fight for a world without hatred against individuals.

— Grace Odyssey Community School

Listen to those facing discrimination I am a genderqueer eighth-grade student, and I am writing this to address the HB2 bill that was recently passed in North Carolina. First off, I am white, I attend a largely liberal private school, and I live in Asheville. I feel safe despite this bill being in action.

However, I feel it is important to do what I can to protect my fellow trans people in the more conservative parts of North Carolina. There are so many people, not only transgender but of many other minorities, who may be fired from their jobs, kicked out of their houses, and otherwise discriminated against just because of who they are.

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There are already so many homeless LGBT+ people in North Carolina, and denying them jobs and other opportunities to make their life better will only make the problem worse.

I feel it is important for people who have been discriminated against to speak for themselves. I feel it is better to hear about these issues from someone who has been directly affected by them. So what I ask is that you listen to these people, for it is impossible to be heard if no one is listening.

There is no reason why I should try to say how this bill has affected me when there are many whom this bill has hurt, and they are not silent.

They are powerful and courageous and loud, and I am just asking that they be heard.

— Anonymous Asheville

Stand together for equality I go to Odyssey Community School as an eighth-grade student. At our school, we are a very accepting community, and there are many people who are openly part of the LGBT+ community, myself included.

Last June, the [Supreme Court] allowed gay and lesbian people to be legally married in every state ... but on March 24, 2016, less than a year later, the HB2 law was passed. The government granted the freedom of marriage to everyone and then nine months later decided to take away the protection and freedom of the LGBT community.

The primary reason of creating this law, or at least the one that we were told, was to protect people from rape, sexual assault and harassment, which are things that should be prevented.

However, keeping people from going in the bathroom that they feel fits their gender, because their genitalia doesn’t match the one written on the door is not the way to do it.

The HB2 law doesn’t only prevent transgender or genderqueer people from using the bathroom that they feel fits, it also enforces discrimination and bullying.This law states that it is now legal to discriminate against LGBT+ people for no reason other than their sexual or gender orientation.

The law doesn’t only affect LGBT [people], but also breaks down the laws of unfair discrimination against other minorities as well. It is now legal to fire or not hire someone based on their gender, sexuality, race, color, national origin, biological sex and handicap.

North Carolina moved forward in our acceptance when we legalized gay marriage, but now we are plummeting back into discriminatory ways. We cannot let the government fall back into bad habits. We cannot let them get by with inequality. We need to inform people and get everyone involved. We need to fight back. We need equality, and if we stand together, we will get it.

— Concerned eighth-grade student Odyssey Community School

New law takes 300 steps backward Hello. I am currently attending Odyssey Community School as a 10th-grader. Starting at this school when I was in sixth grade has made me grow up here.

During my time here, I have been surrounded by many individuals [who are] a part of the LGBT community. When I first encountered the new HB2 law that was recently passed in North Carolina, I was absolutely horrified.

Although this law does not directly affect me, it does affect my peers.

The idea that people can discriminate [because] of who they are in the workforce is appalling. This means that many of my friends could be jobless in a couple of years because of their sexuality.

Beyond this concern, we have the matter of public restrooms. This law isn’t bringing on safety to those in fear of another; this law is putting out there the idea that what is typed on a document decides the future of millions. People who have one gender on their birth certificate but identify as something else is individuality; however, the state of North Carolina has taken that individuality away.

I am growing up in a place that says it’s 2016 but has the thought process of the 1860s. Last year in America, we granted same-sex marriage in all 50 states [and] was one step forward. This new law is taking 300 steps backward with many discriminatory points in people’s lives.

I ask that everyone who is directly affected and not directly affected use their voice and speak up, because until we do, we will live in the world with many technological advances but an ignorant society.

— Rhianna 10th-grade student Odyssey Community School

c ARt o o n B Y B R e n t B R o w n

Religious exemptions institutionalize bigotry

DeBruhl represented taxpayers in Deschutes case

As to the religious aspect [of HB2], might I remind you that the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution forbade states (which are signatory) from passing such (specifically, and intentionally discriminatory) laws — even though the South has traditionally held to retention of the “old ways.”

Further, under the United States Constitution (and subsequent litigation), states are not allowed to implement, either directly or through proxy or scapegoat, laws that specifically target individual citizens, whether by race, gender, class or religion (et al).

A “religious exemption” institutionalizes bigotry. Bigotry is common in Christianity (read John, etc. — have you ever been called a witch, pagan, heathen, or gentile, etc.?) and also in Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc., most religions. And under constitutional law [it] is not permissible, and automatically illegal, as [contained in the] Civil Code of Conduct (e.g., by states).

— Vasco Sena Asheville

My applause goes to Commissioner [Miranda] DeBruhl for standing up for taxpayers in the Deschutes [Brewery] case.

Taxpayers are tired of being forced to perform circus tricks for corporate blackmailers. It is a good first step toward ending the con game, where companies make their money by extorting taxpayers rather than earning it.

I support her efforts to end this reverse Robin Hood policy of stealing from the poor and giving to the rich corporations. I’m glad to see that at least she represents the interests of taxpayers rather than corporate extortionists.

I wish the rest of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners would follow her example.

— Brennan Green Weaverville

Take down the Vance Monument April 4 was the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr..

In honor of his memory, a memorial protest led by the Rev. Amy Cantrell of BeLoved Asheville was held at the Vance Monument. For a very good reason.

Isn’t it interesting that this phallic symbol to a white man who owned slaves is given the honor of being placed right in the center of our city?

As if it is a monument to greatness?

What message are we really giving to all of our city residents? That only white people count? That we are closing our eyes to what this monument truly stands for? That at this moment in history, when we are so aware of the insidiousness of the Confederate flag, we turn a blind eye to this horrid monument to racism?

According to history, he was a champion of all those who needed to raise their voices. As one who is Jewish, I was surprised to hear he supported the Jews, but he turned a blind eye to anyone of color.

In fact, he was known as a slave owner and for saying that he did not think black people were smart enough to be able to vote. That indeed all ‘they" could do was to be of support to a family.

Is this the man we really want to immortalize?

Did you know that at the same space where this monument stands, slaves were auctioned off?

So each time you admire the iron animals at the monument, please know you are also acknowledging the slaves that were sold like pigs on this very same spot!

Join us at the Vance Monument every Thursday at 4 p.m. through April as we gather to raise our voice against racism.

Take this despicable symbol of racism down now! Take it down!

Take it down!

— Ariel Harris Asheville

You can’t change or erase history In the March 30 issue, Lindsey Miguelez stated we should change the name of the Vance memorial because he owned slaves [“Remove Vance’s Name From Downtown Monument,” Xpress]. You can’t change or erase history — that was then, this is now.

Should we change the name of the Lincoln Memorial and the many other buildings and monuments that pay tribute to the great men and women of their time?

Let’s just appreciate the past and

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enjoy the advancements we as a nation have made.

— Ray Conaway Asheville

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Too much history is claimed as racist I grew up in Asheville and was recently visiting the area. My brother still lives in Asheville. I read the [letter to the editor] “Remove Vance’s Name From Downtown Monument” [ March 30, Xpress]. I do not believe political leaders are turning a blind eye to racist policies. I believe history is just that: history.

You can’t change history, nor should you try turn it into a racial issue. It seems to me too much of our history is being claimed as racist. We have no control over history — it is what it is.

To ignore the positive things that have occurred in our history is an injustice. Sadly, it seems, most people today want to turn everything into a racial issue. Once again, we can’t change history, and a racial connota-

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tion need not be applied to everything.

— J.R. Gee Gaffney, S.C.

Local chefs disappoint with flavors I went out to eat four times this past week, four different restaurants. They all had a beautiful ambiance with a good waitstaff. The food presentation was a true work of art.

The problem is in the flavors. It appears that the chefs create menu items that look good on paper, but they forget that the most important thing is that the flavors of the food need to be tasted, not hidden under a massive complex mixture of stuff that sounds exotic.

Yes, combining different flavors to the plate is what cooking is all about, but what about the true art of being a chef, a person who knows what flavors work together without being overpowering.

When I order something — fish, meat, vegetables, etc. — I want to taste those items. Out of the four places I went to last week, not one meal was eaten. Took a couple bites; trashed the rest of it.

Funny thing about all of this, not one server cared to ask why I didn’t eat my meal. They don’t care; well, I don’t care to return.

— David T. Smith

Correction In the April 13 article, “Come Together: Beatles’ Abbey Road is Centerpiece of Asheville Music School’s Fundraiser Event,” we misidentified the late Paul Thorpe, who was a longtime director at the school, as well as AMS faculty member John Looney.

Clarification To clarify a point raised in the April 6 article, “City of Counselors: Local Practitioners Talk About Why Asheville May Be 'Therapy Town’”: There are three traditional brick-and-mortar schools in the Asheville area that offer master’s level programs to train licensed professional counselors — LenoirRhyne University, Western Carolina University and Montreat College.

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inside out

HB2 spells bad news for everyone

BY JuDY AusLeY The blatant discrimination in the HB2 bill signed recently by Gov. Pat McCrory is the most dangerous threat to face the LGBT community in this state in years. I was shocked when I read the entire bill. This sounds like 1958, when I was a young woman in Florida. Actually, this bill is in a way directed at every single person who lives in North Carolina.

Discrimination of any kind applies to every one of us who lives here.

Discrimination is discrimination, and it is very threatening to everyone in this state.

My question for McCrory is: How can you and your gang tell who is gay or transgender by looking?

That applies to the “bathroom” issue as well. I guess the next thing the Republicans will come up with will be that all gays in North Carolina will have to carry an ID reading, “I am gay.” I’ve got news for all of you: It would be wise not to decide someone’s sexual preference just by the way someone looks. That was the “old way” —in Florida and other states in the 1960s — against gays. It did not work then, and it surely is not going to work now.

I believe that some universities’ and colleges’ plans for gender-neutral bathrooms for male or female students is the best way to handle that issue for the time being.

Republicans in North Carolina

Judy auslEy vowed to abolish the same-sex marriage decision by the Supreme Court last year. In small towns and communities all around North Carolina, where people speak their thoughts and usually tell the truth, many folks involved in the aftermath of the court decision swore that there just had to be a way to defeat the decision or “wipe it out now one way or the other.”

I never could have imagined we would have to face this again in my lifetime. I have been in this state for 47 years. We fought Jesse Helms when I lived in Durham for over 25 years.

North Carolina is not the wonderful place to live and thrive any longer. HB2 is a bill that may not go away.

Most of the Republicans in Raleigh are up for re-election this year, including the governor. I can tell you that each one of us in the gay community and people aligned with us will never pull the Republican lever when voting in November!

North Carolina needs a new Democratic government in Raleigh to replace the evil-thinking Republicans.

Send all of them back to Charlotte and other towns in which they live, so they can close the blinds to keep out the sight of LGBT people who may walk by.

I expect all of the potential businesses, conventions, meetings, sports events and tourists will keep their word about not coming to Asheville again until HB2 is abolished or rewritten. I appreciate all of you and your support of the LGBT community.

When the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce is “running scared,” as CEO Kit Cramer seemed to express in the Asheville Citizen-Times April 8, everyone knows what that means: money! In fact, cancellations are already happening in the city. All of this is bad for Asheville and Buncombe County. Buncombe County is already unhappy because of losing Deschutes Brewery to another out-of-state city.

The Republicans are truly out of step. Gov. McCrory recently admitted to a reporter that he has done nothing wrong, which reminds me of the unaware and unprepared Donald Trump — just another Republican who wants to be president.

God forbid, I say.

WNC resident Judy Ausley has been a journalist in North Carolina for 47 years. X

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HealtHier Home, HealtHier planet

KatiE onhEibEr Our homes, our health and our environment are incredibly interconnected. Does that pesky cold continue to linger? A moldy basement may be the culprit. Has your heating bill skyrocketed? A leaky air duct may be to blame. Does your basement flood after a big storm? The landscape around your home may be the problem.

Certification programs like LEED and Green Built NC are great for determining how green a new home is, but most of the region’s housing stock doesn’t fit that description.

The Western North Carolina Green Building Council’s Green Gauge program helps families figure out how to make already built homes greener and healthier.

In order to thrive, everyone needs a healthy and safe place to live.

Green Gauge provides affordable assessments of existing homes, recommends improvements and connects residents to green building industry professionals who can help.

By offering a clear and straightforward approach, we’re dispelling the myth that greening your home is time- and money-consuming. Green Gauge accurately assesses how green a home actually is. It’s the perfect comparison tool for buyers or sellers of green homes and for homeowners and renters needing recommendations on how to make their home healthier for their families and the environment.

The first program of its kind in North Carolina, Green Gauge is now

being expanded statewide, thanks to support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. This will help residents across North Carolina save money, reduce energy use and live in better homes.

Green Gauge participants receive an assessment designed to provide a greater understanding of various factors: • energy use: heating and air conditioning, lighting, appliances, insulation.

• water use: sinks, showers, appliances.

• materials sustainability: flooring, cabinets, decking.

• indoor air quality: mold, radon, chemical emissions.

• site: walkability, native and edible plants, stormwater management.

By 2020, the WNC Green Building Council aims to have assessed 3,000 Tar Heel homes and retrofitted 750, saving 1 million kilowatthours of electricity annually. This program can easily cut individual energy use by 15 percent, saving

homeowners hundreds of dollars a year.

The one-page assessment includes a Home Energy Score report analyzing your home’s energy performance and how it compares with other homes in the region. The report also includes recommendations for improvement and spells out what you can do to reduce energy costs.

A positive assessment can provide a marketing advantage for those wishing to sell an energy-efficient home; Green Gauge can also help potential buyers make an informed decision about a home’s true cost, including future utility bills. All the information is tracked in a secure, private database that homeowners can access and update over time. No matter who owns the home, the information will always be available.

Understanding your home better enables you to make informed decisions that will save you money on utility bills, improve your indoor air quality, minimize environmental impacts and improve your landscape.

The WNC Green Building Council

began 16 years ago as a casual gathering of five building professionals with a common desire to educate people about the health and environmental impacts of design and construction. Today, it has grown into a nonprofit with statewide programs.

We offer educational workshops to industry professionals and the general public, provide programs that certify and evaluate green homes, and promote and connect industry professionals with clients. Our annually published Green Building Directory includes resources and articles on building and living a greener and healthier life.

Together, these programs are helping create a healthier community and environment. Call us to sign up for your personal Green Gauge assessment.

Katie Onheiber is the WNC Green Building Council’s membership, events and education coordinator. To learn more about Green Gauge, contact Executive Director Sam Ruark-Eastes (sam@wncgbc.org; 254-1995). X

EvEryonE lovEs a tight housE: Green Gauge assesses a home’s energy efficiency, which can lead to reduced utility bills.

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nEws

Gold in tHem tHar Hills

George Masa and the birth of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mountain MaJEsty: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most beloved and most visited sites in the National Park System, attracting millions of visitors and tourist dollars to the region each year. Its creation was the result of over a decade of legislative wrangling, relentless promotion and fundraising, and the tireless efforts of WNC residents such as George Masa, a Japanese immigrant who helped introduce the Smokies to the American people through his photography. Photo via North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville

BY mAx hunt mhunt@mountainx.com In 2014, more than 10 million people flocked to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, reaffirming its place as the system’s most visited location. Yet how many of those visitors had ever heard of the diminutive but energetic Japanese immigrant whose remarkable photos and tireless exploration of the Smokies played a key role in the park’s creation? And how many understood the chain of sacrifices and dislocations triggered by the decadeslong campaign to bring this national treasure into being?

From the beginning, the park was seen as an economic engine, and as the National Park Service celebrates its centennial this year, the success of that vision is much in evidence. All told, North Carolina’s 14 Park Service units drew 16 million visitors in 2014. In the process, they collectively contributed $1.5 billion to the state’s economy and helped create over 18,000 jobs, the agency reported.

Until the 1920s, however, the idea of a large Southern national park

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was little more than a dream. And it took 15 years of fundraising, legislative wrangling, legal battles and tireless promotion by advocates in both North Carolina and Tennessee before the 522,427-acre Great Smoky Mountains National Park was officially dedicated in 1940.

Near the center of this movement stood masahara izuka, a hiker and photographer with a mysterious past and a dubious grasp of the English language. Better known as george masa, his adopted name, he was responsible for mapping, surveying and documenting the future park’s features, as well as promoting its value both to surrounding communities and the country at large.

Relentlessly egged on by Masa and many others, residents of Asheville and other cities around the region enthusiastically supported the project. Meanwhile, those actually living within the park boundaries were forced off their ancestral lands in the name of a prosperity and progress they may not have shared in. Yet 75 years later, those efforts have left an enduring legacy of scenic beauty and environmental conservation in Western North Carolina.

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out of thE bluE Little is known about Masa’s early life, and the limited evidence is often contradictory. Reportedly born in Osaka, Japan, around 1881, the photographer first appeared in Asheville around 1915.

According to Bonesteel Films’ 2003 documentary “The Mystery of George Masa,” the affable, lively foreigner took a job at The Grove Park Inn as a launderer and valet, quickly becoming a favorite of hotel patrons and befriending the likes of the Vanderbilts, Groves and other leading local citizens.

Recognizing Masa’s prowess with a camera, hotel manager fred seely soon had the young man taking portraits of guests. His skill and dedication to the craft — which he would later apply to documenting and promoting both the Smokies and WNC — were apparent early on. Eventually, Masa left the Grove Park Inn to pursue photography full time; in 1920, he bought out his partner in a Biltmore Avenue photography business and renamed it Plateau Studios.

“What’s largely unrecognized about George Masa is that he was a successful and prolific photographer,” says

william a. hart jr., the author of 3,000 Miles in the Great Smokies and the essay “George Masa, the Best Mountaineer.” “His photographs were printed in business brochures, newspaper and magazine articles, postcards, private camp booklets, tourist enterprises and in privately commissioned work.”

Call of thE wild The idea of a national park in the region had been floated as early as 1885, though little progress was made until the 1920s.

With Asheville, Knoxville and other Southern Appalachian towns booming, civic leaders began to see the park idea “as a means to further economic development and prosperity by attracting national publicity, tourists and good roads,” historian daniel pierce writes in his book The Great Smokies: From Natural Habitat to National Park.

Thus, Masa arrived in Asheville at a time of great prosperity and change. Touted for its clean air, agreeable climate and proximity to breathtaking peaks and waterfalls, the city had become a notable tourist destination, attracting high-society

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types like the Firestones and Fords, and cultural luminaries such as F. Scott Fitzgerald.

“Asheville’s numbers increased by 79 percent between 1920 and 1928 to over 50,000,” notes Pierce, a history professor at UNC Asheville.

Determined civic boosters such as Dr. chase ambler and plato ebbs, continues Pierce, piled on the rhetoric, hyping the potential park as “a modern combination of Aladdin’s wonderful lamp, the touch of Midas, the magic urn, and the weaving of straw into gold by Rumpelstiltskin.” Meanwhile, the budding metropolis down the road “built new high-rise city and county buildings, a new state-of-the-art high school, and began construction of the Beaucatcher Tunnel.”

But the railroad, which was bringing those tourists to the city, also opened up the backcountry to lumber companies looking to cash in on the region’s vast resources.

Using narrow-gauge rail lines and innovations like the steam-powered skidder, timber outfits swept through the mountains, denuding hillsides and penetrating the remotest watersheds in search of virgin timber.

The lure of a steady paycheck, however, was stripping remote coves of their inhabitants as well. “If you look at the 1910 census, there were 1,210 people in Cataloochee,” notes Asheville native wayne caldwell.

By the late 1920s, he points out, roughly 600 residents remained.

“They had large families. When property gets passed on to seven or more young’uns, all the sudden the 50-acre patch you could make a living on becomes 3-acre patches,” says Caldwell, who wrote the novels Cataloochee and Requiem by Fire. Meanwhile, “You could go over the mountain to the Champion paper mill and work six days a week, make $10 a week, have a good job and buy a motorcycle.” a growing MovEMEnt George Masa also recognized the economic opportunities afforded by the surrounding mountains, and against that frenetic backdrop, he worked closely with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, illustrating promotional brochures for both the park and the region in general. He also sold postcards of his work to tourists wishing to bring home a piece of the mountains, and invited visitors to his studio to view his growing collection of Smokies photos.

Competition for the proposed park’s location was fierce, however, and while many Tar Heel boosters had originally favored Linville Gorge and Pisgah National Forest as possible sites, they soon concluded that in order to secure North Carolina’s piece of the pie, allying with their like-minded neighbors in east Tennessee to lobby for a multistate park was their best bet.

bEhind thE lEns: Little is known of George Masa’s early life prior to his arrival in the United States in the early 1900s. After coming to Asheville in 1915, the energetic, enigmatic immigrant fell in love with the region’s natural beauty, often hauling heavy camera equipment to remote areas to capture the scenic splendor he beheld. Image via North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville

Both Masa and his friend horace Kephart, a renowned local naturalist who wrote Our Southern Highlanders, lent their artistic skills to promoting the Smokies as a potential park site.

Kephart, in particular, stressed the project’s urgency, given the lumber companies’ extensive predations.

“What made Asheville and the other flourishing towns of WNC?” he wrote in a 1925 letter to state Rep. Zebulon Weaver. “Was it not the climate and the scenery that attracted wealthy outsiders, first as tourists, then as residents [and] investors?

Consider what our mountain land is worth when the timber is all cut off.”

Finally, in 1925, Congress passed the Swanson-McKellar Act, authorizing the Department of the Interior to determine the potential park’s boundaries. By this time, the Asheville Citizen’s early reticence had morphed into aggressive advocacy for the project. Numerous editorials urged WNC residents to “make definite plans for carrying their ambitions into reality,” and Publisher charles webb pledged to buy 100 acres of parkland himself.

Federal officials like arno cammerer, the Park Service’s deputy director, soon rallied behind the Smokies site, and by 1926, efforts had begun in earnest to purchase at least 185,000 acres — the minimum needed to meet federal park standards.

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thE MonEy hunt But if the desire for a park was strong, making it happen was complicated. There were “many moving parts,” says Hart, adding that such an effort probably “could not be duplicated today.”

The Park Service said the states had to raise the estimated $10 million needed for land acquisition. To overcome resistance at the state level, park boosters proposed raising $1 million from local governments and residents in the two states. After that, each state legislature agreed to issue $2 million worth of bonds, but they hedged their bets by saying that this wouldn’t happen unless the remaining $5 million had somehow been raised as well.

Once the money was in hand and the land had been purchased, the federal government would accept the donated property and establish the park.

Asheville was initially tasked with raising $250,000, and the rest of WNC had to come up with $150,000, with another $100,000 to come from elsewhere in the state.

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rEClaiMing thE Mountains: Great Smoky Mountains National Park boosters like George Masa and Horace Kephart found themselves in a race against time to save the remaining virgin timber tracts within the proposed park boundaries from destructive clear-cutting operations, which denuded the hillsides and caused extensive damage to soils and streams. Photo via North Carolina Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville Park advocates launched an extensive publicity campaign, using media outlets like the newspaper and the works of Masa and Kephart to rally residents to the cause. “The campaign led them from the piggy banks of schoolchildren and church collection plates to the bulging wallets of millionaires,” writes Pierce.

Masa’s photographs played a crucial role, bringing “the beauty of the Smokies home to the people of the region,” many of whom, the author notes, had never actually seen the mountains they were now expected to help purchase.

City officials and Chamber of Commerce representatives toured the Southeast, singing the project’s economic and environmental praises to anyone who’d listen. But while places like Asheville and Bryson City responded enthusiastically, other local communities, heeding the concerns of timber companies and their allies, were less apt to jump on the bandwagon.

“Not everyone wanted it,” says brent martin, Southern Appalachian regional director of The Wilderness Society.

“Many people opposed the park, particularly the timber industry and those residents affected by its creation.” a hElping hand Still, by early April 1926, the North Carolina side had managed to meet its $500,000 fundraising target, though it didn’t come easy. Bryson City alone

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contributed more than $25,000, and Asheville boosters raised over $160,000, including more than $100 from schoolchildren and the African-American community. In a last-minute meeting, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce cobbled together the final $35,000, apparently by putting the squeeze on its board members.

The following month, the North Carolina and Tennessee legislatures each agreed to issue $2 million in bonds, provided that proponents raised the rest of the money needed, and on the strength of that, Congress passed legislation confirming the park’s location.

The battle wasn’t over, though.

Timber companies “showed little inclination to sell the scattered holdings of old growth forest still in their possession,” writes Pierce, and they often continued clear-cutting operations while negotiating the sale of those same lands for inflated prices.

In 1928, park advocates were still $5 million short of their overall goal, despite the extensive fundraising efforts. Cammerer, working outside his official position (and secretly funded by both states’ park commissions), appealed to john d. rockefeller jr., using Masa’s photos of the region to make their case.

Rockefeller exceeded expectations, agreeing to provide the remaining $5 million. That extraordinary level of support hugely boosted publicity efforts — and

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forced recalcitrant state officials to fulfill their own financial commitments.

But political maneuvering and lengthy legal proceedings quickly eroded the money raised, and the 1929 stock market crash caused many people to renege on their pledges. Over the next decade, the federal government had to repeatedly kick in additional money.

Mapping thE assEts Masa, meanwhile, had his own financial woes. In a 1931 letter to a friend, Masa wrote: “I had attack terrible septic soar throat went hospital and laid up nearly six weeks — when I able to work Bank busted I saw quite excitements down town.

I haven’t any business past year not only me, all over the States as you know.”

Nonetheless, he persisted with his park-related work. That year, Cammerer appointed Masa, Kephart and verne rhodes, executive secretary of the North Carolina Park Commission, to provide a complete map of the Carolina side of the park.

The three-man committee set to work charting the area’s peaks, valleys and streams, updating and reconciling older, often contradictory maps.

“Masa was the first person to systematically measure many of the trails and to chart the terrain of the Great Smokies,” Hart writes in his essay on the photographer.

“He knew the names of mountains and streams, trails, elevations, topography, distances.”

Masa’s prolific output during this period is also marked by hundreds of photographs, painstaking notes and journal entries detailing his and Kephart’s explorations. He often used an odometer he’d made from a bike wheel, which he toted on hikes and expeditions. Upon seeing Masa emerge from the woods with this contraption, one Smokies visitor mistook him for “an Indian riding a bicycle,” according to Masa’s friend tom alexander, who founded the Cataloochee Ranch.

Working closely with their Tennessee counterparts jim thompson and paul fink, the committee completed its task in 1932.

Masa’s thorough work generated considerable praise. Thompson and Fink said they “wished we had someone like you” on their side, and in a 1933 letter, Cammerer told Masa, “In my opinion, you are the best mountaineer on the North Carolina side.”

rEfugEEs in thEir own land During this period, Masa briefly stayed with hiram caldwell and his family in the Cataloochee Valley.

Hiram was the brother of Wayne Caldwell’s great-grandfather. But for the Caldwells and their neighbors, the creation of the park became a bittersweet swan song for their entire way of life.

Places like Cataloochee and Cades Cove in Tennessee had long fostered small, agriculturally based communities that were home to both whites and Cherokees. While park boosters in Asheville and Knoxville dismissed these people as quaint “contemporary ancestors” scattered over a wide, isolated region, Pierce points out that in 1920, over 4,000 people lived within the park’s confines.

And if the residents of neighboring urban centers saw the park as a potential economic boon, for many Cataloochee residents, it meant the loss of the only home they’d ever known. “It wasn’t just that they displaced X number of families,” Wayne Caldwell explains. “It was that these were real human people, and they didn’t want to go.”

The tension between urban boosters and rural mountaineers had a lengthy history. In the early 1900s, he says, “The people in Cataloochee sent a delegation to the Haywood County Commission to ask for a new schoolhouse, but the commissioners said they didn’t pay enough taxes to warrant a school building.”

After brainstorming over a bottle of whiskey, the Cataloochee men decided on a drastic measure. “One of them said, ‘If we were to burn that school down, they’d have to build us a new one,’” continues Caldwell. “So they went down that night and took out all the desks and blackboard, then they burned the damn school down!”

Meanwhile, the belief that wealthy landowners and hunting clubs on the Tennessee side of the park were getting more money and better lease terms bred distrust. “I think there was a lot of jealousy,” says Caldwell.

“They were paid, but I think there’s a pretty universal feeling that the government didn’t give them enough.”

After buying their land, the government told residents of those communities that they could remain in their homes, leasing them on a year-to-year basis. But while some took advantage of this offer, strict regulations concerning farming, hunting, timber cutting, family burial plots and moonshine

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n ews production soon made the arrangement less appealing.

By the early 1940s, most remaining residents had either died or moved away. Many went to places like Clay County, where farmland was cheaper, or settled in surrounding towns such as Waynesville, from where they could easily visit their former homes.

One of Caldwell’s relatives, he reveals, “would go and camp in the campground every summer. He had to hear that creek: He couldn’t sleep good unless he could hear that creek.”

Today, though, little remains to mark these folks’ sacrifices. A museum exhibit in the Cataloochee Valley’s Palmer House was vandalized several years ago, causing the park to temporarily dismantle it.

And to this day, some descendants are ambivalent about the project.

“I think the park’s a great idea, but there was a human cost to it,” says Caldwell. “You’ve been in a place where your grandfather moved in 1830, and all the sudden somebody says ‘gone.’ If all you’ve done is farm and gotten attached

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to this land, rooted in it, it’s going to hurt.” dust to dust Masa, too, paid a high price for his involvement with the park campaign.

As he devoted more and more time to his mostly unpaid surveying work (and, subsequently, mapping the North Carolina portion of the Appalachian Trail), his financial situation worsened.

In 1932, Masa was devastated by the news of Kephart’s death in a car accident outside of Bryson City.

In a letter to a park official seeking permission to establish an interpretive station and souvenir stand, Masa wrote that he was “shocked to pieces,” adding, “He is gone forever, still I am go ahead as we planned.”

Soon after, however, the characteristically hearty photographer began a steep physical decline. In April 1933, he fell ill with the flu, perhaps exacerbated by tuberculosis. He couldn’t afford treatment, and friends in the Carolina Mountain Club had him placed in the county sanitarium until he could recover.

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Nonetheless, Masa’s condition deteriorated precipitously, and on June 21, 1933, he died of “influenza and other circumstances,” according to an obituary in the Asheville Citizen. Friends scraped together enough money to have him buried in Riverside Cemetery, though his grave would remain unmarked until 1947.

For a man who liked to claim that he “came from nothing,” Masa’s postmortem descent back into obscurity seems eerily fitting. Many of his photos, including 75 slides earmarked for the National Archives, were misplaced or lost. Much of his remaining work was poached by other photographers, who claimed it as their own.

His pioneering 1933 Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, co-authored with george mccoy, was reprinted in 1935 with barely a mention of the fact that Masa took most of the photos and did most of the research.

Official recognition of the photographer’s outstanding contributions to the park he’d helped create finally came in 1961, when a peak on the shoulder of Mount Kephart was officially named Masa Knob.

More recently, public interest in Masa’s life and work has grown.

Bonesteel Films’ documentary along with Ken Burn’s focus on Masa and Kephart in his documentary series “National Parks: America’s Best Idea” have led to several new discoveries regarding the photographer’s work and origins, but raise even more questions about the mysterious foreigner’s life (see “Light and shadow,” Aug. 26, 2009, Xpress). an Enduring lEgaCy Despite Masa’s relative anonymity, the spirit of his work and desire to promote the region to the outside world while preserving the mountains’ resources and natural character live on.

Today, Asheville is booming once again. New hotels, a massive economic development project in the River Arts District and a scramble to provide more housing options mirror what unfolded during Masa’s lifetime (see “Of Time and the City,” Nov. 20, 2015, Xpress).

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In 2014, nearly 10 million visitors to Buncombe County spent $1.7 billion, according to a Tourism Development Authority report.

And since 2009, tourism has generated an estimated 400 new jobs a year in the county.

Meanwhile, national park sites like the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway have fulfilled the expectations of those 1920s boosters, drawing millions of tourists and tourist dollars into the surrounding communities (see “Cash Cows,” May 14, 2015, Xpress).

“The revitalization of Asheville, the enhanced vision for the French Broad River, the new Collider project, the establishment of greenways and farm-to-table initiatives serve as examples of widespread citizen involvement,” says Hart.

“Masa’s legacy was significantly influencing the public’s perception of Asheville and the region through his photographs. His selfless dedication to the causes in which he believed is, to my mind, largely unmatched.”

But if Masa’s sacrifices were voluntary, the Cataloochee residents’

experience is a cautionary tale.

“There’s always a human cost to anything the government does,” Caldwell observes. “We have to be aware of that, particularly when you’re displacing people from their heritage. It’s something you don’t want to mess with too cavalierly.”

Nearly 100 years ago, a mysterious immigrant named George Masa devoted his life to documenting and preserving the scenic beauty we enjoy today. Indeed, presentday Asheville owes much of its enduring appeal to Masa, other early park boosters, the people of Cataloochee, and all those committed folks who gave of themselves to help realize a dream.

“These efforts really are about protecting places for all Americans and for future generations,” notes Martin of The Wilderness Society.

The leaders of the national parks movement, he maintains, “all saw a much bigger picture, both present and future, that was about clean air, clean water, intact ecosystems and wild places. That picture was not only for all human beings, but for all living things.” X

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gonE with thE wind: George Masa died penniless in the Buncombe County sanitarium years before the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was dedicated. Despite his wishes to be buried next to his friend Horace Kephart near Bryson City, Masa lies beneath a simple stone in Riverside Cemetery. His grave remained unmarked until 1947, when friends finally paid for a stone to be placed. Photo by Max Hunt

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news

by Virginia Daffron

vdaffron@mountainx.com

tourism and its discontents Residents, officials seek to balance costs and benefits

walK this way: Buskers bring life to Asheville streets — and enthusiastic crowds sometimes block foot traffic at pinch points on narrow sidewalks. Here, Abby “The Spoon Lady” Roach and Chris Rodrigues perform at the Flat Iron sculpture on Wall Street. Photo courtesy of Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau becky anderson — a retiree who served as Asheville’s first director of economic development, among other prominent roles — says one of the benefits of having been around awhile is that it gives her a sense of how political history has shaped current events. Even back in 1983, when state Sen. martin nesbitt introduced the legislation that created the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, she recalls, there were fierce battles over how the TDA should spend the proceeds from

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the new hotel occupancy tax that would provide the agency’s funding.

“Marty said, ‘We’ll never get anywhere for tourism if we try to do everything,’” Anderson explains.

“That was the precedent that established that the money was to go for marketing Buncombe County as a tourism destination.”

Those disagreements haven’t grown any less heated over time. And with tourism’s total annual economic impact in Buncombe County now pegged at more than $2.6 billion, there’s even

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more at stake today. Last summer, an increase in the occupancy tax from 4 to 6 percent sparked a fresh round of debates. While tourism officials insisted that a boom in new hotel construction required increased spending on advertising and marketing, citizens and elected officials alike cited the costs and other impacts of hosting growing numbers of visitors.

Asheville City Council member gordon smith has been one of the most outspoken critics of the TDA’s refusal to dedicate a portion of room tax

revenues to offsetting the infrastructure and public safety costs associated with tourism. He’s also decried what he sees as the tourism industry’s negative social impacts, including low wages for hospitality workers and upward pressure on local housing prices.

What’s needed, Smith maintains, is a common language that acknowledges both the benefits and challenges tourism brings to the region.

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news Accordingly, he’s asking the city, the county and the Convention and Visitors Bureau to jointly fund an independent, third-party study of how the Asheville area can ensure that its tourism economy is sustainable. The CVB, an arm of the Chamber of Commerce, is hired by the TDA to carry out its mission.

“We need to look at the triple bottom line of sustainability: Is our tourism industry economically successful, does it promote a healthy environment and does it serve the needs of our local residents?” Smith explains. “I want us to look at the tourism industry through each of those three lenses.” a CoMplEx CalCulus During his successful 2015 Council election campaign, brian haynes maintained that continuing to expand the tourism industry doesn’t make sense. He says he supports the idea of a study, as long as the cost is reasonable and the public is invited to weigh in. david gantt, chair of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, also likes the idea, saying, “Tourism has always been Asheville/Buncombe’s key industry. [Gathering] more informa-

tion on ways to sustain this extremely important business is a wise move.”

But stephanie brown, the CVB’s executive director, isn’t ready to hire a consultant just yet. “I think there’s so much more we can do just communicating all the information we already have,” she asserts.

Low-paying hotel jobs, notes Brown, are often cited by critics as contributing to local poverty. “When you peel back that onion,” she explains, “you find that 42,000 jobs in Buncombe County pay less than $12 an hour. Less than 5 percent of those jobs are located in hotels.”

Furthermore, she continues, tourism creates jobs across the wage scale while offering opportunities for advancement. And indirectly, tourism also creates positions for accountants, human resource professionals, lawyers and construction workers.

Promotional activity funded by the occupancy tax and implemented by the CVB, Brown maintains, plays a major role in supporting the viability of locally owned small businesses. “If we weren’t doing that regional marketing and advertising to create a customer base for those businesses, they wouldn’t be able to create that themselves. Without

watEr parK: WNC’s tourism industry has focused on developing attractions

that highlight the region’s natural features, says Stephanie Brown of the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Photo courtesy of the CVB

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that support, our small businesses would be more vulnerable to displacement by chain stores.”

Smith agrees with her there; so does Gantt, who calls the bureau “brilliant” at marketing this area to the larger world. “Our visitor numbers speak for themselves,” he observes. whErE’s thE tipping point?

After julie mayfield’s election last year, she was named City Council’s nonvoting representative on the TDA’s volunteer board. “The question I’ve started asking,” says Mayfield, “is what is our carrying capacity for visitors, so that the city is still a great place for the people who live here. Every ecosystem has the ability to absorb some amount of a new thing and still remain intact: What is that point for Asheville, regarding visitors?”

If a sustainable tourism study could explore “when enough is enough,

when the marketing stops expanding and moves to more of a maintenance level,” she continues, “it could help reduce the very real and legitimate anxiety people have.” Buncombe County Commissioner joe belcher, who also serves on the board in a nonvoting role, did not respond to a request for comment.

Brown, however, stresses that both the TDA and the CVB focus on leveraging the region’s natural and cultural assets rather than investing in large-scale, high-impact attractions.

“From a brand perspective, our mission is to attract visitors that are a good fit for what we have here. We don’t want to create a visitor culture that isn’t in line with what we as a community value,” she explains.

Since 2001, Brown points out, the TDA’s Tourism Product Development Fund has awarded over $23 million in grants for amenities that serve visitors and residents alike. They include

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n ews things like the John B. Lewis Soccer Complex, Pack Square Park and greenways. And in the four years she’s been with the CVB, says Brown, she’s improved the program’s transparency in terms of grant criteria.

That funding, says TDA board member john luckett, enables the city to use the money it would have spent on those amenities to meet other capital needs. Luckett, who’s the general manager of the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village, also points out that hotels contribute to city and county revenues in a variety of ways: through property taxes, sales taxes their guests pay and taxes paid by hotel employees. danCE to thE MusiC One new CVB initiative, says Brown, is designed to enhance Asheville’s national reputation as a music destination. According to a March 30 media release, the campaign will promote “the music sector in all its layers, including musicians, instrument makers, studios, venues, music shops, attractions and events.” A new music website accessible through exploreasheville.com will connect visitors with the city’s musical assets and experiences via streaming video, venue guides, artist profiles, a live music calendar and a curated Asheville radio station. jessica tomasin, the manager of downtown Asheville’s Echo Mountain recording studio, is partnering with the CVB to identify and license Asheville artists for the project through the Asheville Commercial Music Enterprise. The idea is to create what Tomasin says she looks for when she travels to a new city — a way to connect with the local music scene. And by linking visitors with venues and musicians, Tomasin hopes the website will “spread the wealth around,” directing more tourist dollars toward the creative types who help make Asheville an appealing destination.

Street musician abby roach, who was part of a CVB focus group, believes the project could benefit the music community. The bureau’s resources, she says, have been critical in getting the effort off the ground. “Asheville has such a unique thing going on, it’s quite an undertaking to sift through all that and categorize it,” notes Roach, adding, “Maybe somebody will hit it big.”

The CVB, she reports, “seems to be genuinely listening” to the busker community. But the No. 1 sustainability issue facing street performers, she maintains, is sidewalk space: “In Asheville, we don’t have a big

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enough downtown for what we’re trying to do right now. There’s not enough parking, green space, sidewalk space and places for cars.” Roach hopes the city and the CVB will get on the same page regarding sidewalks, saying the agency “has funds they could direct.” don’t forgEt thE loCals Sidewalks also seem to be on Brown’s mind. Though she prefaces her remarks with the familiar caution that occupancy tax funds must, by law, be spent on projects with the potential to increase visitation, she says her organization has been increasingly focused on the concept of placemaking. “If we look at a place, what are the infrastructure needs of that place to attract more visitors?” she explains.

During the past two grant cycles, notes Brown, the TDA has successfully invested in placemaking in the River Arts District, and “We are very anxious to do that for downtown.” This, however, will mean following the city’s planning process, including providing opportunities for public input.

“We must approach these issues in the spirit of collaboration and partnership,” she says. “This is a big community with a lot of people and groups, so it’s challenging, but we are willing to have that conversation.”

On the other hand, warns Brown, “Occupancy tax money can’t solve every problem Asheville faces. There also have to be community solutions.

If we work together, we can focus occupancy tax money to address community needs. To get there takes hard work, dialogue and a good planning process.”

For his part, Smith believes a conversation based on sustainability can help move the different parties beyond the polarized positions that have characterized the debate for decades. “I’m not trying to dictate the outcome of the study I’m proposing,” he emphasizes.

“We need to figure out the true costs related to providing services to tourists like public safety, sanitation, roads and sidewalks. What’s the gap between the cost of tourism and what it returns to the city?”

Like Smith, Mayfield doesn’t want to lose sight of tourism’s impact on the city’s overall quality of life. “Asheville has always been and will always be a tourist town,” she says, “but we are also a great place to live, and we don’t want to ever sacrifice the latter in favor of the former.” X

locals weigh in on sustainable tourism In response to a query Xpress posed on social media, local residents shared their thoughts on sustainable tourism in the region.

Some commenters suggested that new approaches to transportation are critical for achieving sustainable tourism.

Asheville Greenway Committee Chair mary weber wrote, “Provide more options for people to get to and around Asheville without a car.” Similarly, architect michael mcdonough talked about ways to bring tourists into town without their cars, including shuttles, public transportation, safe ways to walk and even passenger trains. john spears and Kenny hubbell wrote in support of reintroducing streetcars downtown. andrew dahm and rich lee lobbied for higher hotel taxes, with a significant portion of the proceeds directed toward infrastructure and job programs. “Sustainable tourism necessarily involves taxation,” wrote Dahm. Lee, meanwhile, said taxes should be “as high as the market can bear,” with some of the

money being used for advertising and marketing efforts.

Lee felt that local small businesses’ owning their own buildings is a key to long-term sustainability, and he called for programs to help them achieve that.

He also suggested establishing a “cityowned retail space like Charlotte’s 7th Street Public Market, with low-overhead booths for startup retailers.”

Commenters held differing views on the benefits of expanding Asheville’s convention venues. Kirk weir wrote: “We now have the hotels, and our climate and cultural activities are generally adequate to fill these hotels on the weekends. However, due to the embarrassing conference center we call the U.S. Cellular Center, we are throwing away weekly revenue in the form of conferences and conventions. Newer hotels and the revamp of BB&T should provide some additional conference rooms. But they will most likely pale in comparison to a full-fledged conference center with both the space and technol-

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ogy needed to meet the requirements of modern conventions.”

McDonough, on the other hand, favored staying out of the convention market, saying, “I believe each of the new hotels has meeting spaces for small conferences. I prefer we aim for smaller groups and leave the conventiongoers to big cities.”

Some commenters expressed ideas for supporting local culture. rosetta buan, the founder of Rosetta’s Kitchen, wrote: “I find it fulfilling when I think of tourists and visitors coming to learn our culture and be inoculated by us all. Are they coming to visit? Or to gawk at? To behave as guests or as spectators? I’m not sure how to cultivate that, but it’s where I find peace with the changes.” sarah estrella chimed in, “I wish the city was able to really step up for the workers, artists and musicians for pay and housing. These are the people who make this city the type of attractive place to visit that it is.”

Local journalist david forbes wrote that organizing the local labor market is a key part of creating a sustainable tourism economy. “Cities where tourism sectors generate some kind of decent wages and conditions are generally those where those sectors are heavily unionized. The seasonal nature and generally low wages of tourism-dependent industries lead to a lot of underpayment, labor law violations and wage theft. Without some form of pressure from an organization like a union, profits generally go to more expansion and marketing instead of the people generating them, and conditions remain crappy, leading locals working in those industries to eventually leave town, taking their skills and experience with them.

“Tourism and related industries,” continued Forbes, “are actually ripe for unions, because unlike a lot of manufacturing, their profits are tied to a specific place. The Biltmore Estate, for example, can’t up and leave if its workers unionize.” X

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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news

by Max Hunt

mhunt@mountainx.com

nuts and bolts: makinG local tourism sustainable

Tourism is pretty big in Asheville, but City Council member gordon smith was feeling increasingly troubled by some of the industry’s negative impacts, like low wages and added infrastructure costs. He was casting about for ideas when he stumbled on a United Nations resolution titled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which addresses tourism as an economic strategy for developing countries.

“I was looking around the internet for places that had had this conversation and had a healthier collaboration,” says Smith. “I saw that people in other places are looking at these issues. The U.N. guidelines really get at the things I’ve been looking for.”

Stressing the need for collaboration among residents, businesses and government officials, the resolution calls for formulating “sound and culturally sensitive tourism programs … as a strategy for sustainable development of urban and rural settlements and reducing discrepancies among regions.” This approach, it maintains, could “conserve and protect the environment [while improving] the welfare and livelihoods of local communities.”

Inspired, Smith decided to raise these ideas with city officials and the community at large (see accompanying article, “Tourism and Its Discontents”).

Asheville, however, is not a developing country. So what does a catchphrase like “sustainable tourism” mean here in Western North Carolina? How do you make it work at the ground level? sustainablE luxury

nEw taKEs on tourisM: As Asheville’s tourism industry grows, local businesses and organizations are implementing programs

and strategies to assure that the natural and cultural resources that draw millions to the region don’t end up as collateral damage.

Photo courtesy of ASAP

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Seeking some answers, Xpress picked the brains of assorted local folks who are already grappling with these issues as Asheville and WNC strive to manage a burgeoning tourist influx.

To Asheville-based business consultant marilyn ball, sustainable tourism means “making a low impact on the environment and the local culture while generating future employment for local people and ensuring a positive experience for locals and tourists alike.” gary froeba, managing director of The Omni Grove Park Inn, says, “Sustainable tourism can be defined in different ways.” The hotel, he explains, has implemented wvarious programs and management tactics designed to minimize its environmental impact and support the

supplies fresh produce, hormone-and antibiotic-free meats, eggs from freerange hens and fine wines to our culinary teams to incorporate into meals served to our guests.”

By producing some of the food onsite and locally sourcing other items, Biltmore reduces tailpipe emissions while supporting local farms. In addition, the estate devotes 50 acres to growing canola, which is converted into biofuel to run vehicles and maintenance equipment. “Our 9-acre solar field generates 1.7 megawatts of renewable energy, and 13 of our estate shuttles run on propane, a clean-burning fuel,” notes Donnelly. “We are happy to be part of a community that shares the same commitments to sustainability as we do.” tEaCh a Man to fish

loCal opportunitiEs: Farm tours give

visitors a close-up view of the region’s agricultural heritage. Photo courtesy of ASAP community. They include paying over 78 percent of the hostelry’s roughly 1,000 employees a living wage and providing free employee bus passes, as well as substantial investments in recycling programs and solar panels.

There’s even a Tesla recharging station for guests’ vehicles.

In the guest rooms, notes Froeba, “We utilize low-flow showers and toilets. We’ve converted all lamps from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs that consume only one-quarter of the energy and last 10 times longer.” In addition, the hotel has “placed a placard in each room which gives guests a choice to not have their sheets and/or towels changed daily.” About 80 percent of guests choose that option, says Froeba.

Similarly, Biltmore Estate, which draws roughly 1 million visitors a year, tries to honor founder George Vanderbilt’s legacy. That means working to “preserve the surrounding beauty and steward the land and its resources for years to come,” says leeann donnelly, public relations manager for The Biltmore Co. “Our sustainable agriculture program

But sustainability also has a cultural dimension, says charlie jackson, executive director of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.

“Asheville is connected to a scenic and culturally rich landscape. That needs to be supported in all aspects of tourism development.”

To that end, ASAP has created farm tours, a Local Food Guide and handson workshops teaching farmers how to give visitors a positive experience while generating profits. “Farm tours, eating local at restaurants and shopping at markets has the ripple effect of preserving our landscape and rural communities,” notes Jackson. ariel dixon agrees. “Sustainable tourism for Buncombe County … means supporting our local farms and agribusiness,” says Dixon, the county’s farmland preservation coordinator. “If all of our farmland, ridge tops and mountainsides are developed, we’ll no longer have that scenic beauty that’s imperative to local tourism.”

Last fall, her program was awarded a roughly $6,000 grant from the county’s Recreation Services Department to develop a self-guided Farm Heritage Trail for tourists, with signage and periodic special events. The grand opening is slated for Saturday, May 7.

“The trail passes by almost all of the farms protected by conservation easements in northwestern Buncombe, along with opportunities for farm stops and seasonal events,” she explains. “Sharing these beautiful, rural places with our community and with tourists,” notes Dixon, “helps make the connection that these places are beautiful, unique and imperative to protect.”

contInues on PAge 28

flowEr powEr: Biltmore Estate plants 50 acres in canola, which is converted into biofuel that powers vehicles and equipment. Photo courtesy of Biltmore Co.

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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news tourisM for thE rEst of us

lEarning opportunity: Asheville Grown Business Alliance’s Franzi Charen believes Asheville can be a “learning lab for a new economy” based around sustainable tourism.

Photo by Able Allen

Karen cragnolin, executive director of RiverLink, says protecting the natural resources that draw tourists to the region must be at the core of any model the city considers. “We have a rich history that is an education in itself. Learning about our history, biological diversity and beautiful, pristine environment,” she points out, can benefit students as well as tourists.

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, which has helped preserve thousands of acres of agricultural and environmentally exceptional local land, shares that philosophy.

“Striking a balance between visitation to the region and protection of our unique natural resources, as well as nurturing a healthy sense of community, is what sustainable tourism means to us,” says angela shepherd, the land trust’s communications director. “Unfortunately, the popularity of a place can become its undoing. It’s incredibly important that as Asheville and WNC grow in popularity, the places we love aren’t ‘loved to death.’”

Accordingly, the conservancy “leads guided group hikes to protected

areas,” she notes. “We partner with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to host a seasonal Roan naturalist position throughout the popular summer months, to promote leave-no-trace principles and educate visitors about rare and fragile ecosystems.”

Community outreach is another key aspect of this strategy. The nonprofit’s For Love of Beer and Mountains program, a partnership with Highland Brewing Co., also helps “raise awareness about the unique natural resources in our region,” she adds.

Keeping locals’ interests and needs at the forefront of the discussion is essential, Cragnolin maintains. “We at RiverLink won’t fund anything that residents can’t use and love. If tourists happen to love and use it too, great, but we won’t recommend or support anything that only tourists would use.”

This principle can also be applied to local businesses, says franzi charen, director of the Asheville Grown Business Alliance. “Sustainable tourism is about balance. Just as the exploitation of nature carries an ecological cost, the same goes for the exploitation of culture and its cost to communities.”

And while tourism is unquestionably a potent economic engine, she continues, “We risk becoming dependent on a very fickle industry. At the very least, marketing dollars should stay in our community and be used to strengthen our local economy and increase the capacity of our own marketing businesses.” liKE attraCts liKE Asheville’s potential as a model of sustainable tourism has already helped attract likeminded companies such as New Belgium Brewing. “We’ve always had a strong commitment to community, co-workers and the environment,” notes spokesperson suzanne hackett.

That commitment is reflected in the brewery’s physical location, she says. “It’s located on an urban brownfield to align with a sustainable infill-and-redevelopment strategy, instead of clearing virgin land.”

This has the dual effect of “restoring important ecosystem functions as well as offering a beautiful and uplifting community space.

Being located in a walkable and bikeable urban setting also provides quality-of-life benefits to co-workers and visitors.”

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the materials salvaged from previous structures on the site. “Reclaiming this site for use along the French Broad River was as important to us as incorporating green building practices,” Hackett reports. “All of the parking areas and roads drain rainwater runoff into a range of stormwater treatment areas, and the campus is a model for lowimpact development in the city.” all togEthEr now But while such efforts can help nurture sustainable tourism, broad involvement is the true measure of success, stresses Shepherd of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. “We’d like to see continued financial support for conservation initiatives,” she says, adding that individual “residents and visitors to the area can become SAHC members, volunteer, or join us for a hike or special event.”

Jackson, meanwhile, believes more can be done to ensure that tourist dollars find their way to farmers. Local government, he says,

should “allow more prepared foods at markets and waive market fees on farmers, as well as support the presentuse tax, allow EBT at farmers markets and include farmers in promotional efforts aimed at tourists.” North Carolina’s present-use tax allows certain property to be valued at belowmarket rates for tax purposes.

For her part, Charen sees Asheville “as a learning lab for the new economy.” Instead of viewing this area solely as a playground, she argues, “Tourists will come to learn from our example of an economically successful community that offers access to prosperity for all.”

For the same reason, New Belgium plans to continue supporting greenway efforts in Buncombe County through property easements, fundraising and helping spread awareness of the benefits, says Hackett. “The opportunity to ride a bicycle, run or walk in a city allows people to make deep connections and develop adoration for a place,” she maintains. “It’s going to take both public and private support to make that happen, and we plan to continue to be part of the village.” X

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29

news

by Cindy Kunst

info@clicksphotography.net

a work in process

Series examines Asheville in the ‘80s been that work going on in the ’80s to bring that about, like Asheville’s cocoon. What’s so important and that often gets missed is the citizens and the community and the million hours of volunteerism and some of our political leaders that worked so hard.”

Once the series got the go-ahead, Rhine set to work selecting topics and moderators from among those involved in that era’s actions, events and businesses. Panelists were selected based on their firsthand experience. filling in thE rECEnt gaps

all wrappEd up: Peggy Gardner led a project to “wrap” in strips of cloth tied together, all of the buildings in an 11-block area that

would have been demolished under the Strouse Greenberg & Co. downtown mall complex proposal. Two hundred people participated. Photo by Annie R. Martin, April 19, 1980, courtesy of the North Carolina Collection at Pack Memorial Library “I have met so many new people who’ve come to live in Asheville, and not one of them knows that at one time there was a very serious threat of the entire downtown being leveled and a suburban mall [being] plunked down in that space,” says jan schochet, a local business owner who was involved in the ultimately successful Save Downtown Asheville movement, along with author wayne caldwell and other concerned residents. “It was a two-year fight with lots of mud slung,” she adds.

That 1980s struggle will be the focus of a Wednesday, April 27, panel discussion, the first in a monthly local history series at Pack Memorial Library, which will feature some of those involved from both sides — with Schochet and Caldwell moderating.

“Asheville in the 1980s was a ripe place for social action,” notes ann von brock, special projects manager for the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County. “People’s willingness to take on difficult issues was a tribute to the love and ownership they felt toward their community.

This web of social activism still grows and evolves as we continue to face

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

challenges. It is in the very fiber of Asheville,” she adds.

Asheville’s revitalization today can easily be seen in its blossoming beer culture, booming hotel industry and growing national profile as a tourist destination. But Asheville’s current popularity owes much to the efforts of residents over the past several decades who helped make the city the special destination it is today.

Asheville in the 1980s is a six-part series, led by local movers and shakers of the 1980s, that will focus on how businesses, initiatives and residents of that decade helped shape the town we know today. bringing history to light Tucked around a corner in the basement of downtown Asheville’s Pack Memorial Library, you will find the North Carolina Collection. In lieu of a general history museum, the N.C. Room, as its called, is the go-to resource for historians, genealogists and those curious to learn more of the region’s history. It’s also hosting the Asheville in the 1980s series.

mountAInx.com

In addition to history exhibits, filing cabinets full of microfiche reels, boxes of old photographs, historic books, postcards, oral histories and city directories, you’re also likely to find Zoe rhine, one of the librarians in charge of the North Carolina Collection and the author of its Heard Tell blog.

Rhine says her interest in putting together the ‘ ’80s panel discussions stemmed from a conversation earlier this year with julie niwinski, head of adult services at Pack Library.

“My first thought was to have just one program focusing on business owners who were here,” says Rhine. “I took the idea to Julie, and her mouth dropped open — I couldn’t even finish my sentence, because she had just been talking a few days before with a friend about all that was happening in Asheville in the ’80s in terms of social advocacy and social agencies.”

“It just felt like it had been neglected as part of Asheville’s renaissance and revitalization, as far as a foundation for the butterfly that came out in the ’90s,” Niwinski explains. “Asheville is very indebted to roger mcguire and julian price and the work they did in the 1990s, [but] there had to have

“Everyone we take this project to, they start talking about their favorite store and then another place, and they can’t stop. It just builds and builds,” Rhine says.

Rhine and Niwinski hope that the discussions will elicit more contributions from the community to help document this period in the library’s collection. “We have a lot more on the 1880s and the 1920s than we have on the 1980s,” Rhine notes.

A quick glance through a stack of 1980s appraisals awaiting indexing at the North Carolina Collection shows a different view of Asheville — a town on its way to resembling Asheville as we recognize it today.

“Visitors and newcomers think that Asheville suddenly became an artists center,” Schochet says. “That’s simply not true. There were wonderful bookstores back then downtown.

The art museum was coming into its own. A film series began which screened art films every two weeks.

More and more people were coming to see Shindig on the Green, which featured local mountain music and provided a place to play and jam away from the stage during the show and for hours after.”

While the number of options and venues to explore local artistic endeavors may not have been as plentiful as they are today, Schochet contends that the limited number of venues fostered a tightknit community.

“The gathering places were places to check in with artists and artoriented people,” she reports. “We knew what was coming up through community at Stone Soup and High Tea restaurants, [and] WCQS was coming into its own.”

tElling it liKE it was: Julie Niwinski, left, and Zoe Rhine of Pack Memorial Library.

Photo by Cindy Kunst six looKs at thE ’80s The six sessions of the Asheville in the ’80s series will be led by people with firsthand experience of events.

The program’s will also be recorded for inclusion in the archives.

“This is an opportunity to collect stories from a primary source while people are still here and care, and we can talk about it.” says Niwinski.

The six discussions will take place on the last Wednesday of each month, beginning April 27, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Lord Auditorium at Pack Memorial Library, continuing through the summer. Turnouts for prior history series have been

large often with 70-100 attendees, so it’s a good idea to arrive a little early to find a seat.

The series schedule is: • Wednesday, April 27, “Save Downtown Asheville & the Wrap” • Wednesday, May 25, “Businesses, Restaurants and Food Stores” • Wednesday, June 29, “Social Activism and Social Agencies” • Wednesday, July 27, “The Arts: Performing, Visual and Literary” • Wednesday, Aug. 31, “New Housing and Old Buildings” • Wednesday, Sept. 28, “Politics and Civic Engagement” Visit the North Carolina Collections website for more information. X

baCK in thE day: Bele Chere in the 1980s. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Collection at Pack Memorial Library, Asheville

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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CoMMunity CalEndar april 20 - 28, 2016

Calendar guidelines In order to qualify for a free listing, an event must benefit or be sponsored by a nonprofit or noncommercial community group. In the spirit of Xpress’ commitment to support the work of grassroots community organizations, we will also list events our staff consider to be of value or interest to the public, including local theater performances and art exhibits even if hosted by a forprofit group or business.

All events must cost no more than $40 to attend in order to qualify for free listings, with the one exception of events that benefit nonprofits. Commercial endeavors and promotional events do not qualify for free listings.

Free listings will be edited by Xpress staff to conform to our style guidelines and length. Free listings appear in the publication covering the date range in which the event occurs.

Events may be submitted via email to calendar@ mountainx.com or through our online submission form at mountainx.com/calendar. The deadline for free listings is the Wednesday one week prior to publication at 5 p.m.

For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/calendar. For questions about free listings, call 251-1333, ext. 137. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 251-1333, ext. 320.

aniMals bluE ridgE huManE soCiEty 692-2639, blueridgehumane.org • WE (4/20), 6pm - Adoptable pet night. Free to attend.

Held at Sanctuary Brewing Company, 147 1st Ave., Hendersonville • SA (4/23), 3pm - Pup Crawl pet adoption event. Free to attend. Held at Sanctuary Brewing Company, 147 1st Ave., Hendersonville

bEnEfits ashEvillE MusiC sChool bEatlEs bEnEfit ashevillemusicschool.org • TH (4/21), 6pm - Proceeds from this concert featuring AMS teachers and students performing The Beatles’ Abbey Road benefit Asheville music school. $15/$12 advance/$6 children under 11. Held at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall, 743 Haywood Road

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bbq & bluEgrass: Each summer, for the past 50 years, Shindig on the Green has been bringing traditional music, dance and storytelling of the Southern Appalachian Mountains to downtown Asheville. On Saturday, April 23, at 5 p.m. the Folk Heritage Committee will holding its annual Shindig on the Green fundraising concert and dinner, which will provide needed funds to produce the beloved summer series. The $20 benefit concert takes place at the Rainbow Community Center auditorium and features bluegrass powerhouses Roger Howell & Friends, The Midnight Plowboys and Rhiannon & The Relics, and includes a meal from Okie Dokie’s Smokehouse. To reserve tickets, email info@folkheritage.org or call 258-6101, ext. 345. Photo of The Midnight Plowboys courtesy of Virgina Hunter, virginiahunter.com (p. 32)

ashEvillE sistEr CitiEs winE tasting bEnEfit 782-8025, ashevillesistercities.org • SU (4/24), 2-4pm - Proceeds from this wine tasting and French cultural experience benefit the Asheville sister cities saumur scholarship Fund. $15. Held at Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte St. bbq & bluEgrass fundraisEr folkheritage.org • SA (4/23), 5pm - Proceeds from this barbecue dinner and concert featuring Roger Howell & Friends, The Midnight Plowboys and Rhiannon & The Relics benefit shindig on the green. Reservations: 258-6101 ext. 345. $20. Held at Rainbow Community School, 60 State St. dining out for lifE diningoutforlife.com/asheville • TH (4/28) - Over 100 local restaurants will donate 20% of their gross sales to the wnc Aids Project. See website for full guidelines and locations.

ECo-dEpot MarKEtplaCE 408 Depot St. Suite 100,

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561-635-9399 • FR (4/22), 5pm - Proceeds from this Earth Day pallet art auction benefit Asheville greenworks. Free to attend. hEndErson County dEMoCratiC party golf fundraisEr myhcdp.com/index.php • TU (4/26), 9am - Proceeds from this 4-player team golf tournament with a $10,000 hole-in-one prize benefits the henderson county Democratic Party. Registration required. $50. Held at Crooked Creek Golf Course, 764 Crooked Creek Road, Hendersonville MEChaniCal EyE MiCroCinEMa mechanicaleyecinema.org • TH (4/21), 7pm - Proceeds from this film screening of “The Trouble With Women,” films from AV Geeks archives presented by Skip Elsheimer benefit FierceFlix film camp for girls. $5. Held at Grail MovieHouse, 45 S. French Broad Ave.

trinity unitEd MEthodist ChurCh 587 Haywood Road, 253-5471 • SA (4/23), 3-5pm - Annual Spring Fling with family activities and inflatables. Proceeds from the BBQ dinner and bake sale benefit youth mission projects. Free to attend/$10 for dinner. wEst ashEvillE lEisurE olyMpiCs amazingwalo.com/home.html • SA (4/23), 10:30am-4pm Proceeds from this family-friendly, community spring celebration with yard game competitions, pizza potluck and live music benefit hall of Fletcher elementary Pto. Free to attend/$13 per player for yard games. Held at Hall of Fletcher Elementary, 60 Ridgelawn Road, 350-6400 whitE horsE blaCK Mountain 105C Montreat Road, Black Mountain, 669-0816 • TH (4/21), 6-9:30pm - Proceeds from the “Celebrate the Resilience of Rwanda!” event with live music

by Laura Reed and Kinobe benefit women and families of umutuzo in Rwanda. $25/$10/Free under age 5.

businEss & tEChnology bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library Free unless otherwise noted.

• MO (4/25), 10am-4:30pm - U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) entrepreneurial training class for veterans. Registration required: boots2business.org/ reboot/. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. g&w invEstMEnt Club klcount@aol.com • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 11:45am - General meeting. Free to attend. Held at Black Forest Restaurant, 2155 Hendersonville Road, Arden onE Million Cups of CoffEE 1millioncups.com/asheville • WEDNESDAYS, 9am Presentations by local highgrowth startup businesses for entrepreneurs. Free. Held at RISC Networks, 81 Broadway Suite C

wnC natural hEalth & wEllnEss meetup.com/WNC-NaturalHealth-Wellness • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 3pm Networking event for natural health & wellness practitioners. Free to attend. Held at Western North Carolina School of Massage, 131 McDowell St. Suite 302

ClassEs, MEEtings & EvEnts big ivy CoMMunity CEntEr 540 Dillingham Road, Barnardsville, 626-3438 • 4th MONDAYS, 7pm Community center board meeting. Free. bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library • WE (4/6) & WE (4/20), 5pm - “Swannanoa Knitters and Stitchers,” needlework group for all skill levels. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa

• WE (4/20), 4pm - “Coloring & Conversation,” coloring club for adults. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa • 4th TUESDAYS, 6-8pm - “Sit-n-Stitch,” informal, self-guided gathering for knitters and crocheters. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • TH (4/28), 6-7:30pm “Emotions and Spending: A Free Financial Literacy Workshop,” presented by OnTrack WNC. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. Colburn Earth sCiEnCE MusEuM 254-7162, colburnmuseum.org • WE (4/20), 4-5pm - HardHat Tour of AMOS and The Collider. Free. Held at AMOS and The Collider in the Wells Fargo Building, intersection of Patton Ave. & Church St. foothills ConsErvanCy of north Carolina 437-9930, foothillsconservancy.org • Through FR (4/22) - Open registration for the 20th Anniversary Celebration taking place on Saturday, April, 23 from 11am-3pm at Camp Golden Valley. Registration: 437-9930. Free. friEnds of hiCKory nut gorgE 685-8798, friendsofhng.org • TH (4/20), 6pm “Legislation in the Hickory Nut Gorge, 2016 Advocacy Considerations,” meeting. Free to attend. Held at Lake Lure Inn and Spa, 2771 Memorial Highway, Lake Lure lEiCEstEr CoMMunity CEntEr 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 774-3000, facebook. com/Leicester.Community.

Center • 3rd THURSDAYS, 7pm - The Leicester History Gathering general meeting. Free.

MarinE Corps lEaguE ashEvillE 273-4948, mcl.asheville@gmail. com • Last TUESDAYS - For veterans of the Marines, FMF Corpsmen, and their families.

Free. Held at American Legion Post #2, 851 Haywood Road ontraCK wnC 255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • WE (4/20), 9:30-11am “Understanding Reverse Mortgages,” seminar. Held at Self-Help Credit Union, 855 Spartanburg Highway, Hendersonville

ontraCK wnC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 2555166, ontrackwnc.org Registration required. Free unless otherwise noted.

• FR (4/22), noon-1:30pm “Understanding Credit. Get it.

Keep it. Improve it.” Seminar.

• SATURDAYS (4/23) & (4/30), 9am-12:30pm - “Manage Your Money Series,” seminar.

• TU (4/26), noon-1:30pm - “Emotions & Spending,” seminar.

• TU (4/26), 5:30-7pm “Understanding Credit. Get it.

Keep it. Improve it.” Seminar. publiC EvEnts at Mars hill univErsity 689-1307, mhu.edu • FR (4/25), 3-5pm - Madison County veterans’ reception.

Transportation arrangements: 689-1581. Free. Held in the Bentley Fellowship Hall. publiC EvEnts at unCa unca.edu • TH (4/28), 4:30pm “Education Affects Us All: North Carolina and You,” panel discussion about education issues. Free. Held in the Reuter Center. showing up for raCial JustiCE showingupforracialjustice.org • TUESDAYS, 10am-noon Educating and organizing white people for racial justice. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Cafe and Books, 610 Haywood Road woMEn’s rEsourCE CEntEr 125 3rd St. NE, Hickory, 322-6333, wrchickory.org • TU (4/26), noon-1pm “Inspiring Women Luncheon,” with guest speaker Carol Amrani. Registration required.

Free to attend.

danCE studio zahiya, downtown danCE ClassEs (pd.) Monday 5pm Ballet Wkt 6pm Hip Hop Wkt 7pm Bellydance Hip Hop Fusion 8pm Tap • Tuesday 9am Hip Hop Wkt 6pm Intro to Bellydance 7pm Bellydance 8pm Bellydance 8pm Hip Hop Choreo 2 •Wednesday 9am Hip Hop Wkt 5:30pm Hip Hop Wkt 6:30 Bhangra 7:45 Vixen Series 7:45 Hula 8pm Contemporary • Thursday 9am Hip Hop Wrkt 4pm Kid’s Dance 5pm Teens Hip Hop 7pm West African 8pm West

African 2 • Saturday 9:30am Hip Hop Wkt 10:45am POUND Wkt • Sunday 3pm Tap 2• $13 for 60 minute classes, Wkt $5.

90 1/2 N. Lexington Avenue. www.studiozahiya.com :: 828.242.7595 ashEvillE MovEMEnt CollECtivE ashevillemovementcollective.org • FRIDAYS, 7:30-8:30pm - Noninstructional, free-form dance within community. $8-$20.

Held at NYS3, 2002 Riverside Drive, Studio 42-O Loft I • SUNDAYS, 9am & 11amNon-instructional, free-form dance within community. $8-$20. Held at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway burton strEEt rECrEation CEntEr 134 Burton St. • MONDAYS (except 3rd MONDAYS), 5:30pm - Groove dance. Free.

MusiC at asu appstate.edu • FR (4/22), 7pm - ContraTiempo, Urban Latin dance theater. $20/$10 students.

Held in the Schaefer Center. thE vanishing whEElChair 645-2941, vanishingwheelchair.org • Through MO (6/13) - Open registration for wheelchair bound dance classes beginning June 13 through July 25.

Registration: 645-6115. Free.

Held at Dimensions Studio of Mars Hill, 7401 NC-213, Mars Hill

fEstivals davidson’s fort historiC parK Lackey Town Road, Old Fort, 668-4831, davidsonsfort.com • SA (4/23) - Pioneer Day Festival. $3. grEEning up thE Mountains 226-8652, greeningupthemountains.com • SA (4/23), 10am-4pm - Festival with 5K run/walk, kids activities, live music, and over 200 arts, crafts, retail and food booths. Full schedule and information: greeningupthemountains.com. Free to attend. Held in Downtown Sylva.

Mountain gatEway MusEuM and hEritagE CEntEr 102 Water St., Old Fort, mountaingatewaymuseum.org • SA (4/23), 10am-5pm - 32nd

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

33

C o n s C i o u s pa r t y

By Kat McReynolds | kmcreynolds@mountainx.com

befriendinG tHe frencH

annual Pioneer Day Festival with live music, displays and demonstrations. Free to attend. publiC EvEnts at unCa unca.edu • SA (4/23), 10am-11pm - Mindfulness Festival featuring music, workshops and art installations centered around self awareness & community building. Free.

Held on the quad. roCKyfEst rockyfacepark.com/rockyfest • SA (4/23), Festival featuring 5K/10K/20K trail races, live music, rock climbing and rappelling, children’s activities, food/arts/ crafts vendors, Cherokee storytelling and demonstrations. See website for full schedule. Free to attend. Held at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area, 3451 Rocky Face Church Road, Hiddenite

food & bEEr ashEvillE vEgan outrEaCh facebook.com/AshevilleVeganOutreach, rowdy@bwar.org • SU (4/24), 6-8pm - “Healing Our World: A Deeper Look at Food,” presentation by Dr. Will Tuttle. Free to attend. Held at The BLOCK off biltmore, 39 South Market St. Carolina Mountain ChEEsE fEst 484-1586, mountaincheesefest.com • SA (4/24), noon-4pm - Proceeds from this event featuring cheese tastings, workshops and activities benefit the wnc cheese trail. See website for full schedule. $15/$12 advance. Held at Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway

MiC ChECK: MetroWines’ co-owner John Kerr, left, and sommelier Andy Hale, right, test their Skype abilities in anticipation of a video call with the mayor of Saumur, France. She is scheduled to meet Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer over Skype during an upcoming event at the shop. Photo courtesy of MetroWines what: A wine tasting to benefit Asheville Sister Cities International where: MetroWines when: Sunday, April 24, from 2-4 p.m. why: President Dwight D. Eisenhower founded Sister Cities International in 1956 as a diplomatic network that would “champion for peace and prosperity by fostering bonds between people from different communities around the world,” according to the nonprofit’s website. And in 1988, a local chapter, ASCI, sprung to action, promoting friendly relations and collaborations among Asheville and its sister cities: Vladikavkaz, Russia; San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico; Karpenisi, Greece; Valladolid, Mexico; Osogbo, Nigeria; and Saumur, France.

34

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

The last of those will serve as the centerpiece for ASCI’s upcoming wine tasting mixer, with proceeds going to a scholarship fund for Western North Carolina students who study or intern there.

“The town of Saumur graciously sent us a city flag to fly for the event, and we hope to fly Asheville’s flag beside it,” says allison weems, founder of Asheville French School and co-chair of ASCI’s Saumur committee. “We hope this event will be a cultural discovery of Saumur and some of its wines, as well as a time to reinforce our cities’ friendship.”

MetroWines sommelier andy hale and co-owner john Kerr will lead the casual sampling of two Saumurmade wines over a playlist of French

mountAInx.com

music. Kerr calls these Loire Valley exports a great value because, while the region isn’t yet a household name, its “chalky, limestone-rich soil is ideal for producing wines with high levels of minerality and earth.”

Weems is particularly eager to electronically introduce officials from both cities. “Saumur Mayor jeanmarie marchand is scheduled to speak at the event via Skype with Asheville Mayor esther manheimer,” she says. “I believe this is the first for ASCI: international relations via the Internet.”

A $15 ticket includes two glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Visit metrowinesasheville.com for more information. X

downtown wElCoME tablE haywoodstreet.org/2010/07/the-welcometable • SUNDAYS, 4:30pm - Community meal. Free. Held at Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood St. fairviEw wElCoME tablE fairviewwelcometable.com • THURSDAYS, 11:30am-1pm - Community lunch. Admission by donation. Held at Fairview Christian Fellowship, 596 Old Us Highway 74, Fairview lEiCEstEr CoMMunity CEntEr 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 774-3000, facebook.com/Leicester.

Community.Center • WEDNESDAYS, 11:30am-1pm Welcome Table meal. Free.

govErnMEnt & politiCs City of ashEvillE 251-1122 • TU (4/26), 5pm - Public City Council Meeting. See website for full agenda Held at

C oMMu n it y Ca l E n d ar

the Asheville City Hall, 70 Court Plaza. Free.

Kids anaM Cara thEatrE 545-3861, anamcaratheatre.com • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 10-noon - Tiny Tots Circus Playtime with aerials, clowning, balance and acrobatics.

Children up to 6 years old. $5.

Held at Toy Boat Community Art Space, 101 Fairview Road, Suite B ashEvillE CoMMunity thEatrE 35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • SA (4/23), 10am - Saturdays at ACT presents: The Secret Garden by Bright Star Touring Theatre. $5. attiC salt thEatrE CoMpany 505-2926 • SATURDAYS through (4/23), 10am - Echo, Narcissus, Icarus and Friends: Greek Myths. $5.

Held at The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St. bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library Free unless otherwise noted.

• WE (4/20), 3:30pm - “Makers and Shakers: Mega-Magazine Fun,” magazine craft projects for ages 5 and up. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • TH (4/21), 9:30am & 10:45am - “Preschoolers We Love You!” Variety show for preschoolers.

Registration required for school groups: 250-4729. Held at Black Mountain Public Library, 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain • TH (4/21), 3:15pm Constance Lombardo presents a slide show, reading, and hands-on activities for her book Mr. Puffball: Stunt Cat to the Stars. Held at West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road • FR (4/22), 4-5pm - “Celebrate Earth Day,” event to make recycled crafts and talk about how to love the earth with Christine Brown from Asheville Greenworks. For kids ages 6-12. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • MONDAYS (4/11) & (4/25), 4-5pm - Lego club for ages 5 and up. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville • TU (4/26), 1-2pm Homeschoolers Book Club: Look Both Ways in the Barrio Blanco by Judith Robbins Rose. For ages 8-12. Held at

by Abigail Griffin

North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. • WE (4/27), 4pm - “Bugs and Dust” with UNCA Biology professor Becca Hale. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville Catawba sCiEnCE CEntEr 243 3rd Ave. NE, Hickory, 3228169, catawbascience.org • SA (4/23), noon-3pm “Engineering Time” electrical engineering activities for kids.

Admission fees apply. danCing bEar toys 255-8697, dancingbeartoys.com • SA (4/23), noon-1 - “Pete the Cat,” childrens’ book character from author James Dean visits.

Free to attend. Held at 518 Kenilworth Road • SA (4/23), 3-4pm - “Pete the Cat,” childrens’ book character from author James Dean visits. Free to attend. Held at Hendersonville Location, 418 North Main St., Hendersonville Earth day Kids’ fEstival facebook.com/ events/1676996485921502 • SA (4/23), 11am-3pm RiverLink sponsored festival featuring environmental education, live animals, games and crafts, giant puppet performers, a bounce-castle and local food. Free to attend.

Held at RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza, 144 Riverside Drive flEtChEr library 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • WEDNESDAYS, 10:30am Family story time. Free. hands on! a ChildrEn’s gallEry 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, 697-8333 • TU (4/5), 11am - “Mad Science Lab: Seed Survivor,” activities for kids about seeds. $7/Free for members. laKE JaMEs statE parK 6883 N.C. Highway 126, Nebo, 584-7728 • SU (4/24) 1pm - “Salamanders Magnified,” ranger led walk with magnifying loupes to explore salamanders and their habitat. Registration required: 584-7728. Free. n.C. arborEtuM 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, 665-2492, ncarboretum.org • MONDAYS & TUESDAYS (2/29) through (5/24), 10-11:30am - Wee Naturalists program for ages 2-5 with crafts, exploration, stories. Registration recommended. $7 per child/$3

per additional child/Parking fees apply. pisgah astronoMiCal rEsEarCh institutE 1 PARI Drive, Rosman, 862-5554, pari.edu • TU (4/26), 6-8pm - SciGirls program program on solar astronomy co-hosted by the Transylvania County 4-H. For girls ages 9-14. Registration required. $10. spEllbound ChildrEn’s booKshop 640 Merrimon Ave. #204, 7087570, spellboundchildrensbookshop. com • SATURDAYS, 11am - Storytime for ages 3-7. Free to attend. wEst ashEvillE Carnival facebook.com/ WestAshevilleCarnival • SA (4/23), 3-7pm - Carnival with games, prizes, inflatables, entertainment by Daniello Magic Orchestra, interactive drum circle and food trucks! Free to attend. Held at Vance Elementary School, 98 Sulphur Springs Road

Magical Offerings Apr. 20 - Tarot Reader: Susannah Rose, 12-6pm Apr. 23 - Stitch & Witch: 3-5pm, Donations Apr. 25 - Astrologer: SpiritSong, 1-6pm Apr. 30 - Freya Workshop w/ Angela: 4-5pm, $10 May 3 - Tarot Reader: Byron Ballard, 1-3pm

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outdoors laKE JaMEs statE parK 6883 N.C. Highway 126, Nebo, 584-7728 Programs are free unless otherwise noted.

• FR (4/22), 4pm - “Earth Day Salamander Soiree!” ranger led hike to discover different types of salamanders. Wear mud appropriate footwear.

• SA (4/23), 1:5opm - “Loon Cruise,” ranger led birdwatching boat cruse.

Registration required: 584.7728. pisgah astronoMiCal rEsEarCh institutE 1 PARI Drive, Rosman, 862-5554, pari.edu • FR (4/22), 8pm - Celebrate Earth Day with night sky observation, tour and information session.

Reservations required: pari.edu. $15/Free for children under 10. transylvania County library 212 S. Gaston St., Brevard, 884-3151 • TH (4/21), 6:30pm - Workshop regarding planning for hiking the Appalachian Trail by Leanna Joyner of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Free.

• TH (4/28), 6:30pm - Ben Montgomery presents his book about the Appalachian Trail, Grandma Gatewood’s Walk. Free.

mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

35

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CoM M u n i ty Ca lEn da r parEnting haywood rEgional MEdiCal CEntEr 262 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, 456-7311 • TH (4/21), 6pm - Dinner with a Doc: “First Aid Every Parent Should Know” presentation by pediatrician James Guerriere.

Registration required: 800-4243627. Free to attend.

publiC lECturEs bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library Free unless otherwise noted.

• WE (4/27), 6pm - “Save Downtown Asheville and the Wrap,” historical presentation.

Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. Colburn Earth sCiEnCE MusEuM 2 South Pack Square, 254-7162, colburnmuseum.org Located in Pack Place.

• FR (4/22), 5:30-8pm - “Beer City Science Pub: Art of the Brew,” beer reception, tour and presentation from Sierra Nevada about beer brewing.

Free.

• SA (4/23), 1-3pm - Guest Speaker Series: “Energy and Resources,” presentation by Dr. Richard Wiener, geologist and professor, regarding oil, gas, coal and fracking. Admission fees apply. publiC EvEnts at unCa unca.edu • TH (4/28), 6:15pm - 32nd Annual Economic Crystal Ball Seminar: “The Fed: More Tightening?” with presentations by economists David W. Berson and James F. Smith. Free.

Registration required: 251.6550.

Held in Lipinsky Auditorium.

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

mountAInx.com

Christian based yoga for seniors. Free.

Cloud CottagE 219 Old Toll Circle, Black Mountain, 669-6000,

spirituality ashEvillE insight MEditation (pd.) Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation. Learn how to get a Mindfulness Meditation practice started. 1st & 3rd Mondays. 7pm – 8:30. Asheville Insight Meditation, 29 Ravenscroft Dr, Suite 200, (828) 808-4444, www.ashevillemeditation.com. astro-CounsEling (pd.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Readings also available. Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229.

cloudcottage.org Cloud Cottage Community of Mindful Living • 2nd & 4th TUESDAYS, 7-8:30pm - Mindfulness training class. Admission by donation.

CrEation CarE allianCE of wnC creationcarealliance.org • SU (4/24), 5:30pm - Earth Day Vigil. Free. Held at All Souls Cathedral, 9 Swan St. first CongrEgational uCC of hEndErsonvillE 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville, 692-8630, fcchendersonville.org • FR (4/22), 7pm - Community Passover Seder celebration.

opEn hEart MEditation (pd.) Experience and deepen the spiritual connection to your heart, the beauty and deep peace of the Divine within you. Increase your natural joy and gratitude while releasing negative emotions.

Love Offering 7-8pm Tuesdays, 5 Covington St. 296-0017 OpenHeartMeditation.com.

Registration required: 692-8630.

shaMbhala MEditation CEntEr (pd.) 60 N. Merrimon Ave., #113, 200-5120, ashevilleshambhala.org • WEDNESDAYS, 10-midnight, THURSDAYS, 7-8:30pm & SUNDAYS, 10-noon - Meditation and community. Admission by donation.

Free/$5 optional dinner.

Free. graCE luthEran ChurCh 1245 Sixth Ave. W., Hendersonville, 693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • WEDNESDAYS (4/13) through (5/18), 5:45-7pm - “John: The Gospel of Light and Life,” class.

• SA (4/23), 3pm - Presentation

by Christian Priesmeier, a fourteenth-generation direct descendent of Doctor Martin Luther. Free.

JubilEE CoMMunity ChurCh

ashEvillE CEntEr for transCEndEntal MEditation 165 E. Chestnut, 254-4350, meditationasheville.org • THURSDAYS, 6:30-7:30pm - Introductory talk on the Transcendental Meditation technique. Online registration. Free to attend.

46 Wall St., 252-5335,

bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library • TU (4/26), 7pm - “Retirement: Making Your Money Last,” presentation by financial advisor Nathan Garnett. Free.

Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester

ashEvillE sound hEaling 776-3786, ashevillesoundhealing. com, info@ashevillesoundhealing.com • SATURDAYS, 11am & SUNDAYS, noon - Healing concert with crystal bowls, gongs and chanting. Free to attend. Held at Skinny Beats Drum Shop and Gallery, 4 Eagle St.

Admission by donation.

lEiCEstEr CoMMunity CEntEr 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 774-3000, facebook. com/Leicester.Community.

Center • MONDAYS, 4:30pm -

CEntEr for art & spirit at st. gEorgE 1 School Road, 258-0211 • Last Tuesdays, 7-9pm - Aramaic, Hebrew and Egyptian vocal toning, breath work and meditation.

Admission by donation.

29 Page Ave., 225-6422,

sEniors

36

by Abigail Griffin

jubileecommunity.org • THURSDAYS through (5/12), 6:30-8pm - “Bringing Zen to Life: A Six Week Series to Empower Practice for Challenging Times,” zen meditation, teachings, discussion and practice presented

by Windhorse Zen Community.

oM sanCtuary 87 Richmond Hill Drive, 5052300 • SATURDAYS, 11am-noon Meditation session. Admission by donation. urban dharMa udharmanc.com • SU (1/24), 10am- Meditation for children with a Buddhist tale, contemplation, meditation and snack. Free.

spoKEn & writtEn word

35bElow 35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • TH (4/28), 7:30pm - “Listen to This Storytelling Series,” hosted by Tom Chalmers. $15. bluE ridgE booKfEst blueridge.edu/blueridgebookfest • FR (4/22) & SA (4/23) - Author event with 40 authors, free workshops and featured author Sara Gruen. Full schedule online. Free to attend. Held at Blue Ridge Community College, 180 West Campus Drive, Flat Rock bluE ridgE booKs 152 S. Main St., Waynesville • SA (4/23), 3pm - Edie Burnett presents her book, Mountain Echoes. Free to attend. buffalo niCKEl 747 Haywood Road, 575-2844, buffalonickelavl.com • WE (4/20), 7pm - Spoken word open-mic hosted by David Joe Miller and Chuck Fink. Sign-up at 6:30pm. Free to attend.

bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library Free unless otherwise noted.

• Through SA (4/30) - Half-price spring book sale. Free to attend.

Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa • TH (4/21), 2:30pm - Skyland Book Club: The Boys in the Boat

by Daniel Brown. Held at Skyland/ South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road City lights booKstorE 3 E. Jackson St., Sylva, 586-9499, citylightsnc.com • SA (4/23), 6pm - Kim Michele Richardson presents her new novel, GodPretty in the Tobacco Field. Free to attend.

• SA (4/23), 3pm - Josh Franks discusses his book, True Events of the Paranormal. Free to attend. firEstorM CafE and booKs 610 Haywood Road, 255-8115 • SU (4/24), 6pm - Marshall James Kavanaugh presents his collection of poetry, Travel By Haiku. Admission by donation. hEndErson County publiC library 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville, 697-4725

• TH (4/21), 1:30-3:30pm - “The Power of Poetry: In Times of Abundance, Loss, Dramatic Change,” presented by Martha O. Adams. Free. laniEr library 72 Chestnut St., Tryon, 859-9535 • TH (4/21), 7pm - “Literary Open Stage.” Share your favorite poems by other poets with the audience.

Free.

• SA (4/23), 4-6pm - Award Ceremony and reception honoring the winners of the 8th Annual Sidney Lanier Poetry Competition.

Free.

Malaprop’s booKstorE and CafE 55 Haywood St., 254-6734, malaprops.com Free unless otherwise noted.

• WE (4/20), 7pm - Ernest Cline presents his book Ready Player One. • WE (4/20), 7pm - Ernest Cline presents his book, Armada.   • TH (4/21), 7pm - “Humanities Moments and the Heroic,” presentation by Robert Newman from the National Humanities Center.

• FR (4/22), 3pm - Presentation by the authors and publishers of the 2016 issue of The Rhapsodist, AB-Tech’s literature and arts journal.

• FR (4/22), 7pm - “Our Voice: Survivors Speak,” will include a reading of selected zine submissions and an open mic. Co-sponsored by Our Voice and UNC Asheville.

• SA (4/23), 7pm - Julia Franks and Mark Beaver present their books, Over the Plain Houses and Suburban Gospel.

• SU (4/24), 3pm - Bridgette Lacy’s presents her new cookbook, Sunday Dinner.

• MO (4/25), 7pm - Ken Ilgunas presents his book, Trespassing Across America.

• TU (4/26), 7pm - Nelda Holder presents her book, , The Thirteenth Juror: Investigating the Grand Jury Transcripts.

• TH (4/28), 7pm - Katherine Soniat presents her book, Bright Stranger and Peter Cooley presents his poetry collection, Night Bus to the Afterlife.

sports ashEvillE tEnnis assoCiation avltennis.com • SA (4/24), 2-3:30pm - “Kid’s Spring Tennis Carnival,” workshop, games and information about upcoming clinics and camps.

Free to attend. Held at Asheville Racquet Club, 200 Racquet Club Road

voluntEEring big brothErs big sistErs of wnC 253-1470, bbbswnc.org • TU (4/26), noon - Information session for those interested in volunteering to work with young people from single-parent homes twice a month and for those interested in mentoring elementary school students 1-hour per week after school. Free. Held at United Way of Asheville & Buncombe, 50 S. French Broad Ave. bunCoMbE County spECial olyMpiCs 250-4260 • Through TH (5/5) - Open registration for volunteers for the Spring Games to be held on Thursday, May 5. Registration: buncombecounty.org/ specialolympics. graCE luthEran ChurCh 1245 Sixth Ave. W., Hendersonville, 693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • SA (4/23), 8:30am - 23rd Annual Servant Saturday, day of commu-

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nity volunteer work. Registration required: 693-4890. hands on ashEvillEbunCoMbE 2-1-1, handsonasheville.org Registration required.

• SA (4/9) & SA (4/23), 9am-noon - Pack food items into backpacksized parcels that are distributed to local schools for students in need.

Register for full guidelines.

• TH (4/28), 11am-12:30pm - Cook and serve a homemade lunch for veterans. Register for full guidelines. hoMEward bound of wnC 218 Patton Ave., 258-1695, homewardboundwnc.org • 3rd THURSDAYS, 11am “Welcome Home Tour,” tours of Asheville organizations that serve the homeless population. Registration required. Free to attend. sandhill CoMMunity gardEn tabbybrickley@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS, 6-7pm & SATURDAYS, 9-11am - Volunteer in the garden. Held at Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 APAC Drive For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/volunteering

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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news of the weird

LEAD STORY — Torch Passed to a New BodyModification Exemplar Eva Tiamat Medusa, 55, of the Phoenix area, has almost completed her journey (she calls it "transspecieism") to become a "mythical beast" — like a dragon video-game character — through purposeful facial scarring, surgical implants and even removal of both ears. "Tiamat" was born Richard Hernandez before becoming female and now sports such features as reptilian-style skin "scales," green-colored "whites" of the eyes, "horns" on her forehead and, of course, breasts. (However, she is perhaps so far satisfied with one part, as she is still a "pre-op" transsexual.)

Government in Action • The Pentagon admitted recently that it has no way to know how many parts or devices are in its equipment inventory — except by going through its estimated 30 million contracts (on the text-unsearchable electronic database) one by one. For a recent Freedom of Information request from a software developer (for the Pentagon's number of "HotPlug" power-extenders for computers), it quoted a retrieval price of $660 million to cover 15 million hours of work.

• Wait, What? (1) The most recent problem with the Defense Department's prospective, ultramodern F-35 fighter jet, revealed in March, is that its "radar control" sometimes malfunctions and that system updates will not be ready until 2020. In the interim, an Air Force official advised that, as a workaround, the radar could be turned off and then back on again (similar to restarting a glitchy computer). (2) Michael Ford, 36, a U.S. Embassy staff member in London, was sentenced in March to 57 months in prison for having run a "sextortion" email scheme preying on young girls — from his heavily monitored embassy computer workstation, operating undetected for two years. (One workday last April, for example, he sent 800 emails from his desk "phishing" for gullible social media users.)

Police Report Ms. Charli Jones Parker, a teacher and girls' basketball coach at the Pickens Academy (Pickens County, Alabama) was arrested on March 28 and charged with having sex with

Least Competent Criminals

by Chuck Shepherd

an underage male student. Her husband, James Parker, a math teacher and coach at Pickens, was arrested two days later and charged with having sex with an underage female former student. The district attorney said the incidents were unrelated and resulted from separate investigations.

Leading Economic Indicators • Inequality on Parade: (1) The city council in Palo Alto, California, trying to retain some of its Silicon Valley nonmillionaires, proposed a subsidy plan in March to help with steep housing costs. In a town where tiny homes sell for $2 million (and are immediately knocked down and rebuilt), subsidies will be available even to families earning $250,000 a year. (2) In February, a family court in England reduced the child-support payments from hedge fund financier Christopher Rokos to the mother of his 7-year-old son from the equivalent of about $17,000 a month to about $11,300 — though that amount includes more than $1,200 a month for "wine" (perhaps, in case the kid is a handful).

• The giant HSBC Bank, which was let off the hook in 2012 for its money-laundering by paying a $1.9 billion settlement and promising to vigilantly guard against future money laundering, was revealed in March to be regressing. HSBC's monitor said that the bank somehow failed to stop transactions by a company whose professed business included exporting miniskirts to Iran (which would be against international sanctions but also not exactly smart business). In another incident, a 19-year-old Mexican man in the drug-cartel-intensive Sinaloa state was allowed to open a private-wealth account with just a bagful of cash, claiming to be a "shrimp farmer."

Latest Religious Messages In March, Kingdom Church, in the south London district of Camberwell, was fined the equivalent of about $10,900 by the Southwark Council for its amplified music and incessant "loud preaching," ritually performed "almost daily" at around 3 a.m. A spokesperson told the London Evening Standard that the timing was necessary because that is when evil spirits are most likely to be present.

Scientific Breakthroughs Downloads and Uploads: (1) A new weight-loss device being tested in the U.S. ("AspireAssist") is billed as a lessexpensive alternative to bariatric surgery, with the ability to evacuate up to 30 percent of recently eaten food from the stomach before digestion.

A tube, through a port in the stomach, sucks ("aspirates") the food. (2) Researchers at HRL Laboratories in California, in a recent journal article, reported that test subjects without airplane-pilot knowledge nonetheless performed flight simulations 33 percent better than a control group after the researchers uploaded electrical signals to certain piloting-helpful areas of their brains.

O Canada!

• Latest Behavior Standards: (1) The town council in Bracebridge, Ontario, approved a new municipal bylaw in March ending existing prohibitions on people engaging in "yelling, shouting, hooting or similar noises."

(Other noise controls, such as on audio devices, or by humans between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., remain in effect.)

(2) Also in March, the city council in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was considering a proposed anti-bullying bylaw prohibiting gossip or (according to the National Post) "rumor- mongering, name-calling, taunting, mocking and ostracizing" — not only in the streets and parks but in "public" places such as bars and restaurants.

The Underrated Goldfish Veterinarian Tristan Rich, in Melbourne, Australia, was credited in March with saving the life of a 9-yearold goldfish ("Bubbles") by removing its brain tumor. Dr. Rich had to first figure out how to keep Bubbles out of water long enough to operate, but finally rigged a contraption to continually splash water over the gills.

This was Dr. Rich's second heroic goldfish surgery. (Bubbles' breed was not reported; ordinary goldfish can be purchased for less than $1.)

Bad enough that Alfonso Mobley Jr., 26, is a "sovereign citizen," selfproclaimed as exempt from obeying laws or paying taxes, but on April 5 he also lost both hands — when a bomb he was working on exploded in Columbus, Ohio. The bomb was made of the same material as that in the November terrorist attacks in Paris.

A 2010 FBI report labeled sovereign citizens a domestic terrorist group, but Mobley's associate (who was not hurt) told police the bomb was to be simply a diversion for their planned bank or armored-car robbery.

Recurring Themes (1) First it was "Pastafarians" of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster insisting on wearing colanders for driver's license photos. Then, in Portland, Ore., last year, a man who goes by "Bishop" insisted on his own driver's license "religious covering" — a "fox" hat to honor his "seven drums" religion. The DMV turned him down, but in March 2016, he won his appeal.

(2) In the latest episode of an overthe-top obsessive cat, Sarah Nathan's "Brigit," age 6, had her cover blown in March when she collected a dozen boxer briefs and about 60 socks — all apparently klepto-lifted from neighbors in Hamilton, New Zealand. Nathan admitted that she may ultimately have to stash some underwear around her farm just to keep Brigit stimulated.

A News of the Weird Classic (February 2012) The varsity girls' basketball teams at predominantly white Kenmore East High School near Buffalo, New York, have, for several years (until 2011), psyched themselves up in a pre-game locker room ritual by chanting, inexplicably, "One, Two, Three, (n-word (plural))!" before running out onto the court. Although the white players called use of the word a "tradition" (passed down from year to year), and not a racial "label," the team's only black player not surprisingly had a problem with it and reported it to school officials. According to a December (2011) Buffalo News report, it was always a players-only tradition, and no adult was aware of the chant, but upon learning of it, officials immediately banned it. X

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

39

wEllnEss

findinG your Groove Two Asheville women find their ’new normal’ after spinal cord injuries

HIGH MOBILITY: Erika Bogan, left, and Shannon Chisholm check out the MV-1 by Mobility Ventures and the Horizon Electric Adventure Vehicle by Outrider USA. Photo by Dusty Abernathy

BY nIcoLe hoLDeR nikki@outriderusa.com “When you get paralyzed, you have two choices: you can either stay where you are at and feel sorry for yourself, and let it limit you, or you can look at it in a positive way, as a new

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

opportunity and a ‘new normal,’ and that is what it has done for me.” — Erika Bogan, Ms. Wheelchair America 2010 and social media analyst for Mobility Ventures Life is made of up a series of choices.

Some of them are simple: What do I want to wear today? Some are a bit more complex: What do I want to do with my

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life? And sometimes, we’re dealt a hand that turns even the simplest choices into immense challenges: How am I going to go to the store and prepare dinner for my family without the use of my limbs?

Through my work with Outrider USA, I met two incredible women, shannon chisholm and erika

bogan, who graciously enlightened me on what life’s like after being paralyzed.

Chisholm, a physical therapy assistant, mother of two boys, cycle enthusiast and competitive bodybuilder, was riding her bike to work in July 2011 when a motorist rear-ended her.

Chisholm suffered a T10 spinal cord

Kirtan with Amah,

injury that left her mostly paralyzed from the waist down.

Bogan, a single mother of three girls and a social media analyst for Mobility Ventures, was injured in a January 2002 car accident that occurred during a domestic dispute while driving. She sustained an incomplete break between her T11 and T12 vertebrae.

Since their injuries, both women have become leaders and passionate advocates for the disabled.

After a traumatic injury, patients undergo a physical, emotional and spiritual process associated with recovery: finding their “new normal.” The process means more than simply relearning basic skills and acclimating to the daily routine of life, say both women. Finding a new normal means becoming comfortable and confident with who you are post-injury. “That is the biggest challenge,” says Bogan. “Finding your ‘new normal,’ accepting it and becoming comfortable in your own skin.”

The path begins with rehabilitation, typically done in a hospital setting or in a specialized rehabilitation center. During rehab, patients focus on strengthening the muscles that work and learning how to dress, shower and transfer in and out of a wheelchair. While these are essential skills to acquire postinjury, they don’t necessarily get to the heart of the problem: emotional and mental rehabilitation.

“It made it very hard for me when I got out to find my ‘new normal’ because I literally had to do it all on my own,” says Bogan. Rehab “didn’t emotionally prepare me for the world that was outside of that rehab center.

I think that was the hardest part.”

While the lack of a well-rounded rehabilitation is not an uncommon experience among spinal cord injury patients, there have been vast improvements in the standard of care over the years, as Chisholm’s rehab demonstrates. Chisholm, injured 14 years after Bogan, received a scholarship to one of the nation’s most prestigious rehab centers — the Shepherd’s Center in Atlanta, Ga. During her three months in the program, Chisholm and her family were housed in a private apartment owned by the center. This setup provided her with consistent indepth care and allowed her family to be part of the healing process.

She adds that many patients were hesitant to go on trips outside the center for fear of public reaction. During her rehab, Chisholm says, “They actually encouraged us to get out.”

Bogan says that’s “a huge thing to get past for some people, [who say], ‘I don’t want to be treated any different; I don’t want to be looked at any different.’ Well, unfortunately, at the end of the day, you are different, but it’s OK.” “Embrace it!” says Chisholm.

Being out in the world and accepting who you are, regardless of what other people think, is a monumental step in the recovery process, she says.

A shared experience that aided both women in their journeys of selfrediscovery was their participation in the nonprofit Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant. Bogan was named Ms. Wheelchair NC in 2009 and crowned Ms. Wheelchair America a year later.

Chisholm, a Fletcher local, became Ms. Wheelchair NC in 2015.

The event isn’t a talent or beauty competition, say Bogan and Chisholm.

It is, instead, a platform on which to celebrate and recognize a community of strong, inspirational women who exemplify the ABILITY in disability.

“Sometimes it just takes someone else who is in a chair and who has been in a chair for a while to be like, ‘You know, it’s OK,’” says Bogan. “Every day is going to get easier, and it’s going to get better, and you’re going to find that ‘new normal’ and that groove that works for you.”

Ms. Wheelchair participants form an everlasting bond of sisterhood and mentorship that is not always facilitated in a traditional rehab setting. “When I first met Shannon over a year ago,” says Bogan, “she was still trying to find her ‘new normal’ and wasn’t as apt to go out of her box. But now, I see her conquering new challenges and taking things as they come. ... Being able to see her grow and blossom has reaffirmed to me how amazing this organization is.”

The most valuable take-home I learned from these two women is that being different doesn’t mean you’re alone. The biggest asset we have is our support group of friends, family and mentors. True healing can only begin when we break down our walls and allow others to help us face and defeat our fears.

They aren’t so scary when we conquer them together.

Nicole Holder lives in Asheville and is the marketing, communications and event director for Outrider USA, creators of high-performance road and fully adaptable off-road electric adventure vehicles. Nikki@outriderusa.com, www.outriderusa.com X

Cat,

& Melanie

Friday, April 29 7:00pm

By Donation

at West Asheville Yoga

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$6400 Classes Start May 31st– Downtown Asheville July 16th

get back to life

moving past pain to recovery One-on-one care for those suffering with a variety of orthopedic, neurological, and geriatric conditions.

TREATING: • Sports Injuries • Chronic Headache & • TMJ Dysfunctions Migraines • Knee & Hip Replacements • Spinal Disorders • Pelvic Health • Lower Back Pain

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

41

we L L n e s s cA L en DA R wEllnEss

NEW 500 Hour Massage Certification Program 11 Month Weekend Program Discounts available SIGN UP NOW! AshevilleMassageSchool.org 828-252-7377

judy & jeannie: hot yogis since 2009

rEliEvE strEss and pain (pd.) Quantum Biofeedback can result in an improved sense of wellbeing, mental clarity, pain reduction and physical performance. • Susan Brown, Certified Biofeedback Practitioner. Call (207) 513-2353. earthywomanjourneys@ yahoo.com earthy-woman.com ashEvillE CoMMunity yoga CEntEr 8 Brookdale Road, ashevillecommunityyoga.com • THURSDAYS (4/7) through (4/28), 6-7:30pm - Prenatal yoga series. $12 drop-in/$40 series.

• SA (4/23), 12:30-2:30pm “Finding your Voice,” yoga workshop. $20.

• SU (4/24), 12:30-2:30pm - “The Yoga of Mothers & Daughters,” workshop. $20. ashEvillE north sEvEnthday advEntist ChurCh 364 Broadway St., 281-0410 • SU (4/24), 9am-4pm - Health fair with cholesterol screening, body composition, vision screening, audiologist, blood pressure and chair massage. Free.

More Significant than politics, weather, or the economy:

biltMorE baptist ChurCh 35 Clayton Road, Arden • FR (4/22) & SA (4/23) - Public dental Clinic. Free.

Healing ToucH level 1

foCus on flExibility 299-4844 • TUESDAYS, 2:15-3:15pm - Gentle exercise class with focus on flexibility, balance, body alignment and breathing. Includes standing, floor and chair exercises. Free. Held at Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Road

THE ABILITY TO HEAL & BE HEALED Healing Touch Certificate Program, 18 CE’s for RN’s, LMBT’s

May 7-8, 2016

Classes will be held in Brevard, NC at Transylvania Regional Hospital

Ask about Level 2 dates Contact Karen Benson: 828.215.6565 KarenToledoBenson@hotmail.com

Judy Lynne Ray, Instructor, MS, CHTI

JubilEE CoMMunity ChurCh 46 Wall St., 252-5335, jubileecommunity.org • TU (4/26), 7-9pm - “Receive Reiki Energy,” introduction to reiki with Odilia Forlenza.

Registration: 707-3530. $15. lEiCEstEr CoMMunity CEntEr 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 774-3000, facebook. com/Leicester.Community.Center • MONDAYS, 6pm - Christian based yoga. Free. rEd Cross blood drivEs redcrosswnc.org Appointment and ID required.

• WE (4/27), 8am-12:30pm Appointments & info.: 259-5813.

Held at Asheville Fire & Police Department, 100 Court Plaza

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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support groups adult ChildrEn of alCoholiCs & dysfunCtional faMiliEs adultchildren.org • Visit mountainx.com/support for full listings. al-anon/ alatEEn faMily groups 800-286-1326, wnc-alanon.org • A support group for the family and friends of alcoholics. For full listings, visit mountainx.com/ support. alCoholiCs anonyMous • For a full list of meetings in WNC, call 254-8539 or aancmco. org ashEvillE woMEn for sobriEty 215-536-8026, womenforsobriety.org • THURSDAYS, 6:30-8pm – Held at YWCA of Asheville, 185 S French Broad Ave. aspErgEr’s adults unitEd facebook.com/ WncAspergersAdultsUnited • 4th SATURDAYS, 2-5pm Occasionally meets additional Saturdays. Contact for details.

Held at Earth Fare South, 1856 Hendersonville Road aspErgEr’s tEEns unitEd facebook.com/groups/ AspergersTeensUnited • For teens (13-19) and their parents. Meets every 3 weeks.

Contact for details. brainstorMEr’s CollECtivE 254-0507, puffer61@gmail.com • 3rd THURSDAYS, 6-7:30pm - For brain injury survivors and supporters. Held at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road brEast CanCEr support group 213-2508 • 3rd THURSDAYS, 5:30pm - For breast cancer survivors, husbands, children and friends.

Held at SECU Cancer Center, 21 Hospital Drive CodEpEndEnts anonyMous 398-8937 • TUESDAYS 7:30pm - Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 370 N. Louisiana Ave. Suite G4 • WEDNESDAYS, 7-8pm & SATURDAYS, 11am – Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. • FRIDAYS, 5:30pm - Held at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, 556 S. Haywood, Waynesville dEbtors anonyMous debtorsanonymous.org

• MONDAYS, 7pm - Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. dEprEssion and bipolar support allianCE 367-7660, depressionbipolarasheville.com • WEDNESDAYS, 7pm & SATURDAYS, 4pm – Held at 1316-C Parkwood Road diabEtEs support 213-4788, laura.tolle@msj.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 3:30pm - In room 3-B. Held at Mission Health, 509 Biltmore Ave. EhlErs-danlos syndroME support group ednf.org/support-groups • 4th SATURDAYS, 10-11:50am - Monthly meeting. Free. Held at Mission My Care Plus, 310 Long Shoals Road, Arden food addiCts anonyMous 423-6191 or 301-4084 • THURSDAYS, 6pm - Held at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 1 School Road • SATURDAYS, 11am- Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 370 N. Louisiana Ave. Suite G4 four sEasons CoMpassion for lifE 233-0948, fourseasonscfl.org • THURSDAYS, 12:30pm - Grief support group. Held at SECU Hospice House, 272 Maple St., Franklin • TUESDAYS, 3:30-4:30pm Grief support group. Held at Four Seasons - Checkpoint, 373 Biltmore Ave. gaMblErs anonyMous gamblersanonymous.org • THURSDAYS, 6:45pm - 12-step meeting. Held at Basillica of St. Lawrence, 97 Haywood St. griEf proCEssing support group 452-5039, haymed.org/ locations/the-homestead • 3rd THURSDAYS, 4-5:30pm - Bereavement education and support group. Held at Homestead Hospice and Palliative Care, 127 Sunset Ridge Road, Clyde lifE and griEf CirClE griefcircle.net • 2nd & 4th TUESDAYS, 6pm - Layperson support group for grief. Held at Swannanoa Valley Friends Meetinghouse, 137 Center Ave., Black Mountain lifE liMiting illnEss support group 386-801-2606 • TUESDAYS, 6:30-8pm - For adults managing the challenges of life limiting illnesses. Held at Secrets of a Duchess, 1439 Merrimon Ave.MindfulnEss

and 12 stEp rECovEry avl12step@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS, 7:30-8:45pm Mindfulness meditation practice and 12 step program. Held at Asheville 12-Step Recovery Club, 370 N. Louisiana Ave. Suite G4 nar-anon faMily groups nar-anon.org • WEDNESDAYS, 12:30pm Held at First United Methodist Church of Hendersonville, 204 6th Ave. West, Hendersonville • TUESDAYS, 7pm - Held at West Asheville Presbyterian Church, 690 Haywood Road national allianCE on MEntal illnEss wnC 505-7353, namiwnc.org, namiwc2015@gmail.com • 4th MONDAYS, 11am Connection group for individuals dealing with mental illness. Held at NAMI Offices, 356 Biltmore Ave. our voiCE 44 Merrimon Ave. Suite 1, 28801, 252-0562, ourvoicenc.org • Ongoing drop-in group for female identified survivors of sexual violence. ovErCoMErs of doMEstiC violEnCE 665-9499 • WEDNESDAYS, noon-1pm Held at First Christian Church of Candler, 470 Enka Lake Road, Candler ovErCoMErs rECovEry support group rchovey@sos-mission.org • MONDAYS, 6pm - Christian 12-step program. Held at SOS Anglican Mission, 1944 Hendersonville Rd. ovErEatErs anonyMous • Regional number: 277-1975.

Visit mountainx.com/support for full listings. rECovEring CouplEs anonyMous recovering-couples.org • MONDAYS 6pm - For couples where at least one member is recovering from addiction. Held at Foster Seventh Day Adventists Church, 375 Hendersonville Road rEfugE rECovEry 225-6422, refugerecovery.org Buddhist path to recovery from addictions of all kinds.

• FRIDAYS, 7-8:30pm & SUNDAYS, 6-7:30pm - Held at Urban Dharma, 29 Page Ave. • TUESDAYS, 7pm - Held at Shambhala Meditation Center, 60 N Merrimon Ave #113 s-anon faMily groups 258-5117, wncsanon@gmail.com • For those affected by anoth-

er’s sexual behavior. Confidential meetings available; contact for details. sEx addiCts anonyMous saa-recovery.org/Meetings/ UnitedStates For those interested in stopping their addictive sexual behavior.

• MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS, 6pm - Held at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 789 Merrimon Ave. • SUNDAYS, 7pm - Held at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St. shifting gEars 683-7195 • MONDAYS, 6:30-8pm - Groupsharing for those in transition in careers or relationships. Contact for location. sMart rECovEry smartrecovery.org • THURSDAYS, 6pm - Info: 4070460 Held at Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave. • SUNDAYS, 7pm - Info: 9258626. Held at Crossroads Recovery Center, 440 East Court St., Marion • SUNDAYS, 6-7:30pm - Held at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road sunrisE pEEr support voluntEEr sErviCEs facebook.com/Sunriseinasheville • TUESDAYS through THURSDAYS, 1-3pm - Peer support services for mental health, substance abuse and wellness.

Held at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road supportivE parEnts of transKids spotasheville@gmail.com • 4th WEDNESDAYS, 6pm - For parents to discuss the joys, transitions and challenges of parenting a transkid. Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St. sylva griEf support melee@fourseasonscfl.org • TUESDAYS, 10:30am - Held at Jackson County Department on Aging, 100 Country Services Park, Sylva t.h.E. CEntEr for disordErEd Eating 337-4685, thecenternc.weebly.com • WEDNESDAYS, 7-8pm – Adult support group, ages 18+. Held in the Sherill Center at UNCA. undErEarnErs anonyMous underearnersanonymous.org • TUESDAYS, 6pm - Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St.

grEEn sCEnE

meet, Greet and eat better Connect with farmers and their philosophies at tailgate markets

BY ABIgAIL gRIFFIn agriffin@mountainx.com With springtime and warmer weather finally underway here in the mountains comes the opportunity to head outdoors to our local tailgate markets. While some of them won’t set up their tents until mid-May, most tailgate markets have already begun their season.

Western North Carolina provides a bounty of regional tailgate and farmers markets to explore — where you can enjoy fresh, locally grown produce, eggs and meat, plus fruits and berries, not to mention baked goods, flowers, herbs, a wide variety of specialty products, cooking demonstrations, live music and entertainment.

But you’ll find more than fresh food and the opportunity to fill your refrigerator. Shopping at tailgate markets is, at its core, a way to support farmers, build community and forge relationships with the people who grow the food we eat, says molly nicholie, program director of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, WNC’s nonprofit dedicated to helping local farms thrive and linking farmers to markets. “One thing that people really love about farmers markets is going back week after week, developing relationships and meeting the farmers and food producers in the community,” nicholie notes. “It is also a really fun way to see new faces that are cropping up during the season.”

Old and new faces alike are virtually guaranteed. With over 200 farmers listed on ASAP’s website for the Central Mountain area alone, and over 700 farms listed for the larger “Appalachian Grown” region, you’ll find lots of familiar vendors, along with many new farmers and some new, creative farming practices.

For example, new this year, Sunburst Farmer & Chef is putting its fish wastewater to use to grow basil. “Sunburst Farmer & Chef is doing aquaponics,” nicholie explains. “So you can get basil right now at the West Asheville Farmer’s Market – which of course is out of

tailgatE shopping strEngthEns rElationships: When you ask people why they shop at a tailgate market, everyone has a

slightly different answer, says Molly Nicholie of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. “Everyone has their own reason for shopping at their particular market. I think a lot of it is really based in relationships – and wanting a direct connection with who is growing your food.” Photo courtesy of ASAP season – but they are growing it in their greenhouse.”

Last year, cucumbers were available a month early at the Asheville City Market and the North Asheville Market due to farmer danny mcconnell’s creative greenhouse growing practices.

According to ASAP people were asking him, “Where are you buying these? Are you getting them from Florida?” He

showed disbelievers pictures of himself standing in the greenhouse with his cucumber plants to prove that they were, in fact, grown locally.

“There are all these new fun, new sellers and new farming practices that are coming into the market every year,” Nicholie says.

And as the seasons change, you’ll find a parade of new items for sale at

the markets, which offer shoppers a simple way to stay in touch with the local growing season. In addition to staples, farmers are also growing different varieties of foods that you won’t see at the local grocery store.

“A fun way to eat your way through the seasons,” Nicholie says, “is to see

contInues on PAge 44

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g rE En s CE n E what is coming up next at the Farmers Market. Each week you can see creative and new varieties, but also the staples that let you know, ‘Oh, its going to be tomato season soon!’”

Preparing to shop at a tailgate market isn’t all that different from getting

ready to go to your usual grocery store.

There are the basics of bringing your own bags and making sure that you know what form of payment is acceptable. But also consider bringing along a sunhat or some sunscreen. And it’s fun to bring a friend and a healthy dose of curiosity.

“Ask people about their farms and the story behind their farms – because that is really going to help you build your relationships with the different farms [and find] the farmers that you connect with,” Nicholie says. “That is a good way to start building relationships and finding

the farm that fits with your values of how things are grown.”

For more information about local tailgate markets and farmers, go to appalachiangrown.org. You can also find a weekly market report from ASAP on fromhere.org. X

asheville markets • asheville City market 80 Broadway St. Saturdays 8am-noon Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • asheville City market – south Town Square Blvd., Biltmore Park Town Square Wednesdays noon-4pm

Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • east asheville Tailgate market 954 Tunnel Road Opens May 6, Fridays 3-6pm Credit/Debit • French Broad Food Co-op tailgate market 76 Biltmore Avenue

Wednesdays 2-6pm Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • north asheville Tailgate market UNCA, University Heights Blvd., Parking lot P28 Saturdays 8am-noon Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • Oakley Farmers market

115 Fairview Road Opens May 5, Thursdays 3:30-6:30pm Credit/Debit • raD Farmers market 175 Clingman Avenue Opens May 4, Wednesdays 2-6pm Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP

• West asheville Tailgate market 701 Haywood Road Tuesdays 3:30-6:30pm Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • WnC Farmers market 570 Brevard Road Open Year Round, Everyday8am-6pm

area markets • Black mountain Tailgate market 130 Montreat Road, Black Mountain Opens May 7, Saturdays 9am-noon • flat rock farmers Market 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock Opens May 5, Thursdays 3-6pm • haywood’s historic Farmers market 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville Wednesdays & Saturdays,

8am-noon Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • henderson County Curb market 221 N. Church St. and 2nd Ave., Hendersonville Open Year Round, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays 8am2pm • henderson County Tailgate market 100 N. KingSt., Hendersonville Saturdays 7am-noon • Leicester Farmers market 338 Leicester Highway, Leicester

Saturdays 9am-2pm Credit/Debit • madison County Farmers & Artisans market Mars Hill University, Highway 213, Mars Hill Saturdays 9am-1pm Credit/Debit • mills river Farmers market 94 Schoolhouse Road, Mills River Saturdays 7am-noon EBT/SNAP • Original Waynesville Tailgate

market Opens May 14, Wednesdays & Saturdays 8am-noon 171 Legion Drive, Waynesville EBT/SNAP • saluda Tailgate market West Main St., Saluda Opens May 6, Fridays 4:30-6:30pm Credit/Debit, EBT/SNAP • sundays on the island Blanahasset Island, Marshall Sundays noon • Transylvania Farmers market

190 E. Main St., Brevard Saturdays 8am-noon Credit/Debit • Weaverville Tailgate market 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville Wednesdays 2:30-6:30pm Credit/Debit •’Whee market The Village of Forest Hills, Cullowhee Tuesdays 4-7pm • Yancey County Farmers market Town Center, Burnsville Saturdays 8:30am-12:30pm

Cele�ate Ear� Day wi� with B.B. Barns!

The Garden Gift Landscape Company

Create Outdoor Living Spaces w/ B.B.BARNS Landscape Services!

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APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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25% Off All Deciduous Trees Excludes: Japanese Maple Trees

Go to bbbarns.com to sign up for our weekly newsletter!

BBBARNS.COM GARDEN CENTER 828-650-7300

3377 SWEETEN CREEK RD. ARDEN, NC 28704

ECo ashEvillE grEEnworKs 254-1776, ashevillegreenworks.org • SA (4/23), 8am-1pm - Hard 2 Recycle Collection for hard two recycle household items. Free. Held at Asheville City Market Downtown, 161 S. Charlotte St.

in any size garden, including site considgarden maintenance, useful tools, & disease prevention, plus Q & A. Free, but please pre-register at 828-645-3937. Reems Creek Nursery, 70 Monticello Road, Weaverville, NC. www.reemscreek.com.

CrEation CarE allianCE of wnC creationcarealliance.org • TH (4/21), 5:30-7pm - General meeting with presentation by Vicki Garlock from Jubilee Community Church. Free. Held at First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St.

deners presentation regarding common

hEndErsonvillE trEE board 692-3026 • SA (4/23) - Volunteers install raised garden plots along Bearcat Loop Parkway. For more information: 697-3084.

buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/

rivErlinK 170 Lyman St., 252-8474 ext.11 • TH (4/21), 11:45am-2pm - Riverfront bus tour. Registration required. Free.

• TH (4/21), 6-9pm - Volunteer appreciation and recruitment party. Free. Held at RiverLink Park, 144 Riverside Drive • FR (4/22), 2:45-5pm - Van tour with a focus on our streamwater and RiverLink projects. Registration required. Free.

N. Main St., Weaverville

ashEvillE outdoor living Expo (pd.) Find fresh ideas for your yard, garden and home exterior. Dozens of local businesses showcasing landscaping, garden elements, decks and patios, stonework, siding, water features, and more. Over 30 talks and demonstrations by experts on gardening and landscape design. Get tips on summer entertaining from Williams-Sonoma. April 23, 10am-5pm and April 24, 10am-4pm.

WNC Ag Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher. • Admission $5 in advance, $10 at the door, kids free. ashevilleoutdoorliving.com hoME orCharding (pd.) SAT (4-23), 2 p.m. with Andrew Goodheart Brown. Andrew will discuss choosing your trees, siting your fruit for disease resistance and increased yield, recommended planting methods & more.

Andrew Goodheart Brown has taught permaculture around the world, and he brings his wealth of local and global knowledge to this class. Free, but please pre-register at 828-645-3937. Reems Creek Nursery, 70 Monticello Road, Weaverville, NC. www.reemscreek.com. organiC gardEning 101 (pd.) SAT (4-23), 10 a.m. with Ruth Gonzalez. Grow delicious food that is kidfriendly, pet-friendly, and Earth-friendly – and enjoy a full-of-vitality harvest…even on

NuRSERy

erations, soil improvement, planting, easy

CliMatE listEning proJECt ClimateListeningProject.org • FR (4/22), 5-7pm - Earth Day Celebration with film and reception. Registration required: goo.gl/Yo8nOg. Free to attend.

Held at The Collider, 1 Haywood St. Suite 401

farM & gardEn

REEMS CREEK

your deck! Ruth will discuss tips for success

bunCoMbE County MastEr gardEnErs 255-5522, buncombemastergardener.org • TH (4/21), 11:30am-1pm - Gardening in the Mountains Lecture Series: Master gar-

Dahlias & summer bulbs

70 Monticello Rd. Weaverville, NC I-26/Exit 18 828-645-3937

www.reemscreek.com

invasive plants. Free. Held at Buncombe County Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Road bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs library • SA (4/23), 2pm - Dr. Art Hulse presents about “Landscaping for Pollinators.”

Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41

CulturE’s EdgE 669-1965, culturesedge.net, culturesedge@earthaven.org • SA (4/23), 1-6pm- Moss workshop with Annie Martin. $30. Held at Earthaven Ecovillage, 5 Consensus Circle, Black Mountain grEEn opportunitiEs 398-4158, greenopportunities.org • SATURDAYS through (4/30), 1-5pm - Southside Community Garden volunteer workday. Free. Held at Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center, 133 Livingston St. grow food whErE pEoplE livE growfoodwherepeoplelive.org • Through (5/1) - Open registration for volunteering with Permblitz, installing gardens and fruiting shrubs on May 21. See website for full details and registration. Free. organiC growErs sChool 772-5846, organicgrowersschool.org • TU (4/26), 7-9pm - Get Growing! Organic Gardening Series: Hands-on tour of the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden. Subjects include: French intensive, square foot, hugelkultur and no-till. $20. Held at Dr. John Wilson Community Garden, 99 White Pine Drive, Black Mountain polK County friEnds of agriCulturE brEaKfast polkcountyfarms.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 7-8am - Monthly breakfast with presentations regarding agriculture. Admission by donation. Held at the 4-H Center, Locust St., Columbus

mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

45

food

local yolks for local folks

melaasheville.com

Whether from chickens, ducks or quail, eggs are on the menu at Asheville markets and restaurants

70 N. LexiNgtoN aveNue 828.225.8880

BY LIIsA AnDReAssen LiisaS66@gmail.com The new neighborhood hub with a distinctly independent flavor.

New Outdoor Patio!

Try Our New Brews:

Laurel Creek ESB, Middle Fork IPA, Lumber River WIT, Bradley Creek Amber

330 Rockwood Road, Arden

828-989-3747 millsriverbrewery.net

The chicken clearly rules the roost when it comes to American egg production and consumption, but duck and quail are increasingly holding their own. So, what’s different about them? How do they taste? Before reaching out to some of our local restaurateurs, I decided to do a little taste test of my own.

I visited an Asheville-area farmers market and stocked up. I decided the best way to really taste them was to hard-boil them — no fancy sauces, no special cooking methods, just a good old-fashioned, hard-boiled egg. Here’s what my personal taste test revealed: Quail: Tangy, dense, delicate and grassy. chicken: Earthy, mild and ordinary.

duck: Creamy and intense. It’s a rather ramped-up version of the chicken egg. The yolk is much larger than the chicken yolk.

With that behind me, I set out to discover some trade secrets. Are there tips for choosing and storing eggs? Where are local restaurants buying them? What are they doing with them? traci taylor, co-owner of Fig Bistro in Biltmore Village, says

330 Rockwood Road, Arden

828-989-3747

millsriverbrewery.net

Egg-CEllEnt: The incredible, edible egg comes in all shapes, colors, sizes and types. In addition to chicken eggs, duck

and quail eggs are becoming increasingly popular at Asheville restaurants and tailgate markets. Photo by Cindy Kunst

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she gets her eggs from Mountain Food Products distributors, local farmers and tailgate markets. She prefers local, organic and cagefree eggs (for all the obvious reasons) and says that freshness and proper storage in the refrigerator in a dry container are what make a great egg.

What does she look for when picking them out?

“It’s a bit technical, but if you hold an egg up to a light in a dark room, there will be an air gap at the blunt end of the egg if it is older. And of course, look for cracks and maybe discoloration,” she cautions.

She says she uses duck eggs in much the same way as chicken eggs. Quail eggs she uses for smaller, more decadent recipes, as well as “over-the-top garnishes,” or for cracking over steak tartare. jacob sessoms, executive chef at Table, says he sources his eggs from Farside Farms in Woodfin. “I buy fresh and locally produced; I trust what they’re being fed,” he says. He explains that a chicken with a well-balanced diet will yield an egg that is high in protein, and the yolk will be deep in color, firm in texture and rich in flavor.

He adds that quail and duck eggs are also great. “We use quail eggs frequently in canapés for their ideal size and duck eggs on heartier plates where a higherprotein content egg is appropriate. The protein of a duck egg is higher, so the white cooks firmer and quicker,” he explains.

When a café has a name like Over Easy Café, you can well imagine that eggs are pretty important to its bottom line. carson lucci, owner of the downtown eatery, says that eggs are in about 90 percent of the dishes on the menu, so quality is critical to success. Over Easy chooses to buy its eggs from Queen B Farms in Mebane, which is about three hours east of Asheville.

“They have great ethics in raising their birds,” she says. “The chicken, ducks and turkeys are never debeaked, never forced into molting and are not fed any GMO crops. They are also not given hormones or antibiotics.”

While Queen B Farms’ chickens are not 100 percent vegetarianfed because out on the pasture they will naturally eat bugs and worms, they are moved to fresh grass as needed. They are allowed to spread their wings, nest and to

Green chili strata in individual tortilla bowls North Lodge on Oakland Makes 12 servings 12 fajita-size flour tortillas 12 eggs 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided) 1 small can diced green chilis 2½ cups half-and-half 2 slices of white bread, crusts removed and cut into cubes 4 tablespoons green onion, chopped (reserve the ends for garnish) 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon salt Dash of cayenne pepper Dash of chili powder 1/3 cup biscuit mix (such as Bisquick) Sour cream Line large muffin tins with flour tortillas to form bowls. In a mixing bowl, blend eggs, half-and-half, green onion, salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder and biscuit mix. Set aside. To assemble, layer half of the cheddar cheese in the bottoms of the tortilla bowls, then add the bread cubes (distributed evenly), then the diced chilis. Pour the egg mixture over the layers and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done in the center. Remove the entire bowl from the muffin pan and place on plate. Garnish with sour cream and green onion. X

duck vs. quail Quails eggs: Smaller than chicken eggs, with speckled shells. They have higher protein and cholesterol amounts, and have a higher yolkto-white ratio. The cholesterol they do contain is mostly the “good” kind, so they are a healthy alternative to chicken eggs. Fun fact: The spots on a quail egg are unique to each hen, like fingerprints are to a human.

take dust baths — all natural behaviors. The birds are also certified by the National Poulty Improvement Plan. “A great egg comes from a happy chicken,” Lucci says. cindy broaddus, innkeeper at North Lodge on Oakland, a bed-and-breakfast near Biltmore Village, also prefers to purchase her eggs locally at farmers markets, and free-range and organic are her personal choices. “They just have a richer flavor,” she says.

duck eggs: Larger than chicken eggs. They tend to be white, light green or even black. Their shells are also tougher which gives them a slightly longer shelf life. The yolk is darker and larger, so it’s not surprising that nutritionally you’ll also get twice the cholesterol from a duck egg than you’d get from a chicken egg. They have less water content, which means the white of the egg can be rubbery if overcooked. X

She recently tried her hand at a duck egg crème brulée she describes as “fantastic.” One of Broaddus’ popular breakfast egg recipes is her green chili strata (see sidebar).

What’s the difference in cost among the three types of eggs? On average, per dozen, chicken eggs range $3 to $4; duck eggs run $5 to $10; and quail eggs are anywhere from $6 to $12.

So, are you ready to do your own taste test? Egg-cellent. X

breakfast breakfast served served all all day day Breakfast Biscuits Daily Benedicts Biscuit Quiche

lunch at 11:00 Unique classics served on biscuits.

Gluten-free options available.

Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches, Milkshakes, Boylan Soda Floats, Coffee Frappes 372 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28801

828.774.5400

www.ashevillebiscuitry.com mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

47

Attention Singer/Songwriters!

INFO ABOUT WORKSHOPS, MENTORSHIPS & SHOWCASES:

www.serfa.org

Southeast Regional Folk Alliance

May 18-22, 2016

Montreat Conference Center

FooD

by Hannah Sentenac

hannah.sentenac@gmail.com

brotHer wolf launcHes veGan advocacy arm An ambitious new campaign for compassion

20% Off Any Order Dine-in or Take-out

Excludes alcohol, can not be combined with any other offers or specials, limit one per table, $20 max value. Valid at Tunnel Road location only. Offer expires 4/30/16.

Drawing our inspiration from the countries of Greece and Italy, we tempt the palate with three separate menus (Lunch, Dinner, and Sunday Brunch) of diverse and innovative dishes using the freshest and finest ingredients.

Open 7 Days a Week!

1070 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC 28805 • 828.299.3032 48

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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rEaChing out: Brother Wolf Animal Rescue Outreach Director Rowdy Keelor is pictured with Spencer the pig and Lily the dog. Brother Wolf recently launched a new vegan advocacy arm, Asheville Vegan Outreach. Photo by Chelsea Bollhoefer

Asheville may be among America’s most vegan-friendly cities, but local supporters of the movement believe there’s always room for more Ashevilleans to abandon animal products. With its new Asheville Vegan Outreach campaign, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue hopes to win more Western North Carolina residents over to the benefits of a plantbased lifestyle.

“It just makes sense with our core ethic being uncompromised compassion,” explains BWAR’s outreach director rowdy Keelor of the impetus behind the new campaign.

“That in and of itself encompasses all animals. It doesn’t exclude any species just because one is typically known as a commodity and the other as family.” Keelor will lead the Asheville Vegan Outreach effort, along with a team of volunteers.

As a vegan organization, BWAR is unique in its field. Most similar nonprofit organizations are focused solely on companion animals, but Brother Wolf embraces the idea that all animals — including those typically raised for food — deserve protection.

The group is also a no-kill organization, meaning no animals are killed for population control, and euthanasia is reserved only for animals who are irremediably suffering or hopelessly dangerous, so the ethics of preserving life extend to all aspects of operations. The Asheville Vegan Outreach logo, which shows a dog’s face side by side with a pig’s, represents the similarities between farm and domestic animals.

“How can we love some [animals] so much but have this huge disconnect from others who are just as sentient and just as smart and want to live just as much?” Keelor asks.

The campaign has been in the works for a while, says Keelor. With two very passionate animal advocates at the helm of BWAR — founder denise bitz and executive director paul magee berry — the group has big plans for saving animals of all kinds. The recently launched Brother Wolf Animal Sanctuary, for example, is home to both dogs and cats and farm animals.

The AVO initiative is ambitious, and the team has spent months preparing for its launch. Programming will include pay-per-view events, where the AVO will give people $1 to watch a four-minute video about factory farming. The first screening will be of What Cody Saw, an undercover investigation piece by

Mercy for Animals.

In addition, the group will do presentations at local schools, introducing children to the concept of a vegan diet. They’ll also be leafletting and engaging in “chalktivism,” which refers to “placing pro-vegan chalk messages in strategically placed positions around the city,” explains Keelor. Eventually, AVO hopes to create all of its own advocacy content, from leaflets to videos to posters.

AVO will also host lectures and documentary screenings — hopefully monthly — and hang posters throughout the community with poignant messages and graphics. In the future, the group will roll out coaching and mentoring for people interested in going vegan.

Vegan Celebration Days are another key aspect of AVO’s efforts. At these monthly events, guests will gather at various locations to taste

vegan food samples and learn more about the lifestyle in a fun, fair-like setting. The effort kicked off on April 16 at West Village Market & Deli, featuring food from purveyors including No Evil Foods, Roots Hummus, Eden-Out and more, plus beer from Sanctuary Brewing Co., live music, door prizes, and more.

Keelor and his team are also planning a new event to launch this fall — the Taste of Vegan Asheville — which will showcase the city’s best plant-based eats. “We won’t have any extreme actions or protests,” he says.

“We’re here to educate and dialogue with people. We understand that this is a conversation. ... That we just don’t say ‘go vegan’ and walk away.

There’s a lot of support and nurturing and education that needs to go along with that.”

The goal of the AVO, says Keelor, is be the most active vegan outreach group in the region. “There’s a sense of urgency — not only for the animals dying by the hundreds of thousands every day — but for the environment,” he says. “We’re very convinced that industrial animal agriculture is a plague upon the planet. And we’re big believers in the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Our people have experienced it firsthand, and that’s showing compassion to our neighbors and families. We’ve got to get out there and work hard and get the word out now.”

Follow Asheville Vegan Outreach’s efforts at facebook.com/ AshevilleVeganOutreach. X

Healing our world: a deeper look at food what Asheville Vegan Outreach and THE BLOCK off biltmore present a lecture

by Dr. Will Tuttle, author of The World Peace Diet when 6-8 p.m. Sunday, April 24 where THE BLOCK off biltmore, 39 S. Market St. details Tuttle will talk about the food we choose, where it comes from and how it affects us physically, culturally and spiritually.

He will also discuss how to make positive changes that promote wellness and encourage wisdom. Visit theblockoffbiltmore.com for more information. X

24 Ever-changing Beers on tap!

Rezaz Wine Bar

Local, Family-owned

828-676-3060 | 1987 Hendersonville Rd. Mon-Thu 11am-8pm | Fri-Sat 11am-9pm craftroomgrowlers.com

Wine Flights, Local Draft Beer, & Snacks or Make It A Meal First Come, First Served 28 Hendersonville Rd | 828.277.1510 mountAInx.com

mojokitchen.biz APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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sMall bitEs

by Kat McReynolds | kmcreynolds@mountainx.com

alcHemy tearoom focuses on cHinese medicine With a master’s degree each in Chinese medicine from Asheville’s Daoist Traditions College, business partners emmy bethel and ashley Kuper are setting out to create a community resource that demystifies their chosen modality, making its multifaceted teachings more userfriendly. Alchemy — the duo’s group practice, which hinges around an onsite tearoom and apothecary — is open now in North Asheville.

“Chinese medicine is so much more than acupuncture. People don’t realize that it’s herbal medicine, it’s dietary therapy, it’s nutritional counseling, it’s oil therapy,” says Bethel. And healing can also involve simply bonding with a friend over tea, she adds. “That’s how we decided to use the tearoom as that bridge or intermediary between the world of medicine and the world of regular life.”

By keeping the café open for walkin customers throughout the week, the two hope to get alternative wellness off folks’ permanent to-do lists — even appealing to those who aren’t interested in the medicinal value of their afternoon pick-me-up. Guests can test the waters with Earl Grey or green tea before working up to rarer beverages like congee, turmeric-based golden milk, faux coffee made from roots or Alchemy’s seasonal classical Chinese tea blends.

And since nutrition is a key component of treatment, a homemade food menu will showcase recipes suggested by the clinic’s practitioners.

“The bone broth is one of the things that we’ll be offering, which we prescribe a lot as part of our treatment,” Kuper says. The beefbased brew is simmered for 24 hours and will be made in-house — initially under the guidance of bone supplier Intentional Swine — and available to-stay or to-go, including in frozen portions.

“It’s going to be good for anyone,” Bethel says, calling it a booster of vital resources that get lost in the daily buzz. “But if you were a patient here, we could prescribe you edible

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Table, 23 Central St., Sylva. $20 at the door. Visit communitytable.org or call 586-6782 for more details. vEgan ChEEsE and winE pairing This week, chef rhabb seymour of Udderly Not Cheese is presenting three of his plant-based cheese alternatives alongside drinks from Table Wine of South Asheville. His hand-crafted menu includes mozzarella di Tuscano with sundried tomatoes, dried sweet basil, sautéed garlic and red pepper flakes; chèvre with rosemary and balsamic swirl; and aged spicy cheddar cheese. A portion of ticket sales benefits the Blue Ridge Humane Society.

The tasting is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at Edible Musings, 109 Galloway Drive. $30. Visit avl.mx/2h9 to reserve a spot.

CoME onE, CoME all: Ashley Kuper, left, and Emmy Bethel, second from left, want Chinese medicine to be more accessible to the community, so they’ve organized their group practice in a café setting that’s open to the public. Also pictured are massage and bodywork therapist Toni Coradetti, second from right, and acupuncturist and herbalist Jeremy Noble. Photo by Sarahjane Case herbs and then you go home and cook the herbs in the bone broth.” With a chuckle, she likens this to Build-ABear Workshop’s herbal equivalent.

The business women note a commitment to sourcing ingredients as organically and locally as possible, which currently involves buying herbs from a consortium in southern Virginia. Some are prescribed in raw form, though much is further processed for sale in the tincture-heavy apothecary. When making derivative products like teas and broths and “pulling out the constituents that are deep within the plant or bone, you really have to use the highest quality possible,” Bethel adds.

“Otherwise, you’re taking the bad with the good.”

Alchemy is at 62 Clayton St. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Visit alchemyasheville.com for more information.

mountAInx.com

thE CoMMunity tablE’s EMpty bowl fundraisEr Empty bowl-themed fundraisers are a popular means of underscoring the issue of hunger while raising money to eradicate it. One such event — organized by The Community Table of Sylva — will harness the handiwork of local potters, who have donated their ceramic wares to the cause.

After attendees select a vessel, they can fill it with soup and bread and take it home as a keepsake. Dessert will be provided, along with draft root beer from sponsor Heinzelmännchen Brewery. Live music and a raffle round out the entertainment, and proceeds will help The Community Table “provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in need in a welcoming environment.”

The Empty Bowl event is 4-8 p.m., Friday, April 22, at The Community

MoJo KitChEn & loungE spotlights foothills brEwEry Chef a.j. gregson’s upcoming beer dinner features five courses plus beers from Foothills Brewery. After the hors d’oeuvres, he’ll serve ornate dishes like green tomato and citrus crab salad with soft goat cheese, tender greens, red onion marmalade and dehydrated jalapeno with charred lemon and mustard vinaigrette; grilled Sunburst Farms trout and mascarpone creamed farro with king oyster mushrooms, nettles, crispy onion petals, roasted garlic cream and tomato chutney; and for dessert, goat milk panna cotta and strawberries.

The dinner is at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Mojo Kitchen & Lounge, 55 College St. Tickets are $45 plus tax and gratuity. Accommodations can be made for vegans, vegetarians and non-beer drinkers. For reservations, email mojotacolounge@gmail.com or call 255-7767. X

WNC 2016 Let your views be known on issues facing our community!

Biggest Threat to Asheville’s Charm

Most Dysfunctional Intersection

Best Thing to Happen to Asheville

Best Community Garden

Best Environmental Nonprofit

Best Activist Group

Most Important News Story

Best Nonprofit Improving AVL ...and more!

VOTE IN WNC’S LARGEST WRITE-IN POLL! MOUNTAINX.COM/BESTOFWNC mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

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F ooD

bEEr sCout

by Jesse Farthing | Send your beer news to beer@mountainx.com

Habitat tavern and commons brews up a neighborhood feel matt addis says he started dreaming of opening a brewery almost immediately after he brewed his first beer. Now that dream is about to become a reality as he and jonathan myers prepare to open Habitat Tavern and Commons in May. “I fell in love with brewing in a way that I hadn’t with anything else,” Addis says about his first homebrewing experience. “It was one of those love-at-first-sight things. From the time I started doing it, I knew this is what I wanted to spend my life doing.”

Around seven years after his first stovetop brew, Addis is finally ready to open his first professional operation, but he and Myers aren’t content with launching just another brewery — they say they hope to turn Habitat into a multifunctional neighborhood gathering space.

“There are certain towns where the culture happens around pubs, and I’m really intrigued by that,” says Addis.

“I really feel like, if I want to get a feel for the neighborhood and what’s happening in town, that’s the space where that happens.”

Myers has experience in community organizing, which he hopes to leverage to help turn Habitat into the neighborhood space they envision. In the past, he’s started several small nonprofit organizations and even helped form a neighborhood space that hosted artist openings, theater troupes, concerts and more — all things the two are considering bringing into Habitat.

“It’s about connecting the dots in the neighborhood — connecting people who have similar passions and ideas and introducing collaborations,” Myers says. “I create space for communities to happen. We’re just going to put it to the neighborhood and ask what kind of space they would make.

That happens in Asheville anyway — people get together over a pint of beer and talk about what they want to create together.”

In fact, Habitat has plenty of space. Located in a 4,400-square-foot building next to Moog Music and High Five Coffee, the owners have

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to be nirvana,” says Addis. “It’s been a long journey for sure. We’re finally getting to spend all our energy and time on what we love.”

Habitat Tavern and Commons is scheduled to open at 174 Broadway sometime in May. For updates and details, visit habitatbrewing.com. sharpEn thE bladEs

whErE EvErybody Knows your naME: “We’re in a climate where if you make good beer, people will come,” says Matt Addis, right, pictured with co-owner Jonathan Myers. The two plan to turn Habitat Tavern and Commons into a neighborhood hangout. Photo by Jesse Farthing ample room to house the planned 2-barrel brewing system and much more.

Though Habitat will likely open as a pub with guest taps before getting all of the required brewing permits, Addis says they have a number of beer recipes ready.

“Right now, we’ve got a Baltic porter, a stout, an IPA, an IRA and a pale ale,” he says. “I’m still working on perfecting some specifically Carolina things. We’re hoping to have four or five standards and a couple rotating.”

Other local breweries have run into problems with names, and, unfortunately, Habitat is no exception. A vineyard in California distributes a wine with the name Habitat on the label, and according to Addis, the “patent office won’t even look at anything alcoholrelated unless there’s an agreement to coexist,” so the two are currently try-

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ing to work out a deal so they can use the name.

“We chose the name four years ago,” Addis says. “Habitat, for us, became an idea of a biosphere that sustains the life around it. … Not that we necessarily want to lay it out that deeply. I like that it’s vague enough that you don’t have to think about it just to walk through the door, but if you’re looking for something a little more intentional, it’s certainly there.”

Addis and Myers remain optimistic, but they’re brewing up other ideas if the worst-case scenario happens, and one thing is certain — the “Tavern and Commons” name will remain, no matter the umbrella label.

And regardless of the name, the owners are eagerly looking forward to opening to the public. “The first day that I sell a pint of beer to somebody is going

It’s almost time for Burial Beer’s Sharpen the Blades Fest — a celebration of saison-style beer from 35 North Carolina breweries that happens Saturday, April 30.

“This is the third year that Burial has hosted Sharpen the Blades Saison Fest,” says Burial’s jess reiser. “It is an event that celebrates a specific style of beer, the talent and passion in the local North Carolina craft beer community and the beginning of a new season of agriculture.”

Salt and Smoke will be cooking up seasonally inspired plates until 9 p.m., and East Coast Dirt and the Ouroboros Boys will provide live music 5-9 p.m.

Before the event, Burial will host a special bottle release at 11 a.m. featuring Terrestrial Paradise, a farmhouse ale bottled-conditioned with mango juice and wild yeast, and Garden of Earthly Delights, a saison aged on tangerine peel, fresh cucumber and turmeric. People who come for the bottle release will be able to prepurchase their entry into the festival.

Sharpen the Blades Fest begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at Burial Beer Co., 40 Collier Ave. Admission is $8 and includes a 10-ounce commemorative glass and two pour tokens. Extra tokens cost $2, and each token grants a 5-ounce sample of any of the beers featured. editor’s note: This issue of Xpress marks the last Beer Scout offering from writer Jesse Farthing, who has covered the Asheville brewery beat for the past several months. Cheers to Jesse as he moves on to other adventures! X

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a r t s & E n t E r ta i n M E n t

makinG room

Two new art spaces ready to open in Asheville

BY thomAs cALDeR tcalder@mountainx.com UNC Asheville and the Asheville Area Arts Council are in the early stages of renovating two unaffiliated buildings. Though both stand empty for the time being, excitement echoes in those hallways because the projects promise innovative new approaches to artmaking.

The Refinery Creator Space, the arts council’s new location on Coxe Avenue, rethinks the 15,000 square feet that used to house a homeless shelter in what is now known as the South Slope Innovation District. “We really want to create a place where artists can explore, innovate, collaborate and provide increased opportunities to showcase the results,” says jen gordon, the gallery studio manager of that property.

Broken up into several spaces of different sizes, the Refinery will offer 13 individual artist studios, four or five cooperative rooms, an event area, gallery, kitchenette and resource library.

“It has always been our goal to provide support for working artists with an economy of scale that an institution like ours can offer in terms of market opportunity, training, access to resources and the like,” says Kitty love, executive director of the arts council.

The cooperative component will involve anchor tenants, including Local Cloth, Mechanical Eye Microcinema, Asheville Makers and production ceramicist nick moen. These specific occupants will lease larger spaces within the Refinery, but will receive subsidies on their rent for sharing tools and workspace with members of the Refinery.

Membership itself will involve a vetting process. In this way, anchor tenants can be assured that only qualified applicants, capable of safely and skillfully using shared tools and space, are offered the 25-hour-per-week access.

Once accepted, members may also receive discounted rates on classes, access to exhibition opportunities in The Refinery gallery and possible discounts on event rentals. Further details, such as the cost of membership, are still being worked out by the arts council.

An ambitious and adventurous undertaking is also underway at UNC

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if you build it: UNC Asheville faculty members gather inside their new facility at the RAMP, scheduled to open in the fall.

Photo courtesy of David Allen Asheville. In the fall, the university anticipates opening the River Arts Makers Place on Riverside Drive. jackson martin, assistant professor of art, sees the facility as a great way to attract prospective students. While offering tours of the campus, Martin says he had to excuse cluttered hallways and limited room.

Now, with 11,575 square feet to work with, he’s excited to showcase the university’s state-of-the-art “makerspace.” brent skidmore, assistant professor of art and art history, agrees with the new potential that the space provides.

He notes that in the past, the university has struggled “to recruit art majors due to the lack of 21st-century studios and equipment.” He views the RAMP facility — which will be outfitted with new equipment for 3-D modeling and printing along with water jet, laser and plasma cutters, in addition to multiple forms of metal fabrication equipment and a woodworking facility — as a place that nurtures students in both single and multidisciplinary research projects.

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Cross-disciplinary learning through collaboration will be a major component at the RAMP location. rebecca bruce, professor and associate director of engineering, views the facility as a chance for art students to learn how to use “mathematical abstractions to analyze the functionality of their designs” from engineers and computer scientists, while those techies can learn from art students about the aesthetics in their work.

Skidmore also sees the RAMP facility as a way of bringing together college students with those in elementary, middle and high school. He envisions working in programs that connect art and science. “These efforts will be driven by both volunteer and curricular objectives likely involving robotics, woodworking, and design both physical and virtual,” he says.

Collaboration was a crucial element in getting both projects off the ground.

A $500,000 grant from the Windgate Charitable Foundation, an equipment grant of $400,000 from Duke Energy

Foundation and $100,000 from North Carolina State University all went into UNCA’s new site. RAMP owners eddie dewey, rick eckerd, tom oreck and brent starck, who lease the property to the university, contributed over $57,000 in upgrades.

Skidmore acknowledges that it is unique for the university to have a lease, but a 10-year agreement emphasizes the new administration’s “forward thinking and interest in being engaged with the community.” UNCA will share the overall 100,000-square-foot facility with a variety of creative neighbors and businesses, including Cheap Joe’s Art Supply and Astral Design. Skidmore hopes the shared space will offer greater synergy to UNCA students, as well as possible professional connections.

Partnerships played a major role in AAAC’s development of the Refinery, as well. In October 2015, mike figura of Mosiac Reality, along with his partners at East West Capital, approached Gordon to see if she’d be interested

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in helping them curate the space for working artists. “When we put this property under contract, we were not sure what we were going to do with the building,” says Figura. “But we knew that it was well-suited for an arts studio, and we asked if [the arts council] wanted to partner with us on running it.”

AAAC is hopeful to have the Refinery’s doors open within the next few months but remains realistic about the process ahead. “The co-op won’t be fully developed the minute we open,” says Love. “But we expect pieces to fall in place as the community recognizes the rewards that membership offers.”

UNCA anticipates its new space to be available in time for the fall semester, and its faculty looks forward to the location’s potential. “Any one student working by themselves can only do so much,” says Martin. “Four or five students will be able to get together and soar.”

For more information on AAAC’s Refinery, visit ashevillearts.com or contact Jen Gordon at jen@ashevillearts. com. A website for UNC’s RAMP facility is underway. X

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WNC 2016 blanK Canvas: The facade of AAAC’s The Refinery Creator Space signifies the potential of the property itself. The Refinery will house artist studios, a gallery and more. A local artist will be selected to paint the building’s mural. Photo courtesy of Jen Gordon

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Sara Gruen headlines this year’s Blue Ridge Bookfest

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“Once again, our bookfest will deliver on the promise that readers will really meet and get to know writers,” says bill ramsey, one of the organizers of the annual Blue Ridge Bookfest. The event, now in its eighth year, is held at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock on Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23. And not only will readers, writers and fans of local literature be able to attend workshops and presentations by authors, and wander an exhibit hall where dozens of local writers will sign books and discuss their work with readers one-on-one — “They will leave feeling connected to sara gruen as a person and not just as a best-selling author,” says Ramsey.

Gruen, who penned Water for Elephants, Apehouse, At the Water’s Edge and other titles, is this year’s featured author. Her novels have been translated into 43 languages and have sold more than 10 million copies around the globe. But despite worldwide fame, Gruen (a native of Canada) calls Western North Carolina home. She’ll speak at the festival’s opening event on Friday evening.

That ticketed reception, followed by a public interview with a marquee author, is a recurring feature of the bookfest. In the past, the festival has hosted robert morgan, ron rash, wiley cash and elizabeth Kostova.

The conversation with Gruen will embody the mission behind Blue Ridge Bookfest, which was founded to connect writers with readers.

“If you turn over a rock in WNC, there’s a writer under it,” Ramsey says. As an author in his own right, he knows how difficult it can be for writers to reach out to the public. “Individual book signings for small audiences are just not worth it,” he says. “I know how challenging it can be to get people interested in a book — the writing is hard, but the harder part is getting the word out to the community.”

Bridging that gap is one of the bookfest’s chief goals, and the local writing community has responded with enthusiasm. This year, organizers received twice as many applications for space and presentation slots than they could accommodate.

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novEl ConCEpt: Blue Ridge Bookfest was founded in 2008 by Flat Rock resident Bob Greenwald. Bill Ramsey, far left, one of the festival organizers, confers with featured author Ken Grossman in 2015. Author Sara Gruen, right, will be interviewed on Friday evening. Photo on left courtesy of Blue Ridge Bookfest; photo on right by Tasha Thomas Blue Ridge Bookfest offers aspiring authors more than just an audience, however. On Friday afternoon, three free workshops are aimed at educating writers about their craft.

One focuses on grammar while another introduces authors to the lucrative fields of ghost writing and copy writing. In addition, the festival will include a third free workshop on genealogy and family history geared toward those who, as Ramsey puts it, “want to learn to write just quietly for themselves.”

The organizers intend for the bookfest to serve readers as well. In keeping with this goal — and along the lines of this year’s theme, “Mountain Life: Then and Now” — presentations on Saturday afternoon will look at two local legends. Literary giants Thomas Wolfe and Carl Sandburg will be represented by tom muir of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in Asheville and ginger hollingsworth of the Sandburg Home National Monument in Flat Rock.

“Those two writers characterize the writing life in North Carolina,” Ramsey says. He hopes that the presentations will give readers a fresh insight into these writers’ works and the writing

process in general. Ramsey adds that the festival is thrilled to be able to host Muir and Hollingsworth. “They fit the theme so ideally, and they were so enthusiastic about joining us,” he says.

A dozen contemporary authors are also scheduled to present on

what Blue Ridge Bookfest, blueridge.edu/ blueridgebookfest where Blue Ridge Community College 180 West Campus Drive Technology Education & Development Center Flat Rock when Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23.

See website for workshop times.

Most events are free.

The opening reception is Friday, April 22, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $25

Saturday, in sessions that will explore topics including historical fiction, poetry, children’s books and other genres.

Outside of the presentations, the bookfest will also host an exhibit hall, with book sales managed by Malaprop’s Bookstore. According to Ramsey, the hall is the perfect set-

ting for informal encounters between writers and the public they hope to engage. It’s also the organizer’s favorite part of the event. “What I always enjoy is just watching and listening to the exchange as our visitors have dialogue with writers,” he says.

“It’s fun to be in the room to hear the enthusiasm.” X

found fiction Stories come from any number of sources — family history, overheard conversations and found objects make the list. For author julia franks, the tale in her new book, Over the Plain Houses, came at least in part from an old homestead in Marshall.

She and her then-husband purchased a farm in 2008. The property included a house from 1865, abandoned along with its previous inhabitant’s belongings.

“The old lady who’d lived there had been a meticulous hoarder. She’d preserved all these items that were meaningful to her: baby clothes, animal bones, locks of hair, bearskins, insect hives,” Franks says in a press release. “One little jar had a scrap of paper in it that read: ‘Fingernail, 1959,Wilson’s truck door.’ And the fingernail was in there too.”

The period story that evolved from Franks’ experience is of Irenie (the wife of the local preacher, Brodis) and Virginia Furman (a USDA agent sent into the mountains). Their friendship is threatened by Brodis, who is suspicious of the government and fears the changes of modern life that find their way into his rural community. The novel, according to a release from Spartanburg, S.C.-based publisher Hub City Press, is “written with a Southern lyricism that will appeal to fans of Ron Rash and Cormac McCarthy.”

In addition to appearing at Blue Ridge Bookfest on Saturday, April 23, Franks will read at Malaprop’s the same day, at 7 p.m. malaprops.com — Alli Marshall X

EChoEs of thE past: Author Julia Franks presents her new book, Over the Plain Houses, at Blue Ridge Bookfest and at Malaprop’s. Author photo by Holly Sasnett

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by Timothy Burkhardt

burkhardttd@gmail.com

a dinner witH draGons Lex 18 hosts Game of Thrones-themed banquets Local supper club and moonshine bar Lex 18 is already known for its vintage atmosphere and thematic banquet dinners — often celebrating the jazz age and Prohibition era to which its Lexington Avenue building dates. But this spring the venue looks further back in time for a medieval-themed Feast of Thrones every Sunday evening from April 24 to June 26.

“Game of Thrones,” the HBO fantasy series based on the writings of George R.R. Martin, is the inspiration for this run of Sunday dinner shows. The program consists of complex political intrigues, evil knights, brave queens and three terrifying dragons.

At Lex 18, the gilded walls will be hung with banners featuring the house sigils of all the powerful lords and ladies of Westeros

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(the setting of “Game of Thrones”).

The Lannister lion, the triple-headed dragon of House Targaryen and the Stark dire wolf share equal positions, signifying the truce that has been called within House Lexington.

Allies and bitter enemies will break bread together in harmony — and take in a screening of each week’s new episode. Guests are asked to attend in costume and encouraged to play along.

“Most of this, from a performance base, is really about letting people come up with their own cosplay experience,” says Lex 18 owner georgia malki. “People want context and content, and then they want to act out.

They want to either be passive and watch, or be an extrovert and be John Snow, or one of the Starks, or whomever. We just give them enough texture points and context to have fun.”

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Eat, drinK, bE MErry: The Feast of Thrones evenings are “really about letting people come up with their own cosplay experience,” says Lex 18 owner Georgia Malki. “People want context and content, and then they want to act out.” Photo by Matthew Baker To achieve the setting, furnishings are draped in furs. There’s a golden throne and platters of food served in a candlelight hall. Lutist lenny pettinelli and vocalist david boyd will sing madrigals while a cast of characters in full regalia recites sonnets and perform small bits of theater.

Local artists and designers are getting involved in the fantasy as well.

Accessory and clothing designers Organic Armor and Royal Peasantry, among others, will have fantasy-themed merchandise available for sale during the events. “We asked [local artists] here in Asheville to showcase some of their beautiful work because we think it adds wonderful texture to what people can do to make cosplay easy,” says Malki. “Put on a headdress and you’re done!” She adds that there will be costumes available for anyone who arrives unprepared, and guests not in costume should wear simple black or brown attire, with no visible logos.

If the dress code is established to encourage immersion in the medieval world, so is the bill of fare. Each evening will begin with a reception including “Thrones”-themed cocktails like the “North Wall,” the “Night Watch” and “Westeros Redeemed.” Ale and wine will be served in pewter tankards and goblets. A three-course meal based on feasts described in Martin’s

books will be served, with black sausages, salmon fragranced with lemon, honey and herbs, red and black quinoa, and a medieval fruit tart making the menu.

Due to limited space, the feast will be served “family camaraderie style,” with great wooden bowls in the center of each table from which guests will be able to fill their plates. Each weekend’s Feast of Thrones will host a maximum of 30 guests, to assure everyone has elbow room and a good view for the show.

“The viewing is the best part,” says Malki, “because you’re seeing it in your own intimate theater, as if you’re in a different world.” X

what A Feast of Thrones Fantasy Costume Dinner where Lex 18, 18 N. Lexington Ave. lex18avl.com when Sundays, April 24-June 26, at $44 per person most shows/ $60 per person for final event

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by Bill Kopp

bill@musoscribe.com

stay Green Celebrating Earth Day in and around Asheville First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day — held on Friday, April 22 — is one of the few nonreligious celebrations observed around the world. Nearly 200 countries have some kind of Earth Day commemoration. Western North Carolina is home to a number of Earth Dayrelated festivities and programs. Here’s a rundown of some of the most notable events. For more Earth Day happenings, visit the Community Calendar and mountainx.com.

• North Asheville Library celebrates earth day — Asheville Greenworks staffer Christine Brown will be on hand to help kids make crafts from recycled items and talk about how to love the Earth. The free event takes place at the North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., on Friday, April 22, 4-5p.m. avl.mx/2gr • Third annual Earth Day Film — The Organic Growers School, Green Opportunities, Bountiful Cities and Asheville GreenWorks are all local partners in Asheville’s Urban Agriculture Alliance, coming together to present this year’s film. Can You Dig This is a 2015 documentary that explores the “urban garden revolution” currently taking place in Los Angeles’ South Central district. The area is described as “one of the largest food deserts” in the U.S., and the gardening initiative — spearheaded in part by “gangster gardener” Ron Finley — aims to change that. A community discussion will follow the screening of the 80-minute film.

Shown at the Lenoir-Rhyne Asheville Campus, 36 Montford Ave., on Friday, April 22, 5:30 p.m. (film starts at 6 p.m.)

By donation at the door. avl.mx/2gs • Earth Day Pallet Party — The Eco Depot Marketplace (408 Depot St., No. 100), a brand-new River Arts District art space, is a mixed-use boutique with artist studios and display areas. It’s home to many local artists working with recycled materials. The focus of this free event is to showcase what artists can do using a wooden shipping pallet.

Artists will be present to discuss their work, and food and drink are available for purchase. Visitors can bid on art as well. Organizers describe this event as a grand opening or hard-hat party, depending on the city’s permitting department. Held Friday, April 22, 5-9p.m. avl.mx/2gt

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• Carolina Public Press Newsmakers forum: public lands in wnc — The event will include breakfast and a panel discussion with Forest Supervisor, Allen Nicholas of the U.S. Forest Service and Ecoregion Supervisor Gordon Warburton of NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

Their focus will be on the the challenges and opportunities facing the region’s public lands and open spaces. The forum is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required. Those interested must sign up at carolinapublicpress.org. The event will be held at the United Way Building, in its 1st floor conference room at S. French Broad Ave., on Friday April 22, 8:30 a.m.

• Nahko and Medicine for the People: an earth day celebration — Describing himself as “a citizen in service to the planet,” world music collective frontman nahko bear weaves his environmentally conscious lyrics into a modern and earnest hippie-folk style that’s sure to find a warm and receptive audience in Asheville. This concert kicks off the 2016 season for New Mountain’s outdoor amphitheater (38 N. French Broad Ave.). Kim churchill opens the Friday, April 22, show at 7:30 p.m. $20/$25. newmountainavl.com • Greening Up the Mountains — This annual spring festival takes place at Jackson Park in Sylva, an hour’s drive west of Asheville. Organizers describe the event as “a celebration of renewal, of revitalization and a time of reconnecting with friends, relatives and neighbors” after the long winter. A kids area will offer fun activities for youngsters, and two stages will host live, local music all day. Craft, retail, art and food vendors will be on hand. A shuttle service will provide rides between parking at the Justice Center and Jackson Park for $1 per boarding.

Held Saturday, April 23, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Free. greeningupthemountains.com • Earth Day Kids’ Festival — RiverLink hosts this festival sponsored by FLS Energy. The celebration, held at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza (144 Riverside Drive), will feature games, crafts, live animals, a bouncy house, giant puppet performers, face painters, food trucks and much more. Many of WNC’s environmental organizations will be on hand to share news about their efforts and provide opportunities for getting involved. Saturday,

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party for thE planEt: With his insistent lyrics enjoining listeners to save the planet, Nahko Bear (and his band Medicine for the People) is a good fit for Earth Day observances. The April 22 show kicks off New Mountain Amphitheater’s 2016 season. Photo courtesy of Big Hassle Media April 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. avl.mx/2gw • Earth Day at Chimney Rock — Chimney Rock State Park rangers, along with biologists and other environmental educators, will be on hand to showcase the work being done to protect WNC’s landscape. The booths are set up behind the Old Rock Café in Chimney Rock Village, so admission to the park is not required to visit the exhibits. Held at Chimney Rock Village on Saturday, April 23, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. chimneyrockpark.com

• open house and earth day celebration — Take part in a full day of activities hosted by the Sandy Mush Community Center, 9 School Road, Big Sandy Mush. Events kick off at 11:30 a.m. with a hot dog cookout fundraiser for the Sandy Mush 4-H Club, with desserts provided by the Mountain Lady Farm Youth Project. A garden market with crafts, a school book history project and more runs from noon to 6 p.m., followed by a community potluck. For info, email sandymushcommunity@gmail.com X

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THE OFFICIAL GUIDE

Publishes Spring 2016 advertise@mountainx.com 828-251-1333 62

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by Dan Hesse

dhesse@mountainx.com

leisure olympics offers competition lEisurE tiME: A fundraiser at Hall Fletcher Elementary features leisure sports in competitive and noncompetitive divisions. The West Asheville Leisure Olympics will also feature music and a pizza potluck.

Leisure sport enthusiasts will have the chance next week to be king of cornhole, dominator of disc golf or the beast of bocce ball. Hall Fletcher Elementary will transform its space into the West Asheville Leisure Olympics on Saturday, April 23. WALO (pronounced “way low”) is open to the public as a fundraiser for the school and offers you a chance to solidify your presumed dominance in the competitive field of leisure sports.

The event is the brainchild of chris bickhart, a member of Hall Fletcher’s Parent Teacher Organization, father of two students and a self-professed

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leisure-sport enthusiast who loves any game you can play without breaking a sweat. “The great thing about yard games is that anyone can play them.

They are all-inclusive and you don’t have to be a star athlete to win. They are relaxing, almost meditative and more conducive to hanging out and conversing with friends.”

Bickhart says for those looking to take home the title, there will be two divisions, “The amateur division is for someone who wants to compete but may be intimidated by more experienced players. The pro division is for those who want stiffer competition in a

West Asheville Leisure Olympics raises money for Hall Fletcher

sport they may have been playing for years in their own backyard.” Both divisions will have two rounds leading to an eight-player, bracket-style finale. Events will be self-officiated with the honor code being the law of the land, Bickhart says. He notes rule sticklers need to remember the event is dubbed WALO for a reason.

Self-officiating shouldn’t be an issue, he adds. “We are relying on the integrity of our players and know that a contender’s deceitful actions will lay heavily on their guilt-ridden conscience. The rulings of the three sports are pretty cut and dry though, and leave little room for debate. It’s either in or out, closer or not.”

The pro division costs $13 to enter, and winners will score a $25 gift certificate from Black Dome Sports.

And if you’re inclined to keep your leisure sports on the down low, there will be a number of free, noncompetitive games for kicks and giggles, such as soft-tip lawn darts, washers, badminton, table shuffleboard, croquet, kan jam, kubb and more.

Ultimately Bickhart says it’s about meeting neighbors and raising some money for the school. “I want this to be an event for community building, network enhancing, stress releasing, sportsmanship promoting and esteem boosting.”

In the spirit of community building, there will also be a pizza pot luck organized by rachel lubitz, director of the FEAST garden program at Hall Fletcher. The pizza is free, but organizers are asking that participants bring a topping, cheese, sauce or dough for the wood-fired pizza oven. And for desert, The Hop will be on hand selling ice cream.

There will also be live music featuring the Hall Fletcher students providing the opening ceremony’s music, after which the Modern Strangers will be on hand to provide a leisurely soundtrack to the games.

The West Asheville Leisure Olympics takes place Saturday, April 23 from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Entry fee for the pro division is $13; all other games are free. Hall Fletcher Elementary school is located at 60 Ridgelawn Road. For more information and to register, visit avl.mx/2hhX

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sMart bEts

by Kat McReynolds | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com

Midnight Snack

Yes Fest the Second

After a move from Boston in early 2015, Midnight Snack wasted no time assimilating into Asheville’s music scene. Frequent busking sets became indoor gigs, which eventually resulted in several slots playing The Orange Peel. The root of the band’s growing appeal probably falls somewhere between its polished, pick-you-up sound and stylish, band-next-door aura. On top of that, the sextet crafts novel ways to connect with fans, from logo T-shirts screenprinted onto thrift-store finds, to fresh flowers gifted to audience members. Acoustic sets underscore the group’s folk side, including charming male-female vocal harmonies, but beneath that are funk and psychedelic undercurrents just waiting to be plugged in. The band’s spring tour kicks off with a hometown show at Asheville Music Hall on Friday, April 22, at 9 p.m. Fashion Bath and Maddie Shuler also perform. $8/$10. ashevillemusichall.com. Photo courtesy of the band

Asheville’s comedic Yes Fest made its debut last fall, and now it’s back for a second year. “There’s long-form improv, short-form improv, various improv games and more often than not, the audience is solicited for ideas, words or phrases from which the individual improvisations take off,” says Steven Samuels, artistic director of the presenting organization, The Magnetic Theatre. This year’s unscripted hilarity relies on the speedy brainwork of local troupes Reasonably Priced Babies, No Regrets, Blacklist Improv and The OxyMorons. Two groups perform during each session, and the schedule makes it possible to sample all four acts (or parts thereof) on each of the festival’s three nights. Yes Fest the Second runs Thursday to Saturday, April 21-23, at 7:30 and 9:30 nightly. $15/$18 per show or $60 for the entire series. themagnetictheatre.org. Photo of Blacklist Improv courtesy of The Magnetic Theatre

Krish Mohan

Grits & Soul Country and Americana duo Grits & Soul are relocating to the outskirts of Lexington, Ky., so this week’s gig “is a bittersweet show for us,” says vocalist and guitarist Anna Kline. She and bandmate John Looney (vocals, guitar, mandolin) are returning to his hometown to write and record a follow-up to their well-received debut album, Flood Waters. “We became students of the rich regional culture of North Carolina,” Kline says of the band’s four years based in Asheville. “We have learned and grown so much, and I’m not so sure it would have worked as well for us anywhere else.” The twosome’s farewell show, which will include new material and personal stories between numbers, takes place in Isis Restaurant & Music Hall’s upstairs lounge on Wednesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. isisasheville.com. Photo by Ken Voltz

Talk of immigration, religion and cross-cultural insensitivity usually has a silencing effect on groups of strangers. But comedian Krish Mohan approaches the subjects with just the right mix of emotional intelligence, realism and personal experience to evoke laughter and thought from his audiences. “I think comedians are the new philosophers,” he says. “If you can make people laugh about the absurdity in politics and social issues through humor and satire, you can [make] people more comfortable to talk about them.” As an Indian-American immigrant (or “hyphenated American”), Mohan’s stand-up shows draw heavily on his own reception into a country that asks of him: “Oh yeah? What tribe are you a part of?” Mohan makes his Asheville debut when the How Not to Fit in Tour stops at The Altamont Theatre on Thursday, April 21, at 8:30 p.m. thealtamont.com. Photo courtesy of the comedian

mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

63

A& e cA L e nDAR

by Abigail Griffin

Send your event listings to calendar@mountainx.com

• WE (4/20), 7:30pm - The SuperHappy Trivia Challenge.

Local comics and personalities participate in a 1970’s style panel show. $12. thE MagnEtiC thEatrE 375 Depot St., 279-4155 • TH (4/21) through SA (4/23), 7:30pm & 9:30pm - “Asheville Yes Fest The Second!” Featuring local improv comedy troupes. $18/$15 advance. thEatEr at warrEn wilson CollEgE inside.warren-wilson.edu/blogs/ theatre • TH (4/28) through SA (4/30), 7:30pm - Fuddy Meers, comedy. $10. Held in Kittredge Theatre.

Craft Exhibition for a CausE: The Grovewood Gallery in Asheville is hosting a craft benefit for The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the field of craft through fostering new ideas, funding craft scholarships and nurturing the next generation of makers, curators and critics. The event, which features Grovewood Gallery artists and takes place Friday through Sunday, April 22-24, is donating 10 percent of ceramic sales to CCCD and highlights a carving demonstration by Asheville artist Brent Skidmore on Friday from noon-4 p.m. Photo of table crafted by Brent Skidmore courtesy of the Grove Gallery (p. 64) art blaCK Mountain CEntEr for thE arts 225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 669-0930, blackmountainarts.org • FR (4/22), noon - Photographer Lynette Miller explains pinhole photography. Bring a lunch. Free to attend.

• SU (4/24), 1-4pm - “Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day,” demonstrations with pinhole cameras provided for use. Free to attend. blaCK Mountain CollEgE MusEuM & arts CEntEr 56 Broadway, 350-8484, blackmountaincollege.org • Through (4/29) - “Interlude,” 22 days of performance art happenings. See website for full schedule and details: interludeavl.com. folK art CEntEr MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, 2987928, craftguild.org • SA (4/23), 10am-noon - “Morning at the Folk Art Center with the Asheville Art Museum,” behindthe-scenes tour of three galleries, library, craft shop, art storage area and archives. $30/$20 for museum and guild members. grovEwood gallEry 111 Grovewood Road, 253-7651, grovewood.com • FR (4/22) through SU (4/24) - 10% of proceeds from sales at this exhibition with raffle and pottery demonstrations benefit the center for craft, creativity & Design.

64

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

n.C. arborEtuM 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, 665-2492, ncarboretum.org • FR (4/22), 5pm - Frederick Law Olmsted sculpture unveiling. Free to attend. transylvania CoMMunity arts CounCil 884-2787, tcarts.org • 4th FRIDAYS, 5-8pm - Gallery Walk. Held in downtown Brevard.

Free to attend. tryon finE arts CEntEr 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 859-8322, tryonarts.org • 2nd & 4th TUESDAYS through (5/24), 10:30am - The Great Courses, dvd discussion and presentations. Registration: 859-8322.

Free.

auditions & Call to artists arts CounCil of hEndErson County 693-8504, acofhc.org • Through (5/2) - Artist applications accepted for the 57th annual Art on Main fine art and fine craft festival.

See website for full guidelines. birdhousE bash 476-4231 • Through (5/5) - Birdhouse submissions accepted for the 4th Annual Birdhouse Bash to support Daydreamz community Artprojects & open Door community

mountAInx.com

garden. Bring completed birdhouses to 2nd Blessing Thrift Store, 39 Conley St., Waynesville. Call 4764231 for more information. foothills folK art fEstival facebook.com/ FoothillsFolkArtFestival • Through (10/1) - Artist applications accepted self-taught artists for the October festival. Contact for full guidelines: cstarnes@ hickorymuseumofart.org. loCal Cloth localcloth.org • Through (7/10), Textile submissions accepted for Local Cloth’s “Project Handmade 2016: Elements of Nature.” Full guidelines: localcloth.org. thE ashEvillE dudEs ashevilledudes.com • Through SA (4/30) - Open auditions for this family-friendly, notfor-profit male dance crew. See website for full details. thE writErs’ worKshop 254-8111, twwoa.org • Through MO (5/30) - Submissions accepted for the “Hard Times Essay Contest.” See website for full guidelines. $25 per submission.

CoMEdy 35bElow 35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org

MusiC bluE ridgE orChEstra CONCERTS MAY 7 & 8 • hoMECoMing: viEnna (pd.) Season Finale with Kathryn Gardner, violin, and Franklin Keel, cello. Beethoven and Brahms performed • Saturday, May 7, 7:30pm; Biltmore United Methodist Church, 376 Hendersonville Road, Asheville • Sunday May 8, 3pm; UUCA, One Edwin Place, Asheville • $15 General Admission; $10 Friends of the Blue Ridge Orchestra; $5 Students. • Tickets available online and (cash and checks only) at Soli Classica, 1550 Hendersonville Road, and Musician’s Workshop, 310 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville • Further information: blueridgeorchestra.org ashEvillE art MusEuM 2 N. Pack Square, 253-3227, ashevilleart.org • SU (4/24), 3pm - Pianoforte concert with Elizabeth Child. $16/$8 museum members. ashEvillE CoMMunity sing saralyncht@gmail.com • WE (4/27), 7-9pm - Open traditional group sing from old-time to hymns and sea shanties. Free. Held at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library • TH (4/28), 4:30pm - “Legendary Classical Performers from a Bygone Era,” presentation by Chip Kaufmann. Free. Held at Skyland/ South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road diana worthaM thEatrE 2 S. Pack Square, 257-4530, dwtheatre.com • FR (4/22), 6:30pm - “All Sing Together,” circle & improvisational songs with special guest Susan Bachmann. $10/$8 children under

13/Free children under 3.

• SA (4/23), 7pm - Land of the Sky Chorus presents “A Capella Fest.” $20. flat roCK playhousE downtown 125 S. Main St., Hendersonville, 6930731, flatrockplayhouse.org • THURSDAYS through SUNDAYS (4/21) through (4/28) - The Music of the Beach Boys. Thu.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 8pm. Sat. & Sun.: 2pm. $28 and up. $15-$28. hEndErsonvillE ChaMbEr MusiC sEriEs 808-2314, hendersonvillechambermusic.org • SU (4/24), 3pm - Rutherford Chamber Consort. $20/Free for students. Held at First Congregational UCC of Hendersonville, 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville MusiC at Mars hill 866-642-4968, mhc.edu • TH (4/21), 7:30pm - Percussion Ensemble concert with the West African Ensemble and Trinidadian steel band tunes arranged for the Marimba Band. Free. Held in Moore Auditorium.

• TU (4/26), 7pm - Presidential Lecture and Performance Series:Josh Goforth, bluegrass and traditional Appalachian music. Free.

Held in Moore Auditorium.

MusiC at unCa 251-6432, unca.edu • SA (4/23), 10am - Dixon’s Violin, world music. Free. Held on the quad.

MusiC at wCu 227-2479, wcu.edu • SA (4/23), 1-10pm - 14th annual jazz festival. Information: pwlosok@ wcu.edu. Free. Held in the Coulter Building recital hall. pan harMonia 254-7123, pan-harmonia.org • FR (4/22), 7:30pm - “Jazz IS chamber music!” featuring compositions

by Byron Hedgepeth and Mike Holstein. $20/$15/$5 students. Held at All Souls Cathedral, 9 Swan St. • SU (4/24), 3pm - Cellist Franklin Keel and pianist Vance Reese play Brahms, bartok, De Falla and Piazzola. $20/$15/$5 students. Held at Merrimon Avenue Baptist Church, 283 Merrimon Ave. tryon finE arts CEntEr 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon, 859-8322, tryonarts.org • SA (4/23), 8pm - “Franc D’ambrosia’s Broadway ’Songs of the Great White Way.’” $35.

thEatEr ashEvillE Christian aCadEMy 74 Riverwood Road, Swannanoa • WEDNESDAY through SATURDAY (4/20) until (4/29) - Mary Poppins, student production. Wed.: noon.

Thur. & Fri.: 7pm. Sat.: 1pm & 6pm. $15/$10 children under 10. ashEvillE CoMMunity thEatrE 35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (4/8) until (4/24) - The Man Who Came to Dinner. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2:30pm. $22/$19 seniors & students/$12 children. blaCK Mountain CollEgE MusEuM & arts CEntEr 56 Broadway, 350-8484, blackmountaincollege.org • FR (4/22) through SA (4/23), 8pm - Faust Foutu, presented in collaboration with Anam Cara Theatre. $18/$15 advance/$10 BMCMAC members. bluE ridgE CoMMunity CollEgE 180 West Campus Drive, Flat Rock, 694-1885 • WEDNESDAY through SUNDAY (4/20) through (4/24) - To Kill a Mockingbird. Wed. - Fri.: 7:30pm.

Sun.: 2pm. $7/$5 students. brEvard littlE thEatrE 55 E. Jordan St., Brevard, 884-2587, brevardlittletheatre.com • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (4/15) through (5/1) - Angel Street (Gaslight). Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 3pm. $16/$11/$5.50 under 12.

J.E. broyhill CiviC CEntEr 1913 Hickory Blvd. SE, Lenior, broyhillcenter.com • TH (4/28), through SA (4/30), 7:30pm - Foothills Performing Arts presents Jesus Christ Superstar. $16.25/9 students & children. odyssEy CoMMunity sChool 90 Zillicoa St., 259-3653, odysseycommunity.org • SU (4/24), 5:30pm - Odyssey Creative Drama Collective presents Play On! and dinner. Reservations: mwester@ odysseycommunity.org. $20/$12 for kids under 13. thE MagnEtiC thEatrE 375 Depot St., 279-4155 • THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS (4/28) until (5/28), 7:30pm - Death of a Salesman. $24/$21 advance. tryon littlE thEatEr 516 S. Trade St., Tryon, 859-2466, tltinfo.org • THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS (4/28) through (5/8), 8pm - Calendar Girls. $16.

g AL L e RY D I Re ctoRY aMEriCan folK art and fraMing 64 Biltmore Ave., 281-2134, amerifolk.com • Through TH (4/21) - 2016 Face Jug Show, pottery exhibition. art at asu 262-3017, tcva.org • Through MO (8/1) - Show Me the Way to Go Home, exhibition of the mixed-media collage of Brad Thomas. Held in the Turchin Center.

• Through SA (8/6) - Melting, exhibition of the paintings and photographs of Marietta Patricia Leis and David Vogel. Held in the Turchin Center. art at Mars hill mhu.edu • Through SA (5/7) - Kairos and Everyday Roles, exhibition of the paintings and photographs of Jessica Woodbury and the fabric art of Heather Styles. Opening reception: Friday, April 22, 6-8pm.

Held in Weizenblatt Gallery. art in thE airport 61 Terminal Drive, Fletcher • Through SU (5/1) - “Student Artwork Showcase,” exhibition

of the art of WNC kindergarten through 12th grade students. art Mob 124 Fourth Ave. E., Hendersonville, 693-4545, artmobstudios.com • Through SA (4/30) - Exhibition of the paintings of Constanza Knight. ashEvillE arEa arts CounCil 1 Page Ave., 258-0710, ashevillearts.com • Through (5/14) - Point of View Exhibition: Geezer Gallery: The Artful Life curated by Fleta Monaghan and Nadine Charisen.

• Through SA (5/14) - Exhibition of paintings by Jane Allen Nodine. Opening reception: April 22, 5-8pm. blaCK Mountain CEntEr for thE arts 225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 669-0930, blackmountainarts.org • Through FR (4/29) - Exhibition of pinhole photography by Lynette Miller.

bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/ depts/library • Through SA (4/30) - Storybook Characters on Parade, exhibition of handmade dolls and figurines inspired by story book characters.

On display in the Youth Services Department. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. grand bohEMian gallEry 11 Boston Way, 877-274-1242, bohemianhotelasheville.com • Through SA (4/30) - The Last Magician, exhibition of the paintings of Chris Sedgwick. grEEn sagE CafE wEstgatE 70 Westgate Parkway, 785-1780, greensagecafe.com • Through SA (4/30) - Uniquely Asheville Art Collection, exhibition of the photographic and acrylic art of John Haldane. hiCKory MusEuM of art 243 3rd Ave. NE, Hickory, 327-8576 • SA (4/23) through SU (7/24) Memories of Appalachia, paintings

by Arlee Mains. Reception: June

23, 6:30pm.

MarK bEttis studio & gallEry 123 Roberts St., 941-587-9502, markbettisart.com • WE (4/20) through FR (5/20) Wedge Duos, exhibition featuring the collaborative art of 28 artists.

Opening reception Wednesday, April 20, 6-8pm. odyssEy CoopErativE art gallEry 238 Clingman Ave., 285-9700, facebook.com/odysseycoopgallery • Through SA (4/30) - Exhibition of the ceramic art of Mary Jimenez, Melanie Dyel, and Libba Tracy. push sKatE shop & gallEry 25 Patton Ave., 225-5509, pushtoyproject.com • Through SA (4/30) - April Fools, exhibition of the art of Fian Arroyo and Joshua Marc Levy. saluda historiC dEpot 32 W. Main St., Saluda, facebook. com/savesaludadepot • Through SA (4/30) - Exhibition of the paintings of William H. Ryan.

satEllitE gallEry 55 Broadway St., 305-2225, thesatellitegallery.com • Through SA (4/30) - Mike Belleme photography exhibition.

toE rivEr arts CounCil 765-0520, toeriverarts.org • Through SA (5/7) - Giftshop exhibition featuring the work of over 160 artists. Held at Burnsville TRAC Gallery, 102 W. Main St., Burnsville • Through SA (4/30) - 10th anniversary exhibition of metal work.

Closing reception: Friday, April 29, 5-7pm. Held at Spruce Pine TRAC Gallery, 269 Oak Ave., Spruce Pine

swannanoa vallEy finE arts lEaguE svfalarts.org • Through SA (4/30) - A Celebration of Springtime, member exhibition. Held at Red House Studios and Gallery, 310 W. State St., Black Mountain thE CEntEr for Craft, CrEativity & dEsign 67 Broadway, 785-1357, craftcreativitydesign.org • Through SA (5/21) - The Box: A Contemporary Jewelry Challenge, jewelry exhibition curated by Platforma. thE studios of flat roCK 2702A Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, 698-7000 • Through SA (5/14) - WNC Design Guide Exhibition, featuring painting, basketry, wood and ceramics. Artist talk: Saturday, April 30, 3pm. Closing reception: Thursday, May, 12.

traCKsidE studios & gallEry 375 Depot St., 545-2904, facebook.com/TracksideStudios375 • Through SA (4/30) - Bloom!

Exhibition of paintings. transylvania CoMMunity arts CounCil 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 8842787, tcarts.org • Through MO (5/2) - Transylvania County Schools student art exhibit featuring work from students in the county, grades K-12. Free to attend Contact the galleries for admission hours and fees.

Bicycle / bmx Skateboard shop Full service bicycle repair Shoes, Clothing, Safety Gear 717 Haywood Road, West Avl 828-774-5960 avlstreetdirt.com

Performance and Q&A with Artist/Clinician Richard Starkey Play test an array of new Martin Guitars! Door Prizes!

Thursday, May 5th, 6pm

828-299-3000 mountAInx.com

Mon–Fri 10am-6pm • Sat 10am-5pm

800 Fairview Rd

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

65

Clubland wEdnEsday, april 20 185 King strEEt Vinyl Night, 8pm 5 walnut winE bar Pamela Jones (jazz), 5pm Les Amis (African folk), 8pm 550 tavErn & grillE karaoke, 6pm ashEvillE MusiC hall Orgone w/ Dynamo (funk, soul, jazz), 8pm bEn’s tunE-up Honky Tonk Wednesdays, 7pm blaCK Mountain alE housE Play to Win game night, 7:30pm bluE Mountain pizza & brEw pub Open mic, 7pm bywatEr Billy Cardine & North of Too Far Downs, 9pm darK City dEli Pool Tournament, 7:30pm doublE Crown Honky-Tonk, Cajun, and Western w/ DJ Brody Hunt, 10pm foggy Mountain brEwpub Mark Hefner & friends (Americana, folk), 9pm funKatoriuM John Hartford Jam (folk, bluegrass), 6:30pm good stuff Jim Hampton & friends perform “Eclectic Country” (jam), 7pm grEy EaglE MusiC hall & tavErn SeepeopleS w/ East Coast Dirt (rock), 9pm grind CafE Trivia night, 7pm highland brEwing CoMpany Woody Wood Wednesdays (rock, soul), 5:30pm

onE stop dEli & bar Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 7pm

isis rEstaurant and MusiC hall A magical evening of comedy w/ Dr. Brent Senor (comedy, benefit for MAHEC), 7pm

onE world brEwing Billy Litz (multi-instrumentalist), 8pm

thE Mothlight Roadkill Ghost Choir w/ Matt Townsend & The Wonder of the World (rock), 9:30pm

altaMont thEatrE Krish Mohan w/ Minori Hinds & Cary Goff (comedy), 8:30pm

thE phoEnix Jazz night, 8pm

ashEvillE MusiC hall DigPong tournament, 6pm

thE soCial loungE Phantom Pantone (DJ), 10pm

barlEy’s taprooM AMC Jazz Jam, 9pm

JaCK of thE wood pub Old-time session, 5pm

orangE pEEl The Expanders w/ Iration & HIRIE (vintage reggae), 8pm

lazy diaMond Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10pm

pisgah brEwing CoMpany Chalwa (reggae, rock), 6pm

thE southErn Disclaimer Comedy open mic, 9pm

bEn’s tunE-up Beer Release Party, 4pm

lEx 18 The Patrick Lopez Experience (modern and Latin jazz piano), 6:30pm

rooM ix Fuego: Latin night, 9pm

tiMo’s housE “Hump Day Mixers” w/ DJ Fame Douglas (R&B, hip-hop), 9pm

blaCK Mountain alE housE Bluegrass Jam w/ The Big Deal Band (bluegrass), 8pm

lobstEr trap Ben Hovey (dub-jazz, trumpet), 6:30pm

sanCtuary brEwing CoMpany Molly Parmenter (singer-songwriter), 7pm sCully’s Sons of Ralph (bluegrass), 6pm

Mountain MoJo CoffEEhousE Open mic, 6:30pm nEw Mountain thEatEr/ aMphithEatEr 420 Celebration w/ Mandara, Andrew Scotchie and the River Rats, Endymion is the Moon & Yess-I, 5pm noblE Kava Open mic w/ Caleb Beissert, 9pm

sly grog loungE Sound Station open mic (musicians of all backgrounds & skills), 7:30pm Cards Against Humanity Game Night, 10pm sol bar nEw Mountain ADBC presents Axiom Wednesdays (drum ’n’ bass), 9pm

o.hEnry’s/thE undErground “Take the Cake” Karaoke, 10pm

straightaway CafE Anniversary Party w/ Circus Mutt (bluegrass, roots), 6pm

odditoriuM Wallinstorms, Powder Room & Ellipser (punk, rock), 9pm

tallgary’s at four CollEgE Open mic & jam, 7pm Wu-Wednesdays (’90s hip-hop experience), 9pm

off thE wagon Piano show, 9pm

thE bloCK off biltMorE 420 fundraiser for NORML w/ Young Pine (folk, soul, country), 7pm

olivE or twist Intermediate swing dance lessons w/ Bobby Wood, 7pm Beginning swing dance lesson w/ Bobby Wood, 7:30pm 3 Cool Cats (vintage rock), 8pm

66

saKE of thE song: Scottish singer-songwriter Greg Holden has made waves with his latest album, Chase The Sun, inspired by a life-changing trip to India and Nepal in 2013. The New York-based troubadour has earned high praise for his new single “Boys In The Street”, with The Advocate writing that “Holden delivers a haunting and heart-wrenching song about the evolution of the relationship between a gay son and his homophobic father. Grab the tissues and press play.” Holden heads south on Saturday, April 23 for a 8 p.m. show at The Grey Eagle in downtown Asheville. Photo by Myriam Santos

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

town puMp Open mic w/ Billy Presnell, 10pm trailhEad rEstaurant and bar Acoustic jam w/ Kevin Scanlon & Andrew Brophy (bluegrass, old-time, Americana), 6pm trEssa’s downtown Jazz and bluEs Blues & soul jam w/ Al Coffee & Da Grind, 8:30pm whitE horsE blaCK Mountain Wednesday Waltz, 7pm

thursday, april 21 185 King strEEt Matthew Frantz (world music), 8pm 5 walnut winE bar Pleasure Chest (blues, rock, soul), 8pm

bluE Mountain pizza & brEw pub Matt Sellars (Americana, blues, roots), 7pm Club ElEvEn on grovE Sparrow & Her Wingmen (gypsy jazz), 8:30pm CrEEKsidE taphousE Singer-songwriter night w/ Riyen Roots, 8pm Crow & quill Mama’s Broke & Carolina Catskins (old-time, ragtime jazz), 10pm doublE Crown Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10pm ElainE’s duEling piano bar Dueling Pianos, 9pm foggy Mountain brEwpub Kavalactones (experimental groove), 9pm frEnCh broad brEwEry Tina & Her Pony (indie, bluegrass), 6pm

thE Joint nExt door Bluegrass jam, 8pm

550 tavErn & grillE Trivia night, 6pm

grEy EaglE MusiC hall & tavErn Hurray For The Riff Raff w/ Promised Land Sound (folk, country, Americana), 9pm

thE MillrooM Flamenco nights w/ Juan Benavides Group, 9pm

altaMont brEwing CoMpany Digisaurus (synthpop funk), 9pm

highland brEwing CoMpany Amy & Mike (acoustic), 5:30pm

mountAInx.com

isis rEstaurant and MusiC hall Sound Effects Benefit Concert w/Asheville Music School performing The Beatles (rock, pop, classical, folk), 6pm JaCK of thE wood pub Bluegrass jam, 7pm lazy diaMond Heavy Night w/ DJ Butch, 10pm lEx 18 Andrew J. Fletcher (barrel house style stride piano), 7pm lobstEr trap Hank Bones (“The man of 1,000 songs”), 6:30pm MarKEt plaCE Ben Hovey (dub jazz, beats), 7pm nEw Mountain thEatEr/aMphithEatEr SoGnar presents Space Jesus & Perkulat0r (electronic, weird bass), 9pm o.hEnry’s/thE undErground Game Night, 9pm Drag Show, 12:30am odditoriuM Howling Giant, The Beard & Electric Phantom (metal, rock), 9pm off thE wagon Dueling pianos, 9pm olivE or twist Dance lesson w/ Ian & Karen, 8pm DJ Mike (eclectic mix, requests), 8:30pm onE stop dEli & bar Streaming Thursdays (live concert showings), 6pm Fresh Hops (funk, fusion, fiddle), 10pm onE world brEwing Let’s Have a Party (jazz & vocals), 9pm orangE pEEl Tribal Seeds w/ Fear Nuttin Band & E.N. Young (reggae, rock), 8pm osKar bluEs brEwEry Eric Congdon (Americana), 6pm paCK’s tavErn Jason Whitaker (acoustic rock), 9pm pisgah brEwing CoMpany Cedric Burnside Project (delta blues), 9pm purplE onion CafE Sally & George (Americana), 7:30pm rEnaissanCE ashEvillE hotEl Chris Rhodes (jazz, blues, pop), 6:30pm rooM ix Throwback Thursdays (all vinyl set), 9pm sanCtuary brEwing CoMpany Billy Litz (singer-songwriter, Americana), 7pm

Orgone

WED 4.20.16 THU 4.21.16

Midnight Snack Trout Steak Revival Antennae w/ Huglife

FRI 4.22.16 SUN 4.24.16 SUN 4.24.16 mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

67

Wed •April 20

Dinner Menu till 10pm Late Night Menu till

Woody Wood @ 5:30pm

Thur •April 21

Tues-Sun

5pm–12am

Full Bar

12am

Mike & Amy @ 5:30pm

Buncombe Turnpike @ 7pm

Sat•April 23

COMING SOON

Jay Brown @ 5pm Woody Pines @ 7pm Check website for details about ASPCA fundraiser with Joe Lasher Jr.

Sun•April 24

Reggae Sunday w/

Dennis Berndt of Chalwa @ 1pm Check website for details about Cheese Fest

WED 4/20 6:00 PM – ALL YOU CAN EAT SNOW CRAB LEGS 6:00 PM – MUSIC ON THE PATIO W/ THE WEST END TRIO 7:00 PM – A MAGICAL EVENING OF COMEDY TO SUPPORT MAHEC’S GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVES THU 4/21 – 6:00 PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL PERFORMING THE BEATLES’ ABBEY ROAD FRI 4/22 – 7:00 PM MISS TESS AND THE TALKBACKS 9:00 PM – BUTCH TRUCKS AND THE FREIGHT TRAIN BAND SAT 4/23 7:00 PM – AN EVENING WITH

JON SHAIN AND JOE NEWBERRY SUN 4/24 7:30 PM – AN EVENING WITH

RHYTHM FUTURE QUARTET

WED 4/27 7:00 PM – AN EVENING WITH GRITS AND SOUL

TAVERN

9:00 PM – NEW MADRID

THU 4/28

DOWNTOWN ON THE PARK Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 13 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night

LIVE MUSIC... NEVER A COVER

7:00 PM – AN EVENING WITH DANA COOPER 8:30 PM – FLATT LONESOME

FRI 4/29 7:00 PM – AN EVENING WITH BILL MIZE

9:00 PM – SATURDAY NIGHT DANCE PARTY WITH JIM ARRENDELL

SAT 4/30 7:00 PM – AN EVENING WITH BUDDY MONDLOCK

THU. 4/21 Jason Whitaker

9:00 PM – DELTA MOON

(acoustic rock)

SUN 5/1 5:30 PM – AN EVENING WITH

FRI. 4/22 DJ MoTo

JESSICA MARTINDALE

7:30 PM – AN EVENING OF BLUES WITH

(pop, dance hits)

CHUCK BEATTIE

SAT. 4/23 The House Band

sCandals nightClub College Night Black Light & Glow Paint Party, 9:30pm DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm

20 S. SPRUCE ST. • 225.6944 PACKSTAVERN.COM

foggy Mountain brEwpub Hustle Souls (R&B, soul), 10pm frEnCh broad brEwEry Molly Parmenter (singer-songwriter), 6pm

sol bar nEw Mountain Dale & The Zdubs (rock, reggae), 9pm

good stuff Shake It Like a Caveman (rock ’n’ roll), 9pm

spring CrEEK tavErn Open Mic, 6pm

grEy EaglE MusiC hall & tavErn Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band w/ Maggie Valley Band & Smooth Hound Smith (blues), 9pm

tallgary’s at four CollEgE Open jam night w/ Jonathan Santos, 7pm thE bloCK off biltMorE Open mic night, 7:30pm thE Mothlight The Moth: True Stories Told Live (storytelling), 7:30pm thE phoEnix Paul Jones (jazz, classical), 8pm tiMo’s housE Thursday Request Live w/ Franco Nino, 9pm town puMp Alli & I (singer-songwriter), 9pm trailhEad rEstaurant and bar Open Cajun & swing jam w/ Steve Burnside, 7pm trEssa’s downtown Jazz and bluEs Jesse Barry & Friends (blues, soul), 9pm twistEd laurEl Karaoke, 8pm whitE horsE blaCK Mountain Benefit For Africa Healing Exchange featuring Laura Reed & Kinobe (soul, R&B, pop), 6pm wxyz loungE at aloft hotEl Aaron Burdett (Americana, country), 8pm

friday, april 22 185 King strEEt Joe Lasher Jr. (country, rock, singer-songwriter), 8pm 5 walnut winE bar Jeff Thompson’s Hot Threesome (eclectic jazz, rock), 9pm

grind CafE Centerpiece Jazz, 7pm highland brEwing CoMpany Buncombe Turnpike (bluegrass), 7pm isis rEstaurant and MusiC hall Miss Tess & the Talkbacks (Americana, singersongwriter, swing), 7pm Butch Trucks & The Freight Train Band (blues, Southern rock), 9pm JaCK of thE wood pub The Big EZ’s (New Orleans R&B), 9pm JErusalEM gardEn Middle Eastern music & bellydancing, 7pm lazooM bus tours Lyric (soul), 3pm lazy diaMond Totes Dope Tite Sick Jams w/ (ya boy) DJ Hot Noodle, 10pm lEx 18 HotPoint Trio (gypsy swing string trio), 6:30pm lobstEr trap Calico Moon (Americana), 6:30pm MarKEt plaCE The Sean Mason Trio (groove, jazz, funk), 7pm nEw Mountain thEatEr/ aMphithEatEr Earth Day Celebration: Nahko and Medicine for the People w/ Kim Churchill (hip-hop, folk rock), 7:30pm o.hEnry’s/thE undErground Drag Show, 12:30am

550 tavErn & grillE Bad Habits (country, Southern rock), 6pm

odditoriuM Stella Blue Presents: Night Demon, Visigoth, Against the Grain &Temptations Wings (metal), 9pm

altaMont brEwing CoMpany Jarvis Jenkins (blues), 9:30pm

off thE wagon Dueling pianos, 9pm

ashEvillE MusiC hall Midnight Snack w/ Fashion Bath & Maddie Shuler (art rock), 8pm

onE stop dEli & bar Free Dead Fridays w/ members of Phuncle Sam (jam), 5pm Mobley (indie, rock, R&B), 9pm

athEna’s Club Dave Blair (folk, funk, acoustic), 7pm DJ Shy Guy, 10pm bEn’s tunE-up Woody Wood & the Asheville Family Band (acoustic, folk, rock), 5pm bluE Mountain pizza & brEw pub Acoustic Swing, 7pm

onE world brEwing Earth Day Party w/ Dennis “Chalwa” Berndt & Friends (reggae), 10pm orangE pEEl Killswitch Engage w/ Memphis May Fire, 36 Crazyfists & Toothgrinder (metalcore), 7pm osKar bluEs brEwEry Hope Griffin (folk), 6pm

BLUEGRASS SESSIONS JAZZ SHOWCASE

ClassiC winEsEllEr Tina & Her Pony (indie, Appalachian folk), 7pm

pisgah brEwing CoMpany The Alarm Clock Conspiracy (indie, rock), 8pm

Club ElEvEn on grovE Class of ’96 Reunion & R&B Dance Party, 9pm

sanCtuary brEwing CoMpany Jamison Adams Project (jam, funk, fusion), 7pm

CorK & KEg Jason DeCristofaro Quartet (swing, jazz), 8:30pm

sCandals nightClub DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm

Crow & quill Ten Cent Poetry (indie, singer-songwriter), 9pm

sCully’s DJ, 10pm

doublE Crown DJ Greg Cartwright (garage & soul obscurities), 10pm

sly grog loungE Poprocks & Moonshine (singer-songwriter), 8pm

7:30pm–midnite

Every Sunday

743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737 ISISASHEVILLE.COM

mountAInx.com

ElainE’s duEling piano bar Dueling Pianos, 9pm

boilEr rooM Carolina Cookout Show w/ Kilo Fresh, J. Davis, Beni-Hana & Carolina Redd (rap), 9pm

Every Tuesday

(classic hits, rock n’ roll)

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

Send your listings to clubland@mountainx.com

sly grog loungE Arsena Schroeder w/ Noah Proudfoot (soul, R&B), 8pm

Fri •April 22

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cL uB L A nD

paCK’s tavErn DJ MoTo (pop, dance hits), 9pm

straightaway CafE Bull Moose (bluegrass, country), 6pm

bhraMari brEwhousE Juan Benavides Trio (world, jazz), 7:30pm

thE adMiral Hip-hop dance party w/ DJ Warf, 11pm

blaCK Mountain alE housE Jason Moore & Trust Trio (funk, jazz), 9pm

thE bloCK off biltMorE Earth Day Celebration: Songs For The Earth w/ Asheville Lyric Opera (benefit for Appalachian Voices), 5:30pm Greasy Hands Band (“intergalactic space funk”), 8pm

bluE Mountain pizza & brEw pub Ben Phan (indie, folk, singer-songwriter), 7pm

thE dugout Smoke in Mirrors (rock), 9pm thE MoCKing Crow NC 63 (house band, rock), 8pm thE Mothlight Les Amis w/ Juan Benavides Group (African, Latin, dance), 9pm thE phoEnix Todd Cecil & BackSouth (cigar-box, swamp rock), 3pm thE soCial Steve Moseley (acoustic), 6pm thE soCial loungE Rooftop Dance Party with DJ Phantom Pantone (electronic), 10pm tigEr Mountain Dark dance rituals w/ DJ Cliffypoo, 10pm tiMo’s housE Deven Balsam (house, tribal, breaks, moombathon), 9pm town puMp FinDog (old-time, bluegrass), 9pm trEssa’s downtown Jazz and bluEs Mark Shane (singer-songwriter), 7:30pm Pauly Juhl & The Funk Jam All-Stars, 10pm twistEd laurEl Live DJ, 11pm whitE horsE blaCK Mountain Cabaret Jazz: Annie Sellick and friends, 8pm wild wing CafE south A Social Function (acoustic), 9:30pm wxyz loungE at aloft hotEl DJ Kyuri (DJ, vinyl), 8pm zaMbra Zambra Jazz Trio, 8pm

saturday, april 23 185 King strEEt Rick Rushing & the Blues Strangers (blues), 8pm

ClassiC winEsEllEr Sheila Gordon (jazz, pop), 7pm CorK & KEg Zydeco Ya Ya (two-step, waltz), 8:30pm Crow & quill Drayton and the Dreamboats (dreamy vintage music), 9pm doublE Crown Pitter Platter w/ DJ Big Smidge, 10pm ElainE’s duEling piano bar Dueling Pianos, 9pm foggy Mountain brEwpub Station Underground (reggae), 10pm frEnCh broad brEwEry Wintervals (indie, folk), 6pm good stuff Blackbeard’s Truck (Americana, indie, Southern rock), 8:30pm grEEn rooM CafE & CoffEEhousE Carrie & Steve (pop covers), 5:30pm grEy EaglE MusiC hall & tavErn Greg Holden w/ Sara Rachele (folk, soft rock), 8pm highland brEwing CoMpany ASPCA Hope for Horses Fundraiser w/ Joe Lasher Jr. (country), 3pm Jay Brown (singer-songwriter), 5pm Woody Pines (swing), 7pm

basiC brEwEry Carver & Carmody (acoustic duo), 7pm bEn’s tunE-up Gypsy Guitars (acoustic, Gypsy-jazz), 2pm Savannah Smith (southern soul), 8pm

SUN 4.24

THE WOBBLERS

MON 4.25

SWAMP CANDY

TUE 4.26

TEN CENT POETRY

BLUEGRASS

9PM $5

9PM FREE (Donations Encouraged)

9PM FREE (Donations Encouraged)

7PM FREE (Donations Encouraged)

OPEN MON-THURS AT 3 • FRI-SUN AT NOON SUNDAY Celtic Irish session 3pm til ?

MONDAY Quizzo! 7-9pm • WEDNESDAY Old-Time 5pm THURSDAY Bluegrass Jam • 7pm

95 PATTON at COXE • Downtown Asheville

252.5445 • jackofthewood.com

lazy diaMond Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10pm lEx 18 The Resonant Rogues (gypsy old-time swing), 6:30pm lobstEr trap Sean Mason Trio (jazz), 6:30pm MarKEt plaCE DJs (funk, R&B), 7pm

Holy Gallows w/ Onj & Boar (metal), 9pm

athEna’s Club Michael Kelley Hunter (blues), 6:30pm DJ Shy Guy, 10pm

THE BULL MOOSE PARTY

9PM $5

JErusalEM gardEn Middle Eastern music & bellydancing, 7pm

550 tavErn & grillE Tony Mozz (electronic, saxophone), 6pm

ashEvillE MusiC hall Boone In Blossom Hype Series w/ Fat Cheek Kat, Liontracks & Blue Healer (funk, roots), 9pm

SAT 4.23

OLD SCHOOL NEW ORLEANS R&B DANCE PARTY

JaCK of thE wood pub The Bull Moose Party (bluegrass), 9pm

nEw Mountain thEatEr/aMphithEatEr Styles&Complete (electronic), 9pm

altaMont thEatrE Johnny Cash tribute featuring Matthew Curry (country, tribute), 8pm

THE BIG EZ’S

isis rEstaurant and MusiC hall An evening with Jon Shain & Joe Newberry (blues, folk, bluegrass), 7pm

5 walnut winE bar Duo of Dreams & Splendor (vintage jazz), 6pm Shake It Like a Caveman (rock n’ roll), 9pm

altaMont brEwing CoMpany Natti Love Joys (reggae), 9:30pm

FRI 4.22

odditoriuM off thE wagon Dueling pianos, 9pm olivE or twist 42nd Street Band (big band jazz), 8pm Dance party (hip-hop, rap), 11pm orangE pEEl Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals w/ Christopher Paul Stelling [SOLD OUT], 8pm osKar bluEs brEwEry Addison Johnson (country), 6pm paCK’s tavErn The House Band (classic hits, rock n’ roll), 9pm pisgah brEwing CoMpany Phuncle Sam (Grateful Dead tribute), 9pm purplE onion CafE Citizen Mojo (funk, soul, blues), 8pm

mountAInx.com

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

69

cLuBLAnD rooM ix Open dance night, 9pm

twistEd laurEl Indoor & Outdoor Dance Party w/ DJ Phantome Pantone (electronic), 10pm

sanCtuary brEwing CoMpany Yoga with Cats, 10am Hustle Souls (Southern, soul), 7:30pm

unC-ashEvillE Dixon’s Violin (world music), 10am

sCandals nightClub DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm

whitE horsE blaCK Mountain Andy Buckner (Southern rock, blues, bluegrass), 8pm

sCully’s DJ, 10pm

wild wing CafE Karaoke, 8pm

straightaway CafE Sherry Lynn (folk), 6pm

wxyz loungE at aloft hotEl Siamese Jazz Club (R&B, modern jazz), 8pm

thE adMiral Soul night w/ DJ Dr. Filth, 11pm thE bloCK off biltMorE Jeremiah & the Red Eyes (blues, Americana), 5pm Charlotte Sommers & friends (jazz, cabaret), 8pm thE dugout Daddy Rabbit (blues rock), 9pm

zaMbra Zambra Jazz Trio, 8pm

sunday, april 24 185 King strEEt Sunday Funday open jam, 3pm

thE MoCKing Crow NC 63 (house band, rock), 8pm thE Mothlight Mother Falcon (classical, indie rock), 9:30pm thE phoEnix Chicken Coop Willaye Trio (pre-war blues & jug), 9pm tiMo’s housE Dance Party w/ DJ Franco Nino, 9pm town puMp Hot Sauce Sandwich (psychedelic funk rock), 9pm

5 walnut winE bar Los Abrojitos (tango), 7pm ashEvillE MusiC hall Trout Steak Revival w/ Fireside Collective (bluegrass, indie), 7pm bEn’s tunE-up Reggae night w/ Dub Kartel, 8pm bhraMari brEwhousE Sunday brunch w/ live music, 11am

trailhEad rEstaurant and bar Mark Bumgarner (Americana, bluegrass), 8pm

blaCK Mountain alE housE Sunday Jazz Brunch w/ James Hammel and Friends (jazz), 11:30am

trEssa’s downtown Jazz and bluEs The King Zeros (blues), 7:30pm

bluE Mountain pizza & brEw pub Billy Litz (Americana, singer-songwriter), 7pm bywatEr Cornmeal Waltz w/ Robert Greer (classic country, bluegrass), 6pm CorK & KEg Sparrow & Her Wingman (vintage jazz, swing), 7pm doublE Crown Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 9pm

4/20 wed roadkill ghost choir w/ matt townsend & the wonder of the world

North Carolina’s First Cider Bar Family Owned & Operated Seasonal, craft-made hard ciders and tasting-room delights from local farmers & artisans.

Vote Urban Orchard Cider Co. BEST LOCAL CIDERY for the 2nd consecutive year!

210 Haywood Road, West Asheville, NC 28806

(828)744-5151

www.urbanorchardcider.com 70

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

4/21 thu

the moth: true stories told live

4/22 fri

les amis

4/23 sat

4/27

wed

4/28

thu

highland brEwing CoMpany Reggae Sunday w/ Dennis “Chalwa” Berndt, 1pm isis rEstaurant and MusiC hall Sunday Classical Brunch, 11am An evening w/ Rhythm Future Quartet (jazz), 7:30pm

w/ juan benavides group

JaCK of thE wood pub Irish session, 5pm The Wobblers (roots, blues, country), 9pm

mother falcon

lazy diaMond Tiki Night w/ DJ Lance (Hawaiian, surf, exotica), 10pm

w/ emmalee hunnicut

4/25 mon old sea brigade 4/26 tue

good stuff Ryan Zimmerman (singer-songwriter, folk, rock), 5pm West King String Band (bluegrass, newgrass), 7pm

free!

lEx 18 Feast of Thrones Costumed Revelry & Viewing (ticketed event), 6:30pm

sanCtuary brEwing CoMpany Earthshine Nature Program reptile demonstration, 1pm Jeff Michels & Jim Robertson (Americana, singersongwriter), 3pm sCandals nightClub DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm sly grog loungE Sunday Open Mic (open to poets, comedians & musicians), 7:30pm straightaway CafE Larry Collins (country), 5pm tallgary’s at four CollEgE Jason Brazzel (acoustic), 6pm thE bloCK off biltMorE Dr. Will Tuttle (piano & lecture), 6pm thE iMpErial lifE Ultra Lounge Listening Party w/ projections DJ Phantone Pantone, 8pm thE oMni grovE parK inn Lou Mowad (classical guitar), 10am Bob Zullo (pop, rock, blues), 7pm thE soCial Get Vocal Karaoke, 9:30pm thE soCial loungE DJ Kyusi on vinyl (old school trip-hop, deep house, acid jazz), 8pm thE southErn Yacht Rock Brunch w/ DJ Kipper, 12pm tiMo’s housE Bring Your Own Vinyl (open decks), 8pm town puMp Wood Chickens (psychedelic cowpunk), 9pm wEdgE brEwing Co. Vollie McKenzie & Hank Bones (acoustic jazz-swing), 6pm whitE horsE blaCK Mountain Benefit for Asheville Rock Academy, 6pm

Monday, april 25 185 King strEEt Open mic night, 7pm 5 walnut winE bar Siamese Jazz Club (soul, R&B, jazz), 8pm 550 tavErn & grillE Cornhole, 5pm altaMont brEwing CoMpany Old-time jam w/ Mitch McConnell, 6:30pm bhraMari brEwhousE Mexi Monday (jazz, world music), 5pm bywatEr Open mic w/ Rick Cooper, 8pm Courtyard gallEry Open mic (music, poetry, comedy, etc.), 8pm CrEEKsidE taphousE Trivia, 7pm

lobstEr trap Cigar Brothers (“y’allternative”), 6:30pm

Crow & quill QORDS Benefit w/ Karen & The Sorrows (altcountry), 9pm

odditoriuM Vic Crown & Pleasure to Burn (rock, metal), 9pm

darK City dEli Trivia Night, 7:30pm

off thE wagon Piano show, 9pm

doublE Crown Country Karaoke, 10pm

(formerly asheville tango orchestra)

olivE or twist Mojo Anton (jump, swing, blues), 6pm

good stuff Open mic w/ Laura Thurston, 7pm

muuy biien

onE stop dEli & bar Bluegrass brunch w/ Woody Wood, 11am Sundays w/ Bill & Friends (Grateful Dead tribute, acoustic), 5pm

grEy EaglE MusiC hall & tavErn Contra dance (lessons, 7:30pm), 8pm

søøn

w/ manas, shallows

the tango experience w/ konvoi,votaries

Details for all shows can be found at

themothlight.com

mountAInx.com

pisgah brEwing CoMpany Sunday Travers Jam (open jam), 5pm

JaCK of thE wood pub Quizzo, 7pm Swamp Candy (Americana, roots, delta blues), 9pm

Mountain Xpress Presents lExington avE brEwEry (lab) Kipper’s “Totally Rad” Trivia night, 8pm

good stuff Old time-y night, 6:30pm

lobstEr trap Bobby Miller & Friends (bluegrass), 6:30pm

grEy EaglE MusiC hall & tavErn Hayseed Dixie w/ American Gonzos (“rockgrass”), 8pm

5 walnut winE bar The John Henrys (hot jazz), 8pm 550 tavErn & grillE Mountain Shag, 6pm altaMont brEwing CoMpany Open mic w/ Chris O’Neill feat. Ryan Zimmerman (folk), 8:30pm ashEvillE MusiC hall Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 11pm baCK yard bar Open mic & jam w/ Robert Swain, 8pm

sanCtuary brEwing CoMpany Team trivia & tacos, 7pm tallgary’s at four CollEgE Jam night, 9pm thE bloCK off biltMorE Jazz-n-Justice Tuesday w/ Kat Williams & friends, 7:30pm thE CovE Koat of Armor (gospel), 9am

blaCK bEar CoffEE Co. Round Robin acoustic open mic, 7pm

thE Mothlight SØØN w/ Manas & Shallows (metal, rock, folk), 9pm

blaCK Mountain alE housE Trivia, 7pm

thE phoEnix Open Mic Night hosted by Keturah, 8pm

bluE Mountain pizza & brEw pub Patrick Fitzsimons (blues, folk), 7pm

thE soCial loungE Phantom Pantone (DJ), 10pm

buffalo niCKEl Trivia, 7pm

tiMo’s housE Tech Tuesdays (video game tournament), 8pm

CatalooChEE ranCh Peter Rowan (bluegrass, rock, folk), 8pm

town puMp Mimi Oz (folk, blues, alt-country), 9pm

Catawba brEwing south slopE Reverend Finster (R.E.M. covers), 6:30pm

trEssa’s downtown Jazz and bluEs Funk & jazz jam w/ Pauly Juhl, 8:30pm

CrEEKsidE taphousE Old School Low Down Blues Tues. w/ Matt Walsh, 6pm

urban orChard Billy Litz (Americana, singer-songwriter), 7pm

Crow & quill Champagne Wilson & The French 75’s (rowdy New Orleans style jazz), 10pm

us CEllular CEntEr Alabama Shakes w/ Dylan LeBlanc (blues, Southern rock, soul), 8pm

darK City dEli Ping Pong Tournament, 6pm

whitE horsE blaCK Mountain Irish sessions & open mic, 6:30pm

doublE Crown Honky-Tonk, Cajun, and Western w/ DJ Brody Hunt, 10pm

wild wing CafE south Tuesday bluegrass, 6pm Trivia w/ Kelilyn, 8:30pm

4/26

8PM doors 8PM doors

pulp Stephen Evans (acoustic, singer-songwriter), 9pm

8PM doors

onE world brEwing Trivia, 6pm

4/23

7PM doors

tuEsday, april 26

onE stop dEli & bar Turntable Tuesdays (DJs & vinyl), 10pm

7PM doors

urban orChard Old-time music, 7pm

4/22

THEATER

THURSDAY

SPACE JESUS

4.21

+ PERKULATOR

8PM SHOW THURSDAY

SOL BAR

4.21

DALE & THE ZDUBS

FRIDAY

630PM SHOW

NAHKO AND MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE

SATURDAY

THEATER

SOL BAR

9PM SHOW

AMPHITHEATER

4/27 4/28

4.23 STYLES&COMPLETE 9PM SHOW

4/29

THURSDAY

4/30 5/1

7PM doors

town puMp Ryan Zimmerman (Americana, folk, roots), 9pm

olivE or twist Tuesday Night Blues Dance w/ The Remedy (dance lesson at 8), 8:30pm

April

7PM doors

tiMo’s housE Movie night, 7pm

off thE wagon Rock ’n’ roll bingo, 8pm

4/21

8PM doors

tigEr Mountain Service industry night (rock ’n’ roll), 9pm

odditoriuM Odd comedy night, 9pm

4/20

7PM doors

MarKEt plaCE Bob Zullo (pop, rock, blues), 7pm

11 aM 4 PM

thE oMni grovE parK inn Bob Zullo (pop, rock, blues), 7pm

wed

lobstEr trap Jay Brown (acoustic-folk, singer-songwriter), 6:30pm

thu

thE Mothlight Old Sea Brigade (acoustic, indie, singer-songwriter), 9pm

fri

lEx 18 Bob Strain & Bill Fouty (romantic jazz ballads & standards), 7pm

sat

thE CovE Koat of Armor (gospel), 7pm

thE vallEy MusiC & CooKhousE Monday Pickin’ Parlour (open jam, open mic), 8pm

MOUNTAINX.COM/BESTOFWNC

lazy diaMond Classic Rock ’n Roll Karaoke, 10pm

tue

sovErEign rEMEdiEs Stevie Lee Combs (acoustic), 8pm

JaCK of thE wood pub Ten Cent Poetry (folk, pop, acoustic), 7pm

wed

pulp The Dirty Soul Revival w/ Carolina Wray (rock), 9pm

VOTE NOW VOUNTIL TE MAY 4

isis rEstaurant and MusiC hall Tuesday bluegrass sessions, 7:30pm

thu

osKar bluEs brEwEry Mountain Music Mondays (open jam), 6pm

iron horsE station Open mic, 6pm

fri

olivE or twist 2 Breeze Band (Motown), 6pm

highland brEwing CoMpany Dr. Brown’s Team Trivia, 6pm

sat

odditoriuM Atomic Whirl & NERMAL (experimental), 9pm

sun

o.hEnry’s/thE undErground Geeks Who Drink trivia, 7pm

WNC 2016

4.22

4.28 DIANE PATTERSON

8PM SHOW

THEATER

FRIDAY

RANDOM RAB

4.29

+ CLOUDCHORD

9PM SHOW SATURDAY

THEATER

4.30 JOHN BROWN’S BODY 9PM SHOW Coming Up:

5/4

EVERY FRI THU - 5.5: WED - 5.18: 5.20 - 5.22:

mountAInx.com

SOL VIBES ELECTRONIC SHOWCASE AT SOL BAR OTT & THE ALL-SEEING I BLUES & BBQ: SAMANTHA FISH LEFTOVER SALMON’S: BLUE RIDGE JAM

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

71

MoviEs

CrankY Hanke reVieWs & listings

BY KEN HANKE, JUSTIN SOUTHER & SCOTT DOUGLAS

HHHHH = PIck Of The week

Tom Hanks and Alexander Black in Tom Tykwer’s surprisingly deft A Hologram for the King.

A Hologram for the King HHHHS DIRectoR: Tom Tykwer PLAYeRs: Tom Hanks, Alexander Black, Sarita Choudhury, Ben Whishaw, Tom Skerritt comeDY- DRAmA Rated R the stoRY: A failed American business consultant facing a midlife crisis tries to sell a new teleconferencing technology to the King of Saudi Arabia. the LowDown: A surprisingly heartfelt and restrained exploration of some very weighty topics, A Hologram for the King offers an engaging perspective on American exceptionalism in a global sociological context without losing its sense of humor.

72

APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2016

My trepidation was at least understandable, since the last attempt at literary adaptation involving Tom Hanks and writer/director Tom Tykwer produced 2012’s bloated and disjointed Cloud Atlas. However, unlike that earlier pairing, A Hologram for the King proved to be a beautiful expression of restraint and understatement in filmmaking. While I assumed the film would focus heavily on the Otherness of Islam and, in particular, the sociocultural subset of Saudi Islamic theocracy, I was struck by just how mundane and humanizing this film’s portrayal of Arab culture actually turned out to be.

Rather than fixating on contextual circumstance, this movie roots its drama firmly in a focus on character development. This choice allows the

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C O N TA C T AT P R E S S M O V I E S @ A O L . C O M

m a x r at i n g

obvious cultural divide to be explored through a sympathetic protagonist, thereby encouraging the audience to adopt his point of view, and thus mirror the increasing inclusivism that constitutes Hanks’ character arc. As far as narrative sleight-of-hand goes, this is an especially effective example, as the primacy of character over plot allows the script to approach a delicate message without descending into preachy condescension.

Beyond the delicate balancing act that King achieves, the script is also very funny when it needs to be. Most of the comedic intercession comes at the hands of Alexander Black’s Yusef, Hanks’ significantly westernized driver and guide with a penchant for late’70s pop music, ranging from ELO to Chicago. When Black is not around to deliver pithy one-liners, the film finds humor in Hanks’ Willie-Loman-esque struggle to cope with the Byzantine business practices of his Saudi counterparts and the maintenance of his disaffected team of U.S. tech jockeys. Humor is a critical component of King’s package, as the story itself could have been unbearably bleak otherwise.

As highly as I would recommend this film, it is not without its drawbacks; Tykwer still displays a proclivity for excessive stylization that can be distracting at times (although he thankfully limits this to narratively appropriate venues such as dream sequences), and at times Hanks appears to be attempting to channel the physical comedy and eyebrow-acting of his early career at the expense of the subtlety that has defined much of his more effective late-period work.

The ending feels distinctly perfunctory, so much so that a fellow critic missed the entire denouement with an ill-timed trip to the bathroom. But on the whole, A Hologram for the King is a remarkably thoughtful and heartfelt film that never forgets to be entertaining. Rated R for some sexuality/nudity, language and brief drug use.

Starts Friday at The Carolina Cinemark. rEviEwEd by sCott douglas Jsdouglas22@gMail.CoM

Barbershop: The Next Cut HHHS DIRectoR: Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man Holiday) PLAYeRs: Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Regina Hall, Sean Patrick Thomas, Eve comeDY Rated PG-13 the stoRY: With their neighborhood falling to pieces, a local barber decides to bring change to his community. the LowDown: A surprisingly welcome visit from a long (somewhat) forgotten series that’s far from perfect, but gets points for being both entertaining and pertinent (although perhaps a bit pat).

It’s been so long since Barbershop 2: Back in Business came out — a dozen years, in fact — that I can’t remember much about it or its predecessor, Barbershop (2002), except that they were pleasant and welcome. Even counting 2005’s spinoff Beauty Shop, it’s been a long time since audiences inhabited this world. Honestly, I’m not even sure which one of them I’ve seen.

The third installment, Barbershop: The Next Cut, coming so many years later, is a little confounding. The fact that it’s not bad is even stranger. I mean, this is an era of Hollywood, where everything gets rebooted or retooled or sequeled, with no property too sacred or forgotten, nor any dollar too up for grabs. Hollywood has precedents for long-out-of-vogue sequels and shots in the dark. Consider Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001), which came out

13 years after Crocodile Dundee II. But just saying “another Crocodile Dundee movie” makes my brow furrow, so why another Barbershop after all these years?

Thankfully, Barbershop: The Next Cut is pretty smart and entertaining, knows what it does well and does it. It’s warm and clever and carries enough social commentary to not be wholly disposable. The movie finds barbershop owner Calvin (Ice Cube) and his gang of misfit barbers still in business — albeit now with a crew of women stylists working across the room — but in a neighborhood with more and more gang violence. With things growing increasingly dangerous and even threatening to rope in Calvin’s teenage son, dad decides to take thing into his own hands — constructively, of course, through community action.

Structurally, the film allows for a lot of dialogue and monologues and a fast enough pace so that if a joke falls flat, the next one will work, even if all the pop-culture references are doomed to age poorly. Thankfully, a cast has been assembled (or, for the most part, reassembled) that can handle the load and simply be amiable. I mean, despite a truly uneven career, Ice Cube can still be pretty damn watchable when he’s given the right role. The film manages to balance its comedy with its exasperation at Chicago’s rise in gun violence.

However, the interspersed levity reduces the film’s power, feeling at times a bit pat and tidy, though I will say its faith in community is comforting. While it’s likable and says a lot of the right things on some timely subjects, its congeniality blunts the film’s impact to an extent — assuming it wanted any at all. The film’s first purpose, above all, is to be enjoyable, and in this sense, The Next Cut is a success. Rated PG-13 for sexual material and language.

Playing at The Carolina Cinemark, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande, UA Beaucatcher. reviewed by Justin Souther jsouther@mountainx.com

Criminal HH

Director: Ariel Vromen Players: Kevin Costner, Gary

Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, Jordi Mollà, Michael Pitt crime action drama Rated R The Story: The CIA implants a murdered agent’s memories into the mind of a brain-damaged convict in the hopes of thwarting a Spanish anarchist’s nebulous scheme to take control of America’s weapons systems.

The Lowdown: THE LOWDOWN: A cast that should’ve known better is dragged down by a thoroughly terrible script in this criminally stupid potboiler.

Is there anything more depressing than watching a good actor deliver a bad performance? What might be forgivable in a novice becomes painful when it comes from someone whose work has been consistently respectable for decades. I went into Criminal with tempered expectations, but I had at least hoped the cast would provide some relief from what seemed likely to be a rote and overly fanciful spy thriller. So imagine my disappointment when not one, but three actors whom I’ve appreciated for most of my moviegoing life all managed to look ridiculous in the same film.

Kevin Costner delivers every line in a nigh-incomprehensible rasp that indicates he either recently became a heavy smoker or just thought Christian Bale’s Batman voice sounded cool.

Gary Oldman delivers the most regionally ambiguous American accent of his career as a manic CIA honcho/trampler of civil liberties. Tommy Lee Jones vacillates between looking entirely disengaged with his surroundings and furrowing his brow with all the uncertainty of a man who might’ve left his stove on. But the sins of the cast do not end there, as nearly every frame in which Ryan Reynolds appears was shown in the trailers, and Gal Gadot carries all the dramatic presence of an especially well-made mannequin.

Criminal is one of the laziest pieces of filmmaking to come along so far this year. The majority of its exposition is established through on-screen captions that explain every location and character description, and any pertinent information not literally spelled out is dumped on the audience through dialogue so blunt it could’ve been used

by Costner’s character to beat someone to death. Though I liked director Ariel Vromen’s Michael Shannon vehicle The Iceman (at least more than I like Criminal), he seems to have borrowed the worst parts of a half-

dozen other bad action films, which makes a perverse sort of sense, as the script was penned by The Rock scribes Douglas Cook and David Weisberg.

When the villain of your international sci-fi spy thriller is a Spanish anarchist named after a Norse god, you can safely assume the writers were not putting a great deal of effort into revisions.

While there is some fun to be had in watching Costner’s unrestrained id go on a killing spree through the first two acts, the plot is too absurdly predictable and convoluted to allow for even the faintest hint of any eventual catharsis. When the inevitable redemption plot kicks in out of nowhere in the last half-hour, what little enjoyment might’ve been eked out of the preceding 90 minutes is ruined. When the climactic showdown finally arrived, I just found myself missing Untouchables-era Costner. I’d even take another stab at Waterworld before I’d try to sit through Criminal again. Better still, I’d revisit all three hours of JFK to restore my faith in Costner, Jones and Oldman in one fell swoop. I can only imagine that a studio executive somewhere recognized that this film couldn’t be sold on its own dubious merits, and stumbled on the bright idea of marketing the inclusion of Reynolds and Gadot, hot off Deadpool and Batman v. Superman, before audiences could learn enough to stay away. Said executive should have his memories surgically replaced with mine so that he might be forced to relive the harm he did to my weekend.

Rated R for strong violence and language throughout.

Playing at Carmike 10, The Carolina Cinemark, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande.

THEATER L IST INGS Friday, APRIL 22 Thursday, APRIL 28 Due to possible scheduling changes, moviegoers may want to confirm showtimes with theaters.

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. (254-1281) Hail Caesar (PG-13) 10:00 Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (R) 7:00

Carmike Cinema 10 (298-4452) Carolina Cinemas (274-9500) Movietimes not available at presstime 10 Cloverfield Lane (PG-13) Barbershop: The Next Cut (PG-13) The Boss (R) Criminal (R) Elvis & Nixon (R) Everybody Wants Some!! (R) Eye in the Sky (R) Hello, My Name Is Doris (R) A Hologram for the King (R) The Huntsman: Winter’s War (PG-13) The Jungle Book 3D(PG) The Jungle Book 2D (PG) Midnight Special (PG-13) Miles Ahead (R) Zootopia 2D (PG)

Co-ed Cinema Brevard (883-2200) The Jungle Book (PG) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00

reviewed by Scott Douglas jsdouglas22@gmail.com

Epic of Hendersonville (6931146)

Everybody Wants Some!

HHHH

Fine Arts Theatre (232-1536) Everybody Wants Some!!

1:20, 4:20, 7:20, Late Show Fri-Sat 9:40 Miles Ahead (R) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00 (no 7:00 show Thu., April 28), Late Show Fri-Sat 9:15 Rosenwald (NR) Thu., April 28, 7:00

n Flatrock Cinema (697-2463) (R) I Saw the Light (R) 1:00 (Sunday only), 4:00, 7:00 (Closed Monday, no

Director: Richard Linklater

7:00 show Sunday)

Players: Blake Jenner, Zoey Deutch, Tyler Hoechlin, Glenn Powell, Wyatt Russell, J. Quentin Johnson comedy Rated R The Story: A south Texas college

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Stadium 15 (684-1298) n United Artists Beaucatcher (298-1234)

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mov Ies freshman on a baseball scholarship in the early ’80s navigates the interpersonal dynamics of his new team in the days before classes start. the LowDown: While the premise and plot may harken back to the trivial sex farces of the ’80s, Everybody is imbued with the heart and humor audiences have come to expect from a Linklater picture.

Much like the Van Halen song from which the film takes its title, Everybody Wants Some!! would superficially appear to be more interested in unabashed fun than in tackling weighty philosophical issues. However, there is a point to the frivolity and machismo that Linklater has chosen to focus on here, it’s just deftly hidden under an ample dose of partying.

Less a “spiritual sequel” to Linklater’s directorial debut, Dazed and Confused, than a syzygy to that film’s aggrandizement of the adolescent outsider, Everybody is an exemplar of Linklater’s auteurist oeuvre in the purest possible sense.

This film could only have been made

by Linklater, not because another director couldn’t have executed it just as competently, but because no other director that comes to mind could have generated the level of pathos that Linklater achieves from a collection of characters that would seem utterly reprehensible on paper.

While Dazed identified strongly with its cast of misfits, Everybody reads more like a victory lap for the popular and good-looking jocks of the world. The film is not particularly sensitive to women or minorities, but this never comes across as mean-spirited marginalization on the part of its central cast. That most of the cast personify oversexed white males, privilege might have made their constant quest for carnal consummation seem crass were it not for Linklater’s attention to their development as more than broadstroke caricatures, and it is this level of emotional awareness that saves the film from becoming a one-note joke of a period piece.

Linklater’s obvious affinity for his dramatis personae likely stems from his time playing baseball in college, and I can say from my own experience as a collegiate athlete that his depiction of the testosterone-fueled tribalism is largely accurate (I’ve broken up my share of bar fights for teammates, and once helped to fill an ill-advised waterbed in a scene

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eerily similar to one depicted early in the film). That said, this is not a film about baseball or athletics writ-large. Only one athletic practice is depicted, and it has more to do with the movie’s exploration of male bonding and dominance rituals than with the sport itself; instead, this is a film about nostalgia. In a telling allusion, a Twilight Zone-obsessed elder statesman of the team is named Willoughby, a reference to an episode from the first season of the show in which a harried ad executive is magically transported to a small 19th century town where he enjoys a bucolic, slower-paced life. This is a significant hint at what the writerdirector is trying to achieve with this work, and though the narrative structure may be too episodic to ever settle on a definitive point, the final product is remarkably affective.

If Linklater’s intention is to transport the audience to a simpler time and place, he made a prudent decision in choosing to cast predominantly unknown actors, as the lack of prior association with the faces on screen facilitates a sense of novelty on encountering the characters they portray, thereby enhancing identification with the protagonist’s entrance into an unfamiliar world.

Glenn Powell delivers a standout turn as Finnegan, the team’s resident know-it-all/Chatty Cathy, but the entire cast capably carries the weight of the film without falling prey to the usual pitfalls of an inexperienced ensemble. Linklater even manages to coax a passable performance out of Zoey Deutch, who was terrible in Dirty Grandpa earlier this year, a further testament to the director’s capacity for setting his players at ease and extracting maximum impact from any given actor’s limited palette.

Everybody is not without its drawbacks, but for a film with no story to speak of, it is better in many ways than it has any right to be.

What could have turned into a sexist wish-fulfillment, instead becomes a sort of cinematic tone poem about the malleability of adolescent identity and the limitless potentialities of youth, all without taking itself too seriously. Everybody might not be for everybody, but it is a hell of a lot of fun. And who doesn’t want some of that? Rated R for language throughout, sexual content, drug use and some nudity.

Starts Friday at The Carolina Cinemark and Fine Arts Theatre. rEviEwEd by sCott douglas Jsdouglas22@gMail.CoM

The Jungle Book HHH DIRectoR: Jon Favreau PLAYeRs: Neel Sethi, (Voices of) Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Christopher Walken, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling ADventuRe FAntAsY Rated PG the stoRY: A young boy is raised by wolves in the jungle, only to become a pawn in the power struggles of wilderness politics. the LowDown: The dark, gritty reboot of the 1967 animated film that nobody wanted or needed, The Jungle Book is interesting to look at but lacks the heart of the original (or the Kipling stories on which that film was very loosely based).

In the not-too-distant future, film scholars will look back on our current age of the “reboot,” with all its feigned seriousness, and assign a psychological and cultural significance to the practice. Such a critical reading would not be unfounded, as the idea that everything old must be made new again (often at the expense of any good will the original iteration might have earned and maintained) is clearly pathological. Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book is likely to be cited as a case in point.

The film is indeed a marvel of computer-generated cinema, but that very technological polish is a hindrance in and of itself. The animals look almost photorealistic, which makes their slight anthropomorphization all the more unnerving.

There’s nothing quite like watching a wolf mouth English syllables, or being able to recognize Christopher Walken’s eyes in the skull of an animated gigantopithecus, to take me out of a narrative, but spectacle was always more important than story in this adaptation. Any time a film set entirely in an Indian jungle proudly proclaims itself as having been “filmed in downtown Los Angeles” in the closing credits, you know you’re in murky waters. (Saying that this was “filmed,” rather than “rendered,” might be a bit of a stretch in the first place.)

Beyond The Jungle Book’s dalliance in the Uncanny Valley, the film has a number of other detracting components that leave it comparing unfavorably with its source material. The familiar story is burdened with implied statements on environmental degradation and colonialism, and the requisite reprise of musical numbers from the original animated film are shoehorned into the second act so obtrusively that one wonders if there were some contractual clause mandating their inclusion. In addition, many of the film’s more dramatic scenes would seem excessively frightening for its target demographic. Although the children in the screening I attended didn’t seem overly concerned, I would certainly have had nightmares if I saw this movie before I was seven.

If this film has a saving grace beyond its technical accomplishments, it can only be the voice acting of its ensemble cast. Idris Elba delivers a particularly menacing Shere Khan, Ben Kingsley plays Bagheera with a militaristic precision, and Bill Murray plays Bill Murray as a bear. Whereas I typically fail to see the point in casting highly paid stars in voice acting roles, due to their lack of recognizable screen presence when animated (looking at you, Chipmunks franchise), the talent of the cast in this case elevates what can only be considered a predominantly redundant remake. The sole exception to the otherwise blameless troupe is Need Sathi as Mowgli, but even his shortcomings are forgivable.

He has the unenviable task of carrying a film as a child actor, while also trying to emote convincingly to what must’ve been little more than a tennis ball on a monofilament in front of a green screen.

Ultimately, Jon Favreau has once again proven himself to be a competent, if often uninspired, tent-pole director.

For better or worse, this latest version of The Jungle Book is likely to perform well at the box office both in the U.S. and abroad, not to mention the perennial home movie revenue that will fatten Disney’s coffers for decades to come.

Despite my myriad objections to the film’s tone and execution, and my fundamental uncertainty as to the necessity of its very existence, this updated take on a childhood favorite could have been much, much worse. That being said, Garry Shandling deserved a better final role than a porcupine whose sole purpose in the film is to pee on things.

Rated PG for some sequences of scary action and peril.

Playing at Carmike 10, The Carolina Cinemark, Co-ed of Brevard, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande. rEviEwEd by sCott douglas Jsdouglas22@gMail.CoM

s tARtIng F RIDAY

Elvis & Nixon Liza Johnson — who made the very agreeable Hateship Loveship — made this fact-based yarn about the meeting of Elvis Presley (Michael Shannon) and Richard Nixon (Kevin Spacey). The blurb tells us: “On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock ’n’ Roll showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon.

The untold true story behind this revealing, yet humorous moment in the Oval Office forever immortalized in the most requested photograph in the National Archives.” (r)

Everybody Wants Some!!

See Scott Douglas’ review in “Cranky Hanke”

Mountain Xpress Presents

A Hologram for the King See Scott Douglas’ review in “Cranky Hanke”

The Huntsman: Winter’s War Who knew that 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman warranted a sequel? Apparently, it does. At least, it’s getting one. The cast is not unimpressive. The director is an unknown quantity. Universal says, “Freya the Ice Queen (Emily Blunt) brings her sister Ravenna (Charlize Theron) back to life, and the powerful evil siblings plan to conquer the Enchanted Forest. Only the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and his secret lover Sara (Jessica Chastain) can stop them in this sequel continuing the inventive twist on the Snow White fable.” The critics (primarily Brits and Aussies) mostly say, “Phooey.” (pg-13)

WNC 2016

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by Edwin Arnaudin

edwinarnaudin@gmail.com

ScreeN SceNe

lovE is strangE: Jamie Parker’s short film How to Love Your Demon, starring Hayley Heninger, right, and Allen T. Law, is among the selections in the Fine Arts Theatre’s Works in Progress screening on Thursday, April 21. Photo courtesy of the artist • The Fine Arts Theatre hosts a Works in Progress screening on Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m. The event previews upcoming works by local filmmakers such as Katie damien, erin derham, paul schattel and hank eder. The evening also features a special look at writer/director jamie parker’s new short film How to Love Your Demon, starring hayley heninger (“Transplanting”) and allen t. law.

Tickets are $5. fineartstheatre.com • Organic Growers School, Green Opportunities, Bountiful Cities and Asheville GreenWorks present their third annual Earth Day film, Can You Dig This. The screening takes place on Friday, April 22, at 6 p.m. in the second floor boardroom at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville. The 80-minute film explores the urban gardening revolution currently taking place in South Central Los Angeles, one of the largest food deserts in the United States. The screening will be followed by a community discussion. There are no advance ticket sales, but entry is by donation at the door and on a first come, first served basis. avl.mx/2gs • the asheville jewish film festival has announced the titles for its spring film series at the Fine Arts Theatre. Selections will be shown April 28-May 20, Thursdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at 1 p.m. The exception to this schedule is the closing night film In Search of Israeli Cuisine, which screens at 6 p.m. followed by a reception catered by suzy phillips of Gypsy Queen Cuisine.

The other films are Rosenwald (April 28 and 29), a documentary about julius rosenwald, the Chicago philanthropist who partnered with booker t. washington to build 5,400 schools in Southern African-American communities in the early 1900s; Apples from the Desert (May 5 and 6), a narrative film centering on the only daughter of an Orthodox Jewish family in Jerusalem who runs away with a young man to a kibbutz in the desert; and The People vs.

Fritz Bauer (May 12 and 13), a narrative film about the man who brought highranking Nazi criminal adolf eichmann to justice. All screenings are $9 per film.

The closing night dual event is $25 (no film-only option), and advance tickets may be purchased online. avl.mx/prs3 • “Transplanting,” the Asheville satirical web series created by lea mclellan and andrew vasco, has its U.K. debut at the Pilot Light TV Festival in Manchester, England, on Thursday, May 5. The series’ complete first season will be screened as part of the new festival’s Indie TV Comedy Showcase. The event’s website calls the showcase “a small selection of episodes from two outstanding contemporary comedy Web series that represent and scream ‘the next big thing’ in indie TV comedy.” The program’s other invitee is the animated series “Concrete Jungle,” featuring the vocal talents of john dimaggio (“Adventure Time”), hannibal buress (“30 Rock”) and Krystyna hutchinson (“Saturday Night Live”). X

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Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession HHHHS director: Nicolas Roeg Players: Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell, Harvey Keitel, Denholm Elliott, Daniel Massey, Dana Gillespie, William Hootkins drama Rated R It’s hard to imagine now, but when Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession came out back in 1980, it was a very big deal. The film was the talk of the film publications of the era. Not only was it Nicolas Roeg’s first film since The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), but it was the film widely perceived as the best shot to finally make Art Garfunkel a movie star. (After all, Roeg had gotten miraculous performances out of Mick Jagger and David Bowie.) And then came the film itself — a grimly unpleasant story about two unlikable people in a bad relationship, all built around the question of whether or not the woman (Theresa Russell) will survive a suicide attempt for which the man (Garfunkel) may or may not bear some responsibility.

It’s essentially a deeply trashy story — one ultimately boasting a pretty high “ick” factor — made into an interesting cinematic experience by Roeg’s approach to the material in a non-linear manner (a kind of jigsaw puzzle where the line between truth and unreliable memory is blurred). Though hardly original to Roeg, it was the filmmaker’s favored approach. Interestingly, it originated with Richard Lester, most notably with Petulia (1968), a film that Roeg was the cinematographer on.

(This can hardly be coincidental.) Bad Timing was never going to be a hit — it’s amazing anyone ever thought it might be — but it remains one of the most fascinating works of a generally underrated filmmaker. Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present bad timing: a sensual obsession Friday, April 22, at 8 p.m. at Phil Mechanic Studios, 109 Roberts St., River Arts District (upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 828-273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com

The Tempest HHHH director: Julie Taymor Players: Helen Mirren, Felicity Jones, Ben Whishaw, Tom Conti, Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, Russell Brand, Alfred Molina shaKespeare fantasy Rated PG-13 There were few movies I was so looking forward to in 2010 than Julie Taymor’s version of The Tempest. Unfortunately, it died (at $277,000 on a $20 million budget) long before it penetrated the provinces. Upshot?

I, of course, snatched up the DVD as soon as possible. Result? Disappointment, but nowhere near the disaster it was painted to be. After two viewings, it’s my belief that, while some thought it “too much of a muchness,” I don’t think it was enough of a muchness — certainly not from the woman who gave us Titus (1999) and Across the Universe (2007). I won’t say it seems ordinary, but neither does it truly take flight like Taymor’s best work. And it probably doesn’t help that she chose The Tempest, Shakespeare’s final play and the one which has spawned such things as: Forbidden Planet (1956), a sci-fi version (complete with pneumatic cutie lead) of the story; Derek Jarman’s 1979 version (which stops dead so Elisabeth Welch can sing “Stormy Weather”); and Peter Greenaway’s epic spectacle of skin, biology, fantasy, magic and sheer excess, Prospero’s Books (1991). These are tough acts to follow — especially the last — if you want to raise an eyebrow or cause a jaw to drop or send hushed expletives rippling through the theater. Doing a sex change on Prospero (making him Prospera) and casting Helen Mirren doesn’t seem so bold in comparison. (And handing over comic buffoonery to Alfred Molina and Russell Brand seems even less so.) Yet, Taymor’s film is not without merit and pleasures. Just don’t expect to be blown away or outraged. The Hendersonville Film Society will show the tempest Sunday, April 24, at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

filM bunCoMbE County publiC librariEs buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/library • FR (4/22), 4pm - Wings of Life, nature film. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville • SA (4/23), 2pm - The Films of David Bowie: Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. Free. For ages teen and up.

Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. organiC growErs sChool 772-5846, organicgrowersschool.org

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• FR (4/22), 5:30-9pm - Can You Dig This, film presented in connection with Green Opportunities, Bountiful Cities, and Asheville GreenWorks. Admission by donation. Held at Lenoir Rhyne Center for Graduate Studies, 36 Montford Ave rEaCh of haywood County 456-7898 • TH (4/21), 7pm - Sexual Assault Awareness Month: The Hunting Ground, documentary. Free. Held at The Strand @ 38 Main, North Main St., Waynesville

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maRketplace Real e s tat e | R e n ta l s | R o o m m at es | seRv ices | job s | a n n ou n cements | m i nd, bo dy, spi Rit cl as s e s & woR k s Ho p s | m u s icia n s’ seRv ices | pets | a u tomotiv e | x c Hang e | adult Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 x111 tnavaille@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember the Russian proverb: “Doveryai, no proveryai,” trust but verify. When answering classified ads, always err on the side of caution. Especially beware of any party asking you to give them financial or identification information. The Mountain Xpress cannot be responsible for ensuring that each advertising client is legitimate. Please report scams to ads@mountainx.com

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sKIlled laBor/ Trades FaCIlITIes maNaGer Red Oak Recovery, a cutting edge substance abuse treatment program for young adults, is seeking a full-time Facilities Manager. The Facilities Manager will be responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing building and grounds operations and services. • Qualified candidates will have a working knowledge of building repair, as well as skills in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and appliances. Preferred skills include experience in construction and landscaping and a working knowledge of OSHA regulations and building codes. • Those with personal or professional experience with 12 Step Recovery, Substance Abuse Treatment, and/or Mental Health Treatment are encouraged to apply. Competitive pay and benefits package offered.

• Please submit a resume and cover letter indicating your interest in the Facilities Manager position to jobs@redoakrecovery.com NoW HIrING! PeaK WorKForCe solUTIoNs In Fletcher is hiring for Assemblers, material handlers. Starting at $11/per hour. Accepting applications Monday-Friday, 8am-3pm.

Contact Tony Owens: (828) 687-2107 or apply direct at Meritor, 1000 Rockwell Dr., Fletcher, NC 28364.

employment

TrolleY ToUr GUIdes If you are a "people person," love Asheville, have a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) and clean driving record you could be a great ToUr GUIde! FUll-TIme and seasonal part-time positions now available. Training

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Successful candidates can operate office equipment, physical ability to walk across production facility, lift and move boxes < 50lbs as well as sit at a computer for hours. Full time position, M-F. Email resume, cover letter & salary history/ expectations to sjonestsg@ gmail.com

sales/ marKeTING BUrGeoNING Glass arT ComPaNY HIrING selF-moTIvaTed sales rePs! Family owned company focused on distributing beautiful glass art across the country offering awesome sales job for self-motivated, enthusiastic individual. Make money while supporting some of the best glass artists in the US. Must have driver's license, vehicle in working condition, sales experience, and love to travel. See JointForcesGlass.com for more info! 828-774-5640

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GeNeral HerBal sUPPlemeNT ProdUCTIoN WorKers Work for Gaia Herbs, an herbal supplement company with a unique culture focused on the health and wellness of plants and people. We’re hiring production workers (all shifts, must be 18 or older) for our manufacturing facility in Brevard.

Brewing/production experience preferred but not required. All shifts available.

Benefits offered to all fulltime employees, including medical, dental and Rx coverage, plus 401(k) with company match, free/discounted products and organic produce share. Apply online at GaiaHerbs.com/careers or in person at at 101 Gaia Herbs Dr., Brevard. www.gaiaherbs.com/careers

with the public. Experience preferred, but will train the right person. • A positive work history and a credit and criminal check required.

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TeCHNICIaN a-B Tech is currently taking applications for the full time position of Technician, Moves and Set Up. • Job Summary: Install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, or other drawings. Anticipated days are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm with occasional overtime.

For more details and to apply: www.abtech.edu/ jobs

admINIsTraTIve/ oFFICe aParTmeNT sITe maNaGer Part-time. Employment opportunity in the Asheville area for local apartment complex for Site Manager.

Approximately 16 hours/ week. • Applicant must be a team player and willing to go the extra mile in making sure the tenants are given good service; must be reliable, well-organized person, have good computer skills and able to communicate

BUFFALO WILD WINGS • CooKs Now hiring full and part-time Cooks! Must have reliable transportation, flexible schedule and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Call (828) 251-7384 or apply at: snagajob.com COOK • RED OAK RECOVerY A cutting edge substance abuse treatment program for young adults, is looking to fill part-time and full-time cook positions to work under supervision of our chef, preparing meals for our community. Our program emphasizes the importance of nutrition in recovery, and you will have the opportunity to work with a team of individuals dedicated to a holistic approach.

• Qualified candidates will have experience cooking for large groups. • Those with personal or professional experience with 12 Step Recovery, Substance Abuse Treatment, and/or Mental Health Treatment are encouraged to apply. • Competitive pay and benefits package offered. Please submit a resume and cover

letter indicating your interest in the Cook position to golderg@redoakrecovery. com eXPerIeNCed lINe CooK • DISHWASHER Full-time.

Fast pace and high volume requiring ability to multi-task and work efficiently under pressure. Apply in person, between 1pm-4pm, 337 Merrimon Avenue, Weaverville. stoney Knob Cafe.

PT/FT CooKs aNd dIeTarY aIdes PT/FT Cooks and Dietary Aides needed at small LTC facility.

Day shift, no late nights, and rotating weekends. Great benefits and stress free work environment. Apply at Brooks-Howell: 266 Merrimon Ave. WAITSTAFF • HOST • Needed Looking for fun, dependable and experienced employees. Please apply in Person from 2pm4pm Monday thru Friday.

Bellagio Bistro, 133 Weaverville Hwy. WWW.FolKsCHool.orG JoHN C. CamPBell FolK sCHool Executive Working Chef – Proven restaurant working experience of at least five years of a Head Chef. Creative and proficient in all aspects of food preparation, commitment to quality menu planning , ordering, maintains a safe, orderly, clean kitchen. Experience in recruiting staff, multi-tasking skills & supervising. Administrative duties including, staff scheduling, maintains inventory, product ordering, portion sizing. Good leadership, team player skills and ability to work under pressure. Prefers BS degree in Culinary science or Culinary Training. Excellent benefits. Send resume & references to John C. Campbell Folk School, 1 Folk School Road, Brasstown, NC 28902, 828-8372775, fax 828-837-8637 Att: Marianne Hatchett, Business Manager. 828-837-2775 marianne@folkschool.org www. folkschool.org

drIvers/ delIverY Female drIver Needed Visually impaired, active senior citizen living in South Asheville looking for female driver. Need rides to Southeastern Sports Medicine pool, doctor appointments, and errands. Car needs room for lightweight walker. Days are flexible. Please call: 828 585-2171.

medICal/ HealTH Care a NeW HoPe Home Care - CNas, lPNs, rNs A New Hope Home Care is hiring CNAs, LPNs, and RNs to work with our growing family of pediatric and adult clients. If you are a CNA, LPN, or RN looking for rewarding work that makes a daily

impact on another's life, please contact us today.

828-255-4446 or info@anewhopehomecare.com - www. anewhopehomecare.com lICeNsed NUTrITIoNIsT/dIeTICIaN Red Oak Recovery, a cutting edge substance abuse treatment program for young adults, is seeking a part-time or fulltime licensed Nutritionist/ Dietician. Utilize your expertise to provide nutritional and dietary care services and education to clients to promote healthy eating habits and prevent and treat illness.

You will have the opportunity to work closely with other clinicians in a team approach to client care. • Qualified candidates will be a Licensed Nutritionist in the State of NC or Nationally Registered Dietician through the Commission on Dietetics. Competitive pay and benefits package offered. • Please submit resume and cover letter including desired salary to jobs@redoakrecovery.com

HUmaN servICes 21sT CeNTUrY meNTors Needed YmCa of Western North Carolina’s 21st Century Middle School initiative seeks Mentors who will empower our students to reach their fullest potential through our After School and Summer Discovery Programs. https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/index. php?/job/apply&clientkey =B5FFe22363C406221538 06391B9ee20C&job=6374 &jpt= easTer seals UCP NC Needs ParaProFessIoNal sTaFF: Staff needed throughout Buncombe county & surrounding counties to work one on one with individuals with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities in their home, the community, or at their job. 828-3501111 michelle.kozma@eastersealsucp.com FITNess INsTrUCTor Red Oak Recovery, a cutting edge substance abuse treatment program for young adults, is seeking a Fitness Instructor. Join our dynamic

LOVE YOUR LOCAL

work environment, take initiative, and use your creativity to plan and implement a fitness program as a part of our highly individualized, holistic treatment philosophy. The Fitness Instructor will create an exercise program for clients that utilizes minimal equipment and incorporates minimal risk to educate, motivate, and empower our clients to maintain a healthy lifestyle in treatment and beyond. • Qualified candidates must be a certified fitness instructor, pass a criminal background check and possess personal liability insurance. • Those with personal or professional experience with 12 Step Recovery, Substance Abuse Treatment, and/or Mental Health Treatment are encouraged to apply.

• Please submit a resume and cover letter indicating your interest in the Fitness Instructor position to jobs@redoakrecovery.com GreaT oPPorTUNITY, GreaT PeoPle, GreaT sUPPorT. Behavioral Health Group is seeking Licensed Clinical Addition

Specialists and Certified Substance Abuse Counselors. For more information, please call Rhonda Ingle at 828-275-4171.

JOURNEY HOME EAST • dIreCT Care PosITIoNs Full-time, part-time House Parent. Come join our team where you can have a positive, lasting impact on youth from across the country.

Journey Home East is a small, community based step-down program affiliated with Solstice East. The home is designed for girls ages 16-21 years old, who have successfully completed a therapeutic program. We are seeking FT and PT qualified applicants to become members of our direct care staff. • Bachelor degree or experience in residential settings recommended.

• Employee benefits are offered to full-time employees and include health and life insurance as well as holiday pay, vacation and sick leave. EOE. • Please send a resume and cover letter to

advertise@mountainx.com

ATTENTION

Child/Adolescent Mental Health Positions Available We are now providing services to Children & Families in Transylvania, Haywood, Jackson, and Macon counties.

Including Day Treatment, Intensive In-Home, and Outpatient Services.

Clinicians and QPs are encouraged to apply.

Competitive salary and Comprehensive Benefit Package including: Paid Time Off • Cell Phone Stipend • Paid Holidays • Retirement Apply today by submitting your resume and application on our website www.meridianbhs.org mountainx.com 2320 - maRcH mountAInx.commaRcH APRIL - APRIL 29, 26, 2016 2016 177

freewILL aSTrOLOGY ariEs (March 21-april 19): "The writer should never be ashamed of staring," said Aries writer Flannery O'Connor.

"There is nothing that does not require his attention." This is also true for all of you Aries folks, not just the writers among you. And the coming weeks will be an especially important time for you to cultivate a piercing gaze that sees deeply and shrewdly. You will thrive to the degree that you notice details you might normally miss or regard as unimportant. What you believe and what you think won't be as important as what you perceive. Trust your eyes. taurus (april 20-May 20): The ancient Greek geographer Pausanias told a story about how the famous poet Pindar got his start. One summer day, young Pindar decided to walk from his home in Thebes to a city 20 miles away. During his trek, he got tired and lay down to take a nap by the side of the road. As he slept, bees swarmed around him and coated his lips with wax. He didn't wake up until one of the bees stung him. For anyone else, this might have been a bother. But Pindar took it as an omen that he should become a lyric poet, a composer of honeyed verses. And that's exactly what he did in the ensuing years. I foresee you having an experience comparable to Pindar's sometime soon, Taurus. How you interpret it will be crucial. gEMini (May 21-June 20): "I measure the strength of a spirit by how much truth it can take," said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Measured by that standard, your strength of spirit has been growing -- and may be poised to reach an all-time high. In my estimation, you now have an unusually expansive capacity to hold surprising, effervescent, catalytic truths.

Do you dare invite all these insights and revelations to come pouring toward you?

I hope so. I'll be cheering you on, praying for you to be brave enough to ask for as much as you can possibly accommodate.

CanCEr (June 21-July 22): Göbekli Tepe was a monumental religious sanctuary built 11,600 years ago in the place we now call Turkey. Modern archaeologists are confounded by the skill and artistry with which its massive stone pillars were arranged and carved. According to conventional wisdom, humans of that era were primitive nomads who hunted animals and foraged for plants. So it's hard to understand how they could have constructed such an impressive structure 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza. Writing in National Geographic, science journalist Charles C. Mann said, "Discovering that hunter-gatherers had constructed Göbekli Tepe was like finding that someone had built a 747 in a basement with an X-Acto knife." In that spirit, Cancerian, I make the following

- by rob brEzny

prediction: In the coming months, you can accomplish a marvel that may have seemed beyond your capacity. lEo (July 23-aug. 22): In myths and folklore, the ember is a symbol of coiled-up power. The fire within it is controlled. It provides warmth and glow even as its raw force is contained.

There are no unruly flames. How much energy is stored within? It's a reservoir of untapped light, a promise of verve and radiance. Now please ruminate further about the ember, Leo. According to my reading of the astrological omens, it's your core motif right now. virgo (aug. 23-sept. 22): Uh-oh. Or maybe I should instead say "Hooray!"

You are slipping into the Raw Hearty Vivid Untamed Phase of your astrological cycle. The universe is nudging you in the direction of high adventure, sweet intensity, and rigorous stimulation. If you choose to resist the nudges, odds are that you'll have more of an "uh-oh" experience. If you decide to play along, "hooray!" is the likely outcome. To help you get in the proper mood, make the following declaration: "I like to think that my bones are made from oak, my blood from a waterfall, and my heart from wild daisies." (That's a quote from the poet McKenzie Stauffer.) libra (sept. 23-oct. 22): In many cultures, the butterfly is a symbol of transformation and rebirth. In its original state as a caterpillar, it is homely and slow-moving. After its resurrection time in the chrysalis, it becomes a lithe and lovely creature capable of flight. The mythic meaning of the moth is quite different, however. Enchanted by the flame, it's driven so strongly toward the light that it risks burning its wings. So it's a symbol of intense longing that may go too far. In the coming weeks, Libra, your life could turn either way. You may even vacillate between being moth-like and butterfly-like. For best results, set an intention. What exactly do you want? sCorpio (oct. 23-nov. 21): "I gladly abandon dreary tasks, rational scruples, reactive undertakings imposed by the world," wrote Scorpio philosopher Roland Barthes. Why did he do this? For the sake of love, he said -- even though he knew it might cause him to act like a lunatic as it freed up tremendous energy.

Would you consider pursuing a course like that in the coming weeks, Scorpio? In my astrological opinion, you have earned some time off from the grind. You need a break from the numbing procession of the usual daily rhythms. Is there any captivating person, animal, adventure, or idea that might so thoroughly incite your imagination that you'd be open to acting like a lunatic lover with boundless vigor?

sagittarius (nov. 22-dec. 21): "Difficulties illuminate existence," says novelist Tom Robbins, "but they must be fresh and of high quality." Your assignment, Sagittarius, is to go out in search of the freshest and highestquality difficulties you can track down.

You're slipping into a magical phase of your astrological cycle when you will have exceptional skill at rounding up useful dilemmas and exciting riddles.

Please take full advantage! Welcome this rich opportunity to outgrow and escape boring old problems.

CapriCorn (dec. 22-Jan. 19): "When I grow up, I want to be a little boy," wrote novelist Joseph Heller in his book Something Happened. You have cosmic permission to make a comparable declaration in the coming days. In fact, you have a poetic license and a spiritual mandate to utter battle cries like that as often as the mood strikes. Feel free to embellish and improvise, as well: "When I grow up, I want to be a riot girl with a big brash attitude," for example, or "When I grow up, I want to be a beautiful playful monster with lots of toys and fascinating friends who constantly amaze me." aquarius (Jan. 20-feb. 18): In one of his diaries, author Franz Kafka made this declaration: "Life's splendor forever lies in wait around each one of us in all of its fullness -- but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come." I'm bringing this promise to your attention, Aquarius, because you have more power than usual to call forth a command performance of life's hidden splendor.

You can coax it to the surface and bid it to spill over into your daily rhythm.

For best results, be magnificent as you invoke the magnificence. pisCEs (feb. 19-March 20): I've got a controversial message for you, Pisces.

If you're addicted to your problems or if you're convinced that cynicism is a supreme mark of intelligence, what I'll say may be offensive. Nevertheless, it's my duty as your oracle to inform you of the cosmic tendencies, and so I will proceed. For the sake of your mental health and the future of your relationship with love, consider the possibility that the following counsel from French author André Gide is just what you need to hear right now: "Know that joy is rarer, more difficult, and more beautiful than sadness. Once you make this all-important discovery, you must embrace joy as a moral obligation."

humanresources@ashevilleacademy.com • No phone calls or walk ins please. www.journeyhomeeast. com MCM RESPONDER RHA Health Services’ Mobile Crisis Management unit is accepting applications for a Responder who meets QP status. Hours are flexible – average number of hours per week ranges from 5-30. Must be a Buncombe County resident. If you like a fast-paced work environment and enjoy serving the at-need members of your community, then this a great position for you! • Send your resumes to lpauly@rhanet.org QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL Full-time position with benefits working with adults with mental health/substance use issues in the community. Must have a bachelor’s degree in a human service field and 2 years experience working this population after graduation.

Contact Tricia Hinshaw at tricia.hinshaw@rhanet.org

TEACHINg/ EDUCATION

CHAIR, AVIATION MANAgEMENT A-B Tech is currently taking applications for the full-time position of Chair, Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology. Anticipated days are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm with occasional overtime.

For more details and to apply: www.abtech.edu/ jobs LEAD TEACHERS • PRESCHOOL Black Mountain Presbyterian Church Weekday School is seeking a Lead Teacher for their 2 year old classroom and their Pre-K classroom for the 2016-2017 school year. • Hours: 7:451:30, 5 days a week. Paid holidays. Early Childhood Degree preferred. For information call 828-669-2725, ext. 1114.

TEACHERS NEEDED Looking for Lead Teacher for 2's and 3's, floater, and 2-6pm part time floater at our Fairview location; Lead 3 Yr Teacher and floater at our Sweeten Creek location.

Paid Holidays and lots of great fun! Apply in person at either school. Background check and TB required.

828-412-1700 jaiken@childcarenetwork.com XPLORE USA SUMMER CAMP POSITIONS Xplore USA is hiring for our Intercultural Day Camp this summer!

Positions available are English Teacher, Activity Leader, and Foreign Language Teacher. Email resume to emily.terry@xploreusa. org. Visit xploreusa.org for more.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PAID IN ADVANCE! Make $1000/week mailing brochures from home! No experience required. Helping home workers since 2001!

Genuine opportunity. Start immediately! www.TheIncomeHub.com (AAN CAN).

APRIL 20 26,29 2016MountAinx.CoM mountAInx.com 278 MARCH 23- -APRIL MARCH

ARTS/MEDIA ART DIRECTOR/gRAPHIC DESIgNER - FULL TIME POSITION AVAILABLE Must be able to produce excellent creative under tight deadlines. Expert proficiency in Adobe CC for print and web required. Minimum two years experience. Send resume and portfolio to njordan@mktconnections.com.

CAREER TRAININg AIRLINE CAREERS BEgIN HERE Get started by training as a FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-725-1563 (AAN CAN)

COMPUTER/ TECHNICAL

DATABASE / FILEMAKER DEVELOPER Mountain Xpress seeks a person to help develop our FileMakerbased platforms. Must have strong understanding of and ability with FileMaker that includes programming/ development. Preferred candidates will have some experience with HTML/CSS/PHP and other web development, XML/XSLT. Environment is OS X Macintosh. Position is part-time. Send cover letter, resume and references to: employment@mountainx. com

HOTEL/ HOSPITALITy DESK CLERKS, HOUSEKEEPERS, AND gENERAL AREA PERSON NEEDED AT DOWNTOWN INN Positions available on weekdays and weekends. Salary $9.50 per hour. Email resume to maryinstillwater@hotmail.com.

RETAIL LOVE BOOKS AND MUSIC? Part-time retail. 2 years college preferred. Retail experience appreciated. Great working environment. Submit resume to Mr. K's Used Books, Music and More, 800 Fairview Rd in the River Ridge Shopping Center.

Xchange BUSINESSES FOR SALE MOBILE PET gROOMINg BUSINESS FOR SALE Successful pet grooming business in Asheville for sale. Includes van with fully equipped mobile salon, established clients, franchise territory, training in grooming & operations. Serious inquiries contact Owner at hyla101@gmail.com.

ServiceS AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDINg SPECIAL AT LUMEN AUDIO 8 Hour day of recording, mixing included for $500. 72 Hr Turnaround. Great for 5 Song EPs. Great live room, vintage amps and drums. Call Ryan for details 828-777-1975; www.lumenaudio.com

FINANCIAL ARE YOU IN BIG TROUBLE WITH THE IRS? Stop wage and bank levies, liens and audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, and resolve tax debt Fast. Call 844-7531317 (AAN CAN)

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Massage. Reflexology & Aromatherapy.

Beautiful newly renovated space.

Organic massage lotion.

Complimentary Tea Lounge to relax in after your massage. $50/hour. Free parking in lot.

COUNSELING SERVICES

HANDY MAN HIRE A HUSBAND • HANDYMAN SERVICES Since 1993. Multiple skill sets. Reliable, trustworthy, quality results. $1 million liability insurance. References and estimates available. Stephen Houpis, (828) 280-2254.

ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS CASH FOR CARS Any Car/ Truck 2000-2015, Running or Not! Top Dollar For Used/ Damaged. Free Nationwide Towing! Call Now: 1-888420-3808 (AAN CAN) KILL ROACHES - GUARANTEED! Buy Harris Roach Tablets with Lure. Odorless, Long Lasting. Available: Hardware Stores, The Home Depot, homedepot. com (AAN CAN) PREGNANT? THINKING OF ADOPTION? Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families Nationwide. Living Expenses Paid. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 866-413-6293. Void in Illinois/New Mexico/Indiana (AAN CAN)

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT BODYWORK

HYPNOSIS | EFT | NLP Michelle Payton, D.C.H., Author | 828-681-1728 | www.MichellePayton.com | Dr. Payton’s mind over matter solutions include: Hypnosis, Self-Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Acupressure Hypnosis, Past Life Regression, Sensory-based Writing Coaching. Find Michelle’s books, audio and video, sessions and workshops on her website.

HEALTH & FITNESS ELIMINATE CELLULITE And Inches in weeks! All natural. Odor free. Works for men or women. Free month supply on select packages. Order now! 844244-7149 (M-F 9am-8pm central) (AAN CAN)

RETREATS SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 DAYS A WEEK Day & Night passes, cold plunge, sauna, hot tubs, lodging, 8 minutes from town, bring a friend or two, stay the day or all evening, escape & renew! Best massages in Asheville 828299-0999

SPIRITUAL

T HE N E W Y ORK TIMES CROSSWORD PU ZZL E ACROSS 1 Upstate New York

city where Mark Twain was buried 7 Laughing matter 11 Fraternity letter 14 Tap 15 Skating feat 16 Chicago’s ___ Center 17 Serving with liver 19 One-third of tres 20 Fish said to be named for a Mediterranean island 21 Pan coating 23 Kind of blockade 26 Hockey speedster Bobby 27 Food in a tonguetwister 33 Buds 34 Martini’s partner in winemaking 35 Tennessee athlete, informally 36 More hideous 39 Actress Bassett of “Olympus Has Fallen” 41 Bird’s beak 42 Cancels 46 Paris’s ___ Airport

FOR MUSICIANS

47 Chili ingredient 51 The Jazz, on scoreboards

9 ___ State 10 “Who ___?”

11 Title hero of a

personality

12 Dean’s lists, e.g.

13 Close ___

52 SeaWorld whale 53 Wild side of a split 56 Be made up (of) 61 With 48-Down, kind of street

62 Preparer of

17-, 27- and 47-Across?

65 For each 66 Gillette brand 67 “Get outta here!”

68 Before, old-style 69 Online site for business reviews 70 Where sacrifices may be made

DOWN 1 Bad grades 2 ___ Croft, “Tomb

informally

6 Hard-to-hum, in a way

7 ___ alai 8 Brand of

kitchenware

AUTOMOTIVE

MUSICAL SERVICES

AUTOS FOR SALE

ASHEVILLE'S WHITEWATER RECORDING Mastering • Mixing • Recording.

• CD/DVDs. (828) 684-8284 • www.whitewaterrecording.com

2002 HONDA ODYSSEY MINIVAN Gold color, EXL, 179K miles, (about 30k miles on new transmission), runs and looks great, new brakes and battery. $3,500. (828) 216-0624.

CLOUD COTTAGE COMMUNITY OF MINDFUL LIVING: Mindfulness practice in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, 219 Old Toll Circle, Black Mountain. Freedom, Simplicity, Harmony. Weds.

6-7:30 PM; Sundays 8-9:00 AM, followed by tea/book study. For additional offerings, see www.cloudcottage.org or call 828-6696000.

PIANO - IMPROV - COMPOSITION LESSONS SPECIALIZING IN THE ADULT CLASSICAL PIANIST BY STEINWAY ARTIST Jazz Piano for Adults and Young Adults. 35 years experience teaching-composing-performing. Recorded over 80 cds. M.A. in Music from Queens College (CUNY) Studios in: Black Mountain – Asheville - Hendersonville: michaeljefrystevens.com mjsjazz@mac.com 917-9161363

PETS LOST PETS

INDEPENDENT LOCAL MASSAGE THERAPY CENTER OFFERING EXCELLENT BODYWORK 947 Haywood Road, West Asheville.

(828)552-3003. ebbandflowavl.com. Integrative, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone, Prenatal, & Couples

DISCOVER WHAT'S HIDDEN WITHIN YOU Divine Spark offers telephone & Skype based Spiritual Care Management services. 45 min FREE Intro Session. For more info see our website http;//spiritualcaremanagement.com. Email - info@ spiritualcaremanagement. com or Phone - 828-7773574

A LOST OR FOUND PET? Free service. If you have lost or found a pet in WNC, post your listing here: www.lostpetswnc.org

PET SERVICES ASHEVILLE PET SITTERS Dependable, loving care while you're away. Reasonable rates. Call Sandy (828) 215-7232.

WE'LL FIX IT AUTOMOTIVE • Honda and Acura repair. Half price repair and service. ASE and factory trained. Located in the Weaverville area, off exit 15.

Please call (828) 275-6063 for appointment. www.wellfixitautomotive.com

ADULT

(approach)

18 “Not in a million years!”

22 Sharp dresser 24 Ruckus 25 Hi-fi supply 27 Book you can’t put down

28 1970 #1

Jackson 5 song

29 TV’s “___: Cyber” 30 That, in Spanish 31 Bowler’s target 32 Leave in stitches

33 Some crossword clues

PUZZLE BY DAVID J. KAHN

head slap

53 Sulk 45 Big kiss 54 Critical time 48 See 61-Across 49 Certain protozoan 55 Art Deco illustrator 57 “Get outta here!”

50 Subway, basically 58 Tiny bit MOUNTAIN XPRESS PRESENTS

Green

Abbr.

63 Dot-com’s address 64 Take a time out?

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

Our weekly section featuring:

• Farm & Garden • Environment • Sustainability

Paul Caron

Furniture Magician

CURIOUS ABOUT MEN? Talk discreetly with men like you! Try free! Call 1-888-7792789. www.guyspyvoice. com (AAN CAN)

VIAGRA! 52 Pills for Only $99.00. Your #1 trusted provider for 10 years. Insured and Guaranteed Delivery.

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59 “Bon” time in France 60 Speeders’ comeuppances:

scene

ADULT

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No. 0316

Longfellow poem

37 Thanksgiving ___ 38 Reel holder Raider” role 40 Icky stuff 3 News anchor David 43 Word often wrongly 4 Bumped off apostrophized 5 Business losses, 44 Cry made with a

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

#1 AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY CONSCIOUS MASSAGE AND ESSENTIAL OIL CLINIC 4 locations: 1224 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, 505-7088, 959 Merrimon Ave, Suite 101, 7851385 and 2021 Asheville Hwy., Hendersonville, 6970103. 24 Sardis Rd. Ste B, 828-633-6789 • $33/hour. • Integrated Therapeutic Massage: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Trigger Point, Reflexology.

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edited by Will Shortz

• Cabinet Refacing • Furniture Repair • Seat Caning

Contact us today!

828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com

• Antique Restoration • Custom Furniture & Cabinetry (828) 669-4625

• Black Mountain

mountAInx.com MARCH APRIL23 20- -MARCH APRIL 26, 3 MOUNTAINX.COM 29, 2016 2016 79