Mountain Xpress 08.08.18

OUR 25TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 25 NO. 3 AUG 8-14, 2018

FREE LENSES WITH THE PURCHASE OF ANY FRAME OFFER EXPIRES 09/08/18

SINGLE VISION STOCK LENSES ONLY. NON-STOCK LENSES WILL RECEIVE $95 DISCOUNT WITH COUPON. CANNOT COMBINE WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS OR INSURANCE. SEE STORE FOR MORE DETAILS.

4 SOUTH TUNNEL ROAD • ASHEVILLE 828/

298 -650 0

OUR 25TH YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 25 NO. 3 AUG 8-14, 2018

C O NT E NT S C O NTAC T US

PAGE 25 BEHIND THE WHEEL Chef Gene Ettison and farmer Sunil Patel are reviving the Ujamaa Freedom Market, a mobile initiative that brings both fresh food and empowerment to Asheville’s underserved communities.

COVER PHOTO Joe Pellegrino COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

events can be submitted to CALENDAR@MOUNTAINX.COM

Caring and Confidential 30+ Years Experience

FOOD

NEWS WELLNESS GREEN

22 NOTHING BUT RENEWABLE SACEE votes on 100 percent green electricity goal for Asheville

28 A WING AND A PRAYER Dining out presents challenges for people with disabilities

A&E

8 CHEROKEE HEARTLAND Ben Steere discusses ancient mounds and townhouses

18 LESS DAMAGE DONE Buncombe County considers needle exchange program

32 CALLS TO ACTION Red Baraat returns to The Grey Eagle

34 NIGHT MOVES Craft After Dark celebration and silent auction support art grads

Linda Newman Licensed Psychotherapist L.C.S.W., B.C.D., L.C.A.S.

(828) 225-8988

staywell@aol.com • Sliding Fee • Insurance Accepted

www.lindanewmanlicensedtherapist.com

2

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

or try our easy online calendar at MOUNTAINX.COM/EVENTS food news and ideas to FOOD@MOUNTAINX.COM

Psychotherapy for Individuals and Couples • Life Transitions • Relationship Issues • Increase Self Esteem • Addiction Recovery • Sexuality/Sex Therapy • Career/Money Issues • Trauma/Grief/Loss Support • Anxiety/Depression/Stress

letters/commentary to LETTERS@MOUNTAINX.COM

a&e events and ideas to AE@MOUNTAINX.COM

A&E

73 Airport Road #3 Arden, NC 28704 (828) 676-2760 wncmobilelife@gmail.com wncmobilelife.com

news tips & story ideas to NEWS@MOUNTAINX.COM

sustainability news to GREEN@MOUNTAINX.COM

FEATURES Mobility Scooters, Access Ramps, Auto & Stair Lifts, and much more

(828) 251-1333 fax (828) 251-1311

MOUNTAINX.COM

wellness-related events/news to MXHEALTH@MOUNTAINX.COM business-related events/news to BUSINESS@MOUNTAINX.COM

Part One 3 LETTERS 3 CARTOON: MOLTON 5 CARTOON: BRENT BROWN 6 COMMENTARY 12 BUNCOMBE BEAT 14 ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES 15 COMMUNITY CALENDAR 18 WELLNESS 22 GREEN SCENE 24 FARM & GARDEN 25 FOOD 30 SMALL BITES 32 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 39 THEATER REVIEW 40 SMART BETS 45 CLUBLAND 51 MOVIES 52 SCREEN SCENE 54 FREEWILL ASTROLOGY 54 CLASSIFIEDS 55 NY TIMES CROSSWORD

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Mountain Xpress is available free throughout Western North Carolina. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 payable at the Xpress office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of Xpress, take more than one copy of each issue.

To subscribe to Mountain Xpress, send check or money order to: Subscription Department, PO Box 144, Asheville NC 28802. First class delivery.

One year (52 issues) $130 / Six months (26 issues) $70. We accept Mastercard & Visa.

venues with upcoming shows CLUBLAND@MOUNTAINX.COM get info on advertising at ADVERTISE@MOUNTAINX.COM place a web ad at WEBADS@MOUNTAINX.COM question about the website?

WEBMASTER@MOUNTAINX.COM find a copy of xpress DISTRO@MOUNTAINX.COM

WWW.MOUNTAINX.COM FACEBOOK.COM/MOUNTAINX follow us @MXNEWS, @MXARTS, @MXEAT, @MXHEALTH, @MXCALENDAR, @MXENV, @MXCLUBLAND we use these hashtags #AVLNEWS, #AVLENT, #AVLEAT, #AVLOUT, #AVLBEER, #AVLGOV, #AVLHEALTH, #AVLWX

COPYRIGHT 2018

BY MOUNTAIN XPRESS ADVERTISING COPYRIGHT 2018

BY MOUNTAIN XPRESS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

OPINION

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.

SLEEPWORLD of Asheville

STA F F

Largest Selection of Natural & Organic Mattresses in WNC

PUBLISHER: Jeff Fobes ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Susan Hutchinson MANAGING EDITOR: Virginia Daffron A&E EDITOR/WRITER: Alli Marshall FOOD EDITOR/WRITER: Gina Smith GREEN SCENE EDITOR/WRITER: Daniel Walton OPINION EDITOR: Tracy Rose STAFF REPORTERS/WRITERS: Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Virginia Daffron, David Floyd, Daniel Walton

LABOR DAY SALE FREE Adjustable Bed with select Latex models Queen Size starting at $2199 Adjustable Bases by

CALENDAR EDITOR: Abigail Griffin

CARTOO N BY RAN D Y M O L T O N

Where is the outrage for Derrick?

On the fatal shooting of a 12-yearold at Lee Walker Heights: In the last few months there have been two fatal shootings and two other serious but nonfatal shootings at Lee Walker Heights. In the most recent one, called a drive-by shooting by witnesses, a 12-year-old, Derrick LaQuinn Lee Jr., died, and an 18-year-old is in the hospital with serious injuries.

I am writing to ask: Where is the questioning and outrage about this and other fatal shootings of area young people, especially those in public housing? Why is no one, specifically, Mayor Esther Manheimer, City Council representatives, ministers at area churches, local activists, civil rights groups and their members demanding answers, speaking out in public or protesting about this deadly gun violence and calling on the mayor, the Asheville Police Department and others to come up with some plan and solutions to end the killing before another one makes headlines in the Asheville area?

— John Penley

Asheville Editor’s note: Xpress contacted the mayor and City Council with a summary of the letter writer’s points and heard back from Council member Vijay Kapoor. Noting that he was speaking only for himself, Kapoor wrote: “When I ran for Council, I did so to ensure

that all Asheville residents could go to sleep each night feeling safe, fed, healthy and valued, and I have been working hard to make this a reality. Several weeks ago, I met with Chief [Tammy] Hooper about Derrick’s murder and the violent crime increase we are seeing in parts of our city. To her credit, she has tried to raise this issue with Council for months. Recently, I visited Lee Walker Heights, where Derrick was killed, and other public housing communities to introduce myself and meet residents. I’m asking residents how they and we can make their neighborhood safe. Contrary to popular belief, many residents want additional police officers on-site. We need to find who shot Derrick, and I raised $2,000 of the current $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Our violent crime problem is costing lives and causing neighbors to live in fear. All of us in the community need to step up.”

For more info on the reward, see avl.mx/56s.

Asheville’s architectural style should be green In response to the Mountain Xpress article “Balancing Act: How Will New Downtown Construction Affect Asheville’s Future?” [July 18] there was a glaring omission of the general population’s interest in a greener Asheville.

CLUBLAND EDITOR: Lauren Andrews

Financing Available! No Credit Check!

MOVIE REVIEWERS: Scott Douglas, Francis X. Friel, Justin Souther CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Peter Gregutt, Rob Mikulak

700 Hendersonville Road Asheville NC 28803 • 277-2500

www.sleepworldashevillenc.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Jonathan Ammons, Leslie Boyd, Liz Carey, Jacqui Castle, Cathy Cleary, Kim Dinan, Scott Douglas, Jonathan Esslinger, Tony Kiss, Bill Kopp, Cindy Kunst, Jeff Messer, Joe Pellegrino, Shawndra Russell, Monroe Spivey, Lauren Stepp ADVERTISING, ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Susan Hutchinson LEAD DESIGNER: Scott Southwick GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Norn Cutson, Olivia Urban MARKETING ASSOCIATES: Christina Bailey, Sara Brecht, Bryant Cooper, Karl Knight, Tim Navaille, Brian Palmieri, Heather Taylor, Tiffany Wagner INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES & WEB: Bowman Kelley, DJ Taylor BOOKKEEPER: Amie Fowler-Tanner ADMINISTRATION, BILLING, HR: Able Allen, Lauren Andrews DISTRIBUTION: Susan Hutchinson (Coordinator), Denise Montgomery, Jeff Tallman DISTRIBUTION DRIVERS: Gary Alston, Russell Badger, Jemima Cook Fliss, Margo Frame, Autumn Hipps, Clyde Hipps, Jennifer Hipps, Joan Jordan, Rick Leach, Angelo Sant Maria, Desiree Mitchell, Charlotte Rosen, Bob Rosinsky

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

3

OPINION

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com.

We have a Green Built Alliance and a mayor who have committed to reducing greenhouse gases in Asheville with the help of city staff and Council members. The current city goals are 80 percent carbon reduction by 2050, including a 4 percent annual cut in the carbon footprint.

Architecture that will help our future most in Asheville includes the following list of design features: buildings are user-friendly; they have small footprints with multiple uses; they have access to greenery (via rooftop or surrounding edible gardens and parks); they take advantage of solar power and alternative energy; they save power by needing less cooling and heating through insulation and orientation and efficient appliances; they save water through low-flow faucets and grey water recycling; they consider the waste stream in composting, sewage and recycling systems; they reduce dependence on cars; and they keep our night skies dark.

I am not too concerned about the façade of a building and would rather see creative designs that reflect many Asheville citizens’ values and true Asheville style.

— Barbara Sloss

Asheville

4

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

Editor’s note: Thank you for mentioning the importance of environmentally friendly building principles and systems. Although the Style issue was focused on aesthetics across a variety of subject areas, Xpress has reported extensively over the years about local environmental efforts, including green building. For example, see avl.mx/56r, published last fall, and, in this issue, “Nothing But Renewable: SACEE Votes on 100 Percent Green Electricity Goal for Asheville.”

Ahoj to Dobra Tea in Black Mountain I was so distressed to open the Mountain Xpress a few weekends ago and discover that Dobra Tea in Black Mountain is closing for good [“Small Bites,” June 27]. “Dobra” loosely translated means “good” in Czech, and my mother, Milena, who hails from Brno, the Czech Republic, and I would sometimes repair there after a short Sunday hike in nearby Montreat. It was one of our most favorite spots in Black Mountain to catch up on each other’s news

MOUNTAINX.COM

and indulge in numerous international teas, veggie spring rolls and matcha cheesecake.

My mother was particularly tickled by the fact the interior woodwork of each Dobra Tea location was handcrafted by Czech carpenters in the Czech Republic, then shipped over here and reassembled by the same artisans.

I realize there are still two other Dobra Tea locations where we can meet in the Asheville area — the one on Haywood Road in West Asheville and the one downtown on North Lexington Avenue. That’s not the point, though. The point is that all of the unique, lovely, authentic spaces in this town are rapidly being snatched up and turned into something ubiquitous, bland and elitist.

Where are the affordable housing initiatives, the community garden fundraisers, the extended and fairfree master transit plan?

And what exactly is going in the bottom level of that building? Yet another brewery? Perhaps these Ashevilleans need to start learning that the Czech word for beer is pivo!

— Kristina Orchard-Hays

Asheville

Signs of the times Brothers and sisters in America, we have herds of deer grazing in our front yards, hordes of people stampeding toward Asheville, potholed freeways are in gridlock, wild hogs are closing in on downtown Raleigh and the Antichrist has taken over Washington.

Rivers of molten rock are paving over our 50th state inch by inch, and, unbelievably, we’ve somehow managed to piss off the most hospitable, laid-back folks on Earth, the Canadians. The Canadians! We’re separating mothers from their children and confining them in gulags spread across Texas, a friendly foreign country like our ally, Russia. It’s only a matter of time until the French ask for their statue back, and we’ll embargo their wine in return.

What’s next? Is the red planet going to crash into us? Not to go all Revelations or Jeremiah on you, but just because Denzel Washington isn’t roaming an apocalyptic landscape that used to be Western North Carolina with a 12-gauge pump or we’re not warming ourselves over piles of garbage and chasing rats doesn’t mean that the end isn’t near. Unless there’s

C A R T O O N B Y B R E NT B R O W N a blood moon or solar eclipse, which happens a lot these days, you can see it coming from the top of Mount Pisgah, since acid rain has stripped all the trees. Also, I got a parking ticket today.

— Milton Ready

Tryon

Melt the ICE! Have you ever wondered how the citizens of Nazi Germany allowed the concentration camps to happen? Did you ask yourself, “How could they have just continued with their daily lives while knowing this was going on?” The separation of immigrant

children from their parents is, in my eyes, no less a horror and violation.

A recent article stated that this treatment meets the definition of genocide. The places where they are held are concentration camps. Children are drugged to make them stop crying, sometimes lacking access to showers or decent food, and not even allowed to hug a sibling.

The parents also suffer greatly, with no way of knowing where their children are. Such trauma can take years of therapy to heal, if healing is even possible. In some cases, no records were kept to reunify the families or parents were deported while

the children remain incarcerated here. They are innocent of any crime; they believed that their desperate lives could be improved by crossing the border. Often the intolerable conditions they fled were caused by U.S. policies that cripple their economies.

We’re told that without these tough measures, we’ll be swamped with people taking our jobs, along with images of Latinos as criminals.

Nothing is further from the truth.

Most work extremely hard jobs at terribly low wages, sacrifice for their families and abide by the law.

Kudos to the “Grannies Respond” movement, launched from New York

and caravanning through Kentucky, Alabama and Louisiana to protest at a children’s detention center on the Texas border!

In Western North Carolina, an April ICE raid placed 27 people in a detention center in Georgia, five hours away from their families. We must not let the ICE in the hearts of the ruling elite spread into our own hearts. I’m praying that the ICE in those hearts will melt and that all those in power will rediscover a compassionate, warm heart and the blessing which sharing with our neighbors brings.

— Cathy Holt

Asheville

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

5

OPINION

Where do we go from here?

Let’s not let WNC become the next flavor of the month

BY KAREN CRAGNOLIN It’s not very often that the top appointed jobs at both the city and county are vacant at the same time. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s never happened before in my 32 years of living and working in Asheville. And given the gravity and scope of the issues now facing this area, we need to think carefully about how we fill those positions.

SWEEPING CHANGES I can remember when the county manager also chaired the Board of Commissioners. In 1986, Curtis Ratcliff held that dual job, and he was everywhere. I also recall what a giant leap it was to appoint the first professional county manager.

That, of course, was only an early sign of the kind of sweeping changes that have since transformed the area.

Hendersonville Road was two lanes back then. We dreamed about regionalism until the water agreement with Henderson County blew up, and we’re still feeling the repercussions of that today.

Remember when downtown Asheville consisted of tumbleweeds, boarded-up buildings, Tops for Shoes and Stone Soup? I remember going out to dinner and brown-bagging wine, because alcohol wasn’t served in some places. Now we excel at making craft liquors, beer and wine. I remember when downtown was thought to end at the intersection of Patton and Coxe avenues. These days I think of it

T h a nfokr Y o u

Voting 6

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

KAREN CRAGNOLIN as extending beyond the city center into Biltmore Village, the River Arts District and even West Asheville.

Seen from that perspective, today’s Asheville is almost unrecognizable.

Some of that change has been positive: We’ve made “best of” lists in just about every category you can name. We’ve become a mecca for food and beer, and hotels have blossomed everywhere.

But the jury’s still out on other changes, and we need to consider their impacts on this community. Affordable housing is now a full-blown crisis, and I believe it will persist until we find a new approach. That’s just one glaring example of the challenges facing us — and why we need to think carefully about who fills those top administrative jobs and how they relate to each other.

MANAGING GROWTH One positive shift is that we’ve been forced to acknowledge the value, economic and otherwise, of preserving our natural resources. Indeed, this may be what saves us in the end.

Wilma Dykeman was right: You can’t have a healthy economy without a healthy environment.

In 1986, people would have thought I was hallucinating if I’d told them that, one day, a dozen or more companies would be hosting over 50,000 trips a year on the French Broad River. Cut to 2018, though, and we have the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay, greenways with bike paths, breweries and restaurants right on the river, housing and artists’ studios in the RAD and, yes, a thriving economy made possible by this growth.

MOUNTAINX.COM

Most people would never have dreamed — and many resisted the idea — that the abundance and relative purity of our water source would become such a driving force in our attractiveness as a destination to live, work and play. That very success, however, only underscores the need for wise decisions going forward, and while our elected officials ultimately make those decisions, the city and county managers can have a big influence on how things turn out.

Our current situation also highlights past failures that we need to learn from.

One maxim of economic development is that growth follows infrastructure. You put the road and other fundamentals into an area and then get out of the way: New development will follow. Yet both here and across WNC, infrastructure is still chasing after growth.

It’s not that we didn’t plan: We did, at least in some cases. We certainly hired enough consultants and held a ton of meetings. I, personally, have added my dots to hundreds of maps as I voted for one plan after another. Too often, though, we simply couldn’t reach agreement, and in the end, growth just happened.

KEY QUESTIONS Now, however, we have a chance to rewrite the script, and we owe it to ourselves to rethink, re-examine and adjust. I don’t pretend to know the answers, but Asheville isn’t the only community to have witnessed the kinds of changes we’ve experienced in recent decades. We should look at other places with similar histories and consider what lessons — whether positive or negative — we can learn from them. To help us do that, we need to hire city and county managers who’ve already successfully led a “destination” city, which is what we’ve become.

Of course, the current City Council and county commissioners will be the ones making those selections, but they may be influenced by what they hear from local residents. And going forward, we also need to think carefully about who we elect to shape this area’s future.

That, however, highlights another obstacle: this area’s Byzantine political structures. The other day, I was talking with a recent transplant who

was dumbfounded to learn that six mayors serve Buncombe County’s roughly 250,000 people! She thought I was joking until I named them: Asheville, Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain, Montreat, Weaverville and Woodfin. There are also three voting districts for the county Board of Commissioners. Meanwhile, state lawmakers have now sliced up the city into five electoral districts. And when you factor in the state and federal districts, it’s enough to make your head spin.

That’s a whole lot of government, and not surprisingly, the turnout for these elections is mostly pretty dismal. When I ask people who their state and federal representatives are, they often don’t know or can’t remember. Is there a message here?

Are there any aspects of local government that could be consolidated or made more inclusive? Would eliminating some of those layers undermine the will of the people, or do we have so much government that it’s become inaccessible and unresponsive to most residents’ concerns?

Does having so many people in charge mean that no one’s really in charge?

Is the city just Asheville proper, or does this name now encompass a much larger geographic area?

GET SMART Those are only some of the questions that truly deserve consideration and dialogue. But do we want a dialogue that’s strategic, thoughtful, balanced and inclusive? Or will it be “Batten down the hatches — it’s going to be a bumpy ride?”

Let’s think collectively about where we are now and where we want to be.

And rather than emphasizing our differences, let’s focus on what we can agree on that serves the greatest number of residents.

I think we have solid agreement on gravity, at least, so that’s a start. I’d also venture to guess that none of us want WNC to become the “flavor of the month” that ends up being overloved and overused in the short term and then abandoned in favor of the next month’s selection.

In order to avoid that, we need city and county managers who, together with our elected officials, can tackle key issues and help us navigate this new reality called the greater Asheville area. Geography is destiny, and change is inevitable — but how we address those changes is up to us.

Karen Cragnolin was RiverLink’s executive director from its inception until her retirement in 2016. X

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

7

NEWS

CHEROKEE HEARTLAND Ben Steere discusses ancient mounds and townhouses

BY THOMAS CALDER tcalder@mountainx.com

Live Wine Where the Locals Music & Go! Food Best & Freshest Oysters in AVL 7-9 pm nightly

and FREE parking!

2 Hendersonville Rd., AVL, 28803 (By Ichiban in Biltmore Village) Mon-Fri: 4p-10p • Sat: 2p-10p • Sun: Closed

As do many archaeologists, Ben Steere began his career as a field technician. “They’re affectionately called ‘shovel bums’ in the business,” he explains. In 2004, Steere had just completed his undergraduate degree in anthropology at Wake Forest University and moved to Western North Carolina, where he would spend the next two years collecting data for construction of the Cherokee Central School complex on Big Cove Road in Cherokee.

The experience changed his life. Steere recalls members of the Cherokee community visiting the site while the project was underway. They asked questions about the work and offered feedback to his team. Through these conversations, Steere notes, he developed a greater understanding of Cherokee culture. “That was really transformative for me,” he says.

“There are plenty of anthropology programs where students never meet a Native American or get an indigenous perspective.”

Now an assistant professor at Western Carolina University, Steere leads courses in anthropology and archaeology; he also directs the university’s Cherokee studies program.

And on Saturday, Aug. 11, the shovelbum-turned-Ph.D. will present The Archaeology of Mounds & Towns at the Reuter Center at UNC Asheville.

The talk, part of Steere’s ongoing research project, will address the evolution of household construction, trade patterns and lifestyles among native people. The presentation will also shed greater light on the complicated history between archaeologists and members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee.

OVER THE CENTURIES Cherokee mound building in WNC dates to A.D. 200. Several of these ancient sites still stand today, including the Biltmore Mound, located on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate.

The meaning and function of the structures, however, changed significantly over time.

(828) 676-2700 • thewineandoyster.com 8

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

SHOVEL BUM: Ben Steere has been involved in archaeological work in Western North Carolina since 2004. He now teaches at Western Carolina University. Photo courtesy of WCU Steere notes that the earliest mounds served as platforms for ceremonial activities. But as indigenous people began forming permanent villages, the sites transformed into political and economic centers for their communities. By A.D. 1600, large public townhouses replaced the mounds and were often built directly atop their former sites.

“In contrast to platform mounds, which literally and metaphorically elevated the chief above other community members, townhouses were public structures which likely functioned as architectural symbols of the Cherokee town, emphasizing the

importance of community identity over individual leadership,” Steere writes in his 2015 article, “Revisiting Platform Mounds and Townhouses in the Cherokee Heartland: A Collaborative Approach,” published in Southeastern Archaeology.

By the 19th century, war, smallpox and the Indian Removal Act had led to the disappearance and death of many Cherokee people in WNC. An estimated 1,000 members of the community managed to survive and remain in the region. But with a majority of the Cherokee gone, the structures that once marked the center of their villages

fell to ruin, lost to time, neglect and antiquarian excavations.

DEHUMANIZATION Along with overviewing Cherokee history, Steere also intends to discuss his own profession’s unscrupulous past among indigenous communities. “If you look historically, it hasn’t always been a great relationship,” he says. “Why, for example, are Native Americans and Native American artifacts included in natural history museums? Why are there so many Native American remains in the Smithsonian compared to other kinds of remains? It’s a dehumanizing thing.”

Tribe member Beau Carroll, who has worked with Steere on a number of projects, echoes these claims.

Carroll, an archaeological technician for the Eastern Band Tribal Historic Preservation Office, notes that past archaeologists rarely considered ethical standards or made attempts at cultural understanding during their digs. In some cases, this indifference led to the desecration of gravesites. “They were highly

educated looters,” Carroll says of previous generations. “That’s how I feel.”

Such behavior did not sit well with Carroll. But rather than discredit the entire profession, he immersed himself in the field, earning his master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Tennessee. “I realized Cherokee people didn’t have a voice in history,” Carroll says. “It seemed like they were never the actors in the story. They were always reacting to outside influence. I had a problem with that.”

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH Steere points to individuals like Carroll as a welcome and needed addition within the field. And both men are actively encouraging members of the Cherokee tribe to pursue careers in anthropology and archaeology as a way to bring a broader outlook to the profession.

“I think collaboration is really important in terms of undoing some of the long-term damage that exists between archaeologists and

CONTINUES ON PAGE 10

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

9

N EWS

TAKING THE LEAD: “I realized Cherokee people didn’t have a voice in history,” says Beau Carroll, above. “It seemed like they were never the actors in the story. They were always reacting to outside influence. I had a problem with that.” Photo courtesy of Carroll indigenous communities,” Steere says. “One of the many benefits is that it offers a different and more nuanced perspective on what these places mean.”

For Carroll, the advantages are both obvious and sensible. “When you’re working on a project about Cherokee people, it just seems practical to include Cherokee people,” he says.

If Steere’s ongoing research provides any indication, the future is promising. As he notes in his 2015 article, the Western North Carolina Mounds and Towns Project launched as a collaborative work with the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Eastern Band of Cherokee and the Coweeta Long Term Ecological

CECILIA JOHNSON Attorney at Law

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

THE HEARTLAND Steere emphasizes that Cherokee mounds do far more than simply indicate the former locations of historically significant tribal villages.

They bridge the gap between the past and the present; they function as a reminder of what was and what still is. “I hope people take away from the talk more of an appreciation

DIVORCE IS SCARY but your lawyer’s bill shouldn’t be.

•

My $125/hour rate is ALMOST HALF other attorneys’ rates in Asheville.

•

I have 21 years’ experience.

Divorce • Child Custody • Child Support Property Division • Separation Agreements

•

I handle all my cases personally, rather than handing the work to a paralegal.

$125 PER HOUR

•

Skype appointments days, nights and weekends; so no need to travel to my office.

ceciliacjohnson.com ceciliacjohnson@bellsouth.net

10

Research Program at the University of Georgia.

“It’s shifting,” Carroll says, in reference to his subject’s steps toward greater inclusivity. “And I’m trying to do everything I can to speed it up.”

ON THE DIG: In 2012, as part of the Mounds and Towns Project, Beau Carroll, foreground, measured post holes from an 18th-century Cherokee summer house in Thomas Valley, near Whittier, while archaeologist Joel Jones worked at the rear of the site.

Photo by Ben Steere for Western North Carolina as this Cherokee heartland that really still has the evidence of Cherokee culture and Cherokee presence written onto the landscape,” he says.

“I know a lot of Cherokee students think about the Qualla Boundary as home,” he continues. “But when they drive over to Murphy, they’re passing through places that were densely occupied by Cherokees in the 18th century.” And while mounds and townhouses are less evident in today’s river valleys, Steere says, glimpses of the past — and potential new discoveries — still remain. X

WHAT The Archaeology of Mounds & Towns WHERE Reuter Center at UNC Asheville 1 Campus View Road avl.mx/55s WHEN Saturday, Aug. 11, 2-3:30 p.m. $5 donation; free for Western North Carolina Historical Association members

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

11

BUNCOMBE BEAT

McHenry hears harsh criticism at Buncombe town hall meeting

FIRING LINE: Constituents file along the wall of the Riceville Community Center as they wait to ask questions of Rep. Patrick McHenry at his town hall meeting on Aug. 1. Photo by Daniel Walton Neither rain nor a 10 a.m.

Wednesday start time appeared to deter area residents from turning out for Rep. Patrick McHenry’s annual town hall meeting in Buncombe County on Aug. 1. The Riceville Community Center in northeast Asheville was packed to its 143-person capacity, with many attendees parking in the grass along Riceville Road and dozens turned away due to fire code restrictions.

Although Buncombe County Commissioner Joe Belcher attempted to set ground rules of civil engagement as he introduced his fellow Republican, crowd members did not shy away from vociferous dissent with McHenry’s positions. Many accused the representative, in his House leadership role as chief deputy majority whip, of giving a free pass to President Donald Trump for behavior they believe to be unethical.

“The president speaks in ways that demean groups of people, that indicate it’s all right to tear families apart and abuse children,” said Asheville resident Cathy Scott, garnering sustained applause from the audience. “I believe that it’s the responsibility of public officials like yourself to work to heal the trauma that our president is creating by challenging him.”

McHenry responded by saying he’s chosen to focus on achieving legislative goals, not sharing his opinions on Trump’s communication style. “I didn’t think it was important for me to be a commentator on every tweet or every direction on a daily basis,” he said. “All I can do is control my actions and my words and how I engage.”

That answer failed to satisfy the crowd, as did McHenry’s response to a critique of Trump’s border policy.

After another attendee compared

detention facilities for children separated from their families during immigration proceedings to “concentration camps” in Nazi Germany, McHenry interjected that such rhetoric was “way outsized for what we’re experiencing right now” — only to be interrupted in turn by a general outburst from the audience.

Once the noise died down, McHenry said that he’s called for an end to the family separation policy, as well

as a broader conversation about the root causes of immigration.

Through changes to development aid in Central American countries, he hopes the U.S. can encourage growth and create economies that meet the region’s needs.

McHenry did reach some common ground with his constituents over renewable energy. He expressed pride in North Carolina for having the country’s second-largest solar electric capacity and called for a “fundamental shift in energy development and deployment.”

At the national level, McHenry said he would push for technology-agnostic incentives to spur innovation and reduce the cost of energy alternatives.

However, McHenry was more hesitant to embrace the idea of a carbon tax, as advocated by a number of attendees. Such a “fundamental change” in how taxation occurs, he said, would require significant study to determine its effects on the economy.

In the end, McHenry said, his approach to tackling climate change would be determined by the data.

“I’m an outlier, I’ll be honest with you, in my party, but I think you have to start having that conversation in order to build some understanding,” he explained. “Data’s not there to hurt your feelings.”

— Daniel Walton X

EYE OF THE STORM: Rep. Patrick McHenry prepares to answer another question from a vocal crowd at his town hall meeting on Aug. 1. Photo by Daniel Walton 12

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

NEWS BRIEFS

by News staff | news@mountainx.com CLUB DONATES TO INTERFAITH MINISTRY The nonprofit Hendersonville HOPE Aktion Club, a program of Kiwanis International for adults with disabilities, has donated more than 150 items to Interfaith Assistance Ministry in Hendersonville.

“This important group of people are putting aside their own daily life challenges to help children in our community,” says Vickie Ewing, club administrator. “In addition to the donations to IAM, the Aktion Club members have also donated cleaning supplies to Safelight, a shelter for children and families escaping abusive situations.”

For more information on the club, contact Rob Weeter, club adviser, at 828-772-9512 or rcweeter@ gmail.com.

VETERANS SERVICES GETS NEW HOME Buncombe County Veterans Services has moved from College Street to the renovated and expanded Buncombe County Health and Human Services facility at 40 Coxe Ave. The new location offers convenient access to the downtown bus station as well as additional supportive services provided by the county Health and Human Services Department.

Free parking in the new parking deck adjacent to the building is available to those visiting Veterans Services.

Buncombe County Veterans Services offers assistance in burial benefits, disability benefits, education and training, home loans, health care services, survivor benefits and other

TAKING ACTION: The Hendersonville HOPE Aktion Club, a Kiwanis International program for adults with disabilities, donated 150 items to Interfaith Assistance Ministry of Hendersonville. Photo courtesy of Kiwanis Carolinas District services. Veterans, their dependents, the surviving spouse or child of a deceased veteran, members of the Reserves or National Guard and active duty service members may be eligible for benefits from Veterans Services.

More information is available at avl.mx/56t or 828-250-5726.

SERVE ON A CITY BOARD Asheville residents may apply for seats on several city boards and commissions by Monday, Aug. 20, at 5 p.m. Positions are available on the following boards: • Board of Adjustment (alternate) • Citizens-Police Advisory Committee (this seat is for a resident of an Asheville Housing Authority property) • Historic Resources Commission • Neighborhood Advisory Committee • Noise Ordinance Appeals Board (alternate) • Tree Commission Applications and more information are available at avl.mx/3wv or by contacting Deputy City Clerk Sarah Terwilliger at sterwilliger@ashevillenc. gov or 828-259-5839.

ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETS AUG. 28 The next formal meeting of the Asheville City Council will be held Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m.

Prior to the meeting, City Council will hold a work session at 3 p.m. to review the 2019-20 budget process.

Both meetings are open to the public and will be held in the council chamber on the second floor of City Hall, 70 Court Plaza.

SCHOOL BOARD RACES UNCONTESTED Only three candidates, all incumbents, filed for the Buncombe County Board of Education election by the filing deadline of Aug. 3: Enka District’s Max Queen of Candler, Erwin District’s Pat Bryant of West Asheville and Reynolds District’s Cindy McMahon of East Asheville.

The school board has seven members, six from districts and one at large.

Three seats are up for grabs this year. All voters within the county’s six school districts vote on all the positions, but the candidates must live in their respective districts. X

10% off for NEW CLIENTS!

Now offering HALOCOUTURE® Original Halo® Extensions & Keratin Complex Treatments

Buying, Selling or Investing in Real Estate?

(828) 210-1697

STUDIO CHAVARRIA HAIR SALON 828.236.9191 • 17 Rankin Avenue, Downtown Asheville

www.TheMattAndMollyTeam.com

studiochavarria.com

HOURS: Tue. - Fri. 10am-7pm • Sat. 10am-4pm • Closed Sun & Mon MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

13

ASHEVILLE ARCHIVES

FEA T U RE S

Paper ballots

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

The launch of Best Of WNC

Meanwhile, in personal services, Ingles won for Best Place to Write a Check for Over the Amount of Purchase.

(Remember those days?) According to Eubanks’ write-up, “the clerks are nicer if you write your phone number and your driver’s license number on the check for them.”

The award for Most Dilapidated Building went to the Kress Building. Former Xpress reporter Margaret Williams noted previous attempts to “perk it up with a little business,” but in 1995, the site (now home to the Kress Emporium) remained “unused and neglected.”

Other highlights from the inaugural Best Of include: Julian Price for Best Unsung Local Hero and Best Capitalist, Taco Bell for Best Place to Take a Last Date,

In honor of Best Of WNC, we thought it might be fun to explore our publication’s own recent past. In the April 19, 1995, issue of Mountain Xpress, readers were introduced to the paper’s “First Annual Best of WNC survey.”

For the next three weeks, write-in ballots were included in each issue. The AND THE WINNER IS: The inausurvey featured gural Best Of WNC launched in the eight sections, total- May 31, 1995, issue of Xpress. ing 184 categories.

(Today’s Best Of includes over 400 categories within its main section, with an additional 16 categories for each of the nine regional surveys.)

Mailed-in ballots were due May 16, with results scheduled to publish two weeks later. “We started too late and finished too early,” remembers Carey Watson, former managing editor who orchestrated the initial survey. “It was a true labor of love.”

Despite the limited window, final results were included in the May 31 issue. Kyt Eubanks, former calendar editor, wrote the first introduction. In it, she noted many of the voters’ unique responses, including one reader “who gave somewhat disparaging answers for all the restaurants in the ‘meat’ categories — like ‘live simply so that other may simply live; I don’t eat the stuff; etc., etc.’ — [but] had no problem listing where to shop for guns. Go figure.”

It might surprise some of the area’s newcomers to learn that Asheville’s food scene wasn’t always, well, that much of a scene. Red Lobster claimed Best Seafood, McDonald’s won Best French Fries, Outback Steakhouse earned Best Steak, and Fuddruckers took home Best Burger.

However, some local joints did place. Among these, the now-defunct Cafe on the Square won for Best Downtown Eatery and Best Dessert (tying with The Hop Ice Cream Shop in the latter category). Meanwhile, The Laughing Seed was voted Best Vegetarian Food. “A big right on to owners Joan and Joe Eckert, who started out with a teensy-weensy lunch-counter … in the basement of the YMCA,” wrote former Xpress reporter Danielle Truscott.

In the Music & Entertainment section, Blockbuster Video earned Best Video Rental Store. For those unfamiliar with the business and/or business model, don’t sweat.

Former Xpress reporter (and 1995 Best Local Sex Symbol) Frank Rabey captured the true essence and spirit of the enterprise in his inaugural Best Of winners’ write-up: “It’s blue and yellow, and big. You can see if for blocks. You dart in, and a bell rings. Khakiand-blue employees greet you by your second step through the door. Damn! They got you again. The Blockbuster Challenge: Sneak in without a greeting.

You’re now in a warehouse-sized room filled with tapes — dramas, comedies, family stuff, pumped-up Ahnold fare, several walls of new releases, a few a’ them foreign thingies, and Lord knows what else.

14

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

You’ve got 10 minutes — so go on, find one movie. Not on your life.”

Blue Moon for Best Bakery, Harry’s Bagels for Best Bagels, Factory Sales and Surplus for Most Obnoxious Local TV Ad, The Merle for Best Band, Be Here Now for Best Place to Hear Live Music, Beanstreets for Best Coffeehouse, Leni Sitnick (three-time winner) for Best City Council Member, Cutest City Council Member and Best Community Activist and, of course, 12 Cops & the Hooker for Best Local Scandal.

Watson says despite those late nights spent tallying votes, she remembers the elation (and relief) that followed the inaugural Best Of. “It’s exciting when you know people are reading you, but then to have them send in their opinions about what they think is best in Asheville is very exciting,” she says. “Right out of the gate we became part of the community.” X

COMMUNITY VOTE: Readers had four weeks in 1995 to fill out and mail in paper ballots for the inaugural Best Of.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR AUG. 8 - 16, 2018

CALENDAR GUIDELINES 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.

BENEFITS APPALACHIAN BARN ALLIANCE appalachianbarns.org • SU (8/12), 3pm Proceeds from this concert featuring Susi Gott, Marty Lewis and Don Lewis benefit the Appalachian Barn Alliance. $15/$10 advance. Held at Broyhill Chapel, 338 Cascade St, Mars Hill FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE 610 Haywood Road, 828-255-8115, firestorm.coop • SU (8/12), 2:15-4pm - Proceeds from this vegan bake sale benefit RAICES and CIMA. Free to attend.

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • MO (8/13), 6pm Proceeds from the “Dark Nat Revue” with performance by Nat Zegree, raffles, online auction, food and beer benefit the Flat Rock Playhouse. $75/$100 dinner & performance/$150 VIP. ONLY HOPE WNC 828-891-4360, etowahumc.org • SA (8/11), 4-6:30pm - Proceeds from this outdoor concert featuring Folkadelic benefit Only Hope WNC. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Free to attend.

Held at Etowah United Methodist Church, 110 Brickyard Road, Etowah PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS 67 Doras Trail, Bakersville, 828-7652359, penland.org

• FR (8/10) & SA (8/11), 5-8pm - Proceeds from the Penland School of Crafts 33rd Annual Benefit Auction benefit the Penland School of Crafts. $255.

SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND BENEFIT bit.ly/2KlEqRy • TH (8/9), 6:30pm - Proceeds from the second annual Nashville Songwriters in the Round Concert benefit the Tennent Scholarship Fund. $100 and up.

Held at Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200 THE CENTER FOR CRAFT, CREATIVITY & DESIGN 67 Broadway, 828-785-1357, craftcreativitydesign.org, info@ craftcreativitydesign. org • TH (8/9), 7-10pm - Proceeds from the Craft After Dark Party featuring a silent auction, live music, dancing hands-on activities, local food and drink and photo booth benefit the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design. $100/$250 VIP/ $65 young professional admission.

THE VANISHING WHEELCHAIR 175 Weaverville Road, Suite L., 828-645-2941, VanishingWheelchair. org • 2nd & 4th FRIDAYS, 7pm - Proceeds from “Magic, Mirth & Meaning,” familyfriendly, hour-long production featuring storytellers, singers, jugglers, and magicians benefit The Vanishing Wheelchair. $10/$5 children.

RETRACED STEPS: For Friends of the Smokies’ Classic Hike on Tuesday, Aug. 14, Western North Carolina native Billie Green will lead participants down an old roadbed from Smokemont Campground to Backcountry Campsite No. 49, paralleling Bradley Fork in the process. The group will cover 9.8 miles with an 800-foot ascent, walking by oldgrowth trees along the way. The hike is a fundraiser for Trails Forever, a partnership between Friends of the Smokies and the National Park Service that funds a full-time trail crew to rehabilitate and reconstruct some of the park’s most impacted trails. Each hike costs $20 for current Friends of the Smokies members and $35 for new and renewing members. Hike time, carpool specifics, directions and other information will be provided to registrants on Friday, Aug. 10. For more information, visit hike.friendsofthesmokies. org. Photo courtesy of Friends of the Smokies (p. 17) TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL tcarts@comporium.net • SU (8/12), 6-9pm Proceeds from night sky viewing with PARI, live music, food and wine benefit the Transylvania Community Arts Council. $75. Held at Old Bishop Place Farm, 714 Reasonover Road, Cedar Mountain UNITED WAY OF HENDERSON COUNTY 828-692-1636, liveunitedhc.org • FR (8/10) - Proceeds from this annual golf tournament with breakfast, lunch and prizes benefit the United Way of Hendersonville.

Information and registration: 828-697-4434. Held at Cumming’s Cove Golf & Country Club, 20 Cummings Cove Parkway, Hendersonville VETERANS HEALING FARM veteranshealingfarm.org/

• TH (8/9), 5-10pm Proceeds from this benefit concert featuring Up Dog and The Broadcast benefit Blue Ridge Honor Flight, The Veterans Healing Farm and the WNC Military Museum. Admission by donation. Held at Bold Rock Hard Cider, 72 School House Road, Mills River

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY NURSING JOB FAIR • TH (8/16), 8am-7:30pm Nursing job fair with on-site interviews. Free to attend.

Held at Pardee Hospital, Orientation Room, 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville REGIONAL BUSINESS EXPO • WE (8/8), 1-5pm - Regional Business Expo, event featuring products and services from more than 100 local businesses and organizations, held in partnership with the Henderson County

and Brevard/Transylvania chambers. Free. Held at the WNC Agricultural Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road WNC DIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT COALITION • TU (8/14), 6-8:30pm WNC Diversity Engagement Coalition networking social. Information and registration: wncdec.com/ networking-socials. Free.

Held at US Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St.

CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS EMPYREAN ARTS CLASSES (PD.) Intro to Pole Fitness on Sundays 2:15pm, Tuesdays 7:00pm, Saturdays 12:00pm.

Intro to Pole Dance on Mondays 7:15pm. Intro to Spinning Pole on Thursdays 8:00pm. Floor Theory Dance on Sundays 3:30pm.

Aerial Yoga on Fridays 12:00pm - $15 for the first

class. EMPYREANARTS. ORG - 828.782.3321 FARM BEGINNINGS® FARMER TRAINING (PD.) Applications open for Organic Growers School’s Farm Beginnings, a yearlong farmer training course teaching practical business skills to start sustainable farms. Course open to aspiring and beginning farmers. www.organicgrowersschool. org THIRSTY THURSDAY AT CALYPSO! (PD.) Join us for Women In Conversation ALL DAY. Laid back atmosphere, sample tropical St. Lucian flavors and bottomless Mimosas for $15. 18 N. Lexington Ave. at Calypso Restaurant. 828575-9494.

VILLAGERS... (PD.) ...is an Urban Homestead Supply store offering quality tools, supplies and classes to support healthy lifestyle activities like gardening, food preservation, cooking,

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

15

Guided Tours and Event Rentals

In Classic Cars!

Cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Asheville’s Best Breweries Make your Wedding or Special Event Unforgettable Mention this ad and receive 15% off your first booking

RareExoticVehicles.com • (828) 202-3650

PARTY

August 16 @ Highland Brewing

5–9 p.m.

COM M U N I TY CA LEN DA R herbalism, and more. 278 Haywood Road. www.forvillagers.com AMERICAN LEGION POST NC 77 216 4th Ave. W, Hendersonville • 2nd THURSDAYS, noon - Korean War Veterans Chapter 314, general meeting. Free.

ASHEVILLE NEWCOMERS CLUB ashevillenewcomersclub. com • 2nd MONDAYS, 9:30am - Monthly meeting for women new to Asheville.

Free to attend.

ASHEVILLE TAROT CIRCLE meetup.com/ Asheville-Tarot-Circle/ • 2nd SUNDAYS, noon General meeting. Free to attend. Held at Firestorm Books & Coffee, 610 Haywood Road BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • TU (8/14), 5pm - Spanish conversation group for anyone who wants to practice their Spanish speaking skills. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. HOMINY VALLEY RECREATION PARK 25 Twin Lakes Drive, Candler, 828-242-8998, hvrpsports.com • 3rd THURSDAYS, 7pm - Hominy Valley board meeting. Free.

Changing lives and saving marriages.

Life is better when things are clean!

We provide home, commercial, post-construction, and vacation rental cleaning for Asheville and surrounding areas.

Give us a call to set up a cleaning today! (828) 620-0672.

Open Mon-Sat: 8am-5pm. flyingsquirrelcleaningcompany.com “I can’t say enough about Flying Squirrel Cleaning. The staff does such a great job keeping my office clean, so I have more time to focus on my clients!”

— Genene Curry accounting “I didn’t realize how having my house cleaned on a bi-weekly bases would change my life. I’m a busy working mom of two, and it really makes me feel so good when I come home to a clean house.”

— Paige Hills 16

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828-774-3000, facebook.com/Leicester.

Community.Center • 2nd TUESDAYS, 7pm - Public board meeting.

Free.

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

ONTRACK WNC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 828-255-5166, ontrackwnc.org • TH (8/9), 5:30-7pm - "Preventing Identity Theft," seminar.

Registration required.

Free.

• MO (8/13), noon1:30pm - "Budgeting and Debt," class. Registration required. Free.

• MONDAYS (8/13) until (8/17), 5:30-8pm - "Money Management and Credit," class series. Registration required. Free.

• TUESDAYS (8/14) until (8/21), 9am-12:30pm "Money Management and Credit," class series.

Registration required.

Free.

• WE (8/15), 5:30-7pm "Understanding Credit.

Get it. Keep it. Improve it." Seminar. Registration required. Free.

• TH (8/16), noon1:30pm - "Resolving Money Conflicts," class.

Registration required.

Free.

• TH (8/16), 5:307pm- "Introduction to Homebuying," seminar.

Registration required.

Free.

WNC CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE CLUB • MO (8/13), 5pm Dinner, walk and meeting.

Free to attend. Meet at Rocking Rollie Pollie's, 46 W. Main St., Franklin

FOOD & BEER ASHEVILLE SISTER CITIES 828-782-8025, ashevillesistercities.org • WE (8/15), 7-9pm - "World Wide Wednesdays," event celebrating the Sister City of Karpenisi, Greece with food, wine, music and photography. $10. Held at The BLOCK off biltmore, 39 South Market St. LEICESTER COMMUNITY CENTER 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, 828774-3000, facebook.com/ Leicester.Community.

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

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-2546734, malaprops.com • TH (8/9), 6pm - Maia Toll presents her book, The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals.

Free to attend.

by Abigail Griffin

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS BLUE RIDGE REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S CLUB facebook.com/BRRWC • 2nd THURSDAYS, 6pm - General meeting. Free to attend. Held at Gondolier Restaurant, 1360 Tunnel Road BUNCOMBE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS 951 Old Fairview Road, 828-274-4482 • 2nd MONDAYS, 6:308:30pm - Progressive Democrats of Buncombe, monthly meeting. Free.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY SENIOR DEMOCRATS 828-274-4482 • TH (8/9), 4:30pm General meeting with congressional candidate Phillip Price. Free. Held at Buncombe County Democratic Headquarters, 951 Old Fairview Road DEMOCRATIC WOMEN OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY buncombedemwomen@ gmail.com • TH (8/16), 5:15pm Dinner meeting with guest speakers John Ager, Susan Fisher and Brian Turner. Registration: buncombedemwomen@ gmail.com. $15/$12 members. Held at Buncombe County Democratic Headquarters, 951 Old Fairview Road MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com • FR (8/10), 6pm - Bud Harris presents his book, The Rage and the Shame: Facing Ourselves After the 2016 Election and Reclaiming the Heart of Our Democracy. Free to attend.

KIDS ASHEVILLE ART MUSEUM 175 Biltmore Ave., 828-253-3227 • 2nd TUESDAYS, 11am12:30pm - Homeschool program for grades 1-4.

Registration required: 253-3227 ext. 124. $4 per student.

ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE 43 Patton Ave., 828-2547162, colburnmuseum.org • 2nd & 4th FRIDAYS, 9-9:45am - Little Explorers Club: Guided activities for preschoolers (with their caregivers). Admission fees apply.

• 2nd FRIDAYS, 5:307:30pm - "Night at the Museum," parents night out event for children 4-10 years old. Event includes pizza, movie and activities.

Registration required. $15.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • SA (8/11), 11am - Read with J.R. the Therapy Dog. Registration required: 828-250-6486. Free. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa • 2nd SATURDAYS, 1-4pm - Teen Dungeons and Dragons for ages 12 and up. Registration required: 828-250-4720.

Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • MONDAYS, 10:30am - Spanish story time for children of all ages. Free.

Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • TH (8/16), 3:30pm "Intro to Entomology," activities for children ages 5-13. Free. Held at EnkaCandler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler FLETCHER LIBRARY 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 828-687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • WEDNESDAYS, 10:30am - Family story time. Free.

GIRLS SCOUTS OF AMERICA, ASHEVILLE 31 College Place, Building C, girlscoutsp2p.org • FR (8/10), 3-7pm - Open house with S’mores and a photo booth. Information: info@girlscoutsp2p.org.

Free.

HANDS ON! A CHILDREN'S GALLERY 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville, 828-697-8333 • TH (8/9), 11am-noon - Event with crafts and a special animal from the Blue Ridge Humane Society. Admission fees apply.

$25 OFF

C CO ON N SS C C II O OU U SS PP A AR R TT Y Y individuals with memory challenges and people of all faiths. Registration required: 828-253-2900. $30.

• WEDNESDAYS, 11am2pm - The Hendersonville Elder Club for individuals with memory challenges and people of all faiths. Registration required: 828-253-2900. $30. Held at Agudas Israel Congregation, 505 Glasgow Lane Hendersonville

BOOKS-A-THOUSAND: Every dollar raised at local literacy nonprofit the POP Project’s periodic Rethink Ink Book Sale Fundraisers translates to $10 in books it delivers back out into the community by filling Little Free Libraries and stocking bookshelves at local shelters, detention centers and schools. The latest sale takes place Tuesday, Aug. 14, 5-8 p.m., at The Hop Ice Cream Cafe at 640 Merrimon Ave. Books are $1 each (cash or check only) or $12 to fill a reusable grocery bag. A portion of ice cream sales and those from Spellbound Children’s Bookshop’s pop-up shop will also be donated to POP. For more information, visit thePOPproject.org. Photo courtesy of The POP Project

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-2546734, malaprops.com • WEDNESDAYS, 10am - Miss Malaprop's Story Time for ages 3-9. Free to attend.

SWANNANOA VALLEY MUSEUM 223 W State St., Black Mountain, 828-669-9566, history.swannanoavalleymuseum.org • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 2-4pm - Historically oriented crafts and activities for children. Free to attend.

OUTDOORS CHIMNEY ROCK AT CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK (PD.) Explore the fascinating history of the Park and learn more about the wildlife that live in this unique habitat during the Top of the Mountain Trek Guided hike on Saturday, Aug. 11.

Preregistration required.

Info at chimneyrockpark. com MONTFORD HOT AUGUST NIGHT 5K RACE (PD.) The Asheville Parks and Recreation Department’s Tempie Avery Montford Center and Asheville Track Club are teaming up to host the Hot August Night 5K race on Saturday, August 25 at 7pm. Registration taken at the center, located at 34

Pearson Drive or at www. active.com • Discount for all registrations received by August 15. • First 100 runners will receive a T-shirt.

Participants can also register at the race between 5:30-6:30pm. Race registration fee: Adults, $20 ($15 if postmarked by August 15); Children under 23, $15 ($10 if postmarked

by Aug 15) • For more information call Tempie Avery Montford Center at 828-253-3714 or email skriewall@ashevillenc.gov BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY HIKES 828-298-5330, nps.gov • FR (8/10), 10am - "Down by the River," ranger-led, moderate, 2.5 mile hike at Yellowstone Prong. Free.

Meet at MP 417, Blue Ridge Parkway CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK 431 Main St., Chimney Rock, 828-625-9611, chimneyrockpark.com • SA (8/11), 9am-2pm "Naturalist Niche: Top of the Mountain Trek," moderate-to-strenuous naturalist led hike. Admission fees apply.

• SU (8/12), 7:30am - 14th Annual Race to the Rock 5K run or 25-mile bike ride.

Registration: lakelureolympiad.com. $30 5K/$35 bike ride.

CITY OF ASHEVILLE 828-251-1122, ashevillenc.gov

• WEDNESDAYS, 6-7:30pm - LEAF Cultural Arts event featuring live performances, interactive workshops and the LEAF Easel Rider Mobile Art Lab. Free. Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St. FRIENDS OF THE SMOKIES friendsofthesmokies.org • TU (8/14) - Proceeds from this guided, 9.8 mile hike benefit Trails Forever.

Register for location. $35/$20 members.

HISTORIC JOHNSON FARM 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, 828-8916585, historicjohnsonfarm.org • TH (8/16), 1pm - End of summer celebration with games, wagon rides, popcorn and lemonade. Free.

PISGAH CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED pisgahchaptertu.org/NewMeeting-information.html • 2nd THURSDAYS, 7pm - General meeting and presentations. Free to attend.

Held at Ecusta Brewing, 49 Pisgah Highway Suite 3,Pisgah Forest SWANNANOA VALLEY MUSEUM 223 W State St., Black Mountain, 828-669-9566, history.swannanoavalleymuseum.org • FR (8/10), 1:30-2:30pm Walking tour of Downtown Black Mountain with Anne Chesky Smith. $10.

PUBLIC LECTURES BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • TU (8/14), 7pm - "Historic Plantations of the Low Country," presentation by historian Barbara Weatherall. Free. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville WNC HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION wnchistory.org • SA (8/11), 2-3:30pm - "The Archaeology of Mounds & Towns," lecture

by Professor Ben Steere. $5/Free for members.

Held at UNC-Asheville Reuter Center, 1 Campus View Road

SENIORS ASHEVILLE NEW FRIENDS (PD.) Offers active senior residents of the Asheville area opportunities to make new friends and to explore new interests through a program of varied social, cultural, and outdoor activities. Visit ashevillenewfriends.org JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF WNC, INC. 2 Doctors Park, Suite E, 828-253-2900 • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 11am-2pm - The Asheville Elder Club Group Respite program for

SPIRITUALITY ASTRO-COUNSELING (PD.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions.

Stellar Counseling Services. Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229.

SHAMBHALA MEDITATION CENTER (PD.) Thursdays, 7-8:30pm and Sundays, 10-noon • Meditation and community. By donation. 60 N. Merrimon Ave., #113, (828) 200-5120. asheville.shambhala.org GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH 1245 6th Ave W, Hendersonville, 828-693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • 2nd FRIDAYS, 1-2pm - Non-denominational healing prayer group.

Free.

URBAN DHARMA 828-225-6422, udharmanc.com/ • THURSDAYS, 7:30-9pm - Open Sangha night.

Free. Held at Urban Dharma, 77 Walnut St.

SPORTS ASHEVILLE ON BIKES ashevilleonbikes.com • SA (8/11) - "Cycle Smart," roadway bicycling class. Participants must be 12-years old.

Registration required: cyclesmartbuncombe. org. $15/$7 additional family members.

YOUR REMOVAL Excludes our minimum charge

VOLUNTEERING LITERACY COUNCIL OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY VOLUNTEER INFORMATION SESSION (PD.) Thur. (8/9) 5:30pm Information session for those interested in volunteering two hours per week with adults who want to improve reading, writing, spelling, and English language skills.

Free. www.litcouncil.com

we remove anything. . . from anywhere TRASH TV’S PAINT PIANOS OR 85% RECYCLED REUSED

828.707.2407

www.junkrecyclers.net

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF WNC 828-253-1470, bbbswnc.org • TH (8/9), noon Information session for those interested in volunteering to share their interests twice a month with a young person from a singleparent home or to mentor one-hour a week in elementary schools and after-school sites. Held at Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC, 50 S. French Broad Ave. Suite. #213.

STITCHES OF LOVE 828-575-9195 • 2nd MONDAYS, 7-9pm - Volunteer to stitch or crochet handmade articles for local charities.

All skill levels welcome.

Held at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 3070 Sweeten Creek Road THE HEART OF HORSE SENSE heartofhorsesense.org • SA (8/11), 10-11am - Introductory tour and volunteer training.

Registration required: bit. ly/2vc6qTj or volunteer@ heartofhorsesense.org.

Held at Heart of Horse Sense, 6919 Meadows Town Road, Marshall

Coke Crate Double Lamp Find along Bourbon St.

AUGUST EVENTS

UNITED WAY OF HENDERSON COUNTY 828-692-1636, liveunitedhc.org • FR (8/17) - Volunteers needed for the United Way of Henderson County Day of Action.

Information and registration: liveunitedhc.org.

For more volunteering opportunities visit mountainx.com/ volunteering

MOUNTAINX.COM

8/11: Back to School Clothing Swap 8/11 & 8/12: Storewide Back to School Sale 8/16: Local Arts Booth Opening & Reception 8/19: Free Cider Sunday 8/25 & 8/26: TRS Yard Sale

26 Glendale Ave 828.505.1108 Mon-Sat 10a - 7p Sun 10a - 5p TheRegenerationStation AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

17

WELLNESS

Magical Offerings

LESS DAMAGE DONE

8/9: Rune Reader: Tree 12-6pm 8/11: NEW MOON in Leo Tarot Reader: Edward Phipps 12-6pm 8/12: Tarot Reader: Star 1-5pm Baby Steps - Beginning Your Spiritual Journey with Tree Higgins 2-4pm, $20 Cash/PP 8/13: Cardology Reader: Ashley Long 12-5pm

Over 100 Herbs Available!

August Stone: Carnelian August Herb: Eyebright

(828) 424-7868

ashevilleravenandcrone.com

555 Merrimon Avenue Daily readers including Scrying, Runes, Tarot, & More! Walk-ins welcome!

Center for massage & Natural health

Buncombe County considers needle exchange program

BY DAVID FLOYD dfloyd@mountainx.com At times during her 15-year drug addiction, Jamie injected heroin far more often than she ate — sometimes shooting up as many as 10 times a day. She used the drug so frequently that she regularly ran out of clean needles.

“Any addict will tell you that a brandnew needle works a lot better than a used one,” notes Jamie, who says she has been drug-free since June. Not only does a needle blunted by repeated use become more painful over time, it also carries an increased risk of harmful consequences, such as breaking or transmitting a bloodborne infection.

Two local needle exchange programs, The Steady Collective and the Needle Exchange Program of Asheville, have been working to reduce the harms that often accompany drug use and addiction by supplying users with clean needles and other supplies. Now, in response to a rise in bloodborne infections associated with drug use, the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services may sponsor its own program to increase access to needles.

Looking for a new direction?

Come to Massage School Next Class starts August 29 6 Months 2 ½ Days/Week 12 Week Student Clinic 600 Hour Program Post-Secondary Accreditation Federal Financial Aid Next Evening Program starts Jan 6

Apply Now CenterForMassage.com/apply 828-505-1033

18

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

ADDICTION ROULETTE Jamie says she has seen many drug users reuse the same needles over and over again — a habit that, so far as she knew, didn’t lead to them getting sick. So she occasionally reused needles herself.

Although clean needles became more readily available after the state legalized needle exchange programs in 2016, Jamie sometimes still ran out and continued to reuse needles. “When you don’t have a needle, you use one that is dirty if that’s all you have,” she says. In April, the practice finally caught up with her.

After shooting up with a used needle, a skin infection bloomed around the injection site. Abscesses soon sprouted all over her body. “I was really sick for about three or four days, but then my fever went away and the abscesses healed,” she says, “and I thought I was OK.” And then the infection came back with a vengeance, laying her so low that she could barely get in the car to go to the hospital.

Since June, Jamie has had a valve replaced in her heart, fluid drained from

MOUNTAINX.COM

FOR THE TAKING: Michael Harney, prevention educator with the Needle Exchange Program of Asheville, stands beside a cabinet containing injection supplies at the Western North Carolina AIDS Project headquarters in Asheville. Providing clean needles to drug users helps reduce bloodborne infections and the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/ AIDS. Photo by David Floyd her lungs and surgery performed on her hip and both shoulders. All of those problems, she says, stemmed from her initial infection.

ON THE FRONT LINES NEPA and The Steady Collective aim to reduce addicts’ reliance on dirty needles, which can cause bacterial infections like the one Jamie contracted, as well as transmit hepatitis and HIV/AIDS when shared.

NEPA, a program of the Western North Carolina AIDS Project that operates out of WNCAP’s offices at 554 Fairview Road, distributed 570,000 needles between July 2016 and June 2017.

That number accounted for approximately half the total amount of needles distributed in the state during that period, according to numbers compiled in a

report by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Steady Collective distributes needles at the Haywood Street Congregation (297 Haywood St.) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; the group also provides the service at Firestorm Books & Coffee (610 Haywood Road in West Asheville) on Tuesday afternoons. Steady gave out over 100,000 needles between July 2017 and June 2018.

“We are the front line,” says Hillary Brown, a harm reductionist with The Steady Collective. “We meet people exactly where they are and we meet people when they’re engaged in chaotic drug use, and they’re not going anywhere else for care.”

The programs don’t always have the resources to meet the demand. “We’re doing what we can,” says Michael Harney, prevention educator for

NEPA. “But we continuously run out of supplies.”

Soon, a new ally could join the effort to protect drug users from the some of the most acute effects of addiction. On June 5, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners heard a presentation from Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, the medical director for the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services, about the possibility of launching a county-sponsored needle exchange program. The program, however, is still in development and would require the commissioners’ approval.

“Commissioners … clearly have expressed interest, but we can’t move forward without their support,” Mullendore told Xpress. “So we’re working on gathering information [and] coming up with a very detailed proposal.”

DO NO HARM “We’ve definitely noticed an increase in bloodborne infections that are linked to injection drug use,” Mullendore says. From 2014-16, the number of chronic hepatitis B cases in Buncombe County fluctuated between 12 and 15. But in 2017, that

figure spiked to 30 cases, according to preliminary numbers.

The county also saw two new cases of acute hepatitis C and two new cases of HIV related to the use of injectable drugs in 2017.

According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, transmission through shared needles is the leading cause of new hepatitis C cases. From 2012-16, the number of new hepatitis C cases skyrocketed by 200 percent, while cases of hepatitis B increased 62 percent over the same period. The department estimates that roughly 150,000 North Carolinians are infected with chronic hepatitis C and 60,000 with chronic hepatitis B. While a spokesperson with the county DHHS says it’s too early to estimate the cost of providing a syringe exchange program, the program could actually save money in the long run.

Treatment for HIV and hepatitis infections can run well into six figures over a patient’s lifetime; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the estimated lifetime cost of HIV treatment is more than $400,000.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 20

675 Hour Massage Certification Program Fall 2018 Class Oct. 8, 2018 - April 3, 2019

DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE Apply Online AshevilleMassageSchool.org 828-252-7377

OAKLEY

MASSAGE THERAPY

FITNESS CENTER

$60/hr

24/7 Gym, Group Fitness, Personal Training

Weekdays and Weekends!

Call for your appointment

Beth Huntzinger LMBT #10819 7 years experience 828-279-7042 • ashevillehealer.com

1133B Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville, NC 28803 oakleyfitnesscenter.com • 505-550-0155

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

19

W ELL NESS EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS The concept of needle exchange started with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, Harney says. Patients contracted a significant number of HIV infections by using needles or having sex with needle-using partners. As understanding of the disease grew, so did knowledge of ways to slow its spread. “By implementing a needle exchange in some of the bigger cities … they scientifically were able to show a reduction of HIV infections,” he explains.

Harney began running a needle exchange in the early 1990s, long before such programs were legal in the state. A supply cabinet that holds clean needles and other supplies at WNCAP’s offices used to sit in Harney’s apartment, where he operated the exchange until 2012, when demand began to increase.

From one or two clients per week in the early days, NEPA now often sees 30-50 people a day seeking needles. Even before North Carolina legalized needle exchange in 2016, Harney points out, the program kept county and city officials apprised of its activities. “I wouldn’t say that we operated completely on the downlow, but certainly even today we don’t have a big billboard somewhere or an ad campaign,” he says; drug users generally learn about the service by word-of-mouth.

In addition to providing clean needles, The Steady Collective and NEPA also supply community members with other harm prevention tools. Both organizations provide naloxone, a drug that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses, and Steady offers testing strips designed to detect the presence of fentanyl.

A white powder that’s up to 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl doesn’t add much weight when it’s mixed with other substances. That makes it difficult to detect when incorporated into methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and other drugs. Since mid-May, Brown

FITTING IN In Mullendore’s view, a county-sponsored program would not replace the work done by NEPA and The Steady Collective. “They each have different populations that they serve … and they are valuable in the community,” she says.

A needle exchange program could mesh well with the offerings already provided by DHHS, which include clinical services as well as food, Medicaid and employment assistance, Mullendore says.

The department offers many of the services included in a comprehensive needle exchange program, such as testing for hepatitis and HIV and linking patients with treatment for those conditions. “It would just be adding on a little bit more,” she says.

Still, it’s unclear how drug users would react to a county-run program. If the exchange were housed in the DHHS headquarters at 40 Coxe Ave., the presence of sheriff’s deputies there could keep some drug users away, Brown says, noting that some of those who stop by The Steady Collective have outstanding arrest warrants.

“We know that the folks we serve are engaging [in] a behavior that is criminalized,” she says. “It takes a long time to build trust.”

Steady asks for little identifying information from its clients — the program doesn’t take full names or ask for IDs. “People are very wary about coming in and receiving services,” Brown says. “We want to make sure that people do receive services and don’t think that their information in any way is going to be passed on to law enforcement.”

Transformational Massage Therapy through Frank Solomon Connelly, LMBT#10886 For $60 I provide, at your home, a strictly therapeutic, 1.5-2 hour massage that helps relieve psychological, as well as physiological, stress and tension. This allows deep peace and well-being to emerge.

(828) 707-2983

• Creator_of_Joy@hotmail.com

Helping you strengthen your connection with your Divine Nature 20

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

DANGEROUS DETRITUS

says, 33 samples have tested positive for fentanyl using Steady-supplied kits.

Fentanyl and analogous drugs accounted for 97 overdose-related deaths in Buncombe County in 2017 — a massive increase over 2016’s 17 fentanyl-related deaths.

MOUNTAINX.COM

SAFE DISPOSAL: In Michael Harney’s office at the Western North Carolina AIDS Project, empty laundry detergent bottles cluster in the corner. The containers act as makeshift safe receptacles for used needles, which pose risks of injury and infection when not disposed of properly. Photo

by David Floyd TAKING IT TO THE STREETS A mobile unit, Brown argues, would be a better use of the county’s resources. The Steady Collective sees many participants who come from outlying parts of the county, such as Leicester or Swannanoa. “But we don’t have distribution out there, and it’s not really something that we have the resources to do,” she explains.

Tracey Childers, WNCAP’s prevention department coordinator, also thinks a mobile unit could be beneficial — in part because many people don’t feel comfortable visiting the DHHS headquarters downtown.

Transportation issues can also make it difficult for those who live farther out to access the building. “It’s a whole other world when we go 20 minutes down the road,” Childers says. She would like to see a comprehensive service vehicle that could provide multifaceted care in underserved communities, including needle exchange, phlebotomy, wound care and rapid testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Harney, however, believes a mobile unit is the wrong fit for Buncombe County’s needs. Heavily populated cities such as Chicago or Baltimore, he explains, have areas known for their drug issues; in smaller communities, a mobile unit is more likely to broadcast an individual’s personal medical challenges to their neighbors.

The health department would be a better site for the county’s program, Harney says, because people are already going there for other services such as immunizations and vaccinations. “It needs to be logistically set up so that when people are going in it’s not identifiable that you’re going through door No. 1, and everybody knows that that’s for needles,” he says.

Needle exchange programs also offer a place for the safe disposal of used needles. In Harney’s shared office, for example, a pile of plastic laundry detergent containers await reuse as receptacles for used sharps.

NEPA offers the containers to participants and encourages them to return filled containers to the office for disposal at the Buncombe County Transfer Station.

Without access to a safe disposal site, people often discard used needles just about anywhere, Harney says — on sidewalks, front lawns and trash cans. Inadvertently coming into contact with a discarded needle can result in an injury or, worse, contracting an infection.

The problem has become so prevalent that local nonprofit Asheville GreenWorks, which performs many river cleanups in the area, has taken precautions to ensure that volunteers don’t get injured by littered syringes.

“Encountering needles on cleanup projects is a risk that is becoming more common,” says Executive Director Dawn Chavez. She says the organization is working on creating safe disposal options so that needles stay out of the waterways.

SPREAD THIN WNCAP’s stated service region encompasses 18 counties, but the organization actually sees people from at least 32 counties and four states, with clients traveling up to two hours to access services, according to Harney.

That demand puts a severe strain on the organization’s resources, he says.

“I don’t think it should be the obligation of small agencies, whether it’s the WNCAP or The Steady Collective, that we be responsible for providing the prevention tools that we are providing to such an extensive, wide base of people,” Harney says.

If WNC counties outside Buncombe dispensed a significant number of needles on their own, Harney adds, some of the pressure on independent organizations such as NEPA and The Steady Collective would be relieved.

“It’s not going to close us, it’s not going to close The Steady Collective down if the county health department operates, but I think it’s a good model for other counties that people don’t have to drive an hour here, two hours here,” he says.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE In contrast, Brown believes county health departments can do more good by funding community exchanges, as Buncombe County does for The Steady Collective. According to the county, The Steady Collective received $25,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $36,826 in FY 2017, which was the first year the county contracted with the organization. County funds made up a “significant” portion of the organization’s budget in those years, Brown says.

Because community organizations operate in direct contact with the people they serve, Brown says, these groups can involve clients in major decisions that affect them.

“We consult with people who use drugs,” Brown says, “so at every step, we’re making sure that directly impacted people are centered and they’re getting to have a say in the future of Steady Collective. We want Steady to be a ‘nothing about us without us’ kind of thing.”

Client involvement, Brown says, can help the program refine the type of syringes it buys and decide what supplies work best in a wound care kit.

She isn’t sure that the county’s DHHS would be able to maintain a similar, ongoing one-on-one relationship with participants in its program.

Crawford, however, is optimistic about the potential of a county-run program. “Every addict that I know would get needles anywhere they could,” Crawford says. “Period. Especially if they were offered free.”

But to be successful, the process would have to be somewhat anonymous.

“I think that if people had to show ID or give their real names or write their address down, I think that would deter people,” Crawford says. She also anticipates that drug users with outstanding warrants would avoid the Coxe Avenue building if deputies were present.

Still, Crawford says needle exchange services are a needed resource in Buncombe County. “Every addict I know and every addict they know uses these services,” she says. “It’s not a wasted thing by any means, and it’s saving lives.”

And while local leaders disagree about how a county-sponsored program would fit into the area’s existing landscape of care, they are united around reducing the harm associated with drug use. “We know that people use drugs, we know that they’re going to, it’s not going to stop it,” Harney says. “But how can we make it a little healthier, how can we reduce those harms, how can we make you feel like a human being and that you’re valid and you’re worthwhile and you might have another chance at getting into treatment if you want it?” X

WELL NESS CA L E N DA R

WELLNESS BEYOND 3D (PD.) Get answers. Catalyze change. Facilitate healing.

“My experiences with Amy are so remarkable and transforming that it’s hard to fully describe them” B. Nelson, Attorney. Amy Armaw, Evolution Facilitator, 828.230.0965. amymariearmaw.com CBD 101 (PD.) Thursday, August 16, 6pm. $15. “What exactly is CBD? How does it work? Can it help me?”

Join us for a relaxed informational session with Remedy’s RN, Lindsay.

• Reserve your spot! Visit remedyhw.com/shop SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 DAYS A WEEK (PD.) Private Japanese-style outdoor hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna and lodging. 8 minutes from town.

Bring a friend to escape and renew! Best massages in Asheville! 828-299-0999. www.shojiretreats.com

SOUND HEALING • SATURDAY • SUNDAY (PD.) Every Saturday, 11am and Sundays, 12 noon.

Experience deep relaxation with crystal bowls, gongs, didgeridoo and other peaceful instruments. • Donation suggested. At Skinny Beats Sound Shop, 4 Eagle Street. skinnybeatsdrums.com WAVE STUDIOS IN WOODFIN (PD.) Offering many Yoga styles including the new and exciting and Buti Yoga!

• Intro Special: 7 consecutive days of unlimited classes for only $20. Come check out our beautiful new space with an upbeat vibe. waveasheville.com ASHEVILLE CENTER FOR TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION 165 E. Chestnut, 828-254-4350, meditationasheville.org • THURSDAYS, 6:307:30 pm - "About the Transcendental Meditation technique," introductory talk. Register online. Free.

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com • SU (8/12), 3pm - Carley Mattimore presents their book, Sacred Messengers of Shamanic Africa: Teachings from Zep Tepi, the Land of First Time. Free to attend.

THE HEART OF HORSE SENSE heartofhorsesense.org • SA (8/11), 11am-noon Tour and demonstration.

Bring a bagged lunch.

Free. Held at Heart of Horse Sense, 6919 Meadows Town Road, Marshall

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES

894 E. Main St., Sylva, 828-356-1105, meditate-wnc.org • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 6-8pm - "Inner Guidance from an Open Heart," class with meditation and discussion. $10.

redcrosswnc.org, Appointments & Info: 1-800-RED-CROSS • WE (8/8), 7am-3pm Held at Charles George V.A. Medical Center, 1100 Tunnel Road • WE (8/8), 10am2:30pm - Held at Change Healthcare, 300 Ridgefield Court, Suite 308 • WE (8/13), 1-5:30pm Held at Ingles Markets, 863 Brevard Road • TH (8/14), 10am2:30pm - Held at State Employees' Credit Union, 111 Smokey Park Highway

THE MEDITATION CENTER

Learning is change.

Transformation is the result.

September 21-23

The Realignment Workshop September 28-30

The Grief, Loss & Surrender Workshop October 5-7

The Health & Healing Workshop Haydn Hasty, EdS, PhD, President Terry Hasty, MS, Vice-President Robert Wilkinson, Astrologer

Come experience our classes, events & our team of health care providers!

Offering Acupuncture, Astrology-Applied Cosmology, Holistic Healing, Massage, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Psychotherapy, Reiki, T’ai Chi, Yoga, Women’s Health and more!

YOGA IN THE PARK 828-254-0380, youryoga.com • SATURDAYS, 10-11:30am - Proceeds from this outdoor yoga class benefit Homeward Bound and United Way. Admission by donation.

Held at Pack Square Park, 121 College St.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

www.wellspringasheville.com 828-298-2488 960 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC 28805 MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

21

GREEN SCENE

NOTHING BUT RENEWABLE SACEE votes on 100 percent green electricity goal for Asheville

BY LIZ CAREY lizcarey@charter.net Asheville’s greenhouse gas emissions weigh heavily upon the city — to the tune of approximately 19,000 tons. According to the city’s Office of Sustainability, Asheville’s municipal operations released that amount of carbon dioxide and equivalent gases during the course of fiscal year 2017.

The plurality of those emissions (48.1 percent, or roughly 9,100 tons) came from burning fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, to create electricity.

That number could drop to zero by the end of the next decade, however, should Asheville adopt a resolution currently under development by the city’s Sustainability Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment.

BRIGHT IDEAS: City Council member Julie Mayfield, top left, poses with members of the Sustainability Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment as they hold energy-efficient LED lightbulbs given away as part of the city’s Energy Efficiency Day 2017. Photo courtesy of the city of Asheville On Wednesday, Aug. 15, SACEE members will vote on whether to call for the city to commit to using 100 percent sustainable electricity for municipal operations by 2030. If the resolution passes, says committee Chairman John Noor, it will go before City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee for review, with approval by the full Council possibly to follow in October or November.

Noor says the resolution exceeds similar language passed last December by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, which commits the county to using 100 percent renewable energy for all operations, including its vehicle fleet, by 2030.

“The draft resolution goes further than the county’s goal by including accountability metrics that require the city’s Office of Sustainability to annually certify to City Council that the city is on track to achieve the transition goals and has sufficient funding to implement the projects needed to accomplish the transition within the adopted timelines,” Noor explains.

22

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

ABSOLUTE ZERO A 100 percent sustainable electricity solution for the city, Noor says, would provide all municipal electricity needs from renewable electricity sources such as solar, hydro, hydrogen and wind power. He clarifies that this approach would focus on the direct use of clean energy, rather than buying renewable energy credits to counter the impact of fossil fuels.

“Some other communities have interpreted similar goals to allow the purchase of RECs to offset electricity that is not or cannot be sourced from renewable energy,” Noor says. “At this point, SACEE is not recommending that RECs be a part of Asheville’s plan because we want the city to prioritize funding solutions that transition electricity demand in our community to renewables produced in our region.

However, this is an option that may be explored in the future.”

The SACEE resolution also includes wording that would have the city “aspire to transition all municipal energy demand to renewable sources as

soon as practicable.” This goal would eventually eliminate the remaining 51.9 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, which come from a mix of natural gas, compressed natural gas, biodiesel, gasoline and propane. While the current resolution offers no timeline for such changes, Council has previously adopted a resolution calling for 100 percent renewable energy across North Carolina by 2050.

Jeremiah LeRoy, sustainability officer for Buncombe County, is pleased by the proposed resolution and believes that different levels of government can work together to achieve ambitious goals. “Both the city and the county can play a pivotal role in setting the course for a clean energy future for Western North Carolina, and this resolution would represent a significant step in making that future a reality,” he says. “The Buncombe County Sustainability Office is committed to working with its counterparts at the city … to reach our goal of transitioning our community to clean, renewable energy.”

GET ON THE BUS: The city recently purchased five electric buses, scheduled to arrive in January, in an effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Photo courtesy of the city of Asheville GREEN FOR GREENING? While Amber Weaver, sustainability officer with the city, supports a renewable energy transition, she questions whether the proposed resolution’s approach is financially feasible. “Part of my job is to think about budget, and I am responsible for being that voice that says we’ve got to think about the budget and how it impacts people’s lives,” she says.

“There are many different perspectives on this issue, and we have to figure out what the steps are that we need to take, as well as what is affordable,” Weaver continues. “We have to have a better understanding of what is possible within the constraints that the city has to operate in.”

Council member Julie Mayfield, SACEE’s Council liaison, agrees that some of the resolution’s goals may not yet be possible. Running garbage trucks and other city fleet vehicles on renewable energy, for example, would require technology that is still under development.

“I do hope and continue to believe that we will transition our fleet to electricity, but we don’t know what that looks like right now,” Mayfield says. “We would like to see some solution in the future, but right now, that’s not possible.”

For Mayfield, the issue boils down to what steps can be taken now — particularly low-cost solutions like increasing energy efficiency — what costs the city may incur in the future and what investments in RECs are appropriate. She adds that Council approved a resolution that would jointly fund a request for proposals with Buncombe County to study how the area can transition to sustainable electricity, but no solutions or plans have yet been finalized.

Meanwhile, Mayfield says, the city hopes to work with Duke Energy to use land at the Asheville Water Treatment plant in Mills River to provide solar

energy to the area, much as Buncombe County does at its landfill. She would also like to see the city make use of the potential for hydroelectric power at surrounding dams.

“We’re doing a lot of things [toward reducing the city’s carbon footprint], and we’re making decisions about renewable energy as we make those transitions,” Mayfield says. “But that doesn’t mean that we will do that at all costs.”

CUTTING BACK Ken Brame, political chair for the Sierra Club of Western North Carolina, argues that the key to reaching the resolution’s goals will be energy conservation. Reducing usage in general, he says, would not only reduce emissions but also create a virtuous cycle of available funds.

“There are a number of opportunities that the city is already using toward energy conservation that will reduce by 30 percent its energy usage,” Brame says. Simple steps such as employing LED bulbs in light fixtures, upgrading old insulation and replacing outdated heating and air-conditioning units, he continues, “would save the city $600,000 per year, every year, from here on out.

We’d like to see them invest that in other renewable energy solutions.”

Brame also contends that some of Council’s recent moves, however wellintentioned, are missing the mark on sustainability. “For instance, they just purchased electric buses that would have the opposite impact on the city’s electricity usage by increasing the amount of electricity it needs to power them,” he says. “That’s not helping to reduce the city’s usage.”

Bridget Herring, electricity coordinator for Asheville’s sustainability office, responded that while the new buses will use more electricity, they will also cut

down on the city’s biodiesel consumption and reduce overall carbon production. “Our electricity has lower carbon emissions than biodiesel, and we estimate that the five electric buses scheduled to come online in January 2019 will contribute just shy of 1 percent of the city’s 4 percent annual carbon reduction goal,” she says.

Herring adds that Asheville is already taking many steps to reduce its energy usage, including efficiency upgrades to the pump technology in its water distribution infrastructure. She also points to solar thermal systems at several of the city’s fire stations, which use the sun instead of electricity to provide hot water.

Noor agrees that cutting energy demand will be crucial to successfully implementing the SACEE resolution.

“Every kilowatt of energy we avoid using

is one less kilowatt we have to power with renewable electricity,” he points out. Additionally, an energy reduction approach dovetails with the work of the Energy Innovation Task Force, a partnership between the city, Buncombe County and Duke Energy Progress that aims to avoid the construction of an additional natural gas power plant at Duke’s Lake Julian facility.

The challenge of clean energy transition will be significant and complex, but Weaver says recent events have only highlighted the need for cities like Asheville to lead the way. “This action, and actions like this in cities across the country, all stem from the president’s pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords,” she says. “Cities are stepping up to take this on. … It’s a huge elephant, and we’re just going to have to take a little bite at a time.” X

Asheville Holistic Realty Integrity • Creativity • Passion • Results 828-490-1510 | est. 2007 | AshevilleHolisticRealty.com We Care About Home Values & Human Values

Responsible Automotive Service & Repair

Comprehensive Inspection w/ Digital Report

$51.11 (Usually $102.22)

Buy a comprehensive inspection and savings are guaranteed! Discounts offered on any work that is recommended based on our report.

Great for pre-trip vehicle insepctions!

• Buying/Selling a car • Before/After long road trips • Regular total vehicle assessment

Also receive $150 off any full Timing Belt service

Voted one of the BEST OF WNC for 13 years in a row. Thank you!

Call us!

255.2628

organic-mechanic.com • 568 Haywood Rd • West Asheville MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

23

FARM & GARDEN

GOING NATIVE

An upcoming workshop explores the environmental benefits and practicalities of gardening with native plants

BY JENNIFER JENKINS

Jackson will continue the discussion, highlighting some of the more popular species for WNC gardeners.

There are native plant varieties, she says, to meet many horticultural needs. “Flame azaleas only grow in our higher elevations and have a unique orange color,” says Jackson.

“Oak-leaf hydrangea is a long bloomer with beautiful fall color in addition to showy, white flowers.

And butterfly weed is always an important pollinator.”

Donna Sapp, Speakers Bureau chairperson with Buncombe County Master Gardeners, says, “Native plants is our most requested, asked for program.” Since space is limited for the event, preregistration is necessary. X

jennjenk1@gmail.com Western North Carolina holds the distinction of being one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. And it’s home to an abundance of naturally occurring native plants that have evolved and adapted to local and regional soil and climate conditions over a period of geologic time.

“The destruction of natural habitat is the greatest threat to biodiversity worldwide,” notes the North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook. “As natural areas disappear, residential landscapes become more important sources of nourishment and habitat for the many species needed to support healthy ecosystems.” A Thursday, Aug. 16, workshop, Native Plants in Your Garden, presented by the Buncombe County Master Gardeners, will introduce gardeners to the horticultural and environmental benefits and practical considerations of implementing plants native to Western North Carolina.

The presenters will be Bill Jones and Shelby Singleton Jackson of Carolina Native Nursery in Burnsville, one of the state’s largest wholesale and retail native plant

WHAT Native Plants in Your Garden

RETURN OF THE NATIVES: A great spangled fritillary butterfly perches on butterfly weed, one of many Western North Carolina native plant species that will be discussed at an upcoming Buncombe County Master Gardeners presentation. growers. Jones, who founded the business 16 years ago to aid in the preservation of native species, will speak about the ways WNC native plants have evolved and how to use them to

Nature’s Vitamins & Herbs (formerly Nature’s Pharmacy)

Offering professional advice & great products since 1996

Professional advice on CBD oil & supplements!

Carrying 4 Top Brands:

Charlotte’s Web, Palmetto Harmony, Kingdom Harvest & Green Mountain CBD Available as: creams /salves • oral liquid • oral capsules liquid for vaping • chewing gum Owners:

Mike Rogers, PharmD Bill Cheek, B.S. Pharm

We stock great vitamin brands including:

Gaia, Pure Encapsulations, Thorne Research, Barleans, Professional Brands and more!

Check out our natural remedies, aromatherapies (wild crafted & organic) and our new line of Exotic Teas 752 Biltmore Avenue • 828-251-0094 • www.naturesvitaminsandherbs.com 24

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

create environmentally friendly landscapes that conserve water, require minimal pesticides and fertilizer treatments and can withstand cold and drought conditions.

ECO ASHEVILLE GREEN DRINKS ashevillegreendrinks.com • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 6pm - Informal networking focused on the science of sustainability.

Free to attend. Held at The BLOCK off biltmore, 39 South Market St. MOUNTAINTRUE 828-258-8737, mountaintrue.org • FR (8/10), 1-6pm Riverkeeper Beer Series river clean up event.

Participants are shuttled to the Swannanoa River, and float back to the Craven Street boat access with boats full of trash. Boats and paddling gear are provided.

Suitable for all levels of

paddlers. Held at New Belgium Brewery, 21 Craven St.

FARM & GARDEN ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL’S 5TH ANNUAL HARVEST CONFERENCE (PD.) Friday-Sat, Sept. 7&8 at Warren Wilson College.

2-day workshops with Jim Adkins (Sustainable Poultry), Monica Corrado (Gut Health & Cooking), and Tradd Cotter (Mushrooms). $90-165 organicgrowersschool. org.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY EXTENSION MASTER GARDENERS 828-255-5522, buncombemastergardener.org,

WHERE Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Office 49 Mount Carmel Road WHEN 10 a.m.-noon Thursday, Aug. 16.

Free, but space is limited.

To preregister, call 828-255-5522.

Buncombe MasterGardeners@ gmail.com • SA (8/11), 10am-1pm - Drop-in backyard composting demonstration.

Free to attend. Held at Jesse Israel Garden Center at WNC Farmer’s Market, 570 Brevard Road • TH (8/16), 10am-noon - “Native Plants in Your Garden,” presentation

by Carolina Native Plant Nursery. Registration required. Free. Held at Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Road MOUNTAIN HORTICULTURAL CROPS RESEARCH AND EXTENSION STATION 74 Research Drive, Mills River, 828-684-7197

• TH (8/16) - “Tomato Field Day,” event with complimentary lunch, research initiatives and taste tests.

Registration required: jessica_edney@ncsu. edu or 828-684-3562.

Free.

POLK COUNTY FRIENDS OF AGRICULTURE BREAKFAST polkcountyfarms.org • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 7-8am - Monthly breakfast with presentations regarding agriculture.

Admission by donation. Held at Green Creek Community Center, 25 Shields Road, Green Creek

FOOD

BEHIND THE WHEEL A chef-farmer collaboration reboots the Ujamaa Freedom Market initiative

SALAD DAYS: With his Build a Better Salad food truck, chef Gene Ettison, center, is helping to reboot the groundbreaking Ujamaa Freedom Market initiative, which brought fresh produce along with cooking education and employment opportunities to Asheville’s underserved communities. Pictured with Ettison are BABS workers Jerome Williams, left, and Tremaine Williams. Photo by Cindy Kunst

BY GINA SMITH gsmith@mountainx.com A few years ago, some dynamic community-builders with a repurposed school bus took on the mission of conquering the food-access woes of Asheville’s underserved communities with a concept that put both fresh produce and empowerment on wheels.

Olufemi Lewis and Calvin Allen launched the Ujamaa Freedom Market in 2014 as a worker-owned mobile business aimed at bringing affordable, healthy foods and cooking education along with employment opportunities to the city’s food-insecure neighborhoods. But after three seasons of providing fresh, local produce to Asheville Housing Authority neighborhoods and mixed-income areas identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

as food deserts — communities with limited access to affordable, nutritious food — the Ujamaa effort ran out of steam.

However, the concept didn’t die. In 2017, Patchwork Urban Farms owner and founder Sunil Patel acquired the Ujamaa brand — though not its problematic truck, which Patel says was experiencing daunting electrical issues due to its age.

UJAMAA 2.0 For a while, Patchwork bided its time, waiting for the perfect moment to reboot the initiative with the intention “to carry on Ujamaa’s original mission and vision of being a workerowned mobile market servicing food deserts and underserved communities in Asheville,” says Patel. He found his opportunity in this summer’s rollout

of chef Gene Ettison’s combination food truck/community-building project, Build a Better Salad.

Initially, Patel had explored the idea of relaunching Ujamaa through stationary multivendor markets — an approach he’d still like to implement at some point — but he saw partnering with Ettison as a more promising option. “Gene and I are on the board of Bountiful Cities and so have known each other for a number of years,” he says. “It made perfect sense to team up with Gene, who has the same mission and vision around food access issues, along with having resources that Patchwork Urban Farms doesn’t have.”

Through the retooled concept, which made its community debut at the July 14 Southside Rising for Justice event at the Arthur R.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 26 MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

25

FOOD Presents

August 16 @ Highland Brewing 5–9 p.m.

12 Old Charlotte Hwy Asheville, NC 28803

Edington Education & Career Center, Patchwork will supply fresh produce from its multiple city farm plots to sell via Ettison’s truck on a pilot route that will visit Asheville Housing Authority neighborhoods. Ettison will also offer healthy, veggie-based ready-to-eat meals, and the pair will co-create food education components, including cooking demonstrations and tastings.

Once the pilot program officially starts running its first route on Saturday, Aug. 18, the plan is to keep all items affordably priced and offer a sliding scale as well as EBT/SNAP. Ettison and Patel are also working on introducing Double Up Food Bucks, which will allow EBT users to get twice the fresh produce for their money.

The sliding-scale pricing model will provide expanded opportunities for the initiative to bring in financial support as it grows its coverage area beyond public housing neighborhoods and into other parts of Asheville. The pair aspire to run up to three routes per week, “visiting not only food deserts and low-income neighborhoods, but also well-to-do neighborhoods and operating at farmers markets,” says Patel.

“We hope to create a robust sliding-scale program and will need the people in affluent neighborhoods and markets to help us lower prices on food by paying a higher price,” he explains. “This will allow us to make a financially viable operation for the farmers and chefs doing this work.”

But he’s careful to clarify that, at this point, he and Ettison are just testing the waters. “This is a pilot run, so we can learn enough to execute a full relaunch of Ujamaa Freedom Market and garner support from the communities,” he says.

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ From his bright-green BABS truck, Ettison will serve fresh-pressed juices, custom-made salads, sandwiches and wraps. He also has a menu of vegetarian soul food dishes — think barbecue and cauliflower mac and cheese — made with No Evil Foods, Beyond Meat and Sweet Earth proteins that will be offered as grab-andgo selections.

“But, of course, the Ujamaa route is really focused on extremely fresh and seasonal products,” he says. “So whatever Patchwork pulls from the ground that day or week is what we will demo at the different locations and feature as the entrée.”

Because of his shared vision with Patchwork and the original Ujamaa mission, Ettison says the collaboration is a natural fit. But for the Southside neighborhood native, the venture is also connected to broader personal beliefs and goals.

Ettison powered his way into his career as a chef late in life after a series of missteps resulted in multiple incarcerations starting at the age of 16, he told Xpress in a 2017 interview.

Through hard work and persever-

ance, he eventually graduated from culinary school at A-B Tech and went on to become the chef instructor for Green Opportunities Kitchen Ready culinary training program.

But even as he worked full time at GO, pouring his energy into helping his community through teaching employable skills, he also had his sights set on entrepreneurial objectives. In 2017, he rolled out the Ettison Group, an umbrella organization that comprises, in addition to BABS, a mobile soul food restaurant called J. Lee’s Chicken Shack and a craft brewing enterprise called Concrete Rose that’s currently in its development stages.

Early this summer, Ettison resigned from his position at Green Opportunities in order to devote himself entirely to his other projects. But his business initiatives are deeply enmeshed with his drive to give back to Southside and Asheville’s other underserved areas — now as an employer and community organizer.

“I thought I could be more beneficial to the community by offering jobs than in training,” he says. “And showing that it can be done by a person with my background, that as long as you work hard, you can get it done.”

Ettison currently employs three people — all former Kitchen Ready students — with one working on starting her own pastry-focused food truck. And as the revived Ujamaa initiative grows, he can potentially help other unemployed and underemployed individuals in Asheville’s low-wealth neighborhoods secure sustainable incomes.

Having worked to adopt a veggiefocused diet and healthy lifestyle in the past year, Ettison also looks forward to being able to promote food justice through his work with BABS

UJAMAA FREEDOM MARKET PILOT ROUTE The Ujamaa Freedom Market relaunch kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 18, with ready-to-eat foods and fresh produce for sale, cooking demonstrations and tastings. Products will be offered on a sliding scale, and EBT/SNAP is accepted. The pilot route is as follows:

11 a.m. — Shiloh Community Garden, 59 Hampton St.

12:30-1:15 p.m. — Erskine Apartments, Erskine Street

1:30-2:15 p.m. — Walton Street Pool, 570 Oakland Road

2:30-3:15 p.m. — Livingston Apartments, Livingston Street

3:30-4:15 p.m. — Arthur R. Edington Education & Career Center

Community Garden, 133 Livingston St. For details or to add your business to the mobile market route, contact Patchwork Urban Farms at patchworkurbanfarms@gmail.com. For updates, look for Ujamaa Freedom Market on Facebook.

26

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

and the Ujamaa effort. “As an African American chef — hell, as an African American, period — I find myself being addicted to the convenience of fast food and sugars, like so many others,” he wrote in a July post on his blog, The Chef’s “Pro”spective, that introduced BABS and its collaboration with Patchwork and the Ujamaa project.

“However, the more wisdom I gain with every doctor’s appointment, I have to ask myself and inform others that this form of eating comes from years of imposed food injustice,” the post continues. “So, it’s worth asking: How would things look if the food system centered around people with less funds to spare or those people of color and other marginalized groups instead of the majority?”

MOBILE MARKET MOVEMENT “I’m very excited to see this mobile market/food truck begin to sell within communities experiencing economic inequities,” says Nicole Hinebaugh, program director for Bountiful Cities.

“Sunil has the most amazing organic locally grown produce, and Gene is a phenomenal chef, so combining those skills and resources, and bringing good healthy food to the people, is really a great partnership to see moving forward.”

Hinebaugh says the model being introduced by Patel and Ettison for Ujamaa is, as far as she knows, a first for Asheville. But she’s interested in seeing how Ujamaa may find ways to coordinate — or perhaps even collaborate — with other local efforts.

“I believe that making fresh healthy foods accessible to all communities takes all hands on deck, and Bountiful Cities is excited to continue supporting this work in any way we can,” she says.

Other local mobile programs aimed at combating food insecurity are

steered by nonprofits and government entities, such as the pop-up market program MANNA FoodBank and Buncombe County Health & Human Services pioneered in 2013 to provide fresh produce at government housing communities. There’s also the YMCA of Western North Carolina’s three Healthy Living mobile market and kitchen units and, in the Black Mountain and Swannanoa area, Bounty & Soul offers five weekly mobile routes providing free produce along with health and wellness education programming. Additionally, MANNA is also seeking community input on another proposed pop-up market pilot program for its 16-county service area (see sidebar for details).

As for the reinvented Ujamaa effort, the projected route for its pilot run on Saturday, Aug. 18, will include the Shiloh Community Garden and four public housing developments in the Southside neighborhood (see sidebar for details). Patel says he’s also seeking permission from area tailgate markets to include them in the routes to augment the sliding-scale program, and he hopes the truck will be able to add regular visits to Pisgah View Apartments, Klondyke Apartments and the Deaverview community as well.

Ettison adds that other plans are also being discussed for the future, including a possible tailgate market in the Edington Center parking lot that would sell, in addition to produce, value-added food products, such as jams, preserves and condiments, all made by people in underserved communities working for a living wage.

“It’s a huge initiative, actually,” he says. “This is just the beginning.”

For more on the original Ujamaa Freedom Market initiative and its founders, read “Crossing the Distance: Mobile Markets Fight Hunger in the Deserts” by Carrie Eidson (April 22, 2014, Mountain Xpress). X

MANNA SEEKS COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR POP-UP MARKETS MANNA FoodBank is seeking community interest for a pilot program to provide fresh produce via pop-up-style markets across its 16-county service area, particularly in communities that experience high poverty and don’t have regular access to food pantries and other avenues of support.

MANNA Pop-Up Market partnerships are open to any community groups and individuals who are interested in hosting a market. MANNA will schedule a public information session in the coming month to provide details on how the markets will work.

For details on the meeting and what’s involved in hosting a MANNA Pop-Up Market, email agency relations manager Amy Haynes at AHaynes@MANNAFoodBank.org with the subject line “MANNA Pop-Up Interest.”

Downtown & Taproom Cafe, Wine Room, Butcher Shop Featuring a brand new taproom, extensive alcohol selection & salad bar

KITCHEN OPEN FOR LUNCH

Check out other locations:

Biltmore & Black Mountain

www.hopeyandcompany.com

Experience the Chef’s Table at Rezaz!

5 or 9 courses that highlight cuisine from around the Mediterranean Sea. Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or just because...

Make your reservation today!

Make reservations at reserve.com Historic Biltmore Village 828.277.1510 rezaz.com MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

27

F OOD

by Paul Clark

paul2011clark@gmail.com

A WING AND A PRAYER Dining out in Asheville can be challenging for people with disabilities One day several months ago, two sight-impaired diners came in to Calypso, a restaurant that serves St. Lucian Caribbean cuisine in downtown Asheville. The two people listened as the menu was read to them.

Thinking of other times sightimpaired people had visited her restaurant, owner Esther Joseph had a eureka moment — menus in Braille.

She ran it by the two diners, who said it was a great idea.

With difficult parking, noisy crowds and uneven sidewalks, dining downtown can be hard for people with disabilities. Throughout Western North Carolina, people with walkers and wheelchairs find narrow passageways between tables hard to navigate. The paths to busy bathrooms can be difficult for the sight-impaired.

And loud cafés can be overwhelming for the hard of hearing.

Joseph wanted to make sure visually impaired people had minimal obstructions in her North Lexington Avenue restaurant. Though the process to create a Braille menu was long and expensive, it was worth the effort, she says.

COMFORT ZONE “Something that I feel is very important is to make sure everyone is comfortable,” says Joseph, who has studied American Sign Language.

“Sight-impaired people don’t feel comfortable going out because it’s difficult to get around. And if you don’t have someone to read the menu

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: Calypso owner Esther Joseph says creating Braille menus was just “one small step” toward making guests with disabilities feel at ease in her restaurant.

“If we as business owners, and restaurants especially, make it easier for people with challenges to be able to come out and feel comfortable and welcomed, we’ll find more and more people coming out,” she says. Photo courtesy of Calypso

to you, it’s probably uncomfortable to ask the server to do it.”

The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits businesses from excluding anyone based upon ability.

It requires restaurants to remove any physical barrier that doesn’t cause them to incur undue expense or difficulty. The ADA has parking, fixture and other accessibility requirements.

DisAbility Partners is a nonprofit organization that supports people with all kinds of disabilities in WNC. Though the Asheville office gets many complaints about a lack of accessible parking in the seven counties it serves, associate director Eva Reynolds can’t remember the last time she got one about a restaurant.

“A lot of people don’t ask for accommodations because they’re afraid of being stigmatized,” she says. Someone who has dyslexia might be reluctant to ask a server to read the menu to them.

Someone with a cane might not visit a restaurant whose elevator is on the loading dock.

Julie Parker, an author who loves going out with friends, is relatively new to the world of enabled dining. In 2010, her blood pressure spiked and burned out the part of her brain that controls balance. Now she can’t walk without a walker. For two years now, she’s gotten around on an electric wheelchair. Since she doesn’t have a van, her range is pretty much confined to downtown, where she lives.

It’s easy to get into Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar but hard to get around the twists and turns that make the place so appealing, she says, noting that “to get out, sometimes I have to back up with a wing and a prayer.” Nonetheless, a group of blind patrons meets there every couple of months, and a group of deaf people convenes there periodically, says owner Donna Wright.

Though Parker sometimes has to go out of her way to find curb cuts

EAT LIKE A LOCAL! Come try our Award Winning Burritos!

Follow us on

28

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

SMOOTH SAILING: Amanda Levesque watches the foot traffic outside Izzy’s Coffee Den, one of her favorite places in downtown Asheville and an easy space for her to enter. Many downtown restaurants have portable ramps that give diners in wheelchairs the same access as anyone else, she says. Photo by Paul Clark that enable her to roll into the Grove Arcade, there she finds restaurants that cater to her. Carmel’s Kitchen & Bar is no problem, and the ramp in Santé Wine Bar lets her get from the business’s side entrance to its main seating area. On Wall Street, the incline inside the Laughing Seed Café makes the vegetarian restaurant attractive, she says.

Parker would like to go to Cucina 24 on Wall Street, but the main entrance’s step up from the sidewalk makes it impossible for her to get in. What she may not be aware of, however, is the side entrance Cucina 24 has a couple of doors down.

“A lot of people don’t realize our other entrance is connected to our restaurant,” says manager Malcolm Knighten (the restaurant wraps around its neighbor, Fired Up! Creative Lounge). The accessible entrance isn’t marked, so the restaurant couldn’t alert people in wheelchairs to it unless

the eatery knew those patrons were coming, he says. Servers have been asked to seat people hard of hearing at quieter tables — also not a problem, says Knighten.

Reading the menu to someone with vision difficulties isn’t a stretch either, since a large portion of what servers there do is “decode the menu to guests,” he adds. “I would say that everyone who sits down here, unless they’re a regular, the menu has to be explained to them.”

GAME PLAN Reynolds, whose brain injury in 2003 causes her to walk with a limp, comments most forcefully about restaurant parking. “Often I make the decision about something in relation to how accessible parking will be,” she says. That is why Kelly Rodriguez, who uses a walker, likes two restaurants near her house in Arden, Olive

Garden and Ruby Tuesday — they have their own parking lots.

They also have large-print and Braille menus at all locations, according to Meagan Mills, a regional spokeswoman for the company that owns the two restaurant chains. Regional and national chains “usually have a game plan,” Rodriguez says. “All the accessibility things are met, usually above and beyond.”

Gary Ray has no trouble if he enters a restaurant with someone, but if he’s by himself, “the first thing I do is act blind,” says the Asheville resident. “I have my white cane out and usually will ask the person that does the seating to assist me.”

There aren’t many restaurant hosts who know how to escort a blind person, he notes (you offer them your arm and mention any obstacles in the way). But those who exist are adept at helping Ray through close quarters, he says. An experienced server will use the standard orientation for blind people, telling him that his entrée is at 6 o’clock, his side dish is at 10 and his drink is at 2. If the server hasn’t done that, “I have to surreptitiously explore the plate to find where things are,” says Ray. When it comes time to pay, Ray asks the server to place his left index finger to the left of the signature line. Ray tips well — generally 20 percent — because of the extra attention he receives. “I might even tip more if I need assistance to go to the restroom and back to the table,” he says.

Newer restaurants, says Ray, tend to be designed with blind people in mind.

That said, he and his wife like two older restaurants downtown — Mayfel’s and Strada Italiano, though the tables in both seem close together, he says.

“It’s all about hospitality and being welcoming and doing whatever we can to make sure the guests’ needs are taken care of,” says Carly Reese, manager of Strada. Friday and Saturday nights might be busier and noisier than some people like, so when they call for reservations, the staff will recommend less busy times.

In the best of times, going out can be daunting for someone with a disability.

“A lot of people with mobility issues think, ’How bad do I want to do this, and how will I get there?’” Reynolds says.

But the more restaurants do to accommodate disabled guests, the better it is for everyone, says Joseph. “If we as business owners, and restaurants especially, make it easier for people with challenges to be able to come out and feel comfortable and welcomed, we’ll find more and more people coming out,” she says. The Braille menus are “one small step.” X

Dinner 7 days per week 5:00 p.m. - until Bar opens at 5:00 p.m.

Brunch - Saturday & Sunday 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC Tue., Thu., Fri. & Sat. Nights Also during Sunday Brunch

Locally inspired cuisine.

Located in the heart of downtown Asheville. marketplace-restaurant.com 20 Wall Street, Asheville 828-252-4162

THREE DELICIOUS COURSES THAT

SUPRISE & DELIGHT.

& THE PRICE DOES EXACTLY THE SAME.

RUTH’S CHRIS CLASSICS ARE BACK! Enjoy 3 courses of sizzling food starting at just $49.95.

Reservations are highly recommended (828) 398-6200 26 All Souls Crescent, AVL

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

29

SMALL BITES

FOOD

by Thomas Calder | tcalder@mountainx.com

Affair in White returns On Saturday, Aug. 11, the Renaissance Asheville Hotel will host the fifth annual Affair in White. The fundraising gala will benefit Loving Food Resources, a local nonprofit that works to address food insecurity for residents of Western North Carolina living with HIV/AIDS, as well as those in home hospice care.

Founded in 1991, the nonprofit’s mission continues to grow, says its executive director, Ellen Anastus. In 2017, Loving Food Resources distributed 111 tons of food and personal care products, as well as 21 tons of fresh produce to clients throughout North Carolina’s 18 westernmost counties.

Meanwhile, volunteers served 6,260 hours, totaling 4,715 client visits.

The Affair in White, to be emceed by WLOS news anchor Darcel Grimes, will feature hors d’oeuvres, drinks and music. Tickets are $55 per person in advance/$65 at the door or $100 for a pair in advance/$120 for a pair at the door.

Menu highlights include a grilled cheese station; carved pork loin stuffed with caramelized onion, blue cheese, arugula and pork belly; roasted beet salad with grapefruit, candied pecans and goat cheese; smoked pulled chicken sliders with Alabama white barbecue sauce; housemade chive and crab rangoon with orange-pineapple glaze and ponzu sauce; lemon blueberry whoopie pies and s’mores magic bars.

“It’s our biggest fundraiser,” says Anastus. “It helps us to continue to operate as a food pantry, which is really important.”

Affair in White runs 7-10 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 11, at Renaissance Asheville Hotel, 31 Woodfin St. For tickets, visit avl.mx/565.

30

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

On Tuesday, Aug. 12, The Hop Ice Cream Café will host the Rethink Ink Book Sale fundraiser. The event will feature a range of hardcover and paperback books, with all proceeds from the sale, along with 50 percent of ice cream sales, benefiting the POP Project, a nonprofit that works to spread literacy through greater access to books.

Rethink Ink Book Sale runs 5-8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 14, at The Hope Ice Cream Café, 640 Merrimon Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/564.

CIDER AND CHEESE PAIRING The WNC Cheese Trail will join TreeRock Social Cider House for a hard cider and cheese pairing on Tuesday, Aug. 14. The event will feature fresh and aged goat and cow cheeses alongside national and international ciders.

The pairing runs 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, at TreeRock Social Cider House, 760 Biltmore Ave. Tickets are $20. To purchase, visit avl.mx/563.

GRAPE GEEK DINNER SERIES CONTINUES

rants are expected to join. Vegetarian options will be available.

The third annual Taco & Tequila Throwdown runs noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at The Grey Eagle Taqueria, 185 Clingman Ave. For tickets, visit avl.mx/561.

The Grape Geek dinner series returns to La Fête at Bouchon. The third in a series of six dinners, the evening gathering offers diners the chance “to discover new wine without prejudgment,” says Bouchon owner Michel Baudouin. In the spirit of discovery, wine and food menus are not shared before the fivecourse meal. Seating is limited to 30.

The next Grape Geek dinner is at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at La Fête at Bouchon, 62 N. Lexington Ave. Tickets are $75, not including tax and gratuity.

Email michel@ashevillebouchon.com to reserve a seat.

THE 41ST ANNUAL SOURWOOD FESTIVAL

IRANI RECOGNIZED IN TIME MAGAZINE

Over 200 vendors will participate in the 41st annual Sourwood Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11-12.

Barbecue, sausages, corn on the cob, vegetarian fare, custom-crafted ice cream, funnel cakes and jellies are among the food options that will be available. Along with grub, the gathering will feature local arts and crafts, music, dancing, honey and bee demos, and children’s activities.

The 41st annual Sourwood Festival runs 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, and 9 a.m.5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at Black MountainSwannanoa Chamber of Commerce, 201 E. State St., Black Mountain. Admission is free. For more, visit avl.mx/56f.

Chai Pani chef and owner Meherwan Irani was recently included in Time magazine’s list of “31 People Who Are Changing the South.” Irani is noted for expanding “the scope of Indian food in the South with innovative takes on snacks and street food.” His role at Buxton Hall Barbecue, alongside pitmaster Elliott Moss, is also mentioned in the write-up, along with his involvement with Brown in the South, a series of collaborative dinners benefiting the Southern Foodways Alliance featuring chefs of Indian descent who live and cook in the South.

For more, visit avl.mx/562. X

IN WHITE: Renowned vocalist Kat Williams, left, poses with Barbara Bell, former president of Loving Food Resources, at last year’s Affair in White fundraising gala. Photo by Pat Barcas Summer at the Old Dairy Barn Harvest begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at The Dairy Barn at Yesterday’s Spaces at Gaining Ground Farm, 305 Sluder Branch Road, Leicester. Tickets are $65 per person. Price does not include tax and gratuity. For reservations, email info@tableasheville.com or call 828-254-8980.

TACO & TEQUILA THROWDOWN RETURNS

SUMMER AT THE OLD DAIRY BARN HARVEST Burial Beer Co., Table and Gaining Ground Farm are teaming up for a five-course beer pairing dinner. Menu highlights include charcuterie, whole snapper and braised beef. Each course will be paired with a customized beer.

“This summer harvest dinner is a celebration of local terroir,” says Kelly Vormelker, Table’s marketing manager. “This is a rare opportunity to try exclusive releases from Burial and to hear from the makers, chefs and farmers themselves.”

ICE CREAM SOCIAL TO BENEFIT THE POP PROJECT

Local restaurants will again compete for the title of Asheville’s Best Taco at the third annual Taco & Tequila Throwdown.

Local beer and flights of tequila will also be available for purchase at the event.

General admission is $10. VIP tickets are $35 and include a taco from each vendor and a flight of tequila or beer.

Participating restaurants include Polanco Restaurant, Sonora Cocina Mexicana, Blue Dream Curry House, Chupacabra Latin Cafe, AVL Tacos & Taps and The Grey Eagle Taqueria. Additional restau-

MOUNTAINX.COM

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

31

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CALLS TO ACTION

Red Baraat returns to The Grey Eagle

EVOLVING SOUNDS: In its 10 years, Red Baraat has seen different personnel come and go. More recently, it’s gone from an eight-piece to a six-piece band and shifted from a brass and drums focus to prominently featuring guitar. Photo by Mark Jaworski

BY EDWIN ARNAUDIN earnaudin@mountainx.com Based in Brooklyn, the energetic world music ensemble Red Baraat celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2018, though without an official party or event to commemorate the milestone.

The band is touring steadily throughout the year in support of its new album, Sound the People, and has big shows lined up in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as an opening

THE GEEK THE COLLECTOR THE ENTHUSIAST THE FANatic THE connoisseur THE aficionado GET YOUR FIX. AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

Mr. K’s

BUY • SELL • TRADE

Used Books, CD’s DVD’s & more Over 10,000 SQ FT of used books, CDs, DVDs, collectibles, video games, audio books, vinyl records, comic books & more!

800 Fairview Road Asheville

VINYL RECORDS, CDS, DVDS 32

slot for The Roots in Kansas City, and are thereby treating the entire calendar stretch as one big party.

Looking back, founder, bandleader and dhol player Sunny Jain says plenty of highlights arise, often prompted by his or a bandmate’s memories of a past stop in a city as they’re coming back to that destination. On the group’s return to The Grey Eagle on Monday, Aug. 13, he recalls “jamming” crowds, a friendly staff and “awesome” food.

Two non-Asheville experiences also hold a particularly special place

(River Ridge Shopping Center)

299-1145 • www.mrksusedbooks.com

MOUNTAINX.COM

in Jain’s mind. In 2015, Red Baraat played the WOMAD Festival in the U.K., where heavy rains throughout the weekend put the band in a glum mood. Figuring attendance would be low for their set, they picked up their instruments and went out to play.

“When we went onstage, it was one of the couple times that it stopped raining, and the sun came out.

Literally, the clouds parted, and the sun came out for the 90 minutes that we were onstage,” Jain says. “It was sick. The whole audience just crowded around us. We had everyone jumping up and down in this mud pit. I just remember this moment — it was kind of serendipitous that everything coincided right at same time and made the experience that much more intense and magnified.”

The second standout moment took place several years prior during a performance and workshop for 60-80 students and some locals at Elgin Community College in the Chicago suburbs. In attendance was a “big, biker-looking dude” who didn’t look like he’d be into Red Baraat’s fusion of bhangra, jazz and other musical influences. During the program’s discussion component, the outsider raised his hand and acknowledged

a preference for metal and classic rock. He also spoke of having no idea what to expect with the band’s music but said he dug it and wanted to hear more.

“He just absorbed everything that was happening in the room, and the reflection of what came back, it was interesting,” Jain says. “It kind of stripped away my own stereotypes of what I had, looking at this person. You know? Stereotypes that we all carry for whatever reason, good or bad.”

He continues, “What was fascinating about it, and very humbling for me, was that experience changed him.

He started asking, ‘Are there other bands out there that do what you guys do?’ And I was kind of at a loss, but [I recommended a few groups]. It was a memory that always stuck with me — just the power of music and the importance of what we do and why I continue to do this.”

Red Baraat channels that unifying mindset and then some on Sound the People. Jain, one of the band’s lead composers and arrangers, started writing the new material two weeks after Donald Trump was elected president.

“It just felt like a necessity and an urgency to, ‘I need to channel my energy into something positive

right now because this is [messed] up. What’s going on?’” he says. “I was trying to find a path to address that, but at the same time not just have an album that was speaking about the rhetoric of Trump and politics, but to find a subtle way of weaving in social justice, political viewpoints — ideas that we hold to be true as a band and individually, but also weaving that into a landscape of creative art and dance and celebration of community.

That’s always been our ethos in everything we put out.”

Playing alongside musicians with Punjabi, African-American, Jewish, Korean-American and Italian-American heritage, Jain has referred to Sound the People as “a call to action against the various inequalities and injustices that we’re seeing.” He identifies awareness and engagement as the most important responses. After a period of feeling overwhelmed and seeking advice from community figures with years of experience fighting for policy change, he now feels confident knowing that activism can be channeled in different ways.

“I remember talking to a few very close friends and just talking about

the micro of what you can do and how important that is, and don’t lose sight of the music you’re giving,” Jain says.

“Don’t lose sight of just who you are and how you affect your family and your community and your block. So, it’s really just about that. It’s not, ‘You need take to the streets, you need to do this.’ But if you feel inspired to do that? Hell, yeah.”

He adds, “We’ve got to find whatever we can do to resist and also to come together as people, not just as a nation. Not just these ideas of nationalistic tendencies, but this idea of just helping people across borders and across divisions.” X

WHO Red Baraat with Akita WHERE The Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Ave. thegreyeagle.com WHEN Monday, Aug. 13, 8 p.m. $15 advance/$18 day of show

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

33

A&E

by Lauren Stepp

lstepp98@gmail.com

NIGHT MOVES Christina Dietz likes Jell-O. Not for its wobbly, indescribable texture or fruity taste, but for its potential as a creative medium.

“I get a mischievous glee when working with unconventional materials like bouillon powder or Jell-O,” says Dietz, an artist from central Pennsylvania.

“Though commonplace in somebody’s lunch, [it creates] pause when brought into the studio.”

Dietz is one of 10 graduating college seniors recognized as 2017 Windgate Fellows last year. Sponsored by The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, the Windgate Fellowship honors the next generation of makers by awarding $15,000 to students culled from a national network of 104 university art programs. The award is one of the largest of its kind, and “provides critical financial support as a bridge between college and graduate school or life as a working artist,” says Stephanie Moore, the Center for Craft’s executive director.

Craft After Dark celebration and silent auction support art grads

For Dietz, who grew up surrounded by food factories like Hershey’s and Utz, the money has afforded trips abroad to learn about traditional foods like Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Spanish olives, Parma ham and balsamic vinegar. Her piece, “Home II (Eggshell Wallpaper),” follows suit by manipulating eggs to speak on her own vulnerabilities after graduating from college.

The piece will be up for auction on Thursday, Aug. 9, during the Center for Craft’s third annual Craft After Dark.

Described as a “big party” by Lauren Pelletier, marketing and development coordinator at the center, Craft After Dark celebrates the Windgate fellows while raising cash for programming and operations. In years past, the night has generated $75,000 to $95,000 — and even more in artistic curiosity, says Pelletier.

“The event allows a time for our local and national supporters as well as new friends to come together, celebrate and network while supporting a cause they

PLAY STATION: At face value, Craft After Dark is a “big party,” says Lauren Pelletier with the Center for Craft. But dig deeper, and you’ll see the event’s true colors as a thriving fundraiserturned-mixer for art students across the nation. Photo by Sabrina Kolton care about,” she continues. “The fellows also get to showcase work made during their fellowship at our silent auction and spend time with craft makers, collectors and enthusiasts.”

This year’s silent auction items run the gamut from “Generated Jacquard: Exploration I,” a cotton thread textile designed by Harvard student Christina Glover, to a hematite and brass necklace created by Rachel Chalik, an artist dedicated to wearable, emotionally expressive pieces.

Missouri-born ceramicist Audrey An will be introducing “Ode to the Lovebirds,” a porcelain work that

34

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

speaks on her transcultural experience as a Korean-American growing up in Seoul, South Korea. Much like her other collections, “Ode to Lovebirds” explores cultural collision, locational identity and belonging. “Since birds are associated with travel and movement, the idea of incorporating birds [into my art] has always been on my mind,” says An. “Whimsical thoughts on how some birds huddle to warm themselves led me to create porcelain slip-casts to initiate a dialogue about individuals forming a community.”

The result is brooding, yet light.

Hopeful, even.

Intrigued by the cross-cultural nature of ceramics, An used her fellowship money to travel to what she calls the “porcelain mecca,” Jingdezhen, China. There, she delved into China’s 1,700-year-old porcelain tile industry, visiting and investigating factories where makers use traditional processes to operate on a large scale.

At this year’s Craft After Dark event, An will be joined by six other fellows, Dietz included. Entertainment will feature the Confluence Trio during the VIP reception (5:30-7 p.m.) and DJ Marley Carroll during the main event.

Brian Fleetwood, a 2012 Windgate Fellow based in Santa Fe, N.M., will also provide a make-your-own wearable brooch station. The craft kits are sponsored by Fleur S. Bresler.

In addition to piloting its new Fellows Connect initiative, a two-day series designed to bring the newest class of students together for professional development, the Center for Craft will be celebrating the fellowship program’s 13th year. Pelletier says the benefits of early support are already beginning to emerge: Today, fellows hold full-time faculty positions, are accepted into nationally renowned graduate schools, mount solo shows

and establish successful studios. Plus, more than half have earned a Master of Fine Arts degree.

“Our mission is to advance the understanding of craft by encouraging research, critical dialogue and professional development,” says Pelletier. “Supporting the next generation is one of the Center for Craft’s main focus areas.”

Moore echoes that sentiment, noting, “The fellowship instills confidence and fosters bravery to take risks and the chance to seek and engage in careerenhancing opportunities.” X

WHAT Craft After Dark WHERE The Center for Craft Creativity and Design 67 Broadway craftafterdark.com WHEN Thursday, Aug. 9, 7-10 p.m.

VIP reception 5:30-7 p.m. $65-$250

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

35

A &E

by Timothy Burkhardt

burkhardttd@gmail.com

PRACTICAL JOKE Asheville Comedy Festival provides laughs — and connections

CROWD PLEASER: Local comedian Tom Peters hosts a comedy open mic night and appears regularly on Asheville stages. This year he returns to the Asheville Comedy Festival, which he likes, in part, because instead of playing one of a number of small showcases, “You get the whole audience for the whole festival on that night.” Photo by Cindy Kunst Last year, local comedian Hilliary Begley took to the stage at Diana Wortham Theatre for her Laugh Your Asheville Off debut.

She says that it was nice to play in front of such a large crowd, but the biggest benefit of performing at the event — since renamed the Asheville Comedy Festival — is the connections she has made.

“Since [last year’s festival], I ended up meeting several other comics from all over the country that I’ve been able to book shows with and travel up and down the coast,” says Begley. “And in Atlanta, I ran into a comedian I had met in the green room at Diana Wortham, and he ended up booking me for two shows down there.”

This year’s Asheville Comedy Festival features four separate comedy showcases with 44 comedians from across the United States and Canada. It kicks off Thursday, Aug. 9, at Highland Brewing Co., before moving to Diana Wortham Theatre for three more showcases on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 10 and 11.

Asheville-based comedian Tom Peters believes these showcases are the key to the event’s success. “The cool thing about this comedy festival is there’s just one big show per night,” he says Peters. “What happens at some other comedy festivals is there’ll be several shows scattered throughout an area, some of them overlapping with one another. So

CONTINUES ON PAGE 38 36

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

37

A &E

RIDE ORANGE STREET DEMO EUROSPORT KTM

30 BRYSON ST, ASHEVILLE, NC 28803

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22nd 9AM - 4PM DEMO RIDING REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE KTM STREET BIKE RIDE ORANGE PROGRAM, YOU MUST BE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OR OLDER (390CC+) OR 25 YEARS OR OLDER (690CC+) AND BRING THE FOLLOWING: • VALID FORM OF ID WITH YOUR MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT • SIGNED WAIVER • PROPER RIDING APPAREL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: DOT-APPROVED HELMET, EYE PROTECTION, GLOVES, JACKET, PANTS & BOOTS

you’ll get booked and have three shows — one of them might be really good, one might just be in a bar for a few people. But at the Asheville Comedy Festival, you get the whole audience for the whole festival on that night.”

Peters will perform at the Saturday night Famous Showcase at Diana Wortham Theatre. He was part of the festival once before, in 2015, and says that performance — also at Diana Wortham —was the biggest crowd he has had to date. But what he is really excited for this year is getting to goof off with old and new friends in the biggest comedian get-together that Asheville has to offer.

“I’m looking forward to being more comfortable this time around,” says Peters. “Meeting some new people, looking forward to seeing people again. It’s always a fun week.

Even on the nights where you don’t have a show, it’s still fun to hang out with everybody, go to after-parties and stuff.”

Peters hosts a weekly comedy open-mic at The Odditorium in West Asheville. He says that there is plenty of good comedy happening in Asheville on any given week, but the Asheville Comedy Festival is beneficial to the local scene because it introduces nonlocal comedians to what a funny place Asheville can be.

“A lot of people come here to perform who have never been here before, and they may be scratching their heads as to why it is happening here,” he says. “Hopefully, after they leave, they understand why.”

Begley feels the festival has helped to plug her into the comedy community outside Asheville. “I went to New York for the very first time ever in May, for my boyfriend’s sister’s wedding,” she says. “She married a comic who was pretty well-established in New York City, and when we got there, I ended up knowing three other

people in the wedding because they had seen me do comedy at Laugh Your Asheville Off.” Since performing at the local festival last year, Begley’s career has been on the rise. Her stand-up act caught the attention of casting director Megan Louis, who got her a role in Jennifer Anniston’s upcoming film, Dumplin’, as Aniston’s character’s sister. “I was originally only going to be in two scenes with two lines, but they wrote me into more parts, so I’m in like five scenes with like 12 lines,” Begley says.

While she wishes she could be onstage at this year’s Asheville Comedy Festival, Begley will, instead, be in Atlanta, acting in her second film — the Hallmark production When Last We Spoke. Not a bad problem to have.

And, despite the busy filming schedule, Begley says she plans to drive up to Asheville to catch at least a little bit of the comedy festival.

“I’ll be here for a part of it— I just won’t be able to perform,” she says.

“But I will still be there to go backstage and meet all the comedians.” X

WHAT Asheville Comedy Festival WHERE Highland Brewing Co. 12 Old Charlotte Highway and Diana Wortham Theatre 18 Biltmore Ave. WHEN Thursday, Aug. 9, 8 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 10, 7 and 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 11, 8 p.m. $20-$23 per showcase.

Lineup and schedule at ashevillecomedyfestival.com

August 16 @ Highland Brewing 5–9 p.m.

12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803 38

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

THEATER REVIEW

by Jeff Messer | upstge@yahoo.com

‘Talking With ...’

by Attic Salt Theatre Company Attic Salt Theatre Company’s newest production focuses on strong, unique and diverse women.

It is so spot on in its ruminations that one might assume this is a brand-new play. Actually, Talking With ... by Jane Martin originated in 1982 and won awards and praise for the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. The show runs through Saturday, Aug. 11, at The Magnetic Theatre.

Director Marci Bernstein takes the audience on 11 unrelated journeys in monologues by a who’s who of local talent. Each scene is its own story, and each actress holds the stage alone for those scenes.

Two monologues place actresses within theater settings. Amanda Hunt opens the show with a glimpse backstage as an actor prepares to perform, candidly chatting with the audience about her passions, insecurities and aspirations. Carin Metzger’s character comes along later, as a frenetic actor nervously auditioning. Metzger is one of several standouts, with her flightsof-fancy character and inspired manic performance.

Mandy Bean, in a wig and goggles for most of her performance, delivers a funny yet heartbreaking performance as a frustrated housewife who escapes mentally — and in her wardrobe — to the world of Oz. Nina Troy is a rodeo rider who is unhappy with the way her industry is becoming too corporate. Candice Burchill is a star baton twirler.

Lynda Schuler extols the miracle of McDonald’s restaurants while sipping laconically on a supersize soda. Christy Montesdeoca ends the show as a woman who has covered herself in tattoos that represent her awakening and experiences. At every turn, the characters go in unpredictable directions.

Devyn Villarreal wraps up the first act with a moving story of her dying mother. She captivates with her words and emotions alone, never rising from the chair where she sits. She drops tiny glass mar-

bles to the floor representing the last days of her mother’s life. Act two opens with Jane Hallstrom weaving through a stage filled with lamps.

She philosophizes about warmth and the absence of warmth.

Chelsey Mirheli plays a woman who may believe she is possessed by demons and is about to give birth to one. As she labors, she goes from rage to love and every other emotion in the spectrum, delivering a delicate dance of a performance. Possessed in other ways, the sweetly smooth Hallee Hirsh plays a devotee of snake handling religious fanatics. She tantalizes the audience with the promise that she has a dangerous water moccasin within the cross-emblazoned box beside her.

This it not a typical play, but it is a compelling character study with a clear focus on the many facets of femininity. It is unflinchingly unapologetic in how it presents the women within their own lives and worlds. Some of the pieces do feel dated, but overall, the production proves compelling enough to overlook the clunkiness of a couple of the vignettes. Of all the monologues, only the McDonald’s piece feels inadequately written in comparison to the rest, though it still gets a lot of laughs. This show sets an overall high mark thanks to a dynamic cast and director. X

WHAT Talking With ...

by Attic Salt Theatre Company

CONVERSATION PIECE: Attic Salt Theatre presents Talking With ..., an exploration into the lives of 11 different women, including a character played Devyn Villarreal, pictured. Photo courtesy of Attic Salt Theatre Company

WHERE The Magnetic Theatre 375 Depot St. themagnetictheatre.org WHEN Through Saturday, Aug. 11 Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. $20

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

39

SMART BETS

A&E

by Edwin Arnaudin | Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com

Hiroya Tsukamoto

“Palimpsest” Live

Born in Kyoto, Japan, acoustic guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto received a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music in 2000 and made a home in New York City in 2004. In his live performances, the singer-songwriter mixes original works with Japanese folk songs and has embraced the phrase “Cinematic Guitar Poetry,” words a North Carolina concert organizer used to describe his music when he was struggling to come up with ones of his own. On his way out west, as part of a nationwide tour, Tsukamoto plays a solo show in the upstairs lounge of Isis Music Hall — his third performance at the venue in as many years — on Thursday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. $15. isisasheville.com. Photo by Gary Alter

The first season of the Asheville-based audio drama “Palimpsest” ran biweekly from the end of October 2017 until the start of March. Titled Anneliese, it tells the story of Anneliese Glaser in the form of audio notes to her former therapist as she processes the years-old death of her sister and the hauntings in her new apartment. On Sunday, Aug. 12, at 2:30 p.m. at The Magnetic Theatre, series co-creators Hayley Heninger and Jamieson Ridenhour will perform an episode from season one, then debut the first episode of the new season, which officially launches Tuesday, Sept. 4, and will run biweekly for 10 episodes. Live music accompaniment will be provided by composer Ian Ridenhour. $5. themagnetictheatre.org. Photo courtesy of Ridenhour and Heninger

Nik West A native of Phoenix, Nik West played her first music on rhythm guitar at the age of 13 as part of a family band.

One listen to Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” in her high school days, however, and the lefty quickly switched to bass guitar. Her passion for the instrument and dedication to funk music has landed her recording sessions with Prince and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, and praise from Bootsy Collins, Steven Tyler and Lenny Kravitz. Now based in Los Angeles, West is also a runway and print model, a high school state record holder in track and field, and a selfprofessed calculus geek. She brings her purple Mohawk to Salvage Station on Sunday, Aug. 12, for an 8 p.m. show. $17. salvagestation.com. Photo courtesy of the artist

40

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

Menopause The Musical Now in its 17th year of production, Menopause The Musical is the longest-running scripted production in Las Vegas. Though the celebration of women on the brink of, in the middle of or survivors of “the change” entertains crowds each night at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in Sin City, it also has a significant local pedigree. Show creator Jeanie Linders calls Hendersonville home, and current cast member Ingrid Cole lives in Asheville. Set in a department store, the show centers on four women who meet while shopping for black lace bras and form a sisterhood by singing parodies of well-known pop songs from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The touring show comes to Diana Wortham Theatre for seven performances, beginning Tuesday, Aug. 14, through Friday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 18, at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m. $50 orchestra/$45 balcony. dwtheatre.com. Photo courtesy of GFour Productions

A&E CA LEN DA R

by Abigail Griffin

WATERSIDE GROOVES: Sylva’s weekly Concerts on the Creek events continue Friday, Aug. 10, 7-9 p.m. with a performance by The Get Right Band. The Asheville-based trio will make its series debut and bring its distinct funk/rock/reggae blend of clever originals and carefully selected covers that have earned its standing as one of the area’s most popular groups. Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs or blankets. The series continues each Friday evening through Labor Day. Free to attend. For more information, visit mountainlovers.com. Photo courtesy of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce (p. 42) ART ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL 828-258-0710, ashevillearts.com • WE (8/15), 5:30pm Regional artist project grant information workshop. Free. Held at EnkaCandler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 86 N Main St., Waynesville, 828-4520593, haywoodarts.org/ • TH (8/9), 10am - Artist Coffee & Chat, event to meet fellow artisans for camaraderie. Registration required: 828-452-0593.

Free.

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-2546734, malaprops.com • TU (8/14), noon Discussion Bound Book Club: Stolen by Isabella Stewart. Hosted by the Asheville Art Museum.

Free to attend.

ODYSSEY COOPERATIVE ART GALLERY 238 Clingman Ave., 828285-9700, facebook.com/ odysseycoopgallery • 2nd SATURDAYS, 11am5pm - "Second Saturday Celebration," event with food, music and artist demonstrations. Free to attend.

TRYON ARTS AND CRAFTS SCHOOL 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon, 828-859-8323 • TH (8/9), noon - Crafts & Conversation Series: "Southern Craft: A Revival in the Mountains," presentation by Anna Fariello.

Free to attend.

ART/CRAFT STROLLS & FAIRS MOONLIT ART MARKET burialbeer.com • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 8-11pm - Art and craft fair.

Free to attend. Held at Burial Beer Co., 40 Collier Ave. RIVER ARTS DISTRICT SECOND SATURDAYS STUDIO STROLL Depot St. • 2nd SATURDAYS, 10am-8pm - Second

Saturdays: Gallery walks along a mile-long cluster of working artist studios, galleries and eateries with live demonstrations, live music and wine tastings.

Free trolley rides available every hour. Free to attend.

AUDITIONS & CALL TO ARTISTS THE FAIRVIEW AREA ART LEAGUE (PD.) Is now accepting applications for the first annual "FAAL for Art" show on September 15 from 10am3 pm at the Fairview Community center, 1357 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview, NC 28730. • The show is a juried art show with inside and outside booths available. Non-refundable 10x10 booth fees are $40 for art league members or $50 for non members.

• Art league membership is $25/year. Visit our facebook page to download the application • Send application and 3 images of your work or email questions: FAArtLeague@ gmail.com

ARTS COUNCIL OF HENDERSON COUNTY 828-693-8504, acofhc.org • Through WE (8/15) Applications accepted for North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Arts Program subgrants. See website for guidelines.

ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY CHORUS ashevillesymphonychorus. com • TU (8/7) & TU (8/14), 3-8pm - Open auditions for the Asheville Symphony Chorus. For full guidelines email: mlancastercond@gmail.com. Held at First Congregational UCC of Hendersonville, 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS 225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 828-669-0930, blackmountainarts.org • WE (8/15), 6-8pm- Open auditions for The Front Porch Theatre upcoming production of The God Game by Suzanne Bradbeer. Contact for full guidelines.

HAYWOOD COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL 828-452-0593, haywoodarts.org

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

41

by Abigail Griffin

A& E CA LEN DA R

• Through FR (9/7) Applications accepted for upcoming monthly shows in the gallery. Contact for full guidelines.

Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St.

THE AUTUMN PLAYERS 828-686-1380, www,ashevilletheatre.org, caroldec25@gmail.com • TU (8/14), 10:30am2:30pm - Open auditions for God's Favorites.

Contact for guidelines. Held at Asheville

6 WEEK DANCE CLASS • NIGHTCLUB TWO (PD.) Wednesdays, 7-8pm, starting August 15. • Presented

by Dance For Life at Asheville Event and Dance Center. Learn the romantic Nightclub Two. • No partner needed. $75 for 6

DANCE

weeks, $15 drop-in single session. 828-333-0715, naturalrichard@mac.com • www.DanceForLife.net COUNTRY BALLROOM DANCE • FRIDAY AUGUST 10 (PD.) Presented by Dance For Life at Asheville Event and Dance Center. • 7-8pm Two-Step Lesson. • Dance 8 to 10:30pm. Dance/Lesson $15, Dance $10. 828-3330715, naturalrichard@mac.

com www.DanceForLife.net EXPERIENCE ECSTATIC DANCE! (PD.) Dance waves hosted

by Asheville Movement Collective. Fun and personal/community transformation. • Fridays, 7pm, Terpsicorps Studios, 1501 Patton Avenue. • Sundays, 8:30am and 10:30am, JCC, 236 Charlotte Street. Sliding scale fee.

Information: ashevillemovementcollective.org TWO 2 HOUR DANCE WORKSHOPS (PD.) Presented by Dance For Life at Asheville Event and Dance Center. Learn one, or both, of these beautiful Dances. • Saturday, August 11. 1-3pm Nightclub-Two, 3-5pm Triple-Two. Each workshop is $20/pp, 828-3330715. Pre-register now at: www.Danceforlife.net ASHEVILLE MONDAY NIGHT DANCE 828-712-0115, oldfarmersball.com • MONDAYS, 7:3010:30pm - Community contra dance. $7. Held at Center for Art & Spirit at St. George, 1 School Road HENDERSONVILLE STREET DANCING 828-693-9708, historichendersonville.org • MONDAYS, 7-9pm Outdoor street dance with bluegrass and clogging. Free to attend. Held at Hendersonville Visitor Center, 201 S. Main St., Hendersonville OLD FARMER'S BALL oldfarmersball.com • 2nd SUNDAYS, 3-5pm - Family contra/square dances for families with children ages 6-12. All ages welcome. Free. Held

42

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

at Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Road • THURSDAYS, 8-11pm - Old Farmers Ball, contra dance. $7/$6 members/$1 Warren Wilson Community. Held in Bryson Gym Held at Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa

MUSIC AFRICAN DRUM LESSONS AT SKINNY BEATS DRUM SHOP (PD.) Wednesdays 6pm. Billy Zanski teaches a fun approach to connecting with your inner rhythm.

Drop-ins welcome. • Drums provided. $15/ class. (828) 768-2826. skinnybeatsdrums.com

circle. Free. Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St. CONCERTS ON THE CREEK mountainlovers.com • FR (8/10), 7-9pm Outdoor concert featuring The Get Right Band, funk.

Free. Held at Bridge Park, 76 Railroad Ave., Sylva FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE DOWNTOWN 125 S. Main St., Hendersonville, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • THURSDAYS through SUNDAYS until (8/12) “70s Summer Nights,” 70s music concert. Thurs.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 8pm.

Sat. & Sun.: 2pm. $35.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • SA (8/11), 2pm - Up Jumped Three, jazz concert. Free. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St.

HENDERSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville, 828-6974725 • WE (8/15), 2-3pm - Side

by Side community singing beneficial for those interested in healthy aging. Free.

CITY OF ASHEVILLE 828-251-1122, ashevillenc.gov • THURSDAYS 5-7pm - Pritchard Park singer/ songwriter series. Free.

Held at Pritchard Park, 4 College St. • FRIDAYS, 6-9:50pm Asheville outdoor drum

JUBILEE COMMUNITY CHURCH 46 Wall St. • SU (8/12), 7:30pm - “Story of theWest,“ Jubilee! Summer Orchestra concert featuring music of Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. $5.

MUSIC ON MAIN 828-693-9708, historichendersonville.org • FR (8/10), 7-9pm Outdoor live music event with Gotcha Groove and a classic car cruise-in. Free.

Held at Hendersonville Visitor Center, 201 S. Main St., Hendersonville SHINDIG ON THE GREEN 828258-610-1345, folkheritage.org • SATURDAYS, 7pm Outdoor old-timey and folk music jam sessions and concert. Free. Held at Pack Square Park, 121 College St. UR LIGHT CENTER 2196 N.C. Highway 9, Black Mountain, 828-6696845, urlight.org • SA (8/11), 7-8:30pm - Stillness sound meditation and concert with Free Planet Radio. $20 advance.

SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • TU (8/14), 1pm - Leicester Book Club: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Free. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester

EMPYREAN ARTS • TU (8/14), 7pm Friends of the Fairview Library meeting. Free.

Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview • TU (8/14), 7pm - Mull it Over Beer and Books Club: The Wilmington Ten by Kenneth Robert Janken. Free to attend.

Held at The Wedge at Foundation, 5 Foundy St. • WE (8/15), 3pm Enka-Candler History Book Club: Pompeii

by Robert Harris. Free.

Held at Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Road, Candler • TH (8/16), 6pm Swannanoa Book Club: The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash. Free. Held at Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston St., Swannanoa FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE 610 Haywood Road, 828-255-8115, firestorm.coop • 2nd & 4th FRIDAYS, 2:30pm - Wild Words writing group. Free to attend.

FLETCHER LIBRARY 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 828-687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • 2nd THURSDAYS, 10:30am - Book Club.

Free.

• 2nd THURSDAYS, 1:30pm - Writers' Guild.

Free.

MALAPROP'S BOOKSTORE AND CAFE 55 Haywood St., 828-254-6734, malaprops.com • WE (8/8), 6pm - Amber Tamblyn presents her book, Any Man. Free to attend.

• MO (8/13), 7pm Mystery Book Club: The Beekeeper's Apprentice: Or, on the Segregation of the Queen by Laurie R. King. Free to attend.

• TU (8/14), 6pm Donna Lucey presents her book, Sargent's Women: Four Lives Behind the Canvas in conversation with Denise Kiernan. Free to attend.

• WE (8/15), 6pm - Susan Anderson presents her book, Paul's Prayers: A Mother's

Account of Raising an Autistic Son. Free to attend.

• TH (8/16) 6pm - Brooke McAlary presents her book, Slow: Simple Living for a Frantic World. Free to attend.

• TH (8/16), 7pm Notorious History Book Club: Les Parisiennes: Resistance, Collaboration, and the Women of Paris Under Nazi Occupation by Anne Sebba. Free to attend.

DIFFERENT STROKES PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTIVE 828-275-2093, differentstrokespac.org • THURSDAY through SATURDAYS (8/9) until (8/25), 7:30pm - Every Brilliant Thing, comedy. $21/$18 advance. Held at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St.

FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE 2661 Highway 225, Flat Rock, 828-693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org • WEDNESDAYS through SUNDAYS until (8/18) - Mamma Mia. Wed. & Thurs.: 2pm & 7:30pm. Fri.: 8pm. Sat.: 2pm & 8pm.

Sun.: 2pm. $20 and up.

PARKWAY PLAYHOUSE 13 Green Mountain Drive, Burnsville, 828-682-4285, parkwayplayhouse.com

• FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS until (8/11) - Godspell. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 3pm. $24/$13 children.

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REPERTORY THEATRE 828-689-1239, sartplays.org • THURSDAYS through SUNDAYS until (8/12) I-YA-I-YA-O. Thurs., Fri., Sat.: 7:30pm. Sat. & Sun.: 2:30pm. $25-$30. Held at

Owens Theatre, 44 College St., Mars Hill THE ORCHARD INN 100 Orchard Inn Lane, Saluda • TUESDAY through THURSDAY (8/14) until (8/16) - The Gin Game by The Saluda Historic Depot Theatre Troupe and dinner benefit The Saluda Historic Depot. Tues. & Wed.: 7pm. Thurs.: 5pm. $25 play only/$65 dinner.

POLE LYRA SILKS SLING ROPE DANCE TRAPEZE FLEXIBILITY AERIAL YOGA HANDSTANDS

FIRST CLASS FOR NEW STUDENTS $15

EmpyreanArts.org 782.3321

SWANNANOA VALLEY MUSEUM 223 W State St., Black Mountain, 828669-9566, history.swannanoavalleymuseum. org • FR 8/10), 11:30am12:30pm - Book Club: No One is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts. Free.

SYNERGY STORY SLAM avl.mx/0gd • WE (8/8), 7pm Storytelling open mic with the theme, "Feed Me." Free to attend.

Held at Odditorium, 1045 Haywood Road

THEATER 35BELOW 35 E. Walnut St., 828-254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS until (8/19) Bloomsday, love story.

Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm.

Sun.: 2:30pm. $15.

ATTIC SALT THEATRE COMPANY 828-505-2926 • THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS until (8/11), 7:30pm - Talking With…, play written by Jane Martin. $20. Held at Magnetic 375, 375 Depot St. BREVARD LITTLE THEATRE 55 E. Jordan St., Brevard, 828-884-2587, TheBrevardLittleTheatre.org • THURSDAYS through SUNDAYS (8/16) until (8/26) - Snoopy, musical.

Thurs.-Sat.: 7:30pm.

Sun.: 3pm. $22/$15 student/$10 children.

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

43

GALLERY DIRECTORY Presents

ALLGOOD COFFEE 10 S Main St, Weaverville • SU (8/12) until WE (10/3) -Walking Through WNC 3.0: An Exhibit of Images by Vagabond Photo Walks Group. Reception: Sunday, Aug. 12, 3-5pm.

THE WEDGE AT FOUNDATION 5 Foundy St., 828-505-2792, wedgebrewing.com/location-wedgefoundation/ • Through FR (8/31) - Exhibition of paintings by Larry Turner.

AMERICAN FOLK ART AND FRAMING 64 Biltmore Ave., 828-281-2134, amerifolk.com • Through WE (8/22) - Sharing the Journey, group exhibition.

August 16th 5-9 p.m. at

Featuring Live Music • Spaceman Jones & the Motherships • Lyric • Peggy Ratusz • DJ Kipper

Goodies • The Hop • French Broad Chocolate Lounge • Buchi & More Special Guests • LAZOOM • local nonprofits • many more!

12 Old Charlotte Hwy Asheville, NC 28803 44

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

TOE RIVER ARTS COUNCIL 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, 828-6827215, toeriverarts.org • Through SA (8/18) - Clay +, exhibition of clay works by Cynthia Bringle.

• Through (8/25) - Sphere of Influence: Glass Artists of Western North Carolina, group exhibition.

ART AT MARS HILL UNIVERSITY mhu.edu • Through FR (8/31) - Where We Worked: the Place of Employment in Madison County, photography exhibition. Held at Mars Hill University, Weizenblatt Gallery, 79 Cascade St., Mars Hill ART AT WCU 828-227-2787, bardoartscenter.wcu.edu • Through FR (8/24) - Abstract Impulse, exhibition of paintings by Mary Althea Parker. Held at Bardo Fine Art Museum, 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee • Through FR (9/14) - Appalachia a Century Ago; Craft Through the Lens of William A. Barnhill, exhibition of photographs by William A. Barnhill.

Held at Mountain Heritage Center, Cullowhee • Through FR (8/24) - Facing Culture, exhibition of masks and carvings by Joshua Adams. Held at Bardo Fine Art Museum, 199 Centennial Drive Cullowhee ART IN THE AIRPORT 61 Terminal Drive Fletcher • Through SU (8/12) - Perspective, group exhibition.

ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL 828-258-0710, ashevillearts.com • Through FR (8/31) - Best of 2018 by Roots + Wings Visual Arts Preschool, exhibition. Held at The Refinery, 207 Coxe Ave. • Through WE (8/29) - Pioneer Women Painters of the River District, exhibition curated by Sara Ledonne.

Held at The Refinery, 207 Coxe Ave. ASHEVILLE GALLERY OF ART 82 Patton Ave., 828-251-5796, ashevillegallery-of-art.com • Through FR (8/31) - A Retrospective in Figurative, featuring the paintings of Cheri Brackett.

BENDER GALLERY 29 Biltmore Ave., 828-505-8341, thebendergallery.com • Through FR (8/31) - The Magic of Nature, The Maestro and Mary Van Cline Fundraiser for The Documenta Project, exhibitions.

BLACK MOUNTAIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS 225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 828-669-0930, blackmountainarts.org

MOUNTAINX.COM

TRACEY MORGAN GALLERY 188 Coxe Ave., TraceyMorganGallery.com • Through SA (9/22) - Conditions for an Unfinished Work of Mourning, exhibition of works from Dawn Roe. • Through SA (9/22) - Exhibition of photographs by Sharon Core.

FRAGILE COLORS: Gallery 1 Sylva’s show Photography and Glass showcases the work of two local artists. Photographer Wanda Davis-Browne’s creations are inspired by diverse natural patterns and hues in nature, while the colorful blown-glass pieces of Judy McManus are also rooted in the outdoors. There will be an opening reception for the show on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 5 p.m. Photo by Davis-Browne courtesy of Gallery 1 Sylva • Through (8/31) - Vietnam: Some of Its People, exhibition of photography

by Herb Way. DISTRICT WINE BAR 37 Paynes Way, Suite 9 • Through SU (9/30) - The Curved Line - A Celebration of Form, archival works on paper and canvas by the late Vadim Bora.

FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain, 828-357-9009, floodgallery.org • Through MO (9/3) - Exhibition of prints by Porge Buck.

FOLK ART CENTER MP 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, 828298-7928, craftguild.org • Through (9/30) - Wabi Sabi, Embracing the Art of Imperfection, exhibition featuring 60 objects from Southern Highland Art Guild members.

GRAND BOHEMIAN GALLERY 11 Boston Way, 877-274-1242, bohemianhotelasheville.com/ • Through FR (8/31) - Color Stories, exhibition of pastels and acrylics by R. John Ichter.

MACON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 149 Siler Farm Road, Franklin

• Through FR (8/31) - Exhibition of works by Carol Conti.

MOMENTUM GALLERY 24 North Lexington Ave. • Through SA (8/25) - Reflections, group glass exhibition in conjunction with Dale Chihuly exhibit at the Biltmore Estate and the Summer of Glass, featuring works by Thor & Jennifer Bueno, Amber Cowan, Jennifer Halvorson, Alli Hoag, Joanna Manousis, Kit Paulson, Pablo Soto and Tim Tate. Reception: Thursday, Aug. 9, 4-7pm.

OPEN HEARTS ART CENTER 217 Coxe Ave. • Through SA (8/18) - Through The Eyes of Open Hearts, exhibition of photographs from artists at Open Hearts Art Center.

PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS 67 Doras Trail, Bakersville • Through SU (9/16) - Alchemy, exhibition of glass art.

PINK DOG CREATIVE 348 Depot St., pinkdog-creative.com • Through SU (9/2) - Inimitable Creation: Clay+Paper+Paint, exhibition of works by Holly de Saillan, Betsy Kendrick and Maria Andrade Troya. Reception: Thursday, Aug. 9, 6-8pm.

TRANSYLVANIA COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 828-884-2787, tcarts.org • Through FR (8/10) - Starry Starry Night, group exhibition.

TRYON ARTS AND CRAFTS SCHOOL 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon, 828-859-8323 • Through TH (8/30) - Enchanted Forest, group exhibition.

UPSTAIRS ARTSPACE 49 S. Trade St., Tryon • SA (8/11) through FR (9/21) Spontaneous Intention, Bronze Constructs and HORSEscapes, exhibitions featuring work by Barbara Fisher, Kenn Kotara, Rand Kramer, Fred McMullen and Monica Stevenson. Reception: Saturday, Aug. 11, 5-7:30pm.

WINDOW GALLERY 54 Broadway, windowcontemporary. org • Through FR (10/26) - Re/production | Re/presentation, exhibition of works

by Aaron McIntosh.

WOOLWORTH WALK 25 Haywood St., 828-254-9234 • Through TH (8/30) - In Search of New Ways, exhibition of works by Justin Ramsey.

YMI CULTURAL CENTER 39 South Market St., 828-252-4614, ymicc.org • Through FR (8/31) - Trigger Warning, 21-artist group exhibition on the issue of gun violence in the United States.

Contact the galleries for admission hours and fees

CLUBLAND

LONE VULF: Prolific guitarist, composer and producer Cory Wong brings a retro aesthetic to his music. Curating a hometown jam session in Minneapolis with Prince’s rhythm section (attracting artists such as John Mayer and Jimmy Vaughan, with the late Prince himself in attendance) is one of his many accomplishments. From those collaborations, Wong met the musicians with whom he’d form Vulfpeck. While recording his second EP, The Optimist, he enlisted the Hornheads, Prince’s horn section, as the backbone of the project. The funk, jazz and disco-inspired tracks are paired with visuals: Wong records every session in front of a green screen to use later in campy VHS-style music videos and onstage antics. Wong plays a show at the Sierra Nevada amphitheater stage on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. Free. sierranevada.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8 185 KING STREET Vinyl Night, 6:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis (African folk music), 8:00PM

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Wing Wednesday, 5:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 8:00PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats, 7:30PM

ASHEVILLE MASONIC TEMPLE Mary Chapin Carpenter, 7:30PM

DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Mary Chapin Carpenter, 7:30PM

BEN'S TUNE UP Open Bluegrass Jam w/ The Clydes, 6:00PM

DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesdays, 9:00PM

BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Billy Owens, 7:00PM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesdays, 5:30PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Isis Lawn Series w/ Rob Parks & Friends, 6:30PM Takenobu, 7:00PM Sherman Ewing, Kevin Daniel & The Don'ts & Logan Magness (alt. country, folk rock), 8:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5:00PM

LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Spoken Word Open Mic, 8:00PM MG ROAD Salsa Night, 8:00PM NOBLE KAVA Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert (sign-ups at 7:30pm), 8:00PM ODDITORIUM

LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim, 10:00PM

Portrayal of Guilt & Kangarot (punk), 9:00PM

LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM

Sexy Tunes w/ DJ's Zeus & Franco, 10:00PM

OLE SHAKEY'S

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

45

C LUBLAND ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING Caveman Dave (Americana, folk), 9:00PM

COMING SOON WED 8/8 6:30PM–ISIS LAWN SERIES: ROB PARKS & FRIENDS

7:00PM–TAKENOBU 8:30PM–SHERMANN EWING, KEVIN DANIEL & THE DONT’S, AND LOGAN MAGNESS

THU 8/9 6:30PM–ISIS LAWN SERIES: QUEEN BEE & THE HONEYLOVERS 7:00PM–HIROYA TSUKAMOTO: CINEMATIC GUITAR POETRY

FRI 8/10 6:30PM–ISIS LAWN SERIES: DOUG MCELVY ENSEMBLE

7:00PM–WEST KING STRING BAND

9:00PM–TODD NANCE & FRIENDS: NIGHT ONEA MICHAEL HOUSER CELEBRATION

SAT 8/11 9:00PM–TODD NANCE & FRIENDS: NIGHT TWOACOUSTIC WOOD SHOW SUN 8/12 1PM–3PM: GUITAR WORKSHOP W/ GUITAR MASTER PEPPINO D’AGOSTINA 5:30PM- NAUGHTY, BAWDY & BLUES W/ JESSE BARRY & PEGGY RATUSZ 7:30PM- PEPPINO D’AGOSTINO AND CARLOS REYES IN CONCERT TUE 8/14 7:30PM–TUESDAY BLUEGRASS W/ UNSPOKEN TRADITION

WED 8/15 6:30PM–ISIS LAWN SERIES: ROB PARKS & FRIENDS

7:00PM–VICTOR PROVOST THU 8/16 6:30PM–ISIS LAWN SERIES: UPLAND DRIVE 7:00PM–JOE NEWBERRY’S BIRTHDAY BASH 8:30PM–THE MOBROS & ARMADILLA FRI 8/17 6:30PM–ISIS LAWN SERIES: TONY ELTORA TRIO 7:00PM–HUSSY HICKS & ERIC ERDMAN SAT 8/18 7:00PM–OLIVER THE CROW 9:00PM–MOTOWN & DISCO DANCE PARTY WITH PAULA & PEGGY SUN 8/19

5:30PM–RUSS WILSON PRESENTS: CLOSEHARMONY TUE 8/21 7:30PM–TUESDAY BLUEGRASS W/ STIG & FRIENDS

ISISASHEVILLE.COM DINNER MENU TIL 9:30PM LATE NIGHT MENU TIL 12AM

TUES-SUN 5PM-until 743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737

46

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Worldly Wednesdays w/ TurnUp Truk (Reggae), 8:00PM ORANGE PEEL David Cross: Oh Come On, 8:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Bud Man & Groove Percussion, 4:00PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Chris Jamison, 7:00PM SALVAGE STATION Stanton, Bullock & Friends, 6:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY French Broad Mountain Valley Acoustic Jam, 6:30PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jazz Night, 7:30PM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Pleasure Chest (blues, rock, soul), 8:00PM AMBROSE WEST Treehouse Release Party (reggae), 8:30PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Will Ray & The Space Cooties, 7:30PM BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA Alien Music Club (live jazz), 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Chris Jamison, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Up Dog & The Broadcast, 5:00PM BYWATER Open Mic w/ John Duncan, 7:00PM

SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Jam, 8:00PM

CAPELLA ON 9@THE AC HOTEL Peggy Ratusz, 8:00PM

SPIDERWEB TATTOO Daniel Bachman, 11:00AM

CASCADE LOUNGE DJ Oso Rey Boogie Night & Mashups, 9:30PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Sydney Lett (country), 8:00PM

CROW & QUILL Carolina Catskins (ragtime jazz), 10:00PM

THE GOLDEN FLEECE The Tune Shepherds, 7:00PM

DISTRICT WINE BAR Throwback Thursday w/ Molly Parti, 8:30PM

THE GREY EAGLE Charley Crockett, 8:00PM Old Salt Union & Hoot & Holler, 8:00PM

DOUBLE CROWN Rock 'n' Roll Vinyl w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM

THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Orgatroid w/ Mason Self, Vasillus & No Eyes, 9:00PM

FLEETWOOD'S Tristen's Birthday Show w/ The By Gods & Sane Voids, 9:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Hope Griffin Trio (folk, Americana), 9:00PM

THE WINE & OYSTER Jazz Open Mic hosted by Jesse Junior, 7:00PM

FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Ryan Furstenberg (Americana), 6:00PM Thursday 8/9

TIMO'S HOUSE DJ Zengo (hip hop), 8:00PM

FUNKATORIUM The Scoundrel’s Lounge, 8:30 PM

TOWN PUMP Open Jam w/ Billy Presnell, 9:00PM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Asheville Comedy Festival, 8:00PM

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES JJ Kitchen All Star Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 8:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Isis Lawn Series w/ Queen Bee & The Honeycutters, 6:30PM Hiroya Tsukamoto (cinematic guitar poetry), 7:00PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Music Bingo, 8:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Bluegrass Jam, 7:00PM

WED

8

LAZY DIAMOND Heavy Vinyl Night w/ DJ Butch, 10:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT Landing w/ Gardener, 9:30PM

LOBSTER TRAP Hank Bones, 6:30PM

TIMO'S HOUSE BRRRZDAYZ w/ JJ Smash & Genetix, 8:00PM

LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Vinyl Night, 8:00PM ODDITORIUM Party Foul: Drag Circus, 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Karaoke w/ Franco, 10:00PM

TOWN PUMP Jubal, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Jesse Barry & The Jam (blues, dance), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Craft Karaoke, 9:30PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Mitch's Totally Rad Trivia, 7:00PM Randomanimals w/ Smooth Goose , 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING Dave Gribbon w/ KimberlyTzakos of Sidecar Honey (indie, Americana, rock), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West:The West Asheville Funk Jam, 9:00PM PULP Slice of Life Comedy Open Mic w/ Cody Hughes, 9:00PM PACK'S TAVERN Jason Whitaker & Jeff Anders, 8:00PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Carpal Tullar, 8:00PM PURPLE ONION CAFE Pamela Taylor, 7:30PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Brooke McBride, 7:00PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Grateful Dead Jam w/ members from Phuncle Sam & Ton of Hay, 7:00PM W XYZ BAR AT ALOFT Stevie Lee Combs (singersongwriter), 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN LUA 'Mexalachia Music', 7:30PM

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Siamese Sound Club (R&B, soul, jazz), 8:00PM Fwuit (retro, soul), 9:00PM AMBROSE WEST Courtyard Series: Brie Capone, 5:30PM Chuck Brodsky w/ Chris Rosser & Aliza Hava (singer, songwriter), 8:00PM ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALLBombassic w/ Bunsen burner & Earthtone Soundsystem, 10:00

THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Burger Kings (classic rock n' roll), 9:00PM

BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Acoustic Swing, 7:00PM

WEEKLY EVENTS

THIS WEEK AT AVL MUSIC HALL

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Early Jazz Jam w/ Micah Thomas & Friends, 5:30PM Open Grateful Dead Jam, 9:00PM

PM BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE Hot Club of Asheville, 5:30PM BEN'S TUNE UP Throwback dance Party w/ DJ Kilby, 10:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Isis Lawn Series w/ Doug Mcelvy Ensemble (blues, soul), 6:30PM West King String Band, 7:00PM Todd Nance & Friends: A Michael Houser Celebration (jam band, southern rock), 9:00PM

BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Live Band Karaoke, 6:30PM CAPELLA ON 9@THE AC HOTEL DJ Zeus, 9:00PM CORK & KEG The Old Chevrolet Set, 8:30PM CROW & QUILL Crystal Bright & The Silver Hands (dark carnival music), 9:00PM DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Laugh Your Asheville Off presents the 12th Annual Asheville Comedy Festival, 9:30PM DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Asheville Comedy Festival, 7:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Rock 'n' Soul Obscurities w/ DJ Greg Cartwright, 10:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Berlyn Trio (jazz, funk), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Typical Mountain Boys (bluegrass), 6:00PM FUNKATORIUM Black Eldridge & the Country Resonators, 8:30 PM GINGER'S REVENGE Sarah Tucker (singersongwriter), 8:00PM HABITAT TAVERN & COMMONS Swamp Rabbit Railroad, 7:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Laurel Lee & The Escapees, 7:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Shane Pruitt Band, 9:00PM JARGON The Mike Baggetta Trio (jazz), 10:00PM

FRI

10 SAT

11 SAT

11 SUN

12

OLD SALT UNION + HOOT AND HOLLER

MON

13

BURLESQUE! “THE 6TH ANNUAL GEEKTASTIC

WED

15

NERDLESQUE REVUE”

TACO & TEQUILA THROWDOWN, 12-4PM

FREE PHISH LIVE STEAM + PHISH PHRY

FREE PATIO SHOW, 5-7PM

SHANE PARISH WILLIAM CLARK GREEN

THU

WILLIAM HINSON + CHRIS WILHELM & FRIENDS

16

BURLESQUE PAGEANT”

W/ AKITA

WED

15

BURLESQUE! “THE 2ND ANNUAL ASHEVILLE

RED BARAAT

W/ THE JOSEPHINES

17 SCYTHIAN FRI

Asheville’s longest running live music venue • 185 Clingman Ave TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HARVEST RECORDS & THEGREYEAGLE.COM

LAZOOM ROOM Dissent: A Hip-Hop dance party in honor of the Notorious RBG, 8:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Hot 'n' Nasty Night w/ DJs Jasper & Chrissy (rock & soul) , 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Calico Moon, 6:30PM MAD CO BREW HOUSE Ben Prestage, 6:00PM MOE'S ORIGINAL BBQ WOODFIN Big Dawg Slingshot, 7:00PM NOBLE KAVA Comedy Night w/ Tom Scheve, 9:00PM ODDITORIUM 8 Vacant Graves EP Release Party (metal), 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Free Dead Fridays w/ members of Phuncle Sam acoustic, 5:30PM Strange Rootz, 10:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING The Coppertones (roots & soul), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: The Gin Ricky's (blues swing band), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Cosmic Charlie Jerry Garcia Birthday Show, 9:00PM

THIS WEEK AT THE ONE STOP:

THU 8/9 FRI 8/10 SAT 8/11

BOM BASSIC

C H A R LES FE E LG OO D

FRI 8/10 - SHOW: 10 pm (DOORS: 9 pm ) $5 SUGGESTED DONATIONS

SAT 8/11 - SHOW/DOORS: 9 pm TICKETS: $15

w/ Bunsen Burner and Earthtone Soundsystem

TUESDAY:

Turntable Tuesday - 10pm

OU R H OUS E P R ES E NTS : w/ Jericho & Space Coven

WEDNESDAY:

THURSDAY:

FRIDAY:

disclaimer comedy

Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia 6:30pm

F ree Dead F riday

9:30pm

5pm

SUNDAY: Bluegrass Brunch

ft. Bald Mountain Boys + Aaron “Woody” Wood and Friends - 10:30am-3pm

DO CA$ NA H T

IO N$ Randomanimals w/ Smooth Goose [Funk/Jazz] Strange Rootz - [Reggae] Root Shock & Miss Mojo - [Reggae/Dub/Soul]

UPCOMING SHOWS - ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL:

8/16 8/17 8/18 8/24

Uncle Kurtis Album Release Show The Night Circus ft. Plankeye Peggy + Sirius. B SATURDAY NIGHT JIVE w/ Robbie Dude Noah Proudfoot and the Botanicals EP Release Show w/ Hustle Souls and Sister Ivy 8/25 SATURDAY NIGHT JIVE w/ DJ AVX 8/31 The Snozzberries Present: A Psychedelic Circus

TICKETS & FULL CALENDAR AVAILABLE AT ASHEVILLEMUSICHALL.COM

@AVLMusicHall MOUNTAINX.COM

@OneStopAVL AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

47

CLU B LA N D

BRUNCH, BUBBLES & BOTHWELL with Queen Bee & The Honeylovers!

Art Reception • Live Music • Vegan Fare Sunday, Aug. 12th • Noon - 3pm

39 S. Market St. • theblockoffbiltmore.com

PACK'S TAVERN DJ MoTo (dance hits, pop), 9:30PM

THE WINE & OYSTER Rebecca O' Quinn, 7:00PM

PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Appalachian Renegades, 7:00PM

TIMO'S HOUSE J-VAL & Fame Douglas (hip hop), 8:00PM

PISGAH BREWING COMPANY The Orange Constant, 8:00PM

TOWN PUMP The Jangling Sparrows, 9:00PM

SALVAGE STATION Szlachetka, 9:00 PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Chapter Soul, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE A Bird Squad Odyssey, 8:00PM Shutterings, Chilltonic & RichGirl PoorBoy, 9:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Friday Latin Nights w/ DJ Victor, 9:30PM

828-575-9622 356 new leicester hwy asheville, nc 28806

THE GREY EAGLE Burlesque! Burlesque! The 6th Annual Geektastic Nerdlesque Revue, 9:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Deakin (Animal Planet) w/ Highlife, 9:30PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Kaizen w/ Jeff Sipe, Mike Barnes & Mark McDaniel, 9:00PM

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Charles Feelgood w/ Jericho & Space Coven, 9:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Paul Defatta, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Canaan Cox, 6:00PM CAPELLA ON 9@THE AC HOTEL Jesse Barry & The Jam, 9:00PM

W XYZ BAR AT ALOFT DJ Abu Disarray, 8:00PM

CHESTNUT Jazz Brunch, 11:00AM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Joni Mitchell Tribute, 8:00PM

CORK & KEG Albi & The Lifters, 8:30PM

WILD WING CAFE Modern Day Society, 9:00PM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Rahm Squad (funk, jazz), 9:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Swing Step Swing Jam (followed by) Shadowman, 4:30PM

CROW & QUILL Joseph Herbst Quartet (swing jazz), 9:00PM DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Laugh Your Asheville Off presents the 12th Annual Asheville Comedy Festival, 8:00PM DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE Asheville Comedy Festival, 8:00PM DISTRICT WINE BAR Saturday Night Rock Show, 10:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Soul Motion Dance Party w/ DJ Dr. Filth, 10:00PM FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREWPUB Cynefin (folk, jam), 10:00PM FRENCH BROAD BREWERY Phourist (melodic rock), 6:00PM

Open daily from 4p – 12a

WEDNESDAY 8 AUG:

CHRIS JAMISON 7:00PM – 10:00PM

FRIDAY 10 AUG:

APPALACHIAN RENEGADES

THU 8/9

FRI

8/10

7:00PM – 10:00PM

SATURDAY 11 AUG:

BILLINGSLEY 7:00PM – 10:00PM

8/10

Album Release Party

COURTYARD SERIES

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Todd Nance & Friends: Acoustic Wood Show (jam band, southern rock), 9:00PM

DOORS: 5PM / SHOW: 5:30PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Vaden Landers, 9:00PM

DOORS: 7:30PM / SHOW: 8:30PM

Brie Capone

Chuck Brodsky ft. Chris Rosser w/ Aliza Hava

DOORS: 7PM / SHOW: 8PM

MONDAY 13 AUG:

LO WOLF

7:00PM – 10:00PM

309 COLLEGE ST. | DOWNTOWN | (828) 575-1188

w w w. p i l l a r a v l . c o m 48

FRI

Treehouse!

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Virginia Ground, 7:00PM

JARGON The Mike Baggetta Trio (jazz), 10:00PM LAZY DIAMOND Rock 'n' Roll Vinyl w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Sean Mason Trio, 6:30PM

ODDITORIUM Dog Daze Metal Fest (metal), 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Miss Mojo (soul-pop), 5:00PM Kavalactones (experimental), 9:00PM ORANGE PEEL Fade to Black: A Tribute to Metallica, 9:00PM PACK'S TAVERN Flashback (classic, rock), 9:30PM PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Billingsley, 7:00PM SALVAGE STATION Savannah Smith & Southern Soul, 9:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Andrew Thelston, 3:00PM Letters to Abigail, 8:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE The Half That Matters / The Night Physics / Armadilla, 8:00PM SWEETEN CREEK BREWING Mike & Amy (acoustic), 6:30PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Youth OUTright's Drag Brunch , 11:00AM Saturday Salsa & Latin Dance Party Night w/ DJ Edi Fuentes, 9:30PM THE GREY EAGLE Burlesque! Burlesque!

The 2nd Annual Burlesque Pageant, 9:00PM THE MOTHLIGHT Cusses w/ Mr. Mange & Sawzaw, 9:30PM THE WINE & OYSTER Jazzville, 7:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE Smooth Operator w/ DJ Drew (80's & 90's), 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Hard Rocket, 9:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Moonlight Street Folk, 8:30PM W XYZ BAR AT ALOFT Tom Waits For No Man, 8:00PM

Courtyard Open – Bring Food, Fam and Friends for early show & stay for evening!

LUELLA'S BAR-B-QUE BILTMORE PARK Leo Johnson's Gypsy Jazz Brunch, 1:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Mia Rose Lynne, 8:00PM

828-332-3090

MG ROAD Late Night Dance Parties w/ DJ Lil Meow Meow, 10:00PM

WILD WING CAFE SOUTH Mike Snodgrass Band (alt. rock), 9:00PM

312 HAYWOOD RD, WEST ASHEVILLE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Andrew Thelston Band (rock n’ roll), 7:00PM AUX BAR Phantom Pantone DJ Collective (soul, R&B), 1:00PM ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Classical Guitar Society Player's Circle, 1:00PM Musicians Jam & Pot Luck, 3:30PM BEN'S TUNE UP Good Vibe Sundays w/ DJ Oso Rey (reggae), 3:00PM Good Vibe Sundays w/ Live Reggae, 6:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Larry Dolamore, 7:00PM BOLD ROCK HARD CIDER Izzi Hughes & Tim Levene, 3:00PM BYWATER Bluegrass Jam w/ Drew Matulich, 2:00PM CASCADE LOUNGE 98.1 Homegrown Concert Series w/ David Earl, 4:00PM CROW & QUILL Sundays Are A Drag, 10:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Country Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10:00PM Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O , 10:00PM FLEETWOOD'S The Band Ice Cream & Power Outage, 8:30PM FUNKATORIUM Bluegrass Brunch w/ Gary Macfiddle, 11:00AM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Reggae Sundays w/ Chalwa, 1:00PM ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Naughty, Bawdy & Blues w/ Jesse Barry & Peggy Ratusz, 5:30PM Peppino D’Agostino and Carlos Reyes, 7:30PM JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Traditional Irish/Celtic Jam, 3:00PM JARGON Sunday Blunch w/ Mark Guest & Mary Pearson (jazz), 11:00AM LAZY DIAMOND Punk Night w/ DJ Chubberbird, 10:00PM NOBLE KAVA Reggae Sunday, 4:00PM

ODDITORIUM Burlesque! Burlesque!

Burlesque! Battle!

- Queen vs. Prince, 9:00PM ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Bluegrass Brunch Every Sunday hosted by Aaron Woody Wood, 10:30AM Bluegrass Brunch w/ Woody & Krekel & Bald Mountain Boys , 10:30AM ORANGE PEEL Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Stargazer Lillies & Air Credits, 9:00PM OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Trivia Night, 5:00PM PACK'S TAVERN Sunday Social Club, 4:30PM PISGAH BREWING COMPANY Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6:00PM Pisgah Sunday Jam, 6:30PM

TAVERN Downtown on the Park Eclectic Menu • Over 30 Taps • Patio 14 TV’s • Sports Room • 110” Projector Event Space • Shuffleboard Open 7 Days 11am - Late Night THE SUNDAY SOCIAL LUB C IC ON THE P MUS ATIO @ 4:30PM

THU. 8/9 Jason Whitaker & Jeff Anders (acoustic rock)

FRI. 8/10 DJ MoTo

(dance hits, pop)

SAT. 8/11 Flashback

(classic rock, hits)

SALVAGE STATION Nik West, 8:00PM SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Vaden Landers, 3:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Sly Grog Open Mic, 7:00PM

20 S. Spruce St. • 225.6944 packStavern.com

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Queen Bee and the Honeylovers, 12:00PM he House of Dogs ft.

Cecil Bothwell & Philip Bowditch, 2:00PM Phish Live Stream from Merriweather, 7:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Phish Live Stream & Phish Phry, 7:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Select DJ Sets, 9:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE BYOV w/ DJ Drew, 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Redleg Husky, 9:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY NC Songsmiths Tour Series, 7:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Matt Venuti, 7:30PM

MONDAY, AUGUST 13 185 KING STREET Matt Venuti, 7:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Siamese Sound Club, 8-10 (R&B, soul, jazz), 8:00PM Siamese Sound Club (R&B, soul, jazz), 8:00PM

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

49

CLU B LA N D

Presents

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Classical Guitar Mondays, 7:30PM

ASHEVILLE GUITAR BAR Gypsy Jazz Jam w/ Steve Karla & Phil Alley, 8:00PM

BYWATER Baile w/ Shift Mojo, Konglo, & Scripta, 12:00PM

ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Tuesday night funk jam, 11:00PM

DISTRICT WINE BAR Honky Tonk Karaoke, 8:00PM

BEN'S TUNE UP Eleanor Underhill Summer Music Series, 6:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB QUIZZO Trivia & Open Mic, 7:30PM LOBSTER TRAP Bobby Miller & Friends, 6:30PM ODDITORIUM Risque Monday Burlesque w/ Deb Au Nare, 9:00PM OLE SHAKEY'S Live Band Honky Tonk Karaoke, 9:00PM ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Open Mic Night, 7:30PM ONE WORLD BREWING WEST OWB West: Jazz Mondays Open Jam, 8:00PM

Featuring

Live Music: Spaceman Jones & the Motherships Lyric • Peggy Ratusz • DJ Kipper Goodies: The Hop • French Broad Chocolate Lounge • Buchi & More Special Guests: LAZOOM • local nonprofits • many more!

12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville, NC 50

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

BYWATER Baile w/ Shift Mojo, Konglo, & Scripta, 12:00PM CORK & KEG Old Time Moderate Jam, 5:00PM Old Time Moderate Jam, 5:00PM DOUBLE CROWN Tuesday Grooves (international vinyl) w/ DJs Chrissy & Arieh, 10:00PM FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UCC OF HENDERSONVILLE Asheville Symphony Chorus Auditions Fall 2018, 3:00PM

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Mountain Music Mondays Jam, 6:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/ Unspoken Tradition, 7:30PM

PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Lo Wolf, 7:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Honky Tonk Jam, 7:00PM

SLY GROG LOUNGE Duet for Theremin & Lap Steel w/ Okapi & Sonic Parlour, 8:00PM

August 16 5-9 p.m. at Highland Brewing

BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Billy Litz, 7:00PM

THE GREY EAGLE Red Baraat w/ Akita, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE Ghost Pipe Trio (jazz), 9:00PM Leo Johnson Trio (vintage jazz), 9:00PM

LAZY DIAMOND Rock 'n' Metal Karaoke w/ KJ Paddy, 10:00PM LOBSTER TRAP Lobster Trap, 6:30PM LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Synth Club, 8:00PM NOBLE KAVA Open Jam, 8:00PM

THE WINE & OYSTER Jordan Okrend (singersongwriter), 7:00PM Momma Molasses , 7:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE Karaoke Night w/ Franco Niño, 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Austin Quattlebaum, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES Early Funk Jam hosted

by JP & Lenny (funk, jazz), 9:00PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Open Mic Night, 6:30PM

ONE WORLD BREWING OWB Downtown: Billy Litz, 9:00PM

WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Irish Jam, 6:30PM Open Mic, 8:30PM

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY Bud Man & Groove Percussion, 4:00PM

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 185 KING STREET Vinyl Night, 6:00PM 5 WALNUT WINE BAR Les Amis (African folk music), 8:00PM BEN'S TUNE UP Open Bluegrass Jam w/ The Clydes, 6:00PM BLUE MOUNTAIN PIZZA & BREW PUB Open Mic hosted by Billy Owens, 7:00PM BYWATER Open Can of Jam, 8:00PM CORK & KEG 3 Cool Cats, 7:30PM DOUBLE CROWN Western Wednesdays, 9:00PM

THE WINE & OYSTER Blue Monday: Jazz & Blues Open Mic hosted by Linda Mitchell, 6:30PM

OLE SHAKEY'S Booty Tuesday w/ DJ Meow Meow (rap, trap, hip-hop), 10:00PM

TOWN PUMP J. Stephens, 9:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Turntable Tuesday, 10:00PM

ISIS MUSIC HALL & KITCHEN 743 Isis Lawn Series w/ Rob Parks & Friends, 6:30PM Victor Provost, 7:00PM

SALVAGE STATION Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters, 9:00PM

JACK OF THE WOOD PUB Old Time Jam, 5:00PM

SANCTUARY BREWING COMPANY Taco and Trivia Tuesday, 6:00PM

LAZY DIAMOND Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim, 10:00PM

THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE Swing Asheville Dance w/ Sparrow & Her Wingman, 7:00PM Swing Asheville & Jazzn-Justice Tuesday w/ the Community Jazz Jam, 8:00PM

LOCAL 604 BOTTLE SHOP Spoken Word Open Mic, 8:00PM

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14 5 WALNUT WINE BAR The John Henrys (hot jazz), 8:00PM

OLE SHAKEY'S Sexy Tunes w/ DJ's Zeus & Franco, 10:00PM

TWIN LEAF BREWERY Team Trivia Tuesday, 8:00PM

ODDITORIUM Open Mic Comedy Hosted by Tom Peters, 9:00PM

UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Monday Night Bluegrass Jam hosted by Sam Wharton, 7:00PM

ODDITORIUM Sleepy Poetry, Shutterings & Rytle Batthone (indie), 9:00PM

ONE STOP AT ASHEVILLE MUSIC HALL Disclaimer Lounge Comedy Open Mic, 9:00PM

THE MOTHLIGHT Big Ups w/ Maneka & Slugly, 9:00PM

TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES R&B Jam with Ryan Barber (r&b, soul, funk), 9:00PM

NOBLE KAVA Open Mic w/ Caleb Beissert (sign-ups at 7:30pm), 8:00PM

FLEETWOOD'S Emby Alexander, 9:00PM HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY Woody Wood Wednesdays, 5:30PM

LOBSTER TRAP Cigar Brothers, 6:30PM

MG ROAD Salsa Night, 8:00PM

PILLAR ROOFTOP BAR Ryan Furstenberg, 7:00PM SALVAGE STATION ABBA The Concert (tribute), 7:00PM SLY GROG LOUNGE Weird Wednesday Jam, 8:00PM THE BLOCK OFF BILTMORE World Wide Wednesdays w/ Karpenisi, 7:00PM THE GOLDEN FLEECE The Tune Shepherds, 7:00PM THE GREY EAGLE Patio Show w/ Shane Parish, 5:00PM William Clark Green, 8:00PM THE IMPERIAL LIFE The Berlyn Jazz Trio, 9:00PM THE WINE & OYSTER Jazz Open Mic hosted by Jesse Junior, 7:00PM TIMO'S HOUSE Secret_Nc, 8:00PM TOWN PUMP Open Jam w/ Billy Presnell, 9:00PM TRESSA'S DOWNTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES JJ Kitchen All Star Jam (blues, soul), 9:00PM TWIN LEAF BREWERY Open Mic Night, 8:00PM UPCOUNTRY BREWING COMPANY Music Bingo, 8:00PM WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN Jazz Night, 7:30PM

MOVIES

REVIEWS & LISTINGS

BY SCOTT DOUGLAS, FRANCIS X. FRIEL & JUSTIN SOUTHER

HHHHH = H PICK OF THE WEEK H

MAX RATING Xpress reviews virtually all upcoming movies, with two or three of the most noteworthy appearing in print.

You can find our online reviews at mountainx.com/movies/reviews. This week, they include:

HHH THE DARKEST MINDS HS CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

EIGHTH GRADE (PICK OF THE WEEK) HHHH RYÛICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA

HHHS

THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME

HHH

Writer/director Bo Burnham debuts with Eighth Grade, a kindhearted cringe-comedy for the social media set

Eighth Grade HHHH DIRECTOR: Bo Burnham PLAYERS: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Jake Ryan, Luke Prael, Catherine Oliviere COMING-OF-AGE COMEDY RATED R THE STORY: In her last days of eighth grade, a quiet wallflower grapples with anxiety and insecurity.

THE LOWDOWN: An impressive debut from writer/director Bo Burnham that packs a surprisingly big heart and a wickedly sardonic wit into classic adolescent cringe-comedy format.

Perhaps out of psychological necessity, I don’t think too often or too deeply about my adolescence. While I’m sure it wasn’t any more awkward or difficult than anyone else’s, I’m equally certain that the value of such biographical re-examination wouldn’t hold up

under a cursory cost-benefit analysis.

Fortunately, comedian-turned-writer/ director Bo Burnham doesn’t share my aversion, as his debut feature Eighth Grade mines the depths of teen trauma to find a deeply poignant examination of the complexities of growing up in increasingly complicated times.

Sensitive but seldom sentimental, moving but never mawkish, Burnham’s portrait of adolescent angst for the Snapchat generation is sweet, funny and relatable in ways that few films on the subject ever approach.

It’s also surprisingly brutal, pulling no punches, as Burnham’s script peels back the layers of anxiety and neurosis surrounding and subsuming 14-year-old Kayla (Elsie Fisher). Kayla confronts the standard coming-of-age tropes as she navigates the nightmarish transition from middle school to high school, a hellscape of social

media-obsessed mean girls and sexually aggressive boys. Her caring but clueless dad (Josh Hamilton) is no help, and her avocation as a YouTuber doling out advice about confidence and popularity seems just as doomed to failure as her interpersonal relationships. It’s a perennial premise with a millennial twist, but Burnham somehow manages to defy predictability as he crafts cringe-inducing pathos.

The heart of Eighth Grade is Fisher’s performance as Kayla, and despite her relative paucity of experience, she carries the film with an assuredness that her character lacks. Burnham’s script is surprisingly effective in its efforts to plumb the recesses of its protagonist’s psyche, and a remarkably tense scene in which our heroine faces the threat of sexual assault proves particularly suspenseful.

But the film is at its best in the lighter moments between Kayla and her dad, or

in her first date with a hapless paramour who tries to woo her with his impressive McNugget etiquette — scenes that impart a much-needed comedic counterpoint to the heightened melodrama of Kayla’s many moments of mortification.

The film is certainly not without its flaws, as Burnham’s directorial reach occasionally exceeds his grasp. A pool party sequence heavily derivative of Fellini’s famed health spa tracking shot from 8 1/2 drags on far too long, and rather than Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” it’s set to an obtrusively pulsating electronic score. But Eighth Grade isn’t a film about visual flourishes; it’s about the inner landscape of its protagonist as elucidated by the technological context that informs it, a narrative approach that explores contemporary youth culture without demonizing it. I may have no desire to relive my eighth-grade experience, and I may be too old and out of touch to understand the constantly evolving pressures placed on kids (and parents) by the shifting landscape of perpetual social media connectivity — I’ve never had so much as a Facebook page, after all — but through Burnham’s work, I can at least base my lack of interest in such things in a more informed perspective.

It may not be a perfect film, but as the kids (apparently?) say, it’s Gucci. Rated R for language and some sexual material.

Now Playing at Carolina Cinemark, Fine Arts Theatre, Regal Biltmore Grande.

REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM

MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

51

SCREEN SCENE

MOVIES

T HE A TE R IN F O ASHEVILLE PIZZA & BREWING CO. (254-1281) CARMIKE CINEMA 10 (298-4452) CAROLINA CINEMAS (274-9500) CO-ED CINEMA BREVARD (883-2200) EPIC OF HENDERSONVILLE (693-1146) FINE ARTS THEATRE (232-1536) FLATROCK CINEMA (697-2463) GRAIL MOVIEHOUSE (239-9392) REGAL BILTMORE GRANDE STADIUM 15 (684-1298)

Ryûichi Sakamoto: Coda HHHS DIRECTOR: Stephen Nomura Schible PLAYERS: Ryûichi Sakamoto DOCUMENTARY RATED NR THE STORY: Japanese composer and activist Ryûichi Sakamoto lives through his music even as throat cancer threatens to terminate his career prematurely.

THE LOWDOWN: Documentarian Stephen Nomura Schible presents a compelling portrait of Sakamoto that favors evocative imagery at the expense of biographical detail.

While Japanese composer Ryûichi Sakamoto may not be a household name for the casual moviegoer, most have probably been exposed to his work at some point. Throughout his illustrious career, Sakamoto has scored films for the likes of Nagisa Oshima, Oliver Stone, Pedro Almodóvar and Brian De Palma. He collaborated with Bernardo Bertolucci on two films, sharing an Oscar win with David Byrne and Cong Su for their work on the soundtrack of The Last Emperor and most recently scored Alejandro Iñáritu’s The Revenant. He was an influential electronic music pioneer, made his acting debut alongside David Bowie and is a well-known political activist opposing nuclear power in his native Japan.

52

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

Audiences could be forgiven for not knowing much of this backstory, but those who don’t may well find that director Stephen Nomura Schible’s documentary Ryûichi Sakamoto: Coda is heavy on hero-worship but light on detail.

The biographical broad strokes are there, but Schible’s film is more concerned with evoking atmosphere than on establishing narrative. As such, it’s a distinctly niche documentary that favors those with a pre-existing affinity for Sakamoto and his work. Filmed over the course of five years, Schible devotes much of the first half of his film to Sakamoto’s surprise cancer diagnosis and subsequent sabbatical from producing music, a hiatus that is as onerous to the composer as the disease its intended to treat. As he waxes poetic about a warped piano that survived a tsunami or records the ocean on a dangerously irradiated beach, we get the sense that sound is Sakamoto’s lifeblood and that it will be retirement rather than cancer that eventually does him in.

If Schible errs on the side of aesthetics, Sakamoto proves a sufficiently engaging and likable subject to mitigate the occasionally frustrating lack of context provided by the director. Despite his fascinating career and laudable activism, it’s Sakamoto’s almost childlike obsession with sound that drives the film’s most compelling moments.

Watching him take a violin bow to a cymbal or dip a microphone into a glacial crevasse — “I’m fishing for sound,” he says with a chuckle — the audience gains more insight into Sakomoto’s worldview than any talking head interviews could reveal.

While the somewhat moribund Coda of the title might suggest that Sakamoto is slowing down in the wake of his cancer scare, that certainly doesn’t appear to be the case. Despite the relatively morose tone of Schible’s film and the elegiac air of Sakamoto’s most recent work — a chorale inspired

by Andrei Tarkovsky’s use of Bach in Solaris — the composer seems as vital as ever. His myriad health concerns not withstanding, Sakamoto appears to be reinvigorated by his return to music and his continued environmental advocacy. Household name or not, Schible’s portrait of Sakamoto makes a strong case that the composer’s tune hasn’t quite played out, even if the documentarian’s venerate approach may amount to little more than preaching to the choir. Not Rated.

Now Playing at Grail Moviehouse.

REVIEWED BY SCOTT DOUGLAS JSDOUGLAS22@GMAIL.COM

MOUNTAINX.COM

by Edwin Arnaudin | earnaudin@mountainx.com

FAN FAVORITES: Asheville Brewing Co. is holding a short-video contest for supporters to highlight their favorite aspect of the long-running brewpub and movie theater. Pictured are head brewer Pete Langheinrich, left, and President Mike Rangel.

Photo by Jack Sorokin • The Musical Matinees weekly summer film series continues at the Columbus Public Library, 1289 W. Mills St., Columbus, on Friday, Aug. 10, at 1 p.m. with Bye Bye Birdie. Free. polklibrary.org • Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., continues its Phenomenal Friday Fantasy Films series on Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. with Labyrinth. Complimentary popcorn and drinks will be provided. Free. avl.mx/514 • The North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., screens Project Nim on Friday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m. The 2011 documentary from James Marsh (Man on Wire) chronicles the life of chimpanzee Nim Chimpsky, who was raised as a human child and became proficient in American Sign Language. Free. avl.mx/56k • Asheville Parks & Recreation continues its Movies in the Park series on Friday, Aug. 10, at Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza, with a screening of the teen musical Breaking Legs.

Children’s craft activities start at 6:30 p.m., and the film begins at dusk.

Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs, blankets and snacks. Free. ashevillenc.gov/departments/parks • Hi-Wire Brewing, 2 Huntsman Place, concludes its Summer of Will film series, featuring movies starring Will Ferrell, on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 8:30 p.m. with Zoolander. The parking lot of the brewery’s Big Top facility will be transformed into an outdoor movie theater for the

FILM BUNCOMBE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library • FR (8/10), 6pm - Film Screening: Project Nim. Free. Held at North

Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. FLOOD GALLERY FINE ART CENTER 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain, 828-357-9009, floodgallery.org • FR (8/10), 8-10:30pm

rain-or-shine event. Attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets and other comfortable seating. Free. hiwirebrewing.com • Asheville Brewing Co. invites community members to create a short video about their favorite aspect of the longrunning brewpub and movie theater.

Entries are encouraged to be fun “fan” videos of “anything from pizza, movies, beer, our locations, our movie-designed tables, the game room, our family-friendly approach or even our new taco shop, Asheville Tacos & Taps.”

Videos can be no longer than 30 seconds, must feature content and language appropriate for all ages and be at least 1920-by-1080 resolution with clear, high-quality sound. The submission deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 11 p.m. Videos may be emailed through FileTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive or other file compression means to Wyman Tannehill at wyman@ashevillebrewing.com, who is also the contact for contestants wanting to film at an Asheville Brewing location and work out logistics.

The contest is free to enter. Winning videos and staff favorites will be shown in the preshow entertainment at the Merrimon Avenue location’s cinema and shared on the company’s social media. First place receives $250 cash, second place $100 and third place $50. Every entry that meets contest guidelines receives a $30 Asheville Brewing gift card, good for food, beer, merchandise and movies tickets. ashevillebrewing.com X

- Classic World Cinema: Spirited Away, film screening. Free.

HENDERSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville, 828-6974725

• Friday Flick: Star Wars, The Last Jedi, film screening. Free.

JACKSON PARK 801 Glover St., Hendersonville, hendersoncountync.org • FR (8/10), 8pm - Movies in the Park: Wonder, outdoor film screening. Free.

STARTI NG F RI DA Y

S PEC IA L SCR E E N IN GS

BlacKkKlansman

Spirited Away HHHHH

The latest Spike Lee film, starring John David Washington and Adam Driver.

According to the studio: “It’s the early 1970s, a time of great social upheaval as the struggle for civil rights rages on. Ron Stallworth (Washington) becomes the first African-American detective on the Colorado Springs Police Department, but his arrival is greeted with skepticism and open hostility by the department’s rank and file. Undaunted, Stallworth resolves to make a name for himself and a difference in his community. He bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan.” Early reviews positive. (R)

Dog Days Ensemble romantic comedy from director Ken Marino. According to the studio: “Dog Days highlights the everyday connections between people and their dogs in Los Angeles as they uncover life lessons and new relationships, in this romantic comedy in the vein of Love, Actually and Crazy, Stupid Love.” No early reviews. (PG)

Slenderman Meme-based horror movie from director Sylvain White (Stomp the Yard). According to the studio: “In a small town in Massachusetts, four high school girls perform a ritual in an attempt to debunk the lore of Slender Man. When one of the girls goes mysteriously missing, they begin to suspect that she is, in fact, his latest victim.”

No early reviews. (PG-13)

The Meg Action adventure from director John Turteltaub. According to the studio: “A deepsea submersible — part of an international undersea observation program — has been attacked by a massive creature, previously thought to be extinct, and now lies disabled at the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific … with its crew trapped inside. With time running out, expert deep-sea rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is recruited by a visionary Chinese oceanographer (Winston Chao), against the wishes of his daughter Suyin (Li Bingbing), to save the crew—and the ocean itself—from this unstoppable threat: a prehistoric 75-foot-long shark known as the Megalodon.” No early reviews. (PG-13)

DIRECTOR: Hayao Miyazaki PLAYERS: (voices) Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers ANIMATED FANTASY Rated PG I go back and forth between Spirited Away (2001) and Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) as to which is my favorite Hayao Miyazaki film. At the moment, I’m leaning toward Spirited Away — perhaps because I just saw it. The film’s story line is fairly complex, especially when you figure that it’s mostly there to hang the series of adventures and weird encounters the little girl—Chihiro/Sen—has after she and her parents pass through the tunnel at the beginning of the film. The relationships of the characters to each other are almost like something out of a Russian novel — except it’s all in the most fantasticated manner imaginable. But in all honesty, that’s what we watch the film for (apart from its humanistic tone): its fantastication. This is spectacle — spectacle of the imagination — pure and simple. It is creativity unbound and limited only y Miyazaki’s imagination, which, frankly, seems to have no limitations. The point is to sit back and marvel at the outpouring of ideas laid out before you.

What more could you really ask for? This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke published on Sept. 28, 2010. Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Spirited Away on Friday, Aug. 10, at the new Flood Gallery location in Black Mountain, 850 Blue Ridge Road, Unit A-13, Black Mountain.

The King and I HHHS DIRECTOR: Walter Lang PLAYERS: Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Rita Moreno, Martin Benson, Terry Saunders, Rex Thompson MUSICAL Rated G My disdain for musicals is well-documented, and I would count Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals particularly high on the list of my most objectionable experiences in that arena. Still, even I can’t deny that The King and I (1956) is a classic. Sure, the score is overblown, Ernest Lehman’s script doesn’t measure up to his work on films like Sweet Smell of Success or North by Northwest, and it outstays its welcome significantly with a twoplus-hour running time. But Yul Brenner and Deborah Kerr are eminently watchable, and for those who go in for such things, it’s an effective — if excessively exaggerated — piece of Cinemascope spectacle from journeyman director Walter Lang.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show The King and I on Sunday, Aug. 12, at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

Featuring

August 16 @ Highland Brewing

Live Music: Spaceman Jones & the Motherships Lyric • Peggy Ratusz DJ Kipper Goodies: The Hop • Buchi French Broad Chocolate Lounge & More

5–9 p.m.

Special Guests: LAZOOM local nonprofits many more!

12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville, NC 28803 MOUNTAINX.COM

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

53

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Palestinian American writer Susan Abulhawa writes that in the Arab world, to say a mere “thank you” is regarded as spiritless and ungenerous. The point of communicating gratitude is to light up with lively and expressive emotions that respond in kind to the kindness bestowed. For instance, a recipient may exclaim, “May Allah bless the hands that give me this blessing,” or “Beauty is in the eyes that find me beautiful.” In accordance with current astrological omens, I propose that you experiment with this approach. Be specific in your praise. Be exact in your appreciation. Acknowledge the unique mood and meaning of each rich exchange.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran fashion writer Diana Vreeland (1903-1989) championed the beauty of the strong nose. She didn’t approve of women wanting to look like “piglets and kittens.” If she were alive today, she’d be pleased that nose jobs in the U.S. have declined 43 percent since 2000.

According to journalist Madeleine Schwartz writing in Garage magazine, historians of rhinoplasty say there has been a revival of appreciation for the distinctive character revealed in an unaltered nose. I propose, Libra, that in accordance with current astrological omens, we extrapolate some even bigger inspiration from that marvelous fact. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to celebrate and honor and express pride in your idiosyncratic natural magnificence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you need this advice from mythologist Joseph Campbell: “Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.” He says it’s “a rescue land . . . some field of action where there is a spring of ambrosia — a joy that comes from inside, not something external that puts joy into you — a place that lets you experience your own will and your own intention and your own wish.” Do you have such a place, Taurus? If not, now is a great time to find one. If you do, now is a great time to go there for a spell and renew the hell out of yourself.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Maybe happiness is this: not feeling like you should be elsewhere, doing something else, being someone else.” This definition, articulated by author Isaac Asimov, will be an excellent fit for you between now and Sept. 20.

I suspect you’ll be unusually likely to feel at peace with yourself and at home in the world. I don’t mean to imply that every event will make you cheerful and calm. What I’m saying is that you will have an extraordinary capacity to make clear decisions based on accurate appraisals of what’s best for you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When he was 20 years old, future U.S. President Thomas Jefferson had an awkward encounter with a young woman who piqued his interest. He was embarrassed by the gracelessness he displayed. For two days afterward, he endured a terrible headache. We might speculate that it was a psychosomatic reaction. I bring this up because I’m wondering if your emotions are also trying to send coded messages to you via your body. Are you aware of unusual symptoms or mysterious sensations? See if you can trace them back to their source in your soul.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There’s a zone in your psyche where selfishness overlaps generosity, where the line between being emotionally manipulative and gracefully magnanimous almost disappears. With both hope and trepidation for the people in your life, I advise you to hang out in that grey area for now. Yes, it’s a risk. You could end up finessing people mostly for your own good and making them think it’s mostly for their own good. But the more likely outcome is that you will employ ethical abracadabra to bring out the best in others, even as you get what you want, too.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You probably gaze at the sky enough to realize when there’s a full moon. But you may not monitor the heavenly cycles closely enough to tune in to the new moon, that phase each month when the lunar orb is invisible. We astrologers regard it as a ripe time to formulate fresh intentions. We understand it to be a propitious moment to plant metaphorical seeds for the desires you want to fulfill in the coming four weeks.

When this phenomenon happens during the astrological month of Leo, the potency is intensified for you. Your next appointment with this holiday is Aug. 10 and 11.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In her poem “Dogfish,” Virgo poet Mary Oliver writes, “I wanted the past to go away, I wanted to leave it.” Why? Because she wanted her life “to open like a hinge, like a wing.” I’m happy to tell you, Virgo, that you now have more power than usual to make your past go away. I’m also pleased to speculate that as you perform this service for yourself, you’ll be skillful enough to preserve the parts of your past that inspire you, even as you shrink and neutralize memories that drain you. In response to this good work, I bet your life will open like a hinge, like a wing — no later than your birthday, and most likely before that.

54

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I’ve compiled a list of new blessings you need and deserve during the next 14 months. To the best of my ability, I will assist you to procure them. Here they are: a practical freedom song and a mature love song; an exciting plaything and a renaissance of innocence; an evocative new symbol that helps mobilize your evolving desires; escape from the influence of a pest you no longer want to answer to; insights about how to close the gap between the richest and poorest parts of yourself; and the cutting of a knot that has hindered you for years.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “It has become clear to me that I must either find a willing nurturer to cuddle and nuzzle and whisper sweet truths with me for six hours or else seek sumptuous solace through the aid of eight shots of whiskey.” My Capricorn friend Tammuz confided that message to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were feeling a comparable tug. According to my assessment of the Capricorn zeitgeist, you acutely need the revelations that would become available to you through altered states of emotional intelligence.

A lavish whoosh of alcohol might do the trick, but a more reliable and effective method would be through immersions in intricate, affectionate intimacy.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Not even five percent of the world’s population lives in a complete democracy.

Congratulations to Norway, Canada, Australia, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Switzerland and Sweden. Sadly, three countries where my column is published — the U.S., Italy and France — are categorized as “flawed democracies.” Yet they’re far better than the authoritarian regimes in China and Russia. (Source: The Economist.) I offer this public service announcement as a prelude to your homework assignment. According to my astrological analysis, you will personally benefit from working to bring more democracy into your personal sphere. How can you ensure that people you care about feel equal to you, and have confidence that you will listen to and consider their needs, and believe they have a strong say in shaping your shared experiences?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Mystic poet Kabir wrote, “The flower blooms for the fruit: when the fruit comes, the flower withers.” He was invoking a metaphor to describe his spiritual practice and reward. The hard inner work he did to identify himself with God was the blooming flower that eventually made way for the fruit. The fruit was his conscious, deeply felt union with God. I see this scenario as applicable to your life, Pisces. Should you feel sadness about the flower’s withering? It’s fine to do so. But the important thing is that you now have the fruit. Celebrate it! Enjoy it!

MOUNTAINX.COM

MARKETPLACE

BY ROB BREZSNY

REA L ESTATE | REN TA L S | R O O M M ATES | SER VI C ES JOB S | A N N OU N CEM ENTS | M I ND, BO DY, SPI R I T CL A SSES & WORKSH OPS | M USI C I ANS’ SER VI C ES PETS | A U TOMOTI VE | 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 REAL ESTATE HOMES FOR SALE

BEAUTIFUL HOME FOR SALE IN CLEAR VISTA PRICED BELOW TAX VALUE AND APPRAISAL! Beautiful 4 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath plus an office for sale by owner 10 min from downtown on large private lot, open floor plan, natural lighting, 2 fireplaces, fenced yard.

828-458-6100/828-329-2524.

LAND FOR SALE 69 ACRES OF LAND High Elevation Snowbird Mountains on beautiful Little Buffalo Creek, off the grid near Robbinsville in Graham County NC. Randy Hogsed Real Estate, (828) 3212700 • (828) 557-0661.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC Business, building, land in Rutherfordton, NC for sale or lease. • Please contact: Sahil Trivedi, Realtor/broker, Wilkinson ERA. 704-763-8667. Strealty. org

ROOMMATES ROOMMATES 30 PLUS FEMALE ROOMMATE WANTED ASAP Who works weekdays, wanted to share 2BR/2BA apt 3 miles from Biltmore Village. $550/ month plus utilities. Call Stacey: 828-215-7394.

NEED A ROOMMATE? Roommates.com will help you find your Perfect Match™ today! (AAN CAN)

EMPLOYMENT GENERAL CAMPAIGN ASSOCIATES We are recruiting four FT/ Temp employees to help run our fall fundraising campaign. Incredible opportunity to expand skills, meet people and improve your community. Learn more and apply here: unitedwayabc.org/ employment-opportunities.

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT with our littlest of clients. We Supplement manufacturer in have several needs at this Leicester hiring motivated per- time. One is a M - F 7a - 3p son with strong attention to pediatric client in Leicester. In detail. Duties include produc- home care helps support the tion, shipping, order process- families we serve and brings ing… Must be self-directed back some balance into their 10-15 hours, more in winter- lives. If you are looking for time. Pay based on experi- fulfilling work that makes a ence. Send resume: info@ daily positive impact, please mountainwellbeing.com contact us today! A New Hope Home Care.... where no TROUT UNLIMITED SOUTHone is beyond HOPE. www.

EAST VOLUNTEER COORDI- anewhopehomecare.com, NATOR The position will pro828-255-4446 vide a range of services and resources designed to inform INSIDE SALES REPRESENand empower Trout Unlimit- TATIVE Aeroflow Healthcare ed's volunteer base to advance is a dynamic company looking coldwater conservation in NC, for an Inside Sales RepresentaSC, TN and GA. tu.org/sejob tive looking to grow within the company. Please apply online. aeroflowinc.clearcompany.com/ SKILLED LABOR/ careers/jobs/a6ace8cf-e8abTRADES 3887-4363-bf2d1a16ec08/ MANUFACTURER NOW HIRapply?source=795914ING Quality Musical Systems is CS-31135 a manufacturer now hiring several positions. Hours 7:00AM- HUMAN SERVICES 3:30PM. Competitive wages, Health Insurance, Paid Holi- FULL TIME QIDP NEEDED Full time QIDP needed for days, Vacations. We are located @204 Dogwood Rd. Can- Jackson, Haywood and Bundler, NC 28715, 828-667-5719 combe county area. Bachelor's degree required in associated SKILLED ELECTRICIAN field with 2 years post degree experience a must. Benefits NEEDED! For long-term position with local company. Com- offered: medical, dental, vision, petitive pay with benefits. Must 401K and paid time off. Email resume to erenegar@rescare. have valid driver’s license, com 828-575-9802 clean driving record and reliable transportation. Email INDEPENDENT LIVING resume’ to info@heiwnc.com SPECIALIST Full-time (nonexempt).

The Independent LivDRIVERS/ ing Specialist is a strong voice DELIVERY for disability rights and indepenLAUGH, PLAY, ADVENTURE, dent living, working to assist consumers in maintaining their lives PEDAL Make your own schedule, full or part-time, great independently in the community. wages! Needed: playful, char- Promotes Disability Partners in the ismatic, enthusiastic folks who seven county service area and collove life, people, and Ashe- laborates with community agenville! Simply pedal folks around cies to best assist the consumer to reach goals for independent living. downtown on battery-assisted pedicab-rickshaws. www. The Independent Living Specialist will provide general information heretothereadventures.com and referral for consumers and the community as requested and core services. • Application packets can be picked up at the Disability Partners office at 108 MOUNTAIN XPRESS DELIV- New Leicester Hwy, Asheville ERY Mountain Xpress is seek- 28806 or requested via email at ing an energetic, reliable, inde- krodriguez@disabilitypartners. pendent contractor for part org • No Phone Calls Please. time weekly newspaper delivery. The contractor must have a PROFESSIONAL/ clean driving record, a reliable large-capacity vehicle with MANAGEMENT proper insurance and registration, and be able to lift 50 lbs.

Distribution of papers is on Tuesday afternoons and typically lasts about 7-8 hours per ASSISTANT DISTRIBUTION week. Occasional Wednesday COORDINATOR Mountain morning delivery is an option. Xpress is looking for a qualified E-mail distro@mountainx.com. person to serve as Assistant No phone calls please.

Distribution Coordinator. The position includes: communicating and coordinating with indeMEDICAL/ pendent contractor drivers and HEALTH CARE business owners/managers; CNAs NEEDED FOR PEDI- keeping distribution system records, including equipment ATRIC HOME CARE A New Hope Home Care has imme- status and stop performance; diate need for CNAs to work receiving and delivering print

products; and graffiti removal/ basic upkeep of distribution equipment.

Qualifications include: ability to work both independently and with others, strong communication skills both written and verbal, clean driving record, ability to lift 60 pounds, good eye-hand coordination, mechanical skills, and competency with computers and spreadsheets. This is a fulltime position with benefits and possibility of advancement.

Send resume and cover letter to distro@mountainx.com. No drop-ins, no phone calls, please.

PROGRAM DIRECTORASHEVILLE MUSIC SCHOOL PD of 2 major areas dealing with student musicians: community outreach and summer camps. Music skills a plus, but not mandatory. Part-time position. Resume/cover letter: ryan@ashevillemusicschool. org

TEACHING/ EDUCATION DANCE TEACHER ArtSpace Charter School, a K-8 public school near Asheville, NC, has an opening for an innovative, energetic, Dance Teacher to join its arts integration team in the 2018-2019 school year.

Candidates must be willing to work in a collaborative environment and able to teach various subjects through dance to students in grades kindergarten through eight. • A Dance Education degree and NC licensure in dance is required. Qualified applicants may email their resume and cover letter to: resumes@artspacecharter.org with “Dance Teacher” in the subject line.

EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN ASSOCIATE TEACHER (BRIDGE CLASS) AT EVERGREEN COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL Evergreen Community Charter School Hiring Exceptional Children Associate Teachers. Visit website at www.evergreenccs.org/ careers to view openings and download application. Send letter of interest, resume, professional references, and application to Kathy Norris at kathy.norris@evergreenccs. org. 828-298-2173 www. evergreenccs.org EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN ASSOCIATE TEACHER AT EVERGREEN COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL Evergreen Community Charter School Hiring Exceptional Children Associate Teachers. Visit website at www.evergreenccs.org/ careers to view openings and download application. Send letter of interest, resume, professional references, and application to Kathy Norris at kathy. norris@evergreenccs.org.

T H E N E W Y OR K TI M ES CR OSSWOR D PU ZZLE

ACROSS

INTERESTED IN WORKING AT A-B TECH? Full-Time, PartTime and Adjunct Positions available. Come help people achieve their dreams! Apply for open positions at https:// abtcc.peopleadmin.com LEAD K-3 TEACHER Starting August 25, 2018, for Naturally Grown School in Mills River. • Responsibilities: inquiry-based academics, sharing a classroom with two other teachers, using the outdoors as a classroom. Teacher should have certification and minimum two years experience. • Spanish and Reggio Emilia background preferred. Send resume to Jeffreykinzel@gmail.com

WELDING TECHNOLOGY ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR A-B Tech is currently taking applications for this Adjunct Instructor, Welding Technology position.

For more details and to apply: https://abtcc.peopleadmin. com/postings/4888

SALON/ SPA HIRING FULL-TIME LMT AND NAIL TECH Sensibilities Day Spa is now hiring full time licensed massage therapist (25-27 hrs/wk) and full/ part-time nail techs for both locations. Availability to work both locations and weekends are required. We offer a set schedule and commission based income with great earning potential. Bring resume to either location.

SERVICES

THE ASHEVILLE SOAP COMPANY The Asheville Soap Company is currently in need of retail stores to sell our products. Visit our website www.AshevilleSoap.org then if interested please contact rick.smith.us@ ashevillesoap.org or call 828367-7563.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS CLASSES & WORKSHOPS IT'S NOT ART... IT'S NOT THERAPY....BUT IT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE The Painting Experience comes back to Asheville! September 1 - 2, 2018. Experience the power of process painting as described in the book; Life, Paint & Passion: Reclaiming the magic of Spontaneous Expression. | www. processarts.com | office@processarts.com | 415-488-6880 | SOURDOUGH BREAD WORKSHOP Workshop for the home baker! Introduction to Sourdough. Dogwood Cottage Baking located in Alexander, NC. September 8, 2018, 10:00 - 2:00. $60 A seasonal lunch will be served. Contact dogwoodcottagebaking@gmail.com 828215-4131

TRAVEL TRAVEL CHEAP AIRLINE FLIGHTS! We get deals like no other agency.

Call today to learn more 800767-0217. (AAN CAN)

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT BODYWORK

COMPUTER HUGHESNET SATELLITE INTERNET 25mbps starting at $49.99/month! Fast download speeds. WiFi built in! Free Standard Installation for lease customers! Limited time. Call 1-800-490-4140. (AAN CAN)

ENTERTAINMENT DISH TV $59.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call Now: 1-800-373-6508 (AAN CAN)

1 Indian state that exports tea 6 Trade blows 10 Grade sch. class 13 John or son Julian 15 Renée Fleming performance 16 Still-life object 17 Identifications on left-hand pages, traditionally [the Bible] 19 Blue expanse 20 Peace sign 21 Letter before Peter in a phonetic alphabet 22 “Oh, hogwash!”

24 Something a bug might produce 26 Setting for a popular show [dimensions] 29 Still-life object 31 Wood in some closets 32 Notwithstanding 35 Hanoi holiday 36 “___ be surprised” 39 Dense megalopolis that includes Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou [Greek alphabet] 42 Handle 43 Goddess who captured Orion, in Greek myth HEALTH & FITNESS HEAR AGAIN! Try our hearing aid for just $75 down and $50 per month! Call 866-787-3141 and mention 88271 for a risk free trial! Free Shipping! (AAN CAN)

FIVE-STAR LOCAL INDEPENDENT MASSAGE THERAPY CENTER OFFERING EXCELLENT BODYWORK Sore neck & shoulders? Achy lower back?

Come to Ebb & Flow, where our skilled staff with years of experience will ease your pain. Half Off Chair Massages every Friday!

(828)552-3003 ebbandflowavl.com

COUNSELING SERVICES

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 Bring out of the closet?

9 Spoke like Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings” 10 Food item ordered at a bar 11 Destroy, as an opponent 12 Speechless, perhaps 14 Small protuberance 18 Something one might do after an embarrassing loss 23 Didn’t leave after everyone else left 25 Trite 27 Summer refresher 28 Subways 30 Netflix transmission 32 Apropos 33 Bruce or son Brandon 34 Tremendous piece of work 35 Remote things?

37 Pac-12 athlete DOWN 38 County prosecutors, Motrin alternative for short Cut, as ties 40 Macbeth’s Scottish 49 “It’s not my first burial isle Scoffing look ___” Massachusetts’ Cape 41 “Stop! You’ll be sorry!” ___ 46 Hillary Clinton’s 50 Come to fruition maiden name Interterminal transport 52 Plants also known 47 Kids’ road trip game Cousin of an épée ___-K 48 Like some vin as ladies’ fingers

Teacher and intuitive Healer. A gifted psychic for 35 years, internationally known on TV and radio. Mentoring and Courses available.

(831)

601-9005.

www.AcuPsychic.com

MUSICAL SERVICES MUSICIANS HEARING PROTECTION We offer custom fitted earplugs that enable you

to

hear

while

play-

ing, yet filters harmful deciIF YOU CAN SEE THE FUTURE... ...you can change it!

Call Julie King, licensed Minister,

bals. Lots of color and style options!

(828)

713-0767.

thehearingguync@gmail.com

NOW ACCEPTING STUDENTS IN JAZZ PIANO, COMPOSITION, AND IMPROVISATION (ALL INSTRUMENTS). Michael Jefry Stevens, “WNC Best Composer 2016” and “Steinway Artist”, now accepting students in jazz piano, composition, and improvisation (all instruments).

35 years experience. M.A. from Queens College (NYC). Over 90 cds released. 9179161363. michaeljefrystevens.com

FEELING WHACKED? Let Kaye's revive you back! Incall/ outcall: 280-8182.

PRO MUSIC RECORDING Pro Recording Engineer with private studio for hire. Decades of pro studio experience, world-class gear, beautiful acoustic environment and private/personal attention. Book now! South Asheville Area.

828-365-8052.

PENIS ENLARGEMENT PUMP Get stronger and harder erections immediately. Gain 1-3 inches permanently and safely. Guaranteed results. FDA Licensed. Free brochure: 1-800354-3944. www.DrJoelKaplan. com (AAN CAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS LUNG CANCER? And Age 60+? You And Your Family May Be Entitled To Significant Cash Award. Call 844-898-7142 for Information. No Risk. No Money Out Of Pocket. (AAN CAN)

54 Bygone anesthetic 57 Out of whack 61 Stout, maybe

62 Subject of early genetic study

63 ___ voce (without dissent)

ADULT

LIVELINKS Chat Lines. Flirt, chat and date! Talk to sexy real singles in your area. Call now!

1-844-359-5773 (AAN CAN).

Paul Caron

HANDY MAN

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PUZZLE BY FREDDIE CHENG

53 World champion, e.g.

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS NY TIMES PUZZLE

ADULT

HOME IMPROVEMENT HIRE A HUSBAND • HANDYMAN SERVICES Since 1993.

Multiple skill sets. Reliable, trustworthy, quality results. Insured.

References and estimates available. Stephen Houpis, (828) 280-2254.

No. 0704

44 Gobs 45 Tennis great Ivanisevic 47 “Money ___ object” 48 Singer with the 2017 Album of the Year “24K Magic” [planets] 51 Govt. debt instrument 55 Ran gracefully 56 Device sold with earbuds 58 Word with press or mess 59 Small, medium or large: Abbr.

60 Annual greeting … or a hint to the ends of 17-, 26-, 39- and 48-Across 64 Opposite of paleo65 Away from the wind 66 Showstopper, literally 67 Male swan 68 Dirty, as tricks 69 Shock dispenser

FOR MUSICIANS

SPIRITUAL

edited by Will Shortz

Furniture Magician

GET TO THE ROOT OF YOUR PROBLEM Nell Corry, LCSW, NCGCll, Certified Primal Therapist. • Deep Feeling Therapy connects you with your inner child, uncovers the source. Heals depression, anxiety, addictions, trauma, PTSD, many other issues.

• Call me for free confidential half-hour chat: 828-747-1813. http://www.nellcorrytherapy. com • ncc.therapy@gmail.com • facebook.com/ DeepFeelingTherapy

August 16 @ Highland Brewing 5–9 p.m.

12 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803

• Cabinet Refacing • Furniture Repair • Seat Caning • Antique Restoration • Custom Furniture & Cabinetry (828) 669-4625

MOUNTAINX.COM

• Black Mountain

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

55

56

AUGUST 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM

Part One

Thanks for voting us one of the BEST again!

10 years in a row!

633 N. Main Street | Downtown Hendersonville Call for reservations | 828.698.8048 Outdoor Dining Available | www.umisushinc.com 2

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

3

Mountain Xpress Presents

Table of Contents 6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 16 SHOPPING 28 PERSONAL SERVICES 34 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 46 KIDS 54 HEALTH & WELLNESS 66 UNIQUELY ASHEVILLE

SMALL TOWNS

Part Dear Reader, Drum roll! With our hats off to local initiative ... creativity ... entrepreneurship ... and civic-mindedness — we present to you, in this issue and next week’s, more than 1,000 examples of what makes Western North Carolina great: the people, initiatives and institutions that won 2018 Best of WNC X Awards.

And we celebrate those who voted during this spring’s Best of WNC balloting — the thousands of locally focused folks who participated to make this the largest, most exhaustive and most participatedin survey about WNC (short of the U.S. Census).

Who exactly are those voters? Half have lived here 11 or more years, based on our annual survey. Just over half (55 percent) consider themselves liberal, 17 percent moderate and 13

One

percent conservative or libertarian.

Bless the remaining 14 percent, who say they are “beyond labeling.”

While the yearning for a less contentious world is still our top desire (same as last year), our collective desire for less traffic has risen dramatically to third place this year (from ninth last year).

The results of each year’s Best of WNC survey document how we evolve. You’ll not only find whom we consider the best, but also learn how we view the problems we face and our causes for celebration. The findings can also act as a crowdsourced better business bureau: If you suddenly need a plumber, a pet trainer, a chiropractor or a tattoo artist, the Best of WNC provides a report on the businesses your friends and neighbors love and recommend.

The Best of WNC is the largest community collaboration project Mountain Xpress undertakes each year. The published results (spanning 400-plus categories) are the

74 BURNSVILLE 77 BREVARD 78 HENDERSONVILLE/ FLAT ROCK 79 CULLOWHEE/ SYLVA

culmination of months of effort and require two hefty issues to present. So be sure to pick up Part 2 next week to find out who’s the best in Eats, Drinks, Pets, Outdoors and other sections.

In September, keep an eye out for Xpress’ handy pocket guide to the Best of WNC, which presents all this year’s winners in a compact, glossy format. And when you’re out and about, watch for X-Award certificates and store-window decals displayed by area businesses identifying themselves as Best of WNC winners.

A big thank-you goes to each of you who voted, to the Xpress staff who worked on the project and to the businesses who purchased thank-you ads. The ads not only showcase the winners, they support WNC’s oldest and most widely read free print media outlet, Mountain Xpress.

If you have comments or suggestions about this year’s or next year’s Best of WNC survey — please drop us a line at bestofwnc@mountainx.com.

— Jeff Fobes X

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Jeff Fobes BALLOT OFFICIALS Able Allen, Lauren Andrews, Edwin Arnaudin, Christina Bailey, Thomas Calder, Hillary Edgin, David Floyd, Jeff Fobes, Susan Hutchinson, Karl Knight, Alli Marshall, Brian Palmieri, Gina Smith, Daniel Walton THEME DESIGN Scott Southwick DESIGNERS: Norn Cutson, Scott Southwick, Olivia Urban LISTINGS EDITORS Able Allen, Lauren Andrews PHOTO COORDINATOR Able Allen PHOTOGRAPHERS Able Allen, Evan Anderson, Thomas Calder, Cindy Kunst, Joe Pellegrino CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Able Allen, Edwin Arnaudin, Thomas Calder, Virginia Daffron, Jeff Fobes, Alli Marshall, Tracy Rose, Gina Smith, Daniel Walton AD SALES Christina Bailey, Sara Brecht, Bryant Cooper, Karl Knight, Tim Navaille, Brian Palmieri, Heather Taylor, Tiffany Wagner IT & WEB Bowman Kelley, DJ Taylor FRONT OFFICE/ ACCOUNTING Able Allen, Lauren Andrews, Amie Fowler-Tanner DISTRIBUTION Susan Hutchinson, Denise Montgomery, Jeff Tallman and a fantastic team of devoted drivers Copyright 2018 by Mountain Xpress COVER PHOTO Cindy Kunst

We have taken great care to ensure the accuracy of the Best of WNC listings, but if you have corrections, questions or suggestions, email us at bestofwnc@mountainx.com, or call 251-1333.

4

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

Some Best of WNC categories received inadequate votes to allow us to declare first-, second- and third-place winners.

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

COVER DESIGN Scott Southwick

x

THE HALL OF FAME ICON The Hall of Fame designation is reserved for winners who have won first place four years in a row, including this year (2015 - 18)

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LOCAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 1 LEAF FESTIVAL E a x

377 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain 828-686-8742 • theLEAF.org

2 DOWNTOWN AFTER 5 D N. Lexington Ave., Asheville • ashevilledowntown.org

3 ALL GO WEST W

Haywood Road between Jarret Street and Vermont Avenue, Asheville • allgowest.com

PLACE TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC 1 THE ORANGE PEEL D x 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-398-1837 • theorangepeel.net

2 THE GREY EAGLE R

185 Clingman Ave., Asheville 828-232-5800 • thegreyeagle.com

3 ISIS MUSIC HALL W

743 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-575-2737 • isisasheville.com

OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUE 1 PISGAH BREWING CO. E a x 150 Eastside Drive, Black Mountain 828-669-0190 • pisgahbrewing.com

2 HIGHLAND BREWING CO. E

12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite 200, Asheville 828-299-3370 • highlandbrewing.com

3 SALVAGE STATION R

466 Riverside Drive, Asheville 828-407-0521 • salvagestation.com

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

LISTENING ROOM 1 ISIS MUSIC HALL W

ISIS MUSIC HALL: Best Listening Room, Best Bar For Live Music

743 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-575-2737 • isisasheville.com

2 THE GREY EAGLE R

First

185 Clingman Ave., Asheville 828-232-5800 • thegreyeagle.com

3 AMBROSE WEST W

312 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-332-3090 • ambrosewest.com

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

6

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

things first: All hail A&E’s four newcomers to the Hall of Fame, who each deserve special mention for the years of creativity they’ve brought to Western North Carolina and their respective crafts: • Abby “The Spoon Lady” Roach (Busker/Street Group), • LaZoom Tours (Comedy Troupe or Series), • Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats (Rock), and • Kipper Schauer (Trivia Night Emcee).

They have all been doing their part to keep Asheville entertained — and weird.

Many A&E winners are Hall of Famers (17, as a matter of fact), which says these artists stick around and

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

keep getting better. Staying power goes a long way toward making a vital and vibrant local arts scene, but so does an influx of new ideas and inspirations. Some new first-place winners this year include: • Rhoda Weaver (Vocalist), • Akira Satake (Potter/Ceramic Artist) • DanceClub of Asheville (Place To Dance; Place To Take Dances Classes Or Lessons) and • Jack Sorokin (Photographer).

Music brings out wildly enthusiastic fans. They generated some of the heaviest voting in this section: in particular, for Place To Hear Live Music, Outdoor Music Venue and Local Music Festival. But more intro-

spective pursuits, such as moviegoing and art- and craft-viewing, are not without their fans. And highlighting the shifts among local cinema lovers, the Grail Moviehouse edged out the Fine Arts Theatre for favorite Movie Theater this year.

And, while the three winners of Nonprofit That Serves The Arts turned out to be the Asheville Area Arts Council, LEAF Community Arts and the Center for Craft — strong support also went to The Asheville Art Museum, Open Hearts Art Center and Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective. Give ’em all a big high-five.

— Alli Marshall X

230 PLUS BEER SELECTION WITH 38 TAPS, 2 BARS AND ONE OF THE LARGEST SELECTIONS IN WNC!

CAN’T THANK THE LOCALS ENOUGH FOR VOTING US #1 SPORTS BAR AGAIN, WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT OUR LOCAL SUPPORT!!

IN APPRECIATION OF THAT, WE WANT TO OFFER

1/2 PRICE BURGERS FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK (AUGUST 8-AUGUST 14) TO ANYONE THAT BRINGS US THIS AD!!

46 Haywood St. • Mon-Sun 11am - 2am (828) 285-0002 • w w w. a s h e v i l l e b i e r g a r d e n . c o m MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

7

BEST OF ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

weekly live

music

Tickets & Music Schedule at

isisasheville.com TUES-SUN 5PM-MIDNIGHT

BLUEGRASS EVERY TUESDAY

Thank You, Asheville!

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

BLUE SPIRAL 1: Best Local Art Gallery ART/CRAFTS FAIR OR EVENT 1 THE BIG CRAFTY D x • thebigcrafty.com

2 CRAFT FAIR OF THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS D

#1 Listening Room #1 (Tie) Bar for Live Music

U.S. Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St., Asheville 828-298-7928 • craftguild.org

3 VILLAGE ART AND CRAFT FAIR S Cathedral of All Souls (on the grounds), 9 Swan St., Asheville • avl.mx/54r

RESTAURANT TUES-SUN 5PM-MIDNIGHT BRUNCH EVERY SATURDAY & SUNDAY 10AM-3PM

STUDIO STROLL/ DRIVING TOUR 1 RIVER ARTS DISTRICT STUDIO STROLL R x 828-552-4723 • riverartsdistrict.com

2 WEAVERVILLE ART SAFARI N a 828-338-9335 • weavervilleartsafari.com

743 HAYWOOD ROAD ASHEVILLE 828.575.2737 • ISISASHEVILLE.COM 8

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

3 TOE RIVER ARTS COUNCIL STUDIO TOUR N a Burnsville 828-765-0520 • toeriverarts.org

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

CRAFT SCHOOL OR PLACE TO LEARN A CRAFT 1 PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS N a x 67 Doras Trail, Penland 828-765-2359 • penland.org

2 JOHN C CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL W a 1 Folk School Road, Brasstown 800-365-5724 • folkschool.org

3 ODYSSEY CENTER FOR THE CERAMIC ARTS R 236 Clingman Ave., Asheville 828-285-0210 • odysseyclayworks.com

LOCAL ART GALLERY 1 BLUE SPIRAL 1 D x 38 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-251-0202 • bluespiral1.com

2 ZAPOW! D 150 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-575-9112 • ZaPow.com

3 MOMENTUM GALLERY D 24 N. Lexington, Asheville 828-505-8550 • momentumgallery.com

CRAFT-ORIENTED GALLERY 1 FOLK ART CENTER/ SHCG GALLERIES E S x

Milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville 828-298-7928 26 Lodge St., Asheville 828-277-6222 930 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-298-7903 • craftguild.org

2 NEW MORNING GALLERY S 7 Boston Way, Asheville 828-274-2831 • newmorninggallerync.com

3 GROVEWOOD GALLERY D 111 Grovewood Road, Asheville 828-253-7651 • grovewood.com

NONPROFIT THAT SERVES THE ARTS 1 ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL D 207 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-258-0710 • ashevillearts.com

2 LEAF COMMUNITY ARTS E 906 E. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-686-8742 • theleaf.org

3 CENTER FOR CRAFT, CREATIVITY AND DESIGN D 67 Broadway, Asheville 828-785-1357 • craftcreativitydesign.org

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

9

BEST OF ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO BY THOMAS CALDER

ASHEVILLE AREA ARTS COUNCIL: Best Nonprofit That Serves the Arts MOVIE THEATER 1 GRAIL MOVIEHOUSE D 45 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville 828-239-9392 • grailmoviehouse.com

2 FINE ARTS THEATRE D 36 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-232-1536 • FineArtsTheatre.com

3 THE CAROLINA CINEMARK ASHEVILLE S 1640 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-274-8811 • avl.mx/3n9

THEATER COMPANY 1 NORTH CAROLINA STAGE CO. D 15 Stage Lane, Asheville 828-239-0263 • ncstage.org

2 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE D 35 E. Walnut St., Asheville 828-254-1320 • ashevilletheatre.org

3 MONTFORD PARK PLAYERS N 92 Gay St., Asheville 828-254-5146 • montfordparkplayers.org

ACTOR (MALE OR FEMALE) 1 SCOTT TREADWAY x

• scotttreadwayphotography.com

COMEDY TROUPE OR SERIES 1 LAZOOM TOURS D x

76 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-225-6932 • lazoomtours.com

2 REASONABLY PRICED BABIES 828-450-2120 • facebook.com/RPBimprov

10

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

LOCAL COMEDY SHOW/ NIGHT/EVENT 1 LAZOOM TOURS D

76 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-225-6932 • lazoomtours.com

PERFORMANCE DANCE COMPANY 1 TERPISCORPS W x

24 Arthur Road, Asheville 828-231-8618 • terpsicorps.org

2 LIQUID SIRENS • christinegarvin.com

3 TRILLIUM DANCE COMPANY • trilliumdancecompany.com

PLACE TO DANCE 1 DANCECLUB ASHEVILLE N

9 Old Burnsville Hill Road, Suite 3, Asheville 828-275-8628 • danceclubasheville.com

2 STUDIO ZAHIYA D

90 1/2 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-537-0892 • studiozahiya.com

PLACE TO TAKE DANCE CLASSES OR LESSONS 1 DANCECLUB ASHEVILLE N

9 Old Burnsville Hill Road, Suite 3, Asheville 828-275-8628 • danceclubasheville.com

2 STUDIO ZAHIYA D

90 1/2 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-537-0892 • studiozahiya.com

3 CENTER STAGE DANCE STUDIO S 38-L Rosscragon Road, Asheville 828-654-7010 • centerstage1.com

Offering our own craft-brewed beer, hand-tossed pizza with fresh local ingredients, & scrumptious homemade ice cream

Blue Mountain Pizza & Brew Pub

1st Place Business That Best Represents The Spirit Of Your Town (Weaverville & Woodfin) 1st Place Music/Entertainment Venue (Weaverville & Woodfin) 1st Place Local Bar/Brewery/Watering Hole (Weaverville & Woodfin) Winner Lunch Restaurant, Regional (Weaverville & Woodfin) Winner Dinner Restaurant, Regional (Weaverville & Woodfin) Extensive menu, Fresh local ingredients Live music every night from 7-9 55 N Main St downtown Weaverville www.bluemountainpizza.com • 828.658.8778 Tuesday-Sunday 11am to 9pm with extended hours Friday & Saturday until 10pm

Enjoy monthly meals for a cause! Each month Blue Mountain Pizza hosts the “Third Thursday Fundraising Program,” benefiting a Weavervillebased nonprofit or organization (including schools, senior meal centers, food banks, and more) . We will match 100% of all community donations made at Blue Mountain Pizza, in addition to contributing 10% of the day’s profit, to the featured organization of the month.

Thank you to the best staff around who work hard every day to make it happen To our customers who over the years have become our friends And to the Weaverville community who have embraced us Your support and recognition is appreciated more than you will ever know MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

11

THANK YOU!

BEST OF ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT OPEN-MIC NIGHT VENUE 1 THE GREY EAGLE R 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville 828-232-5800 • thegreyeagle.com

LOCAL AUTHOR 1 RON RASH x • avl.mx/3vj

LOCAL POET 1 BARBIE ANGELL

Thanks for voting us #1 Best Place to Take a Dance Class and #1 Best Place to Dance!

We are ecstatic and can’t wait to share ALL the dance with you!

• barbieangell.com

2 ALLAN WOLF • allanwolf.com

TRIVIA NIGHT EMCEE 1 KIPPER SCHAUER x • kipperstrivia.com

DJ (NON-RADIO) 1 KIPPER SCHAUER • avl.mx/54s

DanceclubAsheville.com Right down the street from UNCA 9 Old Burnsville Hill Rd., Suite 3

ALL-ROUND FAVORITE BAND 1 SIRIUS.B • siriusbmusic.com

2 ANDREW SCOTCHIE & THE RIVER RATS • andrewscotchiemusic.com

Hope Griffin says:

THANK YOU AGAIN, WNC!

2 LEEDA “LYRIC” JONES • lyricfans.com

ACOUSTIC/FOLK 1 HOPE GRIFFIN • hopegriffinmusic.com

2 ASHLEY HEATH • ashleyheathmusic.com

AMERICANA/COUNTRY 1 AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS x

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

• thehoneycutters.com

2 ASHLEY HEATH • ashleyheathmusic.com

BLUES 1 PEGGY RATUSZ • reverbnation.com/peggyratusz

FUNK

ABBY THE SPOON LADY: Best Busker/Street Group

OLD-TIME/BLUEGRASS 1 BALSAM RANGE • balsamrange.com

2 STEEP CANYON RANGERS

#1 Folk/Acoustic & Singer-Songwriter

HIP-HOP ARTIST/GROUP

3 years in a row!

hopegriffinmusic.com 12

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

• thefritzmusic.com

1 SPACEMAN JONES & THE MOTHERSHIPS

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

1 LEEDA “LYRIC” JONES • lyricfans.com

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

1 LEEDA “LYRIC” JONES • lyricfans.com

SINGER-SONGWRITER ROCK

1 ANDREW SCOTCHIE & THE RIVER RATS x • andrewscotchiemusic.com

• avl.mx/54t

• avl.mx/prtt

LYRICIST

R&B/SOUL

• lyricfans.com

2 THE FRITZ

1 ABBY THE SPOON LADY x

• steepcanyon.com

1 LEEDA “LYRIC” JONES

For voting me

BUSKER/STREET GROUP

1 ASHLEY HEATH • ashleyheathmusic.com

1 HOPE GRIFFIN • hopegriffinmusic.com

WASABI

Celebrating our 13th anniversary!

Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE OWNERS OF ICHIBAN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE

THANK YOU ASHEVILLE! VOTED BEST OF WNC 14 YEARS IN A ROW!

Thanks, Asheville!

FIRST PLACE INDIAN EVERY YEAR SINCE 2006 2nd Place • Lunch 3rd Place (tie) • Hot Bar

melaasheville.com

70 N. LEXINGTON AVENUE 828.225.8880

Open 7 days for Lunch & Dinner

South slope location coming soon!

19 B R OA DW A Y • DOWNT OWN • 225-2551

Voted One Of The Best Japanese Restaurants 2017 Located near Biltmore Village in Biltmore Station

urbanorchardcider.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

210 Haywood rd. wavl 24 buxton ave. downtown

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

Here's to you , Asheville!

828-744-5151

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

13

BEST OF ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

ECHO MOUNTAIN RECORDING STUDIO: Best Recording Studio

VOCALIST 1 RHODA WEAVER • avl.mx/prtu

2 LEEDA “LYRIC” JONES • lyricfans.com

3 HOPE GRIFFIN • hopegriffinmusic.com

MUSICIAN/BAND WHO GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY 1 WARREN HAYNES • warrenhaynes.net

MUSIC-RELATED NONPROFIT 1 LEAF COMMUNITY ARTS E 906 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-686-8742 • theleaf.org

14

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

MUSIC INSTRUMENT REPAIR COMPANY 1 MUSICIAN’S WORKSHOP N

319 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-252-1249 • musiciansworkshop.com

RECORDING STUDIO 1 ECHO MOUNTAIN RECORDING STUDIO D x 14 N. French Broad Ave., Asheville 828-232-4314 • echomountain.net

JEWELRY ARTIST/DESIGNER 1 PAULA DAWKINS (JEWELS THAT DANCE) D 63 Haywood St., Asheville 828-254-5088 • jewelsthatdance.com

MURAL ARTIST 1 GUS CUTTY • guscutty.com

2 DUSTIN SPAGNOLA • dustinspagnola.com

continued

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

AKIRA SATAKE: Best Potter/Ceramic Artist

PHOTOGRAPHER 1 JACK SOROKIN 917-693-2185 • jacksorokin.com

POTTER/CERAMIC ARTIST 1 AKIRA SATAKE R

191 Lyman St. Studio 165, Asheville 828-275-7612 • akirasatake.com

We Love You Asheville, Thank you for 10 yrs

1st Place Beer Store 2nd Place Wine Store

appalachianvintner.com @appalachian_vintner @appalachianvintner

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

15

SHOPPING STORE THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF ASHEVILLE 1 MAST GENERAL STORE D 15 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-232-1883 • mastgeneralstore.com

2 L.O.F.T. OF ASHEVILLE (LOST OBJECTS FOUND TREASURES) D 53 Broadway, Asheville 828-259-9303 • loftofasheville.com

3 MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE/CAFE D 55 Haywood St., Asheville 828-254-6734 • malaprops.com

CLOTHING: DRESS-UP/ STYLIN’ (WOMEN’S) 1 MINX BOUTIQUE D x

64 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-225-5680 • minxasheville.com

2 ADLIB CLOTHING D 23 Haywood St., Asheville 828-285-8838 • adlibclothing.com

3 VIRTUE D 58 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-254-4200 • virtueasheville.com

CLOTHING: DRESS-UP/ STYLIN’ (MEN’S) 1 OLD NORTH D x

PHOTO BY THOMAS CALDER

15 W. Walnut St., Asheville 828-505-6495 • oldnorthclothing.com

MAST GENERAL STORE: Store That Best Represents the Spirit of Asheville

2 UNION HIS & HER BOUTIQUE D 18 Haywood St., Asheville 828-259-3300 • unionasheville.com

Let us now praise local shopping!

3 JOS. A. BANK S 9 Kitchin Place, Asheville 828-274-2630 • josbank.com

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

16

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

While 80 percent of U.S. adults have bought items online — up from 20 percent just a few short years ago in 2000 — about 64 percent of those polled in a 2016 Pew Research Center study said that, all things being equal, they prefer shopping at a physical, brick-and-mortar location.

The data suggests the act of visiting stores is a ritual that many Americans still enjoy — maybe more than issuing commands to Alexa. And Ashevillearea shoppers have an on-the-ground shopping Shangri-La, thanks to our many entrepreneurs with their unique and sometimes quirky local offerings.

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

Take, for example, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, which may hold the record for local popularity, claiming first place every year since the late 1990s. Bookstore manager Justin Souther (who also reviews movie for Xpress) says the key to the store’s enduring appeal is Malaprop’s employees’ commitment to providing a personal touch as part of the retail experience. The store, he says, puts an emphasis on fostering community, holding events for local authors and tuning in to customers’ feedback about the kinds of books they want.

Among the Shopping section’s most heavily voted categories, the

winners are: Ingles (All-Round Grocery Store), ALDI (BudgetFriendly Grocery Store), and Earth Fare (Health Food Store).

Please welcome this year’s new Hall of Famers: Colton Mattress Factory (Bed And Mattress Store), ALDI (Budget-Friendly Grocery Store), Jos. A. Banks (Clothing: Office (Men’s)), Whist (Gift Shop), Frugal Framer (Picture Framer), PUSH Skateshop and Gallery (Skateboard Store) and Asheville Vapor (Vape Shop).

— David Floyd X

o t A s p h u e t v h lle’s g i r p e St tertaininig

n e t s o m

stor e

We have Antiques, Uniques & Repurposed Rarities!

Don’t forget our junk removal!

x2

#1 Used Furniture Store!

One of the

Best Antique Stores!

We have it all!

Enjoy a free beer every other Sunday!

26 Glendale ave • 828-505-1108

TheRegene rationStation

nstation @theregeneratio

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

17

BEST OF SHOPPING

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

ALAN’S JEWELRY & PAWN: Best Pawn Shop CLOTHING: OFFICE (WOMEN’S) 1 MINX BOUTIQUE D 64 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-225-5680 • minxasheville.com

2 TALBOTS S 10 Brook St., Asheville 828-274-3343 • talbots.com

CLOTHING: OFFICE (MEN’S) 1 JOS. A. BANK S x

9 Kitchin Place, Asheville 828-274-2630 • josbank.com

ASHEVILLE-STYLE CLOTHES 1 ELEMENTALITY E 4 S. Tunnel Road, Suite 220, Asheville 828-299-4751 • myelementality.com

2 ADLIB CLOTHING D 23 Haywood St., Asheville 828-285-8838 • adlibclothing.com

3 GOODWILL W E S N a 1616 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-771-2192 86 S. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-299-3595 3530 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-687-0653 • goodwillnwnc.org

18

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

CLOTHING: USED OR VINTAGE (FOR-PROFIT STORE) 1 HONEYPOT D 86 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-225-0304 • wesohoney.com

2 RECIPROCITY W 732 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-505-3980 • reciprocityasheville.com

3 HIP REPLACEMENTS CLOTHING D 72 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-255-7573 • hipreplacementsclothing.com

3 RAGTIME VINTAGE CLOTHING D 20 E. Walnut St., Asheville 828-225-8889 • ragtimevintageclothing.com

CLOTHING: USED OR VINTAGE (NONPROFIT STORE) 1 GOODWILL W E S N a x 1616 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-771-2192 86 S. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-299-3595 3530 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-687-0653 • goodwillnwnc.org

2 ZEN & NOW N 9 Brookdale Road, Asheville 828-255-5575 • avl.mx/3w6

3 SECOND CHANCES THRIFT STORE S 49 Glendale Road, Asheville 828-505-2017 • avl.mx/54v

We Love You, Asheville!

Thanks for voting us one of your favorite local foods!

Find your jar at: LustyMonk.com/stores (It’s in the refrigerator case!)

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

19

BEST OF SHOPPING

Presents

continued

ALL-ROUND GROCERY STORE 1 INGLES MARKETS N S E W a x

For locations visit website 828-253-1528 • ingles-markets.com/store-locations

2 PUBLIX S N a 1830 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-274-6287 165 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville 828-658-1020 • publix.com

2 TRADER JOE’S N 120 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-232-5078 • traderjoes.com

3 EARTH FARE W S 66 Westgate Parkway, Asheville 828-253-7656 1856 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-210-0100 • EarthFare.com

FREE !

EVENT

August 16th 5-9pm at

BUDGET-FRIENDLY GROCERY STORE 1 ALDI E W S x

470 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville 855-955-2534 1344 Patton Ave., Asheville 330 Airport Road, Asheville • aldi.us

2 HOPEY AND CO. D S E a 45 S. French Broad, Asheville 828-277-0805 121 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville • hopeyandcompany.com

2 TRADER JOE’S N 120 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-232-5078 • traderjoes.com

3 INGLES MARKETS N S E W a

Featuring Live Music • Spaceman Jones & the Motherships • Lyric • Peggy Ratusz • DJ Kipper

Goodies • The Hop • French Broad Chocolate Lounge • Buchi & More

20

For locations visit website 828-253-1528 • ingles-markets.com/store-locations

HEALTH FOOD STORE 1 EARTH FARE W S x

66 Westgate Parkway, Asheville 828-253-7656 1856 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-210-0100 • EarthFare.com

2 WHOLE FOODS MARKET / GREENLIFE GROCERY 4 S. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-239-9604 70 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, 828-254-5440 • wholefoodsmarket.com

3 FRENCH BROAD FOOD CO-OP D 90 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-255-7650 • frenchbroadfood.coop

IMPORT/ETHNIC FOOD STORE

Special Guests • LAZOOM • local nonprofits • many more!

1 KIM’S ORIENTAL FOOD & GIFTS W x

12 Old Charlotte Hwy Asheville, NC 28803

3 YZ ASIAN MARKET W

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

5 Regent Park Blvd., Suite 110, Asheville 828-254-7235

2 FOREIGN AFFAIRS ORIENTAL MARKET E 611-A Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-299-0333 • foreignaffairsorientalmarket.com 22 New Leicester Highway, Asheville 828-785-1653 • yzasianmarket.com

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

ASHEVILLE AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE: Best Used Furniture Sore (Nonprofit Store) CONVENIENCE/ CORNER STORE 1 WEST VILLAGE MARKET & DELI W 771 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-225-4949 • westvillagemarket.com

2 LEXINGTON CORNER MARKET D 58 College St., Asheville 828-225-3256 • lexingtoncornermarket.com

3 GAS-UP W

405 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-252-5589 • thegasup.com

NEW FURNITURE STORE 1 TYSON FURNITURE E a x 109 Broadway Ave., Black Mountain 828-669-5000 • tysonfurniture.com

2 PENLAND’S FURNITURE E W a 2700 U.S. Highway 70, Swannanoa 828-686-5561 67 Main St., Canton 828-648-4995 • PenlandsFurniture.com

3 DAVIS HOME FURNITURE S

100 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-785-1452 • davishomefurniturenc.com

3 MOBILIA D

43 Haywood St., Asheville 828-252-8322 • mobilianc.com

USED FURNITURE STORE (FOR-PROFIT STORE) 1 THE REGENERATION STATION S 26 Glendale Ave., Asheville 828-505-1108 • regenerationstation.com

USED FURNITURE STORE (NONPROFIT STORE) 1 ASHEVILLE AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE S x

31 Meadow Road, Asheville 828-254-6706 • ashevillehabitat.org/restore

2 CARE PARTNERS FOUNDATION HOSPICE THRIFT STORE S 75 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-274-8206 • avl.mx/3st

ADULT TOYS, LINGERIE & NAUGHTY THINGS STORE 1 VAVAVOOOM D 57 Broadway, Asheville 828-254-6329 • vavavooom.com

2 BEDTYME STORIES S 2334 Hendersonville Road, Arden 828-684-8250 • bedtymestories.com

ANTIQUE STORE 1 ANTIQUE TOBACCO BARN E x 75 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville 828-252-7291 • ATBarn.com

2 SCREEN DOOR E

2 SCREEN DOOR E

3 LULU’S CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE S a

3 THE REGENERATION STATION S

115 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-277-3667 • screendoorasheville.com

3699 Hendersonville Road, Fletcher 828-687-7565 • ilovelulus.net

115 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-277-3667 • screendoorasheville.com

26 Glendale Ave., Asheville 828-505-1108 • regenerationstation.com

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

21

BEST OF SHOPPING

Mr. K’s

NEW & USED: Books • Vinyl Records • CDs Comics • Video Games • Books on CD • DVDs BUY • SELL • TRADE

Used Books, MUsic and More

Thank You for Voting Us

1 Used Book Store

#

6 Years in a Row!

PHOTO BY THOMAS CALDER

800 Fairview Rd. • Asheville, NC

River Ridge Shopping Center • Beside A.C. Moore • Hwy 240 exit #8

828-299-1145 • www.mrksusedbooks.com

MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE/CAFE: Best Bookstore - New

AUTO DEALER - NEW AND/OR USED 1 PRESTIGE SUBARU E

585 Tunnel Road, Asheville 877-300-1447 • prestigesubaru.com

Quality Products & Services... There is A Difference.

(828) 253-5634 | 209 Patton Ave Downtown | www.jandavistire.com

#1 TIRE STORE IN WNC

Thank you, Asheville!

Voted #1 for 6 years in a row!

BRING YOUR CAR IN AND SEE WHY Great Selection of Quality Tires Alignment • Brake Service Oil Change • NC Vehicle Inspections

jandavistire.com 22

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

2 APPLE TREE HONDA S a 242 Underwood Road, Fletcher 828-684-4400 • avl.mx/3s5

3 FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA/NISSAN W 777 Brevard Road, Asheville 828-348-6850 • ashevilletoyota.com

AUTOMOBILE TIRE STORE 1 JAN DAVIS TIRE STORE D x 209 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-253-5634 • jandavistire.com

2 NEWBRIDGE TIRE CENTER N 1475 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-255-8005 • newbridgetirecenter.com

3 DISCOUNT TIRE E

105 Bleachery Blvd., Asheville 828-318-0949 • discounttire.com

BED AND MATTRESS STORE 1 COLTON MATTRESS FACTORY S x 848 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-299-4445 • coltonmattress.com

2 MATTRESS MAN SUPERSTORES E S a

85 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-299-4232 303A Airport Road, Arden 828-687-2618 • mattressmanstores.com

3 MATTRESS FIRM E

209 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-255-1904 • stores.mattressfirm.com

BIKE SHOP 1 LIBERTY BICYCLES S x

1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-274-2453 • libertybikes.com

2 MOTION MAKERS BICYCLE SHOP S 878 Brevard Road, Asheville 828-633-2227 • motionmakers.com

3 HEARN’S CYCLING AND FITNESS D 28 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-253-4800 • hearnsasheville.com

BOOKSTORE - NEW 1 MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE/CAFE D x 55 Haywood St., Asheville 828-254-6734 • malaprops.com

2 BARNES & NOBLE E S

Asheville Mall, 3 S. Tunnel Road, Ashevillle 828-296-7335 Biltmore Park Town Square, 33 Town Square Blvd., Asheville 828-687-0681 • barnesandnoble.com

3 FIRESTORM BOOKS & COFFEE W 610 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-255-8115 • firestorm.coop

BOOKSTORE - USED 1 MR. K’S USED BOOKS & MORE S x 800 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-299-1145 • mrksusedbooks.com

2 DOWNTOWN BOOKS & NEWS D 67 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-253-8654 • dbnbooks.com

3 BATTERY PARK BOOK EXCHANGE & CHAMPAGNE BAR D

Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave., Suite 101, Asheville 828-252-0020 • batteryparkbookexchange.com

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

23

WNC’s Budget Friendly Grocery Store

Thank you for voting us one of the best, Asheville!

Locations:

Downtown, Black Mountain, & Biltmore —

24

www . hopeyandcompany . com

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

—

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

WE ♥ YOU TOO! Thanks for voting us best downtown neighborhood bar!

828-254-3008 | 12 Church Street foggymountainavl.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

25

BEST OF SHOPPING

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

HENCO REPROGRAPHICS: Best Print Shop

FLORIST 1 FLORA W x

428 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-252-8888 • floraevents.com

2 MERRIMON FLORIST N

329 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-232-4474 • merrimonflorist.com

3 SHADY GROVE FLOWERS D

Thank you for voting us

1 PAWN SHOP

#

We

Our Fans! Follow us on

65 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-236-1713 • shadygroveflowers.com

GIFT SHOP 1 WHIST W x

444 Haywood Road, Suite 102, Asheville 828-252-5557 • whistshop.com

4 S. Tunnel Road, Suite 220, Asheville 828-299-4751 • myelementality.com

3 SPICER GREENE JEWELERS D 121 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-253-1805 • spicergreene.com

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STORE

33 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-575-2441 • avl.mx/3t8

105-F Montreat Road, Black Mountain 828-669-5162 • acoustic-corner.com

E 3 DUNCAN AND YORK MODERN MARKET D 2 ACOUSTIC CORNER a

2 THE CIRCLE ASHEVILLE W

426 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-254-3332 • thecircleasheville.com

3 WONDERLAND D

33 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-225-5037 • avl.mx/54x

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

2 ELEMENTALITY E

828-252-1249 • musiciansworkshop.com

1062 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-232-6030 186 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-254-4980 1269 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-785-1753 • octopusgardensmokeshops.com

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

63 Haywood St., Asheville 828-254-5088 • jewelsthatdance.com

53 Broadway, Asheville 828-259-9303 • loftofasheville.com

1 OCTOPUS GARDEN SMOKE SHOP W D S E N x

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

1 JEWELS THAT DANCE D x

1 MUSICIAN’S WORKSHOP N x 2 L.O.F.T. OF ASHEVILLE 319 Merrimon Ave., Asheville (LOST OBJECTS FOUND TREASURES) D

HEAD SHOP

26

JEWELRY STORE

3 GUITAR CENTER E 4 S. Tunnel Road, Suite 430, Asheville 828-298-0131 • stores.guitarcenter.com/asheville

PAWN SHOP 1 ALAN’S JEWELRY & PAWN W E x 1186 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-8681 736 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-299-4440 • alanspawn.com

2 FINKELSTEIN’S D 21 Broadway, Asheville 828-253-7731 • finkelsteinspawn.com

continued

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

TOPS FOR SHOES: Best Shoe Store

PICTURE FRAMER 1 FRUGAL FRAMER D x

95 Cherry St., Asheville 828-258-2435 2145 Hendersonville Road, Arden 828-687-8533 • frugalframer.com

2 BLACKBIRD FRAME & ART N 365 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-225-3117 • blackbirdframe.com

3 STUDIO THREE W 428A Haywood Road, Asheville 607-651-5551 • ifearnoart.com

PRINT SHOP 1 HENCO REPROGRAPHICS D x 54 Broadway, Asheville 828-253-0449 • hencorepro.com

2 PRINTVILLE D Grove Arcade, 9 O’Henry Ave., Suite 116, Asheville 828-225-3777 • printville.net

3 IMAGE 420 SCREENPRINTING W 420 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-253-9420 • image420.com

RECORD/CD STORE 1 HARVEST RECORDS W x

415 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-258-2999 • harvest-records.com

2 STATIC AGE RECORDS D 110 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-254-3232 • staticagerecords.biz

SHOE STORE 1 TOPS FOR SHOES D x

27 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-254-6721 • topsforshoes.com

2 DISCOUNT SHOES S 1282 Brevard Road, Asheville 828-667-0085

3 DSW E 4 S. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-575-5918 • dsw.com

SKATEBOARD STORE 1 PUSH SKATESHOP AND GALLERY D x

25 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-225-5509 • pushtoyproject.com

2 FLIPSIDE BOARDSHOP D 88 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-254-9007 • flipsideboardshop.com

VAPE SHOP 1 ASHEVILLE VAPOR N W S a x 333 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-367-3333 2144 Hendersonville Road, Arden 828-393-8273 1109 Smokey Park Highway, Candler 828-633-7117 • ashevillevapor.com

2 OG VAPORS W E 1334 Patton Ave., Unit 110, Asheville 828-255-5152 168 Tunnel Road, Suite 20, Asheville 828-785-1589 • ogvapors.co

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

27

PERSONAL SERVICES HAIR SALON 1 WILLOW’S DREAM D 64 Broadway, Asheville 828-225-5922 • willowsdream.com

2 ANANDA HAIR STUDIO D W 22 Broadway, Asheville 828-232-1017 37 Paynes Way, Suite 5, Asheville 828-236-2444 • anandahair.com

3 WINK SALON & BOUTIQUE S 18 Brook St., Suite 103, Asheville 828-277-4070 • ilovewink.com

HAIRSTYLIST 1 HOLIDAY CHILDRESS (SOLA SALON STUDIOS) 124 College St., 2nd Floor, Asheville 828-318-9315 • avl.mx/3th

2 VERONICA COIT (WESTSIDE SHEARS) W 755 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-505-1068 • avl.mx/55t

3 CAITLIN CROSS (SALON DRAGONFLY) D 115 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-253-3977 • salondragonfly.net

BARBER SHOP 1 THE LOCAL BARBER & TAP D

PHOTO BY EVAN ANDERSON

84 W. Walnut St., Unit B, Asheville 828-232-7005 • barberandtap.com

BELLA FINE JEWELRY AND PIERCING: Best Piercing Studio

2 THE CHOP SHOP BARBER SHOP W 606 New Leicester Highway, Asheville 828-412-5466 • avl.mx/55u

3 ASHEVILLE BARBER & BEARD D Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave. #111, Asheville 828-555-9636 • avlbarberandbeard.com

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

28

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

You’re

looking good, Asheville.

And, while it’s probably beneficial genetics and healthy living, you’ve got a solid team helping to keep you trimmed, polished, plucked, inked, pierced and tailored. Happily, this is not a case of those doing the behind-the-scenes heavy lifting going uncredited. Xpress readers were at the ready to shine a spotlight on those personal-services professionals and businesses that keep us all looking spiffy.

Hair salons are at the head (sorry) of the list, with local rocker-turnedhairdresser Holiday Childress — who runs a one-chair operation out

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

of Sola Salon Studios — taking the Best Hairstylist win for the first time.

And even though you can’t swing a yoga instructor without hitting a guy with a clean-shaven pate in Asheville, voters had plenty of love for barbers, too. Local Barber & Tap topped that category for the second year in a row. (For what it’s worth, convenience store The Hot Spot got a nod in that category, too — the mind reels at what that style would look like).

Hall of Fame winners Faerie Made Soaps (Local Products Maker) and The Spa at the Omni Grove Park Inn (Spa) both reigned supreme in their

categories, while there was an upset for Tattoo Parlor when Sacred Lotus Tattoo edged out the competition.

And Misha’s Alterations and Tailoring took home the accolade for the brand new category Tailor/Alterations.

So, what personal services would readers like to see in the running?

Lash extension experts and stylists got mentions, as did psychic mediums (but you knew we were going to say that) and — here’s one you didn’t see coming — “Best Outhouse in Buncombe County.” You do you, friends.

— Alli Marshall X

Posh Lash Lounge & Beauty Bar Western North Carolina’s Leader in Eyelash Extensions THANK YOU FOR VOTING GINGER KELLEY 1ST PLACE ESTHETICIAN!

Other services include Microblading, Airbrush Tanning, Facials, Lash Lifts, Full Body Waxing As the first person to bring professional Eyelash extensions to Asheville back in 2007, her passion for the aesthetics industry grew and she created Asheville’s first eyelash beauty bar! Where she has hand picked a professional staff that create a safe haven with no judgment for all your beauty care needs.

At Posh, we strive to create a custom experience for each client while maintaining the utmost standards and safety for sanitation as well as products used. We don’t compromise safety to use cheap products for a cheap price. We believe in providing a professional standard and experience while here at Posh!

7 BE AVERDA M RD #103, ASHE VILLE (828) 348- 0111 POSH L A SH A N DBE AU T Y.COM

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

29

BEST OF PERSONAL SERVICES ESTHETICIAN

TATTOO ARTIST

1 GINGER KELLEY 1 KIMI LEGER (POSH LASH LOUNGE & BEAUTY BAR) N (SACRED LOTUS TATTOO) W 7 Beaverdam Road, Suite 103, Asheville 828-348-0111 • poshlashandbeauty.com

NAIL SALON 1 CICI NAILS N S

964 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-281-4646 1550 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-274-0011 • avl.mx/553

2 HANDS ON SPA N

640 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-255-4540 • handsonspaasheville.com

3 CURE NAIL STUDIO AT WILLOW’S DREAM D

64 Broadway, Asheville 828-225-5922 • willowsdream.com

NAIL TECHNICIAN 1 LEAH KRAUSE (CURE NAIL STUDIO AT WILLOW’S DREAM) D 64 Broadway, Asheville 828-225-5922 • willowsdream.com

2 KITZI BLACK (THE PARLOR) W 7 Beaverdam Road, Suite 101, Asheville 828-348-5202 • theparlorofasheville.com

SPA

Mans Ruin Tattoo & Piercing * All Female Staff *

Thanks WNC! Voted “Best Of” in multiple categories

17 Years!

WE’VE MOVED! New Location:

1085 Tunnel Rd - Asheville

828-253-6660

www.mansruintattoos.com 30

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

1 THE SPA AT OMNI GROVE PARK INN N x

328 New Leicester Highway, Suite 140, Asheville 828-552-3177 • sacredlotustattoo.com

2 HEATHER RUIN (MAN’S RUIN TATTOO & PIERCING) E 1085 Tunnel Road, Suite 2A, Asheville 828-253-6660 • mansruintattoos.com

3 DANNY REED (HOT STUFF TATTOO) W 416 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-251-6040 • hotstufftattoos.com

PIERCING STUDIO 1 BELLA FINE JEWELERY AND PIERCING D 51 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-708-4663 • bellapiercing.com

2 DIAMOND THIEVES BODY PIERCING & TATTOO W 1060 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-225-3845 • diamondthieves.net

2 MANS RUIN TATTOO & PIERCING S 1085 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-253-6660 • mansruintattoos.com

3 EMPIRE TATTOO & PIERCING D 83 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-252-8282 • empiretattooavl.com

290 Macon Ave., Asheville 800-438-5800 • avl.mx/554

LOCAL BODY PRODUCTS MAKER

2 SENSIBILITIES DAY SPA D S 59 Haywood St., Asheville 828-253-3222 43 Town Square Blvd., #100, Asheville 828-687-8760 • sensibilities-spa.com

3 SPA THEOLOGY D

53 College St., Asheville 828-255-4171 • spatheology.com

1 FAERIE MADE SOAP x

828-251-5291 • faeriemadesoaps.com

2 BONNY BATH ORGANIC BODYCARE 828-713-7695 • bonnybath.com

TATTOO PARLOR 1 SACRED LOTUS TATTOO W

328 New Leicester Highway, Suite 140, Asheville 828-552-3177 • sacredlotustattoo.com

2 ZEN INK D

157 S. Lexington Ave., Suite D, Asheville 828-505-4456 • zeninkasheville.com

3 HOT STUFF TATTOO W

TAILOR/ALTERATIONS 1 MISHA’S ALTERATIONS AND TAILOR W 5 Regent Park, #106, Asheville 828-350-1176

2 SEW & SEW CUSTOM SEWING & ALTERATIONS S

416 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-251-6040 • hotstufftattoos.com

1085 Tunnel Road, Suite 4, Asheville 828-505-2878

1085 Tunnel Road, Suite 2A, Asheville 828-253-6660 • mansruintattoos.com

246 Charlotte St., Asheville 828-232-2229

3 MAN’S RUIN TATTOO AND PIERCING E 3 INARA’S TAILOR & ALTERATIONS N

announce your win with an official

AWARD PLAQUE

8.5” x 11”

HIGH QUALITY MOUNT

$60 + SHIPPING

Only available at Mountainxpress.newskeepsake.com

Thank You! Our Customers are the Best!

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

www.reemscreek.com

Sensibilities LOVES Asheville!

Thanks for voting us First Place Butcher Shop!

A premier whole animal butcher shop featuring all-natural, pasture-raised meats from local farms and prepared by experienced butchers

Thank you for 19 wonderful years and for voting us among the best Asheville has to offer. massage • facials • nails • gift certificates

Downtown : 59 Haywood St. : 828.253.3222 South : Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park : 828.687.8760

sensibilities-spa.com

Beef - Pork - Poultry - Seafood www.chopshopbutchery.com • 100 Charlotte St. • 828.505.3777

anandathanksyou!

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

31

Thank You FOR VOTING US #1 and for the

25 YEARS of support

SMOKE SHOP

New Locations in Weaverville and Asheville: N E W ! 58 Weaver Village Way, Suite 102 (828) 519-9012 N E W ! 168 Tunnel Road, Asheville (828) 785-1753 • • • • • • •

210 Rosman Hwy., Suite C, Brevard | (828) 884-8796 2000 Spartanburg Hwy., Suite 300, Hendersonville | (828) 697-1050 140 Airport Road, Suite M, Arden | (828) 654-0906 1269 Tunnel Road, Suite B, Asheville | (828) 299-8880 660 Merrimon Ave., Asheville | (828) 253-2883 186 Coxe Ave., Asheville | (828) 254-4980 1062 Patton Ave., Asheville | (828) 232-6030

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED 32

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

Thank You

Asheville!

Best BBQ in WNC 13 Years in a Row! www.12bones.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

Asheville Location 5 Foundy Street in the River Arts District Mon-Fri 11am-4pm

253-4499

Arden Location

3578 Sweeten Creek Rd. Near BB Barns Nursery Tues-Sat 11am-4pm

687-1395

Carry Out 4-6pm at Both Locations AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

33

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ACCOUNTANT/CPA FIRM 1 AUSTIN CPA, PC D x

301 W. Haywood St., Asheville 828-785-1556 • austincpapc.com

2 GOULD KILLIAN CPA GROUP, PA D 100 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-258-0363 • gk-cpa.com

3 JOHNSON PRICE SPRINKLE, PA N 79 Woodfin Place, Asheville 828-254-2374 • jpspa.com

PLACE TO GET YOUR TAXES PREPARED 1 AUSTIN CPA, PC D 301 W. Haywood St., Asheville 828-785-1556 • austincpapc.com

2 H&R BLOCK N 204 Executive Park, Asheville 828-254-0321 • avl.mx/54y

3 GOULD KILLIAN CPA GROUP, P.A. D 100 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-258-0363 • gk-cpa.com

ALT ENERGY SALES AND INSTALLATION 1 SUNDANCE POWER SYSTEMS N a x 11 Salem Hill Road, Weaverville 828-645-2080 • sundancepower.com

2 HAYNES SOLAR W 187 Deaverview Road, Asheville 828-254-6141 • mbhaynes.com

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

SWANNANOA CLEANERS: Best Dry Cleaner

3 ELEEOS N 129 Bleachery Blvd., Suite 58, Asheville 828-575-9337 • eleeos.com

Asheville’s

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

34

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

continued growth can be no surprise to the Best of WNC Hall of Fame’s new member in Professional and Home Services — Two Men and a Truck.

Between 2010 and 2017, Asheville’s population increased by more than 10 percent (nearly 8,500 people), while Buncombe County’s total population grew by more than 19,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

And with so many people arriving despite soaring home prices, it makes

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

sense that the most voted category in Professional Services was Real Estate Agent.

But whether we’re new or not, all of us need to get on with the business of living. And everyone’s got an opinion, seemingly, about every conceivable aspect of daily life, including someone who suggested we need a category for best Labyrinth Builder.

Many of this year’s winners are anything but fresh off the proverbial truck. The longest-running winners

include Charlotte Street Computers (first place for more than a dozen years) and Liberty Bicycles (first place for eight years), as well as nine other Hall of Famers in this section with five or six consecutive years of victory under their belts.

Bottom line: Whether you just landed in town last week or have been here since before it was cool, we’ve got professionals worth trusting in the Asheville area.

— Daniel Walton X

#1 Accountant/CPA Thanks for voting us #1 in WNC five years in a row!

Way to stay classy Asheville.

It’s accrual world.

-George Austin CPA, CVA & Joel Chambers Action Tax

301 W Haywood St Asheville, NC 28801 | 828-785-1556 | austincpapc.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

35

BEST OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

THANK YOU WNC

Celebrating 30 years in Asheville

1274 Sweeten Creek Rd., Asheville, NC 28803, US M - F: 8AM - 5:30PM • Sat - Sun: CLOSED • (828) 258-0548

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

JAG & ASSOCIATES CONSTRUCTION: Best Green Builder ARCHITECTURAL FIRM

CAR REPAIR

1 SAMSEL ARCHITECTS D x

1 XPERTECH CAR CARE E x

2 FORM & FUNCTION ARCHITECTURE D

2 MIKE BYER AUTO & TRUCK REPAIR S

60 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-253-1124 • samselarchitects.com 9 Walnut St. #3B, Asheville 828-619-0301 • ffarchitecture.com

BIKE REPAIR 1 LIBERTY BICYCLES S x

1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-274-2453 • libertybikes.com

2 MOTION MAKERS BICYCLE SHOP S W a 878 Brevard Road, Asheville 828-633-2227 36 Allen St., Sylva 828-586-6925 • motionmakers.com

3 HEARN CYCLING D 28 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-253-4800 • avl.mx/55x

1295 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-298-3612 • avl.mx/551

1274 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville 828-258-0548 • mikebyerauto.com

3 ORGANIC MECHANIC W

568 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-255-2628 • organic-mechanic.com

HANDYMAN (OR WOMAN) 1 BEN WEAVER (LEAVE IT TO WEAVER)

Weaverville 828-301-4725 • leaveittoweaver.net

2 GREG HOLDEN (HOMEWORK HANDYMAN) Asheville 828-258-1107

announce your win with an official

AWARD PLAQUE

8.5” x 11”

HIGH QUALITY MOUNT

$60 + SHIPPING

Only available at Mountainxpress.newskeepsake.com 36

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

THANK YOU, ASHEVILLE! for voting us

#1 Automotive Repair Shop, Again!

1295 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 298-3612

Thank You for Voting Us Best Of for 6 Years in a Row!

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

37

BEST OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES COMPUTER REPAIR 1 CHARLOTTE STREET COMPUTERS N x 252 Charlotte St., Asheville 828-225-6600 • charlottestreetcomputers.com

2 ONECLICKFIX N 438 Montford Ave., Asheville 828-318-8558 • oneclickavl.com

3 COMPUTER MECHANIX W

ELECTRICAL/ ELECTRICIAN COMPANY 1 MB HAYNES CORP. W x 187 Deaverview Road, Asheville 828-254-6141 • mbhaynes.com

2 JACKSON ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS S 6 Bagwell Mill Road, Arden 828-891-4335 • jacksonelect.com

4 Vermont Ave., Asheville 828-281-4379 • computermechanix.com

DRY CLEANER 1 SWANNANOA CLEANERS D N W E S ax

165 Coxe Ave., Asheville 828-253-3691 712 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-252-3676 916 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-298-6361 • swannanoacleaners.com

FINANCIAL ADVISER 1 CHRISTINA SIMPSON (OPPENHEIMER & CO.) S 10 Brook St., Suite 290, Asheville 828-251-7884 • avl.mx/552

1 KEVIN PASARILLA (NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT CO.) S 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 350, Asheville 828-253-0712 • kevinpasarilla.nm.com

GREEN BUILDER

2 ASHEVILLE CLEANERS N 230 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-254-2364 • ashevillecleaners.com

3 QUICK AS A WINK CLEANERS S 750 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-253-2331

1 JAG & ASSOCIATES CONSTRUCTION E 33 Mineral Springs Road, Asheville 828-252-4205 • JAGGreen.com

2 JADE MOUNTAIN BUILDERS 828-216-3948 • Jademountainbuilders.com

Asheville’s Thank you for recognizing One Click Fix in the “Best of” Most Reliable Computer Repair category.

Computer Repair

We install and maintain firewalls, manage antivirus protection, and provide the most secure wireless networks in Asheville.

Business owners rely on us for UP TIME!

info@oneclickavl.com | oneclickavl.com | 828-318-8558 Shop Hours: 9-5 M-F | 438 Montford Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 38

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

39

BEST OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

GENTRY HEATING: Best Heating/Cooling Company

HEATING/COOLING COMPANY 1 GENTRY HEATING D E a x 68 Grove St. #5, Asheville 828-581-4045 100 Buckeye Access Road, Swannanoa • gentryheatinginc.com

2 MB HAYNES CORPORATION W 187 Deaverview Road, Asheville 828-254-6141 • mbhaynes.com

3 BULLMAN HEATING & AIR N 10 Red Roof Lane, Asheville 828-658-2468 • bullmanheating.com

HOME CLEANING SERVICE 1 GREEN HOME CLEANING D 306 W. Haywood St., Asheville 828-505-7320 • greenhomecleaning.com

2 GREEN BEE CLEANING N E a 8 Magnolia Ave., Suite 101, Asheville 828-450-0846 107 Black Mountain Ave., Black Mountain • greenbeeclean.com

HOUSE PAINTERS 1 BIONIC MAN PAINTING CO. W 57 Salola St., Asheville 828-215-7772 • bionicmanpainting.com

LAW FIRM 1 VAN WINKLE LAW FIRM D 11 N. Market St., Asheville 828-258-2991 • vwlawfirm.com

2 GOOSMANN ROSE COLVARD & CRAMER, P.A. D 77 Central Ave., Suite H, Asheville 828-258-0150 • grcclaw.com

3 ROBERTS & STEVENS, P.A. D 301 College St., Suite 400, Asheville 828-252-6600 • roberts-stevens.com

MOVING COMPANY 1 TWO MEN AND A TRUCK S x

240 Rutledge Road, Fletcher 828-355-6058 • twomenandatruckasheville.com

2 GASPERSON MOVING & STORAGE N 250 Weaverville Road, Asheville 828-263-6736 • gaspersonmoving.com

Avery’s Memorial Chapel, Nian & Glenda Avery

40

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

You WNC! k n a h T

Asheville Poverty Initiative

• Building Community • Rescuing Food

Thank you for voting us #1 again!

828.505.7320

greenhomecleaning.com

• Reducing Fear • Bearing Witness to the Abundance • 100+ fed each day Join us Mon.-Fri. 11:00am-1pm in Kairos West Community Center at the corner of Haywood and State St, West Asheville

Check us out at

www.ashevillepovertyinitiative.com Follow us on Facebook & Instagram

#1 H a nd y m a n!

Small Repair & Maintenance

LeaveItToWeaver.net

@12BasketsCafe

(828) 301-4725

GENTRY HEATING & COOLING The Local HVAC Professionals Since 1963

100 Buckeye Access Rd | 828-274-2520 | www.GentryHeatingInc.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

41

42

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

BE

ST OF

14

20 WNC

white duck taco shop MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

43

BEST OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PEST CONTROL SERVICE 1 TERMINIX E x

232 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville 828-253-3816 • TrustTerminix.com

2 GIBSON PEST CONTROL S 20 Rosscraggon Road, Asheville 888-483-6507 • gibsonpest.com

3 DODSON PEST CONTROL W 121 S. Bear Creek Road, Asheville 828-252-8992 • dodsonbros.com

PLUMBING COMPANY 1 T.P. HOWARD’S PLUMBING CO. S a 90 Number Nine Road, Fairview 828-628-1369 • tphowardsplumbing.com

2 HAYNES PLUMBING W 187 Deaverview Road, Asheville 828-254-6141 • mbhaynes.com

3 FOUR SEASONS PLUMBING S 30 Bella Way, Asheville 828-216-3894 • callfourseasons.com

ROOFERS 1 BALKEN ROOFING E a 101 W. Buckeye Road, Swannanoa 828-202-9996 • balkenroofing.com

REAL ESTATE AGENT 1 THE MATT & MOLLY TEAM (KELLER WILLIAMS) D x

86 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-210-1697 • themattandmollyteam.com

2 NICK HINTON (CAROLINA GREEN REALTY) W 862 Haywood Road #3, Asheville 818-441-1231 • carolinagreenrealty.com

3 SONA MERLIN (APPALACHIAN REALTY ASSOCIATES) N 23 Arlington St., Asheville 828-216-7908 • homeiswnc.net

REAL ESTATE COMPANY 1 KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY D 86 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-254-7253 • kellerwilliamsasheville.com

2 BEVERLY-HANKS & ASSOCIATES D S N W a 300 Executive Park, Asheville 828-254-7221 1 Town Square Blvd. #140, Asheville 828-684-8999 • beverly-hanks.com

3 MOSAIC COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE REALTY D 60 Biltmore Ave. #210, Asheville 828-707-9556 • mymosaicrealty.com

WEB DEVELOPMENT FIRM 1 INTEGRITIVE D 120 Coxe Ave., Suite 2-A, Asheville 828-250-0970 • integritive.com

announce your win with an official

AWARD PLAQUE

8.5” x 11”

HIGH QUALITY MOUNT

$60 + SHIPPING

Only available at Mountainxpress.newskeepsake.com

44

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

Thank you WNC for voting us #1!

Call 828-628-1369 for all your plumbing needs 90 Number Nine Rd. Fairview, NC 28730

THANKS, ASHEVILLE! for voting me one of the Best!

6 years in a row!

Sona Merlin Real Estate Broker Appalachian Realty (828) 216-7908 www.sonamerlin.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

45

KIDS AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM 1 ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS W 1009 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-505-4309 • martialartsasheville.com

2 Y AFTERSCHOOL (YMCA OF WNC) 828-251-5910 • avl.mx/555

3 ARTSPACE CHARTER SCHOOL - AFTERCARE E 2030 U.S. Highway 70, Swannanoa 828-298-2787 • artspacecharter.org

DAY TRIP FOR KIDS 1 WNC NATURE CENTER E x 75 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville 828-259-8080 • wncnaturecenter.com

RECREATION CENTER FOR KIDS 1 MOUNTAIN PLAY LODGE S 3389 Sweeten Creek Road, Arden 828-676-2120 • mountainplaylodge.com

2 YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA D N E W S a 30 Woodfin St., Asheville

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

SHALOM DAYCARE (ASHEVILLE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER): Best Daycare, Best Preschool

828-210-9622 40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville

More than

828-505-3990 • ymcawnc.org

3 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY MOVEMENT R 812 Riverside Drive, Asheville 828-254-6060 • avl.mx/3sh

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

46

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

half of those who participated in this year’s Xpress reader survey count themselves as parents.

And since a good number of the adults around here seem to be an active, engaged lot, it may come as no surprise that the votes cast in the Kids section reflect an active and interested approach to our community as well.

Take, for example, one of the highest vote-getters, AMOS (Asheville Museum of Science), which won for Best Museum. This downtown oasis for experiential science learning includes a weather and climate area, the impressive (and sparkly) Colburn Hall of Minerals, a hands-on paleontology exhibit, a

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

locally built miniature Mars Rover and a STEM laboratory.

Multiple award-winner Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts also received enthusiastic support, winning for Best After-School Program, Day Camp, Martial Arts Program, Youth Sports Program and Parents Night Out Program (a hearty welcome to Sun Soo as a new Hall of Famer in that last arena). Its appeal beyond teaching students the nuts and bolts of martial arts can be found on its website: “We believe in making our lives and the lives of those around us the best they can be, by making relevant and impactful contributions.”

Another top vote-getter, ArtSpace Charter School, also won multiple

accolades. With its emphasis on a complete education through an artsintegrated curriculum, and with an experiential approach, the public K-8 school won the following two categories: School (Pre-College) and Art Education Program. And ArtSpace teacher Meg Boerner tied for Best Music Teacher (Classroom).

The school also placed third for After-School Program.

But there’s more. Read on to learn Xpress readers’ collective wisdom on the best pediatrics practice, day care, dentist, recreation center, playground, toy store and more.

— Tracy Rose X

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

47

BEST OF KIDS MUSEUM 1 ASHEVILLE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE D 43 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-254-7162 • ashevillescience.org

2 HANDS ON! CHILDREN’S MUSEUM S a 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-697-8333 • handsonwnc.org

WNC’s premiere fabric store Thank’s for voting us one of Weaverville's best stores 32 N. Main St. Weaverville, NC 28787 828•484•7200 fivemonkeyquilts.com Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm

3 ASHEVILLE ART MUSEUM D 175 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-253-3227 • ashevilleart.org

PLAYGROUND

Thanks for all the LOVE! paint your own pottery • mosaics glass fusing • pottery wheels canvas painting • the best place for kids to make art

1378 Hendersonville Rd • Suite D Asheville, NC • 277-0042 Across the street from Carolina Day School

www.clayingaround.com

1 CARRIER PARK W x 220 Amboy Road, Asheville • avl.mx/556

2 RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL W 574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-258-9264 • rainbowcommunityschool.org

3 JONES PARK N Ira B. Jones School Road, Asheville • avl.mx/3tt

PLACE FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES 1 FUN DEPOT S 7 Roberts Road, Asheville 828-277-2386 • ashevillesfundepot.com

2 MOUNTAIN PLAY LODGE S a 3389 Sweeten Creek Road, Arden 828-676-2120 • mountainplaylodge.com

3 LAUNCH TRAMPOLINE PARK S a 24 Walden Drive, Arden 828-651-0280 • launchasheville.com

PLACE TO MAKE ART 1 FIRED UP! CREATIVE LOUNGE D x 26 Wall St., Asheville 828-253-8181 • fireduplounge.com

2 CLAYING AROUND S 1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-277-0042 • clayingaround.com

PARENTS NIGHT OUT PROGRAM 1 ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS W x

1009 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-505-4309 • martialartsasheville.com

2 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY MOVEMENT R 812 Riverside Drive, Asheville 828-254-6060 • avl.mx/3sh

3 YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA D N S W E a 828-210-9622 • ymcawnc.org

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY 1 BROTHER WOLF ANIMAL RESCUE S x 31 Glendale Ave., Asheville 828-505-3440 • bwar.org

2 MANNA FOODBANK E 627 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville 828-299-3663 • mannafoodbank.org

48

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

DAYCARE 1 SHALOM CHILDREN’S CENTER (ASHEVILLE JCC) N x 236 Charlotte St., Asheville 828-253-0701 • jcc-asheville.org

2 CHILDREN’S CENTER AT GRACELYN N 789 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-253-0542 • childrenscenteratgracelyn.com

3 VERNER CENTER FOR EARLY LEARNING E 2586 Riceville Road, Asheville 828-298-0808 • vernerearlylearning.org

PRESCHOOL 1 SHALOM CHILDREN’S CENTER (ASHEVILLE JCC) N 236 Charlotte St., Asheville 828-253-0701 • jcc-asheville.org

2 RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL W 574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-258-9264 • rainbowcommunityschool.org

3 AZALEA MOUNTAIN SCHOOL W 27 Balm Grove Ave., Asheville 828-575-2557 • azaleamountain.org

SCHOOL (PRE-COLLEGE) 1 ARTSPACE CHARTER SCHOOL E a 2030 U.S. Highway 70, Swannanoa 828-298-2787 • artspacecharter.org

2 RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL W 574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-258-9264 • rainbowcommunityschool.org

3 AZALEA MOUNTAIN SCHOOL W 27 Balm Grove Ave., Asheville 828-575-2557 • azaleamountain.org

ART EDUCATION PROGRAM 1 ARTSPACE CHARTER SCHOOL E a 2030 U.S. Highway 70, Swannanoa 828-298-2787 • artspacecharter.org

2 RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL W 574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-258-9264 • rainbowcommunityschool.org

3 ROOTS + WINGS SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN E 573 Fairview Road, Asheville 828-545-4827 • rootsandwingsarts.com

DANCE STUDIO FOR KIDS 1 THE ACADEMY AT TERPSICORPS PETITE MUSE STORY BALLET CAMPS W 1501 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-761-1277 • terpsicorps.org

2 BALLET CONSERVATORY OF ASHEVILLE D 6 E. Chestnut St., Asheville 828-255-5777 • avl.mx/3sl

Thank You!!!

du ncanand york.com 33 N. Lexington Ave. – 828.575.2441 | 4 South Tunnel Rd. – 828.575.2590

Asheville, we P you!

THANKS FOR VOTING FOR US! Mention this ad, enroll in our 2018-2019 season and your first class is free!

828-667-9588 • www.tlgashevillenc.com 1000 Brevard Road, Ste 168 Asheville, NC 28806 MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

49

HardLox

BEST OF KIDS

Asheville’s Jewish Food & Heritage Festival Thank you WNC for voting us first place food festival!

Join us again this year on Sunday, October 14, 2018 in downtown Asheville

www.hardloxjewishfestival.org

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

THE ACADEMY AT TERPSICORPS PETITE MUSE BALLET CAMPS: Best Dance Studio for Kids

Many thanks to all who voted for Bounty & Soul!

On behalf of more than 700 members of the community who come to us every week for wellness lessons and healthy food access, we appreciate your support.

GYMNASTICS PROGRAM 1 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY MOVEMENT R x 812 Riverside Drive, Asheville 828-254-6060 • avl.mx/3sh

2 ASHEVILLE GYMNASTICS E 130 Swannanoa Road, Asheville 828-252-8746 • ashevillegymnastics.com

3 THE LITTLE GYM OF ASHEVILLE W 1000 Brevard Road, Suite 168, Asheville 828-667-9588 • tlgashevillenc.com

MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM

First Place: Local Cause To Support, Regional: Swannanoa & Black Mountain www.bountyandsoul.org

50

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

1 ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS W

1009 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-505-4309 • martialartsasheville.com

2 ASHEVILLE BUNCOMBE YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION E 593 Azalea Road E., Asheville 828-299-7277 • abysa.org

2 YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA D N S W E a 30 Woodfin St., Asheville 828-210-9622 40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-505-3990 • ymcawnc.org

MUSIC TEACHER (CLASSROOM)

1 ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS W x

1 MEG BOERNER (ARTSPACE CHARTER SCHOOL) E a

2 BUDO MOUNTAIN MARTIAL ARTS N

1 SUE FORD (RAINBOW COMMUNITY SCHOOL) W x

1009 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-505-4309 • martialartsasheville.com

640 Merrimon Ave., Suite 207, Asheville 828-280-0624 • BudoMountain.com/Camp

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM

2030 U.S. Highway 70, Swannanoa 828-298-2787 • artspacecharter.org

574 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-258-9264 • rainbowcommunityschool.org

THANK YOU for VOTING US #1

National 2014 Practice of the Year, Gentle 24 Hour Nursing Care, Advanced & Accurate Dental Care, Gold Standard Feline Practice, Minimally Invasive Laparoscopic Surgery, Soft Tissue and Orthopedic Surgery, Endoscopy, Ultrasound, Echocardiograms, Digital X-Ray, Video Ear Diagnostics, Advanced Pain Control Unsurpassed in Caring • State-of-the-Art Affordable • Serving all WNC • Extended Hours

1 Beaverdam Road at Merrimon Ave. • 828-253-3393 ahna.net • Join us on Facebook MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

51

BEST OF KIDS

continued

LOCAL, NATURAL, NEW, CONSIGNMENT.

Thank you for voting us the Best Kids Clothing Store!

Back to school sale is going on now

Enjoy 50% off consignment clothing and 25% off new clothing

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

GREAT BEGINNINGS PEDIATRIC & ORTHADONTIC DENTAL SPECIALISTS: Best Pediatric Dentistry Practice

647 Haywood Rd. ~ West Asheville 253-4747 ~ thelittlestbirds.com

KIDS’ CLOTHES 1 THE LITTLEST BIRDS W 647 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-253-4747 • thelittlestbirds.com

NATURE CAMP 1 WNC NATURE CENTER E 75 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville 828-259-8080 • wncnaturecenter.com

2 THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM W TOY STORE 1 DANCING BEAR TOYS E S a x 518 Kenilworth Road, Asheville 828-255-8697 418 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-693-4500 • dancingbeartoys.com

1

#

2 THE TOY BOX N 793 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-254-8697 • toyboxasheville.com

ICE CREAM

3 O.P. TAYLOR’S S a 2 Town Square Blvd., Asheville 828-681-1865 • optaylors.com

DAY CAMP 1 ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS W 1009 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-505-4309 • martialartsasheville.com

2 CAMP RUACH AT THE ASHEVILLE JCC N 236 Charlotte St., Asheville 828-253-0701 • jcc-asheville.org

3 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY MOVEMENT R 812 Riverside Drive, Asheville 828-254-6060 • avl.mx/3sh

52

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville 828-665-2492 • ncarboretum.org

3 FOREST FLOOR WILDERNESS PROGRAMS N a

100 Charcoal Road, Weaverville 828-338-9787 • ontheforestfloor.org/summer-camps

PEDIATRIC PRACTICE - GENERAL 1 ABC PEDIATRICS OF ASHEVILLE S x 64 Peachtree Road, Suite 100, Asheville 828-277-3000 • abcasheville.com

2 MOUNTAIN AREA PEDIATRICS E 500 Centrepark Drive, Asheville 828-254-4337 • mountainareapediatrics.com

3 ASHEVILLE PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES S 2 Medical Park Drive, Suite 1000, Asheville 828-254-5326 • ashevillepediatrics.com

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY PRACTICE 1 GREAT BEGINNINGS PEDIATRIC & ORTHODONTIC DENTAL SPECIALISTS S x

10-B Yorkshire St., Asheville 828-274-9220 • greatbeginningspedo.com

2 BEST BITES DENTAL S 11 Yorkshire St., Asheville 828-274-4744 • drjoshdentistry.com

3 DR. DENNIS R. CAMPBELL, DDS D 172 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-254-7291 • babytoothdoc.com

Thanks for voting us Best Toy Store for over 20 years!

Asheville & Hendersonville

Awarded Best Toy Store, USA, 2018 by ASTRA

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

53

HEALTH & WELLNESS PHYSICIAN (GENERAL PRACTICE) 1 MEREDITH POLANSKY (OUR FAMILY DOCTOR) S

43 Oakland Road, Asheville 828-252-2511 • ourfamilydoctorasheville.com

2 RUSTAN ADCOCK (THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS) D 206 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-258-8681 • fhconline.com

3 JASON GOLDIE (THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS) D 206 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-258-8681 • fhconline.com

PEDIATRICIAN 1 LAUREN KEELY CARLISLE (FRENCH BROAD PEDIATRICS) N 40 N. Merrimion Ave., Suite 117, Asheville 828-348-8232 • frenchbroadpeds.com

2 ELEANOR MARTIN (ASHEVILLE PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES) E 2 Medical Park Drive, Suite 1000, Asheville 828-254-5326 • ashevillepediatrics.com

2 SCOTT LOVE (ABC PEDIATRICS) S 64 Peachtree Road, Asheville 828-277-3000 • abcasheville.com

CHIROPRACTOR 1 DEREK KASTEN (ONE LOVE CHIROPRACTIC) N

PHOTO BY JOE PELLEGRINO

959 Merrimon Ave., Suite 201, Asheville 828-505-1584 • onelovechiropractic.com

2 J. ANYA HARRIS (CRYSTALIGN CHIROPRACTIC) N 36 Clayton St., Asheville 828-335-2208 • crystalignchiropractic.com

Health-seekers

3 BRENT MYERS (MYERS CHIROPRACTIC AND FUNCTIONAL HEALTH) S 3106 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville 828-676-0963 • bmyerschiro.com

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

54

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

ALCHEMY: TEAROOM, APOTHECARY, ACUPUNCTURE: Best Alternative Healing Center, Best Acupuncture Clinic have long flocked to the Asheville area.

The pure mountain air that drew the tuberculosis patients of yesteryear continues to delight the wellnessfocused residents and visitors of today, along with a prodigious array of services and practitioners to help them lead a healthy life.

Xpress readers indicated this year that they visit a fitness establishment (such as a health club, gym or yoga or Pilates studio) an average of 6.7 times a month — nearly as often as they say they indulge in a locally produced beer or cider! And according to this year’s Best of WNC voters, the YMCA of Western North Carolina continues to be the best gym or place to work

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

out, having remained atop the podium every year since 1999 (except for 2003 when the category wasn’t on the ballot)! What’s more, Gym Or Place To Work Out is one of the most heavily voted categories in the section.

For those who like to follow a more specialized exercise regimen, Asheville Community Yoga, Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, Hard Exercise Works and RISE Authentic Pilates all scored top rankings in their areas of expertise. And hats off to RISE, which just entered the Hall of Fame this year.

Should you pull a muscle while sweating it out at the gym, physical therapist Miriam Salloum, The Runner’s Mechanic, is our readers’

top choice for getting back in the game. If massage is more your speed, our readers endorse Darren Cadwell of PHYSIO Physical Therapy and Wellness as their No. 1 pick.

Health care giant and Hall of Fame winner Mission Health remains readers’ top choice for hospital services for the sixth year running.

If the institution’s proposed merger with for-profit health care giant HCA Healthcare goes through later in 2018, next year’s Best Of WNC results may provide a clue about how that transaction is panning out for area patients and their families.

— Virginia Daffron X

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

55

BEST OF HEALTH & WELLNESS

PHOTO BY CINDY KUNST

CAREPARTNERS: Best Hospice

ACUPUNCTURIST 1 LIZ ROSEMAN (SUSTAINABLE HEALTH ACUPUNCTURE) N x

1 ASHEVILLE EYE ASSOCIATES S x

2 SALLY ROBINSON (WHITE PINE ACUPUNCTURE) N

2 ENVISION EYECARE N

36 Clayton St., Asheville 828-333-4614 • Acupuncture-in-Asheville.com

247 Charlotte St., Suite R3, Asheville 828-545-2288 • whitepineacupuncture.com

3 SARA MILLS (ACUPUNCTURE CENTER OF ASHEVILLE) N 12 Elk Mountain Road, Asheville 828-232-1002 • acupuncturecenterofasheville.com

HOSPITAL 1 MISSION HEALTH D x

509 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-213-1111 • mission-health.org

2 PARK RIDGE HOSPITAL S a 100 Hospital Drive, Hendersonville 828-684-8501 • parkridgehealth.org

3 PARDEE HOSPITAL S a 800 N. Justice St., Hendersonville 828-696-1000 • pardeehospital.org

PLACE TO GET MEDICAL CARE WHEN UNDER- OR UNINSURED 1 MINNIE JONES HEALTH CENTER/ WESTERN CAROLINA COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES D 257 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-285-0622 • wncchs.org

2 MISSION HEALTH D 509 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-213-1111 • mission-health.org

3 INTEGRATIVE FAMILY MEDICINE OF ASHEVILLE R 372 Depot St., Suite 10, Asheville 828-575-9600 • integrativeasheville.org

56

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

EYE CARE SPECIALIST/SERVICE 8 Medical Park Drive, Asheville 828-258-1586 2001 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-258-1586 • ashevilleeye.com

181 Charlotte St., Asheville 828-254-6757 • myenvisioneyecare.com

3 TUNNEL VISION E 4 S. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-298-6500 • tunnelvisionasheville.com

DENTIST 1 TIMOTHY E. GILLESPIE D x 36 Orange St., Asheville 828-252-9351 • drtimgillespie.com

2 MARK A. KNOLLMAN, DDS, PA E 600-B Centrepark Drive, Asheville 828-254-5677 • drknollman.com

3 MARKS FAMILY DENTISTRY N 94 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-255-8447 • northashevilledentist.com

ORTHODONTIST 1 KEITH BLACK (BLACK ORTHODONTICS) S 5 Yorkshire St., Asheville 828-277-7103 • kblacksmiles.com

2 JEFFREY ROEDER (ROEDER ORTHODONTICS) S 22 Medical Park Drive, Suite C, Asheville 828-274-2500 • roederorthodontics.com

3 TIMOTHY SCANLAN (TS ORTHODONTICS) S 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, #110, Asheville 828-263-4514 • tsorthodontics.com

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

57

BEST OF HEALTH & WELLNESS

Our Mission is Your Vision

Thank You WNC!

Asheville Eye Associates thanks Mountain Xpress readers for voting us Best Eye Care Specialist!

Serving the communities of

Asheville, South Asheville, Hendersonville, Sylva, Franklin, Hayesville, and Boone NC

Ashevilleeye.com | (828)258-1586 PHOTO BY EVAN ANDERSON

DARREN CADWELL (PHYSIO PHYSICAL THERAPY AND WELLNESS): Best Massage Therapist PHYSICAL THERAPIST 1 MIRIAM SALLOUM (THE RUNNER’S MECHANIC) S 1977 Hendersonville Road, Suite 1, Asheville 828-713-0929 • therunnersmechanic.com

2 KATHERINE HENDRICK (PHYSIO PHYSICAL THERAPY AND WELLNESS) N 640 Merrimon Ave., Suite 107, Asheville 828-348-1780 • PhysioWNC.com

3 PHIL ROLFE (BODY LOGIC INTEGRATIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY) N a

2 Weaverville Road, Suite 101, Woodfin 828-424-9290 • bodylogicnc.com

MASSAGE THERAPIST 1 DARREN CADWELL (PHYSIO PHYSICAL THERAPY AND WELLNESS) N 640 Merrimon Ave., Suite 107, Asheville 828-348-1780 • PhysioWNC.com

2 ZACH COMER (ADVANCED PAIN RELIEF THERAPY) N 191 E. Chestnut St., Asheville 828-776-1392 • medicalmassageasheville.com

3 ERIN BROWN (SYNC BODYWORK) N

202 E. Chestnut St., Asheville 828-785-1771 • syncbodywork.com

58

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE 1 THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS D 206 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-258-8681 • fhconline.com

2 OUR FAMILY DOCTOR D 43 Oakland Road, Asheville 828-252-2511 • ourfamilydoctorasheville.com

3 COMMUNITY FAMILY PRACTICE N 260 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-254-2444 • communityfamilyonline.com

WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTER 1 ASHEVILLE WOMEN’S MEDICAL CENTER D S a x 143 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-258-9191 310 Long Shoals Road, Suite 202, Arden 828-687-2955 • ashevillewomens.com

2 MAHEC OB/GYN SPECIALISTS S 119 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-771-5500 • avl.mx/3uj

2 PLANNED PARENTHOOD: ASHEVILLE HEALTH CENTER D 68 McDowell St., Asheville 828-252-7928 • avl.mx/3va

3 LAUREL OB/GYN D 41 Oakland Road, Suite 200, Asheville 828-253-5381 • laurelobgyn.com

“Improving the function of your body”

THANK YOU

to ALL of our patients for voting us one of the BEST CHIROPRACTORS in WNC for 8 years in a row!!

Focusing on Chiropractic Sports Medicine & Manual Therapy to improve performance and your overall quality of life. Targeted patient specific rehabilitation and soft tissue techniques to enhance your movement and eliminate your pain and dysfunction.

3106 Sweeten Creek Rd., Suite E Asheville, NC 28803

828-676-0963 www.bmyerschiro.com

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

59

BEST OF HEALTH & WELLNESS MATERNITY CARE/SERVICE 1 ASHEVILLE WOMEN’S MEDICAL CENTER D S a x

Thank you for voting me the

1 Physical Therapy #

Clinic in Asheville!

143 Asheland Ave., Asheville 828-258-9191 310 Long Shoals Road, Suite 202, Arden 828-687-2955 • ashevillewomens.com

2 BILTMORE OB-GYN S 24 Medical Park Drive, Asheville 828-277-7727 • biltmoreob-gyn.com

3 MAHEC OB/GYN SPECIALISTS S 119 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-771-5500 • avl.mx/3uj

ALTERNATIVE HEALING CENTER 1 ALCHEMY: TEAROOM, APOTHECARY, ACUPUNCTURE D 62 Clayton St., Asheville 828-575-9419 • alchemyasheville.com

ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC

1977 Hendersonville Rd Suite 1 To schedule or contact simply go to www.therunnersmechanic.com

1 ALCHEMY: TEAROOM, APOTHECARY, ACUPUNCTURE D 62 Clayton St., Asheville 828-575-9419 • alchemyasheville.com

2 THE PEOPLE’S ACUPUNCTURE OF ASHEVILLE D 55 Grove St., Asheville 828-254-4098 • peoplesacupunctureavl.com

3 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE W 378 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-777-8804 • communityacupuncture.com

PSYCHOLOGIST/COUNSELOR 1 JAMES COLVIN MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST (BALANCE U) N 16 Arlington St., Asheville 828-424-7941 • jamesccolvin.com

HOSPICE

Celebrating over 40 years of Excellence in Women’s Health Care

1 CAREPARTNERS S x

68 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville 828-277-4800 • carepartners.org

2 FOUR SEASONS COMPASSION FOR LIFE D 571 S. Allen Road, Asheville 828-692-6178 • fourseasonscfl.org

MORTUARY/FUNERAL SERVICES

FIRST PLACE: • Women’s Health Center • Maternity Care/Service (828) 258-9191 • www.ashevillewomens.com 60

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

1 GROCE FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE W E S a x 1401 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-252-3535 856 Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-299-4416 72 Long Shoals Road, Arden 828-687-3530 • grocefuneralhome.com

YOGA STUDIO 1 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY YOGA N x 8 Brookdale Road, Asheville 828-255-5575 • ashevillecommunityyoga.com

2 ASHEVILLE YOGA CENTER D 211 S. Liberty St., Asheville 828-254-0380 • youryoga.com

3 HOT YOGA ASHEVILLE E 802 Fairview Road, Suite 100, Asheville 828-299-7003 • hotyogaasheville.com

YOGA TEACHER 1 MICHAEL GREENFIELD (ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY YOGA) N 8 Brookdale Road, Asheville 828-255-5575 • ashevillecommunityyoga.com

2 KELLY GILMORE (ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY YOGA) N 8 Brookdale Road, Asheville 828-255-5575 • ashevillecommunityyoga.com

3 ADI WESTERMAN (HOT YOGA ASHEVILLE) E 802 Fairview Road, #100, Asheville 828-299-7003 • hotyogaasheville.com

PLACE TO CENTER YOURSELF 1 ASHEVILLE COMMUNITY YOGA N 8 Brookdale Road, Asheville 828-255-5575 • ashevillecommunityyoga.com

PHYSICAL TRAINER 1 LUKE KIMLINGER (HARD EXERCISE WORKS) S 1636 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-575-2556 • avl.mx/2to

2 MEAGAN KOEHLER (RISE: AUTHENTIC PILATES) D 60 Biltmore Ave., Suite 2, Asheville 828-575-9500 • riseasheville.com

GYM OR PLACE TO WORK OUT 1 YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA D N S W E a x 30 Woodfin St., Asheville 828-210-9622 40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-575-2940 31 Westridge Market Place, Candler 828-575-2940 • ymcawnc.org

2 HARD EXERCISE WORKS S 1636 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-575-2556 • avl.mx/2to

3 GOLD’S GYM W 1047 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-398-1430 • goldsgym.com

Thank you again Asheville for voting us ❤

#1 ALTERNATIVE HEALING CENTER

#1 ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC

62 Clayton St, Avl NC 28801 828.575.9419 alchemyasheville.com

Kim’s

Oriental Market Thanks for voting us #1 5 Regent Park Blvd.

Asheville, NC 28806 828-254-7235

JAMES COLVIN

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Holistic Therapy for Individuals & Couples

THANK YOU for your votes ASHEVILLE!

#1 Psychologist/Counselor Check out video interview & radio podcasts on website!

16 Arlington Street, Asheville, NC 28801 828-424-7941 colvin3@gmail.com • JamesCColvin.com MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

61

BEST OF HEALTH & WELLNESS FITNESS STUDIO WITH CLASSES 1 HARD EXERCISE WORKS S 1636 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-575-2556 • avl.mx/2to

2 YMCA OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA D N S W E a 30 Woodfin St., Asheville 828-210-9622 40 N. Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-505-3990 • ymcawnc.org

3 SOUNDBARRE S 900 Hendersonville Road, Suite 101-B, Asheville 828-279-9777 • SoundbarreAsh.com

:: 20 ever-rotating tap selections :: :: extensive bottle selection of craft beers, wines, meads, sakes, and ciders :: Mon. - Thur.: 2pm - 10pm Fri. & Sat.: Noon - Midnight Sunday: Noon - 10pm 507 Haywood Road, W. Asheville 828-575-9888

TheWhaleAVL.com

62

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

PILATES STUDIO/ CENTER/CLASSES 1 RISE: AUTHENTIC PILATES D x 60 Biltmore Ave., Suite 2, Asheville 828-575-9500 • riseasheville.com

2 CLUB PILATES S 28 Schenck Parkway, #155, Asheville 828-318-8800 • clubpilates.com

3 CLASIQUE ACUPUNCTURE AND PILATES STUDIO D 50 McCormick Place, Asheville 828-333-5053 • studioclasique.com

MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO 1 ASHEVILLE SUN SOO MARTIAL ARTS W x 1009 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-505-4309 • martialartsasheville.com

2 BUDO MOUNTAIN MARTIAL ARTS N 640 Merrimon Ave., Suite 207, Asheville 828-280-0624 • BudoMountain.com/Camp

PLACE TO BUY SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS & HERBS 1 EARTH FARE W S 66 Westgate Parkway, Asheville 828-253-7656 1856 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-210-0100 • EarthFare.com

2 FRENCH BROAD FOOD CO-OP D 90 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-255-7650 • frenchbroadfood.coop

3 NATURE’S VITAMINS AND HERBS S 752 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-251-0094 • naturesvitaminsandherbs.com

#1 Acupuncturist

Liz Roseman

“Thank you for voting me #1 Acupuncturist for the fifth year.

It’s a great honor!”

Specializing in: Women's Health Fertility Struggles Emotional Issues Insomnia Digestive Issues Pain Sustainable Health Acupuncture 828-333-4614 • 36 Clayton St, Asheville, NC 28801

www.acupuncture-in-asheville.com liz@acupuncture-in-asheville.com

828.254.5677

600-B Centrepark Drive, Asheville, NC MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

63

Thank you for voting for us one of the best for 6 years in a row!

PMS 632

BE

PMS 3165 PMS 628

ST OF

14

20 WNC

Sunshine Window Cleaning

Green Bee House Cleaning

828.281.0062 sunshinewindowgutter.com

828.450.0846 greenbeeclean.com

FREE !

EVENT

Presents

August 16th 5-9pm at

Featuring Live Music: Spaceman Jones & the Motherships Lyric • Peggy Ratusz • DJ Kipper Goodies: The Hop • French Broad Chocolate Lounge • Buchi & More Special Guests: LAZOOM • local nonprofits • many more!

12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville, NC 64

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

65

UNIQUELY ASHEVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD 1 WEST ASHEVILLE x 2 MONTFORD • montford.org

3 NORTH ASHEVILLE ACTIVIST GROUP FOR CIVIC/POLITICAL ACTION 1 INDIVISIBLE ASHEVILLE/WNC • indivisibleavl.org

2 MOUNTAINTRUE D 29 N. Market St., Suite 610, Asheville 828-258-8737 • mountaintrue.org

LOCAL ASHEVILLE ATTRACTION 1 BILTMORE ESTATE S x 1 Lodge St., Asheville 800-411-3812 • biltmore.com

2 LAZOOM TOURS D 76 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-225-6932 • lazoomtours.com

3 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY • blueridgeparkway.org

HISTORIC/INTERESTING BUILDING

PHOTO BY EVAN ANDERSON

1 BILTMORE ESTATE S

THE ODDITORIUM: Best Place To Take Your Eccentric Friends

1 Lodge St., Asheville 800-411-3812 • biltmore.com

Uniqueness

2 GROVE ARCADE D 1 Page Ave., Asheville 828-252-7799 • grovearcade.com

3 FLATIRON BUILDING D 20 Battery Park Ave., Asheville • flatironbuilding.org

Icon Key nORTH sOUTH �AST wEST dOWNTOWN AREA rIVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

66

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

alert! Something’s dragging us down. Xpress readers are growing more pessimistic about Asheville, with only 28 percent saying it’s getting better, according to this year’s poll — a number that dropped from 40 percent last year.

Asheville’s top-four threats, according Best of WNC voters, are: tourism, gentrification, hotels and traffic.

Sadly, our town has experienced corruption and police brutality of late. Sadder still, neither appears to be all that unique to Asheville. But, hey, our villains certainly are. While Carl Mumpower has earned the top spot with aplomb for the last four years (Congrats, buddy!), newcomers Wanda Greene and Christopher

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

Hickman are both actually in court (villainous gift cards for all!).

What’s to be done? First, and rather troubling, Best of WNC voters were far less forthcoming with solutions than complaints (more than four times, to be exact). But what the visionaries said most often was that we need more affordable housing.

Another option, supported by thousands of Xpress readers, is to volunteer at our local nonprofits (47 percent of those taking this year’s Xpress reader survey told us they had volunteered at a nonprofit in the past month).

But our town needs an array of unique tactics. In the morale-booster department, voters suggested that you

affix a “Keep Asheville Weird” sign to your car (Best Bumper Sticker or Slogan, for eight years running); book a ride on LaZoom Tours (Local Tour); and head over to The Odditorium, which earned its top rank for the first time (Place To Take Your Eccentric Friends), knocking off last year’s winner, Downtown, which didn’t even place third this year.

Or maybe remember to stop and smell the roses every now and then, whether they come from the Botanical Garden (Place To Connect With Nature), from Flora (Florist), during a visit to the Biltmore Estate (Historic/Interesting Building) or one of Asheville’s plethora of unique sites and smells.

—Thomas Calder X

We are grateful for your votes!

We are Honored to be #1!

Thank you for helping us sort over 1 million TONS of solid waste since 2009!

EATNEO.com West Asheville

1341 Parkwood Rd.

828-772-9602

East Asheville

4 South Tunnel Rd. #750

828-772-9619

Use this ad for buy one get one FREE or 20.00 off any catering!

Biltmore Park

2 Town Square Blvd.

828-676-2066

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

Greenville

1268 Pendleton St.

864-552-1054 BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

67

BEST OF UNIQUELY ASHEVILLE

We love you Asheville!

Thank you for voting us #1 Diner/Home-Style #1 Local-Food Emphasis and for our 6 other wins!

North 371 Merrimon Ave (828) 232-4340

West 219 Amboy Rd (828) 793-0031

PHOTO BY THOMAS CALDER

ESTHER MANHEIMER: Best Local Politician LOCAL FUNDRAISING EVENT 1 BLUE JEAN BALL (MANNA FOODBANK) 828-299-3663 • events.mannafoodbank.org

1 DINING OUT FOR LIFE (WNCAP)

828-252-7489 • diningoutforlife.com/asheville

BUMPER STICKER OR SLOGAN ABOUT ASHEVILLE 1 KEEP ASHEVILLE WEIRD x 2 CESSPOOL OF SIN 3 ASHEVILLE CAT WEIRDOS HOLIDAY EVENT 1 ASHEVILLE HOLIDAY PARADE D • ashevilledowntown.org/holidays

2 WINTER LIGHTS AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM W 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville 828-665-2492 • ncarboretum.org

3 CHRISTMAS AT BILTMORE ESTATE S 1 Lodge St., Asheville 800-411-3812 • biltmore.com

LOCAL VILLAIN 1 CARL MUMPOWER (BUNCOMBE COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN) x

NONPROFIT THAT IMPROVES ASHEVILLE 1 ASHEVILLE AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY S 33 Meadow Road, Asheville 828-251-5702 • ashevillehabitat.org

2 ASHEVILLE GREENWORKS W 2 Sulphur Springs Road, Asheville 828-254-1776 • ashevillegreenworks.org

3 MANNA FOODBANK E 627 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville 828-299-3663 • mannafoodbank.org

NONPROFIT THAT SERVES THE UNDERPRIVILEGED 1 MANNA FOODBANK E 627 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville 828-299-3663 • mannafoodbank.org

2 BELOVED ASHEVILLE D 39 Grove St., Asheville 828-242-8261 • belovedasheville.com

3 ASHEVILLE BUNCOMBE COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN MINISTRY W 20 Twentieth St., Asheville 828-259-5300 • abccm.org

• drmumpower.com LOCAL CITY TOUR 2 WANDA GREENE (FORMER BUNCOMBE COUNTY MANAGER) 1 LAZOOM TOURS D x 76 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 3 CHRISTOPHER HICKMAN 828-225-6932 • lazoomtours.com (FORMER APD OFFICER) 2 GRAY LINE TROLLEY TOURS OF ASHEVILLE D LOCAL POLITICIAN

1 ESTHER MANHEIMER 828-259-5600 • avl.mx/558

2 TERRY VAN DUYN

919-715-3001 • votevanduyn.com

68

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

36 Montford Ave., Asheville 828-251-8687 • graylineasheville.com

3 HOOD HUGGERS HOOD TOURS S 21 Mardell Circle, Asheville 828-275-5305 • hoodhuggers.com

continued

Best Thing to Happen To Asheville In The Last 12 Months

Worst Thing To Happen To Asheville In The Last 12 Months

These word clouds are created by combining key words from the write-in answers from the survey.

The more people who gave an answer, the bigger the words appears.

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

69

BEST OF UNIQUELY ASHEVILLE

Thank you Asheville for recommending us to host your visitors! – The Windsor team

announce your win with an official

PHOTO BY ABLE ALLEN

BOTANICAL GARDENS: Best Place to Connect With Nature Within Asheville City Limits

AWARD PLAQUE

PLACE TO CONNECT WITH NATURE WITHIN ASHEVILLE CITY LIMITS

8.5” x 11”

HIGH QUALITY MOUNT

1 BOTANICAL GARDENS N

$60 + SHIPPING

Only available at Mountainxpress.newskeepsake.com

151 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville 828-252-5190 • ashevillebotanicalgardens.org

2 WNC NATURE CENTER E

75 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville 828-259-8080 • wncnaturecenter.com

3 BEAVER LAKE N

1100 Merrimon Ave., Asheville

PLACE TO GET MARRIED 1 BILTMORE ESTATE S x 1 Lodge St., Asheville 800-411-3812 • biltmore.com

2 THE NORTH CAROLINA ARBORETUM W 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville 828-665-2492 • ncarboretum.org

3 HAIKU I DO S

26 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville 828-412-3939 • haikuido.com

PLACE TO TAKE YOUR ECCENTRIC FRIENDS 1 THE ODDITORIUM W

1045 Haywood Road, Asheville 828-575-9299 • ashevilleodditorium.com

2 DRUM CIRCLE AT PRITCHARD PARK D 67 Patton Ave., Asheville • avl.mx/559

3 LAZOOM TOUR D

76 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-225-6932 • lazoomtours.com

HOTEL 1 OMNI GROVE PARK INN N x 290 Macon Ave., Asheville 800-438-5800 • omnigroveparkinn.com

2 ALOFT ASHEVILLE DOWNTOWN D 51 Biltmore Ave., Asheville 828-232-2838 • aloftashevilledowntown.com

3 GRAND BOHEMIAN HOTEL S

11 Boston Way, Asheville 828-505-2949 • bohemianhotelasheville.com

70

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

B&B OR SMALL BOUTIQUE HOTEL 1 THE WINDSOR BOUTIQUE HOTEL D 36 Broadway, Asheville 844-494-6376 • windsorasheville.com

2 PRINCESS ANNE HOTEL N 301 E. Chestnut St., Asheville 828-258-0986 • princessannehotel.com

BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO ASHEVILLE IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS 1 INDICTMENT OF WANDA GREENE WORST THING TO HAPPEN TO ASHEVILLE IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS 1 POLICE BRUTALITY 2 MORE HOTELS 3 INCREASE IN TRAFFIC BIGGEST THREAT TO ASHEVILLE’S UNIQUENESS 1 HOTELS 2 TOURISM 3 BIG-BOX/CHAIN STORES & RESTAURANTS BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR ASHEVILLE’S UNIQUENESS 1 THE LOCAL ECONOMY MOVEMENT 2 SUPPORTING THE ARTS SCENE 3 AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEST STREET FOR A STROLL 1 LEXINGTON AVENUE 2 WALL STREET 3 HAYWOOD ROAD (WEST ASHEVILLE)

continued

Biggest Opportunity For Asheville's Uniqueness

Biggest Threat To Asheville's Uniqueness

These word clouds are created by combining key words from the write-in answers from the survey.

The more people who gave an answer, the bigger the words appears.

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

71

FREE !

EVENT

Presents

August 16th 5-9pm at

BEST OF UNIQUELY ASHEVILLE THING DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE NEEDS 1 PARKING, ESPECIALLY MORE AFFORDABLE OR FREE PARKING 2 AFFORDABLE HOUSING 2 BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE

THING WEST ASHEVILLE NEEDS 1 PARKING 3 AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Goodies: The Hop • French Broad Chocolate Lounge • Buchi & More Special Guests: LAZOOM • local nonprofits • many more!

THING SOUTH ASHEVILLE NEEDS 1 TRAFFIC CONTROL 2 AFFORDABLE HOUSING 3 BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE 3 SIDEWALKS

1 MORE RESTAURANT OPTIONS 2 SIDEWALKS 3 AFFORDABLE HOUSING THING THE RIVER ARTS DISTRICT NEEDS

2 BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Live Music: Spaceman Jones & the Motherships Lyric • Peggy Ratusz • DJ Kipper

1 MORE RESTAURANT OPTIONS 2 AFFORDABLE HOUSING 2 BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE 3 SIDEWALKS 3 BETTER TRAFFIC FLOW THING EAST ASHEVILLE NEEDS

3 GREEN SPACE

Featuring

THING NORTH ASHEVILLE NEEDS

1 MORE RESTAURANT OPTIONS 2 AFFORDABLE HOUSING 3 SIDEWALKS PROJECT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE GOVERNMENT DO 1 AFFORDABLE HOUSING 2 BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE 2 SIDEWALKS 3 GREENWAYS

12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Asheville, NC

60 Biltmore Avenue 828-252-4426 88 Charlotte Street 828-254-4289

citybakery.net

Thank you, Asheville!

y r e k a #1 B (Bread)

72

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

Consistently Voted One of the Best Italian Restaurants

stradaasheville.com 27 Broadway, Downtown AVL

Thank you, Asheville!

1 st Place Pub Grub 1 st Place Neighborhood Bar - West 10:30am-2am, 7 days a week• Food 10:30am–1am (Brunch, Lunch & Dinner) 777 Haywood Road Asheville • www.westvillepub.com • 225-WPUB

Thanks for supporting us!

Come see us next door at

Live Music.

Rooftop Views.

Craft Cocktails.

Late Night Bites.

AT

Asheville’s Original Cocktail Bar www.socialloungeasheville.com 29 Broadway, Downtown AVL MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

73

SMALL TOWNS

Burnsville BREAKFAST RESTAURANT 1 APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE 8 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-0120 • appalachianjavaburnsville.com

2 PIG & GRITS 620 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-536-0010 • pigandgrits.com

LUNCH RESTAURANT 1 APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE 8 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-0120 • appalachianjavaburnsville.com

2 PIG & GRITS 620 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-536-0010 • pigandgrits.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE

DINNER RESTAURANT 1 APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE 8 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-0120 • appalachianjavaburnsville.com

2 SNAP DRAGON BAR & GRILL 107 Town Square, Burnsville 828-682-3946 • garden-deli.com

COFFEE & SWEETS 1 APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE 8 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-0120 • appalachianjavaburnsville.com

2 RESCUE DOG CAFE 240 E. Main St., Burnsville 828-536-5173

Icon Key x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)

74

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE: Best Breakfast Restaurant, Lunch Restaurant, Dinner Restaurant, Business That Best Represents The Spirit Of Burnsville, Coffee & Sweets (all in Burnsville)

Beyond

the hustle and bustle of WNC’s biggest city, with its sidewalks packed with tourists and roads clogged with traffic, the Best of WNC spirit is thriving and evolving. It can be found simply by taking the region’s outstanding roads less traveled, although you’ll find plenty of tourists and visitors there, too. Visitation to the regions around Asheville is booming, from daytrippers to overnighters, and it’s keeping WNC’s towns fairly buzzing with activity.

The creative, industrious movers and shakers of towns like Burnsville, Hendersonville, Flat Rock, Brevard, Cullowhee and Sylva haven’t been idle. According to Visit NC, the state’s tourism development wing, of the 14 million “person-trips” to the 23 westernmost counties in 2016, 91

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

percent came to the mountain region for pleasure. And visitors must be enjoying themselves because in 2016 (the most recent figures available), 65 percent of them visited three or more times in the three years prior; only 11 percent were first-time visitors.

Top activities included shopping, rural sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, seeing historic sites, fine dining and hiking.

There is so much to enjoy in WNC’s small towns that it can be tough to know where to start. So, herewith, we offer some key starting points. In the following pages are the combined views of people who know their towns best. Some of their favorite things may surprise you.

Some brand-new winners have emerged in this year’s results. In Burnsville, every first-place winner

changed from last year. And in the three other towns being covered this week, you’ll find new winners in the categories for Art Gallery, Breakfast Restaurant, Coffee & Sweets, Business That Best Represents The Spirit Of Your Town, and Retail Store.

While you’re perusing the listings, check out the winners of the three new regional categories this year: Local Cause To Support, Local Place To Enjoy The Outdoors and Local Bar/ Brewery/Watering Hole.

And last, please welcome this year’s new Hall of Fame winners: Flat Rock Playhouse (Music/Entertainment Venue-Hendersonville & Flat Rock) and The Coffee Shop (Breakfast Restaurant-Sylva & Cullowhee).

— Able Allen X

The Square rooT

SEPTEMBER 29th, 2018 NU WRAY INN

BURNSVILLE, NC

5pm-9pm $ 25

INFO & TICKETS AT HOMEPLACEBEER.COM AND THE TAPROOM ( 8 2 8 ) 536-5147

Much obliged to everyone who voted for Homeplace!

Come see us at No Place Like Homeplace Beer Fest on September 29th in Burnsville, just 40 minutes north of Asheville.

Info on our website www.homeplacebeer.com.

BREWERIES

ARCHETYPE BREWING, FONTA FLORA BREWERY, MICA TOWN BREWING CO., HILLMAN BEER, HI-WIRE BREWING, ZILLICOAH BEER CO., GINGER’S REVENGE, HABITAT BREWING CO., CATAWBA BREWERY, MAD CO. BREW HOUSE, TURGUA BREWING CO., ELUVIUM BREWERY, BLUE GHOST BREWERY

Brevard First Place - Lunch Restaurant First Place - Dinner Restaurant

MUSIC

NICK GONNERING CHRISTY LYNN BAND MOMMA MOLASSES

FOOD

HOG HOLLOW PIZZA STACKHOUSE RAD DAWGZ YE OLDE COUNTRY STORE

s q ua r e r o o t r e s ta u r a n t . c o m 33 TimeS arcade alley B r e va r d , N c 828.884.6171 MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

75

BEST OF SMALL TOWNS LOCAL BAR/BREWERY/ WATERING HOLE

BUSINESS THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF YOUR TOWN

1 HOMEPLACE BEER CO.

6 S. Main St., Area C, Burnsville 828-536-5147 • homeplacebeer.com

Burnsville

40

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT VENUE 1 BURNSVILLE TOWN CENTER

26

Hot Springs

1 APPALACHIAN JAVA & CAFE

25

8 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-0120 • appalachianjavaburnsville.com

Mars Hill

Marshall

CULTURAL OR ARTS EVENT

6 S. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-7209 • burnsvilletowncenter.com

Weaverville

1 TOE RIVER STUDIO TOUR

ART GALLERY

19E 19

Woodfin

828-682-7215 • toeriverarts.org

40

1 TOE RIVER ARTS COUNCIL GALLERY 102 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-7215 • toeriverarts.org

1 SOMETHING SPECIAL GIFT SHOP 12 W. Main St., Burnsville 828-682-9101 • avl.mx/55a

Swannanoa

LOCAL PLACE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS

RETAIL STORE

40

Waynesville

1 MT. MITCHELL STATE PARK

74

2388 NC-128, Burnsville 828-675-4611 • ncparks.gov/mount-mitchell-state-park

announce your win with an official

AWARD PLAQUE

Black Mountain

8.5” x 11” HIGH QUALITY MOUNT $60 + SHIPPING Only available at Mountainxpress. newskeepsake.com

Sylva

280

26

64

Cullowhee

Hendersonville Brevard

Flat Rock

64

Thanks to everyone who voted for us ~

#1

Best Coffee and Sweets in Burnsville Best Breakfast and Lunch Restaurant in Burnsville Business that best represents the Spirit of your Town

~ 8 West Main Street, Burnsville, NC 28714 828-682-0120 www.appalachianjavaburnsville.com

76

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

continued

Brevard BREAKFAST RESTAURANT 1 SUNRISE CAFE x

273 N. Broad St., Brevard 828-884-3331 • the-sunrise-cafe.com

2 CEDAR MOUNTAIN CAFE 10667 Greenville Highway, Cedar Mountain 828-884-5272 • cedarmountaincafe.com

“Proudly supporting your coffee habit since 1999.”

LUNCH RESTAURANT



1 THE SQUARE ROOT RESTAURANT x 33 Times Arcade Alley, Brevard 828-884-6171 • squarerootrestaurant.com

221 W. STATE STREET BLACK MOUNTAIN, NC 828.669.0999

2 MAYBERRY’S 30 W. Main St., Brevard 828-862-8646 • mayberrys.co

PHOTO BY SEYL PARK

3 MAGPIE MEAT &THREE 170 King St., Brevard 828-877-3773 • magpiemeatandthree.com

DINNER RESTAURANT 1 THE SQUARE ROOT RESTAURANT x 33 Times Arcade Alley, Brevard 828-884-6171 • squarerootrestaurant.com

2 MARCO TRATTORIA 204 W. Main St., Brevard 828-883-4841 • marcotrattoria.com

3 MAGPIE MEAT & THREE 170 King St., Brevard 828-877-3773 • magpiemeatandthree.com

COFFEE & SWEETS 1 BRACKEN MOUNTAIN BAKERY 42. S. Broad St., Brevard 828-883-4034 • brackenmountainbakery.weebly.com

2 APPALACHIAN COFFEE CO. 135 E. French Broad St., Brevard 828-884-8132 • appalachiancoffeecompany.com

2 BLUE RIDGE BAKERY 86 W. Main St., Brevard 828-883-8444 • blueridgebakery.com

2 DOLLY’S DAIRY BAR 128 Pisgah Highway, Pisgah Forest 828-862-6610

THE WHITE SQUIRREL FESTIVAL: Best Cultural Or Arts Event in Brevard

LOCAL BAR/BREWERY/ WATERING HOLE 1 OSKAR BLUES BREWERY

342 Mountain Industrial Drive, Brevard 828-883-2337 • oskarblues.com

2 BREVARD BREWING CO.

63 E. Main St., Brevard 828-885-2101 • brevard-brewing.com

3 ECUSTA BREWING

49 Pisgah Highway, Suite 3, Pisgah Forest 828-966-2337

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT VENUE 1 BREVARD MUSIC CENTER x 349 Andante Lane, Brevard 828-862-2100 • brevardmusic.org

2 PHOENIX AND THE FOX (CLOSED) 3 185 KING STREET 185 King St., Brevard 828-877-1850 • 185kingst.com

RETAIL STORE 1 O.P. TAYLOR’S

16 S. Broad St., Brevard 828-883-2309 • optaylors.com

2 DD BULLWINKEL’S OUTDOORS 60 E. Main St., Brevard 828-862-4700 • ddbullwinkels.com

BUSINESS THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF YOUR TOWN 1 WHITE SQUIRREL SHOPPE 2 W. Main St., Brevard 828-877-3530 • whitesquirrelshoppe.com

2 THE HUB AND PISGAH TAVERN 11 Mama’s Place, Pisgah Forest 828-884-8670 • thehubpisgah.com

CULTURAL OR ARTS EVENT 1 THE WHITE SQUIRREL FESTIVAL Main Street, Brevard 828-884-3278 • whitesquirrelfestival.com

2 BREVARD MUSIC CENTER SUMMER CONCERT SERIES 349 Andante Lane, Brevard 828-862-2100 • brevardmusic.org

LOCAL PLACE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS 1 PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST 2 DU PONT FOREST LOCAL CAUSE TO SUPPORT 1 FRIENDS FOR LIFE 405 Reid Siding Road, Lake Toxaway 828-508-2460 • friendsforlifeforeverfarm.org

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

77

BEST OF SMALL TOWNS

Hendersonville/ Flat Rock BREAKFAST RESTAURANT 1 HONEY AND SALT

LOCAL BAR/BREWERY/ WATERING HOLE 1 SANCTUARY BREWING CO.

2730 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock 828-676-8322 • honeyandsaltnc.com

2 HENDOUGH CHICKEN AND DONUTS 532 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville 828-595-2885 • hendough.com

147 First Ave. E., Hendersonville 828-595-9956 • sanctuarybrewco.com

2 SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY 822 Locust St., Hendersonville 828-684-1235 • sabrewery.com

3 FIRESIDE RESTAURANT

3 THE POE HOUSE

295 Sugarloaf Road, Hendersonville 828-697-1004 • firesidepancakeinn.com

105 First Ave. W., Hendersonville 828-696-1838 • thepoehouse.com

LUNCH RESTAURANT 1 WEST FIRST WOOD FIRED PIZZA x 101 First Ave. W., Hendersonville 828-693-1080 • Flatrockwoodfired.com

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT VENUE 1 FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE x

2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock 828-693-0731 • flatrockplayhouse.org

2 NEVER BLUE 119 S. Main St., Hendersonville 828-693-4646 • theneverblue.com

2 SANCTUARY BREWING CO. 147 First Ave. E., Hendersonville 828-595-9956 • sanctuarybrewco.com

3 DANDELION 127 Fifth Ave. W., Hendersonville 828-595-9365 • safelightfamily.org/dandelion.htm

3 UMI INC.

3 SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN BREWERY 822 Locust St., Hendersonville 828-684-1235 • sabrewery.com

633 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-698-8048 • umihendersonville.com

ART GALLERY

DINNER RESTAURANT 1 WEST FIRST WOOD FIRED PIZZA x

1 THE GALLERY AT FLAT ROCK 2702A Greenville Highway, Flat Rock 828-698-7000 • galleryflatrock.com

101 First Ave. W., Hendersonville 828-693-1080 • Flatrockwoodfired.com

RETAIL STORE 1 MAST GENERAL STORE

2 NEVER BLUE

527 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-696-1883 • mastgeneralstore.com

119 S. Main St., Hendersonville 828-693-4646 • theneverblue.com

2 DANCING BEAR TOYS

3 UMI INC.

418 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-255-8697 • dancingbeartoys.com

633 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-698-8048 • umihendersonville.com

BUSINESS THAT BEST REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF YOUR TOWN

COFFEE & SWEETS 1 BLACK BEAR COFFEE CO. 318 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-692-6333 • blackbear.coffee

1 SANCTUARY BREWING CO. 147 First Ave. E., Hendersonville 828-595-9956 • sanctuarybrewco.com

2 MCFARLAN BAKERY 309 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-693-4256 • mcfarlanbakery.com

2 MAST GENERAL STORE 527 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-696-1883 • mastgeneralstore.com

3 APPALACHIAN COFFEE CO. 1314 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville 828-595-2777 1628 Fifth Ave. W., Hendersonville 828-595-2200 • appalachiancoffeecompany.com

78

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

3 WOODLANDS GALLERY 419 N. Main St., Asheville 828-230-9080 • woodlandsgallerync.com

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAFELIGHT

SAFELIGHT: Best Local Cause to Support in Hendersonville/Flat Rock CULTURAL OR ARTS EVENT 1 NC APPLE FESTIVAL

318 N. Main St., Hendersonville 828-697-4557 • ncapplefestival.org

LOCAL PLACE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS

2 ART ON MAIN

1 CARL SANDBURG HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

3 FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE PLAYS

2 DUPONT STATE FOREST

306 Derby Lane, Hendersonville • avl.mx/3se 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock 828-693-0731 • flatrockplayhouse.org

3 RHYTHM & BREWS

Main Street between Caswell and Allen Streets, Hendersonville 828-233-3216 • downtownhendersonville.org/rb

1800 Little River Road, Flat Rock • nps.gov/carl

• ncforestservice.gov/contacts/dsf.htm

2 JUMP OFF ROCK 3 THE PARK AT FLAT ROCK • flatrockparkfoundation.org

CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL LANDMARK

LOCAL CAUSE TO SUPPORT

1 CARL SANDBURG HOME NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

1 SAFELIGHT

2 FLAT ROCK PLAYHOUSE

2 BROTHER WOLF HENDERSON COUNTY CHAPTER

1800 Little River Road, Flat Rock 828-693-4178 • nps.gov/carl

2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock 828-693-0731 • flatrockplayhouse.org

3 OLD HENDERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE

1 Historic Courthouse Square, Hendersonville • hendersoncountymuseum.com/ hchm/historic-courthouse

133 Fifth Ave. W., Hendersonville 828-693-3840 • safelightfamily.org

828-216-4731 • bwar.org/henderson

2 CONSERVING CAROLINA 847 Case St., Hendersonville 828-697-5777 • carolinamountain.org

continued

PHOTO BY PAGE CHRISTIE

MOTION MAKERS BICYCLE SHOP: Best Retail Store in Cullowhee/Sylva

Cullowhee / Sylva BREAKFAST RESTAURANT 1 CITY LIGHTS CAFE

3 E. Jackson St., Sylva 828-587-2233 • citylightscafe.com

1 THE COFFEE SHOP x 385 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-2013 • avl.mx/55c

LUNCH RESTAURANT 1 MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM

617 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-3555 • madbatterfoodfilm.com

2 LULU’S ON MAIN

612 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-8989 • lulusonmain.com

3 CITY LIGHTS CAFE

3 E. Jackson St., Sylva 828-587-2233 • citylightscafe.com

DINNER RESTAURANT 1 LULU’S ON MAIN x

612 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-8989 • lulusonmain.com

2 MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-3555 • madbatterfoodfilm.com

COFFEE & SWEETS 1 CITY LIGHTS CAFE 3 E. Jackson St., Sylva 828-587-2233 • citylightscafe.com

2 BAXLEY’S CHOCOLATES 546 W. Main St., Sylva 828-631-3379 • baxleyschocolates.com

LOCAL BAR/BREWERY/ WATERING HOLE 1 INNOVATION BREWING 414 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-9678 • innovationbrewing.com

2 THE CUT COCKTAIL LOUNGE 610 W. Main St., Sylva 828-631-4795 • avl.mx/55d

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT VENUE 1 MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main St., Sylva 828-586-3555 • madbatterfoodfilm.com

RETAIL STORE 1 MOTION MAKERS BICYCLE SHOP 36 Allen St., Sylva 828-586-6925 • motionmakers.com

CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL LANDMARK 1 HISTORIC JACKSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND LIBRARY 401 Grindstaff Cove Road, Sylva • avl.mx/560

MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES

AUG. 8 - 14, 2018

BEST OF WNC - PART ONE

79