February 2013 Rapid River Magazine by Rapid River Magazine

Interview with Steve Harder, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Charleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Manager PG 29

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Captivating performances at the Diana Wortham Theatre. PG 4

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Claying Around PG 10 | C.W. Worth House PG 19 | The Chocolate Bear PG 21 | SolA Salt Cave PG 22 | Charlotte Street Computers PG 32 Chip & Michelle review Broken City, Django Unchained, Gangster Squad, and Mama. Plus the 2013 Reel Takes Oscar Ballot!

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Voted Best Chocolate Shop in Western North Carolina 12 Consecutive Years! 2 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

performance

Folk Musician and Storyteller John McCutcheon

ohn McCutcheon performs music and storytelling both traditional and original that bears a profound mark of place, family, and strength. His accessible and conversational storytelling style has made him a favorite with audiences of all ages. From childhood musical beginnings with a mail-order guitar and a used book of chords, John McCutcheon is now a master of a dozen traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammered dulcimer.

BY JOHN

ELLIS

His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe, and his 30 recordings have garnered numerous honors including seven Grammy nominations. McCutcheon’s latest album This Land: Woody Guthrie’s America is a comprehensive tribute to an American icon featuring renditions of Guthrie songs. Joined by a cadre of the finest Americana musicians including Willie Nelson, Kathy Mattea, Tim O’Brien, Stuart Duncan, and Tommy Emmanuel, McCutcheon demonstrates his understanding of the legacy he is not only celebrating but also continuing.

IF YOU John McCutcheon, February 23, GO 8 p.m. Diana Wortham Theatre at

Pack Place. Ticket Prices: Regular $30; Students $25; Child $15. Student Rush $10. Info/Tickets: Box Office (828) 257-4530, or visit www.dwtheatre.com.

John McCutcheon Photo: Irene Young

Buy all three shows and save 10% off Regular ticket price

diana wortham theatre mainstage dance series

River North Dance Chicago

Photo: Eric Dufour

PILOBOLUS

tickets/info: dwtheatre.com

March 19 & 20

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana

February 21 & 22

March 8 & 9

828.257.4530

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 3

captivating performance Diana Wortham Theatre presents

Flamenco, Modern-Dance, Irish Music, and Bold, Theatrical Flair RIVER NORTH DANCE CHICAGO

BY JOHN

ELLIS

ombining athletic prowess and artistic perspective with bold, theatrical flair River North Dance Chicago performs its fresh take on contemporary jazz dance on Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9. River North Dance Chicago, led by Artistic Director Frank Chaves, aims for audiences to feel the complete spectrum of human emotions in a single evening, and to leave them feeling joyful and exhilarated at the end of each program. The Chicago

Imaginative, Award-Winning Pilobolus Dance Theatre Pilobolus Dance Theatre performs its breathtaking combination of humor and invention. Using everything from acrobatics to puppetry and shadow imagery, Pilobolus creates a metamorphosis on stage between physicality and illusion. Pilobolus’s jaw-dropping athleticism and startling mix of humor inspired the New York Post to refer to them as “the most popular modern dance company in the country.”

IF YOU GO: Pilobolus Dance Theatre, March 19 & 20 at Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place. Ticket Prices: Regular: $48; Student: $43; Child (ages 12 and under): $20. Student Rush day-of show (with valid I.D.) $10. Tickets/Info: (828) 257-4530 or online at www.dwtheatre.com.

FullSet performs February 28.

FULLSET – LIVE IRELAND’S “2012 NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR”

I River North Dance Chicago performs March 8 & 9. Photo: Erika Dufour

Sun-Times claimed “this is one sleek, confident, athletic, daring, versatile company.” Founded in 1989, River North Dance Chicago has established itself as one of Chicago’s leading dance companies, and one of the most popular national repertory companies, receiving critical acclaim in the U.S. and internationally. The company has toured throughout the United States, Colombia, Germany, Korea, Switzerland and Russia.

Powerful and Emotive River North Dance Chicago’s repertoire features core works by Frank Chaves that are augmented with an array of pieces by nationally and internationally renowned choreographers. Performed by highly skilled and emotive dancers, these pieces explore new types of dance to keep the mix new, but Chaves is careful never to let the company stray from its jazz roots. The company’s residency programs and outreach include Street Beat: Dance Through the Decades – a social history of the 20th Century through dance; classroom workshops, open rehearsals, and curtain talks. IF YOU River North Dance Chicago. GO Friday & Saturday, March 8 & 9 at

8 p.m. Ticket Prices: Regular: $40; Student: $35; Child $15. Student Rush day-of show (with valid I.D.) $10.

nnovative, yet true to its traditional Irish roots, FullSet performs its unique and stunning sound February 28 at 8 p.m. With formidable talent, FullSet explores its traditional Irish roots and infuses them with youthful verve. FullSet’s performance at Diana Wortham Theatre is presented in partnership with The Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College. FullSet’s debut album Notes At Liberty (2011) was met with critical praise, and earned the group a comparison to Irish music supergroups including Danú and Altan. To date FullSet has performed at various festivals and venues across Europe including the Kann al Loar folk festival in Landerneau, Brittany, and also the Festival Interceltique de Lorient. The band has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in folk and world music including Moya Brennan, Fred Morrison, Lúnasa, and Carlos Núnez. FullSet is comprised of six musicians at the top of their game. Janine Redmond (button accordion) has achieved numerous solo All-Ireland titles in accordion and melodeon. Seán McCarthy (uilleann pipes, whistles) has been awarded the All-Ireland uilleann pipes title on six separate occasions. Michael Harrison (fiddle) is a three-time All-Ireland fiddle champion. Eamonn Moloney (bodhrán) has performed with The Chieftains and Cathy Jordan. Andrew Meaney (guitar) is a primarily self-taught guitar player with a unique and powerful style. Teresa Horgan (vocals, flute) has performed in countries across the world. Together these talented individuals delight audiences worldwide.

IF YOU FullSet, February 28 at 8 p.m. GO Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack

Place. Ticket Prices: Regular $30; Students $25; Child $15. Student Rush day-of-the-show (with valid ID) $10.

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana performs February 21 & 22. Photo: Angelica Escoto

VIVID AND SIZZLING FLAMENCO VIVO CARLOTA SANTANA

n a fierce and eclectic evening of Spanish dance and music, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana provides passion and drama in its inspiring program La Pasión Flamenca at Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place on Thursday and Friday, February 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. Known for the purity of its work and the unique and creative way in which it has enriched the art of flamenco, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana conveys emotions that speak to everyone and transcend cultural boundaries. The company is internationally renowned, having performed in venues including Lincoln Center, The Joyce Theatre, Summerdance in Santa Barbara, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga in Colombia, South America, and Palacio de Congresos in Granada, Spain. During the February performances at the Diana Wortham Theatre, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana will perform La Pasión Flamenca, a journey back to the cultural crossroads of Andalusia, the southern region of Spain and the birthplace of flamenco. Through the dynamic expression of dance, influences can be seen and heard from Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East. Artistic director Carlota Santana’s commitment to creating new works and developing young artists and choreographers to carry on the traditions of flamenco has earned her the title “The Keeper of Flamenco” from Dance Magazine.

IF YOU Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana: GO La Pasión Flamenca. Diana

Wortham Theatre at Pack Place, Thursday & Friday, February 21 & 22 at 8 p.m. Ticket Prices: Regular: $35; Student: $30; Child (ages 12 and under): $15.

DIANA WORTHAM THEATRE BOX OFFICE (828) 257-4530, WWW.DWTHEATRE.COM

4 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

we love this place Dine to be Kind

RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE

On Tuesday, February 26 more than fifty area restaurants will contribute a portion of their day’s proceeds to Animal Compassion Network’s highly successful spay and neuter assistance program.

Established in 1997 • Volume Sixteen, Number Six

FEBRUARY 2013 www.rapidrivermagazine.com Publisher/Editor: Dennis Ray Managing Editor: Beth Gossett Marketing: Dennis Ray, Rick Hills Staff Photographers: Liza Becker, Erica Mueller Layout & Design: Simone Bouyer Accounting: Sharon Cole Distribution: Dennis Ray CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Judy Ausley, Roberta Binder, Jenny Bunn, James Cassara, Karen Cogdill-Reilly, Michael Cole, Kelly Denson, Amy Downs, John Ellis, Beth Gossett, Max Hammonds, MD, Phil Hawkins, Phil Juliano, Chip Kaufmann, Michelle Keenan, Lauren Kriel, Eddie LeShure, Peter Loewer, Ann McMartin, Marcianne Miller, Kay S. Miller, April Nance, Steve Plever, T. Oder, R. Woods, Dennis Ray, Vance Reese, Jodi Rhoden, David Simchock, Greg Vineyard, Bill Walz, Salley Williamson, Ana Woodall. INFO Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine is a monthly publication. Address correspondence to info@rapidrivermagazine.com or write to: Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine 85 N. Main St., Canton, NC 28716 Phone: (828) 646-0071 www.rapidrivermagazine.com All materials contained herein are owned and copyrighted by Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine and the individual contributors unless otherwise stated. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine or the advertisers found herein. © Rapid River Arts & Culture Magazine, February 2013, Vol. 16 No. 6

4 Performance

Diana Wortham Theatre . . . . . . . . . 4 Amici Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Opera Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

6 Stage Preview

Different Strokes – Vesta . . . . . . . . . 6 The Understudy at NC Stage . . . . . 7

10 Fine Art

Claying Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Folk Art Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Work of heART. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fantastic Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 11 12 37

13 Columns

Greg Vineyard - Fine Art . . . . . . . . James Cassara - Music . . . . . . . . . . Eddie LeShure - Jazz. . . . . . . . . . . . Marcianne Miller – Books . . . . . . . Judy Ausley – Southern Comfort . Bill Walz - Artful Living . . . . . . . . . Peter Loewer – The Curmudgeon . Max Hammonds, MD – Health . . David J. Simchock – Photo Tips . .

13 14 16 17 24 23 24 33 38

15 Music

J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices 15 Ken Stringfellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

The 10th annual benefit will take place on National Spay Day as part of a campaign to promote the life-saving benefits of spay and neuter programs for dogs and cats. All proceeds from Dine to be Kind will benefit ACN’s Betty Fund Spay/ Neuter Program. To-go orders also help animals in need! For more details and a list of participating restaurants visit www.animalcompassionnetwork.org

Asheville Food Fight: Wing War II Local bars and restaurants will battle it out for the title of “Asheville’s Best Buffalo Wings.” The competition will heat up the Asheville Music Hall at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 10. The wings will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges in two categories: specialty and traditional buffalo style. There will also be a people’s choice award in which attendees have the opportunity to vote for their favorite. Tickets include unlimited beer, wings (while supplies last), and great local music. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Visit www.ashevillefoodfights.com.

go to guide FOR BRIDES & VALENTINE’S Claying Around Paint your own pottery studio.

C.W. Worth House Wilmington’s enchanting B&B.

Waynesville Jazz and dinner at the Classic Wineseller, The Chocolate Bear PGS 20-21

SolA Salt Cave Pure relaxation and rejuvination.

O’Charley’s Restaurant Classics with a southern twist.

The Chocolate Fetish Best Chocolatier in America.

Northside Neighbors Blackbird Frame & Art, Thyme in the Garden, Rise ‘n Shine Restaurant. PG 31

River Arts District Give the gift of art!

19 Shops

C.W. Worth House . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chocolate Bear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SolA Therapeutic Salt Cave . . . . . . The Chocolate Fetish . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Street Computers . . . . . .

19 21 22 30 32

25 Movie Reviews

www.RapidRiverMagazine.com Like Us On Facebook Win monthly prizes to area restaurants and attractions!

Chip Kaufmann & Michelle Keenan.. 25

29 Restaurants

O’Charley’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The Classic WineSeller. . . . . . . . . . 20

34 What to Do Guide On the Cover: (L-R) O’Charley’s Tammy Chiles, Don Deubner, Steve Harder, Michael Handy, and Sarah Cutshall. PAGE 29

™

Best in Show by Phil Juliano . . . . . Callie & Cats by Amy Downs . . . . Corgi Tales by Phil Hawkins . . . . Dragin by Michael Cole . . . . . . . . Prismeous & Nous . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ratchet & Spin by T.Oder, R.Woods

34 34 35 34 35 35

Distributed at more than 390 locations throughout eight counties in WNC and South Carolina. First copy is free – each additional copy $1.50

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 5

stage preview DIFFERENT STROKES PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTIVE, FOUR SEASONS HOSPICE, AND ABIPA PRESENT

Vesta: An Opportunity for Dialogue

ifferent Strokes Performing Arts Collective is excited to announce their partnership with Four Seasons Hospice, and ABIPA, in presenting the second show of their five show season: Vesta, by Bryan Harnetiaux. Vesta, offers a heart warming and sometimes funny exploration of a family’s struggle with a variety of end-of-life issues as they come to terms with their own life circumstances coupled with the illness, and eventual loss of their matriarch, Vesta. This thought provoking play is being co-produced with Four Seasons Hospice, in association with Asheville Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement, to initiate conversation through a non-threatening dramatic presentation. Talk back sessions following each presentation are designed to foster reflection, discussion and catharsis in a supportive environment. Vesta is made possible by special arrangement with the Hospice Foundation of America of Washington, DC. Vesta derives

from short plays developed for conferences on aging, primarily sponsored by Washington State University Health Research and Education center, located in Spokane, Washington. “This is not a play about dying,” said Director Steph Hickling Beckman. “It’s a play about how we choose to live, when we’re faced with death.” Vesta features Dwight Chiles, Kirby Gibson, Jacquelyn Hallum, and Kaitlin Jencks. Steph Hickling Beckman is co-founder and Managing Artistic Director of the non-profit, Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective. Different Strokes has a mission to diversify the performing arts community, by staging, producing and working with other performance artists, and local organizations, to present works, which confront issues of social diversity, in a provocative way. “We highlight the differences in our community that make us unique, and offer opportunities to dialogue, explore and better understand them. We intentionally recruit

performers from all aspects of our community, in our efforts to create a climate of trust and collaboration among Performing Artists of all ethnicities, cultures and life styles. We believe that audiences look to the arts to see beyond themselves and their own boundaries. We believe that the arts (theater in particular) can be a valuable educational medium capable of bridging gaps in the cohesiveness of our community.” Since their inception in 2010, Different Strokes has proudly donated over $2,500 to other community based organizations in Western North Carolina. For more information about Different Strokes Performing Arts Collective visit www.differentstrokesavl.com, like us at Facebook.com/diffstrokesavl, or @DiffStrokesAVL on Twitter. IF YOU Performances of Vesta take place GO March 1 through 10. Showtime is

7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $5 for all shows. Performances take place at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, located at 20 Oak Street, in downtown Asheville.

Bark! The Musical

ome! Sit! And stay for a tail-waggin’, ear- flappin’, yip-yappin’ good time. Asheville Community Theatre is producing the North Carolina Premiere of Bark! The Musical at the downtown playhouse. After a highly successful pet portrait contest sponsored by the Animal Compassion Network, the Asheville Humane Society, and Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, a local dog from Saluda, NC named Rusty was chosen to be the “poster dog” for ACT’s Bark! postcards and posters. “Five photographers snapped portraits of 287 dogs over a weekend in January,” reported Harper. “Choosing the finalist was surely among the most difficult casting decisions ever to be made at ACT!” All proceeds from the contest benefitted the three rescue organizations. Bark! The Musical follows six canine characters for one day at Deena’s Doggie Daycare. The entire show is presented from a dog’s point of view. The music in Bark! The Musical is composed by David Troy Francis, a favorite on the Asheville music scene. Francis recently co-produced the smash cabaret hit Naughty But Nice. “David introduced us to Bark! last year,” said Susan Harper, Managing Director at Asheville Community Theatre. “We’re a staff of dog lovers and musical theatre lovers, and Bark! is the perfect intersection!” Asheville Community Theatre’s

6 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

BY JENNY

BUNN

production of Bark! The Musical is directed by Eric Mills, who has previously helmed such musicals as The Big Rusty, the winning dog in Bang, Ruthour Pet Portrait contest. less, and the Photo: Kristi Hedberg Diva*licious events for ACT. Musical direction is by Brad Curtioff and choreography is by McKenzie Kanipe. The music and book were cowritten by Gavin Geoffrey Dillard, a Black Mountain, NC resident. The cast includes ACT veterans Jeff Catanese, MK Penley, Carol Duermit, and Daniel Hensley, as well as newcomers to the ACT stage, Garrett Funk and Jackie Canney. IF YOU Bark! The Musical opens Friday, GO February 15 and runs through

Sunday, March 10. Performances held Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 p.m. Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St. Call (828) 254-1320, or visit www.ashevilletheatre.org.

stage preview TREADWAY, MUÑOZ STAR IN

The Understudy at NC Stage

n The UnderBY LAUREN KRIEL study, opening study February 13 at NC Treadway and NC Stage in downStage Artistic Director, town Asheville, Charlie Flynn-McIvplaywright Theresa Reer. Matt Lutz, a newbeck takes the audience comer to NC Stage, behind the scenes to exhad a recent stint on plore the ridiculousness Broadway himself in and brilliance of the the original Broadway business of theatre, film, cast of the musical and acting. The cast Bonnie and Clyde and includes some familiar has appeared in the faces – Scott Treadway feature films A Walk and Neela Muñoz – and To Remember and a new face to NC Stage, Bringing Down The Swannanoa native Matt House and played the Lutz. recurring role of Phil Pay-What-You-Can Newberry on the TV Night for The Undershow McBride. study is co-sponsored by Scott Treadway and Neela Muñoz. Charlie FlynnTraining Partners Gym, McIver directs; he which helps subsidize is the co-founder of North Carolina Stage the ticket costs for everyone in our commuCompany with his wife Angie Flynn-Mcnity. Tickets for Pay-What-You Can Night Iver. Stage Managed by Connie Silver, CosWednesday, February 13 start at $6. tume Design by Nina Swann, Set Design by Harry (Scott Treadway) just got an Dennis Maulden, Lighting Design by Kristie acting job understudying in a runaway Easter of UT Knoxville, Props Design by Broadway hit production of Franz Kafka’s Jessica Tandy Kammerud. undiscovered masterpiece. He’s understudying a mid-level action movie star (Matt Lutz) whose most recent movie grossed $67 IF million in its opening weekend. And while YOU The Understudy, February 13 they’re slugging it out during the first put-in GO through March 10. Performances rehearsal about the nobility (or lack thereof) are Wednesdays through Saturdays of each other’s status in the profession, the at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets stage manager, Roxanne (Neela Muñoz), are $16-$28, based on day of the week, with a Pay-What-You-Can Night February 13 has had enough! at 7:30 ($6 minimum, advance ticket sales Treadway was last seen at NC Stage in highly recommended). the hit production of The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (abridged), and North Carolina Stage Company, 15 Stage Muñoz, along with dozens of roles at Flat Lane in Asheville. For tickets and show Rock Playhouse, directed the NC Stage times call (828) 239-0263 or visit www. ncstage.org. production of Boeing Boeing Boeing, which starred

Dog Sees God

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD

Fans of the original Peanuts comic will find HART’s production funny and engaging.

he Haywood Arts Regional Theater’s winter Studio Season’s second production “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” takes audiences into the adolescent world of the Peanuts characters as reimagined by playwright Bert Royal. The unauthorized parody became a break out hit in 2004 at New York’s International Fringe Festival and moved

Off-Broadway. “Dog Sees God’ went on to win Broadway.com’s Audience Award for Favorite Off Broadway Production in 2006, becoming a cult hit. The basic premise; CB and the gang, all with recognizable aliases, which made it possible for producers to skirt copyright laws, have grown up and are in the midst of all of the plagues of coming of age. The play is funning, and touching, but does contain

Not

Chocolates

ship MembeinrAm t if a special g HandMade erica

HandMade in America grows economies through craft, and strives to advance WNC as the cradle of craft. To find more about HandMade in America membership, go to HandMadeinAmerica.org PG. 36

some adult language so is not appropriate for all audiences. The production is being directed by Holly Ann Harmon and will features Dwight Chiles, Art Moore, Sarah Lipham, Stephanie Crane, Sean Bruce, Daniel Wagoner, Caroline Lathrop and Hope Peterson. Any fan of the original comic will find it an engaging idea to re-imagine the familiar character a few years further on. Seating in the HART Studio is general admission, but reservations are recommended because shows do sell out. The Feichter Studio is part of the Performing Arts Center’s back stage, seats just 70 people,

*Love Asheville Buy Local Card: 20% discount on Membership

and is only three rows deep. The intimate setting has made the space a favorite for area theater goers. You can go in, grab a cup of coffee, and sit back for some amazing performances. IF YOU “Dog Sees God” has performances GO on February 1 & 2 at 7:30 p.m. and

on February 3 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $6 for students. HART Theater, 250 Pigeon St. in Waynesville. Call (828) 456-6322, or visit www.harttheatre.com

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 7

performance Jewish Jewels, Tango & Terrific Trios

miciMusic, dedicated to performing the highest quality chamber music in intimate venues and non-traditional spaces, will present several concerts this month, including Jewish Jewels, a program highlighting Jewish composers and Jewish-inspired music. The program will include violinists Rachel Patrick and Ginger Kowal, violist Kara Poorbaugh, cellist Franklin Keel, clarinetist Steve Loew, and pianist Daniel Weiser. They will perform Prokofiev’s great “Overture on Hebrew Themes,” Srul Glick’s “The Klezmer Wedding,” and pieces by Gershwin, Bloch, Benny Goodman, and more.

JEWISH JEWELS PERFORMANCES Saturday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. – White Horse Black Mountain, Rachel Patrick 105 Montreat Road. $15 for adults/$5 for students/children. For tickets, call (828) 669-0816 or visit www.whitehorseblackmountain.com. Sunday, February 3 at 4 p.m. – Congregation Beth Israel at 229 Murdock Avenue in Asheville. $20 in advance; $25 at the door; $18 for CBI members,

Pan Harmonia

an Harmonia, Asheville’s acclaimed chamber music collective, presents a new series with wine in Waynesville, its annual concert at St. Matthias Church, as well as performances with GeneratioNext musicians at the Altamont Theatre.

Friday, February 1 – Winds in the Winery Kate Steinbeck, flute, Fred Lemmons, clarinet, Rosalind Buda, bassoon. The Classic Wineseller hosts an evening of modern music rarities and delicious vintages for discerning palates.

IF YOU GO: Concert begins at 7 p.m.,

$10 per person minimum food/wine purchase. Free concert admission with a suggested donation of $5-20 per person. The Classic Wineseller, 20 Church Street Waynesville, NC. For details phone (828) 452-6000 or visit www.classicwineseller.com

8 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

Asheville Tango Orchestra

under 18 free. Includes light food and drink. Seating is limited and advanced reservations strongly encouraged. For reservations call (828) 252-8660 or email admin@bethisraelnc.org

Roberto Flores, baritone; and Daniel Weiser, piano. This concert, held at the home of Dan and Kisha Weiser, features Amanda Horton music of Gershwin, Cole Porter, and other Americans who lived in Paris as well as the French composers who inspired them. Seating is limited and by reservation only. Cost is $35 per person, which includes food and drink. For reservations call Dan at (828) 505-2903 or e-mail daniel@amicimusic.org.

TERRIFIC TRIOS

TANGO AmiciMusic continues its free music series at the Lord Auditorium at the Pack Library in downtown Asheville. On Saturday, February 2 at 2 p.m., catch the Asheville Tango Orchestra in a special program called Tango with authentic Tango music from Argentina as well as great Tango dancers.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS On Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m., AmiciMusic presents An American In Paris with Amanda Horton, soprano;

Terrific Trios takes place on Sunday, February 10 at 3 p.m. at the White Horse in Black Mountain. The program will Brian features clarinetist Hermanson Brian Hermanson, cellist Franklin Keel, and pianist Daniel Weiser. They will perform works by Brahms, Mendelssohn, and more. For more information on any of these programs visit www.amicimusic.org

Sunday, February 3 – Afternoon Sound Check Kate Steinbeck, flute, Fred Lemmons, clarinet, Rosalind Buda, bassoon. Pan Harmonia musicians interpret rare compositions and enhance the already stunning acoustics of St. Matthias Episcopal Church. Selections include modern music rarities from Charles Koechlin, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Francis Poulenc, and John Rutter. We predict the sound quality will be wonderful!

IF YOU GO: Admission is free;

The Asheville Young Musician’s Club

donations encouraged. 3 p.m. at St. Matthias Episcopal Church, 1 Dundee Street, Asheville, NC. For more details visit www. stmatthiasepiscopal.com

our area, pianist Erik Freistas, dazzling drummer Daniel Cracchiolo, the Asheville Young Musician’s Club, and other young players from the area. Proceeds from this performance to benefit WCQS, Asheville’s NPR station and Pan Harmonia.

IF YOU GO: Tickets: $12 advance,

Sunday, February 10 – 2nd Sunday @ 5 This 9-concert series begins at 5 p.m. at the Altamont Theater. Concert features GeneratioNext: Gifted young musicians from

Daniel Cracchiolo

available at www.Pan-Harmonia. org or at the door, $15 general; $5 for students with ID. The Altamont Theatre, 18 Church Street, downtown Asheville www.myaltamont.com

captivating performance Not Your Traditional Opera Creations Or, the Sopranos Take Out the Mikado

cene: a rehearsal venue somewhere in Asheville. Sopranos Karen Svites and Simone Vigilante are, well, making another scene. “I’m the best soprano in North Carolina!” “Are you kidding? You couldn’t sing your way out of a paper cup with big notes printed on it!” “Well, you sound like one of those annoying buzzing insects that I swatted on my arm just now!” “You must mean a flea. They don’t buzz, by the way, but they’re attracted to soprano dogs like you.” “Ladies, just calm down. The children are watching.” This from Vance Reese, ever the peace-making accompanist in the rehearsal. Simone sings a high note. Karen sings a higher note as a retort. A still higher note volleys in the air. Then a note screeches out that you thought it would be impossible to hit. Then comes uproarious laughter from everyone in the room, including the two sopranos.

VANCE REESE

to make opera more accessible to the general public. And Opera Creations has been doing just that: it is working on its third Gilbert & Sullivan operetta; it is looking forward to a fourth sumDueling Sopranos Simone Vigilante and Karen Svites. mer production for youth ages eight to eighteen; and it is planning some more Dueling tions at Mars Hill College, round out Soprano shows, the next one involving the support group for the show. Vance some long-time colleagues. These are Reese is the music director. events that they hope build the general Of course, Opera Creations wants appreciation of well-sung theater. you to come enjoy the fun, but you will When Steve Hageman, recently need to get tickets early, since Pingree retired Executive Director of the Auditorium seats only 200 people. For Asheville Symphony Orchestra, more information, and to buy tickets, heard the founders of Opera Crevisit www.operacreations.org, or visit ations at a fundraiser, he offered his Opera Creations’ Facebook page. services on the spot, admiring their Mainstage productions are only ability to combine good singing and a part of what Opera Creations does, good fun. He now serves on the though. The opening scene of this arOpera Creations Board as their Presiticle could be directly from a rehearsal dent. Hageman says he’s “pleased involving their apprentices and stuto be associated with Opera dents, performances that typically take Creations,” and he intends to help place in the summer. them in any way he can. What’s on tap for the younger Currently, Hageman, with singer? This July, it’s a pastiche of music Board members Paul Templon, by Johannes Brahms. Timothy nudged Lucie Fink, Zane Adams, and Larry Vance to create words to children’s folk Sklar, are drumming up support for songs to tell a story in English. The Opera Creations’ third mainstage result: “The King, The Queen, and production: Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Bee,” drawn from a Jewish folk operetta, The Mikado, March 1-3, tale about King Solomon, the Queen at Pingree Theater on the Christ of Sheba, and a certain little insect. The School campus in Arden. It is perother results: something fun to listen haps the funniest G&S show in the to, to watch, and something vocally apSimone Vigilante, Vance Reese, Karen Svites repertoire, complete with posturing propriate for younger voices. politicians, goof-ball rulers, young Will the sopranos duel it out this This is the kind of scene that school-girls, and an executioner “that year in their productions, and in The made one audience member remark, couldn’t hurt a fly.” In short, it sounds Mikado? You bet! Karen Svites plays “This is like Saturday Night Live like Victorian England or the modernthe role of Yum Yum, the soprano meets the Metropolitan Opera!” This day United States. who will try to take the tenor away young opera company, named “Opera The company is excited about from Katisha played by Simone VigiCreations,” joins professional singthis, their largest-to-date professional lante. Be sure to duck when the high ing with a fun, enjoyable process. It’s production. Patricia Heuermann, notes start up. the sort of music-making that works familiar to many at the Reuter Center, well on stage and in small venues. It’s will be the stage director for the prothe sort of music-making that their IF duction. Along with Opera Creations’ apprentices (ranging from ages 8 to 28) YOU Opera Creations presents veterans Roberto Flores, Jonathan have enjoyed, too. GO the Mikado, March 1 & 2 at 7 Ross, and Aaron Schnurbusch, new So why create another opera comp.m., and March 3 at 3 p.m. friends Bryant Belin, Heather Fergupany in Asheville? Founders Svites, Pingree Theatre, 500 Christ School son, David Fields, and Ashley Renfro, Vigilante, Reese, and baritone/teacher Road on the Christ School Campus will be joining the cast. in Arden, NC. Tickets: $28 Adults, Timothy Wilds started the company Mary Dillon, veteran of MontStudents 18 and under $15. Limited three years ago with the intention of ford Park Players’ productions, and seating – purchase tickets now at making more singing opportunities for Jennifer Ammons, veteran of producwww.operacreations.org local singers, and satisfy their desire

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Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 9

2012-2013 SEASON Concerts take place in Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

with Tchaikovsky Competition Winner Daniil Trifonov Barber Adagio for Strings Franck Psyché Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Daniil Trifonov, piano Daniil Trifonov SPONSOR

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INTERVIEW WITH LEIGH COHEN OWNER OF ASHEVILLE’S

Claying Around

INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS RAY

Rapid River Magazine: Tell us a little about Claying Around and what all you offer.

Leigh Cohen: We are a full service

Paint your own pottery studio located in South Asheville across from Carolina Day School. Our studio is bright and spacious, and most important, adult and kid friendly. We offer a HUGE selection of fun and unique pottery pieces, ranging in price from $2.00 to $70.00. We have over 50 different colors of under glaze, new specialty glazes, various stamps, stencils, sample pottery and books to inspire you. We offer pottery painting; hand building with clay, mosaics, glass fusing, silver clay, and you can always make an appointment for a pottery wheel lesson, and really get your hands dirty. All of our products are also non-toxic and lead free!

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION 828.254.7046 U www.ashevillesymphony.org

RRM: Tell us about your lessons and workshops you offer.

LC: In the summer we offer kids workshops

on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they spend about 2 hours with us learning anything from making their own pottery to creating glass fused dishes. Every class is different so you can sign up for one or as many as you like. We also do some kind of a craft project as well; tie-dyeing is by far the most popular, so we put it on the schedule most often. We will also be offering adult or family workshops in the near future!

Jewlery by Molly Dingledine

RRM: What is glass fusing? LC: Glass fusing is glass that has the same

We like to give our customers options; if they want to paint at home we can set them up with the needed supplies, but we are by no means a ceramic supply store. We are that place where you can make that special one of a kind Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or thank you for watching my 3 dogs and 6 cat’s kind of gift.

nstA And rA Aft At the folk Art Center AllA llAnst Anst And Cr Aft shop A

Milepost 382 Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville, NC | 828-298-7928

The Southern Highland Craft Guild is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

10 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

RRM: What temp do you fire your pottery? LC: Pottery is fired around 1945 degrees

RRM: How did you first get into pottery and

for a bisque firing and 1828 degrees for a glaze firing.

LC: I got into pottery in college and before I

RRM: Tell us a little about your clays and

what drove you to open you own business?

www.craftguild.org Tradition. Vision. Innovation.

coefficient of expansion that is melted in the kiln. We do it by creating a design with colored glass which is cut and shaped into pieces and applied to a base piece of glass and fired in one of our kilns. When the piece comes out of the kiln it is flat and melted, we can then put it in a mold to be slumped into a dish or bowl. You can also make wind chimes, votive holders, plates, pendants, so many possibilities.

knew it I was getting my masters in ceramics. When I moved to Asheville 12 years ago I worked as a studio artist. I realized there wasn’t a place where you could try out the potter’s wheel without taking an expensive pottery class. So I decided I wanted to have a shop where kids and adults could come in and have a lesson and see if this was something that was of interest to them. The pottery painting and mosaics and the others just fell into place. I also wanted to have this studio where you could come and be creative, because in this world of smartphones, video games and tablets, sometimes you just need a creative outlet to release your inner artist!

glazes.

LC: The pottery pieces that we carry are low

fire earthenware, same with the clay that we buy. The glazes and under glazes are fired to a low temperature of 1828 degrees, and are also nontoxic and lead free but not really that tasty. We have a wide range of colors, and specialty glazes that create texture and fun effects.

Claying Around 1378 Hendersonville Rd., Suite D Asheville (828) 277-0042 www.clayingaround.com

fine art Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts Exhibition

he first Main Gallery Exhibition of 2013 in the Folk Art Center will feature the work of instructors and students from Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts. Functional pottery as well as sculpture is currently on display through April 21, 2013. Odyssey was established in 1994 as an educational program of Highwater Clays, and has been an educational center member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild since 1995. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission, then and now, is to promote understanding, appreciation and professional development in the ceramic arts. The spirit and programs of Odyssey are based on the philosophy that every individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative capacity is greatly enhanced by a generous community and challenging instruction, believing that within each individual lies the potential

PG. 36

let your

love grow

APRIL NANCE

for creative development. Since its beginning, Odyssey has grown to house one of the largest and most diverse circles of Gabriel Kline ceramic artists working under one roof in the Southeast. Many come to Odyssey to take classes, attend lectures, begin and add to collections, rent studio space, and become a part of a vibrant community of talented individuals who are bound together by clay. Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts is located at 236 Clingman Avenue in the River Arts District.

Odyssey Exhibition Participants Denise Baker, Genevieve VanZandt, Anja Bartels, Anna Koloseike, Paul Frehe, Gabriel Kline, Tisha Cook, Michael Parry, Adele Macy, Cynthia Lee, Nick Lafone, Elaine Buss.

18kt pendant with diamonds and rubies designed by Paula Dawkins

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IF YOU Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts GO exhibition, on display through April

Tisha Cook

21, 2013 in the Folk Art Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Gallery. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Hwy. 70 entrance in east Asheville.

Natural Progressions

atural Progressions explores the evolution of form over time as it occurs in nature. Included are sculptural groupings from Rick Eggertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DyRick Eggert CĂŠdric Ginart namic Cosmos series. Rick examines the notions of creation and the nature of the Also on display will be the seductive universe. The groupings address the consculptural jewelry and blown vessels by Karicepts of time, change, growth and movena GuĂŠvin. Karinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work celebrates sensualment to illustrate how the universe has ity, femininity and happiness, and challenges evolved into its current state. The work is the boundaries of feminine ornament. visually soothing and ephemeral. CĂŠdric Ginart and Karinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique IF sculptural work is inspired by the Victorian YOU Natural Progressions at The era and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;language of flowers.â&#x20AC;? The exhiGO Bender Gallery, 12 S Lexington bition showcases a majestic wall installation Avenue in Asheville. For more of red magnolia flowers which appear to information call (828) 505-8341 or visit bloom and expire as time goes by. www.thebendergallery.com.

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Vol. 16, No. 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; February 2013 11

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he artists at Open Hearts Art Center have been diligently working on creations to be displayed at the Satellite Gallery in February. From February 9 through the 22, the gallery will host the Seventh Annual “Work of heART” exhibit, an eclectic collection of work created by differently-abled adults who are the artistic talent behind Open Hearts Art Center. “You work hard on your art for months. Having things out in the community helps people buy our art and show that they care for us and that they understand how hard we work on the art,” commented Open Hearts artist, Dawn Thomas. Thomas enjoys painting primarily religious images, she says, “because I love the Lord.”

SALLEY WILLIAMSON

with developmental, mental, physical, and emotional disabilities. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2005 with one of its goals beJudy Jones is one of the Open Hearts Art Center ing to redirect the focus artists whose work will be on display. from what the artists and is sponsored by Highland Brewing who attend are unable to accomplish Company and David’s Auto House. and, instead, to emphasize their many This reception gives community and vast abilities. members the opportunity to directly These artists’ abilities are apparent speak with Open Hearts Art Center upon viewing the works on display in artists about their creations, to apprecithe Open Hearts Art Center Gallery. ate the stories and inspiration behind Over the years, many of the artists, each piece, and to purchase artwork by who create pieces often referred to as the artists. It is a chance for the artists folk or outsider art, have developed a to be recognized for their contribution distinct style. to our community and, together, to Merlin Many of the artists who create pieces, celebrate their hard work. Strivelli is one often referred to as folk or outsider art, such artist, who focuses mainly have developed a distinct style. on comic book For more information on the characters and Open Hearts Art Center visit She recently completed her piece super heroes for his subject matwww.openheartsartcenter.org for the upcoming show, an acrylic ter. Strivelli has exhibited at the painting that she calls, “Hallelujah Smithsonian’s Ripley Center, he has Jesus.” Thomas holds it out to me in taught workshops for art organizations IF its brushed golden frame, smiling with in other states, and he consistently YOU An opening reception for GO Work of heART will be held obvious pride at the results of her hard receives commissions, which he comSaturday, February 9 from 7 work. The icon in the painting holds pletes during his time at Open Hearts. to 10 p.m. Satellite Gallery, at 55 up an index finger, causing the viewer Interested in checking out work by Broadway Street in Asheville. More to pause and consider the message. Open Hearts artists? The opening redetails by calling (828) 505-2225, or Open Hearts Art Center is a day ception at the Satellite Gallery is from visit www.thesatellitegallery.com. habilitation program, serving adults 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, February 9,

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ainter Clarence Morgan will open his solo exhibition at UNC Asheville with a lecture and reception on Friday, February 8. Morgan has exhibited his work at galleries nationally and internationally, including the Beijing Film Academy Gallery, Reeves Contemporary in New York, and Romo Gallery in Atlanta. His works are part of many museum, university and corporate collections, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, University of Georgia and IBM. Morgan has an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania, and is professor of art at the University of

12 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

STEVE PLEVER

Minnesota. He will serve as visiting artist at UNC Asheville, critiquing the work of advanced art students. “Images of Wonder” will be on view from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, through March 4. The lecture, reception and exhibition are free and open to the public. IF YOU Clarence Morgan’s lecture GO will take place at 5 p.m. in

Notational Substitution, 2012 by Clarence Morgan – acrylic, colored pencil, collage, water-based marker on canvas over panel.

Owen Hall room 237. A reception with the artist follows from 6-8 p.m. in the S. Tucker Cooke Gallery, also in Owen Hall on the UNCA campus. For more information, visit art.unca. edu or call (828) 251-6559.

fine art

For the Love of Art GO ALL-IN!

know, I know. To have the audacity to muse upon “love”. In February. I’m as qualified to write about true love as a goldfish is able to make pancakes for brunch (roughly ripped-off from Einstein, thank you); after a few decades on the planet, I live with one rescued feline and an assortment of quasi-indestructible houseplants. It’s all part of my sci-fi loving shut-in persona. However, a) my cat thinks I’m Totes Adorbs, and b) I propose looking for love in our appreciation of art, craft and design as we navigate this month all loaded up with Star Trek valentines and candy hearts with messages like: “I prefer the yellow blankie” and “sunbeams rock” and “no more lobsterflavored anything or I will scratch your face.” Oh, wait, those are from the cat... I fell in love with art and art history early on, and was really lucky to have very special high school and college instructors who each loved teaching these things. (Both named Pat, I just realized. It’s obviously part of a ... Pat-tern. Ba-Dum-Bump-Crash! I’ll be here all month folks!) So I received lots of exposure to visuals and history and concepts. Some of my favorite artists are Kandinsky, Klee, Diebenkorn, O’Keeffe (why, yes, I DID notice all those “K”’s), Van Gogh, Basquiat... and in my illustrations people often note my Picasso and Warhol influences. Historically, I am fascinated by the creations of indigenous cultures, as so much of our ancestors’ artistic endeavors directly link to what and how we make art now. In a more recent span of history, William Morris’s idea that everything should be both beautiful and useful is connected to Steve Jobs having wanted every useful thing to also be designed aesthetically. Somewhere in-between the two, Frank Lloyd Wright also showed us how it’s done. Even the history of color itself is fascinating. I recommend Victoria Finlay’s “Color, A Natural History of the Palette” (Random House, 2002). Regarding yellow, she uses one of my favorite quotes by one of my favorite artists about my favorite color: “There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who ... transform a yellow spot into the sun.”

~ Pablo Picasso He made a good point about creation, as well as about a symbol that artists have represented in their art throughout time. After much book-learning, I finally got to travel a bit and see things like The

GREG VINEYARD

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Open Your Heart. Greg Vineyard Pastel, 2013.

I fell in love with art and art history early on... Smithsonian. And a good chunk of Italy’s mid-section. I also lived for a time in a very large city that brought international installations to its burgeoning museum. And, one time on a trip to Philadelphia, I unexpectedly found myself face-to-face with one of Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” sculptures. A very literal melding of art and love, it bridges past and present, typography and sculpture, language and culture. Seeing it was as poignant a moment for me as when I was gawking at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I find it all to be so amazing, and I fall in love with art over and over again, every day. I keep art books open on my coffee table at all times. I love art. I make art. I’m a museum member wherever I live. I’m all-in. I hope you have, or very soon find, a crush in your life that passionately fuels you in this “month of love,” and throughout your entire year!

To learn more about us visit www.abipa.org Creekside Artists Retreat

Room and Studio Space For Rent • Beach and Campfire area • Painting Studio • Woodshop • Mat Cutting/ Framing Shop

Greg Vineyard is an artist, writer and creative consultant in Asheville, NC. ZaPOW Gallery in downtown Asheville carries his illustrations, giclees and cards. Find his clay works at Gallery 262 in Waynesville, and at Taupe Gallery in North Wilkesboro. www.creativewayfinding.byregion.net

Share house and four outbuildings. 1 acre on Richland Creek in Waynesville, across from park. MUST love dogs. Free Cable. $400/month plus utilities.

Call Rick (828) 452-0228 Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 13

spinning discs CD Reviews by James Cassara

the mess that money could buy Cherokee Queen Records

At first listen the Mess That Money Could Buy sounds no better or worse than any number of soulful roots rock albums by a songwriter with steady chops and unspectacular magnetism. That’s in no way intended as a knock, but rather as evidence of the vast number of talented musicians who might just as easily have made this record or one much like it. Lisik himself is a solid songwriter-his better songs show traces of all the right influencesand his “early Stones meets Jeff Tweedy” delivery is more than serviceable. He’s also a keen first person observer of his surroundings, infusing such songs as “to California” and “last words” with some clever wordplay indicative of a songwriter with an artist’s ear. Lisik is largely benefited by a top notch band, delivering enough swagger to elevate even the more pedestrian tunes — several of which go on too long — into a whole better than their parts. The inclusion of cello and violin is a plus while the multi-instrumental contributions of Steve Norgrove should not be understated. Having said that, the mess that money could buy never fully ignites in ways that might have; still, there’s enough promise here to make me look for Lisik’s next album in hopes of what might be, and in some regards that’s more than enough. ***

A Fragile Tomorrow be nice be careful Piewillie Music Any mention of Mitch Easter is a sure bet to bring out the power pop nerd in this music listener, so the prospect of his co-producing the third album by this South Carolina by way of upstate New York based quartet is indeed tantalizing. Easter, who founded both Let’s Active and Sneakers, two bands that should have made it huge, has always had a keen ear for up and comers. He forged the sound for REM’s nascent records-and was by their own admission instrumental in their success-and has always been a sure bet for quality. With his latest endeavor Easter moves into some slightly unfamiliar terrain; be nice be careful is a bit more country (rural north rather than southern twang) than you might expect but it’s still full of the sort of 14 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

Let’s take the chill off winter with a smattering of under the radar new releases, a welcome look back at a seminal rhythm and blues master, and a new glimpse at an older classic. As always I suggest you buy your music at any of the fine locally owned records shops Asheville is so fortunate to have. With rare exception, downloads are a distant second best.

Brian Lisik

PG. 36

joyous pomp that typifies the best of power pop. Think Bangles (both Vicki and Debbi Peterson contribute backing vocals) meets The Kentucky Headhunters and you won’t be too far off. The songs, particularly the opening “don’t need saving” and “count of both hands” are immediately engaging, and there’s enough catchy hooks to propel even the more lightweight moments. The band itself — identical twins Sean and Dominic Kelly, younger brother Brendan, and Shaun Rhoades — are all solid players whose decade of touring has paid off handsomely. The music twists and turns in unexpected fashion and rarely slows to a trot, let alone a crawl. The only weak spot might be in vocal arrangements; be nice be careful is surprisingly bereft of the intricate layered harmonies Easter is so nimble at, but the inclusion of the aforementioned Peterson’s, along with frequent Easter co-conspirator Don Dixon, Amy Ray, and Susan Cowsill does help create that cherish wall of sound. So while be nice be careful is unlikely to have the same impact as such power pop masterpieces as Big Plans for Everybody or Stands for Decibels that’s more a matter of shifting musical tides than anything else. If the world is primed for another power pop revival — and let’s hope it is — then be nice be careful might just lead the movement. ****

Charlie Parr Barnswallow Charlie Parr is an unapologetic throw back, a musician who eschews all hints of modernism for a sound that is both rustic and gut bucket genuine. Accompanied by his wife Emily Parr on vocals and a trio of traditional blues/folk aficionados, Parr serves up eight originals bookended by a pair of time-honored classics. The beauty of this record is that without a comprehensive knowledge of the genre it’s impossible to know which are which. It’s a record embedded in a particular time and place (in this case rural Minnesota) that manages to bridge that divide while remaining true to its roots. Having said that, if your tastes run more contemporary, Barnswallow — with its washboard rubbings, piano plunking, and jaw harp screeching — might not be for you. But if you still own that first Dave Bromberg album, and occasionally find yourself humming to Flatt and Scruggs, then Charlie Parr and Barnswallow might be right up your alley. ***1/2

Al Jardine Postcard from California Waterfront Music On only the second solo album of his long career (the first was a 1992 live effort) Al Jardine conjures up a quasi concept album which, at its best, stands against most of The Beach Boys albums of the past two decades and, at its lowest ebb, makes the albeit truncated world tour and eventual release of That’s Why God Made The Radio even more miraculous. Recorded a full year before their ballyhooed reunion, and originally released as a download via his website only, Postcard comfortably features the familiar themes that the band has relied on for five decades. A through rose colored glasses worship of California, the eternal power of ocean waves, the thrill of sleek cars and sun drenched blondes and a heartfelt plea for environmental stewardship are all notions that Jardine has previously explored-some might say far too often and narrowly-but there’s a sameness to the proceedings that cannot be ignored. It’s well-intentioned and never threatening (in fact a bit of edge would go a long way here) but it’s an album aimed squarely at the diehard Beach Boy fan, and in that regards it mostly serves its purpose. A pair of tracks, most notably “Don’t Fight the Sea” and the irrepressible “Waves of Love,” add nicely to the Beach Boys myth. While a harmonica-driven recast of “Help Me Rhonda” reminds us that while Brian was the genius and Carl was the soul of the band, Al Jardine was, and remains, an important piece of the puzzle. He is far more than “the fortunate high school buddy who became a Beach Boy” to which history has unfairly reduced him. ***

Ike Turner Blues Roots/Bad Dreams Beat Goes On Music Few musicians have been as demonized as Ike Turner, whose brutish machinations and physical outbursts have overshadowed his vast musical contributions. There’s certainly no excusing Turner — he was by all counts a bastard of the lowest order — but there’s also no denying that he was one of the ‘CD’s’ continued on page 15

sound experience ‘CD’s’ continued from page 14

decisive figures in early rhythm and blues, a visionary who, by force and nature, helped guide the career of his wife Tina while constructing a bridge between R & B and rock that many others traversed. Whatever the public’s view of Turner may be, and for all his numerous faults, the fact remains that he was a brilliant musician whose unconventionally creative guitar work could be equal parts blistering and precise. During the peak commercial years for Ike & Tina he recorded a few solo side projects, including this pair originally released by United Artists Records. 1972’s Blues Roots shows a murky swamp funk side of Turner (after all, Izear Luster Turner, Jr. was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi) that might surprise you. His often alcohol and cigarette ravaged voice seems just right for such compelling tracks as “You’re Still My Baby” or the glorious mesh of styles that makes “Right On” so oddly compelling. The rest of the album is just as perversely entertaining. Backed by a bevy of female singers, doo wop vocals, and whatever else exploded into his fertile (and often cocaine fueled) imagination Blues Roots is in some regards a relic of its time, but it’s also a fascinating glimpse at an artist of singular and determined vision. 1971’s Bad Dreams is an even stranger beast, full of spoken word monologues and other peculiar misses, but it also has some amazing tracks, including an incendiary version of Elmore James’ “Dust My Broom,” a joyous romp with swampy rhythms and girl group backup vocals that builds to a tremendous gospel-like crescendo. Neither of these obscurities made the least bit of commercial dent (not that he cared) and one can only wonder what UA thought when Turner delivered them. They may be all over the musical map, and their unevenness makes them simultaneously fascinating curios and frustrating experiences. But they reveal a side of Ike Turner-bandleader, arranger, and producerthat is too often neglected and the sharp, funk tone of his guitar always lurks just around the corner. Part tease, part historical, but never boring might best sum them up. ***1/2

Reissue of the Month Eric Clapton Slowhand: the 35th Anniversary Edition Polydor Records Receiving a copy of this newly remastered version of what is arguably Clapton’s most highly regarded solo offering was a bit of a shock: Not at the quality of the

J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices proudly proclaim that they play “country music and only country music. Not alternative country, not country rock, and damn sure not pop music.”

eaving the various prefixes on the table, the band, “sick and tired of the modern watered down country broadcast shamelessly and persistently across our beautiful countryside,” has set out to right what they see as the wrongs done to a genre so classically and quintessentially American. “As we speak, Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Carl Smith, and countless other champions of Honky Tonk are rolling in their graves, groaning with disgust over the watered-down contemporary excuse that the “country” music industry presents us for music,” said J.P. “Save for a few Randy Travis gems and Alan Jackson hits, this flim-flam is pathetic, at best. And we want no part of it.” One suspects Harris is referring to the American Idol manufactured grotesquery that passes for contemporary country, the assumption that putting on a three-hundred dollar cowboy hat somehow cancels out synthetic production and songwriting by committee. When the band began, they had only two rules: keep it country, and keep it

songs and the performances within, both of which has long since recognized, but that three and a half decades had passed since its initial release. Good heavens, I remember buying a vinyl copy the day it came out! Following on the heels of The Band homage No Reason to Cry this album has always occupied a curious place in the Clapton canon. While utilizing a decidedly American band, specifically the Tulsa trio of Carl Radle, Dick Sims, and Jamie Oldaker, the production by Glyn Johns is decidedly British. The resultant effort, organic country on one extreme and antiseptic pop on the other, has not aged well. Its three best known songs, J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine,” Clapton’s own sappy “Wonderful Tonight” and the striving for a radio hit “Lay Down Sally” suffer from both overexposure and dated production. On the other hand the deliriously mad “Next Time You See Her” and tasty “Peach-

BY JAMES

CASSARA

simple. They have done both, yet still J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices weave burning pedal steel leads and painfully genuine guitar solos with the cool calm After doing “every dirty-handed job of a Spaghetti-Western Clint Eastwood. in Vermont” he decided to pursue the They willfully draw on such influences bright neon of Nashville, his home for as primitive Western Swing and roughthe past three years. Since then he has, edged Truck Driving ballads; emulating, but with a rare ear for authenticity, penned a not imitating, prime Bob Wills and Merle number of Honky Tonk ballads, ranging Haggard. They like to think of themselves from destitute pleas of the drunkard to as “the perfect gentlemen to bring home for upbeat barroom anthems. But each song Christmas, if only you could get the stains has a single common thread; to maintain off their Wranglers and the cheap whiskey a simplicity and sharp wit found only in a off their breath.” road-worn artist who, though only in his J.P. Harris first hit the road at the age of mid-twenties, has already paid more than 14, and has been living the songs he writes a few dues. ever since. With guitar in hand and no particular roadmap, he began playing and singIF ing early country standards to whomever YOU JP Harris & the Tough would listen. He kept his head (marginally) GO Choices at Jack of the Wood on above water by alternately working as a carSaturday, February 9. Tickets are priced at $7 for the 21 and over penter, logger, apple-picker, and whatever only 10 p.m. show. else would come his way.

es and Diesel” sound fresher than they did at the time. The remastering doesn’t seem substantially different from the original mix, which leaves the added tracks as the primary reason for this edition. Four unreleased recordings, including a flaccid rendering Gordon Lightfoot’s “Looking at the Rain” are interesting but by no means essential while the live tracks aptly demonstrate the spark that Clapton and crew could bring to the stage but rarely the studio. Best of the lot are the rarely played “Steady Rolling Man” and a torrid “Tell the Truth.” The remaining numbers are fine but if one owns the second Crossroads boxed set that’s really all you need. Meaning if you lack either the original release of Slowhand or Crossroads Volume Two then snagging this is a must. But it’s hard to imagine any serious EC collector not owning those, making the anniversary release a curious thing indeed. ***

Doug Mains Brings “City Folk” South The band layers vocal harmonies with acoustic guitar, cello, accordion, upright bass and percussion to deliver engaging and dynamic live performances. Their shows feature a diverse collection of songs from two self-produced EPs, their debut full-length album, The Mountain’s King (2012).

IF YOU GO: Doug Mains & the City

Folk, February 8 at Asheville Radio Café, 81 Patton Ave., alongside South Carolina act Where’s Wolf. The show starts at 8 p.m.

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 15

sound experience Ken Stringfellow

s co-founder of the Posies, one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the ‘90s, Ken Stringfellow was at the forefront of that decade’s power pop resurgence. The Posies, formed in 1989 by Stringfellow and Jon Auer, began in Auer’s parents’ basement in Bellingham, Washington. Enamored by everything from ‘60s pop to what was currently emerging out of nearby Seattle, the pair created a demo tape and sent it to Pop Llama Records in Seattle. They admittedly had no notion of what they were doing and didn’t know how to make a record; but based on the inherent qualities of their songs, the demo tape (crude as it was) was a revelation. The suits at Pop Llama immediately loved it — with a bit of polishing and studio correction, the duo ultimately released it as the Posies’ first album, Failure. They signed with Geffen’s DGC label and released three albums that, while

BY JAMES

CASSARA

ing power pop act revered by music that disbanded after critics, went releasing only one largely unnoticed EP, and played with by the general such bands as Twin public. Upset that Princess (with Seattle the Posies weren’t artist Bootsy Holler), selling as well as the Orange Humble DGC’s other SeBand, Lagwagon, attle-based bands Scott McCaughey’s (including Veruca the Minus 5, and Salt, Counting Chariot. His greatCrows, and some est visibility came as band named Nira touring member vana), the label of R.E.M and joined dropped them Ken Stringfellow’s concert provides a warm the band for 2001’s after the release of glow in the midst of winter’s chill. Reveal. the band’s third In addition to continuing his partneralbum. The Posies went on to release a final ship with Auer, Stringfellow has enjoyed a LP, Success, before disbanding in 1998. solid career as a solo singer/songwriter. This Both Auer and Stringfellow joined Alex Sounds Like Goodbye launched his solo Chilton’s Big Star in the early ‘90s and have stint in 1997, followed four years later by pursued numerous solo projects along the Touched. He released Soft Commands in way. Stringfellow formed Saltine, a promis-

WNC Jazz Profiles: Shane Perlowin “Shane Perlowin is a true artist; a musician who has his own voice, technically and compositionally.” ~ Drummer Justin Watt

uitarist Shane Perlowin, born 1978, is a late bloomer as far as jazz musicians go, spending his first ten years as a guitarist having taken no lessons and learning very few songs. Shane invested his early years crafting his sound and creating original music, his listening habits eclectic and growing ever wider, influencing his approach to writing and playing. Ultimately, his rootlessness served as the basis for his idiosyncratic style, which he would later begin to refine and reinforce with theory, technique, and tradition. Being a spontaneous player, due to his early years spent searching in the absence of strict discipline, has led him to both a confidence in his own inventions and a lack of fear of mistakes. “I believe in letting music happen spontaneously, freshly interpreting a tune each performance. I also believe that the function of music is to convey deep emotion, ferocity, humor, nostalgia, mystery, and joy. Thus, there’s hopefully a romantic, evocative, and lyrical quality to even the most difficult works. My love for jazz was sparked as a teenager when curiosity led me to acquire John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”. Next I picked up “Full House” by Wes

Montgomery and “Mingus Ah Um” by Charles Mingus. From there I was hooked on jazz, while still embracing rock, punk, world music, electronic music, folk, classical, and hip hop. Much of my connection to jazz as a performer was developed from listening to Billie Holiday, Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Chet Baker. It was via this familiarity with vocal interpretations of tunes that I began to internalize their forms.” Guitarist Shane Perlowin Photo: Frank Zipperer At age 24, he committed his attention to learning to read and notate music Europe once or twice a year with Ahleuand began a two-year period of study with chatistas, as a solo guitarist, with Swiss the late jazz guitarist Tim Haden at UNCA. vocalist Antoine Läng, and as a member of There he received a BA in philosophy the Swiss quintet sbdQtç. and nearly completed a minor in music. “I really enjoy Shane’s versatilIt was during this time that he formed the ity and I’m particularly touched by avant-rock group Ahleuchatistas, for which the sensitivity he puts into his music, he would gain an international audience his instinct as an improviser, the way — touring, performing at festivals, receivhe performs with a lot of listening, ing praise from the likes of The NY Times, response and generosity, as well as his NPR, and Downbeat, and releasing albums incredible expressivity that makes him on such esteemed imprints as Cuneiform sound deeply human.” Records, Harvest Recordings, and John Zorn’s Tzadik Records. ~ Singer/composer Antoine Lang In 2006, Shane played his first concert in Europe at the Saalfelden Jazz As his more adventurous music found Festival in Austria, alongside such artists as an appreciation around the world, Perlowin Steve Coleman, Marc Ribot and Abdulmade a home in Asheville where he earns lah Ibrahim. Subsequently, he has toured a living teaching guitar and performing. “I

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2004, recording the songs in between R.E.M. gigs, while The Sellout Cover Sessions, Vol. 1 allowed him to stretch his legs with a batch of eclectic cover material in 2008. Two years later, the reunited Posies released their seventh studio album, Blood/ Candy, followed last year by a fourth solo outing, Danzig in the Moonlight. His manic pace is reflective not only of an artist whose restless spirit refuses to be contained but of one who in constant demand. Musicians love playing with and for Ken Stringfellow, not just for his formidable knowledge of music, but because he’s such a darn good guy. It’s a winning combination and one more reason why this show promises to be a warm glow in the midst of winter’s chill. IF YOU Pop Meister Ken Stringfellow GO with guest Greg Cartwright at the

Grey Eagle Wednesday February 27. Tickets are $10 advance / $12 day of show for this 8 p.m. show.

EDDIE LESHURE

often play solo guitar where I can apply the techniques of classical and fingerstyle blues guitar to the great American Songbook. Frequently, I’ll play duo with a drummer and the jazz repertoire takes on a Chet Atkin’s Americana flavor with bass lines played with my right-hand thumb supporting arpeggiated changes and melodies floating on top.” This confluence of approaches has made Shane an accomplished accompanist to singers and horn players. The way Shane gained professional competency was by booking gigs that put him on the spot. “I believe the best way to become a performer is to perform, and to grow in front of an actual audience.” His main influences today? “My approach to improvising on guitar is partially influenced by pianists Nina Simone, Thelonious Monk, and Bill Evans. Some guitarists I admire are Charlie Christian, Jim Hall, Agustin Barrios Mangore and Bill Frisell.” “Shane Perlowin is the real deal!”

~ Saxophonist John Zorn Eddie LeShure is a jazz radio host, currently off-the-air, who encourages all readers to enthusiastically support local jazz.

authors ~ books ~ readings The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

WRITTEN BY AYANA MATHIS

he Twelve Tribes of Hattie is the REVIEWED BY MARCIANNE MILLER debut novel of Brooklyn author Ayana Mathis. It was catapulted to instant best“…Maybe we only have sellerdom by being chosen as the second selection of the a finite amount of love re-launched Oprah Winfrey Book to give…” Club. Thousands of people have read it and loved it. It’s been touted to the 1980s, with stops along as an unsparing story of the Great Migrathe way. Hattie and her 11 tion, the historic move of 6 million blacks children and her granddaughfrom Jim Crow south for a better life in the ter make up the twelve tribes of the title and north, between 1910 and 1970. their connection to the twelve tribes of the I really wanted to like this book. It ancient Israelites. did have some virtues but basically it was a At age 15, Hattie Leonard left Geortedious tale that informed me little about the gia and drove with her husband August to Great Migration and a lot about how the unPhiladelphia, which they were convinced happiness of the mother is visited upon the was the New Jerusalem. They dreamed of children. I read the book on audio tape and high paying jobs and a big house, of racial the narrators’ voices gave the story a vitality I equality and a community of friends. What doubt a pages version would have. If I were they found instead was disappointment and reading a hard copy of Twelve Tribes, I despair. Hattie’s life in Philadelphia bedoubt I would have finished it. came an endless endurance of poverty and A graduate of the Iowa Writers Workunhappiness As everyone said, Hattie “had shop and a recipient of the prestigious married the wrong man.” August Leonard literary award granted by the Michenerwas a terrible provider, a womanizer, and a Copernicus Fellowship, Ayana Mathis has lousy role model. more than enough official honors to be The only thing he did well was come considered a competent writer. Competent home and impregnate Hattie, who seemed she is. Her sentences are good—simple and unable to avoid his night-time charms. Elevseamless. Occasionally there are the dreamy, en children resulted from this union. With poetic ones: “Salo woke in the deepest part such a large brood, spread out over a lifetime of the night when the furrowing, burrowof fertility, there was not enough time or ing creatures are quiet in their dens and the money for Hattie to show her children affecnight hunters have eaten their fill or given tion. All she could manage was food and disup the chase.” cipline. The tender endearments that other But good sentences do not a novel women showered on their children were make. What the book lacks, in spite of its unknown in Hattie’s house. The overriding sometimes feverish praise, is depth of charemotion of her mothering was anger. acter as well as a narrative arc that makes you breathless to learn what happens next. You want to throttle the characters in Twelve Tribes because they are so unremittingly miserable. The novel would make a wonderful television soap opera, but a rich tale about the Great Migration it is not. WRITTEN BY MARIJO MOORE Only occasionally do we get a sense of what the universe outside Hattie’s tiny rentormer Rapid River Magazine poetry ed house on Wayne Street in Philadelphia editor, MariJo Moore, who is also an was like. We see no labor unions, no black author and psychic medium, has pubcommunity, no political agitation—and unlished Bear Quotes, the latest entry in like the South where white men were still her popular “quote” books. “Everything is threatening black people, we see no racism connected,” Moore believes “and bears are a whatsoever in the book. Most disappointbig part of our ecosystem… bears no more ing was that I had hoped the novel would belong in cages than humans.” Using the explore what a northern city such as Philaspirit of Bear, Moore offers readers pointed, delphia was really like for the displaced black sometimes hilarious, spiritual advice. Americans. But Mathis barely describes the “What is a Bear’s true purpose of hibercity, not its history, or cultural tumult, not nation? “Moore asks. “To visit with ancesits architecture or music. tors and listen to the music of the spheres.” The story could have taken place any“Claw marks can last forever,” she cauwhere in the world. It ranges over a 50-year tions. “Learn to leave painful situations with period from the mid-1920s (though with no your dignity intact; do not hold on to what mention of the Harlem Renaissance that was is pulling away. taking place up the coast in New York City)

Bear Quotes

FEBRUARY

We host numerous Readings, Bookclubs, as well as Poetrio!

PARTIAL LISTING More events posted online.

READINGS & BOOKSIGNINGS Monday, February 4 at 7 p.m. – Urban fantasy author Kim Harrison, Ever After. Brooklyn author Ayana Mathis. Photo: Suzanne DeChillo, NYT

In an early chapter, perhaps the finest in the novel, Hattie endures the painful and senseless death of her infant twins, named Philadelphia and Jubilee, as affirmations of hope. She mourned the babies all her life. Then, like a collection of short stories, that link but don’t interweave, Mathis tells the stories of Hattie and her grown children. They’re not the kind of progeny you brag about to your friends. One son became a phony preacher, another was a traveling trumpet player struggling with his homosexuality, another a Vietnam vet with severe undiagnosed PTSD. One girl married a doctor but spent her life trying to make it up to her brother that she was too young to stop the child abuse he endured. One daughter went totally crazy, another might as well have, as she decided to have an affair with the man she had once seen Hattie walking on the street with. Hattie seemed happier with this man than the daughter had ever seen her mother at home. Mathis is capable of lovely poetry: “rotting jasmine smell of the south”. And insight: “Maybe we only have a finite amount of love to give. We’re born with our portion, continued on page 18

REVIEWED BY MARCIANNE MILLER

Not to take ourselves too seriously, she points out, “Scat is just another word for letting go.” You can order Bear Quotes ($13.95) at your local bookseller or from www.marijomoore.com.

Thursday, February 7 at 7 p.m. – Robert Jacoby, The Map to Love. Friday, February 8 at 7 p.m. – Georganne Spruce, memoir, Awakening to the Dance. Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, February 10 at 3 p.m. Rumi’s Poetry, with Daniel Ladinsky, Nancy Owen Barton, Chris Rosser. Tickets are $20. One copy of The Purity of Desire is included with each ticket. Seating is limited. Wednesday, February 13 at 7 p.m. – Novelist Pamela King Cable, Televenge. Thursday, February 14 at 7 p.m. – Novelist Jenny Milchman, Cover of Snow. Wednesday, February 20 at 7 p.m. – Reiki Master Bonnie Willow, Love, Light & Business. Thursday, February 21 at 7 p.m. – Dielle Ciesco, The Unknown Mother: A Magical Walk with the Goddess of Sound. Friday, February 22 at 7 p.m. – Food Advocate Birke Baehr, Birke on the Farm. Saturday, February 23 at 7 p.m. – Mystery writer Jamie Mason, Three Graves Full. Sunday, February 24 at 5 p.m. – Ron Rash presents his new short story collection, Nothing Gold Can Stay. This event is ticketed and seating is limited. A copy of the book comes with each ticket. Wednesday, February 27 at 7 p.m. – Dorothy Foltz-Gray, memoir on being a twin, With and Without Her. Thursday, February 28 at 7 p.m. – Novelist Holly Goddard Jones, The Next Time You See Me.

55 Haywood St.

828-254-6734 • 800-441-9829

Monday-Saturday 9AM to 9PM PG. 36 Sunday 9AM to 7PM M

Bear Quotes by MariJo Moore; Renegade Publishing, 2013; (32 pp).

Marcianne Miller is an Asheville writer/reviewer.

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 17

authors ~ books ~ readings Events at Malaprop’s The Purity of Desire: 100 Poems of Rumi Saturday & Sunday, February 9 & 10 In collaboration with Nancy Owen Barton, Daniel Ladinsky captures the beauty, intimacy, and musicality of work by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, one of Islam’s most beloved poets and spiritual thinkers. Daniel Ladinsky will be joined by Nancy Owen Barton for an event celebrating their new collection of Rumi’s poetry. The event is offered on February 9 at 7 p.m., and again on February 10 at 3 p.m. Chris Rosser will provide musical accompaniment on both occasions. Tickets are $20 for each of the events, and one copy of The Purity of Desire is included with each ticket. Seating is limited.

Nothing Gold Can Stay Sunday, February 24 at 5 p.m. New short story collection by Ron Rash. Rash’s family has lived in the southern Appalachian Mountains since the mid1700’s, and it is this region that is the primary focus of his writing. Rash is the author of the 2009 PEN/ Faulkner finalist and New York Times bestselling novel Serena. Twice the recipient of the O. Henry Prize, he teaches at Western Carolina University. About his new collection, Publishers Weekly has written, “Rash impresses with clear-eyed, sympathetic writing about flawed and troubled characters.” This event is ticketed and seating is limited. Tickets are $32. A first edition hardcover copy of Nothing Gold Can Stay comes with each ticket!

IF YOU GO: Malaprop’s Café &

Bookstore, 55 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. For more details call (828) 254-6734 or visit www.malaprops.com.

Joseph Campbell’s Wisdom Hits Home

wo Asheville locals “fol“Follow your bliss and the low their bliss” to create an unusual yet meanuniverse will open doors where ingful book. Asheville there were only walls.” author Dielle Ciesco took the words of mythologist ~ Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) Joseph Campbell to heart and started writing. Local editor Mark also led to new challenges. Novels from Bloom gave her words the heartbeat needed unknown writers aren’t the easiest to get to make them come alive. published. “I knew I had to present a very By following their bliss, the two created clean package and was willing to invest in a book that was accepted by the first pubthat,” she says. lisher it was presented to. The results are apTo realize her bliss in print, she turned parent in the work, The Unknown Mother: to Asheville editor Mark Bloom, who does A Magical Walk with the Goddess of Sound Sound, work for Ray Access, a local web content published this month by Roundfire Books provider. Bloom’s passion lies in editing. (ISBN: 978-1780996318). His bliss led him through many careers, all The book personifies the kind of colinvolving the written word, including a stint laboration that makes Asheville a unique and editing at Lark Books. thriving arts community. A vocal activist, “Working with Mark was easy,” Ciesco healer, and teacher, Ciesco’s book is based says. “He would take a sentence or paraon a lifetime exploring the mysteries and graph and make it say exactly what I wanted subtleties of the power of voice, the meaning with precision and flow. He had some really of words, and the properties of sound. But great ideas that made the book better.” writing the book became a journey in itself. When asked about the collaboration, she Ciesco at first tried to write an eduadmits, “I really had no idea how deep the cational book to capture all the archaic editing process could go. Mark made sure research and practical experience she had the story was unified and was a big support acquired. After struggling with it for years, in making my characters more interesting.” she had a brainstorm to turn the informaThe book represents Ciesco’s life work, tion into a novel. which is far from complete. “Going through “The book took on a life of its own,” the editing process has definitely made me a Ciesco says. But the change to fiction

‘Twelve Tribes’ cont’d from page 17

and if we love and are not loved enough in return, it’s depleted.” But the misery of each character is so intense, their situations so hopeless, that you feel like the story is beating you over the head with self-pity. Why could none of Hattie’s children find happiness? Many unloved children have done well in life once they grew up. And what was it about Hattie, a fertile woman who could see the pain of childless women, never bring herself to see what harm she was inflicting on her children? Why was every man in the novel a candidate for worst male of the century? Since no character had any spiritual values, since they all lived on the most basic level of me-first, their lives as subject matter are boring. It was with difficulty that I finished the book. The last chapter, the one supposedly where Hattie as an old woman finds redemption with her granddaughter, was so rushed it had no impact. It was as if Mathis had felt the redemption was a false note, but wrote the scene because she felt everyone (including Oprah Winfrey who loves redemption stories) expected it after all those pages of anger and resentment.

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better writer,” she says. “I really internalized the things I learned from Mark, and that's going into my second book right off the bat.” Learn more about her continuing journey and the book at www.theunknownmother.com. Dielle Ciesco – Dielle specializes in the transformational power of the voice to heal and connect us with our own Divinity. With over 18 years experience as a performer and healing facilitator, she teaches, writes, sings, creates art, and helps clients. Mark Bloom – A professional writer since 1989, Mark has contributed to five published books. As an editor, he loves guiding authors to improve their work and their skills. He has a number of projects in various stages of development. IF YOU Dielle Ciesco reads form and GO signs copies of T The Unknown

Mother, Thursday, February 21 at 7 p.m. Malaprop’s Café & Bookstore, 55 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. For more details call (828) 254-6734 or visit www.malaprops.com.

Campaign to Save Mrs. Hyatt’s Music House For more than 60 years Neila Hyatt has been hosting bluegrass music in her Asheville home, known by many as Mrs. Hyatt’s Music House. Over the years, bluegrass legends and novice players alike gathered together for weekly jams in this warm and friendly setting. Oprah and Ayana Photo: Rob Howard

I didn’t like The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, but I’m glad I read it. Any day I can discover a new writer early in her career, especially one who seems to have the talent to become a better writer, is a lucky day. .

BOTTOM LINE: Oprah Winfrey has selected many good books in the past. For a complete list of Oprah’s picks see: www.oprah. com/book-list/Oprahs-Book-Club-TheComplete-List.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis; Knopf, (256 pp.) 2012; Random House Audio, 10-1/2 hours, 8 Cd’s; read by Adenrele OJo, Banhi Turpin, Adam Lazarre-White.

Recent events have threatened the very existence of this treasured landmark. The Music House must either be moved or demolished. $200,000 is now needed to relocate the Music House to another property in Asheville. A fundraiser will be held February 10 at the VFW Club on Leciester Highway from 2 to 7 p.m. The event will feature a day of music and a Chili Cornbread Cook-off.

IF YOU GO: Admission is $10 per

person. Children and cook-off contestants admitted free of charge. For more details call (828) 633-1136.

L T

RELAX – GO TO GIFT GUIDE

PG. 36

INTERVIEW WITH MARGI ERICKSON OWNER OF WILMINGTON NC’S

C.W. Worth House

he C. W. Worth House Bed and Breakfast is known for the striking Queen Anne architecture, romantic atmosphere and gorgeous gardens. C. W. Worth House beautifully weds the present and the past in a casual atmosphere. Wilmington is one of the most beautiful cities on the North Carolina coast. Founded over 250 years ago on the shores of the Cape Fear River, Wilmington has a rich past. The Wilmington historic district is the largest district listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a must see.

The Rose suite

Rapid River Magazine: Tell us a little about the C.W. Worth House.

Margi Erickson: The C. W.

Worth House Bed and Breakfast is the longest operating B&B in historic Wilmington since 1985. We are a traditional Victorian B&B with 7 guestrooms with private baths and one with a jetted tub.

RRM: Wilmington has so much to offer what do you personally suggest your guests do while visiting?

ME: Wilmington has lots of

history from the Revolutionary War, Civil War and WWII. There are many sites and tours for the history buff. We also celebrate the river. There are boat tours that go out on the beautiful river and have stories about its history. Just walking along the river walk is fun to see shops and restaurants along the way. The Battleship North

INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS RAY

Carolina Memorial is parked across the river downtown open 365 days a year for tour. We have beautiful beaches within a 15 minute drive. Nightlife is alive and well downtown with wine bars, live music and theater for entertainment.

RRM: Are you offering any special

Valentine’s Day or winter specials/ packages, and will you tell us a little about them?

ME: We love to celebrate Valentine’s

Day. We have a Celebration Package which includes a chilled bottle of Champagne and locally made bonbons awaiting your arrival for just $25 additional. Or you can enjoy a two night getaway with our Romantic Getaway Package which includes two nights in your choice of room, one dozen roses in a vase, locally handmade bonbons, chilled bottle of Champagne and a carriage ride for two through historic Wilmington, all for $500. These packages will be available through February.

RRM: Those people who might not

be familiar with staying at a B&B and who regularly stay at hotels; tell us what sets the two apart?

ME: Most people would describe

hotels as cold and sterile. Well bed and breakfasts are a complete 180 from that description. At a B&B you always get the personality of your hosts. Bed and breakfasts are more personal, for sure, but not so that the innkeepers are in your space. We are available 24/7 but will not impede your time together. We create the atmosphere, our guests enjoy it. It is a home-like atmosphere but professional and caring. Hospitality is our focus.

RRM: Tell us a little about what all you offer your guests.

ME: We offer seven guestrooms each

with a private bath and a sitting area. Upon check in we share what is going on around town during your stay and our favorite restaurants. Doug and

I prepare breakfast for our guests each morning and serve one seating in the dining room. We love to hear our guests around the dining room table discuss their days activities and sometimes they share emails. We serve afternoon refreshments and have refreshments and snacks available 24/7 in areas on both floors. Bookshelves full of books and current magazines are available throughout the inn. Our B&B has 3 common rooms two with TVs, two verandas and also gardens to stroll and relax. We are just three blocks to the river front where shopping and international dining awaits you.

RRM: How long have you been

running the C.W. Worth House and what was the house originally?

PG. 36

ME: We have been innkeepers here

for 13 years. As I said earlier, the house became a B&B in the early 80’s. The house remained in the Worth family until 1944 when it became a boarding house during the war. It remained a boarding/ rooming house until around 1980 when the restoration for the B&B started. We are fortunate that it was never chopped up into apartments because the original staircase, foyer and pocket doors remain intact. We are proud to own and maintain this important architectural example in Wilmington. We also love our guests and continually strive to exceed their expectations.

C.W. Worth House A Bed and Breakfast in the Victorian Tradition 412 South 3rd Street Wilmington, NC 28401 1-800-340-8559 910-762-8562 www.worthhouse.com

PG. 36

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 19

PG. 36

Like us at Facebook.com/theclassicwineseller

20 Church Street, Waynesville www.classicwineseller.com

828-452-6000

Elegant Interiors

sn’t it romantic? A Valentine’s weekend dinner, dancing, and live jazz at the Classic Wineseller with jazz singer, Jesse E. Junior; pianist, Bill Bares; and bassist, Zack Page.. The evening includes a specially prepared menu from Angelino’s kitchen in the Wineseller. The per person price is $34.99 plus tax and gratuity.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE Classical - Acoustic Ambiance First Friday, February thru May

Bringing Your Home Together in an Elegant Manner Fine Furnishings and Interior Decorating

39 N. Main St., Waynesville, NC WA

828-452-3509 • Monday-Saturday 9-5

The Classic Wineseller will host an evening of modern music rarities and delicious vintages for discerning palates. Join us, as we welcome performers from Asheville’s superb music collective, Pan Harmonia, to Waynesville. Situated inside the Classic Wineseller, Angelino’s Piattino Ristorante begins serving dinner at 5:30 p.m. There is a $10 per person minimum food/wine purchase and free concert admission, with a suggested donation of $5-20 per person for the musicians.

Upcoming Concerts Friday, February 1, 7-10 p.m. Kate Steinbeck, flute; Fred Lemmons, clarinet; and, Rosalind Buda, bassoon.

Friday, March 1, 7 p.m.

Kate Steinbeck, flute and Fabio Parrini, piano. Music of Cesar Franck and Claude Debussy.

Friday, April 5, 7 p.m. PG. 36

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Classic Wineseller

Valentine’s Weekend Dinner and Live Jazz

PG. 36

ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S WEEKEND AT THE

Live Music Weekly

Reservations required. Music: Jesse E. Junior, vocals; Bill Bares, piano; Zack Page, bass

VALENTINE’S ENTERTAINMENT

Wine Beer Tapas

Saturday, February 16 at 7pm.

– Kate Steinbeck, flute; Fabio Parrini, piano; Maria Parrini, cello. Fabio’s 15year old daughter. Felix Mendelssohn’s epic Trio No 1, Op. 49 in D Minor and more.

KAY S. MILLER

Jesse Earl Junior, a long time jazz singer on the New York jazz scene, studied with piano legend Barry Harris and Cobi Norita of the Universal Jazz Coalition in Pianist, Bill Bares Photo: Frank Zipperer New York. Junior played in numerous clubs in the New York area, as well as his homeHe toured the world appearing town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin before in Asia, the Far East, the Monembracing the bourgeoning jazz scene treaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, in the Carolinas. His main influences and in all 50 states. Page performed include three great talents: Johnny with Billy Higgins, Eddie DanHartman, Joe Williams, and Louie iels, and Babik Reinhardt (son of Armstrong. Django Reinhardt). Since then, he Pianist Bill Bares holds a Bachelor has enjoyed playing in a variety of of Arts degree from Amherst College, settings from children’s music to a Masters degree in Jazz Performance straight ahead jazz and hard hitting from the University of Miami, and blues. a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from Zack Page is a regular on the Harvard University, where he studied jazz scene in western North Carowith Ingrid Monson, the Quincy Jones lina, performing with a variety of Professor of African American Music. groups including the hot gypsy jazz Bares spent ten years performing and group, One Leg Up from Asheville. researching jazz in Europe, and his For more information about book Eternal Triangle: American Jazz special events at the Classic Winein European Postmodern is forthcomseller, including our weekly Friday ing with Oxford University Press. Night Live music series, visit us Zack Page has been honing his online at www.classicwineseller. bass playing skills for 23 years. In com or www.facebook.com/thehigh school, it was all about metal, classicwineseller. the heavier the better. In college, Page moved solely into jazz and blues, regularly performing in nightclubs. IF In his 20s, he worked with a traveling YOU Jazz singer, Jesse E. theatrical productions company and as GO Junior; pianist, Bill Bares; an entertainer on cruise ships. and bassist, Zack Page perform Saturday, February 16, at 7 p.m. The Classic Wineseller, 20 Church Street in Waynesville. Call (828) 452-6000 to make reservations or email requests to info@ classicwineseller.com. Seating is limited.

Classic WineSeller

Friday, 3 May, 7 p.m.

– Kate Steinbeck, flute, Fred Lemmons, clarinet, Amy Brucksch, guitar

20 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

Fred Lemmons, Kate Steinbeck, and Rosalind Buda Photo: Frank Zipperer

20 Church Street Waynesville, NC (828) 452-6000 www.classicwineseller.com

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& GIFT GUIDE – WAYNESVILLE INTERVIEW WITH JUDI FERRIS, OWNER OF WAYNESVILLE’S

Chocolate Bear

E Judi Ferris, owner of The Chocolate Bear. Photos: Liza Becker

there.

stablished in 2006, The Chocolate Bear is located on Main Street in historic downtown Waynesville, NC, minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains. If you are visiting Asheville, The Chocolate Bear is only a short drive west of

Rapid River Magazine: What was the moment

you knew you wanted to be a chocolatier or work mainly with chocolate?

Judi Ferris: I had been working here at the Choco-

late Bear for four years and last fall I was offered the opportunity to buy the business. Well, I knew The Chocolate Bear had an extremely wonderful reputation so I immediately jumped at the opportunity. We have many tourists that are loyal repeat customers as well as a strong established local clientele. I’ve always enjoyed working with and visiting with our customers.

RRM: How would you describe the product line your shop offers?

JF: We offer a large variety of very fine chocolates. RRM: What is your best selling product and what is

INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS RAY PG. 36

My grandson lives in Ireland so you can imagine I go there as often as possible. One of my other favorite places to visit is the Tuscany countryside in Italy.

“not your ordinary...confectionary” Open until 8 p.m. on February 12 & 13 for Valentines Shopping! 35 Flavors of Chocolate Truffles Valentine Fudge Apples Chocolate Covered Strawberries (Place your order soon)

RRM: What

specials are you offering for Valentine’s Day?

Valentine Truffles Specialty Chocolates and Candies

JF: We’re taking orders for chocolate covered straw-

berries, a local favorite, and chocolate covered cordial cherries, valentine truffles, and specialty candies. We also sell special gift baskets and we offer special Valentine’s packaging. We will also be offering special Valentine’s Day fudge covered granny smith apples.

170 N. Main • Waynesville, NC Special Orders & Shipping Available • 828.452.6844

RRM: What is the perfect chocolate gift to give? JF: You can’t go wrong with a box of truffles in pretty

Valentine’s Day packaging. What our clients like best is that they get to pick out the truffles individually. I’ve heard many people comment that this really makes the gift so much more personal than giving a pre-sorted box of chocolates. It shows you know exactly what your sweetheart loves.

your personal favorite?

JF: Our number one best seller are our chocolate

truffles — a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate or cocoa powder. We carry between 30-35 flavors. Another big seller is our locally made fudge. My personal favorite is the dark chocolate sea salt caramel. That too is becoming very popular.

RRM: What is next for you and for your shop? JF: I hope to expand the retail area, and possibly expand to online sales.

RRM: If you weren’t working with chocolate, what would you be doing?

JF: I would be working with flowers and plants

or doing international traveling. I have been very fortunate to have been able to travel a lot overseas. PG. 36

The Chocolate Bear 170 North Main Street Waynesville, NC 28786

PG. 36

(828) 452-6844

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 21

OASIS OF RELAXATION – GO TO GIFT GUIDE SolA Therapeutic Salt Cave

olA (pronounced so-LAY) Therapeutic Salt Cave located at 10-12 Eagle Street in downtown Asheville provides it’s clients with 45 minutes of pure relaxation, stress reduction, and rejuvenation as all five of their senses are engaged by the healing powers of nature. SolA is a unique oasis, salt-enriched microclimate which allows the body and mind to rehabilitate and rebalance. The power of salt therapy has been known for centuries to be beneficial in the treatment of respiratory ailments, cardiovascular issues, nervous system disorders, skin problems and digestive complaints. Upon entering the cave you are surrounded by 20 tons of salt rocks and crystals imported from Poland which are over 250 million years old. The salt was mined from deep within the earth and is by far the purest salt available, uncontaminated by any toxins or pollutants. The radiant heated

floor is covered in smaller salt crystals from the Dead Sea. Water and salt are the essence of life. Our cave is fed by two water features. Just as the primal ocean is a natural sole (pronounced so-LAY), as is the embryonic fluid in the womb, so to are the two water features that feed our cave. While sitting in zero gravity chairs the 84 trace elements required by our bodies to function are being absorbed by inhalation and absorption. The PH of the body is leveled and returned to the healthy state of homeostasis. SolA is the first and only cave of its kind to be built in the United States. We took the initiative to incorporate only all natural and sustainable features to ensure that our micro-climate is free from any pollutants. It is the only cave in the United States that does not contain breeding grounds for bacteria to attach to because no artificial resins, gypsum or plaster were used in it’s construction. There is no halo- generator or other mechanical or artificial means of “spraying salt”.

That is the essence of Salt Therapy, but without any pollution. 45 minutes in our salt cave is equivalent to four days of being at the ocean. We now offer the following treatments and classes within the cave at regular scheduled intervals: children quiet play, yoga and breath work, meditation, Qi Gong, Community Acupuncture, wellness seminars, reflexology, massage and Reiki . SolA Therapeutic Salt Cave is an affordable alternative drug-free health solutions for the entire family. Salt oxidizes mechanical parts, which then spray unhealthy oxides into the environment. SolA is a self-sustaining, growing salt environment, in which a constant humidity and temperature are maintained. Ever notice how we are drawn to the ocean? Did you ever notice when you go to the beach, especially when the wind is blowing and the waves are pounding the surf, that the invigorating air really cleans out your sinuses?

SolA Therapeutic Salt Cave 10 Eagle Street, Asheville Monday – Saturday 10-7 p.m. Last session at 6 p.m. Sunday 10-3 p.m. Last session at 2 p.m. (828) 236-5999 www.solasaltcave.com

INTERVIEW WITH BETH APPEL OWNER OF SOLA THERAPEUTIC SALT CAVE

apid River Magazine: Tell us a

little about Sola and what all you offer.

INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS RAY

Beth Appel: We offer a 45 minute

session of pure relaxations, stress reduction and rejuvenation as all five of the senses are engaged by the healing powers of nature.

RRM: What interested you in choosing

downtown Asheville to open your business?

BA: Asheville is a community which is very

open to alternative health practices. Salt therapy has been used in Europe for over 250 years. It is slowly making its way to the United States. There are fewer than 8 authentic salt caves in the US at the present time.

RRM: Tell us a little about salt therapy and what benefits it brings.

BA:Our enriched micro climate allows the

body and mind to rebalance and rehabilitate. The power of salt therapy has been known for centuries to be beneficial in the treatment of respiratory ailments, cardiovascular issues, nervous system disorders, skin problems and digestive complaints.

BA: Each session is 45 minutes in

therapy. Children under 3 are free

length and begins on the hour. This therapy is very affordable for families. Children under 3 are Free, ages 4-17 are $15 and adults are $25. We offer multiple session packs which allows a whole family to reap the benefits of salt therapy at an affordable price

RRM: How long does a session last and what

Sola Therapeutic Salt Cave is a family owned and operated business.

RRM: Is this available for all ages? BA: Anyone ages 0-100 can benefit from salt

are the costs? 22 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

Photo: Liza Becker

artful living Presence is Love “Love is a mind that brings peace, joy, and happiness to another person. Compassion is a mind that removes the suffering that is present in another.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh

here are many kinds of love: romantic, family, friendship, affiliation, admiration, compassion, aesthetic, awe, reverence, and they all have in common the experience of an expanded and extended sense of self in a joining with the object of the love. Another way of understanding this expanded and extended sense of self can be as presence – not mere physical presence, but something much more. To truly love requires combinations of physical, mental, emotional, even a kind of spiritual presence. The space that is occupied by me expands and extends, and I am one and fully present in one or more of these dimensions, merged with the object of my love. This is an experience we have all had. We know this to be true. Our moments of clearest and most unambiguous love are ones in which our sense of self as separate from all else dissolves, expands and extends to include this person, or this object of our perception, this affiliation, this idea, this experience. Our presence in existence now includes this “other” that is no longer wholly other. The consciousness teacher Stephen Levine, in the book he co-wrote with his wife Ondrea, entitled, Embracing The Beloved, calls this experience “The Beloved.” “The Beloved is neither a person nor a place. It is an experience of deeper and deeper levels of being, and eventually of beingness itself – the boundarylessness of your own great nature expressed in its rapture and absolute vastness by the word ‘love.’”… The Beloved isn’t what you know, it’s what you are. It isn’t anything you think. It is that in which thought floats. And that which goes beyond thought. It is the heart of being where pure awareness and pure love are indistinguishable…That sense of presence, of simply being, when investigated brings one toward the experience of the Beloved.” When in presence, in pure awareness beyond thought, we experience that we occur within that space. We exist in connection and sharing with all else in the space of the moment, and here we discover the realm of Being. It is here that we can realize that our essential nature is love. And when that awareness is focused on another, encompassing another, then what dissolves is the sense of self and other as separate, and that

space is love and compassion. It is simply what we all seek, whether in relationship, spirituality, or, as Zen identifies, life itself. This is not to be confused with the experience called love that is really ego-identification and possession. This is not a merging of presence, but rather an incorporation, a capturing and possession of the other by the self that is the ego. In other words, it is an owning and its purpose is to make more of “me,” and “me” is still basically separate. There is no recognition of the true reality, beauty, worthiness, uniqueness of the other, every bit as important and inviolable as me, but rather, it is the making of the other into a possession of me. This is not love, and certainly it is not compassion. Unfortunately, too much of what is called love is this egopossession, and is why rather than a source of alleviation of suffering, this pseudo-love is a source of so much suffering. In our world, unhappily, there exists a deficiency of real love, and our relationships, all too often, suffer from a deficit of real love. We lack the capacity for real love because we lack the capacity for real presence, for real compassion. It’s not our fault, and no one is to blame, for it is rare to have experienced or been nourished with the love that is not conditional and with no egostrings attached. We tend to love as we have been loved, and few have been loved in an enlightened and free manner. The capacity is, however, within us all, buried under the pseudo-love we learned as children and see all around us in society. Sadly, what begins as true love, an expression of the Beloved, all too often gets lost in this ego-possession because our society does not support or train people in living in loving, compassionate presence. Quite the contrary, for our society, being materialistic, generates superficial, ego-based relationships, even within families. People get caught in their cultural/psychological conditioning, and this is why people who truly do love each other become sources of suffering for each other. Then, peace, joy and happiness are lost. This is why parents and children, spouses, lovers, and friends so often are hurtful to each other. The shared awareness and presence is lost in emotional distance caused by conflict of egos, and then

BILL WALZ

physical proximity becomes painful, all the more so because the idea of supposed love remains the context. We find that loving confuses and hurts. When Thich Nhat Hanh talks of love and compassion, it must be realized they are inextricably related. Love can only flourish in the presence of compassion and compassion is the truest love. They are both the expanding and extending of the sense of self to include another, and, he is correct; love and compassion bring peace, joy, happiness, and remove suffering. They are both expressions and natural results from what the Zen Master Dainin Katagiri called “wholehearted presence.” To heal relationships, the irreplaceable elements that must be restored are compassion and real presence. We must be able to expand and extend the sense of self to include the other. We must see and experience that we are one in the space of Being, and that what has caused our separation is our conditioning into this ego-self, isolated in existence, that only knows how to possess, to judge, to incorporate others into its own idea of self. We must enter into wholehearted presence where love inhabits the space, where the Beloved abides. This is true for healing personal relationships, and importantly, it is true for the more abstract relationships we have with our fellow anonymous humans and the natural world. All destruction and suffering are caused by this lack of ability to expand and extend our sense of self to include the other. In this void, compassion cannot live. Only in the expanded and extended sense of self, in realizing the Beloved as the truth of “the boundarylessness of your own great nature,” can we begin to heal not only our personal relationships, but our relationships as a human society in the vast greatness of Nature. Only then, can we become love embodied, The Beloved. Possession and ego-identification are the antithesis of love. Yet this is what our society primarily teaches us of love – you can see it everywhere on TV. Naturally and deeply, however, every one of us knows the truth of love and the necessity of compassion. We came into this world with it. It is the boundarylessness between mother and child. It is the boundarylessness natural to a child who loves so easily and completely, albeit naively. Mature love is the wisdom to understand and apply the appropriate and necessary discerning boundaries that will not allow the violence that is ego-possession to appropriate and violate us, while extending, being-to-being, the sacred space of presence in which the Beloved holds sway and heals.

Presence – total, non-judgmental presence - is the miracle quality and gift we must apply to heal ourselves, each other, and the world. This is the truth of compassion that removes suffering, and this is the truth of love that can and does bring real peace, joy and happiness.

Bill Walz has taught meditation and mindfulness in university and public forums, and is a privatepractice meditation teacher and guide for individuals in mindfulness, personal growth and consciousness. He holds a weekly meditation class, Mondays, 7 p.m., at the Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood in Asheville. By donation. Information on classes, talks, personal growth and healing instruction, or phone consultations at (828) 258-3241, e-mail at healing@billwalz.com. Learn more, see past columns and schedule of coming events at www.billwalz.com

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 23

unique viewpoints The Curmudgeon and the Bat

he curmudgeon came into the General Store and announced that he had a tale to tell and asked Mr. and Mrs. Store-keep, plus Bread-man, Beer-man, and the Postman to take a few minutes to listen his story. “It seems,” said Curmudgeon, “that a small brown bat, from over near Rock City, accidentally fell to the ground while flying over a family gathering of Stoats. The Stoats were having a high old time just drinking and bar-b-cuing on the side of a mountain. “One very crafty Stoat, by the name of Fred, was standing to one side and talking to another Stoat named Billy Bob. Fred and Billy Bob talked on and on about the weather, politics, and the benefit shopping at Wal-Mart. Then Fred, feeling something at his feet, looked down to see the Bat. Not wishing to share this delicacy, Fred told Billy Bob that his wife was calling him. “After Billy Bob has wandered off, Fred reached down and picked up the Bat and began to open his mouth for a tasty treat. But the Bat refused to give in and begged for his freedom. “Fred Stoat listened to the Bat but said that just on general principles, he couldn’t let any Bat go free because the Stoats were sworn enemies of every bird that flew. Then remembering some recent chickens, added that the Stoats also ate birds that didn’t fly, but only walked. “But the Bat cried out that he was not a bird and flapped his wings, and as he talked he quickly folded his wings and covered his fangs with his upper lip, then smiled at the Stoat. “Thus Fred Stoat admitted that the Bat was a rodent and let him go. “Sometime later, the Bat was lolly-gagging around the sky and dove to catch a Miller Moth, but missing the Moth he flew

Southern Comfort COLLECTED STORIES AND PROSE OF WRITER, JUDY AUSLEY

PETER LOEWER

onto the ground Illustration by Peter Loewer and was caught again, this time by one of a bunch of Ferrets who were attending a catfish fry at the mayor’s home. “The Ferret said he would never let a Mouse survive because all Ferrets hate mice but when the Bat began to flap his wings and cried out that he wasn’t a mouse, the Ferret let the Bat free. “Now the Bat began to be a bit cocksure about his seeming ability to fight off enemies, and in so doing forgot where he was flying and lost track of his altitude and suddenly he flew directly into the feathered hat of a very large woman who was attending an evening reception for the Master Gardeners. “The woman cried out ‘EEEEEEK!’ and tearing off her hat, threw it and the Bat into the punchbowl whereupon the plunge into icy brew snapped the Bat back to reality and before the woman could marshal her forces, he flew up into the evening sky. “But this time, due to the excitement and the effects of the lingering punch, the Bat was not paying close attention and wound up on the clutches of an Old Owl. “The Owl immediately said that he loved to eat bats and the bat said he wasn’t a Bat but a Mouse and the Owl said that he loved to eat Mice, too. Moral: Look which way the wind is blowing before you commit yourself. Peter Loewer has written and illustrated more than twenty-five books on natural history over the past thirty years.

gifted writer left us in January when Tom Swift died. He was suffering from ALS that was diagnosed in 2007. Tom was a chaplain for years with Hospice. I believe being a chaplain influenced him to write a column in the CT each week to inform the reading public about this incurable disease that destroys so many young people each year. Swift was only 54 years old. I looked forward to each week and the editorial pages in the CT that used his words. He wrote about his former life and his future with ALS. He must have known his future was bleak, but with so much courage he allowed readers to see his life as he wrote the words and painted a picture of his battle. So brave on his part to share and let readers get to know him in personal and private times with the illness. The first time I read his column, I recognized his honesty and ability to write all of his thoughts, not just about the affliction. Several weeks ago, I sensed that something was wrong and I cried reading that column then. I think he was preparing readers about was ahead. I had a strange feeling that he was ready for the “big journey ahead.” He had prepared for the moment and I am thankful his beautiful young daughters were at this side. He wrote that he did not want to die alone. He died with dignity and family beside him, something I know most of us desire whenl thinking about our future on this planet and the unknown health issues we may face. I was so impressed with Tom’s story, I talked to my brother in Florida about his braveness. Swift chose the

Great values & styles FREE Wine Tastings on Saturdays from 2 to 5 p.m. Tasting wine is not only fun, but it presents a chance to learn about wine and what it is about a particular wine that you like, or don’t like. You can sip while you shop. Find some new favorites — try it before you buy it. We will usually have a few whites and a few reds open, with the occassional guest speaker. Please stop by!

Wine Retail

Tastings ~ Wine Classes

Great wines for any occasion and budget.

24 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

www.theAshevilleWineGuy.com 555 Merrimon Ave. (828) 254-6500

BY JUDY

AUSLEY

words of C.S. Lewis, “there are far, far better things ahead than any we can leave behind.” ALS does not spread or pick the brain. People who suffer this condition do not lose their ability to talk, write and speak as they always have before being struck with ALS. In ending his last column, Swift wrote about something funny that happened with his two daughters a few days before his death. He quieted their concerns about his head’s position on the pillow while they tucked him in. He said, “My head is in a good place, thanks be to God.” Amen I want to thank the editors at the Citizen-Times for adding Swift’s column to the editorial pages when you did. As a retired journalist, I must say there is no better community news coverage than this. It is very much appreciated by those of us who know the power of the words we write and how it connects people in a good way.

Writer Judy Ausley has been a reporter with newspapers in NC for 40 years. She retired in 2005 and continues to freelance at her home in Asheville. She can be contacted by e-mail at Judyausley@aol.com. If you know a character in Asheville who has not had a conventional life, put them in touch with Judy for an article in this column, Southern Comfort.

Reel Take Reviewers:

∑∑∑∑∑ - Fantastic ∑∑∑∑ - Pretty darn good ∑∑∑ - Has some good points ∑∑ - The previews lied ∑ - Only if you must M- Forget entirely

CHIP KAUFMANN is a film historian who also shares his love of classical music as a program host on WCQSFM radio. MICHELLE KEENAN is a long time student of film, a believer in the magic of movies and a fundraiser for public radio.

For the latest REVIEWS, THEATER INFO and MOVIE SHOW TIMES, visit www.rapidrivermagazine.com

Illustration of Michelle & Chip by Brent Brown.

Questions/Comments?

BRENT BROWN is a graphic designer and illustrator. View more of his work at www.brentbrown.com.

Broken City ∑∑∑1/2 Short Take: Well made contemporary film noir covers no new ground but does what it needs to do thanks to a strong cast and solid direction from Allen Hughes.

REEL TAKE: Broken City is

another in the seemingly endless line of low profile films where I Mayor Russell Crowe hires down and out detective Mark find myself at odds with most reWahlberg to spy on his wife in Broken City. viewers. Its current 25% rating (at last check) on Rotten Tomatoes is let’s have more “under 30” films. simply inexcusable. If this movie constiIt’s starting to sound like a broken tutes a less than 30% rating then please record (or CD glitch in today’s technology). “This movie lacks originality” or words to that effect are used as if that’s grounds for immediate dismissal. It’s really starting to make me angry and makes me want to diAsheville Pizza & Brewing Company vorce myself from the critical brotherhood. I Movieline (828) 254-1281 might as well since I don’t seem to be seeing www.ashevillepizza.com the same films that they are. Broken City is yet another take on big Beaucatcher Cinemas (Asheville) city corruption in high places and it certainly Movieline (828) 298-1234 won’t be the last. It works here not because Biltmore Grande of the script which is the film’s weakest 1-800-FANDANGO #4010 link but because of the committed perforwww.REGmovies.com mances from the entire cast especially Mark Wahlberg who is truly in his element here. Carmike 10 (Asheville) The direction by Allen Hughes (minus twin Movieline (828) 298-4452 brother Albert for the first time) is tight and www.carmike.com assured making the film compelling when it Carolina Cinemas needs to be and easy to follow. (828) 274-9500 Billy Taggart (Wahlberg) is a former www.carolinacinemas.com cop, now a private investigator, who is hired by NYC mayor Russell Crowe to spy on his Cinebarre (Asheville) wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) whom he suswww.cinebarre.com pects is cheating on him with the campaign manager of Crowe’s political rival. Wahlberg The Falls Theatre (Brevard) Movieline (828) 883-2200 investigates, comes up with pictorial evidence, and is paid handsomely for his efforts Fine Arts Theatre (Asheville) (money that he desperately needs) but when Movieline (828) 232-1536 the campaign manager turns up dead the www.fineartstheatre.com next day, he knows something is wrong. While Broken City City’s characters may Flat Rock Theatre (Flat Rock) be stock ones, they are invested with little Movieline (828) 697-2463 www.flatrockcinema.com quirks that keep them interesting and there’s just enough suspense involved, not in how Four Seasons (Hendersonville) it turns out but in how it gets there, to keep Movieline (828) 693-8989 the audience engaged. At least my audience was and they left the theater talking to each Smoky Mountain Cinema (Waynesville) Movieline (828) 452-9091

Theatre Directory

You can email Chip or Michelle at reeltakes@hotmail.com

other and in a good mood, their movie fix having been satisfied. Broken City won’t win any awards and in fact won’t come anywhere near to even receiving a nomination but it is the type of well made, bread and butter film that will be just as entertaining 10 or 20 years from now as it is today. That, my fellow critics, should be worth far more than a 25% rating. Rated R for pervasive language, sexual content, and violence.

REVIEW BY CHIP KAUFMANN

Django Unchained ∑∑∑∑1/2 Short Take: Quintin Tarantino is a director unchained and at the top of his brand of movie making in the story of a slaveturned-bounty hunter, out to reclaim his wife from a Mississippi slaver.

Bounty hunter, King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) and Slave turned bounty hunter (Jamie Lee Foxx) star in Quintin Tarantino’s most unbridled film to date, Django Unchained.

REEL TAKE: You may have heard a bit of

controversy surrounding Quintin Tarantino’s latest effort, Django Unchained — historical inaccuracies, strong violence, blah, blah, blah. If you’re hell bent on historical accuracy, go see Lincoln. If you don’t care for violence and bloodshed in movies, Tarantino films aren’t for you. Django Unchained is one of Tarantino’s best films to date. Only Quintin Tarantino can create a film that is at once hilariously witty, shockingly gruesome, and ultimately romantic. Tarantino may be the consumate movie geek, and his love of all things film is on full display here like never before, even down to his supporting cast and bit players.

Django Unchained takes place a couple of years before the start of the Civil War and tells the story of a slave turned bounty hunter (Jamie Foxx) who desires nothing more than to be reunited with his wife. Getting there however will take Siegfriedlike heroics and Tarantino antics. His journey begins when a wickedly puckish German dentist turned bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Christophe Waltz), buys Django to help him identify his next bounty. Seeing the potential in his new property, and abhorring slavery, he offers Django his freedom, a job as a bounty hunter and assistance in finding his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). Before they can get to Broomhilda there is much bounty hunting to be done; bounties are paid dead or alive, and this being Tarantino, you know that means they’re going to bring them in dead, really dead. The good doctor and the titular, gun-slinging former slave become fast friends, as they work their way through a sea of scumbags to bring in their bounties. These scenes are somewhat predictable, but the dialogue is razor wit sharp and shockingly hilarious, as best exemplified in a scene depicting the origins of the KKK and ill-fitting white hoods. Nothing prepares our dynamic duo for what they find at ‘Candie-land,’ the plantation where Django’s wife is now a slave. Pretending they want to buy a Mandingo fighter, they enter into the world of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a world of perverted southern hospitality, king-like aspirations and particularly cruel recreational games. Curiously, the most insidious character in Candie-land is not the master himself, but Stephen (played by almost unrecognizable Samuel L. Jackson), a self-described “house n…..” As the climax of the movie plays out not once, but multiple times, all you know is this n…. needs to die badly. The use of the n-word is abundant in this film, which has caused some controversy. Its use helps fuels the fire of the story and is actually quite suitable given the context; a context and story that make the Nazis in Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds look like chop liver. Django Unchained is ‘Movies’ continued on page 27

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 25

play along with oscar

And the Oscar Goes to… The 85th Academy Awards takes place Sunday, February 24.

n a move, more akin to the Golden Globes, Seth MacFarlane will serve as master of ceremonies. The creative force behind TV’s Family Guy and American Dad and one of the year’s raunchiest comedies, Ted, MacFarlane is distinct departure from nine-time host Billy Crystal and other predecessors. At Reel Takes we think MacFarlane, whose only previous hosting gig was the Charlie Sheen Roast, will serve up the laughs and manage to ruffle a few feathers, while keeping it relatively in check for Oscar night standards. However, when MacFarlane and actress Emma Stone recently announced the nominations, he managed to insult Stone, belittle several of the nominees, and look vaguely uncomfortable throughout, so it’s anybody’s guess. Good or bad, tasteless or classy, MacFarlane is bound to be a better pick than the last attempt at a younger demographic, which pitted the unfortunate pairing of Anne Hathaway and James Franco. Tune in to ABC February 24 at 7 p.m. for all the red carpet excitement and Hollywood’s biggest night. Whether you’re planning an Oscar party or just planning on keeping score from the comfort of your own Snuggie, use our handy dandy Reel Takes Oscar Ballot to cast your own votes and keep track of the winners.

Best Actor in a Leading Role • Bradley Cooper in “Silver Linings Playbook” • Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln” • Hugh Jackman in “Les Miserables” • Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master” • Denzel Washington in “Flight” My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Best Actor in a Supporting Role • Alan Arkin in “Argo” • Robert De Niro in “Silver Linings Playbook” • Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Master” • Tommy Lee Jones in “Lincoln” • Christoph Waltz in “Django Unchained” My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Best Actress in a Leading Role • Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty” • Jennifer Lawrence in “Silver Linings Playbook” • Emmanuelle Riva in “Amour” • Quvenzhane Wallis in “Beasts of the Souther Wild” • Naomi Watts in “The Impossible” My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Actress in a Supporting Role

Music (Original Score)

• Amy Adams in “The Master” • Sally Field in “Lincoln” • Anne Hathaway in “Les Miserables” • Helen Hunt in “The Sessions” • Jacki Weaver in “Silver Linings Playbook” My money is on: _______________ And the winner is: ______________

• “Anna Karenina” Dario Marianelli • “Argo” Alexandre Desplat • “Life of Pi” Mychael Danna • “Lincoln” John Williams • “Skyfall” Thomas Newman My money is on: ______________________ And the winner is: _____________________

Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty

Animated Feature Film • “Brave” Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman • “Frankenweenie” Tim Burton • “ParaNorman” Sam Fell and Chris Butler • “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” Peter Lord • “Wreck-It Ralph” Rich Moore My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Cinematography • “Anna Karenina” Seamus McGarvey • “Django Unchained” Robert Richardson • “Life of Pi” Claudio Miranda • “Lincoln” Janusz Kaminski • “Skyfall” Roger Deakins My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Music (Original Song)

• “Before My Time” from “Chasing Ice” Music and Lyric by J. Ralph • “Everybody Needs a Best Friend” from “Ted” Music by Walter Murphy; Lyric by Seth MacFarlane • “Pi’s Lullaby from “Life of Pi” Music by Mychael Danna; Lyric by Bombay Jayashri • “Skyfall” from “Skyfall” Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth • “Suddenly from “Les Miserables” Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg; Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Directing

Costume Design • “Anna Karenina” Jacqueline Durran • “Les Miserables” Paco Delgado • “Lincoln” Joanna Johnston • “Mirror Mirror” Eiko Ishioka • “Snow White and the Hugh Jackman in Huntsman” Colleen Atwood Les Miserables My money is on: _______ And the winner is: ______________________________

Writing (Adapted Screenplay) • “Argo” Screenplay by Chris Terrio • “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin • “Life of Pi” Screenplay by David Magee • “Lincoln” Screenplay by Tony Kushner • “Lincoln” Screenplay by Tony Kushner • “Silver Linings Playbook” Screenplay by David O. Russell My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Writing (Original Screenplay) • “Amour” Written by Michael Haneke • “Django Unchained” Written by Quentin Tarantino • “Flight” Written by John Gatins • “Moonrise Kingdom” Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola • “Zero Dark Thirty” Written by Mark Boal My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

26 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

• “Amour” Michael Haneke • “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Benh Zeitlin • “Life of Pi” Ang Lee • “Lincoln” Steven Spielberg • “Silver Linings Playbook” David O. Russell My money is on: _________ And the winner is: _______

Best Picture • “Amour” Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz • “Argo” Grant Heslove, Ben Affleck and George Clooney • “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Dan Janvey, Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald • “Django Unchained” Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone • “Les Miserables” Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward and Cameron Mackintosh • “Life of Pi” Gil Netter, Ang Lee and David Womark • “Lincoln” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy • “Silver Linings Playbook” Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen and Jonathan Gordon • “Zero Dark Thirty” Mark Boal, Kahtryn Bigelow and Megan Ellison My money is on: _______________________________ And the winner is: ______________________________

Where to Watch Oscar The Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville will host its annual Oscar party on February 24. For details go to www.ashevillepizza.com The Carolina Asheville will host an Oscar party in the Cinema Lounge. For more details and all the red carpet fun visit www.carolinacinemas.com/asheville

film reviews 2013 Oscar Thoughts

The most delightful cinematic moments for me this past year came primarily from little movies BY CHIP KAUFMANN such as Moonrise Kingdom, The Best Actor: Daniel Perks of Being a Day-Lewis (Lincoln). Wallflower and My preference: Hugh Safety Not GuarJennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper Jackman (Les Misanteed. in Silver Linings Playbook. erables). Of the films nominated for awards this year, here’s Best Actress: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark who I think will win versus who I’d like Thirty). My preference: The Same. Thirty to see take home the gold statuette. Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones Best Actor: Who will win: Daniel Day(Lincoln). My preference: Christoph Waltz Lewis (Lincoln). My preference: The (Django Django Unchained Unchained). same. Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver ( (Les Miserables). ). My preference: Amy AdLinings Playbook Playbook). My preference: Jesams (The The Master Master). sica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Best Director: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln). Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee My preference: David O. Russell (Silver Jones (Lincoln). My preference: ChrisLinings Playbook Playbook). toph Waltz (Django Django Unchained Unchained). Best Picture: Lincoln. My preference: Les Best Supporting Actress: Anne HathaMiserables. way (Les Miserables). My preference: Michelle’s Take The same. I echo many of the sentiments menBest Director: Steven Spielberg (Lintioned by my esteemed co-reviewer, Chip coln). My preference: David O. Russell Kaufmann. This year was not as memorable (Silver Silver Linings Playbook Playbook). or magical a movie year for me. When the Best Picture: Lincoln. My preference: nominations came out I was surprised by Argo (the film that apparently directed several snubs, but that’s nothing new. itself).

PICKS & PREFERENCES

Chip’s Take Last year I complained about leaving all the other major categories at five nominations while increasing the Best Picture nominees to nine. This year I take it all back. I want the other categories to remain where they are and I want the Best Picture one to return to five. Perhaps this would keep the Academy from nominating foreign films like Amour and good but hardly Best Picture material like Beasts of the Southern Wild while hopefully getting them to match up Best Picture nominees with those of Best Director (I must say that I was highly surprised by the fact that Argo seems to have directed itself). While 2012 was a better than average year for good films, I find that far fewer movies this year have had the staying power that last year’s did. As far as I’m concerned, many of the films that are highly touted lack the originality, the visual ingenuity, or the well made solidity that make a film stay with me. If I were to make up a list of nominees, it would have been quite different from the one that I now have to vote on. With that in mind, here are my picks on the final outcome versus my preferences for the six major awards from the choices available to me…

Remembering Michael Winner

he death of British director Michael Winner last month at the age of 77 made me sad for he was (and remains) one of my favorite directors from the socalled “Golden Decade” of Hollywood filmmaking (1968-1977). It was a time when anything became possible thanks to the demise of the Production Code and the auteur theory of filmmaking which made the director the focal point of a movie (“a film by…” or “ a …film”) rather than the stars who were in it. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Winner seemed like a throwback to the studio directors of another era, someone who took whatever material he was given and then did the best he could with it. The difference was that he chose the material himself. He made movies in almost every genre: Westerns, crime stories, horror films, urban dramas, even a comedy or two. During that 10 year period he made 14 films (imagine

Scorsese or Spielberg doing that) and only one of them failed to make money. His use of many of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the 1950s and 60s added to their appeal to moviegoers. In 1974 he made Death Wish with Charles Bronson, a movie that would forever be associated with him. The film was reviled by critics but its huge success made Hollywood want more of the same. Once he broke the Golden Rule (“thou shalt not lose money”) with The Sentinel in 1977, he was done as a bankable director and went back to England. He continued to make movies there for another 20 years. Box office success eluded him and he retired in 1998 after making 34 feature films. He would go on to become a successful food critic (Winner’s Dinners) whose restaurant reviews were noted for their wit and style. His autobiography Winner Take All is a delight to read. Most of the films that were made from

CHIP KAUFMANN

1968-77 are available on DVD (see imdb for a full list) and show why they were (and still are) so appealing. Provocative scripts that dealt with significant issues (racism in Chato’s Land, urban crime in Death Wish, voyeurism in The Nightcomers) and memorable performances from his all-star casts. Another plus is that none of his movies ran over 2 hours and they were always designed as entertainment first. He was not a “great” filmmaker and none of his movies won any awards but they’re still just as satisfying now as they were then perhaps even more so because now they have the added element of being a reflection of the times in which they were made. Some of the fashions and the language may have dated but the overall content hasn’t.

‘Movies’ continued from page 25

Tarantino’s ultimate movie geek homage to date. He tips the hat, of course, to the original Django, even using the theme song and featuring a cameo with Franco Nero. He should have ended the film at the first opportune ending (about ½ hour before the final ending), but he just couldn’t resist going all out Tarantino. Jamie Foxx is does a fine job as the titular character and Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio are also something to behold, but the movie belongs to Christoph Waltz. Praising his portrayal of Schultz doesn’t mean he played outside of the ensemble of actors. In this case, he is the heart of the ensemble and he is an utter delight to watch. Rated R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity.

REVIEW BY MICHELLE KEENAN

Gangster Squad ∑∑∑1/2 Short Take: Slickly made with great period design and droll performances, Gangster Squad is remarkably entertaining if you don’t take it too seriously.

A gangster's moll (Emma Stone) and a hard boiled policeman (Ryan Gosling) are headed for big trouble in Gangster Squad.

REEL TAKE: Gangster Squad is yet another

movie that is taking a critical drubbing from the higher ups who either take it too seriously or fault it for not being serious enough. Lighten up guys! It’s only a movie and one which is perfectly content to be nothing more than an afternoon’s or an evening’s entertainment. It doesn’t exactly channel Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables (1987) or Dragnet as many reviews claim, but the old TV show with Robert Stack (1959-1963) which inspired many movies of its own. This is where Sean Penn is coming from. He’s the biggest, baddest, most psychotic gangster since Vic Morrow’s Dutch Schultz in Portrait of a Mobster (1961) and he has the style and panache of Ray Danton in The Rise & Fall of Legs Diamond (1960). The plot of Gangster Squad deliberately goes back to Howard Hawks’ original Scarface (1932). Eastern crime boss Mickey Cohen (Penn) has come to Los Angeles in ‘Movies’ continued on page 28

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 27

film reviews ‘Movies’ continued from pg. 27

the late 1940s and has taken over the town terrorizing other criminals and putting the police in his back pocket. Incorruptible Police Chief Bill Parker (Nick Nolte) puts together a secret squad to do battle with Cohen. The squad is recruited by no-nonsense Sergeant John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) who instructs the others that the only rules are that there are no rules. Another Sergeant (Ryan Gosling) becomes personally involved with Cohen’s mistress (Emma Stone) which leads to the expected consequences. In fact everything in Gangster Squad comes as no surprise and that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with familiarity as long as it’s done as well as it is here. This is pulp fiction at its most pure, a tribute to the B movie gangster sagas of the 1960s without any psychological overtones. It’s played straight but there’s a wink in the eye. Josh Brolin is unashamedly Sgt Joe Friday lacking only the classic “Just the facts ma’m” line and whether deliberate or not, Emma Stone’s make-up and demeanor mirror Lindsay Lohan. The performances are in line with the material (even Penn who is having way too much fun), the period recreation is impeccable, and the fashions made me want to rush out and order a highball. It really is OK to go slumming at the movies every once in a while and Gangster Squad is the perfect film to do it with. Rated R for strong violence and language.

REVIEW BY CHIP KAUFMANN

Mama ∑∑∑∑ Short Take: Executive producer Guillermo del Toro has come up with another winner in this old school horror film about feral children with a secret and the couple who adopt them.

REEL TAKE: Actress Jessica Chastain has

had a significant run of high profile, highly regarded roles in notable movies over the past couple of years (Tree ( of Life, The Help, Zero Dark Thirty Thirty). Guillermo del Toro is an accomplished film director (Cronos, ( Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) Labyrinth who also happens to be a perceptive executive producer of other people’s work (The ( Orphanage, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Rise of the Guardians). Guardians Together their respective talents help to turn Mama into a better than average old school horror film that bears a strong resemblance to last year’s The Woman in Black Black. The opening prologue sets the tone right away as the 2008 recession causes a man (Nicolaj Coster-Waldau) to kill his business partners and his estranged wife before kidnapping his baby daughters. Crashing his car during the getaway, he stumbles on an old abandoned cabin in the woods and prepares to kill his children and then himself when something stops him.

Five years later while the girls tell her the man’s brother (also about “Mama” a vengeCoster-Waldau) and his ful spirit who kept them girlfriend (Chastain) alive and now has come discover the children back to claim them. still alive but in a feral Intrigued by condition. They are drawings the girls left placed in a welfare clinic behind, the psychiawhere a psychiatrist trist investigates and (Daniel Kash) plans to discovers the story of a study them. After gainmental patient whose Jessica Chastain and her boyfriend ing custody of the girls, baby was taken away (Nicolaj Coster-Waldau) try to protect the brother takes them from her. Stealing the his nieces from a vengeful spirit to his home where he child back, she commits in Mama. is seriously injured by suicide with it and now an unseen force. This leaves the sisters with her spirit has come back wanting the new Chastain who begins to see and hear things children. The brother, having recovered,

Chip Kaufmann’s Pick: “Lawman”

February DVD Picks

Lawman (1971) The death of director Michael Winner (see page 26) spurred me on to revisit several of his key movies from the 1970s. Winner was one of my favorite directors from back then and I chose as my pick this month not his best known movie Death Wish (1974) but his first American film Lawman (1971). Lawman stars Burt Lancaster as an impassive, strictly by the book marshal who comes to a town controlled by cattle baron Lee J. Cobb to arrest some of his cowboys for shooting up Lancaster’s town and accidentally killing a civilian. Despite Cobb’s sincere efforts to make everything right, Lancaster refuses to yield which leads to several violent confrontations and an unexpected finale. Gerald Wilson’s script examines the use of guns in society (“We always bury the cost” exclaims Cobb) and the consequences of the inability or the unwillingness to compromise. The film was highly regarded in its day as a provocative “thought Western” and with today’s headlines it seems as fresh and as contemporary as ever. Lawman marked the first time that Winner assembled a cast of Hollywood veterans from the 1950s and 60s who lend added conviction to the roles that they are playing. He would continue to do this throughout his Hollywood career. Also in the cast are Robert Ryan and Joseph Wiseman (Dr No). TV stalwarts J.D Cannon, Richard Jordan, and Ralph Waite are also on hand and there’s a fine performance from a young Robert Duvall. Chances are you’ve seen a Michael Winner film and just didn’t know it. His best movies are distinguished by a tight no-nonsense approach, skillful editing

28 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

of action sequences, a casual approach to violence which makes it that much more disturbing, and scripts that feature more than just dialogue. Most of his movies are available on Netflix although he has no listing of his own. Look him up on imdb and then go from there. From 1967-1978 he had a remarkable run and all the films from that time period are worth revisiting.

The Artist (2011) Last year the [mostly] silent film The Artitst was nominated for ten Academy Awards. The film took home five, including Best Picture, Best Director for Michel Hazanavicius and Best Actor for Jean Dujardin. For me, last year’s top films were a sentimental and enchanting lot, and The Artist was right at the top. In light of this being the month for Oscar and Cupid, The Artist seemed like a perfect DVD pick. The Artist takes place from 1927 to 1932 in Hollywood. It tells the story of a silent film star and his relationship with a young actress as the talkies come in to vogue. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar a la Douglas Fairbanks. Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo)is an extra ‘discovered’ by Valentin. Peppy’s bubbly appeal, winning smile and signature beauty mark (given to

now seeks to protect them with the help of his girlfriend and the doctor. First time director Andres Muschietti has expanded a 3 minute film that he and his wife made into this first class frightfest that concentrates on mood and suspense just like The Woman in Black rather than gobs and gobs of goo. In fact, if you’ve seen it, let that film be your guide. If you liked WIB then you’ll love Mama. If you didn’t see it, then let the PG-13 rating be your guide. That should tell you all you need to know. Rated PG-13 for violence and terror and some disturbing images.

REVIEW BY CHIP KAUFMANN

Michelle Keenan’s Pick: “The Artist” her by Valentin), catapult her to stardom, while the advent of the talkies tolls the death knell for Valentin’s career. When the stock market crash claims his fortune, his long-suffering wife (Penelope Ann Miller) and the last vestiges of his charmed life go with it. His only comfort throughout is his steadfast movie pooch, Uggy. However, unbeknownst to him Peppy, ever grateful to him for her big break, and Clifton (James Cromwell), his devoted chauffeur, are also keeping a watchful eye over him. Dujardin channels Fairbanks and John Gilbert and at time bears and uncanny resemblance to a young Sean Connery. Berenice Bejo is a delight; a scene where she simulates dancing with Valentin by putting her arm in the sleeve of his jacket, which is hanging on a coat rack, is one for the ages. Supporting players, James Cromwell and John Goodman bring much to the table, and everyone leaves wanting more of Uggy. The Artist is a love letter to Hollywood. It seems like it would be film that would only appeal to film geeks like the good Professor Kaufmann and myself, but that is not the case. It offers a tip of the hat to dozens of films throughout, but you don’t have to ‘get’ the references in order to enjoy the film. The Artist is a silent film that plays to a 21st century audience. It is a beguiling film with notes of melancholy and broad audience appeal. If you did not have the chance to enjoy this film on the big screen last year, rent it now. The Artist is a Valentine of a movie, suitable for an indulgent night on couch alone or for cuddling up with your squeeze.

local favorites INTERVIEW WITH STEVE HARDER, GENERAL MANAGER OF ASHEVILLE’S

PG. 36

O’Charley’s

apid River Magazine: Tell

us a little about O’Charley’s and the style of food that you serve.

Steve Harder: O’Charley’s serves classic American food with a southern twist: steaks, seafood, chicken, and salads. We have extraordinarily good deserts and our loaded baked potato soup is legendary. RRM: O’Charley’s is being completely remodeled. Will you share with us some of what the new look has to offer?

SH: O’Charley’s has been purchased

by American Blue Ribbon Holding, making us part of the third largest restaurant company in America and also infusing us with new ideas, new

INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS RAY

designs, and a rebranding. The menu is changing, the building is changing, and the uniforms are changing. Steve Harder and Tammy Chiles with the new menu. Photo: Susie Smith It will be fresh and current.

RRM: As the new Asheville General

Manager, you feel it is extremely important to focus heavily on being known as a local area restaurant. What changes are you bringing (no pun intended) to the table?

SH: The Asheville market is the most

unique in all of America. It’s very important to instill a local flavor in any restaurant, corporate or otherwise. We now have local art, we purchase local produce, and we now serve local beer on tap. But what’s important to remember is that we have over seventy local employees who support their seventy local families with their employment at O’Charley’s. You can’t get more local than that.

RRM: What changes have you already

implemented and what are the results?

SH: We have a new menu that has

been improved approximately 30%. There are new entrees, appetizers, and specialty drinks. Plus, we run a different bar special Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

RRM: Over the years you have turned

Photos: Susie Smith

many failing restaurants around, or made successful ones even more successful — what has been the key to your success in doing so?

We now serve local beer on tap. SH: They key to success is not me,

but the people who actually do the work. I stand on the shoulders of my managers and employees. We sell food, but we are in the people business. You must create an environment where people feel valued and nurtured. I feel that I’ve just been an enthusiastic spectator to my staff’s success.

RRM: O’Charley’s has just come out with a new menu. What are some of the new entrées that you are most excited about?

SH: I love the chicken potpie.

The crust is unbelievable, and it’s only $9.99. The pot roast is forktender, but I’m really crazy about our fried pickle chips with Old Bay mayonnaise.

O’Charley’s 2 Kenilworth Knolls Asheville, NC 28805 (828) 281-0540 www.ocharleys.com

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Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 29

PG. 36

Carry your gear in style. Check out our inventory of computer bags & backpacks from

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INTERVIEW WITH BILL FOLEY AND ELIZABETH FOLEY OF ASHEVILLE’S

The Chocolate Fetish

252 Charlotte Street, Asheville — 828.225.6600 300 Airport Road, Arden — 828.651.6600

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INDULGE – GO TO GIFT GUIDE

T Ò Apple Specialist

he Chocolate Fetish recently received the 2013 Best Chocolatiers and Confectioners in America Four Star Award rating from The International Chocolate Salon. This prestigious award, presented by The International Chocolate Salon, Taste TV, and Chocolate Television is based on Gold and Silver awards received in the various 2012 Chocolate Salon Award competitions. The Chocolate Fetish secured their position in 2013 by winning a 2012 Top Chocolate Bar Gold Award for their Ultimate Crunch Bar.

INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS

America” distinction encompasses The Chocolate Fetish as a whole, from our fine chocolate confections to our superior customer service. On behalf of all of our hardworking staff in Asheville we are delighted to receive this award.”

RRM: Tell me about your award winning Ultimate Crunch Bar.

BF & EF: One of the competition

judges said, “A great artisan chocolate bar should offer the same experience as a great glass of wine: rich, complex, Rapid River Magazine: The with a lingering finish that makes you Chocolate Fetish has just been simply want to sit and savor.” named one of the best ChocoThat is what we try to achieve latiers in the country. Tell us a with all our chocolate offerings, somelittle about this award and what it thing you can sit and savor. We began means to you. making our Ultimate Crunch Bar a few years ago based on recipes for Turón, a traditional dessert from Spain. We used these traditional recipes as an inspiration and developed our Ultimate Crunch Bar from there. It starts with a crispy hazelnut milk chocolate that is studded with almonds, pistachios, pecans, apricots, and Delicately hand sculpted chocolate roses berries and then we enrobe it in one of our signature dark chocolate blends. Bill & Elizabeth Foley: We are As one of the judges from the compehonored to have received this tition said, “The Ultimate Crunch Bar four star award and to be named is a fetish we can all get behind.” We as one of the country’s best wholeheartedly agree. chocolatiers. We know we make a great product but it is always RRM: How has living and working validating to receive recognition in Asheville changed or influenced from such a prestigious organizathe way you create or develop new tion. confection recipes? We are particularly proud to BF: We continue to draw a lot of have won this award because our inspiration from our world travels and chocolates were judged alongside from the years my wife and I spent well known chocolates from living in England and Belgium and all over the nation by reputable our extensive travel in various parts judges in the confection industry. “The Best Chocolatiers in

30 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

The Chocolate Fetish Wins 2013 Four Star Award Rating of the world. We try to focus on making very European style confections. Asheville’s dedication to buying local influences us to find quality ingredients close to home. We use locally produced cream we source directly from a 7th generation family farm in North Carolina. We use local ingredients whenever possible.

RRM: Tell us a little about what

you have to offer this Valentine’s Day that might just surprise people who think you’re only just about chocolate.

BF & EF: Again this year we

probably have the widest variety of fine chocolate offerings for Valentines Day then anyone in WNC. We offer everything from unique hand crafted 3 dimensional items to superior traditional chocolate confections. We really are all about chocolate. We decided years ago to focus our energy on chocolate so that we could do one thing really well and stick to that. We’d rather be a master of one thing than a jack-of-all-trades. Our strong customer base reinforces our strategy.

RRM: What chocolate treat do

you recommend for Valentine’s Day for people who really love chocolate and want something unique? continued on next page

L T

INDULGE – GO TO GIFT GUIDE Cake Specials and a Mardi Gras Birhday Party!

‘Chocolate Fetish’ cont’d

EF: We offer a variety

of chocolates that are hand decorated with our special blend of colored cocoa butter and are delicious, unique and some say too beautiful to eat, but go ahead we can make more! Our chocolatiers hand-paint each one using colored cocoa butter and hand tempered colored chocolate. For this Valentine’s Day we are offering a variety of hand-painted hearts, chocolate high heel shoes, chocolate cowboy boots and delicately hand sculpted chocolate roses.

Chocolate high heel shoes

offering local delivery this year on Valentine’s Day and of course, freshly dipped chocolate covered strawberries starting Valentine’s weekend. (Order early our strawberries always sell out!)

RRM: Do you have any other

special offerings for Valentine’s Day?

EF: Yes! I’m really excited about our new Raspberry Cheesecake Ecstasy Elite Truffle. We’re also

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The Chocolate Fetish 36 Haywood St. (828) 258-2353 www.chocolatefetish.com

hort Street Cakes will hold a Birthday Mardi Gras Party on Fat Tuesday, February 12, from 5-8 p.m. The event will feature live music, Mardi Gras beads, beer, wine, plus Troy & Sons Moonshine Cake Shop signature cocktails. A handmade King Cake and a beautiful birthday cake will be shared with the community. Short Street Cakes will also be launching its new menu, which includes more than 10 new cake flavors. Valentine’s Day Cake Specials, such as Heart Shaped Cakes, Message Cupcakes, and Sweethearts and Broken Hearts cakes are also offered. Call (828) 505-4822 at least two days in advance to schedule Sweetheart Cake delivery.

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Beautiful, delicious, all-natural, scratch-made cakes available from Short Street Cakes, 225 Haywood Road in West Asheville.

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Support Your Local Merchants * Buy Local Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 31

asheville shops

C Charlotte Street INTERVIEW WITH CODY HULME OF ASHEVILLE’S

harlotte Street Computers is a certified Apple reseller and a full-service computer repair shop specializing in both Mac and PC repair.

Rapid River Magazine: Tell us a little

Computers INTERVIEWED BY

DENNIS RAY

about Charlotte Street Computers.

Cody Hulme: Our founder Greg

Mayer first opened the doors in 2002, on Charlotte Street just about a block south from our current North Asheville location. With a focus on providing unmatched customer service, we soon gained a reputation as Asheville’s best place for computer repair, winning Best of WNC by the readers of the Mountain Xpress every year from 2002 to 2013. Over the years we’ve expanded our business to include sales as well. In addition to our solid foundation in PC service, we are also a certified Apple Specialist. Not only are we equipped to sell Apple products, as an Apple Authorized Warranty Repair center, we are also able to handle warranty repairs on Apple devices and computers in-house. We were ranked by Apple as one of the top 10 Apple Premium Service providers nationwide, even among official Apple stores. We also carry a wide variety of parts and accessories, offer remote and on-site assistance, one-on-one tutoring, classes, backup solutions, and more.

RRM: Charlotte Street Computers has grown a lot over the years. What do you determine was the main factor behind this?

CH: While it certainly has to do with

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our ability to provide a solid service at competitive rates, I think our rapid growth in the last few years really comes down to our commitment to our customers and to the greater Western NC community. We focus every day on providing the very best overall customer service experience, not just because we love our patrons but we know that happy and loyal customers will always be the best ambassadors for any business. We also place a great deal of importance on community involvement within our business model. Close to half of our annual marketing budget is dedicated to philanthropic marketing. Charlotte Street Computers is a strong supporter of local arts, partnering with the Asheville Community Theater, NC Stage Company, and the Asheville Area Arts Council just to name a few. We recently completed a joint project with the Asheville Design Center, Green Opportunities, and the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville to design and install a

32 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

new playground in Montford’s Klondyke Housing Community, which we are extremely proud of. We are also in the 5th Season of our PowerOn Community program with the Asheville Community Theater, which helps local nonprofit organizations raise funds through the sale of tickets to select private performances of ACT Charlotte Street Computers offers mainstage producremote and on-site assistance. tions. By continually investing in our wncleaders.com for more information. community, we’ve built our brand I am also currently in the midst as a socially responsible and engaged of planning for our Annual Easter Egg company. Combined with our focus Hunt and Family Fun Day at Asheon delivering an excellent customer ville’s Fun Depot, in which we provide service experience, I think this is really children and families from Asheville’s what has made us as successful as we Public Housing Communities, as well are today. as Buncombe County foster families, with a day of Easter related enrichRRM: What do you have planned as ment. Children will participate in a far as growth or expansion in the near traditional Easter egg hunt, have their future? pictures taken with the Easter Bunny, CH: We are currently working on and will receive complimentary lunch expanding our offerings to include and games. I invite volunteers intermanaged services for enterprises. We ested in stuffing or hiding eggs for the already provide on-site services to a hunt to email cody@mailcsc.com. wide variety of businesses, schools, We’ll also be hosting the Asheville and other organizations but we will Area Chamber of Commerce Business soon be able to offer individually taiAfter Hours event at our 252 Charlotte lored monthly flat-rate service plans. Street location in September. Our last For a monthly rate, enterprises Business After Hours event was a big will be able to rest assured knowing smash and this next one is gearing up they are fully covered for whatever IT to be tons of fun and a great networkissues may arise. And with our backup ing opportunity open to all. monitoring options, we can set up, monitor, and manage backup solutions so that businesses know their data is safe and secure. Readers interested in learning more about our managed services may contact Andrew McPherson, our Director of Business Services, at (828) 209-6615.

RRM: Will there be anything special

going on in 2013 that you would like to share with us?

CH: Absolutely! Our CEO Jennifer

Mayer is extremely excited to speak at UNCA on Jan. 29th as part of Western Carolina University’s Lessons in Leadership series of talks. Jennifer will share her unique and inspirational story of transformation from a high school dropout to business and community leader and relate how her experience has affected her approach to leadership. Readers may visit www.

RRM: Do you work on all kinds of home computers?

CH: Yes, we have an amazing team of certified technicians who can repair all varieties of personal computers and networks, in-house or at your home or business. Whether it’s a Mac, PC, Linux, or point of sale system, we’ve got the most well-trained professionals on staff to get you back up and running. RRM: Do you have any special tips for keeping my computer running at it fastest and best?

CH: The biggest threat to your com-

puter’s speed and health is malware, ie malicious software. This includes viruses, spyware, and possibly depending on who you ask, bloatware - software often installed by the manufacturer continued on next page

healthy lifestyles Help With Your New Year’s Resolution

uess what the biggest medical epidemic of the year was – for the last several decades, actually. Clue #1: This major medical problem contributes to the rapidly rising incidence of Type II diabetes. Clue #2: This problem is the starting point for development of metabolic syndrome (a.k.a. Syndrome X) which results in increased risk for cardiac disease, diabetes, and stroke. Clue #3: This problem is set to become the number one cause of death because it does all of the above plus increases the risk of many cancers. Obesity. Every state in the union now has 30% obesity rates. Over two-thirds of Americans are officially overweight. Now would you like to guess what the number one New Year’s resolution might be? One of the principles for promoting a healthy life style is to eat a well-balanced diet to maintain ideal weight. To help those of us who carry one of the fat genes (there’s more than one) to keep our favorite New Year’s

‘Charlotte St. Computers’ cont’d

which may be redundant, useless, or just annoying. If you are running a Windows operating system, make sure you have up-to-date malware protection. Never install more than one anti-virus on your machine as they will fight over resources and often see eachother as potential threats. For Apple users, we actually recommend not installing anti-virus software as Macs are much less vulnerable, and the protection provided by the software is minor and rarely worth the draw it makes on your system’s resources. We offer a class once a month entitled Protecting Your Windows PC, which you may learn more about and register for by visiting charlottestreetcomputers.com/classes. One of the best and most cost-effective ways to increase your computer’s performance is by upgrading the RAM. RAM handles short term storage, you can think of it as a holding area for data waiting to be processed by the processor. Data stored in the RAM can be accessed by the processor much faster than from your hard drive, so increasing the storage capacity of your RAM allows the processor to store more data where it has the quickest ac-

Would you like to guess what the number one New Year’s resolution might be? resolution to take off excess pounds and maintain ideal weight, here are Ten Commandments for eating. For those of you who are not struggling with this problem, these commandments have many other health benefits besides controlling weight.

General Principles 1. Eat Breakfast – eat more in the

early part of the day, less in the evening

2. No snacks – their usually higher in calories and lower in nutrition

3. No calorie-dense foods – foods

that pack a lot of calories in a small space 4. Sit down to eat; pay attention – no mindless eating; if it’s not meal time, don’t eat.

cess. RAM is quite affordable and we can even perform your upgrade while you wait. Although it won’t affect your computer’s speed, it’s worth mentioning that if you are even the slightest bit attached to your data it’s imperative to have a backup solution in place. Every hard drive will eventually fail so if you don’t have your data stored in at least 2 storage locations, you are at risk of loosing documents, photos, music and any other type of file you own. The good news is that there are plenty of backup solutions available and we are always happy to help you find the best option for your specific needs. We’ll even perform your first backup and set up automatic backups for free when you purchase one of our external hard drives.

Charlotte Street Computers Asheville Store 252 Charlotte St. (828) 225-6600 Arden Store 300 Airport Rd (828) 651-6600 www.charlottestreetcomputers.com

MAX HAMMONDS, MD

5. Drink water – not soda 6. Use a smaller plate – avoid eating on a “platter”

7. Eat a balanced meal – however you balance it, do it

8. No seconds – take a normal portion size and let that be it

9. Eat for color – avoid gray, white,

and brown foods; color has the nutrition and fewer calories

10. Eat slowly – involve a friend; eat

slowly enough to hold up your end of a conversation To follow these 10 Commandments without risk of mental breakdown, pick one commandment, only one. Do it for a week. Add one more commandment, only one. Do it for a week. Keep adding one a week until the weight starts coming off. Gradually add exercise to maintain your weight loss. Go slowly. Don’t look now but it’s already mid-March and your sticking to your resolution. Congratulations!

Asheville Wholistic Integrative Fair Come celebrate and learn more about wholistic and integrative practices and products. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, intuitive practitioners, wellness coaches and consultants in a broad variety of wholistic fields will be present. Meet body and energy workers, aromatherapy and personal care suppliers, food, water and herbal remedy providers, plus a diverse offering of wholistic books, music, jewelry, and so much more. Explore a cross-section of our area’s many and varied wholistic and integrative offerings.

IF YOU GO: The Asheville

Wholistic Integrative Fair (AWIF) will be held at the Renaissance Hotel, Woodfin and Thomas Wolfe Plaza, Saturday March 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Suggested entrance fee, $5, by donation. All proceeds generated by the Fair will go to support local charities. For more details visit www.AWIF.net. Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 33

what to do guide Thursday, February 7

Toast Asheville A top flight evening of fine wines, craft beer, and a silent auction to support the Asheville Art Museum. From 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. $30 members; $35 non-members; $40 at door. For tickets call (828) 253-3227 or visit the museum’s front desk to reserve your tickets. Asheville Art Museum, 2 S. Pack Square, Asheville.

Thursday, February 7

Poetry Reading An evening of poetry beginning at 7:30 p.m. Featuring Ekua Adisa, Melanie Bianchi, Erik Moellering, Eric Steineger, and Robert Zachary. Admission: $7; $5 Eric Steineger for BMCM+AC members & students. Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, 56 Broadway, downtown Asheville. For more details call (828) 350-8484, or visit www.blackmountaincollege.org.

Friday, Feburary 8

My Name is a Verb Opening reception from 6-9 p.m. for works by Joshua Spiceland. On display February 7 through March 5, 2013 at The Artery, 346 Depot Street, Asheville. For more details phone (828) 258-0710 or visit www.ashevillearts.com

Friday, February 8

Elinor Bowman: Women of Myth

White Buffalo Woman by Elinor Bowman

Opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Oils depicting aspects of mythological women. On display from February 1 through Thursday, February 28. The Asheville Gallery of Art, 16 College Street in

How to place an event/ classified listing with Rapid River Art Magazine Any “free” event open to the public can be listed at no charge up to 30 words. For all other events there is a $14.95 charge up to 35 words and 12 cents for each additional word. 65 word limit per event. Sponsored listings (shown in boxes) can be purchased for $18 per column inch. Deadline is the 19th of each month. Payment must be made prior to printing. Email Beth Gossett at: ads@rapidrivermagazine.com Or mail to: 85 N. Main St, Canton, NC 28716. Call (828) 646-0071 to place ad over the phone.

– Disclaimer – Due to the overwhelming number of local event submissions we get for our “What to Do Guide” each month, we can not accept entries that do not specifically follow our publication’s format. Non-paid event listings must be 30 words or less, and both paid and non-paid listings must provide information in the following format: date, time, brief description of your event, and any contact information. Any entries not following this format will not be considered for publication.

downtown Asheville. More details at (828) 2515796 or visit www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com.

™

Best in Show

by Phil Juliano

Friday, February 8

Open the Chifferobe! Opening from 5-7 for Asheville artist, Julie Armbruster. Refreshments and champagne punch will be served. Free and open to all. Chifferobe, 118 D Cherry Street, Black Mountain, www.chifferobehomeandgarden.com.

February 8-24

Dragin

Neighbors at 35below

by Michael Cole

Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective presents Arkady Leodum’s Neighbors. Neighbors picks up where A Raisin in the Sun ended and well before the world invented in Clybourne Park could exist. Performances Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 p.m. Tickets at www.differentstrokesavl.com. Asheville Community Theatre, 35 East Walnut St., downtown Asheville. Phone (828) 254-1320 or visit www.ashevilletheatre.org

Saturday, February 9

Steam Punk Carnival Art Reception

by Amy Downs

Callie & Cats

The artists of ZaPow have created original works of art inspired by Steam Punk & Carnival. Reception from 7-9 p.m. Free beer from French Broad Brewing plus acoustic performance by The Extraordinary Contraptions from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Steam Punk Costumes Encouraged but not required. ZaPow!, 21 Battery Park Ave., downtown Asheville. Phone (828) 575-2024, or visit www.ZaPow.com.

Saturday, February 9

Frog Awareness Program Frog Love in the Pink Beds, Cradle of Forestry in America, Pisgah National Forest near Brevard. Indoor program on wood frogs and amphibian conservation, followed by an outdoor exploration in the winter woods. 1 p.m. 4 p.m. (828) 8773130, www.cradleofforestry.org.

Saturday, February 9

Kristalyn Bunyan Exhibit The printmaker, photographer, and fiber artist will exhibit a retrospective selection of mono and transfer prints created within the past decade. The public is invited to the artist reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at True Blue Art Supply. The exhibit runs through February. Hours: MondaySaturday 10-7, Sunday 12-5.

Cartooning Contest

Deadline: Saturday, February 9 Visit www.thecartooniststudio.com and upload your cartoons. The deadline for submissions is at 11:59 p.m. The Cartoonist Studio invites you to visit and vote for your favorite cartoonist.

Sunday, February 10

Wednesday, February 13

Windscape

The Business of Art

The Asheville Chamber Music Series features America’s top rated wind ensemble. 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville located at 1 Edwin Place at Charlotte Street. Tickets are $35 and are available at the door. For more details call Nathan Shirley at (828) 259-3626 or visit www.ashevillechambermusic.org. Students admitted free of charge.

Sunday, February 10

40 Years of Fingerstyle David Stevenson in concert at 4 p.m. A widely varied show. Suggested donation $10. Madison County Arts Council, 90 S. Main St., downtown Marshall, NC. For more details call (828) 649-1301 or visit www.madisoncountyarts.com.

A free workshop for regional artists. Discussions on how to: acquire business loans and alternative capital sources; get legal, licensed and registered in NC; plan your business and growth strategies; price your artwork; use social media to increase sales and more. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Register by calling (828) 252-8474 ext. 10. Flood Gallery in the River Arts District.

Wednesday, February 13

Share The Love Membership and friend-raiser party from 7:3010 p.m. Valentine’s fun, treats, and drinks to be provided! Your membership allows the Asheville Area Arts Council to provide programs and services for Buncombe County’s artists. At the Artery, 346 Depot St. in the River Arts District.

Call for Artists – Breaking Ground: Innovative Craft Entry Deadline: February 15

Pieces should incorporate innovative ideas which

FEBRUARY EVENTS ~ ANNOUNCEMENTS ~ OPENINGS ~ SALES 34 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

what to do guide Corgi Tales

by Phil Hawkins

Wednesday, February 20

Friday, February 22 Artist reception, 6-8 p.m. for Dominick DePaolo. On display from Wednesday, February 13 through Saturday, March 9. Gallery 86 is located at 86 N. Main St., Waynesville, NC. For more information, visit www.haywoodarts.org.

February 22-24

The 26th National Arts & Crafts Conference and Antiques Show Seminars, discussion groups, Preservation Society house tours, an art reception, walking tours, antiques, and works by contemporary craftsfirms. Held at the Grove Park Inn, Friday, February 22 from 1-6 p.m., Saturday, February 23, noon-6 p.m., and Sunday, February 24 from 11-4 p.m. $10 ticket is good for all three days and can be purchased at the door.

Call to artists: Appalachian Lifestyle help push the boundaries of the medium. This exhibition is open to craft artists living in the 25 counties of Western North Carolina and will be held March 8-May 31. More information by visiting www.handmadeinamerica.org.

Friday & Saturday, February 15 & 16

Kat Williams & Free Planet Radio With alto-saxophonist Chris Hemingway. Blues, soul, jazz, and sharing stories. Kat’s electrifying performances leave us more enriched and heart-filled. 7 p.m. at Diana Wortham Theater. Tickets: $25; $40 Kat Williams includes Friday night VIP after-party. More details at www.dwtheatre.com

Saturday, February 16

Valentine’s Dinner & Jazz Dinner and live jazz performance, 7 p.m. at the Classic Wineseller, 20 Church Street in Waynes-

ville. Tickets are $34.99 per person plus tax and gratuity. For reservations call (828) 452-6000 or email info@ classicwineseller.com

Sunday, February 17

Michael Jefry Stevens Jazz Michael Jefry Stevens, Piano; Zack Page, Bass. Celebrating the music of Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. 3 p.m. One set; no cover; donation requested. St. Matthias Episcopal Church, 1 Dundee Street, Asheville. Visit www.stmatthiasepiscopal.com.

Tuesday & Wednesday, February 19-20

Auditions for The Grapes of Wrath This show features a cast of 22 with both smaller and larger roles. Auditions are open to all in the community, no previous experience required. All audition material is provided at the auditions. Directed by Susan Dillard. Asheville Community Theatre, 35 East Walnut St., downtown Asheville. For more details visit www.ashevilletheatre.org, or phone (828) 254-1320.

Wine, beer, tapas. Live music weekly.

February 1 - Kate Steinbeck, flute; Fred

Lemmons, clarinet; Rosalind Buda, bassoon

February 8 - Paul Cataldo, guitar and vocals February 15 - Sugar Barnes and Dave

end Dinner and Live Jazz at 7 p.m. Reservations required. Jesse E. Junior, vocals; Bill Bares, piano; Zack Page, bass. The Classic Wineseller, (828) 452-6000 20 Church Street, Waynesville, NC www.classicwineseller.com

Roller Derby 2013 Season

Fluid Expressions

February 22 - Ben Wilson, guitar, vocals Saturday, February 16 - Valentine’s Week-

Fiery drive, passion and drama in the inspiring program La Pasión Flamenca. Diana Wortham Theatre, 8 p.m. Regular $35; Student $30; Ages 12 and under $15. Student Rush, $10. Tickets/ Info: (828) 257-4530 or www.dwtheatre.com.

by T. Oder and R. Woods

Magill, blues guitar and vocals

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana

Ratchet and Spin

Friday Night Live @ 7 p.m.

Flamenco Master Class

Thursday & Friday, February 21 & 22

www.thetalesofreveries.tumbler.com

™

Flamenco Vivo Carloa Santana hosts a Master Class at 5:30 p.m. on the DWT stage. The $30 fee covers the class plus a reception at Curate following the class. Tickets/Info: (828) 257-4530 or www.dwtheatre.com.

Prismeous & Nous; Fishing

Deadline: February 25

The Haywood County Arts Council is seeking Blue Ridge National Heritage area artists with a passion for the traditional aspects of pottery and clay making. The exhibition will feature traditional pottery and will coincide with the Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration in downtown Waynesville, NC on June 8. Interested artists should call Ana Woodall (704) 984-2660 or email info@haywoodarts.org. More details at www. visitncsmokies.com/events.

through February 26

Epiphanies: Experimentation and Collaboration Works by 25 artists in various mediums. Red House Studios and Gallery, 310 W. State Street in Black Mountain, NC. Thursday through Saturday from 11-3 p.m. For more information call (828) 669-0351 or visit www.svfalarts.org.

Thursday, February 28

Storytelling Series Listen to This Tom Chalmers hosts the original storytelling series which features stories and original songs

Asheville’s Blue Ridge Rollergirls return to the U.S. Cellular Center! Asheville will be the home of the WFTDA South Central tournament in November, and BRRG will fight for a Top 10 spot in order to compete.

March 9 – WNC Agricultural Center April 27 – U.S. Cellular Center June 1 - U.S. Cellular Center August 24 - U.S. Cellular Center October 12 - U.S. Cellular Center November 16 - WNC Agricultural Center www.blueridgerollergirls.com

from locals. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. Asheville Community Theatre, 35 East Walnut St., downtown Asheville. Phone (828) 254-1320 or visit www.ashevilletheatre.org

Sunday, March 3

Limited Palette, Unlimited Possibilities Opening reception from 2-4 p.m. at the Red House Studios and Gallery, 310 W. State Street in Black Mountain, NC. On display February 28 through April 29. Phone (828) 669-0351.

Sunday, March 3

NGU Quintet Led by pianist Fabio Parrini, this acclaimed all faculty performance begins at 3 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, Fifth Avenue and White Pine, in Hendersonville. Tickets are $17 and are available at the Hendersonville Visitors Center, and at the door on day of performance. More details at www.hendersonvillechambermusic.org.

Friday, March 8

Solo Exhibition: Apotheosis Opening reception from 6-9 p.m. for Tom Pazderka, a conceptual mixed media artist. Apotheosis is a critique of cultural ideology and the use of power. On display March 7 through April 6, 2013 at the Artery, 346 Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District.

CLASSES ~ AUDITIONS ~ ARTS & CRAFTS ~ READINGS Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 35

find it here Appalachian Craft Center

www.appalachiancraftcenter.com

C.W. Worth House www.worthhouse.com

HandMade in America www.handmadeinamerica.org

Mellow Mushroom (828) 236-9800

SIGNARAMA www.wncsigns.com

Asheville Symphony www.ashevillesymphony.org

Diana Wortham Theatre www.dwtheatre.com

Hearn’s Bicycle (828) 253-4800

Nicos Cafe www.Nicoscafe.net

Nancy Silver Art www.nancysilverart.com

BlackBird Frame & Art www.blackbirdframe.com

Double Exposure Giclee www.doubleexposureart.com

High Country Style (828) 452-3611

North Carolina Stage Company www.ncstage.org

David J. Simchock www.vagabondvistas.com

Bogart’s Restaurant www.bogartswaynesville.com

Frame It To a T www.frameittoat.com

Kathmandu Cafe

O’Charley’s www.ocharleys.com

Soapy Dog www.thesoapydog.com

Charlotte Street Computers (828) 225-6600

Frugal Framer www.frugalframer.com

Jewels That Dance www.jewelsthatdance.com

Oil & Vinegar Asheville

www.asheville.oilandvinegarusa.com

Sola Salt Cave www.solasaltcave.com

The Chocolate Fetish www.chocolatefetish.com

GD Whalen Photography www.gdwhalen.com

Karmasonics (828) 259-9949

On Demand Printing www.ondemandink.com

Southern Highland Craft Guild www.craftguild.org

The Chocolate Bear www.thechocolatebears.com

Great Smokies Creations (828) 452-4757

Malaprops Bookstore/Cafe www.malaprops.com

Potter’s Mark www.pottersmark.com

Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro www.stormrhumbar.com

Claying Around www.clayingaround.com

Great Trade Solutions www.greattradesolutions.com

Massie Furniture Company www.massiefurniture.net

Rise ’n Shine www.risenshinecafe.com

Cottonmill Studios www.cottonmillstudiosnc.com

Great Tree Zen Temple www.greattreetemple.org

Mountain Top Appliance

Satellite Gallery www.thesatellitegallery.com

Studio 375 Depot BarbaraFrohmaderArt.com www.silverpoemstudio.com

www.cafekathmanduasheville.com

www.mountainviewappliance.com

PATTON AVE. / ASHLAND AVE.

TUNNEL ROAD

BLACK MOUNTAIN

PH TC

Thyme in the Garden http://thymeinthegarden asheville.blogspot.com Turtle Island Pottery www.turtleislandpottery.com Updraft Fine Art Gallery www.updraftgallery.com The Wine Guy www.theashevillewineguy.com

WEAVERVILLE

CHARLOTTE ST.

MERRIMON AVE. MA

PA CC

BD MB

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT WAYNESVILLE - 28786

BREVARD ROAD

DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE - 28801 S

WC WH

A M

HENDERSONVILLE RD.

U G

HC RL

WAYNESVILLE – GREAT SMOKY MTN. EXPY.

BILTMORE PARK / ARDEN GET ON THE MAP, CALL

(828) 646-0071

DOWNTOWN BILTMORE AVE.

LEXINGTON AVE.

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36 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

local favorites

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Fantastic Mechanics Sean Pace and Robert Sulkin

he newest exhibition at William King Museum features Fantastic Mechanics Sean Pace of Asheville, and Robert Sulkin of Roanoke, Virginia. the two artists are imaginative engineers in the studio. Sean Pace creates mixed-media sculptures that often have a complex network of motors and gears. With human intervention, they can be set into motion and facilitate surprising activities such as painting an abstract picture or shooting a rubber chicken. Robert Sulkin concocts elaborate readymade sculptures, then photographs them as still lifes in black and white, some with mathematic formulas and other notations superimposed on the final image. These document the musings of a fictional inventor trying to devise solutions for the world’s complex problems. To different ends, the fantastical machines of Pace and Sulkin invoke absurdity and conjure magic. William King Museum will celebrate the opening of this exhibition with a public reception on Thursday, February 7 from 6-8 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public, and a cash bar will be available.

Class War Limo by Sean Pace

IF YOU Fantastic Mechanics, on display GO at William King Museum, 415

Academy Drive, off West Main Street or Russell Road, in Abingdon, VA. For more information about this exhibition phone the museum at (276) 628-5005, or visit www.WilliamKingMuseum.org.

Gallery Asheville Opens

T Man and Beast 2 by Robert Sulkin

In conjunction with the exhibition opening, Pace and Sulkin will conduct lectures at area colleges. Sulkin will speak at Emory & Henry College’s Board of Visitors Lounge on Tuesday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. Pace will speak at East Tennessee State University in the Art Annex along Seehorn Drive on Wednesday, March 27 from 3-4:30 p.m. The William King Museum features five exhibition galleries, artist studios, a museum store and outdoor sculpture garden. Educational programs in the visual arts are offered year-round for both children and adults, and school audiences are served by in-house and outreach programs.

here’s a new fine art gallery in downtown Asheville! Anna Parker Barnett, fine art consultant and owner of Gallery Minerva, has taken on a new venture representing local fine artists. Gallery Asheville just opened the beginning of January. Gallery Asheville will offer works from Mija’s entire Layers Series collection, including Sienna Layers by Mija several of their larger pieces. You can view more art on their website, www. galleryasheville.com.

Gallery Asheville 8 Biltmore Ave., downtown Asheville (828) 258-6040 www.galleryasheville.com

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Photography Tips & Tricks Travel Photography Part 2 of 4: People

ast month, we had a look at some of the “generic” issues related to the wonderful world of travel photography. These were things that essentially apply to any facet of photography, as they form the foundation for all that follows. This month, we’ll explore some of the tools and techniques required for photographing “people” while on the road.

And, of course, “please” and “thank you” are paramount. When photographing children, best bet is to ask permission of their parents. Note that if you are taking a very wide shot (e.g., of a market), and there are many people in the shot, it is not necessary to ask permission from every person!

Why photograph people?

Plan ahead and work quickly.

Simple. Because it is the people that convey the true “spirit of place” where you are traveling, whether that be vendors in a market, kids playing in a village square, or nomadic people in the middle of the Sahara Desert. People exemplify the culture.

If you see someone from a distance that you think you want to photograph, before you approach them, give some thought as to how you want to compose the shot, and how you want to set up your camera. This way, if they oblige, you don’t spend a lot of time getting set up. Be sure not to annoy your “model” by taking too much of their time (i.e., work quickly!). Having said that, your interest in photography may be a way for you to get to know the locals better, so don’t be shy, and welcome a conversation!

How do you approach people? First and foremost, be courteous and friendly! Proper protocol is to ask permission to photograph someone, especially if you want to get a close-up. If you don’t know the local language, at least learn a few phrases, particularly things like: “May I take your photo?”

DAVID SIMCHOCK

Laos Photos by David Simchock

To pay, or not to pay? This is often a tough one. In some countries, it is very Morocco Peru difficult to photograph the Focus on the eyes. local people without some type of monetary This is of particular importance when exchange. It’s usually a personal choice as to working with a shallow depth-of-field (e.g., whether you want to pay for taking a photo. close-up portraits). You might have the When it comes to children, it is not recomperfect composition, but if the eyes aren’t mended that you give them candy. Try sharply focused, that beautifully-composed giving out pencils and pens, especially in portrait becomes a deletion. “developing countries”. At least they’ll have something to help with their education, A few final thoughts… rather than something that will rot their When taking group shots, be sure to click teeth. Of course, in any locale, offer to send your shutter multiple times to ensure that a copy of the photo via e-mail (and, be sure one of the images will have everyone’s eyes to follow up with your promise!). open. Don’t forget to photograph your travel Do you want a “portrait” or an “environcompanion(s) and, remember, they don’t mental”? have to be posing for you (nor looking at the camera). In fact, candid shots are usually A “traditional” portrait is typically a close-up more fun, and more genuine. of a person’s face (i.e., their head fills the frame. An “environmental” portrait takes in Tune in next month for Places, Part 3 of our the person’s surroundings (i.e., it’s a wider Travel Photography feature. shot that has context of location or setting). They both tell a different story. Don’t forget Looking for more insight? Check out the that horizontal / landscape and vertical / porgot f-stop? photo blog: www.gotfstop.com trait shots allow you to vary your composition. For the close-up portrait you may want a shallow depth-of-field (wide aperture, e.g., David Simchock is a professional f/4 or wider if you got the f-stop), whereas photographer and instructor based in for a wider shot, try a deeper depth-of-field Asheville’s River Arts District. (narrower aperture, e.g., f/11). When photographing children, it is often best to have For more about David, including his your camera at their eye level (i.e., you may popular Vagabond Vistas Photo Tours, want to stoop or kneel down). visit www.DijonCreative.com. 38 February 2013 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 16, No. 6

ASHEVILLE’S RIVER ARTS DISTRICT Support Local Artists ❖ Support Local Creativity ❖ Buy Local Indulge and Support Self Expression ❖ Invest in Our Future RIVER ARTS STUDIO BUILDINGS * 240 Clingman * 347 Depot * 97 Roberts Street * Cotton Mill Studios * CURVE studios * Galaxy Studios * Hatchery Studios * Northlight Studios * Odyssey Center * The Old Wood Co.

* Phil Mechanic * Pink Dog Creative * Riverside Studios * Riverview Station * Roberts St. Studios * Roots Studios * Studio 375 Depot * The Wedge * Warehouse Studios

RN RS

More information on the River Arts District is available by calling (828) 280-7709 or visit www.riverartsdistrict.com.

RO RB

Vol. 16, No. 6 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — February 2013 39

Gift Guide for Art Lovers Are you looking for the perfect gifts? From chocolate to performances, from framed art to jewelry, you’ll ﬁnd a great number of ways to express your love for your valentine in this month’s issue.

Diana Wortham Theatre ..p4 Claying Around ..p10 The Folk Art Center ..p11 C.W. Worth House ..p19 Classic Wineseller ..p20 The Chocolate Bear ..p21 SolA Salt Cave ..p22 O’Charley’s Restaurant ..p29 The Chocolate Fetish ..p30

PG. 36