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Let me tell you about a great movie! I really enjoyed it. We saw it at the new Regal Cinemas off Long Shoals Road with stadium seating!
check out the movie! It so rocked!
http://www.twilightthemovie.com/
Maybe you have never been to her little shop over across from the downtown Asheville Public Library? For many of us who worked downtown and got to network with many business owners, Constance Boutique became one of our favorite places to stop by, shop, and just enjoy the whole atmosphere. I remember one day I was out with 2 ladies and we were walking by the store. We saw Laura, Constance, and a few clients talking and having fun. So we dropped in, Constance broke out the wine, and we had one of our best times in many weeks. More people came in, it was literally "dress up" time for adults. Well, we escaped after getting one of the ladies I was with a beautiful BCBG dress and the other lady a Diana Von Furstenberg dress and top. Everyone left with a smile. Constance and her "crew" are just great people, consumed with clothing style, and a mended business mind. Maybe a little bit ahead of the time for Asheville North Carolina years ago, but now very well established in the community and the timing is perfect.
One of the stores is downtown right near the Asheville Civic Center, across from the library. The other is located in Biltmore Station right next to Biltmore Village (That spot is hot!). She also had a temporary store in the Grove Arcade at one time. She recently tried to expand and accommodate a new location in South Asheville on Long Shoals Rd, but the business and lack of shopping due to the market is forcing her to focus on the other 2 shops after Christmas and put her space on Long Shoals up for lease (photo above). This location is great, with a new 4 lane in front and a booming area... but juggling the 3 stores in this economy forced her to choose the top 2 / oldest 2.
For those of you who know Constance, she is a local star, style guru, fashion consultant, and great overall resident of Asheville NC. She is well versed in many high end womens fashion and can easily create a complete wardrobe custom made exactly for you. Some of the clothing can fit in the "high end common" realm, while others fit the "movie stars". I fall in love with clothing all over again every time I walk into this place. You would expect to find a store of this magnitude in New York City, Atlanta, or Charlotte; but she has brought this beautiful style to Asheville North Carolina. I talked to Constance one time at Savoy Restaurant where she was moderating a "model fashion runway" show for Al Lorenzo from Al's Contractors Inc. in Marion. He was about to marry Natalie, and this was her bridal shower. Wow! Very nice bridal shower. Thank you again Constance.
You can call the boutique at 828-252-4002 or click HERE to go to her website. Only if you want the best, if you know what I mean. Head to toe, perfection.
Just about every time I enter the Biltmore Square Mall, I pass by Game Stop and it is usually packed out. Sometimes if the kids are with me, I have to tell them to step away because there is simply no room. Besides all of the stores in the Asheville area suffering, Biltmore Square Mall has always suffered somewhat. It is sometimes called "The Rich Mall", "The Boring Mall", "The Prison Mall" (because of the security officers being rude and over reacting), "The Sleeping Mall" (see people sleep on the sidelines waiting for something to happen) and "The Dead Mall", read more by clicking HERE.
They just need to call it the Asheville Mall South or #2 and let the mall on Tunnel Road just buy them out. Somebody was saying the other day that the Biltmore Square Mall is going to head in the "Clearance Outlet" direction. How can these poor people revive this mall? What about an area survey and ask the people what they want in that mall? It is sad for businesses to go into that mall with excitement, and the whole overtone quickly becomes dim, second line, and now second hand (Dillards Outlet, and also Envy Me... who just came from the Asheville mall because of no business). I say we redo the whole mall and start all over, before it gets even worse. Finish this Christmas season, recruit Macy's or something worthwhile, and then build from there. Belk's is the "last one left" and going down. Goody's already took off. Who runs the strategy over there anyway? Game Stop and Chik-Fila keep this mall alive to say the least. People crowded these two stores. You can see some video on YouTube.com/AskAsheville. To visit Game Stop, just click HERE!. Oh, and if you really think you want to visit the Biltmore Square Mall, click HERE.
What's A Derby Girl To Do? Adventures of the Off-Season
After an intense eight month 2008 season with the Blue Ridge Rollergirls, Asheville's all-female roller derby team, I can't help but feel a little lost and confused about what to do with all my free time during the off-season.
For folks unfamiliar with the sport, women's flat track roller derby is one of the fastest growing sports in the country right now (it may be THE fastest growing sport, but I am too lazy to look up any sort of statistics). Most everyone is familiar with the dramatized antics of roller derby in the 70's, but around 2000, there was a revival of the sport and it has blown up ever since. Drew Barrymore has even taken notice of derby and is producing a movie starring Ellen Page entitled, "Whip It," which will come out next year some time. There was a reality show on A&E a couple years ago called "Rollergirls", which characterized the lives of rollergirls living in Texas. Typical to any reality show, it displayed the drama that occurred between teammates but also during each episode, showed the fast-paced, hard-hitting action from real roller derby competitions. Probably true for many rollergirls across the country, when I saw this show, I thought to myself, "I am meant to do this."
Several years later after moving to Asheville, I discovered we had a roller derby team of our own, The Blue Ridge Rollergirls. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. I went to practice the Monday after I found out about the team and have been a part of it ever since. Any rollergirl will tell you that once you join derby, if you're into it, you're really into it. It takes over your life in an unexpected way; it becomes an obsession. Since all roller derby leagues are grassroots types organizations, we run everything ourselves. We not only skate but are working together to run a business. We put together competitions ("bouts" is actually the correct term--like boxing) against different leagues, we run a Board of Directors, we fundraise, we do PR, put on events...meanwhile we practice three times a week during the season for 2 hours and drive one hour round trip to get to the rink in Hendersonville since we don't have one here in Asheville.
After our last bout of the season on November 1st, the season is over until next spring. Already I find myself a little depressed, pacing around the house and eating ice cream while watching 90210 marathons. I wear derby attire (a lot of black, bright colored tights, leg warmers, and shirts with our logo) to inappropriate places and stick out just in attempt to strike up conversation and promote our league. I go out and party with my team mates, drink too much and talk about how much we're going to kick ass next season. While we're out, if we spot a girl at the bar with any sort of tattoo, piercing, or she just looks like she could knock the crap out of someone, we try to recruit her. It has also come to my attention that throwing blocks at parties does not quite have the same appeal as it does on the track, etiquette wise.
We still practice a couple times a week during the off-season and have events to plan which should keep me busy in between the drinking and ice cream eating. Fundraising is the main thing, since we are broke after giving the Civic Center all our money to reserve the dates we want for the 2009 season. We are having an End-Of-Season party on Saturday, December 13th from 6 until 11 p.m. at the Dragon Lady Salon if you want to check out all the derby debauchery for yourself.
For more information about the happenings of the Blue Ridge Rollergirls, go to our myspage page (our webpage is under construction) at: www.myspace.com/blueridgerollergirls
The Asheville Fire Department goes shopping at the new Ingles on Tunnel Road, right across from Dairy Queen. Here is a quick pic of one of Asheville's Finest, Woman Firefighter talking to friends outside. These people protect, serve, and save.
The SUV was out tonight and obviously rolled up on these people hanging out in the lower parking lot of the Food Lion Skate Park on Cherry Street in Downtown Asheville. Here you see the officer has 3 people sitting against the car, and is frisking the "biggest" one of the crew.
McCafé is a world of delicious coffees and drinks. They have a wide selection of exclusive expresso cofffee, gourmet cakes and muffins, and delicious snacks. Note that McDonalds is taking some "green" steps in making every McCafé coffee out of 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified Arabica coffee beans. This is big for Asheville.
There will be 5 new McCafés going up in the Asheville area. You can view the plan approvals by clicking HERE. Other nearby McCafés will be in Fletcher, Old Fort, Forest City, Columbus, and Marion North Carolina. This is big and fits in perfectly with the paced area growth that is sneaking in the area. Obama, Tiger Woods, and now McD's making a sustainable move in Western North Carolina. They need to put one in Weaverville to go along with the new Super Wal-Mart about to open.
To view McDonalds McCafé information, click HERE.
See the McDonalds on Patton being demolished to make way for the new McCafé by clicking HERE.
Photos above are some McCafés around the world including the dessert display in Paris, France
This was approved 3 days after the 2008 Election (Nov 7th, 2008) a few weeks ago.
Dorky Husbands: Another thing to be thankful for every day.
Okay, y'all. I must admit, my Thanksgiving was awesome. My husband, daughter and I did not go to Raleigh or Rockingham to visit family this year like we usually do, because we just took a trip back east earlier this month and got to see pretty much everyone. So we decided to save the gas for Christmas this year. We were thinking it was just going to be another quiet day in the RV (or "bus", as our 3 year old daughter calls it), but as it turns out, we got a last minute invitation from some friends to come spend Thanksgiving with them at a vacation house in Yancey County.
So we went, and it was wonderful. The vacation house had been rented for three days by a group of friends who wanted to have a big Turkey Day throwdown. There were about twenty five people and fifteen dogs in attendance, and everyone brought a dish or two to share, potluck style. The house was beautiful, complete with a fishing pond and a jacuzzi on the back deck. We met a lot of new people and got to spend some time with some old friends we hadn't seen in awhile. The food was fantastic (although I filled myself up on appetizers like spanakopita and crackers with brie before dinner was ready). There certainly was an awful lot to appreciate.
But isn't there always? Perhaps if we could spend every day in a state of appreciation, our lives would be easier and happier. It's not as if there's a shortage of things to be thankful for every day except Thanksgiving. For instance, I always have access, without even trying, to a mixture of gases that is suitable for my lungs to breathe. I am ALIVE! I have a brain that can do a wide variety of things that are so incredible that no scientist has quite figured out how it works. I'm probably the most miraculous thing I can think of, actually. My brain, my body, my spirit, and the universe, working together seamlessly and I don't even have to give it a second thought. That's just basic stuff that pretty much everyone can count on their everyday list of things to appreciate. I know not everyone has a family, or a house, or a car... but everyone, no matter what, can be thankful for the miracle that is this reality and his or her opportunity to actually participate in it. There was even a time when I didn't have much food for a couple years. Often I went to bed hungry. But I even learned to be thankful for that. The great thing about hunger pangs is that they are proof you're still alive.
Not only that, but if you think about it, pretty much everything you try to do works out perfectly, I'd say about 98% of the time, for most of us. When was the last time you wanted to eat, yet couldn't find any food? When was the last time you needed to eliminate, and couldn't find a suitable place to do it before you had an embarrassing accident? When was the last time you turned on the TV and found that all the stations had stopped broadcasting? When was the last time you wanted to read a book and and you suddenly went blind for the rest of the day? Sure, sometimes things don't work out as planned or expected, but really, on the whole, most things work out great. Why not focus on all the little things that go well for us instead of the couple little snags we hit each day? The only answer I can think of is that we must be insane. Literally. I mean, if you wake up and everything falls into place all morning, from waking to dressing to tooth brushing to eating breakfast, literally hundreds of things have gone right for you already. But then if you go outside and step in a pile of dog doo, all of a sudden you're having a bad day. What sense does that make? Go change your frickin shoes and be grateful you have an extra pair!
Just some food for thought (as if you weren't stuffed like a turkey already). Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Matter of fact, go to our friends over at AshVegas (yes, click the name) to see the details. If you have not been to the Asheville North Carolina AshVegas blog, you are missing a bunch. Stay updated on the local real peoples news! The Editor/Moderator Ash stays up with the community, networks, news, and lots of local AVL info, pics, and more. Keep them on your blogroll or rss feed with us. Let me take a quick pic of their homepage for you to see, and remember to vote for these Asheville Moms. Go directly to the article by clicking HERE.
Well, all, another turkey day is upon us. Thanksgiving eve I guess you would call it! It's supposed to be a pretty day. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy gobble gobble day! And remember what it is really all about. Not food. But family! For being thankful for all that we have been blessed with and not all that we don't have. I choose to look at my cup half full then half empty. There is so much to be thankful for. A beautiful day for one. My daughter. My family. My friends. My church. For all kinds of things. My job. I just urge you all to reflect on how great your life really is. Be safe and try not to eat too much!
God bless!
For me, it comes down to World Literature, and Juvenile justice this semester. I should have no problem acing the hell out of these tests :) My GPA could certainly use the boost. But, i've always been that way. BS my way through the entire semester, and then whiz through the cumulative exam, get a perfect score, and then move on. My test scores are the only reason I was admitted to ANY college. Anyways, I pray for the best for you folks in the test-heavy weeks to come.
EXCELSIOR !!!
Quick pic of the State crew out working on this bridge overpass in West Asheville on Brevard Road on I-240. From what I heard there was a distressed kitten stuck up under the overpass... (just kidding). I am glad they send crews out regularly to check these overpasses. Of course Westgate gets checked very frequently, and it should. The Westgate bridge has some elevation on it and two of my kids are scared to death of it after several bridges collapsed around the country. What is the term for "bridge phobia" anyway?
This Asheville based website and universal lifestyle is so beautiful, we have to share it with our Asheville family, and the whole world for that matter...
IamThankful.com’s mission is to foster peace and happiness through:
1. Raising public awareness for thankfulness
2. Providing simple tools for practice
3. Inspiring joyful expressions of gratitude
4. Educating about related scientific findings
Asheville Artist Damaris Pierce who, through her own development and studies, underwent tremendous transformations in her life that led her to share her findings with others. “Gratitude is more than a concept”, states Pierce, “it is a state of being that can be cultivated every day”. “I believe when you focus on the things you are thankful for each day you begin to live a more joyful, fulfilled and pleasurable life,” she continues, “I want to share this with others and create a public display of gratitude that ripples around the globe! Gratitude is a powerful force that can help people from any walk of life change their perspective and achieve a better quality of life. It is important for each of us to say thank you to family, friends, pets, nature or places we love for enriching our lives and bringing us joy. As an artist, I infuse gratitude into every piece I create, whether it is stone, glass, wood, canvas or metal. As a human being, I feel the richness of life in every interaction, every event, every thing. I believe sharing this energy with one another can create a ripple that spreads across the globe and helps remind everyone that there is beauty, love and good to be found.” www.IamThankful.com
Plenty of great restaurants surround this point including Garfields and the Stone Ridge Tavern. This point is about 4 miles away from Biltmore Park (South AVL) and about 5 miles from the Candler area of West Asheville Buncombe.
This Asheville based "video game heaven" is run very smoothly by a retired Military Police Officer who has dedicated his time, life and business to serving the great video gamer industry here in Asheville NC. It is a very safe haven for the kids who come to play and interact with many other gamers in Buncombe County and beyond. Video cameras are always live on the scene and you can view them live on their website www.VirtualAmbush.com at any time. There has only been a few instances where he had to escort some people out, who thought it was a "club" or pool hall. No way! It is a friendly, secure, family based fun place for people to hang and try almost every video game you can think of. They even have program where developers that are launching new video games sends them plenty of samples for gamers to try out free of charge, and submit a review before they have their grand release into public. They cater parties here, and could accomodate almost any type of get-together you can think of. They are open 7 days a week, around Noon on most days and 10am on the weekends. You can also call Tom (828-210-0017) if you have any questions about this great place that I personally love to bring the kids. Once we go, this place is all they talk about for weeks. You need to check it out!
If you are looking for a local stylist in the Asheville Buncombe area, Misty Baker or Manager Stephen Veltman (shown above) are open to new clients and look forward working with you to get that "Appearance" you are looking for. You can call them at 828-645-8585 or visit their website at www.AppearancesSalonSpa.com.
I love lazy days like this. I'm just enjoying my day around the house with my daughter Reading. Cleaning. Just relaxing! Nothing special. Today is a good day!
God bless!
Back when I moved to Asheville (about seven years ago) there was only one Thai restaurant in the area: Wan Pen out in Arden. My first house was only a five minute drive from Wan Pen, so I ate there frequently. Wan Pen has an authentic, delicious menu, but once I moved into Asheville, it was too far away to visit with any regularity. Soon Doc Chey's Noodle House opened up downtown, with several Thai dishes on the menu, and while I like their menu and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, it's not truly a Thai restaurant. When you get down to it, this is an Asian fusion restaurant (or, as the chain's website states, "Pan Asian Cuisine"). This fact makes me and my friends wonder why Doc Chey's consistently gets in the top three Thai restaurants in the Best of WNC. We understand "Best Cheap Lunch", and even "Best Takeout" (although it's not really a takeout joint, either), but "Best Thai"?
Next in the Asheville area's quest for abundant Thai food came Thai Cuisine Express on Patton Avenue. And this, for me, at least, was the end of the quest. Thai Cuisine Express is now in its fourth year in business, and as far as I'm concerned, this is the best Thai food in Asheville. It also happens to be one of the cheapest.
Other Thai restaurants have opened since. Maybe too many, in fact. There's Thai Basil, Noi's Thai Kitchen, and a slew of other Thai places in the area. Most of them, in my opinion, rely on their swanky atmospheres more than their menus to draw patronage. In large part, they are overpriced and lack authenticity (read: Americanized). But Thai Cuisine Express continues to serve up spicy coconut curries and tangy stir-fries in large portions to satisfy your craving for the true taste of Thai. For a mere $8.95, you can get a heaping helping of the most delicious cashew chicken in town (maybe in the whole USA; owner Palm Thonesuwan brought Thai Cuisine's menu all the way from Hollywood, where he helped open a Thai restaurant/bar that has earned international acclaim for its menu). Also available are such Thai staples as Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, and Thai Basil. Anything on the menu can be made vegetarian or vegan (just remember to request it without fish sauce!), and I promise you won't find a better spring roll in these mountains.
This is a true family restaurant- and the customers tend to quickly become extended family members. Palm is always there (he's not only the owner, he's also the restaurant's only chef) to wave and say hi, or "Sa-ba-di-kah!", if you speak a little Thai. The atmosphere is snug and casual, and with only five tables, a diner often finds herself participating in the next table's conversation. Most of the business is done in takeout orders, and this is a great option if you don't have time to cook dinner, especially if you live on the west side. So if you're in the mood for incredible, delicious, authentic Thai food, but not in the mood to pay extra for a formal, fancy atmosphere, head on down to Thai Cuisine Express!
Thai Cuisine Express is located at 1438 Patton Ave. Phone: 225-6082.
Hours: Monday through Saturday from 3pm to 9pm.
We really have to take a minute to brag on one of the best Commercial Contractors in Asheville North Carolina. This is not an advertisement. We just keep hearing that if you want a job completed right, at a fair price (not too low or too high), great communication, great follow up, great project managers, great superintendents, and a very successful project... you need to talk to Perry Bartsch Jr. Construction in Asheville North Carolina. They do not do giant advertising or marketing schemes, but you have probably been in many of the structures that this company has built everywhere around Western North Carolina.
One of the projects they recently completed was a Regional Destination Center for the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was LEED GOLD Certified AIA Atlanta COTE and also the Showcase winner for the 2008 Greenprints Conference. From what I heard, this was the first LEED GOLD certification in this area. Project cost was $5.5 million. Thank you Perry Bartsch for paving the way! Here is a quick picture of the inside, and also a picture that Asheville Framing gave to us of Brian (PBjr. Superintendent), Rob (PBjr. Project Manager), and Steve (PBjr Project Manager). They have a very strong team spirit. Successuful projects are what they do in and around the WNC area. When talking about the future of Asheville, Perry Bartsch Jr. is sure to have a big part in it. You can visit their website by going to www.PBjrContruction.com
When I travel to Greenville SC, I always pass a PF Chang's and say in my head "I want to try that place". Well I do not have to travel to Greenville for that anymore thanks to Biltmore Park in Asheville inviting PF Chang's as their lead restaurant in this wonderful "all inclusive" development and mega shopping world. Visit PF Chang's by clicking Here! It is not open yet, so do not run over there tonight, but it will be open very soon, and I will be one of the first to go!
So here it is, now open, but construction and equipment everywhere you look. No prob for us, we love the progress. This movie theatre in South Asheville boasts a 15 screen 57,220 SF cinema. It will be operated by Regal and it will be Asheville's first stadium cinema.
Stopped by Biltmore Park today off of the Skyland exit in South Asheville. We saw so much development that we could not completely comprehend it. Major, major work going on to provide every need a person living there may have. Here is a picture of the University of Phoenix, still under construction, but coming real soon. www.Phoenix.edu Currently they only offer classes online for the Asheville area, but not any more after they finish this beautiful structure surrounded by apartment complexes, condos, and plenty of food and entertainment options. Somebody here had a plan!
The University of Phoenix has many locations all over the United States including a campus in Charlotte and Raleigh. They are also in Alberta, British Columbia, and Puerto Rico... but this is WNC's first!
Visit Biltmore Park by clicking Here
Meet members of the Energy & Environment Policy Transition Team
In my 22 years, not once have I had the opportunity to visit a drive-through movie theater. I've always wanted too. I think that eventually, i'd like to build one around here. Take out a couple of loans, scare up some investors, and some friends to help build it. I'll show what I want to. Damn the censors :) Have a dozen or so grills going in the summer-time. Maybe a couple of in-ground pools. Good idea ?
Airport Road in South Asheville is becoming a mega shopping and restaurant area. It is centered perfectly between Hendersonville and Downtown Asheville, 10 miles in either direction. Oh, and the Asheville Airport is just 1 mile from this point! Very nice and convenient.
I personally love Montford. The homes, people, and vibe is wonderful. I did not know too much about the area, but I took this from their Montford website. Please read the info and history.
"Whether you are a visitor, new to the neighborhood or a longstanding resident, Montford is a great place to be.
A Brief History:
Montford is a neighborhood in Asheville, North Carolina. A portion of Montford is a National Register Historic District, the first of three local historic districts to come under the jurisdiction of the Historic Resources Commission (HRC) of Asheville and Buncombe County (see the Asheville city link for more information and guidelines). Montford Hills is an adjacent neighborhood which is outside the jurisdiction of the HRC. Recent years in Montford have witnessed the renovation of many of the neighborhood's residences by individual families and a myriad of industrious bed and breakfast owners who have helped to restore the district to its former splendor.
Located in Buncombe County (founded in 1792), the town of Asheville, North Carolina was incorporated in 1797. However, until the arrival of the railroad in 1880, Asheville was little more than an isolated mountain village, a small trading center and occasional vacation spot for a few summer visitors. When rails overcame the barrier of the Blue Ridge, a boom began that was to continue almost uninterrupted for five decades.
The neighborhood that permanently expresses the diversity of this era is Montford. This sprawling, homogeneous neighborhood of about three hundred acres retains over six hundred structures representing a rich diversity of architectural styles, most constructed between 1890 and 1920 during Asheville's emergence as the greatest city of the Southern Appalachians. The adjacent area know as Montford Hills was dubbed a suburb of Montford and built primarily in the 1920s.
The residents of Montford welcome you. It's the people here, through all their efforts, that make this neighborhood a great place." www.Montford.org
This Church in Asheville was founded in 1922 by Greek immigrants. It features parish council, history, programs, youth ministries, calendar and photos. It is located on Cumberland Ave about 3 minutes north of Downtown by Montford Avenue. Beautiful structure of faith in this great Asheville Montford community. You can visit their website for more information www.HolyTrinityAsheville.com
The old Asheville Chamber of Commerce looked pretty good, but then this one popped up on this old restaurant spot in downtown Asheville. I heard when they dug up the footings of the old place for this building, they found bones and everything buried deep in the dirt.
The Asheville Chamber has been very effective in putting together programs to benefit the Asheville community and Western North Carolina. They had an Internet Technology Council years ago and tried to implement the "Starfish" mentality with other professionals in the area. Do not know exactly what happened to that. The last thing I heard is that they got direct flights from Asheville to NYC and several other locations from one of the Major Airline Carriers.
Then they have a colorful vibrant marketing face called Explore Asheville that is a local resource guide for the Asheville area. We were actually doing a poll recently and comparing it with another great site in the area called Asheville Now. Check both of them out and comment what you think is the better site, haha.
So here is the "new" (3 years old) Asheville Chamber of Commerce. Beverly-Grant Construction of Asheville built this structure and it was about $1 million over budget, and rumor is because of a irresponsible construction superintendent that was playing on the internet in the work trailer while the job schedule and budget was being blown to smitherines. Oh well, tomorrow is another day, hopefully better.
The Chamber is a wonderful place to network with local businesses and if you have the time to get involved, it is well worth it. Members Only is their undertone and they run a tight eventful network circle in Asheville NC. www.AshevilleChamber.org
I can't begin to say how many times I have been bored at home as my baby napped and I googled "play groups asheville" or "baby friendly events asheville" or "asheville mom group". I think all moms do that at some point. I've joined a few groups over the past 20 months of my son's life, but none were what I was really looking for. Then I finally found Asheville Mommies and fell in love. There's a huge online forum that is super easy to navigate (not like yahoo groups...ugh, I hate yahoo groups) and best of all, real life things to do. There is a calendar with events posted as well as an entire subforum to discuss events.
It is not just a play group or an online forum or a way to get out and socialize your child. It is a group of friends that are at the same point in life as you. We get together weekly at the Hop on Merrimon, with numerous other events sprinkled in throughout the week. We have mom's night out, where we break away to catch a movie or some drinks. It is exactly the kind of group that I spent hours online searching for. Come check us out at AshevilleMommies.com!
Tiger Woods is building a home on the outskirts of Asheville North Carolina. No Builder has been specified as of yet, but maybe he would possibly use one from the local Asheville Home Builders Association (AshevilleHBA.com), which is very close to his property. Asheville Custom Home Builders also sent out a bulletin that they are serving the "golfer market" and have some nice land/home/golf packages available in many developments in Asheville, as well as other private mountain properties and real estate. Asheville is building up!
Tiger said that Asheville is a community and a place where he wants to bring his family. He also said he sees it by "looking through his daughters eyes", seeing the leaves (leaf season). Out of all of the places in the world, Tiger Woods chose Asheville North Carolina, to make what he says is complete nature and beauty mixed with what he is best at... Golf! Looks like many "Green" concepts will be implemented in this great Cliff Community! View Tiger's 1st American Design by clicking Here.
Mr. Woods said "It’s about making it perfect. He does not do anything not perfect." People will find a great mixture of ideas on this course because he is personally designing it for himself. Here comes a good percentage of the golf world to Asheville to "chill" with the Man who re-invented the Game of Golf. Obama recently complimented the area when he was in Asheville at the Vance/Aycock dinner and said "If there is a prettier State than North Carolina, I have not see it yet!" He also confessed that he had not been to Alaska, lol. See it on YouTube.com/arratik Also see AshevilleObama.com
When they leave, he wants them to say they "I cant wait to come back". Asheville North Carolina / Buncombe County is where Tiger Woods and his family will live and play! Ps.. many more celebrities moving toward Asheville soon. Quiet... Tell me what you know...
Click Here to See the News Channel 4 KRNV article
Seattle Times article on Obama, Tiger Woods, and Asheville North Carolina
They call it “The Barn” optimistically. A real barn would be more inviting.
The first entry for our blog Don’t Even Go There (www.dont-even-go-there.blogspot.com) is a tale from our town: Asheville, NC (aka “The Happiest Place on Earth”). Judge for yourself. —Mark Bloom & Jason Scholder
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Before we begin this story, remember that times change, as do memories. What was once true may no longer be and visa versa. Keep that in mind as you read . . . all our stories.
A-hem.
To find antique bargains, people travel to out-of-the-way places with historic pasts—places like Marblehead, Massachusetts, or Solvang, California. Asheville, North Carolina, is another choice spot. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is a haven for outdoors enthusiasts. Home to the Biltmore Estate and the Grove Park Inn and Spa, the city also boasts a thriving arts scene, the South’s most impressive art deco architecture, and colorful local characters, such as “trustafarians” (trust-funded street people).
If you’re antiquing, you can do quite well there. Many stores offer authentic artifacts from the past, everything from candlesticks to claw-foot tubs. You can also find some kitschy fun, like plastic plates from the ’60s and a complete collection of Dale Earnhardt cups. Downtown has so many antique and second-hand shops, you can’t whip out a credit card wit hout hitting one.
Despite the plethora of choices, though, one place gets voted “Best of” more often than the rest. This place also has, in our opinion—from one ill-fated, wrong-turn visit a number of years ago—the most oppressive shopping experience of them all. The infamous Antique Tobacco Barn is a musty metal garage-like structure, larger than bowling alley but with less charm. Its aluminum facade inhibits breezes, thieves, and apparently, good taste. The environment is uncomfortably humid in the summer and seasonably uninhabitable the rest of the year.
During our visit, the items for sale inside were arranged chronologically, from oldest to ugliest. Some of the wares seemed too new to be considered antique. The rest were slowly disintegrating. The Tobacco Barn might be more accurately named “Garage Sale Outle t Center.” The merchants evidently believed that any old, dilapidated, or aesthetically irrelevant item must be an antique. Was there a really market for an original oil painting of plastic tulips on a Formica kitchen table? Perhaps it didn’t sell during the artist’s lifetime for good reason.
Like an Ikea store’s winding layout, the Barn’s entrance was easier to find than its exit. Once you wandered inside—through the narrow rows of “what was I thinking?”—you might feel compelled to keep going, believing that the night table you’ve always wanted waited for you just around the next bend. Don’t get us wrong; you might find a treasure there, especially if you’re looking for something … unusual, but the chances will seem to decrease with every turn you take.
Eventually, you’ll admit that the pounding in your chest is not love for the perfect affectation to place on your mantel. The quickening of your pulse, you’ll suddenly realize, isn’t joy at all. It’s fear! Fear that some of this bad taste will rub off on you. Fear that something heavy will fall on you, preventing your escape. Fear that asking for directions from the toothless “connoisseur” a pproaching you will lead to an unwanted conversation involving spare change. (He doesn’t need coins for the restrooms—they are free and worth every penny.)
When you emerge from the Barn at last, having wasted countless hours (but hopefully nothing more expensive than that), you will find yourself asking your partner questions that thousands of others have asked before you:
“Do you need a drink as much as I do?”
“When did I become someone who likes antiques?”
“Why do I feel like I should take a shower?”
Lessons Learned: Like cigarettes, the Tobacco Barn left a bad taste in our mouths. In the past, our government fought the tobacco companies and won. Someone should tackle the Antique Tobacco Barn next. Only then will the country be safe from the perils of antiquing gone south.
How We Saw It:
Blight-Seeing: 4
Communication Breakdown: 2
Customer Dis-service: 3
Discomfort Level: 3
Grunge Factor: 3
Inactivity Guide: 4
Rent-Attainment: 2
Spontaneous Consumption: 5
Fun Fraction: 2/5
Vibe-Rating: 1
If You Won't Listen to Us:
Nearest Airport: Asheville Regional Airport
Native Population: 75,000
Normal Attractions: The Biltmore Estate, the=2 0Grove Park Inn & Resort, downtown, the thriving arts scene, the outdoor activities, and antiquing (unfortunately).
Final Point of Interest: Bele Chere, a huge outdoor arts/music festival that happens every July, draws 300,000 people including some billies from the surrounding hills.
--
Mark Bloom & Jason Scholder (Asheville North Carolina)
writers / editors / bloggers
www.dont-even-go-there.blogspot.com
"You'll laugh; you'll cry; you'll stay home more often."
I thought this was some valuable information. Especially for anyone who is on tight budget feeding a family. Check the sizes of your families favorite products make sure you are getting what you pay for. Some families might consider buying Ingle's or Food Lion's brands in lieu of the name brand products that are probably smaller then the off brand ones. Pay attention! It could save you hundred's of dollars a year!
Photo: The Great 'Chell-0 Shoot Her of the Blue Ridge Roller Girls
Talk about a great group of people and awesome concept! Here is what I yanked off their website...
"Welcome to the home of the Blue Ridge Rollergirls, Asheville, NC's first all female, flat track roller derby league! Yes, roller derby is back! And yes, roller derby is a fast-paced, aggressive, REAL SPORT!
Founded in June of 2006, the Blue Ridge Rollergirls make up Asheville, NC's first all-female, flat track roller derby league. The league's mission is to actively create, promote, and sustain an environment that fosters strength, courage, vitality, and the empowerment of women in the roller derby sport. Each member of the league shall be challenged and supported in her pursuit of personal growth in and through the sport. The league itself shall remain deeply rooted in the spirit of good sportswomanship so as to bring honor and distinction to the league, women in the sport, and roller derby as a whole.
As an applicant to become an official Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) league, Blue Ridge Rollergirls follows WFTDA's motto, "by the skaters, for the skaters."
We are a not for profit organization and will foster community outreach through support of local charities. A few chairties the league has supported and raised funds for during their home bouts include: Reach for the Skye, RAINN, and Interlace. Please research these worthy local charities and give til it hurts!"
Taken from www.BlueRidgeRollerGirls.com
This is a great program that puts a smile on a child's face who may not receive a Christmas present otherwise. National collection week is November 17-24. Here is a link to learn more about it and how you can put together a shoe box. Many churches get involved.
Check it out...http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php
Check out the full story... Asheville Citizen Times...
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008811150336
Do you live in the North Asheville / Weaverville Community?
As we give thanks for all the Weaverville community has given us during the year, we invite those who might be alone or in need to join us for a FREE Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 27 from Noon to 3 p.m.
On this day we will be putting our pizza ovens to rest and serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, ham, dressing, sweet and mashed potatoes, beans, pies, and all the trimmings. We will have holiday music, plenty of great food and a few surprises. Everyone is welcome. www.bluemountainpizza.com
Article found on MyWeaverville.com
From the ABandRE.com newsletter (goes out to thousands of builders, realtors, subs, and architects in Asheville)... "I had mentioned a devotional inspiration from a friend of mine in the last newsletter. I wanted to clarify a few things. Many of my friends have different religious backrounds. The lady who gave me the devotion is not committed to any certain religion, but gets inspiration from many different sources. A good example of this is Keller Williams who has agents all around the world... born, raised, and extremely happy in their faith and religion, whatever it is. I have friends all around the world who fit in this same category. I don't know about you, but I am kind of glad everyone is not like me and does not believe exactly what I may believe. The question to many of us is: Do I have to believe exactly like you to be your friend, have lunch with you, share events together, be a part of your company, advance to an associate within your ranks, etc? (Hint: your answer should be "of course not" and your common actions should follow) Religious discrimination has been a hush problem in this WNC area and some companies are even accused of not hiring because the applicants are not church members or because they do not share the same beliefs... and even firings when an employee stops attending "their" church. These extreme situations and many of the little ones we come across destroy any claim to faith we may think we have. Let and let live. Do not discriminate. Do not despise people that are different than you. We all are."
www.ABandRE.com
We were selling girl scout nuts and it started raining. This is the beauty God revealed when the rain was over! Absolutely gorgeous!!
God Bless!
This is really wild. I am getting calls telling me they have ambulances lined for a mile involved in this rescue effort. Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe, and thousands of others are either severly threatened or have already lost their homes. The power supply for Los Angeles CA is now in jeopardy. People said it was a blanket of fire racing along the land.
Asheville needs to know! Taken from Change.gov.
Saturday, November 15, 2008 06:00am EST
For the first time, the weekly Democratic address has been released as a web video. It will also continue to air on the radio.
President-elect Obama plans to to publish these weekly updates through the Transition and then from the White House.
Today's address from the President-elect concerns the current economic crisis.
www.Change.gov
The winter holidays and celebrations are soon upon us in this beautiful city of Asheville, NC! As I was driving home today, I couldn't help but notice the plethora of colors on the mountainside. Dreaming of those "Thomas Kinkade cottages" sitting like a beacon of enchantment through the forest, I anticipate the warming comforts of family and friends.
The winter holidays once held anticipation out of selfishness for the materialistic things I would be getting. As I grew up and people passed through my life and out of it, I began to realize the importance of connection. The threads that bind family, friends and community are so much more important and fulfilling than any item that would otherwise become forgotten. Then, of course, said item will always collect dust by the end of the year.
There was a time in history when a community would come together at midwinter and exchange items to help each other get through the rough spots. Symbolism was and has remained an important part of the season. Mistletoe associates with peace and goodwill, the yule log is lit to banish evil spirits, defeat darkness and bring good luck for the coming year, and the yule holly and ivy are both evergreen plants, symbolizing the eternal nature of the sun. Every culture or belief is different and I use that more as an example.
With these things in mind, this year let's come together as a community and remember those close to home that could use our help during these cold months of festive celebrations. From Thanksgiving to Midwinter, there are wonderful places for people out there that can use our support. Loving Food Resources, Western North Carolina AIDS Project, MANNA, ABCCM, and Helpmate (Buncombe County's primary provider of crisis services to victims of domestic violence and their children) are to name a few that you can contact. Let's also not forget the service men and women from Asheville who are so far from home this time of year.
This year let's start early and give the gift of some comfort, joy and connection to those who would otherwise feel heartache, desperation and detachment. Asheville is a great city. Let's come together and be a beacon of enchantment into the hearts and lives of those in and from Asheville!
Brightest blessings,
-PhoeNix cHiLd
Sent in through our AskAsheville MySpace page today... "Hello, My name is Pam & I am pleading for any help I can find for my daughter, her husband & 3 children!I live in Arden in a small apartment. I encouraged my daughter to move here because the small town they were in folded up. There were no jobs available. They moved here this past July & have found a few jobs but haven't been able to find affordable housing & daycare. They lived with me until I was at risk of losing my apartment & moved into a house they couldn't afford. They cannot pass the credit checks for living here. They are hard workers & willing to do what they can to survive, but they are on the verge of being homeless as of today! We have even called all the shelters here & they were told they are full! Everyone is having a hard time because of the economy & you hear all the time of people losing everything they have & being put out on the street so I am trying to take care of my own. I just don't have any more ideas or resources. Please, Please if you can give me any ideas or resources or HELP please contact me. Pam D. ditto5897@charter.net"
If you have not been to the new Government blog, check it out. http://change.gov/newsroom/blog/. Now we know just a little more of what is going on "up there", lol.
Great blog here on the President following through on his promise... http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/following_through_on_a_promise/
It is as controversial as it comes... Should Nebraska's law allow minors under the age of 17 to be dropped off under the Safe Haven law at a hospital? People's opinions vary for different reasons. People believe that you should not be able to give a child up so easily, they believe that it is just a way out for the parent, and that the child needs them.
Well I have read up on this topic... of the 34 children that were turned in since July 1st, 2008, 17 of these have been teenagers, all but 3 of the first 30 had previously had mental health care and all but three came from a single parent home. Twenty-two had parents or guardians who had been jailed, and 17 were or had been in state care. 5 of these children were returned with their parents once they gave them some help options to deal with their child.
Some people are not suited to take care of special needs children or with some type of mental health problem. Yes, there is help out there for those parents whom want to get their child help. But if the parent has their own mental health problem, etc there is a good chance that the child will not receive the attention, help that they need.
So what happens to the children that there parents cannot drop them off with this safe haven law? They become runaways (homeless), drug addicts, thiefs (they need to eat to survive), criminals, they commit suicide, etc. I think you get the idea. Why would we allow parents to allow that to happen to their child. Don't you think they would be better off in a program that would help them deal with the problems that they face. Not with a parent that grows to hate them and much more in many cases. I feel that there needs to be a program for parents that cannot deal their child, to assist them in dealing with the problems they have in raising their child. Maybe some counseling, group meetings with other parents with the same problems, classes, etc. But also allows parents who cannot raise their child to turn them over to some sort of safe haven law (These children are SAFE then, not dead in some one's trunk!). I believe that there should be financial responsibility that they still face though. So that they don't think they can just ditch their child and that is it. There has to be some responsibility along the lines of the child support program. Please don't let these parents hurt their children. They need our help to keep these kids cafe!
Daddy's sick today kids :( I called into work and am just layin around watching David Cronenberg movies. (Scanners, Dead Ringers, The Fly, etc.) I didn't get a wink of sleep last night because I couldn't breathe out of my nose, and i'm no mouth-breather :) I'm trying to get rid of one of my laptops so that I can get a moderately decent desktop and a Blackberry smart-phone, so that I can finally start getting some pictures on here. Updates posted as they come......
It enthralls and amazes me that I can stop at a gas station at exit 31 off I-40 and take a picture like this! We are so blessed to live in Western North Carolina with all His beautiful, majestic moutains and painted clouds! I sigh as I gaze up at His beauty, no detail left undone! Perfect!
This house is pretty cool! It is in Clyde, NC. Haywood County. It is a historical landmark. It is one of the oldest houses in Haywood County and must see.
Check it out: http://www.shookmuseum.org/
Great food, environment, and entertainment (staff). I personally could not get in several times due to lack of parking. The Texas Roadhouse is located between Biltmore Village and I-40 on Hendersonville Road in South Asheville.
Standing in the Citi-Stop parking lot right across from the West End Bakery. I started "patterning" the lights and so I pulled my little blackberry out and took this quick blurry pic. Maybe you see something in it too, lol.
Press Release...
Carolina Mornings and Biltmore Village Villas Help Hunger Take a Holiday with "Kids, Paws and Claus," a Charity Event for MANNA FoodBank!
Carolina Mornings and the Biltmore Village Villas are teaming up to bring Santa Claus to the Biltmore Villas for a Holiday Meet-and-Greet charity event for MANNA FoodBank. Bring your entire family (even your pets!) to meet Santa and help hunger take a holiday in western North Carolina!
Carolina Mornings will host the first annual "Kids, Paws and Claus" charity event on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, noon-5 p.m. The event will be held in the heart of Biltmore Village inside the Biltmore Village Villas, complete with stunning holiday decorations, refreshments, a jolly Santa Claus and the opportunity to donate canned goods to the western North Carolina community.
Carolina Mornings is Asheville's leader in luxury mountain vacation rentals and is excited to be hosting an event contributing to MANNA FoodBank's efforts. "At Carolina Mornings, we love giving back to the community," said Shari Goldstein, chief executive officer and founder of Carolina Mornings. "We hope this event brings in a lot of food for our WNC neighbors who are in need, and we are looking forward to making this a yearly event."
"Kids, Paws and Claus" offers a chance for entire families – kids, pets and kids at heart – to meet Santa Claus at the Biltmore Village Villas while helping MANNA FoodBank. Cameras and video cameras are welcome.
MANNA FoodBank is a non-profit organization that distributes food to 331 partner agencies in 16 counties in western North Carolina. MANNA FoodBank distributed more than six million pounds of food in 2007 and this year, they are hoping to do more.
MANNA FoodBank's mission is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger.
"According to a recent study, we estimate that 115,500 different Western North Carolinians seek emergency food assistance in a single year," said Josh Stack, communications and marketing coordinator at MANNA FoodBank. "That's one in six of our neighbors and double the national average."
While guests can donate canned goods on site at the Biltmore Village Villas the weekend of the Santa Claus Meet-and-Greet, other sponsors will be hosting MANNA FoodBank collection bins prior to the event.
"We want to collect as much food as possible. We hope that making the bins available at local businesses can help make it easier for people to give," said Goldstein.
Drop-off bins for canned goods are conveniently located at several businesses, including: T.G.I. Friday's and Bruegger's Bagels on Hendersonville Road, State Employees' Credit Union and Starbucks Coffee on All Souls Crescent Road, Rita's Cantina on Garfield Street and La Paz Restaurante and Cantina at Biltmore Plaza. These businesses will have bins available until Dec. 7, 2008.
"Hunger has a cure. It's each and every one of us. We would be upset if a physician had a cure to cancer and refused to share this cure with the world," said Stack. "Hunger has a simple solution: food. There's enough to go around. We hope the community will show up with cans in hand to enjoy this event."
For additional information on the first annual "Kids, Paws and Claus" charity event, contact Shari Goldstein or visit: http://www.carolinamornings.com/
I just can't believe how much the Arden, NC- airport area, has expanded over the past 5 years. It has bloomed. Here you can see the new Super Walmart that has just opened up. This picture was taken at at about 11:00 in the morning and it is still packed. The Walmart has a Subway & a new bank in the building with them. I am excited for the Arden residence that will be able to utilize this new asset to Arden as well as the new job opportunities this opens for that area.
This is how I started out my workday. I come into work and my boss runs in and says, "Jen, you need to go outside and look at the sky." I ran outside and what I saw was amazing! God's light was shining through. It was the most amazing beautiful sunrise I have seen in a long time. I ran inside and grabbed my camera. I make it a habit to keep it with me all the time. I never know when God is going to touch my heart with a photographic moment! This one mesmerized me! What a great way to start out my work day! I see this and marvel at God's handiwork. He is the most amazing artist! Thank you, Jesus for sharing this moment with me!
Hello from your Mamas! After putting hundreds of miles on the ole trusty Subaru with a busy summer and early fall of festivals and southeastern listening rooms, racking up hundreds of sound checks, hitting countless truck stops, scenic overlooks and seedy motels and crashing on many kind people’s couches, we are delighted to share with you that we Mamas will be returning to some of our favorite local venues this coming weekend. For our Charlotte fans, we hope to see your faces at the Evening Muse this Friday evening the 14th, and the following evening, Saturday the 15th, we hope to see all of our beloved hometown fans (you!) at the Grey Eagle in Asheville where our buddies Town Mountain will warm up the stage for us. We can’t wait to step back onto our favorite home stage and share some of our new songs and stories from the road with you. And as if that were not enough, you can also look forward to our hearing our fiddle player Anna Bauman-Smith make her songwriting and singing debut with us on Saturday evening. Wahoo!
Just giving you a heads up that January looks like it is going to be a very busy month…what with recording our new album and all…That’s right, you heard us! We will be going into the studio in January to record our long-awaited second album. Look for it later in ’09 and you can be sure that we will invite you to celebrate its release with us. Other things to look forward to in January are our New Years Eve performance at the White Horse in Black Mountain, as well as our show at Jack of the Wood on Friday January 9th, which also happens to be Miss Jane’s birthday. She especially requests your presence at this show and will accept gifts in the currency of whiskey ;)
-Ple www.barrelhousemamas.com or www.myspace.com/barrelhousemamas
"The Asheville City Schools implemented a School Resource Officer program in 1991. This program consists of a police officer assigned to the high school and one to the middle school to act as positive role models for students. The School Resource Officer consists of three primary roles. They are first and foremost a police officer that enforces laws and investigates crimes that occur against the school, the students or staff. The School Resource Officer also teaches students and staff law-related educational programs on a wide variety of topics including preventing weapons at school, criminal law, constitutional law, alcohol abuse and many more. Finally, the School Resource Officer is a counselor and friend to whom students and staff can come for law-related assistance."
See the rest of the article on: http://www.usmayors.org/bestpractices/bp98/09_1998_Preventing_School_Violence18.htm
I beleive that the time has finally come. I must stop procrastinating, and finish writing it. It's a revenge-story that's sure to be labelled "slasher" upon it's completion. BUT, there WILL be a fair amount of slashing, so I suppose that this label will do just as well as any other :) My friends and I will soon be skulking around downtown Asheville, and surrounding areas and burroughs, with my camera and several gallons of fake blood. If u see us, say hello :D So far, I know we'll be using the bridge in the playground off swannanoa river rd. We'll need to use an elevator somewhere for the first scene......I'm not sure about that one yet......Suggestions ? It'll be bathed in fake blood, but it WILL also be cleaned spotless by the end of the day :)
Asheville Driving Tips
You must learn to pronounce the city name. It is “ashvul.”
Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Asheville has its own version of traffic rules…the truck with the loudest exhaust goes next at a 4-way stop. The truck with the biggest tires goes after that. (Note: Blue haired ladies driving anything have right of way ANYTIME.)
To find anything in Asheville it is required that you know where Patton Avenue is… which is the Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end.
The morning rush hour is from 6:00 to 10:00. The evening rush hour is from 3:00 to 7:00. Friday’s rush hour starts Thursday morning.
If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear ended, cussed out and possibly shot.
You must know that “I-240″ and “I-40″ are the same road. Also, “Hwy 25″, “Hendersonville Road”, and “Asheville Hwy” are one and the same.
Construction is a permanent fixture in Asheville. The barrels are moved around in the middle of the night to make the next days driving a bit more exciting.
Watch very carefully for road hazards such as deer, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, pot holes, cats, pieces of other cars, opossum, truck tires, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, and ravens or vultures feeding on any of these items. .
If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been “accidentally activated.”
The minimum acceptable speed on I-240 is 75 mph. Anything less is considered downright sissy. This is the Asheville version of NASCAR. If considered sissy on I-240, do not even consider driving on I-26.
Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously.
If you are in the left lane, and only going 70 in a 55-65 zone…..you are considered a road hazard, and will be admonished with the acceptable sign language.
Ground clearance of at least 12 inches is recommended for city driving.
If it’s 60 degrees, “Leaf looking” must be next weekend.
If it’s 10-20 degrees and sleeting/snowing, then watch out, Asheville residents consider this “demolition derby” day and will be all over the roads (front ways, back ways, etc). Proceed with caution as you could be their next target. Also note that the mere possibility of ice on the road will shut down all schools and most businesses until the crisis passes.
The Smokey Park Bridge, suspended high over the French Broad River and recently converted for your convenience as the access point for the I-26 expansion, the Expressway Entrance, and a flow through of Patton Avenue, is considered one of the city’s most exciting amusement attractions. Beware though…it is not for the faint of heart.
Tunnel Rd. and Biltmore Village convert to parking lots during all holidays and weekends. Please enter these streets cautiously, find the nearest parking space and walk to the mall for the quickest access.
The area formally known as “Skyland” no longer exists. It’s now considered South Asheville. Arden is slowly being taken over as well.
“Malfunction Junction” (the I-26, I-40, and I-40 intersections) is open year round. You can catch dinner and a movie at this free event! Bring your picnic basket and plenty of drinks! And make sure you have plenty of DVDs for those portable players! You’ll be there for a while. Asheville city planners do not claim responsibility for football game being played in the median of I-26.
Welcome to Asheville.
This is going to be a long one. But It Might just help you understand what we are looking at. Most of this information has to do with Gangs in California. I thought it was worth taking a look at it and seeing just how it plays into the Tags we see in and around Asheville. So with that said lets take a look at.........
Deciphering Gang Graffiti.
Where graffiti is concerned, the writing truly is “on the wall”. It’s an annoyance, to be sure, but it’s also somewhat interesting - at least the gang-related graffiti, anyway. In many ways, gang graffiti is a code - and like most codes, it’s susceptible to analysis.
Here in the U.S., at least, the first thing one should do when finding graffiti is to look at the letters, if any, and the overall design. If it has “bubble letters”, more than one color of paint or ink, or shows even a hint of artistry, it’s almost certainly not gang related. If it has sharp, angular stick letters, or contains religious (including “satanic”) imagery, or is done in one color of paint, it’s probably gang related.
A lot of times, the graffiti will be very simple, and flat-out say, for example, “West Side Bloods”. That, obviously, is easy to figure out. But what if you see just a series of letters or numbers that don’t seem to make any immediate sense? That’s the fun part, which requires some rudimentary code-breaking skills.
First of all, look for numbers. If you see two digits - especially “13″, “14″, or “18″, you’re probably looking at graffiti for a Hispanic gang. If you see three digits - especially if they’re your, or a nearby, area code - it’s almost certainly not a Hispanic gang, but your typical prison/street sort. There’s an easy exception to remember: If the numbers are followed by “K”, you’re looking at a threat from a rival gang. “WS18″ is a tag for the (Hispanic) West Side 18th Street gang out of California; “WS18K” is a threat towards 18th Street by a local gang. (”K” is short for “Kill”.) If there are two digits, see if they’re prefixed by “N”, “S”, “E”, or “W” - (or “NS”, “SS”, “ES”, or “WS”) - which relate to the cardinal directions, and form part of the gang’s identity. You’ll see 13 and 14 a lot in graffiti for Hispanic gangs - the 13th letter of the alphabet is “M”, which generally stands for “Mexico” (but sometimes “La Eme”, the Mexican Mafia); the 14th letter is of course “N”, which generally means “North”, or “Norteno”. “Norteno” has nothing much to do with the US-Mexico border; it instead means which end of California the gang originated from. Much like the divide between east-coast and west-coast rappers, gangstas from the north and south parts of California frequently “got beef” with each other.
But what if there aren’t any numbers? What if you come across something like this, and want to know what it means:
This is where the true fun is. At first, it looks like a meaningless series of letters, but after you’ve seen a few hundred, you start to notice some patterns. As any good cryptographer knows, patterns in codes are usually a bad thing - except for anyone who wants to break it. Here are the secrets, such as they are:
As before, a trailing “K” is a threat to “(K)ill”, as are any crossed-out letters. (More on this in a minute.) An “A” at the very beginning pretty much always stands for “Almighty”; it can be safely ignored. Likewise, if the tag ends with an “N”, that virtually always stands for “Nation”; it can be safely ignored. Those two usually occur together, and show up surprisingly often, as pretty much every two-bit bunch of street thugs takes to calling themselves the Almighty Whatever Nation. Looking at our tag above - ACVLN - we’ve gone from five indecipherable letters (a note to a repairman: Air Conditioner, Very Loud Noise?) down to just three, which is a more manageable number.
There are a pretty finite number of “real” gangs in this country, and it’s fairly easy to recognize the abbreviations for most of the most common ones. “GD” are the Gangster Disciples, for example; “VL” are the Vice Lords. “LK” are the Latin Kings, and “LQ” the Latin Queens; sometimes when they’re getting along, they’re the LKQ - Latin Kings and Queens. (And, like every other gang, they’re an “almighty” “nation”, and tag up buildings and fences appropriately - ALKQN.) In our case above, it’s pretty easy to figure out that we’re looking at a tag from the Almighty (something) Vice Lord Nation. The extra letter right before the gang initials probably refers to the “set” name - the specific local bunch of playas, pushers, and pimps who are staking their turf. In some instances - as here - it can provide a little extra information, as well.
Above, I made mention of crossed-out letters in gang graffiti. These aren’t a sign of the author not being able to spell; rather, they’re messages - usually threats. If you see the letters “B”, “C”, “F”, “P”, or “S” crossed-out in a piece of gang graffiti, it’s a threat towards a gang whose name, “nation”, or nickname begins with that letter. B and C are Bloods and Crips, respectively, while “S” is short for “Slobs” - a derogatory nickname for the Bloods. (The Crips are referred to as “Crabs”, incidentally.) “F” and “P” stand for the “Folks” and “Peoples” “nations”, which are sort of loose regional or nationwide alliances of street gangs. In any event, in the Vice Lord tag shown above, you will of course note the letter “C” is not crossed out - which tells you the local Vice Lords don’t have beef with the Crips. This isn’t necessarily huge intelligence, but all too often, little slights in graffiti - crossing out letters, or painting over rival gangs’ tags - are a very real warning sign of impending gang war, so it’s something to keep an eye out for.
So, as you can see, with a few tricks you can whittle a seemingly incomprehensible series of letters down to a more manageable size, and get the gist, at least, of what is being said - you’ve got Vice Lords in your neighborhood! (In this case, the “C” is short for “Conservative”, of all things; the “Conservative Vice Lords” are one of several dozen larger Vice Lord “sets” around the country.) Obviously, this isn’t as challenging as a vignere cipher, but it’s still interesting - and if nothing else, figuring out who’s saying what to whom can help you kill time while waiting for the bus. Besides, knowledge is power, even if it is mostly useless knowledge. Right?
This is the first year Biltmore House has done this! It is a must see and oh so beautiful. It is 55' with 55,000 small lights. It was raised with a crane and placed in the ground securely with a cement like hole. It is tied down with cables. And has other smaller trees that are lit and unlit around it.
I am so proud to work where I do. This is going to be a spectacular Christmas Season. I can feel it in my heart! Praise God for placing me in a most amazing place!
Change is something we deal with everyday, and all of us fear it in one way or another. Maybe it is a social change you fear, where you do not enjoy the experience of being in a new atmosphere and meeting new people. Maybe it is a culinary change you fear? You have eaten the same 10 food dishes your whole life, and dare anyone to offer anything else. Maybe it is a religious change you fear? You were taught a certain faith, but deep down in your heart you do not really "believe". Maybe you fear a personal change? You want to be the real you, but you fear transitioning away from that person everyone else wants you to be. You are always uncomfortable. Maybe you fear a music change? You fear opening up to other styles and genres. As far as you know, your music is the "only" music. Maybe you fear a listening change? You will not listen to anything different; whether faith, music, politics, philosophy... because it is "against" your preferences. Variety is not your thing, and you do not sample. Maybe you fear a culture change? You know people are different, but you carry around and promote bigotry and prejudice in your own discreet way. What's sad is, you may hide it so good that we will never see it, and offer you a alternative view than yours. You see people and your mind has been trained to judge. Maybe you fear changing locations? A move, sometimes not even so far away, can be difficult. New friends, jobs, and neighbors. You do not venture more than 50 miles from where you were born, and would die before you ever moved.
I invite you to open up a little. Change may simply mean improving someone or something.
Gangs in Asheville or are they just Taggers?
An APD document distributed to the press defines a gang as "a group or association of three or more persons who may have a common identifying sign, symbol or name and who individually or collectively engage in, or have engaged in, criminal activity which creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation."
Asheville is home to some 15 to 20 such groups. But by that definition there's little difference between a gang and a group pretending to be one or a group of friends just hanging out on patton.
"A lot of people want to say what we have are wannabes." But "a wannabe is a 'gonnabe,' and wannabes are more dangerous than the real gang member, because they've got something to prove."
Gangs in Buncombe and Henderson counties, police say, come in many different forms. There are African-American gangs, Salvadoran gangs, biker gangs, white supremacists and more. Some are affiliated with national groups, while others merely claim to be.
It’s 12:00 A.M. on a Friday night do you know what your kids are doing? If they like to live on the edge chances are you will find them on the back of a homemade Big Wheel made from Old Mongoose mountain bikes and just about anything else. Everyone is welcome to join the men and women of all ages who brave the Drunk Drivers and the watchful eyes of the local Police as they speed down 74-A. With Leather Jackets and Full face Motorcycle helmets they hit Speeds of just over 50mph. Why do they do it “Because they can”. Just about anybody can join this group of 3Wheeled Speed junky’s The rules are Simple #1. No Motor’s allowed #2. Be Safe #3. Have Fun #4. 3 Wheels (2 Wheels are Ok But it has to be Pink) #5. Brakes (That Work) You can Buy your Ride Or You Can Build Your ride its Up to you. They Meet next to the Sprint Store on Patton Ave. Every Friday and Saturday Night. This Location was at one time known for its Popularity within the Sport Bike Motorcycle realm. But is now Home to this new gang of Dare Devil’s and adrenalin seekers. So come on out and see some of the cleanest fun, Down Home people, and some Redneck engineering at its finest. Meet some old friends and Make some new ones
Let me tell you about an addictive new exercise craze! It's this dancing aerobics that is so much fun and can burn from 500 to 1000 calories. It is a mainly Latin with a mix of hip hop. It is so much fun! I have been taking a class at the Waynesville Recreation Center since February and fell in love with it. I have lost 25 pounds because of it. I have made many new friends. It is amazing and so much fun. There are people who come to class who hate to exercise, but this does not feel like exercise! It is available in Asheville you need only call the Y or local gyms. It is not at all the gyms. Classes fill up quick!
Here is a link to a story the Today Show covered on Zumba.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Hxw_Jf2B4
This is the new "Eco Trips" taxi in Asheville North Carolina. They service about a 20 mile radius or so of Downtown Asheville. You can use these great little vehicles for common car service, tours, shopping excursions, and much more. And... You would be saving the world at the same time. Nice! I always wanted to do that.
www.EcoTripsAsheville.com
*See some video on www.YouTube.com/AskAsheville
At this point, my posts are the boring ones I think, because they don't have any pictures, but i'm working on getting a camera, and it shouldn't take that long :)
Had to try to take this pic, driving or not, of this beautiful sunset. I am looking from the downtown side of the Westgate Bridge in Asheville, and I am looking North. What does it mean to me? It shows a vision.. not yet completely uncovered, some direction (signs to the right), some nature (trees), some ups and downs (mountains), some covering (clouds), and a light somewhere... sometimes so far away, but also reachable.
Have you ever driven by this gorgeous purple Victorian house on Burnsville Hwy right outside of Burnsville NC? I fell in love with it at first site and look forward to seeing it every time we drive out that way. I think this was my fantasy home since I was 6 years old. Its nice to see that it is obviously someone else's as well.
People wait in line to pay for parking in Downtown Asheville near the head of Biltmore Avenue on this beautiful, windy fall afternoon. Some of these people are here for the Asheville Film Festival, some for the double decker bus coffee shop, some to walk and browse the shops, some to eat at Doc Cheys, and some to eat at Mamacitas. There is just so much stuff that you can do within 10 minutes walking distance from this point.
