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Park Ridge Weekly Events for 8/1-8/7-Free Health Screenings with the Park Ridge WOW Van: Cholesterol screenings-Lipid and glucose by finger stick, along with blood pressure and body mass index screening. For best results, fast overnight. Monday, 8/2, Food Lion Mills River, 6 Cross Road, 8-11am. Thursday, 8/4, Ingles, 625 Spartanburg Hwy., 8-11am. Saturday, 8/6, Emma Elementary, 37 Brickyard Road, 8-11am. Bone Density-For osteoporosis. Please wear shoes and socks easy to slip off. Wednesday, 8/3, The Bridge at Lake Point Landing, 334 Thompson Street, 1-4pm. Support Group: I Can Cope Breast Cancer Survivors Support Group-Join other breast cancer survivors, frends and those at high risk seeking support and information. Monday, 8/1, Park Ridge Health Breast Center, 50 Hospital Drive, Suite 4B, 5:30-6:30pm. Wellness Class: Free lunch and learn on "Eating Your Weigh to a Healthy Weight". Thursday, 8/4, Park Ridge Health, 12-1pm. www.parkridgehealth.org

North Asheville's Bellagio Bistro in Woodfin NC

Asheville's Bellagio Bistro is one of the best restaurants on the North End of Buncombe County. There is normally a waiting line for you to get in, but once you do... everything is awesome. Angelo, the owner, makes sure your every need is met and that the food is wonderful. He walks around, frequents the tables, and cares about his people... whether staff or clients. Local Law Enforcement love this Greek/Italian Restaurant in Asheville NC. The Food is Great!!!

Picnic's Restaurant & Home Cooking in Asheville

We stopped in Asheville Picnic's tonight for a quick bite and got much more than we bargained for. They had live music, great home cooking, a wonderful staff, and a very comfortable atmosphere. If you are in Downtown Asheville, head North on Merrimon about 2 minutes and Picnics in on the right, right after Merrimon Avenue Baptist Church and before Dunkin Donuts and the Corner Pocket Bar.

Stoney Knob Cafe in North Asheville Weaverville NC

Stoney Knob Cafe is one of several restaurants around Asheville that has never let us down. They tranformed this small diner into a great restaurant in the Weaverville area of Buncombe County North Carolina.

Applebee's on Hendersonville Rd. in South Asheville

We stop by this restaurant about once every 2 months, and were happy to see it open on New Years Day 2009. We got in, ordered our drinks, and looked over the menu. Once we got our drinks, I just happened to pick up the drink menu and read the descriptions when we realized that we were not served the drink we ordered. We called it to the waiters attention (Scott), and he came back saying that is was the wrong drink, buy he also charged $3 less than the price of the drink I had ordered. After that lame response, I knew something else was sure to happen. I told him not to worry about it. If you bring the customer the wrong drink or the bartender makes the wrong drink, you replace it with the right one at no charge. Service 101 guys. Applebee's knows this.

A few minutes later, an employee was standing there so I told her I had a bad experience with my last drink order and it got wronged somewhere between the waiter and the bar, and can she make sure it is right? Of course it did not, so I will not be by this Asheville restaurant for the next 6 months. When the new drink came, it had a minimum of double the alcohol. Another person at the table said to "take it as an apology or compliment", but I took it as another smack in that I could not drink it because of the harshness, and it was missing the little side shot again as the menu had said. Did not ask for another thing except the check, told a waiter to bring me $38 back (still gave a 10% tip), they brought me $30 back, I corrected them again, and they gave me my extra $8. The food was great, but service was less than 50%. Steak and Shrimp Parmesan and a Club Sandwich were on our order, and Margarita's that never did come out right.

Asheville's Chick-Fil-A, inside the hut

Quick pic of workers in the Chik-Fil-A on Tunnel Road in Asheville North Carolina. This place always looks clean and workers at this establishment have always been great. I believe the same owners have the Chik-Fil-A in the Biltmore Square Mall and also on Hendersonville Road in South Asheville. www.chick-fil-a.com

Asheville's Texas Roadhouse, Restaurant & Great Entertainment (check out the dancing!)

Asheville has plenty of restaurants and food options, but none is as fun as this one is sometimes. Here is some nice footage of the Texas Roadhouse on Hendersonville Road in Asheville North Carolina (a stones throw from Biltmore Village). You can tell the vibe of the people behind the scenes by the way the restaurant is run and the tone they pass on and keep alive. A bunch of friendly comfortable staff that does not even look for a minute like they need to be there. I love it. Bartender (Kristie) was very cool, inviting, and pro... so 100% there (and I did not even have a drink)... Bam! But the dancing in this video is very entertaining. The waitress with the antlers was trying to sell those Texas Roadhouse gift cards like mad. Nice pitch. Thanks. I will be back. www.TexasRoadhouse.com

Asheville Pizza Company - fun for everyone

Stopped by the Asheville Pizza Company on Merrimon Avenue last night and shot some video of the place. Had a pepperoni pizza and some red light. See more videos around Asheville on www.YouTube.com/AskAsheville

5 McDonald's McCafés Coming To Asheville North Carolina

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.

Asheville's West End Bakery - Very Nice!

Stopped by the West End Bakery on Haywood Rd. in West Asheville for some breakfast and coffee. It was very busy as usual. Great place with lots of great food. This place is a favorite to many around Asheville. See some video on the West End Bakery by going to... www.youtube.com/askasheville. They also have a web page up on www.OnHaywood.com/westendbakery. Thank you to JB, who, with great energy, told us what West End was all about. It is awesome! Stop by and see for yourself.

Jersey Mike's Asheville North Carolina

The "Subway" craze did not last long with places like Quizno's and Jersey Mike's coming to the Asheville area. The JM's on Patton Avenue had no parking or seating at all the other day when we tried to get in. I though "these patrons are so commited to Jersey Mike's because of the food and service".

Here is a photo of the 11:59am lunch line just starting to develop at the Jersey Mike's on Merrimon Avenue (sometimes it is running out the door unto the sidewalk). Great sandwiches!

Downtown Asheville's Havana Cuban Cuisine

Hector & Boonie have been around for years. You may remember "Bonnie's Little Corner" on Pack Square not too long ago. Also, they tried to sort of revive the State Street West Asheville area when they built the H & B Grocery, restaurant, and laundromat. The neighborhood at the time did not understand their vision or support their dreams. The local housing project ate them alive with shoplifting, employee theft, and armed robberies. While trying to help and develop, they became the victims. With a gun pointed to his head, Hector almost lost his life several times trying to save an area in Asheville, maybe a couple of years "too early". They did end up losing their business in West Asheville as well as their personal home in Weaverville. But still they stand determined to thrive in Asheville.

They tested the mall scene, but the economy started dropping at that time, and it was not a good location for them. Better for downtown Asheville as they are now located on Battery Park Ave right behind the Grove Arcade and across the street. They occupied a place that had been vacant or limited for years and have made something beautiful out of it. We stopped by today to say hello and they were hard at work serving customers, and Hector running around the kitchen moderating and cooking.

Stop by sometime and ask for Hector or Bonnie. They are some of the nicest people in the neighborhood.