New AskAsheville Website – Welcome To Asheville North Carolina!

Years ago, AskAsheville launched a website that was a community directory with links to many different companies and organizations in the community. In addition to this, social media efforts were added via a Blogger blog and YouTube video website.

After years of planting seed in the Asheville North Carolina community, AskAsheville.com has now re-launched with a new fresh look and with lots of social media portals attached. Lots of work has been put into these links to make sure it shows you the variety and diversity of the Asheville and Western North Carolina area. You can see the colorful social media icons/links on the bottom of every page on the website.

In addition to this, businesses can now list their company for free in the Asheville Business Pages. There are also several other options where you can upgrade for a little as $150 a year and a have a full page with your logo, link to your website, and up to 4 photos of you and your business. There are other upgrade packages that are available. AskAsheville wanted to create affordable community awareness for anyone. Now this is done! Each Asheville and WNC business that lists their company will have a full page with their own direct web address to that page on the AskAsheville website.

AskAsheville has several exposure options available for businesses to consider. Our Asheville QuickLinks now have a premium platform pption for only $79 a year, our page banners are $79 per month, and our featured businesses which are listed on every page are only $149 per month. Please note that our “Featured Businesses” are limited to 30 companies per year so please let us know if you are interested and we will reserve your spot. All of these business exposure options come with a combo 10% discount as well.

Under our AskAsheville featured businesses, we also have a Social Network that we have created on the Ning platform where anyone that is from Asheville or interested in the area can join for free. Also there is an Asheville Home Builders Network where contractors (commercial, residential, or subcontractors) can make a free profile and network with each other, make connections, meet clients, etc. Many capabilities are available including a forum, blog, photo gallery and more.

Asheville is a wonderful community that is growing oh so beautifully. Some call us the little San Francisco or the mini New York City… but we are Asheville North Carolina! We are excited about now and the future to come. Join together with us and become part of our network. Thank you.


AskAsheville - Asheville Twitter - Asheville Blog -
Asheville Videos - Asheville Social Media

Missing Dog... Cash Reward... No Questions Asked

A local families dog is missing and we need your help to find him. Please if you know any information about his where abouts please call either number above. This family misses their pet and have not given up hope. Kuma is a well loved dog and his family is waiting. These signs are posted all through Weaverville and up Reems Creek. They have also placed flyers in many mailboxes. Who knows where Kuma may be at this time so hopefully someone will read this and return him home. Pass this on to anyone is the Asheville area please.

Google puts Asheville on the Map

This is taken from the Mountain Express:
(This is awesome you should check it out)

Google Inc.’s effort to put 360-degree, street-level views of Asheville on the Web appears to be complete. The views of the city now appear on Google Street View, the California company’s effort to provide computer users with the up-close views of city streets and neighborhoods.
In April, Asheville residents noticed several small sedans zipping around town, each with a short pole and camera mounted to its top. The cars were traversing the city, recording the panoramic views now available online. A Google spokeswoman told Mountain Xpress that the company, which already has views of other North Carolina cities such as Durham and Chapel Hill available, was moving into smaller regions.
Some people have complained that the effort by Google, which also offers Google Earth maps using satellite imagery, is an invasion of privacy. Google, which says its trying to provide useful information to users, says it’s sensitive to privacy concerns and sticks to public roads for the Street View mapping. There’s also a procedure in place to allow people to request that specific views be taken down.
The Street View mapping isn’t perfect. The maps don’t cover 100 percent of city streets, and typing in an address won’t always bring up the exact spot on the street. But overall, the effort offers users trying to navigate Asheville a powerful new tool. Google also allows users to embed it’s maps into Web sites.

You can check out Wall St at the link below:
Asheville Maps

Asheville's Future Starts Here, simple development

The video is about construction going on below the Hillcrest Apartments in Asheville North Carolina. They are replacing a section of pipe... most likely a water line. But, I would like to talk a little on the area if you don't mind. This lower part of AVL, between Downtown, North, and West Asheville has several businesses including Grainger straight ahead, Southern States on the left here, several auto parts yards, several auto parts and repair places, and soon the Rivers Condos will be up less than a mile ahead from this point. The Richmond Hill Inn is also only one minute ahead and to the left. This is one section of real estate that will see a drastic improvement in 2009. All along the French Broad River is going to be beautiful and "Green". UNCA only 4 minutes from here. Such a great versatile central location.

Anyway... the market is the only thing that slowed Asheville down for a minute, but come Spring, people are going to start making some extra large moves. The whole economy may not pick up as quickly as here, but Investors and Planners are on the scene and Asheville is a great investment with so much future potential when you incorporate WNC. While others slept... lol. Asheville is creeping elegantly upon the National and Worldwide circuit, not too fast or slow, but kinda just right... if you know and see what I mean. Even McCafe and McDonalds plans in Asheville were not "officially" disclosed. They are staying low key in preparation for the new wave, and trying to sneak in ahead of the competition. They will be the bright new, new look, new feel restaurant on the circuit. Days Inn is using this down market time to re-invent their look and maybe some other things. People are planning and thinking... much of it is about Asheville North Carolina. What have you been thinking about lately?

AskAsheville.com Asheville Video Tour and More

Video Tour of AskAsheville.com, Asheville North Carolina's Hub, resources, business network, link directory, search engine, newcomer guide, and so much more. We will have links to this Asheville Blog and several others including BlogAsheville (as it is linked now) and AshVegas (that site is red hot, I love it).

Phase 2 and 3 of the "new" AskAsheville website got pushed off because of priorities, but it is coming, stronger than ever, and with people from all over the world behind it. We look forward to others improving their Asheville sites too in response to this little leak. We try to provide all information, whether somebody pays for a link or not, whether we like the company or not, whether they recip with us or not. We sometimes ask for reciprocals, and that is somewhat of a test to see the networking minds of other companies in the Asheville area. We want Asheville information to be open source, without bias (or with so much bias from so many you cannot even tell, lol), and a community where people can contribute if they want, promote their business if they want, promote Asheville, and be a part of a new Asheville Info era. We follow Google's model in that anything we can find to give you for free to help you and your business, we will attempt to make you aware and implement it. Become a part of Asheville. Join in with us on AskAsheville.com

Vote for Asheville company vying for $100,000 prize

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.

Biltmore Village Christmas Tree

Stopped down in Biltmore Village, one of the highlights of Asheville North Carolina, to see their Christmas tree. Metal stand with lots of lights. Perfect for this great little shopping village.

The New Pack Square in Downtown Asheville NC

So you must of heard the news by now... they are re-building and designing the Pack Square Park in Downtown Asheville, NC. At one point they were trying to complete a deal that allowed S.B. Coleman to build commercial buildings in this location. That was finally turned down, revoked, due to the terms of the property donated by the Pack family.

Now we proceed with a new plan, a new design and a new idea! And a very exciting one at that. The city of Asheville has decided that the tourism in Asheville is a large part of our economy and that if we focus on the tourism, then Asheville's economy might not suffer as mush as other cities. The new plan consists of several different attributes that will focus on tourists.

The new park will consist of Roger McGuire Green Space. This green space will be lined with native trees & shrubs. It will be the location of Bascom Lamar Lunsford Stage, a 50-foot stage that will provide a wonderful venue for the numerous groups that perform downtown. Local artists are designing many aspects of this project.

Reuter Terrace will be the middle section of the park this will provide viewing sections for the rest of the park. This area also include a bamboo visitors' information desk (designed by a local artist) and an outdoor water garden for the pavilion.

The Pack memorial will remain but they will remove the large fountain section and replace it with a smaller gold fountain, shrubbery and benches that will give a more comfortable feel to this section.

Splashville is an interactive water area that will be a round, flat paved surface with water spouts that shoot ribbons of water in the air. The name celebrates the spirit of Pack Square Park, which will be full of opportunities for getting together and having a good time. I am really excited about this new addition.

You can check out Pack Square's website at: http://www.packsquarepark.org/

Have you been to AskAsheville.com?

If not, check it out. If you live in or around Asheville North Carolina, it may just be your new convenient necessity. Take a look for yourself at www.AskAsheville.com

Moving Sidewalk Tours Asheville North Carolina

In downtown Asheville, NC there is a company called the Moving Sidewalk Tours. These things are awesome they are like glider you stand on that moves on wheels like a dolley. These are called Segway i2. They offer tours of downtown from 10am till 2pm everyday. The cost is $55 a person. I think this is a great way to experience downtown with an interactive tour that you will remember forever. Check out their site at http://www.movingsidewalktours.com/

Here you can see them leaving the Grove Arcade area.

Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition

If you live in Asheville you are familiar with the Gingerbread House Competition at the Grove Park Inn every year. My family loves to explore the rooms of the Inn to look at these handmade masterpieces. We all love to pick our favorites and enjoy the Christmas decorations and trees this always puts my family in the holiday spirit. This year the houses will be on display from November 17, 2008 to January 11, 2009. People from all over the United States submit their houses to The Grove Park Inn. The top houses are sent to New York in the middle of December to be featured on ABC's "Good Morning America". This year they are also featuring 35 houses at the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. I can't wait to see the winners this year. I almosr forgot to mention this is absolutly free. You may have to pay a couple dollars for parking but that is it. Locals may view the houses Monday through Thursday and weekends are reserved for the guests of the Inn.

Asheville Historic Trolley Tours

There are several ways to tour Asheville North Carolina. Some people love walking around with a little map, checking out the history of the area, browsing the shops, and talking to the locals. Asheville Trolley Tours is a good place to check out before you do the walking. They show you the highlights and key areas in the City of Asheville. Then after that, you can choose which areas you would like to focus on. http://www.ashevilletrolleytours.com/

The Health Adventure & Buncombe County School's Field Trips

Have you ever been to the Health Adventure? From our previous ventures there we have experienced many different exhibits from Curious George to The Busy World of Richard Scarry, but we have also explored more of the permanent exhibits that can be seen year round. I love the interaction my children are able to have with the different exhibits. The Nutri-Space & Creative PlayeSpace is where my daughters had the most fun.

My daughter just attended a field trip that took her to our city's very own Children's Museum. What a difference my daughter said it was from our personal trips. She was able to learn more, ask questions (That I probably did not know the answers to), and had her friends along for the ride. They had an interactive probability presentation that everyone was able to participate in along with several other presentations that were seen. They also were given free time (Two children per adult) to explore the museum on their own. After they returned to their school they all discussed their likes and dis-likes and why.

Buncombe County Schools 3rd Grade level are all taking field trips to the Health Adventure in downtown Asheville, NC. I am glad that Asheville has a place for our children to learn and grow in a positive way. You can check out the Health Adventure at http://www.thehealthadventure.org/.

They also offer free admission on the first Wednesday of every month after 3 pm.

The Rush - new Asheville sports club

Two new sports clubs/complexes are open in Asheville as of November 1st, 2008. One on the corner of Haywood Rd & Patton Ave and the other on Hendersonville Rd. Word is that the one on Haywood Rd is just a spin-off to get members and then they will build a giant Asheville sports complex where the Bilo on Patton is now (just closed down). Ha, the economy is bad, but big companies (Rush has many locations nationwide) know that they better plant now to accommodate the inevitable growth that Asheville North Carolina will see in the next 36 months.

Moving to Asheville North Carolina

When I first decided to move out of New York City, Asheville North Carolina was not my first choice. I actually looked at many other areas such as Florida (of course), Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, California, etc. All of these locations had my full consideration, but Asheville kept coming back to me. In the beginning it was the perfect middle ground between New York and Florida. So visiting my family in New York and vacationing in Florida were both about 10 hours away, or 14 for some of you slow drivers. One of the things that really got me was watching Asheville grow. For example, in a suburb of Asheville called Weaverville, there was a main road called Reems Creek. When I first moved here, Reems Creek was only a gravel / dirt road. I felt like the only thing missing was the horse and buggy. It was a step back in time for me coming from NYC. When my son moved down here, he kept a high-end alarm system on his car for several years because that is what he was used to. The crickets scared him as much as the gunshots on the streets of the NYC. It was serious culture shock.

We finally adjusted to the area, people, and culture, and we love it. It is a little slower paced living which is exactly what we were looking for. There is a quality of life that Asheville gave us that no other city in America has ever given us before. I guess it makes me feel as if I am really living and now have a lot more opportunity in life. The people of Asheville are very diversified, but that could mean that anyone, even you, can fit in! There are so many activities available for a single person, family, or group unit. This beautiful area is really growing and planning for a great future.

The true and complete City of Asheville North Carolina goes from Weaverville (North) to Arden (South), and also from Black Mountain (East) to Candler (West). This is just in case you view a map. Some places only show Downtown Asheville. Of course there are so many little towns, communities, and developments in between, that Asheville sometimes fades away when labeling areas, but believe me, it is all Asheville! There is a lot of room and potential in Asheville. There is so much real estate and areas for expansion. When I recently talked to some investors, they kept saying "I wish I would have come to Asheville about 10 years ago to pick up some of the property that was available then...", and "If I had known that Asheville was going to be the city that it is today...". It was a whole bunch of unprofitable regret. I know that in 10 more years, people will be saying the same thing about today. Don't waste time living in an uncomfortable, overextended place you used to call home. I invite you to make that move today and come to Asheville North Carolina; the "Next Greatest City in America".

Taken from an article on http://www.abandre.com/.

Visit Asheville's Business & Resource Hub by going to http://www.askasheville.com/.

Asheville Builder Architect Magazine

Builder/Architect Magazine has been profiling Western North Carolina's leading custom home builders, architects and developers since 1995 - and remains the only building trade magazine exclusively serving the WNC market.

In addition, every bi-monthly (B2B) issue highlights the region's top building supply firms, subcontractors, and other companies involved in residential construction. A dozen local columnists provide interesting and informative articles about homebuilding and how to improve and succeed in business.

In 2007, the Public Relations Association of Western North Carolina voted Builder/Architect "The Best Magazine in the Mountains." A year earlier, in 2006, The North Carolina Home Builders Association recognized the publication as "The Best Magazine in North Carolina" when it comes to homebuilding.

The Western North Carolina Edition of Builder/Architect is part of a network of 65 regional B/A magazines throughout the U. S. and Canada, under the corporate umbrella of Sunshine Media and True North Custom Publishing. For more than 12 years, the WNC Edition has been the network's pacesetter for advertising sales, innovative marketing photography, graphic design and editorial content.

Bob Kays, Builder/Architect's publisher since 1995, turned over the publishing reins to Jim Joly last year - and remains active as Senior Consultant to the magazine. Jim Joly can be reached at (828) 298-8222.- jjoly@builderarchitect.com Bob Kays telephone number is (828) 627-3737 skybirdk@aol.com

*Article taken from the http://www.AshevilleBuildingAndRealEstate.com/ newsletter.

Asheville Building & Real Estate

Asheville has a bunch of home builders available and they are not all the same. Some of them have problems with scheduling, some have money issues, some have quality concerns when it comes to their work and the materials they use, and some are simply wonderful. We know many of them.

The website www.ashevillebuildingandrealestate.com is a complete guide to Realtors, Home Builders, Architects, Developers, and Subcontractors in the Asheville North Carolina area. They also have a practical "down to earth" home building and real estate newsletter that you can sign up for on their home page.

Original Content by www.AskAsheville.com

Talk Asheville in North Carolina

Networking, making new friends, sharing ideas, and making new business contacts locally is what Talk Asheville is all about. If you have a social network platform already, it would help to have a local back-up profile as well, and support your Asheville community. If you are not involved in online networking, Talk Asheville.com is a great place to start. James and Chad run a very clean & professional social network in Asheville North Carolina.

Is it better than MySpace or Facebook? Maybe not, but it grows with the people who use it. Getting local with your networking allows you to improve your networking power on a more personal level. Correct! Some people may not want that "closer" personal connection. This is for people who want to actually make strong, profitable, maybe lifelong, local connections. Of course that could be done from any social network, but when you use http://www.talkasheville.com/, you make connections that you actually have access to in Asheville North Carolina.

Networking platforms come in many forms including blogs, forums, instant messengers, email, and more. Make use of the ones that are most effective and closest to you.

*A portion of this article was first displayed in the http://www.abandre.com/ newsletter.

For more info on Asheville North Carolina and what the area has to offer, please visit http://www.askasheville.com/

Asheville North Carolina's search engine, resource, directory, business hub

Ask Asheville was created with the end user completely in mind. The website is a "business hub" type resource that promotes thousands of Asheville area businesses free of charge. Across the top of the site, you have all of the main sites for the area including direct links to the Asheville City website, Buncombe County website, all of the main news links for Asheville, a great local radio presence, a link to an Asheville based social network, a very complete and comprehensive "NewComer" page, and much more... check it out!

Across the bottom are yellow links that have info about adding your website to the search engine, a faq page, a list of other area directories and resources, and some a "Sponsors" page that has some great companies that are backing AskAsheville. Also, lower on the page right above these yellow links are some popular links (in white) including Gmail, Ymail, Hotmail, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Craigslist, AngiesList, Carbon Rally, GasBuddy, and more. AskAsheville.com is perfect site to be used as the morning dashboard of anyone living in or near Asheville North Carolina.

The links right below the search box are "News", which links to a page of news feeds on AskAsheville.com; "Info" that gives some info about the links across the top of the site; "Blog" clicks over to BlogAsheville.blogspot.com, and "Forum" links to AshChat.net.

***The main feature is a search engine that is powered by Google. There are literally thousands of local Asheville websites indexed into the search engine, all free of charge. Take a look, do a search, and see some really positive relevant results appear. Another great feature of the site is the "QuickLinks" directory where you have 100's and 100's of direct links to area businesses in Asheville North Carolina. Companies can purchase a "QuickLink" for only $99 a year to sort of support the website and receive additional exposure.

For more info, please visit http://www.askasheville.com/ or http://www.askavl.com/