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Many visit Asheville intending to spend most of their time hiking the Blue Ridge , drinking up that invigorating mountain air like landbound trout. And I’m all for some hiking , or kayaking, (even some bivouacking, perhaps) but no visit to Asheville is complete without a tour of our thriving downtown. Chock-full of awesome restaurants, and stylin’ cafes, there’s always a lot going on downtown. But somehow it still retains some of that sleepy, relaxed small-town feel.

Sweets have been on my mind lately. I think it's post-holiday withdrawal. Where has all the hot cocoa gone? Where are my sugar plums and figgy Christmas puddings? In this long, cold stretch of January, those warm days of patisseries and steaming chocolate seem like nothing but a fantasy.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here in Asheville, we’ve got more awesome places for dessert than you can shake a peppermint stick out. And by golly, I’m in the mood for some confectio

Soon another fine year will wind its way to a close here in Asheville. For some, this is a time of reflection. Did I do everything I set out to accomplish this year? Did I hike enough? Get enough fresh mountain air? Eat at all my favorite restaurants ? Did I broaden my horizons, discover any new hidden gems ? But the fact is, when it strikes New Year’s Eve in Asheville, its not the end of things. You still got twenty-four hours to fit in all the excitement you didn’t think

As the years go by, I gain a greater and greater appreciation for just how much work goes into preparing a Christmas meal. Birds, hams, roasts, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, the list goes on and on. I've started taking more notice as loved ones keep on giving me responsibility. First, you start at the potato-peeling station. Work your way up to casserole-prep, maybe desserts. Before you know it you’re fifty-seven years old, hacking a honeyed ham apart with a carving kn

Between the Biltmore Estate , the South Slope, and the timeless beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's no wonder why Asheville NC’s long been a prime vacation destination for travelers across the southeast.  We’ve got luxury cabins, awesome spas , primo nature , and even award-winning restaurants. But in between all these high-profile locales, there are a few places off the beaten path. Places where locals like to hang. Small-town cafes and tearooms . Restaurants wh

As autumn draws on and the holidays draw near , I’ve had sweets on my mind. I've been baking. Reading recipes. Experimenting. Did you know you can make banana bread in a crockpot? That’s news to me. I think it's that epochs-old instinct to lay on some fat before hibernation. Indeed, how else are we supposed to survive the winter? Truthfully, top-rate desserts are getting me through the whole year. The promise of a masterful confection at the end of a day’s work does wonders f

Just five days ago I was doing a little last-minute Halloween shopping, when lo and behold, I found myself amidst a wealth of Christmas wreaths and porcelain Santas. What could I make of this? Had I stepped through a time-warp into late December? Was I subject to some sort of science-fiction, mad-scientist mischief? Indeed not. Many have remarked upon this so-called Christmas-creep. Year after year, holiday merchandising descends upon our storefronts earlier and earlier. Curr

Every so often I forget that I’ve written about fall in Asheville before. I go off researching, outlining, planning, putting pen to computer screen. Eventually, inevitably, I awaken from my amnesia, and I realize, horror-stricken, I’m re-doing an article. .. or am I? I compare notes. I cross-reference. I realize that I have, in fact, come up with five fall things to do in Asheville that I haven’t written about before. So vast is this great season, perhaps we’ll never run o

Located just five minutes down the road from Asheville Cottages , the NC Arboretum has long been one of my top spots for getting a little fresh mountain air, without a lengthy (if beautiful) drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Indeed, my family’s been coming to the NC Arboretum for so long, I often forget that many visitors may overlook this hidden natural oasis, and many more may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of trails. What are the must-see sites, on this 434-acre stre

We’re coming to the end of that long summer stretch between July 4th and Halloween, when there’s hardly a holiday in sight, and let me tell you folks, I am feeling it. The metaphorical dogs are barking. My gas: spent. My bones? They're weary alright. If you too share my exhaustion, a trip to Asheville may just be the thing for you. Historically, those with the means and good sense to do so have sojourned to Asheville seeking the healing powers of the quiet life, and fresh mo

The inspiration for this week’s piece comes from a spirited conversation with some friends of mine friends, on whether Mexican food or Chinese was better. Let me tell you, things could’ve gotten hairy. People have strong opinions on this stuff.  Yours truly is more of a mediator. Whatever crosses my plate, I’m happy to have it. That said, in my culinary adventures through Asheville it has been a treat to find some excellent Chinese restaurants, representing a broad span of

Usually I assume I’m writing for travelers who already have their hearts set on a visit to Asheville. People who understand just why they call this place the “Paris of the South.” But how about the rest of you? The wanderers. The last-minute vacation-planners. People who may have an inkling of what Asheville’s all about, but are unsure of just why they should visit the Paris of the South.  Well, this one’s for you. The undecided. The uninitiated. An article written so that in

Summer’s end rushes towards us like a pumpkin-spice flurry of dry leaves on a windy autumn day. I for one am resisting the changing of the seasons. I’m not done with summer yet. There 're important things to do with the remainder of Asheville's summer. Al-fresco dining , for instance. And tubing . Cookouts supplied by Asheville’s fine farmer’s markets. Sliding down Sliding Rock. And above all else, that time-honored tradition of the summer picnic.  Just about every local

These here Asheville Cottages have a lot going for them. Full kitchens. Gas fireplaces. Hot tubs. Grilles. Hot tubs. Heck, if I were staying here, I’d have trouble finding a reason to leave. If that's not enough , you’ve also got yourself a prime location in south Asheville, within a short drive to a great many awesome things to do, some of which I’ve covered right here.  But here in Asheville, there’s always new restaurants popping up, new attractions opening their doors,

When it comes to dining in Asheville , sushi may not be the first thing that comes to mind. We are landlocked here, after all. And in the opposite hemisphere as Japan.  But the fact is, culinary traditions from all across the world are well-represented in Asheville, with top-grade restaurants serving everything from Spanish tapas to vegan steaks, so you can bet your bottom dollar there’s some great Japanese restaurants in the mix there. Luckily for me, I grew up with a sist

If you’re a longtime reader of Asheville Cottages, then you know talking about my hometown’s most tantalizing restaurants is one of my favorite activities. I’m more than drawn to it. I'm compelled. Sometimes I snag people off the street and shout: “Would you like to know about a great place for chopped brisket with awesome flavor and reasonable prices?!” Usually they run away, but sometimes, to my satisfaction, they stay and listen. I’m here to help, after all. But in my fe

“It’s summertime,” I say to myself as I watch the light glitter across the French Broad River. “And the living is easy.” A soft breeze ruffles my hair. The trees rustle and sway. Wood smoke buffets my face and from far-off someone shouts, “Pay attention to the grille, man.” It’s easy to get lost in the majesty of it all with summers like we’ve got here in Asheville. So what if you let the barbecue get a little charred? I wouldn’t blame you. We’re given summer in order to kic

Every time I bring up shopping , I feel obligated to preface with something along the lines of “Now I’m not much of a shopper but…” And yet, the fact is I’ve come back to the subject time and again. I’ve done my fieldwork. So now I wonder: maybe I am much of a shopper. Maybe my impulse to denigrate this subject is merely an instinct born from long boyhood hours of waiting around department stores, bored and baffled by the intricacies of modern commerce. But those days are l

If you polled people on their favorite meal, I reckon brunch would come out miles ahead. You got all the best parts of breakfast, plus you don’t even have to wake so up early. Some places don’t stop brunching until three in the afternoon; that’s practically dinner time. If you ask me, brunch is a win-win, and many of my fellow Ashevilleans seem to agree. Just about every restaurant worth it's salt around here offers up brunch at least once a week. But with so many opportunit

Mothers! Many of us have them. Caretakers, nurturers, teachers, astoundingly adept finders of things that are lost. From mayonnaise to car keys to winter coats, mothers always appear to find them within the first five seconds of searching. How do they do that? Grand mysteries of life aside, if you’re treating your mom to a tour of Asheville this Mother’s Day, it pays to be well informed. Luckily, come May, the Paris of the South is fair-weathered, and filled to the brim with