Our Blog "A Local's Perspective"

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

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

“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

Spring’s coming fast in the Paris of the South , and the weather can attest. Some mornings its a bone chilling thirty five but up to seventy by noon. Some weeks, you won’t know whether to expect rain, wind, or sun until you step outside.  Some people may find these climatic vagaries disorienting. But I think it's fun. Exciting even. As much as the weather dictates my monthly schedule of sightseeing and amusements, a mixed bag (meteorologically speaking) makes for what I like

It’s time once again to address one of my favorite subjects: coffee . But not just the drinking of it. As every caffeinated individual knows, presentation and ambiance make up at least half the battle. Heck, sometimes I walk on into a café not because I’m after coffee but simply for the delight of the atmosphere. And with temperatures in Asheville this January still staying at coat-and-scarf levels, I’ll take any excuse I can find to get off the street, and go inside some pl

Ah, Thanksgiving. The only time of year it's permissible to devour a three-course meal of roast turkey, cranberry sauce, and assorted casseroles. Sometimes I think we’re cheating ourselves. Why can't we eat cranberry sauce all year long? Why can't we eat it three times a day? Indeed, why not four? I've yet to hear a satisfactory answer, and so this subject remains one of my many meditations during those long post-Thanksgiving afternoons, when all your relatives go their separ