A golden — er, green — opportunity? To local green visionaries, Western North Carolina’s economic future could be as bright and shiny as an emerald city. Entrepreneurs, engineers, economic-development specialists and government representatives gathered at the Green Venture Forum in Enka on Nov. 21 to exchange ideas about a green-technology-based future for WNC. Hosted by … Read more
It’s difficult to think of the death of Robert Altman and not think of the moment in his last film, A Prairie Home Companion, when an elderly character dies and the Angel of Death (Virginia Madsen) remarks, “The death of an old man is not a tragedy” — and it’s difficult not to wonder if … Read more
Editor’s note: November is National Home Care & Hospice Month. A longer version of this essay won honorable mention in a national competition sponsored by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. A hot summer morning. The mist had burned off; the temperature was rising along with the humidity. I went to Ruby’s house for … Read more
Cliffs project sits on planning precipice The Nov. 15 “County Commission Report” [“This Place Was a Dump,” Xpress] exposed a potential problem in our region: a Buncombe County Planning Board that appears to be putting the interests of developers ahead of the community it serves. As a citizen of Swannanoa, I wish to draw public … Read more
Go deep: Flittermouse Grotto of Western North Carolina, the local chapter of the National Speleological Society, meets at 7 p.m. the first Friday of each month at the Black Mountain Library (105 Dougherty St.). Visitors and guests are welcome to attend for caving fellowship, or simply to ask what the hell the group’s name means. … Read more
Your home away from home: Typical accomodations along the Appalachian Trail. photo by Danny Bernstein Is 2007 your year to hike the Appalachian Trail? If you’ve been trying to figure out whether you have the right stuff to walk the 2,175 miles from Georgia to Maine, listen to Leanna Joyner, who through-hiked the AT in … Read more
Scantily plaid • Who she is: Ashley Hill • What she’s wearing: Shearling-trimmed bag from Bath & Body Works, plaid pants from Target. Patent pending • Who she is: Stephanie Coppola • What she’s wearing: Cropped striped top and patent-leather shoes from Goodwill, pants from a store in New York, spider-web-print arm warmer, antique patent-leather … Read more
It wasn’t long ago that eating out on Christmas Day meant settling for an overcooked burrito at the lone open convenience store. While a dash of packeted salsa could add a dab of holiday cheer to the meal, the finished product couldn’t hold a yuletide candle to the majestic savories now being churned out on … Read more
Flavor: A cheese emporium right under your noseAmbiance: Feisty. Mild. Take your pick. A straightforward, deli-style interior with a helpful staff. Bill Ference is a third-generation cheesemonger. To borrow a line from country music, he was cheese when cheese wasn’t cool. Long before the word “artisanal” was on everybody’s lips, before Mario Batali was reminding … Read more
