After reading “The Price of Progress” in the Xpress [Jan. 24], it made me wonder if Woodfin is becoming an environmental disaster dump. First they gave us roof-to-roof hillside building on Reynolds Mountain. One must drive by to witness the distortion to the natural beauty of the mountain. And that distortion is [in addition to] … Read more
On the morning of Dec. 1, 2006, my wife and I closed on a lovely home at 2949 Riverside Dr., Asheville 28804. Concurrently, the [county commissioners] made public two years of informal, private negotiations that [have now] resulted in the leasing of the property across the street from our new home. If we had known … Read more
Enough Mumpower bashing already. Please, would all of you whose hair has been falling out about his ghastly drug-scene investigations and his demonic behavior with the APD kindly get a life? I turn my back for five minutes, and the lot of you are standing in line to have another whack at him. Look at … Read more
I [had] just finished reading Cranky Hanke’s movie reviews in the [Jan. 17] issue. As usual, they were insightful and thorough, reflecting his unique understanding of the cinema. Then I flipped over to the review of the current Asheville Community Theatre’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof [“Still Sees Well in the Dark”]. … Read more
As a native Clevelander and a lover of classical music, I commend your feature on the recent program of the Cleveland Orchestra. You did an excellent job of researching the images of Cleveland and the world-famous orchestra, and you presented a very readable article, full of wit, insight and illuminating interviews. The concert exceeded all … Read more
The thoughtfully written commentary “Braking News” by Tamiko Murray [Jan. 3] stirred me deeply. I, too, as a pedestrian, was hit by a turning car whose driver said he didn’t see me. At the time of the accident, I was 78 years old. DeVonte was 8 years old. No matter how old or young one … Read more
If you love your sweetie—but not enough to stand in line outside your local chocolatier’s shop shivering, The Chocolate Fetish has introduced a relationship-saving way to buy truffles for Valentine’s Day. The store’s “click and pick” website (www.chocolatefetish.com) allows Asheville residents to order their Velvet Sin and Ancient Pleasures truffles from home and bypass the … Read more
No offense to Carmel’s Restaurant and Bar, but I figure it won’t be long before a hot hip-hop dance club opens in its location in the southeast end of the Grove Arcade. With the opening of Carmel’s, a classy steak-and-seafood joint, the corner of Battery Park and Page avenues has cemented its reputation as the … Read more
A handbag’s tale Most shops are mired in the no-man’s-land of winter sales—that bleak time between holiday gift gluttony and shiny new spring lines. But don’t despair: A new handbag can breathe life back into a winter-weary wardrobe, and there are plenty of interesting finds to be had. Second-hand news: a Fendi bag at Excellent … Read more
Selling out can be accomplished in a lot of ways. Sonic Youth toned down their feedback-rich jam sessions and signed to Geffen. Beck did thinly veiled Prince impersonations, also for Geffen. The Butthole Surfers went from making noise rock discordant enough to cause seizures to making pop songs saccharine-sweet enough to cause cavities—and, worse, signed … Read more
