Vanishing Hopes There are few local projects I’ve found myself as conflicted about covering as local author Randy Moser’s forthcoming book, The Vanished Messenger (1195 Press). On the one hand, the book seems to be a rambling, semi-mystical, extraordinarily vague pseudo memoir and coming-of-age story that refers to itself in a press release as “invoking … Read more
Thanks to Ingles, grocery shoppers can now add “gourmet-cooking lesson” to their lists. The “Cooking with Class” series, which debuted earlier his year, invites local restaurants to demonstrate their techniques and offer samples in various Ingles locations. Next up is the Lobster Trap, appearing this Tuesday, March 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the … Read more
I was wary of kimchi, a traditional Korean food that is prepared by fermenting chopped vegetables in brine for several weeks, the first time I tried it. I was surrounded by vegans, vegetarians, a cook whose affinity for garlic was so strong that he’d tattooed an image of it on his elbow, and a grad … Read more
When Michael Domonkos and his wife were considering retiring to Brevard from Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1994, one amenity in particular caught their attention. Tame climate and concert series aside, it was a proposed trail on the former Transylvania Railroad corridor that ultimately made up the couple’s minds. The route, they understood, would pass near their … Read more
Pier review: If the specter of losing your prized Fred Arbogast Hula Popper to overhanging trees has kept you away from Chatuge Reservoir near Hayesville, take heart: Soon anglers will have three choice, snag-free spots to cast from. At the Shooting Creek arm of Chatuge’s northeastern corner, engineers have built a floating pier 56 feet … Read more
Last fall, Council member Robin Cape and I ran a guest commentary in Mountain Xpress (see “A Sustainable Agenda: Proposals for a Clean and Green Asheville,” Sept. 20, 2006) outlining some of our ideas for making Asheville an environmentally sustainable city. Since then, City Council has taken a number of concrete steps: established a new … Read more
As the N.C. General Assembly convened for this year’s legislative session, some political analysts noted that it seems to lack a central “theme.” Last year, the argument goes, the theme was lobbying and ethics reform. During previous years, lawmakers were consumed with overcoming big budget shortfalls brought on by an economic downturn and the federal … Read more
Creating Lexington Park Few streets have benefited as much from downtown Asheville’s cultural and commercial renaissance as Lexington Avenue. Once seen as one of the city’s least desirable addresses, the street is now home to a number of chic boutiques and popular restaurants. There is even a growing movement to rename the area, with many … Read more
Law enforcement took center stage at the Asheville City Council’s Feb. 20 meeting, with Council members funding several new initiatives and giving the green light to a new high-tech arm of the Police Department. But a grant to fund seat-belt-enforcement checkpoints spurred some discussion. A wider web In November, a presentation on Internet child pornography … Read more
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners undertook a closed-door decision to encourage the diesel-power plant in Woodfin. This plant is unnecessary and harmful. With asthma rates among the highest in the country and with energy demand not expected to exceed supply for many years (especially if conservation methods are implemented), forcing this project on our … Read more
