“I’m baffled and completely confused,” said Kevin Lacey of the Peculiar Pretzelmen about his first Dragon*Con experience. I totally relate. I didn’t know what to expect at Dragon*Con, and I could not have imagined the bizarre enormity of the largest fan-run multimedia popular culture convention in the universe. 
Apparently just about everyone in the movie-booking world spent Labor Day roasting weenies—or whatever it is that people who have Labor Day off do—and the result of this is that I’m sitting here trying to put together a “Weekly Reeler” with limited information. I know what’s going on at the Fine Arts and I know what art titles are slated for The Carolina and I know the mainstream titles. I know the Fine Arts is opening The Guard and The Carolina is set to open The Devil’s Double and Terri. The “big” releases are Contagion, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star and Warrior. But there are gaps.
Got those change-of-season allergies? It’s no coincidence that WNC’s apple season officially kicks off when the sniffles start — a local apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? If you didn’t get your fall supply at the North Carolina Apple Festival earlier this month, don’t worry. September is all about apples in ASAP’s Get … Read more
North Carolinians recently joined the nationwide celebration of Great Outdoors Week, honoring our state’s public lands and their vital contributions to public health, recreation and the environment. But what’s sometimes overlooked is the importance of these treasures to North Carolina's economy. Getting people outdoors is a growing business here, accounting for more than $7.5 billion … Read more
Joseph Arthur is a one-man-band, a live painter, an under-the-radar rock star (despite being discovered by Peter Gabriel in '96 and the first American signed to Gabriel’s Real World label; despite a Grammy nod in 2000 and a top "year-end critics' pick" in Rolling Stone in 2004). He’s also a social-media sage. Not only does … Read more
Jason Sellers is the chef and co-owner (with Alan Berger and Leslie Armstrong) of Plant, Asheville's newest vegan restaurant, located on Merrimon Avenue. Sellers first made waves in the vegetarian community as the head chef at the Laughing Seed. He’s credited with ramping up some aspects of the menu during his tenure there. Trained at … Read more
I believe the value of the arts in society is to uplift the human spirit. Uplifting would describe my experience at the Asheville Area Arts Council Turquoise Ball, held at the Orange Peel Aug. 27. The Ball was so much more than a fundraising event. From the moment I entered the Peel, I was mesmerized … Read more
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Organicfest, a celebration of "all things organic and green.” Debi Athos, the founder and director of the festival, says that she's excited to host the event in its original location, the Roger McGuire Green at Pack Square Park downtown in front of the Buncombe County Courthouse and Asheville … Read more
“It’s a really humbling experience to live and work among people that are in developing countries and struggling in very basic ways,” notes Asheville resident Cindy Threlkeld, a two-time Peace Corps volunteer. “When you first get started, you think you know — you’re an American, you’re educated, you want to give back. And then you … Read more
When I read the Aug. 17 Xpress article about the City Council candidates, I immediately noticed TJ Thomasson [“And Then There Were Nine”]. I thought, “Great! A gay candidate that can represent me.” My excitement over the prospect of a young gay man on City Council led me to look deeper into what this candidate … Read more
