How to make a TV Dinner

All Go West, West Asheville’s daylong music festival, returns for its third year. But the home-grown fete, which skipped 2012, comes back with a few updates. First, it moves into…

“Photographer” can be a identifier in Asheville, or at least an ambiguous one. When someone says they’re a painter, we tend to know they mean artist, rather than house painter.…

Released five years apart, “Is There a Ghost” and “Knock Knock” are remarkably similar songs, energetic opening numbers that are as catchy as they are fulfilling. And yet, Band of…

Margaret Curtis’ paintings were once described by an art critic as looking like “the day after the party.” That was 10 years ago, when hyperbolic feminine themes were rampant in…

The decals never came off the doors after the Fine Arts League of the Carolinas moved out of its Rankin Avenue location. But that’s OK. In a way, the new…

Pioneering musician Dick Dale was born in Boston, but when, as a teen, he moved to California's Orange County with his family, he got into surfing and then music. Dale…

Local artist collective Clan Destiny Circus performs a "show for the child, for the moonstruck lovers, for our elders with a taste for life.” According to a press release, the…

Hendersonville-based author Ann B. Ross has been working on her popular Miss Julia series since '99. The feisty Miss Julia is a widow as well as a church member and…

Devotional chant and yoga teacher (and Oprah Winfrey fave) Snatam Kaur leads both a workshop and an evening of kirtan, sacred music and songs of India. The concert is at…

Bob Dylan has always done things his own way, and sometimes he misses but mostly he hits. Most recently, the legendary folk/rock musician released 50th Anniversary Collection, a four-CD set…

You know Shakespeare's Hamlet, right? At least more or less. But what about Hamlet reimagined through the lens of Victorian-era steampunk? "Themes of indecision, revenge and retribution, deception, ambition, loyalty…

Troubling and divisive situations need most to be discussed, especially when the implications are as severe — for the individual and the broader society — as capital punishment, says pianist…

Drum solo!: Local percussionist Reid Weigner is versatile and prolific, performing with experimental indie rock outfits like Hello Hugo, Giant Giants and Reptar. On Wednesday, April 24, Weigner steps out…

This weekend offers two food-centric festivals.

The new Biltmore Park eatery offers a free meal to anyone who can eat a 40-ounce burger in 20 minutes.

Asheville chefs talk about their experiences with the press

Wine took awhile to become mainstream in Western North Carolina, recalls Hunt Mallett, owner of the Weinhaus. When his father started the business in 1977, he didn't have many competitors.…

It’s easy to let brewery openings big and small grab your attention. Here in Asheville, we have a lot of that going on. But when Foothills Brewing made an announcement…

Take one look at the “spirituality” section of our calendar, and it’s easy to see that the Asheville area aims for wellness of mind and heart in a variety of…

Plant sales galore The soil is warming, trees are blooming and shoots of garlic are poking out of the ground. As gardeners don their gloves and turn the clay, there's…

Businesses need capital to grow. And strong local economies need ways to grow local businesses. But as local business owner Kudzai Mabunda learned, getting the money can be an arduous…

During a recent visit home, State Rep. Nathan Ramsey says he’s happy to be back in the mountains. “A little cooler up here,” he says. “Closer to heaven; farther from…

Election season is underway for Asheville City Council. So far, a number of contenders have announced that they’ll run: Vice Mayor Esther Manheimer and former Asheville Risk Management Director John…

While it is true that a business owner needs to analyze the financials and create an effective marketing plan, success requires more. There are two other crucial ingredients, which may…

Which bars have the best atmosphere? Best view? Most unusual beer selection? Where’s the best place to buy dress-up clothes? Work clothes? Kids clothes? Who’s the best employer? What company…

The April 17 Business Blotter listed Montford Books & More under “Closings,” but omitted the closing date, which is Tuesday, April 30. The store, located at 31 Montford Ave., is…

I would like to thank Mountain Xpress, and specifically food writer Emily Patrick, for the April 17 story, “This Bread Is Our Bread.” Ms. Patrick did a stellar job addressing…

The Mountain Xpress has been quenching my need for entertainment and news for years. The investigative reporting, the columns, the calendar, the movie reviews and the cartoons of Randy Molton…

In response to Laura Nunley's letter contrasting the criminality of breast bearing with spousal and child abuse, I gotta say I wonder where she got her law degree, not to…

The city of Asheville is under attack by state GOP Reps. Tim Moffitt, Nathan Ramsey and Chuck McGrady. It is a hostile and irresponsible attack on our infrastructure with their…

While there is a lot of headway concerning gay-marriage rights, let's remember that discrimination towards LGBT on other matters is left to be fought. Legal discrimination on the federal level…

At the April 13 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners Retreat, under “budget updates and discussion,” County Manager Wanda Greene's body language said it all — even her voice. Questions or…