Downtown Asheville Blog

I’ve found a few new eateries and watering holes around Downtown Asheville that are worth mentioning. Here’s a quick summary:

S&W Steak and Wine - The old S&W building was finally bought, and the flagship of this Art Deco treasure is the restaurant Steak and Wine (56 Patton Ave.). It’s a high-end steakhouse with duck and other gourmet specialties. Expect a $100+ tab with wine - it’s worth it. The hidden bar upstairs is also a refuge for upscale clientele looking for a respite from some of Asheville’s rowdier beer bars.

Thirsty Monk’s The Pinthouse - Speaking of beer bars, one of the city’s finest has expanded. The Thirsty Monk, which specializes exclusively in Belgian-style ales, has opened an American microbrewery room upstairs called The Pinthouse (Patton Ave. and Coxe). It’s where the old headshop use to be.

Java Reef - If coffee’s more your style, there’s no shortage of coffee houses in our town. A particularly unique one opened just west of downtown, on the other side of the river in Regent Park. Java Reef (5 Regent Park Boulevard, Suite 105) has a 575-gallon saltwater reef aquarium.

Nine Mile - Nearby Montford also has a new pasta restaurant. Nine Mile (233 Montford Ave.) is modeled after Rasta Pasta in Boulder, in which simple pasta dishes are served with a liberal heaping of vegetables and a variety of sauces.

This weekend promises be a journey back in time, of sorts, in Downtown Asheville. The 62nd Asheville Antiques Fair and the 81st Mountain Dance and Folk Festival will both bring timeless traditions into the present day.

The Asheville Antiques Fair, at the Civic Center, will be a great place to go shopping. Dozens of exhibitors will be featuring some of their most-prized finds. Auction appraisers will also be on-hand to help people figure out what their heirlooms might be worth.

If clogging and dulcimers are more your style, head over to Diana Wortham Theatre for the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival. This is authentic, old-timey stuff, but you’ll be surprised how many people (young and old) are keeping it alive.

Both events take place Friday through Saturday.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, an Asheville real estate broker.

We recognize the Bele Chere scene in Downtown Asheville isn’t for everyone. So, in honor of those folks who might be surprised they’re in town on the same weekend as this illustrious festival, here’s a guide on what else to do…

Visit the Biltmore Estate - See Willow Winds’ excellent guide.

Drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway - If you’re lucky, everyone else will be Downtown, and you’ll have the road all to yourself.

Stroll the North Carolina Arboretum - Summer wildflowers are blooming!

Go swimming - The beach at Lake Lure is just a short drive from Willow Winds.

Shop ’til You Drop - The Asheville Mall has name-brand stores such as Hollister, Banana Republic and Victoria’s Secret.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, a licensed broker with Coldwell Banker Kasey & Associates.

It’s that time of the year again for Downtown Asheville’s most popular festival - Bele Chere. Here’s what I’m looking forward to this weekend:

1) Taking my college roommate (has it been 10 years already?) to the festival for his first time. He’s visiting with his wife and new baby.

2) Going to see Afromotive. This band has been on my list for quite some time, and now I’m finally getting around to it.

3) Riding the LaZoom tour bus, which is serving as a free shuttle this weekend only. In case you don’t know, this is the funky purple bus that takes visitors on narrated tours. The guides dress like they’re going to the Rocky Horror Picture Show - classic Asheville.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, an Asheville real estate agent who hopes to see you there!

July 17, 2008. It’s going to be a busy weekend in Downtown Asheville, with a variety of entertainment to suit everyone. Here’s a brief wrapup:

Friday

Downtown After Five - This rockin’ event is now halfway through its five-show series. The Waybacks and Plato de Mambo will take the stage, while local microbrews and food are served nearby. It’s all on Lexington Avenue, near I-240 and Hiawassee. FREE.

Saturday

Shindig on the Green - If your musical tastes are inclined toward bluegrass, this is your evening. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket, and a picnic basket and cooler. Or, have some barbecue sold at the venue. FREE.

Friday and Saturday

Laugh Your Asheville Off - The second annual Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival kicked off tonight, and lasts through the weekend. Friday features two separate performances by Alonzo Bodden, winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Saturday features a Standup Comic Blowout, with several East Coast names and some comedy seminars throughout the day. $7-$15.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, a real estate broker in Western North Carolina.

Shindig on the Green, one of the town’s most popular summer traditions, showcases a rich array of bluegrass music, one of the region’s most popular art forms. The annual series began a couple of weeks ago and continues this Saturday evening at Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

If you love bluegrass music, this is the place to be. Afficianados will find everything from newgrass to old-timey to gospel to solo balladeers up on stage. Around the park, musicians gather in “jam sessions.” There’s also clogging and something called big circle mountain dancing, in which everyone in the audience is invited to get up and dance to the instructions of a caller.

One of the best parts of this tradition is simply being able to relax on a lawn chair outside, watching the sun set over the Downtown Asheville skyline. The weather cools down, so bring a light jacket.

Shindig on the Green starts every Saturday in the summer around 7 p.m. and continues to around 10 p.m. It’s free, and there’s food and beverages for sale in the park. Attendees can also bring their own food and drink.

Posted by Mark Vanderhoff, an Asheville real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Kasey & Associates.