North Carolina's mountains are well known for pristine lakes, world-class golf courses, and scenic hiking trails. But less visible is the rich literary underbelly known to the lucky readers among [...]
// what to drink now
Looking for something pink to drink for a Valentine’s Day outing? Turn to rosé in a can by Amble and Chase. This rosé, sourced from Provence, France, will add to the fun while wetting your whistle, $19.99 for four [...]
At the end of every year, we turn the page to move ahead into the next year. Like the old saying goes, “out with the old, in with the new,” we reflect on our past and plan for our future. With good intentions, we look ahead with a positive forecast bound by our goals and resolutions. Personal growth in the form of fitness, money, self-help, [...]
Several decades ago in the days of spy secrets, espionage, and space wars, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had a little known and well-hidden facility right in our own backyard, an undisclosed satellite-tracking center sitting on 200 acres. Opened on October 26, 1963, this top-secret campus located deep within North [...]
I scan the ground at my feet and spy the green clover-like specimen I am instructed to look for. As I am encouraged to do by our knowledgeable guide, I pluck it from the grassy patch and pop it into my mouth. I taste a mild tangy lemon flavor on my palette. Not bad. “Welcome to backyard foraging,” someone next to me bellows. Despite the [...]
It’s early morning and my senses are tuned to the quiet of the world around me. As I sit lazily on the dock in my Adirondack chair sipping my morning coffee, I watch the mist slowly rise off of the pristine lake before me, Lake Glenville in Western North Carolina. Hues of green and blue emerge as the soft water becomes dappled in the [...]
Named to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Seafood Watch Blue Ribbon Task Force Chef List,” William Dissen, owner of Asheville’s The Market Place restaurant, is a major advocate for sustainable food policy reform in the United States. Working with a network of local farms, artisan producers, and sustainable fishermen to produce flavorful, fresh food [...]
At first glimpse of a mountain peak, I begin to feel it. I recognize it as a sensation of lightness, or possibly even giddiness. On my journey from the city to the Blue Ridge Mountains, my excitement builds with each mile marker. As my car climbs the first mountain to home, I notice a deep sense of calm sweeping over me. And as my breath [...]
Journeying for lunch away from the
familiar is a great way to learn about the area outside of your own backyard. While taking in the fresh, cool mountain air on your drive, you will come across spectacular scenery no matter which direction you venture. We have put together our top ten most interesting list of eateries with many being [...]
If you’re lucky enough to live above Sapphire Valley’s Fairfield Lake, you’ve heard the mystical sounds that waft from the water’s edge on many summer nights. It could be, of course, the sounds of “Follow the Gleam,” Camp Merrie-Woode’s traditional final pageant. It could be the score from a musical performed by the campers in the drama [...]
Lizzie Morse looks forward to her regular visits to the spa. There is nothing quite like the luxury of a gentle manicure, a stylish haircut, and a sumptuous bath. Her biggest concern of the day is which soap will be chosen: lavender and mint or aloe and coconut. Tipping may be appreciated, but Lizzie does one better: she leaves with her [...]
By all rights, I should have given up the game of golf years ago. There was the time, in the beginning, when I dutifully followed my husband to the practice range and proceeded to hit every golf ball in my bag with robotic precision. It was only as I swung at the last one that I noticed the huge baskets of range balls provided beside [...]
Growing up in Western North Carolina is something that can be hard not to take for granted. From the very beginning, professional photographer Brittany Scales noticed the beauty that surrounds us and felt the draw to capture its [...]
The godfather of Asheville craft beer, Oscar Wong, opened Highland Brewery in 1994 in the basement of Barley’s taproom. Passion for his hobby led to the tourism and craft that has earned Asheville national accolades of “Beer City USA” many times since 2009. Today, with more breweries per capita than any other city, this area is a craft beer [...]
Trending today is the idea of strengthening the family bond by sharing more memorable and meaningful moments together. Families are increasingly electing to put down their smartphones and turn off their televisions in order to find group activities away from screens. In the new year, if you and your family resolve to find quality time [...]
Christmas on the Plateau is much more than a single day or a week. It seems to begin the moment one pushes away from the Thanksgiving table.
Be sure to check out the Highlands ice-skating rink which will be open extra hours during the Christmas holidays. The charge to use the rink is just $5 and ice skates are provided. For more [...]
