Smart Bets: The Gospel of Flying Saucers, Dinosaurs & Love

Although it’s tricky to describe the central philosophy of local R&B outfit The Secret B-Sides (flowers, spaceships, prehistoric creatures and the intersection thereof), once you’ve danced to one of the band’s sultry, funky, mood-enhancing jams, it begins to make sense. Happily, the Secret B-Sides singer-songwriter Juan Holladay has teamed up with illustrator Bobby Morgan on […]

Twenty-five years of fresh herbs: The Asheville Herb Festival celebrates its silver anniversar­y

The Asheville Herb Festival — now in its 25th year — started out with just four growers and a handful of people gathered in a parking lot. The sustainable food movement was in its infancy and the public was just starting to gain an appreciation for the benefits of local food, but as the local food movement grew, so did the herb festival.

Beer scout: Oskar Blues goes nitro

Sure, Oskar Blues is known for their great beer, but founder Dale Katechis has also made a name for the company when it comes to canned beer. It is widely credited as the first craft brewer to package in cans, and it’s been breaking down the stereotype that canned beer = bad beer for more than a decade. Soon, Oskar Blues will take it a step further and be the first U.S. brewery to package “nitro” beer in cans. Those fine, cascading bubbles will now be available in Old Chub, a malt-driven Scottish ale, thanks to a widget inside each can that will release nitrogen when the beer is opened.

Celebratio­n Israel

Falafel, vegetarian schwarma with hummus, matbucha Moroccan tomato salad and pita, all paired with a hearty serving of baklava for dessert and washed down with mint lemonade: This is just one of combinations that will be served up at the Celebration Israel Festival of Food and Culture on Sunday, May 4.

The third place: Green Sage looks ahead with Westgate location

The opening of the third Green Sage location in Westgate Shopping Center brings co-owners Randy Talley and Roger Derrough full circle: The pair established the first Earth Fare store in that same plaza 20 years ago. But with this newest manifestation of their healthy, fast-casual café concept, Talley and Derrough clearly have their sights set on the bigger picture.

WNC religious leaders seek the right to wed same-sex couples in their congregati­ons

This morning a federal challenge to Amendment One was filed in the Western District of North Carolina on behalf of the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a national denomination, clergy from across faith traditions and same-sex couples, according to a press release. The case challenges the constitutionality of marriage laws in North Carolina – including Amendment One – that ban marriage between same-sex couples and make it illegal for clergy to perform wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples within their congregations.

Speed humps are a joke

I saw recently that the city is revisiting the issue of adding of more speed humps. Granted, traffic speeds along in most areas, particularly neighborhoods, at an unprecedented speed. It’s a shame we don’t post speed limits – oh yeah, we do. But speed humps are a joke. In my experience, and particularly since I […]

Disappoint­ed in DeBruhl

I was very disappointed to hear Miranda DeBruhl, candidate for Buncombe County Commissioner in District 3, criticize the county’s plan to reduce its energy usage [“The Politics of Sustainability,” April 16, Xpress]. The sustainability plan does require an upfront investment of over $800,000, but that investment is estimated to be paid back and save the […]

Yes to park on Haywood

To the town of Asheville, especially the mayor: Here are more citizens who strongly favor NO Building – YES Park on the property on Haywood in front of Basilica of St. Lawrence downtown. Please, please do not make money from builders in the short term, so that we have to live with an increasingly crowded city […]