arts
The fourth, with the (fire) works
Independence Day falls mid-week this year which might mean you’re in the mood for less planning. Check out our list for picnics where you can have your plate of barbecue,…Smart Bets: Asian Teacher Factory
The local indie rock band plays One Stop with Deja Fuze this Saturday. Xpress will give away a pair of tickets tomorrow (Friday) at noon.Book smarts
Although it seems as if Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café has been here forever, anchoring downtown Asheville with its unique brand of intellectual calm and anything-goes quirk, there was a time…Introducing RiverMUSIC
Live music by the river? Please, and thank you to RiverLink and New Belgium Brewing. The two are teaming up to present a new concert series called RiverMUSIC (OK, it…Feminizing the grandiose machismo
Brooklyn’s Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds is as ingrained into the tradition of big-band soul as any outfit you will find. From the skronky give and take between sly…Smart Bets: The Many Deaths of Edward Gorey
Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance's summer show is the one-weekend-only Many Deaths of Edward Gorey, and Other Moments of Eccentricity. The Gorey part of the performance was first staged in 2007…Smart Bets: Lost Bayou Ramblers
If you're a fan of Cajun music, then south Louisiana-based Lost Bayou Ramblers (with its fiddle, standup bass and French vocabulary) are an easy sell. If you're not of fan…Smart Bets: The Stray Birds
Folk trio The Stray Birds was born out of two of its members’ travels — Maya de Vitry busking her way across Europe and Oliver Craven traversing the U.S. as…Smart Bets: Serendipity
"I am particularly interested in how various artists have adapted the wood-fire patina to their own sculptural work," writes local ceramist Eric Knoche in his curator statement for Serendipity. The…Weekly Picks
Kids ages 7-12 are invited to make DNA necklaces and mysterious gels at a Nano Science Camp on Wednesday, June 27 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., hosted by Hands On! children's…food
Biker Billy talks tempeh
Biker Billy, née Bill Hufnagle, has been riding motorcycles since 1986. "I wanted one when I was 17, but my mom knew that I was a little too wild and…Summer Grill
Jason Sellers of Plant, a vegan restaurant on Merrimon Avenue, has one tip for Fourth of July: “Grill everything,” he says. “For example, if you’re serving cold sandwiches, grill some…Compound butter
Compound butter is a great way to maximize flavor with grilled foods, says the Chops Shop’s Josh Wright. “With a few adjustments, gorgonzola butter can be transformed into the perfect…Grilled tempeh roll-up with biker barbecue sauce
It’s likely that our meat-eschewing friends won’t want their dinner straight off the grill, especially if said grill is covered in animal products, right? Here’s an idea, via Biker Billy,…Chop Shop talks shop
Karen Fowler knows her meat. The 34-year-old Chop Shop butcher wields a boning knife (and sometimes a hacksaw) like no other and — no surprises here — has some mighty…Grilled shrimp Toulouse
Shrimp marinade: 1 gal. sealable freezer bag 1 pound fresh N.C. shrimp (get 1.5 pounds if leaving head on for presentation), peeled and de-veined 2 cloves thinly sliced fresh garlic…Sauce like a boss
Anyone who’s spent plenty of time behind the grill knows that there’s an art to manipulating food over flame. The golden rule of grilling according to Chef Chas Edwards of…Get your grill on
We like Independence Day because it marks a time when the Founding Fathers were badasses, unafraid to tell the king of Great Britain to shove off. In their honor, we…Small Bites: Foodwire
Salmonella victim sues According to a press release from PR Wire and court documents obtained via Food Safety News, a lawsuit has been filed against Smiling Hara LLC, a local…Small Bites: Home sweet home(grown)
Across the country (and in plenty of cities), people are growing and canning vegetables, learning to make jam and even raising chickens, for Pete's sake. Inspired in part by pushing…Altamont, Oskar and walking brewery tours
Altamont to brew soon The Altamont Brewing Company boys deserve some kind of medal for persistence. Since they first formulated their business plan, their primary goal has been to brew…news
Business Blotter
New businesses abound on the downtown blocks of Patton Avenue/College Street and Battery Park Avenue/ Wall Street. This week’s Business Blotter focuses on this hub of activity. In the next…A break in the clouds
After decades of grappling with contaminated well water, several Arden residents praised the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners for taking the first step toward providing them with public water lines.…Not kidding around
Most of Mission Hospital’s walls are varying shades of beige, but when you step off the elevator on the third floor, color greets you. This is where adult care ends…opinion
Band Name
No gays in blue heaven
In May, North Carolinians overwhelmingly approved the passage of Proposition 1, an amendment to the state constitution defining marriage between a man and a woman as the only legally valid…Intolerance can be positive
I am writing about the conflict over Carol Adams' May 23 Xpress letter, “Is Tolerance One Way?” Maybe part of the problem is semantics. Intolerance can be cruel and hateful,…A clarification
My May 29 letter, “Taxpayers Foot the Bill for the BID Program,” implied that residents in the Business Improvement District would vote on the implementation of the BID. I was…What, me Weird?
When I wrote to say I preferred "News of the Weird" over the "Asheville Disclaimer," I assumed my opinion was in the minority and said so [“Give Me Weird,” May…What happened to compassionate action?
I'm writing in response to Rusty Sivils' June 13 Opinion piece, "Dead Wrong,” on the practice of killing dogs and cats. There is nothing to add to his heartfelt words…Shame on us
In response to Rusty Sivils' June 13 Opinion piece, "Dead Wrong,” where he questions the wrongful killing of dogs and cats, I understand how he feels. I drive by the…Enough said
With all the hulabaloo about same-sex marriage, I am putting my two cents in. I recently heard the following: If you’re not for same-sex marriage, then don’t marry someone of…A green space befits our architectural treasure
The site of the St. Lawrence Basilica was significantly impaired with the building of I-240 behind it. A green space in front of it will rebalance it and help it…Listen to your taxpayers
Asheville City Council should hear a historical presentation about the Basilica, so they understand why we should absolutely squash plans to build a hotel in front of such an incredible…If we want a park, it’s up to us
If we want a park built across from the St. Lawrence Basilica, then let's demand that a park be built across from the Basilica. We own the land and can…Asheville Redefines Transit (downward)
I decided to try the new ART system to go downtown from north Asheville. I first went downtown to the main terminal to get the bus schedules. There was no…Bartending 101
With all the hype over craft brews and the movement to call Asheville "Beer City" (a sobriquet I thought reserved for Milwaukee, or at least St. Louis), I have not…No river people!
First it was the retirees, then Rolling Stone encouraged more freaks to come, then we voted ourselves Beer City USA. Asheville is always making it to some new list of…Flip-Flop City, USA!
Asheville is named and self-acclaimed as capital of lots of things. The biggie, however, is simply at our feet. I proclaim Asheville as the flip-flop capital of the world. You…Weekly Asheville Disclaimer Page: 06/26/2012
• The Case of the Concealed Evidence Room Audit