The year in restaurant­s: Part two

More than a dozen new restaurants opened throughout Asheville in 2013, adding even more to the city’s lively restaurant scene. With the beginning of the new year, XPress checked in with some of the restaurants’ owners and chefs to see how things are going after their first few months in business. (Photos by Alicia Funderburk)

Asheville offers three renditions of the Nutcracker this holiday season

This month, three renditions of the “The Nutcracker” will be performed at different venues in Asheville: Dec. 11, the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium at U.S. Cellular Center will host the Moscow Ballet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $29.50. Dec. 13-15, Asheville Ballet will be performing “The Nutcracker” at the Diana […]

Ardenwoods holds food drive for new community food pantry

Here’s the press release from Ardenwoods Retirement Community: Ardenwoods Retirement Community held their annual food drive November 1 through 15.  The beneficiary of this year’s effort was the Community Food Pantry that has just begun operation at Avery’s Creek United Methodist Church.  This pantry serves the Avery’s Creek Community and is a partnership between Avery’s […]

PARI hosts program on Messier Objects

The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), a local non-profit that offers educational programs for children and adults alike, is hosting an event Friday, Dec. 13 on Messier Objects. According to PARI’s manager of IT support and the Dec. 13 presenter Mark Krochmal, Messier Objects are “galaxies, nebulae and other such night-sky phenomena that are observable […]

Serious play

Forget follies and farces. Local college and university theaters are tackling tougher issues this season. From racism and homophobia to bullying and social pressures, Blue Ridge Community College, Warren Wilson College and UNC Asheville are all staging hard-hitting plays in hopes of sparking thoughtful dialogue. Blue Ridge Community College For Dan Turpin, a second-year student […]

Curtain Call

Following A-B Tech’s production of Unnecessary Farce in April, the local community college will discontinue its drama courses and terminate those faculty members. The decision was made after the state omitted theater from the list of courses guaranteed to be accepted as transfer credits by all 16 state universities. “If a course is not on […]

Straight talk

In the new book Small Stories, Big Changes, more than a dozen authors share their stories and experiences in working toward sustainability in their communities. On Nov. 11, six of them took part in a panel discussion that felt a bit like watching family members argue on a sitcom. The authors’ mix of political beliefs […]

New Trader Joe’s grocery to open in Asheville this Friday

The colorful grocery store chain Trader Joe’s will open a new location in Asheville, with a grand opening celebration Friday. The opening’s festivities will include live music, food samples and demonstrations, giveaways and more. The store will kick off its opening with a ceremonial lei cutting at 8 a.m., honoring the specific style and theme […]