For an April Fools’ Day show two years ago, Vadim Bora drew colorful pictures of himself on his $700-$800 in unpaid parking tickets, selling each for the amount of the fine printed on it. Not only did Bora bring in enough cash to settle his debt with the city, but a few of those deliciously […]
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Adams & Eves
Bering Strait are among the headliners at the inaugural Eden Fest on Memorial Day weekend (Friday, May 23 through Sunday, May 25) at the Taylor Ranch in Fairview. They play the Stargazers Main Stage at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. Eden Fest’s other headliners: The Neville Brothers • The Wailers • Buckwheat Zydeco • […]
Rescuing Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman is a victim of Bloated-Elvis Syndrome. For many who came of age in the early ’70s or later, the Las Vegas Elvis seemed little more than a paunchy caricature — flouncing about on stage wearing embarrassing costumes, miming karate kicks and sweating profusely. It was hard to understand his appeal or to empathize […]
It’s still country-and-western to me
I once pissed off Buck Owens during an interview by sharing with him a comment I’d heard concerning Bakersfield, Calif. — that if Buck’s beloved hometown were a drink, it would be a dirty shot glass with half an inch of dust at the bottom. Times have changed. For one, I try to avoid pissing […]
Funny-cide
Imagine the devil chasing George W. Bush through a silent movie. As a writer, I’d tackle this assignment by first considering the genre, setting, characters, tone and plot — and then I’d carefully produce a detailed, expository description of my vision. But local improvisational-comedy group the Oxy Morons doesn’t have that luxury. In a genre […]
Natural weed control
At this point, the weeds seem innocuous enough — just so much green confetti scattered among the flowers and the veggies. Yet by late spring/early summer, their vigor and swelling numbers can be enough to make the couch and TV more appealing than the garden. This column is about how to prevent or eradicate weeds. […]
The belles of the ball
Every devoted gardener is under the spell of one botanical or another. My friend Molly in California has a garden full of roses and strawberries. Plums and potatoes attracted Luther Burbank, while peanuts inspired George Washington Carver. And according to legend, Johnny Appleseed had a one-track mind. But lettuces are the belles of the ball […]
Going local
A public market represents free enterprise at its grassroots best. One of the oldest and most widespread forms of retail trade, it cuts out the middleman, directly connecting producer and consumer. A fellow from M.I.T. recently analyzed about 3,000 clay tablets written between the fifth and the first centuries B.C. by scribes employed by city […]
Japanese gardens
A science-fiction television series called Babylon 5 (still in reruns) included in its gigantic, eight-mile-long outer-space platform a Japanese stone garden where Earthlings and aliens could seek spiritual enlightenment and relax from the challenges of navigating deep space. That is, perhaps, a testimony to the popularity of Japanese gardens. And indeed, the Japanese islands themselves […]
Stalking the sustainable landscape
Ever wonder what would happen if you stopped mowing the grass or weeding the garden and just let nature take its course? Would the neighbors complain first, or would the bittersweet take over? Sometimes, when the work seems overwhelming or my need to dominate suddenly surrenders to the natural flow of things, I find it […]
The Wild Gardener
Whenever I see a calla lily, I’m reminded of a classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie scene: In a darkened theater, they effortlessly dance to a Gershwin tune, feet lightly tripping on a polished marble floor as they float past floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the fabled Manhattan skyline of the ’30s. That’s flower power! When […]
Music to move mountains
It’s not all about triathletes and rock climbers, or four-wheel sidewalk surfing and running mountain bikes into a parked car, y’know. The third annual Mountain Sports Festival (Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8, 2003) has 14 slots scheduled for live music, though at press time, only six acts had signed contracts (several other local […]
Better Luck Tomorrow
reviewed by Marci Miller Every now and then a movie comes out of nowhere and packs a whallop that’s all the more powerful because it’s so unexpected. So it is with Better Luck Tomorrow, a low-budget independent film with unknown actors that’s been creating big-heat buzz. Luck is dark, violent and shocking, a tale about […]
Daddy Day Care
reviewed by Marci Miller Hands down, the previews for Daddy Day Care have been the funniest to come along in ages. The prospect of adult males trying to deal all day with little kids whose sole purpose is the destruction of civilized life as we know it is a pretty amusing premise. In other words, […]
The Lizzie McGuire Movie
The Lizzie McGuire Movie is a brainless, frothy-fairy tale for young girls (though parents won’t feel tortured if they have to see it, too). The film is not going to do anybody any harm and will probably do the Italian Tourist Board a lot of good. In this movie version of the Disney TV series […]
Eating responsibly
You know you want it. So go ahead: After your regal repast at The Savoy on Wednesday, April 30, order yourself the Truffles Mi Amore. It begins with a smattering of fresh fruit (strawberries, grapes, kiwi) to prime the palate. Next, the savory “cheeses” — Danish blue, creamy walnut, black truffle — to remind you […]
Avoiding Life-lines
Although Wednesday is typically a slow night for dining out in Asheville, don’t chance it on April 30 (in other cities, Dining Out For Life restaurants do a booming business). Call ahead to reserve your seat at one of these 27 eateries. Asheville Independent Restaurant Association members are noted. • Anntony’s Caribbean Cafe (AIRA)1 Page […]
Rolling out the red carpet
Standing in the well-appointed lobby of the Inn at Biltmore Estate, state Sen. Steve Metcalf was considering the first 15 hours of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s three-day Legislative Weekend. “You’d be surprised how many members have never been west, have never come west,” offered Metcalf. “For a lot of reasons, they don’t have […]
Tax protesters barred from public property
On April 15 — three weeks after Police Chief Will Annarino closed the Vance Monument to anti-war protesters, citing safety issues — Vandy Kent, the supervisor of Asheville’s downtown post office, gave the same justification for forbidding anti-tax protesters to set foot on the property of that public facility. For years, peace activist Lola LaFey […]
Bar one
In the 25 years that O. Henry’s purveyed good spirits at 59 Haywood St., the club never took a day off, not once. “Even in blizzards, some bartender would trudge in and open it up,” recalls Pete Moyle, co-owner of the landmark institution (which moved to a freestanding, single-story building at 237 Haywood St. two […]
Notepad
Relatives of murder victims speak People who have experienced the horror of having a family member murdered will gather to discuss their experiences on Sunday, April 27, 4-6 p.m. at Beth Israel Synagogue (229 Murdock Ave.) in Asheville. A panel of five surviving relatives will convene for “Justice Dialogues: Listening to the Personal Stories of […]