Revolutionary carrots? Transformational potatoes? After a talk with Sister Miriam Therese MacGillis, the spiritual aspect of food seems less an esoteric abstraction than an everyday delight. Restoring the connection between earth, food and humans is not only Sister MacGillis’ personal mission, it’s her job (she’s the director of Genesis Farm, a 180-acre educational center and […]

“I began shopping in the local natural-food store there in Idaho, befriended the owners, and learned how to pronounce some of the exotic products. Months later, I called home and asked my mom if anyone had started a natural-food store while I was gone, and soon I was making plans to return to Asheville and […]

Mo better trails “I may as well have driven to Australia,” says Betty Hurst of HandMade in America, talking about the 12,000 miles she drove through the North Carolina mountains in the course of updating The Craft Heritage Trails of Western North Carolina. “But it was worth it,” she adds. “We revisited everybody’s place and […]

“It’s really critical for them to understand what this community looks like, feels like.” — Laura Copeland, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce As the latest session of the N.C. General Assembly cranks up, there’s been no shortage of efforts to bend legislators’ ears about local concerns. But the strategies employed vary widely — and so […]

Asheville is going to the dogs … and that’s not a bad thing. Dogs hereabouts have access to a range of services and perks that would make most canines choke on their dog biscuits. Sure, other towns have pet shops and even pet warehouse outlets. But how many boast an entire store devoted to canine […]

My first solo excursion into Chinatown was in San Francisco. It was a dizzying adventure marked by sidewalk stalls hawking everything from velvet slippers and porcelain tea sets to dim sum and plucked chickens hung up by their feet. At that point, my only trips “abroad” had been to Canada, but I knew without a […]

A resource for cancer patients “People need to know we’re here to help them,” proclaims Lynda Bock, campaign manager for the local chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “If they don’t know that we’re here, then we’re just wasting our time and spinning our wheels in Asheville and Western North Carolina.” Bock is passionate […]

Weekend events say no to war “President Bush says war will stamp out terrorism. But to map the ‘war on terrorism’ is to map the world’s oil,” declares Bob Wing, editor of the national newspaper War Times. Wing will be in town to dialogue with local activists at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville. “Organizing […]

In Part 1 of this story (“On the waterfront,” Sept. 25 Xpress), we described how exaggerated fears about property rights sank the French Broad River’s nomination for federal American Heritage Rivers designation. Part 2 takes a broader look at the far-reaching effects of a coordinated campaign of anti-environmental propaganda. How does a giant mining, timber, […]

Nashville to Hendersonville II — a celebration for Michael Carlisle Last December, more than a dozen accomplished Nashville musicians journeyed to Hendersonville to play a benefit concert for Henderson County native Michael Carlisle, who’s been a performer and studio musician in Nashville for the last 20 years. Carlisle has been suffering from kidney failure due […]

“Whereas we cannot make a blade of grass, there is liable not to be a blade of grass unless it is accepted, fostered and protected by humans. Protected mainly from ourselves so that the Earth can function.” — Thomas Berry,The Great Work Cultural historian/eco-philosopher Thomas Berry speaks in a low and sometimes tremulous voice. But […]

Weighing war With the threat of an American invasion of Iraq looming on the horizon, many citizens are trying to figure out the rhyme and reason of such a decision. Hear one person’s perspective when Retired Brigadier General C. Jerome Jones presents “War Against Iraq? — Who Will Decide? Who Will Fight? Who Will Win?” […]

Bridging the racial divide This month, Building Bridges — a seminar aimed at confronting and overcoming racism in our community — gears up for its 19th program since 1993. But after all this time, is a program still necessary? “I’m afraid so,” replies Building Bridges co-chairKathey Avery-Hoover. “This is one of the few ways that […]

“We all pretty much dance the cosmos — for me, it’s more of an intuitive process.” — Anni Paisley You know the feeling. You’re walking downtown and you see a familiar face — someone you don’t know but recognize because he or she is a local fixture. Downtown Asheville’s streets and shops are buzzing with […]

Climb every mountain Businesses often celebrate their grand opening by cutting a symbolic ribbon in front of their store. But Sharon Frazier decided to take the tradition to new heights, marking the launch of her business, Mountains To Climb, with a July 13 ribbon cutting atop Mount Pisgah. Mountains to Climb, explains Frazier, is a […]

Celebrating all that’s Scottish If you feel inclined to don a kilt this month or flip a heavy wooden pole (called a caber in Scotland) as far as you can, you’re not the only one — there’s definitely something Gaelic in the air about now. Last week, it was the 47th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland […]