Van life: What happens when the road leads to Asheville?

Rising housing costs, a longing for travel, the opportunity to leverage technology to work remotely: It’s not any one trend alone that’s driving a resurgence of interest in life on the road. Our correspondent looks at the van life phenomenon through the lens of its connections to Asheville and Western North Carolina.

Washington Post: Asheville’s ‘more than just the foothills’ of Southern cuisine

Asheville was recently visited by The Washington Post, spawning a post in the Post’s travel section titled “Postcard From Tom: Asheville’s more than just the foothills of Southern cuisine.” The writer, Tom Sietsema, raved about three Asheville dining locations, Ben’s Tune-Up, Rhubarb and Table. In Asheville, which the writer originally claimed was “the Jan Brady” of the Southern restaurant […]

Connecting with Cuba: A celebratio­n and discussion in Asheville

In the last six months, dozens of Asheville travelers have visited Cuba, creating growing connections between the local area and the island nation. And on April 22 members of those local delegations are hosting an event that aims to help bridge the divide between our different cultures and communities. Featuring live Cuban music and art […]

Travel plans

Wes Tirey, a Black Mountain based musician, is taking his music overseas for the first time this coming January. He plans to use the profits from his name-your-price EP, “False Idols,” to fund his trip. Photo by Emma Master.

The Beat: Getting the Statehouse in order

A look at what’s been making headlines: The North Carolina General Assembly continued to claim the spotlight last week as Republicans took control of both the House and Senate for the first time in more than a century. In other political news, Rep. Heath Shuler made waves by getting appointed to the powerful House Committee on the Budget. He also got made fun of in the famed Doonesbury comic strip. And in national attention of a different sort, news outlets nationwide reported that Fodors listed Asheville as a top travel destination.

Curiously enough

“Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.” — Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle Some aspects of Western North Carolina’s grand past and glorious present are known across the country and, indeed, all around this big blue marble. But we won’t bother with them. Instead, we’re here to report on what lurks out on the fringe. […]