ASHEVILLE NC – The Writers at Home spring series concludes with readings by contributors to recent issues of “The Great Smokies Review,” the online literary magazine published by UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program. This event is free and open to the public and begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café, 55 Haywood St., Asheville.
Pete Solet and Pam Ruatto will read short stories set in New York City and Shishmaref, Alaska. Bon Parker will read an excerpt from her memoir featuring her weekend at Woodstock in 1969. UNC Asheville senior Caitlin Donovan will read from a piece that has just won the university’s Wilma Dykeman nonfiction award. Jerry Willis, Nina Hart, and Jean Cassidy will read their poetry, and Mark Prudowsky will discuss the serendipity of being both a poet and an electrician. Current and past issues of “The Great Smokies Review” are available online via this link.
The Writers at Home Series is sponsored by UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program. After this final Writers at Home event of the spring, the series will resume in the fall with 3 p.m. readings the third Sunday of each month at Malaprop’s. For more information, visit the program website or call 828/.250.2353.
ASHEVILLE NC – WHAT: LEAF | Lake Eden Arts Festival WHEN: May 10-13, 2012 WHERE: at Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain, NC.
LEAF Celebrates the Blues with Their 34th Festival Performing Arts Lineup
LEAF is excited to Celebrate the Blues at Spring LEAF 2012, taking place May 10-13, 2012 in Black Mountain, NC. Headlining the 34th twice-annual festival are blues legend Taj Mahal, afrobeat progeny Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, and New Orleans institution Preservation Hall Jazz Band. In addition to Taj Mahal, several other artists will be helping to celebrate blues traditions (with support in part by a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. Art Works), including The Wood Brothers, Corey Harris & The Rasta Blues Experience, David Bromberg, Gaye Adegbalola (formerly with Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women), The Shane Pruitt Band and Music Maker Relief Foundation artists Captain Luke and Cool John Ferguson.
From the dark, smoky clubs of Chicago & St. Louis, all the way down through the Hill Country and into the bayous of the Deep South, you’ll be introduced to an sampling of Blues artists, intermingled with the diversity of cultural names and faces you’ve come to love at LEAF - The Golden Dragon Acrobats (China), Sarazino(Ecuador), The Nuala Kennedy Band (Ireland), and Msafiri Zawose (Tanzania). Rounding out the top of the lineup are dance-pop-meets-afrobeat sensations Rubblebucket, bhangra funk masters Red Baraat, North Carolina folkies The Red Clay Ramblers, Americana up-and comers The Black Lillies, and world-renowned DJ King Britt presenting his Sister Gertrude Morgan multimedia experience.
This lineup is the soundtrack to a diverse weekend festival experience that also includes a juried art show; over 50 free healing arts workshops; a dance hall with plenty of contra, salsa, swing, and professional instruction; outdoor adventures with camping and lake activities; the LEAFlet Kids Village, with two stages and an extraordinary amount of activities; a Poetry Slam with $1000+ in prize money; great food, plenty of vendors, and much more. LEAF’s Blue Ridge Mountain setting is spectacular, and the event is truly magical. LEAF is a family and friend tradition that “recharges our batteries” twice a year.
New to LEAF this May is “HayMow – A Raised Art Experience”. HayMow, in the historic Black Mountain College Barns, will feature four visual outsider artists who will showcase and sell their works of “Uncommon Art,” conduct workshops, and hold conversations with the underlying philosophy of folklore as action. This spring’s first league of HayMow artists features Lamar Sorrento of Memphis, who will be honoring Robert Johnson’s 100th birthday celebration, as part of LEAF’s Blues focus.
LEAF is a non-profit organization established to build community and enrich lives through the Arts – locally and globally – with festivals, community events, and arts in education programs. LEAF’s mission is Connecting Cultures & Creating Community Through Music & Arts. LEAF’s three branches include the twice-a-year festival, LEAF in Schools & Streets, and LEAF International.
ASHEVILLE NC – The growing season is nearing full swing in WNC and the Southern Appalachians. Tailgate markets are opening, restaurants are featuring local food, and roadside stands are overflowing with local strawberries, while many family farms are offering them for picking. To help local food lovers find and support these farms and businesses—this spring and beyond—ASAP is releasing their 2012 Local Food Guide. The guide is a core component of ASAP’s decade-long Local Food Campaign; more than one million copies have been distributed since 2002.
In celebration, ASAP is hosting a Local Food Guide release party May 20 from 2 until 6 pm at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville. The event is an opportunity to pick up the 2012 guide hot off the press, enjoy giveaways and music by local act Vollie & Kari and the Wildcats, taste farm-fresh dishes prepared by Asheville’s popular local food truck Gypsy Queen Cuisine, and welcome the growing season with other local food enthusiasts. The party is also a chance to pick up the second edition of the Local Food Guide for Kids created by ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School Program.
This year’s Local Food Guide includes more tailgate market and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) listings than ever before, and articles about current tailgate and CSA trends. The guide also includes newly opened area restaurants committed to sourcing local food, along with listings of grocers, artisan food producers and bakers, B&Bs and farm lodging, wineries, and more—as well as additional articles about the area’s thriving local food movement.
The release party is free and open to the public. Early bird attendees will receive one of ASAP’s “Certified local” t-shirts free while supplies last. For more information, visit ASAP’s community website, fromhere.org. Those unable to attend can browse the latest listings online at appalachiangrown.org. Print copies will be distributed after the event to 400+ locations, listed on the guide page of asapconnections.org. A digital version to read or download will also be available there.
Biltmore, Greenlife Grocery, Progress Energy, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and Risk Management Agency are the guide’s major sponsors.
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work, visit asapconnections.org, or call (828) 236-1282.
ASHEVILLE NC – Wildflower Whimsy will be held this Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 at the Highlands Biological Station to celebrate the Highlands Botanical Garden’s 50th anniversary. The event will feature Patrick McMillan, the host, co-creator, and writer of the popular and award-winning ETV nature program Expeditions with Patrick McMillan.
Patrick’s qualifications make him a great keynote speaker for this celebration. As a professional naturalist, biologist, and educator, he has extensive experience in botany. He is the director of the Campbell Museum of Natural History at Clemson University as well as the interim director of the South Carolina Botanical Gardens. His intense interest in natural history, which he attributes to his grandmother, has taken him all over the world
On Saturday, May 12, participants of Wildflower Whimsy will have the opportunity to hear Patrick McMillan talk about one of the world’s great centers of temperature biodiversity: our own back yards here on the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment. Join Patrick as he takes an in-depth look at this often overlooked region of the Appalachians that harbors species that have long-since disappeared from the rest of the continent. This is the heart of the most diverse temperate broad-leaved forest on the continent! Patrick’s talk, titled “The Southern Blue Ridge: Crucible of Life” will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 12. Registration for Saturday includes a wildflower walk, lunch, the chance to bid on silent auction items while listening to live music and enjoying a reception and cash bar, and, of course, the opportunity to hear Patrick McMillan’s talk. Cost is $50 for members and $60 for non-members.
If you can’t make it on Saturday, join us on Friday, May 11 from 5pm to 8pm, free of charge. Friday’s events are certain to be a lot of fun, with illuminated trails and photographic installations in the Garden. Sip on a drink or grab a plate of hors d’oeuvres and join a guided tour of the Highlands Botanical Garden and see it as you’ve never seen it before. And if you’re interested in spring ephemerals and the history of the garden, Clay Bolt, co-founder of Meet Your Neighbours, and Dr. James T. Costa, Director of the Highlands Biological Station, are sure to grab your attention with their talks that night. Finally, the silent auction will open and all bids are welcome.
For more information, call (828) 526-2221 or visit highlandsbiological.org/wildflower-whimsy. Hosted by the Highlands Biological Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
ASHEVILLE NC – With the primary election around the corner, don’t wait to find your voting location! You can call 250-4200 anytime day or night OR access the new mobile site by scanning the code below or online at voter.buncombecounty.org.
ASHEVILLE NC – This series of classes is open to anyone who is interested in living tobacco free! A trained facilitator will conduct the American Lung Association’s “Freedom From Smoking” program, one of the most successful group cessation programs based on years of research and experience.
May 8 – June 19 from 11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Weekly Tuesday classes throughout the course (on Week 4, there will be a Tuesday and Thursday class)
YWCA of Asheville (Gathering Room), 185 South French Broad Avenue, Asheville, NC
ASHEVILLE NC – West Asheville‘s Center for Holistic Medicine celebrated its 4th anniversary by giving away $14,000 in free treatments, bringing on three new practitioners, and adding five new therapies! The Center celebrated its anniversary with a special that gave anyone who signed up during the month of April a free treatment. They ran this special to thank the community for their support and for voting them Best of Western North Carolina three years in a row. By the end of the month over 200 people had signed up, bringing the tally to over $14,000 in free treatments given away!
During the special Licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Herbalist, and Center founder, Nancy Hyton, was busy interviewing practitioners to expand the Center’s offerings. “Since I founded the Center four years ago I have become more and more aware of the growing demand for holistic therapies and a general trend in the field towards professional group practices,” says Nancy. In addition to Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Therapeutic Massage and Osteopathy, the Center now offers Nutrition and Lifestyle Counseling, Chiropractic, Biofeedback, Guided Imagery, and Reiki Energy Healing. She adds, “We are very excited to continue our mission of collaboration and quality care, rounding out the variety of services that we offer. The response the Center has been very positive and we wouldn’t be able to grow like this if it wasn’t for popularity of holistic medicine and the overwhelming support of our community.” New practitioner Ashley Pool, who does nutrition and lifestyle counseling says, “I am excited to join a team of diverse professionals who work together to provide the community with so many different, complimentary therapies all under one roof.”
About the Center for Holistic Medicine
The Center for Holistic Medicine is located at 779 Haywood Road in downtown West Asheville, 28806. It has been open for four years and has been voted Best of WNC three years in a row. The Center was founded by Acupuncturist and Herbalist Nancy Hyton who has a special interest in working with health care practitioners from other fields. In addition to Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Therapeutic Massage and Osteopathy, the Center now offers Nutrition and Lifestyle Counseling, Chiropractic, Biofeedback, Guided Imagery, and Reiki Energy Healing. The Center’s website is http://www.centerholistic.com
ASHEVILLE NC – The Health Adventure is proud to announce the opening of its traveling exhibit, “Healthier Ever After” on Friday, May 11. Developed by The Children’s Museum of Cleveland and fabricated by Benchmark Craftsmen, “Healthier Ever After ” is an interactive, immersive fairytale forest. Children maneuver through this make-believe forest overcoming obstacles as they exercise their bodies and learn healthy nutrition facts in a fun, playful manner. In doing so, everyone experiencing this exhibit will learn to live “healthier ever after.”
Imaginative components of this traveling exhibit include:
Stretching Station – Begin your journey by warming and stretching your muscles. Here children (and adults) can do jumping jacks, trunk twists, arm windmills, and more!
Move & Groove Meadow – Get your body moving by dancing, shaking, shimmying, jumping and skipping to high-energy tunes.
Crocodile Crossing – Children will test their balance as they cross an imaginary creek, all the while avoiding the crocs by walking on beams or hopping and jumping across stepping stones.
Pedal Pond – Strength and endurance are the focus of this component. Children will paddle a boat, cross a bridge, and when completed, can cast a line into the pond and try their hand at catching a fish.
Healthier Ever After Castle – While exploring the nearly 10-foot high, 2-story castle, children will get their hearts pumping as they climb stairs, jump over a bridge, go down a slide and raise a flag signaling their successful completion of all the castle challenges.
Goodness Grove – Between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables are recommended every day. In this make-believe orchard, children can pick, choose and sort their favorites as they eat their way through the alphabet.
Additional components will teach children about how to eat a balanced meal, the food pyramid, the bodies need for water, and proper portion sizes.
The Health Adventure is proud to present this exhibit focusing on nutrition and wellness. As a regional health and science museum for over 44 years, The Health Adventure believes traveling exhibits like “Healthier Ever After” bring important educational opportunities to western North Carolina for our families and children to experience without having to go to major cities elsewhere.
About The Health Adventure:
The Health Adventure is now located in the Biltmore Square Mall off of I-26 at Exit 33. Providing our community with science and health education for over 44 years, The Health Adventure is an accredited museum and is a non-profit 501(c)(3). The Health Adventure is a proud partner of Park Ridge Health. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 am-8 pm and on Sundays from 12:30-6 pm. Regular admission is free for children under 2; $6.50 for children 2-16; $7.50 for seniors and $9.50 for adults. Annual memberships are available at various levels beginning at $75 for the entire family for a year of free admission. For more information visit thehealthadventure.org or call 828.665.2217.
ASHEVILLE NC – Western North Carolina’s farmers and chefs are out to prove that lettuce can be a lofty vegetable. Farmers grow dozens of colorful, flavorful types and varieties—from Bibb to Romaine and Black Seeded Simpson to Lolla Rosa. Chefs embrace these offerings, even lesser-known heirlooms, and elevate them in all types of dishes. Farmers and chefs are joining with ASAP’s May Get Local initiative to encourage showing lettuces love.
The flavor of lettuce is at its peak while some cool weather remains, making May a perfect time for the veggie to stand in the spotlight. Peter Pollay, executive chef and co-owner of Posana Cafe in downtown Asheville, highlights several varieties’ bold flavors in salads on his menu—often featuring them with other local ingredients, like cheeses and strawberries. But, he’s not afraid to grill or sauté the salad standard as well.
That means there’s no telling how Pollay will feature local lettuces on his Appalachian Grown dinner menu Thursday, May 10. The special local menu is in celebration of the restaurant’s anniversary and ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School Program, a program he is passionate about. Diners can order local specials from 5 until 9 pm; 100 percent of proceeds from the evening’s menu will benefit ASAP’s Growing Minds.
Of course, local lettuces also abound at area tailgate markets and groceries now—as full heads and bagged salad mixes. To find a list of area farmers growing lettuce, as well groceries and tailgates stocking their products, search ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at buyappalachian.org. There, also find more restaurants getting local and serving lettuces this month and beyond.
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work, visit asapconnections.org, or call (828) 236-1282.
Cost: $19 for Adults, $3 for Annual Passholders, $10 for Youth (ages 6-15), $2 for Grady’s Kids Club Members (includes Park admission for the day)
Celebrate Mother’s Day surrounded by blooming wildflowers on a beautiful spring hike. Bring your daughters, girl friends or the whole family! On a quest to see a dazzling variety of Park wildflowers, be prepared to walk up to a couple miles with frequent stops to study in detail some of the Park’s 700+ species of known plants. Bring a camera – you’ll have a chance to photograph some flowers along the way! Meet wildflower photographer Steven Faucette for the hike in front of Cliff Dwellers Gifts at 1pm.
ASHEVILLE NC – The Writers at Home spring series concludes with readings by contributors to recent issues of “The Great Smokies Review,” the online literary magazine published by UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program. This event is free and open to the public and begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café, 55 Haywood St., Asheville.
