Eight Ways to Beat the Summer Heat

Escape the Summer Heat with an Asheville Adventure.

High temperatures are making waves across the country (heat waves that is). People everywhere are beginning to hole away in the safety of their air-conditioned home, but it doesn't have to be that way. You can still enjoy the great outdoors despite the hot weather with an escape to the Asheville mountains. Choose from these eight adventures when planning your summer vacation.

1. Secret Swimming Holes - Asheville's back yard is full of refreshing mountain streams. Take the plunge into one of the best swimming holes in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can supersize your experience with a visit to Sliding Rock, the king of all swimming holes.

2. Waterfall Hunting - Hundreds of waterfalls dot the mountain landscape and many of them come with a built-in plunge pool at the base. Choose your own adventure or head out to one of our favorite waterfalls in the region. Just be careful - waterfalls can be extremely dangerous. Never climb to the top or attempt to look over the edge from above. Currents can be swift and rocks are incredibly slick.

3. Beer City - It's not as trip to Asheville without the perfect pint of locally crafted brew. With over 50 local beers on tap from our ten+ breweries, you'll discover why we're a hop-head Nirvana.

4. Navitat Canopy Adventures - Have it made in the shade on this zipline adventure. Take in the panoramic views while you soar 200 feet in the air on  one of the greatest canopy tours in the nation.

5. Altitude Affects Attitude -  Get your head in the clouds atop Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Enjoy a plethora of hiking trails and one amazing panoramic view. At an elevation of 6,684 feet you'll experience temperatures 10-30 degrees lower than Asheville.

6. We All Scream For Ice Cream - We're not talking about your box of Neapolitan from the grocery store. No way! In Asheville we shake it up, with flavors like Highland Mocha Stout, Mango Lime Chili and Salted Caramel. Locals love the one-of-a-kind flavors from ice cream shops like The Hop and Ultimate Ice Cream. 

7. Splasheville - Downtown Asheville's interactive water fountain acts more like a giant water gun. You can try to dodge the arching sprays of water, but odds are, you're going to get soaked.  Let the summer sun dry you off while relaxing on the rolling green field that Pack Square Park provides. The fountain runs from 8 AM through 8 PM.

8. Make Some Waves - Find yourself immersed in a whitewater adventure. Rivers in Asheville range from tame to wild and you can make the scenic journey downstream via tube, raft or kayak.

Book your outdoor adventure and save with one of these special deals!

Life Behind Chocolate Bars

French Broad Chocolates Opens Factory and Tasting Room.

Jael and Dan Rattigan

The owners of French Broad Chocolates are finding new ways to give you a taste of the sweet life. Dan and Jael Rattigan, creators of the popular French Broad Chocolate Lounge, have been hard at work building their newest dream, a chocolate factory, complete with a solar cacao bean roaster. 

Bean-to-bar Chocolate 

“We are excited to share with you the transformation of a beat-up, old warehouse into our beautiful, bean-to-bar chocolate factory and tasting room,” says Jael. “This is the culmination of years of dreaming and scheming of cacao, beginning 8 years ago when we purchased a cacao farm in Costa Rica. We’re expecting our first harvest this fall!” 

The Factory will produce a new line of artisan, bean-to-bar chocolate bars, including single origin dark chocolates, milk chocolate, and chocolate bars with inclusions such as organic coffee, salt, organic nuts, and malt powder from Asheville-based Riverbend Malt House. The cacao will be hand-sorted, winnowed in a machine designed and built in-house, and refined in a stone melangeur. Bulk chocolate will be available for chefs. Already, nibs and cocoa shells are being used by local brewers, including Pisgah Brewing and Green Man. We will be rolling out our initial collection of bars for wholesale within a month.

An important and exciting development for the Rattigans, is the ability to supply the chocolate for their own line of artisan truffles, caramels, and pastries available at their popular dessert restaurant, French Broad Chocolate Lounge and on their website. 

“We are constantly scrutinizing the integrity of our ingredients, and with chocolate being the heart and soul of our business, we felt we could do better,” says Jael. “Our goal is to use only our own bean-to-bar chocolate in our confections, pastries, and drinking chocolates.” They already use their bean-to-bar chocolate in several items. They will be one of a handful of chocolatiers in the world to be bean-to-bar-to-truffle.

Solar Cacao Roaster

With the opening of the new factory comes the unveiling of their prototype parabolic trough solar cacao roaster, designed and built by Dan Rattigan. The goal of the roaster is to precisely roast cocoa beans using only the concentrated rays of the sun. 

The idea: solar radiation reaches the earth in rays that are basically parallel. Parallel lines reflecting on a parabola intersect to a focal point. On a parabolic trough, the focal point becomes a focal line. If a roasting drum is set to tumble with its axis on the focal line of the parabolic trough, and the trough is lined with a reflective material, solar radiation will be concentrated on the roasting drum, acting as the drum roaster’s heating element. 

This is the first cocoa bean roaster of its kind. Dan adapted the design from a peanut roaster made for use in developing countries by an Appropriate Technologies non-profit. Dan’s design has added a photovoltaic-powered gearmotor for turning the drum, a thermostatically-controlled cooling fan to remove excessive heat, and a solar water heater for use when the oven is not in operation.

The Tasting Room

The Tasting Room will host educational classes and chocolate pairing events. “Cacao is literally foreign to most of us, being from the tropics,” says Dan Rattigan. “It’s traditionally a very secretive industry, as dramatized in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. We want to demystify cacao - what it is, and how chocolate is made.” Tours of the factory will be available to the general public.

Farm-Direct Cacao

Dan and Jael believe the best way to get farmers the compensation they deserve is by establishing direct relationships with them. This can encourage farming methods that will improve the value of their products, increasing their profitability while procuring a better ingredient. Dan and Jael went on a sourcing expedition to Peru in 2011, and met with farmers and cooperatives, yielding their first direct importation of cacao. In Costa Rica, they purchased and are restoring an abandoned cacao farm, and helping a Costa Rican friend build a fermentary. They hope to make their first purchase of this cacao this fall.

Want to go?

The new French Broad Chocolate Factory is located at 21 Buxton Avenue in downtown Asheville. Visit their website for more information.

Play Me That Mountain Music

Shindig on the Green Celebrates 46 Years.

Every summer, downtown Asheville experiences a joyous celebration of traditional and old-time string bands, bluegrass, ballad singers, big circle mountain dancers and cloggers. Shindig on the Green is a popular Saturday evening event that includes a stage show plus informal jam sessions scattered around Pack Square Park. 

Bring a lawn chair or blanket, family and friends. The performance schedule is June 30; July 7, 14, 21; August 11, 18, 25; and September 1, 2012. This event is free to all.

Learn more about Shindig on the Green.

New Concert Series! RiverMUSIC

New Belgium Brewing and RiverLink Present Asheville's Newest Festival.

Dance under the stars next to the beautiful French Broad River. RiverMUSIC, a new summer concert series in Asheville's River Arts District, kicks off this Friday, June 29, beginning at 5:00 PM. The concert takes place at 144 Riverside Drive at the RiverLInk Sculpture and Performance Plaza.

There will be New Belgium beer, a variety of good eats provided by your favorite Asheville food trucks and the waters of the beautiful French Broad flowing right by the stage. Best of all, these events are FREE to the public. Bring your lawn chair and picnic basket and enjoy the view of the French Broad River at RiverMUSIC!

2012 Concert Schedule:

Friday June 29: From Brooklyn, NY, the 10-piece styling of Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, with special guests The Krektones and the Mad Tea Party.

Friday July 13: Bluegrass on the river with Sanctum Sully and special guests Bobby Miller & The Virginia Daredevils. 

Friday August 3: An evening with The 42nd Street Jazz Band. 

Friday August 24: Sirius B. with special guests The Blood Gypsies. 

Friday September 14: Purveyors of the funk, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band with special guests The Fritz.

Bring Guy Fieri to Asheville

Asheville Area Restaurants Attempt To Woo Guy Fieri.

Guy Fieri: Image Source

A group of restaurateurs in Asheville have banded together in attempts to bring Guy Fieri, host of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, to the mountains. 

Here's what Tupelo Honey Cafe, one of the sponsors of this initiative, had to say about their invitation to the culinary celeb:

Asheville, NC, has an amazingly creative and talented culinary scene. It’s also diverse with everything from Indian street food to vegan to French to our innovative take on Southern at Tupelo Honey. We also have an incredible community of independent restaurants. The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association has over 60 members, and our Foodtopian Society is proud of our independent streak. 

So, all of us at Tupelo thought, “We should shine a light on our food town!” We got together with our friends at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Bouchon and Luella’s (thinking that was a pretty good representation of the diversity of foods in our community) and put a Guy Fieri invitation-to-come-to-Asheville care package together.

Now it’s your turn! If you believe, as we do, that Guy needs to come to Asheville, please post on our FB page, on YOUR FB page and on Guy’s FB page. Re-post and forward this blog. Shout it from the mountaintops, get out your semaphore flags, send out a psychic message. 

 Help us get Guy to Asheville! And thank you!

Pimento Cheese Lovers Unite!

Tupelo Honey Cafe Now Delivers Pimento Cheese To Your Door.

The pimento cheese at Tupelo Honey Cafe has always been a must-try dish when visiting Asheville, but now the popular eatery is "spreading" the love far and wide. They recently launched the Pimento Club in celebration of this southern staple. You can read all about it in Garden & Gun Magazine which recently featured Tupelo's popular recipe. The following in an excerpt from that story...

Since Asheville’s Tupelo Honey Café first opened its doors in 2000, its house-made pimento cheese has earned a loyal local following. So it seemed only natural for Tupelo to spread the pimento love outside the café. Newly launched, its Pimento Cheese of the Month Club does just that by sending subscribers an edible care package from the Blue Ridge Mountains every other month for a year. Read full story here.

Getting hungry for some pimento cheese? Make your own!

Get Tupelo Honey Cafe's Pimento Cheese Recipe!

Moogfest: Save the Date

Moogfest Announces 2012 Concert Dates. 

Just announced, Moogfest 2012 will be Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27 in downtown Asheville, NC. 

The full line-up will be announced in mid-July via their Facebook and Twitter account. Also, be sure to pay attention on Monday, June 25 for a special, separately ticketed concert announcement, which, as a Moogfest fan, we know you'll be thrilled about. 

Sign up for Moogfest newsletter for pre-sale opportunities. 

Learn more about Moog Music in Asheville.

Sunrise Over Craggy Gardens

Photo of the Day: Gorgeous Sunrise Over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

This stunning photo of the sunrise shining on rhododendron in full bloom shows off the true beauty found in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jared Kay snapped this beautiful shot at Craggy Gardens, just north of Asheville. It was also included in our recent time lapse video, which you have to see to believe. Check out the other photos in this collection here.

Do you have a photo you would like to submit for consideration in our Photo of the Day series? Send a high res version to dholston@exploreasheville.com.

Moonshine Madness

Doubletree Biltmore Hotel Hosts Local Moonshine Tasting.

The TreeHouse Lounge at the Doubletree Biltmore Hotel in Asheville, will be partnering with Troy and Sons Distillery for Moonshine Madness, an evening of still and southern spreads on Thursday, June 28 from 5:30 -7:30 pm in the ballroom and outdoor terrace of the Doubletree Biltmore Hotel.

The event will feature Troy and Sons Moonshine, paired with Doubletree Catering cuisine and live bluegrass music. Charlie Ball, master distiller at Troy and Sons, along with members of his staff, will be in attendance to showcase their product and discuss the evolution of moonshine. Doubletree executive chef Dan Moore will be creating three signature Troy and Sons moonshine cocktails, each complimented by his southern fare menu using local products. 

Advanced tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Doubletree front desk or at Troy and Sons Distillery. Tickets be also be available at the door for $25.

Learn more about Asheville's moonshine legacy.

Blue Ridge Bliss

Readers of Conde Nast Traveler Rank Asheville Spas Top in the U.S.

Considered by many to be the "land of bliss," Asheville has multiple ways for you to unwind from the stress of every day life... including our world class spas! But don't just take our word for it. The readers of Conde Nast Traveler have spoken, and ranked two of Asheville's spa destinations among the highest.

The Spa at Grove Park Inn Resort - Rated among the top 100 resort spas in the U.S. mainland.
Why you'll love it: Mineral pools with underwater music, an outdoor hot tub, and waterfall massages. Book a treatment!

Inn on Biltmore Estate Spa - Rated among the top 75 hotel spas in the U.S. mainland.
Why you'll love it: Elegant treatment rooms designed in true Biltmore fashion. Book a treatment!


- Learn more about spas and wellness in Asheville.
- Book a spa vacation package!

Asheville Fans Only: Free iPad Giveaway

Share the Asheville Love and Win!

We're conducting a new contest exclusive to our Asheville fans. One lucky winner will take home a brand new iPad! Want to win?

1. Click the link below.

2. Watch the video and enter your information.

3. Share it with your friends.

Good luck!

Enter Here!

Win Tickets for The Killers

The Orange Peel Hosts Ticket Contest for The Killers.

Tickets to see The Killers perform live at The Orange Peel go on sale today, Friday, June 15, starting at noon. It's predicted that tickets will sell out fast (aka instantly) so get ready for some stiff competition. The concert is slated for Thursday, July 19.

Even if you do strike out at the box office, don't despair. With a little luck you might win the two tickets up for grabs via The Orange Peel's online contest. As a bonus you'll also get overnight accommodations at the Doubletree by Hilton Biltmore.

Enter here!

 

Movie in the Meadows

The Last of the Mohicans Returns to Chimney Rock for 20th Anniversary.

It’s not often that movie fans get to watch their favorite flick where it was filmed. For the 20th anniversary of The Last of the Mohicans, Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park will be presenting the movie outdoors on a 43-foot screen this Saturday, June 16, 2012 starting at 8:45 p.m.

Enjoy this outdoor movie experience surrounded by the towering rock cliffs and 404-foot waterfall that appear in the epic 1992 blockbuster. Prior to the film's screening, you can enjoy other activities in the park, including one-hour guided hikes: two at 3:15 p.m. and two at 4:45 p.m., to see the filming locations. 

Special event parking on the Meadows begins at 7:30 p.m. and is $5 per car, or guests can show their June 16 Park admission receipt for complimentary parking. Advance $3 parking tickets are available only at the Ingles Market in Lake Lure now until June 15. 

More event details at www.chimneyrockpark.com.

Vote Asheville Best River Town

Outside Magazine Hosts Online Poll For Top River Towns.

Help Asheville grace the cover of Outdoor Magazine's 35th anniversary issue! The publication is currently conducting a Facebook poll and they want you to vote for America's best river town. Asheville has made the top ten list of finalists and we need your help to take home the win!

As an incentive to vote, they are giving away a free five-day adventure to one of the finalist cities.

Vote for Asheville!

Windy Hollow

Photo of the Day: Pink Skies Over Fairview. 

This beautiful shot of the evening skies over Fairview (a community to the southeast of Asheville) was submitted by the talented Laurie Johnson, who had to run across a field to capture this image. While Laurie's primary photography focus is portraiture, she also has a good eye for landscapes. Check out some her other photos here.

Want to submit a photo for consideration as our photo of the day? Email your image to dholston@exploreasheville.com.

Travel to the Beat of a Different Drum

Asheville Percussion Festival Kicks Off This Weekend.

The first annual Asheville Percussion Festival will take place June 8th-10th, 2012 at the Creative Technology and Arts Center - Odyssey School in Asheville, NC. The mission is to provide a creative environment where percussionists of all traditions gather to explore, create and innovate. 

The festival will be hosted by Asheville's ambassador to rhythm River Guerguerian. Workshop topics for all levels include performing, improvising, and composing taught by world-renowned teachers such as Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon's percussionist), David Cossin (who tours with STING) and other local and regional teachers. Following the workshops will be concerts for the community on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm.


See other Asheville events happening this week!

Asheville on CBS This Morning

CBS This Morning Spotlights Asheville's Burgeoning Moonshine Scene.

Tune in to CBS This Morning tomorrow, Thursday, June 7, from 7:00 - 9:00 AM for a special feature on Asheville's moonshine legacy as well as the craft distillery industry in North Carolina.

Lee Woodruff, a features correspondant for the popular morning show, visited with Troy Ball, the nation's first female corn whisky/moonshine distiller. During Woodruff's visit, they toured the McEntire farm where the rare heirloom corn used in Ball's moonshine has been grown for generations. Plus they visited Curate, one of Asheville's hottest eateries for a mixology lesson in moonshine cocktails. Look for them all tomorrow morning!

Here are some behind the scenes shots from Woodruff's recent visit. 

From left to right: @AshevilleTravel, @TroyandSons and @leemwoodruff

Learn more about Asheville's moonshine legacy!

WNC Chefs Challenge Enters Semi-Finals

WNC Chefs Challenge Reaches the Semi-Finals Stage.

The date has been set, the chefs are ready, and the tickets are on sale! The WNC Chefs Challenge has whittled down the competition from 14 chefs to four and only one of those will be crowned the 2012 champion.
 
The final Chefs Challenge competition will take place Thursday, August 23, and tickets are not yet available. However, you still have time to secure a seat for one of these semi-final events:

• August 14th: Nate Allen from Knife & Fork VS Jason Roy from LAB (buy tickets)  

• August 16th: David Ryba from Inn on Biltmore VS Stewart Lyon from BOCA (buy tickets)  

Dinner guests will receive six courses (3 from each team) and will participate in scoring the dishes to determine the winner of the Chef Challenge Semi-finals. Special wines are selected based on the "Secret" ingredient and are available for purchase along with beers and cocktails.

Baby Red Wolves

Video of the Day: Adorable Red Wolves Born at WNC Nature Center.

This is too cute! Four red wolf pups were born on May 9 at the WNC Nature Center. The red wolf is an endangered species (only 400 remain!) so this new birth is especially important. What would you name these little pups? Leave your suggestions in the comment field below and perhaps the people responsible for naming them will use one. It's worth a shot anyway.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Surprise! New Microbrewery Opening In Asheville.

Image Source

Beer City USA continues to grow as a new microbrewery has decided to open it's doors in downtown Asheville. 

Wicked Weed Brewing is currently setting up operations in the former Asheville Hardware store located right next to The Orange Peel. The brewery will also include a restaurant. They made the big announcement during Asheville's inaugural beer week. 

The full story can be found here.

Learn more about Asheville brew culture.

A Must See! Mountain Time Lapse Video

Majestic Mountain Video Showcases Blue Ridge Beauty.

This astonishing video is one you must see to believe! We went outside to capture a series of time lapse footage showcasing Asheville's beautiful mountain scenery. The final product is an outdoor dreamscape that invokes a sense of wonderment and awe. This is the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in its purest form. It's no wonder that Asheville was voted as one of Good Morning America's Most Beautiful Places. Enjoy!

 
Inspired to get outside? Check out these best bets for outdoor adventure.

What Makes Us Click

The Click Project On Display at Hotel Indigo

Stop by the Hotel Indigo next time you're in downtown Asheville and check out the Click Project. This art exhibit is the collaboration of 14 local photographers who came together to showcase some of their best photos.

These photographers are some of the best in the region. One of them, Dave Allen, provided our photo of the day not too long ago. Watch the video to see a sampling of the photos that are on display. Learn more about the Asheville art scene!

Art Gallery Galore

Asheville Art Galleries Host Downtown Art Walk.

Deborah Muhl, "Regal Red #1353"

Downtown Asheville's second Art Walk of the 2012 season takes place tonight, Friday, June 1st from 5-8 p.m.

Over twenty participating downtown galleries are open extended hours to welcome visitors on the self-guided tour.

Some of the things you’ll see include: 

• 16 Patton opens two exhibitions during the Art Walk: Laurie Adams, “Collections” (figurative paintings) and Charles Philip Brooks, “North Carolina Pastoral” (tonalist landscape paintings). Exhibitions continue through July 14. 

• Asheville Art Museum (2 South Pack Square, 253-3227, standard admission or free with Museum Membership). The Museum Shop, Holden Community Gallery and Biltmore Gallery, all on first floor, will be open to the public free of charge. Current exhibitions include works by pioneers of WNC’s Studio Glass movement, contemporary Cherokee ceramics, fine prints by Robert Motherwell, and much more…  

• Atelier Gallery (68 College Street, 505-3663) will be operating solely out of their 68 College Street space as they prepare for their big move to 63 N. Lexington Avenue! The new, larger space should be open mid-July. Atelier Gallery at 68 College Street will stay open later than 8 p.m. for the June Art Walk to introduce visitors to a sampling of gallery offerings. 

Larry Gray, "Cibola Pass"  

Emily Wilson, "East Garden"

• The Bender Gallery (12 S. Lexington Avenue, 505-8341) presents “Divergent Visions”, a group exhibition featuring an array of glass by over 25 artists. Showcased artists include Wendy Saxon Brown, figurative works; Carole Perry, cane glass tapestries reminiscent of hard candy ribbons; and new gallery artists Stephen Pon and Janis Miltenberger. Exhibition continues through August 31. 

• Blue Spiral 1 (38 Biltmore Avenue, 251-0202) begins its summer season the week following the June Art Walk. The gallery opens the following exhibitions Thursday, June 7: new work by Charles Ladson, Michael Barringer and Eric Knoche; “Glass Secessionism” (group show); “Pattern” (group show); Andy Farkas (narrative prints); and Jim Sams “wildflowers” (carved & painted wood). Exhibitions continue through July 26. 

• Gallery Minerva (8 Biltmore Avenue, 255-8850) features new paintings by Chris Sedgwick. 

• Mountain Made (Grove Arcade, 350-0307) features an exhibition of new work by Lisa Ringlespaugh-Irvine, titled "The Mermaid Series" (mixed media paintings). IMAGE 

• Woolworth Walk (25 Haywood Street, 254-9234) opens “The Colors of Art” exhibition featuring the work of Jane Voorhees & Julie Calhoun-Roepnack. (watercolors and pottery, respectively) Come meet the artists and enjoy the opening reception on Friday June 1st from 5-7p.m. Exhibition continues through June 29. Celebrate Woolworth Walk’s 10-yr anniversary with an Ice Cream Social on June 15th. 

• Working Girls Studio (30 Battery Park, 2nd Level, 777-7073) opens two exhibitions during the June Art Walk: Karen Deans (wooden tiles) and Dot Griffith (images of birds). Exhibitions continue through July 26. 

• ZaPOW! (21 Battery Park Avenue, Ste. 101, 575-2024) opens the exhibition, Jenny Schultz “Urban” (as featured in New American Painting) during the June 1st Art Walk from 7-9 p.m. along with a group show riffing off the theme "Urban". Live music by Granpappy and the Bruthaship and locally-brewed beer by French Broad Brewery on tap during Art Walk.

Pick up a map of the 2012 gallery walk at any participating galleries. For more information, please call 251-0202 or visit www.ashevilledowntowngalleries.org.


Can't make it tonight? Check out their upcoming Art Walk's this year. August 3, October 5 and December 7 are the next scheduled events.


Learn more about Asheville art scene!