my beloved nc mountains. asheville.

after a fantastic week in the north, it was time for a little taste of the south. yep. down south… where the dialects are long, rocking chairs on porches are the favorite seat, time moves a little slowly, manners are everything, the people are friendly, and you never meet a stranger.

it was time to go home to north carolina – where i was born & raised. time to visit asheville – where my heart will always be. and canton – that smelly paper mill town that captured my heart. and, of course, lake junaluska – the beautiful community where my childhood memories live. it was time to nestle myself in the middle of the blue/gray mountains, and nestle i did. well, that, and eat, drink, laugh, chat, hug, rest, drive, visit pubs, catch up with friends, hang out with family, make memories with my love, and reconnect with myself…

downtown asheville. there is truly no other place like it. and, yes, you will see many more pictures. i can’t help it. this place holds a large part of my heart. the diversity, the funky-ness, the uniqueness, the art, the pubs, the people, the nature. everything about it makes lina & i feel at home.

after a visit at my brother & his wife’s new (old) home that they are completely renovating, lina & i headed to barnes & noble… an amazing, wonderful, big, & cozy book store. yep. you can find everything here.

first my brother. then some books. and finally some beer. at one of our favorite pubs, the thirsty monk. love it!

five walnut wine bar. a new place suggested by our amazing friend who lives & soaks up life like no one i’ve ever met before. looove her!

we visited the wine bar with friends (fellow teachers) that i worked with in asheville when i was teacher at a high school. such a crazy, eclectic group of individuals. to spend time with them is to get a glimpse of real life. i will always cherish the year & a half that i worked & hung out with them. and it meant so much to us that they made time to hang out with us! by the way, j, we absolutely loved 5 walnut!

 there is an apartment for rent above this funky, hippie bookstore in the middle of downtown. cool.

crazy personal ads. cleaning. yoga. music. herbal medicine. beer & pubs. birth dancing (not sure what that is. hehe. but it’s soooo asheville!). religion. crafts. you get the picture, right?

 why, yes, i did go into the tattoo shop at the back of the courtyard. hehe.

 lexington avenue. let me just say… the best.

 the other favorite pub. yes, it’s a brewery. it’s a pub. it’s irish. yeah.

ok. here it is. the new FAVORITE pub & brewery in asheville. the wedge. in the river arts district, where my sister-in-law has her pottery studio. and where i feel like i have walked into asheville’s version of copenhagen’s (denmark) christiana. all i can say is that i am in love. lina is too.. with the people of all kinds. the locally made beer (as in i can see it being made as i drink mine). the outside seating. the informality & relaxed atmosphere. the lights. the hippie vans. oh hell, just everything. i love it.

 the beer. awesome.

 oh, how i love it.

 cheers, asheville!! oooh-pah!

well, my dear friends & readers, that’s a snapshot of my beloved asheville. peace out.