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Posts Tagged ‘Asheville’

Asheville, NC Claims “Beer City” Title In 2011 Again!

Wednesday, May 11th, 2011

Asheville beerOnce again, Asheville has managed to climb to the top of the charts for beer production. It just seems that no one else can seem to catch up as far as the Beer City title is concerned. This is the third year that Asheville has won this coveted award, taking it with over seven thousand votes and blowing away the competition. Cities like Portland and St. Louis were in the running, but no one could come close to Asheville. It really is the very best place to go if you want to find great beer and a town with under one hundred thousand people that has gathered around the beer industry.

Now, it is important to note that winning the Beer City award is not something that a city can do just by producing a lot of product. If that were the case, St. Louis, with the main Budweiser plant, would be much farther up the list. This is about producing the best product, the beer that people actually want to buy. It is about small-town brewers who want nothing but to craft top-notch styles of beer that perhaps only sell to a few thousand people. They are not looking to make it big; they are looking at their brewing efforts as a form of art.

This is an idea that Asheville has embraced on all fronts, not just that of beer. The downtown district is full of little shops that are locally owned. The money that goes into the city’s economy tends to stay in the city’s economy. Everything is done in Asheville with a distinct sense of identity and pride. The people who live and work in the city want to show the world who they are, but they want to be true to who they are without absorbing everything from the rest of the world. This is true in their restaurants, their produce markets, and their breweries.

In Asheville, there are many different kinds of beer to be had. Those who are used to drinking the same generic lagers day after day will be shocked to find how many choices they have. The beauty of this is that no two Asheville beers are quite the same. A brown ale made by one company is going to be different than a brown ale made by another. Everyone wants to put their own spin on the beer that they are making. They know that this creates small niches for different beers, but they love this individualism.

What this has led to in Asheville is a town that rallies around itself. The people of Asheville are proud of what they have accomplished. They are proud of what they have and what they have done. They all seem to support this small-town mentality, this close-knit tightness that is not often found in a town with eighty thousand people. The beer is just an offshoot of this mentality, one more way that they can come together and create, and what a wonderful offshoot it is.

Asheville Claims Top Travel Destination In 2011

Monday, January 31st, 2011
Grove Arcade, Asheville, NC

Asheville, North Carolina has been selected as the top travel destination of 2011. Not only are the new locals proud to say they are recent transplants to the area, but tourism is up across the city. Recently given the title of “Beer City USA“, Asheville is host to several award-winning microbreweries, which can be found throughout the city. If beer-tasting is not for you, visit a few of the 30 art galleries and numerous music venues. Whether you enjoy the classics or prefer a more modern sound, you will find just the scene you are looking for.

Asheville offers guests a choice of hotels to fit any personality. Whether you are staying one night or one week, a great time to visit is fall when the leaves are turning and the scenery is full of color. It is no wonder that more than one published author and several Presidents have all had the chance to visit this scenic spot. This city seems to work as an inspiration piece for those who call it home, or those just passing through.

Along with the modern brews and music of Asheville, you can dip into the rich history that surrounds the city. History buffs travel from miles to investigate and marvel at the architecture and the stories behind it. Take advantage of the historic trolley tours or perhaps the urban trail which boasts 30 stops which tell the tale of a particular moment in Asheville history.

Traveling with family? Asheville offers a host of activities that the whole family will enjoy. Depending on the season, you can find outdoor activities in or around the water, or perhaps a museum to enjoy if the weather calls for it. Taking a trip with someone special? Check out one of the many spas in Asheville that offer a day of relaxation for you and your partner. There are endless options when it comes to deciding how to spend your day in Asheville. There is so much to do, no matter the company. Take some time to consider all of the options or just head out and see where the city takes you.

Facebook To Add Datacenter in Rutherford, NC

Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Once the home to many textile companies, Rutherford county was a thriving community with a proud history and a bright future. However in the last ten years or more the clothing industry has moved to other countries leaving this area in near dire straights. As with the rest of the country the area has struggled, but with a reported 13.4% unemployment rate (whereas the rest of the state averages 9.6%) the economic decline feels harsher.

However, this month Facebook has announced that it will join other companies, who have reported profitable gain, in bringing a new data center to the area. This is incredibly good news as the project will immediately create jobs for construction companies and workers and continue to provide jobs once the center is complete. The executives have estimated that after approximately 18 months of construction they will need 450 people for ‘high tech’ computer jobs.

The news rocked the county in the best possible way, “This is a game-changer,” Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton said at the site. “It’s a message that Rutherford County and North Carolina are open for business in the 21st century.”

The building to be renovated and eventually used is the Old Maco building located on Old Caroleen road. The site, boasting a whopping 168 acres, is only about an hour from Asheville suggesting that the people living in other counties may also be able to gain employment.

“We always took great pride in the fact that we clothed the world,” said Dalton, who was born here. “Those jobs are now gone with the changing economy, but today shows we’re still a great place to do business.”

Asheville’s River Arts District Welcomes Walk Ins

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

River Arts DistrictAsheville’s River Arts District houses the studio’s of more than 140 artists. Each June and November they open nearly every door to allow strollers to look around at their leisure enjoying not only the art but the process by which it’s created.

This coming weekend marks this year’s second Asheville River Arts District Studio Stroll. Patrons can walk along the sidewalks of the charming area, entering the studios and asking questions of the artist who works within. From 10 am to 6pm both Saturday and Sunday (November 13th and 14th) Asheville’s historic Trolley will transport walkers between the studio’s of every kind of artist imaginable.

Several restaurants in the area are excited for the weekend of passionate people able to really observe the inner workings of this unique collection. Be sure to visit the 12Bones Smokehouse, Clingman Cafe, Wedge Brewery, and the Roots Cafe while you’re in the area!

The days are sure to be fun and educational as the plethora of art available will include, pottery, painting, woodworking, photography, sculptors, weavers,, jewelers, and more! Bring your family and friends to the River Arts District located along the French Broad River and discover a small piece of Asheville that will astonish you.

For those who may not be available during those hours, there will be a preview of some of the studios on Friday night. The list is coming soon to the Studio Stroll website.

Google Fiber Asheville Means Ultra High Speed

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

Google Fiber Asheville is a movement. It represents a call for change. It is the desire to be among the first to take a step into the future. Google wants to bring ultra high speed fiber optic network systems into a few selected American cities. Those of us in Asheville, NC would love to be included among those. In the midst of all this proposed progress, there are some wanting to hold it back.

The whole controversy revolves around a project sponsored by Google to build state-of-the-art fiber optic networks in various parts of the country. These systems would bring subscribers service that would provide Internet speeds up to 100X faster than broadband networks available now!

These connections would not only be lightning fast, but they would ultimately be more efficient in other ways as well. They are more stable while simultaneously offering the capability to carry television, telephone and the World Wide Web all in a single line. This would be the biggest improvement available today for Asheville’s communication infrastructure.

Asheville is a city that would be perfect for the Google project. It is a growing city with diverse commerce, a high level of education and an existing base of qualified IT professionsals. But, while most people see nothing but positive effects from the program, there are those who want to hold the program back.

There is state legislation that wants to stop cities, like Asheville from having these programs because they would be municipally owned. The supposed problem is that a city-owned system would compete with existing commercial systems and the state would therefore lose tax revenues from those companies. Never mind the fact that Asheville citizens would be have the best Internet access in the world and for free!

Yet Another Accolade for Asheville’s Beer Scene

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Sometimes there’s nothing quite like a round of microbrews at lunch to get those creative juices flowing. You’d be amazed at what a little barley and hops can do to stimulate some ideas for a new marketing campaign or logo concept. (Well…at least that’s our story and we’re sticking to it!)

Just when we’ve almost taken the Asheville beer scene for granted, we get a little reminder of how great our little town is:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Underdog Asheville beat out brew king Portland in a battle for “Beer City USA” in 2009 and some Pacific Northwesterners will never forgive them. But they should. Along with a big city-worthy music scene, a drop-dead-gorgeous mountain backdrop and good old southern hospitality, Asheville has one brewery for every 10,000 of its citizens, including the rocking Highland Brewing Company. That puts it right at Portland’s heels with the second most breweries per capita in the U.S.”

Bonus: Asheville also holds three annual beer fests – Brewgrass, Oktoberfest and Winter Warmer — throughout the year.”