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OUR 21ST YEAR OF WEEKLY INDEPENDENT NEWS, ARTS & EVENTS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 21 NO. 25 JANUARY 14 - 20, 2015

Grape expectations

the WNC wine industry comes of age

Asheville

Joe Hollis’ journey

Sarah Addison Allen’s “First Frost”

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

contents contact us page 18

Grape expectations The wine industry in Western North Carolina has deep roots and a history stretching back to the 1800s. Today, with the number of local vintners steadily increasing, WNC is in the process of carving its own unique niche as a winemaking region. coVeR design Kathleen Soriano Taylor photogRaph Pat Barcas

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Features

or try our easy online calendar at mountainx.com/eVents

news

10 foR the tRees Forest Keepers provide eyes and ears for protecting WNC’s national forests

weLLness

8 ideas woRth spReading Revived TEDxAsheville conference aims to challenge assumptions

news

food news and ideas to food@mountainx.com

16 heRbaL guRu Joe Hollis talks about going local with Chinese herbs

wellness-related events/news to mxheaLth@mountainx.com business-related events/news to business@mountainx.com venues with upcoming shows cLubLand@mountainx.com get info on advertising at adVeRtise@mountainx.com place a web ad at webads@mountainx.com

LetteRs

caRtoon: moLton

caRtoon: bRent bRown

question about the website? webmasteR@mountainx.com find a copy of xpress JtaLLman@mountainx.com

food

12 communitY caLendaR 21 bowLed oVeR Local chilis and stews fire you up and take you home

14 conscious paRtY 22 smaLL bites 24 beeR scout 30 state of the aRts

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31 smaRt bets 26 eVeRY LittLe thing she does is magic — Author Sarah Addison Allen’s First Frost

34 cLubLand 40 moVies 44 fReewiLL astRoLogY

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45 news of the weiRd 28 contRoVeRsiaL comedY Hannibal Buress downplays his Bill Cosby moment

46 cLassifieds 47 nY times cRosswoRd

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opinion

Send your letters to the editor to letters@mountainx.com. staff

pubLisheR: Jeff Fobes assistant to the pubLisheR: Susan Hutchinson managing editoR: Margaret Williams a&e editoR/wRiteR: Alli Marshall food editoR/wRiteR: Gina Smith staff RepoRteRs/wRiteRs: Hayley Benton, Carrie Eidson, Susan Foster, Jake Frankel, Kat McReynolds

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caRtoon bY RandY moLton

Mumpower: Molton’s cartoon misses the mark

Debate should include what responders do to protect and serve us

Color-habituated cartoonist Randy molton finds evident selfgratification in his attachment to something over which people have no personal control. Like most progressives, he remains indifferent to other “C” words — choice, character, culture and conditioning — over which we do have great influence. His impetuous priority reveals a big reason we continue to stumble around a racial wilderness. Greater offense rests in his “man-crush” portrayal of conservative activist chad nesbitt. A cursory fact check would reveal Chad was on the weaker end of a YouTube verified 67-60 push-up contest with the guy standing beside him. As a humble conservative thinker, it is certainly not my wish to distract Molton from the object of his affections, illuminate his lack of intellectual sophistication or raise curiosity of his own standing on the “manly-man” meter. Carl Mumpower Asheville

Watching the video of the death of Eric Garner in New York was disturbing. The decision by the district attorney or grand jury not to indict confuses me. The only good to come of this may be the public debate on arrest procedures and appropriate use of force. I also truly believe those New York police officers have deep personal remorse for the life lost and the part they so obviously played. The public debate also needs to include what the great majority of good police officers, firefighters and emergency responders do to protect and serve us all. Many have (or will at some point in their careers) put themselves in peril. I personally witnessed Black Mountain firefighters take great personal risk jumping into flames to save my home in 2001. It is my hope that the local media would offer a more complete perspective to the national and local discussion about the crucial services these people do. Perhaps the Mountain Xpress might report on some firsthand experiences of some of the many good deeds these men and women have done to keep us safe and enforce our laws. Doug Brock Black Mountain

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Reader says racist script underlies media coverage of chief’s resignation I am writing in response both to Rev. Keith ogden’s letter [“Ogden: Two Officers Drive False Narrative about Chief of Police,” Dec. 10, Xpress] and to brenda webber’s response to that letter [“Reader Responds to Letter about Police Chief ’s Retirement,” Dec. 23, Xpress]. I have some additional thoughts that I hope might prove useful. I agree with Rev. Keith Ogden’s observations on the racist script underlying mainstream corporate media’s coverage of our former police chief, william anderson, and the events leading up to his resigna-

We want to hear from you Please send your letters to: Editor, Mountain Xpress, 2 Wall St. Asheville, NC 28801 or by email to letters@mountainx.com.

caRtoon bY bRent bRown tion. It seems that every day since President Barack Obama took office there have been more and more stories depicting black male actors, sports stars, politicians and other public figures as being irresponsible, sex-crazed (as having a particular penchant for white women) and ineffective in positions of leadership. This is, of course, the same view that has historically been used by racist whites to justify slavery, lynching, segregation and other violent and/or discriminatory practices that are central to our nation’s history. Why would such characterizations be politically expedient for corporate America to resurrect and to such a degree? A president cannot singlehandedly address global warming, the need for universal health care and other issues without incurring the wrath of those interests that stand united in their determination to proceed full steam ahead in spite of them. In the same way that Asheville, with its many activists, artists and others of a liberal mind, seems regularly to get a bad name in the press, so too have African-Americans been consistently maligned in the press.

It is as though the idea is to plant the message, subtly or not, that the president’s highly criticized administration and decisions are as hotly contested as they are because of the fact of his race — and not because his policies and platform threaten the revenues of big business. Such a message divides Americans and tends to unite a sort of corporate power base, if you will, one perhaps most amenable to a picture of the world that best suits their prejudices and/or justifies their privileges. Many people, having followed the discourse in mainstream media or influenced by those who have (and is this not all of us?), have heard the idea that the conversation about race and racism is old hat. That to speak of it is simply to “play the race card,” as Ms. Webber puts it. But to have a true “conversation” about anything requires a healthy media, and mainstream corporate media, bolstered and consolidated as never before, is no such vehicle for discourse. And to render the issue of race as obsolete is to forget our country’s history.

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Our rights are connected as never before. And those prophetic words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have never been more prescient: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” S. Johnson Asheville

Reader likes analysis of local economy Cameron Huntley’s analysis of the local economy, [“It’s All Good, Right?,” Dec. 31, Xpress] was wellorganized, very thorough and enlightening. It should serve as a template for all future writing in the Mountain Xpress. Steve Rosenthal Asheville

coRRection Ivar Schloz, the mead maker featured in the Jan. 7 story “Modern Mead: Is Honey Wine Asheville’s Next Big Thing?” sources the majority of his fruit from McConnell Farms in Hendersonville.

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N E W S

Ideas worth spreading Revived TEDxAsheville conference aims to challenge assumptions

bY JaKe fRanKeL

jfrankel@mountainx.com 251-1333 ext. 115

After a two-year hiatus, local volunteers are resurrecting the TEDxAsheville conference for 2015. Featuring a diverse lineup of Asheville speakers, they hope to take the national TED slogan of cultivating “ideas worth spreading” and apply it at the local level.

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“I want TEDxAsheville to help us become the city of fresh ideas, a testing ground for technology, social media, new forms of entertainment,” says event organizer brett mccall. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, and the conference promises to explore those themes on Saturday, Jan. 17, with evening presentations at the Altamont Theatre that are meant to challenge assumptions and inspire creative thought, he notes. The speeches will be videotaped and submitted to the national TED nonprofit, which could help share local insights with an international audience of millions. Organizers like McCall are keeping that potential massive audience in mind and investing in high-quality video production efforts, even as they downscale other aspects of the event from years past. In 2009, TEDxAsheville debuted to an overflow crowd at The Orange Peel downtown. Taking place annually through 2012, it moved to Diana Wortham Theatre before taking the last two years off. Unlike those events at much larger venues, in-person attendance this year will be limited to about 100 people. “We’re doing that intentionally so we can build an intimacy with the audience that’s there,” says McCall. “We wanted to deepen the connection between speakers and participants, and participants and participants.” Those lucky enough to get in will be treated to talks by Highland Brewing founder oscar wong; the National Climatic Data Center’s principal scientist, thomas peterson; Rising Appalachia singer/frontwoman Leah song; and several others (see “Who’s Talking”). When deciding whom to invite, McCall says organizers looked for people who “are successful at something, but are human and accessible.” The event’s local theme is “expose,” meaning speakers have been asked not just

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to expose their successes but also their vulnerabilities and challenges. “I think the idea around ‘expose’ is ‘let’s be real, let’s be honest, and let’s show the wizard behind the curtain. Let’s see what the real deal is about how people are making stuff happen,’” says McCall. “If I show you mine and you show me yours, then maybe we’ll realize that I’m not as ugly as I think. We want to remind people that everyone has failed, and everyone started out not knowing what to do.” Wong, who founded Asheville’s first brewery since Prohibition in 1994, says he’ll highlight a long list of challenges he faced and continues to deal with as local competition increases. The road to Highland Brewing’s success hasn’t been easy, from regulatory burdens to “getting heat from people who thought I was doing the devil’s work,” he says. Even as he recently passed most of the responsibility for managing the company to his daughter, Wong says he’s not planning “to sit back and get fat.” Despite growing acclaim, production and distribution, Highland is “going to have to hustle like crazy” as New Belgium and other competitors move into the area. A Jamaican immigrant, Wong actually praises the competition as “the American way.” “That’s why we as a country continue to survive and thrive despite all of the pressures,” he explains. “I hope that will be true of us. These guys are going to push us to be better.” Meanwhile, Peterson says he’ll analyze a very different type of challenge. The renowned Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist wants to help “provide people with information and tools to evaluate all the different claims that we get every day. “We’re being bombarded with so much misinformation. There’s so much pseudoscience, but it’s not science, it’s just opinions,” he says. The talk, he adds, is “my small effort to

Conference Organizer Brett McCall (photos courtesy of TEDxAsheville)

increase the scientific literacy of the general population.” An example of misunderstanding with local relevance is the popularity of homeopathic remedies, he notes. “There’s been no scientific test that has ever shown homeopathy to work, and yet you find it in lots and lots of stores in Asheville,” he argues. “So how do we evaluate these remarkable claims?” He also plans to discuss the difference between science and art. “Science really depends on duplication for verification. And if you duplicate art, then you’re a forger,” he says. Calling his presentation a synthesis of ideas from other prominent scientists, Peterson hopes to emphasize that “science is not two people in white lab coats arguing with each other. It’s a way of thinking, testing claims,” he says. “I want people to leave understanding the thinking process that scientists go through and how to apply that to their daily lives when they’re thinking about problems.” Although TED talks are known for their intellectual stimulation, McCall says that ultimately, he hopes they result in practical applications and revelations that better the community. And more than just listening to others speak, McCall says he hopes attendees will also come prepared with their own ideas and an openness to meeting collaborators. “I’m hoping that people will show up who contribute and make it an amazing experience that gets carried out of the room,” he says. “The connections that two or three people in that room could make could have a long-term impact on the community going forward.” X

Who’s talking? TEDxAsheville happens Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Altamont Theatre (18 Church St.) The conference runs from 4 to 8 p.m., and tickets cost between $10 and $100. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit tedxasheville.com. Confirmed speakers at press time include: oscar wong — A former engineer, Wong founded Highland Brewing in 1994. It was the first Asheville brewery since Prohibition ended. thomas peterson — Principal scientist for Asheville’s National Climatic Data Center, Peterson won a Nobel Peace Prize for a 2007 report he helped author on climate change. He serves as president of the World Meteorological Organization’s Commission for Climatology.

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susan L. cain — A public speaking and intercultural communication professor at A-B Tech, Cain she says she hopes to inspire students “to become communication warriors on their own terms.”

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Leah song — Frontwoman of the popular Asheville-based band Rising Appalachia, Song is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and activist. berine de Koven — An author and game designer, De Koven has developed a “theory of fun and playfulness” he hopes will build personal, community and institutional health here and around the world.

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

news

by Erik Peake

elevenpeake@yahoo.com

For the trees

watchfuL: WIth more than a million acres of public land in the region, the Forest Keeper program’s role includes watching for invasive species, evaluating and maintaining trails, and monitoriing wildlife. Left to right: Madi Weisberg, Alex Guest, Josh Kelly, Daniel Short, Cari Barcas, Becky Mojica. Photo by Pat Barcas

On a brisk November morning, with promises of frost whistling in the mountain air, a group of eight people circle beside a dirtand-gravel way just north of Barnardsville. Hawkbill Creek crinkles a quiescent rhythm — its current massaging the corners of stolid gray rocks, winding the detritus of fallen brown leaves, slipping the shocks of grass-green islands — and burbles a background melody.

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Anticipation abounds, among the trekkers at least, as they introduce themselves and ponder the day’s potential. Gathered on an unpaved road, beside a never-bridged brook, in a forest that’s never been logged, the group itches to begin — to explore and experience, assist and learn, and join with the world outside. These are the Forest Keepers, and the wild slopes of wooded places are their workspace.

Forest Keepers provide eyes and ears for protecting WNC’s national forests

The day’s expedition is led by AmeriCorps Forest Keeper alexandra guest and Public Lands Biologist Josh Kelly — both of whom work with MountainTrue (the new environmental organization formed by the merger of three groups — the Western North Carolina Alliance; the Environmental and Conservation Organization; and the JacksonMacon Conservation Alliance). The nonprofit has hosted a smattering of Forest Keeper events since 2012, but Guest’s arrival in 2014 has helped the program come into its own. Its goal, say Guest and to Kelly, is to help fill the gap between the abundance of public lands in Western North Carolina and the dearth of funds allotted to the agencies charged with managing those lands — agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service. “There are more than one million acres of public land in WNC, but there are not enough resources to care for those lands as they need to be cared for. So the Forest Keepers’ role is to increase the capacity of [MountainTrue] and all of our ... partners,” says Kelly. He continues, “We want to see the gaps filled in — trails better maintained, invasive plant species reduced and struggling wildlife populations supported.” Guest talks about the evolution of the Forest Keepers and scheduling monthly excursions. “We’re looking for events in different scopes,” she says. “This wilderness study program is for you, and I’d love to hear your ideas.” The agenda for the day emphasizes off-trail navigation and winter tree identification —with a bit of trail maintenance to be performed along the way. The ultimate goal of the Forest Keepers program, however, is to reconnect people with nature. “The long-range mission for the program is to give people the knowledge and skills they need to get outside,” says Kelly. Beyond the reward of simply communing with the natural world, Kelly explains why the ability to find your way without a trail can be so important. “Most of the land here is off-trail,” he says. “If you can get off of the trail and navigate that way, you’re going to be incredibly valuable to the Forest Service.” (Hikers not on such a

mission, however, are encouraged to stay on the trails, to reduce their chances of getting lost and to protect pristine and rare habitats.) The Forest Service could use the help. The agency is updating its plans for the Pisgah and the Nantahala National Forests. When finalized later in 2015, the planning document will determine how these lands are to be managed for the next 15 years. These two forests comprise more than 1 million acres, and they annually host ever-increasing numbers of visitors from around the country (and the world). Since 2013, the Forest Service has initiated a stream of public meetings, planning sessions, inventory and resource evaluations and proposed actions. The problem is that whichever strategy the Forest Service decides to follow, some group (possible many groups) is going to be unhappy. While any number of issues can be seen as sources of contention, the Forest Service’s multiple-use mandate dominates much of the debate. The Land Revision Act of 1891 established the National Forest system, but the Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act — passed in 1960 — dictates that national forests provide recreation, range, timber, watersheds and wildlife and fish habitats. Mining has also come into play. A fall 2014 panel discussion hosted by Asheville-based online media nonprofit Carolina Public Press highlighted the tension between wildlifehabitat proponents and wilderness advocates. “There is a whole spectrum of areas we feel deserve better protection, and the planning process should consider that,” said hugh irwin of The Wilderness Society. He called the current Forest Plan of being “extreme” and “unbalanced.” gordon warburton, Mountain Ecoregion Supervisor for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, on the other hand, argued that the Pisgah and the Nantahala National Forests need to have more habitats for wildlife species — a process that could involve “opening up” old-growth sections of the forest. Kevin colburn, National Stewardship Director for American Whitewater, angled for protecting both water quality and riverine recreation. The list goes on, but the bottom line is that the Forest Service is being pulled in any number of directions at once — hence the value of the Forest Keepers. “The Forest

Keepers are there to help us care for the forest — and not only us, but all of the land management agencies around WNC,” says Kelly. So for the Forest Keeper excursion, the agenda focused on moving from point A to point B without a path to follow — freestyle hiking. Exploring the forest this way can help the federal agency catalog invasive species, locate misused areas of the forest and generally give it some much-needed eyes and ears. At the journey's start, Guest and Kelly distributed topographical maps of the area — complete with black triangles indicating waypoints not linked by trails. Compasses, and a bit of advice on how to use them, were also passed around. The day’s itinerary consisted of an uphill hike to Snowball Gap, a break for lunch and an off-trail return to the parking area before the sun set. On paper, the plan seemed simple enough. Looking at a series of waypoints on a map, however, and then trying actually to cross those waypoints, is no mean feat. And even though Guest promises, “We Forest Keepers don’t race,” the hike is a challenge. The day, however, is perfect for the occasion. Each member of the team takes a turn at leading the expedition, and Guest and Kelly point out both common and uncommon tree species as they go. From cedar glades to hemlock stands, from white pines to stolid oaks, from buckeyes to white ashes to red maples to sugar maples, this swath of forest offers a remarkable diversity of plant life. “This is one of the crown jewels of wild land in WNC,” Kelly posits. After struggling uphill to Snowball Gap and breaking for lunch, the Forest Keepers made one last incline push to Hawkbill Rock — a majestic overlook and a fitting pinnacle for the day’s activities. “This is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the world,” Kelly says. “But 80 percent of this area is open for timber production, and this is one of the areas we want to see protected in the Forest Plan. There are so many areas that could benefit from forest management, but this isn’t one of them.” The uphill portion of the trek now complete, the second half promises to be a downward jaunt. As it turns out, however, hiking down can be even more difficult than hiking up. The remainder of the adventure was completed almost entirely without the aid of a trail, and boulder fields, knee-deep leaf patches and half-covered, anklebiting nooks and crannies make the going anything but easy. Nevertheless,

the terrain’s uncarved splendor was rustic, remarkable and rare. “This is one of the most natural sections of the National Forest,” Kelly explains. “There are only 2,000 acres of virgin forest left, and we’re hiking through some of it now.” At long last, as the sun’s rays begin to wane, the Forest Keepers returned to the trail on which they began. A group that started the day as mostly strangers had settled, it would seem, into a sharper-eyed and better-prepared troupe of amiable companions. As they regrouped into a circle beside the creek from which they launched their enterprise, an easier bond, and a deeper appreciation for the forests that serve such a plentitude of needs for so many of WNC’s residents, predominates. As Kelly remarked at the onset, “I always learn something from people on every hike I take.” For this group, on this day, that statement holds true — not just for Kelly, but for every one of these forests’ keepers. On saturday, Jan. 17, the Forest Keepers head to the Coweeta Hydrological Laboratory in Otto. This research station is one of the oldest in North America, and it focuses on water-

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shed ecosystems processes in Southern Appalachia. Scientist Chelcy Miniat, who studies hemlocks at Coweeta, will lead the tour. The tour has indoor and outdoor components, and it’s rain or shine: Participants should be sure to wear layers, sturdy shoes, and bring a lunch and water. Meet at 9 a.m. at the EarthFare on Westgate Parkway for carpooling (and returns there by 4 p.m. On saturday, Feb. 21, the Forest Keepers will be collaborating with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy for a Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics Awareness Workshop. Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles that help outdoor enthusiasts reduce their impact when they’re recreating outdoors. Location TBD. The morning is indoors, and the afternoon will be outdoors, so participants should dress in layers and wear sturdy shoes. Everyone will need to bring lunch and water as well. More on this event as it gets closer. Alexandra Guest can be reached at alexandra@wnca.org. Josh Kelly can be contacted at josh@wnca.org. WNCA’s website can be found at wnca. org. However, the organization’s name will change to MountainTrue as of January 1, 2015. X

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C O M M U N I T Y

C A L E N D A R

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2014

Calendar Deadlines In order to qualify for a fRee Listing, an event must benefit or be sponsored by a nonprofit or noncommercial community group. In the spirit of Xpress’ commitment to support the work of grassroots community organizations, we will also list events our staff consider to be of value or interest to the public, including local theater performances and art exhibits even if hosted by a for-profit group or business. All events must cost no more than $40 to attend in order to qualify for free listings, with the one exception of events that benefit nonprofits. Commercial endeavors and promotional events do not qualify for free listings. fRee Listings will be edited by Xpress staff to conform to our style guidelines and length. Free listings appear in the publication covering the date range in which the event occurs. Events may be submitted via emaiL to calendar@mountainx.com or through our onLine submission form at mountainx. com/calendar. The deadline for free listings is the Wednesday one week prior to publication at 5 p.m. For a full list of community calendar guidelines, please visit mountainx.com/ calendar. For questions about free listings, call 251-1333, ext. 110. For questions about paid calendar listings, please call 251-1333, ext. 320.

Benefits A MidWinter night’s dreAM for the AniMAls 367-1620, fullcirclefarmsanctuary.org • FR (1/16), 6-8pm - Tickets to this vegan food and wine event with live music, a raffle and local art benefit full Circle farm sanctuary. $15. Held at Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte St. Winter gAthering for our VoiCe 252-0562, ourvoicenc.org • SA (1/18), 3-6pm - Cash and item donations collected at this event will benefit the nonprofit’s work in rape crisis and sexual assault prevention. Contact for requested items list. Held at Avenue M, 791 Merrimon Ave.

RemembeRing dR. King: Western North Carolina will celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with several events from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, Kenilworth Church Fellowship Hall, RiverLink and UNC Asheville. Events range from prayer services, speeches and a community forum on Civil Rights to volunteer service days and an annual peace march from St. James AME to Pack Square Park (pictured). Events are held from Saturday, Jan. 17, to Thursday, Jan. 22. Photo by Carrie Eidson (p. 12–13)

Business & teChnology Venture AsheVille ventureasheville.com, 258-6137 • WEDNESDAYS, 9am - One Million Cups of Coffee: weekly entrepreneurs startup presentations. Held at RISC Networks, 81 Broadway Suite C

ClAsses, Meetings & eVents ABrAhAM/hiCKs: lAW of AttrACtion Meeting (pd.) Live with joy! Uplifting, positive group! Understand vibration, and how to manifest in your life. Every Wednesday, 7pm, Free! (828) 274-5444. BAsiC MediAtion sKills trAining (pd.) At The Mediation Center. An interactive, hands-on training ideal for anyone looking to

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

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improve their conflict resolution skills. For more info and to register: (828) 251-6089. www.mediatewnc.org hoMe-groWn reVolution: (pd.) How Re-Imagining your Home & Yard can Transform the World with Peter Bane, author of The Permaculture Handbook. Sunday, February 8, 10-5. $70. Organicgrowersschool.org. 828.772.5846. orgAniC groWer’s sChool’s 22nd AnnuAl sPring ConferenCe (pd.) March 7-8, at UNCA, offers practical, regionally-appropriate workshops on organic growing, permaculture, homesteading, farming, plus exhibitors, seed-xchange, kid’s program. $40/45 until 1/30. Organicgrowersschool.org. sPring seMester 2015: free drAMAtiC Arts WorKshoPs (pd.) NYS3 Studio offers a week of free workshops in acting, youth acting, improv, film, writing, & more. All experience levels. Explore our

studio space and meet our awardwinning faculty. January 25-January 30th Classes each day 5pm-10pm. For complete schedule and to register: 828-276-1212 or info@nys3. com, http://nys3.com

Immigration Reform Lunch & Learn, discusses barriers to safety, health and education for immigrant families. Free. Held at United Way of Asheville & Buncombe, 50 S. French Broad Ave.

the ultiMAte Anti-inflAMMAtory detoX (pd.) Want a hormone-balancing, brain fog-clearing, tummysoothing detox with a side effect of weight loss? Join The 21 Day Essential Cleanse starting Jan 26th. (828) 620-1188, whitewillowwellness.com

d&d AdVenturers leAgue revtobiaz@gmail.com • WEDNESDAYS, 5:30pm Ongoing fantasy roleplaying campaign for both new and veteran players. Free. Held at The Wyvern’s Tale, 347 Merrimon Ave.

AsheVille toAstMAsters CluB 914-424-7347, ashevilletoastmasters.com • THURSDAYS, 6:15pm Weekly meetings for sharpening public speaking skills. Free. Held at YMI Cultural Center, 39 South Market St.

KenilWorth CeleBrAtion of MArtin luther King, Jr. dAy 273-3747, kenilworthchurch.org • MO (1/19), 6:30-8pm Discussion of Civil Rights and racism in WNC, includes speakers Darin Waters, Dwight Mullen and Marvin Chambers. Free. Held at Kenilworth Church Fellowship Hall, 123 Kenilworth Road

Children first Cis of BunCoMBe County 259-9717, childrenfirstbc.org • TH (1/15), noon-1pm -

MArtin luther King, Jr. reMeMBrAnCe eVents 335-6896, mlkasheville.org Hosted by the Dr. Martin Luther

King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County. • SA (1/17), 8:30am - Prayer Breakfast with keynote speaker Thavolia Glymph from Duke University. $25/$15 children. • MO (1/19), 11:30am - Peace March to City-County Plaza. Free. Meets at St. James AME Church, 44 HIldebrand St. MountAin Peggers 367-7794 • MONDAYS, 6-8pm - Noncompetitive cribbage group for all levels and ages. Free. Held at Atlanta Bread Company, 633 Merrimon Ave. ontrACK WnC 50 S. French Broad Ave., 255-5166, ontrackwnc.org Registration required. • THURSDAYS (1/15) through (1/29), 5:30 - “Manage Your Money” seminar series. Free. • FR (1/16), noon - Seminar: “Understanding Credit. Get it. Keep it. Improve it.” Free. • SATURDAYS (1/17) & (1/24),

9am-3pm - HUD-certified seminar series on the home-buying process. $35. • TU (1/20), 5:30pm “Budgeting 101” seminar. Free. PoWer through PArtnershiP foruM 232-5091 • TH (1/22), 6-8pm - Discusses how women lead better together. With authors Betsy Polk and Maggie Chotas. Free. Held in Karpen Hall at UNCA. tArheel PieCeMAKers Quilt CluB tarheelpiecemakers. wordpress.com • WE (1/14), 10am-noon - Monthly meeting. Free to attend. Held at Balfour United Methodist Church, 2567 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville toAstMAsters 978-697-2783 • TUESDAYS, 7-8am - Works on developing public speaking and leadership skills. Free. Held at Reuter YMCA, 3 Town Center Blvd. VeterAns for PeACe 582-5180, vfpchapter099wnc. blogspot.com • TUESDAYS, 4:30pm - Weekly vigil. Held at the Vance Monument in Pack Square. Free. Western CAroliniAns for PeACe And JustiCe in the Middle eAst mepeacewnc.com • WE (1/14), 9:30am - General meeting. Free. Held at Black Mountain Presbyterian, 117 Montreat Road, Black Mountain • FR (1/16), 7pm - Conversation with Rachel Rasmussen. Donations accepted. Held at Swannanoa Valley Friends Meetinghouse, 137 Center Ave., Black Mountain youth outright 772-1912, youthoutright.org • MO (1/19), 6pm - Panel discussion “Homelessness & Queer Youth in WNC.” Led by the WNC Gay-Straight Alliance Initiative, for ages 14-23. Free. Held at First Congregational UCC of Asheville, 20 Oak St.

dAnCe studio ZAhiyA, doWntoWn dAnCe ClAsses (pd.) Monday 6pm Hip Hop Wkt • Tuesday 9am Hip Hop Wkt 6pm Intro to Bellydance 7pm Bellydance 2 8pm West African • Wednesday 6pm Bellydance 3 • Thursday 9am Hip Hop Wrkt 4pm Kid’s Dance 6pm Intro to

Bellydance 7pm West African • Saturday 9am Hip Hop Wrkt 10:30am Bellydance • Sunday 10am Intro to West African • $13 for 60 minute classes, Hip Hop Wkrt $5. 90 1/2 N. Lexington Avenue. www.studiozahiya.com :: 828.242.7595 southern lights sQuAre And round dAnCe CluB 697-7732, southernlights.org • SA (1/17), 7:30pm - Winter Luau dance. Held at Whitmire Activity Center, 310 Lily Pond Road, Hendersonville

eCo AsheVille green drinKs ashevillegreendrinks.com • WE (1/14), 6pm - “Nuclear Energy Panel,” with speakers from Physicians For Social Responsibility. Held at Green Sage Cafe Downtown, 5 Broadway MountAintrue 258-8737, wnca.org • SA (1/17), 10:30am - Tour of the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory and its Hemlock research project. Rideshares available. Free. Held at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, 3160 Coweeta Lab Admin Road, Otto riVerlinK 252-8474, riverlink.org • TH (1/15), 11:45am - Bus tour of the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay and the River Arts District. Registration required. Free. Meets at Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave. • SA (1/17), 9:30am-noon MLK Day of Service workday along Hominy Creek. Free. Registration required.

food & Beer AsheVille VegAn soCiety meetup.com/The-AshevilleVegan-Society • 3rd THURSDAYS, 6:30pm Meet-up to share a meal and discuss vegan issues. Free to attend. Held at Whole Foods Market, 4 S. Tunnel Road

goVernMent & PolitiCs henderson County deMoCrAtiC PArty 692-6424, myhcdp.com • WE (1/14), 9am - Discussion group meeting. Free. Held at Mike’s on Main, 303 N. Main

St., Hendersonville • WE (1/21), 11:30am Senior democrats bring your own lunch social. Held at 905 S. Greenville Highway, Hendersonville lAnd of sKy regionAl CounCil 251-6622, landofsky.org • TH (1/15), 10am - Rural Planning Organization Technical Coordinating Committee meeting. Held at Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Road, Fletcher

Kids Kids’ ACtiVities At the liBrAries buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library Free unless otherwise noted. • WEDNESDAYS, 11am “Bounce ’n Books,” movementbased family story time. Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview • TU (1/20), 4pm - Yoga and stretching for ages 4-9. Held at Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville • WE (1/21), 3:30pm - Balloon tricks workshop for ages K-5. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. n.C. ArBoretuM 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, 665-2492, ncarboretum.org • SA (1/17), 10am-4pm - 10th anniversary celebration for environmental education programs and open house/ registration for summer Discovery Day Camps. Includes family activities and programs. Free. Parking fees apply. rolling for reAding 776-0361, bookmobile@bcsemail.org A mobile early literacy program from Buncombe County Public Schools for children ages 3-5 and their parents. Free. MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS: • 10-10:45am - Held at Haw Creek Elementary, 21 Trinity Chapel Road •11:15am-noon - Held at W.D. Williams Elementary, 161 Bee Tree Road, Swannanoa •1:45-2:30pm - Held at Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Road WEDNESDAYS: •12:45-1:30pm - Held at Fairview Elementary, 1355 Charlotte Highway, Fairview TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS: •9-9:45am - Held at Leicester

mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

by Carrie Eidson & Michael McDonald

communitY caLendaR

Send your event listings to calendar@mountainx.com.

Fun fundraisers

Elementary, 31 Gilbert Road, Leicester • 10:30-11:15am - Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • noon-12:45pm - Held at Johnston Elementary, 230 Johnston Blvd. • 1:15-2pm - Held at Emma Elementary, 37 Brickyard Road sPellBound Children’s BooKshoP 50 N. Merrimon Ave., 708-7570, spellboundchildrensbookshop.com • SATURDAYS, 11-11:30am Story Time for ages 3-7. Free. tot tiMe At AsheVille Art MuseuM 282-253-3227, ashevilleart.org • TH (1/20), 10:30am - Held in the museum’s ArtPLAYce. Admission fees apply. Held at Asheville Art Museum, 2 N. Pack Square WCu ArtCluB 227-7397, conferences.wcu.edu • MO (1/19), 9am-2:30pm - Hands-on workshops on repousse, wire sculpture, hammered copper jewelry and more. For ages 7 and up. Held in the Bardo Arts Center. Registration required. $25.

An animal affair what: A Midwinter Night’s Dream for the Animals (a Full Circle Farm Sanctuary benefit) when: Friday, Jan. 16, 6-8 p.m. wheRe: Metro Wines, Charlotte St., Asheville

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whY: Since autumn 2010, Full Circle Farm Sanctuary has been raising awareness of farmed animals and the conditions that they face, working to save abused, neglected and abandoned farmed animals in need. Currently, the sanctuary cares for 47 rescued animals ranging from pigs to goats to an emu. And according to FCFS founder and executive director Kayla worden, each of these animals has the potential to change visitors’ lives. “Many people who visit Full Circle have never been around farm animals, and it’s amazing to see how people interact with them,” Worden says. “They can change people’s attitudes regarding farm animals and raise compassion for them.”

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

To help build up funding for the animals’ well-being, Full Circle Farm Sanctuary is holding a “FUNdraiser,” consisting of a night of libations, entertainment and prize drawings. For a dollar or two per ticket, guests can get in the running for gift certificates to Plant restaurant, Earth Fare, Black Mountain Natural Foods and more. The event also features live jazz and classic country performances from Craig Womack and Daniel Barber and vegan hors d’oeuvres made from local ingredients, including items donated by No Evil Foods, Treeline Cheese and Roots. Tickets to the farm benefit are $15 and include one free glass of wine. Artwork will also be available for purchase, from pottery to jewelry to photography. An artist-specific percentage of art purchases will also directly benefit veterinary care of animals at Full Circle as well as fence perimeter and barn expansions. For more information, visit facebook. com/FullCircleFarmSanctuary or contact Worden at info@fcfsanctuary.org or 367-1620. — Michael McDonald

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WnC nAture Center 75 Gashes Creek Road, 298-5600, wildwnc.org • WEDNESDAYS through (3/11), 10am-noon - “Critter Time For Tikes & Tots,” learning about animals for ages 3-5. $12. Meets every other week.

outdoors CArolinA MountAin lAnd ConserVAnCy 697-5777, carolinamountain.org • SA (1/17) - 3-mile hike to summit of Rich Mountain. Free. Register for time and location. sWAnnAnoA VAlley MuseuM hiKes 669-9566, swannanoavalleym@ bellsouth.net • TH (1/15) & TH (1/22), 6pm - Interest meeting for the museum’s hiking and local history programs. Free. Jan. 15: Held at Black Dome Mountain Sports, 140 Tunnel Road; Jan. 22: Held at Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W. State St., Black Mountain yMCA of WnC 210-2265, ymcawnc.org • SU (1/18), 10am - Easy 2-mile hike on Hominy Creek Riverwalk. Registration required. Free. Meets at YMCA - Woodfin, 30 Woodfin St.

PuBliC leCtures PuBliC leCtures At unCA unca.edu Free unless otherwise noted. • FR (1/16), 11:25am “Colonialism and the Enlightenment.” Lipinsky Auditorium. • FR (1/16), 11:25am –“People Power and Human Rights Revolutions.” Humanities Lecture Hall. • TU (1/22), 7pm - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day keynote address by Byron Hurt. Lipinsky Auditorium.

seniors olli At unCA 251-6140, olliasheville.com, olli@unca.edu • FR (1/16), 11:30am - Fab Friday at OLLI: “CT, MRI, US Which Exam is Right for You?” Free. In the Reuter Center.

sPirituAlity ABout the trAnsCendentAl MeditAtion teChniQue: free introduCtory leCture (pd.) Healing and Transformation Through Transcendental Meditation. Learn about the authentic TM technique. It’s not concentrating, trying to be mindful, or common mantra practice. It’s an effortless, non-religious, evidence-based technique for heightened well-being and a spiritually fulfilled life. The only meditation recommended by the American Heart Association. • Topics: How the major forms of meditation differ—in practice and results; What science says about TM, stress, anxiety and depression; Meditation and brain research; What is Enlightenment? • Thursday, 6:30-7:30pm, Asheville tM Center, 165 E. Chestnut. 828-254-4350 or MeditationAsheville.org AsheVille CoMPAssionAte CoMMuniCAtion Center (pd.) Free practice group. Learn ways to create understanding and clarity in your relationships, work, and community by practicing compassionate communication (nonviolent communication). 252-0538 or www.ashevilleccc. com • 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 5:00-6:00pm.

AsheVille insight MeditAtion (pd.) Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation. Learn how to get a Mindfulness Meditation practice started. 1st & 3rd Mondays. 7pm – 8:30. Asheville Insight Meditation, 29 Ravenscroft Dr, Suite 200, (828) 808-4444, www.ashevillemeditation.com Asheville Insight Meditation Astro-Counseling (pd.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Readings also available. Christy Gunther, MA, LPC. (828) 258-3229. AWAKening deePest nAture MeditAtion ClAss (pd.) Consciousness teacher and columnist Bill Walz. Healing into life through deepened stillness, presence & wisdom. Meditation, lessons & dialogue in Zen inspired unorthodox enlightenment. Mondays, 6:30-7:30pm Asheville Friends Meeting House at 227 Edgewood Ave. (off Merrimon). Donation. (828) 258-3241, healing@billwalz. com, www.billwalz.com Awakening Deepest Nature Meditation Class oPen heArt MeditAtion (pd.) Experience and deepen the spiritual connection to your heart, the beauty and deep peace of the Divine within you. Increase your natural joy and gratitude while releasing negative emotions. Love Offering 7-8pm Tuesdays, 5 Covington St. 296-0017 heartsanctuary.org the Blue MAndAlA (pd.) Jan 22nd- Energy Healing, Chakras & The Archangels $12 if preregisted or $15 at the door; Ongoing Events: TuesSat. by appointment Intuitive Readings & Reiki, Massage, & Holistic Healing. FREE Lending Library & Online Store Opening SOON! THE BLUE MANDALA 1359 Cane Creek Road Fletcher, NC 28732 828-2752755 www.thebluemandala.com the yogA sutrAs (pd.) This 3-day course is an in-depth study of The Yoga Sutra, the philosophical basis for all yoga traditions. written by Sri Patanjali around 200AD. Michael and Stephanie Johnson lead this course which discusses the yogic path to enlightenment. Jan. 23-25

Asheville Yoga Center 211 S. Liberty St. youryoga.com, 828-254-0380. Adult foruM At fCC 692-8630, fcchendersonville.org • SU (1/18), 9:15am Presentation on The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Free. Held at First Congregational UCC of Hendersonville, 1735 5th Ave. W., Hendersonville eMBrACing siMPliCity herMitAge 338-2665, embracingsimplicityhermitage.org • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 11am-noon - Buddhist discussion and meditation. Free. Held at Dhamma and Meditation Center, 38 Joel Wright Dr. South Park Plaza, Hendersonville grACe lutherAn ChurCh 1245 Sixth Ave. W., Hendersonville, 693-4890, gracelutherannc.com • TUESDAYS (1/13) until (3/3), 6pm - Discipline Bible Study series: “Invitation to Romans.” $13. heArtsPeAK PrACtiCe grouP 545-9681, heartspeakpeace.com TU (1/20), 7:30pm - To practice listening and speaking from the heart. Free. Held at 386 Kenilworth Road henderson County ChurChes uniting 693-6901 • TH (1/22), 7pm - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service. Open to all faiths. Held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 900 Blythe St., Hendersonville PuB theology At the oPen tABle meetup.com/opentable • MONDAYS, 6pm - Open discussion of progressive theological issues related to biblical and other spiritual texts. Free to attend. Held at Scully’s, 13 W Walnut St.

sPoKen & Written Word AsheVille storytelling CirCle 274-1123, ashevillestorycircle.org • 3rd MONDAYS, 7-9pm Meets at Asheville Terrace, 200 Tunnel Road. Free. BunCoMBe County PuBliC liBrAries buncombecounty.org/ governing/depts/library Free unless otherwise noted. • TH (1/15), 7pm - How to

download e-books seminar. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • TH (1/15), 2:30pm - Book club: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Held at Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road • FR (1/16), 10am-noon How to download e-books seminar for Android devices. Registration required. Held at West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road • FR (1/16), 2-4pm - How to download e-books seminar. Held at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St. • SA (1/17), 11am - How to download e-books seminar. Held at Leicester Library, 1561 Alexander Road, Leicester • TU (1/20), 7pm - Evening book club: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba Held at Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview City lights BooKstore 3 E. Jackson St., Sylva, 586-9499, citylightsnc.com Free unless otherwise noted. • TH (1/15), 10:30am - Coffee with the Poet Featuring Kirk Thomas • FR (1/16), 6:30pm Catherine Carter discuses her poetry chapbook Marks of the Witch. fletCher liBrAry 120 Library Road, Fletcher, 687-1218, library.hendersoncountync.org • WEDNESDAYS (1/14) through (1/28), 3:30pm - Read to Springer the Therapy Dog. Registration required. Free. fountAinheAd BooKstore 408 N. Main St., Hendersonville, 697-1870, fountainheadbookstore.com • SA (1/17), 5pm - Reception for Heather Bell Adams, winner of the store’s fiction contest, includes reading. $5. MAlAProP’s BooKstore And CAfe 55 Haywood St., 254-6734, malaprops.com Free unless otherwise noted. • 2nd & 4th WEDNESDAYS - Salon series: Meeting the Shadow: The Hidden Power of the Dark Side of Human Nature. • TH (1/15), 7pm - Megan Mayhew Bergman discusses her short story collection Almost Famous Women. • FR (1/16), 7pm - Jennifer Niven discusses her book All the Bright Places. • SU (1/18), 3pm - Readings

by writers from the Great Smokies Writing Program and The Great Smokies Review. • MO (1/19), 7pm - Book launch for First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen. • TU (1/20), 5:30pm - Editor Paul Miller discusses The Imaginary App. • TU (1/20), 7pm - Chris Scotton discusses his novel The Secret Wisdom of the Earth. • TU (1/20), 7pm - Comix Club: The Wicked + The Divine by Kieron Gillen. • WE (1/21), 7pm - Tim Federle discusses his book Hickory Daiquiri Dock. synergy story slAM avl.mx/0gd, tlester33@gmail. com • WE (1/21), 7:30-10pm Open mic story telling night on the theme, “Crime and Punishment.” Free. Held at Odditorium, 1045 Haywood Road

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Volunteering Big Brothers Big sisters of WnC 253-1470, bbbswnc.org • TH (1/15), noon Perspective volunteer information session. Held at United Way of Asheville & Buncombe, 50 S. French Broad Ave. literACy CounCil of BunCoMBe County 31 College Pl. Suite B-221 • WE (1/21), 9-10:30am & TH (1/22), 5:30pm - Orientation for volunteers interested in tutoring adults in reading, writing, and English as a Second Language.

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828.645.5660 • WWW.CRUCIBLEGLASSWORKS.COM 60 Clarks Chapel RD, Weaverville, NC • Hours: TUES–SAT 10–5 mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

W E L L N E S S

Herbal guru Joe Hollis talks about going local with Chinese herbs

There’s a lot of worry about pollution in China and overharvesting of endangered species. A lot of herbs are getting onto endangered species lists, and then they can’t be imported. Those are probably the two biggest issues. And for us, it presents alternative crops. People always talk about replacing tobacco, and a certain amount of tobacco settlement money has gone to giving people grants for growing herbs as an alternative crop.

bY Lea mcLeLLan

lmclellan@gmail.com

It is a crisp, quiet December morning at Mountain Gardens, a botanical garden in Burnsville featuring the largest collection of native Appalachian and Chinese medicinal herbs in the Eastern U.S. Joe hollis, the gray-bearded man behind the off-the-grid herbal mecca and a teacher at Daoist Traditions College in Asheville’s Montford neighborhood, is seated at a table surrounded by dogeared books on plants and philosophy. With the rising interest in alternative medicine and alternative crops, many forward-thinking growers are starting to raise Chinese herbs on American soil. Hollis, however, has been at it decades, well before goji berries were the latest health craze. He shares some of his journey in growing Chinese herbs and explains why growers and consumers should be interested in “going local” for their Chinese herbs. Mountain Xpress: there has been a lot of recent interest in growing chinese herbs in the united states, but you have been doing it at mountain gardens for

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

medicine man: Joe Hollis has spent decades learning about Chinese herbs and passing his knowledge along to the next generation. Photo by Sara Truitt, courtesy of Ashevillage

40 years. how did you first get interested in growing? Joe hollis: Well, I picked up a book [Chinese Tonic Herbs by Ron Teeguarden] at the bookstore on Chinese tonic herbs, and it was the first I had ever heard anything [about them]. That was about 25 or 30 years ago. [The book] had to do with Daoism, which is very interesting to me. I’ve always thought of myself as a Daoist. So it started off with a whole lot of philosophy, which I thought was pretty interesting. I thought, “What is this book of herbs that is starting off with five chapters of Chinese philosophy?” And then it turns out that these tonic herbs are healthpromoting herbs, by and large, which is not a category of herbs that was traditionally [included] in Western herbal medicine at all. They have [health-promoting herbs] in Ayurvedic medicine. They call them rasayanas, which means rejuvenators, and they have them in Chinese medicine; they’re called the tonics. Now we call them adaptogens, and we say they boost the immune system. [About 20 years ago,] the American

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Medical Association was saying ginseng [and its health benefits] was a myth, and it didn’t really do anything. All that has changed a lot. But that book is what really got me interested, and then I wanted to grow all these Chinese herbs. I got into a big effort to round up the seeds. I wrote to botanical gardens in China and Japan to see if I could grow all these plants. ... Slowly one by one, these herbs [have become] wellknown and show up at health food stores [now]. But ... when I started on it, nobody had ever heard of schisandra or goji berries. Next thing that happened is that a [Chinese medical] practitioner moved here just down the road, so I started filling prescriptions for her, and that got me involved in all the Chinese herbs, not just the tonic ones. So one thing led to another, and I got involved in teaching at [Daoist Traditions] the first year the school opened. and why should people care about growing or buying these plants locally as opposed to getting them shipped from china?

if people want to try growing chinese herbs in their backyard or even on a larger scale, what plants would you recommend? Within that category of tonics — longevity plants, you could call them — there’s one called jiaogulan [Gynostemma], which has the same properties as ginseng but is much easier to grow. There’s a plant called codonopsis, also known as “poor man’s ginseng,” that’s also quite easy to grow and has ginsenglike properties. Astragalus is quite easy to grow; that’s a big herb for the immune system. Chrysanthemums are very nice; you can make a nice tea from the flowers, and there are different varieties. Goji berries seem to grow well, but there is some confusion about whether we have the right strain of them growing here. [Find more information on easy-to-grow Chinese herbs at mountaingardenherbs.com.] in general, there seems to be more interest in alternative medicine now, as well as in growing chinese herbs in the u.s. for instance, there was a story on npR a few months ago about a group growing chinese herbs in appalachia. how have you seen that interest grow and evolve? Yeah, that show on the radio was about a group up in Floyd County, Va., and I got them started. I went up there a couple times and brought them a lot of plants and helped them get going with it. ... There is considerably more interest — lots more practitioners. There is also a lot of interest now in using Western herbs in Chinese medicine. That’s a big topic that we work on here. It means classifying Western herbs in Chinese terms — what are the actions, indication, temperature, flavor, what meridians do they go to.

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heRbaL mentoR: Mountain Gardens — where Joe Hollis, center, and his team make herbal tinctures — is accepting applications for summer apprenticeships. Photo courtesy of Mountain Gardens

So there is a lot of interest not only in growing Chinese herbs over here but also in using the herbs that we already have in a Chinese system, because Western herbal medicine doesn’t really have a good system. It just has a bunch of anecdotal evidence about how this is good for that and this is good for that. So we are involved with both of those things. ... There are a lot of Chinese herbs that are related to herbs that grow here. So that’s another connection. That has to do with geological history. There were plants all the way around the temperate zone and then the glaciers kind of chopped it up, so that now those plants only survive in eastern U.S. and eastern Asia, like ginseng is the obvious example. There isn’t any ginseng in Europe, the Midwest, the Northwest. But there is also black cohosh [and] a Chinese black cohosh. There’s a Chinese [variety of] Solomon’s seal. Those are in the tonic categories. There is Chinese wild yam, so many of the plants that grow here have a closely related Chinese herb, so that’s another big interest of mine. obviously, chinese herbalism is a passion of yours. why should other people care about growing chinese herbs in this country? They’re some of the most important health-promoting plants on the planet. Like dang gui — the Chinese herb angelica — is prob-

ably the most powerful herb for regulating the menstrual cycle of anything growing. So yeah, I think we definitely want to be growing them and having good-quality, fresh, organically grown [herbs]. That’s another issue with herbs from China. You never know how long they’ve been sitting in a warehouse somewhere — for two or three years — and then the growers, because they know the stuff isn’t going to be sold right away necessarily, they dump all these preservatives onto [them] just to keep [the products] in good shape while [they] sit around. it’s been said that western north carolina is a prime spot for growing chinese herbs compared with other places in the u.s. why is that? It’s a similar bioclimate. ... It’s just very similar between the eastern United States and eastern Asia. It’s the same latitude. You’ve got an ocean on the east and big land mass on the west, so it’s just very parallel. ... The climate is very similar. You can’t grow all the Chinese herbs ... because they come from Mongolia all the way down to the Phillipines, so no one space is going to be optimal. But if you had to pick one place, this would probably be as good as any. [And] we can get much better quality growing them here. Mountain Gardens is currently taking applications for summer apprentices at Mountain Gardens, where Hollis and his team makes herbal tinctures, salves, linaments, pills and more. The public is invited to attend workshops from April-October. More info: mountaingardenherbs.com. X

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F O O D

Grape expectations The changing face of WNC wine

bY Jonathan ammons

jonathanammons@gmail.com

Ever since the colonization of our country, the area encompassing North Carolina has been a haven for winemaking. No less a figure than Sir Walter Raleigh declared that the region would become revered for its wines. He was referring in particular to the fruit of the Mother Vine, a monster growth of scuppernongs on Roanoke Island. And while New York’s Brotherhood Winery, opened in 1839, is often touted as the nation’s first, one Sidney Weller had been making wine for four years before Brotherhood’s first bottling, at his Brinkleyville, N.C., vineyard. That said, North Carolina’s wine fortunes have fluctuated over the years. Especially after the long stretch of Prohibition, what had once been the nation’s leading manufacturer of wine faded from the forefront of the industry. In 1976, Duplin Winery in the far eastern part of the state began production of scuppernongs and muscadines, making it North Carolina’s oldest existing winery — a shocking fact in a region that arguably founded the country’s wine production. Duplin’s products are often cloyingly sweet and have helped North Carolina develop a reputation for producing primarily sugary wines. When the company started, white zinfandel was just being introduced to the market by Sutter Home, opening the doors of wine sales to an entirely new market. Rather than producing balanced, dry wines, Duplin stepped into a budding trend and began spiking their crushes with additive sugars, redefining the state’s role in the wine world along the way. Since then, the state’s wine scene has expanded dramatically. For example, Biltmore Wines launched in

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

1985, producing European-style Vitis vinifera grapes like merlot, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, instead of the indigenous Vitis rotundifolia vines of muscadine and scuppernong. Biltmore’s massive investment spurred major entrepreneurs to start turning former tobacco farms into wineries. In the last 20 years, the state has seen a winery boom: Now, 129 vineyards and wine producers are registered with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. But the wine business has proved, for many, to be an arduous and uncertain one. It’s costly, labor-intensive and fickle. Of all the common alcoholic beverages, wine is the most difficult to produce, given the intricacies of the necessary agricultural and fermentation conditions. Corn and grains are durable crops, and hops can endure a rough season, but grapes are a persnickety product, with each varietal requiring different planting and harvesting times, and all being susceptible to frostbite. Add to that the meager yields of juice, the ludicrous cost of crushers, wine presses and fermentation tanks, the $1,000 barrels that can only be used a couple of times and the fragile fermentation process — all in a field

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seVen-YeaR cRush: Bob Binns and Karen Parker-Binns moved to the Tryon area seven years ago to open Parker-Binns Vineyard and Winery. “Since we came here in 2008, I can see a vast difference in the quality of the wine,” says Karen of the local industry’s growth. Photo by Pat Barcas

where one can’t even begin to compete with the cost effectiveness of a year-round producer like those in California — and it seems a pursuit that only those cut out for a serious challenge can tackle. buiLding a LegacY Just outside Tryon, in Mill Spring, sits Parker-Binns Vineyard and Winery. Wind down the gravel driveway lined with picturesque Yoshino cherry trees on any given summer day, and you are bound to see blossoming white flowers framing a landscape of acres and acres of rolling hills filled with plump grapes. Lulu, the winery’s dog, might be lying in the sunlight just under the stone arches of the tasting room’s garden,

which might well be bursting with colorful bloomage. But right now, it’s January, and the trees are naked hands with spindly bare fingers. The vines hang on their braces like scarecrows, with arms outstretched, as chickens cluck in the distance. “I think North Carolina wines are improving,” says bob binns. He and his wife, Karen parker-binns, moved here from Florida to open Parker-Binns seven years ago. “Since we came here in 2008, I can see a vast difference in the quality of the wine.” “All we really intended to do was grow grapes in the summer and go back to Florida in the winter,” says Karen. Initially they were negotiating to sell grapes to the Biltmore Estate, but when the recession hit in 2008, Biltmore stopped buying grapes from outside sources, and the couple decided that rather than take a loss on the harvest, they could make the wine themselves. “When I called the Biltmore, they said, ‘We’re not taking on anymore new growers now.’” Bob adds: “And I thought, holy geez, what are we going to do with all these grapes? And that’s when we started making our own wine.” As has been the trend in the area since the ’90s, Parker-Binns focuses on traditional, European Vitis vinifera grapes, a direct retreat from the sugar-laced wines that have come to dominate the state. The winery grows chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, muscat, petit manseng and chambourcin. “I’m very particular about the grapes I grow,” says Karen. “Some people think I’m anal, but I think that wine is made in the vineyard. And you’ve got to grow the cleanest, best fruit that you can grow, because that is what your wine is going to be. I’m very much a minimalist in the winery. I try to do the minimum of tampering with the grapes. I add the yeast, I get out of the way and I let the wine make itself.” In fact, Parker-Binns’ blackberry wine is the only one that contains any added sugars. The wines reflect Karen’s dedication. The rosé is made of cabernet sauvignon and is a rich pink color, tasting of fresh strawberries

and lemon zest. It is crisp, ripe and complex, more so than any other local rosé I’ve tried. The cabernet has a rusty red coloration with a thick watermark for such a young age. There is a distinct note of chocolate in the nose, and its palate is slick and viscous, like a classic Bordeaux and not weighty like a lot of California reds. It’s high in acid, but softened by a light sizzle of tannins across the sides of your tongue. At under $20, it’s a pretty remarkable wine. There is, however, an unmistakable flavor found in most North Carolina wines: a mineral quality with a slight sour at the tail, the telltale flavor of the foothills terroir. “We were in the bar and restaurant business for a long time, and then we went into the tree-farming business,” Karen recounts. “I’ve been into wine for a long time,” Bob adds, “so it wasn’t much of a stretch to go from farming to making wine.” Well into his 80s, and despite what appears to be boundless energy, Bob finds himself keenly aware of his growing limitations. “We’re getting older and we realize we need new blood,” he says. “So now our daughter and son-in-law have come into the business.” They never planned on it, but both Bob and Karen seem to think it is inevitable that the addition of such young energy is bound to cause the small-production winery to expand its operations. A trend in North Carolina wine is that it is usually made by people who really like to work. If it isn’t someone who already has another successful business opening a winery, it is often someone who was bored with corporate life. Or, more commonly, someone who has retired and can’t stand the thought of not working. “The beauty of being in a business, particularly when you get older, is that it makes you feel alive,” says Bob. “Most people, when they retire, they get out of the flow of life. The flow of life is that you have to get up every morning and go make a living. ... Making wine is a simple life with hard work, but it’s very enjoyable.” out with the oLd The hardest fight facing the state’s wine surge seems to stem from the roots, from the environment itself. “I think North Carolina is still struggling to find the grape that we absolutely should be growing,” Karen says. “You can make that same bottle of wine year after

year in California, because they don’t have the kind of weather we do. We get a box of chocolates here — we never know what we’re going to get until it hits us.” “It’s really hard to grow the vinifera grapes around here,” says samantha biggers. She and her husband, matt, have just planted their first vines for their new venture, Morning Star Vineyards, in the Dutch Cove community just outside Canton. “They just aren’t very coldhardy, and if it gets down to negative-5 degrees, you’re going to lose them. You may not see that happen very often, but even if it happens every five years, you lose your grape vines and you have to start all over.” The Biggerses are young, in their 30s. After inheriting a significant swath of land from her grandfather, a former bootlegger, Samantha decided to follow in his steps and use the land to produce local hooch, with the intent of giving her dry county its first local winery. But unlike most regional winemakers, the Biggerses intend to use local varietals like Catawba and Concord grapes to make rustic, dry wines. Having just planted their first vines in 2013, they are still years away from their first real crush. But that hasn’t stopped them from aggressively pursuing a distinct vision for their winery. “Part of the problem is that we don’t have a sense of place here,” Samantha says. “People go to Italy or they go to France, and they see the wineries, and they want to do that. But we’re not Italy or France. People come here because they want to see Appalachia, they want to see our history and our people.”

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a famiLY affaiR “There is nothing about this that is easy, but it has certainly been something that has been enjoyable,” says Jeff frisbee. He and his wife ventured into viticulture after Jeff was laid off for the second time from a technologysales position. “I was tired of being a line-item expense that could be taken out that easily,” he says. So he rooted down in a business of his own, turning his family’s struggling cattle and tobacco farm into Addison Farms Vineyard in Leicester. “We wanted to do something that would preserve the family farm,” he says, “and we were looking for something that had the potential to make a living. Now, we are not there yet, but we’re getting closer.” Addison Farms Vineyard’s first vines were planted in 2009 by Frisbee and his

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father, who set just an acre of grapes. He spent his time on unemployment laboring in the vineyard, preparing himself for his entrepreneurial future while taking viticulture classes at Surry Community College. In 2010, they did their first crush, with fruit bought from other growers within the area. By 2011, they were pressing their own grapes and expanding the winery. The vineyard currently encompasses 7

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acres, yielding 50-60 percent of the needed harvest. “I expect that it will go on like that forever,” Frisbee says. “We’ll always grow some of our fruit and we’ll buy some of it.” Buying grapes is not uncommon in the wine world. For hundreds of years in France, négociants have been farming and selling grapes to winemakers. For many operations, that is both a good thing and a bad one. A négociant will never grow the grapes the way you would, however, it does free some time for the winemaker to focus on making the wine and tending to other aspects of the brand, or in the Frisbees’ case, work their day jobs. Jeff still works in technology sales and enterprise communications, and his wife is an art director for a motiongraphics business in Atlanta. “We’re finally home,” says Jeff, “I’m working a project with my folks, and I’ve spent more time with them in the last four years than I had in the 20 years prior to that. It’s just nice to be home.” For many consumers, the main critique of North Carolina wines is

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The great WNC wine boom The growth of North Carolina’s wine industry has been as expansive as it has been rapid. “When I first moved here seven years ago, there were 60 licensed wineries in North Carolina,” says chuck blethen, cofounder of the French Broad Vignerons. “Now there are 130 wineries and over 480 commercial vineyards.” Blethen adds that in 2012 (the latest year data was available), vineyards, wineries and infrastructure-support businesses contributed $1.2 billion in sales to North Carolina — that translates to more than 4,000 jobs for the state. “In introducing the WNC Wine Trail in 2011, we had listed 17 wineries in the [the region],” says bob bowles, director of the Asheville Wine & Food Festival. “Today we have 28 and more still to add, including meaderies and cideries. While there has been a bit of consolidation in the industry with wineries, the number of vineyards continues to grow.” Bowles also notes that while the latest available numbers are from 2009, they do show a 27 percent increase in tourism specifically related to wineries in the state. He adds that the increase has been especially robust in Saluda, Hendersonville, Murphy and Hayesville. And, according to mindy wiener, general manager of Overmountain Vineyards in Tryon, visitor traffic to Tryon-area wineries has increased by 20 percent since the launch of the Tryon International Equestrian Center in 2014. Wiener is currently involved in regional endeavor to establish the Tryon Foothills of Polk County as a designated American Viticulture Area, highlighting the unique climate and terroir of the Southern Highlands. The Upper Hiwassee Highlands Viticultural Area — a 690-square-mile territory that includes Cherokee and Clay counties in North Carolina, as well as Towns, Union and Fannin counties in Georgia — is already established. — J.A.

that they aren’t up to par with the wines of Italy, Spain or France. For others, it is a matter of price disparity. Yet those same people will pay upward of $20 for a sixpack of locally made craft beer that features mail-ordered hops without batting an eye. True, North Carolina wine might never compare to the sour grapes of the black-slated Priorate, and we will never hold a candle to the white rocks and extinct river bed of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but then again, nobody here seems to be trying to do that. For winemakers here, it is about making a living they can feel proud of. It’s about continuing a legacy of farming in their family

and on their family’s land, or seeing the sun set on their lives while working a job that makes them feel dignified and honorable. And it’s about welcoming guests from all over to lean back on the patio and sip a glass of wine, made by the hands of your host and from the land on which you sit. “I am happy that we are a small boutique winery, because I like every step of the process now,” says Karen Parker-Binns. “I can really appreciate a bottle of wine so much better now because I know every single step that went into it. From clearing the land to planting the grapes to harvesting, pulling the leaves off, all the way to the crush. Everything. Every bottle of wine has a story.”X

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food

by Dorothy Foltz-Gray

dfoltzgray@comcast.net

Bowled over On wintry nights, while snow banked against the front door, my mom made chili to eat out of small clay bowls with lids, bowls I still have. We dove in, using saltines as spoons to gather the spicy meat, the sweet tomatoes, the soft red beans. This was not food for guests; this was for family. So, I was surprised when I found my mom’s chili at Creekside Tap House on Beverly Road. Head chef david wilson’s version is thick with ground beef, kidney beans and tomatoes like my mom’s. But Wilson spins into originality with bell peppers, corn, carrots, sour cream, jalapeños for extra bite and, yes, local beer. “We feature a brewery every month, so we deglaze the chili with whatever beer we’re featuring,” says Wilson, who loves to eat the chili on nachos with a side of coleslaw for its creamy crunch. “In January, it will be Green Man beer, probably ESB. The beer adds flavor and balances out the sour cream.” I moved on to Rosetta’s Kitchen’s vegetarian chili, not optimistic that a chili lover raised on a ground-beef version would be happy. I took a bowl home and parsed it among friends. What? It was as rich and hearty as if it had been made with a side of cow. “I grew up in a vegetarian household in Old Fort, North Carolina, so I learned how to make things rich and Southern without the meat,” says Rosetta buan, owner of Rosetta’s Kitchen on Broadway. She did indeed: Her complete-without-meat chili is full of black beans and organic corn, chopped onions and green peppers, and a sweet but potent heat from chipotle peppers. “We have a customer who always tells me how good the chili would be if I dialed down the heat,” says Buan, who recommends eating her chili with cornbread. “But it’s his favorite dish that he’s been buying for 12 years.” in the stew On a pepper roll but moving on to stews (after all, chili is nothing but a Texas meat stew with ground chili peppers), I found a New Mexican Hatch green chile stew at Zia

Local chilies and stews fire you up and take you home hunger and happy that my husband concentrated on fish and chips instead of sneaking from my plate. “The rabbit comes from Imladris Farm in Fairview, which also sells jams and preserves,” says Jason bryan, executive chef of Jack of the Wood. “I want to make rabbit mainstream, and it’s very pub-like. Serving game is an English and Gaelic pub tradition. But we add our own Southern influence with the barbecue-spiced kale chips. Their sweet and smoky flavor offsets the richness of the bacon fat and rabbit broth.” Eating that ragout, I felt comforted — as a child might — that something so seemingly simple could taste so good. These stews and chilies make it easy to feel that way — foods of fire, warmth, clanking spoons and mop-up breads. Meals that don’t show off but take us home, clay pots or no. X

bowL game: “Serving game is an English and Gaelic pub tradition,” says Jason Bryan, executive chef of Jack of the Wood, of his rabbit ragout. The hearty stew is flavored with Green Man Porter. Photo by Tim Robison

Taqueria on Haywood in West Asheville. Robert tipsword, the restaurant’s operating partner, likes it best with iron-seared flour tortillas that soak up the fiery sweetness of the broth. “The stew is the greatest way to let the Hatch green chile be the star of the show,” says Tipsword. The taqueria offers vegetarian and pork versions, both featuring red bell peppers, onions, potatoes, carrots, cilantro, roasted corn and a house-made seasoning. If chilies’ heat isn’t what you’re after, Asheville offers tamer but still warming stews. For instance, once a week, cook emily cadmus at Loretta’s Café on Broadway offers a beef stew plump with potatoes, carrots, celery and onions, seasoned with garlic, thyme and marjoram. “We roast our own beef and make beef stock with a Highland Oatmeal Porter that deepens the flavor and enhances the beefiness,” says Cadmus, who grew up on a sheep farm in Asheboro eating lamb stews.

Every Friday, Loretta’s also offers Louisiana gumbo — a stew thickened with okra, shredded chicken, Andouille sausage and a housemade roux. “We sell out every week,” says Cadmus. Unsurprisingly, Brunswick stew is on several Asheville menus, its origins an ongoing argument between North Carolinians and Virginians. Creekside Taphouse offers its version — a meld of smoked pork and chicken, their stocks sweetened with creamed corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, a touch of vinegar and house barbecue sauce. “This is the original chef’s grandmother’s recipe, who I think was from North Carolina,” says Wilson. But the stew that made me most want to unpack my clay bowls was the rabbit ragout (the French version of stew) at Jack of the Wood downtown on Patton. Ladled on top of a plump fried potato cake and nestled next to a handful of fried kale chips, this combination of brined rabbit, onions, roasted garlic, mushrooms, carrots, scallions and Green Man Porter thickened with flour made me thankful for

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food

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by Gina Smith asheViLLe fRench QuaRteR ceLebRates maRdi gRas

a toast to tRuffLes: Asheville truffle maven Susi Gott Séguret prepared these tartines de truffes, or truffled toasts, for the North American Truffle Growers Association’s annual meeting last year. The upcoming Asheville Truffle Experience will give locals a chance to sample the celebrated fungi. Photo by Séguret

asheViLLe tRuffLe expeRience Wikipedia’s definition of the truffle as “the fruiting body of a subterranean Ascomycete fungus” sounds like an intriguingly horrific B-movie imagining. But the scientific description of this humble but extraordinarily delicious underground mushroom belies the high esteem with which it is regarded in the foodie world, as well as the lofty prices it can fetch on the international market — sometimes thousands of dollars per pound. Although Europe claims the historic origins of the truffle’s culinary cult, certain varieties do grow in North America, including in Western North Carolina. In order to educate local palates, expand awareness of the possibilities for truffle production in WNC and give Asheville chefs an opportunity to work with this rare ingredient, chef susi gott séguret, founder of the Seasonal School of Culinary Arts, has teamed up with Jane Morgan Smith, director of the North American Truffle Growers Association, to organize the Asheville Truffle Experience. Séguret says the plan was “to create a weekend that is as affordable as

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

possible with a la carte attendance options, while maintaining an international element.” The festival, scheduled for Friday-Sunday, Feb. 20-22, will feature discussions by French truffle expert Pierre Sourzat and Jim Trappe, author of the Field Guide to North American Truffles. Other highlights include a tasting event at the Cellar at Isa’s Bistro with chef duane fernandes, culinary demonstrations, educational sessions, a market and haute couture fashion show, a multicourse dinner with chef william dissen at the Market Place restaurant and a tour of a truffle orchard at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville. The tour includes a staged truffle hunt with specially trained dogs from the Truffle Dog Co., which operates out of Washington, Oregon and California. Full weekend passes are $474, but each of the six events is also priced separately. Individual event tickets range between $25 and $159 each. For ticket information and other details, call 301-2792 or visit www. ashevilletruffle.com.

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In celebration of Mardi Gras, chef tres hundertmark is offering the king crepe — his nod to the traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras king cake. Hundertmark, executive chef of what has come to be known as Asheville’s French Quarter (Bouchon, Creperie Bouchon and the soon-to-open Lafayette, all on Lexington Avenue) has riffed on the classic Twelfth Night cake using two cinnamon, cream cheese-filled crepes topped with sugar in the Carnival colors of purple, green and gold. A coffee bean replaces the trinket or toy baby normally baked into a king cake. King crepes are on sale through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17, and cost $10. Strawberry, apple and banana varieties are available for $13. ashevillebouchon.com or creperiebouchon.com osKaR bLues beeR bRunch at King James pubLic house Following on the heels of its CANuary First Hangover Brunch held at its REEB Ranch in Brevard, Oskar Blues is heading to Asheville for another beer brunch experience. This one will take place at the King James Public House on Charlotte Street, and chef steven goff has worked up a hearty menu to accompany a selection of Oskar Blues brews. The five-course meal is meatheavy but widely varied, with offerings ranging from Sunburst Farms trout lox on an everything bagel with trout roe and house-made cream cheese to a croque-madame on brioche with house-made ham and béchamel sauce ending with a dessert of chocolate beignets with candied bacon and dulce de leche. Courses will be paired with Mama-mosas (Mama’s Little Yella Pils with orange juice), Pinner Throwback IPA, G’Knight Double Red IPA, Old Chub Nitro Scotch Ale and the Ten Fidy Imperial Stout. Noon, Sunday, Jan. 18, King James Public House, 94 Charlotte St. Cost is $45 per person. Space is limited. Call 252-2412 for tickets. For details, visit the Oskar Blues Brevard Facebook page.

fLetcheR chiLi cooK-off The Fletcher Parks and Recreation Department is seeking competitors to fight for the 2015 title of Best Chili in Fletcher in the town’s 14th Annual Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, Jan. 24. Awards will be given for: Best Overall Chili, Best Individual Chili, Best Business Chili, Best Table Décor and People’s Choice. All types of chili will be accepted including traditional, white and vegetarian varieties. Applications are due by Friday, Jan. 16, and are available at fletcherparks.org or at the Fletcher Town Hall. The event is free and open to the public, and guests will be able to sample all the entries. Donations will be accepted at the event for the Fletcher Park Development Fund, which helps improve Fletcher parks. Noon-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, Veritas Christian Academy, 17 Cane Creek Road, Fletcher. 687-0751 or fletcherparks.org X

Tea Time the eXPerienCe of Puerh With PAnther Moon teA Saturday, Jan. 17, 2-5 p.m. This class explores the multidimensionality of Yunnan’s Puerh teas. Taste and discuss teas that embody the intersection of philosophical and physical aspects of life. Light snacks will be provided. $20-$25 suggested donation. Shining Rock Sanctuary, 221 Lakewood Drive. Preregistration is required as space is limited. Call 828-3989777 or email elmer.charles@gmail.com. geMstones And teA WorKshoP for the neW yeAr Sunday, Jan. 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Learn about gemstones and chakras while journaling and setting intentions in a safe space. Experience tea from a menu that supports your intention. $30 registration includes a sterling silver necklace with pendant of choice. Dobra Tea, 78 N. Lexington Ave. Call 828-333-7144 or email JenAlyDesigns@gmail.com to register. teA And ConVersAtion At doBrA BlACK MountAin Thursdays, Jan. 15, 22 and 29, 5-7 p.m. Tea and conversations centered on topics of great importance that are seldom considered in a constructive group environment. Each meeting will have its own assigned topic and will be guided in a nondenominational, safe and noncompetitive way. Free. Dobra Tea, 120 Broadway St. Black Mountain. Call 357-8530 for details.

Compiled by Jacqui Castle. Send your tea news to jacquicastle@gmail.com.

mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

food

Send your beer news to avlbeerscout@gmail.com or @thomohearn on Twitter.

by Thom O’Hearn

Asheville Brewers Supply changes hands A longtime resource for the Asheville homebrew community has its first new owner

Most people think Asheville’s oldest brewing business is Highland Brewing Co. But the truth is there is at least one beer-making operation in town that predates Highland, if only slightly. For the last 21 years, Asheville Brewers Supply hasn’t brewed and sold its own beer — that would be illegal. However the shop, owned up until two weeks ago by andy dahm, has helped both new and seasoned homebrewers pick out recipes, troubleshoot processes and brew some damn good beer for a long time. tedd clevenger is the one purchasing the shop from Dahm. While he’s the new owner, he’s anything but new if you’ve ever visited the shop. He’s worked at Asheville Brewers Supply for years and has managed it full time for the past year. “Before working at Asheville Brewers Supply, I was in the financial services industry, and it was clearly not a good fit for me,” says Clevenger. “I spent all my free time brewing, reading beer books and listening to beer podcasts.” “So when Asheville Brewers had an opening, I jumped at it. ... I was getting married and going on my honeymoon, but I basically said, ‘Don’t hire someone else while I’m gone, that job is mine when I get back!’” says Clevenger. In addition to more than 10 years homebrewing, Clevenger also has local beer industry experience, including a stint at Wicked Weed — and like a true Asheville resident ,he’s worked a variety of other jobs, including some time as a carpenter. He’ll bring all that experience to his new shop, though he says some things won’t change at all. “Andy’s always done well, and the reason is the customer service and education. It’s always been more than just being nice just so people will come back. ... We value the relationships we have, and it’s just fun to have someone brand-new to fermenting

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

change is a (home) bRewing: Asheville Brewers Supply’s first new owner in two decades, Tedd Clevenger, has worked at the shop for years. Photo by Thom O’Hearn.

Warmer, now in its eighth year, has continued to grow and is now held on the main floor of the U.S. Cellular Center. It’s not just the lack of competition this time of year that makes the festival a huge draw. The organizers have built a strong reputation for the event. There always seems to be plenty of brewery owners and brewers pouring their own beer, and there are always out-of-market treats — this year it’s Great Lakes from Cleveland, Ohio, and Miami Brewing. General admission tickets are $48 and still for sale at ashevillebeerfest.com. Designated driver tickets are also available but VID (Very Important Drinker) tickets have sold out. X

O N come in and to get excited with them as they grow and progress,” says Clevenger. While the shop will have the same spirit and while it will still do two free brewing demos per month, Clevenger does plan to roll out some changes in the coming year: • a new website: Clevenger says it will be launched any day now, with up-to-date information on the brewing process and other helpful features. • Revised recipes: Clevenger is redesigning all the house recipe kits, making them clearer and easier to follow for beginning brewers — the ones who most often rely on kits. • new partnerships: Clevenger says he’ll soon start working with the smallest breweries in town and figure out what might be helpful for their businesses. For example, allowing breweries to take advantage of bulk discounting but letting the shop handle the administrative side of orders. • a stronger focus on winemaking: Customers can expect increased offerings on the wine side of the business, says Clevenger, and stronger relationships with the winemaking community in WNC. He just announced a new partnership with the French Broad Vignerons, and Asheville Brewers Supply is now the local club’s official shop.

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• beer for sale: Once the shop clears adequate space and jumps through the necessary regulatory hoops, Clevenger plans to offer a small selection of beer. “I’d like to stock some things you can’t find at grocery stores,” says Clevenger. “The idea would be to let people pick up an interesting six-pack along with their recipe for brew day.” That last one is a big deal and something that just wasn’t possible while Dahm was the owner. Under North Carolina law, since Dahm is an owner of the French Broad Brewery, he couldn’t also be an owner of a beer retail business as well. The packaged beer, along with expanding the amount of equipment and ingredients stored at the small shop, may eventually lead to a move as well. “We’re not looking at anything right away, but at some point we’ll run out of room here,” says Clevenger. Still, the shop has only had two locations in its first 20 years, so maybe a move for the third decade is fitting. Asheville Brewers Supply is at 712-B Merrimon Ave. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays. ashevillebrewers.com X winteR waRmeR RetuRns Asheville’s largest winter beer festival is back on Saturday, Jan. 24. Winter

WednesdAy AsheVille BreWing: $3.50 all pints at Coxe location; “Whedon Wednesday’s” at Merrimon location CAtAWBA: $2 off growler fills frenCh BroAd: $8.50 growler fills green MAn: Food truck: Tin Can Pizzeria highlAnd: Live music: Woody Wood (acoustic rock), 5:30pm leXington AVe (lAB): $3 pints all day one World: Live music: Beats & Brews w/ D.J. Whistleblower (triphop, downtempo) oyster house: $2 off growler fills Wedge: Food truck: Root Down (comfort food, Cajun) thursdAy AsheVille BreWing: $3.50 pints at Merrimon location BuriAl Beer Co.: Coffee brews: Counter Culture Coffee free samples & three coffee brews CAtAWBA tAsting rooM: Asheville Cheese Store pop-up & beer pairing, 4-8pm

frenCh BroAd: Live music: Up Jumped Three (jazz), 6pm

Wedge: Food truck: El Kimchi (Korean/ Mexican street food)

highlAnd: Movie night: Hank Patterson’s Reel Adventure (fly fishing/ parody documentary, comedy), 7pm

WiCKed Weed: AHA Homebrew Rally: Get to know local homebrewers, 1-4pm

osKAr Blues: Live music: The Moon & You (folk), 6pm

sundAy

southern APPAlAChiAn: Live music: King Possum (folk, indie), 6pm Wedge: Food truck: Tin Can Pizzeria fridAy AsheVille BreWing: New brew: Draft Punk double IPA frenCh BroAd: Live music: Tyler Nail Trio, 6pm green MAn: Food truck: Little Bee Thai highlAnd: Live music: The Good Old Boys (country-fusion), 6:30pm; Live music: Alex Krug Combo (Americana, rock), 6:30pm osKAr Blues: Live music: Drayton & The Dreamboats (jazz), 6pm; Food truck: CHUBWagon

AsheVille BreWing: $5 bloody Marys & mimosas at Coxe location BuriAl Beer Co.: Jazz brunch w/ The Mandelkorn George Project, noon (until food runs out) green MAn: Food truck: Cici’s Culinary Tour hi-Wire: Bend & Brew Yoga ($15, includes beer tasting), 12:15pm leXington AVe (lAB): Live music: Bluegrass brunch; $10 pitchers all day oyster house: $5 mimosas & bloody Marys southern APPAlAChiAn: Live music: Todd Hoke, Mare Carmody & Michael “Country” Carver (gospel), 12-3pm; Brunch food: Farm to Fender

southern APPAlAChiAn: Live music: The Pea Pickin’ Hearts (Americana, rockabilly), 8pm

Wedge: Food truck: El Kimchi (Korean/Mexican street food); Live music: Vollie McKenzie & Hank Bones (acoustic jazz, swing), 6pm

Wedge: Food truck: Melt Your Heart (gourmet grilled cheese)

MondAy

sAturdAy CAtAWBA tAsting rooM: Live music: Dave Desmelik Duo (singer-songwriter), 6pm frenCh BroAd: Live music: Sidecar Honey (Americana, rock), 6pm green MAn: Food truck: Melt Your Heart osKAr Blues: Live music: Io Trio (rock), 6pm; Food truck: CHUBWagon oyster house: $5 mimosas & bloody Marys southern APPAlAChiAn: Live music: Courtaud (alternative), 8pm

AltAMont: Live music: Old-time jam w/ John Hardy Party, 7pm Wedge: Food truck: El Kimchi (Korean/ Mexican street food) tuesdAy AltAMont: Live music: Open mic w/ Chris O’Neill, 8:30pm AsheVille BreWing: $2.50 Tuesday: $2.50 one-topping jumbo pizza slices & house cans (both locations) hi-Wire: $2.50 house pints oyster house: Cask night Wedge: Food truck: Tin Can Pizzeria

InnovatIve, SeaSonally InSpIred, new amerIcan cuISIne Chef Duane fernanDes brings his Culinary finesse to the heart of Downtown asheville. weekly speCials. open Daily.

1 Battery Park Ave. | Asheville NC 28801 | 828-575-9636 info@isasbistro.com | isasbistro.com Complimentary valet parking available at the Haywood Park Hotel. mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

A R T S

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

Every little thing she does is magic Garden Spells about how it blooms in the fall,” says Allen. “I wanted [First Frost] to be set around Halloween, but that darned tree had to bloom, because that’s how I’d already set it. So that’s how the whole first frost party came about.” That particular scene, created to make disparate ideas jell, is one of the book’s most spellbinding.

Local author Sarah Addison Allen’s First Frost revisits the Waverly family

bY aLLi maRshaLL

amarshall@mountainx.com

In some instances, readers know more about the books sarah addison allen’s written than she remembers of them herself. But the local author loves that her fans are not only interested in her novels and characters, they’re invested. It was reader curiosity, in part, that inspired Allen to revisit the Waverly family from Garden Spells, her 2007 New York Times best-seller and the first of her works of magical realism. “When it was first released, I got a lot of questions from readers saying, ‘What happens next?’” Allen says. “Returning to it felt comfortable.” Her new novel, First Frost — which she reads from at Malaprop’s on Monday, Jan. 19 — picks up 10 years after Garden Spells left off. Mysterious Waverly sisters Claire and Sydney are each settled with husbands and careers, and each sister has a magical power (cooking and hair styling, respectively). Sydney’s daughter, Bay, is 15 and coming into her own gift — the ability to know where people and things are meant to be. That skill, however, doesn’t seem to be helping her win her crush, Josh Matteson — though Bay knows for sure that Josh belongs with her.

who Sarah Addison Allen wheRe Malaprop’s, malaprops.com when Monday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. Free.

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

Things in the Waverly households get crazier as the first frost approaches and the family’s enchanted apple tree, which lies dormant all summer, prepares to bloom. While this novel was a return for Allen, it was also a departure. The writer, known for her wildly creative storylines, realized that by revisiting a previous setting and group of characters, “there were things I couldn’t change. Who they were, what their gifts were and what the town [fictional Bascom, N.C.] was about

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homecoming: With new novel First Frost, magical-realism writer Sarah Addison Allen revisits the Waverly family from her debut, Garden Spells. “Returning to it felt comfortable,” she says. Photo by Amber S. Wallace

was set in stone. It was a challenge to take that existing world and make it new.” One sticking point was the magical apple tree. “I wrote in

A change that occurred between drafts of First Frost was the addition of Russell Zhler (not a character from Allen’s previous novel). The elderly circus performer and scam artist, aka The Great Banditi, appears in Bascom with a plan to swindle Claire of her earnings from her successful candy business. In an early draft, Russell’s role was minor. “I later decided to weave him into the book,” says Allen. Teenage Bay, on the other hand, is so central to First Frost that it

could be argued the novel is a YA read (it’s not — at least not exclusively). “I remember writing Bay’s character and thinking about my life when I was 15, and what she might be going through,” says Allen. “It was difficult, and it was interesting as well to approach Sydney and Claire as mothers — there were mother relationships that I didn’t get to explore greatly in Garden Spells.” In fact, one reader who participated in a goodreads.com fan group discussion asked, “What it is about that maternal-daughter relationship that draws you to featuring it in each of your books?” Allen, who insists she’s “such a seat-of-my-pants writer,” says, “I’m so completely blinded by the process of writing that I never really see what I put of myself into my books until they’re done.” The writer says that she has a great relationship with her own mother (and the young daughters of First Frost ultimately do, too) but muses that

fictional relationships are — at least in some small way, and perhaps subconsciously — manifestations of real-life experiences. Though many of Allen’s novels have been based in Western North Carolina-like towns, this, too, is unintentional. “I’m a writer from Asheville, but I don’t set books in Asheville,” she says. She’s currently at work on a new novel that takes place in Charleston: “My first book set in a real place,” she says. Early on as a novelist, she wrote at night but now works during the day: “My final transition into a day job,” Allen says. She attributes that shift to the success of Garden Spells, but even that initial foray into magical realism came from Allen’s seat-of-her-pants approach. “I don’t think Garden Spells would have come about if I’d thought, ‘I’m going to write a romance,’ or ‘I’m going to write chick-lit,’” she says. “You have to encapsulate your novel into a sellable point, but when you’re writing it, it has to be your story, not the story you think will sell.” X

mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

a&e

by Kyle Petersen

kylepetersen@outlook.com

Controversial comedy Rising stand-up star Hannibal Buress downplays his Bill Cosby moment

About three months ago, Hannibal Buress got uncomfortably famous. It was the 31-year-old Chicagoan’s casual stand-up riffing on the Bill Cosby rape allegations that sparked a media firestorm. New alleged victims emerged, and the embattled comedian and community leader once thought of as America’s dad suffered myriad cancellations of future projects and television appearances. While much of the attention was soon diverted to Cosby and the multiple women who have accused him, Buress went from being the quickly rising comedian with recurring roles on critically acclaimed television shows like “Broad City” and “The Eric André Show” to the guy who inadvertently brought down the biggest black entertainer in history. Since the YouTube clip of those inauspicious minutes detonated, Buress has been pointedly keeping a low profile. He’s taken no questions on Cosby since his appearance on Howard Stern’s show just days after the incident, even as he continues his relentless touring schedule. Those dates support his 2014 release Live in Chicago, a one-hour special that landed him on multiple year-end best of lists. Buress appears at The Orange Peel on Sunday, Jan. 18.

stand-up guY: Hannibal Buress has been shying away from his comments that called out Bill Cosby. Instead, he’s focused on film roles — like that of Officer Watkins in the Seth Rogen movie Neighbors — and Live in Chicago, a one-hour special that landed him on multiple year-end best of lists. Photo by Constance Kostrevski

Even now questions about how he handles politically sensitive topics in general are treated with a reserved, if genial, manner. “I just talk about what’s interesting to me, man,” Buress says. “It’s not very calculated, even in the technique. It’s just not that planned out.” It’s true that most of the comedian’s material is observational and sto-

675 Hour Massage Certification Starts April 2015 Discounts Available $30 Student Massage Clinic Now Open AshevilleMassageSchool.org • 828-252-7377 28

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

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2/9/15

ry-driven. There are hilarious bits about from renting a Second Line in New Orleans and an extended tale about how he pretended to be Donald Glover’s manager to score free tickets to an Eddie Griffin show in Las Vegas. But there’s often more at play in Buress’ work then his persona would suggest. Underneath the aw-shucks, possibly-stoned demeanor he uses in performances is the eye of a keen social commentator, as the Cosby joke and others — like briefly imagining a world without racism due to his love of apple juice — have demonstrated. “The things I talk about are things that happen to me, or that I thought of, or things I can’t stop thinking about,” he explains. “Most of my stuff is true, with maybe some tweaks on the things I’ve said and a reaction that can be crazy or wild.” And it makes sense that Buress would shy away from punditry, as 2014 has been one of the best of his career. While the comedian paid his dues early on as a writer for

“30 Rock” and “Saturday Night Live,” in recent years he’s found success on screen as well. He plays a pediatric dentist with an ambiguous sexual relationship to one of the leads in “Broad City,” a millennial send-up sitcom that started out as a Web series before it was picked up by Comedy Central. He serves as a would-be sidekick on “The Eric André Show,” a hilarious parody of a public access talk show that excels at crazy antics and breaking down walls, both literally and figuratively. “Broad City” premieres its second season on Jan. 14; the third season of “The Eric André Show” wraps up just days later on Adult Swim. Buress also had a role in one of the biggest comedies of the year, the Seth Rogen vehicle Neighbors, and is currently finishing up a prominent role in Daddy’s Home, a film that stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg and wraps in February. Not bad work if you can get it. For all of the recent acting success, which he refers to as “awesome,” Buress is still very much focused on his stand-up career. His success has been gradual, from his start at open mics during college at Eastern Illinois University to his rough-andtumble early years in the New York comedy scene and, later, a weekly gig hosting a comedy night at The Knitting Factory. “[Acting] is fun, but I still think of myself as a stand-up comedian first,” Buress says. “It’s just about what kind of opportunities come along. If it looks fun and it can help progress my standup act and push people toward that, those are the types of roles I’m looking for. If I’m in a drama or something, that doesn’t necessarily help me sell tickets to a show.” Or maybe it does,“ he says after a moment. ”Maybe it would, I don’t know! I don’t feel like I’m a good fit for it yet, though. Maybe when I’m 40.” X

who Hannibal Buress wheRe The Orange Peel, theorangepeel.net when Sunday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. $27 advance/$30 day of show

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by Alli Marshall

amarshall@mountainx.com

Many rivers to cross

ested in delving deeper into the Nile’s musical traditions, cultures, histories and ecologies that the group’s workshops were created. “The project’s goal goes far beyond the concert hall,” says Girgis. “We’re hoping the music drives cultural and environmental curiosity ... to help each and every one who interacts with the project to see how they can become a Nile citizen by using their skills to contribute to the Nile’s sustainability.”

The Nile Project brings multicultural music and sustainability-focused workshops to Asheville

The Nile Project, a collective of more than a dozen musicians from various countries along the Nile River Basin, is embarking on its first tour of the United States. The January-to-May string of dates includes a two-day stop in Asheville. On Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18 and 19, the group leads daytime workshops and performs shows, nightly, at New Mountain. The workshops focus on river sustainability — a cause near to the heart of the Nile Project’s performers — as well as music. It was Nile Project executive director Mina Girgis, an Egyptian-raised, San Francisco-based applied ethno-

what The Nile Project wheRe New Mountain, newmountainavl.com

Workshops held at new Mountain: • The Nile Project and RiverLink present interactive panel discussion “Civic Engagement and the Management of Watershed Resources.” Saturday, Jan. 17, 5-7 p.m. $20 (includes Saturday concert). avl.mx/0n6 • On Sunday, Jan. 18, The Nile Project and AMP present an East African drumming master class, 2:30-3:30 p.m.; and a musicians and social activism panel discussion, 5-7 p.m. $20 for one workshop (includes Sunday concert). Suggested extra $10 donation to attened both Sunday workshops. avl.mx/0n7 X

found in tRansLation: The Nile Project is made up of 27 artists from nine of the 11 Nile Basin countries. During a two-week residency they collaborate on a performance set and share music through a complex process of language translation. Photo by Peter Stanley

when Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18 and 19, 8 p.m. $20 advance/ $30 day of show

musicologist who first conceived of the initiative. “In January 2013, we held our first residency in Aswan, Egypt,” he says. “We invited 18 musicians from six Nile countries to collaborate on creating this new sound. Every year we audition new musicians to join our collective. So far, we have 27 artists from nine of the 11 Nile basin countries.” Since the musicians are geographically scattered, the group holds an annual two-week music residency where 14-18 musicians collaborate on a new performance set. “For the time we’re not physically together,

we share musical exercises and repertoires to continue our musical learning,” says Girgis. And while they are together, language is a major defining factor: “The translation process has taught all of us to be clearer, more succinct and more patient. The Nile Project is a conversation, after all.” That conversation extends to the audience, many of whom will be experiencing the instruments and sounds for the first time. “We imagine it will be a steep learning curve,” says Girgis. “But the learning curve was equally steep for our audiences in the Nile Basin. Many of the people who saw us last year had not seen the music nor the instruments featured onstage before these concerts.” It’s for those who are inter-

mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

kyle.sherard@gmail.com

a&e

by Kyle Sherard

Celebrating the art of musical instruments Many of us view banjos, violins, drums and flutes as quasi-utilitarian musical instruments. But a new show opening Friday, Jan. 16, at the Asheville Area Arts Council has elevated their status to that of individual works of fine art. Buncombe Built, which was organized and curated by Asheville vocalist Linda go and musician, producer and AAAC board member gar Ragland, features an array of musical instruments designed and handmade in Buncombe County. The exhibition is part of the AAAC’s Point of View curatorial series and is an extension of a one-night-only concert that Go organized for the AAAC’s Creative Sector Summit in March 2014. Go’s performance, under the same title, featured a dozen musicians discussing, showcasing and playing

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

instruments that they had engineered and built. “Those of us who were able to see Go’s piece were really struck by the works and the maker’s processes,” says Kitty Love, AAAC’s executive director. “This show is continuing on that theme.” The exhibition, much like the concert, features homegrown instruments from seven Buncombe County musicians (four took part in the original show) and makers. Go selected the artists from her own niche in Asheville’s music scene — she’s either performed with or organized shows for the participating musicians. Ragland has arranged and displayed a series of accompanying video screens and audio streams that allow viewers to both see the musicians’ creative processes and listen to the final products. The instruments themselves range from traditional to experimental, wood to steel and stringed to percussive. “It’s the blending, the perfect synthesis of roots and contemporary culture,” says Love. Djembes by billy Zanski, owner of Skinny Beats Drum Shop, show alongside branch flutes by geri Littlejohn, found-object drums by billy Jonas and Saraz handpans by mark garnier. Handpans are a relatively new type of musical instrument, first developed in 2000. They look like small UFOs and sound like a steel drum, but with deeper and softer reverberations. Garnier founded Saraz Musical Instruments in Asheville in 2012. In three years, his instruments have garnered worldwide

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canned heat: “Kodakaster Duo 4-string Electric Canjo” by Billy Radd, on exhibit as part of Buncombe Built at the Asheville Area Arts Council. Photo courtesy of the artist

acclaim within the handpan community, resulting in a nearly two-year waitlist for orders. patrick heavner, of the Pisgah Banjo Co., taps into the exhibit’s Southern Appalachian music heritage with his handmade open-backed five-string banjos. Heavner and coowner topher stephens founded the Pisgah Banjo Co. in Fairview in 2012 with the goal of using native Appalachian hardwoods. Their instruments are now available all over the Eastern Seaboard, from Black Mountain to Nashville, Tenn., and Brattleboro, Vt. Other pieces, specifically those of bill Raddatz (aka Billy Radd) and steve miller, carry that Appalachian legacy but take creative departures from traditional means and modes. Miller makes cigar box violins. They’re decorated with import stickers and stamps, logos and f-holes where one would expect the smooth Stratavarian ripples of toned wood. Raddatz, meanwhile, offers up two of the show’s most unique instrumental hybrids: a license plate guitar and a “canjo.” The instruments look like and sound like banjos, but are strung and played like guitars. The difference is in the bodies: one body is made from two license plates bolted together, the other uses old film canisters — hence the name canjo. Raddatz has been making these hybridized instruments since moving to the area in 2010. The idea

came to him after seeing a cigar box guitar. “I had all these film cans that I’d carried halfway across the country from Washington,” he says. “There were Kodaks and other kinds, all still with their labels on.” Each canister had a unique patina left from decades of finger prints and labels, and thus a unique sound. Raddatz’s first creation had three strings and an open tuning similar to a banjo. Later models, he said, had more stings, larger fretboards and were more like Dobros and blues guitars. Each canjo is different from the next. For Go, such works offer a portrayal of the creativity inherent in the music community. That creativity extends to each of these musicians-turned-artists, for they have all gone beyond the norm, she says. “Music is what I think helps operate the world. It can stimulate people’s imaginations to the point where they see beyond what they can pick up at the music shop.” X

what Buncombe Built wheRe Asheville Area Arts Council ashevillearts.com when Opening Friday, Jan. 16 5 to 8 p.m. The exhibit is on view through Saturday, Feb. 28

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Send your arts news to ae@mountainx.com

Asheville Symphony Orchestra Built around one of the most recognizable four-note opening bars of all time, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is “a classical piece that everyone should hear live at least once,” according to Asheville Symphony Orchestra marketing manager Michael Morel. ASO is extending its concert season into January for the first time ever to give Ashevilleans just such an opportunity. This fourth Masterworks concert of the winter begins with a performance of Verdi’s “Sicilian Vespers.” The evening also stars Korean violin virtuoso Kyung Ah Oh of the Cleveland Institute of Music in Sibelius’ Violin Concerto before treating attendees to the main performance. ASO takes over the stage of the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m. $22-62. uscellularcenterasheville.com. Photo of Oh courtesy of ASO

A&E staff

Christopher Scotton Set in an Appalachian coal town, Christopher Scotton’s The Secret Wisdom of the Earth explores the fleeting splendor of nature, detailing the plight of working-class citizens who rally to stop mountaintop removal in their rural Kentucky town. The protagonist, 14-year-old Kevin — recently transplanted to the area with his family after the death of his brother — undergoes a nature-inspired coming of age just as the setting that catalyzes that awakening falls into peril. Blue Ridge devotee Scotton says his hometown on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., was also “a place of cornfields and treehouses, dammed-up creeks and secret swimming holes” at one point. He cites this upbringing as a major influence on his debut novel. The author hosts a free reading and signing at Malaprop’s on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. malaprops.com. Photo by Lee Kriel Photography

The Cheeksters Twenty-five years after meeting on a London train, couple shannon and mark casson are working toward their seventh full-length studio album as The Cheeksters — a glam-pop outfit whose catchy sound has been scooped up for commercial use by NFL and Coca-Cola in past years. “Typically I’ll be playing a new song around the house, and Shannon will listen and internalize the song and then come up with a bass line that fits,” says Mark. He explains that cohabitation has “not only helped, but defined” the group’s music over time. The Cheeksters’ current residency at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall will provide an intimate venue for a retrospective meander through the band’s discography, with the Cassons and their bandmates playing the upstairs lounge every Friday through Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. $7 nightly. isisasheville.com. Photo courtesy of the band

Col. Bruce Hampton and The Madrid Express Surrealist musician Col. Bruce Hampton sandwiches his Asheville show between two runs of exotic dates. First, Jam Cruise takes him to Miami and Costa Maya, Mexico. Then he’ll do four dates in the Dominican Republic as part of Panic En La Playa. Not a bad life for a touring musician and Hampton — also an actor, magician and artist, according to his website — has been going on the road since 1963. His most recent release is In the Pharoah’s Kitchen of which Creative Loafing said, “The singer, songwriter, guitarist and auteur coalesces many of his past musical strains successfully into a nine-track, 36-minute album that flows with surprising ease, channeled through his charmingly offbeat and eclectic mindset.” Hampton and The Madrid Express take the stage at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 9 p.m. The Blood Gypsies also perform. $12 advance/$15 at the door. isisasheville.com. Photo by Brato Ganibe

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

a&e caLendaR

by Carrie Eidson & Michael McDonald gaLLeRY diRectoRY Sibelius Violin Concerto. Tickets: 828-254-7046. ashevillesymphony.org seAn Johnson & the Wild lotus BAnd (pd.) January 24 (Sat) Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band Kirtan concert, 7pm $15 in advance/$20 day of show - Dynamic world music for modern yogis and music lovers celebrating the union of diverse spiritual traditions cultures, and musical genres. ASHEVILLE YOGA CENTER youryoga.com, 828-254-0380

a Reimagined adVenutRe: Asheville Aerial Arts will bring their interpretation of the Disney/ Pixar film Up to Asheville Community Theatre from Friday, Jan. 16, through Sunday, Jan. 18. The production features acrobalance, trapeze, lyra, stilt walking and more. Image courtesy of Asheville Community Theatre (p.32)

Art CruCiBle glAssWorKs grAnd oPening (pd.) Our new Hot Glass Studio Gallery at 60 Clarks Chapel Road in Weaverville- Jan.16th & 17th. Evening Celebration- Friday Jan.17th from 5-7pm. Regular hours- Tues.-Sat.10-5. Glass Demonstrations, refreshments, live music. Call or check out our website, www.crucibleglassworks.com VisuAl Artist AVAilABle (pd.) experienced Art instruction: Drawing / Mark-making / Watercolor Painting; Private, groups, homeschool, all ages. ArchiScapes: Architectural Portraits, make Excellent Gift Certificates. For more information visit www.mcchesneyart.com. AsheVille Art MuseuM 2 N. Pack Square, 253-3227, ashevilleart.org • FR (1/16), noon-1pm - Lunchtime Art Break: What You See Is What You See: American Abstraction After 1950. Admission fees apply. AsheVille fringe Arts festiVAl* ashevillefringe.org • TH (1/22), 9pm - Anam Cara Theatre presents Farmer Dave’s Bicycle-Powered Dream World: A Biotech Whodunit. Held at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St. • TH (1/22), 7pm - Hazards, spoken word performance by Mina Samuels. Held at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St. • TH (1/22), 7-9pm - Muladhara Ritual, installation piece by Abigail Griffin. Free to attend. Held at Crow & Quill, 106 N. Lexington Ave. *Additional listings appear in next week’s issue AsheVille loft 52 Broadway St., 782-8833, theashevilleloft.com • SA (1/17), 7-10pm - Tickets to the opening for Erotica Asheville, featuring refreshments and music by Hot Point Trio, will benefit Western North Carolina AIDS Project. General admission: $20 donation, 8pm. VIP: $50-75 donation, 7pm.

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

the fun ConsPirACy 782-0142, thefunconspiracy.com, jennifer@thefunconspiracy.com • SA (1/17), 2-5pm - Womens’ Vision Board workshop. Free. Held at Odyssey Community School, 90 Zillicoa St.

Auditions & CAll to Artists ATTENTION ARTISTS • CRAFTERS (pd.) Space available (2,000 sqft) in downtown Waynesville, that would provide a place to work and sell. Heat, parking. 30 minutes from Asheville. • Individual booths. • Could be co-op. I will develop the space to a plan, if there is interest. (828) 216-6066. CAldWell Arts CounCil 601 College Ave SW, Lenoir, 754-2486 • Through FR (1/30) - Portfolios accepted from local and regional artists for 2016 exhibitions. Contact for guidelines. CArolinA ConCert Choir 607-351-2585, carolinaconcertchoir.org • Through (1/31) - Open auditions for the 2014 season. Contact to schedule appointment. greAt sMoKies Writing ProgrAM 250-2353, agc.unca.edu/gswp • Through FR (1/30) - Submissions accepted for the Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize. Contact for guidelines. $25/$15 NC Writer’s Network members. trAnsylVAniA CoMMunity Arts CounCil 884-2787, tcarts.org • ONGOING - Visual artists may enter their artwork in two open exhibits in 2015: Wood, Wind & Water (deadline Feb. 3) and Of the Earth: An Organic Exhibition (deadline March 3). Contact for guidelines. Free.

MusiC BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH • ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY (pd.) This Saturday, January 17, 2015, 8pm. With Verdi Overture to I Vespri Siciliani and

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Arts CounCil of henderson County 693-8504, acofhc.org • TH (1/22), 7pm - Sheila Jordan with Bill Bares, Mike Holstein and Sonny Thornton, jazz. Free. Held at Cummings United Methodist Church, 3 Banner Farm Road, Horse Shoe BlACK MountAin CoMMunity druM CirCle 545-0389 • SATURDAYS, 4-6pm - Covers traditional West African rhythms. Free. Held at Carver Community Center, 101 Carver Ave., Black Mountain diAnA WorthAM theAtre 2 S. Pack Square, 257-4530, dwtheatre.com • SA (1/17), 8pm - Shana Tucker, cello. $30/$25 students/$15 children. J.e. Broyhill CiViC Center 1913 Hickory Blvd. SE, Lenior, broyhillcenter.com • TH (1/22), 7:30pm - David Holt and the Lightning Bolts, bluegrass. $12.81/ $5.34 children. MusiC At MArs hill 866-642-4968, mhc.edu • TU (1/20), 7:30pm - Lisa Kachouee, clarinetist. Free. Held in Broyhill Chapel. MusiC At unCA 251-6432, unca.edu • WE (1/14), 7pm - Blue Ridge Orchestra open rehearsal. Free. In the Reuter Center. • FR (1/16), 3pm - “Symphony Talk,” with Asheville Symphony Orchestra Music Director Daniel Meyer. Free. In the Reuter Center. • WE (1/21), 7pm - Blue Ridge Orchestra open rehearsal. Free. In the Reuter Center. sAludA Winterfest 749-2321 Sponsored by the Saluda Business Association. • SA (1/17), 6pm - Tom Fisch, folk songwriter. Includes dinner. $27. Held at Thompson’s Store, 24 E Main St., Saluda

theAter AsheVille CoMMunity theAtre 35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org • FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS until (1/25) - John & Jen, musical. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm; Sun.: 2:30pm. $20. • FR (1/16) through SU (1/18), 7:30pm - Asheville Aerial Arts presents Up. $15/ $10 children. Fr.i. & Sat.: 7:30pm; Sat. & Sun.: 2:30pm. diAnA WorthAM theAtre 2 S. Pack Square, 257-4530, dwtheatre.com • TH (1/22) through SA (1/24), 8pm - Wanderlust: From Here to Timbuktu. $28/$23 student/$15 child. the MAgnetiC theAtre themagnetictheatre.org • THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS through (1/17), 7:30pm - Food and How To Eat It. $21/ $18 advance. Held at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St.

Art At MArs hill mhu.edu • Through TH (2/26) - Works by alumna Biljana Kroll. In the Weizenblatt Gallery. Art At unCA art.unca.edu • FR (1/16) through SU (3/1) - Drawing Discourse, juried exhibition of contemporary drawing. Opening reception: Jan. 16, 6-8pm. AsheVille AreA Arts CounCil 1 Page Ave., 258-0710, ashevillearts.com Ashevile Area Arts Council • FR (1/16) through SA (2/28) - Buncombe Built, handmade instruments from Buncombe County. Opening reception: Jan. 16, 5-8pm AsheVille gAllery of Art 16 College St., 251-5796, ashevillegallery-of-art.com • Through SA (1/31) - New Kids on the Block, works by new gallery members. AsheVille loft 52 Broadway St., 782-8833, theashevilleloft.com • SA (1/17) through SA (3/14) - Erotica Asheville, works by five artists focusing on themes of eroticism. Blue sPirAl 1 38 Biltmore Ave., 251-0202, bluespiral1.com • Through FR (2/20) - New Artists, New Works, New Year, debut works by six artists. • Through FR (2/20) - Paintings by Marcus Michels. • Through SA (2/20) - Ceramics by Michael Poness and paintings by Scott Upton. CroW & Quill 106 N. Lexington Ave, 505-2866 • Through TH (2/12) - Surrealist paintings by Hannah Weaver. n.C. ArBoretuM 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, 6652492, ncarboretum.org • WE (1/14) through SU (4/19) - Seeing with New Eyes, photography by Sharon Mammoser. odyssey CooPerAtiVe Art gAllery 238 Clingman Ave, 285-9700, facebook.com/odysseycoopgallery • ONGOING - Ceramics by Kate Gardner and Denise Baker. trAnsylVAniA CoMMunity Arts CounCil 349 S. Caldwell St., Brevard, 884-2787, tcarts.org • Through FR (1/16) - Works by Transylvania Vocational Services clients. • Through MO (2/2) - Faces of Freedom, multiple artists’ work on theme of “freedom.” West AsheVille liBrAry 942 Haywood Rd. • Through SA (1/31)- I Owe a Debt to the Library (Amongst Other Things), mixed media by Ana Baranda. Artist’s reception: Jan. 17, 4-6pm. Contact the galleries for admission hours and fees.

12 Old Charlotte Highway, 12-H • Asheville, NC 28803 (828) 299-3370 • www.highlandbrewing.com

WED • JAN 14 WOODY WOOD 5:30 - 7:30

SAT • JAN 17 ALEX KRUG COMBO 6:30 - 8:30

THURS • JAN 15 SUN • JAN 18 HANK PATTERSON’S OPEN 1 - 6 REEL MONTANA ADVENTURE (SEE WEBSITE FOR TICKETS)

FRI • JAN 16 THE GOOD OLD BOYS FEAT. WOODY WOOD 6:30 - 8:30

Open Mon-Thurs 4-8pm, Fri 4-9pm, Sat 2-9pm, Sun 1-6pm Less than 10 minutes from downtown Asheville & Biltmore!

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

C L U B L A N D elAine’s dueling PiAno BAr Dueling Pianos, 9pm

WednesdAy, JAnuAry 14

foggy MountAin BreWPuB Songwriter’s Night w/ Riyen Roots (blues), 9pm

185 King street Henry Doss & Scott Pipe, 8pm

frenCh BroAd BreWery Up Jumped Three (jazz), 6pm

Ben’s tune-uP Live band karaoke w/ The Diagnostics, 9pm Blue KudZu sAKe CoMPAny Bill Gerhardt’s Trio South (jazz), 6pm

grey eAgle MusiC hAll & tAVern Locust Honey w/ Run Boy Run & Motel Rodeo (bluegrass, old-time), 8pm

douBle CroWn Classic Country w/ DJs Greg Cartwright, David Gay, Brody Hunt, 10pm

highlAnd BreWing CoMPAny Hank Patterson’s Reel Montana Adventure (movie night), 7pm

dugout Karaoke, 9pm

isis restAurAnt And MusiC hAll Danika Holmes feat. Jeb Hart (alt-country, soul), 7:15pm Al Coffee & Da Grind (blues, soul), 9pm

funKAtoriuM John Hartford newgrass Jam w/ AereoPlain String Band, 6:30pm

JACK of the Wood PuB Bluegrass jam, 7pm

grey eAgle MusiC hAll & tAVern Melissa Ferrick (singer-songwriter), 8pm

lAZy diAMond The Replacement Party w/ Dr. Filth, 10pm

grind CAfe Trivia night, 7pm

leX 18 Bob Strain (jazz ballads), 7pm

highlAnd BreWing CoMPAny Woody Wood Wednesdays (acoustic rock), 5:30pm

loBster trAP Hank Bones (“The man of 1,000 songs”), 7pm

iron horse stAtion Kevin Reese (Americana), 6pm isis restAurAnt And MusiC hAll Resonant Rogues (Balkan, gypsy, oldtime), 7pm JACK of the Wood PuB Old-time session, 5pm lAZy diAMond Killer Karaoke w/ KJ Tim O, 10pm

MArKet PlACe Ben Hovey (dub jazz, beats), 7pm

emptY pocKets & a tRoubLed mind: Documenting his life through song -- from learning guitar in his grandmother’s West Virginia kitchen to traveling and living all over the Western United States, folk-country artist Rodney Rice (now living in Texas) aims to connect to his audience with relatable songs about his life path. Rice will pop in to Brevard’s 185 King Street on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. for a soulful show.

odditoriuM Radient Beings of Light, Bear, Thera Roya & Host Club (metal), 9pm

leX 18 Patrick Lopez (Latin, jazz, piano), 7pm loBster trAP Ben Hovey (dub-jazz, trumpet), 7pm MoJo KitChen & lounge DJ Molly Parti “Get Over the Humpday” dance party (funk, soul, hip-hop), 5:30pm MountAin MoJo Coffeehouse Open mic, 6:30pm neW MountAin Bridge Over Asheville w/ songwriters, musicians, DJs, dancers, spoken word & more, 7pm noBle KAVA

Open mic w/ Caleb Beissert, 9pm o.henry’s/the underground “Take the Cake” Karaoke, 8pm

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

tiger MountAin Sean Dail (classic punk, power-pop, rock), 10pm

odditoriuM Winter Whimsy Circus Tour (variety), 9pm

tiMo’s house Spectrum AVL w/ Dam Good (dance party), 9pm

off the WAgon Piano show, 9pm

toWn PuMP Open mic w/ Aaron, 9pm

oliVe or tWist Swing dance lessons w/ Bobby Wood, 7:30pm 3 Cool Cats (vintage rock), 8pm

tressA’s doWntoWn JAZZ And Blues Blues & soul jam w/ Al Coffee & Da Grind, 8:30pm

one stoP deli & BAr Energy In Motion (rock, soul), 10pm Pour tAProoM Karaoke, 8pm

To qualify for a free listing, a venue must be predominately dedicated to the performing arts. Bookstores and cafés with regular open mics and musical events are also allowed / To limit confusion, events must be submitted by the venue owner or a representative of that venue / Events must be submitted in written form by e-mail (clubland@mountainx.com), fax, snail mail or hand-delivered to the Clubland Editor Hayley Benton at 2 Wall St., Room 209, Asheville, NC 28801. Events submitted to other staff members are not assured of inclusion in Clubland / Clubs must hold at least TWO events per week to qualify for listing space. Any venue that is inactive in Clubland for one month will be removed / The Clubland Editor reserves the right to edit or exclude events or venues / Deadline is by noon on Monday for that Wednesday’s publication. This is a firm deadline.

neW MountAin Fate Jam & Naughty Professor (jazz, funk, soul), 8pm Four on the Floor w/ A World of Lies, Amnesis, Alarka & Broad River Nightmare (metal, punk), 9pm

rooM iX Latin night w/ DJ Carlos Carmona, 9pm sMoKeys After dArK Karaoke, 9pm tAllgAry’s At four College Open mic & jam, 7pm the Joint neXt door Bluegrass jam, 8pm the Mothlight Honey Wild w/ The Dirty Badgers & Lords of Chicken Hill (rock ’n’ roll, blues, punk), 9pm the PhoeniX Jazz night, 8pm the soCiAl Ashli Rose (singer-songwriter), 6:30pm Karaoke, 10pm the southern Disclaimer Comedy open mic, 9pm

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VinCenZo’s Bistro Lenny Petenelli (high-energy piano), 7pm Wild Wing CAfe south Karaoke, 6pm

thursdAy, JAnuAry 15 185 King street Ray Cashman (American roots), 8pm AltAMont BreWing CoMPAny The French Broad Playboys (swing, funk), 9pm BlACK MountAin Ale house Bread & Butter Band (bluegrass), 8pm Blue KudZu sAKe CoMPAny Trivia night, 8pm CAtAWBA BreWing tAsting rooM Old time jam, 7pm douBle CroWn 33 and 1/3 Thursdays w/ DJs Devyn & Oakley, 10pm dugout Open Mic, 9pm

off the WAgon Dueling pianos, 9pm oliVe or tWist West Coast swing lesson w/ Ian & Karen, 7:30pm Pop the Clutch (beach, jazz, swing), 8:30pm one stoP deli & BAr Phish ’n’ Chips (Phish covers), 6pm Royal Skyyy (hip-hop), 10:30pm orAnge Peel Cherub w/ Mystery Skulls & ForteBowie (electro-pop), 9pm osKAr Blues BreWery The Moon & You (folk), 6pm PisgAh BreWing CoMPAny The Big Deal Band (bluegrass), 6pm PurPle onion CAfe Fayssoux McLean & Brandon Turner, 7pm renAissAnCe AsheVille hotel Carver & Carmody (Americana, country), 6:30pm rooM iX College night w/ DJ MoTo, 9pm sCAndAls nightCluB DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm sCully’s “Geeks Who Drink” Trivia, 7pm southern APPAlAChiAn BreWery King Possum (folk, indie), 6pm tAllgAry’s At four College Iggy Radio, 7pm the Mothlight Ken Vandermark & Nate Wooley (jazz), 9pm

WED & SAT

the PhoeniX Ellen Trnka (singer-songwriter), 8pm the southern Throwdown Thursday w/ Jim Raves & Nex Millen (DJ, dance party), 10pm

lAZy diAMond Sonic Satan Stew w/ DJ Alien Brain, 10pm

the strAnd @ 38 MAin Open mic, 6pm

leX 18 Michael Jefry Stevens (jazz improv), 7:30pm DJ Cosmo Q (electro-fusion, swing), 11pm

tiMo’s house ’90s Nite w/ Franco Nino (’90s dance, hiphop, pop), 10pm

MArKet PlACe The Sean Mason Trio (groove, jazz, funk), 7pm

toWn PuMP Tab Spencer (pedal steel, Americana), 9pm

MCgourty’s PuB Veronica & The Red Wine Serenaders w/ Riyen Roots & Kenny Dore (blues), 9pm

tressA’s doWntoWn JAZZ And Blues The Westsound Revue (Motown, soul), 9pm

MillrooM Paul Hooper (stand-up comedy), 7pm

urBAn orChArd Stevie Lee Combs (acoustic, Americana), 6:30pm

neW MountAin Rumpke Mountain Boys (bluegrass, jam), 10pm

VinCenZo’s Bistro Ginny McAfee (guitar, vocals), 7pm

nightBell restAurAnt & lounge Dulítel DJ (indie, electro-rock), 10pm

WXyZ lounge At Aloft hotel Lyric (funk, soul), 7:30pm

noBle KAVA Steve Karla (gypsy jazz, jam), 8:30pm

fridAy, JAnuAry 16 185 King street The Sammy Show, 8pm AltAMont BreWing CoMPAny Porch 40 (funk, jam, rock), 9:30pm AsheVille MusiC hAll phil.harmoniq w/ Lucidea, Medisin & BomBassic (electronic), 10pm AthenA’s CluB Dave Blair (folk, funk, acoustic), 7pm BlACK MountAin Ale house Ginny McAfee (country, folk), 8pm Burger BAr Old-fashioned juke joint blues, 8pm ClAssiC Wineseller Jay Brown (Americana, roots), 7pm CroW & Quill Mergoats Unite: Capricorn Party, 10pm douBle CroWn DJ Greg Cartwright (garage & soul obscurities), 10pm dugout Fineline (rock), 9pm elAine’s dueling PiAno BAr Dueling Pianos, 9pm frenCh BroAd BreWery Tyler Nail Trio, 6pm good stuff The Colored Parade (indie, alt-folk), 7pm grey eAgle MusiC hAll & tAVern Bulgogi w/ American Gonzos & Art Contest (dance rock, funk, math rock), 9pm highlAnd BreWing CoMPAny The Good Old Boys (country-fusion), 6:30pm

Smokey’s After Dark

OPEN 7 Nights-A-Week 4pm-2am

18 Broadway Downtown

253-2155

odditoriuM Ferguson Protest Show w/ Los Ninos Molestos, Short Leash & Uninhabitable (punk), 9pm off the WAgon Dueling pianos, 9pm oliVe or tWist WestSound (blues, Motown), 8pm Latin, 11pm one stoP deli & BAr Free Dead Fridays w/ members of Phuncle Sam (jam), 5pm Psylo Joe w/ Dr. Bacon (psychedelic funk-a-billy), 10pm orAnge Peel Drive-By Truckers w/ Fly Golden Eagle (alt-country, roots), 9pm osKAr Blues BreWery Drayton & The Dreamboats (jazz), 6pm

LOVE YOUR LOCAL

advertise@mountainx.com

PACK’s tAVern DJ MoTo (pop, dance, hits), 9pm PisgAh BreWing CoMPAny The Gravelys (rock, blues), 8pm sCAndAls nightCluB DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm sCully’s DJ, 10pm southern APPAlAChiAn BreWery The Pea Pickin’ Hearts (Americana, rockabilly), 8pm sPring CreeK tAVern Shane’s Gang, 8pm tAllgAry’s At four College Irsuh (DJ dance party), 9:30pm the AdMirAl Hip Hop dance party w/ DJ Warf, 11pm the PhoeniX Picasso Facelift (classic rock, blues), 9pm

isis restAurAnt And MusiC hAll The Cheeksters (pop, rock), 7pm Camp David, Doc Aquatic, The Hermit Kings (indie rock), 9pm

the soCiAl Get Vocal Karaoke, 9:30pm

JerusAleM gArden Middle Eastern music & bellydancing, 7pm

o.henry’s/the underground Bump & Grind dance party, 8pm

iron horse stAtion Kevin Reese (Americana), 7pm

JACK of the Wood PuB The Howlin’ Brothers w/ Mangas Colorado (old-time country blues, bluegrass), 9pm

KARAOKE!

tiger MountAin Soul dance party w/ Cliff, 10pm tiMo’s house DJs, 10pm toWn PuMP Bill West (singer-songwriter), 9pm

mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

cLubLand

Send your listings to clubland@mountainx.com. cLub diRectoRY

tressA’s doWntoWn JAZZ And Blues The Nightcrawlers (funk), 10pm VinCenZo’s Bistro Steve Whiddon (classic piano), 5:30pm White horse BlACK MountAin Chicago After Dark (blues, jazz) w/ Linda Mitchell & band, 8pm Wild Wing CAfe south A Social Function (acoustic), 9:30pm

LIVE MUSIC

WXyZ lounge At Aloft hotel Ben Hovey (dub-jazz, trumpet), 8:30pm

EVERY THURSDAY! 8–11

Check out Clubland for other events.

sAturdAy, JAnuAry 17

Jan. 15th Thicket CD release party Jan. 22nd Joe Lasher Jr. Trio Jan. 29th Unit 50 Feb. 5th Social Function Feb. 12th Austin Baze Feb. 19h The Dirty Badgers New this week! Mondays w/Marc Keller 6–9

185 King street Joe Lasher Jr. (Southern rock), 8pm AltAMont BreWing CoMPAny Greenliners (bluegrass), 9:30pm AsheVille MusiC hAll BIG Something (jam, rock), 10pm AthenA’s CluB Dave Blair (folk, funk, acoustic), 7pm BlACK MountAin Ale house Asheville Aces (blues), 9pm CAtAWBA BreWing tAsting rooM Dave Desmelik Duo (singer-songwriter), 6pm ClAssiC Wineseller Jacob Johnson (acoustic, folk), 7pm CroW & Quill Nosedive (slide guitar, folk, old-time) w/ Stevie Lee Combs, 9pm

KITCHEN & BAR OPEN TIL 2AM www.thesocialasheville.com 1078 Tunnel Road | 828-298-8780

ays WorthAM theAtre Now open MonddiAnA

Shana Tucker (cello, folk, soul), 8pm douBle CroWn Rock ’n’ Soul w/ DJs Lil Lorruh or Rebecca & Dave, 10pm dugout Fritz Beer & The Crooked Beat (Americana, rock), 9pm

TAVERN

elAine’s dueling PiAno BAr Dueling Pianos, 9pm

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

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frenCh BroAd BreWery Sidecar Honey (Americana, rock), 6pm good stuff Tab Spencer (folk), 8pm grey eAgle MusiC hAll & tAVern Sunny Ledfurd w/ The Stump Mutts & Matt Borden (country, blues, rock ’n’ roll), 9pm highlAnd BreWing CoMPAny Alex Krug Combo (rock, Americana), 6:30pm iron horse stAtion Mark Bumgarner (Americana), 7pm isis restAurAnt And MusiC hAll Classical Brunch w/ AmiciMusic, 11am In the Lounge: Richard Shulman (piano), 7pm Col. Bruce Hampton & The Madrid Express w/ The Blood Gypsies (rock), 9pm JACK of the Wood PuB The Resonant Rogues w/ Grace & Tony (gypsy-folk, old-time), 9pm JerusAleM gArden Middle Eastern music & bellydancing, 7pm lAZy diAMond Unknown Pleasures w/ DJ Greg Cartwright, 10pm leX 18 Xpresso (Latin jazz), 8:30pm MArCo’s PiZZeriA Sharon LaMotte Band (jazz), 6pm

185 King Street 877-1850 5 Walnut Wine Bar 253-2593 adam dalton diStillery 367-6401 altamont BreWing Company 575-2400 the altamont theatre 348-5327 aSheville muSiC hall 255-7777 athena’S CluB 252-2456 Barley’S tap room 255-0504 BlaCK mountain ale houSe 669-9090 Blue mountain pizza 658-8777 Boiler room 505-1612 BroadWay’S 285-0400 the ByWater 232-6967 CorK and Keg 254-6453 CreeKSide taphouSe 575-2880 diana Wortham theater 257-4530 dirty South lounge 251-1777 douBle CroWn 575-9060 dugout 692-9262 eleven on grove 505-1612 Foggy mountain BreWpuB 254-3008 FrenCh Broad BreWery taSting room 277-0222 good StuFF 649-9711 green room CaFe 692-6335 grey eagle muSiC hall & tavern 232-5800 the grove parK inn (elaine’S piano Bar/ great hall) 252-2711 highland BreWing Company 299-3370 iSiS muSiC hall 575-2737 JaCK oF the Wood 252-5445 leX 18 582-0293 the loBSter trap 350-0505 metroShere 258-2027 millroom 555-1212 monte viSta hotel 669-8870 moonlight mile 335-9316 native KitChen & SoCial puB 581-0480 nightBell 575-0375 noBle Kava Bar 505-8118 odditorium 575-9299 olive or tWiSt 254-0555 oneFiFtyone 239-0239 one Stop Bar deli & Bar 255-7777 o.henry’S/tug 254-1891 the orange peel 225-5851 oSKar BlueS BreWery 883-2337 paCK’S tavern 225-6944 the phoeniX 877-3232 piSgah BreWing Co. 669-0190 pulp 225-5851 purple onion CaFe 749-1179 red Stag grill at the grand Bohemian hotel 505-2949 root Bar no.1 299-7597 SCandalS nightCluB 252-2838 SCully’S 251-8880 Sly grog lounge 255-8858 SmoKey’S aFter darK 253-2155 the SoCial 298-8780 Southern appalaCian BreWery 684-1235 StatiC age reCordS 254-3232 StraightaWay CaFe 669-8856 tallgary’S Cantina 232-0809 tiger mountain 407-0666 timo’S houSe 575-2886 toWn pump 357-5075 toy Boat 505-8659 treaSure CluB 298-1400 treSSa’S doWntoWn Jazz & BlueS 254-7072 u.S. Cellular Center & thomaS WolFe auditorium 259-5544 vinCenzo’S 254-4698 WeStville puB 225-9782 White horSe 669-0816 Wild Wing CaFe 253-3066 WXyz 232-2838

MArKet PlACe DJs (funk, R&B), 7pm

VinCenZo’s Bistro Steve Whiddon (classic piano), 5:30pm

MCgourty’s PuB Veronica & The Red Wine Serenaders w/ Riyen Roots & Kenny Dore (blues), 9pm

White horse BlACK MountAin Akira Satake (banjo, shamasin) & Duncan Wickel (violin), 8pm

neW MountAin The Nile Project, 8pm Hank & Cupcakes, Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats, Luzius Stone (rock), 9pm

WXyZ lounge At Aloft hotel Lyric (funk, soul), 8:30pm

nightBell restAurAnt & lounge Cpt. Hyperdrive (future-funk), 10pm

sundAy, JAnuAry 18

noBle KAVA Robert John Malone (instrumental), 8:30pm

AsheVille MusiC hAll Steely Dan Sunday, 9pm The Winter Classic (trap, house) w/ DJ Audio, DJ Matt May, 10pm

o.henry’s/the underground Spinn (dance party), 8pm

BlACK MountAin Ale house Sunday Funday NFL Ticket, 1pm

odditoriuM Ruby Buff, The Dimarcos & The Blots (punk), 9pm

Blue KudZu sAKe CoMPAny Karaoke & brunch, 2pm

off the WAgon Dueling pianos, 9pm oliVe or tWist 42nd Street Band (jazz, swing), 8pm Dance party (’80s to present), 11pm one stoP deli & BAr Musashi Xero w/ The Last Word Benders, Press B, Cigarette Umbrella (hip-hop, electronic), 10pm orAnge Peel Drive-By Truckers w/ Fly Golden Eagle (alt-country, roots), 9pm osKAr Blues BreWery Io Trio (rock), 6pm PACK’s tAVern The Free Flow Band (R&B, old school, funk), 9pm

Burger BAr Trivia, 9pm douBle CroWn Karaoke w/ Tim O, 9pm grey eAgle MusiC hAll & tAVern Kate Voegele w/ Leroy Sanchez (pop), 8pm iron horse stAtion Mark Shane (R&B), 6pm isis restAurAnt And MusiC hAll Jazz showcase, 6pm JACK of the Wood PuB Irish session, 5pm lAZy diAMond Honky Tonk Night w/ DJs, 10pm

PurPle onion CAfe Gigi Dover & Big Love, 8pm

neW MountAin The Nile Project, 8pm

root BAr no. 1 Bruiser Queen (garage-rock), 8pm

odditoriuM Adult poetry slam & Mortified Asheville: Share the Shame (spoken word), 9pm

sCAndAls nightCluB Lucky 13 Pin-Ups silent auction & pinup contest w/ Apparitions & Deadbeat Scoundrels, 7pm DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm

off the WAgon Piano show, 9pm oliVe or tWist DJ (oldies rock, swing), 8pm

sCully’s DJ, 10pm

one stoP deli & BAr Bluegrass brunch w/ Woody Wood, 11am

southern APPAlAChiAn BreWery Courtaud (alternative), 8pm

orAnge Peel Hannibal Buress [SOLD OUT], 7pm

sPring CreeK tAVern What It Is (blues, funk, jazz), 8pm

Pour tAProoM Open mic, 8pm

tAllgAry’s At four College A Social Function (acoustic, classic hits, rock ’n’ roll), 9:30pm

sCAndAls nightCluB DJ dance party & drag show, 10pm

the AdMirAl Soul night w/ DJ Dr. Filth, 11pm the Mothlight Young & In The Way w/ USX & Busted Chops (punk, black metal), 9:30pm the PhoeniX Motown Blue (Motown), 9pm the soCiAl Get Vocal Karaoke, 9:30pm tiMo’s house DJs, 10pm toWn PuMP Georgia English & The Jukebox Kids (roots, Motown), 9pm tressA’s doWntoWn JAZZ And Blues Liley Arauz (Latin soul), 7pm Ruby Mayfield & The Friendship Train (blues, R&B, soul), 10pm

4pm-2am • 7 Days a week

87 Patton Ave., Asheville

MoJo KitChen & lounge Sunday night swing, 5pm

southern APPAlAChiAn BreWery Gospel brunch w/ Todd Hoke, Mare Carmody & Michael “Country” Carver, 12pm tAllgAry’s At four College Jason Brazzel (acoustic), 6pm the PhoeniX Howie, Ellen & Woody (acoustic blues), 12pm the soCiAl Karaoke, 9:30pm tiger MountAin Seismic Sunday w/ Matthew Schrader (doom, sludge, drone, psych-metal), 10pm tiMo’s house Asheville Drum ’n’ Bass Collective w/ Thesis, Varient & DJ iLLSD, 10pm toWn PuMP Sunday Jam w/ Dan, 4pm Matt Foster (banjo, guitar), 9pm

1/16 THE HOWLIN BROTHERS

10/25 Lee Guthrie 10/25 Sarah Lee Guthrie W/ MANGASSarah COLORADO 9 P.M.$5

& Johnny Irion w/ Battlefield • 9pm W/ GRACE AND TONY 9 P.M. $5 $10 10/26 Firecracker Jazz Band 1/19 MATT A FOSTER & HALLOWEEN Costume 9 P.M. FREE (DONATIONS ENCOURAGED) Party & Contest •• 9pm 9pm $8 $8 1/20 SINGER SONGWRITERS IN THE 10/27 FEAT. Vinegar Creek • 9pm 9pm FREE FREE ROUND PATRICK SIMMONS,• SCOTT BARKAN BRITTANY TRANBAUGH 10/28W/Mustard Plug •• 9pm $8 9pm $8 7 P.M. FREE (DONATIONS ENCOURAGED w/ Crazy Tom Banana Pants w/ 1/23 THESinger APPLESEED COLLECTIVE W/ 10/29 Songwriters MICHAELA ANNE & THE WILD HEARTS 9 P.M.$5 in the Round •• 7-9pm 7-9pm FREE FREE & Johnny IrionROGUES 1/17 RESONANT w/THE Battlefield • 9pm $10

w/ Anthony Tripi, Elise w/THE Anthony Tripi,BAND Elise Davis Davis 1/24 GET RIGHT

Tea •• 9pm Mud TeaBELLES 9pm9FREE FREE W/Mud SOUTHERN P.M.$7

Open Open Mon-Thurs Mon-Thurs at at 3 3 •• Fri-Sun Fri-Sun at at Noon Noon SUN SUN Celtic Celtic Irish Irish Session Session 5pm 5pm til til ?? MON Quizzo! 7-9p • WED Old-Time MON Quizzo! 7-9p • WED Old-Time 5pm 5pm SINGER SINGER SONGWRITERS SONGWRITERS 1st 1st & & 3rd 3rd TUES TUES THURS THURS Bluegrass Bluegrass Jam Jam 7pm 7pm

95 95 Patton Patton at at Coxe Coxe •• Asheville Asheville 252.5445 • jackofthewood.com 252.5445 • jackofthewood.com

mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

cLubLand

Send your listings to clubland@mountainx.com.

ALL NOVELTIES 30% OFF

Dec 2014

$5 GIFT CARD $10GIFT CARD WHEN YOU SPEND $25

WHEN YOU SPEND $50

$15GIFT CARD $20 GIFT CARD

THURSDAY

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9PM FRIDAY

WHEN YOU SPEND $600 WHEN YOU SPEND $80

75% OFF WICKED, DEVIL’S FILMS, COMBAT ZONE & ELEGANT ANGEL DVDS ON SALE FOR $14.99

GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE

1.15

AMNESIS | ALARKA BROAD RIVER NIGHTMARE

1.16

SOL BAR

8PM FRIDAY

1.16

7PM SUNDAY

1.18

1.21 8PM

off the WAgon Open mic, 8pm

SOL BAR

THEATRE

PRESENTED BY NEW MOUNTAIN AVL, LEAF, UNCA & RIVERLINK

THEATRE NIGHT 2 OF

THE NILE PROJECT

VISIT WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

RIDGE

DJ SPOOKY

BOOK SIGNING PRECEDING THIS EVENT 5:30PM @ MALAPROP’S BOOKSTORE

SOL BAR

OSO REY PRESENTS:

BRIDGE OVER ASHEVILLE A WEEKLY MASH OF ELECTRONIC & ACOUSTIC MUSIC

UPCOMING: 1/22: FOUR ON THE FLOOR SERIES 1/23: ADIA VICTORIA/CAROMIA 1/24: WOODY PINES/OLD SALT UNION 1/24: RYAN MONTBLEAU/MIKE DILLON BAND 1/24: BRANDON ADAMS/ANNUNAKI/KRI

(S. Asheville/Arden)

www.bedtymestories.net JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

White horse BlACK MountAin AmiciMusic: Four Hand Rhapsody, 2pm The Asheville Jazz Orchestra, 7:30pm

1.17

2334 Hendersonville Rd.

THEATRE

THE NILE PROJECT

8PM WEDNESDAY

SUN-THUR 8 AM - MIDNIGHT FRI SAT 8 AM - 3 AM (828) 684-8250

o.henry’s/the underground Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8pm

HANK AND CUPCAKES THE RIVER RATS | LUZIUS STONE

1.20

• • OPEN 7 DAYS • •

VinCenZo’s Bistro Steve Whiddon (classic piano), 5:30pm

1.17

7PM TUESDAY

Where Adult Dreams Come True

BREAD & BUTTER BAND RUMPKE MOUNTAIN BOYS & PHUNCLE SAM

9:30PM SATURDAY

8PM SATURDAY

DVD S RENTAL

SOL BAR

FOUR ON THE FLOOR SERIES: A WORLD OF LIES

mountainx.com

post-foLK, indie-RocK: For a night of Asheville indie classics, join Doc Aquatic (pictured) with The Hermit Kings and Camp David at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall on Friday, Jan. 16, at 9 p.m. Xpress’ Alli Marshall once described the indie-psych-rock band as “music that emanated from caves — not dark, itself, but over-bright to burn against darkness. Something muscular and searing; an opal unearthed in a mine.”

MondAy, JAnuAry 19 AltAMont BreWing CoMPAny Old-time jam w/ John Hardy Party, 8pm BlACK MountAin Ale house Bluegrass Jam, 7:30pm Burger BAr Honky-tonk ladies night, 9pm ByWAter Open mic w/ Taylor Martin, 9pm CourtyArd gAllery Open mic (music, poetry, comedy, etc.), 8pm douBle CroWn Punk ’n’ roll w/ DJs Dave & Rebecca, 10pm good stuff Open mic, 7pm

osKAr Blues BreWery Mountain Music Mondays (open jam), 6pm the Mothlight Mother Explosives w/ Vaughn Aed & Sven Hooson (singer-songwriters, folk), 9pm the PhoeniX Jeff Sipe & friends (jazz-fusion), 8pm the soCiAl Kevin Scanlon (folk, old-time), 6pm tiMo’s house Movie night, 7pm toWn PuMP Dan Tedesco (electric guitar), 9pm VinCenZo’s Bistro Steve Whiddon (classic piano), 5:30pm

tuesdAy, JAnuAry 20

grey eAgle MusiC hAll & tAVern Contra dance, 7pm

AltAMont BreWing CoMPAny Open mic w/ Chris O’Neill, 8pm

JACK of the Wood PuB Quizzo, 7pm Matt A. Foster (Americana, country-blues, folk), 9pm

AsheVille MusiC hAll Tuesday Night Funk Jam, 11pm

lAZy diAMond Heavy Night w/ DJ Butch, 10pm leXington AVe BreWery (lAB) Kipper’s “Totally Rad” Trivia night, 8pm neW MountAin New member orientation & team meeting, 8pm

BlACK MountAin Ale house Trivia, 7pm BuffAlo niCKel Trivia, 7pm CluB eleVen on groVe Swing lessons & dance w/ Swing Asheville, 6:30pm Tango lessons & practilonga w/ Tango Gypsies, 7pm

CorK & Keg Honky-tonk Jamboree w/ Tom Pittman, 6:30pm douBle CroWn Punk ’n’ roll w/ DJs Sean & Will, 10pm good stuff Old time-y night, 6:30pm iron horse stAtion Open mic, 6pm isis restAurAnt And MusiC hAll Bluegrass sessions, 7:30pm JACK of the Wood PuB Singer-songwriters in the Round w/ Patrick Fitzsimons, Scott Barkan & Brittany Tranbaugh, 7pm

odditoriuM Odd comedy night, 9pm off the WAgon Rock ’n’ roll bingo, 8pm

Dinner Menu till 10pm Late Night Menu till

Tues-Sun

5pm–12am

Full Bar

12am

Mon 1/19 PINT NIGHT

one stoP deli & BAr Turntablism Tuesdays (DJs & vinyl), 10pm

Terrapin Liquid Bliss & Saranac Caramel Porter! KEEP THE PINT GLASS!

Pour tAProoM Frank Zappa night, 8pm sCully’s Open mic w/ Jeff Anders, 9pm tAllgAry’s At four College Jam night, 9pm the Joint neXt door Open mic, 7pm

Wed 1/14 7:00 PM-RESONANT ROGUES SWING SET: LOUNGE

lAZy diAMond Punk ’n’ Roll w/ DJ Leo Delightful, 10pm

the soCiAl Jason Whittaker (acoustic-rock), 6:30pm

leX 18 Andrew J. Fletcher (old-time, jazz piano), 7pm

tiger MountAin Tuesday Tests w/ Chris Ballard (techno, house, experimental, downtempo), 10pm

loBster trAP Jay Brown (acoustic-folk, singer-songwriter), 7pm

tressA’s doWntoWn JAZZ And Blues Funk & jazz jam w/ Pauly Juhl, 8:30pm

MArCo’s PiZZeriA Sharon LaMotte Band (jazz), 6:30pm

urBAn orChArd CaroMia (Americana, soul, blues), 7pm

Fri 1/16

MArKet PlACe The Rat Alley Cats (jazz, Latin, swing), 7pm

VinCenZo’s Bistro Steve Whiddon (classic piano), 5:30pm

7:00 PM - THE CHEEKSTERS: FRIDAY LOUNGE SESSIONS IN JANUARY

neW MountAin Islands in the Highlands: Music Video Asheville submission kickoff party, 6pm DJ Spooky, 9pm

WestVille PuB Blues jam, 10pm White horse BlACK MountAin Irish sessions & open mic, 6:30pm

“Coolest Bar in Asheville”

COMING SOON

Thurs 1/15 7:15 PM - AN EVENING WITH DANIKA HOLMES FEATURING JEB HART 9:00 PM - AL COFFEE & DA GRIND “SEND-OFF TO MEMPHIS” FUNDRAISING SHOW

9:00 PM - FREE FOR ALL FRIDAY!

CAMP DAVID • DOC AQUATIC • THE HERMIT KINGS

Sat 1/17

OPEN MON-SAT 12PM-8PM EXTENDED HOURS DURING SHOWS FOR TICKET HOLDERS

OPEN AT 5PM FOR SUNDAY SHOWS

11:00 AM - SATURDAY CLASSICAL BRUNCH:: AMICIMUSIC PRESENTS “FOUR-HAND

RHAPSODY”

WITH PIANISTS DANIEL WEISER AND DANIEL LAU

7:00 PM - RICHARD SCHULMAN IN THE LOUNGE

WED 1/14

Wed 1/21

THU 1/15

9:00 PM - THE ADAM EZRA GROUP

& THE SARAH MAC BAND

7:00 PM-AN EVENING W/ KYLE CAMPBELL LOUNGE

6 p.m.–11 p.m.

with AMERICAN GONZOS

SAT 1/17

with THE STUMP MUTTS

SUN 1/18

Every Tuesday

BLUEGRASS SESSIONS 7:30 p.m.–midnite

BULGOGI

FRI 1/16

Thurs 1/22

JAZZ SHOWCASE

Farewell Show

w/ Run Boy Run & Motel Rodeo

8pm • $8/$10

7:00 PM-RESONANT ROGUES PORCH PARTY: LOUNGE

9:00 PM - ROB ICKES & TREY HENSLEY CD RELEASE Every Sunday

8pm • $15/$17

LOCUST HONEY

9:00 PM - COL. BRUCE HAMPTON

& THE MADRID EXPRESS W/ THE BLOOD GYPSIES

MELISSA FERRICK

WED 1/21 THU 1/22

9pm • $8

SUNNY LEDFURD 9pm • $8/$10

KATE VOEGELE w/ Leroy Sanchez 8pm • $12/$15

THAT 1 GUY

w/ DJ Feels Goodman

8pm • $12/$15

GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV w/ Leif Vollebekk 8pm • $15/$18

CONTRA DANCE: MONDAYS 8PM 743 HAYWOOD RD 828-575-2737 ISISASHEVILLE.COM mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

M O V I E S C

H S

by Ken Hanke & Justin Souther

A &

HHHHH = max rating contact xpressmovies@aol.com

PicK oF thE WEEK

thEAtER ListiNGs

Selma HHHHS

FRidAY, JANUARY 16 thURsdAY, JANUARY 22 Due to possible scheduling changes, moviegoers may want to confirm showtimes with theaters.

diREctoR: Ava DuVernay PLAYERs: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey

Asheville PizzA & Brewing Co. (254-1281) The Boxtrolls (Pg) 1:00, 4:00 gone girl (r) 7:00, 10:15

histoRicAL dRAmA RAtEd PG-13

CArmike CinemA 10 (298-4452)

thE stoRY: The events leading up to the historical civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. thE LoWdoWN: Less a biopic of Martin Luther King than a largely successful attempt to capture a point in history. Its relevance to today is startling. tom Wilkinson (as LBJ) and david oyelowo (as MLK) are at odds in Selma, Ava DuVernay’s timely portrait of the 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Selma presents an unusual situation in that it’s a good — sometimes very good — film that never quite achieves greatness, but which is an important work, important enough to qualify as a must-see. I often complain about movies being given some kind of free pass because of the importance of the subject being confused with the importance of the film itself. But that’s not quite the case here. What makes the film — for any of its shortcomings — such a vital work is how relevant its depiction of the events of 50 years ago are to today. It is impossible to watch Selma and not see the parallels to current events like Ferguson, Mo., and, especially, voting rights. That, of course, is going to be why the film will displease some viewers, too — and I suspect why Paramount made it the hardest award season heavy-contender to see.

JANUARY 14 - JANUARY 20, 2015

The recent controversy over whether or not Selma lionizes Martin Luther King at the expense of LBJ may not have helped matters, but so much of this has turned into a battle over “truths” that depend on whose account you believe that it just seems a little on the irrelevant side. Truthfully, some of what is being argued involves conversations between King and LBJ where the movie is filling in things no one else could know. Other bits involve a certain amount of guesswork, too, but really what historical drama doesn’t? Anyone who goes to a movie expecting a history lesson is foolish. Then again, there are so very many alternate versions of “historical fact” these days, I’m not sure there is an authoritative version. The funny thing to me is — accurate or not — the film paints

moUNtAiNx.com

a fairly sympathetic picture of LBJ as a pragmatic, but basically decent and progressive man. Selma is not a biopic. Rather, it presents a little slice of time — three months — in the story of the civil rights movement, focusing on a single event, the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, the year after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. There are no attempts to sketch in a backstory for King (David Oyelowo). We don’t get any cheesy childhood flashbacks offering “psychological” evidence of how MLK became MLK. (Yes, I am looking at you, American Sniper.) Ava DuVernay’s film simply presents the drama of the events of those months — well, at least till we hit the unfortunately inevitable series of title cards tying things together at the end. It’s a bold idea that

CArolinA CinemAs (274-9500) American sniper (r) 11:05. 12:15, 1:35, 3:05, 4:25, 6:15, 7:20, 9:10, 10:10 Big eyes (Pg-13) 4:50 Birdman or (The Unexpected virtue of ignorance) (r) 2:15, 9:45 Blackhat (r) 11:00, 1:50, 4:35, 7:15, 10:00 Foxcatcher (r) 12:30, 3:50, 6:45, 9:35 The hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 2D (Pg-13) 1:25, 4:30, 7:35, 9:20 The imitation game (Pg-13) 10:55, 1:30, 4:05, 6:35, 9:15 inherent vice (r) 11:30, 2:40, 6:30, 9:30 into the woods (Pg) 10:50, 1:45, 4:25, 7:05, 9:50 night at the museum: secret of the Tomb (Pg) 12:10, 2:25, 4:45 Paddington (Pg) 11:15, 1:50, 4:00, 6:10, 8:20, 10:30 selma (Pg-13) 11:10, 1:55, 4:40, 7:25, 10:15 Taken 3 (Pg-13) 12:00, 2:30, 5:05, 7:30, 10:35 Unbroken (Pg-13) 7:00, 9:55 The wedding ringer (r) 12:55, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50, 10:20 wild (r) 11:45, 7:10 Co-eD CinemA BrevArD (883-2200) American sniper (r) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00 ePiC oF henDersonville (693-1146) Fine ArTs TheATre (232-1536) Foxcatcher (r) 1:00, 7:00 The imitation game (Pg-13) 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, Late Show Fri-Sat 9:45 wild (r) 4:00, Late Show Fri-Sat 9:40 FlATroCk CinemA (697-2463) Birdman or (The Unexpected virtue of ignorance) (r) 3:30, 7:00 regAl BilTmore grAnDe sTADiUm 15 (684-1298) UniTeD ArTisTs BeAUCATCher (298-1234)

moVies

by Ken Hanke & Justin Souther

— as someone noted — makes you understand the concentrated power of a self-contained movie over the TV approach of a miniseries. Selma has an immediacy and urgency The film’s approach is also a tricky one, since it assumes the viewer has some basic knowledge of who the major players are. This is probably a safe enough approach as concerns King, LBJ (Tom Wilkinson), Coretta Scott King (Carmen Ejogo), George Wallace (Tim Roth), Malcolm X (Nigel Thatch) and J. Edgar Hoover (Dylan Baker). (I realize I may be overly optimistic here.) But when it gets to historical persons like Ralph Abernathy (Colman Domingo), James Bevel (Common), Bayard Rustin (Ruben Santiago-Hudson), and Andrew Young (Andre Holland), it’s probably another matter. Whether this is a genuine cause for concern regarding the film’s impact, I don’t know, but it’s worth noting. (The audience I saw the film with were mostly old enough to have lived through the events, at least as children .) As filmmaking, Selma is something of a mixed bag. Sometimes — enough times to matter — it is very fine, if rarely flashy. The explosion that ignites the situation in Selma is truly shocking. The scenes on the Edmund Pettus Bridge are truly dynamic — and almost as if DuVernay realizes she can’t top them so she doesn’t try. Most of the time she’s content to carefully frame her shots and let her actors hold the screen and this mostly works, especially when Oyelowo or Wilkinson are on the screen. The showdown between LBJ and George Wallace is especially strong. That said, there are a number of low-light scenes that just look muddy and underexposed. And, there’s the Oprah factor. I have nothing against her and I think she’s a good actress — her scene at the beginning is terrific — but her appearance in any film can be distracting, and that sometimes is the case here. Still, all in all, Selma is a very worthy film — and certainly worth your time. Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language. Playing at Carmike 10, Carolina Cinemas, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande. reviewed by Ken Hanke

contact xpressmovies@aol.com

Foxcatcher HHHH diRectoR: Bennett Miller (Moneyball) pLaYeRs: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Michael Hall fact-based dRama Rated R the stoRY: The story of millionaire John du Pont and his ultimately murderous relationship with Olympic gold medalists Mark and Dave Schultz. the Lowdown: A well-crafted, but slowly-paced, prestige picture that manages to be fascinating and compelling, if never quite great.

Like his two other narrative features — Capote (2005) and Moneyball (2011) — Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher is a distanced, uninviting work. It’s a well-crafted prestige picture that oozes with “importance” from the first frame. (Hey, here’s a movie that brings in a great actress, Vanessa Redgrave, for what amounts to a glorified cameo.) However, this chilly film almost justifies its obvious sense of selfworth. It may be a case of director and material being perfectly matched. Miller’s often ponderous detachment gives the film the kind of gravitas — real or illusory — that keeps it from seeming to be the kind of tabloid trash its story basically is. I mean, at bottom, this is a true crime story about a filthy rich man preying on the relatively innocent while becoming progressively detached from any kind of reality until an inevitable tragedy occurs. It’s “ripped from the headlines” stuff — except the headlines are from 1996, and it’s handled by Miller and screenwriters E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman as a kind of gothic American tragedy with an eye on class structure. There’s a trade-off in all this. Sure, it’s not trashy, but in tamping down that element, the film just isn’t very exciting. However, it is strangely fascinating. It took a story in which I admit I had little interest and held my attention for over two hours. That’s something of an accomplishment right there. It may have helped that I only knew the basics of the story — so basic, in fact, that I didn’t know who was going to be murdered. This — along with having first seen the film in a theater — probably contributed to its one shock effect being as startling and effective as something out of a horror movie. The story concerns John du Pont (Steve Carell all but unrecognizable in

HHHHH = max rating a heavy, unattractive and slightly distracting makeup), heir to the du Pont chemical fortune becoming fixated on creating a “Team Foxcatcher” (Foxcatcher being the name of his estate) Olympic wrestling team. To this end, he recruits former Olympic gold medalist Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) to help him. Mark is an easy target. He’s down on his luck — accepting a $20 speaking gig (that was actually meant for his brother) at an elementary school and barely making ends meet. Moreover, he has no real personality, social skills or charm and lives in the shadow of his charismatic — also gold medalist — brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo). The offer to come to Foxcatcher is irresistible. Mark is like some kind of weird variation on the poor heroine of a gothic novel — brought into a creepy, but seductive world of untold privilege and the blandishments of his wealthy host. It seems — though the idea is left dangling — that du Pont is just as fixated on Mark as he is on Team Foxcatcher. He fills the younger man’s head with both flattery and a lot of empty patriotic posturing. Though wary of du Pont, Mark is also star-struck — or maybe money-struck. But things don’t play out the way he and du Pont expect, and soon the millionaire has also recruited Dave, changing the dynamic and sending things into a spiral that mirrors du Pont’s descent into madness. The film barely stops short of labeling du Pont’s insanity an outgrowth of affluenza, but questions of class privilege pervade the film to such an extent that it’s inescapable. The film takes some liberties to make its points. Foxcatcher Farms was only renamed that by du Pont following his mother’s death, but that doesn’t prevent the film from making it Foxcatcher as early as the faux-home movie footage of a foxhunt at the beginning of the film. That’s not just keeping things simple, it’s also to make the point that the brothers are nothing more to du Pont than the fox in the hunt. That’s not an unreasonable embellishment in the context of the movie, which more or less sticks to the essence of the case. The overall results — while never quite becoming the significant film Foxcatcher wants to be — are compelling enough to make for a movie well worth your while. Rated R for some drug use and a scene of violence. Starts Friday at Carolina Cinemas and Fine Arts Theatre. reviewed by Ken Hanke

Specialty

SHOP Issue

Publishes February 11, 2015

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828-251-1333 advertise@mountainx.com JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

MOVIES

by Ken Hanke & Justin Souther

STARTING FRIDAY

Taken 3 S American Sniper See review in “Cranky Hanke.” DIRECTOR: Olivier Megaton (Taken 2)

Blackhat In some quarters, Michael Mann is considered an important filmmaker — though Public Enemies (2009) may have altered that perception. And stars Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis are not unknowns. So why is Blackhat not been screened for critics? Why, for that matter, has it barely been promoted. Even the studio blurb is brief and feels half-hearted — “Set within the world of global cybercrime, Legendary’s Blackhat follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta.” We may know why this is come Friday. (R)

Foxcatcher See review in “Cranky Hanke.”

Paddington Now, Paddington comes to us with almost perfect reviews, but nearly all of those reviews are from the UK, where Paddington Bear is much more of an institution. The fact is family fare is pretty scarce right now, which is apt to bridge any cultural gap. According to the distributor this is about Paddington’s arrival in London — “Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined” — until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck that says “Please look after this bear. Thank you,” and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist. (PG)

The Wedding Ringer Much less surprising is the fact that the R rated Kevin Hart-Josh Gad comedy about a young man (Gad) who hires a profession best man (Hart) for his wedding. From this, we are assured hilarity will ensue. (R)

JANUARY 14 - JANUARY 20, 2015

PLAYERS: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Forest Whitaker, Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott ACTION RATED PG-13 THE STORY: After his ex-wife’s murdered and the crime is pinned on him, lumbering superspy Bryan Mills goes after the Russian mobsters responsible. THE LOWDOWN: Dumb, pointless, noisy follow-up to the popular franchise and simply more of the same.

It’s that time of year where either Ken or I remind everyone that, unless we’re talking leftover awards contenders, almost everything that comes out in the next couple of months or so is garbage and being unceremoniously dumped into the doldrums of January and February moviegoing. At best, maybe a movie’s too weird for a studio to know what to do with. Taken 3 falls firmly into the former category since it’s the antithesis of weird — it’s perfectly normal for one of the chuckle-headed movies that make up this franchise. Taken 3 is nothing you haven’t seen before in Taken (2009) or Taken 2 (2012) or any number of goofy, macho action movies that have come along. The only difference is that this time around it’s just a little more stale and a little more rote. The only way in which Taken 3 diverges from its predecessors is that no one’s kidnapped, which has been the previous films’ raison d’etre. Here, screenwriters Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen have shaken things up, having the series’ protagonist, lumbering superspy Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), pinned for the murder of his ex-wife (Famke Janssen), on the run from the cops and trying to clear his name. Of course, the series being what it is, the road leads through a bunch of Eastern European gangsters who Bryan gets to hack, maim and occasionally kill. There are gunfights, fistfights, foot chases and car chases, with none of it particularly coherent or exciting or original. The action exists, therefore it’s supposed to be

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exciting, at least that’s the idea. In practice, it’s a lot more dull. The film’s just as humorless as the previous two. I thought Neeson was great in last year’s A Walk Among Tombstones, but here he’s reverted back to the stonefaced lump this action star phase of his career has relegated him to. The rest of the cast does little to help, with Maggie Grace carrying the look of a woman surprised that she’s still getting work with Forest Whitaker here to apparently class up the joint (he doesn’t). Combine this with how honestly dumb the movie can be (our hero tries to revive his dead wife by slapping her wrist a bunch) and Taken 3 is overwhelmingly self-serious, lazy and — worst of all — not fun. The lack of any sort of sense of humor has always been the downfall of these movies, with the straightfaced nature of the thing butting heads with how dumb the movies are. The only mirth is picking up the spots where they’ve scaled the film back from an R-rating (like dubbing “screwing” over a character saying the f-word), but that humor is obviously unintentional and only worth so much mileage. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for brief strong language. Playing at Carmike 10, Carolina Cinemas, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande. reviewed by Justin Souther

American Sniper HHS

DIRECTOR: Clint Eastwood PLAYERS: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes, Kyle Gallner, Jake McDorman, Ben Reed WAR DRAMA BIOPIC RATED R THE STORY: Fact-based war drama about Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. THE LOWDOWN: Clint Eastwood’s latest will please many, but it’s a simplistic movie with often slack direction and little to say beyond the obvious in a print-thelegend manner.

Reviewing a movie like American Sniper is a lot like walking through a minefield. Not only it is made by an American icon, but it’s about an American hero. To not like it is likely to get you branded as unpatriotic and your parentage viewed as dubious at best — and these are among the nicer things that might be said. But the fact remains that I don’t like the film, find it at best competent and often downright mediocre. In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a worshipper at the altar of Eastwood, and, yes, my politics are about as far from his as possible. Not that his politics really enter into this — except perhaps as concerns the film’s decidedly wartfree picture of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper). It’s mostly the fact that the film just is such a nuance-free affair — and lazily-made in the bargain. What might have been a penetrating film about the war and its after-effects becomes a standard war movie that often feels like a shooter videogame. That may be exactly what a lot of people want, but it’s less a biopic than a hagiopic. All the racist remarks and the sometimes bizarre self-mythologizing in Kyle’s autobiography have been carefully excised. The movie tells the story of Chris Kyle as played by Bradley Cooper — who we can tell is really acting here because he beefed himself up for the role so that his neck is as big as his head. (I actually like Cooper, but I’ve been more impressed with him in other films.) Kyle is, if you don’t know, the deadliest U.S. sniper of all time — 160 confirmed kills, another 100 probables. The film opens with him on a rooftop on the edge of making a call on whether or not to shoot a young boy with a grenade. Instead of following through on this, the film enters into a lengthy series of flashbacks to establish Kyle’s background — from his hunting, strict God-fearing, never back-down-from-a-fight upbringing to his attempts at being a cowboy to his enlistment and training as a SEAL to his marriage and deployment. It is economical, I suppose, but it’s also incredibly simplistic. Kyle doesn’t so much have a meet-cute with Taya (Sienna Miller) as a meet-corny — amidst lots of Jameson Whiskey product placement. (And I may be in the minority, but I find the scene where Kyle makes an impossible shot — blowing away a snake — and explains his improved marksmanship with, “I’m better when it’s breathing,” a little

chilling.) At the end of all this, the film finally gets back to the rooftop and its grim, but rather matter-of-fact conclusion. Right here, the film has established its basic war picture approach. Before it’s over we’ll even have someone getting a “dear John” letter — so much is the film in WWII movie mode. It quickly becomes a series of largely undistinguished battle scenes — tied to a wholly fictional running battle between Kyle and a character named Mustafa (Sammy Sheik) — interspersed with trips home between tours. The first of these finds Kyle getting there in time to see his wife give birth to a laughably bad rubber prop baby. (Not content with using this careless bogus baby once, Eastwood gives it a second scene.) The point of these trips home seems mostly to be to establish how withdrawn from the normal world Kyle is becoming. That last is certainly where the film should score its points, but not only does it have nothing fresh to say, it becomes glib

once Kyle comes home for good. Yes, he’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. But, hey, the movie’s winding down, so he finds help for himself in helping other veterans in about 10 minutes of screentime. All of this leads to the most abrupt, perfunctory endings imaginable — with the most heavy-handed foreshadowing possible. In case — though it seems unlikely — you don’t know, read no further. Kyle was killed by an ex-Marine he was trying to help reconnect with the world — something that occurred during the movie’s development, and which may have dictated the tone the film took. It is also something the film deals with via an onscreen title, which feels abrupt, awkward, and just not enough. Actually, that sums up my feelings about the whole movie. Rated R for strong and disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references. Starts Friday at Carolina Cinemas and other as yet undetermined other local theaters. reviewed by Ken Hanke

Coming Soon .....

2015 Western North Carolina

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Are you ready to FRINGE? Show schedules and descriptions available

Online and in the Festival Guide! Available now around town! Fringe Freak passes and show tickets on sale now!

January 22-25, 2015

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Reach wellness enthusiasts in our Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 special issues. advertise@mountainx.com • 828-251-1333 mountainx.com

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

by Rob Brezny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You will never make anything that lasts forever. Nor will I or anyone else. I suppose it's possible that human beings will still be listening to Beethoven's music or watching The Simpsons TV show 10,000 years from today, but even that stuff will probably be gone in five billion years, when the sun expands into a red giant star. Having acknowledged that hard truth, I'm happy to announce that in the next five weeks you could begin work in earnest on a creation that will endure for a very long time. What will it be? Choose wisely! TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What does your soul need on a regular basis? The love and attention of some special person? The intoxication provided by a certain drink or drug? Stimulating social interaction with people you like? Music that drives you out of your mind in all the best ways? The English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins said that the rapture his soul needed more than anything else was inspiration — the "sweet fire," he called it, "the strong spur, live and lancing like the blowpipe flame." So the experience his soul craved didn't come from an outside stimulus. It was a feeling that rose up inside him. What about you, Taurus? According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your soul needs much more than usual of its special nourishment. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 1987, California condors were almost extinct. Less than 30 of the birds remained. Then, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched an effort to capture them all and take emergency measures to save the species. Almost 28 years later, there are more than 400 condors, half of them living in the wild. If you act now, Gemini, you could launch a comparable recovery program for a different resource that is becoming scarce in your world. Act with urgency, but also be prepared to practice patience. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Daniel Webster (1782-1852) was an American statesman who served in both houses of Congress. He dearly wanted to be President of the United States, but his political party never nominated him to run for that office. Here's the twist in his fate: Two different candidates who were ultimately elected president asked him to be their vice-president, but he declined, dismissing the job as unimportant. Both those presidents, Harrison and Taylor, died after a short time on the job. Had Webster agreed to be their vice-president, he would have taken their place and fulfilled his dream. In the coming weeks, Cancerian, I advise you not to make a mistake comparable to Webster's. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In one of his poems, Rumi writes about being alone with a wise elder. "Please," he says to the sage, "do not hold back from telling me any secrets about this universe." In the coming weeks, Leo, I suggest you make a similar request of many people, and not just those you regard as wise. You're in a phase when pretty much everyone is a potential teacher who has a valuable clue to offer you. Treat the whole world as your classroom. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Have you been tapping into your proper share of smart love, interesting beauty and creative mojo? Are you enjoying the succulent rewards you deserve for all the good deeds and hard work you've done in the past eight months? If not, I am very upset. In fact, I would be livid and mournful if I found out that you have not been soaking up a steady flow of useful bliss, sweet revelations and fun surprises. Therefore, to ensure my happiness and well-being, I COMMAND you to experience these goodies in abundance. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran engineer Robert Goddard was the original rocket scientist. His revolutionary theories and pioneering technologies laid the foundations for space flight. Decades before the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, he and his American team began shooting rockets aloft. Members of the press were not impressed with his unusual ideas, however. They thought he was a misinformed crank. In 1920, The New York Times sneered that he was deficient in "the knowledge

JANUARY 14 - JANUARY 20, 2015

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Most plants move upwards as they grow. Their seeds fall to the ground, are blown off by the wind or are carried away by pollinators. But the peanut plant has a different approach to reproduction. It burrows its seeds down into the soil. They ripen underground, where they are protected and more likely to get the moisture they need to germinate. The peanut plant’s approach to fertility might be a good metaphor for you Capricorns to adopt for your own use. It makes sense for you to safeguard the new possibilities you’re incubating. Keep them private, maybe even secret. Don’t expose them to scrutiny or criticism. ladled out daily in our high schools." Forty-nine years later, after his work had led to spectacular results, the Times issued an apology. I foresee a more satisfying progression toward vindication for you, Libra. Sometime soon, your unsung work or unheralded efforts will be recognized. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the plot of the TV science-fiction show “Ascension,” the U.S. government has conducted an elaborate covert experiment for 50 years. An outside investigator named Samantha Krueger discovers the diabolical contours of the project and decides to reveal the truth to the public. "We're going full Snowden," she tells a seemingly sympathetic conspiracy theorist. She's invoking the name of Edward Snowden, the renegade computer administrator who in the real world leaked classified information that the U.S. government wanted to keep hidden. It might be time for you to go at least mini-Snowden yourself, Scorpio — not by spilling state secrets, but rather by unmasking any surreptitious or deceptive behavior that's happening in your sphere. Bring everything out into the open — gently if possible. But do whatever it takes. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In 1939, author Ernest Vincent Wright finished Gadsby, a 50,000-word novel. It was unlike any book ever published because the letter "e" didn't appear once in the text. Can you imagine the constraint he had to muster to accomplish such an odd feat? In accordance with the astrological omens, I invite you to summon an equally impressive expression of discipline and self-control, Sagittarius. But devote your efforts to accomplishing a more useful and interesting task, please. For example, you could excise one of your bad habits or avoid activities that waste your time or forbid yourself to indulge in fearful thoughts. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In his poem "The Garden," Jack Gilbert says, "We are like Marco Polo who came back / with jewels hidden in the seams of his ragged clothes." Isn't that true about you right now, Aquarius? If I were going to tell your recent history as a fairy tale, I'd highlight the contrast between your outer disorder and your inner riches. I'd also borrow another fragment from Gilbert's poem and use it to describe your current emotional state: "a sweet sadness, a tough happiness." So what comes next for you? I suggest you treat yourself to a time out. Take a break to integrate the intensity you've weathered. And retrieve the jewels you hid in the seams of your ragged clothes. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): "All the colors I am inside have not been invented yet," wrote Shel Silverstein, in his children's book Where the Sidewalk Ends. It's especially important for you to focus on that truth in the coming weeks. I say this for two reasons. First, it's imperative that you identify and celebrate a certain unique aspect of yourself that no one else has ever fully acknowledged. If you don't start making it more conscious, it may start to wither away. Second, you need to learn how to express that unique aspect with such clarity and steadiness that no one can miss it or ignore it.

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SPECIAL SCREENINGS

The Ninth Configuration HHHHS Director: William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist III) Players: Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders, Neville Brand COMEDY-DRAMA Rated R Most people know William Peter Blatty as the author of The Exorcist, but Blatty also made two films — The Ninth Configuration and The Exorcist III (which gets my vote as the best of all Exorcist movies). Adapting his novel, Twinkle Twinkle Killer Kane, Blatty proved himself a natural filmmaker right off the bat with The Ninth Configuration, a rich metaphysical comedy-tragedy, which, like most of Blatty’s work, is ultimately an examination into the existence of God. Set in a Vietnam era mental hospital housed in a remote castle, the film details the arrival of a new head psychiatrist, Colonel Kane (Stacy Keach), an obviously haunted man who takes a radical approach with the patients. The film is by turns very funny, very thoughtful and extremely moving. There really isn’t anything quite like it, which proved a problem in 1980. It was a huge flop on release and a recut re-issue did nothing to help matters. The rights were quickly sold off to New World Pictures, and the movie languished in obscurity. That was a great pity for a film so vibrant, fresh and entertaining (the dialogue is pure gold). Keach gives the performance of his career, and Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, and Ed Flanders contribute greatly. Give it a shot. It’s not every day you see a movie where someone is staging Shakespeare with all-dog casts. The Asheville Film Society will screen The Ninth Configuration Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m. in Theater Six at The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.

The Iron Lady HHHH Director: Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia) Players: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Susan Brown, Alexandra Roach, Harry Lloyd BIOPIC Rated PG-13 Make no mistake: This is a two-and-a-half-star movie raised to four-star status solely on the performances of Meryl Streep and Jim Broadbent. They make The Iron Lady (2011) worth a look, even though the movie itself — to put it kindly — is nothing special. The filmmaker — and more than a few critics — think this reinvents the biopic by structuring the movie in flashbacks built around a frame story of the aged Margaret Thatcher as she sinks into senile dementia. That this is considered any kind of new approach would come as a shock to such filmmakers as Ken Russell, Karel Reisz and even Milos Forman — all of whom used some version of it quite a while back. For that matter, even Irwin Winkler’s Cole Porter movie De-Lovely (2004) used the same technique, albeit in a much more striking way. I have nothing againt The Iron Lady‘s attempt, but it’s hardly revolutionary. The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Iron Lady Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

Antares HHH Director: Götz Spielmann Players: Petra Morze, Andrea Patton, Hary Prinz, Susanne Wuest, Denis Cubic, Andreas Kiendl DRAMA Rated NR There’s this company called The Film Movement. It specializes in picking up art titles that played film festivals, but never managed to snag a U.S. distributor. Antares (2004) is one of them, and it’s not hard to understand why this unrelentingly dour Austrian drama of marital infidelity had trouble finding that U.S. distributor. Really — apart from a large (and mostly tedious) dose of soft-core porn — all this slow-moving movie has going for it is an interesting structure where the film keeps coming back to a specific point in time before going off on another tangent. None of the characters can be described as likable. For that matter, their motivations are on the shaky side, too. But the structure is intriguing and the look at middle class life in a Vienna apartment complex makes for an unusual setting. Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Antares Friday, Jan. 16, at 8 p.m. at Phil Mechanic Studios, 109 Roberts St., River Arts District (upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com

STILL SHOWING

HHHHH = max rating

The Interview HHH

James Franco, Seth Rogen, Lizzy Caplan, Randall Park, Diana Bang, Timothy Simons Comedy International Incident A moron TV interviewer and his only slightly brighter producer are tapped by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong-Un when the dictator invites the pair to North Korea. More a curio than a good movie and of more interest for its notoriety than anything else, The Interview is basically a Crosby-Hope “Road” picture reconfigured for its stars and our times. It’s also a lot dumber than a “Road” picture, but is not without some interesting points. Rated R

Inherent Vice HHHHH Joaquin Phoenix, John Brolin, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Katherine Waterston, Benicio Del Toro, Joanna Newsom Neo Noir Crime Comedy Drama A stoner private eye in 1970 L.A. becomes embroiled in a twisty and dangerous mystery. A determinedly complex and intentionally messy work that’s rich in strange characters, offbeat comedy and a deeply human element underlying it all. It won’t be to everyone’s liking, but this is a great film. Rated R

The Gambler HHHHS Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson, Jessica Lange, John Goodman, Michael Kenneth Williams Drama An English professor with a horrific gambling problem finds himself owing a lot of money to a lot of dangerous people. While watching a man selfdestruct for 100 minutes might not sound like the most fun time one could have at the movies, a smart script and game cast make it worthwhile. Rated R

The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death HH Phoebe Fox, Jeremy Irvine, Helen McCrory, Oaklee Pendergast, Adrian Rawlins, Leanne Best Tepid Spook Show More supernatural shenanigans from the resident specter of Eel Marsh House. Good looking, but uninvolving, unscary and wholly undistinguished. Rated PG-13

Big Eyes HHHHS Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Krysten Ritter, Danny Huston, Jason Schwartzman, Jon Polito, Terence Stamp Fact-Based Comedy Drama The story of Margaret Keane, the painter of all those bigeyed children in the 1960s. A rewarding, funny, moving, even slightly frightening look into the world of art and artists from Tim Burton that benefits from the talents of Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. Rated PG-13

Into the Woods HHHH Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, James Corden, Lilla Crawford, Johnny Depp Musical Musical revisionist take on classic fairy tales. It ought to be more of an event than it is, but this film version of the Stephen Sondheim show is good and ought to please the fans. Rated PG

Annie HHHS Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhané Wallis, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Cameron Diaz, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Musical Film version of the Broadway show. By no means the disaster some have claimed, this new take on Annie is often clever and stylish and unfailingly good humored, but it’s also uneven and a bit shy of greatness. Rated PG

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Night Watch HHHH Director: Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) Players: Konstantin Khabenskiy, Vladimir Menshov, Valeriy Zolotukhin, Mariya Poroshina, Galina Tyunina HORROR Rated R Because Timur Bekmambetov’s Night Watch was released in the U.S. by Fox Searchlight and was in Russian with English subtitles, it opened here at the Fine Arts Theatre — and was gone in the twinkling of an eye. This stylized, stylish and very, very over-the-top vampire film was hardly the sort of thing that was geared to their audience. It was bizarre, bloody, extremely noisy and had occasional outbursts of heavy metal. (Unsurprisingly, the theatre did not book the follow-up film.) There really was no venue for such a film in Asheville at the time. That was unfortunate, because — for all its excesses — Night Watch is a very good, very creative horror film. That it’s also a little goofy is not entirely a bad thing. The plot is based on the idea that the forces of good (light) and evil (dark) long ago entered into a truce — complete with a convoluted bureaucracy that perhaps only Russians could comprehend. The truce is frequently imperiled in what might be viewed as a cold war between the two forces — a situation that comes to a head when a vampire is accidentally killed by one of the agents of light, Anton Gorodesty (Konstantin Khabenskiy). This in itself leads to another situation when it becomes clear that Anton’s estranged son, Yegor (Dima Martynov), might be the prophesied “Great Other,” who may tip the precarious balance of power — depending on which side he chooses. And this is only part of the movie’s deliriously overstuffed plot. The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Night Watch Thursday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. in Theater Six at The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.

HUMOR

Man’s other best friends People’s love for their pets reached a new high in December when a British man paid a veterinarian the equivalent of $500 to perform delicate surgery on a sick office goldfish (typical pet store “replacement” price: $1 to $5). Vet Faye Bethell of North Walsham, England, told the Eastern Daily Press in December that there was “nothing special” about the fish, but that the customer “just liked it a lot.” In fact, the goldfish likely did not even have a pet name — as Bethell in an interview spoke intimately of another patient by name (Cadbury, the skunk). (Bethell’s procedure involved removing the patient from the bowl, flooding its gills with anesthetic-fortified water and using a tiny scalpel to remove lumps that were causing it constipation, with the surgery guided by a miniature heart-rate monitor.) Iraqi TV goes “Jerry Springer” Iraq’s government-run channel, Iraqiyya TV, has a reality show reminiscent of American confrontational programs, but is designed to force captured ISIS fighters to acknowledge the pain they have created. One episode of “In the Grip of the Law” (described in a December Associated Press dispatch) showed family members of car-bombing victims on a street corner in Baghdad haranguing one of the men convicted of the crime. A young man in a wheelchair, having lost his father in the attack, faced off against the convict, screaming until the jihadist “began weeping, as the cameras rolled.” Wait, what? • On Nov. 6, a couple (ages 68 and 65) were hospitalized after spending almost 13 hours locked in their car inside their own garage in Alexandra, New Zealand. The night before, they had been unable to remember a salesman’s tutorial on how to unlock their new Mazda 3 from the inside and had spent the night assuming they were trapped because they had forgotten to bring along the battery-operated key. The wife was unconscious when neigh-

by Chuck Shepherd

bors finally noticed them, and her husband was struggling to breathe. (The door unlocks manually, of course.) • At first, it seemed another textbook case of a wrongly convicted murderer being released after a long prison stint (15 years), based on a re-examination of evidence. Illinois officials freed Alstory Simon, who had “confessed” in 1999 to killing two teenagers (before a defendants’ advocacy organization convinced a judge that the confession had been coerced). That 1999 confession had allowed the man previously convicted, Anthony Porter, to go free, but prosecutors in October 2014 had second — or third — thoughts. They once again believe that Porter was the killer — even though a different defendants’ advocacy organization had originally worked to free him. (In any event, “double jeopardy” prevents Porter’s retrial.) • Undersheriff Noel Stephen of Okeechobee County, Fla., acknowledged to WPBF-TV in December that among the public services his office performs is supervising parents’ spanking of children. After two sisters argued on Dec. 29, their father decided to administer a whipping to one and asked Deputy Stephen to drop by and make sure he stayed within the law. That’s “not something we advertise to do,” said the deputy, but he estimates he has monitored about a dozen spankings. Government in action • The Government Accountability Office was on the job in December, issuing an emphatic ruling that the National Weather Service could not legally issue its workers disposable cups, plates and utensils on the job. Such items are “personal,” GAO declared, even though most NWS facilities are in remote locations, staffed by two-person shifts that almost force employees to eat on the premises. “You can’t run out” and “grab a burger,” one employee said. Nonetheless, after a lengthy deliberative process, GAO said its decision is final. X

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READ DAILY Read News of the Weird daily with Chuck Shepherd at www.weirduniverse.net. Send items to weirdnews@earthlink.net or PO Box 18737, Tampa, Fla. 33679.

JANUARY 14 - JANUARY 20, 2015

M A R K E T P L A C E ReaL

estate

b o d Y,

spiRit

Want to advertise in Marketplace? 828-251-1333 x111 tnavaille@mountainx.com • mountainx.com/classifieds

ReaL estate reAl estAte hoMes for sAle house/ACreAge for sAle CAndler, nC 1506 SF home, 3 bd/2 ba home with basement and available with 2.47 ($250,000) or 5.87 acres ($325,000). Carport, garage, utility building w/electricity. Fenced acreage for animals and families! kjfrady@beverlyhanks.com

rentAls Condos/ toWnhoMes for rent north AsheVille toWnhoMe 2BR, 1BA. Hardwood floors. Very nice unit, 1 mile from downtown, on busline. $695/month. No pets. (828) 252-4334.

hoMes for rent

greAt 3 BedrooM, 2 BAth for rent in the riVer Arts distriCt! Great house for rent in River Arts District! Three bedroom two bath split level on a bluff overlooking the River Arts District. Perfect for artist seeking studio and gallery. 828-974-2841

CoMMerCiAl/ Business rentAls ATTENTION CRAFTERS • 2,000 sQft +/- WAynesVille, nC • Ideal office/ warehouse/workspace downtown Waynesville. Decor would support craft-oriented use, distributor or low-traffic store. Negotiable. Call (828) 216-6066. goacherints34@ gmail.com

rooMMAtes rooMMAtes All AreAs - rooMMAtes. CoM . Browse hundreds of online listings with photos and maps. Find your roommate with a click of the mouse! Visit: http://www. Roommates.com. (AAN CAN)

West AsheVille hoMe to shAre Looking for SF college student to share great West Asheville home with 2 other college students. NS, no pets. Enjoy all conveniences of West Asheville! $500/mo plus util. Jan-July 2015.

eMPloyMent

PA eXeCutiVe AssistAnt Admin assistant position available at established Construction management/ real estate development firm. Flexible 30 hour Mon - Fri work week. An excellent opportunity for advancement for the right person. Please send your resume to gchris717@gmail. com

restAurAnt/ food

generAl diesel MeChAniC Opening for experienced diesel mechanic; minimum 5 years verifiable experience; certifications a plus; must have own tools; part-time, possible fulltime. Jonathan@GrayLineAsheville.com; 828-251-8687; www.GrayLineAsheville.com nAVitAt CAnoPy AdVentures - noW hiring for 2015 Seeking qualified candidates for the Canopy Guide position for the 2015 season. Learn more at www. navitat.com. Attach your current resume, references, and letter of interest for email to avlemployment@navitat.com. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. ProfessionAl CleAning serViCe hiring: hArd WorKing, non sMoKing, detAil oriented teAM PlAyers reply to ecocleanofasheville@gmail.com with name, phone number, email address, 2 references - must have solid transportation, valid drivers license, be bondable, NON SMOKING, able to lift/stand/for up to 6 hours seeKing A reWArding JoB? Mountain Xpress employment Classifieds are effective at pairing local employers with qualified candidates. Visit our desktop or mobile site at mountainx. com/classifieds to browse additional online-only job listings OR post a personalized “Jobs Wanted” ad for extra exposure during your search. Check our jobs page often, and be the first to apply! mountainx.com/classifieds

AdMinistrAtiVe/ offiCe FRONT DESK • VETERInAry AssistAnt For Holistic Veterinary clinic. At least one years experience, have good PR skills and be computer literate. Resume and cover letter to Sunvet Animal Wellness Clinic at sunvet@att.net Ministry AssistAnt for first BAPtist ChurCh of AsheVille Seeking parttime administrative assistant. Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills. Microsoft Office and Adobe Indesign helpful.

JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015

30-hours/week at $13.50/ hour. Send resume to tbratton@fbca.net. No phone calls. www.fbca.net

APOLLO FLAME • WAITstAff Full-time. Fast, friendly atmosphere. • Experience required. • Must be 18 years old. • Apply in person between 2pm-4pm, 485 Hendersonville Road. 274-3582.

huMAn serViCes

AVAILABLE POSITIONS • MeridiAn BehAViorAl heAlth Jackson and haywood Counties Multiple positions open for Peer support specialists working within a number of recovery oriented programs within our agency. Being a Peer Support Specialist provides an opportunity for individuals to transform their own personal lived experience with mental health and/or addiction challenges into a tool for inspiring hope for recovery in others. Applicants must demonstrate maturity in their own recovery process, have a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and have moderate computer skills. For further information, contact hr.department@meridianbhs.org Clinician recovery education Center henderson/rutherford/Polk/transylvania Counties Seeking passionate, values-driven and dynamic professionals to join our Recovery Education Centers. This program reflects a unique design which integrates educational, clinical and peer support components in a center-based milieu. To be considered, an applicant should be familiar with the recovery paradigm of mental health and substance abuse services. A Master’s degree and license eligibility are also required. For more information, contact hr.department@meridianbhs. org Clinician PACe Program Jackson/Macon Counties Meridian’s PACE program provides structured and scheduled for activities for adults age 18 and older with a diagnosis of Mental Health and Substance Use disorders. The clinician will be providing clinical support to the team. A Master’s degree and license eligibility are required. For more information, contact hr.department@

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Jobs meridianbhs.org Mecklenburg County licensed Clinician Seeking licensed-eligible Clinician to join an exciting partnership of agencies to create an epicenter for MH/ SA recovery in Mecklenburg County. Peer Support Specialists and clinical staff will work collaboratively to offer recovery oriented assessment, individual and group support, skill building, education, and system navigation both in the office and the community. For more information contact hr.department@meridianbhs.org • For further information and to complete an application, visit our website: www.meridianbhs.org elder CluB ProgrAM AssistAnt at JeWish fAMily serViCes of WnC Facilitate a non-medical, structured social group program for older adults. Must have work experience assisting elders, some with dementia and physical challenges, in a group setting. • Requires: strong organization and communication skills, activity planning, volunteer management. • Preferred: Bachelor’s degree; knowledge of Jewish culture. 12 hours/week: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-3pm, plus planning time; Wednesdays may be added in the future. • Submit resume by 01/17/2015 to: info@jfswnc.org • No phone calls please! To view the full job description, go to www. jfswnc.org liCensed suBstAnCe ABuse Counselor Substance Abuse Counselors Help make your community a better place. Mountain Area Recovery Center is growing and we are seeking a Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor for our outpatient facility located in Asheville. Criminal background check required for all final candidates. EOE. Please e-mail resume’ to rhonda. ingle@marc-otp.com or fax to 828.252.9512, ATTN: RHONDA INGLE www.marc-otp.com

Resources department and provide office support to Red Oak Recovery, a young adult substance abuse treatment program located in Leicester, NC. Qualifications include: • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Ability to multi-task and pay attention to details • Self-starter and very organized • Computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office products • Effective people skills • Punctual with great attendance • Strong interpersonal and coaching skills. • Ability to work in a fast paced, changing environment • Trustworthy – may be handling confidential material • Knowledge of insurance processing a plus Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: • Phone coverage, copy maintenance, filing, mail distribution, shipments, and office cleanliness • Assist clinical team with printing and filing of client letters • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws • Conduct interviews/selection of candidates, and play an active role in the hiring process • Facilitate internal job postings and coordinating the hiring process for vacancies, including applicant reviews, background checks, drug testing, etc. • Working with supervisors and employees to resolve employee relations matters • Assisting employees with benefits enrollment and answering benefits related questions • Preparing and conducting new employee orientation • Assist with employee insurance and 401K processing • Provides accurate data entry of employee records and maintenance of Human Resources files • Responds in a timely manner to employee problems, questions and concerns • Other related tasks and duties as necessary If you are interested, please send a cover letter and resume with salary requirements to: teamplayerjobs@gmail.com

teAChing/ eduCAtion

ProfessionAl/ MAnAgeMent

sCienCe MuseuM seeKs P/t liCensed/eXPerienCed eduCAtor. Science background required. Knowledge of youth education strategies in museums helpful. Some weekend work & local travel required. Must be organized & technologically proficient, able to engage students in dynamic & energetic manner, & accept input. Flexible hours. Paid time off. Resumes only to info@colburnmuseum.org

OFFICE MANAGER • huMAn resourCes Responsible for assisting with the administration of company policies and procedures as they relate to requirements of the Human

yWCA AftersChool Counselor Part-time. School Age is seeking after school counselors Monday through Friday. Must be able to work 1:30-6:00pm during regular school hours and full

MediCAl gloBAlMed is noW hiring for driver/setup positions for home medical equipment at our Hendersonville location. Must be 21 and have clean driving record. Please email resume to latasha@ yanceyhomecare.com or fax to 828-678-3404.

days on Teacher Workdays, Snow Days, and Holidays. Candidates must have knowledge of working in a school age setting, Child Care Credentials and/or School Age Credentials a plus. Education background is desirable with a focus on STEAM programming. Background checks meeting the NC Division of Childcare Requirements is required. Valid Driver's license highly recommended, CDL's with P endorsement a plus. Must have a positive attitude and flexibility in working with children ages 5 -12. • Must be able to physically keep up with children during outside and recreational activities. • Must be able to commit to an entire school year. Fluency in Spanish is desired. • Qualified candidates who are fluent in Spanish and English are strongly encouraged to apply. High School diploma or equivalent required. Please apply for this position only after reading the complete job description at www.ywcaofasheville.org under the heading ‘Who We Are.’ Contact information is provided there. Please do not call the YWCA to discuss this position. Application deadline is February 6, 2015. • Send resumes and cover letters to humanresources@ywcaofasheville.org

Business oPPortunities PAid in AdVAnCe! Make $1000 a week mailing brochures from home. Helping home workers since 2001. Genuine opportunity. No experience required. Start immediately. http://www.themailinghub.com (AAN CAN)

Arts/MediA WiCKed Weed BreWing seeKs neW MediA ProfessionAl Wicked Weed Brewing is hiring a professional to create photographic content and manage social media for our brewery. Our ideal candidate would possess professional photography education and experience, proficiency in social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and be a self-motivated worker who can adhere to marketing strategies and deadlines. Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator knowledge required. An appreciation for craft beer is a plus. Please send resumes to jobs@wickedweedbrewing.com

CAreer trAining AViAtion grAds Work with JetBlue, Boeing, NASA and others- start here with hands on training for FAA certification. Financial aid if qualified. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-725-1563 (AAN CAN)

CoMPuter/ teChniCAl PhotoshoP ProfessionAl Work from home - set your own hours editing real estate photos. Advanced Photoshop skills and well-equipped workstation required. For complete description see http:// www.marilynnkayphotography.com/job-posting. Send resume to marilynn@marilynnkayphotography.com.

retAil

hoMe iMProVeMent hAndy MAn HIRE A HUSBAND • hAndyMAn serViCes Since 1993. Multiple skill sets. Reliable, trustworthy, quality results. $1 million liability insurance. References and estimates available. Stephen Houpis, (828) 280-2254.

generAl serViCes

loVe BooKs And MusiC? Part-time retail. 2 years college preferred. Great working environment. Submit resume to Mr. K's Used Books, Music and More, 800 Fairview Rd in the River Ridge Shopping Center. sCienCe MuseuM seeKs P/t Visitor serViCes And retAil helP. Some weekend work required. Proficient with sale transactions & computers. Must have ability to multi-task, create welcoming environment for visitors, work with diverse personalities & maintain composure under stress. Science background preferred. Flexible hours. Paid time off. Living wage certified. Resumes only to info@colburnmuseum.org.

MediCAl intuitiVe, therAPeutiC eMAPth & telePAth AVAilABle Whether you have been sick or just want to prevent illness, Nicole Myers Henderson can help you. She has the ability to help you heal your life from the inside out. www. earthessenceinc.com

heAting & Cooling

serViCes CAregiVers COMPANION • CAREGIVER • LIVE-IN Alzheimer's experienced. • Heart failure and bed sore care. • Hospice reference letter. • Nonsmoker, with cat, seeks livein position. • References. • Arnold, (828) 273-2922.

finAnCiAl Are you in Big trouBle With the IRS? Stop wage and bank levies, liens and audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, and resolve tax debt Fast. Call 844-753-1317. (AAN CAN)

trAnsPortAtion Best MediCAl trAnsPortAtion serViCes David’s Transportation Services for elderly and physically disabled, non emergency transportation anywhere in the USA. Certified Nursing Assistant and Spanish translator available. For more information please contact 828-215-0715 or 828-5051394. www.Cesarfamilyservices.com

sPrAy foAM insulAtion • Close Cell Foam • Open Cell Foam. • And Fiberglass Insulation • Basement • Crawl space • Attic and Roofing. Make your Existing Home a Green Home! (828) 337-7236. wncinsulation. com

AnnounCeMents AnnounCeMents CoMMunity ACtion oPPortunities Is applying for the 2015-2016 Office of Economic Opportunities Community Service Block Grant for Buncombe County $363,450 and Madison County $33,812. The application is to assist lowincome residents to become self-sufficient through intensive case management and support services which provide education and training opportunities, promote positive work ethics, and access to permanent employment, reliable transportation, adequate childcare, economic literacy, and financial assistance. The Board of Directors Executive Committee will review the proposal on Tuesday, January

27, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. at Community Action Opportunities offices at 25 Gaston Street, Asheville, NC 28801. For any additional information, call 828.252.2495. good Wood PiZZA oVens Hand built, wood fired Pizza Ovens. Mobil or stationary models. Great for Restaurants, Home or Catering. Call Brian for pricing: (980) 241-9099. www.goodWoodPizzaovens.com

helP yourself While helPing others By donating plasma! You can earn $220/month with valid state ID, proof of address, and SS card. Located at 85 Tunnel Road. Call (828) 252-9967. PregnAnt? thinKing of AdoPtion? Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families Nationwide. Living Expenses Paid. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 866413-6293. Void in Illinois/New Mexico/Indiana (AAN CAN) struggling With drugs or AlCohol? Addicted to Pills? Talk to someone who cares. Call The Addiction Hope & Help Line for a free assessment. 800-978-6674 (AAN CAN)

ClAsses & WorKshoPs ClAsses & WorKshoPs BooK MArKeting ClAss Learn modern ways to connect with readers & retain more revenue from book sales. 2/4 6:30PM in Asheville. $57 adv reg reqd taralynnegroth.com 9197408528

8:30-9:30pm. $10/class or $40/6wks. 8286742658 JenniferWCS@aol.com www. facebook.com/2umbao

Mind, Body, sPirit BodyWorK

#1 AffordABle CoMMunity ConsCious MAssAge And essentiAl oil CliniC 3 locations: 1224 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville, 505-7088, 959 Merrimon Ave, Suite 101, 785-1385 and 2021 Asheville Hwy., Hendersonville, 6970103. • $33/hour. • Integrated Therapeutic Massage: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Trigger Point, Reflexology. Energy, Pure Therapeutic Essential Oils. 30 therapists. Call now! www.thecosmicgroove.com SHOJI SPA & LODGE • 7 dAys A WeeK Looking for the best therapist in town--- or a cheap massage? Soak in your outdoor hot tub; melt in our sauna; then get the massage of your life! 26 massage therapists. 299-0999. www.shojiretreats.com

Counseling serViCes sACred tiMe MediCine WoMAn ~ MediCAl And sPirituAl intuitiVe & reMote VieWer Nicole Myers Henderson, the Sacred Time Medicine Woman is accepting new clients. Whether you need to change your life or heal your body, Henderson promises a fresh perspective and great wisdom

ACROSS 1 Rocker Huey 6 Nascar ___ 9 Bonsai, e.g. 14 Like many residents of Lancaster County, Pa. 15 QB Manning 16 One in a love triangle, maybe 17 Like a majority of Muslims 18 Word before Mac or cheese 19 Make amends 20 “The Sword in the Stone” author, to a chemist? 23 Feedbag morsel 26 Prefix that sounds like 67-Down 27 Pizza, for one 28 Colon part 29 Western Indian 30 Snoozers catch them 32 New title for a 53-Down 34 “The African Queen” author, to a chemist? 39 Part of a 23-Across 40 Modern prefix with warrior 41 U.S. island with a royal palace 43 “The Children of Men” author, to a chemist? 48 Word often in brackets 649 9408 info@pramainstitute. org A weekend experience of silence, reflection, meditation, and peace.

MusiCAl serViCes

sPirituAl CAll ninA the AurACle: 253-7472 “I have used Nina’s insight for more than 15 years. She offers clarity and grounding in my artistic pursuits and life experience.” Chris Bouchan, Artist, Tryon.

retreAts

AsheVille's WhiteWAter reCording Full service studio: • Mastering • Mixing and Recording. • CD/DVD duplication at the best prices. (828) 684-8284 • www.whitewaterrecording.com

Pets Pet serViCes

ConsCious CooKing: leArning to PrePAre deliCious & heAlthy food February 20 – 22 Prama Wellness Center www. pramawellnesscenter.org Learn to cook delicious, healthy, gluten-free, and vegan food. Faculty: Ramesh Bjonnes and Alex Dickie Cost: $375 – $450 (More Info Below)

AsheVille Pet sitters Dependable, loving care while you're away. Reasonable rates. Call Sandy (828) 215-7232.

neW yeArs resolution 5 dAy yogA detoX & JuiCe CleAnse Jan 14 – 18, 2015 Prama Wellness Center 828 649 9911 www.pramawellnesscenter.org 3 days of fasting, delicious meals, workshops, health consultations, group support, daily yoga and meditation knowledgeable supportive staff.

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silent MeditAtion & yogA retreAt Silent Meditation & Yoga Retreat Jan 30 – Feb 1, 2015 Prama Institute www.pramainstitute.org 828

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Auto insurAnCe stArting At $25/Month! Call 855-977-9537. (AAN CAN)

Phone ACtresses From home. Must have dedicated land line and great voice. 21+. Up to $18 per hour. Flex hours/ most Weekends. 1-800403-7772. Lipservice.net (AAN CAN)

USED TIRES • HARD TO find tires All size tires: 13-22 inches. • Hard to find tires, call me! • Axle • Brakes • Tune-ups and Engine lights. Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm. (828) 707-4195. 10-4 Mechanic services.

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AutoMotiVe serViCes

sAlsA ClAsses W/ heCtor gutierreZ & Jennifer stAlnAKer Salsa Classes start back Wednesday Jan 7th with a new 6wks @ Extreme Dance Studio, 856 Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville NC 28803. Beginners 7:308:30pm & Intermediate

edited by Will Shortz

the new YoRK times cRosswoRd puZZLe

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puzzle by TOM MCCOy

59 “You have gotta be kidding me!” 65 Latin I 60 Conduct 66 Title for Tarquinius Superbus 61 Bit of barbering 67 Give it a go

Paul Caron

Furniture Magician • Cabinet Refacing • Furniture Repair • Seat Caning • Antique Restoration • Custom Furniture & Cabinetry (828) 669-4625

No.1210

• Black Mountain

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ANSWER THE CALL Xpress needs writers, photographers, reporters and other social mediasavvy contributors. Send clips, samples and queries to Managing Editor Margaret Williams at mvwilliams@mountainx.com.

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JanuaRY 14 - JanuaRY 20, 2015