Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
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Folks keep prodding me to write more about how i experience Asheville, because apparently i see some shit that they don’t see. i see a slice of Ashvegas they don’t. or maybe they think i’m living it up and they want to live vicariously through me. i’m not sure, but i’m going to try to open up a little more about the incredible social interactions i experience in this town. they’re one of the big reasons i love this town, for sure, and maybe by bringing more of this stuff to light, i can help break down some of the cliquishness (however you spell it) that i hear so many people complain about. there’s a streak of an exclusionary cool-kid complex that runs through some of these gatherings that i’ve also experienced.
so last week the Asheville Young Professionals had a meet-up at the Lexington Avenue Brewery and i ran into a couple of dudes who are good buddies. i’d never been to one of the meet-ups and, honestly, wasn’t aware of the group. i’ve been tuned into the Asheville Affiliates and their work, but not AYP. the dudes i talked to were eyeing the cute girls for dates. don’t know how much professional networking got done.
It was another fun year for Prom!!! at the Grey Eagle. Asheville loves to play dress up and so do i. fun to see the hipster/retro costumes and dance it out a little. Che and company were the coolest. Xpress has lots of great photos up.
i hit the streets again Saturday night and was about mowed over by a group of 40 or 50 revelers dressed up in fuzzy deer antlers and tacky Christmas sweaters. the crew sang Christmas carols, drank a lot and generally made a ruckus. ugly Christmas sweater parties – always a good time.
another group i’d never heard of was also hitting the streets of Ashvegas and generally drinking too much and being obnoxious. i don’t know what they call themselves, but here’s the deal: they don bad wigs, wild costumes (even lampshades on their heads) and speak only with an odd, rather bad, European accent. they drink – a lot. and they harass tourists. don’t ask me why. that’s it. that’s the schtick. look out for ’em.
Sunday, i sat and was entertained, inspired and generally moved by the third edition of TEDx Asheville, the local version of the famous California conference. the event was the best ever, with top notch speakers talking about their cool ideas, superb musical entertainment and excellent overall production quality. yeah, i cried. yeah, i challenged myself to do something to make this world a better place. will i follow up? we’ll see. but i was damn impressed. from my story in today’s Asheville Citizen-Times:
Ideas, and the people putting them into action, took center stage at Diana Wortham Theatre on Sunday during an afternoon filled with powerful musical performances, moving life stories and sharp technological displays.
About 500 people gathered for TEDx Asheville, a locally organized version of the well-known annual West Coast conference known for spotlighting “ideas worth spreading.” The conference acrononym stands for technology, entertainment and design, but the event encompassed broader themes and aimed to move its audience to chase and fulfill their own dreams.
From there, it was off to dinner and then to a late night show at Broadway’s. I Fight Dragons and The Protomen performed, and that’s an understatement. they killed with their music, which i have no capacity to descibe. they riff off old-school video game music. that’s the common thread. but they each have their own snazzy style and it’s pretty damn incredible. i stayed out way too late, but i met some cool people and has some wacked out conversations, including one with a young woman who said she wrote a story about dude date rape that she thinks i should publish on the blog. we shall see…
