Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
More of what’s going around:
-Asheville restaurants are coming together to help Caring for Children’s Trinity Place Youth Shelter. Here’s the press release:
Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria, Farm Burger, Juicy Lucy’s, Over Easy Café, and Scully’s Bar & Grille are coming together to host a Holiday Donation Drive to support CARING for Children’s Trinity Place Youth Shelter. Every Tuesday from December 8-22nd, the public is encouraged to visit one of the five local restaurants and donate new to gently worn clothing such as coats, mittens, and backpacks as well as toiletry items (shampoo, bath soap, toothpaste/toothbrush, deodorant, etc.) for the Holiday Donation Drive. For every donation as a whole, the person will receive a $5 gift certificate to the participating location.
Trinity Place is a supervised short-term shelter located in downtown Asheville, NC that serves boys and girls (ages 7-17) who have run away from home or are homeless and living on the street. Some youth may have experienced abuse or neglect at home. While others just need a cooling off period and counseling to be able to work things out with their family.
Trinity Place is open 24/7/365. Trained staff provide 24-hour telephone support; transportation to/from Buncombe County schools; individual and family counseling; and age-appropriate educational and recreational activities. “Although Trinity Place receives some federal and local funding, we also depend on private donations to make ends meet!” says Amy Hobson, Program Coordinator.
On creating this fundraising effort, “We are so proud of Barley’s, Farm Burger, Lucy’s, Scully’s, and Over Easy Cafe for coming together to support Trinity Place, an organization that would truly benefit from all of these donations” states Jennifer Zyla, manager at Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria.“
For more information about participating in the Holiday Donation Drive as a donor or participating location, contact Jennifer Zyla at [email protected] or 828-458-4354.
-The Governor’s Western Residence’s annual Holiday Open House will be held on Saturday December 5 and Sunday December 6 from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., according to a press release. More:
The public is invited and admission is free. In the event of inclement weather, the Holiday Open House will be cancelled (call (828) 747-9962 for weather updates). If you have never visited the Governor’s Western Residence, please join us! If you have in previous years, please come again and experience the magic of the mountain when you tour the home decked out in holiday finery inside and out. For detailed information on the Open House or rental of the Governor’s Western Residence, please contact Trish Smothers at(828) 225-0122.
-Steady rains this week have triggered some minor flooding around town. 
-Scott Fahy of Asheville is raising money to take his family to Europe after his wife was diagnosed with a severe illness. Here’s the Fahy Family Making Memories Fund at youcaring.com. Here’s the FB event page and details:
THIS SUNDAY Twin Leaf Brewery is partnering up with Korto’s Mobile Pizza Kitchen to raise money for a very special cause. This one is near and dear to our hearts, so please come out this Sunday and show the Fahy Family some love!
Korto’s will be here serving up their delicious and always extraordinarily unique, handcrafted pizzas! In addition, we’ll have live music, amazing raffle prizes, our lovely craft beer, and it’s all going towards this incredible cause!! Don’t miss out!
About the Family…
Nicole was recently diagnosed with a rare stage IV cancer of the appendix. Currently, she has a window of time to make memories with her family. Throughout it all, Nicole has repeatedly said that she would like to travel through Europe with her kids to make lasting memories with them. We need your help to get them there!!! All funds raised will be donated to the Fahy family, allowing them to take that trip, to make those memories. Together. As a family. Any additional funds will help cover medical expenses.
-N.C. Sen. Tom Apodoca announced yesterday that he won’t seek re-election next year. The Hendersonville Republican is one of the most powerful politicians in Raleigh. The announcement set off speculation about who might be running for his seat in the heavily Republican district. Former N.C. House Rep. Tim Moffitt of Buncombe County has been mentioned, as has Jeff Miller, who has previously run for U.S. Congress.
-The massive drive-through Shadrack’s Christmas Light Show at the WNC Ag Center is back. The show runs from dusk to 10 p.m. every night.
-The Winter Lights show at the N.C. Arboretum is also back, nightly from 6-10 p.m.
-Asheville artist Joshua Marc Levy will be hosting an art opening at ZaPow Gallery in downtown Asheville. Details:
This Saturday night from 7-9, Beautiful Bizarre, will be our last art opening there. We will be making in person deals on everything from skate decks to rare screen prints. We have some very cool older trippy ink drawings (which told the future) which will be shown for the first time in a gallery setting. Please come out and say hello. This will be our last appearance until the Push Skate Shop show on April 1. Our last day selling merch and art in Zapow will be 12/30/15. We hope to see you out this SATURDAY NIGHT 7-9pm! Zapow is located downtown, across from Chai Pani, Asheville’s best Indian Food. Thanks for your support Asheville, We love you! Joshua Marc Levy & Amy Kalyn Sims, Asheville Art Family
-An adaptive climbing clinic is coming to Climbax in downtown Asheville from 5-8 p.m. on Dec. 11, according to a press release. “This free event will bring the joy of climbing to children and adults living with amputations, paralysis, cerebal palsy, spinal cord injury, and any other physical disability. This is a joint project of CarePartners Foundation, Western Carolina University, and Catalyst Sports.”
-Vortex Doughnuts and 1000 Faces Coffee are starting an exciting short term project with The Chain Collaborative, a coffeecentric nonprofit, according to a press release. Here’s more:
From December 5th through December 31st Vortex Doughnuts will be brewing the amazing coffee from Suke Quto Farm by donation, in a pourover bar style in the shop on the South Slope. In addition to all proceeds from the pourover bar, $1 of each bag sale of the Suke Quto will go directly to helping fund a new school in the region that the coffee farmers work. Our goal is to help make the farm a better place to live and raise families and to keep growing superb coffee.
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10am1pm, Baristas will be stationed at a separate pourover bar in the shop explaining and brewing two different processes (washed and pulp natural) of the same coffee from Suke Quto. Chain Collaborative Slow Bar, Great coffee supporting a great cause.
-Here’s another fun are event by Green Man Brewery, to be held at Satellite Gallery:
Rich and decadent, Green Man Brewery’s special holiday release Holly King is back for 2015. This celebrated Holiday Ale is aged in barrels and carefully blended to create warm bourbon notes and tasty hints of toffee, vanilla, and tobacco. With a score of 95 on ratebeer.com, Holly King is one of Green Man’s most sought-after offerings.
For the third release of this beer, Green Man has commissioned local artist, Rob Hunt of Forever Tattoo to design the label art. This ornate variation of the Green Man logo depicts one of the many interpretations of the Green Man in folklore. Holly King will be available in a new format this year; 12 oz. bottles in 4 packs.
To showcase Mr. Hunt’s artistry, there will be a pre-release art event at the Satellite Gallery, 55 Broadway in Downtown Asheville on Thursday, Dec. 3rd from 5-7 pm. The opportunity to purchase a signed archival print of the label art, a taste of 2015 Holly King, Rob Hunt’s artwork on display, and light snacks will be enjoyed at the event. The prints will be collectors items, as Green Man will collaborate with a different local artist for subsequent Holly King labels in years to come, and this event is the first of a yearly holiday tradition.
From 6-8 pm Bruisin’ Ales bottle shop, across the street from the Satellite Gallery at 66 Broadway, will be hosting a tasting of Green Man’s line up. The official bottle release for Holly King is on December 4th at retail outlets where great beer is sold.
