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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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More of what’s going around, including a couple of new wine bars for Asheville. Here we go:

Virgola wine bar has opened at 2 Hendersonville Road in the Biltmore Station shopping center near Biltmore Village. Virgola features an exclusively Italian wine list and serves up fresh raw oysters, ceviche, crude, and caviar as well as imported cheeses, salami, and salad, according to its website.

Rustic Grape Wine Bar is planning to open on South Lexington Avenue in a space adjacent to the new apartments being built on the back of the Aloft Hotel.

-The third new wine bar in the works will be located in the vacant space adjacent to Bull & Beggar along Payne’s Way and at the back side of Wedge Studios. It’s called District Wine Bar.

-The Travers Brothership, and Asheville band, was recently involved in a motor vehicle accident in Virginia that totaled their van and ruined much of their equipment. Kyle Travers was treated and released from a hospital.

-The town of Canton is gearing up for a huge Labor Day celebration. For years, the town has hosted a Labor Day parade that pays tribute to its history as a company town rooted in its paper mill. This year, on Sept. 3-4, the festivities will include a gospel music show and the following musicians: Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Sam Bush, Balsam Range, David Holt, McKayla Reece, Chatham County Line, Joe Lasher Jr., Lyric, Grey Wolfe, Vintage Country, Cold Mountain.

-A couple of movies i really want to see are now showing at Grail Moviehouse. Here they are:

THE LITTLE HOURS – “A lot of movies make outlandish promises to potential audiences, but it’s safe to say that The Little Hours is the best filthy-mouthed comedy based on a 14th century Italian novella you’ll see this year. Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, and Kate Micucci anchor an ensemble of top-level comedians tearing a Medieval nunnery to shreds with a long list of super fun sins.” – Scott Beggs at Nerdist.com

THE HERO stars the legendary Sam Elliott as an aging actor confronting mortality in the moving new film from writer/director Brett Haley

-Richard Patino and Jannette Montenegro are the new owners of the Cotton Mill Studios, 122 Riverside Drive, which sold recently for $1.95 million, according to a press release. Here’s more:

The Historic Cotton Mill Studios houses eight studios and is home to Asheville mixed-media
artist Andy Herod and The Asheville Guitar Bar, both of whom will stay on as tenants. The
remaining six studios are currently available to rent, and are 800 to 900 square feet in size.
They can be reduced or expanded as needed. While most of the available spaces will be
reserved for artists, Rich and Jannette are open to some unique possibilities. …

To Rich and Jannette, who have been together for 17 years, family and community is
everything. They both grew up in Miami, Florida, with parents who were Cuban immigrants, and
for the last 15 years, they have made Asheville their part-time home, with a home base in
Miami.

“We have an extended, modern family that includes our parents, siblings, two kids, five
godchildren, three nieces, one super cute nephew, and several unofficially adopted kids,” says
Jannette.

“Our kids and godchildren have grown up hiking, rafting, and tubing in Western North Carolina.
They grew up enjoying music with us at the Belle Chere festivals and NOC events.”

Richard began visiting Asheville while he was still in high school and fell in love with the area
and its recreational activities—hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. Asheville, he says, is his
favorite place on earth. As a nature enthusiast, he’s working on getting certified as a Blue Ridge
Naturalist through the North Carolina Arboretum.

“Rich brought me to Asheville 20 years ago. We were picked up by his friends at the airport and
went straight to Barley’s for pizza and beer. Afterwards, we went on a night hike to the top of
Craggy Pinnacle. I had never seen so many stars! I immediately fell in love with Asheville,” says
Jannette.

“Not long after, we both knew that we would consider Asheville home, and we started to
establish roots. Now it’s all culminating in this purchase of the Historic Cotton Mill Studios, which
we are honored and overjoyed to own,” says Rich.

Back in Miami, Rich and Jannette are involved with several nonprofits. Here in Asheville they
are members of Asheville Greenworks and RiverLink, and are eager to give back to the
community.

The Historic Cotton Mill Studios will have a grand reopening in October. They are also planning
to host an Instagram meetup in August organized by the local “Asheville Instameet” group.
Details on both events will be forthcoming. With a website currently under construction, you can
stay up to date on Historic Cotton Mill Studios by following along on Facebook at Historic Cotton
Mill Studios. Anyone interested in renting the available studios can contact property manager
Bill Spears, Kirk H. Booth Real Estate at (828) 508-1329 or [email protected].

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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