Tag: asheville

How to Help Western North Carolina | Hurricane Helene Relief Effort Resources

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I’m doing something a little different this week and sharing resources to help those in Western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene. My husband and I just moved to NC and while Fayetteville wasn’t hit too bad, we have some friends and family in the Asheville area who are experiencing severe flooding and loss of power, rationing supplies, and are essentially stuck in place due to poor road conditions.

We were just in Asheville at the beginning of September, and it’s hard to fathom all the damage that’s occurred from the hurricane. I’m thinking of and praying for everyone in the affected areas—while we can’t physically be there to provide support, there are many ways to help from afar:

  • American Red Cross – the Red Cross has several Hurricane Helene initiatives for impacted areas throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. You can visit their website or text HELENE to 90999 to make a donation. They also have resources for finding a shelter, locating loved ones, and giving blood.
  • North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) – the VOAD has compiled a list of contact information for statewide Long-Term Recovery Groups and Community Organizations Active in Disaster, letting you find ways to support disaster relief efforts in your local county.
  • GoFundMe – while you should be cautious about donating to random GoFundMe pages, the company has create a hub of verified fundraisers for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
  • Operation Airdrop – on September 30, Operation Airdrop will begin flying essential supplies to areas of Western NC hit by Hurricane Helene. You donate money, supplies, or your time by volunteering at the flight staging area in Concord.
  • Samaritan’s Purse – you can donate or sign up to be a volunteer through Samaritan’s Purse. The organization’s headquarters are located in Boone, which has been severely impacted by flooding, downed trees, and loss of water and electricity.
  • Forsyth Humane Society – email foster@forsythhumane.org with the subject “Hurricane Helene Foster” or visit their website to help animals displaced by Hurricane Helene. They are partnering with the BISSELL Pet Foundation to assist the Asheville Humane Society, which urgently needs fosters.
  • North Carolina Community Foundation – donate to the North Carolina Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund, which supports mid- and long-term relief efforts in Western NC.
  • Appalachia Funders Network – this organization has launched an Appalachian Helene Response Fund to provide support to areas throughout the region most impacted by the hurricane. Check out the website to learn more and donate.

Please keep Western NC and all the other Southeastern areas hit by Hurricane Helene in your thoughts and help if/however you’re able to! Stay safe out there.

How to Spend a Weekend in Asheville

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Over Labor Day weekend, my husband and I traveled down to Asheville, NC to visit some friends who live in the area. I had been to Asheville a handful of times before but my husband had never been, so we were really excited to explore the city together! Here are my top recommendations for how to spend a weekend in Asheville.

Grab a Drink at Sierra Nevada Brewery

Our first night in town our friends took us to Sierra Nevada Brewery, technically in the nearby town of Fletcher. The taproom is absolutely massive, featuring an indoor dining room, outdoor kitchen/bar, garden, and an outdoor stage for live music. The whole space was really laidback and fun to explore, and even though it was busy, the property was large enough that it never felt crowded. I tried an Oktoberfest beer which was delicious! Asheville is definitely known for its breweries, and Sierra Nevada is one of the best.

Hike to Black Balsam Knob

Our first full morning in Asheville we set off for the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike up to Black Balsam Knob. The weather was very chilly, windy, and rainy – which we weren’t super prepared for – but we still had a blast! The hike follows the Art Loeb Trail up to Black Balsam Knob, a beautiful mountain bald with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. The hike is short, sweet, and scenic, perfect for visitors from out of town! I plan to write up a whole blog post with more info about this hike, so stay tuned.

Enjoy Some Amazing Food

Asheville has a surprisingly amazing food scene, and we definitely ate good on our trip. Even though I didn’t take many pictures of the meals we enjoyed, every single one of them was delicious! For breakfast, we enjoyed some biscuits at Biscuit Head, a super popular spot that offers all kinds of biscuit platters and sandwiches. Lunch one day was at Laughing Seed Cafe, a delicious vegetarian-friendly spot in downtown Asheville where I got some amazing (albeit a bit ugly) loaded fries. Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack was also a great lunch spot that even offers vegan chicken! Finally, we also enjoyed some tasty tacos from White Duck Taco Shop, which features fun menu items like Greek and Korean-inspired tacos.

Spend an Evening Bar-Hopping

Though Asheville is better known for its breweries, the downtown area is also home to some awesome and unique bars. The first stop on our evening of bar-hopping was Citizen Vinyl, a record store/cafe/bar that also prints its own records! I got a gin and citrus cocktail which was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed the art deco-inspired interior.

Next up was Top of the Monk, an intimate rooftop bar with a casual, unfussy vibe. I tried a tropical drink with toasted coconut (which was lit on fire right in front me!) and even though it wasn’t my favorite drink of the night, the fun, laidback atmosphere more than made up for it.

Our last stop was Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar, a small cocktail bar situated inside a bookstore! This was definitely my favorite bar of the night, and the sangria I ordered was absolutely delicious. We all had fun sipping on champagne and wine and browsing the extensive collection of books.

Visit Biltmore

One of the most popular attractions in Asheville is the Biltmore Estate, the largest home in the country which was built by the legendary Vanderbilt family. I have actually toured Biltmore before but Solomon had never been, so we wanted to at least stop by for him to see the property. We didn’t go inside the house this time, but we did get to explore the gardens and conservatory which were beautiful. There is a lot to see and do on the Biltmore property, and it’s definitely worth a trip if you’ve never been.

Explore the River Arts District

Last, but certainly not least, was the River Arts District (RAD), a super artsy and quirky neighborhood of Asheville. RAD is full of art galleries, studios, vintage shops, and some great food and drink spots. We grabbed a beer at Wedge Brewery before checking out some thrift stores and then ended our visit with a trip to Summit Coffee, where I got a delicious iced maple latte.

Asheville is an amazing weekend destination in the Southeast. With amazing food, drinks, hiking, shopping, and so much more, there’s really something for everyone to enjoy. Huge thanks to Grant and Callan for hosting us and showing us around this awesome city!