ZAMBRA and David Sedaris-Some of my favorite things

Ok, I put together this great vacation getaway package because I love dining at Zambra and anything that David Sedaris writes puts me in a great mood. So with a dooming economy in the horizon, why not enjoy while we still have the opportunity. 

Zambra is amazing: Supports Asheville Sustainable Agriculture Project, using local produce, has been awarded the Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence and the wine list was voted best in Asheville. The dining experience has been featured in Southern Living, on the Food Network and recognized in the New York Times, LA Times, the Boston Globe and Charlotte N & O. 

Couple dinner with a night with Mr. Sedaris' Santaland Diaries and you will temporarily forget this is 2008 when your money market funds plummeted 40% and your kids' college fund has shriveled up.  A wonderful way to celebrate and get into the holiday spirit.

What does Santa and Foodbanks have in Common?

Well this upcoming weekend, Santa will be encouraging kids, including the furry four legged ones, to come to Biltmore Village with cans in hands and contribute to MANNA Foodbank. The holiday season is a time to think of others in need. Children can celebrate this season and help the needy-all at the same time. A novel idea. Saturday December 6 from 10 AM-6PM and Sunday, December 7th from 12-5pm Join Santa by Helping Hunger Take a Holiday. Come down to Biltmore Village, enjoy the Dickens Festival, bring cans of food to donate and hang with Santa.

AVL on the list of 10 Best Places to Live

Yahoo's Real Estate has placed Asheville on the top 10 best places to live. Since AVL is situated at the highest part of the Appalachian Range and surrounded by the Great Smokey and  Blue Ridge Mountains-what is not to like? Also states the low cost of living,  affordable housing and diversity with families and retirees make this one of the top 10 places to live.

Take advantage of slow winter season deals

A few updates from the executives and vacation specialists at Carolina Mornings:

*We now have a TWO NIGHT minimum across the board, including Christmas and New Year's!

*Our luxurious Biltmore Village Villas are now just $552 for two nights, $236 each additional night. This is a discount of $150 for a 2 night stay, and $75 off the regular additional night price!

exception: The Retreat is now $602 for a 2 night stay, and $261 for each additional night. This is a discount of $100 for a 2 night stay, and $50 off the regular additional night price!

*Take advantage of over 35 other property specials!

*NEW for the holidays: Dinner Theater Package
2 tickets to Santaland (a great David Sedaris play) and a $50 gift certificate to Zambra (tapas and wine bar) for just $55. Reservations are required for Zambra's.
Available Dec 13th only, with a minimum of a 2 night reservation.

With low gas prices and these great deals we hope to see you soon!

Reason #5: Why a vacation rental pays off

Reason #5 in our little series about why using a vacation rental helps your wallet and provides more 'bang for your buck' (I love that phrase) than a hotel or Bed & Breakfast.

Pet Friendly
Most hotels are not pet friendly, but many vacation rentals welcome your family fido. Many people enjoy bringing their dogs on vacation. This is especially true for long vacations, when dogs must be separated from owners and placed at expensive boarders. Pet-friendly vacation rentals allow you to bring your dog on vacation, without tripping over each other in a small (and hard to find) pet-friendly hotel room. Some rentals even have fenced yards for dogs to run around and play. Other rentals have large properties and trails right outside the door, where you can take your dog for a walk unleashed. For both dog and owner, this kind of freedom really makes a difference over having to leash a dog to walk through hotel halls and down a busy street. Many people particularly like to bring their dogs when visiting areas with hiking.

Also: See our post on pet-friendly Asheville!

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Looking for more reasons? See reason #4, or stay tuned for the next entry in this series on Why a vacation rental pays off!

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Already convinced? At Carolina Mornings we have around 90 properties to choose from, and our vacation specialists will help you pick out which one is perfect for your stay.

Thanks for your canned goods!!

Thanks to everyone for coming out the Col. Bruce Hampton show at the Garage at Biltmore on Saturday night - and bringing canned goods along with you! The Garage collected over 130 cans of food from concert-goers.

You helped get the spirit started for our Kids, Paws and Claus event. But don't forget to come out and enjoy the event too! There will be free refreshments and Santa will providing photo ops with people and pets, sponsored by Carolina Mornings and the Biltmore Village Villas.

In the heart of Biltmore Village, at the Biltmore Village Villas
Location (Google Map)
Saturday, Dec 6 from 10 am - 6 pm
Sunday, Dec 7 from noon - 5 pm

Let us know if you have any questions, and...
Thanks again, as always!!

Free daily ski lift tickets with every reservation!

We are happy to announce that our popular Mountain Discovery Pass, which we started in April 2008, now includes another free amenity.

Carolina Mornings has teamed up with Wolf Ridge Ski Resort (Ski the Wolf!) to offer all of our guests one free ski lift pass for each day of their stay.

This is a $50 value!!

For the 2008-09 season, Ski the Wolf offers:
* Two Beautiful Rustic Ski Lodges with Massive Stone Fireplaces
-Upper Wolf Ridge Lodge accommodates families and walk-ins
-Lower Wolf Ridge Lodge accommodates groups
* Top Rated Snow Sports School with highly skilled instructors
* Night Skiing and Special Events
* Two Quad Chairlifts, Two Double Chairlifts, and One Surface Lift
* 100% Snowmaking Capability
* Two places to park, Rent Top Quality Shaped Skis, Boots and Snowboards, purchase lift tickets/area passes and ski
(from the Ski the Wolf Web site)

Ski the Wolf is located 30 minutes north of Asheville, near Mars Hill. Carolina Mornings offers many rentals near Asheville and Wolf Ridge, so you're sure to find a great mountain home, cabin, or chalet nearby.

Also included in the Mountain Discovery Pass (click to find out more):
FREE... golf tee time, Asheville historic trolley tour ticket, Lake Lure boat tour ticket, whitewater rafting ticket, recreation center one hour play time including climbing wall, bumper cars, batting cages, mini-golf & much more.

Total savings: $189 value, each day of your reservation. Even if you do just one activity per day, you'll still save $189 during your trip! The more days you choose to do an activity (many may want a golf tee time each day, for example), the more you'll cumulatively save!

Everyone likes a discount

Col Bruce & the Quark Alliance will play a show at the Garage at Biltmore this Saturday, Nov 22. Col Bruce Hampton, Ret. has been playing music since 1963, solo and with several different collaborations. The Discordian Society will also play at Saturday's show.

Tickets at the door are $10
Doors open at 9 pm and the show starts at 10 pm
Location (Google maps)

Where's the discount you might ask?

Remember our Kids, Paws and Claus MANNA FoodBank charity event?
Bring 2 cans of food to donate to the cause and the Garage will personally pay half of your entry fee ($5).
Most of us probably have a couple of extra canned food items in the pantry, whether it's soup or green beans, so bring 'em on and enjoy a great show at half price!

Help hunger take a holiday in WNC! Thanks everyone :)

Reason #4: Why a vacation rental pays off

Reason #4 in our little series about why using a vacation rental helps your wallet and provides more 'bang for your buck' (I love that phrase) than a hotel or Bed & Breakfast.

Personal Experience

What kind of vacation home appeals to you? Whether it’s a rustic log cabin, a cottage, a downtown condo, or an old farmhouse, you can find the right vacation property to fit your dream. Do you like to be in the middle of the city, or secluded in the mountains? Vacation rentals allow you to get a taste of a personal experience you might not be able have on a daily basis, but can still manage to have on vacation. Maybe the rural life is perfect for you, but you love the idea of spending a week or two living in the middle of a bustling city. Or, maybe you can’t afford to buy a mountain view chalet, but you can save enough to stay in it for your vacation.

Wherever you are happiest, and whatever new personal experience you want to have, there are plenty of rentals to choose from, often at reasonable prices. Vacation properties provide an alternative to the drab, standard hotel décor you can find anywhere in the United States. Plus, their location and living space combine to form a completely personal experience you can’t have anywhere else - or in any hotel room.

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Looking for more reasons? See reason #3, or stay tuned for the next entry in this series on Why a vacation rental pays off!

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Already convinced? At Carolina Mornings we have around 90 properties to choose from, and our vacation specialists will help you pick out which one is perfect for your stay.

Cabin cocktails - just in time for Thanksgiving

Mix up one of these great cabin-themed cocktails for the gang - perfect for your Thanksgiving stay at one of our Carolina Mornings vacation rentals! (Okay, you can probably enjoy it just as well even you aren't staying with us - but we hope you are!)

From Amy Wisniewski at Chow.com, the Log Cabin:

Rating (easy-difficult to make): Easy
Prep time: Under 5 minutes
Makes: 1 drink

Sip a bit of fall any time of year with this apple- and maple-flavored brandy drink.

What to buy: We liked Sortilège maple liqueur for the smooth and not-too-sweet blending of Canadian whiskey and maple syrup.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces maple liqueur
• 1 ounce apple brandy such as Calvados
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce sparkling apple cider
• Ice

Preparation:
1. Combine liqueur, brandy, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake vigorously.

2. Pour everything, including the ice, into an 8-ounce rocks glass, top with sparkling cider, and gently stir to combine.

From webtender.com, a different Log Cabin:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 oz Canadian whisky
• 1 tblsp Cream
• 1 tblsp Orange juice
• Fill with Orange soda

Preparation:
Shake all ingredients but the soda with ice. Strain into highball glass. Fill the glass to the top with the orange soda.

From DrinksMixer.com, Cabin Fever:

Rating (taste on a scale of 1-10): 9.7
Serve in: Coffee mug
Makes: 1 drink

Ingredients:

1 oz Bailey's® Irish cream
1 oz creme de menthe
6 oz hot chocolate
1 oz whipped cream

Preparation:

Pour the Bailey's irish cream and creme de menthe into a coffee mug, and stir. Add hot chocolate, and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and a maraschino cherry if desired, and serve.

Do you have a great cabin cocktail? Have you tried one of these? Let us know, or please share your favorite drink!

Reason #3 Why a vacation rental 'pays' off

Here is reason #3 in our little series about why using a vacation rental helps your wallet and provides more 'bang for your buck' (I love that phrase) than a hotel or Bed & Breakfast.

Be A Local

Staying in a vacation rental gives you the perspective of a local, rather than a tourist. This is, of course, particularly true if you are staying for an extended period of time, but it still applies for shorter vacations. Whether you are staying in your own rental home right downtown or in the middle of the mountains, you are much more likely to get the local feel for the area while you’re visiting. You can shop at local stores and restaurants instead of, or in addition to, experiencing the tourist attractions.

In Western North Carolina, the opportunity to rent properties with a mountain feel is particularly special. Waking up every morning to our beautiful ranges and seeing our frequently spectacular sunsets each evening is a treat most hotel rooms cannot offer (and definitely not for the prices!). Staying in your own mountain getaway rental home gives you the full experience of the serenity, simplicity, and calm of the Blue Ridge lifestyle.

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Looking for more reasons? See reason #1 and reason #2, or stay tuned for the next entry in this series on Why a vacation rental pays off!

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Already convinced? At Carolina Mornings we have around 90 properties to choose from, and our vacation specialists will help you pick out which one is perfect for your stay.

Carolina Mornings and Biltmore Village Villas Help Hunger Take a Holiday with "Kids, Paws and Claus," a Charity Event for MANNA FoodBank

Carolina Mornings and the Biltmore Village Villas are teaming up to bring Santa Claus to the Biltmore Villas for a Holiday Meet-and-Greet charity event for MANNA FoodBank. Bring your entire family (even your pets!) to meet Santa and help hunger take a holiday in western North Carolina!

Asheville, NC - November 12, 2008 - Carolina Mornings will host the first annual "Kids, Paws and Claus" charity event on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, noon-5 p.m. The event will be held in the heart of Biltmore Village inside the Biltmore Village Villas, complete with stunning holiday decorations, refreshments, a jolly Santa Claus and the opportunity to donate canned goods to the western North Carolina community.

Carolina Mornings is Asheville's leader in luxury mountain vacation rentals and is excited to be hosting an event contributing to MANNA FoodBank's efforts.

"At Carolina Mornings, we love giving back to the community," said Shari Goldstein, chief executive officer and founder of Carolina Mornings. "We hope this event brings in a lot of food for our WNC neighbors who are in need, and we are looking forward to making this a yearly event."

"Kids, Paws and Claus" offers a chance for entire families – kids, pets and kids at heart – to meet Santa Claus at the Biltmore Village Villas while helping MANNA FoodBank. Cameras and video cameras are welcome.

MANNA FoodBank is a non-profit organization that distributes food to 331 partner agencies in 16 counties in western North Carolina. MANNA FoodBank distributed more than six million pounds of food in 2007 and this year, they are hoping to do more. MANNA FoodBank's mission is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger.

"According to a recent study, we estimate that 115,500 different Western North Carolinians seek emergency food assistance in a single year," said Josh Stack, communications and marketing coordinator at MANNA FoodBank. "That's one in six of our neighbors and double the national average."

While guests can donate canned goods on site at the Biltmore Village Villas the weekend of the Santa Claus Meet-and-Greet, other sponsors will be hosting MANNA FoodBank collection bins prior to the event.

"We want to collect as much food as possible. We hope that making the bins available at local businesses can help make it easier for people to give," said Goldstein.

Drop-off bins for canned goods are conveniently located at several businesses, including: T.G.I. Friday's and Bruegger's Bagels on Hendersonville Road, State Employees' Credit Union and Starbucks Coffee on All Souls Crescent Road, Rita's Cantina on Garfield Street and La Paz Restaurante and Cantina at Biltmore Plaza. These businesses will have bins available until Dec. 7, 2008.

"Hunger has a cure. It's each and every one of us. We would be upset if a physician had a cure to cancer and refused to share this cure with the world," said Stack. "Hunger has a simple solution: food. There's enough to go around. We hope the community will show up with cans in hand to enjoy this event."

For additional information on the first annual "Kids, Paws and Claus" charity event, contact Shari Goldstein or visit http://www.carolinamornings.com.

About Carolina Mornings:

A leader of excellence in luxury mountain living, Carolina Mornings has a much sought-after selection of the finest vacation home rentals in the Asheville, N.C. area including captivating Blue Ridge Mountain chalets, Smoky Mountain log cabins, elegant downtown lofts and luxury vacation villas located at the center of historic Biltmore Village.

Contact:

Shari Goldstein, Chief Executive Officer
Carolina Mornings
919-442-3001
http://www.carolinamornings.com

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View this press release on the web.

Reason #2 Why a vacation rental 'pays' off

Reason #2 in our little series about why using a vacation rental helps your wallet and provides more 'bang for your buck' (I love that phrase) than a hotel or Bed & Breakfast.

Home Away from Home

Moving into a vacation property for your visit gives you a homey feeling while you’re away. A hotel room is often cramped, and hotels tend to have a cold, temporary atmosphere. All hotel rooms look virtually the same, with the same commercial linens, bedspreads and towels. Vacation rentals offer cozy couches and recliners, pillows, blankets, and linens with a homey flair of style, and a teapot waiting on the stove. Property owners often leave warm, welcoming touches such as these so that you’ll better enjoy your stay in their home.

Also, the cleanliness of hotel rooms can be questionable. Owners of vacation properties take pride in their homes. If owners do not clean the property themselves, they hire reliable cleaning crews or property management services to come in between guests. They hold those providing these services accountable to keep their home in perfect condition.

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Looking for more reasons? See reason #1, or stay tuned for the next entry in this series on Why a vacation rental pays off!

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Already convinced? At Carolina Mornings we have around 90 properties to choose from, and our vacation specialists will help you pick out which one is perfect for your stay.

NC election decision finally called - Obama wins

According to the News & Observer (Raleigh, NC), the Obama win in North Carolina is finally official. This morning, they were still reporting him the apparent, but still unofficial, winner of the state. This article stated:

Democrat Barack Obama is the unofficial winner in North Carolina, but the victory over Sen. John McCain won't be sealed until provisional ballots are counted and certified next month....

"Our law allows us to say who the unofficial winner is," Bartlett said, "but you know we have a formal process in which we audit records."

The county canvasses are Nov. 14, and the state is scheduled to certify the results Dec. 1.

But this afternoon, they have updated with this article:

The Associated Press declared Obama the winner after canvassing counties in North Carolina to determine the number of outstanding provisional ballots. That survey found that there are not enough remaining ballots for Republican John McCain to close a 13,693-vote deficit.

For those keeping track, this means there is a small tenth of a percentage point difference between the two - rounding to 50% Obama, 50% McCain. Although we aren't deciding the election, we're nearly the Florida of 2000.

So much of this election has historic meaning, but for North Carolina it is also significant because the state has not voted for a Democratic candidate since Jimmy Carter in 1976. Durham County voted nearly 76% for Obama, a huge margin and by far the biggest in the state. Other surprises were rural counties such as Jackson, Chatham, and Pitt County tipped to Obama.

Reason #1 Why a vacation rental 'pays' off

This is the start of a little series about why using a vacation rental helps your wallet and provides more 'bang for your buck' (I love that phrase) than a hotel or Bed & Breakfast.

Reason #1: Space for the Money

Often, the price you pay for the extra space in a vacation rental is not much more than the cost of a hotel room. I’ve actually read that, on average, hotels cost 50-80 percent more per square foot than a vacation rental!

In a vacation rental, families get extra room for the kids, instead of cramming into one hotel room with two beds, or one of those fold down cots. And couples on romantic getaways get privacy and seclusion to spend time just being with each other.

When you aren’t cramped between beds and a television, like you are in a hotel or B&B where your bedroom and living space combine into one, you can spread out – and finally slow down and relax while on vacation.

Families can play games together, one person can get some quiet time in the bedroom while someone watches a movie in the living room, and couples can enjoy the luxury of romantic meals in the dining room or on the porch. In Asheville area mountain vacation rentals, you'll also get the pleasure of great views and nearby or even on site hiking or waterfalls!

In other words, by renting a vacation home, you can get a lot more – above and beyond just extra space – for your money.

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Want to know more reasons a vacation rental is better for your vacationing wallet in this slow economy? Stay tuned for Reason #2 and more!

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Already convinced? At Carolina Mornings we have around 90 properties to choose from, and our vacation specialists will help you pick out which one is perfect for your stay.

Election Day in Asheville

We are very politically motivated here at Carolina Mornings, so we want to say - please, please GO VOTE today if you haven't early voted already. We don't care if you vote for Obama or McCain, or the write-in of your choice... as long as you pick the right candidate. Just kidding!

Really, exercising your right to vote feels really good when you do it, so go get in line! In Asheville, polling places are open 6:30 am - 7:30 pm, and as long as you make it to the line before 7:30 (even if it's at 7:29) you are guaranteed to get in to vote.

And if you need more incentive than that, a lot of companies around the country are providing freebies to voters.

Just a few corporate locations that I've heard word-of-mouth about:
Ben & Jerry's will give you a free scoop of ice cream between 5-8 p.m.
Starbucks will give you a free cup of coffee.
Krispy Kreme will give you a free red-and-blue star shaped donut.

As far as local Asheville businesses, I've only heard about West End Bakery offering free coffee.
Has anyone else discovered local freebies? Please share by leaving a comment! Thanks :)

At all of these places, your word should be enough to get you these offers. As I understand it, law prohibits the trade of products for votes, so this marketing attempt must be a courtesy to everyone without proof being shown.

More things to celebrate at Carolina Mornings!

Well this was a great week of celebration at Carolina Mornings. In addition to the Sky High Award, we are proud that our Director of Property Management, Larry Miller, was the recipient of the Velosports Community Award! We often see Larry coming or leaving the office decked out in his cycling gear and we all want to say Congratulations!
I have learned a bit about the Velosports Performance Center and thought I would share it with all of you!

Velosports Performance Center is a local training center that began a developmental cycling team in 2008.
Their mission is to develop men's cycling in Western North Carolina by:

* Building a diverse team of men of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
* Seek to create a way of life based on the enjoyment of racing, setting a good example for others, respecting and demonstrating fundamental ethical principles through racing, and working to promote and improve our local community.

Part of every riders's contract is to volunteer and give back to our community through cycling. Team VPC does this every year through:

* Promoting over 30 races each year with age divisions from Juniors to Masters and in all levels from beginner to Professional.
* Promotion and development of junior riders through Velosport's own junior program, Asheville Youth Cycling.
* Community participation through volunteering and charity rides such as the Meals on Wheels Ride in mid-June, Buncombe County Child Care programs such as the Children's At-Risk program, and The Asheville Grand Prix benefiting the Children First organization.