In Asheville, Days 1 & 2

So far I'm on track to do just about everything I planned to do in Asheville, with a few good things I didn't plan thrown in! I'm staying just down the street from the Carolina Mornings West Branch office, which is awesome since I usually have a 20 minute commute to work when I'm in the Carrboro office.

I'm loving the cool nights and not-too-hot days. It's been perfect weather for my stay - sunny, low-mids 80s with a breeze during the day, low-mid 50s at night. I haven't felt weather this good since May!

So, onto the things I've done around town...

When I got to town on Monday night, some friends and I ate dinner at Doc Chey's, where I hadn't eaten in about 2 years because over time it got busier and busier (like everywhere else in Asheville) and eventually the regular wait got so excessive I quit trying. For example, 4 of us arrived for what I thought was a late dinner - around 7:30 - and we weren't seated until 8:15. While 45 minutes isn't a bad wait, just think what it must be like at 6pm! The place was still packed with late diners when we left an hour later. Not a place to go when your stomach is already rumbling.... but this time mine wasn't. I was reminded about how I really do love their lo mein (the vegetable). I wasn't a big fan of the miso soup, which I had never had. They also have pretty great edamame.

After Doc Chey's, us girls walked down the street to Temptations for our girls' night - Monday night $5 martinis. Everyone showed up and we had a blast. I enjoyed my favorite extra dirty martini with garlic stuffed olives, and also had my second favorite drink - a cosmo. It was just as good and just as fun as I'd remembered, plus any girls' night (or guys' night too, I assume) is always a good substitute for therapy :)

Yesterday (Tuesday) after work we did the sushi thing, and I was going to try Kubo's, I promise I really was, so I could offer readers some kind of review! But my friends were less than enthusiastic about their experience eating there, and said Green Tea was still better - and cheaper. So, I ate at Green Tea for the umpteenth time. That's okay though, because their miso soup is my favorite!

Today I'm hoping to try out the French Broad Chocolate Lounge & tonight I'm watching a movie at Asheville Pizza - more on that tomorrow!

A short trip to Asheville

Although I still consider myself an Asheville 'local' - envisioning myself there on a daily basis - I actually relocated to our Chapel Hill office about 2 months ago. Since Carolina Mornings has our home base in Asheville, those of us here in the center of the state get to regularly spend time up in the mountains. It's a pretty nice arrangement (and it keeps me from leaving here and running away back to Asheville for good)!

I was lucky enough to be in town about a month ago, and stayed in one of our East Asheville hideaways, Deer Run. This time around I'll be with Asheville friends from Monday evening - Thursday evening, and thought I would share my personal itinerary, all the favorite things I'm dying to do as a former local and some new things I haven't gotten to try yet.

Martini Mondays at Temptations
Temptations has pretty good specials each night of the week, but Mondays are my favorite - $5 martinis all night long. They make a really great dirty martini with garlic stuffed olives, and also have a list of intriguing novelty martinis (of which I enjoy the Dirty Girl Scout).
Location: Downtown on Biltmore Ave, near Pack Place

Eat, drink micro brews, and watch a movie
Option 1: Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company. Highlights include great pizza, micro brews, and $3 movies. There's an open restaurant in the front, or a theater in the back where you can order from the full menu while you watch the movie (staff shouts your name when food is ready). Who can resist that combo? Movies change weekly and can be found on the Web site.
Location: Merrimon Ave - look for the big building painted with movie scenes. Photo from the Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company Web site.

Option 2: Cinebarre. Highlights include amazing popcorn, beer & wine, and newly released movies. A 'fancier' version of Asheville Pizza (higher prices too). Multiple theaters means multiple movies, and a waitstaff to take orders from your seats and bring you food and drinks during the movie.
Location: Biltmore Square Mall, West Asheville

Eat out. A lot.
Tupelo Honey Cafe is, hands down, my favorite place to eat. (I also love Sunday brunch at Corner Kitchen, which I'll miss this time around. Carolina Mornings offers a lot of specials with Corner Kitchen, as it's regularly recommended by national publications, locals, and visitors.)
Instead of my favorite regular sushi restaurant, Green Tea, I'll probably try Kubo's (see the Sushi post).
Since I haven't been yet, I'll try the French Broad Chocolate Lounge for their famed liquid truffles.
And finally, I will definitely go get an éclair (the size of my head!) at Well-Bred Bakery in Weaverville.

For more to do in Asheville and the surrounding area, see links in the sidebar and scroll through our previous posts!