Asheville, North Carolina

July 28, 2016

Driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, it’s hard not to steal glances at the rolling mountains beside you. Quickly, you’ll realize how they got their name as one rounded peak fades into another creating a gradient of blue against the sky.

My excuse to finally explore Asheville was a slow week of work, a willing adventure companion in Matt Clark and an Alabama Shakes concert. After six years of concerts in only Los Angeles or Brooklyn, it was refreshing to be surrounded by all walks of Asheville locals, people comfortable in their own skin willing to dance shamelessly, belt along with the lyrics or burrow in each other’s arms. 

Asheville’s loyalty to their community can be seen in their local “unchain” initiative that seems very successful given I thankfully didn’t spot a Starbucks, and only two national chains are present downtown. This allows you to easily explore the true heart of Asheville in their unique businesses such as taking in the mountains on the fire escape of Skybar, devouring a pizza at the Mellow Mushroom, or our favorite, playing unlimited vintage games at the Asheville Pinball Museum. It also doesn’t hurt that they have the most breweries per capita, which means an overwhelming amount of incredible beers.

Asheville manages to do what many other cities have lost sight of and is quite content keeping quiet. Thanks for having us.