My son and I have returned to Asheville, North Carolina as he prepares for enrollment at a local school in the fall. We walked the city center in the late afternoon and delighted in its many contrasts. Asheville is packed with galleries and work of local artists, so the local art association was our first stop. The woman supervising the gallery gave us a quick rundown of the local art scene, which is not only downtown but in an arts district by the river. The artist whose work was on display, Gerald Jonas, had a panopoly of canvas on display which explore the world in brilliant colors and with elements of texture. And a great sign: "It's okay to touch."
Down the road, we walked past an open air farmer's market, featuring station wagon's and truckloads of local produce, and then onto a food coop, which featured a cornupcopia of fresh foods and much more.
The streets here remind me of San Francisco; lots of undulating blocks where you turn a corner and the next amazing art deco building shows it face. The town's building look mostly unchanged from years
past, as evidenced by ads painted on brick on many sidewalls, advertising products from -- I'd guess -- the post-WWII era. There are newer buildings, but the percentage of older ones is much higher than in a city like Boston.
We worked up an appetite, then returned to a French restaurant called Bouchon, which promised French comfort food. Exactement. I recommended my son try the Steak au Poivre and I had a scintillating boulliabaise, with a glass of Alsatian Hugel on the side. It reminded me of restaurants I'd been to in Paris and my son drew the comparison with our trip to Quebec City last year.
Our outdoor dinner was mildly interrupted by a flash. People at the table next to us quickly asked if anyone had been using a flash camera. Nope. Bowling ball thunder rattled the tables a moment later. We reconnoitered indoors and continued our dinner there.
Afterwards, we walked a few blocks back to our hotel. The black night and wet streets offered striking views en route, made more so when lightning flashed overhead. My son and I both agreed that the word for this city, especially at night, is dramatic.
This evening, I took another walk in the city and the weather was more cooperative. Smoke rose up from the base of the mountains overlooking downtown. To our west, the sky tinted red at sunset, signaling what I hope will be a sunny day tomorrow.
I'll close with a few photos from the walk about town.
Inside Grove Arcade
Flowers by the public theater entrance
Call letters for the local public radio station
James pets a local cat
