Archive for Asheville adventures

Ten things to do in Asheville this weekend, October 9-11

October 5, 2009 at 6:05 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, B&B alternative, Fall Foliage, Lovers' Loop Retreat, vacation rental ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

Spend your big, fat holiday weekend in Asheville.

OK. You’re one of the lucky ones with a lovely holiday on Monday, Oct. 12. There are lots of fun things to do in Asheville when you make our cozy and convenient Lovers’ Loop Retreat, an Asheville bed and breakfast alternative, your base.

1) Check out Fiesta Latina on Saturday, Oct. 10. This annual event has tons of energy with dancing, food, music and all other things Latin. You’ll love it.

2) Catch Travis Tritt at the Asheville Civic Center downtown on Friday, Oct. 9. Lots of people dig him.

3) Play hooky on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and be blissed at the Bonnie Raitt concert at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in downtown Asheville.

4) Relive your younger years and feel like a table tennis legend by playing pingpong at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, where we have all the equipment you need to do your best.

5) Do yourself a big autumn favor and take a car ride, a hike, a bike trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is practically right outside the door at Lovers’ Loop Retreat. This scenic highway is off limits to commercial vehicles, and it’s one of the most visited segments of the National Park Service, especially in the fall leaf season.

6) See a flick at Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co., which offers movies for $3 and beers made in Asheville.

7) Listen to someone sing your heart out at the Asheville Lyric Opera’s season opener, “Marriage of Figaro,” Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10.

8) Bring your own kayak or canoe, which can be stored safely at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, or rent a vessel at one of the outfitters in town, and take a cruise down the French Broad or Swannanoa rivers, which cut their mighty way through Asheville.

9) Be one of the happy people at Asheville’s first Oktoberfest, a downtown event on Saturday, Oct. 10 that will feature five Asheville breweries with their best beers and some good music, too.

10) Stretch your legs and maybe your mind at the North Carolina Arboretum, which will host its annual exhibit of bonsai (miniature plants and trees) on Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11. Get small at this fascinating display of miniatures and while you’re there, walk or bike the nice trails at the arboretum.

When you visit Lovers’ Loop Retreat, an Asheville vacation rental, you’re within minutes of all of these pleasures. Say yes!

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LaZoom to You!

May 7, 2009 at 6:12 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville B&B, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, Lovers' Loop Retreat, NC, vacation rental ·Tagged , , , , ,

           We took a magical mystery trip of downtown Asheville recently, a comedy journey that flexes your laugh muscles. LaZoom Comedy Tour offers a 90-minute trip through town to various points of interest.

            When you stay at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, our Asheville bed and breakfast alternative, get on the bus for this fun ride.

            Along the way, Babs, the tour guide, gives you a refreshing dose of irreverent commentary about Asheville’s history, its dids and didn’ts, presented with some heart and even more funny bone. You’ll learn about the craziness of kudzu, the River Arts District, Bob Hope’s appearance at the Asheville Civic Center, Charlton Heston’s theatrical contributions to Asheville and the unending construction projects known lovingly as “performance art” in the annals of local legend.

            Tour operators Jennifer and Jim Lauzon keep you guessing with a revolving cast of characters that includes Sister Bad Habit, a River District artist and a healer. Bemused onlookers will return your waves as the brightly painted purple bus makes its zany way through downtown and beyond.

            To keep you on your toes, Babs gives out prizes at random during the ride. Stay tuned to receive such delicacies as a can of tuna or cat food or a bag of gourmet chocolate pretzels.       

            LaZoom operates from April through October and at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Put the tour on your itinerary when you visit us at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, a vacation rental in Asheville.

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Lovers’ Loop Retreat May ’09 muse-letter

May 1, 2009 at 7:05 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville B&B, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, Asheville art, Asheville seasons, B&B alternative, NC, free things in Asheville, nature, poetry events, vacation rental ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

It’s a colorful spring here at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, our Asheville, N.C., vacation rental: azaleas in white and several shades of red, pink and pinker rhododendrons, lacy white dogwoods. The backyard is filling in with foliage. Our tomato and pea plants are humming along, and little basil plants are starting to grow. A thrill of our spring so far was seeing five finches, including a goldfinch, on the feeder at once, afeat unrepeated since, alas (but we keep looking).

            All of this is yours to behold when you stay at our Asheville bed and breakfast alternative. Many guests enjoy sitting on the porch to commune with the squirrels and birds that own the trees and air space here. As usual, there’s a range of activities happening in the area in May, too. Visit our Web site at www.loversloopretreat.com to see a list of events we update regularly. We have events posted all the way to December, so you can see what’s going on whenever you plan your trip to Asheville. You can link directly to our blog at http://loversloopretreat.wordpress.com, or from the home page. There is also a link to another Asheville blog on the home page with YouTube links to videos about Asheville.

            This spring, we’ve done some of our favorite activities — hiking at Mount Mitchell, the tallest peak in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River, just 30 miles from Lovers’ Loop Retreat — and some things we haven’t done before — taking a women’s history (herstory) tour of downtown Asheville and taking a wild ride on a zany, purple bus called LaZoom, a comedy tour of downtown Asheville. All of this is good stuff, and you may want to explore these activities when you visit.          

            The banquet of events in May includes rhododendron (May 2-3) and rose (May 30-31) shows at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, always a pretty place to visit. For more flowers, the Biltmore estate’s annual Festival of Flowers lasts through May 17. More rooms at the estate, the home originally of George Vanderbilt, have been opened to the public this year. 

            The annual Asheville Wordfest, April 30-May 3, is a poetry festival that includes internationally known and regional poets. Another literary event is the Blue Ridge Book and Author Showcase May 8-9 in nearby Hendersonville with workshops and talks by authors, sales and book signings.     

            One of the area’s biggest events is the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF), held twice a year in Black Mountain, just east of Asheville. LEAF, May 7-10, features a slate of international dancers, musicians and visual artists.

             For sports enthusiasts, a popular annual event in Asheville is the Mountain Sports Festival May 29-31. The festival has demonstrations, clinics and competitive events in rock climbing, kayaking, running, cycling, disc golf and backpacking.                   

            A two-for-one comedy show May 30 in Asheville features Vickie Shaw and Jennie McNulty. And for a different type of comedy, not to mention lots of bravery and just sheer strength and stamina, there’s the Blue Ridge Roller Girls, Asheville’s roller derby team that has a bout May 30 at the civic center downtown.

            Early June brings the second art gallery walk of the season June 5, a glimpse into the many art galleries in downtown Asheville. And June 5 is the season debut for the Montford Park Players, North Carolina’s oldest Shakespeare company. These are both free things to do in Asheville! The Montford Players appreciate donations, though, of course.

            All of these events and more are listed on our Web site. And for Indigo Girls fans, the duo has rescheduled its April concert in Asheville to Sept. 17 at the Orange Peel downtown. We hope to be there. 

            Please pass along our muse-letter to your friends. And join us at Lovers’ Loop Retreat! See you in Asheville!

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Mount Mitchell beckons you!

April 28, 2009 at 6:16 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville Weather, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, Asheville seasons, B&B alternative, Lovers' Loop Retreat, NC, free things in Asheville, nature, vacation rental

 We celebrated a birthday last week by hiking to the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi River. What a glorious day, beautiful enough to fall in love with.

Mount Mitchell is about 30 miles north of our Lovers’ Loop Retreat, an Asheville bed and breakfast alternative. It’s a lovely drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mount Mitchell State Park. There are no entry fees.  Because of the particular geography and elevation, the flora and fauna at Mount Mitchell are akin to those found in Canada, a sort of alpine environment.

On the trail to the peak, cool, soft moss covers rocks and fallen tree limbs, and hikers follow a trail lined with rocks and tree roots. The scent of the spruce-fir forest is enchanting all along the trail, and much of the path is shaded. When the path opens to views, the vistas of the mountains are wonderful.

At the top of Mount Mitchell is an observation tower that’s worth checking out. On a clear day, the views are magnificent. You can hike or drive to the tower.

This is one of our favorite destinations in Western North Carolina, and we encourage our guests at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, our Asheville vacation rental, to consider the trip.

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Asheville’s Herstory Story

April 6, 2009 at 6:18 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, B&B alternative, Lovers' Loop Retreat, accommodations

Part of Asheville’s story is herstory, and there’s a new business that offers downtown tours which focus on the contributions of women. When you come to stay at our Asheville bed and breakfast alternative, Lovers’ Loop Retreat, you may be interested in getting some local history about the city’s herstory.

By the Elizabeth Blackwell memorial

By the Elizabeth Blackwell memorial

            Herstory Asheville, www.herstoryasheville.com, gives glimmers about the lives of the funky and fabulous women who helped make Asheville what it is—and was. Enjoy the friendly tour guide Brenda Williams as she introduces you to Julia Wolfe, mother of author and Asheville native son Thomas Wolfe and a businesswoman who ran a boarding house downtown that’s now the Thomas Wolfe museum. You’ll learn about Lillian Exum Clement, who was a lawyer in Asheville and the first female legislator in the South. Clement joined North Carolina’s House of Representatives in 1921.

Brenda

Brenda

            And there’s Elizabeth Blackwell, who came to Asheville around 1840 and worked for a doctor in the city before becoming the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree. Thelma Caldwell was director of Asheville’s YWCA for black women in the 1950s and helped integrate the city’s two YWCAs. She was the first African-American executive director of a YWCA in the South. You’ll learn about Lucy Herring, a beloved African-American teacher in Asheville. And Brenda will tell you about Edith Vanderbilt, wife of tycoon George Vanderbilt, who constructed the Biltmore estate for their home. Edith created schools and industries that helped the community.

            The tour is worth checking out when you stay at our vacation rental in Asheville.

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The F Month in Asheville

February 6, 2009 at 4:43 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville B&B, Asheville Weather, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, Asheville seasons, B&B, B&Bs, accommodations, free things in Asheville, vacation rental

Welcome to the F Month. When we lived in Massachusetts in the 1990s [during a couple of their “worst” (that is, messy) winters on record], some residents fed up with snow and ice labeled February the F Month. That label doesn’t fit Asheville, N.C., where winters are much milder. If we lack some of New England’s snow, we sure don’t lack a beautiful wintertime mountain view here at Lovers’ Loop Retreat. The mountains are to the east, which means our sunrises are that much prettier when they spill over the hills.

            There are many activities and fun things to do here in winter. This month, the options include a Mardi Gras party and parade in downtown Asheville, a bluegrass festival, a Beatlemania concert and funky, improvisational comedy. Be sure to visit our Web site, www.loversloopretreat.com, which contains lots of information, including a list of events in the area, and a few new photos of our Asheville bed and breakfast alternative. Our home page has a YouTube link to videos about Asheville.

             One fun pastime in winter is also free—gallery hopping. Asheville’s many art galleries offer an inspiring variety, and the Asheville area’s reputation as an arts destination brings many visitors. Most of Asheville’s galleries are downtown. But one of the best collections of art and crafts is at the Southern Highland Craft Guild gallery at the visitors’ center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The visitors’ center and guild’s gallery are a scenic five-minute drive along the parkway from Lovers’ Loop Retreat.

            Asheville’s history reputation is significant, too. Biltmore Estate, just 10 minutes from Lovers’ Loop Retreat, again was ranked as the most visited historic attraction in North Carolina in 2008. Biltmore is the historic home and grounds of George Vanderbilt. The house and gardens are amazing. Also ranking high on the state list of historic attractions for 2008 were the North Carolina Arboretum, 10 miles down the Blue Ridge Parkway from Lovers’ Loop Retreat, and Chimney Rock Park, North Carolina’s newest state park, a pretty 30-minute drive from our vacation rental.  

            Another outdoor activity easily accessible from Lovers’ Loop Retreat is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a state park that will encompass 1,000 acres across North Carolina when it’s finished. Land is still being acquired for the trail, part of which already is in place along the Blue Ridge Parkway a stone’s throw from Lovers’ Loop Retreat.

            We’re happy to offer an affordable bed and breakfast alternative that gives guests the option of preparing meals in the guest suite. Asheville has several independently-owned grocery stores and food coops with a good selection of organic foods, and many of our guests have shopped at these stores.

            Join us at Lovers’ Loop Retreat! Please pass along our muse-letter to your friends. And remember to visit our Web site to check out upcoming events. See you in Asheville!

          

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A Visit to Biltmore Village

January 26, 2009 at 7:59 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, accommodations, nature, vacation rental

We walked around Biltmore Village the other day. The village, on the south end of Asheville and a 10-minute drive from our Lovers’ Loop Retreat vacation rental, is beside the popular tourist attraction Biltmore Estate, the 19th-century mansion and grounds of the Vanderbilt family.

            Biltmore Village was built as a neighborhood for Biltmore Estate employees. Today, Biltmore Village is not affiliated with the estate. It’s an interesting collection of specialty shops, restaurants and art galleries with brick sidewalks and stucco buildings that once were residences.

            There’s a cool nature store, the Compleat Naturalist, with all kinds of things that will make you fall in love with nature: telescopes, birdhouses, birding paraphernalia, etc., posters of aquatic life, etc.

            Blue, a jewelry store and art gallery, has a colorful and mixed-media display that’s entertaining to view.

            Biltmore Village is comfortable and luring, and it’s a fun small-scale but upscale commercial cluster that feels like a neighborhood. Keep it in mind when you visit us in Asheville at Lovers’ Loop Retreat.

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Favorite Outdoor Asheville Places

January 7, 2009 at 6:46 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, Asheville seasons, nature ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy new year! We’ve visited a couple of our favorite outdoor places in the Asheville area a few times during the holidays to celebrate the new year. We hiked a portion of the Mountains to Sea trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic road through Virginia and North Carolina that’s just around the corner from Lovers’ Loop Retreat. The trail is within two minutes of Lovers’ Loop Retreat, our alternative B&B, and it crosses much of North Carolina, as its name implies. This is a great time of year to hike around Asheville because you can actually see the beautiful peaks, the colors and textures in the woods and birds and other wildlife more clearly.

            We also walked some of the trails at the North Carolina Arboretum, about 10 scenic miles down the Blue Ridge Parkway from Lovers’ Loop Retreat. The arboretum, on about 450 acres adjoining Pisgah National Forest, has trails for hiking and biking. There’s also a fascinating bonsai (miniature trees and shrubs) exhibition area, a greenhouse and other exhibits indoors and outdoors. An annual exhibit in late March at the arboretum displays orchids from several states – definitely worth checking out.

            Some of our guests at Lovers’ Loop Retreat have enjoyed trips to the arboretum, so you may want to check it out when you visit. We’ll hope you’ll let us know when you’re planning a trip to Asheville. We’d love to have you stay at Lovers’ Loop retreat!

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The French Broad Brewing Company’s Tasting Room

May 26, 2008 at 10:52 pm · Filed under Asheville, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, NC, accommodations ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

Friday night a friend asked us to meet her for a beer at the French Broad Brewing Company’s Tasting Room, which is located at 101 Fairview Road, here in Asheville, NC. So, we headed out and found it near the railroad tracks, very close to Biltmore Village. It’s in a large warehouse-type building with a number of other businesses.

We’d never been there before – another Asheville adventure. So many things here to discover! It was early – about 4:30pm – and we were the first people there. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 1pm till 8pm. And they have free music every night starting about 6pm.

The beer, of course, is great. They had about six of their beers on tap for $3.50 a pint or $2.50 a half pint. One of the beers was re-session priced at $2.50 a pint and that’s what our friend had. We all loved what we got and sat sipping and snacking on the free pretzles, talking about our latest adventures and plans as the band gradually moved in and unpacked.

I saw a sign that said all pints are $2.50 on Mondays. I think they are open the same hours on Mondays but don’t have music. That wasn’t clear. But check out their website and plan to visit when you’re here. And don’t forget to stay with us at Lovers’ Loop Retreat, the best accommodations option we know of in the area!

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Tourist Season in Asheville

May 21, 2008 at 5:43 am · Filed under Asheville, Asheville activites, Asheville adventures, Asheville seasons, accommodations ·Tagged , , , , ,

When you say “Tourist season in Asheville” it can be taken two ways. Our local minor league baseball team is the Asheville Tourists and they have a season. There’s a game downtown going on right now. The score at this very moment is 4 to zero and the Tourists are winning!

They’ll have eight home games in a row starting tonight. The stadium is right on the edge of downtown and it’s so much fun. There are all kinds of special theme games. Every Thursday game is Thirsty Thursday. All beers and soft drinks are $1. Friday home games are FANtastic Fridays. You can get in for just $5 and women get a glass of wine for $1. This Sunday (May 25th) they’re having fireworks. They’ll also have fireworks on July 4th and 5th. Check out all the special games!

So, what’s the other tourist season? Oh, yeah. It’s when the volume of visitors to Asheville seems to increase. We can tell when that happens here at Lovers’ Loop Retreat. We get to meet lots of interesting people from all over. We’ll soon be hosting people from Michigan, Florida and California. Some people are coming for vacation, some are checking out Asheville as a place to move, and some are visiting relatives.

We love having the opportunity to meet people from all over. Hopefully, we’ll get to meet you! Just let us know if you have any questions about Asheville and what’s going on here. And be sure to check the Lovers’ Loop Retreat Web site to see the calendar of events. We’ve just added a lot of new events and all kinds of festivals. What a fun place to visit!

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