His View 

Asheville - Feliks' perspective

 

My favorite stop so far, this little town will be the next Boulder. High in the hills and surrounded by mountains, it looks gorgeous no matter which way you look. The River Arts District was the first place we visited, and I'm not into art. But it was cool the variety of artists that were located in this stretch of the city. They all had their own little shops or boutiques, away from all the national brands. Most of the stuff was way too expensive, but for someone who can afford it I would recommend this area to find that unique picture that you will never find in a department store. 

 

We talked to a couple of locals and were recommended White Duck Taco Shop for dinner, which turned out to be even better than they described. The thing I liked the most about this restaurant was the fact that there was no set menu. They changed their menu based on what was available and fresh in the market. So it truly meant that their menu did not come frozen out of a truck. As we explored other restaurants, we found this case to be the same, and that Asheville's culinary scene is very diverse and ever-changing. 

 

We were told about the 18 breweries, and the Wedge and the Wicked Weed were the must-visits for our trip. We stopped at the Wedge the first night and I cannot describe the atmosphere that was there. As you walk down the stairs to the main area, all you see is old recycled parts used to make the stairs, the fences, the chairs, the tables, the benches--almost all of the decor was recycled metal of some sort. The live band was doing covers and the lead singer was wearing light up high heel shoes, red skinny jeans, and a fireman's hat. Great singer and entertainer; I was not the only one enjoying the show. The Wedge had seven beers on tap, so a flight was necessary to try them all. From light beer to IPAs to dark beer, it was a great selection and my favorite was Hellesbauch. I must say that after seven 4-ounce samplers at 5% alcohol level or higher, I was feeling good. 

 

In the morning, we were recommended Biscuit Head for breakfast. Due to the size of the biscuits, we decided to split a bacon, egg, and cheese. I don't think that I could have a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit from a fast food place ever again. They had spreads and jellies, and the most amazing hot sauce that has ever touched my tongue. "Sweet Hotness." I will be ordering a bottle as soon as this trip is over. 

 

White water rafting, while not technically in Asheville, was a short one-hour drive away. Hartford, TN consists of two gas stations, one restaurant, and a hundred rafting companies. I think it's more like twelve. The raft guides were college kids working for the summer. They were having a good time, and made ours very enjoyable. We did the Upper Pigeon rafting tour, and as we started rolling down the river it was way more fun than I thought. I got the whole thing on my GoPro, so I'll share the footage. Needless to say, some people screamed (Caywood), some people laughed (me), some people thought they really saw a bear (Caywood). Everyone had the best time of their lives. White water rafting was awesome. 

 

Back in Asheville, we met up with a friend Paige at Wicked Weed brewery, where again I enjoyed a flight. With 20+ beers on tap, I had the barkeep select my flight for me. By far the most unique beer combinations I have ever had in my life. Mexico tasted like a jalapeño beer, Coolcucumber tasted like a cool cucumber. The atmosphere was not the same as the Wedge, but the beer was much more extravagant. They did offer free tastings - basically a sit - but I highly recommend a flight from the menu. They did have boiled peanuts, which had some weird spice on them and were boiled in IPA. Not that good. 

 

Five days overdue, we went for Caywood's birthday dessert at French Broad Chocolate Lounge. First of all, a dessert place that needs a bouncer is a statement of its own. There was a line outside of people to get in because this place was at capacity. On a Wednesday. Again, the menu was dependent on what ingredients were in season at that time. I went with the wild berry cheesecake with an almond crust. I finished the whole thing, and wanted more. 

 

Overall, I love Asheville, especially the downtown area. It was not touristy - there were local restaurants, no national changes, weirdos on every corner, and it seemed like a very open-minded city, accepting all types of life. This is a city I would consider living in because it has that melting pot feel that makes it so unique and unlike any other city I've been to. I do not recommend you visit this city, because it would ruin that part of it. But if you must, do it soon. Because I feel that just like Boulder, it will be a tourist attraction before you know it. Parking was difficult.