Hey there, Ashevillians. Grace here. Earlier this month, I presented you with a very important and very fun task: To design my day, choose-your-own-adventure style. With great power comes great responsibility — and you all used your power well. Here are the results for a perfect day in Asheville.
Wake up and smell the...
Coffee. 52% of you all opted for me to start my morning with a caffeine boost, and I was happy to oblige. I zipped over to Ultra Coffeebar for a large cold brew. But obviously, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I ordered the Ella breakfast sandwich as well — the egg, tomato, pesto, and mozzarella sammie was a delicious diversion from my usual, the Joey.
Head to work at...
A coffee shop. 40% of readers voted for me to keep the coffee coming. Since I was already at Ultra, I grabbed a table outside to get some work done while getting a dose of vitamin D.
Bonus reader suggestion
A few people suggested I stop by a local art gallery, so I took a break to head to the Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts where I admired gorgeous cups, bowls, vases, and more fantastic fired creations.
Grab lunch at...
HomeGrown. The votes were close for this one, but the majority of you suggested I dine at this casual spot that has mouthwatering plates made with local ingredients. The fried chicken sandwich is heavenly, and of course, I had to add the pimento cheese. It was the perfect meal to fuel the rest of my itinerary for the day. And y’all, I promise I got plenty of veggies in at dinner time.
Bonus reader suggestion
After lunch, I stopped downtown at Nest Organics to grab a gift for my Mom to bring to Thanksgiving. I can’t tell you what I got her — that’s a surprise. But since I was close by, I took a reader’s suggestion to pick up a book at Malaprop’s. I took home a copy of “A Land More Kind Than Home” by UNC Asheville professor Wiley Cash, and I can’t wait to dig into it this week.
Get some afternoon exercise by...
Taking a walk in the nearest park. That’s what 53% of you suggested, so that’s just what I did. I made my way back to West Asheville to be close by for the rest of my evening activities and did a walkabout of French Broad River Park. It was a perfect, relaxing moment to get in touch with nature — and see some super cute pups.
What activity should I do?
See some live music. 41% of the votes pointed me toward tunes, so I stopped by One World Brewing’s West Asheville location to catch a modern jazz jam before heading across the street for the next item on my list.
Head to ________ for an after-work cocktail.
The Golden Pineapple. 37% of readers suggested I round out the day with a delicious cocktail at this eclectic spot. I got the Rattail Daddy, with Michoacan rum, lime, sweet corn, and Tajin. It was a perfect balance of citrus and spice, and I’ll definitely be back for another soon.
You all had some additional suggestions for activities to include in a perfect day in Asheville — and although I couldn’t fit them all in, here are a few honorable mentions I wish I could’ve completed.
“Watch the sunset from the parkway — or the moon rise or both!”
“Take a nap.”
“Finish the night out rewatching Schitt’s Creek… you know you want to!”
