The haunting of Zambra 👻

The haunted history of Zambra in Asheville, NC

Zambra’s magical (and probably less haunted) patio space. | Photo by AVLtoday

The trendy tapas spot Zambra is revered for its opulent atmosphere, capacious wine list, and genre-bending small plates — but the basement emanates a different sort of aura.

Legend has it, Zambra is one of the only buildings in Asheville to have an exorcism performed in it. Yet to this day, employees say they’re encouraged to bring a second person along whenever they visit the wine cellar, due to reports of creepy paranormal activity.

Joshua P. Warren Zambra investigation — Joshua P. Warren investigates the paranormal activity in the Zambra building, circa 1995.

According to longtime paranormal investigator Joshua P. Warren (who is also the founder of Haunted Asheville ghost tours) employees have reported the following:

A tall, dark figure that haunts the place, especially the basement area.
Patrons being violently shoved from bar stools by an invisible force.
Stoves and ovens found turned on when employees enter in the morning, despite staff swearing they were safely turned off the night before.

If that’s not chilling enough, local Redditors have also reported hearing “someone” whispering their names while no one’s around, lit rooms suddenly going dark, and the temperature becoming “frigid cold” in an instant.

In a report shared with AVLtoday, Warren traces the building’s haunted history back to the mid 1990s, when one of the rooms was found to have “ritualistic symbols apparently written in pigeon blood, including a large pentagram on the floor.”

Zambra Paranormal Activity — That sure looks like a pentagram.

Warren also observed “numerous birds nailed to the walls and evidence of candle drippings.”

At the exorcism that occurred shortly thereafter, the shaman reported that a “dark figure took form and then dove headfirst into a pile of dirt in a small section near the bottom of the steps.” Though the shaman believed the spirit was gone, not everyone is convinced.

Are the rumors true? We’ll leave that up to you — but next time we’re munching on a plate of patatas bravas, we’ll think twice before asking someone to grab us a bottle from the cellar. 👀

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

Death Cab for Cutie: Asphalt Meadows Tour | Fri., Oct. 7 | 7 p.m. | Rabbit Rabbit | $50+ | This American alternative rock band is best known for early 2000s hits like “I Will Follow You into the Dark” and “Soul Meets Body.”
Fairview Friends of the Library BOOK SALE | Fri., Oct. 7 - Sat., Oct. 8 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fairview Library | Free | Explore a wide collection of used books from adult fiction and large print to nonfiction and picture books. 📚
Fall Migration: Birding Jackson Park | Fri., Oct. 7 | 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | The North Carolina Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way| $75 | Pre-register for this birding trip on the “Warbler Trail” and see (and hear) firsthand how this trail got its name. 🐦
“Your Dog Here” at The Whale presented by DSSOLVR | Fri., Oct. 7 | 5-8 p.m. | The Whale : A Craft Beer Collective, 507 Haywood Rd. | Free | Join the Asheville Humane Society for a night of fun, drinks, and the opportunity for your dog to be on a beer can label.

Saturday

Yoga & Mocktails | Sat., Oct. 8 | 10:45 a.m.-1 p.m. | Harvest Pizzeria Rooftop, 39 Banks Ave. | $18 | Join NoLo and BLOOM Embodied Wellbeing for a 75-minute yoga flow, followed by a complimentary mocktail and pizza from Harvest.
2022 WNC Parade of Homes | Sat., Oct. 8 - Sun., Oct. 16 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Kimberly Avenue Modern, 462 Kimberly Ave. | Free | Produced by the Home Builders Association, the event features 30+ tours of recently constructed homes (five by Buchanan Construction) with the latest in building trends, technology + interior design.*
Bascom Lamar Lunsford Mountain Music Festival | Sat., Oct. 8 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Mars Hill University on the Lunsford Commons, 100 Athletic St.| Free | This all-day festival (and the second longest-running folk festival in WNC) celebrates regional music and dance traditions.*

Sunday

2022 Blazing Star Flowers Fall Floral Design Workshop | Sun., Oct. 9 | 2-4:30 p.m. | SAHC Community Farm | $125| Spend a relaxing afternoon touring the farm + learning how to make an autumnal bouquet. 💐
The Clarksdale - A Brunch by Chef Terri Terrell | Sun., Oct. 9 | 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. | The Capital Club of Asheville, 82 Patton Ave. | Free entry | Try a special brunch from Chef Terri Terrell on The Capital Club’s rooftop.
Dirty Mind Tour | Sun., Oct. 9 | 7 p.m. | Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr. | $15 | Enjoy positive reggae and rock music with the Florida-based band Kash’d Out.
Meadow Market at Highland Brewing | Sun., Oct. 9 | 1-6 p.m. | Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy. | Free | Explore a fun and seasonal rotation of local bakers, makers, and artisans.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

It’s World Smile Day — celebrate by gifting yourself a straighter smile

You’ll receive regular virtual Smile Check-ins™ to touch base on your progress. | Photo by Smile Direct Club

Want a straighter smile?

SmileDirectClub can make it happen, with 22-hour-wear aligners and Nighttime Aligners™ that straighten teeth as little as 4-6 months.

Here’s how it works:

Using an in-person scan or an at-home kit, SmileDirectClub creates a 3D image of your teeth that they use to assess your smile.
Then, they create a custom aligner treatment plan to straighten it — for 60% less than braces or Invisalign.

Results are guaranteed for life.*

GET STARTED

Weather

75º | Mostly sunny | 0% chance of rain

Open

We’ve heard reports that Guajiro Cuban Comfort Food is officially open for business at 122 Riverside Dr. in the River Arts District. The menu features authentic + affordable Cuban cuisine, including breakfast sandwiches, plantains, yuca fries, croquettes, and of course, Cubano sandwiches.

Civic

We’re all geared up, because the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners has formally declared today, Oct. 7, as Manufacturing Day. The proclamation recognizes the 375+ manufacturing firms in the county, which have added 1,500 jobs to the community in the last five years. ⚙️

Transit

Have thoughts and feelings about downtown parking? We bet you do. Today is your last chance to take this survey about the newly proposed parking program, which aims to create more affordable options for service industry workers. 🚘

Try This

Have a story you’re ready to share? The annual NC State Fiction Contest is accepting short stories in two categories — 5,000 words + 1,200 words — through Fri., Oct. 14. Entries will be judged by SA Cosby, author of the award-winning “Blacktop Wasteland.” 📚

Cause

Nearly a dozen kitten “storm refugees” have arrived in WNC in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. The caretakers at Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance have shared kittens will be up for adoption in a few weeks, and in the meantime, they’d love support via fosters, donations, volunteers. 🐱(WLOS)

Real Estate

The most expensive home in North Carolina is currently for sale in Linville (~1.5 hours from Asheville). The $29.75 million mountaintop estate has a two-story waterfall, a Hobbit-esque guest house, and an art gallery. Take a tour. 🏠

Featured

Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins has been featured by Conde Nast as one of “The Coolest Hotel Openings This Fall.” The new collection of urban A-frame lodges was lauded for its proximity to the a “quiet, wooded stretch of the French Broad River,” its top-notch food program, and convenient location.

Health

Mercy Urgent Care‘s West Asheville and Weaverville locations now offer expanded hours on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (expanded from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Weekday hours remain the same (8 a.m.-8 p.m.). The other six locations are open 9 a.m.-7 p.m., seven days per week.*

Ranked

No. 9. That’s the ranking that Asheville recently earned on Preply’s list of “Best Small College Towns in the USA.” Interested in becoming a Bulldog? Learn more. 🏅*

Eat

Need some dinner time inspo? Check out these tasty seafood suggestions at The Lobster Trap. Is your mouth watering yet? Reserve a table. 🦞*

Travel

Conde Nast recently listed Alexandria, VA as one of the top small cities in the US. We couldn’t agree more, and think that this historic town is the perfect place for a last-minute fall getaway. Be sure to stroll around Old Town, visit Gadsby’s Tavern, and stay in this luxuriously restored loft.*

Corrections

In Tuesday’s newsletter, we highlighted an eatery in Canton, Ohio instead of NC. We have since updated the article to reflect a local spot.
In our recent piece on the history of Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, we said that PARI is one of only two International Dark Sky Certified Parks in NC. There are actually three — we missed mentioning the Bare Dark Sky Observatory at Mayland Community College. Looks like we’ll have to hit up Burnsville soon and check it out.

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Carpe disc-em 🥏

Disc golf courses in Asheville, NC

Highland Brewing regularly hosts tournaments for local disc golf aficionados. | Photo by Highland Brewing

Need a new hobby that will make time fly? You may enjoy these local disc golf courses.

Hall-Fletcher | 60 Ridgelawn Rd.
This course wraps around a local elementary school and is easily walkable. Bonus: Lots of open areas makes it perfect for the novice player.

Richmond Hills | 300 Richmond Hill Dr.
For those that are serious disc golfers, head to Richmond Hills for its 18-hole course. The routes are hilly + wooded, so be aware of the tree-jectory of your throws. Pro tip: There’s an elevation change on almost every hole, so wear your hiking shoes.

Highland Brewing | 12 Old Charlotte Hwy. Ste. 200
Asheville’s largest independent brewery offers nine holes for guests to try their hand at disc golf — check out the course map. If that’s not your thing, the 40-acre campus also offers volleyball, cornhole, tennis, hiking, and a run club.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Laura.

Editor’s pick: Want to dive deeper into Asheville’s ghoulish history? I recommend Joshua P. Warren’s Haunted Asheville ghost tour company, which has been voted one of the top three ghost tours in America by USAtoday.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Be sure to check out our guide to this weekend’s Parade of Homes, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Helen Purnell | Advertise with us.

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