How about a little artistic eye candy? 👀

20+ murals around Asheville

Two queens comprise one of Asheville’s most iconic murals. I Photo by AVLtoday.

We all know that Asheville has a vibrant art scene — and we’re not just talking about the Asheville Art Museum or Tyger Tyger. One of our all-time favorite galleries? Asheville itself.

The Land of the Sky is home to a number of meaningful murals and street art pieces. Today, we’re sharing where to find 16 pieces that really paint a picture of our city.

avl mural — Isn’t everything better with a donut?

Fender Bender, off Lyman Street in the River Arts District | By Jerkface

One of RAD’s most iconic pieces, this mural by NYC artist Jerkface features a mashup of Homer Simpson and Futurama’s Bender. Pro tip: admire this while wandering along the greenway, eating a Simpsons donut from Stay Glazed Donuts (22 S. Pack Sq.).

Hello Asheville, The Orange Peel | By Gus Cutty

Gus Cutty brought the funk to the legendary Orange Peel back in February 2020 when he added the inimitable Lionel Richie to the side of building. DYK the crooner played at that spot back in the day when he was the front man for the Commodores?

Catawba Falls, Battery Park and Wall St. | By Ian Wilkinson

Muralist Ian Wilkerson transformed this downtown stairwell into a veritable oasis by painting the brilliant beauty of Catawba Falls onto a downtown stairwell that connects Battery Park Ave. and Wall St.

Mellow Mushroom, 50 Broadway St. | By Kathryn Crawford and Gus Cutty

Frequent collaborators Kathryn Crawford and Gus Cutty gussied up the back of the Mellow Mushroom building with this bold floral piece in September of 2022.

Land of the Cherokee, 46 Aston St. | By Indigenous Walls Project

Jared Wheatley of the Indigenous Walls Project created this piece using the Cherokee syllabary with the goal of highlighting land that originally belonged to the Cherokee.

11 MORE MURALS

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Wednesday, Jan. 18

Birding for Kids with the NC Arboretum | Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 4-5 p.m. | Weaverville Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville | Free | This educational program teaches about some WNC bird species and helps attendees spot birds living around the library.
Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Keynote Address | Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 7-8:30 p.m. | UNC Asheville, 1 University Heights, Asheville | Free | UNC Asheville presents “Our History, Reimagined,” a Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration address from keynote speaker Clint Smith.

Thursday, Jan. 19

Winter: Nature Reflections | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 10:30-11:45 a.m. | Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Explore ways to stay grounded during the cold season in this adult program that’s part biology, part readings, and part guided reflection.
Janis Joplin’s 80th Birthday Party | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 9 p.m. | Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Ave., Asheville | $15 | Enjoy an evening of music, dancing, and drinks in celebration of the famed rock vocalist.

Friday, Jan. 20

Larkin Poe | Friday, Jan. 20 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $28-$30 | Catch the Grammy-nominated duo of singer-songwriter sisters performing their own blend of blues, Americana, and Southern rock.

Saturday, Jan. 21

Asheville Hot Chocolate Races | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 8-11:30 a.m. | Isaac Dickson Elementary School, 125 Hill St, Asheville | $20-$70 | Races will begin and end at the school, and include a half marathon, 10K, 5K, and a “marshmallow dash” for kids 12 and younger — register to participate.
Pasta and Croissants Making | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 4-7 p.m. | Asheville Mountain Kitchen, 332 E. Sondley Dr., Asheville | $85-$170 | Kids are welcome at this cooking class, which will teach attendees to make ravioli, fettuccini, and marinara and Alfredo sauce — plus quick band delicious croissants.
Lunar New Year Dining Experience | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 7-11 p.m. | Event Center at Highland Brewing Co., 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., Ste. 200, Asheville | $55-$75 | Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with live entertainment, special brews, and a variety of small plates curated by Chef Raymond Hui from Gan Shan.

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

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

64º | Morning showers | 61% chance of rain

Coming Soon

Fast casual restaurant chain Cava will be taking over the space left vacant by Zoës Kitchen at 14 Swannanoa River Rd. in Biltmore Village. The Mediterranean eatery is expected to open in mid-March. 🥙 (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Civic

Local hospitality workers with community action group Buncombe Decides plan to join together at the Wednesday, Jan. 25 Buncombe County TDA meeting. Their goal? To request that some funds from the Occupancy Tax Revenue go toward affordable housing. Get the details. 💰 (WLOS)

Holiday

Looking for sweets for your sweetheart? Valentine’s Day pre-orders are open at Beeswax and Butter. Choose from three options: themed boxes of two cookies, six cookies, or a linzer-style mac cake. Want to order? Email them with your order and pickup date. Get more details. ❤️

Drink

WNC’s Appalachian Mountain Brewery is teaming up with Bojangles to create Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea. The libation will be released this spring and will be available throughout the Carolinas. Tailgating will never be the same.

Cause

Nine year old Cherokee resident Aniyah Sampson has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer + will soon enter hospice. Her family has asked folks to send her loving cards in hopes that it will boost her spirits. Want to drop her an upbeat card in the mail? Get her address. 🖊️

Family

Nonprofit Bounty & Soul’s new Family Education classes will kick off on Friday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. with “Fun with Food & Picky Eaters.” The class will help parents + caregivers learn how to entice the pickiest eaters into eating healthy options. Register. 🥦

Ranked

No. 2. That’s Asheville’s ranking, according to The Travel’s 10 Friendliest Towns in the US. Our museums, breweries, restaurants, buskers, and opportunities for outdoor fun must be part of the reason why residents always have a friendly smile on their faces.

Health

Do you struggle with back and neck pain — but worry about surgery’s long and painful recovery time? Mission Health’s newest orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Sergio Mendoza-Lattes can explain how minimally invasive tools + techniques improve spinal surgery recoveries. Learn more (so you can get back to active and pain-free living).*

Sports

If you’re into (or even sort of into) sports: The GIST is a must-subscribe newsletter that provides a refreshing female voice and perspective on sports four times a week. Read: If ‘do the thing and score the points’ is your baseline understanding, you might enjoy this to uplevel your knowledge. ⚽ *

Travel

Scott’s Cheap Flights is going, going... Going. The travel membership that saves you hundreds on flights has a new name, and in honor of the rebrand, you can get 30% off a Premium membership with code 6AMCITY30. What you’ll get: last minute weekend trips, mistake fares, and early deal alerts. ✈️ *

Correction

In yesterday’s newsletter, we incorrectly listed the Lake Street Dive concert as taking place at 10 a.m. The concert was actually slated for Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. Our apologies.

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Coffee talk ☕

Explore downtown Asheville’s coffee shops with the AVLtoday Coffee Crawl

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The illustrious Rowan Coffee always makes us feel like we’re at Hogwarts. | Photo via @rowancoffee

In honor of National Gourmet Coffee Day, we’re sharing nine locations on the official AVLtoday Coffee Crawl where you can get a fab cup of joe.

Izzy’s Coffee Den, 74 N. Lexington Ave.

It only makes sense to start your caffeinated journey at one of the oldest, most quintessentially Asheville java shops. This unassuming, punk rock hole-in-the-wall has served gourmet coffee + specialty espresso drinks like the “Mexican Mocha” for over a decade.

High Five Coffee, 13 Rankin Ave.

We’re not taking this lightly when we say that the High Five has some of the best drip coffee around. Snag a cup — or if you’ve got a refillable thermos, bring that along for a discount.

Double D’s Coffee & Desserts, 41 Biltmore Ave.

Explore the world of espresso at this bright red double decker bus that peddles playful signature drinks like the “Red Hot Chili Mocha” and “Cream Brue Latte.” There’s also espresso milkshakes. Pro tip: this walk-up spot is cash only.

6 MORE SIPPABLE SPOTS

THE WRAP

	Today’s issue was written by Brook. Editor’s pick: Street art and coffee are two of my favorite things, so if I’ve missed any of your favorites here, please holler and let me know. Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Get expert winter gardening tips.

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Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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