April 9, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

63º | 82% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:04 a.m. | Sunset 7:58 p.m.

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📚 Book it to your local library

Explore all the East Asheville Library has to offer. | Photo via Buncombe County

It’s National Library Week, making this the perfect time to celebrate all the rad resources you can utilize across Buncombe County’s 13 library branches.

First things first — you’ll need a library card. Buncombe County residents can get one for free with just their photo ID, and the cards are good for three years. Pro tip: If your photo ID doesn’t include your current local address, bring documentation showing it (like a check or utility bill).

Not a Buncombe County resident? Not a problem. All it takes is $20 per year and an in-person visit to obtain an out-of-county card.

🎟️ Besides the books

ZOOM Passes

Get free access to local attractions, including the North Carolina Arboretum, the WNC Nature Center, the Asheville Museum of Science, and Asheville Community Theatre with these nifty passes. You can make one reservation per attraction every 30 days.

Gardening necessities

Plan your spring garden by picking up seasonal vegetable, herb, and flower seed packets at the Black Mountain, Leicester, and Weaverville branches.

Hotspots

Using your library card, you can check out this portable device that connects to a cell phone network and provides free Wi-Fi access to your devices.

💻 Virtual finds

Note: Some services require a library card to access.

Learn a language

Whether you’re a beginner or you want to hone your skills, you can access Transparent Language Online software for lessons in 110 languages.

Improve your investment strategy

Inexperienced and seasoned stock investors alike can gain access to Morningstar’s investment research and analysis.

Learn a new skill

Find courses in web design, business, coding, and more through LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com).

There are plenty more valuable virtual resources where that came from. From accessing grant writing materials to test prep to local and national newspapers, check out all the platforms you can access for free with your library card.

Four more cool tools

Events

Tuesday, April 9

Queer Cowork | Tuesday, April 9 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Well, 3 Louisiana Ave., Asheville | $5-$10 | Bring your work supplies and a mug to this weekly coworking event.
Conceptually Crafty: Elevating Art for All Skill Levels | Tuesday, April 9-Tuesday, May 14 | 7 p.m. | The Colton Dion Gallery at the Phil Mechanic Studios, 109 Roberts St., Asheville | $30-$100 | Let artist Calypso Renata help you find your creative potential by learning techniques and processes in painting, drawing, and sculpting assemblage.

Wednesday, April 10

Swing Asheville! | Wednesday, April 10 | 7 p.m. | Fleetwood’s, 496 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $5-$10 | Learn the fundamentals of six-count swing before hitting the dance floor.
Open Mic Night | Wednesday, April 10 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Twin Leaf Brewery, 144 Coxe Ave., Asheville | Free | Sign up to put your musical skills in the spotlight, or just sit back and enjoy the show.

Thursday, April 11

Therapeutic Recreation Adult Hiking Club | Thursday, April 11 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Murphy-Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd., Asheville | $5 | Pack a lunch and water bottle for a group hike to Moore Cove Falls — open to individuals ages 18+ with disabilities.
Art in the Park | Thursday, April 11 | 2-4 p.m. | Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd., Asheville | Free | Adults ages 50+ can join together to make new friends and create art inspired by nature.

Friday, April 12

2024 SAHC Community Farm Volunteer Workday | Friday, April 12 | 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | SAHC Community Farm, 24 Mag Sluder Rd., Alexander | Free | Learn sustainable farming practices while participating in hands-on activities like planting, weeding, mulching, and maintaining trails.
Asheville Orchid Festival | Friday, April 12-Sunday, April 14 | Times vary | The North Carolina Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville | $5 | See gorgeous, carefully crafted displays of hundreds of colorful orchids.

Events calendar here

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Try This

Two moving exhibitions exploring history and identity at the CMA

Three framed works of art showcasing variations of a photographic image featuring a girl wearing a coat and holding a stuffed animal, her face obscured

“Darrel Ellis: Regeneration” explores intimacy, identity, and loss through experimental mixed media, like in the above pieces titled “Untitled (Laure on Easter Sunday).” | Photo by the COLAtoday team

We recently caught two unique, can’t-miss exhibitions at the Columbia Museum of Art — the first, a one-of-a-kind exploration of American life curated by the CMA, and the second, a convention-bending, emotional collection making its lone Southern stop in Columbia, SC.

We loved “Interior Lives” and “Darrel Ellis: Regeneration,” and we think you will too.

What we tried:

We toured both exhibitions with the CMA’s Michael Neumeister and Jackie Adams.

Neumeister is responsible for curating “Interior Lives” and gave us in-depth insight into the process of putting together this exhibition, which explores the ways everyday Americans lived between the years of 1890 and 1945 (read: the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era).

Ever toured the Biltmore? Or seen “The Age of Innocence” (one of this writer’s favorites) or, well, HBO’s “The Gilded Age”?

This exhibition begins by inviting visitors into the lavish interiors of the upper class before delving into the other side of the wealth gap, showcasing factory workers, switchboard operators, and other working-class Americans.

What we're still talking about

News Notes

Civic

The City of Asheville is considering a regulation allowing accessory dwelling units (small, backyard housing units) to be sold. Learn more about the potential revisions and regulations, then take a one-question poll to share your thoughts.

Environment

Southside Community Farm, a 0.75-acre urban farm dedicated to growing Black food sovereignty, announced that a resolution was brought to the Asheville Housing Authority to replace its main plot with a playground. In response, the farm is organizing efforts to preserve its use of the land, like petitions and letters of support.

Learn

The Hate Ends Now exhibit will be on display at UNC Asheville’s Reed Plaza today through Friday, April 12. The exhibit features an immersive presentation inside a Holocaust-era cattle car, including testimonies of survivors, a history of persecution of groups by the Nazis, and a message to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate.

Arts

American Folk Art & Framing is celebrating its 12th Annual Face Jug Show. Delightfully weird and wonderful jugs from 12 potters will debut on the gallery’s website tomorrow at 11 a.m. before phone sales begin at 12 p.m. You can see the remaining jugs on display at 64 Biltmore Ave. from Friday, April 12 through Wednesday, May 1.

Try This

Did you know that it’s National Poetry Month? If you’re a poet and totally know it, try your hand at our AVLtoday Poetry Contest. The catch? You can only use words found in our Wednesday, April 3 newsletter. Learn more + submit your poem by Sunday, April 14.

Featured Home

This maintenance-free, recently updated condo sits on a quiet street less than 10 minutes from downtown + features Italian tile floors throughout, smart fixtures, and stainless steel appliances. See inside.*

Home

Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*

Shop

Psst — When’s the last time you replaced your bath mat? Our favorite memory foam bath mat is on sale through the weekend.*

Shop

🍽️ Time to eat farm-to-table

They say you should add more colors to your plate. | Photo via @eastashevillemarket

Get ready to fill up your reusable shopping bags with fruits and veggies, Asheville. Spring has sprung, which means farmers markets are opening for the season — and in the spirit of supporting all things local, we’ve rounded up nine farmers markets in the Asheville area where you’ll find fresh food, live music, and local vendors.

East Asheville Tailgate Market | Fridays, April through November | 3-6 p.m. | Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Rd.

Features: Local music, crafts, cheese, and produce
Parking: Street parking
Space: Outdoors

West Asheville Tailgate Market | Tuesdays, April through November | 3:30-6:30 p.m. | 718 Haywood Rd.

Features: Seasonal produce, plants, fresh-baked and gluten-free breads, food trucks, and live music
Parking: Free parking on Wells Avenue
Space: Outdoors

Seven more markets

The Buy

Gifts for the bride-to-be. The wedding gift guide features everything from homemade earrings for the bachelorette party to a facial roller for necessary self-care days.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Grace

From the editor

It’s time to celebrate. Toast to two years of La Bodega with $5 glasses of Cava and delicious Bikini sandwich specials today, April 9, starting at 11 a.m.

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