Warm wishes, Ashevillains. We are taking a pause on newsletters to spend time with our loved ones. We’ll see you back in your inboxes at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 + Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
🎁 To Asheville, with love
Local artists make this city beautiful — even when beauty is born from rubble. | Photo via ArtsAVL
We think living in the Land of the Sky is the greatest gift of all, but over the years, Asheville has been on the receiving end of some truly special gestures that reflect the heart and soul of the community. From playful sculptures and historical land donations to the outpouring of support after Hurricane Helene, these gifts given to Asheville speak to the spirit of the city.
“Cat Walk” | Head up, keep walking between Battery Park Avenue and Otis Street to spy three curious cat sculptures, marking spot No. 9 on the historic 1.7-mile Urban Trail. Sculpted by Vadim Bora, the tiny bronze figures are modeled after the cats of the Lavelle family, who sponsored the station in 2000.
Ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery support | What’s the most meaningful gift we’ve received this season? While it’s difficult to properly recognize every person, small business, company, or organization that has supported WNC during its Hurricane Helene recovery efforts — from Asheville to Taiwan — their contributions certainly haven’t gone unnoticed.
Nonprofits like BeLoved Asheville, MANNA FoodBank, and so many others have been instrumental in helping the community recover, providing critical necessities, and looking ahead to rebuild. Signs of hope, like the Flood Back Love mural in the RAD, remind us how resilient our city is.
Last-minute gift hack: Go digital with a three, six, or 12-month Audible membership so they can listen to all their favorite genres + authors.*
The Buy
The Buy
That Escalated Quickly, a party game for friends and family who love quirky, interactive games. Work together to sort answers to a prompt from least to most intense — get it right, and everyone wins.
Hey, Asheville. I’m Cat, one of the managers here at 6AM City. My home base is in Raleigh, but the mountains always seem to call my name.
Don’t forget to do something nice for yourself this season. Could be a quick stretch, could be your favorite beverage — I’ll take a seasonal iced coffee, please. We’re our best selves when we treat ourselves best, after all.
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