Best brunch: Corner Kitchen | Farm to table dining in a Biltmore Village cottage = our city’s idea of how to spend Saturday mornings.
Best happy hour: Little Jumbo | Expertly crafted cocktails are the tip of the iceberg at this charming spot — stay for the live jazz + special events.
Saddle up to the bar at Little Jumbo. | Photo by @littlejumbobar
Best dentist: Asheville Dental | 60 years of caring, friendly service and expert dentistry have earned this practice the top spot.
Best gym + fitness center: Asheville Community Yoga | Yoga that’s accessible for everyone is the guiding philosophy of this studio that offers vinyasa flows, gentle yoga, and Yin, among other styles.
Best music venue: The Orange Peel | From sound to lighting to staff, this venue makes every featured guest’s show a memorable experience.
Let the sign point you in the right direction to a show you won’t forget. | Photo by AVLtoday
Best spa + salon: Drip Nordic Sauna | Feel your stress melt away as you enjoy Asheville’s only wood-fired sauna — until you move into the cold plunge, that is.
Thursday
The festivities begin with a Cool Jazz Concert at HART Theatre — the perfect warm-up for a chilly weekend.
Friday
Downtown Waynesville transforms into an Ice Block Party, complete with frosty sculptures lining the streets, festive vibes, and late-night shopping from local bizzes.
Saturday
The main event arrives: the Ice Extravaganza in Maggie Valley, featuring live ice carving, ice games, glowing light features, and local vendors (tickets are under $8 for a limited time, BTW).
Plus, lace up your running shoes for Clyde’s spirited Frosty 5K.
Sunday
Wrap up your weekend with mountain-town exploring, scenic views, and one last dose of winter wonder.
Feast your eyes on this holiday treat. | Photo by The Hop
Eat
The Hop’s famous ice cream yule logs are available for preorder. For over 40 years, the shop has been upholding the holiday tradition, rolling homemade chocolate cake with your choice of salted caramel, peppermint stick, or vanilla bean ice cream. Bonus: There are vegan options too.
Coming Soon
A real gem is opening soon on Haywood Street in downtown Asheville. The Museum of Costume Jewelry is installing jewelry in its brand-new gallery, preparing to open this month. This summer, we caught up with owner Sharon Ryback to learn about her vision for the museum — get the scoop.
Real Estate
Want to be the king of the castle?WRAL put together a list of five spots you can rent here in WNC that’ll do the trick. Coincidentally, Asheville’s “Windswept Castle” is our favorite for its Medieval vibe.
Travel
$45. That’s the fee you’ll owe at TSA checkpoints starting in February if you show up without a REAL ID and still want to fly. Save yourself the cash (and the hassle) by securing your REAL ID in Asheville ahead of travel time.
Arts
Lamplight AVL will welcome artists into its new studio space at 2 Westwood Pl. early next year. Applications for four “affordable” studios are due Wednesday, Jan. 7, and inquiries for two street-front market-rate spaces are open. Learn more about the nonprofit’s plans to turn the long-vacant space into a haven for the arts.
27,400+. That’s how many active job listings you can find on our Job Board. Explore openings in manufacturing, sales, marketing, and beyond. Roles for all experience levels are hiring now. Find a new gig for 2026.
$0. That’s how much 94% of patients pay to see a licensed dietitian with Nourish. Find a dietitian covered by insurance and build a personalized nutrition plan — a structured, supportive way to map out your 2026 wellness goals now.*
Job
Here’s a unique program for those looking to get into the healthcare industry: Mission Health’s apprenticeship program gets individuals certified as a Medical Assistant in just 12 weeks. Learn about Accelerate MA, offering paid training plus benefits.*
Category
Outdoors
🌿 We dig native plants
Black-Eyed Susans bring sunshine to any garden. | Photo by Chiara Coetzee
Want more from your lawn than just grass? You could turn it into a mini “national park.”
Meet Homegrown National Park, a nationwide grassroots movement that invites property owners to restore wildlife habitats through sustainable planting and the removal of invasive species.
Here’s how it works: Swap a portion of your lawn for native plants that support food webs for local fauna, then watch your yard transform into a natural oasis where wildlife thrives.
Registered habitats are tracked on a digital biodiversity map, so you can see which Asheville neighbors are pitching in.
If you were pining to know where other readers fall in the great real vs. fake Christmas tree debate, the wait is over.
Most of y’all opt for a fake tree, but if you’re craving the fresh, woody scent of the real thing, there are plenty of places to pick up a tree. After all, we live in one of the Christmas tree capitals of the US.
The Wrap
The Wrap
If you needed any extra incentive to turn your front yard into a Homegrown National Park, a new UnitedHealthcare survey revealed that gardening was one of three things that a group of centenarians credit for their long life. So, here’s to many blooms and many, many birthdays.
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