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Watching like a hawk
This bright red beauty is the state bird of NC. | Photo by Dominic Sherony
Charge your phones and grab your binoculars, Asheville. The annual Great Backyard Bird Counttakes flight on Friday, Feb. 13, and runs through Monday, Feb. 16. The community event invites nature lovers and bird enthusiasts from around the world to go outside, watch, count, and celebrate birds.
Anyone can participate — all you have to do is go outside and observe for as little as 15 minutes. Count all of the birds you see or hear using one of the following tools:
The information will help experts study bird habitats, migration patterns, and global bird populations.
Don’t know where to start? Check out this list of common birds in our area + start in your backyard or any of these parks around the Land of the Sky. Bonus: Avian enthusiasts should head to the NC Arboretum on Saturday, Feb. 14 for Bird Day.
Take a look at the refurbished home. | Photo via PSABC
Real Estate
The Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County has sold the historic 4-bedroom, 2-bath home at 32 Grail Street to the Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust. Fully rehabilitated, the property in the East End/Valley Street neighborhood will remain permanently protected and deeply affordable for 99+ years, marking PSABC’s 50th preservation easement.
Weather
40 minutes. That’s how much extra daylight Asheville will gain by the end of February. As the days get longer, we suggest soaking up the afternoon sun on a local restaurant’s patio with a beverage in hand. (AccuWeather)
Featured
Southern Living’s Senior Travel and Culture Editor Tara Massouleh McCay doesn’t like to repeat restaurants — but there’s one Asheville sweet spot she says she must go to every time she visits. Can you guess what it is?Hint: Treats are fried fresh to order at the West Asheville shop.
Try This
When you love someone, you put up with their crap; now, you can dedicate it to them. Through Friday, Feb. 13, dedicate a pile of barnyard compost to your special someone. On Valentine’s Day, your loved one will receive a virtual card telling them about the dedication — and how it made a difference.
Shop
After spending nearly 30 years as a set designer for shows like “The Bachelor” and Disney’s “Encore,” Angelic Rutherford has poured her love of interior design into a Mars Hill new retail store, Rutherford and Pug. Explore the colorful space, which also has a bar and charcuterie offerings. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Number
240,000+. That’s how many active job listings you can find on our Job Board. Explore openings in healthcare, education, manufacturing, and beyond. Roles for all experience levels are hiring now. Find a new gig for 2026.
Community
This Valentine’s Day, put your heart into local journalism by supporting AVLtoday. Your contributions will go directly toward creating more of the local stories you love, expanding our coverage, and ensuring we can remain a free resource for all. Give a little love to local news.
Home
Stop settling for gutter guards that barely work and still leave you climbing a ladder every month to clear debris. LeafGuard’s award-winning, one-piece system is designed to make clogs impossible. For a limited time, our readers can get 75% off installation plus an extra $200 off. Get a free assessment.*
Featured Deal
Explore an introduction to psychedelic therapy and how it can help depression or anxiety. Pre-order your book today, February 9, and get bonus access to a live online summit with Michael Pollan, Gabor Maté, Melissa Etheridge, and more.*
Event Spotlight
🍕 Get a slice of the action
Savor the wood-fired flavor. | Photo by Smokee’s Pizza
Here’s what’s topping our to-do list this week: try the delicious specialty pies being served for the second annual WNC Pizza Week. Asheville food blogger, tour guide, and all-around food fan Stu Helm baked up the idea, calling on local pizza makers to offer unique flavors at special prices, beginning today, Feb. 9, through Sunday, Feb. 15.
To see the specials, check out the interactive map — it includes pizzerias from Bryson City to Boone. Then, pick a spot (or several) and dig in.
To kick off WNC Pizza Week and celebrate National Pizza Day, head to the launch party tonight at Soprana from 5 to 9 p.m. Things will heat up on Thursday, Feb. 12 for the Hot Slice Contest at Twisted Laurel as local celebs scarf down progressively spicier slices while raising money for local charities.
The Buy
Searching for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Surprise loved ones with these gifts that can arrive by the end of the week.
❣️ Remind them how you feel with a little sign to say I love you that’s the perfect size for desks and night stands.
🧦 You can never go wrong with soft, fuzzy socks that make every step feel like you’re walking on clouds.
📚 The perfect gift for any book lover, a three-month Audible membership is under $50 + provides access to thousands of audiobooks.
🍽️ Spark spontaneity with this set of scratch off date ideas that’s been featured in US Weekly, Cosmopolitan, and more.
✋ This top-rated hand massager can ease sore hands with five intensity levels + two heat settings.
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