Today we’re talking love stories, Asheville love stories, that is. Y’all were kind enough to share your first date stories, engagement tales, and other scenes that could’ve been plucked straight out of an Asheville movie with us, and we’d like to share them with you while love is still in the air.
We know yesterday was technically V-Day, but love is eternal. So without further ado, here are 15 times that Cupid visited Asheville.
I met Matt at Burial Beer in the fall of 2017. Seeing a cute guy whose right arm was in a brace just like mine, it was easy to strike up a conversation,which ended up lasting late into the night. Though my heart quickly fell for him, a burning question remained – could this guy keep up with me hiking on trails? I put this question to test on our first overnight backpacking adventure from Hot Springs to Max Patch, and when we reached the beautiful mountain balds and the end of day two, I knew I had found my soulmate. On September 12th of 2020, Matt and I stood in our hiking boots on Max Patch once again, this time to say “I Do.” I am consistently grateful for how Asheville and these mountains held our love as it grew into a lifetime partnership, and I am excited for the many trails we have yet to climb together. – Rachel
Photo submitted by Rachel D.
My sweetie and I met at Thursday College Night at Scandals circa 1990’s. True AVL natives, haha! – Anonymous
I was living in Asheville in 2014 and I met a guy through match.com who lived in Charlotte. For our first date we had bites at Zambra and then cocktails at The Southern. Things went so well that our second date was two nights later with dinner at Reza’s and drinks at The Red Stag. We fell in love and I had to move to Charlotte for us to be together. We lasted two years there and FINALLY made our way back to Asheville in 2017 and had an intimate wedding on the deck of our new house at the top of a mountain. ️ – Shari
Share these AVLove stories + brighten someone’s Monday morning. ☀️
NEWS NOTES
Weather ○ 51º | P.M. Showers | 51% chance of rain
Announced ○ Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) recently announced that local artistHolden Mesk is one of the top five finalists for their annual art can contest, beating ~4,000 entries this year. You can check out the top 5 works + vote here. If Holden wins, his work will be featured on 30 million cans of PBR. Voting is open until Feb. 24; the winner will be announced on Fri., Feb. 26. 🍺
Coronavirus ○ Check out the latest COVID-19 stats for NC from the Department of Health and Human Services here. As of Sunday afternoon, 14,564 cases and 273 deaths have been reported in Buncombe County. See more Buncombe County-specific info, including waitlist numbers and vaccines distributed, here. ○ The first case of the South African COVID-19 variant has been identified in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Health + Human Services has said that variant B.1.351 was found in the central part of the state. NC is the fourth state to identify the variant, joining South Carolina, Maryland + Virginia. (WLOS) ○ Over 27,000 out of state residents have crossed into North Carolina to get vaccinated. The Tar Heel state is one which allows folks to cross borders for vaccination, and officials estimate one in 37 individuals getting the vaccine came from somewhere else in the country. (WLOS) ○ Western Carolina University is opening a COVID-19 vaccination clinic next week. The clinic will operate out of the Health + Human Sciences Building on campus Monday through Thursday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Officials have two freezers in place to accommodate the 500 expected doses from Pfizer + Moderna. 💉 (WLOS)
Development ○ After hearing community concerns, The Bluffs on River Bend proposal in the town of Woodfin has been scaled back. The previous plan included 1,545 rental units, a 250-room hotel, 30 1,000-square-foot commercial buildings + a 59,000-square-foot office building. The resubmitted plans will only include rental units. 🏗️ (WLOS)
Biz ○ Has your local business been denied PPP or other relief funding? The One Buncombe Fund, a community-based grant source, is looking for bizzes that in need of help but haven’t been able to access it, including single-owners + those owned by women and/or people of color. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28. Get more deets here. 💵
Outdoors ○ Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers are looking for volunteers interested in the natural environment + biodiversity in the Smokies. The Adopt-a-Plot project helps track nature’s calendar, known as phenology, for biological data such as plant flowering dates, tree foliage change + more. Volunteers will attend training 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 18 or 10-11:30 a.m. Feb. 20 + be prepared to monitor their adopted plot at least once to twice a month. Volunteer here. 🗓️ (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Legacy ○ Jennifer “Jen” Ditzler, co-owner of Zen Tubing, passed away Feb. 6 after a battle with cancer.Jen created Zen Tubing with her husband Heath White as a way for people to fall in love with the French Broad River.Ditzler also worked for 24 years as an environmental engineer with Arcadis, as well as with Asheville GreenWorks, RiverLink + many river cleanup projects.We’re sending our condolences to Jen’s family, friends + the community that loved her. 💛 (Asheville Citizen-Times)
WaterCooler ○ The Asheville Touristshave accepted an invitation + signed a Player Development League License to become the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Houston Astros. The Tourists will become part of the High-A East League, a 12-team league split into two divisions, and are going to be an integral part of the Astros player development system through 2030. ⚾
FeaturedJob ○ Samsel Architectsis looking for an Architect/Project manager to join their collaborative studio. The ideal candidate would have strong design skills + experience in the field. Interested? Send a cover letter, resume and portfolio to: [email protected]. Ⓟ
Catawba Brewing is teaming up with Jettie Rae’s Oyster House for an Oyster Roast to benefit Our VOICE on Sun., Feb. 21 from 2-5 p.m. in Catawba Brewing’s outdoor area (32 Banks Ave.) There will be tents + socially distanced picnic tables.
Tickets are $65 and include two dozen steamed oysters, cocktail sauce, saltines, hot sauce, lemons, and two beer tokens (redeemable for any beer or glass of wine available). If you’d like additional oysters, they are also available a la carte. Half of the Oyster Roast benefits will be donated to Our VOICE, a non-profit crisis intervention and prevention agency that serves victims 13+ of sexual violence in Buncombe County.
Protip: Check out their Black is Beautiful imperial stout while you’re there – available on draft + in cans. 100% of Black is Beautiful beer purchase proceeds will go to Racial Justice Coalition AVL.🍺
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Cause ○ Power In Pints| Mon., Feb. 15 | 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | Hillman Beer, 25 Sweeten Creek Rd. | Free | $1 for every Hillman beer sold will be donated to support Pisgah Legal Services. 🍻
ForFamilies ○ Welcome Samson + Bonita Red Foxes| Mon., Feb. 15 | 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Rd. | $6.95+ | Welcome the WNC Nature Center’s two new red foxes from Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in Liberty, SC. 🦊
Disclaimer: It is up to readers’ discretion to determine whether they feel comfortable participating in any mentioned events based on COVID-19 protocols and precautions. If you have questions, please contact the event’s organizers directly.
Answered: Wow, I’m not the only one whose property tax appraisals went up. 93.1% of you said your property taxes went up with the latest assessment. Wanna brush up on the issue? Check out our piece here.
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