Guest Hook Travel Guides Asheville | Page 3

LYNNE AND STEVE'S REAL ASHEVILLE... Keeping up with the constantly changing face of downtown Asheville is a challenge these days, but it's one that Steve and I do our best with, dining at the new restaurants, having cocktails at the new bars, and checking out new venues (which also have opened in W. Asheville). When we moved here, around 2000, there was nowhere near the selection of restaurants to choose from, and the streets were empty late at night and during the winter. Not anymore! You'll find all kinds of street performers year round now, playing bluegrass music, holding statuesque poses for extraordinarily long periods of time, and throwing flames and batons. Walk by 5 Walnut Wine Bar most nights and see the people standing on the sidewalk outside listening to the music flowing out of the big windows, or walk by Pritchard Park to see the huge crowd of people listening and playing in the weekly drum circle and you'll get a real sense of the energy that has taken over downtown Asheville. See how the creativity plays out in the restaurants of renowned chefs such as John Fleer at Rhubarb, Katie Button of Curate and Nightbell, or Duane Fernandes of Isa's Bistro.