I was in Sylva, N.C. yesterday working on a magazine article and felt like I was deep in the bowels of Florida. The blistering heat made me feel as if I was in a furnace.
Good FREE news for those suffering from the heat: Eblen-Kimmel Charities in Asheville are giving away fans at its office at 50 Westgate Parkway in Asheville. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For details of the giveaway, call them at 828-255-3066.
The Buncombe County Council on Aging is also providing free fans to people over the age of 60, or those under 60 who have a disability. Their number: 828-277-8288.
It’s time to start thinking about fall. Yeah, I know school isn’t even out yet and there’s summer to enjoy, but now is the time to register to consign your gently used kids’ clothes, toys and accessories at the Wee Trade Children’s Consignment Sale held at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher, across from the Asheville Airport.
Sale dates: August 6 -8, 2010.
Deadline for registering and printing price tags is 2 p.m. on August 1.
This event is near and dear to my “on the cheap” heart. A great way to get some cash for your items (you keep 70% of the prices you set) as well as to get new gear for back to school.
This is my favorite time of year — time when you can spread a blanket out on the grass at UNCA and listen to great music on Monday evenings for several weeks in the summer.
The concerts take place at 7 p.m. Signs point to the area for chairs and the other area to spread out blankets. All performances are free, with the exception of the Folkmoot ticketed performances.
This year’s Concert on the Quad series kicks off Monday, June 14, 2010 with Cool John Ferguson (blues, gospel and funk).
June 21: ELM. Collective—World music, jazz and fusion
June 28: Pan Jive—Energetic, genre-defying steel drums
July 5: April Verch—Traditional roots, fiddle and step-dancing
July 12: One Leg Up—Gypsy jazz
July 24–25—The 27th annual Folkmoot USA festival, the only ticketed event of the series, will feature folk dance and music from around the world. Folkmoot tickets range from $10-$25 and are available online at www.folkmootusa.org or by phone at 877/FOLKUSA.
Author Allison Winn Scotch is celebrating the release of her new book The One That I Want with a fun giveaway.
If you buy a copy of The One That I Want in the next 24 hours and email Allison with a copy of the receipt (scanned or forwarded) to allisonwscotch@gmail.com, she will send you a copy of her previous book, Time Of My Life.
Take advantage. Her books are must reads!
Sledding conditions are great at Beech Mountain (elevation 5,506 feet) in the N.C. High Country. The best news: Kids 12 and under can sled FREE daily at the Beech sledding hill, located next to the Chamber of Commerce. Parents may ride with smaller children.
Plastic sleds are required. Folks are encouraged to bring their own sleds, or they may be purchased at stores on the mountain.
The sledding hill is operated by the Beech Mountain Parks and Recreation Department. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (weather permitting) with safety
personnel on duty. A loud speaker plays music and hot chocolate is available at nearby restaurants.
Parking and restrooms are provided by the chamber. People are encouraged to call the chamber at (800) 468-5506 to receive live updates on sledding conditions.
Additional info on the Beech Mountain sledding hill is available at: www.beechmtn.com.
I am loving this promotion. For one, the Grove Park Inn is one of my favorite places in Asheville. For two, they have some of the best food and the best people working there.
Now, for the deal. Horizons Dining Room is offering a 20% discount on Mondays and Wednesdays to local WNC residents who live in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Transylvania counties. The cities and surrounding areas included are Asheville, Hendersonville, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Waynesville, Clyde, Maggie Valley and Brevard.
A valid N.C. driver’s license is required to get the “friends” discount. Holidays are not included.
Big savings are available to those visiting Biltmore Estate from January 4 to March 18, 2010. Adult admission is only $35 IF you purchase the tickets online. But the savings don’t stop there. Kids ages 16 and younger are admitted FREE with a paying adult!
Buy online tickets HERE
The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) has a great plan to help you save money when you dine out at a number of great restaurants. Here’s the deal: you can purchase a dining booklet for $50 at AIR’s Website or pick one up at the Asheville Visitor’s Center. The coupon booklet offers $600 worth of coupons at 18 restaurants:
The participating restaurants in the 2010 Main Course Dining Guide are:
~ Blue Ridge Dining Room
~ Bouchon
~ Burgermeister’s Kitchen & Tap
~ City Bakery
~ Corner Kitchen
~ Ed Boudreaux’s Bayou Bar-B-Que
~ fig
~ Fiores Ristorante Toscana
~ Frankie Bones
~ Grovewood Cafe
~ Horizons
~ Laughing Seed
~ Mela Indian Restaurant
~ Pomodoros Greek and Italian Cafe
~ Savoy
~ Sunset Terrace
~ Vincenzo’s
~ Westville Pub
While ALL of these are great places, I have some personal recommendations: Blue Ridge Dining, Horizons and the Sunset Terrace at the Grove Park Inn offer exceptional food and service. I’ve never had a bad meal here. Always exquisite.
I love Burgermeister’s — food and atmosphere. It’s just a fun place.
Also, I have some great friends who have created stunning restaurants:
High school pal Kevin Westmoreland owns Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village and he always gets rave reviews. Another high school friend, Sandy Waldrop and her husband, Larry, own Grovewood Cafe. And, my former WLOS co-worker, and good friend, Tommy Tsiros gets great applause for his Pomodoros Cafe. The food is consistently wonderful at all of these places!
A brand new year, and this blog is back in business! We’re energized that the February issue of Woman’s Day Magazine tips its hat to CitiesOnTheCheap.com, a national hub of On The Cheap Websites, of which WNC On The Cheap is affiliated.
This site has been in hiatus after my 12-year-old son was diagnosed with a pituitary brain tumor. Miracles still occur, even in 2009, and the tumor shrunk, the craniotomy was cancelled, and an endocrinologist is controlling the tumor with a pill.
Now I can turn my attention back to this blog. It will be back in full force by the beginning of 2010!
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June 24, 2010 7:30 am | 
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