Announcing: Howard Street Handmade!

Friends, Short Street Cakes' all-new, all-local, handmade indie craft fair, Howard Street Handmade, will be held at 227 Haywood Road (next door to Short Street Cakes' Cake Shop) on Saturday, March 21st, from 11am til 5pm. We are still accepting limited numbers of vendors. Stop by the shop or go to the Howard Street Handmade Blog for an application, and stay tuned for more info about HSH!

Stop by the Bugg Blog

By no means is this an admission that I care about the community in Asheville. In fact, if it fell into some sort of parallel universe where "dog" really meant "marshmallow" I'd probably get a boner and rub it on Gordon Smith's tight, pleasuring himself to swimsuit photos of Robin Cape constantly, abs. But that doesn't mean that I don't like your comments and web traffic.

With that being said, what was once called "So Much for Tact" is now being called "Bugg Blog". Please update your crap accordingly.

Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to go on record as saying that I have a bit of an alcohol problem and after a bottle of bourbon I have trouble maintaining an erection and that I've been suffering from depression since the age of 19. Despite these problems I'm still 10 times better a writer than anyone currently writing at the Xpress (save Jason Sanford), funnier than George the Bastard and would undoubtedly make love to any woman reading this in a way that their impotent husbands or boyfriends would never have the guts to try to (I'm referring to in the back of my Saturn).

Also, referring to yourself as hip or edgy doesn't make you either. I came up with all the ideas for Star Wars and any Seth Rogan movie.

I'll leave you now. Go back to your unfulfilled lives and this space on the internet's normal billboard for whatever limp wristed Gordon Smith cause of the week and whatever Jenny Bowen is crucifying herself to.

I love you.

I hate you.

Jason Bugg

Rootshock

Nerd Parade: new album The Span of a Life

Nerd Parade -- "The Span of a Life" Teaser


With the upcoming release of The Span of a Life (on Sunday, March 1st 2009 at the 5 Spot in Altanta, GA - but online orders are already being accepted here at the nerdmart!) Nerd Parade has been touring tirelessly trying to spread the word of their epic recipe for the good kind of disaster. One thing is for sure, these kids have a wide appeal and rightfully so, their music is as varied as the best kind of mixed tape/cd: it has a little something for any mood. Tracks like "How Hard We Fall," with a delicate two minute drone-whisper to a thrashing-guitar-scream instrumental movement at the end, strokes the intense guitar solo desire without being too indulgent, while tracks like "We Are Not Sleeping," "The Span of a Life," and "Dead Air and Denial" feature stronger vocals by Randy Garcia ( "Span" and "Denial" ) and Chris Sheldon ( "Sleeping" ), and highlight Abby Wren's velvety powerhouse harmonies and hooks. On Guitars, Randy Garcia and John Jacobus shine like freaking fireworks, the rhythm section is insanely crushed by Rich Wilson on bass and Chris Sheldon on drums, and Miss Abby Wren acts as the sweet honey that sticks everything together.

Please, have a listen, and enjoy! I do.




Nerd Parade will be playing at Broadways in Asheville on Saturday, February 28th. I hope to see you there!

Dine Out Tomorrow, Help Homeless Pets

Do you like 12 Bones, Scratch, Old Europe, Doc Chey's, Zambra, Jersey Mike's or Sunny Point?

These are just a few of the WNC bars and eateries donating part of this Tuesday's proceeds to Dine to Be Kind, a fundraiser that lets WNC people pig out to help homeless pets.

Around 50 restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and bars invite customers to support spay/neuter programs right here in WNC through dining out at a participating restaurant. A percentage of tomorrow's profits goes to the spay/neuter programs of Animal Compassion Network, WNC's largest no-kill rescue organization.

Takeout counts too during Dine to Be Kind, as does breakfast and lunch at certain spots.

Here's the list of participating restaurants. Read more about Dine to Be Kind here.

Short Street Cakes Grand Opening Today!

It's the day we've all been waiting for, when our very own Jodi opens the doors to the fabulous new Short Street Cakes Cake Shop! See you there!

Wishing for Spring: New Bloggers Welcome!

Local Crafter, Faerie Made, see Etsy page!
Well, if its not evident at this point, I'm working my butt off for the Biggest Slacker Award for 2009. My apologies for the delay in getting these great bloggers linked and loved.

Asheville Performing Arts Reviews
"I am not a real person, just a blog. That means I need help from the community to continue to exist. That makes you pretty powerful. Wow. Please keep reading. Please keep writing."

Tender Graces
"Let's talk about books and reading, writing and writers. And maybe about life, too. And food. And family. And well, my debut novel coming out (yaayy!). And life lived on a mountain at Killian Knob in the Smokies, with a retired hubby and a fat old lazy labrador"

WNC Outdoor Life
"A blog about Western North Carolina outdoor recreation opportunities. Including fly fishing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting and more!"

Blue Barnhouse
"things that inspire us, greeting card designs before they go to print, live coverage from roadtrips/trade shows, custom projects on the drying rack, scandalous photos of the bbh crew and friends, & other mindless drivel"

Asheville LiveCam

Barefoot Society
"An ongoing review of the submerging culture."

Welcome To The Idiocy
"Welcome To The Idiocy That Is My Life ;-)"

My Southern Exposure
"My thoughts and feelings on the adjustment of moving from the New York metro area to the Southeast."

Golden Sun Family
"A family's journey through the seasons."

Simple Studio Journal
"art, crafts, tea, and daily life..."

Lone Birds Web World
"Empowering Internet Business with computer tech, web design and seo tips from the Lone Bird Studio professional web designer/developer Chris Kaminski.

Faerie Made
"Natural Ingredients, Small Batches, Woman Owned."

Lu Am
"Welcome, or, Bienvenue! In this, our newest and first joint blog, we, Lu 'n Am, have come together to muse about just what our title says: affordable, sustainable, creative, living."

Time to get rid of the Winter Doldrums, get thee to blogging, posting, picture taking, and living (or if you are like me at the moment, get thee rid of the chest cold that persists!)

Local Crafter, Faerie Made, see Etsy page!

Job Club Meeting for Job Seekers

Looking for a job? Frustrated with the search? Next Monday there's a "job club meeting" at Dripolator on Biltmore Avenue for those who are on the job hunt. It's free and is meant to be a place for job seekers to "share with others who are having a hard time finding work, as well as share resources with one another".

Come talk with others who are going through the ups and downs of the job hunt during these difficult economic times. Our goal is to listen, encourage, network, share resources, and help one another find meaningful jobs.

10:00 am - Monday 2/23/09, Dripolator on Biltmore Avenue, Asheville
Contact - Robin @ (828) 713-9281

Asheville's Laurey Bikes Cross-Country

Next month, Asheville's own Laurey Masterton of Laurey's Catering takes off on a two-and-a-half month vacation. She's biking across the U.S. from San Diego to St. Augustine to raise awareness and money for the fight against ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is usually fatal, but Laurey kept at her doctor over her symptoms and became one of the few who survive the disease.

If you want to donate to Laurey's cross-country fundraiser, mail a check to Jubilee, 46 Wall Street, Asheville, NC 28801 with "Laurey Bikes" in the memo line. She's already raised $30,000, expects to raise more, and has been asked to be the keynote speaker for the National Ovarian Cancer Alliance national conference this summer.

Read her bike blog here.

Laurey, Asheville wishes you a safe and successful trip.

Here's her itinerary:

Day Date Location Miles
1 5-Mar San Diego, CA 0
2 6-Mar Alpine, CA 32
3 7-Mar Jacumba, CA 45
4 8-Mar Brawley, CA 67
5 9-Mar Blythe, CA 89
6 10-Mar Blythe, CA 0
7 11-Mar Salome, AZ 64
8 12-Mar Wickenburg, AZ 57
9 13-Mar Phoenix, AZ 67
10 14-Mar Apache Ject., AZ 53
11 15-Mar Globe, AZ 56
12 16-Mar Safford, AZ 83
13 17-Mar Lordsburg, NM 75
14 18-Mar Silver City, NM 47
15 19-Mar Silver City, NM 0
16 20-Mar Kingston, NM 48
17 21-Mar Las Cruces, NM 88
18 22-Mar El Paso, TX 66
19 23-Mar Fort Hancock, TX 47
20 24-Mar Van Horn, TX 74
21 25-Mar Fort Davis, TX 90
22 26-Mar Fort Davis, TX 0
23 27-Mar Marathon, TX 60
24 28-Mar Sanderson, TX 54
25 29-Mar Del Rio, TX 111
26 30-Mar Bracketville, TX 42
27 31-Mar Camp Wood, TX 49
28 1-Apr Vanderpool, TX 39
29 2-Apr Kerrville, TX 51
30 3-Apr Kerrville, TX 0
31 4-Apr Blanco, TX 64
32 5-Apr Bastrop, TX 94
33 6-Apr La Grange, TX 41
34 7-Apr Navasota, TX 69
35 8-Apr Navasota, TX 0
36 9-Apr Cleveland, TX 73
37 10-Apr Kountze, TZ 56
38 11-Apr DeRidder, LA 92
39 12-Apr Opelousas, LA 90
40 13-Apr Simmesport, LA 65
41 14-Apr St. Francisville, LA 53
42 15-Apr St. Francisville, LA 0
43 16-Apr Franklinton, LA 107
44 17-Apr Wiggins, MS 81
45 18-Apr Pascagoula, MS 67
46 19-Apr Dauphin Island, AL 42
47 20-Apr Dauphin Island, AL 0
48 21-Apr Pensacola, FL 68
49 22-Apr Crestview, FL 57
50 23-Apr Marianna, FL 90
51 24-Apr Quincy, FL 51
52 25-Apr Wakulla Springs, FL 48
53 26-Apr Wakulla Springs, FL 0
54 27-Apr Perry, FL 54
55 28-Apr Alachua, FL 83
56 29-Apr Palatka, FL 71
57 30-Apr St. Augustine, FL 47
58 1-May Tour Ends

Announcing: The Black Mountain Music Scene

Don Talley wants all y'all to sign up for this!

Black Mountain is rapidly developing a reputation for great live music and now there's a website which keeps music lovers informed of whose playing where. The Black Mountain Music Scene (www.blackmountainmusicscene.com) contains a consolidated music calendar for White Horse Black Mountain, The Town Pump Tavern, The Watershed, Pisgah Brewing, Ja Vin, Beacon Pub, the Black Mountain Center for the Arts and other venues. In addition the website includes links to music festivals, music stores, music venues, music videos, etc located in Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley.

The Black Mountain Music Scene also sends out a weekly newsletter of information about upcoming shows.

To subscribe to the newsletter click on the Newsletter Signup button on the website or email dontalley@gmail.com

Visit the website (www.blackmountainmusicscene.com) or email dontalley@gmail.com for additional information.

Want $1,500?

JBo's Facebook page:

"The City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department is issuing a call for artists to create the official artwork for the 31st annual Bele Chere festival being held July 24-26. The chosen artwork will be used in all festival merchandise, including the official event poster. The winning artist will receive $1,500, publicity in related press materials, and the opportunity to autograph posters at the festival. All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Feb. 27."

Bike Love

Click the pic for a larger version.

Twestival Thursday

Twitter fans, tomorrow is the night to party at the Asheville Twestival. Ten dollars gets you in for live music, $1 beer and networking/good times with Asheville's Twitterati.

There's also a silent auction with close to $3000 worth of donated items including handmade local jewelry from Figs & Ginger, vintage clothing, and gift baskets from L.O.F.T.

The Asheville Twestival is a charity event that's ALREADY, in less than two weeks, raised over $3000 for clean water in the developing world. (Note to my fellow BlogAsheville admins: WE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY SERVED.)

Twestival isn't just an Asheville thing. It's a networked global event, and its organizers are already forecasting that the Feb. 12 events worldwide will raise $1 million for clean water.

According to Twestival info, lack of clean water and lack of basic sanitation kill 42,000 people every week. Ninety percent of these deaths are children under five years old. Clean water = life.

You can be part of a global movement for life by being part of a local movement for good times. 100% of the Asheville Twestival's $10 ticket fee goes to charity:water, a clean-water nonprofit.

Thursday, Feb. 12 6 - 11 p.m.
$10 donation
Windows on the Park
Biltmore Building
1 North Pack Square

Serious Yogis At AB Tech

From AC-T:

A-B Tech’s World Connections Committee is hosting Dr. M.A. Jayashree and Professor M.A. Narasimham from India on Feb. 13 and 14 for three Yoga Sutra workshops and a musical concert.

The open lectures on Feb. 13 will be from 1 to 3 p.m. and again from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Ferguson Auditorium. Following the second workshop, Jayashree and Narasimham will perform a concert and chanting. On Feb. 14, a Yoga Sutra workshop on the Ethical Precepts of Yoga will be from 10 a.m. to noon in Sycamore 201. All programs are free to students, and the pubic is asked to give a $5 donation.

Advice Seeking: Where do you like to get pictures framed?

I've got an old poster I want to frame. Where's a good, affordable, local place to get it done?

Asheville Hosts N.C.'s US Twestival Feb. 12

UPDATE: Looks like the Twestival is happening at Windows on the Park downtown.

There'll be food, $1 beer, live music and silent auctions.

• Thursday 12 February 2009
• 6 - 11 p.m.
• $10 donation
  

Send email to avltwestival at gmaildotcom for details or to talk to someone about being a sponsor for the event.

Some Twestival organizers are filming a charity:water benefit video in Pritchard Park at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m tomorrow (Sat. Feb. 7). A $5 donation gets you a spot in the video.

Read more about how to help with the video here.

****

It's still in the works, but our city's Twitterers are hosting the Asheville US Twestival later this month. If you went to last month's rockin' Tweetup you know, as Twitterer June Allison pointed out, that Asheville Tweets like a city five times its size.

The Twestival will be everything the Tweetup was, only bigger, with booze and benefitting a great cause, charity:water. Find out more about charity:water and the Twestival here.

Look for more details here on BA as they develop, but mark Thursday, Feb. 12 on your social calendars now.

If you're interested in sponsorship/donations for a good cause (and for good networking with local techies, nerds and media types), contact Jose or June.

A pre-bash Tweetup is tonight at 8 p.m. at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge downtown.

More info on the Twestival coming soon!

Snow Delay

WINTER WEATHER DELAYS GARBAGE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION

Winter weather conditions have delayed garbage and recycling collection today, Wednesday, February 4, 2009. Sanitation crews are operating on a delayed schedule this morning due to the slippery road conditions. If road conditions do not improve throughout the day, residents are requested to leave their trash out at curbside for crews to collect as soon as road conditions improve. Brush collection and leaf collection will be on hold as well until weather conditions improve.

Curbside Management, the City’s recycling contractor will also be operating on a delayed schedule. Recycling customers scheduled for pickup today, are requested to place their recyclables out today. In the event, that they are not collected today, they will be collected as soon as road conditions improve.

For further information contact the City of Asheville at 251-1122.

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for Shayla

The extraordinarily photogenic Shayla Garrett is a three-year-old local resident who is fighting cancer as her family fights massive bills for chemo and surgeries at Duke, stays in the Mission ICU and ongoing treatment for Shayla's condition, stage IV neuroblastoma.

Come on out and enjoy a cheap spaghetti dinner and help her family get a little support and reassurance.

Spaghetti Benefit for Shayla

Saturday, Feb 7th
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Swannanoa Fire Dept (Sub-Station)
510 Bee Tree Rd
Swannanoa, NC 28778

$6.00 per person
includes drink, meal, and dessert

info: danthelion@hotmail.com
(volunteers needed)

Montford Arts and Music Festival

Asheville Etsy:

CALLING ALL ARTISTS AND CRAFTS PEOPLE!

What: 6th Annual Montford Arts and Music Festival
When: Saturday May 16th 2009 11am - 7pm
Where: Located right out on Montford Avenue, between Cullowhee and Wanetta streets.
Details: Artist and crafters information and application forms can be downloaded here.
Contact:
Sharon Fahrer
828.777.1014
www.montfordfestival.com

Build A Birdhouse for Urban Agriculture

Birdhouses (and birdfeeders, birdbaths, bat-houses, etc) can be dropped off at Short Street Cakes (225 Haywood Road) or at the French Broad Food Coop. Stay tuned for details about the auction, to be held in April. The Bountiful Cities Project's Annual Birdhouse Auction raises funds to pay for the land owned by BCP for community gardens, and funds urban agriculture, sustainability and community education projects in Asheville. Go to Bountiful Cities Project for more info!