Salsa's and Spring Break

For most college students, Spring Break is just around the corner, but here at UNC Asheville, it's already over.  Today is the first day back, and Spring Break couldn't have gone by more quickly.  Some of my friends went to the beach, others explored big cities, and a few simply returned home to take a much-needed break from school and work.  As boring as it may seem, I had a nice time just staying in town, going to work, and meeting friends.  Although my break was not accompanied by any major events or adventures, it was wonderful to be able to clear my head and think about something other than school.  Regardless of the fact that I am taking my lightest course load in my college career, I have been the busiest this semester, and homework is always eating away at my time!  So, sleeping in and pushing thoughts of school to the back burner was a real treat.   

Since the weather has been so nice lately, it was fun to walk around town this weekend and bid farewell to Spring Break over dinner at a popular restaurant downtown.  Yesterday, a friend and I checked out Salsa's, a restaurant that's always teeming with customers, but which neither of us had tried before.  As this was seriously the high-point of my break, I thought I'd include it on the blog.  Salsa's serves Mexican-Caribbean food and has a warm and colorful atmosphere that is perfect for lively conversation and relaxation.  Although we have a lot of Mexican restaurants around Asheville, Salsa's fusion menu is unique, and for me, pretty unexpected, since I’m not used to eating this kind of cuisine.  All told, it was an exciting excursion into a world of new food, and a nice way to end my otherwise quiet Spring Break.  During this last month and a half of the semester, look forward to learning about some local coffee shops and hiking spots, new residence halls, student activities, and even more good stuff to help acquaint you with life here at UNC Asheville! 
PS: Check out Salsa's website here!

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Books & Breadboard

This morning, I met my parents, sister, and grandfather for a delightful brunch in Biltomore Village, a part of Asheville I don't think I've touched upon yet.  Biltmore Village is an area close to Asheville High School, the hospital, and the River Arts District, which I visited last semester.  Located in Biltmore Village is the Biltmore House and Estate, known for being the largest privately owned home in America.  (When the weather warms up, I'm hoping to take a trip to the Biltmore House and post about it, so stay tuned for that!)  There are a number of small shops and restaurants in Biltmore Village itself, so we could have visited any of these for a satisfying meal, but today we chose a small little place called the Books & Breadboard.  As the name suggests, this little cafe is part bookshop, part eatery.  The place itself is actually a tiny bookstore, but there are tables scattered throughout, which allows customers to simultaneously enjoy a calm atmosphere, browse for books, and enjoy good food.  All dishes are served on wooden cutting boards, which adds a touch of whimsy to the meal.  When spring arrives, they will open up the patio seating outside, allowing diners to enjoy the warm weather and a view of downtown Biltmore Village with their new books and cup of morning coffee.  Check out the website for more information!

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Welcome Back 2012

Hello, everyone!  For those readers who have either begun the spring semester, or are about to go back to school, how was your winter break?  Did you visit friends and family or take any exciting trips?  As your loyal blogger/Asheville native, I stayed true to form and spent my break in the Asheville area.  However, just because I stayed home does not mean that I had difficulty finding things to do; on the contrary, this was one of the most eventful winter breaks I think I've ever experienced.  I floated between my apartment near campus and my family's home north of Asheville, working, spending a little time with my family, meeting friends, and even travelling a bit.  As promised, here's a quick recap of what I was up to over break...

Skiing

My first experience skiing was when I was about 12 years old.  Although I enjoyed the day-long foray into the crazy world of winter sports, it not until last month that I again felt compelled to strap a pair of skis to my feet and hurtle down a mountain at dangerous speeds.  Regardless of the fact that I am, even after a full day of skiing, pretty bad at the sport, I had an awesome time.  The weather was warm, so only a few runs were open (luckily, one of these runs was a beginner's slope), but as evening fell, it began to get cold and rain a little bit.  I ended my second ski experience with a lot of good memories (and bruises).  I had such a good time that I think I'll do another post about where to ski in Western North Carolina.   

Eating 

If you've read some of my previous posts on this blog, you may not be surprised when I say that I really enjoy eating Korean food.  So, I was extremely happy to discover that a Korean restaurant has been opened in Asheville.  I've often thought that, given the profusion of Thai, Chinese, and Japanese restaurants around town, the only thing missing was a Korean eatery, and now we have one.  Its name, Stone Bowl, comes from the hot stone bowl that is used to serve many Korean dishes like bibimbap ("mixed rice," 비빔밥) and jjigae ("stew," 찌개).  I ordered some bibimbap, and enjoyed the numerous side dishes, or banchan (반찬), that came with the meal.  Although I ended up eating a bit too much, I left feeling full and warm, and will definitely be returning sometime in the near future.  If you like Korean food, or are interested in exploring a new kind of cuisine, I suggest giving it a try!

Travelling 

Finally, over the break, I was able to spend some time travelling.  My friend invited me to St. Augustine to visit with her family for a few days, so I was able to take a small road trip and enjoy the even warmer weather of Florida.  The trip wasn't necessarily the most eventful of vacations (we basically hung out at the house and the beach), but it was wonderful to be able to dig my toes into the sand, get some reading done, and just rest a bit.  We enjoyed snacks and conversation on New Year's Eve, a quiet and enjoyable way to usher in the experiences and journeys that 2012 has in store.  In the end, the weather and scenery was so beautiful and the company so fun, that when the time came to leave, I could hardly stand to tear myself away.    

Thanks, 2011, for the experiences and friendships we were able to enjoy.  Welcome, 2012; may we all find happiness in the new semester and the new year.

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Brunch in Asheville

Although UNC Asheville offers a variety of dining options, students sometimes enjoy eating breakfast, lunch, or even brunch, off campus.  Luckily, downtown Asheville, just a short walk, drive, bus or bike ride, offers a variety of restaurants from which students can choose for brunch on the weekends.  Interested in brunch?  Here are some of the many awesome eateries we came across when we went downtown for brunch today.  
 

Mayfel's

22 College Street
(Serves breakfast all day)

The Green Sage Coffee House and Cafe

5 Broadway Street

(Serves breakfast all day and has a large selection of sandwiches and salads)

Over Easy Cafe

32 Broadway Street

(Serves breakfast all day)

Bistro 1896

7 Southwest Pack Square

Tingles Cafe

27 Broadway Street

Tupelo Honey Cafe

12 College Street

(Includes breakfast on the dinner menu)

 

Asheville has many more fantastic eateries, so it was hard to decide where to eat.  However, today, we chose to visit Tupelo Honey.  It's pretty busy most days, so if you decide to go, make sure you get there early enough! 

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