ConnectMe QR - A QR Code company based in Asheville NC

Asheville hopes to see be a QR Coded City and this is a direct effect of ConnectMe QR, a company based out of AVL that has taken this 2 dimensional barcode technology to the next level. Here is a quick screenshot of the new website.

Fanaticon 2 2011 in Asheville

Fanaticon 2 in downtown Asheville was a huge success for the 2nd year in a row.

Asheville MMA Cage Fights on April 22nd

Black Eye Promotions presents cage fights in Asheville North Carolina on April 22, 2011.

2 Asheville Foodies to be reckoned with

The Asheville Foodie scene is growing by leaps and bounds. Not only do we have many locals simply infatuated with great food, but we also have individuals and groups that visit all of the time to do nothing but wine and dine. On top of that, we have foodie festivals, contests, and so much more. Yum is a common word here. We eat, rate it, express it through our social conduits, and businesses grow by reputation, community interaction, etc.

Just a few nights ago, Fiore's Ristorante Toscana opened their doors in South Asheville on 2310 Hendersonville Road. If you are headed south on Hendersonville Rd, they are about 1/2 mile before you hit Airport Rd. Perfect positioning for a growing Southside community. Fiore's has been one of our personal favorites for many years and it continues to run head to head, and ahead of many of the true foodie options in the community. Congratulations to this family and company!

*Pictured above is local foodie and wine expert Kevin Schwartz and Chef Anthony Cerrato, owner of Fiore's and one of the existing silent storms on the Asheville Foodie scene. Lets eat!

Fiore's Picasa Photo Album

Social Media by Lorena and G Social Media

The Asheville Addy Awards Party on Feb 19th! BE THERE!!!

The Asheville Addy Awards are getting ready to happen on February 19, 2011 and everyone is excited about this yearly event. Some of the key marketers and power house companies in the area are coming together for a party! Yes... the American Advertising Federation of Asheville North Carolina invites you to come join them for a great event. Meet some great people and companies in the AVL community, grow in your face to face social networking, and make some connections that may be vital to your business now and in the up and coming years. Do you need a special invite? This is it! Check out AAFAsheville.org for more information and to get a ticket. THEY WILL SELL OUT, so jump on it people! This is where social networking and media bond in person. We will be there and we hope you come too. Fun + Relationships + ROI = AAF Asheville. They are an open network so they invite anyone to come be a part of this fantastic event, and maybe even join this great organization. I know we are getting ready to join. #WOOT

Here is a clip off of their website:

Asheville’s ad club fills a void in WNC’s communication and marketing industry. We exist to provide a place for exchange of ideas, an opportunity to learn from each other and outside experts in the field, to recognize our creative brilliance with the nationally respected ADDY awards program, to give back through public service, government relations, and to offer mentoring. Oh yeah, we also love to have a good time!

An AskAsheville special thanks to Top Floor Studio, Leslie Shaw Design, Big Bridge, Iwanna, Emily Gough, Robert Colling. Oh, and G Social Media lol

Bike Love at the Arcade Asheville on Feb 26th

Asheville on Bikes, Arcade Asheville and French Broad Brewery present Bike Love on February 26, 2010. See this flyer for more information. Thanks.

Asheville Speed Dating on Valentine's Day 2011

Looking for love in Asheville? Yeah, me neither; but here is an event where you can get to meet a lot of people, enjoy some music and cocktails, and have some Cupid fun.

16 beer bars to visit in Asheville NC

Beer is everywhere in Asheville North Carolina. From local retailer stores, to bars, to benefits, to festivals; craft beer is king around here. Looking for and finding a great beer is not that difficult in our town, but here is a good road map to get your started on some beer bar hopping. 


Note to businesses: Just because you have a bar, and you serve beer, does not mean you have a "beer bar" at your establishment. A certain vibe and following must be there too. If your bar only has 3 seats, we did not consider it. The places listed have a decent size bar, and also room to grow the party if necessary. We know many of you may have favorites and love others not listed here. That is why we allow your comments below. Please tell us where you have been in the Asheville area, and what experiences you have had. Also, sometimes when businesses have 2 locations, our experiences are better at one than the other, so we have specified. Unlike our last blog post, these are not necessarily in our order of favorites.

1. Barleys Taproom - this is the ultimate beer bar experiences with taps, one after another, along a long wall, just staring at you. Add some pizza or some of the many other plates available and its a wrap! Live entertainment regularly, pool tables and darts upstairs, and a whole line of other brews on tap on the 2nd level. WOW. Make sure you ask to try the Bruisin Ales tap while you are here. Oh, and there are a total of 42 Taps! WOOT!

2. Garage at Biltmore - great beer experiences here, usually 4 local brews on tap. Lots of music events also. They are also attached to the French Broad Brewery which carries one of our favorite local brews.. Wee Heavier.

3. Thirsty Monk Downtown - lots of beer and a great atmosphere. Huge selection of Belgian beers and hard to find stuff. Nice corner location in downtown AVL.

4. Asheville Pizza Company North - a nice beer bar strip, and tables all around. Several brews on tap at all times. Pizza and many other items available on the menu. A movie theater where you can eat and drink craft beer, and a nice sized video game room is all part of this establishment. Great place for the family, several options, even split up for a few hours inside.

5. Arcade Asheville - this place is new on the scene and already setting the beer bar atmosphere. Great place for the family and then for the after party when it turns into a dance party on the weekends. It is a big arcade with 2 levels of gaming, and a nice front patio area that is going to explode this Spring.

6. Lab Brewery - great higher end beer bar atmosphere with the brewery showing through the glass. The menu also offers many options to go with your brew. Weekly entertainment includes live music. The Sweet Peas Hostel is located right above this establishment.

7. Green Man Brewery - we are talking about Dirty Jacks. This is one of our favorite hidden small brewery bars in the area. Outdoor smoking patio also provided. Best Porter around!

8. Burgermeisters - this restaurant has beer written all over it. Great atmosphere, many food selections, and awesome burgers too! You just have to drink craft beer on tap with this food. I enjoy the local taps here regularly.

9. Highland Brewing - of course the King of breweries in Asheville is going to show out with a new large tasting room with beer coming from every direction. The official grand opening of the new tasting room was just the other day. Live music every week, "tasting room only" beers on tap, and food sometimes available.

10. Bier Garden - being right in the middle of the downtown area, Bier Garden offers over 100 different brews from local to regional and awesome imports too. Jackson, one of their head bartenders has won Best Bartender in WNC. 

11. Nine Mile - even though their bar may be the smallest one on this list, it holds a great local craft beer vibe. The food here is and incredible fusion and goes really well with the beer options too.

12. Wedge - we really enjoyed the setting in this building even though the bar was a little tight. Outdoor seating facing the railroad tracks. They are a brewery located in the River Arts District of Asheville. Packed out every time I stopped by, and a favorite of many. Great Pilsner! (most micro and craft breweries don't make pilsner beer.)

13. Ed Bourdeax –good BBQ and a great beer selection. Everything from Boulder beer to locals and imports.

14. Tollivers - the Irish pub of west Asheville. Lot of great beer selections on tap and in the bottle. They also have a full menu.

15. Hannah Flanagans - awesome Irish pub in the heart of downtown Asheville. They actually carry every Highland Brewing Co. beer on tap! Old school Irish pub with awesome outdoor seating in the summer time with live music. Food also available.

16. Scully's – great neighborhood bar feel with an awesome beer selection on tap and in the bottle. Friendly bartenders and always a good crowd on the weekends and after 10pm. Food also available.


Special shoutout to the Root Bar which is a great beer bar that is located about 10 minutes East of downtown Asheville.

Special thanks to Bruisin Ales who is the beer retail headquarters of Asheville and Western North Carolina with 900+ craft brews available by the bottle or case. Also thanks to Skyland Distributing for being the main distribution center for many great beer in the AVL community.

Thanks to @TheSavvyEater and @GSocialMedia for gathering some of this information!

Photo above of and by @EdgyMama

3 cocktail bars not to miss in Asheville North Carolina

Cocktails are a big part of being a foodie in the Asheville community. Walking through the downtown area, I remembered all of the "hot spots" of years past. The was back before the craft beer subculture took over much of the local scene.

Having a good cocktail is not only about the drink. It is about the atmosphere, service, and other people present. Here are a few bars that several of us have personally been to in Asheville, and would go back again for a higher end cocktail experience. And with some crowd sourcing, we have 1, 2, and 3... and all of these are close in quality, but they are in proper preferential order as listed.

1. Sazerac - this bar is the atmosphere that you expect in a big city. A line of about 15 bar seats and about 10 cocktail tables. They are located right on Broadway in the heart of the downtown area. Wine, beer and food also available. My favorite drink is the Erato, pictured above.

2. 151 Boutique Bar - this bar has a cool contemporary atmosphere. The bar seats 8, they have 12 tables and booths; all reflecting the ambiance of the Hotel Indigo. There is an outdoor patio area with 10 two top tables. Wine, beer and food also available. My favorite drink is the Caipirinha, but has since been discontinued because ABC has stopped carrying the liquor to make it.

3. Red Stag Grill - this bar has classy European hunting lodge decor and matches much of the Grand Bohemian Hotel of which it is a part of. They have about 20 seats with the bartenders in center, allowing some interaction among the whole crowd. In the lounge area there are 7 tables. Beyond the bar is the main restaurant which has another 35 tables. Wine, beer and food also available. My favorite drink is the Kamikaze. See the video interview of Chef Adam.