Next Thursday, June 19, Cafe on the Square is hosting an event to raising awareness of childhood obesity, which affects 25 million children nationwide. Table Talk, City Walk will also highlight the importance of family time at the dinner table as a way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Throughout the day and evening, Cafe on the Square will serve all meals on its signature 9 Plates, which are healthier portions of its dishes presented on a 9-inch plate. All desserts will be served in the Cafe’s popular Yum Yum Dishes, which diners can take with them to use at home for encouraging moderation while snacking.
Table Talk At each table, cards will feature ideas for family meal fun as well as a short survey to test patrons’ knowledge of food. Completed surveys will be entered in a drawing for prizes including restaurant gift certificates, a session with a personal trainer and tickets the Diana Wortham Theatre.
City Walk portion of the day will encompass after-meal strolls throughout downtown, where participants can pick up cards from participating businesses. By collecting all of the cards, participants will receive a $15 gift certificate to Grove Arcade Corner Market.
Ten percent of all proceeds from the day will go to Louie’s Kids, a non-profit organization providing treatment for pediatric and adolescent obesity. Funds will be earmarked to help children in Western North Carolina.
Mayor Terry Bellamy will join diners for lunch at the Cafe at noon, then lead one of the downtown walks afterward.
For more information or to make reservations, call Cafe on the Square at 828.251.5565 or visit the restaurant online. If you can’t join the event next Thursday, you can still make a donation to Louie’s Kids anytime you visit Cafe on the Square.
About Cafe on the Square: Located at One Biltmore Ave. in Downtown Asheville, Cafe on the Square presents contemporary American cuisine in a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere. The menu includes choice-cut meats, pasta, seafood and vegetarian dishes, while the full bar features fine liquors, craft beers and an extensive wine list. Cafe on the Square offers daily food and drink specials as well as live jazz on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
About Louie’s Kids: Louie’s Kids is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization that raises funds to help treat childhood obesity, which afflicts 25 million American children today. Louie’s Kids works to find the best treatment options to meet the needs of each child, finding the fix that fits, one kid at a time. Founded in 2001 in Alexandria, Va. and operated today out of Charleston, S.C., Louie’s Kids places a particular focus on economically disadvantaged kids.
Visiting Asheville or a local who just likes Biltmore? Here is the weekend line-up at the Estate:
Winery Activities
Live Music
* Wine Bar Soloist: 3:30p.m., 4:30p.m. 5:30p.m., 6:30p.m. (30-minute sets)
* Arbor Grill music: 4:00p.m.-8:00p.m. Friday & Sunday
* Winery Stage: 1:00p.m.-5:00p.m. Saturday (located in the Winery parking area)
Complimentary Wine Programs - guests sign up at Winery Welcome Center. Space is limited.
* Red Wine & Chocolate Seminar: 2:00p.m. & 4:00p.m.
* Winery Behind-the-Scenes Tour: 3:00p.m. & 6:00p.m.
* Sparkling Wine Seminar: 5:00p.m.
* Cooking Demonstration: 3:00p.m.
* Grape Stomp: 2:00p.m.-5:00p.m.
Barbecue & Fish Fry
Guests can enjoy a sampling of the best pulled-pork served with Biltmore’s famous regional sauces - Western Carolina red, Eastern Carolina vinegar, and South Carolina Mustard - or dig into a plate of Southern-fried fish. Menu includes varieties of BBQ, fried mountain trout and catfish, steamed shrimp, coleslaw, baked beans, hushpuppies, banana pudding, and more. Dinner offered from a chef-operated food cart located in the Winery parking.
* Dinner served from 1:00p.m.-7:00p.m.
* Price: $10.00 - $14.00
River Bend Farm Activities
* Live Music: 12:00p.m., 1:00p.m., 2:00p.m., 3:00p.m., 4:00p.m.
* Dance Demonstrations: 12:30p.m., 1:30p.m., 2:30p.m., 3:30p.m. (May 26-27 ONLY)
* Traditional Farm Life Demonstrations: 12:00p.m.-5:00p.m.
Today I came across this Around Asheville post about the Green Sage coffee shop, located downtown at the corner of Broadway and College Street.
I did know the Green Sage was open, and am glad to have another coffeehouse where the beloved Bean Streets used to reside. But until coming across this post, I had no idea the Green Sage’s hook is all fair trade coffee, local organic food, and ecologically minded business practices. This post also brought to my attention their roof-top solar panels, which I hadn’t noticed when driving through town (too busy trying not to run over pedestrians or rear-end other vehicles!).
Tonight the Green Sage hosts a talk about what makes a model green business, at 6:30pm.
I probably won’t make it to the talk, but after viewing the list of goals (see them also to the left) on their Web site, I’m definitely checking it out - hopefully for brunch tomorrow!
They also have great hours:
Coffeehouse
Mon-Wed 7:30am - 9pm
Thursday 7:30am - 10pm
Friday 7:30am - 11pm
Saturday 8am - 11pm
Sunday 8am - 9pm
All over the web there are recommendations for a girls’ getaway. The best way to plan a group getaway (all girls or not!) is to follow some of the same tips.
An MSNBC article lists the top 10 girls getaway locations (and what you should do there):
1. Florence, Italy (art-viewing)
2. South Beach, Florida (club-hopping)
3. Provence, France (eating & cooking classes)
4. Las Vegas
5. New York City (shopping & shows)
6. Sedona, Arizona (spirituality & spas)
7. Bali, Indonesia (paradise… surfing!)
8. London, England (theater-hopping)
9. Sonoma, California (wine tasting)
10. Costa Rica (eco-tourism, adventure, and yoga)
The host of All-Girl Getaways, Stephanie Oswald, offers a video and article with tips on planning. Some of her ideas include:
-Pick a group with similar interests and travel styles
-Find a reason to celebrate
-Give everyone a task so they feel part of the planning
-Meet in person, via computer, or by conference call
-Choose a group leader
-Have each person pick 3 good dates, and then decide on one everyone can do
-Do something new
-Do your research
-Save money with package deals/all-inclusives
Of course, with today’s economy and gas prices you might want to stick close to home or pick affordable destinations - that’s where Asheville comes in to play!
Don’t forget! Catch an ALL NEW All-Girl Getaways “Blue Ridge Retreat” tonight at 9pm on the Fine Living Network.
Other showtimes include:
Tonight @ 1:00 AM EST
Next Wed, May 28 @ 9:30 PM & 1:30 AM EST
The Grove Park Inn gingerbread competition. Biltmore Estate. Downtown Asheville.
These are all aspects of Asheville that have been featured on various television networks and shows. On Wednesday night, Asheville (and Carolina Mornings!) gets another opportunity to show our stuff. The Fine Living Network (channel 116 in Asheville on Charter digital cable) show All-Girl Getaways will air the episode ‘Blue Ridge Retreat’ Wednesday, May 21 at 9pm.
Here’s the synopsis, from All-Girl Getaways:
Blue Ridge Retreat - Four women on the go who met at the same Sweet 16 birthday party 30 years ago have managed to remain close friends and have stuck through everything together. They want to celebrate their 30 years of friendship by going to Asheville, N.C., for the weekend. They have many activities lined up, including visits to the Rivers Art District and the Biltmore Estate; and they end the weekend at a spa resort.
One of those ladies-on-the-go happens to be the President of Carolina Mornings, Shari Goldstein. After hearing about the show over a year ago, one of her friends sent in an application - and they were picked to film an episode! Fortunately, Asheville was the place they chose for their getaway.
From the FLN Web site, “All-Girl Getaways shows you how women plan their all-girl escapes. From weeks of detailed planning and careful execution to finally enjoying the well-deserved weekend, you’re invited into the inner circle to find out what it takes to have an organized, successful and exhilarating mini-vacation.” See the promo:
