Blueberry Ribs at 12 Bones.

If you are a foodie like me you will be thrilled with the selection of restaurants in Asheville. Being in the South, you cant leave without trying the BBQ. At  12 Bones Smokehouse, a favorite of the Obama’s, there is a selection of meats, sandwiches, and lots of delicious sides to chose from. The blueberry baby back ribs are amazing and all the food has the North Carolina barbeque flair a little bit of spice and a little tang!

Asheville has a lot to offer on the restaurant scene. On the top of my list is Bouchon French Bistro. Mondays- Wednesdays is their all you can eat mussel nights. For $15 a person, bring some friends order some wine, and enjoy the five different kinds of mussels. My pick, Bayou, prepared with tomato, andouille sausage, and rice. I would also suggest the escargot, and La Soupe du Jour, a cream of chard with Rouqefort bleu cheese.

A Spanish Tortilla at Curate.

Next on my list of places one must go while in Asheville is the newly opened Cúrate, a traditional style tapas bar and restaurant. The owner and head chef Kate Button was trained at elBulli, the famed at the 3 star Michelin restaurant in Spain, under Ferran Adria. The S.Pelligrino 50 best restaurant awards honored ElBulli, as the Top Restaurant in Europe and The World’s Best Restaurant in 2009. Ferran himself was awarded as the Chef of the Decade in 2010. What an impressive background and worth the try since I wont be making it to Spain, at least not in the next couple months. To get the authentic feeling that you are in Spain sit at the bar and enjoy the bustling of the chefs in the dutch kitchen. The food is made to be shared and was good and not too expensive. A bottle of wine and dinner for 2 cost us $100.

After a day of boutique shopping at the Grove Arcade stop by Chorizo for yummy sangria and Latin fare. The ceviche was fresh and delicious and the skewers were to die for! Definitely order to share, the portions are enough for two. If you like to drink there are many bars here that have an array of microbrew and local beers. I prefer more specialty drinks and love the mixologist at Sazerac, make sure you check out the rooftop.

Art Deco Building in Asheville. Photo Courtesy: www.virtualtourist.com

On a side note, while enjoying all the great restaurants and shopping, pay attention to the architecture in downtown Asheville- it is one of the most significant collections of art deco architecture in the US.

Buy Local poster in a shop window in Asheville.

One thing I love about Asheville is the sense of community.  Sit down for a drink or a bite and you will definitely get to know your neighbor. On every window of every store is a, “Love Asheville, Buy Local” poster. Asheville has a lot of really cute boutiques, many of them supporting local designers. I am really big on supporting my local community, its easy and everyone can do it. It can be the food you buy at the farmers market, the local designs you wear, or eating at a mom and pop cafe vs. a corporate restaurant. The Honeypot on Lexington Ave has 60+ local designers! They also have a great selection of vintage, euro, and retro clothing and accessories. If youre looking for more contemporary shopping, just walk up the street to the adorable boutique Minx. The selection is excellent and so are the prices! Say hi to the owner Rebecca, a musician who’s partner is an artist- how cool is that?

Hand Dyed Dress at BZ Design

Handweaving on Looms at The River Arts District

I was lucky enough to be in town during the Studio Stroll at the River Arts District.  The artist community in Asheville seems to be thriving and this area has been revived. Many of the factories, mills, and warehouses along the river have been transformed into artist studios. You will see anything from textiles (Asheville has a long history in this industry) and clothing, glass art, lots of pottery, painting, and photography. After you’ve made the walk definitely stop by The Wedge Brew Co. for a local ice cold one.

The Biltmore Estate. Photo Courtesy: www.gardenandspice.com

Edith Vanderbilt's "Model C"

The Biltmore is the largest privately owned home in America. With over 100 rooms for a family of 3 this is an American Castle that is more likely to be found somewhere in Europe than in North Carolina. Built by the Vanderbilt’s in 1889, the home is absolutely amazing. Go early and spend the entire day on the 8,000 acres estate. We enjoyed the garden’s the best and walked through them for over 2 hours. If you have more than one day then buy the annual pass for only $40 more and go bike or horse back-riding through the beautiful trails. Unfortunately steer clear of the winery, Antler Village, which has to import most of the grapes from Napa to make their grapes taste of a better quality. It really is just a tourist trap and doesn’t offer anything worth trying. However there is a fully original “Model-C” car in the winery which is worth the visit to see. The Inn on The Biltmore Estate is right up the hill from winery.

The Grove Park Inn. Photo Courtesy: www.groveparkinn.com

Check out another of the Obama’s favorite places in Asheville, The Grove Park Inn. Established in 1913, the Inn is absolutely stunning. I ate at The Sunset Terrace, overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Order family style sides and definitely get the steak if you are not vegetarian. They use the best quality USDA prime beef, which accounts for only about 3% of the beef available in the US. If you don’t have time or the budget for dinner, walk around the grounds or enjoy a glass of wine by the immense fireplace in the main hall. With about 20ft ceilings and a fireplace the entire length of one wall, it will definitely be an enjoyable evening. If you plan on staying here, you must book far in advance.

Looking Glass Falls

Blue Ridge Mountains

The things to do here really can be endless from the shopping, the restaurants, the beautiful architecture and the estates to visit. Hands down the best thing to do is spend time in the great outdoors. Nestled between the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of forrest, state, and national parks. The hiking and the cycling have breathtaking views and there is an abundance of waterfalls in the area. Not an active outdoor adventurer? That’s fine the driving is just as beautiful, just make sure you get out of the car and breathe in some of that fresh clean mountain air!

Shopping for Fabric

Ribbon and Trim Store: if you need it, they have it.

A mountain of string

In January of this year (2011) I traveled to Hong Kong and Zhongshan, China. Zhongshan is situated in the Pearl River Delta Region of Guangdong Province of China, an area that has earned a reputation of being a leader in casual wear manufacturing. The region has a direct economic advantage with close proximity to Hong Kong and Macau. I was invited by a friend of mine, Ritchie Miao who designs and owns the clothing label Lovelessizm. He owns a sample room in Zhongshan and was generous with his knowledge of the industry in the area. Andy South of Project Runway fame and designer to SOUTH by Andy South also was visiting, sourcing fabrics and employing the Lovelessizm sample room for his samples for his Fall ’11 collection. This was the perfect opportunity for me as well to shop for Jessica’s Traveling Boutique and look at other areas of production for Mimpi outside of Indonesia.

Our first stop was fabric sourcing in Hong Kong. The fabric district was vast but very convenient because it was directly next to the notions, leather, and findings districts. I never saw so many stores lined up right next to each other, just selling buttons or thread or zippers for example. Not too far away was the wholesale district where I was able to buy clothing for Jessica’s Traveling Boutique. In both areas, fabric and wholesale shopping, many of the products were from China as well as Japan, Hong Kong, and Korea. The designs in clothing were so different from the styles you would find in LA. A little more forward but also very on spot with Asian trends. In the US we typically buy a season ahead so if it is Fall we are already ordering for Spring. In China the turnover is so fast that you buy styles that you would put in your store right now. This made it a little difficult to buy for Hawaii when they styles out were for the 20 degree weather we were experiencing in China.

Awah working on the patterns. Photo courtesy: Jill Misawa

Andy South designing for Fall '11

Garment Spec Sheet

The Sample Room

The Lovelessizm sample room is run on a daily basis by Ritchie’s partner Jon and employs four people. The pattern maker, Awah, was very knowledgeable and skilled, and although this aspect of production was familiar to me, it was interesting to watch him work the mechanics of making clothes. I loved that although we did not speak each others language we were able to communicate through shared knowledge of clothing production. We worked for 2 weeks and watched as the patterns Andy made came to life, sometimes going through several samples to get the garment just perfect. The other employees made the samples, bringing them to fruition in the fabrics we purchased in Hong Kong. These were very exciting moments for everyone when the finished garments were revealed!

A Common Language: I get a thumbs up on Andy's new sample

Different cultures, different languages, same goal. The clothes speak for themselves.

The team out to dinner. The tables in China are round which allows for open conversation with everyone.

One of my favorite things about traveling is learning about another culture. I am always astounded how one can communicate to another without a common verbal language. As humans we collectively share commonalities across the board and food can be a way of opening a up conversation that needs no words. The food in China and Hong Kong was hands down some of the best food I have ever had, and Chinese food is not typically my favorite, or should I say American Chinese food. With our host, Ritchie, being from this area and doing business here frequently we were taken to the best places to eat. Places that you would never be able to find on your own, especially in Zhongshan where there is no signs of Western tourism. A big part of the chinese culture is based around food. The dinner table is where business relationships and friendships are solidified.

We ate everything from Dim Sum- a typical meal to start off our day, to fine cuisine- the best seafood you ever had, to $0.75 bowls of the best homemade jook, or chinese porridge, your mouth has ever tasted, that we ate at a picnic table style restaurant on the side of the road. I love to try new things, I feel like it submerges me into the culture. There was a plethora of new things to try in China and if it was in front of me I did not hesitate to taste it! Although this trip was work, work, work it was a wonderful and fulfilling experience. I never thought in my wildest dreams would I ever go to China, see the factories and clothing production, and experience it on a local level- which in my opinion is the best way to travel. It was such a blessing to be invited!