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| People & Places |
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 Name: Lucille Flack Ray
Occupation: Poet
Lucille Flack Ray remembers the day eighty-one years ago when her family moved to Asheville from Knoxville, Tennessee.
"I was four-years old and my brother and I rode in the rumble seat of our car. There were no big highways back then. It was a foggy day and we drove the narrow winding roads through the mountains. It was so exciting!"
Her family, which was originally from Black Mountain, settled on Short Street in Montford, one of the few streets in the neighborhood where African-Americans were allowed to live.
"The whites lived in the big houses on Montford and Cumberland. We used to walk down to Montford Park to look at it because it was so pretty, but we weren't allowed to go in."
Nor were they allowed to ride the school bus, drink from a 'whites only' water fountain, go to most restaurants or use a restroom in the days of the segregated South.
Ray's mother told her she was a nosy little girl, always curious about everything and asking questions. "I was a sassy little thing," Ray says. "I could think of more devilish things to do!" She recalls taking a sip out of a 'whites only' water fountain and being surprised that it didn't taste any different from the one designated as 'colored'.
But Lucille Ray bears no anger or resentment about the abuses of segregation. "I don't feel any animosity about the way things were. I'm just glad they're changing," she says.
In the 1950s she moved to Washington, D.C. where she had relatives. She enrolled in school to become a Certified Medical Technician, and got a job with the Department of Human Resources.
"It was hard, but I knew what I had to do to get where I was going. Living in a big city opened up a whole new world for me," she says.
When her cousin, Roberta Flack became a successful singing star in the 1970s, Ray was invited to parties and concerts, and hobnobbed with an array of international celebrities.
She returned to Asheville in 1973, and went on to teach early childhood education with the Buncombe County Schools.
Retired now, Ray focuses her time on writing poetry, reading and enjoying life. A two-time cancer survivor (she also lost two sons to cancer), she's donating the proceeds from her first poetry collection, "Looking Back and Moving Forward," to the American Cancer Society.
Ray, who has six grown children, eight grandchildren and 'a whole bunch' of great-grandchildren, stays active with family, friends, church and community events. She loves living in Asheville, but regrets the loss of many of the African-American businesses and neighborhoods that were torn down during the demolition of the East Riverside area in the 1960's to make room for city projects.
"We had black dentists, doctors, restaurants, movie theatres and stores," she says, noting how few black owned businesses there are now in Asheville.
When asked to describe her perfect day in Asheville, Ray replies with irrepressible enthusiasm and charm: "All of them are perfect! When I wake up in the morning, I'm so grateful. I'm just happy to see another day."
Lucille Ray's book of poetry, "Looking Back and Moving Forward" can be purchased at www.amazon.com
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 Name: Cecil Bothwell
Occupation: Writer/Builder
If you want the inside skinny on the good, the bad and the ugly of Asheville (as well as the wild, the weird and the humorous), there are few better sources of wisdom than Cecil Bothwell.
Bothwell's guidebook, 'Finding Your Way In Asheville', is a compendium of restaurants, galleries, music venues, festivals and outdoor activities in the area. But it also imparts such little known gems as the fact that in 1956 Eleanor Roosevelt refused to come to Asheville's YWCA to give a speech unless it allowed a mixed-race audience to attend. This set the stage for Asheville's YWCA to become the first one integrated in the South.
Bothwell also supplies some colorful tales about 1950s-era stock-car racers and NASCAR pioneers, Banjo Matthews and Dickie Plemmons. North Carolina drag- and stock-car racing gave birth to NASCAR, and is rumored to have originated with bootleggers' need for speed when it came to outrunning local law enforcement.
So, one might ask, who is this Cecil Bothwell, and how does he know so much about our fair city?
Bothwell moved here permanently from New Hampshire in 1983, after spending several winters here. A green homebuilder by trade, he fashioned himself an off-the-grid homestead in Black Mountain, before relocating to Asheville several years later.
He continued to ply his craft as a builder/carpenter, but he'd always had a yen for the pen and decided it was time to make his move, if, as he puts it, "I was going to ever be a writer when I grew up."
Bothwell implemented an eight-year plan to transition from builder to full-time writer. He achieved his goal two years ahead of schedule when he became the senior staff writer of the Asheville weekly, The Mountain Express. His investigative reporting for the paper led to several books, including one on the Reverend Billy Graham, titled "Prince of War". Needless to say, the book's revelations about the little known side of Graham during the Viet Nam War didn't endear him to many North Carolina denizens, for whom the native son evangelist is a revered figure.
Bothwell is now a full-time freelance writer with eight books in print and is currently running for a seat on the Asheville City Council. Three spots on the council are up for grabs in the autumn, 2009 election.
Decribe your perfect Day in Asheville: Canoeing or rafting on the French Broad River, hiking in the mountains, eating at one of the many good restaurants and visiting galleries.
Must-do for someone new to Asheville: The Grey Eagle Tavern and Music Hall, Pritchard Park for Friday night drumming and the Grove Park Inn to see the incredible stonework.
If you could change one thing about Asheville, what would it be? Break down racial barriers in the city.
Top favorites stores, restaurants or service providers: Mela Indian Restaurant, Early Girl Eatery, Blackbird Frame & Art, Malaprops Bookstore, Downtown Books & News.
Best tip for someone moving here: Bring a job.
Cecil Bothwell's book "Finding Your Way In Asheville: 2009" is available at all local bookstores and Amazon.com.
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 Maria Mason is one of many Hurricane Katrina evacuees who took permanent refuge in the Asheville area. She relocated here from New Orleans with her husband and 13-year-old son in 2007. Originally from nearby Hendersonville, Maria taught acting at Tulane for 16 years. Her husband Paul, who also taught at Tulane, is now chairman of the Musical Theatre Department at Mars Hill College.
Maria describes her Katrina experience as the start of an outrageous journey that took her through eight moves in fourteen months: from the wreckage of her home in the Crescent City, to Hendersonville, to Dana (NC),
back to New Orleans to attempt to rebuild, and back to North Carolina, where she currently resides with her family in Weaverville. Maria wears a silver chain with three engraved charms; a fleur-de-lis, a mended heart and the inscription NOLA, for New Orleans, LA. It’s a talisman expressing the loss of her beloved city. |
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Occupation: Actor, Mary Kay consultant.
Interests/ Passions/Hobbies: Arts, education, entertaining, travel, theatre, music, dancing, tai chi, yoga, people (I’m an extrovert!).
Why Asheville? It’s green, restorative, safe, healthy, gorgeous, has great people and an exemplary arts scene.
Your perfect day in Asheville: I’d go to Fusion Pilates Asheville in the morning and then stroll around downtown, have coffee, go to Malaprops. Later, I’d have mussels and wine at Carmel’s, see a movie or go to an Asheville Tourists game or to a performance at Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre.
A must-do thing, place or activity for someone new to Asheville: The Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Village, downtown galleries and restaurants. The gorgeous drive from Mars Hill east into Tennessee.
If you could magically change one thing about Asheville, what would it be? I wonder if the public schools have enough budget for teachers and nurses. I’d also add another equity theatre.
Top three favorite stores, restaurants or service providers: The Blue Spiral Gallery, Laughing Seed Restaurant and Woolworth Walk for their salads and milkshakes.
Best tip for someone moving here: Make sure your moving van is small. We shared one with four other families and it was so big it couldn’t get into our neighborhood. We had to rent a smaller truck to get everything to our house. Also, be aware that this is the poison ivy, oak and sumac capital of the U.S.!
Contact Maria: www.marykay.com/mariamason |
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Who: Catie Conroy and Amber Arthur
What: Izzy’s Coffee Den
Where: 74 North Lexington Avenue and 373 Haywood Road
If you want a slice of Greenwich Village funk in downtown Asheville, Izzy’s on Lexington is your spot. Offbeat, artistic and uber-relaxed, it’s the place to get caffeinated, read the paper and chew the fat. Izzy’s new similarly styled West Asheville -
location is a welcome addition to the burgeoning hip-ification of the east end of Haywood Road.
Catie Conroy (Charlotte native) and Amber Arthur (Austin) became good friends while working a variety of restaurant jobs in Asheville. Catie purchased Izzy’s downtown three years ago. Amber opened the Haywood location in April. |
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| Amber: |
When did you move to Asheville? I’ve been here eight years. I’m from Texas, but I traveled and explored a lot before settling here.
Why Asheville? It’s laid back, it’s got a different mix of people, art, good food and it’s beautiful here.
If you could change one thing about Asheville: Sometimes it feels too small and limited. Not enough to do.
A must-do thing, place or activity for someone new to Asheville: The Nantahala National Forest http://ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Nantahala/, downtown Asheville for music and food and of course, Izzy’s for coffee, art and music. |
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 Name: Kade Espy
Occupation: Cook
Interests/ Passions/Hobbies: Cooking, traveling and movies.
When did you move to Asheville? Where from? I came to the U.S. from Bangkok with my husband Allen in 2006. We went to Savannah, Charleston and Jacksonville, looking for the
right place. Then someone told us about Asheville and we came here and loved it.
Why Asheville? I love the weather because it’s not too hot or too cold. Also, the friendliness of the people and the fact that there’s so much to do here.
Your idea of the perfect day in the Asheville area: To do something spontaneous, like go to a movie or out to eat. Allen and I also like to walk around and window-shop downtown.
A must-do for someone new to Asheville: Belle Chere, the Biltmore Estate and white water rafting.
If you could magically change one thing about Asheville, what would it be? I would have my family here.
Favorite stores, restaurants or service providers: Restaurants would be Laurey’s, Curra’s, Bouchon and Circle On The Square Pizza. We love the downtown imports store Terra Nostra.
Best tip for someone moving here? Be spontaneous and open to opportunities. You’ll love it here. Everyone does. |
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 Name: Deni Niethammer
Occupation: Owner: GemsByDeni.com, FSBO-NorthCarolina.com and FSBO-Colorado.com.
Interests/ Passions/Hobbies: I love anything naturally found in the earth, gems, minerals, wood and pottery. I also enjoy dancing, hiking, my wonderful friends, vegetable gardening, reading and racquetball.
When did you move to Asheville? Where from? I moved on July 3, 2006 from Boulder, Colorado.
Why Asheville? My three adult children lived in North Carolina, my daughter was about to be married and I wanted to be closer to them. Being a mountain girl, I wanted to be in the mountainous part of the state. In addition, Asheville is a lot like Boulder!
What’s your idea of the perfect day in the Asheville area? Go on a nice long hike in DuPont Forest with friends and doggies. After the hike, we dress up and enjoy a fine dinner, the symphony or a play in the city.
A must-do thing, place or activity for someone new to Asheville: The Biltmore Estate, hiking to the waterfalls of the DuPont Forest and enjoying dinner at many of the fine restaurants.
If you could magically change one thing about Asheville: The ratio of available single men to women.
Favorite stores, restaurants or service providers: Limones restaurant for awesome Mexican/Californian cuisine, Tressa’s with live jazz and blues bands and dancing almost every night, and Unity of Mills River for love, laughter and light.
Best tip for someone moving here: Take your time before buying a home; enjoy the fine dining, multitude of outdoor adventures, wonderful people and gracious southern hospitality!
Deni’s contacts:www.gemsbydeni.comwww.FSBO-NorthCarolina.com www.FSBO-Colorado.com |
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