The latest highlight comes from USA TODAY. It features a story on a Girlfriend Getaway from veteran journalist, travel expert and social media butterfly, Chris Gray Faust. Her travel writing focuses on unique, chic and boutique experiences for the sophisticated traveler. In this story, she spotlights, among other things, the River Arts scene; Old Kentucky Home, where author Thomas Wolfe grew up; a beer tour and dinner at Curate.

After reading this article, maybe you’ll be inspired to visit Asheville. And if you are, be sure to plan a tour of The Fitzgerald as part of your discovery of our fair city.

Forbes Travel Guide recently posted their Top Reasons to Visit Asheville. In addition to traditional favorites, such as Asheville’s history and art scene, they highlight two other visitor favorites. The first is Asheville’s Movie Magic. This area is a favorite for Hollywood. In addition to The Hunger Games, The Last of the Mohicans was filmed here, as was Dirty Dancing (including parts shot at The Grove Park Inn!) They also make note of Asheville’s growing and celebrated Beer offerings. After all, our mountain town is home to 11 breweries, including local favorites Green Man Brewery and Asheville Brewing Company.

We invite you to read the Forbes’ article, visit Asheville and plan a tour of The Fitzgerald while you’re at it.

Reporting on what Fitzgerald owners already know, New York highlights the resort along with “Where to Eat,” “What to Do” and even an “Oddball Day” in its Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan to Asheville published on Feb. 10, 2012. Discover the full article here http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/asheville/

We invite you to experience all the highlighted adventures for yourself with a trip to Asheville, and while you’re here, discover how you can enjoy this setting on a more permanent basis through ownership at The Fitzgerald.

Feist, 8 p.m. May 2, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. On sale 10 a.m. Friday. $27 and service charges at the Civic Center box office and Ticketmaster. www.ticketmaster.com

The Fray, 8 p.m. April 22, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. On sale 10 a.m Friday. $34.50 and service charges at the Civic Center box office and Ticketmaster.com.

Celtic Adventure Weekend, today-Sunday, Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave. Headlining group is Gaelic Storm, Feb. 4. $30.

Celtic Woman, Feb. 8, Bi-Lo Center, Greenville, S.C., www.celticwoman.com.

Bruce Hornsby, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15, Peace Center, Greenville, S.C. 800-888-7768.

Eric Church’s “Blood, Sweat & Beers” Tour, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16, Bi-Lo Center, 650 N. Academy St., Greenville, S.C. Visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000.

Sara Evans, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25, Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center. www.ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.

Celtic Woman, Feb. 25, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. www.celticwoman.com.

Flogging Molly, Feb. 28, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. $30 advance, $32 door. www.theorangepeel.net.

Diana Ross, March 3, Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center, Cherokee. On sale Friday. www.ticketmaster.com.

The Lemonheads performing “It’s A Shame About Ray” in its entirety, March 5, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. $15 advance, $17 door. www.theorangepeel.net.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, 7:30 p.m. March 14, Peace Center, Greenville, S.C. 800-888-7768.

Childish Gambino, 9 p.m. March 19, The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave. $25 advance, $27 door. www.theorangepeel.net.

The Moody Blues, March 28, Peace Center, Greenville, S.C. $70, $55, $45. www.peacecenter.org.

The Moody Blues, March 30, Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center. www.ticketmaster.com.

Johnny Mathis, 8 p.m. April 7, Peace Center, Greenville, S.C. 800-888-7768.

Dailey & Vincent, 8 p.m. April 13, Peace Center, Greenville, S.C. 800-888-7768.

With half of our residences sold or under contract, The Fitzgerald is the best-selling luxury community in Asheville. With breathtaking views, luxury appointments and special membership privileges to the full list of amenities at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Fitzgerald owners want for nothing. Well, there is one thing.

We’ve heard our homeowners say they’d like more neighbors. More great people added to the community. And more individuals to add to the lifestyle. Since our goal is always to enhance our homeowners’ experience, we have selected four featured residences that come with a New Neighbor Offer that will allow new homeowners to fully experience The Fitzgerald lifestyle as only Grove Park Inn can present it. We felt it was the neighborly thing to do.

We hope 2012 will be the Year of the Neighbor and we hope to welcome you to our premier neighborhood. We invite you to visit the interactive floorplan to discover the featured residences. The New Neighbor Offer* is available through June 30, 2012 only and financing is available. Call us at 828.251.1140 or contact us here and one of our on-site real estate agents will give you all the details.

*Offer subject to change or can be discontinued at any time without notice.

The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa is bringing in a slew of big-name performers for its winter season. Rather than just one performer at a time, the Grove Park Inn is pulling out all the stops for three full weekends of jazz, big band and Celtic music.

“Big Band and Swing Dance” weekend, Jan. 20-22, will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Service Organization (USO). The performance will feature NC Revelers Orchestra and the USO Liberty Bells. The Glenn Miller Orchestra will be there too, but tickets are sold out. Now’s the time to sign up for the rest of the weekend.

“All that Jazz” weekend, Jan. 27-29, will feature several top-notch performers, including The John Pizzarelli Quartet, Jessica Molaskey & Aaron Weinstein Trio and the Lenore Raphael Duo featuring Herman Burney. The New Yorker called Pizzarelli, his father Bucky and his wife Jessica Molaskey “the von Trapps on martinis” and publications from the LA Times to the San Francisco Chronicle continue to sing his praises.

“Celtic Adventure” weekend, Feb. 3-5, will feature Gaelic Storm (of Titanic fame), McPeake and Colin Grant-Adams. The concerts will celebrate the Scotish-Irish heritage of Western North Carolina with concerts at the Grove Park Inn’s grand ballroom.

See www.groveparkinn.com for the full schedule and pricing.

Saturday: Fletcher at 10:30 a.m. (along U.S. 25, 687-0751, visit www.fletcherparks.org), Marshall at noon (townofmarshall.org), Sylvaat 3 p.m.Saluda at 2 p.m., Newland at 6 p.m., Dec. 14: Tryon at 5 p.m.

Season long events

Christmas at Biltmore, through Jan. 1, Biltmore Estate. House and grounds decorated for the season. Candlelight Christmas Evenings, offering evening candlelight tours of Biltmore House, take place through Dec. 31. Visits with Santa on Saturdays through Dec. 18 plus the Friday after Thanksgiving. Local choirs and small musical ensembles stationed in the Winter Garden will perform music of the season as guests enter Biltmore House. String quartets and other musicians will perform throughout the house as guests wander among the decorated rooms. 877-BILTMORE. www.biltmore.com.

19th Century Carolina Christmas, through Jan. 4. Smith-McDowell House, at 283 Victoria Road, Asheville, is decked in Victorian holiday decor. Candlelight tours available by reservation for groups. $10 for adults, $6 for college students, $5 for ages 8-18. Call 253-9231 or visit www.wnchistory.org.

Holidays for Hospice, through Dec. 27. Asheville Mall hosts the CarePartners Garden of Memories, a quilt-themed contemplative space with books listing names of those remembered and honored through Memorial Ornaments. Outside Dillard”s Men’s Store and Hallmark. For details on ornaments, visit www.carepartnersfoundation.org. Call 277-4815.

“The Polar Express,” through Dec. 24, Bryson City. Read along with t he story “The Polar Express” on Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Meet Santa, enjoy caroling, hot cocoa and a treat. Times and dates vary. Tickets start at $39 for adults, $26 for ages 2-12. Visit www.gsmr.com or call 800-872-4681.

National Gingerbread House Competition, on display through Jan. 1. The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa hosts its 19th annual National Gingerbread House Competition. Community viewing Monday-Thursday only. At 290 Macon Ave., Asheville. Call 800-438-0050, ext. 1281.

“Stories of Gingerbread” guided tours, through Jan. 1. Go behind the scenes and learn about entries in the Grove Park Inn’s gingerbread competition. Hourlong tours at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. Adults $12, children 12 and younger $6. Reservations required; call 800-438-5800.

Holiday Fest, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., through Dec. 24, at Tom Sawyer’s Christmas Tree Farm and Elf Village, Glenville/Cashiers. Free. Visit www.tomsawyerchristmastreefarm.com.

Dec. 9-15

“Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol,” through Dec. 24, Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St., Asheville. Montford Park Players’ 35th annual production. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Dec. 8 and 15 performances are “pay what we’re worth nights,” where patrons see the show then decide what to pay. Call 254-5146 or visit www.montfordparkplayers.org.

“Return to Bethlehem,” Friday-Sunday, Groce United Methodist Church, 954 Tunnel Road, Asheville. Takes you through the experience of the Bethlehem marketplace as it might have appeared during Christ’s birth. Donations requested. Call 298-7647.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” Friday-Sunday, Brevard Little Theater. Performances at 8 p.m. Friday, and 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Adults $16, students $10. Call 884-2587 or visit www.brevardlittletheatre.com.

Hendersonville Children’s Choir concert, 6:30 p.m. Friday. At Covenant Presbyterian Church. Adults $5, students $2.50. Call 696-4968.

Christmas Candlelight Stroll, 6-9 p.m. Friday, downtown Weaverville. Luminaries, entertainment, carriage rides, refreshments and Santa. Visit www.visitweaverville.com.

Appalachian Christmas Celebration,Friday-Sunday Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. Performances by Lake Junaluska Singers on Friday-Saturday, and concert by David Holt at 8 p.m. Saturday. Craft show on Saturday. Worship service is Sunday. Visit www.lakejunaluska.com/christmas or call 800-222-4930.

Annie Moses Band Christmas Show, 7:30 p.m. Friday. At Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Adults $20, students $10. Call 273-4615 or visit www.greatmountainmusic.com.

Asheville Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Dec, Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, downtown Asheville. Call 257-4530 or visit www.dwtheatre.org or www.ashevilleballet.com.

Dillsboro Festival of Lights and Luminaries, Friday-Saturday, downtown Dillsboro. Live music, carolers, holiday treats and Santa from 5-8 p.m. Free. Call 800-962-1911 or visit www.visitdillsboro.org.

Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, “A Carolina Christmas” concert at Blue Ridge Conference Hall. Adults $30, students $5. Visit www.hendersonvillesymphony.org.

Bullington Center open house and holiday sale, 1-4 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Sale includes premium amaryllis, locally crafted evergreen sprays and wreaths, decorations and other gifts. Henderson County 4-H will sell crafts and Operation Toasty Toes will sell knitted items. Refreshments. At 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville. Call 698-6104.

Guitarists Ed Gerhard and Bill Mize 18th annual Christmas concert, 8 p.m. Friday, Jubilee!, 46 Wall St., Asheville. $20. Tickets available at Jubilee! or Malaprop’s on Haywood Street. 252-5355.

Annual holiday bazaar, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec Madison County Arts Council, 90 S. Main St., Marshall. Paintings, pottery, jewelry, botanicals, books, more. Free cider and raffle. 649-1301, www.madisoncountyarts. com.

Just Flute: Kate Steinbeck “Alone, Dancing,” 6-7 p.m. Saturday, Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Road (next to Grove Park Inn), Asheville. Free.

Santa on the Chimney 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Chimney Rock Park. Santa practices on 315-foot Chimney Rock. Regular admission.www.chimneyrockpark.com.

Holiday Origami Party for Kids, 1-3 p.m. Saturday. North Asheville Library hosts a drop-in party. Make an origami ornament to take home. Free for all ages. Call 250-4752 or email northasheville.library@buncombecounty.org.

Flat Rock Tailgate Christmas Market, 2-5 p.m. Saturday, in front of Hubba Hubba Smokehouse, Flat Rock. Call 697-7719.

Asheville:

There’s a reason Asheville always tops many “best places to retire” lists, say advisers: It’s got some of the best hiking in the nation, a thriving art scene that runs the gamut from folk to contemporary and roughly 500 restaurants. What’s more, Asheville is retiree-centric, and home to the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, which serves as a central meeting place for area retirees and offers more than 250 classes each year on everything from knitting to Buddhist philosophy.

“Asheville has got a cosmopolitan feel, but it’s still a small town,” says Catherine Frank, the executive director of the center. “That’s one of the things retirees really like — there’s a lot to do but you don’t have big city hassles like parking problems.” Those cosmopolitan perks include three nearby universities the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Warren Wilson and Western Carolina University dozens of art galleries and art classes devoted to everything from needlepoint to pottery to contemporary art, she says. One drawback: Asheville’s tiny airport offers few direct flights to many U.S. cities (most of the time you have to connect through Atlanta, Charlotte or New York), and those that are direct tend to be pricey.

Come Home to A Mountain Getaway – View Full Article

“Our presence was well received by The Grove Park Inn’s guests, and we look forward to launching our unique variety of outdoor activity programs in the near future,” NOC Asheville General Manager Ross Ryan said. “We’re delighted that NOC’s products and services are adding value and scope to the already rich guest experience.”

The shop’s retail space provides quality outdoor gear, fine casual apparel and local souvenirs for local Asheville residents, as well guests of The Grove Park Inn. Guests can shop men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, footwear and accessories from leading outdoor brands. NOC provides an on-site activity concierge for hotel guests.

A community grand opening event is scheduled for NOC Asheville at The Grove Park Inn in Spring 2012. www.noc.com or www.groveparkinn.com