Asheville is not RED, but the Hippies sure are

So I'm not sure what it is about Asheville Hippies (one shirt boasted the saying, "Altitude Affects Attitude") but they have a beef with the world and they are going to take it out on every outsider who crosses their path. Heavens!!

I made the grievous mistake of asking some hippie sweeping in front of her shop front (organic clothing) if there was a Starbucks anywhere. I needed some soy chocolate milk desperately and wasn't sure if the 80 coffee shops we passed on the way in would have soy milk or not. So I asked if there was a Starbucks around. *Hiss* "Um, no. There aren't any Starbucks around here... but Ziggy's coffee shop down the street has a great cup of coffee." I inquire about soy milk and that being the key factor in deciding my coffee shop of choice for the day. She says that it's Asheville and of course they do. Well okay then. As we are feeding the parking meter by her shop, she adds as a friendly suggestion:

"You know that soy milk contributes to the deforestation of Africa, right?"

"No, I didn't. I'll have to read up on that."

And dad and I proceed to QUICKLY walk towards Ziggys. Here I thought I was being a good girl drinking my soy milk and now this chick has a beef with that. We were talking to the wonderful girl at Bath Junkie later and recounting the story. I joked about saying "So what do YOU drink?" to the scary hippie. But the bath girl simply said that would have been even scarier as she might have gone into a story about how she captures rainwater off her roof and sends it through a special purifier which then is used to make her ice, run her toilet, and give her delicious organic water. Lol. I feared bath girl was only too correct.

So we find the Starbucks later. I go in to get my chocolate soy milk, 4 pumps mocha, 1 pump vanilla, light ice cup of perfection and ask the guy up front about it. He confirms that there are really scary hippies downtown and that the Starbucks on Charlotte street has had a brick thrown through its window a few times. CAN YOU IMAGINE?! So much hatred towards a freaking coffee shop that you'd throw a brick through its window?

Asheville is obviously not the place for me. I'd have to fight too many hippies to survive.

Otherwise, I like it. The antic junk shops, the funny one way streets, the one of kind eateries (including, sadly, some awesome coffee shops - hippies and all), and interesting people.

I adore Bath Junkie (click for website). She has the bases for shower gels, body lotions, bath salts, bath bubbles, etc. You merely decide what scent and color you want it to be!! That way, she said, they never run out of a scent that you enjoy like B and B works does. She says she often times has people bring in their B&BW scents and she matches them and makes them better. Of course, being in Asheville, all of her stuff is organic and good for you and doesn't have alcohol. I got some shave gel that has the scent of Green Tea and Aloe Vera. HEAVENLY!! I want to shave my legs all the time now.

What else? Um.. Dad and I had a delicious meal at the Grove Park Inn last night. I had crab cakes, a baby spinach salad with out of this world dressing, half of some Chilean sea bass delight that dad ordered, Gouda mac and cheese (as a side), and then some creme brulee. YUM! Best dinner we've had while being here. Even beat the Biltmore. Anywho, dad and I did a little hike (wish I had pictures of the top of one of the blue ridge mtns) and a lot of walking in the past few days so hopefully all that deliciousness hasn't gone straight to my hips (ha!). Alas, I'll be walking enough in the next four years to loose any excess gained in the last non-walking year of my life. ;)

Till next time, I remain your red head.