great city life
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2/20/2013
We moved to Asheville four years ago. Have lived in NY City, Philadelphia, St Louis, Rochester NY and Princeton, NJ - so can provide comparisons of culture and recreation with sophisticated areas. Asheville, for its size, has more to offer than the previously mentioned sites! Wonderful arts - including top-notch galleries, over 150 private studios in the River Arts District and in mountain retreats, fine symphony with members from all over the world, many good local bands (jazz, symphonic, etc.), many talented woodworkers,potters, musicians, etc. The arts are part of everyday life here. In addition, fantastic mountains, streams, lakes - fine fishing, hiking, biking, boating, golfing, birding, professional baseball, college sports. Good liberal arts colleges as well as strong community college system with over 20,000 students. Wonderful food - much of it grown or raised locally. The small, local breweries are something to behold - with a fine range of good beer, food and music. Friendly people. Minimal traffic (compared to what I was used to) and good roadways. Interesting architecture - particularly in Historic Montford and in mountain communities. Many writers and writing groups. Many music and arts festivals.
Overall, a wonderful place to live. One downside, except for healthcare workers, there are currently few jobs available that pay well. This could change as high tech is starting to sprout more positions.
barry | Asheville, NC