Be Festive with Santa in Biltmore Park

Santa Claus is coming to town - Biltmore Park Town Square that is. This Friday, December 24th from 3PM to 6PM Santa will be available to hear all the last minute requests. As an added bonus you are welcome to have your child's photo taken for free. Just be sure to bring your own camera with you.

Biltmore Park is located off of I-26 at exit 37. If there is inclement weather then you can find Santa in the lobby of the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park. While you're there you can enjoy a delicious meal or appetizer at Roux, one of the best values for a meal in Biltmore Park.

Special thanks to my friends Michael and Chance for use of their photo.

Dine to Be Kind in Asheville

On Tuesday, February 23, join Animal Compassion Network and for the 7th Annual Dine to Be Kind event. Dine in or take out from any of the participating restaurants and they will donate a percentage of the day's dining to ACN's Spay/Neuter Assistance and Foster Programs. Since 2000, ACN's Betty Fund has funded the spay/neuter surgery for 10,000 pets belonging to low-income families, and the demand on the program has never been higher.

Please click on the restaurants below to find menus, directions, or hours!

Apollo Flame Bistro * Asheville Ale House * Battery Park Book Exchange * Blue Sky Cafe * Brixx Wood Fired Pizza * Bone-a-fide Bakery * Cafe Azalea * cafe ello * Cats & Dawgs * Charlotte Street Grill & Pub * Chorizo * Corner Kitchen * chai pani * Cucina 24 * Curras Dom * Dripolator Coffeehouse * Doc Chey's Noodle House * Filo Pastries * Frank's Roman Pizza * Green Sage Coffeehouse & Cafe * Grove Park Inn: Blue Ridge Dining Room, Horizons, Sunset Terrace Chophouse * Kilwin's Chocolate, Fudge & Ice Cream * Laughing Seed Cafe * Lenny's Sub Shop *  Madison's Black Mountain * The Market Place * Morning Glory Cafe * Mellow Mushroom * Mountain Brew Cafe & Bakery * Nine Mile Inc * Oakie Dokie Smokehouse * Pomodoros * Province 620 * Rise 'N Shine Cafe * Rosetta's Kitchen * Roux at The Hilton * Sazerac * Sante Wine Bar * Sunny Point Cafe * Sunnyside Cafe * 12 Bones Smokehouse * Thai Basil * The Hop Ice Cream * Tomato Jam * Urban Burrito * Usual Suspects * Waggers Dog Depot * Wayne's Restaurant * Well-Bred Bakery & Cafe * West End Bakery * Wine Studio of Asheville * Wild Wing Cafe

Help us spread the word! Download an event flier from here and post in your office, school, church, community center, grocery store and any place else you go. Interested in being a Dine to Be Kind Advocate? Email Kelly Stoner for details: kellystoneracn@gmail.com.

Also, through the entire month of February, Sensibilities Day Spa will match any donations to ACN (up to $1000). Just bring your ACN donation to 59 Haywood Street or Two Town Square Boulevard in Biltmore Park, and help twice as many cats and dogs in need. Thank you, Sensibilities Day Spa, for all of the support you have given ACN and our rescues over the years!

If you're traveling from out of town, check out the Hilton which will be participating in this year's event.

Sneak Peek of the new Hilton Asheville - opening soon!

The new Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park Hotel is scheduled to open within the month and once completed will be the greenest hotel in Western North Carolina. Located in the Biltmore Park neighborhood of south Asheville, the Hilton is working towards becoming a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Design) certified property.

This 165 room hotel is one of the first in the nation to utilize a large scale solar water heating system. This system will eliminate twenty five tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is the equivalent of planting 7,377 trees. Other sustainable elements included in the development of the Hilton are the use of CFL light bulbs, a linen reuse program, an airport shuttle that relies on alternative fuel, special parking for Hybrid vehicles and the use of only environmentally friendly cleaning products. Also, during the construction of the hotel they used building material consisting of low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) which will result in lower emissions of toxins from the building.

The hotel will offer guest rooms that are decorated with a modern utopian appeal designed to match the exciting surroundings of Biltmore Park. Each guest room offers a 37 inch TV, refrigerator, and various other creature comforts you would expect from a Hilton property. The bathrooms are appointed with floor-to-ceiling marble and an inviting glass enclosed shower. The executive suites are spacious and inviting. They boast luxurious bathrooms some feature Whirlpool tubs.

The entire hotel is 100% non smoking and will feature complimentary high-speed wired and wireless Internet. The hotel's ultra-modern fitness center contains Precor® cardio-theater equipment, an indoor lap pool and whirlpool. The Hilton Asheville will also be home to Sparrow Spa, a luxurious destination spa featuring natural, organic products and a full menu of relaxing and rejuvenating services.

The really convenient aspect of the Hilton's location is that guests can enjoy walking the shops and dining at the various restaurants of Biltmore Park. Local businesses include REI, Barnes & Noble, Sensibilities Day Spa, Reuters YMCA, PF Changs, Brixx Pizza, 131 Main, Roux, and more. There is also a stadium seating movie theater, the Regal Biltmore Grande 15, which is just a few steps away from the Hilton's front door.

For more information or to reserve a room you can visit here.