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It’s hard to believe that a quarter century has passed since the Mast General Store opened its fifth location on historic Biltmore Avenue in a resurging Downtown Asheville. Sunday, May 12, 2024, marks the date when the doors first officially opened to welcome locals and visitors alike. To celebrate, Mast Store is giving everyone who visits that day a free bag of its world-famous, freshly popped popcorn. ...read more
Local Flavor | Mast in the News
Asheville
What a difference a few decades make! The images of New York City were taken in 1970 (Bernard Gotfryd, Library of Congress) and in 2018 by Afif Ramdhasuma (from pexels.com). Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22 since it was established through grassroots efforts in 1970. It was a response to increasing concerns caused by smog (intense air pollution caused mainly by exhaust fumes), Great Lakes at risk of dying from pesticide runoff and waste dumping, and rivers that caught on fire (the Cuyahoga River in Ohio famously caught fire in June of 1969). It was also the year when monumental legislation was enacted to address all kinds of environmental concerns. ...read more
At Home | Inspiration
All
If it’s true, as they say, that seeing is believing, then we at Mast Store would like to propose another entry to your quip collection: Doing is moving. “Doing” not only requires movement - “doing” moves you both physically and emotionally. ...read more
Local Flavor | Mast Family Favorites | Travel
All
... Our favorite foods! Food is universal because everybody’s got ta eat! And the last two months of the year are filled with more than their fair share of family meals, work gatherings, special outings to favorite restaurants, tins filled with homemade cookies and fudge, and the anticipation of food traditions handed down from generation to generation ...read more
At Home | Recipes
All
Even before we bought the Mast General Store, we were taken by the beauty of Valle Crucis. We’ve heard people describe the drive out Broadstone Road as traveling through a time portal. In the 1970s, fields in the river bottoms would be filled with tobacco, cabbage, or high with hay to feed cattle that were grazing in the summer pasture. ...read more
All
The lucky few who have seen the Earth from a different perspective – astronauts - all echo the same viewpoint upon their return. Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut and the first human to go to space, commented, “Orbiting Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it.”
Behind the Scenes | Inspiration
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The fall season officially arrives this week. While it is often bittersweet – summer is so hard to say goodbye to - but autumn is full of beauty, activities, and seasonal flavors that our reluctance is soon overcome with excitement. The High Country is where our heart is, and it's where a fall itinerary can be filled as quick as a blink.
One of the most popular questions asked this time of year is, “Can you tell me when the peak of the leaf color will take place?” We are lucky enough to experience at least three peak color times. Permit us to explain. Higher elevations will peak first. So, in “normal” years, the peaks at Grandfather Mountain (elevation 5,945 feet) will peak around the first part of October. Middle elevations – like around Boone (elevation 3,333 feet) should see their peak around mid-October. For lower elevations, we’ll call those “under the mountain,” you can see the later color parade from above by stopping at the overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Highway 221, or many of the hiking trails that have long-range valley views around the end of October and first part of November.
Of course, the fall color show is all predicated on weather – lots of rain and wind can affect the longevity and intensity of the color, so let’s all hope for perfect conditions. Here’s a great resource to follow the leaves that is put together by a biology professor at Appalachian State University.
No matter when you come or what the colors are like, we want you to “branch out” and enjoy all the High Country has to offer.
Fall is a wonderful time to head out to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a scenic drive. Weekdays are a little less crowded than weekends if you can make it. Fill a Hydro Flask with your favorite cup o’ Joe, grab a biscuit, and catch a sunrise (Thunder Hill Overlook – Milepost 290.4 is a great spot). Drive across the Linn Cove Viaduct, which skirts the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. This section is often referred to as “the missing link” as it was the last section of the Blue Ridge Parkway to be completed 50 years after the first spade of earth was turned at Cumberland Knob in 1937. Of course, there are numerous overlooks to stop at and miles of hiking trails to stretch your legs along its length.
Speaking of Grandfather Mountain, it’s a great place to go to hike and to learn more about the Blue Ridge Mountains. The wildlife habitats, located near the Nature Museum, provide a wonderful opportunity to practice your animal photography skills and to just enjoy the antics of the otters. Be sure to head up to the top and walk across the Mile High Swinging Bridge. Tickets MUST be purchased online right now, which helps them better manage the number of people in the park. Wednesday is the least crowded time.
The roar of the crowd echoes through the hills on Saturday afternoons and some weeknights this season as the Mountaineers take to the gridiron to grapple with foes from far and near. The Appalachian State University game day experience is one of the best among mid-sized universities. Get your tickets and head to your parking spots early for tailgating, the Mountaineer Walk up Stadium Drive, and the stadium competition chant of App >>> State! You’ll find that you may be a little out of place if you don’t have on black, so come prepared. Since moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Mountaineers have played in six bowls and emerged victorious in all of them.
We like to say that fall has really arrived when the “frost is on the pumpkin.” You can find many pumpkins to base your own saying on at the New River Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, located just outside of Boone, or the Harvest Farm Corn Maze, which is just down the road from the Original Store in Valle Crucis. They are also places you’ll enjoy visiting to get lost in the corn maze. Get your Jack ‘o Lantern or pumpkins for pies, chili, or soups. Check their Facebook pages for open days and times.
Of course, we can’t send you off on an empty stomach. That certainly wouldn’t be good hospitality. For breakfast or lunch, we’ll suggest heading over to our favorite diner – Troy’s Diner, to be exact. It’s located on Highway 105 and is just as neon and shiny as you would expect a traditional diner to be. You can’t go wrong with the biscuits and gravy here, and for lunch, we highly recommend the meatloaf – it’s very light and flavorful – with a side of fried okra. For supper, we’ll send you to the Dan’l Boone Inn. As granny would say, “It’s your own fault if you leave hungry.” The meal is served family-style and includes country ham biscuits, fried chicken, corn, green beans, stewed apples, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, black cherry preserves, and homemade desserts. Seriously, if you have a plastic container or two to take with you, the leftovers make a good lunch the next day. This is a VERY popular stop every day but even more so on the weekends, so keep that in mind. *Photos borrowed from Troy's Diner & Dan'l Boone Inn Facebook pages.
Fall is a fleeting season. It seems like it is so much shorter than the other three. Make a plan – write it down and put it on your calendar – to take advantage of the cooler temperatures for a hike, a picnic, a drive, a visit to the farmer’s market, or whatever helps you get in a fall mood. If you blink twice, you’ll miss it.