Fruit of the Vine

In an iconic vineyard drunk in musical talent, it's hard to stand out in Asheville's crop of bluegrass elite. For Ashleigh Caudill & Narrow Gauge, however, their audience is listening with toe-tapping conviction and a thirst for more... This band's young and energetic rhythm draws both a traditional and alternative crowd, all dazzled by Caudill's steep talent and vocal tempt. Ashleigh Caudill & Narrow Gauge delivers clever bluegrass originals and old favorites alike, so be sure to check out their website for more information: www.narrowgaugemusic.com. Their new CD, "Fruit of the Vine" is also available on CDBaby.com.

Here's what the critics are saying about these emerging superstars:

"Ashleigh Caudill has an undeniable gift for songwriting with a keen aptitude for carving out a tune." -Claire Lynch

"I was enamored with Ashleigh Caudill & Narrow Gauge's performance at Pueblo Bluegrass on the River. Ashleigh is not just a bass player keeping the beat, she is leading her band in a fresh, new, captivating and genuinely entertaining stage show. I would recommend Ashleigh Caudill & Narrow Gauge for your next event, venue or festival."

"Ashleigh is a talented vocalist who has created an excellent collection by blending original material with established pieces. The prime focus of "I'm Not Fallin'" is on her vocal talents, and she certainly confirms that she is a voice to be reckoned with." -Bluegrass Unlimited

"Ashleigh reminds me of why I love music so much, not only is she a great musician, singer and songwriter, with very clever arrangements, but she sings and performs her tunes with a passion and joy that everyone strives to achieve. I love every tune on this record and I know that everyone else is going to fall in love with her and her original music... Great job Ashleigh." 
-Tim Carter: Musician/Recording Engineer 

Embelysh

With the holidays right around the corner, now is the perfect time to get ahead of the sleigh bell and ring in stylish on one-of-a-kind, personalized children's clothes created perfectly for any little elf. Embelysh is owned and operated by two Chicago moms, Lori Longden and Sara Zientara, both parents of two. Starting a business together was a natural union for these friends, as they share a love of children, design and the art of gift giving. Their dedication to bringing their customers unique and special treasures is evident in the extensive assortment of product choices. Whether your baby is a rocker, a trucker, a ballerina or a surfer, you will be sure to find something great on their website: www.embelysh.com.

Embelysh's clothing styles are simple and hip-- there's a touch of couture and luxury in each set, but a price point that won't break your budget. Check out their holiday onesies or give them a call directly if there's something specific you have in mind for your little one. Lori and Sara are known for their attention to detail, impeccable customer service and overall loveliness. So embroider and order away for your friends and family. Take it from me because this ain't no embellishment-- their stuff is really that cute!

Hey Atlanta- Rorey Carroll is headed your way!

Join Rorey Carroll at the Old Tucker Fountain for her unofficial CD release in the great state of Georgia this Saturday, September 25 from 7-9 pm.

Here are the details:

2329 Main Street

Tucker, GA 30084

See you there!

Healthy Obsession- Ecker's Greens.

In a city known for its friendly people, rich music and windy politicians, there are a few pioneers amongst its ranks that are dedicated to putting Chicago on the map for green living. Howard Ecker has combined decades of real estate powerhouse success and his overall personal panache with a clear strategy of human and office "greening." As a beacon of change, Ecker is committed to shifting the way Chicagoans (and beyond) are thinking about sustainability and health in the workplace. Helping businesses achieve equilibrium for the environment is what EckerGreen is all about.

Here's a small sample of the company's Modus Operandi:

*Our commitment is supported by actions and behaviors that guide our efforts.

*Don't be afraid to start small and just see how you go... but do start.

*It's all about continuous improvement.

*Small changes can make a big difference.

So here are my marching orders for a greener you-- check out www.eckergreen.com to start your journey down the road less traveled. And remember, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not." -Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax.

Acadian Gyro

Ed Shay

Acadian Gyro, 1987, bronze, 10' 8" x 5' 8" x 4' 8", DeCordova Permanent Collection 1989.70, Gift of the Artist in memory of Hector H. MacDonald
Ed Shay discovers the meanings behind his sculptures during the process of creation. His forms are elemental, evocative, and universal, functioning as symbols of continuity, imbalance, change, destruction, and growth. Ascending toward the sky, Acadian Gyro is saturated with personal experiences and addresses reality as an individual construct. Many of Shay's ancestors settled in Acadia, and Acadian Gyro started as an exploration of his heritage. Building on leaf and branch forms, it developed from a primitive skeletal sculpture of a ship into a fish with winged oars. Shay explains, "The overall piece is a spiritual totem which I came to equate, quite unexpectedly, with my grandfather, Hector McDonald. I mounted the piece on a crudely fashioned rooftop structure much as a gyroscope ensures direction and stability as afforded by my heritage."

http://www.decordova.org/decordova/sculp_park/shay.html

This is it!

You've got one day to hitch a ride, call in sick or just show up ready to boogie in the kicking town of Asheville, NC, home of the infamous MoDaddy's Bar. Rorey Carroll will be releasing her highly anticipated CD, recorded by local heavyweight Eric Wilson and featuring some of the industry's most influential players (members of Ricky Skagg's Kentucky Thunder, Mountain Heart, famed fiddle icon, Stuart Duncan, and some of her favorite local Asheville musicians).

Can it get any sweeter? Why, YES! The Honeycutters, known for their live performances and songs that stick, are opening for Rorey.

Sweeter, you say? Why, YES! Make sure to meet the real Mama Maribeth from "Mama was Right," who will be dancing in the crowd, teary eyed, and elbowing everyone, "that's my daughter..."

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Who doesn't like the sound of "free" in this tough economy? Well, it doesn't get much better than the "Hardly Strictly Bluegrass" festival because not only is admission gratis, but it's located in San Francisco's picturesque Golden Gate Park. Bonus? This years marks their 10th anniversary, so be ready for a true knockdown celebration of festivities and people watching. The bill is jam packed with bluegrass talent and beyond-- check out their website for more information.

http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/

Pixies with Chiggers and Sweet Gordy Sings

Rick McKinney is an acclaimed writer that features "Gordy" (aka Rorey Carroll) in one of his many intimate tales of his adventures hiking the Appalachian Trail. His book is titled "Dead Men Hike No Trails."

Read here what he has to say about their fleeting encounter on the trail.

Brief sweet moment last night, however, in crowded shelter thus tight up against pretty young Gordy, the wood nymph. She pulled out her guitar and sang angelic, a siren benign without her rocky shoals yet powerful enough in song to pull us all in, every ear in the crowded shelter that night attuned, listening.

I nursed her on my fifth of mescal by candlelight while a dozen guys and a girl or two looked on in the dark, gaga. “Too bad she’s southbound,” I thought to myself. “I’ll likely never see her again.” Another ghost, another angel!

Gordy is a ski lift operator in the other world. Her bare legs are long cat scratch posts, all scrapes and mud and bug bites and long gouges and dried blood. Suddenly I am Tarzan, and they’re beautiful in a Jane kind of way. I ask about the gouges. “Chiggers,” she says. How do you kill chiggers? “Nail polish. You suffocate ’em. They die beneath your skin.” Then what? I don’t want to know.

Wild girl Gordy strums her guitar, a narrow thing lute-like, and sings sweetly from a handful of damp and dog-eared lyrics somebody printed off the Web and carried, triple-folded in rain-soaked pockets. Now it’s the Dead and “I Know You Rider,” and Arms, the quiet giant, has joined in on his guitar, peeling off the bubblewrap and tape with which he carefully protected it from the rain. Beat Box, ever the man to reappear in my hike no matter how much time I take off or fall behind or climb ahead, he’s there. He appears here tonight phantom-like, the genie from the bottle, his ever-singing spirit Aladdin. Loquacious and never at a loss for quoted words or lyrics, he seems to stumble in the face of true love. “Gordy, if you were a guitar, you are the one I’d pick,” he says.

Now Beat Box has bowed out, gone back to his journal. Gordy sings “No Expectations” and Arms play along here in the loft of the William Penn Shelter. A friend writes and describes swimming with dolphins and though I can only imagine, I feel I can relate after this day of so much rain like walking through waterfalls. Gordy, the siren, the mermaid, gives us music, a higher intelligence than these dull and static words. Tonight I, too, swam with dolphins.

[From Chapter Fourteen, "Dead Men Hike No Trails" by Rick McKinney]

Learn more about Rick McKinney on his website:

http://www.jiggl

ebox.com/

Alone and Unafraid

Speak softly and wear a kickass T-shirt.


I would be irresponsible if I didn't give you this disclaimer right up front... this bad ass company is ran by a bunch of bad asses.   Just the images and stories alone captured on the website, ooze the authority of real heroes silently navigating the charge of paying the price, bearing the burden, meeting the hardship, supporting all friends, and opposing any foe-- all to secure the liberties of our patriotism. 


Don't be afraid, mere civilian... one of their motto's read "never make yourself look tall by making others look small."  That being said, seek comfort in this company of kind hearted bulldogs, and puff out your chest sporting one of their shirts (even if your CrossFit membership has expired or you never even signed up). Know that you're supporting a very deserving cause and a good group of honest fellas that exemplify deeds, not words.

www.aloneandunafraid.com

www.facebook.com/pages/AloneAndUnafraidcom/137001636996?ref=ts

American Pride

Nothing screams out American more than an eagle. Whether you're cruising on a Harley, jumping out of an airplane or reminiscing about your glory days as a young buck in uniform, wearing a Mike Carroll original will surely give you that patriotic fix. With so many to choose from, why stop on one finger?

EAGLERINGS.COM walks the walk when it comes to giving back to our veterans and active duty military. Check out their website for more information, or give Mike a call-- he answers your questions personally and handcrafts the finest rings out there. Period.

Are you in touch?

I like to surround myself with interesting people, and I must say Kimberly Anderson Mavronicles is one legit lady. I've literally known this woman since I was wobbling around in diapers, but don't let that fool you. She has commanded my attention for 30+ years. If you know her already, it's not a stretch to vouch that she has redesigned your favorite room, painted your kitchen a very unexpected color, or inspired you to dust off Grandma's forgotten china for an upcoming fête. If you don't know Kim, you need to jump on the bus. Check out her website, follow her blog, read her client's testimonials, and start your path to a cooler self. Best part about Kim? Her taste in music revels her panache of design-- don't be surprised if she shows up at your house bearing Depeche Mode cassette tapes, a color wheel, and a bottle of really yummy wine.

www.touchstoneculture.com

Hey Asheville and Atlanta!!! Rorey is headed your way...

Mark your calendars, friends!

September 23- CD Release Party @ Mo Daddy's in Asheville, NC

September 25- CD Release Party @ Moonshadow in Atlanta, GA

Catch Rorey this week as she heads down South for her CD release parties.

More are on the horizon, so stay tuned.

Queen of Cakes

So I have this dear friend that my circle calls "Midcentury Morgan," and I am convinced she is a domestic goddess. First of all, she is totally creative and gorgeous, inside and out. Second of all, she is one hell of a host. Her house looks like it could be one of the sets for a Madmen episode, and let me tell you, I miss the daily inspiration I collected from her as a fellow mom when we were Fallbrook troublemakers.

When we moved from San Diego to Seattle, my BFF (Molly) threw me and Chris a farewell party. It was one of those nights that I will never forget--

it was absolutely perfect. To top it all off, Morgan made us a cake. Folks, this was no ordinary cake. To send us off to Seattle in style, she literally built an edible "Space Needle" masterpiece. The cake and icing? Various shades of coffee flavors-- how fitting. Note that the cake was over 3 feet tall.The other image is a little something that she whipped up for her daughter's birthday-- Midcentury Morgan is just that cool. Let me know if you want me to put you in touch with her. I'm convinced she should host her own show on the Food Network.

Ghosts

Does your past follow you? Here is a retrospective collection masterminded by the very talented, very brilliant Ed Shay. I love it all, but I'm particularly drawn to his watercolors.

Check it out: http://www.edshay.com/.

Exhibit: http://www.museum.siu.edu/exhibits.html

From one blog to another...

Couldn't have said it any better:

http://dreamspider.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/rorey-carroll-releases-%E2%80%9Croadside-lullabies%E2%80%9D-in-asheville-on-thurs-sept-23rd/

More buzz on the beauty...

http://www.exploreasheville.com/event-calendar/event-details/index.aspx?eid=5626

Roadside Lullabies

Rorey Carroll Releases “Roadside Lullabies” at MoDaddy’s on Thurs, Sept 23rd

Rorey Carroll is a singer songwriter sitting pretty between her Americana, folk and alternative country/bluegrass influences. “Roadside Lullabies”, her first album, was recorded by Eric Wilson and will be released at the end of September, 2010. The alb

um was recorded Echo Mountain Studios and Omni Artists Productions; it was mastered at Crossroads Music, all in the Asheville, NC area.

Rorey Carroll will be releasing “Roadside Lullabies” at MoDaddy’s bar in Asheville on Thursday, September 23rd. The show start at 9pm with the Honeycutters. Playing along with Carrol for the evening will be Rick Cooper- guitar, Aaron Ramsey- mandolin + banjo, Jess Smith- bass, and Zeb Bowles- fiddle.
Rorey Carroll’s fiercely independent spirit is reflected in her songwriting, while her sweet voice resonates the soulful energy. She credits her parents for encouraging her personal expression in music and poetry at an early age. From her life experiences on foot, through the window of her car, to the bed of a freight train, Carroll has learned to use her guitar as a vehicle to tell a story.
She got her first taste of wandering when she moved from the Midwest to Leadville, a small mining town in Colorado. Leadville exposed her to a different lifestyle. In a place where hitchhiking and living in a tent is the norm, Carroll lived hand to fist, out of a backpack, learning the skills that would take her around the country. Inspired by her new life, she picked up her guitar and started putting her poetry into music. From her first three chords, she wrote her first songs.
At 20, she decided to walk the Appalachian Trail, from northern Georgia to Maine, with a good friend, a mean dog and a backpack friendly guitar. She fell in love with the older mountains and culture of Appalachia and settled into Asheville, NC after the trail. Immersing herself into an area of the country thick with amazing songwriters, musicians and inspiration, Carroll learned more a
bout the art of songwriting and composition. She delved deeper into herself to create songs with love, angst and emotion.
Carroll began to attract the attention of the music industry with her onstage performances throughout the South and at Desert Rocks in Moab, UT, singing her songs “Head Hung” and “Leaning on Lonely”, and “Golden Sky”. She has sold her self-released recordings through local festivals and music venues across the country.
Show details at a glance:
Rorey Carroll CD Release Party“Roadside Lullabies”The Honeycutters open
Thursday, September 23rd.MoDaddy's
9pm, $5 general, $15 with CD
77-B Biltmore AvenueAsheville, NC
828-258-1550
www.myspace.com/modaddysbar
www.roreycarroll.com