Social Butterfly

One of the goals I set for myself before moving to Asheville, was to become a social butterfly. My tendency has always been to stay at home, even if something fun is going on elsewhere. The Seattle freeze encourages this behavior. But here in Asheville, I seem to be making great progress toward my goal, despite myself.

The people here are so dang friendly that you really have to go out of your way to not make friends. People sit on their porches and wave 'hello' as you walk by. They tell you to have a nice day and they really mean it. On at least three different occassions, I have witnessed someone giving a dollar to a total stranger who didn't have enough money for bus fare. I went to a raw food lecture and the organizer, who recognized me from my picture, gave me a hug - she was so happy to see me. I have a genuine conversation with a stranger almost every day.

On my way to the bus stop the other day, I saw a fellow bus rider leaving her home. Naturally, I sped up my pace so that she would not feel obligated to talk to me. But in standard Asheville style, she yelled across the street to me, "hey, are you walking to the bus?" We talked the whole way downtown. She gave me lots of good information about Asheville. Then she gave me her number and told me that she and her husband would help me move next weekend.

It's nice to know that after only one month in Asheville, I might already know enough people to invite to a housewarming party.

Raw food dish of the week - Strawberry Cheesecake

This recipe was so incredibly simple, and made a very nice after-dinner snack.



Ingredients: Almond meal (left over from making almond milk), strawberries, and agave nectar, packed together in alternating layers.