Edgy Mama

…plus see the film while drinking champagne.

From director Chusy Jardine:

ANYHWERE USA, the LOCALLLY PRODUCED, SUNDANCE AWARD-WINNING FILM will hold a ONE-NIGHT-ONLY, CHAMPAGNE SCREENING FUNDRAISER, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2008 , AT 8 PM AT THE FINE ARTS THEATRE. TICKETS ARE $50.00 PER PERSON and can be purchased at the box office.

The film Quentin Tarantino suggests “reduces audiences into a delighted, giggling mob” will be shown one night only at the Fine Arts Theatre in downtown Asheville to raise funds for its makers to attend festivals and promote their film far and wide. Champagne will be served and a Q & A with the director will follow the film’s screening.

We’ve been accepted to one of the ne plus ultra festivals in Europe the British Film Institute’s LONDON FILM FESTIVAL. It is our best and last chance to showcase our film before distributors from the and and for them to see the impact it has on collective audiences. Our presence is imperative to drum up interest, make ourselves available to sales agents and to attend the question and answer period afforded the filmmakers.
ANYWHERE, USA is a comedy of manners in three parts. It won the SPECIAL JURY PRIZE for singularity of vision and spirit of independence, in a jury led by Quentin Tarantino at the 2008 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL. The film will screen next in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, The United Kingdom, Sweden and will be the opening night film of this year’s Chicago Underground Film Festival.

For more information, visit the website.

Here’s my story for Mountain Xpress about the film after it won the Sundance Award.

I was sorely motivated to write about my concerns for my kids’ futures in this week’s column for Mountain Xpress.

How are you all feeling about this? How are you handling it?

xoxoxo

Me winning the “Best Writing” award and a cool, but decrepit Smith-Corona designed by Carmen Ghia!

Yes, the huge annual, multi-syllabic blogger party is over. My bad photos are here (my excuse–most of these weren’t taken by me as my position as awards gift giver and hugger of all winners precluded photography).

Unlike Aric, I didn’t have any actual party wounds, but I’m wiped out after an unusually happening weekend.

Read all about the party at Blogasheville.  I’ll give you the lowdown on drinks and debates with Steve Almond later.

Nap time!

Is anyone else tired of talking about gas? Instead of saying, “Hi, how are you?” when you run into someone, they’re saying, “Got any gas?” I guess that’s going to be the greeting of the 21st century.

I’m hoping that folks will, despite the fuel shortage, get out to Malaprop’s tonight to see Steve Almond (7 p.m.) and get out to the Blog party tomorrow night (6 p.m., courtyard behind Scully’s).  I’ll be bussing around town.

Hope to see lots of folks out and about!

Biscy says, “Drinking beer with writers is good for you!”

In good news for Asheville, writer Steve Almond will be at Malaprop’s on Friday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. He’ll be reading, ranting and mixing it up with us regulars.

Here’s the interview I did with Steve for Mountain Xpress (well, a small piece of it–we talked for about 45 minutes).

Y’all come out to hear Steve–by foot, by boat, by train. However you can get there.

Everyone around here is talking, panicking, reacting to the gasoline shortage. I wrote a column today about the gas panic–and how that, plus the financial crisis plus climate change plus Sarah Palin–are making me worried for my kids’ future.

But the column won’t be published until Monday, so you’ll have to wait. In the mean time, I’m hoping that one positive from this mess is that we stop taking our cars for granted. Wouldn’t it be nice if carpooling, bus riding, and walking were the norm instead of the exception?

Of course, this is how the world will be in 50 or so years. Because, guess what? The world is running out of oil. You can drill, baby, drill all you want and buy us a few more years, but, remember, oil’s a nonrenewable resource. And it’s disappearing quickly.

Feeling happy now, aren’t you?

I’m going to bed.

Even if you’ve already procreated, you should enjoy this quiz.

Happy Monday!

 I finally met Kilgore, the man behind Asheville Beer Blog. More Brewgrass 2008 photos at my Flickr site and tomorrow at Mountain Xpress photo galleries.

Tomorrow is Asheville’s premier bluegrass and craft beer tasting festival, Brewgrass.

Again this year I wrote an article about the fest for Mountain Xpress, with an updated guide to WNC’s microbreweries.

What I didn’t include in the article, I’ll tell you here.

My advice for the day. Bring sunscreen and/or a hat. Even though it looks to be wonderfully cool this year (especially compared to 2007’s sizzler), there’s not much shade at the park. You’ll go home toasted in more ways than one without protection.

Bring extra cash for food. Barley’s, Doc Chey’s, Ruby’s Barbecue, the kettle popcorn guy, and one other local restaurant I can’t remember at the moment, will have food for sale. Face it, not many of us can drink for seven straight hours without a some solid sustenance along the way.

Also, bring either a designated driver, cab or bus fare, or your walking shoes. You know why.

OK, enough mothering.

Now for my advice on the local brews to make sure you taste.

Highland puts out a special high-gravity beer for Brewgrass. This year it’s the Imperial Black Mocha Stout. Asheville Beer Blog has more here. The Imperial will probably go fast. When you see a line forming at the Highland tent, hie yourself hither.

Pisgah Brewing will bring their Valdez, a high-gravity coffee-flavored stout. Definitely worth a taste. Or two.

Of the Asheville Brewing beers that will be on hand, the Rocket Girl’s my fave. Light and bubbly and a great name. Watch for when APBC’s folks bring out the T-shirt sling. But be careful. I’ve seen elbows to the face and broken noses result from jostling for these tees.

Catawba Valley’s King Don’s Pumpkin Ale, my favorite pumpkin ale ever, will be on tap at their tent.  Not too sweet, but smooth and crisp. Like a pumpkin.

Heinzelmannchen Brewery’s Weis Gnome is a yummy white-style ale. My favorite of their beers so far.

I also love the Wedge’s Wit Bier. It’s got some depth while retaining that fresh lightness that I want in a Belgian.

French Broad Brewing’s Ryehopper Ale is getting lots of raves. I haven’t tried it yet, but I will tomorrow.

And Green Man will have a hand-pumped cask beer, probably of their Porter, on hand. It probably won’t last long, but it will be well worth tasting while it’s there.

Other beer tents I’m looking forward to visiting from outside the WNC area are Dogfish Head, Rogue, Duck Rabbit, and Weeping Radish, among others. I didn’t see Flying Dog or Abita on this year’s list, which is too bad. Although I’m not sure when the list was last updated.

Oh, and I didn’t get this in time for my article, but I hear Craggie Brewing will be holding their own beer fest of sorts. Because they aren’t yet licensed, they can’t participate in Brewgrass, but they’ll be giving away their beers all afternoon from their soon-to-be-opened brewery. I have yet to visit, but I hear their strawberry porter rocks.