Just Walking Around...And Then

One last visit to downtown Asheville concentrated on an unguided walk.

We began along Church Street and at the corner of Patton Avenue is "...the Drhumor Building, a splendid example of Asheville architecture in the Romanesque Revival style. Built in 1895, this boldly detailed building is the oldest standing commercial building downtown. It features an elaborate exterior limestone frieze carved by English sculptor Frederick Miles.

Some of the allegorical stone images are believed to represent local residents of the era. Named for an Irish Island, Drhumor is pronounced "Drummer", but locals often fondly refer to it as the "Doctor Humor" building.

"A little farther along Patton Ave is the S&W Cafeteria, widely acclaimed as downtown's most flamboyant Art Deco presentation of Asheville architecture in the Art Deco style.

"Designed as a cafeteria by Douglas D. Ellington in 1929, it was constructed at the height of Asheville's historic building boom.

"The ornate façade of this two-story structure is festive and cheerful, displaying a profusion of exuberant stylistic details that include colorful repeating geometric designs of cream, green, blue, black and gilt glazed terra-cotta tiles, all of which come together in a harmonious whole."

Today, there was a small group of musicians in Pritchard Park. We later learned that the time to be at the park is Friday night.

"Stop by the Asheville Drum Circle on every Friday night. Anyone can participate by drumming, dancing or watching." (Dozens of drummers show up over the course of the four-hour gathering.)

"One of the most famous and popular of the remaining Asheville architecture buildings is the Flatiron Building. It was designed by Albert C. Wirth and constructed in 1925-26. An elegant Beaux Arts styled eight-story office building faced with limestone, the term "Flatiron" refers to its triangular wedge shape that was created to fit the irregular lot. Indeed, its eastern side is just barely wide enough to accommodate an entry door.

"Photographers love to capture images of this unique building along with the sculpture of a traditional flat iron (designed by a local Asheville artist, Reed Todd) that stands just across Wall Street.

"Street musicians often perform in front of the sculpture, adding a festive air to this entrance of Wall St, which is one of the city's prettiest and most popular thoroughfares for shopping and dining."

"SkyBar may be accessed through the historic downtown Asheville’s Flatiron Building main entrance" (asheville-mountain-magic.com/asheville-architecture).

From the eighth floor of this landmark building, SkyBar offers views of the Western horizon and the smokey Blue Mountains.

We headed along Wall Street populated by shops, shoppers, street musicians,

and, around a corner, chess players.

Our walk to us to a wonderful destination. Past Carmel's Restaurant and the crowded tables,

past a number of shops and outdoor dining locations

to True Confections for a made from scratch heavenly treat of blueberry ice cream scrunched ever so carefully between two homemade lemon cookies. Ooooh My.

I asked if I could buy stock in their company--it was that good, but unfortunately....