Well Played is, by its very nature, noisy: shouts of victory and groans of despair, a Taboo buzzer, a collapsing Jenga tower, Yahtzee dice clattering onto a table. The board game café, Asheville’s first, is like something out of a childhood daydream: Players young and old peruse shelves stocked with more than 500 games, from classic (Scrabble) to modern (Apples to Apples); at wide wooden tables, they snack on cookies, popcorn, and charcuterie, sip on coffee, hot chocolate, and, when a celebration requires it, champagne. In the iPhone age, the concept may seem like a blast from the past, but co-owner Cortland Mercer disagrees. Technology, he says, creates isolation. “People crave opportunities to come back together.” Though, admittedly, competition can throw a wrench in things: “We’ve had customers suggest that we keep a tally of relationships formed here versus relationships ended here,” Mercer laughs.
Can’t decide what to play? A Game Master can help you find the perfect fit, and will even explain the rules. photograph by Tim Robison
Well Played
58 Wall Street
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 232-7375
wellplayedasheville.com
Across the globe from Vietnam, effects of the war reverberate through the state, where social and political perspectives are shifting quickly and dramatically.
These places are the stewards of some very special items: Doc Watson’s first recording, the desk Virginia Woolf used to redefine the novel, and Elisha Mitchell’s pocket watch are just some of the cherished pieces that teach us about our state’s history and the people who preserve it.
From burgers to comfort food to elegant entrées, the range of plant-based dining in North Carolina is growing. Restaurants on this list are exclusively vegetarian and/or vegan.
