Visit Fayetteville WV

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Aaron Gooden

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Culinary Tour of Fayetteville

Most certainly, Fayetteville is known for its outdoor adventure. World-class whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, fishing and more await the adrenaline junkies who visit, and we have a really big bridge that excites folks, too!

But, what sometimes gets overlooked is that Fayetteville is THE dining destination of the New River Gorge. Culinary options abound! Local independents, farmer’s market, national chains; we have it all. You’ll find low country Cajun, biscuits, gourmet pizza, deluxe coffee, serious sandwiches, sports bars, baked goods, ice cream, super soups and salads, farm fresh fare, bar-b-que, wings, waffles, craft beer and more

Three of our independent restaurants are on the list of 101 Unique Places to Dine in West Virginia. (http://gotowv.com/101-guide-listings/  ) You read that right. THREE! That’s pretty darn astounding considering we are a town of just 2900 people. You can tour the town for a different place to eat every meal when you visit. Add in the other great dining options within a mile or so from town, you will just want to come and eat … and eat … and eat!

Find out what’s cooking in Fayetteville at http://visitfayettevillewv.com/restaurants/

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Fayetteville Arts Coalition Rocks

Fayetteville to Consider Aerial Rock Climbing Art Installation

FAYETTEVILLE — An exciting mid-air rock climbing sculpture could be a new fixture in historic Fayetteville, if approved by the Historical Review Board.

LaFayette Flats co-owner Amy McLaughlin pitched the concept to Fayetteville Town Council Friday.

The proposed sculpture, created by well-known Alderson-based artist Mark Blumenstein, would represent two rock climbers and would be attached to the Wiseman Avenue side of LaFayette Flats.

Blumenstein is a Tamarack juried artist best known for using found objects and creating whimsical and kinetic pieces. His work is showcased at the Southern West Virginia Youth Museum and The Greenbrier.

“When the Fayetteville Arts Coalition approached us about this project, it caught us off guard,” explained McLaughlin. “We know the area is renown for rafting but had no idea that Fayetteville is known around the world for its rock climbing.”

Two metal rock climbing figures, complete with ropes and gear, will appear to be ascending the Wiseman Avenue side of LaFayette Flats, a vacation rental in a a 111-year old renovated bank buildings at the corder of Wiseman Avenue and Court Street.

The project is fully funded through the Fayetteville Arts Coalition and falls in line with the town’s comprehensive plan, which recommends bringing more art installations into town.

“When we were considering purchasing the bank building to renovate, we met the arts coalition early on and learned about what they were doing. It was a big draw for us to know this town has a strong arts coalition,” she explained.

The three-dimensional sculpture will be comprised of different kinds of metal and will be hung without any permanent change to the historic building. It can be removed without causing any damage, she explained.

Because LaFayette Flats is a key structure in Fayetteville’s Historic District, the decision must be referred to the Historical Review Board, which merged with the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission several years ago.

The board will consider the art installation later this month.

— Email: splummer@register-herald.com; follow on Twitter @Sarah_E_Plummer

 

http://www.register-herald.com/news/fayetteville-to-consider-aerial-rock-climbing-art-installation/article_bbcbcdb1-e259-5df0-aeaa-994f6d8cf846.html

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A Second Glance at First Impressions

(Editor’s Note: Mary Ann Henry is the 2016 New River Gorge Writer-in-Residence at Lafayette Flats. This is her second contribution to this blog.)

Now that I’ve caught my breath, I’d like to share some first impressions about the Winter Writer’s Residency, the town of Fayetteville, the people of Fayetteville, and the Gorge-ous (sorry for the pun) landscape.

First of all:

There are the Flats…
Lafayette Flats, a beautifully renovated, historic, one hundred and ten year-old building on the main street of Fayetteville, sits across from the Court House. The building has been restored to its original glory and the Writer’s Residency is on the top floor. The nearly floor-to-ceiling windows offer a bird’s eye-view of the town and allow amazing amounts of natural light in, even when the temperatures might preclude stepping outside. I’d like to add: it’s an ideal place to write.

There are the Owners…
Why are some of the most unassuming people in the world, sometimes the most impressive? I don’t know the answer but I do know that Shawn Means and Amy McLaughlin quietly go about the business of making the world a better place. Really, not a cliché; they do. Besides their daily work in the non-profit world in Charleston, they have turned this building into an artistic showplace. Paintings and prints from West Virginia artists line the halls and the individual accommodations. It must be seen to be appreciated how dedicated these two people are to collecting art by West Virginia artists.

There’s The Town…
I’m thinking Fayetteville is best discovered in layers.  There’s the outward persona; you might think the national praise heaped on this small town might threaten to make it bigger than its britches. After all, National Geographic voted it one of its Best Places To Live & Play; Frommer’s voted it The Coolest Small Town. (And did I mention that it’s a great place to grab some gourmet grub?)

There are the People…
But from what I’ve seen, the town takes it all in stride. Yes, their casual friendliness says, ‘We already knew all that about coolness and liveability. But hey, how the heck are you?’ The people of Fayetteville are friendly and welcoming and dare I say they convey a happiness that transcends any negative stereotypes that outsiders might have about West Virginians?

There’s the Art and the Artists…
I know, I know: artists are people, too. (And so are writers. Really.) But any mention of first impressions of the Writer’s Residency and Fayetteville must include this: I’ve never met so many artists in such a concentrated area. Yes, the town, with its Big Reputation, encompasses only five square miles…which leads me to:

There’s the Geography…
The New River, with its seemingly impossible northward flow, is one of the oldest rivers in the world. Of course it is. It dissects the Appalachian Mountains, which were formed more than 460 million years ago. These mountains were once bigger than the Alps, the Rockies. (If you were 460 million years old, your edges would be a bit rounded as well.) Old and beautiful, these Appalachians.

Finally, there’s the Hiking…
And the mountain biking and the rock climbing and white-water rafting and the kayaking. The opportunities are everywhere and anywhere. But it’s the relatively sedate sport of hiking that calls to me and gives me a break from the computer. Fortunately, a ten-minute walk and I enter a lovely forest with wandering trails, one of which eventually leads to the main reason this part of the world is world-famous aka The Gorge.  During my 3-month Writer’s Residency, I plan to explore those trails, many with somewhat scary and intriguing names. Endless Wall, I’m coming for you.

Mary Ann Henry is a writer and a teacher of creative writing. She can be reached at: lowcountrywritersretreat@comcast.net.   Her short story collection, Ladies in Low Places, can be found at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0991358007

Please join us as we welcome to Fayetteville Mary Ann Henry, the 2016 New River Gorge Winter Writer-in-Residence at Lafayette Flats. Mary Ann willl be on hand to talk about her work and share a short reading. Copies of her book, “Ladies in Low Places” will be available for purchase. Light snacks and liquid refreshments will be served.

Thursday, February 4, 2016 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Vandal’s Kitchen located at 129 South Court Street in Fayetteville, WV.

Follow Lafayette Flats’ Blog at http://lafayetteflats.blogspot.com

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Back to Those Hills

I am living the lyrics of one of my favorite Hazel Dickens’ songs, “back to those hills, the place that I call home.”  Back in 2004 I gave my employer five years’ notice that I was moving to WV and wanted to be a remote worker.  I didn’t have a plan back then, but knew I wanted to come “home.”  I have worked for Protech Associates, Inc. f or the past 25 years in the Columbia, Maryland headquarters.  They agreed to this arrangement as long as I could still travel to customer locations all over the country.

When my grandmother passed away, the decision to sell our family’s homestead was upon us.  They built the house in Fayetteville in 1947. Papaw worked in the mines.  Mamaw worked for the Fayette County school system,  and raised my Dad, uncle and aunt here.  Like my family before me, I wanted to live here, too.  So, I decided to buy the house, renovate, and settle in.

What drew me back to Fayetteville?  I had a deep longing to go back to where I was born and to my roots.  The pace of life is comfortable here, the people are welcoming and I feel like I belong.  My family roots extend all over the state, and I have family right here in town and uncles and their families nearby.  These connections are very important to me.

Living here in Fayetteville makes me feel like I am on vacation every day.  I cando yoga or hike a mountain trail in the morning, have late breakfast in one of the cafes, go shopping downtown in a cool antique store or boutique, eat a West Virginia hot dog (extra slaw, please) or enjoy the most awesome sandwich named after a president for lunch, take an exciting zip line, paddle down the riveror mountain bike through the forest, then grapple with whether to have a chicken gouda pizza or delicious shrimp gumbo and top the evening off with live music, a painting class or a poetry gathering.All of this and more is available here either on foot or within a 5 minute drive from the house.

Today, I am working on projects from my home office and am very grateful.  Being a part of this loving community has made my life happy and complete.  I cherish the connections and friendships I have made so far, and look forward to new ones.  There are many exciting events coming up here in 2016 and beyond.  I can’t wait to be a part of them!

Mary Ann Roberts

Fayetteville, WV