South Asheville is one of the most quickly emerging parts of town. Downtown and West Asheville are marvelous, but dining, entertainment, and recreation options definitely aren’t limited to those parts of town -- and parking is a non-issue. "South Asheville is a good alternative for the afternoon," says Sarah Giavedoni, co-founder of The POP Project. Giavedoni particularly likes escaping to Biltmore Park. "Biltmore Park has the only parking decks I know of that don’t charge by the hour, and the community was designed to be walkable, so even if you can’t park directly in front of your destination you can park half a block away in a deck for free." John Brute, a graphic designer and musician, frequently heads to South Asheville with his wife Brenda Angel, a finance professional. "BT’s Burger Joint is definitely one of my favorites," he says. "Their milkshakes are fantastic and there are plenty of options to get the perfect burger." BT’s began in Charlotte and, as its popularity grew, opened a second Charlotte location and a restaurant on Town Square Boulevard in Biltmore Park. Patrons may select from the menu or build their own burgers, chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, garden burgers, or hot dogs. For burgers, there’s also Juicy Lucy’s Burger Bar and Grill, an independent restaurant located on Hendersonville Road just south of Biltmore Forest. Trivia is held Tuesdays and Wednesdays are pint and live music night. "There is a 'pick your own burger' option, where you can choose your own meat combined with their monthly signature cheese-stuffed burger," Brute explains. "The pimento cheese appetizer alone is a great reason to dine there." Photo: Pizza and beer at Brixx (source: @timchenier on Instagram) Jessica Stouder, a freelance writer who lived in Italy when she was younger, praises Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, located in Biltmore Park. "Their pizza rustica is fab, their mozzarella fresh, and they’re one of the few who offer prosciutto, which sings to my heart," she says. Asheville has a lot of pizza in many styles, but pizza rustica rarely makes an appearance on local menus. Sundays are half-priced bottles night, Thursday brings $4 well drinks, and Fridays and Saturdays include $4 shot specials. Just as pizza rustica is rare in Asheville, so is Italian ice, which is available at Rita’s Italian Ice in Gerber Village along with custard and ice cream. "The cool thing about being an adult is eating custard for dinner," says Brute over custard at CinTom’s Frozen Custard on Sweeten Creek Road. CinTom’s is a family-owned business in a hole-in-the-wall on Sweeten Creek Road that scoops house-made custards and ice creams that have garnered an ever-growing local following. Photo: Lego art installation at North Carolina Arboretum (source: @jbrute515 on Instagram) Ashley Arrington, who works in the nonprofit sector and is volunteers frequently with countless area organizations, likes to head with her family to Jake Rusher Park on Royal Pines Road in Arden. "It’s got a nicely sized playground and sidewalks around it, awesome if you’ve got a family or just want some wide open space on a sunny day," she says. Arrington and her family also enjoy escaping to Bent Creek and its many trails, which accommodate different skill levels, as well as Lake Powhatan and the North Carolina Arboretum. The arboretum features a rotating series of interactive exhibits throughout the year. Photo: Art installation along a Bent Creek trail. (source: @josephexists on Instagram) "My favorite entertainment venue in South Asheville is The Carolina, which is also my favorite movie theater in town," says actor, writer, and accordionist Jeremy Carter. The Carolina serves wine, beer, and a full menu, and shows a variety of movies beyond the standard blockbusters. "I appreciate that they show art house films and broadcast shows from London’s National Theatre, the Metropolitan Opera, and other acclaimed organizations," Carter adds, "and it’s always a huge bonus when the movie you’re seeing is in the Sofa Cinema!" Quality entertainment is plentiful in the live form, too. "While Asheville has an abundance of theatre venues, there is something special about Toy Boat Community Art Space," explains Amber Shehan, a local actor, producer, and vaudevillian. Started from a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Fairview Road building is a dynamic event space, provides artists and groups affordable rehearsal space, and houses an active circus school. Plays, vaudeville acts, and concerts regularly take place at Toy Boat. The space is adaptable and diverse, and is at the core of a fringe arts renaissance. "Adventurous audiences have been delighted and challenged by artists who had opportunities like no other in town," says Jim Julien, co-producer of the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival, an annual festival that brings experimental work in several performance disciplines to several venues across town, including Toy Boat. "In South Asheville, so much has changed, moved, and grown," Stouder observes. South Asheville is more than just art, ice cream, pizza, burgers, and hiking. Head south of Biltmore Village sometime and check it out for yourself – and check out The28803Story.com for profiles of people, places, and curiosities of the area. What South Asheville spots do YOU want us to cover? Please tell us in the comments below!