Day Dreams

How many times have you said this or heard someone say “One Day I am going to….....”

For some of us that day does eventually arrive. Many of you know Mark Rosenstein, the founder and recently “retired” owner of the Market Place Restaurant.( www.marketplace-restaurant.com) I have know Mark for about 25 years and have seen his passion and life poured into his restaurant and his art of providing an exceptional food experience for his patrons.

Mark has been a great contributor to our community, one of those “first” people in Asheville to embrace the vision of what Asheville is today. It was not easy in the early years, with long hours, slow winters, and scarce availability of local produce and products. Mark was one of the early board members and leaders of Slow Food Asheville (www.slowfoodasheville.org). The chocolate and wine tasting event he led is one of my favorite experiences for learning about chocolate and how to expand my palate knowledge.

It was no surprise that I received an email from Mark about his newest venture, “The French Broad – Lessons From An Appalachian Table”. (www.thefrenchbroad.com) Mark said “My head is exploding with 40 years of ideas, of things to share. The French Broad valley and surrounding mountains offer such rich encounters, this initial launch only scratches the surface.”

Within a few hours, I received many forwards from friends about Mark’s announcement. I smiled at this because I knew that Mark had yet again created an excited anticipation for the future in our foodie community.

So, the next time you hear a friend exclaim “One Day I am going to……….…,” make a mental note to ask them often about their dream and remember to share yours!