Featured writer: Jerry Nelson

Relax with friends or that special someone

ASHEVILLE, NC – JANUARY 10: A man clears snow at the Asheville Civic Center in downtown Asheville after a snowfall of over 6 inches hit this area of the Blue Ridge Mountains on January 10, 2011 in Asheville, North Carolina. A winter storm stretched across the Southeast as freezing rain and sleet followed on the heels of a heavy snow that blanketed the region. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Tucked somewhere between history and art in Asheville, NC is a place that might seem more at home in the South Pacific.  In the midst of the quirkiness that is the city, the proximity of a black history icon, braided hand bags made from plastic and the Polynesian flair just seem to work.

Vanuatu Kava Bar, a welcoming place with an engaging atmosphere, was opened a few years ago by Andrew Procyk after the properties of Kava were discovered in Florida by him and some friends.

Procyk is a congenial proprietor and has unlimited stories to share while you enjoy your kava and chasers of tropical fruit.

Vanuatu Kava Bar is a great spot for anyone to visit who desires to get away from the traditional Asheville crowd.  Much of the furniture pieces were handmade by Procyk and provide a relaxed and comfortable environment to sit and visit with friends; or even bring a date.

Kava is a crop of the western Pacific and has been used as a libation for thousands of years by the islanders as an integral part of spiritual celebrations and ceremonies as well as something to relax with after the end of a long day.

A non-addictive, non-alcoholic drink, kava has been studied in clinical trials and found by researchers at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland that it shows promise in treating ovarian cancer and leukemia.  The compounds in Kava were also found to have inhibited reactions at the molecular level which might lead the growth of other forms of cancer cells.

Jerry Nelson is a nationally recognized photojournalist who travels America covering stories about social justice and unique places to visit.  He is represented internationally by Caters News Agency in England and you can contact Nelson through his website, JourneyAmerica.