Recession Briefing 7.10

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

The number of people setting up their own households has fallen to some of the lowest levels in a generation, a trend that threatens to prolong the recession. (Washington Post)

A “mancession” is a recession that hurts men much more than women — and we are allegedly in the worst mancession in recent history. (The Atlantic)

Families and business owners all over the country are collecting money to keep open public pools that their cities can’t afford. (Associated Press)

Recession Dispatch from… Asheville, N.C.

ASHEVILLE, N.C.–It can be easy to forget about the economy’s collapse when you live on top of a mountain. But even from a lofty perspective, it’s hard not to see the storm clouds gathering, promising to deliver to rain down some bad news on my adopted hometown of Asheville, NC. Aside from a growing number of “for sale” signs and the more frequent restaurant closings, it’s hard to see any real dramatic impact on the local economy – yet.

The Local Joint That Was

The bistro was called Beato—an Italian word meaning “blessed” or “happy”—which is how I felt when it opened in my Seattle neighborhood during December 2006. The owner, a local returning to Seattle after a New York finance career and a round of culinary training, brought generous backing, an extensive wine collection, a great chef, white tablecloths, and cool servers into what was otherwise a big-screen brewpub neighborhood—along with fantastic Italian-inspired local fare.

We never guessed it wouldn’t last forever.