raleigh what's up?

World of Beer Festival Coming to Raleigh

2012-02-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

Raleigh, North Carolina
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Moore Square, Downtown

Afternoon Session: 12 PM - 4 PM
Evening Session: 6 PM - 10 PM

This is a fun event where you can come and sample beers from some of our great local craft breweries as well as other brewers from around the country. Enjoy live music and local food vendors. This event is taking place downtown in Moore Square and after attending last year, I can say, its a lot of fun! I loved talking to the local brewers and learning more about the ever growing and exciting craft beer phenomenon. There are two sessions, an afternoon and an evening session. Bands and a guide to all the beers that will be represented will be out soon. Tickets go on sale at the end of this month. A local Raleigh graphic designer Wesley Hare entered his artwork and won the poster competition that was held so his work will be incorporated into the festival marketing items (as seen here).

We are putting this on our calendar. Great event to get out and kick off the start to Spring!! Find out more here: http://allaboutbeer.com/gather-for-beer/world-beer-festival/raleigh-nc/ See you there!!

Another new hot spot coming to Raleigh

2012-02-08T09:44:00.003-05:00

Looks like another new restaurant is headed our way downtown Raleigh very soon! Opening this Spring, Oro Restaurant & Lounge. Appears that it will be a tapas type of place with all different kinds of global food offerings being served on small plates. Located at RBC Plaza on the corner of Martin and Wilmington (18 E. Martin). Look forward to more info on this new restaurant. Stay tuned!!

There's an App for that!

2012-01-30T15:08:00.003-05:00

I'm definitely guilty of downloading too many apps on my phone since I upgraded to an Android last summer. Of course they are cool and can be fun, but honestly, most of them are pretty useless. I have found a few though that have been really helpful and are worth downloading (and FREE!) so I thought I'd share some that are really useful to have here in Raleigh (or anywhere!)

1. Redbox. We use this one all the time! Download it for free, set up a password and ID with a credit card number (you may already have this setup on their online website). This app allows you to search your local area or set up your favorite pick up spot and check out what movies are actually in that box and reserve your copy, all through the app. Very helpful for checking out whats available before wasting time going to a box that has no selection. Or, if you are road tripping, you can check for a box close to where you are and reserve a movie or check selection. Definitely a time saver!

2. Starbucks. If you are a Starbucks junkie like myself, this is very handy. If you go in and register any gift cards or if you are a gold card holder, set up your password and ID, download the FREE app and you can scan with your phone to pay for your coffee! You don't even need your wallet when you pop in to get your coffee. When you scan from your gold card account, you are also earning free drinks (1 free for every 15). Time saver and I love running in without having to take a purse or looking for cash or card.

3. Michaels. Every time I run into Michael's for art, party or craft supplies, I am always without the Sunday 40% off coupon! Download this FREE app and you will always have your 40% coupon with you as long as you have your phone!! Set up your account and they will scan it anytime you are in the store. Not to mention there are great craft ideas and you can find out what local craft events are going on at your local store.

4. Weather Channel. Great instant weather/temperature check.

5. Flixster. FREE app. One stop shop to get all the movies playing at the theatre closest to you any date, time and you can even buy your tickets here too. Very handy when you don't have the newspaper or a computer to see what's playing near you.

6. Yelp. FREE app that lets you get all the details on almost any business within a few miles of your location. Check out local restaurant, business reviews on the spot. Search and check out new businesses and read what people are saying before you eat, purchase, etc. You can share your own opinions as well.

7. Gigbox. FREE app that lets you see if your favorite artist is playing in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham or anywhere. Check out venues like Koka Booth to find out who's in concert. Search by date, venue or artist to see who's got an upcoming show. Never miss a show again!

8. iNorthHills. If you are a North Hills groupie, download this app to get all the shopping, dining locations, services, and all current events in this area.

9. TripAdvisor. Great reviews on hotels, restaurants. Check out what people are saying before you book that hotel room or trip. Write your own reviews on places you've stayed, visited, dined, etc.

10. FitnessConnection. This is my gym and I can use it to get the class schedule. That's about it. Check to see if your gym has an app that may be useful.

Let me know if you have an app that you would add to this list. Hopefully some of these apps will get you out and about Raleigh a little easier and a lot more efficiently!

Beer O'Clock

2012-01-20T11:06:00.000-05:00

Well, its 5 o'clock somewhere (actually here) and its Friday and I'm thinking about a cold beer. No worries, Raleigh is now home to many new local shops where you can easily find a delicious locally crafted beer of your choice on draft or in a bottle. Whether you are looking for something brewed in the area or crafted somewhere else, there are lots of cool new options in Raleigh!! Suddenly, Raleigh has several new beer boutiques popping up all around the area and they are sure to satisfy any style/flavor of your liking. What I especially love about these bottle shops is that they are well organized and fun to shop and when you walk in you really enjoy the many decisions at your hands without feeling overwhelmed by too many choices.

Don't get me wrong, I love choices but personally a Total Wine or big box shop can be a little hard to make an easy decision. Another great thing is that these people are very well informed and can help you make a knowledgeable decision or turn you on to trying something new.

We checked out Tasty Beverage Co. last weekend in downtown Raleigh (across from the Pit and next to Jibarra). Its so great because its small, well organized and has an awesome selection (especially Belgian and German beers) and there's even a tasting bar in the back where you can sample some brews while you are there. Bottle Revolution on Lake Boone Trail has a similar set up (still need to get over there to check it out but looks very cool). Barley & Vine although specializing more in wine, is also a great place to do a little shopping and sampling and the owners are very well educated and friendly. The Raleigh Wine Shop on Glenwood South also features beers and is a relatively new location to make purchases. And don't forget when you visit the new Tyler's Tap Room at Seaboard to pop into their bottle shop as well and do a little shopping. They just opened this month. There is also a really helpful and knowledgeable guy at Whole Foods on Six Forks (he's a Virginia Tech Hokie) and he can tell you everything about any beer in their extensive beer cooler). Its incredible all the small craft beers that are being produced in the US these days, and it's great to see the smaller businesses really reaching out there and making their mark, And I love supporting the smaller businesses as I mentioned it being one of my New Year's resolutions. I will be continuing to explore this cool trend (someone has to do it) as it grows in Raleigh but right now, I need to go pour myself a nice IPA....TGIF!

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-03T18:09:00.000-05:00

As we usually do, I resolve to lose weight and get organized. Aren't those the two things that are typically at the top of everyone's lists for the New Year? Well, to help me get started on number two (since one is no fun), I have discovered some great new consignment shops in town that are going to help me unload some of my clothing items that are continually filling up my closet and not getting worn. I already took some items to Adore, which is located on Creedmoor Road near Strickland. They also have a shop in Cary if you are over in that area. It was easy to make an appointment. Your account is all online so you can easily track your sales. The cool thing to remember...you don't need a lot to consign. Quality versus quantity is often the ticket. A nice jacket, a great handbag or pair of expensive shoes worn only once can bring in some quick cash. The second shop I discovered this past weekend is in Cameron Village. Its called Fifi's. This is on my list to explore further. I love their facebook postings when they get new cool items in the store. What a great way to sell! Another local shop is Revolver on Glenwood Avenue near all the restaurants. This shop has been there for a while and always has very cool, unique items, (although they are much harder to get an appointment with so I am there more to shop then sell). Villa Consigna on Fairview Road at Five Points is another one I need to investigate further.

An additional New Year resolution is to find some great vintage/fun items to add to my wardrobe and these are the perfect places to scout them out! I need a break from the mall and the usual shopping destinations. I also have resolved to shop locally and support the smaller businesses in town, so these locations fulfill several New Year's resolutions all at once!

Don't forget when you are going through your items and cleaning out closets, these shops don't just take clothing. If you have some great jewelry, hats, hand bags and shoes, they will usually take those too. Adore takes men's clothing as well which is hard to find. Some shops even take home decor items but I'm still looking into that (more to come on that in the near future).

So, I'm going to resolve this month to take more items to a couple of these shops as well as make a big donation to the Goodwill.

Now if I could just shop my way through that losing weight resolution....

Disney on Ice

2011-12-08T16:49:00.001-05:00

I took the girls to see Disney on Ice last night at the Raleigh RBC center. It was a cold,windy and rainy night but inside was packed and buzzing with tons of little princesses and fans of Disney's annual ice show. I've taken the girls in years past where they sat in awe of the Disney princesses, completely mesmorized. I wondered how they would enjoy the show this time after a few years have passed, and they are now big "tweenagers". The show followed the story of three princesses, Tiana, Cinderella and Rapunzel. The girls and I decided that Rapunzel's story was our favorite. Her long blond hair was well represented on the rink and it was very cool how they went from skating on ice to Rapunzel and Flynn swinging high above the ice using just her "hair" and no harnesses! The story was well adapted from the movie, "Tangled". The lanterns were a nice touch. Also loved Maximus the Horse in the show. The music and the costumes were great and the clever use of props and effects really brought the show to life. Shows run through Sunday, December 11 at the RBC Center in Raleigh.

In the words of my 11year old...

"Dare to Dream" was great! The characters really came alive. Rapunzel was my favorite, I loved when she swung on her hair with Flynn Ryder. The choreography was amazing and the skaters superb. You have got to see Disney on Ice's "Dare to Dream". Although there were alot of little kids in the crowd, it would be appreciated by all ages, even without kids!".

They still sat in awe...

Bah, Humbug!

2011-12-03T10:00:00.001-05:00

Its finally December and we are officially kicking this weekend off by getting our tree and checking out the famous Theatre In The Park's original musical comedy adaptation of A Christmas Carol, adapted for the stage by Ira David Wood III. Ira David Wood III has been doing the show since 1974! It has been performed each year since. A Raleigh tradition for many years!

Approximately 30,000 people attend the local production run in Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina. We will be checking it out at DPAC this year but it will also be at Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. We are looking forward to seeing this show, have heard great things about it. Feel free to drop a note if you've seen it!

Go for Pie

2011-11-27T09:22:00.001-05:00

Instead of spending our Black Friday fighting the masses for a good deal, we decided to get out and enjoy the day with lunch and a movie. We opted to try the fairly new Pie Bird restaurant on Person Street, very close to Seaboard Station in Raleigh. We walked up to the restaurant and the first thing I loved about the place was the furnishings and comfortable, relaxed but modern atmosphere of this place. We were nicely greeted by the host and seated at a window table. The menu is short and sweet which has become one of my favorite things since I start to get a bit overwhelmed if there are too many choices. We had the girls so I was curious to see what they would think of pie for lunch. I ordered the black bean and chili handpie, while the girls selected chicken pot pie and short rib soup.

The soup reminded me of the roasts that my mom would cook in her crockpot, perfectly cooked and delicious with lots of flavor. The girls loved their chicken pot handpies. Perfect size for them too. The black bean and chili pie was good but surprisingly spicey. Loved the black beans.

Of course we had to sample some dessert pie so we opted for the amazing Bluebird pie...a little bit of everything. Local beers are on tap and don't forget to check out the bathrooms! The girls loved the way the doors slid from right to left to open. Nice mix of modern with exposed architectural elements from the original building. I'm also loving how small businesses are featuring other small business products such as the local artist work hanging on the wall and fresh made ice cream from Lumpy's. They use locally produced ingredients in their pies. We will bring our out of town guests here to sample for sure.

The more Raleigh gets places like this, the more Raleigh is destined for a shining future!! Stop by for lunch, dinner, snack or just dessert. Either way you won't be disappointed.

Oh, and the movie? We saw Hugo afterwards. FANTASTIC family movie produced by Martin Scorsese and Johnny Depp.

Personally, I think we got the best of Black Friday.

Bloglovin

2011-11-22T15:59:00.001-05:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Holiday Shopping Ideas (that don't include the mall!)

2011-11-21T15:52:00.001-05:00

Looking to shop this weekend but don't want to fight the masses at the mall? Every year we trek over to one of our favorite spots in Cary for a little holiday inspiration. This unique spot is the Garden Supply Company. Located on Old Apex Road, this place has an amazing selection of holiday decorations and is always a warm, cozy place to shop in. The owners and staff are always helpful and there's usually a warm cup of coffee or cider to sip on while browsing their unique and eclectic selection of holiday decor. We usually pick up a few new items for decorating each year and always enjoy checking out the selection of new items. When the kids were younger, we used to go eat donuts and listen to Mrs Claus read a story, now we all enjoy picking out new ornaments or something festive to hang on the wall or give as a gift (teachers, friends, etc). I've included a few photos from our recent trip. If you are looking to get out and shop for some special gift or decor ideas this holiday weekend, put the Garden Supply Co on your list and stay away from that crazy mall! ;-)

Koi fish pond outside

Front door


love these chalk boards

holiday bulbs


beautiful year round decor


clever wall art

More Weekend Ideas: World of Beer grand opening!

2011-11-17T19:19:00.001-05:00

Okay, just the name of it cracks me up. Sounds like heaven for any craft beer drinker, and maybe it will be! World of Beer is located across from Zoe's Kitchen in the new part of North Hills, they are hosting their grand opening today, November 18th, from noon until 2am. WOB will offer 50 drafts, and 500 bottles of craft beer. Not to mention comfy seats under heat lamps outside, tons of cool flat screen televisons, and live music.Sounds like its worth checking out. If you go, definitely let me know what you think. Oh, and have a beer for me.

Weekend Ideas - Part 2: Raleigh Christmas Parade, Pullen Park Grand Re-opening

2011-11-16T13:03:00.001-05:00

Busy weekend all around for Raleigh downtown. The 67th annual WRAL Christmas parade is happening this Saturday starting at 10am. Weather looks pretty good (cold though!) so put on your hats and gloves and coats and head downtown with the kids for some Christmas cheer!

Another big opening this weekend is Pullen Park! Who doesn't have memories of riding the boats or the train around the park? The whole thing has been under renovation for the last two years complete with a new cafe and all updated amenities. The grand opening is Saturday, November 19th at 2pm. The cafe owners includes the chef from Zely & Ritz of Glenwood South fame. Music and entertainment from 3-6pm. Go out and find your inner kid!

Weekend Raleigh Plans: Idea 1 - Dillon Fence

2011-11-16T12:41:00.001-05:00


Greg Humphreys from Dillon Fence at Hopscotch 2011

I may be showing my age a little, but looking forward to seeing Dillon Fence this Friday night at the Lincoln Theatre. Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8pm. Always a guaranteed fun time. A popular band that were big in the late 1980s to 1995, Dillon Fence originated from Chapel Hill and get together occasionally to perform in different NC venues.

Lincoln Theatre is always a fun spot, so looking forward to getting out and catching up with them Friday night!

Kickin' in the Season with the Rockettes

2011-11-11T15:05:00.001-05:00

Last night was opening night at DPAC for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes. I have to say, this show definitely got me feeling the Christmas spirit (and I'm not one to really start until AFTER Thanksgiving!) What a FANTASTIC show. Run, don't walk to get your tickets to this show before its gone. Only 36 more shows through November (the show only runs in November). The costumes were dazzling, and the 50 foot LED video screen behind the whole thing added such a cool new dimension to the stage production. At one point, there is a double decker bus touring the streets of NYC including Rockefeller Center and Times Square and you really feel like you are moving along with the bus, through the city streets. One of my favorite scenes was the many, many Santas that came out and did a spectacular dance. SO fun. They cover the gambit of holiday cheer, including an absolutely stunning nativity scene at the end, complete with a real camel, donkey and sheep that were bahhing, you couldn't help but be a little moved by it.

The show runs just under two hours so not too long for the kiddies! Great for all ages, take your Grandma, your mom (I did!) or take the kids, everyone will love it. DPAC is a great performance venue...a gem in the center of the American Tobacco District in Durham. I have to say I felt a little guilty seeing it without my kids, so they will definitely come along the next time. Any aspiring dancer daughters?? They will be thrilled. Catch it before its gone!!

SATURDAY: NC Beer & Band Festival

2011-11-08T13:59:00.003-05:00

@Lincoln Theatre presented by NC Brewers Guild

Happening this Saturday, November 12 ! Unlimited samples of beer from lots of great local breweries such as: Natty Greene's, Carolina Brewing Company, Mother Earth, Foothills, Lone Rider, Triangle Brewing, Count Craggie, Roth, Carolina Brewery, Duck-Rabbit, Mash House,and others. Bands will be playing on stages inside and outside from 3-8pm. Tickets at Lincoln Theatre. If you like good music and great beer, this could be a fun Fall day out!

Hooray for Parks!

2011-11-07T16:34:00.000-05:00


The Mayor takes time out with us for a photo

This past Saturday we attended the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newest neighborhood park in Raleigh...Strickland Road Neighborhood Park. We strolled over on freshly laid mulch to find Mayor Meeker and Mayor-Elect McFarlane there along with several other Raleigh folks, preparing to cut the ribbon and introduce the new playground area. Several families, boy scout and girl scout troops, donated their time and effort to help plant shrubs, lay mulch and add the finishing touches to a project that has been in the works for a couple years. After the ceremony, I had a nice chat with Mayor Meeker about how many great parks, greenways, etc that Raleigh folks have available to them. Its true, between many neighborhood parks, bike paths and of course Umstead State Park, Raleigh is very lucky to have so many wonderful outdoor places to go play, stroll, run, check out wildlife, picnic, throw a ball, whatever you feel like. This is definitely one of my favorite things about living in Raleigh. I appreciate all of Mayor Meeker's efforts over the past 10 years to help create and maintain many of these beautiful outdoor spots and I hope people continue to enjoy these great places for years to come. The weather is perfect in Raleigh now, so get out and PLAY!


cutting the ribbon

More info: Strickland Road is a 37 acre neighborhood park located on Strickland Road between Ray and Leesville Roads in NW Raleigh. The Strickland Road Master Plan was adopted by the Raleigh City Council on March 17, 2009 and funded by the 2000 Parks and Recreation Bond Referendum.


checking out the new playground

Ready to "Kick" in the Holiday Season @ DPAC!

2011-11-01T14:17:00.000-04:00

Well, as hard to believe as it is, Halloween is over and Christmas is less then TWO months away! This past weekend we started thinking about checking out a fun holiday production this year to "kick" off the start of the holiday season. Since we are big fans of DPAC, we are excited to see this year's holiday event they are hosting, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the world famous Radio City Rockettes! They are performing this show at only a handful of select venues this year and its guaranteed to be a great show. Not to mention they are going high tech with a 50 foot LED screen, amazing costumes, dancing, singing and of course the man in the red suit!

Shows start November 10th and this is sure to be a hot ticket event. We have always wanted to catch the Rockettes in NYC but have always had so many things on our agenda when we were there so this will be a great opportunity to see them in Durham without making the trip to NYC! This year's production sounds like it will feel as if you are in the Big Apple, with a double decker tour of the city as part of the show. I can't wait to see this!

Make this a Girls Night Out event, date night (lots of great Durham restaurants close by) or take the whole family! Go to dpacnc.com now to get all the ticket and show details!

Another fabulous GNO idea in Raleigh!

2011-10-26T19:56:00.000-04:00

This past Monday night I joined a group of fun ladies to try my hand at painting my very own "masterpiece". I attended the evening class at Wine & Design located at 231 Bickett Blvd in Raleigh. It took a little venturing out from North Raleigh to find this little gem hidden just behind Underwood Elementary inside the Beltline. As soon as I walked in (with my bottle of vino), I was greeted immediately by Christy, one of the talented and friendly instructors. She immediately got my wine opened, poured and seated me at my own blank canvas. While we listened to some fun tunes, chatted, and sipped our wine, Christy proceeded to guide us step-by-step to creating our very own Georgia O'Keefe-inspired paintings. She made it easy and relaxing and it was cool to walk out with my very own canvas to hang back home.


Our finished artwork!

I got to thinking while I was there how fun this would be to bring some girlfriends, or a mom/sister evening out. I know the kids would love to do it, but I might have to save this one just for the ladies (they do have kid classes on school holidays). I plan to go back and try out some holiday painting. Such a fun and different twist on hanging out with friends. Thanks Wine & Design for a lovely night out!

If you are interested in booking a class go to Wine and Design's website at: http://paintpartiesstudios.com/raleigh/.

BOO! Ree-ly Scary Cary @ Booth Amphitheatre

2011-10-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

Looking for some inexpensive, fun halloween entertainment? You are in luck! Koka Booth Amphitheatre is featuring classic scary movies at their outdoor amphitheatre from October 25th - 29th. Horror movie enthusiasts are invited to attend this REEL-LY SCARY event. The towering pines at the Booth provide the perfect setting for spine tingling chills as patrons thrill to some of the most frightening classics on the big screen.

Check the website to get the schedule of movies that are showing. 12 and under are free, otherwise tickets are $3. Gates open at 6pm and movies start at dusk. Click on Booth Amphitheatre to get all the details!

FALL RALEIGH OUTING: The Saturday Market, CAM and Boylan Bridge

2011-10-20T17:01:00.000-04:00

Looking to get out and do something different and enjoy this great Autumn weather? Check out The Saturday Market, happening this Saturday, October 22 · 9:00am - 2:00pm. The market is located at 301 Kinsey Street in downtown Raleigh. Located near the Boylan Heights neighborhood, this local market brings together farmers, bakers, crafters, designers, etc. Get your drink on with coffee vendors, food trucks and even local brewers are featured. While you are there, take advantage of lunch at Boylan Bridge Brew Pub and a stroll through the new Art gallery CAM! Sounds like the perfect Saturday to me!

Main gallery


Checking out one of the exhibits

Heading in to check out Raleigh's new CAM.

Lunch and drinks at Boylan Bridge Brew Pub

Another Local Brewery Score to the Raleigh Area

2011-10-18T16:11:00.002-04:00

Word is out that there is more local beer "brewing" in....Wake Forest! Opening date set for Spring 2012. Just when you thought we couldn't get any cooler...;-)
White Street Brewing Company locating in historic downtown Wake Forest.

Saturday Playhouse Parade in Cameron Village

2011-10-16T13:25:00.001-04:00

Channeling My Inner Architect

2011-10-13T07:01:00.003-04:00

I just came across a pretty cool event that is going on this weekend in Raleigh's Cameron Village. Cameron Village has joined with Triangle Builders Guild, and other designers, architects, businesses and individuals to help raise money for the Sassafras All Children’s playground. This seems like a really fun thing to check out with big kids as well as young children. My inner architect is totally fascinated by these unique mini-structures! They look amazing! There is quite a variety of designs, with twelve houses to explore. They will all be auctioned off later for the fundraiser. With the weather looking amazing this weekend, could be a great afternoon out with the kids. The band Sandbox is playing and there are FREE tours from 11-5pm on Saturday. Not to mention the choice of restaurants and shops to explore! With company coming in, I am going to put this on our "things to do" this weekend! Click here for more info and to preview the houses.

Raleigh GNO!

2011-10-06T16:24:00.001-04:00

Anyone looking for a fun day and/or night out with girlfriends in Raleigh? How about drinks, shopping and quality time with your BFF's (you know who you are!)....The 27th Annual Shopping SPREE! is coming up the weekend of November 3-6 at the Raleigh Convention Center presented by the Junior League of Raleigh. Conveniently located downtown where there are lots of great restaurants and pubs within walking distance. (I will suggest some later this month.)

We've done this for a few years now and its always proven to be a good time out. Get some good girlfriend time and holiday shopping done while supporting the Junior League of Raleigh! This would also be a good outing for mom and daughters or guests from out of town!

Friday Fullsteam Ahead!

2011-10-03T18:27:00.000-04:00

Samantha walking into Fullsteam

Friday night we had company in town so we decided to head over to Durham for a drink at Fullsteam Brewery. Located near the corner of Geer and Rigsbee Street, its a family friendly spot that is always a pretty crowded mix of young and old. We have spent the last couple times there, teaching the girls tricks of the trade of mastering the pinball machine. They also have a ping pong table in the outside (covered) beer garden. While we were there we stood in awe as a 10 year old girl dominated the ping pong table! She was beating everyone she played. Even Matt couldn't resist and stepped up for the challenge. He's pretty good and she was hanging there right with him! Very fun to watch. As usual, the beer was awesome and we enjoyed hanging out for a bit before heading over to Geer Street Garden for dinner.

If you are looking for a fun night out, these two places are a great pairing because you can park at Geer Street and then walk around the corner to Fullsteam. You can also check out Motorco Music Hall which is a great venue for checking out the local music scene. Plus, there is almost always a food truck or two hanging out between all these places. No lack of food, drink, music and fun here!!

Invasion of the Food Trucks!

2011-09-30T14:23:00.002-04:00

Food Truck King on Thursday, October 20th from 5 until 9:30pm in City Plaza in the heart of downtown Raleigh.

Courtesy of Raleigh Downtowner Magazine: This is a free event featuring live music, fire dancers, circus performers, giveaways, and a food truck contest with 12 food trucks (see list below) competing for the rights to be Food Truck King, complete with huge 6-foot custom metal crown created by local artist Matt McConnell. There will also be several local breweries with their savory craft beers for sale. Tickets can be purchased for sampling all the food trucks, two beers and giveaways for $25. Who wants to cook when there's choices and entertainment for the whole family! If its good weather, this could be a fun early evening out! Nerd alert: If you are a foursquare fan, could be a chance for a new food truck badge too!

Participating Food Trucks So Far (more coming!)
Big Al's BBQ
Bukogi Taco Truck
Chirba Chirba
Farmhand Foods
Klausie's Pizza
Kona Ice
Localmotive
Old North State BBQ
Only Burger
Par Lez Vous Crepe
Slippin Sliders
Valentino's
Will & Pops

National Coffee Day!

2011-09-29T14:29:00.000-04:00

I'm doing my part to support National Coffee Day...are you?? In case you missed it, Starbucks just opened a new shop on the corner of Six Forks and Strickland Roads. The true joy is the fact that its the first DRIVE THRU Starbucks in the general North Raleigh area, so needless to say we are thrilled and so should all you moms with kids who don't want to stop and unload everyone just to grab your cup o' joe. Located conveniently close to the dance studio and the YMCA. Happy Coffee Day everyone. Do your part. LOL.

What's the number one American city to live in? Well, Raleigh of course!!

2011-09-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

According to Bloomberg Businessweek.com!!

checking out the city from Boylan Bridge Brewpub

Here's yet another recent accolade for Raleigh...Businessweek.com voting Raleigh as the number one city in America! Alot of what determined that title is based on the number of restaurants, bars, museums, colleges, libraries per capita. We are not a large city but one with a rich cultural life, good college sports in the area and lots of great places to eat and see bands!! (Remember Hopscotch two weeks ago??) Other factors included reasonable cost of living, temperate climate (for the most part but not this Summer!), not to mention the proximity to mountains and beautiful beaches. I recently read as well that Raleigh is shaping up to be one of the greenest cities in the country as well. In a short amount of time, Raleigh has really transformed itself. Way to go Raleigh!

Read the businessweek.com article here.

Take the family out!

2011-09-20T17:09:00.000-04:00

Just in case you haven't heard already, the NC Museum of Art has a new exhibit starting at the end of October. The exhibit, Rembrandt in America is the largest collection of Rembrandt paintings ever presented in an American exhibition. This will probably sell out pretty fast and will be quite popular so may want to book tickets to see it soon. The dates are: October 30, 2011–January 22, 2012. Great day out with the family. If you can, stop by the cafe for a drink or light lunch. Very cool space.

Ahhh, Paparazzi!

2011-09-19T18:42:00.000-04:00

Late night opportunity for dinner out! Kids are at a sleepover and we decide to slip out for some dinner Friday night. We decided on a last minute stop to Paparazzi in Lafayette Village off Falls of Neuse. If you are looking for a cozy restaurant with a nice bar area and wood fired pizza, definitely check out this new venue. Tomato and mozzarella salad and a pizza were just what we were looking for on a rainy cold night!

A little Sunday afternoon Southern Culture...

2011-09-19T18:34:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon, beautiful 70ish degree day (finally!) and we find ourselves making our way down to Chapel Hill for a little outdoor concert featuring Southern Culture on the Skids, one of our favorite local bands. They were helping to raise money for a local preschool and after the kiddy music was over, they came on "stage" and rocked the little outdoor venue of Fox's theatre on the UNC campus. Kids running everywhere, it was hilarious to sit about three feet away and watch them crank out some of the old favorites. Being so used to seeing them at little dark smoky bars, this was quite the change of pace. They were fun, funky and always friendly to chat with us after the show. Rock on SCOTS! See you again soon in OCTOBER for the Halloween Hullaballoo show at Motorco!

Raleigh is Better then Ezra!

2011-09-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

We joined friends Saturday night to check out the popular nineties band, Better then Ezra down at the Raleigh Amphitheatre last night. What started off as a cold, rainy night turned into a ton of laughs and great hits by these New Orleans rockers. They were funny, clever and sounded amazing. You can tell they still love what they do. They really connected with the Raleigh crowd, making them a big hit with the audience. The rain stopped just before they went on stage, making for one great evening out in Raleigh!