Cary Living Magazine

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Beautiful homes of western wake page 34

m ay | j u n e 2 0 1 5

Free-Range Parenting | Summer Jobs | Family Adventures

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publisher

a n o t e from the

Publisher/EDITOR Sioux Watson Advertising Sales Charis Painter | Julie Shaw | Sioux Watson Michelle Palladino Creative Director Travis Aptt Graphic Design Jennifer Heinser | Lori Lay

Spring is here, and our team of writers and photographers had a big time this issue driving all over town to compile photos of people and their homes for “Beautiful Homes of Cary/Apex”, which was perfectly timed with the annual burst of azalea blossoms each April. We chose a variety of homes in the area, and each family seems to be still in love with their “perfect” house.

We’ve also taken a cheeky look at local people, in different stages of their lives, and how they measure success–financial, personal happiness or career growth– and asked them to share their advice based on experience, not necessarily what the experts say.

The Triangle continues to grow and we want to be a part of that growth, exploring the older nooks and crannies of town while embracing the smart growth the Cary community demands. Look for what we think are the Hidden Gems of Cary in this issue.

School is almost out, and summer means parents have to come up with creative activities everyone in the family will enjoy. An especially challenging time for kids is that in-

between stage where they are too old for camp and too young to drive; we’ll give you some tips on that age-old question of “what to do this summer before I die of boredom”.

Binoculars– they are not just for concerts when the seats are lousy (Plug here for Booth Amphitheater where there are no lousy seats) Birdwatching in Cary is an under-rated and fascinating pleasure that costs not much more than a pair of binoculars and a bird book (there’s an app for that!). Impress your friends by learning to spot a Great Crested Flycatcher (and others) while sitting on your porch or moseying around one of western Wake’s parks.

I’ve heard from a few of you and want to encourage more of you to send me ideas for stories about the world around us here in our town and surrounds.

Happy Spring,

Sioux Sioux Watson Publisher/Editor

Your opinions matter to us. Let us know what you think of this issue of Cary Living.

Please email sioux@caryliving.com with your comments.

Contributing Writers Christa Gala | Kate Turgeon Watson Dan Bain | Jenni Hart | Carol Wills Kurt Dusterberg | Dave Droschak Corbie Hill | Julie Johnson | David Fellerath Illyse Lane | Adam Sobsey Photographers Davies Photography | Rob Kinnan Photography Jennifer Robertson Photograhy

Cary Living is published six times annually. Any reproduction in part or in whole of any part of this publication is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.

Cary Living is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or art. Unsolicited material is welcome and is considered intended for publication. Such material will become the property of the magazine and will be subject to editing.

Material will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Cary Living will not knowingly accept any real estate advertising in violation of U.S. equal opportunity law.

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CARYLIVING

M AY | JU NE 2015

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features 26 Planning for Financial Success Get advice from these professionals in a range of professions and levels of experience. Their stories may sound familiar.

34 Beautiful Homes We gathered a few beautiful homes in Western Wake for you to get a sneak peek at the gorgeous interiors. Master bedrooms, kitchens and lake views, oh my!

42 Hidden Gems: Cary We asked, and you made sugges- tions. Here are some of our area’s favorite spots the tourists may not even know about.

58 departments

46 Family Adventures Want to get your teen off the video game console? Here is what to do with kids not yet old enough to drive, but too old for camp.

10 | Raising the Bar

50 Free-Range PArenting Recent trends have shown the rise of helicopter parenting. Maybe it is time to loosen the reigns and let them find what one generation is losing.

20 | Wine Review

58 Spring Birds Learn about those newly arriving feathered backyard visitors and how you can spot them. We may make a birder out of you yet!

12 | sport Scene 14 | Beer & Barrel 16 | SUNDAY SUPPER 18 | technology Scene 22 | Young Makers 24 | Giving Back 32 | calendar of events 62 | Complete the Room 64 | Healthy Living 72 | sightingS

Special thanks to Jennifer Robertson Photography for our cover image!

raisingthebar

ask You

ANSWER

we

Q

If I am arrested for DWI, will I lose my license? If so, for how long?

Gloria, Raleigh Generally, a person will lose their license for 30 days after the arrest.

In most cases, they will be able to get a limited driving privilege after 10 days. This allows them to drive between 6am and 8pm, Monday through Friday, for work, school or household purposes. After the 30th day, they are able to pick up their original driver’s license. ~ Steven Saad

This is my first DWI. If I plead or am found guilty, will I lose my license?

Gloria, Raleigh Yes. The DMV will suspend your license for one year. In most cases, if you have completed certain prerequisites, you will be able to get a limited driving privilege for that entire year. ~ Steven Saad Can I require my employees to follow a dress code?

Bill, Cary Yes, as long as it is reasonable and does not discriminate on the basis of some protected trait, characteristic, or affiliation. You can direct employees to wear professional clothing, prohibit jewelry, require uniforms, and more.

Such rules are fine, as long you recognize that exceptions sometimes must be made. For example, employees may have a right to wear a union pin, despite a “no jewelry” rule. Likewise, an employee whose

religious beliefs require the wearing of a head covering such as a hijab may be entitled to wear it in the workplace even though the dress code prohibits hats or other head coverings. ~ Paul Derrick Which of the legal holidays is my employer required to observe?

Latonya, Garner None. No employer is required to observe holidays or give holiday time off at all, either with or without pay.

It is entirely up to the employer. If the employer does promise to give holiday pay, however, it must put the policy in writing and make sure that all employees know about it. ~ Paul Derrick

MeettheCounsel

Steven Saad

Criminal Defense

10 | caryliving.com

I own a small business that is struggling. Can I give comp time to my employees instead of paying them overtime?

Latonya, Garner No. Private sector businesses are not allowed to give comp time in lieu of overtime when their non-exempt employees work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Those workers must be paid one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours over 40. Even if your payroll period covers two or more weeks at a time, the overtime must be calculated based on each workweek. The public sector (e.g., government) can allow comp time, but other businesses cannot. L ~ Paul Derrick

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Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP | www.cshlaw.com

Paul Derrick

Employment Law

This content has been prepared for general information purposes only. This information is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation. The information provided cannot replace the advice of competent legal counsel by a licensed attorney in your state.

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sportscene Fans in the Triangle can expect to see tons of athleticism during the expansion season of the American Ultimate Disc League’s Raleigh Flyers.

Football With a Frisbee Expansion American Ultimate Disc League team lands in Triangle

// By David Droschak / PhotogrAPhy by Raleigh Flyers

THE TRIANGLE’S POPULATION CONTINUES TO ESCALATE, AND with that growth comes a desirability for sports teams to set up shop here. The latest professional sports entity in 2015 is the Raleigh Flyers of the American Ultimate Disc League.

The Flyers are part of the AUDL’s expansion into the southern part of the United States. They will play their home games at Cardinal Gibbons High School near PNC Arena in May, June and July. In addition to the Flyers, the new South Division includes teams from Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville and Nashville.

The AUDL is the first and largest professional ultimate league in the world, with 25 franchises now, including cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington, DC.

The Raleigh Flyers are being spearheaded by three local partners, including Casey Degnan, a former Cardinal Gibbons graduate and the first player ever signed by the Chicago Wildfire. In addition to logging playing time in the AUDL, Degnan spent the last two years in the Windy City learning the ins and outs of running a franchise, and jumped at the opportunity to return to the Triangle area to field a team.

12 | caryliving.com

“Raleigh has had a club team here for 25 years, actually one of the most decorated club teams, called Ring of Fire,” Degnan said. “Mike Denardis, one of our other owners, is coach of that team, so he and I got together with my brother Sean and here we are.”

The sport runs deep in Degnan’s blood.

“I went to High Point University and played tennis there,” he said. “And I would actually run from tennis practice to play ultimate disc in intramurals.”

There are more than 600 university club teams across the country. And the Flyers are fortunate to be able to pull from college powerhouses UNC-Wilmington and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to fill the roster. A majority of the college players joined the team after their season ended.

Well, for starters, it’s a lot like a combination of football and soccer, except with a Frisbee; it is also fast-paced, exciting and, at times, physical.

At this level, the game is filled with big plays, and strategy is a regular part of the game.

The Raleigh Flyers even held a football type of “combine” to scout for potential players.

“We tested their vertical jump, 40- and 80yard dash times,” Degnan said. “The younger, college-aged guys on the team are much more explosive players.”

Ultimate is ultra popular among the hightech crowd, with employees at local firms such as SAS and Cisco Systems playing the sport at lunch for years. Some also field corporate teams in the Triangle Flying Disc Association.

The sport began in 1968 at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, but has been wildly popular starting in the 1970s from Southern California all the way up the West Coast, with the current hotbed in Seattle.

“The sport is just now catching on across the rest of the United States,” Degnan said. “It already is popular around the world. In places like India they fill up whole stadiums, and fans also love it in Japan, Canada and Germany.” L

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caryliving.com | 13

beer&barrel

Take a Tour!

The Taproom at Highland Brewing Co. is a great spot to grab a beer after experiencing a tour.

Curious About Beer? Tour a Brewery! // By julie johnson

AS OUR BEER CHOICES HAVE EXPANDED, CONSUMERS have become more curious about how beer is made. A brewery tour is a great opportunity to take in the sights and smells of the brewing process, meet the people who create your beer, ask your fill of questions, and sample a few wares.

Even better, a brewery can be a memorable destination when you hit the road – learn about the beer that is identified with a particular town, and lend your support to these local businesses. Here are a few breweries that offer both novices and pros a terrific intro to local beer culture.

In 1994, 12 Old Charlotte Highway Highland Brewing 828.299.3370 Co. opened highlandbrewing.com/brewery-tours in Asheville, pioneering the way for the thriving craft beer culture the city enjoys today.

Located in the eastern part of town, its new facility is big enough to support a several-a-day, seven-day-a-week tour schedule. The first-come, first-served tours lead visitors through the brewing process, packaging (bottling lines are hypnotic, like toy trains for grown-ups) and a taste of Highland’s flagship Gaelic Ale. This summer, linger in the new rooftop bar, where taps pour small-batch beers not available elsewhere.

NoDa Brewing Co. (short for North Davidson) not only offers comprehensive tours, but it’s an ideal place to begin exploring this artsy Charlotte neighborhood, which 14 | caryliving.com

2229 N Davidson Street features two other breweries 704.900.6851 within blocks. Hour-long nodabrewing.com tours, conducted by guides who are also knowledgeable homebrewers, are offered weekdays at 6pm, 5pm on Saturdays and 3pm Sundays. Visit on a Tuesday, then grab a pint of that week’s special one-off brew, available only in the laid-back taproom (for a preview, see the NoDable Series on YouTube), or try one of NoDa’s limited-release seasonals any day of the week.

History, artwork and a community of writers draw visitors to tiny Hillsborough: to that list, add distinctive beer. Mystery Brewing Co. opened just three years ago, dedicated to brewing a continually revolving menu of seasonal-only beers that incorporate novel ingredients: grains, fruits, herbs and spices that may be new to visitors. On Saturdays at 1pm and 3pm, staff conduct the tours. Brewery founder Erik Lars Meyers, a passionate advocate for Mystery’s brewing philosophy, hosts the VIP tours ($15 per person) for more advanced imbibers on the final Friday evening of every month.

Afterwards, adjourn to Mystery’s Public House on 437 Dimmocks Mill Road 230 South Nash Street. L 919.697.8379 mysterybrewing.com

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sundaysupper Steven Devereaux Greene, The Umstead Executive Chef

Executive Chef:

The Umstead Hotel and Spa

// By ADAM SOBSEY | Photography by JEnnifer Robertson

LIKE MOST CHEFS, STEVEN DEVEREAUX GREENE DOESN’T cook much haute cuisine at home.“Healthy and simple,” he says.

But there is something remarkable about his Sunday suppers: it’s that he has any time or energy to make them at all. Greene is not only the Executive Chef of the Umstead Hotel’s entire food chain, from Herons on down; he’s also Creative Director of An in Cary, which shares ownership with the Umstead. This is a busy man with a mind already brimful of food.

Greene is only 35, but his resume is long, varied and illustrious, just like his days. At age 25, he already had his own namesake restaurant, Devereaux’s, in Greenville, South Carolina, near where he grew up. He ran the entire operation, from truffles to tablecloths to tax forms. By then, he was already a veteran of two Charleston-area landmarks: McCrady’s and the renowned Woodlands Inn, where he was chef de cuisine at an age when

16 | caryliving.com

most of us are still trying to be in rock bands.

Which Greene could have been. He’s been playing guitar most of his life (another pursuit it’s hard to believe he has time for). Ask him about music, and he starts talking as warmly and knowledgeably about his favorites as he does about the pictures he’s showing a visitor of his ingenious foie gras with cherries and black sesame “soil” on the menu at Herons– a culinary cherry bomb if ever there was one.

Greene loves Ben Harper’s soulfulness and the sweeping cinematic vision of Pink Floyd’s Dave Gilmour. “But Tool is probably my favorite band,” he says. That’s a surprise. Chefs are known to like their decibels as high as their cooking temperatures, but the disarmingly laid-back Greene doesn’t seem like the prog-metal type– until he explains. Tool’s guitarist, Adam Jones, isn’t a virtuoso player like, say, Stevie

Ray Vaughan, whom Greene also loves, but Jones’ inventions go beyond technique and composition. “He designs the music,” Greene says, including the band’s visual elements.

In that light, Greene’s carefully landscaped foie gras makes perfect sense. So does his fondness for cooking with non-virtuoso ingredients at home on Sundays. He likes plain old button mushrooms, zucchini, chicken, salmon. “The right heat treatment,” he insists, is what’s essential– as it is, you might say, with rock guitar. And with a different kind of heat too. When it’s suggested that the more popular sriracha could be substituted for the sambal oelek in the accompanying recipe, he gently but firmly demurs. His thinking is precise, careful, almost musical.

Greene’s menus are cosmopolitan, but his easygoing half-drawl speaks to his origins in the South Carolina

upcountry, where he spent summers living with his grandparents. His grandfather was a fisherman who taught him to appreciate even the humblest catch, and to clean it. Greene offhandedly describes the pleasures of eating tilefish scales, which curl up crunchy when you fry them: “They taste like crappie tails,” he says– that humble freshwater nibble.

Greene also learned from his grandmother, who cooked succotash and put up fruits and vegetables from her own trees and garden. “But it was the way she treated everybody,” Greene remembers, that really stuck with the future restaurateur. He learned from her that hospitality is as important an ingredient as any on the plate. Watch him stop by a table in his restaurant and chat with guests as easily as if he’d known them all his life, and you see how honestly he’s come by what he does, and how honestly he does it. L

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THE UMSTEAD HOTEL AND SPA 100 Woodland Pond Drive, Cary theumstead.com

SEARED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER SALAD, SPICY KALE, AND SHIITAKE QUINOA

INGREDIENTS

directions

6 1 1 6 1 bunch 1 bunch 1 lb 2 Tbsp 3 Tbsp 4 cups 10 1 Tbsp 3 Tbsp

1. Mix the cucumbers, red onion, radish and picked cilantro

leaves with one tablespoon of rice wine vinegar and salt.

salmon filets (6-7 ounces each) seedless cucumber (halved & sliced thin) red onion (julienned finely) baby red radishes (sliced thin) cilantro scallions (sliced thin) Russian kale (stems removed & halved) sambal oelek rice wine vinegar quinoa (cooked) large shiitake mushrooms (sliced & sautéed) olive oil grapeseed oil salt

2. Set aside at room temperature. Next add the scallions and

cooked shiitakes to the warm quinoa, then season with salt

and one tablespoon of olive oil.

3. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat; once

the pan is hot add two tablespoons of grapeseed oil and

brown salmon on both sides.

4.

While salmon is searing, cook kale in another sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil until the kale starts to wilt and turn vibrant green; then add the sambal, rice wine vinegar and salt to finish. Serves 6.

caryliving.com | 17

photography © sleepnumber.com

technologyscene

Smart Bed. Smart Kids.

SleepIQ ® Kids helps Kids and Parents Alike Can Sleep a Little Easier // By dan bain

LAST YEAR, SLEEP NUMBER DEBUTED SLEEPIQ®, A technology that tracks and reports useful sleep information from their beds. Its sensors work with Sleep Number DualAir™ technology inside their beds to collect data on breathing rate, heart rate, movement patterns and bed exits, which the owner can use to adjust their daytime routine and/or their Sleep Number in an effort to improve.

That technology made it possible for any Sleep Number bed owner to improve their sleep patterns. This year, the company is developing similar technology for kids’ beds – something that should improve sleep for the kids and their parents alike.

According to Sleep Number, one out of four parents of children under 10 are unsatisfied with the length of time it takes their children to fall asleep. SleepIQ® Kids intends to improve that ratio by measuring and reporting children’s sleep data. By using existing Sleep Number technology, the system has no need for wristbands or other, more cumbersome wearable monitors.

A convenient app tracks the data and creates custom reports on just about any device, allowing parents and older kids to observe trends, manage sleep schedules, and adjust Sleep Numbers. Other features include a nightlight that parents can turn off remotely, soft lighting that glows 18 | caryliving.com

under the bed if the child gets up during the night (with an accompanying alert sent to the parents’ app to let them know Junior is on the move), an adjustable mattress angle in the event the child has a cold, and for younger kids, a star-awarding system to provide incentive for good nights, and a “monster detector” to assure them nothing evil is waiting under the bed.

SleepIQ® Kids is set to become available later this year, retailing for $1000. More information is available online at www.sleepiqkids.com. L

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caryliving.com | 19

winereview TESORO DELLA REGINA CHIANTI

OLEMA CHARDONNAY SONOMA

CHATEAU LA TOUR SAINTE ANNE ROSE

MUIRWOOD CHARDONNAY RESERVE STANTA LUCIA

FINCA NUEVA RIOJA BLANCO

90 International Wine Cellar

Tuscany, Italy

Sonoma, California

Cotes de Provence, Provence, France

Santa Lucia Highlands, California

Rioja, Spain

Chianti Classico is a lavishly sculpted wine that offers up lovely fruit. The seamless balance of this wine makes it a perfect pairing for your favorite foods. Enjoy it casually with friends or serve it on special occasions.

This approachable Chardonnay was fermented half in oak and half in stainless steel, giving the wine a crisp and refreshing acidity. Apple and citrus notes balance the wine and bring a creamy quality to the finish.

This delicate wine should be served chilled. Lovely for the aperitif. It is also a perfect match for white sauces, fish dishes, smoked salmon, souffles and Asian cooking.

An elegant, mediumbodied Chardonnay with tropical fruit flavors and a creamy oak mouthfeel. Vanilla and spice extends through the lingering, viscous finish. Pairs well with pasta or chicken dishes.

Greenish-gold. Sharply focused mineral, citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complemented by deeper hints of vanilla and honey. Spicy and precise on the palate...

Gains sweetness with air and finishes long and nervy, with a firm, stony nuance adding lift and cut.

$12.99/bottle

$15.99/bottle

$12.99/bottle

$16.99/bottle

$15.99/bottle

// By KEVIN GORDON, wine manager total wine & more, Crossroads Shopping Center 20 | caryliving.com

caryliving.com | 21

All photos courtesy of Betsey Ervin

youngmakers

Metal Makers ...and more

// By christa gala

WHEN ARTIST AND MOM BETSEY ERVIN OFFERS TO help her daughter, Stella, and a friend make a purse in her new studio workshop, she gets bonus points for being a cool mom, and the girls get a new bag.

But Ervin says she’s the real winner any time she gets to watch her daughter work in the studio, cutting vinyl for the bags Ervin sells at Cat Banjo in downtown Raleigh or using the rivet gun to make jewelry from license plates and other metals. It’s a joy to see Stella creating at such a young age.

Ervin stifled her creative passions until after she had children, opting instead to focus on what she thought of as her obligations.

“I grew up in a family where going to school and college and being a doctor or whatever…academics were really important, so I don’t think I really felt free to explore the creative side of myself until I was an adult and kind of away from all that,” says Ervin.

Ervin ended up as an administrator at a private school, but never really enjoyed her work.

“I just couldn’t wait to get home to do what I really wanted to do,” says Ervin, who specializes in reusing 22 | caryliving.com

existing materials like license plates and vinyl. “Once I had kids, I was lucky enough to be able to stay home. Every second that they had naptime, I was starting to learn about what I wanted to do. I started taking classes and this became my new thing.”

But, really, Ervin was just picking back up her “old” thing.

“I was always very creative, but I never thought of myself as an artist even though I’m probably following very much in my mom’s footsteps; she’s a woodworker,” says Ervin. “And she probably wouldn’t call herself an artist, but she definitely is.”

With her business Stella Wynne Wear, named after her daughter, Ervin is hoping Stella – the third generation – will realize the importance of pursuing work she loves.

Stella Wynne Wear sells metal purses and vinyl jewelry and bags. Through Etsy, people are beginning to discover Ervin’s work, and orders are coming in from New York to Texas.

Stella, 12, helps and so does Ervin’s 10-year-old son Dean.

“They come up there, and they love it; they’re starting to learn basic stuff,” says Ervin. “My son likes to

look at all of it and find out what it is, but he’s not as involved as my daughter. With the metalworking, my daughter really loves that.”

Ervin started working in metal after a friend found a bunch of license plates in an old home and gave them to her.

But a metal purse? Is it functional? (I had to ask).

“It’s surprisingly functional,” Ervin laughs. “I don’t know what it is about metal, but I love it, and I find it satisfying to figure out how it becomes functional because it can be so rough, and it’s not malleable.”

Ervin’s mom, the woodworker, carries one, and it fits her keys and wallet just fine. The purses do have vinyl on the sides and a cloth interior, which Stella helps with too.

Betsy and Stella Ervin plan to keep experimenting and creating in the Cary studio.

“Her cousin came last week, and we all went up to the studio. One of her favorite things is to bring her friends up and, if they’re interested, she’ll say, “Let’s all sit down and make something.”

Stella Wynne Wear can be found on Etsy and Facebook and, locally, at Cat Banjo in downtown Raleigh. L

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caryliving.com | 23

givingback

Growing Hope For thirty years, the Foundation of Hope has brought hope to families living with mental illness. // By Illyse Lane

IT WAS ONLY THIRTY YEARS AGO WHEN THE words “mental illness” were most often associated with shame. It was a topic not discussed within struggling families; a disease without many options for treatment and even fewer dollars for research.

Fast forward to the present. It’s a present where the annual Thad and Alice Eure Walk for Hope has solidified its spot as the second largest walk for mental illness in the country, attracting thousands of participants and raising significant funds for mental illness research and treatment. It’s a present where the annual dinner and auction, Evening of Hope, to be held in September, will have Zak Williams, son of the late actor Robin Williams, sharing his story on living with a father struggling with mental illness. And it’s a present where UNC-Chapel Hill has gained national status as having one of the top research programs in the country in the field of mental illness.

Yes, over the past thirty years, much has changed. And Shelley Eure Belk, the executive director of the Foundation of Hope for Research & Treatment of Mental Illness, couldn’t be more pleased. For Belk remembers when her parents, Thad and Alice Eure, were determined to break the stigma attached to mental illness by starting the Foundation of Hope. “Thirty years ago, we were stepping out on a limb, raising money for a cause not talked about. It was a brave thing,” says Belk.

“We never imagined we would be able to fund so much research. ”

With the specific mission to provide grants to fund research for mental illness through a relationship with UNC and its associated programs, 24 | caryliving.com

Save the Dates!

Maybe you’ll go for the exercise. Maybe you’ll go for the five-course dinner prepared by Angus Barn Iron Chef Walter Royal. Or maybe you want to help raise awareness for those individuals and families struggling with mental illness.

Whatever your reason, go ahead and save the dates:

The 2015 Evening of Hope Gala

Thursday, September 24th, 2015 The annual Evening of Hope gala, held at the Angus Barn Pavilion, features an elegant five-course dinner paired with exceptional wines, live and silent auctions, and celebrity guest speaker Zak Williams, son of the late actor Robin Williams.

the Foundation of Hope has grown from a foundation with one $20,000 research grant to a foundation that has awarded over 130 scientific research grants totaling more than $3.8 million.

It’s an evolution that’s been exciting for Belk and the rest of the Foundation of Hope, which knows first-hand how difficult it can be to find funding for mental illness and, in particular, funding for seed ideas. “When a researcher has a seed idea, they can’t go to a national level and receive funding until they have had a chance to germinate the idea. That process usually takes about three years to see through and attract attention,” says Belk.

Thad & Alice Eure 27th Annual Walk for Hope

Sunday, October 11th, 2015 100% of the money raised by participants directly funds local mental health research at the UNC Neurosciences Hospital in Chapel Hill.

The event also includes the Run for Hope, a USA Track & Field Certified Run with timed 5K and 10K routes.

(left) Zak Williams, son of the late Robin Williams, will share his families’ struggles with mental illness at the Evening of Hope, to be held on September 24th. (above) Thousands of participants walk along Glenwood Avenue during the 2014 Walk for Hope. The annual fundraiser will be held on October 11th.

However, through its synergetic relationship with UNC, the Foundation of Hope has been in the unique position of being able to identify research that holds significant promise at the seed level, filling a void. “Our scientific advisory group has the ability to navigate through the numerous applications received annually, providing an incredible niche that no one else is providing, and that no one else wanted to provide,” says Belk.

The grant is then awarded to a researcher at UNC, and often times, the research goes on to receive national attention and funding from the National Institute of Mental Health. “We have a wonderful relationship with UNC, and we feel so fortunate to have some of the most brilliant minds in the country right outside our back door,” says Belk.

This success is what keeps the Foundation of Hope motivated, as it continues to set new goals for its various fundraising events held throughout the year, knowing that ultimately, the research will benefit those within the Triangle community. Two of the more well- known events are scheduled to take place this fall. “The 27th annual Walk is going to be held in October, and our goal this year is to have 4,000 participants,” says Blair Wall Smallman, development officer. “We are also so excited that we were able to get Zak Williams, in his first signing of a nonprofit, to come to our Evening of Hope, where he will share his families’ ups and downs.”

And when it comes to mental illness, that sharing is a very essential piece of the mental illness puzzle.

“Mental illness is a brain disease, where things aren’t working right, just like if you had a heart problem,” says Belk. “And we have helped bring recognition to people who are out there struggling, helping them realize that they are not alone.” For more information, visit foundationofhopenc.org. L

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caryliving.com | 25

planning for

FINANCIAL

SUCCESS A // By Carol Wills

photography by Jennifer Robertson photogrAphy

Are your finances in order?

Money isn’t everything, but let’s face it: life is a lot easier when there is enough money to pay the bills and you can spend little to no time worrying about it. And of course you should be saving for the future, too! A survey last fall from Bankrate.com shows a third of Americans (36%) have not saved for retirement.

Experts advise us to start saving early, and aggressively stash away as much as we can. Conventional wisdom used to recommend saving 10% of your income, but with the demise of pensions in the US, saving should be closer to 15-20% says James Richardson, of Richardson, Carrington, Weaver and Associates, a Private Wealth Advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. “Millennials are noticing older relatives did not save enough for retirement and are getting started earlier,” he says. “People in their 50s and 60s didn’t save like their parents before them, and are faced with the two-legged stool (social security and investments) vs the three legged-stool of yesteryear (pensions, social security and investments). With pensions no longer in the picture, they needed to make up the difference by saving more.”

He continues, “Even by saving small amounts, over time it does add up. You just have to be consistent and

disciplined.” He noted a prediction made years ago that has come true for many: baby boomers are discovering they are caught in the “sandwich generation.” “Boomers who are retired or about to retire are finding they may have financial obligations to help support either their children or their parents, or both. They’re caught in the middle of a three-generational financial squeeze, and may require more resources than anticipated.

Another view of living well is explored by David Brooks, a conservative political and cultural commentator in The New York Times. He has just written The Road to Character, where he reflects that his life has brought financial success, but not true happiness. He concludes the happiest people are ones who have achieved moral and spiritual accomplishments, usually gained by giving back to others.

We asked a few folks from the Cary area, who are in various stages of their lives, about decisions they made in the past decade that they are happy about, and what advice they might give to their younger selves if they could. Those decisions could be financial: investing, retirement planning, or job-related. We asked them to expand on things that brought the most happiness or on other things they wish they had done differently.

© Stephen Beaudet

Lori Bush Technical Lead for Cisco Systems and At-Large Representative for the Town of Cary Lori Bush and her husband Greg, who are in their early 50s, live in Cary and have two children, one who attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the other who is a junior at Green Hope High School in Cary. Lori is a Technical Leader at Cisco Systems, a job that she loves because it gives her an opportunity to leverage her engineering experience while leading teams created to solve business goals. But this is only one aspect of her life. Another important role that she’s playing is as a town councilor for the town of Cary, an outgrowth of her passion for public service that began when she was a teenager at Girls’ State. And, of course, she is thoroughly involved with her extended family, most of whom live in or near Cary.

She credits her energy to the changes she has made in her lifestyle in the last decade, including taking classes in nutrition, riding her “Elf” (three-wheeled bicycle), and taking a walk every day.

In addition, she is involved in a two-year course in the Wildacres Leadership Program as a Friday Fellow.

Lori’s advice to young people today is the same advice she would like to have given her younger self: “Be bold. Take chances and risks.

You don’t want to arrive at the end of your life with regrets.” This is advice that she herself now takes to heart.

ADRIAN LARREA Blue Plover CO-founder

Adrian Larrea, who at 29 has already successfully established his own technology company, speaks with enthusiasm about his work. He named his company Blue Plover for a special reason: blue represents technology, and plovers are birds that alight in the mouths of crocodiles to clean the croc’s teeth. It’s a humorous reference to Adrian’s passionate belief that the way to succeed in business is to help other emerging businesses get their message out to the community online. With the rapid advances in technology, this can be done in any number of ways with community partners. These successful businesses, in turn, make their community a better, more productive, more vibrant place to live.

So earnest was Adrian in pursuing his dream that he left college as a junior to start his first business in Wilmington, North Carolina. Adrian’s advice for his former self, the 19-year-old college student with the passion for entrepreneurship, would be twofold: to work hard and pursue his dreams; and to maintain a diet rich in organic foods, investing in body as well as mind.

He credits his co-founder Kaylee Hamar as his main inspiration for his wise choices as well as for partnering with him in several of his business ventures. Visit blueplover.com for more information. caryliving.com | 27

Sheila H. OGLE CEO, The Matthews House, Events Facility and conference center, basil and thyme catering/patisserie bakery Sheila Ogle is the owner of The Matthews House, a Greek Revival mansion in historic downtown Cary. The Matthews House is an events and conference center that is the site of weddings, social occasions and corporate events. The facility offers full-service catering and a bakery. Sheila is a classic entrepreneur who loves to surround herself with people who can benefit from her mentoring and expertise in order to start businesses, grow them and make them profitable.

Her advice to young people is to start planning for retirement the first day they go to work. She believes in investing in properties that can provide a return, and being willing to take a chance. To prove her point, in 2012 she started a small business incubator, Cary Innovation Center, and she and her partner, Ian Henshaw, share ownership in Cary Coworking in downtown Cary.

Sheila says people should take advantage of healthy organic foods and take time for walking and playing in order to keep themselves in good shape, both physically and mentally. That’s another type of investment that will pay off in the future.

PETE WEBER Web content manager for the city of raleigh Pete Weber, who is 43 years old, is a former sales rep who now works as a web content manager for the city of Raleigh.

In 2006, he made a conscious decision to change his career path in order to do something more creative that he hoped ultimately would lead to a healthier financial situation. He had a journalism degree from UNC, but was supporting himself by working in sales with the Independent Weekly. He decided that he was interested in web design, so he started taking web design courses through Wake Tech Community College. The classes were online and through their Ed2Go program.

As he finished his classes, the Independent happened to need a web director. He took that position, where he was able to hone his marketing, design and web skills. His degree in journalism came in handy as well. After seven years at the Indy, he was a seasoned web professional ready to take on his current position with the city of Raleigh.

Pete says, “I now have a career doing the work I love while making a decent salary and enjoying good benefits, including a healthy retirement package.”

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Good Credit

Like Having a Key to the Kingdom Free and fee-based credit score companies may have some of the catchiest ads and jingles on TV, but you probably know that credit is serious business. James Richardson is a private wealth advisor and certified financial planner who says bad credit can mean denial of credit or less favorable terms. “In the case of a credit card, that usually means a lower spending limit or higher than standard rates,” he says. “For an auto loan, bad credit means you may be required to have a co-signer.”

Credit history can also impact you in unexpected ways. In addition to affecting your ability to purchase a home, Richardson says your credit history can even make renting more difficult, as most complexes now run a credit check. “Even insurance rates can be negatively impacted, and some employers routinely conduct credit checks as part of their hiring process,” he adds.

Steven Blair Wilson is a principal with Capital Advisers, Inc., and serves as general counsel with Capital Investment Companies. He offers sound advice to anyone wishing to establish good credit.

GET AN EARLY START It may surprise you to learn that some debt can be better than none when it comes to your credit score.

“A modest and manageable amount of indebtedness looks better to lenders because they see you can be trusted to handle the responsibility of making timely payments and keeping the account in good standing,” says Wilson. He offers this advice for establishing a good credit history: •

•

•

Apply for a line of credit you know you can manage, such as a department store credit card. Make occasional purchases and pay at least the minimum amount due each month.

Never skip a payment, even if you have to borrow from your parents to keep the account in good standing.

Monitor your credit report regularly and address any discrepancies immediately. A credit report can reveal simple accounting mistakes, as well as identity theft.

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// By JENNI HART

Wilson recommends going to annualcreditreport.com, where you have guaranteed access by federal law to a free yearly credit report.

LOOK BEYOND THE NUMBERS Wilson cautions borrowers to pay attention not just to their overall indebtedness, but also to the mix of debt. You might have $15,000 in credit card debt and owe $15,000 on a car loan, but that appears more favorable to a lender than having $30,000 in credit card debt. “A lender understands you probably need a vehicle for transportation, so he or she will be anticipating a car purchase in your future,” Wilson says. “They also see the car loan as something that is reduced over time as you make payments, whereas credit card debt is just as likely to continue going up.”

KNOW THE SCORE Richardson says FICO is considered the standard among credit scoring systems. Here he shares the FICO rating scales: Excellent: 781-950 Good: 661-780 Fair: 601-660 Poor: 501-600 Bad: 500 and below

If you check your score and don’t like what you see, keep in mind that lenders are in the business of lending and may be more willing to work with you than you realize. Wilson says even a bankruptcy, while not desirable, will appear as a known risk to lenders, and that can play in your favor. “A bankruptcy gives a full and complete picture to a lender– they know they can charge a higher rate, and because bankruptcies became relatively common in the financial downturn, they don’t necessarily carry the stigma they once did,” he says.

The mere passage of time can improve your credit standing, as adverse credit is eventually dropped from your record. But it’s better to be proactive in establishing good credit and working to protect and improve it over time. The best things in life may be free, but for everything else, it’s nice to know you can charge it.

BEAUFORT

Beaufort (pronounced BOW-Fort, as in bow tie) boasts more than 300 years of historical legacy to capture the hearts of all who visit. It was recently named “America’s Coolest Small Town” by Budget Travel magazine, as well as one of “America’s Favorite Beach Towns” by Travel + Leisure. Offering beach days and haunted nights against the backdrop of many Nicholas Sparks novels and movies, Beaufort

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calendar

OF EVENTS

MAY | JUNE 2015

Riedel Wine Glass Seminar & Tasting Academy Street Bistro May 7 | 6:30pm 200 S. Academy Street | Cary 919.414.1010 academystreetbistro.com Baby Storytime Koka Booth Amphitheatre May 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 29 | 11:30am June 2, 5, 12, 19, 23, 26, 30 | 11:30am 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com National Train Day Cary Train Depot & Page-Walker Arts & History Center May 9 | 10am-2pm 211 North Academy Street | Cary 919.460.4963 staging.amtraktraindays.com Western Wake Farmers’ Market 101 Gathering Park Circle | Cary May 9, 16, 23, 30 | 9am-12pm June 6, 13, 20, 27 | 9am-12pm westernwakefarmersmarket.org Western Wake Farmers’ Market UNC Wellness Center 350 Stonecroft Lane | Cary May 9, 16, 23, 30 | 9am-12pm June 6, 13, 20, 27 | 9am-12pm Saturdays 7:30am-12:30pm westernwakefarmersmarket.org OPERA IN THE PINES Koka Booth Amphitheatre May 9 | 8pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Mother’s Day & Graduation Weekend Academy Street Bistro May 9-10 | 4pm 8245 Chapel Hill Road | Cary 919.380.7135 chathamhillwine.com Mother’s Day Brunch and Dinner Chatham Hill Winery May 10 | 10:30am-8pm 200 S. Academy Street | Cary 919.414.1010 academystreetbistro.com

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Mystery Book Discussion: Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks West Regional Library May 13 | 10:30-11:30am 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl Non-Toxic Pest Control West Regional Library May 14 | 3-4pm 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl Lobster Truck Chatham Hill Winery May 15 | 4pm 8245 Chapel Hill Road | Cary 919.380.7135 chathamhillwine.com Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’S National Walk Weekend May 16 | 9am-1pm Great Strides TEAMS Cary & Apex Credit Suisse, RTP Campus 7033 Louis Stephens Road | Morrisville fightcf.cff.org/site/TR/GreatStrides

Fairy Garden Class The Garden Hut May 16 | 11am 1004 Old Honeycutt Road | Fuquay-Varina 919.552.0590 NelsasGardenHut.com Storytime for Grown-Ups: Thrilling Tales & Selected Shorts West Regional Library May 17 | 3:30-4:30pm 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl Novel Readers Evening Book Discussion: On Such A Full Sea by Chang-Rae Lee West Regional Library May 18 | 7-8pm 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl Foster 101 Pet Adoption May 16 | 12:30-4pm 1105 Walnut Street | Cary 919.319.4517 townofcary.org

4th Annual Wheels on Academy Car Show May 16 | 9am-2pm Academy Street | Downtown Cary 919.469.4061 townofcary.org Rhapsody in Blue & Dvorak’s New World Symphony Koka Booth Amphitheatre May 23 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Break Through Your Barriers: 3 Secrets for Greater Success as an Entrepreneur with Dr. Wini Curley Embassy Suites Raleigh May 27 | 11:30am-1:30pm 201 Harrison Oaks Boulevard | Cary 919.462.2025 nawbo-raleigh.org Your Favorite Light Classics Koka Booth Amphitheatre May 30 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Summer Beach Party KickOff The Garden Hut May 30 1004 Old Honeycutt Road | Fuquay-Varina 919.552.0590 NelsasGardenHut.com Mallory Page MA Allen Interiors June 5 | 6-9pm 1020 Glenwood Avenue | Raleigh 919.834.8333 MAAllenInteriors.com malloryage.com

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Mystery Book Discussion: The Wrong Girl by Hank Phillippi Ryan West Regional Library June 10 | 10:30-11:30am 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl White Night’s Russian Festival Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 12 & 13 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Komen Triangle Race for the Cure Meredeth College June 13 | 8am 3800 Hillsborough Street | Raleigh meredith.edu

Totally 80s Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 6 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Celebration of the Arts Festival June 6 | 10am-4pm Fuquay-Varina Downtown 919.552.0848 fuquay-varinadowntown.com 29th Annual Pig Pickin’ in the PArk Senior Center at Bond Park June 6 | 4:30-7pm 120 Maury Odell Place | Cary cary-kildairerotaryclub.org Ms. North Carolina Senior America Pageant Sandhills Community Center June 6 | 7pm 3395 Airport Road | Pinehurst ncsenioramerica.com Summer SPlash & Dash Cary Family YMCA & Bond Park June 7 | 8am-12pm 101 YMCA Drive | Cary runsignup.com/Race/NC/Cary/SplashandDash Or visit fitandable.net Alabama Shakes Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 10 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com

Robert Plant & the Sensational Space Shifters with the Pixies Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 15 | 7pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Gary Clark Jr. North Carolina Museum of Art June 17 | 8pm 2110 Blue Ridge Road | Raleigh 919.664.6795 ncartmuseum.org “Weird Al” Yankovich Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 18 | 8pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com

4th Annual Peak City Pig Fest Downtown Apex June 19 & 20 Salem and Chatham Streets | Apex peakcitypigfest.com Symphonic Wizardry featuring the Music of Harry Potter Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 20 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Novel Readers Evening Book Discussion: The PAris Wife by Paula McLain West Regional Library June 22 | 7-8pm 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl A Home Office That Works West Regional Library June 25 | 6:30-8:30pm 4000 Louis Stephens Drive | Cary 919.463.8500 wakegov.com/libraries/locations/wrl Night Ride Tri Triangle Aquatic Center & Cary Town Center June 27 | 10pm-12am 275 Convention Drive | Cary /fitandable.net/event/night-ride-tri-2015 The Music of the Eagles Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 27 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com

An Evening of Broadway Koka Booth Amphitheatre June 19 | 7:30pm 8003 Regency Parkway | Cary 919.462.2025 boothamphitheatre.com Neko Case North Carolina Museum of Art June 19 | 8pm 2110 Blue Ridge Road | Raleigh 919.664.6795 ncartmuseum.org

Send us...

Community events you would like published in the calendar can be emailed to jenniferh@caryliving.com. caryliving.com | 33

Beautiful Homes

CARY Aileen Chang-Ondrako and Brian Ondrako For Aileen Chang Ondrako and her husband Brian, the choice of a home in the new western Cary subdivision of Horton’s Creek was a perfect opportunity for their young family– and for visits from their extended families.

Their approximately 4,000-square foot home, built by Baker Residential, was developed from a menu of design options. They passed on the wet bar and surround sound, but opted for the stone fireplace, as well as the open floor plan of the main living area,with a generous office located 34 | caryliving.com

off the living room, and a sunroom that looks over a stretch of Cary’s extensive network of bicycle greenways.

The location is perfect for their jobs nearby in RTP, where Aileen works in healthcare, and the Airport Boulevard area, where Brian is in software sales. The neighborhood, Aileen says, is the “best feature,” as it is filled with young families and affords social opportunities, either at the community pool or during evening walks.

OF WESTERN WAKE // By David Fellerath Photography by Kyle Ketchel, Visual Properties, LLC

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APEX Jeff and Karen Bradford For Jeff and Karen Bradford, a well-traveled couple on account of Jeff’s career in textiles, their 3,700-square foot home in Cary was the perfect place to stay put for a few years while their children finished high school. Karen regards their home, which features a grand set of steps up to the front porch, with the unabashed pleasure of someone who’s put her own stamp on the redecorating. The unusual floor plan features a kitchen island set at a diagonal to the walls. The space is open and bright, thanks to the all-window rear wall that looks out onto the yard.

However, Karen was dissatisfied with the featureless slope of the pine straw-covered yard, so she commissioned Mark Sanborn, a Raleigh-based landscaping architect and, in her words, a “genius of stonework.” Sanborn created two elegantly curved low retaining walls that converged on stone steps up the hill, giving a pleasing shape to the yard.

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APEX John and Maureen Lydon Native New Yorkers John and Maureen Lydon met cute, movie-style, at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. He was an officer with the New York Police Department, she was a schoolteacher. After two decades raising a family on Long Island, John was badly injured while on duty and retired from the force. Despite being lifelong Northerners, they “took a leap of faith,” in Maureen’s words, and decided to retire to the South. Now they luxuriate in the vicinity of horse pastures and farmland in the Apex area.

Their 4,000-square foot, three-story colonial is big enough to accommodate them, the two children still at home, and gatherings of their extended clan. A homey décor permeates the house, as befitting a couple still absorbing the joy of short winters and plenty of breathing room. Maureen recently made her first Southern pecan pie, while visible from the kitchen is Bells Lake, where she and John often watch sunsets over a lake teeming with fish, waterfowl, herons and otters.

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CARY Akua and Kwesi Akua and her husband Kwesi are among Cary’s newest transplants from New York, moving here a year ago from the up-country town of Malone. Her husband works as a physician, while Edna, whose background is in environmental science, raises their two children in an ideal setting for young families.

“We were looking for a new home, and this had everything we wanted. The neighborhood is great, and it’s near major highways,” she says.

Inside, she’s pleased with the high ceilings and granite countertops in the kitchen, as well as the three and a half baths, four bedrooms and a bonus room. The 3,357-square foot home is part of Amberly Village, which features a community center and pool suitable for lap swimming. “This house had everything we wanted,” she says. L

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GEMS of Cary The second most populous incorporated town in the United States, with more than 150,000 residents, certainly provides its share of cultural, sporting, culinary and service industry options.

ongoing series of Hidden Gems features the Town of Cary with something for your sweet tooth, a walk in the park, life on the farm and some herbal options.

Story and photographs by Dave Droschak

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All photos courtesy of Dave Droshack

ROCKET

FIZZ

Imagine a candy store stopping a kid dead in his or her tracks.

Well, imagine more than 5,000 sugarenticing, colorfully-wrapped items stocked higher than your average eight-year old and you’ll realize why most kids who enter Rocket Fizz Soda Pop & Candy Shop, off Kildaire Farm Road and Cary Parkway in Cary, are mesmerized.

“Adults will walk around and look for a couple of minutes and are not sure what to make of everything,” said Bill Sallada, the owner of the first Rocket Fizz store in North Carolina. “The real shocker is kids.

Normally when a kid runs into a store like this they start grabbing things, but they are so overwhelmed they don’t know what to touch. They just kind of stand there and look around in amazement.”

The Cary location of the Californiabased chain has been open for 15 months.

Sallada’s second Rocket Fizz location opened in mid-April and is located in North Raleigh off Wake Forest Road. The only two North Carolina locations have hit the ground running.

“I remember we were still stocking the Friday before Valentine’s Day of last year and it started to get warm in the store, so we propped the door open and people started pouring in,” he said of the Cary location.

“So, we were like ‘I guess we’re open.’”

The product on hand is staggering. There are about 530 different glass-bottled sodas in stock from as far away as Australia – 80 of which are some form of root beer. And one entire wall is lined with wooden bins of 105 different flavors of saltwater taffy – likely the largest selection between here and Myrtle Beach.

There is also plenty of nostalgia for the older crowd, such as Turkish Taffy, first manufactured in 1912, Abba-Zaba (1922) and Rocky Road, a 1950s marshmallow and chocolate candy bar creation.

“Our best customers are people who come in without their kids,” Sallada said. “As parents we’re programmed to tell our kids you can spend $2 or ‘no, you can’t have that,’ but when we come in by ourselves we don’t say that, and you start seeing a lot of things from your childhood. It’s just a lot of fun.”

April Williams of Apex and her three children (ages 8, 10 and 13) visit Rocket Fizz very couple of weeks or “whenever our candy runs out.” The 38-year-old mother was found stocking her own treats one day recently. “For a kid it’s the best place on earth…and it’s not bad for us adults either,” she said.

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Peace Within BY JOHNSIE

SALON Phillips

FARM Fourth generation farmer Mike Phillips saw the writing on the wall as he prepared to graduate from Campbell University with a degree in business management.

He wanted family farming in his future, but how?

“To be a true farmer now, it takes thousands of acres to really make it,” Phillips said. “I was playing football at Campbell and lost interest in that and wanted to start a career of my own. One day my dad and I were riding back from the beach and I asked him, “What can I do on the farm?’ The rest is history.”

With father Lee Phillips wanting to ease into semiretirement, go-getter son Mike started investigating heavily into agritainment – a term now used for operations or activities that bring visitors to a farm.

With strawberry picking, pumpkin patches and Christmas tree sales already in place, Mike Phillips set out to expand the farm’s 60 or so acres into fun, fun and more fun.

Six years later, the 27-year-old Phillips is knee deep into designing corn mazes, overseeing a Field of Screams and managing a haunted house that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention.

Strawberry picking season runs through mid to late May, then corn is planted in the summer as Phillips begins plotting out his corn maze strategy.

“I am in a group called Maize Inc., founded by the guy who was the first one to ever make a corn maze,” Phillips said. “You send their people a design of what you want and then three of their guys will go out there with backpack sprayers to make the design.”

The corn maze begins in late September, and the Field of Screams becomes ultra popular heading into Halloween.

“I’m sitting here right now thinking of what I can do to make it terrifying,” he said.

With Cary busting with development, Phillips Farms is still a little slice of laid-back heaven, tucked into a section of the “country” off Good Hope Church Road.

“We’re pretty much in our own little piece of paradise,” Phillips said.

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It’s clear to see after talking with Johnsie Gunter where she derives her inspiration.

Gunter, the owner of Peace Within by Johnsie Salon in downtown Cary, would always tail her grandmother to the herbal garden in Sanford and ask a million questions.

Her grandmother lived to 98, and once Gunter opened her own salon in 2009 off North Harrison Avenue she knew where it was all headed – down the patch of a line of allnatural products.

“I take raw materials and I make them into soaps, hand lotions, hair products and even some make-ups,” she said.

“My grandmother was an herbalist, so everything is all natural.

“My line is specialized products for each person.

Everyone is different; everyone can’t use the same things.

One person might have a scalp issue and the nextmay not be able to grow hair. Whatever the situation, I’ll make it for that particular person.”

Gunter often spends 10-12 hours a day in her salon as a hairstylist, part of which is spent chatting with clients and customizing needs for her homemade herbal hair and body products. She then heads to her “second job” – making her products at home.

“Don’t tell anybody that I don’t have a life,” Gunter jokes. “I am a night owl … that’s when everything is working in my head. For example, I’ll do all my soaps in one weekend night so they can cure for the month.”

Gunter uses products such as natural honey and emu oils in her line of soaps, shampoos, conditioners and more. She has clients as far away as Texas and Charlotte. “I am one of the stops before they go back home.”

Gunter’s products are reasonably priced, with soaps priced at $3, shampoos ranging from $10-$15 and high-end conditioners at $16.

“The quality is great, but people still have to live,” Gunter said when asked about her price structure.

“To be honest with you, all the places I worked before I opened my own salon, I found out what not to do; you’ve got to have peace, that’s very important,” Gunter said about her positive attitude.

“I base my business on Christian principles. Just treat people the way you want to be treated and everything else will fall into place.”

HEMLOCK BLUFFS

NATURE PRESERVE

Heading out of town on Kildaire Farm Road, past all the shopping centers, physician offices, restaurants and gas stations– and just past Lochmere Golf Club on the right as you begin to ascend a steep hill– is 140 acres of nature that is worth the price of admission – FREE.

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve is cooperatively managed by the State of North Carolina and the Town of Cary, and features sweeping views of a winding Swift Creek below four bluff overlooks, along with three miles of trails accentuated with a virtual forest of hemlock trees.

“People come here to just revel in peace and quiet, or to enjoy quality time with their family or friends,” said Hemlock Bluffs spokesman Mark Johns. “It’s like being in a hidden forest kingdom. The relaxation value alone is priceless.”

A view of the towering trees in the protected forest is unique to the Piedmont area of North Carolina. A system of north-facing bluffs provided an environment for the Eastern Hemlocks and other vegetation uncommon in the area to thrive back in the day.

This is a great place for families as kids can see nature in its true form, and also visit the 3,700-square foot Stevens Nature Center on site, which features an interactive exhibit hall. The facility houses a center favorite – the track table. This is where children and adults get a hands-on look at common animals and their tracks.

There are four designated trails, all of which are 1.2 miles or less, so exploring any of them isn’t overly stressful. There are approximately 100 stairs to navigate on the 0.8 mile Swift Creek Loop Trail that takes visitors from the top of the bluffs to the flatlands of the water below.

There are monthly classes and/or camps for children to enjoy, along with adult workshops, even senior citizen classes. Cary residents receive a discount.

Hemlock Bluffs is a living laboratory of nature for all generations to enjoy and learn from for years and years to come,” Johns said. L

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To the Family Adve (for those hard-to-please You’ve slept in. They’ve slept in. You’ve gone to the pool and completed the obligatory beach trip.

Now what? You’re sick of arriving home to their listless faces and the drone of the television. But your tweens and teens are too old for playdates, bounce houses, museums and playground equipment. It’s not happening.

With the summer looming large, you may be ready to wring their growing necks. And could their brains be disintegrating as they stare, zombie-like, at the screen? You have no idea, but something’s gotta give.

We’re here for you. There is still fun to be had in a distinctly grown-up way and within a day’s drive– or much less. These activities won’t cost a fortune– some nothing at all. Let them bring a friend, and we guarantee they’ll finally part with the screen.

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Photo courtesy of GoApe!

Zip Lines

e Rescue: entures tweens and teens) // By CHRISTA GALA

A boy traverses a treetop course at Go Ape! in Blue Jay County Park

There’s nothing uncool about zipping through the treetops hooked securely in a harness– navigating tightropes, trees and platforms 40 feet off the ground. The only trouble you might have with this family excursion is convincing yourself to do it.

Courses are highly monitored, and a safety lesson takes place before you suit up, with everyone learning how to work the harness clips.

There are weight limits on the course, and if you have heart problems, back problems, get dizzy easily or a have a fear of heights, you might want to take a pass. Otherwise, it’s a great way to get some exercise and feel like you’re working together as a team to navigate this two- to three-hour course.

There are two different venues to try zip lines in the Triangle.

The Go Ape! course opened March 28th at Wake County’s Blue Jay County Park, situated along the shore of Falls Lake.

While Wake County maintains the park itself, a Maryland-based company manages the zip lines.

The course includes five, two Tarzan swings, rope ladders, bridges, webs, trapezes and 42 obstacles situated in the forest canopy. You’ll be more than 40 feet off the ground.

So far, feedback has been positive. Nancy from Raleigh posted March 30th on the website after attending opening weekend: “We had a wonderful time yesterday at Blue Jay Point!

We will recommend ‘Go Ape!’ to everyone, and we will be back! I am 56 and my niece is 13 – it was perfect for both of us.”

Ticket prices are $57 plus tax for those ages 16 and up and $37 plus tax for those ages 10 to 15. Reservations are recommended. For more information, visit http://goape.com/ zip-line/blue-jay-point-raleigh-nc.

Discovery Course at Bethesda Park is another zip line option. It has two courses. One is considered a “low” ropes course with 13 elements, and the Discovery Course is 22 elements. Including ground school, the course takes about four hours to complete.

Durham Parks and Recreation maintains the course, which is designed primarily for group use, although several families together can qualify as a group. For individuals who want to try the course, DPR offers a “Discovery Days” program about once a month. The Discovery Course includes a giant swing, dual zip line and 55-foot high crow’s nest. If you have a child younger than 10 who needs to tag along, this course allows those age seven and up to participate. Depending on course, age and length of time, prices range from $20-$60 per person. For more information, visit http://goape.com/zip-line/blue-jay-pointraleigh-nc.

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The rock formations and waterfalls you’ll find at Raven Rock State Park in Lillington are reminiscent of the view you’d find after a four-hour drive to the mountains, but this park is just 45 minutes away. Reviewers praise the park for its clean facilities.

It’s free and dog-friendly (bring the pooch), the hiking vigorous with gorgeous views.

Avid hikers recommend The Campbell Trail. One reviewer wrote, “The Campbell trail has an off-the-trail river rapid view that, if you’re careful, you can cross in the more shallow area that leads to large sun rocks. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and we ended up spending 30 minutes swimming and sunning.

The trails, facilities and picnic areas are all kept clean. I would honestly recommend this place to any and everyone, and, I’m not going to lie, the trails are moderately difficult- a lot of natural stairs and rocky surfaces; my calves and thighs sure did get a workout.”

The Cape Fear River winds through this park; if you get a chance, seek out the rock formation that bears the park’s name.

And the good news- or the bad news, depending on how you feel about it: cell service is spotty so it’s a great place to unplug. For more information, visit ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/raro/main.php.

US National Whitewater Center (USNWC) There’s a major cool factor at the USNWC, and it’s not just that you can do whitewater rafting, zip-lining, kayaking, rock

Photo by Debbie Haughton

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climbing and mountain biking all in one day. It’s also the official Olympic training site for the Whitewater Slalom Racing team, hosting two Olympic Time Trials, one each for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, China and the 2012 Summer Games in London. The US National Team Trials have been held at the center every year since it opened in 2006.

Bam! If it’s cool enough for Olympians, it’s cool enough for your tweens and teens.

Located in Charlotte, the best way to do a day trip is to purchase the AllSports Pass which allows you to participate in all flatwater, whitewater and land activities in a day’s time. Adults and kids age 10 and over cost $54; kids age nine and under are $49. You can also pay for land and water sports individually; $20 per land event and $25 per flatwater event. Kids as young as five can participate in some land events, and kids as young as nine can participate in family whitewater rafting. Reservations for whitewater rafting are recommended.

The USNWC boasts the world’s largest recirculating artificial whitewater river designed by three-time Olympian Scott Shipley.

If this all sounds too tiring to do in one day and you decide to stay the night, the center offers a River Jam Concert series every Thursday and Saturday night during the summer with live music. For more information, visit usnwc.org.

Mountain Biking While the question “Want to go for a bike ride?” might be met with a groan, consider upping the ante with some trails that require some real skill. Hog Run at Harris Lake County Park offers different levels of difficulty– from beginner to Black Diamond. Even the easier trails are challenging for tweens and teens, with moguls, berms, bridges and roots to navigate. Why not time them on the first run and issue a challenge to improve the numbers the second time around?

To make a day of it, pack a lunch and take advantage of the Frisbee golf course and fishing at this 680-acre park in New Hill near the Shearon Harris Reservoir.

For more information, visit www.wakegov.com/parks/ harrislake/Pages/default.aspx.

Photo by Christa Gala

Photo courtesy of Raven Rock State Park

Raven Rock State Park

Winterpast Farm Although farmer Mary Droessler describes her 10-acre family farm in Wake Forest as a petting zoo, even a sullen tween or teen will enjoy tending and feeding the animals, which include pigs, goats, rabbits, donkeys, ducks, roosters and many others. Droessler holds open hours nearly every week, and teens often end up volunteering to muck out stalls, collect eggs or tend the animals.

Bring your own apples, carrots and bread to feed animals. There’s often a newborn goat, piglet or duckling to bottle-feed as well. Cost is $10 for all ages.

Please check the website at winterpastfarm.com. You can also find information on Facebook by entering “Winterpast Farm” in the search box.

Slide the City Raleigh This traveling 1,000-foot waterslide has been all over the country and is scheduled to come to downtown Raleigh Saturday, May 30th from 11am to 7pm.

The length of three football fields, this heavily padded slide will run down Glenwood Avenue South, Tucker and Lane Streets. The slip-and-slide party will include food and drink vendors, live music, magic and more. Sliders are invited to slide from 12-5pm.

Tickets are sold in three tiers: single slider, triple slider or VIP slider, the latter being able to slide an unlimited number of times and an additional hour both before and after the sliding window. All price points include a mouth guard (required), but only the triple slider and VIP slider include the inflatable tube (also required). You are allowed to bring your own tube if you purchase the single slider ticket.

A single rider ticket costs $20; triple, $30; and VIP, $55. Early bird registration is $5 cheaper at each tier. The event has its own Facebook page, “Raleigh’s Slide the City!,”and you can also find out more information at www.slidethecity.com. The event is expected to sell out. L

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FREE RANGE HELICOPTER

Choosing Sides in the Latest Parenting Debate // By JENNI HART

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T Vaccinations. Breastfeeding.

Social Media. Part of being a parent is staring down two extremes of some pretty serious issues and trying to find a comfortable spot somewhere in between.

When it comes to our children, nearly every decision point – from the serious to the mundane – seems to stir strong emotions and surprisingly heated debate.

The free-range parenting movement is one such flashpoint, brought acutely into focus with the December news report of 10- and 6-yearold siblings whose mile-long walk home from a neighborhood park just outside Washington, DC, was interrupted by a police officer who picked them up, delivered them to their doorstep, and lectured their father on the dangers his unaccompanied children faced. Hours later, an agent from Montgomery County Child Protective Services arrived at the family home and launched an investigation.

Parenting blogs and social media comments registered predictable outrage from supporters of the parents, as well as those who felt they should face jail time for neglect. It’s worth noting the police officer didn’t stop the children randomly, but was responding to a report from a caller concerned about the children’s wellbeing. A majority of the people who weighed in felt the charges against the parents were unfounded. But with laws that vary state to state, and some child advocates placing the concern of safety above all else, this issue continues to ignite debate online and in everyday conversations.

Proponents of the free-range movement say insulating a child from every risk is not only impractical; it’s also not the best way to raise a capable, confident adult. Family therapist Michelle Poppe encourages her clients to plan and prepare for the worstcase scenario and to take the time to teach children early about risky behavior. “As your child matures and you see what they can handle, give them the information they need to keep themselves safe.

Knowledge is power,” she says.

Melanie Walker, MD, is a Raleigh pediatrician who says she’s concerned children may miss out on important developmental experiences when parents are overly protective. “It’s important to start teaching kids independence at an early age when they are seeking it,” Walker says. “It starts at 18 to 24 months, when they want to feed themselves or get themselves dressed.” Walker says she sees parents who are hesitant to indulge even those inklings of freedom because to do so would be too messy or time-consuming. “Sometimes they don’t like the outfits their children pick out or the way they make their beds because it’s not neat or pretty enough. This sends an early message to kids that they can’t do something,” she says. The result?

Over time, kids become so dependent on parents that they fail to achieve normal childhood milestones. They lack self-confidence to do even the simplest things without their parents’ direction.

It’s no surprise, then, when children enter adolescence illequipped to negotiate day-to-day activities like ordering their own meal in a restaurant, engaging an adult in conversation, or walking home from the library or a friend’s house. “It begins with how they have been parented since toddlerhood,” Walker says. “If every year they are given a little more independence and chances to err and learn from their mistakes, they’re better prepared to safely try bigger challenges. If they are taught to be aware of their surroundings (read: unplugged from their electronics), have practiced the task with their parents, and know how to get help if needed, they should be ready to try.” Walker admits this can be scary for parents, but she says it gets easier each time the child completes a challenge or task successfully.

Why is the idea of relinquishing control so frightening for some parents? Some equate allowing freedom with being irresponsible or neglectful; they fear the judgment they may face from neighbors, family members or other parents. Others perceive the world as a caryliving.com | 51

terrifying place, with predators lurking around every corner. This is in spite of FBI statistics showing violent crime rates have actually dropped significantly over the past couple of decades, and child abductions by strangers are exceedingly rare.

Poppe says it’s important to know the facts and be realistic about the risks children face. It’s a challenge when sensational headlines and a 24-hour news cycle paint a distorted picture of the actual threat of harm. “Abductions and traumas are down, but we do have an almost constant stream of news on our phones, tablets and TVs,” she says.

But the anxiety that parents and children feel is real, and Poppe, a licensed professional counselor with New Hope Counseling, says it serves a purpose.

“Everyone wants to get rid of anxiety, but it’s a brain function that keeps us alive,” she says. The problem comes when the anxiety impedes our ability to function and complete daily tasks. Poppe believes balance is ideal, yet given a choice between the two extremes, she sees so-called “helicopter parenting” as actually riskier and potentially more problematic than free-range parenting because it tends to leave children less equipped to navigate their lives once they reach adulthood. “Teaching children takes time and sometimes involves a bit of risk, and that may be why some parents choose to do things for them instead.”

“

Parenting choices should be based on the maturity and sophistication of each individual child. There are many wonderful teachable moments in our life where we can help children learn how to interact with their environment while under the safe and watchful eye of their parents.

– Michelle Poppe, Licensed Professional Counselor and Family Therapist, New Hope Counseling

“

Free-range advocates aren’t just asking parents to make peace with a little risk; they also imagine a world where kids’ lives are less scheduled, less structured and a bit less stressful. “Children need to have an opportunity to develop their imaginations so that they can be creative thinkers as adults,” says Walker. “With older children in my practice, I ask about after school activities and get concerned if I hear too many.

I encourage parents not to over schedule kids, but instead let them have time outside getting physical activity and learning how to negotiate with other kids who are there.”

She adds that parents who are ever-present to settle disputes, or who become too involved in middle-school relationships, aren’t giving their kids the opportunity to practice self-reliance, compromise and diplomacy.

Whether you’re the parent of a newborn or in the trenches of the teenage years, you’re bound to face choices that require thoughtful deliberation and no small dose of courage. You’re up against both the real and imagined risks that come with raising a child, but free-range parenting certainly has its merits. It may be time to land the helicopter. L

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Update: Free-Range Parenting As we head to press, we have learned the Meitiv parents, referenced early in our article, are once again under investigation by Child Protective Services following an April 12th incident where a 911 caller reported seeing the children near the same neighborhood park. The man described them as appearing “dirty� and said they appeared to have been unaccompanied for 20 minutes or longer. Many are weighing in with continued support of the parents and an urgent call to preserve child protection resources for more obvious cases of neglect. As the Meitiv investigation continues, we can expect additional states and agencies to review their statutes and policies in an effort to protect both parental rights and the interest of government to ensure children’s safety.

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Teenagers

Get To

Work Summer Jobs Earn Money and Experience // By JENNI HART

Ashley Warren began with MMI as an intern, and now works there full time.

M

Most high school and college students are facing at least three full months away from the classroom, and many of them will choose to enter the job market for the first time ever. They may not earn much more than minimum wage, but memories of that first job will likely stay with them forever.

In North Carolina, teenagers as young as 14 can work during non-school hours, provided the work is not in manufacturing or other potentially hazardous positions. Individual companies vary in their age policies for hiring young workers, but retail, restaurant and service jobs are a popular choice for first-time workers.

Elaine Grady is an Apex mom with twins in college, and she remembers the first summer her family traded in summer camps and long days at the pool so that her teens could work at their first jobs. The Gradys’ son, Curtis, was a bagger at a grocery store within walking distance of home, and daughter, Christine, babysat a neighbor’s two-year-old daughter for three full days each week.

“They had just turned 16 and were so excited to begin earning their own money,” Grady recalls. She said both kids learned the importance of prioritizing their activities and managing their schedules once they realized people were depending on them. “I think it took a few weeks to sink in, but they knew their jobs came first, so sleeping in and spending time with friends wasn’t always possible,” she says. “It’s a dose of reality that prepares them for life as adults.” Grady says by the end of that summer, her twins agreed that it wasn’t always easy being in the working world, but the experience was worth the sacrifice.

Bethany Downs has worked for North Raleigh Florist for two

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years, and she says the relaxed atmosphere of a small retail shop is ideal for seasonal workers in high school and college. She believes retail makes for a great first job because it gives young people an opportunity to strengthen their people and communication skills.

“When you are dealing with customers, you learn that attention to detail and listening to a client’s needs are crucial,” she says.

Working for a florist has also given Downs an understanding of artistic expression, design and color. Her advice to first-time workers is to be willing to try new things and to absorb as much information as possible.

As a room service attendant at Seasons Restaurant at Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center, John Lischwe works with several students who are using their first job experience as a foundation for future career pursuits. He echoes Downs’ advice of honing communication skills and learning the art of customer service in order to be a successful first-time employee.

Earning their own spending money and learning new skills are the typical goals of summer job seekers, but a less obvious benefit includes the opportunity to enhance their college admissions prospects. Sherry S. Andrews is a college consultant who advises high school students to choose summer activities with their long-term academic goals in mind. Having worked closely with more than 10,000 college-bound students and their families, Andrews, through her consulting business Success+, has learned precisely what colleges are seeking in future students. “Admissions officers are looking for students who have used their time wisely by exploring opportunities such as jobs and internships, as well

as leadership and academic enrichment programs,” she says. Too many students fail to fill in the sections on college applications that ask for employment history and enrichment programs because they don’t have the experience or they don’t realize that colleges consider them important.

“Obviously, if the college or university is requesting this information, it has value,” Andrews says. In addition, a student with a good work record will often reap the benefits even after leaving the position. Andrews has worked with teens whose letter of recommendation from a former employer helped with their college admissions, as well as with scholarship applications.

Finally, Andrews says colleges want to see students with initiative and demonstrated leadership skills – traits that can be reflected in a favorable work history. “And no activity is more impressive than another; however, it’s most impactful when a student takes the experience to another level,” she says. An example would be a student who learns CPR and then becomes a camp counselor in charge of teaching CPR techniques to campers.

Internships offer another avenue for gaining experience and skills. Former interns often report that it was an internship that helped them zero in on a career path, often saving them time and tuition in the long run because they were able to determine whether a particular field was a good fit for them.

Ashley Warren is an account executive with MMI, a strategic communications firm offering public relations and integrated marketing and communications services from its office in Cary. While in college, Warren served as an intern for the firm, where she says she was treated as part of the team and a valued contributor to clients’ campaigns.

“MMI interns learn the fundamentals of integrated communications and gain the hands-on experience of working in an agency,” Warren says. She adds that interns are consistently recognized for their strengths and achievements, and receive feedback and career advice that helps guide them in their professional pursuits.

Michelle Fowler, executive vice president at MMI, says the firm looks for interns with a talent for creative thinking, strong communication skills, and the ability to remain organized and meet deadlines. “Interns with these qualities produce an outstanding portfolio and greatly improve their knowledge of and experience with communications, laying the groundwork for a successful career,” she says.

From retail and service jobs to career-centered internships, young adults have myriad opportunities to fill the summer months with enriching and memorable experiences. As for sleeping late and finagling day trips to the beach, teenagers can usually find a way to shoehorn those activities into even the most demanding schedule. I think they call that multitasking. L

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Spring Birds C

// By CORBIE HILL

City folk don’t know what they’re missing. In Cary, in Apex, and in other parts of western Wake County, suburban neighborhoods are interspersed with enough wooded land - tracts like Cary’s Bond Lake Park, for instance - to attract tuneful migrants of all shapes and colors. Some of these birds, such as the great crested flycatcher, are specifically drawn to this kind of habitat – interrupted woodlands. Some, like the wood thrush, suffer from it. Suffice it to say, there’s a remarkable variety in the birds making long treks back to North Carolina for the spring and summer months.

Some of these seasonal residents are easy to spot, while others reward the patient or practiced eye. We’ve consulted bird-watching experts and compiled a list of interesting migrants that’ll be in western Wake until it gets cold again. While these aren’t the only ones to look out for by any stretch, they should be a good place for beginning birdwatchers to start – or sensible additions to experienced watchers’ lists.

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© Mike’s Birds

SUMMER TANAGER Here’s a colorful bird for you – the summer tanager is as red as they get. The male is a winged strawberry – hard to miss – while the female’s color is more like that of a nearly-ripe lemon. They’re medium-sized songbirds with big bodies and heads. The immature male is a striking, attractive creature in its own unusual right, as its plumage is a patchwork of red and yellow during its molt.

Summer tanagers breed near the edges of open spaces in woodlands and tend to live high in the canopy. They feed on bees and wasps, which they catch midair – all while carefully avoiding their pesky stingers. They’re in North Carolina from mid-April through late September, when they depart on their long tropical migration.

AMERICAN REDSTART By sight, by sound, and by its presence in back yards, the American redstart is an easy bird to identify. The male is black with splashes of orange on its sides, wings and tail, and has a white belly; the female has a gray head and gray uppers, a light belly, and subtle yellow markings on the flanks. Redstarts are busy birds, forever jetting around after insects, flashing their orange tails. Their distinctive song is a series of thin, high-pitched notes sometimes terminating abruptly like a sneeze. Bless you.

This bird spends its winters in the forests of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, with some populations wintering in the tip of Florida, returning to North Carolina in April and staying until October. Though Wake County certainly has these birds, they’re not easily found in every Piedmont county – Alamance, Franklin, and Nash tend to lack redstarts for some reason.

© Dan Pancamo

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GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER

© Hans Hillewaert

This April-through-September migrant is an accomplished, if eccentric, home decorator. One of the great crested flycatcher’s favorite nest-building materials is snakeskin, though this bird has also been known to use onion skins or cellophane – sounds like a bird that would be right at home in the kitchen of a cowboy bar. The great crested flycatcher is a large, powerfully built bird. Its uppers are various shades of brown, its throat and breast gray, and its belly lemon-yellow.

This bird prefers the edges of forests rather than their depths, meaning wooded areas that have been chopped up by new development actually attract them. They’re treetop insectivores, rarely coming to the ground, though they’re noisy birds; if you hear a loud, urgent “whee-eep”, look up – great crested flycatchers may be hunting above you.

YELLOWTHROATED WARBLER

© D. Faulder

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Heralds of spring, yellow-throated warblers are among the first migratory birds to return. These little songbirds winter in Florida, making their way north again in March to sing their clear, melodic song even before the last frost. Why the groundhog gets a day and the yellow-throated warbler doesn’t is a mystery indeed.

Appropriate to its name, the yellow-throated warbler’s throat is a vivid yellow, with its back gray and its face black. Also look for black-striped sides and white stripes over the eyes. Its underside is white, while the female is duller, with many of the white and black parts light brown instead. This bird prefers tall trees, so listen instead for its song – a run of slurred notes that drop in pitch – or the loud, sharp chip of its call. Its time in western Wake lasts until September, when it heads south again.

WOOD THRUSH If the yellow-throated warbler heralds spring, the wood thrush is the sound of summer. Its song centers around an eminently familiar, flute-like “ee-oh-lay” phrase, with variations common; even if you haven’t seen it or even given it any thought, you have certainly heard this bird. It’s around western Wake from April through October, when it departs again for the Mexican and Central American tropics.

As for spotting this bird, it’s small, brown, and well-camouflaged as it forages for bugs in the underbrush – though its speckled white breast is a giveaway when it pokes its head up to check its surroundings.

Sadly, though, the wood thrush’s numbers are in sharp decline – a combination of nest parasitism from the brown-headed cowbird, habitat loss, and damage to insect populations has conservationists concerned about the future of this bird. While this trademark songbird of Southern spring and summer remains common, it may not always be so.

© JJ Harrison

Cary Living would like to thank Tom Driscoll of the New Hope Audubon Society, Erla Beegle from the Wake County Audubon Society, and Dr. Erik Thomas, NC State linguistics professor and bird aficionado, for guiding his research in this article. We would also like to thank the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for its fantastic site, allaboutbirds.org, and Carolina Bird Club for its Birds of North Carolina database at carolinabirdclub.org. L

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complete the

Room

PORCH/PATIO

Porches and patios have to be some of the coziest places to sit and relax.

If you are lucky enough to have an enclosed porch, you’ll be able to enjoy it year-round! Even with screened porches, the climate in North Carolina allows nine months of use – spring, summer and fall – plus the odd warm winter day.

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Ceramic Birds Add these delightful birds with ceramic flower embellishment in trendy blue and green finish to any outdoor area. // The Perfect Piece, Lg $29, Sm $26

Decorative Buckets Timeless, old fashioned galvanized pails for your patio, garden or events! Great for flower containers, decorative tins, gift basket containers, cold drinks and more. Available in a variety of sizes and shapes. // The Perfect Piece, $35-$65

Lanterns Whimsical lanterns with plants or candles will light up your porch on a summer night. // Elizabeth’s Home & Garden, Lg $94.99. Sm $48.99

Hometown Pride Signs Show off your hometown pride on your porch or patio.

They come in a variety of colors and towns. // Southern Charm Boutique, $14 each

Garden Bench This Tuscan-style bench is a perfect way to enjoy your fragrant rose garden. // Elizabeth’s Home & Garden, $279

Art Pots Art Pots come in three sizes. The largest size has hidden wheels for easy maneuvering. Great for indoor or outdoor use. // Southern Charm Boutique, Lg $49, Md $32, Sm $14 caryliving.com | 63

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living

Eating a Gluten-free Diet

by FRESCA CAfÉ and Gelato A GLUTEN-FREE DIET IS PRIMARILY USED TO TREAT

Pharmacy displays multiple show topics on the merits of

celiac disease as gluten causes inflammation in the small

eating gluten-free, as well as letters from listeners who

intestines of people with celiac disease. A gluten-free

have real-life tales of improvements in health symptoms

diet excludes the protein gluten, found in grains such as

once they adhere to a gluten-free diet. For example:

wheat, barley and rye.

Harming Your Brain– Dr. Perlmutter presents evidence

These days many people without celiac disease

Show 927: Grain Brain– How Gluten Could Be

are experimenting with going gluten-free due to other

that gluten can contribute to cognitive decline in the

health issues they experience, they are finding it easier

many susceptible people, even those who do not have

than ever, as there are so products offered on grocery

celiac disease.

store shelves and restaurants catering to health-

conscious diners seeking wheat-free options.

scientists are finding that some people who do not have

celiac disease are also sensitive to gluten and react

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is somewhat contro-

Show 964: Should You Go Gluten Free?– Now,

versial, but to a person who experiences reactions to

badly to this protein. Could you be among them?

eating wheat, it is a very real issue. A search on the

website of locally produced radio program The People’s

Eases Heartburn; Gluten-Free Diet Stopped Chronic

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Topics from listeners include: Gluten-Free Diet

Migraines; Can Gluten Be Toxic?

Allergy Symptoms Disappear; Don’t Be A Glutton for Gluten-IBS Symptoms Alleviated, Hair Loss Decreases; Gluten– Free Diet Eliminates Headaches.

ADHD in children can be treated

with diet and all medications eliminated, and they can do well socially and academically, says Dr. Sanford Newmark, MD, recently featured on The Peoples Pharmacy. He has written a book advocating the “elimination diet”, in which many foods (such as wheat) are completely eliminated for three weeks and then slowly reintroduced to the diet, in order to determine which foods to avoid in a young person’s diet.

If you are thinking about start-

ing a gluten-free diet, it’s always a good idea to consult a dietitian who can offer guidance and advice about how to avoid gluten while still eating a healthy, balanced diet. It is easy to access the many healthy and delicious foods that are naturally gluten-free: Beans, seeds and nuts, eggs, fresh meats, fish and poultry, fruits and vegetables, and most dairy products to name a few.

Additionally, there are many grains

and starches that can be part of a gluten-free diet, such as amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, corn and cornmeal, flax, gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean), hominy, millet, quinoa, rice, sorghum, soy, tapioca and teff (an ancient East African cereal grass).

Other advice if you are thinking

about going wheat– and gluten-free is to not suddenly bulk up on other forms of carbohydrates instead, but to eat them in moderation, which is always

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living

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Dental Health

by DEVON MCCLEeRY, CDA, CDD, Preston Dental Center PERIODONTAL DISEASE

cancer, called oropharyngeal cancer, which is becoming

Did you know that crowded or misaligned teeth can

more common in the US and Europe. One study in 2009

be directly related to periodontal disease? Properly

showed that HPV infections were 55% higher in people

aligned teeth are easier to brush and floss than crooked

reporting poor or fair oral health.

teeth. When teeth are in proper occlusion, or alignment, it makes cleaning and maintaining your dental health

HEART DISEASE AND STROKE

easier. Gum disease not only affects the mouth, but

Anyone suffering from gum disease will tell you peri-

contributes to systemic health as well. The following

odontal disease progresses over time and becomes

conditions can be adversely impacted by poor oral care

more difficult to treat. The damage happens slowly and

and gum disease.

increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Deep gum pockets typically house bacteria which can continu-

CANCER

ally enter your blood stream, placing pressure on the

Several studies show poor oral health indicators such as

immune system, hardening your arteries, and compro-

mouth ulcers, gum inflammation and openings in the

mising your health in general. Continuous oral hygiene

mouth can provide HPV (human papilloma virus) entry.

and regular check-ups are essential, and neglecting gum

The high-risk HPV types may also cause a form of throat

disease could double your risk factor for a stroke.

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RESPIRATORY INFECTION Neglect your gums and you’ll be at risk for tooth loss– but you could also be at risk for pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD, and other respiratory problems. These infections are caused when bacteria from the upper throat are inhaled into the lower respiratory tract.

PREGNANCY Good oral care is vital during pregnancy. Not only are pregnant women more susceptible to pregnancy gingivitis and gum disease, but untreated gum disease during pregnancy could result in risks to your baby including premature births and low birth weight.

GINGIVAL ULCERS Ulcers are one of the many conditions that are connected to gum disease. Ulcers are also often infectious diseases and can be caused by gingivitis or periodontal disease.

Management of painful ulcers between the teeth includes oral debridement, mouth rinses and oral medications.

OSTEOPOROSIS Osteoporosis weakens the bones and damages jawbones, creating other dental problems such as gum disease, periodontal disease or tooth loss. An osteoporosis diagnosis is typically found in women during menopause, due to lack of estrogen. For denture wearers, weak jawbones may result in ill-fitting dentures.

DIABETES People with diabetes are more susceptible to contracting infections. It’s vital for diabetics to take good care of their oral health, and if you have gum disease you have increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Diabetics with gum disease could have more issues controlling blood-glucose levels.

The best way to ensure retention of your natural teeth and make sure periodontal disease doesn’t impact other areas of your health is to be proactive. What can you do to ensure periodontal health? Today, there are options like Perio Protect and laser gum therapy to help remove bacteria and damage. Invisalign is another option used to treat malocclusion, which will significantly reduce the potential for gum disease and tooth loss. Regular follow-up appointments will allow

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your dental team to monitor the health of your mouth. L caryliving.com | 67

SHOPPING

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C A RY

support locally-owned, independent businesses

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SHOPPING

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do w nt o w n a p e x

support locally-owned, independent businesses

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sightings

Photos © Rob Kinnan Photography

Venus Williams VIsits Love all Tennis

Venus Williams attended a promotional event at the Love All Tennis store in Cary. At top left, she poses with Erin Jennings and her daughters Riley and Macie. Below left, she has a photo taken with Love All Tennis owners Janette Cunningham (left) and Julie Larrichio. Many from the community turned out to meet the tennis star, forming a line down the sidewalk.

Photos courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of Art

North Carolina Museum of Art: Art in Bloom Exhibit

The NCMA’s inaugural festival of art and flowers took center stage in March. Floral designers from across North Carolina and beyond brought springtime into the West Building by interpreting masterworks from the permanent collection in 45 breathtaking flower displays. Champagne and gourmet crudités were served as live music pumped up the Iris lounge. Tours, wine tastingsand floral arranging classes were offered.

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All photos courtesy of Fortnight Brewing Company

FORTNIGHT BREWING COMPANY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

On February 28th, Fortnight Brewing Company in Cary celebrated one year of business. They had a full day of fun starting at noon with a 5K Fun Run, followed by face painting and crafts for the kids and live music by The Live Oaks, Blue Mountain Trio, and the Archbishops of Blount Street It was a fun party!

Photos © Rob Kinnan Photography

Great Grapes Festival

The Koka Booth Ampitheatre filled with wine enthusiasts on Saturday, April 18th. Some of the vineyards present included Chatham Winery, Stony Mountain Vineyards, Cypress Bend Vineyard, Owl’s Eye Vineyard (bottom right), Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards (above), Vineyards on the Scuppernong, and Herrera Vineyards. In one booth, the Great Dane Rescue Association collected donations, with an adoptable dog present to enjoy the beautiful day.

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Photos © Rob Kinnan Photography

Academy Street Bistro Wine Tasting

On the evening of Thursday, March 12th, winemakers from Patricia Green Cellars presented a wine tasting at Academy Street Bistro. Patrons enjoyed a variety of fine wines, and some paired it with a meal. Parties of friends as well as couples out for a romantic dinner learned about the winemaker’s offerings this year.

Photos © Rob Kinnan Photography

Western Wake Farmers Market

The Western Wake Farmers’ Market opened for the season on April 4th in Cary. Local farmers and artisans offered a range of products, from beautifully ripe tomatoes to pottery and hand-made dog treats.

The farmers and artisans present included Trish Welsh of Fiddlehead Pottery, Gary and Ranell Bridges of Two Bridges Farm (bottom right), Blair McKinney of Good Grace’s (top right), Purely Q Candles, Muddy Dog Roasting Company, ShellyMac Farms, RobinMade Drinking Vinegar, Carolina Popcorn Shoppe and Fickle Creek Farms, just to name a few.

Photos courtesy of Judy Liu

FREE outdoor yoga session with live string quartet music

On the morning of April 18th, 50 people arrived for an outdoor yoga session with Live String Quartet music at Bond Park at the lakeside. The Live String quartet performers are from the Triangle Youth Philharmonic group, part of the Philharmonic Association. To participate in future sessions, visit strenuacoach.com.

Photos © Three Little Birds Studio

March of the Brides Competition

On March 28th, Diamonds Direct Crabtree celebrated the second annual March of the Brides competition. Forty lucky brides were selected from a pool of over 300 registrants to compete and although the temperature was barely above freezing, they all came out with their entourages of family, friends and fiancées, excited to compete!

Adorned with their diamond rings, veils and competition t-shirts, the brides put on their game faces and fought hard for their chance to win some amazing prizes. caryliving.com | 73

next issue cary living

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

Men’s Health Studies say women are more likely than men to look after their health by seeing a doctor regularly– and therefore they live longer. What else can men do to maintain healthy lifestyles to ensure they are living to the max in the present and the future?

Burgers and Brews America’s favorite combination! There are more choices than ever in the Cary area, and they aren’t all bricks-and-mortar spots these days.

hidden gems Fuquay-Varina A couple of decades ago, a popular local DJ made jokes about visiting Six Flags over Fuquay-Varina for a good time on weekends.

Today Fuquay-Varina has its own Downtown Revitalization Association, a population of 20,000 and growing, and a thriving community of residents, restaurants and independently owned businesses. Its’sworth the quick journey to discoverits delights, any day of the week.

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in every issue TECH • SIGHTINGS • HEALTHY LIVING CALENDAR OF EVENTS • WINE REVIEW SUNDAY SUPPER • AND MUCH MORE!