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Publisher/EDITOR Sioux Watson Advertising Sales Kathleen Moran | Charis Painter Sioux Watson | Ashley Carter Creative Director Travis Aptt

March days can be a wild mix of winter to spring in a 24-hour period in the Triangle; some of our craziest snowstorms have come in March! Speaking of weather, we are thrilled to share the musings of lovable weatherman Greg Fishel in “The Interview” Q&A this issue. His candid answers to our questions are funny and endearing, especially when you read how many of his early memories and answers are weather-related at the core. The accolades keep pouring in for Cary, as do newcomers to Wake County – to the tune of 63 people a day, split between Cary and Raleigh (according to wakeupwakecounty.org). The area continues to be ranked as one of the best places to live in the nation, and Wake County recently hit a new milestone of 1 million residents. Official numbers say half of these new arrivals are moving into apartments and condos, which explains why there are cranes busy erecting new residential buildings all over town. Check out options available to all residents in our “Living in Cary” story.

There are so many ways Cary is ahead of the curve in terms of sustainability, from the Town of Cary itself, to local corporate offices, locally owned businesses and individual efforts. Read about who’s contributing now and how you can also make a difference in your community in “Cary Goes Green”. “Spring Beauty and Style” – Cary is stylin’, and you don’t have to look very far to find the latest trends and fashions right here in town. We’ve asked some of our favorite folks to show us what colors, outfits, accessories and trends to add to your wardrobe this spring. Need a way to shop and do good for women artisans around the world at the same time? Try out the Ten Thousand Villages shop that recently moved from Cameron Village in Raleigh to Cary’s Shoppes at Kildaire, near Trader Joe’s. Offering fair trade items for home, kitchen and gifts, it’s a welcome addition to Cary’s retail scene. In the Spring Arts Preview, we hope you find a wide variety of events to entertain, educate and amuse yourself; there is never a lack of options in Cary and surrounding areas! 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.

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 US equal opportunity law.

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CARYLIVING

M A R CH | A PR I L 2 0 1 6

features 32 THE SPRING GUIDE TO FASHION & BEAUTY New 2016 trends, local boutiques,

colors, styles, hair and makeup.

40 cary goes green

As Cary grows by leaps and bounds, the town is taking care to keep greenness close and plentiful.

44 locals talk green

We interviewed a few regular folks around town to see how everyday people are aiding Cary in going green.

46 the mayton inn

To look at the stately brick Mayton, you might not guess at all the eco-infrastructure inside it.

54 departments

49 spring arts preview

Although thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot happening in Cary, the springtime spectacles can be found all over Wake County.

54 living in cary

Cary is a town for all ages and stages. Take a closer look at whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s around.

58 hemlock bluffs nature preserve

A Piedmont marvel 10,000 years in the making...140 acres of nature right in your backyard.

CARY OES

Special thanks to Sean Junqueira Photography for our cover image

G EN GREe 40 Pag

beautytips Hyaluronic Acid A drink of water for your skin! This is a naturally-occurring substance found in the body. If you’ve ever seen a really cute and squishy baby, that is mostly from hyaluronic acid, which the body loses through the aging process. Don’t be fooled by the word “acid”! This is a mild, nonirritating ingredient that locks in your own skin’s moisture, as well as provides additional moisture deep within the skin. Look for a hyaluronic acid serum, such as the Synergy Polypeptide Gel.

Mandelic Acid This clarifying skin miracle worker is derived from almonds, and is great for all skin types. Mandelic acid helps to visibly improve the signs of the skin’s aging, eradicates unwanted pigment, reduces breakouts, and improves overall clarity of the skin. Use it daily at home, or seek out a professional peel from an advanced clinical skin care provider. I love NeoStrata’s professional Clarifying Peel, which contains 30% mandelic acid. Visit NeoStrata’s website to find a provider at neostrata.com.

Anti-Aging All Stars! rejuvenate your skin this spring! Trends come and go in all aspects of beauty, including skin care. These are my top five tried-and-true must-haves for those who want to bring their skin A-game this spring.

by anna churchill, Synergy Spa, Aesthetics & Wellness, feelsynergy.com

Retinol

Another name for Vitamin A, retinol works to improve the overall appearance of your skin from the inside out. Fine lines, wrinkles, acne and pigmentation can all be improved with the regular use of this ingredient. Once in the skin, retinol converts to retinoic acid (which can be found in prescription strength forms like Retin-A, Renova, or Tazorac), producing a similar end result without the harsh irritation. Check out brands like Avène or Skin Medica.

Vitamin C This powerful antioxidant protects your skin from environmental insults (free radicals) that cause accelerated aging of the skin. Vitamin C is also great for stimulating collagen and elastin, which has a firming and tightening effect. An added bonus is that it is also a skin-lightening agent for pigmentation. Look for a Vitamin C product containing l-ascorbic acid in a 10-20% range for best results, found in the Phyto-C line of products. 8 | caryliving.com

Niacinamide (B3) Like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide is also a naturally-occurring substance in the body. Also referred to as B3, niacinamide must be present in your skin for healthy cell development. Topically applying niacinamide will help enhance the benefits of any cellular turnover products you are using, as well as improve uneven skin tone, the barrier function of the skin, and water loss. EltaMD offers AM and PM Therapy products I recommend that also provide all-day moisturizing in a very lightweight, oil-free moisturizer base. L

beer&barrel lynwood grill’s rooftop seating

Session Beers Low Impact, High Flavor // By julie johnson

Any fan of craft beer will have noticed that both brewers and drinkers have become infatuated with “extreme beers,” including some that are formidably strong. We sip imperial India pale ales and Belgian monastic brews that approach the strength of wine. Though delicious, these are not beers for casual drinking. To counter the “slow, persistent rise in the alcohol content of craft beers,” Pennsylvania-based beer writer Lew Bryson began years ago to advocate for “session beers”— beers that retain the complexity of craft, but deliver only a modest alcohol punch. Named for their suitability for a long session at the pub, these beers are meant to facilitate conversation, not bring it to a grinding halt. Since 2012, Bryson has promoted April 7th – not coincidentally, the date in 1933 when beer was returned to the American public after Prohibition – as Session Beer Day. On that day, he encourages brewers and bars to expand the choices for beer lovers wanting great tasting beer that measures 4.5% alcohol or under (for reference, a Budweiser is 5%). Although there is some debate in beer circles about where to place the ceiling, this is Lew’s day, so I’m sticking to his definition. Here in North Carolina, a number of our craft breweries routinely offer beers of session strength. In common with many brewing companies, Raleigh’s Lynwood Grille (4821 Grove Barton Road with taproom at 1053 E Whitaker Mill Road) has selected a traditionally low-alcohol style for their session selection. Owner Ted Dwyer reports, “Yes, we do have a session beer always, Lynnwood Light, which is a golden ale that clocks in at 4.5%.” Likewise, Triple C Brewing Company in Charlotte distributes a blonde ale, Golden Boy, in this market in convenient cans. Cream ale, though similar to pilsner in many ways, is actually a pre-Prohibition American original that combines the 10 | caryliving.com

Lonerider’s session-strength India pale ale comes in cans.

warm fermentation of an ale with the cold conditioning of a lager. You don’t have to drive all the way to Pinehurst to find Duck Hook Cream Ale, Southern Pines’ flagship 4.3% beer. Co-owner Micah Niebauer describes Duck Hook as “a very light, crisp, refreshing beer that serves us well as a gateway craft beer for all of the typical domestic lager drinkers.” Other beer styles fall naturally within the 4.5% limit. Natty Greene’s Wildflower Wit is a Belgian-style witbier, spiced with coriander, chamomile and orange peel. The mouthfeel, which can seem thin in lower alcohol beers, is boosted with the addition of rolled oats and the beer’s vigorous carbonation. (This is the same style Coors took to market success with Blue Moon and, yes, you should try the more complex Belgian originals and craft versions for greater depth.) Bryson’s hope is that American brewers will lend their ingenuity to creating session beers in novel styles. The most frequent innovation is the seemingly incongruous “session IPA” – incongruous because India pale ales are characterized by both high hop levels and alcohol strength. There are flavorful examples of this new hybrid, including Lonerider’s wonderfully named The Hops You Rode In On (4.4%) that emphasizes the floral and citrus aromas of Centennial hops. But we don’t have to stop there. Where are the sessionstrength rye beers or sours? Or Irish dry stouts, which are rich in flavor but not in alcohol? Go explore your options on April 7th, and embrace the sociable side of beer. L

givingback

Kristine Ashewood

Ten Thousand Ways to Charm // By Carol wills // photos By matt williams photography

Kristine Ashwood, director of the well-loved Ten Thousand Villages stores in the Triangle, beams with pleasure when asked about their new store in the Shoppes of Kildaire, located just six doors down from Trader Joe’s. “I’ve been involved with Ten Thousand Villages for nine years, and I’ve been the director for four years,” she says. “I fell in love with the concept of fair trade, which provides vital income to artisans in developing nations. Ten Thousand Villages has been a leader in making this happen.” Ashwood acknowledges that she has always sought out jobs that were sort of “off the beaten path,” but this directorship brings her true joy. According to the Ten Thousand Villages website, the concept that led to the founding of Ten Thousand Villages came into being in 1946, when Edna Ruth Byler, wife of a Mennonite Central Committee administrator, brought back needlework made by artisans in Puerto Rico and sold these items to her friends and neighbors in Central Pennsylvania. From this beginning, the effort gained momentum, and in 1995, Ten Thousand Villages in the Triangle was incorporated into an independent nonprofit charitable organization 501(c)(3). So that’s how the business started that now brings beautiful handmade items – linens, musical instruments, jewelry and many decorative seasonal selections – to North Carolina. Candles and candle holders come in all sizes and shapes. Linens and napkins and picture frames vie for your attention with carved wooden boxes and handbags and tote bags for every purpose. Handmade journals and decorative strings of paper butterflies are available – always useful. You can find gifts for every occasion, from birthdays to weddings, and cards to go with them. Ten Thousand Villages also imports many delicious foods – all fair trade – such 12 | caryliving.com

as chocolate, olive oil, tea, cocoa, soup mixes and jams. And don’t forget handmade soaps in luscious scents from lavender to rose to cucumber. The store is laid out by color palette. Greens and yellows are arranged together with blues and whites in the front of the store to give a feeling that spring has arrived. More formal colors are located nearer the back of the store to create depth and richness. Each sale benefits an artisan in one of 32 developing countries. This is a business that is committed to seeing that the artisans are paid a fair wage, which means that they can feed their families well and send their children to school. Ten Thousand Villages insures that no child labor is used to produce the items they sell. In addition, the artisans in all of the countries use recycled, sustainable and completely safe materials when making their products. “While free trade is about making the most money, fair trade is committed to creating vital income in the lives of the workers in a way that meets the highest ethical standards,” Ashwood explains. “We’re committed to seeing the artisans paid a fair wage,” she goes on. Ten Thousand Villages has a long tradition of helping other non-profits in the area. Churches, schools and nonprofit organizations can participate in a community shopping event at the store to raise funds for their projects. It works like this: A group gathers their members at the store and everyone shops, enjoys coffee and chocolate samples, then 15% of the gross sales are donated by the store to the organization. It’s an easy and fun way to raise funds! They also participate in local festivals as well as offsite sales at schools, churches and local businesses. “It’s a great way for us to talk with folks about ethical shopping and help people connect with the artisans,” says Ashwood.

Recently a speakers’ board has been created, so organizations can request someone to come to their group meeting and explain the benefits of fair trade. “This is really at the heart of what we do,” says Ashwood. “We help people understand how fair trade makes a positive difference in the world. It’s one of my favorite parts of my job.” This spring, Ten Thousand Villages will have at least three special sales that no one will want to miss. The first will be the celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8th-12th). The second sale will feature items especially appropriate for the celebration of Easter (March 27th). And finally, on April 22nd, they will be celebrating Earth Day. There will be plenty of chocolate and all kinds of appropriate gifts for observing these joyful occasions. In addition, the store will feature handcrafted bird houses from the Philippines, Nepal and Peru. All are created in bright colors, both to please the birds and to add a spark of beauty to Triangle porches and backyards. The Cary store operates with a few paid staff members, but also relies on the energy and enthusiasm of volunteers to keep the business up and running. Currently, they have about 40 volunteers. If you would like to inquire about volunteer opportunities, please write to Kristine Ashwood at director.cary@ tenthousandvillages.com or call the store at 919.377.2700, or just come in. L

James M. Richardson Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisor

Colleen Webb Journalist

There’s more to life than just financial goals. At Ameriprise Financial, we take the time to understand what’s truly important to you. Starting with our Confident Retirement® approach, we’ll develop a financial plan customized for your life – to help you live more confidently today. And tomorrow.

JAMES M. RICHARDSON CFP,®ChFC,® APMA® Private Wealth Advisor Richardson, Carrington, Weaver & Associates A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 919.874.0024, ext 101 3720 Benson Dr, Raleigh, NC 27609 james.m.richardson@ampf.com jamesrichardsonadvisor.com linkedin.com/jamesmrichardsoncfp facebook/jamesrichardsonadvisor

tenthousandvillages.com/raleigh

Shoppes of Kildaire 1357 Kildaire Farm Road | Cary 919-377-2700

The Confident Retirement® approach is not a guarantee of future financial results. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. ©2015 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. (10/15) caryliving.com | 13

theinterview

WRAL Meteorologist Greg Fishel Growing up introverted in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel never dreamed he’d have a career in front of a television camera.

Born February 19th, 1957, he went to Penn State in 1975 and graduated with a BS in meteorology in 1979. He held two short-term meteorologist positions prior to coming to WRAL – he started with a meteorological consulting firm in Chicago, giving that up when he learned of a television opportunity in Salisbury, Maryland. He’d never thought about doing broadcast work, but wanted to give it a try; he got the job, but the station went into receivership after a year, and a reporter friend told Fishel about an opening for a meteorologist at WRAL. He began working there in June 1981, and hasn’t looked back since. Fishel has earned multiple national awards and is a beloved local personality. He has a wife, Kathy, and two grown sons, Brandon and Austin.

14 | caryliving.com

Photo © Davies Photography

// By dan bain

Q1: What is your earliest memory? I remember sitting at the dinner table when I was maybe two or three, and seeing this big tree in our front yard completely bent over because the wind was so strong. To this day, I don’t know what storm that was. It’s funny that one of my first memories would be weather-related, even though I don’t think I knew at that time that I was really all that interested.

Q2: What is your greatest fear? When I was a kid, if there was a tornado watch – not a warning, but just a watch – I was basically emotionally paralyzed until that watch was over. If the watch ended at 8:00, as soon as the little hand got to the eight and the big hand got to the 12, I felt like an anvil had been lifted off my shoulder, like, oh, I’m gonna survive, I’m gonna live. And I’m obviously not that bad now, as an adult, but I think I just have always respected the force at play; I’ve seen what they can do. Some people say a way to get over what you’re afraid of is to learn more about what you’re afraid of, and I don’t know if subconsciously that’s what I did when I decided to study meteorology, but it does help to understand at least what causes them and what the chances really are of getting hit.

Q3: What is your most treasured possession? A person is not a possession, but obviously my family is the thing that I treasure the most. But outside of that, it’s that I had a chance to turn my childhood hobby into a career – and I don’t know if you can say a career is a possession, either, but I just feel very lucky to be able to do something I love as much as I love meteorology. I don’t think there are that many people that get that lucky.

Q4: What is your favorite word? I probably don’t use it as often as I do other words, but I just don’t think there’s anything on the face of this earth that’s any prettier than snow coming down and the quiet and peacefulness, so “snow” was the first word that jumped into my mind when you said that.

Q5: What is your guiltiest pleasure? Playing golf, because it takes so long. If you play a round of golf, between travel time to get there, play, and go home, it’s at least five hours. There are other hobbies that take a lot less time. In the back of my mind, I worry about how long it’s taking – but I wouldn’t stop doing it.

Q6: What is your fantasy job? If I couldn’t do what I’m doing now, it would be a blast to be the play-by-play announcer for the New York Mets. I don’t even know if I’d be any good at it; I just know I’ve been a Mets fan since 1969. I live and breathe with these guys!

Q7: What song would you like played at your funeral? My dad was born and raised in Hagerstown, Maryland, where the Moller Organ Company was located, and he was a big pipe organ guy, and I was brought up listening to that a lot. There’s a famous

organ toccata by Charles-Marie Widor – from his 5th Symphony – and it’s just a rousing piece. Even if you don’t have any appreciation for pipe organs, if you have the right pipe organ and you’re sitting out there listening to that, after it’s over you’re going, “Wow!”

Q8: What vacation spot do you return to again and again? The family goes down to Myrtle Beach – it used to be every year, but now that the kids are older, it’s every couple – to Kingston Plantation, and one of the things they have is a pool that has this huge bucket and every two or three minutes the bucket fills up with water and tilts over and everybody stands underneath it so they can get splashed. Even at age 59 now, I have to go down there and stand under that bucket at least once.

Q9: Where did you leave your heart? There’s always going to be something special about Lancaster, because that’s where I spent the first 18 years of my life. But having said that, I can say there’s way more that I like about Raleigh than I ever liked about Lancaster. I feel like Raleigh is a nice mix of progressiveness, but they still hold onto things worth holding onto.

Q10: Which living person do you most admire, and why? If we go back to the Mets, one of the reasons I really liked Tom Seaver was he seemed to be a normal guy who just happened to be really good at what he did. When he pitched, it became personal; I really wanted him to win for him. Then there’s the guy who got me really interested in meteorology, and is ironically one of the senior vice presidents of AccuWeather – Elliot Abrams. I found him on the public television network in Pennsylvania when I was in seventh grade, and I just really liked the guy instantly. He was very knowledgeable but had a weird sense of humor, which drew me to him immediately.

Q11: What is something that people would be surprised to know about you? Among other things, how emotional I can get about sports. I suspect people may think I’m a take-it-easy, happy-go-lucky guy who takes things in stride, but when it comes to some of my sports teams, that’s just not the case. I’m trying to get better about that, but there are times when I invest too much of my emotions into teams I pull really hard for.

Q12: What is the most important lesson life has taught you? I’m not sure I’ve fully learned this yet – my goal is to learn it, but I’m not sure I have – but it’s to focus on the word “gratitude.” To be thankful for the things I do have and not to focus so much on the things I don’t. I’m cognizant of it, but I think I still need to work on it. There are seven billion people walking the earth, and I assume at least 6.9 billion of them would probably trade places with me in a heartbeat. L

caryliving.com | 15

thelocalsknow

Woody’s Wings and Wild Fun // Story By Nate Lucas // photos courtesy of whitetree media and woody’s

It’s political season, so it’s only fair to ask Woody’s Sports Tavern & Grill co-owner Shawn Whisnant to explain his establishment’s no-bull slogan of “casual politically incorrect fun.” “Our décor certainly isn’t politically correct, and our staff may not behave or talk to you politically correct on occasion like some of the robots do at the corporate chains,” Whisnant said. “We’re just kind of an off-beat place. We do things our way, and if you don’t like it you can go somewhere else.” Whisnant wasn’t being rude, just trying to explain how Woody’s on Chapel Hill Road in the heart of Wake County has become somewhat of an institution for more than two decades. Woody’s even has the most risqué logo in town – a woman sporting a low-cut tank top and garter belt, with black stockings and heels hoisting a platter filled with a burger, the bar’s famous wings and a picture of beer. “It evolved from a buddy I grew up with in the North Carolina foothills that is just a great graphic artist; he can

16 | caryliving.com

sometimes mind-read what kind of ideas I am looking for,” Whisnant said. “I told him I was interested in a sort of pin-up style girl and to put her into some Woody’s gear with angel wings. It kind of evolved from that.” The bar’s eclectic and somewhat random interior has also evolved over the last 20 years with the help of Whisnant’s – shall we say – unusual taste for art. The interior is decorated with pieces from an artist in Beaufort, SC, who designs items from recycled trash. “My favorite is the 15-foot scuba diver that is suspended from the ceiling,” Whisnant said. “The torso of the body of the diver is a child’s car seat. Ninety percent of it is marine stuff, but I also have a Rhino that is made out of hockey pads – just all kind of cool stuff like that.” It is that uniqueness – along with the self-proclaimed “Best Damn Wings in the Triangle” – that has kept Woody’s one or two paces ahead of the pack of up-and-coming bars and restaurants in the thriving Raleigh bedroom community of Cary.

Photo by Nate Lucas

“Our wings have a unique buffalo style sauce that nobody else that I know of has been able to duplicate, thank goodness.” Whisnant said. “Even with some of these larger corporate chains that I’ve tried that have 30 different flavors, I don’t think anybody has come close to our style of sauce. It is definitely unique with its ingredients. And we don’t bread our wings and we cook them extra crispy, which is the way 99 percent of our customers like them. It is one of our signature things that have done well for us. “Cary is kind of saturated with so many corporate themed or concept restaurants, so the importance of keeping small business alive in this area is huge,” he added. “I am a big advocate of that, even when I dine out I try to stay away from corporate chains.” Many Cary locals agree, and go to Woody’s for the welcoming atmosphere, the many TV screens broadcasting their favorite sport, and maybe even a game of pool or darts. L

caryliving.com | 17

eaking the Cycle of Poverty for Homeless Working Families

raisingthebar

In the Middle we’ve got answers to your legal questions

My husband and I separated a couple of weeks ago. We have no children, no property to divide, and neither one of us needs any financial support from the other. He is planning to move overseas next month. Can we get divorced in North Carolina before he leaves?

Have a question? Let us hear it: info@caryliving.com

MeettheCounsel

Deborah Sandlin

Susan Goetcheus

Sandlin Family Law Group www.sandlinfamilylaw.com Certified in the area of family law by the NC State Bar This is paid legal advertisement. The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. No attorney client relationship is created by the publication and reading of this article. All domestic matters are different and all specific questions should be directed to an attorney who can answer those questions and provide legal advice based on your unique circumstances.

18 | caryliving.com

No. In North Carolina, spouses must be legally separated for a continuous one-year period before either party can file for divorce. Spouses are legally separated from each other when they are physically separated and at least one spouse has the intent to end the marriage permanently. To be physically separated, spouses must cease to live together under the same roof. Since you have only been separated for a couple of weeks and he is going overseas next month, you will not be able to divorce in North Carolina before he leaves. You will have to wait until you have been legally separated for one year.

My ex-husband and I have one child together. We share physical custody of our child equally. My exhusband earns twice what I earn, but he refuses to pay me any child support. He says that he does not owe me any child support since we share custody. Is he right? No. He most certainly owes you monthly child support. Even when parents share physical custody of their children equally, one parent may owe the other child support. North Carolina, like many states, uses an “income shares” model to determine each parent’s child support obligation. The income shares model reflects a public policy that a child should receive the same proportion of parental income that he would have

received if his parents continued to live together. In its practical application, child support is calculated on one of three different “worksheets”. Each worksheet reflects a different custodial situation (sole custody, shared custody or split custody) and includes in the calculation the cost of work-related childcare expenses, health insurance and extraordinary expenses. While the court is not bound by the worksheet child support calculation, these worksheets are used to determine the child support obligation in most cases. Because the worksheets are so commonly relied upon in court, they are also commonly relied upon to determine the child support obligation in negotiated settlements.

My husband and I are in the process of divorcing and we would like to settle everything without attorneys. We have agreed that my husband will pay me alimony, but cannot agree on how much or for how long. I know there are guidelines for calculating child support, but how is alimony determined? There are no guidelines for calculating alimony. The amount and duration of alimony are determined based on a variety of factors. Those factors include the standard of living established during the marriage, the length of the marriage, the parties’ incomes, and the parties’ reasonable monthly living expenses. The tax implications of the receipt and payment of alimony are also an important consideration in determining alimony. An alimony award may also be impacted by the amount of property a dependent spouse ultimately receives from the division of the marital estate, particularly if that property is itself income producing. L

caryliving.com | 19

financialfocus

(Un)Covering Your Assets a legal game of hide-and-seek? // By sandlin family law group // www.sandlinfamilylaw.com

Since you’ve separated from your spouse it seems that everyone has a war story to tell. The one about the feckless spouse left penniless by the financial mastermind who stashed assets in far-flung accounts out of her reach is a classic. It strikes panic in you. Suddenly you wish you had paid more attention to where the money went all those years. The good news is that it is not easy to hide assets in a divorce. The bad news is that people do in fact try. It is unlawful to hide assets in an effort to keep them from your soon-to-be ex. Our legal system has developed rules and practices aimed at compelling parties to identify those assets that are subject to division. Parties to a divorce are required to exchange comprehensive financial records, and in most cases this exchange results in a complete inventory of assets. In some cases, however, a simple exchange of financial records is not enough to determine what assets constitute the marital estate. High net worth cases and cases that include business ownership are among the kind of matters that may require financial experts. Financial experts include tax attorneys, forensic accountants and business appraisers. Finding hidden assets may also be as simple as hiring a private investigator. In all but the most unusual cases, an experienced domestic attorney working with the right experts will find even the most cleverly obscured asset. But while you are tracking down those assets that might 20 | caryliving.com

be hidden, you shouldn’t overlook those assets that hide in plain sight. Assets that hide in plain sight take various forms. Some are income and employment related. A commission earned during the marriage is subject to division upon divorce, even if it’s not paid until after separation. The same applies to bonuses. Employee stock options, paid time off and vacation earned during the marriage should be accounted for in dividing marital assets. A health savings account, like other employment benefits, which accrued during the marriage, is a marital asset. Intellectual property rights that accrue during marriage are also marital assets. Income received post-separation for a song that was written during the marriage is marital property. Other assets are still less obvious, like credit card points, rewards and airline miles which accrued during the marriage. Finally, federal and state tax refunds derived from income earned during the marriage are marital assets, even if received post-separation and even if the parties do not file joint returns. While stories about hidden assets are scary, the truth is that in most cases assets are readily identified and ultimately divided. So don’t panic. No matter how limited your understanding of where the money went while you were married, a complete understanding of what constitutes the marital estate is possible. L

sportscene Photo by Michael Robson of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.

One More Pitch

A panoramic view of the sellout crowd from the 2015 NCAA Women’s College Cup this past December at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Soccer’s Next Phase in the Triangle // By DAVe Droschak

The winter months are normally pretty quiet in the Triangle when it comes to soccer. Not so much this time around. WakeMed Soccer Park was busting at the seams in December when the 2015 Women’s College Cup drew a record 25,011 fans. And the ink was just drying on Steve Malik’s purchase of the Carolina RailHawks, a founding member of the North American Soccer League. The local technology entrepreneur takes over the area’s professional soccer club as it celebrates its 10th anniversary this season, looking to increase attendance, awareness and attitude. “It is part evolution and part revolution,” said RailHawks president Curt Johnson. “The evolution part has been many years of soccer history in the Triangle. We have CASL’s youth soccer program that is 40-plus years old, pro soccer has been around now for over 20 years, and we have tremendous college programs in the area and high-level facilities like WakeMed Soccer Park. The challenge has always 22 | caryliving.com

been a separation of resources. “Steve’s opportunity and soccer’s opportunity right now is to pool resources to come together in a way that really catalyzes all the power in the sport,” Johnson added. “That’s what is happening around the country. Look at markets like Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Portland – you’ve got owners who are facilitating the coming together of all these different entities from a youth development standpoint, from a spectator standpoint, from a facility renovation standing – all of that.” Malik has vowed to invest heavily in marketing the team, which spent last season embroiled in controversy when its former owner was at the center of a multimillion dollar FIFA scandal that rocked the world of professional soccer. “It’s the stability of the organization that a local owner brings, and the aspirational tone of his message,” Johnson said. “Steve’s not just here to stabilize and to live the status quo. We all feel like

our area is a top-10 marketplace in any area you can create a poll in. And the reality is for a long time we were a top-10 marketplace in this country for soccer … and in some ways we’re not anymore. Steve has a vision to get us back to that top-10 marketplace.” While the RailHawks begin their 10th anniversary season in late March, the Town of Cary received more good news over the winter when the NCAA said it would move the 2016 Women’s College Cup from Orlando back to Cary, due to stadium construction concerns in Florida. “Our WakeMed Soccer Park facility is as vibrant as ever,” said Town of Cary sports venue coordinator Keith Jenkins. “Besides professional and college soccer, we continue to be a major facility for all the local soccer clubs in the area, and most utilize our park not only for training, but for games as well. That is unique, because a lot of facilities are match only. We still allow training. We are open 340 days a year.” L

FROM LEARNERS TO LEADERS. What will the world look like in 20 years? No one knows. But 150 years of educational excellence has taught us that students, when individually nurtured, become ready and eager to embrace the possibilities. At Ravenscroft, we empower children to thrive in a complex and interdependent world. Our exclusive partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership nurtures students from the inside out, teaching children to lead themselves, collaborate with others and create positive change in the world.

LEAD FROM HERE 7409 Falls of the Neuse Rd Raleigh, NC 27615 919.847.0900 www.ravenscroft.org

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sundaysupper

Chef Yousuf The origins of Kababish Café, which opened last fall, may lie in the most equivocal of moments. Chef Syed Yousuf (he goes by his last name, Yousuf) and his wife, Samreen Nawaz, who runs the dining room, had what she calls “not really an arranged marriage, but something like it.” Samreen went to Yousuf’s family’s house to get acquainted with her husband-to-be. Over dinner, Yousuf’s mother, who had done the cooking, asked Samreen, “How do you like my son?” Samreen said, “The food is awesome.”

// By Adam Sobsey // Photography By matt williams Photography

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In time, she’d find Yousuf awesome, too. And eventually she’d find his food awesome. Yousuf learned his craft via his family’s home cooking. “He had a hobby,” Samreen says. “The satisfaction of pleasing the family with his food. Not restaurant style.” “But,” she adds, “you can taste the passion in his cooking. He knew what taste was” – that ineffable gift that true chefs have in their blood. Still, it took Yousuf some time to put that gift to work. His professional life began in computer engineering at the Pentagon. After he and Samreen married (they both came to the US from Pakistan, and she had worked as a research analyst for the Air Force), they lived in New York, where they owned a “99-cent store”. With two young children, they wanted to relocate somewhere greener and calmer. They consulted “Best Places to Live in the US” lists in magazines like Money and Forbes, and from those they chose Cary, where they had “no relations – not a soul.” They were quick to find a community here, and that turned out to be their next step to a professional kitchen. Active at the Islamic Association of Cary, they became friendly with, among others, the owner of King Kabob in Raleigh. One day, he was at Samreen and Yousuf’s house for a party, and when he found out Yousuf had made the delicious food, he was stunned: “You cooked this?” He was also opportunistic: he wanted to sell his business. Yousuf hadn’t found work yet; Samreen was supporting the family as general manager at Sears while he took care of their children. So they bought King Kabob in 2007 and renamed it Olive Green. After three years, Yousuf moved into catering. Later, he cooked at Biryani House, where he mastered Indian food – not the same as Pakistani, Samreen points out. He did a stint at a restaurant in Wilson, and cooked briefly up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, invited by the owner of a western-style café where Yousuf “learned to decorate the plate,” Samreen says. The café specialized in gluten-free and vegetarian options, and when Samreen and Yousuf were offered a chance to open a new place in the old UnVine’d wine bar in downtown Cary – they’d intended to do only catering there, but the space was irresistible as a restaurant – he still had his recent culinary experience in Lancaster in mind. He conceived of Kababish’s menu as not exclusively Pakistani and Indian, although that is its bread and butter (or naan and ghee, if you prefer; there is also plenty of paneer, tandoori, and of course the biryani Yousuf learned at Biryani House). The fare includes hummus, salads and sandwiches, and even a “Kababish Creamy Burger”: your choice of a lamb or chicken patty topped with lettuce and tomato, avocado, cream cheese, and mint sauce, on ciabatta. Samreen uses words like “Mediterranean” and “fusion” to describe Kababish – hence the “ish,” as in “7:30-ish.” Nor is the restaurant limited to its menu. “We cater to all kinds of dietary restrictions,” Samreen says. “Gluten-free, vegetarian – and everything is from scratch.” Yousuf has even concocted dishes on request, as when a customer wondered if Yousuf could marshal some of his ingredients into an impromptu soup. Done. Kababish’s variety and adaptability complement the demographics of downtown Cary, where the café’s owners are more than just businesspeople. Samreen recently joined the board of Cary Downtown (aka the Heart of Cary Association). “Downtown is very diverse,” she says, adding that there is a large Indian and Pakistani population in the area, many of them working in Research Triangle Park. “People here are willing to try things.” If you’re among the willing, you might want to try making the Sunday Supper recipe Yousuf provided. It’s available on the menu at Kababish, but Samreen says her kids love it – it’s perfect for a family dinner. And it reflects the spirit of Kababish. The dish, Shrimp Masala Pasta, brings Italy and India together. That’s fusion, right on the plate.

SHRIMP MASALA PASTA INGREDIENTS 8 oz 1 lb To taste 4 Tbsp 5 Tbsp 4 cloves 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp 2 cups 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1 2 Tbsp

fettuccine jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined salt and ground black pepper unsalted butter (1/2 stick) olive oil garlic, minced dried oregano crushed red pepper flakes chili powder turmeric powder baby arugula or baby spinach freshly grated Parmesan cheese fresh cream medium-sized tomato, chopped chopped fresh cilantro leaves

directions 1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain well. 2. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. 3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 4. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, chili powder and turmeric powder. Cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. 5. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside. 6. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. 7. Stir in pasta, arugula/spinach, cream and Parmesan cheese until arugula/spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in shrimp. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired. L

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technologyscene

Fisher-Price Introduces Code-a-Pillar

photo © tech times

Automated Toy Introduces Toddlers to Coding Principles // By Dan Bain

Fisher-Price just unveiled the newest toy to embrace the STEM push – the Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar. It’s a cute, automated caterpillar that moves, turns, blinks, and makes fun noises, all as directed by your child. The $50 toy includes eight segments that can be snapped together (via USB ports) in any order – and it responds accordingly after the child presses the start button. This might not be actual coding, but it’s a step in that direction, teaching rudimentary programming skills.

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Each of the caterpillar’s segments has a different symbol and accompanying function: right turn, left turn, funny sound, etc. A child attaches them in any order to the caterpillar’s motorized head, presses the start button, and away it goes. When the child re-orders the segments and starts the caterpillar again, it will move differently from the last time, teaching the concepts of linear sequencing and programming. If your child grows bored with the various combinations, fear not

– Fisher-Price will sell additional segments separately. Add-on packs will include three segments for $15, and those segments will prompt different actions from the initial eight. The company also plans to offer a companion app, to appeal to older kids with more complex “algorithms.” The Code-a-Pillar should be in stores this summer, and is recommended for children ages three to eight. Visit fisher-price.com/codeapillar/ to see it in action. L

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Tranquil waresandwearables

The holiday season is over. Time to start thinking about relaxing, or maybe the year’s first vacation.

Scenery Top

Issy top from Julian Chang. Made in the USA. // Sophie & Mollies Boutique, $178

Ombre Cold Shoulder Top

This comfy cold shoulder top is a tranquil ombre. // Pink Magnolia Boutique, $49

Jar Candles

Bridgewater Candle Company. One jar candle feeds one child for one day. // Pink Magnolia Boutique, $18 and $24

Seashell Wine Holder

Beach decor wine holder is the perfect coastal decor gift. Features oversized conch shell which holds one bottle of wine or champagne. // The Perfect Piece, $59

Tyler Candle Warmer & Melts Tyler chained leopard fragrance warmer. Assorted Mixer Melts available at $2.25/ea. Mixer Melts can be broken off and scents can be mixed for a personalized scent. // Southern Charm, $34.50

Tea Infuser Set

Three piece tea infuser set features Ashdene “I Love Lavender” pattern, $18.95 “Lavender” snack tray under tea set, $9.50 // Chocolate Smiles

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Silver Bracelets

Mantra Bands featuring phrases “Follow Your Bliss” and “Namaste”. // Halie’s Boutique, $25 each

Assorted Tops

Black tank (open in back) featuring “i’m done.” by Rie Ryn, $56 Grey t-shirt, ulstrasoft featuring “Love more, worry less” by Bops, $31 // Halie’s Boutique

Lilly Pulitzer Outfit

Lavender duval top, $98 Weekender cropped pant, $64 // The Pink Pearl

Rejuvenating Rose Trio Hand cream, $16.99 Body lotion, $21 Bar soap, $8.95 // Elizabeth’s Home & Garden

Wooden Sign

Wall decor, “Heaven is a little closer in a home by the water”. // The Perfect Piece, $39

Guest Soaps

Miniature square hand soaps by Pré de Provence. // Elizabeth’s Home & Garden, $12

Porcelain Soap Dish

Small dish features Ashdene “I Love Lavender” pattern. Assorted chocolates available at assorted prices. // Chocolate Smiles, $4.50

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winereview Mascota Vineyards La Mascota Malbec

Cruz Alta Cabernet Grand Reserve

Luquet Macon-Villages Condemine

Gotin del Risc Bierzo Mencia, 2010

Olema Pinot Noir Sonoma, 2014

91 Wine Advocate

Mendoza, Argentina

Macon-Villages, Burgundy, France

Bierzo, Spain

Sonoma County, California

La Mascota Malbec shows an intense purple color with ruby hues and displays aromas of black fruits, jam and vanilla, A very subtle licorice touch and full-bodied tannins lead to a long and pleasant finish.

This elegant Grand Reserve is full-bodied with hints of vanilla and raspberry. The finish is supported by good tannin that is not over-powering, fruitforward.

A rare single vineyard Chardonnay from the Luquet family estate. Showing plenty of lemon, lime and apple flavors as well as subtle hints of melon and mineral. Unoaked. A wonderful accompaniment to seafood and chicken.

The round, fresh 2010 Gotin del Risc Mencia shows more concentration and more stuffing...but without being heavy. It has a good acid spine that keeps the freshness.

The second label from Amici Cellars at a friendly price. The wine displays flavors of cherry pie, spice and cocoa leading to a long rich finish. Pairs well with grilled fish and pasta dishes.

Elegant, Blackberry, Vanilla, Full-bodied

Elegant, Raspberry, Vanilla, Full-bodied

Crisp, Lemon, Apple, Mineral, Medium-bodied

Fresh, Blackberry, Dark Chocolate, Full-bodied

Elegant, Cherry, Spice, Medium-bodied

$16.99/bottle

$14.99/bottle

$19.99/bottle

$14.99/bottle

// By KEVIN GORDON, wine manager total wine & more, Crossroads Shopping Center 30 | caryliving.com

2016 spring GUIDE beauty & fashion trends // By jackie boeheim // Photography By matt williams Photography

The Pink Magnolia Boutique in west Cary

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Spring is a time of growth, and part of that growth incorporates the way we look, feel and present ourselves to the world. From December to February, it’s common for us to hide behind plump coats and long sleeves. We may even feel listless from the lack of fresh air, lazy days and, dare I say it, those heavy holiday meals. Ladies and gentleman, it’s time to break that cycle. Let’s show some skin. Let’s paint our toes. Let’s welcome spring with a bang of dresses, accessories, shorts and sandals. Go ahead – put some beach waves in your hair and tackle the day with exultation. We were thrilled to visit with two local shops that guided us in appreciating the season for all that it’s worth. Samantha James at the Pink Magnolia Boutique and Mary Lechene at Salon LeChene were gracious enough to share their expertise on the subject. With tips from these ladies, you will feel great, you’ll look voguish, and spring will be yours for the taking.

Attire & Accessories

Samantha James

The Pink Magnolia Boutique in west Cary came to life in September of 2015. It’s recommended that you visit this little shop in the up-and-coming Parkside Town Commons, as it adds cheerfulness and class to the area. Owner, Samantha James took the plunge as one of its first residents, understanding the importance of accessible fashion for the Cary clientele. “The growth is in west Cary,” James stated. “I knew if I was going to take this leap of faith, it would be here.” And we’re glad she took that leap; as a professional fashion consultant, she is able to bring spring staples to our closets at incredible prices. The store is filled with top-notch apparel, and with the exception of authentic cowboy boots, everything is under $100. Each season, James and her team of qualified associates attend the markets in Atlanta and Dallas where they browse and shop for the perfect pieces to fill their store. “I like to touch and feel the items that I’m buying,” James explains. She only purchases about five to ten pieces of each item, and never re-orders. Their shop is ever-changing with new items as they receive shipments weekly, if not daily. These trips to the market open their eyes to the season’s fashion – what’s leaving, what’s staying, and what fad is making its debut. caryliving.com | 33

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Photo by Sean Junqueira Photography

Pink Dress // Pink Magnolia Boutique Earrings // Diamonds Direct Crabtree Bracelets // Halieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boutique

Photo by Sean Junqueira Photography

Entro Floral dress

Colors Picture the lake on a soft, sunny day with wildflowers blooming in the distance. It’s such a refreshing vision. Now, picture your closet with those same gentle tones. At Pink Magnolia, they’re welcoming the spring palette with excitement. James is elated with the shades flooding her store: “The colors are airy and peaceful.” Spring’s answer to pink is rose quartz, a subdued shade that allows women to feel feminine without the harshness of a strong pink. This is a sweet color that promotes an easy transition from winter to summer. Pair it with white or cream for a quiet, yet sophisticated look. Serenity blue is arriving as the airy, delicate approach to fashion. You’ll look picture perfect against the North Carolina mountains with this meditative tone. The color was released to encourage relaxation, peacefulness and tranquility. Serenity blue will compliment your denim wonderfully, giving you a jovial spring look. And no season would be complete without a shade of gray. Lilac gray is a mellow hue with hints of pastel purple. While gray associates itself with the business world, the lilac is essential for adding a little amusement to the color. You can bank on this neutral hue being a staple in your closet as it pairs well with all fabrics, colors and patterns. caryliving.com | 35

Patterns

Style

Print trends last spring were whimsical and playful. Novelty images appeared on many tops and dresses, from skulls to colorful fruit and large fonts. This year we will see the trend relax, with classics like floral and stripes leading the scene. These patterns will vary from low-key to adventurous. Floral patterns will be seen on many tops, dresses and skirts, with chic and delicate items on one rack and bold and beautiful on the next. These are stately pieces, as we’ve seen floral enter and exit the fashion world for centuries. Stripes have been a controversial motif for women, but this spring, designers are encouraging you to embrace the beauty of this classic staple. Let’s not stop there; you’ll see thin, thick, vertical, horizontal and sideways stripes. You’ll see funky stripes and traditional stripes; there are no rules here. Pattern mixing is a celebrated way to looking boisterous this season, so pair that floral top with those striped shorts and you’re runway ready.

In addition to the standard lightweight and breezy attire, Pink Magnolia is housing some unique styles for the season. The cold shoulder look is possibly their favorite trend: “A woman’s shoulder is beautiful, and it stays beautiful,” James states. These tops expose the shoulder with tasteful cutouts; women of all ages can (and should) rock this look. Denim is a constant in our wardrobe, whether it’s winter or spring. This season, women are embracing the frayed bottom jeans, a lighthearted and cheerful look. This style looks excellent with ankle-strap heels and laced sandals. Checkout the Articles of Society brand at Pink Magnolia; they have accomplished this trend with nobility. High necklines are back and keeping spring modest. Marry the high neckline with the cold shoulder top and a pair of frayed bottom jeans, and you have an attractive balance. Designers outdid themselves this season by bringing looks together with smooth harmony.

Jewelry The finishing piece to any outfit is especially essential; no wardrobe is complete without accessories. Jewelry this season is simple and tasteful, with uncomplicated gems. Silver is the shining star this season; it’s bright, cheerful and quite durable. Nicole Richie’s jewelry line, House of Harlow, has prime real estate at The Pink Magnolia Boutique. House of Harlow necklaces are modest, with clean chains and simple pendants. Earrings, bracelets and rings follow suit and contribute quite well to the effortless feel of spring attire. Think small with a punch; while the accessories are still statement pieces, they don’t overwhelm. If you are looking for a pop of color, the Uganda jewelry line Akola may be the right fit for you. Not only are the necklaces exquisite, but 100% of the proceeds support the Uganda women and children who live in extreme poverty. “Each bead is hand rolled and can take up to ten minutes to make,” James explains. “It really is an incredible organization of women.” These necklaces range from long to short, with multiple colors to choose from. Akola Necklaces

Article of Society Tathered bottom Jeans 36 | caryliving.com

Photo by Sean Junqueira Photography

Dress // Sophie & Mollies Boutique Earrings // Diamonds Direct Crabtree Shoes // Sophie & Mollies Boutique

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Beach Wave Hairstyle

Hair Style The theme for hair is natural and pure. If you have curly hair, refrain from using the flat iron and let it be whole. If you have straight hair, adding a little body or simple beach waves is an excellent beauty trend this spring. And in an effort to keep your hair in its unrefined state, dry shampooing may be an excellent alternative. Not only does it give your tresses an earthy look, it allows you to rush out to your next event without the hassle of suds. Runway models showed the world that classy low buns are replacing high topknots. By parting your hair in the middle and gathering it in a low bun with the ends peeking out, you’ve cultivated the laid-back look of spring. For our twenty-something ladies, pigtails are back and better than ever. The style is flirty and pure. Begin with low pigtails that have minimal separation at the back of the neck. The look is different than the pigtails under the ears or high on either side of your head; instead of whimsical, they are mature and chic. And why stop there? Women are adding statement pieces to their updos: “Accessories are huge right now,” Lechene states. “Gold string is by far my favorite.” If you’re doing an updo or twist, wrapping it with gold thread will add something sweet to the look. In addition, tiaras, headbands and Asian inspired pieces will complete your spring attire.

Hair & Makeup Visiting a salon to kick off the spring season is fundamental for feeling and looking graceful. Cary dweller Salon LeChene has the tools, knowledge and exquisite space to conjure up that scenario. Mary Lechene opened the doors at Salon LeChene three years ago with a dream of being the shop next door with quality appeal. “Our salon is set apart by our old fashioned hospitality mixed with contemporary hair skills,” Lechene explains. The moment you walk through the door, you’re uplifted with class, sophistication and modern amenities. Lechene employs trustworthy staff that are equipped with the personality and expertise to work alongside clients. “The staff at Salon LeChene take joy in spreading beauty, confidence and happiness, one guest experience at a time,” Lechene states. “We are honored to take the hair journey with our guests.” National-based educators come to the salon every other month to teach the employees, helping them and their clientele grow. This fact alone makes them up-to-date experts on what’s happening with hair and makeup this season. 38 | caryliving.com

Hair Color Women are grasping onto their authentic selves by embracing subtle highlights and natural color. “The overall term for hair is organic and effortless,” Lechene explains. “It’s meant to look the way you did as a kid, like the sun kissed your hair.” One way to accomplish this look is with the balayage technique, a treatment that stars and runway models are making famous. The method is meant to soften the tone of your hair while releasing its natural color. The base of your hair resembles its authentic tones, with complimentary shades following. The color itself is painted by hand opposed to utilizing caps or foil. This technique allows for very minimal maintenance, making this one of the most pure color treatments to hit salons. With the combination of organic tones and minimal upkeep, this is one of the most beloved trends this spring.

Cosmetics Wear your makeup and wear it tastefully. In an effort to match the rest of spring, cosmetics fall into the category of simple, yet swank. “The makeup is very clean, other than bold lips.” Lechene states. Fuchsia pink and apple red lipstick will create that beautiful statement. And if bold lips aren’t enough, electric blue eye shadow encourages that swank look and feel for the season. Play with your makeup, have fun with the daring touches, and make it delightfully charming. While most of our looks this spring are natural and organic, makeup is where you can break the mold. Each style and trend, from clothes to makeup, allows you to achieve the pleasure and revelry of the season. Incorporate one or all of these techniques to your daily routine, and enjoy the transition from winter to spring. Take a visit to one of the many Cary salons and boutiques for hands-on assistance in building these styles. These shops put their hearts and souls into their products, staff and most of all, customers. Don’t miss out on the flirty cold shoulder tops and balayage hair. Clutch onto spring and make it your best season yet. L

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CARY GOES GREEN BY HEATHER MALLORY

We’ve all done it. We’ve reached for the green option in the grocery store only to put it back at the last minute to buy the old standby. Maybe it’s cheaper, maybe we think the chemical version just works better. Often, the reason we hedge is that the whole notion of sustainability can seem too abstract, too remote, and too macro for us to really embrace.

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Ultimately, though, the hallmarks of sustainability, like resource conservation, the reuse of materials and the reduction of pollution, are essentially local: things that begin and end at home, and are practiced inside the friendly confines of the community. As Cary grows by leaps and bounds, the town is taking care to keep greenness close and plentiful – and the commitment to sustainability goes deeper than Cary’s parks and greenways. Cary is making a real investment in its future and in its community, in both its municipal and commercial lives. Here is a roundup of some greenery, so to speak, that is growing right here in Cary, from long-term choices you can make to seasonal events you can attend – springtime is boom-time for all things green. Much of what you’ll find below may sound familiar, or at least unsurprising (Earth Day is eco-friendly – who knew?). But read on: there’s green in Cary where you least suspect it, too.

SOCIAL MEDIA The Joulebug App This app makes a game out of green by setting you up as a player in a friendly eco-war with like-minded

Caryites: you win points by carpooling, drinking local beer, bringing your own mug into your favorite coffee bar, and the like. Some of the pursuits on Joule are incentivized with actual stuff you can win – and the app itself is free for you to use, thanks to a grant from the EPA’s Climate Showcase Communities Project – so it’s more than just a sustainability competition. Joulebug was founded in Raleigh (speaking of local), and now has a Cary-specific version of the app. Visit www.joulebug.com/Cary.

plant at home and get planting tips from a certified arborist. There will be a tree-identification scavenger hunt and a chance to win a home compost bin.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Spring Litter Sweep (April 2) Locations townwide Volunteer for Cary’s Spring Litter Sweep and help clean litter from the town’s parks, trails, roadways and other public spaces. This is a great project for individuals, families or larger groups. You can select a litter sweep shift or suggest a location and time that works best for you. Either way, the Town will provide the tools and supplies for a safe and fun project. To register, call 919.469.4301 or email sarah.justice@townofcary.org.

Arbor Day (March 20) Page-Walker Lawn | 119 Ambassador Loop Town Hall Campus | 1-3pm This venerable annual ritual is one of the oldest eco-phenomena in the world, dating back to the sixteenth century, and it has been observed in the US since 1872. Cary, which celebrates its 33rd year as a Tree City USA community, continues the tradition of celebrating the importance of trees with its Arbor Day celebration downtown on the Page-Walker lawn. A tree dedication ceremony opens the event at 1pm, and there will be free crafts for kids, education, and entertainment to enjoy until 3pm. While supplies last, attendees can pick up a free tree to

Online Compost Bin Sales (April 8 - May 8) www.townofcary.org If you’ve wondered why your garden has a tendency to get weary of producing somewhere around midsummer, the problem is often not water, but nutrients. If you don’t compost, you’re throwing away free food for your plants. Each spring, Cary offers home compost bins at below wholesale cost so you can turn your kitchen scraps into organic fertilizer. For one month starting in April, the 311-liter residential compost bins are offered for purchase for just $45 through Enviroworld. Visit www.townofcary.org and follow links to a page where you can order.

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Photos courtesy of the Town of Cary // Left: Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht builds a make-and-take tree craft at Arbor Day. // Right: Composting in Cary.

Earth Day (April 30) Bond Park | 801 High House Road | 9am-5pm The Woodstock-era Earth Mother of eco-parties, Earth Day was founded in 1969. Cary celebrates Earth Day near the boathouse at Spring Daze in Bond Park: family friendly games, giveaways and activities, and Q&A time with Town experts regarding a wide variety of environmentally focused programs and initiatives. The theme this year is “Lead. Inspire.” and exhibits and activities will provide information about the role you can play in keeping the community green. Visit each booth and learn about water conservation, recycling, stormwater, urban trees, greenways and parks, C-Tran, cooking oil recycling, sustainability, and environmental volunteerism with Spruce.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Spruce This is the first site to visit when you’re ready to volunteer, as an individual or group, to help keep Cary clean and green. You’ll find a rundown of things you can do (including the Spring Litter Sweep), many of them ongoing endeavors. These include Carpenter Park Community Garden Workdays and Compost Education Center Garden Projects. There is also a tool-lending program. And in the Joulebug gamification spirit, there’s a new “Spruce Badge” initiative – you can earn one through volunteer eco-efforts. Spruce has its own Facebook page to help you “Cary it Green” throughout your day. For Tuesday tips, event information and more, visit www. facebook.com/CaryItGreen. Adopt a Spot This is an expansion of the tried-and-true Adopt-A-Highway program that makes so much sense it’s a wonder it hasn’t 42 | caryliving.com

always been around. You can stake your claim to an area of town and play a role in preserving the beauty and health of the Cary community. Options for adoption abound and include parks, greenways, Cary streets, neighborhood areas, schools, and many other areas. There is even a way that local businesses and shops can adopt their own locations. For those with a green thumb and gardening know-how, there are flower beds for adoption as well. Please see the links below for full program details and applications. (And yes, you do get a sign to indicate the place you’ve adopted.) Visit www.townofcary.org and type “Adopt a Spot” in the search bar. Block Leader Program The Block Leader program is a special effort by the Town of Cary to educate citizens about conservation. Block Leaders are citizens who volunteer as grassroots environmental educators to increase neighbors’ awareness and understanding of Cary’s initiatives and programs that preserve and protect the environment. The Town provides promotional materials once every spring for Block Leaders to distribute to neighbors. The 2016 Block Leader season begins on Earth Day, but you can sign up to volunteer anytime. Visit www.townofcary.org and type “Block Leader Program” in the search bar.

Green Leaders in Cary The Fire Station You wouldn’t necessarily expect an emergency center to prioritize sustainability, but Cary’s new Station 8 is the town’s first green-built project. The station’s building elements include recycled material drawn from within

500 miles of Cary, and it boasts solar-assist hot water heating, energy-efficient site lighting, energy-efficient HVAC, photovoltaic panels on the roof to collect and store energy from the sun, and plumbing designed to tie into the Town’s reclaimed water system. The station is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Cary environs by 240 metric tons, and to serve as a pilot for future municipal buildings. It received nearly $500,000 in federal funding. The Mayton Inn The Town of Cary invited Colin and Deanna Crossman, proprietors of Durham’s King’s Daughters Inn, to open an eco-conscious inn in downtown Cary. The brandnew Mayton has many green features, and is not only a place for visitors from out of town but also a legitimate destination for Caryites, with many events designed to attract locals. See our article in this issue for more on the Mayton’s eco-initiatives. SAS SAS is Cary’s largest employer, so the way they treat the environment not only makes a palpable difference in the air; it also serves as a standard-bearer in the community. The company has a firm and formidable commitment to sustainability, from solar energy systems to waste diversion from landfills, water-use reduction, and charging stations for employees’ electric vehicles. The new office building at SAS achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. MetLife Another corporation leading the drive to go green is MetLife. Last June was the grand opening of MetLife’s green campus overlooking Lake Crabtree. The campus is home to two seven-story 213,500 square-foot office buildings, and the facility is the lowest cost administration space operated by MetLife in the United States. MetLife in Cary is targeting the highest LEED certification for environmental sustainability and is also proving its commitment to the Triangle with its wide array of community service projects, from Habitat for Humanity to Geek-a-Thon (refurbishing donated computers) to programs for disabled Vets.

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The Umstead Luxury can be sustainable, sometimes in unseen ways. The Umstead’s rooms all feature the EVOLVE tablet, an energy management tool. Unused toiletries are donated to Clean the World Foundation. The hotel farms an acre of land less than a mile from the grounds, providing produce for its restaurant, Herons, and its other food and beverage outlets. (More than a dozen local farms supply additional food.) The Umstead also works with SAS on a joint composting program. The hotel maintains a commitment to its threeacre lake, which supports a variety of natural life – and if you need more outdoors, the 5,599 acres of Umstead Park itself are right nearby. McDonald’s Yes, even the golden arches can be green. Cary was home to the state’s first and second LEED certified McDonald’s locations (at 1299 Kildaire Farm Road and 1830 Walnut Street). These Ric Richards–owned McDonald’s restaurants offer car-charging stations, on-site solar canopies, composting of the restaurant waste, LED lighting, water-efficient restrooms and kitchens, drought-tolerant plants, and building materials with a high percentage of recycled content. L

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WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HELP CARY GO GREEN?

STORY AND PHOTOS BY EMERALD LAVENDER

When entering Cary, it’s nearly impossible to ignore the lush green landscape, carefully manicured, as well as the hometown atmosphere, with all the conveniences of a larger city. Cary’s residents and workers are passionate about keeping the city beautiful for generations to come. We interviewed a few regular folks around town to see how everyday people are aiding Cary in going green. Yasi Langdale is always pleasant and smiling. She’s a school crossing guard for a local Cary elementary school. Every day she helps school children and their parents by guiding them safely across the sometimes congested streets that lead up to the school. By nature her occupation supports a greener Cary, and she also strongly believes in going green at home. How do you personally support Cary going green? As the school crossing guard, I encourage parents and children to walk to school as much as they can, to reduce their carbon footprint. Do you have energy efficient appliances in your home? Yes; we replaced the entire hvac unit in our home two years ago, and it’s very energy efficient. Do you have solar panels in your home? I don’t have solar panels. My husband and I did look into it, but the way that the trees are positioned in our neighborhood prevented us from qualifying. Do you teach your kids to recycle? Yes, we teach our kids to recycle because it ensures that the Earth will be around for them; they are our future. 44 | caryliving.com

Jennifer Ott has been working in Cary for years. She enjoys the gorgeous landscaping and pride that the Cary community takes in itself. A true believer in “everything organic,” Jen strives daily to care for herself and the world around her. Do you have any daily routines that encourage green living? My daily routines consist of trying to save water by taking shorter showers and turning off the water when I brush my teeth. I also try to use reusable shopping bags at the grocery store. My husband and I love to garden, so we grow our own vegetables when the season is appropriate. Do you use organic products regularly? Yes, I absolutely use organic products regularly. Being someone with fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and an intolerance to gluten, I am very diligent to watch what products I purchase for our home. I have been eating organic for the last couple of years, and it has made a world of difference to my health. Why is reducing waste important to you? Reducing waste is important to me because I want to leave this world a better place after I am gone. Our children deserve a beautiful existence. What measures have you taken to reduce your carbon footprint? I try to reduce my energy consumption whenever possible, walking to activities instead of driving, and shop locally whenever I have the opportunity.

Darcie Skidmore is a teacher here in Cary. On a daily basis, she emphasizes the need to not be wasteful in her classroom. She teaches a unit on natural resources so her students understand how important is to conserve our Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s precious resources. What type of green activities do you encourage in your classroom? We always make sure that when we are cutting or using scrap paper, that all extra paper goes into the recycling bin instead of the trash can. Also, I try to encourage students to bring in a reusable water bottle, rather than plastic ones that need to be thrown away. If they bring in bottles that need to be thrown away, I do my best to make sure that I set them aside and take them to our recycling bin in the teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lounge. Does your school participate in any activities to reduce their carbon footprint as a student body? I cannot speak for the whole school as to what we do. I do know that fifth graders come around to all of the classrooms and collect the paper from the recycling bins. We also make sure that we stack the styrofoam trays at the end of lunch to recycle those instead of throwing them away. Do you teach any lesson plans on the importance of recycling to your students? During our economic and natural resources unit, we learn all about how recycling helps the planet. We also learn to use our natural resources sparingly, as well as a small class project that shows how we can take care of our planet. L

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the mayton inn

BY ADAM SOBSEY PHOTOS BY MATT WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY

One day a few years ago, Cary Downtown Manager Ed Gawf walked into King’s Daughters Inn, a lovingly restored property in Durham. The inn’s owners, Colin and Deanna Crossman, remember that Gawf took a look around and declared, “This is what we need in Cary!” Now Cary has it – and it has the Crossmans, too. The newly opened Mayton Inn was built for them, in fact, and it was also built to meet their sustainability standards and commitments, which go all the way back to the Crossmans’ honeymoon: after tying the knot, they went to the Green Building School at The Shelter Institute in Maine. Take, for example, the sound-masking system in each room at the Mayton. These are “found in the most high-end hotels around the world,” says Deanna. But luxury standards alone don’t account for the white-noise dial controls in each of the 44 bright, colorful, Deco-style rooms (plus a cottage for wedding couples) designed by Madge Megliola, who also designed the rooms at King’s Daughters. Cock an ear without the sound-masking running, and what you’ll hear is, well, pretty close to nothing. The system isn’t there to obscure noise so much as to make some. That’s largely because there is no fan blowing heat or air conditioning into the rooms. Instead, the Mayton’s technologically advanced HVAC system, known as “Variable Refrigerant Flow,” circulates air without blowers. Most of the moving parts are outside the building. “There are no motors in the rooms,” Crossman says. “Some people love that. Others like white noise. This system provides full volume control for each guest.”

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The Crossmans had originally wanted to equip the Mayton with a geothermal heating and cooling system, “but the surrounding soils weren’t amenable,” Deanna says. So they sought alternatives. Variable refrigerant flow may not be the sexiest-sounding phrase, but the technology – widely used in Japan, where it was developed – is actually even more efficient than geothermal. The Mayton’s rooms are also equipped with infrared sensors that detect occupancy and adjust the temperature accordingly. Think of it as the latest in rarefied air. The Mayton’s VRF system is just one of numerous green-built features. The Crossmans have created a place that is luxurious, of course, but also friendly to both the community and the environment. The Mayton boasts a 20,000-gallon cistern to conserve water, along with a dual solar hot water/photovoltaic system. All that conserved water will nourish a garden of exclusively native, drought-tolerant plants, and will be further conserved by high-efficiency faucets, shower heads and toilets (don’t worry, there’s plenty of water pressure – and roomy soaker tubs, too). The use-responsive boiler system also saves energy. Lighting is largely LED. To look at the stately brick Mayton, you might not guess at all the eco-infrastructure inside it. The inn was designed (by Center Studio Architecture in Durham) to harmonize with the nearby Cary Arts Center and Baptist Church, both architecturally Georgian, as is the King’s Daughters Inn, which dates to the 1920’s. Although the Mayton is a brand new building, it’s in harmony with the look

and feel of its surroundings. Deanna hopes that “in 50 years, it’s a beautiful historic building in downtown Cary.” Their commitment to place – both ecologically and architecturally – also drives the Crossmans’ approach to the community. Although the Mayton will host weddings most weekends of the year, bringing in plenty of out-of-towners, the Crossmans’ attention is on more than just special occasions. They want the Mayton to be a community resource and a neighborhood fixture; it’s fitting that the inn backs up onto a public park. The dining room is open to the public, is moderately priced, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Mayton also offers spa services (including tempting “spa lunches”), and will host live music weekly. “My current favorite [event],” Deanna says, “is ‘Yappy Hour.’ We’re going to have doggie chicken-stock popsicles, along with rawhide sticks and water for the neighborhood pups, while their people enjoy a cocktail or meal on the verandah.” Cocktails come courtesy of consultation by Gary Crunkleton (whose namesake bar is Chapel Hill’s libations mecca), and the kitchen is helmed by Jeffrey Gompers, late of Chapel Hill Country Club. The food is mostly upscale Southern – think tempura-fried trout po’boy with green apples, pickled red cabbage and roasted pimento remoulade at lunch; for dinner, cornmeal-dusted catfish with local andouille sausage, as well as chicken, steak and seasonal veggies. Nothing costs more than $23. Even the Mayton’s prices are sustainable. L

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THROUGH MARCH 23 Get ready for more fantastic, fun specials that signal spring is just around the corner! You’ll learn how best to enjoy everything you’ve worked so hard to get—and get some pure enjoyment from top performers. All that and much more awaits you during FESTIVAL 2016!

Yanni Live at the Pyramids: The Dream Concert

Josh Groban: Stages Live

This Land is Your Land (Smothers Brothers) Easy Yoga for Diabetes with Peggy Cappy

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: 50 Years & Circlin’ Back

Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever

PBS & More for All of North Carolina

u n c t v.o r g The Forever Wisdom of Dr. Wayne Dyer

spring arts preview In Cary, the big news this spring may be found on the sports pages. While Caryites have been long accustomed to having the Carolina RailHawks, their hometown soccer team overlooked as the spotlight tends to favor the Hurricanes and the Wolfpack, the tables may be turning. The RailHawks, who play in the second-division North American Soccer League, were once left for dead with parts sold off on eBay. But now they’re kind of a big deal. What happened? Well, they found a local owner in Stephen Malik, a tech millionaire and venture capitalist. And with that local owner comes ambition. While Malik never seems to come and say it, he’s tacitly encouraged The News and Observer to read his tea leaves as “Malik wants to take the RailHawks to Major League Soccer.” Such a move would require a franchise fee in the neighborhood of $100 million, and also a plan for a

20,000-seat stadium. So, nothing’s happening anytime soon. Still, Malik’s new-look operation has a couple of upgrades to check out this spring: First, on March 26th, there’s a very high quality preseason game against Toluca FC, a Mexican power. Then, when the regular season starts on April 2nd, you may notice that the RailHawks are offering a new, expensive place for fans to sit: sideline seating, on the field. With this so-close-you-cansmell-’em vantage point comes tableside food and beverage service. Visit carolinarailhawks.com. Although there’s a lot happening in Cary, the springtime spectacles can be found all over Wake County, especially in that city down the road that’s going all in on the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. So, here’s a look at some other spring cultural offerings.

Photo courtesy of Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theatre

// By david fellerath

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Festivals, Parades and More: St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Thursday this year, and this poses a quandary for a community that enjoys the green beer but does not have deep bonds with the Easter Rising, Cú Chulainn and The Auld Sod, and for whom March 17th is as inviolable as the Fourth of July. So, in Raleigh, St. Patrick’s Day will either be March 12th, when a St. Patrick’s Day parade is tentatively scheduled for downtown, or March 13th, when Glenwood South tentatively has this penciled in for your appointment to drink on in that district’s pubs. On April 9th, indulge in our two most important foodstuffs at Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the Beer and Bacon Festival. boothamphitheatre.com. Earth Day is April 22nd, but the biggest Earth Day festivity on the books will take place April 30th in Cary, as part of the 23rd Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival. Running all day at Fred G. Bond Park, the event will feature crafts, food, music, children’s activities and more crafts. It runs from 9am-5pm. The unifying theme this spring, however, is Shakespeare, who died 400 years ago this spring. There are dance and theater tributes, and one of the surviving First Folios – the earliest collection of his plays – will be on display at the NC Museum of Art from May 7th30th. To gird our loins for this season of Shakespeare, Burning Coal Theatre has partnered with the museum to produce a five-day, around-the-clock reading of all 38 of the plays, in the order they were produced. Visit ncmuseumofhistory.org.

Music

// Photo of AnaMaria by Tyrone Domingo (Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theatre)

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The pop music scene will be comparatively muted this spring. Red Hat Amphitheater has exactly one show on the books in all of March and April: It’s Gavin DeGraw, a noted interpreter of moments from the films and TV shows of the Carolina coast such as Safe Haven and One Tree Hill. Maybe you’ll see Nicholas Sparks in attendance! redhatamphitheater.com. Also turning down the volume this spring is The Ritz Raleigh, which will go dark beginning in late April for unexplained renovations. Among the notable shows before the hiatus: New Jersey hip-hop artist Fetty Wap (March 17th) and jam band Umphrey’s McGee (April 7th and 8th). ritzraleigh.com. On the classical side of things, the NC Opera’s big spring production is a mounting of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. This fully staged production will feature Joo Won Kang in the title role, along with Cecelia Hall. Two performances only: April 1st and 3rd. ncopera.org. In addition to its traditional offerings, the NC Symphony has a couple of curve balls. On March 3rd, the “Strings at Kings” series continues with a string quartet program featuring John Luther Adams’ Wind in High Places and George Crumb’s Cello Sonata. This is a great deal at $8/$11. kingsbarcade.com. On April 2nd, the Symphony will team up with Five for Fighting for a joint show. This one’s at Meymandi Concert Hall. ncsymphony.org.

Photos courtesy of NCMA // Left: Childe Hassam, The Laurel in the Ledges, Appledore, 1905, oil on canvas. // Below: Attributed to Karl Thaxter (1852–1912), Childe Hassam painting on the porch of Celia Thaxter’s cottage, 1880–1910, archival photograph.

Theater When not planning Shakespeare marathons, Burning Coal’s big spring offering is a rarely performed cult show called Spoonface Steinberg. The play’s name may not ring any bells, but here are a few tidbits to know: The play’s author is Lee Hall, who wrote this tale a few years before his career-making breakout screenplay, Billy Elliot. Spoonface Steinberg seems to lay it on a little thick – it’s about a Jewish autistic girl who is dying of cancer – but when it premiered on BBC Radio in 1997, it became a sensation. One of the twists of Burning Coal’s production: each night, a “different member of the community will ‘play’ Spoonface.” Under Davis’ direction, the show also will feature live performances of songs associated with Maria Callas. Over in Fairmount, Raleigh Little Theatre has two children’s shows this spring: Miss Nelson is Missing (March 11th-27th) and Charlotte’s Web (April 8th-17th). raleighlittletheatre.org. Near the NC State campus and Pullen Park, the redoubtable Theatre in the Park’s big show is a revival of The Elephant Man. No cast had been announced at press time for this Bernard Pomerance play, which premiered in 1977, but it is to be directed by Ira David Wood III. theatreinthepark.com Broadway Series South presents a slim spring season with an April 9th appearance by “dog whisperer” Cesar Millan, and a “local” production titled The Realish Housewives of Raleigh, a show that’s being touted as a “reality train wreck that’ll leave you laughing ‘til you cry your false eyelashes off.” Despite the local reference in the show’s title, it is a touring production that inserts the host city wherever it lands. It may be a hilarious crashing of trains, but don’t expect too many locally sourced rib-tickles about your Boylan besties and North Hills frenemies. It runs April 19th-24th. dukeenergycenterraleigh.com/ broadway-series-south. For a far more somber – and local – experience, consider catching an original work by the Justice Theater

Project titled Still Life: An Exploration into a Killing State, North Carolina. That title is about as blunt an expression of the show’s premise as you can get, and it signals the seriousness of the production’s intent. Deb Royals directs her own script about the use of the death penalty in the Old North State, and it runs one weekend only, April 28thMay 1st. thejusticetheaterproject.org/.

VISUAL ART Over at CAM Raleigh, spring will be dominated by an occupation of sorts. Phil America: Failure of the American Dream, is another trailer load of reality in the midst of the remodeled industrial spaces of the Warehouse District. America, who characterizes himself as “an artist from California, a vegan, an activist, a teacher, a brother and to some a criminal,” spent one month living in a homeless encampment in San Jose and the vicinity of Silicon Valley. His time embedded in the camp yielded Failure of the American Dream, a set of photos and videos that has toured to galleries as far away as London. It opened at CAM on January 31st, and will remain on view until May 8th. This isn’t America’s first foray into poverty immersion. A few years ago he spent a month living among the poor in a custom-built hovel in Bangkok, Thailand. Afterward, the shanty was relocated to a Bangkok art gallery and given the title Slum Vacation. It also attracted the skeptical attention of art critic Jonathan Jones, who wrote for The Guardian that America’s show was “a self-portrait of the artist having an exotic adventure.” Undeterred, America repeated the stunt in California for “Failure,” and also found time to discuss his work in a presentation at TEDxSacramento. In Raleigh, the culmination of Failure of the American Dream occurs from May 4th to May 8th, when America himself will live in the installation and discuss his projects with museum visitors. camraleigh.org. caryliving.com | 51

At the North Carolina Museum of Art, they’re coming off the big success of the MC Escher show, which drew 116,565 visitors in 14 weeks to make it the most successful exhibit since the 2011 Rembrandt show. This spring, the big spring attraction seems to take a cue – consciously or unconsciously – from last fall’s Bill Thelen-curated drawing exhibition at CAM Raleigh. This one is a group show called Marks of Genius: 100 Extraordinary Drawings from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. From the Middle Ages to the present, this show will display the varieties of pencil, ink, and pastel images produced by artists ranging from Guercino and Carracci to Kollwitz and Schiele to Matisse and Lichtenstein. The subject matter ranges from studies of mythological scenes, to still lifes and nudes, to book illustrations. The ticketed show opens March 19th and runs through June 19th. ncartmuseum.org. Running concurrently with this drawing show is American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals. Hassam was a 19th- and 20th-century Impressionist from Boston who exerted sizable influence during his lifetime,

only to go into eclipse for half a century. His reputation now revived, his oil paintings executed over three decades off the New England coast will be the subject of a solo show that the museum organized jointly with the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. In April, a new photography exhibit devoted to Wilson, NC lensman Burk Uzzle opens in the NCMA’s Julian T. Baker Jr. Photography Galleries. Uzzle is most celebrated for the magical shot he took of a bedraggled young couple at Woodstock, the image that would grace the concert soundtrack album cover and serve as a signature relic of that generation. But Uzzle, who started at The News & Observer when he was 17, and who was only 31 when he got that Woodstock snap, took many, many other photos, and a choice selection will be on view from April 16th-September 25th. (Uzzle’s work is simultaneously being celebrated at Chapel Hill’s Ackland Art Museum and Durham’s Nasher Museum of Art; each institution is focusing on a different aspect of Uzzle’s career.) ncartmuseum.org/exhibitions.

// Photo of Bianca and Samal courtesy of Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theatre

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Dance The Carolina Ballet commemorates the 400th anniversary of the Bard of Stratford’s death with an unprecedented season of Shakespeare, Shakespeare and more Shakespeare. After a February reprise of their popular Valentine’s show, Love Speaks, which draws from the sonnets and the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, the Ballet will present Tempest Fantasy, based on Paul Moravec’s 2004 Pulitzer-winning score. Robert Weiss supplies original choreography to this tale of Prospero, Caliban and the “stuff that dreams are made on.” It runs from March 3th-20th at Fletcher Opera Theater. Things really kick into gear in April, with a world premiere of Macbeth. There’s probably not another play in the Shakespeare canon that calls to mind such vivid tableaux for dance. From the witches at the beginning, to Lady Macbeth sleepwalking with bloody hands, to the banquet with Banquo’s ghost, to the day when the Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, the play is laden with possibility, with terrifying scenes and movement. Macbeth runs from April 14th17th in Memorial Auditorium before resurfacing at Durham’s DPAC on April 30th and May 1st. carolinaballet.com. Over at NC State, ContraTiempo Urban Latin Dance Theatre performs on April 9th. This Los Angeles-based troupe specializes in a unique fusion of salsa, Afro-Cuban and hip-hop forms to create bold, vibrant shows. live.arts.ncsu.edu. If you’re in the mood to watch dance in two dimensions, head to the NCMA on Friday nights to catch one of the Winter Film Series titles. Curated by Laura Boyes, the latter part of the season is devoted to dance films: Strictly Ballroom (March 11th), Shall We Dance (March 18th), Cuban Fury (March 25th), and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (April 1st). ncartmuseum. org/calendar/type/films. Whatever you do this spring, you’ll likely be brushing up on your Shakespeare. L

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Place is important. Of all the reasons people report for loving where they live, feeling a sense of community eventually bubbles to the top of the list. Few places of similar size offer a sense of community quite like the Cary area.

On The Move: The Many Flavors of Cary Living // By jenni hart // photos courtesy of stanley martin homes On our first Cary house-hunting trip in the year 2000, my husband and I were struck by the number of people walking, running and biking through the many neighborhoods we visited. About to relocate from sleepy, suburban Philadelphia, where shades of gray seemed to dominate the outdoor color palette for eight months of the year, we were most impressed by the vibrant landscape and the locals’ energy and active lifestyle. Sixteen years later, Cary has welcomed thousands more residents and continues to receive national attention for all the right reasons. It consistently ranks among the safest US cities. Its unemployment rate is lower than state and national averages. And it ranks in the top ten for healthiest housing market, happiest suburb, and highest economic potential for same-size cities. Yet the sense of community found here is more than statistics and superlatives. It begins with feeling completely at home in your surroundings. If you’re a Cary resident, you don’t need to be sold on living here. But you may be interested in sizing up, downsizing, or just moving into a different type of community. As a newcomer, you can be confident there is a home for you in Cary that will meet your every need and most every want you could imagine. The market is desperate for inventory, however, so educate yourself and come fully prepared if you’re seriously searching for a piece of Cary real estate.

Homes In High Demand You can’t sell what you don’t have, and with the current inventory, real estate agents are working extra hard to find homes for buyers. “Demand is high, interest rates are still favorable, and houses are getting multiple offers and selling quickly,” says Bootsie Harris of Allen Tate Realtors. She shared the story of one man looking for a house who just needed a little time to talk with his wife about a property he liked. By the end of the day, the home had a contract on it, and the man 54 | caryliving.com

was understandably deflated. “I know it can be frustrating for buyers, so it’s important to be educated about these kinds of market conditions and be prepared to make an offer once you find something you like,” she says. Harris recommends buyers get pre-approved with their lender before even beginning their search. In some cases, they may face multiple offers, so they need to know how to respond to bids higher than their own, sometimes even exceeding the original asking price. She also advises buyers not to walk away from a home with a contingent offer. “Until it becomes a primary offer, a buyer has nothing to lose by placing a back-up offer,” she says. With inventory in such high demand, one would think a seller would have no trouble getting top dollar for their home and selling it quickly. Harris urges sellers not to take anything for granted, and to fully prepare before going on the market. “Even in this market, buyers are almost never willing to take

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“We moved from Boston two-and-a-half years ago, and we love calling Cary home. It feels like a ‘big small town,’ with big city conveniences but a small town feel – enough to always run into a familiar face or two when we’re out and about.”

– Becca Kuhn, mother of two

on a lot of work,” she cautions. Sellers needs to make necessary repairs, update baths and kitchens, and paint every room a neutral shade. “They might let a colorful child’s bedroom pass, but buyers really don’t want to have to touch anything in the new house right away,” Harris says. She also advises sellers get a pre-inspection and address any issues ahead of time. This eliminates lastminute surprises and makes the entire process run more smoothly. Finally, Harris says sellers and would-be buyers might want to embrace a little uncertainty and consider selling and moving into a short-term rental property while they continue their house search. “If they’re willing to be inconvenienced, it can relieve the stress of trying to time a sale to coincide with a purchase, especially if you’re expecting your house to sell quickly,” she says.

New Home Communities Cary and nearby Apex, Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina have seen such exponential growth in recent years that remaining land for new home construction is becoming a precious commodity. Buyers determined to purchase a new home can still find attractive options in great locations. Olive Chapel Park, close to downtown Apex, is an established community still offering a great selection of homesites, as well as resort-like amenities including a clubhouse, pool and tennis court. The clubhouse features a welcoming lobby with soaring ceilings and stone fireplace, an activity room and separate meeting room,

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and a theater, kitchen, and fitness center. Situated near these luxury amenities are available homesites from Stanley Martin Homes, a homebuilder celebrating 50 years in business and providing buyercentered, quality home design and construction within a number of Triangle subdivisions. Anthony Ascolese, vice president of sales in the Raleigh area, shared a few reasons Stanley Martin Homes is a popular choice for new home buyers. Ascolese says buyers appreciate the opportunity to add their own personal touch with interior options such as additional rooms (third floor bonus rooms, sunrooms, guest rooms, etc.) as well as finishes to suit their tastes, including sitefinished hardwood floors, cabinetry, countertops and tile. “The days of offering a buyer a stripped-down shell of a home with very few included features are over,” he says. “We want to make the choice of a new home a no-brainer for a buyer. We listen to our buyers and make changes and improvements accordingly.” Adding value to each home is the Stanley Martin Green Living Certification program to ensure exceptional energy efficiency. “The latest technology creates a home that is more comfortable, quieter, cleaner, safer and more efficient,” says Ascolese. Buyers are also won over by the builder’s generous warranty program, included in the purchase price of each home.

You Don’t Have to Own It to Love It Leasing homes has become an attractive alternative to buying, especially for younger professionals. Sharon Schovain, co-owner and broker-in-charge of Block & Associates Realty, says a recent shift in the market has produced tenants who lease by choice, not out of financial necessity. “Years ago, people leased until they could afford to buy, but those days are gone,” she says. Because the Triangle attracts large corporations with young professionals and employees relocating from other areas, the decision to lease emerges as the ideal option, offering maximum flexibility and an irresistible variety of options in rental homes and communities. Schovain, whose experience in this market goes back over 30 years, counsels families seeking residential properties on long-term leases. “Most international leases are for two to three years before the employees return to their original location,” she explains. “Leasing is smart for these companies, ideal for the relocated tenants and a home run for our landlords.” In addition to working directly with tenants, Block & Associates provides leasing assistance for property owners, builders and investors. For the thousands of property owners in the Triangle who lease their homes and townhomes, the firm’s property management service helps them protect their homes and maximize the return on their investment. And entrusting Block & Associates with the marketing and management of their property saves owners a significant amount of time and effort. Whether you are in the market for a resale home, have your heart set on new construction, or you’re seeking the flexibility and appeal of a leased home or townhome, Cary and its surrounding communities continue to provide the value, choices, and quality of life you’ll want to come home to. caryliving.com | 57

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve A Piedmont Marvel 10,000 Years in the Making

// By jenni hart // photos courtesy of hemlock bluffs In 1993, the population of the town of Cary, now estimated at 156,000, was a relatively modest 57,000. That same year, The Stevens Nature Center at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve opened to the public, with Mark Johns, now operations and program supervisor, there from the very beginning. We recently caught up with Johns and asked him about the unique features of the preserve, a secluded natural treasure offering a respite from the bustle of the growing town. CL: What makes Hemlock Bluffs such a special destination? MJ: Within the preserve’s 140 acres, there are many different habitats for unique plant and animal species, including the Eastern Hemlock, a tree whose normal habitat lies at least 200 miles to the west. Animals found at Hemlock Bluffs include reptiles and amphibians, including the red-backed salamander, as well as deer, squirrels, foxes, Barred Owls, and a wide variety of native birds. CL: What should visitors know before they visit Hemlock Bluffs? MJ: Hemlock Bluffs is open to the public and welcomes about a couple thousand visitors each weekend, but our focus is on the animals and plants found here. Nature buffs will enjoy an outdoor experience in a safe, well-maintained space with observation decks and mulched, well-marked walking trails. It’s important to us that sensitive species are protected and their habitats remain undisturbed, so if you’re looking for a park for a family picnic, throwing a ball or other playful activity, we’ll happily direct you to a park location better suited to your needs. Families love Hemlock Bluffs, however, and a new ADA-approved children’s nature trail was just completed last year.

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CL: What has been the lasting impact of Hemlock Bluffs? MJ: When it comes to public spaces, there will always be discussions about budgets and support of the programming, but Hemlock Bluffs and the 3,700-squarefoot Stevens Nature Center make an impression on visitors that is emotional – one that connects them with their environment, often in very meaningful ways. I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve talked to a number of people who visited as children and say they were inspired to study zoology, animal science or biology because of their time here. To learn more about Hemlock Bluffs, or to register for nature education programs at Stevens Nature Center, visit www.townofcary.org and select Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

Cary: A Town For All Ages And Stages Cary has long been known as a place for young folks, and statistics have traditionally borne that out, with residents’ median age coming in lower than statewide as well as national figures. Increasingly, however, retirees and seniors – Cary’s fastest-growing age group – are finding the town an appealing retirement destination. Cary regularly ranks among the safest of US cities of similar size based on FBI crime statistics. It boasts the lowest tax rate in Wake County. And with 5,000 residents turning 65 each year, Cary demonstrates its commitment to this segment of the population with robust social and recreational programming, dedicated spaces, and easy access to cultural and retail attractions. Senior housing options, however, are in high demand, and until the local market responds to sufficiently meet the need, senior living experts recommend planning in advance – five or more years in advance, in some cases. When looking at age-defined communities, it’s important to consider a few key issues to narrow your search. How much home maintenance are you able or willing to take on? Other factors to consider include safety in the home, mobility, ability and desire to continue driving, and proximity to medical care, family and friends. It’s also helpful to understand the differences in the types of homes available.

Senior Living Communities Defined Active Adult – With improved healthcare, older Americans are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. Active adult communities are a popular option offering stand-alone homes, townhomes, condominiums and apartments with amenities that may include outdoor maintenance, a clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, golf courses, fitness centers and planned activities. A common feature is age restriction, where residence is available only to those of a certain age, typically 55 and up. Residential Living – Residential, or independent, living homes include apartments or condominiums that typically feature common areas for social and recreational activities. Services and amenities tend to be more comprehensive and may include meal service, laundry, transportation, planned activities and outings, and limited health care services. Utilities are often included in the rental cost as well. Assisted Living – For residents who require assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, meals and housekeeping, but not nursing care, an assisted living arrangement may be the best, most cost-effective solution. Most assisted living communities closely resemble a home setting, and many offer on-site amenities such as a salon, library, casual dining restaurant, and an activity room. Memory Care – Seniors with Alzheimer’s, dementia or caryliving.com | 59

other memory loss now have unprecedented options for residences offering additional security and personalized services. Memory Care units are often designed with floor plans and security features to maximize safety and comfort. Additionally, specially trained staff and programming support residents as they socialize and stay active and engaged. Skilled Nursing – For residents requiring around-theclock nursing care, skilled nursing ensures their medical needs are met. Many skilled nursing homes also offer some of the same services and amenities as other communities. Continuing Care Retirement Community – Seniors and their caregivers will want to consider the many advantages of a Continuing Care Retirement Community, or CCRC, which offers the full range of living options all within the same campus. The opportunity to age in place from independent living through skilled nursing can ease the uncertainty that comes with significant life transitions. CCRC locations are more popular than ever, as the market demands for flexible, feature-rich senior living options increase. For Cary residents nearing retirement age, and their adult children helping them plan, there are a number of very attractive communities to consider. The challenges they encounter locally include lengthy wait lists and affordability, so senior living advisors recommend beginning the process early and doing thorough research into all available options.

Glena Glenaire is a Continuing Care Retirement Community with a venerable reputation among families in the Cary area. Executive Director Paul Gregg describes the accredited, not-for-profit community as one whose Presbyterian affiliation offers the additional benefit of financial assistance for residents who may find their circumstances changed. “We are very steeped in the tradition of providing as much security to our residents as we are able to,” Gregg says. In fact, since Glenaire first openend in 1993, no resident has ever been asked to leave for financial reasons. This is just one of many reasons Glenaire remains one of the most desirable retirement communities in the Triangle. Gregg echoes the advice of other senior living advisors who recommend beginning the search for a retirement community early. Glenaire offers cottage homes, which currently average an eight-year wait; as well as studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartment homes, where prospective residents can expect to wait approximately six years for a unit to become available. A testament to the appeal of the Glenaire community, a current expansion project

Town of Cary Senior Offerings Senior Center Located in Bond Park, the Cary Senior Center offers classes, activities and resources for residents age 55 plus. Seniors can register to learn Tai Chi, take a class in line-dancing, play bridge or attend a financial planning workshop, among many other activities. Some are free; others carry a modest fee.

C-Tran Cary seniors can choose door-to-door transportation (for ages 60 and up; registration required) and fixed route service, ensuring easy access to shopping, dining and other destinations, including connections to Triangle Transit. A number of fixed routes are available at reduced rates for seniors. 60 | caryliving.com

Photo courtesy of Glenaire

naire featuring 12 apartment homes with a planned November completion date sold out in just three weeks. “As Cary’s population has grown, Glenaire has expanded to be more responsive to the demand for a community like ours,” Gregg says. He credits the Glenaire board for its forward-thinking approach. Gregg says the trend in aging services has been increased attention to resident-centered care, where safety, comfort, and even minor personal preferences become the highest priority. “There was a time when nursing center residents were expected to adapt to the schedule of the staff,” he says. “Now we ask residents what time they’d like to wake up and what bedtime they’re used to. We accommodate their routines and preferences, not the other way around.” Interested prospective residents and their families will find Glenaire situated among mature trees and full, colorful plantings. Amenities include an elegant dining room, fitness center, aquatic center, auditorium, and arts and crafts studio, as well as additional dedicated spaces and everyday conveniences. Recent renovations included improved lighting and fresh, updated décor. Each

Photo courtesy of Glenaire

residence is thoughtfully designed, with finishes that include granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. With a move to Glenaire, residents can enjoy maintenance-free living, gracious living spaces, and access to an impressive variety of services and activities. Gregg says he finds the evolving field of aging services fascinating and extremely rewarding. “With so many options available in retirement living,” he says, “It’s exciting to be in the not-for-profit sector where flexible, responsive, resident-centered care is the focus.” Visit www.glenaire.org for more information. L

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