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a note FROM the publisher Publisher/Editor Sioux Watson Advertising Sales Charis Painter | Ashley Carter | Sioux Watson Mark Holmes Creative Director Lori Lay Graphic Design Jennifer Heinser Social Media Intern Andy Bradshaw

idtown Magazine had our best year ever in 2016, and we are rolling up our sleeves to have another stellar year in 2017. We are a small, locally owned company based in the Midtown area but aim to cover the whole of Raleigh with stories and features of living in the capital city. Started in 2007 by a local family, this May/June marks our 10th anniversary and we will be publishing the 60th issue of our magazine. Look for news of a 10th Anniversary Party early this summer – readers will all be invited! At our annual editorial planning session in October our small staff hammered out many new initiatives for the coming year’s editorial calendar – sections and features that dramatically increase our coverage of the constantly changing food scene in Raleigh – in response to the readership survey we conducted earlier in the year. • Dining Guide – a curated list of locally owned places to eat in Raleigh, broken down by category • Foodie Focus – a capsule update of newly opened restaurants and who’s in charge of them • Tastes of the City – a closer look at one to three local eateries • Beer & Barrel – continues to examine the local beer and distillery vibe • Sunday Supper – interviews with restaurant chefs and a peek into their own kitchens, including a recipe for what they like to cook at home on their night off

As we transition from one year to the next, a loving shoutout and best wishes to our longtime creative director Travis Aptt, who left us for another position after spending most of his third decade with us. And welcome to new creative director Lori Lay and graphic designer Jennifer Heinser, both seasoned designers who we have had the fortune to already have on staff. Additionally, in 2017 we want to shine a spotlight on more of the unique paths Raleighites forge when starting and running their own businesses, so each issue you’ll find a story we’re calling Minding Your Business. Our first feature is on Wylde, a new floral shop in Raleigh’s warehouse district started by a former NYC advertising executive and graduate of NC State’s College of Design. Later on this year, we’ll add new cover features and special sections and bring back some of our best from last year, including Faces of Raleigh, The Annual Food Issue, The City Guide and Meet The Doctors. Hopefully Midtown Magazine will continue to inform and delight you with interesting tidbits about Raleigh and surrounds, whether you were born here or moved here last month.

Sioux

Happy New Year,

Contributing Writers Dan Bain | Jenni Hart | Dave Droschak Karlie Justus Marlowe | Julie Johnson Kurt Dusterburg | Carol Wills | Grayson Currin Carla Turchetti | Steven Major | Frank Harmon Latisha Cachitoorian | Anna Churchill Michael Gallo | Helen Wallace Julianne Winkler Smith Photography Davies Photography | Joe Reale Distribution Manager Joe Lizana Midtown Magazine 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. Midtown Magazine 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. Midtown Magazine will not knowingly accept any real estate advertising in violation of US equal opportunity law.

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Your opinions matter to us. Let us know what you think of this issue of Midtown Magazine. Please email sioux@midtownmag.com with your comments. www.midtownmag.com

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contents january/ february

2017

features 76 creating a balanced you

Let your New Year’s resolution be simple: establish and maintain self-balance.

81 fit and fabulous in 2017

There is no one-size-fits-all fitness solution. You might want to consider a new technique, approach, or piece of technology to help you reach your fitness goals.

86 drawn to justice

February 2017’s Black History Month marks the completion of a civil rights graphic novel trilogy.

Check out what Raleigh’s matchmakers have to say about finding that special someone.

2017 diamond awards We announce the Best of Raleigh as voted on by YOU, the reader!

24 | midtownmag.com

photo by joe reale

92 unlucky in love?

contents january/ february

2017

departments 28 on the scene 38 beauty / style 40 beer & barrel 42 close to home 46 giving back 48 the interview 52 gray area 56 foodie focus 58 uncorked 60 style line 62 homestyler 64 minding your business 96 midtown downtown 104 dining guide 110 healthy you 115 out & about 130 everyday places

42 close to home: raleighâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot hotel scene welcomes a new player 26 | midtownmag.com

special thanks to flyboy photo & media for our beautiful cover photo

The scene

taste

20,000 Leagues Above the Rest Cave 1912’s Octopus Belongs on Your Culinary Bucket List By Steven Major / Photography by Davies Photography Octopus isn’t exactly obscure, but it’s certainly not something you find on the menu at most places. For those who have yet to try it, the suction-cupped tentacles can be a bit intimidating – but when prepared correctly, it has a very mild sweet and salty flavor that many fall in love with. The texture is firm but not chewy, like a cross between a scallop and calamari. It is is easy to not prepare correctly, however, so what results is almost always rubbery and bland. For this reason, the key to enjoying octopus is to find a place that consistently cooks it perfectly. Located off of East Whitaker Mill Road in Five Points, Cave 1912 has one of the best octopus dishes in Raleigh. Owner Brian Wellman opened the restaurant in September of 2015. While this is his first Raleigh venture, he is not new to the business and has an uncanny eye for culinary talent: John Shields of Chicago’s Michelin Star restaurant Smyth and The Loyalist was head chef at Brian’s first restaurant over 15 years ago. Brian snagged Michael Pryor, who seems destined for similar culinary greatness, from Heron’s to be the executive chef at his most recent culinary endeavor. Together they’ve created a new foodie’s paradise in Five Points, with a comfortably stylish atmosphere well suited for casual nights out with friends and family and also perfect for a romantic evening for two. Brian keeps the front of the house running smoothly – service is friendly and professional – while Michael’s kitchen produces amazing flavors with incredible consistency. The octopus at Cave 1912 is cooked in a pressure cooker first, then charred on the grill. The result is tender with a hint of sea salt, as the juices from the octopus are not completely cooked off. The charring adds a slight smokiness that compliments the sweet and salty flavors well. Black-eyed peas and kale

28 | midtownmag.com

provide an earthy taste that roundoff the flavor profile, while pickled jalapenos lend a slightly spicy and tangy flavor. Clementines accent the sweetness of the octopus and prevent the pickled jalapeños from making the dish too spicy. The flavor combinations are complex enough to stand out, but not so much so that the taste of the octopus, the centerpiece of the dish, is lost. It pairs well with a dry white; Cave 1912’s resident wine expert Korey Battles recommends the Falanghina.

The scene

TECH

Avegant Glyph a Personal Theater for Your Face By Dan Bain Simply put, the Avegant Glyph is a wearable movie screen, although “screen” isn’t entirely accurate. Rather than projecting images onto a surface for your eyes to look at, the headband projects images directly onto your retinas. The Glyph is a headband housing two sets of optics, which sit in front of the user’s eyes and use a low-powered LED to create images. The light is passed through the first set of optics, reflected off of a microscopic array of two million mirrors, and focused through a second set for projection onto the retinas, mimicking the way our eyes perceive light in an actual environment. This natural input makes for comfortable viewing without risk of eye fatigue. And it lets the user see above and below the visual field, to remain aware of the ambient environment. Each end of the headband houses a speaker cup, allowing for immersive viewing and listening. The unit weighs a little less than a pound, and uses a single HDMI port to input streaming video, downloaded content, gaming output, 360-degree video and more without special software. Simply plug and play from just about any PC, tablet, smartphone or gaming console. The Glyph retails for $549 and is available to order at https://shop.avegant.com/. 30 | midtownmag.com

photography © avegant

The scene

style

Deeply Invested Like Real Estate, Investment Bags Hold Value in High Style By Karlie Justus Marlowe / Photography by Saks Fifth Avenue The saying “you’ve got to spend money to make money” can now be applied to fashion. In 2016, online consignment retailer Bag Hunter conducted a research study to see which was the safer investment – the S&P 500, gold, or the ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive Hermes Birkin bag. In the end, Birkins won out as a safer investment than the stock market, and are expected to double in value over the next decade. Regardless of its projected financial security, spending $12,000 to $150,000 on a coveted carryall like a Birken bag can be a tougher sale to swallow than stashing cash into a 401(k). However, there are a host of options for classic bags that fit a smaller bill, bridging luxury and practicality in one beautiful package. “An investment bag is classic,

32 | midtownmag.com

never trendy, and gets better with age,” said Susan Gorman, general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue’s Raleigh outpost. “It holds its value and never goes out of style. Owning an investment bag is about owning a bag that can be passed down to the next generation.” Like jewelry or furs, these big-time purchases are seen as status symbols that often mark a relationship or professional milestone. Saks’ Raleigh location keeps a small range of splurge-worthy brands in stock, but can order a range of options for customers in the Triangle. Gorman and store associates often work with shoppers to figure out what fabrications and details will fit their lifestyle. “Good quality is important when purchasing an investment bag,” said Gorman. “Supple materials, hand stitching, quality hardware, and classic

colors like black, brown, tan, red and burgundy stand the test of time.” Designs like Chanel’s black and navy quilted 2.55 flap bag, Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull in a range of patterns and colorways, Christian Dior’s patent leather Lady Dior bag, the deep and colorful Goyard St. Louis tote and the sleek, minimal Givenchy Antigona satchel all fit the bill. Careful online research on sites like Tradesy and TheRealReal that have strict authentication standards can also point to discounted gently-used and vintage versions that start with lower price points without sacrificing high style. Just like their brand-new counterparts, as Gorman points out, investment-worthy bags of any age retain their value and allure. “Classic, timeless style is the key,” she said. “Trendy bags don’t translate from decade to decade.”

The scene

arts

Downtown Raleigh to Showcase Video Art Huge Screen to Rotate Videos By Dan Bain Raleigh pedestrians will soon see a massive video art display on an outside wall of the First Citizens Bank building in downtown’s Market Plaza. The display will feature a 9'x16' video screen, framed by an enormous aluminum sculpture and featuring the videos of three artists from across the globe. Kim Curry-Evans, public art coordinator with the City of Raleigh, said the display will recall the city’s previous “Block2 Video” project on a more grandiose scale. That project showed the work of video artists on a much smaller screen, projecting them through the window of the Urban Design Center on Fayetteville Street. Curry-Evans stressed that, like those videos, the new ones will not be commercial films. Nor will they be documentaries. Rather, they will be similar to Bill Viola’s piece The Quintet of Remembrance at North Carolina Museum of Art. They might be abstract, typically about three to five minutes long. “Digital art is a different arena that I think a lot of folks aren’t familiar with – being able to stand there and visualize by way of this artist’s impressions via light and 34 | midtownmag.com

color, and having an emotional response as a result of what you’re viewing,” Curry-Evans said. The city plans to curate projects from video artists from around the world, featuring the work of two to four artists for four to six months at a time. The first set features three videos, rotating over a 10- to 15-minute loop throughout each night. CurryEvans said the city wanted to have something more aesthetically pleasing during the day than a plain white screen on the wall; for that reason, they commissioned Raleigh artist Matt McConnell to design a sculpture as the background and frame for the screen. McConnell designed a piece called Sway from aluminum tubes in a burntorange color that Curry-Evans says is almost iridescent when the light hits it the right way.

As of the first week of December, the city was aiming for December 31st as a debut date for the completed project. Said Curry-Evans, “We’re hoping the public will see this as yet another wonderful opportunity where we can see art everywhere here in Raleigh, and see different kinds of art in Raleigh. I hope folks will see this as a fantastic addition to the Plaza, and will want more.”

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midtownmag.com | 35

The scene

sports

Ncfc’s VIP Event and Holiday Celebration announcing The New State of Soccer.

Photo courtesy of the north carolina football club

An End Goal the Carolina Railhawks are now the north Carolina Football Club with MLS hopes. By Dave Droschak Curt Johnson has been talking about bringing Major League Soccer to the Triangle since 1995 – a more than two decade journey that’s had more twists and turns associated with it than California’s 17-Mile Drive. “The progress is really what gets me up every day and gets me excited. We’ve got more to do, but it’s within reach now,” team president Johnson said after the Carolina Railhawks changed their name to the North Carolina Football Club, rebranded with a new logo and announced it would be seeking a stadium site in efforts to land an MLS team. Since taking over the team last season, owner Steve Malik has advocated for a multi-team organization. In addition to the MLS initiative, Malik also announced in December his desire to be awarded a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team in the Triangle within the next six months. The North American Soccer League (the second tier of professional soccer) team has been named the Carolina Railhawks for a decade, with a mascot named Swoops and a tradition of a train horn blaring after each goal. Swoops has now taken flight, and the loud shrill 36 | midtownmag.com

will likely be derailed before the March exhibition season rolls around. “There is going to be a process where we pick our mascot and our nickname, and we’re going to involve our fans in that,” Johnson said. “We don’t have a specific timeline, but we’re going to have some fun with it.” “This was not something we did lightly,” Johnson added. “We talked with a lot of folks – obviously our fans, our partners, people that are not fans yet but are soccer fans – and we felt like in conjunction with the aspirations for MLS, and NWSL teams and trying to get a stadium built that we needed a name that was more symbolic of the state, and in particular the Triangle region.” The new North Carolina Football Club logo features elements from the state of North Carolina flag. The lower right point of the star represents the Research Triangle, a region that includes Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. The initials “FC” are situated between two airplane wings, alluding to North Carolina’s official slogan “First in Flight”. North Carolina FC brass looked at more than 100 different color and crest variations before settling on its new logo,

working with the designer who created the crest for the MLS Los Angles Football Club. “If you have ever thought about it, there is no one main city in North Carolina – we’ve got the ocean and mountains, warm weather and cold weather – not one symbol of the state that really captures the entire state except the state flag,” Johnson said. The professional soccer team was also seeking a new name that would resonate with a region, not just the Triangle. “The University of North Carolina is referred to as “North Carolina” or “Carolina” or “UNC”, but from a professional sports team standpoint, no one had really claimed or branded themselves as North Carolina,” he said. North Carolina FC is not alone in seeking an MLS franchise. Charlotte is also in the mix, which could make for some interesting dynamics – and rivalry – over the next 12-18 months between North Carolina’s two largest cities. “At the end of the day, we’re both trying to beat each other to that first MLS franchise in North Carolina, because nobody knows if there will be a second one,” Johnson said.

beautystyle

by anna churchill Synergy Spa & Aesthetics feelsynergy.com

Time to Treat Yourself Feel Pampered Every Day of the Year It’s finally time to recover from the chaos of the holiday season and focus on goals for the exciting new year ahead. Nothing is better to reboot and reset than a day at the spa, but not everyone can squeeze self-care into their hectic schedules. Set yourself up for success with a relaxing, comfortable spa-like environment at home. All you need are a few essentials to de-stress and unwind. Here is my starter kit for a spa-like staycation in your very own home:

Luxury Sheet Set by Comphy

Say “ahh” as you slip in and out of bed each day with these luxurious and ultra-soft eco-friendly sheets. Comphy started out as a luxury spa and hotel line, and clients of my spa always remark on how plush the sheets feel to the touch. I recommend pairing a set of these sumptuous sheets with a memory foam mattress topper, athough you’ll never want to leave your bed! Price $135-149, comphy.com

Ultimate Doeskin Microfiber Robe by Chadsworth & Haig

Wrap yourself into pure indulgence. Chadsworth & Haig outfits many high-end spas around the country, so your home spa shouldn’t be any different! Available in many color options and with custom embroidery. Price $99, candhrobes.com

Raindance Showerhead by Hansgrohe

Wash away your stress the minute you step under this showerhead by Hansgrohe. Featuring AirPower technology, this highly effective 5-star fixture delivers water enriched with air, making the water droplets plumper, lighter and softer. Price starts at $400, hansgrohe-usa.com

Peptide Aqua Gel Mask by Clinical Resolution

Face the new year looking refreshed! My favorite post-treatment mask is the Peptide Aqua Gel Mask by Clinical Resolution, because it instantly shows improvement using polypeptides to deliver deep hydration to the skin. This mask will be your best pick-me-up during the winter to battle the dry, cold air. Price $25 – available to purchase with treatment at Synergy

LAFCO Candles

When all is said and done, you can’t enjoy your home spa experience without the intoxicating smell of a luxury candle. The clean, crisp scents by LAFCO are my favorite go-to (particularly Chamomile Lavender) and they make a fabulous host gift. Price $60, lafco.com

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Each night before you head into your comfy bed, cut up some fresh fruit, add mint or rosemary, and steep these naturally flavorful ingredients in your water for the following day. Each sip you take will be more pleasant and refreshing!

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beer& barrel

From left to right: John Martinez (General Manager), Bobby Covais (Bar Manager), Patrick Thomalen (Bartender) at the raleigh times photo by matt williams photography

Cicerones

the Sommeliers of Beer

bond brothers beer company

By julie johnson | photography By ginny williams photography

“Bad beer.” That is Ray Daniels’ two-word explanation for why he founded a beer education program. Daniels, a Chicago-based beer writer and educator, spent years promoting craft beer and ran into too many disappointing pints. “You’ll go into places that have 20 taps, and they don’t know anything about the beer. Sometimes the beer is just horrible because they haven‘t cleaned the draft lines in ages, or it’s stale because it sat on the shelf for too long before it went into the cooler.” Eight years ago, Daniels launched the Cicerone program (Si-suh-rone) to train beer professionals. “Anybody who’s been around the hospitality industry has heard of sommeliers for wine. Once you’ve been around beer for a while and realize how much there is to know, you start thinking, wow, we could use a sommelier for beer.” Certified Beer Server is the first of the program’s four levels. To pass the 60-question online exam, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in topics including beer styles and ingredients, correct serving temperatures and glassware. At The Raleigh Times, every server and bartender has passed the exam. “To prepare, we give them several classes, we have beer packets and a ‘beer bible’ describing every beer we have in house, and we do tastings,” says general manager John Martinez. “We want you to be able to sit down here and not be overwhelmed by a list of beers.” 40 | midtownmag.com

With a few questions, a server should be able to suggest beer choices to suit a guest’s taste: “Maybe a new style, something you haven’t tried.” The second level of qualification, the Certified Cicerone, demonstrates “a professional body of knowledge and essential tasting skills related to beer.” There are only 28 in the Triangle. The difference between the first and second tiers is “huge,” according to Sean McKinney, himself a Certified Cicerone. “The second level is a four-hour exam; it travels from city to city based on demand. There’s a tasting section: you’re going through different samples and naming the off-flavor in the beer, or saying whether it is a good example of the beer style or not.” McKinney spent seven years at Busy Bee Café and Trophy Brewing Co in Raleigh, exactly the sort of places Daniels envisioned Certified Cicerones working. But he recently switched from the hospitality side to the production side of the business, taking a job as head of blending at Bond Brothers Brewing Company in Cary. “The Cicerone program ended up bringing me to Bond Brothers because of their emphasis on education and their policy of rewarding people who pursued more knowledge about the beer industry,” says McKinney. At Bond Brothers, he joined head brewer and co-founder

paul wasmund, head brewer at bond brothers in cary.

Whit Baker, who is also a Certified Cicerone. As a brewer, Baker finds the training has helped him to design new beers, using the perspective of the customer. “There’s a focus on describing flavors to non-experts, both positive and negative. Having richer vocabulary helps you to communicate, as well as take feedback.” The brewery requires that new employees pass the first exam (and pays their fees); employees interested in taking the next step get help with study materials, and also have the fees covered. For the public, Bond Brothers hosts a technical tasting class as well as regular cheese-pairings to educate about beer and food matching. Baker adds, “I’m actually going to be teaching flavor evaluation at Wake Tech in the spring for the kind of people looking to brew in the community at large.” Both men recently sat for the Advanced Cicerone exam, a newlyintroduced third tier meant to make the ascent to the highest ranks a little less onerous. Daniels estimates that most candidates need at least five years’ preparation and hands-on experience to pass. As of this time, there are no Advanced Cicerones in this area. The pinnacle of the program is the Master Cicerone, which requires mastery of every technical and aesthetic aspect of beer. But don’t expect to meet a member of this elite group pouring your next pint. There are only 11 – in the world. midtownmag.com | 41

close tohome photo courtesy of marriott

Raleighâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hot Hotel Scene Welcomes a New Player The AC Raleigh North Hills Joins its Hotel Cousins in Offering Hospitality Trends. By carla turchetti

42 | midtownmag.com

The secret is out and Raleigh is one hot destination. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reports that 15.1 million people visited Wake County in 2015. The number of visitors and the $2.3 million dollars they spent while they were here is record-breaking for this area. The visitors come here for different reasons. Some travel for business, some are convention delegates, some are tourists and others are stopping by for specific sporting or entertainment events. While their reasons for visiting may be varied, there is one thing they all share in common â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they need a place to stay.

renaissance lobby. photo courtesy of north hills.

hyatt house. photo courtesy of north hills.

And that’s where Raleigh’s explosive hotel scene comes into play. The GRCVB says that on average, hotels in the area are 70 percent booked. Close to home, the Midtown hotel scene includes a Renaissance Hotel, a Hyatt House Hotel and a new neighbor that is coming soon – the AC Raleigh North Hills. No matter where they choose to stay, hotel guests are looking for the same amenities. “Excellent customer service and quality hotels are top priorities for travelers to our area,” says Amy Heiskell, Senior Account Executive with Concord Hospitality Enterprises, which operates Renaissance, Hyatt House, Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley and Residence Inn Durham, as well as the soon-to-open AC. “We provide quality hotels with clean, spacious, contemporary rooms with reliable internet access and easy accessibility to restaurants, entertainment and local companies to appeal to both business and leisure travelers.” AC Hotels fall under the Marriott umbrella of properties. The AC in the name stands for Antonio Catalan, the Spanish hotelier who envisioned a brand that bowed to European modernism – providing discerning travelers with fewer things, but all of the highest standards. AC Hotels are located throughout Europe and Latin America. Eleven of them are operating in the United States and in the first quarter of 2017 nine more are scheduled to open, including the AC Raleigh North Hills. The North American versions are all designed to reflect a European heritage. midtownmag.com | 43

“The AC kitchen serves our European-inspired breakfast where sweet and savory Spanish egg tarts take the place of traditional, fresh eggs,” say Heiskell. “Imported, freshly sliced Iberia ham and French croissants, fresh fruits, cheeses, muesli, yogurt and Nespresso coffee offer guests a great assortment of choices.” The AC Lounge that will be located on the seventh floor is an open space that functions as a place to get work done during the day and transitions into a bar with tapas plates by night. According to Heiskell a trend in the hospitality industry is providing public spaces for guests to work and to socialize. At the Hyatt House Raleigh North Hills guests find that the lobby connects to the bar area, and throughout the space there are comfortable chairs and couches along with communal work tables and plenty of ports for charging electronic devices. This area houses the complimentary breakfast in the morning, and also includes a pool table and direct access to an outdoor firepit and swimming pool area. “Travelers really seem to delight in these amenities,” Heiskell says. In addition to wanting plenty of common space to work or play, travelers are discerning about what they are looking for in food and beverage service at a hotel. “Right now a big trend in our area is for hotels to provide local food and drink at their bars and restaurants,” Heiskell says. “Renaissance Raleigh North Hills offers a variety of local craft beers in our Flights Restaurant and Lounge as well as an eclectically Southern Fusion cuisine that is unique to our area.” Hospitality industry experts predict that travel will increase in 2017 and Midtown hoteliers will be there to welcome even more visitors. The new AC Raleigh North Hills will open its doors in its location next to North Hills Tower Two at the corner of Six Forks and Dartmouth Roads, bringing with it sleek European design, flat screen televisions and mini refrigerators in every room, and a living room-style lobby that is open for work or play. 44 | midtownmag.com

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giving back

refugees show their traditional outfits on the runway at Refugee Day event, raleigh.

Sweet Home Carolina Finding Refuge in the City of Oaks By carol wills PHOTOGRAPHY By alex nay, uscri

What does “home” mean to you? The view of the mountains from your bedroom window when you were a child? The big persimmon tree in the front yard? Just revisiting your childhood home is a trip down nostalgia lane. But for many in today’s world, visiting what used to be “home” to them is no longer an option. The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is one agency opening its arms to people whose homes are being torn apart by conflict and desolation. “Welcome to North Carolina,” are the first words spoken by USCRI caseworkers when they meet these displaced people at the airport. Last year, USCRI welcomed 369 individuals from 12 countries to the Raleigh area, the majority being Congolese. With so much attention on the conflict in Syria, 51 Syrians were among those welcomed. Stacie Blake, the Director of Government and Community Relations for USCRI, has been working with refugees since 2003. “Meeting newcomers at the airport is very moving,” says Blake. “While they are exhausted 46 | midtownmag.com

from days of travel, they have a small light of hope. And witnessing this light grow to an entire new life is a privilege.” All of the clients with whom Blake works have undergone a very intense, detailed vetting process. They have undergone background checks, an examination of their medical history and exploration of their goals. They bring with them skills and abilities that will greatly benefit the community. Some refugees have been waiting 10 years or more before having an opportunity to leave desperate situations for a new beginning. USCRI offers them ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, food stamps and Medicaid. Caseworkers aid them in getting a Social Security card, vaccinations and employment. Volunteers lend a hand, helping the children get into school. The government provides $975 per refugee for a 90-day period. It’s an uphill battle for these newcomers to get back to where they were in their own countries before being displaced, but they are diligent in learning the language and finding ways to contribute to the country that is becoming home to them

a refugee from Burma, resettled to north carolina by USCRI, got a job and works as a cook at a restaurant in Downtown Raleigh.

and to their children. The Raleigh community supports refugees with gifts of time, donations and support. One initiative, the Welcome House, provides initial respite and individual support for new arrivals in the first days. Led by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, several churches located near the Welcome House provide furniture, food and other supplies for future residents from Burundi, the Congo, Iraq and Ethiopia, among other nations. “We are wrapping community around people,” says volunteer Marc Wyatt, “whereas before, they were just here.” If you are interested in helping to fulfill the mission of serving the refugees and immigrants, there are many ways you can help them transition smoothly into their new surroundings. Whether you have only a few hours to spare or can make a greater commitment of time and energy, you can make a real difference in these lives. You may begin by contacting Volunteer Coordinator Jalisa Scott (jscott@uscrinc.org) in the Raleigh office to see what skills and abilities you have that might be useful. For example, you might like to be a family friend to the new family. In this capacity, you would help the family members improve their English, sign up for a library card, or learn how to take a trip to the grocery store. You might help them set up their new home or take them to health care or school enrollment appointments. You might help them learn how to pay bills, use a cell phone, search for a job or navigate public transportation. New residents might need help just sorting through their mail and the information that comes home from school in the children’s backpacks. A retired nurse who is a frequent volunteer said recently, “I started out as a medical mentor to a refugee family from the Congo, but now I’m simply ‘Grandma’.” Local offices would appreciate your help with office tasks – a great way to get involved. Or you can always tutor the refugee youngsters and help them do well in their studies. A little encouragement goes a long way. The US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants was founded in New York in 1911, so it is approaching 106 years of responding to devastating situations and restoring hope and prosperity to shattered lives. Feeling inspired? You can be an important part of this vital effort. Check out USCRI’s website at refugees.org/field-office/ north-carolina to see how you can lend your support. midtownmag.com | 47

the interview

13 Questions With:

Adrienne Cole

executive director of Wake County Economic Development By Kurt Dusterberg photography By davies photography

Adrienne Cole has spent her career promoting the best of her community to the business world. As the executive director of Wake County Economic Development, she knows everything the county has to offer. Her job is to make a match with companies that want to move here or grow their existing business. A Meredith College graduate, Cole was born in Raleigh but raised in New Bern. She has challenged herself in various jobs, working her way up through smaller counties – but always with several helping hands. That’s an important part of her story. She has taken some risks and relied on others, lessons she first learned at an open-mic night in graduate school.

“

Job creation and investment is a process of

“

identifying what

your community is suited for...

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Midtown Magazine: You recently lost someone important. Your predecessor in your job, Ken Atkins, passed away. What kind of relationship did you have with him? AC: I started my career in economic development in Pamlico County in 1996, and I met Ken through the North Carolina Economic Developers Association. I immediately recognized him as someone to pay attention to. He was someone who was really making a difference, and he was someone I could learn from. He was very gracious, open, and willing to talk to me. I had the good fortune to work for Ken starting in 2004 when I was hired as the executive director of Raleigh Economic Development. I worked for Ken from 2004 to 2011. I can’t say enough about having the opportunity to work with

someone who coaches, guides, gives you enough room to have ownership over your work, then really champions you and your career. He’s not the only mentor I’ve had in my career. I’ve really benefited from having tremendous mentors who were willing to share what they knew, and then were real advocates for me. MM: How does your organization recruit jobs to Wake County? AC: The recruiting of the job is actually the end result of a lot of other work with economic development, local elected leaders, city and county staff and business leaders. They come together to create a plan and a strategy for a community that is poised and ready to recruit jobs. Job creation and investment is a process of identifying what your community is suited for: What are clusters that you support that you might be able to attract more of in your community? What are your assets that you can promote to the broader community so they know what you have to offer in the way of talent and products? What does your tax climate look like? What is your culture? What is your university, community college and K-12 education system like? The recruitment of those jobs is the

midtownmag.com | 49

answering of all those questions and positioning your community to attract those jobs and that investment. MM: What is the Wake County environment well-suited for? AC: We’re poised for great activity over the next 10 years. We will continue to see a lot of job growth in information technology, data analytics and life science companies of all types, from bio-manufacturing to clinical research organizations. We are strong in the clean tech space – smart water, smart air, smart grid. Advanced manufacturing is an area where we’re going to continue to grow. There’s a fair amount of convergence among these organizations. MM: Does Wake County sell itself to a degree? AC: Wake County is a great product. The answer is yes. We have really strong fundamentals and we work to share those fundamentals and the story of our area, but also the things that are going to keep our area strong. Those are things like the talent pipeline. We’re working to make sure that we not only recruit talent to our market, but we are growing our own talent (through education). Also making sure we are focused on equitable economic growth – how do we make sure we’re paying attention to our most vulnerable communities and economically challenged communities with policies and programs that support them? MM: When you were growing up, did you have any idea that you were going to be business-minded in your career? AC: My first summer job was selling advertisements for a local business newspaper in New Bern. I’ve always been gregarious and outgoing. I’ve always built relationships quickly, ones that were lasting. Economic development is a relationship business. It’s a team sport. I think from a very young age I was collaborative in my approach, and that has certainly carried through to my work today. MM: Tell me a bit about your family. AC: Walt and I have been married for 18 years. We actually met in Pamlico County. I was the county planner and economic development director. He was the environmental supervisor at the time. We got married, and we have 50 | midtownmag.com

three children. We also have an exchange student this year from Finland. MM: You have a lot going on. How do you find time for everything? AC: There’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure. My home life and my work, there aren’t clear boundaries. It’s all intermingled together. That enables me to get everything done. That may mean I’m at a school performance at 10am but I’m working on a project at 10pm after my children are in bed. Also, I have a very supportive spouse. He is a true partner in making sure our family life is what it needs to be. We’re able to strike balance and feel like we’re able to take care of all the things in our life that require time and attention. All of this was my choice. I love my career, I love what I do. I work with a tremendous team of people and they deserve a lot of credit for what we are able to do. MM: What do you like to do with your family? AC: We love spending time as a family. Some of our favorite things to do are hiking and biking, whether it’s around the North Carolina Museum of Art and the greenway trails around Raleigh, or taking a trip to the mountains of North Carolina and hiking there. We enjoy the coast. Holden Beach is one of our favorite places to go. We really enjoy time outdoors. MM: Way off topic, I know that you sang in a band in college. I want to hear about that. AC: It was in graduate school. I got my masters in public administration from Appalachian State University. We would get together and have impromptu jam sessions, which I would participate in. One night we were at an open-mic night on King Street in Boone. Someone put my name on the list. So I got up and I sang, a cappella, a song called The Roseville Fair. It just popped into my head because I was a Nanci Griffith fan. You could have heard a pin drop in this bar. I remember being scared to death, but once I started I was fine. All these people in the room are looking at me and I’m thinking, okay, am I going to go for this, or am I going to back out? That night I went for it, and I’m so glad I did. The man who ran the open-mic night, Tom Eure, asked me if I would be interested in singing in an acoustic group he was putting together. It was such a neat experience singing with him around the mountains of North Carolina. So that’s how it started. It was a couple of years. The singing I do now is mainly lullabies. MM: That almost ties in with your professional career, an early example of how you have benefited from mentoring and taking risks. AC: At various times in my career, I would be encouraged to apply for a position, whether it was in Carteret County, or the role I’m in today. It was usually those wonderful mentors who were saying, “Go for it, Adrienne, you can do it,” even if I wasn’t sure. I’m so glad I got up on stage and sang that song, and I’m so glad that I’ve gone for it when my mentors have encouraged me to. I hope I am able to do the same for my team and other people coming up in their careers now. Don’t let that fear stop you. Just go for it.

Have a suggestion for next issue’s The Interview? Send it to us: info@midtownmag.com.

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gray area

The Kitchen of Royale one of the city’s most promising new restaurants

By grayson currin photos By felicia perry photography

Jeff Seizer could not wait to start cooking. For days, Seizer and his small staff of chefs had already been waiting – for one final health inspection, the permit that would allow them to get to work in the kitchen of Royale, the new bistro in a century-old space in downtown Raleigh’s City Market. The health inspector finally arrived on a Friday morning just before Thanksgiving, signing off and effectively declaring the kitchen safe and open for business. Sensible people, Seizer later admitted, would have taken the permit and the impending holiday as invitations to prepare and perhaps relax, a respite before opening one of the city’s most highly anticipated new restaurants on one of its most trafficked corners. People had already started trickling out of the city center, after all, beginning their pilgrimages home. But neither Seizer nor his partners, restaurateur and Stanbury co-owner Will Jeffers and baker Jesse Bardyn, wanted the rest. They’d been working for months to renovate the space, empty since the New Orleans-oriented Battistella’s closed a year earlier and they’d vowed to have it open by December. This was their window, then, so tonight was the night. They called their staff, called their 52 | midtownmag.com

publicist, called their suppliers, and fired the stove for Friday service. “We got the permit too late to get some of the orders in for the weekend, so this isn’t a huge grand opening,” Seizer said that afternoon, noting that some of the charcuterie and sausage options he’d been planning for weeks, months and even years wouldn’t be ready until the restaurant’s second week or so. “But we think we have a lot of fun stuff to offer already. So we’ll stay open late, have some drinks at the bar, and just have some fun.” Later that night, each guest at each marble-top, candle-lit table received not only a menu but also a handwritten list, inked in royal blue and detailing the things Royale hadn’t been able to finish in time. But there was still, as Seizer put it, plenty of fun left to be had. Strong, generous takes on cocktail classics, like the down-south Manhattan and the Vieux Carré. Large cuts of meat and seafood that arrived in the dining room on full white plates that were, almost without exception, empty when they headed back toward the kitchen. Champagnes that shimmered beneath nearby streetlights, beers that had been brewed just for the restaurant.

Check it out...

Royale 200 E. Martin Street 919.977.3043

A vegetarian pot pie in phyllo dough that had been stretched so as to suggest a football field. Thick steak fries that seemed to sparkle with salt. A perfectly built apple pie that was meant for two but scrumptious enough to put one in a satisfied, hyperglycemic haze. Seizer visited most every table that night, stopping by for a quick word and a laugh before shuffling back to the kitchen. Though busy, he seemed happy with the decision. Really, he couldn’t wait to keep cooking. A DAY IN THE LIFE Just less than a month later, Seizer and Bardyn are busy in the cozy kitchen on a gray Thursday morning. Seizer butchers beef, trimming sinew from the night’s steak. Bardyn kneads chocolate chip cookie dough and monitors nearby pots of scrapple and head cheese, occasionally poking an orange that insists on floating deep into a simmering cauldron. They stand a few feet apart, heads down, sporadically bobbing to the reggae that drifts from kitchen speakers. These are the hours of the workday that Bardyn prefers. He arrives around dawn at Café Lucarne, the cleanly designed and modern cafe the trio runs just down the cobblestone streets of City Market, and then moves along to the rustic, intimate exposed bricks of Royale a few hours later. He leaves in the early afternoon, just before the impending dinner service means that the kitchen gets crowded and cramped. “Everybody comes in, and it’s too busy for me to get anything done or find any space,” he says sheepishly. midtownmag.com | 53

Here, Seizer interjects. “But that’s what I love – everybody is here, and it gets so busy,” he says. That’s when the radio goes, he explains, from soul or reggae to “loud hip-hop hour,” where no one talks, but only listens and works. “I love it. It gets you all pumped for what’s to come.” Seizer, 34, and Bardyn, 37, are a complementary pair of contrasts, a tension that makes Royale one of the city’s most intriguing and promising new restaurants. From Seizer’s gooey potato croquette openers to Bardyn’s deceptively simply chocolate and peanut butter tart closer, the food represents a push and pull between classic ideas and experimental flourishes, between modesty and audacity. To wit, Bardyn is soft-spoken and reserved, with his head down and hands busy as he moves down the prep checklist that sits near his cell phone. He explains his processes in a measured tone and with linear reasoning, whether that means detailing the seasonal wintry spices cooking alongside a pig’s whole skull to make head cheese or, despite his background, why he serves baguettes from nearby bakery Boulted rather than make them at Royale. “We don’t have the stuff here to be able to do what I’d like to do,” says Bardyn, who worked as the head baker of Asheville’s vaunted City Bakery before realizing he wanted to step back from the

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company’s rapid growth. “And, sometimes, you just have to allow people to do what they do best, and Boulted does that.” It’s hard to imagine Seizer putting anything quite like that, quite so meekly. A veteran of a string of high-end New York restaurants and a former understudy of celebrity restaurateur Danny Meyer, Seizer is the more cocksure and jocular of the two, prone to bounce between conversational topics and culinary ideas like he’s playing a constant game of mental ping-pong against himself. He delivers a tour of the kitchen and the coolers with gusto and self-confidence, explaining how he’s taken time and care to return to classic, painstaking French preparations. He pulls a plastic pale of the duck à l’Orange sauce from a refrigerated shelf and limns just how much time and how many ingredients went into making maybe eight quarts of sauce – fifty pounds of duck bones, two quarts of caramel, a pint of vinegar, three quarts of blood orange juice, all cooked in a stepwise process that lasts about 48 hours. “We make all of those sauces we use, reviving some of those old techniques,” he says, flashing that proud smile again. “No fillers, no starches, no slurries.” He’s broad-shouldered and baldheaded, with tattoos tracing the length of both forearms. A scar across his skull makes you want to sit down with him at the bar after-hours, just swapping stories

and telling jokes. He is pleasantly mercurial and impulsive. He smiles as he shouts out requests to kitchen prep assistant Darryl Davis and grins so widely his eyes almost close when Angie Moore, the sous chef at Café Lucarne a few doors down, drops off two eggplants in a plastic bag for tonight’s dinner service. In one instant, Seizer decided he wanted to prepare a caponata for new lamb cuts he’s been testing. In the next instant, he asked Bardyn for some eggplant, who told him to call Angie. Five minutes later, he was dicing them, grinning again, as if he’d unlocked some magic code by having two restaurants working in such proximity. Sometime after noon, Seizer begins making a simple dough for pasties, little pockets of pastry that he plans to fill tonight with ricotta cheese. He mocks himself momentarily, sarcastically saying that his experience as a professional baker has prepared him well for this kind of extemporaneous preparation. Bardyn, who likes to extol other bakers and talk about how much the classes of the Bread Bakers Guild of America have taught him, looks up from his work, shakes his head, smiles, and laughs. “I know if I do it wrong,” Seizer continues, “he’ll come over and say, ‘Hey, what are you even doing? That’s not right.’ It’s good to have that.” Then, they both get back to cooking.

midtownmag.com | 55

foodie focus In December Chopt Creative Salad Company arrived in Cameron Village near Village Draft House. This will be the Triangle’s first Chopt location.

Loosen Your Belts

At 219 Fayetteville Street you will notice the brown paper is off the windows of the former Bolt location, revealing the redesign as it transforms into Pizza La Stella – it is absolutely gorgeous. David Sadeghi and managing partner Rudy Theale have done an incredible job transforming that space. It should be open by the time you are reading this.

Lou Moshakos and his star-studded team announced the opening of the Mediterranean-inspired concept Vidrio on January 23rd. It is located on the first and second floors of the 500 Glenwood Avenue building, which Moshakos owns and also houses his Carolina Ale House on the third floor. A few of his “team” include executive chef Ian Sullivan, previously with the University Club in Durham and Urban Food Group, as well as chef de cuisine Saif Rahman, previously of 21c Museum Hotel, also in Durham. James Beard-nominated best restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias also consulted on Vidrio. It is going to be spectacular! Royale opened in downtown Raleigh’s City Market in the former Battistella’s spot. The French bistro is the creation of Will Jeffers, Jesse Bardyn and Jeff Seizer. (Check out our full interview with them in this issue.) Sean Lennard runs his own online corporate catering business, Triangle Food Guy, serving the entire Triangle for any size event. Tapping into local restaurant partners, he is your one-stop order for any type of food or foods you want. Read and subscribe at TriangleFoodBlog.com for full weekly reports with links.

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Jason Howard opens his newest concept, The Cardinal, a bar and lounge (featuring Charlie’s Hot Dogs), at 713 N. West Street in early January. Tulum, a Mayan-inspired concept going into the space formerly occupied by San Lorenzo Bistro (and before that Twisted Mango and La Volta), should also be open as of January 2017. Watts and Ward, a new craft cocktail bar being constructed in the basement of Caffe Luna, plans a winter 2017 opening that will feature three distinct bars and an event space according to owner Niall Hanley, who also owns Hibernian Hospitality Group and Raleigh Beer Garden. Over at North Hills, Aladdin’s Eatery will be opening in the spring in the former Black Cat Café space in the Lassiter District.

Raleigh Triangle restaurant news

by sean lennard, Triangle food guy, trianglefoodblog.com

Trophy beer (and a few other favorites) along with a menu of rotisserie chickens, tacos, and sides that complement both.

Ditto for the muchanticipated opening of Tobacco Road Sports Cafe in the former Natty Greene’s location at 505 W. Jones Street. The good folks behind Jose & Sons will open a new concept in the closed Cafe Helios space in early 2017, so stay tuned.

Up in North Raleigh’s Litchford Village, Hoppy Endings, a neighborhood bar and bottleshop, is now open.

Busy Bee Cafe (and its upstairs counterpart, Mash & Lauter) closed at the end of year, and the team behind Trophy Brewing Company and State of Beer will reopen the space in January as the Trophy Chicken and Taproom, offering up mostly

Song Peebua has opened his second restaurant (he also owns the Thai House on Wake Forest Road) named

Mama Jee, a new Thai and sushi restaurant located on the ground floor of Friendly Apartments, at the corner of Hillsborough and Friendly Streets. The Outpost, just off Moore Square in downtown, has opened and is serving up coffee, smoothies and tiki cocktails. It is located in the former home of Notte Urbana (Holly’s and Mo’s Diner, going back further) on Hargett.

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Amorino, a dessertery straight from Italy, has opened in downtown Raleigh (more specifically on the street level of the Edison Lofts at 137 Davie Street). Best known for its gorgeous cones in which servers create a gelato rose, they also serve amazing hot drinks, crepes, macaroons and more.

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Joule Coffee is closed on December 31st after three years; however, Joule chef Sunny Gerhart will reopen the space in early 2017 as St. Roch Oyster + Bar, inspired by his childhood in New Orleans. Ashley Christensen will remain involved as an investor and adviser.

BEFORE

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Tir na Nog has returned to downtown Raleigh, at 108 Hargett Street, just around the corner from its previous home on South Blount, located in the newly acquired extension to London Bridge Pub. Former manager and unarguably the heart of Tir na Nog and the city’s Irish community, Annie Britton-Nice says the pub’s new kitchen should be open before the new year.

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un corked

Not Bursting Bubbly’s Bubble Why we should continue drinking Champagne & Sparkling Wine in the new year By MICHAEL GALLO CSW, store Manager, TOTAL WINE & MORE

It’s lonely in the Champagne aisle these days. The beginning of the New Year has arrived. Raleigh’s acorn has dropped and the new year celebrations are all but over – now what? It’s time to reevaluate our bubbly drinking habits, of course. Champagne and sparkling wine sales spike around the holidays, as you can imagine. However, there is more to this magically delightful beverage than meets the eye – or palate, for that matter. First, a few basics. “All Champagne is sparkling, but not all sparkling is Champagne”. I’m sure you’ve heard or read this saying a thousand times, and it’s true. Only wine from the Champagne region of France, about an hour and a half northeast of Paris, should technically be called “Champagne”. Champagne is the northernmost winemaking region in France, with distinctive soil types and hillside vineyards. Champagne’s terroir is the only 58 | midtownmag.com

one of its kind and is as original as the wine it produces. However, there are many regions – not only within France, but around the globe – that make sparkling wine using the same methods as the Method Champenoise. For example, Italy’s Franciacorta and Spain’s Cava are both delicious sparkling wines produced in the traditional method. Champagne and sparkling wines pair well with a variety of foods, from complex to very simple fare including fried and salty foods. Sparkling wine is also fantastic with sushi and Asian cuisine, caviar of course, and can easily go from aperitif to dessert. A fun pairing is a glass or two of Champagne or sparkling wine with a bag of gourmet popcorn. Although Champagne prices start around $35-$40 per bottle in most cases, sparkling wine prices vary widely. Spanish Cava, a tremendous value in the sparkling wine category, usually has price points starting below $10 a bottle. Conversely, there are some premium sparkling wines from California, New Mexico and South Africa that start around $20-$25 per bottle. Champagne and sparkling wines are truly special, with great flexibility in terms of food pairings, cuisine adaptability, and of course celebrating the special moments in our lives.

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midtownmag.com | 59

Style line

Hellessy

A New Season interpreting trends and making them your own by Helen Banzet Wallace Sanction of Style www.sanctionofstyle.com (profile photo by Petite Simon Photography)

How does one capture the attention and imagination of a new reader? I thought long and hard about how to open my inaugural article as Midtown Magazine’s new fashion and beauty writer. What a perfect month and issue to begin sharing my style perspective with you than with the January/February issue: A new year. A new season. And lots to be excited about and to love in fashion for Spring/Summer ‘17. Let’s start with a list of trends and wrap up with what I am going to call “Style Interpretation,” how you’ll interpret the season’s current trends and make them your own. Stripes, florals, athleisure (track pants, sweatshirts and jersey), the flashdance shoulder (think Jennifer Beals in the early 1980s flick); are all still having their moment in the sun. An updated twist on the bare shoulder trend: single shoulder cutout. Keep these on your radar. Ready-to-wear that I am most looking forward to seeing on the racks and online this spring... fancy robes for day or night and the “new” trench coat in slouchy, cool fabrics boasting big belts and expanded/oversized shoulders. Details make this classic new. The asymmetrical trend, plus corset/waist cinching pieces and interesting sharp foldover waistbands offer a look that hasn’t been seen in decades. Slit sleeves, lingerie-inspired bra tops, babydoll dresses (preferably pink) and bodysuits – yes, bodysuits, à la nineties. Punk, grunge, “I’m with the band” is also a personal favorite. If you don’t own a leather moto jacket, add it to your list. It’s an investment piece you’ll turn to again and again. If you love color get ready for neon, shades of sorbet, yellow for every skin tone, a sea of beautiful blues, and last but not least, [utilitarian] khaki is a wardrobe staple.

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Self-Portrait

ryan roche

Be brave and don’t shy away from matching headto-toe prints. On the accessories horizon: statement earrings, mix-and-don’t-match earrings, statement glasses, bold nylons, boots for warm weather, walkable heels and sport sandals. Also loving the contradiction of size proportions that bottomless bags and micro minis bring to the spring and summer fashion feast. Designers don’t always send models down the catwalk in street-wearable or relatable styles. And let’s be honest...even when they do, most of us aren’t born with heavenly long limbs and perfectly perfect proportions that make anything go. So, how can and will you interpret and style these upcoming fashion trends and make them your own? Go with what you love, feel confident and comfortable wearing. Always have fresh basics each season and work your must-haves or obsessions in from here. Of course, I wouldn’t suggest trying to wear multiple trends all at once; but at the same time don’t be afraid to take a fashion risk or two, either. Easy, wearable pieces to give your wardrobe a boost this season: White shirt dresses and striped button-down shirts; look for unexpected detailing for both. Lacy, pretty, girly, floral dresses, and pieces that channel a nautical flair.

Local spotlight

Vermillion is introducing several new lines to the area including lemlem, Roksanda, Sies Marjan and Tomorrowland. Fleur is now carrying the beautiful and very wearable line Warm, and will be reintroducing Maison Mayle as well as several other new lines including MDS Stripes, Tanya Taylor, Paper London and Saloni for spring/summer. Vert & Vogue in Durham will be introducing Caron Callahan as well as an expanded assortment from favorites Creatures of Comfort and Rachel Comey. Gena Chandler always has their finger on the pulse with the latest and best in denim, t-shirts and more. Comfortable lounge and street-worthy essentials for the woman on the go can always be discovered at Lou & Grey. And don’t miss The Curatory, downtown, in their newly remodeled retail space; always a feast for the eyes and senses with a small but very thoughtful selection of women’s and men’s clothing, beautiful leather accessories, jewelry and more...like their perfect high-rise skinny Haywood jean, produced right here in Raleigh. The Bra Patch is home to the finest must-have wardrobe building essentials – what you need to wear underneath it all – along with many fashion-forward pieces that are way worth giving a peek. What are you waiting for? Schedule a fitting today. Happy spring shopping!

Please feel free to send an email with any style questions to helen@sanctionofstyle.com, I am always eager and happy to assist. Fashion is a serious business, but personal style should always be fun! midtownmag.com | 61

Home styler

Chartreuse, Emerald Green, Cobalt Blue, Warm Grays

Want to make a room come alive? Play with bold color and rich textures. When a room is complete but still seems flat, consider the senses. Beyond the shapes of furniture, what do you see and feel? Adding texture provides balance to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;visual weightâ&#x20AC;? of a room. This can be accomplished via materials, patterns and objects. Rich color also provides depth and warmth. by sarah sheridan

(1) Tray with wood handle $39; port of raleigh; 416 S McDowell Street; portofraleigh.co (2) Cobalt campaign chest $900; hunt and gather; High Park Village, 1910 Bernard Street; huntandgatherraleigh.com (3) Cement pears $5-$7; revival antiques; 1505 Capital Blvd #14; revival-antiques.com

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photo by jennifer heinser

photo ÂŠ ambiente modern furniture

(4) Chartreuse glass vase $72; Bird votives $20; Cobalt acrylic goblet $6.50 each; Enamel colander & plate $17.95-$35; Knit navy shawl/poncho $50.95; port of raleigh; 416 S McDowell Street; portofraleigh.co (5) Latticework white 13" vase $42; Real touch hydrangea stems (8.5" diameter) $19.95; Green and blue lighted globe $21.25 each; affordable chic; 2315 Lynn Road #106; myraleighboutique.com (6) American Leather Harlow sofa in Dolcey cream leather; prices at $4609; ambiente modern furniture; 3915 Beryl Road; ambientefurniture.com midtownmag.com | 63

Minding yourbusiness

Wylde Flowers Naturally Gifted By jenni hart | photography By joe reale

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Nikelle Orellana-Reyes says the best part of her work is hearing all the reasons that people buy her flowers. Not long after opening Wylde, a new floral shop in Raleigh’s Warehouse District, Orellana-Reyes met a young father who stopped in to buy flowers for his sixyear-old daughter. “He told me his daughter had had a hard day,” she says. When he left with a sweet bouquet minutes later, she says it was the highlight of her day. Then there was the woman who came in to buy flowers for the security guard at her office. It was his last day on the job, and she wanted something special to say goodbye. A few stems of simple blooms seemed perfect. Orellana-Reyes found her way to flowers after working for some of fashion’s most venerable brands, including J.Crew and Kate Spade. A graduate of NC State’s College of Design with a degree in graphic design, she also received a master of fine arts from California Institute of the Arts before heading to New York City for a job in advertising. She worked in several agencies and in-house design departments, and was branching out into photography and retail with the Kate

2017 Spade Saturday brand she helped launch. But long hours in front of a computer had her feeling unsettled. “I loved what I was doing, but I really missed being in nature,” she says. “I was neglecting the part of me that enjoyed being outside and working with my hands.” When her husband signed her up for a flower design workshop as a gift, Orellana-Reyes describes the experience as feeling “switched on.” After years spent staring at a screen, she found the simple joy of holding an empty container and natural, beautiful materials to be invigorating. “I was used to having to think through a brand and be so conceptual, so it was a nice change to have something with a clear beginning and end,” she says. “And I love being so spontaneous with my creativity.” So spontaneous, in fact, that she often forages for flowers and foliage in her back yard or by train tracks or the side of the road.

DIAMOND

AWARD

BEST PLACE TO GET A MANI/PEDI

Perfect Imperfection With her design training, Orellana-Reyes sees flowers in terms of composition, color gradation and texture, and she flatly rejects the notion that each flower must be perfect. midtownmag.com | 65

“Flowers shouldn’t look like they came off a conveyor belt,” she says. One stem of foliage she worked with had a leaf with two tiny bug bites, and to her, that made it more beautiful. “I love finding a flower that’s bright orange, but there’s a tiny strip of white in the petal,” she says. “It’s like a celebration of the little imperfections in nature.” She admits she sometimes secondguesses herself when she wonders what others might think. “I see a stem with a few flowers missing, and I love that it’s asymmetrical, but I realize someone else may see it as broken or defective,” she says. She also appreciates the fact that flowers don’t last forever. In advertising and branding, the goal was always to create something that would last, and that expectation came with a lot of pressure. With floral design, she says, “It’s beautiful while it lasts, and that’s enough.”

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919-278-1525 4100 main at north hills street, raleigh, north carolina www.miafrancescaraleigh.com 66 | midtownmag.com

Something To Remember It must be a rite of passage: At some point in your adult life, you’re likely to own a flower vase, or even a dozen. Most are made of clear glass and hold vague memories of birthdays and anniversaries – and unfulfilled promises of being put to good use. The vessels and vases at Wylde, however, aren’t likely to be relegated to a dark pantry shelf. “I love the beauty and simplicity of a well-designed object,” says Orellana-Reyes. “You receive flowers in a simple ceramic container or footed brass pot, and that’s something you remember and can use again.” Perhaps less likely to be remembered are the names of the unique flower varieties at Wylde. In addition to the more familiar garden roses and mums, Wylde carries Astrantia, Scabiosa, and delicately furled Ranunculus, to name just a few. Orellana-Reyes enjoys sharing her flower knowledge, and will offer classes and workshops in flower arranging and design, as well as private sessions. For more information, visit www.wylde.co, or stop by in person at 307 West Martin Street.

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Every year we ask our readers to share their votes for the Best of Raleigh, and they do not disappoint. This year we decided to expand our categories, and give you the top three winners for each. What follows is the best of the best; the winners that you, our readers, have decided to crown as this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Diamond Award winners! photos by joe reale 68 | midtownmag.com

BEST NC bbq The Pit

Food & drink Best restaurant Gold: Bida Manda Silver: Stanbury Bronze: Angus Barn Best *new* restaurant Gold: The Capital Grille Silver: Whiskey Kitchen Bronze: Death & Taxes Best chef Gold: Ashley Christensen (AC Restuarants) Silver: Scott Crawford (Crawford and Son) Bronze: Jason Smith (18 Seaboard) Best wait staff Gold: Angus Barn Silver: Vinnie’s Steakhouse Bronze: Bida Manda

Best place for a romantic dinner Gold: Second Empire Silver: Angus Barn Bronze: stanbury

Best breakfast Gold: big ed’s Silver: brigs Bronze: another broken egg Cafe

Best place to impress a date Gold: angus barn Silver: second empire Bronze: the capital grille Most kid-friendly dining Gold: the cowfish Silver: kings Bronze: chick-fil-a

Best weekend brunch Gold: coquette Silver: brigs Bronze: tupelo honey (tie) bu•ku global street food

most kid-friendly dining The Cowfish

Best nc bbq Gold: the pit Silver: clyde cooper’s bbq Bronze: smithfield’s chicken & bbq photo courtesy of the cowfish

Best spot for a business lunch Gold: Winston’s Grille Silver: Midtown Grille Bronze: Vivace Best outdoor dining or patio Gold: Vivace Silver: Taverna Agora Bronze: The Station at Person Street Best place to grab a glass of wine Gold: Vivace Silver: Vita Vite Bronze: Wine Authorities midtownmag.com | 69

best food truck Cousins Maine Lobster

best bread bakery Yellow Dog Bread Company

best new bar Whiskey Kitchen

Best fried chicken Gold: beasley’s chicken + honey SILVER: the pit Bronze: clyde cooper’s bbq

Gold: trophy brewing company Silver: big boss brewing company Bronze: lynnwood brewing concern

Best local beer

Best place for dessert Gold: hayes barton cafe & dessertery Silver: bittersweet Bronze: lucettegrace

Best burger Gold: bad daddy’s burger bar SILVER: chuck’s burgers Bronze: five guys burgers and fries

Best vegetarian FOOD Gold: fiction kitchen Silver: irregardless cafe Bronze: the remedy diner

Best ice cream Gold: goodberry’s Frozen Custard Silver: fRESH. Local Ice Cream Bronze: howling cow

Best pizza Gold: lilly’s pizza Silver: trophy brewing & pizza Bronze: mellow mushroom

Best local coffee house Gold: sola coffee cafe Silver: jubala coffee Bronze: bREW coffee bar (tie) benelux coffee

Best food truck Gold: cousins maine lobster Silver: daddy bob’s barbeque Bronze: chirba chirba

Best wifi lounge spot Gold: sola coffee cafe Silver: The morning times Bronze: devolve moto

Night & day around the town

Best steakhouse Gold: angus barn Silver: sullivan’s steakhouse Bronze: vinnie’s steakhouse Best comfort food Gold: poole’s diner Silver: relish café and bar Bronze: beasley’s chicken + honey Best cheap eat Gold: snoopy’s hot dogs & More Silver: moJoe’s burger joint Bronze: cookout

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Best bread bakery Gold: yellow dog bread company Silver: boulted bread Bronze: neomonde Best cakes/sweets Gold: hayes barton cafe & dessertery Silver: edible art Bronze: lucettegrace

Best live music venue Gold: red hat amphitheater Silver: lincoln theatre Bronze: north hills Best live theatre Gold: dpac Silver: raleigh little theatre Bronze: lincoln theatre

Best local gallery Gold: nc Museum of Art Silver: cam Bronze: artsource Best place to have a girl’s night out Gold: kings Silver: vita vite Bronze: bittersweet Best sports bar Gold: carolina ale house Silver: yard house Bronze: The player’s retreat Best place for drinks after work Gold: raleigh times Silver: kings bowl Bronze: yard House Best dive bar Gold: slim’s Downtown Silver: The player’s retreat Bronze: the goat Best new bar Gold: whiskey kitchen Silver: The haymaker Bronze: milk bar Best place to entertain the kids Gold: marble’s kids museum Silver: pullen park Bronze: kings Best museum Gold: nc Museum of Art Silver: marble’s kids museum Bronze: museum of natural sciences

best local beer Trophy Brewing Company midtownmag.com | 71

Best golf course Gold: lonnie poole Silver: north ridge country club Bronze: carolina country club Best place for a staycation in the triangle Gold: the umstead hotel & spa Silver: renaissance Hotel Raleigh north hills Bronze: the fearrington house inn

Shopping & services Best shopping center Gold: north hills Silver: cameron village Bronze: crabtree valley mall Best florist Gold: fallon’s flowers Silver: kelly odom flowers Bronze: The english garden Best dry cleaner Gold: brother’s cleaners Silver: medlin-davis cleaners Bronze: pope’s dry cleaners best pet grooming Woof Gang Bakery

Best auto repair shop Gold: north hills tire pros Silver: atlantic avenue tire & services Bronze: tao auto Best chiropractor Gold: atlas chiropractic of Raleigh Silver: raleigh spine clinic Bronze: raleigh chiropractic and Wellness Friendliest customer service Gold: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa Silver: mark christopher salon Bronze: synergy spa & aesthetics Best salon for a haircut Gold: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa Silver: mark christopher salon Bronze: salon blu Best salon for color Gold: mark christopher salon Silver: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa Bronze: salon blu (tie) plum hair atelier

best place to de-age Skin Raleigh at Davis & Pyle Plastic Surgery 72 | midtownmag.com

Best place to get a mani/pedi Gold: synergy spa & aesthetics Silver: paintbase Bronze: cameron Spa & nails

Best place for a facial Gold: synergy spa & aesthetics Silver: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa Bronze: skin raleigh at davis & pyle plastic surgery

Best massage Gold: synergy spa & aesthetics Silver: the umstead hotel & spa Bronze: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa (tie) Massage Envy

Best yoga/pilates studio Gold: pulse pilates Silver: blue lotus Bronze: indigo hot yoga center

Best dentist Gold: leesville dental care Silver: renaissance dental center Bronze: bufano & bufano, DDS

Best health club/gym Gold: lifetime fitness Silver: core fitness Studio Bronze: O2 fitness

Best place to de-age Gold: skin raleigh at davis & pyle plastic surgery Silver: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa (tie) specialists in plastic surgery, PA Bronze: synergy spa & aesthetics

Best med spa Gold: synergy spa & aesthetics Silver: skin raleigh at davis & pyle plastic surgery Bronze: the medSpa at raleigh plastic surgery center

Best pet grooming Gold: woof gang bakery Silver: all about pets grooming (tie) top notch pet spa Bronze: pupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day out Best pet boarding Gold: suite paws pet resort Silver: pupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day out Bronze: dog diggity daycare & boarding

best yoga/pilates studio Pulse Pilates

2017

Best spa experience Gold: the umstead hotel & spa Silver: von kekel aveda lifestyle salon spa Bronze: synergy spa & aesthetics

DIAMOND

AWARD BEST MED SPA

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Retail & goods Best wine/beer store Gold: total wine & more Silver: seaboard wine & tasting bar Bronze: bottle rev Best local pet store Gold: phydeaux Silver: unleashed Bronze: woof gang bakery Best home furnishings Gold: furbish studio Silver: inspirations home decor & more (tie) green front furniture Bronze: ambiente modern furniture (tie) nadeau (tie) hunt & Gather Best furniture shop Gold: green front furniture Silver: ambiente modern furniture Bronze: whitley furniture galleries Best place to buy designer jewelry Gold: bailey’s fine jewelry Silver: raleigh diamond Bronze: diamonds direct Crabtree

best place to buy a unique gift DECO Raleigh

Best place for custom jewelry Gold: bailey’s fine jewelry Silver: raleigh diamond Bronze: diamonds direct Crabtree Best place to buy wedding rings Gold: bailey’s fine jewelry Silver: diamonds direct Crabtree Bronze: raleigh diamond Best place to buy a unique gift Gold: dECO raleigh Silver: charlotte’s Bronze: raleigh diamond Best women’s boutique ages 20-35 Gold: bevello Silver: uniquities Bronze: vestique Best women’s boutique ages 36+ Gold: kannon’s clothing Silver: dress. Bronze: bevello Best place to buy women’s shoes Gold: main & taylor Silver: kristen’s shoe Boutique Bronze: monkee’s of raleigh 74 | midtownmag.com

photo by davies photography

best store for vintage or antiques Father and Son Antiques

Best men’s boutique Gold: kannon’s clothing Silver: Lumina Clothing Co. Bronze: liles clothing Studio (tie) nowell’s clothiers Best place to buy denim Gold: raleigh denim workshop Silver: uniquities Bronze: dress. Best place to buy men’s shoes Gold: kannon’s clothing Silver: sri shoe warehouse Bronze: man mur shoe shop Best resale/consignment clothing Gold: dress. Silver: revolver consignment boutique Bronze: fifi’s fine resale Best store for vintage or antiques Gold: father and son antiques Silver: hunt & gather Bronze: cheshire cat antique gallery Best garden center Gold: logan’s One Stop garden shop Silver: homewood nursery & Garden Center Bronze: atlantic avenue orchid & garden midtownmag.com | 75

creating a balanced

you

With each New Year come new resolutions – for many of us, these involve weight-loss or health goals. “I will lose 10 pounds.” Or, “I will go to the gym three times a week.” And these are indeed commendable ambitions. But what if we adopt a more expanded view of our “health” for 2017? This year, let’s redefine those health goals to embrace our whole self, incorporating the multiple facets of who we are. This year, consider a new resolution that will not only address your physical wellbeing, but also reduce stress, sharpen your focus and nourish your joy. For 2017, let your New Year’s resolution be simple: Establish and maintain Self-Balance.

The Many Face t s o f Y o u First, it’s important to define the concept of “Self-Balance” by establishing the myriad puzzle pieces that make you, well, you. • Physical Your body; includes exercise/movement and nutrition • Emotional Your feelings; includes emotional awareness and control • Mental Your mind and thoughts; includes learning new things and self-talk • Spiritual Your relationship with God; is defined differently depending on culture/beliefs, but involves having a higher meaning • Vocational Your occupation/calling; can be working outside the home, from the home, or in the home • Relational Your connections with others; involves your interactions with family, loved ones, acquaintances and strangers 76 | midtownmag.com

By J ul i a n n e W i n k l er Sm i t h

According to psychologist Dr. Kristen Wynns, owner of Wynns Family Psychology in Raleigh, “When we go through our daily grind, day after day, without a sense of balance in these areas, our stress level goes through the roof, which is ultimately detrimental to our overall health and happiness.”

A chieving Balance Life-balance is not a new concept, and it probably rings true to you. The issue is not in its validity, but rather in the application. But you may be thinking, “I can’t stick with my go-to-the-gym resolution past February! How I am I supposed to manage six areas of self-improvement?!” Achieving self-balance does not have to be overwhelming, because every step you take equals a real accomplishment…the very means to its attainment is its ultimate end. Here are three ways to successfully engage in self-balance.

1. Expand Your To-Do Timeframe. Oftentimes when we create goals for ourselves, we believe that each day is its own marker. That is, if we “succeed” or “fail” on that particular day, we have either succeeded or failed in general. When these daily “failures” start adding up, frustration ensues…and abandoning your goal completely may not be far away. “I think trying to balance these areas on a daily basis is unrealistic for most of us,” explains Dr. Wynns. “A better approach would be to have a weekly or even monthly goal of self-balance. When you can incorporate balance within that bigger picture,” she continues, “the results can be incredibly satisfying.” This tactic allows for a “war vs. battle” mentality – in a kinder, gentler way, of course. The idea is to embrace this expanded timeframe as the mission, not necessarily the daily achievements. To this end, your self-talk moves from, “Shoot, I failed miserably today,” to “Wow, I had a great week of self-balance!”

2. Be Intentional. Most of us live by our favorite calendar app. We schedule meetings, doctor appointments, kid activities, etc. Some of us even schedule our workouts – and that’s a great thing. So incorporating intentionality when it comes to self-balance won’t be a difficult stretch. midtownmag.com | 77

Helping Your

Kids Unplug Parents today know that kids spend too much time with their eyes on a screen – be it their phone, device, computer or TV. And it’s impacting their ability to practice healthy self-balance. Dr. Kristen Wynns, of Wynns Family Psychology in Raleigh, offers this advice for parents to help their kids unplug:

Technology is a privilege kids earn. It’s not a given! You can help them incorporate balance into their lives by making tech time something they earn after homework, physical activity, chores, etc. So before they even reach for technology, they’ve already touched on various aspects of self-balance.

Set limits and stick to them. For example, create a “no gaming” rule for weekdays. And be sure that all devices are plugged in to charge in another room (kitchen or parents’ bedroom) at least an hour before bed.

Technology is not “unwind time”. For our brains (especially a child’s developing brain) to relax and recuperate, we need to play – both physically and using our imagination.

Institute “Forced Family Fun” day. This technology-free time allows for the whole family to put down their devices and enjoy simple activities together. Try going for a hike, playing a board game, or doing a community service project together. This is about parents saying, “We are going [here] now! Phones down and let’s go!”

Model unplugging behavior. Parents, the best way to help your kids learn to the importance of disconnecting from technology is to do it yourself.

Dr. Wynn’s Raleigh practice is located at 9207 Baileywick Rd, Ste 203, Raleigh. WynnsFamilyPsychology.com

78 | midtownmag.com

Dr. Wynns expounds on this. “Life has a tendency to trample over our desire for self-balance, so it’s imperative to create the habit of integrating intentional activities into our schedule.” As you plan your week or month in advance, find and block out self-balance activities that touch on the six areas denoted above. And here’s the important part: Make these activities just as valid and essential as every other item on your schedule. It may take awhile to let this concept settle down into the fiber of your being, but let it! Block out those 20 minutes a day to read that book on WWII (Mental). Nope, you can’t drive carpool on Wednesdays because it’s your time to journal about having a thankful, optimistic outlook (Emotional). Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-6:45am? Powerwalking with the new neighbor (Physical and Relational – Boom!) This is all about saying “No” to the good and “Yes” to the better.

3. Integrate Spontaneous Bite-Sized Pieces. Sometimes blocking out big chunks of self-balance activities is just not possible amid the craziness of life. So another approach to self-balance is to seize little opportunities throughout the day. For example, when you’re in a

waiting room, turn off your phone and strike up a conversation with a fellow “waiter” (Relational). Or, if you have a daily commute, make that a quiet time to meditate or pray (Spiritual). Perhaps you find yourself with 10 minutes between “to-do” items; go outside for a brisk stroll in the sunshine (Physical). You will be astounded at how these small bites of balance add up to shift your overall sense of wholeness. After all, whether you eat that cupcake in tiny nibbles or stuff the entire thing in your mouth at once, you’ve still eaten a cupcake. The same thing is true of incorporating self-balance activities… and the results are delicious and oh, so satisfying.

Technology: A Subversive to Self-Balance It’s time to address the technological elephant in the room. You know what I’m talking about…your devices, your iThings. It will come as no surprise that the No. 1 enemy to living a life of self-balance is the constant intrusion of all things techno. Dr. Wynns concurs. “There’s a 24/7 ambush of technology that sucks up an inordinate amount of our time,” she explains. “It keeps people

from being able to spread out their time and energy across the important areas of life, leading to increased stress and decreased contentment.” And just as technology is an obvious culprit, the most effective weapon to thwart this time- and energysucker is just as apparent: Unplug. Oftentimes we use time on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram as a means to unwind. And it can be an effective mental vacation…until you glance up to the corner of your screen and realize that 45 minutes has passed. And what’s been accomplished? You’ve watched a couple of cute puppy videos, “liked” photos of somebody’s kids, and maybe even had a visceral upheaval of anger when that political post popped up on your wall. The key is to admit that “unplugging” through social media is not the kind of unplugging that is vital to healthy self-balance. “Unplugging from technology allows us to nurture our relationships with family, friends and our partner,” Dr. Wynns explains. Too much technology, be it social media, gaming, or general internet use, squelches the brain’s creativity. And there is significant research into the effects of too much screen time. “The increased exposure to device screens supresses melatonin,” Wynns continues, “which midtownmag.com | 79

photo by joe reale

“The increased exposure to device screens supresses melatonin, which is wreaking havoc on our ability to sleep deeply and soundly.”

Dr. Kristen Wynns owner of Wynns Family Psychology

is wreaking havoc on our ability to sleep deeply and soundly.” Despite the expectation – of bosses, friends, and, well, everyone – that we will be available 24/7, we must be intentional about turning off our devices. Start simply by muting or powering off your phone every time you’re in the car. And so you won’t be tempted to pick it up “only at the stop lights” (wink, wink), put it in the glove compartment. Seriously. Turn on the radio and sing along. Or, here’s something novel: have a conversation with your passengers! Maybe, as you drive to your next destination, you can sit back and enjoy that sweet, rare sound of silence. Simultaneous to instituting a “no-device drive”, try it at home (or out) during meals. Through the ages, breaking bread together has always been a time of connection and an opportunity to foster relationships. But in recent years, dinner conversations are accented by constant “dings” and “buzzes”. And don’t think those shifty screen glances go unnoticed. Take your phone off the table. Better yet, turn it off. Use this precious time to connect with your children, your spouse or your friends. Even if you’re eating a meal alone, if you eat devicefree, you’ll actually take your time and 80 | midtownmag.com

taste your food…perhaps digesting not just the food, but also an appreciation for the nourishment it provides. The truth is, it wasn’t that long ago when we didn’t have 24/7 technology. We talked more. We didn’t have a constant bombardment of global catastrophes. We went outside to play. We wondered and wandered more. It’s certainly not about turning back the technological clock, as the benefits of ever-advancing IT are incredible. But it is more vital than ever to take control over technology, so it doesn’t overtake you.

Happy New (Balanced) You! You can do this. Balance. Little spontaneous bites. Big intentional chunks. For your mind, heart, body and soul. For connection – with others and if you are spiritual – with your God. And the cool thing about any balancing act is that it’s never about perfection. You’ll wobble this way and that, and maybe even fall on occasion. Resolve today to create self-balance in your life. It’s a process…and every step – whether forward, back or wobbly – is an integral part of your successful journey.

Fit and Fabulous in 2017 What Will Motivate You This Year? By carla turchetti

photo by joe reale

There is no one-size-fits-all fitness solution. The cycling class that works for one athlete may make another downright dizzy. And 10 solitary running miles on the trails may sound like heaven on earth to some and a recipe for boredom to others. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stuck in a rut or just always searching for the next best thing, you might want to consider a new technique, approach, or piece of technology to help get you fit and fabulous in 2017.

midtownmag.com | 81

photo by davies photography

What the Cool Kids are Wearing If data and statistics get and keep you motivated, manufacturers of fitness watches are doing everything they can to put all the bells and whistles right there on your wrist. “The big trend is combining your fitness with your lifestyle,” says Brent Francese, co-owner and general manager of Runologie Raleigh. “The Garmin GPS watches can do what an Apple Watch can do now. You have all the apps on the watch itself, so you can wear the watch around all the time.” That means the fitness watch makers want your device to take you from your morning run, to the office, out to lunch and back to your evening walk with the dog seamlessly, with your data and your apps in one spot. That means combining the GPS function with heart rate monitoring, water resistance and workout apps. “Apple is now trying to get into the GPS game which Garmin has been in for years, and Garmin is trying to get into the app game which Apple has been in for years, so everyone is trying to combine those two things into one,” Francese says. The newest generation of watches can monitor your steps, clock your pace, log calories burned, record split times, heartbeat, and even send smartphone notifications to your arm. And for you purists, they also tell how far you have gone and how long it took to get there.

jaime holt (holt physical therapy) performs cupping – a form of ancient Chinese wellness technique – to promote blood flow and allow toxins to exit the body.

Compete Much? Now that everyone at the office is taking the stairs instead of the elevator to get their steps in, kick up the competition a level with apps that let you compete with friends and strangers across all kinds of activities and tracking devices.

Sidekick

Whether you wear a Fitbit or a Garmin or an Apple Watch or a Jawbone, Sidekick will allow you to create workout challenges with a goal and ask others to join. You can make old and new friends through the social aspect of the app by posting photos, sharing videos and commenting on a message board. Sidekick also gathers your workout data for your analysis. iOS, Android

Fitness Against Friends

This app was created by Fantasy Football friends who wanted to be competitive once they got off the couch after football season was over. The idea is to play, win and dominate others by taking advantage of natural competitiveness. The creators say this app is simple to use whether you hit the gym, spin on the cycle or run on the roads. iOS, Android

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inkin

Another cross-device app that brings the competition home through challenges, team battles and even duels – which have nothing to do with knights and horses and everything to do with 24-hour long periods of competitiveness – is inKin. No matter the wearable or the sport, there is a competition waiting to happen. iOS, Android, Microsoft

Fitbit

Fitbit is the grandfather of wearable fitness, tracking steps, exercise, sleep and nutrition with the option to challenge friends to compete. Fitbit’s premise is that your workout doesn’t only happen on the roads, trails or in the gym. Fitness happens with every step you take, and Fitbit will track it. iOS, Android

Physical Therapy When it comes to getting you ready for physical activity, keeping you moving and providing relief from aches and pains, a great physical therapist may be the best accessory in your gym bag. At Holt Physical Therapy and Performance Training in Raleigh, owner Jaime Holt and his staff pride themselves on techniques that get results.

triple award winner

salonmarkchristopher.com 919.239.4383

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The therapists at Holt are certified in dry needling, a technique where needles are pushed into tissue so that a lesion is developed and the body naturally and immediately sends blood, chemicals and other nutrients to that spot. The needles are like those used in acupuncture, and Holt says they can go deeper into tissue than hands can reach during a massage. “It sounds painful, but it really isn’t,” Holt says. Another technique used at Holt is cupping, which is actually a form of an ancient Chinese wellness technique. Cups are placed over problem areas to create a suction that loosens the fascia, a thin layer of fat, from the skin, and promotes blood flow and allows toxins to exit the body. Physical therapists are trained to zero in on trouble spots and provide relief while trying to get to the root cause of aches and pains. Holt says you shouldn’t hobble around on an injury; seek treatment sooner rather than later. “North Carolina is a direct access state, which means no referral is needed from a physician for most insurance to cover physical therapy,” Holt says. And he urges everyone to begin every workout thoughtfully and carefully, to keep injuries at bay. “Prepare your body for what’s coming,” Holt says.

Belly up to the Barre Developing long, lean muscles is the goal of a Pure Barre workout. Classes focus on small isometric moves that make big changes in bodies. A barre 84 | midtownmag.com

workout will also include resistance work with light weights and elastic tubes, but the majority of resistance is from the body itself. It’s called a barre workout because a ballet barre is an integral part of the exercises that focus on troublesome spots like arms, abs, thighs and seat, while building a strong core. The technique was developed in 2001 by dancer, choreographer and fitness guru Carrie Rezabek Dorr, and has grown to include 375 franchise locations. The workout is all done to a soundtrack that ebbs and flows with intensity. The 55-minute long classes are an opportunity to pay close attention to the cues, get lost in the music and clear all stray thoughts from the mind. Muscles are fatigued to the point of shaking, and the motto of Pure Barre is LTB – Lift, Tone, Burn. You’ll be rewarded with a sash and a photo when you hit 100, 250, 500, 750 or 1000 classes. Bonus: Buying barre wear for classes can become almost addictive because everything drapes and flows and is insanely comfortable! Spandex is what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Burn Baby, Burn There’s all kinds of buzz about Burn Boot Camp gyms and what they are doing for women interested in becoming and staying fit. At the Burn franchise in the Wakefield Commons Shopping Center, owner Kelly Dunn says there are five tenets to the Burn Boot Camp way – and they begin with mindset. “To change the body you must first change the mind,” Dunn says. Once the self-confidence kicks in, participants learn about whole food

burn boot camp gym at wakefield commons shopping center. photos by davies photography.

nutrition and are given individualized meal plans. They kick-start their metabolism with burst training – bursts of exercise at high intensity levels. And there is strength training to build muscle mass. Those workouts are done on a floating floor that is easy on the joints in an environment that is based on support and motivation. “It’s you versus you, it is not competitive,” Dunn says. Dunn says her gym is building strength alongside relationships. “We are strong and we stand together,” Dunn says. “You don’t pass anybody you don’t high five.” No two workouts are ever the same, but one thing you can be sure of every day – the trainer will know your name. It’s part of the Burn Boot Camp culture. midtownmag.com | 85

2017

DIAMOND

AWARD

BEST WOMEN’S BOUTIQUE AGES 36+

2017

DIAMOND

AWARD

BEST PLACE TO BUY MEN’S SHOES

2017

DIAMOND

AWARD BEST MEN’S BOUTIQUE

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drawn to

justice

Civil Rights Graphic Novel Trilogy Complete

Black History Month is the annual celebration each February that highlights the achievements, and commemorates the struggle, of Black Americans. Although its beginnings can be traced back a full century, Black History Month was given official designation in 1976 by President Gerald Ford, and has been honored by every President since. In a statement at the time, Ford encouraged all Americans to â&#x20AC;&#x153;seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.â&#x20AC;?

By jenni hart | photos By joe reale midtownmag.com | 87

Using books with dark themes or settings in the classroom can give students the language to express their emotions, models for how to discuss and engage on these topics with adults and peers, and a safe space to explore difficult topics. When students read about characters struggling with abuse, bullying or poverty, they also see how the characters found strength and resources to cope and thrive.

-Jill Eisenberg, literacy expert and former English teacher

Notable events marking the achievements of black Americans in the past year include the September unveiling of the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington, the naming of Dr. Carla Hayden as the first black Librarian of Congress, and the unprecedented showing of black US athletes among medal winners at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In the publishing world, 2016 also saw the completion of the March trilogy, the story of the civil rights movement told through the eyes of Georgia congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, and rendered in graphic novel format. With the first book in the trilogy, published in 2013, readers were introduced to the first-hand account of Lewis’ participation in the civil rights demonstrations of the 1960s. The book opens with a dream sequence showing Lewis and fellow activists preparing to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 7th, 1965. Student activists, community organizers and religious leaders had organized the march to Montgomery, the Alabama state capital, to demand equal voting rights for African Americans. In comic book style illustration and spartan, straightforward 88 | midtownmag.com

text, Lewis’ dream fades as he wakes on the morning of January 20th, 2009, and prepares for the inauguration of America’s first black president. The March trilogy, with its final installation having arrived in August 2016, is an opportunity to introduce a new generation to the story of the civil rights movement, and to do so in an unconventional way. What readers may not know is that Lewis himself drew inspiration from the 1958 comic book titled Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story. In what marketers might call messaging, branding and packaging, the March trilogy and other

comic and graphic publications hold the promise of wider accessibility and visual impact that bring a story to life in a way that traditional textbooks often fail to do. As is too often the case, a middle school social studies unit covering the civil rights movement may ask little more than for students to memorize dates and cities and the names of notable individuals; it’s another thing altogether to consume the events in graphic novel format, as real life heroes recall the very words that were spoken all around them. March is alternately gripping, violent, and tender. Above all, it is honest.

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Reconciling the high-water mark of black achievement and the deep division and racial discord still evident in American communities in 2017 is daunting, but Detine Bowers, Ph.D., associate professor of mass communications at Shaw University, believes communication is crucial. Asked for her assessment of the March trilogy, Bowers says any text that’s delivered in the voice of those who experienced the civil rights struggle first-hand offers at least an authentic, organic accounting of events as they happened. “Hearing the account of John Lewis, a young man who was brutally, savagely beaten [on the Edmund Pettus Bridge], gives young people a different perspective than one they might get from a textbook or a lecture,” she says. “And the real transformation comes when young people are inspired to tell their own stories.” Bowers says the trilogy provides students with a starting place and an appreciation for their shared oral culture. Shaw University, founded in 1865, was the site of one of the most consequential events leading to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Ella Josephine Baker, who had graduated from Shaw as valedictorian in 1927, was the organizer behind the 1960 meeting at Shaw that birthed the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Her work with students, and her collaboration with John Lewis and other emerging leaders in the early 1960s, was instrumental in bringing national attention to voting rights and other issues of equality. “Ella Baker urged students to keep as their goal their focus on the beloved community,” says Bowers. “We’re still working with students to reignite that message.”

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Raleigh’s love doctors have the remedies

Unlucky in

By Latisha Catchatoorian | photos by joe reale

One thing Raleigh matchmaker Angela Kelley wants to get straight? Success in love is not solely synonymous with a six-carat Neil Lane diamond on that finger and a walk down a flower-adorned aisle. In fact, she’s not even married. “Everyone measures success differently. I measure success by someone clicking with another person,” she said. “I’ve been in love and it’s an awesome feeling. I honestly think that’s what everyone on this planet is here to do – to find someone in this big world to love.” Kelley found love with someone for years, until he unexpectedly passed away. “It was a nightmare,” she said. “It spun my world around.” After mourning the loss of her partner and slowly getting back into the dating scene she realized there were a lot of people in the area who wanted to date, but didn’t know how outside of online sites like eharmony.com.

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ANGELA KELLeY, A+ INTRODUCTIONS

girl,” Rubenstein had been living out west, where she had opened a café on the Oregon coast after “some guy broke [her] heart.” “Eventually I auditioned for The Bachelor,” Rubenstein recalls. “I really went on the show to find true love, but I wound up not getting a rose.” Instead of being crushed, Rubenstein used the experience as a catalyst to start her coaching business. “I was like, I didn’t get a rose, and so I’m going to teach people how to get a rose. I made a website, I milked the PR, and I called every radio station I knew. I kind of morphed my business out of nothing. I tried to make a positive out of a negative,” she said. “I was always fixing people up with other people anyway or saying, ‘You can’t wear that!’ or ‘You’ve got to cut your nose hair!’ I was like this Jewish yenta, always putting people together and helping them with their confidence.” She calls herself the female Hitch (As in Will Smith’s character from the romantic comedy of the same name).

She said she may be terrible at math and science, but she can teach people to go after what they want and help them believe in themselves. She’s worked with a wide range of clients – from bigwigs at Microsoft to young women who can’t seem to get out of the “friend zone.” One of the biggest problems she sees regularly? “There are a lot of people making other people pay for what someone else did in the past or ruining what could be in the future, and it messes up their now,” she said. Dating coach Dominique Clark, who runs her matchmaking business DClark & Company, echoes Rubenstein’s admonitions. She pinpoints “allowing negative past relationship experiences to prevent people from seeing dating today through a positive lens” as one of the top five dating problems adults face. Another issue Clark says is common? Waiting for love to show up on the doorstep.

2017

A social butterfly always making new connections, Kelley decided it was time to start her matchmaking business, A+ Introductions. The “A” is for Angela and the fact that she thinks everyone should be on their dating “A game.” She also likes the idea of “adding love to people’s lives,” hence the “+” symbol. She keeps her business intentionally small and focuses on singles 35 years and older. “In my mind these folks are a little more serious about dating. By this point most people are pretty sure about what they’re looking for, they’re experienced enough, and they have a little bit more money to spend,” she explained. While Kelley has lived in the area for over 20 years, Raleigh love coach and date doctor Dr. Alma Avery Rubenstein is newer to the 919 area code. When her mother fell ill, Rubenstein moved her life and her business to Raleigh three years ago from the West coast. A self-described “nice Jewish

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ALMA AVERY RUBENSTEIN, DATE DOCTOR

DOMINIQUE CLARK, DCLARK & COMPANY

“You have to be proactive about finding love,” agreed Rubenstein. Fortunately for Kelley, Rubenstein and Clark, it’s the romantic proactivity of the area that has kept these women in business. “This area is really familyoriented, which is great, but sometimes singles in the area can feel like they’re the only ones,” Kelley said. Her hint: They’re not. “What’s great about dating in Raleigh is that it’s growing,” Clark added. “The city is consistently attracting new people due to jobs, amazing medical facilities, great colleges and universities, etc. The social scene is booming with new restaurants, lounges and creative events, which can increase a single person’s chances at finding love.” Though Clark initially studied to become a doctor so she could improve people’s lives through medicine, she now gives people the powerful healing of love and connection. “I do what I do because I believe everyone is worthy and deserving of love,” she said. Rubenstein’s favorite part of coaching is seeing people overcome their obstacles. “I feel like so many people don’t take [enough] risks or chances,” she said. “It’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.” “[This business] is gratifying because everyone wants to find their match,” Kelley added. “It’s always worthwhile to put yourself out there.”

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TIPS from the pros Angela Kelley, A+ Introductions

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2017

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2017

5 Best Places to Meet Someone

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• Barnes & Noble on a Saturday afternoon • Meetup groups • The Frontier at RTP • Starbucks • Pullen Park, “Great for a summer run-in”

Picks for “Sexy + Fun” Raleigh Dating Spots

Alma Avery Rubenstein, Date Doctor • Clockwork 519 W. North Street • Milk Bar 410 Glenwood Ave #101 • State Farmer’s Market 2 West Edenton Street • Vic’s Ristorante Italiano 331 Blake Street

Top 5 Dating Dilemmas to Overcome

DClark of DClark & Company • Not understanding your value and who you are • Lack of healthy, realistic standards • Allowing negative past relationships to hinder future ones • Not making love a priority • Dating by default

To contact any of our featured matchmakers visit their websites at: www.aplusintroductions.com, www.datedoctoralma.com, and www.dclarkandcompany.com.

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Campbell Community Law Clinic A Semester of Service and Justice By Jenni HarT

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photo courtesy of raleighhistoric.org

In December, eight students from the inaugural class of the Campbell Community Law Clinic completed the semester with a new appreciation for the challenges faced by people experiencing poverty and homelessness. As one of four clinical programs offered by Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, the Community Law Clinic offers practical legal training to third-year law students with a mission to provide legal assistance for individuals who otherwise could not afford it. Ashley Campbell, director of the clinic, worked for a time for Legal Aid, a nonprofit law firm that offers free legal assistance to low-income people, and she was well-acquainted with the particular obstacles faced by individuals living in poverty and the impact on their families. The types of cases Campbell and her students encountered in the clinic’s first semester included landlord-tenant disputes, domestic violence cases where they helped obtain a protective order, wills they drafted for elderly people, healthcare powers of attorney, and expunctions for non-violent offenses, where a person’s criminal record was impeding their ability to secure a job or promotion.

Three partner agencies, StepUp Ministry, the Raleigh Rescue Mission and Urban Ministries of Wake County, refer clients to the clinic. “These agencies assist in other areas to help with housing, employment, transportation and other needs,” Campbell says. “But in some cases, there’s a lingering legal impediment that’s keeping them from moving forward.” One client needed help getting his driver’s license privileges restored. Campbell says the middle-aged man was a hard-working, humble man who was eligible for a job promotion, and the only thing standing in his way was that he did not have a valid driver’s license. Decades-old traffic tickets had accumulated unpaid, and his fear of going to jail kept him from confronting the issue. He was referred to the clinic by StepUp Ministry, and Campbell says the clinic contacted the district attorney’s office and worked with a public defender to try and get the matter resolved. “This wonderful public defender worked with our student on the case and guided him (or her) through the process,” Campbell says. A plea deal with the district attorney allowed the man to plead guilty to one of the charges, pay court costs, and get the other charges dismissed. “This had weighed on him for 20 years, and it was remarkable to see so many people in the court system come together and work for a positive outcome. Everyone was eager to see this man get some relief,” she says. Campbell says the most meaningful lesson for her students was learning just how profoundly their clients’ lives had been impacted by poverty. In fact, the weekly classroom component of the clinic began with several class sessions devoted to the study of poverty: the factors that

2017

photo by joe reale

ASHLEY CAMPBELL Director of Campbell Community Law Clinic

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contribute to poverty, the barriers to overcoming it, and its pervasive effects on health and families. Students preparing to serve in this capacity are taught to be observant, conscientious and empathetic. Campbell says it is especially important to understand that not all clients are able to read at a level sufficient to understand the legal documents they are dealing with. Legal terms may need to be explained carefully and repeatedly, and clients deserve to have their concerns and questions addressed. “I tell the students I don’t expect them all to be poverty lawyers, but I know that after this experience, they’ll always have empathy for people who live in poverty,” she says. The Community Law Clinic served 21 clients in its first semester, and with a full roster of eight students, a wait list was started for others hoping to take the course in the spring of 2017. Perhaps the greatest testament to the value of the experience is the fact that all eight students from the inaugural class have said they intend to return as volunteers. One of the students, Weldon Jones, says his work in the clinic was the experience he had needed since his first day of law school. “The nature of the clinic is such that a student can put to use every aspect of his or her legal training, and in turn provide someone with a service they otherwise could not afford,” he says. Through his work with the clinic, Jones was able to argue a case before the Wake County District Court, and he says that experience, more than any other, gave him the opportunity to apply everything he had learned in a meaningful way. “The clinic gave me a vehicle to practice what I have studied, but the impact that my work had on my clients was something I’ll never forget,” he adds. In the spring of 2016, Campbell University faculty formally adopted the idea to establish the clinic after years of planning. A sizable grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation provided the necessary funding to get started. J. Rich Leonard, dean of the law school, says the plan was always to have the clinic be near the people it would serve. A decision was made to lease the historic Horton-Beckham-Bretsch house at 11 South Blount Street, and what followed was a mad scramble to ready the property for its first semester of students and clients. “To be successful, the clinic had to be easily accessible by the clients it would serve,” Leonard says. “This location allows us to have a very public presence and be close to the community that needs it most.” The historic house, while elegantly appointed, is also functioning as a typical law office. It includes a client waiting area, student workspace, and a conference room where they consult with clients. A corner filled with children’s toys and books is a poignant reminder that families are often the beneficiaries of this effort. One such family includes a father and mother living in a single room along with their three children: a toddler, and twins under a year old. They share a bathroom and kitchen with others living in the same house. The father was referred to the clinic to get help navigating the Social Security system. For years, a thirdparty agency had been processing his monthly checks and taking $40 for their trouble – a significant burden for this family of five. Campbell and two of her students have still not fully resolved the issue after four months on the case, proving just how unwieldy some of these legal entanglements can be. 98 | midtownmag.com

Everyone wants to see people who want to work be able to get a job. They want people eligible for a raise to be able to get more pay. Poverty eradication is a completely non-partisan issue.

Ashley Campbell

photo courtesy of Karl DeBlaker / Campbell Law School

Still, she is hopeful that this family and many other individuals and families will be helped by the clinic. “There is a real sense that we’re called to this work,” she says. “Without question, and without judgment.” And for the third-year law students working the cases, learning how to handle a small claims case or a domestic violence case provides real-world experience no classroom ever could. Holly Stephens, another member of the clinic’s inaugural class, says her work there was one of the best experiences of her law school career. She says it’s hard to explain the joy that comes from seeing a client so relieved that they were able to get help. Stephens, from West Jefferson, North Carolina, hopes to practice family law upon graduation. Campbell says that clinical education is in high demand, as law students seek to get courtroom experience and to represent real clients. “Law schools are responding to that by making more clinical opportunities available to them, and it helps when they go into an interview to be able to say they have had a trial, represented a client or drafted a will,” she says. Campbell made sure her students learned even the mundane but necessary details of time-stamping incoming mail, setting up client files, and making official copies after they’re signed by all parties – not before. She says her students’ future employers will appreciate the difference. Anyone interested in supporting the mission of the Community Law Clinic is encouraged to make a taxdeductible contribution. For more information, visit www.law.campbell.edu, and search under academics and clinical programs. midtownmag.com | 99

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Boutique Gyms in Downtown Raleigh Put a Twist on the Traditional Workout New Year’s new health resolutions often come with a new bout of anxiety: What studio is the best fit for my lifestyle? Which classes will best serve my fitness goals? And will I have any idea what the heck is going on? A new crop of boutique fitness studios recently joined mainstay gyms in the capital city, following the influx of crowds now living and working there. With everything from yoga and tabata to pilates and hip-hop beats, there’s now a variety of ways to break a sweat in downtown Raleigh. If running the capital grid isn’t for you, here are six studios to try out in 2017.

By Karlie Justus Marlowe photos by joe reale

dusty Jamieson in action at madabolic.

Where: In downtown’s growing

warehouse district, where construction and new condominium skeletons seem to grow and multiply by the day. It’s a fitting backdrop for the gritty and intense interval-driven strength and endurance classes that focus on work-to-rest ratios.

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Vibe: Despite being a chain with

locations across North Carolina, Madabolic fits well in the up-andcoming warehouse neighborhood. The wide-open industrialist space gets a jolt from its bright turquoise columns and wall featuring a steel sliding barn door.

Must-try class: Although classes don’t have

different daily themes, the M.A.D. program (Momentum, Anaerobic, Durability) can be customized by your lifestyle and complementary workouts. Trainers can program a week’s worth of workouts by Madlifestyle monikers like “Power Yogi” or “Resilient Runner,” alternating in classes outside of this studio’s walls and recommending rest days.

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M Dining Guide Our directory of where to eat in Raleigh.

African Abyssinia Ethopian Restaurant 2109-146 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.664.8151 abyssiniarestaurant.net

Capital Club 16 6 W. Martin St. 919.747.9345 capitalclub16.com

American

Carroll’s Kitchen 19 E. Martin Street 919.670.3622 carrollskitchen.org

18 Seaboard 18 Seaboard Ave. 919.861.4318 18restaurantgroup.com

Cave 1912 1912 Bernard St. 919.977.3864 cave1912.com

510 Tavern 510 Glenwood Ave. 919.307.4778 510tavern.com

Clockwork 519 W. North St. 919.307.3215 clockworkraleigh.com

b. good Park at North Hills St. 919.916.5410 555 Fayetteville St. 919.803.3233 bgood.com Ba-Da Wings 2161 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.832.3902 badawings.com Berkeley Cafe 217 W. Martin St. 919.322.0127 berkeleycafe.net Bloomsbury Bistro 509-101 W. Whitaker Mill Rd. 919.834.9011 bloomsburybistro.com Busy Bee Cafe 225 S. Wilmington St. 919.424.7817 busybeeraleigh.com

Cameron Bar and Grill 2018 Clark Ave. 919.755.2231 cameronbarandgrill.com 104 | midtownmag.com

Death & Taxes 105 W. Hargett St. 984.242.0218 ac-restaurants.com/ death-taxes

Edwards Mill Bar & Grill 3201 Edwards Mill Rd. 919.783.5447 edwardsmillbarandgrill.com

Grabbagreen 4421 Six Forks Rd #103 919.326.7799 Hayes Barton Cafe 2000 Fairview Rd. 919.856.8551 https://goo.gl/uXrVt7 Iris Restaurant 2110 Blue Ridge Rd. 919.664.6838 ncartmuseum.org/visit/dining

Kings 141 Park at North Hills St. 919.600.5700 kingsbowlamerica.com

Lynnwood Grill & Brewing Concern 4821 Grove Barton Rd. 919.785.0043 lynnwoodgrill.com

Midtown Grille 4421 Six Forks Rd. 919.782.9463 themidtowngrille.com more. 16 N. West St. 919.926.8415 jmrkitchens.com Oak City Meatball Shoppe 180 E. Davie St. 919.714.9014 oakcitymeatball.com

Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern 330 Hillsborough St. 919.829.3663 second-empire.com Stanbury 938 N. Blount St. 919.977.4321 stanburyrestaurant.com Standard Foods 205 E. Franklin St. 919.307.4652 standard-foods.com Taste 3048 Medlin Dr. 919.322.0568 jmrkitchens.com

The Players’ Retreat 105 Oberlin Rd. 919.755.9589 playersretreat.net

bu•ku 110 E. Davie St. 919.834.6963 bukuraleigh.com

The Raleigh Times Bar 14 E. Hargett St. 919.833.0999 raleightimesbar.com

Chai’s Asian Bistro 8347 Creedmoor Rd. 919.848.8500 chaisasianbistro.com

The Rockford 320 ½ Glenwood Ave. 919.821.9020 therockfordrestaurant.com

Champa Thai & Sushi 8521 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.806.0078 champathaisushi.com

The Station 701 N. Person St. 919.977.1567 stationraleigh.com The Twisted Fork 3751 Sumner Blvd. 919.792.2535 thetwistedfork.com Tribeca Tavern 6004 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.790.9992 tribecatavernnc.com Village Grill 8470 Honeycut Rd. 919.890.5340 villagegrillraleigh.com Zest Cafe & Home Art 8831 Six Forks Rd. 919.848.4792 zestcafehomeart.com

Asian

Chopstix 5607 Creedmoor Rd. 919.781.6268 raleighchopstix.com David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar 1900 Hillsborough St. 919.239.4536 ddandnb.com Five Star Restaurant 511 W. Hargett St. 919.833.3311 heatseekershrimp.com Hako Sushi 2603-155 Glenwood Ave. 919.235.0589 hakosushinc.com Imperial Garden 7713 Lead Mine Rd. 919.846.1988 imperialgardenrestaurant.com Kimbap Cafe 111 Seaboard Ave. #118 919.900.8053 kimbapcafe.com

Tazza Kitchen 432 Woodburn Rd. 919.835.9463 tazzakitchen.com

Basan Bull City Sushi 359 Blackwell St. #220 Durham, NC 27701 919.797.9728 basanrestaurant.com

the Oak 4035 Lake Boone Tr. 919.787.9100 jmrkitchens.com/oak

Bida Manda 222 S. Blount St. 919.829.9999 bidamanda.com

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant 8320 Litchford Rd. #142 919.954.0377 lemongrassthairestaurant.net Mura 4121 Main St. 919.781.7887 muranorthhills.com

Neo-Asia 6602 Glenwood Ave. 919.783.8383 neo-china.com

Thaiphoon Bistro 301 Glenwood Ave. #190 919.720.4034 thaiphoonbistro.com

Ni Asian Kitchen 8817 Six Forks Rd. 919.916.5106 niasiankitchen.com

Waraji Japanese Restaurant 5910 Duraleigh Rd. 919.783.1883 warajijapaneserestaurant.com

Orchid Japanese Restaurant 7432 Creedmoor Rd. 919.890.5345 orchidjapanesebuffet.com

FRENCH

Pho Pho Pho 510 Glenwood Ave. #103 phophophonc.com Pho Far East 4011 Capital Blvd. #133 919.876.8621 Pearl Chinese Restaurant 3215 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.233.8776 pearlchinesenc.com Red Dragon Chinese Restaurant 2513 Fairview Rd. 919.782.1102 reddragonraleigh.com Red Pepper Asian 4121-109 New Bern Ave. 919.594.1006 redpepperasiannc.com Seoul Garden 4701 Atlantic Ave. 919.850.9984 raleighseoulgarden.com ShabaShabu 3080 Wake Forest Rd. 919.501.7755 shabashabu.net Sono 319 Fayetteville St. 919.521.5328 sonoraleigh.com Sushi Blues Cafe 301 Glenwood Ave. 919.664.8061 sushibluescafe.com Sushi O Bistro & Sushi Bar 4361 Lassiter at North Hills Ave. 919.783.8180 springrollsrestaurant.com

Crepe Traditions 141 Park at North Hills St. 919.977.3425 crepetraditions.com Coquette Brasserie 4531 The Circle at North Hills 919.789.0606 coquetteraleigh.com Royale 200 E. Martin Street 919.977.3043

Saint Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.862.2770 saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com Simply Crêpes 8470 Honeycutt Rd. 919.322.2327 simplycrepes.com

German J. Betski’s 10 W. Franklin St. 919.833.7999 jbetskis.com

South American Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken 4614 Capital Blvd. 919.713.0000 alpacachicken.com

Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 919.747.9233 vinosfinosypicadas.com

Mediterranean / Middle Eastern Aladdin’s Eatery 8201 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.806.5700 aladdinseatery.com Babylon 309 N Dawson St. 919.838.8595 babylonraleigh.com

Fresh Levant Bistro 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 984.200.3999 freshlevant.com Jasmin Mediterranean Bistro 424 E Six Forks Rd. 919.743.3336 jasminbistro.com Mona Pita Mediterranean Grill 5260 Capital Blvd. 919.431.6500 monapita.com Neomonde 3817 Beryl Rd. 919.828.1628 neomonde.com Nur Mediterranean Deli & Market 2233 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.828.1523 nurdeli.com Petra Grill 6091 Capital Blvd. 919.599.4959

Guasaca Arepa & Salsa Grill 4025 Lake Boone Tr. 919.322.4928 guasaca.com

Sassool 9650 Strickland Rd. 919.847.2700 sassool.com

Mami Nora’s 2401 Wake Forest Rd. 919.834.8572 maminoras.com

Sitti 137 S. Wilmington St. 919.239.4070 sitti-raleigh.com midtownmag.com | 105

Tarbouch 5645 Creedmoor Rd. 919.239.4408 tarbouch-nc.com

Dos Taquitos 410 Glenwood Ave. 919.835.9010 dostaquitosnorth.com

Torero’s 4721 Atlantic Ave. 919.873.9116 torerosmexicanrestaurants.com

Taverna Agora 326 Hillsborough St. 919.881.8333 tavernaagora.com

El Dorado 2811 Brentwood Rd. 919.872.8440 eldoradomexicanrestaurant.com

Virgil’s Original Taqueria 126 S. Salisbury St. 919.833.3866 facebook.com/virgilstacos

Taza Grill 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.872.7161 tazagrill.com

El Rodeo 4112 Pleasant Valley Rd. 919.571.1188 elrodeoraleigh.com El Tapatio Restaurante 4511 New Bern Ave. 919.255.9161

Vidrio 500 Glenwood Ave #100 919.803.6033 vidrioraleigh.com

Gonza Tacos Y Tequila 7713 Lead Mine Rd. 919.846.5478 gonzatacosytequila.com

Mexican

Gringo A Go Go 100 N. Person St. 919.977.1438 gringoraleigh.com

Baja Burrito 2109 Avent Ferry Rd. #108 919.834.3431 bajaburrito.net Cafe Capistrano 8471 Garvey Dr. 919.872.1127 cafecapistrano.com Calavera Empanada & Tequila Bar 444 S. Blount St. 919.617.1661 calaveraempanadas.com Cantina 18 433 Daniels St. 919.835.9911 18restaurantgroup.com Centro 106 S. Wilmington St. 919.835.3593 centroraleigh.com Chubby’s Tacos 2444 Wycliff Rd. 919.781.4480 10511 Shadowlawn Dr. 919.846.7044 Chuy’s 4020 Market at North Hills St. 919.571.2489 chuys.com

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Jose and Sons 327 W. Davie St. 919.755.0556 joseandsons.com La Carreta 1028 Oberlin Rd. 919.977.3271 lacarretaavl.com La Rancherita 2400 Hillsborough St. 919.755.9697 rancheritamex.com Los Cuates 4524 Old Wake Forest Rd. 919.872.6012 goo.gl/KHvrQe Los Tres Magueyes 10410 Moncreiffe Rd. 919.484.9258 lostresnc.com San Jose Mexican Restaurant 5811 Poyner Village Pkwy. 919.790.1919 The Original Flying Burrito 4800 Grove Barton Rd. 919.785.2734 originalflyingburrito.com

Indian Azitra 8411 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.484.3939 azitra.com Garland 14 W. Martin St. 919.833.6886 garlandraleigh.com Godavari 9650 Strickland Rd. 919.847.1984 godavarius.com Indio Restaurant & Lounge 222 Glenwood Ave. 919.322.2760 indioraleigh.com Kabab and Curry 2418 Hillsborough St. 919.977.6974 kababcurryraleigh.com Kadhai the Indian Wok 6260-112 Glenwood Ave. 919.785.2864 theindianexpresskadhai.com

irish Saints & Scholars Irish Pub 909 Spring Forest Rd. 919.878.8828 saintsandscholarspub.com The Hibernian 311 Glenwood Ave. 919.833.2258 8021 Falls Of Neuse Rd. 919.803.0290 hibernianpub.com

Piccola Italia 423 Woodburn Rd. 919.833.6888 piccolaitalianc.com Gravy 135 S. Wilmington St. 919.896.8513 gravyraleigh.com Jimmy V’s Osteria + Bar 420 Fayetteville St. 919.256.1451 jimmyvsraleigh.com

Italian Amedeos Italian Restaurant 3905 Western Blvd. 919.851.0473 amedeosrestaurant.com Assaggio Italian Restuarant 3501 W. Millbrook Rd. 919.785.2088 assaggios-nc.com Bella Monica 3121 Edwards Mill Rd. 919.881.9778 bellamonica.com Bruno Seafood & Steaks 11211 Galleria Ave. 919.435.6640 brunoraleigh.com

Cafe Tiramisu

Mia Francesca 4100 Main at North Hills St. 919.278.1525 miafrancescaraleigh.com Nina’s Ristorante 8801 Lead Mine Rd. 919.845.1122 ninasrestaurant.com Pulcinella’s Italian Restaurant 4711 Hope Valley Rd. 919.490.1172 pulcinellasitalianrestaurant.com Roma Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant 3805 Brentwood Rd. 919.876.2818

Cafe Tiramisu 6008 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.790.1006 cafetiramisu.net

Tuscan Blu 327 W. Davie St. 919.834.5707 tuscanblu.com

Royal India 3901 Capital Blvd. 919.981.0849 royalindiannc.com

Caffé Luna 136 E. Hargett St. 919.832.6090 cafeluna.com

Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine 6611 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.848.2262 tajmahalindianraleigh.com

Capri Restaurant 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.878.4424 caprirest.com

Vic’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria 331 Blake St. 919.829.7090 4035 Lake Boone Tr. 984.200.9292 vicsitalianrestaurant.com

The Wild Cook’s Indian Grill 3212 Hillsborough St. 984.232.8530 wildcooksgrill.com

Casa Carbone Ristorante Italiano 6019 Glenwood Ave. 919.781.8750 casacarbone.com

Zayka Indian Cuisine 10410 Moncreiffe Rd. Ste 103 919.361.5370 zaykaraleigh.com

Farina Neighborhood Italian 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 919.890.0143 farinaraleigh.com

Vivace 4209 Lassiter Mill Rd. 919.787.7747 vivaceraleigh.com

Caribbean Caribbean Café 2645 E. Millbrook Rd. 919.872.4858 caribbeancafenc.com

Jerk Masters 1909 Poole Rd. 919.231.7697 facebook.com/jamaicajerkmasters Lee’s Kitchen 4638 Capital Blvd. 919.872.7422 leeskitchenjamaican.com Mum’s Jamaican Restaurant 3901 Capital Blvd. 919.615.2332 mumsjamaicanfood.com Tropical Picken Chicken 404 E. Six Forks Rd. 919.703.0661

BBQ Big Al’s BBQ 2920 Forestville Rd. 919.217.0653 bigalsbbqandcatering.com Clyde Cooper’s BBQ 327 S. Wilmington St. 919.832.7614 clydecoopersbbq.com Ole Time Barbecue 6309 Hillsborough St. 919.859.2544 oletimebarbecue.com The Pit Authentic Barbecue 328 W Davie St. 919.890.4500 thepit-raleigh.com The Q Shack 4120 Main at North Hills St. 919.786.4381 theqshack.com

Seafood 42nd Street Oyster Bar 508 W. Jones St. 919.831.2811 42ndstoysterbar.com Captain Stanley’s Seafood 3333 S. Wilmington St. 919.779.7878 facebook.com/captainstanleys Margaux’s Restaurant 8111 Creedmoor Rd. 919.846.9846 margauxsrestaurant.com

Saltwater Seafood Market and Fry Shack 4 Fenton St. 919.834.1813 saltwaterseafoodnc.com

Thank you Midtown readers for voting us

The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar 4208 Six Forks Rd. 919.784.0400 thecowfish.com

BEST PIZZA

Southern

Bare Bones 301-120 Fayetteville St. 919.825.0995 Beasley’s Chicken + Honey 237 S. Wilmington St. 919.322.0127 ac-restaurants.com/beasleys Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant 220 Wolfe St. 919.836.9909 bigedscitymarket.com

scratch-made from natural, organic & local ingredients

2017

Jamaican Grille 5500 Atlantic Springs Rd. 919.873.0200

DIAMOND

AWARD BEST PIZZA

vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options locally owned

five points

919.833.0226 downtown durham

lillyspizza.com

919.797.2554

Driftwood Southern Kitchen 8460 Honeycutt Rd. 919.977.8360 driftwoodraleigh.com

Donovan’s Dish 800 W. Williams St #112 Apex, NC 27502 919.651.8309 donovansdish.com Humble Pie 317 S. Harrington St. 919.829.9222 humblepierestaurant.com Mandolin 2519 Fairview Rd. 919.322.0365 mandolinraleigh.com

NOFO @ the Pig 2014 Fairview Rd. 919.821.1240 nofo.com Pam’s Farmhouse 5111 Western Blvd. 919.859.9990 facebook.com/pamsfarmhouse midtownmag.com | 107

Poole’s Diner 426 S. McDowell St. 919.832.4477 ac-restaurants.com/pooles

Jubala Coffee 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 919.758.8330 jubalacoffee.com

Provenance 120 E. Martin St. 984.269.5211 provenanceraleigh.com

The Morning Times 10 E Hargett St. 919.836.1204 morningtimes-raleigh.com

Relish Café & Bar 5625 Creedmoor Rd. 919.787.1855 relishraleigh.com

New World Cafe 4112 Pleasant Valley Rd. 919.786.0091 newworldcoffeehouse.com

Rye Bar & Southern Kitchen 500 Fayetteville St. 919.227.3370 ryeraleigh.com

Steakhouse

State Farmers’ Market Restaurant 1240 Farmers Market Dr. 919.755.1550 realbiscuits.com Tupelo Honey Cafe 425 Oberlin Rd. 919.723.9353 tupelohoneycafe.com Flying Biscuit Café 2016 Clark Ave. 919.833.6924 flyingbiscuit.com The Mecca Restaurant 13 E. Martin St. 919.832.5714 mecca-restaurant.com The Remedy Diner 137 E. Hargett St. 919.835.3553 theremedydiner.com

Angus Barn 9401 Glenwood Ave. 919.791.2444 angusbarn.com Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse 8551 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.544.3344 brasasteakhouse.com Sullivan’s Steakhouse 414 Glenwood Ave. 919.833.2888 sullivansteakhouse.com The Capital Grille 4242 Six Forks Rd. 919.787.3901 thecapitalgrille.com

Vinnie’s Steak House and Tavern 7440 Six Forks Rd. 919.847.7319 vinniessteakhouse.com

Breakfast Specialty Another Broken Egg Cafe 160 Park at North Hills St. 919.307.8195 anotherbrokenegg.com Brigs Restaurant 8111 Creedmoor Rd. 919.870.0994 brigs.com First Watch 6320 Capital Blvd. 919.900.8355 firstwatch.com

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Eclectic Flights Restaurant & Lounge 4100 Main at North Hills St. 919.571.8773 flightsnorthhills.com ORO Restaurant & Lounge 18 E. Martin St. 919.239.4010 ororaleigh.com Plates Neighborhood Kitchen 301 Glenwood Ave. 919.828.0018 plateskitchen.com

Spanish Latin Quarters 7335 Six Forks Rd. 919.900.8333 new.latinquartersnc.com Tasca Brava 607 Glenwood Ave. 919.828.0840 tascabrava.com

Café Acro Café 11 W. Jones St. 919.707.8057 https://goo.gl/34145J Benelux Coffee 402 Oberlin Rd. 919.900.8294 beneluxcoffee.com Cafe Carolina and Bakery 150 Fayetteville St. 919.834.9117 401 Daniels Street 919.821.7117 cafecarolina.com Café de los Muertos 300 W. Hargett St. 919.699.7480 cafemuertos.com Despina’s Café 8369 Creedmoor Rd. 919.848.5007 despinascafe.com Manhattan Cafe 320 S. Wilmington St. 919.833.6105 manhattancafenc.com Oakwood Cafe 300 E. Edenton St. 919.828.5994 oakwoodcaferaleigh.com Seaboard Cafe 707 Semart Dr. 919.821.7553 seaboardcafe.com Sola Coffee 7705 Lead Mine Rd. 919.803.8983 solacoffee.com Sosta Cafe 130 E. Davie St. 919.833.1006 sostacafe.com

The Daily Planet Cafe 121 W. Jones St. 919.707.8060 thedailyplanetcafe.com

Fiction Kitchen 428 S. Dawson St. 919.831.4177 thefictionkitchen.com

Café Helios 413 Glenwood Ave. 984.200.8319 cafehelios.com

Happy + Hale 443 Fayetteville St. 919.307.4148 happyandhale.com

Devolve Moto 304 Glenwood Ave. 919.803.3257 Devolvemoto.com

Living Kitchen 555 Fayetteville St. 919.324.3515 livingkitchen.com

The Pharmacy Cafe 702 N. Person St. 919.832.6432 personstreetrx.com

Raleigh Raw 7 W. Hargett St. 919.400.0944 raleighraw.com

Sunflowers Cafe 8 W. Peace St. 919.833.4676 sunflowersraleigh.com

Burger & Hot Dog

Deli/Sandwhiches The Community Deli 901 Oberlin Rd. 919.896.6810 thecommunitydeli.com Groucho’s Deli 10 Horne St. 919.977.7747 grouchos.com Linus & Pepper’s 126 S. Salisbury St. 919.833.3866

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar 111 Seaboard Ave. 919.747.9163 baddaddysburgerbar.com Chuck’s 237 S. Wilmington St. 919.322.0126 ac-restaurants.com/chucks Cloos’ Coney Island 2233 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.834.3354 Jerry’s Grill 813 E. Whitaker Mill Rd. 919.832.7561

Lunch Box Deli 2816 Trawick Rd. 919.872.7882

JoCa’s Gourmet Dawgs N’ Shakes 8450 Honeycutt Rd. #112 919.322.1590 jocasgourmet.com

McAlister’s Deli 4361 Lassiter at North Hills Ave. 919.787.9543 mcalistersdeli.com

MoJoe’s Burger Joint 620 Glenwood Ave. 919.832.6799 mojoesburgerjoint.com

Poppyseed Market 8801 Lead Mine Rd. 919.870.4997 poppyseedmkt.com

Pharaoh’s Grill at North Hills 4421 Six Forks Rd. 919.420.0840

Village Deli & Grill 500 Daniels St. 919.828.1428 villagedeli.net

Snoopy’s Hot Dogs & More 600 Hillsborough St. 919.839.2176 snoopys.com

Vegetarian/Vegan Irregardless Cafe & Catering 901 W. Morgan St. 919.833.8898 irregardless.com

Pizzeria

Bakery & Desserts

Cristo’s NY Style Pizza 1302 East Milbrook Rd. 919.872.6797 cristospizza.com

Annelore’s German Bakery 1249 Farmers Market Dr. 919.294.8040 facebook.com/ AnneloresGermanBakery

DeMo’s Pizzeria & Deli 222 Glenwood Ave. 919.754.1050 demospizzeriadeli.com Donatos 111 Seaboard Ave. 919.828.5111 donatos.com Frank’s Pizza 2030 New Bern Ave. 919.231.8990 frankspizzainraleigh.com Gino’s Pizza 6260 Glenwood Ave. 919.783.7555 ginospizzaraleigh.com

Lilly’s Pizza 1813 Glenwood Ave. 919.833.0226 lillyspizza.com Moonlight Pizza Company 615 W. Morgan St. 919.755.9133 moonlightpizza.com Pieology Pizzeria 4158 Main at North Hills St. 919.803.5860 3001 Hillsborough St. 919.839.6300 pieology.com Pizza La Stella 219 Fayetteville St. pizzalastella.com Stromboli’s Express 2900 Spring Forest Rd. 919.876.4222 strombolisexpress.com Trophy Brewing & Pizza 827 W. Morgan St. 919.803.4849 trophybrewing.com

Bittersweet 16 E. Martin St. 919.977.3829 bittersweetraleigh.com Boulted Bread 614 W South St. 919.999.3984 boultedbread.com

Edible Art Bakery & Dessert Café 4351-115 The Circle at North Hills 919.856.0604 edibleartnc.com Escazú Artisan Chocolates 936 N. Blount St. 919.832.3433 escazuchocolates.com Groovy Duck Bakery 3434 Edwards Mill Rd. 919.787.9233 groovyduckbakeryllc.com Hayes Barton Cafe 2000 Fairview Rd. 919.856.8551 https://goo.gl/2aXSqM lucettegrace 235 S. Salisbury St. 919.307.4950 lucettegrace.com Sugarland 2031 Cameron St. 919.835.2100 facebook.com/ SugarlandRaleigh Yellow Dog Bread Company 219 E. Franklin St. 984.232.0291 facebook.com/ yellowdogbread

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healthy you

sponsored content

Feminine

Wellness by Dr. Glenn Lyle, Raleigh plastic surgery

By now you are probably well immune to the shock and awkwardness of all those male erectile dysfunction commercials that seem to come on television during prime time when your kids are around. They all feature middle age men, a twinkle in their eyes with attractive wives coyly sharing a look suggesting that intimacy is in the air. These pills promise a sure fire solution to some of the performance problems that many men encounter as they age. But what about the women? They always are portrayed as vibrant, attractive, willing and able while the man has to take a pill to “get ready”. But this is not necessarily reflective of reality. With aging, menopause and pregnancies most women suffer changes in their genitalia that can affect their well-being and sexual health. Vaginal laxity, stretching of labial tissues, dryness and decreased sensation are frequent consequences that can prevent or diminish satisfactory intimate relations. There is now a very effective, painless, non-invasive technology to treat these problems with temperature controlled radio frequency for vaginal rejuvenation. ThermiVa is a relatively new technology that uses the collagen shrinking benefits of heat to treat women’s

external vulva and internal vagina to cause shrinkage and tightening of these structures. Each treatment is performed in full privacy by a female RN and takes about 40 minutes. It is painless with virtually no recovery time. Results are immediately apparent with a more youthful appearing labia and tighter vaginal canal. Many women report increased sensation and lubrication. An added benefit is improvement in urinary stress incontinence in many women. It is recommended that women undergo a series of three treatments over 8-12 weeks for maximum benefit. Why does a plastic surgeon offer these treatments? The technology has several other applications including a heat-based treatment to improve fine line wrinkles around the eyes and mouth called ThermiSmooth. This also involves a series of treatments for best effect and performed by the estheticians at the MedSpa at Raleigh Plastic Surgery Center. In addition, a minimally invasive treatment, ThermiTight is a procedure with minimal downtime that helps tighten hard to treat areas like the neck, arms, knees and wrinkles around the belly button. Women come to RPSC for “mommy makeovers” so extending the offerings to treat a women’s intimate anatomy is a natural fit.

The information on this page is provided by the advertiser mentioned above to the public.

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midtownmag.com | 111

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healthy you

The Murphy’s Law Resolution BY WILL MANN, VICE PRESIDENT OF FITNESS, O2 FITNESS

Every January millions of people make New Year’s resolutions. Always at the top of the list are health and fitness resolutions. Even with this focus on health, many people never achieve the results they seek. This is caused by many factors, but I want to focus on one main reason – Murphy’s Law. Let’s look at an example. It’s January 1st, and you have a full exercise and nutrition plan. You’re more motivated than ever, and you’re committed to stick to this plan! You follow every meal and every workout perfectly. It’s going great! You see fantastic results. But then, uh oh, you catch the flu. You’re forced to stay in bed and rest. This means no exercise and no meal prep, so you just eat whatever you

can. You fall off track for a week. But after that week, you’re recovered and ready to get back on the program! But there’s more…you missed a week of work, so now you take on extra hours to make up for the time you were out. Life becomes extremely busy. You can’t work out, and you definitely can’t meal prep. You choose convenience foods instead. The results you worked so hard for are gone. You become frustrated, and motivation disappears. You start to skip workouts even though you have the time now. You eat strictly for taste because you need the comfort good tasting food brings. You tried so hard, but it didn’t work. And you go on repeating the same vicious cycle. So how do you stop this? Well, you

must prepare for Murphy’s Law! Expect everything to go wrong, then ask yourself, how would you remain on track? In the previous example, if you expect you will have periods with little to no available time, find a backup plan with quicker workouts you can do at home. Develop a secondary plan of meals that take little time to prepare and can be made in advance. When you absolutely must eat out, have a list of healthy options in restaurants. Whatever it is, you must expect problems to come up. Some problems won’t be your fault; in fact, most of them won’t be. It doesn’t matter, they are still your problems – so, plan for them. This year, make a resolution to prepare for Murphy’s Law!

Will is a former professional athlete who has dedicated his entire career to athletics, leadership and the fitness industry. He currently oversees the fitness services for all O2 Fitness locations while directly and indirectly helping to empower and educate hundreds of Personal Trainers and thousands of clients. From his previous time as a Personal Trainer, he helped hundreds of clients achieve results including weight loss, strength building, general wellness, athletic performance, and mobility. His quote to live by is from Henry Ford, which states: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”

The information on this page is provided by the advertiser mentioned above to the public.

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healthy you

Hair’s the Truth by Ashley Collins, plum hair atelier

Whether it’s that perfectly tailored hairline, color maintenance, or that voluminous blowout only your stylist can seem to create, as hairdressers we are fortunate to be one of those appointments that most everyone looks forward to. After spending over twelve years fully immersed in the industry, there have been some statements that I hear on a regular basis – and it has been a mission of mine to squash these tired rumors. “I’m sorry, I brought some pictures. I know you hate that.” This is so far from the truth. Photos are the perfect consultation tool. As your stylists, it is our job to try bring a vision to life, and using images can help define the direction we are headed in. The important factor to understand when doing this is that these are “inspirations” and not an exact replica of the end result. So bring on those Pinterest boards and screen shots. “I’m getting too old to wear my hair long.” I can’t help but wonder who created these guidelines. My rule is this: Your hair does not age you unless your hair looks aged. This means, if your hair looks dry, brittle or lifeless, whether you are 18 or 48, you should probably aim for a shorter look and get on a regimen to improve your hair’s health. On the flip side of that, if it’s full of body, shine and movement, who’s to say your birth year prohibits you from showing that off? There is far more we consider when creating a look: face shape, desired maintenance, personal style, even body type – but not age. “It’s just hair.” For an industry that is well up into the billions, this also as holds little truth. Hair holds more power than credit given on day-to-day life. Think about it; how does it affect your mood when your hair won’t seem to lay right – or just the opposite, on those perfect hair days, how we tend to walk a bit taller. It really is the ultimate accessory. So take care of it, find a great stylist that you connect with, and have fun finding your hair’s true potential. At PLUM hair atelier, our team is collectively committed to inspire our guests to fall in love with their hair. And if you are not getting compliments between appointments, it’s time to up your hair game.

The information on this page is provided by the advertiser mentioned above to the public.

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healthy you

Integrative Medicine

It’s about time!

by Inaam J. Schneider, MD, Schneider Medical Group, PA

“The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease”

Sir William Osler

All physicians have the clinical expertise to effectively treat disease. However, physicians also have the opportunity, if not the obligation, to help all their patients heal. When a patient is turned into a cold collection of lab data and diagnostic studies, physicians run the risk of not seeing the forest for the trees – of not seeing the patient for the disease. Integrative Medicine (IM) is the philosophy of a whole person approach designed to treat the person, not just the disease. It blends traditional Western medicine and complementary and alternative medicine in an attempt to appreciate and interconnect all aspects of illness – mind, body and spirit. It’s about time. Combining conventional Western medicine with alternative or complimentary treatments, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage therapy, biofeedback, yoga and stress reduction techniques, IM attempts to treat the whole patient – not just the disease. The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco says on its website: “Integrative Medicine

seeks to incorporate treatment options from conventional and alternative approaches, taking into account not only the physical symptoms, but also psychological, social and spiritual aspects of health and illness.” It’s about time. Patients are already seeking alternative forms of treatment. A landmark study in 1993 found that one in three Americans had used an alternative therapy to treat illness. Why are patients seeking alternative approaches to healthcare? It is because they have a deep dissatisfaction with the current state of healthcare, which is a system that leaves providers feeling rushed to get through the visit, overwhelmed in collecting data mandated by government and insurance agencies, and frustrated at having limited time to actually interact with the patient. It subsequently leaves the patient feeling nothing more than a constellation of symptoms, at a loss for the cause, and leaving the office with inadequate recommendations. Integrative Medicine for the most part offers more time, more attention, and a broader approach to healing. It’s about time. Look for a qualified physician rigorously trained in a program such as the Integrative Medicine Fellowship at the University of Arizona founded by Andrew Weil, MD, a worldrenowned leader in IM. More and more patients are seeking IM treatment. It’s what they deserve. And it’s about time!

The information on this page is provided by the advertiser mentioned above to the public.

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OUT ABOUT &

Calendar of events | Midtown Mingles | New Around Town

Triangle Restaurant Week January 23rd-29th A week-long celebration of culinary excellence designed to incorporate the premier area restaurants. Participating restaurants offer special three-course menu options and fixed pricing, a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike to indulge in the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest cuisine! No reservations, tickets or passes required. At participating restaurants throughout the Triangle trirestaurantweek.com

photograph courtesy of mia francesca

midtownmag.com| 119

calendar ofevents Spring & Summer Collection Trunk Show December 30th-January 7th, 10am-6pm You’re invited to join Eileen Lover of Lafayette 148 New York at the trunk show at Cameron Clothing, featuring missy, petite and women’s apparel. 4351 The Circle at North Hills St #111 cameronclothing.com “We Can Do It!” January 6th, 6pm Showcases the work of ten local women artists that explore a variety of techniques and textures which highlight their individual personalities. Local Color offers the opportunity to meet and interact directly with the artists every First Friday. 311 W. Saint Martin St localcoloraleigh.com First Friday January 6th, 6-9pm Produced by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, this free, self-guided tour provides a view into downtown’s cutting edge cultural hot spots. Local art galleries, art studios, alternative art venues and museums stay open late the first Friday of every month to welcome thousands of artseeking enthusiasts. Downtown Raleigh https://goo.gl/U43wfQ Marisa Baratelli Trunk Show January 12th-14th, 10am-6pm Join the trunk show at Cameron Clothing to view the Marisa Baratelli collection. 4351 The Circle at North Hills St #111 cameronclothing.com Lecture: Historic Cemeteries and Our Heritage January 19th, 7-8:30pm The Joel Lane Museum House is proud to present a lecture called “Historic Cemeteries and Our Heritage” by Emily Grant. She will speak about the importance of Raleigh’s three historic cemeteries, the stories they tell of Raleigh’s past, and the preservation work being done to ensure their future. Seating is limited, and advanced payment is required. 160 S. Saint Mary’s St https://goo.gl/lVS6sc Connect & Create: Animal Prints with David Eichenberger January 21st, 10am-noon Connect & Create is a workshop series that connects artists and families to create

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works of art together at Artspace. Join Artspace artist David Eichenberger and create fun and easy animal prints out of styrofoam plates. 201 E. Davie St artspacenc.org/classes-education/ Always…Patsy Cline January 20th-29th, times vary Country has never had it so good! Always…Patsy Cline is complete with down home country humor and real emotion. It’s the true story of an unlikely friendship between a housewife and a legendary country singer, featuring unforgettable hits including Crazy, I Fall to Pieces and Walking After Midnight. Produced by North Carolina Theatre. Fletcher Opera Theater 2 E. South St nctheatre.com/shows/always-patsy-cline NCMA Presents Sights & Sounds on Sundays January 22nd, 3-6pm 2110 Blue Ridge Rd ncartmuseum.org/calendar The Beach Boys January 22nd, 7:30pm As The Beach Boys mark more than a half-century of making music, the group continues to ride the crest of a wave unequalled in America’s musical history. The Beach Boys have become synonymous with the California lifestyle and have become an American icon to fans around the world. The Beach Boys will pull into town to perform on January 22nd at DPAC. 123 Vivian St, Durham dpacnc.com/events/all Triangle Restaurant Week January 23rd-29th A week-long celebration of culinary

excellence designed to incorporate the premier area restaurants. Participating restaurants offer special three-course menu options and fixed pricing, a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike to indulge in the area’s finest cuisine! No reservations, tickets or passes required. At participating restaurants throughout the Triangle trirestaurantweek.com The Comedy Get Down January 27th, 8pm Numerous motion picture appearances, countless television shows, sitcoms and standup specials, a talk show, three radio shows, and three books. Cedric ‘The Entertainer,’ Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy have been breaking ground in the comedy business and bringing the laughs for decades. This is a once-in-a lifetime chance to see five members of comedy royalty come together at PNC Arena for the comedy event of the year, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd https://goo.gl/7ALgVa 16th Annual African American Cultural Celebration January 28th, 10:30am-4:30pm Join the statewide kickoff to Black History Month at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh. Named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, the 16th annual African American Cultural Celebration is FREE and will feature more than 75 musicians, storytellers, dancers, chefs, historians, playwrights, authors, artists, reenactors and more. 5 E. Edenton St https://goo.gl/yViMol

Have an Important Event? We would love to hear about it. Log on to our website and send us the details. We may feature it in our next issue.

Astronomy Days January 28th-29th, times vary The NC Museum of Natural Sciences partners with NASA and the Raleigh Astronomy Club to help you see the big picture – of the yniverse! From comet crafts and solar observing to lectures and rocket launches, space enthusiasts of all ages will find something to do at Astronomy Days. You don’t want to miss this year’s theme: the sun and stars! 11 W. Jones St https://goo.gl/48cQnK Hedwig & The Angry Inch Musical January 31st-February 5th, times vary Directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American Idiot) and starring Tony and Olivier Awardnominee Euan Morton, Hedwig & The Angry Inch is the winner of four 2014 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. It played to record-breaking sellout crowds on Broadway and promises to take the Triangle by storm with what Rolling Stone proclaims is “the best rock musical ever!” 123 Vivian St, Durham dpacnc.com/events/all

Little Mermaid February 2nd-19th, times vary Join us under the sea as Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale The Little Mermaid is brought to life in this “largescale, visually dazzling piece” according to The News and Observer. Fletcher Opera Theater 2 E. South St https://goo.gl/gctUh8 The Triangle Wine Experience February 2nd-4th, times vary The Triangle and Carolina’s premier wine event encompassing tastings, dinners, and a grand gala with fine wine auction over a three-day period. Winemakers, wineries and chefs from all over the world participate in this charity event to raise support for education of special needs children. At participating locations throughout the Triangle trianglewineexperience.org First Friday February 3rd, 6-9pm Downtown Raleigh https://goo.gl/U43wfQ

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calendar ofevents Second Empire Grand-Prix Souper Bowl 5K February 4th, 2pm This is the 4th annual 5k for His Daily Bread Community Ministries. All profits from this 5k are used to fund this ministry that provides free weekly meals to people in need in the Coats community. 214 Park Lane, Coats NC secondempireseries.com/rc/r/souperbowl-5k/ Krispy Kreme Challenge 2017 February 4th, 2017, 8am 2,400 calories, 12 doughnuts, five miles, one hour. All proceeds from the Krispy Kreme Challenge are donated to the NC Children’s Hospital so that its staff can continue to provide the best care and facilities for their patients. NCSU Belltower krispykremechallenge.com Triangle Russian Festival February 4th, noon-8pm Come and enjoy Russian culture and experience the unique folk and ethnic heritage of this part of the world for the second year at the Halle Cultural Arts Center. 237 N. Salem St, Apex thehalle.org Ansel Adams: Masterworks February 4th–May 7th In a career that spanned five decades, Ansel Adams (1902–84) became one of America’s most renowned photographers. This exhibition focuses on his “Museum Set,” a collection of 48 photographs carefully selected and printed by Adams. Adams designated these works late in his life as a succinct representation of the best work of his career. 2110 Blue Ridge Rd ncartmuseum.org/calendar Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus February 9th-12th, times vary High-wire wizards, powerful strongmen, BMX trick riders, trampoline daredevils, inconceivable contortionists, a highflying human cannonball, a bungee aerial skydiving display and an international assembly of more than 300 cast and crew provide two-and-ahalf hours of thrilling entertainment at PNC Arena. 1400 Edwards Mill Rd https://goo.gl/GDM6en 122 | midtownmag.com

Second Empire Grand-Prix Run for the Roses February 12th, 2pm One of the oldest 5Ks in the Triangle, the Run for the Roses (where all female 5K finishers receive a rose) offers a funfilled afternoon for the family to raise money to benefit Canines for Service. 805 Ruggles Dr secondempireseries.com/rc/r/run-forthe-roses/ Roots: Getting Reacquainted with Eastern North Carolina February 12th-May 14th Inspired by the work of Ansel Adams, photography students from Pitt Community College present traditional and digital black-and-white photographs of the changing industrial and agricultural landscape of Eastern North Carolina. 2110 Blue Ridge Rd ncartmuseum.org/calendar Chris Rock: Total Blackout Tour 2017 February 13-15th, times vary Grammy and Emmy Award winning comedian, actor, director, writer and producer Chris Rock kicks off his first tour in over nine years on Saturday, February 13th at DPAC. 123 Vivian St, Durham dpacnc.com/events/all Saturday Night Fever February 14th-19th, 7:30 pm The iconic story of Tony – the kid from Brooklyn who wants to dance his way to a better life – is back! And back in an all-new production that shares Tony’s love for dancing in spectacular new ways. Fueled by the vintage Bee Gees hits, this contemporary retelling of the classic story captures the energy, passion and life-changing moments that have thrilled movie audiences since 1977. Now, a new generation of dancers meets a new generation of playgoers to explore the soaring sounds and pulsating rhythms of this comingof-age Disco fantasy. Memorial Auditorium 2 E. South St https://goo.gl/JfSXyK Jay Leno: Live in Concert February 17th, 7:30pm Back by popular demand, acclaimed TV late night show host Jay Leno returns to DPAC on February 17th. His last performance at DPAC, in March 2014,

was sold out, and fans can expect this show to sell out quickly too. 123 Vivian St, Durham dpacnc.com/events/all Downtown Raleigh Home Show February 17th-19th, times vary A unique opportunity for exhibitors to meet face-toface with a highly qualified audience to showcase their products and services in a premier, convenient downtown location at the Raleigh Convention Center. 500 S. Salisbury St raleighspringshow.com Connect & Create: Put A Bird On It! with Anna Podris February 18th, 10am-noon Connect & Create is a workshop series that connects artists and families to create works of art together at Artspace. In this workshop, Anna will teach how to create a colorful and whimsical mixed media painting that incorporates our feathered friends in fun and unusual ways. 201 E. Davie St artspacenc.org/classes-education/

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midtownmingles

Petite Simone Photography

Photography by davies photography

sunday supper nc

In the wake of one of the most contentious elections in history, and in the aftermath of historic flooding, thousands of people in Raleigh put all differences aside on Sunday, November 13th to share a meal, bow their heads in prayer and lend a hand to their neighbors in need. Christopher Polydoroff Photography

christmas open house

Affordable Chic celebrated its Christmas Open House on December 3rd and 4th. It was a fun and festive event. Everyone celebrated the Christmas season with food, music, and of course great shopping! Photography by joe reale

food bank moves to capital boulevard

To continue serving those facing hunger in Raleigh and the surrounding area, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina moved to a new facility on Capital Boulevard and held a dedication and special opening on Thursday, November 10th.

Give Gala at the Marbles Kids Museum

The energy from Give Gala was incredible. The evening was a wonderful celebration for lives touched, and a reminder for what more we can do for people in need. The most special part of the event was when patients came and received offers directly from the attendees, including gift cards, Kindle, tablets, and even a cruise. 124 | midtownmag.com

new collection at liles clothing studio Designer Alexander Julian and his son, Huston, presented their new collection and poured Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world class wine for patrons of Liles Clothing Studio. Here Alex mingles with the staff and clients as he chats with our friend, Raymond Ezell.

midtown smiles at wine festival

MidTown Smiles Dental Care participated in the 2nd Annual North Carolina Wine Festival in Raleigh on October 29th. Dr. Hanna Zombek, Dr. Debra Zombek and Stacy Keifer Snell had a great time meeting the community, supporting local businesses and contributing to the Foundation of Hope and the Raleigh Jaycees.

Photography by joe reale

monkees grand re-opening

After a five-month renovation and expansion project, Monkeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of Raleigh opened their doors to an amazing new look. With double the space, they will be bringing in an array of new designers throughout the 2017 year.

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

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midtownmingles Photography by joe reale

Photography by davies photography

oakwood estates property unveiling

On November 16th, Oakwood Raleigh at Brier Creek unveiled the newest property renovations, amenities and furnished apartments at a VIP tour and celebration. Attendees enjoyed an afternoon of food, entertainment, giveaways, and free transportation to/from the event. Oakwood Raleigh at Brier Creek is located in the heart of the Research Triangle at 7920 Oak Estate Street, Raleigh. For information, contact 919.957.2565. ®

synergy celebrates 12th anniversary Synergy Spa & Aesthetics celebrated its 12th anniversary and kicked off the holiday season with their top clients. The bubbly flowed while clients enjoyed mini-spa services, delicious hors d’oeuvres from Catering Works, and live entertainment.

REX gala

The REX Healthcare Foundation held its 29th annual REX Gala on November 12th at the Raleigh Convention Center. The Wizard of Oz-themed event, benefitting the state-of-the-art Heart & Vascular Hospital slated to open in March 2017, was a huge success. 126 | midtownmag.com

SAFEchild Young Ambassadors event

The SAFEchild Young Ambassadors met at the Raleigh Wine Shop on Tuesday, December 13th for an evening of networking, wine and hors d’oeuvres, and completed a blanket (“comfort cape”) making service project.

new aroundtown Anisette Sweets Videri’s former head confectioner, Nicole Evans Groth, opens Raleigh’s newest sweetshop.

209 Bickett Blvd Raleigh sweetanisette.com

Owners Heather Brewer and Catherine Fain share a desire to create a better nail care experience. Paintbase is just that – chic, modern nails and beauty.

705 tucker street raleigh paintbasenails.com

photo courtesy clean design

Vidrio, a new Mediterranean-style dining experience from hospitality group LM Restaurants, will open its doors for dinner on Monday, January 23rd at 500 Glenwood Avenue. Offering fresh seafood and an impressive wine selection, Vidrio will bring a fusion of Spanish, French, Greek, Italian, Turkish, Lebanese, Moroccan and other Mediterranean flavors right to the heart of Raleigh’s thriving Glenwood South District. midtownmag.com| 127

2017

DIAMOND

AWARD BEST CAKES/SWEETS

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everydayplaces

Changing Colors Watercolor and Text by Frank Harmon, FAIA

ABOUT Everyday Places takes a close look at Raleigh’s urban fabric and its under-appreciated areas that are essential to a healthy city.

A Raleigh institution is closing. Askew Taylor Paint Company, used by Sunday painters and famous artists alike, will sell its last sable brush in January 2017. Across town, a new paint store has opened. It sells chalk-based paint at Vintage Village. Between the two stores are the brush strokes of capitalism, the internet, and Art for Everyone.

supplies from the internet than from an art supply store. Then Pinterest started. Suddenly everyone had website access to art and design. And, just as suddenly, there was a need for junk. Among the most popular searches on Pinterest is “vintage decor,” home accessories made of rusty tools, broken windows, and bits of creaky wood.

Askew Taylor opened in 1946 to mix paint for the plastered walls and wooden trim of Raleigh. A sign on the wall says, “Husband buying paint must have written permission from wife.”

At Vintage Village you can buy all the creaky wood you need to make something neat. And the chalk-based paint that “needs no surface prep” gives the creaky wood a “vintage” look.

By the 1980s, most people began to buy their paint from Lowe’s and Home Depot. Askew Taylor began selling art supplies. By 2012, more people bought their art

Change may be stirring, though. Lowe’s has begun to sell chalk-based paint. Can rusty junk be far behind? Is the bloom coming off the rose (color #3267)?

Online: Visit the archive at NativePlaces.org 130 | midtownmag.com

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