Midtown Magazine

get in your car and go

spring

styles fit for

spring PAge 84

flings PAge 72

+ 50

reasons to love the triangle part 2 m a rc h/ a p r il

20 1 4

a note FROM the publisher

Publisher/Editor Jill Futch Advertising Sales Jill Futch | Julie Shaw | Jimmy Orban Creative Director Travis Aptt

jill futch

Publisher/Editor

Your opinions matter to us. Let us know what you think of this issue of Midtown Magazine.

Please email jill@midtownmag.com with your comments.

6 | midtownmag.com

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 USequal opportunity law.

10 top

for the summer of

2010

the most spectacular

AT NIGHT THE MUSEUM

Fall

THE NEW NIGHTLIFE

INSANE

FASHIONS

MALE BONDING

PAcking

WORKING OUT AND STAYING FIT WITH FRIENDS

the

perfect lunch

FASHION

it’s that time of year

BOLD & COLORFUL SPRING IS HERE!

Football

2012

J U LY / A U G U S T

M A R C H / A P R I L

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tailgating tips • apps • recipes

september/october

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2012

2/22/12 8:29 PM

GRILLING, SK YDIVING, BEER, APPS, MUSIC, MOVIES & MORE!

Diamond

AWARDS 2012

FooD tRuCKS

the what’s with new craze?

STEPPING OUTSIDE

YouR CoMFoRt ZoNe

MENS’

guiDe to VALeNtiNe’S DAY J A N U A RY / f e b R U A RY

PLUS

Adding ContemporAry touChes to your trAditionAl home

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THE spring MODERN MIDTOWN ST YLE MAN? FASHION WHO IS

iphone VERSUS droid S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R

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M AY / J U N E

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jill

Distribution Manager Jeff Prince

P.

Miller, of Elaine Miller Collection, is closing her legendary jewelry store at the end of March.

On page 78, read Elaine’s story and what she has planned for the future. Be sure to stop in one last time before she closes her doors.

She’d love to see you!

And in this issue on page 62, we bring you part two of “50 Reasons to Love the Triangle” for a serious look at what’s cool in our area. You won’t want to miss this; we would love to hear what you love.

Thank you for reading Midtown Magazine. I hear from many of you, and I enjoy every comment. Keep reading, and please keep those suggestions coming.

Happy Spring!

Photography Jennifer Robertson Photography Sean Junqueira Photography

UT -O NG LL DI PU ED DE W UI G

I really look forward to this time of year; trees and flowers begin to bud, followed by warmer weather and longer days. Besides, there’s an April event that’s near and dear to my heart: the JDRF Hope Gala.

My 12-year-old son, Sam, was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes at age three, and this is the 11th year the event will host a wonderful evening of donated auction items to raise money for both awareness and research. Last year’s event helped raise $800,000 for the cause! Check out this year’s lineup on page 130.

Springtime is also a good time to get away. On page 72 , we explore places you might not have thought about – and you can get there on a tank of gas.

Of course, you’ll need to know what to wear no matter where you’re going. Our annual Spring Fashion issue won’t disappoint. Pastels and flowers are trending. Check out what our local boutiques are pairing on page 84.

And a long-time North Hills business is closing its doors. Elaine

Contributing Writers Christa Gala | Kate Turgeon Watson Dan Bain | Illyse Lane | Jenni Hart Page Leggett | Kurt Dusterberg Dave Droschak | Elie Rossetti-Serraino Darcy Brennan-Huante | Suji Park-Idler, MD J. Steven Baker, DDS

FALL

Spring is in bloom!

Graphic Design Jennifer Casey

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8/26/10 11:29:18 AM

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Subscriptions 6 print issues (1 year) only $20 Available online via paypal ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4818 Six Forks Road, Suite 204 Raleigh, NC 27609 Phone 919.782.4710, Fax 919.782.4763 www.midtownmag.com

contents march/ april

2014

features 62 50 reasons to Love

the Triangle – Part 2

The list continues! We asked you, the readers, to help us make it an even 50 and you obliged. See if your favorites made the cut in part two!

72 great spring flings

Spring is the perfect time to hop in the car and check out some of these great getaways.

96 96 peanuts and cracker jacks

Local minor league teams make major fun for all.

104

rolling sculptures

Pinehurst gains instant traction among

vintage car showcases with Concours d’Elegance.

Local Real Estate is 110

Booming

According to the Triangle Multiple Listing Service, the local residential real estate market experienced a robust 2013, and this year is shaping up to be another strong year.

How the Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery at Duke Raleigh helped Amy Phillips lose more than 200 pounds – and gain her life back.

What Have You Got to Lose?

142

82

spring fashion

We show you the hottest new looks and trends for the spring season.

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contents m arch/ april

2014

departments 20 on the scene 30 Midtown reviews 46 ask elie 48 bain’s beat 56 DIY Workshop 58 raising the bar 60 scare yourself 82 calendar 99 your home: walls 116 special advertising section >Mortgage and Real Estate Professionals 124 new around town 134 midtown downtown 146 healthy you 150 midtown mingles 154 do this better

50

chef mario

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IF YOU LOVE MIDTOWN...

COME JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

ON THE[SCENE] >>>TASTE

by Kate Turgeon

photography by sean junqueira

Just golden Margaux’s crab cakes delight At Margaux’s Restaurant, the crab cakes are simple. Think lump crab meat, a little onion, celery and just enough bread crumbs to hold the whole thing together. But don’t confuse simple with boring. Seasonal garnishes, such as dill-marinated cucumbers in springtime, keep things interesting. Green bean and artichoke garnishes are common in summer, with grilled butternut squash and even pumpkin in the fall.

Expect a sauceboat full of lemonbutter sauce to drizzle over your crab cakes at Margaux’s. Made from white wine and a lemon-juice reduction with cream and butter, the sauce is a traditional treat worthy of crab meat or almost any white fish and salmon.

“I love crab meat,” says Chef Andrew Pettifer, who co-owns the popular North Raleigh eatery with Steve Horowitz.

Pettifer says his restaurant’s crab cakes are served topped with shrimp for dinner. And that a dry, white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, accompanies the dish well.

But, really, he’s not one for rules.

“It depends on what you want to do,” he says in an English accent that gives away his South London roots.

“I’m not a firm believer in being too snotty about these things. I mean, crab cakes are good as sandwiches with slaw and beer.”

Hmm. Now there’s a reason to take home leftovers … if you have any.

26 | midtownmag.com

Visit midtownmag.com for Margaux’s Pamlico crab cakes, garnish and sauce recipes!

ON THE[SCENE] >>>tech

by Dan Bain

photography © kolibree.com

Dental Care Goes Digital Kolibree Announces First Smart Toothbrush Here’s a product that will make you smile, as brushing your teeth has gone high-tech. French-based company Kolibree believes in improving health via connected solutions, and introduced its first product at Consumer Electronics Show 2014 – the world’s first connected electric toothbrush.

Also named Kolibree, the toothbrush connects via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android app, which tracks and analyzes your brushing habits. The mobile dashboard records every brushing and tracks frequency, duration and areas brushed.

The app works with multiple toothbrushes, so each family member can track their dental habits individually, and gives points to kids to encourage improvement.

Users can set goals and check progress, and have the 28 | midtownmag.com

option of sharing data with their dentist and other family members.

Kolibree comes with two brush heads; an ergonomically designed soft-touch handle with a single button, and a small, flat base for wireless induction charging. The unit is water resistant and offers variable speed control and brushing patterns from 400012,500 rpm. A full battery charge can last a week with Bluetooth on, at four brushings a day.

Pre-orders should start on Kickstarter during the second quarter of this year, the app is slated for release in July, and the products should be available in stores in the fourth quarter. Depending on options, the price will be between $99 and $199; please see www.kolibree.com for more info.

ON THE[SCENE] >>>style

by Elie Rossetti-Serraino

french chic IF YOU WANT TO BE CHIC YOU NEED TO BE FRENCH (A BIT) Have you noticed that some of the things that can make you feel young are considered French?

Things that you enjoyed the most in your youth without guilt: • The French Pastries • The French Fries

• The French Kisses • The “Pardon my French” Bad Words

And if I think chic women, the most loved style icons we all adore are French: • Francoise Hardy (pictured top) • Catherine Deneuve (pictured bottom left) • Brigitte Bardot (pictured bottom right) Other All American icons like Grace Kelly eventually ended up pretty much French. And what about Jackie Kennedy who was of French descent, attended among other schools The Sorbonne in Paris and was very much fond of French designers until being the First Lady forced her to stick with American-made outfits?

Last but not least Diana Vreeland, the biggest American fashion editor of all times. She was raised in Paris, France and she stated that every American woman needs to be a bit French to be stylish.

French women in their 30s, 40s or 50s do not need high heels and sexy clothing to be interesting and feel attractive. They easily wear flats with flowy or skinny pants.

They have no idea what boot cut pants are whatsoever. If they wear boots they tuck the pants in, in that way it flatters any body type. Quit now – your short boot cut pants with chunky shoes... that is not French at all.

Ladies in Paris feel attractive and comfortable even with oversized tops, covering the hips. I’ve seen nice lace or silky long tunics or cashmere soft tops over the bottoms.

I’ve never noticed any woman in Paris with too-tight or reveling shirts or pants.

They wear maybe one (only) bright or big accessory without being too perfect or putting too much effort in matching shoes with the bag.

And people in France (I must say Italians too) forgive more 30 | midtownmag.com

getting old than being out of shape. Definitely it is a big deal to be out of style.

They are not afraid to look like teenagers in some occasions with some cute millinery elements on clothing, wearing sparkly jewelry or some bows here and there.

If I ever get a compliment by anybody about a piece of wardrobe or accessory I’m wearing, the one I appreciate the most are the ones I get from girls in their teens – because let’s face it, for that demographic when you are past 27 years old you may be the most un-cool person on earth, so it is like earning one half coolness point back in your life.

Here is the basic plan to go French Chic: • A bow anywhere (in the hair, on jewelry or on clothing) • A striped shirt • Ankle cropped slim pants • Two-tone ballerina flats • Lace up shoes (in Italy they are rightly called le Francesine: the little French shoes) With any of these items you are allowed to roam around the town with a bread baguette stuck under your arm and Voilà You are ready to feel young and chic!

ON THE[SCENE] >>>arts

by Christa Gala

Kenneth Neilsen, owner of Cary Pottery, makes hundreds of pieces a month for his downtown studio and gallery.

Behind the wheel When turning pots is a full-time job.

When master potter Kenneth Neilsen needs inventory for his pottery studio and gallery in downtown Cary, there’s only one thing to do: get behind the wheel.

The potter’s wheel, that is. Neilsen makes between 100 and 200 pieces each month at Cary Pottery, his fourroom 1920s cottage studio on Dry Street.

Neilsen, a 1982 Cary High School graduate, has been making pottery since he was a teenager.

“My neighbor had a kiln and a kickwheel, and I went and tried it and made a pot,” Neilsen says. “It just came naturally to me.”

For many years, Neilsen worked at DK Clay Pottery on US 1 in Sanford. “It evolved into a very large pottery shop, and I started feeling like I was spending all my time keeping things running; I wanted to actually make the pots instead of doing the management.”

So Neilsen walked away and headed back to his hometown. He opened Cary Pottery in May of 2012; all of the work is done at the cottage. “I actually make everything in the house, in the studio here, and then it goes into the kiln building out back to be fired and glazed.”

Cary Pottery’s first holiday season yielded impressive sales, and now Neilsen is working day and night to restock.

“Right now, it’s taking most of my time just to keep the gallery full,” Neilsen says. “I’ll turn pots for two weeks, and then I’ll stop and finish what I turned, and then I’ll start the cycle over again. ”

Neilsen says his wide, flat bowls are his biggest sellers as well as mugs; he’s adding lamps and other home accessories.

All ceramics from Cary Pottery are both microwave and dishwasher safe, which surprises most people, he says.

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A lot of pottery is made from red clay, says Neilsen. The iron particles in the clay heat up in the microwave and it’s a problem. Neilsen produces white stoneware, which isn’t made of red clay. “The white stoneware we’re using has low iron in it, so that helps it to be microwave safe.”

Why turn pots for all these years? Why not try something else?

“You take a piece of clay and turn it into a nice bowl or vase, and you know that piece you just created will be around for the next 10,000 years,” says Neilsen. “Pottery lasts virtually forever. It’s timeless.”

Neilsen’s pottery ranges in price from $7 to $250. A mug costs about $14, whereas a large bowl costs between $60 and $85.

One surprise seller these past few months: yarn bowls (pictured left). “I had never heard of a yarn bowl before, and I’ve had at least a half dozen people come in and request one. It keeps the yarn ball in place for knitters.”

Neilsen is excited by how much foot traffic he’s gotten in his location.

“This part of Cary, I feel like we got in on the ground floor; the town is renovating and doing the streetscape project. It’s an artsy community that’s starting to grow,” Neilsen says.

For more information, visit: facebook. com/CaryPottery.

ON THE[SCENE] >>>sports

by Dave Droschak

photograph © of NC State Athletics

NC State pitcher Carlos Rodon shows off his powerful delivery.

Blowing Smoke NC State Lefty Carlos Rodon Projected to be Baseball’s Top Pick Major League Baseball scouts make a living projecting talent. After two seasons of watching North Carolina State starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, they’ve all put away their radar guns and pencils for 2014.

No need to waste any more time judging the merits of the junior lefthander, whose baseball heritage dates back to his great grandfather in Cuba.

Rodon has hit 101 mph with his violent delivery and Mack Truck thighs, his 6-foot-2, 234-pound frame a menacing reminder to hitters that they’re at a disadvantage facing a hurler projected in baseball circles to be the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft this June.

“It’s a power mix – a fastball up to 9798 mph and a hard, hard slider – so he 34 | midtownmag.com

comes right at you and he challenges hitters, and with the stuff he has, why wouldn’t you?” one high-level major league scout said of Rodon. “I saw him as a freshmen and his stuff was the same as it is now. It was just wow.

“He has a mature body. You don’t have to project on anything. If you told me he will move very quickly through the minor leagues and get up to the big leagues in a hurry, I would not be shocked. His stuff is that much better than everybody else’s right now.”

Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent tells a funny story about one of his trips to the mound to see his star pitcher during a rare jam.

“I was trying to take him out and he said, ‘Coach, have you seen my legs? I’m not like the rest of those

pitchers you’ve got. I can throw more pitches than they can,”’ said Avent, who also coached Super Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson on the baseball diamond at NC State.

“If I asked you to name the three names synonymous with North Carolina State University sports over the last 20 years people are going to say Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson and Carlos Rodon. And if one of those guys is going to go by one handle like Madonna, it’s going to be Carlos.

That’s all you have to say around campus is Carlos and everyone knows who you are talking about.”

Rodon, who won a 4-A state title his senior year at Holly Springs High School, approached 200 strikeouts with the Wolfpack last season, and starred again in his second summer stint with the USA Baseball team, an experience that has taken him to places such as Amsterdam and Cuba, where his father lived while he migrated to the United States as a five-year-old child.

“It was sort of surreal playing in Cuba,” Rodon said.

“If you know Carlos’ heritage, he’s easy to figure out,” added Avent.

“He’s tough, he’s competitive; he thinks he’s better than everybody else yet he’s the nicest guy in the world.”

“Expectations can hurt you or help you, but I am ready to make it back to Omaha,” said Rodon, noting the Wolfpack’s first trip to the College World Series since 1968. “When you are in high school you really live day to day. You are just looking at what you’re going to eat for breakfast or the next movie you’re going to see on a Friday night, or whether we’re playing Middle Creek or Fuquay-Varina.

That’s the way I remember it. I never thought I would be in this position.”

If Rodon is taken No. 1 overall, he’ll be the second Triangle product in the last 15 years to do so, following in the footsteps of Athens Drive High School’s Josh Hamilton, selected atop the draft in 1999 by the Tampa Bay Rays.

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reviews

need for speed

Starring: Aaron Paul, Chillie Mo, Dominic Cooper Rated: PG-13 Opens: 3/14/2014 Plot: Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind.

His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins.

RIO 2 Starring: Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Jesse Eisenberg Rated: G Opens: 4/11/2014 Plot: Blu (voice of Jesse Eisenberg) and his family take flight for the Amazon after Jewel (voice of Anne Hathaway) decides their children should explore the world.

Meanwhile, the overprotective father grows concerned that his family will leave him once they’ve experienced life in the wild.

Tracy Morgan, Jamie Foxx, will.i.am, George Lopez and Leslie Mann reprise their roles in this sequel from director Carlos Saldanha and producers John C. Donkin and Bruce Anderson – the creative trio behind the original 2011 hit.

Noah

Starring: Russell Crowe, Emma Watson Rated: Not Yet Rated Opens: 3/28/2014 Plot: Academy Award winner Russell Crowe stars as Noah, a man chosen by God for a great task. Noah suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood that will destroy the world.

*Opening dates and ratings are subject to change.

36 | midtownmag.com

Muppets Most Wanted

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey Rated: PG Opens: 3/21/2014 Plot: While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewelheist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog lookalike and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed

by Ricky Gervais.

The Other Woman

Starring: Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton Rated: Not Yet Rated Opens: 4/25/2014 Plot: A woman discovers that the man she’s been dating is married, and teams up with his wife to teach him a lesson. Things really get interesting when they discover he’s been cheating on both of them with a third woman.

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reviews

Out Among The Stars (Johnny Cash) Release Date: 3/25/2014 Ten years after the legendary singer’s death, Cash’s estate has decided to release his “lost” album, which they say has never been heard before. The album was recorded between 1981 and 1984, but was never released and subsequently disappeared after the singer was dropped from his label. During the archiving of Cash’s estate, it was revealed that his wife had kept the tapes. They had an archive that had everything in it, from the original audio tapes from The Johnny Cash Show to random things like a camel saddle, a gift from the prince of Saudi Arabia.

Stereolithic (311) Release Date: 3/11/2014 In anticipation of their eleventh album, Stereolithic, frontman Nick Hexum described it saying, “It feels less conservative to me, the album takes some left turns and will at times explore some weird sounds. But as always, there’s a lot of riffs and really good high energy stuff that’s going to be great for the live setting.”

Supermodel (Foster the People) Release Date: 3/18/2014 Supermodel is the upcoming second studio album

by American indie pop band Foster The People. The band’s second album follows their debut Torches, which was released in 2011. The new album is said be more “evolved” and inspired by The Clash, The Kinks, West African music and even David Bowie.

Happiness Is (Taking Back Sunday) Release Date: 3/18/2014 Their sixth album, Happiness Is, is due out March 18th.

With the spirit of resilience and innovation dripping all over the band’s release, the album addresses some heady concepts, but it simultaneously showcases a new musical and conceptual leap for this band of mainstream misfits that’s sure to endear them to fans both new and old. *Release dates are subject to change.

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Hard Boiled Soft Boiled (Odonis Odonis) Release Date: 4/15/2014 Toronto’s Odonis Odonis long-in-the-works Hard Boiled Soft Boiled will be out on April 15th through Buzz Records. Interestingly, the album is broken into two distinct halves. The opening Hard Boiled side is “a strict machine of industrial proportions and clamour.”

As for the subsequent Soft Boiled side, it’s said to be “a warmer affair awash with dreamy, truly affecting melodies.”

midtownmag.com | 33

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reviews

BY david eddleman, Wine Manager – Total Wine & More

Boulevard Pop-Up Session IPA

Foothills Brewing

Boulevard Brewing Company

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

New Belgium Snapshot

Anchor Bock Beer

New Belgium Brewing Company

Anchor Brewing Company

best served in:

77 LIGHTEST to DARKEST

77

Foothills Torch Pilsner

5.3% abv

4.2% abv

6.6% abv

9.2% abv

5.5% abv

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Kansas City, Missouri

Chico, California

Fort Collins, Colorado

San Francisco, California

Clear golden-yellow color. Aromas of grassy Noble Hops (Hallertau and Saaz) and pale Pilsner malt. The bready malt provides a balanced flavor with the hops. Crisp on the palate and highly drinkable.

$1.79/bottle 40 | midtownmag.com

Here’s “sessionable” IPA (you can drink more than one in a single ocassion) at 4.2% ABV that won’t short-change you on flavor. Mosaic, Cascade, Amarillo, Citra, and Centennial hops to shine with bright, fruity, citrus notes and deliver 41 IBUs.

$2.29/bottle

Gold Medal 2012 World Beer Cup. Pours a deep copper color with a nice, sharp aroma of citrus and rye. Brewed with rustic grain for refined flavors, combining the spice of rye and the citrusy flavors of whole-cone hops to create complexity.

Seasonal release.

$1.99/bottle

American Wild Ale. A unique blend of a base wheat beer – an unfiltered wheat made with Cascade hops, coriander and grains of paradise – with a Lactobacillusfermented version, offering malty smoothness and a refreshing, tart snap at the finish.

$1.99/bottle

San Francisco’s Anchor Bock Beer is virtually handmade by the brewers of Anchor Steam® Beer, in one of the most traditional small breweries in the world. It is brewed from a complex blend of the finest barley malts, wheat malts, and fresh whole hops.

Seasonal release.

$1.79/bottle

midtownmag.com | 35

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reviews

BY david eddleman, Wine Manager – Total Wine & More

D’Autrefois Rosé de Pinot Noir

Caleo Nero d’Avola Terre Siciliane

Finca Nueva Rioja Blanco

Sonoma Cuvee Chardonnay Sonoma County

Berberana Gran Tradicion Brut Rose Cava

Sonoma, California

St. Sadurni de Anoia, Spain

$9.99/bottle

90 best served in:

Int’l Wine Cellar

Pays d’Oc, France

Sicilia, Italy

Rioja, Spain

This delightful dry Rosé is filled with fresh strawberry and cherry aromas.

A pleasant acidity balances the fruity palate. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, it should be served chilled with mild cheeses, salmon and cold appetizers.

Crisp, Cherry, Strawberry, Medium-bodied

This medium-bodied wine features black cherry and raspberry fruit in an easy-drinking style. Made from 100% Nero d’Avola grapes, the wine also offers some hints of Mediterranean herbs.

Try it with lasagna or veal.

Fresh, Black Cherry, Raspberry, Mediumbodied

Vibrant and precise on the nose and in the mouth, offering an array of citrus and orchard fruit qualities and a touch of vanilla. Finishes juicy and firm, with a refreshing bitterness and very good, smoky length.

Elegant, Citrus, Vanilla, Medium-bodied

Aromas of lime, luscious mango, and pineapple. There are flavors of honeydew melon, apricots and stone fruit, touched with hints of lightly toasted bread for a rich mouthfeel. The finish has a lovely texture and exceptional balance.

Elegant, Tropical, Melon, Medium-bodied

$11.99/bottle

$8.99/bottle

$15.99/bottle

$12.99/bottle

42 | midtownmag.com

Cool, elegant pink color. Full and intense mousse, fruity, clean aroma.

Complex, long-lasting flavor. Delicious with appetizers, soups and fish. A pleasant accompaniment to hors d’oeuvers.

Dry, Raspberry, Floral, Medium-bodied

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reviews

Threes! • $1.99

Sunrise Calendar • Free

Threes is a tiny puzzle that grows on you. Explore the game’s deep challenge and grow your mind beyond imagination.

Experience endless challenges from one simple game mode with an endearing cast of characters and a heart-warming soundtrack. Threes is a complete experience the moment you download it. It is also optimized for iOS7.

Iconical • $1.99

Easily customize your home screen with your own icons, or create useful shortcut icons that perform some of your commonly used actions. Do you want a faster way to make a call without having to find a contact?

There’s nothing faster than a contact call icon on your home screen. Create a home screen icon that will open Skype and call that person automatically.

The possibilities are endless!

Cycloramic • $1.99

A revolutionary new way to take panoramic photos and videos, HANDSFREE! Just hit GO and your phone automatically rotates 360 degrees while taking multiple pictures, instantaneously stitches them, generates the panoramic photo and finally opens the panorama and immerses you in our 3D viewer.

Integration with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email, text, and camera roll export.

Simply stunning!

snapguide • Free

Snapguide is a simple, beautiful way to share and view step-bystep how-to guides. Discover new things to cook, build, wear, play and more. Create your own guides and share what you love making with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and more. Discuss your interests with other people who share your passions.

Horizon • $1.99

Horizon lets you record horizontal videos no matter how you hold your device. Hold it upright, sideways or even keep rotating it while capturing, the video will always stay horizontal! You can add filters and shoot with the back or front camera! Bring an end to the “vertical videos syndrome”. Yes, you can now record horizontal videos while holding your device in portrait mode!

wikitude • Free

Voted “Best Augmented Reality Browser” for the past four years in a row. Wikitude is your “third eye” and allows you to see things you wouldn’t normally see. By using the camera, simply hold up your smartphone and engage with your immediate surroundings. Get information on places, find restaurants, discover people and even play games – all through Wikitude’s field of vision.

dark sky • $3.99

Dark Sky can tell you at a glance exactly when it will rain (or snow) up to an hour in advance.

Using GPS, Dark Sky is able to create forecasts for your precise location, giving you minute-tominute predictions for the next hour and detailed forecasts for the next day and week.

*Prices are subject to change.

44 | midtownmag.com

Sunrise is a free calendar app made for Google Calendar users. Designed with love, Sunrise is a new experience that will make your life easier. Reminders, timezone support (no more headache when traveling), Facebook events and birthdays are even included.

See faces and profiles of people you are meeting with using LinkedIn, check the weather forecast based on your location and so much more.

midtownmag.com| 41

askelie

Elie

For all your answers on things fashion, style and trends

Costumista & Wardrobe Style arbiter

Q

Dear Elie, I have a Carolinas fashion question for you. I relocated here from Florida and I have to go to a charity event this spring. Do I have to wear nylons? Also any thoughts on dresses, colors or prints appropriate for North Carolina spring weather?

Amy, Charlotte, NC

Amy, after years of designers showing winter outfits without any hosiery, Prada is showing fun color stockings for this spring and summer.

I always find the cutest colors and lace design tights

by Donna Karan DKNY at Nordstrom or Macy’s. You can have fun with it and if it is a relatively cold day, pair the fun stockings with a black or grey dress. Alternatively you can opt for fishnets in bright colors. More versatile are the nude fishnets: they are a classic and you can wear them with sling backs or peep toes (but steer away from strappy

sandals). Ideas for dresses: The LBD (little black dress) is always in fashion, or a sleek dark suit with fancy jewelry. If it will be warm that day go with a floral print or pink (these prints and colors will be a summer hit).

attention by fashion enthusiasts since the 80s. Designers brought them back in multi-colors and funny designs.

This is most likely because lately the pants got shorter and the colors of the current fashion taste are brighter and more vibrant. I really like the look of fun socks, and the more conservative and classic the rest of the outfit is, the more fashionable the look will end up. My favorite combination is blue or charcoal grey pants with red socks (solid or print) and tan pants with orange socks.

FollowElie Dear Elie, How do you feel about fun, funky, colorful socks with business suits?

Paul, Hilton Head Island, SC Socks for men have not had so much

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Instagram: EliePhotoStylist Facebook: ArbiterElieGantiarum Twitter: @EliePhotoStyle Vine: Elie Rossetti Serraino Blog: ArbiterEliegantiarum.typepad.com Submit your question info@eliephotostylist.com

Dear Elie, I’m attending a destination wedding and the ceremony will be on a beach. I was thinking of wearing a white linen dress, but isn’t there a rule about nobody wearing white besides the bride? What are the right colors for a wedding in the Caribbean?

Anonymous, Raleigh, NC My favorite attire for an island beach casual wedding in the daylight is a white or beige linen dress with an elegant straw hat and natural leather sandals. It is a very classic and comfortable option for hot weather.

It is true that at traditional weddings guests should refrain from wearing white, but usually outdoor beach ceremonies are more relaxed in terms of wardrobe etiquette. And, chances are the bride won’t wear the traditional white wedding dress anyway. If you really want to wear a light color linen dress try to wear an off-white, beige, pastel pink or baby blue. If you want to stick with a white dress, wear it with a bright light silk scarf or a big bright colored necklace.

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bain’s beat I wasn’t disappointed. Hope you won’t be, either: DB: Let’s start with the basics – what is your title?

JR: I’m senior editor at MAD Magazine, but do not be impressed.

DB: What can we look forward to from you at Write Now! in May? JR: I don’t know how to give you a preview, because I really don’t know what I’m doing.

[Laughs uproariously.] One of the reasons I’m coming down there is to talk to writers, and I don’t want to come off as though I know what I’m talking about, because that would be very foolish.

DB: Can you promise us some laughs?

JR: I believe I can do that, but if I really want to honor my title being senior editor at MAD, I should answer that question by saying, “Absolutely not. I’m probably going to be dreadful.” It’s a tricky thing talking to writers, and the last thing I want to do is to come off as some know-it-all. I don’t know what I’m doing, really, I kinda stumble along. And even though I feel incompetent, I’ve managed to keep working somehow.

Interview with a MAD Man aka Guy vs. Guy

J

by Dan bain, Madtown Columnist, danbain07@gmail.com

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oe Raiola is not like most major magazine editors; that much became evident when I tried to call him and reached his voicemail. “Hi, this is Joe Raiola,” said a woman’s sultry voice. “I’m confused and troubled and I need your help. So please leave a message and maybe I’ll snap out of it.” Yep, this interview was going to be fun.

A 29-year member of MAD Magazine’s “usual gang of idiots,” Raiola will be the keynote speaker at Write Now!, the May 3rd Triangle Area Freelancers Writers Conference (see related story in this issue). He is also planning to perform his one-man comedy show of 21 years, The Joy of Censorship, in Durham, Charlotte, and other North Carolina cities while he’s in the area.

This man knows humor writing, and I was excited about the opportunity to chat with him about it.

Once I got past his voicemail and had him on the line,

DB: Have you always known that you had this propensity for humor?

JR: In sixth grade, I went to PS 36 in Staten Island. We had a book where we put down what we wanted to be when we grew up, and most boys put astronaut, racecar driver, you know, that kind of stuff. I put down comedian. So I knew, because that’s what I enjoyed doing mostly back in those days, was eating pencils and sticking quarters up my nose, and I thought, Wow, this would be a good way to make a living. You know, it certainly beats having a real job. I’m not qualified for anything, by the way, other than comedy. I have no other skills, really.

No one would hire me.

DB: I’ve often thought most companies need to create a position called “chief morale officer” – that person’s only job would be to keep the rest of the company entertained, sorta like the court jester of old.

JR: I have a personal rule about jobs – if I can’t work in a place where I can cluck like a chicken when I walk into the lobby, I’m not interested in working there.

DB: Do you do that every day at MAD? JR: For a while I did. You know, I can do it; that’s for sure. But I did it for years, and after three to four years, the clucking got a little tiresome and I moved on to something

else. There’s always something – the show begins the moment I walk in the lobby door. It begins nowadays with different running bits, but the main focus revolves around the phrase, “It’s an outrage!” I’ll usually start with that and I’ll rant about something for half a minute or a minute or until the security guards in the lobby ask me to move along. The thing about it is, it’s great doing comedy for the security guards because they’re a captive audience; they can’t leave. It’s their job; they have to stay there, and since I work for a company that is renting space in the building, they have to show me a certain amount of tolerance.

So they’re a good audience.

DB: How are your duties different as an editor from what they were as a writer?

JR: I’m expected to be much sillier than I was when I started. [Pauses.] They are very different, but in a way, it’s all the same; it’s just a continuum. Here’s the deal at MAD: If you mature, you get fired. In order to stay on staff here, you have to refuse to grow up in some fundamental way.

DB: What’s a typical day like?

JR: This is a comedy sweatshop. I sometimes have to be in the office as early as 10:00 in the morning, and as soon as I arrive, I have to make fun of people. It’s tremendous pressure, and there are so many people to make fun of, I’m not sure where to start. And then I frequently spend the entire morning arguing with other editors over who to make fun of on that particular day.

And then we argue over how to make fun of them. I do extremely difficult work under terrible conditions! It’s hard to imagine anything worse.

DB: Well, God bless you, and I’m sorry you have to live that way.

JR: Sometimes we argue all morning and before you know it, it’s time for lunch. And then, we have to come back and pick up the argument later.

[Pauses.] Look, basically what we do here is make fun of people – starting with ourselves.

shouldn’t read it? What kind of question is that?

DB: You understand, I’m asking not for my own sake, but for the few doubters.

JR: MAD has always had tremendously broad appeal because it’s always had legions of young readers; that’s always been true. But a third of our readers are over 30. MAD’s appeal is, I think, that it’s retained its adolescent roots in terms of its style and humor, but it’s also very smart. Really sharp political satire – some of the best political satire in the country is coming out of MAD still. There’s a lot of variety in MAD, and that’s why it’s still around after over 50 years.

DB: Do you feel there’s a stigma about it?

JR: No! Nooo. A stigma…what do you mean by “stigma”?

DB: Faux intellectuals who might make fun of those of us who enjoy MAD. JR: Well, smart people like MAD – even though the MAD voice is that we’re idiots and that the quality of the magazine is low and only a moron would read MAD. When you get right down to it, there are only two kinds of jokes in the world – one joke is, look at me, I’m an idiot; and the other joke is, look at you, you’re an idiot. And those are basically the two jokes. MAD’s humor was always the self-deprecating humor – that MAD was cheap, MAD was poor quality, and our readers had low standards, and that was always the MAD voice. And it’s still the MAD voice to a large degree, although if you look at MAD over the years, I think you’ll see that MAD has evolved and now has more of that look at you, you’re an idiot voice. That’s reflected in the celebrity stuff we do, and in the political stuff too.

DB: Do you write with a target audience in mind?

JR: Ourselves. That’s always been true; we try to make each other laugh. And if we’re laughing at something, we’re foolish enough to believe that someone else will think it’s funny, too.

DB: Tough life, huh?

JR: It is, and very few people understand just how difficult we all have it at MAD.

DB: How do you know when something is funny?

JR: [Pauses.] Well…because we’re… laughing.

DB: Who should read MAD Magazine?

JR: Uh, everybody. Everybody! Who

DB: Yep, I guess you’re right. Look at me, I’m an idiot…. midtownmag.com| 49

chef mario

Which Came First?

The long-time debate over which came first is finally answered…who cares! They are both delicious! These recipes make the best uses of both the “before” (the egg) and “after” (the chicken)!

recipes chef mario copy darcy brennan-huante Photography april maness photography 50 | midtownmag.com

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The “Before and After Sandwich” Blackened Chicken & Sunny Side Up Egg Serves 6 Ingredients 3 8oz chicken breasts 2 cups Arugula 1 Small red onion, sliced 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced Oil

Garlic mayonnaise (recipe below)

Super spice (recipe below) or your favorite

Cajun spice mix

Your favorite sandwich bread Directions To blacken the chicken: Trim the fat from the chicken breasts and sprinkle with super spice or your favorite cajun spice mix. Sear spicecoated chicken in a sauce pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute on each side. Place chicken breast in a preheated 350 degree oven and cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Let chicken rest, then slice.

Super Spice Blend Great for everything from chicken and steak to seafood!

Makes 2 1/2 cups Ingredients 8 Tbsp Chili powder 8 Tbsp Paprika 4 Tbsp Ground coriander 4 Tbsp Garlic powder 4 Tbsp Kosher salt 8 tsp Cumin (ground) 1 tsp Cayenne pepper 4 tsp Crushed red pepper 4 tsp Black pepper 4 tsp Diced oregano Directions Mix well.

Garlic Mayonnaise Makes approximately 2 ¼ cups Ingredients ¼ cup Minced garlic ¼ cup Minced shallots ¼ cup Oil 2 cups Mayonnaise 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste Directions Sauté garlic and shallots in oil until only lightly brown. Combine mayonnaise and Dijon mustard and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To build your sandwich Lay out your bread slices and top with garlic mayonnaise, arugula, tomato slices and red onion. Add sliced chicken and top with the sunny side up egg. Finish with the other side of bread. midtownmag.com | 51

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Chicken Salad Stuffed “Baby Chick” Eggs saint jacques_ma.pdf

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Makes approximately 24 pieces Ingredients 1 quart Loosely packed pulled chicken ½ cup Roughly chopped toasted pecans 1 cup Red seedless grapes, halved ¾ cup Real mayonnaise ½ cup Celery, finely chopped ½ Tbsp Dried tarragon

Salt and pepper to taste Directions Mix with a large spoon. Don’t over mix.

Ingredients 12 Hard boiled eggs

Garnish for eggs (capers, yellow peppers, celery, etc.)

Directions To Hard Boil your Eggs Place 24 eggs in room temperature water. Let sit for 15 minutes. Add 1 tsp baking soda. Bring to a boil on high (this will take about 12-15 minutes). Once boiling, turn off heat and cover. Let sit for 11 minutes. Rinse under cold water and peel.

To Assemble Cut each hard-boiled egg in half and remove the yolk. Cut a small slice off the bottom of each half so the eggs will sit up without rolling. Stuff each egg half with a spoonful of chicken salad. Garnish as desired to make your baby chicks!

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Whole Roasted Chicken Ingredients: 1 Brined chicken (see brine recipe on next page) Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper 1 Large bunch fresh thyme 1 Lemon, halved 1 Head garlic, cut in half crosswise 2 Tbsp (Âź stick) butter, melted 1 Large yellow onion, thickly sliced 4 Carrots cut into 2-inch chunks Olive oil Directions Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with one half of the thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Place the onions and carrots

in a roasting pan. Add the other half of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes to let rest. Serve chicken with the vegetables.

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Corn and Chicken Cakes with a Quail Egg and Red Sauce over Seared Zucchini Makes 12 cakes Ingredients 1 lb Pulled Chicken 2 cups Corn 1 cup White onion, small, diced 2 cup Peppers, diced 1 cup Celery, small, diced 1 cup Mayonnaise 2 Tbsp Dijon 2 Tbsp Frank’s Red Hot 1 Egg 1 ½ Sleeves Saltine crackers,

placed in food processor

until fine powder 1 Sleeve Saltine crackers, also

in food processor, to coat

Salt and Pepper

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Directions Heat one stick of butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté vegetables until they become soft. Cool in a large bowl. Add chicken meat, vegetables, mayonnaise, Dijon, Frank’s Red Hot, eggs, cracker crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well. Have the rest of the cracker crumbs ready to go. Scoop cakes onto a lined sheet pan. Dredge each cake in cracker crumbs, then push chicken mixture into a medium ring mold. Continue until all chicken cakes are done. On a hot griddle using olive oil, sear each cake on both sides until golden and crisp.

Seared Zucchini Serves 6 Ingredients 2 Medium zucchinis, sliced ¼" thick 2 Tbsp Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions Toss zucchini with olive oil and salt and pepper. Sear in a hot pan, 30 seconds on each side.

Serve immediately.

Red Sauce Makes approximately 3 cups

Quail Egg (Sunny Side Up) Makes 12 quail eggs

Ingredients 4 cups Chicken stock 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp Hot sauce 2 tsp Garlic, fresh minced ½ cup Red wine ¼ cup Tomato paste 1 Tbsp Super spice

Ingredients 12 Quail eggs Vegetable oil

Directions Mix together chicken stock, worcestershire, hot sauce, garlic, wine, tomato paste and super spice. Pour into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Cook until sauce becomes thick, about 10 minutes.

Directions To open the quail eggs, run a sharp paring knife along the top (cracking on bowl or other surface could cause damage). Once open, pour into a small bowl. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan. When pan is hot, begin adding quail eggs and fry until yolks have barely just set but are still runny, about 3 minutes.

Simple Chicken Brine Makes 6 servings Ingredients 1 gallon Warm water ¾ cup Kosher salt ²⁄³ cup Sugar ¾ cup Soy sauce ¼ cup Olive oil Directions Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature. To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking.

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photography © stacy cathey

diy workshop

Better Letters

By Christa Gala and Stacy Cathey

M

onograms started trending big in 2006 and, frankly, are still holding steady in 2014. We love letters – particularly when they can be customized and repurposed. This is a fun and easy project that actually yields two crafts; you can repurpose each for gifts or other projects.

We’re fond of the letter “C” (for Christa and Cathey), a good reminder your letter can represent a first or last name. We bought our wood letter at Black Lion in Charlotte for $20, but you can pick up letters for much less at craft stores like Michael’s or A.C. Moore, and you can also pay much more.

Buy what you like.

Our “C” started out black, but we wanted it to pop against the front door so we painted it white and distressed our letter after letting it dry. Then, to add a little age, which we find charming, we applied a coat of polyurethane stain in a dark chocolate, wiping it off immediately with paper towels. You can skip this step if you like the original finish.

For the flowers, we picked two fabrics that reminded us of spring: a pink gingham check and a vintage floral. Start with a yard of fabric, about two to three inches wide. Then, starting with one end, simply twist and twirl the fabric and begin rolling it into the shape of a circle. As you roll the twisted strand, glue frequently as you go to secure your flower (pictured right).

Continue twisting, rolling and gluing until the flower is the size you want. To further secure the flower, cut out a circle of fabric that’s just a bit smaller than the flower face and glue it to the back

You’ll need: • One letter • Paint/polyurethane stain (optional) • Fabric • Scissors • Glue gun of the flower. So easy! You can also cut out “leaves” from the fabric and glue those to the backing.

Create as many flowers as you want in different shapes and sizes.

We glued our flowers together in a “mass” and then glued them to our letter, making a cheerful springtime decoration for the front door.

Glue the flowers to picture frames, lamp shades or barrettes.

We tried sewing a ponytail holder to one and that proved difficult, so stick with the glue gun. These flowers can be used for just about anything; experiment with fabric remnants you love that might be too expensive to use in large pieces.

For the letter, consider repurposing that in a holiday wreath embellished with festive picks and sprays. Just make sure your wreath is big enough to accommodate your letter.

>> Send us your DIY ideas! Email us at diamonds@midtownmag.com.

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raising thebar

Youweask

Q

ANSWER

My fiancé and I are calling off the engagement, who gets to keep the ring?

Anonymous, Raleigh, NC

In some states, an engagement ring is considered a conditional gift given in contemplation of marriage. If the engagement is called off, then the “giver” is entitled to its return because it was conditioned on the marriage occurring. If the betrothed actually marry, then the ring becomes the separate property of the recipient. Other states hold that the party who breaks the engagement is not entitled to the ring. The idea is that the person who “breached the contract to marry” is not entitled to benefit from the breach. In NC, however, the ring is simply a gift that instantly becomes the property of the recipient. The giver is not entitled to its return. ~ Michelle Connell, Chair of CSH Law Family Law Practice Group A bar knowingly served me too many drinks and I got a DUI. Do I have a right to make a civil claim against the bar?

James, Cary, NC It is highly unlikely that you would prevail on any civil claim against the bar because North Carolina follows the civil defense of contributory negligence. Under that defense if a plaintiff (person bringing a civil claim) did not use reasonable care (e.g. drank too much and then decided to drive a car) they are barred from recovery even if the defendant was also at fault. ~ Chip Campbell, Vice-Chair of CSH Law Trucking & Commercial Transportation Practice Group

Have a question?

Let us hear it: raisingthebar@midtownmag.com

now could pay dividends for your career later. In any event, however, you still may be covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act if your company employs at least 50 people and you have worked there for at least a year.

Under the FMLA, your employer must provide you with up to 12 weeks of medical or family leave annually without the threat of losing your job. You may have to provide certain medical documentation, but the company cannot just deny your request. ~ Paul Derrick, Chair of CSH Law Employment Law Practice Group What happens when a couple who has stored genetic material decides to divorce?

>If

the material stored is embryos: Some state courts treat the embryo as an asset or property to be divided by the parties, some state courts have treated the embryo as an unborn child to be considered under state custody laws, and some states have held that embryos are neither property nor persons but rather fall into an interim category. This interim category entitles the embryos to special respect and protection because of their potential to become a life. ~ Michelle Connell, Chair of CSH Law Family Law Practice Group

MeettheCounsel

Stephen, Pinehurst, NC My boss wants me to postpone surgery until I finish a big project.

Can an employer really do that?

Cynthia, Raleigh, NC First, be as flexible as you reasonably can be. The “team player” approach

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>If

the material stored is sperm: Courts have predominantly held that frozen sperm is property to be divided as if it were any other asset in the marriage. As a general rule, courts have distributed frozen sperm to the husband.

Michelle Connell

Family and Appellate Law

Paul Derrick

Employment Law

Chip Campbell Vivil Litigation

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

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scare yourself

My Month of Yoga But I really want to go back…

By Christa Gala

F

or years I wanted to try yoga, and I just never got around to it. But this past December after a stressful transition in a new job (teaching – which I love), I thought it might help me deal with the scariness of learning new things, not to mention the tension in my neck and shoulders.

So I signed up for a month of unlimited yoga. I think I expected it to be a lot of deep breathing and stretching and, frankly, not much effort at all. I was hoping it would be like massage.

What I found was that yoga is actually quite a lot of work, and sometimes it hurts. I’m not just saying this; the instructor told me this in one session as she worked with me to find the correct position.

“I don’t think my leg moves like that,” I told her nervously. Next time, I was putting my mat in the back. Hiding.

“Yoga hurts, Christa. That never goes away.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, especially not for me, whose personal motto is, “If it hurts, stop,” followed closely by, “Sometimes good enough is good enough.”

But there were a ton of things I liked about yoga.

The deep breathing is extremely calming; it actually forces your heart rate to slow down and your mind to clear. And I found once I stopped resisting a position and really waited out the discomfort (which was hard sometimes), I could relax into it and feel the stretch.

My favorite pose was “Child’s Pose” because it’s a great lower back stretch, and you’re basically lying on the mat, your rear propped against the back of your heels, not doing much, which is what I initially had in mind.

There was a lot of discussion in class about the “third eye” or the “inner eye,” urging us to visualize this or that. I never did completely figure that out, but I did

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gather it has to do with your unearthly self, your soul, etc.

I really did feel like each class took me to another plane or dimension, as weird as that might sound. And sometimes it felt weird. You have to keep an open mind. It’s the only exercise I’ve ever done that equally addressed body and mind.

The first few classes I spent crashing against walls trying to get my balance but, by the end, dang if I wasn’t doing okay, although I should add these were “beginner” classes. I wasn’t ready for more advanced yoga at the end of the month.

The teachers were excellent, very accepting, patient and helpful. There’s no talking in yoga – at least not with the other participants. You leave the world at the door, so talking during class (and bringing the world back in) is frowned upon.

Finally, my favorite part of yoga is the very end, “Savasana,” a few minutes of resting before the class ends.

It’s actually called the “Corpse Pose” because you lie on your back and often cover yourself with a blanket. You can put blankets or bolsters under your head or knees, too.

Although I wanted the whole class to be like this, it was an amazing surprise to have this restful reflection period at the end of each session.

After Savasana, and before you depart, the instructor says, “Namaste” or “I bow to the divine in you.” And the students repeat it back.

My yoga month is up, but I am seriously considering signing up to be a regular.

Until next month: Namaste.

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26 50 REASONS

TO love THE

TRIANGLE

THE AIRPORT

Can we stop poking fun at RDU, please? Too many times, I’ve heard it called a “small” airport – is that really a problem? Remember, this is an international airport. You can fly non-stop to London’s Heathrow from here any day of the week, and unlike some of the larger airports across the US, you won’t have to arrive three to four hours before take-off to do it. Domestic nonstops include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Denver and Las Vegas. Trust me, you don’t want to have to connect along the way.

When was the last time you walked

27. THE

SECURITY Last year, the FBI ranked Cary as the safest city in the US Yes, the FBI. Who’s gonna argue with them? What’s more, the crime rate across the state declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2012. And while the Triangle has its weak point, as a whole, this region has a comparatively low average crime rate. We have the amenities of life in bigger cities, without all those annoying murders. We’re like light beer.

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the length of Hartsfield-Jackson, in Atlanta, to catch a connecting flight? Or Chicago’s O’Hare? Dallas/ Fort Worth? LAX? LaGuardia? No thanks. No major airport is easy to tackle, but compared to those behemoths, RDU is a cakewalk.

I’ll admit, there are two problem issues that stand out. First, the baggage claim area in Terminal 2 is on the bottom floor, but if you walk out from there and hope to get to your car, you’re out of luck – be sure to park up top, because that’s the only place where you can access the parking deck after

leaving the terminal. Secondly, I’m not a fan of some of the artwork.

Earlier Flight is clever in the way it resembles a flock of geese, but those are suitcases, and when I’m walking into an airport, I don’t really want to see something that looks like luggage falling through the sky. And Triangle Icon, the giant outdoor sculpture near the main parking deck, really has to go. Sleek and angled, pointy and metallic, it looks a little too much like a passenger jet, heading nose down into the ground. Take it away, RDU, and you’ll be a first-class facility.

28. THE hospitals

Duke University. Duke Regional. UNC. WakeMed (pictured). Rex. Half of the ten best hospitals in the state (according to US News and World Report), located right here in the Triangle. Between them, 17 nationally ranked specialties.

Medicine reigns supreme in the Triangle, as does medical education. Let’s face it – if you have to get sick, this is the safest place to do it.

29

50

the companies

REASONS

TO love THE

We do big business here; in fact, some of the larger, scientific companies are the reason for the name “Research Triangle.” Want pharma? Check. High-tech?

Yep. Finance? You bet. From GlaxoSmithKline, to IBM to Fidelity, it’s no wonder we have a growing labor force and shrinking unemployment rate, handily beating the national average. Bayer, Dupont, SAS, Red Hat, Eaton, Cisco, Lenovo, RTI, BASF – the list goes on. If you want to find an employer, we’re one of the best places in the country to do it. But if commercialism isn’t necessarily your thing, there’s also…

30

TRIANGLE TW

the

NONPROFITS Whether you’re looking for a professional association, education/research group, or service organization, you’ll find plenty in the Triangle. If it exists, chances are we have an association for it.

We even have an association for associations (Association Executives of North Carolina) and a nonprofit that funds other nonprofits (Triangle Community Foundation). Our ideals are big, and our hearts are bigger, giving need to a special category within nonprofits…

PART

In our last issu e, we started a list of reason s we feel the Triangle – de fined loosely as the eight counties and nearly two m illion inhabitants in the re gion between Raleigh, Durh am and Chapel Hill – is a great place to live. Afte r listing the first 25, we a sked you, the readers, to he lp us make it an even 50. T hanks for the many suggesti ons and feedback you sent in response; here’s the re sulting list of 25 more th ings to love about the Tria ngle:

O

By Dan Bain midtownmag.com | 63

31 the

CHARITIES

Philanthropy reigns supreme here, and any time you’re feeling generous, you’ll have no trouble finding a Triangle charity worthy of your donation. Raleigh Rescue Mission, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Women Helping Women, United Cerebral Palsy, Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network, Alley Cats and Angels, Goodwill Industries, Meals on Wheels, USO of North Carolina, Triangle Residential Options for Substance

32

Abusers, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (see our story on their Hope Gala in this issue), Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen, Triangle Beagle Rescue, and many, many more. If you can’t find a group worthy and needing of your charitable donation, then you aren’t really interested in giving. Face it, Triangle – our hearts are big and bleeding, and we should be proud of that. We even extend it to…

our love of animals Last September, we published a story about how we as a nation love our animals – along with one of the greatest covers Cary Living has ever printed. (Go, Bigley!) That love is especially tangible in the Triangle, where there’s a rescue group for nearly every conceivable breed, fostering pets is rapidly becoming a trend, it’s not unusual to see ASPCA billboards at the side of the highway, you can find several pet-friendly restaurants and bars, and we have at least 10 parks built and intended for dogs to come and play together. In Raleigh, there’s a 4-to-1 human-to-dog ratio – that means, if you are part of the traditional nuclear family, you probably have a dog in your home. If you don’t, it means the nuclear family next door has two of them. That’s significantly tighter than the 15-to-1 nationwide ratio. We also have horse farms and bird sanctuaries, and we even love the animals we can’t bring into our homes – check out Duke Lemur Center and Carolina Tiger Rescue (in Pittsboro, but close enough to Chapel Hill to be considered in the Triangle) when you have a chance.

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THE

festivals

There’s always some outdoor festival happening somewhere in the Triangle – even during our one or two months of winter. Some of them cross over in content, but essentially, they can be categorized by four subjects:

33

FOOD

Ever hear of a food truck rodeo? It’s a glutton’s gala. Foodvending trucks from across the state line up to dish out their appetizers, entrees and/or desserts to anyone who hasn’t exploded yet. Durham knows how to do one; their Central Park hosts four a year! (It’s worth noting that one is usually on Fathers’ Day; guess they know their clientele.)

Raleigh hosts one across multiple blocks of Fayetteville Street in October. And Chapel Hill held one last October; here’s hoping they’ll bring it back. It’s worth noting that these usually include local craft brews, but let’s be honest – they’re really all about the food. Cary is considering one, but in the meantime, on March 29th, that town is holding a new event called Beer and Bacon Fest. This is one of those that could fit into multiple categories, but I chose to put it under food because bacon wins, every time. No word yet on whether this will be an annual event, but a man can dream.

beer

34

Three words: World Beer Festival. (Times two!) Unlimited tastings of more than 250 of the finest craft and specialty brews in the world, plus … wait, does there really have to be a “plus?” Okay, if you really want to know, they also have seminars, ingredient samples, and food for VIPs. But mostly beer. Look for one festival in Raleigh’s Moore Square in April (specifically this year, on the 5th), and in Durham Athletic Park in October. It’s nice that they give us six months in-between, to sober up. But if you want to try something in-between, look for the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Fest in Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre in August.

Arts & Science

The Town of Cary has sponsored the Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival for 37 years now, and they’re not slowing down. This year’s will be Saturday, August 23rd, from 9am-5pm in Downtown Cary. Expect shows, shopping and sunshine. Durham Arts Council is planning the 39th Annual CenterFest Arts Festival at Durham’s City Center for September 21st-22nd, with 140 artists and craftsmen and 72 performing groups.

In Raleigh, eclectic is the name of the game, with events like BugFest at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and the Annual North Carolina Gourd Festival at the State Fairgrounds, both of which you have to see to believe, in September.

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36 music

Catch as many live acts as possible in a limited amount of time; musical overload is an exhilarating feeling, and you can experience it at the Annual Carrboro Music Festival over a weekend in September, or The Art of Cool Festival in Durham for an April weekend of jazz. For my money, Raleigh has two standouts – Hopscotch in September, and Wide Open in late September/early October. Wide Open Bluegrass Festival goes handin-hand with the International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass convention, which relocated from Nashville to Raleigh for three years, starting in 2013. More than 60 acts perform downtown, across multiple venues, and the City includes a free street festival, to boot. Hopscotch Music Festival is a three-day binge of musical diversity, featuring live performances from roughly 175 artists in multiple genres at multiple downtown venues, plus day parties, cultural seminars and more. It’s been compared to SXSW, and since its inception in 2010, has brought more than 450 bands and 60,000 fans to downtown Raleigh over the course of 12 glorious days. And speaking of music…

37

THE MUSIC SCENE

Where there’s college, there’s music, and with three major universities defining the points of our Triangle, it’s safe to say we will never suffer from a dearth of musical influence.

We talked about Franklin Street in our last issue, but I would be remiss to leave it out of a discussion of this subject.

Besides, that was an analysis of the place, while this pertains to atmosphere. Chapel Hill has midtownmag.com | 65

The Culture

produced some great bands over the years; some of my favorites include Ben Folds Five, Roman Candle, and Spider Bags. The place just cultivates musical talent, and you can catch plenty of acts along its stretch. There are also some great bars that host live music along Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street, Glenwood Avenue and downtown proper. Additionally, Raleigh offers free summer music concerts – Oak City 7 (every other Thursday from May 29th through August 21st at City Plaza) is the “Alive After Five” for this decade, and then you have this magazine’s eponymous Beach Music Series, every other Thursday from mid-April through mid-August at North Hills Commons. Get out and give a listen!

of Art in the last issue, but Raleigh is also home to Artspace, a unique facility that’s much more than a museum. Artspace is an experience as much as a place, a dynamic studio environment where community members can inspire creativity by interacting with the 30 artists working in their studios there. Combining exhibits, creativity and hands-on education, the experience imbues the art with the beholder – and vice versa, in a sense. I know of no other cultural icon where one can observe, study, purchase, and/or create art under the same roof.

Raleigh has a world-class set of them downtown, in Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. There’s the historic Memorial Auditorium, great for plays, concerts, and dance recitals; the intimately sized Fletcher Opera Theater; the pitch-perfect, warmly constructed Meymandi Concert Hall; the experimental Kennedy Theater; and the elegant, outdoor Lichtin Plaza, perfect for festivals and gatherings. There’s also the relatively new Red Hat Amphitheater, well-tied into the flow of downtown. Cary has the folksy-yet-high-tech Koka Booth Amphitheatre; and Durham has the impressively modernist Durham Performing Arts Center (pictured right). No matter what you want to take in, you’ll find a place that’s equally cultured.

39

We might not have Broadway, but we certainly have Broadway shows coming here. Broadway Series South and NC Theatre bring the same great titles, with the same production quality, right to Duke Energy Center. We also have some very fine community theater enterprises in Raleigh Little Theatre and Theatre in the Park, producing high-quality plays from the likes of Shakespeare, with our own neighbors in the starring roles.

Theatre of Durham, home to almost 90 years of history in the gorgeous original auditorium, now the main stage where you’ll find live productions rather than film. Upstairs, you’ll find two cinemas, built in 1992 for the purpose of showing indy and foreign films, and now hosting several film festivals throughout the year.

In Raleigh, there’s the Rialto – another restored historic landmark with all the charm required of an indy film house.

41 Film

Looking for a spot to catch independent and/or foreign films? We have at least three in the Triangle. In Chapel Hill you’ll find the Chelsea Theater, in Timberlyne Shopping Center. The strip mall feel is a bit of a cultural buzzkill, but the cinematic fare is excellent. If you prefer your films with atmosphere, head for the Carolina 66 | midtownmag.com

theater

M-u-s-i-c

Yes, we’ve already discussed music festivals and the music scene, but this is a third use of the m-word. From a cultural standpoint, “music” means “symphony,” and we have at least three terrific ones in the Triangle – Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, and Durham Symphony – as well as plenty of smaller ensembles and youth orchestras.

43

40

ART I wrote about the North Carolina Museum

38. Venues

Comedy

Goodnights Comedy Club opened in downtown Raleigh in 1983, and has been presenting reliable stand-up comedy ever since. Most shows include nationally touring professional comedians, with some nights dedicated to the open mic and allowing local talent the chance to try for their big break in stand-up. Also in downtown Raleigh, ComedyWorx has been delivering family-friendly improvisational comedy shows since 1989. Most of its shows are still improv, with mostly local, club-trained comedians creating hilarious shows on the spot, based on audience suggestions. The club has also dabbled in stand-up and sketch comedy in the past, and offers a late show for mature audiences, corporate training, and the opportunity to hire a private show either onsite or at a remote location. In Carrboro, DSI Comedy Theater also presents a mix of improv, stand-up, and sketch comedy, as it has been doing since the doors opened in 2005. Go forth and laugh!

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44 THE

SCENERY The Triangle is a great-looking area. If you don’t believe me, take a stroll around Duke Gardens some sunny afternoon. Or go visit the Fearrington Village, near Chapel Hill, and take in the rolling, pastoral hills for a day. Or lollygag around Museum Park, behind the North Carolina Museum of Art, with its wooded trails and open fields where nature intersects with breathtakingly huge sculptures and other works of art. Tour the Governor’s Mansion. Take a good look at NC State’s Clock Tower (pictured above), or Kenan Stadium at Carolina, ranked by ESPN Analyst Mel Kiper as the third most scenic college football venue in the US This region is our beautiful little corner of the world – some of which may be due to… midtownmag.com | 67

45

the

the waterways

In North Carolina, we love our water, and even without driving the two short hours to the beach, Triangle denizens do not suffer from a lack of water-based recreation. Take your pick of boating, swimming, water-skiing, fishing, canoeing, tubing, or simply sitting and water-watching, and within just a few miles, you should be able to find a great place to do it. We have Jordan Lake, the Eno River, Shelley Lake, the Neuse River, Falls Lake, Lake Wheeler, Lake Crabtree, and Lake Johnson, just to name a few.

47THE BOOKSTORES

races

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We have numerous races throughout the year, clocking more Ks than most people can count. Try the St. Paddy’s Run Green 8K, with its organizers attempting to set a world record for the number of runners in kilts. Or the Krispy Kreme Challenge, with your belly filled with a dozen glazed

I’ve never found a bookstore I didn’t like, and even though I’ve been lambasted in the past for frequenting the “big box” stores, I definitely appreciate the warm, inviting appeal of an independent bookstore. There are plenty throughout the Triangle, with a standout at each point; go discover one today: Flyleaf Books, in Chapel Hill; The Regulator Bookshop, in Durham; and Quail Ridge Books & Music (pictured right), in Raleigh. For the thrifty among us, I also enjoy Edward McKay Used Books & More, in Raleigh.

donuts. Or the Color Me Rad 5K, where each runner starts with a white tee-shirt, but is purposely bombarded with colored corn starch throughout the course. There are plenty more to be found here, but if I keep listing them, the only running I’ll do, will be out of space….

THE POLITICS The aforementioned Governor’s Mansion, the Legislative Building and the Capitol Building are within a stone’s throw of one another in downtown Raleigh, and Triangle residents are lucky to live so close to the seat of our state government. On any given day, you might catch a state senator on their lunch break, witness a demonstration as it influences public policy, or even bump into the Governor as he’s ferried between meetings. So head down to Jones, Salisbury, Edenton and Wilmington Streets, and keep your eyes open – you might just see our state in action.

49 48 THE FARMERS MARKETS

At the top of this list is the State Farmers Market, near Centennial Parkway in southwest Raleigh. Open year-round and seven days a week, this market offers 30,000 square feet of seasonal produce and plants, plus meats, cheeses, baked goods, wines and artisan crafts. There are plenty of smaller, but equally worthwhile, farmers markets throughout the Triangle, including Western Wake Farmers’ Market, in Morrisville; and Durham Farmers’ Market.

Both operate Saturday mornings year-round.

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50 history the

This area is steeped in history.

Mordecai Historic Park features the birthplace of Andrew Johnson and several other historic buildings, and Raleigh is host to three registered National Historic Landmarks: the State Capitol, Christ Episcopal Church, and the Josephus Daniels House (aka the Masonic Temple). Durham is tied with us, at three: W. T. Blackwell and Company Tobacco Factory (aka the Bull Durham Factory), the Duke Homestead and Tobacco Factory, and the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company Building. Chapel Hill has Old East (the first state university building in the US) and Playmakers Theatre. Some are said to be haunted, while all have fascinating tales to tell – maybe about even more things people have loved about the Triangle through the years….

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And now, I’m sad to say, this article is history, too. Hope you liked it, and agree with our Top 50 Things to Love about the Triangle! midtownmag.com | 69

time to re

Charge

Attention electric vehicle owners! It’s time to trade in any bit of range anxiety for a large dose of range confidence. For North Hills is leading the charge to make sure you have enough juice to travel.

By Illyse Lane

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Just in case you’re not up entertain family and friends, or avail commonplace,” says Jeff Barghout, Vice to speed on “green” lingo, allow me to myself of North Hills’ many amenities President of Transportation Initiatives introduce you to two words – range has really enhanced my quality of life. for Advanced Energy. anxiety. It’s a term that’s been around As a city councilor and General Manager

Once the decision was made to for a while, but has been used more of North Hills, anything that saves me proceed, Advanced Energy walked Kane frequently as the number of people both time and money while protecting Realty through the process; a process purchasing electric vehicles has increased. the environment is greatly appreciated,” that included giving them the ability to Simply put, range anxiety describes a says Bonner Gaylord, who, in addition to understand the opportunities that would fear that your electric vehicle’s battery his role with Kane Realty and the Raleigh be available both immediately and in the may run out before you reach your City Council, drives a Nissan Leaf. future. “The planning wasn’t just a matter destination, which can put quite the

This past summer, two more chargof us coming in and telling North Hills damper on errand running, business ing stations were added, placed in the how to do it. We wanted to give them the lunches, impromptu nights out, and rear of the Target parking lot. There tools so if after the initial installation, they shopping excursions. are also two charging stations located at wanted to expand, they had the know -how,”

Enter North Hills. Being that it just Allister North Hills Apartments and two says Barghout. “We recognized that for happens to be one of the premier desthat will soon be installed in the parking them to have the impact they wanted, it tinations for all of the aforementioned garage at Midtown Green North Hills was better to teach them how to cook activities, it seems only natural that Kane Apartments. Additionally, a level-three rather than give them a meal. They can Realty, the developer behind the shopcharger is coming to the Main District. come to us if they need us, but they also ping area, would take the lead in helping This fast charger, able to fully charge a now know for themselves.” to alleviate this uncomfortable worry. car in 30 minutes, has been funded by Taking Charge “We know there is a market out there of a grant from Advanced Energy, as the In 2012, two level-two electric car chargpeople who are very conscious of the company continues to offer guidance to ing stations – stations that can fully North Hills as they embrace this market environment they live in. We know that charge a car in three to four hours – segment. It’s a market segment that is oftentimes, electric car drivers plan trips were installed in the parking lot located thrilled to be able to count on North based on where chargers are located. We in front of REI. This installation had Hills as a place it can go to recharge. want to make sure we have the things an immediate impact with both visitors

“I have spent many a day at North they need when they come to North and those that work and live in the area.

Hills, shopping and eating while my Hills,” says Patrice Bethea, Kane Realty’s “The ability to charge my car as I handle car filled up,” says David Falk. “As a marketing manager for North Hills. the day-to-day operations of North Hills, matter of fact, I forgot to charge my

And Kane Realty realized early on car last night, so I went exactly what electric car to North Hills today to drivers needed to enhance Electric Car Charging Station Locations: charge and eat.” an outing to North Hills: “The electric charging electric car charging Welcome to North Hills. Feel free to grab a bite, a workout, a movie or a stations at North Hills stations. new pair of shoes while you plug in at any of the following locations: are a great convenience Energy Expertise to drivers and encourMidtown Green North REI parking lot It was nearly four years age a conscious shift in Hills Apartments ago when Kane Realty consumer behavior to parking garage reached out to Advanced more sustainable soluEnergy, a locally based, tions,” says John Replogle. non-profit corporation “North Hills has made that focuses on collaboseveral investments in  rating with businesses to providing amenities and find sustainable energy more eco-conscious  solutions that will have choices over the past few the most impact. years, and I am delighted Together Kane Realty that they have chosen and Advanced Energy to support the switch to  began a workplace chargelectric vehicles!” ing initiative, a process In turn, North Hills is that included evaluating glad to make a difference. the area’s infrastructure, “Once people found out Target parking lot potential obstacles and the that we had these stations,  opportunities that would it changed how they were come with installing elecable to shop and socialize. tric car chargers. “North We have received feedHills wanted to be early back from people who are pioneers, helping advance looking at their day-to-day Allister North Hills these ideas. They didn’t activities differently,” Apartments want to wait till it was says Bethea.

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great SPRING

FLINGS Get in your car and just go...

by Dave Droschak

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Photograph Š Sam Dean

Where can you walk from the sound to the ocean in less than a minute? Or visit more than 200 majestic waterfalls in the same county? Or sip some of the best wines not only on the East Coast, but in the United States?

Or spoil your significant other with cedar cabin lodging with a romantic Blue Ridge Parkway drive?

Well, it’s all right here in North Carolina.

And after a winter we would all like to forget, spring is the perfect time to hop in the car (instead of dealing with airline hassles) and check out some of our selected getaways.

JOLO Winery & Vineyards, opening in April, displays pristine estate-like beauty and a stunning view of Pilot Mountain.

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Wine Country When brothers Ed and Charlie Shelton moved from Charlotte back to Surry County and started Shelton Vineyards 15 years ago, there were just a dozen wineries in North Carolina.

Now that number approaches 120.

“I’ve lost count,” Ed Shelton says.

Located five minutes off of Interstate 77 in Dobson (about a two-hour drive from the Triangle), Shelton Vineyards has grown into the largest privately owned winery in the state and is a mustvisit location when scheduling your trip to the Yadkin Valley region.

An estimated 90,000 visitors took wine tasting sips or tours of the wine operation in 2013.

“It was a hobby that got out of hand,” Shelton jokes about his lack of knowledge of the wine business when he got started.

Now, Shelton Vineyards (www.sheltonvineyards.com) has won over 500 awards, bottles 20,000-25,000 cases of wine a year and has arguably the best Riesling around.

“What we really judge our success on is the product we turn out and how our customers accept it,” Shelton said. “It’s like the Super Bowl commercials; you can have the best commercial, but if you don’t have the product to back it up it does you no good.”

There are more than 30 wineries in this region, and the new kid on the block is JOLO Vineyards, situated in the shadows of Pilot Mountain.

Opening in April, founder JW Ray and his wife moved here from Florida and selected North Carolina over Virginia to begin their wine operation. The winery is named after his two boys, Joey wine and design_ma.pdf 1 2/12/14 1:36 PM and Logan.

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You’ll be glad the Rays choose the Tar Heel state. Ray wasted little time hiring one of the best wine makers in the business to teach him the trade, and recently lured a chef from Napa Valley here to run his 24-seat restaurant.

The décor and views alone are enough of a draw to this location (www.jolovineyards.com) but a strategy to bottle only 2,000 cases a year of “select grapes” should make Ray’s wines, such as Grey Ghost and Happy Endings, a hot commodity in the market.

“We want to replicate a high-end experience here,” Ray said. “We don’t want to be an average, everyday hamand-egger. There are tons of those. We want to create a unique experience unlike anywhere else in North Carolina, if not the East Coast.”

Photographs courtesy Surry County Tourism

Photographs courtesy Sanderling Resort

Sanderling Resort hugs both the Currituck Sound and Atlantic Ocean along the northern Outer Banks.

The Yadkin Valley has quickly turned into the state’s most prestigious wine regions.

From Sea to Sound Situated on the narrowest sliver of land just north of Duck on the northern part of the Outer Banks, Sanderling Resort’s intimate seaside setting is as appealing as its customer service.

Once known as an inn when it opened in 1985, new ownership quickly invested in a multi-million dollar renovation. The award-winning resort now includes two fire pits, two dune-side pools and numerous “perched” locations scattered throughout the property for views of the ocean from Nags Head Hammocks chairs.

“Our guests can feel the ocean, breathe it and watch it

without necessarily getting their feet in the sand all the time,” said Sanderling Resort spokeswoman Wendy Murray.

The resort is cut in half by two-lane Route 12, with a 10-room treatment spa and indoor pool nestled along the Currituck Sound, while the lodging hugs the Atlantic Ocean side and is highlighted by nostalgic Outer Banks architecture of cedar shake sidings aged by the sea and sand.

Once you enter the lobby, service and serenity take over.

“There used to be more of a lodge feel with darker wood, but now it is more of a coastal living, coastal chic look,” Murray said.

Once in your remodeled room, break open your complimentary s’mores kit and roast some marshmallows with fellow guests as cool ocean breezes beckon.

“One of the things the resort wanted to do was to get more of a sense of community,” Murray said. “Instead of everybody just going to dinner and then going to bed we wanted to give people a reason to be out later and enjoy each other’s company. We want it to feel like you were invited into an inn to mingle.”

And then there are the unforgettable views.

“What’s awesome is you can see the sun rise and you can see the sun set, all from the same spot,” Murray said.

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Photograph © Tracy Turpen/Transylvania Tourism

Transylvania County is home to upwards of 250 waterfalls in the southwestern part of the state.

Land of Waterfalls Head to the western part of North Carolina for some awe-inspiring beauty and respite in the heart of the Pisgah National Forest, and in particular Transylvania County, which boasts more than 250 waterfalls. A few have even been featured in the popular movie “The Hunger Games.”

“We have the highest concentration of waterfalls of anywhere in the United States, and maybe the world,” said Lydia Odell, known in these circles as “The Queen of Waterfalls”.

Odell moved here from Virginia 11 years ago and began seeking out area waterfalls. She has personally visited more than 100 and now offers private half-day and full-day custom waterfall tours (www. motionmap.biz).

Transylvania County averages more than 90 inches of rain a year – the most of any county in the state – so the natural beauty is always flowing in these parts. Log on to www.visitwaterfalls.com and carolina vascular_nd.pdf

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click on the waterfalls aerial YouTube video to see what you’re in store for.

Sure, Whitewater Falls along the NC/SC border is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains at a drop of more than 400 feet, and Rainbow Falls, accessible via a hike through Gorges National Park, should be on your bucket list, but Odell has an inventory of “private” unpublished must-sees if you take one of her guided tours.

“Waterfalls can take people to a whole other world, a world of simplicity, a world of naturalism, a complete escape from the everyday rush of life,” Odell said. “The sound is soothing, and you are automatically captivated by how relaxed you can become and how real it all feels. I feel alive by the waterfalls and just completely, completely relaxed.”

It truly is a remarkable location and was dubbed

by Bike Magazine as “America’s Best Secret” with some of the best mountain biking in the country.

Photograph © Surry County Tourism

Cabins at White Sulphur Springs provide a romantic nesting place for North Carolina mountain adventure.

Fountain of Health If you want to get away from it all and still be close enough to civilization, a trip to the Cabins at White Sulphur Springs is the perfect remedy.

The six cabins are located on the 150-acre property that once housed the world-famous White Sulphur Springs Hotel in Surry County, where governors and actresses came for the fancy accommodations as well as the spring water, which by all indications has real healing power.

The hotel is long gone except for a few bricks and foundation relics near the expansive “Front Lawn” and Ararat River that welcomes vacationers before heading up the hill to your accommodations. There are just six one-bedroom cabins, making your lodging experience feel intimate.

The cabins (www.wsscabins.com) are all brand new with king-sized beds and fireplaces. A gas grill on the back deck overlooking a scenic creek is perfect for a surf-andturf dinner and some local wine in a romantic setting.

You are just a stone’s throw from the Virginia border and eight miles away from the Blue Ridge Parkway. In the opposite direction, Mount Airy’s historic downtown is five minutes away.

“When the Industrial Revolution ended in this part of the country we turned to textiles, tobacco and furniture,” said property owner Burke Robertson. “We had a very nice ride with that for a long time until it ended. But we didn’t destroy what we had here – the natural beauty and the environment – and we’re still well located. The railroad got replaced by highways, so in some respect we’re in a better position with travel and the wine industry so close.”

And don’t leave without sampling the water.

“We have a couple from Raleigh who comes to White Sulphur Springs every two weeks to obtain the mineral water,” Robertson said. “We even have some people who bring five-gallon jugs and fill them up while they walk the trail, throw Frisbees or just sit by the river.” midtownmag.com | 77

It’s Exquisite. It’s Exceptional.

It’s Elaine.

By Illyse Lane

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Elaine Miller’s long and exciting career began almost 50 years ago in New York when she was a stay at home mom. Decades later, her business and family have grown.

In a world where exquisite and exceptional can be hard to find, Elaine Miller and her Elaine Miller Collection have stood the test of time. As she prepares for retirement, Midtown Magazine takes a look at this extraordinary lady.

When Elaine Miller speaks about closing the doors to her namesake jewelry boutique, Elaine Miller Collection, she says, “All good things must come to an end.” But the slight inflection of her voice towards the end of the sentence, the subtle sigh she makes after she speaks the last word, makes us wonder if, perhaps, this may not be an ending after all.

Think about it. It seems highly unlikely that Miller, who began her jewelry business over 50 years ago at her kitchen table with boxes of supplies stashed under her feet, would be able to bid a final farewell to jewelry. It seems almost comical to think that Miller, who for decades has thrived with the long hours, who has traveled the world designing, creating, acquiring and selling beautiful pieces of jewelry, would be able to adjust to having a plethora of time on her hands. It also seems nearly impossible to think that Miller could ignore her welltrained eye as it continues to spot the one

treasure hidden among the masses.

So while Miller is choosing to step away from decades spent in a storefront – twelve of which have been at North Hills – she also wants to let her loyal customers and associates know that she will never be through with jewelry. “I still get the excitement as I did when I first started,” says Miller.

And when she first started, Miller was a young stay-at-home mom looking for a creative outlet. She found one as she scoured the antique stores of New York City, looking for findings – things like necklace and bracelet clasps – and old, broken pieces. “I’d buy pieces of strands of coral, amber, garnet and turquoise because they threw them out.

If jewelry turned brown, they’d assume it was gold plated or filled, but it was really gold. What was broken, I used for restoration,” she recalls.

In a short time, her hobby was taking up not only more of her time, but even more of her space. “There were midtownmag.com | 79

Elaine’s husband of 58 years, Selwyn, has been always been by her side, supporting her passion for jewelry.

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more boxes, then a large dental cabinet with drawers packed full of tools. Eventually I had a wall-to-wall desk, with the shelves and cabinets filled,” she remembers. Along with her growing inventory came her growing thirst for knowledge. “I taught myself how to do this, and then I enrolled in school to get advanced instruction on jewelry design,” says Miller.

In 1979, Miller visited the Triangle and fell in love, making the choice to relocate to Raleigh. It was just one of many choices throughout her career that demonstrated her keen business sense.

“I had a show at The Sienna in Chapel Hill, but thought Raleigh was where the market was,” says Miller. In those early days, she split her time between her New York office, selling to iconic Bergdorf Goodman and restoring antique pieces for Fred Leighton, while working from all the right Raleigh addresses, such as Glenwood Avenue and Cameron Village, eventually landing in the new North Hills in 2002, as one of the destination’s first tenants.

But even with her spot-on locations, it has been Elaine’s gift for pairing the perfect pieces from her estate and new design jewelry collection with the right customers that continues to attract jewelry lovers. She has supplied generations of families with heirlooms, providing a welcomed education along the way. “Elaine has a discerning eye for beauty, quality and custom design, with a strong sense of style and fashion,” says one long-time customer.

“Elaine has a flair for picking exquisite pieces. She brought a beauty into this area that had not existed before,” says another customer.

While the compliments flatter Miller, she’s quick to point out that her longevity in a business in which hard work is the norm and often times, family connections are the way in can only be attributed to her endless passion. “I didn’t walk into the jewelry business, I didn’t have family in the business, I wasn’t from this area. But this was my dream and I was able to develop it based on my passion and my love for jewelry,” says Miller. “Just as with any job, there’s lots of pressure, but if you truly love it, it will bring great joy.”

It’s this joy that Miller can’t imagine stepping away from completely. So as she speaks that one sentence yet again, and tells us that all good things must come to an end, she confirms our suspicions are correct. That in this case, although there is an end, there is indeed a new beginning. While Miller plans on spending more time with her husband of 58 years, she will continue to offer her jewelry through the Elaine Miller Collection website.

“This keeps me alive; it is invigorating,” says Miller. “My love of designing, creating and selecting jewelry will always remain the same as it was when I began. That will never end.”

(Walls)

yourHome 1

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1. Ora Designers and Fine Jewelers/$48 >MacBeth Collection Personalized Wall Bucket

2. Affordable Chic Shops/$200 >Gothic Style Arch Top Window

3. TRIG Modern/$325

>Handmade Wooden Clock in Assorted Colors

4. Hunt & Gather, Glenwood Ave./$425 7

>Antique Barometer, 1890-1897, Rosewood Case

5. BeyondBlue Interiors/$715 >41” x 33” Handmade Bike Hawthorn

6. Form & Function/$325

>Reclaimed Wood Art by Georgia Artist

7. Ten Thousand Villages/$99 >Wall Hanging from India

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calendar ofevents

March/April 2014

Bull City Summer March 1–August 31 North Carolina Museum of Art | Raleigh www.ncartmuseum.org

Elizabeth McKay Trunk Show March 6-7 Charlotte’s at Cameron Village 919.821.9828

Mardi Gras Wine Dinner March 4 | 6:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com

Gallery exhibition – Anne Gregory March 7 | 6-9pm 311 West Martin Street Gallery and Studios www.tippingpaintartists.com

Time for Tots: Go Fly a Kite! (Ages 3-5) March 4 & 11 | 10-10:45am NC Museum of History | 919.807.7992 www.ncmuseumofhistory.org History Corner: Do the Dabke!

(Ages 6-9) March 5 | 10-11am NC Museum of History | 919.807.7992 www.ncmuseumofhistory.org History Hunters: What Would You Take? (Ages 10-13) March 5 | 11:15am-12:15pm NC Museum of History | 919.807.7992 www.ncmuseumofhistory.org Storytime in the Gallery (Ages 3 and up) March 6, 13, 20 & 27 | 10-10:30am NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org Paint & Sip Art Class March 6, 20 & April 10, 24 | 6:30-9pm Kidz Celebrate | Raleigh www.kidzcelebrate.com

International Women’s Day March 8 | 9:30am-3pm Pullen Memorial Baptist Church 1801 Hillsborough Street | Raleigh www.womengather.org Celtic Woman March 8 | 3pm, 7:30pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com St. Patrick’s Day Art Party March 8 | 11am-1pm Kidz Celebrate | Raleigh www.kidzcelebrate.com Tar Heel Sports Legends (Ages 12 and up) March 8 | 10am-noon NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

Evita March 11-16 Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com History à la Carte: NASCAR in NC March 12 | Noon-1pm N.C. Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org Vintage View Quilt Show March 14-15 | 10am-6pm March 16 | 10am-4pm Kerr Scott Building | NC Fairgrounds www.capitalquilters.org Gallery Warming Party for Tipping Paint Gallery March 15 | 11am-6pm Tipping Paint Gallery | 311 West Martin Street | www.tippingpaintartists.com

Make It, Take It: Family Trees (drop-in program) March 8 | 1-3pm NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

Throwing Pots and Words (drop-in program) March 15 | 10am-3pm NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

Habitat Wake Homeowner Application Information Sessions March 8 & April 12, 26, 9am March 18 & April 22, 6:30pm 2420 N. Raleigh Blvd. | Raleigh www.HabitatWake.org/homeownership

Kidz Night Out March 15 & April 26 | 6-10pm Kidz Celebrate | Raleigh www.kidzcelebrate.com

2nd Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience March 9 | 4-8pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

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South of France & Normandie Trip Informational Meeting March 11 | 4:45pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com

Created Equal: “Slavery by Another Name” March 16 | 1pm NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

A Toast to the Triangle – To benefit Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation March 9 | 5:30-8pm NC State University McKimmon Center www.tammylynncenter.org/toast

Cooking Class March 18 | 4:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com

Music of the Carolinas: Barrowburn March 9 | 3-4pm NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

The Moody Blues March 18 | 7:30pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

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Cooking Class March 19 | 4:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine at Burke Manor Inn | 303 Burke Street Gibsonville | www.burkemanor.com

Wine Dinner April 3 | 6:30 Saint-Jacques French Cuisine at Burke Manor Inn | 303 Burke Street Gibsonville | www.burkemanor.com

Cooking Class April 16 | 4:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine at Burke Manor Inn | 303 Burke Street Gibsonville | www.burkemanor.com

The Ten Tenors: On Broadway March 20 | 7:30pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

Guest artists – The ChromaZones & Eggsistential exhibit April 4 | 6-9pm 311 West Martin Street www.tippingpaintartists.com

Jack Rogers Trunk Show April 18 Charlotte’s at North Hills 919-787-7113

Chelsea Handler April 5 | 7pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

personal appearance by Donald and Lisa Pliner April 18 | 10am-3pm Main and Taylor | North Hills Shopping Center 4421 Six Forks Road | Suite 114 www.mainandtaylorshoes.com

1st Annual “March” of the Brides March 22 www.facebook.com/diamondsdirectcrabtree One Love Foundation Fundraiser Lacrosse Playday March 22 Cardinal Gibbons High School lhuger@olls.org | 919.608.0121 Paint Along Art Class March 22 & April 26 | 10am-12pm Kidz Celebrate | Raleigh www.kidzcelebrate.com At the Movies: “Frost/Nixon” March 23 | 1pm NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org Workshop with artist David Zimmerman March 23 | 11am-4:30pm ArtSource Fine Art Gallery & Framing 4351-107 The Circle at North Hills Street 919.787.9533 | www.artsource-raleigh.com Crosby, Stills & Nash March 24 | 7:30pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

Get the Led Out April 6 | 7pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com Mardi Gras Wine Dinner April 6 | 6:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine at Burke Manor Inn | 303 Burke Street Gibsonville | www.burkemanor.com The Wizard of Oz April 8-13 Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com VanEli Trunk Show April 10 | 10am-6pm Main and Taylor | North Hills Shopping Center 4421 Six Forks Road | Suite 114 www.mainandtaylorshoes.com Easter Party April 12 | 11am-1pm Kidz Celebrate | Raleigh www.kidzcelebrate.com

Easter Brunch April 20 | 11am-3pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com Stuart Weitzman Trunk Show April 24-26, 10am-6pm | April 27, 12-5pm Main and Taylor | North Hills Shopping Center 4421 Six Forks Road | Suite 114 www.mainandtaylorshoes.com Annual Spring Bridal Trunk Show April 25 & 26 | 10am-8pm April 27 | 12-6pm Diamonds Direct Crabtree www.Diamonds-Direct.com 21st Annual Duke Angels Among Us 5k race and fun day April 26 | 8am www.angelsamongus.org

2 Year anniversary party April 12 | 10am-3pm Pulse Pilates | pulse.pilates@aol.com

11th Annual JDRF Hope Gala – Bowties and Bluegrass April 26 | 6pm North Ridge Country Club sblackmon@jdrf.org

Cedars in the Pines on the Plaza March 29 | 11am-3pm NC Museum of History www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

Dave Ramsey April 15 | 7pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

American Idiot April 29-30 | 7:30pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

Wine Dinner April 2 | 6:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com

Cooking Class April 15 | 4:30pm Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh www.saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com

Have an important event? We would love to hear about it. Please send the details of your calendar events to: jill@midtownmag.com.

Jay Leno March 28 | 8pm Durham Performing Arts Center www.DPACnc.com

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Pants, Top – dress Necklace, Rings, Earrings, Brooch (hair) – Elaine Miller Collection Purse – Le Feme Chateau Shoes – Kristen's Shoe Boutique 84 | midtownmag.com

Fashion

styles fit for

SPRING Photography Sean Junqueira

Fashion Director and Photo Stylist Elie Rossetti-Serraino

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Pants, Top – C.T. Weekends Necklace – Charlotte's Ring (RH; flower), Bangles (RH) – Reliable Jewelry Ring (RH; dark blue) – Bailey's Fine Jewelry Ring (LH; light blue) – Ora Designers and Fine Jewelers Ring (LH; diamond), Earrings – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Bracelet (LH) – Fink's Jewelers Shoes, Purse (Pink) – Main & Taylor Purse (Purple) – dress

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Top – Kristen's Place Necklace, Earrings – Bailey's Fine Jewelry midtownmag.com | 87

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featured on the cover Suit, Top – Whalebone Urban Surf Necklace, Ring (RH), Watch, Bracelet – Fink's Jewelers Ring (LH), Earrings – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Shoes – Main & Taylor midtownmag.com | 89

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Pants, Top – CoolSweats Ring (LH) – Ora Designers and Fine Jewelers Ring (LH; blue butterfly), Ring (RH; black and white butterfly) – Fink's Jewelers Ring (RH; diamond) – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Earrings, Brooches (diamond butterfly in hair, butterfly on collar) – Reliable Jewelry Purse – Le Feme Chateau Shoes – Main & Taylor Brooch (pink butterfly in hair) – Elaine Miller Collection

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Pants, Top – Lori + Lulu Necklace (short), Bracelet (bangle) – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Necklace (long), Earrings – Ora Designers and Fine Jewelers Bracelet (pearl) – Reliable Jewelry Shoes – Main & Taylor Purse – Le Feme Chateau Flower Arrangement – The English Garden

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Dress – Scout and Molly's Necklaces, Watch – Bailey's Fine Jewelry Ring (LH) – Ora Designers and Fine Jewelers Rings (RH) – Reliable Jewelry Bracelets, Earrings – Charlotte's Purse – Le Feme Chateau Shoes – Kristen's Shoe Boutique 94 xx | midtownmag.com

C.T. Weekends

Le Feme Chateau

C.T. Weekends

C.T. Weekends

Le Feme Chateau

Le Feme Chateau

Le Feme Chateau

Special Thanks Photography Sean Junqueira > seanjunqueira.com

Makeup Artist Shannon Tavor > feelsynergy.com

Fashion Director and Photo Stylist Elie Rossetti-Serraino > eliephotostylist.com

Hair Styling Ashley Collins Laura Twisdale > plumhairatelier.com

Photography Assistant Shak Oteka Wardrobe Coordinator Andrea Cobb

Flowers The English Garden > englishgardenraleigh.com

We want to give a very special thank you to Park & Market Apartments for use of their clubhouse and swimming pool for our spring fashion shoot.

Our Retailers Bailey’s Fine Jewelry Charlotte’s CoolSweats C.T. Weekends Diamonds Direct Crabtree dress Elaine Miller Collection Fink’s Jewelers Kristen’s Place

Kristen’s Shoe Boutique Le Feme Chateau Lori + Lulu Main & Taylor Ora Designers and Fine Jewelers Reliable Jewelry Scout & Molly’s Whalebone Urban Surf

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peanuts and

Cracker Jacks Local minor league teams make major fun.

By Kate Turgeon Watson

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gladwell orthodontics_ma.pdf

M

ike Molitoris grew up outside New York City. As a kid, he listened to the Mets on the radio.

He played rec-league baseball. Ask him what position he played and he’ll likely laugh and say, “all of them … we were a piecemeal team.”

But the highlight of those childhood years was an annual trip with his dad to Flushing, Queens to watch the Mets play at Shea Stadium.

Today things are a bit different.

For one, Molitoris calls Cary home now. And he gets out to a ball park more often. In fact, he’s out there every chance he gets. That’s one of the perks of being a Durham Bulls season-ticket holder. It’s not the majors like the Mets but, as far Molitoris is concerned, the minor league means accessibility.

For the financial planner and father of two preschoolers, his modern baseball experience is all about accessibility to the players, the park, the mascot his kids adore and, yes, even the parking lot.

“Parking is like $3 per game,” Molitoris says of the discounted rate he receives for parking near the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, or DBAP.

“For comparison, I took my wife and kids to a Mets game last summer.

And just to get there from New Jersey, between tolls and parking, was $50 dollars,” he says. “And then tickets were another $80 or so … by the time you figure it out you’ve dropped 25 percent

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of what you pay for a whole season [of minor league games] in one day going to a pro game.”

But the benefits of attending the Bulls’ games don’t end with comparison savings. The ambiance at the game creates a relaxing atmosphere for Molitoris and clients from his wealth management business.

And it’s great for his family, too.

When they were looking at moving to the Triangle, one of the first places they visited was DBAP. When park employees learned it was his son’s first game they promptly delivered a ball from the dugout. “It was one game out of the blue … but they treated us like gold,” he remembers.

That’s the intention, according to Scott Carter, the Bulls’ director of marketing. “The goal we have in mind is to provide something for everyone,” he says. “We want to do something for every type of fan. Minor league baseball … they’re coming for the experience of the game.”

And with a 72-game schedule, the task is to keep the experiences familiar but also exciting enough to keep fans coming back. One crowd pleaser is the Dancing Grounds Crew, a short show that’s exactly what it sounds like – employees dancing. Carter jokes that the cheers they receive are rivaled only by homeruns.

Carter says special events, such as “Bark in the Park” where fans can bring their dogs to the game, keep things interesting and help local animal shelters at the same time. The Bulls also organize a bike to the park night where fans are encouraged to ride their

For Cary’s Mike Molitoris and his wife Kristin, the DBAP is a perfect location for family time. For his children, daughter Abby (left) and son Ben, mascot Wool E. Bull is the main attraction. “They love Wool E. Bull,” says Molitoris. “And they enjoy the game for what it is considering their ages. Last year we actually made it through a whole game!”

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9:1

Meet Fan Mike Molitoris > Seats: Section 101, directly behind

home plate, underneath the net. “That way when we have kids with us we don’t have our heads on a swivel,” he laughs. “It’s a great vantage point.”

> Snacks of choice: Popcorn, Cracker

“A few years ago Chris Archer, he was the second runner up for Rookie of the Year, he came over and gave my son a baseball and signed it for him.” > His kids love: Wool E. Bull

Jacks. “We love when they have the food > Favorite between-innings game: Wool truck rodeos. They pull the food trucks E. Bull races kids around the bases out in the back … [near] right field. They are in the stadium,” he says. “If you get > Favorite part of the season: The playthere early enough you can get whatever offs. “It’s electric. It was a lot of fun to you want. We like Baguetteaboudit.” be there in September,” he says.

> His wife loves: Family Day for season

ticket holders. “It’s a barbeque … we can take the kids out on the field and play catch with them,” says Molitoris.

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> Favorite memory: Last year during the

playoffs we got to watch Jake Odorizzi throw a great game. We’ve seen Wil Myers come through.

bicycles to DBAP and enjoy free bike parking.

“We do fun theme nights like ‘90s night,” he adds. “One of my personal favorites is our ‘Negro Night’ celebration … we honor the guys who played in the Negro League who are here, living locally. It’s important not only to Durham, but to baseball.”

Carter says providing affordable family entertainment is important, noting that admission starts at $5.99.

He knows the organization he belongs to has brand recognition that comes, in large part, from the 1988 movie Bull Durham, which stars Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. As a result, baseball hats are big sellers both in the park and online. “We’re consistently in the top two to three teams in all of minor league baseball in terms of annual merchandise sales, and most of that is through caps sales,” says Carter. “We get orders from all over the world. And that’s because this is a recognized brand.”

Being situated in a nationally-recognized food city (Southern Living named Durham one of the South’s tastiest towns), means DBAP has some foodie patrons. To satisfy all tastes, food truck rodeos occasionally make an appearance and the park regularly offers 50 scout molly_ma.pdf 1 local 1/31/14 AM different craft and beers 11:17 on tap.

Photograph © Carolina Mudcats/Nikolaus

Down the road, Mudcats

About 40 miles from Durham, the Carolina Mudcats offer family fun at a ball park, too. Zebulon’s Five County Stadium is home to the Mudcats and their beloved mascot, Muddy.

At Five County Stadium, Friday home games mean fireworks, explains Darren Headrick, director of broadcasting and media relations.

And Sundays are always kids-run-the-bases days.

“They run the same base pads that the pros do,” Headrick says. “From a kids’ perspective, we have Muddy and he comes through on a 4-wheeler every night. He makes a grand entrance.”

For the baseball fan, it’s not unusual to be wowed by players earning the opportunity to advance in their sport. “Where do I start?”

Headrick laughs when asked about the outstanding players. “A prospect came through last summer … Francisco Lindor. He was considered the shortstop of the future for the Cleveland Indians. He was a first-round draft pick in 2011.

We also had Tyler Naquin. He was a first-round pick in 2012.”

For couples, dinner and baseball is as much of a date night as dinner and a movie, Headrick adds, noting that there are sack races and games for adults as well as kids.

As far as seats, there’s something for

Situated in Zebulon, Five County Stadium is home to the Carolina Mudcats.

Weekly specials at the stadium include Dollar Dog Night on Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and Friday Night Fireworks.

everyone there, too. The lower seating, at field level, puts spectators right next to the action. “If you shout at one of the players, they’re going to hear you. You’re that close,” Headrick says.

Upper level seating offers fans a steep upper deck. “You’re high up in the air … it gives you the feel of a major league ballpark,” he adds. Then there’s premium field-level seating near home plate and the dugouts. There’s also box seats and general admission seating.charlottes_ma.pdf 1 1/24/14 4:23 PM

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But no matter where you sit, you just may see Muddy coming your way for a photo opportunity at Five County stadium. At DBAP, look for Wool E. Bull. We’re told they are friends. And it’s not unusual for Wool E. to invite Muddy to his birthday party. After all, they have a lot in common considering they’re ambassadors for minor league baseball in the Triangle.

“If you asked my daughter, ‘who do you love?’ She always replies: Wool E. Bull. Mr. Met,” Molitoris laughs. “Obviously the Bulls are doing something right that Wool E. Bull is close to Mr. Met in her fandom.”

What to look for at Five County

Stadium this season Best-selling food item: Hot dogs and hamburgers. “Everybody loves a hot dog when they come to a ball park; they go together,” says Darren Headrick of the Mudcats.

New features: Pig Wings (these ribs appeared in 2013 and are making a comeback for 2014) and Philly cheesesteak hot dogs. “It probably sounds weird at first, but I think it’d probably be delicious,” laughs Headrick.

In the Bait Shop: Look for t-shirts and ball caps, which are best sellers. Visitors can’t resist the red, black and white Mudcats gear. “When you see our fans they’re either wearing a Mudcats t-shirt or they have on a ball cap,” he adds. “And jerseys are always popular.” Look for blankets, too, especially for the first few games of the season that may be a little chilly.

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Take us out to the

Ball

Game

All across North Carolina, there’s affordable fun in the minor leagues

by Kurt Dusterberg

W

herever you go in America, you can count on summers filled with picnics, parks and swimming pools.

In North Carolina, you can also share in one of the most enjoyable versions of America’s pastime – minor league baseball. While there are no major league teams in North Carolina, you can find various levels of professional baseball in nine cities across the state.

Whether you love the game or you’re simply looking for a night out with the family, you can count on an affordable, fan-focused experience. Ticket prices run anywhere from $7 to $15, just a fraction of a major league ticket.

Another perk for the fans: many minor league teams have built new,

state-of-the-art stadiums in recent years – or renovated their existing ballparks.

No need to worry about sitting in the nosebleed seats, either. Most stadiums have capacities of less than 10,000, meaning every seat is close to the field.

If you’re quick on your feet, you might track down a foul ball!

There are several levels in the minor leagues. Players who are drafted out of high school or college typically start at the Rookie level. After that, the best players progress through A, AA and AAA before earning a shot in the big leagues. While the skill level improves as players move up the ladder, each league showcases quality players.

If you’re a lifelong baseball fan, you can immerse yourself in the finer

points of the game. Because each of the North Carolina teams is affiliated with a major league organization, you can look up the “farm club” of your favorite major league team and get a glimpse of their young prospects when they play in a nearby town. You might catch a rising star. Back in the summer of 1983, Derek Jeter spent a season playing in Greensboro. Chipper Jones played in Durham in 1992.

All minor league teams have one thing in common: they strive for a family-friendly environment. That means plenty of concessions, on-field entertainment between innings, and lots of promotional nights. (Here’s a tip: Most have several fireworks nights. The displays are usually top-notch.) midtownmag.com | 101

Asheville Tourists

South Atlantic League, A (Colorado Rockies) Home games: April 3-August 28 The Tourists experience: In an era of modern ballparks, McCormick Field is a throwback.

Built in 1924, it has been modernized to include all of the usual amenities and the setting is picturesque. In the classic baseball movie Bull Durham, Crash Davis finishes his career at McCormick Field, breaking the minor league home-run record for the Tourists.

Something special: Russell Wilson, the former NC State quarterback who just won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, spent the summer of 2011 playing baseball for the Tourists. He gets his own bobblehead night August 9th. Plus, you have to love the name of the team’s gift shop: The Tourists’ Trap.

They made it to the majors: Craig Biggio, Willie Stargell, Dave Concepcion

Photograph © Charlotte Knights

Burlington Royals

Appalachian League, Rookie (Kansas City Royals) Home games: June 25-August 29 The Royals experience: Rookie-level teams play a shorter season, beginning after baseball’s amateur draft. Burlington Athletic Stadium began in Danville, Virginia. In 1958, the bleachers were dismantled, moved 43 miles to Burlington by train, and reconstructed.

Something special: There is a community feel to this team, giving Alamance County its own connection to professional sports. After the game fans can usually chat with the players, who are happy to sign autographs. Want some original entertainment between innings? Check out hillbilly horseshoes. It’s a twist on the usual game, but played with a toilet seat and a plunger.

They made it to the majors: Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia, Jim Thome

Photograph © AshEville Tourists/Tony Farlow Photograph © Carolina Mudcats/Nikolaus

Carolina Mudcats

Carolina League, Advanced A (Cleveland Indians) Home games: April 3-September 1 The Mudcats experience: The Mudcats play their games in Zebulon, NC at Five County Stadium, which holds 6,500 people. The concession concourse is wide and easy to navigate with children. If you’re looking to entertain a group, luxury suites are available on a per-night basis.

Something special: Muddy the Mudcat is one of the most recognizable team mascots in the minors. He’s a hit with kids. If you’re looking for more than ballpark food, Cattails Restaurant sits atop the stadium and provides indoor fine dining.

They made it to the majors: Miguel Cabrera, Tim Wakefield, Jason Kendall Photograph © Greensboro Grasshoppers

Greensboro Grasshoppers

South Atlantic League, A (Miami Marlins) Home games: April 3-August 28 The Grasshoppers experience: NewBridge Bank Park opened in 2005 and features an outdoor sports bar and 16 luxury suites. Fans can enjoy picnic areas or watch from a grass berm.

Something special: Master Yogi Berra and Miss Babe Ruth are black labs who entertain the fans between innings. And if you’re inclined to check out the merchandise, the Grasshopper logo is hard to beat.

They made it to the majors: Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera

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Winston-Salem Dash Charlotte Knights

International League, AAA (Chicago White Sox) Home games: April 11-September 1 The Knights experience: The team will move into the brand-new BB&T Ballpark this spring, with a seating capacity of 10,000. Along with the latest in ballpark amenities, the team’s logo gets a makeover. The Knights will sport four separate images on their caps. They’re worth a look.

Something special: Playing at the AAA level, Charlotte offers fans the chance to see players who will graduate to the major leagues – and others who have already spent some time in “The Show”.

They made it to the majors: Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Curt Schilling

Carolina League, Advanced A (Chicago White Sox) Home games: April 3-August 25 The Dash experience: BB&T Ballpark opened in 2010. If you like to root, root, root for the home team, there’s a good chance you will go home a winner. The Dash has the second-best record in minor league baseball over the past four years.

Something special: Like all minor league teams, the Dash rolls out skits, activities and contests between innings. But with nearly 200 in-game options, every night delivers different entertainment.

They made it to the majors: Aaron Boone, Carlos Lee, Jamie Moyer

Photograph © Intimidators

Kannapolis Intimidators

Photograph © Steve Orcutt/Winston-Salem Dash

South Atlantic League, A (Chicago White Sox) Home games: April 10-August 24 The Intimidators experience: All games involve a nod to the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, who owned a share of the team. One of Earnhardt’s cars is displayed in front of the stadium, and his No. 3 is retired on the outfield wall.

Something special: If you come to the game hungry, order up the Colossal Dog. It’s a 16 oz hot dog, and you can cover it with any of 25 toppings. Here’s a great promotion: Unemployment Night. With proper ID, out-of-work fans get four free tickets.

They made it to the majors: Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd

Photograph © Durham Bulls

Durham Bulls

International League, AAA (Tampa Bay Rays) Home games: April 3-September 1 The Bulls experience: The movie Bull Durham was based on this franchise, although the current Bulls are a AAA team, not the A team that featured Crash Davis. There’s no better place to get an up-close look at future and former major leaguers.

Something special: The stadium has undergone a major renovation over the off-season. A 28x62-foot video board has been installed as part of the Blue Monster, the left field wall. A new field has been installed, along with new seats and new concession kiosks.

They made it to the majors: Evan Longoria, Chipper Jones, Joe Morgan

Photograph © Hickory Crawdads

Hickory Crawdads

South Atlantic League, A (Texas Rangers) Home games: April 10-August 24 The Crawdads experience: The stadium gets a major makeover for 2014. The bleacher seats are gone, replaced with flip-down seats. If you want to go upscale, the Crawdad Cafe has enjoyed a makeover and the stadium now includes VIP seating.

Something special: All tickets are $9. If you are on active duty in the military, here’s a deal you can’t beat: Show your ID and get two free tickets – all season. The Crawdads will host the 2014 SAL all-star game on June 17th. Festivities will begin on the evening of July 16th, and a Fan Fest will precede the game on the 17th.

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P i n eh u r s t G a i n s I n s ta n t Tr ac t i o n A m o n g V i n tag e Ca r S h owca s es

By Dave Droschak

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intage collectors are pulled in every direction to enter their rare cars in the growing world of Concours d’Elegances. Entrants have personal favorites they annually attend, but when a location such as Pinehurst Resort pops up on the competition radar, antique auto aficionados take notice.

Add to the equation Peter Boyle and his 1938 Steyr Roadster capturing Best in Show at the inaugural Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance last May – and then parlaying his victory here at the “Home of American Golf ” into two more Concours wins over the next two months – and the buzz was on heading into 2014 about the “new kid on the block.”

“We anticipate monumental growth in the Pinehurst Concours in year two considering the tremendous positive reviews received after our inaugural competition from entrants, fans and sponsors,” said Pinehurst Concours Executive Director Jay Howard. “Our ticket pricing is extremely competitive in the Concours world.

We look forward to more collector car enthusiasts embracing and enjoying our event in a truly memorable Southern setting.”

“We started out with great regional appeal … but we’re now drawing interest from the West Coast, so it’s very positive,” added Brian Barr, the event’s director of competition. “For a first-year event we got on the map very quickly.”

The second Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance will be held May 2nd-4th on the emerald green fairways of Pinehurst, and kick off a celebrated six-week period in

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which the resort will also host the 2014 US Open and US Women’s Open Championships in consecutive weeks.

“Pinehurst is such a natural fit,” said Dr. Rick Workman, a Florida resident who will return to the Sandhills with one of his classic cars. “First, it is iconic, one of the top 10 golf destinations in the United States.

So, it has the resort, the climate in May is spectacular, people want to come and enjoy the facilities and the organizers lay out the proper amount of cars on the show field. It makes all the sense in the world to me.”

Boyle, of Oil City, Pennsylvania, enjoyed the Pinehurst experience so much he plans to return to display his winning gem – one of only six ever made – but decided not to take up a spot in the judged 119-car, 11-class field. He and restorer Roger James have a few projects currently in

PHOTOGRAPH © Michael DiPleco

(ABOVE LEFT) Peter Boyle of Oil City, pennsylvania, with 2013 Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance Best in Show, a 1938 Steyr Roadster. Photo by David Droschak. (ABOVE RIGHT) Golf and glamour cars are a natural fit for Pinehurst Resort.

the works, and Boyle’s “secret” autos should be ready to roll into major competition soon.

“I did very well last year. I just want to show people in the Pinehurst area a beautiful car that they may have missed,” Boyle said. “What Roger and I are doing, and everybody in Roger’s shop who participated in the restoration of the Steyr, is saving history. I like to call these antique cars rolling sculptures. They have become pieces of art that become part of the history of the world. The car is pretty unique.”

“The Steyr is a magnificent automobile and we are proud to be a part of Peter’s winning streak and success,” added Barr. “I saw Peter at several events early this year and he was very complimentary of the Pinehurst Concours. It's flattering to have a car of this caliber and its owner expound on what a great event we have with such high quality cars.”

Boyle is not alone in his praise for the vintage auto competition in a state that has a close affinity for the automobile. Workman, who is quickly building an outstanding collection of fine automobiles, is excited to return to Pinehurst, this time around bringing his new purchase – a 1939 Mercedes 540K Special Roadster.

“The 540K is an icon-of-all-icons type of car,” Workman said.

Workman describes himself as a relatively new collector. However, he has now assembled a stable of 22 antique cars, with an affinity toward the rare Ferrari.

Boyle never imagines reaching the collective volume of Workman, but got the Concours itch when he attended one with James a few years back.

“I told Roger, ‘This looks kind of interesting, find me a car,’” Boyle said. “I remember that day very well.”

James found Boyle a rare 1928 Isotta Fraschini, which came in second to the Steyr last year at Pinehurst in the American and European Classics 1925 to 1948 class.

And with almost every car in the field – some of which are more than 100 years old – an interesting story told by enthusiastic owners is a highlight for the patrons, who can leisurely weave their way through pristine cars for hours during the Sunday show.

For example, Boyle and James enjoy sharing the origin of the Steyr purchase. James caught wind that the car was on a ship heading from New Zealand to California when midtownmag.com | 107

PHOTOGRAPH © Michael DiPleco

Boyle dispatched his ace restorer to the West Coast. James recommended the purchase in 2011, even though restoring the Steyr was going to take quite a labor of love.

“The Steyr was in pretty sad disrepair,” said James of D&D Classic Automobile Restoration outside of Dayton, Ohio. “It was extremely rusty. It was pretty much orange. And the body is constructed in such a way with a wood structure underneath the metal and all of that was bad, so we had to take all the skins off the car and start over. We built a new wood structure and then put the skins back on. It was a major effort. The car just turned out absolutely magnificent. It is very innovative; it was way ahead of its time and a very obscure and unknown car. Most people don’t even know what a Steyr is, so that has even made it more fun.”

Boyle and Workman are relative newcomers to the top vintage competitions. And to each, it’s not all about wins and losses.

“Really, the greatest thing about shows like Pinehurst are the comments you get from the people, those are the things that really rest with you,” added Boyle. “The trophies are great and all the attention is wonderful, but the comments you get from the people are what you retain.”

“I hope I can say in 10 years I get as much fun out of it as I get today,” added Workman. “I’m sort of like a fan because it has been a lot of fun seeing all the cars, even cars that I don’t see having in my collection, but it’s a car that is really, really cool to look at. The more you learn at a place like the Pinehurst Concours the more you see how some of these cars were just so far ahead of their peers. Just look at a 16-cylinder Cadillac from the 1930s and see all the stuff they were doing back then and you say, ‘Holy cow that was just unbelievable.’”

Patrons were able to see Bill Cannon’s 1936 Cadillac V16 Sedan last year at the event. The Concord, NC, resident won the event’s Historical Vehicle Association award with his masterpiece.

In addition to the Sunday competition, the first weekend in May will once again include an Iron Mike Rally on Friday from Carolina Vista Drive in front of the Carolina Hotel to Fort Bragg and back for a day on the base with troops and their families.

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The showfield during the 2013 Concours d’Elegance.

And anyone with a Mustang (celebrating its 50th anniversary) or a Porsche is invited to attend Saturday’s Fairway Drive held on the same show field as the Concours. Later Saturday evening, the local British Car Club plans to display their unique cars as the backdrop to a British Invasion Concert in the Village of Pinehurst Green. The concert is free to the public.

More than 50 vintage cars participated in the Iron Mike Rally in 2013, some accompanied in their vehicles by heroic soldiers.

Joe Parsons, who will be staging his 1963 Studebaker Avanti R-2 Supercharged, was so moved by his Fort Bragg experience last year that upon returning to Raleigh he signed up as a volunteer for the USO, working at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

“Being involved in the relationship with Fort Bragg is just a distinct honor,” said the 74-year-old Parsons. “All of the Concours across the country have charities but I don’t see anything that can come close to what the Pinehurst Concours does for the military.”

Tickets to the May 4th event can be purchased for $40 prior to April 15th online at www.pinehurstconcours. com or by calling 910.973.6594. Tickets two weeks leading up to the event or those purchased at the gate Sunday are $50 each.

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Local Real Estate is Booming Recovery Looks Strong and Steady

By Jenni Hart

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According to the Triangle Multiple Listing Service, the local residential real estate market experienced a robust 2013, and this year is shaping up to be another strong year.

In Raleigh, 2013 saw a 24 percent increase in sales over 2012. The days on the market dropped from 116 to 78, and inventory was down by 10 percent. Figures thus far in 2014 are equally encouraging, with January’s closed sales in Wake County more than 15 percent higher than January 2013.

We asked local home professionals for their perspective on market conditions and learned the time is right to enter the market.

Tim Thompson, Owner Raleigh Custom Realty Raleigh Custom Homes >> www.raleighcustomhomes.com Q: How would you characterize your business over the past few years?

A: At Raleigh Custom Homes and Raleigh Custom Realty, we have experienced steady growth since 2010 in all phases of real estate. In new construction, remodeling, listings and sales, we have seen an average increase of 25 percent each year from 2010 to 2013. We feel confident the trend will continue this year, and are expecting to see as much as a 50 percent increase in our sales in 2014.

Q: What factors have influenced this growth?

A: The primary drivers are increased demand for new and renovated homes, short supply in desirable locations, and continued low interest rates. With home prices rising, and the fact we’re selling more of them, our overall sales have been very healthy.

Q: What trends are you seeing in new construction?

A: Open floor plans continue to top the list. Older buyers may want to downsize, but they still want the quality and luxury they enjoyed in their larger homes. Beautifully appointed kitchens and baths, and elaborate outdoor living spaces, including fireplaces, cooking areas and TVs, are all popular features. midtownmag.com | 111

“Interest rates are incredibly favorable, and home prices are only going to go up, so there’s never been a better time to enter the market.”

– Tim Thompson Q: What is unique about the Raleigh Custom Homes and Raleigh Custom Realty experience?

A: Ours is a full-service approach. Our agents have an entire team behind them to prepare their clients’ homes to go on the market. Renovations, painting, decluttering and staging are designed for quick sales and the highest sales price we can secure for our sellers. We make the experience of building, renovating or buying a new home a delight rather than a stressful experience.

Q: Is this a good time to invest in real estate?

A: We feel there has never been a better time than now to build, buy or renovate. Interest rates are still incredibly low for buying or building your dream home. And with inventory down over last year, this is a great time to put your home on the market.

Regardless of whether you’re selling or staying in your home, updating kitchens and baths continues to be a sound investment.

Jonathan Barefoot, Vice President of Business Development Fonville Morisey Barefoot >> www.fmbnewhomes.com Q: What features are in high demand in new construction?

A: Energy efficiency is one of the trends we continue to see in new construction. Buyers are looking for energy-saving features such as spray foam insulation, two-by-six construction (which allows for more insulation in the walls), and radiant barriers. Another trend is that buyers want high quality, durable, low- maintenance finishes, both inside and outside the home. Hardwoods are preferred over carpet, for example.

Side-load garages, outdoor living spaces and screened-in porches are also popular features.

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Q: Any other changes in the past five years?

A: One of the biggest trends is buyer education. When an interested buyer enters a sales center, the onsite sales representative can be fairly confident they have already spent time on the website, they have read about the builder, and they already have a lot of information on the community.

This is a positive development because it allows for a much more efficient process that can be personally tailored to the individual buyer.

Q: How does location impact your business?

A: We have been working with a significant number of builder and developer clients on infill projects in the Midtown area.

This allows homeowners to stay in an area they already love and still reap all the benefits of living in a new home.

Scott Dixon, Partner Beacon Street Development Company >> www.beacon-street.com Q: What trends are you seeing in the local real estate market?

A: There is a noted departure from the traditional suburban home in favor of living in authentic and thriving neighborhoods. Homeowners are seeking surroundings with character and life. Many buyers are showing a preference for smarter use of more compact space, all in a desirable location.

Other trends: • Authenticity of architecture • Neighborhood character • Thoughtful design • Connectivity to surrounding area • Walkable neighborhoods • Short distance to retail, dining, entertainment • High-quality construction and materials • Open floor plans that are flexible and easy to customize • Abundance of natural light

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At Fairview Row at Five Points, open and bright floor plans allow each interior to function and live like a single family home.

In addition, steel and concrete construction ensures a quiet interior and maximum privacy.

Q: Fairview Row at Five Points is a unique condominium residence. What makes it so special?

A: Hayes Barton offers a sense of place few other neighborhoods can match. Good infill opportunities are rare; great ones are priceless. Classically detailed, historically minded buildings fit seamlessly into the established surroundings, and deep porches allow residents to fully enjoy the charm and timeless appeal of this historic area.

Vanessa Chandler, Director of Sales and Marketing Flowers Plantation, Clayton >> www.flowersplantation.com Q: Location is key when it comes to real estate. What sets Flowers Plantation apart?

A: Visitors and interested buyers are pleasantly surprised to find everything they’re looking for in a new home just 20 to 25 minutes southeast of Raleigh. Easy access to all the attractions of the city makes Flowers Plantation a natural choice for families and young professionals. A respite from city taxes makes the community even more enticing to buyers.

Q: What types of homes are you offering?

A: Several different neighborhoods are nestled into Flowers Plantation, with a wide array of floor plans, square footage and price points to meet the needs of any buyer.

Upon its completion, Flowers Plantation will reach 7,800 homesites. Fewer than half of those have been completed, so there are still plenty of opportunities to find the home of your dreams.

Q: What features are your buyers finding most appealing?

A: The amenities really set the community apart. A full-service spa, well-appointed fitness center, both indoor and outdoor pools, a marketplace and country store, and miles of walking and hiking trails provide plenty of opportunities for recreation and socializing with new neighbors and friends. In a community the size of Flowers Plantation, we have the ability to have our own parks and recreation program, complete with youth soccer, adult softball, and activities specially designed for active adults over 50. midtownmag.com | 115

special advertising section

2014 Real Estate Professionals

Real Estate Professionals

Century 21 Triangle Group Long-time Raleigh realtor Stephen Votino (right) and entrepreneur Dan Nicely (left) join forces to open Century 21 Triangle Group, bringing the world’s largest residential real estate franchise to the area.

Golden Oak Real Estate Services, a successful Triangle real estate company, recently became a franchise brokerage firm of Century 21 Real Estate LLC. The new agency is now open and operating as Century 21 Triangle Group®. Serving buyers and sellers in the greater Raleigh area, the brokerage specializes in both residential and commercial real estate.

“Our former real estate company was very like-minded to Century 21, with a customer-focused, high-energy approach to helping buyers and sellers,” says co-owner and broker-in-charge Stephen Votino. “Now with the power and reach of Century 21, we can tap into the company’s vast support tools and global brand recognition to build on our offerings, as well as to recruit new agents.”

According to co-owner Dan Nicely, Century 21 Triangle Group will open an interactive and engaging retail office in North Hills this spring. The space – designed

to create a whole new real estate experience – will feature iPads, touch screens, a coffee bar, a lounge and agents onsite as a resource for any potential homebuyers and sellers.

“We’re focused on truly changing the home buying and selling experience by utilizing cutting-edge technologies and offering the best-trained agents in the industry,” Nicely said.

“We invite home buyers and sellers to give us a try,” said Votino. “Our dedication to customer service and supporting real estate consumers is truly reflective of our ‘Smarter. Bolder. Faster.’ brand.”

The new Century 21 Triangle Group retail office will be opening soon at 4208 Six Forks Road, Suite 130, in Raleigh. Until then, visit them in the same building, Suite 1000, to talk to an agent today.

4208 Six Forks Road, Suite 1000, Raleigh, NC 27609 919.720.4217 www.century21tg.com 116 | midtownmag.com

special advertising section

DT&CO Real Estate DT&CO Real Estate was started as an alternative to the “big box” real estate firms that have become the norm in the Triangle market. This multi-generational group of Realtors combines very experienced agents, new-to-the-business agents, and administrative personnel to provide a true one-on-one experience for the buyer or seller client.

As a boutique firm, we are able to change course to correspond with changing market conditions much faster than a larger more traditional firm. The emphasis is on the individual agent and their clients, outstanding customer service, and above all impeccable ethics. Our mantra is this…if we give more than we take from every transaction we will always have more than enough.

We put the $$$ at the end of the transaction…where it belongs.

203-101 E. Whitaker Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27608 919.720.4660 • dt@dtandcompany.com www.dtandcompany.com midtownmag.com | 117

2014 Real Estate Professionals

Real Estate Professionals

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2014 Real Estate Professionals

Real Estate Professionals

Fonville Morisey Realty

Fonville Morisey Realty is a full-service real estate brokerage in Raleigh, North Carolina, marking 40 years of success in the Triangle in 2013.

Fonville Morisey’s parent company is Long & Foster, one of the largest privately-owned real estate brokerage firms in the country. Being a Long & Foster company allows Fonville Morisey to offer clients an even broader scope of resources and services to meet all of their real estate needs.

The company now proudly serves the entire Greater Research Triangle market from 11 strategically located sales offices. With over 800 sales associates and staff, Fonville Morisey ranks as one of the

Triangle’s top employers. A wide range of real estate services are offered by Fonville Morisey, including basic home sales, relocation assistance and a Center for Real Estate Studies. In addition, FM Lending Services and Guaranty Title are integral parts of Fonville Morisey’s business services.

With annual residential real estate sales in excess of $1.7 billion and more than 7,400 area transactions, Fonville Morisey is the #1 real estate company in the Triangle.

Fonville Morisey’s corporate headquarters are located at 1000 Saint Albans Drive in Raleigh. For more information, visit fmrealty.com.

Raleigh | Cary | Garner | Durham | Chapel Hill | Wake Forest

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The Wolborsky Group

The Wolborsky Group is characterized by deep experience and precise expertise at creating value for both home buyers and home sellers. In fact, holding a combined 150 years of local successful real estate sales, The Wolborsky Group has helped shape the growth of our region by being involved in over $1 billion in real estate transactions over the last four decades. When it comes to helping you navigate the real estate market and make the best decision about homes, don’t you want experts with a proven track record and thousands of satisfied customers working for you?

Phyllis Wolborsky is recognized locally and nationally as one of the most influential realtors in the Research Triangle Region. Her illustrious career began in 1969, paralleling the rapid rise of RTP into one of the best places to live in America. Her success has been augmented by

the talents of Kevin Wolborsky, Brian Wolborsky, Mitchell Wolborsky, Michael Horwitz and Randy Scherr, each a committed and experienced expert ready to serve you.

No winning team is complete without stellar support minding the details and intricacies of transactions.

Felice Ryals and Mary Jo Clark are licensed professionals with decades of service providing behind-thescene assistance.

While buying and selling a home today can entail complicated technology and often confusing legalities, the process friendliest to families also involves warmth and caring – exactly the strengths of The Wolborsky Group.

This combination of caring service and advanced technical knowledge has propelled Phyllis Wolborsky and The Wolborsky Group to the top of Triangle Realtors®.

9212 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 111, Raleigh, NC 27615 919.876.2372 • phyllis.wolborsky@allentate.com www.phyllisdiditagain.com midtownmag.com | 119

2014 Real Estate Professionals

Real Estate Professionals

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2014 Real Estate Professionals

Real Estate Professionals

Jim McDermott “Jim is a young man who realizes the qualities that a Realtor should possess to be successful in this field. We had friends who needed to sell their home in order to move to Springmoor. We recommended Jim to them.” ~ Margaret S. “We made the right decision with you, Jim. You brought your “A” game in research, commitment and communication” ~ Kay B. Experience has told me that when you are selling or buying a home there are four attributes that are most important when choosing a REALTOR to represent you: honesty, dedication, professionalism and knowledge. logo.pdf

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A trusted advocate for you and your family.

Multimillion dollar producer Helping sellers get “Top Dollar” and reach more qualified buyers.

• Helping buyers get the “Best Price” on their purchase.

•

3700-100 Computer Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609 919.641.0644 (call or text) jim.mcdermott@BHHSYSU.com

Tiddly Whitehead “Tiddly has 25 years of experience and a very successful real estate career. She is professional, accessible, enthusiastic, honest and a friend for life for all who have entrusted their home needs to her.” ~ Jim Branch, Raleigh NC Recognition and Awards: • Chairman’s Circle • President’s Circle • Leading Edge Society logo.pdf

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3700-100 Computer Drive, Raleigh, NC 27609 919.601.5050 tiddly.whitehead@BHHSYSU.com 120 | midtownmag.com

special advertising section

2014 Mortgage Professionals

Mortgage Professionals

Coastal Federal Credit Union (top center) Mortgage Sales Manager, Wendy Dawson (top row, left to right) Loan Officers Keith Johnson, Kristin Haines, Kristin Little and Christopher Walker (bottom row, left to right) Mary Brincefield, Liliana Arrazola and Christi Gurgis.

Buying a house may be one of the most important purchases you’ll ever make, but do you know what’s just as important? Choosing the right team for your mortgage. There are many mortgage professionals in the Triangle, but how many of them are local? How many of them have worked in this community for years, understanding the complexities of the Greater Raleigh and Durham markets? How many will put the focus on listening to your goals and take the time to reach the right solution with you?

We’re Coastal Federal Credit Union, and it’s our privilege to help you find the right mortgage for your needs. We offer a full array of mortgage lending products, from first-time nome buyer mortgages to

jumbo loans, as well as many adjustable – and fixed – rate mortgages.

Our motivation is different from banks and other lenders. We are a not-for-profit credit union who puts the needs of our members first. Our team has spent years working with North Carolinians just like you.

Our beliefs and values are rooted in the Triangle.

We’ve had the good fortune to grow as a mortgage department over the years and we want to share our prosperity with you, by giving you the best rates as well as the best service available. Visit our website today at COASTAL24.com and discover what many of your fellow neighbors already know – that Coastal Federal Credit Union is about people, not profit.

LOGO www.COASTAL24.com Equal Housing Lender

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special advertising section

Julie Hopfer

Whether you are looking to purchase a home, refinance your existing loan or access the equity in your home, today’s low mortgage rates might make this a great time. As your dedicated mortgage loan officer, I’ll be with you every step of the way, from application to closing.

I look forward to offering:

• •

A wide range of mortgage options Personal and prompt service

Vice President • NMLS ID: 557383 4800-101 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC 27609 919.278.2166 • julie.m.hopfer@bankofamerica.com mortgage.bankofamerica.com/juliemhopfer Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. © 2013 Bank of America Corporation

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2014 Mortgage Professionals

Mortgage Professionals

new aroundtown North Hills Scout & Molly’s 4120-120 Main at North Hills St. Raleigh, NC 27609 919.754.8430 www.scoutandmollys.com

Scout & Molly’s is back at North Hills!

From designer jeans to cocktail dresses, Scout & Molly’s has your fashion fix. Be sure to check out their new store across from Mura! Welcome back Scout & Molly’s!

North Hills Another Broken Egg Café 160 Park at North Hills St. Raleigh, NC 27609 919.720.6357 7am-2pm www.anotherbrokenegg.com

Cameron Village Lori + Lulu 410 Daniels Street Raleigh, NC 27605 919.821.2000 www.lorilulu.com

lori + lulu to open in cameron village If you are looking for a “contemporary California casual line of clothing” with most brands made in the USA – look no further. This shop appeals to moms, grandmothers and daughters alike. Welcome to Cameron Village! st timothys_ma.pdf

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Breakfast is coming to north hills!

Another Broken Egg Café, an award-winning breakfast, lunch and brunch restaurant, will be opening in the Park District at North Hills.

Founded in Louisiana, Another Broken Egg Café has been providing “eggceptional” food and service since 1996. Please help us welcome them to our area!

Words Worth Learning

A

Celebrating National Poetry Month

By Jenni Hart

April is National Poetry Month – a national celebration of poetry established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. For many educators, poetry is part of the curriculum all year long. Michael Friedman teaches English at Cardinal Gibbons High School, and he describes teaching poetry to high school students as “wonderful, mysterious, alternately unbearably complex and ridiculously simple.” In an exchange that includes references to The Odyssey, Twitter and Bob Dylan, Friedman shares unique insights from inside the classroom.

Midtown: What is the value of teaching poetry today?

Friedman: What is the value of teaching anything? This is the question that excites – and haunts – our culture. Is the purpose of education to prepare a young person for a job, to make someone a good citizen? Perhaps, but I believe education must be about the building of a soul. To the surprise of those who would advocate only practical or employment-driven courses of study, education must prepare a student for what is ultimately necessary for any career: the ability to recognize in everyone, everywhere, a common humanity. Attempting to get students to envision a poem as a living thing, rather than an object to study, is challenging. An obvious difficulty arises when we try to quantify or test this ability, but this challenge should not keep us from helping students recognize the difficulties and complexities of being alive.

M: What are the special challenges of teaching poetry to a student population so dependent on technology?

F: Everyone is used to instant gratification and immediate responses, whether from texting or tweets, yet it may take weeks or months meditating over a passage of poetry before it begins to work its magic and reveal its secrets to the reader. In addition, poetry is probably best read in solitude, but it is more difficult than ever to create such an environment when students are in an almost constant state of connection.

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On the other hand, however, these are the best of times for teaching poetry, as so many forms of poetry are available to everyone, at any time. The rushed shorthand of a student responding in seconds to a friend may exhibit a lyrical, poetic turn of phrase that immediately heightens the emotions and stirs the passions of the recipient. Such a burst of feeling may have remained obscure or hidden in a more traditional letter or conversation.

M: Tell us about an innovative approach to teaching poetry that you have found successful.

F: In my AP Language and Composition class, one of the most rewarding assignments is when students create their own rhetorical analysis prompt and analyze a favorite piece of music.

Some choose classic rock songs by Elton John, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac or the Beatles; some choose songs from my own favorite troubadours, Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan; still others prefer the voices of their own generation, like Miley Cyrus or the Avett Brothers. Almost every essay reveals how the songs can be analyzed using a basic formula, yet remain urgent and passionate. That said, I still think the best way to teach poetry is to recite it as often as possible and allow the students to bond with the sound of the words, with the music of the soul, and not worry so much about what something may or may not mean. Poems are living things, and like everything living, they are constantly evolving.

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St. Timothy’s School Sixth grade haiku and cinquain poems Little Dancers

By Emma Lias Falling, swirling, down Dancing like ballerinas Turning, dancing, swoosh!

Apple Cider

By Rachel Smith Yum! Apple cider Made from the freshest apples Pour me a glass, please Fall

By Trey Lewis Red, Orange, Yellow The leaves falling down from trees Fall, the best season

Snowflakes Sparkling, magical Minute, Tranquil, Festive Falling from the sky Frozen – Lindsay Woodard Cookies Delicious, Flavorful Baking, cooking, eating Mixing a bowl makes me hungry Amazing – Alec Harrison Candles Warm, soothing Burning, shrinking, dripping Giving the dark world light Flame – Lilli Brown

Write Now!

By Dan Bain

Want to learn more about writing for a living? Check out Triangle Area Freelancers (TAF), a dedicated group of nearly 100 active freelance writers.

Founded in 2003 by veteran freelancer Donald Vaughan, the group includes writers with a full gamut of experience – from those who make a living from the craft, to those who are just learning and wish to break into the freelance market.

One of TAF’s offerings is Write Now!, an annual writers conference that started in 2008 and has grown to become what Vaughan considers “one of the premiere writing conferences in North Carolina.” This year’s conference will take place Saturday, May 3rd, from 8am-4pm at Wake Technical Community College (Northern Wake Campus).

This year’s presenters include Rita Award nominee Jennifer DeLamere; Vampire Empire collaborators Clay and Susan Griffith; Amazon best-selling novelist Elisa Lorello; screenwriter Scott Myers; 2011 Piedmont Laureate Scott Huler; Writer’s Digest columnist and writing coach Linda Formichelli; and National Magazine Award-winning journalist Sean Flynn, who writes frequently for Esquire, GQ and Men’s Journal. Joe Raiola, senior editor at MAD Magazine, will deliver the keynote address, entitled Still Ignorant After All These Years. “We work hard to bring in presenters with the knowledge and expertise to benefit experienced writers as well as those who are just learning the craft,” said Vaughan.

The $69 registration fee covers continental breakfast, the keynote, four presentations across fiction and nonfiction tracks, a box lunch, chances to win door prizes, and a roundtable discussion. Please see http://www.triangleareafreelancers.org/WriteNow.html for additional details, and write now!

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Cardinal Gibbons High School Contributions to the school’s arts and literary magazine, The Repeater: The South

By Kathryn Baker, Class of 2015

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The South.

The home of thick accents, sweet hospitality, and rebels.

Stepping past the Mason-Dixon line isn’t just moving into a

different geographical territory, it’s moving into a

different way of life.

A life where people greet others with bright, warm smiles.

A life where “y’all” is a prominent term.

A life where southern pride burns passionately proud.

Biscuits, grits, and gravy fill happy plates day after day, and

peach cobbler is the sweetest way to fall into a heavy sleep.

June through August welcomes steamy, humid weather, setting

a bright and relaxing tone for lazy beach days and hot and

sweaty country concerts.

Cowboy boots strut through the talkative and welcoming

streets as trucks fly down two-lane dirt roads.

Hunting is a social activity and camo is acceptable clothing.

But beyond the clothes, the food, and the smiles, lies the pride.

The pride of warm hospitality.

The pride of bright and unique personality.

The pride of the rebel South.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

By Catherine Wagner, Class of 2015 Like a broken music box, my friend When she told me about the accident.

Smirking as she revealed the angry red claw marks across

her collar bone, Snickering at her thumb, mummified in white gauze.

Giggling through the whole story – through the crash

and the smoke.

Like a broken music box, playing notes at all the wrong times.

When I hugged her close, She sobered for a minute.

Maybe she could feel my pain and fear in that instant.

Maybe it was in my eyes or the lilt of my voice or the tightness

of my arms wrapped around her. But then it was gone,

and she was hiding behind her smile again.

Maybe it is better this way.

After all, they say laughter is the best medicine.

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How it came to be

By Anthony Palumbo, Class of 2015 I used to hate to write.

English was unexciting, too.

After middle school I had had enough.

But on the first day of high school

I walked into English class.

The teacher seemed nice and had a

good sense of humor, I began to enjoy that class.

I learned so much.

I continued to learn.

I took what I learned to a whole

new level, I went to Georgetown, where some

great young writers assemble.

That week changed my life.

I went from being the English hater

to the English nerd, Class after class, session after session, Writing became my obsession.

As I continued to grow as a writer, I became more aware, That I was becoming brighter

and brighter.

Ravenscroft School Sixth Grade Poetry Leopards Rest

By Sarah Petterson Delicate ears Listen above mango colored eyes Staring deeply ahead, While a strawberry red tongue Dances around.

Scattered spots Paint the soft, well-kept coat As the leopard rests, On stones blanketed with lichen.

Shadows

By Giorgia Curti Icy white snow Holds tiny black seeds Beneath the small bird; His sharp stick-like feet Support his toffee colored body.

His dark eyes bring The gray shadow to life. midtownmag.com | 129

to Benefit Diabetes Research

By Dan Bain

AN jdrf ambassador presents one of the auction winners with an annual hope poster.

I

t can strike without warning, with neither cause nor cure. Once it strikes, it’s permanent, requiring constant maintenance simply to stay alive. It prevents the body from processing its most-needed fuel, and can result in nerve damage, blindness, kidney failure, coma, and other complications. And it affects 30,000 new people every year – 15,000 of them children.

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We’re talking about type 1 diabetes (T1D), or juvenile diabetes – a disease that suddenly and irrevocably attacks and disables the pancreas, the body’s only natural means of the hormone insulin.

Without insulin, the body cannot burn sugar for energy, and T1D victims find themselves dependent on a painstaking lifelong regimen of multiple daily blood tests and resulting injections, in addition to

constant surveillance and management of nutritional input.

Children find themselves going through thousands of lancets and needles a year, just to strike a delicate balance of desirable blood sugar and ketone levels in an effort to stave off complications the rest of us can avoid naturally – and it happens for no reason. T1D is not attributed to diet, exercise or any other factors under the patient’s control. It’s sometimes preceded by what appears to be a virus, but other than that, it just happens. That point is vital; people have misconceptions, and fail to realize T1D cannot be prevented.

“You can literally go from having a child who’s acting completely healthy, in the matter of a weekend to being in the hospital because they are fatigued, they can’t get enough to drink, and a lot of things are suddenly out of the norm,” said Chris LaTurno, a board member with the Triangle/Eastern NC Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRFTriangle). “So you go to the emergency

attendees enjoying comradery at last years event.

room and maybe within an hour or two, they’re diagnosed with type 1 diabetes – and your life changes, your child’s life changes, and the family dynamics change.”

LaTurno is also chair for the 11th Annual Hope Gala, a black-tie event that raises funds for T1D research. The Gala includes a combined cocktail hour/silent auction, dinner during a live auction, dancing, entertainment, and a special donation opportunity called Fund a Cure.

The live auction, which raised a record $170,000 at last year’s Gala, gives donors the chance to bid on one-ofa-kind items and experiences, such as tickets to see an NFL game in London, a week’s vacation in a Tuscany villa, a spot in a quail-hunting expedition, or the opportunity to ring the NASDAQ bell. This year’s prizes include a private jet flight to Florida, to play an exclusive golf course – one of many reasons that Sarah Blackmon, development manager at JDRF-Triangle, says the auction “is probably one of the most talked-about experiences in town.”

During Fund a Cure, attendees hear the emotionally draining stories from local parents about what it’s like to have a child with T1D, then raise their paddles to donate, in tiered amounts from $100 to $25,000, to diabetes research. Two years ago, the funds went to an artificial pancreas project at the University of Virginia; it was voted one of Time Magazine’s top 25 inventions in 2013.

This year’s funds will be given in hopes of prevention, funding an autoimmunity project at the University of North Carolina. “Every dollar raised during Fund a Cure goes to research,” Blackmon explained. “We’re always highly rated on efficiency by Forbes; it’s important for people to know we’re going to be good stewards of their money. The sponsors pay for all the things the guests see and enjoy at the event itself; all the funds raised that evening go only toward our mission.”

The first ten Hope Galas raised $5 million total, with last year’s bringing in $800,000 – an amount Blackmon hopes to match this year. She said planners purposely keep the event smaller than other galas, capping at around 500 guests, in order to keep it more intimate.

Children with T1D act as “ambassadors” throughout the night by greeting guests, carrying auction items, and performing other volunteer duties – not to mention reminding guests of why they bought tickets to begin with. This puts a personal face on a disease that can otherwise be overlooked by those who haven’t been touched by it. LaTurno and Blackmon agree, though, that firsthand exposure to T1D is not the only reason people attend the gala – many guests have neither the disease nor loved ones with the disease, but choose to attend because they know that could easily change. “If I ever got that phone call, I’d want the latest, greatest technology to make the disease less impactful, or to have a cure,” said

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Young adult ambassadors working at the 2013 jdrf hope gala

LaTurno. “This night does a very good job of getting that across.

It’s very personal; it lets people know what life’s like and how things change with type 1 diabetes.”

Blackmon said guests tend to get connected after attending once and hearing the stories, and come back year after year.

The 2014 Gala, called Bowties and Bluegrass, is scheduled for Saturday, April 26th at 6pm, at North Ridge Country Club.

Tickets start at $250 per person, with group tables and sponsorships available for more. And it’s worth every penny, said LaTurno, because, “What we do that night impacts children’s lives, locally and across the state.”

The Facts About Diabetes • Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas. Warning signs may come on suddenly, and may include: - Extreme thirst - Frequent urination - Increased appetite - Sudden weight loss - Sudden vision changes - Fruity odor on the breath - Heavy or labored breathing - Drowsiness, lethargy, stupor or unconsciousness • Nothing can currently prevent T1D, including diet and lifestyle. If you think someone could have prevented it by exercising or eating healthier foods, you are probably thinking of some cases of type 2 diabetes.

• Once a person has T1D, they have it for life; there’s no outgrowing it. The damage is permanent. Insulin does not cure T1D, but is required to live.

• T1D can attack infants, children or adults – many of whom have no family history of diabetes.

• JDRF was founded in 1970 by two mothers who wanted to find a cure for their children. It has since grown to more than 100 chapters within the US and in six countries, with the same mission – to find a cure for T1D by funding research.

• JDRF is the largest charitable funder of T1D research in the world. It has funded over $1.7 billion in research, which has resulted in better management of T1D and increased life expectancy for its victims, but the organization is still pursuing a cure.

[Sources: JDRF web site and fact sheets.]

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midtowndowntown

&

service Sacrifice R a l e i g h ’ s

R

P o l i c e

By Kate Turgeon Watson

aleigh was in an unusual spot. Of the 50 largest cities in the United States, it was one of only two that didn’t have a dedicated police memorial.

That was a problem for Dennis Lane, a retired major from the Raleigh Police Department. He felt that the absence of a memorial was a disservice – a disservice to the eight officers who died in the line of duty, to their families and to the community as a whole.

Lane wasn’t alone. Others felt that Raleigh, like Charlotte, Chicago and New York, should have its own police memorial.

And in 2009 they started a charity, the Raleigh Police Memorial Foundation, to create a space downtown for people to remember, honor and think about the meaning of sacrifice.

“We decided early on we really didn’t want a traditional

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M e m o r i a l

memorial, we wanted something that stood out,” Lane says.

“We wanted something unique because we believe Raleigh is a unique place.”

For that they went to artist Thomas Sayre at Clearscapes. The selection committee liked him because he didn’t show up to the interview with a preconceived design. Instead Sayre brought a human element.

“I chose to be completely honest,” Sayre remembers.

He told the committee that he wouldn’t design a memorial of bronze statues or a cemetery-like monument. The reason: Cemeteries are about loss. And there are already eight resting places for these officers, Sayre says. “Monuments in public should be inspirational and poignant.”

It’s not that the loss of life isn’t acknowledged; it is.

The memorial features a 60-foot water table where water flows around eight holes, or voids, representing the

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6th Annual Run For Our Heroes eight fallen Raleigh police officers. At night the eight voids will emit light.

The designer hopes visitors will look at the voids and reflect, perhaps asking themselves if they would be willing to put themselves in the situations that police officers face each day.

“What amazes me is the capacity of human beings to make sacrifices. I find that inspirational,” Sayre says. “It’s tragic when one loses one’s life, but what’s not tragic is that humans are capable of making that kind of commitment.”

Twenty-one granite columns are part of the memorial. From a design perspective, that was the number that visually fit the space. But for Lane the number 21 carries significance, albeit coincidental.

Raising

$500,000

In 2009 Dennis Lane, a retired major from the Raleigh Police Department, was bicycling the Road to Hope ride with other police officers.

The three-day, 250-mile journey took them from Chesapeake, Virginia to Washington, DC “When we were riding we started thinking, ‘It’s a disservice to these eight [fallen] Raleigh officers, their families and the citizens of Raleigh that we’re the 42nd largest city in the country and we don’t have a dedicated police memorial,’” Lane says.

They came home, started a foundation and raised $500,000 in five years. Here’s how they did it: • • • • • •

5 Run for Heroes races 2 First Responder Talent Shows 4 Five-0 Memorial Bike Rides 4 Raleigh Police Memorial Golf Tournaments Profit sharing at restaurants Community Partnership Program, a capital campaign

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Saturday, April 26th at 9am Nash Square www.runforourheroes.org

“Things happen for a reason,” he says. “As we build this we have 777 Raleigh police officers and if you add 7 and 7 and 7 you come up with 21 … [the number is] also representative of a 21-gun salute.”

Lane notes that the granite columns intersect with circles at the memorial’s base. The circles, he says, represent the community and the points of intersection show how the community and the police department connect.

The memorial also features benches in a private setting, as well as a memorial column to honor the fallen Raleigh police officers: Officer Tom G. Crabtree; Officer Robert E. Sparks; Officer James G. Lee; Officer James W. Allen; Officer Delma D. Adams; Officer Denise Holden; Detective Paul A. Hale; and Officer Charles R. Paul.

Their names will be etched into smooth, polished granite.

Many of these officers’ colleagues, friends and family members gather a few times a year for events such as fundraisers and an annual memorial service that occurs during Police Week.

“We all belong to the kind of club none of us wants to belong to,” says Patti Hale, Paul Hale’s mother. She says she and her husband Richard will attend the dedication and Run for Heroes planned for late April. Event participation is one way the couple remembers their son, who was killed in 1997 while attempting to apprehend a murder suspect.

In the years since Paul’s death, the Hales have grieved and visited the location where he was shot. For Patti, it was important to meet the doctor who tried to save her son’s life.

They’ve remembered a son who was athletic (he ran, played tennis and swam), studious (he majored in geology at Vanderbilt University) and focused on a career in service (before becoming a police officer he studied Navy ROTC and considered a career in the Marine Corps.)

“He had a lovely wife and two beautiful daughters, and they were his whole world,” Patti says, noting that Paul also cared for his family’s dogs – a golden retriever and black lab.

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“

“

“One can identify the reason why this memorial is so important. It’s because of that camaraderie that police departments, all police departments, share. And when the off icers are facing that memorial, it’s not so much for individuals; it is for the fact that those are all of the people that they work with, past and present.

That’s what this is for.” ~ Richard Hale,

father of Detective Paul Hale

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Richard and Patti Hale hold a framed photograph of their son, Detective Paul Hale, who was killed in the line of duty in 1997. The Hales belong to a community of friends, family members and colleagues of fallen police officers.

“Life is precious,” says Patti. “You don’t know from one minute to the next ... one phone call can just change your whole world. It did for all of us.”

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What’s happening and when?

Unveiling the Memorial Friday, April 25th at 6 pm City Hall, 222 W. Hargett Street www.rpdmemorial.wordpress.com

“There was a convenience store there that stayed open [late] … and the owner had serious [safety] concerns,” Richard says. “Paul would park his car out in front of the store and do his reports and make sure that the store was in safe hands.”

Paul’s parents learned about this seemingly small act when they visited the area where he worked and happened to walk into that store.

“We walked in,” Richard says, his voice getting deeper, slower. “And there’s a picture of our Paul. Back of the counter. We spent some time with the owner of the store … it was very emotional for us to learn how much and how well this person thought of Paul.”

Richard and Patti know the story is just one of many stories of service that happen each day within the Raleigh police organization. Over the years they have shared their stories and listened as others shared their experiences.

“We are all family,” Richard says, snapping his fingers. “Just like that.”

Sayre, who worked on the memorial with architect Jon Zellweger and designer Christian Karkow, met with the Hales, among other family members of those who were killed in the line of duty.

He also met with a sister of Officer Denise Holden, who was killed in an accident in 1995 while responding to an officer-needs-assistance call. Sayre says she told him that when she comes to Raleigh she finds herself visiting the place where her sister died. The memorial, Sayre explains, is meant to be a more positive place for families and members of the police department.

“Police officers get up in the morning and they have to be prepared to throw themselves into the lurch for the rest of us. Every day,” Sayre says. “I hope the memorial is a place to go to encounter the fact that eight people have given their lives … and to encounter the issue of what it’s like to make those sacrifices.” midtownmag.com | 137

photograph © all about beer

midtowndowntown

It’s a

Brew World After All lederhosen optional...

by Kate Turgeon watson

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photograph © Shop Local Raleigh

T

he thaw is on. And with snowstorms and cold temperatures in the proverbial rearview mirror, Raleigh’s ready. April brings two events for beer lovers. For starters, the World Beer Festival comes to Moore Square on Saturday, April 5th.

Now in its ninth year, the festival features more than 250 craft and specialty beers. The goal: to build and support local beer communities. Live music and food from vendors such as Chirba Chirba Dumpling, Mac-ur-oni and Only Burger are also part of the lineup.

General admission, which is $45 according to the event’s website, includes a tasting glass with unlimited two-ounce tastings and access to the Art of Beer Experience. A VIP package ($90 according to organizers) includes those two features as well as a gift, access to a special lounge, and “traveling beer dinner.” The event is divided into two sessions – afternoon and evening.

To promote responsible beer tasting, organizers point out that there will be taxicabs outside the venue and hotels within walking distance.

Brewgaloo brings another beer experience to downtown Raleigh when it occupies City Plaza on Saturday, April 26th. Think food trucks (14 of ‘em) and craft brews. And three stages will feature

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entertainment by local bands such as Outside Soul, Laura Reed and Acoustic Manner.

Presented by Shop Local Raleigh, the festival features local craft beer such as Mash House, Foothills and Mystery Brewing. Organizers say there’s no cover charge, and beer is sold by the pint or by the taste using a token system.

Raleigh’s Liz Goldberg attended Brewgaloo with last year. “It’s a great outdoor activity,” she says. “There’s live music, people are dancing.

People are talking … and it’s easy to navigate.”

Goldberg, who moved to the Triangle area from Chicago with her husband Mark, says Brewgaloo is reminiscent of many of the

Now in its third year, Brewgaloo features only North Carolina beer, food and music. “It’s one big, giant street party that’s all about supporting local business,” says Jennifer Martin, executive director of Shop Local Raleigh, which sponsors the event.

Presented by “All About Beer Magazine,” the World Beer Festival comes to Raleigh’s Moore Square on April 5th. And with 30,000 square feet of tent space, organizers say the festival goes on rain or shine.

large-city type of events they experienced in downtown Chicago.

“I had heard about Brewgaloo, but didn’t realize how big of a festival it was until we got there,” says Goldberg, adding that it was fun to run into friends.

When she gets around to Brewgaloo 2014 and has her tokens in hand, Goldberg says she will be looking for her favorite beer – the 4042 Stout by Deep River Brewery in Clayton – from last year’s event.

“Their stout was done with North Carolina cocoa … it’s heavy, but not so intense you couldn’t dink it,” she says about the beer, which is offered year-round at the brewery and features a sweet flavor brewed with freshly-ground cocoa, chocolate malt and cocoa nibs.

While beer is available for sale by the “full pour” or in sample size, Goldberg suggests the sample size so festival-goers may get the full Brewgaloo experience.

Whether you’re a craft beer expert or just learning the basics of brew, both festivals have opportunities for outdoor fun in downtown Raleigh.

For more information on the World Beer Festival, visit www.allaboutbeer.com and click on events. To learn more about Brewgaloo, visit shoplocalraleigh.org and click on Brewgaloo. midtownmag.com | 141

photograph Š A. Graham Images

lose?

Life is good. Amy Phillips says her two energetic daughters have a tough time keeping up with her now.

what have you got to

How the Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery at Duke Raleigh helped Amy Phillips lose more than 200 pounds – and gain her life back

By Page Leggett

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“Over the summer, my family went to an amusement park,” says Amy Phillips of Knightdale, NC “For the first time in over 20 years, I got to ride on a roller coaster without fear of not fitting into the restraints. It felt absolutely amazing.”

Ironically, those restraints weren’t confining. They were liberating.

Phillips, a 35-year-old wife and mother of a teen and tween had, she says, “tried many things, from traditional calorie counting and rabbit food to prescription weight loss medications, as well as Weight Watchers.” Most worked for a while, she says, but none proved to be long-term solutions.

And she needed something permanent. For Phillips, it came in the form of Roux-En-Y gastric bypass surgery at Duke Raleigh Hospital in December 2011.

She had considered weight loss surgery before but nixed the idea 10 years ago when she lost her job – and her health insurance. But, thanks to the urging of her parents – who were concerned about her health – surgery became a possibility. And health concerns are a big reason to shed extra pounds. Obesity can lead to serious, but generally preventable, conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and more.

Besides worrying about her physical health, though, Phillips felt she was living a life based on fear. She had been in hiding. “I was actively avoiding situations that put me in large groups of people and even events at my girls’ school,” she says. “I will never forget walking down the hall at their school at my heaviest and having a little boy of maybe six ask me if I was going to have a baby.”

You gain as you lose

Phillips had a lot to lose. But even more to gain. “I have lost around 175 pounds post-surgery for a grand total of around 220 since my journey began,” she says. She’d ideally like to lose another 15 to 20 pounds to fall into the “normal” BMI range for a woman of her age and height, but she is content where she is now.

Duke Raleigh has provided lots of emotional support since (and even before) surgery. Ellen Michal, a dietician at the center, says the center’s support starts as soon as a patient comes in with questions.

Bariatric surgery is life-changing. But, patients bear some of the responsibility for changing their own lives.

Lifestyle changes have to start long before a visit to the operating room.

Preparing to become a fraction of your current self isn’t easy. Phillips describes it as “exciting and terrifying at the same time.” She – like all candidates for weight loss surgery at Duke Raleigh – had to undergo tests to help ensure she was physically and mentally healthy enough for surgery.

A consultation with a psychologist specifically trained in evaluating patients for bariatric surgery is a requirement during the evaluation process. Candidates for weight loss surgery may also be evaluated by a cardiologist, pulmonologist, sleep specialist and gastroenterologist. The goal is to ensure that surgery is safe and will be effective.

“There was also an insurance requirement of six midtownmag.com | 143

photograph courtesy of Amy Phillips

months of documented weight loss attempts,” Phillips says.

No quick fix

Weight loss surgery is neither a quick nor an easy fix. There’s nothing magic about it. It takes serious commitment from the patient before and after surgery. Jin Yoo, MD, bariatric and general surgeon at Duke Raleigh, asked Phillips to try to lose at least 50 pounds prior to surgery to help make it safer. Anyone who has ever tried to diet away 10 or 15 excess pounds will know what a daunting task it is to lose 50. And that’s before surgery.

Life immediately post-surgery was good. “I have been exceptionally lucky as far as recovery goes,” Phillips says. “I needed very little in the way of pain meds beyond the first couple days. I was not working at that point, and the girls were on winter break so I could rest, walk and sip my protein shakes and water as needed.”

And life beyond immediate recovery has been even better.

“I feel fantastic,” she says. “Words cannot even express how much better I feel both physically and emotionally. I have a four-year old boxer and two girls, 11 and 13, that can’t keep up with me now. I have started working my way up to running, which is something I never even would have considered possible three years ago.”

“My outlook on life has completely changed,” she says. “‘Yes I can!’ is now my thought instead of ‘Will I embarrass myself or my family?’ I am far more open to what the future might hold.”

Her advice to someone considering weight loss surgery?

“Be ready to do some soul searching. Are you looking for a quick fix, or are you truly ready to 2:40 change peace_ma.pdf 1 2/11/14 PM your lifestyle?”

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Amy Phillips, before her life-changing surgery, and her husabnd.

That’s exactly what Dr. Yoo would ask someone considering surgery. It’s not for everyone. Patients have to be committed to changing their entire lifestyle. Ideal candidates for the program have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or greater with two or more comorbidities (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) or a BMI of 40 or greater.

Built-in support system

While no one can do the hard work of changing your lifestyle for you, losing weight and keeping it off need not be a solitary journey. A key component of the Duke Raleigh program is the support offered from staff and others on the same journey.

Dietician Ellen Michal is a big believer in the power of support groups. “Being with people who have a common goal is extremely motivating,” she says. The group discusses more than weight loss; they talk about their improved quality of life and discover common physical and emotional changes.

Patients who attend monthly support groups have access to a Duke Raleigh healthcare team member. “There are very few times in our very busy lives that we can reflect and think about ourselves,” says Michal. “Support group is that venue and often an underutilized link for long-term success.”

Typically, there is a topic for each hour-long support group session. The group might sample protein bars or have a psychologist as a guest speaker. Phillips goes to support group when her busy schedule allows and says she always comes away with “information I have been able to incorporate into my day-to-day life.” One bit of information was the recent discovery of PB2 – powdered peanut butter. Phillips says most of the oils have been removed, so it’s a healthier option that still tastes “awesome.”

Attendance at a support group – which can vary from five to 20 participants each month – is entirely optional.

Patients can come to all, or drop in as they’re able. Michal says, “It would be more beneficial to stay with it consistently for a year and then at least quarterly for a lifetime.”

Support group is a safe harbor. “People can just come and listen; no one is forced to speak,” says Michal. “We have such a nice and engaged group of individuals that everyone usually feels comfortable sharing a viewpoint. When people sense that the atmosphere is non-judgmental, they 7:25 openPMup freely. What grand prixe_ma.pdf 1 2/9/14

happens in support group stays in support group.”

Duke Raleigh staff aims to stay in contact with patients post-surgery. Patients have a scheduled appointment with a dietician two weeks and six weeks post-op and again at the three-, six-, and 12-month marks. Beyond that, a dietitian is available as needed.

Maintaining weight loss is an ongoing journey. It doesn’t end when you leave the hospital. It involves making good choices and staying active day after day. “Don’t let anyone tell you that surgery is the easy way out,” Phillips says. “Even post-surgery, you have to make good food choices and stay active for everything to fall into place. Weight loss surgery is a tool – not an easy fix.”

Michal knows that to be true. “It takes a great deal of time and commitment to undergo this journey,” she says.

“Typically, this changes someone’s life in profound ways. It changes how that person views themselves, how they relate to others and helps them achieve something that has been elusive for many years.”

“The weight loss surgery journey allows each individual an opportunity for self-discovery and brings forward their potential,” she continues. “The positives are limitless.”

Was it worth all the hard work Phillips put in? Just imagine her, buckled in with hands held high, on that roller coaster.

A free weight loss surgery seminar is a great first step in this journey. Duke Raleigh offers these sessions both in person and online. To learn more, call the Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery (Raleigh campus) at 919.862.2715, or email dukewls@duke.edu

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healthy you

tighten up

by Suji Park-Idler, MD, Director, The Spa at Lafayette, Clinical Advisory Council Member for Thermigen

I

n our teenage innocence we wish to be older.

We think that our bodies and faces will never change. It used to be standard to watch the traditional signs of aging arrive on our bodies – sagging skin at the jaw line (jowls), loose skin at neck (known horribly as a turkey neck), excess skin dangling from the arms as they become less sculpted (bat wings). The options available were creams, maddening varieties of exercises that were almost always pointless, and bizarre devices and treatments. Do we all remember the inverted contraption that allowed you to hang upside down in the hopes that gravity would be counteracted?

As a doctor I examined the options carefully and found them all woefully disappointing with no data to support their claims.

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before treatment

3 months after single treatment

Serendipitously I received a phone call from a friend about a new technique by Thermigen to reverse skin aging. There are innumerable amounts of devices barraging physicians with claims “too good to be true”. So, I asked the question I always ask, “Where are the clinical trials and evidence?” Thermigen had obtained the intellectual patent on minimally-invasive RadioFrequency for cosmetic procedures and introduced the technique called ThermiLift.

Cardiologists, neurologists and orthopedists have utilized RadioFrequency for many years now. However, this would be the first application for cosmetic use in the US. The cosmetic application has been utilized in the European and East Asian countries, in particular the South Korean market, where most of the procedural techniques and results were initially founded. Intrigued by the concept, I visited the company and physician who was using ThermiLift in his practice.

For several months I was able to not only watch but also participate in the procedure, and then return three months later to see first-hand the follow-up results. Impressed with the minimally-invasive technique with very little downtime post-procedure, the results were undeniably amazing.

ThermiLift, the minimally invasive RF technique to tighten the neck, chin and jaw bone, has the most impressive before and after results. This cutting-edge technique allows for a comfortable introduction of RF technology directly to the area to stimulate the collagen layers underneath the skin’s surface. ThermiLift’s data and research shows it is effective and long lasting.

What makes ThermiLift unique is that it uses specific temperatures to promote collagen development, thus improving skin elasticity and minimizing wrinkles. A probe is introduced directly under the skin to heat up the tissue. As an added benefit, an infrared camera is used during the treatment to monitor the skin temperature visually and avoid complications. ThermiLift is FDA-approved and considered a safe and effective tool in tightening treatments for the neck, chin and jaw bone areas.

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healthy you

Take Care

of Your

Smile Beyond the Basics of Brushing

by J. Steven Baker, DDS, owner, baker cosmetic dentistry

T

eeth are for chewing. Obviously.

But, chewing isn’t the only reason we have teeth. In fact, you could live without any teeth at all. (Although your smile would be a little less dazzling.)

Having healthy teeth allows you to chew your food without discomfort, and that’s the first step in having a healthy digestive system. (I won’t go into all the problems an unhealthy digestive system can lead to, but you can imagine.)

Maintaining your teeth makes sense – not just for your oral health, but for your overall health, too. As part of your skeletal system, teeth play several roles in maintaining good health.

First of all, did you know your teeth help you with your balance? They also directly affect your posture and influence your overall body strength.

Your teeth are connected to receptors in the brain which send signals out to various parts of your body. If your teeth are physiologically balanced, you are actually stronger. That’s why so many professional athletes wear performance

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mouth guards. (And you thought it was just to protect their pearly whites.)

Keeping your chompers healthy can actually keep your spine in its proper alignment, especially if your bite is in its ideal position. So, having a tooth extracted may disrupt the balance of your entire body. Here’s another way to think of it: Imagine you lost your big toe. You’d have to adjust the way you walk to compensate for the loss.

Losing a tooth may not be as severe as a lost toe, but it will cause changes in your spine, including your neck. There are studies that show that when a bite is out of alignment, it may produce a curvature in the spine and then, when it is corrected, the spine actually aligns itself. Pretty incredible.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease is a common ailment, which can cause debilitating headaches, decreased opening of your mouth and difficulty chewing your food. Patients often visit their physicians about what they think is a problem with their ears, when in fact they are having referred

pain from TMJ disease.

So why does this happen? Our teeth dictate the position of our temporomandibular joint. If your teeth are not aligned – or if you’re missing teeth and don’t have a bridge, partial or dental implant or other dental device to compensate – your TMJs will be out of alignment as well.

Healthy gums are as important as healthy teeth. Our mouths are naturally loaded with bacteria. Getting your teeth cleaned on a regular basis is like having the oil changed in your car. Old, dirty oil leads to a worn-out engine that may cost a fortune to repair. Teeth covered in plaque and tartar are a breeding ground for bacteria, which can infect your body. If severe enough, these circumstances can lead to health problems up to and including cardiovascular problems.

You know the drill (no pun intended): Brush your teeth. Floss. And visit your dentist regularly. You’re not just caring for your teeth. You’re taking care of your whole body.

coming up in the next

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MADNESS PG. 40

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2013

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HEALTH:

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7th ANNIVERSARY Midtown Magazine will be celebrating seven wonderful years this year. We will take a look at the seven most influential people in the Midtown area.

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HISTORY MADE Just down the road in Pinehurst, NC, the Men’s and Women’s US Open will be playing back-to-back at Pinehurst No. 2.

Midtown Raleigh, get ready for this exciting event!

LOCALLY MADE Have a good you make here locally? We take a look at goods and gifts made here in the Triangle area.

PROM AND GRADUATION It’s that time of year already! We take a look at some ideas for prom and some ideas for graduation; pre-K, eighth grade, high school and college, we will help you find the right gift.

Midtown Reviews | Bain’s Beat | Calendar of Events | Healthy You living well | on the scene | Midtown Mingles | and much more!

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midtownmingles

DIAMOND

AWARDS

2014

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On Friday, January 3rd, Midtown Magazine hosted its sixth annual Diamond Awards party at Mura in North Hills. Almost 200 guests were on hand to find out who the big winners were for 2014. The celebration included delicious food courtesy of Eschelon Hospitality and The Cupcake Shoppe, as well as beautiful flowers from The English Garden. Diamonds Direct Crabtree, Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, Bluewater Spa, Skin Sense and the Elaine Miller Collection capped things off with jewelry and gift certificate raffles.

Each guest received a swag bag that included gifts from some of our great, local businesses. Thanks to everyone who made it out! >>Photography

by Jennifer Robertson

midtownmingles

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midtownmingles

holiday home tour & party

The Visual Art Exchange hosted their annual fundraising gala, “For The Love of Art,” on February 1st at the Marriott in downtown Raleigh. The black tie gala hosted 450 attendees.

Both silent and live auctions were held, and guests also enjoyed a visually delicious “For The Love of Cake” exhibit at the event.

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holiday home tour & party

Saxbys Coffee at North Hills opened on January 11th. A line started at 2am for the “win coffee for a year” promotion. This is the second Saxbys to open in Raleigh. Owners Lisa and Frank Cariello were joined by North Hills General Manager Gaylord LWL_ma.pdf 1 2/7/14Ellen 2:17 PM for the ribbon cutting.

Bonner and Saxbys Manager Bray

Winter Social and Auction

The Friends of St. David’s School hosted 355 school supporters at the Pavilion at the Angus Barn on Saturday, February 8th for the Winter Social & Auction. Guests enjoyed the Angus Barn’s legendary fare while bidding on a great selection of auction packages in the live and silent auctions, including a 2014 Chevy Equinox that Dr. Kevin Neshat won. Alisa Smith and Virginia Yopp co-chaired the 2014 event, and the proceeds will be used to enrich the school’s academic, athletic and arts programs.

Celebration on Blount Street

On January 31st The Merrimon-Wynne House, built in 1876 and located in the historic district of downtown Raleigh, celebrated its Grand Re-Opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony and cocktail reception. The Grand Re-Opening celebration was attended by over 400 guests, and included the collection of canned goods to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. midtownmag.com | 153

doTHISbetter By dan bain

Hygiene Wa n t t o w i n f r i e n d s and influence people?

Not to mention, stay healthier? All it takes is four easy steps:

1. Bathe regularly Seems simple, right? But some people don’t get it. You need to clean your hair and body with regularity. Even if you don’t bathe daily, establish a regular schedule that works for you. You’ll wash away dirt, germs and dead skin that can make you sick, and you’ll look and smell better.

2. Trim all 20 nails People notice overly long, sloppy fingernails.

And if you wear sandals, they do the same for toenails. Few things are grosser than nasty nails – keep them trimmed and neat, and you’ll keep less dirt under them, and reduce the risk of hang nails and infections.

3. Brush and floss regularly As an ideal, we should brush our teeth after every meal. If that’s not feasible, try to brush them twice a day. And floss daily. You’ll get rid of harmful bacteria, reduce the risk of cavities and other painful conditions, and have fresher breath.

4. Wash your hands Use soap and warm water to wash away germs and prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses. Do this before cooking and/or eating, after coughing or sneezing, after handling trash, after handling your pets, and especially after using the bathroom. I’m talking to you, guys – I’ve been in the public men’s room at the same time as you, and I’ve seen you walk out without stopping at the sink. That’s just gross.

Start washing, or I’m going to tell your wives.

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Plan a Better

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

It’s time for the wearing of the green! Whether you’re heading to a pub or hosting your own bash, you should keep these tips in mind: 1. Honor the culture We’re not all lushes, so drop the stereotypes.

Jokes about the IRA and heavy drinking? Not funny.

Don’t be a Plastic Paddy!

(And yes, it’s “Paddy” not “Patty.”) No one is “Irish for a day” but if you take time to learn about our heritage and St. Patrick’s Day traditions, a true Irishman might recognize you as the next best thing.

2. Serve/Order true Irish food Bacon (boiled ham, not corned beef) and cabbage, colcannon, or shepherd’s pie, with a side of soda bread or potato bread.

3. Serve/Order true Irish drinks Teetotalers can go with red or brown lemonade or Cidona, if you can find them. If you want beer, it

spin a better

doesn’t have to be green, but it should be authentic: Smithwick’s, Guinness, Harp, Murphy’s, or Kilkenny’s are great for starters.

Or if you want harder stuff, try some authentic Irish whiskey, like Jameson or Bushmills. And hoist it with an authentic Irish toast – something simple, like

“Sláinte!”

Basketball March Madness is upon us, but this is actually a pretty cool skill to show off any time of the year: 1. Let a little air out

If you deflate the ball slightly, it will be easier to control due to the increased surface area contact.

2. Get ready

Hold the ball about four inches from your chin, with the seams vertical, between your palms, with your hands pointing in opposite directions; your dominant hand should be on the front of the ball, with your weak hand closer to you, on the back of the ball.

3. Spin!

Snap your wrists to start it, then catch the ball with the pad – not the tip! – of your index finger.

Keep practicing this, spinning it slowly at first, until you can maintain the ball’s balance on your finger. Then bend your finger, moving the ball to the tip, and bat the ball with your free hand to keep it spinning.

Sources: everydayhealth.com, menshealth.com

Have Better