MARCH/APRIL 2021
REFRESH, REDEFINE, REUSE H O M E DESIGN TRENDS
ART WITH PURPOSE P IE CES THAT CONNECT
BACKYARD BLISS
D R E AMY OUTDOOR W EDDINGS
+ HOME AND GARDEN WAKE’S TOP R E A LT O R S
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C
EDI TO R’S LETTER
Maybe you converted a formal living room into an office, then added sliding doors to metaphorically shut out your work world at 5 p.m. Cheerful colors may cover your walls or pop out in fresh flowers on your kitchen table to represent hope for better times ahead. In “Refresh, Redefine and Reuse” on page 34, we’ll walk you through industry professionals’ observations on how local homeowners are changing the spaces they live in to meet the dual work-refuge role their homes now play. When it isn’t possible to renovate an existing space, a new law passed by the Raleigh City Council last July allowing the addition of accessory dwelling units on personal property may provide a solution. “Tiny Triangle Revolution” on page 68 explores how ADUs can be used to create offices, in-law suites, gyms and other purposeful spaces on your property. Local artists and gallery owners share their thoughts about why many homeowners are adding “Art With Purpose” to their interiors on page 58. Read expert tips for how to choose pieces that express meaning—and increase the interest of your Zoom background! Local landscape designers are busy creating splendid exterior spaces that offer security and serenity in what many view to be an uncertain world. From cozy porches to exotic poolscapes, “Lavish Landscapes” on page 70 explores how designers are upgrading outdoor living spaces for local homeowners. Not surprisingly, quite a few weddings are taking place outdoors as well—no matter what season it is. Read “Backyard Bliss” on page 80 to find out how—and where—three Raleigh couples made their dream day happen, despite the challenges COVID presented. On page 96, discover The Brasserie at Neuse River Brewing, a European-inspired bistro that husband-and-wife team Ryan and Jennifer Kolarov—who also own Neuse River Brewing—opened in November 2019. If you’re an ACC football or basketball fan, you may have listened to the voice belonging to our March/April Candid Conversation star for years. Get to know Wes Durham on page 108. Son of famed broadcaster Woody Durham and graduate of Apex High School, Wes spent two decades as the voice of Georgia Tech athletics. He’s now in his eighth year of TV play-by-play for football and basketball for the ACC Network, and is co-host of “Packer and Durham,” a weekday radio collaboration between the ACC Network and ESPN. Our community is filled with incredible movers and shakers whose family bonds have led to storied successes. Discover the fascinating history of the family behind Bailey’s Fine Jewelry on page 104. And if you’re looking for a new day trip destination, turn to page 100 to explore Jugtown—a 12-acre pottery paradise 8 miles south of Seagrove in Moore County, where one family has loyally preserved clay craftsmanship for more than 100 years. Looking back at how something started enhances our appreciation for what it has become. Someday, our children and grandchildren will look back at the challenges we faced while staying at home with our loved ones during this unprecedented time with an appreciation for the memories we created. Here's hoping our March/April issue inspires you to make your home everything it can—and should—be as you spend these precious moments together.
Beth Shugg, Editor Your opinions matter to us. Let us know what you think of this issue of Midtown magazine. Please email beth@midtownmag.com with your comments. 10 | midtownmag.com
Joe Reale
oming home after a busy day offers the promise of refuge from the outside world. But these days, coming home after a long day of work or school simply means exiting one room and entering another. Stay-at-home guidelines have created the need for redefining how our homes’ spaces function and flow. Our 2021 home and garden issue focuses on this movement.
PUBLI S H ER Ronny Stephens EDI TOR Beth Shugg C R EATI V E DI R ECTOR Linda J. Van de Zande A DV ERTI S I N G DESIGN Cindy Huntley CO PY EDI TOR Cindy Huntley SOCIAL MEDIA/ COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Brittany Murdock S EN I OR ACCO UN T EX EC UT IVE S Meredith Mills Charis Painter ACCO UN T EX EC UT IVE Aubrey Finley DI STR I BUTI O N Joe Lizana, Manager DistribuTech.net CON TR I BUTI N G WR I TER S Kurt Dusterberg, Spencer Griffith, Mandy Howard, Katie Jansen, Janice Lewine, Beth Peterson, Charlotte Russell, Mick Schulte, Anita Stone, Melissa Wistehuff CO N TR I BUTI N G PH OTOG R A PH ERS Bruce DeBoer, MASH Photography, Brian Mullins, Mick Schulte, Ty Van de Zande
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. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Midtown magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or art. Unsolicited material is welcome and is considered intended for publication. Such material becomes the property of the magazine and is subject to editing. Midtown magazine will not knowingly accept any real estate advertising in violation of U.S. equal opportunity law.
SUBSCRIPTIONS 6 print issues (1 year) Available online at midtownmag.com 4818-204 Six Forks Road Raleigh, NC 27609 Phone: 919.782.4710 Fax: 919.782.4763
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CONTENTS M A R C H / A P R I L
2 0 2 1
MASH Photography
F E A T U R E S 34
R E FR E SH , RE DE FI NE AND RE USE
2021 design trends make the most of time at home
58 AR T WI T H PUR POSE Insiders share tips for choosing art that creates connections 68
T I NY TRI ANGL E RE VOL UTI ON
Brian Mullins
34
58
Raleigh residents place big bets on accessory dwelling units
70 L AVI SH L ANDSCAPE S Outdoor space upgrades yield year-round comfort 80 B ACKYAR D B L I SS Local couples host intimate weddings on private property
ON TH E COVE R :
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Case Study® Furniture Upholstered Arm Shell Dowel chair in red, available at Trig Modern in Raleigh, photographed by MASH Photography.
CONTENTS M A R C H / A P R I L
2 0 2 1
SISTER CITIES 30
Hilton Head Health Jugtown Pottery
C O M M U N I T Y 94
Raleigh backyard gets a lush makeover
96
The Brasserie at Neuse River: Brewery meets European bistro
C H E F' S T AB L E
104
Love, trust and community fuel Bailey's Fine Jewelry's success
FAM I L Y B U S I NE S S
106
The Passage Home garden nurtures residents of South Park
108
ACC sports' voice Wes Durham reflects on his storied career
IN EVERY ISSUE
G I V I NG B AC K
C AND I D C O NV E R S AT I O N
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O N T H E S C E NE
Social Scene ǀ Home Styler ǀ Tastes of the City ǀ Sister Cities
111
Dine & Draft ǀ Events ǀ Midtown Mingles ǀ New Around Town
O U T & AB O U T
122
K AL E I D O S C O PE L I V I NG
S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T
T R A V E L 100
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C O M M U NI T Y
94
100 T R AV E L Discover a pottery paradise 8 miles south of Seagrove
John Matthews
Wayne Bukevic
D E P A R T M E N T S
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STEVEN SHELL LIVING MARKET LEADERS HOME AND GARDEN SOUTHERN ACCENT SHUTTERS & BLINDS GO 2 GIRLS NEW LIFE AESTHETICS
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the ON SCENE |
HOME STYLER
|
TASTES OF THE CITY
|
SISTER CITIES
Perry’s Berry’s Vineyard & Winery
SOCIAL SCENE
PERRY’S BERRY’S VINEYARD & WINERY
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SOCIAL SCENE
LET’S CONNECT! TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BRITTANY MURDOCK
There’s no better duo than a bagel and cup of coffee. Benchwarmers Bagels at Transfer Co. Food Hall is a collaboration between Andrew Cash of Jubala Coffee, and Josh Bellamy and Sam Kirkpatrick of Boulted Bread. Check out the menu at benchwarmersbagels.com.
Bites of Sam, a small online bakery business in Raleigh, creates larger-than-life cookies for customers in the Triangle area and beyond. Orders go live every Friday at noon, but you’ll want to get your order in quick as these popular cookies sell out fast. Flavors include triple chocolate chip, dark chocolate raspberry and cinnamon roll, to name just a few. See what other flavors you can choose from at bitesofsam.com. Mornings taste a little sweeter thanks to Layered Croissanterie. Its vanilla bean donut is filled with vanilla bean pastry cream and rolled in sugar—and happens to be one of the most popular pastries on the menu! Check it out at layeredcroissanterie.com.
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HOME STYLER
1
Put Your Style
ON DISPLAY
3
BY BRITTANY MURDOCK
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VENDORS
2 You’ve designed your dream living room space and now it’s time to accessorize your coffee table with decor that speaks to
1 Bronze Lady Bookends (set of two), $89 | The Design Haüs
2 Gold Feather Tray, $18 | The Local Squirrel
3 Michael Aram Black Iris Rose Bowl, $350 | Quintessentials
4 Agate Coaster Set on Metal Tray, $117 | Nest Interiors
5 Reclaimed Fruitwood Coffee Table, $1,229 | Furnish
your personal style. Allow this important table to become the center of attention with decorative trays, eye-catching vases, modern coasters and polished metals. Incorporate florals and pops of color to keep things lively and fresh. Dressing up your coffee table is a fun way to put your
4
creativity and style on display!
5
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AESTHETIC EXCELLENCE. SURGIC AL EXPERTISE. EXCEPTIONAL CARE. Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Michael R. Zenn, MD has practiced in the Triangle since 1996. His extraordinary training—Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency followed by a world-class fellowship in breast and facial surgery in New York City—is unparalelled. Formerly Vice Chief of Plastic Surgery at Duke, Dr. Zenn opened his signature cosmetic practice in 2017. Mary Shaver, RN, BSN, CANS is a certified nurse injector of Botox and fillers. With 18+ years of experience in the field and thousands of happy patients, Mary is known for her soft touch and commitment to excellence.
ZENN PL ASTIC SURGERY EXPERIENCED. ARTISTIC. TRUSTED. 7920 ACC Boulevard I Suite 110 I Raleigh, NC 919.480.3885 I zennplasticsurgery.com
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TASTES OF THE CITY Contact Raleigh Food Pics to be featured on their Instagram feed: raleighfoodpics@gmail.com.
1 3
2 4
1) Peño Mediterranean Grill: Lamb kabob platter with grape leaves, jalapeño hummus, basmati rice and pita. 2) Five Star Restaurant: Chicken lettuce wraps with vegetables and sweet chili sauce, topped with peanuts. 3) Benchwarmers Bagels and Coffee: Egg sandwich with bacon, American cheese and Duke’s mayonnaise. 4) Amorino USA: To-go assortment of gelato macarons.
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SISTER CITIES
WINERIES, BREWERIES AND CIDERIES, OH MY!
Daniel Erickson and Caleb Gray
SILVER FORK VINEYARD & WINERY
Wayne Bukevic
H ead w est to t he towns of Morg a n t o n a n d Lex in g t o n BY CINDY HUNTLEY fo r local w ine a n d c ra ft b ev era g e s
GOOSE AND THE MONKEY BREW HOUSE
MORGANTON: ECLECTIC AND SPIRITED
LEXINGTON: A LESSON IN BEER AND BBQ
Lake James—Morganton has reinvented itself as a haven for
than a second—you likely know what the town of Lexington is
With its proximity to two state parks—South Mountains and
adventurers looking to quench their thirst after a day out on the
water or trails. Check out Silver Fork Vineyard & Winery, offering traditional and local varieties; the seasonal-influenced Fonta
Flora Brewery, which will add a farm to its Morganton location in
the near future; or Catawba Brewing Co., which brews everything from a breakfast stout to its famed “Zombie” ales. If you prefer
something a little sweeter, try Apple Hill Orchard and Cider Mill or Perry’s Berry’s Vineyard & Winery (but be sure to check the businesses’ websites as seasonal hours may apply). If you’re
short on time or want to try a little of everything, stop by Brown Mountain Bottleworks, which stocks craft beer from all over
the state and rotates a different brewery on tap each week. No
renowned for. (You may have even driven all the way there just
for lunch a time or two—we’re not judging.) While barbecue still
has its spot as the star of the show, the town has also attracted an assortment of wineries, craft breweries and cideries. Goose and the Monkey Brew House, located in the Historic Depot district,
specializes in small-batch brews, and just across the street you’ll find Bull City Ciderworks (which also has a Durham location),
offering flavors ranging from fruity to spicy. Childress Vineyards crafts traditional varieties in addition to blends made from the
South’s favorite grape: the muscadine. And Native Vines Winery, the country’s first American Indian–owned winery, also calls Lexington home. If you go, be sure to try the Green Tea or Sweet Blackberry wines.
Paul Braynard
matter your taste in spirited beverages, you’re sure to find it here.
If you’re a North Carolina native—or have lived here for more
SILVER FORK VINEYARD & WINERY
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FEATURES
Brian Mullins Photorgraphy
HOME DESIGN TRENDS | ART WITH PURPOSE | TINY TRIANGLE REVOLUTION | LAVISH LANDSCAPES | BACKYARD BLISS
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CAPRI SECTIONAL SOFA MADE IN VIRGINIA BY WEIMAN, $4,987
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REFRESH, REDEFINE AND REUSE 2021 DESIGN TRENDS MAKE THE MOST OF TIME AT HOME WRITTEN BY SPENCER GRIFFITH
PHOTOS BY MASH PHOTOGRAPHY FURNISHINGS FROM TRIG MODERN
After spending more time at home than ever before in 2020, Triangle residents
are giving their living spaces a refresh in 2021. We asked industry professionals throughout Wake County to discuss
design concepts that are trending now— and that will outlast the pandemic. Here are five home design trends for 2021
1
you can hang your hat—or briefcase—on.
BO L D WA L LCOVER IN GS ”Wallpaper is in!” declares Kristen Ennis, owner of Kristen Ennis Design in Cary. Homeowners are choosing bold prints and patterns to add character to bland walls, she says. Vicky Serany, founder and principal designer of Cary’s Southern Studio Interior Design, is also seeing this trend play out in livelier laundry rooms as an opportunity to add a splash of fun to utilitarian spaces. “Clients are experimenting with playful tile and wallcoverings in bold patterns and color,” she says. Tula Summerford, owner of Raleigh’s Design by Tula, used a handmade cork wallpaper from Romo to help create a bright, fun powder room for one client. But if committing to a permanent wall covering isn’t for you, Ennis suggests peel-and-stick, removable wallpaper or wall decals, which are fun additions to kids’ rooms and small spaces.
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2
V E R S AT IL E AN D P R O F E S S IO N A L H O M E O F FICE S After a year when more people worked—or learned—from home than ever before, home offices and learning spaces remain a major focus. Serany often creates multiple work-from-home spaces to meet the needs of the entire family. “Gone are the days of setting up a makeshift home office in a dark corner of the spare bedroom,” she says. Due to the increased frequency of virtual meetings for many homeowners, or classes for their children, Serany has noticed more emphasis on office lighting and backdrops. Hanging beautiful photography or tastefully chosen art, for example, can enhance a work space and add interest to a virtual meeting background. (Read “Art With Purpose” on page 58 for inspiration on how to decorate your home with art.) Ennis recently converted a formal living room into an office space that would allow both parents to work from home while monitoring their young children’s activities. Along the walls, dual workstations with ample counter space enable plenty of room for parents and children to work side-by-side. They also include drawers, cabinets and open shelving lined with baskets to create storage space for work files, school supplies and craft materials. A kids’ table is positioned in the middle of the room atop a machine-washable faux-sheepskin rug. Providing sensory stimulation and protecting a larger area rug underneath from dropped objects, the smaller rug also helps “define the kid zone from the adult zone,” Ennis says. “When the family is not working or schooling in the space, they use it as a craft room for mom and the kids.” While Ennis also knows of many families who opted to convert their sparsely used formal dining rooms into home offices, Martha Schneider, owner of La Maison in North Hills, proposes that homeowners find ways to preserve the space as what she calls livable luxury. “Take time to sit down and gather around the table for weekly dinners with your family,” she suggests, so it can still be available for entertaining and holiday dinners.
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FIBERGLASS SHELL CHAIR (UPHOLSTERED) MADE IN CALIFORNIA BY MODERNICA, $665 TIMBER TABLE MADE IN CANADA BY GUS* MODERN, $260
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3
POPS OF COLO R Sherwin-Williams named Urbane Bronze its 2021 Color of the Year, but Pantone’s selections paired Ultimate Gray with Illuminating—a sunny, cheerful yellow that aligns with the vibrant trends local designers expect. “We’re going to see a resurgence this year of bright colors and rich, saturated hues— sapphires, emerald greens and rubies, as well as the earthy shades,” Summerfield says, adding that this movement is informed by Parisian designers. Even those who favor neutral tone-on-tone or monochromatic schemes in their main living areas are adding pops of lively blues and reds, or creating other spaces full of color. “They’re going a little wild and out-of-the-box on bedrooms, kids’ rooms and powder rooms,” Summerfield says. “Color is finally finding its way back into homes after a long neutral trend,” agrees Ennis. “Rich jewel tones are especially popular now and look great in velvet.” Meanwhile, La Maison’s Schneider recommends soft shades of blue, which “evoke a sense of serenity for homeowners” and suggests adding these through subtle accents like fresh florals, candlesticks or coffee table books.
INDIGO WING CHAIR AND OTTOMAN MADE IN OHIO BY CRAFT ASSOCIATES, PRICE UPON REQUEST “AROUND” SIDE TABLE MADE IN ITALY BY BENSEN, $450
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4
S U STA IN A B L E TO U CH E S Cork can be used for more than just wallpaper. This renewable material is also trending on floors and atop shelves as a cushiony liner. Considered sustainable because it is harvested from trees that are at least 25 years old, then stripped away from the trunks every nine years, cork’s natural texture and pattern variations also produce beautiful headboards, tables and accessories. Bob Drake, owner of Trig Modern in Raleigh, makes an effort to stock his store with sustainable furnishings and accessories, such as outdoor furniture made from recycled plastic and bamboo lighting fixtures. Other sustainable trends include the use of healthier materials, such as carpet companies eliminating the use of stain- and water-repellent chemicals; government incentives to ad solar panels; and DIY upgrades on used pieces, such as reupholstering chairs.
OUTDOOR FURNITURE MADE IN MINNESOTA (FROM PLASTIC MILK JUGS) BY LOLL DESIGNS WESTPORT ADIRONDACK CHAIR, $895 SATELLITE END TABLE, $375 MARCH/APRIL 2021
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U PGRA DE D KI TC HENS Since families are now eating nearly every meal at home, another pandemic-inspired trend focuses on kitchen upgrades. “A year ago, we were sharing new restaurant recommendations along with delicious meals at our longtime favorites. COVID managed to change our world of dining in an instant,” Serany observes. “Today, we are sharing new recipes and spending our time together in the kitchen, so well-designed spaces are more important than ever.” Along with state-of-the-art appliances and statement range hoods, Serany is finding that her clients are adding butler’s pantries or sculleries, and incorporating hidden pantry cabinets. Wine cabinets are also making an appearance in many kitchens. Thanks to North Carolina’s favorable climate, the Triangle continues to see a big surge in demand for outdoor kitchens and bar areas as well, Loyd adds. (Check out “Lavish Landscapes” on page 70 for more al fresco trends and ideas.) Whether you’re making plans to create a permanent work-from-home space or upgrading your kitchen, 2021’s trends reflect the accumulation of everything we missed out on—or discovered we needed—during 2020. Pantone might say these trends provide an “illuminating” way to justify the “ultimate gray” year we just endured, offering much-needed color, beauty and simplicity within our homes. BAMBOO LIGHT FIXTURE BY KINA, STARTS AT $1,295 40 | midtownmag.com
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T RAV E L W IT H O UT L E AV IN G H O ME BY SPENCER GRIFFITH
PHOTOS BY BRIAN MULLINS (WINE ROOM) AND ERIC HONEYCUTT (POOL) Restrictions preventing exotic excursions this past year haven’t diminished homeowners’ desire to travel, which designers are seeing displayed in their clients’ décor and renovation decisions. “Everyone’s trying to have their space reflect their travels because they’re all yearning to travel once again,” says Tula Summerford, owner of Raleigh’s Design by Tula. She often incorporates mementos from around the world—whether from her clients’ adventures or items she has purchased during her own trips—as accessories when designing spaces. Some homeowners who miss traveling to vineyards around the world are creating wineries in their homes. “Wine cellars have also been a big deal in the last several months,” says Tripp Loyd, owner of Loyd Builders in Apex. He theorizes that the trend may be spreading here as residents of New York and California move to the area, while being modernized through the use of glass features and entertaining areas. The same line of thought goes for homeowners who miss taking beach or tropical vacations. Summerfield has designed more pool houses lately as clients try to recreate their own version of a summer holiday they can enjoy at home every day. Loyd has also witnessed the demand for outdoor living—which he says existed well before the pandemic—met with structures that serve as both pool and guest houses. These include multipurpose spaces that can be used as exercise rooms, home offices or game rooms, as well as saunas, outdoor showers and outdoor dining areas with firepits. “Having that space away from the house is good for work, for exercise and for having a get-together,” he says. “But it’s also like a mini-house in the backyard, so peoples’ parents can come and live for months, if not longer.” (Check out “Tiny Triangle Revolution” on page 68 to discover how some local homeowners are using accessory dwelling units, aka tiny homes, for guest houses, gyms, offices and other spaces.) There are simpler touches homeowners can make to add an exotic flair to their interior or exterior spaces. “After a year of unexpectedly spending more time inside our homes without travel, we’ve come to appreciate the little things in life,” says Martha Schneider, owner of Raleigh’s La Maison.” The smell of fresh-cut flowers as you walk into your home can take you back to days wandering down the cobblestone streets in Europe. (Read “Beautify With Blooms” on page 66 for tips on how to grow your own flowers.) “Flowers have never gone out of style,” Schneider says. “But they are something that we’re going to start seeing a lot more of sprinkled throughout various rooms in the home.”
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iStock/YinYang
B U Y IN G A N D SE L L I N G I N T H E T R IA NGL E BY SADIE HARPER Despite COVID-19, real estate in the Triangle seems impervious to its effects, as the need for housing remains high and interest rates stay low. What do local buyers and sellers need to know about the current market?
Paulina Bohorquez, CEO of The Residential Advantage with Keller Williams in Raleigh, says increased demand results in price markups due to buyers’ willingness to pay above appraisal value. “People are moving [here] from large cities in record numbers, searching for affordable housing that provides the space needed to accommodate living, working and schooling at home,” she says. “This makes the market move more quickly, with many placing five, seven or more offers before having one accepted.” Over time, prices naturally increase relative to inflation and the cost of living. The danger comes with artificial inflation. If the market shifts, residents who lose jobs that were used to secure mortgage qualifications might find their homes hard to sell—especially if they overpaid up front. Many homes receive multiple offers the first day they are listed. Plus, more buyers are bringing cash offers, says Jennifer Covington of Keller Williams Legacy Apex—which is great for sellers, but can frustrate buyers whose offers don’t match up. TIPS FOR BUYERS Jessica Hunt of Hunt for Homes in Rolesville advises buyers to contact a local lender to get preapproved—not just prequalified. Make a clean offer at or just
STAGING A HOME HELPS POTENTIAL BUYERS SEE HOW THEY MIGHT LIVE THERE.
above listing price, and don’t ask for too many concessions. Covington cautions: “Buyers will have to make compromises, but be mentally in shape to make decisions quickly.” Also, she advises, be competitive with offering a larger down payment or a lower loan-to-value ratio, because a home you walk through on Saturday might be gone before Monday. Bohorquez says buyers should look for competitive loan programs and remain flexible with inspection dates to appeal to sellers. She also recommends starting the loan process at least 90 days before you you anticipate moving. And stay conservative with spending power once you’ve considered how the property might sell when the market adjusts again. TIPS FOR SELLERS Most buyers want to see themselves moving right in, not purchasing a fixer-upper—especially if they have walked through newly constructed homes in mint condition. Because of this, Bohorquez strongly encourages sellers to stage their homes and make necessary repairs.
Hunt uses virtual tours, as well as highquality interior and aerial photos for her listings. Covington advises lining up a backup place to live in case your home sells quickly. Consider renting an Airbnb for a time, then buying a new home later. STAGING YOUR HOME Holly Calabro and Crystal Hostetler, owners of CHC Homes and CHC Homes Realty, specialize in renovating homes in Midtown Raleigh. They also stage homes, and offer the following tips for how to make yours look its best once it hits the market.
Check your emotions at the door. The first step in letting your home go is letting your home change. Invite a friend or professional over to offer some honest opinions. How does your home smell? Did you use an unappealing paint color? Decide beforehand to accept these insights without offense. Move yourself out of your home. Potential buyers want to see your home, not you. Remove diplomas, photos, toys and other personal items. Declutter and deep clean. Don’t forget the trim! Make the first impression count. Trim the bushes. Spread fresh mulch. Place a wreath on the front door and a new rug in the entryway. It makes a difference! Show buyers how to live in your home. Define each space for practical use. With an open floor plan, show buyers how the living room flows into the kitchen. Consider staging a formal living room as a home office. Maximize the cozy factor. Put new pillows on the sofa, fresh towels in the bathrooms, white sheer drapes on the windows and new linens on the master bed. Add softness with good lighting. If you don’t have much natural light, brighten things up with lamps and LED candles. Hire a professional. If you can afford it, hire a professional stager to guide you through the process and help you get the most bang for your buck when it comes time to list.
iStock/Artisteer
THE IMPACT OF DEMAND ON HOUSING PRICES In a balanced market, new listings replace sold housing inventory. In the Triangle, however, buyer demand is far outpacing the number of homes currently for sale. Thanks to our cost of living, temperate climate and high quality of life, there is an increase in buyers relocating from around the country, in addition to current residents looking for a new home.
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Steven Shell Living
SPONSORED CONTENT HOME TRENDS
In-Home Design Making Your Space Feel Like Home Now more than ever, we are spending more time at home. The long wish list of changes and updates grows as we spend more time in our spaces. More often than not, these questions can keep us from moving forward. “Where do I start?” “What size table will fit in my dining room?” “How many guests will it seat?” “Will this sofa match my husband’s favorite chair?” “Can I mix styles, woods and metals?” These questions and many more like them are asked every day as we make our homes a reflection of who we are. At Steven Shell Living, our in-home designer, Martha Stilwell, is excited to help you get started on your design needs. Martha has been working in the industry for over seven years. Her approach to design takes into consideration the client’s aesthetic,
coupled with his or her desire for change. Helping someone walk through the process of making decisions and seeing the look of accomplishment in his or her eyes is extremely rewarding. A beautiful new space to enjoy is the ultimate goal. The process of in-home design is a collaboration between the homeowner and Martha. She comes to your home, listens to your needs, views existing décor/furniture, and talks through solutions while taking necessary measurements and photos. After the initial consultation, Martha will make design suggestions using Steven Shell furnishings to make your entire home come together. If you find yourself in that cycle of swirling questions—or just need a fresh set of eyes, perhaps
it’s a perfect time to reach out to our designer. We would love to partner with you. About the designer: Martha Stilwell has been in the design field for over seven years. She and her design partner have earned several gold and silver recognitions, and have also been recognized as finalists in the Best of Richmond Designer 2020 and 2019. Steven Shell Living stevenshellliving.com 919.803.0826 2030 Clark Avenue Raleigh, North Carolina 27605
The information on this page is provided to the public by the advertiser mentioned above.
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MARKET LEADERS FEATURING
WAKE'S TOP
REALTORS MARCH/APRIL 2021
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C H R I S T I N A V A L K A N O F F R E A LT Y G R O U P | MARKET LEADERS
CHRISTINA VALKANOFF REALTY GROUP A D I F F E R E N T K I N D O F R E A L E S TAT E
2021
A service-oriented, award-winning team with a fresh and professional approach to selling real estate.
DIAMOND
AWARD BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT
4040 Ed Drive, Suite 205, Raleigh North Carolina 27612 | 919.345.4538 | @cvrealtygroup | cvrealtygroup.com 46 | midtownmag.com
W E LCLON QU& | ASRPKEECT ILAELA DAEDRVS E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N T HE L EEYSGSR O P A| M
THE COLEY GROUP P U T T I N G D I G I TA L A N D V I D E O M A R K E T I N G TO WO R K F O R YO U When it comes to real estate in the Triangle, you certainly have your choice of agents to do business with. What makes The Coley Group at Allen Tate different from all the rest? For starters, we sell homes faster than our competitors, and for more money. Our agents have years of experience in residential development, new construction, luxury home marketing and relocation, and our agents are some of the best-trained in the industry. We always put your goals, dreams and desires first and foremost, and we specialize in strategic marketing—especially video and digital marketing— which now, more than ever, is the best way to drive buyers to your home. We do this day
in and day out, so where other agents are trying to catch up, we are way ahead of the game. If you choose The Coley Group, we’ll put together a specialized team to market your home in a way that is going to bring in the most buyers and net you the most profit—and it’s all done seamlessly, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle and stress that often comes with this process. We back up our promise with a number of customized guarantee programs, and access to cash to buy your next home before you sell your current home. So if you’re looking to sell or buy a home in thismarket, give us a call. We are here for you when you need us.
Gretchen Coley
The Coley Group, Allen Tate Realtors
3201 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 300 | Raleigh, North Carolina 27612 | 919.422.3794 | thecoleygroup.com MARCH/APRIL 2021
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LUXURY HOME MARKETING GROUP
LUXURY HOME MARKETING GROUP R E A L E S TAT E L E A D E R S I N T H E L U X U R Y H O M E M A R K E T
| MARKET LEADERS FRONT ROW: Lindsay Taylor Jackson, Keller Williams; Sheri Hagerty, Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty; Margaret Struble, Remax United; Shawn Britt, Realty World Triangle Living; Leslie Young, Coldwell Banker HPW Global Luxury; Michelle Roberts, Keller Williams Legacy; Kimberly Conroy, Coldwell Banker HPW Global Luxury; Linda Trevor, Remax United; BACK ROW: Jill Rekuc, Olde Raleigh Real Estate; Debbie Van Horn, Fonville Morisey; Mollie Owen, Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty; Kathy Beacham, Coldwell Banker HPW Global Luxury; Ann Matteson, Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty; Gretchen Coley, Allen Tate; Linda Craft, Linda Craft & Team
A coalition of real estate leaders sharing knowledge and marketing expertise of the luxury market to provide exceptional client service and proven results. The Luxury Home Marketing Group employs powerful marketing strategies:
• Global exposure through multiple highly respected real estate firms. • A member group tour of your home with personalized recommendations to appeal to the discriminating buyer. • Marketing your home to the group’s collective network of luxury clients. • Providing a network of preferred vendors for a seamless experience throughout the process. • Aggressive advertising across multiple platforms, including print, social media and direct mail.
Visit us at luxuryhomemarketinggroup.com 48 | midtownmag.com
M A K I N G O U R C O M M U N I T Y S T R O N G E R , O N E H O M E AT A T I M E
Raleigh native and 20-year Realtor® Cindy Poole Roberts cares deeply for her hometown. After her clients buy or sell a home, she donates 10% of her commission to a local nonprofit. CPR Realty is a philanthropic group that excels at selling real estate and strongly believes in the principal: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Cindy’s son, Dash, has joined the group and brings contracting experience with him— an invaluable advantage to clients when preparing a home for market, negotiating repairs or wanting renovation ideas. So whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a luxury seller, you are in excellent hands with CPR Realty, and can help make our community stronger, one home at a time.
Dash Bumgardner, Realtor® and Cindy Poole Roberts, CPR Realty, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist 919.457.8181 | cindy@cindypoole.com | cindypooleroberts.com
THE RACHEL KENDALL TEAM
H E L P I N G FA M I L I E S C R E AT E H O M E S O N E H O U S E AT A T I M E
With our innovative technology, resources, dependability and expert advice, The Rachel Kendall Team will get you to the closing table as smoothly as possible. Throughout the entire process, we focus on you and build a relationship based on integrity and commitment—and we promise to continue building that relationship beyond the closing. We can’t wait to work with you! 5 3 1 6 S i x Fo r k s Ro a d , Ra l e i g h , N o rt h Ca ro l i n a 2 7 6 0 9 | 9 1 9 . 7 8 2 . 4 5 0 5 | ra c h e l ke n d a l l . c o m MARCH/APRIL 2021
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WI NEDY L LPNOEOSL S E EC R IA L HAED RD TA I SL LI NT G SEC ORNK E T L E A D E R S | TMI A C E RQ O& B EA R T S| |S P TH AC LV KEN EAM
CINDY POOLE ROBERTS
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Showcase your new developments, design professionals, real estate leaders and winning landscapes in our special section for homes and garden.
HOME & GARDEN Showcasing the newest developments and builds, design professionals and winning landscapes.
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H O M E S F R O M T H E $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 s TO $ 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 s - P LU S
The Living is Easy Flowers Plantation is a 3,000-acre master-planned community comprising more than 40 neighborhoods with a mix of single-family, 55-plus active adult homes, cottages and townhome communities. Flowers Plantation enjoys a unique place in Johnston County history. The community and surrounding land are part of a family legacy that dates back to the early 20th century. When fully developed, the community will include approximately 7,790 residential units. In addition to homes, Flowers Plantation features two commercial centers with national and regional retail brands and restaurants, including Harris Teeter and Publix; River Dell
Elementary School and East Clayton Elementary School; East Triangle YMCA; and 20 miles of walking trails that connect residents to the Neuse River Parkway. Wherever you are on your housing and life spectrum, Flowers Plantation has a place for you to call home. Flowers Plantation Amenities • No city taxes • Convenient to Raleigh and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport • 20-plus miles of walking and biking trails • Golf cart-friendly private streets • Conveniently located for any commute—just minutes from I-40, I-95, 264 Bypass and I-540 • Home of the East Triangle YMCA, which features an
outdoor pool, tennis courts and a state-of-the-art fitness center • On-site shopping and dining at Flowers Crossroads retail village
FLOWERSPLANTATION.COM
5 0 0 F l o w e r s Pa r k w a y, C l a y t o n , N o r t h C a r o l i n a | 9 1 9 . 5 5 3 . 1 9 8 4 , e x t e n s i o n 1 | f l o w e r s p l a n t a t i o n . c o m 52 | midtownmag.com
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ALLURE HOMES | HOME & GARDEN
ALLURE HOMES
A P L A C E TO W O R K & D R E A M Families have found innovative ways to live, work and learn from home since March 2020. The sanctuary of home has rarely felt as essential as it has over the past year. This has led many homeowners to reimagine traditional spaces. Allure Homes has enjoyed working with clients to respond to these changes by creating elegant and functional home offices, dedicated spaces for remote learning, and reading nooks. Well-appointed home theaters, gyms, al fresco dining spaces and outdoor entertainment have also been popular additions as families spend more time at home. Built-in desk and tech rooms are becoming a necessity in today’s changing world. A dedicated space to read and work is something every member of the family appreciates. Generous built-in shelving and cabinetry offer added storage and display space, as well as cleverly camouflage electronics and office tech. These custom rooms and amenities, while not new to Allure Homes, have become must-have features for many families, as some degree of working and learning from home is likely to be with us for some time.
Designed by Kate H. Design
Paul Baggett Owner
3948 Browning Place, Suite 200, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 | 919.696.8500 | allurehomesnc.com 54 | midtownmag.com
W E LDLE N EN S SH AQ SP IA | H|O M T HE SIG Ü& S A E E&C G A LR DAEDNV E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N
THE DESIGN HAÜS ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
The Design Haüs is a full-service interior design company specializing in all aspects of furniture and interior design. The possibilities of home projects are endless with the services we offer, such as custom furniture, window treatments, and kitchen and bath remodels. Our vast showroom and design studio features nearly 100 quality manufacturers. Rather than going to multiple showrooms, everything from start to finish can be completed at The Design Haüs to provide a personalized shopping experience. Take advantage of our Signature Design Consultation program to meet one-on-one so you can turn your home from DRAB to FAB! Let the Design Haüs design your house!
Rebecca and Michael Strauss, Owners
404 E. Main Street, Clayton, North Carolina 27520 | 919.585.6694 | thedesignhaus.com MARCH/APRIL 2021
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AG A P E L AW N CO.
AGAPE LAWN CO. B E C A U S E Y O U L O V E Y O U R L A W N
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A great lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood is something most homeowners want—but this type of lawn is not achieved by intermittent care or without defined goals. The experts at Agape Lawn Company are ready to help you create and maintain a beautiful landscape and a lush, healthy lawn. Agape’s exceptional services include:
BECKY WARD DESIGNS
• Complete lawn maintenance • Weed and fertilization programs • Irrigation installation and service • Outdoor lighting • Landscape design and installation
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Whether you opt for tailored services or Agape’s full-service lawn care, our professionals will make sure your grass comes out looking greener on the other side.
HOME & GARDEN
2314 S. Miami Boulevard, Suite 252, Durham, North Carolina 27703 | 919.672.2509 | agapelawnco.com
BECKY WARD DESIGNS
D E S I G N I N G S PA C E S T H AT A R E P R A C T I C A L AND POLISHED Whether you want to update a single room or you are in the process of building your dream house, Becky Ward Designs will streamline the entire process, help you manage a realistic budget, and select the timeless fixtures or trendy accents that will make your home practical and polished. Furnishings • Floorplans • Color consultations Creating beautiful spaces that work for you and your lifestyle.
Ra leigh, No rth Ca ro l i n a | 9 1 9 .475.8 6 4 5 | b e c kywarddes i gns . com 56 | midtownmag.com
TO LOV E . . . O R TO L I ST ? Whether you’re ready to truly LOVE your home or LIST it, CHC Homes can help! With 8+ years of experience in design renovation in midtown Raleigh, CHC Homes Realty offers clients full-service realty expertise. What other realtors buy, renovate, stage and sell homes year-round? With free professional staging for clients, we’ll list your home for the best price—or make important updates for a quicker sale and an amazing ROI. Looking for a home you love? We can help you find a new one to fix up as your own, or turn your current home into the one you’ve always dreamed of!
Photos by Kiki Roberson
Crystal Hostetler and Holly Calabro, Owners
P. O. B o x 3 1 7 1 1 , R a l e i g h , N o r t h C a r o l i n a 2 7 6 2 2 | 9 1 9 . 3 4 8 . 9 6 6 4 | t e a m @ c h c s e l l s . c o m | c h c h o m e s n c . c o m
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R T
W I T H
P U R P O S E
INSIDER TIPS FOR USING ART TO CREATE MEMORIES, EXPERIENCES, CONVERSATIONS AND CONNECTIONS BY CHARLOTTE RUSSELL
PHOTOS BY BRIAN MULLINS
Elevating your home with collection-worthy art can be a daunting task—for new and seasoned collectors alike. But the right advice and approach can make all the difference. Local art dealers, collectors, artists, photographers and interior designers are experienced in these worldly endeavors and share insider tips on how you can beautify your home with meaningful art.
Brian Holland and Dianna Wynn, clients of Adam Cave Gallery, collect what they love from North Carolina and around the world.
1
BUY WHAT
YOU LOVE.
Martha Schneider, owner of La Maison, a home furnishing boutique in North Hills, says the key to collecting art is buying what you love. “That is what La Maison is for me. I buy what I love. I hope people fall in love with it, too,” she says. Schneider is always on the search for new artists to showcase at La Maison. Artworks by Martin Sumers and Peter Keil grace the walls of La Maison and her 100-year-old hundred home, which she has transformed with colorful, fun and contemporary art.
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2
SELECT PIECES
WITH MEANING.
While Raleigh artist Caroline Boykin is primarily known for her process-driven mixed media artwork, she and her husband are also avid art collectors. “We love to collect art. When we travel, we peruse the local art scene to see if something catches our eye,” she says. “Art is more than just the beautiful color, lines, texture, memory and feel to it; we like to surround our home with pieces that have meaning to us. While we have been stuck in our home, it has been nice to have beautiful art on the walls to think of happy times.”
3
CHOOSE ART THAT HELPS YOU ESCAPE.
“There is a gravitation towards beauty and escape—and we have found that our collectors definitely are home and searching for art,” says Rory Parnell, owner of The Mahler Fine Art, a gallery in downtown Raleigh that she runs with her sister, Shawn Brewster, the gallery’s associate director and curator. “The gallery is closed, but we are busier than ever.” She adds that “art is very important in terms of mental health and beautifying the environment” and, referring to her own collection, she says all of the pieces in her home are personal. “They remind me of when I met the artist, or when I had a show for the artist,” she says. “Art in your home adds so much. It adds another dimension.”
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4
REFRAME OR REARRANGE
EXISTING ART TO FRESHEN
THINGS UP.
Spending more time at home during the pandemic has provided many collectors an opportunity to improve or reinvent what they already have. “I have taken a long look at my collection,” says Sharon Tharrington, owner of ArtSource Fine Art in Raleigh. “For me, the biggest change is reframing the piece.” Also, she says, “switching everything around gives everything a new, fresh look. We are all having a lot of time at home—it is a creative outlet for us. Once I did that, I looked at how the art related but the framing did not necessarily work well together. Framing gives it the next upgrade.” Adam Cave, owner of Adam Cave Fine Art in Raleigh and the Adam Cave Collection, has long heralded the importance of an artful remix for his clients. “Redecorating and moving art around leads to more space for art,” he says.
5
CHOOSE WARM
AND INVITING PIECES.
Lindsay Rice, owner of Vita Vite Art Gallery and Wine Bar, explains that discovering art is much like that of discovering wine, making art and wine a natural pairing. She says this makes Vita Vitae Art Gallery + Wine Bar “a place that feels comfortable. A place where you can sit on a sofa and have a glass of wine. A space that feels like a home.” Rice takes an instinctive approach to selecting art, choosing works primarily by young and upcoming artists that tend to be abstract in style. These paintings help make Rice’s bar a warm, comfortable and inviting space in which to experience art and wine.
Cindy and Adam Cave are fine art collectors and gallery owners who are currently operating their gallery virtually at adamcavefineart.com.
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Sharron Tharrington (right), an artist who owns ArtSource with business partner Nancy McClure, painted the wall surrounding the fireplace in the photo above.
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6
TRANSFORM
WALLS INTO ART.
Another way to add an artful touch to your home is by decorating your walls or floors. Inslee Fariss, who recently moved from Manhattan to Raleigh, freehand-painted her dining room with scrolling vines and leaves, creating what she calls an “immersive and living work of art.” Raleigh-based interior photographer Cat Nyugen also encountered this trend while capturing walls that were hand-painted by San Francisco–based decorative artist Caroline Lizzaraga.
7
USE ART TO
MAKE CONNECTIONS.
Raleigh artist Tacey Hesmer uses Instagram (@taceywillishesmer) to foster an art community. She posts progress images and videos of her own paintings, and also interviews other artists and creatives to bring the art experience directly to viewers at home. As an art collector herself, Hesmer feels that acquiring artwork is a way to support and stay connected with other local female artists.
Acquiring art is more than collecting pieces— it’s assembling memories, experiences, conversations and connections. Art insiders agree: The most striking homes are those filled with a selection of deeply personal, storied artworks and objects that make a house feel like a home. MARCH/APRIL 2021
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B EAUTIFY WITH BLOOMS PHOTO AND TEXT BY AMY CONRAD Flowers are a vibrant way to brighten up your home—or someone else’s day when you give them as a gift. You can grow cheery annuals to arrange for yourself and still have plenty leftover for a friend, parent, teacher or coworker. Here are some tips to help you grow a bounty of beautiful blooms in your own backyard. 1. Choose a site. Annuals need at least six hours of sunlight per day. Identify the sunny spots in your yard or garden. Make sure water is easily accessible. 2. Prepare the soil. If you’ve ever heard someone say “It’s better to have a $5 hole and 50-cent plant than a 50-cent hole and $5 plant,” they are right! The soil is so important. Getting your soil tested before you dig the first hole will get you off to the right start. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services offers a soil-testing service that will determine what you need to add to your soil to make it ideal for growing flowers. This will also steer you away from spending money on additives you don’t need. Visit ncagr.gov/agronomi/uyrst.htm to learn more. Another option is to buy pre-mixed soil from a garden supply center. 3. Choose the plants. Select flowers that can be grown in your plant hardiness zone. Wake County is in zone 7b to 8a, and our last average frost date is around April 8. Check the weather in mid-April, and if no freezing temperatures are in the forecast, get planting! If you want to cut these flowers, choose varieties that have a long stem and vase life. Also, choose pollenless varieties when possible to keep the table under the bouquet clean. Gomphrena, celosia, rudbeckia and marigolds are a few of the many annuals that grow well in our area and make good cut flowers. Zinnias and sunflowers also grow well in our area and can be easily started from seed. (Starting from seed allows you to choose from many more varieties than starting from plants, but if you are a beginner, starting with plants instead of seeds will simplify the process.) 4. Water plants consistently but carefully. Most flowers don’t like their roots to sit in water or to completely dry out, but do like moist soil. Feeling the soil with your finger 1–2 inches below the surface can help you determine if it needs to be watered more or less. 5. Remove weeds. Weeds compete for the water and nutrients your plants need from the soil. Be sure to remove all weeds that could affect your plants’ roots— the sooner the better! Seeds belonging to weeds that have just germinated are much easier to remove than those that have established a deep root system. Mulching around the base of your plants will help hold in moisture and keep the ground weed-free. 6. Check for insects and diseases. Be sure to routinely check the whole plant— including the undersides of its leaves—for any signs of disease and/or insects. Correctly identify the problem and then treat it accordingly. 7. Harvest your flowers. Early mornings or late evenings are the best times to harvest your blooms. This keeps them from wilting and prolongs their vase life. Cut the stems and put them directly into water. Recutting the stems every couple of days and giving your flowers fresh water daily will prolong their vase life.
Once you have chosen your flowers and the right spot to plant them; have made certain your soil is properly prepared; are applying the appropriate amount of water, mulching, fertilizing and weeding; and are diligently and thoroughly inspecting each plant for disease and insects, your annuals will produce many beautiful stems for a long season of blooms. Amy Conrad is a professional cut flower grower and owner of Conrad Farms in Cary.
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Ti n y Tri an gl e Revol u t i on Some residents are placing big bets on compact accessory dwelling units S T O RY A N D P H O T O S B Y M I C K S C H U LT E
W
hile the Triangle continues to get bigger, some residents are choosing to live smaller—tiny, actually. The “Tiny House Revolution,” or movement, has hit Wake County, offering residents an alternative lifestyle where resources are maximized and excess is limited. A new law passed by the Raleigh City Council last July allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on personal property, making it possible for Raleigh to join Cary and other North Carolina cities in welcoming tiny homes. While the average American home is 2,301 square feet (according to 2019 new housing data from the U.S. Census Bureau), tiny homes are considered anything under 500 square feet. Proponents of these smaller spaces say they provide much more than a place to live—tiny homes are a lifestyle. “My interest in tiny houses began while living in Barcelona through a UNC international program,” says Frank Jones, creator of the Triangle Tiny House blog (triangletinyhouse.com) and meetup group (meetup.com/triangle-tiny-house). “My wife and I moved into a 350-square-foot apartment in Spain with the typical American mindset, thinking this was a very small space. But at the end of the semester, we fell in love with the European lifestyle and viewed tiny houses as one path to creating the minimalist, outdoor way of life we had in Spain.” Jones created the blog and meetup group for people interested in the tiny house movement, and he uses them to help others interested in owning a tiny house explore their options. Many people think of custom homes on wheels that are often shown on HGTV, but Jones says there are a wide range of options when it comes to tiny structures. “I know people who live in van conversions, RV/campers, yurts, small houses built on foundations, intentional communities—and all of them fit into the definition of a tiny home,” he says.
WORK OR GUEST SPACE Just as tiny homes come in many different forms, their intended use can vary greatly from owner to owner as well. Especially in the work-from-home world the pandemic has enforced, many people are seeking office space that offers separation from their home, but involves an easy commute. “At some point, 68 | midtownmag.com
what you would have paid for your co-working space, you could have spent towards a detached office, which also adds value to your property in the long run,” says Dale Moody, a realtor with Cornerstone Properties in Raleigh. He also thinks there will be a movement toward adding tiny home structures for elderly parents to live in—or for “boomerang” children who are between jobs or work in a low-paying field. “I imagine most of the demand for ADUs will be for personal use, but I do think it will take some time to catch on,” Moody says. “Eventually folks will start to realize how feasible a tiny house is compared to buying a larger home, or renting a space somewhere.”
AFFORDABLE HOUSING Beyond the benefits to tiny home owners, some believe these smaller living spaces can provide a solution for expanding affordable housing in the Triangle. Raleigh Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin includes ADUs on her list of “10 Ways Raleigh Can Encourage Housing Affordability” (maryannforraleigh.com/ housing-affordability). RaleighNC.gov explains that only singlefamily homes are allowed to be built in 80% of the city, which reduces the amount of housing options for residents—especially those with lower incomes. However, thanks to the new ADU law that was passed, these units are now allowed on personal property, and tiny home communities are now permitted in Raleigh’s city limits. “This law has the potential to create more affordable housing,” says Dexter Tillett, owner of Tiny Homes Raleigh (tinyhomesraleigh.com). “It offers people a way to make extra income and raise their property values, and it can essentially double the density in our urban area. I passionately believe that tiny homes will not only improve our economy, but they’ll bring even more personality to this city we love.” The ADU law received some pushback from Raleigh citizens who fear the units will be used as Airbnbs and short-term rentals. The potential to create noise and parking problems on already-crowded streets is also a real concern for many. Yet Tillett, Baldwin and other proponents of tiny homes hope people will see them as an opportunity to improve the Triangle and provide long-term rental options for lower-income residents.
Dexter Tillett, owner of Tiny Homes Raleigh, believes accessory dwelling units will bring more personality to the area, while also improving the economy.
MINIMAL IMPACT, MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT Tillett not only builds but also renovates tiny structures. The Raleigh native, who graduated with an agricultural business management degree from North Carolina State University, has a passion for tiny homes and loves their minimal impact on the environment. He offers four different designs that range in price from $75,000–$95,000, depending on whether the home will be built with one floor or feature an additional loft. Customers can choose one of his designs or customize their own. One of Tillett’s customers, K.W.*, moved into a tiny home in September 2020. “I always wanted to live in one but figured it was more of a long-term goal,” K.W. says. “What appealed to me was the idea of living by myself—and the affordability. I have lived in Raleigh my whole life and noticed the price-of-living increase, so this was a wonderful opportunity to live independently.” K.W. adds that the greatest benefits of living in tiny homes are the financial freedom, energy conservation, low maintenance and flexibility they offer. Whether more folks make the move to a tiny home remains to be seen, but the enthusiasm behind these compact units makes big bets on a Tiny Triangle revolution entirely possible. *This person has asked to remain anonymous.
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Bruce DeBoer
Landvision Designs
Old North State Landscape Development of Durham designed this peacful spot.
Landvision Designs created the spiraling stone herb garden (at left) and incorporated a fish motif on the stone floor (next page) for the Rhatigan family of Raleigh. 70 | midtownmag.com
Landvision Designs
Landvison Designs created this outdoor refuge for the Rorie family of Raleigh.
L
BY JANICE LEWINE
A V I S H
L A N D S C A P E S
UPGRADE YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE FOR YEAR-ROUND ENJOYMENT Home is where the heart is. As this past year has shown, home has also become our refuge—
providing us comfort, security and serenity during a time when the world seems so uncertain. Sheltering in place may have you thinking about upgrading your outdoor space, not only
to enjoy in the warmer months, but the cooler ones as well. Discover how North Carolina’s stay-at-home order enabled four Wake County residents to create the lavish landscape
Landvision Designs
they’ve always wanted.
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ELEGANT SANCTUM
plans. The resulting design features a fountain area with seating, an outdoor kitchen with a grill and cooktop, and a bar area. “We also wanted a large fire pit to expand the length of time that we would be able to enjoy the outdoors, and an addition to our existing patio to give us more space.” They also installed a staircase to connect the upper-level kitchen to the ground-level hardscape, and a peaked roof with interior beams over the expanded patio area that they dubbed “The Sanctuary.” Knowing that Rhatigan’s husband is an avid fisherman, Landvision Designs incorporated three fish motifs, complete with
glass eyeballs, on the stone floor. And since Rhatigan yearned for a spiral herb garden, this was also stone-built. “It’s even fun after the main growing season,” she says. “I planted it with a rosemary tree on top, with colorful pansies spiraling down to the bottom.” There’s plenty of space now for socially distant gatherings. “Our friends love the fountain area as the sound of water trickling promotes tranquility. I have found my husband on more than one occasion sleeping peacefully surrounded by our dogs at the seating area,” she says. “Several of my girlfriends have come for lunch where we were
Bruce DeBoer
Bruce DeBoer
Judy Rhatigan says the stayat-home order gave her and her husband time together to discuss ways to revamp their Raleigh backyard. “Because of all the lockdowns, we realized that we would be homebound to oversee a large-scale project. Although we already had a small covered eating area outdoors and a hot tub, it wasn’t enough to lure us outside. We wanted to create usable destination points that flowed for entertaining, and for our personal enjoyment.” The Rhatigans worked with Raleigh’s Landvision Designs—founded in 1993 by Tracy and Crystal Sides—to carry out their
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able to eat outside to be safe, but remain warm while enjoying the fire pit. We spend so much more time outside now than we ever did before.”
PEACEFUL RETREAT
Meghan Rorie says that since beautifying their Raleigh backyard this year, her family has come to love it as much as their indoor living space. “Knowing that we would be spending all of our time at home, we wanted a place to ‘escape’ and feel like we were somewhere else, especially during the long summer days and cool fall nights.” Rorie and her husband Austin also collaborated with Landvision Designs to create
Old North State Landscape Development created this backyard oasis, complete with a pool.
Bruce DeBoer
This outdoor kitchen designed by Old North State Landscape Development features a flatscreen TV and lounge for enjoying outdoor meals and movies.
a private hideaway that features a stone patio, fire pit and low-maintenance landscaping. “With a gas fire pit, we don’t have to put any thought into storing wood or starting a fire. “We use the space every chance we have, especially on the weekends. It has quickly become a preferred place to entertain a small group of friends,” Rorie says. “Without being able to easily go out on a date night with COVID
restrictions and two small children, our fire pit has come to be a place where we can truly escape and enjoy our home in a new way. Our children also love to watch a movie by the fire.” Rorie offers homeowners practical advice to enhance their landscape: “Consider all of the many ways you can enjoy your outdoor space and then finalize a plan; you can always work in phases to achieve your full vision.”
VIVID OASIS
Debbie Sheppard has been upgrading the landscape surrounding her home in Raleigh’s Wakefield Plantation for years and appreciates having a soothing place to unwind during the pandemic. David Payne of Hillsborough-based Home & Garden Landscapes enhanced Sheppard’s haven, which boasts a pool and outdoor fireplace, with eye-catching softscapes.
“My husband, Frank, and I love spending time in our backyard admiring all the flowering shrubs David planted—azaleas, rhododendrons and gardenias,” she says. “Our property backs up to a golf course and, now that the pandemic has more people playing golf, we created a buffer with colorful shrubs and deer-resistant plants.”
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Bruce DeBoer
Sheppard suggests homeowners incorporate all the seasons in their design and work with professionals who are willing to take care of the landscaping after they install it. “You can always put a design plan in place and do it in stages,” she says. “Knock Out roses bloom all summer long and are easy to maintain. Consider shrubs that add color and texture—it makes it interesting.”
Bruce DeBoer
Learn more about these landscapers at landvisiondesigns.com, homeandgardenlandscapes.com, and onslandscape.com.
Old North State Landscape Development enhanced this home’s curb appeal with outdoor lighting and shrubbery that lines the entryway. 74 | midtownmag.com
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iStock/jgareri
SPONSORED CONTENT GREEN LIVING
Go Green!
Window coverings for a sustainable future It’s not enough to just choose well-designed window coverings for your home. With “Go Green!” as the new watchword, eco-friendly products are a real concern to today’s homeowner.
Roller and solar shades are also popular options where eco-friendly choices abound, including Greenguard Certified products and bacterial- and fungal-resistant options.
Have the comfort of knowing where the materials in your window coverings come from, and that the product is responsibly produced. Products that are domestically (or even better, locally) sourced generally offer better quality then those made by the conglomerates offshore.
Roller shades—which can be rolled up or down— are not only sleek, simple and decorative, but also energy efficient, versatile and easy to maintain. Their style is clean, minimalist and contemporary.
The main component of plantation shutters is, of course, the wood. Look for kiln-dried U.S. hardwoods sourced from certified renewable forest suppliers— this will ensure the quality you want with a carbon footprint you can feel good about. Next, think of the finish that is going onto the product; as consumers, we are being made increasingly aware of the potential for off-gassing of products. Low VOC, water-based cabinet grade lacquer is durable as well as beautiful.
Today’s eco-conscious shades are also popular. High-performing UV–blocking fabrics are vigorously tested and proven to reduce glare and heat from harmful solar radiation, keeping your energy costs low and your digital screens happy. Honeycomb shades are built with insulating cell construction which restricts the outside air, keeping both you and your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Honeycomb shades provide cost-saving energy efficiency, helping both the planet and your pocketbook. Fabric selections range from sheer to light filtering or blackout, to serve your individual needs.
No matter which style you decide upon, remember to consider two other important factors: quality of workmanship and warranty. Keep in mind, you generally get what you pay for. Custom products are hand-tailored to your individual needs and specifications, and typically contain more sustainable materials and components than their off-the-shelf, big-box counterparts. Have fun shopping, then be sure to do your homework before making your final selections to ensure that your end result will be easy on the eyes AND planet. Russ and Molly Allred and Team Southern Accent Shutters & Blinds 919.934.4050 southernaccentshutters.com Southern Accent Shutters & Blinds is the Triangle’s first choice for your eco-conscious home, and offers free in-home design consultations.
The information on this page is provided to the public by the advertiser mentioned above.
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iStock/Happycity21
S P O N S O R E D CO N T E N T HOME CARE
It’s Spring Cleaning Time! The weather is warming up and spring is finally here! Now is a great time to refresh your home. Did you know we spend upwards of 90% of our time indoors? (And this was prior to COVID!) Studies show that the environment has a direct effect on our health. Now more than ever it’s important to have a clean home! REDUCE STRESS AND FATIGUE Researchers at Princeton University found that a more organized and clean home reduces stress and leads to higher productivity, better sleep and a stronger immune system, thus providing you with more energy throughout the day. You can be less stressed and more focused without distraction from clutter and dirt, and this will enable you to spend more of your time on your other goals for the new year. HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS Clean house, happy spouse? It may sound silly, but it’s true. A Pew Research Center study found that more than half of all married respondents said that sharing household chores was “very important” to a happy marriage. By keeping up with the clutter, laundry and dishes—and keeping your household clean
and organized—couples become less frustrated and overwhelmed, thereby spending more quality time together in happier, healthier relationships. KILL GERMS AND REDUCE ALLERGENS Cleaning your home on a regular basis with a quality disinfectant can kill up to 98% of germs that can suppress the immune system. Regular cleaning of the kitchen, bathrooms and flat surfaces reduces germs, bacteria and allergens. This helps improve the air quality in your home and significantly lowers the potential for sickness. So how do we manage a clean and organized home? Here are three quick tips from the professionals: CLEAN A LITTLE EVERY DAY. Spend 15–30 minutes picking up each night before bedtime. Clear clutter, fold laundry, dust a room, or sweep or vacuum. MAKE YOUR BED. Keeping your bedroom neat is conducive to better sleep and gives you a sense of accomplishment first thing each morning. GIVE YOUR KITCHEN A CLEAN-UP. Load the dishwasher, wipe the countertops and stovetop, and wipe out the microwave.
Prefer to relax on the weekends? Let 2021 Diamond Award Winner for Best House Cleaning Service, Go 2 Girls, keep up the dirty work. We offer weekly, biweekly and monthly maintenance cleans, as well as one-time and deep cleans. Let us keep your home free of germs and allergens. Go 2 Girls is a locally owned and operated professional company servicing most of Wake County. All employees are professionally trained and background-checked. Recurring clients have their very own Go 2 Girl to assure the highest level of quality and service. For a free estimate, call at 919.909.8093 or visit us online at go-2-girls.com.
Go 2 Girls go-2-girls.com 919.830.3224 Serving Raleigh, Cary, Morriville, Apex, Holly Springs, Garner, Wake Forest, Fuquay-Varina and Knightdale
The information on this page is provided to the public by the advertiser mentioned above.
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Bliss
Backyard
LOCAL COUPLES PIVOT AROUND THE PANDEMIC BY HOSTING SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE
WEDDINGS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY BY MELISSA WISTEHUFF
COURTNEY AND
TIM MCALLISTER Pamela Jahnke Photography
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Lyndsae Denae Photography
ouples planning their wedding typically enjoy navigating the exciting process of making their dream day come to life. But even the best-laid plans were thwarted when COVID shut down the world, and nearly every aspect of coordinating a typical wedding was tossed away faster than a bridal bouquet. Between mandates for gatherings and fears of putting loved ones at risk, couples were forced to choose between two options: postpone their event or transform it into a new dream day. These local newlyweds decided to forge ahead with revised plans that would produce beautiful and memorable experiences, while keeping everyone on their guest list safe. They proved that while some details had to be canceled, celebrating their future together did not.
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MINDY AND JOEY
It can be said that an unexpected silver lining to getting married during a pandemic is the tremendous shift in focus on people over one’s perception of perfection. For Mindy and Joey Davisson, moving their June 13, 2020, celebration to Joey’s parents’ backyard in North Raleigh meant that although their guest list would have to be reduced from over 100 to just 12, the overall feel of their ceremony would become more intimate. Immediate family members were able to attend in person, while extended family and friends watched via Facebook Live. “Some of our family even dressed up at their homes and cooked a fun reception of food … to celebrate with us from afar,” Mindy says. Communication with vendors is key when planning a wedding during these uncertain times, since the wedding industry as a whole has had to learn how to pivot their plans just as much as couples have. “As heartbreaking as it was to change most of our original plans, the day was absolutely beautiful and will always be very special to both of us,” Mindy says. The couple hopes to celebrate their one-year anniversary at their originally planned venue, 1705 East in Raleigh, so that the rest of their intended invitees can celebrate with them.
Local Vendors: Lyndsae Danae Photography, Brandi’s Botanicals, Jade Marion Hair, Edible Art Bakery & Dessert Cafe, Rocky Top Catering, and Jim Shelton (officiant)
MINDY AND JOEY DAVISSON Lyndsae Danae Photography
COURTNEY AND TIM
Courtney and Tim McAllister’s plans for saying “I do” last fall in front of 300 guests changed drastically because of COVID, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. With calls for smaller gatherings persisting, the pair exchanged vows on October 24, 2020, in front of 50 family members and friends under a canopy of trees in the bride’s brother’s Wake Forest backyard. Thanks to FaceTime, even more loved ones were able to witness the ceremony. Since the pandemic has created so much unpredictability, Courtney suggests that couples figure out what they value most, then make sure those components are incorporated in some way.
Her advice: Don’t give up beautiful photography or stunning florals—embrace those things that can still make your day meaningful. “For us, the most important thing was to have an intimate ceremony and involve our family as much as possible,” Courtney says. “Through all the craziness and stress of changing our plans, my husband and I ended up with the wedding of our dreams.” Local Vendors: Pamela Jahnke Photography, Whole Foods, Papa Jack’s Catering, For Your Occasion Party Rentals, Island Sound, Jade Marion Hair, Dabble Beauty, Brandi’s Botanicals, and Katie Barnette (wedding planner)
iStock/ Ridofranz
S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T BEAUTY EXPERTS
Aging Gracefully
How to maintain the most youthful version of you With so many options available today in the antiaging marketplace, how do you decide what skincare products are right for you? Here are a few simple pointers as you are seeking to maintain the best version of yourself while time marches on. PROTECT WHAT YOU’VE GOT Let’s talk about your skin. The largest organ of your body is also your greatest protector. Keeping it healthy offers better protection to what lies beneath. While there is no one product that can magically make wrinkles disappear, there are important things to consider when choosing what you put on your skin. Wear SPF every day—rain or shine—since 90% of skin aging is caused by the environment. Your daily sun protection should contain either zinc or titanium and be an SPF of 30 or higher. Though many
over-the-counter varieties offer adequate protection, you may find them sticky or greasy. More elegant options are available through medical aesthetic offices and spas. NUTRITION IS KEY Don’t underestimate the effect that dehydration, alcohol, sugar, gluten and other inflammatory foods have on your skin. These inflammatory agents can cause acne, eczema, psoriasis and a host of other skin conditions. If you have ongoing concerns about skin health, you may need to pursue food/environmental sensitivity testing and eliminate items that you are sensitive to from your diet. KEY INGREDIENTS IN PRODUCTS Medical-grade skincare products offer a higher concentration and
quality of ingredients, making for more effective penetration and better outcomes. Look for antioxidant blends, like vitamins C and E, that will elevate the level of protection your SPF offers, while also working to reduce pigment and correct sun damage. Add to it other active ingredients like hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin, peptides to fertilize skin and growth factors to promote healthy skin growth.
New Life Aesthetics newlifeaesthetics.com 919.521.8282 5816 Creedmoor Road, Suite 103B Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
The information on this page is provided to the public by the advertiser mentioned above. MARCH/APRIL 2021
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Nuptials Rooftop
A
BY MELISSA WISTEHUFF
PHOTOS BY JONATHAN ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY
na Rivera, a local morning reporter for ABC 11 Eyewitness News, is used to thinking on her feet. But she also considers herself a planner. Having dreamt of her wedding day since she was a young girl, Ana had always envisioned a tropical backdrop for her nuptials. But with COVID looming, she and her now-husband, Jerrell Allen, turned their sights to a different location: Philadelphia.
They decided to keep their wedding day on December 29, 2020, but had quite a few options to consider when deciding where to host it, since both Ana and Jerrell grew up in Delaware, and Jerrell happens to be a former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. But he used to live in the City of Brotherly Love, and that’s where Ana often visited him while they were dating. So they swapped palm trees for the wintery rooftop of The Logan Philadelphia, and the hotel’s staff assisted in pulling off a small, spontaneous wedding for the couple—with only one day to plan. Due to the last-minute notice and COVID restrictions, Ana and Jerrell cut their original invitation list from 100 to 20 close friends and family. Loved ones near and far were virtually present via Zoom, affording friends and family the ability to “attend” the wedding without being there in person. “It was 34 degrees and windy on the rooftop of The Logan Hotel, but our guests braved the cold so that we could have an outdoor ceremony,” Ana says. “I’ve always dreamt of a lavish, fabulous wedding, but after adjusting multiple times, I realized that my heart was telling me to marry the love of my life. It doesn’t matter what the event looks like.”
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ANA AND JERRELL
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D E PA R T M E N T S C O M M U N I T Y
Waterfalls that flow into a man-made creek, stone steps and a jasmine-covered pergola are just a sampling of the features John Matthews has added to his backyard.
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ALL-SEASON SPLENDOR A Raleigh homeowner transforms his
basic backyard into a perennial paradise
P
assersby might glance at the newly constructed putting green and closely cropped fairway that is John Matthews’ side yard and think, “Aah. Here lives a guy who really loves golf.” Correct in their observations, they might keep walking. But a few steps down the driveway reveal the back of the property, which, in turn, reveals more about Matthews. Around the back corner of his house, things get really interesting. Even for non-golfers, Matthews has created an outdoor space that verges on majestic, crowned with what appears to be a freshwater spring. From beneath a large stone, water tumbles gently downhill for about 20 yards— over small waterfalls, past waterlilies, around moss-covered stones and underneath a stone walkway. Finally, the ribbon of water pools a bit before going subterranean again, beneath what looks like a dry creek bed. Following closely to the left of the “creek” is a stone staircase. During warmer months these 300-pound stone steps, which zipper together the creek side of his yard and the rest of the property, bear epaulets of bee bonnet, black-eyed Susan, yarrow and shasta daisies.
BY BETH PETERSON
On the left, as you descend the stairs, you’ll find a round patio encircled by a stone half-wall and fireplace the likes of which you might find in Tuscany. Keep going, and you’ll bump into a wooden, jasminecovered pergola. The palette of plant-life, wherever you look, is meant to provide interest year-round. John’s collection of botanical beauties is curated mostly on the basis of hardiness and deerresistance. But it works. Pretty without feeling feminine, drinking beer and watching PGA tournaments (on the weatherproofed flat screen mounted over the back porch) is just as natural back here as drinking wine and discussing Oprah’s book club. Oh, and if you’re more suited to hot cocoa and guitar-picking, there’s a campfire ring fortified by stacked firewood from the property itself, cut and split courtesy of Matthews.
FROM DRAB TO DREAM-COME-TRUE
When Matthews bought the house almost three years ago, the backyard was little more than a patch of soggy sod. The back porch stood on bare, spindly legs, and felt like a drab afterthought.
PHOTOS BY JOHN MATTHEWS
So how did it go from being nearly naked to all-season splendor? That can be summed up in one word: vision. Matthews bought the property based on what he could envision transforming it into. Together with his son, Matthews got to work, squeezing every spare moment out of 2020 and putting it toward that vision. It quickly became a reality, with only a little outside help for the big jobs (placing those 300-pound stone steps, for example). Matthews began by covering the skinny deck legs with horizontal slats, creating a very rich-looking stained-wood base for the back deck, which now performs double-duty as a potting shed and workshop—triple duty, if you consider the natural trellis it provides for more sweet-smelling confederate jasmine. “The lattice that we added to the underneath of the deck is one of my favorite features,” Matthews shares. “Rather than go with pre-fab and cheap-looking lattice from a hardware store, my son and I custom-fit each piece and stained them after [they were] installed.” Once the deck was finished, work on the creek began. Beautiful enough during the day (the mysterious pool at the bottom of the hill actually drains
into an underground cistern and gets pumped back up to the top for another tumble down the hill), Matthew installed underwater lighting, making his “water feature” downright ethereal at night. Another neat feature, Matthews explains, is that “some of the materials came directly from the existing property. Many of the rocks, mosses and ferns were relocated to the gardens from the existing wooded property,” making John’s project not just pretty, but eco-friendly as well. If building the creek wasn’t impressive enough, consider the hours spent building the pergola and fire pit, clearing fallen trees, planning and installing the landscaping, and hauling rocks uphill to form the dry creek bed. The phrase “labor of love” certainly takes on new meaning. So when you walk past John Matthews’ house, you’ll surely think: Here lives a guy who enjoys golf. But take a peek behind the ivy curtain, so to speak. Pandemic or not, here lives a guy who enjoys living.
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D E PA R T M E N T S C H E F ' S TA B L E
Brewery Meets European Bistro THE BRASSERIE AT NEUSE RIVER BY KATIE JANSEN
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PHOTOS BY MASH PHOTOGRAPHY
H
usband-and-wife team Ryan and Jennifer Kolarov are no strangers to trying new things. Less than 100 breweries existed in North Carolina when they opened Neuse River Brewing in 2014, and theirs was one of the first to focus specifically on Belgian ales. Fast-forward five years to 2019 in a market that has since become much more saturated, and the Kolarovs again decided to journey unchartered territory—this time, by opening a restaurant. The Brasserie at Neuse River, a European-inspired bistro, opened in November 2019. While even launching the restaurant was a challenge—“We had to make a lot of intentional decisions to incorporate a new business into an existing, successful business,” Jennifer says—the months to come would be even more challenging as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the restaurant industry hard. But in a way, the Brasserie was a silver lining, Ryan says. Because they now served food, Neuse River Brewing was deemed essential and able to remain open, unlike many breweries run by their friends and colleagues. They remained afloat by pivoting to takeout, and dreamed up new family meal offerings such as barbecue plates and jambalaya. On the brewery side, they switched from draft to to-go, coming together as a team to package and hand-label cans. It was definitely the neighborhood that kept us alive in the first few months [of the pandemic],” Ryan says. “By the time the pandemic started, we hadn’t really gotten a chance to do much marketing, and some people didn’t even realize we now have a restaurant, too. But our regulars knew, and they’ve been great at bringing friends or sharing word-of-mouth recommendations.”
INTENTIONALLY COMPACT
Both the kitchen and the menu at the Brasserie are small, with nine “large plates” ranging from vegetarian options like risotto and curry, to meatier fare such as steak frites. The compactness of the menu is
RYAN AND JENNIFER KOLAROV
by design—the restaurant’s concept is inspired by European bistros where menus make the best use of limited space. Weekly specials add variation. Every Wednesday, for example, there is a new fresh pasta available. But from the burger to the roast chicken, every decision is made intentionally and everything is cooked from scratch. “I’d rather have less [on the menu] and put my heart into every dish,” says executive chef Steven Jankowski, who has a long history with the Kolarovs. They all met while working at a restaurant in the Virgin Islands (Jennifer as a server, Ryan as a bartender and Jankowski as a chef). Originally, he was just providing advice to the Kolarovs, who had never outfitted a kitchen before— but soon, he began to consider becoming more involved. Jankowski had served as the executive chef for the South Carolina Governor’s Mansion for years before moving his family to New York where, as chef for the ambassador to the United Nations, he had the opportunity to serve a range of dignitaries. But the more he thought about the Brasserie, the more he was convinced it was time to move his family back south.
APPROACHABLE ALES
Although the Kolarovs didn’t initially plan to open a restaurant, their focus on brewing Belgian ales equipped the Brasserie with a ready-made beverage list. “We love Belgian ales because they are approachable, and that also makes them great beers to pair with food,” Ryan says. From a witbier with citrus notes to a Belgian brown ale with smoked cherrywood malt, there is an offering for every palate. Jennifer uses her experience as a server—and her background growing up in California—to craft a great wine list to accompany the beers. Over the years, Neuse River Brewing has also expanded beyond Belgians. They brew a popular hazy India Pale Ale (IPA) called Saturday Morning, and a line of kettle sours with rotating flavors. The sours started as an experiment and a fun way to pay homage to the flavors of the Virgin Islands—tamarind, mango and passion fruit. “They were so popular that now we don’t dare stop making them,” Ryan says. “We play with whatever is seasonal or fun—for example, our son suggested a blueberry Pop-Tarts flavor.” Aside from Jankowski’s wildly popular weekly pastas, the Kolarovs credit the success of both the Brasserie and the brewery to their focus on service. They take components of their fine dining background and pair them with a relaxed, casual environment to ensure their guests are comfortable and cared for. “We’re a small team,” Jennifer says. “During the initial part of the pandemic, our whole staff of about 13 people pitched in wherever needed. We had servers on the line in the kitchen helping prepare food to-go.” During non-pandemic times, they still rely on help from the people around them—for example, both Jennifer’s and Ryan’s moms put together flower arrangements for the tables. “It’s definitely a labor of love,” she says.
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THE BRASSERIE’S PEI* MUSSELS Ingredients
1 pound of PEI mussels 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter 1 tablespoon of minced garlic 1 cup of chopped leeks (white part only) 3 ounces of heavy cream 1 cup of white wine ¼ cup of chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley Salt and pepper to taste 1 French baguette *PEI stands for Prince Edward Island
Directions
Rinse the mussels with cold water and remove any beards. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and sauté the garlic and leeks until soft. Add the mussels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add white wine and cover the mussels to allow them to steam. After 90 seconds, remove the lid and check to see if all mussels have opened; discard any that did not. Add heavy cream and parsley. Bring the mixture back to a boil and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper for taste, if needed. Serve with grilled baguette or other bread.
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D E PA R T M E N T S T R AV E L
S
nuggled in a grove of trees and bamboo 8 miles south of Seagrove sits Jugtown, a 12-acre pottery paradise. This tiny Moore County town, with its small and unique population, is officially known as Jugtown Pottery and lies in a region that has become home to almost 100 potters who first began making pottery there in the 18th century. “We’ve been doing this since 1850,” says sixth generation potter Travis Owens. “We must be doing something right.” Jugtown’s existence became one of the most important events in Seagrove’s history. Early artists were drawn to Seagrove by two things all potters need: good clay and abundant trees for firewood to heat their kilns. Jugtown’s history is unique. During the pre-industrial era, most potters were farmers who earned extra income producing jugs to hold various liquids, including moonshine; thus, the name “Jugtown” came to be. When factory-made pottery became available, the competition was too great for local jug makers and many abandoned their craft. “Pottery is always a labor—an intensified thing,” says Jugtown Pottery owner Vernon Owens.
REVIVING A DIMINISHING CRAFT
Jugtown Pottery vases
V I S I T JU GTOWN Sales Cabin and Museum 330 Jugtown Road Seagrove, North Carolina 27341 910.464.3266
Open year-round; Tuesday–Saturday, 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m. (no appointment necessary) jugtownware.com
Social distance and masks required.
A new era of pottery crafting was initiated in the early 20th century with the arrival of Jacques and Juliana Busbee, two artists from Raleigh who admired and appreciated the artform. In 1917, they discovered an orange pie dish that they were able to trace back to the area now known as Jugtown. The potters there were producing orange ware and salt-glazed pottery that was embellished with a cobalt blue slip. They recognized local potters as true American craftspeople and set out to serve as catalysts in reviving a dwindling craft—and to create opportunities for potters to preserve traditional regional skills. James H. (Jim) Owens—one of Seagrove’s earliest potters and patriarch of the large and diverse lineage of Owens potters—was the first potter hired by the Busbees. Jim was the grandson of Joseph Owen. (Note there is no “s” on the end of Joseph’s surname. This is because at some point, one of his great-grandsons added an “s” to Owen, but all of the Owen/Owens families are descended from Joseph Owen.) By 1917, Jim was regularly making pots there. Prior to the establishment of the new Jugtown shop, Jim had turned, decorated and fired his work in his personal workshop.
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Meanwhile, the Busbees moved beyond utilitarian pieces and brought the region’s local pottery to a wider audience. To promote this concept, Juliana moved to New York City and opened a tearoom in Greenwich Village, in which she featured Jugtown pottery. Jacques stayed in Jugtown to supervise production. By the 1930s, Jugtown’s identifying stamp had been created and some of Jim Owens’ early pieces were stamped and sold at the New York shop. Jim experimented by adding decorative features to the familiar jugs, while the remaining potters continued to produce functional ware. During that decade, Jugtown pottery gained recognition and success not only in New York City, but closer to home at nearby Pinehurst Resort. Through these actions, Juliana and Jacques inspired efforts that saved the Seagrove area pottery from extinction.
REFINING A TRADEMARK
Not long after the formal opening of Jugtown pottery, which became famous for its unique glazes and, eventually, its graceful “oriental translation” pottery, Jim Owens died. A variety of projects were continued by Ben W. Owen (Jim’s nephew) and Charlie Teague, who were both hired by the Busbees and were the first potters to work in Jugtown’s new workshop. With Jacques’ assistance, Ben and Charlie refined the forms and glazes that became characteristic of Jugtown’s trademark design. Jacques supervised as many of the shapes, which were based on ancient Asian forms, became unique styles under Owen’s and Teague’s skillful hands. Juliana led the marketing effort in New York City, preaching pottery to anyone who would listen. By the time she closed her shop in 1926, Jugtown’s pottery business was thriving. Life continued smoothly in Jugtown for the next two decades until Jacques died suddenly from a heart attack in 1947. Soon after, the North Carolina Museum of Art paid tribute to him by creating the Jacques Busbee Memorial Collection. Juliana pushed on as an advocate for Jugtown. Charlie Teague left the Owen/ Owens clan and opened his own pottery shop. For the next several decades, the Owen/Owens family continued to turn the wheel at Jugtown, and Seagrove had become a destination for pottery lovers and collectors throughout the U.S.
Jugtown Pottery owner Vernon Owens u
POTTERY PARADISE BY ANITA B. STONE
JUST SOUTH OF SEAGROVE, ONE FAMILY PRESERVES THE ART OF CLAY CRAFTSMANSHIP
P H OT O S C O U R T E S Y O F J U GT O W N P OT T E R Y
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A WINDING JOURNEY
In 1960, John Mare purchased Jugtown Pottery and continued the operation through the Owen family lineage. Mare hired Vernon Owens as the Jugtown thrower. “I took the job with nothing to lose,” Owens says. “I never had any expectation of it lasting; it was just a way to make a living.” Vernon became Jugtown’s principal potter. He used elements of the forms and styles created by his predecessors while developing his own approach and configurations. But when Juliana Busbee and John Mare both died in 1962, Jugtown Pottery was suddenly left with no one at the helm of the business. Vernon Owens leased the pottery and kept it active until 1968 when it was purchased by Country Roads, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and promotion of American folk art traditions. Country Roads director Nancy Sweezy, also a potter, was interested in reducing dangers to potters associated with using lead glazes. She developed a line of fritted lead glazes in the early 1970s that reduced lead contamination. In the process, she also developed a unique line of colors and experimented with glazes to be fired in wood kilns. Sweezy set up an apprenticeship study program fostering more than 30 students who came to study at Jugtown 1969–1980. Pam (right) and Bayle (left) Owens
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Vernon and Nancy worked closely together. “We originally had a wood-fired kiln, then added an oil-fired kiln in 1968 to use with wood. I eventually moved away from oil and upgraded to gas fires,” Vernon says. “We still use wood-fired kilns as well.” But Vernon was about to take on a much more prominent role at Jugtown. “Country Roads sold me the place and I continued to work it with my brother, Bobby Owens,” he says. Vernon married in 1983 and says Jugtown “has been a family thing since then. My wife, Pam, and I made decisions together and she put her life into it.” Since then, Vernon has received several awards from the North Carolina Arts Council—a National Heritage Fellowship and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from North Carolina State University. Jugtown has also claimed an honor of its own. In 1999, the town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Owen/Owens family spans six generations. Vernon and Pam’s son, Travis, and their daughter, Bayle, joined Jugtown at an early age. Pam, Travis and Bayle now run Jugtown, and the family’s talent and energy serve as harbingers of the town’s continued success and popularity.
Portraits
David Hood - Bassist, Muscle Shoals Swamper
Rhiannon Giddens - singer / songwriter
Jeanne Jolly - singer / songwriter
919.523.6385 www.DeBoerWorks.com Untitled-2 1
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D E PA R T M E N T S FA M I LY B U S I N E S S
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s ocean waves roll in the background, Clyde Bailey Jr. smiles and says, “You know, grand is the perfect word for it.” He’s not talking about his family’s 11,000-square-foot showroom in Raleigh's Village District
(formerly known as Cameron Village), nor the exquisite jewelry you’ll find there. He’s talking about being at the beach with his grandchildren. “My wife [Jane Bailey] and I get to bring Trey’s kids here and it’s the grandest thing in the world,” he says. His father, Clyde Bailey Sr., is the original founder of Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, which, in addition to the Village District showroom, has locations in Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall, Rocky Mount’s West End Plaza and Greenville’s Lynndale Shoppes. Clyde Jr. can enjoy the beach with his grandkids a little more often now that his son, Trey—officially Clyde Bailey III—became president and CEO of the renowned jewelry store in March 2020. While family togetherness may seem like a polite aside in a conversation about one of Raleigh’s most beloved stores, it is actually the focus, drive and linchpin that makes Bailey’s Fine Jewelry so much more than a business. 104 | midtownmag.com
“Mama” Ann Bailey
BAILEY’S FINE JEWELRY
Bailey's Fine Jewelry
BY MANDY HOWARD
Love, trust and community fuel three generations of success
PEOPLE OVER PROFIT
BaileysFineJewelry
It all began in 1946 when Clyde Sr. and “Mama” Ann Bailey opened a watch shop in Rocky Mount. (They officially adopted the name Bailey’s Fine Jewelry in 1948.) Their shop also sold luggage, repaired bicycles, and was even known as the No. 1 Remington razor shop in North Carolina and the No. 1 record store in Rocky Mount. Before the shop’s switch to jewelry exclusively, if a customer wanted something, the Baileys provided it. Clyde Sr. and Anne earned a reputation for not only offering some of the best and most varied inventory in town, but also for upholding the customer as more important than the product or profit. “My mother told me that a farmer would come in on a Friday to pay a dollar down on a debt he owed and, after talking for a while, if there were hardships hitting the farm, my Daddy would pull a twenty dollar bill out of his own pocket and give it to him,” Clyde says. Giving came naturally to the Baileys, as they were no stranger to hardship. Tuberculosis kept Clyde Sr. from being able to do a lot of strenuous work and pushed him to study watchmaking. Mama Ann had grown up in an orphanage, where joyless work was all life offered her. That is, until she met her future husband. Trey describes his 95-year-old grandmother as a “firecracker”: “She says all the time, ‘My life began when I met Clyde.”
MADE WITH LOVE
Bailey’s Fine Jewelry had just cemented its place in Nash County when tragedy struck
again. Clyde Sr. passed away at age 46, on Clyde Jr.’s first day of sixth grade. Family legend has it that when the tradesmen in town heard that Mama Ann was going to keep the business going on her own, they placed bets as to how long it would last. After all, she was the first female owner/ operator in all of Nash County. Whoever bet on Mama Ann won big. Her business not only survived, it thrived. But she wasn’t alone. She had the help of her son and his bicycle. “After school, I’d ride to downtown Rocky Mount to see what errands my mom needed me to do,” Clyde recalls. Day after day, he witnessed how his mother interacted with customers to create some of the happiest moments in their lives. Before long, he personally experienced that joy as well. At the ripe old age of 15, Clyde met Jane. Three years later, they were married. “I fell in love with my wife and I fell in love with the jewelry business. I never fell out of love with her and I’ve never fallen out of love with the jewelry business,” Clyde says. Clyde Jr. trained to be a watchmaker like his father had been, then he and Jane officially bought the business from Mama Ann in 1978. As the Rocky Mount community grew, so did Bailey’s Fine Jewelry. Clyde and Jane would help a couple find the perfect engagement ring. That couple would return time and again. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and more were celebrated together—not as merchant and customer, but as friends who felt like family.
BECAUSE OF TRUST
As knowledge about jewelry grew and brands like Mikimoto gained appeal, Clyde wanted those customers and friends to be able to buy the best jewelry in the world from somewhere local, somewhere they could trust. With that vision in mind, he pared down their inventory (no more razors or records) and focused on bringing the most sought-after jewelry in the world to his neighborhood jewelry shop. Soon, customers began driving to their store from all over North Carolina— especially the Raleigh area. So in 1994, with family by their side, Clyde Jr. and Jane took a leap of faith and opened their flagship shop in the Village District (formerly known as Cameron Village)—now known to be the largest jewelry store in North Carolina. “Bailey’s isn’t really a business, it’s a true love story—not only of my parents, or Jane and I, but all the patrons who came to our door,” Clyde says. “We grew because of the relationships we had—and because of trust.” Now in its third generation of family ownership, Bailey’s Fine Jewelry looks to the future. Trey wants to ensure that all of the stores continue trying new things—a strategy that helped the business flourish during the tumultuous year of 2020, thanks to digital innovation and social media savvy. More importantly, Trey echoes his father in understanding the foundation upon which Bailey’s Fine Jewelry was built: trust, community and, perhaps grandest of all, the love of family.
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D E PA R T M E N T S G I V I N G B A C K
PA S S AG E HOME COMMUNITY GARDEN PROVIDING FOOD AND SANCTUARY TO S O U T H PA R K R E S I D E N T S BY BETH PETERSON
PHOTOS BY TY VAN DE ZANDE
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Left: Wade Evans, a longtime South Park resident, spends seven to eight hours daily maintaining the Passage Home garden.
Below: All volunteers are welcome and celebrated at the Passage Home garden.
T
here’s nothing like gardening to reinforce our connection to the earth. One garden in particular, situated between East and Mangum Streets in downtown Raleigh, accomplishes this and more for the residents of South Park. Through the Raleigh neighborhood’s always-unlocked gates, everyone is welcome. Whether the aim is simply to admire, tend to plants or harvest, anyone may contribute to—or gather in—its gleanings. This particular urban garden is maintained through Passage Home, a local, nonprofit organization with a mission “to break the cycle of poverty and create multigenerational self-sufficiency for the individuals and families of Wake County by helping them achieve housing and income security.” The nearest grocery store in this part of Raleigh is 2 miles away—a prohibitive distance for those who rely on walking or public transportation. “Given the choice between the bag of chips at the corner store or a fresh apple 2 miles away, chips almost always win,” says Passage Home CEO Seth Friedman. The garden provides residents easy access to healthy food choices. Even in the dead of winter, bok choy, bibb lettuce, kale, collards, spinach, kohlrabi, beets and radishes can all be collected by anyone who needs them. Not only is the produce free—it’s organic. “Organic food should be available to everyone,” says volunteer specialist Yeferline Gomez. And when she says “everyone,” she means it. “We can give anyone something to take home. As soon as you come [to work or harvest], you’re like family.”
GROWING MORE THAN FOOD
The Passage Home garden does what gardens typically do—feed people. And if you come to the garden to feed yourself or others, its mission has been successful. But there’s more to it than that. For one thing, “It’s a visual oasis for the neighborhood,” Friedman says. For another, he says, “The garden is part of the larger mission of the organization, with the main focus being on housing and economic mobility through job training.” Longtime residents of this neighborhood are finding it harder and harder to stay. As dozens of new homes spring up— even within sight of the garden—those who have lived here longest are losing their footing in the community. But here’s a nifty little secret that’s not so secret: Passage Home’s mission becomes clearer the closer you get to the garden. Wade Evans is a longtime resident of South Park in Raleigh. Now employed by Passage Home, he maintains the garden, spending seven to eight hours there every day. This work comes naturally to Evans. “Growing up, we had a garden in the back of the house,” he says. “We’d get out of school, pull two or three rows, go play.” Dean Leake has been volunteering in the garden since 2016. After a young man in the neighborhood was shot and killed by police, Leake says, he “felt like [he] needed to be more involved.” So one day he stopped by the Passage Home office and simply asked, “Can I come work in the garden?” The urban garden between East and Mangum Streets is just one aspect of Passage Home’s mission to break the poverty cycle. Though it doesn’t look like much, the garden clearly supplements the food insecurity that runs rampant in this neighborhood. But what makes it really special is how it employs and draws together South Park’s residents, helping them put down roots and connecting them to this little corner of the earth. All who want to help out are welcome. Volunteer coordinator Brittany Westmoreland says “whether someone volunteers once or every week in the community garden, they are making a difference. Volunteers keep our garden beautiful and growing, so our community has access to free, fresh, organic produce.” Learn more about Passage Home’s community garden at passagehome.org. If you or your organization would like to volunteer, email Westmoreland at bwestmoreland@passagehome.org. MARCH/APRIL 2021
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D E PA R T M E N T S C A N D I D C O N V E R S A T I O N
Wes and Woody Durham
WES DURHAM THE VOICE OF ACC FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL REFLECTS ON HIS LOCAL ROOTS AND THE EVOLUTION OF HIS CAREER BY KURT DUSTERBERG
I
f you ask Wes Durham about the influences on his sports broadcasting career, he will tell you that he first caught the bug as a teenager, learning from his father, Woody, the longtime voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels. But there were many other mentors along the way, and Wes is happy to give all of them a mention—including some who date to his teenage years growing up in Cary and attending Apex High School. After nearly two decades as the voice of Georgia Tech athletics, Durham is in his eighth year of TV play-by-play for football and basketball on the ACC Network, and he is the co-host of “Packer and Durham,” a weekday radio collaboration between the ACC Network and ESPN that also airs on SiriusXM. His autumns have been especially busy since 2004, when he began doing radio for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Not surprisingly, the past year has presented challenges for college sports due to the coronavirus pandemic. Durham has adjusted to calling games from his home in Georgia, but that’s hardly a
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setback for the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame member. Every day is a good day to reflect on a career that has been guided by helpful voices.
You played basketball at Apex High School. Were you a prominent player? I was on the team (he laughs). It was my favorite sport growing up. To this day, when I’m around a goal in an empty gym before a shootaround, I’ll shoot free throws. I was fortunate in a way. I was 6 feet tall and 185 pounds at 12 years old.
How influential was that period of your life, growing up in Cary?
My parents moved to Cary when I was 11. I thoroughly enjoyed the area and I’m proud to be from there. I still think of it as home. I got so many influences there, from school, my friends and the coaches I had in basketball—especially John Griggs. Bob Matthews was a history teacher who also coached the baseball team, and told me to do the [public address announcing] in baseball. Bob was
very inspiring and supported dreams. John Griggs, to this day, had as much influence on me as anybody else in what I wanted to do. He saw the good in the team concept. We didn’t have a great basketball team my senior year (1984), but we had a team made up of a lot of different guys from a lot of diverse backgrounds, economically and racially. It meant a lot then, and it means a lot now, too. In the early ’80s in my junior or senior English class, there would be a guy two seats over from me whose dad was a tobacco farmer. Three chairs up, you might have someone whose parent was an executive in Research Triangle Park, then someone who worked in a local store in Apex. There was such a high level of respect and friendship. Everybody kind of got along. It was fun to go to the high school football games. It was fun to come back from high school basketball games and go to Pizza Hut. That kind of thing has stuck with me for a long time.
Wes Durham plays for Apex High School during a 1983 home basketball game against Cary High School.
How much broadcast preparation did you get from your time at Elon College?
My college experience set the table. I went to a school where they were just kind of getting into the pool of communications and broadcasting. I was a graduate of the first four-year class in journalism/mass communications. I was able to do 150 football and basketball games in four years. You were able to do a lot of games, make a lot of mistakes, try things creatively and do interviews. You learned as much as you could, and that really helped me get an opportunity at Radford [University], then Marshall [University].
The longest stretch of your professional experience was at Georgia Tech—18 years doing football and basketball broadcasting. Georgia Tech was an incredible place. It gave me a chance to work in a bigger market, and I got a chance to work in the ACC—the conference I grew up in. My dad
worked 16 more years after I got to Georgia Tech, so for 16 years, we got to do at least one football and one basketball game together every year. He was obviously doing the Carolina game. We never appeared on each other’s broadcast, but they were incredibly memorable. They mean more today than when they happened. I cherish those games above all else.
You followed your father into the broadcasting profession. When did his career start leaving an impression on you?
When I watched my dad get ready for a game as a kid. He used to have an office in the garage. It was kind of funny—there was a little closet off the garage, and my mom slapped some carpet down on the floor. He used to sit in that little room with a portable heater in the winter and work on basketball. Eventually he moved the office inside. I remember all the pens and papers and boards and media guides. I loved the media guides; that part of it intrigued me early. When I told him at 14 that I might
want to do what he does, he let me stand behind him during football games for the remainder of my high school career. I got the juice then, I was rolling by that time. I knew this was exactly what I had to do. I got so intense about doing it, that’s probably why I wasn’t a great student. I could see the prep happen during the week, then watch it being presented on game day, and that changed everything. That’s definitely where I caught it.
Broadcasting for a Division I university involves maintaining a lot of relationships with coaches, trying to balance your credibility with promoting the team through good seasons and bad. How have you navigated that?
You have a professional duty, just like a coach does. For me, I learned a lot from my dad about those professional relationships. I’m fortunate to have run the spectrum of coaches. There are some guys you work with—you do your job, and that’s kind of the end of it. I understand that. I don’t have
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Wes Durham and Georgia Tech football player Roddy Jones during a 2019 bowl game on ESPN
That’s what college athletics does. My dad wanted to go to the University of North Carolina the first time his mom and dad let him go see [UNC all-American halfback] Charlie Justice play at Kenan Stadium; he was captivated. That’s really what college athletics is about. No matter what part of the country you’re in, most people tie themselves to a college team as a fan.
Tell me about your family and what you do when you’re not calling games? to be friends with everybody I work with. That’s the way it has been with a handful of guys I’ve worked with. I’m respectful of their time and they’re respectful of mine, and we move forward. I worked with three different basketball coaches at Georgia Tech. Two of them are still really good friends: Bobby Cremins and Paul Hewitt. Sometimes it’s athletic directors. [North Carolina State Athletics Director] Boo Corrigan and I grew up together; our families have been friends all our lives. His mom and dad and my mom and dad have been friends since the 1960s.
There is something unique about college sports, isn’t there? How do you explain it?
In the Southeast, you’re talking about something that ties generations and families together. In North Carolina, you’ve got to be a fan of somebody. You might be born into an N.C. State family or a house divided—a mom who went to Carolina and a dad who went to State.
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I have 21-year-old twins from my first marriage. Emily works in Washington, D.C. She graduated last spring from Florida State University with a degree in public policy and political science. My son Will is a senior at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. He is a business major and wants to work in basketball—either at the collegiate or professional level. I’m incredibly proud of both kids. My wife, Vicky, used to work at Georgia Tech. We moved to Cartersville, Georgia—her hometown. We live 2 miles from my in-laws, who are just incredible people. We’ve been here six years. My mom is in Chapel Hill. I’m so lucky to be busy and have a lot to do between August and March. The show we do every morning on the ACC Network is something that goes year-round. I love to play golf, I love to travel. When you get to the offseason, you really want to spend time with people. Tune into the ACC Network’s “Packer and Durham” weekday mornings, 7–10 a.m., Monday–Friday.
OUT&ABOUT |
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DINE & DRAFT
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Capturing memories at every milestone
Mick Schulte Photography mickschultephotography.com 763-639-4118
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DINE &DRAFT MIDTOWN MAGAZINE
African
NAFKOT ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 2109-146 Avent Ferry Road 919.664.8151 nafkotethiopianrestaurant.com
American 41HUNDRED 4100 Main at North Hills Street 919.278.1478 41hundredrestaurant.com B.GOOD 555 Fayetteville Street 919.803.3233 201 Park at North Hills 919.916.5410 bgood.com BA-DA WINGS 2161 Avent Ferry Road 919.832.3902 badawings.com BERKELEY CAFE 217 W. Martin Street 919.828.9190 facebook.com/berkeleyraleigh BLOOMSBURY BISTRO 509-101 W. Whitaker Mill Road 919.834.9011 bloomsburybistro.com CAPITAL CLUB 16 16 W. Martin Street 919.747.9345 CapitalClub16.com CARROLL’S KITCHEN 19 E. Martin Street 919.670.3622 carrollskitchen.org CLOCKWORK 519 W. North Street 919.307.3215 clockworkraleigh.com CRAWFORD AND SON 618 N. Person Street 919.307.4647 crawfordandsonrestaurant.com THE DAILY FARE 402 Oberlin Road 919.916.5151 dailyfareraleigh.com DEATH & TAXES 105 W. Hargett Street 984.242.0218 ac-restaurants.com/death-taxes EDWARDS MILL BAR & GRILL 3201 Edwards Mill Road 919.783.5447 edwardsmillbarandgrill.com FINE FOLK 213 Fayetteville Street (located in Foundation’s basement) finefolkraleigh.com GLENWOOD GRILL 2603 Glenwood Avenue #15 919.782.3102 glenwoodgrill.com HAYES BARTON CAFE 2000 Fairview Road 919.856.8551 imaginarystudioonline. com/hayes
IRIS RESTAURANT 2110 Blue Ridge Road 919.664.6838 ncartmuseum.org/visit/dining
KINGS DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
141 Park at North Hills Street 919.600.5700 kings-de.com LONERIDER AT FIVE POINTS 1626 Glenwood Avenue 919.322.2434 loneriderbeer.com LYNWOOD GRILL & BREWING CONCERN 4821 Grove Barton Road 919.785.0043 lynnwoodgrill.com METRO DINER 6325 Falls of Neuse Road #73 919.578.9053 metrodiner.com MIDTOWN GRILLE 4421 Six Forks Road 919.782.9463 themidtowngrille.com NORTH RIDGE PUB 6010 Falls of Neuse Road 919.790.9125 northridgepub.com THE OAK 4035 Lake Boone Trail 919.787.9100 jmrkitchens.com/oak OAK CITY MEATBALL SHOPPE 180 E. Davie Street 919.714.9014 oakcitymeatball.com PLAYERS RETREAT 105 Oberlin Road 919.755.9589 playersretreat.net THE POINT AT GLENWOOD RESTAURANT & BAR 1626 Glenwood Avenue 919.755.1007 thepointatglenwood.com THE RALEIGH TIMES BAR 14 E. Hargett Street 919.833.0999 raleightimesbar.com THE ROCKFORD 320½ Glenwood Avenue 919.821.9020 therockfordrestaurant.com ROSEWATER KITCHEN & BAR 110 Park at North Hills Street 919.424.7886 rosewaterraleigh.com SECOND EMPIRE RESTAURANT AND TAVERN 330 Hillsborough Street 919.829.3663 second-empire.com STANBURY 938 N. Blount Street 919.977.4321 stanburyraleigh.com
A FOODIE GUIDE TO RALEIGH
THE STATION 701 N. Person Street 919.977.1567 stationraleigh.com STIR 4242 Six Forks Road #100 984.200.8614 stirraleigh.com TASTE 1912 Bernard Street 919.948.7815 thetastebernard.com VILLAGE GRILL 8470 Honeycutt Road 919.890.5340 villagegrillraleigh.com VITA VITE 313 W. Hargett Street 919.803.3156 200 Park at North Hills Street 919.322.0649 vitaviteraleigh.com WINSTON’S GRILLE 6401 Falls of Neuse Road 919.790.0700 winstonsgrille.com YARD HOUSE 4208 Six Forks Road 919.881.2590 yardhouse.com ZEST CAFE & HOME ART 8831 Six Forks Road 919.848.4792 zestcafehomeart.com
Asian BIDA MANDA 222 S. Blount Street 919.829.9999 bidamanda.com BREWERY BHAVANA 218 S. Blount Street 919.829.9998 brewerybhavana.com BUL BOX 4421 Six Forks Road #116A 984.200.3654 bul-box.com CHAMPA THAI & SUSHI 8521 Brier Creek Parkway 919.806.0078 champathaisushi.com CHOPSTIX 5607 Creedmoor Road 919.781.6268 chopstix.com CO 101 Park at North Hills Street 919.258.2070 eatatco.com DAVID’S DUMPLING & NOODLE BAR 1900 Hillsborough Street 919.239.4536 ddandnb.com FIVE STAR RESTAURANT 511 W. Hargett Street 919.833.3311 fivestarraleigh.com HAKO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2603-155 Glenwood Avenue 919.235.0589 hakosushinc.com
Midtown advertisers have been highlighted. Some restaurants do not have websites and must be contacted by phone. A more comprehensive list of restaurants can be found at midtownmag.com. Please call or check websites for takeout options.
LEMONGRASS THAI RESTAURANT 8320 Litchford Road #142 919.954.0377 lemongrassthairestaurant.net NEO-ASIA 6602 Glenwood Avenue 919.783.8383 neoasiaraleigh.com NI ASIAN KITCHEN 8817 Six Forks Road 919.916.5106 niasiankitchen.com ORCHID JAPANESE RESTAURANT 7432 Creedmoor Road 919.890.5345 orchidjapanesebuffet.com PEARL CHINESE RESTAURANT 3215 Avent Ferry Road 919.233.8776 pearlchinesenc.com RED DRAGON CHINESE RESTAURANT 2513 Fairview Road 919.782.1102 raleighreddragon.com RED PEPPER ASIAN 4121-109 New Bern Avenue 919.594.1006 redpepper-nc.com SEOUL GARDEN 4701 Atlantic Avenue 919.850.9984 seoulgardennc.com SHABASHABU 3080 Wake Forest Road 919.501.7755 shabashabu.net SONO 319 Fayetteville Street 919.521.5328 sonoraleigh.com SPRING ROLLS BISTRO & SUSHI BAR 5433 Wade Park Boulevard 919.803.1118 springrollsrestaurant.com SUSHI BLUES CAFE 301 Glenwood Avenue 919.664.8061 sushibluescafe.com SUSHI O BISTRO + SUSHI BAR 222 Glenwood Avenue 919.838.8868 sushioraleighnc.com THAIPHOON BISTRO 301 Glenwood Avenue #190 919.720.4034 thaiphoonbistroraleigh.com WARAJI JAPANESE RESTAURANT 5910 Duraleigh Road 919.783.1883 warajijapaneserestaurant.com
Bakeries & Dessert Cafes ANISETTE 209 Bickett Boulevard 919.758.3565 sweetanisette.com ANNELORE’S GERMAN BAKERY 1249 Farmers Market Drive 919.294.8040 anneloresbakery.com
BITTERSWEET 16 E. Martin Street 919.977.3829 bittersweetraleigh.com BOULTED BREAD 614 W. South Street 919.999.3984 boultedbread.com CRUMBL COOKIES 2920 Sherman Oak Place Suite 100 919.249.1333 crumblcookies.com DUCK DONUTS 8323 Creedmoor Road 919.847.3800 duckdonuts.com
EDIBLE ART BAKERY & DESSERT CAFE
4351-115 The Circle at North Hills 919.856.0604 edibleartnc.com ESCAZÜ ARTISAN CHOCOLATES 936 N. Blount Street 919.832.3433 escazuchocolates.com GOODBERRY’S FROZEN CUSTARD Multiple Raleigh locations goodberrys.com GREAT HARVEST BREAD COMPANY 8801-119 Lead Mine Road 919.845.8122 greatharvest.com GROOVY DUCK BAKERY 3434 Edwards Mill Road 919.787.9233 groovyduckbakeryllc.com HAYES BARTON CAFE 2000 Fairview Road 919.856.8551 hayesbartoncafeanddessertery.com LUCETTEGRACE 235 S. Salisbury Street 919.307.4950 lucettegrace.com Mon Macaron Coming this spring 111 Seaboard Avenue #118 monmacaron.us PREMIER CAKES 6617 Falls of Neuse Road #105 919.703.0095 premier-cakes.com VIDERI CHOCOLATE FACTORY 327 W. Davie Street 919.755.5053 viderichocolatefactory.com YELLOW DOG BREAD CO. 219 E. Franklin Street 984.232.0291 yellowdogbread.com
Barbecue BIG AL’S BBQ & CATERING 2920 Forestville Road 919.217.0653 bigalsbbqandcatering.com MARCH/APRIL 2021
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CLYDE COOPER’S BARBEQUE 327 S. Wilmington Street 919.832.7614 clydecoopersbbq.com OLE TIME BARBECUE 6309 Hillsborough Street 919.859.2544 oletimebarbecue.com THE PIT AUTHENTIC BARBECUE 328 W. Davie Street 919.890.4500 thepit-raleigh.com SAM JONES BBQ 502 W. Lenoir Street 984.206.2555 samjonesbbq.com
Breakfast/Specialty ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE 160 Park at North Hills Street 919.307.8195 anotherbrokenegg.com
BULL & BEAR BREW
Available locally or shop online at: The Butcher’s Market 5045 Falls of Neuse Road Quintessentials 4209 Lassiter Mill Road, #119 bullandbrew.com
BRIGS 8111 Creedmoor Road 919.870.0994 brigs.com IDLE HOUR COFFEE ROASTERS 1818 Oberlin Road #103 984.200.1605 idlehourcoffee.com
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JUBALA COFFEE 8450 Honeycutt Road 919.758.8330 2100 Hillsborough Street 919.792.1767 jubalacoffee.com THE MORNING TIMES 10 E. Hargett Street 919.836.1204 morningtimes-raleigh.com NEW WORLD CAFE 4112 Pleasant Valley Road 919.786.0091 newworldcafes.com PURR CUP CAFE 210 Prospect Avenue 919.322.4003 purrcupcafe.com UNION SPECIAL BREAD 2409 Crabtree Boulevard #104 984.200.3094 unionspecialbread.com
Burgers & Hot Dogs BAD DADDY’S BURGER BAR
111 Seaboard Avenue 919.747.9163 9402 Falls of the Neuse Road Suite 103 919.233.5880 baddaddysburgerbar.com CHAR-GRILL Four Raleigh locations chargrillusa.com CHOW 8311 Creedmoor Road 919.841.4995 chowraleigh.com
MOJOE’S BURGER JOINT 620 Glenwood Avenue 919.832.6799 mojoesburgerjoint.com THE ROAST GRILL 7 S. West Street 919.832.8292 roastgrill.com SNOOPY’S HOT DOGS Multiple Raleigh locations snoopys.com
Cafés BENELUX COFFEE 402 Oberlin Road 919.900.8294 beneluxcoffee.com THE DAILY PLANET CAFE 121 W. Jones Street 919.707.8060 thedailyplanetcafe.com KALE ME CRAZY 2018 Cameron Street 919.239.4660 kalemecrazy.net MANHATTAN CAFE 320 S. Wilmington Street 919.833.6105 manhattancafenc.com THE PHARMACY CAFE 702 N. Person Street 919.832.6432 personstreetrx.com PINE STATE COFFEE Multiple locations in Raleigh pinestatecoffee.com SOLA COFFEE 7705 Lead Mine Road 919.803.8983 solacoffee.com
SOSTA CAFE 130 E. Davie Street 919.833.1006 sostacafe.com SIR WALTER COFFEE 145 E. Davie Street 919.322.0019 sirwaltercoffee.com SUNFLOWER’S CAFE 8 W. Peace Street 919.833.4676 sunflowersraleigh.com UNCORKED RALEIGH 10511 Shadowlawn Drive Suite 111 984.200.5423 uncorkedraleigh.com
Catering CATERING WORKS 2319 Laurelbrook Street 919.828.5932 cateringworks.com DONOVAN’S DISH Serving the Triangle 919.651.8309 donovansdish.com EMPIRE EATS CATERING 415 Royal Street 919.582.9470 empireeatscatering.com THE GARDEN ON MILLBROOK 2400 E. Millbrook Road 919.790.8900 thegardenonmillbrook.com ROCKY TOP CATERING 1705 E. Millbrook Road 919.850.2340 rockytopcatering.com
SOUTHLAND BBQ CATERING 5000 Departure Drive 919.757.4972 southlandbbqcatering.com
TASTEFULLY SERVED
Serves Raleigh, Cary, Apex and RTP 919.760.5134 tastefully-served.com
Indian AZITRA 8411 Brier Creek Parkway 919.484.3939 azitra.com GARLAND 14 W. Martin Street 919.833.6886 garlandraleigh.com KABAB AND CURRY 2412 Hillsborough Street 919.977.6974 kababcurryraleigh.com KADHAI THE INDIAN WOK 6260-112 Glenwood Avenue 919.785.2864 theindianexpresskadhai.com ROYAL INDIA 3901 Capital Boulevard 919.981.0849 royalIndiannc.com TAJ MAHAL INDIAN CUISINE 6611 Falls of Neuse Road 919.848.2262 tajmahalindianraleigh.com TASTE 1912 Bernard Street 919.948.7815 thetastebernard.com
Midtown advertisers have been highlighted. Some restaurants do not have websites and must be contacted by phone. A more comprehensive list of restaurants can be found at midtownmag.com. Please call or check websites for takeout options.
THE WILD COOK’S INDIAN GRILL 3212 Hillsborough Street 984.232.8530 thewildcooksgrill.com ZAYKA INDIAN CUISINE 10410 Moncreiffe Road Suite 103 919.361.5370 zaykaraleigh.com
Irish THE HIBERNIAN 311 Glenwood Avenue 919.833.2258 8021 Falls of Neuse Road 919.803.0290 hibernianpub.com SAINTS & SCHOLARS IRISH PUB 909 Spring Forest Road 919.878.8828 saintsandscholarspub.com
Italian AMEDEO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 3905 Western Boulevard 919.851.0473 amedeosrestaurant.com ASSAGGIO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 3501 W. Millbrook Road 919.785.2088 assaggios-nc.com BELLA MONICA 3121-103 Edwards Mill Road 919.881.9778 bellamonica.com BRUNO SEAFOOD & STEAKS 11211 Galleria Avenue 919.435.6640 brunoraleigh.com CAFE TIRAMISU 6008 Falls of Neuse Road 919.790.1006 cafetiramisu.net CAFFÉ LUNA 136 E. Hargett Street 919.832.6090 cafeluna.com CAPRI RESTAURANT 6325 Falls of Neuse Road 919.878.4424 caprirest.com CASA CARBONE RISTORANTE ITALIANO 6019 Glenwood Avenue 919.781.8750 casacarbone.com FARINA NEIGHBORHOOD ITALIAN 8450 Honeycutt Road 919.890.0143 farinaraleigh.com GRAVY 135 S. Wilmington Street 919.896.8513 gravyraleigh.com JIMMY V’S OSTERIA + BAR 420 Fayetteville Street 919.256.1451 jimmyvsraleigh.com MULINO ITALIAN KITCHEN & BAR 309 N. Dawson Street 919.838.8595 mulinoraleigh.com NINA’S RISTORANTE 8801 Lead Mine Road 919.845.1122 ninasrestaurant.com PICCOLA ITALIA 423 Woodburn Road 919.833.6888 piccolaitalianc.com
ROMA PIZZERIA & ITALIAN RESTAURANT 3805 Brentwood Road 919.876.2818 TUSCAN BLU 327 W. Davie Street 919.834.5707 tuscanblu.com VIC’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA 331 Blake Street 919.829.7090 4035 Lake Boone Trail Suite 109 984.200.9292 vicsitalianrestaurant.com VIVACE 4209 Lassiter Mill Road Suite 115 919.787.7747 vivaceraleigh.com
Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern ALADDIN’S EATERY 8201 Brier Creek Parkway 919.806.5700 4209 Lassiter Mill Road 919.977.9025 aladdinseatery.com FRESH LEVANT BISTRO 8450 Honeycutt Road 984.200.3999 freshlevant.com JASMIN & OLIVZ MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO Multiple Raleigh locations jasminbistro.com MONA PITA MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 5260 Capital Boulevard 919.431.6500 monapita.com NEOMONDE 3817 Beryl Road 919.828.1628 neomonde.com NUR MEDITERRANEAN DELI & MARKET 2233 Avent Ferry Road 919.828.1523 THE OLIVE WAGON 8490 Honeycutt Road Suite 106 919.845.7266 theolivewagon.com OPA RALEIGH 411 W. Morgan Street 984.200.9440 oparaleigh.com PETRA GRILL 6091 Capital Boulevard 984.200.2009 SASSOOL 9650 Strickland Road 919.847.2700 sassool.com SITTI 137 S. Wilmington Street 919.239.4070 sitti-raleigh.com TAVERNA AGORA 326 Hillsborough Street 919.881.8333 tavernaagora.com TAZA GRILL 6325 Falls of Neuse Road 919.872.7161 10940 Raven Ridge Road 919.845.7772 tazagrill.com
Midtown advertisers have been highlighted. Some restaurants do not have websites and must be contacted by phone. A more comprehensive list of restaurants can be found at midtownmag.com. Please call or check websites for takeout options.
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VIDRIO 500 Glenwood Avenue Suite 100 919.803.6033 vidrioraleigh.com
Mexican BAJA BURRITO 2109 Avent Ferry Road Suite 108 919.834.3431 bajaburrito.net CAFE CAPISTRANO 8471 Garvey Drive 919.872.1127 CANTINA 18 433 Daniels Street 919.835.9911 18restaurantgroup.com CENTRO 106 S. Wilmington Street 919.835.3593 centroraleigh.com CORTEZ 413 Glenwood Avenue 919.342.8227 cortezraleigh.com DOS TAQUITOS 6101 Glenwood Avenue 919.787.3373 dostaquitosraleigh.com Driftwood cantina 8460 Honeycutt Road #1112 919.977.8360 driftwoodraleigh.com EL DORADO 2811 Brentwood Road 919.872.8440 8111 Creedmoor Road 919.848.0788 eldoradomexicanrestaurant.com EL RODEO 329 Blount Street 919.828.0777 2404 Wake Forest Road 919.833.1460 elrodeonc.com EL TAPATIO 4511 New Bern Avenue 919.255.9161 13200 New Falls of Neuse Suite 167 919.554.9676 eltapatiomexican.com FIESTA MEXICANA 2839 Jones Franklin Road 919.859.1303 fiestamexicananc-cary.com GONZA TACOS Y TEQUILA 7713-39 Lead Mine Road 919.846.5478 2100 Hillsborough Street 919.268.8965 gonzatacosytequila.com GRINGO A GO GO 100 N. Person Street 919.977.1438 gringoraleigh.com JOSE AND SONS 4112 Pleasant Valley Road 919.571.1188 joseandsons.com LA CARRETA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1028 Oberlin Road 919.977.3271 lacarretaraleigh.com
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LA RANCHERITA 7420 Six Forks Road 919.844.6330 4325 Glenwood Avenue Suite 3000 919.785.1951 laranchnc.com LOS CUATES MEXICAN RESTAURANT 4524 Old Wake Forest Road 919.872.6012 facebook.com/loscuatesraleighnc LOS TRES MAGUEYES 10410 Moncreiffe Road 919.484.9258 THE ORIGINAL FLYING BURRITO 4800 Grove Barton Road 919.785.2734 originalflyingburrito.com SAN JOSE MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5811 Poyner Village Parkway 919.790.1919 sanjosepoyner.com
SALT & LIME CABO GRILL
6006 Falls of Neuse Road 919.872.2230 saltandlimecabo.com
Seafood 42ND STREET OYSTER BAR 508 W. Jones Street 919.831.2811 42ndstoysterbar.com CAPE FEAR SEAFOOD COMPANY 832 Spring Forest Road 984.242.4600 capefearseafoodcompany.com CAPTAIN STANLEY’S SEAFOOD 3333 S. Wilmington Street 919.779.7878 facebook.com/captainstanleys COUSIN’S MAINE LOBSTER 411 W. Morgan Street 919.867.6203 cousinsmainelobster.com THE COWFISH SUSHI BURGER BAR 4208 Six Forks Road 919.784.0400 thecowfish.com MARGAUX’S RESTAURANT 8111 Creedmoor Road Suite 111 919.846.9846 margauxsrestaurant.com
TORERO’S AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE 4721 Atlantic Avenue Suite 101 919.873.9116 torerosmexicanrestaurants.com VIVA MEXICAN KITCHEN 4112 Pleasant Valley Road 919.571.1188 vivamexicankitchen.com
MASON’S FAMOUS LOBSTER ROLLS 4121 Main at North Hills Street Suite 100 984.200.1845 masonslobster.com
Pizzerias
South American
CRISTO’S NY STYLE PIZZA 1302 E. Millbrook Road 919.872.6797 cristospizza.com DEMO’S PIZZERIA & DELI 222 Glenwood Avenue Suite 121 919.754.1050 demospizzeriadeli.com DONATOS PIZZA 7860 Alexander Promenade Place 919.957.2880 donatos.com LILLY’S PIZZA 1813 Glenwood Avenue 919.833.0226 lillyspizza.com MOONLIGHT PIZZA COMPANY 615 W. Morgan Street 919.755.9133 moonlightpizza.com THE PIZZA TIMES 210 S. Wilmington Street 919.832.4411 raleightimespizza.com SALVIO’S PIZZERIA 6325 Falls of Neuse Road #69 919.981.5678 salviospizza.com STROMBOLI’S EXPRESS 3434 Edwards Mill Road 919.785.7075 2900 Spring Forest Road 919.876.4222 strombolisexpress.com TROPHY BREWING + PIZZA 827 W. Morgan Street 919.803.4849 trophybrewing.com
SALTWATER SEAFOOD MARKET 4 Fenton Street 919.834.1813 saltwaterseafoodnc.com
ALPACA PERUVIAN CHARCOAL CHICKEN 4614 Capital Boulevard 919.713.0000 8211 Brier Creek Parkway Suite 107 919.278.7724 alpacachicken.com
AREPA CULTURE NC
Food Truck (brick and mortar location coming soon to 6724 Glenwood Avenue) arepaculturenc.com BARCELONA WINE BAR 430 W. Martin Street 919.808.5400 barcelonawinebar.com GUASACA AREPA & SALSA GRILL 4025 Lake Boone Trail Suite 107 919.322.4928 2512 Hillsborough Street 919.210.6838 guasaca.com MAMI’S 2401 Wake Forest Road 919.834.8572 maminoras.com VINOS FINOS TAPAS AND WINE BAR 8450 Honeycutt Road Suite 110 919.747.9233 vinosfinosypicadas.com
Southern BEASLEY’S CHICKEN + HONEY 237 S. Wilmington Street 919.322.0127 ac-restaurants.com/beasleys
BIG ED’S RESTAURANT 220 Wolfe Street 919.836.9909 5009 Falls of Neuse Road 919.747.9533 bigedsnc.com FLYING BISCUIT CAFÉ 2016 Clark Avenue 919.833.6924 flyingbiscuit.com HUMBLE PIE 317 S. Harrington Street 919.829.9222 humblepierestaurant.com MANDOLIN 2519 Fairview Road 919.322.0365 mandolinraleigh.com THE MECCA RESTAURANT 13 E. Martin Street 919.832.5714 mecca-restaurant.com
NOFO @ THE PIG
2014 Fairview Road 919.821.1240 nofo.com POOLE’S DINER 426 S. McDowell Street 919.832.4477 ac-restaurants.com/pooles RELISH CAFÉ & BAR 5625 Creedmoor Road 919.787.1855 relishraleigh.com THE REMEDY DINER 137 E. Hargett Street 919.835.3553 theremedydiner.com RYE BAR & SOUTHERN KITCHEN 500 Fayetteville Street 919.227.3370 ryeraleigh.com STATE FARMERS’ MARKET RESTAURANT 1240 Farmers Market Drive 919.755.1550 realbiscuits.com TUPELO HONEY 425 Oberlin Road 919.723.9353 tupelohoneycafe.com
Steakhouses ANGUS BARN 9401 Glenwood Avenue 919.781.2444 angusbarn.com BRASA BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE 8551 Brier Creek Parkway 919.544.3344 brasasteakhouse.com OAK STEAKHOUSE 417 W. Hargett Street 984.255.1818 oakraleigh.com PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE & GRILLE 4509 Creedmoor Road 919.827.4158 perryssteakhouse.com
VINNIE’S STEAK HOUSE AND TAVERN 7440 Six Forks Road 919.847.7319 vinniessteakhouse.com
Midtown advertisers have been highlighted. Some restaurants do not have websites and must be contacted by phone. A more comprehensive list of restaurants can be found at midtownmag.com. Please call or check websites for takeout options.
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EV EN T S
Juniper Level Botanic Garden’s Open Nursery and Garden Days
Chasing My Cure
March 24, 7 p.m. North Carolina Museum of History website The North Carolina Museum of History will host David Fajgenbaum, author of the national best-selling memoir, “Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race to Turn Hope Into Action” (Ballantine Books, 2021). This powerful memoir tells the story of a young doctor and former college athlete diagnosed with a rare disease who spearheaded the search for a cure. He explores how we’re all living in overtime and offers inspiration for what we can do about it.
March 5–6, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., March 7, 1–5 p.m. 9241 Sauls Road Juniper Level Botanic Garden’s 28-acre campus is filled with more than 30,000 taxa of plants, including native perennials, exotic plants, rare delights and an array of incredible and unusual specimen trees and shrubs you won’t see anywhere else in the world. The garden will be open for public viewing and plant purchases March 5–7. jlbg.org
2021 Visual Art Exchange Mutual Aid Art Auction
Reptile and Amphibian Day
March 8–13, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences website Join the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for its 26th annual Reptile and Amphibian Day, the nation’s largest event dedicated to hopping, slithering, crawling critters. This year’s theme is salamanders. The event will consist of six days of programs—from crafts and lectures to close encounters of the virtual kind. naturalsciences.org
Big Night in for the Arts
March 11, 7 p.m. On air via WRAL and livestreaming Join four Triangle arts councils and WRAL to celebrate the arts community and to help begin a post-pandemic path of recovery. The live fundraiser will feature Ariana DeBose, Branford Marsalis, Mike Wiley, Mandolin Orange and others. Proceeds will fund arts programming, arts relief efforts and initiatives for equity in the arts.
Theatre in the Park
Buyer & Cellar
April 9–25 107 Pullen Road Presented by Theatre in the Park, “Buyer & Cellar” is a comedy by Jonathan Tolins about the price of fame, the cost of things and the oddest of odd jobs. This one-man show stars Jesse Gephart.
theatreinthepark.com
8th Annual Socks & Undie 5K Rundie
April 23–25 Dorothea Dix Park (and also presented virtually) At the intersection of Black Drive and Cranmer Drive Note in the Pocket, a nonprofit serving impoverished and homeless schoolchildren in Wake County with dignity and love, will host its annual Socks & Undie 5K Rundie in person and virtually this year. During race weekend, which is April 23–25, participants can run from anywhere at any time. A live race will be on April 24 at Dorothea Dix Park. Matt Jenkins
vaeraleigh.org/art-auction
ncmuseumofhistory.org MASH Photography
March 6–25 Online The “Spoke Array” bench created by Matthew Smith of Woodleaf Studios in Raleigh that is featured on page 122 and pictured at right has been entered in the 2021 Visual Art Exchange Mutual Aid Art Auction, presented by PNC. VAE hopes to use the success of this large annual party as a platform to help artists when they need it most, after a full year with no income. Therefore, artists will receive 100% of the commission on the sale of their work. The auction, which takes place online, goes live March 6 at 8 a.m. and closes March 25 at 3 p.m.
chasingmycure.com
MASH Photography
BY BRITTANY MURDOCK
noteinthepocket.org
Be sure to check the websites of the events listed here before you head out to ensure they are still taking place.
bignightin.org
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M I DTOWN MI NGL ES BY CINDY HUNTLEY
MIDTOWN 2021 DIAMOND AWARDS On January 21, Midtown
hosted its annual Diamond
Awards celebration at Kings Dining & Entertainment in North Hills to honor the
Best of Raleigh for 2021.
Winners and their guests enjoyed specialty drinks,
bowling and arcade games
in the 1Up Retrocade. Thank you to Edible Art Bakery &
Dessert Cafe, AlphaGraphics,
Crown Trophy and the staff at
Kings Dining & Entertainment, who took meticulous care to
ensure that social distancing
guidelines were met. A special thanks also goes out to all of
our winners who came out to
celebrate on this special night.
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NE W A R O U N D TO W N BY CINDY HUNTLEY
Arepa Culture
AREPA CULTURE BRINGS DELICIOUS, AUTHENTIC AREPAS TO RALEIGH After serving the Triangle from a food truck since 2014, the folks at Arepa Culture are opening a brick-and-mortar location at Pleasant Valley Promenade on Glenwood Avenue. Made with a gluten-free white cornmeal “bread,” their arepas are made from scratch daily—handcrafted, grilled and generously filled with a variety of delicious, quality ingredients. 6274 Glenwood Avenue 919.986.8487 arepaculturenc.com
URBAN AIR ADVENTURE PARK TAKES FLIGHT IN RALEIGH Urban Air Raleigh is open for play and offers a huge selection of unique attractions that bring a one-of-a-kind experience to thrill-seekers of all ages. From trampolines and virtual reality adventures, to a “Warrior” course and bumper cars with an attitude, you’ll find something for everyone. 7810 Poyner Pond Circle 919.842.3569 Onward Reserve
Urban Air Adventure Park
urbanairraleigh.com
iCRYO, a growing cryotherapy company in the U.S., has opened a location in North Hills. In addition to its signature cryotherapy services, the wellness boutique also offers IV hydration, compression therapy, infrared sauna and Cryoskin body contouring. 200 Park at North Hills Street, Suite 150 919.576.9880 icryo.com/location/raleigh
Meredith Mills
ICRYO BRINGS COLD THERAPY AND RECOVERY SERVICES TO NORTH HILLS
Meredith Mills
Urban Air Adventure Park
monarchrealty.co
Monarch Realty Co.
Monarch Realty Co., a leader in the downtown Raleigh real estate market, has moved into a brand-new office space on Fayetteville Street. With a plethora of open seating, as well as individual and team offices, the new headquarters office offers a welcoming space for the company’s agents and clients to work together. 213 Fayetteville Street 919.606.2905
Monarch Realty Co.
MONARCH REALTY CO. SETTLES INTO NEW DIGS DOWNTOWN
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KAL EIDOSCOPE L IVING
I N T U I T I V E I N S P I R AT I O N
S P O K E A R R A Y, 2 0 2 1 WALNUT AND MAPLE 35 X 60 X 23 INCHES M AT T H E W S M I T H Furniture maker Matthew Smith’s approach to custom furniture-making is like piecing together a puzzle. Form, function, aesthetic and design marry to create functional pieces of art. Smith tailors each commission to suit his clients’ individual needs while working in his 5,000-square-foot downtown Raleigh studio and gallery, Woodleaf Studios. Instead of working with a set style or list of materials, Smith takes an intuitive approach, allowing the design assignment to inspire the process, materials, form and function as he crafts one-of-a-kind pieces. Born in Morgantown, North Carolina, Smith was exposed to furniture-making through his father, who worked for a major furniture
“I love the repurposing of things. I think: How can I make this into something useful and visually interesting?”
manufacturer. In 1987, Smith opened Woodleaf Studios to showcase his love of furniture and custom design. Woodleaf Studios is open by appointment and online at woodleafstudios.com.
BY CHARLOTTE RUSSELL PHOTOS BY MASH PHOTOGRAPHY
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