Midtown Magazine

11 BEST

styles

for spring

+

living in

RALEIGH & spring

arts preview ma r ch / a pr i l

2 0 1 6

n i a ys o t n a w

t ! r w u o le f a o p il

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a note FROM the publisher Publisher/Editor Sioux Watson Advertising Sales Charis Painter | Ashley Carter | Sioux Watson Creative Director Travis Aptt Graphic Design Lori Lay Contributing Writers Dan Bain | Jenni Hart | Dave Droschak Karlie Justus Marlowe | David Fellerath Julie Johnson | Kurt Dusterburg Carla Turchetti | Steven Major | Frank Harmon Anna Churchill | Paul Savery Photography Davies Photography | Colburn Collective

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automatically entered to win these prizes, good for two people: hotel for two nights, tour of the Biltmore House, a rafting trip, and a comedy bus tour. To enter, simply log on to midtownmag.com and click on the link for “Win a Trip to Asheville”.

The accolades keep pouring in for Raleigh, as do newcomers to Wake County – to the tune of 63 people a day, according to wakeupwakecounty.org.

Raleigh continues to be ranked as one of the best places to live in the nation, and Wake County recently hit a new milestone of 1 million residents. Official numbers say half of these new arrivals are moving into apartments and condos, which explains why there are cranes busy erecting new residential buildings all over town. Check out options available to all residents in our “Living in Raleigh” story.

In this issue’s Spring Arts Preview, we hope you find a wide variety of events to entertain, educate and amuse yourself; there surely is never a lack of options in Raleigh and its surrounding areas!

Happy Spring,

Sioux

Sioux watson Publisher/Editor

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

Please email sioux@midtownmag.com with your comments.

6 | midtownmag.com

Distribution Manager Joe Lizana Midtown Magazine is published six times annually. Any reproduction in part or in whole of any part of this publication is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.

Midtown Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or art. Unsolicited material is welcome and is considered intended for publication. Such material will become the property of the magazine and will be subject to editing. Material will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Midtown Magazine will not knowingly accept any real estate advertising in violation of US equal opportunity law.

Beautiful

2014

HOMEs OF

Raleigh

Raleigh

Denim p WoRksho y + CuRatoR

PAGE 98

private school

The musT-have Trends and

guide 88 page

sTyles

+ Summer kids in the

page 114

for

fall 2014

page 72

july/august

2015

m ay / j u n e

2015

september/october

2014

+Fall’s Furry Friends page 62

The Summer Issue

Beer

12 breweries taste-tested for YOUR drinking enjoyment!

Icecream Who doesn’t love that cold, cReAmY goodness?

We’ve got you covered!

50 reasons to LoVe the

TRIANGLE No .9

weather, location, parks, museums, shopping, craft beer and more!

The Weath er

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november/december

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2015

And what’s SUmmeR ut witho ous jUIcY, delici july/august

2014

Burgers that ...we found 12 are sure to please!

I

arch days can be a wild mix of winter to spring in a 24hour period in the Triangle, some of our craziest snowstorms have come in March! Speaking of weather, we are thrilled to share the musings of lovable weatherman Greg Fishel in “The Interview” Q&A this issue. His candid answers to our questions are funny and endearing, especially when you read how many of his early memories and answers are weather-related at the core.

Twice a year our in-house team and a handful of outside professionals spend an entire day putting together a fashion issue; enjoy browsing the pages of our Spring Fashion 2016! A big thanks to the entire team, stylists at Style Hawk, Helen and Alex, the gang at North Hills who had the perfect location to use for the day, and all of our fabulous advertisers who generously loan us fashions and jewelry for the shoot.

Win a free trip to Asheville! When our friends at the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau (exploreasheville. com) found out we were writing about places to visit in the Asheville area as part of the “National and North Carolina State Parks Mark 100 Years”, they gathered together a giveaway package for our readers in Raleigh! We’ve tied the contest in to a Midtown Magazine readership survey, and anyone who fills it out online is

2015

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Subscriptions 6 print issues (1 year) available online at www.midtownmag.com ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 4818 Six Forks Road, Suite 204 Raleigh, NC 27609 Phone 919.782.4710, Fax 919.782.4763 www.midtownmag.com

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contents M ARCH/ APRIL

2016

features 80 living in raleigh

There is good news for anyone coming here to live, or anyone who is already here and is looking to make a housing change, is that Raleigh offers many diverse options for creating a home.

88 mountain getaways

If the change in seasons has given you an itch for travel, we recommend that you satisfy your wanderlust in Asheville.

We spoke to locals and those in the know, seeking a variety of suggestions for your mountain city getaway. So go west.

spring arts preview 101

There’s plenty to keep you busy in Raleigh this Spring.

We’ll highlight the best offerings in the categories of music, theater, visual arts and dance.

66

spring styles

The best hand-picked styles for this Spring. Oh, and a few accessories too!

20 | midtownmag.com

contents m arch/ april

2016

departments 24 on the scene 34 bain’s beat 38 beauty style 40 beer & barrel 42 close to home 44 financial focus 46 giving back 48 raising the bar 50 sunday supper 54 the interview 58 what’s app?

60 wine review 62 your home (tranquil) 110 midtown downtown 116 healthy you 121 out & about 130 everyday places

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midtown downtown

11 BEST STylES

for spring

+

living in

special thanks to sean junqueria Photography for our beautiful cover photo

ralEigH & Spring

arTS prEviEw m a r c h / a p r i l

n ai s nt arytw! o ou awfo ille m geinta traipshev w

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to

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The scene

on

taste

Worth the Drive

Discover Pho Far East in Raleigh's Near North

By Steven Major / Photography by Davies Photography Conventional wisdom has it that the best food in Raleigh is Inside the Beltline, and conventional wisdom isn’t exactly wrong in this case. Bida Manda, Standard Foods, The Stanbury, or any part of Ashley Christensen’s burgeoning food empire (e.g. Beasley’s Chicken + Honey and Poole’s Diner) stand as excellent examples. But just because a lot of great food can be found in such a small area doesn’t mean that it can’t be found elsewhere.

Situated in a strip mall just past the beltline on Capital Boulevard, Pho Far East is one of the best places in Raleigh for authentic, delicious Vietnamese cuisine. The Pho is fantastic 24 | midtownmag.com

of course, and watching large steaming bowls being delivered to nearby tables does wonders for the appetite. But the standout dish in my mind is the Bánh Hoi Tôm Thit Nurong, also known as number 60 (yes, the menu items are numbered – get over yourself). The dish comes out on a large plate overflowing with sautéed shrimp and pork, Thai basil, bean sprouts, shaved carrots and daikon, thin rice noodle squares (banh hoi), and a good number of lettuce leaves with which to eat all of it. In the center is a mildly sweet sauce with hints of vinegar and Thai chilies.

While one very hungry person would find more than enough food on

their plate, this is a dish best shared by the table. The proper way to eat everything is by constructing lettuce wraps out of what is on the plate, starting with the bánh hoi, then the other ingredients, and finally spooning some of the sauce over it. Try to get a piece of everything in one bite – the Thai basil and the sweetness of the sauce balance each other nicely, as do the fresh vegetables and the sauté of shrimp and pork. If the space on the table in front of you remains completely clean when you’re finished, you’re doing it wrong. Order some of their delicious hot tea also, and don’t forget to try the pho and the banh mi.

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midtownmag.com| 25

The scene

on

TECH

Code-a-Pillar

Fisher-Price's Automated Toy Introduces Toddlers to Coding Principles

By Dan Bain Fisher-Price just unveiled the newest toy to embrace the STEM push – the Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar.

It’s a cute, automated caterpillar that moves, turns, blinks, and makes fun noises, all as directed by your child.

The $50 toy includes eight segments that can be snapped together (via USB ports) in any order – and it responds accordingly after the child presses the start button. This might not be actual coding, but it’s a step in that direction, teaching rudimentary programming skills.

Each of the caterpillar’s segments has a different symbol and accompanying function: right turn, left turn, funny sound, etc. A child attaches them in any order to the caterpillar’s motorized head, presses

26 | midtownmag.com

the start button, and away it goes.

When the child re-orders the segments and starts the caterpillar again, it will move differently from the last time, teaching the concepts of linear sequencing and programming.

If your child grows bored with the various combinations, fear not – FisherPrice will sell additional segments

separately. Add-on packs will include three segments for $15, and those segments will prompt different actions from the initial eight. The company also plans to offer a companion app, to appeal to older kids with more complex “algorithms.”

The Code-a-Pillar should be in stores this summer, and is recommended for children ages three to eight. Visit fisher-price.com/ codeapillar/ to see it in action.

photograph © fisher price

2016

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midtownmag.com| 27

The scene

on

style

Making a Splash

Puddles are no Obstacle for Rain Boots in Modern Shapes

By Karlie Justus Marlowe / Photography by Davies Photography Don’t let rain cramp your style: Today’s trendy takes on the rain boot combine style with substance thanks to glossy color, sleek zippers and metallic buckles, and in high- and low-cut options.

At downtown Raleigh boutique Edge of Urge, owner Jessie Williams always keeps rain boots or booties in stock, for both fashionable and utilitarian reasons.

“If you are anything like me, I usually am all over the place and/or carrying a million things at one time,” says Williams, who has to navigate the elements around her North Person Street shop. “Tiptoeing through or leaping over puddles is not going to happen, at least not gracefully. Rain boots or all-weather boots are great tools to enable you to keep on trucking.”

Stylesetter shoe brands like Marc Jacobs and Tory Burch have begun to incorporate rain boot designs – also known as galoshes or wellies – into their seasonal collections, often replicating some of their best-selling leather styles into rubber riffs on the latest shapes.

This year, Loeffler Randall reproduced its popular 2015 Fenton style into a matte black rainboot, complete with the design’s signature gold buckles and back-zip, and J.Crew offered up a play on the classic Chelsea-style leather ankle boot in a range of shiny green and blue rubber rain boot versions.

Local boutiques also carry a range of styles and brands. Monkee’s of Raleigh in North Hills carries the ubiquitous Hunter brand, which has seen a resurgence in popularity – especially in candy-colored hues. Triangle chain Uniquities also sells the Steve Madden TILLIS duck boot, which recalls the uberpopular, wait-listed L.L.Bean classic.

“Currently we have the Jeffrey Campbell Clima boot, an updated version of his Stormy boot we had last 28 | midtownmag.com

Matte, high-heeled rain boots from boutique Edge of Urge raise your height and style factor.

season,” says Williams, whose store also has a Wilmington outpost. “They are matte black rubber with a slightly higher heel, and the smooth and classic silhouette makes for an extremely versatile boot.”

The best part of these modern takes on bad-weather boots? They can be just as practical as styles from outdoor

outposts like REI or Great Outdoor Provision Co., and since they come in a range of designs that echo their leather counterparts’ lines and styles, it’s a cinch to incorporate them into any outfit or occasion – rain or no rain.

“Perfect for braving the elements and a top-notch choice to wear on the daily,” says Williams.

midtownmag.com| 29

photograph courtesy of Nancy Doubrava

The scene

on

arts

photograph courtesy of J. C. Raulston Slide Collection

(left) The Klein-Pringle White Garden. the tree on the right is Acer palmetum, red lace-leaf Japanese maple, the symbol of the JC Raulston Arboretum. (right) J. C. Raulston on Mt. Fuji during a work-study program in Japan. 1970, age 30.

Field Notes

N.C. State's D.H. Hill Library remembers the man who gave his life, and name, to the JC Raulston Arboretum

By David Fellerath Among the 72 lavishly illustrated pages of a catalog devoted to the work of horticulturist J.C. Raulston, there is a drawing from a 2004 issue of Horticulture magazine that depicts giants of the field. Right there, next to Frederick Law Olmstead, Vita SackvilleWest and Thomas Jefferson, is the pleasant face of Raulston.

The man who gave his name to the 10-acre arboretum that sits just south of Hillsborough Street near the fairgrounds is the subject of celebration this spring at D.H. Hill Library on the NC State campus. What’s startling is the scale of his impact – in a 25-year career as the arboretum’s guiding light that came to a premature end when he 30 | midtownmag.com

died in a car accident in 1996, aged 56. Less than two months after his death, the Board of Trustees voted to rename the facility in his honor.

The honor was well-deserved. After his first academic job in Texas came to an impasse in the mid-1970s, Raulston joined NC State’s horticulture faculty in 1975. In short order, he was named to a faculty committee that was tasked with improving the university’s offerings in woody trees and landscape plants.

Raulston emerged as the point person and force of personality who advocated for the creation of an arboretum.

In 1980, the NCSU Arboretum was founded on an eight-acre parcel of land (it’s now 10 acres).

In the ensuing years, he built the arboretum into a nationally recognized home for plant cultivation, teaching and experimentation. More or less singlehandedly, he diversified the flora that we see everywhere in our Southern springs, summers and falls.

Beginning March 18th and running through January 2017, the DH Hill Library on the NC State campus will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its founding by displaying items, notes, photos and ephemera that illustrate Raulston’s life. The handsomely designed catalog doesn’t shy away from one darkly ironic chapter of his early life: While serving in the Army during Vietnam, the botany student was assigned to a unit that designed and tested chemical defoliants, such as Agent Blue, that were designed to destroy rice crops. Raulston never discussed publicly this part of his life, but one might surmise that his ensuing career of bringing life to diverse plant species helped him balance his internal set of books.

But the purpose of the show is to document the profound influence Raulston had, with an extensive legacy that includes plant cultivars and one species that bears his name. Visit www. lib.ncsu.edu/hours/hill/general. For the arboretum, jcra.ncsu.edu.

midtownmag.com| 31

photograph by Michael Robson, Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance

The scene

on

sports

One More Pitch Soccer’s Next Phase in the Triangle

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

By Dave Droschak The winter months are normally pretty quiet in the Triangle when it comes to soccer. Not so much this time around.

WakeMed Soccer Park was busting at the seams in December when the 2015 Women’s College Cup drew a record 25,011 fans. And the ink was just drying on Steve Malik’s purchase of the Carolina RailHawks, a founding member of the North American Soccer League.

The local technology entrepreneur takes over the area’s professional soccer club as it celebrates its 10th anniversary this season, looking to increase attendance, awareness and attitude.

“It is part evolution and part revolution,” said RailHawks president Curt Johnson. “The evolution part has been many years of soccer history in the Triangle.

We have CASL’s youth soccer program that is 40-plus years old, pro soccer has been around now for over 20 years, and we have tremendous college programs in the area and high-level facilities like WakeMed Soccer Park. The challenge has always 32 | midtownmag.com

been a separation of resources.

“Steve’s opportunity and soccer’s opportunity right now is to pool resources to come together in a way that really catalyzes all the power in the sport,” Johnson added. “That’s what is happening around the country. Look at markets like Kansas City, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Portland – you’ve got owners who are facilitating the coming together of all these different entities from a youth development standpoint, from a spectator standpoint, from a facility renovation standing – all of that.”

Malik has vowed to invest heavily in marketing the team, which spent last season embroiled in controversy when its former owner was at the center of a multi-million dollar FIFA scandal that rocked the world of professional soccer.

“It’s the stability of the organization that a local owner brings, and the aspirational tone of his message,” Johnson said. “Steve’s not just here to stabilize and to live the status quo.

We all feel like our area is a top-10 marketplace in any area you can create a poll in. And the reality is, for a long time we were a top-10 marketplace in this country for soccer … and in some ways we’re not anymore. Steve has a vision to get us back to that top-10 marketplace.”

While the RailHawks begin their 10th anniversary season in late March, the Town of Cary received more good news over the winter when the NCAA said it would move the 2016 Women's College Cup from Orlando back to Cary, due to stadium construction concerns in Florida.

“Our WakeMed Soccer Park facility is as vibrant as ever,” said Town of Cary sports venue coordinator Keith Jenkins.

“Besides professional and college soccer, we continue to be a major facility for all the local soccer clubs in the area, and most utilize our park not only for training, but for games as well.

That is unique, because a lot of facilities are match only. We still allow training.

We are open 340 days a year.”

midtownmag.com| 33

bain’s beat

Sweet Ratings The Tooth About Easter Candy

by Dan bain, Candyman, danbain07@gmail.com

34 | midtownmag.com

I love candy. Just ask my childhood dentist. I helped put his kids through college, according to my parents. But my sweet tooth has at least one positive side, too – it inspired my love of holidays. Each one is an excuse to buy special, seasonal treats. Any torte in a swarm, as it were.

And one of the sweetest holidays is approaching – the one that’s second only to Halloween in terms of candy purchases. Because every year, kids across the nation receive baskets full of it. Easter produces roughly $2 billion in candy revenue each year.

I suspect a lot of that candy ends up in the trash by summer, as parents find the still-uneaten goods in the various nooks and crannies of their children’s rooms. I find such wasteful behavior to be an abomination, so I’ve taken it upon myself to research the issue thoroughly – about two pounds of thorough research, in fact – in order to create the

following buyer’s guide.

If you want to know if a candy’s worth buying, read on. There’s just one caveat (as opposed to lots of cavities) – I rated only the traditional candies. There are plenty of great candies out there, but if it’s an otherwiseyear-round candy that’s merely shaped like an egg, I left it off in favor of the ones that are unique to this time of year. (I’m a grown man; I have to have some principles.) In honor of my childhood, they’re rated from 0-5 fillings, with 0 being the absolute worst treat and 5 being the absolute best (so I probably ate enough to earn that many fillings): Bubble Gum Eggs. The most common brand is Rain-Blo, but there are others. Tasty stuff – bubble gum beneath a crunchy candy shell.

Beware, though – they tend to look like Robin Eggs, and if you bite into one expecting the other, you’re in for a shock to the tastebuds. 3 fillings.

Cadbury Creme Eggs. I’ve never actually eaten one of these, but I can tell you they’re disgusting, anyway.

I don’t care how good they taste; they look nasty. It’s the filling – Cadbury went to all the trouble of making it look like actual raw egg yolk, and I gag just thinking about the salmonella. 0 fillings, multiple gag reflexes.

Candy-Coated Marshmallow Eggs. Probably the largest of the egg-shaped treats, these monstrosities were 2-3 inches long. I accused the Easter Bunny of using them only as space-fillers, to avoid having to provide more of the smaller treats. But they had their upside – the candy coating was tasty, and aside from jelly beans, it gave this treat the largest color spectrum available. Because they were so pretty, and nearly as large as plastic eggs, these were the only candy to be hidden without a container in Easter Egg Hunts – causing considerable blade damage to many a lawnmower in subsequent weeks. 2.5 fillings.

Chocolate Eggs. You know the ones – they’re wrapped in tinfoil so tightly, by the time you finish getting the stuff off, you’re no longer in the mood for the candy. But if you still eat it, be 100-percent sure all of the foil is gone – if you have metal fillings, chomping down on tinfoil is a mistake you make only once. The plain chocolate ones are okay, the ones with crisped rice are better. Avoid the hollow ones, though – you’ll only squish them trying to remove the foil. The overall rating is reduced due to the labor-intensive nature of these treats: 2 fillings.

Chocolate Bunny. Only if it’s hollow. There’s nothing more satisfying than the lush “pop” of breaking off an ear on a hollow head. But don’t think about it too much, or you’ll start to feel bad about taking such pleasure in murdering this cute little critter. Candy eyes are also a must; if possible, look for one that’s holding a candy carrot, too.

Those little sugar candies are the best part; they give a drab brown slab a much-needed splash of color, and they taste like sunshine. I used to eat part of one ear before eating the eyes and carrot and throwing the rest of the rabbit away. Also, they have to have silly names, like Kooks and her Kite, or Gardener Gary, or The Professor. Any chocolate rabbit worth its lecithin, has a name. 3 fillings.

Jelly Beans. I realize I’ve contradicted myself, because these are now available year-round. But they’re such a tradition, I couldn’t leave them out. I recently read that Americans consume 16 billion of these little treats at Easter – if you laid that many end to end, you could circle the Earth almost three times. If you laid them on my kitchen counter, they’d be gone by sundown. These are one of those candies that I can eat and eat and eat, but seemingly never fill up. Not very satisfying, but exceedingly tasty. (Except the black ones; I’d prefer to see those circle midtownmag.com | 35

the Earth at the bottom of the ocean.)

4 fillings.

Marshmallow Chicks and Rabbits.

Remember Circus Peanuts? Those puffy, allegedly-marshmallow candies that you could squeeze into a ball, then watch in amazement as they puffed back out into their original peanut shape? These were the same thing, shaped like animals. They didn’t taste like marshmallow, and they had the worst texture of all the candies – like chewing Styrofoam. 1 filling.

Peeps. Pure marshmallow fluff, shaped like cute baby animals. They used to be available in yellow, pink, and white, as bunnies or chicks, but the company has since added numerous colors, shapes, and even flavors. A must in every Easter basket, even if they’re not that good. I mean, they’re okay, but I have to really be in the mood to eat one. The best use for them? ‘Smores. Yep. Substitute these for marshmallows the next time you make ‘smores, and you won’t be disappointed. 2 fillings.

Pez. Timeless candy that almost every kid loves. Another that’s available yearround, but let’s face it – these treats aren’t about the edible part, they’re about the dispenser. My favorite was the Easter Bunny in countless varieties – various colors, facial expressions, and ear poses. Then there was the chick – either in an egg or out. Then the lamb. Oh, dear God, the lamb.

It’s had numerous makeovers through the years, but I’ve never seen one that wasn’t creepy. Bunny/Chick: 4 fillings.

Lamb: 1 filling, lots of nightmares.

Robin Eggs. The king daddy. Malted milk surrounded by chocolate, surrounded by a brightly colored candy shell. These things are synonymous with Easter candy. I think the appreciation I learned for malt is responsible for the beer I’ve consumed in my life. If they could make beer taste like Robin Eggs, it would be all over for me; I could die and be happy.

I’m pretty sure I ate enough to have a malt trip one Easter morning. I didn’t come down until May Day. And my tongue stayed blue the whole time, just to prove it. 5 fillings.

So there you have it – straight from the gorger’s mouth. And after all that research, one thing’s for sure – this is definitely a sweet gig.

36 | midtownmag.com

midtownmag.com | 37

beautystyle Vitamin C

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

This powerful antioxidant protects your skin from environmental insults (free radicals) that cause accelerated aging of the skin. Vitamin C is also great for stimulating collagen and elastin, which has a firming and tightening effect. An added bonus is that it is also a skin-lightening agent for pigmentation. Look for a Vitamin C product containing l-asorbic acid in a 1020 percent range for best results, found in the Phyto-C line of products.

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

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

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

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

38 | midtownmag.com

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

midtownmag.com | 39

beer& barrel

Session Beers

Patrons at Lynnwood Grill enjoying the kind of sociable session that low-alcohol session beers are meant to promote.

Low Impact, High Flavor By julie johnson

Any fan of craft beer will have noticed that both brewers and drinkers have become infatuated with “extreme beers,” including some that are formidably strong.

We sip imperial India pale ales and Belgian monastic brews that approach the strength of wine. Though delicious, these are not beers for casual drinking.

To counter the “slow, persistent rise in the alcohol content of craft beers,” Pennsylvania-based beer writer Lew Bryson began years ago to advocate for “session beers” – beers that retain the complexity of craft, but deliver only a modest alcohol punch. Named for their suitability for a long session at the pub, these beers are meant to facilitate conversation, not bring it to a grinding halt.

Since 2012, Bryson has promoted April 7th – not coincidentally, the date in 1933 when beer was returned to the American public after Prohibition – as Session Beer Day. On that day, he encourages brewers and bars to expand the choices for beer lovers wanting great tasting beer that measures 4.5% alcohol or under (for reference, a Budweiser is 5%). Although there is some debate in beer circles about where to place the ceiling, this is Lew’s day, so I’m sticking to his definition.

40 | midtownmag.com

Here in North Carolina, a number of our craft breweries routinely offer beers of session strength.

In common with many brewing companies, Raleigh’s Lynnwood Brewing Concern has selected a traditionally lowalcohol style for their session selection. Owner Ted Dwyer reports, “Yes, we do have a session beer always, Lynnwood Light, which is a golden ale that clocks in at 4.5%.”

Likewise, Triple C Brewing Company in Charlotte distributes a blonde ale, Golden Boy, in this market in convenient cans.

Cream ale, though similar to pilsner in many ways, is actually a pre-Prohibition American original that combines the warm fermentation of an ale with the cold conditioning of a lager.

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close tohome

Bruce Liles

And the Clothes that Make the Man By carla turchetti photography By davies photography

Bruce Liles knows a few things about what makes a good fit.

As the owner of Liles Clothing Studio at North Hills, he knows his business is located in the perfect place.

“I looked at the demographics and what their plans were and figured for the foreseeable future it was definitely the spot in Raleigh for creative, local, independent shopping,” Liles says.

And with decades of experience in men’s fashion, he also knows how important it is to offer quality clothing right off the rack or made-to-measure.

“Usually it’s the fit that keeps them coming back.”

For Liles, retail was the family business.

“My father ran a couple of different Belk department stores; it’s something that was in my blood from the beginning.”

Liles spent many years at The Hub Limited in Crabtree Valley Mall, before he and a partner opened up shop on Creedmoor Road. After a while he bought out that partner and while his shop was a destination, Liles knew that his customers would appreciate being in the revitalized North Hills location.

Those customers can walk into Liles Clothing Studio and select an in-stock item, but over the years the business of custom clothing has grown into a larger piece of the operation.

“We do a substantial business off-the-rack, but about three-quarters of our business is custom, so that is really where we hang our hat and what differentiates us from other shops.”

And Liles says custom-made clothing opens up a world of options for customers.

“The selection they can get is so much larger than what they could possibly find off the rack.” Liles says. “A lot of it is driven by a younger business and guys that can’t find what they want. They are starting out in business, or they are buying suits for more of a social thing – maybe they are getting married, or maybe they have a party to go to. A lot of 42 | midtownmag.com

Bruce Liles showcases the style customers find at his Liles Clothing Studio in North Hills.

them are getting suits because they want to, not because they have to.”

And sartorially speaking, Liles says his customers are interested in looking their best.

“The guys, they study, and they know what they are looking for. They know what to ask us for. They know the details they want and the fit they want, and they come to us and we can accommodate them, It’s driven in a large part by that younger, hipper, more aggressive, more urban kind of an attitude.”

That younger clientele includes men who count blue jeans as some of their favorite pieces.

“A guy can take a pair of our premium denims – and we have several great brands, including Raleigh Denim, because they're local. We have guys that buy that and then have a coat custom-made to complement it.”

Liles Clothing Studio caters not only to well-dressed men in Raleigh, but clothes customers that stretch across the region and across the United States. And whether those customers are searching for the perfect pant, just the right jacket or the sharpest shirt, Liles has this very fashionable advice.

“Get as educated as you can. Learn about fabrics, learn about styles, and know how something should fit you.“

midtownmag.com| 43

financial focus

(Un) Covering Your Assets Equitable Divison in Divorce

By Sandlin Family Law Group

Since you’ve separated from your spouse it seems that everyone has a war story to tell. The one about the feckless spouse left penniless by the financial mastermind who stashed assets in far-flung accounts out of her reach is a classic. It strikes panic in you. Suddenly you wish you had paid more attention to where the money went all those years. The good news is that it is not easy to hide assets in a divorce. The bad news is that people do in fact try.

It is unlawful to hide assets in an effort to keep them from your soon-to-be ex. Our legal system has developed rules and practices aimed at compelling parties to identify those assets that are subject to division. Parties to a divorce are required to exchange comprehensive financial records, and in most cases this exchange results in a complete inventory of assets. In some cases, however, a simple exchange of financial records is not enough to determine what assets constitute the marital estate. High net worth cases and cases that include business ownership are among the kind of matters that may require financial experts. Financial experts include tax attorneys, forensic accountants and business appraisers. Finding hidden assets may also be as simple as hiring a private investigator.

In all but the most unusual cases, an experienced domestic attorney working with the right experts will find even the most cleverly obscured asset. But while you are tracking down those 44 | midtownmag.com

assets that might be hidden, you shouldn’t overlook those assets that hide in plain sight.

Assets that hide in plain sight take various forms. Some are income and employment related. A commission earned during the marriage is subject to division upon divorce, even if it’s not paid until after separation. The same applies to bonuses. Employee stock options, paid time off and vacation earned during the marriage should be accounted for in dividing marital assets. A health savings account, like other employment benefits, which accrued during the marriage, is a marital asset.

Intellectual property rights that accrue during marriage are also marital assets. Income received post-separation for a song that was written during the marriage is marital property. Other assets are still less obvious, like credit card points, rewards and airline miles which accrued during the marriage. Finally, federal and state tax refunds derived from income earned during the marriage are marital assets, even if received post-separation and even if the parties do not file joint returns.

While stories about hidden assets are scary, the truth is that in most cases assets are readily identified and ultimately divided. So don’t panic. No matter how limited your understanding of where the money went while you were married, a complete understanding of what constitutes the marital estate is possible.

midtownmag.com| 45

giving back

The Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation Creating an Army of Jamies to Spread Good Across North Carolina

Volunteers working in a garden for the Day of Service at the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation’s Weekend of Purpose. Jamie was passionate about feeding at-risk North Carolinians.

By carla turchetti

Those who loved Jamie Hahn knew they had to find a way to honor her memory and celebrate her devotion of service to others. And as the 29-year old took her last breaths at WakeMed, her friends and family had already begun work planning the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation.

“We began by asking one question: What might Jamie have done if she had the full measure of life?”, says Nation Hahn, Jamie’s husband. “We asked ourselves what her vision for North Carolina, was and how to get there. We asked what she believed in, and we knew in our core that was a North Carolina where everyone had a greater opportunity to live the life they hoped to live. Our core mission began there and evolved as so many members of the community joined in the discussion about what our work ought to be and what the opportunities were to create the greatest impact.”

And so the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation was born with a two-fold mission – to create new leaders and to feed the poor in North Carolina. Jamie was just 29 years old when she died in April 2013 after she and her husband were stabbed in their home by one of their closest friends. Jonathan Broyhill, the best man at their wedding, is serving a life sentence in prison. Jamie was a Democratic Party strategist and community activist. Nation and Jamie’s friends and family believe that perpetuating a culture of service serves her memory well.

“Jamie believed that service is the rent we pay for living,” says Nation, who was injured in the attack. “We both believed that your life is better when you serve, and our community 46 | midtownmag.com

is stronger when we all participate in building a better public policy. Public policy represents the solution to public problems, those problems that impact us all. So it is best we all participate in moving our community forward.”

The foundation is developing leaders and fighting hunger in ways with several different initiatives.

Collaborative Grants Foundation leaders have made investments in and provided grants to two projects so far. The grant process is by invitation only and is designed to nurture projects close to the organization’s mission.

One grant has gone to the Hope Center at Pullen, which assists youths in foster care in Wake County and was a favorite project of Jamie’s. Another grant has been issued to the InterFaith Food Shuttle to help fund its HungerFreeNC Campaign.

But the assistance is more than just monetary.

Jamie Kirk Hahn died at age 29, but her legacy lives on through the

“Our goal is never to Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation and write a check and then

its mission to motivate emerging leaders to uplift their communities.

walk away,” says Nation. “Many, many organizations do that and do that well. We made it our mission to avoid overlap, to avoid doing things that others already do well, and to focus on what we can do differently.

We are focused on finding ways to issue grants which enhance leadership, either for the community that the organization serves or building leadership within the organization or both. We do not issue many direct grants, because we are seeking partnerships.”

Fresh Food Challenge Because Jamie was passionate about feeding the hungry, the Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation has partnered with Clark’s Promise and the Raleigh Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness, in the Fresh Food Challenge. The collaborators opened up the challenge contest-style to North Carolina based partnerships, in search of innovative ideas for changing the way meals and nutrition are provided to the food-insecure.

The winning partners will have access to $25,000 to develop their ideas.

Gathering for Good The Foundation sponsors Gathering for Good. Gathering for Good events bring diverse groups together to talk about issues that define the state of North Carolina and its future. The Gatherings use the “unconference” model to open up the conversation. There are speakers who provide the framework of the issue, but the participants themselves become speakers and leaders during the program.

Fellowship Program The Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation offers a fellowship opportunity for emerging leaders. Participants who are accepted enter into a three-month-long program where they work hands-on in project management and attend seminars that build leadership and other skills.

With each event that is added, and each volunteer that signs on, Nation Hahn says he can see the army of Jamies he envisioned becoming a reality.

“Working with the first class of Fellows last year was a daily reminder of Jamie,” Nation says. “They all represented Jamie’s spirit to me in my daily life. When I go to volunteer projects or events, and when I head to a Gathering for Good, I can see Jamie’s spirit and feel her presence. But most of all I can see the army of Jamies growing and becoming a reality with each passing week.”

Volunteer

Are you committed to transforming your community through action? Do you want to be part of organizations that believe in working together to achieve greater impact? If you would like to volunteer your time, please visit: jamiekirkhahnfoundation. org/volunteer.

midtownmag.com | 47

raising thebar

Separate, Then Divorce we’ve got answers to your legal questions

Q

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

No. In North Carolina, spouses must be legally separated for a continuous one-year period before either party can file for divorce. Spouses are legally separated from each other when they are physically separated and at least one spouse has the intent to end the marriage permanently. To be physically separated, spouses must cease to live together under the same roof.

Since you have only been separated for a couple of weeks and he is going overseas next month, you will not be able to divorce before he leaves.

Have a question?

Let us hear it: info@midtownmag.com

MeettheCounsel

Deborah Sandlin

Susan Goetcheus

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

48 | midtownmag.com

My ex-husband and I have one child together. We share physical custody of our child equally. My ex-husband earns twice what I earn, but he refuses to pay me any child support. He says that he does not owe me any child support since we share custody. Is he right?

No. He most certainly owes you monthly child support. Even when parents share physical custody of their children equally, one parent may owe the other child support. North Carolina, like many states, uses an “income shares” model to determine each parent’s child support obligation.

The income shares model reflects a public policy that a child should receive the same proportion of parental income that he would have received if his parents continued to live together. In its practical application,

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

My husband and I are in the process of divorcing and we would like to settle everything without attorneys.

We have agreed that my husband will pay me alimony, but cannot agree on how much or for how long. I know there are guidelines for calculating child support, but how is alimony determined?

There are no guidelines for calculating alimony. The amount and duration of alimony are determined based on a variety of factors. Those factors include the standard of living established during the marriage, the length of the marriage, the parties’ incomes, and the parties’ reasonable monthly living expenses.

The tax implications of the receipt and payment of alimony are also an important consideration in determining alimony. An alimony award may also be impacted by the amount of property a dependent spouse ultimately receives from the division of the marital estate, particularly if that property is itself income producing.

midtownmag.com| 49

sundaysupper

Collards Collide with Tamales

chef Oscar Diaz is delighting raleigh foodies by Blending Mexican and Southern cuisines By paul savery photography By davies photography

Oscar Diaz is the executive chef at ‘Jose and Sons’, a restaurant located in the Raleigh Depot Historic District in downtown Raleigh. Jose and Sons offers a fusion of Southern and Mexican food.

Oscar grew up in a poor neighborhood in Chicago surrounded by gang violence, but his family visited the states of Jalisco and Monterey in Mexico for three months every summer throughout his school years, where he learned about traditional Mexican food. Gradually he started forming his own “catalog of flavors and smells”.

Oscar never intended to work in the restaurant industry. He was running a limousine company in Chicago with his father, but he realized that he was not suited to that life. After some soul searching, he decided to follow a career in the food industry. Oscar started his culinary adventure in Chicago where he found work at a Michelin-starred French restaurant. He left Chicago for Las Vegas, where he signed up for Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and worked at another Michelin-starred French restaurant, ‘The Alize’, under Chef Mark Purdy. Oscar’s advice to people who are considering a career as a chef is: If you value your free time, then “don’t do it!”

Oscar has found his passion in cooking, and the handwork and sacrifice have helped give his life purpose. He believes that learning French technical culinary skills have served him very well.

Oscar is delighted that, as the executive chef at ‘Jose and Sons’, he is finally in a position to put his own personal stamp on a restaurant kitchen. He finds great satisfaction in mentoring his cooks.

Over the years he has always looked up to the chefs he worked under, like Purdy, for inspiration, and now he hopes he is that person who inspires others. He is strict in 50 | midtownmag.com

insisting that his cooks taste the food they are cooking.

He arrived at ‘Jose and Sons’ over five years ago, although it was then called ‘Jibarra’. Oscar recognizes that most North Carolinians' experiences with Mexican food are based on traditional Tex-Mex. Oscar wants to educate his customers that TexMex food is different from authentic Mexican food. He found many similarities between the cuisines of Mexico and the South, so it made sense to him to blend the two together. Both cuisines come from hearty country traditions and share similar ingredients like pork, lard, corn and greens. This is Oscar’s inspiration in shaping Jose and Sons' distinct culinary identity.

A popular dish at Jose and Sons is Chicharron and Waffle inspired by the fried chicken and waffle craze.

Oscar makes a corn masa waffle topped with crisp pork belly, with an agave -Sriracha sauce. The customer tops this dish off with a glorious poached egg, served in the shell on the side! Another successful mash-up of Southern and Mexican is the Collard-Wrapped Tamal, which is a masa patty, stuffed with chicken and tomatillos and wrapped in steamed collard leaves. Oscar is very fond of steamed cow brains mixed with bone marrow, which he would like to share with his customers. However, the Health Department does not allow restaurants to serve brains. Oscar does not like bland food!

On the rare occasion Oscar is at home at dinnertime, he usually eats Chinese take-out or cereal. Every now and then he will throw a steak on the grill with some vegetables. Ever since his dog had a cancer scare, he mostly cooks for his dog.

Oscar is not a chef guided by recipes; he likes to experiment. He claims he can’t “color in-between the lines,” and he finds recipes limiting.

He is an instinctive cook who likes to “freestyle”. He buys cookbooks only because he is fascinated by food photography and finds inspiration in how the food is plated in the photos.

He is a fan of Yotam Ottolenghi’s books (e.g. Plenty) because of their sumptuous food photography.

Chef Oscar Diaz has selected a warm Carolina Winter Squash Salad recipe to share with readers of Midtown Magazine. midtownmag.com| 51

Carolina Winter Squash Salad Ingredients 1 medium acorn squash 1 small butternut squash ½ cup butter 6 sprigs of sage 1 garlic tooth 1 Tbsp sugar in the raw 4 oz goat cheese 1 bunch of greens (prefer green & purple mizuna)

salt to taste

olive oil for drizzling

chile piquin vinaigrette candied pepitas

Directions Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place acorn squash in a pan with water up to one third up the squash. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove, uncover and let cool. Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Cut butternut squash in half; seed and place cavity sides up on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt; place garlic in one of the cavities of the squash and bake for 40 minutes or until caramelized and soft all the way through.

Place butter in saucepan over medium 52 | midtownmag.com

Chile piquin vinaigrette 1 ⁄3 cup lime juice 1 ⁄3 cup olive oil ½ tsp chile piquin powder Directions Mix all ingredients together

heat. Once butter becomes a dark golden color (don’t let it burn) add in the sage. Cool slightly, then blend the butter sage mixture in a blender and strain.

Scoop all butternut squash from skin and mix in with the strained butter mixture; season with salt to taste. Cut the top third of the acorn squash off, and discard all the seeds. With a spoon carve out some of the meat and mix in with butternut squash mixture, leaving some meat in the acorn squash to preserve form.

Candied pepitas 1 cup pumpkin seeds 1 egg white, beaten ½ cup sugar

pinch of salt

pinch of chile powder Directions Toss all ingredients in a bowl with fork until well mixed. Place on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pull out and let cool, then break up into pieces.

Stuff squash mixture into the acorn squash, and place in oven to warm up for 15 minutes.

While reheating, toss greens in the chile piquin vinaigrette with a pinch of salt.

Make a goat cheese disc by hand covering with sugar in the raw, and with a kitchen torch brulee the cheese. Once stuffed squash is heated, remove from oven and place on serving dish. Place tossed greens on top of stuffed squash and sprinkle with the candied pepitas.

Place goat cheese leaned on the greens.

midtownmag.com| 53

the interview

15 Questions With:

Greg Fishel

Hail to the Chief Meteorologist

By Dan bain photography By davies photography

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

“

...I just feel very lucky to be able to do something I love...

“

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seen what they can do. Some people say a way to get over what you’re afraid of is to learn more about what you’re afraid of, and I don’t know if subconsciously that’s what I did when I decided to study meteorology, but it does help to understand at least what causes them and what the chances really are of getting hit.

Midtown Magazine: What is your earliest memory?

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

MM: What is at the very top of your bucket list?

GF: I got to do one of them last year – I had wanted to go to Barrow, Alaska since I was in college, because I love cold and snow, and what better place to go than the farthest point north in the United States? But I could never justify the expense – and then when we started doing work on the climate change stuff, Barrow was a perfectly logical place to go. So I made the pitch to the station and they understood, and they sent me up there last spring. That was something I’d wanted to do for 40 years.

MM: What is your greatest fear?

GF: When I was a kid, if there was a tornado watch – not a warning, but just a watch – I was basically emotionally paralyzed until that watch was over. If the watch ended at 8:00, as soon as the little hand got to the eight and the big hand got to the 12, I felt like an anvil had been lifted off my shoulder, like, oh, I’m gonna survive, I’m gonna live. And I’m obviously not that bad now, as an adult, but I think I just have always respected the force at play; I’ve

MM: What is your most treasured possession?

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

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MM: What is your favorite word?

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

MM: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

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

MM: What is your fantasy job?

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

MM: Whom would you invite to your dream dinner party?

GF: Tom Seaver, pitcher for the Mets back in the 60s and 70s, would probably be one. I would love to talk to Roger Staubach, the old quarterback for Dallas.

If he was still alive, Ronald Reagan – and I say that as somebody who believes that our current political system is broken. I’m unaffiliated; I think the whole thing is a mess but as a person, I feel he always tried to be optimistic and always tried to make you feel better about yourself and where you lived, so I would have enjoyed getting to know him.

MM: What song would you like played at your funeral?

GF: My dad was born and raised in Hagerstown, Maryland, where the Moller Organ Company was located, and he was a big pipe organ guy, and I was brought up listening to that a lot. There’s a famous organ toccata by Charles-Marie Widor – from his 5th Symphony – and it’s just a rousing piece. Even if you don’t have any appreciation for pipe organs, if you have the right pipe organ and you’re sitting out there listening to that, after it’s over you’re going, “Wow!” MM: What vacation spot do you return to again and again?

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

MM: Where did you leave your heart?

GF: There’s always going to be something special about Lancaster, because that’s where I spent the first 18 years of my life. But having said that, I 56 | midtownmag.com

can say there’s way more that I like about Raleigh than I ever liked about Lancaster. I feel like Raleigh is a nice mix of progressiveness, but they still hold onto things worth holding onto.

MM: Which living person do you most admire, and why?

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

MM: What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?

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

MM: What is your favorite smell?

GF: It would have to be chocolate.

There was a chocolate factory near Lancaster that had a fireworks display right next to it every Fourth of July, and I used to so look forward to going up there and breathing that air for a few hours.

MM: What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

GF: I’m not sure I’ve fully learned this yet – my goal is to learn it, but I’m not sure I have – but it’s to focus on the word “gratitude.” To be thankful for the things I do have and not to focus so much on the things I don’t.

I’m cognizant of it, but I think I still need to work on it. There are seven billion people walking the earth, and I assume at least 6.9 billion of them would probably trade places with me in a heartbeat.

SANDLIN FAMILY LAW GROUP

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wine review Quinta das Carvalhas Tinto Douro

Firebrand Chardonnay

Olema Chardonnay Sonoma

Vasco Sassetti Sangiovese Ginepro

Sonoma, California

Montalcino, Italy

Poderi di Carlo Pinot Grigio Friuli

90 best served in:

Wine Enthusiast

Douro, Portugal

With its classic blend of Douro grapes, this is a serious, structured wine from the heart of the valley. It has a leathery edge from dry tannins along with dense black fruit and wood aging flavors.

California

This full-bodied Chardonnay offers the palate rich and layered vanilla notes complemented with aromas of fresh citrus and tropical notes. Pairs with fish, chicken, pork, pasta, and mild cheeses Oak, Vanilla, Tropical, Full-bodied

Intense, Plum, Vanilla, Medium-bodied

$13.99/bottle

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Flavors of apple, citrus and a hint of toasty oak lead to a long, rich finish. Versatile and approachable with great balance. Pairs with grilled fish, poultry, and light pasta dishes.

Elegant, Apple, Citrus, Medium-bodied

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All the flavor and style you can ask for, with plenty of plummy, smoky, anise flavors, impressively put together with a good but not overwhelming dose of tannin. This is really a fun little wine to drink. Ginepro is the Italian word for Juniper tree.

Fresh, Fruity, Plum

Crisp, Citrus, Apple

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BY michael gallo, CSW, Wine Manager – Total Wine & More

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Friuli, Italy

Straw-yellow colored, this is a soft, rich and elegant wine with a light and fruity, yet dry, palate and a hints of apple and citrus flavors.

Certainly a worthy accompaniment to lighter fare of all types and a real standout as an aperitif wine. Great for your next party.

$11.99/bottle

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Glass Bottle Vases Add a bit of spa-like decor to your home with this natural wood tray holding five glass bottles in varying sizes. Simple yet sophisticated decorating. >> Revival Antiques, $32

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Key West Scape Key West-inspired decor can make any home feel like a beach vacation.

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Pencil Drawing This black and white pencil floral is bold and striking, yet zen-like in its simplicity. Measures 36"x36". >> Revival Antiques, $95

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Dress, Necklace – At Ease Ring – Fink's Jewelers Bracelets – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Shoes – Saks Fifth Avenue

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Pants, Shirt, Sweater, Jacket, Pocket Handkerchief – Kannon's Clothing Watch – Fink's Jewelers Eyeglasses – Digital Optical

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Dress – C.T. Weekends Necklaces (long) – Bailey's Fine Jewelry Necklace (short) – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Bracelet (diamond) – Reliable Jewelry Bracelet (bottom group) – Fink's Jewelers Purse, Shoes – Saks Fifth Avenue

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Pants, Shirt, Jacket, Belt, Shoes, Pocket Handkerchief – Kannon's Clothing Watch – Bailey's Fine Jewelry Bracelet – Fink's Jewelers

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Top, Pants – The Galleria Raleigh Watch – Fink's Jewelers Earrings – Diamonds Direct Crabtree Clutch – Saks Fifth Avenue

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special Thanks Photography Sean Junqueira > seanjunqueira.com

Photography Assistants Stuart Jones Jake Fatheree

Fashion Director and Photo Stylist Helen Wallace Alex Long > style-hawk.com

Makeup Artists Shealynn Vogel Linzi Daniels > feelsynergy.com

Hair Styling Ashley Collins Paige Hogan > plumhairatelier.com Models and Agencies Kelsey Chambers Keller Biswurm > LOCKE Management

our retailers At Ease Bailey’s Fine Jewelry Bald Head Blues Cameron Clothing Co. C.T. Weekends

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Diamonds Direct Crabtree Digital Optical dress Fink’s Jewelers The Galleria Raleigh

Haydon & Company Kannon's Clothing Lori + Lulu Reliable Jewelry Saks Fifth Avenue

Live, work, shop, dine and play at North Hills. This innovative, multi-faceted district offers many options to live and stay awhile – with four-star hotel rooms, Allister North Hills Apartments, Midtown Green Apartments, Park & Market Apartments and The Alexan. Midtown Park and many gathering spaces offer plenty of fresh air, while conveniences such as groceries, banks and a pharmacy are just a leisurely stroll away. Quality-of-life amenities are also at your fingertips, such as renewing spas, salons, and a state-of-the-art 60,000-square-foot gym.

Entertainment venues, such as a 14-screen cinema, Kings North Hills, Yard House and World of Beer are right next door. Premier dining establishments, highend boutiques, department stores and cafés are all a few steps in any direction. visitnorthhills.com

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By Carla Turchetti

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It’s not your imagination.

Raleigh’s front door is wide open and welcoming to newcomers. Like a high school homecoming queen, the Capital City is one very popular girl.

United Van Lines lists Raleigh as the number five moving destination in its 2015 National Movers Study. Forbes recently declared Raleigh one of the top five cities in the country poised to become America’s next boom towns. And Mattermark, an investment intelligence firm, says Raleigh is one of the seven hottest places for startups outside of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay area. The good news for anyone coming here to live, or anyone who is already here and is looking to make a housing change, is that Raleigh offers many diverse options for creating a home.

Downtown Living

In and around downtown and Inside the Beltline there are numerous neighborhoods with single-family homes. Danny Taylor, CEO, Broker and Founder at Raleigh’s DT & Co., specializes in offering his customers an entire This 1930 home in Raleigh’s University home experience. Danny says Park neighborhood was remodeled from top to bottom by DT & Co. to he can find it, renovate it, retain its historic charm outside design the inside and make it while offering its next owner every a home. modern, luxury amenity on the inside.

“We’re getting a lot of people who are empty nesters now and are looking to get rid of the big house,” Danny says. “They want a smaller footprint closer to everything because they are still vital and active. But they don’t want to sacrifice any of the luxury or any of the finishes they are accustomed to.”

Danny says that means his rebuilds and his redos of Raleigh’s older homes include gourmet kitchens, large closets, media rooms and spa-like bathrooms on the inside, while remaining true to the historical integrity of the neighborhoods. He says his buyers are not bothered by smaller square footage and homes without garages in homes around the downtown area.

“We’re finding that the people who live on the 18th hole in Wakefield or Brier Creek are looking to sell that, sacrifice the size and be closer to the core of what is actually happening in Raleigh,” Danny says. “They want to be close to the action. They don’t want to have to drive 30 or 40 minutes in traffic just to get to a good restaurant.”

Downtown Raleigh has apartment rental options in buildings that are loaded with amenities like rooftop pools, fitness centers, midtownmag.com | 81

Residents of the Park and Market Apartment Community in North Hills enjoy walking to the shops and restaurants that are nearby while enjoying luxury amenities like granite countertops and a saline swimming pool.

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and kitchens with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Sister properties, The Devon Seven12 and The Devon Four25, are located across the street from each other in Glenwood South.

“A lot of people like this area of Glenwood South to live because it has a nice neighborhood feel to it,” says Ashley Bowers, who handles leasing and marketing for the buildings. “If they have pets they can walk their dog around, but they’re still in the middle of downtown. They can walk a block over and go have a drink or go to a nice bar or go to a restaurant, and Cameron Village is only a half-mile in the other direction. It’s out of all the hustle and bustle but in the middle of everything, and they can walk everywhere,” Bowers says.

Bowers says there is not one typical downtown apartment resident. She says Devon units are leased by everyone from single professionals to mature couples to newcomers from other cities who are used to an urban lifestyle.

Midtown Living

The redevelopment of North Hills has brought additional living options to Midtown. There are new luxury apartment buildings with modern amenities.

“North Hills is a great area to live,” says Caroline Price, a middle school teacher who lives in the Park & Market apartment community. “I love being able to walk downstairs to Harris Teeter and grab groceries, run across the street to work out at Pure Barre, or walk across the street to Cowfish for dinner. North Hills is a great area to just go shopping, go for a walk and especially to live. I really love the staff and

neighbors at Park & Market. It is by far the best community I’ve ever lived in,” Price says.

The new apartments exist side-by-side with older, more established neighborhoods.

“Homes that were built in the 70s and 80s are in mature, leafy neighborhoods with larger lots; they’re closer in, and there’s demand for that,” says Jennifer Spencer, owner and broker at Spencer Properties in Raleigh. “The further out you go the newer the houses get, but the tradeoff is the smaller lots and you don’t have the big, mature trees and you have a little bit longer commute,” Spencer says.

Suburban Living

Many houses in Raleigh’s Bedford at Falls River neighborhood feature inviting front porches that are conducive to a lifestyle lived out in front of the home, interacting with neighbors.

One of those newer communities is North Raleigh’s Bedford at Falls River. The size of a small town, Bedford features housing options from townhouses to estate homes, and all of them are close to a variety of amenities.

“Buyers like the planned communities,” says Spencer.

“They like that there is a pool, playgrounds, and a clubhouse, but more importantly, they like the culture that comes with that. They say, ‘we want to move our children into a neighborhood where there are a lot of activities’. So they are drawn to Bedford and Falls River because they both have movies on the green and live music and festivals and Easter Egg hunts and pancakes with Santa, and all those things they can get involved with as a family,” Spencer says.

Spencer says residents of these communities also love how they can step out their doors and walk to gelato or sushi, or even a paint-your-own pottery studio.

“I know that walkability is important with people in North Hills and downtown and other places, but it’s important in the suburbs, too,” Spencer says. “One of the things they are drawn to in these communities is the walkability in terms of going to eat or going out for entertainment, and they love that fact they they’ve got greenway trails and they feel safe either riding their bikes or walking their dogs.”

Spencer says newcomers who aren’t familiar with the planned community concept sometimes offer up negative feedback on houses being close together with smaller backyards.

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Top Trends in Housing Features and Relocation Services

When newcomers arrive in the offices of local realtors, what features are on their “must have” lists?

My downtown buyers and Midtown buyers are very focused on location and walking or biking to their favorite shops, bars, restaurants, museums and parks,” says Colleen Blatz, Realtor/ Broker with Allen Tate Realtors Falls of Neuse Road office. “Location is huge in identifying what homes would suit those needs. Many of these buyers tend to like the house , even if it is a rehab, to have some original features left. Examples of that are original hardwood floors that were redone, or a fireplace that has original brick or stone but has an updated mantel. They often like to have a piece of the history of the home. They are definitely more concerned about picking a prime location over the size of the home. They are, however, very focused on adding as many new high-end updates as possible to really give the home their own stamp of style,” Blatz says.

“People want a great kitchen, they want the kitchen open to the family room and they want an office – and in some cases, two offices,” says Jennifer Spencer, broker and owner of Spencer Properties. “We often hear they want a first-floor bedroom; not necessarily a first-floor master, but a first-floor bedroom with a full bath so they can have aging parents come visit with them or live with them. What we hear consistently from buyers, and I mean almost 100 percent of the time, is buyers want it move-in ready. And when they say move-in ready, they mean, ‘I want it updated’.”

It’s All Perspective Custom homebuilder Warren Smith, president of L and L of Raleigh, says reactions on the cost of housing in Raleigh from newcomers depend on where they currently live.

“If your buyer is coming from Atlanta or Houston or Dallas, where you tend to get a lot of square footage for your money, they tend to be in sticker shock when they get here because they can’t get the square footage they got in Atlanta or Texas. They might get better quality, a lot more moldings and things like that, but they definitely can be disappointed in the square footage they get. That’s the opposite of if they’re moving from California, New York or New Jersey.

They are thrilled with the square footage they get here.”

Relocation Corporate relocation services have changed over the past decade.

Today there is more flexibility for transferees than ever before as leasing high-end residential properties in the Triangle has become a new viable and popular option for local homeowners and Triangle newcomers. The appeal of renting swings both ways; owners may get transferred out of state yet love their Raleigh home and want to hang onto it, and new arrivals may decide to rent before they buy to get a feel for neighborhoods, travel times and social amenities.

A hassle-free solution for owners who are potential landlords is to enlist the services of a leasing expert. Families who are accustomed to owning a home can be perfectly paired with available leasing opportunities and lifestyles. Leasing is a great option for temporary corporate job assignments, both domestic and international; whether coming or going.

Broker/rental specialist Joshua Furr, a native of Raleigh, works for Block and Associates Reality and is the No. 1 independent leasing broker throughout the Triangle. He has held that mark since 2012.

Furr says, “Residential leasing is a fast-paced, ever-changing business that always keeps me energized for the next opportunity.”

Just as in regular real estate practices, Furr’s company offers free rental evaluations to homeowners. He continues, “The biggest challenge for us is keeping nice properties available for rent, as homes in good condition rent very quickly.”

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“It’s a little bit of an education process helping them understand that there is a lot to be said for the really high quality of life with small backyards and houses close together, because it’s such a strong community feeling,” Spencer says.

“I will say, ‘Let me tell you about how we live in these neighborhoods. Your children will probably not go into the back yard, they will go out the front door where the other kids are. They’ll go to the playground, they’ll go to the shops, they’ll go the pool, but your kids and even your dogs will rarely be in the backyard, because you’re going to be out walking the dogs.’”

Another planned development in Raleigh is Wakefield, which is located close to the city limits near Wake Forest. This neighborhood has apartments, townhouses, villas, and homes where you can watch golfers tee off while you’re standing in your kitchen. There are also shops, restaurants and an elementary, middle and high school together in a row.

“We have lived in a few different parts of North Raleigh and really feel like Wakefield is a perfect fit for our family,” says Ellen Steiner, who lives there with her husband, Jonathan, and their six children. “The proximity and convenience of the schools, shopping, and amenities like the YMCA and Wakefield TPC make life easy but, most importantly, create a real sense of community.

Then, to top it off, living in Wakefield feels almost resort-like due to the ever-present golf course views and miles of greenway winding through the middle of the subdivision,” Steiner says.

New Construction

For home buyers with their hearts set on moving into a brand new home, there are opportunities to do that all around Raleigh.

“There is land still left in Raleigh, but it has gotten very pricey, which has pushed a lot of the builders out to different corridors like Holly Springs, Fuquay, Knightdale, and places like that,” says Warren Smith, president of L and L of Raleigh, The Home Builder’s Association of Raleigh-Wake County’s 2015 Builder of the Year.

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Raleigh’s Oldest Neighborhood: Historic Oakwood

Downtown Raleigh’s Oakwood community is the city’s only intact 19th century neighborhood.

“We are united by our rich history and our love for historic houses and gardens,” says Matthew Brown, volunteer historian for the Society to Preserve Historic Oakwood. “Some families have been here for over a century, but new residents are immediately welcomed into the community. Our oldest house is 175 years old and our newest house is under construction now. We have million-dollar homes and tiny apartments. We have busy streets and quiet lanes. We have great-grandmothers and brand-new babies,” Brown says.

The non profit Society to Preserve Historic Oakwood was created in 1972 to fight a proposal to run a freeway through the center of the neighborhood. The neighbors won, and Oakwood’s history continues to unfold.

“Oakwood is a true community,” Brown says. “We have a potluck supper every month and parties throughout the year, including a Mardi Gras party, a spring jazz supper, a July Fourth picnic and parade, and a progressive party in December. Tourists visit nearly every day, but especially for the Garden Tea and Tour in May and the Candlelight Tour of Homes in December. Halloween draws thousands of trick-or-treaters.”

From edgy, urban high-rise rentals to historic homes in storied neighborhoods, there is a perfect spot for everyone who is living in Raleigh.

keep new homes from going up on pockets of undeveloped land in some of the flight patterns for Raleigh-Durham International airport in northwest Raleigh. And in parts of northeast Raleigh there are regulations surrounding development in the Falls Lake watershed. L and L builds new homes all around the city, from North Raleigh to Inside the Beltline, and Smith says Inside the Beltline addresses aren’t necessarily attractive to newcomers.

“If you’re coming from out of town, Inside the Beltline may not mean as much to you as someone who grew up Inside the Beltline and has always lived there,” Smith says. “My theory is only five percent of Raleigh wants to live Inside the Beltline, and they are not going to live anywhere else. Depending on where you work, it may or may not be a value for you. But if you live there, you live close to the hospitals, all the restaurants in downtown, you’re ten minutes from the airport, you’re close to Crabtree Valley Mall and North Hills. There are a lot of conveniences to living Inside the Beltline, that’s for sure.”

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Attention couples, families, adventure seekers, retirees and beer & music lovers!

If the change in seasons has given you an itch for travel, we recommend that you satisfy your wanderlust in Asheville: it’s not quite four hours west of Raleigh, but it could be a world away. We spoke to locals and those in the know, seeking a variety of suggestions for your mountain city getaway. So go west.

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photograph courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

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photographs courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

Couples North Carolina Arboretum and Asheville Botanical Garden Don’t just give your date a few flowers – give him or her acres and acres of them.

The sprawling North Carolina Arboretum, which neighbors the Blue Ridge Parkway just southwest of town, features delicate bonsai trees, native azaleas, and a dedicated holly garden. Sit together by the water in the stream garden or on a blanket in the forest meadow. Or simply meander and let your conversation do the same.

In north Asheville and adjacent to UNCA is the smaller Asheville Botanical Garden. Its footpaths make for easy streamside strolls, and its gazebo and grassy meadows are excellent places to while away the time, so as long as you don’t mind the occasional wandering undergrad. It’s the ideal spot to take a moment away from the city for relative quiet and privacy without actually leaving it.

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photograph courtesy of Rob Moody

Waterfalls

Do go chasing waterfalls – in fact, dedicate the better part of your day to the simple junction of gravity and water.

Many of these cascades are a decent drive from Asheville, but it’s still a good home base for those seeking whitewater views.

Seek Highway 64 southwest of Asheville in Brevard and the Lake Toxaway area, a region rich with waterfalls. Or get on the Blue Ridge Parkway – we recommend driving up Town Mountain Road, which starts at the edge of downtown and features views of the city some of the way up – and pick a direction. North is the popular Linville Falls or the spectacular Crabtree Falls, while three waterfalls are accessible from Craggy Gardens. South are the ever-popular Graveyard Fields, but also fairly spectacular (though waterfallless) views from Devils Courthouse or the highest point on the parkway, which

(clockwise from top) North Carolina Arboretum, the Lower Falls at Graveyard Fields and Travelling Yogini Yoga Tours.

is more than an hour from Asheville but worth the drive.

Asheville Hot Air Balloons

You came here for something distinctive and for a change in elevation, right? Go for both with an hour-long flight over the Asheville area – rise to 500 or 2000 feet in a hot air balloon, and go whichever way the wind takes you. Ride with a group for $235 per person or book a private couples flight, which includes Chateau Biltmore champagne, for $600. Depending on how things go, Asheville Hot Air Balloons does weddings – as in, you can get married in midair.

Treat yoself

Have a relaxing time, Asheville-style.

Travelling Yogini Yoga Tours offer a variety of unconventional city tours, from guided downtown yoga tours to

“bend and brew,” which caters to the intersection of beer, travel and yoga.

In south Asheville, the Salt Spa of Asheville & Himalayan Salt Cave Sanctuary recreates the micro-climate of a natural salt mine, so leave humidity behind. Also of note are the Spa at the Omni Grove Park Inn, a local institution; the Japanese-inspired Shoji Spa; and Wake Foot Sanctuary and Spa in Grove Arcade downtown.

Spend a night (or two)

If you seek the full B&B experience, The Biltmore Village Inn is a 19thcentury Victorian mansion tucked away in a neighborhood just uphill of Biltmore Village (and not far from the Biltmore Estate, too); if you’re seeking the opposite, Aloft Hotel offers ultra-modern, high-tech lodging in the heart of downtown. Or save a few bucks and choose the Bohemian option: reserve a private room – definitely a private room, if this is a romantic getaway – at Sweet Peas Hostel on Rankin Avenue downtown.

Families Pisgah and the Parkway

Leave Asheville and head west through Buncombe County, through Candler, and turn left on Highway 151. As you drive through Hominy Valley, Mount Pisgah will loom larger and larger in your windshield until you’re in its shadow. The trees close in and the road suddenly goes up: it switchbacks up the 5,722-foot peak, eventually reaching the Blue Ridge Parkway after this dizzying ascent. Granted, you could also take the Parkway to Pisgah – and there’s nothing wrong with that – but there’s something dramatically gratifying about making your car climb the mountain before you make it the rest of the way by foot.

Pisgah is great for family hikes because you can make it from parking lot to summit and then back down again in a morning or an afternoon. There are some moderately strenuous sections, midtownmag.com | 91

photographs courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

sure, but nothing too steep or difficult for elementary school kids or older; the long view from the summit platform is excellent payoff.

Past Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway is the exceedingly popular Graveyard Fields – it’s often crowded, but the waterfalls are worth the parking battle. If you don’t have any fight in you, though, the Art Loeb Trail, which follows a windswept ridgeline, is just a little farther south.

Many Parkway overlooks, it’s worth mentioning, have a trailhead nearby. So take the family into the woods and be pleasantly surprised.

Western North Carolina Farmers Market

With Parkway access not much farther down Brevard Road, West Asheville close by, and I-26, I-40 and I-240 all immediately accessible, it’s easy to put the WNC Farmers

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Market on the way somewhere – or to treat it as its own destination.

Load up on apples, honey, or whatever mountain staple is in season before the drive home.

Carrier Park/French Broad River Park

Once upon a time Carrier Park was a speedway – in fact, the oval race track remains as an exercise loop. Within are basketball courts and a sizable playground, complete with a sprawling, multi-level play structure, appropriate for a wide age range, from pre-k to middle school. Here you can set the kids loose, sit on a bench, and unwind with a book.

(let to right, top to bottom) a morning sunrise on the parkway, graveyard fields, western north carolina farmers market and the western north carolina nature center.

The French Broad River Greenway connects Carrier Park to French Broad River Park, which is a short walk away. This park features a river walk and views, sure, but also a dog park, in case you brought pets along. Once your kids are worn out and your batteries are recharged (funny how those go hand in hand), you can head up State Street to West Asheville or across the French Broad River to Biltmore Village or the River Arts District, all of which are conveniently close to these excellent parks.

Western North Carolina Nature Center See cougars and otters, rattlesnakes and black bears, owls and foxes at the Nature Center. For its modest size, this mountain zoo offers a respectable variety of experiences, from traditional wildlife viewing enclosures to a barnyard petting zoo. It’s easy to forget that you’re within the city limits and less than a mile from I-40.

Downtown

Curious kids will appreciate the Asheville Art Museum and Colburn Earth Science Museum, both located in Pack Square. Or go hippie-watching at Pritchard Park at the Friday night drum circle – and let your kids dance and go nuts. Duck into nearby toy store Curio, on the corner of Haywood Street and Battery Park Avenue, and then stroll down Wall Street looking for sculptures of cats (hint: they’ll be on the left). The one on the brick wall is watching something – get the kids to follow its gaze to find out what. midtownmag.com | 93

Adventure Seekers Navitat

If your idea of adventure involves skimming the tree tops at 60 miles per hour, Navitat’s Blue Ridge Experience might be just your speed.

The mountaintop zipline outing features three courses with a variety of breathtaking views 350 feet in the air. At the start of the longest zipline, your view stretches all the way to Tennessee – but you can’t see the finish line, more than 3,600 feet away.

“It’s a pretty epic experience,” says Navitat marketing director Abby Burt.

The tour takes two and a half hours, beginning with a van ride up a mountainside. During short hikes between ziplines your guide will educate you about the flora and fauna of the mountains. The lines are set up side-by-side, in case you want to share the excitement.

If you’re not sure whether your adventure meter includes the extreme heights and speeds, no need to worry. The lines are built with an automatic braking system, so first timers don’t need to worry about controlling their run. And if you change your mind, the guides can get you down.

Navitat also operates the Moody Cove Adventure in Asheville, a tree-based canopy tour with shorter ziplines, bridges and rappels. The season begins March 19th. Each tour is $99.

“Our goal is to thrill, educate and inspire,” Burt says.

“There is an opportunity in those moments to inspire people to value the outdoors more.”

Navitat is located 7.5 miles off I-26 near Bardnardsville. For more information, visit www.navitat. com/asheville-nc.

Blue Ridge Hiking Company

Jennifer Pharr Davis has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and a variety of exotic locations around the world. But her heart is in the Pisgah National Forest.

“There’s no place better than the southern Appalachian mountains,” says Davis, the owner of Blue Ridge Hiking Company.

Davis and her trail guides lead half-day ($150 for two people) and full-day ($250) hikes along the Appalachian Trail. And while anyone can strap on a backpack and start walking, Blue Ridge Hiking Company lends some knowhow to the journey.

“We know which trails are most crowded, we know where the wildflowers are,” Davis says. “It’s like being in an outdoor classroom. Plus, there’s no getting lost.”

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photograph courtesy of Navitat Canopy Adventures

photograph by John Haffner

(clockwise from top) ziplining at navitat, indoor climbing at the smoky mountain adventure center and Hiking the Appalachian Trail near Hot Springs, NC.

Don’t worry if you’ve never set out on a hiking trail. Blue Ridge is accustomed to working with beginners. They will meet up with you at a convenient location and take you to one of six trailheads around Asheville.

“Some people are fit and active, others just want to be in the woods,” Davis says. “Many people like to take photos or just relax and sit on a rock. We don’t think one is better than the other.”

Blue Ridge Hiking Company also works with people who have a wide range of disabilities. The way Davis figures, if you can get outdoors, you can enjoy the experience.

“It’s like sharing a secret, how to live and spend your time. It sounds so trivial, but it can change your life.”

For more information, visit www.blueridgehikingco.com.

Smoky Mountain Adventure Center

At the Smoky Mountain Adventure Center, you can choose from a variety of activities to get you moving, or you can simply choose to chill.

The recently opened facility features indoor climbing walls as high as 34 feet.

If spending time on the water is more your pace, the center rents tubes, kayaks and paddleboards for trips on the French Broad River. Want to explore your surroundings? Rent a bike and tour the River Arts District or downtown Asheville.

The center also has dedicated space for yoga and tai chi classes. After your workout, they will set you up with coffee, tea or a smoothie at their juice bar.

If you would rather kick back with a line in the water, the SMAC can outfit you with fishing poles, bait and tackle. If that’s not enough of a wind-down, just settle in at the Hangout, an elevated wrap-around deck that serves locally crafted beers.

For more information, visit www.smacasheville.com. midtownmag.com | 95

photographs courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

Retirees Birding

Are you a bird nerd? A good pair of binoculars and a field guide is all you need for a good day of birding.

Richmond Hill Park has 180 acres of hiking trails and is home to vibrantcolored song birds, including the indigo bunting, black-and-white warbler and the scarlet tanager.

Swallows and chimney swifts like to swoop over the water in search of insects at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary. The yellow-throated warbler and blue-grey gnatcatcher also nest at the sanctuary.

Birders can take part in early-morning bird walks on the first Saturday of the month all year.

If your birding trip has carried over to lunch time, how about a picnic at Craggy Gardens? The location offers beautiful mountaintop views and a setting

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that attracts migratory species from the northeastern United States, such as slate-colored juncos, winter wrens and blackpoll warblers.

The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre public garden that is home to many songbirds. Or take in Chimney Rock Park, which attracts more than 130 species of birds.

Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Make some time for a literary tour with a visit to the childhood home of author Thomas Wolfe. The Asheville author grew up in a boarding house, which was

depicted in the novel Look Homeward, Angel. Artifacts from the early 20thcentury home tell the story of his family.

But the residence known as The Old Kentucky Home (called Dixieland in the novel) is just the start. The Asheville Urban Trail is a series of 30 stations that tell the city’s cultural story. Wolfe’s childhood paper route is mapped out, along with a marker that identifies the site of his birthplace.

Wolfe is buried in Riverside Cemetary, among 87 acres of rolling hills and flower gardens that overlook the French Broad River. It is also the burial site of author

Beer & Music Lovers Black Mountain

(left to right) Hiking at Craggy Gardens, a Black-Throated Green Warbler and artist, Jonas Gerard, painting at the river arts district.

O. Henry and three Confederate generals.

Self-guided tour packets are available Monday through Friday.

For more information, visit www. wolfememorial.com.

River Arts District

Put on your walking shoes and plan to spend the day. The River Arts District is a mile-long stretch of industrial and historic buildings along the French Broad River.

The 23 working studios in the RAD feature the works of more than 200 artists in a wide range of forms, including paint, pottery, metal and glass.

While you browse their works, take advantage of the opportunity to meet the artists and discuss the creative process. If you find something to buy, the artists will pack and ship your purchases.

If you come for the bi-annual Studio Stroll weekends in May and October, most of the artists open their studios for hands-on demonstrations. It’s crowded, but free trolley rides make it easy to get to all your favorite studios.

Parking is free in the district, which began converting industrial building into studios in 1985. There are no official hours of operation, but the district is open all year.

If you plan to make a day of it, you’ll work up a hunger. The district has you covered from breakfast through dinner. Whether you have a taste for tacos or pizza, or you are looking for something upscale, there is a dining experience to match your taste.

For more information, visit www. riverartsdistrict.com.

Granted, Black Mountain is in Buncombe, the same county as Asheville, but it’s on the far eastern edge and has a completely different character. A music and beer trip to Asheville wouldn’t be complete without a stop here before driving the remaining 20-odd minutes into Asheville proper.

If the sun’s out, stop by Acoustic Corner. True to name, the shop privileges unamplified instruments, particularly those popular in Old Time, Celtic, bluegrass, and folk music. Even if you don’t play, you can still appreciate the artistry of the fiddles, banjos and bouzoukis – oh, and guitars, of course. If the sun’s down, though, ensure you stop by local dive and venue Town Pump Tavern.

One of the most essential Black Mountain stops is Pisgah Brewery, which hosts shows ranging from bluegrass to jam to jazz fusion. This organic certified brewery makes a remarkably smooth and malty porter, which must be enjoyed in draught form.

After a night like that, you’re gonna need some coffee. Go to the Dripolator. photograph courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

Downtown Asheville

the orange peel.

Downtown, music is inescapable. As you walk, watch for buskers performing on the sidewalk. Be prepared to stop and listen to their songs, and drop a few dollars in the hat before moving on to a place with a stage and some taps. It’s forgivable if you get distracted along the way by Wicked Weed, a Biltmore Avenue brewery and restaurant, so leave yourself time to step inside and grab a pint before heading next door to the Orange Peel.

As one of Asheville’s largest music venues, the Orange Peel has a deserved reputation for bringing household names to the area: The Smashing Pumpkins played a residency here in summer 2007, while hip-hop giant Big Boi and quirky rockers The Flaming Lips are among the acts to grace this downtown stage. In the immediate future, CeeLo Green (March 2nd), Tortoise (March 21st) and They Might Be Giants (April 7th) are some of the travelworthy shows coming to the Orange Peel. Walk back up Biltmore midtownmag.com | 97

photographs courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

(above) the grey eagle, (right) taking a stroll in west asheville.

Avenue to Diana Wortham Theatre, a dignified room where orchestra, folk, drama, world music, and all manner of performance art intersect.

Once upon a time, the Grey Eagle was on the edge of downtown, with a diner on one side and warehouses on the other. Over the last decade, though, what is now called the River Arts District has grown up around it, and now this intimate venue is comfortably nestled among galleries. A seated show here is an all-butrequired Asheville music experience – of note, Marc Ribot, best known for his skronky, counterintuitive guitar-work on Tom Waits records, plays here April 3. The Grey Eagle has a taqueria, too, so come hungry.

For beer, the area directly south of downtown – South Slope – features a number of breweries and is rapidly becoming the city’s beer district. Catawba Brewing, Twin Leaf and Hi-Wire are all there, while Bhramari Brewhouse just opened in the area. If you want an interesting six-pack, swing by one of Asheville’s top-notch beer stores, such as Tasty Beverage Company or Bruisin Ales.

West Asheville

Across the French Broad River from downtown is West Asheville, a distinct district that’s only really come into its own in the past 15 years. Westville Pub, a cozy little neighborhood bar with a tasty menu, excellent North Carolina beer on tap, and a full music calendar including open mic nights and blues jams, remains a staple.

Just down Haywood Road from Westville, midsize venue The Mothlight is a home to hip, interesting touring bands. Don’t let Diarrhea Planet’s name scare you – the jubilant Nashville rock outfit packs more guitarists than makes sense and they’ll grace the Mothlight stage March 9th. Also on Haywood, ISIS Restaurant and Music Hall offers both traditional concerts and seated dinner shows.

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MIDTOWN MAGAZINE’s

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by david fellerath In Raleigh, this spring will be the season of William Shakespeare. His well-burnished image will get a fresh round of polishing around the world, with celebrations scheduled to converge around April 23rd, the 400th anniversary of his death.

The Bard of Avon will be the subject of play marathons, dance celebrations, and a historical exhibit.

But why the fuss in Raleigh over the son of a glove maker in the English Midlands who set off for London in his early 20s, wrote three dozen plays and a couple hundred poems in the course of the next 25 years, then returned to his hometown a rich man?

After all, Shakespeare never set foot on North Carolina soil. But neither did the capital city’s namesake, Walter Raleigh, who was born a few years earlier than the playwright, and died, by the executioner’s blade, a few years after Shakespeare’s death.

In their day, Walter was much more famous than William, but Shakespeare’s work outlasted both of these Renaissance men. And one of Shakespeare’s final plays links him with Raleigh and his most important preoccupation: settling the New World.

Raleigh’s Roanoke colony was lost around the time Shakespeare was getting started in London.

Two decades later, when Shakespeare was renowned and Raleigh was in the Tower, another New World expedition went awry at the island of Bermuda, 650 miles off the coast of North Carolina. People lived to tell the tale, and Shakespeare used this 17thcentury episode of Lost as the inspiration for his final masterpiece, The Tempest.

Two of the key Shakespeare tributes will occur at the North Carolina Museum of History. Beginning April 23rd, the date of Shakespeare’s death (and

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traditionally, his birth), theater companies from around the state will converge on the museum for the Shakespeare Marathon, in which all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays will be read aloud, around the clock. Yes, around the clock – so if you’re keen to see local family-friendly troupe Raleigh Little Theatre read Shakespeare’s least family-friendly play, Titus Andronicus, you’ll have to show up at 3am on April 24th.

The marathon was the brainchild of Jerome Davis, artistic director of Burning Coal Theatre. He approached the museum after he learned that that institution would be the North Carolina host for this summer’s US tour of the First Folio. The First Folio is the first published edition of Shakespeare’s collected works, and a copy belonging to the Folger Shakespeare Library will be on view from May 7th-May 30th.

(The Folger owns 82 of the 233 known surviving copies.)

Davis offers three reasons for Shakespeare’s enduring popularity: “First, there’s the sheer breadth of his canon,” says Davis, as compared to the relatively narrow output of most other playwrights, living and dead. “Then there’s the iambic pentameter, which is the rhythm of the human heartbeat.”

And finally, Davis cites Harold Bloom’s influential argument that Shakespeare invented the human. “Shakespeare talked about the human experience in a way that no one had before.”

Meanwhile, the Carolina Ballet is going to town on Shakespeare, too, with no fewer than four Shakespeare-inspired productions occurring between February and May, including a brand new interpretation of Macbeth. “There’s only one other Macbeth,” says Carolina Ballet artistic director Robert Weiss.

“I’m hoping this one will be the definitive version,” Weiss says.”We’ve had music composed [by J. Mark Scearce] and we have all-original costumes.”

For a raw serving of theatrical Shakespeare, our best advice is to wait till summer, when Honest

photography courtesy of The Right Image Photography, Inc.

Past is prologue: Images from Burning Coal’s 2012 production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

Pint Theatre will mount Hamlet, with company founder and artistic director David Henderson playing the great Dane.

Festivals, Parades and More

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Thursday this year, and this poses a quandary for a community that enjoys the green beer but does not have deep bonds with the Easter Rising, Cú Chulainn and The Auld Sod. For the actually Irish, March 17th is as inviolable as the Fourth of July. But in Raleigh, St. Patrick’s Day will either be March 12th, when a St. Patrick’s Day parade is tentatively scheduled for downtown, or March 13th, when Glenwood South tentatively has this penciled in for your appointment to drink in that district’s pubs.

In Cary on April 9th, indulge in our two most important foodstuffs at Koka Booth Amphitheatre for the Beer and Bacon Festival. boothamphitheatre.com

Earth Day is April 22nd, but the biggest Earth Day festivity on the books will take place April 30th in Cary, as part of the 23rd Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival. Running all day at Fred G. Bond Park, the event will feature crafts, food, music, children’s activities and more crafts. It runs from 9am-5pm.

photography courtesy of Red Hat Amphitheater

You’ll have one chance to be in a crowd at Red Hat Amphitheater this spring.

Music

The pop music scene will be comparatively muted this spring. Red Hat Amphitheater has exactly one show on the books in all of March and April: It’s Gavin DeGraw, a noted interpreter of moments from the

films and TV shows of the Carolina coast such as Safe Haven and One Tree Hill. Maybe you’ll see Nicholas Sparks in attendance! redhatamphitheater.com

Also turning down the volume this spring is The Ritz Raleigh, which will

go dark beginning in late April for unexplained renovations. Among the notable shows before the hiatus: New Jersey hip-hop artist Fetty Wap (March 17th) and jam band Umphrey’s McGee (April 7th and 8th). ritzraleigh.com

On the classical side of things, the NC Opera’s big spring production is a mounting of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. This fully staged production will feature Joo Won Kang in the title role, along with Cecelia Hall. Two performances only: April 1st and 3rd. ncopera.org

In addition to its traditional offerings, the NC Symphony has a couple of curve balls. On March 3rd, the “Strings at Kings” series continues with a string quartet program featuring John Luther Adams’ Wind in High Places and George Crumb’s Cello Sonata. This is a great deal at $8/$11. kingsbarcade.com

On April 2nd, the Symphony will team up with Five for Fighting for a joint show. This one’s at Meymandi Concert Hall. ncsymphony.org

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Photograph courtesy of Phil America

Theater

When not planning Shakespeare marathons, Burning Coal’s big spring offering is a rarely performed cult show called Spoonface Steinberg. The play’s name may not ring any bells, but here are a few tidbits to know: The play’s author is Lee Hall, who wrote this tale a few years before his career-making breakout screenplay, Billy Elliot. Spoonface Steinberg seems to lay it on a little thick – it’s about a Jewish autistic girl who is dying of cancer – but when it premiered on BBC Radio in 1997, it became a sensation. One of the twists of Burning Coal’s production: each night, a “different member of the community will ‘play’ Spoonface.”

Under Davis’ direction, the show also will feature live performances of songs associated with Maria Callas.

Over in Fairmount, Raleigh Little Theatre has two children’s shows this spring: Miss Nelson is Missing (March 11th-27th) and Charlotte’s Web (April 8th-17th). raleighlittletheatre.org

Near the NC State campus and Pullen Park, the redoubtable Theatre in the Park’s big show is a revival of The Elephant Man. No cast had been announced at press time for this Bernard Pomerance play, which premiered in 1977, but it is to be directed by Ira David Wood III. theatreinthepark.com 104 | midtownmag.com

Phil America, The Jungle, San Jose, USA, 2014

frenemies. It runs April 19th-24th. dukeenergycenterraleigh.com/broadwayseries-south

For a far more somber – and local – experience, consider catching an original work by the Justice Theater Project titled Still Life: An Exploration into a Killing State, North Carolina.

That title is about as blunt an expression of the show’s premise as you can get, and it signals the seriousness of the production’s intent. Deb Royals directs her own script about the use of the death penalty in the Old North State, and it runs one weekend only, April 28th-May 1st. thejusticetheaterproject.org

VISUAL ART

Broadway Series South presents a slim spring season with an April 9th appearance by “dog whisperer” Cesar Millan, and a “local” production titled The Realish Housewives of Raleigh, a show that’s being touted as a “reality train wreck that’ll leave you laughing ‘til you cry your false eyelashes off.”

Despite the local reference in the show’s title, it is a touring production that inserts the host city wherever it lands. It may be a hilarious crashing of trains, but don’t expect too many locally sourced rib-tickles about your Boylan besties and North Hills

Over at CAM Raleigh, the spring will be dominated by an occupation of sorts. Phil America: Failure of the American Dream is another trailer load of reality in the midst of the remodeled industrial spaces of the Warehouse District.

America, who characterizes himself as “an artist from California, a vegan, an activist, a teacher, a brother and to some a criminal,” spent one month living in a homeless encampment in San Jose and the vicinity of Silicon Valley. His time embedded in the camp yielded Failure of the American Dream, a set of photos and videos. It opened at CAM on January 31st, and will remain on view until May 8th.

This isn’t America’s first foray into poverty immersion. A few years ago he spent a month living among the poor in a custom-built hovel in Bangkok, Thailand.

Afterward, the shanty was relocated to a Bangkok art gallery midtownmag.com | 105

and given the title Slum Vacation. It also attracted the skeptical attention of art critic Jonathan Jones, who wrote for The Guardian that America’s show was “a self-portrait of the artist having an exotic adventure.” Undeterred, America repeated the stunt in California for “Failure,” and also found time to discuss his work in a presentation at TEDxSacramento.

In Raleigh, the culmination of Failure of the American Dream occurs from May 4th-8th, when America himself will live in the installation and discuss his projects with museum visitors. camraleigh.org.

At the North Carolina Museum of Art, they’re coming off the big success of the MC Escher show, which drew 116,565 visitors in 14 weeks to make it the most successful exhibit since the 2011 Rembrandt show. This spring, the big spring attraction seems to take a cue – consciously or unconsciously – from last fall’s Bill Thelen-curated drawing exhibition at CAM Raleigh. This one is a group show called Marks of Genius: 100 Extraordinary Drawings from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. From the Middle Ages to the present, this show will display the varieties of pencil, ink and pastel images produced by artists ranging from Guercino and Carracci to Kollwitz and Schiele to Matisse and Lichtenstein.

The subject matter ranges from studies of mythological scenes, to still lifes and nudes, to book illustrations. The ticketed show opens March 19th and runs through June 19th. ncartmuseum.org

Running concurrently with this drawing show is American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals. Hassam was a 19th- and 20th-century Impressionist from Boston who exerted sizable influence during his lifetime, only to go into eclipse for half a century.

His reputation now revived, his oil paintings executed over three decades off the New England coast will be the subject of a solo show that the museum organized jointly with the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.

In April, a new photography exhibit devoted to Wilson, NC lensman 106 | midtownmag.com

(top) Childe Hassam, Sunset Sky, 1905, oil on wood panel, 4 3/4 x 7 3/4 in., Alexandria and Michael Altman, Image courtesy of Michael Altman Fine Art and Advisory Services, LLC. (bottom) Childe Hassam, Flower Garden, circa 1892, watercolor on paper, 19 5/8 × 13 7/8 in., George M. and Linda H. Kaufman.

Burk Uzzle opens in the NCMA’s Julian T. Baker Jr. Photography Galleries. Uzzle is most celebrated for the magical shot he took of a bedraggled young couple at Woodstock, the image that would grace the concert soundtrack album cover and serve as a signature relic of that generation. But Uzzle, who started at The News & Observer when he was 17, and who was only 31 when he got that Woodstock snap, took many, many other photos, and a choice selection will be on view from April 16th-September 25th.

(Uzzle’s work is simultaneously being celebrated at Chapel Hill’s Ackland Art Museum and Durham’s Nasher Museum of Art; each institution is focusing on a different aspect of Uzzle’s career.) ncartmuseum. org/exhibitions

Photograph courtesy of carolina ballet

Dance

The Carolina Ballet commemorates the 400th anniversary of the Bard of Avon’s death with an unprecedented season of Shakespeare, Shakespeare and more Shakespeare. After a February reprise of their popular Valentine’s show, Love Speaks, which draws from the sonnets and the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, the Ballet will present Tempest Fantasy, based on Paul Moravec’s 2004 Pulitzerwinning score. Robert Weiss supplies original choreography to this tale of Prospero, Caliban and the “stuff that dreams are made of.” It runs from March 3rd-20th at Fletcher Opera Theater. carolinaballet.com

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Margaret Severin-Hansen and Pablo Javier Perez will perform in the Carolina Ballet’s Tempest Fantasy.

Things really kick into gear in April, with a world premiere of Macbeth. There’s probably not another play in the Shakespeare canon that calls to mind such vivid tableaux for dance. From the witches at the beginning, to Lady Macbeth sleepwalking with bloody hands, to the banquet with Banquo’s ghost, to the day when the Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, the play is laden with possibility, with terrifying scenes and movement. Macbeth runs from April 14th-17th in Memorial Auditorium before resurfacing at Durham’s DPAC on April 30th and May 1st.

Photograph courtesy of Kerville Cosmo Jackva

Over at NC State, Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theatre (pictured above) performs on April 9th. This Los Angeles-based troupe specializes in a unique fusion of salsa, Afro-Cuban and hip-hop forms to create bold, vibrant shows. live.arts.ncsu.edu

If you’re in the mood to watch dance in two dimensions, head to the NCMA on Friday nights to catch one of the Winter Film Series titles. Curated by Laura Boyes, the latter part of the season is devoted to dance films: Strictly Ballroom (March 11th), Shall We Dance (March 18th), Cuban Fury (March 25th), and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (April 1st). ncartmuseum.org/calendar/type/films

Whatever you do this spring, you’ll likely be brushing up on your Shakespeare. midtownmag.com | 109

midtowndowntown

Best in

Show Trophy Brewing Co. Opens “Big Trophy” Brewery and Taproom on Southern Edge of Downtown Raleigh

By Karlie Justus Marlowe Photography by Davies Photography

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Nanobrewery no more: With the opening of Trophy Brewing Co.’s new production space and taproom on Maywood Avenue, the downtown Raleigh favorite now has its equivalent of the Stanley Cup.

Trophy Maywood – or “Big Trophy,” as it’s affectionately now known – opened at the close of 2015 in an 11,000-square-foot space near the State Farmers Market, on the heels of the resounding success of its original Morgan Street outpost. While the first location’s coziness lent a friendly Cheers-style buzz to its bar and pizzeria, co-owners David Meeker, Chris Powers and Woody Lockwood and head brewer Les Stewart quickly found themselves outgrowing the small space.

“Most breweries run out of space quickly, and our goal was not to run out of space again,” said Powers, standing in the shadows of six tall silver cylinders known as fermenters and dubbed with nicknames like C-3PO and R2D2. “At Little Trophy that happened in about a year, but here we have enough room so we’ll be able to expand a lot.”

That expansion includes sales and distribution, which will place fan-favorite beers like Trophy Wife, Double Death Spiral and Milky Way on tap at Triangle bars and restaurants. As of January, more than 20 Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill locations including

(above) For now, a rotation of local food trucks serve patrons sitting inside and outside. (right) Trophy’s signature draft taps were fashioned from downtown Raleigh institution Mort’s Trophy and Awards.

buku, Bida Manda, Busy Bee, State of Beer, Stanbury and Centro host Trophy beer on draft.

“One thing that, for lack of a better word, frustrated us about the production out of Little Trophy was our inability to send beer out to our friends and other restaurants,” said Stewart, who plans to experiment with lagers and other longfermentation activity in the new space. “Or for that matter, even keep all six taps flowing with Trophy beer at Little Trophy. What we have here is the capacity to increase output immediately about six- or seven-fold.”

As for bottle distribution in grocery stores and beer shops?

Lockwood smiles and motions over his shoulder to a now-empty corner of the Big Trophy brewery.

“Imagine the canning line right over there.”

The 9,000-square-feet of open brewing area is visible from the Raleigh Architecture Companydesigned taproom, which pours 12 taps and holds about 100 people between its indoor and outdoor seating areas. For now, food trucks line up outside, but a restaurant and beer garden are in the works for 2017 in the building next door.

Location played a big part in bring Trophy to Maywood Avenue,

which lies between main downtown artery South Saunders Street and the State Farmers Market.

“We looked all over in North Raleigh and downtown, and then we looked on this side of town, which has a lot of excitement and action,” said Powers, pointing across the street to where a new housing development with 60 lots is slated for construction in the coming months. “We decided this was a neighborhood we wanted to be in.”

The residential vibe will echo Little Trophy’s popularity with run clubs, cyclists and apartment and condo-dwelling neighbors, and even pull in travelers from the Capital Area Greenway Trail System.

“There’s actually going to be an outlet for the greenway right here,” notes Powers, “so people on their way to the Farmers Market can hop off and have a beer, or grab one on their way back.” midtownmag.com| 111

Star Wars inspired the brewery’s beloved fermenters’ nicknames.

Morgan Street loyalists can rest easy knowing the original location will continue to be a source of inspiration, experimentation and yummy pizza.

“Right now, we’re sharing beer back and forth,”said Stewart, “which allows us to take advantage of the really creative stuff that’s going to continue to come out of Little Trophy. At the same time we can now keep our more-known brands like Trophy Wife and Milky Way nice and consistent here in the cradle of control.”

Powers echoes those plans, noting that customers at both places act as a focus group of sorts.

“Little Trophy is our little workshop, so we come up with an idea for a beer, brew it on a scale that’s manageable and then talk about how we can scale it up and actually use it here. Things we’ve played around with in the last few years that we’ve really enjoyed have made it to the full-time level for production at Big Trophy.”

Part of that experimentation includes cross-craft collaborations with Slingshot Coffee Company, Mackey’s Ferry Peanuts and North Carolina breweries Big Boss, Mother Earth and Unknown Brewing. In a crowded local beer space, Powers believes those connections are one of the important things that have helped propel Trophy into the bigger space it’s in today.

“We see them as collaborators more so than competition. Most people in craft beer are pretty open; they realize the better the beer coming out of North Carolina, the better it is for everybody. People come to our state and expect good beer, and we try to be a part of that scene.”

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midtowndowntown

Hotel Art

Reimagined Hillsborough Street Hotel Designed with an Emphasis on Local History and Talent

By Karlie Justus Marlowe Photography by Davies Photography A framed picture of the beloved Sadlack’s Heroes hangs framed near the Aloft Raleigh check-in desk, a quiet tribute to the sandwich shop’s original Hillsborough Street location amidst the boutique hotel’s colorful energy.

Aloft, an international chain that caters mostly to young urban travelers with an eye toward funky, contemporary design, opened its first Raleigh outpost in October 2015 near the Pullen Road roundabout where Sadlack’s used to stand. The new addition is part of the first phase of the city’s Hillsborough Street redesign project, one that’s required a little give and take when it comes to replacing aging institutions in favor of economic renewal.

“I used to play rock and roll in Sadlacks,” said Raleigh-based artist and architect Thomas Sayre, who worked closely with the project’s developers from the start to integrate local touches. “But I could tell this team wanted to do it right – not just with talk, but with money and effort.”

The building’s developers, a partnership of Raleigh’s Bell View Founders and The Bernstein Companies of Washington, DC, put an emphasis on incorporating the corridor’s history and neighbors, with an eye toward the future as well. The stretch of street has always been a historic gateway into Raleigh, as the doorstep to NC State University and Meredith College and the entry to downtown and its capital complex.

“The local developers have been here for quite some time, and when it came to replacing Sadlack’s they really wanted it to be local instead of just being another franchise,”

midtownmag.com| 113

Thomas Sayre’s Overtones sculpture was installed in five 10foot pieces while the interior was still under construction.

said Edie Deck, director of sales and marketing at the hotel’s Hillsborough Street location. “The money they spent and the thought they put in early on is very different for a hotel.”

Sayre echoes the team’s commitment to using art to propagate urban design thinking, which sets the location apart as a gateway to the city center.

“These guys courageously did that, and listened to a flaky artist on how to make it happen,” Sayre said with a laugh.

Jeff Murison, the executive director of the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation, recognizes the building as an anchor for a redevelopment

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project 15 years in the making.

“The addition of Aloft is deeply transformative for the road,” said Murison.

“Not just in how people use the street since it’s a destination boutique hotel, but also how people see and feel about the street. It has a wide array of artistic elements built in, and in the nature of the Aloft brand, it’s a bit of art itself.”

Overtones Of all those artistic elements, the most eye-catching is the 51-foot metallic sculpture that hangs over the hotel entry. Its gleaming rings were created by Sayre, who also installed the convention

center’s shimmer wall and the Gyre rings on the North Carolina Museum of Art’s nearby campus.

Sitting directly across from NC State’s iconic Memorial Belltower, Overtones is a visible representation of the physics of a ringing bell and the round, oval and triangular shapes those sound waves create.

“It sits across from a belltower that’s never had a bell in it,” said Sayre, referring to the speakers and sound system now used to play chimes from the top of the tower. “There’s also some humor in that.”

Inside, the glass staircase that connects the street entry with the second-floor bar and lounge allows for an unobstructed view of the Belltower, so the sculpture and its inspiration can be seen from any vantage point.

“The sculpture catches the sun as it arcs across the street in an ever-changing display of reflections,” said Sayre, who fashioned it out of both brushed and mirrored metal.

Bright abstract art curated by Aloft neighbor Roundabout Art Collective lines the walls at check-in.

Street facade Sayre’s input extends to the entire streetscape, which aims to marry the thoroughfare’s eastern and western outposts.

“NC State’s history is presented in brick details, while the sleeker metal and glass represents its future,” said Sayre.

“The school is increasingly finding itself as a nationally and internationally firstrate technology-based university.”

Behind Overtones, a concrete wall slices through the middle of the two brick and glass sections, cast out of molds of Piedmont clay meant to mirror the area’s agricultural fields, trees and rivers from a bird’s eye view. Brick pavers along the front also pay homage to each of the colleges on the Wolfpack campus, designed by a landscape architect from the university.

“It’s a thoughtful new structure that serves as a landmark and anchor, while also blending into the nature of the community,” said Murison.

Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation’s goals.

“We remain a local street that runs along the state’s land-grant university and a well-established residential neighborhood,” said Murison. “The vast majority of our businesses are mom and pop shops and we celebrate local. We have hundreds of millions of dollars of investment being used in a local way.”

Art hub anchor The list of Aloft’s artistic neighbors doesn’t end with Roundabout. In fact, a small but powerful design faction has emerged between neighbors Raleigh Little Theatre, NC State’s Gregg Museum of Art & Design, the Pullen Arts Center and Theatre In the Park.

“That area has become an art hub,” notes Murison. “It’s an artistic center for the city.”

Sayre points out that while there are several pockets of art-centric districts around the city, this is a rare example of one created with private money.

“A private developer putting a serious stake in the ground to create not just any gateway, but an art gateway?” he said. “It’s very unusual.”

In the coming months, Aloft aims to direct its guests out to its neighbors with a bike share program.

“We want people to explore our community,” said Deck.

Rotating art gallery Inside, the hotel works with neighbor Roundabout Art Collective to curate a rotating gallery of art for sale to guests.

Big canvases of abstract art line the walls of the first and second-floor lobbies, all made by local creatives and featured in an effort to set Aloft apart.

“I once spent six months living in a hotel, and you realize that all hotels do the same thing. You sleep there, you shower there,” said Deck, a veteran business traveler. “It’s really all the other things that we can do to set us apart that’s important. We want to be more than just a place to sleep.”

That focus on local from a corporate hotel falls in line with the midtownmag.com | 115

healthy you

sponsored content

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116 | midtownmag.com

sponsored content

healthy you

The Breast Choice by anna churchill, Synergy Spa, Aesthetics & Wellness

Growing up I danced in professional companies, I attended a school for the arts, and I also had large breasts that made me self-conscience. Large breasts are not a desirable feature when you have to wear leotards, and I would have to “bind” my breasts down to make them appear flatter. As I got older, large breasts became more of a nuisance with bra mark indentations, constant back pain and ill-fitted clothes.

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

118 | midtownmag.com

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Raleigh’s

HISTORIC

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on the scene | Bain’s Beat | beer & barrel | close to home | giving back sunday supper | the interview | out and about | and much more!

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OUT ABOUT &

Calendar of events | Midtown Mingles | New Around Town

Midtown Music Fest April 30th, 2-9pm This event will feature all things Raleigh – food trucks, vendors, craft beer, and fantastic live music – Katelyn Read, 2pm; Noah Guthrie, 3:30pm; Jack the Radio, 5:30pm; Cravin’ Melon, 7:30pm.

Midtown Park at North Hills, Raleigh visitnorthhills.com midtownmag.com| 121

calendar ofevents

world beer festival April 2nd

Spring Fever March 4th, 6pm Oils and acrylics are the fever this spring with a special “Spring Fever” exhibit by Bekah Haslett and Margo White. Bekah’s spring exhibit will show her recent work on location in North Carolina and Mexico, as well as some larger studio pieces from travels to Belize and Aruba. Join us and meet fellow artist Margo as she expresses her latest palette of work.

311 W Martin Street, Raleigh localcoloraleigh.com Toast to the Triangle March 6th The 30th annual Toast to the Triangle event will take place on Sunday, March 6th, from 6-8:30pm at the McKimmon Center. The event will feature top chefs from around the region, and a silent auction, and will benefit the Tammy Lynn Center for children with disabilities.

McKimmon Center, Raleigh atoasttothetriangle.org Wine & Design: Southern Impressions March 10th, 6-8pm Bring a friend or come solo, and paint

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like a pro! While Michael Ausbon, Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Curator, Southern Impressions, walks you through what makes Southern art “Southern,” an artist from Wine & Design’s Raleigh studio will lead you in creating a piece of your own. Wine and snacks are included in the fee. Limited space available.

NC Museum of History, 919.807.7969 NCMOH-programs.com

Sola Hot Mini 5k 2016 March 12th, 8:30am It’s that time again for the 3rd Annual Sola Hot Mini 5k! Walk, run/walk, or run with neighbors and friends in support of US Military Veteran’s Foundation. If you are unable to actually run or walk we would still love for you to particapate by volunteering!

7705 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh bit.ly/2016Sola5K Patty on the Green March 19th, 12-5pm Show your green for a total shamrocklucky-iconimmersion into an Irish experience! Don’t miss the St. Patrick’s Day Irish Festival at Lafayette Village in

Raleigh offering an entertaining, fun-fulled peek into the Irish culture. Enjoy music, food, and tons of fun for the entire family!

Lafayette Village, Raleigh lafayettevillageraleigh.com Hammitt Celebration at Main and Taylor March 18th-19th Come in and check out all the new styles during the two-day extravaganza.

For more information or to book an appointment please call the store or visit their website.

4421 Six Forks Road, Raleigh mainandtaylorshoes.com, 919.821.1556 Models for Charity 6 year anniversary show March 24th Come enjoy a fashion show/competition featuring local boutiques and designers as well as a silent auction benefitting Conservators Center. Passed hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and other drinks will be served. General or VIP tickets available for purchase.

309 N. Dawson Street, Raleigh mfcraleigh.com

The Southern Women’s Show April 22nd-24th

VanEli Trunk Show at Main and Taylor April 1st-2nd Bring a friend or come solo to view the VanEli Trunk Show. A great opportunity to order those hard-to-find sizes. For more information or to book an appointment please call the store or visit their website.

4421 Six Forks Road, Raleigh mainandtaylorshoes.com, 919.821.1556 Raleigh NC Tour de Brew April 2nd, 10am This year the Tour de Brew is partnering with Water for Good and Oaks and Spokes. All proceeds raised from this years event will be split between these two amazing organization to promote cycling here in Raleigh and to provide clean water to people in Central Africa!

Sign up today and start fundraising for your ride!

Crank Arm Brewing Company 319 W Davie Street, Raleigh goo.gl/tyJYee World Beer Festival April 2, 12-4pm and 6-10pm Eleven years of the best in beers. With a World Beer Festival ticket, you get a tasting glass with unlimited four-ounce pours from over 250 of the finest beers, access to the Art of Beer Experience for beer ingredient samplings, pairings, educational seminars, brewery descriptions and more! Or upgrade to a VIP ticket for an even better experience. Tickets can be purchased online and at Bottle Revolution (Lake Boone Trail & Lead Mine Road. locations) and Tasty Beverage.

North Carolina State Fairgrounds allaboutbeer.com

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We may feature it in our next issue.

BrickUniverse LEGO® Fan Expo April 2nd-3rd Release the builder within at BrickUniverse Raleigh, the ultimate LEGO® lover’s paradise. Choose from Saturday or Sunday admission, and experience hands-on LEGO® attractions and activities built to inspire, educate, and entertain. This fun, family-friendly event will have tons of amazing LEGO® creations to gawk at, building zones to unleash your creative energy, guest speakers and more in the LEGO® theater, and vendors selling the latest LEGO® sets, mini figures, and accessories.

Raleigh Convention Center 500 S Salisbury Street, Raleigh brickuniverse.org

ART IN BLOOM April 7th-10th Join us for the NCMA’s second annual festival of art and flowers. Floral designers from across North Carolina and beyond bring springtime into West Building by interpreting masterworks from the permanent collection in 56 breathtaking flower displays. Renowned floral designers from around the globe offer master classes and more.

North Carolina Museum of Art 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh goo.gl/4QBW4T Southern Ideal Home Show April 8th-10th Admission: $9; children 15 and under free with adult; 55+ Day: Friday, April 8th, $7. Hero Day: Friday, April 8th: Free admission with active and valid military, police, fire or EMT ID. Discount tickets available at area Walgreens locations March 7th- April 10th.

North Carolina State Fairgrounds southernidealhomeshow.com MDA Muscle Walk April 9th, 10am The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Muscle Walk is a meaningful way for families, friends, neighbors and local businesses in the Triangle to come together and show support for area MDA families. This year’s walk includes a 3k5k route designed for participants of all ages and abilities, including a wheelchair midtownmag.com| 123

calendar ofevents Wellness Wednesday April 13th, 20th, 27th, 6:30pm

and equipment-friendly course.

This annual event will raise critical awareness and funds for muscledebilitating diseases that severely weaken muscle strength and mobility.

To register, call the local MDA office at 919.783.0222 or visit the website below.

Chavis Community Park, Raleigh musclewalkmda/raleigh2016 Appetite for Art April 9th Join us for an evening of local food, art, a silent auction and music by Raleigh’s Sidecar Social Club, benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wake County. Tickets may be purchased through the Appetite for Art website. VIP tickets include early admission to view the art, food, and unlimited drinks. General Admissions tickets include food and two drink tickets.

CAM Raleigh; 409 W Martin Street app4art.org Midtown Farmers’ Market April 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th Midtown Farmers’ Market will begin its ninth season on Saturday, April 16th, and

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will continue through Saturday, November 5th. This lively neighborhood market, located in the heart of Midtown, is run by Midtown Events and sponsored by Duke Raleigh Hospital. The Market features 45+ vendors selling local farm-fresh produce, meats, seafood, cheeses, baked goods, and other specialty foods and crafts. This year, the Market is held every Saturday from April 16th to November 5th, from 8am to noon on the North Hills Commons.

North Hills Commons, Raleigh midtownfarmers.com Wellness Wednesday April 13th, 20th, 27th, 6:30pm Every Wednesday get your fit on in Midtown Park and try the best and newest fitness classes in town for FREE! Presented by Duke Raleigh Hospital Midtown Park at North Hills, Raleigh visitnorthhills.com Donald J Pliner Trunk Show at Main and Taylor April 16th Featuring additional spring/summer

styles and also a preview of fall.

For more information or to book an appointment please call the store or visit their website.

4421 Six Forks Road, Raleigh mainandtaylorshoes.com, 919.821.1556 Midtown Beach Music Series April 21st (Embers), April 28th (Liquid Pleasure), 6pm This beloved series will kick off on Thursday, April 21st and continue through August 11th. Now in its ninth season, the Thursday evening Midtown Beach Music Series at North Hills is popular with event-goers from around North Carolina, hosting over 125,000 guests throughout the 17-week season.

The series offers the best of Beach Music on warm summer nights and features Shag dancing, a time-honored tradition in the South. One of the few local free concerts available to the public, this event hosts those looking for a fun night out. With the best band line-up yet, this eighth season is sure to be a fantastic one! Remember, the best parking for this event is located in the CapTrust Tower!

North Hills Commons, Raleigh visitnorthhills.com The Southern Women’s Show April 22nd-24th The Southern Women’s Show is the premier weekend-long event for women in the Triangle community, and attracts tens of thousands of guests each year.

It features celebrity guests, shopping, and workshops on food, fashion, beauty, health and fitness, business, education, home, travel, and more.

North Carolina State Fairgrounds southernshows.com/wra 2016 JDRF Triangle Hope Gala April 23rd, 6pm Rockin’ for research at the 2016 JDRF Riangle Hope Gala. The reception begins at with cocktails, a silent auction, and super silent auction.

The program starts at 7:30pm with a gourmet dinner and wine, live auction and the Living and Giving Award presentation to the 2016 honorees J.R. and Su Shearin. Tickets are $250, and sponsorship opportunities are also available.

North Ridge Country Club, Raleigh goo.gl/WjJEUD

Brewgaloo April 22nd, 6-10pm April 23rd, 2-10pm Brewgaloo, organized by Shop Local Raleigh, is a one-day North Carolina craft beer festival highlighting the importance of supporting local businesses and our NC craft beer industry. Brewgaloo will bring together over 20,000 fans to celebrate the love of craft beer, live music and localism.

400 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo Shakespeare Marathon: 38 Plays in 5 Days April 23rd-28th The NC Museum of History and Burning Coal Theatre Company will present the Shakespeare Marathon: 38 Plays in 5 Days. Honoring the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, theatrical groups from across North Carolina will present a major event: a round-the-clock reading of all 38 plays by Shakespeare. The groups – professional, college and amateur – and celebrities will perform stage readings of the Bard’s plays, from his first to his last, with minimal costumes and props.

5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh burningcoal.org Stuart Weitman Trunk Show at main and taylor April 28th-30th Come view the best of the best! The Stuart Weitman Trunk Show will give a preview of the Fall 2016 styles.

For more information or to book an appointment please call the store or visit their website.

4421 Six Forks Road, Raleigh mainandtaylorshoes.com, 919.821.1556 Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo May 1st, 1-6pm A half mile of food trucks and restaurants spread out over 11 city blocks. Over 50 food trucks from across the state of NC. Seating setup for over 1,000 people on the sidewalks. 2016 early bird supporter wrist bands (allows you to start ordering from the trucks 30 minutes before the official start) are now available.

Fayetteville Street, Raleigh downtownraleighfoodtruckrodeo.com

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midtownmingles Photography by V+T Photography

New Year’s Eve Gala

The Merrimon-Wynne House New Year’s Eve Gala was a bubbly filled evening indeed. Not one guest left that evening without being covered in confetti. Talk about the perfect way to ring in 2016!

Synergy Holiday Celebrations

Synergy decked the halls at their Inside the Beltline and North Raleigh locations for the holidays. Synergy founder Anna Churchill made sure the bubbly was bountiful while clients enjoyed mini-spa services and delicious treats.

Photography by Anna Routh Photography

an evening of networking

On January 27th, the SAFEchild Young Ambassadors met up at Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern for an evening of networking and to learn more about SAFEchild’s mission through a spotlight presentation of the Funny Tummy Feelings

by Program Coordinator, Pilar Jennings.

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Photography by rebecca ferguson Photography

Cupid’s Undie Run

On February 20th, hundreds of people from all over the Triangle braved the cold in a one mile-ish fun run in just their undies to raise awareness and fund the research of neurofibromatosis through the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF). To date, this must-do Valentine’s Day event has raised nearly $8 million across the US for CTF.

Patient Appreciation

On February 11th, Renaissance Dental showed their appreciation to their family of patients and also helped support a cause that is near and dear to their hearts.

Judy’s Bubbles is a foundation that helps spread love, light, joy AND BUBBLES to children at UNC Children’s Hospital. It will also help to support its school, where many of the patients and their siblings attend while undergoing treatments. For more information about Judy’s Bubbles please visit judysbubbles.com.

Fly Away Days book launch

Love was certainly in the air on February 14th as friends and supporters flocked to Fly Salon in Raleigh for the book launch party for Steven Norton’s first novel, Fly Away Days. The event had a pink, black and white theme and guests were treated to pink champagne, gold-dusted chocolate cupcakes, and a gospel trio. Steven Norton’s first novel will be part of a series of funny, tell-all stories, “from behind the chair”. midtownmag.com| 127

midtownmingles

2016 diamond Awards

On Wednesday, January 13th, Midtown Magazine hosted its eight annual Diamond Awards party at Mia Francesca in North Hills to announce the Best of Raleigh for 2016. Almost 200 guests showed up to find out who the big winners were for the upcoming year. The celebration included delicious food, drinks from Mia Francesca, and music from SPIN NC. Throughout the night guests were treated to a wide assortment of giveways courtesy of local area businesses. Thanks to everyone who made it out, and we’re already looking forward to 2017! >>Photography

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by Davies Photography

new aroundtown Cameron Village Welcomes Kannon’s Clothing

The family-owned clothing retailer announced that its women’s clothing store will move to Raleigh in mid-March, ending its 100-year presence in downtown Wendell.

The clothing retailer moved its men’s store to Cameron Village back in 2012. Their unique women’s collection represents over 100 carefully selected designers with styles for women who want to be elegant and current for any social occasion.

Salons by JC comes to North Ridge Shopping Center

Salons by JC brings you the best of both worlds. At Salons by JC, stylists operates their business in luxurious suites of their own which you will truly enjoy. Salons by JC offers the ultimate professional environment through their concierge service; their tenants deliver you their best in a near perfect location…the way they have always wanted to. Hair/Nail/Face/Body. midtownmag.com| 129

everydayplaces

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

Watercolor and Text by Frank Harmon, FAIA If you recently bought a new car in Raleigh, you probably bought it near the city limits. If you sat beside exposed brick walls to enjoy a good meal with good wine, you were probably near Fayetteville Street. But if you were looking for Mexican avocados or African fabric, if you bought a 10-year-old car or donated clothes, chances are you were somewhere between downtown and the city limits.

Take a place like this slightly run-down strip mall at Brentwood, for example, once the cutting edge of Raleigh. Halfway between “downtown chic” and the bright car dealerships, it’s a little shabby today. But it’s here that you can get your car washed or wash your clothes, buy pounded yams, Honduran beans, and used furniture “with no credit check.”

As shops and restaurants have prospered downtown and the suburbs have expanded, they’ve left behind an in-between Raleigh of declining strip malls.

What Brentwood lacks in fresh paint, it makes up for in locally-owned stores. It has a lively diversity that’s reminiscent of the way our town centers were 100 years ago.

For off-center merchants, this inner doughnut of empty storefronts and cracked asphalt has become an opportunity.

Areas like Brentwood won’t be found in the city planner’s handbook, but they are essential to a healthy city.

Online: Visit the archive at NativePlaces.org

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