Midtown Magazine

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a note FROM the publisher Publisher/Editor Sioux Watson Advertising Sales Sioux Watson | Charis Painter | Ashley Carter Kathleen Moran | Michelle Palladino Creative Director Travis Aptt Graphic Design Jennifer Heinser | Lori Lay Contributing Writers Dan Bain | Jenni Hart | Dave Droschak Elie Rossetti-Serraino | Anna Churchill Karlie Justus Marlowe | David Fellerath Julie Johnson | Carol Wills | Carla Turchetti Heather Mallory | Corbie Hill | Frank Harmon Adam Sobsey

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.

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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.

10 top

for the summer of

2010

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AT NIGHT THE MUSEUM

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AWARDS 2012 STEPPING OUTSIDE

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Sioux

Distribution Manager Joe Lizana

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solution by buying handmade holiday desserts from local purveyors, or want to cook the whole thing yourself and serve only healthy choices. Jenni Hart has advice for dealing with in-laws and extended relatives over the turkey and stuffing, and Corbie Hill explains how the strategy of not drinking during the holidays worked for him. I humbly offer my homemade holiday gift ideas from the kitchen (make my special cookies and take a photo, and we’ll share them on our Facebook page), and why the gift of an “experience” might be the perfect option. Our local merchant gift guide catalogue should stir up the imagination for anyone on your list – whether it be gift certificates, specialty gift items or even sports cars, we’ve got it all this issue!

November and December means letters from worthy charities looking for end-of-year support via donations. Read up on some local groups that could use your support by giving time or money – for those looking to get involved.

FALL

W

aking up to frost on the lawn means fall, and chilly mornings become the norm, although in North Carolina, sunny and warm days will continue on through winter days. Family traditions with outdoor activities on Thanksgiving Day leave memories of both warm and miserable outside playtime with your friends and family.

Likewise for New Year’s Day, when my crew often takes to the nearby park for a game of croquet. Some years it’s sunglasses and t-shirts and others it’s football on TV, as there’s snow outside.

Whatever the weather, Raleighites and their visitors will gather on December 31st at First Night in downtown Raleigh to welcome in 2016. Read all about what new activities this year’s event has to offer.

Holiday entertaining planning is upon us; in an effort to assist, we’ve put together ideas and shortcuts to keep your house looking and smelling good...with your feet up. Our stress-free entertaining section is brimming with tools to keep everyone enjoying themselves for the next few weeks. Did you know there are concierge services that will run errands for you, or even decorate your tree? And don’t forget the food: we’ve got you covered, whether you decide to hire a catering service for foolproof entertaining, a partial catering

Photography Davies Photography | Colburn Collective

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

contents n ovem ber/ decem ber

2015

features 66 stress-free holiday entertaining

We gathered ideas and thoughts from professionals in the business of hospitality, from décor to drink, on how to make your party the kind that people – including you – will be excited for every year.

75 surviving the holidays

Eating and entertaining sensibly through November and December.

78 Relative Ease

Making peace with family holidays.

82 handmade holiday gifts from the kitchen

One doesn’t have to be adept in the kitchen in order to create perfectly wonderful holiday gifts; they can be as much fun to make as they are to receive.

the season of giving 100

How you can make a difference in someone’s life.

ultimate spa guide 104

“Treating” yourself to a spa experience is a something all of us can, and should take advantage of this holiday season.

87

holiday gift guide We’ve got plenty of options to satisfy all of your holiday shopping needs!

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contents novem ber/ decem ber

2015

departments 26 on the scene 36 Midtown reviews 44 ask elie 46 bain’s beat 50 beauty style 52 beer & barrel 54 close to home 56 giving back 58 raising the bar 60 young makers 63 COMPLETE THE ROOM 96 Calendar of events 110 midtown downtown 120 healthy you 126 midtown mingles 130 everyday places

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The scene

on

Taste

Make Mine Macaroni It melts in the mouth

By Sioux Watson Mac ‘n cheese, now widespread throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, is an Italian dish recorded in English medieval cookbooks of the 14th century, and first brought to The States by Thomas Jefferson after he encountered it in Paris and Northern Italy. In 1802, Jefferson served “a pie called macaroni” at a state dinner. Today in the US July 14th has been designated as “National Macaroni and Cheese Day.” Originally an exotic dish reserved for the upper classes, simple versions are served in humble meat-andthree cafes, while mid- to high-end restaurants offer versions with more elaborate ingredients and cheeses.

Deep-fried macaroni can be found 26 | midtownmag.com

from the NC State Fair to local food trucks and tiny seafood joints at the coast. In some Wake County restaurants you can even order mac and cheese pizza.

2014 James Beard Award Best Chef/Southeast winner Ashley Christensen serves up mac and cheese at two of her five restaurants in Raleigh, and at Poole’s Diner it is the bestselling dish they serve (Jarlsberg, white cheddar and Grana Padano cheeses, recipe available online). Happily for Raleigh diners, one can order a side portion of mac and cheese at Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, too, where the Ashe Co. Pimento Mac-N-Cheese Custard is lick-your-plate good.

There are seven different “Mac & Cheese Skillets” on the menu at Relish

Café & Bar; these are full meals, not side dishes, and they each come with hearty and interesting ingredients such as blackened chicken, Andouille sausage or chorizo, and a variety of cheeses.

Capital Club 16 has Skillet Mac and Cheese as a dinner entrée, with an optional side of bratwurst (Vermont white cheddar, gouda and Jarlsberg).

They’ve served it with lobster in the past, as multiple raves online will attest.

Mac and cheese traditionalists may also like to chow down on some of the other local mac and cheese dishes Raleighites are swooning about, at Busy Bee Cafe, The Q Shack, The Pit, The Rockford, Jose and Sons, Oro Restaurant & Lounge, Oak City Meatball Shoppe or Glenwood Grill, among others.

The scene

on

TECH

Propella E-Bike Boosts Speed Rechargeable battery powers motor

By Dan Bain / Photography courtesy of Propella Bikes Propella Electric has created an e-bike that offers motorized help on hills, but stays true to the look and feel of a regular bicycle. The singlespeed bike has a minimalistic design and a steel frame that weighs in at less than 35 pounds – lighter than other electric bikes in the market.

The e-bike includes a small rear hub-motor, which the rider activates with a thumb throttle. The further the rider pushes the throttle, the more power the motor gives – up to 19mph (most states in the US have a legal speed limit of 20mph for e-bikes).

The motor is powered by a removable,

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rechargeable battery pack with the same type of Lithium-ion cells used in Tesla automobiles. The battery lasts up to 25 miles between charges.

When the rider applies the bike’s brake levers, the motor automatically disengages, allowing the rider to brake manually without having to fight an accelerating motor. The bike does not include regenerative braking, as that would require a heavier direct-drive motor. Also, this bike’s geared hubmotor provides higher torque – making it easier to climb city hills.

The Seattle-based startup is trending with millennials looking

for an easier commute and a way to reduce carbon emissions. Founder Ben Tarassoli hopes to see his product become more popular due to its design, social impact, and affordability within its class. He believes a good e-bike must first be a good bike, and part of the product’s popularity is due to Propella successfully bridging the gap between the two.

The bike is available in three colors – Matte Black, Anodized Blue and Anodized Red – and three frame sizes, based on the rider’s height. It’s available online only, and Propella is accepting preorders for $849 at propellabikes.com.

The scene

on

style

Easy, Instant Updates Have a trench coat in your closet or on your shopping list? Here are five quick tips to keep it fresh.

Tweak what’s already there

“Tie the belt instead of buckling it, and try popping the collar.” ~ Ariane Lee of Nora and Nicky’s

Swap in your own accessories

“Remove the belt made for the trench coat and replace it with a two-inch wide leather strip that’s a shade darker than the coat.” ~ Suzanne Libfraind, Stylist

Try new color combinations

In the Trenches

Belt It, Pop It, Crop It: The Classic Coat with a Modern Twist

By Karlie Justus Marlowe / Photography By Davies Photography Early trench coats, created for Army officers on the front lines of World War I, were made to be functional: Waterproof, cut to the ankle and often made of khaki-colored cotton gabardine, the 10-button raincoat was made for duty.

Fast-forward a century later, and the coat is being utilized in a different type of battlefield, topping off work wear, casual wear and everything in-between.

“It has a classic blend of utility and chic outerwear that is hard to beat,” said Claire Roberts, a Raleigh-based wardrobe consultant. “Many consider it to be a foundational piece of a woman’s wardrobe because the basic trench coat will never go out of style – it just gets re-invented.”

Each season brings new iterations of the trench coat style, with recent updates introducing fur embellishments and larger lapels for added drama, notes Roberts. Brighter colors and a decidedly more feminine flair also make the cut.

“We recently had a hot pink trench coat in the store, and I own one in cobalt blue,” said Ariane Lee, manager of consignment boutique Nora and Nicky’s downtown Raleigh outpost. “I’ve seen designers add lace and ruffles and even pleats to give it a skirt-like feel and make it more feminine.”

As a year-round wardrobe staple, trench coats don’t last long in the shop’s inventory, especially labels like Burberry, Calvin Klein, Karen 30 | midtownmag.com

“Combine navy fabrics with black trim, olive green with vibrant gold buttons, holiday red, vibrant blues and basic black.” ~ Suzanne Libfraind “Fall Fashion week in New York showed many beautiful iterations of the trench coat in winter whites.” ~ Claire Roberts, Image Consultant

Embrace the history

“Go for the timeless Audrey Hepburn inspired look – trench coat, black pencil pants, and a silk scarf tied over your hair for a bold color pop!” ~ Claire Roberts Kane, Pink Tartan and Milly. In the two years since Nora and Nicky’s opened on West Hargett Street, the turnover on trenches has been swift.

“Trenches go super quickly in the store,” notes Lee. “It’s a classic, and a classic never goes out of style.”

It’s that seasonless appeal that keeps the trench coat looking fresh – but it can also quickly leave the style feeling dated.

“We all know that a trench coat is a great wardrobe staple and can be easily be refreshed by a seasonal pitch of accessories to keep it looking fabulous,” said personal stylist and shopper Suzanne Libfraind.

The scene

on

arts

(left) M. C. Escher, Skull with Cigarette, 1917, pencil, black and colored chalks on brown paper, 30 1/3 x 24 1/4 in., Collection of Dr. Stephen R. Turner, © 2015 The M. C. Escher Company, The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com (right) M. C. Escher, Belvedere, 1958, lithograph, 18 1/4 x 11 5/8 in., National Gallery of Art, Washington, Rosenwald Collection, 1964, © 2015 The M. C. Escher Company, The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com

Escher and the Hipster Prototype

M. C. Escher, Drawing Hands, 1948, lithograph, 11 1/8 x 13 1/8 in., Private collection, Texas, © 2015 The M. C. Escher Company, The Netherlands. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com

The Worlds of M.C. Escher: Nature, Science, and Imagination

By David Fellerath It is the misfortune of the North Carolina Museum of Art that it must share October afternoons with the North Carolina State Fair. On October 17th, the museum opened its retrospective of cerebral printmaker M.C Escher.

But on this day, a gorgeous and golden autumn afternoon, visitors making the drive through semi-rural northwest Wake County found their advance halted on Blue Ridge Road, less than a mile from the museum.

It was State Fair traffic, of course. As I sat fuming, I saw how chained to the earth we are in contrast to the liberating flights of Escher’s imagination, where water flows perpetually downhill, and in which swimming fish can morph into birds flying in formation. Couldn’t Escher design a more efficient grid that would keep cars moving, or at least let them change shape?

The Escher show was worth the wait. The greatest hits are all here: among them the mirror-globes, the cigarettepuffing skull, the two hands drawing each other, and the Belvedere, which is accompanied by a 3-D rendering of what such a building would actually look like.

Although Escher’s prints are almost completely devoid of psychological or emotional interest (a death portrait of the artist’s father is an oddly perfect exception), that’s not to say 32 | midtownmag.com

they’re without warmth or humor. He may have worked with blithe disregard for the political and intellectual currents of his century, but his work feels curiously at home in the culture of our own. Partly, it’s the way his selfies – er, selfportraits – are clever rather than introspective, revealing the jauntily manicured beard would make him at home in 21stcentury Brooklyn, or Berlin, or Boylan Heights.

A few of the wooden blocks he carved for his prints are on display, too, evidence of the hard labor Escher had to do to make his imaginative furrowing come to fruition. Long before our century made it cool to be the smartest geek in the room, Escher found beauty and fun in dodecahedrons, Penrose triangles, and lines of monks marching on a single endless staircase.

Underlining the point on this Saturday, outside the museum there was a storage container called the Betabox.

This is a mobile prototyping lab, run by a Raleigh startup called Betaversity. Inside, children confidently watched their whimsical inventions turn into 3-D prototypes with the aid of printers. Perhaps these children will be the first to spend their adulthoods in a world that’s been liberated from traffic jams, because the engineers figured out how to make the cars drive by themselves, and if necessary, fly, float and swim.

The scene

on

sports

A Power Move

Triangle Becoming Strongman Stronghold

By David Droschak / Photography by David Droschak There’s a powerful movement taking place two nights a week at a Crossfit gym in Morrisville.

It involves 100-pound kegs filled with sand, Hummer tires, makeshift car frames and concrete Atlas stones.

“We always joke around and say ‘it doesn’t matter what it weighs, just pick it up,”’ said Lynn Morehouse.

Morehouse, 35, is the head of the Triangle-based contingent of Train Strongman LCC athletes and a competitor himself. He has been a fan of the World’s Strongest Man competitions on TV for years and decided to get involved as a promoter/coach in 2013, staging local events that have turned into some of the most attended in the country.

The upcoming NC Strength Challenge and NC Super Total is a twoday competition in mid-November at the NC State Fairgrounds that will be the first of its kind in the state.

“I started trying to get back into shape when I turned 30 and I never enjoyed being in the gym,” he said. “I started by just picking up rocks in my yard.”

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Morehouse has since lifted a variety of heavy items, including lifting a rock that weighed 410 pounds onto a 48inch platform.

The athletes who train under the direction of Morehouse, whose day job is director of design and development for iContact. in Morrisville, come in all shapes and sizes. Morehouse, for example, weighs around 235 pounds, but doesn’t really fit the part. He would walk by most on the street without a second glace.

“I’m one of those guys who competitors don’t see coming,” he said.

“They look at me and say, ‘Oh yeah, THAT guy is going to beat me?’ And I do.”

The strongman competitions are half strength and half technique, which is why athletes such as Morehouse, national champion James Deffinbaugh or Laura Anderson, who finished in the top 10 in her weight class at the 2015 national competition, can win competitions against much more muscular athletes.

“I started about nine years ago after one of my coworkers, who is a big guy, sent out pictures to a whole group of us

and said if we wanted to try it out, to stop by his place on a Saturday,” said Diffinbaugh of Raleigh, who won the 2014 middleweight class at nationals.

“I had only been going to the gym for a couple of months and wasn’t strong by any means. I even showed up in jeans as an out in case I wanted to leave. I didn’t know what to expect because there are stereotypes about strength athletes. But they got me going right away on keg carries.”

Diffinbaugh describes the atmosphere Morehouse has created as “a good sense of community.”

“My goal when I first started was to look like I belonged,” said the 33-yearold Diffinbaugh. “I never expected to win anything at the national level, so every accomplishment is a big deal for me.”

Morehouse is constantly pushing the envelope with his athletes. At North Carolina’s Strongest Male and Female event in May, part of the female competition was pulling a 17,000-pound moving truck.

“They were all like ‘there is no way we’re going to be able to do it,’ but out of 35 women only two couldn’t do it,” Morehouse said. “They were all just near tears ecstatic because they had done something they didn’t think was possible.”

“That is an event I’ve struggled with,” said 5-foot-7, 140-pound Laura Anderson. “I was having a tough time with the small trucks here in the parking lot. The night before when Lynn said we were moving up to the big truck, I thought I was done for. But I pulled it 60 feet. How do you pull a truck? There is a lot of technique to it. We like to say, ‘you don’t just beast mode things.’ It’s really about the angles and what you pull with first. You get things moving and then you keep it going.”

Lynn Morehouse began strongman training by picking up rocks in his yard.

M

reviews

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

The Good Dinosaur

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens

Sisters

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson Rated: PG-13 Opens: 11/20/2015 Plot: Symbolized as the “Mockingjay”, Katniss goes on a mission to liberate the citizens of Panem and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow, who has become obsessed with destroying her.

The Hateful 8 Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh Rated: Not Yet Rated Opens: 12/25/2015 Plot: While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man (Walton Goggins) who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover located on a mountain pass. After encountering four strangers, they realize they may not make it to their destination. This will be the eighth film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. *Opening dates and ratings are subject to change.

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Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher Rated: Not Yet Rated Opens: 12/18/2015 Plot: The Star Wars saga continues with the seventh entry – the first under the Walt Disney Co. umbrella. The film will act as the start of a new trilogy, set after the events of Return of the Jedi. J.J. Abrams will be directing this film.

Starring: Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright Rated: Not Yet Rated Opens: 11/25/2015 Plot: In an alternate timeline in which Earth was never hit by an asteroid, we follow the epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.

Starring: Amy Poehler, James Brolin, Tina Fey Rated: R Opens: 12/18/2015 Plot: SNL alumni Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-star in a comedy about a pair of 30-something sisters who learn that their parents’ house has been put on the market. They decide to spend one last rowdy weekend in the home where they grew up.

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reviews

Damn Country Music (Tim McGraw) Release Date: 11/6/2015 “When I recorded Damn Country Music, it was one of those electric moments,” McGraw says of the title track.

“It speaks to a passion and being at a crossroads in your life when you make that decision to pursue it knowing you might pay a heavy price.” The first single from the album, Top of the World, got an otherworldly send-off last month when McGraw introduced it by beaming the tune to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

McGraw’s other collaborations include his oldest daughter, Gracie, and country hitmakers Big & Rich.

Made in the A.M. (One Direction) Release Date: 11/13/2015 When discussing the new album, producer Julian Bunetta said, “We’re stretching out outside of the perimeters of what a traditional pop boy band would do. We’re just kind of having fun. No rules. That’s what it’s been. We just wanted to make an album that had influences of all the previous albums, but then, an evolved version.”

Purpose (Justin Bieber) Release Date: 11/13/2015 After a rough 2013 and 2014, Justin Bieber’s been using 2015 to showcase himself in a better light. The pop superstar and his team have been hinting that new music was on its way.

Bieber noted that while he might have acted out and rebelled from being unhappy or media scrutiny, he said he’s now “using my voice in my music rather than out here in the world.”

25 (Adele) Release Date: 11/20/2015 After four years, a new Adele album will finally be released on November 20th. A deluxe version of 25, available exclusively at Target, will include three bonus tracks. Of the record, Adele said “My last record was a break-up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make-up record. I’m making up with myself. I’m making up for lost time.” *Release dates are subject to change.

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Return of the Tender Lover (Babyface) Release Date: 12/4/2015 Last year, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmond debuted Love, Marriage & Divorce with Toni Braxton, which earned the pair the Grammy for Best R&B Album. Return of The Tender Lover will feature eight new tracks and pay homage to his 1989 breakout album Tender Lover. We’ve Got Love, the lead single off Return, debuted in August.

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reviews

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

Mascota Vineyards Unanime

93

91

Gruet Brut

Armani Prosecco

89

Beverage Dynamics

Wine Spectator

best served in:

Wine Enthusiast

Old Cannery Row Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands

Olema Cabernet

Mendoza, Argentina

Deep and lush up front, this blend offers highly appealing aromas of blackberry and toast.

Dense, layered and hefty on the palate, this extracted but well-balanced blend piles on blueberry, black plum, cassis and toast – the finish is darker notes of espresso.

$24.99/bottle

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Sonoma, California

A pleasantly nuanced Cabernet with plenty of currants, cedar, and black fruit flavors; it finishes with tart cherry and light minerals. The wine pairs exceptionally well with grilled and roasted meats.

Intense, Blackberry, Cherry, Full-bodied

$24.99/bottle

Central Coast, California

A highly focused Chardonnay with plenty of rich flavors of pear, pineapple, vanilla, hazelnut and lemon. It features a richly textured mouthfeel with prominent butter and oak characteristics on the long finish.

Elegant, Butter, Full-bodied

$19.99/bottle

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Focused and richly styled, with spicy tropical fruit aromas and appealing baked apple, cinnamon and herb notes. 40,000 cases produced.

Perfect for your next party.

Dry, Green Apple, Full-bodied, Citrus

$16.99/bottle

Valdadige, Italy

Nice and delicate sweetness, with hints of white fruit.

There is elegance and finesse in the nose, paired with persistence in the mouth. The pleasant acidity is compensated by a nice sweetness.

Elegant, Apricot, Mineral

$15.99/bottle

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reviews

Day One • $4.99

Crystal • $.99

Crystal is one of the very few apps that can speed up your browsing by blocking irrelevant advertisements. Crystal is a content-blocking app that installs directly into Safari so you can block ads right after you install the app. Reduce your monthly phone costs by blocking incoming media and increase the battery life of your phone by getting rid of irrelevant ads.

HIPSTAMATIC • Free

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HIPSTAMATIC® Camera is a world-class photography app and Apple’s original App of the Year. Make your photos as beautiful as your life and become part of the world’s most creative community, exclusively on iPhone. Want to be a better photographer? Join the millions of creative people that use HIPSTAMATIC every day.

Welcome to Flotsm, a simple, fun but powerful way to make better decisions.

Anonymously ask users for help with the decisions you face, and anonymously help other users with the decisions they face. Every Flotsm user is anonymous, so there are no constraints of public and professional persona. Every Flotsm user is equal, free to ask and answer with bold confidence and unlimited reach. Experience Flotsm today.

Grocery Shopping List by Capitan • Free

Capitan keeps you connected: smart notifications alert you whenever someone in your network is approaching a grocery store in case you want to request an item last-minute.

An app also reminds you not to forget to buy items when you are near a store that has items in your shopping list via use of background geolocation functionality.

slash Keyboard • Free

Slash is a super-charged free keyboard that makes it easy to share anything, without switching apps. Just tap “/” to unlock Foursquare, GIFs, Spotify, Stickers, YouTube, and more. Better yet, Slash is built on top of a prediction engine that helps you communicate faster. Type something like “Want to grab a coffee?” and Slash is there for you, ready to recommend local shops.

Pocket: Save Articles and Videos to View Later • Free

Pocket has been named one of the best apps for iPhone.

Over 12 million people use Pocket to easily save articles, videos and more for later. With Pocket, all of your content goes to one place, so you can view it anytime, on any device. You don’t even need an Internet connection. Don’t lose track of the interesting things you find by emailing yourself links or letting tabs pile up in your browser. Just save them to Pocket.

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Capture life as you live it. From once-in-a-lifetime events to everyday moments, Day One’s elegant interface makes journaling about your life a simple pleasure. Day One provides a superior writing experience, clean, distraction-free interface, multimarkdown text formatting, privacy passcode lock, photographic entries and more!

Table Tennis Touch • $1.99

Meet Wiff Waff, your very own training robot – then pick up your Player Card and battle your way through three career binders packed with events.

Earn Reputation to unlock bats, tournaments, leagues, throwdowns, mini-games and become the ultimate table tennis champion – King Pong! *Prices are subject to change.

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askelie photograph by SEAN JUNQUEIRA

Elie

For all your answers on things fashion, style and trends

Costumista & Wardrobe Style arbiter

Q

I’m a young mom with two children (still in diapers). This winter we are going to spend a family vacation at a ski resort where there are outdoor kid-friendly activities. My usual diaper bag is an L.L.Bean canvas tote that looks good in the summer and at the beach.

Can you suggest any tote style that can double as diaper bag that will look less nautical for the mountains? ~Lorena, Raleigh I recently purchased a Woolrich shoulder tote for my wardrobe kit to use when I’m on set. It’s made with wool instead of canvas or leather, and is very sturdy and durable. It also has some degree of water-

proofing. It comes in the classic buffalo checks or solid winter green.

It has a very “wintery” look, but is also smart-looking for street style.

There are several good companies on the market that sell “Made in USA” modern-style totes and luggage. My favorites at the moment are made with thick, wool fabric, leather straps and brass hardware. L.L.Bean has a line made with Woolrich wool fabric, but you can also find some online at Will Leather Goods, Duluth Pack and Topo Designs.

I am undecided on what kind of boots I should buy this winter – ankle booties or over-the-knee boots.

Please help. ~Lisa, Raleigh Easy! Just consider your own lifestyle and what kind of job you have. Luckily both styles look good either with skirts or 44 | midtownmag.com

with tucked-in skinny pants, and are suitable at any age. The over-theknee styles may be more pricey and newer to the fashion scene, but the ankle booties are still going strong this season. I personally would opt for the more fashionable tall, chunkyheel, over-the-knee boots (possibly in suede). Short booties (ankle or calf length) look on-trend as well, and you have the option to buy them either in chunky heels or super-flat, for comfort.

I keep seeing pictures on social media of female celebrities wearing tops with lower necklines with exposed

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

photography courtesy of Woolrich, inc.

shoulders. Is this a new trend? ~Rositha, Raleigh You may have spotted the off-theshoulder top, the trendiest and chicest look (and my personal favorite from Spring 2016 fashion runways) that you will see in the stores and malls near you starting in January.

It should be worn with a statement necklace or oversized earrings, and soft hair pulled back.

This style looks good for the office or for a date. I’ve seen some garments with a generous elastic neckline, so you can pull it down off your shoulder for an evening out look. Some have really nice styles and embroideries like the one in the movie Frida (with Salma Hayek) and can be worn with a pencil or full skirt, depending on what flatters your body type. Look for dresses in the same style. I will definitely buy one shirt for my closet and wear it with high-waist ankle length straight pants or skinny jeans with flats.

midtownmag.com| 45

bain’s beat

The Business of Boogers How to Have a Green Christmas

I

by Dan bain, Boogie Man, danbain07@gmail.com

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won’t be picking a Booger this Christmas.

No one in my family will pick a Booger; there won’t be a single Booger in our home for this year’s holidays. Not that I have anything against Boogers; I’m sure they’re a great way to decorate. Plenty of North Carolinians will have nothing but Boogers in their windows during the Christmas season, and are probably already looking forward to lighting their Boogers up and putting gifts under all those Boogers.

And while I’m going to miss the smell of Boogers, I’m glad we made the decision to replace our real Boogers with PVC. That’s a good trade for not getting Booger sap all over my hands and sleeves every year. Not to mention, the constant need to water Boogers.

Once a Booger dries out, it becomes a significant fire hazard, and if a Booger catches fire, it could be life-threatening.

I’m talking, of course, about Christmas trees. A well-known supplier of Christmas trees in North Carolina, Booger Mountain means big business in these parts. Stands have been located in recent years at 10909 Leesville Road, 1100 Logger Court, and 6810 Pleasant Pines Drive. That last one is aptly named, but I’m not sure it will be open this year. My research has come up short.

I’m sure you’re shocked this column isn’t a stunning display of journalistic aptitude, but this topic has been a tough little Booger to uncover.

Do you have any idea how much information on Christmas tree stands is NOT available in October? Sure, the retailers have been pushing the holiday down our throats since mid-August, but that’s more conceptual stuff – the hard facts just aren’t there. This assignment has put my investigative skills to the test; I’ve really had to

dig for this Booger. I didn’t have a lot of success, but I managed to pull out a few nuggets of information.

First, there’s the missing mountain; I’ve been unable to pinpoint the exact location of this Booger. It’s said to be a hillside south of Gastonia, but I couldn’t find it on a map. Maybe I was too busy giggling over the fact that I’m now researching places with “Booger” and “Gas” in their names. Regardless, I kept finding names of other mountains or other Booger-based names of non-mountains in North Carolina. I had to wonder if someone had confused the names, or was trying to keep this Booger discreet. I found Booger Hollow Trail – a road in Scaly Mountain. Should I have searched instead for Scaly Boogers? I found a Booger Swamp Wine, from Brushy Mountain Winery. Maybe this meant I needed to find a Brushy Booger? I found Kings Mountain, conveniently near Gastonia. Did this mean I was supposed to find a gassy Booger King? That made me think of fast food, so I left for lunch and forgot about my map search.

The origin of the name is equally unconfirmable.

One legend holds that in the early 1900s, a man was unhappy with a local election, so he shot up the polling place at the base of the mountain, then hid uphill for several days. The man’s name was allegedly Booger, and they named the mountain after him. The more commonly accepted explanation is that moonshiners wanted to prevent neighbors from discovering their stills on the mountain, so they started a rumor that the hill was haunted. “Booger” was a colloquial term for ghosts, so the place became known as Booger Mountain. Whatever the back story, the place is home to plenty of evergreens, and genuine Booger Mountain trees have become synonymous with Christmas in some parts of our fair state.

Speaking of back stories, Raleigh is home to another curiously named Christmas tree supplier – Back Achers Christmas Tree Farm, at 4533 Inwood Road. It’s a family business started almost 40 years ago by a retiree of the NC State Wildlife Commission, Frank Barick. According to one website, Frank’s farm is home to seven varieties of “choose & cut” Christmas trees. I didn’t know that many choices exist. I’ve always thought there are three varieties: green Fraser Firs in the house, brown Fraser Firs on the curb, and plastic Fraser Firs in the attic. Yet the seven choices at Back Achers don’t include any kind of Fraser Fir, as the weather here is too warm to grow them. The farm ships pre-cut Frasers from a farm near Boone, for those who prefer that type of tree, and who prefer them to be pre-cut.

I know people who love the idea of cutting their own Christmas tree, but I don’t see the appeal. For a fee, a tree merchant will let you come in and do all the work. That’s like going to the doctor’s office, giving yourself a shot, and paying the doctor for the medicine.

Or a mechanic letting you use their lift for your car, but expecting you to change the oil – and still pay them.

Back Achers also hosts a Tree Reservation Day – one day every November, customers can check out the trees and request a specific one for later. A couple days before the customer comes back to pick it up, employees will cut it down and have it machine-shaken to remove the dead midtownmag.com | 47

needles before bagging it for pick-up.

You read that correctly – there’s a machine that shakes Christmas trees to remove the dead needles. Who invented this device? And did it make them rich? Is it adjustable, say, from shaking a seven-foot tree to shaking a seven-inch martini tumbler? Even more importantly, will it shake out all animals, insects and arachnids? Once my dad put up a tree that had a bird hiding in it; the bird was either too cold or too terrified to move until the tree was in our house. The result was a fun retelling of the Twelve Days of Christmas song. A former Midtown contributor once wrote of the tree she and her husband put up, only to discover a day or two later that it had contained a spider’s egg sac – which unleashed hundreds of baby spiders in their home. That’s one more reason I don’t do real trees anymore – but if I did, I’d pay a lot of money for a device like a tree-shaker to ensure I wasn’t about to infest my home with spiders. Well-played, Back Achers, well-played.

Also, props for the clever name “Back Achers,” which I can only assume is a play on the words “Barick Acres.” Even if it’s not meant to be a pun, it’s still a good assessment of another of the downsides of dealing in real Christmas trees. Between that and the aforementioned sap, we decided a few years back that it would be easier to go artificial. We also don’t have to deal with municipal waste services, who insist they won’t pick up a dead tree from the curb unless that customer calls them to let them know it’s there. Why? Do they not notice that big tree next to the trash bin they’re emptying? Can they not assume the city’s curbs will be covered with dead trees come January 2nd?

Speaking of dead trees, could the tree stands of the nation please stop advertising “live” Christmas trees? If it’s already cut, that thing is dead. It might be “fresh” or “killed only recently,” but without its roots, it most certainly is not “live.” That’s like decapitating someone, but defining them as “living” because the body’s still warm. It’s probably also like calling this column, “humor.”

Much like the name “Booger Mountain”…you might think it’s funny, but it’s snot.

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midtownmag.com | 49

beautystyle

‘Tis the Season to Look Glowing The holiday party season is finally here, so let’s have some fun with your look and make a festive statement. Here are a few ways to step up your glam and let that inner diva shine! by anna churchill, Synergy Spa, Aesthetics & Wellness, >> feelsynergy.com

Flash your Lavish Lashes

Pop with Bubbly Nails

Look Kissed by an Angel

Lips for the Mistletoe

Give your eyes the gorgeous wrapping they deserve with eyelash extensions.

Eyelash extensions have a natural-looking curve that create the look of longer, thicker lashes. This semi-permanent lash extension application lasts four to six weeks, just enough time to get you through the holiday party circuit!

Subtle or dramatic, obmré nails make the statement that you’re ready for cheer!

With options like glitter and textural ombré patterns this season, it’s like champagne for your nails. Performed with a gel polish, this professional application should last around two weeks.

For a shimmering, ethereal look, sweep a little of the Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust across your cheeks, eyes, lips – even décolletage.

It’s a subtle and sophisticated effect for ladies of all ages and skin types.

For deceptively innocent and daringly glossy lips that’ll make you look both naughty and nice, apply a little of the Guerlain Gloss d’Enfer limited holiday edition in shade #902 before heading out the door. This gloss is my favorite holiday go-to because it’s non-sticky and hydrating, and also provides a plumping and shaping effect.

Lavishlashes.com, $75-$200 50 | midtownmag.com

Price varies per location, on average $45-55

Find locally or on janeiredale.com, $14

Carried in Saks 5th Avenue and other high-end retailers, $30

Hair with Flair Look party-ready all season with the Kenra Professional Platinum Dry Texture Spray 6, perfect for all types of hair. This spray increases texture and fullness up to 278% while absorbing oils and impurities. Good for an after work or last-minute party invite, this non-drying formulation leaves the hair with a matte finish and provides flexible hold.

Ulta.com, $22

midtownmag.com | 51

beer& barrel

Christmas Beers and Winter Warmers The Surprising Appeal of Beer in the Wintertime By julie johnson

W

hen the mercury drops, beer might not be the first beverage that comes to mind to banish the chill.

However, except for a few decades during the last century, special winter beers have long been a feature of the season. In recent years, American craft brewers have revived the tradition, offering a holiday treat for us all.

Winter beers don’t fall under a single style category. But – whether they are called Christmas beers, winter warmers or holiday beers – they usually share a few characteristics. Most are malty and full-bodied; many incorporate the familiar spices or fruits we look for in holiday desserts; and many are potent – sippers, not quaffers.

Among North Carolina craft companies, Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill was one of the first to create a winter seasonal. In mid-November, head brewer Jon Connolly will offer Santa’s Secret 52 | midtownmag.com

Winter Ale for the 20th time. Connolly, an Englishman, drew on Old World traditions to create a low-hopped beer spiced with a blend of coriander, cinnamon, orange and allspice. “It’s the closest thing to Christmas in a glass,” he claims. It will be available on draft and in four-packs of cans that beg to be taken to a holiday party.

Durham-based Fullsteam Brewery follows its philosophy, “Plow-to-pint beer from the American South,” by incorporating community-harvested persimmons into First Frost, a potent winter warmer at 10% alcohol. The ripe persimmons, which turn from bitter and astringent to sweet and luscious only after a frost, give the beer complex fruit notes. Together with the strain of Belgian yeast used to ferment the beer, they are also the sole source of hints of holiday spice in the finished beer. The large-format 22-ounce bottles, available in

Sean Lilly Wilson, founder of Durham’s Fullsteam Brewery, checks the ripening persimmons that add character to the brewery’s winter seasonal, First Frost.

November, make a great gift.

Winston-Salem is the site of this state’s first brewery, built by Moravian settlers in 1773. So it is fitting that the city’s successful Foothills Brewing models their seasonal Moravian Porter on the beloved Moravian cookie recipe.

The rich, dark porter style is a natural vehicle for warming spices.

The brewery is co-promoting the beer with Salem Baking, maker of Moravian cookies, so consider leaving this combination for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Snow Flurry will be released on December 5th and will be available in 12oz six-packs, as well as on draft throughout North Carolina.

For a contrast, Kinston’s Mother Earth Brewery bases their winter seasonal on the wildly popular and assertively bitter IPA style. Snow Flurry is brewed with rye in addition to barley, which gives a distinctive dry, earthy finish, boosted with the addition of juniper. Look for it at the beginning of December – a perfect counterpoint for holiday turkey if you can save it that long. midtownmag.com| 53

close tohome

Beyond the Big Blue When Neighbors and Colleagues Follow Their Dreams By carla turchetti photography By davies photography

B

eth Lindsey and Susan Lafera work together like the perfect sofa and chair. Back when they were colleagues at IBM, neighbors, and mothers to two sons each, they tossed around the idea of sharing their love for contemporary décor and furnishings by owning their own store. And now, ten years since opening the doors of Beyond Blue Interiors at North Hills, the partnership and the business are thriving.

The store is called Beyond Blue because the venture took the partners beyond Big Blue, as IBM is known. Beth quit the company completely when the store got off the ground and is on-site day-to-day. Susan is still full-time at IBM, working on Beyond Blue business in the hours before and after work. They partner together to buy the merchandise that completes their mission that the store should offer clean, contemporary, and

54 | midtownmag.com

simple home décor.

Susan brought the entrepreneurial spirit to the partnership.

One of her brothers owned a bicycle shop and another owned three furniture stores and was able to open up wholesale avenues for them. She had considered other retail options, but was drawn to her lifelong love of décor.

“I was thinking of more of a hand-crafted gift shop,” Susan says. “But I have always loved design and furniture. I think I have an eye for color and scale.”

And once her brother was able to assist with some connections, the dream moved further along.

At the same time, Beth and her then-husband both worked at IBM and didn’t want the family’s future in one basket. After a leave of absence to deal with a family health issue, she eased into

(left) Beth Lindsey and (right) Susan Lafera inside their contemporary home furnishings shop that was born out of their careers in technology and management at IBM.

the idea of leaving corporate stability for a small business venture.

“I am not really a risk-taker and I still am surprised I made this decision,” Beth says. “I had been doing this at IBM for 18 years, and I just decided to let go and take a risk.”

And while it may sound like quite a stretch to leave computer programming at IBM to sell modern furniture and accessories, Beth says the creative component of both jobs compliment each other well.

“I was a programmer at IBM, and I find that quite creative,” Beth says. “When you’re writing software you have a goal that you have to achieve, but there are many different ways to achieve that goal. It’s like an art. You get to decide, and there’s a style that you develop as a programmer,” Beth says.

While both women have probably rearranged their furniture more times than you have, it’s the partner still working at IBM who longs for the most variety.

“Susan is the one who loves change. She moves things all the time at her house,” Beth says. “I am much more I get it how I like it and just leave it there.”

And from her view at IBM, Susan says balancing Big Blue and Beyond Blue hasn’t gotten old.

“It is still fun and it’s interesting,” Susan says of her life in the furniture business. “It’s different from what I do the other days of the week, and it’s still a passion for me.”

Both business partners are committed to helping customers build spaces that are a respite from the world.

“Our lives are so busy that they need a place to come home to where they can finally breathe,” Beth says. “Their homes are not fussy and busy and chattering to them. “

“I walked into a space not that long ago and it made me feel claustrophobic,” Susan agrees. “There were so many dark, heavy velvets and so much ornate going on that it made me feel bad. It is important to have clean lines and a space that is not overdone so that your mind has a place to rest.”

While these business partners may have very little time to rest themselves, Beth says having her neighbor and former colleague by her side has made the journey easier.

“Having a partner is great because we do most things by committee, and that has worked for us,” Beth says.

And Susan says her advice to any entrepreneur is to make that partner selection carefully.

“Find someone who is willing to go in with you and has skills that you admire,” Susan says. “Someone who has the right attitude and you know will be dedicated and will work hard.” midtownmag.com | 55

giving back

Serving From the Heart Urban Ministries of Wake County By carol wills

“

Have you ever been hungry?” I asked Dr. Peter Morris, the Executive Director of Urban Ministries of Wake County. The question startled him for a second, and then he laughed. “Of course,” he said. “Everyone has had the experience of being hungry. But there’s a big difference between being momentarily hungry and being food­insecure.”

He says that of the approximately one million residents of Wake County, about 150,000 are food­insecure.

I was speaking with Dr. Morris in his office at the Urban Ministries building on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh, where I had come to learn more about the vital work that they are doing to relieve hunger, provide health care to the chronically ill but uninsured adults in Wake County, and offer safe havens for the homeless.

Dr. Morris knows what he’s talking about. He has been a pediatrician for 35 years and served as the Medical Director of the Wake County Human Services for 27 years, a position that allowed him to become very familiar with the county’s population and the problems that arise. He is currently serving as a relief hospitalist at Wake Med.

“Wake County is large enough to have duplicate ministries without there being waste or duplication,” says Morris. For example, the Catholic Parish Outreach sees 50,000 clients per year. We see 17,000.” He notes that there are approximately 106 groups in Wake County who maintain a food pantry, many quite small, and each ministry offers different services.

56 | midtownmag.com

Urban Ministries’ Crisis Support program provides essential services to low­income Wake County residents in crisis. “This is where food­insecurity comes in,” Dr. Morris explained. “If a person has a flat tire, for example, and has to replace it in order to have transportation to a job, and the money for the tire drains their resources so that they don’t have enough money to buy food, that’s a crisis.” Urban Ministries Food Pantry allows clients to access the pantry once every three months per household. During the other months, Urban Ministries provides referrals to other food pantries.

Prescription medicines are another source of anxiety for low­income households. Urban Ministries provides a voucher for prescription medications once every four months per household.

They also give assistance in locating additional services such as shelter, mental health treatment and financial assistance.

Staff and volunteers do the work of interviewing potential

Dr. Peter Morris, Executive Director of the Urban Ministries of Wake County.

clients to determine whether the client is financially eligible for services. A photo ID and Wake County address are required. Joe Retzer mans the reception desk every Tuesday, and has done so for the last four years. “This place really runs on volunteers,” says Retzer. The office hours for the pantry are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Open Door Clinic is open mornings, afternoon and evenings Monday­Thursday.

Eligibility screenings and clinic visits are by appointment.

Over 27,000 persons use services in each year.

Urban Ministries is in its 35th year of operation. It was founded by concerned citizens in various churches and synagogues after two men froze to death one winter on the streets of Raleigh. At first Urban Ministries was only a shelter. Currently, however, it has expanded its offerings to include not just health care for the chronically ill, but education and counseling for all clients on ways to improve their health. Similarly, their food pantry provides not just any food, but nutritious choices, such as fresh meat and produce, and their homeless shelter aids clients in finding permanent housing.. Their volunteer program helps those involved to use not just their hands, but their hearts and minds, in service to their fellow human beings.

SAVE THE DATE Stone Soup Supper November 12th • 5:30-7:30pm NCSU Talley Student Union, 2610 Gates Avenue Piedmont Mountains Ballroom For more information or to sponsor please contact: Carol Schwartz at cschwartz@urbanmin.org or 919.256.2179

Although their Open Door clinic sees only adult patients with chronic health problems like diabetes, heart disease and elevated blood pressure, they currently have about 1500 active patients. the average patient require six or seven prescription medications each month. However, Morris says, since Obamacare began, about 200 of those patients have become eligible for insurance and are no longer dependent on the clinic’s care. The clinic simply adds more uninsured clients to fill those spaces. Children and women from low­ income families are seen by Wake County Human Services or private providers, if they accept Medicaid or the uninsured.

And what about the growing problem of homelessness?

Dr. Morris says that about 1100 persons are homeless on any given night in Wake County. Urban Ministries maintains the Helen Wright Center for Women, which provides both emergency overnight shelter and a 90 day program for about 250 homeless women annually, offering them a chance to move toward independence and permanent housing.

Workshops for life skills and job readiness also help provide a supportive environment for women in crisis. The shelter’s 36 beds are full most of the time.

Want to help? Check out Urban Minstries’ website: www.urbanmin.org. midtownmag.com | 57

raising thebar

ask You

ANSWER

we

Q

I suspect that my spouse is cheating and would like to prove it. Can I install a key stroke device on her computer to obtain evidence to prove her affair in court?

No. It is illegal under both state and federal wiretapping laws to secretly capture the communication of another person through this type of key stroke capture software.

You cannot use illegally obtained evidence. Your attorney cannot even

look at illegally obtained evidence.

A violation of these wiretapping laws subjects you to criminal prosecution and civil penalties in the form of fines.

You should not do it.

Since I cannot use the key stroke capture software, can I put a recorder in her car to hear what my spouse is saying when she is talking on her cell phone?

No. Installing a recording device in her car is illegal. You cannot record any conversation when you are not a party to the conversation. Any such recording cannot be used as evidence in court and your attorney cannot listen to it.

You should not do it.

I have recently connected with an old high school flame on Facebook.

Our communications have gotten flirtatious. Should I just delete the account?

No. You cannot delete or destroy potential evidence once you suspect the evidence or communication has some

58 | midtownmag.com

Have a question?

Let us hear it: raisingthebar@midtownmag.com

relevance to a potential legal dispute.

You are clearly aware that you may soon be in litigation with your spouse and that posts to your Facebook account are likely to be evidence in that litigation.

However, you may suspend your account or hide your account to prevent further postings so long as already existing posts are preserved. There are serious consequences to destroying or deleting evidence, including monetary sanctions and the court’s ability to draw all adverse inferences against you in the absence of previously existing evidence. In other words, if the account is completely deleted, the court could infer that you are having an affair and wanted to hide it from your spouse.

When I walked into our home office last night, my spouse immediately started closing windows on our computer. I am suspicious of what she is doing on the computer that we purchased together. The computer is password protected but my spouse and I both have the password. What can I do to find out what she is doing on the computer?

Since the computer is owned by you and your spouse and you and your spouse share the password, you may take the computer to be imaged so that evidence may be preserved. It is important that a qualified forensic examiner image the computer because there are specific steps and protocols that must be followed to ensure that the data is not altered.

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.

young makers

The Birds and The Beasts Time to Talk Painting with Alexis Price by jenni hart

A

lexis Price loves when people say her paintings are unlike anything else they’ve seen. When a figure lithe, taut and dressed for the party is baring its brutal incisors, ready to charge, the contrast is provocative.

Just don’t ask her what it all means. Price seems confident that fans of the work will recognize the dance of predator and prey; that the imbalance of power between perpetrator and victim will resonate. Other themes emerge – strength, beauty, desire – and are unencumbered by a heavy morality.

“I do want to communicate something more than what meets the eye,” Price says. “But ultimately, I think it’s better when others form their own impression.”

Price says a new painting may have its roots in a dream, or an emotion that evokes a particular animal.

When she wants to communicate an image of strength, she might favor a wolf or crow; weakness or vulnerability calls 60 | midtownmag.com

forth a rabbit or other small prey.

Born in Philadelphia, Price grew up in North Carolina.

She graduated from Meredith College with a degree in dance and a concentration in private studio teaching. She danced nearly all her life and taught dance for many years.

Looking back, Price says her decision to pursue a dance major probably stemmed from fear. “I was too scared to go to art school,” she says, admitting that a dance major is no easy path to choose as a default.

For Price and her older siblings, drawing and sketching filled many hours in their early years. Her brother was a comic book fan, and the two drew comic characters and superheroes together. She and her sister drew the way many sisters play with toys. “We made books, like the adventures of Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck,” she says.

Her fascination with dreamy, surreal images started in

a mix of alexis price’s works: (far left) we’re not like them, (above left) the sun still shines and (above right) what time was it? and who was I with? and where did you go?

middle school. And though she was mostly self-taught, taking just a single art class at Enloe High School, Price was drawing and painting continuously. “At Enloe, I took printmaking and got to use a lot of different mediums,” she says. She describes the few oil paintings she did around that time as “pretty basic.”

In college, she painted in watercolor, as well as gouache, another water-based medium with a heavier consistency and deeper pigments. By the time she graduated in 2006, Price was experimenting more in oils, and painting a lot of animals and fish. Her evolution toward the work she creates now has been a process, including a recent decision to re-introduce background to her paintings. “For a time, I stripped everything down to the basics,” she says. That period found her focusing more on figures against a stark background, as well as seeing objects exactly as they appear. “I looked at a hand but started seeing it instead in blocks of color. I improved technically and started to understand more about composition,” she says. Price knows she will always learn and improve, but says she’s in a good place creatively.

In addition to working from photographs where she is her own model, Price looks to willing subjects to help her out in a pinch. A friend who lives downstairs models for her when he can. “I’ll call and ask him to come up and put a sheet over his head and hold it a certain way,” she says. That’s a good neighbor.

Price is a member of Peregrine Projects, a collective formed in late 2014 to collaborate and share ideas for showing and selling art and connecting with the local arts community. She is new to the business side of art, and is learning from fellow members the importance of pricing and promotion. Increasingly, she is able to depend on her painting and less on the supplemental income she gets from other work. Her advice to other young artists is to be unafraid. “As long as you continue to paint, or sculpt, or create in whatever medium you work in, you’re bound to get better,” she says.

To see more of Price’s work, check out www. alexisprice.com. Events and shows can be found at the Peregrine Projects site: www.peregrineartprojects.com. midtownmag.com | 61

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Room complete the >>

Family ROOM

>> Shake

up the household by bringing in some fresh new pieces to the family room this season!

Today, family rooms are as eclectic and diverse as the families that share them. Get to know your own family members even better this season by enticing everyone to spend more time together in a freshened-up, cozy winter habitat.

Decorative Pillows

Pillows make any room more inviting; they can change the look of your family room or add a new dimension.

Experiment with dozens of pillow designs. >> Home Bucket List at The Galleria Raleigh, $82.95

midtownmag.com| 63

Table Lamp

This brass and hammered bronze table lamp by John Richards is perfect for creating just the right amount of light to a room.

Antique Table

Traditional antique oak table given new life as an oversized coffee table with a custom finish! >> Revival Antiques, $465

>> Hunt

& Gather Fine Estate Furnishings, $253

Decorative Silver Boat Salt Shaker

A great conversation piece to add to your family room. 19th century sterling silver salt shaker in the form of a Chinese Junk Boat. >> DT&Co., $75

Sunburst Mirror

With a burnished brass finish. A beautiful addition to your living area. 31” in diameter. >> Affordable Chic Shops, $125

Chalk Board Globe

Make your own world! Show where you’ve been, where you’d like to go or design your own personal view of the world. >> Fun and Fabulous at The Galleria Raleigh, $150

Lewis Drink Table

This drink table fits the bill for a little extra space when a larger table is too much. Hand-forged in Boone, this table is beautifully constructed from quality metal and glass. Select from multiple finishes to complement the style of your family room. >> BeyondBlue Interiors, $125

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Glass Door Sideboard

The perfect blend of function and style in this four-door cabinet! >> Revival Antiques, $1,995

Decorative Inkwell

The 19th century American Gilt Bronze inkwell will add a touch of class to any family room. >> DT&Co., $950

Driftwood Branches Tray Perfect for transforming a comfortable upholstered or leather ottoman into a “table� to set your drinks or magazines on! Each of the stylish trays from Notre Monde is a piece of art as well as a functional object. Choose your favorite design from the trays we have in stock or special order the one that is perfect for your family room. >> BeyondBlue Interiors, $200

Louis XIV Style French Figural Clock An exquisite finishing touch to a mantle or chest to create a rich and elegant look. >> Hunt & Gather Fine Estate Furnishings, $425

Vintage Vinyl Floor Cloths

Innumerable patterns and colors available in a wide range of sizes. Special orders also available! Can be used indoors or out. >> Affordable Chic Shops, $39 and up

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your guide to the most stress-free Holiday

E V ER by adam sobsey and Heather mallory

‘Tis the season of giving: thanks, gifts, charity – and parties. With the holidays comes the joyful conviviality of opening our doors to our friends and colleagues, and to the wider circles in which we travel throughout the year. This is itself a form of thanksgiving: gratitude for all the company we keep in life, from the office to the outdoors, confidantes to casual acquaintances.

The paradox of hosting parties, especially at the holidays, is that party planning and hosting can stress the host – and if the host isn’t having a good time, no one else will. We gathered ideas and thoughts from professionals in the business of hospitality, from décor to drink, on how to make your party the kind that people – including you – will be excited for every year.

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PLANNING

The best way to reduce stress is by planning ahead – “make a timeline and a checklist,” says Deborah Davis, the impresario behind Social Butterfly Events (socialbutterflyusa.com). Send invitations early.

“Although evites have become very popular,” says John Griffin of ThemeWorks (facebook.com/ themeworkscreative), a Raleigh mecca for party and event services and furnishings, “nothing beats receiving an invitation in the mail.”

If you’re unsure about party size, observe a trusty axiom: “Have a better party and fewer guests,” Davis says. If you are throwing a larger party, you may want to consider hiring an event planner. They won’t necessarily break the bank, conserving your budget for food, drink and décor while freeing you from many burdens. “Three hundred dollars is probably the most you’d need to spend,” Davis says.

THEME AND DÉCOR

Although professional opinions differed on some of the finer points, nearly all of them had this piece of advice for throwing a great party: keep it simple. “I find myself easily stressed when entertaining at home,” Griffin says. “Don’t overthink it. Decorations can be as simple as a beautiful wreath on the door and a decorated Christmas tree in your home.”

If you’re not using traditional seasonal decorations (e.g. Christmas or Chanukah), design still needn’t be complicated, nor should it be: too much fuss makes for a convoluted party.

Event planner Grace Beason (graceleisureevents. com) recommends “to think about your house and how it flows, and find a single element that ties it all together. It could be as simple as gold accents everywhere, even gold linens and flatware.” She also recommends CE Rental for their “really special, spectacular linens. They’re a really nice touch, and you don’t have to have as much floral décor.”

Don’t overthink it...Decorations can be as simple as a beautiful wreath on the door and a decorated Christmas tree in your home. - John Griffin, ThemeWorks

You’ll probably want some flowers, though, and The English Garden, Fresh Affairs, Kelly Odom, and The Watered Garden all come highly recommended. “You can also call people from your local garden club,” Deborah Davis says.

“They love making arrangements.” And there’s plenty of flora right in our backyards. “I like North Carolina’s natural greenery,” says Aldena Frye, whose Aldena Frye Floral and Event Design (aldenafryeflorist.com) is just outside Pinehurst. “We use magnolia, camellia, nandina. I also like vegetables and fruits.

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During the holidays I use a lot of red pears, and preserved dried oranges. You can brush them with a little bit of gold if you like.

And of course, being in the middle of pine country, we use a lot of pine.”

“If you want to do more décor using in-depth props,” Grace Beason says, “ThemeWorks is great. If you want to create a winter wonderland in your house, they have everything.

For something more chic and elegant, they can rent you a freestanding mahogany bar.” No matter what kind of bar you use,

Lighting is a simple, but often overlooked design element.

ThemeWorks’ Griffin advises “having it set up in one area and food set up in another. That allows guests to mix and mingle more naturally, and it seems to make the gathering more social and relaxed.�

It’s easy to overlook a simple but important design element: lighting. David Watson, the owner of Get Lit (getlitspecialeventlighting.com), says: “If you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars on dĂŠcor, flower arrangements and a

holiday cake that’s a work of art, spend 50 dollars on lighting so you can see it.�

Watson also suggests thinking about your home’s exterior – not just lighting it, but partying on it. “During the holidays in North Carolina,� he says, “it’s often warm enough to host a party outdoors.� (Rented heat lamps can compensate for colder temperatures.) “Often we’ll upwash trees in different colors, sometimes in blue that resembles winter light. Sometimes we’ll do the whole house. We can even make it snow with our little bubble machines.�

But do make sure you have plenty of candles – “you can’t go wrong with candles,�

Griffin says. Frye adds: “I believe candlelight is the best thing in the world. Well, maybe a martini is better, but candlelight is second-best.�

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

“If you get the food and drink right,� Beason says, “everything else tends to be okay.� For a smaller party, you can provide your own food, but Griffin suggests sticking mostly with “foods that are purchased ready to serve: cheese, nuts, and so on.� Beason agrees. “Around the holidays,� she

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says, no matter their usual diets, “people will eat cheese all night, especially specialty cheeses.” (But be wary of raw vegetables, which tend to be left largely uneaten.

Try grilled or roasted vegetables instead, which are more flavorful and partake of seasonal produce like winter squash.)

For any larger gathering, “find a great local caterer,” Beason advises. Among the many advantages to working with caterers – aside from relieving the host of the responsibility, which includes cleaning up the kitchen afterward – is that they can easily accommodate any level of cuisine and formality (and dietary restrictions), from simply dropping off food for you to lay out yourself to serving a fully staffed, multi-course, formal dinner.

Most parties fall somewhere in-between. “I find that people seem to enjoy a party more if it’s not a sit-down dinner,” Griffin says. The preference is for bitesized foods that guests can eat while standing. “You’re creating an atmosphere where people are grazing throughout the night,” Beason says. Also atmospheric are foods that “kick in the sense of the holidays,” says Daniel Whitaker, 70 | midtownmag.com

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“What kind of feeling does the food invoke when you taste it?”

Whitaker asks. At the holidays, “One bite, I’m back in my mother’s kitchen.” He likes to reimagine holiday-season flavors in canapes like turkey roulade: stuffing rolled up in sliced turkey breast and drizzled with gravy; or a stuffed crescent pastry dough topped with cranberry relish.

For beverages, hot punch makes sense for both seasonality and convenience (you can make it well ahead of time). Holiday parties are also great settings for wines that “offer voluptuous personalities and generous perfumes,” says Mic Finger of Wine Authorities (wineauthorities.com). His top pick is a Loire Valley Viognier, “De Butte en Blanc,” by Domaine Robert Serol. At just $11.99, it fits the party-giving bill: at the holidays, fine wine and liquor are unnecessary; drink is more an accessory to fun than serious sipping.

On that note, Finger also suggested an economical but good-quality three-liter box (equivalent to four bottles) of Chinon Rouge by Domaine Gouron. The Cabernet Franc-based wine is flavorful and intense but “isn’t massively full-bodied,” Finger says, making it easier on the palate and head (and better with finger foods) as the night goes on. And it’s good for parties because it can be decanted into attractive serving vessels of your choice.

Finger also suggested hard cider, whose fall flavors complement the season – especially pear ciders like Eric Bordelet’s, and the Poiré Domfront from Pacory: “a highly versatile, clean, refreshing crowd-pleaser,” Finger says. Ciders are also lower in alcohol, which tempers the more freewheeling drinking environment of the holidays.

Two ways to control that environment are to forgo hard liquor and to hire a bartender: “It’s not a big expense, and it’s so nice to have,” Davis says – a gracious and elegant service touch. “A bartender can also keep the beverage area neat and stocked,” Griffin

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adds.” If you’re having a long party, Davis recommends offering alternative transportation via a car service, perhaps even hiring students as drivers. “You want your guests to know that they can enjoy and leave your house without any problems.” (One note: if you do serve liquor, caterers aren’t licensed to sell it, although they can serve it; many have specialty cocktail recipes, which they can mix from liquor you purchase. You might also hire a company like Pour Bar Services (pourbarservices.com), which provides everything from purchase to pouring – and liability insurance coverage, as well.)

Hiring service staff is strongly encouraged. “I always like having a helper roam my home, keeping everything neat, picking up glassware, and keeping restrooms clean,” Griffin says. Of course, all reputable caterers will have a trained, unobtrusive staff that can give the entire night a pleasantly heightened, soigné feel.

ENTERTAINMENT

Most professionals agreed that entertainment generally isn’t necessary at the holidays. For example, “Live music is often distracting,” Griffin says. If you’d like to add that touch, Davis recommends finding some “talented high school seniors who could play as a duo or a quartet before the dinner hour.”

Generally, recorded music, played at lower volumes, suffices. Cheerful company and the high spirits of the season are the best entertainment and refreshment.

That’s a good way to approach the entire party, from music to munchies to mistletoe. Molly Rohde, of Seaboard Studio 123 in Raleigh, calls herself “the go-to girl for event planners, decorators and style mavens all over the state of North Carolina.” She recalls a major setback before a holiday dinner party years ago: “The Christmas tree fell over, half an hour before everybody came,” she says. “We just left it on the floor.”

But how to distract guests from such a catastrophe? She laughs and says, “Pour ‘em a drink.”

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Don’t forget the sweet stuff

BY ADAM SOBSEY photography by davies photography

For nearly everyone, dessert at the holidays means pumpkin and apple pie, Buche de Noel, and other sweets that evoke the traditional flavors of the season. Probably every holiday table should feature at least one of these; ultimately, we’re home for the holidays not least because we want its familiar comforts.

Nonetheless, Americans are nothing if not inventors and explorers.

Thanksgiving commemorates our intrepidity nearly as much as it celebrates our gratitude. We asked local pastry chefs for holiday dessert ideas off the beaten path. Not surprisingly, those paths had a way of leading them right back home.

Joey Boccio is sous chef at Sugarland in Raleigh (there is also a location in Chapel Hill), where there are numerous additions to the standard pie flavors. Sugarland bakes a holiday buttermilk pie and a sweet potato pie – although, Boccio notes, the “bumbleberry” (mixed berry) pie is a big seller all year. She also mentions Sugarland’s “cupcake ornaments”: They’re decorated with snowmen, snowflakes, and redgreen-gold color schemes, and rounded at the top to resemble real midtownmag.com | 73

SWISS - SMITH C L AUD I A H UG

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ornaments. (Don’t try to hang them on your tree, though.)

Boccio is from a large ItalianAmerican family on Long Island.

At holiday season she finds herself longing for one thing: “Rainbow cookies are the best thing in the world,” she says. “When I go home to visit, I take an extra suitcase.” At Sugarland, she bakes the cookies from her family’s recipe. Tricolor rainbow cookies resemble little layer cakes, and they’re deceptively complex and time-consuming to make. “You have to put jam between the layers and then put them in the fridge overnight, with weight on top of them,” she says – and make a ganache coating while you wait. “I will not give anyone the recipe!” she says, laughing – but she’s not kidding: these cookies are a family heirloom.

You can get them straight from her at Sugarland.

At The Cupcake Shoppe, owner Sara Coleman gets in on the big-flavor cookie action herself.

“We’re doing a new version of the standard peppermint bark this year called Christmas Cookie Bark,” she says, packing into one small but replete dessert “a sugar cookie base, chocolate drizzle, white chocolate and peppermint bits.”

Inventive confectionery in small packages typifies Coleman’s approach. “We do homemade marshmallows in festive flavors like cinnamon, peppermint, and vanilla bean,” she says. “In addition, we run a variation on the ‘cake pop’ in our homemade cheesecake pops! Inside the chocolate coating, we fill seasonal flavors like pumpkin-maple, sweet potato, eggnog and gingerbread.”

Just one bite of the right dessert can be plenty after a huge holiday meal – or as a pick-me-up while you’re out shopping for presents.

You might want to go for one of The Cupcake Shoppe’s chocolatepeanut-butter-oatmeal no-bake cookies: “My father’s favorite – my mom only made them at Christmas,” Coleman says. She grew up in nearby Hillsborough, and she and her desserts are at home in her Southern childhood: “Funny enough,” she says, “our best seller is our red velvet cake that my grandmother makes.”

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“Deprivation is not a good way to get through the holidays,” she says. “Treat yourself once in a while, but try to make healthy choices.” It’s true, “healthy” is a relative term over the holidays, but there are ways to minimize the damage. If you’re at a party and you want to drink alcohol, she says, choose wine or beer and also drink water instead of sugary, calorie-loaded punches.

“If you’re going to host a party, have some sweet treats, but have them be in really small serving sizes,” Kennedy says: brownies or little pieces of fudge, say, rather than whopping slices of cake.

Offer shrimp cocktail or lean cuts of meat and veggie or fruit trays, with richer, more savory dishes served in smaller portions. As for drinks, serve wine, light beer, and flavorful seltzer water such as the increasingly popular (and quite refreshing) La Croix.

SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS Eating and entertaining sensibly through November and December

By Corbie Hill The holiday season means a lot of things, but regardless of what you celebrate, it often means sweets, sweets and more sweets. It means parties and enormous portions of food, all while it’s too cold outside to reliably exercise. Yes, some of you go for runs or bike rides no matter the temperature or precipitation, but what about us mere mortals? What can we do to survive November and December with our health intact?

“Between Halloween and New Year’s, if people try to lose weight they are often setting themselves up to fail,” says Maria Kennedy, MPH, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian who runs a private practice in Cary. She’s not being defeatist, but realistic: it’s a season of celebrating, of seeing friends, and of gorging yourself in the process. The trick isn’t slimming down, then, but resisting that extra few pounds. “If you can maintain through that period of time, you’re doing great.”

There are ways, she says, of doing so without punishing yourself, and without wholly avoiding sweets and seasonal treats.

“You can make substitutions,” she says. “With baking, you can use three-fourths or one-half the amount of sugar.” If a recipe calls for mayonnaise, you can substitute plain Greek yogurt for half of it.

This admittedly diminishes the flavor, but you can make up the difference with garlic, onion, herbs and spices - just take it easy on the salt; for baking, you can make up the difference with extra vanilla extract and cinnamon. “I’m not advocating that everything be fat-free, but fat has calories,” Kennedy says.

If you’re invited to a potluck party, she says, bring a veggie tray with yogurt dip. This way, you have something to eat that you know is healthy. You can indulge on a treat or two, but fill up on your own dish. “You definitely shouldn’t go to parties where you don’t know what they’re going to have if you are starving,” Kennedy says. “You should eat a little bit before you go.”

“People tend to overeat when they’re stressed out,” Kennedy says. With many people simultaneously stressed and surrounded by fatty or sugary food during the holidays, it’s a perfect storm! Exercise lowers stress levels and, luckily, North Carolina’s mild climate ensures walkable days, even in the heart of winter. Otherwise, she says run in place, do jumping jacks or have a dance party with your kids.

To reiterate, moderation is key: “You’re better off having a few chocolate truffles – the rich, delicious version where you’re satisfied – rather than it be low-fat, low-sugar, low-everything and not taste like something you want to eat,” Kennedy says.

“Desserts, in particular – you’re better off splurging on the real deal and just having less of it.”

To learn more about Kennedy’s practice, visit mariakennedyrd.com. midtownmag.com | 75

Shrimp cocktail.

Skewers with marinated veggies and mini fresh mozzarella cheese.

Hummus and veggies. Offer different varieties, such as white bean, black bean or spicy hummus.

healthy party menu

Party menu ideas, via Maria Kennedy, MPH, RD, LDN

Guacamole and salsa with tortilla chips. Use chips with just a few simple ingredients: corn, oil, salt.

Fruit with Greek yogurt dip. Or veggies with Greek yogurtbased dressings or tzatziki sauce as dip.

Smoked salmon appetizers on whole grain crackers or bread.

Spinach stuffed mushrooms, made with mostly spinach and onion and a small amount of Parmesan cheese.

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PLUS...

• Spinach dip with whole grain crackers • Homemade turkey or lean ground beef meatballs • Party pinwheel sandwiches with roasted chicken or turkey

Getting into the spirit without getting into the spirits by corbie hill

There’s a scene in a 1997 episode of The Simpsons in which Duff Man, the spokesperson and mascot of fictional beer brand Duff, bursts into Moe’s Tavern, offering a bottomless glass of beer to town drunk Barney Gumble. That night, though, Barney is the designated driver, and he sits miserably on his stool while raucous partying erupts around him.

Many of us have been there, and many of us have gone to the opposite extreme, drinking more than we mean to at a party. Granted, alcohol brings on a pleasant buzz and many drinks taste great – I enjoy a mixed drink with dinner and a nightcap myself – but I’m increasingly wary of social drinking. It seems dangerous to so wholly conflate

drinking with fun, and this easily leads to overindulgence. More and more, when I go out I drink tea, Sprite, or La Croix. More and more I like keeping a clear head at parties and other social occasions. More and more I realize I’m not alone at this.

With Christmas and all the other November and December holidays come parties, dinners and family occasions. I’d like to keep my social alcohol intake to a minimum, though.

My mindset is simple: I don’t have to drink if I don’t feel like it – period.

It sounds simple, but it takes getting used to if you’re new to this.

Back when I first cut back, I had a hard time with it. We’d show up at a holiday party, and I’d feel self-conscious

saying “thanks, but I’m not drinking right now” when a friend offered me a beer. Nobody pressured me – it was all internal, associating social events or dinner parties with a drink or two.

It got easier with practice.

What helped was making sure I had a satisfying drink in hand. Water’s good for you, but a little too ascetic – it can feel like punishment. Why not try fancy water? La Croix or Perrier are satisfying, mature alternatives, and I occasionally even bring a few with me to a party.

If I want something with a bite to it, I drink real ginger ale – you know, the kind that’ll clear your sinuses for a week. The Bartender’s Bible’s section on nonalcoholic beverages contains some gems as well – one of my favorites, the Atomic Cat, is simply equal parts tonic water and orange juice, served over ice in a highball glass. I’ve found a tiny splash of bitters (yes, I know, this has a miniscule amount of alcohol) adds a distinctive flavor, particularly if you switch the tonic water out for club soda.

If someone hands me a drink, too, I know it’s okay to politely decline and hand it back – I didn’t ask for it, so I don’t have to drink it.

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Relative Ease

Making Peace With Family Holidays

By Jenni Hart

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I

n families already tested by poor communication, unrealistic expectations or strained finances, the holiday vortex can feel like the place where joy goes to die. No one is immune: New couples with competing in-laws, new parents whose baby is in high demand for cuddling, and families changed by separation or divorce all must navigate the season with its heady hopes for celebration and connection.

By the time a conflict surfaces, family members often find that tensions have been simmering for a long time, sometimes years. One way to avoid discord is to head off hurt feelings before they start.

Traditions Adina Middleman is a Raleigh therapist who advises couples to be proactive with one another at least several months in advance of family gatherings and communicate their holiday plans to other family members ahead of time. “I often say expectations are the nemesis of every relationship,” says Middleman, a licensed clinical social worker with New Hope Counseling. “This forward planning may require juggling time spent between families, deciding how to honor religious aspects of the holiday if applicable, and discussing food traditions.” In her practice, she sees conflicts arise when these issues are not discussed and the couple’s holiday traditions differ from those of the “first family,” or the family of origin.

Middleman says one member

of a couple may compromise his or her beliefs or traditions and begin to feel resentful. “We all know resentment can lead to arguments and emotional disconnection between couples,” she says. She suggests couples discuss priorities to decide which first family traditions mean the most and which can be compromised. Couples should also make their own traditions and remember to set aside time devoted to their new family at some point during the holidays.

Alicia (last name withheld by request) is a Cary wife and mother of three who says her marriage was so strained by her in-laws that there were a few years when only her husband was invited to visit his parents’ home at the holidays. “I let it go too far, and so did he, until every time we tried to fix the damage, it only made things worse,” she

says. Alicia got the impression early on that her husband’s parents didn’t welcome her or her two children from a previous relationship. “My daughters were excluded from activities the other grandchildren had planned for them,” she remembers. Only later did she realize there were misunderstandings on both sides that could have been handled differently. Alicia says her relationship with her mother-inlaw can still be prickly at times, but over the years, her daughters have enjoyed a loving relationship with their grandparents. The couple has since had another child – a son – and holidays with family are much more enjoyable than in those early years.

For Alicia’s family, relocating to North Carolina from her husband’s hometown in New Jersey was the catalyst that led to healthier interactions with his parents. “People

Timing When it comes to holiday celebrations, the timing of events can vary greatly between families of origin, even when members of a couple are of the same faith and have somewhat similar traditions. What time is the Thanksgiving meal served? When are presents exchanged? Which holiday service will we attend?

When are grandparents invited over? Middleman recommends couples iron out all these items in advance. Enter event details and times in a calendar accessible to everyone in the family to reduce miscommunication.

Finances Couples who are at odds over spending priorities throughout the year are likely to find those stresses magnified at the holidays.

“I never thought I would say that, but the kids are excited, and so am I” talk about boundaries, and I never understood what that meant exactly, but living hundreds of miles apart forced everyone to be on their best behavior and more thoughtful about how we treated each other,” she says.

Ultimately, Alicia admits she and her husband “had some growing up to do,” and that marriage counseling, which they sought for other reasons, helped them find more effective ways of communicating and managing conflict. Alicia says she’s looking forward to seeing her in-laws and their extended family at Christmas. “I never thought I would say that, but the kids are excited, and so am I,” she says.

Middleman recommends couples discuss expectations and budgets in advance. Spending on gifts is one consideration, but couples should also factor in the expense of travel when visiting family and friends, as well as food and beverages when hosting a party.

“Discuss expectations for gifts,” she says. “Some families purchase gifts for each family member, while others draw names and buy fewer presents. Do you expect ‘big ticket’ items to be exchanged, or are gifts not important to you at all? Communicate ahead of time, because no one wants to fight about money during the holidays.” midtownmag.com | 79

Families with older children may want to consider a weekend trip or even a local family outing in lieu of individual presents. Memories of fun times together can be more meaningful – and more economical – than purchasing multiple gifts for each member of the family.

Separation, Divorce, Stepfamilies Families that have recently been through a transition are bound to find the holidays challenging. The uncertainty and confusion children face when parents separate can be very unsettling. Psychologist Brian Mackey, of Cary’s 3-C Family Services, says parents should remember that children’s individual needs remain largely unchanged regardless of the changes in the family. “They still have strong needs for attention, love, entertainment and belonging during the holidays,” he says. “Traditions will change after divorce, but focusing on the child’s core needs and remaining flexible will make the transition easier to navigate.”

Dr. Mackey recommends parents think of creating stepfamilies as a process, not a single event. “With time, good communication, and love, new family members will learn to peacefully co-exist. Relationships and traditions are never replaced. The lost ones are mourned (for however long it takes), and new and different ones are formed,” he says.

In his experience, Mackey finds that adequate attention is the one need that children most often report is missing during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. With parties to plan, cookies to bake, errands to run, and other commitments, he says parents should be mindful that a child’s needs for attention are constant and may actually increase during the holidays. He adds that parents and stepparents should be patient with children as they adjust to new situations. Although children’s behavior and attitudes may seem to change quickly as they get used to new adults in their lives, deeper emotions and expectations can take longer to catch up. But there is reason to remain hopeful. “There is no set number of people they can care about, become attached to, or allow into their lives,” says Mackey. “Children have unlimited room in their hearts for love.”

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handmade holiday from gifts the

kitchen by sioux watson photography by davies photography

One doesn’t have to be adept in the kitchen in order to create perfectly wonderful holiday gifts; they can be as much fun to make as they are to receive. Edible gifts have the added benefit of always being the perfect gift for the friend that has everything or is hard to buy for.

While it is nice to give money or fancy gifts, no gift is more appreciated than those that are homemade. Gifts created in your kitchen and rustically labeled are unusual these days, and the time and effort you spend making them is a special way to show your friendship and love.

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Edible Gift Ideas

A gift from the kitchen does not need to be elaborate or made of costly ingredients; however, it should be a little out of the ordinary and something the receiver is not likely to make himself. Ideally, try to match the gift of food to the food likes of the recipient, and always make something that you yourself want to eat. ALWAYS make more than you need for your gift-giving!

My girls are grown and establishing holiday traditions of their own, yet I realize they continue to make some of the special baked goods we made together as a family when they were small. From an early age, one of their very favorite holiday cookies to make were anatomically correct gingerbread boys and girls. Nothing says good, clean family fun in the kitchen like rolling out gingerbread people and adding tiny boobies and penises out of gingerbread dough, then

brushing with beaten egg and shaking on sprinkles. Find a gingerbread (wo)man cookie recipe, buy small two-inch high boy and girl cutters, and get out the cookie sheets.

Bake time is a short six to eight minutes; once cool, place them in small clear bags with festive ribbons to hand out to friends and neighbors. I still make them and bring them to the annual neighborhood cookie exchange; they are always a hit for all ages.

Nancy, a neighbor who plays a lot of tennis and has a house full of children and dogs, is a great cook. Reliably she makes cranberry chutney each holiday season; she buys inexpensive decorative glass dishes or jars and gives it out from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. It is a favorite to serve on turkey sandwiches or any roast meats.

Chutney recipes are varied, easy, and the finished product can be kept in the refrigerator for months. Traditionally chutney is served with cold meats, cheese sandwiches or plowman’s lunch.

There are dozens of chutney recipes available online; last year I made Granny Smith apple chutney. midtownmag.com | 83

Spiced walnuts are so good, and though one can put them out for a healthy snack any time of year, I really only think about making them during the holidays. They are sold at Whole Foods, but if you love them, they are easy to make at home for a quarter of the price you pay, and they list the recipe on the Whole Foods website.

It is easy to make up a lot and give as gifts! Use jars you’ve saved during the year, or buy small plastic bags with a gold twist tie. Good, and good for you!

I use straight-up walnuts, but a mix of nuts is also fabulous.

Spiced Walnuts Ingredients 3 cups sugar 2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 ½ tsp chili powder ½ tsp ground allspice ½ tsp cayenne pepper 1 egg white 4 cups mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts,

almonds and/or pistachios) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk sugar, salt, cinnamon, chili powder, allspice and cayenne in a small bowl.

Whisk egg white until light and frothy in a large bowl. Add nuts to egg white and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle sugar mixture over nuts and toss well to combine. Spread nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake until dry, 40 to 50 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container.

Three-Five-Seven pepper jelly My mother and grandmother both made pepper jelly, and I believe they just used green or red peppers (one pepper jelly). I like a little zip to my jelly, so I buy a variety of additional 84 | midtownmag.com

hot and sweet peppers at the farmers’ market or local Latino grocery store.

Mix them up, using lots of jalapeños and whatever else looks good and fresh.

If you’re nervous about heat, refer to a guide to the heat of peppers such as can be found here: cayennediane.com/ big-list-of-hot-peppers.

The recipe below is fine as-is, or use a mixture of six to eight cups of chopped peppers. Yields six half-pint jars; double the recipe if needed.

Three-Five-Seven pepper jelly Ingredients 4 large green peppers, finely chopped ½ cup jalapeño peppers, finely chopped 1 ¼ cup cider vinegar 3 Tbsp low or no-sugar pectin 2 cups sugar 1 cup honey Combine green bell peppers, jalapeño peppers and vinegar in a large saucepan.

Gradually stir in pectin and bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down over high heat, stirring constantly.

Add sugar and honey. Return mixture to a full rolling boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band on until fingertiptight. Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Holiday spice bags for mulled cider or fragrant potpourri to make your whole house smell festive. You can buy the spices in bulk at local Asian or Indian markets. Make up a spice bag by placing 8 black peppercorns, 6 whole allspice berries, 6 whole cloves, 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, and 3 (3- x 1-inch) orange rind strips on a 5-inch square of cheesecloth. Gather the edges, and tie securely with kitchen string. Give sets of two to four spice bags in clear plastic holiday bags as a gift. Place directions on gift tag:

For Potpourri: Bring a spice bag and 4 cups water to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer 3-4 hours. Before parties, this will create a festive home fragrance. For cider: Heat up a ½ to one gallon of apple cider with one bag and keep on low heat to serve as festive nonalcoholic option for parties.

SANDLIN FAMILY LAW GROUP

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MIDTOWN magazine’s

holiday

giftguide 2015

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01. Sonicare Toothbrush $80 Renaissance Dental Center Includes two toothbrush heads and a two-year warranty. Get a healthier mouth with gentle technology.

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02. Necklace $1,095 Fink’s Jewelers IPPOLITA Rock Candy® stone and bead station necklace.

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03. Peacock Umbrella $22.50 Affordable Chic Shops Beautiful Peacock umbrella, automatic open and close! Also available in butterflies, eiffel tower and Monet print.

04. Lotion Candles $24 Davis & Pyle Plastic Surgery Handcrafted in Asheville, these premium lotion candles are made from rich botanical oils and shea butter that moisturize your skin and evoke the Blue Ridge Mountains’ florals, streams and trees.

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05. Faux Leather Tunic and Leggings

by THML $35-$64 Shop1842 at Saint Mary’s School Make sure this is on your Christmas list! Get this faux leather tunic and leggings accented by a handmade tassel necklace. Available at Saint Mary’s School or sms.edu/student-life.

06. Arno Link Bracelet $12,650 (pictured finished charm bracelet) Bailey’s Fine Jewelry 18K gold Arno Link bracelet adorned with 18K gold and pave diamond Angel Pendants.

Pendants available in multiple sizes for the ability to customize a one-of-a-kind bracelet.

07. Photo Accessories $20 and up Peace Camera Camera bags, travel accessories and lots of other goodies for your mobile lifestyle!

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08. Iittala Essence Wine Gift Set $50 BeyondBlue Interiors Delight everyone on your shopping list with this elegant gift from Finland. Two red wine glasses, an Ultima Thule glass bowl and a whimsical set of cocktail napkins.

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09. Regina Andrews Pattern Makers Gold Chandelier $575 Kitchen & Bath Galleries This gold chandelier has a simple elegance and unique shape. It might not fit in your stocking, but it is sure to light up your home this holiday season.

10. Barbour Fortnum Quilted Jacket $349 Kannon’s Clothing Men’s Store Smart and sophisticated, this sharply styled jacket is crafted with Barbour’s signature box-quilted outer and a 100-gram wadding that promises reliable warmth.

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11. Mark Roberts Fairies $45 and up The Galleria Raleigh Mark Roberts fairies and elves are a collector’s dream with their exquisite detail and design.

Each one has a personality of its own.

12. Aimez Birth Month Bracelets $65 Homewood Nursery Made of pewter with silver and gold overlays, celebrate bithdays with a flower symbolizing the month, as well the name of the flower engraved on the inside and three traits represented by the flower.

13. Ferrari 458 Evoluzióne Starting at $299,995 DRM Motorworx Exclusively tailored Ferrari 458 Evoluzióne by DRM! This widened performance variant is lowered on forged wheels and delivers a potent 700+hp! Tuned to perfection without limitations or sacrifice to quality. midtownmag.com | 89

14. A Christmas Carol Prices Vary Theatre in the Park Give the gift of holiday magic with tickets to see A Christmas Carol at Memorial Auditorium December 9th-13th or at the DPAC December 17th-20th. For more information visit theatreinthepark.com.

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15. Gift Basket $30 and up Tin Roof Teas Custom gift baskets for any tea or honey lover! Choose from a selection of accessories, teas and local honeys.

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16. Cashmere Topper $165 Lori + Lulu This beautiful cashmere topper by Claudia Nicole is available in 12 colors.

17. Yoxo $10-$50 Marbles Corner Store Yoxo is the sustainable, recyclable, made in the USA, invent anything you can imagine toy.

These award-winning building sets inspire kids to design and build their own toys using Y, O and X-shaped links that connect in countless ways with everyday household materials.

18. EltaMDÂŽ UV Clear BROADSPECTRUM SPF 46 $32 Bain Dermatology, Skin Cancer Surgery & Cosmetic Specialist Calm and protect sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts, rosacea and discoloration.

This product is paraben free and it contains ingredients that promote skin health.

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19. Graybill & Downs Collection Prices Vary DT&CO Real Estate & Interiors Inspired by native Atlantan Paul Byron Downs’ Southern-English heritage, the uniquely-fragranced, artisanal Graybill & Downs collection evokes the luxury of generations past with a modern sensibility, perfectly marrying old world and new.

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20. Quarter Zip Jacket $115 Bald Head Blues Great weight for 40-50 degree weather and the perfect fit with jeans or khakis.

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21. Maps by A. Jaffe Collection $125-$2,495 Diamonds Direct Crabtree Custom made pieces available in necklaces, bracelets or cufflinks that can be engraved with any location in the world – a diamond marks the spot of a favorite memory!

22. Candlesticks $250/pair Hunt & Gather Fine Estate Furnishings on Glenwood Avenue Brass and cut glass candlesticks by Global Views.

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23. Hot/Cold Therapy Spa Wrap $39.50 Lorena Luca Practical wellness solution for stress and pain relief in gorgeous pampering fabrics.

Constructed with a channeled, cotton muslin inner pack, filled with grains and lavender.

Microwave for heat, or freeze for cold therapy.

24. Redken Holiday Packs $23 and up Salon Blu Your favorite Redken products packaged in festive gift sets!

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25. BAIK BAIK Hawaii $15 BeaYOUtiful Butterfly Go green. Stylish, breathable and eco friendly. Add an infinity scarf to layer up an outfit today! So many colors to choose from.

26. Phloretin CF Gel $162 The Museum Spa & Laser Center, PLLC Winner of the prestigious 2013 Allure Best of Beauty Awards, and we love it because it’s the most important step in your skin care routine!

Prevent skin damage from the inside out. midtownmag.com | 91

27. Yeti Pendant $150 Swiss Smith Sterling silver 24K gold plated, mountain quartz from the swiss alps.

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28. Mailly Brut Reserve Gift Set $57.99 Total Wine & More A broad attack signals red berry, honey and underlying citrus flavors, then gathers itself with firm acidity and a chalky texture. This finishes on the dry side, with a lingering honey accent. 91 rated – Wine Spectator.

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29. Diamond Pendant $3,450 (top), $1,950 (bottom) Reliable Jewelry (top) Sapphire diamond pendant featuring one round blue sapphire weighing 2.25 cts surrounded by 1 ct of diamonds. The pendant and chain are 14K white gold. (bottom) The waterfall style sapphire diamond pendant features nine round blue sapphires totaling .90 ct and 28 round diamonds totaling .33 ct Pendant and chain are 14K white gold.

30. KEMESTRY $130 (purse), $20 (magnetic clips) BeaYOUtiful Butterfly All natural exotic leather purses, handmades in the USA. Add an assortment of interchangeable magnets or bracelet cuffs to personalize and make a statement.

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31. LUXEOIL $22 and up eSTĂŠe Salon Uses lightweight transform technologies that benefit hair inside and out, while protecting the keratin, leaving a light and smooth feeling to your hair.

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32. 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe Convertible Z51 2LT $74,850 and up Hendrick GM Southpoint The perfect combination of beautiful design, brilliant engineering and precision performance. Every element makes it the quickest, most powerful, most refined Stingray ever made. Test drive one today!

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33. Lifetime Candles $30 and up Tesoro Design at The Galleria Raleigh Lifetime Candles are a unique collection of oil candles with natural elements for any style of room. These beautiful handmade candles make a wonderful gift.

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34. Gold Lust Repair & Restore $97/pair Mark Christopher Salon Reawaken your hair to its glossiest, healthiest prime. This rejuvenating cleanser combines centuries-old healing oils and extract to balance the scalp and reinforce the inner strength of each strand. The ultra-hydrating conditioner softens and revitalizes, smoothing each cuticle to undo the damage of time.

35. Medi CEP Progressive Run Socks $60/pair Raleigh Vein and Laser Center Not just for runners! These compression therapy socks put a bounce in your step.

Many styles and colors available.

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36. The Nutcracker $10 and up City Ballet Share the magic of the holidays with tickets to City Ballet’s Nutcracker and watch as classically trained children dance alongside Carolina Ballet guest artists on December 11th and 12th at NC State’s Stewart Theatre.

For more info visit city-ballet.com.

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37. RétrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream $69 The Museum Spa & Laser Center, PLLC Give her the gift of younger-looking skin. A clinically proven intensive care visibly reduces the signs of aging with little to no irritation.

38. Coeur de Lion Jewelry $250 At Ease Signature cube necklace. Made of Swarovski crystals and handmade in Germany. Dozens of color combinations available. midtownmag.com | 93

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39. Metal Balance Toys $199/each Awesome Abode at The Galleria Raleigh Add charm, nostalgia and fun with Santa Sleigh Skyhook and Downhill Snowman Skyhook.

40. Antique Book Sets $35-$250 Revival Antiques Classic leather-bound, gilded, and marbled covered book sets featuring hand-colored and drawn illustrations from timeless authors, including Louisa May Alcott, Winston Churchill, T.S. Eliot, Rudyard Kipling, O. Henry, William Shakespeare and more.

41. Zand Amsterdam Skirt $69.99 and up BeYOUtiful Butterfly The “Zand Amsterdam” original snap skirt is reversible; no two are alike, and one size fits all. Give as the perfect gift for that girl who wants to be YOUnique.

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42. Arrojo Fierce Firm Hold Hairspray PLUM hair atelier A modern aerosol that anchors ponytails and chignons, buns and twists with firm hold and glossy shine.

43. Fur Jacket $6,500 Hertzberg Furs Dyed black/bleached sheared mink sections fox jacket.

44. Buddy Balls – Teammates Collection $24.99 GreenPea Baby & Child Dubbed the “best toy ever,” Buddy Balls combine your child’s favorite sport with a fuzzy pal that holds toys, snacks and more – complimentary gift wrap available!

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beauty Morea Plastic Surgical Center Look dazzling this holiday season for all of your parties and festivities. Schedule a visit with Dr. Morea at The Plastic Surgical Center of North Raleigh for Botox®, Restylane® or Perlane. 919.845.7880. www. drmoreaplasticsurgery.com.

ESCHELON EXPERIENCES Give the gift of great food with a gift card to one of our restaurant concepts; Mura @ North Hills, The Oxford, Cameron Bar & Grill, Faire Steak & Seafood, and Basan Bull City Sushi. Buy them in the restaurants or online at EschelonExperiences.com/Shop.

Raleigh Plastic Surgery Dr. Glenn Lyle introducesThermiTight, a safe and effective single treatment solution for skin laxity of the face, neck and body. So treat yourself this holiday season by looking younger and feeling better! Call our office to schedule a private consultation with Dr. Glenn Lyle.

919.872.2616.

Kamado Grille Kamado Grille is the first restaurant to cook exclusively on kamado-style grills. Enjoy our backyard cookout brought indoors, full-scale iPad ordering and the best flavors from around the world.

FOOD & DRINK Catering Works Catering Works offers cooking class gift certificates, the perfect holiday gift for foodies and cooking novices alike.

Classes include hands-on interactive instruction, all the ingredients and tools required, complimentary wine and lots of fun! www.cateringworks.com/classes_personal_ chef/classschedule.php.

Pulse Pilates Give the gift of fitness for the holidays! Buy a Pulse Pilates gift certificate and start the new year off right!

Purchases of $100 or more will recevie a free gift. www. pulsepilates.net, 919.758.8557.

north hills Live, work, shop, dine and play at North Hills! Drop by the North Hills Guest Services (also the Coldwell Banker HPW sales office), next to Vineyard Vines, and get your gift card today. Use it at almost any North Hills store, restaurant or salon.

Available in amounts up to $500. It’s the gift that’s the perfect stocking stuffer.

entertainment

North Carolina Theatre Give the gift of theatre! Gift certificates available in any amount for the remaining shows on our Blockbuster 2015/16 Season, including Disney’s Mary Poppins, TONY-Award winning Ragtime, and everyone’s favorite high-school musical, Grease!

OTB Fitness OTB Fitness has been built on helping every client achieve a more healthy and active lifestyle one session at a time. Give the gift of health and wellness. Get $25 off my Kick Start Program plus a FREE month ($100 value) of online training.

Shopping & Services

Synergy This holiday season, give the gift of relaxation and rejuvenation with a gift certificate to Synergy! From now until December 24th receive a complimentary manicure gift certificate with every $150 gift certificate purchase in person, over the phone or online at www.feelsynergy.com.

A STEP TO GOLD Did you say, “my special someone has everything...I don’t know what to buy her/him for Christmas?” Why dance?

Why not dance? Ballroom dance at A Step to Gold gives you social grace and the benefits of overall health and fitness.

Don’t wait any longer to jump in, we cannot wait to meet you!

health & fitness

MIDTOWN GRILLE Enjoy regionally-inspired, creative cuisine in an intimate dining setting or a cocktail after work in the heart of North Hills. www.themidtowngrille.com, 919.782.9463.

Second Empire Offering a holiday (and everyday) dining experience that combines an atmosphere of classical history and elegance with a selection of cuisine that is as exquisitely unique as it is delicious. www.second-empire.com, 919.829.3663.

Village Grill Let the Village Grill host your holiday party, office party or family get-together in our beautiful private dining room, or let us bring the party to you. Gift cards are available for a great holiday treat! www.villagegrillraleigh.com, 919.890.5340.

Cameron Clothing Co. Beautifully appointed ladies’ specialty store with an extensive sportswear collection, accessories and gifts. In beautiful North Hills. metro’s other woman® Give the gift of ‘freedom from chores’ this holiday season with a gift certificate from Metro’s Other Woman®.

919.523.3633 | www.metrosotherwoman.com

Travel Visit NC Concierge Give the gift of travel this year – it’s meaningful, it’s fun and it’s easy! Help create memories for friends and family with a $100 gift certificate toward an amazing trip in our state. To learn more call 919.302.0574 or email maryesther@visitncconcierge.com. www. visitncconcierge.com

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calendar ofevents

November/December 2015

Jump for the Children Horse Show benefiting Duke Children’s Hospital November 3-8 | 8am Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex 4601 Trinity Road | Raleigh jumpforthechildren.org 41st Annual “Visions of Sugarplums” Holiday Art and Gift Show November 5 | 9am-8pm November 6 | 9am-8pm November 7 | 9am-3pm Quail Hollow Swim Club 800 Orleans Place | Raleigh visionsofsugarplumsraleigh.com Film Screening: “Brewconomy” November 6 | 6:30pm NC Museum of History 5 E. Edenton Street | Raleigh 919.807.7900 | ncmuseumofhistory.org

Activate Good’s 7th Annual Couture for a Cause Fashion Show Fundraiser November 7 | 7pm Raleigh Convention Center 500 S. Salisbury Street | Raleigh activategood.org/coutureforacause/event

The Art of John Lennon November 13-14 | 12-7pm November 15 | 12-6pm The Mahler Fine Art 228 Fayetteville Street | Raleigh RSVP required: info@themahlerfineart.com 919.896.7503 | mahlerfineart.com

Fall Open House November 8 | 12:45-2pm Hosted by The Franciscan School Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi 11401 Leesville Road | North Raleigh admissions@stfrancisraleigh.org 919.847.8205

The Holiday Jingle Vendor Event November 14 | 12-4pm Center for Community Leadership 711 Hillsborough Street | Raleigh goodfellows.org

Holiday Cocktail Party November 10 | 6-9pm Catering Works 2319 Laurelbrook Street | Raleigh cateringworks.com

Fire, Form & Function!

November 6 | 6-10pm Local Color Gallery 311 W. Martin Street | Raleigh www.localcoloraleigh.com

Many Beautiful Things film screening November 6 | 7pm Holy Trinity Church 100 E. Peace Street | Raleigh beautifulthingsraleigh.com

North Carolina Wine Festival November 7 | 12-6pm City Market | 214 Martin Street | Raleigh 919.882.3733 | ncwinefestival.com winter Market November 7 | 10am-12pm North Hills Commons Local, seasonal produce, meats and baked goods. Every Saturday through the season.

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Ultherapy® educational event November 19 The Museum Spa & Laser Center 3633 Harden Road, #201 | Raleigh RSVP required 919.785.9696 or spa@specialistsinplasticsurgery.com Annual Tree Lighting at North Hills November 21 | North Hills The festivities will start at 4pm including live music, face painting, train rides and more.

Then Santa makes an appearance at 6pm to light the tree and visit with kids. www.northhillsevents.com

Many Beautiful Things Art Exhibition November 6 | 5:30-9pm Trinity House 549 N. Blount Street | Raleigh beautifulthingsraleigh.com

NC Symphony presents Beethoven’s 8th Symphony November 6-7 | 8pm Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 2 E. South Street | Raleigh 919.733.2750 | www.ncsymphony.org

Holiday Baking Class November 18 | 6-9pm | Catering Works 2319 Laurelbrook Street | Raleigh cateringworks.com

Holiday Market November 21 | 10am-1pm North Hills Commons Local ingredients for the holiday festivities, food truck, live music, and kids activities.

71st Annual WRAL Raleigh Christmas Parade November 21 | 9:40am Downtown Raleigh Cooking Class November 10 Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com 919.862.2770

Holiday Open House Hunt & Gather Fine Estate Furnishings November 21 ( 10am-6pm) November 22 (12-5pm) 8724 Glenwood Avenue | Raleigh 919.787.4288 | huntandgatherraleigh.com

Urban Ministries Stone Soup Supper November 12 | 5:30-7:30pm NCSU’s Talley Center 3610 Cates Avenue | Raleigh 919.836.1642

20th American Indian Heritage Celebration November 21 | 11am-4pm North Carolina Museum of History 5 E. Edenton Street | Raleigh 919.807.7979 | NCMOH-programs.com

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Holiday Pops with The North Carolina Symphony November 27 | 7:30pm November 28 | 3pm Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 2 E. South Street | Raleigh 919.733.2750 | www.ncsymphony.org Cooking Class December 1 Saint-Jacques French Cuisine 6112 Falls of Neuse Road | Raleigh saintjacquesfrenchcuisine.com 919.862.2770

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Boyce Tree Farms Weekend Sale December 5-6 | 8am-5pm Boyce Tree Farms 2813 Mount Vernon Church Road Raleigh | goodfellows.org Raleigh Jingle Bell Run/Walk December 5 | 9-11:30am Saint Mary’s School 900 Hillsborough Street | Raleigh 919.250.0433 | www.jrb.org/raleigh A Baroque Christmas with The North Carolina Symphony December 4-5 | 8pm Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 2 E. South Street | Raleigh 919.733.2750 | www.ncsymphony.org

Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular with The North Carolina Symphony December 18 | 8pm December 19 | 3pm and 8pm Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 2 E. South Street | Raleigh 919.733.2750 | www.ncsymphony.org NC Symphony presents New Year’s Eve in Vienna December 31 | 8pm Meymandi Concert Hall at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts 2 E. South Street | Raleigh 919.733.2750 | www.ncsymphony.org

“A Colonial Christmas” Open House December 5 | 11am-4pm Presented by Joel Lane Museum House 728 W. Hargett Street | Raleigh 919.833.3431 | joellane.org Visits with Santa December 5, 12 & 19 | 1-5pm Located at the Christmas Tree Lot www.northhillsevents.com A Christmas Carol December 10-15 Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts at Memorial Auditorium 2 E. South Street | Raleigh dukeenergycenterraleigh.com The Nutcracker presented by City Ballet December 11 | 7pm December 12 | 11am and 3pm NC State’s Stewart Theatre 2610 Cates Avenue | Raleigh Seats start at $10 city-ballet.com/event/nutcracker Holiday Cafe and Bake Sale December 3-4 | 11am-7:30pm Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 5000 Leadmine Road | Raleigh www.holytrinityraleigh.org

Christmas at Christ December 12 & 13 Christ Baptist Church 400 Newton Road | Raleigh 919.573.5454 | christbaptist.org

Let It Snow!

December 4 | 6-10pm Local Color Gallery 311 W. Martin Street | Raleigh www.localcoloraleigh.com

Raleigh Boychoir’s Millennium Singers December 13 | 4pm Page-Walker Arts & History Center 119 Ambassador Loop | Cary 919.460.4963 | friendsofpagewalker.org

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

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An Uncluttered

Christmas Giving thoughtful gifts without giving stuff

By Corbie Hill

My name is Corbie Hill and I have enough stuff.

In the interests of honesty, there are always other things I want, sure – another guitar or two, a slightly larger house, a Star Trek uniform for every day of the week (don’t judge) – but I don’t actually need anything. So when Christmas comes around and people inevitably ask me what I want, I never have an answer.

I’m an adult. I have enough stuff.

Considering the long post-Christmas lines at stores’ return counters, I get the feeling I’m not alone. What I do want, though, is experiences.

If you want to get me something, get me a memory that’ll stay with me indefinitely – I can’t think of a finer gift. So if you’re like me, or if you’re figuring out Christmas gifts for people like me, maybe this is the way to go.

Dinner party You do know how to cook, don’t you? No matter, even if you don’t you can throw a memorable dinner party – something your friends will remember and probably get more satisfaction out of than a scented candle or a winter shirt that you hope is the right size. Some people like small get-togethers with just two families, while others gravitate toward bustling parties, so you may have to throw more than 98 | midtownmag.com

one. Why not, though? Your friends and family are worth it – and good food is, too.

Back to the matter of cooking, then: if you’re not all that proficient in the kitchen, you can make it a potluck. Tell your guests that the party is your gift to them and that they shouldn’t feel obligated to give you anything in return – just bring a dish. If you love to cook and would like total control over what comes out of your kitchen (it’s okay, I’m that way, too), then that’s fine – friends who want to contribute can always bring drinks, games, or music.

Favorite book extended loan You do have a favorite book, don’t you? I’ve been delving into nonfiction lately – Jon Krakauer, John Cleese and Anne Garrels have all written rewarding books, as I see it – but I find myself getting to the end of one of these and not having anyone to discuss it with! This was a real shame with Norman Ollestad’s Crazy For the Storm – I’m still looking for someone who will talk about that one with me.

This Christmas, make a list of friends and family members, then go through

your bookshelves and match books to people – the folks you know and love, after all, deserve reading material you know and love. Loan the book out, no strings attached.

Once it’s been read, meet up and discuss it!

Trip Go and do! Even if you and a friend split the expense of going somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, it can still be the way you celebrate the holidays – it can still be a gift.

Matching tattoos No, scratch that – it’s a horrible idea.

Concerts Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill boast world-class entertainment, both on weekdays and weekends. Over the course of November and December, Daryl Hall and John Oates and John Prine play DPAC in Durham, the North Carolina Symphony presents

Beethoven’s 8th and Rachmaninoffs’ Symphony No. 2 in Raleigh, and Chapel Hill’s legendary, longstanding Red Clay Ramblers play three successive nights at the Cat’s Cradle Back Room in Carrboro! In the heart of Pinehurst, the Village Chapel’s free Christmas Concert is December 6th at 4pm and features traditional carols, the sixmovement Christmas Cantata, and a piece Village Chapel Director of Music Stephen Gourley wrote specifically for the concert.

So even if there’s a drive involved, pick a friend or two and go see a concert together. If you’re in a position to cover everyone’s tickets, go for it, but don’t feel obligated – just suggesting it and offering to drive may be enough.

Childsit Have friends with young kids? Give them a night out. Simply offering to watch their children for a few hours so they can go out to eat, catch a movie, or simply sit and stare blankly into space is a gift they won’t soon forget. Got friends with dogs? Offer to keep their friendly beasts for a weekend so they can go out of town without worrying about a kennel or paid pet sitter.

Learn to ride, learn to climb, learn to skydive... skydive?

Learn a new skill with a friend, with your spouse, or with anyone you enjoy spending time with. The Sandhills is horse country, so learn to ride!

Morrisville has the Triangle Rock Club, so learn to climb! Take piano lessons together, or something along those lines.

These things can seem less daunting with a friend, after all. midtownmag.com | 99

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n a C u o Y w o H nce e r e f f i D a e Mak ife L s ’ e n o e m o in S

rchetti

By Carla Tu

It is often said that it is better to give than to receive, and that is especially true during the holiday season. Raleigh is filled with opportunities to give back to the community, whether you are looking to donate items, money or your time. Here are a few of the organizations that would love to share the spirit of giving with you this holiday season.

Wake County Holiday Cheer Wake County Human Services pairs individuals and families with sponsors for its Holiday Cheer program of meals and gifts. The hallmark of this effort is that the sponsors and recipients are geographically matched and actually meet for the gift exchange.

“One of the things that sets Holiday Cheer apart from similar holiday programs in the area is that we let the sponsors have a relationship or have a meeting with the people they are helping,” says Denise Kissel with Wake County Human Services. “A lot of the other programs – you throw a toy in a bin and you really never know where it goes or never see the person that ends up with it.”

Last year 2,500 people were assisted by Holiday Cheer volunteers.

“The format is a little bit different.” Kissel says. “It sets us apart and it is really for people who want that level of commitment to the project.”

Most of the Holiday Cheer recipients are families with young children, but there are also many adults who are 18 and older with physical or cognitive impairment and no family support who are in need of sponsors. The application to be a sponsor is on the Human Services website. The agency also gladly accepts financial contributions for the program as well as gift cards for gas, groceries, and retail outlets.

Wakegov.com/humanservices Urban Ministries Urban Ministries of Wake County has a 35-year history of engaging the community in struggles against poverty, homelessness and a lack of health care. During the holiday season the organization has a wish list of items that can be donated to be passed on to their clients.

Urban Ministries hopes to have 300 turkeys donated for Thanksgiving meals. Turkeys need to be dropped off at their Food Pantry at 1390 Capital Boulevard in Raleigh by Friday, November 20th. They are looking for hams and chickens as well.

Urban Ministries also provides clients with holiday meals in boxes.

There are specific guidelines on what goes into each box, from the gift card for the main course to the cake mix for dessert. The complete list of what goes in the boxes is on the Urban Ministries website. Their hope is to receive 300 filled boxes.

In addition to accepting food donations, Urban Ministries offers an opportunity to give a gift in someone else’s honor. For every donation of $5 or more, a special acknowledgement card with a holiday scene is available that lets the recipient know a gift to Urban Ministries has been made in his or her honor. www.urbanmin.org midtownmag.com | 101

Note in the Pocket Note in the Pocket provides gently-used clothing for impoverished and homeless children in Wake County. The group’s mission is to clothe children in dignity and love so that their educational and social development isn’t stunted by not having the right thing to wear to school.

The majority of the clothing is donated and can be collected through organized clothing drives.

“During the holidays most people are looking for something to do individually or as a family, or with their work families, civic and religious groups,” says Dallas Bonavita, Executive Director of Note in the Pocket. Clothing drives are a great way to gather resources for Note in the Pocket, but Bonavita prefers that individuals or groups coordinate with the staff to collect what is needed the most.

“A collection of new or gently-used tennis shoes are items that can be used immediately, whereas a donation of a hundred bags of summer clothing and shoes, though appreciated, are less helpful immediately and are timeconsuming to sift through to find the items our students need right now,” Bonavita says.

The Note in the Pocket website lists immediate needs, and Bonavita says during the holiday season the group can always use new socks and underwear, tennis shoes and other warm shoes, fall and winter coats, and gift cards to local retailers like Target or Old Navy so that volunteers can purchase gaps in the inventory. Note in the Pocket is also looking for volunteers to work in the donation center, especially during weekday hours. And the website also features an easy button to make a donation.

“Monetary donations are the gas in our engine,” Bonavita says.

Note in the Pocket got its name because its founder, a schoolteacher, sent some of her under-dressed students home in warm coats. But the coats were often returned to her the next day. So she began tucking a note in the pocket so the family would know the coat was theirs to keep. Now each bag of clothes is packed with a note that reads, “you are loved”.

Noteinthepocket.org Goodfellows This year 65 children in Wake County will take part in a day to remember. The youngsters, ages five through eight, will be treated to Goodfellows Day by the Raleigh Jaycees. Each child has a personal chaperone for a day that begins with shopping for clothing basics at Belk's in the Crabtree Valley Mall, moves to the 1705 Prime Restaurant for music and dancing, and culminates with a visit from Santa bearing presents.

The Jaycees have been hosting Goodfellows Day in Raleigh for 80 years. It began as a way to help children caught in the grips of the Depression and has evolved to serve children with modern-day needs.

The day costs the Jaycees $40,000, and they are dependent on corporate and private donations to provide it all. A $300 donation will cover the cost of Goodfellows Day for one child, but all donations are appreciated.

Goodfellows.org Raleigh Rescue Mission The Raleigh Rescue Mission serves women and children needing emergency shelter, as well as men and women with life-controlling issues. Their holiday needs are so plentiful, the Mission has a special tab on its website titled “Holiday Volunteering”.

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The opportunities include delivering Christmas Eve dinners for the Gobbles to Go program, which provides a holiday meal for needy families and elderly shut-ins. When the meal is delivered, volunteers also leave a Groceries to Go bag, stocked with pantry staples. The specific request list for those grocery items is on the website and includes things like instant oatmeal and peanut butter and crackers. Individuals, families or groups can fill these bags and deliver them to the Rescue Mission.

The Rescue Mission also offers a Christmas Blessing Gift program where individuals or groups can take a tag with a gift request written on it, fulfill the wish, and bring the packaged gift to the Raleigh Rescue Mission. The Rescue Mission says this is a great activity for individuals, families or groups, and it can also be a resource for churches gathering items for an “angel tree”.

The tags can be obtained through email or postal service mail.

And all throughout the year, the Raleigh Rescue Mission encourages individuals and groups to collect items for Tubs of Love. These are items collected by theme and delivered to the rescue mission in reusable plastic tubs with lids. The Mission website has suggestions for possible themes, ranging from beauty products to children’s snacks.

Raleighrescue.org InterAct InterAct in Raleigh provides safety and support for victims and survivors of domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault.

In many cases mothers flee dangerous situations and bring themselves and their children to InterAct.

In December, InterAct hosts a special Holiday Bazaar shopping day for those moms and their kids. Mothers are able

to select presents for their children and the children are also able to pick out something for their mothers. Family photos are taken as well.

InterAct is accepting donations of new toys and gifts for the Holiday Bazaar and is also in need of volunteers to prepare for this special shopping day.

Interactofwake.org Capital City Clauses The nonprofit Capital City Clauses is dedicated to stocking the Salvation Army of Wake County with toys at Christmastime for children in need. This year on December 9th, the Capital City Clauses will once again hold the fundraising Jingle Ball at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

The Capital City Clauses are also the beneficiaries of hundreds of toy drives held by surrounding businesses each year. After the toys are collected they are sent to the Salvation Army, where families come and “shop” for the holidays. There is more information about buying tickets to the Jingle Ball or hosting a toy drive on the group’s website.

Capitalcityclauses.org

Opportunities to give to others are plentiful during November and December. You and your children may decide to shop together for groceries for a family who is hungry. Or maybe you and your colleagues will launch an office-wide effort to bring gifts to an entire family. There is no shortage of ways for you to wrap the community in the spirit of giving this holiday season.

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Ultimate

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midtowndowntown

The Final

Countdown First Night Raleigh 2016 To Celebrate City Firsts

By Karlie Justus Marlowe Photography by Davies Photography

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“Did you know North Carolina is first in salamander diversity?”

asks Terri Dollar with a laugh, before reeling off a list of other unique ways the state and its capital city earns top bragging rights.

As program director of First Night Raleigh, the annual New Year’s Eve celebration held in downtown Raleigh, Dollar’s expertise in this area has grown over the last year as she’s fleshed out the festival’s 2016 theme.

“The event’s footprint is always similar, but we have a new theme every year,” she said. “This year is Celebrating NC First, all about the unique and quirky ways North Carolina is first or number one.”

The event’s signature lies somewhere in the intersection of tradition and innovation, marrying New Year’s Eve staples like fireworks, countdowns and resolutions with fresh combinations

First Night

Highlights

First Night programs its events based on what it dubs the “four pillars of First Night”: Celebration, Community, The New Year and The Arts. Here’s a taste of some of the highlights in the works for First Night 2016.

The People’s Procession A vital part of the annual festivities, the 6pm People’s Procession bridges the night’s children’s activities near the Capitol Grounds with their grown-up counterparts over at City Plaza. Families can use First Night’s decorating stations to jazz up wagons and strollers before walking over to the early countdown and fireworks at 7pm.

Send Your Regrets Everyone has a resolution – but what about letting go of all those regrets? Last year, Father Time walked around with a bag for visitors to write down their regrets before throwing them away. This year, First Night plans to take that one step further: Burn them (safely!) at a flaming art installation.

Eight Holes of Art It’s common knowledge North Carolina was the location of the Wright brothers’ flight tests and is home to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, but under the radar the state can also lay claim to having the first-ever miniature golf course. In keeping with its Celebrating NC First theme, First Night commissioned nine local artists to each design a mini-golf green that will make

of art, music and theater. Since 1992, First Night Raleigh has served as eastern North Carolina’s biggest celebration of the New Year, drawing tens of thousands of people each year from across the state and southeast.

The family-friendly (and boozefree) event predates downtown Raleigh’s recent boom, and has seen bumps in attendance in recent years as more businesses and residential buildings have opened.

“Downtown Raleigh has become so much more accessible. In the past, people were apprehensive about coming downtown late at night,” said Dollar, who expects at least 50,000 to make it out this year. “We don’t hear

for a very unique – and fully functional – New Year’s Eve puttputt course.

First in Flight Like its theme, the celebration itself accomplished a few firsts.

In 2011, it brought a Ferris wheel to downtown Raleigh for the first time, the same ride used a few months earlier at the NC State Fair.

The ride remains an essential stop, especially, according to Dollar, for marriage proposals.

those comments anymore.”

Dollar and the two other full-time First Night Raleigh staffers split their time between the New Year’s Eve festival and the annual Artsplosure, another downtown festival held each spring that aims to marry art and community for people of all ages.

“When First Night first came to Raleigh, we knew it’d be key for the organizers to know how a festival runs,” said Dollar, who notes the event is part of a national First Night organization that got its start in Boston in 1975. “The city really cares about its success, and we now have one of the biggest, best and longestrunning First Nights in the world.” midtownmag.com| 111

Tips

Countdown

Covering nearly every corner of downtown Raleigh and introducing new events each year, First Night can be overwhelming for first-time visitors and veterans alike. Make the most of the festivities by planning out the night in advance of midnight’s acorn drop.

5. Download the app First Night marketing manager Cameron Laws updated the official smartphone app to include geo-located push notifications that will help the app pull double duty as both a pre-planning tool and an on-site navigator.

4. Grab tickets early Tickets go on sale December 1st, online at firstnightraleigh.com and at Harris Teeter and CVS locations.

3. Draft a second-string lineup Pick out the must-see events and performances, then keep a back-up list in case the crowds fill up or companions drift or linger. Admission to performance sites is on a first-come, firstserve basis, and programs start at the scheduled times.

2. Park (or ride) smart Check out the color-coded parking maps of downtown Raleigh, and park where you plan to end up. Better yet, take advantage of the free R-Line Downtown Circulator (until 2am) and the First Night Raleigh Tram (operating 7-11pm with a First Night ticket), and the CAT Park and Ride locations to the north and south (regular CAT fares apply).

1. Dress in layers Even in late December, the notoriously tricky North Carolina weather can mean mild temperatures at the start of the event that quickly turn chilly as the sun goes down. The festivities go on rain or shine, so bring along ponchos and umbrellas if the forecast looks soggy.

Planning for the year-end event starts well before the weather turns colder, sometimes starting during First Night itself.

“I’m already planning the next First Night while I’m at the event each year,” said Dollar. “I’ll walk around and think, ‘oh, that’s great! Let’s do that again!’ and ‘Hmm, not doing that again next year.’”

In the fall, Dollar and her staff work with contractors to finish booking each of the event’s 35 venues, pairing artists and performers with plazas, churches, museums, theatres, bank lobbies and street corners throughout two dozen blocks of downtown Raleigh. The festival aims to balance out annual traditions – “It’s interesting to see how important traditions are for people on New Year’s Eve, they want to stick to them,” notes Dollar – with new twists on the theme.

“There are so many amazing, amazing things about Raleigh and North Carolina, and we want to celebrate the positive and fun things,” said Dollar. “Sometimes after Christmas can be sort of a downer, and we try to make sure there’s something to look forward to.”

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midtowndowntown

Top in Taps By the Numbers, Raleigh Beer Garden Breaks Records and Expectations

By Karlie Justus Marlowe Photography by Davies Photography

Raleigh Beer Garden really takes the classic “99 bottles of beer on the wall…” earworm to the next level.

Since opening in downtown Raleigh’s Glenwood South district in July, the bar and restaurant – dubbed “the Garden” by staff and regulars – has held the world title for the most individual taps under one roof, a mecca in a beer-obsessed town where bottle shops and breweries (and sanctions restricting late-night patio drinking) seem to pop up overnight.

As the latest venture from restaurateurs Niall Hanley and Cliff Bleszinki, Raleigh Beer Garden’s novelty doesn’t end at its deep draft list: By the numbers, here’s a look at its unique additions to the Raleigh bar scene.

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35 Height, in feet, of the tree inside the Raleigh Beer Garden’s entrance. Towering above the first-level spirits bar, the Pin Oak Tree makes for an impressive entry right inside the door.

Sourced by Ronnie Parrish of Parrish Tree Services, the tree was rebuilt inside “to implement more of an outside feel into the interior of the space and add to the uniqueness of the space in the front,” according to director of marketing and events Frank Bloom.

Its rustic charm echoes the ship-lapped wooden walls but strikes a contrast to the metal shelves housing the bar’s only liquor selection, which requires a rolling ladder to reach the top and goes by the nickname of “Spiritual.”

“Spiritual was created because we felt like there are many patrons that are going to come to the Garden looking for something with a little more of a kick to it aside from craft beer,” said Bloom.

366

Number of draft beers on tap* This number comes with an asterisk, as it’s always being updated on the Raleigh Beer Garden’s online Taphunter menu, which tracks the beer selection in near real-time. The digital menu breaks up beers by type and by Bottom Bar, Top Bar and Rooftop Bar offerings, and can be accessed on the Taphunter app available for iPhone and Android.

“It’s the world’s largest draft beer selection custom built under one roof – that’s the most unique feature,” said Bloom.

At the bar, the draft list towers over the taps on digital screens over the heads of busy bartenders, listing out brews from Triangle locals like Big Boss and Lonerider and national and international names big and small.

What to do if the options prove overwhelming?

“Have an open mind,” suggests Bloom.

“If your favorite beer is not available or it ran out as you were coming to the bar, explore the vast options in that style or another style – you may discover something you like that you didn’t have the opportunity to try out on draft til you came to the Garden.” midtownmag.com| 115

3

Levels of indoor and outdoor space Raleigh Beer Garden’s three levels span 8,900 square feet inside, with an additional 12,000 square feet of outdoor space filled with bench seating shaded by umbrellas.

In the winter, a gas log fireplace will serve as a centerpiece outside, and radiant heater stands will warm up patrons throughout the outdoor seating.

Up top, the roof bar makes up for a smaller drink selection with its herb garden: Fresh herbs go straight into the cocktail list and are also used in a few of the food dishes.

four Different bars with different drink lists At Raleigh Beer Garden, cocktails can only be ordered at the firstfloor cocktail bar, and the same goes for the first-level’s North Carolina beers bar and the second floor’s “from the rest of the world” selection. The rooftop’s smaller beer list offers a mix of both.

“Craft beer in North Carolina is such a strong draw, and also a national up-and-comer in the

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beer scene, that it was a perfect opportunity to highlight that upward trending brand that is NC craft beer,” according to Bloom.

One thing all four bars have in common: Each was made from sawmilled pecan trees from the property when it was being converted into the Raleigh Beer Garden – milled onsite, kiln-dried for many months and brought back in as the countertops and bar tops, as well as a few of the cocktail tables.

26

Menu items to pair with your beer The draft list gets most of the love, but Raleigh Beer Garden’s kitchen serves up popular items like beer-battered fried pretzels and handcrafted pizzas, and many are natural mates to the beers on tap.

“There are a lot of great pairing options,” says Bloom. “Some of the darker, heavier stouts and porters coming up in the colder months are great alongside the Charcuterie plate.”

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Cameras

The iPhone selfie has taken a bite out of high-end camera purchases, and camera technology on cell phones is now off-the-charts good. It’s still not for the professional photographer, but 99 percent of folks are happy snapping away on their phone without the hassle of looking for a camera case when they see a deer on the side of the road or their infant is stacking blocks for the first time.

gifts

disappearing

Holiday Giving Takes

“Technology Twist”

By Dave Droschak

In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a recent shift in holiday gift giving, mostly because of the proliferation of technology and the increasing power

Cold Hard Cash

You remember the green stuff, correct? Sure, just like in the Seinfeld episode when Jerry gives Elaine money for her birthday, cash can be somewhat impersonal, but it worked when in an “idea pinch.” Now, even grandma is replacing cash with plastic gift cards – anything from sporting good stores to your favorite restaurant. These cards have proliferated supermarkets and drug stores, and are a painless purchase.

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of online purchases. Some offerings that were staples for years have slowly been on the decline or are beginning to disappear faster than a glass of eggnog.

Here is a look at some of those gifts and even a new idea or two to consider.

GPS Devices

The price of these items has tumbled over the last five years as map applications on already- charged cell phones are stateof-the-art and provide immediate satisfaction.

Sporting Event Tickets

Once a neat and thoughtful gift, “in-person� sporting events have taken a hit by the proliferation of games tht are available on high-definition cable TV or via the Internet streaming.

And with the new curved televsions and monster 70-inch screens, being at home is almost as good as being there.

Daily Deal Sites

This is part of the online purchasing phenomena that

continues to increase each passing holiday season. Why not purchase a gift card from Groupon or LivingSocial and provide your loved one with double or triple their buying power?

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health and fitness in the new year

1

Midtown Reviews | Bain’s Beat | Calendar of Events | Healthy You on the scene | Midtown Mingles | and much more!

midtownmag.com| 121

Do you have your exercise

?

goals set for 2016

How about running a series of races and qualifying for an awesome year-end award and lunch at Second Empire Restaurant for the Awards Banquet?

It is an achievable goal, plus a lot of fun along the way…it is the Second Empire Grand Prix Series

The Second Empire Grand-Prix Series is about much more than running. Each event has a strong charitable component and supports a worthy local organization.

Each year over 10,000 people’s feet hit the streets in support of these causes, and hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised. Let’s continue to raise the bar.

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midtownmingles

young ambassadors kickoff

Bald Head Blues grand opening

A blast was had celebrating the grand opening of the Bald Head Blues retail store in Five Points. Three local Raleigh designers, Claude Pope of BHB, Kate Jackson of Native, and Charlotte Guice of Olly Oxen all came together to bring Five Points high quality apparel for men, women and kids.

On August 19th, Jason and Lauren Smith, owners of 18 Restaurant Group, hosted a Young Ambassadors Kickoff event at 18 Seaboard.

The SAFEchild Young Ambassadors are a group of young professionals working to help eliminate child abuse and neglect in Wake County.

pitchin’ for wishes

On October 10th, the Pitchin’ for Wishes cornhole tournament was held at Midtown Park in North Hills. The event, hosted by Andrew Roby, Inc. and The Select Group, raised more than $30,000 for Make-A-Wish® Eastern North Carolina. Children enjoyed a bouncy house, face painter, magician, local mascots, Star Wars characters and much more!

wine women & shoes

October 8th, The 2015 Wine Women & Shoes event took place. The event benefitted Communities In Schools of North Carolina. Guests sipped, shopped, and supported a cause that impacts thousands of students across North Carolina.

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Beers & Gears

On October 9th, Marbles Kids Museum held the Beers & Gears event. Attendees enjoyed brews, bikes, blast-fromthe-past games, human foosball, a photo booth and much more during the occasion. The event raised $14,451 to support play-based learning at Marbles Kids Museum.

wakemed foundation

On October 13th Kristin and John Replogle and Molly and Michael Painter hosted a cocktail party for the WakeMed Foundation. The night featured special remarks by Thad McDonald, MD, Medical Director with WakeMed Physicians Practices – Women’s Services about the hospitals impact on the community. Over 75 guests enjoyed engaging conversations, hors d’oeuvres and fellowship. midtownmag.com| 127

midtownmingles

farmstock 2015 Ribbon cutting

On October 13th, Capital Investment Companies held a ribbon cutting to celebrate their recent move to Midtown. For over 28 years, Capital Investment Companies was located in downtown Raleigh, but will now call North Hills its home!

On September 27th, Farmstock 2015 celebrated local farms, food, music, drinks and dance! Raleigh City Farm, Locals Seafood and many others teamed up with some of the best chefs in Raleigh, all committed to supporting local farms, to serve up uniquely local gumbos.

sky party

9th annual north hills 5k

On September 12th, Trinity Baptist Church, Smith Debnam and other community sponsors hosted the 9th Annual North Hills 5K. The yearly charity event raised money this year for BackPack Buddies, a program of North Raleigh Ministries providing healthy meals for at-risk school-aged children in North Raleigh. The event was part of the Get Moving Midtown fitness program of activities. Get Moving Midtown also has a DINE-OUT program, through which many local restaurants can also support BackPack Buddies.

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SkyHouse Raleigh helped celebrate the end of summer with a SKY Party. Sponsored

by Davis & Pyle Plastic Surgery, residents and guests enjoyed food by Wandering Moose, drinks by Common 414, and games by Level Up. DJ Bunn provided music while residents and their guests mingled, played corn hole and arcade games, shopped Dogwood Collective and Bikini Bus, and also got their hair braided by Salon Blu.

Raleigh Rescue Mission enters Raleigh Hall of Fame

On October 5th, Raleigh Rescue Mission was inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame. The Induction Ceremony and Gala took place at the Raleigh Convention Center.

Photography Š TAMMY WINGO PHOTOGRAPHY

an Evening of hope

On September 24th, The Evening of Hope annual charity dinner and auction benefiting The Foundation of Hope for Research & Treatment of Mental Illness took place at the Angus Barn Pavilion. Zak Williams, son of legendary actor Robin Williams, was the keynote speaker for the event.

fashionSPARK fashion show

On September 19th, the Wear What You Are fashion show took place at the 400 block of Fayetteville Street. Part of fashionSPARK, the fashion show is one of the largest and most popular annual fashion events in the Triangle!

midtownmag.com| 129

everydayplaces

Capital Heights Watercolor and Text by Frank Harmon, FAIA ABOUT Everyday Places takes a close look at Raleigh’s urban fabric and its under-appreciated areas that are essential to a healthy city.

On a recent Saturday evening in September, a flock of 4000 birds prepared to fall from the sky into a chimney on Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh.

The birds were chimney swifts, dusky grey birds about the size of paper airplanes that spend their entire day flying. Chimney swifts lead solitary lives during most of the year.

But each fall they gather in flocks to migrate south to Peru. At night they roost in tall chimneys in cities along the Atlantic flyway.

Before cities were built, the swifts roosted in hollow trees. But when ancient forests were destroyed, the birds changed their habit to roosting in chimneys.

On this particular evening on Hargett Street, neon signs reflected on high heels and little black dresses that floated through a steady drizzle, their owners stabbing at their cellphones. A few blocks away, the Roman Catholic Church offered evening prayers and violinists tuned their instruments in Meymandi Hall. A fleet of motorcycles revved up on Fayetteville Street.

Above, unnoticed, a feathered tornado spiraled above the earth then fell, like dust motes, into the dark orifice.

“I hope you love birds, too,” wrote Emily Dickinson. “It is economical. It saves going to heaven.”

Online: Visit the archive at NativePlaces.org

130 | midtownmag.com