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2017

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A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

ach summer when July and August roll around, our collective minds start to wonder, where can we go to cool off ? Many of you go to the mountains, and then others, like me, just want to head to the North Carolina coast to get in the ocean water and play in the surf. My perfect scenario is sitting in a chair under a beach umbrella, with a hat, sunglasses, books and magazines at hand, as well as a cooler of drinks and snacks with a cool breeze coming off the water. I hope to see you down there too, at some of my favorites beaches featured in this issue’s “Beach Getaways”. Are you ready to try out something new when you go out to eat? In our second annual Foodie Issue, we’ve got the down-low on what’s new, what’s tried and true, and where to get healthy food on the fly. Plus lots more to entice you to meet friends for a meal at one of the many local dining establishments in our area. Readers tell us they want more and continuous coverage on the ever-changing food scene in Raleigh, and we are happy to oblige! The Triangle has become a hub for cutting-edge medical care due to the

Distribution Manager Joe Lizana

level of expertise available from local doctors and hospitals in the area. Our special advertising supplement “Meet The Doctors” is accompanied by a look at how our local hospitals are expanding coverage with specialty heart and vascular medical facilities and unique partnerships in order to bring state-of-the-art patient care to Raleigh. We also take a look at the latest technology for macular degeneration, and how sufferers of sleep apnea are best treated. Terry and Joe Graedon have been bringing their common-sense health advice and insight to thousands of folks via their syndicated radio program, “The People’s Pharmacy,” produced right here in the Triangle. We interview them on how they got started and what keeps them motivated all these years, over a thousand radio programs later.

Sioux

Stay cool,

Midtown Magazine is published six times annually. Any reproduction in part or in whole of any part of this publication is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher. Midtown Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or art. Unsolicited material is welcome and is considered intended for publication. Such material will become the property of the magazine and will be subject to editing. Material will be returned if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Midtown Magazine will not knowingly accept any real estate advertising in violation of US equal opportunity law.

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contents J ULY /AUGUS T

features 74 STEP RIGHT UP!

Some of the best tastes in town can be ordered at the counter.

78 OLDIES BUT GOODIES

These Raleigh restaurants know what it takes to keep diners coming back for years.

2017

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Diners are welcoming these newcomers to Raleigh’s food scene.

82 RISE AND DINE

Raleigh’s favorite breakfast and brunch spots.

86 TREATS FROM A TRUCK

The local food truck industry is flourishing by helping each other and the community.

90 TWO HOURS TO ISLAND TIME From Raleigh, it’s a straight shot to North Carolina’s coast.

98 THE HEART OF RALEIGH HEALTH CARE We share the latest in specialty medical care, plus introductions to some of the men and women helping to prolong and improve the quality of lives.

PHOTO OF VINNIE’S STEAK HOUSE STEAK OSCAR BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

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contents JULY/ AUGUS T

2017

departments 24 ON THE SCENE 36 BEER & BARREL 38 CLOSE TO HOME 40 FINANCIAL FOCUS 42 GIVING BACK 44 THE INTERVIEW 48 RAISING THE BAR 50 SUNDAY SUPPER 54 FOODIE FOCUS 56 UNCORKED 58 STYLE LINE 62 HOMESTYLER 66 MINDING YOUR BUSINESS 68 TASTES OF THE CITY 131 DINING GUIDE 138 MIDTOWN DOWNTOWN 146 HEALTHY YOU 151 OUT & ABOUT 162 EVERYDAY PLACES

FOODIE FOCUS RALEIGH TRIANGLE RESTAURANT NEWS 22 | midtownmag.com

2017

54 SPECIAL THANKS TO DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL COVER PHOTO TAKEN AT GLENWOOD GRILL.

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The scene

TASTE

The New Rule for Oysters IGNORE THE OLD ADAGE AND ENJOY LOCAL SHELLFISH YEAR-ROUND By Steven Major | Photo by Davies Photography SOME ADAGES ABOUT FOOD SAFETY hold true over time. Raw fish and house guests continue to have three days before they go bad, just as they did when Benjamin Franklin famously quipped about them. But when it comes to oysters and shellfish in general, common knowledge that used to keep people safe now only keeps them from enjoying a good meal. The myth that oysters should only be consumed in months that contain the letter R, which excludes the summer months of May through August, is just that: a myth. Behind this are a few concerns that at one time were very legitimate: oysters are spawning during these months, and the so-called ‘red tide’ algae blooms that can lead to shellfish being toxic are also most common at this time. However, modern oyster harvesting and 24 | midtownmag.com

safety practices make the oysters sold in restaurants safe and delicious year-round. Chilled, lighter fare like raw oysters make for a great meal in the summer months when temperatures rarely dip below seventy degrees, and for those interested in preparing them at home, Locals Seafood brings fresh North Carolina oysters to the Raleigh State Farmer’s Market Thursday through Sunday. For those looking to dine out, Sunny Gerhart’s new restaurant on Wilmington Street in the space that used to house Joule is a great option. A new addition to downtown Raleigh’s ever-growing collection of great dining options, St. Roch (named for the New Orleans parish where the owner’s parents are from), offers a small Cajun-inspired menu with a focus on serving a variety of quality oysters. While preference is given

to locally-sourced shellfish, the relatively small size of North Carolina’s oyster production (one percent of East Coast oysters come from North Carolina) means that varieties from Virginia, Maryland, and elsewhere are used as well. St. Roch also offers three styles of roasted oysters as a great alternative to eating them raw: BBQ’d, Tasso’d, and Nori’d. The BBQ’d offer a good bit of spice with a hint of sweetness for balance. The Tasso’d combines pork jowl with Gruyère for a rich flavor profile. The Nori’d are the most subtle of the three, with hints of miso and lime that compliment the oysters perfectly. The larger varieties are generally used for roasting so that there is plenty of oyster texture and flavor in each bite. Ordering a few of each is a great way to decide which is your favorite.

The scene

ASHLEY FREEMAN AND ANDREW KERAVUORI, FOUNDERS OF @RALEIGHFOODPICS

TECH

GOODIES FROM THE ICE QUEEN FOOD TRUCK. OF ALL THE PHOTOS ON THEIR FEED, THIS IS THEIR FAVORITE. THE PHOTO RECEIVED OVER 1,200 LIKES, WAS RE-POSTED MULTIPLE TIMES ON NATIONAL INSTAGRAMS THAT HAD OVER 500K FOLLOWERS AND CREATED A TURNING POINT FOR RALEIGH FOOD PICS.

Instagram Entrepreneurs RALEIGH FOOD PICS ACCOUNT PROMOTES LOCAL RESTAURANTS By Dan Bain | Photos courtesy of @Raleighfoodpics ORDINARILY, THERE’S A TENDENCY to mock social media users who post pictures of their food, but Ashley Freeman and Andrew Keravuori turned the notion into a symbiotic trend for local restaurants and hungry consumers. While college students in 2013, Freeman and Keravuori created an Instagram account called Raleigh Food Pics (www.instagram.com/ raleighfoodpics/) to spread the word about food options in the area. They wanted “to help local restaurant owners reach their customer base on a nontraditional platform,” Freeman wrote. And they’ve done that to the tune of roughly 37,000 customers – the current number of subscribers to the account. Those subscribers use the tag @Raleighfoodpics to post and see 26 | midtownmag.com

pictures of menu items from various restaurants, generating interest and driving demand among their growing base. Spoon University ranked @Raleighfoodpics as the No. 1 Food Account in North Carolina, and the account was a Runner Up for Best Local Instagram in Indy Weekly’s Best of the Triangle 2016 and 2017 issues. Freeman and Keravuori have partnered with more than 100 companies to develop marketing ideas, produced sponsored ads, and created a blog (raleighfoodpics.blogspot.com) as well as Facebook and Twitter accounts to use in conjunction with the Instagram account. So if you’re hungry and looking for a new place to eat, you can easily find Raleigh Food Pics online, and get your dining on.

The scene

STYLE

Sea Greenery THE CHOICE IS YOURS AND IT’S SIMPLE. By Ruhama Wolle Photography by Second and Earl WITH OUR TUMULTUOUS SOCIAL AND political climate, Pantone was spot-on to burst 2017 with “Greenery” as the color of the year. Signaling one to take a deep breath and “Create a way, not an excuse.” The color is a tangy yellowgreen, illustrative of zesty Mother Nature, our natural peacemaker. Executive director of Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman, reiterated: “We know what kind of world we are living in: one that is very stressful and very tense..., this is the color of hopefulness, and of our connection to nature.” Designers didn’t hold back at this year’s runways as green stole the show with Balmain, Boss, Gucci, Michael Kors, Emilio Pucci, and Kenzo. Ladies, I know many of you think green is not necessarily a color that suits, but the versatility of the color as well as its ability to complement sea-blue hues will make a fun addition to your summer wardrobe. Better yet, let’s embrace the color trend with fresh accessories. Be sure to look for texturized accessories (snakeskin, satin, and suede) when it comes to brightcolored handbags and shoes. In these roaring times, it’s not easy being green. But let’s give reconnection with nature a shot. Contrary to 2013’s luxurious color “Emerald,” this year’s “Greenery” takes on a down-to-earth approach. Encouraging us to be aware of the natural resources we have and doing our part to protect them. Our wardrobe isn’t the only thing that needs an update when the temperature rises. We tend to think of climate change in the abstract, until it affects our health, even our skin. We’ve reached a summer melting point for makeup application, and the best 28 | midtownmag.com

MUA & STYLIST: @RU_HAMA | MODEL: BRENTISHA RENEE PHOTOGRAPHER: @SECONDANDEARL

way to fend off heat waves and muggy days this summer, might just be the Alicia Keys approach. Beauty unfiltered! More women, famous or otherwise, are embracing the fresh face. Makeup brands such as Glossier are helping to let a bit more of the natural beauty shine through. People are more health-conscious today, and these decisions should be just as integrated into our skin routine. Minimalist brands are not only offering organic ingredients, but taking on the tagline,“Skin first. Makeup second.”

When asked about her au naturel movement, Alicia Keys responded, “Cause I don’t want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth.” So maybe this summer is our chance to test out joining the Greenery Party: a organized political party on the principles of natural hair, natural beauty, and natural body. Whatever path you choose to explore, experiment, or reinvent, make sure it makes you feel beautiful.

The scene

ARTS

Gregg Museum of Art & Design REOPENING AUGUST 26TH By Brittany Murdock | Photos courtesy of The Gregg Museum of Art & Design

FOR THE FIRST TIME, GREGG MUSEUM of Art & Design will have its very own front door, its own stand-alone home. For more than 20 years, the Gregg Museum of Art & Design was housed in the Talley Student Union, located in the heart of NC State’s campus. Difficult to find if you were from out of town, and when it came to parking there was little to none. After the university decided to renovate the student union back in 2013, it became clear that the museum would need a new place to call home. And boy did they find the perfect spot that was not only extremely well located for community outreach, but also an encouraging location for the public to come in and take a look. The new location came to mind when the university was busy constructing a new residence for NC 30 | midtownmag.com

State’s Chancellor, Randy Woodson, on Centennial Campus, leaving the old residence on Hillsborough Street behind. With the Chancellor and his wife interested and passionate about the arts, they insisted the old residence be considered as a potential site for the museum’s permanent location. The new location will be off Hillsborough Street, directly next to the Bell Tower, allowing visitors to find the building with ease and park in the museum’s very own parking lot. “The level of access to the museum space is changing dramatically. It’s going to make a huge difference in people being able to find Gregg Museum and being able to take advantage of the exhibitions,” says Mark Tulbert, Director of Arts Marketing. Community members can expect

programs, concerts, lectures, classes, workshops, demonstrations, the ability to rent space out for weddings/receptions/ events, a research library, and rotating exhibitions. The best part of it all? There will be several pathways connecting visitors to the Pullen Arts Center and Theatre in the Park, providing a cluster of art all in one place. “It’s going to become possible for people to plan their day all in one spot. You can spend the day in the park, see some pottery on display, head over to the Pullen Arts Center to make pottery yourself, and then finish the day off seeing a play,” says Roger Manley, Director of the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. Mark your calendars for August 26th and come out to the grand reopening of this exciting and new tourist landmark in Raleigh!

The scene

MUSIC

On The Road Again ALONE, OR WITH A ROTATING CAST OF MUSICIANS, AMERICAN AQUARIUM FRONTMAN BJ BARHAM KEEPS HIS SHOW ON THE ROAD By Bryan C. Reed | Photo by Alysse Gafkjen BJ BARHAM DOESN’T STAY IN ONE place too long. For the past 12 years, the Raleigh-based singer/songwriter has been honing his craft, mostly on tour, with the raucous country-rock band American Aquarium. For the past month, he’s been driving state to state on a two-month solo tour that winds through all 48 contiguous United States. “I’m not even halfway done,” he laughs when I catch him on the phone, somewhere between Las Vegas and Hermosa Beach, California. “It’s been a true education in how much I can actually take, physically, as a person,” he says. “But it’s fun. When you realize you’re driving through two national parks and it looks like a lunar landscape, you can stomach it a little bit better.” Having his wife and dog along for the ride doesn’t hurt, either. “It’s really turned into almost a family vacation. I just have to work a couple hours a night.” Barham’s solo shows, typically in smaller venues, are designed to be fan32 | midtownmag.com

friendly. He’ll pull out some new songs, giving eager listeners a chance to hear them before they make it to the studio. Likewise, in sets that span American Aquarium’s seven-album catalog, as well as last year’s solo LP, Rockingham, Barham digs deep. “When it’s just me, if somebody requests a song, I don’t have to ask, ‘Does anybody else know this one?’ It’s, ‘Hey, yeah, I think I could stumble through that one.’” If a line divides the work Barham releases under his own name and that bearing the American Aquarium mantle, it’s a thin one. As autobiographical as American Aquarium can be – playing, in hindsight like an unvarnished coming of age story – Rockingham’s roots run deeper. “The boys related to the American Aquarium material because they lived it with me,” Barham says. “This Rockingham stuff was extremely personal for me. I was writing songs about my dad and my grandma.” Barham’s planned solo tour, a long-

form extension of his annual solo jaunt around the Southeast, now dubbed “The Great 48,” came on the heels of yet another cross-country trip with American Aquarium. At the end of that spring jaunt, though, the band that Barham casually refers to as “The Boys” decided it was time to pursue other things. In two waves of departures, the band splintered, leaving Barham in a position he knows better than most. Since Barham launched American Aquarium in 2005, more than two dozen members have cycled through its ranks. “I’ve never made a consecutive record with the same band,” Barham says. “I’ve never had a mass exodus like this, but I’ve got a new band together. We start touring again on September 1st. There’s no quit in what I’m doing.” With a new album planned for an early 2018 release, Barham’s intent is to keep on doing what he does best. “This is what I love doing. I like driving five or six hours a day to a new town to play songs for people that dig what I do.”

The scene

SPORTS

PHOTO BY DAVE DROSCHAK

PHOTO BY @RALEIGHFOODPICS

Follow Your Nose at PNC Arena RALEIGH VENUE A FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY TRENDSETTER By Dave Droschak I’VE NEVER REALLY LIKED THE WORD concessions. Exactly what are we “conceding” when partaking in food and beverage offerings at sporting events or concerts? Quality? Taste? Value? “We don’t even use the word ‘concessions’ anymore because it really isn’t,” said Chris Diamond, who for a decade has been the food and beverage director of VAB Catering, the exclusive food service provider at PNC Arena, which is the home of the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. Independent food and beverage operator VAB Catering makes up just eight percent of the industry. The rest of the concession space at entertainment venues is occupied by the so-called big boys – large firms such as Aramark, Centerplate or Levy. “They are the masses, and they have a certain way they do things; we don’t have that,” Diamond said. “We’ll sit in a room and bounce ideas off each other, and then we’ll say, ‘let’s try this.”’ Summertime is when Diamond,

34 | midtownmag.com

executive chef Michael Flood, and concessions director Rick Rhodes brainstorm, deciding what items to cut from the menu and what new ideas to bring to the table. At times, the conversations can get a bit interesting. Diamond recalls Flood calling one day from a Carolina Panthers football game raving about a prime rib sandwich option the NFL team was offering. The price was $15. “I told him he was absolutely crazy, that it would be sticker shock and people were going to run away,” Diamond said. “But we set it up for success. We have a guy there with the white coat on, with a carving knife, getting you a nice portion of prime rib and putting it on a freshly-baked bun. It’s a presentation. When that stand first opened fans were gawking, saying, ‘Oh man, look at that. I’ve got to get that.’ They didn’t even look at the price tag.” Section 123 is now the hot place to be during Carolina Hurricanes’ games. Diamond says his crew sells approximately 120 prime rib sandwiches a night. The arena’s homemade pulled pork

BBQ and sauces, along with Flood’s grandmother’s coleslaw recipe, are also big sellers, with the executive chef smoking 1,600 pounds of BBQ per game. Diamond says VAB recently turned down an offer to sell the BBQ at a grocery store chain. “We said no, because we want you to get our BBQ when you come to the arena,” Diamond said. The popcorn is also made fresh, with staff popping it throughout each game, not pre-bagging two or three days in advance. Diamond said the arena’s popcorn was recently endorsed by the circus director as the best he’s ever tasted. “We’re pretty proud of that, because he’s a guy who travels all over the world,” Diamond said. Flood also directs a homemade bread operation (now in its fourth season) in the bowels of the area. The only bread or bun VAB purchases are for its hot dogs. “I didn’t sleep for a couple of weeks worrying about it,” Flood said when the bread idea was first floated. “But it has just taken off and is a nobrainer for us now.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WICKED WEED BREWING

beer& barrel

What Gose Round AN ANCIENT BEER STYLE BECOMES A SUMMER FAVORITE BY JULIE JOHNSON

At Sam’s Quik Stop in Durham, owner John Boy has monitored our changing beer tastes for over two decades, and built a great bottle shop by catering to them. But even he is surprised by a new favorite beer: an obscure sour German style flavored with coriander and salt. Then, on reflection, he is less surprised. “It’s actually a great gateway beer, when you think about it,” he says. “It’s light and refreshing, but unusual. People will try it, and may feel like moving on to other craft styles.” The style is called gose (pronounced GO-zuh), and it is one in a family of medieval wheat beers from Central Europe. Gose probably originated in the town of Goslar, where the salinity of the River Gose gave the beer a salty zing 36 | midtownmag.com

that remains a hallmark of the style. By the 18th century, gose came to be associated with the city of Leipzig. Its popularity dwindled in the last century, with the style disappearing completely a couple of times. Anyone who monitors American craft brewing trends can guess what happened next. Our brewers have borrowed or resurrected one lesserknown European style after another (think porter, witbier, or kölsch), tweaking them to their own purposes. No sooner does a bemused beer writer quip, “What’ll they think of next – gose in a can?!” than it appears on the shelves. What should you expect from a gose in the traditional mold? It is a hazy straw color in the glass, with a thin

head indicating modest carbonation. Alcohol content is low, often lower than mainstream beers, suiting gose perfectly to summer drinking. Wheat and barley are the base grains, with oatmeal added occasionally for a silky note. Historically, the tartness would have come from wild fermentation, which contributes a funkiness from the yeast Brettanomyces. Modern versions, however, rely on souring by another beastie, Lactobacillus (the bacteria used in yogurt), for a more controlled tartness minus the funk. If this sounds like a stretch for your beer palate, consider the current interest in other so-called “sour” beers, as well as gose’s ancient cousins: witbier and lambic from Belgium, and Berliner

weisse. And if a dose of coriander (the ground seeds, not the green leaves) in your brew seems strange, look no further than the huge popularity of Blue Moon, the Coors-produced Belgian-style witbier that is flavored with the same spice. Hop bitterness is absent: coriander provides the balance instead, with warm, lemony notes. North Carolina brewers have been making traditional gose for a few years. Among the breweries unable to resist a pun is Southern Pines Brewing Company, with Off She Gose (a relatively strong 5.5%). This beer has a pucker-inducing sourness, accented by the addition of orange peel (also a staple in witbier). That’s The Way It Gose from Four Saints Brewing Company in Asheboro is more restrained in every way, from its lean alcohol content of 3.0% to the lighter sourness that allows some wheaty sweetness to shine through. I’m not sure that the provenance or color of the salt (Himalayan, pink) adds much except trendiness, but I won’t quibble

with the suggestion that this would be delicious with watermelon salad, fish, or German cuisine. Steel String Brewery’s specific mention of Indian coriander in its Zupfen gose is, however, a relevant detail: the Indian variety is the more citrusy of the two coriander species, and brings a lemony brightness to the beer, mingling with a lightly salty note. A very refreshing 3.8% beer from the Carrboro brewery. Also on the shelves now is a Steel String special that would either blow German minds or appeal to a culinary tradition: Picklemania Dill Spice Gose, which has Zupfen as a base, with local dill and pickling spices, like peppercorn and allspice. Although Preyer Brewery’s GSOZuh is of the classic salt-and-spice type, specialty versions illustrate the American inclination to tinker. The Greensboro company has released a dryhopped gose, unusual in a style known for having no perceptible hop character; and Art of the Mango-Zuh, flavored with mangos, ginger and lemongrass. Wicked Weed has mastered both soured beer and creative fruit additions, so this style is a natural for the Asheville brewery. Craft beer fans may have written off the company following its recent sale to Anheuser Busch, but those who haven’t can seek out Tropicmost Gose, flavored with passionfruit; and Pacificmost, with guava and mango. Refreshing, tangy, lightly salty, fruit optional – doesn’t that sound like gose would be perfect by the pool?

midtownmag.com | 37

close tohome PHOTO BY RAY BARBOUR

Raleigh Classics for A Quarter Century THIS COUPLE KNOWS STYLE BY JANE PORTER

JENNY AND MARSHALL LAMB, the genteel owners of Cameron Clothing Co. in North Hills, are perched in rolling chairs in their store’s spacious back office one blustery May morning. The couple’s black English Labrador, Teala, watches them from a crate under a desk, rousing only to follow Jenny when she leaves the room. A television is on softly in the background, and Jenny and Marshall speak vivaciously of their life’s work, often finishing one another’s sentences. The Lambs are together 24/7 and this room is where they and their ten sales associates answer phone calls, log inventory, plan trunk shows, write thank you notes to customers, and prepare for each busy day ahead. It’s been the North Carolina natives’ routine six days a week, for 25 years. “We’ve both been in this business all of our lives; it’s the only thing we’ve ever done,” Marshall says. “Forty-eight years, so you know we’re old,” says Jenny, laughing. “We’re kind of 38 | midtownmag.com

a dying breed, to be honest.” The Lambs, married since 1991 and friends for more than ten years before that, opened their first store together in Cameron Village in 1992. Marshall worked as a men’s clothing wholesaler and Jenny worked in ladies’ retail before they started Cameron Clothing Co., which specializes exclusively in women’s clothing, jewelry, and accessories. In 2005 the couple moved their store to the Circle at North Hills and closed up shop in Cameron Village the next year. They still see many of their original customers and many who travel from the eastern and western corners of the state to shop at their long-established store. “It’s a lifestyle center, it truly is,” Jenny says of North Hills. “A lot of energy. It’s very people-friendly. It was a good move for us.” “There’s just so much activity,” adds Marshall. But they’ve seen North Hills, and greater Raleigh, change tremendously over the years and have witnessed the slow-butsteady shift from locally-owned stores, like

theirs, to more and more national chains. “There are not a lot of specialty stores this size anymore,” says Jenny. “Most specialty stores are 1,000 to 1,500 square feet,” compared to their 5,000 square foot space. “Most of the ones out here [in North Hills] are contemporary stores, and they carry [limited sizes],” Marshall says. “We do the whole range.” That range includes sportswear, office wear, and clothes for special occasions, timeless pieces that fall between pricing categories once commonly known as “Bridge” and “Better.” Cameron Clothing Co. carries 150 brands, and the Lambs work with premier labels mostly based in New York City, such as Lafayette 148. The clothes aren’t sold quite at designer prices, but price points favor a more well-to-do customer, in her early-to-mid thirties and older, Marshall explains. The Lambs buy for two seasons several times a year and hold sales twice a year, as

PHOTOS BY JOE REALE

well as a few trunk shows. The pieces they aren’t able to sell over the span of two seasons they donate to Dress for Success, a nonprofit that provides professional clothing to low-income women. The couple credits hard work for their quarter century of success in a retail market that sees nearconstant turnover. “We’re here all the time,” Marshall says. “Our customers expect to see us.” “Since we’ve been in this market so long we know who our customer base is, and we have always catered to that market,” Jenny says. It’s her institutional knowledge, “a combination of experience and gut instinct,” that she says she brings with her when she travels to buy new pieces. “We never tried to be everything. It doesn’t work when you do that. You need to have a niche, stick with it, and service it every day. Hard work is the bottom line.” The Lambs say they are grateful to the market that has sustained their business and they give back to the community, especially to local museums. Though they’d like to take the occasional day off a little more often, they’re happy working together, doing what they love. “We’ve had a good time, it’s been a great ride, and I hope it lasts a lot longer,” says Jenny. “We get up every day, as Marshall says, put our feet on the floor, and are happy to come to work. Most people can go a lifetime and not really find what it is that makes them happy in their work environment. But we have always known.”

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financial focus

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Getting Your Financial House in Order WHAT DOCUMENTS SHOULD YOU GATHER TO PREPARE FOR SEPARATION OR DIVORCE? BY NANCY GRACE, WAKE FAMILY LAW GROUP

One of the most important things you can do if you are contemplating separation or divorce is to gather financial documents and information. Although this process can seem like an overwhelming task, it will save you time, trouble, and, more importantly, legal expenses in the long run. Follow this simple guide to what documents you should gather. ASSETS AND DEBTS “Equitable distribution” is the process for the division of marital property in divorce. Before you can consider how to equitably divide marital property, you need to know what you have and what it is worth. Start by making a comprehensive list, with

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account numbers, of all assets and debts that you and/or your spouse currently have. Gather and copy the account statements as of the date of separation (or the current statements if you are not yet separated) for all financial assets you or your spouse own together or individually, including bank accounts, retirement benefits, and other investments, such as stock. For vehicles, go online to nada.com or kbb. com and print off the value for each vehicle. If you have a recent appraisal on your house or other real estate you own, make a copy of that. For debts, copy the date of separation statements showing the balance of all credit cards, vehicle loans, mortgage and/or home equity loans, lines of credit, and personal loans. For any business you or your spouse own, make a copy of the business tax returns, profit and loss statements, and income statements. INCOME AND EXPENSES The issues of child support and spousal support are often an immediate concern when spouses separate. Child support is typically determined by a formula

under the NC Child Support Guidelines. The data that goes into the calculation includes the monthly gross income of both parents, the average monthly cost of work-related child care, and health insurance costs for the child(ren). Gather and copy the documents which reflect this information. Alimony is not determined by a formula. Instead, the analysis considers the dependent spouse’s shortfall in meeting his/her reasonable needs after applying his/ her own income, and the supporting spouse’s ability to pay after that spouse pays his/her reasonable expenses. To assist in determining an appropriate amount of alimony, you should gather current income information for both spouses, such as recent pay stubs and the most recent year’s tax returns with all schedules and attachments. You will also need a summary of each party’s reasonable average monthly expenses. While these may not be all of the documents that your attorney asks you to provide, assembling these documents in advance will save you time and money and provide the starting tools that your attorney will need to assist you.

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giving back

Food for Thought EVER BEEN FOOD-INSECURE? BY CAROL WILLS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAPITAL AREA FOOD NETWORK

IMAGINE BEING AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Wake County schoolchild who wakes up every morning to no breakfast. You would be one of 131,000 Wake County residents (at last count) who are considered “food insecure.” Perhaps you live in one of the 18 areas described as “food deserts,” where thousands live in poverty and lack easy access to grocery stores. How are you supposed to focus on your schoolwork when you’re hungry? In 2015 a nonprofit organization called the Capital Area Food Network (CAFN) was formed to meet the needs of kids like that hungry eight-year-old, by looking to a healthy food system as the solution. Farms, businesses, social services, markets, gardens, and policies all have a food system role, but before CAFN no Wake County group was trying to connect all these pieces. CAFN members are Wake County citizens from all walks of life – farmers, entrepreneurs, scientists, nonprofit professionals and educators as well as community members. And they are always looking for motivated individuals 42 | midtownmag.com

to join their CAFN family. CAFN President Andy Petesch says, “It’s extremely encouraging to see what can be done when people who care come together.” CAFN’s mission statement makes their goal clear: “To cultivate healthy people, communities and economies through vibrant food and farm systems.” Erin White, Principal of Raleigh’s Community Food Lab, is a co-founder of CAFN. He recalls that following an 18-month planning period, CAFN launched as an official nonprofit organization in 2015. One of their stated goals in developing a food council was to solve food scarcity challenges in Wake County, and natural connections to Wake County’s food security goals quickly grew. “Wake County’s Food Security Working Group then looked to CAFN to help create a food security plan to address food access issues countywide,” White says. White points out that societal changes over the past few decades have affected the way we view food.

Celebrations and family time around food is less common. Knowledge of gardening or cooking is declining. Poverty and unemployment have always affected people’s abilities to feed their families fresh, wholesome food, and the mention of cuts to the government’s food stamp program threatens to make the situation even worse. And this is exactly the problem that the network of organizations under the umbrella of CAFN is working to solve. CAFN is a convener and a vision-keeper for organizations in Wake County committed to building a strong local food system

and wiping out food insecurity. According to the Wake County government news, every school in the Wake County Public School System with more than 50 percent of its student population qualifying for the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program now has at least one dedicated food resource – such as Universal School Breakfast, a food pantry, or a BackPack Buddies distribution program – that it can depend on to help feed students. So hopefully, that eight-year-old will not go hungry. Cindy Sink, Director of Marketing and Strategy for the Inter-faith Food Shuttle, speaks with enthusiasm about her organization’s commitment to the CAFN. “As a community we have to look at the causes of hunger. CAFN gives us a way to connect with other organizations with whom we have a common goal.” Inter-faith Food Shuttle belongs to the Food Access Circle, one of CAFN’s six areas of focus. The circles’ 40 active members support and promote activities that provide access to local, healthy, affordable food for the food insecure. The most recently formed circle is the Food Recovery circle, which focuses on reducing food waste through composting and rescue of edible food that might be thrown away. Other circles include Farm Advocacy, Regulatory Policy, Food Access, Strategic Relationships, and Communications. CAFN convenes meetings of representatives from all the organizations within the circles to review the newly created Wake County Food Security Plan and to help each circle find their role within that plan. Petesch adds, “Partnering with Wake County on food security has been a great start for CAFN. We’re in a terrific position to further our connections with the community and engage a much wider array of the local food system. Our circles, or working groups, are formed around key aspects of the food system, and many of the circles are already digging into unique challenges and impactful solutions.” Erin White says that CAFN is always looking for motivated individuals to join the CAFN movement. Find out which circle speaks to your skills and interests, and contact the group leaders to get involved. There are applications online. Check out capitalareafoodnetwork.wordpress.com for more details. midtownmag.com | 43

the interview

9 Questions With:

Joe and Terry Graedon PROPRIETORS OF THE PEOPLE’S PHARMACY BY KURT DUSTERBERG PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GRAEDONS

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IF YOU’VE EVER DONE A BIT OF FACTfinding about treating a medical issue, there’s a good chance you have come across Joe and Terry Graedon. The husband-and-wife team are the proprietors of The People’s Pharmacy, a multimedia endeavor that examines health issues, including the use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, as well as home remedies. The People’s Pharmacy radio show is syndicated to more than 150 NPR stations, and their newspaper column appears in daily papers across the country. The website has more than 140,000 subscribers. Joe, a pharmacologist, began his media career in 1976 while promoting his first book of the same name. That led to doing commentaries on WUNC. A regular show followed four years later, with Terry, a medical anthropologist, joining the program.

Midtown Magazine: How big of an undertaking is The People’s Pharmacy radio show, plus working through all the information that is submitted? Terry: We have at least an hour on Monday when we meet with our producer, then probably an hour to two hours on Tuesday, getting ready for Wednesday, when we record. Then with the live show we put in an extra two hours. Maybe 10 hours per week for each of us. Joe: Last Saturday, we got up at 5:30am, we were in the studio by 6:30am, and we left the studio around 9am. If there’s a guest, there’s book reading that has to be done. There’s also what we call “continuity,” which is the script we work from. It’s something that we’re passionate about and we really love. When you put a lot of energy into something you really care about, that’s really cool. MM: That’s just one facet of your media reach. How do you approach your other ventures? Terry: We also write three newspaper columns a week. The website is kind of driving the train at this point. We do a lot of work with the website. We’re able to do e-commerce, and that helps. Joe: We have some very diverse platforms. We have about 1.5 million unique visitors to the website each month. They’re from all over the world. Many of them have no idea that we write a newspaper column or that we’re on a radio show or that we have books. We run into people around here who think of us only as newspaper columnists. MM: How did you fashion yourself into radio hosts? Joe: When my book was a success, I crisscrossed the country. And the most fun was talk radio, where you got to sit across from a really articulate host who had some idea of what you had done. You got to engage with that person for an hour or more. It wasn’t too long after that that I realized I needed some steadying participation [on the radio show], because the first couple of years was really awful. It’s one thing to be a guest; it’s a whole other thing to be a host. A friend told me the secret is just to listen, just pay attention to what the callers are saying. That’s when we went to once a week, and that’s when Terry joined the show. She’s a great listener. Terry: I think he’s probably giving me a little bit more credit than I deserve. midtownmag.com | 45

At first I thought of my role as being Joe’s foil. But it turned out that I also liked to ask questions and participate. I am a medical anthropologist, and I had already spent time in the field in Mexico talking to people about what they do when they don’t feel well. People used home remedies and herbs; that’s what they had access to for the most part. They didn’t run to the pharmacy immediately. It seemed to me that it was perfectly legitimate if we could find home remedies that would be helpful. MM: You take on a lot of personal responsibility with this job, giving proper information and good guidance. Is that something you are conscious of all the time? Terry: It is an enormous responsibility, and we take it very seriously. We do try to point out that there might be risks involved. We remind people that the most important ingredient in any home remedy is common sense. We try make sure that people are aware that most anything they take can have side effects. Joe: That’s true across any of our platforms. We have to always encourage people to check with a health professional if there are any questions. MM: Are you ever concerned whether you are giving the best advice possible? Joe: A lot of times we get questioned by health professionals asking, where is the evidence? Where is the science behind some of this stuff you talk about? We try as hard as we can to find the science, because often there is evidence behind remedies and herbs. We try to bring objectivity as best we can. MM: Are there any subjects that are especially important to you? Terry: We’ve come into a certain amount of criticism among health care professionals because there are classes of drugs that we think are overprescribed and overused with too little attention to the potential hazards, like the acid-suppressing drugs like Nexium and Prilosec, so we write about them pretty often, and it irritates the doctors to no end. We also write about the downsides of statins, and the fact that the evidence does not really support the use of statins 46 | midtownmag.com

for primary prevention – the prevention of an initial heart attack in a healthy person. That, too, tends to irritate the physicians. Joe: There’s another area we are fairly passionate about. We used to be huge proponents of generic drugs. We just beat the drums for generics because they save you tons of money and they are identical to the brand names. Terry: At some time around 2002, we interviewed a bunch of people at the FDA to find out how generic drugs were approved and monitored. What we discovered is their process is nowhere near as thorough and complete as we would want it to be. Joe: While we haven’t completely given up on generic drugs, we caution people and health professionals that they may not be as safe and effective as the FDA would like us all to believe. MM: Does anyone ever tell you that you have good NPR voices? Terry: Sometimes people say, “I really like listening to you. Your voice is so soothing.” There are other people who write to us and say, “Your voice is so irritating that I can’t stand to listen to you.” Joe: There are people who say, “Terry is like sitting across the kitchen table having a cup of coffee with me.” And there are people who say, “Joe, just shut up and let Terry talk!” We run into people around here, and they hear us talk, at the farmers’ market for example, and they’ll say, “I recognize that voice: you’re Terry Graedon! I love your show.” MM: You are accustomed to working together in so many projects. How do you like that? Joe: You cannot fake a relationship. We’ve been married 46 years. We are together most of the time 24 hours a day. I feel uncomfortable when she’s gone. When we work on the columns on the computer, we work at the same computer, just changing seats periodically. People sense that we really do respect and love each other. I think they hear that on the radio. MM: What kind of interests do you have outside of your professional lives? Terry: We like to take our dogs for walks. We live out in the country and we have a little garden. It’s not a lot because the deer come and eat it. We like to eat; I like to cook. Joe is passionate about tennis, and I like to do karate. Joe: She’s being modest. She has a black belt and was elevated to the level of sensei. She’s quite accomplished, and I always feel safe when she’s at my side. For me, tennis goes back about 60 years. When I know I have a tennis match coming up, it kind of changes my whole outlook on life. It makes life wonderful.

Have a suggestion for next issue’s The Interview? Send it to us: info@midtownmag.com. midtownmag.com | 47

raising thebar

“Heart Balm” Torts ANSWERS TO YOUR LEGAL QUESTIONS

What are “Heart Balm” Torts?

A “tort” is a civil wrong, and a “Heart Balm Tort” is a civil wrong which impacts a marriage. While they have been abolished in almost every other state, heart balm torts are still actionable in North Carolina. In NC, the two primary heart balm torts are “alienation of affection” and “criminal conversation.”

When can I sue for alienation of affection or criminal conversation?

Have a question? Let us hear it: info@midtownmag.com

MeettheCounsel

Marc Sokol Wake Family Law Group wakefamilylawgroup.com 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.

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A spouse may sue and recover damages from a third party for alienation of affection if he or she can prove that the third party intentionally interfered with what had been a happy marriage, and that the interference caused a loss of that happiness. Criminal conversation is equivalent to adultery, and a spouse may sue a third party in criminal conversation for having an intimate relationship with the other spouse. The two heart balm torts usually go hand in hand, but they can be brought as individual claims when the facts warrant it.

Does it matter if the third party didn’t know my spouse was married? While a defendant’s malicious intent to cause harm is an indispensable

element of an alienation of affection claim, it is irrelevant with respect to a criminal conversation claim. Thus, while “I didn’t know he was married” may be an effective defense to an alienation of affection claim, it is not a defense to a claim for criminal conversation.

What kind of damages are available in a heart balm case? The damages that may be awarded in a heart balm law suit may be “compensatory” – damages to compensate the plaintiff for the loss of his/her relationship – and can include components for loss of financial support, the cost of therapy, divorce attorney fees, and loss of consortium. Damages may also be “punitive” – designed to punish the defendant and to send a message to the rest of us to preserve an important public policy. The amount of damages in a heart balm case often depends on the quality of the marriage and the details of the offending behavior. Because of the uncertainty of outcomes and because most folks are not keen on airing private issues in a public forum, many cases are settled even before they are filed or during the mandatory mediation process that is required by law. If a case does not settle and goes to trial, a trial may result in a judgment against the defendant for money damages. Wake County juries have awarded judgments ranging from $1 to several millions of dollars in recent years.

BEST FURNITURE SHOP

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sunday supper

Vinnie’s Steak House & Tavern CHEF TOM ARMSTRONG BY PAUL SAVERY PHOTOS BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

TOM ARMSTRONG, THE GENERAL MANAGER and chef at North Raleigh’s Vinnie’s Steak House and Tavern, who has been employed there since 2006, reveals that Vinnie’s was named after original owner Dusty Anderson’s friend and benefactor Vince McMahon, a national wrestling legend. In the early days, Vinnie’s was a hangout for fellow wrestlers, though these days you are more likely to bump into legislators and businessmen as you enjoy your meal. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017, the place changed hands a couple of times before steady patrons Trip and Clark Casson purchased it in 2013. The restaurant has a clubby atmosphere, with vintage leather chairs, tables draped with white linen cloths and wood paneled walls adorned with brass light fixtures. A display wine cellar located in the center of the restaurant primarily features wine from California, with French and Italian wines also available. Ever since Tuesdays became “half-price wine day,” it has become the busiest day of the week apart from the weekend.

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2017

apprenticeship continued. “My formal training was at Mitchell’s Catering, where I learned fundamentals; Second Empire, where I learned advanced techniques, endurance and how to work under intense pressure; and at Noble’s Grille in Winston-Salem (now Rooster’s), where I learned the importance of sourcing the highest quality ingredients. These days Armstrong continues to improve his craft: in New York he’s cooked as a guest at Le Bernardin and Betony, a practice known as “staging”, when a chef interns for a brief period (for free) in another chef’s kitchen to learn new techniques. Armstrong says he generally doesn’t cook with recipes when he’s at home. “I like to explore and invent,” he says. “My wife has her grandmother’s church cookbooks that I will refer to if I am in the mood to bake at home. The French Laundry cookbook is by far the one that’s been pulled down off the shelf in my office the most over the years for reference and inspiration.” In the yard he has a neon green 1976 Weber Kettle Grill, given to him by his

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Armstrong has brought certain strengths, including neatness and organization, to Vinnie’s. He puts a strong emphasis on teamwork in the front and back of house. “My favorite thing about cooking at Vinnie’s is getting to cook every day with the team I have assembled, many of whom I have been cooking with for years now.” Ultimately he follows his philosophy: “I want to cook what they [the customers] want, not what I want.” Armstrong’s early childhood was spent in one of America’s food meccas, New Orleans, and the city’s food culture where men routinely cooked – not just meat but seafood dishes as well – had a strong influence on Armstrong. At the age of 11 his family moved to Raleigh, and after college he cooked in fast/casual establishments. Realizing his talent in the kitchen, and gaining confidence from the support and respect from his managers, he moved to Yellowstone National Park Lodge, wearing chef whites and becoming part of a respected, elite group. Back in Raleigh his cooking

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Initially Armstrong’s focus was on good execution of the items on the menu, and for the past 11 years he’s added signature dishes and seasonally featured dishes which are popular. “Some good examples would be the Smoked Gouda Potato Gratin, PecanCrusted Scallops, Baked NC Oysters with Bacon, Collards and Brie, and of course, the Honeysuckle Ice Cream that I forage for every spring.” All the beef at Vinnie’s is Certified Angus, with the most popular steaks on the menu being the Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon and Bone-in Filet Mignon. Less well-known cuts such as Bone-in Cowboy Steak and traditional steakhouse offerings also sell well. The kitchen boasts an old flat-top grill where the steaks are seared and crusted. Seafood is a big part of their business – fortunately a good friend owns Locals Seafood, which sources some of the freshest seafood found in the Triangle, and Armstrong became their first chef customer. Seafood is featured prominently in the appetizer section of the menu.

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sunday supper wife’s grandfather which was first fired up on the United States’ Bicentennial (July 4th, 1976). “A couple of my go-to dishes in the kitchen at home are a pork and scallop meatloaf and a variety of Ramen preparations, my favorite being clam and chorizo with seasonal garnishes, and always poached eggs on top. We have backyard chickens, so we do a lot of egg cookery.” Armstrong continues to cook daily at home on some level, and entertains at home when the restaurant is closed on Mondays. The Sunday Supper summer recipe below is “delicious, simple, light, and refreshing” and Armstrong says he personally knows every one of the sources for the ingredients.

SMOKED

TUNA

SALAD LETTUCE WRAPS

Vinnie’s Steak House & Tavern | Chef Tom Armstrong (Serves 4 as a main course, 6-8 as an appetizer)

Brine Ingredients 1 quart warm water 150 g sea salt (about cup) 75 g brown sugar (about ½ cup) 5 bay leaves lemon ½ 1 tsp. black peppercorns ice

Brine Instructions 1.

In warm water, dissolve salt through peppercorns. Add enough ice to bring the volume to 2 quarts.

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2. 3. 4. 5.

Once the solution is dissolved and chilled, add the tuna steaks and brine in the refrigerator for 3 hours. After 3 hours, remove the tuna from the brine; pat dry with clean kitchen towels and allow to air dry on a plate in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator, rub with olive oil, and season liberally with coarsely cracked black pepper. Set aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes while your smoker is getting hot.

Tuna Ingredients

You will need a smoker or a grill adapted for smoking, fuel and smoking material (wood chunks, chips, dust, etc.). 2 lbs 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp

NC yellowfin tuna, cut into 3 thick steaks (wahoo, cobia or mahi-mahi would also work) olive oil coarsely cracked black pepper

Tuna Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4.

Whether using a smoker or a grill, you want the temperature to be between 250°-300°F. Once your smoker is up to temperature, add your preferred smoking material (wood chunks, chips, dust, etc.) and allow them to begin smoking thoroughly. Place the tuna steaks in the smoker. Smoke the tuna until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Depending on how well the temperature of your smoker can be regulated, this should take between 45 minutes to one hour. Once the tuna is cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F, remove from the smoker and allow to cool completely.

Dressing Ingredients 2 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 8 drops 2 cups To taste

eggs rice wine vinegar lemon juice Dijon mustard Tabasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce) canola oil sea salt and white pepper

Dressing Instructions 1. 2. 3.

Add eggs through hot sauce to the bowl of a food processor. With the food processor on medium speed, slowly stream in the canola oil until an emulsion forms. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Ingredients for the Salad & Lettuce Wraps 2 4-6 2 12 1 Tbsp 2 To taste 20

ribs of celery, finely diced radishes, julienned scallions, finely diced cherry tomatoes, sliced lemon juice boiled eggs, chopped sea salt and white pepper Romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves (small to medium)

Salad Instructions 1. 2. 3.

Once the tuna is cooled, break it apart in a mixing bowl. Add the diced celery and scallions, lemon juice, and about 1Â˝ cups of the dressing. (Save any extra dressing for another use such as dressing salads, sandwiches, etc.) Season with salt to taste.

To Assemble The Wraps 1. Spoon the smoked tuna salad into the lettuce leaves. 2. Garnish with chopped boiled egg, sliced cherry tomatoes, and julienned radishes. 3. Enjoy!

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foodie focus

Loosen Your Belts RALEIGH TRIANGLE RESTAURANT NEWS

BY SEAN LENNARD, TRIANGLE FOOD GUY, TRIANGLEFOODBLOG.COM

The Cortez Seafood & Cocktail, brought to us by Jose & Sons, opened at 413 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh in the former Cafe Helios spot. After being closed for renovation almost a year after a foundation wall collapsed due to flooding, Boylan Bridge Brewpub, the popular summer hangout, has reopened. Go for the brews, stay for the views. JMR Kitchens owners Ryan and Justin Riek opened the second location of their very successful taste restaurant. Dubbed taste 2, it is located at 1912 Bernard Street just off Whittaker Mill Road. The original location is at 3048 Medlin Drive. The Rieks also own and operate more. and the oak. La Madeleine French Bakery & Café has reopened at a Raleigh location – 6320 Plantation Center Drive (former Mimi’s Cafe spot in Plantation Point) after closing the Cary location adjacent to Cary Town Center. The restaurant is a French-inspired bakery and café with classic French dishes.

JUBALA PHOTO BY @RALEIGHFOODPICS

Sean Lennard runs his own online corporate catering business, Triangle Food Guy, serving the entire Triangle for any size event. Tapping into local restaurant partners, he is your one-stop order for any type of food or foods you want. Read and subscribe at TriangleFoodBlog.com for full weekly reports with links.

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H-Street Kitchen in the old Varsity Theater on Hillsborough Street has closed for the summer, with stated plans to “execute some changes.” They were short on details, but plan to reopen when students return in the fall. A new fast-casual restaurant with wood-grilled chicken and Caribbeaninspired recipes called Papaya Chicken & Grill opened in Bent Tree Plaza on Falls of Neuse Road, near the intersection of Strickland Road. Owner Michael Burbage describes the restaurant as Caribbean and Latin with flavors inspired by travels to Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica, and other tropical locales. Mama Jee Thai restaurant has opened just off Hillsborough Street on Friendly Drive (near the intersection with Dixie Trail). Mama Jee, Jeerawan Bessinger, was born in Thailand and is the chef and owner. Pay them a visit to truly taste the heart and soul of Thailand. COMING UP SOON: The facelift coming to the 510 Building in downtown Raleigh is for a new BBQ restaurant. Matt Kenner (think Milk Bar, The Anchor Bar, and a partner in MoFu Shoppe) is behind the concept. Located next to Pho Pho Pho and looking to open this fall. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema unveiled plans to open their first location in North Carolina in east Raleigh’s Longview Shopping Center along New Bern Avenue. Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh, an 11-screen theater, bar, and restaurant, will feature 660 seats and a beer hall with 36 local beers on tap, and is expected to open before year’s end. Coleen Speaks, owner of PoshNosh Catering, announced that she will

open Whitaker & Atlantic, a private event space and Hummingbird, an adjacent café and bar. They will be located in the revitalized warehouse, Dock 1053 at the corner of Whitaker Mill Road and Atlantic Avenue. Both concepts are set to open early Fall 2017. House of Hops, a craft beer bar and bottle shop, and Shuckin’ Shack, an oyster bar, will anchor a new development near Mami Nora’s Rotisserie Chicken at the corner of McNeill Street and Wake Forest Road. Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar has several locations on the coast and opened in Cary in early 2016. This will be the second location for House of Hops, which has a site on Glenwood Avenue near the intersection with Duraleigh Road. Mellow Mushroom is planning a second Raleigh location at 9600 Brier Creek Parkway, near the Meadows at Brier Creek apartments. The restaurant will be housed in a new, 6,435 square foot building. This will be the Triangle area’s sixth location. Transfer Co. Olde East, a food hall, market, and gathering place in downtown’s historic Olde East neighborhood (in the former Carolina Coach garage and shop at 500 E. Davie Street), announced their initial lineup of tenants this week: Bolted Bread & Jubala Coffee, Angela Salamanca of Centro & Gallo Pelon, Videri Chocolate Factory, Locals Seafood with Person Street, Saxapahaw General Store and Che Empanadas – with more to be announced. The Remedy Diner plans to move from their current location at 137 E. Hargett Street to the former P.G. Werth’s location at 927 W. Morgan Street. No word on a timeline.

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un corked

Wine Guy in the Kitchen SIMPLE DISHES, FRESH INGREDIENTS AND THE PERFECT WINE! BY MICHAEL GALLO CSW, STORE MANAGER, TOTAL WINE & MORE

WITH THIS MONTH’S ‘FOOD ISSUE,’ I thought to chime in with a couple recent food and wine pairings. Where there is passion about wine, there too is often a would-be home chef lurking in the cellar. First up, a savory dish of stuffed peppers paired with a beautiful Napa Valley Cabernet. No need to follow a recipe, this dish is simple enough. Starting with fresh mixed color large bell peppers cut in half; roast them in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes while you sauté some lean ground beef, diced onion, and mushrooms, adding salt, pepper and marinara sauce at the end of browning. Spoon evenly into the pepper shells to finish baking another 30-40 minutes; remove the cooked stuffed peppers and sprinkle parsley flakes for garnish, and serve. For the wine, pair this dish with the Titus Vineyards 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Titus Vineyards is a family-owned, family-farmed estate producing high-quality grapes for limited production, ultra-premium Napa Valley wines. The Titus story begins at the time when the California wine industry had yet to attain the global recognition it enjoys today. Production under the Titus label began in 1990 with a few hundred cases and has grown to a production of over 6,000 cases. Titus Vineyards is a partnership between two brothers, Eric and Philip Titus. Eric managers the vineyard operations and Philip oversees all aspects of the business 56 | midtownmag.com

side of wine. Titus Vineyards is a truly special, premium Napa Valley label. Finally, an elegant pairing of Chablis with spaghetti alle Vongole, a classic Italian dish for sure, with just a couple of small tweaks on my end – adding chopped ripe cherry tomatoes and using a French Chablis instead of a classic Italian white wine like Pinot Grigio or Greco di Tufu. This dish cooks quickly, so be ready to put it all together without overcooking the pasta or under-cooking the clams and the chopped tomatoes. Plan to have eight to ten fresh clams per person (cleaned and rinsed), good quality olive oil, sliced garlic, diced onions or shallots, parsley, chili flakes, and of course a quality dry white wine – the only ingredients you’ll need besides fresh or dried pasta. Like most dishes, ingredient preparation is key, so have everything ready to go before you start cooking. Simply prepared, sauté diced onions, sliced garlic, chopped cherry tomatoes, and chili flakes in quality olive oil. Add the clams when the chopped items soften or brown, the add a half glass (or so) of quality dry white wine. Cover pot to steam cook clams until open, add ‘al dente’ cooked pasta and a little parsley, and serve country style! Paired with my almost arterial creation, was the Laroche Chablis 2014, a deliciously crisp and mineral French white Burgundy wine. When served chilled with sautéed clams, one can almost feel the sea mist on their skin – enjoy!

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style line

Here Comes the Sun DEFY MOTHER NATURE BY EMBRACING HER

MODEL BRENTISHA RENEE PHOTOGRAPHER: SECOND AND EARL @SECONDANDEARL

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SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY HERE. A time off from school and work, longer days, and lots of sunshine. And for all the rejoicing that comes with its arrival, we know warm weather brings also a new set of beauty concerns. A season that is generally looked forward to, except when magazines and media alert you that you’re not “beach body-ready.” But this year let’s not defy Mother Nature, but embrace her. Don’t let the worries about your body keep you from embracing all the fun that summer brings. Instead of trying to diet or exercise it into submission, celebrate the diversity of all our body shapes and sizes. Choose clothes that fit your body, not the body you think you should have. Plus, we all know a fit/healthy body isn’t just for summer, but a lifestyle. So, wear the cheery shades, as designers are producing options for every skin tone. Enjoy the one-piece or high-waisted swimsuit to flatter your curves, because summer BBQs are going to happen and you should not miss any. They say fashion is pain, but this season follow the comfort rule and rock a pair of slip-on sneakers for effortless movement in those maxis. And what other way to probe our creative sides than to explore new music – because “music” is synonymous with style. Summer 2017 is the defining act of the neo-soul era: often associated with fluid organic, instrumentally driven sounds, just right up our fashion ally. This summer it’s all about ease and simplicity. Shifting focus off all the complications and embracing what summer can offer you.

BY RUHAMA WOLLE MUA & STYLIST: @RU_HAMA WWW.RU-WOLLE.COM

QUAY SUNGLASSES FLAGPOLE LYNN SWIM DOLCE VITA EFFIE SANDAL & KENDRA SCOTT KRISTEN DROP EARRINGS Striking yet classic pieces that will give you a hint of subtle color made for every day this summer. | Bevello

The Lynn swimsuit is a timeless piece, essential for the most active of summer days. A fresh mango color made to stretch and flatter anybody. Bevello | Saks

“CREATE YOUR OWN SUNSHINE THIS SUMMER WITH NATURE’S TONES” KATE SPADE SATCHEL A fun, playful bag that lets you live colorfully this summer. | Saks

NAO | FOR ALL WE KNOW Nao is unafraid to play with melismatic melodies as she delves her listeners into a realm of silky retro soul; a great way to kick-start this summer’s beach vibes. | iTunes midtownmag.com | 59

style line ZARA BLOUSE & BAGGY TROUSER WITH BOW The ultimate floral trend is back this summer, and paring a boldprint blouse with dressy joggers will let you focus on comfort and playfulness. | Zara

VINCE BLAIR PERFORATED LEATHER SNEAKER Slip on the comfort with these airy metropolitan style sneakers that will match with any look this summer. | Uniquities

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home styler

Pops of Color, Accent Pieces, Unusual Color Combos

Color Theory STYLED BY VALERIE TROUPE VALERIETROUPE.COM PHOTOS BY F8 PHOTO STUDIOS F8PHOTOSTUDIOS.COM

The power of color…it can transform a room and invoke certain feelings and emotions. Warm colors give a sense of comfort and cool colors can be relaxing and instill a sense of tranquility. Certain color combinations have even become representations of different eras of time! Neutrals are always a safe bet, but can lack visual interest. Adding some color can make a room more interesting and can be a quick way to refresh your décor without changing everything. Using colorful accent pieces allows you to try out new colors and even create unusual color combinations. Place brightly colored pillows on a neutral couch, or use a painted accent table in the entryway. An accent chair with a bright, bold print looks great mixed in with beige living room furniture. Use beautiful glass pieces in bright colors to sprinkle color around your entire house!

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minding yourbusiness

El Taco Cartel PEDAL POWERED PORTIONS COME TO YOU BY JANE PORTER | PHOTOS COURTESY OF JUSTIN MILLER

The founders of the taco peddling bike-cart hybrid El Taco Cartel have had a busy ten months since they began selling their three-dollar tacos in downtown’s City Plaza last August. Both Justin Miller and Lily Ballance have full-time jobs – Miller at WedPics, the popular wedding photo sharing app he created, and Ballance as the owner of William and Company, the cozy Person Street cocktail bar she named for her three-year-old son. The pair didn’t envision their taco delivery service growing so much, so quickly. “It wound up getting way bigger, way faster than we thought,” says Miller when the three of us met up 66 | midtownmag.com

at William and Company on a Friday afternoon. “When we rolled it out, it was this fun side-gig for both of us.” “Now, we are trying to figure out how to utilize our time best,” Ballance explains. It’s been nearly a year of trial and error for El Taco Cartel and its five employees, starting with convincing city and county officials to sign off on the bike-driven cart as a food service vehicle – think something between a food truck and a Sabrett hot dog cart – and evolving to a tweaked business model: instead of catering to Fayetteville Street’s office-working lunchtime crowd, the Cartel is focusing

more on hungry revelers at bars and private events. El Taco Cartel is inspired by the taco vendors’ carts you’d see commonly in Mexico and Latin America and Ballance, who is from Mexico City originally, draws on ideas from her own family recipes. Another chef, Kyle Collins, buys ingredients from the farmers’ market, and he and Ballance prepare the tacos out of a commissary at downtown Raleigh’s Five Star restaurant. Two other employees ride the bike and sell the food. Unlike a food truck, the cart has no refrigeration or means of cooking on the spot, meaning Ballance and Collins had to guess at how many tacos to make and hope they’d all sell. That could be tricky. “Some days we’d get hit really hard, some days not, and there was no rhyme or reason,” says Miller. “We decided we would be better off with prepaid, one-off events, in

addition to selling at certain bars. For no cost, El Taco Cartel sets up outside downtown bars and breweries, including Crank Arm and Ruby Deluxe, several evenings per week. It works with hosts to cater parties and private events all over Raleigh and in Durham, which are booked through the website eltacocartel.com. In a Raleigh market that’s saturated with taco options, El Taco Cartel stands out for its high-quality, seasonal ingredients and intriguing combinations of flavors, including vegetarian and vegan options.

Recent offerings include a pork taco with blueberry, cinnamon, molasses, burnt cabbage, and Oaxaca cheese; a chicken taco with strawberry, rhubarb, and crème fraîche; a braised beef taco with honeydew, coconut milk, spring onion, and peanut; and Ballance’s favorite, a chipotle cauliflower taco, with white chocolate pipettes from Videri Chocolate Factory. “It was the best taco I’ve ever had,” Ballance says. “I wanted to eat them all day. Our tacos are really neat and different, and, unless it was a request, we’ve never made the same one twice.” The taco bike has been popular, and Miller and Ballance admit that it’s been a challenge for them to keep up with demand. “It’s a good problem to have, but it’s a problem nonetheless,” Miller says. Because of the abundance of competition, Ballance and Miller are thinking of ways to go beyond the taco as they grow their business. They’re still working out details, but

it’s a change that may involve some re-branding over the summer, Miller hints. The bike-powered delivery method will remain the same. “We have some really neat new ideas that we are starting to experiment with in the kitchen,” says Miller. “It will be a tweaked offering on what we’re doing today which nobody else around here is doing. It still has the Latin roots and flavor, but it’s just a different style vehicle that we want to bring out.” Taco devotees will still be able to special order Cartel tacos for private events, and Miller and Ballance are looking into potentially setting up a brick-and-mortar store down the road. They’re also considering launching an app for taco delivery. Though the changes mark a departure from what they’ve been doing so far, Miller is sanguine about the new directions in store for the El Taco Cartel. “Our changes aren’t because the business isn’t working,” he says. “It’s more that we feel there’s now a great opportunity to bring something new and exciting to the market. We have a fresh opportunity. We’ll call it that.”

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tastes of the city

BY SIOUX WATSON

Royale Where to eat in downtown Raleigh when you have a NC Symphony concert at Meymandi at 7:30pm on a weeknight? A problem solved in the most amicable way when I recently dined early â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I parked just once at Moore Square (free after 5pm) and sat inside the street corner restaurant Royale with a glass of wine, watching the world go by while waiting for my three friends to arrive. Royale has inventive small plates in addition to their full-size entrees (for one or to share). Service is pleasant and efficient as the diners are fewer earlier in the evening; the menu is diverse yet manageable, and the kitchen is always in high gear. Nightly specials rotate, and the menu spells

out what they are Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Saturday, tempting you to come back later that week. Regular menu favorites: moules frites, charcuterie plate, steak frites au poivre, and frisee aux lardons with 63degree egg. A mere four-block stroll to Memorial Auditorium afterwards was just what we needed. Dessert was also an option after the show, as they are open until 11pm on weeknights. 200 E Martin Street M-F lunch and dinner, Saturday dinner, closed Sunday 919.977.3043

PHOTO COURESTY OF FOOD-SEEN BY FELICIA PERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

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MAMI NORA’S ROTISSERIE CHICKEN This Peruvian local restaurant chain serves killer plates of Peruvianseasoned quarter, half, or whole roasted natural chicken with two sides. The rotisserie chicken is roasted in their ovens imported from Perú, using only charcoal (no gas or electric heat), and the free range chickens are hormonefree, local, and free of all major FDA allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, milk, soy and gluten). There are daily specials and other regular menu items, but you must try the Arroz Chaufa atleast once: a Peruvian-style stir fry rice with chopped pieces of roast chicken, sausage, egg and scallions, served with two sauces – a green cilantro vinegar-based one and a mayonnaise/mustard one. Seriously, you may never try anything else. A side order of fried plantains will leave you longing to go back the next day. Their other Triangle locations, including Durham, Cary/Morrisville, and downtown Raleigh, were rebranded in 2015 and are now called Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken. 401 Wake Forest Road Open every day 11am-9pm 919.834.8572 TAJ MAHAL Small and unpretentious, Taj Mahal, tucked between Raleighwood Cinema and Red, Hot & Blue BBQ in Falls Village on Falls of Neuse Road. The intimate 13-table Indian restaurant is family-owned. An earlier version on Capital Boulevard lasted 15 years, before owners Chander Mohan and Debra Howe moved to the North Raleigh shopping center. Lunch has morphed to a mainly buffet-centric affair, and at $9.95 it seems a bargain for the unlimited buffet. You can also order from the regular menu, although it’s with dinnertime pricing. The buffet is quick and tasty, and they bring freshly baked nan to each patron at no extra charge. The buffet dishes vary, with some standards appearing on a regular basis such as sag paneer, mushroom matter, butter chicken, and tandoori chicken. Eat-in or take away. Lunch 11am-2:30pm Sunday-Friday, Dinner 5-10pm every day. Catering available. 6611 Falls of Neuse Road 919.848.2262 raleighindianrestaurant.net midtownmag.com | 69

PHOTO BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Diners are welcoming these newcomers to Raleighâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food scene BY CARLA TURCHETTI

Brewery Bhavana 218 S. Blount Street, Raleigh

Brewery Bhavana is a restaurant, craft brewery, flower shop, and book shop all in one. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a complete redo of the former Tir Na Nog spot at Moore Square Park and has a bright and airy new look. Brewery Bhavana is brought to you by brother and sister Vansana and Vanvisa Nolintha, who own the Bida Manda restaurant next door, and head brewer, Patrick Woodson, who brews the craft beer a few blocks away on Bloodworth Street. The dim sum is inspired by the Chinese food influences that were present in Laos while the owners were growing up there. The addition of the flower shop and the book shop transform Brewery Bhavana from a place to grab a drink and a snack into a place to gift yourself or someone else. 70 | midtownmag.com

DINER TIP The soup dumplings and the steamed pork buns are dim sum favorites.

Crawford and Son

Level 7

101 Park at North Hills Street, 7th Floor

618 N. Person Street, Raleigh

After years of success as executive chef at Herons and a short spin at Standard Foods, four-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef in the Southeast, Scott Crawford, has his own spot now in historic Oakwood where Piebird used to be. Crawford and Son is a place he envisions as a neighborhood fixture serving both familiar and unexpected food combinations, all sourced from the freshest ingredients. Crawford’s preference is to keep the menu small, but constantly changing and evolving. DINER TIP While it may be difficult to decide between ordering the yellowtail crudo or the boneless pork ribs, most everyone agrees that you absolutely cannot ignore the homemade malted wheat rolls, no matter what else you order off the menu.

Level 7 at the AC Hotel in Raleigh is moving North Hills’ food and beverage scene to new heights. The AC is a Marriott property with European inspiration. Guests at Level 7 can enjoy wines from California and Spain, local craft beers, and handmade cocktails alongside tapas-style bites that feature ingredients like salmon, prosciutto, and chicken. The sleek and contemporary décor spans an inside area as well as rooftop lounging space with a bird’s-eye view of North Hills. DINER TIP The Sir Walter Raleigh is a handmade cocktail featuring Defiant Whisky, a single malt from rural Rutherford County. The distillery owner’s first business was Defiant Marine, an underwater salvage diving company, and he turned his whisky hobby into a business to make use of a storage facility he built, but didn’t need.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLEAN DESIGN

Vidrio

500 Glenwood Avenue #100, Raleigh

Vidrio is the Spanish word for glass, and the new Vidrio restaurant in Raleigh’s Glenwood South features plenty of it in its dramatic new sparkling space. Glass rods hang suspended from the ceiling, and windows open up the space inside and out onto the street. The dramatic décor in the dining room is the prelude for a meal of Mediterranean-inspired dishes, served family style with a dining philosophy of gathering together and slowly savering the meal. Vidrio is a new offering from LM Restaurants, led by president and owner Lou Moshakos, of the Carolina Ale House chain. Going along with the glass theme, Vidrio has 50 wines on tap served by the glass, and 200 more available by the bottle.

DINER TIP Try the Moroccan beef skewers; they will melt in your mouth.

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Pizza la Stella

219 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh

Pizza la Stella is serving up Neapolitan-style pizza on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. It has taken over the location that formerly housed The Mint, and then Bolt Bistro. In order to create authentic Italian pizza, the owners are importing San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella cheese from Italy, and even brought in special ovens from Naples. Those ovens heat up to 900 degrees and can fire a pizza in a minute and a half. And everything else on the menu, except the salads, goes into those ovens as well. Think crispy chicken wings, meatballs, and even brussels sprouts.

DINER TIP: After dinner head upstairs to The Loft, a rustic retreat on the second floor, that is a great spot for cocktails and conversation. PHOTO BY RALEIGH FOOD PICS

Oak &Dagger Public House

18 Seaboard Avenue, #150, Raleigh

Oak & Dagger is a brewery modeled on the classic idea of a public house being the social center of the community. The craft beer is more than just a beverage here â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is also an ingredient in dishes like the beer-braised pulled duck sandwich and the beer-battered asparagus. The burgers are a highlight of the menu, and the Breakfast Burger even has a fried egg on top. This is the spot at Seaboard Station that used to be Tylerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and the patio remains open with happy hour specials and live music. DINER TIP: The Wisconsin cheese curds with marinara are said to be addictive. 72 | midtownmag.com

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PHOTOS BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

STEP RIGHT

UP!

Some of the best tastes in town can be ordered at the counter BY CARLA TURCHETTI

PHOTO BY FOOD-SEEN BY FELICIA PERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

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Guasaca

Arepa & Salsa Grill

4025 Lake Boone Trail, #107, Raleigh

Guasaca specializes in arepas: a type of Venezuelan bread made from corn instead of wheat that are gluten-free. Arepas make the perfect base for many different combinations of foods, and at Guasaca you can build your own working from a list of choices in proteins, sides and sauces. The owners describe their food as Venezuelan with American influences that is fresh, healthy and affordable. Guasaca offers both indoor and patio dining, and has other locations in Durham and Morrisville.

Snoopy’s Hot Dogs and More

1931 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh

It was back in 1978 that Steve Webb converted a gas station at the corner of Wake Forest and Whitaker Mills Roads in Raleigh to the flagship location for Snoopy’s Hot Dogs. Since then they have been serving up hot dogs and hamburgers in the traditional Eastern North Carolina style with mustard, onions and chili and always on a steamed bun (which is why the ones you make at home don’t taste like these). Snoopy’s is a late-night tradition for many people and has grown from the original location to include four others around Raleigh and Garner. The famous dogs are half-price on Tuesdays, and the French fries are addictive every day.

Pharaoh’s American Grill 4421 Six Forks Road, #116-A Raleigh

Located in the Lassiter District of North Hills, this locally-owned food counter is known for its hamburgers, hot dogs and deli-style sandwiches. There’s an Egyptian theme running through the décor, and it transfers onto the menu with burgers named The Sphinx and the King Tut. Diners rave about the crinkle-cut fries and sip on homemade orangeades, lemonades and limeades. There are no tables inside and some limited seating out on the sidewalk in front at North Hills. There is a second location, Pharoah’s at the Museum, located inside the North Carolina Museum of History. A portion of proceeds from that location are donated to the museum.

Tookie’s Grill 8105 Falls of Neuse Road Raleigh Tookie’s is attached to a convenience store along a busy stretch of Falls of Neuse Road in North Raleigh. Choices on the menu board include burgers, midtownmag.com | 75

Made Fresh Hourly Since 1988

hot dogs and even pimiento cheese sandwiches, but the chicken salad is the star of the show. It’s made from white meat chicken, mayonnaise, eggs, celery and onion. They will put it on bread and make a sandwich for you, but you can skip all that and eat it with a fork straight out of the plastic container like many of the regulars. In addition to the original location at the gas station, Tookie’s operates at the Flea Market at the State Fairgrounds, at another location in Garner, and NC has a Tookie’s To Go food truck.

9 locations in the Triangle!

goodberrys.com

PHOTO OF POPPYSEED MARKET BY RALEIGH FOOD PICS

PHOTO BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

Italian Kitchen & Bar

OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR DINNER

MulinoRaleigh.com

Authentic, Modern Italian Cuisine in Downtown Raleigh

76 | midtownmag.com

Legislative Cafeteria

16 W. Jones Street, Raleigh

Grab a tray and make your way through the line at the cafeteria in the basement of the North Carolina Legislative Building. Pork barbecue and hushpuppies are, naturally, two of this Southern cafeteria’s signature dishes. The Legislative website, ncleg.net, posts the rotating menu of entrees, vegetables and soups online every day. The cafeteria is open to the public from 11am until 2pm Monday through Friday. Insiders say save some room for the generously-portioned cake and pie dessert selections that are reasonably priced.

Poppyseed Market

8801 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh

Poppyseed Market in North Raleigh is more than just a place to order a gourmet sandwich. Under the watch of Chef Julia, Poppyseed also features an extensive menu of fresh salads, entrees, pizzas, desserts, beer and wine. Customers order from the counter in the front between the hours of 11am and 5pm. Your order can be delivered to your table or you can wait to pick it up to go while you marvel over the salads and entrees that are under glass. After 5pm Poppyseed dims the lights and becomes a full-service restaurant for dinner.

Mami Nora’s Rotisserie 2401 Wake Forest Road Raleigh You won’t need your navigation app to find Mami Nora’s Rotisserie restaurant in Raleigh. Head towards downtown on Wake Forest Road and let your nose guide you to the mouthwatering smell of roasted chicken. Mami Nora’s serves Peruvian-style chicken that is bathed in a special marinade and then cooked in charcoal ovens that came from Peru. The chicken takes center stage here, but customers also enjoy traditional sides like yucca fries and fried plantains. Mami Nora herself retired two years ago, but she handed the keys and the kitchen secrets over to her children.

BRUNCH SUNDAY 10AM -3PM LUNCH MONDAY - SATURDAY 11AM -3PM DINNER MONDAY - THURSDAY 5PM -10PM FRIDAY - SATURDAY 5PM -11PM SUNDAY 5PM -9PM

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Oldies But Goodies

These Raleigh restaurants know what it takes to keep diners coming back for years.

BY CARLA TURCHETTI

LILLY’S PIZZA Since 1993

1813 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh Lilly’s Pizza began as a carryout or delivery-only pizza place in 1993. Three musicians decided to try their hand at pizza making, took over a biker bar in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood, and named the whole place after one of their pet dogs. Customers started to bring their own lawn chairs and eat their pizza outside the building, and eventually an inside dining room was introduced. Lilly’s is known for its commitment to locally-sourced, organic and all-natural ingredients. The whole-wheat flour in the pizza dough comes from a mill in Graham, North Carolina. Most of the vegetables are certified organic from farms in Rocky Ford and Wendell, North Carolina. The options for vegan and vegetarians are plentiful. Lilly’s now has a second location in Durham. Be sure to take a look at the walls, while your pizza is in the oven, no matter which location you visit – both restaurants provide space for local artisans to display and sell their original works. PHOTO BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

CASA CARBONE Since 1984 6019 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

THE PEDDLER STEAKHOUSE Since 1969 6005 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

Casa Carbone has been serving up classic Italian fare in its location in the Oak Park Shopping Center in Raleigh since 1984. It has always been a familyrun business since it was founded by John and Jean Carbone, who had previously operated the Villa Capri restaurant, along with their daughter Maria Carbone House and her husband, Michael. They believe the secret to longevity begins with the food. The food at Casa Carbone is comforting Italian fare that has origins in both Naples and Sicily, the two places where Maria House’s parents came from.

The Oak Park Shopping Center in Raleigh is also home to The Peddler Steakhouse, which opened its doors in 1969. It’s still owned by its original owner, Gale Barefoot, and daughter Emily Barefoot, who manages the daily operation, says the restaurant hasn’t changed its focus since first opening the door. “We have stayed the course,” says Emily. “We have added seafood, like fresh salmon, and our salad bar has also evolved with customer taste. Things like artichoke hearts that probably weren’t that popular twenty years ago, we have evolved in that sense; but our menu has stayed a classic steakhouse menu.”

78 | midtownmag.com

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2017

Sokol Schilawski O’Shaughnessy Grace King & Mauney, PLLC

DIAMOND

AWARD BEST STEAKHOUSE

midtownmag.com | 79

cariloha north hills

sof test bedding on the pl anet™

And prime rib is still the signature dish. “There are so many options now and so many dining concepts out there that maybe being kind of a classic steakhouse makes us a little bit different these days,” Emily says. Now there are three locations, and The Peddler is still a family-run business in a family-owned shopping center. And Emily says that makes all the difference. “We are a family-owned restaurant. My dad is here 48 years, I’m here, my husband works here two nights a week cooking, my cousin cooks, my uncle is the prime rib guy. Even outside of our family we have a server whose daughter works here and her cousin works here. We are like our own little family. If you’re not actual family, we are a self-made family. We have loyal employees and loyal customers.”

CAFFÉ LUNA Since 1996 136 E. Hargett Street, Raleigh

Apparel and Bedding made of Viscose from Bamboo. cariloha north hills

4421 Six Forks Road, Suite 110 (Next to Total Wine) Raleigh, NC 27609

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phone orders available

(919) 926.0217

Caffé Luna’s owner, Parker Kennedy, returned to his hometown of Raleigh to open the Italian restaurant of his dreams. Twenty years in the wine industry made him an expert in Italian cuisine, Italian wine, and even the Italian language. He knew the city was ready for his style of Italian cuisine with a Tuscan flair, and Caffé Luna opened in 1996 in one of downtown Raleigh’s historic buildings. “Growing up as a boy in Raleigh, I well remembered the glory days of downtown, and knew from living in Manhattan for many years how quickly an area could evolve into a dining destination,” Kennedy says. “The national trend was back to the center city, and this trend has been my friend. The fabulous physical space of the Montague building with its high ceilings and giant windows was also a big factor in my decision.” Caffé Luna is an elegant and breezy space with floorto-ceiling windows allowing light into the space. The walls are covered with artwork by Kennedy’s wife, Nicole White Kennedy. And what comes out of the kitchen has created a legion of loyal Luna followers. “We are so grateful to the wonderful folks who have supported Caffé Luna these many years,” Kennedy says. “Many of them started eating with us as kids in grade school, then joined us for prom and later celebrated their weddings with us! Over the years it has been a remarkable pleasure to be part of so many wonderful family evenings and great events.” The doors have been open since 1996 and Kennedy likes to keep the menu fresh and updated. “Many of our folks have one favorite dish that they order every time they dine with us, but our chef always has exciting specials that change with the season and lots of our friends always order the special,” Kennedy says.

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Ris

a by

Dine d n

nn e j

rt a h i

leigh â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

favorite

Restaurant buzz tends to favor dinner hour offerings, but a surprising number of local restaurants also welcome early morning customers for daily breakfast. If a mid-morning nosh is more your speed, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find weekend brunch options equally enticing. Need a good reason to skip the snooze alarm? Look no further.

Breakfast and

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Brunch Spots

Big Ed’s City Market

State Farmers Market Restaurant serves breakfast daily, closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Known for its scratchmade buttermilk biscuits, “The Market,” as it’s known among regulars, serves a hearty country breakfast made with ingredients from local farms and growers.

DIAMOND

AWARD

BEST PLACE FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER

2017

The Morning Times serves breakfast daily and Sunday brunch in popular downtown location with outdoor seating available. Offers omelets, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, chicken and waffles, lox and a weekly brunch feature.

2017

A Raleigh institution, Big Ed’s City Market is the kind of place you take out-of-town visitors, especially those who need a proper introduction to the classic Southern breakfast. Sammy Hobgood, whose family owns Big Ed’s, says the giant, fluffy hotcakes and the biscuit with sausage gravy are two of the most sought-after menu items. “The red eye gravy is another simple, classic recipe we make in house that everybody loves,” he adds. Fresh, local ingredients are key to the wholesome goodness that draws fans from all over, so in addition to the City Market location, the family opened a second Big Ed’s in Quail Corners in 2015. Both feature interesting collections of Americana, including farm implements once used on the Hobgood family farm.

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New World Cafe is located in North Raleigh just east of Glenwood. The coffee bar serves Counter Culture coffee and offers a modest breakfast menu, friendly neighborhood setting and great service. midtownmag.com | 83

PHOTOS BY RALEIGH FOOD PICS

Jubala Coffee has two Raleigh locations, Lafayette Village and Hillsborough Street, and offers light breakfast daily, including sweet biscuits and Liege waffles. Best known for exquisite coffee creations. Brewerks CafE and Bakery, relative newcomer to the Raleigh restaurant community, opened just last year at the corner of Lane and Linden in Historic Oakwood. Serves breakfast and brunch classics, including Eggs Benedict and fluffy pancakes, in a quiet, charming setting with dog-friendly patio seating available. MORNING TIMES

Sosta is a popular spot at street level of the Red Hat building downtown. Open Monday-Saturday, Sosta has an early morning menu featuring omelets, breakfast sandwiches, pastries and smoothies, as well as interesting coffee and espresso creations made with fair trade, organic coffee. Night Kitchen Bakehouse & Cafe in Seaboard Station, open Tuesday-Sunday, specializes in breads, pastry, bagels and bialys; varieties change daily. Also serves coffee, espresso and fine teas. NIGHT KITCHEN

Brunch

COQUETTE BRASSERIE

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Humble Pie, one of Raleigh’s classic brunch spots, has served Sunday brunch since 1989. Co-owner Joe Farmer says locals and visitors alike come for Humble Pie’s signature dishes, including Shrimp and Grits featuring broth of the gods, North Carolina shrimp, and Geechie Boy hand-milled grits from South Carolina. “Our biscuits and Neese’s hot sausage gravy with two eggs is not too shabby either,” he adds. Located in Raleigh’s Warehouse District, Humble Pie is known for its casual atmosphere and covered patio, where dogs are welcome to join their people beginning at 11 a.m. “When 12 o’clock hits, we blow a conch shell to announce the bar is open,” Farmer says, referencing the

state’s blue law prohibiting Sunday alcohol sales before noon – at least for now. In addition to the traditional Bloody Mary, Bellini and mimosa, the Corvette Summer – pink grapefruit shrub, tequila, soda, lime and a salted rim – is a favorite with the brunch crowd. NOFO in Five Points serves brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Besides the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Eggs, and the one-of-a-kind Fried Green Tomato Benedict, brunch guests positively rave about the award-winning NOFO Bloody Mary. Owner, Raleigh native Jean Martin, is quick to add that fans can order the Bloody Mary any time. Relish Craft Kitchen & Bourbon Bar, at the corner of Creedmoor and Millbrook Road, serves brunch both weekend days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Owner Sharon May says the French Toast Bread Pudding, made with challah bread soaked overnight in a sweetened egg mixture, is the restaurant’s most popular brunch item, adding that an early arrival may be in order. “Once we run out, we are out for the day,” she says, noting the surprising number of requests from people who call and ask to reserve a piece – unfortunately, that’s not possible, so set your alarm and cross your fingers! Also in demand are the Gingerbread Banana Pancakes and the Fried Egg BL and Green T, an extra tasty take on the bacon, lettuce and fried green tomato sandwich. The ‘Mater Biscuit, with sweet potato biscuits, fried egg, bacon, fried green tomatoes and cream gravy, is another quintessentially Southern menu offering. Coquette Brasserie, in The Circle at North Hills, serves Sunday brunch with a distinctive French flair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Delicate crepes, savory quiches and poached egg dishes are just a sampling of Coquette’s many brunch offerings, which naturally include French Toast Pave and flaky croissants. C’est délicieux! OTHER NOTABLE BRUNCH DESTINATIONS: • Buku • Bare Bones • Capital Club 16

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Treats From A Truck The local food truck industry is flourishing by helping each other and the community. BY KURT DUSTERBERG

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Nicole and Freddie McIntyre dabbled in the food truck business, almost before it became an industry. On weekends, they would load two commercial freezers and a tent into a U-Haul and travel to festivals around North Carolina where they could sell sweet treats. Today, their dabbling days are done. The McIntyres are all-in with Cocoa Forte, a food truck that specializes in chocolate-dipped cheesecake. “It’s been better than I thought,” Nicole says. “The food truck family has been very supportive.” The growing industry has gained a reputation not only for its innovative and tasty cuisine, but also for being a close-knit community. The RDU Mobile Food Association (RDUMFA)

is a not-for-profit organization that advocates for its members, most of whom are learning a business model that barely existed five years ago. Today, food trucks have a presence wherever people gather, from office parks to apartment complexes to public events. Many have loyal customers who meet the trucks after learning their daily whereabouts on social media.

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But gaining traction in the new era of mobile food is not as easy as it looks. “It’s a huge task. It looks easy from outside, but there are so many regulations and processes,” says Art Sheppard, executive director of the RDUMFA. “It’s not just operating the restaurant – you have to move the restaurant. You have to schedule where you’re going to be on a daily basis.” Sheppard does not operate a food truck, but he joined the cause after starting a food truck blog a few years ago. A full-time accountant, he helps the business owners navigate some of the behind-the-scenes concerns that come with the job. By bringing them together in an association, he helps them foster a spirit of cooperation that benefits all the mobile businesses, even when they are set up side-by-side at events. “Other food truck owners have offered generators or even cooked rice for their competitors, because they knew without that they wouldn’t make money that day,” Sheppard says. “It’s something unique that I’ve never seen in another industry before.” Courtney Caley and Heladio Hernandez are the owners of Qspresso, a truck that specializes in Cuban cuisine. With almost

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three years under their belts, they have experienced many of the ups and downs of the emergent industry. “It’s been a fun experience. You learn a lot on the go,” Caley says. “Nothing is the same every day. There’s something to take out of each experience and place you go. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your passion. The only downfall is that it’s mobile, and you’re running on a truck. If your tire blows out or your transmission goes, you’re kind of stuck.” Both Hernandez, a chef, and Caley have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry, as well as a passion for Cuban food. So choosing a menu theme was easy. But the logistics were more of a challenge. Like most food trucks, they don’t have the space to prepare meals on the truck, so they work out of a full-service commissary. All that prep work comes first, before the truck ever hits the road. “You don’t necessarily get a lot of sleep and you don’t have much of an outside life, but you get the opportunity to serve others and teach others who work with you,” Caley says. “It’s all about building relationships.” That’s what the McIntyres have done with their cheesecake business. While most food trucks have success with lunch and dinner shifts, Nicole discovered that her sweets go over well as an afternoon snack between two and three o’clock. So she seeks out a commercial property where her followers can grab a cocoa-chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. “Employees have already had their lunch and they’re working on that last leg of their day,” McIntyre says. “I can do as many sales as I can do for lunch, so I’ve spread the word to our other sweet trucks, and they’re doing this as well. It’s really enriching the dessert trucks.” Not only do the truck owners look out for each other, but they take an active interest in the community. The RDUMFA holds an annual truck event in Knightdale to raise money for Wake County Meals on Wheels, which provides hot meals to the elderly and homebound. Last year, the event raised $2,500. Fundraising is part of the organization’s core values of quality, safety and community. “We want to make sure that people know food trucks are out there to give back to the community,” Sheppard says.

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T WO HOURS TO

Island BY CORBIE HILL PHOTOS COURTESY OF NCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BRUNSWICK ISLANDS

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We’re so close to paradise! FROM RALEIGH, IT’S A STRAIGHT shot to North Carolina’s southeastern coast: you basically just get on I-40 and head east at 70 miles an hour until you’re almost out of interstate. If you’re in a hurry to leave the Oak City for sun and sand, it’s the quickest and most direct route to a North Carolina beach. Once you’re there, of course, there’s no longer the need to rush. Between Cape Fear and the South Carolina border, in fact, lies a stretch of barrier islands, which are known for their family-friendly ease. “All of the islands are great

for boating and fishing and kayaking and everything,” says Mitzi York, executive director of the Brunswick County Tourism Development Authority. Unique to North Carolina beaches, as she points out, the Brunswick County islands face south. “In certain times of the year, specifically the fall and the winter, you can see the sun rise and set over the ocean,” she says. Each Brunswick County beach has its own distinctive character. In general, they tend to be family-oriented and are defined

by beach houses rather than towering condos, but some skew more toward adventure and surfing while others are quiet destinations, places to go birding or to spot ghost crabs after dark. York was happy to explain the diverse draws of her county’s beaches – and the region immediately inland, too. There are more than 30 golf courses here, she notes, making coastal Brunswick County a destination for golfers as well. The Brunswick County Tourism Development Authority can be found online at ncbrunswick.com.

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Islands BALD HEAD ISLAND

North Carolina is known for its lighthouses, and this island boasts the oldest one still standing in the state: Old Baldy, as the distinctive little lighthouse is affectionately known, turned 200 in 2017, with events throughout the year to celebrate. “The coast of North Carolina has huge maritime history and the lighthouses were a big, big part of that,” Old Baldy Foundation Executive Director Chris Webb told Wilmington’s WWAY TV. “If we don’t celebrate them, we’re not celebrating the people and the adventurers.” Visit oldbaldy.org and select the “200th birthday” tab to view the birthday calendar, which includes a National Lighthouse Day celebration on the weekend of August 4th-6th. Bald Head itself (which is technically no longer an island due to sand accumulation in one inlet) is accessible only by a passenger ferry that departs from Southport. A true leisure island, there are few cars here: rather, folks get around by golf cart and bicycle.

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PHOTO BY MATT WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY

OAK ISLAND Across the Cape Fear River’s mouth from Bald Head stands one of North Carolina’s youngest lighthouses – the Oak Island Lighthouse, which was built in 1958. From this end of Oak Island, called Caswell Beach, you can watch ships come and go, approaching or departing Wilmington as they have for centuries. Oak Island is a quiet island, a family vacation-oriented strand populated with beach houses of all sizes (and no high-rises!), but it’s an easy destination for day-trippers as well: there are more than 60 public beach entry points up and down the island. It’s an excellent place to put in a fishing boat, but also to canoe or kayak; Montgomery Slough and Davis Creek, which are contained within the island itself, are relatively sheltered places for small boats. Be sure you’re confident paddling against tidal currents, however. Speaking of tides, low tide is an excellent time to visit Oak Island’s western tip, where Lockwood Folly Inlet separates Oak Island and Holden Beach. Bring binoculars, because inbetween the two islands and just out to sea, two Civil War shipwrecks are visible as black shapes in the water – but only at low tide.

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HOLDEN BEACH “One of the iconic kind of scenes of Holden Beach is seeing the shrimp boats that line the intracoastal waterway when you cross over to go to Holden Beach,” says York. That bucolic view is the perfect introduction to what has been ranked one of the best family beaches in the United States time and again, and by respectable outlets like National Geographic Traveler. It’s a great place for kids to swim, bike, explore tide pools or pick up some candy from the candy shop.

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SUNSET BEACH AND BIRD ISLAND These were two separate islands until the inlet between them closed. Bird Island is a nature preserve, while Sunset Beach is quiet and peaceful as well. Its remoteness and easy character landed it a spot on National Geographic’s “21 Best Beaches in the World” list in January. Sunset Beach shared this list with global destinations like Shark Bay in Australia, Cathedrals Beach in Spain, and Anse Source d’Argent in the Seychelles. The Bird Island portion is a nature preserve boasting 1,200 undeveloped acres and, naturally, birds aplenty. At its far end and after a long walk on the beach stands the Kindred Spirit Mailbox, a repository for heartfelt notes since it was moved from its first location to Bird Island in 1983. Ingram Planetarium, too, is on Sunset Beach.

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OCEAN ISLE BEACH There’s a little more adventure at Ocean Isle, with the Carolina School of Surf as well as Surf Unlimited’s surf camps on this island. On the mainland side, York notes, the Shallotte River Swamp Park offers wetlands tours – by boat or by zipline! As flat as eastern North Carolina is, daredevils at the Swamp Park can still get a little altitude at its aerial adventure park. On the island, family destination The Museum of Coastal Carolina is a natural and maritime history museum with a collection that includes shark jaws, a sea animal touch tank, live snakes, and a wooden strip boat built in Brunswick County. For those who want a little action with their beach trip, Ocean Isle should be a good fit.

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Towns

Any Brunswick County beach guide would be incomplete without mentioning the towns of Southport and Calabash. Though both towns are on the mainland, both are indelibly connected to the water. Add a few hours – or more – in these towns to a Brunswick County beach vacation and be rewarded with a richer experience.

SOUTHPORT Southport lies at the mouth of the Cape Fear River and, from its riverfront, one can see both the Oak Island and Bald Head Island lighthouses. Walk to the end of the public pier to see how the fishing is that day, or sit on a riverside bench and watch sailboats come and go from the nearby marina. In this village’s few downtown blocks are historical houses – some with widow’s walks – along with restaurants and shops. Southport, too, is the home of the North Carolina Fourth of July Festival and accompanying patriotic parade. Plus, ferries launching from Southport can take vacationers either to Fort Fisher for an aquarium visit or to Bald Head Island.

CALABASH “What Calabash is famous for is seafood. It’s where Calabash-style seafood originated,” York says. It’s all pretty straightforward: whether from a restaurant or bought off the boats, you go to Calabash for seafood. There are also charter boats that depart from this little Brunswick town, she adds.

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Futuristic Heart Health Care with Substance and Style WITH ITS SUNNY HALLWAYS AND WALLS LINED WITH PAINTINGS, GLASS COLLAGES, AND METALWORK, THE NEW NORTH CAROLINA HEART AND VASCULAR HOSPITAL FEELS MORE LIKE ITS NEIGHBOR, THE NC MUSEUM OF ART, THAN A TRADITIONAL HEALTH CENTER. BY JANE PORTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE REALE

The facility on UNC Rex’s busy west Raleigh campus features high ceilings, tall windows, amenities such as a heart-healthy Mediterranean café, and spacious rooms with showers, fold-out beds, and sprawling city views. It’s a far cry from the fluorescent lights and chaotic corridors of the health care institutions of yesterday, but for all its beauty, the hospital was designed with the foremost purpose of maximizing efficiency, with an eye toward the future.

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“This project was made up of millions of little things that we get really excited about,” says Chad Lefteris, Rex’s convivial vice president, during a tour of the facility one May morning. “We turned what was going to be an interesting space into an intriguing space. I love that people want to come here and just walk around.” Designed by the national firm EYP Health and built by Skanska, the 306,000 square foot hospital opened in mid-March at a total cost of $235 million. The building consolidates heart health care services that previously were spread all across the campus, streamlining care for patients and doctors. During the design process, several Rex cardiologists toured heart hospitals across the country, observing best practices and returning with their input. “You feel a sense of 100 | midtownmag.com

accomplishment when something you worked hard to see happen finally does happen,” says Dr. James Zidar, an interventional cardiologist at Rex. “Those are the things that you cherish the most, especially with something of this magnitude and level of commitment. We put a lot of hours into it.” With 114 private patient rooms, the facility is the largest of its kind in the Southeast. It serves patients from Wake and its surrounding counties, where the population is growing rapidly – and aging – as well as patients from across the region, where diets rich in fried food and more widespread tobacco use have contributed to high rates of heart disease. Patients have plenty of space to move around and visit with family, and they enjoy access to resources such as healthy cooking classes with professional chefs.

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MIKE BRAILSFORD, THE ENERGY OPERATIONS MANAGER AT REX AND A SELF-TAUGHT WOODWORKER, REPURPOSED 20 OAK TREES BULLDOZED DURING CONSTRUCTION FOR TABLES FOR THE HOSPITAL’S CAFÉ, KARDIA.

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Doctors, nurses, and other care team members are pleased with an enhanced work environment as well. Large conference rooms offer space for cardiologists to continue learning, to train alongside physicians from all over the nation and abroad, and to work with them remotely via teleconference. New catheterization and electrophysiology labs are more spacious, to safely accommodate large pieces of equipment that won’t be getting smaller anytime soon. Nurses can easily search a new electronic inventory, and they have access to work stations on two floors.

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“This new facility has allowed us to be more effective at providing the best clinical care, to advance the field with research initiatives, and to teach others what we have learned,” says Dr. George Adams, an interventional cardiologist and the director of peripheral vascular research at Rex Hospital. “We have over a hundred clinical research trials that offer patients treatment modalities they wouldn’t otherwise have.” In the spirit of the efficiency that built the Heart and Vascular Hospital, plans are in the works to adapt old spaces used for heart health care for much-needed behavioral health care services. Mike Brailsford, the energy operations manager at Rex and a self-taught woodworker, repurposed 20 oak trees bulldozed during construction for tables for the hospital’s café, Kardia. And the hospital will continue to collect work and commission pieces from North Carolina artists using money from the Rex Healthcare Foundation’s donors, as studies continue to underscore links between art and healing. “Hospital construction is very expensive, so you don’t want to just say, ‘let’s make this bigger,” says Lefteris, Rex’s VP. “We did an excellent job of being good stewards of resources and dollars to right-size the building, not only for today, but for future growth.” 104 | midtownmag.com

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A New Partnership Between WakeMed and Duke Health

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Now, Wake County patients have more options than ever before for heart health care services. Following more than two years of discussions Duke Health and WakeMed partnered to bring together all of the heart services, providers, and facilities from both entities into a single shared vision, Heart Health Plus+. The service also began in March and has a primary focus on patients living throughout Wake County. The partnership offers a broader scope of care and treatment innovation through the sharing of best practices and evidence-based experiences, as well as expedited screening and access to clinical trials through Duke Clinical Research, says Kristin Kelly Gruman, a spokesperson for WakeMed. Patients have seamless access to specialized surgical interventions and technologies, such as transplantation, at Duke Hospital. “As health systems continue to focus on improving the care and value we deliver to our patients, working together can help us all achieve greater coordination of care and clinical quality,” says Donald Gintzig, WakeMed’s president and CEO. “As leaders in our respective areas of expertise, both Duke and WakeMed have the opportunity to learn a great deal from one another – all in the best interest of our patients and the care we deliver together.”

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MAXTV GLASSES ARE ONLY APPROPRIATE FOR THOSE WITH MILD VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AS IS SEEN IN DRY ARMD (AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION). PHOTO BY DR. ELANA SCHEINER.

Are you an older adult? Do you have blurred vision? You might have macular degeneration. Reading a thrilling novel, baking a delicious cake, or watching a favorite movie are some of life’s simple pleasures. But for some older adults these seemingly “simple” tasks can be torturously frustrating. Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) know these frustrations all too well. “[Age-related] macular degeneration is a disease that affects the center of the retina, which is the tissue in the back of the eye,” explains Dr. Nitin Gupta, an ophthalmologist at Taylor Retina Center in Raleigh. “Over time, the center of the retina can deteriorate, and patients experience vision loss.” Retinal photoreceptors help process central vision and turn light into electrical signals. These signals are sent through the optic nerve to the brain, where they are translated into the images we see every day. When the macula is damaged, your central vision may become blurred or dark. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50 in America and affects roughly 11 million individuals. According to the BrightFocus Foundation, this number is expected to double by 2050. There are two types of AMD. Dry AMD occurs when there is a gradual breakdown of the macula’s light-sensitive cells and its supporting tissue. Wet AMD 108 | midtownmag.com

BY LATISHA CATCHATOORIAN

occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the retina. These vessels can leak fluid and blood, causing swelling and damage to the macula. When explaining the difference between dry and wet AMD, Gupta likes to give his patients his sidewalk analogy. “If you go outside, you see little cracks in the sidewalk. Over time it gets beaten down – that’s kind of like dry AMD. [The sidewalk] is kind of getting a little brittle, but often it’s minimal,” Gupta said. “But [other times] when you go outside, you [may] see the sidewalk and you see weeds and grass growing up from the cracks. [This is like the] blood vessels in wet macular degeneration [leaking] into the retina.” An AMD diagnosis may seem hopeless, but there are several treatment options available to patients, and just because you may be experiencing vision loss, this does not mean you’ll go blind. “One misconception [about AMD] is that when people are given a diagnosis, [they think] they’re going to be completely blind. That is rare,” said Dr. Elana Scheiner, an optometrist who specializes in low vision, visually impaired, and legally blind patients. While there is no complete cure for AMD, there are ways to manage the condition. Common treatments for wet AMD include injections, approved drugs and medications, and certain therapies.

For dry AMD patients and/or those with progressive cases, low vision aides such as special glasses can be used to help them perform everyday activities. Scheiner works with low vision AMD patients through centric view training and has prescribed aides like magnifiers, telescopes, readers, and even special glasses that help a patient watch television. Scheiner starts every low vision exam by asking patients to make a wish list of visual goals. She said some of her patients simply want to be able to see pictures of their grandchildren. One of Gupta’s wet AMD patients was an artist who was unable to paint for a year because her vision was so poor. After receiving injection treatments and successfully improving her vision, she presented Gupta with a finished painting with tears in the very eyes he had helped treat. “It’s so rewarding to be able to work with patients and improve their quality of life,” he said. There’s no surefire way to predict AMD, although high blood pressure, smoking, ethnicity (Caucasians are more predisposed to the condition), and genetics can all increase your risk of developing it. The most important way to get control of your AMD is to catch it early on if you notice signs of blurred central vision, and schedule an appointment with your eye doctor.

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Finding Help

BY THE TIME GILDA THOMPSON PARTICIPATED in a Duke sleep study in 2011, she had already struggled for years with extreme fatigue, worsening hypertension, and what she describes as a short temper. “There were days when I couldn’t even function,” she says. Diagnosed with hypertension decades earlier, Thompson was accustomed to regular cardiology check-ups and medication changes. But this exhaustion was a troubling development, and it was only getting worse. When she moved to the Triangle area in 2010, Thompson was relieved to find that her new doctor listened closely and took her concerns seriously. “My doctors in Ohio never even mentioned the possibility of sleep apnea,” she says, disappointed that she suffered for so long without a proper diagnosis. Following her sleep study, the resulting treatment – sleeping each night with the aid of a CPAP machine – finally gave Thompson her life back. The continuous positive airway pressure machine – or CPAP – is one treatment option for individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea. Although not every patient is an ideal candidate for a CPAP machine, Thompson reports feeling immediate relief from the foggy thinking, fatigue and bad mood that had plagued her for years. “When you ask people what they would grab first in a fire, they usually say their purse,” Thompson says. “I would grab my CPAP machine first, then my purse.”

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Health Discoveries

BRAIN PATHWAYS LINK SLEEP TO LEARNING, EMOTIONAL RESPONSES, AND PERCEPTION OF EMOTIONS IN OTHERS

“CIRCADIAN CLOCK” GENES CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH AND REPAIR OF CELLS THROUGHOUT THE HUMAN BODY

SLEEP APNEA IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS DURING PREGNANCY

Sleep disorders are associated with a growing number of health problems HEART DISEASE / STROKE / DIABETES / OBESITY / CANCER / HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

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INFOGRAPHIC COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

THE NIH According SUPPORTS AtoRANGE OF SLEEP-RELATED the National Heart, RESEARCH THAT IS EXPLORING

THE NIH AND ITS PARTNERS WILLschedule CONTINUEa North Carolina, patients can TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), sleep lab study to have the quality and SLEEP RESEARCH the most common type of sleep apnea quantity of their sleep measured during How sleep disorders, or a lack of sleep, the is obstructive sleep apnea, where an overnight stay. Although patients the body upperaffect airway collapses or becomes have the option of taking equipment blocked during sleep. Sleep researchers home to conduct a self-administered New ways to diagnose and treat sleep disorders FEDERAL HEALTH report cases where breathing stops 100 sleep test, Burggraaff saysPROFESSIONALS a night PARTNERS or more times in a single night. The in the sleep lab provides the most NIH Genetic, environmental, and social factors lack of oxygen to the brain causes some thorough and reliable results. that lead to sleep disorders people to wake up gasping for air. More “We’re looking for a numerical RESEARCHERS PUBLIC INTEREST than Adverse a mereeffects nuisance, untreated sleep value, a way to determine whether a ORGANIZATIONS/PATIENT on the brain from a lack of sleep ADVOCACY GROUPS GENERAL apnea can increase the risk of high patient’s condition is mild, moderate PUBLIC bloodThe pressure, heart attack, stroke, or severe,” she says, adding that consequences of sleep deficiency across obesity diabetes. And because treatment is most effective when it is the and lifespan, from infancy to older age it can lead to fatigue and reduced mental based on a patient’s specific numbers. clarity, sleep apnea also increases the In the sleep lab, which Burggraaff 8, which builds on scientific Thelikelihood NIH is currently NIH driving Sleep Disorders Research Planto of implementing work-relatedtheand compares a comfortable, hotel-like advances that link sleep problems to health and safety risks and identifies research opportunities to spur accidents. Yet in spite of the serious environment, monitoring equipment new approaches for preventing and treating sleep disorders. nature of sleep apnea, many who have records heart rate, blood oxygen levels the chronic condition aren’t even aware and electrical activity in the brain Facebook.com/NHLBI www.nhlbi.nih.gov (EEG), offering invaluable insight into ofTwitter.com/nih_nhlbi it. Dr. Barbara Burggraaff, board the patient’s sleep experience. Along with a thorough diagnosis, Burggraaff certified in both otolaryngology (ENT) SOURCES: and sleep medicine, treats many offers patients the best news many have http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/ http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/yg_slp.htm http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6008a2.htm patients whose first call to her practice http://www.cdc.gov/media/subtopic/matte/pdf/2011/teen_sleep.pdf heard in a long time: Sleep apnea is a http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/inso/atrisk.html http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/ is prompted by a concerned family treatable condition. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsdrowsydriving/index.html http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/sleep/sleep_splan.htm member or sleeping partner. Loud National TheCommission CPAPonmachine, 1993 Sleep Disorders which Research Report to Congress snoring or disrupted sleep, common Burggraaff describes as a sort of “air signs of sleep apnea, may go unnoticed splint” to maintain an open airway, is by patients, even as those around them the right approach for some. Because suffer. At Burggraaff’s North Raleigh patients sometimes find CPAP practice, Sleep and Sinus Centers of machines uncomfortable and unwieldy,

8 9

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however, compliance can be a challenge. For patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, she may recommend a dental appliance to bring the lower jaw forward and improve the airflow. Other possibilities include surgical options, which can be performed on an outpatient basis and are designed to reduce or remove the physical barriers blocking the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upper airway. One of the most common in Burggraaffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clinic is a coblation procedure that targets obstructive tissue at the base of the tongue. Coblation can also be performed on nasal tissue when indicated. Optimal results often require multiple coblation sessions, but most patients report little to no discomfort, and the success rate is very DR. BARBARA BURGGRAAFF promising.

RESEARCH INDICATES THAT SLEEPING LESS THAN

7-8 HOURS

each night, irregular sleep schedules, or poor quality sleep has been associated with many health risks

A sleep apnea diagnosis should be seen as a positive development, an opportunity to address the underlying cause of conditions ranging from loud snoring and frequent headaches, to the potential for serious heart disease and stroke. For the estimated 12-18 million Americans who have sleep apnea according to the NHLBI, early diagnosis and treatment can greatly improve their health and quality of life. If you suspect that you or a loved one may have sleep apnea, you can find more information, as well as a helpful quiz to gauge your daytime sleepiness, by visiting www.sleepandsinuscenters.com.

2017

- THE NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

DIAMOND

AWARD

BEST PLACE TO GET A MANI/PEDI

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Dentistry

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“We believe in providing excellence in dentistry through a unique patient-centered experience.”

RENAISSANCE DENTAL CENTER Dr. Anna Abernethy, Dr. Jill Sonner, Dr. Anita Wells 3803 Computer Drive, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27609 919.786.6766 renaissancedentalcenter.com

DOCTORS ABERNETHY, SONNER AND WELLS ARE PASSIONATE about creating healthy, beautiful smiles through personalized care for the entire family. We believe in providing excellence in dentistry through a unique patient-centered experience. Our team is committed to educating you towards a lifetime of optimal oral health because we know that a smile significantly influences your overall health and well-being. In our office, we personalize every appointment so that our patients experience unsurpassed integrity, sincerity and compassion while in our care. Because of our doctors’ dedication to continued education and advancement of skill, we excel in a variety of restorative and cosmetic treatment options unique to each patient. From cosmetic “smile makeovers” to tooth replacement options with implants, we want you to be elated with your smile! Our patient-centered approach is unparalleled in dentistry. With the latest advances in the field such as CT scans, CEREC crowns, implants and life-like porcelain veneers, we have perfected the art of diagnosis, function, and extraordinary beauty. From simple fillings to smile makeovers, the doctors are committed to keeping you and your family smiling for a lifetime!

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Dentistry

“We often see patients who haven’t seen the dentist in as many as 15 to 20 years, doing in one appointment what would normally take seven to ten.”

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DRS. DANIEL AND TRACY DAVIDIAN HAVE BEEN the face of sedation dentistry in Raleigh for the last 15 years. With a passion and expertise for alleviating dental anxiety, both modestly agree it’s the Sedation Dental Care team that makes the magic happen. “We provide many levels of sedation, from light nitrous oxide gas sedation to IV/oral sedation and general anesthesia. We often see patients who haven’t seen the dentist in as many as 15 to 20 years, doing in one appointment what would normally take seven to ten.” Sedation Dental Care’s tooth rejuvenation program uses digital technology to place and restore dental implants, achieving unprecedented functional and aesthetic results and restoring beauty and function that approaches or even exceeds the original. Designing the aesthetics before placing the implant is the cornerstone of successful cosmetic results. If you have a lot of fear about receiving dental treatment, Drs. Davidian will tell you that you’re not alone. “It is a well-known fact that 50% of our population does not go to a dentist regularly. Our average new patient has not seen a dentist for 10, 20, or sometimes 30 years. We have successfully helped them conquer their fear of dentistry, and we can help you too.” Sedation Dental Care has mastered the art of sedation coupled with gentle, caring dental treatment and state-of-the-art techniques. Conquering the pain and embarrassment of years of neglect is the first step. Their mission and objective is simple: to help patients take the first step in overcoming their fears, getting out of pain, getting their old smile back and/or creating a whole new smile. Daniel Davidian DDS, PA • Implants • Premier dentures • Full mouth dental reconstruction • Same-day crown and bridge Tracy Davidian, DDS, PA • TMD/TMJ Therapies • Migraine and Facial Pain • Sleep Apnea Appliances • Ultra high-end cosmetic SEDATION DENTAL CARE AT RALEIGH SMILE CENTER Daniel Davidian, DDS, PA, Tracy Davidian, DDS, PA 3917 Sunset Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607 919.783.9686 raleighsmilecenter.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Retina Specialists

AT THE TAYLOR RETINA CENTER, OUR PATIENTS come first. Our highly-trained and board certified ophthalmologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment repair and other diseases of the retina, vitreous and macula. We use state-of-theart diagnostics, eye injections, lasers, and surgery to help preserve or restore your vision. In 2011, we founded the Macular Degeneration Institute of North Carolina in order to provide our patients with the latest therapies and injections for wet macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of blindness in the US. Each of our doctors has performed thousands of retina procedures and surgeries. We understand that it is scary to be afflicted with a potentially blinding retina disease and feel honored that so many North Carolinians have entrusted us with their eyecare. Thanks to medical advances, expanding treatment options and surgical techniques, we have been successful in preserving and improving our patients’ vision. Nitin Gupta, M.D., grew up in Smithfield, NC, and has been providing retina care in Raleigh since 2008. J. Carey Pate, M.D., originally from the small town of Alpine in west Texas, joined the practice in 2011. Shil Patel, M.D., came from southern California in 2015 to become part of our New Bern location. David Fingerhut, M.D., left the bright lights of New York City and joined the Taylor Retina Center in 2016. We are privileged to have a great group of highly trained physicians, technicians, and staff to help care for you and your vision. TAYLOR RETINA CENTER David Fingerhut, M.D.; Carey Pate, M.D.; Nitin Gupta, M.D.

RALEIGH: 1101 DRESSER COURT RALEIGH, NC 27609 OTHER LOCATIONS INCLUDE: Garner • Dunn • Smithfield Wilson • Greenville • New Bern 919.878.4060 taylorretinacenter.com

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“We understand that it is scary to be afflicted with a potentially blinding retina disease and feel honored that so many North Carolinians have entrusted us with their eyecare.”

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Orthodontics

“Your Smile, Our Passion.” UNBEKNOWNST TO MANY, THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT EXPLOSION OF TECHNOLOGY in the world of orthodontics – and Dr. Gina Lee is leading the cutting edge. For example, “Incognito” braces are a new orthodontic technology that allows the bonding of customized braces to the back of the teeth, making them completely unnoticeable. Currently, Dr. Lee is the only orthodontist in Wake County who is certified to offer this special type of braces. She also provides other forms of less-noticeable braces, such as clear braces and “invisible” braces (Invisalign®). In fact, Dr. Lee is ranked in the top two percent of Invisalign providers in the United States. Dr. Lee also utilizes the lowest radiation digital X-ray technology and optical scanning of the mouth to instantaneously render virtual 3-D models, instead of using traditional teeth impressions/molds. Additionally, she has been trained in advanced alternatives to surgery using lasers and bone screws, which allow results not achievable with braces alone. Dr. Lee specializes in orthodontic care for children and adults, with a specialty in cosmetic braces. She holds a dental degree from Columbia University in New York City, where she also served as an instructor in orthodontics before moving to North Carolina in 2005.

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BRIER CREEK ORTHODONTICS Dr. Gina Lee

RALEIGH: 10411 Moncreiffe Road Suite 105A Raleigh, NC 27617 919.544.9700 BrierCreekOrtho.com DURHAM: North Durham Orthodontics 4301 Ben Franklin Blvd #201 Durham, NC 27704 DurhamBraces.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> TMJ/Facial Pain

CAROLINA TMJ & FACIAL PAIN CENTER is dedicated to successfully treating craniofacial pain, TMJ disorders and sleep disordered breathing. Our approach is a comprehensive evaluation for diagnosis and non-invasive TMJ and muscle pain treatment options. We provide diagnosis and treatment with state-of-the-art techniques and equipment in a caring, friendly environment. Patients suffering from clicking/popping of the jaw, face pain, migraines, ringing of the ears, loud snoring, or those who suffer with difficulty tolerating CPAP should contact Carolina TMJ & Facial Pain Center to learn more.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chronic pain can be crippling. Most chronic head and neck pain sufferers have never been told that their jaw could be the cause of their pain.â&#x20AC;?

Dr. Tracy Davidian is revolutionizing the way TMJ is treated throughout North Carolina. At Carolina TMJ and Facial Pain Center, we know that TMJ position is related to other areas of your body and physiology. Understanding these connections allows her to successfully treat muscle pain of the head and neck, often connected to TMJ but not all of the time. Dr. Davidian often works side by side with other health care providers to ensure maximum medical recovery, such as chiropractors, physical therapists, nutritionists, ENTs, neurologists or cognitive therapists.

CAROLINA TMJ & FACIAL PAIN CENTER Tracy Davidian, DDS, PA

5904 Six Forks Road, Suite 205 Raleigh, NC 27609 919.3NO.PAIN CarolinaTMJ.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Oncology

“Created with the patient in mind, we offer the comfort of feeling ‘like home’.”

DUKE WOMEN’S CANCER CARE RALEIGH WAS CREATED FOR AND BY PATIENTS – the layout of the infusion suite, the waiting room furniture, the colors on the walls – everything! With the caring physicians and staff, the services on-site truly surround patients with everything they need – creating an atmosphere that feels “like home”. There’s no greater compliment. Duke Women’s Cancer Care Raleigh offers comprehensive care for the diagnosis and treatment of breast and gynecologic cancers. They offer all the care a patient needs under one roof, and coordinated appointments help you get the care you need all in one place, all in one day. Duke Women’s Cancer Care Raleigh’s multi-disciplinary team provides compassionate care, and support services like social work, patient and family therapy, prosthesis fitting, a boutique with products for patients, and survivor care. As part of one of the country’s best health systems, Duke Women’s Cancer Care Raleigh is able to provide Wake County residents the highest quality care and cutting-edge medicine, and access to the most advanced technology and clinical research, closer to home. Duke Women’s Cancer Care Raleigh was named Press Ganey’s 2016 Team of the Year for demonstrating outstanding care coordination in pursuit of delivering safe, highquality, and compassionate care. 122 | midtownmag.com

DUKE WOMEN’S CANCER CARE RALEIGH Gayle DiLalla, MD; Monica Jones, MD; Laura Lazarus, MD; Michael Spiritos, MD; Lisa Tolnitch, MD; Scott Smith, MD; Carol Hahn, MD (Absent: Brittany Davidson, MD; Laura Havrilesky, MD; Paula Lee, MD; Alan Rosen, MD; Scott Sailer, MD; Andi Senter, MD; Stacy Telloni, MD; Jordon Torok, MD)

4101 Macon Pond Road Raleigh, NC 27607 919.781.7070 dukehealth.org

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Anti-Aging

“Anti-aging medicine is about more than just your wrinkles.”

DR. BHAVNA VAIDYA-TANK, A RESPECTED INTEGRATIVE PHYSICIAN IN THE RALEIGH area, founded Family Wellness Clinic 15 years ago and just celebrated the one year anniversary of Regenesis MD. Family Wellness Clinic and Regenesis MD bring a unique fusion of integrative medicine, holistic wellness, and premier aesthetics. Dr. Vaidya-Tank’s practice is set apart through her experienced medical team’s dedication to treating and evaluating each patient as an individual, whether seen on the medical or aesthetic side. Anti-aging medicine is about more than just your wrinkles. Regenesis MD is Dr. Vaidya-Tank’s answer to the gap between how someone feels and how they look. The practice offers the most cutting edge aesthetic services available, but Dr. Tank and her team also look below the skin at underlying medical factors that may cause premature aging like hormone and vitamin deficiencies, adrenal fatigue, genetic factors, and lifestyle. Regenesis MD specializes in cutting-edge aesthetics, weight loss, and sexual health. The aesthetics include PRP, acne, and medical lasers. Weight loss is achieved through genetic testing, nutrition counseling, and medication management. Bioidentical hormone replacement and O- and P-shots are some of the treatments offered for her sexual health program. These treatments and more are offered at her luxurious and private Raleigh and Clayton locations.

FAMILY WELLNESS CENTER AND REGENESIS MD Bhavna Vaidya-Tank, MD

RALEIGH: 8020 Creedmoor Road Raleigh, NC 27613 919.322.2844 CLAYTON: 2076 NC-42, Suite 230 Clayton, NC 27520 919.553.5711 familywellnessnc.com regenesismd.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Orthodontics

“Experience the difference.”

FOR ALMOST A DECADE, Dr. Jason Gladwell has been setting himself apart in the orthodontic industry. A comfortable, patientcentric office combines a relaxing environment with the best in quality orthodontic care. The highly trained staff is dedicated to providing the very best in orthodontic services and utilizes the latest technology to do so. Dr. Gladwell has always listened to what patients prefer in their treatment, has embraced new methods and technology, and has become the state’s leading provider for Invisalign® treatment for both children and adults. Dr. Gladwell is one of The Top Ten Invisalign Providers in the nation, and his expertise with Invisalign has allowed him to transcend the typical geographic barriers that would hold patients hostage to a smaller radius of providers. As a result, he treats patients from all over the Triangle area, the state of North Carolina, and the country. We encourage new patients to meet our team and see for themselves why Gladwell Orthodontics is the No. 1 provider of Invisalign services in North Carolina.

GLADWELL ORTHODONTICS Dr. Jason Gladwell 2824 Rogers Road, Suite 200 Wake Forest, NC 27587 919.453.6325 gladwellorthodontics.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Psychiatry GUPTA PSYCHIATRY Dr. Mona Gupta

RALEIGH: 8304 Creedmoor Road Raleigh, NC 27613 919.870.8409 APEX: 1011 W. Williams Street, Suite 102 Apex, NC 27502 guptapsychiatry.com

DR. MONA GUPTA, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR of Gupta Psychiatry, is a prominent board certified psychiatrist practicing in North Raleigh and now in Apex. The integrative practice approaches mental health and wellness comprehensively; as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Gupta and her team emphasize the musculoskeletal system, holistic medicine, proper nutrition, and environmental factors in maintaining good health. All Gupta Psychiatry providers encourage overall healthy lifestyles by advocating balanced diets, daily exercise, vitamins, implementation of mindful relaxation techniques, and medication management if necessary. The team’s goal is finding coping skills beyond prescribed medications and substances of abuse. As behavioral health and addiction issues become more publicly discussed and accepted, Gupta and her dedicated team lay the foundation for successful treatment and recovery by providing unparalleled support.

“We strive to make all patients feel like they are a part of our family and know that they are not alone in this journey.”

For individuals relying on drugs and alcohol to relieve stress, Dr. Gupta provides modalities, which may include medication assisted treatment, substance abuse counseling, as well as outpatient and inpatient detoxification. The Gupta Psychiatry team provides a judgment-free zone and partners with some of the best treatment centers in the country. Dr. Gupta and her team are best known for their friendly yet steady demeanor and their ability to build and maintain a trusting and respectful relationship with their patients. midtownmag.com | 125

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Dentistry

“We believe in creating a friendly and comforting environment where we can foster lifelong relationships with our patients.”

DR. DREW HEBERER IS A NORTH Carolina native and recent newlywed. After graduating with honors from dental school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he practiced in Portland, Oregon and Washington, DC, before finding the perfect fit in the Triangle. In 2016, Dr. Heberer took over the practice of Dr. Artemis Scandalios, continuing her commitment to quality patient care while modernizing the office with the most up-to-date technology in dentistry including digital and laser techniques, implants, and cosmetic procedures. Drew Heberer Family Dentistry believes that every patient should be treated with compassion, kindness and respect. Patients are treated like family. This is shown by the practice’s 35-year history in the Triangle, with many patients and multi-generational families having been with the practice from the beginning. Dr. Heberer’s compassionate and caring demeanor ensures these same values will be an essential part of the practice’s future. “After dental school, I had the opportunity to experience other parts of the country and the world, but no matter what, North Carolina always called me home. I’m grateful to be back and starting my career and family in a place that I love.”

DREW HEBERER FAMILY DENTISTRY Drew A. Heberer, DDS, PLLC 3803 Computer Drive #101 Raleigh, NC 27609 919.781.0056 northhillsdds.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Plastic Surgery

MOREA PLASTIC SURGICAL CENTER OF NORTH RALEIGH Dr. Christopher Morea 7700 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh, NC 27615 919.845.7880 drmoreaplasticsurgery.com

“Dr. Morea’s meticulous attention to detail is evident with each patient, and many patients not only return for additional procedures but also refer their friends and family.”

DR. CHRISTOPHER MOREA IS A BOARD CERTIFIED Plastic Surgeon with over 20 years experience. Dr. Morea has provided care for thousands of satisfied patients locally, throughout the United States and internationally. Dr. Morea has the highest credentials, including membership in the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. He has been recognized as one of America’s Top Plastic Surgeons by organizations such as the Consumers Research Council of America, the Leading Physicians of the World and RealSelf. At your initial one-on-one consultation with Dr. Morea, he’ll listen to your individual aesthetic goals and discuss the procedures that can best achieve them. Dr. Morea consistently delivers quality results that are beautiful and natural. His meticulous attention to detail is evident with each patient, and many patients not only return for additional procedures but also refer their friends and family. Their stated reason is simple: the patients receive the results they desire from a surgeon they can trust. All surgery is performed at Dr. Morea’s very private freestanding outpatient surgical center, which is conveniently located in the heart of North Raleigh just a few miles north of Crabtree Valley Mall. Dr. Morea’s goal is to provide each patient with the finest medical care in a confidential and private setting.

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Plastic Surgery

“Dr. Lyle is a highly experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon who takes pride in providing his patients beautiful, natural results.”

DR. GLENN LYLE IS A BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON WHO HAS been in practice in Raleigh for 17 years. His specialties include cosmetic breast surgery, body contouring and breast reconstruction. Dr. Lyle did not have a typical route to becoming a surgeon. At 13 years old he developed a fascination with sharks, which led him to pursue a career in marine biology, and from an early age he spent summers going to marine science camps. During a summer internship in college at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, he became involved in shark research. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a BS in Zoology, then completed his master’s degree at the University of Hawaii while studying sharks and lobsters. Despite his fascination, he sought to put his intellectual curiosity and interest in science to use by becoming a surgeon, giving him the opportunity to help others. Next came medical school in Detroit, Michigan, general surgery training in Massachusetts, and finally a plastic surgery residency in Texas. Dr. Lyle lives in Raleigh with his wife and three children, and continues to enjoy marine life today while SCUBA diving on vacations.

RALEIGH PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER Dr. Glenn Lyle, MD 1112 Dresser Court Raleigh, NC 27609 919.872.2616 raleighplasticsurgery.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Dentistry

“I offer a unique approach to smile enhancement that can permanently make you look up to 10 years younger.”

DR. JUSTIN RUSSO OF RUSSO DDS RALEIGH SPECIALIZES IN COSMETIC AND biocompatible general dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and is the official dentist of the Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina Teen Pageants. Dr. Russo has seen far too many people who are embarrassed of their teeth and hide their smile, or don’t smile at all. For those people, Dr. Russo wants you to know that there are options to help achieve the smile you deserve. His greatest satisfaction is to give people a youthful, confident smile, or what Dr. Russo likes to call “the WOW factor”! Dr. Russo has the training and expertise in facial aesthetic design to create a smile with porcelain veneers that will highlight and permanently enhance one’s facial features resulting in a more youthful, vibrant appearance. Dr. Russo can work with you to design the outcome of your new smile before picking up a single dental instrument. The most frequent response from patients who do the test drive is: “I never knew how good I could look”. So if you’re wondering how good you can look, give Dr. Justin Russo at Russo DDS Raleigh a call today!

RUSSO DDS RALEIGH Justin M. Russo, DDS 13220 Strickland Road, Suite 166 Raleigh, NC 27613 919.890.5147 www.russoddsraleigh.com

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2017MEETTHEDOCTORS >>> Plastic Surgery

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Specialists in Plastic Surgery has built a proud history of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in the Raleigh community since its establishment in 1984.â&#x20AC;? SPECIALISTS IN PLASTIC SURGERY, PA OUR HIGHLY TRAINED, BOARD-CERTIFIED SURGEONS CONTINUE TO earn the respect of their peers and the trust and confidence of our satisfied patients. We maintain a practice philosophy centered on excellent patient experiences, patient-driven outcomes and natural-looking enhancements. Over the decades, our practice has grown to include multiple surgeons, an office in Cary, skin health specialists and nurse injectors, all here to provide you the highest level of surgical and non-surgical care. Our technical expertise in surgery is complemented by excellence in customer service. Our staff provides you with first-class hospitality and personalized attention. We encourage you to research our qualifications and visit us so you know what to expect as you embark on this exciting journey to achieve your best self.

Left to right: Roger R. Russell, MD; Donald L. Oschwald, MD; Sanjay V. Daluvoy, MD; Matthew W. Blanton, MD and Richard E. Carlino, MD RALEIGH: 3633 Harden Road, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27607 919.785.0505 CARY: 140 Preston Executive Drive, Suite 201 Cary, NC 27513 919.785.0505 specialistsinplasticsurgery.com

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

Ba-Da Wings 2161 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.832.3902 badawings.com

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

AMERICAN

Berkeley Cafe 217 W. Martin St. 919.322.0127 berkeleycafe.net

Carrollâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen 19 E. Martin Street 919.670.3622 carrollskitchen.org

18 Seaboard 18 Seaboard Ave. 919.861.4318 18restaurantgroup.com

Bloomsbury Bistro 509-101 W. Whitaker Mill Rd. 919.834.9011 bloomsburybistro.com

Clockwork 519 W. North St. 919.307.3215 clockworkraleigh.com

Glenwood Grill 2603 Glenwood Ave. #151 919.782.3102 glenwoodgrill.com

510 Tavern 510 Glenwood Ave. 919.307.4778 510tavern.com

Trophy Tap + Table 225 S. Wilmington St. 919.424.7817 trophybrewing.com

b. good Park at North Hills St. 919.916.5410 555 Fayetteville St. 919.803.3233 bgood.com

Cameron Bar and Grill 2018 Clark Ave. 919.755.2231 cameronbarandgrill.com

Crawford & Son 618 N. Person St. 919.307.4647 crawfordandsonrestaurant.com

Hayes Barton Cafe 2000 Fairview Rd. 919.856.8551 imaginarystudioonline.com/ hayes

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

Iris Restaurant 2110 Blue Ridge Rd. 919.664.6838 ncartmuseum.org/visit/dining

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

Edwards Mill Bar & Grill 3201 Edwards Mill Rd. 919.783.5447 edwardsmillbarandgrill.com Kings 141 Park at North Hills St. 919.600.5700 kingsbowlamerica.com Lynnwood Grill & Brewing Concern 4821 Grove Barton Rd. 919.785.0043 lynnwoodgrill.com

Midtown Grille 4421 Six Forks Rd. 919.782.9463 themidtowngrille.com

PHOTO OF PIZZA LA STELLA BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

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The Oak City Meatball Shoppe 180 E. Davie St. 919.714.9014 oakcitymeatball.com Seasons 52 4325 Glenwood Ave. 919.787.3052 seasons52.com

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

Five Star Restaurant 511 W. Hargett St. 919.833.3311 fivestarraleigh.com

Red Pepper Asian 4121-109 New Bern Ave. 919.594.1006 redpepperasiannc.com

Hako Sushi 2603-155 Glenwood Ave. 919.235.0589 hakosushinc.com

Seoul Garden 4701 Atlantic Ave. 919.850.9984 raleighseoulgarden.com

Tribeca Tavern 6004 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.790.9992 tribecatavernnc.com

Imperial Garden 7713 Lead Mine Rd. 919.846.1988 imperialgardenrestaurant.com

ShabaShabu 3080 Wake Forest Rd. 919.501.7755 shabashabu.net

Village Grill 8470 Honeycut Rd. 919.890.5340 villagegrillraleigh.com

Kimbap Cafe 111 Seaboard Ave. #118 919.900.8053 kimbapcafe.com

Sono 319 Fayetteville St. 919.521.5328 sonoraleigh.com

Zest Cafe & Home Art 8831 Six Forks Rd. 919.848.4792 zestcafehomeart.com

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant 8320 Litchford Rd. #142 919.954.0377 lemongrassthairestaurant.net

The Twisted Fork 3751 Sumner Blvd. 919.792.2535 thetwistedfork.com

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

1912 Bernard St. 919.948.7815 jmrkitchens.com/taste

Brewery Bhavana 218 S. Blount St. 919.829.9998 brewerybhavana.com

Tazza Kitchen 432 Woodburn Rd. 919.835.9463 tazzakitchen.com

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

the Oak 4035 Lake Boone Tr. 919.787.9100 jmrkitchens.com/oak The Players’ Retreat 105 Oberlin Rd. 919.755.9589 playersretreat.net The Raleigh Times Bar 14 E. Hargett St. 919.833.0999 raleightimesbar.com The Rockford 320 ½ Glenwood Ave. 919.821.9020 therockfordrestaurant.com The Station 701 N. Person St. 919.977.1567 stationraleigh.com 132 | midtownmag.com

Chai’s Asian Bistro 8347 Creedmoor Rd. 919.848.8500 chaisasianbistro.com Champa Thai & Sushi 8521 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.806.0078 champathaisushi.com Chopstix 5607 Creedmoor Rd. 919.781.6268 raleighchopstix.com David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar 1900 Hillsborough St. 919.239.4536 ddandnb.com

Mura 4121 Main St. 919.781.7887 muranorthhills.com Neo-Asia 6602 Glenwood Ave. 919.783.8383 neo-china.com Ni Asian Kitchen 8817 Six Forks Rd. 919.916.5106 niasiankitchen.com Orchid Japanese Restaurant 7432 Creedmoor Rd. 919.890.5345 orchidjapanesebuffet.com Pho Pho Pho 510 Glenwood Ave. #103 phophophonc.com Pho Far East 4011 Capital Blvd. #133 919.876.8621 Pearl Chinese Restaurant 3215 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.233.8776 pearlchinesenc.com Red Dragon Chinese Restaurant 2513 Fairview Rd. 919.782.1102 reddragonraleigh.com

Sushi Blues Cafe 301 Glenwood Ave. 919.664.8061 sushibluescafe.com Sushi O Bistro & Sushi Bar 4361 Lassiter at North Hills 919.783.8180 springrollsrestaurant.com Thaiphoon Bistro 301 Glenwood Ave. #190 919.720.4034 thaiphoonbistro.com Waraji Japanese Restaurant 5910 Duraleigh Rd. 919.783.1883 warajijapaneserestaurant.com

BAKERY & DESSERTS Anisette Sweet Shop 209 Bickett Blvd. 919.758.3565 sweetanisette.com Annelore’s German Bakery 1249 Farmers Market Dr. 919.294.8040 facebook.com/ anneloresgermanbakery Bittersweet 16 E. Martin St. 919.977.3829 bittersweetraleigh.com Boulted Bread 614 W. South St. 919.999.3984 boultedbread.com

Edible Art Bakery & Dessert Café 4351-115 The Circle at North Hills 919.856.0604 edibleartnc.com Escazú Artisan Chocolates 936 N. Blount St. 919.832.3433 escazuchocolates.com Goodberry’s Frozen Custard 2421 Spring Forest Rd. 919.878.8159 9700 Strickland Rd. 919.676.8580 2042 Clark Avenue 919.833.9998 goodberrys.com Groovy Duck Bakery 3434 Edwards Mill Rd. 919.787.9233 groovyduckbakeryllc.com Hayes Barton Cafe 2000 Fairview Rd. 919.856.8551 https://goo.gl/2aXSqM lucettegrace 235 S. Salisbury St. 919.307.4950 lucettegrace.com Sugarland 2031 Cameron St. 919.835.2100 facebook.com/ sugarlandraleigh Yellow Dog Bread Company 219 E. Franklin St. 984.232.0291 facebook.com/ yellowdogbread

BBQ Big Al’s BBQ 2920 Forestville Rd. 919.217.0653 bigalsbbqandcatering.com Clyde Cooper’s BBQ 327 S. Wilmington St. 919.832.7614 clydecoopersbbq.com

Ole Time Barbecue 6309 Hillsborough St. 919.859.2544 oletimebarbecue.com

First Watch 6320 Capital Blvd. 919.900.8355 firstwatch.com

The Pit Authentic Barbecue 328 W. Davie St. 919.890.4500 thepit-raleigh.com

Jubala Coffee 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 919.758.8330 jubalacoffee.com The Morning Times 10 E Hargett St. 919.836.1204 morningtimes-raleigh.com

The Q Shack 4120 Main at North Hills St. 919.786.4381 theqshack.com

MoJoe’s Burger Joint 620 Glenwood Ave. 919.832.6799 mojoesburgerjoint.com Chow Pizza & Burgers 8311 Creedmoor Rd. 919.841.4995 chowraleigh.com

Chuck’s 237 S. Wilmington St. 919.322.0126 ac-restaurants.com/chucks

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

Cloos’ Coney Island 2233 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.834.3354

BREAKFAST SPECIALTY

BURGER & HOT DOG

Another Broken Egg Cafe 160 Park at North Hills St. 919.307.8195 anotherbrokenegg.com

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar 111 Seaboard Ave. 919.747.9163 baddaddysburgerbar.com

Jerry’s Grill 813 E. Whitaker Mill Rd. 919.832.7561

Brigs Restaurant 8111 Creedmoor Rd. 919.870.0994 brigs.com

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

919.821.7117 cafecarolina.com

Pharaoh’s Grill at North Hills 4421 Six Forks Rd. 919.420.0840 Snoopy’s Hot Dogs 600 Hillsborough St. 919.839.2176 snoopys.com

Acro Café 11 W. Jones St. 919.707.8057 https://goo.gl/34145J

Seaboard Cafe 707 Semart Dr. 919.821.7553 seaboardcafe.com

Benelux Coffee 402 Oberlin Rd. 919.900.8294 beneluxcoffee.com Cafe Carolina and Bakery 150 Fayetteville St. 919.834.9117

Let Irregardless Café cater your next event at...

Manhattan Cafe 320 S. Wilmington St. 919.833.6105 manhattancafenc.com Oakwood Cafe 300 E. Edenton St. 919.828.5994 oakwoodcaferaleigh.com

CAFÉ

401 Daniels Street

Despina’s Café 8369 Creedmoor Rd. 919.848.5007 despinascafe.com

Sola Coffee 7705 Lead Mine Rd. 919.803.8983 solacoffee.com Sosta Cafe 130 E. Davie St. 919.833.1006 sostacafe.com

FORMERLY DEAN’S SEAFOOD GRILL

Open for Lunch + Dinner Locally Influenced, Seasonal Menu Sunday Brunch $3 Craft Beers All Day, Every Day

Catering 919.610.0872 TheGlenwoodVenue.com

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ECLECTIC

The Daily Planet Cafe 121 W. Jones St. 919.707.8060 thedailyplanetcafe.com Devolve Moto 304 Glenwood Ave. 919.803.3257 devolvemoto.com The Pharmacy Cafe 702 N. Person St. 919.832.6432 personstreetrx.com Sunflowers Cafe 8 W. Peace St. 919.833.4676 sunflowersraleigh.com

CARIBBEAN Caribbean Café 2645 E. Millbrook Rd. 919.872.4858 caribbeancafenc.com Jamaican Grille 5500 Atlantic Springs Rd. 919.873.0200 Lee’s Kitchen 4638 Capital Blvd. 919.872.7422 leeskitchenjamaican.com Mum’s Jamaican Restaurant 3901 Capital Blvd. 919.615.2332 mumsjamaicanfood.com Tropical Picken Chicken 404 E. Six Forks Rd. 919.703.0661

CATERING

Catering Works 2319 Laurelbrook St. 919.828.5932 cateringworks.com

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Donovan’s Dish 800 W. Williams St. #112 Apex 919.651.8309 donovansdish.com

Rocky Top Catering 1705 E. Millbrook Rd. 919.850.2340 rockytopcatering.com

The Glenwood 3300 Woman’s Club Dr. 919.610.0872 theglenwoodvenue.com

DELI/SANDWHICHES The Community Deli 901 Oberlin Rd. 919.896.6810 thecommunitydeli.com Groucho’s Deli 10 Horne St. 919.977.7747 grouchos.com Linus & Pepper’s 126 S. Salisbury St. 919.833.3866 Lunch Box Deli 2816 Trawick Rd. 919.872.7882 McAlister’s Deli 4361 Lassiter at North Hills Ave. 919.787.9543 mcalistersdeli.com Poppyseed Market 8801 Lead Mine Rd. 919.870.4997 poppyseedmkt.com Village Deli & Grill 500 Daniels St. 919.828.1428 villagedeli.net

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

FRENCH Crepe Traditions 141 Park at North Hills St. 919.977.3425 crepetraditions.com

Coquette Brasserie 4531 The Circle at North Hills 919.789.0606 coquetteraleigh.com Royale 200 E. Martin St. 919.977.3043 Saint Jacques 6112 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.862.2770 saintjacquesfrench cuisine.com Simply Crêpes 8470 Honeycutt Rd. 919.322.2327 simplycrepes.com

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

Godavari 9650 Strickland Rd. 919.847.1984 godavarius.com

Bella Monica 3121 Edwards Mill Rd. 919.881.9778 bellamonica.com

Indio Restaurant & Lounge 222 Glenwood Ave. 919.322.2760 indioraleigh.com

Bruno Seafood & Steaks 11211 Galleria Ave. 919.435.6640 brunoraleigh.com

Kabab and Curry 2418 Hillsborough St. 919.977.6974 kababcurryraleigh.com Kadhai the Indian Wok 6260-112 Glenwood Ave. 919.785.2864 theindianexpresskadhai.com Royal India 3901 Capital Blvd. 919.981.0849 royalindiannc.com Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine 6611 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.848.2262 tajmahalindianraleigh.com The Wild Cook’s Indian Grill 3212 Hillsborough St. 984.232.8530 wildcooksgrill.com Zayka Indian Cuisine 10410 Moncreiffe Rd. Ste 103 919.361.5370 zaykaraleigh.com

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

INDIAN

ITALIAN

Azitra 8411 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.484.3939 azitra.com

Amedeos Italian Restaurant 3905 Western Blvd. 919.851.0473 amedeosrestaurant.com

Garland 14 W. Martin St. 919.833.6886 garlandraleigh.com

Assaggio Italian Restuarant 3501 W. Millbrook Rd. 919.785.2088 assaggios-nc.com

Cafe Tiramisu Cafe Tiramisu 6008 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.790.1006 cafetiramisu.net Caffé Luna 136 E. Hargett St. 919.832.6090 cafeluna.com Capri Restaurant 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.878.4424 caprirest.com Casa Carbone Ristorante Italiano 6019 Glenwood Ave. 919.781.8750 casacarbone.com Farina Neighborhood Italian 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 919.890.0143 farinaraleigh.com Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar 309 N. Dawson St. 919.838.8595 mulinoraleigh.com Piccola Italia 423 Woodburn Rd. 919.833.6888 piccolaitalianc.com Gravy 135 S. Wilmington St. 919.896.8513 gravyraleigh.com Jimmy V’s Osteria + Bar 420 Fayetteville St. 919.256.1451 jimmyvsraleigh.com Mia Francesca 4100 Main at North Hills St. 919.278.1525 miafrancescaraleigh.com

Nina’s Ristorante 8801 Lead Mine Rd. 919.845.1122 ninasrestaurant.com Pulcinella’s Italian Restaurant 4711 Hope Valley Rd. 919.490.1172 pulcinellasitalianrestaurant.com Roma Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant 3805 Brentwood Rd. 919.876.2818 Tuscan Blu 327 W. Davie St. 919.834.5707 tuscanblu.com Vic’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria 331 Blake St. 919.829.7090 4035 Lake Boone Tr. 984.200.9292 vicsitalianrestaurant.com

Vivace 4209 Lassiter Mill Rd. 919.787.7747 vivaceraleigh.com

MEDITERRANEAN / MIDDLE EASTERN Aladdin’s Eatery 8201 Brier Creek Pkwy. 919.806.5700 aladdinseatery.com

Fresh Levant Bistro 8450 Honeycutt Rd. 984.200.3999 freshlevant.com Jasmin Mediterranean Bistro 424 E. Six Forks Rd. 919.743.3336 jasminbistro.com

Mona Pita Mediterranean Grill 5260 Capital Blvd. 919.431.6500 monapita.com Neomonde 3817 Beryl Rd. 919.828.1628 neomonde.com Nur Mediterranean Deli & Market 2233 Avent Ferry Rd. 919.828.1523 nurdeli.com Petra Grill 6091 Capital Blvd. 919.599.4959

Sassool 9650 Strickland Rd. 919.847.2700 sassool.com

Sitti 137 S. Wilmington St. 919.239.4070 sitti-raleigh.com

Cafe Capistrano 8471 Garvey Dr. 919.872.1127 cafecapistrano.com

Tarbouch 5645 Creedmoor Rd. 919.239.4408 tarbouch-nc.com

Calavera Empanada & Tequila Bar 444 S. Blount St. 919.617.1661 calaveraempanadas.com

Taverna Agora 326 Hillsborough St. 919.881.8333 tavernaagora.com Taza Grill 6325 Falls of Neuse Rd. 919.872.7161 tazagrill.com

Cantina 18 433 Daniels St. 919.835.9911 18restaurantgroup.com Centro 106 S. Wilmington St. 919.835.3593 centroraleigh.com

Vidrio 500 Glenwood Ave. #100 919.803.6033 vidrioraleigh.com

Chubby’s Tacos 2444 Wycliff Rd. 919.781.4480

MEXICAN

10511 Shadowlawn Dr. 919.846.7044

Baja Burrito 2109 Avent Ferry Rd. #108 919.834.3431 bajaburrito.net

Chuy’s 4020 Market at North Hills St. 919.571.2489 chuys.com

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Dos Taquitos 410 Glenwood Ave. 919.835.9010 dostaquitosnorth.com

The Original Flying Burrito 4800 Grove Barton Rd. 919.785.2734 originalflyingburrito.com

El Dorado 2811 Brentwood Rd. 919.872.8440 eldoradomexicanrestaurant.com

Torero’s 4721 Atlantic Ave. 919.873.9116 torerosmexicanrestaurants.com

El Rodeo 4112 Pleasant Valley Rd. 919.571.1188 elrodeoraleigh.com

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

El Tapatio Restaurante 4511 New Bern Ave. 919.255.9161

PIZZERIA

Gallo Pelón Mezcaleria 106 S. Wilmington St. 919.835.3593 gallopelon.com Gonza Tacos Y Tequila 7713 Lead Mine Rd. 919.846.5478 gonzatacosytequila.com Gringo A Go Go 100 N. Person St. 919.977.1438 gringoraleigh.com Jose and Sons 327 W. Davie St. 919.755.0556 joseandsons.com La Carreta 1028 Oberlin Rd. 919.977.3271 lacarretaavl.com

Cristo’s NY Style Pizza 1302 E. Milbrook Rd. 919.872.6797 cristospizza.com DeMo’s Pizzeria & Deli 222 Glenwood Ave. 919.754.1050 demospizzeriadeli.com Donatos 111 Seaboard Ave. 919.828.5111 donatos.com

Stromboli’s Express 2900 Spring Forest Rd. 919.876.4222 strombolisexpress.com

Trophy Brewing & Pizza 827 W. Morgan St. 919.803.4849 trophybrewing.com

SEAFOOD 42nd Street Oyster Bar 508 W. Jones St. 919.831.2811 42ndstoysterbar.com Captain Stanley’s Seafood 3333 S. Wilmington St. 919.779.7878 facebook.com/captainstanleys

Frank’s Pizza 2030 New Bern Ave. 919.231.8990 frankspizzainraleigh.com Gino’s Pizza 6260 Glenwood Ave. 919.783.7555 ginospizzaraleigh.com

Dean’s Kitchen + Bar 1080 Darrington Dr., Cary 919.459.5875 deanskitchenandbar.com Margaux’s Restaurant 8111 Creedmoor Rd. 919.846.9846 margauxsrestaurant.com

La Rancherita 2400 Hillsborough St. 919.755.9697 rancheritamex.com Los Cuates 4524 Old Wake Forest Rd. 919.872.6012 goo.gl/KHvrQe

Lilly’s Pizza 1813 Glenwood Ave. 919.833.0226 lillyspizza.com

Los Tres Magueyes 10410 Moncreiffe Rd. 919.484.9258 lostresnc.com

Moonlight Pizza Company 615 W. Morgan St. 919.755.9133 moonlightpizza.com

San Jose Mexican Restaurant 5811 Poyner Village Pkwy. 919.790.1919

Pieology Pizzeria 4158 Main at North Hills St. 919.803.5860

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Pizza La Stella 219 Fayetteville St. pizzalastella.com

3001 Hillsborough St. 919.839.6300 pieology.com

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

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

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

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

Provenance 120 E. Martin St. 984.269.5211 provenanceraleigh.com

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

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

SOUTHERN Bare Bones 301-120 Fayetteville St. 919.825.0995 Beasley’s Chicken + Honey 237 S. Wilmington St. 919.322.0127 ac-restaurants.com/beasleys Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant 220 Wolfe St. 919.836.9909 bigedscitymarket.com Driftwood Southern Kitchen 8460 Honeycutt Rd. 919.977.8360 driftwoodraleigh.com Humble Pie 317 S. Harrington St. 919.829.9222 humblepierestaurant.com Mandolin 2519 Fairview Rd. 919.322.0365 mandolinraleigh.com

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

NOFO @ the Pig 2014 Fairview Rd. 919.821.1240 nofo.com

SOUTH AMERICAN

Pam’s Farmhouse 5111 Western Blvd. 919.859.9990 facebook.com/pamsfarmhouse

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

Rye Bar & Southern Kitchen 500 Fayetteville St. 919.227.3370 ryeraleigh.com State Farmers’ Market Restaurant 1240 Farmers Market Dr. 919.755.1550 realbiscuits.com Tupelo Honey Cafe 425 Oberlin Rd. 919.723.9353 tupelohoneycafe.com Flying Biscuit Café 2016 Clark Ave. 919.833.6924 flyingbiscuit.com The Mecca Restaurant 13 E. Martin St. 919.832.5714 mecca-restaurant.com The Remedy Diner 137 E. Hargett St. 919.835.3553 theremedydiner.com

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

STEAKHOUSE Angus Barn 9401 Glenwood Ave. 919.791.2444 angusbarn.com

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

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

Happy + Hale 443 Fayetteville St. 919.307.4148 happyandhale.com

PHOTO OF MORNING TIMES BY RALEIGH FOOD PICS

Grabbagreen 4421 Six Forks Rd. #103 919.326.7799 Living Kitchen 555 Fayetteville St. 919.324.3515 livingkitchen.com Raleigh Raw 7 W. Hargett St. 919.400.0944 raleighraw.com

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN Fiction Kitchen 428 S. Dawson St. 919.831.4177 thefictionkitchen.com

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

PHOTO OF COQUETTE BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

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midtowndowntown

Reflections on the BY ED BRISTOL PHOTO BY DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY

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Lake

ANNELIES GENTILE CREATED A lakeside memorial that became a depository for the anonymous, often-moving reflections of strangers. She wants to make that happen again – and spread the idea across the state. Among her favorite memories are savoring the winding trails and densely wooded shoreline at Raleigh’s Lake Johnson with her father. He had struggled with bad health all his life and, in his later years, diabetes had limited his walking. “So I would take him around the lake’s paved trail in a

wheelchair,” she says. When John Gentile died in 2007 at age 73, she came up with a way to memorialize her father and their times at the lake. While struggling with his declining health, Annelies had found a spot along the lakeshore that offered a comforting place to grieve his imminent death. “I would kind of squat there on the pine straw and cry.” And that was where she arranged with the City of Raleigh – which had begun allowing citizens to purchase and place

memorial benches along its greenways – to install one of the park-style benches. Attached is a metal plate engraved with his name, the dates of his birth and death, and “Daddie-O,” the nickname he’d given himself. Why a bench? “He liked to sit!” she laughs. “He loved watching nature, he loved water, he loved the sunrise.” The bench was just the beginning of a project that would bring together the expressions of hope, despair, grief and delight of hundreds of trail users.

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ANNELIES KNOWS FIRSTHAND THE JOURNAL’S POWER TO CREATE A BOND AMONG STRANGERS, ITS ABILITY TO SHARE A SPECTRUM OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE...

The next step came on Christmas Day, 2007 – a little more than a month after Annelies lost her father. On a trip to Wrightsville Beach, she and her future husband, Greg, were walking at the water’s edge and spotted a small mailbox on a platform. Opening it, she discovered a spiral-bound notebook. She felt she had found a treasure. With the loss of her father weighing heavily, she remembers: “I wrote at least four pages front and back. Lots of things needed to be purged.” Though a coastal Christmas had become the couple’s yearly ritual, 2009’s brutally cold winter

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kept them home. That’s when Annelies decided to re-create the magic of the seaside journal at her father’s lakeside bench. Greg was skeptical, she remembers: “He said: ‘Why do that? No one’s gonna come.’” Her Aunt Connie was even more dubious. “She said, ‘Somebody’s going to steal it. You’re going to feel so bad when somebody steals that book!’” Annelies was undeterred. She found an old mailbox and spray-painted it red. The next day – New Year’s Day, 2010 – she mounted it on the bench, wrote a message on the first page of a small, hardbound journal, and slipped it into the box. The message noted: “This journal is here as an offering, a sacred space for your thoughts, feelings and prayers.” Within two weeks, there were a dozen entries, including one a page long. It began: “Dear John Gentile, thank you for being such a meaningful person that your child would want to have this bench and journal put in this beautiful site and let us all be with you in our thoughts…” “I was blown away,” Annelies recalls, “and they just kept coming.” Once, when she was at the bench, a woman walked up and gestured toward the journal. “She said: ‘You know, it’s

just so interesting. I wonder who did it.’ And I said, ‘Well, it’s me.’ And she just looked at me like, ‘for real?’” The entries are about cherishing the past: “Every time I see a place of beauty such as this bench by still water, I will pause and remember you so that, wherever I am, there you shall be.” About valuing the present: “My time at the lake has made me…come to the conclusion that you can appreciate life no matter the situation. The days that you let pass without moments of appreciation are wasteful.” And about planning a future: “My girlfriend is the most wonderful girl you could ever hope to meet. She’s down by the water at the moment not knowing what I’m about to ask her. The ring is in my pocket. Here I go.” Sometimes the entries reveal extreme pain. One woman wrote: “Three weeks ago, I lost my baby after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Years ago, I lost a newborn baby girl. I feel like there’s no breath left in my body. Everybody in this journal seems to come to the conclusion that life is beautiful. I don’t. I know nobody in this city. I have no family. The weather is gorgeous out, but I

don’t know why I would go on.” Days later came a response: “I have been down in my life, as you seem to be, and I have been glad I chose to go on. You are in my thoughts and prayers.” Annelies tells about being contacted by the sister of a man who died by suicide at the lake. She told me, “‘I know he wrote in the journal. I want to see his writing.’” In coming across what her brother wrote, the sister found a measure of solace. She recalls someone who was contemplating suicide telling her that the journals provided comfort: “These books gave her hope,” she recalls softly, “and she’s still here.” Annelies’ journal project has had farther-flung impact. Once, while in line at a local drugstore, she was talking with a mother and her daughter, home on leave from the Peace Corps in Lesotho. As they talked about fun places to go in Raleigh, she suggested Lake Johnson and mentioned her journal. The daughter grew wide-eyed and asked excitedly if Annelies had recently been on National Public Radio. When she affirmed that she had, the young woman told her that she and other volunteers had heard her story and talked about leaving behind a bench and journal in that African country. “I cried on the spot,” says Annelies, “and she did, and we all hugged.” She explains the allure of the journal: “It’s an invitation for imagination to occur. You don’t expect it to be there. You don’t know what you’re going to find – and when you walk away, you’ll be refreshed in a way you couldn’t by a Facebook post.” Annelies knows firsthand the journal’s power to create a bond among strangers, its ability to share a spectrum of human experience: the pain of the grieving, the strength of the struggling, the good cheer of the hopeful. She’s had to replace missing journals several times, and she became disheartened when someone removed her Lake Johnson mailbox. Without the journals, she asked herself: Who’s not being heard? Who’s not being given the gift of someone’s words? Annelies’ belief in the journal’s power feeds her vision for the project’s next chapter. She wants to obtain a public art grant to put journals on greenways across the state. She had shared the journal’s stories with her Aunt Connie, once a skeptic about the journals. “She told me, ‘This journal has kept my brother, your father, alive. It’s beautiful to be able to share that.’” A journal entry by another anonymous stranger agrees: “Because of your dad, I will look at each and every person I pass at Lake Johnson differently. We think we are strangers, but we are bound unexplainably to one another. My hope for you is that you have found peace with your grief. Love, like a song, plays on even after the last note is sung.” To date, the City of Raleigh has installed 95 memorial benches in parks and along its greenways. To inquire about donating a memorial bench, contact Ashley Deans at 919.996.4810. midtownmag.com | 141

midtowndowntown

LEAPS AND BOUNDS

BY BRYAN C. REED PHOTOS BY BRYAN REGAN

FOR ONE WEEKEND EVERY September, downtown Raleigh becomes a hub of adventurous music. Since its 2010 debut, the annual Hopscotch Music Festival has brought a carefully curated, wildly eclectic, and mostly exciting slate of bands to Downtown venues. This year, the festival’s eighth installment promises all the familiar thrills, only more of them. Instead of the usual three-day affair, Hopscotch 2017 stretches across four, September 7th-10th. But as the festival has grown, it’s gained stability. Where the first years of Hopscotch had the energy and avant-garde flair of an underdog festival, Hopscotch now boasts bigger names playing on bigger stages. Without radically changing the program, Hopscotch still has managed to outdo itself. That’s largely thanks to the

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efforts of the festival’s executive director, Nathan Price, who took the reins of the festival last year when Hopscotch co-founder Greg Lowenhagen stepped down. After seven increasingly successful festivals, the foundation had already been laid. And Price had already been managing day parties and booking bands for the festival since its third year. “There’s a process in place from the first seven, eight years of doing it, that kind of gives me a blueprint of how everything should go and what the timelines are,” Price says. “This wasn’t the year to make big changes on a lot of stuff. It was more about planned growth than me coming in there and changing a bunch of stuff just because I could.” Still, the festival has changed. This year, it adds an extra day – for a daylong Sunday show

NOW IN ITS EIGHTH YEAR, DOWNTOWN’S HOPSCOTCH MUSIC FESTIVAL CAN TRACE ITS GROWTH ALONGSIDE ITS HEADLINERS’. at Red Hat Amphitheater. Last year, it added the outdoor pavilion as an official venue, allowing bigger names and bigger productions to top the bill. This year, Solange, the avant-R&B star and sister to Beyonce, headlines Hopscotch. “I don’t know that we could’ve gotten Solange three or four years ago,” Price says. “We didn’t have Red Hat, so she just wouldn’t have fit on our City Plaza stage. You can get a different type of band when you have more options.” Sitting next to Solange at the top of the bill are Big Boi, one half of the Atlanta rap duo Outkast, the Baltimore-via-North Carolina synth-pop favorites Future Islands, hip-hop firebrands Run The Jewels, and the ascendant, Asheville-based singersongwriter Angel Olsen. Typically, Price says, he tries not to repeat bookings. But he’s gotten more lenient. Especially for North Carolina-bred acts, he says, “we kind of want you to come back if you’re still growing as an artist or if you’ve done some new, significant things.”

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So for Future Islands, who will make their fourth Hopscotch appearance this year, the festival becomes a sort of career milemarker. Back in 2010, the band played a set at the relatively tiny Berkeley Cafe that became one of the inaugural year’s most talked-about performances. In the intervening years, they jumped to a bigger label, made a splash on latenight TV, and now return to Hopscotch as a main stage draw. Olsen, likewise, can trace her career arc from her first Hopscotch performance, in 2013, to this year’s top billing. When she first played Hopscotch, the singer/songwriter performed alone at Fletcher Opera Theater. The spacious room gave life to the haunting, country-tinged folk that marked her 2012 release Half Way Home. But soon after, Olsen shifted her sound, first with the raw and overdriven 2014 LP Burn Your Fire For No Witness, and then with the rich and powerful 2016 album My Woman. “She’s having one of the biggest

years,” Price says. “And she’s huge, playing Glastonbury, she’s on every year-end list. It’s kinda crazy how big she’s gotten since those first recordings with just her and a guitar.” And with more than 100 acts scattered through venues that range in size from Red Hat to the sub-100 capacity Slim’s, Hopscotch always offers the opportunity to see emerging bands on their way to national main stages. It’s a festival where psychrock veterans like Thee Oh Sees and the Brian Jonestown Massacre play alongside hip-hop upstarts Rapsody and Busdriver; where Mount Moriah and Hurray for the Riff Raff offer inventive approaches to Americana while metal bands like Torche and Pallbearer bang heads down the block. “We just try to get the best bands possible and just have faith,” Price says. “The fanbase for Hopscotch is definitely more of a wide range of tastes kind of music fan. We don’t have to necessarily chase down bands that fit a specific style. You just get all these different bands and it works itself out.” But as much as Hopscotch has proven itself a reliable tastemaker for adventurous music fans, Price says the goal, ultimately, remains simple. “We just want it to be fun. You have to remember it’s going to be a party for 10 or 20 thousand people. You can’t take it too, too seriously. You just make sure everything is done and that everybody has a good time.”

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