On the cover: Tulips at Blueberry Hill U-Pick. Photograph by Liz Condo.
EDITOR’S
SAT, MAY 31 | 1PM & 4PM
Sophie Mok, conductor Raleigh Dance Theatre
Have you ever seen an elephant dance ballet, or giant sea creatures in a submarine? Your North Carolina Symphony and guest artists bring the animal kingdom to life for Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals.
For the last few years, we’ve woken up on March 17 to discover that leprechauns have visited our house. They are very mischievous! They overturn chairs and pull toys out of closets. They use the toilet and don’t flush (we can tell, the water’s green!). They cobble together impressive structures to climb onto shelves and mantels.
If the mess wasn’t obvious enough (my children can attest, I try to enforce a tidy house), we can usually figure out where the leprechauns have been based on their trails of green, glittery footprints. They do, occasionally, leave some treats behind — once, they left cupcakes! — but for the most part, it looks like the leprechauns roll through, have a party and trash the house.
To be fair, we sort of lure them in. Around pre-K, the kids started building leprechaun traps to see if they could catch the little elves. The early models were made out of shoeboxes, with a toothpick just holding up the lid. As the kids have gotten older, the leprechaun traps are more elaborate: slides, stairs, multiple rooms, furniture and Lucky Charms cereal tucked within are all part of the
build. But somehow, the leprechauns manage to outwit the traps and eat all the marshmallows. Every time!
When my daughters were younger, they were a little scared of the leprechauns. We’d have to leave signs outside their doors to make sure they didn’t wreck their bedrooms, on top of everything else. Fortunately, they never have. We’ve learned that the leprechauns don’t visit everyone’s houses. Curious. Maybe it’s because we just accept their visits alongside all the other magical things that happen in March: flowers that I didn’t plant proliferating in the front yard, four-leaf clovers, brilliant-blue robin egg shells and the tiniest, softestlooking baby bunnies hopping through our yard. The leprechauns are just one of the many mysteries and wonders of springtime.
Ayn-Monique Klahre Editor
Left: Signs of leprechauns. Right: Mehmet Demirci, Greg Whitt, Laura, me and Justin Kase Conder. Demirci, one of our photographers, spoke at January’s Creative Mornings.
MARCH
2025
EDITORIAL
Editor
AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com
Creative Director LAURA PETRIDES WALL laura@waltermagazine.com
Inquiries WALTER OFFICE 984-286-0928 info@waltermagazine.com
Address all correspondence to: WALTER magazine, 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 104 Raleigh, N.C. 27601
WALTER is available by paid subscriptions for $36 a year in the United States, as well as select rack and advertiser locations throughout the Triangle. Subscribe online at waltermagazine.com/subscribe
For customer service inquiries, please email us at customerservice@waltermagazine.com or call 984-286-0928. WALTER does not accept unsolicited manuscripts.
Please contact Ayn-Monique Klahre at ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com for freelance guidelines.
Owners
JACK ANDREWS, FRANK DANIELS III, DAVID WORONOFF In memoriam FRANK DANIELS JR.
Jesma Reynolds is a creative director, designer and writer with more than three decades of design and publishing expertise. She is the founding creative director of WALTER. She began her career at National Geographic in Washington, D.C., which cemented her love for travel and adventure. “Riding through Kyrgyzstan on horseback was a bucket list experience, and I’m so happy to share it with my WALTER friends.”
BETH COPELAND / POET
Beth Copeland is the author of Shibori Blue: Thirty-six Views of The Peak (Redhawk Publications, 2024), Selfie with Cherry (Glass Lyre Press, 2022) and Transcendental Telemarketer (BlazeVOX, 2012). Her poem “Blue Honey,” won a 2017 Dogfish Head Poetry Prize and “Traveling through Glass” was a 1999 Bright Hill Press Poetry Book Award winner. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. “My poem was inspired by a fallen poplar leaf. Green reflects life, growth, and rebirth — it’s a meditation on resolving conflicts with people.”
MATT RAMEY / PHOTOGRAPHER
Matt Ramey is a photographer born and raised in North Carolina. His work focuses on the people, places and culture of the South. His work can be seen in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Times of London and Garden & Gun, as well as other publications. “Working with artists is one of my favorite assignments. Matt is a brilliant artist and a great subject who’s always up for whatever ideas I have. I also love an artist with blue collar roots who breaks into the fine art space.”
LIDIA CHURAKOVA / ILLUSTRATOR
Lidia Churakova is a visual artist who loves to share her creativity through multiple outlets, such as illustration, painting and murals. Coming from a strong design background with a bachelors degree in Art and Design from North Carolina State University, she approaches projects with a desire to express the emotional narrative through color and light. In her illustration for “Green Heart on a Gravel Road,” she focused on the emotional journey expressed in the poem, moving from a dark storm to a place of light and rejuvenation. “I think this is a very poignant theme that we can all relate to right now.”
Tolstoy
FEEDBACK
“I read a bit of your ‘Where to Eat’ feature yesterday in my doctor’s office — don’t let anyone tell you cell phones killed the waiting room magazine experience if you’ve got a strong brand and interesting cover! I’m also bookmarking it online. Good stuff!”
— Travis Fain
“Your February issue is just wonderful! Saturday mornings with coffee, newspapers and WALTER make me very happy! Loved ‘Vanishing from View’ and the piece on Charlotte and Joseph. We adore them.’’ — Jake Parrotte
Charlotte and Sylvie Jeffers pose with the February issue.
“What a stunning and beautifully curated home!”
— Tina THompson Masciarelli, about the Jeffers’ home
“Amazing photos and an even more amazing feature. Heck yeah!”
— Jackie Sanders, about artist Aliyah Bonnette
“From micro-growing to planting at scale… this is the way.”
— THomas Kevin, about Project Pando
Cypress
OUR TOWN
This month, enjoy galas, Irish culture, Mardi Gras flavors and floral-forward events.
ENJOY A TASTE OF MARDI GRAS Buttery, cinnamon-laced King Cake, punchy Hurricanes, lip-tingling crawfish — these are the flavors of Mardi Gras! Many local bakeries and restaurants are offering various tastes of the carnival season on Fat Tuesday. In addition to their yearround Cajun fusion menu, St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar will offer boiled crawfish, drink specials and King Cake (223 S. Wilmington Street; strochraleigh.com). Stanbury will host its annual crawfish boil and serve jambalaya outside, along with a Creole-inspired menu inside (938 N. Blount Street; stanburyraleigh.com). At Whitaker & Atlantic, enjoy a soirée with jazz music, gumbo and a festive atmosphere (1053 E. Whitaker Mill Road, Suite 111; whitakerandatlantic.com). For just a little something sweet, look out for scratch-made King Cakes from lucettegrace (235 Salisbury Street; lucettegrace.com) or Union Special (2409 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 102; unionspecialbread.com). — Addie Ladner
Your next adventure awaits in our active senior living community. We’re designing a place where you belong at The Oaks at Whitaker Glen!
Experience beautifully designed residences, world-class amenities, and exceptional clublevel service in Raleigh’s most sought-after neighborhood. With premium wellness and health offerings just steps away, you can live vibrantly knowing your future is secure – right here at home among The Oaks.
DATEBOOK
WALTER’s list of things to see, do and experience this month.
by ADDIE LADNER and EMMIE BROOKS
FIREBIRDS VS. TAMPA
March 15 | 4 p.m.
Come cheer for Raleigh’s own pro basketball team — they happen to be last year’s Eastern Conference champions. In the second game of the spring season for the Raleigh Firebirds, they’ll take on the Tampa Bay Titans on the court at Saint Augustine’s University. This game is themed Health Awareness, so there will be a host of organizations and businesses sharing resources on topics like heart and mental health, autism and cancer, says Wade Harris, the Firebirds’ manager. “We will also be inviting students from Wake County public schools who have an interest in health as a career path to mix with the professionals in an effort to broaden their exposure to future possibilities,” says Harris. From $20; 1315 Oakwood Avenue; raleighfirebirds.net
THE BLACK AND WHITE BALL
March 1 | 6 - 10 p.m.
The Reese Ward Foundation invites guests to an evening of sophistication and philanthropy at the inaugural Black and White Ball at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary. Inspired by Truman Capote’s iconic event, this blacktie gala merges timeless glamour with a modern mission: raising funds for cancer research and treatment. Attendees will enjoy an elegant night featuring inspiring guest speakers, a silent auction with exclusive items and a celebration of progress in the fight against cancer. Proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is celebrating its first Dream Home in Raleigh. $250; 300 Prestonwood Parkway, Cary; reesewardfoundation.com
2025 NORTH CAROLINA HIP MUSIC FESTIVAL
March 1 - 9 | Various times
The 2025 North Carolina HIP Music Festival celebrates “historically informed performance,” which brings together musicians who specialize in music from the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical periods, played on period instruments. The festival offers a series of concerts across the Triangle area, featuring ensembles such as Mallarmé Music, University of North Carolina Baroque Ensemble and the North Carolina Master Chorale and Youth Choir. Notable concerts include Schubertiade: Franz and Fanny (March 1), Love in Seville (March 6) and The Grand Motet (March 9) — a series of programs featuring chamber music, Spanish Baroque vocal work and French Baroque
sacred choral pieces. The concerts will be held at venues including St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Durham, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Hillsborough and Person Recital Hall at UNCChapel Hill. From $5; Various locations; mallarmemusic.org/2025-north-carolinahip-music-festival
TOPHOUSE
March 6 | 8 p.m.
Bluegrass-meets-indie group TopHouse is coming through Raleigh to play at Lincoln Theatre. The quartet will sing songs from their latest EP, Practice, which blends Celtic music, rock, bluegrass and pop influences. It’s a follow-up to last year’s Theory, continuing the band’s explorations on the meaning of life. Nebraska-born folk trio The Wildwoods will open for the
All information is accurate as of press time, but please check waltermagazine.com and the event websites for the latest updates.
DATEBOOK
Spring Exhibitions
Beulah Campbell: Storyboard to Storybook Through June 8
Considerations:
An Installation by Sarah Vaughn Through August 10
SHIP/SHAPE: Page Laughlin & David Finn Through May 4
The first weekend of March, Juniper Level Botanic Garden, home to one of the largest plant collections in the world, will host one of its eight Open Garden and Nursery Weekends of the year. Spanning 10 acres, the garden features more than 27,000 taxa of plants, including rare exotics, native perennials and oneof-a-kind trees and shrubs. This event offers visitors the chance to engage with horticultural experts, explore late-winter blooms and gain practical gardening tips. Guests can also participate in guided tours and attend educational programs or visit their on-site retail outlet, which has more than 1,500 different plants for sale. Free; 9241 Sauls Road; juniperlevelbotanicgarden.org
group. From $22; 126 E. Cabarrus Street; lincolntheatre.com
THE DINNER DETECTIVE MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW
March 8 & 15 | 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Known as one of the largest true-crime dinner shows in North America, this interactive event invites guests to become part of the mystery while enjoying a delicious three-course dinner. The twist? One of the dinner guests might be the culprit! As they solve puzzles and gather clues, guests can indulge in a gourmet meal featuring seared chicken, salmon or tofu stir-fry, complemented by seasonal vegetables and dessert. $85; 4700 Creedmore Road; thedinnerdetective.com/raleigh-durham
110TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
March 8 | 6 - 10 p.m.
The Rotary Club of Raleigh is celebrating a milestone 110-year anniversary with a grand fête themed “The Magic of Rotary” at All Faiths Chapel at Dorothea Dix Park. Since its inception, the Rotary Club has dedicated itself to amplifying our region’s cultural arts
scene, community and environmental efforts through a host of programs, from beautifying downtown’s Moore Square by planting bulbs to collecting supplies for Hurricane Helene relief. Part of the funds raised from the ball will go toward the construction of Dutch artist Thomas Dambo’s massive troll sculptures on the Dix Park campus. $150; 1030 Richardson Drive; raleighrotary.org
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
March 13 - 30 | Various times Begin at the beginning, and go on til you come to the end of Carolina Ballet’s fantastical production of Alice in Wonderland, a first-time production of the Lewis Carroll classic for the company. “We strive to offer our audience fresh perspectives on ballet and theater,” says artistic director Zalman Raffael. He worked with New York City-based choreographer Gianna Reisen, whom he describes as “a gifted and deeply collaborative artist,” to create this story ballet. “Gianna discovered the music and developed the concept with her unique voice, and this ballet is sure to enchant audiences of all ages, not just
Cooke
Dail Dixon, Blowing Rock, 2009, poplar, vellum drawing sheets, and steel wires. On loan from Dyke and Deborah Messinger. Photo: Artie Dixon; Page Laughlin, Blue State, oil on Arches L’Huile, 2023, 35 ¾ x 42 ¾ in. (90.805 x 108.585 cm.). Courtesy of the artist and Hidell Brooks Gallery; Sarah Vaughn, installation detail. Photo: Loam; David Finn, F You Up, wood and mixed media, 2024.
WHIMSY IN SCULPTURE
March 1 & 8 | 1 - 4 p.m.
In this two-session ceramics workshop, Raleigh potter Lora Bright House, who has a studio in Artspace, will show guests how to make adorable sculptures of creatures and figures. At the first session, participants will spend time ideating and constructing a figure from their imaginations. At the second session, they’ll glaze the sculpture and add the final details for an original work of art. This workshop is for ages 16 and up; all supplies are provided within a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for all skill levels. $98; 201 E. Davie Street; artspacenc.org
children,” Raffael says. In addition to the creative choreography, keep an eye out for the whimsical sets, which were custom-made by Louisiana artist Rebecca Rebouché. From $34; 2 E. South Street; carolinaballet.com/alice-in-wonderland
THE MUSIC OF QUEEN
March 14 & 15 | Various times
Just about everyone has a Queen anthem they can’t help but sing along to. The North Carolina Symphony, along with traveling tribute music group Windborne Music, has put together
Kathy Howard (portrait); Dustin Peck (project)
Sally Williams, Owner & Principal Designer
PAD
Come learn how to make a popular noodle dish from Thailand at Hartwell Raleigh, a mixed retail and community events space downtown. Hosted by the local food truck and pop-up company Eat Thai Raleigh, the event includes a drink, appetizer and supplies to make your own salty, umami, eggy dish, followed by something sweet. This class is expected to fill up, so snag your spot! $99; 620 W. South Street; instagram.com/ hartwellraleigh
a fabulous, rollicking homage to the iconic 1970s British rock band where you can expect to hear hits like “Under Pressure,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Somebody to Love” at Meymandi Concert Hall. “A fusion of classical and rock power, The Music of Queen is both nostalgic and exhilarating,” says Donnie Tippett, vice president of orchestra operations for the symphony. “This very popular show always sells out. Queen fans are in for a treat.” From $57; 2 E. South Street; ncsymphony.org
CAROLINA FIBERFEST
March 14 & 15 | Various times
What began in 2007 as a local gathering has expanded into a destination for anyone interested in the art of spinning, weaving and knitting. Attendees of the Carolina FiberFest can participate in hands-on workshops, shopping, competitions and sales of fleece from sheep, goats, llamas and more. The
2025 Craft Along invites participants to bring their projects to the festival and celebrate their progress. This year, Soul in a Bowl Food Truck will be at the festival for both days, with additional food trucks in the flea market area of the NC State Fair grounds on Saturday. Carolina FiberFest serves as a platform to support small farms that produce fiber, as well as local artisans and fiber-related businesses. The event encourages visitors to connect with the tradition of fiber arts while learning new skills and techniques. From $7; 4285 Trinity Road; carolinafiberfest.org
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
March 15 | 10 a.m.
Watch Raleigh’s long-running celebration of all things Irish since 1983. Hear bagpipes, see packs of adorable hound dogs, watch Irish step dancing and more (free to watch; downtown Raleigh; raleighstpats.org). A number of establishments will host afterparties, including Hibernian (311 Glenwood Avenue and 8021 Falls of Neuse Road; hibernianpub. com); Trali Irish Pub (10370 Moncreiffe Road, #109; traliirishpub.com); and Doherty’s (1979 High House Road, Cary; dohertysirishpubnc.com). At these taverns, expect Celtic tunes, full pints and plenty of food like Scotch eggs, potatoes and fish and chips.
ART IN BLOOM
March 19 - 23 | Various times
The North Carolina Museum of Art’s spectacular Art in Bloom returns with more than 30 floral interpretations of the museum’s People’s Collection from designers nationwide. This year, the six
largest installations will be inspired by pieces in the museum’s outdoor park. There are many ways to participate in this five-day annual fundraiser, including classes, garden parties and dishes in the museum’s cafe. A few highlights: Prior to the big reveal, Museum Cafe executive chef Rich Carter will serve a spring-inspired meal paired with organic wines for a “pre-emergent” dinner to drum up excitement for the showcase; horticulturist Brie Arthur will offer a presentation on some of the country’s most beautiful public gardens; and guests can get dressed up for the Garden Party Designer Reception, where they can meet this year’s floral designers and enjoy an evening of good food and drinks. From $40 for Art in Bloom exhibition, tickets for individual events from $30; 2110 Blue Ridge Road; ncartmuseum.org/artinbloom
RALEIGH COMEDY FESTIVAL
March 20 - 22 | Various times
Three nights, five venues and 15 shows highlighting more than 30 rising comedians from around the country will convene for the first-ever Raleigh Comedy Festival. The lineup is still shaking out, but one session we’re bookmarking is the Raleigh Roast at Kings with Mayor Janet Cowell and an A.I. Mark Robinson. Throughout the weekend, check out Q&A panels, open-mic opportunities and sets from headliners like Colorado-based comedian Chris Higgins. An “ITB VIP Weekend Pass” grants access to all shows, including headliners, industry panels, cookouts and afterparties, plus first pick of seats. An “OTB General Admission Weekend Pass” gets you into the shows — and next in line for a seat. From $20; various locations; raleighcomedyfestival.com
MORNING AFTER GRACE
March 21 - 30 | Various times
In this laugh-out-loud play set in a retirement community in the Sunshine State, strangers Abigail and Angus discover they have spent the night together after meeting the day before at a funeral and having a tad too much wine. Shortly after this revelation, Angus’s neighbor shows up, bewildered, and pandemonium ensues as each accepts the fact that they are getting older and have complicated pasts — but potentially wonderful futures. From $27; 301 Pogue Street; raleighlittletheatre.org
Spectator SPORT
Seven beloved spots to cheer on your team
by CATHERINE CURRIN
From the ACC to the NHL, Raleighites can agree on one thing: their love of watching their favorite team. But when the Wolfpack or Canes are away — or tickets are hard to come by — it’s fun to enjoy a game within a friendly, nostalgic gathering space.
From an Italian family dinner among prolific sports paraphernalia to a basket of wings enjoyed in a cozy booth, Raleigh is crawling with old-school establishments worth visiting time and time again. Read on for seven spots to sit down and stay awhile.
AMEDEO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
Beloved by Wolfpack fans for 62 years, Amedeo’s serves up classic Italian fare
alongside an impressive collection of Raleigh sports memorabilia. Named for its original owner, Amedeo De’Angelis, Amedeo’s offers a no-frills, family-friendly atmosphere filled with pasta, pizza and sandwiches. This self-proclaimed North Carolina State University sports “museum” offers daily lunch specials, or you can visit in the evening to watch the Wolfpack play. 3905 Western Boulevard; amedeosrestaurant.com
BRICKHOUSE SPORTS BAR & GRILL
Another Wolfpack favorite, Brickhouse is sure to stream your team’s game with its 10 120-inch projector screens. The bar, directly across from Meredith College, offers daily drink specials like $5 Bloody
Marys on Sundays. Brickhouse’s food menu includes crowd favorites like the Pack Plate: a combo platter of mac and cheese bites, pickle chips, chicken tenders and fries. It’s also Raleigh’s official watch location for Ohio State alumni and New England Patriots fans. 3801 Hillsborough Street; brickhouse-nc.com
MITCH’S TAVERN
Up a flight of steep stairs across from NC State’s campus, walking into Mitch’s Tavern is like entering a time capsule. One of the oldest establishments on Hillsborough Street, Mitch’s has been a beloved watering hole for students and alumni since Mitch Hazouri opened it in the 1970s. Mitch’s serves its own twist on bar food: best known for its London Broil sandwich, as well as housemade chili and gumbo, Mitch’s serves up the ultimate comfort food along with daily drink specials. 2426 Hillsborough Street; mitchstavernraleigh.com
MY WAY TAVERN
For hockey, football and everything in between, My Way Tavern is the place to watch. A few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of Glenwood South, My Way draws a crowd most nights — there’s a long community table if you’ve got a group or smaller booths and tables plus a wraparound heated patio. In addition to its downtown Raleigh location, My Way has Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs locations. Have it “your way” with an extensive food and drink menu, including classic bar food, fresh salads and a made-to-order mac and cheese menu, with unique combinations like the Taco or Buffalo Mac. 522 St. Mary’s Street; mywaytavern.com
THE PLAYERS RETREAT
On the edge of campus, The Players Retreat (often just called “The P.R.”) has been a Wolfpack fan favorite for more than 70 years. “We’ve always been a place where the team has hung out, the coaches are here, it’s a generational place,” says owner Richard “Gus”
Gusler. The sophisticated bar food menu keeps folks coming back — plus kids eat free on Sundays. While the institution might be best known for its Mimi’s Sausage Dip, the menu is full of burgers and salads, and chef Jesus Romero offers weekly specials and a soup of the day. When Gusler bought the place in 2005, he did a major upgrade for the TV viewer. Today, there are more than a dozen 50-inch TVs, plus projectors in every room. “And when State plays, we turn the sound on,” he says. 105 Oberlin Road; playersretreat.com
VILLAGE DRAFT HOUSE
Village Draft House has anchored The Village District for decades. There are screens to watch your favorite team on every corner, plus a few TVs on its outdoor patio for beautiful days. The drafthouse has more than 50 beers on tap, 40 of which hail from North Carolina breweries. Don’t miss the burger of the month — a twist on the bar’s classic burger featuring rotating toppings and condiments. 428 Daniels Street; villagedrafthouse.com
WOODY’S AT CITY MARKET
Nestled into downtown’s City Market,
Woody’s has been a sports lover’s staple for 32 years. There are 32 rotating taps and two separate bars to enjoy, but General Manager Kristen Dye says the wings at Woody’s set them apart. “We make all of our wing sauces from scratch with recipes created by the owner,” she says. There are more than a dozen wing flavors to choose from, and you can mix and match your dozen — think combos of Kickin’ Garlic, Habanero Mango, Carolina Gold and/ or Hawaiian Heat BBQ. “With 24 TVs between two bars, our guests can view any sporting event from any seat in the house,” says Dye. Woody’s can be enjoyed across the Triangle — it has additional locations in Cary and Morrisville. 205 Wolfe Street; woodysportstavern.com
A Sprinkle of Yellow
March is a month of transition. The weather can’t seem to make up its mind: stay in winter mode or bring on the warmth of spring? Across our property, I see and hear animal activity picking up and pair bonds being reinforced for the coming season of new life. The plants are following suit, with the first hints of green appearing and a few hardy species beginning to show their flowers.
One of the earliest to display in our woods is Northern Spicebush, Lindera benzoin. When I look out our window this time of year, I see the delicate yellow flowers tracing the shapes of still-leafless twigs on several of these shrubs scattered about the yard. I love checking out the flowers for early pollinators. Plus, seeing
the tiny sprinkles of yellow helps me know spring is on the way.
Northern Spicebush is a deciduous shrub found throughout much of the eastern United States. It reaches heights of 6 to 15 feet and grows well in a variety of habitats but seems happiest in bottomland forests where the soils are rich and moist. In our yard, it’s a common understory shrub down along the creek, though it doesn’t bloom as profusely there as it does near the house, where it gets more sun. The tiny yellow-green flowers lack petals and male and female flowers are borne on separate plants (termed dioecious).
Pollinated flowers yield a greenish fruit that ripens into a scarlet red drupe (single-seed fruit) by late summer; the
The Northern Spicebush delights in early spring
words and photographs by MIKE DUNN
Left: A syrphid fly on a Spicebush. Right: Though tiny, Spicebush flowers shine in the woods when most other plants are leafless.
vivid color is an advertisement of its ripeness to potential consumers. The lipid-rich fruits, with important fatty acids and nutrients, are relished by many bird species, especially various thrushes during the fall migration. These frugivores aid the plant’s needs by eating the pulp surrounding the seeds. This greatly improves their germination rate.
The name “spicebush” comes from the spicy fragrance in the leaves, fruit and twigs. If you gently scratch a twig, you will smell a pleasant spicy aroma. These same plant parts also taste spicy. Spicebush leaves can be made into a tea, and the dried, crushed fruit is a reasonable substitute for allspice. Native Americans used the plant for many medicinal purposes, ranging from treating coughs to relieving the pain from bruises and arthritis. Spicebush is in the Laurel family of plants, Lauraceae. The aromatic leaves and essential oils in this plant family are important in many commercial uses and include useful species such as cinnamon, bay laurels and avocado. North Carolina relatives include Red Bay and sassafras, both of which share another important value of this group — they are the host plant for the caterpillars that become some of our most beautiful butterflies.
Being early bloomers, the flowers tend to attract a lot of pollinators. Many of the visitors are small bees, wasps and flies. One day last year, I spent some time observing one of these shrubs in a sunny spot in the yard. Its insect visitors also included two species of butterflies, a syrphid fly and a ladybug beetle.
Spicebush swallowtails are one of a few large black-and-blue butterflies with “tails” on their hind wings that you may see in our area. Females lay eggs on either spicebush or sassafras leaves. The larvae spread silk across a leaf, causing the leaf to curl as the silk dries and contracts. This provides a retreat for the developing caterpillar. The early stages are bird poop mimics, but as they grow, they have another strategy to avoid being eaten: Large fake eyes make them look like small snakes, something some birds think twice about trying to consume.
As they molt, they turn green and the eyespots enlarge. All stages of the larvae also have a forked gland, the osmeterium, that exudes a foul-smelling compound and deters predators. The caterpillars eventually change to an orange color and start looking for a place to pupate. When they find a suitable site, they form what is called a prepupa and attach themselves with a silk button at their base and a silk loop near the head. The next day, they molt their caterpillar skin one more time to reveal the chrysalis, which resembles a broken twig or piece of dried leaf. A beautiful black butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis to start the cycle anew. These caterpillar cuties have always been crowd-pleasers at teacher workshops and museum events. They are one of the more reliable species we find; once you locate a spicebush or sassafras, you can just look for folded leaves. One of our neighbors had a native plant nursery for many years and they generously let me take potted spicebush plants with the larvae to events. After seeing and learning about the caterpillars, people were almost always anxious to buy a spicebush for their yard.
One thing to be on the lookout for is a disease called Laurel Wilt, which is spreading across the southeast. It is
a fungal disease of plants in the Laurel family that is spread by a small introduced beetle called the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle. First detected in North Carolina in 2011, the disease has spread to most of our southeastern counties. The wood-boring beetles are native to southeast Asia and are believed to have been introduced to the U.S. through movement of beetle-infested wood. Once a beetle brings the fungus into a tree, that plant usually dies within a few weeks. Spicebush shrubs have not be hit as hard as Red bay trees have been, since their smaller-diameter trunks are not as attractive to the beetles. But we can all do our part by not transporting dead wood from infected areas for firewood or even wood chips or debris. More information on what is being done to better understand this disease can be found on the NC Forest Service website (ncagr.gov/ divisions/nc-forest-service).
Spicebush is certainly one of my favorite native shrubs. It is a great combination of an early spring bloomer, a valuable bird-friendly plant, the host plant for one of our coolest caterpillars, the producer of some beautiful fall foliage and a scratch-and-sniff delight. It is definitely worth finding a spot for one in your landscape!
An adult Spicebush swallowtail.
BIG UGLY
Triangle-based band Fust is out with their third album, Big Ugly, on March 7. Though the title seems to portend something dark and mysterious, it’s actually an homage to a creek of the same name in rural West Virginia, where chief songwriter and frontman Aaron Dowdy has family.
Dowdy loves to tell a story, and many of the lyrical themes found in Fust’s songs center on the small-town Southern tableau. Dowdy had an inclination for songwriting from a very young age: “I paid attention a lot as a kid; I always liked the kind of details of life.”
Dowdy’s feelings on Southern culture are complicated. But he likes it that way: the push-pull compels him to write songs. “I like the tension that is built
around both commitment and resistance to a place,” he says. It took a decision to move north to Brooklyn for Dowdy to fully realize his fascination with home. “I started writing songs trying to explain what attracted me to this life.”
On Big Ugly, listeners get a hearty helping of Dowdy’s unique, rich voice: it’s at times throaty and plaintive and at others twangy and yearning. Fans will notice a bigger sound on this record than previous ones, aided by a cast that includes Avery Sullivan on percussion, Frank Meadows on piano, John Wallace and Justin Morris on guitar, Libby Rodenbough on fiddle and Oliver Child-Lanning on bass. “I wanted each instrument to have a voice,’” Dowdy explains. “You can hear Libby’s personal-
THANK YOU, CHIEF PATTERSON
Chief Estella Patterson, your leadership, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the Raleigh community have left an indelible mark on the city and the department. Through your dedication to service, innovation and trust building, you have shaped a legacy that will inspire generations of officers to come. As you retire, we celebrate your remarkable impact and thank you for years of selfless service. Wishing you joy, fulfillment and new adventures in this next chapter!
ity in the fiddle, Avery’s in the drumming and Justin’s in his guitar lines. To me, that’s what makes the album interesting.”
Dowdy is currently a Ph.D. candidate in literature at Duke University; he’ll cop to being “verbose” at times. “But I’m not just throwing words in there!” he say. “They’re attached to melodies that, even if they’re simple, are held within the voice.” — Josh Klahre
After receiving a colon cancer diagnosis at 38 years old, tech entrepreneur Brooks Bell stepped back from her job to recover. But by the fall of 2019, with treatment underway, she’d found a new purpose: to spread awareness about the preventability of the cancer and specifically about colonoscopies, the main way to diagnose it. She created 50 Colonoscopies Under 50, a nonprofit effort to encourage people to get tested earlier and to raise money for colorectal cancer research. That was followed by Lead from Behind, a partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to “make colon cancer famous.” Now cancer-free, last December she launched Worldclass, a
SMART A*S
Raleigh entrepreneur Brooks Bell on her quirky new clothing brand to help prevent colon cancer
As told to AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE
fashion brand designed to make colonoscopies a bigger conversation within our growing wellness culture. We caught up to learn about the cheeky clothing line.
WHAT LED TO THE CAREER
PIVOT?
Since my diagnosis, I have been obsessed with colonoscopies. They actually prevent colon cancer! And every single person has a colon. But there’s stigma around talking about colonoscopies, as well as a lot of fear. I saw potential for humor — because when we talk about colonoscopies, we’re actually talking about your ass.
WHAT
WAS THE FIRST THING YOU DID?
As a marketing and data person, I’ve been
consuming everything related to colons for the last five years. Some of my friends now consider me an unofficial expert on colons. Through Lead from Behind, we got Ryan Reynolds to film himself getting a colonoscopy. We tracked it: that video led to a 36% increase in people scheduling colonoscopies nationwide! Good marketing can make a real difference in saving lives. We were lucky he said yes, but we couldn’t recreate that magic. So I spent a couple years searching for another creative way to continue to shift the cultural zeitgeist around colonoscopies, and to do it in a way that brings me personal joy. I have discovered that fashion, friends and ass jokes do that for me.
Brooks Bell
WHAT SPARKED THIS IDEA?
So this is sort of a funny story. At the beginning of 2023, I had a session with an astrologist in New York. She predicted that I was going to have a “Creative Birth” later in the year. Those words really resonated with me. So I’d been painting, I’d been taking singing lessons, I’d been doing all sorts of weird stuff, trying to be open to serendipity.
Then a couple things happened, all in one week. First, I overheard some kids comment on my license plate, which reads CHECKUR: [“check your colon”]. They said it was “sick”! I was so tickled that I had the apparent approval of a Gen Z. A few days later, someone bought one of my original Colonoscopy Enthusiast t-shirts, which made me feel good, too.
But the big moment was when Sarah Beran called me. She’s a Stage IV cancer survivor who’s a celebrity fashion stylist in Los Angeles, and we immediately clicked. It dawned on us that we should start something together. We quickly realized that no one had been successful at making an actually cool fashion brand for colon cancer yet. It felt like an obvious and kind of hilarious — yet also super-important — thing to attempt. And so, the so-called Creative Birth happened and Worldclass was born! It seemed like the world was ripe for a feel-good, assfocused, legit streetwear brand.
THAT
SEEMS… UNUSUAL.
Well, yes. People have always loved ass humor on some level, and there is so much energy to harness around that topic. We initially called it Worldclass Ass, but it was a stronger brand when we shortened it to Worldclass. We designed a launch collection and had several items manufactured in Los Angeles. We’ve focused on quality and fit, and most items are 100% cotton — we want our stuff to last and, as we like to say, look ‘fantasstic.’ The focus is more about the brand itself, rather than another new take on materials or sustainability. We’ve been slowly building it and are thrilled with the brand vibe and collection we’ve created.
HOW WILL THIS HELP?
Worldclass Clothing is owned by a nonprofit, Worldclass Foundation. The Foundation is partnering with the University of North Carolina Lineberger Cancer Center, we’re combining our funds with federal research dollars to increase colorectal cancer screening rates across North Carolina. There’s a program there run by Drs. Stephanie Wheeler and Alison Brenner researching ways to help people with high barriers get screened, like calling them to get them in versus mailing out stool tests. If you get a stool test that tests positive, you have to get a follow-up colonoscopy, but it’s hard to get people to take that step. More than 70% of the folks they work with, many of whom are migrant workers, are on Medicare, Medicaid or uninsured. So we’re helping fund a program in partnership with Blue Ridge Health. Our funds will help pay for navigators, translators, Uber rides or the actual colonoscopy. They found that using those tools increased the followup rate from 69% to 92%!
So all of our net profits, plus 10% off the top of every sale, just in case, will transfer to their efforts.
HOW DID THE LAUNCH GO?
It’s been great! We had a powerful first week — like, 65 orders the first day — and each time our Good Morning America
segment ran, we saw hundreds of people on the website. We also saw a great sales response; we’re sold out of several sizes. Women who are buying our signature sweatshirt are telling us that they’re already “wearing it all the time.” We’re really proud of that feedback. And we’ve had some people put out amazing testimonials about our brand on social media (you can find us @worldclass_clothing). So people are really responding, and we hope it will continue to grow.
WHAT’S THE ONE TAKEAWAY YOU WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE?
Polyps are common by your 40s; nearly a third of all people have them. When you’re 45, it’s easy to get a colonoscopy if you have private insurance. So the day after your 45th birthday, you should call your doctor because you’ve unlocked this $2,000 benefit that may save your life. Yes, the prep sucks. But then it’s like a spa day! You get great drugs!
Unfortunately, if you’re under 45, it’s frustratingly hard to get one. You have to make a real case that you’re high-risk for insurance to pay for it — like, you have blood in your stool or a family history for cancer or polyps. Otherwise, you have to pay for it out of hand. The main thing is: colonoscopies prevent colon cancer, a leading cancer that’s killing younger people every day. So find those pesky polyps, snip ‘em out and save that sexy ass.
Meditations on POP
Cashavelly’s latest album is infused with current-day feminism
by DAVID MENCONI
Nearly three decades ago, the artist Cashavelly was a teenage dancer studying with the renowned ballerina Melissa Hayden at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. After she turned 21, a serious injury put her in a back brace and bed for a long recovery. She spent her convalescence writing, which brought on some realizations about what she wanted to do.
“I actually did recover and could’ve kept dancing,” she says now at age 43. “But the thing is, I was always dissatisfied with staying silent. I wanted to do something where I speak my mind, and dance was not fulfilling that.”
That led her to acting and eventually
music, adopting her grandmother’s maiden name as performance moniker (her birth name is Melissa Bickey). She started out as an Americana-leaning singer/ songwriter, teaming up with her husband and guitarist, Ryan MacLeod, as collaborator on three albums. Then she moved in poppier, more elaborately conceptual directions.
Female-driven pop and latter-day feminism reach full flowering on Cashavelly’s fourth album, Meditation Through Gunfire, with a cover showing her holding a hawk like a newborn baby. A straight-up pop gauntlet to patriarchy, it’s a record that should resonate with the throngs going to Taylor Swift’s Eras shows and quoting speeches from Barbie.
Allison Lee Isley
There’s a lot of anger in the lyrics, but also exuberance. “Prom” rolls along like a girl-power drumline pep-rally chant about turning love into hate, while “Lucky Duck” seems like the sort of poison-pen letter to an ex that almost everyone has mentally composed without sending.
You’re a coward and a liar and deserve to die I could let my rage burn me alive
But I can’t even hurt a fly
My heart is pure love…
You, lucky duck, you.
That’s quite a dispatch from the war between the sexes. (But for anybody wondering, the target is not Cashavelly’s husband MacLeod, who works as a couples therapist when not making music.)
“There’s a lot of journey with my husband on this record,” Cashavelly says. “Also a lot of horrible men from the past, which he is not. But it’s been healing for him, too, admitting shame experiences about only being allowed to feel certain emotions. Women are so armored-up from all the things they’ve been hurt by. But patriarchy hurts men, too, whether they realize it or not.”
Cashavelly grew up in West Virgin-
ia listening to tapes her older brother would make for her, mostly alternative-leaning ’80s and ’90s-era pop. What registered most strongly were female artists like Fiona Apple and Tori Amos, whose melding of sacred and sexual themes remains a touchstone. The Meditation Through Gunfire track “Part of Me Already A Ghost” declares, “There is no difference between God and making love to me.”
Folk music emerged as another influence while Cashavelly was in college and graduate school. Listening to old folk songs and murder ballads while writing short stories set in Appalachia a century ago stirred some thoughts about equality between sexes, races and social classes. Once a bandmate suggested she start listening to Taylor Swift’s stadium-sized pop, the template for Meditation Through Gunfire was complete.
This is Cashavelly’s first album with an outside producer, David Wimbish from the indie-pop band The Collection, who also provided most of the instrumentation. While MacLeod played guitar on a few tracks, he had a lesser role than on past albums. That left him mostly in the unfamiliar role of observer.
“When it comes to the songs that she
writes, she’s on the journey and doesn’t need much from me,” says MacLeod. “We’ll have long conversations about social issues, women’s roles, masculinity and our terrible definitions of it, relational things, and she’ll bounce lyrics off me. She’s got such vision and is very dedicated. I’m really proud of her.”
The album is one of the first to be released by UNCSA Media, the custom label run by UNC School of the Arts, where Cashavelly teaches writing. They’re rolling out videos of each song, many featuring her dancing, in a multimedia package that’s along the lines of Cashavelly’s 2021 LP Metamorphosis, which had an accompanying film that played the festival circuit.
While Meditation Through Gunfire feels very much of this cultural moment, Cashavelly feels like it’s necessary to add her viewpoint.
“I think this is really needed now — I’m breaking stereotypes, too, as a 43-year-old trying to be a pop star,” she says. “I’m showing all these facets of myself where I’m girly and serious and sexual, trying to expand what’s allowed. I want to show that worth does not decrease with age. We become more powerful, not less.”
GARDEN SPRING PREP
In March, I spy spring ephemerals such as Virginia bluebells, snowdrops and bloodroot flowering in my yard. After nearly four decades of gardening in Raleigh’s dense red clay, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of mulch and these beauties are thriving. As we transition out of winter, here’s what I’ll start working on.
WORRISOME WEEDS
This time of year chickweed (a low-growing ground cover with starshaped flowers) and henbit (a plant in the mint family that’s about 5 inches tall with pink to purple flowers) are spreading. Don’t let these invasive weeds take over your garden — remove them before they flower! Chickweed spreads in an ever-growing circle: lift its edges to find the center root and remove with a soil knife. Henbit grows as an individual plant, but it’s easy to pull.
MIGHTY MULCH
For healthier plants, less weeding and a beautiful garden, spread mulch! It benefits soil by moderating temperature, retaining moisture, suppressing weeds and adding nutrients. It also makes the garden look tidy. Choose from double- or triple-shredded hardwood or softwood, composted leaf mulch, pine straw or fallen leaves. If you need several cubic yards, consider the free service ChipDrop (getchipdrop.com) or have it delivered from a local company like The Mulch Masters (themulchmasters.com). Raleigh-based Family Home & Garden also offers it by the truckload for pickup or delivery (familyhomeandgarden.com).
PLANT COOL-SEASON VEGGIES
Now’s the time to get baby plants like broccoli, lettuce, kale, peas and spinach into the ground. If you didn’t start yours inside from seed, garden centers are stocking up now and have done the work for you! Watch for pests such as aphids, caterpillars, cutworms and flea beetles, which love to munch on leafy greens. The first signs of aphids are ants, which love to eat the pest. If it looks like something’s been chomping at your lettuce overnight, it’s likely a caterpillar or cutworm. The safest ways to get rid of pests are by using homemade soap sprays or diatomaceous earth or removing by hand. — Helen Yoest
Not a Smooth Flight
The Northern cardinal’s atypical journey from commonplace to coronation
by MARSHÉLE CARTER
photography by BOB KARP
In Raleigh, seeing a brilliant red Northern cardinal is a blessing many of us take for granted. A symbol of hope, love and remembrance, a cardinal in one’s yard or windowsill is said to be a momentary connection with a departed loved one. Another popular notion is that seeing a cardinal means one will see their sweetheart that day. These and other traditions related to the cardinal are preserved from one generation of North Carolinians to the next with anecdotal “evidence” and deep conviction.
It was 82 years ago this month that those who came before us recognized the red-feathered treasures as one of North Carolina’s official state symbols, but the bird’s significance to this area spans centuries.
The Cherokee associated birds with guidance, communication and messages from the spirit world, and they believed that red birds brought warnings of weather changes. Later, the bright plumage of “the red bird” reminded many early European immigrants of the robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals.
This correlation led to the bird’s modern name, and, as a result, the cardinal became seen as a serendipitous, divine visitor by early Christian households, as well.
The Northern cardinal’s journey from grassroots involvement to public vote to state senate adoption as the state bird was at least 10 years in the making. On May 8, 1933, the “Chickadee Bill” (House Bill 1560, H.R. 51), sponsored by the North Carolina Federation of Women’s Clubs, designated the Carolina chickadee as the first official state bird. But one week later, three state senators — Hayden Clement of Rowan County, Daniel McDuffee of Vance County and George McNeill of Cumberland County — circled back and introduced another bill to pluck it from the books. That was because this cheerful woodland bird is a member of the titmouse family and was also nicknamed the tomtit. Although titmice were — and still are — welcomed equally beside other birds at North Carolinians’ feeders, the legislators feared our state would come to be known as “The Tomtit State” — and thought locals might have a different association with the word “tit.”
THe Kinston Press suggested using the bird’s Latin name for those who preferred “grandeur,” but recognizing that “for most North Carolinians the less noble title will be easier to pronounce,” Senators Clement, McDuffee and McNeill led an urgent vote to avoid “the unprepossessing name.” The vote was “practically unanimous” and “came without a word of discussion,” according to THe News & Observer.
By 1943, North Carolina was one of only two states without a state bird (the other was Connecticut). That year, Senator Rivers Johnson of Duplin County introduced a bill to adopt the Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) as the state bird. He submitted the bill at the request of the North Carolina Bird Club, which had conducted a poll of 36 schools and other organizations to ascertain the public’s choice. The Northern cardinal beat out other con-
“Cardinals in this area have a different dialect than cardinals in the Midwest, for example. You could say that cardinals in Raleigh have a Southern accent.”
—
TED SIMONS
tenders, including the mourning dove, the Carolina wren, the wild turkey and the pine warbler.
On March 4, 1943, the North Carolina General Assembly voted in favor of Senate Bill 151, Chapter 595. Four days later, the bill was ratified by the state senate, adopting the Northern cardinal as our state bird, the sixth of seven states to claim it. In a letter to the editor of the N&O, reader John B. Palmer of Warrenton congratulated the General Assembly on its adoption of the cardinal as the state bird, stating, “the chickadee, once suggested, is not in keeping with the
dignity of North Carolina.” He added, “How appropriate that North Carolina, boasting of about the highest birth rate in the Union, should so adopt a prolific breeder.”
Dr. Ted Simons, a North Carolina State University professor emeritus of ornithology, attributes the victory not only to the bird’s beauty, but to its resilience and adaptability. “Northern cardinals benefit from the habitats that people create, like shrubs, forest edges and feeders,” Simons says. “Ecologists call them ‘urban adapters’ because they’re a species whose ecology and lifestyle make urban habitats very suitable for them. They probably have had the greatest positive trajectory in their populations over their history.” Simons notes that the nonmigratory cardinal’s original range was much smaller, mostly within the southeastern U.S., but its populations have been steadily increasing and spreading north, west and south since the mid-1800s.
“Today, they are one of North America’s most abundant birds, thriving in human-dominated environments from the upper Midwest throughout the Central Plains, down through Mexico and into Central America,” Simons says. “There are estimates of 100 to 110 million of them across this very large range.” The cardinal’s song — its strength, pattern and relation to the bird’s overall fitness — has its own history and has been studied extensively over the past decade. “There’s quite a range of dialects in the cardinal’s song,” says Simons. “Cardinals in this area have a different dialect than cardinals in the Midwest, for example. You could say that cardinals in Raleigh have a Southern accent.”
And while the Northern cardinal may be a common sight in Raleigh, Simons urges folks to, in the words of his late friend, naturalist George Ellison, “see it again for the first time.” Says Simons: “Try to imagine how amazed you would be if you’d never seen a Northern cardinal for the first time — you’d think it was one of the most incredible birds you’d ever seen.”
Tripping through TULIPS
A unique farm in Sanford offers spring’s earliest delights
by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE
photography by LIZ CONDO
About 45 minutes from Raleigh, an old-school marquee beckons you in with an arrow. The trip down a short gravel drive reveals a low-slung white farmhouse with a blue roof and rocking chairs on its ample front porch. Inside you’ll find classic country-store fare: homemade jam, baked goods and eastern NC vinegar-based BBQ sauce.
But in March, this Sanford farm has a unique offering: more than an acre of pick-your-own tulips, waiting to be brought home as cut stems or with the bulbs still attached, ready to transplant into your own garden. The tulips are a relatively new but popular early-spring crop at Anthony and Janice Dyson’s family-run Blueberry Hill U-Pick, which
— as the name suggests — got its start offering pick-your-own blueberries.
Anthony grew up on a farm in eastern North Carolina, immersed in “blueberry country,” as he describes. A career in the construction-materials business moved him to Sanford decades ago, where he started to experiment with growing blueberries in his yard, like his father had before him. “It was a lot of trial and error, getting blueberries to grow here,” Anthony says. He and Janice enjoyed sharing their berries with friends and neighbors.
After his retirement, Anthony and Janice moved to this farm on White Hill Road and started filling its 7 acres with blueberries to sell. Business was good, with the fruit stocked in local Harris
Janice and Anthony Dyson
Teeters and Lowes Foods grocery stores.
The farm is a true family affair: in addition to Anthony and Janice, their two sons and their wives, as well as their two children, help out. “The grandchildren rule and reign,” laughs Anthony. “But it’s fun to have the whole family involved and working together, we enjoy it.”
“We get along pretty good — I bring the knowledge and my dad brings the work ethic, so we get it done,” agrees his oldest son, David, a landscaper by trade who went to North Carolina State University to study horticulture and agriculture.
David, who crushed his C5 vertebrae in a diving accident in 2017, uses an accessible ATV to do his work around the farm. “Where in the past I would have done the physical labor myself, I’ve had to get creative on how I teach what needs to be done,” he says. “I have to delegate.”
The farm had mainly been a wholesale operation until a few years ago, but soon they saw there was a market for pick-your-own blueberries. They added blackberries and grapes to their offerings and about three years ago started experimenting with flowers, planting tulips, ranunculus, zinnias and poppies.
The pick-your-own tulips took off — they’re the only tulip farm within 60 miles — so they planted even more, investing in a bulb-planting machine from Holland last year to cut down on the labor. “There’s only two or three in the entire state,” says Anthony. “We used to do everything by hand, so it would take weeks to get everything into the ground. Now we can do it in two or three days.”
They plant the tulips in “the dead of winter,” David says, “the colder the soil, the better.” The exact arrival of the tulips is up to Mother Nature and where they’re planted. “If we have a warmer winter, they’ll come quicker, but if it’s chillier they’ll delay,” Anthony says. This year, they planted nearly 60,000 bulbs. “It sounds like a lot, but they’re planted pretty tight — the closer together and deeper they’re planted, the better they perform,” David says. They’ve learned that the taller tulips from Holland grow best. “We do a lot of Darwin hybrids, and I like to stick to the primary colors — they tend to be more vibrant and last longer,” says David.
Come March, the fields boast rows upon rows of the tall, cheerful blossoms, many with the classic goblet shapes, some
boasting pointy or curly petals. David’s favorite tulips include the Wedding Dress (“it’s a true white”), Novi Sun (a bright yellow) and Red Impression. At the store, they also offer tulips in pots to bloom indoors (it’s tricky: they first have to be planted in the ground and then transplanted). Once the flowers bloom, there’s about a three-week period until “the show’s over,” says Anthony. “It’s a short window, but some people will come a couple times a week to pick flowers.”
In addition to the tulips, the farm has something blooming or fruiting about six months of the year, from the tulips’ debut through midsummer, when the blueberries ripen, until the grapes finish up in September. For the Dysons, it’s a way to meet neighbors and make new friends, from military families exploring out of Fayetteville to photographers bringing clients for engagement shots to Raleigh golfers who get lured in on their way to Southern Pines.
“We meet all kinds of people, it’s been a great way to connect with the community,” says David. Agrees Anthony: “We enjoy interacting with the public and working out in the dirt.”
Ada, 3, cuts a tulip with her mom, Katelyn Carpenter, and siblings Abram and Millicent.
MARCH 8–JUNE 29, 2025
THE TIME IS ALWAYS NOW Artists Reframe the
Black Figure
Exhibition organized by the National Portrait Gallery, London, and presented by the North Carolina Museum of Art. Support for this exhibition is made possible, in part, by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.; and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment for Educational Exhibitions. Research for this exhibition was made possible by Ann and Jim Goodnight/the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fund for Curatorial and Conservation Research and Travel.
WA fun, fabulous gala — fueled by event-planning folks — raises money for local nonprofits
by RACHEL SIMON
hen Jodi Strenkowski became the owner of the Merrimon-Wynne House in 2013, she wanted to make sure that the historic property, which frequently hosts weddings and special events, was also using its space and profits to give back to Raleigh. She started by offering discounted party packages to nonprofits hosting charity events at her venue, but she soon felt there was more she and her colleagues could do to help.
“We saw how much these organizations were spending to put on these gala-type events, and sometimes they were spending more on the event than they were actually raising,” she says. “They were putting in so much work but often weren’t getting the results.”
After speaking with other event space owners and vendors in the Triangle, Strenkowski came up with a plan: instead of each of them giving a little bit of money to a number of different organizations,
they could pool their resources to make a bigger impact. “If we came together and fully donated our services for a huge event, 100 percent of the money that we raised could go directly to one organization,” she says.
In 2017, Merrimon-Wynne hosted the first version of this idea, a casino-themed fundraiser benefiting Project Catch, a local offshoot of the Salvation Army that tackles family homelessness. The event — every aspect of which was donated by vendors, from DJ Joe Bunn doing the music to Parlor Blow Dry setting up activities — raised over $30,000 for the nonprofit.
The evening’s success inspired Strenkowski to dream even bigger. Not long after, she teamed up with the music-focused North Carolina charity Band Together (she was on the board) with the goal of using its resources and charity selection experience to put on an even larger fundraiser that could provide substantial help to a worthwhile grassroots organization.
Left: A scene from the Whimsical Wonderland event. Right: Jodi Strenkowski.
GIVERS
Band Together’s focus on smaller, local nonprofits “really spoke to my team,” Strenkowski notes. “We all felt like, if we’re gonna raise a couple hundred thousand dollars, let’s do it for somebody for whom that’s going to be especially meaningful.”
Thus Evening to Ignite, now one of the Triangle’s buzziest fundraisers, was born. The first incarnation, held in early 2020, was a fairly low-key dinner and auction benefiting Families Together; the following years (after a COVID-caused break) found them benefiting organizations that address the needs of women and children, like No Woman No Girl, which resonated with Strenkowski and her largely-female team. “That has just historically been what we felt called to do,” she explains.
Each year, the event has raised more money. The 2024 gala, the biggest production thus far, raised over $200,000 for Neighbor to Neighbor, a local charity promoting education and mentorship for underserved families. The money was used to construct a soon-to-be-finished Teen Center in downtown Raleigh that will “empower teens with the skills, networks and pathways to thrive in local high-growth industries, breaking cycles of poverty and creating mobility for families we work with,” says Spencer Hathcock, the organization’s program manager. He adds that the funds also enabled Neighbor to Neighbor to increase its after-school program capacity by 40%, with more teen programming that will help give adolescents the tools to “seize emerging opportunities in the Triangle’s thriving economy.”
The
This year’s honoree is Ripe for Revival, a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity by building pay-what-you-can mobile food markets.
detailed applications from nonprofits hoping to be the next year’s beneficiary. Tickets and sponsors are the biggest drivers of their fundraising. For this year’s event, tickets range from $175 to $350 (depending on if you add extras like a VIP dinner) and sponsorships (in which brands contribute up-front in exchange for inevent branding) are available for up to $8,000. “Every year, as the event becomes bigger and bigger, we’ve been able to get bigger sponsors and increase ticket prices to raise more money and more awareness for the organization,” Strenkowski says proudly.
those worlds. Dressing for the theme is a must, and repeat guests know to look out for the multipage Style Guide with a Pinterest board-like array of outfit inspiration.
March 14 will mark the fifth Evening to Ignite. This year’s honoree is Ripe for Revival, a nonprofit that addresses food insecurity by building pay-what-you-can mobile food markets throughout North Carolina. Ripe for Revival was chosen due to its “strong impact” in North Carolina communities, Strenkowski says, adding that the charity was “willing to bring their mobile markets to downtown Raleigh, the area right within the community that we feel so passionate about.”
Putting on the fundraiser is no small feat; not only do dozens of vendors contribute resources, but Strenkowski and her colleagues balance the immense planning with their busy day jobs. They also, along with the Band Together team, spend countless hours poring over
Part of what has made the evening a success is that it allows Strenkowski and her partners to really go all-out. “The event really is a full-scale production and not something that you see very often,” she says. Past events have included fun themes like Whimsical Wonderland and Galactic Glam, with enough impressive decor to transport attendees fully into
Officially, this year’s fundraising goal is $250,000, but Strenkowski and her team’s internal hope is even greater. The 2025 benefit, called A Night at the Tropicana, will be “bigger and more impressive” than ever, says its founder. With Havana-inspired decor led by Casey Harris, owner of Raleigh’s La Fete Planning & Design, Strenkowski hints that the event will be loud, colorful and “purposely over the top.”
That may be an understatement. During the all-night benefit (including
courtesy Evening to Ignite
Evening to Ignite team reveals the amount raised for last year’s nonprofit.
an afterparty), guests will experience everything from fire dancers to a cigar bar, not to mention a VIP dinner led by acclaimed chef Jacob Boehm of Snap Pea Creative Dining — who, it so happens, was the one who suggested they highlight a food insecurity-focused cause this time around. The live auction, too, will see a major upgrade, with a Sotheby’s auctioneer leading the festivities and new prizes such as fishing charters and a “Nashville experience.”
But also at the event, guests will enter the room directly through Ripe for Revival’s newest mobile market, which was built and outfitted from money earned through sponsors and ticket sales ahead of Evening to Ignite. “As people check in, they’ll actually get to come through the space and really see why we’re here, the main purpose of what we’re doing,” says Strenkowski. (The market will be moved elsewhere post-event).
Kara Cox, the executive community director of Ripe for Revival, says that the nonprofit plans to use this year’s funds for “a pretty amazing expansion” in and around Wake County. “It will allow us to have sustainability and to be in those same communities every week, so people know when to shop and what we have on board,” she says. The charity is already at work launching its first mobile commercial kitchen, Cox notes, which won’t just provide food (grown and purchased from local farmers) to those in need but also a “hands-on culinary education” for both kids and adults.
Being chosen as Evening to Ignite’s 2025 beneficiary was a huge honor, Cox adds: “It made me feel like they really understood the mission and what we’re trying to accomplish within communities.” Ripe for Revival is even collaborating with last year’s event beneficiary, Neighbor to Neighbor, to place its newest mobile market on the latter organization’s property. “It’s all full circle on how this event makes such an impact within Wake County,” Cox says. Adds Hathcock: “Evening to Ignite has and will have a transformative impact.”
Campbell University invests in each student. We prepare each one to make a life, to make a living and to make a difference. Our students are welcomed into an inclusive community of family, and mentored to become leaders who will impact the world. Inspired by our faith and belief in the power of education, we encourage each student to grow academically, spiritually and socially through the world of opportunities that surround them.
campbell.edu
The Art of Healing
With the dawn of spring, we begin again
by JIM DODSON illustration by GERRY O’NEILL
If you live long enough, the saying goes, you will discover that healing takes time. This ancient wisdom is being driven home to me because 15 days before I sat down to write this column, I received a complete left knee replacement.
Friends who’ve been down this path were quick to assure me that the pain and discomfort that accompanies major joint surgery can only be mitigated by time, patience and committing to an aggressive program of physical therapy.
Owing to a lifetime of sports injuries and a fulsome style of landscape gardening (my cheeky bride once called it a “blood sport with bushes and trees”), I
suppose I’ve always downplayed my naturally high tolerance for pain — until now.
“Did you happen to catch the number of the city bus that ran over my leg?” I groaned to my wife on post-op day three, often described as the peak moment of pain during joint recovery.
“Just relax and let your body heal,” was her response. “By March, you’ll be back in the garden and playing golf with a brand-new knee that feels great. It just takes some time to heal, babe.”
Of course, she’s right. So, I shut my yap and let my body get on with its healing business without further interference from me.
It proved to be a wise move. Upon completing my second week of physical therapy, not only did I learn that I was a week and a half ahead of the normal recovery rate from knee replacement, but had also begun to regain the ability to walk without the assistance of a cane. The pain was also slowly vanishing — so much so that I did a walking tour of my garden to assess the winter damage.
This adventure got me thinking about how waiting for the pain to stop and the healing to begin is a common experience that touches every aspect of our lives.
As children, we fall down or cut a finger and run to Mom or Dad, who applies
the bandage and a kiss that makes the injury soon forgotten.
Ever y day on the news, however, we learn about children who live in war zones or are victims of child abuse. Their young lives will forever be damaged by the trauma they’ve suffered — a pain that will likely never quite vanish, leaving a wound that may never heal.
On a much larger scale, the recent devastation of homes and lives lost from Hurricane Helene and the raging wildfires of Los Angeles have produced pain and suffering on an apocalyptic scale, something that will take decades for communities to rebuild and heal. The outpouring of love and assistance from complete strangers to our mountain neighbors, however, speaks volumes about our shared human instinct for healing. A similar outpouring is already underway in the City of Angels.
On the scale of normal, everyday life, a lover’s broken heart may only require a few healing months of intense self-care, a good therapist and a new pair of shoes to begin the mending process.
The psychic pain of losing a job, sending a child off to college, ending a close friendship or saying goodbye to a loved one can each impose their own unique weight on the human heart. In time, only memory and gratitude for what was may soften the pain.
Connor named him Nico and kept him in his upstairs bedroom for several weeks before he moved on to Boston to accept a new job. At that point, we renamed the inherited young cat Boo Radley and watched him quickly take over the house. One minute he was grooming the ears of our big golden retriever Ajax, the next sleeping in kitchen pots and pans. He was always up to some amusing mischief that made us all smile.
For some reason, Boo took a particular shine to me, showing up at my desk every morning to playfully tap my computer keys as I wrote. The first time I let him outside, he followed me entirely around the backyard watching me plant roses and mow the lawn.
One summer evening near dusk, I saw Boo bolt across the backyard being chased by a young gray fox. Before I could come to his rescue, I saw the young fox running back the other way — chased by Boo. Crazy as it sounds, their game of tag went on for weeks.
The psychic pain of losing a job, sending a child off to college, ending a close friendship or saying goodbye to a loved one can each impose their own unique weight on the human heart.
proved to be fiercely territorial, ready to chase off any feline intruder foolish enough to get too close.
Wendy liked to say Boo was simply guarding his turf — and his best buddy. I do believe this may be true.
On the fourth night after my knee replacement, however, during the deepest pain of my recovery, Boo suffered his sixth seizure in five weeks. The promising medication he’d been on for a month simply didn’t work, proving the art of healing is as much mystery as it is science.
That, at least, is my hope.
One evening over this past Christmas as we sat by the fire watching a holiday movie, our beloved cat, Boo Radley, suffered a sudden massive seizure. Boo was a large gray tiger cat who entered our lives 14 years ago when Connor, Number Two Son, brought him home as a tiny feral kitten.
When we moved to the old neighborhood where I grew up in the Gate City, Boo really found his stride. He supervised as I re-landscaped the entire property and faithfully came to sit under the trees with me every afternoon when the day’s work was done. Likewise, for over a decade, he never failed to appear from his nighttime rounds to sit together under the early morning stars while I sipped coffee and had a friendly chat with the universe. He usually snuggled up in my lap as the Almighty and I sorted things out. On most afternoons, he napped in the golden-hour sun in his favorite part of the garden, which I eventually named Boo’s Garden.
Like the original Boo Radley, he particularly didn’t care for strangers and
Following a sleepless night, we made the painful decision to end Boo’s suffering. Hours later, a lovely vet came and put my best pal to sleep on his favorite blanket. I don’t think I’d ever felt such emotional pain. Over a cat, no less.
Ever y moment of this life, as my late Grandmother Taylor liked to say, someone is waiting beneath a clock for a birth or a death or a chance to begin again.
The return of spring brings winter’s long wait to an end. It’s nature’s moment to heal and begin again.
With my brand-new knee, I can’t wait to get out into the garden.
But my best friend is gone, a pain that will probably take years to heal.
Green Heart on a Gravel Road
by BETH COPELAND
illustration by LIDIA CHURAKOVA
After the sudden storm, a fallen leaf in stark contrast to broken rocks.
All night the storm raged and my thoughts spiraled like smoke in the dark.
Now the hyacinths emerge from winter sleep, forsythia and daffodils trumpet
the sun’s good news, and wild violets break th rough flagstone to bloom.
We have to find a way to get beyond this, you wrote. So we can grow.
This morning’s leaf, this green letter unleashed on t he wind, the rain, the world, addressed to you, to us: Don’t give up!
Steve Duncan’s thriving downtown vineyard
VINE ON THE
MUSCADINE
2025
by HELEN YOEST photography by LIZ CONDO
Steve Duncan has lived in the quaint Pullen Park Terrace neighborhood for over 35 years. “It’s a wonderful neighborhood to live in, and I’m so fortunate to have found my home there soon after college,” he says. Located next to Dix Hill, within Dorothea Dix Park, he’s at Raleigh’s highest elevation, which gives him a great skyline view.
It’s an area that’s notoriously neighborly. Duncan had a front-row seat to the Kirby Derby, the quirky annual soapbox race, from its inception in 2002 until it moved to Dix Park in 2017. These days, his neighbors can come together to share in Duncan’s annual grape harvests — well, some of them. “Half my neighbors don’t care for muscadine grapes,” Duncan laughs.
Duncan has loved North Carolina’s native muscadine grapes since he was a young boy. “My earliest recollection of tasting muscadine grapes came when I visited my uncle, Cotton Robinson, in Raleigh,” he says. They weren’t widely grown in his hometown of Bakersville in Mitchell County, due to the harsh winters, but he kept a taste for them.
During his college years at North Carolina State University in the 1980s, he’d go to the farmers market daily to get grapes when they were in season. “Then for December, I’d order muscadine wine from Old South Winery in Alabama,” he says. “I liked their muscadine wine because it tasted like the grape: super sweet and delicious!” He’d have a case shipped to the local bus station, then keep six bottles for himself and give the other six to friends and family “who were crazy about muscadines like me,” he says.
Years later, after settling in Pullen Park Terrace, Duncan developed an interest in growing muscadine grapes himself from his neighbor, Bill Perry. Perry is originally from Johnston County, where he’d grown muscadines. In 2006, Duncan planted his first muscadine grape, purchased from Garden Supply Company on Old Apex Road
in Cary. “The clerk said it was a threeyear-old vine already producing grapes at the garden center,” he says. This vine still thrives.
For many years, Duncan lived next door to Leslie Beasley, an older widowed woman who was also originally from Johnston County. “We often hung out on her porch; she would cook me meals,” Duncan says. During their years of friendship, Duncan learned that Beasley, who lived alone, had had a rough childhood, picking cotton and doing what she could to survive. “She was as good as they come, the salt of the earth,” he says.
Beasley passed away in 2008, and after that, her son-in-law, David Jones, reached out to Duncan about purchasing her property. “He asked because of the high regard Mrs. Beasley and I had for one another, and to honor the help I had given his mother-in-law over the years,” says Duncan. This prime lot added an eighth of an acre to his existing lot, giving him a quarter acre to work in. The property also included a house, which he’s converting into a guest house and rental property, named after Beasley. “I truly miss her," says Duncan, who is retired now after 30 years working for Wake Tech.
Using the new lot, Duncan set up an approximately 10-foot-by-20-foot grid system for his vineyard in a sunny location. “I planted a grape on each corner, one in the middle of each corner, and one in the center,” he says. Since the initial planting, Duncan has added 11 more varieties of muscadines. In addition to Scuppernong, Duncan grows Black Beauty, Cowart, Doreen, Darlene, Nobel, Pam, Triumph and Pineapple varietals (the last one is, indeed, reputed to have a slight pineapple flavor). Duncan also grows Southern Home grapes, which are known for their oak-like leaf shape. “It’s pretty enough to plant in the front yard,” he says, noting that he does extensive research to select the varieties. Another variety Duncan grows is Nesbitt, a large, black, self-fertile cultivar bred in North Carolina that’s the namesake of Dr. William B. Nesbitt,
Duncan’s garden includes an old shed with a red-painted door that came from a coworker at Wake Tech who needed it removed. “I tore it down and reconstructed it in my backyard,” says Duncan. He made the wreath on the door from his vines: “I often make them and give them away as gifts.”
Duncan grows his grapes organically. “In all my years, I’ve never had an issue with pests, other than pesky possums and raccoons that can leave you with nothing but a 5-gallon bucket of muscadine hulls,” he says.
a professor at NC State known for developing muscadine cultivars. Says Duncan: “It’s one of the most cold-tolerant fresh market varieties available and one of the top five fresh cultivars recommended in North Carolina.”
More than a casual grower of muscadines, Duncan takes on the role of a citizen scientist, sharing his vineyard as a demonstration garden with groups such as the Wake County Master Gardeners. “Steve is a life-long learner — he could have had two grapevines, but instead did his research to cultivate a richness of flavors,” says Jeana Myers, Duncan’s neighbor and friend. “Everything he takes on is done with thoughtfulness and attention to detail.”
“I have so many grapes, I can eat them each day while in season, plus give them to neighbors, family and friends and share with our neighbor, Healing Transitions — and still have enough to fill a chest freezer with 40 to 50 gallons of grapes, with some leftover,” says Duncan. He eats his grapes all year in smoothies. “I believe in the health benefits and anti-aging properties of the resveratrol in the grapes,” he says.
Duncan’s vineyard offers visual interest year-round, especially in the winter and early spring, when you can see the vines unobscured by leaves. What started as a seasonal necessity — he must prune his grapevines in winter, because they’ll only fruit on new growth — turned into an opportunity for artistic expression. Duncan first learned to prune through the Wake County Extension Service (“It’s a bit intimidating at first, but pretty straightforward once you get the knack of it.”) but learned from Perry that pruning doesn’t have to be linear. “Bill taught me I could prune in a topiary fashion or shape, he showed me I could be creative with the design and pruning,” says Duncan. His vineyard now includes a latticework tunnel from his back door to the shed, as well as a basketweave over the picnic table area in this backyard. Says Duncan: “Sometimes I take the vines, swirl them on the ends, and do fun things to make them look interesting.”
A world away from Raleigh, discovering the mountains of Kyrgyzstan on horseback
WILD RIDE
by JESMA REYNOLDS
photography
by
GEORGINA PRESTON
It was the middle of the night and I hadn’t slept properly in a week. The glowing map on the seat back in front of me indicated we were about to skirt Syria to the south while crossing the Aral Sea. A couple of hours later, I witnessed the sun cresting over the eastern horizon, the same direction we were heading. I was 23 hours from home by plane, but hadn’t even begun my journey — an 8-day pilgrimage, by horseback, across the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
I’d done a good deal of adventure travel post-college, backpacking through Thailand, India and Nepal. Though I was now decidedly middle aged, it was this continuing curiosity and longing to explore somewhere relatively untouched that led me to sign up for a horse-riding trip through Kyrgyzstan, something I’d read about during COVID and had earmarked in my “maybe one day” file. I knew little about its history, but it looked to be one of the prettiest and most remote places in the world.
A HORSE WITH A VIEW
Located in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, the Jalal-Abad region, once a major stop along the Silk Road, is characterized by its diverse landscape of towering peaks, lush valleys and winding rivers.
I enlisted one of my best friends, Noel Moore, an accomplished equestrian who shared my inner anthropologist yearnings, to go with me. Once she agreed, preparations began in earnest. Unlike her, I had not grown up riding, due to a horse allergy that I’d since outgrown. I found a barn nearby in Aberdeen, Valkyrie Sporthorses, that was willing to work with a beginner adult whose goal was to canter with confidence in six months. What began as once-a-week mounted lessons quickly morphed into two, along with horsemanship classes that taught me about the riding equipment and history of these conscripted animals.
Meanwhile, our trip’s host, Alexandra Tolstoy, the recently appointed tourism ambassador to Kyrgyzstan (and, yes, a distant relative of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy) provided a reading list on the country’s history and culture. An English citizen, Tolstoy had traveled the Silk Route on horseback with friends in the early aughts and has since been taking fellow adventurers on her own private trips to the country for the past 20 years. Noel and I embraced this learning portion with gusto, devouring her list of books, videos and podcasts, learning about this vast region and how empires shape history. Along the way, I came upon an article from the late, notable writer P.J. O’Rourke, who had done the same trip in
2008, also with no riding experience. He recounted it in hilarious and terrifying detail for Forbes magazine: “There were places where leading was impossible. We had to jump and slide on our own, then call the horses like dogs, asking them to perform stunts that Lassie would have left Timmy down the well rather than attempt.” I shared the article with my family, who reacted with laughter… and questioned my sanity.
As the trip grew closer, I started to worry: Was I still capable of sleeping on the ground in a tent for a week? Could I independently set up my kit? Had weekly lessons prepared me for riding days-straight over varied mountainous terrain — or the Kyrgyz stallions, whose temperament were unlikely akin to the indolent ponies on whom I’d trained?
In late September, departure day arrived. Noel and I flew to London to decamp for a few days, where we fretted over the contents of our enormous duffel bags, which contained everything we could possibly need for eight days in the wilderness (BYO sleeping bag, be prepared for any and everything — but don’t forget your riding jodhpurs and boots and a “swimming costume” — helmet optional). We wrangled these mini-dirigibles into a black cab to Heathrow, embarking on a 10-hour overnight flight via Istanbul to Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek.
“A HORSE IS A MAN’S WINGS” (Kyrgyz proverb)
Deeply respected, horses are an important part of Kyrgyzstan’s nomadic culture and national identity. They are revered for their endurance, hardiness and adaptability to harsh climates and high altitudes. Opposite page, clockwise from far left: The author riding into the Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve, a UNESCO designated biosphere. Like their sure-footed horse cousins, donkeys are well-suited for navigating narrow paths and steep slopes, making them a practical choice for carrying loads like straw. Riders and horses relax following lunch.
We arrived early the next morning, excited and slightly disoriented, at Manas Airport, named for the country’s national hero and legendary warrior. There, we met up with our group of fellow riders, 13 of us in all, including Tolstoy and professional photographer Georgina Preston. Most were traveling in twos, either couples or friends who arrived from England, Germany, Dubai and the Cayman Islands.
Our 45-minute drive into the city gave us time to absorb the landscape. The open steppe with vast fields gave way to small villages with traditional mud-brick houses and the occasional mosque (modest in scale, with a brightly colored and ornately patterned minaret). Dogs roamed freely while commerce took place in open-air markets. Cows grazed in triangular patches of median between roadways and exit ramps. Even the sun itself cast a different hue than it does here in North Carolina: more diffused, as if the atmosphere itself conveyed its fascinating and mysterious culture.
After checking into our hotel, we spent a day in Bishkek, a modern city with a population of over one million whose brutalist buildings testify to its Soviet provenance. After touring the State History Museum, we entered Ala-Too Square in the heart of the city, where we were greeted by a towering statue of sword-bearing Manas the Great atop his
powerful horse. In the background stood the majestic snowcapped Tien Shan range, aka “Mountains of God/Heaven,” which spans into China, Kyrgyzstan’s longest shared border.
Kyrgyzstan’s history dates back to the Bronze Age, and this area played an important part in the expansion of the Silk Road, the fabled East-West trade route that exchanged goods, ideas and cultures. It fell under Tsarist Russian occupation for much of the 18th and 19th centuries before Stalin established it in the 1920s as a Soviet territory, along with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. In 1991, Kyrgyzstan and the other “Stans” emerged as independent states when the USSR dissolved.
Often dubbed the Switzerland of Central Asia, the country’s mostly mountainous terrain has helped protect it from the influence of outsiders over time. Today many Kyrgyz remain semi-nomadic, relocating to their jailoo, alpine summer pastures, where they live in yurts with their families and animals.
After spending one night in Bishkek, we traveled by bus for 11 hours through the expansive Suusamyr Valley and several mountain passes — often sharing the narrow roads with shepherds on horseback navigating herds of livestock down from their summer meadows — to reach our first campsite.
BRIDGING THE DIVIDE
The thrill of discovery fueled the ride. Here, sure-footed stallions traverse a gushing river while the author coaxes one of the guides’ dogs, Akjaltoy, to cross with the group.
There, we met our five local guides: Djuman (the group leader), Aftan-Dil, Arslan, Bakit and Melis. These affable men were shepherds and beekeepers when they weren’t escorting foreigners around, and, most importantly, owned and cared for the horses we would ride for the next eight days.
Though none of our horses had names, we quickly grew attached to them, figuratively and literally. Our journey took us in and around the heavenly Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve, a designated UNESCO World Biosphere that’s an oasis of pristine lakes, verdant alpine meadows, soaring mountains, prolific fruit orchards and one of the world’s largest walnut forests. Victorian botanists collected early specimens of wild peonies, tulips, poppies, irises and lilies from this Eden that are still favored in today’s gardens.
Traveling on horse proved to be an ideal way to see the land. The pace was fast enough to cover ground but still allowed time to absorb the breathtaking surroundings. There was no room for distraction, just a feeling of true presence in the moment.
And just as O’Rourke promised, there was plenty of adventure: our sure-footed stallions traversed steep trails, sheer rock faces, gushing rivers and dizzying passes. A personal highlight was cantering flat-out for over a mile
ROOTED IN THE LAND
A languorous lunch stop within the Arslanbob walnut forest, one of the world’s largest. After competing in kok boru, guides cook the tenderized goat (ulak) on willow skewers over an open pit. Their distinct traditional felt white hats, called ak kalpak, bear deep, sacred meaning connecting them to the land and each other.
through a canyon that was likely formed eons ago, while experiencing an incongruous mix of thrill, joy and terror.
On our toughest climbing day, we got to a place on the narrow, rocky trail where Djuman directed us all to dismount. There was hardly room to place our feet solidly, we were so close to the sheer drop. Sending the horses ahead, we were left to hike up the steep path, our hearts pounding from the thin air and anticipation of reaching the top at just over 8,000 feet. But what a view when we finally summited and soaked in the surrounding peaks and distant valleys! There just aren’t enough superlatives to describe the beauty and majesty of it all.
We typically rode six hours a day, broken up by idle twohour lunches served bento-box style by our hospitable guides, who also shared apples and plums foraged along the way. Each night was spent in a different location. A separate team of mostly Russians traveled ahead in a Soviet-era truck to set up each of our campsites. Arriving at day’s end, we were greeted with freshly baked goods, relishing still-warm powdered doughnuts with raspberry jam and hot tea, plus stronger libations for those ready to imbibe. Dirty martinis and negronis served from tea kettles quickly became predinner cocktail favorites. Everything was placed on tables adorned with floral linens and vibrantly patterned Uzbek
There just aren’t enough superlatives to describe the beauty and majesty of it all. — Jesma Reynolds
Nicknamed the Switzerland of Central Asia, the country’s mostly mountainous and rugged terrain has helped preserve and protect it both from outside influence and development.
pottery sourced at the market in Bishkek. Tea time usually melded into dinner, which was prepared by our capable Russian cooks. There were soups and stews, handmade dumplings and more meat than I’ve eaten in a decade. No one went to bed hungry, just early. Our headlamps were usually shut off by 8:30 p.m.
Most nights we slept by a river or lake, sometimes near a dung barn. The walls of these attractive and surprisingly unsmelly shelters are made of dried manure and straw, an extension of the land from whence they came. The physical beauty, hearty food, fresh air and unadulterated night skies — oh, the stars! — lent a sense of contentment and true freedom for want of anything beyond the present.
On one of the last days, our guides showed their competitive side, along with their expert riding skills, playing a friendly but fierce game of kok boru against a local team.
Not surprisingly, it is a treasured national sport in a land rooted in horse culture and played in the World Nomad Games, an international competition showcasing Central Asia’s traditional sports. Exhilarating and hair-raising to watch, it is a mashup of rugby, football and polo, where riders wrestle to gain control of a headless 50-pound goat carcass, or ulak, packed with salt. The objective is to gallop down the field
and hurl the ulak over the opponent’s goal before being stopped or having it stolen — all the while staying atop one’s horse. I stood proudly on the sidelines cheering for my horse, who turned out to be one of the game’s stars. Because nothing is wasted in this land, our victorious team proceeded to skin and grill the prize for our dinner that evening.
My new comrades and I couldn’t believe how quickly the week passed, and none of us particularly wished to re-enter our busy modern lives. Of course, we missed our families, and a hot shower seemed like an incredible luxury — but we had all bonded over this extraordinary experience. On our last day at camp, we watched our Kyrgyz guides and Russian team exchange hugs and tears, then we too joined in, having bonded with our horses, the people, the mountains and each other.
One of the first words we learned upon arrival in Kyrgyzstan was spasibo, a frequently used Russian word that means “thank you.” It comes from “spasi bog,” which translates to “God save you.” As I stood there, it struck me how this expression summed up our trip, capturing both the expansiveness and sufficiency of all that we’d experienced: what you have, what you are and where you stand is more than enough.
RUGGED BEAUTY
DEEP CONNECTIONS
Two nights were spent on the beautiful shore of Lake Iri-Kel within Sary-Chelek National Park. The stunning natural beauty lent itself to contemplation of the surroundings. The communal camp tent was the nightly gathering spot for dinner, drinks and conversation, lit by oil lamps and decorated with regional wares. Missing her own furry friends, the author plays with Akjaltoy during a lunch break.
Matt Byrd carves discarded material into intricate, interlocking art
AT HOME WITH STONE
by COLONY LITTLE photography by MATT RAMEY
Matt Byrd’s stone sculptures are studies in problem solving. In some works, shapes are stacked upon one another, fitting closely together like puzzle pieces. In others, the geometry is disrupted by smooth spheres sandwiched between chiseled blocks of interlocking rock.
To some, the video game Tetris may come to mind, while fans of mid-century modern design may notice the influence of sculptors like the late Isamu Noguchi, who created iconic designs for Herman Miller using materials like wood, metal, glass and stone. One of Noguchi’s quotes regarding natural materials mirrors Byrd’s own design philosophy: “The beauty of a particular stone can only be seen when found.”
For Byrd, it’s an artistic point of departure, albeit with a looser definition of ‘found.’ “I steal everything,” he laughs. But he means this quite literally: Byrd drives his weathered truck around Raleigh to source his material, primarily granite, from construction sites during the demolition phase. “The amount of good granite that goes to landfills is outrageous,” he says. “So, if I’m driving around in the middle of the night and find granite destined for the dump, I’ll put on my hi-vis jacket and load my truck up.”
Byrd, who’s been a stone mason for more than a decade, grew up in the trades; his father owns Byrd Tile Distributors, so in addition to being close to the material, he also studied the techniques of artisans within his family’s orbit. One of those people was Brooks Burleson, the mason behind the undulating stone walkways, retaining walls, arches and bridges at the Duke Gardens. “I met Brooks when I was 5, and when I turned 19, my mom said, Brooks has been waiting, are you ready to work?,” Byrd says. “At that point I was ready.” Byrd apprenticed with Burleson from 2011 to 2014, also studying at the Penland School of Craft and the John C. Campbell Folk School to pick up skills in metalsmithing and woodworking along the way. He didn’t love school, but he did love working under Burleson. When he was 23, Byrd moved to New
York, then later Northern California, working a slew of jobs ranging from set design for magazine shoots to apprenticeships. These refined his diverse skill set, but ultimately the lure of stone beckoned Byrd home. “I have worked in woodshops and I’ve worked in metal shops, but I just didn’t have an emotional connection to those materials. I’m pretty at home with stone,” he says. Byrd returned to the Triangle and stonemasonry in 2018, reconnecting with Burleson and with private clients. During his spare time, he began experimenting with sculpting, using the same dry-laid stone wall techniques to create small, abstract sculptures from salvaged stone.
Byrd creates his work by hand using chisels and saw blades to carve interlocking shapes that are refined through sanding and grinding. His early abstract works combined texture and shapes to create waves, arches and other geometric forms. In one piece from Byrd’s 2020 Howard series, two pieces of coarse, speckled grey granite are bifurcated by a piece of polished pink stone sculpted to fit snugly between the blocks.
These works were a study in harmony and contrast. They were difficult to execute but popular within design circles, landing in publications like Dwell, Elle and Architectural Digest. Byrd says he felt compelled to make these pieces to demonstrate his skills and establish himself as an artist. “Some of the motifs were seemingly trendy at times,” he says. “I’m trying to get away from that. There’s a lot of work that I am ready to show now that I could have made back then, but I didn’t have the trust from people to make it.”
The popularity of Byrd’s early work gave him the opportunity to exhibit more broadly. His first solo show, Lorimer I, was in Carrboro in 2021, followed by another solo show in Raleigh in 2022, Lorimer II, that Byrd mounted in a vacant space on Fayetteville Street with the assistance of Dave Nikolay of Empire Properties. He also began working with Love House, a design showroom in New York that represents emerging and established designers. “I owe my whole career to them,” Byrd says. For a 2023 show with Love House, Byrd produced furniture and accessories, including benches and lamps,
Byrd creates his work by hand using chisels and saw blades to carve interlocking shapes that are refined through sanding and grinding.
which were popular with collectors and interior designers alike.
Recently, Byrd has found creative inspiration through travel, refining his practice and exploring new directions in his work. In 2023, he participated in a residency at the Centro Internazionale di Scultura Peccia in Switzerland. It was an instructive period consisting of six months of working with Peccia marble, an indigenous stone, and honing his artistic voice. “I was a lot more productive — there aren’t as many vices out there, I couldn’t just go to the pub all the time,” he says. “There was nobody really watching me, either, so it let me be a little vulnerable with my work and do things that I wanted to do instead of the things that I thought people wanted me to do.”
Up until this point, Byrd had felt like he had to justify his talent and skill, both to himself and others. “You’ve got to earn your stripes a little bit — I wanted to prove that I knew how to carve stone and do it very intricately,” Byrd says. His earlier works from that first Howard series were a testament to that belief, at times technical just for the sake of being technical. “I was driving myself mad making these super-complicated pieces,” he says. “But I showed to myself that I could carve on a more complex level.” When it comes to the perceptions of others, these days he’s more resolute: “Now I have you with me on this ride, now let me do something that I really want to do.”
Part of that meant letting his hair down a bit, to enjoy the material and the spontaneity of the process. “Since I’m coming from a masonry background, I literally look at stones as building blocks and try to see how I can make an object fit what I want it to do,” he says. “Or when I’m out getting coffee or something, I’ll see an intersection of two buildings, and I’ll like how the shapes fit together — then I’ll think about how I can expand on that intersection through my work.” Recently, he began combining elements from distinct phases of his artistic career in new works that fuse stone carvings with woodworking and design. Totemic carved stone pieces rest on wooden plinths and stools crafted
from wood and stone, while other works contain his stone puzzles within beautifully carved, sanded wooden boxes.
His latest work is also infused with a little humor. The impetus behind one piece titled A Seven Minute Face was in response to the didactic style, particularly around figurative realism, he encountered from one of his instructors in Switzerland. “I was working with a classically trained sculptor who was very strict about form; at one point I was like, I don’t think it has to be like that, I think that’s kind of silly. So I started seeing how fast I could make a face,” Byrd says. Instead of relying on a high degree of naturalism, a painstakingly slow process, Byrd chiseled an amorphous face with two round eyes, a prism-shaped nose and a straight mouth
in seven minutes. The result is appealing and deceptively simple — creating that symmetrical, cartoon-like face so quickly would only be possible with a high degree of technical skill.
This summer, Byrd will head to Japan to work out of the Shiro Oni Studio in Onishi, a small town in a mountainous region two hours from Tokyo. While there, he will be working as an artist in residence, once again creating with local materials. Until then, he’ll be wielding his chisels and saw blades at his outdoor studio at his home near Lake Johnson, pushing his work into new realms. “What I’m working on right now are a mix of texture, big puzzle and caricatures,” he says, “But I’d like to show a combination of everything that I’ve worked on since I started.”
A full rock band joins your North Carolina Symphony to perform killer Queen hits including “Somebody to Love,” “Under Pressure,” “We Are the Champions,” Bohemian Rhapsody,” and more!
Concert Sponsor: First Citizens Bank
Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony
FRI/SAT, APR 25-26 | 8PM
Marie Jacquot, conductor
Marie-Ange Nguci, piano
Wagner: Tannhäuser Overture
Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 2
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3, "Organ"
Brass Transit: The Music of Chicago
FRI, MAY 2 | NOON & 8PM
SAT, MAY 3 | 8PM
Sophie Mok, conductor Brass Transit
“Saturday in the Park,” “25 or 6 to 4,” and “You’re the Inspiration” are just a few of the classic Chicago hits you’ll hear from Brass Transit and your North Carolina Symphony.
Stravinsky: The Firebird
FRI/SAT, MAY 9-10 | 8PM
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Alessio Bax, piano
Ravel: La valse
Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain
Albéniz: Selections from Suite Española
Stravinsky: Suite from The Firebird
Mozart Requiem
MAY 16-17 | 8PM
Andrew Grams, conductor
Kirsten MacKinnon, soprano
Leah Wool, mezzo-soprano
Eric Ferring, tenor
Wei Wu, bass
North Carolina Master Chorale
Hear the magnificent Requiem—one of Mozart’s most personal works—performed by your North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Master Chorale, and renowned guest vocalists.
Coming Soon To
Ballet to Opera. Concerts to Comedy. Symphony to Theatre, and more. Join us as we raise the curtain on world-class performances. scan to view our event calendar!
photo: Chris Walt Photography photo: Eric Waters
photo: Rob Laughter
photo: John Hansen
photo: Curtis Brown Photography
Find Your Trail
scan to view calendar of events ...to year round events in Elkin!
Big Elkin BrrrFest 2nd Saturday in February
St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl Saturday of St. Patrick’s Day
Elkin Cruise-In 4th Sundays (March - November)
Food Truck Fridays 2nd Fridays (April - October)
Friday Night Live Every Friday (April - October)
Earth To Elkin 3rd Saturday in April
Yadkin Valley Wine Festival 3rd Saturday in May
NC Trail Days First Weekend in June
FreedomFest Friday before July 4th
Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival 4th Saturday in September
NEW Music Festival COMING SOON! 2nd Weekend in October
Organized by the North Carolina Museum of Art. In Raleigh additional support is made possible,
part, by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.; and the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowment for Educational Exhibitions. Research for this exhibition was made possible by Ann and Jim Goodnight/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fund for Curatorial and Conservation Research and Travel.
Spring 2025
Tales of Enchantment
Saturday, April 5th
7pm
Meymandi Concert Hall
Tickets $32 - $38
Str t Requiem
Friday, May 2nd 6:30pm Moore Square
Free admission with optional VIP seating
One History, Many Voices
Experience living history. Walk in the steps of the governors who lived at Tryon Palace during the 1770’s – a time of intellectual and political turmoil. Tour the Palace, Kitchen Office, Stable Office, and our 21 acres of beautiful gardens. Visit with the men and women at an 18th century military encampment to learn about a soldier’s life. There are specialized tours, lectures, demonstrations, and special events such as Fife & Drum performances, Apothecary workshops, Garden lectures, Outlander tours and African American cultural lectures. Learn about colonial spinning and weaving, cooking, apothecary, clothing, dueling, and more.
Experience Tryon Palace.
Garden Lovers’ Weekend April 11-13
The 5th Annual North Carolina Plein Air Art Festival in New Bern is an event you won’t want to miss!
Running from Monday, May 12, to Sunday, May 18, this weeklong celebration brings together some of the world’s most renowned plein air artists.
A total of 37 artists will capture New Bern’s beauty in real time, giving you the chance to witness art in action, connect with creators, and take home a gallery-quality painting to cherish for a lifetime. ncpleinair.org
April 27th
12pm - 6pm
Landon Estate
2035 Indian Camp Rd Clayton, NC 27520
CIDER, WINE & DINE WEEKEND WITH US • MAY 2-4, 2025
CELEBRATE
& Mother’s
TABLE & TWINE takes the stress out of your holiday meals with our chef-crafted, heat-and-serve dishes. From elegant Easter spreads to heartfelt Mother’s Day feasts, enjoy hassle-free gourmet flavors— so you can savor every moment with family.
s roundup of gatherings, celebrations, fundraisers and more around Raleigh.
NEXTSTEP RALEIGH STAND TOGETHER GALA
On Jan. 19, NextStep Raleigh, a paralysis treatment and recovery center, held its Stand Together Gala at the beautiful space at Whitaker & Atlantic. The Stand Together Gala raised over $65,000 to help individuals living with paralysis from neurological conditions find hope, recovery and independence. Brandon Lyons, a 2024 Paralympian, was the keynote speaker and guests enjoyed dishes by chefs including Savannah Miller, Joshua Young, Coleen Speaks, Charlotte Coman and Zach Fisher, as well as one-of-a-kind ice cream collaboration between Whiskey Kitchen’s Michael Thor and Two Roosters.
To have your event considered for The Whirl, submit images and information at waltermagazine.com/submit-photos
Andrew Albright
Nick Speaks, Orson Speaks, Coleen Speaks
Caroline Bull, Brandon Lyons, Alex Johnson, Sandy Bridger
Justin Nye
John Peters, Allison Peters Keeley Cansler, Michaela Carty
Savannah Miller
Ashli Jones, Michael Thor, Sarah Santoro
DOCENT RECEPTION AT EXECUTIVE MANSION
A reception was held at the Executive Mansion on Dec. 9 for the volunteer docents who lead mansion tours during the year. The Woman’s Club of Raleigh was well represented by a large group of attendees. The event included wine, hors d’oeuvres and rum punch. The mansion was beautifully decorated for the holidays and carols were played on the grand piano by Kevin O’Barr, commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Labor.
OPENING RECEPTION FOR “LE PARIS DE LA BELLE ÉPOQUE: NEW PAINTINGS BY FABIENNE DELACROIX”
One Dec. 6, Gallery C Fine Art celebrated the opening reception for international artist from Paris, Fabienne Delacroix. Delacroix and her sister, Sylvie Delacroix, traveled from Paris to be in attendance.
Women’s Club of Raleigh docents with former Gov. Roy Cooper
On Dec. 5, the WakeUP Wake County and RaleighForward Annual Reception took place at Artspace. The theme was “Raising the Roof | Housing Choices for Wake County.” The keynote speaker was Vicki Been, faculty director of New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy; Been spoke about how Wake County can learn from other cities and regions to create diverse and affordable housing options.
Burak Erdim, Joe Michael, Bert Fox
Vicki Been
Mitch Silver, Susan Evans, Adam Walters, Pat Young
Carly Jones, Megan Patton, Susan Evans
Thomas Barrie
Thomas Barrie, Will Alphin, Sig Hutchinson
SOUTHERN SUGAR BAKERY WESTERN NC RELIEF EFFORTS
As word spread about the devastation in Western North Carolina on the heels of Hurricane Helene, Southern Sugar Bakery co-owner Angie Tucker, along with her bakery team, launched a fundraising campaign. They developed three sugar cookie designs that clients could purchase with 100% of proceeds being donated to Samaritan’s Purse to benefit relief efforts.
HIGH SCHOOL SPOKEN WORD CONTEST
United Arts of Wake County, in partnership with the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, celebrated the 12 finalists from the 2024 High School Spoken Word Contest. These finalists were honored at a celebratory reception on Jan. 28 at the North Carolina Museum of Art. During the event, the winners, First Place ($1,000): Josephine Geolas (first place), Kenna Zhang (second place) and Talia Favatella (third place) were announced and awarded prizes.
PROVIDING PREMIER DENTISTRY IN RALEIGH FOR GENERATIONS
MAKING RALEIGH SMILE SINCE 1899
Our patients receive state-of-the-art care in a warm, professional, safe and friendly environment. We welcome new patients!
OUR SIGNATURE SERVICES INCLUDE:
Comprehensive & Cosmetic Dental Care
Same-Day CEREC Crowns
SureSmile Clear Aligner Orthodontics
Dental Implants
Sleep Apnea
TMJ Therapy
3201 Glenwood Ave. Suite 301 Raleigh, NC 27612 • 919-782-0801
A singular gift turns into a tradition among friends
by LAURA WALL
When I was in my late 40s, my sister-in-law Sara presented me with a large shopping bag. “You’re next,” she said, laughing. I peeked inside and discovered a dark brown cowboy hat. It was decorated with random objects — artificial blue flowers, noisemakers, glitter-covered berries, butterflies and an extra-long, acidgreen boa. “Wow! What is this for?”
I asked, surprised.
Sara explained that her friend Barbara had given it to their mutual friend Tiffany on her 50th, then each of their five book club friends had worn the hat on their birthdays. Every person who wore it added an embellishment before passing it along.
I have always been a little extra, so I was fully on board with this crazy tradition. The night of my party, I put on a little black dress, birthday sash, 50-shaped bedazzled glasses and the hat.
And, you know what? It was magical.
As the headdress and my entourage made appearances all over Durham — from Mateo to the 21c Museum Hotel to the Waffle House — everyone we ran into wished me a happy birthday and complimented me on my glorious accessory. I felt empowered and fun
When it was time to add my bit to the hat, I took off my special 50-shaped glasses and superglued them to the front.
Since then, I’ve shared the hat with at least 10 more girlfriends. Most were happy to take up the baton. A few of my more introverted friends were initially apprehensive, but they eventually could not resist its remarkable charm and spirit.
And all sorts of items have been added to the hat’s brim that reflect its wearers: my English friend Justine added a plastic figurine of Queen Elizabeth and her corgi. Robin added a bird in a nest, complete with a mini wine bottle and glass. Simone added a tennis ball. But my favorite addition may be from Caroline, who added a tiny version of Henry David Thoreau’s Friendship and Other Essays to its crown.
I think that little book sums up this tradition: it’s amazing to celebrate this milestone with friends, knowing that others have been there and more are yet to come.
Bryan Regan (HAT);
Laura Wall (OTHERS)
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
Your children. Your family. Your health. Your well-being. Your place.
From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.
WakeMed Women’s
WakeMed Women’s
From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.
From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.
From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.
wakemed.org/womens-services
From pregnancy and childbirth to mammograms, menopause and more, the care is as compassionate as it is comprehensive. Covering everything and anything female from outpatient and inpatient surgery to specialty and subspecialty care, and the most advanced technology. After all, when it comes to you, your health and your family, you’re the decision maker. And the decision is clearly WakeMed Women’s.
