Southern Favorites: Biscuits

I am a biscuit fan - big time. I was beyond upset when my $15.00 Bojangles combo at Bank of America Stadium this past weekend for the UNC vs. WVU bowl game did not include a biscuit. (Seriously - wtf?!)

Naturally, I think this Biscuit of the Month Club highlighted in an email from Garden & Gun (it's one of my inbox favorites - make sure you get on the list) sounds a-may-zing.

I'm also super excited about the forthcoming The Flying Biscuit Cafe to Cameron Village - which I've been told actually does some of my favorite southern staples like biscuits, gravy, and grits (not to be confused with G.R.I.T.S) right! I'll be sure to post an update as soon as it opens and I give it a try myself.
(Image Source: GoGoRaleigh.com)Anyone tried either of these southern favorites?

Rickshaw Confessions

A great source for all things Raleigh - NewRaleigh.com - has recently posted the first installment of Rickshaw Confessions. Think Taxicab Confessions... but Raleigh Rickshaw style.

Personally, I'd prefer some fun trivia and cash (Cash Cab style), but I think this could be interesting.

Be on the lookout for the rickshaws and take a ride sometime!

Tobacco Road... Officially Open!

I say officially, because by the time I finish this post and it hits your Google Readers, it will be after 11:00am.

Last week I was very fortunate to be invited to the sneak preview of Tobacco Road Sports Cafe - many thanks to the Amra brothers and Amy for that! I took Nick, Adrianne, and Joey along for the fun and we all had a great time and everyone enjoyed their (well thought out) selections from Tobacco Road's awesome menu and the service was faaaaantastic.

If you get a chance to check it out this week (heck, even today!) - be sure to do so. Here's a word from Rommie about the opening:

We have been busy finishing training and putting the finishing touches on the menu and decor of Tobacco Road Sports Cafe. I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that we officially open today at 11 a.m. We will now be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday - Sunday.

I hope you can stop by to check it out. There are plenty of parking spaces in the garage behind our building. Parking is free, you just need to get a token from us to exit the garage. Also, disregard the "Lot Full" sign--someone is supposed to fix it this week.

Our menu is posted online here.

The new website should be up this week with photos and more information.

We will send updates on great deals at Tobacco Road, exclusively for email list members, later this week. Thanks for your patience and your support!Be sure to get on that email list (right in the top/right of the homepage). Good things come to those in the know! That should be my new tagline.

PS - Note the good advice on parking. There are NO excuses to not make it downtown.

Monday Confession: I Twitter

Not religiously by any means... I haven't downloaded any type of Twitter app, so I only get updates when I want to by checking in via new Crackberry's fully-functional real browser, but I'm am nonetheless on Twitter.

(Let's be honest, what kind of marketing girl would I really be without personally trying out all the mediums so I can give my clients the best possible first-hand knowledge?)

However, this week alone I have had two cool experiences that give me a fun reason to half-recommend Twitter... at least once in my life. So here ya go...

Email that came to new crackberry on Thursday while I was at the bar (and proceeded to get REALLY excited about):

Hi, Lisa Jeffries.

Zac Brown Band (zacbrownband) is now following your updates on Twitter.

Check out Zac Brown Band's profile here:

http://twitter.com/zacbrownband

You may follow Zac Brown Band as well by clicking on the "follow" button.

Best,
TwitterMade. My. Week!

Then again this morning, quick check in on Twitter (thanks to a new follower I wanted to check out):ashtonmae: Tobacco road is open! about 17 hours ago from TwitterBerryWell butter my biscuit! Looks like Raleigh's newest best place to do lunch has been putting in some major overtime!

So if you Twitter (of if you decide to give it a shot now), feel free to follow me... I like to think you'll enjoy the randomness (and I do mean random) that is contained in my Twitter updates.

Tobacco Road... Coming Soon!

I was able to get a glimpse into the new Tobacco Road Sports Cafe yesterday on my way to lunch with Tyler yesterday at one of my favorite hidden gems of Raleigh: Rockford. The TVs are in the windows (a cool feature for Glenwood South) and tables are being set in. After briefly chatting with Brian Amra a week or so ago, it seems that early January is when the doors will open.

I can't wait!

Be sure to check out their blog - which was just updated yesterday by Brian - and get a look at the menu... it'll make you hungry for Tobacco Road basketball and Tobacco Road food at the same time!


Full Disclosure: Lisa S. and I discussed the need for a restaurant/bar called "Tobacco Road" long ago (in the old Damon's location in the heart of Wolfpack country nonetheless), but these guys beat us to it.

If it was anyone else, I might be a little jealous, but I obviously love Amra's and know that Tobacco Road Sports Cafe will be nothing short of FANTASTIC and run by a family who really knows how to run a good business.

12/22 Update: Ashton says it's officially open on Wednesday!

I've Never Mentioned Brian Davis Before?

Really? My apologies!

For folks in the Triangle, there's a good chance you already know the name Brian Davis - or Brian Davis Live. For those of you in the other parts of the country, take any opportunity you get to see Brian near your own town... you WON'T be disappointed.

For all of you current fans looking for any last minute holiday gifts, be sure to check out Brian's merchandise... I just got an email from Cole (Brian's marketing manager) today who says:

"We are trying to clear out as much merch as possible to get ready for a brand new 2009 line up. For a limited time order any Brian Davis t-shirt or CD and receive a free koozie AND a free exclusive full-length MP3 off his yet to be titled fourth studio album!! Visit the store now and do a little shopping!!"You heard the man!

PS - Be on the lookout for Brian's 4th studio album coming in January 2009!This new record will feature 12-15 brand new tracks including "When Hank Comes Back", "Summer Back", "Thank God She's a Country Girl". There will be an album release party at City Limits Saloon in Raleigh.PS #2 - I will NOT be missing the farm party in '09. Not a second of it.

A Holiday Favorite

Elf Yourself is one of my favorite holiday promotions. They really kicked it up a notch this year with the addition of download for $4.99 and merchandise!

Didn't know Delta could do cartwheels, huh? Ever think you'd see Tank two-step (or - ahem - four-step)?

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Enjoy and go Elf Yourself, too!

PS - Click through if it doesn't automatically show up in Google Reader... some videos and flash animations don't!

CB Goes {Green}

I saw this featured on News14 - a woman from Carolina Beach has come up with a great fabric wrapping system for gifts (all shapes and sizes) that reduces your paper waste and can be used year after year - and even all year long!

In all honesty, I can't totally afford to do all of our gifts this way this year (we all know being green ain't always cheap!), but I'd like to move to using a system like this all the time in the future.

Double love that 1% of each sale goes to an eco-organization!

PS - I still consider Carolina Beach, NC to be "local". It's a few hours away, but the products are made in the US and even better... made in NC!

Keep Your Eyes Open!

I know there are a lot of moms (and dads!) who read this blog (including my own - Hi Mom! Hi Dad!), so I was really excited to see that our friends in law enforcement have harnessed the power of technology when it comes to Amber Alerts.

Many thanks to Lisa S. for sharing!

Amber Alert Text Site

"Statistics show that the first 3 hours after an abduction are the most critical in recovery efforts. By signing up for free wireless Amber Alerts you could play an integral role in the recovery of an abducted child." -From WebsiteBe sure to read her post as she gives you a good run-down of the features of the program!

Some Good {Green} Tips from My City

I love Raleigh - email Chris Riley to subscribe to the weekly enewsletter.

City of Raleigh Urges Residents to Reduce Waste During the Holidays
On average, Raleigh residents produce about 3,000 tons of garbage each week. That number jumps dramatically to 3,750 tons per week during the holiday period, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.

To reduce the amount of waste taken to the landfill, the City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services (SWS) Department and the City’s curbside recycling program, Raleigh Recycling, are encouraging residents to follow holiday waste reduction tips. SWS and Raleigh Recycling have joined other agencies in issuing these tips so everyone can enjoy a “Green” Christmas. Actually many of the tips can be used throughout the year, not just the holidays.

The holiday waste reduction tips are thorough and cover a variety of topics. These include holiday decorations, parties, holiday food, holiday cards, gift wrapping, enviro-shopping, gift giving, green gift ideas, gifts of time, gifts of charity, gifts for grandparents, homemade gifts, homemade gifts/non-homemade gifts made from reused materials and decorations, zero budget gifts, mailing packages, changing gift giving traditions, and energy savings.

To view all of the holiday waste reduction tips offered by SWS and Raleigh Recycling, visit the City of Raleigh’s website at www.raleighnc.gov.

Here are a few of the tips:
* Decorate your home, tree and centerpiece with
holly, cedar, berries, cranberries, popcorn, fruits and nuts, all of which can be composted or used for bird food after use;

* To add a special touch to your decorating consider using memorabilia such as a child's first shoe or teething ring, old jewelry, mementos from vacations, small stuffed animals and toys, holiday card ornaments, miniature toy cars, cookie cutters, dressed up dolls, or edible cookie ornaments;

* Email holiday party invitations making it clear that the invitation is in lieu of a traditional card;

* Eliminate disposal plates, cups and napkins from your holiday party. Instead, use “real” dishes and cloth napkins that can be washed and reused. Everyone loves hanging around the kitchen so make cleaning up part of the party;

* Give home-baked goodies in reusable holiday tins;

* Recycle all beverage and food cans and bottles from your holiday gathering;

* Buy the highest content post-consumer recycled holiday greeting cards that you can find. These cards are becoming easier to find in stores. Look for the recycling symbol inside a circle or a statement that says the cards are made from recycled paper;

* Reuse wrapping and ribbon when possible or purchase gift bags that can be reused as an alternative;

* Call the toll-free phone numbers on unwanted holiday catalogs and have your name taken off their mailing lists;

* Give non-materialistic “green” gifts that do not require wrapping, such as gift certificates for massages, restaurants, cooking classes, sailing lessons, etc. Experiences are remembered long after other presents wear out;

* Help someone recycle by buying a can-crusher, recycling or compost bin, or a tote cart to help get the bin to the curb;

* Prepare homemade soups or dinners that can be frozen for future use;

* Give away --- not throw away --- the last great book you bought. Give it to someone who enjoys your taste and later the two of you can talk about it;

* Save gift boxes, bows and ribbon for use next holiday season; and,

* Start off 2009 by making waste reduction your No. 1 New Year’s resolution. Commit to purchasing longer lasting products, such as compact florescent light bulbs and rechargeable batteries. You will save money and have less trash to discard.And the next headline from this week's eNews:City to Recycle Discarded Christmas Trees
What’s an easy and environmentally friendly way to get rid of your Christmas tree following the holidays? Raleigh residents should place their discarded trees at the curb with regular yard waste on their scheduled collection day.
...
All natural Christmas trees collected by the City’s Solid Waste Services Department, including those taken to the Yard Waste Center, are recycled into wood chips and mulch. These products are sold to the general public at the Yard Waste Center, which can be reached at 250-2728.Can you believe how much our waste increases during this short time period?

Super Addicting

From the folks who brought us TheKnot.com (don't act like you don't know what it is - that's impossible if you've been exposed to any wedding in any way, shape or form, circa 2000 or later), they've now found another way to keep us connected at the hip: TheNest.com.

Dear Productivity Gods - please don't let me subscribe to any associated email newsletters or blogs... like I need ANOTHER distraction.

Ooops, too late.

Free Tomorrow?

Free tomorrow? (Yes.) Fantastic!

You may remember this event from one of my very first posts as a blogger. The 2008 event is tomorrow:

Racing Heroes Charity Auction
benefiting the Duke Children's Hospital: Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Family Support Program
http://www.TheRacingHeroes.com

Tuesday - December 9th - 7pm
Gov. Holshouser Building
NC State Fair Grounds
(Google Map)

Doors open and silent auction begin at 5pm
Live auction begins at 7pm

*Free Admission*

Over 200 items to be auctioned including autographed NASCAR sheet metal, die cast, and other sports memorabilia.Please pass this along to any of your NC friends and family who might enjoy attending!

PS - The over 200 items to be auctioned off aren’t just sports-themed either - 2 years ago our family was the high bidder on a year's supply of "Some Kinda Good" bbq sauce that we used to put together grilling-kits for holiday gift baskets.

Tank and Delta Say "Thanks!"

The pups just wanted to pass along a quick "Thanks!". Remember when they asked you all to vote for their friends at Independent Animal Rescue?

Well Ashton sent me some fab news last week:

Hi Ashton,

The votes are in, and America's Favorite Animal Shelter is: Independent Animal Rescue, Inc. of Durham, NC!

Independent Animal Rescue, Inc. (IAR) is a non-profit, no-kill rescue group that rescues strays or animals from from the local shelters that are in danger of euthanasia. IAR places the animals with volunteer foster homes and pays for vet care and animal supplies. IAR also provides spay and neutering for pets of disadvantaged families, as well as dog behavior training.

Help Make 2009 "A New Year of Hope for Animals"

Ask President-Elect Obama to Save a Dog's Life!

The fantastic contest runners up are:

• Second Place: NorCal Boxer Rescue of Richardson, TX
• Third Place: Southern California Bulldog Rescue of Santa Ana, CA
• Fourth Place: Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART) of Fairfax Station, VA
• Fifth Place: Small Paws Rescue of Tulsa, OK

Thanks everyone!!

P.D.C. - Amra's

Just after writing this post about how Red Hat was making a very festive (and pretty. darn. classy.) move with their holiday party, check out this email I just got from the Amra's family:

A gift for you, Happy Holidays from Amra's

Lisa,

This is Samson. Amra's is sponsoring Samson on behalf of our Amra's guests. Samson is a Rottweiler-Shepherd mix that is in foster care through Best Friend Pet Adoption. Our sponsorship will help cover the cost of his food and medical expenses for the next six months. Although we hope that he'll have a permanent home and family before then.

The holidays are here and for most this means a time of giving—finding those perfect gifts for friends and family as well as giving to charities, financially or donating your time.During these economic times many charities have experienced sharp drops in donations. One way to still be able to donate to your favorite charity and give a meaningful gift is by sponsoring. Click here or visit BFPA online at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Amras/48f55554e7/64adddf889/6912f621d2 to see the 48 cats and 37 dogs available for sponsorship through BFPA. Just click the "View Cats/Dogs to Sponsor" button, click on their name to learn more about them and click the "Sponsor" button located in their profile.You can dedicate your sponsorship to someone, with your dedication text appearing on their profile. BFPA will also send an acknowledgement on your behalf via email or snail mail.
Happy Holidays,
Brian, Alex and Rommie Amra
amrasraleigh.com
919-828-8488They sure know how to win MY heart! Just look at that sweeeeeet face!

Adrianne and Joey - go get him for Sweetie! Then she'll have a Tank of her own :-)

The Faces of Lung Cancer

This aired on NBC a while back... a touching story that sheds some light on the (untold) story of lung cancer. You might even recognize Brittany Coppedge as one of the "Faces of Lung Cancer", if you're quick!

There's no code available to directly embed it, but please click through and give it a watch and spread the word if you can! Ask and you shall receive!



PS - The video doesn't show up in Google Reader apparently, so be sure to click through and give it a watch!

Best Holiday Party EVER

This seems like it'll be a hoot. Well worth a Saturday night in Downtown just to see this for yourself.

The Official Santa Rampage
Who can argue with a hundred Santas?

Time and Place: Saturday, December 6, 2008 at 8:00pm - Raleigh, NC
Street: Glenwood South

Dress in a Santa Suit. Go bar hopping. Spread cheer. BE 21 OR OVER.

Wear a Santa suit!!! Bring prezzies or little gifts if you want to. Bring cash for bar tabs. Santa does not pay cover. The more the merrier. Ho ho ho!

Santa apparel is mandatory. A Santa hat is not enough. Get a Santa suit. Make a Santa suit. Steal a Santa suit. Buy a Santa suit. If you don't have any money, be creative. If you don't have any creativity, slap yourself three times and ask your mom to help you. Glue cotton balls to red long johns. Already have a Santa suit? Make a spare so Santa can assimilate strangers.

Pay your own damn bar tab.

The answer to important questions that may arise:
Q: Who's in charge?
A: "Santa"

Q: What organization are you with?
A: "Santa"

Q: What are you protesting?
A: "Shitty holiday parties"

Q: How did you get here?
A: "A sleigh and eight tiny reindeer"

Q: Where are you going?
A: "I'm only allowed to tell you if you dress like Santa"Here's the facebook invite and a great New Raleigh article (with video). Put it on your calendar!

P.D.C.

Pretty. Darn. Classy. (if you ask me):

Red Hat cancels party; will feed needy instead

"Red Hat recently scrapped plans for a massive holiday party.

Instead, the Raleigh software company will donate the money it would have spent to a food charity chosen by employees.

The move comes as the slumping economy is hurting philanthropic donations and increasing demand among the needy.

"We felt it was the wrong time to be spending a lot of money on ourselves," said DeLisa Alexander, Red Hat's senior vice president for people and brand.

She declined to say how much money Red Hat will donate, but it's enough to pay for about 800,000 meals at food banks run by Feeding America. In the Triangle, the group runs the Food Bank of Eastern and Central North Carolina and the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle."Click through and read the whole N&O article on how this trend can help unite employees in a cause - a great thing when a slumping economy is always dampening moods - and how other groups are doing some good.

Special COUNTRY Concert Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Sunday - November 30th, Buckhead Saloon will be hosting a special country concert featuring Warner Brothers recording artist Whitney Duncan!

Tickets are only $5.00 and the show is at 9pm... if you're a Carrie Underwood or Faith Hill fan you are going to LOVE Whitney so come join!

Check out her current chart-climbing single, "When I Said I Would":

And one of my personal favorite holiday songs, "All I Want for Christmas":
PS - RSVP "attending" to the event on facebook by midnight tonight and I'll enter you to win a pair of free tickets! Not on facebook? Leave a comment and I'll still include you in the drawing :-)

A Few Easy Ways to Help

I am so thankful for all the little things in life that can so often be taken for granted. I'm doubly thankful for always being surrounding (in college and out of college) by so many giving individuals, groups, and organizations!

Here are a few ways some of the NCSU Greek Life houses are making local contributions this week:

Pi Beta Phi
Our national philanthropy is literacy and the NC Delta chapter is holding a book drive this week to distribute among local partners that are making great strides in improving literacy in our community.

Any and all donations are welcome and will be accepted at the Pi Beta Phi house on Greek Court after this weekend's holiday break. (I'll be glad to pick up any donations from anyone in the area and deliver them, if needed!)

FIJI
The brothers of Phi Gamma Delta are holding a first-year event, Fiji's "Kill the Chill" clothing drive" to benefit local homeless shelters. The event will take place Tuesday, December 2nd, in the Brickyard.

Again, I'll be glad to drop any donations by for anyone who can't make it but would like to contribute.Please feel free to send any listings my way you'd like to share, too!

Talk Southern to Me: Manners > Etiquette

Just a little reminder:

"Don't confuse etiquette and manners. It's bad etiquette to use your dinner fork on your salad. It's bad manners to comment that someone used their dinner fork on their salad. Manners always trumps etiquette." -- The Hyper HomemakerFACT.

*Crosses Fingers*

I'm really hoping that this site will do the trick... hey, it's worth a shot! My friend Carolina forwarded this to me via email from a daily email tips newsletter from Ideal Bite - "bite-sized ideas for light-green living each weekday".

Stop Yellow Pages

This is the confirmation I received: "Your request to be removed from Yellow Pages distribution has been forwarded to the Yellow Pages publishers we have on file that serve your area. Lisa, for verification, we have sent you an email. Please click on the link in the email to verify your signature."

Like I said in the title, *crosses fingers*!

skirt!: Presents for the Pantry

Congrats to skirt! After Work for raising almost $500 at their November event for Triangle Family Services with their silent auction of tree skirts!

Go ahead and put their December event on your calendar now and bring some friends - it'll be a fabulous time:

Wear your favorite holiday skirt and bring your non-perishable food items to 518 West Italian Café on December 16th for skirt!’s holiday bash!

$5 naughtinis and nice-tinis will be available, and at the end of the night we’ll tally up sales and find out if skirt! readers are naughty or nice...The food drive benefits the Inter-faith Food Shuttle - a GREAT local organization!

Eco-Friendly Products for Pets

If you've read this blog for long enough (or happen to know me in real life), it's very easy to notice that I am a puppy lover (and that all dogs of any age, shape, or size are "puppies" to me).

This is a great line of eco-friendly products that my friend Caroline emailed me. This company takes plastic bottles (keeping them out of the landfill!) and turns them into a wide-range of consumer goods... for our furry friends!

Worldwise Pet Products





Maybe if Nick and I invest in a few of these, Tank will quit stealing my spot in bed! And yes, Tank is a big boy.This is Tank, being his usual lapdog self with Renee.

He's my (big) baby!

Tasty Thanksgiving Treats

My college pals and I had the 2nd annual weekend-before-Thanksgiving-shindig-celebration this past weekend and apparently, these drinks were well enjoyed.... especially by the pilot - a new addition to the party this year thanks to Matt and Amanda.

Spiked Apple Cider
Buttered Spiked Cider

Big hugs and kisses to Joseph for orchestrating this whole thing for two years in a row and to Adrianne for cleaning up after all of us (apple pie shots and all)!

Apple Pie shots (Joey adds whipped cream, too)
Hot Apple pie cocktails

I feel like the latter of the last two suggestions would be a good one to add to the line-up in the future. Maybe in place of the apple pie shots that can go dangerously wrong if you let Joey sprinkle too much ground cinnamon in your mouth (see last year's extremely attractive photographs - below - for example)?

Gobble 'til ya wobble, y'all!

Holiday TV

Even though we have a bunch of these on good ol' VHS (and some of the newer on DVD) at Mom and Dad's, there's just something about catching your favorites on TV.

Many thanks to my Aunt Deborah for this great link to pretty much any and all holiday programming you could want to catch on TV.

Christmas 2008 Holiday Movies, Specials, Favorites
http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/christmas/whats-on-tv.htmPS - I'm still trying to delay the onset of the holidays a bit, but a lot of these will be airing this quickly-approaching Thanksgiving holiday week/end!

N.C. Children's Promise - The Final Number is...

...$960,377.72 as of 11pm yesterday!
$1,001,622.01
Updated as of 11:30 a.m. on November 21.

One million plus!!

Ho-ly-cow is all I can say. Over $160K more than last year - bad economy be darned!

I've always said NC people are good people - very good people.

I personally signed up for the $12 x 12 (many thanks to J.J. from QDR for dedicating it to Brittany and Brittany's Battle on-air at 4:30pm yesterday!!) and I want to sincerely thank all of my friends who have done the same. Amber even let me know last night that she passed it all around Carquest Corporate and Lisa S. double-checked to make sure she didn't miss the opportunity to give every month... thank you girls!!

Here's a direct link for any one interested.

$12/month may not seem like you're doing a lot, but $144/year can help families purchase custom strollers for their children who can't sit up in a standard stroller (one of the stories featured yesterday on-air) and provide for the care and treatment of children who are never turned away based on their family's ability to pay or not pay.

NC Childrens Promise - Post #2

There are two things I neglected to include in the previous post, which I wanted to share separately to make sure they get some good attention!

1 - Here's the online schedule for the radio-thon performances (pdf). Jason is on at 5:30pm, sorry for previously noting 3:30pm. The other artists are amazing, too: Heidi Newfield, Darius Rucker, Jo Dee Messina, and more!

2 - I got into quite a few bidding wars (with mom and dad's financial backing - thanks guys!) last year over some of the great auction items. I would love to go head-to-head with any of you over any of these items.

Check it all out!

Turn Your Radio UP Today!

This is one of the few days of the year I'll have the radio on in my office. Wait, that's not 100% true. I listen to XM (ahem - XM Sirius, or is it Sirius XM now?) because there are no commercials.

Back to the point, many thanks to Bryan for reminding me last night that today is the start to 94.7 WQDR's Childrens Promise Radio-thon, one of the most life-changing things you can ever listen to, visit, and support.

I believe Jason is performing at 3:30pm in the lobby for any locals who want to tune in or go check out the event. Here's the email from WQDR about today's event:If 94.7 QDR sounds a little different today, there's a good reason. For more than 18 hours we'll be broadcasting live from North Carolina Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill. It's our 7th Annual "North Carolina Children's Promise" RadioTelethon; that one day a year when we ask you to pledge just $25 to help sick, injured and disabled North Carolina kids.

Anyway, we thought we'd remind you just in case you'd like to make a donation. The phones will be open from 5:00 AM until 11:30 PM today at 1-866-9NCKIDS. Or you can log on to our website www.947QDR.com or www.NCChildrensPromise.org to make your pledge or to bid on some amazing music and sports collectibles we're auctioning off for the cause. This year, we have almost 50 celebrity auction items, including autographed stuff from Toby Keith, Jewel, Chris Cornell, Kenny Chesney, Coach Roy Williams and many, many more.

Even if you can't give us your money, we'd still love for you to listen. It's great local radio for a wonderful cause, and once again this year you can watch us live on Time-Warner Cable and News 14 Carolina.I will no doubt be crying all over payroll today, especially if Mrs. Coppedge or Jason starts telling Brittany's story, and every time they feature a mom and dad talking about their brave children. (Where are the tissues?!?!)

Which reminds me, I do hope everyone will either check out Brittany's Annual Angel Gala this weekend (I'd love to see you there!) or at least check out the eBay auction and consider supporting Brittany's Battle!



If you are planning to attend our Gala this Sunday and have not yet purchased you tickets, you can do so right now by going to our web site.

You can buy a ticket at the door, but buy early and save the money for bidding!

Also don't forget about our raffle for a week's stay at Shell Island in Wrightsville Beach, NC. The drawing will be at the Gala and you do not need to be present to win! Tickets are $50 each and we are selling no more than 100 of them. Buy yours now!

Attire is business / church appropriate.
There will be a full service cash bar available.For those of you not in the area, here's how you can still help!Ok, so you don't live in Raleigh or even NC for that matter ~ You don't have to miss out on the Gala fun! Be sure to check out our auction on ebay! We have some great stuff from the country music community for you to bid on including items from Jason Michael Carroll, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Rodney Adkins and many more. There is also some items from the NASCAR community and even something from a Gold Medal Olympian!

The store is now open and there will be a few more items added, so keep checking back! Bidding will end at midnight this Sunday, November 23rd. So visit our ebay store and bid on some great stuff for a good cause!We miss you Brittany!!!

Santa Paws!

It's baaaaack!

Treat your dog to Santa Paws, the Triangle's Original Holiday Photo Event with Pets!

Visit the SPCA of Wake County online to make your reservation online.

Holiday Cards

I've been doing some (ok, a lot) of research as to the pricing of holiday cards. I'm personally geared toward the nice 4''x8'' that you mail in envelopes.

Know what I've found? There is a crap ton of variation in pricing.

Here's the best deal I've found so far:

Holiday 4'' x 8'' cards at VistaPrint.com
50 prints for $11.99 (with envelopes included) is around $0.25/card. Not $1.50/card like I've seen some crazy companies charging.

I was a little wary of the $20 additional charge for envelopes when the envelopes are noted as included here when I was doing the instant quote service, then I realized you just have to go back and change the envelope selection to the free choice (tricky tricky).

The only thing that sucks is the shipping and processing fee and lead-time.
Shipping and Processing Costs:
Rush - $25.19 - 3 Business Days
Priority - $13.15 - 7 Days
Standard - $9.15 - 14 Days
Slow - $5.45 - 21 DaysCall me crazy, but that seems like a really long print delay. Maybe they're just THAT busy. You'll definitely have to plan ahead to if you want to be able to mail them before New Years and not double the cost of your cards with shipping fees!

In all honesty, they seem to be the cheapest for any type of printing (business cards, etc.) I'm ever doing anyway.

I'll be sure to update as this search goes on and post some results later down this holiday road.

PS - Their customer service is very helpful by phone, too.

PS#2 - Walgreens is also a good choice at $9.99 for sets of 20 that you can pick up at the store (ie: no shipping costs), about $0.50/each. I don't think you can create your own design though... you may be restricted to their templates. I'm getting really creative (thanks to iStockPhoto.com and Adobe Photoshop CS3) and making our own design.

PS#3 - Vista Print is offering "Get 50% OFF Holiday Cards offer ends 11/16/2008" currently... now that's a REALLY good deal.

Altar Ego - November 22nd

Hope to see some of you NC people at this :-)



Join Tre Bella and Dress for Success Triangle NC for a Fashionable Evening

If you are looking for the latest styles in daywear, resortwear, eveningwear, or bridal fashion, look no further than “Altar Ego…An Event All About You.”

Durham-based Tre Bella Bridal, known for exceptional quality bridal gowns, is hosting the fashion show from 6:30-10 p.m., November 22, 2008, at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh.

Pat Nathan, founder of Dress for Success Triangle NC, will emcee the event. The event will feature wedding event ideas, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and culminate in a fashion show at 8 pm.

Couture bridal gowns by Angel Sanchez, Junko Yoshioka, Lela Rose, and Manuel Moto will be modeled. Triangle boutiques featured will include Lucky Mi of Chapel Hill, Scout and Molly’s of Raleigh, and Za Za Zsu.

Attendees will be eligible for gifts and swag bags featuring a signature Tre Bella necklace.

Tickets will not be sold on site, but can be purchased online for $35 at www.trebellabridal.com/altarego.htm or at the following stores:

• Lucky Mi
• Scout & Molly’s of Raleigh
• Tre Bella Bridal
• Tre Bella Gifts
• WALK, a Scout & Molly’s Shoetique
• Za Za ZsuDrop off an accessory or career clothing donation to Dress for Success Triangle N.C. prior to the event and receive a coupon for 10 percent off the ticket price. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org/trianglenc for drop off locations.

Let's Say Thanks

I try not to post more than once a day, and Let's Say Thanks is something I've certainly shared before, but I think this is worth the double post.

Happy Veterans Day and many thanks to those who have served and are currently serving!For those of us who get to do whatever it is that we do - because of our veterans - please take a minute to do this:
http://www.letssaythanks.com/My deepest thanks and support go out to Jake (Navy), Brian (USAF), Cedric (USMC), Snelling (USMC), Shaun (Army MP), Scott (USMC), and last, but certainly not least - my cousin Henry (USMC - RIP 7/27/06 - You'll always be our hero, thanks for giving us hope!).

My Bar's Gone Crazy

Note: I have no idea how we can afford to do this, but I'm not asking questions.

This is the email I just got from Julie, our Sales Manager… and I’m really excited:

“We are going to start doing a crazy weekly drink special trying to boost people's attitudes about the bad economy...therefore we will be having $2 GREY GOOSE drinks all night this Friday! Now you have no reason to sit at home on the couch and say you can't go out because it's too expensive :) This week it's Grey Goose, next week it could be Patron, so stay tuned.”Put your party pants on Raleigh people!

PS – Feel free to forward this to your friends with my contact info, should they need any more info or want to contact me to ask questions, get on the members list so they can skip that step at the door, etc. (NCSULilWolf at Gmail -dot- com).

PS #2- I will have “Be My Guest” passes and can put anyone on the guest list for any Friday and Saturday THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR as a special holiday incentive. Take advantage of this now!

Just please try to let me know before… oh… 11pm when you’re at the front door.

I will be glad to give any of you as many “Be My Guest” passes as you’d like in advance as long as you promise not to waste them! (There are some of you who should just keep them in your purse/wallet at all times.)

New Blog on the Block

Garden & Gun.

It's not really "new" per se, but it's new to me (and clearly wasn't very obviously evident on their site when I did my original G&G post here or I would've Google Reader subscribed then, duh).

I'm Very Disappointed...

...in blogland right now.

People offer up a free preppy item, something monogrammed, etc. on their blog and folks comment from miles away and throw comment counts in to the hundreds.

A Southern Accent, a fellow semi-local blogger, graciously offers to:

"I thought I'd try something a little different. For every person that leaves a comment on this post, I'll contribute a dollar to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, up to $100"And she gets a mere 28 comments? Really?

Lame.

Do a little bit of good karma duty today and 1: go comment on her fabulous "give-to" (instead of "give-away") and 2: repost! (If you're not into reposting, that's fine... but at least email friends and family members who might appreciate the gesture!)

Restore my faith in people a little, won't ya?

Majorly DIY, Majorly Local

So I was just checking out Spoonflower (after a recommendation from Southern) and doing the usual - sharing it on Google Reader, emailing it to people I'm not directly connected to on Google Reader, adding it to my Google Toolbar bookmarks (noticing a trend here?), and registering for the site - all normal stuff.

Then I stumbled upon this:

Activate your new account.

Welcome to Spoonflower!

Your account has been created. To activate it you must open the activation email that has just been sent to you and click on the indicated link. This will bring you straight back to Spoonflower where you can customize your password and start creating beautiful fabric.

Spoonflower gives individuals the power to print their own designs on fabric that they can then use to make quilts, clothes, pillows, blankets, framed textile art and many, many other things that might surprise you.

If you experience problems gaining access to your account...

You can email us at help@spoonflower.com

Or give us a jingle at +1 919 321 2949

- the spoonflower teamAre you kidding me? 919?? You KNOOOOOW how I like to keep it local. I'm giving this a try as soon as I can figure out what I'd like to DIY in the next few weeks (ie: when I may actually have time to DIY something).

Whitney Barnes Deal, is this your doing? I can so see this being a project of hers...

11/16/08 Update - Got an email from them today with a Mebane, NC mailing address. Totally thought that was (336) territory, but I could be wrong.

Beer-League Skee-Ball? I'm in!

This is something that Brian - the Brewskee-Ball master of Raleighwood has been working on for quite sometime... and I'm REALLY excited about tonight! Any of you locals want to grab a few teammates and come out? It's going to be a lot of fun :-)



Join us TONIGHT at Buckhead Saloon for the kick-off of Brewskeeball - the beer-league skeeball event of the fall season!

What is Brewskee-Ball?

Glad you asked. Check out this brief video:

That's right folks - skeeball, the game we all loved to play at Chuck E. Cheese's and the fair, combined with beer and a little bit of competition and you've got yourselves some Brewskee-Ball!

We'll be opening up Skeeson I registration to the public beginning next week, but we're holding a "V.I.Skee" party this Thursday night (11/6/08) at Buckhead Saloon at 8:00pm. This party will give you a chance to register your team and guarantee a spot in Skeeson I before the rest of Raleigh gets in on the action.

How do you register you team?Three easy steps:
1 - Come up with a clever team name.
2 - Submit skeemates names and email addresses. (3 rollers per team)
3 - Pay the registration fee. Registration fee is $20/person and covers your official Skeeson I Brewskee-Ball t-shirt, trophies, championship glassware, trading cards (yes, I said trading cards), the website, scorecards, etc.That's it! After that you just check the website for the schedule and updated stats!

www.brewskeeball.com/?pk=39

The lanes will be open all night for FREE SKEE, but be sure to get there at 8! At 8:30 we'll draw random teams for a 2 on 2 tournament. The winners of the tournament will be featured on an inaugural issue of the Raleigh edition of SKEESPN the magazine!

And, as if that wasn't enough, there will be complimentary beer (courtesy of Brewskee-Ball) from 8 - 8:30.

Be sure to email Brian@BrewSkeeBall.com to reserve your spot for the V.I.Skee Party!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, come one come all for a little game we like to call - BREWSKEE-BALL!

Let the Good Times Roll!

-----

{January 8th, 2009 Update}: Brewskee-Ball will be played at The Bassment (just under The Pourch) on Glenwood South for the rest of the season. Hope everyone enjoys the change in venue!

If You Need a Reason to Visit Chapel Hill

Because yes, some of us in Rah-town definitely require a good reason to do so.

UNC's Pi Phi 5K

When: Saturday Nov. 15th from 10am-11am
Registration is at 8am and the race starts at 10am.

Where: UNC Chapel hill

What: The Eve Carson Memorial 5k for Education is a race through the UNC campus in memory of former student body president Eve Carson. Proceeds from this event will benefit the following educational causes: The Eve Marie Carson Memorial Junior-Year Merit Scholarship, First Book, Clyde Erwin Elementary School in Onslow County.

Registration is $15 and includes a shirt.

Please visit educationforeve.com for more information!Totally worth the drive. (Even more so if you're already close to Chapel Hill!)

If you're not a walker/runner, they are also holding a book drive! I hope to see some of you there :-)

Great Coverage for the Boys!

A while back I posted about the September 19th (919 - get it?) launch of TriangleBlvd.tv.

Tyler is one of my favorite people to work with - I'm super stoked that the Technician gave the TriangleBlvd boys this great feature:

Graduates launch the Triangle’s first Web television network
Trio of N.C. State’s own provide advertising through the establishment of a ‘video yellowbook’Read the full article here! And then join the TB facebook page, too :-)

I Can't NOT Help

My aunt sent me this email from her friend's church's youth group (I don' think that was too hard to follow):

Our Younger Girls Action Group is taking up donations for the Crossnore School in Crossnore, NC, near Banner Elk, NC.

Founded in 1913, The Crossnore School is a private, non-profit children's home and school in the western NC mountains, serving children who, for circumstances beyond their control, can no longer live at home, whether permanently or temporarily. Most residents live at Crossnore because their primary care givers are abusive or have neglected them to the point that their well being is threatened. Residents come from all counties in NC.

The needs of these children in residence are very basic things that are needed for day to day living. We are asking members of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church to go to the Crossnore School website and view the "SPECIAL NEEDS" section.

If you have any of these items listed here that you can donate, please drop off your donation between now and November 12th in the lobby area of the top floor of the Family Life Center, adjacent from the Fellowship Hall. Ms. Lou Jean Peace and a friend of hers will actually be delivering the items the Younger GA's collect to the school in person the week of November 17th. Further questions and comments can be sent to Deborah.Upchurch@sas.com.When I checked out the website and read that not only are they providing a wonderful home for children, they have also taken in a whole family of displaced dogs who provide a "pet nurturing' program that teaches children - through their responsibilities for the dogs - how to deal with human problems", I knew I wanted to help.

Many of the items on their needs list (answering machines, curling irons, G-rated videos, small pet bedding, etc.) WON'T EVEN COST YOU A DIME of anything other than the time it'll take to pull it out of storage or the hall closet.

I'll be glad to pick up any donations from any readers - just drop me a message or email!

It's Always the Little Ones

I never participate in the tags and awards that social bloggers do (I really do appreciate you all for including me, but I try and keep this blog content-based so that each post is about more than just me), but when I saw this on Green Magsterpie's blog today... I just couldn't resist. Maybe it's my ridiculous love of pictures.

I also wanted to illustrate something very important: I'm a little girl (5' 2'')... so I can get away with a lot of things that some people never notice.

Case in point: my fourth picture album, the fourth picture in it:

Location: Bristol, TN/VA
Event: NAAAAAASCAR race with the boyfriend, Cole, Lindsey, and Cameron
Image: Me getting away with not having to carry my gravy biscuit.I think people underestimate me sometimes. Need proof? I also took this picture of my tactic... unnoticed.

The Family Business

My family business has been known for over 35 years for two things: 1 - auto body repair and paint, and 2 - marine sales and accessories.

For those of you who spend a good deal of time near any body of water and think most problems can be solved in an afternoon that includes a cooler and a fishin' pole... I think you'll enjoy this new site that came across my work inbox today from one of our industry associations.

GREETINGS FROM FISHINGTON

Dear Boating & Fishing Partners,

The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) is proud to announce an exciting new online community that complements the national Take Me Fishing™ campaign and connects boaters and anglers like never before! It's Fishington – The Fishing & Boating Capital of the Internet – and we'd like to extend a special invitation for you to join.

FEATURES & BENEFITS
Fishington leverages different approaches from well-established social networking platforms like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, but is specifically tailored for boating and fishing enthusiasts. Being part of this community allows members to:
• Create a profile
• Find and add friends
• Create and join groups
• Create and post comments on message boards
• Add and organize photos and videos
• Save favorite hotspots from our interactive map tool
• Control their privacy settings

Stakeholders who maintain a profile have the ability to:
• Connect with other local businesses, clubs and individuals
• Map their location and related bodies of water
• Gather feedback, photos and videos
• Build fans of their facility
• Understand and recruit new members or customers
• Generate increased traffic to their Web sites
• Spark interest in their programs and products
• Invite discussion about their programs or products

Fishington is directly linked to all of the great content that's on TakeMeFishing.org, including the 12,000 places to boat and fish. Businesses and facilities that currently exist in the TakeMeFishing.org database will already have a profile on Fishington.See you online! Of course my username is ncsulilwolf.

Guess What Just Crossed the Mason-Dixon...

(Firefly Distillery)

Oh yes, that's right. All of you who hail from (or have moved) north of NC can now enjoy what we've been raving about all summer and fall: Firefly's sweet tea vodka!

Via text message from one of my favorite bride-to-be sisters, E. Riley (soon to be E. Riley-Dorn):

They're selling sweet tea vodka up here now!!!

(To which I replied - "Yes!!! Now I can come visit again!")

Haha yeah they sell it by the half gallon so come on!
By "up here", she means near Baltimore. And by half gallon, she means Little Lisa-sized (which she totally agrees is true, too).

Looking SO forward to some DC/MD visits!

PS - Yes, I know where wiki defines the Mason-Dixon line, but who are we kidding?

Great News on the Country Music Front

For those of you who are listening to XM Radio (specifically: Highway 16), you may already know this as I heard it just this morning. (And during Jason's weekend visit to the Opry, which aired on Nashville 11, he also mentioned that this was coming!)

Jason's releasing "Where I'm From" at the end of this month and his new cd is coming out in March!
-via text message from my sisterThat is SUCH good news. If you haven't heard his latest single, check it out. I promise you'll love it. (If you don't, you suck. Just kidding... sort of.)

AND WQDR is once again having the Halloween Harvest Ball to benefit the SPCA (confirmed with QDR lead-chick, Lisa McKay) and other local friends of our furry friends.7th Annual
QDR Halloween Harvest Ball


(via WQDR and Kevin F. of City Limits at the last TEIP event)

From the site, "10 bucks gets you in to party with NC boys The Lost Trailers, Crystal Shawanda and country rocker Mark Chesnut.

ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS total in the costume contest split between 3 winners. Doors open at 8pm... you must be in the house by 10pm to have a shot at the costume contest."It's about to get real country up in here!

Catch a 'Canes Game - Fight Cancer

Sounds good to me!

Catch a Canes Game and Support Komen at Hockey Fights Cancer Night!
(Read the email online)

Purchase discount tickets to the November 2nd Carolina Hurricanes game vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs at 5:00pm. A donation will be made to Komen NC Triangle for each ticket sold.

Be sure to stop by the Komen table on the concourse for important education materials, fun give-aways and information on the June 13th 2009 Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure!

Wear your pink or your Race t-shirt and help us cheer on the Canes while we raise funds for the cure. A special Public Service Announcement featuring the Hurricane’s players’ wives will be shown during the game.

In order for proceeds from your ticket purchase to come to Komen, please follow the instructions for purchase on the link below. For additional information and to purchase tickets, go to http://hurricanes.nhl.com/ext/tickets/HFCN_komen.pdf.I mean, what else were you going to be doing on a Sunday afternoon?!

Have a Holly Raleigh Christmas

I'm no kind of in the holiday spirit yet, but one of my fabulous sorority sisters is helping to coordinate this for her agency, so I wanted to make sure everyone has a chance to put this on their calendars (it's also on my google calendar!):

(official site)Supporting Events
November 6th, 7-10pm
CD Release Party
Hear the music at Tir Na Nog
Please join us for great music, food, prizes and the big guy...Santa!
218 S Blount St, Raleigh NC
www.tirnanogirishpub.com

November 22, 12-5pm
The Shops at Seaboard Station - Open House
Get started on your holiday shopping an pick up a copy of the CD!
121 Seaboard Dr, Raleigh NC
www.seaboardstationshops.com

Overheard in Blogland

"There are many days I question what God was thinking when he matched us up but I go with it." - The House of Fowler

Amen, sister!

And NMB highlights "Southern Signs":

OKRA (Dec 22 - Jan 20)
Are tough on the outside but tender on the inside. Okras have tremendous influence. An older Okra can look back over his life and see the seeds of his influence everywhere. You can do something good each day if you try.I do love fried okra... and I can be one tough cookie vegetable?

Tank and Delta Have a Quick Request...

Could you please take a view seconds to vote for this great local organization that's helping their furry friends?

Please help dogs and cats in Raleigh and the Triangle by voting for a wonderful organization called Independent Animal Rescue (IAR) in America's Favorite Animal Shelter contest.

IAR rescues cats and dogs in danger of euthanasia, and brings them into foster homes until they can be adopted. The contest winner gets $10,000 to save the lives of more animals! In the last week, IAR has moved up from 97th place to 23rd, and your votes can make sure we climb all the way to #1.

It only takes a minute to vote for IAR on the contest website:
http://www.care2.com/animalsheltercontest/70100/

Thank you from the group of NCSU students who volunteer for IAR.

We'll be forever grateful for your votes! Please forward this email to more Wolfpack friends and ask them to vote for IAR. Thanks again for your support!

Find out more about IAR:
http://www.animalrescue.netSloppy Kisses & Wagging Tails,
Tank & Del

Congrats, Jamie!

For those of you who've never met fellow Buckhead-er Jamie Saad, be sure to stop by his new venue sometime and say hello!

Black Flower Opens in Glenwood South


(Raleigh Downtowner/Raleigh Chronicle)

"From an unassuming building just around the corner from the bustle of Glenwood South comes a different kind of buzz, one that will last well after the night's end…at least that's the kind of atmosphere Paul Lewis and Jamie Saad want to create at their new bar Black Flower. Located at 517 West Peace Street (just east of Mojo's), one of its main goals is to promote Raleigh's culture."Click through to read the rest of the Melissa Santos' great article. Nick and I went to visit last weekend and had a great time (and of course, Jamie made sure to have a bottle of Firefly on hand for me... because he's awesome).

Double plus (and I hope he doesn't wring my neck for giving away industry secrets), but he dished that the black semi-circle seating may or may not have been reclaimed from the part of Buckhead that hasn't been flipped and holds the leftovers from the post-Jillian's renovation. Being the rockstar bar owners Paul and Jamie are, they found the instructions for recovering them on Google and saved them from the landfill - I support it!

Here's the official site (get your membership - they don't serve food!) and of course, because it wouldn't be the bar industry without it, the MySpace page.

Restore Previous Session?

Why yes, Firefox, I would like for you to restore my previous session that was unexpectedly closed and thank you!

I open up things in browser windows that I always have the best of intentions of reading sometime later but my new computer has this nasty habit of automatically rebooting... just because it feels like it (Windows Update, maybe?).

Once again, Firefox almost always saves the day and all I have to do is click on the nice little fox icon and voila... I'm back in business.

If you don't use Firefox, you should.

Don't even wait 30 more seconds, go get it now.

Good Morning Teachers!

I know quite a few of my regular readers are some of those wonderful, patient people that we call "teachers" - this is for you all!

In the last 24 hours, two things have come across my inbox from two very wonderful girls that I'd like to share that I think teachers everywhere will enjoy.

Please feel free to email this post or simply link to it and pass it along to any of your fellow teachers who can benefit from either!

First: a good laugh.

An email from my BFF - the new Mrs. Helms!

Kids Are Quick
____________________________________

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who found America?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
____________________________________________

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
__________________________________

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
_______________________________________

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
_________________________________

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand...
______________________________________

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
______________________________

TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.
___________________________________

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacherNow, the second thing: a great resource!Lisa S. sent me this email yesterday and said:


(http://www.donorschoose.org)

"It is a website, where teachers put in their projects for their classes, how much the class needs to complete it, when they do the project, the take pictures and send thank you notes.

And some of the stuff is so inexpensive. You can sort it by NC and it is always low income schools. Apparently teachers spend $1billion nationwide a year of their own money (which I know, my Mom use to do it all the time)."Skip the $5 Starbucks today in honor of your favorite teacher :-) I have quite a few sorority sisters who've chosen that path... and I love them all for it!

If You're Near Wilmington...

...your manfriends (and maybe even some of your girlfriends) will thank you for sharing this event with them!

From The Boss' Planner:

*LIGHTHOUSE BEER FESTIVAL WILMINGTON*

When- Saturday, 1 p.m.
Where- Hugh MacRae Park, Wilmington
Admission- $25 advance / $35 Door

This is Wilmington's beer festival and it's happening this weekend! We'll be out there pouring our fine beers alongside many other fine breweries, so come check us out! For more info, go to www.lighthousebeerandwine.com.You're welcome :-)

Domestic Adventures Round-Up

Some good reads for the good times ahead for the domestic gods and goddesses.

-For the winos, from LifeHacker.com - How to Wrap a Wine Bottle Restaurant-Style
-For the beer & margaritas folks - Kristy's revised beer margaritas (beergaritas
-From NCSU's Technician - How to Tailgate During a HurricaneMy favorite fall flavor: pumpkin.-Barefoot in the Park's What's in the Kitchen Wednesday: Pumpkin Ale
-I prefer Port City Java (local by way of the Dub!) to *bux, but I wanted an online link: Pumpkin Spice Créme. (Note to PCJ - expand your online menu so fans can blog about our favorites!)
-Pumpkin-shaped doughnuts from Krispy Kreme!And last, but not least - my dear twin (separated a birth) Renee, on all things October around NC.

Funniest Blog Ever for the Domestically-Inclined

Are you a cake-decorating guru? No? It's ok, just take a look at this blog and make a mental note of what NOT to do.

Cake Wrecks
When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong.


(Looks like someone took the written directions a little too literally.)They even have a facebook page, too for those of you who are on blog overload. Thanks for sharing this Rachel Ann!

I Don't Do "Scary"

"I don't do 'scary'."

Those were my exact words to my favorite group of hooligans in our weekly "so what are we doing this weekend" group gmail conversation. However, because I'm almost always a good sport (assuming it's not 7am), I'm still most likely going to do all of the spooky local things that my friends are SO excited about.

This - the Horrow Show in Snow Camp, NC - terrifies me with the website alone. (My friends and boyfriend are sure going to enjoy watching me jump and scream every 10 seconds.)

Aside from that show, G105 is also hosting a list of Halloween events in the Triangle. Anything else that should be included? Let me know... my friends will thank you, I'm sure.

PS - Be sure to check out one that's for a GREAT cause!Raleigh Jaycees to Hold Annual Haunted House Oct. 17-Nov. 1; Proceeds to be Donated to Area Charities

Raleigh, NC – Alert! A prison break has occurred at the old Possum Creek Penitentiary and the escaped living-dead prisoners are being corralled and will be put into a new prison, currently being built at 6234 Glenwood Avenue, at Pleasant Valley Promenade. Tours of this new prison begin on Oct. 17.Boo! (See you there - I'll be the running running back to the safety of the car!)

I Have a New Favorite...

including "Toes".

And if I have my way, they'll be playing at Buckhead in January... *crosses fingers*.

By the way, ReverbNation.com is a realllllly fun website.

Check these boys out:

Slow Internet on the Cell?

How cool is it that you don't have to get on the super slow internet on your phone (or worse - no internet at all) or listen to the ads on "Free 411" (1-800-373-3411) anymore.

Once again, thank you Google for making life just that much easier.

1-800-GOOG-411 (466-4411)Put it in your cell phone address book/contact list now if this is the first time you've heard of this!

Guess the Secret's Out

I was going to wait until I got the professional headshots back (or at least the proofs) from a shoot last weekend, but thanks to my local paparazzi and friends, the secret's out on the web:

My hair color now matches my team color




Then: Picture #1, a brunette with the remnants of my blonde months at the TriangleBlvd.tv (corporate page) launch party.

Now: Pictures #2 and #3 are from this weekend's NCSU vs. BC tailgate. (Want a Buckhead koozie or three? Drop me a comment!)I went in and said "let's do anything but red", but Andrew at HCX (Cary's Arboretum location) talked me into it and I'M LOVING IT!