Last New Project of 2009... Promise!

You know, unless I just HAVE to do something on December 30th.

It seems like just yesterday I was announcing the launch of IHeartRetail.com. (Big "Thank You!"s to everyone who has visited, by the way!)

Well, if you know me, you know that I also heart restaurants, bars, and going out... especially in my favorite city - RALEIGHWOOD!

I am constantly getting asked "how did you know about (fill in the blank)", etc. So, my pal Evan and I decided to compile our cumulative knowledge of websites and New Year's Eve happenings in Raleigh and this was born: RaleighNYE.com.



I'll personally be at Tobacco Road (and then late-night at Sauced Pizza) and would LOVE to see any of you who will be out and about! Just stop in either location (no cover) and say "Hi"!

Special Events at the Downtown Raleigh Outdoor Ice Rink

How much fun does Date Night sound?!

Tuesday, December 22: Family Night - Skate with Santa from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm.

Sunday, January 3: Sledding Ramps - Snow My Yard will create a winter wonderland with sledding ramps open from 12 noon-5 pm. This activity is FREE for anyone wearing their ice rink admission wristband. For pictures, visit www.snowmyyard.com.

Thursday, January 7: Date and Skate Night - Make memories in downtown Raleigh. Couples can enjoy "Date Night Specials" at participating downtown restaurants and then simply show their receipt to receive a $4 discount for admission for two to the ice rink. That's only $8 for admission (includes skates) per couple! Free carriage rides will also be available from 6 pm-9 pm for anyone wearing their ice rink admission wristband. Create a special night for that special someone.Visit RaleighWinterfest.com for any other details you might need!

Any Redneck Women Out There?

If so, I thought you might like to know that the original "Redneck Woman", Gretchen Wilson, is performing this Saturday afternoon at City Limits Saloon in Raleigh!

It's actually a "Thank you!" and benefit event, put on by the folks at WQDR, City Limits, and Deep South Entertainment.

WQDR and City Limits Saloon wanted to thank everyone who donated to the QDR Christmas Wish program that has been held on-air for the past few weeks, so to do that, they're inviting those who donated out to special afternoon concert on December 19th with Gretchen Wilson.

If you didn't get a chance to hear about Christmas Wish or to donate, you can purchase tickets at the door for $10.00; however, space will be limited. All proceeds from the door go to benefit the QDR Christmas Wish :-)

Doors open at 12pm. No advance tickets are available.
You can call the boys at City Limits at (919) 829-3939 if you have any other questions!

Calling All Mommies, Awesome Aunts, and Grand Parents...

As I was thinking about buying gifts for tomorrow’s Jingle Ball (www.jingleball.org), I realized that I obviously don’t do all that much toy buying!

I am wondering if any of you awesome readers have any tips on how to maximize $25.00 in the world of toys?

Since this is such a great cause, I want to try and contribute as much as I can with a $25.00 value of gifts donated, but I don’t want to buy things that will go unused. I know this is probably not the best time of year to try and work some magic for toys, but didn’t know if there were any good options outside of a traditional toy store that I should be looking at.

Or, if there are any toy retailers, who always have a coupon available like Bed, Bath, and Beyond does for household items ;-)

Thank you - in advance - for any tips!

I also emailed this to Sue Stock to see if she has any tips. If she does, I'll be sure to post them here in the comments.

PS - Daddy input welcome, too. Sorry I forgot about that major group!

I Wish...

...concert dates were release well before their on-sale dates so I could save up money for tickets!

For instance, I'd LOVE to see Clapton on March 8th. Will I have the money for tickets to be purchased in 4 days from today? Not with the fees, that's for sure. Do I think it's worth putting it on my credit card? Nope.

At least the two shows I HAVE to see in 2010 were announced welllll ahead of time.

Tim McGraw - August 14th, 2010 - Walnut Creek (Thanks Dana!)
With Lady A opening!

Brooks & Dunn (farewell tour) - June 5th, 2010 - Venue TBD (Double Thanks Dana!)

If they're both at Walnut Creek, I'll buy a few Mega-Tickets again! Nick and I didn't renew them last year because it was all the same.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

...but I still don't turn on the holiday music until closer to Christmas, though ;-)

There is a lot of small town and big city stuff to do this weekend - all starting today. I wish they didn't all fall on the same day/time though, because I want to do it all, of course!

TONIGHT - Friday, December 4th

Downtown Garner - Tree Lighting

The Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual tree lighting ceremony on Main Street Friday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This year, the department has expanded the traditional ceremony to include even more entertainment, activities and food, including Dance Explosion, Poplar Springs Church choir, the Garner Senior Center Dancers and carolers from True North Church. A highlight of the evening will be the reading of the classic poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Activities for the kids will begin at 6 p.m. inside Santa’s workshop, which is located inside the Sunny Side II Oyster Bar building. Children will get to make holiday crafts and meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

During this event, Main Street will be closed to through traffic between Emory and Purvis Streets. Plenty of public parking is available along parts of Main Street, in the Garner Baseball parking lot, along Pearl Street and at the Pearl Street Building, at Garner Recreational Park and the Garner Senior Center.

Downtown Raleigh - Winterfest Kickoff

Michelle Branch (one of my favorites), will be performing at 6pm and ice skating in our very own outdoor ice skating rink starts right after. Plus, it's First Friday - yay!



Thanks for the video, Tyler! (Click through if you can't see it, blog readers!)

Tomorrow - Saturday, December 5th

Garner Christmas Parade

The holiday celebrations continue Saturday, Dec. 5 with the Garner Christmas Parade, which will begin at 10 a.m.

This year’s parade theme is “Inside Santa’s Workshop.” Tisha Powell, of ABC 11 News, will serve as the parade’s grand marshal. More than 70 participants will take part in the parade and will include area marching bands, floats, emergency vehicles, local merchants and Santa Claus.

This year, the parade will follow a slightly different parade route than that of before. It will begin on Broughton Street and will travel across Garner Road, down Hwy 50 to the corner of Main Street, where it will turn left and proceed until its ends at New Rand Road. This route is somewhat shorter but should allow easier access to and from the area to those viewing the parade.
Garner news and event details are from my friends at GarnerCitizen.com - a great, local paper!

Breakfast with Santa for a Few Great Causes!

I received a really special email today and can't pass up the opportunity to share this event with readers.

Second Annual Charity Breakfast Buffet with Santa
Saturday December 12, 2009 8-11 am
Spice Street Restaurant, Chapel Hill (Get directions from Google.)

This event is organized by the resident physicians at UNC and this year we are supporting 4 charities: Ronald McDonald House, SECU Family House, NC Food Bank, and Toys for Tots.

Last year we had a great event with over $700, 300 canned goods, and almost 400 toys donated. This year we have a bigger venue, a cheaper price, and an additional charity. Kids can take pictures with Santa (skip the mall lines and prices), make ornaments, and enjoy face painting all while benefiting the community.

Spice Street will make a donation (to the Ronald McDonald House and SECU Family House) for every buffet purchased and we are asking people to bring canned goods or new toys.

Adults $10 and kids $5 including tax and gratuity (cash, check and credit cards accepted)!

Thank you to Dr. Qionna Tinney from UNC Hospital for sharing this with me!

PS - I was really excited to find out, when checking out the website, that Spice Street is owned by Giorgios Hospitality Group - family company of a good friend of mine! Many thanks to them for serving as host venue for this event. I'm really looking forward to their new Cary venture - Giorgio - coming this month.

Looks like Nick and I will be having breakfast with Santa ;-)

Taking Local Love to a New Level

So this whole "concept" is something that Mandy and I have been talking up for a looooong time. And I am really pumped to finally be getting it out there. It's not anywhere close to being as content-rich as it will be soon, but it's at least a start.



Right now, the biggest features are the email newsletter (bringing local style and retail directly to your inbox - but no, not like Express/Banana Republic/etc. style... I refuse to harass you all daily), Top Picks, and the feature appearances from local readers, too!

If you have a few minutes, please stop by and check it out. Today our Black Friday content is still up, so you can check out what we liked for November... but tomorrow and over the next few days, December will be making its way in.

And if you're a local shopper, or just appreciate good style, please consider joining the email list, too :-)

And YES, I really DO want YOU to send me your tips, pictures, etc. I think this is going to be a lot of fun. A lot of work, of course - but most importantly... a lot of fun.

www.iheartretail.com

Add This to Your Christmas List

I was debating whether or not to blog about this, but it's gotten a TON of attention on my facebook... so apparently the people approve!



My question to my twitter/facebook friends was this, "Do you think my Tarheel boyfriend would kill me if my car played the NC State fight song when I unlock the doors?"

The press release I read about the Motor Mouth includes the following:

"Looking for the perfect gift that someone will enjoy long after the holiday season is over? Look no further than Motor Mouth, the product that can turn anyone's car or truck into a personal broadcast system. The product, which gives individual vehicles a unique ringtone so owners can tell the world what they are passionate about, is available in several sound series including hunter and sportsman, specific colleges, auto racing, barnyard, holiday and several others."

"Sounds available include: Sportsman Series: wild turkey (NWTF Licensed), duck commander, wild boar, goose, deer, duck and elk. Sports fans can enjoy the "Start Your Engines" race series or baseball, while the lifestyle series offers holiday sounds, barnyard animal sounds, horse sounds and hound dog sounds. The company also has exclusive rights with NC State University, East Carolina University, West Virginia University and University of Tennessee to market the sounds unique to those schools, including the school's fight songs."After several "likes"' and amusing comments on facebook, it appears that boys AND girls are a fan of this. I imagine people would have a fit over it in the parking lot at the NCSU vs. UNC game this weekend.

I personally don't need to attract any more wildlife than necessary (the deer are everywhere this year, drive safe!), but I do like the selection they have and think my car should play the NC State Fight Song... or maybe something NASCAR (I prefer "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity" over "Start your engines", but I guess DW has that trademarked!).

If you are so inclined, you can check out their website.


{PS} This blog post was not endorsed or sponsored by Motor Mouth, nor am I employed by them - I just thought it was kinda cool. Lucky for them, huh?

Brush Up On Your History Over a Double

Coming Holiday 2009!



Brush up on your Raleigh history, enjoy a double, and oh don't forget... there's no food, so you're gonna need a membership. See you there!

As always, "Thanks!" to my SUPER most favorite - Tyler - at TriangleBlvd.tv for the video!

{PS} You can follow the guys from Hunter's Oak City Tavern (who I also love in a big way) on twitter, @HuntersOakCity.

Spare Change Coming to City Limits!

If you've been to the TBMF, there's a good chance you've partied with Spare Change... and had a blast. I love these guys and was super excited to see they'll be coming to City Limits in December. (They often play a lot of Eastern NC shows, but never close enough for me to get there to party.)

They cover everything from country to rock 'n' roll and have a great stage presence. Check out their website, facebook, or twitter for more updates!

Here's the skinny from City Limits:

Thursday, December 3rd, City Limits Saloon welcomes the hell raisin’ party band Spare Change! With covers of everything from country and rock to rap and beach, it’s gonna be a Thursday you don’t want to miss!See ya there!

N.C. Children's Promise 2009

They have already raised over $500,000.00 today.

AMAZING.

I called in a few hours ago to renew my $12.00 x 12 months donation.

ANY little bit you can donate helps. The NC Children's Hospital turns no child away based on their family's ability to pay for treatment.

Here are my posts from last year about this amazing event and hospital, if you are a new reader!

Google Outdid Google

I <3 Cookie Monster!

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

Google celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street today.
(Details from HuffingtonPost.com)

Brings back memories, huh?

16th Annual Jingle Ball

I am SO pumped about going to my first Jingle Ball this year! It's just so fabulous, in so many ways. The local young professionals who are organizing this have put together an amazing event... how very inspiring!

Details via facebook/and an email from my friends at DowntownRaleigh.com:

Each attendee is asked to bring an unwrapped holiday gift for a child valued at $20 value or more per person. For those not bringing a gift, admission will be $30 by cash or check at the door. The Capital City Clauses is a federally registered nonprofit corporation, and all contributions are tax-deductible. No one under 21 years of age will be admitted, and photo identification is required.

Come eat, drink, dance and be merry for a good cause! Dress for this event is cocktail/party attire. Please join us and help bring brighter holidays to Wake County children.

Gifts are considered tickets for this event and are your donated gift to the Salvation Army. Each participant will be granted entrance to the 2009 16th Annual Jingle Ball by bringing a new unwrapped toy valued at $20 or more or donating $30 cash or check with all proceeds going directly to the Salvation Army of Wake County.

And a little more from the website, JingleBall.org:The Capital City Clauses are preparing for the 2009 Jingle Ball on Thursday, December 10th. The festivities will take place at Marbles Kids Museum, in downtown Raleigh, from 6:30PM until 10:30PM. Since the first Jingle Ball was held in 1994, we have given thousands of toys and articles of clothing to the needy children of Wake County, and we hope to have our most successful year yet in 2009!

The Jingle Ball's success hinges both on corporate sponsorships and on each attendee's contribution of a toy (or clothing, books, games, etc) of $20 or greater value for admission. Our organization is comprised entirely of volunteers who help with the financing, planning, and executing of the Jingle Ball. All monetary proceeds go toward the event expenses, and all of the toys are distributed to Wake County children.

As our primary goal is to collect toys at the door rather than money, we cannot depend upon the minimal door receipts we collect to finance the event. Therefore, the Capital City Clauses need corporate support to help offset the costs of hosting this event and to ensure its continued success.
Put it on your calendar - hope to see some of you local readers there!

I Voted for Doc

Remember my post back in July on Wine to Water?

As many of you long-time readers know, I'm already a big fan of Amra's and their other establishment, Tobacco Road. This is SUCH a very cool event they're hosting this week.



The charity organization called Wine to Water, as seen on Larry King, raises funds through wine tastings to be able to help 3rd world countries find healthy clean drinking water sources for their villages.

On Thursday July 23, come to Amra's after work or around 6:30 to help support this awesome and worthy cause!

Wine To Water is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit aid organization focused on providing clean water to needy people around the world. Over 1 billion people in the world today lack access to adequate water and sanitation. We are devoted to fighting this epidemic.Wine symbolizes fortune in our society. Our goal is to give the fortunate population an opportunity to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.Well, it appears as if our friend Doc, founder of Wine to Water, has been nominated alongside great company for CNN Heroes.



Be sure to check out all of the entries and vote for your hero!

Here's a great video about Doc's story.
Click here to view it if it doesn't show up for you.

Lincoln Theatre is Adding Liquor to its Lineup!

Downtown Raleigh's Lincoln Theathre - Awesome.
Only serving beer - NOT Awesome.

Just received an email today that they will be adding liquor to their lineup, but now they must become a "members only" club (NC law), so be sure to sign up for their membership/email list online.

This is one of my favorite live music venues in the area because the main level is a bit slanted, so there's pretty much a good view for everyone (which, as you know, is important for those of girls who are 5' 2''). I've seen several shows there including Shooter Jennings (son of Waylon Jennings, better known as the "Fourth of July song" guy), Jason Michael Carroll's album launch party, the Zac Brown Band street concert, etc.


{Images: LincolnTheatre.com and CityVoter.com}

Local Round-Up: The Remedy Diner

Have I blogged about the The Remedy Diner before? Because I've sure tweeted/facebooked it.

Seriously, if you are EVER so lucky as to be in Downtown Raleigh... you must try this place. Good food, good prices, good service.

I don't think I've ever ventured off the breakfast menu, since it's served all day, but the BF has and has enjoyed it. Wait, I've probably had a BLT. That's at least not totally breakfast.

Not only do they have kick ass "mainstream" food, but they also are very impressive with their "alternative" offerings. Plus, I love a restaurant that's confident enough with itself to refer to their vegetarian bacon as "fake bacon".

Veggie BLT
Fake bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and chipotle mayonnaise on toasted wheat. 7.50 (sub Vegannise for .50)
Anyways, go and get the Blueberry Cheese pie (empty plate - pictured at right).

Why?

The BF's not a pie eater but these were the words out of his mouth - "I don't really like pie, but that was gooooood." All of the desserts are made by the owners mama. (Yes, I said "mama", this is a Southern blog, after all.)

The Remedy Diner
137 E. Hargett Street
Downtown Raleigh, NC
919-835-3553
www.TheRemedyDiner.com

Don't believe me? Then read the reviews. When I was Googling for this post, I noticed almost all of the reviews have 5 stars - excluding one by a man named "Jim". That is darn near impossible in the restaurant biz.

Toys for Tots and the Wolfpack!

Toys for Tots is a campaign that my family and I have participated in through various groups over the years (for example: the Ray Price Harley-Davidson Toys for Tots Toy Run).

Here's another great opportunity to do a little good while having a lot of fun!

via GoPack.com

NC State head football coach Tom O’Brien expects his players to be champions in the classroom, in the community and on the football field. As part of that effort, the NC State football program announced today that it will be partnering with Coca-Cola and Harris Teeter to collect new toys and donations throughout the 2009 football season to benefit the U.S. Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots campaign.

During each game this season, Coca-Cola will donate $500 to the NC State/Toys for Tots Fund for every touchdown the Wolfpack scores. At the conclusion of the season, representatives from the Wolfpack football program will use the funds to purchase toys that will be donated to Toys for Tots and distributed to needy children. During the 2008 season, Coca-Cola contributed $17,000 for the 34 Wolfpack touchdowns scored.

Coca Cola will also join with Harris Teeter throughout the Triangle to set up drop-off locations for fans to donate toys. From November 5 - December 10, Toys for Tots/Coca-Cola displays with toy-donation bins will be located in Raleigh-area Harris Teeter locations. Fans can drop off new toys to any of the participating Harris Teeter locations (see below for list of locations.)

Football fans in the Triangle will have an additional opportunity to donate to the cause when NC State hosts Clemson at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, November 14. A toy drive will take place in the Wolfpack Fan Zone, located in front of the RBC Center. Coca-Cola and Toys for Tots representatives will be on hand to collect toys in the Wolfpack Fan Zone up until kick-off. Although all toy donations are appreciated, new toys for toddlers ages 2-4 and pre-teens ages 10-12 are needed most. Cash donations will also be accepted at the stadium gates until kick-off, and at the toy donation area in Fan Zone. Fans donating a new toy or a cash gift at the Fan Zone on game day will also receive a free 2 Liter from Coca-Cola and Harris Teeter.Visit GoPack.com/ToysForTots over the season for updates or ToysforTots.org for information at events in your area and how to get involved!

PS - Kudos to game-day beverage Coca-Cola for it's season-long commitment to this program!

I Hate the Cold

Never fails, when the fair makes it to town... it'll get cold! (Usually, it's warm in the the day and cold at night - meaning you have to drag a coat around all day to avoid evening freezing, but it's downright cold in the day already. BOO!)

Just FYI, I heart the NC State Fair. Nick and I will be going at least twice. NEB, Grubey, Mom, Mandy, and I started off the 2009 State Fair last Thursday with Jason Michael Carroll. He had a great opening act - Patrick Davis (@pdmusic).


Friday NEB, Adrianne, and Adrianne's YM (reference: Yankee Manfriend), and I left for Charlotte. We stayed with Bri and Drew (can't wait for them to move to Raleigh!) and Cole and Lindsey met us on Saturday afternoon.






The race would've been great, if I wasn't FUH-REEEEZING. Seriously, I had LOTS o' layers on and was too cold to drink more than 1 Beergarita. Lame.

Here's hoping for warmer weather for Eric Church's show!

A Brittany's Battle Update

I have quite often posted about Brittany's Battle here, so I thought it'd be a great time for an update (via the BBI email newsletter) to let you know about all of the great things that the Coppedge family, their friends, and family are doing in memory of Brittany.


Second Annual Angel Gala
Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 22, 2009, and join us for our 2nd Annual Angel Gala. This year's event will be bigger and better than ever! We will have a light buffet dinner, dancing, silent and on-line auctions and much more.


2009 Free to Breathe
The 2009 annual Free To Breathe event wil be held in Raleigh on Saturday, November 7, 2009, on NCSU's Centennial Campus. We would love to have you come out and support the event. Better yet, lace up those sneakers and join Brittany's Battle! Whether you run the 5K or walk the 1K, come out and celebrate the survivors and honor those who've battled and lost.

Feel free to donate or join the Brittany's Battle team here - thank you for your support in advance!


And probably the most important part of all:

We had the opportunity last month to attend the ribbon cutting for the new NC Cancer Hospital on the campus of UNC in Chapel Hill. The hospital is magnificent!! We toured several areas - including the children's ward and the Resource Center. We are blessed to have such a wonderful facility in our state.

We were very pleased to be able to present the Patient and Family Resource Center with another donation from Brittany's Battle - thanks to all of you! We were very moved when we were told that our last donation is being used to have wigs made for teenage cancer patients. As you can imagine, their choice for wigs is often limited.
Amazing! It is so moving to read about the great things the hospital is being able to do as a result of the contributions that BBI has been able to make... thanks to the support of so many great people.


{Pic: My sister - Mandy, Brittany, and Amber enjoying Sweet Summertime... I think they had just graduated from high school. To put it in perspective, my "little" sister graduates from college this spring!}

Local Round-Up: Downtown Raleigh Happenings

If you're not a regular reader of some of my favorite Raleigh blogs (RalCon, BeRaleighBlog, NewRaleigh.com, GoGoRaleigh.com, etc.) then some of this just might be new to you!

First up, we're getting an outdoor ice skating rink!

Outdoor Ice Rink Coming Downtown this Winter

"This year, December 4th will not only mark the lighting of the downtown Christmas tree, but will also welcome the opening of a downtown outdoor skating rink as part of “Winter Fest”.

The rink is going to be part of the new City Plaza, and will be nestled between the Bank of America building and where the delayed Charter Square will go.

Tickets will be a very reasonable $6, which includes skate rentals."

www.RaleighWinterfest.com
Wow - I'm absolutely wow-ed by this. Can't wait to check it out! Here's hoping NEB (the loving nickname given to Nick by my sorority sisters, for "No Expression Boy" - they consider it a feat to capture him smiling on camera) doesn't need stitches in his chin after... like the last time we went ice skating!


Next, we're also getting WiFi!
Downtown Raleigh Getting Wifi on October 23rd

"As speculated last week and promised back in March, Downtown Raleigh will indeed be getting Free Wireless Internet access on October 23rd, just in time for Raleigh Wide Open and Cherry Bounce."
Woohoo! Say hello to working via laptop on your favorite patio (or rooftop) come spring!

Happy Halloween!

I couldn't find this on YouTube to embed, but check it out on facebook.

PS - Don't turn your volume up all the way... or you're very likely to scare the crap out of yourself like I just did! ;-)

Raleigh Kid Post

I want to go here soon!



The details:

Raleigh City Museum

Address: Located in the historic Briggs Building at 220 Fayetteville Street in Raleigh, N.C. 27601

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm | Saturday 1pm to 4pm | Open First Fridays 6pm-9pm | Closed Sunday & MondayDarn, I feel like Sunday afternoons would be the PERFECT time to spend an hour (or more) catching up on my Raleigh history.

The best part?Admission is free and no tickets are required for entrance to the museum. For information, please call 919-832-3775.Yay for fun (and free) stuff to do!

Favorite {Country} Songs of the Week: Week 3

I have been terrible at keeping up with this mini-series (you know how life just gets away from you in the summer and then all of a sudden, it's fall?... yeah), but here's a little update on my current playlist!

Steve Azar - You're My Life (video | iTunes)

This song doesn't get a lot of airtime, but it's amazing.
Carrie Underwood - Cowboy Casanova (video | iTunes)
This is my current windows down, radio UP song!
Carrie Underwood - The More Boys I Meet (iTunes)Hilarious. Pure hilariousness - and SO true.

"Cheap date, bad taste, another night gone to waste
Talking about nothing in so many words
It's not like I'm not trying
'Cause I'll give anyone a shot once

And, I, I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet...
the more I love my dog!"
Miranda Lambert - White Liar (video | iTunes)

Is that a cameo from Jamey Johnson in the video???
Michelle Branch - Sooner or Later (video | iTunes)
I've been a Michelle fan for YEARS, love her move to country (which we first saw with her as a member of The Wreckers.
Tim McGraw - Southern Voice (video | iTunes)
If you're a serious country music follower (and I mean SERIOUS), then you probably heard about the drama with the greatest hits album. I'm really looking forward to his all new album coming soon!
Ok that's it for now. Any songs that I'm missing that should make the cut next time?

Fantasy Football

This is for Nick and Joey... or more so, Adrianne.

All you girlfriends and wives out there who are already competing with Sundays and Mondays - enjoy.



Click here to watch online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtVWia5B5vM

PS - If someone from FX happens to stumble upon this blog... it was a pain in the ass trying to help promote your new show for you (the website was impossible to find, I couldn't grab the video code from there, and the branded YouTube page is all kinds of broken). Just FYI. (Sorry, marketing kid rant.)

The Pink Heals Tour

Hot on the "heels" of my "Fight Like a Girl" post from earlier this month, here is another very cool event I couldn't wait to share with readers. Many thanks to Ashton for passing it along!

Via a Raleigh Fire Department email:

On Sunday October 4, 2009, The Pink Heals Tour, formerly The Pink Ribbon Tour, will be appearing in Raleigh during their country wide journey.

The Pink Heals Tour is a nonprofit organization founded in Phoenix, Arizona by firefighter Dave Graybill that drives Pink Fire Trucks across the United States to support women in their fight against cancer and inspire men to get involved. This year’s tour includes three pink fire trucks and the sculpted Ribbon of Hope. It is a unique opportunity to dress in the Tours pink turnout gear and helmets and sign the fire trucks in memory or honor of loved ones.

The Raleigh Fire Department is hosting this year’s event with The Pink Heals Tour to raise cancer awareness at Triangle Towne Center between Dillard’s and Macaroni Grille from the hours of 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. We extend an invite to your department to be a part of this community event. Please spread the word to your family and friends and come join the fun for this very important cause.

For more information about the Pink Heals Tour visit www.pinkheals.org. We look forward to seeing you there.The group's goal?Pink Heals: Confidence building activities in a supportive social setting to help young Survivors during the post-treatment transition.Amazing, humbling, and inspiring - all at the same time!

Please feel free to re-post - hope to see some of you there! If you're not local, I hope there's an opportunity for you to experience this in your own area.

You can Become a Fan on facebook, follow on twitter, and shop for really cute merchandise to support the group!

Vegas - Round Two

Remember Round 1? That was bachelorette party style.

Round 2 this past weekend was "couples style", if you will.

	Hotel: Mandalay Bay. They pump a smell into Mandalay Bay. Whatever it is, I'd like to buy it... by the gallon! {Image: About.com travel}
	Hotel Pool: Beach at Mandalay. 99 degrees F, no humidity!
	Dinner #1: 9 Fine Irishmen (at New York, New York). Good, but way too much food went to waste. (Portions are out of control in Vegas dining.)
	Show: Ka. If you do anything in Vegas, go see Ka at MGM Grand! {Image: Ka official site.}
	Daily Distraction: Auto Collection at the Imperial.
	Dinner #3: VooDoo Steak & Lounge. Kick ass view of the Vegas Strip from the rooftop bar at Rio (That's for you, Ashton!). Rivals the view from Mix at THE hotel at Mandalay Bay.

A few pics on facebook, mostly of cars from The Auto Collections at the Imperial.

By the way, a lady won $700,000+ on a slot machine at Monte Carlo while we were there. It wasn't this girl. I lost $2.00 on slots - playing a whopping two times. Bummer.

PS: I'm sick now (thank you crappy recycled air on the 5-hour flight home), another bummer.

Ok, someone take me back to Vegas!

Be There!

I mean, what sounds better for a Monday night?

SO pumped that I'll be back from Vegas (leaving Thursday AM out of Charlotte!) in time for this! I haven't been back to the Brewpub since the first time Nick, Adrianne, Joey, and I tried it just after opening, so this is a great reason for me to return. (And give them a chance to recapture me as a customer. The lackluster service, boring food, and scant beverage selection for the non-beer drinker didn't do it for me last time.)

I'm all about a second chance though! (The first few weeks can be awkward for a new establishment with a new staff.)

Here's the map, for anyone who may not be familiar with the area that I drive past multiple times a day. I know, I'm a lucky girl.

Fight Like a Girl

I've always loved that phrase and I think it's perfectly appropriate for the campaign for the fight against breast cancer. I was thrilled when Bomshel came back to mainstream country radio with their newest single, "Fight Like a Girl".

Click here if you can't see the video above!
Here are some ways that you can Fight Like a Girl right now!
PinkFest 2009: Pampering, Friendship, Celebration, Hope
October 4th, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Renaissance Raleigh Hotel at North Hills

Survivor recognition and award at 2:30 To nominate a survivor for the Spirit of Survivorship Award, click here!

Gather your friends, come indulge yourself and celebrate how far we’ve come in battling breast cancer. Eight local spas will be providing massages, nail, hair, skin and make-up services. There will be plenty of drinks and hors d’ oeuvres as well as door prizes and give-aways from participating spas and sponsors.

Funds raised will provide screening, education and treatment programs for uninsured women in our community. Everyone is welcome, but tickets are limited and going fast so get yours now!

Online Ticket Prices: Survivor - $5 | Adult - $10

For more information visit: http://www.komennctriangle.org/events/pinkfest.php
Busy October? Well then how does next Tuesday look?Get a Massage for the Cure at Massage Envy!
September 15th, 2009
All Triangle area Massage Envy locations

Book a one-hour massage for $35.00 and Massage Envy will donate $10 per massage to Komen NC Triangle. Nationally, Massage for the Cure has raised over $800,000 for Komen programs, services and research!
I just booked my appointment for a $35 massage (of which, a very generous $10 donation goes to Komen)... so why not treat yourself, your mom, your sister, your best gal pal... ANYONE for that matter to a little pampering for a great cause?

As the song says: Kick (cancer's) ass, take names.

Local Raves: Lemon Poppyseed Scones from SBSTeas.com

At a recent Chix in Business Marketing Committee meeting, Barb, the owner of SBSTeas.com, brought us some of her yummy inventory: loose leaf teas and scones.

Right now, I'm enjoying the Lemon Poppyseed Scones and a lemonade and it's pretty much about the best thing ever.

They were super easy to make - just add buttermilk, lemon juice, and butter to the scone dry ingredients, mix well, spoon, and bake! 15 minutes later, you're enjoying! They really don't even need anything added to them, but anything from apple butter to jelly to honey would be delicious.

Perfect for any breakfast tailgates this year? I think so! (You can tell it's football time when I'm deciding which kinds of foods would be tailgate appropriate.)

Local Round-Up: North Raleigh

For a DTR (Downtown Raleigh) and South Raleigh kid, trips to North Raleigh (especially North NORTH Raleigh) can often be a haul.

Nick and I ventured out a few months ago after a laser appointment and really enjoyed stumbling upon a restaurant we'll be sure to try again next time we're out that way: Buffalo's Southwest Cafe.

Their website, Buffalos.com (wow - they did great to snatch that one up, but the logo is different, so who knows... they may have lost it), doesn't really offer anything (other than "under construction"), but I was reminded of the restaurant when Sue Stock posted about a great deal on wings there today. Every Wednesday in August, they're doing 10 wings for $1.60. For whatever reason, wings are not cheap, so that's a great deal being offered by a restaurant (below what they're paying for them, I'm sure).

I had a wrap of some sort and chips and loved it. I can't for the life of me remember what Nick had, but I do remember he also really enjoyed it. And it was less than $20.00 for the both of us, including drinks and tip.

The main reason for this post? I also just finished a long write-up on my fashion blog about one of their neighbors: GiGi's Boutique.

So there you have it, the North Raleigh adventure in a nutshell.

Buffalo's
7504 Creedmoor Road
Raleigh, NC‎

Phone: (919) 676-0332‎


{Image: Taking Stock blog}

Local Legends: Don't Give Up. Don't Ever Give Up.

Raleighites, those who appreciate a good cause, cancer-haters, and college basketball fans... I invite you to enjoy Dana's definitive 2009 Jimmy V Tourney post to get the low down on the legendary (locally and nationally) event coming back home to Raleigh this weekend!

The GoGoRaleigh.com author does a fantastic job of putting together the full details, so I won't even bother paraphrasing the great post.

And remember:

Don't give up. Don't ever give up.

Anyone heading out Sunday to check out the event for a bit? If so, see you there!


{Image: GolfClassic.org}

Zac Brown Band Coming to Cary

It's a little messed up that they backed out of the State Fair, but I guess I won't hold a grudge... and will still put their next local show on my calendar.

Via ZBB email today:

The Breaking Southern Ground Tour 2009
Kicking off September 24th in Cary, NC.

Tickets on sale August 14th, 2009
(Thanks for the advance notice guys... *insert sarcastic look here*.)Thank goodness it's a Thursday concert and doesn't interfere with weddings (Nikki and Randy's that weekend) and wait for it... college football (NCSU vs. Pittsburgh)!

It's Time to Paaaaaarty!

I hope everyone (well, at least those of you locals who it's feasible for) will come celebrate the opening of Sauced Pizza with me tomorrow!

This is another of the many distractions that's kept me from blogging much lately, but boy it's a delicious one. Between the pizza by the slice, the caprese salads, and the Hayes Barton Dessertery desserts... you're going to be lookin' at one chubby girl here before too long. (Not because any of it is particularly bad on its own, but it's the fact that I have no desire to go anywhere other than Sauced Pizza, lately. Hah!)

The New York-style pizza restaurant / NC pub has been open for about a week now (benefiting from working out some of the early opening kinks - a "soft opening"), but tomorrow is the official grand opening party. Come anytime, it's open until 3am on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights... so the party will go on as long as folks want to stay!

Here's a few ways to keep updated on Sauced Pizza as I try not to blog about clients too much!

Website: http://www.SaucedPizza.com
twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SaucedPizza
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SaucedPizza
eNews: http://www.SaucedPizza.com/email


PS - Big "thanks!" to Barefoot in the Park for the Sauced Pizza love on her blog today... totally unsolicited (and authentic!), but very much appreciated. :-*

Southern Giveaway

Just a quick post here:

A Southern Accent is hosting a cute *super southern* giveaway on her blog this week - check it out!

She's giving away the following books:
Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On!: What Southern Mamas Tell Their Daughters that the Rest of Y'all Should Know Too

Puttin' on the Grits: A Guide to Southern Entertaining

Enjoy!

Calling All Local Readers with a Cause or Two

Here's a quick PSA, because I like to pay it forward and I know that lots of my local readers have some great causes to share! :-)

Last year, the Swagger Gifts Holiday Open House Preview Party raised over $1,500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society, and now your very own favorite cause could be featured this year!

If you are involved in a worthy organization, cause, or non-profit, please tell my friends at Swagger about it!

Email Mandy (at) SwaggerGifts (dot) com with the story behind your cause and why you think it would benefit from being featured as this year's Holiday Open House Preview Party charity!

Nominations will be accepted until August 1, 2009.
Swagger will choose and let everyone know in August who has been selected.

The 2009 Holiday Open House Preview Party (possibly benefiting YOUR favorite charity) will be held on November 5th, 2009.
The 2009 Holiday Open House will be held on Sunday, November 8th, 2009.

PS - If you do email a suggestion to Mandy, please drop me a comment or an email to let me know! I'd love to hear that one of my reader's suggestions was selected and have the chance to support you and your favorite cause at the annual party.


{Image: SwaggerGifts.com}

Quick Poll: Vinegar Cucumbers

Quick Poll: Vinegar Cucumbers

Is this a southern thing or have those of you to the North and West been served these on a regular basis, too?


{Image: Apples & Butter blog, which is also a great new read!}

Houseguests

In my last post, I mentioned having a scheduling conflict with the Wine to Water event at Amra's, but if I could do both, I for sure would.

Here's my scheduling conflict: Houseguests.

But not just any houseguests, these are a group of 20-somethings (not unlike Nick and myself) who are bicycling across the country to raise money for childhood cancer research.

How amazing is that??



Visit them online at http://rallyfoundation.org/index.php/rallyacrossamerica and check out their blog, too!

Here's a little of their backstory:

Magan, a recent college graduate, is a novice cyclist who is about to depart on a journey. As this summer’s Rally Foundation intern, Magan will push herself to the max by biking across the nation to raise money for childhood cancer research.

Kicking off in Atlanta, Ga. and ending in Greenwich, Conn., Magan and her support team hope to reach their goal of 1,000 miles riding together for childhood cancer research. Their goal is to raise $75,000 for childhood cancer research.
They've been invited to join in a bike trip around Raleigh and are then arriving here around 8pm or so. I think we're going to take them to Tobacco Road for dinner and then out around Downtown a little more, if they don't have an early departure time tomorrow.

If you're in the area and want to meet them (and maybe drop by a little donation? Even just $5.00!), come join us at Tobacco Road! Shoot me an email or leave me a comment if you want more details.

Here is the website for the ride itself, with all kinds of extra details.

A Different Breed of Fundraising

As many of you long-time readers know, I'm already a big fan of Amra's and their other establishment, Tobacco Road. This is SUCH a very cool event they're hosting this week.

I have some other commitments on Thursday (that post coming soon), but if I'm able to do both, this is totally making my to-do list:

The charity organization called Wine to Water, as seen on Larry King, raises funds through wine tastings to be able to help 3rd world countries find healthy clean drinking water sources for their villages.

On Thursday July 23, come to Amra's after work or around 6:30 to help support this awesome and worthy cause!

• There will be free wine. (Yes, a full tasting and free full glasses, too.)
• There will be free light appetizers.
• There is no cover charge, no ticket price and no suggested donation.
• There may be a silent auction.
• There will be friends new and old.
• The event will last 2 or 3 hours.
• Stay as long as you'd like.
• And feel free to bring people with you!

Wine To Water is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit aid organization focused on providing clean water to needy people around the world. Over 1 billion people in the world today lack access to adequate water and sanitation. We are devoted to fighting this epidemic.Wine symbolizes fortune in our society. Our goal is to give the fortunate population an opportunity to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Amra's
106 Glenwood Avenue
Raleigh, NC
(919) 828-8488

PS - I was reading up on the Wine to Water bio webpage, and the founder is a former Raleigh, NC bartender who came up with this concept. DOUBLE awesome.


{Image: Wine to Water official website.}

Love & Theft at 1am

I haven't had much time for keeping up with my love of country music and sharing some quality music with my faithful readers lately (boo!), so I'm hoping it's crystal clear that if I'm posting this video at 1am, then it's obviously on my current Top 10 list!

Love & Theft (YouTube)
"Runaway"





View it on facebook in HD quality.

Hope y'all enjoy!

Thrilled!

This fall is going to be one heck of a concert season, all in one NC State Fair's span, too!

If you don't want to watch the whole video, here's the country-heavy (and very much Lisa approved) lineup:

Thursday 10/15 - Jason Michael Carroll($5)

Friday 10/16 - Third Day ($15)

Saturday 10/17 - Kellie Pickler ($10)

Sunday 10/18 - Nat and Alex ($10)

Monday 10/19 - Jamey Johnson ($5)

Tuesday 10/20 - The Temptations ($10)

Wednesday 10/21 - Julianne Hough ($5)

Friday 10/23 - Jeremy Camp w/ 10th Avenue North ($10)

Saturday 10/24 - Blake Shelton ($10)

Sunday 10/25 - Eric Church ($5)
Tickets go on sale Aug. 3rd at 10am. You will also need admission tickets to the fair to get into any show.

Seriously though, DO NOT MISS your chance to see JMC, Jamey, Blake, and Eric for $25. Might as well get Julianne, Kellie, and Temptation tickets, too since you'll be saving so much ;-)

PS - Thursday, Oct. 22 is intentionally blank because the artist has backed out of their contract. The State Fair is working on a replacement.

eCycling

Electronics are probably some of the nastiest things that could end up in a landfill, so if you need to get rid of anything, here's a great *free* opportunity from Fox 50 and Creative Recycling to do so!

Our landfills are filling up with things that won't ever go away. Specifically, old, outdated electronic equipment which take up space and pose a hazard to our environments.

That's why FOX50 created "E-Cycling" Day:
Saturday, June 27th from 10am - 2pm at all 3 locations.

Come out and see us - rain or shine - in the parking lots of three Best Buy locations:

* Durham - Renaissance Center
(7001 Fayetteville Rd, Durham, NC 27713)

* North Raleigh - Capital Blvd.
(6101 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27616)

* Cary - Crossroads Plaza
(237 Crossroads Blvd, Cary, NC 27518)

It's so convenient. You won’t even have to get out of your car! Volunteers will unload your electronic items

And there's countless number of electronic items you can drop off.

Equipment Accepted: All electronic equipment is acceptable with the exception of manifested hazardous waste, radioactive waste and/or biohazardous waste.
Read the full info and see the list of what's ok and not ok to bring here!

Please pass this along or encourage your local media and Best Buy to model something in your area after this program!

Brewgrass in Wilmington

From those local beer guys at Big Boss Brewing... here's a must-attend in Wilmington for anyone making their way to the beach this weekend (or those of you lucky enough to live there)!

*WILMINGTON BREWGRASS FESTIVAL*

When: Saturday, 2-8 p.m.
Where: Water & Princess Streets, Wilmington
Admission: $35.00
Info: http://www.DBAwilmington.org

So this is gonna be a great time! We'll be down in Wilmington this Saturday pouring beers for the Brewgrass Festival.

The music lineup is as follows:
- The Drew Emmitt Band (formerly of Leftover Salmon)
- Chatham County Line
- Fescue
- L Shape Lot

And the other fine breweries we'll be pouring alongside go as follows:
-Asheville Brewing Company
-Carolina Beer & Beverage
-Front Street Brewery
-Foothills Brewing Company
-Gordon Biersch
-Highland Brewing Company
-Lonerider Brewing Company
-RJ Rockers
-Star Hill

This promises to be a great time! There are still tickets available, so don't miss out!
You can get your tickets and more online from another local favorite, eTix.com!



{Image: Wilmington Downtown Business Alliance}

Shine!

The girls and I happened to kinda sorta end up backstage with the boys at the Eric Church "Carolina" launch party... and totally had no idea we were in Matt's good graces, of course.

Long story short, this Western NC boy making waves in Nashville is going to be in Raleigh soon... don't miss a chance to see him live!

When: Fri Jun 26 09 - 8:00 PM
Where: City Limits Saloon, 901 Tryon Rd, Raleigh, NC, 27603, US
Details: www.hellyeahraleigh.com

Perspective

Yesterday felt like a particularly crappy day to me. It was dreary outside, things are getting held up at work which are keeping me from getting started on new projects I'm really excited about, and I was getting frustrated by having people over and over tell me why things couldn't happen instead of just taking that effort to MAKE things happen. (That's a BIG personal pet peeve of mine.)

Well to top it all off, Nick and I were sitting at a stop light on our way to Best Buy to get a movie to watch and...

BAM!

... we got rear ended. Icing on the cake.

Really, it was no biggie, the damage isn't that much, and the guy was pretty nice. I felt worse for him because he was the one driving the SUV with bad karma (it was a police auction vehicle that someone had been murdered in AND when he took it to his mechanic to have the door fixed, they found balloons of crack in the body of the truck - W.T.F!).

Naturally, when I woke up to a monsoon today I wasn't particularly thrilled to start with Tuesday. I briefly read through my twitter posts from yesterday though and got a nice dose of perspective from something I had reposted (RT = retweet).

@NCSULilWolf: Oh my! RT @NBC17: Just heard a call on the scanner for assistance w/ "a snake inside a vehicle." Talk about a crappy way to start a Monday.
Seriously, my day was not THAT bad.

Coalition in Raleigh

Seriously, I can't say enough good things about what this group is doing in the Triangle (Durham, Raleigh, etc.).

I don't think this video is on YouTube, so I can't embed it, but visit this link and be patient for it to load: http://gallery.mac.com/robertghensley23#100540.

SO amazing.

PS - As I was writing this, I found the video on vimeo, posted on the Coalition's website, UnChainDogs.net.

Lulu, Bandit & Lucky - Unchained from Halle Amick on Vimeo.

FYI: Our Beautiful Green State Gets Greener

From the City of Raleigh's eNewsletter:

NEW STATE LAW PROMOTES RECYCLING OF PLASTIC BOTTLES

A new state law will ban plastic bottles from trash cans beginning Oct. 1. The intent of the law is to encourage people to recycle the plastic bottles.

“This is a wonderful piece of legislation,” Linda Leighton, waste reduction specialist for the City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services Department, said of the new law. “A great number of our residents would willingly comply and keep plastic bottles out of the landfill, if we make them aware of the new law.”

Ms. Leighton pointed out that since 1991 it has been illegal to put aluminum cans in the trash.

Currently the average Raleigh resident recycles 321 pounds each year. The goal of the City’s Solid Waste Department is to increase that number to 451 pounds per year by 2012, Ms. Leighton said. The ban on placing plastic bottles in the trash should help.

In addition to plastic bottles, the City of Raleigh’s curbside recycling program collects:

* newspapers and all inserts;
* magazines and catalogs;
* white paper, including junk mail;
* corrugated cardboard;
* paperboard, chipboard and paper tubes;
* steel food cans;
* aluminum beverage cans;
* aluminum foil and trays that are free of food debris;
* plastic beverage rings;
* glass food and beverage containers;
* gable top cartons; and,
* aseptic (drink) boxes.
These items -- along with ink jet and toner cartridges and cell phones without accessories -- can also be taken to any of the City’s seven recycling drop-off centers. Unless otherwise noted, the drop-off centers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The recycling drop-off centers in Raleigh are located at:
* Jaycee Park, 2405 Wade Ave,;
* Mini City Shopping Center, 4510 Capital Blvd, behind the Taco Bell and adjacent to Food Lion;
* Solid Waste Services Administrative Office at 400 W. Peace St. (7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday only);
* Brennan Station Shopping Center at the intersection of Creedmoor and Strickland roads. The drop-off center is located behind the shopping center off of Brennan Drive. Follow the large white water tower;
* City of Raleigh Yard Waste Center, 900 N. New Hope Road (open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. only);
* Sam’s Wholesale Club, 2537 S. Saunders St.; and,
* Habitat Wake ReStore at 2420 Raleigh Blvd (open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Sundays and Mondays).
For more information about the City of Raleigh’s recycling programs, including how to obtain a recycling bin or order an additional bin, contact the City’s Solid Waste Services Department at 996-6890 or visit the City’s website at www.raleighnc.gov/recycling.

Yay for Chopper!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aEIwOnIX1A

Two big thumbs up to the Durham, NC-based Coalition to Un-Chain Dogs. I totally just joined their listserve and will be helping to build fences any time I can!

Zac Brown Band in Raleigh this Weekend!

If you've been around since October 2008, you've probably seen one or two of my posts about ZBB - including the original.

While I'm bummed that it wasn't my handiwork that brought them to my beloved Raleighwood (not without effort - I tried, but other forces who don't know any better stood in the way), the Lincoln Theatre has (LOVE them though, so I'm glad it's them) for a block party this Sunday.

Johnny Orr & the South Station Band and Coastline Band (both are great NC groups!) will also be parts of this cool event. Tickets are only $20 in advance, $25 day of.

Here are the full details:

http://lincolntheatre.com/schedule.htm

Zac Brown Band w/ Sonia Leigh / Levi Lowery / Nic Cowan

Inside Stage
Johnny Orr & the South Station Band
Playing between the Outside Bands

Jim Quick & Coastline
After Party Following Zac Brown Band

5:00PM Doors
5:15PM Show

This show is outside on the Lincoln Theatre Street StageSee y'all there!


{Image: RoughStock.com}

A New Venture & BBQ Tonight!

Brandon and I are no culinary experts, but we know our BBQ... so we've started a blog about it!

Join us TONIGHT at The Pit in Downtown Raleigh for a fan viewing of their Throwdown with Bobby Flay from the Food Network!

http://www.ncbbqtour.com/2009/05/our-first-event.html

Two BDL Performances in One Month

Raleigh is a lucky, lucky city!

Not only did we get ONE Brian Davis Live performance on May 2nd at Boots, Bands, and Bulls... but Brian will also be here on May 29th. Hot damn!



I just may have to save heading for the beach for Saturday morning!