Smoothies For Your Health (and Tasty Enjoyment)!

Adrianne and I were talking about our love of smoothies last night and how we couldn't figure out why Planet Smoothie's new franchisee didn't wait until the slow of summer to close the Hillsborough Street location instead of before exams... maybe they need a business consulting team... one comprised of the Jeffries/Fields girls? ;-)

So this post is dedicated to smoothies in Raleighwood!

From Sue Stock's retailing column today:

An update on our Planet Smoothie stores, which closed because a new franchisee was taking them over: The store at 6325 Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh already reopened. The store at 2302 Hillsborough St. in Raleigh will reopen May 23, and the store at 966 High House Road in Cary will reopen in mid-June.From Sue's "Taking Stock" blog:On May 7 (that's Wednesday), Planet Smoothie will launch a new program to promote the health benefits of drinking smoothies. All summer, every Wednesday, Planet Smoothie stores will offer a smoothie from each of its "lifestyle categories" for 99 cents. Here's the schedule:

*May 7: Leapin’ Lizard (peaches, strawberries and fat burner blast from the Weight Loss lifestyle category)

*June 4: Spazz (strawberries, bananas and booster blast from the Energy lifestyle category)

*July 2: Chocolate Chimp (chocolate, bananas & protein blast from the Protein lifestyle category)

*August 6: Twig & Berries (strawberries, bananas, & yogurt from the Cool Blended lifestyle category)

*September 3: Screamsicle (pineapple, peaches, orange juice, sherbet & anti-oxidant blast from the Wellness lifestyle category

And, as I wrote in this week's Retailing column, our area Planet Smoothie stores are in the process of reopening under new ownership. The one on Falls of Neuse Road in Raleigh is already open. The store on Hillsborough Road in Raleigh will open on May 23. And the Cary store will open in mid-June.

Even More Coming to Cameron Village

Sue Stock is quickly becoming one of my FAVORITE N&O writers, but no one can ever replace Dennis Rogers. Ashton Smith has always been one of my favorites, and I love her even more for sending me a daily update of what Sue (and other Raleighs) are covering!

From Cameron Village Evolves:

Despite being one of the country's oldest shopping centers, Raleigh's Cameron Village remains one of this area's most popular shopping destinations.

One reason is that the center is continually evolving, in an effort to stay fresh in the face of ever-increasing competition from new malls and the consumer spending slowdown. The changes at Cameron Village tend to come in waves, and I've got several to report:

* Cherry Modern Design is closing this month, and home furnishings and accessories store Carlton & Co. will relocate to the Cherry Modern Design space on June 1.

* Foster's restaurant -- formerly Nelsons -- will reopen Thursday.

* Cameron Bar & Grill will open this coming week. It is owned by the folks who own the North Ridge Pub and Cafe Tiramisu in North Raleigh. (See my perpetual blogs on this.)

* Next door, a chain called The Flying Biscuit Cafe will open its first Triangle store this fall, selling a vast array of biscuit-related food. Its only other North Carolina store is in Charlotte. (Mmmm... biscuits.)

* BurgerDawgz will open next to Piccola Italia late this year or early next year, serving milkshakes, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. (The BF will LOVE this.)

Why Wait for Cinco de Mayo?

...when Buckhead's got Tres de Mayo!!

Starting at 1pm tomorrow, we're doing it block party style again with lots of live music, Corona specials, and headline act... The Embers!!

As a special treat for my blog readers, I have free - YES FREE - tickets ($5 at the door) for any one who reposts this absolutely pertinent info and either leaves me a comment telling me so, or leaves me a link to it! Once you do it... we'll chat specifics for getting you your tickets! (I'll give you tickets for you and few guests!)

Email me at Lisa.Jeffries@gmail.com or NCSULilWolf@gmail.com if you haven't heard from me by 11pm tonight. I have land steward training in Wilmington in the AM, but if you post the blog early tomorrow AM, we'll take care of it when I get back tomorrow afternoon!

I can't wait to see you all there - please come find me and say hello!

Calling All eBay-ers!

My beloved sorority (actually, ahem, Fraternity for Women), Pi Beta Phi, has teamed up with First Book to provide books to children everywhere - helping to promote one of the most important life skills of all - literacy.

I am so impressed by the work being done by First Book, based out of Washington, D.C. and really hope that any of you who will be doing any eBay (selling or buying!) transactions will please think of the following when doing so!

First Book and eBay Harness the Power of MANY!

We are thrilled to announce that First Book is joining forces with eBay Foundation for Community Gives - the first online giving campaign designed to engage the eBay Community in supporting First Book’s work.

First Book is one of only three organizations eBay Foundation has chosen to support as part of the campaign, which was launched Monday with a $1 million grant split evenly among the three. Visitors to the site are encouraged to buy, sell or donate on behalf of First Book.

You can help! Do you have something you were ready to put in the garage sale pile? Sell it on eBay on behalf of First Book — you set the portion to benefit the charity. Or make a donation for as little as $1; for every person who gives to First Book, eBay will give an additional dollar. (Be sure to select First Book.)

Visit the site to read some great stories from local programs transformed by First Book — and help us spread the word today!PS - Check out First Book's blog and add it to your daily reads!

A Precious N&O Article About the NC Children's Hospital

Just a Little Horse Play at Children's Hospital
Harnessing a bit of happiness for young patients

"If you thought you heard a horse whinny Wednesday at the N.C. Children's Hospital, it was probably Snowball.
The white miniature horse was one of three to visit young patients, and she let at least one startling, loud cry escape from her small body.

Children ran hands through the horses' manes, fed them Shredded Wheat cereal, or just looked at them through a tangle of IV poles and wheelchairs in the children's play area on the seventh floor."Published today in the N&O, take 2 minutes to read it and enjoy a smile for a while.

27 Dresses Now on DVD!

Luckily, every bride that I've had the honor of being a part of her wedding day has FABULOUS taste and I've never been subjected me to some of the horrors featured in 27 Dresses. And I love each and every one of my girls for it!

I'm guessing that 99% of my readers have had their fair share of time served as a bridesmaid.

I'd even venture another guess that a good portion of those readers are probably booked through the next few years (I've got quite a few dresses on order now for my girls' upcoming shindigs). If that's the case, I highly suggest all of you see this movie with your teammates if you haven't already.

Part of the E. Riley-Dorn bridesmaids' team took a Sunday to go see this together and now I can't listen to "Benny & the Jets" without thinking fondly of my sisters and fellow bridesmaids.

(So how'd I know that 27 Dresses is on DVD now? When I was heading over to photobucket to post the S&tC photo in my previous post... 27 Dresses had taken over pb and it's adorable! It reminded me how much I loved the advertising for that movie, too!)

So Freakin' Fabulous I Could Spit Glitter...

...sometimes.

Which is probably why all the sparkly new promo (literally) for the upcoming Sex & the City movie is so darn appealing to me. I really can't wait for May 30th!

Full disclaimer: There is absolutely NOTHING Southern about the stories and characters from Sex & the City - but I still love it - and this is my blog, so I get to write about it. ;-)

(It also makes me SO excited that Buckhead is always on the ball when it comes to these things... Lindsay Bartels is the woman!) Check out our latest girl-friendly promo:

PS - The movie has a blog!!! Guess what SO just made it to my reader.

Update: Cameron Bar & Grill Coming Soon!

If you read my previous post on new additions to Cameron Village you might be as excited as I am to read that Cameron Bar and Grill should be opening in the middle of this coming week (the good news came from the always ahead of the game GoGoRaleigh.com blog).

Hopefully the food will be delish (a possibility noted in the GGR article based on the owners' history)... and some outdoor seating would be icing on the cake.

Update: We Spend Our Summers at the Creek

My original post, lives here.

Walnut Creek, (formerly Alltel Pavilion), Time Warner Cable whatever it is now - identity crisis aside - has done an EXCELLENT job putting together an exciting "season" (I mean, it does last from April to October) for 2008! Last year, I would have swore up and down they were on the verge of going out of business having lack luster events planned other than the standard six or seven country concerts and the loss of their title sponsor.

This year however, a better Mega-Ticket line-up including Tim McGraw, and incorporating Maroon 5, Tom Petty, Journey, James Taylor, and Jack Johnson into their schedule guarantees that less of my paycheck will ever make it into savings.

Are you an Outlook or Google calendar junkie like me? I added the events into a comma separated values file (perfect for importing) of almost all of the shows. Anything that gets added from here may or may not get updated... but I'm saving everyone a good 30 minutes.

Here ya go!

DowntownRaleigh.com Sponsoring This Weekend's "Salute To Our Troops" Parade and Festival

Those cool kids at DowntownRaleigh.com are at it again! This time they're sponsoring something near and dear to my heart... Salute To Our Troops. Not only is this great event aimed at saying "Thank You" and "We Support You" to our current servicemen, it's also meant to do the same for their families... the ones who make a sacrifice many can never begin to comprehend.

Here's what DowntownRaleigh.com's "What's Down...Town" weekly email newsletter says about the event (sign up here for the weekly dish):

On Saturday, April 26 at 1000 hours, North Carolinians will have an opportunity to show why their state is the Nation’s Most Military Friendly State as Salute to Our Troops kicks off with a parade in downtown Raleigh!

It will be the largest military parade in the history of the state. Personnel from every branch of the military and from bases across North Carolina will gather for the parade which begins at 10 a.m. on the south end of Fayetteville Street with a flyover by F-15E Strike Eagle jet aircraft from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. The parade formation will head north from the intersection of Fayetteville and Davie Streets to the State Capitol Building and then north to and around the state government complex. Military service members from the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, North Carolina National Guard and each service’s reserve group will be participating.

In addition to service members and their families, there will be military bands, drill teams and honor guards as well as marching bands from the universities, colleges and high schools of North Carolina. Vehicles including military armored personnel carriers, mobile missile launch systems, medical transport equipment and other tactical assets will also be featured in the parade. Riders on the floats will primarily be military family members.

The parade is just the start of the day’s events! Public and military access to an open static display area of equipment used by the modern day military will begin at the conclusion of the parade. Including weaponry, armored vehicles, marine rescue, climbing walls and other equipment. These displays will be provided by active military bases, military branch recruiting and military contractors/suppliers. Also, there will be at least four maybe six NASCAR team’s show cars sponsored by various branches of the military. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series show cars for 2008 will be on exhibition and in the parade.

So be sure to come on out to line Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh at 10am to show the nation that North Carolina is the most military friendly state!

Detailed information on the parade and the day’s events is available at the official event web site: http://www.saluteournctroops.org/.

Vote Swagger For Best of the West!

As many of you know, I'm all about local businesses!

If you will (you know... when you have some "free" time at work tomorrow - or you're bored - or whatever....) please cast your votes in Cary News' Best of the West! This is all about small businesses in Cary, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, and Western Wake in general and I would SO appreciate any votes for Swagger (as I know owner Mandy Becker would!) that any of you would like to contribute!

What's Swagger you say?

Swagger is hands down my favorite gifts and accessories boutique located in the heart of Lochmere and its owner, Mandy Becker, is pretty much one of the most fabulous girls I know. I started doing eNewsletters for Mandy over a year ago and now I help her manage Swagger's growing website and creative development including product content, blogs, and more on an almost daily basis.

So why am I asking my blog readers to vote? Simple: because I recommend the girls at Swagger to EVERYONE I know! I know that anyone I send that way will leave as one very, VERY happy shopper.

If you are one of my many friends who's ventured in to Swagger, shopped online at SwaggerGifts.com, or even purchased something Swagger at Accessorize with Pi Phi, please cast your vote and let others know as well!

Are Parking Lot Parties a Southern Thing?

I think they might be... if not, I don't care. I'm still going anyway.

Just some real quick info for my Buckhead (official site) fans out there:

Tomorrow evening (as in Thursday, April 24th) Buckhead Saloon - my favorite bar on the face of this planet... OBVIOUSLY - is kickin' off one of the most ridiculous weekends in Raleigh (Beer Festival, TBMF, Salute Our NC Troops, etc., etc.) with a good ol' PARKING LOT PARTY!

Buckhead's partnered up with The Preiss Co. to kick off this weekend's un-official start to summer and put "dead week" to bed!

Come out from 5pm to 9pm at University Woods on Trailwood Drive (just off Tryon Road or Avent Ferry Road). You guys know how we roll on college night and how The Preiss Co. loves to throw a party for their residents... so naturally it's going to be a great time!

It's going to be a BYOB parking lot party. There will be food, beer pong, live music and it will be a lot of fun.

See y'all there!

PS - We're taking it back to Buckhead after for Ladies Night (no cover for girls, $3.00 Buckhead Martinis, and $3.00 glasses of wine) and Group Therapy ($10 for a beer tube of 5 pints and 5 shots - for groups of 5 or more) and you guessed it... MORE BEER PONG!

Movies by Moonlight at Koka Booth!

Thanks Ashton!

I think taking in a movie outside under the stars sounds just darling! If you're game (and who wouldn't be for only $3.00!) check out: Movies By Moonlight at Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park.

Here's a quick look at the Thursday night summer schedule:

June 5: The Bourne Ultimatum
June 12: The Bee Movie
June 19: We Are Marshall
June 26: Gremlins

July 3: Hairspray
July 10: A Prairie Home Companion
July 17: Twilight Zone - The Movie
July 24: Jurassic Park

August 7: Breakfast At Tiffany's (Yay!)
August 14: Shrek The Third

According to the website: "For a mere $3, kids under 12 are free, patrons can bring a blanket/chair and picnic dinners inside the venue as the spacious lawn at Booth Amphitheatre is transformed in to an outdoor movie theatre.

Venue Gates/Box Office Open at 7pm and the movies start at dusk. Come early and enjoy live music by some of the regions most talented artists!"

For All You Boaters Out There...

You'd think I would have been aware of this... but it's good to news to me nonetheless:

"Falls Lake may be full, but boaters are still facing high gas prices. The marina is charging $3.80 per gallon.

Poole recommends that boaters save their gas receipts. Boaters are being charged a highway tax, but since they are not burning the gas on the highway, that money can be recouped during tax time.

The amount averages between 42 and 50 cents savings per gallon, she said."That's from the WRAL story on the booming marina business out at Falls Lake this past weekend! Read the full article online.

Nappy Roots Tonight!

After you get your fill of The Embers at North Hills, join me at Buckhead in supporting SUCH a great cause and those boys from Alpha Sig who hold a special place in my heart :-)

The Brothers of ΑΣΦ proudly present Nappy Roots

TONIGHT - Thursday April 17th 2008.
Buckhead Saloon, Raleigh NC

Tickets $10 presale/$15 at the door

Proceeds benefit Canine Companions for Independence!
http://www.caninecompanions.org/

Buckhead has the following age requirements.
Girls 18+
Guys 21+

DRINK SPECIALS FOR THE CONCERT
$2.00 Miller Draft
$5.00 Bombs
$10.00 Beer Tower + 5 Shots
$3.00 Wine
$3.00 Martinis
$2.50 Miller Products