by Laura Beth Peters Thanksgiving Day is a big deal generally, but down south it's truly the time for the southern hostess to shine. The day often has been preceded by weeks of planning the menu and table setting and hopefully a little delegation as well, although that’s hard for some hosts that tend … Continue reading Six Traditions For A Southern Thanksgiving
by Julia’s Simply Southern It’s officially autumn in the south and that means we are in high season for fresh local apples. Apple season is a favorite time of year to enjoy apple festivals and make trips to the orchard to pick your own ripened apples straight from the tree. What do you do … Continue reading How To Make Apple Pie Bread Pudding
by Laura Beth Peters Like most southerners, when I think of autumn, I think of cooler temperatures, leaves changing colors... and apples. As in picking apples at the local apple orchard, drinking sweet and spicy cider and delighting in thick slices of apple pie. It’s an exciting season of fall foods, so I'm sharing four … Continue reading Four Ways To Enjoy Apples In The Fall
By Julie Anne Lindsey My deep and abiding love for West Virginia has been a lifetime in the making. The result, no doubt, of countless weekends and vacations spent in the Wild and Wonderful state. I learned everything I needed to know about life during those long and lazy trips, all courtesy of my … Continue reading Author Julie Anne Lindsey Tells Us Why She Loves West Virginia
by Chika Gujarathi In what seems like a page out of a storybook, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina, is quite easily one of the most magical book stores one may ever encounter. Located in Fearrington Village, an English-inspired community on a former dairy farm, it is not unusual to pass a few grazing … Continue reading Fearrington Village’s McIntyre’s Books In Pittsboro, NC
by Laura Beth Peters Imagine a porch filled with rocking chairs and people sitting in those rockers with dogs laying at the feet of those around them, screened doors pulled open and slamming shut as kids dash out to play tag with one another, glasses with perspired edges filled with ice cold sweet tea, … Continue reading The Thing About Sunday Dinner In The South
by Chika Gujarathi I live in one of Raleigh’s historic neighborhoods where the thrill of the holidays is hard to escape around this time of the year. So it felt like a happy coincidence when I picked up Karen White’s newest novel, Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street, which is not only set in a … Continue reading The Christmas Spirits On Tradd Street By Karen White
by Nikki Terpilowski I've always enjoyed visiting wineries, but when I decided to try the keto diet earlier this year, wine was off limits... but whiskey with its zero carbs was in like flynn. As such, whenever I travel, instead of looking for the best wineries in the area to visit, I've been looking … Continue reading A Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, VA
by Stephanie Edwards Visitors to Charleston, South Carolina would be hard pressed to find a more perfect setting to listen to a ghost story than the Unitarian Universalist Church graveyard, where the Spanish moss sways in the wind, beckoning them to wander through the maze of lush overgrowth and headstones dating back to 1772. … Continue reading Getting Spooky With The Ghosts of Charleston Tour in Charleston, SC
by Karen White I’m one of those people who believes it’s time to throw on a sweater if the temperature drops below seventy degrees. This might stem from those long car rides each summer from up north down to the Mississippi Delta to visit my mother’s family. My dad, raised during the Great Depression in … Continue reading Author Karen White Talks Mississippi, Coca-Cola And The Ghosts of Charleston
by Laura Beth Peters Nothing separates the north and south like our preferences in iced tea. It’s funny to even write iced tea because I usually only call it sweet tea. Growing up in Tennessee, there was typically a pitcher always ready on the kitchen counter with the top covered in plastic wrap and … Continue reading How To Make Sweet Iced Tea
by Stephanie Edwards Grits are a staple of Lowcountry cuisine, but few restaurants allow diners to explore as many flavor combinations as The Grit Counter in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Delicious wholesome ingredients, fun combinations, great service and the satisfying comfort of excellent down home southern food makes this casual restaurant tops in our … Continue reading The Best Southern Restaurant in South Carolina Is The Grit Counter in Mount Pleasant
by Stephanie Edwards Whether it’s your first or tenth time visiting Biltmore Estate, it’s easy to see why George Vanderbilt chose the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains to build his summer home in 1888. During our most recent visit, my husband and I hiked to the Vista overlook, where we paused to soak in … Continue reading Autumn Is Amazing At Biltmore Estate In Asheville, NC
When the temperatures begin to dip, the leaves change colors and pumpkin spice abounds, you know Hallmark Channel's seasonal programming to celebrate the fall, Halloween and Christmas can't be far behind. We love the Hallmark Channel's family-friendly programming that centers around love, community, seasonal gatherings, holiday traditions and everything cozy! The south has always celebrated … Continue reading Ten Hallmark Movies We’re Watching To Celebrate The Season
by Chika Gujarathi Amelia Freeman-Lynde wants to help you make things. Her yarn, fabric, and craft supply store called Freeman’s Creative is located in Durham’s Lakewood Shopping Center next to the Scrap Exchange and has been a great addition to the creative community since opening its doors in November of 2017. Growing up in … Continue reading Getting Crafty With Amelia of Freeman’s Creative in Durham, NC
by Chika Gujarathi If you're are anything like me, then chances are that you are looking for your next vacation getaway - even the short but restful weekend kind. Thankfully, living in North Carolina means that the beaches and the mountains are never too far for a few days of rest and relaxation. But … Continue reading The Inn At Celebrity Dairy In Siler City, NC
by Laura Beth Peters A moving truck in the driveway with tired family members unloading boxes and large furniture can only mean one thing in the south: they need a proper welcome! It’s true that the old welcome wagon mentality is fading, but the sentiment it conveys is still needed... people want to feel … Continue reading Welcoming Your Neighbors
by Laura Beth Peters I grew up in a suburb just south of Nashville and always knew that the American South does things a little different. It is more than a slower pace of life, t’s a totally different outlook on life. Now after decades of living here, I’ve decided the uniqueness of the … Continue reading Let’s Get To Know Laura Beth Of The Steel Magnolias Podcast, Shall We?
Fall is almost here, and so are some of our favorite cozy mysteries! We can hardly wait for their release dates to arrive so we can read - or listen to - some of the best cozy mystery authors latest works. We've got an enchanted bakery in Savannah, autumn in the Outerbanks, a West Virginia … Continue reading Four Most Anticipated Southern Cozy Mysteries of Fall 2019
by Angela Zontek Rea Frey’s latest novel hits the ground running so fast, it almost launched out of my hands. The first page doesn’t just hook you, it reaches out, grabs you by the collar, and pulls you into a desperate woman’s trek up a perilous mountainside in the dark. Because You're Mine made my … Continue reading Because You’re Mine by Rea Frey
by Chika Gujarathi Adding to the hustle and bustle of Raleigh’s Warehouse District in downtown, is Morgan Street Food Hall, the first eatery of its kind in the Triangle to introduce the booming trend of food-halls that is sweeping the nation. This 22,000 square feet facility at the corner of Morgan Street and West … Continue reading Chowing Down At Morgan Street Food Hall in Raleigh, NC
by Angela Zontek Every book lover longs for their perfect marriage of themes. My personal favorite is a tightly woven mix of southern women and magic—that mystical, enchanted kind of magic. Karen Hawkins’ new novel brings all the drama of small-town southern women together with the glittering gift of magic to craft a beautiful … Continue reading The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins
by Angela Garrison Zontek If you aren’t familiar with Sean of the South, then you’re not living your best life. Sean Dietrich’s take on the American South is warm, tender, and above all other things – hilarious. His latest novel, Stars of Alabama, does not disappoint. It’s the kind of book where you build relationships … Continue reading We’re Reading Stars of Alabama by Sean Dietrich
by Nikki Terpilowski On one of my recent trips to the Outer Banks during the off-season, I went solo and with the express purpose of visiting every single book store in the area. Fortunately, I was able to visit all but one store on my list which was closed that day. The commonality between all … Continue reading Seven Bookstores To Visit In NC’s The Outer Banks
by Nikki Terpilowski Nothing says summertime like the sweet fresh smell of peaches, and while there are many ways to enjoy peaches in the summer... peach cobbler, peach preserves, and peach ice cream just to name a few. My favorite dessert featuring peaches has to be... peach pie. It's hard to resist buttery flaky crusts, … Continue reading How To Make Sunshine Peach Pie
by Chika Gujarathi Jessi Baker’s Shining isn’t just an amalgamation of spot-on recipes, but also a delicious lesson in Appalachian history and what can happen when one follows their heart’s calling. Inspired by the history of making moonshine, Shining links the roots of early Scottish and Irish settlers in the mountains of Appalachia, distilling spirits … Continue reading We’re Reading Shining: Ole Smoky Moonshine Family Cookbook by Jessi Baker
By Anika Williams When I first had my son, my mother loved to tell me how much of a challenge it would be. Especially when it came to getting him to eat right. “Just you wait until he refuses to eat his vegetables.” She would say. I would smile then, but as a new … Continue reading Seven Ways To Encourage Your Children To Choose Fruits And Vegetable For Snacks
By Angela Garrison Zontek All the best southern days start in a warm kitchen that smells of biscuits and something frying in the skillet. Has anything amazing ever resulted from a bowl of cold, bland cereal? Of course not. Breakfast is our first chance to make the day special, and the meal should be hot. … Continue reading Nine Essentials For A Traditional Southern Breakfast
By Chika Gujarathi If reading books is meant to be an escape, then let your next one be Heather Webber’s newest release, Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe. An accomplished author of the Lucy Valentine and Nina Quinn mystery series, Webber takes a slight detour into the realm of magical realism with this new novel … Continue reading We’re Reading Midnight At The Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber
by Chika Gujarathi Many of my friends have fond memories of cooking or baking as a child with their mothers and grandmothers. When I was growing up in India however, spending time in the kitchen with little ones was not a thing parents did. So in many ways, I feel like I missed out on … Continue reading Four Ways To Have Fun In The Kitchen With Your Children
by Angela Garrison Zontek In their first cookbook, Jessica and Stephen Rose ask readers to consider what peaches mean to them. For me, peaches mean all the wonders of a hot Georgia summer—bare feet, lightning bugs in mason jars, and lazy afternoons at the farmer’s market. I grew up eating peaches off the tree, whole … Continue reading We’re Reading The Peach Truck Cookbook by Jessica Rose and Stephen Rose
By Chika Gujarathi Andrea Bobotis grew up in Greenville, South Carolina with family stories abundant in murder, mystery and intrigue. But it wasn’t until she became an adult that she realized those stories would also make for a great book. Her resulting debut novel, The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt, is not only … Continue reading We’re Reading The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt by Andrea Bobotis
By Megan Cummins The Star Spangled Banner. Fire engine sirens and children laughing while chasing candy tossed from parade floats. Red, white, and blue flags, streamers, banners, and pennants. A sulfur tang in the air and God Bless America on the speakers as fireworks explode in the night sky. But behind the sparklers, under the … Continue reading Celebrate The Fourth Of July With Ten Books About Our US Armed Forces
Let's celebrate America's independence by remembering the reason for the season. Fourth of July has become a fun summer celebration of cookouts, fireworks and pool parties, but it's also a remembrance of how America unified and overcame great obstacles to free itself from England to become its own country. The American Revolution is not a … Continue reading Twelve Books About The American Revolution
Summer is a popular time to make short work of those to-be-read piles that have been stacking up all year long. And while some bookworms love to reach fun romances or women's fiction set at the beach, some bibliophiles prefer the fast-paced, heart racing, page turning effects of domestic suspense. We've compiled an exciting list … Continue reading Three Most Anticipated Southern Domestic Suspense Novels This Summer
By Chika Gujarathi I will be the first one to admit that as a Raleigh resident, I often bundle Cary, North Carolina with all the other suburbs nestled in and around the Research Triangle Park. However, as any Caryite will tell you, this obvious oversight is all of my own making. With a flourishing population … Continue reading A Family Day Out In Cary, NC
By Angela Garrison Zontek After eating all our vegetables and making a sincere offer to help with the dishes, one likes to think they’ve earned a dessert, no? I mean, everyone loves to be rewarded for a job well done. My grandfather always said that a slice of pie aided with digestion, but I suspect … Continue reading Six Essential Southern Desserts
by Chika Gujarathi I don’t come from a strong tradition of family game nights, but thanks to a little board game called Ludo, my parents and I still have a good laugh about dramatic late nights spent keeping the peace between the winners and losers. As a child who grew up in a neighborhood filled … Continue reading Four Ways To Begin A Weekly Family Game Night
by Angela Garrison Zontek “One thing she knows about lies - once they start to stack up, they can topple over, crushing you under the weight of them.” There’s nothing like small-town drama, no? I grew up in one -- a place where it feels like everyone knows everyone -- but despite the sharing … Continue reading We’re Reading Only Ever Her by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
by Angela Garrison Zontek The value of a book should be measured by the amount of sleep you’re willing to sacrifice for the ending. In sleep currency, Dear Wife is a two-pots-of-coffee-the-next-morning kind of story. Despite having small children that wake up before dawn, I was up well past midnight—not one, but two nights … Continue reading We’re Reading Dear Wife By Kimberly Belle
Fuquay-Varina is a small town, but you'd never know it by the number of successful coffee shops located there. Further proof that drinking coffee never goes out of style. Our list of five coffee destinations is an eclectic mix. Several offer scratch-made in-house baked goods, another crafts exquisite chocolates on-site and one is a tiny-house of … Continue reading Five Places To Find Great Coffee In Fuquay-Varina, NC
By Megan Cummins At our house, summertime means sunny afternoons with a book on my front porch, bare feet running through the sprinklers, my Nanny’s homemade, hand-cranked banana ice cream (as kids, we used to fight over whose turn it was to crank that stubborn metal handle—as adults, we find it hilarious that kids are … Continue reading Sixteen Biggest Southern Fiction Releases Of The Summer
by Chika Gujarathi One of life’s simplest joys, I think, is the feeling you get when walking into a bakery and finding a display case filled to the brim with beautifully baked pastries. In that moment, it rarely matters how old we are, rather, we’re transformed into kids in a candy store - we … Continue reading We’re Reading Botanical Baking by Juliet Sear
by Chika Gujarathi I thought I’d be cooler than this, but sure enough, these days I’ll often catch myself lecturing my children on how when I was little, we just played outside all the time. This proves that there are two inescapable parenting truths in this world: 1) We only remember what we want to, … Continue reading How To Go Device-Free on Family Trips
By Angela Garrison Zontek Southern cakes are about occasions. We love to celebrate all things family, every calendar holiday, and all of life’s achievements, both big and small, along the way. Where certain dishes or vegetables might be seasonal, cakes are occasional. One will always find a hummingbird cake during summer festivities and a Lane … Continue reading Four Cakes Southern Cooks Love To Bake
Summertime is almost here, and if you love books as much as we do, we know you're compiling your TBR stack for the summer. Well, guess what? We've done it for you, finding the perfect mix of romance, women's fiction and mystery - all southern fiction, all set at the beach and perfect for reading … Continue reading Six Southern Beach Reads You Need For The Summer
by Chika Gujarathi It’s finally here, the time of the year when each successive trip to the farmers market gets more colorful and beautiful. The bounty of summer is upon us guys, and I can hardly wait to cook light and bright recipes that make the most of this season. Summer or not, however, … Continue reading Three Easy Ways To Get Your Children To Eat More Vegetables
Summer is all about getting outside enjoying some rays and having good times. And there’s no better way to do that than to listen to a fun playlist of music full of good vibrations. We’ve compiled our list of ten songs that we’re listening to this summer. Our list spans the genres of country and … Continue reading Playlist: Ten Feel Good Songs For The Summer
by Tracey Holloway The sight of a good ‘ole-fashioned white picket fence always give me a feeling of nostalgia, evoking warm thoughts of the small town where I was raised. I was delighted to find one framing the entrance of Cultivate Coffee Roasters. Standing on the sidewalk in front of the coffeehouse, I had instant … Continue reading Savoring The Day At Cultivate Coffee Roasters In Fuquay-Varina, NC
by Chika Gujarathi Set in the tiny fictional community of Waves, North Carolina in the Outer Banks, is Jenny Hale’s newest romantic novel, The Summer House. As someone who loves to align her reading with the current season, I was so excited to pick up this book which is filled with new beginnings, friendships, and … Continue reading We’re Reading The Summer House by Jenny Hale
By Taylor Brooks Eating southern brings to mind meals consisting of fried chicken and veggies often flavored with pork, But how do you enjoy southern cuisine if you're a vegetarian or vegan? For most, the response to that question would be - you don't. However, there are many ways you can still enjoy southern food … Continue reading Six Ways To Veganize Your Southern Meal
by Angela Garrison Zontek Hometown girl makes good. Who doesn’t love to see one of their own make it big? Amanda Wilbanks grew up in Habersham County, just south of my grandparents’ farm where I spent the best summers of my childhood. She’s a local girl, still living in beautiful North Georgia, and we’re all … Continue reading The Southern Baked Pie Company In Alpharetta, Georgia
Podcasts are everywhere. Aren't they great? And there's something for everyone, including waxing poetic about the south. That's one of our favorite topics if you can't tell. And so, we found some of the best podcasts around that discuss some of our favorite subjects: southern food, southern culture, entrepreneurs living and working in the south, … Continue reading Three Southern Lifestyle Podcasts You Should Be Listening To Right Now
by Chika Gujarathi Gardening and I have never been friends, and, thanks to my husband and his enviable green thumb, it’s a skill I’ve never really needed to master. In fact, so brown is my thumb that pulling weeds - in essence, killing plants - is the primary role I play in any gardening-related activity … Continue reading We’re Reading Field Guide to Urban Gardening by Kevin Espiritu
by Taylor Brooks I remember when I first heard the quote, Eat to live, don’t live to eat, I had a huge realization that food is there to fuel our bodies and not just satisfy the random cravings. So when I first came across the idea of mindful eating, I was more than intrigued. What … Continue reading Six Simple Ways To Practice Mindful Eating
by Dianna Dames Walking into The Peppered Cupcake, I anticipated the sweet buttery smell of baking cupcakes would meet me first but was completely surprised and charmed by the quaint decor of the shop. The Peppered Cupcake has two locations – one close to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and the other, downtown … Continue reading The Peppered Cupcake Has The Best Cupcakes In Wilmington, NC
by Angela Garrison Zontek Tomato growing in the south can be a tricky task for gardeners, but we get it done. Several varieties of hybrid and heirloom tomatoes manage to thrive in our heat and humidity, and we certainly make the most of every crop. Whether you’ve got a basket of “mountain supremes” or an … Continue reading Tomatoes Three Ways Down South
by Rea Frey Helen Ellis is the type of woman you immediately want as your friend. A sweet, well-mannered southerner who lives in New York, her thick drawl doesn’t hide how smart and sassy she really is. Case in point? When asked about her southern accent, she said it’s her best accessory. “It’s … Continue reading An Interview with Helen Ellis, Author of Southern Lady Code
by Julia’s Simply Southern Spring is a beautiful season in the south. There are countless trees and shrubs blooming and the growing season has begun. One of the first locally grown fruits to show up at farmer’s stands and grocery stores is strawberries. I've heard many farmers and chefs alike say that the mid … Continue reading How To Make Fresh Strawberry Preserves
By Chika Gujarathi I am one of those adults who, if given the chance, can spend the entire day just playing around with arts and crafts supplies. So when I had children, I naturally gravitated to activities that involved artsy things like trips to the art museum, attending craft shows and creating things with our … Continue reading Four Ways To Cultivate A Love Of Arts & Crafts In Your Children
by Angela Garrison Zontek The transportive element of historical fiction is wondrous, no? The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek moves us through time and place to an old mining town in Kentucky, where we see life through the eyes of a woman with skin a brilliant shade of blue. The last of her kind, Cussy … Continue reading We’re Reading The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
by Chika Gujarathi The smell of butter and sugar was in the air as I pulled into a small parking lot off of Lead Mill Road in Raleigh. So much so that even though I didn't see the sign for Southern Sugar Bakery right away, I already knew I was in the right place. I … Continue reading Southern Sugar Bakery in Raleigh, NC
By Megan Cummins To Kentuckians, it’s simply ‘The Derby’. You may also have heard it called ‘The Run for the Roses’ or ‘The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports’. It’s the first stop on the journey to the American Triple Crown, but The Kentucky Derby is so much more than just a race. In … Continue reading Three Books To Read After You Watch The Kentucky Derby
by Jenny Hale The south is full of stories and people who like to tell them. That’s not to say that those in other locations don’t have stories to tell, but there’s something about living in the south that sparks my creativity and makes a narrative come alive for me. Maybe it’s the fact … Continue reading Author Jenny Hale Explores The Common Culture Of The South
by Angela Garrison Zontek In southern kitchens, nothing is more iconic than the cast iron skillet. In fact, no other culinary artifact from the 20th century has enjoyed the same longevity, or popularity, as cast iron cookware. Unlike most treasured family heirlooms, the cast iron skillet never collects dust, instead, it serves as a working … Continue reading Six Reasons You Should Be Cooking With Cast Iron
by Chika Gujarthi It wasn’t long ago when cookbooks started layering personal essays with recipes as a way to evoke our interest beyond just the ingredients and methods. Using a similar spin is Kerry Bogert’s expertly curated Coffeehouse Knits - Knitting Patterns and Essays with Robust Flavor, which provides a perfect combination of know-how and … Continue reading We’re Reading Coffeehouse Knits by Kerry Bogert
by Taylor Brooks Just when I thought I knew of all the best spots to grab a beer around downtown Raleigh, I ventured a little further down West North Street to find Little City Brewing + Provisions, a hidden gem of a brewery. Pull up a seat, and stay a while is written on the window outside, … Continue reading Popcorn And Beer At Little City Brewing + Provisions in Raleigh, NC
by Angela Garrison Zontek Southern bread is an experience... the smell, the texture and the weight. In the south, the making of bread is a family affair, and most of us have fond memories of rolling out dough with our mothers and grandmothers. I used an amber floral drinking glass, 70’s style, to cut out … Continue reading Four Types of Bread Every Southern Cook Loves
by Chika Gujarathi In an unassuming strip mall on the outskirts of Cary’s thriving downtown, is a sweet spot that the locals love. Vida Dulce - Spanish for the sweet life - is an ice cream shop with a deliciously Mexican flair. Opened in May of 2018, Vida Dulce is still new to the … Continue reading The Best Ice Cream Shop in Cary, NC Is Vida Dulce
by Dianna Dames I noticed Old Books On Front Street about a year ago. It’s nestled towards the end of the shops on Front Street, closer towards Cape Fear Community College. They had a chalkboard easel set up on the sidewalk in front of the store that said, No one loves that old Kindle smell. … Continue reading The Story Behind Old Books On Front Street in Wilmington, NC
Going to a pick-your-own farm is a good time if you go alone, make it a family outing or a destination for your date. You're outside getting some fresh air and sun, you're becoming one with nature, getting back to simpler times... and coming home with a bucket of dessert. Whether you eating fresh strawberries alone, … Continue reading Four Best Places To Pick Strawberries In North Carolina
We're drinking all the strawberry beer this Spring. And why not? What better way to kick back and enjoy the fresh fruity flavors of the season than to drink the best strawberry-inspired beers we could find? It's the beginning of the strawberry season after all. Our roundup of seasonal favorites includes three beers from North … Continue reading Four Strawberry Beers To Drink This Spring
by Nikki Terpilowski When flowers begin to blossom and the temperatures rise, we know strawberry season is not far behind. There are so many delicious ways to eat strawberries, and one of my family's favorites is paired with cake and topped with whipped cream. In the South, pretty much anything can be made better with … Continue reading How To Make Strawberry Shortcake With Biscuits
by Dianna Dames The Azalea Festival first came about in 1948 after Dr. Houston Moore, MD spent several years cultivating the Greenfield Lake area of Wilmington, NC. Inspired by the Rhododendron, or Azalea flower, he successfully rallied the support of community leaders to create a festival in its honor. Over the years, the festival has … Continue reading Weekend at The Azalea Festival In Wilmington, NC
by Tracey Holloway Located on the corner block of a quintessential Main Street, USA, The Mill stands as a newer addition to downtown Fuquay-Varina in North Carolina. Upon entrance, wafts of aromatic roasted beans tantalized my nose and lured me in. I do love a good gut job and The Mill, with its brick-walled interior, … Continue reading Taking A Coffee Break At The Mill in Fuquay-Varina, NC
by Taylor Brooks If you are a fan of beer, or just a fan of having a good time, you will definitely be a fan of at least one of Trophy Brewing’s three locations. For your food truck days with friends, pizza nights with the family, or dinner dates downtown, Trophy has a location to … Continue reading Fun And Games At Trophy Brewing and Taproom In Raleigh, NC
by Angela Garrison Zontek The Southern side dish is an important part of our culture. Often, our seasons are marked by the sides we choose to serve, for instance, you know it's summer when potato salad takes the place of mashed potatoes, and it’s definitely fall when the corn pudding makes an appearance on your … Continue reading Ten Side Dishes For The Southern Cook
by Dianna Dames Located on the outskirts of Wilmington, in a suburb called Ogden, I've passed The Sour Barn many times and thought about stopping there. The parking lot is always packed, a variety of food trucks are frequently on hand and I've heard nothing but good things. I decided Saint Patrick’s Day was the … Continue reading The Best Taproom In Wilmington, NC is The Sour Barn
By Anika Williams Walking around Lafayette Village in North Raleigh is one of my favorite ways to pass the time. It's an adorable European-style village in the middle of suburban Raleigh that approximates a small town in France but actually houses locally-owned gourmet restaurants and upscale shopping. It was on one of my strolls around … Continue reading Coffee And Biscuits At Jubala Village In Raleigh, NC
By Anika Williams Kids are born with devices attached to their hands. The milestone for technology is practically non-existent. I remember begging my mom to let me get a cellphone. Then on my thirteenth birthday how proud and elated I was to finally receive one. My sister had an iPod Touch when she was five … Continue reading Do You Know What Your Children Are Watching? There’s A Website For That
by Taylor Brooks What would the South be without its traditional dishes? Typically, full of warmth and comfort, for those who are trying to make healthier eating choices the Southern favorites seem to be out of the question. But, with a few changes, you can make Southern food healthy. And we know healthy means different … Continue reading Ten Simple Ways To Make Your Southern Food Favorites Healthy
by Debbie Burdick The search for donuts often leads to well-known national chains, some of which have kiosks even in the local gas stations. However, one Durham donut shop can be found not in, but next to a corner gas station, and the owners and bakers are often right inside rather than at corporate headquarters. … Continue reading Stopping For Donuts At Baker’s Dozen In Durham, NC
by Nikki Terpilowski Visit one of our favorite bakeries in Fuquay-Varina in the early morning hours, and you'll be greeted by the smells of butter, cinnamon and the tantalizing scent of rising bread. You'll hear the sounds of the staff calling out to each other, the dull thump of hands pounding dough and the low chatter … Continue reading Scratch Made Goodness at Stick Boy Bread Company in Fuquay-Varina, NC
by Debbie Burdick Helado. The Spanish word for ice cream slides over the tongue as easily as ice cream itself. At Pincho Loco, the ice cream and dessert shop tucked between Broad and Ninth streets in Durham, this creamy delight takes on many forms. True to a Latin American sense of style, the little shop announces … Continue reading Enjoying An Ice Cream At Pincho Loco In Durham, NC
by Chika Gujarathi When it comes to family fun, Raleigh has a lot to offer. So much so, that sometimes it’s precisely the abundance of options that makes it tricky to plan for a fun and relaxing day out. Well, today, I have an itinerary that is slightly off the beaten path, but it still … Continue reading A Family Day Out In Raleigh, NC
by Debbie Burdick Pristine nature is a relative rarity. Just ask any seasoned hiker how many times she or he has been enjoying a “natural” view and then stumbled upon an old cellar pit or a stone wall that once marked the edge of a farm. Nature taking back its own has its charms though, … Continue reading What Does Hiking And NASCAR Have In Common? The Occoneechee Speedway Trail
by Chika Gujarathi When I recently came across the chance to review Geoffrey Fisher’s Slingshots & Key Hooks: 15 Everyday Objects Made from Foraged and Gathered Wood, it was nearly impossible to say no. This is quite a strange decision because I am not, nor have I ever been, a carpenter, a woodworker, or even a … Continue reading We’re Reading 15 Everyday Objects Made From Foraged and Gathered Wood
cby Taylor Brooks As if you needed another reason to venture into downtown Raleigh, I’m about to give you one more. Ashley Christensen is an award-winning chef, located in Raleigh and she owns five restaurants and bars scattered around downtown. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit one of her restaurants, Chuck’s Burgers. … Continue reading Dinner At Chuck’s Burgers In Raleigh, NC
By Anika Williams I love downtown Raleigh with it's hustle and bustle, sights and the many spontaneous events that it hosts. Parades, street festivals, and arts and crafts shows are just a few that come to mind. Now that the weather is taking a turn for the warmer, I took my family and headed downtown … Continue reading Getting Creative At Read With Me Bookstore In Raleigh, NC
Spring is upon us and we're ready for the season of light, fruity IPAs. One of our favorite local breweries is Gizmo Brew Works. Have you seen the crazy list of beers these guys offer? It's bananas and we love it. With beers infused with eclectic flavors like lavender, French toast and peppermint, we're not … Continue reading What We’re Drinking This Week: Gizmo Brew Works Raspberry Milkshake IPA
by Nikki Terpilowski I thought I knew all of the coffee shops in Fuquay-Varina. But recently, I drove down Broad Street and saw a new sign on one of the historic buildings I've always found so intriguing. It was the location for a butcher for a while, was empty and now it's filled with chocolates, … Continue reading Love And Chocolate At Tsuru Sweets & Coffee In Fuquay-Varina, NC
by Nikki Terpilowski Pancakes are the ultimate in comfort food. Wonderful at breakfast paired with whipped cream and fresh fruit, as a side to scrambled eggs and sausage or bacon but perfectly delicious alone with butter and Maple syrup. One of the ways Southerners have traditionally prepared pancakes is with buttermilk, which gives them that … Continue reading How To Make Old Fashion Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Pancakes
by Angela Garrison Zontek Every good Southern cook knows the basics of meal planning: meat, bread, and a side (or two or three). There are certain mainstays in the pantheon of Southern dishes—if you're cooking Southern, you should know these. Dressed up, or scaled down, these Southern mains are down-home, traditional, and always satisfying. Let’s … Continue reading Nine Classic Entrees Every Southern Cook Should Know
by Taylor Brooks I enjoy visiting new bars and was excited to visit The Blind Barbour. Pulling up to the strip mall, I had to double check my GPS to make sure I put in the correct address. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect a bar to be behind one of the doors, but it doesn’t take … Continue reading Drinks At The Blind Barbour In Raleigh, NC
by Angela Garrison Zontek Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis is a literary cocktail of hilarious insights, snark, and shockingly good advice—best consumed with a vodka lemonade (and a shortbread cookie). Helen Ellis is the beloved author of Eating the Cheshire Cat and American Housewife. In her latest book, Southern Lady Code, she speaks to her readers … Continue reading We’re Reading Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis
by Anika Williams As a mother of a three-year-old boy, I’ve had my fair share of nighttime throwdowns. Sometimes it would start right away, and he would refuse to clean up his toys in order to stay awake longer. Other times I would get all the way out of his room before he would have … Continue reading Six Ways To Get Your Child To Bed On Time
by Anika Williams I’ve always loved books and I often seek the refuge of bookstores in my area. There is a mixture of big-box chain bookstores and independent bookstores in the greater Raleigh-area and I thought I'd visited them all. So I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon an independent bookstore in Wake … Continue reading A Visit To Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC
Who doesn't like fluffy buttery sweet pancakes for breakfast? Or lunch? Or dinner? It's one of those meals that can appease the finickiest of eaters, both child, and adult. We know it's pretty hard to mess up pancakes and they're actually really good, whether you get them at a drive-thru window at a fast-food restaurant, … Continue reading Three Best Places To Eat Pancakes In North Carolina
The capital city of Raleigh is host to good food, great shopping, interesting historical sites and a diverse collection of independent bookstores. Raleigh is fortunate to be able to sustain more than one bookstore and we're happy to support them all. Here's a look at three of our favorite bookstores in Raleigh. Quail Ridge Books … Continue reading Our Three Favorite Bookstores In Raleigh, North Carolina
by Anika Williams Don't marry into murder. No Good Tea Goes Unpunished is the second book in the Seaside Café Mysteries series by Bree Baker. Set in a coastal community, it’s a fabulous breezy mystery for anyone looking for a little fun with a side of danger. Tea shop owner, Everly Swan is back home in Charm, North … Continue reading We’re Reading No Good Tea Goes Unpunished by Bree Baker