by Anna Brescia | Oct 19, 2021 | Eat, October 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE You can’t beat a classic G&T—and these Triangle bars are serving up some of the best in town.
Vodka drinkers step aside—this one’s for the gin lovers. Everyone loves a classic gin and tonic—they’re refreshing, light and full of flavor. Lucky for us, the Triangle is home to some amazing gin bars serving up tasty spins on G&Ts. Here, we round up some of our top spots to sip this perennial fave.
Barcelona Wine Bar is serving up not one, not two, but five different G&Ts to help you get your gin fix. In addition to Barcelona’s classic GinTonic (featuring grapefruit, lime and jasmine), the Warehouse District resto offers a fruit varietal with grapefruit, elderflower, strawberry, lemon and pink peppercorn; a leaf varietal with juniper berries, lemon and bay leaves; a flower varietal with elderflower, rosebud, lime and cucumber; and a root varietal with ginger beer, cardamom, ginger and lime. Oh, and did we mention they prepare your drinks tableside? We’ll see you there tonight…
Visit Glenwood South’s newest hangout for one of the most Insta-worthy drinks in all of Raleigh: the gin and tonic tree! Complete with five G&Ts, this is the perfect way to order a round for the table. Another honorable mention: Highgarden’s This Ain’t a Surfing Movie, a spin on a gin and tonic with Empress gin, strawberry gin, lime and tonic.
This hidden-in-plain-sight speakeasy offers up a crazy number of gin and tonic combos. With over 30 gins and 10 tonics, there are literally thousands of drink combinations at your fingertips. If that’s too overwhelming, test your luck by ordering the dealer’s choice G&T, which is guaranteed to be tasty and creative.
DTR’s resident gin bar is obviously a go-to when it comes to gin and tonics. The menu boasts 70-plus gins and eight diff tonics—no stress, everyone there is super-friendly and can help you find your best match. Plus there’s Bittersweet’s Gin and Jam (your choice of gin shaken up with a locally made jam) which technically isn’t a G&T, but is too good to pass up.
Durham Distillery’s bar is serving up Conniption gins—made in-house—with house-crafted tonic for the ultimate G&T during this boozy holiday. And Corpse Reviver’s winter G&T balances gin botanicals with seasonal fruits and herbs for the perf cool-weather sipper. Plus, nothing beats sipping a liquor in the distillery!
by Anna Brescia | Oct 12, 2021 | October 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Two celebrity chefs are going head-to-head for a virtual cooking competition to benefit Rise Against Hunger.
In honor of World Food Day—a United Nations holiday dedicated to promoting worldwide awareness and action for the global hunger crisis—Raleigh-based nonprofit Rise Against Hunger is hosting its first-ever Chef Showdown on Oct. 15 to fight (and raise awareness about) global food insecurity.
Now until the end of the broadcast, chefs will create dishes inspired by the countries that benefit from Rise Against Hunger’s support—and viewers can vote for their fave chef/dish by donating $10 or more to the nonprofit via the chef’s web pages to benefit children and families facing food insecurity.
“The food industry and NGOs working to end hunger both have a shared understanding of the power of a meal on a person’s life,” says Rise Against Hunger CEO Barry Mattson. “The Chef Showdown will showcase this connection, both through people voting for their favorite chef-created dish and through supporting Rise Against Hunger’s work to nourish lives globally. With rates of hunger increasing globally, taking action to support those affected is of the utmost importance, and tuning into this broadcast allows people to take action and make an impact virtually.”
During the inaugural virtual competition, James Beard Award-winning chef and NYC resto FIELDTIP owner JJ Johnson will go head-to-head with Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship and Cooking Channel’s Cheap Eats host, chef Ali Khan to see who’s skills reign supreme. And whichever chef raises the most funds will be crowned the winner and will take home the Golden Whisk Award. Register for the broadcast and donate here.
by Anna Brescia | Oct 4, 2021 | Do, October 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE October is NC Beer Month and we’re celebrating by visiting our fave local breweries and trying out new ones across the state.
Three cheers for local beer! October is NC Beer Month—the perfect excuse to reach for a local brew or visit the 370+ breweries and brewpubs across the state (road trip, anyone?!). Since craft beer is essential to the NC experience, put down the Bud and Natty Light and take this opp to partake in the bevvy of brews our great state has to offer. Below, we round up some of the many ways to celebrate NC Beer Month in Raleigh—and beyond.
Visit Your Fave Local Breweries
NC Beer Month is the ideal time to head out to a locally owned brewery—and many have regular events throughout the month that are sure to strike your frothy fancy. Whether you like to sip on a brew while listening to local music at Bond Brothers Eastside or partake in some trivia at Raleigh Brewing Company, there’s a local brewery spot with a seat and sudsy select for you.
As you visit breweries around the state, use Untappd to unlock limited edition NC Beer Month Passport badges and earn entries in the annual NC Beer Month Passport Sweepstakes!
Also be sure to check out some of the brews that took home prizes at this year’s NC Brewers Cup competition. This year had over 800 entries from 110 breweries—marking this year as the largest to date and the largest single state commercial competition in the Southeast. And to extend your beercation beyond October, stay tuned for Bull City Ciderworks’ Cary opening, slated for November/December.
Raleigh Beer Trail
Up for a challenge? Take on Raleigh’s Beer Trail and try brews from 42 Triangle breweries, including faves like Crank Arm Brewing, Trophy Brewing Co. and Wye Hill Brewing. And while you’re taste-touring the state for the best NC brew, seek out sips that save by tapping into NC breweries participating in Brewing Funds the Cure, benefiting critical pediatric cancer research.
NC Public House
You can also fete local froths at the NC State Fair (Oct. 14–24) through the NC Public House, at its new location in the South Dorton Arena Lobby. Sample sips from dozens of breweries, wineries, cideries and craft soda makers from across the state. You can snag your drink ticket in advance or purchase on-site at the Public House. Inside tip: We’re eyeing the Kegs and Corks Pass, which includes admission and a drink ticket.
by Anna Brescia | Sep 29, 2021 | Buzz, September 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Duke Energy Center and Live Nation are the most recent additions to the list of ever-growing venues requiring proof of vaccination.
Keys, phone, wallet… vax card. The list of places where you need proof of vaccination to get in is growing every day, with Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts as the newest addition to the list.
Starting Oct. 1, all shows at Duke Energy Center—think NC Theatre, Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Opera, North Carolina Symphony and PineCone shows—will require either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test in order to attend live events. And regardless of vaccination status, all attendees will be required to wear a mask during the duration of the performance.
And Duke Energy Center isn’t the first local venue to require proof of vaccination or a negative test, and it won’t be the last. The Durham Performing Arts Center announced a vaccination or negative test requirement earlier this summer, and all Live Nation events (including shows at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek and The Ritz) will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test beginning Oct. 4.
In short, if you want to attend live music, shows and other events, go get your shot (visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ website to locate a vaccine clinic nearest you). With the list of venues and businesses requiring a vax card getting longer and longer, you’re going to want a vax card to stay in on all the action—plus there are some additional great perks of getting the shot (think free doughnuts!).
by Anna Brescia | Sep 23, 2021 | Do, September 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Celebrate Take a Child Outside Week by spending some time with your kiddos in the great outdoors.
You may remember spending your youthful days playing outside for hours on end until your parents begged or demanded you come inside. But, as unfortunate as it sounds, most kids today spend a majority of their time indoors. In fact, according to the National Wildlife Association, kids are spending 50% less time outside than they did 20 years ago—which is both shocking and sad.
Enter the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, which is stepping up to make sure that kids (and adults) come together to spend time outdoors through its Take a Child Outside Week, Sept. 24–30.
Take a Child Outside Week is an international initiative led by the museum and is designed to break down the obstacles that keep children from exploring the natural world. More than 150 organizations are participating, including NC State Parks, city and county parks, natural centers, and more. (Fun fact: The initiative was inspired by Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods, where Louv coins the term “Nature Deficit Disorder” and highlights the benefits of spending time outdoors for children.)
Getting outside does wonders for your overall well-being—think boosting your eyesight, enhancing cognitive abilities, improving social relations, and reducing stress and anxiety.
“Free time in nature has been shown to improve every area of a child’s life—from having healthier, stronger bodies to being more successful in school to having better relationships in their community,” says Beth Cranford, program coordinator for the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. “Time outside every day should be part of your regular routine.”
Not sure where to go? No fear, we’ve got all the deets on greenspaces and partner organizations where you can explore and spend some much-needed time in nature. And if you’re still lost, the Take a Child Outside website is full of fun activities for kids of all ages. Now, close that laptop or put down your phone and get outside! See you in the wild!
