by Cameron Rhinehardt | Mar 24, 2022 | Eat, March 2022, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Put a little pep in your step with these 5 spring sips around town.
It’s time to get in the spirit because today is National Cocktail Day! And lucky for us Raleighites, many local bars have just released (or are going to release) their spring cocktail menus this week. What better way to celebrate the warm weather?! Cheers!
Though they’re known for their beer (brewed in house!), Wye Hill makes some killer cocktails—and the ones they’ve crafted up for spring are sure to shake up your patio imbibing sesh this season. Once in a Melon, a Raleigh favorite, is back (!), and it’s brought some friends (see the Smash & Grab feat. fresh honey, lemon and strawberry reduction). We know where we’ll be when it’s sunny and 70 degrees…
As we say a bittersweet goodbye to winter, this popular DTR sup spot has you covered with warm-weather cocktails that are as fresh as a spring breeze (iykyk). Take the Tipsy on Spa Water made with vodka, cucumber, kombucha, hibiscus tea and lavender bitters (can also be made alcohol-free). If the name isn’t enticing enough, maybe the kombucha will pique your interest.
Poppy into STIR for two new March specialty cocktails: the Slackjaw Jack and the Not Your Trinidad. The Slackjaw Jack—a spin on a 1930s martini—allows you to live out those Great Gatsby dreams, while the Not Your Trinidad is a gin-based twist on an Angostura Sour. And while these drinks are delicious on their own, they also happen to pair perfectly with STIR’s oysters. Shell yeah!
You know a cocktail’s gonna be great when it’s got a good name. (As a matter of fact, we wouldn’t blame you for ordering Tazza’s delicious ’tails just from the names.) Case in point, the Girl Talk, a refreshing blend of Tito’s vodka, aperol, grapefruit oleo, lime and tiki bitters, and calling all Euphoria fans, the eponymous Euphoria, a balanced blend of white rum, gin, Licor 43, blue curaçao, lemon, coconut and orange cream bitters. Just to name a few.
Dram’s spring cocktail menu drops at the end of March, but if we know anything about this beloved watering hole’s seasonal sips, we know they’re ure to be iris-istible. Peep their Instagram for a sneak peek and save the date for March 31 to start swilling them all!
by Cameron Rhinehardt | Mar 10, 2022 | Do, March 2022, Web Exclusive
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with one (or all!) of these celebrations in Raleigh.
Feeling lucky? Get yourself to the pint of no return this St. Patrick’s Day with these green celebrations throughout the Triangle—and, remember… it ain’t over ‘til it’s clover.
March 9–20
Goats, food trucks and a Leprechaun Riddle Hunt? Looks like you’ve struck gold. Alpaca the fam into the car and head to Spring Haven Farm for its kid-friendly St. Paddy’s celebration featuring farm animal snuggles, crafts, a tractor train ride, popcorn and more. Who says it’s not easy being green?
March 12
Take a pitcher, it’ll last longer. Post up at Boxcar for drink specials ($6 Pink Whitney Bombs, a $7 Shamrock Shooters) for the human kind, and dog beer for the furry kind (!). That’s right, Fido can come paddy with you too.
March 12
Irish today, hungover tomorrow… Head to Glenwood Social Club for drinks and DJs that promise to shamrock your world. Scoop presale tickets online to skip the lines all day—’cause, hey, it’s worth a shot.
March 12
If “Irish I was drinking…” this DTR bar crawl is just the paddy for you. Tickets include free entry to top bars on Glenwood (think Dogwood, Cornerstone, Village Nightlife and more); themed cocktails; drink and food discounts; and parties before, throughout and after (!) the crawl. Don’t forget to sham-rock your green!
March 12
Milk Bar’s annual St. Patrick’s bash is back—and it promises to be a shamrockin’ good time! Tucker Street between Milk Bar and Carolina Ale House will be shut down starting at noon, making room for live music, drinks and dancing. Don’t want to wait in line? Buy a ticket online to skip it, or score free entry if you’re willing to wait.
March 12
Get your clovers ready and head to Downtown Raleigh to celebrate St. Pat’s parade-style with all things Irish. The 38th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will feature music, drinks and more. Pinch me!
March 13
Work off all that green beer and Irish whiskey through Wendell’s St. Patrick’s Day-themed race—green and gold outfits highly encouraged. Prizes will be awarded to the fastest runners and best-dressed, so bring your lucky charm! Post-run, enjoy Irish-themed drinks and dishes at Farmhouse Cafe.
March 13
If you’re craving Irish-inspired dishes to ring in the Day ‘o Green, Farmhouse Cafe has an exclusive St. Patrick’s Day menu that’ll have you feeling green (think Guinness-braised brats, corned beef and cabbage, and bangers). There’s only two requirements: Wear green and come with an empty stomach—or get pinched!
March 17
Eat, drink and be Irish! Brickhouse is throwing a St. Paddy’s Day party complete with green beer, shot specials, Irish empanadas and a DJ—and if the luck of the Irish is on your side, hop up to the open mic.
by Cameron Rhinehardt | Feb 28, 2022 | Do, March 2022, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Take your pup out on one of these dog-friendly adventures.
Hate leaving those cute puppy dog eyes every time you go out? So don’t! … Get out of the doghouse and treat your four-legged friend to a date night in the city. Whether your dog values food, art or relaxation, we’ve got something to get your doggo’s tail wagging and your human heart happy.
The NCMA has plenty for you and your furry friends to enjoy. There’s a 2.2-mile trail perfect for a walk, with waste stations for dogs and sculptures that’ll have your pup saying “Art Art!”
Does your pup need to get some energy out? Take ’em to Dorothea Dix Park’s dog park, where they can romp around unleashed. Plus, there are separate areas for small and large dogs, so you don’t have to worry about your Chihuahua getting run over by a Great Dane.
Get some retail therapy in while your pup gets a good grooming. Woofinwaggle offers deshedding, dog washes, mud bath treatments, teeth brushing and more—your pampered pup will be thanking you for (dog) years.
If Fido is a foodie, head to Raleigh Beer Garden for its Hungry Dawgs menu, which features such four-legged-friendly treats as carrots, bacon, hamburgers and more. Unfortunately, no, there’s not any dog beer.
Planning a pup-cation? This dog-friendly store sells everything outdoorsy that you may need: hiking gear, fishing gear, tents, biking gear, jackets and even leashes, so you and Fido can twin while you travel.
History and nature collide at Historic Oak View, which offers a dog-friendly immersion in the history of North Carolina. You can plan a group/public activity, or spend some alone time with your four-legged friend through a self-guided tour.
Grab your happy hound for a drink at West Street Dog, which combines an indoor off-leash dog park with a full bar. WST also offers doggy daycare during the day and social hour at night and on weekends for you, your friends—and Fido too (obv). But be careful, most dogs can’t hold their licker (sorry, had to)!
by Cameron Rhinehardt | Feb 28, 2022 | Buzz, March 2022
The process for females to obtain birth control in North Carolina just became a whole lot easier, thanks to a new law. That law, which went into effect Feb. 1, allows women to get birth control, prenatal vitamins and other critical medications at select pharmacies without a prescription—and save themselves a trip to the doctor’s office.
With this move, NC joins more than a dozen other states in easing the restrictions surrounding birth control—which “helps restore bodily autonomy and medical freedom at a time when reproductive health in the Southeast is under dire straits,” says Jennifer Driver, senior director of reproductive rights at the State Innovation Exchange.
Now, while an Rx is no longer required, you can’t just walk into a pharmacy and buy birth control like it’s ibuprofen. You’ll have to go through a screening process—and it is recommended that women still reach out to a health care provider or physician to get more information about birth control.
Moreover, the pharmacist also has to direct the patient to a primary care provider, and if the patient does not have one, the pharmacist must provide the patient with resources to get a PCP.
In addition to lowering NC’s unintended pregnancy rate—which is at 44%—the law should also help improve NC’s low health care rating while offering accessible health care for all North Carolinians, according to Democrat NC Sen. Sarah Crawford (District 18: Franklin, Wake), who helped shepherd the bill through the Republican legislature.
“I am really proud to have voted for this legislation that expands access to birth control, and I think it is a great opportunity to eliminate barriers for women getting the health care they need,” Crawford says.
NC opening up to laws regarding access to contraceptives goes hand-in-hand with Roe v. Wade and the state’s abortion law, which are forward on many people’s minds.
“The bill had a lot of bipartisan support, so when we think about potential attacks on Roe v. Wade, it will be important for state legislators to be proactive in protecting a woman’s right to access health care that is best for her,” adds Crawford. “Certainly I will be working to be proactive on anything that might be coming down from the federal government or Supreme Court that restricts a woman’s right to health care.”
by Cameron Rhinehardt | Feb 28, 2022 | Do, March 2022, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Laissez les bons temps rouler!
If you like big beads and you cannot lie… you’re gonna wanna post up at these Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday) celebrations in Raleigh. Eat, drink and dance the night away, but don’t you worry—what happens on the float, stays on the float.
Let them eat cake! A Place at the Table will have mini King Cakes on deck through Mardi Gras that are sure to sweeten up your Fat Tuesday.
Our very own Nawlins nugget in Raleigh, The Big Easy is obv here for Mardi Gras. Head to DTR and down Hurricanes and King Cakes as MikeMickXer and special guest Kenny Shore perform New Orleans-inspired music. Up the authentic factor with some bites from Big Easy’s Cajun-inspired menu (think alligator bites, shrimp and gouda grits, and Bourbon Street chicken) that promise to put you in the Fat Tuesday spirit.
It’s time to get jazzy. Venture to Fuquay for Cleveland Draft House’s Mardi Gras Masquerade Celebration. Adding an extra feel-good element is the silent auction and raffle to raise money for FACES—plus hors d’oeuvres, dessert, a soft drinks cash bar, music and more. So you can keep calm and mardi on!
There’s nothing a King Cake can’t fix, so start your week with a sample of some sweet doughy goodness at Clouds. This celebration, hosted by the Tulane University Alumni Association, will have plenty of jazzy tunes, snacks and beer to make your Mardi Gras just brew-tiful.
Keep the party going after Fat Tuesday by heading to Cary’s Fortnight Brewing on March 6 for beads, music, dancing and drinks. It’s kind of a bead deal.
Hola, NOLA. A Mardi Gras celebration at one of Raleigh’s most esteemed Nawlins-inspired restaurants is a no-brainer. Swing by for faves like oysters, crawfish hushpuppies, jambalaya, fried seafood and more—and on Fat Tuesday, they’ll also be offering King Cake and Hurricanes. Beignet, done that.
Stanbury doesn’t mess around when it comes to Mardi Gras. The popular resto’s annual party touts music, a crawfish boil and jambalaya—plus a Creole-inspired special menu just for Fat Tuesday.
It wouldn’t be Fat Tuesday without paczki. Pronounced (POONCH-key), these hole-less and sweet-jelly-filled fried doughnuts are a Polish dessert traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday (hence the holiday’s name). And Tepuy Donuts will have a variety on hand—from jelly-filled to Nutella-filled—at Idle Hour Coffee to make sure your Mardi Gras is ever so sweet.
