by Christa Gala | Oct 15, 2018 | Buzz, October 2018
“Go to Siler City,” they said. “It will be easy.”
All summer I’d been reading about the DMV debacles blanketing social media—the long waits, the chronic understaffing. Surely, it couldn’t be that bad. These complainers were simply doing it wrong.
I figured Siler City would be a good place to get my son his driver’s permit; one social media friend posted that she’d been in and out in 45 minutes. We rolled up at 7:05 a.m. and were seventh in line.
Things moved painfully slow once we’d checked in. Like sloth-slow.
All of us waiters (many moms) were like teenagers, gossiping, passing on information and identifying each other by our numbers. “What number are they on? What number are you? We’re 7. Who’s in there now?” People had come from all over: Sanford, Graham, Fuquay-Varina. It was interesting, until it wasn’t.
The line stopped moving periodically to accommodate people who had made appointments four or five months earlier, setting us all back 45 minutes or so since there were only two people working. Drivers needing road tests were bumped to the front of the line but only one person was administering the tests.
The mood turned surly—at least mine did—shortly after lunch. I joked (kind of) that we could somehow waylay the next person who showed up with an appointment. They were easy to recognize. Calm and superior, they exited their cars with woeful smiles, saying things like, “Wow; how long have you guys been waiting? I made an appointment.”
Yes, yes you did. You better keep walking if you want to keep it.
Did I say that out loud?
Anyway, after two really crappy fast food meals and a clerk who confided we likely wouldn’t be seen, my son said, “I’m done,” and carried the chairs to the car at about 1:30 p.m.
We drove home, permit not in hand, and I stewed. It really stuck in my craw. How had I failed at this one fundamental thing? Back home, I got to work, seriously this time, messaging friends who’d been there and done that. Here’s what I heard:
“Fuquay-Varina used to be quick, but not anymore.” “Cary is a nightmare.” “I had decent luck in Clayton, but it was still four hours.” “Avent Ferry is not bad; there are lots of workers.” “I’ve heard no one knows about Lillington; try there.”
Everyone said, “Get there early.” And one friend gave me this advice: “Make sure your kid studies for the test because my daughter failed it, and I really wanted to kill her after we’d waited that long.”
So as my printer churned out all 98 pages of the driver’s handbook for my kid to (forcibly) study under my watch at the kitchen table, I plotted the following day.
When the alarm went off at 5:30 a.m., my husband said, “Are you really doing this again?”
“Hell, yes,” I said, muttering “bastards” under my breath. We left the house at 6 a.m. with camping chairs, a cooler with ice and drinks, snacks, the driver’s handbook and enough documentation to sneak my son out of the country—including a passport, birth certificate, power bills to show proof of address, the Driver’s Ed certificate, 98 pages of highlighted handbook and his first lock of hair. Okay, not really that last thing, but you might want to throw it in there just in case.
This time we were fourth in line at about 6:45 a.m. By 7:30, the line stretched around the building. We were done by 9:45, permit in hand, and I will admit there was a lot of waiting room praying involved.
I’m sorry I can’t tell you where I went. I’ll have to go back soon for the real thing for my kid and, frankly, I don’t want it to be crowded. You understand.
I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you; just make an appointment.
SIDENOTE:
One week after we went to the DMV, a local news station did a story about the long waits. The DMV said it would fill 80 existing vacancies and add 20 more positions to alleviate waiting times at busier locations, in addition to moving employees from mobile units to fill in gaps. We’ll see.
by Christa Gala | Jun 16, 2018 | Eat, June 2018
North Carolina is poised to be a major player in the realm of food technology
There’s money in making food for our fair state—and not just in restaurants and farmers markets. Next year, the state, in conjunction with NC State University, is going to start cashing in.
Right now, 90 percent of the state’s crops are sent out of state to be prepared for use in protein bars, cereal, beverages and more. Keeping that work in North Carolina would create more than 28,000 jobs in rural areas and $10 billion in state revenues.
“This is the culmination of a process that NC State and the Department of Agriculture, among other partners, have gone through to do what we think can transform North Carolina’s economy into a food manufacturing economy,” said Steve Troxler, NC Agriculture Commissioner. “It’s a perfect fit. We’ve got an $84 billion industry in agriculture and agribusiness, so we think this is the defining moment for the future of North Carolina.”
In 2019, NC State will upfit a 15,000-square-foot facility, currently known as the Food Processing Innovation Center (FPIC) at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, just outside of Charlotte. Though the center is yet to be officially named, the goal is certain: to keep more of North Carolina’s “food” money in state.
We’re already raking in the dough in unexpected ways, with much of the innovation and research coming from Raleigh’s own NC State University. Here are some of the latest food technologies and what they could mean for you:
• Yogurt: Actually, it’ s the bacteria in the yogurt. You may have heard about CRISPR, the gene-editing technology that acts as a pair of molecular scissors, snipping out genes that cause chronic illness and cancer. The technology is in human clinical trials now, but that bacteria may get even more mileage. Venture capitalists recently invested $19 million in Morrisville-based Locus Biosciences, which plans to harness the bacteria to destroy the DNA in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. What it could mean: Buh-bye MRSA.
• The Covington sweet potato: Developed at NC State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Covington was released to growers in 2005 and now accounts for 90 percent of the state’s sweet potato crop—and 20 percent of the nation’s crop. The strain is both high-yield and has a superior storage life, making it a favorite in the export market. In the works now? An industrial sweet potato that could be used to produce biofuels. What it could mean: A cost-effective alternative to gasoline.
• Stevia: It’s a gangly shrub that’s actually pretty sweet. NC State is working on making it sweeter—naturally, of course—aiming to remove some of the compounds that tasters found distracting. Researchers are also focusing on how to make it grow better in the southeast to meet the commercial demands for this calorie-free sweetener. What it could mean: A sweet deal for NC farmers.
Right now, the focus for the new food center is on plant-based products, in keeping with the national trend toward healthy plant-based foods. But future labs will utilize the state’s strength in the production of turkeys, pork and eggs. The opportunities, it seems, are ripe for North Carolina.
“The raw materials that come from this state are second to none, so we have tremendous diversity and tremendous capacity from an agricultural perspective,” said Mario Feruzzi, the FPIC subcommittee chair and a professor in the NC State Plants for Human Health Institute.
by Christa Gala | Mar 12, 2018 | March 2018, Polish, Stuff
“SO, I WANT to do a salt cave for my birthday,” my friend Gina said one night at our regular girls get-together at her house, where we sip adult beverages and solve the world’s problems.
“Huh,” I said, thinking it sounded odd. “What is that?” And before I could change the subject, Gina launched into her explanation.
Himalayan salt—you know the pink stuff?—is apparently among the purest on earth, infused with all kinds of minerals and nutrients that are touted for your lungs, skin and digestive system. Breathing the air is said to relieve anxiety, asthma, coughing, weak immune systems and so on. You’ve probably noticed the pink salt lamps at Bed Bath and Beyond and, yes, pink Himalayan salt they sell in a grinder. Gina made me taste it, grinding out a pellet from the shaker in her cabinet.
“Doesn’t it taste different?” Gina asked.
“Yes,” I said enthusiastically. Of course, being someone who still makes the occasional box of Hamburger Helper, to me it just tasted like salt. But I knew she’d make me taste more if I said that, and I was drinking a beer, not a margarita. I didn’t want any more salt.
Less than a week later we were walking into the salt cave at Skin Sense, a day spa on Falls of Neuse Road to experience the only salt cave in Raleigh and one of only two in the state (the other is in Asheville).
We donned white cotton robes and spa-issued white cotton socks (required) as we crunched across the floor of crushed Himalayan salt. Everything was salt—the walls were huge blocks of it, softly lit to highlight shades of pink.
Three other women joined us early on a Wednesday morning. We all settled back into zero-gravity recliners and were given
a cold eye mask; the attendant told us he would check back in 45 minutes. “Relax, ladies,” he said.
That’s when I began to freak out a little bit. We were just going to lay here? No phones allowed (they emit positive ions which hamper the benefits of the salt’s negative ions).
But that forced stillness soon turned into mindfulness. I know just enough about meditation to be dangerous, and it dawned on me that that’s exactly what this room was for. There was no music, no talking and no technology. The mask covered your eyes, so you were submerged in darkness; the fountains provided soothing white noise. The air was still, the temperature about 75 degrees. I focused my breathing, taking deep breaths and releasing them. My nose was clearer than it had been; I could really smell the salt in the air. It was like being at the beach but quieter; soon my observations fell away as I melted into nothingness.
Until Gina started snoring.
Okay, lightly snoring, but still. Should I wake her up? Were there rules about snoring? If I woke her up, would that be more disturbing than the snoring itself? I tried to telepathically communicate to her to shut up, but it didn’t work. Shewas just that relaxed.
And it didn’t seem to bother anyone else. I felt like the last one awake at a slumber party—no one to scheme with over whose eyebrows to shave or bra to freeze.
So I decided to just pretend like I didn’t know her (sorry, girl) and let myself sink into oblivion again. The world was completely outside that cave, and I didn’t care, and if the women inside woke up and mutinied at Gina’s snoring, I would join in and wonder who on Earth brought the snorer to the salt cave.
But that never happened. Instead, she quieted down, and I began my lovely spiral once again of weightlessness and warmth, with deep breathing guiding the way. It was heavenly, until the young man returned to announce our session was over.
Already? As we walked back to the locker room and decided to steam (doesn’t that sound decadent?), we couldn’t believe how good we felt. The tension I carry around in my neck and shoulders nearly constantly from grading papers was gone, my nasal passages were clear. Most of all, I felt so peaceful.
We both want to go back. You can get scalp massages and reflexology in the salt cave—and even do yoga. Or just close that giant wooden door on the world and relax, soaking up the benefits of Himalayan salt and quiet time.
Next time, I’m bringing a snore strip for Gina—or falling asleep first.
Why Salt?
From Angela Padgett, owner of Skin Sense, a day spa
When did you add the salt cave to the Skin Sense Falls of Neuse location?
Five years ago.
How many customers use it each week?
Between 150 and 200.
Why did you decide to add it to your own spa?
It was very personal to me; I wasn’t sleeping and someone told me to go to the salt cave. I started going a few times a week (in Virginia) and started sleeping through the night.
Feedback from customers:
Better sleep, help with allergies, pain reduction, decreased anxiety.
by Christa Gala | Dec 1, 2017 | Buzz, December 2017/January 2018
Just two years ago, Raleigh Magazine profiled what it deemed the 10 Most Eligible People in Raleigh. These were folks with full lives, successful professionally, engaged in the community, friendly and interesting but who just, for whatever reason, hadn’t yet met that special someone.
We found our profile subjects through tips, recommendations, friends of friends and social media posts, and we loved meeting them all at a photo shoot. But lately we’ve been wondering: Are they still eligible?
Turns out, Cupid’s been busy the past 24 months—to the tune of two marriages, two engagements, one baby, a few job changes and several significant others. There are also plenty of stories about travel, adventure and changing outlooks. We caught up with Raleigh’s most eligible of 2015 to see where the last two years have taken them and what’s in store for their futures.
Kim Hunter
Still the proprietor of Kimbap Café, Hunter sustained some physical injuries the past two years.
“I tore my ACL and, after that, had a hip injury,” she says. “Having those two issues back-to-back helped me re-evaluate my priorities and really focus on the things that matter and stop spending time on things that don’t. The injuries were really good for finding balance and peace.”
Kim Hunter, right, with Amy Fox of Fox Farm and Forage
Hunter has a significant other and also recently switched things up at her restaurant.
“I recently re-concepted dinner service at the restaurant and moved to a hyper-local prix fixe tasting menu. I’m looking forward to being back in the kitchen and letting my creative juices flow.”
Hunter turned 40 last year and said the milestone was an “adjustment.”
“At first, I wasn’t particularly excited about crossing into a new decade, but then I decided to embrace it and am feeling really happy and free.”
Dee Stewart
President and CEO of the The Stewart Group, there’s rarely a dull moment for Dee Stewart at his political consulting business. But this year, he’s enjoyed exploring the city with his girlfriend. They met when they lived across the street from each other.
“The woman I’m dating is smart, attractive and kind,” says Stewart. “We enjoy trying new restaurants, traveling, watching movies, and going on walks downtown.
“There is always someplace new and fun to go,” he continues. “The Cortez and Watts & Ward are two of our new favorites. We also never miss a movie at The Rialto.”
Other events that rank high on the to-do list: NC State football and basketball games and the “For the Love of Art Gala” earlier this year.
“There was a wide array of art, and it was a fun way to support the Triangle’s most talented emerging artists.”
Workwise, Stewart says he’s doing more consulting on issues related to clean energy.
“It’s fun promoting innovation, job creation and entrepreneurship in helping lead North Carolina to a future of energy independence.”
Colin Fickes
You might remember him as Jimmy Edwards from the One Tree Hill series filmed in Wilmington from 2003-2012.
But Colin Fickes changed gears after the series ended, launching Humdinger Juice in Raleigh in 2012.
Humdinger, a cold-pressed juice company, is still going strong, but Fickes has turned over the reins to his sister, Mary Holt. He moved to New York City in 2016 to start another company—where he just happened to meet someone.
“We enjoy exploring new places together, getting out into nature—Central Park when we can’t get away—seeing shows and finding the newest culinary treats,” says Fickes.
Fickes is working on several projects in New York.
“I’ve been working with a beverage startup called Sunup Green Coffee. We make unroasted coffee that tastes like tea and is served cold in a can. I’ve also been working with the meal delivery service PLATED, which was featured on Shark Tank and acquired by Albertson’s just last month.”
Leaving Raleigh surprised even him.
“The opportunity was unexpected and wasn’t really on my radar,” says Fickes. “The same can be said for the relationship. I guess the Allen Saunders saying is true.: ‘Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.’”
Amanda Bordeaux
Amanda Bordeaux’s travel tally is impressive: 49 states and 20 countries. The excursions aren’t all about leisure.
“While in the Dominican Republic, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a local elementary school, assist women entrepreneurs at a chocolate factory and recycled paper factory, and make a water filter and deliver it to a local Dominican family, which will enable them to have clean water for years to come.”
Her travel could be keeping her single, according to her family.
Amanda Bordeaux, right, and friend in San Francisco
“The joke among my friends and family is that I don’t stay in one place long enough to date anyone,” she says.
Bordeaux is still the owner of Stellar Sitters, a thriving babysitting business that works with families across the state. The demand is so high Bordeaux is considering teaching babysitting courses for middle school girls.
Work keeps her busy, but she’s not ruling out finding a match.
“I’m enjoying this season of being single but may consider a relationship if the right person came along,” Bordeaux says. “I’m holding out for someone who loves God, loves to travel and supports and values an ambitious woman.”
Sheri Hagerty
Hobbling into the photo shoot with a hurt foot two years ago, Sheri Hagerty had no idea just a few months later, she’d
Sheri Hagerty and Jim Geikie
meet Jim Geikie.
“We met in the very beginning of 2016 through a mutual friend who referred him to me for a home purchase,” said Hagerty, a realtor with Hodge and Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty. “I always wondered if love at first sight or first meeting were true or possible, and I can say, yes, it does happen—I’m sure when you least expect it, as it did for us.
Geikie and Hagerty plan to marry in the spring of 2018.
“We knew pretty instantly that we needed to plan for the future together and not apart. Soon after, we started plans to build a home together. We purchased a lot from my mother on Hathaway Road in Raleigh. The lot belonged to my grandmother since 1955…such a sacred place for me.”
Hagerty also made a professional move to Hodge and Kittrell Sotheby’s. All of the changes have been a blessing, she says.
“I’m most impressed and surprised by how all the pieces fell into place for me after a very rough 2015, losing two family members I simply adored. Chapters end, and at the time, we cannot see past the grief, but it turned into a beautiful growth experience for me both personally and professionally. I gained a perspective I had not known before.”
Angelica Alvarez
Although you’ll still find Anjelica Alvarez in front of the camera at ABC News 11, other things have changed.
“I’m now married,” says Alvarez. “We met actually a few years ago when we both worked in Austin; we finally made it official.”
Angelica Alvarez and Adolfo Ibarra
“We had our wedding on January 20th in downtown Raleigh and a wonderful two-week honeymoon in Africa,” she continues. “We spent an amazing week in Cape Town, enjoying the beach, wine country and so much food. We went to Zimbabwe where we saw the Victoria Falls, and then we went on an amazing safari in Botswana.”
After the honeymoon to Africa, the couple went to Cuba in June and is trying to decide on a travel destination for 2018.
“He’s turning 40 in March, so we need an amazing trip. We’ve talked about Italy or back to a different part of Africa. We love to eat; he does most of the cooking, and I don’t mind one bit. Right now we’re just looking forward to good food and travel and enjoying life.”
Duane Hall
Still a practicing attorney and a member of the NC House of Representatives, Hall is planning to get married in the
Katie Stanley and Duane Hall
spring to Katie Stanley.
“We met years ago at the legislature,” says Hall. “It took me years to convince her to go out with me, and she finally went to lunch with me February 14th, Valentine’s Day of this year. We’ve traveled a lot and have similar interests as she works in state government.”
Hall describes himself as “insanely in love” and balked at revealing honeymoon plans, which he hopes to surprise her with.
“When you find the right person, you just know it,” he said.
In early November, Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Hall chairman of the North Carolina Courts Commission.
Kevin Tyndall
Kevin Tyndall and Shannan Legge with Ben
Kevin Tyndall and his partner Shannan Legge welcomed their son, Ben, in July.
“Shannan and I met when she was working at All About Beer and I was at Natty Greene’s. We enjoy getting outdoors, attending concerts and anything sports related to NC State or the Green Bay Packers.”
Tyndall changed jobs too, leaving Natty Greene’s to work as a sales manager at Appalachian Mountain Brewery.
Tyndall, an NC State alumnus, said he’s adjusted pretty well to all the changes. We wondered what’s surprised him the most: “How quickly a child can change your life!”
Nunzio Scordo
Restaurant proprietor and chef Nunzio Scordo has long kept our bellies buzzing with both the savory and sweet at his restaurants, Farina and Driftwood Southern Kitchen. But changes are on the horizon.
“Farina is under contract to sell this month,” he says. “I’m working on two new projects that I’m very excited about but can’t reveal yet. But really not a lot has changed in my personal life.”
Scordo spends a lot of time traveling, frequenting his favorite places and experiencing whatever life offers up.
“I go to Asheville often,” he says. “It resets my internal clock, and the mountains are my haven. I love the people there too. I’m planning a trip to Europe soon, and I’m going to San Fran next month. I have some friends there, and the food scene is the best, in my opinion. Getting myself back into meditation and trying to improve myself all around. When the right person comes along, I’ll be ready.”
David Worters
We caught up with this Harvard graduate just eight days after he got married.
“We met online: match.com. We probably knew within a month that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together,” says Worters, a realtor with Hodge, Kittrell and Sotheby’s.
The couple met in November of 2016 and married less than a year later.
“We got engaged in late July, early August. We didn’t have the venue nailed down until September, so we planned the whole thing in 60 days. Fearrington House made it easy. The whole thing was magical. The skies cleared about two hours before the ceremony; we were able to do the ceremony and cocktails outdoors.”
Miranda Yeager and David Worters
The couple loves live entertainment—including sports and music. Worters jokes he married into Alabama football.
“She is a raging Alabama Crimson Tide football fan. So when Alabama football is on, the world stops. In fact, that was our first trip together, to see an Alabama football game.”
It’s a second marriage for both; Worter’s daughter, 14, gave a toast on the special day.
“My daughter reported to everyone that she knew we were going to get married. She had started making a wedding binder and Pinterest page with wedding stuff almost as soon as she met her.”
by Christa Gala | Jun 5, 2017 | June 2017, Polish, Stuff
Two stay-at-home moms discover the untapped market of flower bars. Ever heard of one? The concept just could be their crowning glory.
Imagine attending a wedding or baby shower, but instead of leaving with a monogrammed spoon or goodie bag, you waltz to your car with a crown of fresh flowers. It’s an idea that’s gaining traction in the Triangle with start-up Fresh Faced Floral; what surprised co-owner Zarrin Patton, 28, is that no one else seems to be doing it.
“From all the research I have done so far, there isn’t any other business that I can find in our area offering crown bars for hire at events,” says Patton, who started the business with friend Rebecca McCarter, 29.
Patton and McCarter first met a few years ago when they were pregnant. Their husbands worked together, and they bonded over their pregnancies. In March of this year, those babies now over a year old, the women combined their makeup (McCarter) and floral arranging skills (Patton) and launched Fresh Faced Floral.
“Since we’re both moms, we love to help other moms feel beautiful for family photos or maternity shoots or baby showers,” says Patton. “We cater to brides mostly, but also provide our services for any special occasion.”
Flower bars offer brides and other party hosts a way to involve guests in creating their own parting gifts; the bars fit a variety of price ranges.
“The most affordable bar, for an intimate party such as a baby shower, bridal shower or graduation party is $200,” says Patton. “The highest value bar, for a wedding reception or event of up to 200 guests, is $700.”
The business gives both women the flexibility to care for their children and earn a living doing something they love. It’s a change of pace for McCarter, but she wouldn’t change a thing.
“I am a licensed attorney who has always had a love of everything makeup,” she says. “I’ve been doing makeup since I was a kid—truly I was 10 and helping the older dancers at my ballet company put on false eyelashes—and have worked at a couple of different makeup counters.”
Patton, of Chapel Hill, had been brainstorming business ideas and kept coming back to her floral arranging skills, developed since high school. Blending the two services was a good concept, but balancing babies and business? A little trickier.
“Much of the work I’ve done on our Facebook page or the website has been done while holding a screaming, teething baby. I know it’s the same for Zarrin, too,” says McCarter. “What has surprised me most, though, is how much I love being a part of someone’s special occasion. I love contributing to the glow and being a part of the magic.”
