by Cameron Walker | Feb 2, 2016 | Do, February 2016
IN AN AGE of online ordering and instant gratification, there’s something alluring about the simple, tactile quest of a flea market morning.
Sifting through stacks of vinyl records and old books, studying the curves of antique furniture, bargaining with seasoned dealers…searching for swag at the Raleigh Flea Market is one of our favorite weekend diversions.
Check out the gems we unearthed for $25 and under!
Neon and Gold-Tone Earrings, $6. Flashes of highlighter neon anchored with classic gold.
Cast Iron Skillets, $12 and up.
These kitchen classics have seen better days, but that’s what makes them a steal! You could whip these into shape with some elbow grease.
Large Metal Lantern, $23. Fill with candles or use as a planter.
Glass Drawer Pulls, $8.
Lovely knobs in all sorts of colors and textures make easy upgrades to flea market furniture.
Vintage Soda Crates, $20. Single or stacked, these crates are fun and functional storage pieces.
Brass Duck Bookends, $12.
A charming way to display your books (or growing stack of Raleigh Magazines!).
Blue Quart-Sized
Mason Jars, $8 and $10.
Group these beauties in a light-filled window or fill them with bright flowers.
by Cameron Walker | Feb 2, 2016 | Eat, February 2016
Imagine, if you can, a world without chocolate. A dark future with no s’mores, no foil-wrapped kisses, no molten lava cakes. According to some recent headlines, the globe is facing a serious cocoa shortage.
But don’t start hoarding chocolate bars just yet. According to a few Raleigh chocolate experts, we found out the threat is real—but greatly exaggerated.
And the shortage is really only linked to cheaper chocolate.
Here’s why:
Disease, poor farming practices, climate change and supply chain problems all affect the price of your chocolate bar.
The chocolate shortage relates mostly to beans grown in Africa, where the majority of the world’s cacao is grown on plantations. Farmers there are under increasing pressure to sell their crops for less money, and some cocoa is even grown by forced labor, says Videri Chocolate Factory co-CEO Sam Ratto.
Ratto says this chocolate “shortage” is being exploited by Big Chocolate to raise prices as they enter new markets.
Escazu Artisan Chocolates head chocolate maker Hallot Parson isn’t panicking.
“We don’t buy any African cacao at all,” Parson says. “Not to say there isn’t some decent stuff, but for the most part it’s bulk-grade beans.”
Both Escazu and Videri use cacao grown in its indigenous Latin America, bought from farmers they know. They pay a premium for quality cacao to make their high-end chocolate.
Bottom line: Your cheaper chocolate could cost more due to a smaller supply. Just spend your money on the good stuff for better value all around.
By the Numbers
58M: Pounds of chocolate Americans will buy in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day
$345M: What Americans spend on chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
Your chocolate box
Forrest Gump was wrong. You can know what you’re going to get:
Round: Soft centers like truffles, creams and whips
Square: Caramels
Rectangle: Nougats
Oval: Butter fudges
by Cameron Walker | Feb 2, 2016 | Buzz, February 2016
Donald Trump, long the brunt of hair jokes and birther backlash, is the one laughing now. He leads the Republican pack with numbers in the mid-30s, despite a penchant for inflammatory comments and a lack of governmental experience. So what, exactly, is his appeal and how long will it last?
He’s a political outsider
Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” hints at a growing discontent with the political establishment. It conjures up a nostalgic vision of a Rockwellian America that many believe is slipping further and further from their grasp.
“The polling data clearly shows that Americans aren’t particularly happy at the moment,” says Andrew Taylor, professor of Political Science at North Carolina State University. “They dislike politicians. They believe the country is going off on the wrong track.”
Trump’s message is that “established politicians, ones with experience in governmental politics haven’t been able to solve our problems; in fact, they’ve created a bigger mess, and who the country needs at its helm is someone who’s from somewhere else, who’s not from the world of politics,” says Taylor.
He tells his base what they want to hear
Although he has some crossover appeal, Trump supporters are mostly conservative, non-college-educated white males.
“Obviously some of the arguments he’s made with regard to immigration, policies that the United States needs—to stem immigration, to deal with potential terrorist threats—that have kind of racial and religious overtones, is one way that he’s connecting with them,” says Taylor.
Trump is speaking to his base’s anxiety that America is changing, and in some ways it is. According to U.S. Census projections, by 2044, more than half of Americans will belong to a minority group, and by 2060, one in five residents will have been born in another country. This is a real concern to a group of people who believe that this country will be harmed by an influx of foreigners.
He has no filter
However, Taylor believes Trump’s appeal lies more in the way he speaks than what he actually says. Other candidates seem rehearsed, polished; there’s a sense that they have run every word through a focus-group filter. Trump’s speeches, on the other hand, seem free of artifice and all traces of political correctness. To Trump’s supporters, this signals honesty. They believe him because he appears to say what he means without regard to how a particular statement will affect his poll numbers.
“Much of his support is obviously based on his style, his combativeness, his portrayal of strength and commentary on what’s going on in the country, rather than substantive policy matters,” says Taylor.
National government distrust is high
And opinion of politicians is low. According to the Pew Research Center, only 29 percent of Americans believe that elected leaders are honest, and a majority of 74 percent believe that politicians put their own interests ahead of the nation’s. More than half the population believes that ordinary Americans would do a better job solving the nation’s problems than our elected leaders.
Can Trump win the republic nomination?
How far will this style-over-substance approach take him? Taylor believes we have already hit peak Trump.
“Will he be the nominee? I don’t think so. I probably put his chances sort of one in four, for a number of reasons. The major one being that his negatives are so high, even within the Republican party. And you have to remember, the race for the Republican nomination won’t have this dynamic for too much longer,” says Taylor.
The field will shrink as the race continues, and support will coalesce around the remaining candidates. However, Taylor doesn’t think this will be a boon to Trump.
“My sense is that the dynamics of the race are going to be difficult for him to get the nomination, because the anti-Trump, or the ‘We can’t afford to have Trump because he’ll sink the party’ sentiment is going to be galvanized behind one alternative,” he says.
And who might that alternative be? It’s too early to call, but Taylor says the end game might be a matchup between cultural conservative Ted Cruz and establishment candidate Marco Rubio.
by Cameron Walker | Nov 30, 2015 | December 2015 / January 2016, Do
There are lots of ways to get your groove on in. Raleigh is way beyond the clubbing scene of your 20s. Today’s dance scene is a little more, ahem, elevated–from salsa to swing and everything in between.
Jazz at Humble Pie
Dancers cut a rug every Wednesday night at Humble Pie, where two of the city’s favorite jazz bands perform under rafters merrily strung with lights.
Peter Lamb and the Wolves play the first and third Wednesday of the month. The quintet got together for a one-time gig at Humble Pie’s 2008 presidential party, but its onstage electricity fused them into a full-fledged band. Sets range from New Orleans jazz standards to clever modern covers.
Sidecar Social Club plays the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Lisa Veronica Wood fronts this five-piece band of jazz veterans, adding her sultry vocals to covers and originals that would be at home in a 20s speakeasy.
When: Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Admission: free. Bonus: $5 highballs. Humble Pie is located at 317 S. Harrington Street in downtown Raleigh’s warehouse district.
Salsa at Carmen’s Cuban Café
It’s tucked away in a strip mall near the airport, but Carmen’s Cuban Café is a salsa-dancing hotspot. Its Tuesday night dance party has been going strong for more than 12 years; according to DJ Betto Herrera, it’s the longest-running salsa night in the state.
Drop in after work for cocktails and authentic Cuban cuisine. Stay to mambo and dance the Cha Cha. Beginners can come early to gain confidence and learn basic steps before they hit the floor with more experienced dancers.
When: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Admission: $5. Bonus: Hour-long beginner class for $10 (starts at 7 p.m.). Carmen’s Cuban Café is located at 108 Factory Shops Road in Morrisville.
Saturday Night Jazz Club at Irregardless Café
Irregardless Café has had live music every night for over 40 years. And for the past decade and a half, fans have packed the place for its Saturday Night Jazz Club.
The evening starts with live music over farm-fresh fare. After dinner, the tables are cleared and a second band starts to swing.
Dancers jump and jive on the new dance floor to a rotating calendar of jazz acts. Past performers include Carolyn Mitchell and La Fiesta Latin Jazz Quintet.
The latter recently played the “Caribbean Nights” Taste of Jazz open house at the Glenwood Club, Irregardless Café’s new event venue. Guests sampled themed cuisine at tasting stations and danced to tropical-flavored jazz. Keep an eye on the website for details on the next Taste of Jazz event.
When: Saturday nights at 9:30. Admission: free. Bonus: Half off dessert nightly with theater ticket stub. Irregardless Café is located in downtown Raleigh at 901 W. Morgan Street.
Want more?
West Coast Swing Friday Night Dance Party: 8 p.m.- 2 a.m. at Loafers Beach Club. Members, $8 (memberships available at the door), guests $10.
Sunday Swing at the Raleigh Elks Club: join a hundred other dancers every week from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. $10 cover charge (free beginner’s lesson at 6:15 p.m. with paid cover). Cash bar.
by Cameron Walker | Sep 24, 2015 | Buzz, October 2015
KNIGHTDALE
Population: 13,871
Income: $71,066
Age: 32.7
Median home value:
$168,800
YOUND AND RESTLESS
In 2013, responding to fierce competition from other Raleigh suburbs, the town of Knightdale spent $62,000 to hire North Star Destination Strategies, a company that specializes in city branding. The company spoke with residents at length to get feedback.
At the time, the median age in Knightdale was 30.8 years, the youngest in Wake County. Interviewees liked the idea of the town’s youthfulness and a tagline, “Start Something,” was born. Knightdale was the place for new beginnings, whether starting a family, a new business or starting over, says Brian Bowman, Knightdale’s communications director. The slogan forms the core of the town’s marketing and what it hopes to project as its identity. North Star’s research also uncovered a challenge. While the residents liked living there, they said they felt no sense of community, pointing to a dearth of local businesses and the absence of a true town center.
Central park fills void
The new 76-acre Knightdale Station Park will fill that void. The park provides new opportunities for large community gatherings, farmers’ markets and movie nights.
More is coming. The next project may develop mixed-use space on several town-owned acres between the park and the historic district. The vision includes two-story brick buildings that will house small retail and coffee shops. The Mingo Creek Trail will one day be accessible from the park.
Knightdale Station
Knightdale Station, a new 300-acre master planned community by Cary-based Preston Development Company, was able to tie into the existing Knightdale Station Park, already functioning as the town center.
The town has invested over $5 million in the park so far, with more projects planned. The park and its amenities are a big draw to potential homebuyers.
Developers were instrumental in bringing the Y to town and donating money and land for an aquatics center.
Knightdale Station consists of 835 lots and will be a mix of apartments, townhomes and single family homes.
MORRISVILLE
Population: 22,772
Income: $98,856
Age: 33.3 Median home value:
$261,600
DIVERSITY IS POWERFUL
Morrisville is in the middle. It’s equal distance from Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, smack dab in the center of Research Triangle Park, which explains much of its rapid growth from a 250-person village in 1980 to a town 96 times that size today. But this Raleigh suburb was suffering from an identity crisis. Its location on the map was a draw for people moving to the area, but that wasn’t enough to sustain growth and retain residents as other suburbs competed for them. Who are we? The town spent $50,000, or .2 percent of its budget, hiring Raleigh-based consulting company Mottis to map out a branding strategy. It has already identified diversity as one of the town’s core strengths. According to Morrisville Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Gaskill, one of every five residents is of Asian Indian descent, compared to Wake County’s ratio of one in 50. Much of this is because the community lies at the intersection of education, science and technology. “We cannot highlight diversity enough,” says Gaskill. “It’s a powerful thing.” Knowing they can find places of worship and food that remind them of where they came from helps newcomers feel at home. Diverse communities like Morrisville attract businesses whose workforce and customer base are increasingly global, Gaskill says. The town’s major employers include Oracle and Lenovo, and its average household income of $98,856 is well above the North Carolina average of $63,707. Morrisville’s Parks Department has worked to become more inclusive, introducing a free English as a Second Language class, a Bollywood dance program and culturally sensitive, women-only swim lessons. Morrisville faces the same challenge as Knightdale: lack of a city center. However, Morrisville Planning Director Ben Hitchings says its implementing a Town Center plan, having already added a street and greenway and created a history center. Future plans include a Healthy Food Hub with farmers’ market and educational garden and what Hitchings calls a “town center core” or “mini Main Street.”
CLAYTON
Population:: 18,445
Income: $57,456
Age: 34.8
Median home value:
$152,600
LOT LOVE
Sixteen miles south of Raleigh, Clayton is experiencing a population boom. Already home to major employers like Caterpillar and global healthcare companies Grifols and Novo Nordisk (which recently announced plans to build a new plant in the area, employing an additional 691 people), the town expects to welcome over 6,000 new residents in the next 10 years.
Like kudzu on a power line, unchecked growth can overwhelm a city’s resources. To combat this, Clayton drafted a master plan to handle and shape the community’s expansion through the year 2040, streamlining government and improving transportation.
One major focus is on strengthening downtown to serve as city center—a common denominator for most burgeoning burbs.
It’s important, says local Realtor Katie Spalding. One of the misperceptions about Clayton is that it’s still just a bedroom community for Raleigh. Efforts to revitalize downtown are working, she says, making it walkable and home to local businesses and restaurants.
Downtown Sculpture Trail
Nine impressive pieces rise from downtown locations, from Adam Walls’ steel orb “Mother and Child” outside Town Hall to Corey Lancaster’s chainsaw-carved, tuxedo-wearing “Fiddle Frog” in front of the library. The collection is a mix of colorful abstract construction, whimsical wood carving and powerful works in bronze and steel.
Scannable codes allow visitors to watch a video about the art and the artist on their mobile device.
This year’s sculptures will be on display through May 1, 2016. Townofclaytonnc.org
Stretching a dollar
Spalding says the area is attractive to homebuyers because of the land they can buy with their dollar. Many of her clients are relocating from bigger, traffic-clogged cities up north, so they don’t mind a commute, and they’re taking advantage of the current 4.25 percent interest rate to snap up large lots on the outskirts of town. She says the area will become even more of a seller’s market after the Novo Nordisk expansion.
WENDELL
Population: 6,182
Income: $40,968
Age: 39.6
Median home value:
$127,200
ADDING $1 BILLION IN TAXABLE PROPERTY
Wendell was once the economic hub of eastern Wake County. Tobacco farmers moved from Granville County, where their plants were dying, seeking new land for their crops. Tobacco was big business, but as demand for the gold leaf dwindled, the town did too.
Before the recession, the future Wendell Falls community was expected to become an economic jumpstart for the town, but after some infrastructure was built, the project stalled. The original investor was foreclosed upon.
New investors
In late 2013, Newland Communities and its investor, North American Sekisui House LLC (NASH), bought the property for $34 million and began building again. When complete, the community is expected to more than double Wendell’s current population of 6,000 residents.
According to Mayor Tim Hinnant, the town is prepared for the influx, having worked on the project for 10 years.
“Since the economic downturn in 2008, there has been time to refine details of the development which we believe will create a more vibrant community than the one originally planned,” he wrote in an email.
He points to the water merger with Raleigh in 2006, expanding the town’s planning jurisdiction in 2009, and hiring a professional planning team to work with Newland.
The town is also boosting communication capabilities, adding cell phone towers and installing free Wi-Fi downtown.
Wendell welcomes development but is also serious about preserving its past; the town has two historical districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Wendell Falls
The 1,100-acre community, which has its own exit off I-540, will bring to the town an additional $1 billion in taxable property. Wendell Falls will have over 4,000 homes and 2 million square feet of commercial space.
Newland Communities and NASH chose the property because the previous developer had already spent almost $100 million in infrastructure and land, and Wendell is one of the last areas to be developed in Wake County that’s still close enough to Raleigh to attract homebuyers.
The company won’t disclose how much it plans to spend on the project, but says its strategy is to invest money early on, focusing on amenities to create a sense of community where potential buyers can see themselves living.
Trails, parks, a live music venue, fitness studio, saltwater pool and the only coffee shop in town are just some of the features already in place. Lake Myra Elementary School is on-site.
Read the companion piece to this article: “Business of the Burbs: Established Raleigh suburbs”.
