by Lauren Kruchten | Nov 7, 2018 | Eat, November 2018
A brilliant general manager operates behind the scenes of Raleigh’s St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar, but one of his most becoming talents is perhaps his cocktail artistry. Sean Umstead recently competed in Copper & Kings’ MIXT&PE cocktail competition in Louisville, and earned a spot among the 2018 finalists with his creation, Root Grove. The savory cocktail highlighted Copper & Kings brandy and Absinthe Blanche, as well as fresh carrot juice and fennel bulbs; you can recreate it with recipe below. You might recognize Umstead from various pop-up bars in Durham and Raleigh. These events have served as a preview to a new cocktail bar, Kingfisher, that he’s planning to open in downtown Durham early next year with his wife, Michelle Vanderwalker, after he wraps up his time at St. Roch’s. Kingfisher is named for the unique birds who live along the banks of North Carolina’s rivers, including the nearby Eno. At Kingfisher, you’ll be able to taste all of Umstead’s remarkable drinks, created using seasonal North Carolina produce. The “farm-to-cocktail” concept will feature Lil’ Farm strawberries, preserved in various ways, in a range of beverages throughout the year. Other ingredients supplied by friends who farm in the area will appear elsewhere on the menu of 15 to 20 cocktails. To get updates on Kingfisher’s opening, visit kingfisherdurham.com.
by Lauren Kruchten | Nov 7, 2018 | Do, November 2018
It’s the end of an era: the Handmade Market, a bi-annual shopping event in Raleigh that showcases North Carolina’s finest artists, designers and crafters, will hold its last show this fall. The Market has allowed local artisans to sell their unique works to eager buyers in one place since 2006, fostering a strong community amid the region’s vibrant arts and crafts scene. Now, independent shops across the state have made buying and selling local artisan goods easier and more accessible than ever, thanks in no small part to the Handmade Market’s pioneering work. You still have one last chance to check out, in person, some of the talented local artists and crafters who have appeared at the Market over the years. And, though there won’t be this much-loved, all-inclusive meeting of makers and buyers going forward, the work from your favorite artisans will remain just a click way.
Twenty Two West
Using classic techniques of weaving, ceramics and woodworking, Mary Hamby creates eclectic, one-of-a-kind jewelry for her Charlotte studio, Twenty Two West. The wearable art with a trendy, modern aesthetic includes woven necklaces, copper bracelets, ceramic earrings, felt bangles and more. twentytwowest.com
Doora Ceramics
Beautiful clay plates, bowls, vases, cups and more are handcrafted by Doreen Jakob for Doora Ceramics. She works with each of her clients directly to help make the products tell their personal, unique stories, incorporating textiles and plants in beautiful, functional pieces that lend personality to any home. dooraceramics.com
Tuttleworks
Jeremy Tuttle crafts perhaps the most interesting lighting fixtures you’ve ever seen. His “steampunk lighting”—pipe fittings and up-cycled hardware crafted into indoor and outdoor lamps—is sure to make a statement in any home. etsy.com/shop/Tuttleworks
Anne’s Apothecary
A small batch skincare brand out of Fuquay-Varina, Anne’s Apothecary specializes in clean, natural products that are preservative-free and packaged in sustainable PET plastic. From cleansers made with raw honey and activated charcoal to moisturizers, body scrubs and masks—even a natural deodorant made from essential oils and natural clays—Anne’s can help you rethink your beauty routine with products you can feel good about using. annesapothecary.com
ParMar Media
Owner Jeff Wilson fashions maps into remarkable works of art, using vintage maps of old cities and buildings and making them over in his own unparalleled style. You can find maps of prominent cities like Chicago, New York and, of course, Raleigh, as well as marathon routes, subway lines, national parks, nautical charts and more. par-mar.net
by Lauren Kruchten | Nov 7, 2018 | November 2018, Retreat, Stuff
There’s a certain wonder to the night sky, with its stars, planets and, beyond Earth, the great unknown. Sarah Yarborough and Victor Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim are similarly captivated by the astral world, which they channel into their new collaboration with Bernhardt Design, fittingly named “Looking Up.” Raleigh Denim’s first textile collection is inspired by the couple’s affinity for stars, showcased in four patterns and 32 colors. “Stars serve as a visual ceiling to our world, and they are ever-changing depending on location, distance and time,” Yarborough tells Design Milk, a blog for interior design aficionados. “These constantly shifting perspectives allowed us to create multiple textile designs built from the same concept.”
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 31, 2018 | Eat, November 2018
Photographs by Food-Seen
In Raleigh, a pie can do a whole lot more than feed your family on Thanksgiving. A pumpkin pie can provide consistent medical care to an uninsured neighbor. A chocolate chess pie can supply job training and life skills education to folks who are unemployed. And a pecan pie can ensure free counseling and mental health services to those in the community who can’t afford it. How, you might ask? Through Share the Pie, an annual program that benefits the joint missions of StepUp Ministry and Alliance Medical Ministry.
Share the Pie began here in Raleigh in 2015, after the executive directors of StepUp and Alliance learned about Pie in the Sky, a Boston fundraiser where approximately 25,000 pies are sold each year, raising close to a million dollars to provide meals for critically ill people.
StepUp and Alliance decided to recreate the effort in order to highlight the partnership between the two ministries and to raise money for their affiliate programs which cover healthcare, career development, financial planning and a Cooking Matters class that teaches healthy cooking and eating habits.
“It’s really us wrapping our arms around families in our community who are trying to pull themselves up but don’t have the resources to do that,” says Kathryn Holding, the development and communications director at Alliance Medical Ministry.
Each year, several well-known bakers, catering companies, churches and eateries participate in the Share the Pie program. Most of us are going to bake or buy a pie for Thanksgiving dinner anyway, so why not acquire one from one of
Raleigh’s best chefs, such as Jason Smith, or best restaurants, like The Angus Barn or Saint Jacques?
Each of the committed bakers must produce at least 12 chocolate chess, pecan or pumpkin pies, which a group of dedicated volunteers then collect just before Thanksgiving and distribute to buyers at designated locations across Raleigh and Cary. Another fun part of Share the Pie is that buyers won’t know who baked their pie until they get home and open up their box. You might receive one from a renowned chef, or you might get one from a neighbor or a friend.
“I enjoy it, and I enjoy the fact that you’re baking something for someone and you don’t know who they are and they don’t know who you are,” says baker Tiffany Ivy of Cutie Boops Custom Cakes & Catering. “I like baking for families who are going to be purchasing these pies to be shared at Thanksgiving time and the fellowship I know I will be a part of by just doing my baking.”
Ivy got involved in the program last year through her brother, James Ivy, who graduated from StepUp Ministry in 2017. He reached out to StepUp three years ago in an effort to get his life back on track after realizing he needed to make some personal changes. During his tenure with the program, Ivy has managed to turn his life around, going from homeless to owning his own business, Executive Grooming Services—all of this, he says, he owes to the support he received from StepUp Ministry and Alliance Medical Ministry.
“I would have to say, they saved my life,” says James Ivy. “They were a major contributor in helping me get my life back on track and providing the redemption that I needed in my life for me to be productive.”
Ivy’s story is an inspiration for all of those who find their way to StepUp or Alliance, showcasing how these ministries’ programs are effective in their missions.
“I think that you can take this pie and start a conversation,” says Lanier McRee, a volunteer and member of the Junior League of Raleigh. “I think you could take it to Thanksgiving somewhere and start a conversation about more than pie, about what Thanksgiving should be about. That’s what really resonated with me and why I enjoy this so much.”
The conversation that Alliance Medical Ministry and StepUp Ministry hope to start through Share the Pie is one of family, fellowship and giving back to the community. Share the Pie proceeds are split 50-50 between the two nonprofits, benefitting their dual missions to provide access to employment and healthcare for those in need in Wake County. This year, their goal is to sell 3,000 pies and raise $100,000.
So, this year on Thanksgiving, take the time to think about more than just the plentiful meal that you’ll enjoy. Buy a chocolate chess, pecan or pumpkin pie from Share the Pie and give back to those who may not be able to afford the same bounty. After all, sharing is caring, and there are plenty of slices to go around.
Visit sharethepie.org to learn how you can buy, bake, sell or volunteer this year.
by Lauren Kruchten | Oct 31, 2018 | Eat, November 2018
As North Carolina communities continue to rebuild in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Florence, many organizations throughout the state are doing their part to raise money for recovery efforts. Here in Raleigh, nonprofit The Sunday Supper partnered with Scott Crawford of Crawford & Son last month for a celebrity chef dinner and live auction as part of a “Come Together for the Coast” initiative. The dinner, featured signature dishes from many of the Triangle’s most prominent chefs, accompanied by top shelf spirits. It raised $400,000 for businesses, families and communities impacted by the storm. The Sunday Supper will hold a Community Table Lunch on November 11, also in partnership with Crawford, to bring the community together in another effort to “lend a hand to our neighbors in the east.” Tickets for the event are $25 and can be purchased in advance online at thesundaysupper.com.
