4 wellness retreats in NC to help meet that annual New Year’s resolution
As the clock strikes midnight Dec. 31, millions of Americans will vow to follow a healthier lifestyle (after cheersing with that bottle of bubbly, natch). Whether that means physical or mental health (or both!), several retreats throughout the state are here for it—making it easier to stick to that resolution (practice makes perfect). Here are four best-in-class wellness retreats within a four-hour drive of Raleigh that’ll help you reach those 2023 #goals. This is your year!
Skyterra Wellness Retreat Pisgah Forest Jump-start change, build new habits and improve your overall health at this award-winning intimate wellness retreat surrounded by the awe-inspiring Blue Ridge Mountains, the Pisgah National Forest and the French Broad River that touts core pillars like self-care and stress-management, weight loss, fitness and mobility, nutrition, recreation and adventure, and yoga and mindfulness. With 80+ activities from which to choose during your stay—think trail walks, culinary demos, therapy, spa services and more—you’re free to customize your retreat based on your personal goals. Just think of it as a vacation for your health! skyterrawellness.com
Prama Institute & Wellness Center Marshall Satiate your body and your mind through Prama’s signature juice cleanse and wellness retreats. Not your average juice cleanse, this program includes a specially arranged juice cleanse and detox that helps improve digestive health, flush out toxins and reenergize your body (while promising to keep you full, natch), paired with yoga and meditation classes, spa treatments, and private counseling sessions. The wellness center also features a sauna for some still but steamy downtime—or, for active types, 120 acres of hiking trails for those looking to, well, take a hike. It’s all about balance! Dec. 7–11, Jan. 11–15, prama.org
The Art of Living Retreat Center Boone According to this Western NC wellness center, the art of living well is all about prioritizing rest and relaxation (now that’s a MO we can get behind!). You can literally choose to do nothing at all, or participate in a variety of life-enhancing workshops and activities designed to reduce stress, increase mental focus, revive your senses and strengthen your overall well-being. Move your body via fitness classes like yoga, Zumba or Pilates; soothe your mind through meditation and breathing classes; express your creativity by taking a painting, pottery or cooking class; or legit chill. We’ll take one of everything, please. artoflivingretreatcenter.org
The Phoenix Retreat Asheville It’s easy to rise like a phoenix at this stunning 46-acre retreat tucked away in the AVL mountains, what with its nature-focused experiences like hiking, yoga and fitness classes. (Name a better way to clear your mind than a walk in the woods—we’ll wait.) The resort’s signature program, Phoenix Fire, includes a full week of mind + body restoration that’s designed to address the foundations of lasting wellness: fitness, nutrition, rehabilitation and mindfulness. And in addition to those fulfilling activities, you’ll also be treated to massages, locally sourced vegan meals and luxury accommodations—because who said you can’t better yourself while treating yourself? phoenixwellnessretreat.com
Renowned local chef and restaurateur Scott Crawford is joining the lineup at Raleigh Iron Works
Just when you thought Raleigh Iron Works couldn’t get any cooler—Scott Crawford enters the mix with his newest restaurant, Brodeto. Slated to open in the highly anticipated project’s Bowtruss Building in 2023, the concept will introduce a unique blend of Italian and Croatian cuisine to Raleigh—and will be Crawford’s biggest restaurant yet.
Born from the renowned restaurateur’s first visit to Croatia with wife Jessica a few years ago—and so named for a comforting fish stew that connects Croatia to coastal Italy that’s found in several Adriatic coastal towns—Brodeto (the Croatian spelling) will “have some drama,” says Crawford. Think a live fire hearth, an outdoor “secret garden” with patio seating, a large bar and a crudo counter. Not to mention the flair added by plans to incorporate materials gathered from the original building into the interior, which will be designed by Louis Cherry Architecture—the firm responsible for the interiors at Crawford’s other establishments.
Crawford emphasizes an open space filled with natural lighting thanks to three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, where he also hopes to create different “dining environments”—the most prominent of which will be the bar and crudo counter.
Originally something Crawford and his team considered a free-standing concept, the crudo and cocktails could easily be an event all its own, or just the initial part of a full dining experience at Brodeto.
The bar, helmed by beverage manager Jordan Joseph, will spotlight balanced cocktails focused on coastal flavors, coal-grilled fruits and vegetables, infused salts, bitters, and herbal liqueurs, as well as wines from the Adriatic. Meanwhile, the crudo counter will expand on raw dishes with which his team has experimented at Crawford and Son, with a heavy emphasis on seafood, in addition to vegetables and meat. “We just love raw food, and we love the idea of incorporating a crudo bar in an Italian/Croatian concept,” says Crawford.
The main menu at Brodeto will feature traditional dishes from throughout coastal Italy and Croatia, including a plethora of seafood, meats and vegetables cooked in the hearth—“really the only way to cook this food,” he says—plus a handmade pasta program focused on lighter pasta dishes. And naturally, namesake brodeto will be on the menu as well.
“Scott’s culinary talent goes without saying, but to have someone partner with us who is equally excited about our redemptive vision for this place is going to be really special. He not only has a passion for food, but for people and this community. It’s exactly the recipe we were looking for at Raleigh Iron Works.”
—Sam Crutchfield, Managing Director of Leasing & Acquisitions, Grubb Ventures
“Brodeto is an appropriate name because it connects Italy and Croatia, which is something we’re trying to do here,” says Crawford. “But it also speaks to the type of food that we want to serve people—it’s comforting, very fresh ingredients, sort of humble food.”
Crawford is no stranger to introducing new restaurant concepts—but he only wants to do one a year. Now that his highly anticipated Crawford Brothers Steakhouse at Fenton is delayed to 2024, that timing change allowed Brodeto to come to fruition, he says. “We really love this concept,” he adds. “We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time—and we feel this is the perfect space to do it.” Sounds like a recipe for success.raleighironworks.com
Don’t expect to find any flagship beers on the tap list at Edit Beer Co., a new brewery and taproom opening in Northeast Raleigh (next to Scooter’s Grill & Bar) by the end of the year. As the name would suggest, the team plans to regularly “edit” and improve upon their brews to keep patrons hoppy while also giving them the freedomnto experiment.
Co-owner Brian Johnson—who owns the brewery and taproom with his wife, Angela—also hopes Edit Beer Co. will enhance the local beer scene as a whole. “Edit is a means to make something better,” he says. “We’ve seen North Carolina continue to grow as a very well-respected craft beer state people are excited about, and we’re happy to keep making NC a better craft beer destination.”
Of course, you’ll still be able to sip on core “styles” of beer, Johnson maintains. He and head brewer Jack DeHarpport, who previously headed brewing operations at R&D Brewing, plan to always have some hoppy options available, in addition to light beer ops and sours—plus more obscure brews.
“Ultimately, we want to have something for everybody,” says DeHarpport. “We aren’t only going to be making esoteric beers that punch you in the face with flavor. We also want ones that are gonna be really drinkable, sessionable and everything in between.”
When Edit Beer Co. opens in December, expect pours of the brewery’s own beers, as well as guest brews—though the pair hopes to have all 20 taps filled with Edit beers by spring, when they’ll host a grand opening party for the public after they “use the first few months to get our feet planted,” says Johnson. They also plan to eventually have craftily designed cans—courtesy of Atlas Branding & Design out of Asheville—in local bottle shops.
In the meantime, the light-filled taproom—complete with high ceilings, large live-edge wood tables, a mezzanine and outdoor seating—makes for a pretty primo spot to tantalize your palate with unique and unexpected brews. Hop to it! @editbeer
Burrow on down to this new creative space and market.
“Just come down here once,” Julian Jacobs says of his newly opened mixed retail and entertainment space The Burrow. “We’re doing so much that there has to be one thing you like.”
Aptly named—given its location tucked under the former DTR House of Swank building on Hargett Street—The Burrow really does have a lot to offer. Think weekly Saturday and Sunday markets (plus some Fridays—and a holiday market Dec. 23) with upward of 18 local vendors, hot yoga classes every Wednesday morning with Oak City Yoga, and a house party every Thursday night dubbed Rabbit Whole & Friends featuring live DJs.
Not only does the hip new spot serve up a host of activities, The Burrow also doubles as a creative incubator—providing local makers, artists, etc. with a space to showcase their passions to the public. Jacobs himself is one of those creatives. A former chef/baker, he left the food and beverage world to start selling vintage clothing in 2020—and before bowing The Burrow also co-founded Unorthodox Vintage, a collab between his OG thrifting venture Sir Chance’s and She Thrifty Apparel.
When he thought of the idea for The Burrow—what Jacobs explains as a mashup of now-closed Neptune’s and Imurg, and NYC’s Artist & Fleas makers market—he already had multiple fellow business owners he knew would jump at the opportunity to be a part of the innovative concept.
Seeing a gap in Raleigh’s market, Jacobs bought the space in August and opened it two months later to much fanfare. “The community needed something new,” he says, “and I hope this gets the ball rolling for the next group of people who come to Raleigh.”
Having been in the pop-up biz himself (Sir Chance’s started out at the Pop-Up Shops at Martin Street), Jacobs admits he “hates pop-ups,” so one of the main features of The Burrow is more permanent space for vendors.
Currently, Frills Atelier, Ghost Gillz, Custom Bella Creations,Castelli Boutique, and Safe ‘N’ Sound Rugs serve as anchor tenants, while various other small businesses sell their goods at the markets, house parties and other events. Eventually, Jacobs also wants to host classes within the space (think art, drawing, candle- and soap-making classes) in which “local business owners can come down and show their trade,” he says.
“One of the big reasons I wanted to do this is because I really believe in entrepreneurship,” explains Jacobs. “I believe that if someone wants to leave their job and open their own business, I’m like, well come here and we’re gonna try to help you to do that.” Talk about giving local biz a leg up. theburrownc.square.site
There’s no time like the presents to start your holiday shopping! So we tapped Curate—a one-stop DTR shop that curates gifts (hence the name!) crafted by local artisans—for its top local gift picks… so you can channel your inner Santa Claus while supporting local. #Sleigh!
