Pickleball is trending (understatement). So, why is it suddenly the fastest-growing sport in America?
Just as bacon “took over the world” in 2013, pickleball became the sport of the summer this past year. Everyone from Michael Phelps to Leonardo DiCaprio to fitness influencers to families took up the game—which saw a sudden spike in popularity during the pandemic, when more than a million Americans started playing.
Not just a great way to get exercise (though a fun one), pickleball—a cross between tennis, badminton and pingpong that’s played with paddles and a Wiffle-like ball—became an obsession. Read: a trend that nearly 4.8 million people have joined in on. The New Yorker even went so far as to question whether pickleball could “save America.” (Pause for consideration. Meh, we’ll go with a bit of an exaggeration. But the sport does unite people from all walks of life across the nation, so there’s that.)
So… what’s the deal? Founded over 55 years ago (by three middle-aged dads—fun fact!), pickleball’s spike in popularity is a credit to its accessibility—anyone can play, no matter their age, station, etc. The smaller court also allows players to maintain convo during play. NTM, it’s easy to learn and puts less strain on your body than, say, tennis—and who doesn’t love a light yet effective workout?!
Adds Lane Ethridge, director of pickleball at Life Time Raleigh: “The growth of pickleball is partly attributed to the addictive nature of the game as well as the inclusive culture it breeds for all those who find it, usually at the time in their life when they need it more than they realize. I believe it will continue to expand in our market and attract a variety of players from the ultra-competitive to the exploding social and rec players seeking a way to spend time getting fun exercise while meeting new people who share a common love for the game.”
Needless to say, pickleball is a pretty big dill (s/o to the Holderness family for their supercatchy “Pickleball Song” that you should absolutely blast while on the court) and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. If you haven’t already, now’s as good a time as any to jump in on the trend. Just remember to dink responsibly—and don’t get smashed.
Durham Distillery releases new gin with butterfly pea flower.
Durham Distillery’s brand-new color-changing (!) Conniption Kinship—the third gin in its tasty, refreshing lineup—boasts a beautiful purple hue that, when mixed with citrus (or even tonic!), changes colors before your very eyes. Magic? More like science!
In the works since the beginning of the year, Conniption’s Kinship is made with a vapor-distilled botanical base of juniper, Indian coriander, cardamom, licorice root, angelica root and bitter orange—plus a delicate botanical blend of fresh orange and lemon peels, honeysuckle flowers, and ripe cucumbers—and naturally infused with butterfly pea flowers, yielding that gorge color. A pH reaction with citrus causes that awe-inspiring hue to morph into shades of blue and pink in even prettier cocktails.
“This is a match made in heaven for us because our whole purpose and mission behind Conniption Gin is to connect art and science together through the modernization of gin distillation,” says Katrincic. “It just has its own journey—and I fell in love with it.”
Forrest Mason
More than just a pretty bottle on the shelf, Kinship will stand out flavorwise from Conniption American Dry and Navy Strength gins and possess its own distinct personality. Coming in at 92 proof, it’ll also “play up really well with cocktails,” Katrincic maintains. (So flex those home bartending skills by playing at home!)
Conniption Kinship will also showcase Durham Distillery’s new custom bottle release, which will eventually be the same for all the Conniption gins—aka “still the same profile… very similar shape,” says Katrincic, “but it’s just a beautiful bottle. It’s got a showstopper kind of quality to it.”
And playing up that marriage of art and science (hence the Kinship name): “We really had fun with this packaging,” says Katrinic. To wit: the molecular structures with illustrations of juniper berries and butterfly pea flowers coming out of them that adorn the bottle. “The signature Conniption Gin ‘window’ illustration is still there behind the purple, but you’ll have to drink the liquid to reveal it. Isn’t that fun?!” she adds.
Let the good times be(gin) this weekend at Corpse Reviver, where they’ll “have some curated cocktails that will show off the gin for people who want to come in and try it,” says Katrincic. And for those looking to bring a bottle home, it’ll be available at Durham Distillery on Friday, Aug. 5, and in local ABC Stores within the next week to 10 days, according to Katrincic.
“I feel like this is the right time where we all need a little prettiness in our lives,” she adds. “This is not any kind of dark bourbony, whiskey type of thing. This is really bright.”—and it’s almost impossible not to smile while drinking it. Bottoms up!
Scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3, Over the Edge allows thrill-seekers to raise money for SONC solo or in teams ($1,000 minimum req. to rappel) to test their limits by scaling down the Wells Fargo Capitol Center building in DTR.
Having defied gravity since 2010, the challenge mirrors the adversities those with intellectual disabilities face on a daily basis, whether on the field, in the pool or on the court. And if the adrenaline rush and feel-good factor don’t grab you, there’s always the views for days (or, well, floors).
To date, SONC has raised $9.2K, but hopes this year’s event will reach a total of $100,000, all to benefit its mission of cultivating sports opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. So even if yrappelling down a tower isn’t your thing (we don’t blame you), you can still contribute to the cause by donating to an individual or corporate team fundraiser. Ready to take the plunge?! Register here.
New virtual food hall at RDU Airport makes dining on the fly a breeze.
RDU Airport‘s new getREEF Virtual Food Hall is changing the way airport-goers fill up at the airport (see ya later, long lines at eateries and the dread of boarding a long flight hungry!). Launched July 21, the ghost kitchen concept allows travelers to order meals and coffee on their mobile devices—or directly at the kiosk—for pickup at specially marked temperature-controlled lockers in Terminal 2 near Gate C9.
“REEF’s first-ever virtual food hall brings dramatic innovation to the future of airport dining by giving travelers unprecedented variety and convenience,” says REEF Kitchens Senior Vice President Valentina Ellison.
The virtual food hall features nine popular brands, including international favorites like Krispy Rice, 800 Degrees Pizza, Pei Wei, Xochimex Cantina Grill, Zinburger and Rebel Wings, as well as local concepts Beyú Caffé, Hubb Kitchens and American Meltdown. So no matter what you’re craving on the fly, there’s something to satiate you before, between or after your flight (!).
To boot, it allows groups to mix-and-match orders “in one easy, contactless transaction,” says Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority—aka no one has to settle for eating somewhere they don’t want. “The kitchen meets two of RDU’s top goals by giving guests a wide range of dining options and leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve their experience at the airport,” adds Landguth.
And stay tuned for delivery taking off later this summer—meaning your food will come to you no matter where you are in the airport in Terminal 2. We’d say that’s pretty fly.
Famed nationwide entrepreneur announces first “eatertainment” concept for Raleigh Iron Works.
“A ‘deconstructed Southern grandma on her way to the social club,’”—that’s how 25-year restaurant and hospitality industry vet Robert Thompson describes his new “eatertainment” concept slated to open at Raleigh Iron Works next year.
To bring you up to speed, we first broke the news of the highly anticipated Iron Works development across from Dock 1053 in 2019, with the exclusive update and renderings in our fall 2021 cover story. Now we’re here to tell you about the latest “social destination” to join the project.
Robert Thompson
The first nationwide location for the “eatertainment” spot—think like Thompson’s Punch Bowl Social (nee 2012), aka social gaming meets top-notch dishes and drinks—Jaguar Bolera (“bolera” translates to bowling alley) will merge craveable dishes, an inventive bar program, social activities (think duckpin bowling, karaoke, darts) and “makertainment” activations like naughty needlepoint (!) and jewelry-making classes—all with a drink and snacks in hand, natch.
Thompson says the concept is perfect for the highly anticipated Raleigh Iron Works development—and a natural fit for the first location, which “is the most important we ever do because so much of the brand becomes embodied in that first location.” He adds: “It’s fortunate for us that we were able to find this particular project in a market we really wanted to be in. I just really like the way [the developers] are bringing this project to life. It feels very authentic.”
And, for its part, Jaguar Bolera is sure to deliver on authenticity—a place “where green chorizo meets biscuits and gravy, and where red eye-gravy meets tortillas.” In other words, the concept will marry Southern and Mexican cuisine together in “a tapestry of Southern and Mexican [food],” says Thompson. Even the name, Jaguar Bolera, is a nod—derived from the American South and Mexico, territories that inspired the menu and where the jaguar historically inhabited.
Naturally, you can expect to see some innovative taco dishes on the menu, as well as things you might recognize as purely Southern, but prepared with Mexican influences. And the wood-fired techniques on full display are a nod to the “City of Oaks.” “That’s where I hope the magic all comes together,” says Thompson. That—and his award-winning craft beverage program. Um, cheers to that!
Beyond the food and bev program, the vibe will be just as high-energy on a Monday night as on a Saturday. And Thompson emphasizes that the massive space (21,000 square feet!) will be compartmentalized and feel “as warm as possible,” adding: “We endeavored to make sure you never walk into the room and feel like you’re in a cavern.”
With Raleigh relatively lacking in the “eatertainment” department to date, Thompson is seizing the opportunity in what is certainly an up-and-coming market that’s no doubt going to be a grand slam. “Jaguar Bolera was really inspired a lot by Raleigh—the DNA here, the city, the roots here in the South,” he says, “and this connection to what we’re doing from a culinary side, with Southern and Mexican. It’s just an exciting time to be around and certainly one of the best places to live in the country.” Let the good times roll…
