by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 30, 2022 | Eat, July 2022/August 2022
Unless you’re taking a summer social media/news siesta, you’ve no doubt heard chef Ricky Moore of Durham’s Saltbox Seafood Joint brought home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast—and what a huge honor for him, the Triangle… and fishermen. Echoing that sentiment was Moore himself as he took stage to accept the culinary world’s highest regional honor: “Bull City, North Carolina! I opened up a place that celebrates North Carolina seafood, so I’m going to shout out North Carolina fisher folk—mean[ing] fishermen and women.” So if you haven’t been to SSJ in a while—or ever—use this summer as an excuse to feast on what foodies near and far have been raving about, from the myriad fried or spice-griddled seafood options (which vary based on what’s been caught by NC fishermen that day) to Moore’s signature Hush-Honeys, aka fried cornmeal fritters glazed with honey (and, yes, you’re gonna want a lot of those). What could be more perfect than fresh-caught North Carolina seafood in the summertime? We’re calling it: It’s o-fish-ally Saltbox season. saltboxseafoodjoint.com
by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 30, 2022 | Eat, July 2022/August 2022
Four Raleigh restaurant & bar owners expand concepts to Wilmington.
The beach is calling… and answering that call are four Raleigh restaurateurs and bar owners opening new locations in Wilmington. Seasing the opp to expand their brands to the coast (and gain a whole new audience) are fan faves Dram & Draught, Kipos, Bull City Ciderworks and Olivero—aka just one more excuse to hit the beach. Shell yeah!
Dram & Draught
The Dram & Draught empire is taking NC by storm. The uberpopular go-to neighborhood bar (and perennial voted Raleigh Mag Best Bar Overall) boasting three current locations already (Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro) has—wait for it—four other locales in the works in Cary, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and, of course, Wilmington. The new two-story (!) Port City location—which opened in early June—features the same vast whiskey collection and seasonal craft cocktail menu as all Dram sip spots. And though all of Dram’s drinkeries differ, the thread woven through each is that same cool, comfortable and sexy style and vibe that we all know and love. @dramanddraught
Kipos
It may come as no surprise given his range and bountiful growth (he’s got 14 restaurants under his belt—and counting) that legendary restaurateur and NCRLA’s 2022 Restaurateur of the Year Giorgios Bakatsias of Giorgios Hospitality Group is expanding his popular Kipos to Wilm. Slated to open in July or August, Kipos Hellenic Cuisine will celebrate the food of Bakatsias’ homeland of Greece—with an added focus on the sea, natch (think spanakopita, moussaka, raw oysters and seafood entrees). And, promising to “Greek” you out, not only will the food transport you straight to the Mediterranean, so too, will the atmosphere, what with a lush partly covered patio, an intimate herb and flower terrace, and romantic gazebos. Opa! @kiposcuisinewilmington
Bull City Ciderworks
An apple (cider) a day keeps the doctor away. … And bringing a little bit of liquid medicine to Wilmington this summer is Bull City Ciderworks, whose Port City location (opening this summer!) will be the first cidery by the coast (!)—and its fifth location in NC. The roughly 7,500-square-foot taproom will include 24 taps, fire pits, green space, lounge seating and an expansive bar—NTM Bull City Ciderworks’ award-winning ciders, cider cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic options. And in the summertime, you’re gonna wanna cool off with one of their signature cider slushies. Cheers! @bullcitywilmington
Olivero
James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist Sunny Gerhart is taking the Nawlins cuisine for which he’s known next-level by showcasing the nontraditional Spanish-Italian flavors of The Big Easy at his second establishment, Olivero, slated to bow in Downtown Wilmington in early 2023. Inspired by his mother’s side of the family—of Spanish and Italian descent—and his great-grandfather Jose Olivero (aka a sailor from Seville who immigrated to New Orleans, for whom the restaurant’s named), Gerhart will feature housemade pastas; fresh local fish, meat and vegs; and more. @olivero_ilm
by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 21, 2022 | June 2022, Stuff, Web Exclusive
New free “Amber Alert for pets” service helps pet owners find their lost dogs/cats.
Imagine if every lost pet could find their way home. Bringing that hope to fruition is lifelong animal lover, NC State Representative, and founder and CEO of PetScreening (the industry’s first and leading pet policy management software) John R. Bradford III with his recently launched FidoAlert and TabbyAlert.
Originating as an idea he jotted on a phone note on his phone five-plus years ago, now, the no-cost “Amber Alert for pets” service helps the estimated 10 million dogs and cats that get lost every year via cellular text and email alerts. Upon registration, owners are furever connected to their furry friends through a pet’s alert network that includes 10 trusted emergency contacts. So, if a pet owner loses their pet, they can initiate a lost pet alert that sends messages to everyone in the FidoAlert and TabbyAlert network within five miles of the location where the pet was lost.
“Our pets are part of our family,” says Bradford, “and when they are lost, they don’t have a voice to get home. We want to give them a voice through FidoAlert and TabbyAlert. As pet owners everywhere enroll their pets into our free alert network, we can make a significant reduction in the total number of lost pets.”
FidoAlert and TabbyAlert works in reverse too. If a good samaritan finds your lost pet, the network also provides a stainless steel tag in the mail—shaped like a bone for dogs or a mouse for cats!—that’s engraved with his/her name and a unique QR code. All the finder then has to do is scan it and the Fido/TabbyAlert system will text you the finder’s location and contact information.
To boot, if the finder doesn’t have a phone with QR code scanning capabilities (or doesn’t have a phone on them at all!), the tags are also helpfully engraved with each pet’s unique nine-digit Fido/Tabby ID, as well as a corresponding URL to enter the number.
“There was no halfway, no in between,” says Bradford. “We’ve invested over a million dollars in this product, but really, you can’t put a price tag on helping lost pets find their way home.”
To celebrate the launch and get more pet owners to register, the team is going on a summer road tour across North and South Carolina. Locally, catch them at the Durham Bulls baseball game on Saturday, July 23, and at the NC Pet Expo at the NC State Fairgrounds on Aug. 6 and 7 to learn more about how doggone beneficial this service is.
“We’d like to get as many people to enroll as possible,” says Bradford. “Your pet is safe when you sign up, but your pet is safest when every pet owner signs up.”
by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 20, 2022 | Do, June 2022
Don’t just wing it as you travel this summer. From prepaid RDU parking to the best flight-booking days, we’ll have you soaring—and saving—as you fly the friendly skies.
Travel confidence is soaring; mask mandates have been lifted and the U.S. no longer requires people traveling back into the country to get a COVID test… and like birds of a feather, we’re ready to spread our wings and, well, flock together. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows during peak travel season (especially during busy summer holidays like the Fourth of July)—so before you flip out, allow us to highlight some stress-reducing, money-saving summer travel hacks.
Put It in Park
Gone are the days of pulling up preflight in full-on anxiety mode to find all parking lots full. Enter the super-huge revelation that is ParkRDU’s online pre-booking option (tell your friends about it—or don’t and save all the good spots for yourself…). Choose your date, time and location—only caveat is you have to book at least 24 hours in advance. Bonus: You can also see the capacity of each parking lot in real-time via RDU Airport’s website… so you can swap #stressmode for #airplanemode and have one less hiccup between home and sipping that cocktail at 40,000 feet. rdu.com
The Early Bird Gets the Worm
Sure no one wants to wake up at 4am to catch a flight, but it’s worth it—trust us… just don’t oversleep and get left behind like Kevin McCallister. Pros’ll tell you that taking the earliest flight available is an easy hack (think more follow-up options, more flexibility, fewer frantic bodies). You’ll thank us when that seemingly more convenient afternoon flight you were eyeing gets canceled and you’re not having to spend the night in an airport lobby (hey, Tom Hanks in The Terminal!).
Direct Is Best
Like dawn flights, direct flights are your new best friend for steering clear of potential travel headaches. Where possible, choose the option with the most direct flights available to avoid unexpected cancellations and delays. Plus, the more stops involved, the higher the risk (*mind wanders to your last Olympic sprint through some rando terminal*). And, c’mon, who likes layovers anyway?
Peak Flights
While most people will tend to jump on that Sunday afternoon flight in order to get back for work Monday, beat the Sunday scaries (and high prices!) by opting for flights on off-peak days and times—like Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays. And if that just isn’t possible for you, early morning (ahem, smarter and cheaper!) and red-eye flights will also help save you money and stress.
by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 18, 2022 | June 2022, Stuff, Web Exclusive
Grab the popcorn. Paragon Theaters’ second and newest Cary location opens July 1.
Three, two, one… action! The long-awaited Paragon Theaters at Fenton is finally opening on July 1—introducing first-of-its-kind standards for moviegoers, with a bar to boot (!).
Putting a spotlight on a reimagined moviegoing experience, the new theater will feature LuxBox luxury seating—aka oversized, zero-gravity heated recliners with retractable trays—and a custom-built screen projected using 4K technology with a 15-degree tilt, coupled with Dolby Atmos immersive sound. Paragon Theaters is also introducing industry-leading touchscreen technology on specialized kiosks for guests to custom order premium concessions, craft food and drinks, and more (meaning ordering nachos—or, heck, a burger or pizza—is as easy as a tap of a button). So, essentially, you’ll never be uncomfortable sitting through a two-hour movie again.
To celebrate the theater’s opening, Paragon is offering movie tickets for NBC Universal’s Minions: The Rise Of Gru starting at only $6 (“C’est banana!”). And on July 2, a Minions Mania Carnival will take over Fenton Square directly in front of the theater with live entertainment, races, games, food and more —plus the chance to meet a Minion yourself!
Post-flick or -carnival, The Agency Bar & Social keeps the fun going with an indoor/outdoor 100-foot bar offering chef-inspired dishes, craft cocktails and 24 beers on tap—NTM a wood grill-encased lounge area, fire pit and water feature, interactive bar games, and views of Fenton’s open-air plaza.
“The focus on cutting-edge design and our exceptional food and beverage lineup at Fenton aligns perfectly with the Paragon brand,” says Paragon Theaters co-CEO Mike Whalen. “During the shutdowns last year, we took time to consider the expectations of our guests post pandemic and are rolling out new amenities at Fenton based on those discussions.”
