Like sun-kissed cheeks after that first glass of rosé, Pantone Color of the Year Peach Fuzzat once radiates tender and timeless. “Subtly sensual,” the velvety soft pinkish-orange shade feels like a gentle hug in cozy season while emanating a soft sunny vibe that ushers in warmth year-round. “The heartfelt peach hue brings a feeling of kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration,” said Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman of the perennial pick that likewise leans into our collective urge for stillness and sanctuary. “An idea as much as a feeling,” the calming tone is pure poetry—a call to the senses that enlivens the mind, body and soul with its vintage-meets-modern vibe. It’s giving “I got my peaches out in Georgia—oh, yeah,” and Biebs would be so proud.
That Fuzzy Feeling
We tapped a trio of local designers for riffs on getting that warm fuzzy feeling of Pantone Color of the Year Peach Fuzz so you can give peace—ahem, peach—a chance.
“Farrow and Ball’s Faded Terracotta is my favorite peach shade. Peaches can be hard sometimes because you don’t want them to be too pink, too red or too orange—it has to be that perfect combo. I think peach can make a room not only feel lively, but it has a calming and grounding effect with its warm undertones. Peach also can be used with so many colors, and one of my favorite combinations is peach with a warm turquoise/green. If you’re looking for a calmer palette, peach looks amazing with grays and browns. This particular shade from Farrow and Ball really makes a statement with a dark red or calming blueish gray—there are so many different moods you can create with peach color pairings.” ▪Grey Joyner, Grey Joyner Interiors, greyjoyner.com
“A charming color that brings a touch of history and sophistication to your space, this warm orange-pink hue is typical of 19th century interiors, adding a timeless elegance to your home. Paired with muted grays, soft creams and tonal browns, Ointment Pink creates a harmonious and balanced palette that feels like a comforting embrace. We love this color paired with the natural patina of aged brass, whether it’s through picture frames, lighting or mirrors.” ▪Orshi Wren, Astral House Mindful Interior Design, theastralhouse.com
“Fresh Peach is a color that embodies a subtle blend of soft pinks and warm oranges. It imparts a warm and inviting atmosphere, bringing a touch of warmth and elegance to any space. I prefer to use this color only as a light accent—[like] on accent pillows in a children’s room.” ▪Tula Summerford, Design by Tula, designbytula.com
“Embracing Apéro Lime Paint’s playful and punchy peach shade, you’ll discover yourself captivated by the transformative power of this color. The velvety matte finish of limewash not only provides a rich aesthetic, but also delivers a natural and nontoxic paint, ensuring a healthy and sustainable choice. Apéro’s lively hue acts as an inviting canvas—especially suitable for plant enthusiasts—contrasting the matte walls with glossy green leaves and introducing an old-world charm traditional paint can’t replicate.”
If you want to know what the future Raleigh sportsbook could look like, look no further than Ohio. The Fanatics Sportsbook at Nationwide Arena that bowed in late August, home to the Columbus Blue Jackets, is similar to what Fanatics envisions for a potential PNC sportsbook. While no deal is final on the exact location, “Fanatics Sportsbook will bring a user-friendly experience for North Carolinians to wager on sports responsibly,” said Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell upon the announcement, “and we’re proud to partner with them on this endeavor.” While wagering on the Super Bowl isn’t likely, Gov. Roy Cooper hopes to fast-track sports betting in time for The Big Dance. “The idea is to try to get it in place before March Madness,” Gov. Cooper said in mid-January. “There’s a lot going on at the Lottery Commission to make sure that process goes the right way.” Until then, check out “Wanna Bet?” for what we know—and which apps you’ll soon be able to pony up on.
Move over (vodka) espresso martini, a host of hooch ops are comin’ in hot this year.
Hugo Boss The bittersweet bubbly Aperol Spritz ran so Hugo Spritz could fly—and give you wings. Swapping the pungent orangey Aperol for fresh floral elderflower liqueur (think St-Germain), then combined with the usual prosecco and club soda and garnished with a wedge of your lemon/lime choosing + mint sprig, it promises to make ’24 floral and effervescent.
Espresso Yourself The craze continues. We see the de rigueur vodka-coffee combo and raise you tequila—think Best Bartender nom Will Bryant’s visionary version with Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila at Parlor at Heights House. Better still, a trending baker’s dozen of flavor profiles. Cookie butter? Filthy chai? Olive oil? Peppermint mocha? Don’t knock it till you try it.
All About the Buzz Hot take: Coffee makes you smarter. So girl math—and boy math—adds up for this caffeinated trend, from cold brew Negronis to White Russians and beyond. We see you, Watts & Ward’s Basic Bitch (Bacardi spiced rum, Caffe Lolita, syrup, coffee & cocoa bitters, whole egg). Hey, basic never meant boring. Pref spiked tea? Probs your cue to literally “Give It a Chai” at Highgarden.
BEC-lieve It If Wonka got drunk and dug sandwiches, well the liquified bodega BEC sandwich would taste like a BEC sandwich. That very real bacon-washed whiskey, egg white and everything-bagel seasoning-topped ’tail (dubbed the NY Bodega Sour and already on the menu of a Manhattan lounge) is just one pioneer of the new class of sandwich cocktails coming. Double down and pair it with a side of Doritos liquor—yes, really.
Also Keeping Spirits High So fetch? Throwback ’tinis (we see you apple) thrive while spicy spirits continue to bring the heat. Experiential cocktails light up our feeds to electrify the doom-scroll doldrums, and Korean vodka Soju keeps spirits high as it takes reign as the world’s most popular—alongside everything Asian. So, “smooth like butter,” indeed.
The fruits of cocktail labor have long rested on, well, fruits. Until now. Giving that nectar the squeeze, see a garden variety of veggies cropping up on cocktail menus aplenty—think carrots, beets, cukes, pumpkins and peppers. Essentially, savory produce is the fuel—and flavor—we need now. Bonus, if you resolved to up your veggie intake in 2024, the ’tail trend promises to help you take your shot. We’re rooting for you.
Get to the Root, Willco Dance to the ~beet~ of your own drum with this fan-fave earthy-meets-sweet, tangy and tart ’tail blending beet, carrot, piloncillo and lime with dealer’s choice mezcal or tequila for a fresh clean finish that harvests those health goals. @willcobar
Carrot Top, Dram & Draught Counter the 19% ABV blur effect and see everything more clearly with this eye-popping carrot-hued Cardinal barrel-rested gin-based cocktail showcasing green Chartreuse, pineapple, lemon, aquafaba, carrot simple syrup and soda.@dramanddraughtraleigh
Meet Your Beet, The Green Light Make like MJ and just, beet, it over to one of the world’s best speakeasies (yes, really) for this rum and Cointreau-soaked salad—er, spirit—feat. beet, ginger, lemon and egg white. You’ll be feeling like a “pretty young thing” indeed. @greenlightbar
Freak on a Leash, The Longleaf Lounge Throwing (night)shade, Ancho Reyes poblano stars alongside gin, Alley Twenty Six orgeat, Pernod rinse, lime and fennel in this savory vegetal spirit that’s at once spicy and refreshing. Only mildly ironic the band Korn (get it?) made the phrase famous with their same-named 1998 banger. @thelongleaflounge
What’s Up Doc, Wye Hill Apeeling (had to) to the eyes and the senses, this dealer’s choice crowd fave can be consumed as a power-packed mocktail with pure carrot juice, apple cider, cinnamon, turmeric and homemade ginger syrup—or spiked with some spirited gin or green Chartreuse—and garnished with a big bushel of mint for that healthful cherry, er, carrot on top. @wyehill
Hey Pumpkin! | Dram & Draught Carve out some time for yourself at Dram for some plant-based perfection a la this gourd-geous sweet, autumnal, velvety Hennessy sipper feat. amaretto, pumpkin puree, aquafaba, Angostura bitters and nitro-charged whipped cream. It’s giving Drake on a diet. @dramanddraughtraleigh
Wabbit Season | Whiskey Kitchen For some hare-raising sips—“I bet you say that to all the wabbits!”—toast to rabbit season via this tantalizing tequila tipple with carrot aqua fresca, sweet potato syrup, chiles, lime and black lava salt. ’Scuse us while we drown our winter sorrows. @whiskey.kitchen
Those big black boxes popping up around Downtown are a big win for Raleigh.
Making good on the promise that not all who wander are lost are the newly installed digital wayfinding kiosks in DTR. Like your own adventure concierge, IKE Smart City kiosks are complete with interactive multilingual touch screens to activate the pedestrian experience.
Need a proximal bite or bev? Check. Retail fix or a place to rest your head? Yup. Event finds? You bet. Real-time transit info? In progress. Addiction recovery services, safe shelter, critical social services resources and emergency call system (plus future real-time emergency messaging from the city)? Indeed. Even a built-in photo booth (selfie, who?). Have a need or craving? Essentially these big black boxes you see popping up around Downtown—and already utilized in 16 U.S. cities—have you covered.
“In 2016, I was on a ski trip to Denver [and] used an IKE kiosk to help me determine when the train was coming,” said Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin at the mid-November ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It helped me pick out a restaurant for dinner, and it also showed some of the fun things going on in Larimer Square—which we all decided, yeah, let’s walk over there and see what’s happening. … And I said to myself, ‘Why can’t we have this in Raleigh?’ And lo and behold [IKE] was looking at Raleigh. And that’s when the conversation started.”
With over 3.5 million unique visitors to DTR and a core bustling with locally owned retailers (~90%) and restaurants (~80%), our storefronts are essential to the Raleigh experience, said Downtown Raleigh Alliance President Bill King in his ribbon-cutting speech. “One of our challenges is businesses are scattered around and not always easy to navigate,” he added, and “we want to make sure Downtown is the best experience it can be. Bringing digital wayfinding is a critical tool to helping our many visitors, residents and workers be able to support and patronize our locally owned businesses and give Raleigh this distinct feel of community and home.”
But this super-cool city communication platform is about so much more than where to stay and play. “It’s not just about entertainment—it’s also about social services,” said Baldwin. “It’s about helping people find that bus. It’s about true communication on so many levels. It’s taken seven years, but the fact of the matter is: IKE’s here and that’s exciting.” And in case you weren’t already convinced, Baldwin maintains, “Raleigh is cool now.”
“Breaking through the tremendous amount of noise and information can be difficult, but these help us to do so in a way that can better support DTR.” —Bill King, President, DRA
Navigating the Navigation
Users of IKE’s interactive touch screen kiosk will be presented with multiple applications covering everything from activities and events to arts and culture spots to shops and restaurants/bars to places to stay—as well as social service resources (think shelters and the like).
► Browse through the options or use the search bar to find exactly what you’re looking for (like, say, the name of a specific hotel). ► Each kiosk is based on proximity, so the closest spots to the IKE you’re using will appear first. ► Once you select your destination, the kiosk will provide options on how to get there, whether by public transit, scooter or on foot. ► IKE will then provide a QR code you can scan to get the directions directly on your phone.
