It’s all about the mems in this festive kitchen nook given new life by a pop of color via interior designer Grey Joyner’s ~colorful~ vision, updating the room’s original all-white trim and pastel embroidered cafe curtains to create a crisp, clean feel via high-gloss oil paint in a vibrant turquoise hue that craftily matches the serging on the rug. “Color, to me, brings a space a new life,” says the interiors pro. “A lot of people who come into this room call it a ‘jewelry box’—and that’s exactly what I wanted to achieve here… a place that is special and where many memories will be created.” ’Tis the season. Here, we tap Joyner for intel on how to emulate the look. greyjoyner.com
Designer’s Tips
Gloss It Up High-gloss paint on trim creates a crisp, clean feel—and, bonus, dries harder and ages better for well-lived-in homes (aka kids & dogs banging into doors). Pro tip: Apply to ceilings in quaint spaces to “enlarge” the space.
Holiday Hues Pair pink and turquoise with touches of red and green, respectively, for a festive feel, like those red berries with a pink bow, or the green ornaments with turquoise velvet ribbon.
Texture Treasure A mix of textures can up the festive factor. From velvet and silk ribbon to raffia place mats, they all create interest and make a room a true work of art.
In an election where every vote truly counts (had to), the race for Raleigh’s top bartender is still on! Cast your vote for Raleigh Magazine’s Best Bartender to help crown our bar king or queen… and determine who will dethrone 2022 Bartender of the Year Colby Kress and grab the highly coveted trophy (passed from champ to champ a la Stanley Cup). While you’re at it, be sure to complete your ballot for Best Bars across a range of categories—Overall, Whiskey, Brewery, Dive and more. We may not yet know who the winners are—but one thing we know for sure is Raleigh is passionate about its pours. So in the spirit of “election” season, we tapped our Best Bartender noms for their fave cocktail to craft, so when you go belly up to their bar you know exactly what to order. Cheers! Voting closes Dec. 15
In the famous words of Chris Tucker a la Friday, “How you gonna get fired on your day off?” Giving credence to the unlikely conundrum—or at least something else to worry about at 3am when work worries trouble us most, according to Harvard—is the extrahuman capabilities of artificial intelligence. It’s such a question mark, in fact, that President Biden recently issued an executive order to quell AI’s power.
But while pundits, politicians and industries alike sort out what AI can do and how we can use it—from grocery shopping to calculating food expiration dates to self-driving cars and beyond—researchers have analyzed a range of occupations to predict which jobs in NC are most likely to be overtaken… and which jobs have the lowest risk.
At the top of the chopping block? Well machines can math, obv, so billing, bookkeepers, accountants and auditors. And they thrive in clerical skills, meaning posts like postal clerks, laborers and office clerks—all of which are forecasted for 100% job loss to AI. The good news? Other wildly popular local professions can confidently bid the bird to the man vs. machine battle, including teachers, nurses and civil engineers, the latter of whose threat is almost nil… or as they’d say in Friday: “Bye, Felicia!”
100% imminent risk (or -100,000) Laborers, freight/stock/material movers: This No. 4 ranked NC job’s repetitive, predictable tasks don’t require much human judgment.
99% chance (or -9,900) Fast food/counter workers: Clever AI systems present imminent risk to this No. 11 ranked NC post—one of the top 9 in the U.S.—able to mimic the tasks, though posing a problem for customer service and social perceptiveness.
88% chance (or -733) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers: Odds are high due to the rise in electric, automated vehicles.
38% chance (or +163) Home health and personal care aides: A relatively low-risk job since AI simply can’t mimic understanding of and special needs of patients
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.
We tapped top editors around the country for what’s hot right now—and what’s coming in 2024.
In almost every facet of life, what’s in fashion is cyclical (see: skinny brows, flare jeans, clear liquors…). But when it comes to our ever-evolving palates—flavors don’t just fall in and out of favor. What’s new and now seems to only sate our unending appetite for the next best thing for mere moments, leaving it hard to fathom what’s next. But, lucky for us, regions vary on their timing and fervor for the newest flavor… each trend-setting city teeming with critics—er, citizens—ready to deem the latest “it” factor or passing fad.
As we look ahead to the year to come, we know no one has a better vantage point into the looking glass than city mag editors. So, we tapped a handful of top brass around the country in cities we’re oft compared to or chasing to help us forecast what’s hot right now and what’s coming in 2024. And in my convos with these six foodie experts, one thing’s for certain—2024 is gonna be a vibe.
Retro classics: “One of Dallas’ hottest restaurants serves sole meunière, lamb Wellington, and lobster thermidor. We’re partying like it’s 1965.” Clubby Korean restaurants: “All-you-can-eat BBQ… and bottle service. Kimchi… and bouncers.” Beer-flavored beer: “After years of pushing various boundaries, Texas breweries are falling back in love with plain old light lagers, pilsners and pale ales.” Small business bonds: “Most unusual of all, a Dallas bakery recently issued small business bonds. Here’s an interview about it and the actual bond account.”
Photo by Carly Cooper
Atlanta —Carly Cooper, Writer & Editor Atlanta magazine
Headshot by Lia Picard
Influx of omakase: “Atlanta has seen an influx of omakase restaurants—from Omakase by Yun to Brush. Mujō and Hayakawa were even awarded one Michelin star for their offerings.” Vegan en vogue: “From plant-based burger enterprise Slutty Vegan to Latin-flavored La Semilla, vegan restaurants have burst onto the scene.” Modern Mexican: “Modern Mexican is taking Atlanta by storm with regional dishes like squash blossom quesadillas at Oaxaca, creative cocktails at Palo Santo, and seafood-forward fare at D Boca N Boca.”
Photo courtesy of Amar
Boston —Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Food Editor Boston magazine
Local seafood, global inspirations: “An increasing number of Greater Boston-area restaurants are showcasing global cuisines using our beautiful local products—like brilliant new Vietnamese cocktail bar The Eaves or new upscale Portuguese restaurant Amar. Ember-grilled Maine lobster with Azorean pineapple and preserved fennel, anyone?” Fine dining: “Special-occasion dining has taken a much more casual spin in recent years. Patrons—particularly young professionals—are excited to pay top dollar for incredible food in crowded, energetic restaurants with booming soundtracks; zero dress codes; service that’s friendly but far-removed from old-school fawning hospitality; and flavor-packed, hands-on small plates to be dug into with friends. Special-occasion dining has taken a much more casual spin in recent years. Take Lenox Sophia—one of the highest-ranking restaurants on our just-updated guide to Boston’s 50 best restaurants. You’ll pay upward of $100 per person for an elegant and expertly prepared prix fixe menu, but the vibe is casual, like you’re in chef-owner Shi Mei’s own home.” Dramatic cocktails: “We’re a little in danger of leaning too gimmicky on this front, but a lot of recent additions to Boston’s cocktail scene are carefully striking the right balance: Craft cocktails with fun, over-the-top presentations are having a big moment here right now. Secret passwords, plenty of things on fire, garnishes bigger than the drinking vessel, hair-related puns (see: Boston’s appropriately named Wig Shop)… sure!”
Tinned fish: “Move over, ceviche! Conservas have become the ‘it’ appetizer, with briny options popping up on menus— from hotel bars to hot restaurants.” Nonalcoholic scene has gotten huge: “There are NA drinks on every menu; tons of zero-proof brands based here; and Austin is home to the country’s first NA bar, Sans Bar.” Restaurant bathroom decor: “Featuring custom murals, neon signs and even disco balls, these eye-catching loos all but demand a selfie.” IG-worthy cocktails: Beyond ’Grammable ’tails, “speakeasies are everywhere, shrimp cocktail seems to be having a moment and burgers in general seem to be everywhere.”
Photo courtesy of Tuk Tuk
Chicago —Amy Cavanaugh, Dining Editor Chicago magazine
Hyper-regional fare: “We’re seeing new spots open focusing on hyper-regional cuisines, such as at Thattu, which serves the food of Kerala, and Tuk Tuk, which serves Isan fare.” Sober curious: “Low and no-alcohol drinks continue to grow in popularity, and we’ve especially been seeing nonalcoholic wines recently.” Affordable fine dining: “Chicago is known for its fine-dining scene, and the past couple of years more affordable tasting menus have sprung up. It’s a reaction to the pandemic and the issues that restaurants still face, and it makes luxe meals more approachable for diners.”
Photo courtesy of Gallery Armada
DC —Jessica Sidman, Food Editor Washingtonian
Maximalism is in: “The TikTok boom, increased prices and pent-up pandemic demand have all converged to make dining out feel more like an event. The result is over-the-top decor, plus dishes and drinks that come with a show.” Food halls gone fancy: “Food halls aren’t just glorified food courts anymore. They’re home to Michelin restaurants and high-end omakase menus, and they’re attracting talent from some of the city’s top restaurants. The Square and Love, Makoto—which both opened in 2023—are two prime examples.” French food wave: “Maybe because it’s a familiar cuisine in uncertain times. Maybe it’s just another example of a cyclical food trend. But the DC area has seen a lot of French restaurant openings over the past year—from the refined regional cooking at Petite Cerise to comforting bistro classics at Josephine.” Everything’s a vibe: “We’re seeing lots of restaurants that are more about the scene than what’s on the plate.” Service fees everywhere: “In 2022, DC residents voted to phase out the tipped wage system that allows restaurants to subsidize the base pay of servers and bartenders with gratuity from diners. To make up for increased labor costs, many restaurants have implemented mandatory service fees, which can range from 3 to 22%. That’s causing a lot of confusion among diners about tipping expectations.”
