Life is better together—and where better to gather than in a formal-yet-inviting light-filled dining room. Here, locally sourced reupholstered vintage chairs serve as the design inspo for this cerulean oasis where art, floral fabric and brass bar cart surrounds collide to create the perf gathering space. We tap CEO Cate Holcombe of Raleigh’s Cate Holcombe Interiors on how to recreate the luxe look.
Photo by Anna Barzin
Designer’s Tips
Start Small A piece of furniture (in this case, the vintage chairs), a rug or artwork can spark the inspo that converts your blank canvas into a masterpiece.
Keep It Real Here, Holcombe’s team kept the chairs’ unique cerulean blue-and-cream-painted finish and reupholstered with a kid-friendly performance fabric.
Retro-fit To recreate the retro look of the chairs, start with a similar frame; grab two slightly varying shades of the same color and a small brush; alternate shades with each brushstroke to add depth and dimension; and use the carved details to guide the paint placement. And embrace the inevitable imperfections—they add character and charm!
Floral Fun Florals for… summer? Groundbreaking. Bring in gorge floral fabrics to tie together the various shades (as seen here with blue hues).
Locals Tommy Eaton and Corbett Storyk took on the master challenge to go hog wild and Q shack-hop the state, tackling eight joints on a round-trip two-day, one-night, 800-miler road trip. Departing at 10am, they ate their way to Asheville, arriving at 8pm, often splitting orders to keep the dream alive—and, frankly, because “the portions were large enough and we had a lot of food to fit,” laughs Eaton. Seven hours of sleep later and reenergized, the pig-pickin’ pair hit the road and rounded out their 13 hours in the car (talk about taking the scenic route… “sooie!”), with the remaining stops, arriving home at 7pm, bellies (and bucket list) full. “It was a great adventure,” says Eaton. “Servers and locals would light up when they heard about our ongoing quest, and then follow with questions or recommendations.” Fun find? “We were surprised how few places offered this, but cornbread in Asheville was awesome. It was worth the wait!” says Eaton. “I also had corn sticks for the first time (!).” Here’s a map of their ultimate BBQ binge for your own summer bucket list. Ready. Set. Pig out!
Candlelight Concerts are lighting up Raleigh this summer—and beyond.
Bringing big wick energy this summer are the new Candlelight Concerts by Fever—aka a host of live instrumental music concerts strumming your faves against a backdrop of flickering candlelight across some of Raleigh’s most, well, lit venues. The global shimmering sensation—illuminating fans in 90+ cities from London to Los Angeles, with more than 3 million tix sold worldwide in 2021 alone—has added Raleigh to its roster. “Candlelight is known for bringing the experience to unique, culturally rich venues in every city we pass through,” says Ryan Barry, associate producer of Fever Originals. “Raleigh is no different—and we are so excited to bring this experience to some of the most magical historical landmarks of the city. Our goal with Candlelight is to democratize culture, and create accessible spaces to enjoy the works of some of the world’s greatest composers and modern musicians.” … So whether you’re looking for a little Coldplay to “fix you” at The Historic Wakefield Barn, an “enchanted” evening with T Swift at the Merrimon-Wynne House or even an evening at All Saints Chapel for Queen to “rock you,” there’s a little something for everyone—from magical movie soundtracks to the Four Seasons to Bach and beyond.feverup.com
“Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again…” As travel is top of mind this summer—and beyond—Global Rescue surveyed the globe’s most-seasoned jet-setters for their top travel tracks so as to compile the quintessential playlist for trip-takers—“to inspire adventure, encourage exploration and connect us with loved ones,” says Global Rescue Communications Director Bill McIntyre. Not shockingly, topping the wanderlust hit list is Willie Nelson’s quintessential road-trip track “On the Road Again.” Here, a sneak of some of the Global Rescue’s remaining top 50, which you can (and should) stream on Spotify (“Global Rescue Top 50 Travel Songs”) for your next sweet escape.
“On the Road Again” Willie Nelson
“Leaving on a Jet Plane” John Denver
“Roam” The B-52s
“I’ve Been Everywhere” Johnny Cash
“Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” Jimmy Buffett
On June 11, students, survivors and activists fed up with fearing for their (and their families’) lives descended on Downtown Raleigh, DC and cities across the country to March for Our Lives in protest of the onslaught of national gun violence. 2022 has seen 250+ mass shootings already. In light of the impending election and the barrage of national school shootings and local lockdowns, planned attacks and scares, we asked our three current Wake County sheriff candidates what they plan to do to protect the 160,000 kids in Wake County’s school system.
Question: If elected, what are you planning to do to help protect the 160,000 kids in Wake County’s school system? What is your plan on keeping our students safe?
“Under my administration, we have enhanced our School Resource Officer Training. We currently have a School Resource Officer (SRO) in every middle school in Wake County. However, a majority of Wake County elementary schools are without an armed officer, and I believe it is time for there to be a SRO in every school in Wake County. I have said that for several years, and I will continue to work with the public school system, as well as local municipalities, toward achieving that goal. I will ensure this agency and its members are prepared to protect and serve the 160,000 children in Wake County.
As sheriff, I have implemented an operative Community Relations and Crime Prevention Division that is now active throughout the entire county with bold, new leadership aimed at deterring our young people away from lives of trouble and crime. These units offer and sponsor various programs that help foster these relationships that did not exist prior to 2018. I reestablished the D.A.R.E. program back to many elementary schools in Wake County. D.A.R.E envisions a world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance use and other dangerous behaviors.
Being more present in schools at different capacities while reaching these children at a young age, before they are at risk, is another way I will continue to keep children safe within Wake County.”
“The protection and safety of our children, especially while they are in school, should not involve a political stance, but is rather a very real concern and priority for me and every enforcement agency in Wake County. As the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, demonstrated, preparation and coordination are vital, and the lack thereof can be catastrophic. If I am elected to serve as sheriff in November, I will work diligently with our Board of Education and County Commissioners to make sure the School Resource Officers (SROs) provided by the sheriff’s office are fully coordinated in safety procedures and protocols relating to school violence.
In addition, I will advocate for the best possible training available to assure our SROs are fully prepared to handle any type of emergency situation that may arise in our public schools. I will develop a comprehensive screening process to determine the very best candidates for the position of SRO. I will not just depend on internal training, but also explore the best SRO training nationwide.
I have long advocated for a special police department exclusively for the Wake County Public School system and will continue to do so. This would allow those officers to be totally engaged and specifically trained in public safety measures and protection for our schools. Many school systems all across our country—and some within our own state—have developed such departments, and they have proven to be successful.
All the schools in Wake County fall within 13 different police jurisdictions. As we saw in the heartbreaking Uvalde situation, when multiple agencies respond, there can be breakdowns in the chain of command resulting in tragic consequences. If a school police force was established, there would be no question as to who is in charge when other agencies respond to assist, not to mention the very specialized training such a police department would receive. I sincerely believe this idea is a good policy, and I will continue to advance it if I am elected sheriff.”
Willie Rowe (D) Retired Major from the Wake County Sheriff’s Office
“I have a passion for public safety because I believe people live life to the fullest when they feel safe. Reducing crime and enhancing public safety is a primary duty of the sheriff’s office. To address violent crimes, additional resources must be committed to prevent and deter crime through increased officers’ presence and community engagement. In addition to patrolling, officers will interact directly with the community as partners to educate, build positive relationships and create opportunities for successful outcomes.
To build safer communities, schools, businesses and workplaces, we must increase funding and staffing in order to physically position officers in place to maintain controlled access—patrolling parking lots and live monitoring security cameras to ensure any potential threat is readily identified, intercepted and eradicated before escalating to an act of violence.
Also: continuous and relevant ongoing training for officers and the general public; information sharing among public safety officials and all agencies regarding individuals who may pose a threat; and coordination with mental health providers for timely crisis intervention to ensure needed resources are available and deployed are paramount to prevention, de-escalation and containment to prevent further harm.
If elected sheriff, I am committed to partnering with all stakeholders to develop sound and innovative approaches to reduce crime; improve overall quality of life; and make Wake County the safest place to live, work, play and visit.”
Editor’s note: All sheriff responses are printed in their entirety. The runoff race is July 26, the winner of which will face Harrison in the general election Nov. 8.
