Fancy a new pod-diction? Peep our latest picks of local podcasts you should check out to stay plugged in.
This Is Love
If you love love, you’re gonna wanna swipe right on this feel-good spinoff (from the local makers of super-popular not-so-warm-and-fuzzy Criminal), serving up six seasons that delve into how romance and relationships drive us—with rave reviews by the likes of New York Magazine, USA Today and Entertainment Tonight repping it as “an intriguing must-listen.” So, really, a Valentine’s gift to us all. thisislovepodcast.com
The 3 Oak Podcast
Should Pete Davidson’s street cred stock go up (lookin’ at you, Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande)? Is anyone actually gonna watch the Janet Jackson malfunction docu? Giving us the content we need now is Raleigh-based trio AJ The Menace, Shane M. Petty and Cherry TNT, who get together weekly in the #TreeHouse to keep it real while riffin’ on the latest in music, movies, social channels and more—“where even the artists can be fans”… and fans liken the experience to just chillin’ with friends in the living room.fanlink.to/the3oakpodcast
Criminal Conduct Podcast
We told you about Pretend—now plug into Apex-er Javier Leiva’s second and even more successful true-crime podcast (even featured in DiscoveryID’s uber-popular show Citizen PI). Each season of this investigative series with special agent-turned-licensed PI co-host John Taylor (of Twisted fame) digs into complicated cases—like who killed the amateur sleuth investigating an uncharged murder, or the rogue Kentucky constable accused of drug planting, money stealing and shaking people down. … And since we know you’ll get hooked, no worries—spoiler alert: Season 3 is already underway and (hopefully) airing by March. criminalconduct.net
Red & White Pod
If you bleed red & white and constantly hear yourself saying “there’s always next year”—this one’s for you. What began as two Wolfpack-lovin’ dudes woofing at a tailgate has now manifested into the No. 1 rated podcast dedicated to howlin’ about all things NC State sports with 250+ Pack-powered interactive episodes. #WITH! redwhitenetwork.com
These are transformative times. And shedding new light on our future, this year’s Pantone Color of the Year Very Peri at once heralds an inquisitive, intriguing and empowering mix of innovation while enlivening our creative spirit and encouraging inventiveness to help us “embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, [and] open us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives.” Merging what blue oft represents (faithful, constant) with the energy of red, the novel dynamic periwinkle hue with its vivid violet red undertone adds shades of new perspective that resonate with the here and now to inspiring effect. So as we bust out of the shackles of isolation, this “happiest and warmest of all blue hues”—with its laidback confidence and bold curiosity—is intended to help us “embrace this altered landscape of possibilities… opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives.” Looks like the future is pretty lit.
“Veri Peri is an unassuming shade with lots of potential. Pantone chose a periwinkle shade with blue undertones and a slight energy of red to bring playfulness and personality to any space while still being soft enough to use in bedrooms.”
“Not blue, not purple, this is one of the freshest colors on the 2022 horizon. Think of summer hydrangeas and one of my favorite blooms, the iris, and you will immediately know the feeling you get from this royal color. It pairs well with greens and yellows of any shade.”
“Periwinkle is a deeply nuanced hue that offers great flexibility in decorating because it can be paired with so many other colors—yellows, greens, pinks and reds, chocolate browns, taupes, and grays. It would be perfectly darling in little a girl’s room, but can just as easily work in a sophisticated application like a moody study or a glamorous bedroom.”
We know. Raleigh is fab. Obviously—we dedicate our careers to bragging about it in these pages. But let’s be real… there’s far more reason to brag on our fair city than its proximity to the mountains and the coast. As local pioneer (and badass boss) Cindy Eckert—aka the woman behind the only female pink pill (think Viagra) who built two businesses from the ground up and sold them for record rates before launching her third and current venture Pink Ceiling—reminded us at Raleigh Chamber’s recent Launch 2022 event, when Raleighites are asked why they live here, we’re all guilty of the go-to response… breezy drive to the coast or the hills. But we need to stop and dish some real #TriangleTruths. Raleigh is so much more than an in-between destination. Peep these fun stats and facts about why we really do (and should) live in Raleigh. So, ahem, next time someone asks you why you live here, be sure to brag on these… raleighchamber2.org; @cindypinkceo
“Please. If somebody asks you about the area, do not say we are one hour from the beach and two hours from the mountains. Please. We know it. It’s great. They’re gonna know it when they get here, but it isn’t going to bring the dollars. … What will bring the dollars to this area is when they recognize just how much we are kicking ass. … We create value—and, yes, we have a great lifestyle—but we are the best place for talent and for growth.”
–Cindy Eckert, founder of Slate Pharmaceuticals, Sprout (think female pink pill) and Pink Ceiling
Raleigh is No. 1 in the country to start a small business
Raleigh is the No. 2IT city in the U.S. behind Silicon Valley
NC is the No. 5 best state for Blackentrepreneurs
NC is the No. 1 state for women in tech.
Cary is the No. 1 city where women are most successful, doing the best financially in business
Giving you yet another reason to be an eternal hoptimist: Reborn’s Beer to Bags program. Acting as a sort of “relief pitcher” if you will, Reborn—whose entire MO is converting waste to want—answered the call when Raleigh Brewing Company approached them seeking a way to salvage the tons of empty woven grain bags brewers are left with in the brewing process that wind up in dumpsters nationwide on the daily. Enter this crafty initiative—aka your new fave market tote (or, come summer, the perf beach tote to throw a few beers in… a true full-circle moment), repurposing the bags’ untapped (ahem) potential into upcycled totes that satisfy the consumer—and the planet. “Beer to Bags is a fun, meaningful solution to a needless environmental problem,” says Reborn founder and CEO Emily Neville. “Once the idea got started, we were off to the races…” Since its initial partnership with RBC, Reborn has added over a half-dozen statewide breweries to the program (including local hoppy heavyweights Trophy Brewing Co., R&D Brewing, Bond Brothers Brewing Company and Deep River Brewing Co.)—not to mention another half-dozen-plus beyond NC’s borders. And, now, uncorking its full potential, Reborn just added wine carriers (look for its initial run at Wine Authorities) to the mix, with plans to extend the product line to include backpacks as well. So if you’re in the market for a totes adorbs, well, tote, head to the taproom—hey, it’s the yeast you can do. rebornclothing.co
Of all the juice joints in all the world, these 7 speakeasies within a five-hour drive of Raleigh are worth hitting the road for.
Swap your standard day drinking for a day trip to one of these proximal drinking dens. All positioned within a five-hour drive of Raleigh, these elusive juice joints—with their hidden entrances, steep staircases, long hallways, secret words and authenticity (not to mention booze-forward bevs)—add a sense of history (Gatsby, anyone?), mystery and adventure to your next hooch hankering. A sort of “parlor games” road trip, if you will.
Since “we’re all mad here,” less could be more apt for some giggle juice than this Alice in Wonderland-themed spot accessible down the rabbit hole (OK, through the radical book library at Eaton—same diff). But you should totes nosh on the Rabbit Hole (crispy braised rabbit fritters) while sipping on the Through My Eyes whiskey and soda with a twist. Alice would be proud. allegory-dc.com
You donut need to worry about a thing at this secret spot hidden inside a donut shop, dishing up small plates and inventive cocktails worth the day trip. captaingregorys.com
On the backside of SouthBound and down the hall from Modern Classics Grooming Lounge is a mural-lined hallway leading to an enclosed phone booth where you provide the secret entry word of the week (peep social), where, once inside, more surprises unfold. eatsouthbound.com/backstage-lounge
The perf scapegoat (nod to the Dutch exotic dancer-turned-supposed spy), tunnel back in time via this super-hidden dimly lit Jazz Age den known for its strong drinks (absinthe!), wafting tunes, burlesque shows and authenticity (it reqs a key… but scoop has it that a quiet chat with a hotel concierge just may get you in). facebook.com/mata-hari-186295271402186
Turns out secrets really do make friends. Retreat to the Roaring ’20s where, tucked behind a bookshelf, you’ll unearth this Prohibition-themed juice joint—but to enter, you must first procure the password from The Juice Joint online. Pro tip: That Burlesque Brunch though…grandstaffandstein.com
“Deep into the darkness peering… ?” If Edgar Allen Poe had a speakeasy, this would probs be it—a moody, cozy juice joint with live music behind an unmarked (chamber) door. Rap tap tap. thecrowandquill.com
Subterranean is sexy. Tucked away in this Don Draper-esque drinking den—home to the original Vault and Elevator (hence, Vault & Vator) occupied by Dr. Pepper at the turn of the century—this libation-forward lair harkens back to a lost era of cozy convo and convivial cocktails (with well-curated small plates to boot). Clearly just what the doctor ordered. vaultandvator.com
