Nominations have ended. Thank you for your participation!
Know a real or would-be BOSS? A “kingpin” if you will? From side hustles to CEOs, 30-somethings are leading the charge—millennial mavericks who, as tomorrow’s leaders, are already shaping today’s world. It’s been five years since Raleigh Magazine featured our premiere cast of young Raleighites in their 30s.
And just like five years ago, Raleigh is teeming with highly educated young professionals, performers and people—from media to arts, hospitality to real estate, business to politics and beyond—who are, well, totally crushing it, promising to be names you will hear ringing loud for decades to come. Sound like someone you know?
View the full nomination rules and entry below for potential spotlight in a spring issue.
Guidelines
Nominations must be cast by Jan. 28, 2025, at 11:59pm EST
Our annual look at Raleigh Magazine‘s most-read stories of the year.
10. Q&A With Top Chef’s Savannah Miller
We chat with Durham chef Savannah Miller on the heels of her Top Chef Season 21 debut. Read the story.
9. More PNC Arena Details Revealed
Keep your eyes on West Raleigh, as a host of new updates are coming down the pipeline. Read the story.
8. La Terrazza Taking Raleigh to New Heights
The Dillon rooftop dining is here—and, with it, Raleigh has arrived. Read the story.
7. The Impact of Red Hat Amp Leaving DTR
Red Hat Amphitheater may permanently closed to save a single DTR block that sees hardly any traffic. Read the story.
6. Bottoms Up, Fines Down
Ready to crack open a cold one? We sleuthed out where it’s legal to booze on the beach. Read the story.
5. Raleigh’s 50 Best Bars
Your 2023 class of Best Bars, from OG heavyweights to newcomers shaking up the scene. Consider this your new bar bible or bucket list. Read the story.
4. Michelin Inn Raleigh?
Now booking: Raleigh earns first nod from Michelin. Read the story.
3. Raleigh’s Next Big Idea
Raleigh wasn’t built in a day. Here, local big thinkers share their big ideas to extend Raleigh’s run as No. 1 and propel our city into her next era. Read the story.
2. Is Love Really Blind?
We chat with Love Is Blind Season 6 cast member and former Raleighite on the truth behind pod dating. Read the story.
1. Raleigh Magazine’s Best Restaurants
These eateries boast the best of Raleigh’s divine dishes, esteemed service and awe-inspiring atmospheres, worthy of any occasion or none at all. We put our taste buds to the test once again to present you with our 2024 cast of Best Restaurants, including Restaurant of the Year, Best New Restaurant and five suburb standouts. Read the story.
Take a look back at what locals have been Googling this year.
If we had a dollar for every time we Googled something this past year, we’d be millionaires. And we bet many of you could relate. Out of all the Googling Triangle residents did in 2024, here were the top Google searches across pop culture and lifestyle, sports, music, news, events, and more.
Movies like Home Alone, Elf, Christmas Vacation and The Santa Clause are staples in many households, but what if modern technology had been available? Could some character conundrums been avoided with the help of today’s gadgets?
Here’s how the latest tech could alter the plots of four timeless holiday movies. From tracking whereabouts to simplifying holiday preparations, these films would be much different in 2024.
1. Christmas Vacation: Streamlined Holiday Lights
Clark Griswold’s obsession with creating the ultimate Christmas light display is admirable; however, his efforts led to tangled cords and power outages. Today, Griswold’s outdoor decorating would have been a breeze with the right tools.
Using a Google Pixel smartphone and Wemo WiFi Smart Plugs, Griswold could have automated his display. Additionally, if Clark had fallen, a Google Pixel Watch 3 could have detected the impact and alerted emergency services, potentially preventing a major mishap.
2. Elf: Navigating New York City With Ease
Buddy certainly would have had a smoother trip to New York City and fixed Santa’s sleigh on time if he’d had the Apple gift bundle. With the iPhone 16 Pro, Buddy could have used Maps to navigate to The Big Apple, as well as utilized AI to search for an appropriate gift for his dad. Plus, with the Apple Watch, he could have had real-time notifications that Santa was heading for NYC and be aware of any changes to his route.
3. Home Alone: Tracking Kevin in Real Time
In Home Alone, Kevin McCallister’s parents forget him on their trip, leading to a series of frantic and comedic events. In 2024, with the Verizon Gizmo Watch 3, ranked the best smartwatch for kids by Forbes, Kevin’s mom could have monitored his location in real time via the Verizon Family App, saving her a lot of panic. With the Gizmo Watch, Kevin also could have immediately contacted his family, keeping everyone informed and safe.
4. The Santa Clause: Preventing Exhaustion
In The Santa Clause, Santa was exhausted after a long night of toy delivery. Tech could have helped him avoid that. With the Ultrahuman Ring AIR, Santa could’ve tracked his sleep index, cardio age and overall health to make sure he was in peak condition for the big night. This would have helped him prepare for his journey and feel well rested before, during and after.
The Takeaway: How Technology Could Have Improved Classic Holiday Films
In a world where smart devices can solve so many problems, many moments that have become part of holiday film lore would likely have been avoided in 2024.
As you settle in to watch these classic holiday films this season, it’s fun to imagine how technology could have transformed the plots. After all, who needs to face holiday chaos when the right tools are just a tap away? For more information on the latest tech gadgets featured in these scenarios, visit verizon.com/holidaymediahub or stop by a local Verizon store.
Thank you, next. Believe it or not, 2024 is officially coming to a close. As we ready for the City of Oaks’ next chapter, we tapped our team for their 2025 Raleigh resolutions—aka what they want to see for the city next year. Let’s hope it’s an era to remember!
“A pro sports team” —Melissa Howsam, Editor-in-Chief, @mahowsam
