September 10, 2013 · 3:28 pm

Picture of the Week – Falls Lake Dam

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View from Falls Dam

This week’s picture was taken during a fun bike ride along the Falls Lake Dam this past Sunday. I’ve been doing a lot of running as I train for the City of Oaks Marathon and biking the day after my long runs is a great way to shake out the kinks in my legs. One of my favorite places to bike is along the dam with great views of the lake on one side and the Neuse River on the other. You can also easily connect to the Neuse Greenway which provides for a great 6.5 mile ride along the river from the dam to the WRAL soccer park on Reedy Creek Road.

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September 5, 2013 · 3:34 pm

Weekend Picks! September 6-8th

Weekend picks

(i>Weekend Picks – September 6-8th, 2013

September is here and there are tons of things going on this weekend. By now I’m sure you have heard all about the Hopscotch Music Festival going on in downtown Raleigh all weekend long. There are also many other things going on alongside that great event and in other corners of the Triangle this weekend. Here are the fun things that peaked my interest this week and made my weekend picks!

Friday September 6th
Yellow Dog Bread Company Grand Opening Party
Yellow Dog Bread Company will celebrate their Grand Opening this Friday from 6-9pm. I’m really excited about this bakery coming to downtown Raleigh (near the Mordecai neighborhood). I don’t have many details about the grand opening festivities but I bet it will be fun to check it out and imagine samples may be involved. Once they are up and running they will offer an assortment of baked goods, fresh breads, and coffee and espresso drinks as well. A bakery is a welcome addition to downtown Raleigh and I look forward to being a regular Yellow Dog Bread!
Info: website

ShopScotch at Rebus Works (Fri & Sat)
This outdoor event in downtown Raleigh’s Boylean Heights area will feature wide range of artists, crafters, and designers showcasing a variety of fine handcrafted wares alongside some great live music. There will also be several food trucks present both days. See the link below for details about band schedule and food trucks for each day
Info: website


Saturday September 7th
NCMA Movie Night – “The Big Lebowski”
Movie on the Lawn night at NCMA! “The Dude Abides” Movie Party. There will be giant lawn bowling, White Russians, food trucks, and a costume contest. Fun starts at 6:30 pm when Baguettaboutit, Mama Dukes, American Meltdown, and LoYo food trucks roll in. Wear a costume and take your picture in the Lebowski Lounge or leave a message on the Donny tribute wall.  Bring chairs or blankets so you can kick back and what have you when the movie starts at 8:30.
Info: website


Sunday September 7th
MJ’s Mobile Dinner Food Truck at Brook Street Bowling 
MJ’s mobile diner will be joining Brooks Street Bowl in Wake Forest for Sunday Funday this week! Catch Opening day of the NFL Season, and grab some lunch or a snack! Drink specials, bowling specials (after 5pm), and every NFL game! Check out the Menu here!
Info: website

Sunday Brunch at Joule Coffee
I plan on paying my first visit to Raleigh’s newest coffee shop this weekend myself. I hear the weekend Brunch, served 10am-3pm Saturday and Sunday is fantastic. Brunch menu has everything from peach pancakes and huevos rancheros to shrimp and grits. They also serve up locally roasted Counter Culture coffee with a full menu of coffee and signature espresso drinks. Can’t wait to check it out!
Info: website

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September 4, 2013 · 12:27 pm

Watts Grocery & The Walking Fish Cooperative Team Up for the “Strange Seafood” Dinner Sept. 9th

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Watts Grocery joins forces with Walking Fish Cooperative for the 1st annual Strange Seafood gourmet dinner on Monday, September 9, 2013, at 7 p.m. Attendees will enjoy a 5-course decadent dinner that showcases an array of sustainably harvested strange seafood from North Carolina.

Chef Amy Tornquist will prepare an unforgettable meal featuring a variety of “strange” seafood. Proceeds from the event will benefit Saltwater Connections, a project of the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers Island. Saltwater Connections is a regional initiative aimed at sustaining livelihoods, cultural heritage, and natural resources along North Carolina’s central coast, from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke and Down East Carteret County.

“Like our cooperative, the Strange Seafood event is about celebrating the diversity and flavors of North Carolina’s seafood and the unique coastal communities that depend on commercial fishing,” notes Lin Chestnut, a founding member of the Walking Fish Cooperative.

Tickets
The dinner will be $70 per person or $100 w/ wine pairings by the Hope Valley Bottle Shop. To reserve your table and support the region’s unique coastal heritage, contact Watts Grocery at 919-416-5040.

About Watts Grocery
With roots firmly planted in North Carolina, Watts Grocery takes its name from the Watts-Hillandale neighborhood where chef Amy Tornquist has fond childhood memories of the Watts St. Grocery candy and snack stop in Trinity Park. Featuring local foods by the forkful, Amy weaves them into her cooking to create a distinctive take on North Carolina cuisine. Watts Grocery combines easygoing Southern hospitality with dishes such as fried oysters with remoulade, chicken and dumplings topped with cheese biscuits, and Meyer lemon mousse. Durham’s night owls feast on the unconventional bar menu featuring fried chicken gizzards with garlic aioli, hush puppies with basil mayo and red velvet cupcakes. For more information visit, http://www.wattsgrocery.com or call 919-416-5040. Watts Grocery is located at 1116 Broad Street, Durham, NC, 27705. Connect with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WattsGrocery or on Twitter @WattsGrocery.

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About The Walking  Fish Cooperative
Founded in 2009, the Walking Fish Cooperative operates an award winning community supported fishery (CSF) that links fishermen on the coast of North Carolina to seafood-loving consumers in the Triangle. The goals of this community-owned and operated venture are simple: to foster economic opportunities, to cultivate healthy communities, and to encourage environmental stewardship. What better way to invest in a sustainable future and get fresh, local seafood? For more information or to sign-up for the upcoming CSF, visit http://www.info@walking-fish.org. Support us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WalkingFishCSF.

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September 3, 2013 · 6:30 am

4th Annual Science of Beer Event at Durham’s Museum of Life & Science ~ September 12, 2013

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Image courtesy of Museum of Life and Science

Brew enthusiasts eager to learn more about their favorite beers from around the Triangle will offer a toast to science on Thursday, September 12, 2013 at the Museum of Life and Science’s fourth annual Science of Beer. A part of the popular adults-only Museum AfterHours program series, this year’s event features tastings from over 15 local breweries, scientists from the Duke Institute for Brain Scientists and the NCSU Brewing Lab. Guests are invited to participate in hands-on experiments and workshop sessions exploring everything from the science of skunking to the lifecycle of a malt.

“This is the perfect event for such a beer loving area – you not only get to taste so many of your favorite local brews, but also learn why you love them so much! Do you genes play a role in your preference for IPA or is it the way your body reacts to that aroma over others? We’ve seen incredible growth over the past four years in both the number of beer enthusiasts and local breweries eager to attend – we look forward to the biggest Science of Beer yet!” remarked Master Teacher and event coordinator, Adrienne Testa.

About Science of Beer 2013
Taste a variety of beers from over 15 local North Carolina breweries and meet the scientists who make yeast, hops and bubbles their life’s passion.

  • Tastings and experiments with local brew experts exploring yeast production, balancing bitterness with salt, role of fermenting vessels and more.
  • Chocolate and charcuterie tastings complimenting beer selections provided by Escazu and G2B.
  • Meet local scientists and enjoy hands-on beer themed workshops on the role of genetics in determining beer preferences and the impact of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen on beer head.
  • Enjoy local food trucks including Pie Pushers, Parlour and Only Burger.
  • Over 15 local North Carolina breweries including:
Fullsteam Bull City Burger
Bull City Homebrew Mystery Brewing Company
Lonerider Brewing Company The Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery
Carolina Brewing Company Foothills Brewing
Mother Earth Brewing Sub Noir Brewing Company
White Street Brewing Company Raleigh Brewing
Natty Greene’s Brewing Company Gizmo Brew Works
Triangle Brewing Company
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Photo courtesy of Museum of Life and Science

Details & Ticket Info
Science of Beer: Tastings, Interactive Workshops and Hands-On Experiments
Location: Museum of Life and Science – 433 Murray Avenue, Durham, NC
Date: Thursday, September 12, 2013
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Tickets available for purchase online: $15 Museum Members; $18 General Public

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September 1, 2013 · 4:19 pm

Donatos Pizza Comes To Raleigh!

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Donatos Pizza in Raleigh’s Seaboard Shopping Center

Donatos is a regional pizza chain that started out of the Ohio area back in the early 1960’s and recently opened it’s first location in North Carolina in downtown Raleigh’s Seaboard Shopping Center just across the street from Peace College.  This happens to be right across the street from where I work and I am a big pizza fan so of course I had to stop by and check it out!

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Donatos Thin Crust Edge-To-Edge Pepperoni Pizza!

Dontatos is known for its “edge to edge” toppings covering almost every square inch of the surface of the pizza. The manager at the Raleigh location told me there’s more than 100 slices of pepperoni on their large pepperoni pizza. I didn’t count them all on my pie, but let’s just say there were a lot! I was pretty hungry the day I visited so I wasn’t shy and dove right in to see what their pizza is all about.

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Thin Crust Slice

I was fairly impressed with the pizza. They have both hand tossed and thin crust pizzas with just about every topping you can think of.  I went for their classic thin crust pepperoni. It had a great balance of cheese, and a flavorful sauce layered over the thin and crispy crust. Of  course each slice had a nice serving of pepperoni as well. I was a happy camper and did some serious damage to the pie before I threw in the towel and boxed the rest to take home with me. They also offer salads, wings, and oven baked subs.  You can view their full menu here.

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Cinnamon Twists

I have a bit of a sweet tooth so I also had an order of their cinnamon twists that are baked right there in the shop and topped with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with warm icing. Before you ask – I did not eat all of this myself. I did consume a “healthy portion” of cinnamon twists but had plenty leftover to bring home to share!

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Donato’s Gluten Free Pizza

I was also happy to see that Donatos offers a take-n-bake Gluten Free option for their pizza. It uses the gluten free crust from Udi’s and you can take the pizza home to bake in your own oven. I don’t have a gluten allergy, but I know people who do and I appreciate places that try to find ways to work with their dietary concerns.

All in all I was very pleased with my first visit to Donatos and wouldn’t hesitate recommending them to somebody looking for a solid pizza. I look forward to heading back and trying some of their baked subs on my next visit. The location in Raleigh is more of a pick-up spot than a dine in location but they do have a few tables and you can eat there in a pinch.They also offer delivery, pick-up, and catering services. For more information check out their website here.

Dontatos Pizza
111 Seaboard Avenue
Suite 122
Downtown Raleigh

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