January 5, 2016 · 7:05 pm

Free Screening of Brewconomy at Meredith College January 24th

Brewconomy

If you’re a fan of the local breweries in the Triangle and across North Carolina then you will not want to miss this documentary. Brewconomy is a film by  Raleigh based film director Camden Watts that looks at positive impact on local  brewers, farmers, community, and local economy that has come from the growth of North Carolina’s now 1.3 billion dollar craft beer industry.

The documentary will screen at the Meredith College Documentary Film Festival in Raleigh on Sunday, January 24th, at 2:00 PM. The festival is free and open to the public. A panel discussion will take place after the screening. A full schedule can be found on the event website here.  To get a sneak peek of Brewconomy watch the short trailer below.

 

 

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January 5, 2016 · 9:22 am

Cousins Maine Lobster – Shark Tank Viewing Party at White Street Brewery

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This Tuesday, January 5th, Cousins Maine Lobster will be parked in front of White Street Brewing Company in downtown Wake Forest from 5:00-8:30pm for a Shark Tank “Viewing Party”. Then at 9pm the brewery will air the latest Shark Tank episode which will include an update on the local owners of this popular Triangle food truck. In addition to ordering a lobster roll from the truck, while you’re there I recommend getting a pint of White Street’s Hoptimist IPA. It’s one of my favorite local beers.

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For more information about Cousins Maine Lobster and the local couple behind the truck check out this in-depth look by The Wandering Sheppard food truck blogger in his “Behind the Wheel: Cousins Maine Lobster” blog post.  To find out where the truck will be next visit their facebook page and follow them on twitter.

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December 31, 2015 · 11:26 am

Looking ahead to 2016

Open trails ahead in 2016!

Open trails ahead in 2016!

So this is my last post of 2015. Where did the year go!? I don’t really do an “end of year” recap post. I prefer to look ahead rather than dwell on the past. I’ve been enjoying a week off from work to enjoy the holidays and have been taking stock of everything I’ve done in 2015 and thinking about what I want to accomplish in the new year.

In 2016 I plan to be more active and share posts more often here on the blog. I have a long list of places I would still like to explore and it seems like that list grows longer every day! There are several new places I’m looking forward to visiting in the coming months. Both Jubala Village Coffee and Cocoa Cinnamon are scheduled to open 2nd locations in early 2016. Trophy Brewing is also high on my list. I’ve been to the original brewery / taproom but they just opened their second and much larger space in Raleigh just last week. North Raleigh is also getting a Duck Donuts shop which should be open by the end of January. So it’s looking like there will be plenty of coffee, donuts, and beer on the blog in 2016!

In addition to new places opening soon, there were several restaurants that came on the scene in 2015 that I still need explore. At the top of my list are Standard Foods and Death & Taxes in Raleigh as well as Bar Virgile in Durham. Yeah, I know Bar Virgile technically opened in late 2014, but I never made it there this past year so it’s still on the list. Each of these spots has received great reviews from my foodie friends and I’m excited to check them out for myself in the near future.

I realize I tend to focus on things happening in Raleigh and Durham, but I’m hoping to branch out and explore more areas of the Triangle in the coming year. I finally made it down to Saxapahaw in 2015 and I’m already making plans to go back again soon. I’d also like to make more trips to Pittsboro and get to know Chapel Hill and Carrboro better in 2016. I was actually over in Carrboro just yesterday visiting Gray Squirrel Coffee and plan to feature them on here on the blog in the next few weeks.

Of course there is more to exploring than eating and drinking. I have lots of running plans for 2016 like running the All American Half Marathon in Fayetteville this April. As I train for this race I’m hoping to explore new areas around the Triangle to run. There are many miles of the American Tobacco Trail and Umstead Park I have yet to explore!

Looking ahead I think 2016 is going to be a great year filled with change and many new exciting adventures. Thanks for continuing to follow along as we explore the Triangle together here on the blog. I look forward to exploring and sharing even more with you in the months ahead. Here’s to more exploring in 2016 and a Happy New Year!

–  John

 

 

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December 15, 2015 · 4:14 pm

Signs of Christmas in Raleigh City Plaza

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Last week I took a quick trip to City Plaza in downtown Raleigh to check out the Winterfest ice skating rink. I always enjoy visiting this area of downtown this time of year. Especially at night when Fayetteville Street is decorated with wreaths and colored lights illuminate the plaza. The Christmas tree is lit and you can watch families enjoy skating on a  real outdoor ice rink. City Plaza is where I got my start playing Christmas Carols on my trombone. I play other places around the city now, but I still like to return to the plaza a few nights each season to play.

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I’ve actually never skated downtown, but there is still plenty of time to give it a try. The Winterfest ice skating rink is open through January 31st and it costs $10 to skate (includes skate rental). I suggest visiting on a weeknight as from what I’ve seen it tends to be less crowded on the ice. They also do a “Two for Tuesday” special when you can buy one skating ticket and get one FREE (excluding December 22, 29 and January 19). To view rink hours and more information visit the official Winterfest website.

 

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December 9, 2015 · 9:34 am

Holiday Food Truck Rodeo in Knightdale to Benefit Meals on Wheels ~ Sunday December 13th.

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Bo’s Kitchen ~ Korean Food Truck

The RDU Mobile Food Association (RDUMFA) invites the Triangle community to their first annual Rudolph’s Holiday Rodeo this Sunday, December 13th, from 12-4pm at Knightdale Station Park  located at 810 N First Avenue (map).

The rodeo will feature 15 food trucks with windows up and serving a variety of cuisines and over 80 members of the Association have participated in some phase of the event.  In addition to the food truck rodeo, there will be a photo booth to capture moments with the Town of Knightdale’s Christmas tree, a piñata from Bandido’s, and both Bull City Ciderworks serving local cider & Nickelpoint Brewing serving local craft beer. Rudolph’s friend Santa will make an appearance to greet guests arriving on the Jam Ice Cream truck around 1pm.

“For our first association event, we wanted to highlight one of our core values, Community,” says Art Sheppard, CEO of RDUMFA.  “We selected Meals on Wheels of Wake County, because it is a charity that fits our organization’s core value.  It also meets closely to how our food trucks operate, meals on wheels!”

“We selected Knightdale, because of Knightdale Station Park and the community feeling that it presents,” says Sheppard. The park is home to the Town’s food truck rodeos, special events, and weekly lunches for Food Truck Thursdays.

Food trucks will arrive early to decorate their trucks in the holiday spirit and guests are encouraged to arrive early to watch.  Food truck fans will also have a chance to vote on the best-decorated food truck. For more information about the Holiday rodeo or to learn more about local food trucks in the Triangle area visit the RDU Mobile Food Association facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RDUMFA/

Trucks Scheduled for the 2015 “Rudolph’s Holiday Rodeo
Bo’s Kitchen, Caffe Bellezza, Captain Ponchos, CockADoodleMoo, Dusty Donuts, Mama Voula’s, OMG Chicken, Philly’s, Pho Nomenal Dumpling, Route Bistro, Sarge’s, Stuft, Sweet Traditions, Thai Box Zing, and Will & Pop’s

RDUM

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