Jan
29
Because Sometimes You Just Can’t Get to a TV
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Entertainment | Leave a Comment
With the Super Bowl only days away, football may be the sport of choice for many right now. But for those with a soft spot for the hard ball, you’ll be happy to know that 850 The Buzz has teamed up with ESPN Radio to bring 50+ Major League Baseball games to the Raleigh-Durham airwaves next season. Coverage starts March 30th and will include the All-Star Game and the World Series. The full schedule of covered games will be released in February.
Jan
28
12 Additional Websites to Follow Raleigh on the Web
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Local Sites | 3 Comments
Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying, “Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it.” It’s unlikely that he was referring to the internet and its ability to gather and share information in so many ways, but that’s exactly where we find ourselves today.
Beyond the numerous local publishers referred to in our previous post, there are a number of other sites that allow you to refine their information to local results. These sites often lack a true local “feel,” but they can be pretty useful for scanning headlines from multiple sources, finding something new to do or connecting with other people in the community. With that, I present to you:
12 Additional Websites to Follow Raleigh on the Web
Beecoz - I’ll start with Beecoz, because unlike the rest of this group, they are actually local. Based out of the NC State Tech Incubator, they aggregate local headlines from a number of different sources, including blogs, and allow you to set up neighborhood groups to interact with others living around you. The site is still in beta, so if it doesn’t do much for you now–mark it and check back on their development.
Yelp - Yelp offers user reviews on categories like restaurants, nightlife and shopping. They seem to have a small following of local users, but their information is fairly well informed when compared to some of the others below.
Zvents - Zvents is a local search engine of sorts for things to do. Most of the local events listed are dominated by a small group of places that submit their schedules, but it can be a decent place to begin if you’re looking to get out of the house but have no idea where to go. …Click here to continue reading
Jan
23
25 Local Websites You May Want to Visit
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Local Sites | 4 Comments
While fresh posts ’round these parts have slowed of late, this is certainly not the case for other local writers. Several new or revised local sites have been brought to my attention of late, and my ongoing list of Raleigh websites seems to be growing to a point that I can hardly scan the headlines without devoting the better part of my morning to the effort.
Some of you may remember a fairly popular post we wrote a while back highlighting a few local sites. Below is a revised list with several new additions. Enjoy.
- Go Go Raleigh - a former Raleighing writer reappears
- New Raleigh - solid, regularly updated original content
- Talking About Politics - the name says it all
- Goodnight, Raleigh! - a photoblog of Raleigh
- Citizen - Bob Geary (Independent) is considered one of the most well-informed local writers of the area
- Raleigh Restaurant Review - nice place to find a new place to dine
- This is in my backyard? - discover things to do and see
- Raleigh Chronicle - back and better than before with a new website
- North Hills Buzz - a redesigned website will hopefully be a sign of good things to come
- Red and White from State - sports blog covering NC State
- Raleigh Philosophical Society - a light-hearted read that’s regularly updated
- Over the top / Inside the beltline - your local McMansion tracker
- Learn Downtown Raleigh - downtown highlights
- The Raleigh Connoisseur - focuses on downtown
- Triangle Music - name says it all
- Greener Habits for Raleigh - see above
- Section Six - local NC State sports site
- Raleigh Eco News - quality content, if you’re into that sort of thing
- Raleigh Native Review - Raleigh through the eyes of a life-long local
- State Fans Nation - a must-read for NC State sports fans with a passionate following
- Growth Matters - covering growth in the Triangle
- Raleigh Skyline - pics, podcasts and more
- RDUWTF - they’re back after a break
- What to Have - Raleigh restaurants, mostly if not all downtown
- Below the Beltline - content is king
Dec
28
Opening up the Vault: The Mint Restaurant Prepares to Open
Written by J. Chavis and filed under Development, Food and Beverage | 46 Comments
The Mint, a controversial new Fayetteville Street restaurant, is getting close to opening. If you walk down Exchange Plaza, you’ll notice that an outdoor seating area has been added complete with outdoor heating. And if you peer into the windows at the 219 Fayetteville Street / One Exchange Plaza address you can see that the floors are done, the tables are there and a lot of the artwork is already on the walls.
It looks nice, but the question is: Will it be good enough to justify everything the city has invested in it? Yes, it’s been rumored/heard that the city has invested in this restaurant.
It’s no secret that the city wants the newly reopened Fayetteville Street to be a huge success. Nevertheless, it hardly seems fair to other restaurant owners in the downtown area – especially those existing restaurants on Fayetteville Street who had to weather a lull during the construction period. Why does the Mint get help when everyone else has to fend for themselves? On top of that, I’ve heard that the Mint is supposed to be an upscale place. I wonder how lower-income taxpayers feel about helping to pay for a place that they might never be able to afford.
That said, look for me in Exchange Plaza on New Years. I’ll just be the one asking for my 10% tax-payers discount…
Editors note: Take this story for what you will. It should not be considered fact, and if quotable sources were available they’d be included. That said, it you have news or know more about The Mint and the city’s involvement, feel free to contribute with a comment.
Dec
21
The Best of 2007
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Editorial | 1 Comment
Since our first “goes live” post back in July, we’ve managed to share 72 other posts with members of the World Wide Web. Some are certainly better than others, and what would this time of the year be without some sort of “best-of” recap.
These posts are a highly unscientific combination of the most viewed and most commented articles of the year. If you happened to miss one, you may want to check them out.
- Support Your Other Local Media
- North Hills East–Will Kane be Able?
- 10 Restaurants That Won’t Leave You Wanting More
- OBX/OMG
- Where is Issac Hunter’s Tavern
One final note—posting has really slowed down on the site of late. To keep track of new, possibly more sporadic posts, you can always subscribe to our RSS feed or receive new posts by email. Also, we always welcome posts from our readers. Send them to us through the contact form, or just drop me a line and I’ll provide an email address.
Cheers and Merry Christmas from RFP.
Dec
13
Old Bar to Reopen in January
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Business | 5 Comments
The Old Bar, located beneath Charlie Goodnight’s Comedy Club, is scheduled to reopen on January 12th.
I’ve spent my fair share of time in the Old Bar, and from what I remember of the place (which isn’t a whole lot due to 32oz. mug night) it was always a pretty dirty place. But, it’s a decent spot to grab a drink after CG show and it certainly has character.
The relaunch is part of Goodnight’s 25th anniversary–a milestone that I have a somewhat hard time believing. Despite the fact that they occasionally bring in some a-name talent and that they don’t have much competition, my recent experiences at CG have left me a little disappointed. The shows haven’t been that bad, but the way they have that place set up, sitting people on top of each other, it can be pretty uncomfortable. That may be acceptable for a live comedy show, except that I find it hard to get out of there with someone else for under a hundred bucks after the tickets, a few drinks and the tip. And for that kind of money I find it hard not to just seek out a decent restaurant for a good meal.
I’m not sure what they’ve been doing with the Old Bar currently. If anyone knows, please fill me in.
Map to Charlie Goodnight’s and the Old Bar
Dec
5
When a new store or restaurant opens, they are usually welcomed with quite a bit of hype. They’re exciting because they bring something new to our area. Often lost within the shuffle though are new businesses of a different kind–those that could just as easily exist over a thousand miles away, but they are in fact right next door.
I had the pleasure of meeting Taylor Mingos the other day. Taylor is the 20-something year old founder and CEO of a web-based company called Shoeboxed. Shoeboxed began as a start-up out of Duke University and has evolved into a 30-plus (counting part-time and student help) employee company with offices in Durham’s Brightleaf Square. They’ve received some initial Angel funding and seem to have a bright future if their current success continues.
Shoeboxed offers a way of organizing all of your paper receipts, those that may have previously been tucked away in a “shoebox” (or George Constanza’s wallet). You can email digital receipts to your custom shoeboxed email address, scan them in and even mail them in Netflix-style in the near future. They’ve done a lot of nice work with their copywriting and the visual layout of the site, so I’ll leave it up to you to find out more if you’re interested.
The Triangle is a hotbed for tech start-ups, in large part due to our outstanding Universities. We’re attracting top talent from all over the globe and many of them are staying put after graduating, starting companies and helping to raise the profile of this area as cutting-edge region for technology.
Check out Shoeboxed, support a local business and get those receipts under control.
Nov
27
I recently got my hands on the book “100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina,” written by Joe Miller. Miller writes the “Take it Outside” column for the N&O, where he has worked for the last 15 years. Paid to hike and write–I really need to meet this guy. He seems to have figured a few things out. Although, I did get a free copy of this book from his publisher, so perhaps I’m on my way.
The book starts by defining a “classic” hike. More or less, they describe it as one that stands out from the rest and could be enjoyed on multiple visits, each offering something new. It’s hard to argue with that logic. The only consistency I’ve ever found on the trail is that Mother Nature will always have something in store for you that you didn’t expect.
Each hike is broken down with a short narrative of what to expect, key information about the park or trail, estimated hiking time, elevation gain and difficulty. Overall, it gives you just enough to be dangerous without crossing the line of a full-fledged guide book. Consider it a step up from a word-of-mouth recommendation but short of a complete map–something that you’ll want to pick up on your own. Further, each hike is divided into regions of the state (Piedmont, Mountains and Coast) and by cities or regions (Triad, Blue Ridge, etc.) to help you sort through the numerous hikes at a glance. There is also a full shot of the state with each hike numbered corresponding to its listing. This is a very helpful feature for the last-minute road trip or a spur-of-the-moment hiking urge while on vacation.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I’ve taken several of the hikes on the list and have marked numerous others that I’d like to tackle in the near future. One regret though, the pictures seem to have been captured at varied qualities. Perhaps several were accumulated over the years when 1-2 mega pixel cameras roamed the land. Or even, gasp, when film cameras could be found. The photos are nice enough and serve the purpose of what you could expect in the area, but I think the occasional blurriness takes away from the books value as a true “coffee-tabler.” It is a book about hiking though, so maybe it’s just motivation to get out there and snap some photos of your own.
The bottom line, I seem to find myself with fewer and fewer free weekends to tackle the trail, so when a local authority on a subject can lend a recommendation, I’d highly recommend taking his word for it and maximizing your time outside.
One other observation, Pisgah National Forest (listed as Pigsah) is misspelled on the cover. This may be completely irrelevant to the content and value of the book, and I’m certainly not one to point fingers when it comes to spelling, but I have to think that a few heads rolled on that one. It is the cover of the book.
Anyway, this book would make a great Holiday gift for someone on your list who likes (or needs) to get outside and enjoy the beauty that is all around us. Pick up a copy and support a local author’s first adventure into the world of book writing.
Note: Contains affiliate links. If you purchase through Amazon using these links, you’re helping to support RFP. I believe the book is also available at Great Outdoor Provision and REI, among others.
Nov
21
Gobble, Gobble
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Other | 5 Comments
If you tell someone what you wish for before blowing out your birthday candles, it’s said that won’t come true. Thanksgiving is a time of reflection, though. A time to look back at things which have already taken place–the events that have transpired and the many blessings we’ve hopefully all experienced. If you’re so inclined, I invite you to share what you’re thankful for with our readers and enjoy the feeling of spreading some holiday joy.
Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov
19
Trader Joe’s Coming to Raleigh in ‘09
Written by S. Beaumont and filed under Development | 5 Comments
As predicted by many, Raleigh will be getting a Trader Joe’s. It will be a couple of years though. From the TBJ:
It’s official: Trader Joe’s is coming to Raleigh.
A spokeswoman for the specialty grocer, which has built a large following around the country, said Trader Joe’s will open a 12,000-square-foot location at the corner of Wake Forest Road and Interstate 440.
Read our post about the Holly Park Shopping Center from back in July, after which several of our readers predicted not only that we’d get a Trader Joe’s but also where it would end up. Smart folks.