Haunted Pub Crawl Happy Birthday

What better way to celebrate my 26th birthday than with a friends on a Downtown Raleigh Haunted Pub Crawl? It is becoming a birthday tradition...

Weekend Recap

Saturday morning brought a lot of rain in Raleigh, but we didn't let that keep us inside. We drove a few minutes East to check out the Midtown Farmers Market at North Hills for the first time. Technically, it's the closest farmers market to our apartment, but it has taken us over a year to get over there! We were well rewarded with a tote bag of local produce and other goodies, and a petting zoo with a newborn baby lamb who was having the best time head butting bunnies!

We found a spot in the North Hills plaza with an awning for shelter from the rain while we enjoyed breakfast. I had a lemon blueberry scone and Aaron had a maple cinnamon roll. We brought home a basket of WNorth Carolina peaches to fill my beautiful jadeite bowl!

While we were at the farmers market we also picked up a box of fresh, handmade Cheddar & Onion Pierogi from Melina's. All of her pastas are handmade at her shop in Durham. We had never heard of Melina's Pasta before, but when I saw the booth, I couldn't resist! 

Learning how to make fresh pasta is on my to-do list for the future, but cooking and eating fresh pasta is on my to-do-immediately list! I paired the pierogi with a cherry tomato (fresh from the market), basil and bocconcini salad. Yum!

On Sunday morning I went for a walk around Lake Lynn and then got back in the gym. It felt so good! After lunch Aaron and I ran a few errands and then we I went to see Monsters University (see previous post).

We ended our weekend with dinner at O'Malley's Pub and ice cream at Fresh with friends. I enjoyed a waffle cone with a scoop of mango sorbet topped with a scoop of lemon chiffon. It was the perfect combination for a warm summer night!

I hope you had a good weekend!

4th of July Weekend Recap

The end of long weekends are Aaron was off for the 4th and I was able to work from home. We drove out to Rocky Mount, NC to meet my mom and dad (hi guys!), who were on their way home from their first ever trip to the Outer Banks. After lunch Aaron and I stopped at Sonic to celebrate our America and our Freedom to drink Peanut Butter and Bacon milkshakes. Oh yes, we did!

When we got home I hung the Star Spangled Bunting that I found in the Target dollar section last week. Look there is proof that I actually did decorate for the holiday! I know it's a crummy photo, the light in the main living area of our apartment is terrible 24hrs a day. The two bedrooms are the only rooms that get any good, natural light. When we start looking for houses next year, natural light will be close to the top of the wish list! 

We didn't make it out for fireworks this year, but I did grill a few hot dogs to enjoy along with side salads and an icy cold Redd's Apple Ale or two. 

On Friday it was back to work for me, but Aaron went with a group of our friends to go SKYDIVING! Whhhaaatt?! Yeah, he has always been interested in trying and the timing worked out perfectly, so he took a big jump! I really admire him for being so brave to do this, but I was totally nervous the whole time until he texted me that he was back on the ground! Maybe I will get him to share his story here on the blog.

On Saturday night we celebrated Aaron's 26th Birthday with a ride on the Trolley Pub! We peddled our way to a handful of downtown bars including: Isaac Hunters, Landmark Tavern, The Raleigh Times, and Tir Na Nog. We spent the rest of the night at The Ugly Monkey playing and having a great time! We made a late night pit stop to Snoopy's before heading home. We had a fantastic time with the Trolley Pub and would recommend it for a birthday party our just a fun night downtown!

Hope you had a good weekend!

Oak City Style

 

Raleigh Hot Dog Shirt | Oak City Collective

Last month at the Morning Times First Friday Market, my friend Kelly and I spotted a collection of amazing Raleigh inspired screen printed t-shirts created by Fouryou Designs. I wanted to buy one that night, but the seller had sold out of the design in the color and size that I wanted. Darn! I should have thought more about shopping earlier on and less about drinking, oops! 

Anyway,  I snagged a business card and looked them up over the weekend. I discovered that they had even more designs then we saw displayed in their booth. Inspired, I did as I always do, and spent a little time searching around the Internet and Etsy for other Raleigh/Oak City inspired designs. Here are a few of my favorite designs that I found.

Raleigh Summer Trees Track T | Ahpeele

The Raleigh Acorn Factory | She Calls Me Todd

 

Drink Local | Oak City Collective

Official Acorn | Fouryou Designs

Even though we won't be able to go to First Friday this month since we will be traveling, I will keep these in mind and hopefully add one or two to my collection soon! How do you represent your love for your city?

5 Things To Try This Weekend in the Triangle

Food Truck Shabbat

Celebrate the end of the work week while you meet new friends and enjoy dinner from Mama Dukes and Big City Sandwiches. This event will also feature frozen yogurt, music followed by Shabbat services at TBO.

When: Friday, May 31, 5:30pm
Where: Temple Beth Or, Raleigh
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Durham Bulls vs. Buffalo Bisons

Cheer on the home team with friends and then visit the American Tobacco Campus for post-game drinks.

When: Friday, May 31, 7pm
Where: Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Info: www.durhambulls.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Happymess Art Studio's First Annual Hoedown 

Help raise funds for an art outreach project at fun filled night in Durham. Ride a mechanical bull, play in a corn hole tournament, and party like a cowboy or cowgirl!

When: Friday May 31, 7pm
Where: Shooters II, Durham
Info: www.happymessart.com
Social:  Facebook | Twitter 

NC Symphony Summerfest: At the Movies

Enjoy a special performance of Oscar-winning music from some of the greatest movies of all time, including the James Bond films, “Out of Africa,” “Indiana Jones,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Gone With The Wind.” Wear an outfit inspired by your favorite movie character for your chance to win prizes.

When: Saturday, June 1, 7:30pm
Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary
Info: www.ncsymphony.org
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Fuquay-Varina Celebration of the Arts 

Support your local economy by shopping this town-wide arts festival. The festival features artists and  craftsmen producing original work including jewelry, basketry, ceramics, soaps, candles, decorative paintings, fine art painting, garden art, metal work, furniture, drawings, and folk art.

When: June 1, 10am - 4pm
Where: Downtown Fuquay-Varina, 108 Raleigh St.
Info: www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

If you have a chance to try any of these this weekend let me know! Share a tweet or photo by using the hashtag #5thingstriangle on Twitter and Instagram! 

Hope you have a great weekend!

5 Things To Try This Weekend in the Triangle

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Animazement 

Animazement is an annual convention in Raleigh, NC that celebrates the world of Japanese visual culture through anime, manga, video games, J-rock, martial arts, traditional crafts, and more! Live tweet a Guest or Fan Panel Session from the convention and collect as many autographs as you can from your favorite Cosplayers!

When: May 23 - May 26
Where: Raleigh Convention Center
Info: animazement.org

Social: Facebook | Twitter

Glenwood South Monthly Market

Get involved in supporting your local economy by shopping local Triangle businesses at the Glenwood South Monthly Market. The markets will feature 40 vendors set up along North Street and will be held on the last Saturday of each month until October. 

When: Saturday, May 25, 2013 10am - 3pm
Where: Downtown Raleigh, Near Hibernian Pub on North St.

Info: legacyeventplanners.org/monthly-markets
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Motley Tones at the Downtown Cary Farmers Market

With their unique blend of classical and folk harmonies and off-kilter sense of humor, The Motley Tones have emerged as a popular local street show. Join in and sign a sea shanty and then take a picture with a pirate! Bonus: It's also Cooking Sample Day!

When: Saturday, May 25, 8:00am - 12:30pm
Where: Downtown Cary - Park & Academy St.
Info: www.caryfarmersmarket.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter



Summerfest Opening Night

Wear your summer whites, pack up a picnic with friends and celebrate the beauty of North Carolina and music at this outdoor summer kick off event. Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre offers a dramatic backdrop for music that is out of this world – as well as costume contests, instrument zoos, picnics, games, prizes and so much more. 

When: Saturday, May 25, Gates Open at 5pm, Show Starts at 7:30pm 
Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre - 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary, NC
Info: www.boothamphitheatre.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

Cocktail Taste Test Party
Throw a Memorial Day backyard cookout or pool party and test out a few cocktail recipes like the Oak City Summer or the Franklin Street Fizz using locally brewed Slingshot Coffee. 

Info: slingshotcoffeecompany.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter

If you have a chance to try any of these this weekend let me know! Share a tweet or photo by using the hashtag #5thingstriangle on Twitter and Instagram!  

Have a great weekend!

The Great Glow Run: My First 5k

photo by Bryan H.

photo by Bryan H.

On Saturday May 11, 2013 I participated in my very first 5k! I was called the Great Glow Run and the proceeds went to the Easter Seals UCP an organization that is committed to providing services to children and adults with disabilities and their families. 

I ran this 5k with my friends Cathy and Cassie. I could not have done it without their support and encouragement! Running with friends made it so much fun! The run was at Dorthea Dix Park in downtown Raleigh. Below is a map of the 3.2 mile course.

I decided to participate in the Great Glow Run because I want to experience a 5k, but let be honest, it's intimidating for a first timer who only recently started running on a regular basis. I thought running my first race at night would make it easier and more exciting, and I was right!

My goal for this race was to show up, run/jog as much as possible and make it to the finish line in under 1 hour. My official time was 47 minutes and 48 seconds and I came in at 780th place out of 1,000. I count that as a victory! The race results were counted electronically by a chip that was attached to the back of every runners bib. Once the data was uploaded I was able to access my results online. This totally may be standard for all races, but I think it's really cool. Hey, I'm newbie, I'm allowed to get excited!

A really fun and unique aspect of this race is that since we were in the middle of the pack, we were constantly picking up glow sticks that other runners had dropped along the way. Cathy ended up with a ton by the end of the race!

My favorite thing about the course was that as we were running we could see the Raleigh skyline at night from the park. It was beautiful!

 
The parts that didn't shine as bright were poor parking direction coming in and going out, having to pay for glow sticks, (I feel that at least one glow stick should have been included in the packet with the ticket price) and having the course double back and overlap at times so there were people coming toward us while we was running.

Here are some fun shots from the race taken by the event staff:

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Participating in this was not a walk in the park (haha) for me. It really pushed my athletic capabilities and I even got a chest cramp about half ay through, but I felt so good as I sprinted across the finish line with Cassie and Cathy. I am so glad that I signed up and I hope it comes back next year!

Have you ever participated in a 5k? Share your experience in the comments! 

Weekend Recap

You probably didn't notice, but I have decided to take a little step forward and buy a legit domain name! My blog is now officially accessible via www.theanchoredelm.com! It's a tiny upgrade, but it makes me feel 110% more official and excited to put more work into this blog!

On Friday afternoon Aaron and I drove over to our wedding venue to meet with our coordinator. We set a tentative menu for the reception and talked about ceremony details as well as napkin colors, timing and other details that go into planning a wedding. 

After our meeting we drove up Six Forks Rd. to explore a bit. We were meeting my cousin, Caitlin, for a 7pm movie, but we had some time to fill before then. We used my Yelp iPhone app to find a place to have dinner. On a whim we decided to try Zest Cafe in Six Forks Station. It was perfect! The cafe has a very fresh menu and it shares a space with a home decor shop. We both had delicious meals and I left with a mermaid post card that will be framed and hung on the wall soon!

We decided to walk to the theater from the cafe and discovered a large patch of honeysuckle bushes! I couldn't resist...

After running a few errands on Saturday morning we drove out to Chapel Hill to visit our friend Jacob. We watched the 1st J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie in preparation to go see Into Darkness. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and cuddling with Skwisgaar, as usual.

On Sunday we were planning on going to Artsplosure downtown, but a massive thunderstorm arrived just as we were about to leave. We decided to stay home and watch a movie instead. I cooked up spaghetti and meatballs and we took ourselves out for a double scoop at Fresh, a local ice creamery.

Hope you had a good weekend! Congrats to all of the graduates!

5 Things To Try This Weekend in the Triangle

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Got to Be NC Festival

Celebrate the goodness of North Carolina agriculture and have an animal encounter! Make a friendly bet on a pig race and take a picture with the winner! Bonus: Cheer on the Carolina Rollergirls as they compete in an exciting all day tournament at Dorton Arena.

When: Friday, May 17 - Sunday, May 19  
Where: NC State Fairgound

Info:  www.gottobencfestival.com

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Greenhouse Vegetable Day

Stock up on local produce and enjoy a FREE, fresh & delicious NC Tomato Sandwich!

When: Friday, May 17 11am - 1pm 

Where: State Farmers Market

Info: www.ncagr.gov

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Artsplosure 

When you are ready to take a break from exploring art galleries and watching live performances, challenge someone to a game of life-size chess! Use the opportunity to play on the oversized version of the classic board game to make new friends or show off your strategy skills to old ones.

When: Friday, May 17 - Sunday, May 19  
Where: Moore Square – Downtown Raleigh (map)  
Info: www.artsplosure.org/artsplosure2013

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Tour de Coup 

Visit 21 backyards of Raleigh area chicken owners for a first-hand look at keeping chickens in an urban environment and make a photo collage of each coup. Learn the ins and outs of back yard poultry and urban farming. 

When: Saturday, May 18 10am - 4pm, rain or shine

Where: Various locations around Raleigh (map)
Info: tourdcoop.com

Social: Facebook | Twitter

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Trophy Brewing Company 

Bask in the beautiful spring weather while you enjoy one of the creatively named draft beers and a freshly baked pizza on the brand new patio at Trophy Brewing Co. in downtown Raleigh. 

When: Mon-Thu, Sun 5pm - 12am, Fri-Sat 5pm - 2am

Where: 827 W. Morgan St. (map)

Info:  trophybrewing.com

Social: Facebook | Twitter 

If you have a chance to try any of these this weekend let me know! Share a tweet or photo by using the hashtag #5thingstriangle on Twitter and Instagram!

Have a great weekend!