by Dean McCord As we approach Christmas, weary of the incessant blares from the TV, newspaper, radio, and the gazillion catalogs to buy, Buy, BUY, I return to the old clichés: “It’s better to give than to receive,” or “Christmas…
by Jessie Ammons It’s almost an hour-long drive north from Raleigh to Sunshine Lavender Farm in Hurdle Mills, outside of Hillsborough. But arriving to a cheerful red barn atop a hillside teeming with purple blossoms is well worth the drive….
by Todd Cohen photographs by Robert Willett In 1970, 35-year-old Ron Doggett was dealt a tough blow. He was the controller for Philadelphia-based Slim Jim, and over his objections, Slim Jim’s CEO had decided to value warehouse inventory as revenue. When Doggett…
And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles. -Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden by Jesma Reynolds photographs by Catherine Nguyen For more than two decades, Greyson and Garland Tucker have been working together to…
by Ann Brooke Raynal Visitors walking the streets of Historic Oakwood on a chilly December night may think they have been transported back to the 19th century. Candles burn in the windows, garlands of greenery grace the exteriors of Queen…
by Kevin Barrett, Foundation cocktail director It’s summertime in the capital city, and you know what that means: It’s hot. After the winter we had, I’m not complaining about summer heat. I don’t have a lot of meat on my…
An elegant evening of terrific company, conversation, food, and wine came together when four of the area’s best writers and 100 Walter readers gathered at the Umstead Hotel & Spa for the sold-out debut of Walter events. Local novelists Allan…
photographs by Leslie Baker When Joyce Fitzpatrick and Gail Perry had young daughters, the two hard-working Raleigh friends decided to show their girls that they, too, could excel in the domestic realm. “Move over, Martha!” jokes public relations dynamo Fitzpatrick,…
by Jessie Ammons photograph by Chris Seward, The News & Observer If the abundance of farmers’ markets in our area is any indication, it’s safe to say that eating locally is no longer a trend – it’s here to stay. We’ve…
There’s no shortage of entertainment in Raleigh, especially when it comes to theater. From dreamy, moonlit Shakespearean nights at the Raleigh Rose Garden, to toe-tapping musical numbers belted from Raleigh Memorial Auditorium’s grand stage, to wild tales of booze, love…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Tim Lytvinenko “I need to make.” Justin LeBlanc’s fingers fly across a swath of mesh, attaching zip-ties to fabric in careful rows. “I’m a maker. If I don’t make…I go crazy.” Not that there’s any…
by David Crabtree The wind is cold. Biting. A December wind that rushes, howling by the gothic stone of the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge. Cold December winds have blown over these stones since the 15th century. Even the War…
by Lewis Beale photographs by Nick Pironio When Marco Zárate arrived here from Mexico in 1979 to study for his master’s degree in industrial engineering at N.C. State, he discovered that Hispanic culture in the Triangle was basically nonexistent. No Hispanic markets,…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Catherine Nguyen Living above the store is a good way to ensure working around the clock. Even when “the store” is a gorgeous 1891 Queen Anne Victorian mansion set on nearly five lush acres, there’s an…