Move over, Martha!

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,…

Spotlight: Locavores

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…

Spotlight: Theater happenings

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…

Grit and beauty: The evolution of Justin LeBlanc

  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…

Lessons from lessons

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…

Overcoming barriers, building leaders

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,…

North Carolina’s Executive Mansion

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…

Raleigh’s coolest office

text and photograph by Scott Huler You  have never been inside Raleigh’s coolest office.  And I mean no disrespect of the modern when I tell you that even when the new Citrix building is finished, the coolest office in Raleigh…

The piano

by Elaine Neil Orr My 32-year-old son wanted the piano, and I told him he could have it.  I hadn’t played it for years.  But I put off making the arrangements.  Finally I got a piano technician to come to…

Rock star: Bailey McNeill’s jewelry for the cure

by Jessie Ammons photographs by Nick Pironio Growing up, Bailey McNeill always looked forward to her family’s annual summer trip, one she still takes with her grandparents, siblings, and cousins to the mountains for a week of hiking and gemstone mining. It…

Raleigh gets saucy

by Andrew Kenney photographs by Chris Fowler Sauce at its best is a culture distilled, the collected spices and secrets of a cuisine and a history. A taste of a hearty ragù or a vinegar sauce with an addictive eastern tang can…

Dogs at work

photographs by Juli Leonard Bringing your dog to work can have major benefits. Canine companions make for more than good company – they lower stress levels, boost productivity, and increase camaraderie. Studies prove it’s true. At Walter, we know this first…

Blake Simpson Fricks: A good neighbor

by Todd Cohen Raleigh lawyer Blake Simpson Fricks is the kind of volunteer every nonprofit wishes it had: one so dedicated and effective that the agency is compelled to hire her. That happened in early 2012, after Fricks had volunteered…

Reliable rhubarb

by Kaitlyn Goalen photographs by Jillian Clark Spring is about hedging expectations. The season promises to redeem us from the cold, frost, and boredom of winter produce with fresh greens, young peas, and asparagus spears. But that promise comes with a caveat:…

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