by Tracie Fellers Raleigh was my father’s hometown and his territory. And though I’m rarely there these days, it beckons me with memories and markers of his life’s journey. On Fayetteville Street downtown, there’s the law practice that still includes…
by Samantha Thompson Hatem photographs by Tim Lytvinenko Functional style When Kirsten Schambra Stevens had visions of creating a catch-all handbag, she wasn’t necessarily thinking of a diaper bag. But as a mother of two small children, she knew just how…
As I conducted a recent art romp around the Triangle, I was dazzled by the superlative exhibitions being presented all at the same time. Why go to New York or Washington for the big museum shows when we have such…
by Ernest Dollar This season, as you’re making your list and checking it twice, our area retailers would be grateful if you remember to “shop local.” That didn’t used to be a matter of choice. Local was the only option, and…
by Todd Cohen Tanya Jisa found her mission in 2006, when she read in a newspaper article that roughly one in 100 Americans was behind bars. A trained social worker, Jisa had worked at a juvenile detention center, an abortion clinic,…
by Liza Roberts photographs by Carla and Kristopher Williams Christmas time at Donna and Kirk Preiss’s house is a fairy tale – an enchanting story with 1,500 characters. Each is an ornament on one of the Preiss’s 13 Christmas trees,…
by Cokie Roberts Despite the muzak in the malls, I’m dreaming of a green Christmas, just just like the ones I used to know. Until I had children of my own, every year my family trekked from Washington, D.C. to…
by CC Parker It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. My sister recently forwarded a sign posted on Pinterest: “The Cycle of life: You Believe in Santa; You are Santa; You look like Santa.” If you fall into the…
by Samantha Thompson Hatem photography by Nick Pironio Everyone should have Raleigh native David Burris’ knack for remaking his career every decade or so and landing a new dream job. This time, Burris, a former executive producer of TV reality show…
Kel Landis III wrote his new book about getting things done in about six months, but the ideas behind it have “been cooking for 10 years.” The co-founder of Plexus Capital, former CEO of RBC Centura, and Raleigh community leader…
by Felicia Gressette photographs by Lissa Gotwals Four generations are gathered this bright morning at Jason and Lauren Smith’s home near Hymettus Woods for a Smith family ritual – an informal Christmas brunch. Like the family itself, the celebration has evolved over…
by Tony Avent illustration by Ippy Patterson Aster oblongifolius – “Fanny” – and I go way back. Back to 1992, when I learned about it through Ruth Knopf, the antique rose expert at South Carolina’s Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston….
by CC Parker photograph by Jason Dail Tucked into a tiny, unassuming shopping center in the heart of Wolfpack country, Man-Mur Shoe Shop on Hillsborough Street may look like a run-of-the-mill shoe repair place, but for its longtime customers, Man-Mur…
by Amber Nimocks photographs by Travis Long Maybe Boylan Heights owes its creative spirit to close quarters. Living there means knowing one’s neighbors, and those neighbors tend to be creative types with eclectic interests. The neighborhood, which spans just six…