Zander and I headed to the Outer Banks on Saturday, December 14 for an overnight trip. We managed to skirt the rain sweeping across North Carolina. We left Raleigh during a break in the weather and only had to deal with light rain and drizzle for some of the trip. We had a holiday treat waiting for us once we arrived. Continue reading
On Thursday, December 12, I participated in my first Red Hat Craft Fair. It’s an event held at Red Hat headquarters where the crafty folks or their spouses/family members get a chance to sell their home goods to Red Hatters. I thought it would be a good idea to sell my book and my salsa. It turned out to be a good idea. Continue reading
While not on my original fall bucket list
, I had to add the North Carolina State Fair to the must-do things in Southwest Raleigh. With almost 1 million visitors this year, the fair is a familiar time of year for my family. Attractions, exhibits, food, rides, games, and more are a great way to enjoy a nice fall day in Raleigh, North Carolina. Continue reading
One of the items on my fall bucket list was to go to a Carolina Hurricanes game. Since making the list, I’ve been to two games and I’m going to the game tonight! The first game was on Friday, October 11 against the LA Kings. It was a total sports weekend for my family. My mom was in town and we took her to the Canes game on Friday, then the Syracuse at NC State football game on Saturday. But this bucket list item is about the frozen puck, not the pigskin. Continue reading
For the seventh year in a row, I’ve run in the City of Oaks half marathon. So adding this race to my fall bucket list was special. Why? Because it was my 20th half marathon—and to run that in Raleigh and cross the finish line at the NC State Belltower was awesome. For anyone new to Raleigh, running in a road race is a great was to enjoy the sites.
The weather was perfect for race day. Runners gathered at the start line, near the NC State Belltower, and headed downtown via Western Blvd. The course took us into Downtown Raleigh with a great view of Red Hat Tower, then through Boylan Heights for one of the best views of the Raleigh skyline. Runners then went through the heart of downtown, up Fayetteville Street, over City Plaza, towards the State Capital. Continue reading
For anyone new moving to the Triangle, one of the first things you’ll hear is that you need to pick a team. Whether your fancy is football, basketball, baseball, or some other college sport, fans in the Triangle almost require you to pledge your allegiance to either NC State, Duke, or Carolina. I graduated from State, so my allegiance comes with an earned degree. And I’ll be the first to tell you that the tailgate scene at an NC State football game is one-of-a-kind. Continue reading
It was a good year for salsa at Ramsgate Manor. It was also the first year for my garden in full sun. Last fall, we had a 70+ year old Oak tree removed that was struggling with a disease. We decided it was best to remove it rather that spend the money to repair it. And the garden reaped the benefits. Here’s the breakdown of the tomatoes and peppers from the 2013 growing season. Continue reading
On the weekend of November 2-3, the family enjoyed a trifecta of NC States sports. We started out with football game against rival UNC Chapel Hill. Then we headed over to the PNC Arena for an exhibition game the basketball team was playing. Finally, on Sunday, it was a trip out to the ballpark.
It was a beautiful fall Saturday with a chilly morning and a 12:30 kickoff time. Michaela and David Huff joined us for the game. Jim also joined the family. The tailgate scene was off the chains with Carolina in town. There’s something about the tailgate that draws you in. The sights, the smells, the anticipation. Whatever that is, it was in the air at Carter Finley stadium this past weekend. Continue reading
Post race party in Manteo
I have so many things to look forward to in late summer and early fall. Football season, good surf in North Carolina, and of course, race season! I maintain my running year round, but really start to focus on training right around Labor Day.
This year was no different. I started doing 10+ mile runs in late August and my training peaked with a 13 mile run in early October. October was a great month to train as the weather cools down here in North Carolina, but the distance caught up with me and I had to nurse some runners plantar fasciitis on my right foot. I somehow managed to still get in 100 miles last month. Continue reading
This fall, I decided to start a bucket list for things in Southwest Raleigh. With a little help from Offline, a technology company in the Triangle powered by two guys named David, the experience has never been more social. The Bucket List includes experiences, signature and famous dishes from local restaurants, places to explore, and much more. Continue reading