The City of Raleigh is now providing free wi-fi downtown in outdoor, public spaces. Great for businesses, great for residents, and great for visitors. More proof that we definitely belong on those smartest and hippest lists.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
Archives for October 2009
Fall is Here
It seems like it’s been summer, summer, summer. Sure, our temperatures have gradually been getting cooler. Not cold, of course, because this is still North Carolina and it’s still October. But all of a sudden, it LOOKS LIKE FALL around here.
There are brilliant yellows everywhere, along with beautiful oranges and nice reds. I swear this change happened overnight. It’s almost as though everything was green when I went to sleep and then multi-colored when I woke up in the morning. That fast. I’ve even noticed a few trees that are already bare. When did this happen?
But this is a welcome change. Mild weather, beautiful scenery, the N.C. State Fair, football, hockey….nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the autumn!
That’s Life in Raleigh.
Raleigh: The Smartest and One of the Hippest
Here in Raleigh we’ve gotten used to being named to “best places to live” lists. Not to brag, but it seems to happen all the time. We’re always one of the best places to live for one reason or another. But in the space of a week we’ve added some pretty cool new feathers to our cap.
First a Wall Street Journal report named us to the top ten of their list of “hottest, hippest destinations” for young people looking for a place to live. The report predicts that when the economy recovers, our area will be a “youth magnet,” attracting residents 18-29 because of our relatively low cost of living and highly-educated citizens. And lots of fresh, ambitious, educated young people moving in can provide a big boost to our cultural scene, our economy, and our labor market.
And speaking of our highly-educated citizens, we landed in the top spot on the list of Smartest American Cities by The Daily Beast website, which the Raleigh News & Observer calls a “major news-and-opinion website.” Their criteria included the percentage of residents with bachelor’s and graduate degrees, nonfiction book sales, and voter turnout figures. And so we’re the smartest. Smarter than the folks in San Francisco, Boston, New York City–well, you get the picture.
Smart and hip. That’s a great combination. We knew it all along.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
You can read the full reports here: http://online.wsj.comarticleSB10001424052748703787204574442912720525316.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-04/americas-smartest-cities—from-first-to-worst?cmpid=p_yahoo
The Remedy Diner
The Remedy Diner is cool, clever and intimate, with friendly, efficient service, plus the food is fine.
The Remedy Diner is a place that feels good. Cool lighting, a great color scheme, and colorful paper flowers in old jars and bottles on each table create a comfortable, charming atmosphere. The large bar, the music, the window counter with stools, and the outdoor tables with market umbrellas all promote a friendly, familiar atmosphere. A bulletin board for posting information about local events and businesses also contributes to the community feel.
The menu has a variety of choices and the daily special is tagged as “today’s prescription.” The Remedy Diner offers a lot of vegetarian and vegan choices, which is not the norm for Downtown Raleigh restaurants, and plenty of beer choices, which is. This is not just another sandwich shop, as even standard sandwiches have something slightly different and unusual about the way they’re put together.
So visit The Remedy Diner to “cure what ales you” or when you’re looking for a fun, friendly place with great sandwiches and beer.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
International Festival 2009
Were you at the International Festival in Raleigh’s new convention center this past weekend? Thought so. Judging by the size of the crowd, I don’t think anyone in town missed it. And it was definitely an event not to be missed!
There were three stages of entertainment, with attentive audiences at each stage. Hundreds of appreciative spectators filled the seats at the dance demonstration stage. There were booths offering information and booths selling items from countries around the world, even henna tattoos and belly dancing lessons!
And the smells! The whole place smelled so delicious that it was difficult to decide which country’s menu to order from. Fortunately for us, most of the menus at the food stands offered a selection of inexpensive items, so that we didn’t have to choose after all, but instead enjoyed food from Bagladesh, China, Turkey, and Nepal. What a treat to be able to sample authentic foods from so many different countries all in one place!
While I expected to see a diverse group taking part in the International Festival, I was amazed by the incredible diversity of the festival-goers. Raleigh has truly become a melting pot.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
SPARKcon……..wow!
SPARKcon 2009 transformed Raleigh into an amazingly cool place to be on a weekend in September.
SPARKcon is a grassroots event celebrating the creativity in our area — the “creative hub of the south.” And if you think Raleigh can’t possibly live up to such a weighty description, you obviously missed SPARKcon this year. For four days, Downtown Raleigh was spilling over with proof of this creativity. Music, art, dance, ideas, film, poetry…….
….fashion. Did I mention fashion? The fashion show on the stage in the middle of Fayetteville Street had to be a turning point for our fair city. The loud, thumping beat, the large, appreciative crowd, the models whose hair and makeup were closer to “Night of the Living Dead” than “Night in Raleigh, N.C.,” plus the designs being showcased had me murmuring that famous line about Toto and not being in Kansas anymore! Raleigh has graduated to the big time.
That’s Life in Raleigh…a big, happening city.
