The Longleaf Hotel is quite the mid century modern gem Raleigh needed. We have often commented on: 1. Raleigh needs boutique hotels in downtown. 2. we always come into Raleigh from the North and the broken down Days Inn was a sad way to arrive in downtown Raleigh. Now, we are so excited to be greeted by the newly renovated hotel, The Longleaf Hotel...welcoming us warmly from the northern gateway as we make our way from North Raleigh to downtown. The hotel is so ideally located with easy walks to many of Raleigh's great restaurants, shops and museums. Originally a travelodge in the 1960's man ..read more

One of my favorite places to spend time is the NCMA. There are always new things to see and do there. We love summer concerts and movies, the amazing exhibits that the museum hosts, their wonderful museum store and gift shop, dining at Iris or just wandering around the galleries or the nature park. I am super excited to partner with the museum to give away a membership this holiday season! Enter and get the details on my Instagram post @RaleighWhatsUp. THE PERFECT GIFT Giving a friend or family the gift of membership is giving them a gift that gives all year long! The gift of membership i ..read more

The holiday season is literally on us starting this week as Thanksgiving arrives a little later this year and Christmas will arrive a little earlier. With all the holiday crazy, it's important to make sure you are carving (no pun intended) out time for yourself, to take a moment for you...body + spirit. CorePower Yoga located in Cameron Village is a cozy local yoga studio in the heart of Cameron Village shopping center. They believe in the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga—and provide a safe and judgment-free space to make yoga comfortable and accessible to everyone. CorePower ..read more

EAT WELL. MOVE DAILY. HYDRATE OFTEN. SLEEP LOTS. LOVE YOUR BODY. REPEAT for life! Last week right there in front of me I literally saw the best life advice on a paper napkin from Kale Me Crazy! So basic, yet so relevant. Exactly all the healthy habits I need to be focusing harder on right now as life continues to go at a super busy pace and I learn to expect the unexpected, try to get through that endless checklist of to-do's, meet deadlines, all while trying to carve out some precious down time. It's all super hard to balance and a pretty common struggle these days for young and old alike ..read more

There's never been a better time to shop for clothing + accessories, secondhand. More and more we understand how important it is to reuse and recycle and shop sustainably for quality items. Shopping curated local consignment boutiques are a great (and fun!) way to find gorgeous, unique, quality clothing and accessories. Fifi's Consignment of Cameron Village is a standout consignment store in Raleigh, carrying seasonal designer and name-brand apparel and accessories, including handbags, jewelry, shoes, scarfs and much more! Pre-owned clothing and accessories are not only attractive to customer ..read more

This Fall I've made the conscious decision to start the process of cleaning (and "greening up") my make up and skin/hair routine. Over the 10+ years I've developed a sensitivity (basically a complete intolerance) to many preservative/formaldehyde ingredients commonly used in most skin and hair products these days. Over the years I have had to carefully seek out products that don't include specific ingredients which lead to eczema and skin irritations. Last week I got a wonderful facial at Aillea. Aillea, a clean beauty boutique, is celebrating just over a year of being in Cameron Village ..read more

Despite the heat still sticking around, October is here and a visit to the local Village Draft House is in order, especially if you are looking for football, beer and patio (dog-friendly) dining in Cameron Village. DRINK Village Draft house hosts 100 beers on tap, one of a handful or less of local establishments in the Triangle with that many beers on draft and many of them NC local beers. We sampled a few brews last week and singled out a couple worth checking out this month. First was the fitting OKTOBERFEST beer, a combined effort from Bitburger Braugruppe a German brewery in collaborat ..read more

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF FALL! Summer weather is persisting in Raleigh on this First day of Fall! Patio dining is something we seek out often when the weather is warm but starting to bring a bit of a coolness as the sun goes down. Hurry to Cantina 18 in Cameron Village where you can still enjoy favorite seasonal Summer ingredients while they last. They are currently featuring some tasty new dishes on their late Summer menu you don't want to miss before, like Summer, they're gone! As most of you know, Seaboard 18 closed its doors this summer after a nearly 14 year long run in Seaboard Station. We ..read more

Wendell Falls, one of the largest  master-planned communities in the Triangle, is launching a new restaurant concept TODAY in partnership with Patrick Cowden and Daniel Whittaker, the co-owners of the Pharmacy Café in downtown Raleigh. Located in the Wendell Falls Farmhouse, the Farmhouse Café will feature creative, seasonal dishes, local vendors and a community-focused atmosphere built on sustainable practices. The Farmhouse Café will serve breakfast, lunch and a “social menu” for the evening comprised of shareable, small plates designed to be paired with a glass of wine or craft beer. G ..read more

Summertime in Raleigh means more opportunities for eating al fresco! Just in case you weren't already aware, so•ca has a fabulous patio with an abundance of outdoor seating. Much of it is covered which is nice for those NC summer rain storms that we know can pop-up anytime! Not only is there an amazing outdoor patio for drinking and dining, there are some exciting (and maybe a little tiny adventurous) small plates on their menu that are perfect for expanding your culinary palates. so•ca derives it’s name from several sources: a Peruvian word for sugarcane, a popular style of Caribbean music ..read more