Raleigh Roundup: Raleigh a big Census winner, new midday train available, and Swoozie's to close soon

Census 2010: Winners and losers
Raleigh: Population growth 2000 - 2009: 41%

"As part of the Research Triangle, North Carolina's capital city continues to lure in residents: Since the 2000 census, more than 230,000 people have moved into the area [according to CNNMoney.com].

"And like other Southern cities, Raleigh has benefited from Florida's real estate bubble bust. Retirees looking for warmer climates and a lower cost of living are now considering Raleigh to be a sound alternative, said Mark Mather of the Population Reference Bureau. ..."

Midday train to ply direct route to Charlotte

"North Carolina's passenger train schedule will grow on June 5 with the launch of a third daily round-trip train between Raleigh and Charlotte, leaving each city at midday," writes Bruce Siceloff.

"The schedule expansion means that Raleigh residents will have the option to catch a southbound train at 6:50 a.m., 11:50 a.m. or 4:50 p.m. each day for the trip to Charlotte, which takes about 3 hours and 12 minutes.

"The northbound trains will leave Charlotte's Amtrak station at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Each train also stops along the way at Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury and Kannapolis. ..."

Swoozie's going out of business

"... An employee at the Durham Swoozie’s said that his store has been told that it will be closed in the next 50 to 75 days," says the TBJ.

"In the meantime, Swoozie’s stores are offering discounts of up to 30 percent off the original prices on nearly $20 million in stationery, greeting cards, invitations, gift wrap, Easter decor, giftware, tabletop items, handbags, jewelry and more. ..."

We will all be happier with public transportation

David Brooks, in his latest New York Times piece, asks the question, "would you trade personal happiness for professional accolades?" Brooks tackles this idea first from a marital standpoint.

"Nonetheless, if you had to take more than three seconds to think about this question, you are absolutely crazy," he writes. "Marital happiness is far more important than anything else in determining personal well-being. If you have a successful marriage, it doesn’t matter how many professional setbacks you endure, you will be reasonably happy. If you have an unsuccessful marriage, it doesn’t matter how many career triumphs you record, you will remain significantly unfulfilled."

But Brooks delves into the idea of happiness even further. Read this next part, and think about your own life for a second.

If the relationship between money and well-being is complicated, the correspondence between personal relationships and happiness is not. The daily activities most associated with happiness are sex, socializing after work and having dinner with others. The daily activity most injurious to happiness is commuting. According to one study, joining a group that meets even just once a month produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income. According to another, being married produces a psychic gain equivalent to more than $100,000 a year. [Emphasis mine]

I find the sentence about commuting highly interesting, particularly in light of the fact that A) we live in a region that is commuter-heavy, and B) we live in an area that seems to constantly be debating the idea of public or mass transportation (more specifically IMPROVED public transportation).

There is little doubt that how much time you spend in your car will impact your degrees of happiness. It all depends on the payoff. You may not care that it takes you 45 minutes to get home, just as long as you are happy to see your family when you get there and you love your house, your land, your neighborhood, etc. Still, it's easy to assume that the shorter the commute, the more time you have with family and friends and neighbors and the happier you will be.

(Somewhat off-topic: I think this is what is driving the community schools argument. Most parents deal with long work commutes along with long school commutes. They are just sick and tired of it.)

A couple of years ago, I relayed a common remark that I tended to hear often (and still do): "You're so lucky that you can walk to work." As I said then, very little luck went into it. It was -- as one commenter said -- more of, "where there's a will there's a way." I had done the long-distance commute thing for some time and wanted no more of it. I wanted to live close to where I work. So we sacrificed a bit, studied up as best we could on locations and did it -- and have never regretted that decision.

Which brings me to another piece of Brooks' column.

"If you want to find a good place to live, just ask people if they trust their neighbors," he writes.

Not only do I know almost all of my neighbors (and consider them friends), but I completely trust them. Maybe it's because we are all "out and about" quite often; we aren't exhausted from a long day at work coupled with stressful drives home so we can play or work in the yard or just go on an evening stroll. (Or maybe I'm reading WAY too much into it.) But we socialize, we talk, we dine, we connect. I'm confident we're generally happier for it. And we possibly couldn't do that if we spent many hours a week in our cars.

Which brings me to the title of this blog post. If long commutes are bad then short or no commutes must be good, right? Maybe -- but that's not the whole point. I think for many people it's HOW they commute. I know of folks who still spend an hour on the road getting to work -- but they do it on an express bus where A) they're not driving and B) they are able to get work done or just relax and read the paper on the way. I believe they would tell you they are happier for it.

And that's where the idea of public transportation = happiness comes in. And I think Triangle residents understand this. Heck, a recent poll shows that citizens are willing to pay for improved transportation EVEN IF THEY DON'T THINK THEY PERSONALLY WILL EVER USE IT!

Even if this just shows that people want others to ride trains so that they can have the roads for themselves, then it underscores that people understand that short/no commute=happiness. It's high-time we strive for that and give people what they want -- and need.

(Traffic image from aarp.com; cartoon from intlxpatr.files.wordpress.com)

Superchunk, Archers of Loaf get covered

Legendary Triangle rock bands Superchunk and Archers of Loaf are among the great acts being covered as part of The Onion's A.V. Club's "25 Covers in 25 Days," presented by Starbucks.

So far, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists have done a knock-out version of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" (which you can see here) while Fruit Bats masterfully cover Hall & Oates' "One on One" (see here).

Archers of Loaf are the latest band to get covered. Their song, "Web In Front" is covered by Alkaline Trio.

Alkaline%20Trio%20covers%20Archers%20Of%20Loaf



Superchunk's "Detroit Has a Skyline" is slated to be covered by a mystery artist sometime soon.

Among the others to get covered include Nirvana, Pavement, R.E.M., Smiths and even Starship's "We Built This City."

RailHawks to welcome Mexican Olympic team on April 25

Expect big crowds (like the kinds where people are climbing trees to get a peek) at WakeMed Soccer Park on April 25 when the Mexican Olympic team takes on the Carolina RailHawks.

Tickets are priced at $20 for Spectator, $30 for Club and $40 for Premium. Tickets and are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the LGFCU Box Office at 919-859-5425, by visiting the LGFCU Box Office at WakeMed Soccer Park from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by visiting www.carolinarailhawks.com. ...

Throughout their three-year existence, the RailHawks have annually played against top teams from Mexico. They have previously hosted Mexican clubs Cruz Azul, Monterrey and Tecos to near capacity crowds at WakeMed Soccer Park, and this match will be no different.

“This is exciting for everybody to be involved in,” said Carolina RailHawks coach Martin Rennie. “Mexico have got great young players and players who will be on the Olympic Team. It’s a chance for everybody here to see top international talent and it’ll be great chance for our players to test themselves. That’s going to be good to see.”

The 70,000-seat Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte recently enjoyed the energy and fanaticism that Mexico's national team brings. The place was almost sold out.

"The Mexican national soccer team inspires a following that most sports teams can only dream of, and that fan base was on full display in Charlotte for an exhibition against Iceland," wrote Scott Fowler.

"A crowd of 63,227 rolled into Bank of America Stadium, and about 63,220 of them cheered for Mexico ...

"When the Mexican team first took the field for its warm-ups, it was greeted by more noise than 95 percent of the Panthers touchdowns ever scored in this stadium.

"It was louder than expected, in part because the game drew more people than practically anyone expected. They came from all over the Carolinas and beyond – tickets were sold in 29 states. ..."

In other words, expect tickets for the RailHawks-vs.-Mexico to go fast.

Raleigh Roundup: We sure spend a lot, and Capital may get some TLC

Raleigh No. 6 among Biggest Spending Cities in America

"Where do Americans spend the most money? According to a new study, Americans actually spend more on average in places like Austin, Texas and Raleigh, North Carolina than they do in classic centers of glamor like New York City or Los Angeles," says The Huffington Post.

The average American household spent $37,782 in 2009, but spending varied tremendously across geographical regions, according to a ranking of the highest-spending cities published today by Bundle.com, a new social media company.

Bundle's tracks non-mortgage or rent spending in the 100 largest cities and across a number of categories, including food & drink, shopping, travel & leisure, transportation, and health spending. The data was also sorted by age group. Seniors, for example, spent up to 61 percent more on travel than households in the 18-25 range, while 18-25-year-olds spent up to 49 percent more eating out.

Raleigh comes in at No. 6 on the list. (Durham is No. 10, by the way.)

Raleigh households, which spent more on shopping ($15,800) than households in any other American city, spent $53,398 on average last year [says the study].

Raleigh begins to imagine glorious gateway
"City planners and some property owners envision a redeveloped Capital Boulevard so improved that no one can tell where downtown Raleigh ends and Midtown begins.

"Such a street might eventually become reality," says the N&O.

"The city later this year will initiate a wide-ranging study on how to transform the Capital Boulevard corridor between downtown and the Beltline into an attractive 'gateway' to the Capital City. ..."

"Everyone is excited about this," said Mitchell Silver, Raleigh's planning director. "A lot of people don't think it currently has the appropriate appearance to celebrate one of the fastest-growing places in the country."

Some great examples of local customer service

It's very easy to be jaded in this day and age because of what many perceive is a severe decline in customer service. But I'm here to tell you that there is hope.

Now, I don't want this to get into a place for folks to pimp their own businesses, but I would like to take a moment to shine the spotlight on the companies or people in the area that offer exceptional customer service. (And please feel free to submit yours in the "Comments" section.)

There are a couple of folks I really want to publicly thank for their fantastic customer service.

The first is Chris (sorry, don't know his last name - lost his card), the exceptional manager at the Cameron Village Wolf Camera. It's one thing to be extremely knowledge about your products, but that doesn't always translate into good customer service. In Chris' case, he excels in both. He knows cameras, and he understands that people (OK, me) often are afraid of asking what they think are dumb questions. Chris is quick to answer without judging.

Along with cameras, Chris also knows smart phones. (The CV store now sells Verizon phones.) We recently upgraded our phones and bought them at Wolf primarily because we knew Chris would tell us what we need to know. And when my wife had a billing question the other day, she called Chris. She was on the phone with him for more than 45 minutes -- and he never once tried to pass her off to someone else or get off the phone quickly. He took his time to answer her; he worked through her question; and they eventually got things resolved.

Chris Stewart
Wolf Camera Cameron Village
919-821-1350

***

The other "shout out" goes to Gary Vance, Vance Refrigeration. (OK, actually the company is Vance Comfort Zone and Refrigeration, but I couldn't resist "The Office" reference.)

Long story short, our fairly new (only 5 years old) fridge died on Friday. That evening, Gary came by, checked everything out and diagnosed the problem in about 20 minutes. And as is typical when someone's fridge has gone out, we had a fridge and freezer full of food since the wife had stocked up just a few hours before. Gary went back to his office, lugged back over a 5-foot-tall temporary fridge and a freezer, allowing us to save pretty much everything. Gary then got the new part needed installed in just a couple of days (even doing some "calling around" while ill) and I'm pleased to say that our fridge is working again.

Gary Vance Vance Comfort Zone and Refrigeration

Heating/Air/Refrigeration

919-812-3749

So, consider that two plugs for two guys with impeccable customer service. Now, plug away with yours!

(Image from insidelocal.com)

Update: OK, I went back and found Chris' card. His last name is Stewart.

Swoozie's closing its doors

We had heard several weeks ago that there were some problems with Swoozie's. But when it was looked into by several, it appeared there was little fire to go along with the smoke. Apparently we were wrong.

According to an email from Kelly Plank-Dworkin, Swoozie's founder (along with her late husband), the company will be closing its doors unless something drastic and last-minute happens.

"I am now facing the somber reality that Swoozie's is swiftly approaching a path to complete liquidation barring some unforeseen miracle at the auction which is scheduled for Thursday, March 25," she writes.

Chancellor Woodward: 'Only chancellor to never lose a football game to Carolina'

Chancellor Jim Woodward was brought in to N.C. State to basically "clean up the mess" that had run rampant over the university over the past year or so prior to his arriving. As the official U. website states, Woodward's "calm demeanor helped bring an air of stability and transparency to the university he first served as an engineering professor six decades ago." That about sums it up.

All along Woodward's time at State was temporary, but the university's website had a chance to reflect with him on his brief -- yet successful -- time in Raleigh.

Among the highlights ...

[Laughs] ... I am also very proud of the fact that I’m the only chancellor that has never lost a football game to UNC-Chapel Hill, never lost a home basketball game to Duke, and the only chancellor that has a better-than-.500 batting average in both men’s and women’s ACC basketball tournaments. That’s my real legacy.

and then ...

What advice would you, or have you given, the incoming chancellor-elect?

Don’t lose any football games to UNC-Chapel Hill or basketball games to Duke. ...

The man seems to "get" it.


Here's some more snippets of the Q&A (with my added emphasis in bold).

Your tenure as UNC Charlotte’s chancellor spanned three decades. Notable differences in tenure aside, was there anything about the chancellorship at NC State that was surprising or different than you expected?

There were no surprises in the sense that though UNC-Charlotte is a smaller university, it is a university, with similarities in system, structure and in activities. I believed that there were very good people here at NC State. I had over the years watched the hires and the ability of this institution to attract and keep outstanding faculty. What I found was a better faculty than I had recognized. ...

As you reflect on your time as NC State chancellor, how do you feel about what you’ve been able to accomplish?

I feel good about what’s happened. My major responsibility in working with colleagues on campus was to bring an environment of stability to the university so that people would wake up in the morning and feel good about going to work, work all day and go home, thinking, "Boy, I had a good day today."

We brought back an internal environment that was supportive of our people doing their work, and that returned very quickly here. Did I contribute to that? Probably, but let me say again – many people were engaged in that. That was the most important achievement, because this university is here for core purposes – that’s teaching, research and service – and if the people who do those tasks devote themselves totally to those tasks, then our university will have better served the state of North Carolina. ...

As your time on campus draws to a close, do you have any advice for NC State students?

Be proud of being part of this university. Be excited about the fact that you’ve entrusted your education to the university, and be assured that the university will fulfill its obligation to provide you with a superb education and therefore a superb opportunity for a rich, full personal and professional life. ...

A year from now, five years from now, or twenty years from now, how would you like to be remembered by NC State faculty, staff, students and alumni as it pertains to your time as chancellor?

It’s so hard to talk about legacies. I really hope Randy Woodson is remembered as the chancellor who really accelerated the development of NC State. To the extent that I’m remembered, I hope it’s that I came in, helped stabilize the university and maybe nudged it a little bit along the direction that it needed to go, but then Randy Woodson took up the position and truly accelerated that development. ...

Going forward, will NC State remain a big part of your life?

Well, I have a red jacket and I need opportunities to wear it, so I fully expect to be invited back to many of the ball games and social functions. Certainly, I hope I’ll be invited back when the new chancellor’s residence is dedicated and fully expect to be invited back when the Talley expansion is completed and we celebrate those projects.

NC State has always been an important part of my life and my wife’s life. Though we haven’t been here full-time for many, many years, when we were here, it was our first job out of the Air Force. We came here with three small children, we bought a house, and some of the most memorable photographs we have are those of our children playing in the snow out front of that house. There are emotional ties to this institution for my wife and me that go back many, many years, and certainly, those emotional ties have been strengthened during the past 10 months.

Like I said, the man "gets" it.

(Image from ncsu.edu)

Census: Raleigh makes big gains

Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston gained the most new residents of any city in America (netting more than 140,000 each), according to the Census Bureau's annual metropolitan area population estimates released on Wednesday, says CNN. Austin posted the second highest growth rate among top cities -- 3.1% -- just behind Raleigh.

Overall, the population of the United States has grown more than 9% to 307,006,550 since the 2000 census. The population grew 0.86% since last year's estimates. ...

These figures are an advance look at what to expect when the 2010 census results are released in December. The population figures determine how much federal money states and cities receive, as well their representation in Congress, among other things.

Edenton Street UMC to host a U2charist

Raleigh's Edenton Street United Methodist Church is hosting a "U2charist" this Saturday night. Many churches all over the country have been having these events over the past several years. ESUMC describes it as a "communion service featuring the music of the rock band U2.

The music, prayers, and liturgy are bursting with the message of reconciliation.

The event will take place at 7 p.m. in ESUMC's Kerr Hall and will feature N.C. band U2FX. There will also be a love offering for Haiti and an outreach ministry.

Best burgers, dogs and fries redux

It's been well over two years since we last tackled this very important subject, and I'm guessing that some opinions have possibly changed since then thanks to Raleigh's ever-changing food landscape.

The quick question is this: where can you get the best burgers, hot dogs and french fries in Raleigh these days?

When we last looked into this, yours truly suggested the winners were ...
Burgers: Five Guys
Hot Dogs: Cloos Coney Island
Fries: Bojangles

A number of others were suggested (either by me or the readers) as serious contenders. Among them: NOFO, Char-Grill, Fuddruckers, McDonalds, Steak-n-Shake, 518 West, Player's Retreat, the Mecca and Red Robin for burgers; Snoopy's or Sonic for dogs; McDonald's for fries.

Has the list changed in the past 2 1/2 years?

A co-worker recently said "Le Hamburger" at Coquette was perhaps the best one she's ever had. And I'll have to throw in their fries (with the bordelaise) into the mix as well. Could eat those for days.

But, if I absolutely had to pick a place for each today, I think I'd go ...
Burger: Five Guys
Hot Dog: Cloos Coney Island
Fries: Five Guys

Sorry, Bojangles. You still may have the best sweet tea around.

(Image from sptimes.com)

¡Vaya la manada de lobos!

Apparently, Capitol Broadcasting and the Wolfpack Sports Network broadcast N.C. State's men's basketball game against Boston College on March 7 in Spanish on 1550 AM ESPN Deportes, according to the TBJ. It was the first live local program broadcast on 1550 AM.

“The opportunity to give our local Hispanic community the first ACC Sports broadcast fully produced and aired in the Triangle is very exciting,” Brian Maloney, general manager of CBC’s sports radio properties, told the TBJ. “The Wolfpack Sports Network is also breaking ground, as they offer NC State fans a sporting event with a Spanish broadcast for the first time in their illustrious athletic history. We hope this energizes fans across the Triangle and turns into something we are able to do on a more regular basis.

Any idea on how successful that was or how it was received?

(Note: I totally used a web translator for this blog title, so my apologies if that doesn't exactly say "Go Wolfpack!")

Brixx to open a Cameron Village location

Brixx is planning a Cameron Village location to serve their wood-fired pizza. Construction is slated to begin in the second half of the year.

Right now the site is planned for "Clark & Oberlin" roads -- "not sure if that's where it's supposed to be or just a general location," says our source.

Currently the only Brixx Raleigh location is at Brier Creek.

Also interesting is what the folks at Piccola Italia think about this. I "reckon" there's no clause in their contract prohibiting competitors so close by?

Ah, this never gets old

The infamous "Shine, Raleigh Shine" promotional video didn't exactly get warmly embraced when it was "released" a few years ago. But, here it is; you be the judge.

And, of course, it wouldn't be the YouTube age if others didn't take a crack at it.

Here is the "rejected version."




And here is a "Flickr Mashup" version.

State grad's character written out of 'One Life to Live'

I don't watch daytime soaps, so I'm not familiar with "One Life to Live" or N.C. State grad Brett Claywell's character. But apparently the storyline featuring Claywell's gay character Kyle Lewis has been written out of the show, much to the chagrin of Claywell and his on-screen partner Oliver Fish (played by Scott Evans)'s chagrin -- and to the chagrin of many fans and gay rights groups. (Fans have signed petitions, established the "Save Kish" and "Don't Put Kish in the Closet" campaigns (www.dontputkishinthecloset.blogspot.com/), and even planned a rally outside the "Good Morning America" studios in New York.)

Claywell recently did a Q&A with Zap2it.com where he discussed the storyline -- as well as his Southern upbringing.

(A Canadian publication apparently has reported that Evans and Claywell were let go because of a lack of commitment and too much partying. In a statement, Claywell told Soap Opera Digest, "It's so false it's slander)

Q: How did you and Scott learn that your storyline was being written out?

We found out separately. I found out the day before the story broke; I was at "One Life to Live" because I was submitting my Emmy reel. And the same day I'm submitting my Emmy reel, Frank (Valentini) tells me that they're no longer continuing the storyline and that I've filmed my last day.

I do believe there's a certain way that things have to be done to protect the machine, and there are certain things that could be done differently. Scott found out through somebody tweeting him, and absolutely, that's not the way he should've found out. It shouldn't happen that way. ...

Q: What has the response been like from fans since the gay storyline started?

People approach us often. We had somebody at the GLAAD awards come up and tell us that they'd been with their partner for 14 or 16 years and because of our story they finally decided to get married. An older African-American gentleman told us that his parents had been fans of "One Life to Live" forever and because of this story, he finally got the nerve to come out to his parents.

So many people come up and tell us that because of us, they feel less alone. There's a demographic in this world that's unrepresented. This is just one story; this is a love story between two men. There are so many stories out there. When I got into this I had no idea the type of impact we were going to make.

Q: Right on the heels of the news about the gay storyline being written out, "One Life to Live" won a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Daily Drama.

I think that's what it was. I never heard it! We saw the trophy backstage and otherwise there was no mention of it during the ceremony. I don't know if GLAAD is upset with "One Life to Live" -- I didn't get it. Scott and I presented! I felt like we had such a big impact in the LGBT community that we would've been recognized a little bit. I'm not upset that we weren't, but I was a little surprised. I thought they would at least mention us because what we did was groundbreaking. ...

Q: As a straight actor playing a very visible gay role, what was the response from your family and friends?

As much of an eye-opening, life-changing experience as it was for me, it was also that for the people that surround me, that have known me for years. I'm from North Carolina, my dad's from Kentucky. The society that exists and the thinking that exists -- not within my family at all, but in the South -- is very narrow-minded. It's ignorance in the purest definition of the word that runs through a lot of these places in the world. It's not a lack of compassion; it's just a lack of knowledge. ...

Reminder: H&M opens tomorrow

Just a reminder that the long-anticipated opening of H&M at CVM is set for tomorrow.

The store is running an ad that says they will give out an H&M t-shirt for the first 200 shoppers as well as an "Access to Fashion Pass," valued between $10 and $300.

The grand opening is set for noon.

H&M, Hennes & Mauritz,the international fashion retailer known for offering fashion-forward apparel and quality basics is excited to announce its first arrival to the North Carolina market with a new store opening in Raleigh. Opening March 18 at noon, H&M Crabtree Valley Mall will pioneer H&Ms entry to the North Carolina area.

It's Metro Bravo time again

You gotta hand it to Bernie Reeves. Love him or hate him, the dude has certainly managed to carve out a niche in Triangle publishing -- a couple of times over. He certainly excels at the "Best of ..." niche; he did it first with Spectator and now more recently with Metro.

It is now the time of year to vote in for the Metro Bravo Awards, which seem to touch on just about every aspect of Life in the Triangle. Voting will end May 15.

Personally, I've gone through and made my picks. Just for fun, here are some of the "biggies" (below). What do you think? Am I insane? Am I right on the money?

FOOD AND DRINK
Restaurant: Hayes-Barton Cafe
Restaurant for take out: Red Dragon
Coastal Restaurant: Island Grill (Atlantic Beach)
Outdoor Dining: Raleigh Times
Italian Cuisine: Bella Monica
Mexican Cuisine: Dos Taquitos (either location)
Barbecue/Ribs: The Pit
Hamburger: Five Guys
Steaks: Jimmy V's
Pizza: Lilly's
Dessert: Hayes-Barton Cafe

FASHION/WHERE TO SHOP
Mall: Crabtree Valley
Gift store: Swoozie's
Men's Clothing Store: Brooks Brothers
Ties: Brooks Brothers
Suits: Brooks Brothers
Kids clothing: Gap Kids/Baby Gap
Designer Jewelry: HandPicked

RETAIL
Bookstore: Quail Ridge
Stationery: Swoozie's
Children's Toys: Tookie's


HOME LIFE
Garden Center/Nursery: Logan's
Place to Own a Second Home: Carolina Beach

HEALTHCARE/WELLNESS/BEAUTY
Hospital: Rex
Birthing Center: Rex
Cancer Care Center: Rex
Veterinarian: Dr. Joel Fisher

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Coastal Real Estate Services: Network
Bank: Crescent State
Law firm for Real Estate: Newman & Newman
Car Wash: Sudz

RESORT/TRAVEL/HOTEL
Airline: Southwest
Hotel for Out of Town Guests: Oakwood Inn

EDUCATION
Private College: Wake Forest
Public College: N.C. State
Party School: East Carolina

PEOPLE & PLACES
Weather Personality: Greg Fischel
College Coach: Tom O'Brien
Favorite Sports Team: N.C. State
Public Museum: N.C. Natural Science Museum
Sporting Event: N.C. State Football
New Watering Hole: The Foundation

BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Campus Building: 1911 Building, N.C. State
Skyscraper: RBC Plaza


(Images from hayesbartoncafe.com; quailridgebooks.com; fishervethospital.com)

This would be AWSM*

According to Leo, Triangle Transit is proposing a direct bus route from DTR (Downtown Raleigh) to RDU (Raleigh-Durham International Airport). This route would also include RTP (Research Triangle Park).

Leo writes: "Currently, the easiest way to get to the airport using Triangle Transit from downtown is to ride route 105 to the Regional Transit Center (RTC) in RTP. Then from there, you transfer to the 747 route and your way to the airport. 747, get it?"

This new proposal "attempts to eliminate the transfer and offer a direct ride from the Moore Square station, up Hillsborough Street to Wade Avenue, and down I-40 to the airport. The route would run Monday through Saturday at these proposed times.

"The frequency of trips has me most interested. A 30-35 minute ride from downtown to the airport at 30 minute intervals during the AM and PM rush hours is a nice improvement. Make a note that the bus route stops at each terminal for easy access. The downtown Marriott and Sheraton are only a five or so minute walk away and the Clarion is right on Edenton Street where the route will go. You can’t say its not tempting to spend the $2 one-way ticket for a bus ride to the airport terminals compared to a $20 taxi."

*Just getting into the whole acronym thang here.

North Hills sure does love beach music

The schedule has been released for North Hills' Midtown Beach Music Series, which will take place on Thursday evenings beginning April 15. All shows are at The Commons at North Hills.

You can get your shaggin' on ...

April 15 – The Embers

April 22 - Liquid Pleasure

April 29 - Band of Oz

May 6 – The Craig Woolard Band

May 13 – Catalinas

May 20 - Black and Blue

May 27 - The Attractions

June 3 - North Tower

June 10 - Johnny White and the Elite Band

June 17 - The Embers

June 24 – The Entertainers

July 1 - Sleeping Booty

July 8 – The Tams

July 15 – The Kays

July 22 – Liquid Pleasure

July 29 – The Craig Woolard Band

August 5 – Castaways

August 12 - Part Time Party Time Band

August 19 – Jim Quick and the Coastlines

August 26 – The Embers

(Thanks to Kelly C. for passing this along!)

Tim Gleason wants to give you a 'Knuckle Sandwich'

A co-worker and I were comparing some of our favorite sports-related memorabilia. (For me, it's my Jimmy V- or Vinny Del Negro-autographed photos; for him, it's the Tom Gorzelanny bobblehead) when he unveiled his newest piece: an autographed Tim Gleason photo, compliments of Harris Teeter.

Apparently (how did I miss this?), "The Teeter" has introduced some Carolina Hurricanes-related sandwiches over the years. My co-worker recently stood in line to sample Gleason's "Knuckle Sandwich" (oh, and to meet Gleason as well).

The "Knuckle Sandwich" is filled with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard and salt & pepper on a wheat bun.

Maybe grilled chicken is not your thing? Well, why not try "The Rosey?" According to this press release, Chad LaRose took time out of his busy schedule to "assist" (get it?) HT with his signature sandwich. You can "defend" yourself against hunger with this sandwich made of ham, salami, pastrami, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese topped with mustard, and oil and vinegar on wheat bread. (That sounds more appealing, in all honesty. Sorry, Tim.)

Still not feeling it? Try "The Walker 24," Scott Walker's signature sub. It features delicious roast beef along with with Provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and salt & pepper, all on wheat bread.

Of course, Walker is now in Washington, so no word on whether "The Teeter" still offers "The Walker 24" or not.

Local Band-Local Beer leader leading Durham music venture

Chris Tamplin, who has made quite a name for himself in the Raleigh music scene as the man behind Tir na nOg's Local Band-Local Beer Thursday night event, is venturing across the Triangle to open The Geer, a new music venue in Durham.

The Geer will open up this summer in the old Weeks-Allen Motors building in downtown Durham. It's a spot that "has been one of the more intriguing real estate plays in downtown Durham, with on-site parking, Alivia's-style big garage doors, and a funky shape making it a much-rumored site for everything from restaurants to the Durham Central Market food co-op," says Bull City Rising.

"We just wrapped up our demolition phase and are now deciding on a general contractor so we can submit our plans to the city of Durham," Tamplin told the Society. "Hopefully we can get things done pretty fast. Hoping to be open by July but have a deadline of Mid-August. We will be a full on music venue with a capacity on the venue side of the building of over 450 people."

You can follow the progress (and see video of some demolition) at Bull City Group.com.
Unfortunately, Tamplin will be leaving Tir na nOg and Local Band-Local Beer. But fear not.

"It should be in good hands as one of my former WKNC guys is taking it over for me," he said. "Hopefully it will continue to stay a strong night week in and week out."

That shouldn't be a problem; Tamplin has set it up to continue to succeed.

You can read more about this in The Independent.


(Image courtesy Gary Kueber's Endangered Durham web site.)

Save Technician

The details are, in all honesty, a bit vague, so we just have to trust that what folks are saying is accurate. But it appears that Technician (not "THE" Technician, by the way) is in serious financial and leadership trouble. The trouble is so bad that the N.C. State student paper -- just shy of its 100th birthday -- could cease to be.

"This isn’t a cry of desperation or a pity plea," blogs News & Record editor John Robinson. "A student newspaper’s mission is to work behind the scenes and provide a service to students. But Technician won’t be able to continue that work without an infusion of people who care about their University and want students to be informed."

Folks are rallying behind the paper. Leading the way is Tyler Dukes, a former EIC at Technician.

(Full disclosure: Some of my best college memories were as a sports writer/editor at Technician.)

"I love N.C. State with a passion only a better writer than me can describe. My time there amounted to some of the best years of my life.

"But despite the prominent place my B.S. holds on the wall in my office, the symbol of my proudest accomplishment is a large red book covered in a layer of dust in my library. It’s a bound collection of every edition of the Technician published during my tenure as editor-in-chief," writes Dukes.

"That paper made me the person I am today. It equipped me with the skills I needed to become a journalist and contribute something valuable to my community."

There are some ways to help. You can click on Tyler's blog and leave him a voice mail. Or join the growing Technician directory here. Or show your support by tweeting this: #ncsutechnician.

But better yet, if you're a State student, join the paper's staff. I never planned on being a writer/journalist. Heck, I just wanted to get great seats at basketball games. But, like Tyler, the experience at Technician changed my life. As the News & Record's Robinson writes: "A student newspaper is vital on any campus, but especially a campus as large and as public as N.C. State. Supporting a student newspaper isn't just a contribution to the public good. Learning to write clearly and concisely is a valuable skill in the workplace. Newspapers are a good place to learn that.

"Besides, at its core being a journalist is fun, which is a major part of any college experience. Try it."

How long before these have graffiti on them?

Yesterday, N.C. State unveiled two, five-feet-tall, 1,200-pound wrapped bronze wolf statues on the south end of the Free Expression Tunnel.

San Diego, Calif., artist Michael Stutz created the woven bronze statues, which are part of a continuing campus beautification project.

Tom Skolnicki, the university’s landscape architect, explains why the university commissioned the pieces (via Red & White For Life):

“If you look across our campus, there are some iconic places, like the Belltower, the Brickyard and Holladay Hall. As part of the physical master plan, we’re trying to create additional (iconic places) as well as improve the areas that have high visibility and high pedestrian traffic.”

He has a great point. I love N.C. State. I mean, I LOVE N.C. State. And it has some iconic, beautiful buildings, landmarks and locations. But it also has some places that could use some aesthetic enhancement, and the area around the Free Expression Tunnel is definitely one of them. (Maybe another wolf near the Gum Wall?)

Here is video of the unveiling. Interim Chancellor Jim Woodward states that there is a commitment to the outside spaces so that students, alumni and future students will "want to spend time in those outside spaces."

The artist, Stutz, states that the sculptures are meant to represent the "journey" that students take while Student Body President Jim Ceresnak says the art makes the area a "great space to be proud of" on the State campus.

Raleigh: No. 8 on 'best-value' travel list

Just about every day there is some new superlative list ranking Raleigh No. 1 in this or that. But it's not every day that the words "travel destination" get thrown into the mix. Especially when mixed in with the likes of Orlando, Denver, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta.

But -- lo and behold! -- it has happened. Hotwire.com is set to announce its best-value travel list of cities, with the City of Oaks landing at No. 8 (after being unranked last year).

Huzzah!

(We've noted in the past that Raleigh does very well with regards to tourism. But it's always seemed more regional than national.)

Hotwire apparently bases the rankings on those cities it sees as offering travelers the most value for hotels, airfare, car rental and entertainment, according to USAToday.

Hotwire's fifth annual "Travel Value Index" study of best-value cities for travelers ranks Atlanta No. 1, bumping perennial family favorite Orlando from first place to second. In other years, Denver, Phoenix and Orlando have taken the title for varying reasons.

Hotwire compiles the study to give consumers an idea as to where their travel dollars can stretch farthest. The timing's good, because spring break is almost here (we're still deciding where to go) and people are starting to talk about summer vacations.

How does Hotwire calculate results? It evaluates the USA's top 75 markets using a formula that takes into consideration low prices on hotel, airfare and car rental (50% of score); discounts on hotels, airfare and car rental; (25%), and affordable entertainment, overall appeal and choice of accommodations (25%).

After Atlanta and Orlando are Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, RALEIGH, Chicago and Miami.

Predictably, a number of the comments in the article are negative. As one person (ignorantly, I might add), wrote: "I wouldn't vacation in any of these cities." (Really? You, dear unnamed, anonymous message board poster, have no desire to visit Chicago, Miami, Denver, Phoenix ....?)

Zach G on 'SNL'

Not sure how long it will be available, but be sure to check out N.C. State alum Zach Galifianakis' monologue from "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend. Funny stuff.