Joel Lane's Public House to open

The folks behind Isaac Hunter's Tavern on Fayetteville Street are getting into the Glenwood South biz.

Joel Lane's Public House (another nod to Raleigh's history) will open soon at 410 Glenwood South, Suite 350. A message on Facebook says they will be giving a sneak peak on Wednesday.

"The restaurant won't be serving food yet, but we'll have some samples out so people can try some of the items from the menu," says the message. "We'll also be passing out free drinks samples, and the full bar will be open so you can buy yourself a pint or two if you'd like as well!"

Babylon comes to Raleigh

A new restaurant, Babylon, is now open at the corner of Dawson and Lane Streets -- smack-dab in-between Glenwood South and the State Government complex.

According to this review via the Historic Oakwood list serv, Babylon offers "Moroccan food in the beautifully renovated old yarn mill historic building."

... Samad Hatchby who owns Mosaic wine bar on Jones Street has expanded his vision for Raleigh with this huge outfoor patio, Moroccan pool, Mosaic ceilings, gorgeous bar, and of course incredible Moroccan food. From chicken dishes to lamb, seafood, and a couple of pizzas: its a great experience.

The Wear You Live Project

This is one of the cooler projects I've seen in a while, and it started in Raleigh. Want a cool t-shirt or tote bag that features Raleigh (or a handful of other "big" cities including Austin, Boston, Philly, D.C. and Durham)? Support the Wear You Live Project, an idea of Matt Tomasulo.

CityFabric started in August 2010 by printing 75 t-shirts with the Raleigh figureground map on them to sell at a local arts market in downtown. The response was overwhelming so we continued to develop the idea. Over the past 10 months we have been learning about the ins and outs of starting and running a small business while crafting our brand and developing our products into civic-minded tools. ...

The best part about this small business project has been the interaction with our community. This type of map is so simple that it allows anyone from elementary school students to grandparents the ability to visually tell a story about their place. This Kickstarter project is an attempt to share our civic-minded, story-telling tools with more and more people. It's our belief that the more people talk about their place, the more people will be involved in their community.

Apparently if you pledge $6,000 or more, Mr. Tomasulo will get a Tattoo of Raleigh his arm. Oh, and you'll have your choice of 12 bags, 12 tees and 12 prints along with a signed, 8"x10" photo of me with you (if possible) with the MAPTAT.

State ramps up the tradition

We've noted before both our love of N.C. State University as well as the acknowledgment that, as far as the traditional concepts of "traditions" go, State may lack other institutions. Well, ya gotta hand it to the Powers That Be over at Brick U. of late: they're working hard to do something about it.

First came THE class ring (which gets to spend a night inside the Bell Tower). Then came The Brick. (You can view The Brick online here.) Now comes the idea that if a student accomplishes all 40 traditions listed, said student can receive a commemorative medal at graduation.

From The Brick's website:

Student Government and the Alumni Association are leading efforts to promote student involvement while maintaining the University’s rich traditions. We hope that during your academic career, you use The Brick as a guide to enhance and keep track of your experiences at NC State. The Brick highlights a list of traditions that you learn about and complete to become an official NC State Tradition Keeper (TK). To become a NC State TK a student must complete 40 of the 50 traditions in their book. You can complete a tradition in many different ways, as long as you provide proof. Ideas for this include a photograph, receipt, official TK stamp, or similar mementos. Student Government will be present at some tradition events, just like Orientation, to stamp “The Brick”. Bring your copy of The Brick to an Alumni Association Student Ambassador Program TK check-in day. Log traditions throughout all four years to be eligible for the TK program. There might be opportunities to win prizes as you build your experience with traditions, so don’t wait to attend a check-in day!

A student who has completed 40 traditions will receive a medal to wear at graduation. This is a reward for keeping alive the heritage of thy honored shrine, North Carolina State University. We hope that The Brick will enhance your time here at NC State and leave you with a life time of memories on each page. GO PACK!

Anything to ramp up a sense of camaraderie and tradition at State is, in my opinion, a great idea. However, knowing the school like I think I do, NCSU's not the kinda place to conversationally use phrases like "thy honored shrine"(even if it the phrase is in the Alma Mater). For that, you need to go about 25 miles west.

(Photo from Red&WhiteForLife)

It's not free, but a new, cheap concert series comes to Raleigh

I enjoyed the free Downtown Live concerts that filled Moore Square for a few years. Sure, the majority of acts were those whose best days (and biggest hits) were behind them: Arrested Development, Spin Doctors, Better Than Ezra, etc. But the concerts were well-attended, and the bands usually put on a great show.

Well, according to Triangle Music, there's a new series coming to Raleigh. It ain't free; but at $5, it's palatable.

The series is called Bud Light Cityfest Live, and while the shows won't be free, tickets will only be $5. There will be five shows in total this year at the Downtown Raleigh Amphitheater. Two shows have been announced so far and they are quite similar to the old Downtown Live lineup.

Ed Kowalczyk, the former lead singer of Live, will perform on Saturday, August 27, and Rusted Root will perform on Saturday, October 1. Presumably there will be opening acts too, which haven't been announced yet. We'll keep you posted as the details of the series fill out.

World Football Challenge coming to 'The Carter' on July 28

The 2011 Herbalife World Football Challenge will be making an appearance in Raleigh later this month when Juventus takes on CD Guadalajara at 8 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium.

From the release:

The 14th and final match of the 2011 World Football Challenge has been announced, and it’s a tilt between middleweight champs.

Major League Soccer and CAA Sports revealed on Thursday that Italian power Juventus will take on popular Mexican side CD Guadalajara at 8 pm ET on July 28 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, N.C.

The 27-time Italian champs, who come to the US armed with new manager Antonio Conte and five squad members from Italy’s 2006 World Cup championship squad (Alessandro del Piero, Gianlugi Buffon, Fabio Grosso, Luca Toni and Vincenzo Iaquinta) will take on Clube Sporting de Portugal on July 23 in Toronto and Club América on July 26 in New York before squaring off against Chivas.

Guadalajara, who also boast a bevy of players with Mexican national team experience – most notably Luis Michel, Johnny Magallón and Alberto Medina – have dates with Spanish powers Real Madrid (July 20 in San Diego) and Barcelona (Aug. 3 in Miami) on either side of their showdown with Juventus.

Happy Independence Day!

We're up on the Independence Day holiday weekend, which means Raleigh is about to become a ghost town with families heading to "the beach" ("the beach" could mean Emerald Isle, Wrightsville, Topsail, Sunset, Myrtle, etc.) or "the lake" (White, Gaston, Kerr, etc.) or maybe even "the mountains."

Each year we like to wish all of our readers a Happy Fourth. And, in the spirit of the holiday, we once again leave you with snippets from some of our forefathers' brilliantly-penned masterpieces.


"... That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and independent people, are, and of right ought to be, a sovereign and self-governing Association, under the control of no power other than that of our God and the General Government of the Congress; to the maintenance of which independence, we solemnly pledge to each other, our mutual cooperation, our lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred honor. ..."

-Mecklenburg Declaration of Indpendence, Charlotte, May 20, 1775

"... It appears to your Committee that pursuant to the Plan concerted by the British Ministry for subjugating America, the King and Parliament of Great Britain have usurped a Power over the Persons and Properties of the People unlimited and uncontrouled; and disregarding their humble Petitions for Peace, Liberty and safety, have made divers Legislative Acts, denouncing War Famine and every Species of Calamity against the Continent in General. ...

"Resolved that the delegates for this Colony in the Continental Congress be impowered to concur with the delegates of the other Colonies in declaring Independency, and forming foreign Alliances, reserving to this Colony the Sole, and Exclusive right of forming a Constitution and Laws for this Colony, and of appointing delegates from time to time (under the direction of a general Representation thereof) to meet the delegates of the other Colonies for such purposes as shall be hereafter pointed out."

-Halifax Resolves, April 12, 1776

"... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ..."

-Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

"... The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the Independence and Liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes. ..."

-President George Washington's Farewell Address, September 17, 1796