Where to eat on Christmas Day?

Still recovering from the Thanksgiving cooking marathon? Relax. Let one of these restaurants do the cooking and cleaning for your Christmas Day meal. Reservations are essential, and the sooner the better. Tables are sure to fill up fast.

Bel Gusto
2800 Campus Walk Ave., in the Millennium Durham Hotel, Durham.
382-5024
Buffet, noon to 2 p.m.

Carolina Crossroads
211 Pittsboro St., in The Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill
918-2777
http://www.carolinainn.com/
Buffet, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Crabtree Grill
4500 Marriott Drive, in the Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley, Raleigh
781-7000
Buffet, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Fairview
3001 Cameron Blvd., in The Washington Duke Inn, Durham
493-6699
http://www.washingtondukeinn.com/
Buffet, seatings at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Fearrington House
2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
542-2121
http://www.fearringtonhouse.com/
Prix fixe, noon to 3 p.m.

Flights
4100 Main at North Hills St., in the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, Raleigh
278-1478
http://www.flightsnorthhills.com/
À la carte, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Grove Café
421 S. Salisbury St., in the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh
834-9900
www.sheraton.com/raleigh
À la carte, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Herons
100 Woodland Pond, in The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary
447-4200
http://www.theumstead.com/
Prix fixe, seatings start at 5 p.m.

Il Palio
1505 East Franklin St., in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
918-2545
http://www.sienahotel.com/
Prix fixe, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Irregardless Café
901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh
833-8898
http://www.irregardless.com/
À la carte, noon to 8 p.m.

Phi
151 Tatum Drive, in the Hotel Indigo, Durham
474-3000
À la carte, seatings start at 5 p.m.

Piney Point Grill
2515 Meridian Parkway, in the DoubleTree Suites hotel, Durham
361-4660
À la carte, seatings start at 5 p.m.

Posta Tuscan Grille
500 Fayetteville St., in the Marriott City Center, Raleigh
227-3370
http://www.postatuscangrille.com/
Buffet, 7 a.m-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.

Shula's 347
1 Europa Drive, in the Sheraton Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill
969-2157
http://www.donshula.com/
À la carte, 5 to 10 p.m. (note: serving the regular menu only)

Windows
311 W. Franklin St., in the Franklin Hotel, Chapel Hill
442-9000
http://www.franklinhotelnc.com/
À la carte, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. (note: serving breakfast only).

New Years at Sparians Bowling

**New Years Eve 2012**

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 7:00 PM -

Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 2:00 AM (ET)

Event Details


General Admission includes:
- Dinner Buffet menu coming soon

- 2 Drink Tickets

- Champagne Toast at Midnight
- Live Music from The Brickhouse in our lounge and DJ Ryan from SPIN in our Private Suites.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bowling Reservations are available!

- $50 per hour, 2 hour minimum
- 8 people per lane

Make your reservation today
For VIP Lanes, please contact our Sales Department (919) 803-3718 Ext: 5003
Please keep in mind that you must purchase a general admission ticket to make a bowling reservations.
This event is 21 and up.

For more info....

Recycle Your Holiday Decorations

Before the season winds down, develop a plan to reuse as much of the holiday cheer that has made it into your apartment as possible. Whether seasonal items need to be carefully disposed of or stored for re-use next holiday season, we’ve got recycling tips for your decorations to help you start your new year in the green!

Disposing of a tree

Most cities and counties have services that will help you properly dispose of a live tree. Check your local government’s Web site, or with scouting or non-profit organizations. Often, municipal yard waste pick-up is expanded to include trees for a specific period of time. If you can’t get curbside service, look for a post-holiday chipping service, perhaps at a nearby home improvement store.

Holiday lights

Candles are a big part of holiday atmosphere. If yours still have plenty of life left in them, store them in tissue-paper-lined boxes. Place large candles inside discarded hose or stockings first. For scented candles that have burned their last, break them up into small pieces and place the shards in a tea diffuser for an instant sachet!

To keep strings of lights from getting tangled en route to next year’s festivities, wrap them around the outside of a metal coffee can. If the lights are no longer usable, label them as such and hold onto them for a light swap next year. Home Depot, for instance, may accept your broken strings of lights toward the purchase of energy-efficient LED lights.

Paper, ribbons and bags

 Bows and other decorative items for presents can easily be recycled for next year. Adhesive bows will need tape to stick next year, but will look just as pretty, if you store them carefully. Collect them inside a gift bag or plastic grocery bag for storage.

Gift bags usually fare well through multiple gift-giving. Keep yours in good shape till next year by folding them flat and storing small bags inside larger ones. Wrapping paper is often shredded during a gift-giving frenzy, but if you have a large sheet that made it through the ripping unscathed, you can roll it around an empty paper towel spool and fasten with a paper clip on the end to save it for use next year.


Storing decorations

If you use an artificial wreath, take time to stow it away, dust-free. Wreath bags are handy and often go on sale around the holidays. For a quick and free version, use a dry-cleaning bag, making sure to tie the plastic under the bag to seal the wreath inside. Now you can hang it safely in a closet until next holiday season.

Ornament boxes are a convenient way to store delicate tree decorations. You can also make you own: start saving paper coffee cups with their tops, rinsing and fully drying them. Once the season is over, place a breakable bulb or other delicate ornament inside a cup and secure with the top. If you’ve saved a cardboard cup carrier or two, place your ornament cups inside them, and store everything inside a plastic bin. For very small decorations, an egg carton is great for storage.

This year, plan how you will pack away the holidays before the fun is all over. With a little preparation, you’ll be able to reuse much of the season’s bright accents for many holidays to come.

More things to do on New Years Eve........

By In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, don’t forget to make plans for New Year’s Eve. Give yourself an extra-special gift this year, with a local night out!

Tap your toes to the award-winning bluegrass sounds of Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road, along with Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, as the bands perform in concert on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m., at the Garner Performing Arts Center.

Jordan, of Garner, has been performing bluegrass music for more than 20 years and formed the popular Carolina Road band in 1998. Known for her lead vocals and hard-driving mandolin chop, she’s a 2011 nominee for the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America’s Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year awards.

Carolina Road is a 2011 nominee for the SPGBMA’s Vocal Group of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year and Gospel Group of the Year awards. The band released its latest album, Back to My Roots, in October, and performs across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

IIIrd Tyme Out formed in 1991 and is led by Moore, three-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Male Vocalist of the Year award.

The band earned IBMA’s Vocal Group of the Year award for seven consecutive years, and is known for its rich vocal blends and numerous appearances on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

Tickets for this New Year’s Eve show include hors d’oeuvres; a cash bar will be available. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door, and are available by calling the Garner Performing Arts Center at (919) 661-4602 or at http://www.garnerperformingartscenter.com/ .

Looking for a different kind of party on New Year’s Eve?

Party for a cause at Sparkle with a Passion, at the Grand Marquise Ballroom

in Garner beginning at 9 p.m.

The event benefits the nonprofit Caring Community Foundation, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients in and around the Triangle for basic needs such as rent, utilities and treatment.

The party features live entertainment, a taste of the town dinner, open beer and wine bar, champagne toast and party favors.

Tickets are $75, and are available at www.caringcommunityfoundation.org, or in person at Anfesa’s Jewelers inside the Grand Marquise Ballroom, located at 205 New Fidelity Court in Garner, or at the Garner Chamber of Commerce.

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/triangle-east-magazine/dont-forget-new-years-eve#ixzz1h1RMiGMN

Dreidel Dreidel

By Emily Uhland

Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah at the inaugural Jewish Cultural Festival at the Cary Arts Center. The Chabad of Cary, The Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary and Beth Shalom are teaming up with the Town of Cary to host an evening filled with entertainment, crafts and traditional Jewish foods.

From 4 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 20, families can enjoy activities such as candle dipping, clay dreidel making, olive oil pressing and the lighting of a nine-foot Menorah.

Multiple performances of singing, dancing and a children’s skit are scheduled throughout the festival. A performance by Jewish contemporary musician Dan Nichols will conclude the evening.

Donations of canned goods are being accepted through Dec. 19 for a “can-struction” of a menorah. After the festival, the canned food items will be distributed to those in need by the Inter-Fait Food Shuttle.

The “can-struction” will be displayed at the festival alongside other artistic menorahs and dreidels on loan from Cary residents. The festival is free and open to the public.

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/social-scene/dreidel-dreidel#ixzz1h1OkxHzN

Raleigh Winterfest

Raleigh Winterfest opens this weekend


By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Raleigh Winterfest returns this weekend with a 42-foot-tall Christmas tree, an ice skating rink, sledding and more.

The grand opening celebration on Saturday will feature all kinds of live music, activities for kids and a visit from Santa. You'll find it on City Plaza, which sits at the southern end of the 400 block of Fayetteville Street next to the Bank of America building and on top of the Charter Square parking deck.

Saturday's event runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Skating continues until 11 p.m. Activities include a Santa's Village from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Parents will be able to take their own pictures of their kids with Santa for free. From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., you'll also find sledding ramps and carousel, trackless train and carriage rides.

Most of the activities are free. There is a $1 fee for the carousel, train and carriage rides. Admission to the ice rink is $8 per person, including the cost for skates. You can bring your own skates as well, but you'll still have to pay the $8 admission.

The ice rink this year will be open through Jan. 29. Hours vary depending on the day. And I'm excited that the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, which works to put this all together, is planning some special events again this year. I think parents will be particularly interested in the Sledding Sundays, Two for Tuesdays deal and the stroller skating.

Special activities include:

Sledding Sunday: SnowMyYard.com will create a winter wonderland on Dec. 18, Jan. 8 and Jan. 15.

Two for Tuesdays: Skaters will receive one free admission to the rink with the purchase of one paid admission (includes skate rental). This will come in handy during winter break when kids are out of school.

Music Craze Wednesdays: Enjoy live music at the rink from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Stroller Skate Thursday Mornings: Parents and babies share outdoor fun. Skate and push a strollers on the ice from 10 a.m to 11 a.m. I did this last year with my baby, made a fool of myself and posted a video of it for all to see. Click here to check it out. It's a lot of fun! I might try it again, though I fear my two-year-old would be more interested in trying to get out of the stroller to get onto the ice.

Date & Skate Thursdays: Free carriage rides with skating wristband from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Rock Around the Rink Fridays (select dates to be announced): DJ Paradime from Pulse 102 will rock the rink from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Lights on the Neuse

Welcome to Lights on the Neuse - Christmas Lights Park

Lights on the Neuse in Clayton, North Carolina Opens - celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way.

Purchase Tickets online NOW:
FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE-CLICK HERE
Where Every Day Is Christmas Eve And The Snow Falls Every Night.

NO RESERVATIONS NECESSARY.

Park your car and enjoy an old fashioned hayride with your family through a magical Christmas Lights Extravaganza.

Bring your friends and family and celebrate the magic of the Christmas season at Lights on the Neuse. Events include:

• Christmas Hayride, a one-mile long, 30-minute old-time tractor-pulled hayride through a beautiful Lights Extravaganza, filled with Christmas music and holiday magic. Bring blankets in which to bundle up.
• The Christmas Barn, an enchanting 3D Christmas house.
• Santa's Sweet Shoppe - offering old-fashioned Christmas candy, hot chocolate, coffee, kettle corn and wonderful Smores kits that you purchase and cook yourself at the picnic area.
• Visit Santa - Don't miss the Jolly Old Elf himself - get your picture made with Santa! (Note- Santa will not be at the Lights on the Neuse on Christmas Eve, December 24 - he is needed at the North Pole)
• Events at Lights on the Neuse
• Contact Lights on the Neuse
• The Christmas Barn - an Enchanting 3D Christmas Journey

• Enjoy home cooked Smores!

In case of inclement or bad weather please call us to make sure we are open.

Lights on the Neuse is an old-fashioned Christmas light park celebrating the Christmas season. Located just minutes from Raleigh, Cary, Fuquay, Holly Springs, Garner, and Clayton North Carolina, Lights on the Neuse offers an old-fashioned hayride through a family Christmas park lights extravaganza.

This family-oriented Christmas lights park offers Christmas attractions appropriate for all ages - both children and adults. Celebrate the magic of Christmas captured each holiday season at Lights on the Neuse, the Triangle's holiday light festival.

With new light displays added each year, you don't want to miss the opportunity to share the magic of Christmas with your family. Grab the kids, jump in the car and come join us. Park the car and load up on the hay wagon as we travel back to a much simpler time of love, joy and thanksgiving.

Join us as we celebrate the meaning of the Christmas season at Lights on the Neuse! We are convenient to Raleigh, Garner, Clayton, Cary, Apex, Fuquay Varina, Holly Springs, Zebulon, Smithfield, Benson, Dunn, Coats, Angier and Selma - Lights on the Neuse is the only Christmas Lights Extravaganza in the area.

The Lights on the Neuse magic begins the day after Thanksgiving (November 25) and continues through Saturday, December 24th.



First Night Raleigh

Line-Up Announced for Twenty-First Annual First Night Raleigh Celebration

Raleigh, NC – Michael Lowder, Artsplosure’s executive director, today announced the programmatic lineup for the organization’s annual First Night Raleigh celebration. First Night Raleigh 2012 will feature comedy, dance, spoken word, interactive art installations, and live music from a variety of performers including rock, blues, jazz, gospel, opera, singer-songwriters and more. The 21st annual New Year’s Eve arts festival will take place on Saturday, December 31, 2011, in a 20-block area of downtown Raleigh.

This year’s First Night Raleigh festival takes on a French-inspired theme. Many of the celebration’s dozens of performances and activities have been designed to reflect French influences, including the planned installation of a giant 90-foot Ferris wheel, dubbed “La Grande Roue de Raleigh,” in the 100 and 200 Blocks of Fayetteville Street. Since the early twentieth century, a Ferris wheel has been installed in Paris’s Tuileries Garden leading up to the New Year. Perennial First Night Raleigh favorites like the African American Dance Ensemble, Transactors Improv Company, Comedy Worx and the Lenny Marcus Trio plan to adapt their First Night performances to reflect this year’s French theme.

First Night Raleigh 2012 begins at 2:00 PM on December 31 with the Children’s Celebration at the North Carolina Museums of History and Natural Sciences and on the Bicentennial Plaza. Children are invited to participate in hands-on craft activities including creating impressionist paintings, making miniature sailboats, and decorating their own versions of the Eiffel Tower. “The Owl Tree,” an interactive sculptural installation by Massachusetts-based artist Pam Golden, invites revelers to make a wish for the coming year. Cirque performances, storytellers, musicians, giant puppets and various other artists will be featured throughout the afternoon. A mini French film festival will take place all day inside the NC Museum of Natural Sciences auditorium.

The People’s Procession down Salisbury Street and an Early Countdown at 7:00, preceded by a performance by Onyx Club Boys, will kick off the evening entertainment. Performances and activities will take place in over two-dozen venues throughout downtown Raleigh. Venues will span from the Edenton Street United Methodist Church (with performances by North Carolina Opera and organist Josh Dumbleton) to Marbles Kids Museum (featuring Broadway veteran Lisa Jolley’s one-woman cabaret show) and the Long View Center (with three performances by blues artist Cedric Burnside) and from the NC Museum of History (featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Brown) to the Progress Energy Center’s Fletcher Theatre (with three shows by the Transactors Improv Company). A French-inspired festival would not be complete without accordion music, and accordionists may be found in multiple indoor and outdoor venues throughout the festival footprint. Headlining the Main Stage on City Plaza will be New York-based fusion-funk band The Pimps of Joytime. First Night Raleigh concludes with the Countdown to Midnight, the descent of the Raleigh Acorn, and fireworks.

A complete list of performers can be found on the First Night Raleigh Facebook page (facebook.com/firstnightraleigh), and full festival details will be available via the festival’s website (firstnightraleigh.com) in mid-November. Admission passes (buttons worn by festival attendees) will go on sale beginning December 1 for $9 in advance and will provide full access to all First Night Raleigh venues and activities. For more information, visit http://www.firstnightraleigh.com/

First Night Raleigh Admission Passes On Sale

First Night Raleigh 2012 "All Day Passes" are now on sale! Click "Buy A Pass" on the top right of any page for more information about how to get your passes to join your friends at First Night Raleigh!

The admission pass (aka "button") is the ticket into EVERY venue and EVERY performance all day and all night at First Night Raleigh. All patrons ages 6 and over require a pass. Children 5 and under are admitted for free and do not need a pass.

All Day Passes are available for $9.00 in advance from Triangle area Harris Teeter stores, Rite Aid Pharmacy locations and from the following local retailers:

Auntie Anne's Pretzels at Crabtree Valley Mall


Beleza... A Fair Trade Boutique


Marbles Kids Museum


North Carolina Museum of Art 



North Carolina Museum of History Shop



Quail Ridge Books & Music


Raleigh City Museum


Sosta Café


The Museum Store at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences


Wilmoore Café

You can also purchase an All Day Pass voucher online from Etix.com, and exchange your voucher for a button on site on December 31!

At the festival, passes will be available at 6 on site Information and Merchandise tents located throughout the festival. On December 31, admission passes will cost $12 for adults and $10 for children 6 to 12.

Looking for a good cause to Support?

Bowl-A-Rama

By Nancy Pardue

Art meets community service this Saturday (12/10/11), as the seventh annual Empty Bowl Project takes place at Vandora Springs Elementary School in Garner.

Handcrafted ceramic bowls created by fourth-grade Art Club students at the school will be bartered off on Saturday in exchange for local food pantry donations.

Art teacher Jim Hunt leads the student effort; he’s been involved in the international Empty Bowls Project for 20-plus years, and says schools all over the world take part.

“The projects may differ from school to school, but the goal of all of them is to gather food,” he said.

This year’s handmade ceramic bowls — numbering more than 80 — are painted in metallic and iridescent hues, with some boasting a mother-of-pearl sheen.

The “exchange rate” is one bowl per 20 non-perishable food items, which will be delivered to nearby Garner Area Ministries’ food pantry, serving local families in need.

The project is important to both the students and the Garner community, Hunt says.

“It gives the students a chance to use their talents to reach out to help people. And all the food donations go right back into our community, to the shelves of Garner Area Ministries,” he said.

New this year, all bowls will be showcased in the Vandora Springs Elementary cafeteria for the convenience of guests, who can choose a bowl and drop off their food donations in one stop.

Students will sort and box the food donations, which Hunt notes can go beyond canned goods to include pasta, cereal and more.
Bowl-a-Rama will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until all the bowls are gone.

The school is located at 1300 Vandora Springs Road in Garner. For more information, call the school at (919) 662-2486.

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/triangle-east-magazine/bowl-a-rama#ixzz1g2u1xNy1

What to do on New Years Eve in Raleigh

Every year we wonder where we will get our kiss to start the New Year! Check out a couple of links below to get some ideas about where to go in the Raleigh area.

Sparians Bowling Boutique
Live music, bowling, champagne & food....a great combo for a great night!

New Years Eve Extravaganza

New Years Eve Party Planner
Take a look at what is happening at local businesses & venues on New Years Eve.

It's Snowing in Garner

It's Snowing in Garner
By Nancy Pardue

The holidays officially kick off in Garner this weekend, with a little snowy something for everyone!

The fun begins with real snow on Friday night, at the

Light Up Main tree lighting celebration.

Set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Main Street in Downtown Garner, this family-friendly event features paint-your-own ornaments, local entertainment and food, and visits with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.

New this year: The tree lighting will be held at the start of the event, so don't miss it!

On Saturday, the Garner Christmas Parade steps off at 10 a.m. from Main Street complete with floats, marching bands and more.

After the parade, head to Polar Ice House at the end of Main Street for free skating admission and skate rental from 1 to 3 p.m. (Pick up your ticket at the Friday night tree lighting or during the parade.)

Get all the details on the tree lighting and the parade, plus parking notes, at http://www.downtowngarner.com/.

Then, on Sunday, tap your toes to the tunes of the Raleigh Concert Band, taking the stage at 2 p.m. at the Garner Performing Arts Center for an afternoon full of holiday music and favorite Christmas carols.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door or by calling (919) 846-1944. For more information, visit www.garnerperformingartscenter.com.

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/triangle-east-magazine/its-snowing-in-garner#ixzz1fJgRaUFg

Holiday Express

Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department and Crabtree Rotary present

Holiday Express!

Celebrate the season as Pullen Park is transformed into a Holiday Wonderland. Enjoy holiday lights and displays, a lighted train ride, local entertainment, carousel ride, crafts, visit with Santa and more!

Tickets are now available for purchase through Reclink


When
December 8-11, 2011 4-9pm

Where
Pullen Park - Amusements
520 Ashe Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27606

Contact Information: (919) 996-6468

Cost
Advanced tickets may be purchased on Reclink through December 6th for $7/person. Day of event tickets may be purchased at Pullen Park for $10/person. Children under 2 years are free with a paying adult.

What to Do?

Instructional Classes for FREE:

 Lil' Kickers Lil Sluggers Lil’ Dunkers

 Learn to In-Line Skate Learn to Play Hockey

 An obstacle course with the camp staff

 Youth Soccer clinics: Meet our new soccer director Kupono from the Carolina Railhawks!

PLUS don't miss the opportunity to purchase Dreamsports Center gift certificates or hockey equipment from Fivehole Sports for holiday presents.

• Inflatable's, Hockey swap shop, face painting, raffles and more!
Check it out!

Taste of the Town: TerraFin Station

By Nancy Pardue

Two friends, one dream — and a full menu of chef-inspired meals.

Edwin Hoyt IV and Nathan Roby are the owners of TerraFin Station in Garner, which in August celebrated its first anniversary. The restaurant’s creative name reflects its land-and-sea themed menu.

“Everything on the menu here is food I enjoy eating,” said chef Roby. “It’s comfort food, with a twist. Selection and variety are what people are looking for, and we’ve got something for everybody.”

With more than a dozen new dishes added to the menu in recent months, Roby’s not exaggerating. TerraFin’s menu extends from Classic Cheeseburgers to gourmet Lobster-Shrimp Mac-n-Cheese, featuring pan-seared seafood in a five-cheese cream sauce over penne pasta.

Ahi Tuna Salad combines grilled ahi tuna with sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and fried wontons, with sesame wasabi vinaigrette, made in-house.

“It’s a fan favorite,” said Hoyt, who operates the front of the house. “The name downplays how good it really is.”

The house specialty is steak — hand cut, Certified Angus Beef. Merlot and Garlic Ribeye is the restaurant’s biggest steak seller, born of a marinade recipe Roby developed years ago.

Other popular dishes include seafood jambalaya and baby back ribs. Wings are big here too, literally.

“We buy the biggest I can get my hands on,” Roby said. Added Hoyt, “People actually from Buffalo (N.Y.) come here, saying they’re the best they’ve had.”

Roby creates all dishes from scratch, including salad dressings, sauces, soups and even fries. He’s also intent on using North Carolina-sourced foods, including all-natural Ayden catfish and organically grown local produce.

“First, there’s all that North Carolina has to offer. Then, we live here, so we want to help support the local economy and farmers,” he said. “That’s important to me.”

TerraFin Station serves lunch and dinner daily, complete with kids’ menu, and hosts a late-night bar crowd, plus Sunday brunch and ballgame showings.

Roby, an Ohio native, and Hoyt, of New York, met as co-workers at the Bahama Breeze restaurant chain, where Roby was executive chef. Both have worked in restaurants since their teens.

Seeing a need for fine dining in Garner, they chose the Old Drugstore building on the corner of NC 42 and Cleveland School Road as home to their dream. Built in 1936, it’s among the area’s oldest buildings in operation, serving over the years as a gas station and general store.

Now, with an understated décor, the restaurant offers ample dining space and a brick-walled bar, one of two full-service, ground floor bars.

It also boasts three meeting areas for banquets up to 100 people; upstairs features its own bar and private party room.

“We love the restaurant business, and love interacting with people,” Roby said. “When people leave here, we want them to feel they’ve just had a great meal at a great price — a great dining experience.”

WHERE TO GO
TerraFin Station, Garner
(919) 773-2220
http://www.terrafinstation.com/

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/triangle-east-magazine/restaurant-row/terrafin-station#ixzz1du8Jw5BJ

We Have Our Winners!

Congratulations to

J. Wanks & L. Hopkins

for winning the

Thanksgiving Dinners!

We will be delivering your dinners to your door on November 23rd.

ENJOY!

Your Body on a... Holiday Feast

In the first minute

Your taste buds are atwitter and send pleasure signals to the brain. The message: More, please!
As you chew, enzymes in your saliva break down the sugars and starches in the stuffing you've gobbled.

Within five minutes
Your stomach is frantically working to dissolve food and shuttle it to the small intestine, which will ferry nutrients like fat and protein into your bloodstream.

Within 15 minutes
Both your stomach and small intestine alert your brain—via hormones such as peptide YY—that they are beyond capacity. But if you hoovered your meal, your brain won't get the memo until after you've helped yourself to seconds.
Within the first hour
Post–apple pie, your insulin levels have spiked in an attempt to control the sugar that's coursing through your bloodstream. (Related: 6 Scary Side Effects of Sugar)

Within 30 minutes of eating a salty meal, your blood vessels may become slightly less supple. If your diet is always packed with salty foods, you may develop stiff blood vessels, a heart-disease risk factor.

After one hour
Feeling drowsy? Don't blame the bird. Yes, turkey contains tryptophan—an amino acid the body converts into sleep-promoting serotonin—but your fatigue is really the result of your stuffed stomach. It sent a "rest and digest" signal to your brain, which, in turn, directed all available energy toward digestion.

Your stomach is stretched like a balloon and is pushing against surrounding organs, possibly leaving you achy or nauseated.

After one to two hours
Your liver has converted the food into nutrients that your organs can absorb. If you're lucky—and your carb reserves aren't already full—most of the fat and calories you ingested have been converted into short-term energy. (Had you worked out before bingeing, you'd have more room in that storehouse.)

Chances are, though, you've shoveled in twice as much as your body needs, which means the excess is converted into layaway triglycerides and may be packed into fat cells around your thighs, butt, and belly.

After two hours
Whew—your stomach has emptied and your blood vessels are back to normal.

Grey Seal Puppets present Tangle of Tales

Event Description:

Three favorite folktales from around the world come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, “The Frog Prince” from Germany, “Three Billy Goats Gruff” from Scandinavia and “The Three Little Pigs” from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom. In between each of the tales, there’s a whole menagerie of zany characters to see and enjoy. Tangle of Tales is fun for everyone.

Date:
Sunday, November 13, 2011 - 3:00pm

Time:
3 p.m.

Location:
Cary Arts Center
Cary, NC 27511

Phone:
(919) 469-0469

Website:
http://www.greysealpuppets.com/

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/social-calendar/event-2281#ixzz1dPiuPPI7

Veterans Day Celebration

Date:
Friday, November 11, 2011 - 10:30am

Location:
Aversboro Road Baptist Church

Address:
1600 Aversboro Road
Garner

Town of Garner
Phone: 919-773-4442

Event Description:

The Garner Veterans Committee Inc. and Town of Garner will sponsor the 2011 Veterans Day Celebration at Aversboro Road Baptist Church, 1600 Aversboro Road in Garner. Join local VFW and American Legion Posts, veterans and the families and civic and community leaders as they honor those who have served and continue to serve our country in the military at home and abroad. The speaker for the event is Brigadier General Elizabeth D. Austin, the N.C. National Guard's first female general. The Garner Magnet High School Symphonic Band will perform a mini-patriotic concert in honor of all veterans starting at 10:30 a.m. Other participants in the event are Garner resident and former Miss North Carolina Dana Stephenson and the First Baptist Church of Garner Men's Quartet. Local Scout troops have been invited to participate in the celebration. The 340th Psychological Operations Company will post the colors. This is a free event and everyone, especially veterans and their families, is invited to join in this celebration of Veterans Day.



Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/social-calendar/event-2335#ixzz1dKbsvZDJ

3rd WALK-n-WAG of WAKE COUNTY

Registration and Activities open at 11:00 am

FIGHT CANCER Walk begins at 1pm. Event closes at 5pm

This year’s event is hosted by our RELAY FOR LIFE of Cary-Apex-Morrisville Community and is in partnership with the AKC Canine Partners program. Come and enjoy a FULL DAY of sponsor activities and giveaways, Rabies and Microchip Clinics at a discounted rate, dog demos, games, contests, and entertainment for the whole family, with a meaningful yet fun afternoon walk around the lake.



Registration fee is $20 which includes one t-shirt for canine owner, one bandana for the canine and one doggie bag of goodies. If you are registering more than one dog, there will be an extra charge of $5 per additional dog.
Shirts and Bandanas are available first come, first serve. All dogs must be on a leash. All proceeds benefit your American Cancer Society.



For inquiries, call Kellie Judge at 919-995-1707, Robin Oke at 919-362-9186. Email: walknwagcam@gmail.com



The American Cancer Society Bark For LifeTM is a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer.



By supporting Bark For Life, you help the American Cancer Society save lives, and that helps us move closer to our ultimate goal of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

To visit the website for Walk-n-Wag: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=41712



Rembrandt: A Dark Genius

By Tara Croft

Dennis Weller, curator of Northern European art at the North Carolina Museum of Art for 16 years running, has always wanted to do an exhibition on Rembrandt.

On Oct. 30, his wish came true.







The result of years of planning and collaboration, Rembrandt in America runs through Jan. 22 at the museum’s East Gallery.



In total, the exhibit showcases nearly 50 paintings — including more authentic Rembrandt works than have ever been exhibited together in America. Every piece in the collection was at one time believed to be a work of the 17th century Dutch master, though some have now been tossed out of his oeuvre by scholars.



Some of the paintings are believed to be works of Rembrandt’s pupils or contemporaries, including Jan Lievens and Govert Flinck. “Workshop” pieces show detail reminiscent of Rembrandt’s touch in parts of the art but lack the same level of genius in other areas. They are believed to have been painted partially by Rembrandt and finished by other artists.



Staff encourage patrons to observe the level of detail — particularly in expressions and attire — and note differences in authentic paintings and ones from Rembrandt’s pupils. “We hope visitors will walk back and forth between paintings,” Weller said.



The first painting in the exhibit is one of Rembrandt’s most iconic works, a self-portrait in his characteristic dark tones that gives patrons a glimpse into the eyes of the master himself.



“When you are creating an exhibit like this, you have a wish list and a reality check,” Weller said. “This was at the top of our wish list.”



Other works showcase Rembrandt’s famous style and illustrate a progression of both the artist himself and the changing attitudes of art collectors in America.



Weller emphasizes the degree of emotions conveyed through his works, from a tear forming in the eye of a soon-to-be-lifeless Lucretia moments after plunging a dagger into her heart, to a somber widow mourning the loss of her husband.



The last time a signed Rembrandt painting was known to be in North Carolina was in 1959. The Rembrandt in America exhibit will travel to the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts after leaving the NCMA.


Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/features/rembrandt-dark-genius#ixzz1cfbSSKSE

We love our Princesses and Goblins at Sumter Square!

THANK YOU TO ALL THAT PARTICIPATED IN OUR WEEK LONG HALLOWEEN EVENT! Enjoy a few pictures of our wonderful kids coming by to color, enter in the free raffle & get tons of yummy candy! 

We already can't wait until next year....boo!

Fun and Frightful Halloween Activities

By Cary Magazine

All Hallows’ Eve is just around the corner, and Western Wake offers lots of options for having fun — or a good scare — to celebrate.

Howlin’ Good Halloween Celebration

Downtown Cary will be home to a fun, family-friendly Halloween celebration on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 5-9 p.m.

Cary Teen Council's Tricks & Treats Bash at Herbert C. Young Community Center from 5-7 p.m. will have games, prizes, hayrides and more for $1 admission. Pumpkin painting will also be on-site and requires pre-registration. From 5:30-7:30 p.m., kids can trick-or-treat between Ashworth’s Village and the Cary Arts Center.

The Arts Center has many events in store, including clay pumpkin carving (registration required), Not-So-Scary Storytelling presented by Cary Players from 5:30-7 p.m., bluegrass music from 6-8 p.m., and the Cary Youth Theatre Fright School's Haunted House from 6-9 p.m. for $1.

Learn more at www.townofcary.org.

Safe-n-Sane Halloween

On Halloween night, the Town of Cary is teaming with Cary Towne Center for a festive celebration for kids 15 and younger. The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. “Not So Scary” Storytelling at Centerstage, plus pumpkin weight and candy guessing contests. From 6-7:30 p.m., kids are welcome to trick-or-treat throughout the mall. A costume contest will reward those with the best outfits in different age groups. Secret judges will select among all attendees to participate in the costume contest finals, held at 7 p.m. at the Centerstage. In order to be considered for the costume contest finals, participants need to be trick-or-treating throughout Cary Towne Center beginning at 6 p.m. Also at 6:30 p.m., The Magic of Shaun Jay will perform at the Centerstage.

Mysteries and Secrets

The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel will present “More Mysteries and Secrets: Exploring Cary-Area Cemeteries” to address questions about some of Cary’s historic gravesites. The public is invited to join the Friends for an intriguing and enlightening presentation that highlights significant facts related to some family cemeteries located in the Cary area. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center. For additional info, visit http://www.carymagazine.com/social-calendar/event-2305.

Hunting for Halloween

The Cary Town Band will perform in the new Cary Arts Center Theater on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. Musically experience a full day of hunting with Bucalossi’s humorous A Hunting Scene and a side trip into Zaninelli’s Dark Forest. After a peaceful evening in the small village of Kahlenberg (Bald Mountain), venture up the mountain for the night as Halloween reaches its peak and All Saints' Day finally dawns.

See http://www.carymagazine.com/social-calendar/event-2192 for additional information.
Reel-ly Scary Movies by Moonlight

MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT

Koka Booth Amphitheatre extends its Movies by Moonlight series to the fall with a Reel-ly Scary Cary Halloween movie series from Oct. 25–29. The tree-lined surroundings of the venue add to the chills. Gates open at 6 p.m., with the movies starting at dusk. Admission is $3, and kids 12 and younger are free. Picnics are allowed, and concession stands will be open.

The lineup is:

Tuesday, Oct. 25: The Haunting (1963)


Wednesday, Oct. 26: Misery


Thursday, Oct. 27: Disney’s The Haunted Mansion


Friday, Oct. 28: The Blair Witch Project


Saturday, Oct. 29: DOUBLE FEATURE — Scream followed by Scary Movie


A portion of the proceeds from Disney's Haunted Mansion on Oct. 27 will be donated to the WakeMed Foundation's Just for Kids Kampaign.
 For more info, visit http://boothamphitheatre.com/movies.htm.
See http://www.carymagazine.com/social-calendar/event-2192 for additional information.

Reel-ly Scary Movies by Moonlight


Haunted Twilight Tour

Join the Cary Players for a macabre tour of historic downtown Cary. Your tour guides will share spooky legends and tales of yesteryear, guaranteed to send a chill up your spine. Tours begin at 6:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, starting from the Page Walker Arts & History Center. Ages 13 and up. For info, see http://www.carymagazine.com/social-calendar/event-2201.

Raleigh Jaycees Haunted House

From Oct. 20-31, a very scary haunted house dubbed Terror at Possum Creek: Power Outage will be open for visitors at 2526 Hillsborough St. in Raleigh. It’s entirely planned, designed, built, and hosted by volunteers from the Raleigh Jaycees. Admission is $10. See http://www.terroratpossumcreek.com/ for more information.

Fright at the Museum

Adults can have their Halloween fun on Saturday, Oct. 29, at an inaugural event at CAM Raleigh downtown. Fright at the Museum: A Halloween Party runs from 8–11 p.m., with a VIP party beginning at 7 p.m. The evening will include a costume contest, dancing, pop-up dance performances, graffiti art, fire and aerial performances and more. Tickets are $15 for CAM/now members, $25 for CAM Raleigh museum members and $30 for non-members. More information can be found at www.camraleigh.org/halloween.

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/features/fun-and-frightful-halloween-activities#ixzz1bR443jer

Winning is Fun!

NC STATE FAIR

WINNERS!

Congratulations to the

Ambros & Ramirez families on winning the

State Fair packages!

Compliments of Sumter Square Apts.

Both families will enjoy 6 entry tickets, 60 ride tickets & $50 in cash to start their evenings at one of the funnest places in NC!

ENJOY!

WIN A FREE TURKEY DINNER!

Stop by the office between today and November 13, 2011 to enter for your chance to win a

Free Turkey Dinner.

2 chances to win!

The drawing will be held on November 14, 2011. If you win, we will deliver your pre-prepared meal to your apartment on November 23, 2011.

This is a free raffle. One entry per apt

This meal includes:

*9-12 lb Turkey

*Carrots

*Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

*Green Bean Supreme

*Turkey Gravy

*Cornbread Dressing

&

an APPLE PIE! (of course)

Feel free to contact the office for more details! (919) 851-3343



HALLOWEEN BASH

Join us in the Sumter Square office anytime during business hours between

OCTOBER 24th & 28th

• Color an awesome picture to hang on our wall
• Pick out a candy bar
• Get a goodie bag
• Enter the free raffle to win 'RIO'
• Get your picture taken for Facebook

Dressing in costume is not necessary to participate.

SUCCESS!

So, we did it! The outdoor movie went on as planned, a little late, but it went on..lol. Despite the rain, the darkness, the popcorn not popping fast enough and the movie screen blowing over once, it was a BLAST! I hope everyone had as much fun as me!!! Thank you to all that participated. We truly enjoy the chance to share these moments with you.

we are going to try and go through with it! Give us 15 or 20 minutes to bring the food and things to the park, and come on! We can at least eat until we know for sure!!!!!!

Still hoping!

We are still holding on, hoping the rain stops by 7:20pm! We are playing everything by ear at this time, hoping to still be able to enjoy the evening!

The movie is still on as of now!

Pre-Events have been postponed until 6:45pm. We will keep you posted every 15 minutes. The movie is still on as of now!

OUTDOOR MOVIE WEATHER UPDATE

As of this time, the outdoor movie is scheduled to go on at the scheduled time.

Please stay posted for further updates!

Women on Wheels!

Join the 2011 Le Tour de Femme, a women-only cycling event with the mission of raising awareness and funding for cancer research and survivorship programs.

Local nonprofit Grab My Wheel presents this sixth annual tour on Saturday, Oct. 8, departing at 9 a.m. from Cycling Spoken Here, located at 1377 NW Maynard Road in Cary.

Le Tour de Femme offers female cyclists of all skill levels from across the country the opportunity to participate in rides of 15 miles, 31.2 miles or 62.4 miles. Since the tour’s inception, more than 1,000 riders have raised almost a quarter million dollars for cancer research and survivorship programs.

Proceeds of this year’s event will benefit the Rex Hospital Angel Fund and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Grab My Wheel was founded in 2006 by cyclists Ron Hamner and David Goodall. The organization provides physical, emotional and financial support to people with cancer, and to the institutions dedicated to finding a cure.

For more information or to register for Le Tour de Femme, visit http://www.letourdefemme.org/.

Read more: http://www.carymagazine.com/features/women-wheels#ixzz1YiZ3lRAj

Win a Prize Package

to the Fair!

Come to the office between 

September 19, 2011 thru October 7, 2011 

to enter our

FREE RAFFLE!

2 chances to win! 

EACH PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES

• 6 Adult Entry Tickets
• 60 Ride Tickets
• $50 Cash

Drawing will be held on October 10, 2011.

Call the Sumter Square office at (919) 851-3343 for more details.

1 Entry per apartment/roommate

NEW DATE FOR THE OUTDOOR MOVIE!

The Outdoor Movie Night

has been postponed to

September 30, 2011 due to rain.

Same place, same time.

KEEP YOUR TICKETS HANDY!!!!

MAGNET SCHOOLS FAIR

Explore the magnet school programs and expand your child's K-12 educational opportunities!

WHEN
Saturday, November 5, 2011
9:00am - 12:00pm

WHERE
Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School
2600 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh NC 27610

Wake County Public School System
For more information: (919) 431-7355
Email: magnetcenter@wcpss.net
www.wcpss.net/magnet

CenterFest Arts Festival

General Information

Dates: Saturday and Sunday, September 18th and 19th , 2010
Times: Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Sunday 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm
Location: Downtown Durham, Triangle Area, North Carolina
Presenter: Durham Arts Council, http://www.durhamarts.org/

Frequently Asked Questions
Is Centerfest still located in Downtown Durham?
Yes! Just north of the 5 Points area, the festival will take place across the street from Durham Central Park on Foster St. You can pay a $2 fee to park in the large parking decks on Morgan St., or find some parking lots closer to the site that are free and open to the public! Get directions here.

How much does it cost?While we strive to keep CenterFest a free event, Durham Arts Council incurs substantial expenses in presenting this annual street festival for the community. For this reason we ask that those who can afford to do so make a $4 per person donation ($12 for a family of 4 or more) as you enter the festival. We appreciate your support in making CenterFest happen.

Can I bring my dog, cat, ferret, etc?
While we understand that your pet may be very well behaved, the festival presents a variety of smells, sounds and motion that may startle an animal and provoke a reaction. We are sorry, but we no longer allow pets at CenterFest. Exceptions are made only for guide dogs in service to individuals with special needs.

Is this held in a park?
CenterFest takes place throughout Durham Central Park District. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Where is the closest ATM machine?
ATMs will be available on the festival site this year. In addition, an ATM is located one block away at the Marriott Civic Center. Stop at the main information booth for more information.

Will I be able to maneuver in a wheelchair?
The festival site is completely accessible. If you have other special needs, please contact the Durham Arts Council in advance of the festival to ensure your needs will be met.

Are there kids’ activities at CenterFest?
We have an array of activities to keep the little ones happy. There’s more about this on the Kids section.

What evening activities are scheduled?
CenterFest is a daytime festival and ends at 6:00 p.m. both days. There are no CenterFest events scheduled in the evenings.

Can you suggest a hotel or other things to do while in town?
For information on Durham, including accommodations, visit Durham Convention & Visitors’ Bureau. http://www.durham-nc.com/

Can I still get a booth at CenterFest 2011?
CenterFest Visual Artist Applications available as of April 1, 2011 at www.zapplications.com

Food Vendor, Performing Artist, Non-Profit/Civic Group Applications available at www.centerfest.durhamarts.org on April 15, 2011.

Can I receive community service hours for volunteering and can I volunteer with my friends?
We need you and your friends to volunteer and you will receive a document verifying your volunteer hours to give to your teacher. Click here to learn about volunteering.

Who is coordinating CenterFest this year?
The Durham Arts Council produces and presents CenterFest each year with the assistance of regional event producers and volunteers.