Dec

2011: Best of the Year

As another year draws to a close, it is always nice to reflect upon what changes Raleigh saw and consider their long term impact. It was another slow year, coupled with another business project for me (that gobbled about 90% of my free time since summer started). Hopefully we’ll see more fun stuff in 2012. Here are the Top 40 stories of 2011:

RDU Terminal 2 Phase II Opens
Scotty McCreery Wins American Idol
Raleigh Hosts NHL All-Star Game
Business and Building Losses – This is the first year in the blogging era when significant losses impacted Raleigh, losing several people, buildings, businesses, and identities: Lorenzo Charles, John Baker, Bart Ritner, Jolly’s Jewelers (130 years old), Tyler House, Fosters/Nelsons, “Hudson” Belk, Wachovia, Restoration Hardware, Blockbuster Video (most stores), Amedeo’s North, Borders, Cold Krispy Kreme in City Plaza, Chockey’s, Duck & Dumpling, The Diner; The Brewery, The Ballantines building in Cameron Village, 1720 Canterbury Drive, The Green House and Jackpot Bar;
Tornado Rips Through Downtown Raleigh
Local Election Yields Landslide Wins for Non-Conservatives
Triangle Expressway Opens as NC’s First Toll Road
Rembrandt Exhibit Opens at NCMA
Food Truck Rules Change for Downtown Raleigh
Webb Simpson Finishes Second in PGA Earnings
Jeff Skinner Wins Calder Trophy
Duke’s Kyrie Irving Selected #1 in NBA Draft
WRAL Dismisses Pam Saulsby, Hires Jackie Hyland
NCSU Fires Lowe, Hires Gottfried
Coach K Sets NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Wins Record
Canes Fire Paul Maurice, Hire Kirk Muller
Mayor Charles Meeker Retires
Cameron Village Chick-Fil-A Breaks Ground
Stall, Ward, Skinner Named to NHL All-Star Team
GoLive Attempts To Unite Triangle Transit
Glenwood South Hampton Inn Breaks Ground
Edison Complex Redesigned
Bobcats/Canes Swap Exhibition Games, Bobcats Cancel Game
RBC Center Gets New, Red Lower Level Seats
The Umstead Wins AAA Five Diamond Award
Ed Mitchell Leaves The Pit
ACC Expands to Include Syracuse and Pittsburgh
Verizon LTE Service Launches in Triangle
Rocky Top Hospitality Closes Red Room, Bogart’s, Michael Dean’s, opens Cantina South, Tribeca Tavern
Tommy Bahama Store Opens in Crabtree
Gonza Tacos y Taquila Opens
City Council Endorses Light Rail Plan
Meat House Opens in Quail Corners
Renaissance North Hills Wins AAA Four Diamond, Best Marriott Award
Mandolin Opens to Rave Reviews
Green Square Complex Opens
Fai Thai Opens, Abruptly Closes
First Night Brings Ferris Wheel to Fayetteville Street
Raleigh Restaurants Featured on LudoBites TV Show
96 Rock Changes Format

Posted by Dana on December 31, 2011 | Tags: Other. | ( 5 ) Comments

Dec

Get Bowled Over with Gogo’s Football Calendar

With the bowl season in full swing, it can be difficult to keep up with the voluminous offering of bowl games. Never fear! gogoRaleigh has your ticket with a Google Calendar of all bowl games. The events include time, bowl name, and TV listing, so you can quickly plan your viewing this week. Have fun!

gogoRaleigh Bowl Calendar

Posted by Dana on December 26, 2011 | Tags: Sports, TV. | ( 2 ) Comments

Dec

Pour House Going “1989” Friday Night

Have a yearning for what life in the Triangle was like in 1989? Head to the Pour House as the revived The Veldt and The Connells will play. The real question is: a) will anyone young enough to not remember the CCCP be in the audience and b) know the words to CCCP? I’ll give ‘em a price.

(maybe this time The Veldt will actually SHOW for a gig they $%^&ing BOOKED…but I’m not one to hold a grudge…for decades…)

Posted by Dana on December 15, 2011 | Tags: Downtown, Music. | ( 1 ) Comment

Dec

Tilted Kilt Coming to North Raleigh

Arizona-based chain Tilted Kilt is coming to the former Cooker and Taste of Thai location in North Raleigh. After a careful review of the Celtic-themed restaurant and pub, they are obviously obsessed about two things…and maybe the food. Classy.

Posted by Dana on December 15, 2011 | Tags: Food. | ( 2 ) Comments

Dec

Vesuvio’s Coming to Peachtree Market

Vesuvios_logo Vesuvio’s a casual Italian restaurant based in Roxboro, is set to open the newest restaurant in North Raleigh’s Peachtree Market. The restaurant will take the space formerly occupied by Bear Rock Café, Atlanta Bread Co., and CD Superstore. It difficult to tell if the menu (.pdf) will feature low-cost items such as pizza, stromboli, hot subs, etc or if the focus will be on nice dinner entrees. We’ll see in the spring!

Posted by Dana on December 13, 2011 | Tags: Food, North Raleigh. | ( 1 ) Comment

Dec

Preview Ford Focus Electric on Saturday

Tomorrow (Saturday) the McDonald’s at 1299 Kildaire Farms Road will host a special visit from Ford with its 2012 Ford Focus Electric, the company’s first ever all-electric passenger car. The event runs from 11am thru 3pm, so UNC fans will need to budget their time wisely.

The Cary McDonald’s opened in July 2009 with the restaurant’s first electric charging station, and the Dec. 3 event will showcase a newly upgraded CT 2000 Level II version. Other activities planned include free products from Burt’s Bees, holiday crafts, face painting and balloon art as well as a raffle to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Durham.

Raleigh is one of the first U.S. markets slated to receive the Focus Electric in 2012. Ford recently recognized the city for being among the 25 EV ready markets in the U.S. The Focus Electric initial markets were chosen based on several different criteria including existing hybrid purchase trends, utility company collaboration and local government commitment to electrification.

Chad D’Arcy, Ford Motor Company’s Focus Electric Marketing Manager, will be present to answer consumer and media questions about the vehicle. Additionally Crossroads Ford of Cary will also display hybrid and fuel efficient gasoline engine vehicles currently available in the Raleigh/Cary market.

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