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Walking into the Top of the Hill last night, I felt like I was entering the cast of “Boardwalk Empire” and would run into Nuckey Thompson at any moment. No, this was not just any night at Top of the Hill, this was the Bootlegger’s Banquet, an event set to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Prohibition and what a great way to celebrate than to try out the new TOPO Piedmont Gin from Top of the [...]

If you haven’t already noticed the Triangle region is becoming a real Mecca for local breweries. Just this week, Fortnight Brewing Company announced it is fully funded and will be purchasing property somewhere in Cary. Fortnight’s beer will focus on making English beers.
Also this week, Crank Arm Brewing Company announced it will be locating in downtown Raleigh in the Warehouse District at 319 West Davie Street. Business partners Adam Eckhardt, Michael Morris and Dylan Selinger plan to feature two flagship [...]

Last night my husband found a package at our front door and brought it in the house. “It’s for you,” he said. The box, marked “Fragile” (pronounce this with three syllables in your head!), got my heart racing. Could it really be? I eagerly ripped open the box and tore through the packaging. “It’s a major award!” I cried. She was beautiful. I carefully lifted her out of the box and beamed.
OK, no, this is not “A Christmas Story,” but [...]

When you first enter Milltown in Carrboro, you pick up the alternative vibe. The beer-brand logos on the walls, old booths and laminate tables remind you that you are next to a college campus. This place is a beer lover’s paradise.
The folks at Milltown opened across the street from Cat’s Cradle and the Carrboro Arts Center hoping to get a crowd before and after performances, which is a very good strategy. Milltown opened about seven years ago and has quickly [...]

North Carolina’s wine scene has exploded over the past several years. When we traveled to Traphill recently to go to Stone Mountain State Park, we decided to check out a couple of wineries. One of the places we tried was Grassy Creek Vineyard in State Road, North Carolina, near Elkin, just off of Highway 21.
After driving down a long gravel road, you arrive to a charming old horse barn that has been converted to a tasting room. We were greeted [...]

A few weeks ago when our nephew and his girlfriend were in town, we decided to take them to some North Carolina vineyards. As many of you may already know, North Carolina is becoming a great place for making wine. We decided to try Raffaldini Vineyards as one of the places to try. Raffaldini’s is located in the Yadkin Valley area, off of Highway 421, just north of Highway 77.
In the midst of a downpour we drove past very orderly [...]

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a big beer drinker, but when I do drink it, I want a really good, locally crafted beer. One of my favorite places to go these days is Fullsteam Brewery in Durham. Durham is the home to many tremendous local, independent restaurants and this brewery fits well with the food scene.The most admirable thing owners Shawn Lilly Wilson and Chris Davis are doing is to create a southern-style beer.
Fullsteam has a fun, [...]

Sometimes you just want to get away from it all and unwind a little bit, right? Well, have I found the place for you! About six miles south of Pittsboro, off a little side street (Center Grove Church Road) from 15-501, is a quaint new business called unWINEd. UnWINEd is a wine bar that features all of our local best vintners. If you go, make sure you program your GPS, or look close for this street because there is no [...]