Year / 2010

by Leo Suarez

Reminder: Downtown To RDU Direct Bus Route Starts Today


The trusses of Terminal 2. Picture by southpaw20, on Flickr

This is just a quick reminder that a slew of new Triangle Transit bus route changes are in affect as of the moment you read this. Most important to highlight to readers of this blog is Route 100, starting at Moore Square in downtown Raleigh, with stops at both terminals at the RDU airport, and ending in Research Triangle Park.

Here is Triangle Transit’s link to everything that involves a green bus and airplanes. Take note that this only costs two bucks one way.

Triangle Transit – Airport To and From

by Leo Suarez

Reporting Broken Lights On Streets and Sidewalks

Have you ever complained to yourself about a streetlight that was out or one that turns on and off, constantly cycling through the night? It is possible for you to report these problem lights so that the electric company can take care of them. Keep this information handy because sooner or later you will hear someone complain about a streetlight and will be prepared to calm the worries of frustrated citizens. Trust me guys, pull this one out during that conversation at the bar and you’ll get free drinks all night.

When you see a problem light, it helps to take down the light pole number, which looks similar to the one in the picture above. Here’s the key information:

Progress Energy – Request Streetlight Repair

Bookmark the link above or try to remember the shortened link of:

bit.ly/fixthelights

You can also report broken walk signs to the city. It takes a quick call to the Traffic Operation Signal Shop at 996-6020. Here is the link for more phone numbers for the Public Works Department and their different areas.

by Leo Suarez

Benelux Cafe Coming Soon

Spotted this on First Friday. Benelux Cafe will be in the same City Market space that Metro Cafe was in before on Blake Street. From their website:

Benelux Café is a Grand Café in Raleigh, NC and the perfect place to enjoy handcrafted espresso drinks and delicious pastries. We offer a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads and of course Belgian ales and Dutch lagers. A cozy atmosphere to sit back, relax and enjoy. The ultimate combination!

Benelux Café is a mix of European adventures and American experiences. We welcome you to come visit us and stay a while.

Its nice to see another coffee shop that will have longer hours, and especially decent hours on Sundays. Looking forward to it.

by Leo Suarez

Downtown Raleigh Ice Cream Roundup

Alright people, we still have about two months before Fall starts and there’s bound to be some more hot weekends until then. Staying cool in the shade or in the air conditioning is a must but for those that still go out to enjoy downtown Raleigh during the warm nights and sunny days, ice cream makes a great treat. As a slight addict, I give you a list of some places in downtown to treat yourself.

Turkish Delights

Located in a purple house in Glenwood South, Turkish Delights serves a ton of flavors of ice cream. You can sit on the couches inside or the shaded tables in the front lawn. There are also many different types of Baklava here. The best part about Turkish Delights? They are open late.

Google map location

Summer Business Hours
(April, 1st – October, 31 st.)
Sunday – Thursday: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 10:00 am – 12:00 mid.
Hours change slightly in the winter.

Crema

Is Crema an ice cream or coffee shop? Who cares cause they have both. You’ll usually hear jazz playing over the satellite radio in this shop on Fayetteville Street. With lots of flavors of ice cream, Crema can make some wonderful combos for you to take on a walk through town.

Google map location

Hours:
Mon-Thurs (7 am-7 pm)
Fri (7 am-10 pm)
Sat (10 am-10 pm)
Sun (11 am-5 pm)

Other places to get cold, awesome treats

The Diner has all kinds of shakes, floats, and sundaes. Enjoy them on their spacious outdoor patio.

Krispy Kreme has a doughnut/ice cream combo that looks very interesting. Anyone tried this?

Milkshakes from Char Grill is a tradition. Dipping fries into them is an experience,

by Leo Suarez

Raleigh Wide Open 5 Picture Recap

Raleigh Wide Open 5 took place this past Saturday, July 31st, and the free event on Fayetteville Street had shows, live music, and vendors open almost all day. Even with questionable weather, downtown Raleigh was swarming with people. Here are some of my own pictures as well as links to more around the web.

Click on any image for a larger view and gallery.


Crowds pack Fayetteville Street for Raleigh Wide Open in downtown Raleigh on July 31st, 2010.


A parade down Fayetteville Street kicks off Raleigh Wide Open 5.


Contestants shove doughnuts in their mouths during the Krispy Kreme Doughnut eating contest.


A stunt BMX biker flies off a ramp and performs a trick in front of a crowd outside the Raleigh Convention Center.


Crowds moved up to the Alexander Square parking deck to get a better view of the mototrials demo on Fayetteville Street.


A skater performs flat land freestyle tricks on a skateboard in front of a crowd at Raleigh Wide Open 5.


Kids play inside inflatable plastic balls in a pool.


Motorcycle rider Geoff Aaron performs stunts around a course on Fayetteville Street.

More Raleigh Wide Open 5 pictures on the web.