Demolition fencing is up around the Garland H Jones building. Sad that renovation did not happen here. The floors are being gutted out now so get down there and take some last minute pics before the future occurs.
Get Your Bagel On With Bruegger
I just drove by earlier and it looks like the Bruegger’s Bagels is now open in 222 Glenwood. Solid!
Sitti Opening Soon
The paper has come down from behind the windows and it looks like Sitti will be opening soon. The authentic Lebanese restaurant, located on the corner of Hargett and Wilmington St., will open on November 24th, according to their website. I love the huge windows and how transparent it is from the outside. The place feels very inviting and I’m eager to give it a try.
Pic of the Week
Pic taken at 7:30 pm.
BB&T, why do you hate downtown? Why can’t you turn on your lights when it gets dark? You spent all that money on upgrading your signage recently and now you want to stay in the shadows while tons of people roam downtown during dinner time. Stop showing up late to the party and flip the switch before the sun sets, ok? Thanks!
(total joke but seriously they kind of do turn the lights on a bit too late)
Another Rooftop Bar For Glenwood South
Last week, the Triangle Business Journal had an article claiming that new restaurants are on the way to Glenwood South. 500 Glenwood Ave., a two story office building, will be getting a makeover and will house three new restaurants. A Carolina Ale house will be thrown onto the roof and Solas’s title of ‘Only Rooftop Bar In Town’ will disappear.
With Ale House and Tobacco Road Sports Café opening up soon, Glenwood South’s sports watching appeal will start increasing. Carolina Ale House has pretty much become the ‘official’ place to watch Hurricanes hockey so perhaps it will help build a fanbase of caniacs around downtown (I usually have to ask for the game rather then it being on by default). Also, Tobacco Road will house a remote broadcasting station for 99.9 The Fan. Live radio broadcasts can draw a crowd especially if local coaches or players are being interviewed.
Lots of room for outdoor seating in the back
Downtown Thoughts Over A Pint
There is an article on WRAL about the predicted population growth of the city. City Planner Mitchell Silver says that downtown should be the central hub of the region.
It’s about choices, and we believe we can capture some of those firms that want to be in an urban setting.
Mitchell Silver
The article also says that for downtown to become a destination it needs an outdoor concert venue, a sports arena, and a better transit system. I have no idea how the city is planning to accomplish this but while they plan it out we can discuss each point for downtown.
The city will have to lure new companies that are outside the typical tech sector that this area is known for. Software and web companies simply need space for cubes and offices but the more high tech companies that are out in RTP need to work in large campuses. They have labs, manufacturing, and other tech that will not work in a high-rise building. From what I can see, the triangle’s reputation as a tech hub does not lead to tall skyscrapers and density. Diversifying Raleigh’s workforce would be key in helping downtown land more companies and, for you skyline freaks, build taller structures.
The outdoor concert venue is planned for the block west of the convention center. The old warehouses were recently torn down to make room for the venue. I have actually changed my thoughts on this topic. I was originally against it because it will be a dead zone for most of the year. However, the large tent that will go here will not be permanent at all. This is actually a good way to use the space until a larger development comes along in the future or the convention center needs to expand. It is kind of a way to save some valuable space for the future.
The sports arena topic is a tough one. In my opinion, we would need another sports team or need to wait awhile for the Hurricanes fanbase to grow. There is no point in replacing the RBC Center so fast, we should wait until it really needs to be demolished. It is only six miles away from downtown, why can’t a clever transit system link the two together? A transit system would be needed IF we built one in downtown so either way, we need to think outside of our cars.
The transit topic is also a hot one. I do not think this is just something for downtown to become a destination but to link all of Raleigh and the triangle together. I’m not going to speculate much on this because of the upcoming Open House for the comprehensive plan. Let’s see what they have to say about this one.
I like to hear about things that are coming downtown that are open all of the time. Not 24 hours a day but things that are accessible almost every day. The Fayetteville St. revitalization or restaurants open seven days a week, right now, contribute so much to downtown and creating its character. An arena or concert venue are ‘planned occasion’ kind of places so they add to my weekends, maybe after work plans but do nothing for me while closed. I’d like to see more examples of ‘always open’ activities; some public art, an urban park on the Dix property, leave the capitol building open for public viewing would be great examples of things to do. I’d also like to see the Raleigh City Museum be open every day with extended hours. I’m sure funding is an issue currently but it could use a little facelift in the near future, especially since the visitor’s center is located here too.
Any thoughts?
Pic of the Week
Flattened warehouses.
Get Up And Do The Cherry Bounce
About a month ago I decided to make this legendary Raleigh drink, Cherry Bounce, and this weekend was the official tasting at a party I organized. The words Cherry Bounce pop up here and there around Raleigh but the actual drink, rumored to have played a role in the choosing of the North Carolina capital’s location, is not served anywhere to my knowledge. Yes, Deep South can make it for you on the spot but this is a drink that needs to be made before hand so I don’t count it.
I’ll be honest, I did little research on the recipe but discovered the following and just went with it:
– 4 parts cherries
– 2 parts sugar
– 1 part whiskey
– Let it sit for six weeks
The cherries and sugar are easy but the whiskey is wide open. Since there are many types of whiskey out there, I made three different batches of CB for the tasting party. I asked a bartender friend for some help here and needed three different types to use. Jameson, Crown Royal, and Jim Beam were the final candidates. I had to use frozen cherries since fresh ones are not available right now and I went with brown sugar to close things out.
Making the CB was pretty easy. All three pieces were thrown together, stirred, and kept in separate pitchers for serving later. I did add a little water to the sugar beforehand so that it was more of a paste rather then pure sand.
After five or six weeks of sitting in my kitchen, the CB was ready to be strained. I used a huge cheese cloth and poured the entire pitcher inside a bowl wrapped with the cloth. Most of the drink comes out easily but you can get a few more ounces if you squeeze the cherries while inside the cloth.
During the party, there were mixed reactions towards the CB. Each batch was served blind and no one knew what whiskey was in each sample. It had also been sitting out for six weeks so the drink was at room temperature; no ice was added. The Crown and Beam batches were the most popular. Whiskey fans leaned more toward Beam while others preferred Crown. These two had pretty opposite tastes while the Jameson batch was more down the middle.
Overall, the drink was good, but not great. Fortunately, I still have some of each batch left. I am going to get more opinions and will tweak the recipe so it tastes really great (hopefully leading to a follow up post to this one).
Unfortunately, I’m lacking pictures during this whole process. It is nothing exciting unless you taste it for yourself. Ask for Cherry Bounce at your favorite bar and let’s get it flowing through downtown.