A list of Fourth of July events in the Triangle

I’m still at work, but my mind is already firmly wrapped around the holiday weekend. If you’re sticking around the Triangle this weekend, here’s how I suggest you spend the Fourth of July:

* Go to Festival for the Eno. The 30th annual event at West Point on the Eno in Durham features over 80 performers, crafters, storytellers, children’s activites and historical tours. The 3-day festival runs July 3 to 5. Tickets are $15 per day or $35 for all three days if you buy them at the gate.

* Take in some free music at the Music on the Lawn concert series at American Tobacco. John Brown & The Groove Shop Band will perform from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. under the water tower at the American Tobacco complex. Bring blankets and chairs. Food and drinks are available from restaurant vendors.

* Go to a USA Baseball game at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The game against Guetamala starts at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $7 to $9 each.

* Watch fireworks at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The public will be admitted into the ballpark to fill any empty seats for free at the end of the seventh inning of the USA Baseball game to watch the city’s fireworks display.

Here’s a list of other events happening around the Triangle on the Fourth of July.

Just be safe and have fun!

Triangle music blogs keep me plugged into the local music scene

In the past month, I’ve seen two of my favorite bands on stage in the Triangle: The National at Lincoln Theatre and The Decemberists at Progress Energy Center. I bragged about the awesomeness of the shows on my facebook page and one of my friends asked me how I find out about all these cool concerts. I told him, he needs to read Triangle music blogs.

I don’t want you to miss out on cool shows or find out about them too late to buy tickets. So here are some of my favorite Triangle music blogs:

* Triangle Music: Bloggers Kevin and Valerie are pretty quick to post concert announcements, they attend most of the major (and cooler) shows and provide commentary, photos and videos afterward.

* Mann’s World: No show is too small for Blogger Karen Mann, who does a great job keeping readers up-to-date on local music, complete with reviews and videos. She also links to relevant local music news. If you want to learn more about the Trianlge music scene, this is an excellent place to start.

* Music.MyNC.com: My co-worker Jake Seaton found a way to take advantage of working at a TV station. He invites local bands and touring acts into NBC17 Studio B and records a live session with them, posting it in full on the music blog he created. He’s also pretty quick to post concert announcements and local music news. Jake is responsible for this beautiful slideshow from The National concert.

* Scan (the Independent Weekly’s music blog): I don’t always agree with their reviews, but some of the best written music commentary in the Triangle can be found here.

* WKNC 88.1 blog: The blog for N.C. State’s student-run radio station is relatively new, but continues to be loaded with a pretty diverse mix of music news, promotions and randomness.

Unfortunately, I don’t have tickets to any upcoming concerts, so it’s time to check the local listings and pick out what I can afford. Let me know if I left out any music blogs that you love.

My take on the New York Times list of places to visit in the Triangle

The Triangle is receiving a shout out in this weekend’s New York Times. The Travel section features an article outlining 11 things you must do if you’re spending 36 hours in “Research Triangle, NC.”

I’m happy to report that this trusty Triangle blogger has done almost everything on the list. But somehow during my time in the Triangle, I’ve never made it to two of the must-visit places on the NYT list: Mama Dip’s in Chapel Hill and Taqueria La Vaquita in Durham (the place with the plastic cow on its roof).

On the bright side, I’ve driven (or walked) past both of these restaurants many times and have always intended to go, but I’ve yet to make it. I’m sure they’ll get a boost in business in the coming weeks thanks to the article. I can assure you I’ll be one of them.

Here are the 11 places the New York Times say are worth a visit in the Triangle and my 2-cents on what they missed:

1. The N.C. Art Museum (with emphasis on the museum park). If you haven’t been, consider bringing your bike and biking over the pedestrian bridge above I-440 and waving to passers by and then heading over to Meredith College and stopping for ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s. Or pack a picnic and go watch a movie outside. Tonight they’re showing “All the President’s Men.”

2. Father & Son (the awesome vintage/antique shop in downtown Raleigh). I love this place. It’s where I scored my 1960s kitchen table. If you go, be sure to hit the recently reorganized basement (duck your head when you walk down the stairs so you don’t hit your head on the pipes) where last time I checked they still had a New Kids on the Block sleeping bag.

3. Eat at Poole’s Downtown Diner. The NYT forgot to mention the dish that all my friends dish about: The Macaroni and Cheese. OMG! It’s heaven. Seriously, I think when you get to heaven you’re surrounded by tubs  of Poole’s Mac & Cheese.

4. Grab a beer at Raleigh Times. I love the Times. Of course the journalist in me loves it for the history and the decor. But in addition to a fabulous (although sometimes overpriced) beer selection, the Times has outstanding deep fried pickles!

5. Get lost in The Scrap Exchange. I’ve blogged about this Durham treasure a few times. The nonprofit is a warehouse stuffed with random scraps that businesses probably would’ve thrown away. If you’re a craft lover, then this is a must visit. But if you’re just amused by randomness, make a Saturday morning day trip out of it. Hit up the Durham Farmer’s Market across the street and then browse the Scrap Exchange.

6. Taqueria La Vaquita in Durham. Like I said, I’ve never been, but now I definitely plan to go.

7. Eno River State Park. The Eno river is one of Durham’s treasures. If you’ve never been, start at West Point on the Eno, a 338-acre Durham city park where an old mill, farmhouse and museum of photography await your exploration. There are also some great swimming holes along the Eno River. And, of course, The Festival for the Eno during the July 4th weekend is packed with music and crafts.

8. Eat BBQ at The Pit. This downtown Raleigh restaurant has received so many rave reviews in national media lately that it’s starting to make me yawn. Yes, the BBQ is good. Yes, you should go there. They used to have tasty green bean cassarole, but they took it off their menu. #fail.

9. Take in a minor league baseball game at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. A Bulls game is a lot of fun, even if you’re not a baseball fan. There’s a lot of amusing entertainment between innings, beer and you can even get seats in the lawn for some games. And, best of all, on Friday nights there is always free fireworks after the game.

10. See a show at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro. This music venue draws a lot of hot and up-and-coming indie acts. But if you see an act you love coming to the Cradle, don’t delay in buying tickets. The last thing you want to do is find yourself without Jenny Lewis tickets (not that I’m bitter, Daniel).

11. Eat at Mama Dip’s or Crook’s Corner both in Chapel Hill. I haven’t made it to Mama Dip’s yet, but I was unimpressed with Crook’s when I visited it once last summer. But, a lot of people love it, so don’t judge it based on my experience.

Of course, there are plenty of fun places to visit if you only have 36 hours in the Triangle. Share some of your favorites in the comment section.

Also, let me know what you think of the NYT list. Did they get it right? Are these the top places to visit in the Triangle? What would you remove or add?

Break a World Record, Compete in Guitar Hero and more this weekend

Random weekend events in the Triangle:

FRIDAY

* I love that show “Cash Cab”. I usually suck at trivia (as my former roommate Tim Donnelly can attest), but I can actually answer a lot of the questions on that show. The show’s host, Ben Bailey, will be in Raleigh tonight and Saturday, performing standup at Goodnight’s Comedy Club. Tickets are $22.75 each, but if you’re a fan, it might be worth checking out.

* If you’re trying to save money, here’s a great deal. The Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill is lowering its ticket prices to $1 this weekend to any regularly-scheduled planetarium show. The special is good from 6:30 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Sunday

SATURDAY

* There’s a Confederate Memorial Service at the Silent Same Statute on UNC’s campus at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. The service includes a performance by the 11th NC Regiment Band, which will be in full uniform and play with period instruments. Figured some of you history buffs might want to head over there.

* Saturday marks U.S. Postal Service’s “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive. So if you have some extra non-perishables set them next to your mailbox Saturday to help out those in need. Also, in case you didn’t know, the price of a stamp will increase Monday from 42 cents to 44 cents.

* Cash Cab guy performs Saturday night too. (See above)

* Put your Guitar Hero skills to the test while raising money for the Boys & Girls Club of Wake County. There’s a Guitar Hero World Tour Tournament from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at Best Buy in Knightdale. The tournament will feature Triangle Guitar Hero master Blake Peebles, who I interviewed earlier this year:

* Participate in the “World’s Largest Coffee Break”. The folks at Ten Thousand Villages in Cameron Village are participating in the effort to set a new record for the Guiness Book of World Records. At 3 p.m. coffee drinkers are invited to raise their mugs and join others in time zones across North America to break the record. The effort is part of the day-long World Fair Trade Day event at the store.

SUNDAY

* The $1 Planetarium ticket deal I mentioned above ends today.

As always, please add any events that you’ll be attending or that you want to promote in the comments section.

My weekend successes and failures: World Beer Festival, Durham Bulls, Dog Walking and much more

Last weekend zoomed by. I woke up early Saturday to walk my friends’ dogs, stopped by Biscuitville for a quick breakfast and then came home to collect my boyfriend for World Beer Festival in Raleigh. He threaded pretzels on dental floss (making necklaces that would later come in handy as munchies and palate cleansers) while I drove us to Moore Square.

By 12:10 p.m. we were inside the gates thanks to @chiatar and his mad line saving skills. Here’s a scene from under the beer ten:

I think this was my fifth Beer Fest, so you would think I have it all figured out. But soon I loaned my only pen out to @chiatar and was left with nothing but my Blackberry to record my favorite beers and mark my progress (which I never did). So instead, I stuck to pale ales and other light beers, only occasionally sipping on the BF’s stouts and porters. I don’t remember being wooed by any beers this year, but I also think I drank considerably less than previous festivals too. It was still a lot of fun.

Other highlights from the weekend:

* We had second row seats behind home plate at Friday night’s Durham Bulls game. I know you can usually sneak and grab better seats at the ballpark. But it’s more fun when you actually have great tickets. Too bad they lost. But the fireworks show afterward more than made up for it.

* I got to see Big Fat & Stealthy perform improv at Comedy Worx. They are consistently hilarious, so I love laughing at them.

* I was disappointed to see Best Buy in Crossroads changed its Friday and Saturday night hours to 9 p.m. They used to stay open until 10 p.m., which meant me and the BF could show off our Rock Band skills late at night to the teeny boppers. Grrr.

* Saw some gorgeous jewelry and other crafts at the Handmade Market. Couldn’t afford the rad orange skirt I desperately wanted, but it reminded me that I need to sign up for a sewing class with the gift certificate the BF got me for Christmas (what am I waiting for?).

* I dog sat all weekend for my friends. So I got to go on a couple of walks around Lion’s Park. Made me realize I don’t make it out to parks nearly as much as I would like.

* I found part of my mom’s Mother’s Day present at the flea market at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. Score!

* I spent part of Sunday afternoon in the hammock listening to my iPod. I swung in the hammock to a little Patsy Cline, Vampire Weekend, Spoon, Journey and Norah Jones. How’s that for an eclectic mix?!

Things I didn’t get done this weekend that I wish I would have:

* Finish stripping and staining my dresser. I guess it will just sit in the garage half done for another week.

* Give myself a pedicure (who can afford to pay someone in this economy?).

* Clipped and filed my coupons. I haven’t even unwrapped the Sunday News & Observer from the bag yet (thank you Internet for providing me with my news). Sue Stock would not be proud.

* Get my oil changed. This is the biggest pain-in-the-butt chore ever.

But there’s always next weekend! What were the highlights of your weekend?

Here’s what happens when 250+ come together for a Triangle Tweetup

Last night was the biggest Triangle Tweetup yet. At least 250 tweeps walked through the blow-up Bronto-lined hallway into Bronto Software in downtown Durham to meet the avatars they’ve been chatting with on Twitter.

From the moment I arrived, I was overwhelmed. First with shooting a live shot for the 6 p.m. news with Donald Jones for his forward-thinking Live@MyNC news show. Then it was time for an organizers meeting with @waynesutton, @kbodnar32, @therab and @dgtlpapercuts. All the details for the event were typed out on Wayne’s mac, which he synced with his iPhone so he could address the audience.

After introductions, I thanked everyone for bringing toiletries to help the Urban Ministries shelter in downtown Durham. I’ll be putting together toiletry kits in the coming days to drop off to the shelter. I love how generous everyone was. All the donations filled the entire trunk of the car.

Then it was time for the panel, which featured the exclusive premiere of the Twitterific 2.0 an iPhone app that makes keeping up with your tweets on the go easier. You can watch the demo here. There was also a panel discussion about brands using Twitter. You can watch the full panel discussion here.

Other exciting highlights include the launch of pici.me a fun, well-designed site created by @covati (the genius who also created my beloved idek.net). He’ll have more news about pici.me soon, for now you can see some of the fun photos we snapped using his Mac last night. Also in recent Mac news, @mike9er released Beak, a cool Twitter client especially for the Mac. It too is very clean and well-designed. So you Mac users, be sure to check out the work of these talented Triangle developers (who both work at Bronto).

Some Tweeps played Twitter Twister, which @ToastySnacks organized to bring a little spice to the Tweetup. Watch a match here:

And then there were the connections. The thing about Triangle Tweetups is they are getting to be so big that it’s becoming difficult to meet all your new tweeps and catch up with your old ones. I had an awesome conversation about love, journalism and blogging with @ilinap, but missed most of the panel discussion because of it.

I got to catch up with two dear friends and tweeps who haven’t seen in several months (@ashleysue and @ldbaldwin) but didn’t really get to go as in-depth as I would have liked. I got to have a refreshing conversation about social media jobs with a newly-employed @JasonPeck. I enjoyed sampling some delicious IPA from @FullSteam and the Shotgun Betty Hefeweizen from @loneriderbeer.

I met quite a few of my tweeps for the first time, including the very funny couple @sonofalink and @dottyus.

And then, as the night progressed, it was time for me and my beloved @mammalpants to turn over our Triangle Tweetup Queen & King titles. We were bestowed the honor at the last Tweetup by @ToastySnacks (who made the way cool sashes) and @InstantTaylor (who is crazy funny if you’re looking for someone new to follow).

I chose @lruettimann who some of you may know for her candid blog PunkRockHR and the mom (and voice)  behind the cat Twitter account for her feline @MrScrubby.

@mammalpants turned his King title over to @JazzyChad, the talented developer behind TweetGrid.

There were so many more introductions. I hope everyone who went was as impressed with this event as I was. We’ve come a long way from the first Triangle Tweetup in winter 2006, when only 5 people were there.

Nine simple things you can do to make yourself (and strangers) smile more

I know your mom taught you not to talk to strangers, but I’m here to tell you that you’re missing out on a lot if you always walk with your head down and try to avoid eye contact or friendly exchanges with strangers.

That doesn’t mean you need to buddy up to the creepy guy in the parking deck elevator. But it does mean it’s time to stop living in your own little bubble. Life is about experiences. So loosen up and have some fun.

Try some of these:

* Compliment strangers. If you see a woman in the waiting room in an adorable dress, tell her you like it. The small remark could easily brighten someone’s day.

* Mean it when you ask someone how they are. There’s nothing worse than an insincere “How are you?” from a check-out lady, a co-worker or acquaintance. If you’re going to ask someone how they are, ask it with a little sincerity. And if they seem like they’re not doing so hot, take the time to ask a follow up question and listen to them (unless, of course, it’s obvious they want to be left alone). If you don’t care how someone is, don’t ask them.

* Challenge yourself to answer the question “How are you?” without using generic words like “fine,” “OK,” “alright,” or “good.” If you’re having a good day, try saying “I’m having a lot of fun today, thanks for asking.” If your life sucks, try saying “could be better, could be worse.” Please just don’t say “fine” anymore.

* Ask questions. People love to talk about themselves (that’s why there are so many blogs). So if you’re shopping at a garage sale and you have a question about a whacky item, ask the hosts what’s up with it.  If you’re travelling and there’s a non-creepy stranger who looks like a local nearby, ask them about the area, where to eat, etc.

* Take a different route to school, work, the gym, etc. We become complacent with the neighbors, businesses, parks, etc. that we pass on our commutes. We know how long it will take us, whether we’ll catch that red light or not, and other nuances of travelling the same route every day. But you might be surprised what you’ll discover if you add an extra 10 minutes to your drive or bike ride and take a few different roads.

* Smile. It’s so easy to do. A sincere, toothy-grin can sometimes change someone’s entire perspective of you or their situation.

* Sing out loud. I’m an awful singer. I can’t even sing an entire song on Rock Band on the easy setting (despite being able to play guitar on hard). But you better believe that when Ace of Base comes on the ’90s station, I have no shame and pretend like the sign opened up my eyes while I’m driving down the road. If you can’t sing, dance.

* Ask for help. Don’t have so much pride that you waste 10 minutes wandering around Lowe’s looking for a bolt when you can just as easily ask the person in the vest to help. Often, when you ask for help, you’ll learn something new.

* Be a kid again. If you’re wandering through a sporting good store and there’s a skee ball table on display, play a quick game. If you see a kid selling lemonade on the corner, stop your car, dig out some change and buy a cup (and always pay more than what the kid is charging). Play peek-a-boo with the toddler sitting in the cart in front of you in the check-out line. Blow bubbles. Play hopscotch.

Am I out of line? Do you have any easy living tips to add?

“Fiddler on the Roof” is not for old people

Don’t get mad at me if you’re a fan of “Fiddler on the Roof,” but I thought the musical was for old people. Seriously, I saw the commercial on TV saying it was coming to Durham Performing Arts Center — with women swirling in their prairie skirts — and thought its target audience must be women in their 90s who longed for a simpler day. Still, I’m a huge musical fan, so I had to see what it was all about. And last night my mind was blown!

It was incredible. The lead character is Tevye, who is played by Chaim Topol, the same guy who played the role on stage in the 1960s and in the 1971 film. I didn’t think this was a big deal until I saw Topol on stage. That man owns the role. (He’s the guy in the center of the photo above. The pics were taken by Joan Marcus).

For a full review, check out the write-up by N&O reporter Jim Wise who says:

Almost 40 years later, Chaim Topol (who goes by just “Topol”) remains a master of timing and expression, using them to simultaneously convey humor and fatalism. He speaks, sings, dances, advances and recedes — always master of a role that could lead a lesser man to ham it up.

That he does it in person in a 2,800-seat hall speaks to the magic that endures undiminished in an age of whiz-bang electronics. This is, after all, an old-fashion musical with characters and stories augmented by lyrics you can make out through the amplifiers.

I hadn’t planned on telling you my take on the performance, but I was so impressed that it stuck with me when I woke up this morning. I was humming the music while I was getting ready for work this morning.

The music is funny and catchy. I had no idea that Gwen Stefani’s “Rich Girl” song was inspired by “If I Were a Rich Man.” And I truly believe Topol rocks that song way more than Stefani. His foot stomping and “yubby, dibby, dibby, dubs” were so fun to watch. I’ll have Topol’s version stuck in my head for days.

I’ve never seen a show on Broadway, so I’m not accustomed to seeing such gorgeous sets. But the set and the lighting last night were breathtaking. It was a beautiful display of sunsets and sunrises, moving trees and houses on wheels.

But there was one scene that will forever stick with me and makes the entire musical worth seeing. It’s a dream sequence, where Tevye (Topol, the lead guy) is making up a dream to convince his wife that their daughter should marry someone else. Anyway, in the middle of this well-choreographed and hilarious scene a GIGANTIC “woman” more than 10 feet tall walks on stage. (The photo below is actually not of the same “woman” I’m describing … sorry if this confuses you).

Upon closer inspection, you can see that it’s actually a man (Sean Patrick Doyle) on the shoulders of another man. The duo, hidden by a long, long dress dance in sync. The entire scene is remarkable and makes me wish I could watch it again.

If you go to the show (It will be in town through Sunday), let me know if you loved it as much as I did.

*UPDATE* My coworker, Josh Green, got to interivew Topol Wednesday afternoon. Thought I would share the clip so you could hear how amazing his voice is:

Durham Performing Arts Center to throw 30THREADS blogger bash

It’s time for another 30THREADS blogger bash. And this one promises to be the best yet because it’s being sponsored and hosted by Durham Performing Arts Center.

The DPAC will open its doors to Triangle bloggers and 30THREADS users for a social bash on Thursday, April 9.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the new theater in downtown Durham, this is your opportunity to explore it, eat some food, sip on a cocktail and socialize with other local bloggers. I’m told by Rachel Gragg (the theater’s social media go-to person) that we’ll even be able to get up on stage and take photos.

Here’s what you need to know:

Who’s invited?

Any Triangle-area residents who blog. It doesn’t matter what you blog about. This is a chance for us bloggers to put a face with our blog names and socialize. Also, if you don’t blog but you read 30THREADS, Ginny from the Blog or other local blogs, then you should come too. Local Flickr users and tweeps are invited too.

Never been to one of our blogger bashes? Bring a friend or a date for comfort. Here’s a recap of what went down at the last 30THREADS blogger bash.

When is it?

The event will start with a happy hour (cash bar) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9!

It will officially run from 7 to 9 p.m. April 9.

Where is DPAC?

It’s in downtown Durham beside the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The exact address is 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC.

What else?

The event is scheduled a week before “Legally Blonde The Musical” kicks off, so Rachel plans to give away tickets to the show. The event will feature other Legally Blonde treats too. And there will be free food, a cash bar and free ticket giveaways. Rachel also plans to give tickets away to Kathy Griffin and possibly more upcoming shows. She’ll have a better idea once it gets closer to the event.

Why is DPAC sponsoring the event?

I met Rachel over the summer to talk about Twitter. Since then, she’s had a lot of fun tweeting about DPAC events and checking out local blogs. So when I mentioned to her that 30THREADS was looking for a place to host its next blogger bash … She suggested we have it at DPAC. Here’s what she wrote:

“DPAC wants those in the social media community to realize the dedication we have as a new performing arts theatre in the Triangle to bring something for everyone to the area.  We are devoted to customer service and making sure that anyone and everyone that walks in the door has a positive experience.  We also want to make sure that our followers and supporters know us and are aware of all our upcoming events. We want public feedback, we encourage suggestions, and most of all we are glad you are here!
Come hang out, enjoy appetizers & wine, stand on the stage, and even win tickets.”

If you have any questions about the bash, let me know. If you plan to be there, drop me a note in the comments section or RSVP on facebook.

My first show at the new Durham Performing Arts Center doesn’t disappoint

I was wooed by the RENT cast last night at the Durham Performing Arts Center. They put on a hell of a show despite performing in front of a somewhat sparse audience. Yesterday’s wicked winter weather prompted DPAC officials to let ticket holders swap out seats for another performance (with the caveat that they may not receive as good of seats the second time around). I would later find out that the gesture was just one of several examples of the DPAC staff providing excellent customer service (but more on that in another paragraph).

RENT

I first saw RENT in the late ’90s at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. I was in high school and the edgy musical wedged its way into my heart. I bought the soundtrack and memorized the songs, pretending I was each of the characters when I belted out the lyrics. Years have passed since I broke out the soundtrack, but it all came back to me last night (and luckily for my date, I chose to only sing them in my head). I had not seen a performance of the musical since, and I was happy the cast (which includes three original Broadway cast members) didn’t disappoint. I don’t feel comfortable critiquing the show like mad because I probably would have loved it even if half the cast were off-key and stood still. But I can assure you that the cast was incredibly dynamic and energetic. (Guys if your girlfriend drags you to the show, just wait for Mimi’s performance of “Out Tonight” in her electric blue liquid lycra pants).

DPAC

Tuesday was opening night for RENT, and the debut Broadway performance at the DPAC (which will also bring Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Legally Blonde and the Color Purple to town). The venue, which is the largest indoor theatre in the Carolinas, is gorgeous. I toured it during the public open house, but the experience is entirely different when there’s a show going on.

I was most impressed with the staff. Despite the freezing temperatures, we were greeted by a doorman in a top hat who warmly welcomed us into the theatre. The staff member charged with directing women into open bathroom stalls offered to hold glasses of wine and programs for women waiting to use the bathroom. At least three ushers sweetly and sincerly thanked us for coming. At a time when it feels like customer service is fading, it was refreshing to experience service that’s better than what I consider acceptable (have I mentioned I’m a huge customer service freak?).

Here’s a video from my November tour of the theatre:

RENT runs through Jan. 25 and there are still tickets available! Also, for my fellow Tweeple, you can find @DPAC on Twitter.