the city of oaks

I've been thinking some about Raleigh, in part because Ariel and I are official couch surfers, thus inspiring thoughts of what visitors to the city would appreciate. I've already thought about such things, but in a sporadic manner. Once was when my friend Steffi, who I know from Pamplona, but is from Germany, visited. We went camping up at Falls Lake, and to the capitol building for a limited amount of time (I think I had to work?), and then another friend showed her Duke Gardens, which I have yet to see. Over the past however long since I got back from Pamps, I've learned to love this place more and more. Raleigh has some really great characteristics. I love the local culture in the Triangle...though I guess I should have started that sentence by saying that the Triangle is great. Driving sort of sucks, considering gas is only getting more and more killer. But as a student, able to get free bus passes (which reminds me...I need to use that more), connections take a little more time, but are fairly stress-free, and very cost-free. Having spent time in Durham and Chapel Hill, I feel like I don't know a super ton about them, but definitely enough to like them. Well, other than that UNC place...blech. ;)

But yeah. Raleigh has that good mix of city and small town feel. I can go out and meet lots of new people, but I'll also probably see at least one person that I know. And meeting new friends tends to go well. There is so much going on, and it's at your fingertips (i.e. pick up a copy of the INDY!). Being as how I like good beer, I appreciate the fact that the revolution of the past decade that has brought America to the forefront of Microbreweries has such good representation in Raleigh; Boylan Bridge Brewpub, Big Boss, Lone Rider, for example. Plus all the other breweries that are represented on tap. It's great. I was just talking to a friend the other day about how Europeans seem to have an impression of the US as being a place full of such atrocities as Busch and Budweiser and Miller.....but really, we have a better variety than even Europe has.

Anyways, here are a few places that I like.

Shakedown Street. I tend to be here Wednesday evenings for the open mike night. It's a fun place. Full of colourful pictures of Joplin and Marley and Lennon, as well as friendly, fun people.

CupaJoe..... pretty much a fantastic place to be. Fresh-roasted coffee, people that will become your friends, and potential awesome roommates such as mine.



Mitch's Tavern. Bull Durham (? not sure if that's the name...) was filmed here, so Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner sat at these tables. Actually, one over to the left, as I've been told...
This picture was as they were closing. It felt like a forest of chair legs.
Mitch's is one of my favourites, and has been since I was a wee freshman. They have excellent prices. You pay extra for random stuff; so, like, if you want extra cheese, you get one of those little plastic tiny cups for $.50, butttttttt you didn't have to pay for it up front no matter whether you get it or not. The service is good. the atmosphere is pretty much some of the coolest ever. And....yeah. The food is excellent. And fresh. And the produce is local, and their specials depend on what is in season. Also, there are a couple of balconies...though the waitresses were chatting about how more than four people can go out there at their own risk...



Raleigh.


This was taken from the Boylan Bridge Brewpub. Which has probably the best view of downtown available, and all from a pleasant patio with lots of seating. There tend to be more people who want to be seated than there is available seating, but it's worth the wait. Especially when you grab a cold pint and stand on the wall gazing at the moon and skyline, as Mom and I did this night.

Oh, and that little diagonal line to the left above the moon might be an airplane, but I'm not sure. The exposure time was set for my camera's night setting, so several seconds, and apparently captured something moving through the sky. I think it's pretty sweet.