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CONTENTS

38 30 76 OUR TOWN 30 FOOD: A Culinary Journey 33 MUSIC: That Kind of Guy 36 Q&A: History in the Making 38 LOCALS: Rolling into Fatherhood 41 GARDEN: Move Along 43 NATURE: Bucks & Does 47 EXPLORE: House Tours 50 NOTED: The Pirate Invasion 52 SIMPLE LIFE: I See the Birds

FEATURES 55 This year’s Diwali, I am still

learning love by Rishi Janakiraman illustration by Sampada Kodagali Agarwal

56 Rooted in Hospitality

Thanksgiving with Sara Abernethy by Hampton Williams Hofer photography by Forrest Mason

66 Brewing Friendship

Meals that bring together seniors by Katherine Snow Smith photography by Jillian Clark

76 Desert Essence

A family home done in soft, organic colors by Ayn-Monique Klahre photography by Abigail Jackson

86 Through the Lens On the cover: Thanksgiving with Sara Abernethy Photograph by: Forrest Mason

12 | WALTER

Stunning photographs from the Capital City Camera Club by Ayn-Monique Klahre

IN EVERY ISSUE 14 EDITOR’S LETTER 18 CONTRIBUTORS 19 YOUR FEEDBACK 21 OUR TOWN 23 DATEBOOK 127 THE WHIRL 136 END NOTE: Acorn Art

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ast year, I was at the kitchen counter drying the dishes after our Thanksgiving meal and I had a little epiphany. A Simon & Garfunkel song was playing on the speakers and I could smell the turkey hash (a layer of mashed potato, a layer of turkey, a layer of stuffing, all soaked in gravy) baking in the oven, our family’s favorite way to use leftovers. And it occurred to me that Thanksgiving isn’t really about the meal, but about the process. The holiday had really started a few days earlier. We bought bread at Union Special to tear up and toast for the stuffing. Then our extended family arrived, bringing siblings, little nephews and parents loaded with ingredients from Costco. Josh and my mom took a trip to the NC State Farmers Market for the rest of the fare, returning with a giant bouquet of flowers, too. The night before the big feast, my sister made the pies. We started actual Thanksgiving by celebrating Josh. Every few years his birthday falls on the holiday, and even though he doesn’t want much of a fuss, it’s a fun excuse to blow up one of those inflatable turkeys and top it with a party hat. Then my sister, the girls and I headed over to the annual Trophy Trot 5K while my dad and brother-in-law took the boys to the playground. That left the kitchen clear for a few hours. Josh likes to make the turkey while my mom serves as sous

chef. (She also irons the tablecloth and polishes the cutlery, which I try not to take as a direct indictment on my housekeeping skills.) By the time everyone got home, the prep was well underway — naps for everyone! Then my sister made the veggies and I got to work on setting the table. I love pulling out all those platters we got as wedding gifts and reinventing our wedding china each year. We send the kids outside to cut branches to fill out the centerpieces and it’s fun to see what treasures they discover. The meal itself was pretty swift, all things considered, the younger ones peeling off to play afterwards while the adults lingered and talked. Then came the cleanup, my brother-in-law washing while I dried and put away (which is when I had my epiphany). We got the kids to bed and the older generation turned in; the remaining four of us started to work on a puzzle. This year, my goal is to be even more present and grateful through the process, to remember that Thanksgiving is more than a meal — it’s a whole practice of togetherness.

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NOVEMBER 2025 PUBLISHER

DAVID WORONOFF

EDITORIAL

BUSINESS

Editor AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com

Advertising Sales Manager JULIE NICKENS julie@waltermagazine.com

Creative Director LAURA PETRIDES WALL laura@waltermagazine.com

Senior Account Executive & Operations CRISTINA BAKER cristina@waltermagazine.com

Associate Editor ADDIE LADNER addie@waltermagazine.com

Finance HENRY HOGAN 910-693-2497

Contributing Poetry Editor Jaki Shelton Green

Distribution JAMES KAY

Contributing Copy Editor Finn Cohen

Owners JACK ANDREWS, FRANK DANIELS III, DAVID WORONOFF In memoriam FRANK DANIELS JR.

Contributing Writers Sydney Brainard, Catherine Currin, Jim Dodson, Mike Dunn, Hampton Williams Hofer, Rishi Janakiraman, Susanna Klingenberg, Josh Klahre, David Menconi, CC Parker, Katherine Snow Smith, Helen Yoest Contributing Photographers Jillian Clark, Abigail Jackson, Forrest Mason, Bryan Regan Contributing Illustrators Sampada Kodagali Agarwal, Gerry O’Neill

GENERAL Inquiries WALTER OFFICE 984-286-0928 info@waltermagazine.com Address all correspondence to: WALTER magazine 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 104 Raleigh, N.C. 27601

Design Intern Kate Shepherd

WALTER is available by paid subscriptions for $36 a year in the United States, as well as select rack and advertiser locations throughout the Triangle. Subscribe online at waltermagazine.com/subscribe For subscription and customer service inquiries, please email us at customerservice@waltermagazine.com or call 818-286-3118. WALTER does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Please contact Ayn-Monique Klahre at ayn-monique@waltermagazine.com for freelance guidelines. © WALTER magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the copyright owner. Published 12 times a year by The Pilot LLC.

16 | WALTER

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P HOTO G R A PH ER Jillian Clark is a professional photographer based in Durham. Clark interned at an emergency shelter as a teen; she feels this was formative to her passion for portraits and human storytelling. On working with Meals on Wheels, she says: “MOW is essential, and yet it’s so much more than a meal. The friendships made — and points of connection provided by volunteers — are genuinely lifechanging and enriching. Working with them has been the highlight of my year.” Find her recent work on Instagram @itsjillianclark.

JILLIAN CLARK /

KATHERINE SNOW SMITH /

FORREST MASON /

W R I TE R Katherine Snow Smith has been a journalist and storyteller for 30 years; today she also teaches college and practices strategic communications. The Raleigh native recently instructed men incarcerated at Sampson Correctional Institution earning a bachelor’s degree in communication from Campbell University. “The people I interviewed at the Meals on Wheels Friendship Cafe prove what I’ve always believed: every person I meet has a story inside. I loved hearing their histories and laughing with them. Boy, do they laugh!”

P HOTO GR A PH ER Forrest Mason is a photographer and documentary filmmaker based in Chapel Hill. Mason has committed his career to capturing the food and beverage industry. On capturing Peregrine restaurant: “Peregrine is a wonderland for your senses. From the smoke that perfumes the air to the fresh approach to worldly cuisine to the gorgeous space, everything invites you to savor the present.” On shooting Thanksgiving: “If you’re ever invited to Sara and Chris’s home, go! The hours I got to spend with them and their families reminded me that life is meant to be enjoyed.”

courtesy contributors

RISHI JANAKIRAMAN / POET Rishi Janakiraman is a writer from Raleigh. He has been recognized by Scholastic Art & Writing, Bow Seat and Best of SNO. A Foyle Young Poet, he has been published in The New York Times, Dishsoap Quarterly and Sontag Mag, among others. Janakiraman serves as Polyphony Lit’s co-editor-in-chief and as the North Carolina Youth Poet Laureate. “I wrote this poem to capture what Diwali feels like for me: as something happening alongside truck stops, motel signs and small personal memories, where the holiday becomes part of the American landscape I live in.”

FEEDBACK We love to hear from you! “Oh wow! I am such a huge fan of Jo Lyle Design. The cover is beautiful!” — Robin Andrews, on the October cover “Michele is a treasure. Kudos for highlighting one of our best artists.” — Lisa Mis, on “Beneath the Surface”

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The WALTER team toasts to our NCPA awards. We got many kind words from folks about our NCPA awards... “That’s awesome! You ladies do such great work and how lucky are we to be able to enjoy it each month!” — Pamela Brown “All well deserved! Congratulations!” — Caprice McNeill “A bunch of bad asses!” — Valerie Bauerlein “Beautiful people, love this for your team. Read it every month, cover to cover!” — Lisa Dion

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OUR TOWN This month, enjoy evening soirées, fun runs and culture galore — plus the start of the holiday season with our city’s Christmas parade.

courtesy Trophy Brewing/Joshua Dwight

The Trophy Trot 5K

OFF TO THE RACES! “November is Raleigh’s unofficial running season,” says Alex Warren, president of nOG Run Club and owner of community running brand Runologie. “The city comes alive with energy and endorphins. Cooler temperatures finally arrive — just what runners have been waiting for all summer — and our iconic oak canopy makes for the perfect running landscape.” Even if you’re not a seasoned runner, Warren says, it’s a great time to join a casual race either as a runner or a spectator. The City of Oaks Marathon kicks off the month with options for distances from 5K to 26 miles that wind through downtown and the neighborhoods near North Carolina State University (Nov. 2; from $60; starts at 400 Glenwood Avenue; cityofoaksmarathon.com). For beer nerds, Crank Arm Brewing and the North Carolina Brewing Running Series host a fun run 5K that comes with a pint of local beer at the end, plus access to pre- and post-race festivities like food trucks, games and swag (Nov. 8; from $40; course starts at 319 W. Davie Street; crankarmbrewing.com). And for nearly 10 years, the Trophy Trot 5K through Dorothea Dix Park has been popular with both the running community and families. This year, they’ll offer a new course due to the opening of the Gipson Play Plaza. “But it’s still ending with an epic party at Trophy on Maywood,” says Warren, who co-founded the race (Nov. 27; from $40; starts at 1030 Richardson Drive; trophybrewing.com/trophy-trot). — Addie Ladner

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 21

DATEBOOK WALTER’s list of things to see, do and experience this month by ADDIE LADNER

SOUTHERN GRAMMAR

courtesy Ella West Gallery (ART); courtesy Lincoln Theatre (MUSIC)

Now - Nov. 21 | Various times Ella West Gallery in Durham is hosting an exhibit called Southern Grammar curated by Raleigh artist Clarence Heyward. “I want to amplify artists who are masters of their craft, yet fairly young in their practices,” says Heyward. “The shared vocabulary born from this common thread of Southern geography manifests in bold, beautiful work.” The exhibit showcases work by Jō Baskerville, a painter who often incorporates silhouettes and typography into his monochrome pieces; Jeremy Biggers, a painter known for his vivid portraits (like the one shown here); and Sam Lao, a fiber and textile artist. Collectively, their work offers a multifaceted look at identity, memory and the cultural truths of the American South, says Heyward: “The artists represent a range of work that speaks volumes across color, texture and scale.” See the exhibit Thursdays through Saturdays from 12 - 5 p.m. or by appointment. Free; 104 W. Parrish Street, Durham; ellawestgallery.com

looking forward to having The New Mastersounds back for an epic show!” says Mark Thompson with Lincoln Theatre. From $31.75; 126 E. Cabarrus Street; lincolntheatre.com

TAYLOR TOMLINSON

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS

Nov. 5 | 7:30 p.m. British R&B-meets-funk-meets-jazz group The New Mastersounds is coming to downtown’s Lincoln Theatre. The four-piece band, which has played together for more than 15 years, always brings a fun mix of improvisational sounds and soulful vocals. “We are

Nov. 6 & 7 | 7 p.m. Award-winning comedian Taylor Tomlinson is making a stop in Raleigh on her Save Me Tour. Tomlinson is known for her quick, often self-deprecatory wit and for turning important, vulnerable personal experiences into comedic fodder. You may recognize her from her three Netflix stand-up specials (Quarter-Life Crisis, Look At You and Have It All) or from her turn hosting CBS late-night show After

Midnight in 2024. From $77; 2 E. South Street; martinmariettacenter.com

SHANA TUCKER QUARTET

Nov. 7 | 8 p.m. Cellist, singer-songwriter and composer Shana Tucker, who’s known for coining the genre ChamberSoul, is playing at The Rialto Theatre. The multifaceted musician blends folk, jazz, classical and pop into her signature style and has collaborated with other artists including Indigo Girls and Norah Jones, as well as local musicians including Tift Merritt, Nnenna Freelon and Rissi Palmer. At the show, expect Tucker to play tracks from her latest album, Hiding in the Light. From $30; 1620 Glenwood Avenue; therialto.com

All information is accurate as of press time, but please check waltermagazine.com and the event websites for the latest updates. THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 23

November at Weymouth Center

DATEBOOK

Strike at the Wind

November 16, 2:00 pm:

November 9, 1:00 pm:

Chamber Sessions: Yu & I Duo

Also this month at Weymouth Center: November 1: Open House and Self Guided Tour November 10: Meet the Author: Katrina Denza November 13: Meet the Author: Meagan Church November 17: Women of Weymouth Meeting November 18: Meet the Author, Dr. Matthew Harmody November 18: James Boyd Book Club November 19: Mildred Barya Poetry Reading November 25: Song Circle Jam Session

Looking forward to the holidays? Weymouth Wonderland is on Saturday, December 6th, 10:00am – 4:00pm! Tour the festive Boyd House, visit Santa, shop local vendors and the Holiday Shoppe, enjoy treats and food trucks, and catch live performances. Fun for the whole family! Donations accepted at entry.

Scan the QR code for tickets and additional information! 555 East Connecticut Avenue, Southern Pines, NC

24 | WALTER

Nov. 7 - 8, 14 - 15, 21 - 22 | 5:30 - 9 p.m. Experience the wonders of the JC Raulston Arboretum at night with this annual event that brings magical light installations to the garden. In addition to the artfully highlighted trees, shrubs and flowers, enjoy live music like guitarist Jamey Meeker and funk rock band Peridot Sun, food from local purveyors like Poblano’s Tacos, Donut NV and Barone Italian Grille, s’mores stations, kids activities and photo opportunities. The best part? All proceeds go towards keeping this vibrant community garden thriving and open to the public. From $34; 4415 Beryl Road; jcra.ncsu.edu

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

Nov. 11 | 7 p.m. Canes season is in full swing! Watch our hometown NHL team hit the ice as they take on the Washington Capitals at the Lenovo Center. Players to watch this year? Offender Sebastian Aho, steady defender Jacob Slavin and of course Seth Jarvis, the top scorer last season and a fan favorite. From $56; 1400 Edwards Mill Road; nhl.com/hurricanes

CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL

Nov. 15 - Jan. 11 | Various times The grounds of the Koka Booth Amphitheatre will be transformed by thousands of handmade lanterns during the annual Chinese Lantern Festival, now a decade into its existence. You’ll find dozens of large-scale, glowing installations, from a traditional-

courtesy JC Raulston Arboretum

MOONLIGHT IN THE GARDEN

OUR INTERIORS

courtesy The Grid Project

Nov. 8 - 30 | Various times

Raleigh artist Caprice McNeill is showcasing her work in our interiors, a solo exhibit at artist hub Birdland Gallery in Boylan Heights. McNeill says this latest body of work was inspired by a recent monthlong trip to Italy, where her surroundings influenced her inner dialogue. “When I returned, I found that memory and place were intertwined in my process,” McNeill says. “Creating these pieces has been about letting the impressions from my time there shape the color and structure of each work.” Her paintings feature layers of florals, shapes and vintage materials. It kicks off with an opening reception (Nov. 8; 5 - 7 p.m.) and will be on display through the end of the month during Birdland’s hours (Tuesday - Saturday, 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.). Free; 706 Mountford Avenue; vaeraleigh.org/the-grid-project

style red dragon to an ocean scene filled with whimsical fish and underwater plants. Also enjoy Chinese food and crafts from local vendors, entertainment each night and a kids’ play zone with interactive light installations. There are many ways to enjoy the festival: purchase single tickets that can be used anytime, get group deals or visit on the sensory-friendly night, which will have lower-volume music and smaller crowds. From $17; 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary; boothamphitheatre.com

FOREST PARK ART WALK

Nov. 16 | 1 – 5 p.m. The charming neighborhood of Forest Park is hosting its annual art walk, where resident artists (ranging from 10 to 92 years old) open their home galleries to the public. Some participants include photographer David Cross, painter Julie Holmes, painter Abie Harris, potter Zoe Foote and printmaker

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Candlelight

“Farewell to Our Royal Governors” December 13 & 20 s 4:30-9:30 PM

Tours of Decorated Governor’s Palace and Historic Homes • Fife & Drum Performances, Magic Tricks, Juggling, Puppet Shows, Santa, Food Trucks & More! Fireworks at the end of the evening.

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The McCrea Family

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DATEBOOK ART BASH 2025: CAROLINA KALEIDOSCOPE

courtesy Artspace

Nov. 15 | 6 - 10 p.m. Support creative studio and gallery Artspace at its annual fundraiser, Art Bash. The glamorous evening will feature a curated silent auction, rollicking live art bid, delicious food and all-around good times. Themed Carolina Kaleidoscope, A Celebration of Culture + Color, the night will also showcase their annual Carolina Roots exhibition, which highlights NC artists from rural areas. Among the Triangle-based artists whose work will be up for auction are earthcast artist Thomas Sayre, painter Lamar Whidbee and textile artist Caitlin Cary. The evening is hosted by honorary co-chairs Shawn Brewster, a curator with The Mahler Fine Art, and collector Kaleah Smith. “Your support ensures Artspace can continue to inspire positive community impact through art,” says Artspace president and CEO Carly Jones. From $150; 201 E. Davie Street; artspacenc.org/art-bash

Pam Van Dyk. For folks wanting a more intimate viewing experience, five artists will open their studios for a preview event on Saturday (Nov. 15; 1 5 p.m.). Free; near Forest Drive and Park Road; forestparkartwalk.com

AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION

Nov. 22 | 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, the North Carolina American Indian Commission, the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Museum of Art are coming together to host the annual American Indian Heritage Celebration. Held at the art museum, the day will bring together all eight of our state’s recognized Indigenous tribal communities for a celebration with hands-on activities, storytelling, performances and presentations. Free; 2110 Blue Ridge Road; ncartmuseum.org

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 27

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DATEBOOK RALEIGH CHRISTMAS PARADE

Nov. 22 | 9:30 a.m. The ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade, presented by Shop Local Raleigh, is the largest holiday parade between Washington, DC and Atlanta — and a more than 80-year tradition in Raleigh. The 1.4-mile parade route starts at the intersection of Hillsborough and St. Mary’s streets, heads east towards the State Capitol, then goes down Fayetteville Street. Get there early for prime curbside viewing, and be sure to pack a chair and blanket to stay comfortable for the two-hour event. Free; downtown Raleigh; grma.org/christmas-parade

NC STATE HOLIDAY CRAFTS FAIR

Nov. 22 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. A niche crafts fair is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year: NC State University’s Craft Center (inside Thomson Hall) gathers work by its students, teachers and studio members for sale, just in time for the holidays. There, you’ll find unique, handmade items from glassworks and ceramics to jewelry, wood and fiber art. Free for students and children, $3 for adults; 210 Jensen Drive; crafts.arts.ncsu.edu

MERRY AND BRIGHT

Nov. 29 | 7 - 10 p.m. No kids allowed at Pullen Park during Merry and Bright: An Enchanted Holiday Evening for Grownups! Grab your friends and don your gaudiest sweater for a full-on holiday soirée hosted by the City of Raleigh. Have your fun on the rides, including the train and carousel, walk around the lake or jive to the live music coming from local jazz band Sidecar Social Club. Food trucks and breweries will be on-site and Pullen Cafe is swapping its usual concession fare for beer, wine and other bites. All proceeds go towards the city’s Play it Forward program, which provides financial assistance to make sure all children in Raleigh can participate in recreational programs. $35; 520 Ashe Avenue; raleighnc.gov

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presented by

FOOD

A Culinary Journey With Peregrine, chef Saif Rahman offers a menu informed by his travels by CATHERINE CURRIN photography by FORREST MASON

aif Rahman has traveled near and far — and the food he likes to cook reflects his journeys. His new restaurant, Peregrine, offers a hint of what’s to come through its name: a peregrine is a powerful migratory falcon, but its name is derived from the Latin word for “traveler” or “foreigner.” Born in Bangladesh and raised in New York City, Rahman has lived in Raleigh since 1998. “It’s just like back home,” he says. “People here have the same love of ingredients and hospitality, the only difference is that they speak a different language.” Rahman was the opening chef at Vidrio on Glenwood South when it

opened in 2017, after working around the Triangle at 21c’s Counting House and The Mayton Inn. But he had always dreamed of opening his own restaurant one day. A few years ago, he met entrepreneur Patrick Shanahan, a hospitality vet best known for developing Watts & Ward, the giant speakeasy-style bar near Moore Square. “I was searching for my own space and somehow God put Patrick in my life,” Rahman says. The two found connection and common ground, having deep conversations about their spirituality and admiration for their respective grandmothers, who hosted and made meals for their families regularly

Clockwise from top left: The dining room at night; the bar during the day; chef Saif Rahman.

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throughout their childhood. “We wanted to share the love for cooking and hospitality our grandmothers passed on to us,” Rahman says. “No matter where you are from, the color of your skin or your faith, we’re still the same in so many ways.” As a site for Peregrine, they took a chance and signed on as one of the first tenants of The Exchange, a mixed-use development by Dewitt Carolinas at the edge of North Hills. “There’s something nice about starting on a blank canvas,” says Shanahan, who had previously upfit historic spaces like the Montague Building on Hargett Street. (He also recently announced a second location in the

“Peregrine is Saif’s love letter to family, food and the places that shaped him.” — PATRICK SHANAHAN building, Capulet Cocktail Club, adjacent to Peregrine.) They brought on Khoi Trong Ha as pastry chef and recently added seasoned bartender Zack Thomas as beverage director. Shanahan, an artist by trade, took charge of creating a modern, intentional design scheme for Peregrine. Patio seating and floor-to-ceiling windows draw guests into the space, where they’re greeted by a moody bar finished in fluted black wood, a tantalizing peek into the kitchen behind its shelves. “Saif wanted an open kitchen that could be seen,” says Shanahan. Dining spaces done in black, white and natural wood flank the bar, and there’s a tucked-away private room for intimate dining. But don’t let the

decor fool you, says Rahman: “We’re not a fine dining restaurant. Just because we have a refined experience doesn’t mean anyone can’t come and enjoy it. We want to be welcoming and encourage you to be adventurous.” Rahman’s menu is inspired by his family recipes, the melting pot of living in New York and, most of all, travel. To wit: on the menu, the small plates are styled as “Arrivals,” sides as “Journeys,” larger plates as “Wanderings” and desserts as “Departures.” (Cocktails, fortunately, are just called “Cocktails” lest the imbiber get confused, but digestifs are “Farewells.”) “I want people to come to Peregrine with an open mind and enjoy the journey through our menu,” says

Clockwise from top left: Tomato Salad; Dirty Chai Martini; Beef Heart Shawarma.

Rahman. “Peregrine is an extension of our home, and you’ll feel that from the moment you walk into our door.” Nods to the American South and Bangladesh are evident throughout the menu, along with influences from Peru, Columbia and Mexico. The Country Store, for example, is an appetizer inspired by Rahman’s visit to a gas station in Castalia, North Carolina. It’s a take on a deviled egg that starts with pickled eggs, served with boiled peanuts, lamb bacon and ribboned celery for a surprisingly upscale dish. “These are common, beloved snacks that we presented in a new way,” says Rahman. There’s a Pulao, a Middle Eastern dish where rice is cooked with meat, vegetables and spices, made with Carolina Gold rice sourced from Tidewater Grain Co. in Oriental. “There will always be a Carolina Gold rice Pulao on the menu,” says Rahman. The Bengali Wedding Chicken is a chicken thigh and leg in a creamy, spiced, decadent sauce. It’s served with the foot still attached, which comes as a surprise to most guests, but adds to the sense of adventure. Other dishes reflect the cultures Rahman has an affinity for: the chicken crackling is his spin on a pork rind (he does not eat pork nor serve it on the menu at Peregrine); the Carne Asada is a nod to his wife’s Mexican heritage, served with mole sauce and charred onion; the trout, sourced from the North Carolina mountains, has a French slant with a beurre blanc sauce. “Peregrine is Saif’s love letter to family, food and the places that shaped him,” says Shanahan. The Peregrine team visits the NC State Farmers Market daily and sources the majority of the menu from local and regional producers, changing dishes seasonally. And while Rahman is of Bengali heritage, the two want to dispel the misconception that Peregrine is a Bengali restaurant. “People like me came to America for a better life and brought their culture here,” Rahman says. “By incorporating cuisines from the many places I’ve been, I’m telling my version of the American story.” THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 31

Haydon & Company

1803 Oberlin Road • Raleigh, NC 27608 • 919.781.1293 • Toll Free: 866.429.3667 www.haydonco.com • Member of the American Gem Society

Haydon & Company

1803 Oberlin Road • Raleigh, NC 27608 • 919.781.1293 • Toll Free: 866.429.3667 www.haydonco.com • Member of the American Gem Society

Haydon & Company

1803 Oberlin Road • Raleigh, NC 27608 • 919.781.1293 • Toll Free: 866.429.3667 www.haydonco.com • Member of the American Gem Society

MUSIC

Bill Reaves

That Kind of Guy P

Peter Holsapple plays the long game by DAVID MENCONI

eter Holsapple has performed onstage as a musician since his teenage years alongside everyone from R.E.M. to underground pop legend Alex Chilton. And yet his dominant gene has always seemed more Rock Fan than Rock Star. A very particular kind of rock fan, in fact — the sort of obsessive devotee who can recite the catalog numbers of classic albums like 1969’s The Velvet Underground (MGM Records SE-4617), tell you about Flying Burrito Brothers pedalsteel player “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow’s other career (animator for the claymation series Gumby) or identify the lowest-selling album in CBS Record International’s history (Hampton Grease Band’s Music To Eat). There’s a song about that on Holsapple’s new album The Face of 68 (Label 51 Recordings). “That Kind of Guy” depicts a character straight out of novelist Nick Hornby’s record-store love letter High Fidelity, proudly rattling off titles from his record collection before concluding, “I carry a lot inside my head.” “Yeah,” Holsapple says with a laugh, “I am that guy. I’ve worked in record stores most of my non-performing life, so I can spot ‘that guy’ when he walks in and go head to head if I must. But I’ve been on both sides of it, because I also know what it’s like to be abused by clerks who know everything.” Holsapple grew up in Winston-Salem as part of a thriving music scene that sprang up in the wake of 1960s Beatlemania, when the city was overrun with garage bands. Holsapple, his fellow cult-pop legend Chris Stamey, future North Carolina Music Hall of Famer Mitch Easter and other young musicians would congregate outside Reynolds High School at what they called “Combo Corner,” to talk about records and their own garage-combo bands. Eventually Holsapple and Stamey ended up in New York in the late 1970s as co-leaders of The dB’s, a key band in the city’s burgeoning new-wave underground. Equal parts jittery and catchy, The dB’s made some brilliant power-pop records that never caught on commercially. Nevertheless, Holsapple developed a reputation as a reliable team player, skilled on keyboards as well as guitar. That led to a robust sideman career, beginning with R.E.M. as that band was breaking through to the mainstream at the end of the 1980s, followed by a 26-year tenure with Hootie & the Blowfish. Between tours, he moved to New Orleans and co-founded Continental Drifters, a supergroup featuring members of the Bangles and Dream Syndicate, plus Holsapple’s then-wife Susan Cowsill (they divorced in 2001). THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 33

MUSIC

Holden Richards

“What you want is to capture spontaneous ideas as they happen, before things get stale and everybody is sick of playing something. Peter came in with great songs, totally prepared and ready to rock.” — DON DIXON In 2005, Hurricane Katrina drove Holsapple back home to North Carolina, and he’s lived in Durham ever since. And while sideman work has paid most of his bills, he’s also continued making records of his own. The Face of 68 is his third solo album, recorded with a crack backup band featuring drummer Rob Ladd (whose credits include everyone from Alanis Morissette to Red Clay Ramblers), ex-Ben Folds Five bassist Robert Sledge and The Old Ceremony keyboardist Mark Simonsen. Pre-recording preparation consisted of Holsapple sending everyone demo recordings of the songs before they gathered for a brisk four days in the studio.

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Bill Reaves

“Rehearsing is a horrible idea for recording,” says album producer Don Dixon, whose many studio credits include co-producing R.E.M. with Mitch Easter. “What you want is to capture spontaneous ideas as they happen, before things get stale and everybody is sick of playing something. Peter came in with great songs, totally prepared and ready to rock.” Holsapple was indeed 68 at the time of recording (although he turned 69 before the album’s release), and The Face of 68 has a fair amount of back-page introspection. “She and Me,” written about Holsapple’s current wife Sarah, might be the sweetest love song he’s ever written. And two songs pay tribute to late musicians, “So Sad About Sam” (about guitarist Sam Moss, who was a musical mentor to him) and “Larger Than Life” (about Continental Drifters drummer Carlo Nuccio). “Sam especially was the big brother, best friend and guitar-god mentor to us all,” Holsapple says of WinstonSalem legend Moss, who took his own life in 2007 at age 54. “Losing him was huge. Carlo, too. Larger than life, just like the song says.” The album’s looking-backward vibe extends to its physical package, with a February 1968 calendar page going up in flames on the back cover. That was the month Holsapple turned 12 years old, and even at that young age he was well along the path of a musical career. “Hearing all the music in the air that year really hammered home the point that I should be a musician,” he says. “I don’t know what else I would have done — well, other than working in record stores. But it’s been a great run. Who knows, maybe I’ll make another record. Hope so. But if I don’t, this was a great last record to make. I like leaving songs around to see if anybody else picks up on them.” By now, Holsapple is philosophical about his cult status. “I’ve always been mostly under the radar, but the good part is I’ve always been able to be uncompromising about the work,” he says. “With any of my bands or others I played with, everything’s been what I wanted to do. I have virtually no regrets about the music industry. It feels like what I do makes sense.”

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Q&A

HISTORY in the MAKING An interview with documentarian Ken Burns during a visit to Raleigh as told to JOSH KLAHRE

n a sultry late-spring evening, America’s unofficial historianin-chief, Ken Burns, came through Raleigh to promote his latest endeavor, a documentary on the American Revolutionary War. Burns has been known for making documentaries for more than 45 years, since the release of Brooklyn Bridge in 1981. Since then, his signature style of combining archival images, primary-source narration and music has redefined historical storytelling on screen. His seminal work, The Civil War (1990), became a landmark in television, drawing nearly 40 million viewers, and over the decades, Burns has continued to illuminate U.S. history through acclaimed series on subjects ranging from jazz and baseball to the Vietnam War and Benjamin Franklin. Co-directed by Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, The American Revo-

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lution is a six-part, 12-hour documentary series that explores the country’s founding struggle and formation of its new brand of government. After listening in on an interview with PBS North Carolina’s CEO David Crabtree in the AJ Fletcher Theater, I was fortunate enough to get some one-on-one time with the man himself. DO YOU HAVE ANY CONNECTIONS TO RALEIGH? Yes. I’ve been here once or twice, even three times a year, for many, many years from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. That had to do with a lot of historical advisors, and friends that lived here, including the late historians John Hope Franklin and William Leuchtenburg, who just passed away at 102. Through work, I’ve visited the National Humanities Center at Duke University, and I’ve received

honorary degrees from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. WHAT WAS NORTH CAROLINA’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR? I think it’s important to note that all of the 13 colonies sent men to Philadelphia to ensure the functioning and cohesion of the Continental Congress during the war. But the battle at Guilford Courthouse was probably the most significant fought in the state. Importantly, North Carolinians volunteered to fight for independence — but North Carolinians also stayed neutral, and they were also royalists. Human beings had to make a very, very tough decision: to decide whether to stay loyal or not. Those who chose to become patriots were taking an enormous gamble — they had to be willing

Ken Burns previews his new documentary in Raleigh.

to risk their lives for an idea that was as yet untested, that looked like it had zero chance of success. It was a spectacular act of faith. Every state, North Carolina included, has the right to be very proud that they were involved in this extraordinary experiment. YOUR WORK HAS COVERED SO MANY CRITICAL MOMENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY. IS THERE A REASON YOU’RE COVERING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR NOW? No. You know, the Civil War was important, probably the most important event in our country’s life once we got started — and the echoes of it are still not over in many ways. We initially decided to not do any more wars to broaden our scope on the country’s history. However, we chose to do the Second World War [The War in 2007] because we were losing veterans at the time. And we ran into a lot of high school kids who thought we fought with the Germans against the Russians in the Second World War — so you’re just pulling your hair out — so we said, “OK, we’ll do it!” Before we were done with that film, we said, “Vietnam;” before we were done with Vietnam,

we said, “the American Revolution.” There’s no focus groups. It’s just my gut. And then we spend whatever it takes to figure out how to tell that story. We haven’t done World War I, though we have passed through it and done it on a number of films including Ernest Hemingway, Jazz, Baseball and The Roosevelts. It’s just that these were the defining, signal events in terms of military actions in our nation’s history. HOW DOES WORKING ON THESE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARIES AFFECT YOUR VIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS? History makes you pretty optimistic, you know? We’ve gotten through a lot of bad stuff in our history and have prevailed. I don’t know if somebody who had experienced the British occupation of Philadelphia or had fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill would say that this is a particularly terrible time, right? There’s a relativity to these things. There’s a perspective. For example, we now think there might have been 750,000 people killed in the Civil War, not the 600,620 that we estimated when we made our series 35 years ago

— that’s an enormous percentage of the population then, well over 2% [compared to 0.11% of population dying in WWI or 0.33% in WWII]. Our revolution had proportionately almost as many deaths. The counting is imperfect — today, there is no way to go back and count somebody who just disappeared, or who was a loyalist versus who was a patriot. But we do know that there were Native Americans who were fighting for the British but also who were fighting for the Americans. And we do know individual stories, like that of Rebecca Tanner, a Mohegan woman who lost five sons for the Patriot cause. I know of no greater sacrifice than losing your children to a cause. So I think history tends to make you an optimist, but it also makes you pretty aware of the signals, right? If you know history, then you’re that canary in the coal mine saying, the air isn’t as good as you think it is. The American Revolution will premiere on PBS North Carolina on Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. and air for six consecutive nights. The full series will be available to stream beginning Nov. 16 at PBS.org and on the PBS App.

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 37

LOCALS

Rolling into Fatherhood

Raleigh Stroller Society is redefining what it means to be a dad, one step at a time by SUSANNA KLINGENBERG photography by BRYAN REGAN

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n a crisp Saturday morning at the North Carolina Museum of Art, an eclectic group of dads gathers in the amphitheater, strollers and diaper bags in tow. They are fathers through different means: biological, adoptive and step-parents. They are tattooed and buttoned-up, quiet and outgoing, gay and straight, pushing high-tech strollers and battered hand-me-downs, some in the first months of parenthood and some seasoned veterans. So what’s the common denominator? William Folston, founder of Raleigh Stroller Society, says it’s simple: “We’re all just looking for community.” The group, which has been meeting since May of 2025, invites dads and their kids to meet once a month at a local park to take a stroller walk together. It’s a simple premise with an outsized impact. Historically, there have been plenty of ways for new moms in Raleigh to gather

and share the parenting experience, ranging from paid membership groups to abundant casual meetups. HER Health Collective, Mom League, Dear Brown Mama and The Bunny Hive are just a few of the many ways moms can form community around motherhood in Raleigh. But for fathers, the local options have been far fewer. “If you didn’t know another dad, like in the neighborhood or something, who was going through the same phase of parenthood as you, you were kind of on your own,” says Folston. “I wanted to change that.” “I’m a work-from-home dad, so I’m at the house a lot, and I feel like I can lose myself in raising my son, you know?” says Trevant Mann, a regular. “Being able to get out, chat, network and just be with other dads — it keeps me grounded.” Folston says at each meetup, talk quickly turns from music and sports to the nittygritty of early parenting: sleep depriva-

tion, feeding challenges, milestones and marital tiffs. “As a first-time parent, I’d read things about what parenthood was like. I’d heard things, seen things on TikTok. But it’s very different in reality,” says Folston. “When I meet up with other dads, it’s comforting to hear, Oh yeah, we went through that too, this is what we did, this is how we conquered it. I come away feeling like, Ok, so this is normal.” The group’s motto, “Raising kids, raising standards,” reflects Folston’s ambition. “I want our group to be part of the transition to something new, a new kind of father,” he says. Their meetups, though, feel less like a movement and more like a friendly hang, with gales of laughter, plenty of snacks and a chorus of sweet baby noises. Sarah Szymanowski, certified perinatal mental health counselor and owner of Fermata Counseling, suggests there’s more happening below the surface as dads stroll, munch donuts and change diapers in each other’s company. “They’re being real with each other about the huge identity shift that just happened to them,” she says. “These dads are embodying the change we as parents envision for the next generation of boys. They’re allowing themselves to be vulnerable with each other.” Folston started the group when he was on paternity leave. His wife had gone back to work, and he wasn’t sure what to do all day with his daughter, Marley. So he did something he and his wife have always enjoyed doing together: he went for walks. “One day I said to my wife, I’m just gonna ask some guys in the neighborhood if they want to come walk with me,” says Folston. “I joked I was starting a stroller club.” Folston’s wife told him about a dad’s stroller club in Brooklyn and encouraged him to lean into the idea. “So what started as a joke turned into me saying, You know what? Let me just give this thing a try,” Folston says. He posted the idea on Instagram, and nine dads and their babies came to the first meetup in May. That small group met other dads at the park that day, who joined the next month. That larger group

Clockwise from top left: William Folston (walking the stroller at far right) with a group of dads; Trevant Mann and his son; Hank Benjamin Jr. and his daughter.

brought friends and neighbors and dads from their children’s daycare. In the background, the Raleigh Stroller Society Instagram account was being shared far and wide — mostly by moms, who shared with other moms, who shared with their partners. The group has taken off from there, with the September meeting welcoming over 70 dads and their kids. Seventy dads, just as many strollers, a crew of chatty toddlers and a mountain of Tepuy donuts: it’s pretty hard to miss, even in a big park on a busy Saturday morning. But visibility is part of the point. The emergence of Raleigh Stroller Society reflects not just on Folston and its participants, but also on our city. “It

speaks volumes about the family-friendly community here,” says Brian Lauscher, who attended the September meet-up on his first day in Raleigh, after moving here with his husband and daughter. “I’ve chatted with some of my dad friends in other cities and they’d love to have a dad meetup group like the one in Raleigh.” Folston takes the long view of community building through the Raleigh Stroller Society: “Hopefully, when our kids are all teenagers, we’ll still know each other, and we’ll have this group as our genesis story.”

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 39

As the Holiday Season Arrives, North Carolina Heritage Thrives at the Beaufort Historic Site UPCOMING EVENTS: • Nov. 22 - Jumble Sale • Nov. 22 - Book Launch and Luncheon for Elizabeth and the Baby Otter • Dec. 13 - Beaufort Holiday Art Walk & Candlelight Christmas Tour • Festive Double-Decker Bus Tours

Historic Beaufort, NC

christmas Cnleligt ou

Saturday, December 13th 5:00-8:00 pm PRIVATE HOMES, HISTORIC CHURCHES, SHOPS & GALLERIES

For tickets and additional info, visit our website www.beauforthistoricsite.org or call or stop by The Beaufort Historic Site:

130 Turner Street, Beaufort, NC • 252-728-5225

TheBeaufortHistoricSite MattieKingDavisGallery

GARDEN

MOVE ALONG

Getty Images

I developed my interest in year-round gardening by shopping seasonally for plants — there is always something to enjoy. This month, I’m planning to add a couple of native understory trees to my garden, including the pussy willow, which serves as the host plant for the larval stages of the Mourning Cloak and Viceroy butterflies, among others. Here’s what else I’ll be up to in the garden! — Helen Yoest WATER, WATER With cooler temperatures, it’s easy to forget to water. In the absence of rain, give each new planting a good soak once a week. If it does rain, let your rain gauge determine if more water is needed. An inch of rain per week is ideal. TRANSPLANT SHRUBS Now is a great time to assess any possible rearranging of shrubs such as beautyberry, anise and sweet box. Here’s how to do it safely: Tie low-spreading branches with soft twine to gain the easiest access. Dig a trench around the shrub, 12 to 14 inches from the base of the crown, then dig around again, this time tucking the shovel under the root ball to begin lifting it gently. Then transplant it to a new spot and water. Tip: Dig the destination hole before transplanting (or purchasing) a tree or shrub to lessen the time the roots are exposed. DIVIDE PERENNIALS Thinning out perennials such as bearded iris, daylilies and garden phlox will not only give you more plants, but also increase air circulation and reduce the threat of mildew. For the iris, cut foliage in a fan shape (about 4 inches high). Dig up a clump, and using a clean knife, cut the rhizomes, leaving some leaves on each one. For the daylilies, dig a clump, separate the tuberous roots, and plant elsewhere. As garden phlox spreads, remove clumps to other parts of the garden or share with friends.

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 41

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NATURE

BUCKS & DOES Left: White-tailed deer buck in velvet. Right: White-tailed deer doe.

A conservation success, white-tailed deer can be both destructive and a delight words and photography by MIKE DUNN

y introduction to white-tailed deer came as a young teen going hunting with my father in Virginia. Though Dad was an excellent hunter, I never killed a deer, perhaps because I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger. But now I understand the need for hunting as a means of deer population management. When colonists first arrived, whitetailed deer were quite common, a staple of Native American diet and clothing needs. But large-scale changes in the landscape soon followed and that, combined with overhunting, led to deer being virtually extirpated in many areas of the South. Populations in North Carolina dwindled to around 10,000 deer in the entire state in the early 1900s, a mere 1% of what they may have been in pre-colonial times. Alarmed by this decline, laws were passed and hunting regulations enacted to try to preserve the herds. That effort became

a huge conservation success story as the population of deer in the state is now estimated at about 1 million. I’ve developed an ambivalent relationship with local deer herd. I enjoy seeing them in the woods and catching their behaviors on the trail cameras, but I’ve seen their impact on the forest and on our yard. A couple of years after moving in, I erected a 7-foot tall plastic mesh deer fence surrounding about an acre around the house. That gave the deer access to our remaining 13 acres, so I figured it was a fair deal. But the deer quickly found they could crawl under the fence in a few places due to the uneven terrain. That prompted me to add chicken wire and logs along the bottom of the fence. (Even though deer can clear 7 feet, it seems they prefer to go under a fence — though I did see a deer jump over one time.) Our wildflowers and shrubs prospered within the fence with only an occasional THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 43

NATURE

Left: Two bucks talking it over. Rubbing noses is a form of communication between bucks that may help them assess each other and avoid conflict or strengthen bonds between related individuals. Right: A fawn showing the camouflaged pattern of spots.

breach. But last year while we were on an extended vacation, a tree fell across the fence. When we returned, it looked like someone had used a weed eater on all of our gardens. It was heartbreaking, but they eventually grew back. Vegetation on the other 13 acres has not fared as well. Wildflowers that were scattered across the property in the mid-1990s disappeared within a decade. Deer, when overpopulated, can create a highly diminished forest. When a large tree falls in our woods now, there are no saplings to replace it. Please don’t misunderstand me: I am glad deer are on our property. Deer are beautiful and exhibit lots of fascinating behaviors. The change in fur color twice each year is particularly striking as they shed their summer reddish-brown coat to the better winter camouflage of graybrown fur. The winter coat provides greater insulation due to its long hollow guard hairs (which trap air to create an insulating layer) and dense underfur. Mating season for deer (called the rut) in our area peaks in November. As days begin to shorten, the males (bucks) produce more testosterone, leading to more aggressive behavior as they seek out receptive females (called does). Deer have their own brand of “social media”: Bucks will rub the bark off saplings 44 | WALTER

(especially aromatic species like red cedar and sassafras) leaving behind a visual cue of their presence. They also deposit scent on the trees from glands located on the forehead and near the eyes. A buck also creates scrapes by rubbing their antlers on a low overhanging tree limb, often biting the branches and breaking them. He will then paw at the ground underneath, scraping down to bare soil. As a final message, he will urinate in the spot, often rubbing together the glands located on his rear legs as he urinates over them. All this to impress the ladies and claim his turf. After the rut, similar-sized males will often form small bachelor herds and get along as if nothing had happened a few weeks earlier. Their testosterone levels drop, activating specialized cells called osteoclasts. These weaken the connection of the antlers, which will eventually drop off (usually in February or early March). They soon start growing their next set of antlers in preparation for another year of the rut. The growing antlers are covered in a blood-rich membrane known as velvet. During the first few months of growth, the velvetcovered antlers grow rapidly, often more than a quarter of an inch per day, making antler the fastest growing bone tissue in the mammal world. Come late

summer or early fall, bucks start rubbing off the velvet until the hardened white antlers are uncovered. Female deer give birth to one or two fawns in late spring. The young are reddish-brown with white spots that help camouflage them in the dappled sunlight of the forest. They have almost no scent and will lay still while their mother goes off to feed. If you find one, it is best to leave it alone, as its mother will soon return to nurse it. Deer feed on a variety of plants (as many gardeners painfully know) but one of their favorite foods are acorns. My trail camera videos show them loudly crunching each acorn, dropping out broken pieces of shell, and then searching for the next nutty morsel. One other behavior captured on our trail cameras surprised me. Deer can be very playful, and not just the fawns. They seem to particularly like to play in puddles and creeks. We have recorded deer getting into the water, looking around, then scooting backwards, pawing at the water and even sticking their faces in it. Then they often contort their body and leap into the air, twisting around and doing a mad dash before pausing and repeating. This can go one for several minutes, often with another deer joining in the fun. Who knew?

HOLIDAYS WITH THE MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH

Thanksgiving Weekend

Cirque Holiday Pops WED, NOV 26 | 4PM FRI/SAT NOV 28-29 | 3PM & 7:30PM Kick off the festive season with spellbinding grace and daredevil feats as contortionists and acrobats perform on stage—and 40 feet above it—while the Symphony spreads holiday cheer! Come early to visit Santa in the lobby.

Holiday Pops FRI, DEC 12 | NOON & 8PM SAT, DEC 13 | 8PM Starring Broadway sensation Mamie Parris, this joyous celebration promises to enchant audiences of all ages. Arrive early for photos with Santa! Friday Favorites Series Sponsor: The Cardinal at North Hills

Ugly Sweater Holiday Pops Concert SAT, DEC 13 | 3PM Wear your most delightfully tacky Christmas sweater and join us for a jolly afternoon of family, friends, and holiday songs. Strut your stuff in our Ugly Sweater Contest—you might just win! Swing by early to visit Santa in the lobby. Dates, titles, artists, programs, venues, and prices subject to change.

Don't get left out in the cold—buy now! ncsymphony.org | 919.733.2750

NORTH CAROLINA MASTER CHORALE

Handel’s Messiah FRI, DEC 5 | 8PM SAT, DEC 6 | 3PM Your North Carolina Symphony, the North Carolina Master Chorale, and soloists celebrate Handel's stunning masterpiece, featuring the majestic “Hallelujah” chorus.

Sure to sell out!

A Candlelight Christmas

with the North Carolina Symphony Holiday Brass FRI, DEC 19 | 7:30PM SAT/SUN, DEC 20-21 | 3PM TUE, DEC 23 | 3PM & 7:30PM By the magical glow of candlelight, jubilant brass and a festive youth chorus rejoice in the wonder, spirit, and unity of the holiday season. Come early to visit Santa in the lobby.

INTERIOR DESIGN - ART - FURNITURE - LIGHTING - ACCESSORIES - GIFTS

EXPLORE Tryon Palace

HOUSE TOURS Five residences across the state that offer an inside look at history and how society has evolved

courtesy of Tryon Palace

by SYDNEY BRAINARD

tepping inside a historic home can offer an intimate perspective on what kinds of lives its former inhabitants lived. “To be able to step back in time and see something that’s been preserved since, say, the 1700s, gives one a sense of permanence, gives one a sense of continuity,” says Vonna O’Neill, president of the Cupola House Association in Edenton. North Carolina has several grand homes across the state that are worth visiting for their architectural significance and the ways they illustrate our society’s evolution since the colonial era. The next time you want to explore more of North Carolina, consider a road trip to visit one of these five historic homes.

TRYON PALACE As the state’s first capital, New Bern is a worthwhile destination for anyone who enjoys history. The Tryon Palace and grounds, located at the waterfront edge of downtown, immerse you instantly into

the colonial era. After construction was completed in 1770, the Georgian-style mansion served as the home of North Carolina’s governor at the time, William Tryon, his family and — as highlighted by the Palace’s “Life on the Lesser Stairs” tour — a sizable crew of servants and enslaved workers. The current palace is largely a recreation of the original, due to a fire that destroyed the main building in 1798, but was reconstructed on the original foundations using the original architectural plans. Tours of the palace, led by costumed tour guides, take you through the opulent residence, with its walls of intricate, colorful moulding and large collection of antique, period-accurate furniture, pulled straight from Tryon’s meticulously cataloged inventory. The tour also takes you through the kitchen office, a more modest building with brick floors and a massive fireplace, where servants prepared meals for the family. During the

tour, you can see historical actors cooking in the kitchen like servants would have centuries ago. “They use herbs from the garden; sometimes they’re cooking medicinal things and sometimes they’re cooking meals,” says Nancy Figiel, public affairs director for Tryon Palace. On your own, you can explore the stable office, complete with several horse stalls and a harness room, in its original structure from the 1770s, as well as the vast palace gardens on the property. After your visit, you can continue to explore the historic homes and buildings near the palace, like the 1830s Dixon House or the New Bern Academy Museum. Don’t forget to grab a bite to eat in downtown New Bern, either. If you’ve got kids in tow, the Cow Cafe on Middle Street is always a crowd-pleaser with its homemade ice cream and fresh pies. From $20; 529 South Front Street, New Bern; tryonpalace.org

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 47

EXPLORE Körner’s Folly

with your pet raccoon,” says Suzanna Ritz Malliett, executive director of Körner’s Folly Foundation. (Yes, the children had a pet raccoon!) Follow up your tour with a stop at The Prescott, just down the road, for wine and dinner made with local ingredients. From $14; 413 S. Main Street, Kernersville; kornersfolly.org

Washington Duke reclining in a bronze chair at the entrance to East Campus. From $2 for guided tours; 2828 Duke Homestead Road, Durham; dukehomestead.org The Cupola House

KÖRNER’S FOLLY Design addicts will either love or loathe the architectural anomaly that is Körner’s Folly in Kernersville. Construction began in 1878 on this Victorian-era home, which served as a studio and design portfolio, as well as a home, for interior designer Jule Gilmer Körner. But its floor plan might make your head spin: the residence has 22 rooms, three floors, seven levels and ceiling heights that range from 5.5 to 25 feet! Körner was an eccentric figure, regularly renovating his house to accommodate all his new ideas, even after he married and had a family. At the time of his death in 1924, his daughter discovered that Körner even had future renovation plans for the house. The house’s architectural styles range from Gothic to Colonial, New Classical to Baroque. There are elaborately carved ceilings and window frames that give way to penny-tile flooring, detailed carved-wood furniture in one room and American encaustic tiling in another. Colors, textiles, furnishings and decor vary widely throughout the house. Today, the home is open to be explored, even as it continues to be preserved and restored. Körner’s Folly offers both guided and self-guided tours, so you can choose your own pace. “I think the self-guided option really allows you to use your imagination, and to really think about what life was like during that time — to think about what it would have been like to grow up in Körner’s Folly and to play in 22 rooms 48 | WALTER

DUKE HOMESTEAD STATE HISTORIC SITE AND TOBACCO MUSEUM Just a short trip from Raleigh, tucked away in the forest, lies the storied Duke Homestead, a simple frame house built in 1852 by Washington Duke. Within a few decades, the Duke family would control the tobacco industry and later help create what is now Duke University. The site of the homestead, along with the accompanying Tobacco Museum, tells the story of Washington Duke and his family, along with the two enslaved workers who lived on the property. It traces the Dukes from their earliest beginnings as farmers to the start of their tobacco empire, when they began to outgrow the factories and farm on the property. The site offers 45-minute guided tours of the homestead — which includes the house, farm and factory buildings — as well as a self-guided option of the visitor and museum. (The historic building interiors are only accessible with a guide.) After your visit, take a stroll around Duke University’s sprawling campus, where you’ll spot a statue of

THE CUPOLA HOUSE Only steps from the shores of Edenton Bay sits the colonial-era Cupola House and its lush gardens. As North Carolina’s second-oldest town, Edenton is chock full of history — during the 18th and early 19th century, it was a prominent port city and part of the Maritime Underground Railroad. The Cupola House, built in 1758 by a land agent named Francis Corbin, was inhabited for over a century and a half until it was bought for preservation in the early 1900s. “The ambience, when you step in, you do feel like you’ve stepped back into time,” says O’Neill. The unique house, constructed with a blend of Jacobean, Colonial and Georgian architectural styles, gets its name from the large cupola that sits atop the roof. The Cupola House provides guided tours, while the gardens are free to explore between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily. The house is also a stop on the Trolley Tour that runs through Edenton, which is an efficient option for exploring the area. Stop by The Herringbone On The Waterfront for dinner with a view, and if you’re interested in a weekend or long-term stay, the nearby Inner Banks Inn provides a charming historic bed and breakfast experience. From $12.50; 408 S. Broad Street, Edenton; cupolahouse.org

courtesy of locations

Duke Homestead

The Biltmore

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courtesy of The Biltmore

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW THE BILTMORE You can’t talk about grand historical North Carolina homes without mentioning the Biltmore Estate. The massive 250-room chateau was a marvel even in 1895, when construction was completed. Built by George Vanderbilt as a country retreat, the Biltmore Estate is practically its own town. The 175,000-square-foot French Renaissance Revival-style home was built primarily from limestone sourced from Indiana. With a two-story library, a banquet hall with a 70-foot ceiling, an indoor swimming pool and a bowling alley, one could get lost for hours exploring the Biltmore. Aside from the house, the estate contains large gardens, a winery, an inn, a hotel, cottages, a farmyard and a shopping area. While the Biltmore is especially popular around the holidays for its elaborate Christmas decor, the warmer seasons offer much to see as well, including abundant blooms like hydrangeas, abelias, magnolias and a variety of tropical plants, as well as lovely weather for wine tasting and visiting the farmyard. For the full Biltmore experience, spend the night at one of the many accommodations on the property, or head out to explore Asheville’s renowned food scene. From $85; 1 Lodge Street, Asheville; biltmore.com

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THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 49

Clockwise from left: Pirates enter Beaufort; a pirate Santa; CC and Bailey Parker with reenactors; Peg Leg.

the PIRATE Invasion A romp through coastal history by CC PARKER

n Aug. 26, 1747, a ship of Spanish privateers attacked North Carolina’s coastal town of Beaufort. The colonists had to rely on themselves against the foreign invaders, and after days under siege, they drove the pirates away. The pirates never returned. Now, each year, the colonists’ victory is celebrated and reenacted at Beaufort’s two-day Pirate Invasion event. The gathering has grown from a localsonly “day of living history” in 1960 to a weekend of pirate-themed activities attended by thousands of people. From sword fighting and puppetry to campfire cooking and blacksmithing, the event draws such a large crowd that residents jokingly call it “the Tourist Invasion.” I’d always wanted to experience the invasion for myself — and finally, last year, I made a plan. I enlisted my historybuff 23-year-old daughter Bailey as my

50 | WALTER

sidekick to “sail through time to 1747,” the Pirate Invasion tagline. Her only stipulation was that we both dress in period costume, no shortcuts. “An eye patch doesn’t count, Mom!” she said. Our pirate weekend kicked off with an evening dinner cruise aboard Beaufort’s “Crystal Coast Lady,” a locally based 120-passenger yacht. There, according to the schedule, “pirates” would enjoy a BBQ buffet and revelry. My daughter and I arrived just before departure. The deckhands saluted us as we walked up the gangplank; singing and plucky guitar music streamed from inside the boat. Inside, a rollicking live pirate band, The Motley Tones, was playing, and costumed partygoers of all ages were line dancing. Guests balancing rum punch in plastic tumblers maneuvered through the crowd. As the boat backed away from the dock and swung into Taylor’s Creek, a lady in a

red-and-black velvet ball gown welcomed the crowd and thanked the sponsors. I had taken great care in selecting our dinner seats, so was surprised to find 16 people seated at our reserved eight-person table. Knowing that mistakes happen, I addressed the large, bearded man dressed in a cloak and breeches with a saber strapped across his chest sitting at the head of the table, who appeared to be the leader. Giving him my biggest smile, I showed him my tickets. “There’s been a mistake,” I say. “Those two seats at the end of this table belong to us.” All conversation at the table stopped. He rolled his eyes, placed his hands onto the table, and heaved himself up. “You can sit in those empty seats,” he said, pointing to a table across the room. Aware that everyone on our side of the boat was waiting for my reaction, I stood my ground in my cashmere twin-

CC Parker (PORTRAITS); courtesy The Beaufort Pirate Invasion/Charles L. Harris

NOTED

CC Parker

set and white capri jeans. I explained to the pirate that we’d traveled a long way and I had picked our seats specially for my daughter to have a water view. Not missing a beat, he responded: “It’s dark outside, you can’t see anything.” “Well, he’s certainly taking his pirate role seriously,” I muttered to Bailey as we moved on. Luck was on our side, however: at our reassigned table, we sat with a darling couple who’d also missed the fine print and were in their street clothes. Also seated at our table was Peg Leg, a man who, we learned, is a fixture at every Pirate Invasion. He sat silently at the end of the table for most of dinner — until the rum punch had flowed and the pirate songs became a bit more bawdy. Soon enough, he was singing along, popping his peg leg into the air in time to the music. We joined in, too. Saturday’s festivities began at 11 a.m., which was fine by me — like these pirates, I am not an early riser. In keeping with my daughter’s request, I had ordered full-body costumes on Amazon. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize I’d actually ordered two British Red Coat costumes until I unpacked them the day of the Invasion. Not quite the right costumes — wrong enemies and off by a few decades — but at least they showed effort. We zipped ourselves into our polyester pantsuits, donned our tricornered hats and set off. The day was bright and clear — perfect for a skirmish. Parking our golf cart in a metered spot, we found seats along the dock. Around us, Front Street was bustling with throngs of pirates, scads of colonial-garbed people and curious onlookers in plainclothes. Bailey and I, in our matching Red Coat outfits (plus sunglasses), blended right in. She couldn’t stop laughing at my strap-on boot covers, nor I at her buck shoes with socks. The colonial encampment, where the reenactment takes place, is set up along the span of the Grayden Paul Park downtown on the waterfront. Though partitioned off from the public, we could see the various tents, a commu-

nal kitchen, a fire pit, laundry lines and a tarot card reader within the camp. The crowd was in high spirits as we watched the Spanish pirate boat approach the encampment. We heard shouting and cannons being fired! There was a heated exchange between the pirates on the boat and the colonists on land. The Spanish ship docked, and Spaniards began marching onto land. There was a skirmish with swords and guns flailing and then the Spanish flag went up the flagpole — the signal for intermission. The crowd dispersed for lunch and Bailey and I headed to Wild Will’s Root Beer stand, where we splurged on the signature Pirate Invasion root beer steins. We grabbed a quick lunch of fish and chips (and pinot grigio) at Queen Anne’s Revenge restaurant on the waterfront. Afterwards, meandering through the colonial demonstration area, we stopped at two different ironsmith tents where they were making fire pokers and other tools for campfire cooking. We shopped a bit in the retail tent, which had stylish vintage items spanning from hand-blown colored-glass bottles to men’s top hats. We sampled a stew from the campfire cooking area. We took laughing photos of ourselves, headlocked in the pillory. Trying to stay on Invasion schedule, we hustled 500 feet from the waterfront to the Beaufort Historical Society property for the pirate trial at the old jail. We did not find the pirate trial, as billed, but there was live music on the porch, a free-standing puppet show and an arts and crafts area. We took a moment to walk through Mattie Davis King Art Gallery on the Historical Society property. Pirates and Red Coats alike saluted each other as we passed. Back to the docks: In the second act, there was another skirmish and the pirates were defeated. The program gave

Top: Bailey with her root beer. Bottom: CC gets a pirate punishment.

way to a sword fighting demonstration with bawdy jokes. Bailey and I finagled a picture with the headliners. With the programming over for the day, the final stop was The Backstreet Pub, a much-loved watering hole for innumerable boat crews, college students, pirates and folks just looking for a good time for the past hundred years. Bailey and I each enjoyed a very cold Budweiser as we listened to live music. As the sun began to dip, I sensed a shift in the atmosphere — and noticed that racks of adult-themed, leather pirate gear were being rolled out. Time to take my daughter home. The next morning, a few of the Carrot Island wild ponies appeared just across the creek and we opted to stay home to enjoy the view. Sitting out on our porch, we enjoyed the shouts from the skirmish and cannon fire. When the trumpets sounded and the crowd cheered in honor of the colonists’ perseverance, we raised our root beer steins (this time filled with coffee) to their victory. But upstairs in my closet, our costumes still hang in hopes Bailey is willing to come with me again this year. The Pirate Invasion takes place Nov. 14-15. Learn more at thebeaufortpirateinvasion.com THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 51

SIMPLE LIFE

I See the Birds How I learned to look up and live more fully by JIM DODSON illustration by GERRY O’NEILL

ovember is the month I take stock of the year’s happenings, the ordinary ups and downs as well as the unexpected challenges and graces that come with being alive and kicking in 2025. This year, however, I’m looking back a bit further. Two years ago, as my oldest golf buddy, Patrick, and I were setting off on a golf adventure across Southern England to celebrate our mutual 70th birthdays and 60 years of friendship, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Talk about a buzzkill. Naturally, I was surprised to discover that around a quarter of a million American men develop prostate cancer each year. But perhaps I shouldn’t have been. My dad, you see, discovered his prostate cancer at age 70. He chose to have his prostate surgically removed and went on

52 | WALTER

“ ... the best thing you can do now is to go play golf with your buddy in England and have a great time. That’s the best medicine.” — Lester Borden to live a productive and happy life for the next decade. My nickname for him was “Opti the Mystic,” owing to the extraordinary faith and unsinkable optimism that carried him to the very end. A few years later, as I was completing work on my friend Arnold Palmer’s memoir, A Golfer’s Life, the King of Golf

was also diagnosed with the disease. Likewise, Arnie had just turned 70. He went straight to the Mayo Clinic and had his prostate removed. He lived a full life, reaching 87 years. Experts say that most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history, though they concede that there may well be a family gene factor involved. In retrospect, I like to think that I was simply destined to follow the leads of the two men I admired most — a unique medical case of “like father, like son, plus his favorite boyhood sports hero.” Joking aside, I chose a different treatment path than my dad and Arnie because, as I learned, there have been tremendous medical advances in prostate cancer treatment since their dances with the disease, providing modern patients a

much greater chance of living out their natural life expectancy. Thus, under the direction of an outstanding urologist named Lester Borden and veteran Cone Health oncologist Gary Sherrill, I chose six weeks of targeted radiation therapy followed by 24 months of a relatively new “super drug” my oncologist called “the Cadillac of prostate treatment.” During the discussions of options, I quipped to Lester (a fellow golfer) that I hoped to publish at least three more books on golf — and shoot my age, the quest of every aging golfer — before I exited the fairways of life. I also assumed that the trip was out of the question. Lester smiled. “You’ll have three books and maybe more,” he said. “Meanwhile, the best thing you can do now is to go play golf with your buddy in England and have a great time. That’s the best medicine.” So, off we went. And though it turned out to be the statistically wettest week in recent memory, Patrick and I had a wonderful journey from Southern England’s east coast to west, seeing old friends and playing 18 nine-hole matches through howling winds and sideways rain over seven of Britain’s most revered golf courses. Somehow, amazingly, our roving golf match wound up being tied — in retrospect, it was just what the doctor ordered. My prostate problem hardly entered my mind. During our last stop, at a historic club called Westward Ho, where we were both overseas members for many years, we had a delightful lunch with our dear friend, Sir Charles Churchill. Then 90, the legend in British golf circles and two-time president of the club reveled in our soggy tales of a golf match nobody won. The real winner, Charles reminded us, was our enduring friendship. As anyone who makes the cancer journey understands, or quickly discovers, optimism and faith are essential tools in the fight against this merciless disease. Upon our return, I resolved to spend the rest of my days with more optimism, good humor and a deeper gratitude for

the life and work I’ve enjoyed — along with an awakened empathy for others who aren’t as fortunate. The tools in my kit include a keen (if somewhat private) spiritual life that I exercise every morning when I chat with God under the stars. I also often ask his (or her) advice throughout the day, especially when I’m watching birds at the feeders in the early morning or late afternoon. One of the surprising gifts from this period was a song I heard by chance — or maybe not? — called “I See the Birds,” by a gifted songwriter named Jon Guerra. I was stuck in heavy city traffic, late for a lunch date and stewing over the insane way people drive these days, when this incredible song popped up on my music feed. I see the birds up in the air I know you feed them I know you care So won’t you teach me How I mean more to you than them In times of trouble Be my help again By the end of the song, I was fighting back tears. It’s from a beautiful album simply titled Jesus that’s based on the Book of Matthew. That song became the theme of my two-year journey back to health. I still listen to it at least once a day. I also turned to the timeless wisdom of the old friends who line my library bookshelves. “Don’t waste your life in doubts and fears,” advised Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of my favorite non-golfing heroes. “Spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour’s duties will be the best preparation for the hours or ages that follow it.” With that guidance, the work before me during my cancer journey included the pleasure of publishing my most rewarding book and finishing a landscape garden that I’d worked on for a decade.

I also received a new left knee that might someday improve the quality of my golf game. Best of all, we learned that my daughter, Maggie, is pregnant with a baby girl, due Christmas Eve, which will make me a granddad. Talk about a gift from the universe. The final touch came last week when oncologist Gary Sherrill provided the good news. “You’re doing great,” he said after an extensive check-up. “No sign of cancer anywhere. You’re good to go.” A few days later, my friend Lester Borden confirmed this good news, reminding me that there will always be periodic follow-ups to make sure the scourge never returns. I assured him I could live with that. On a sweeter note, we also talked about his recent golf trip to Scotland with 11 of his buddies and the pleasures of introducing his son to golf. I pictured Opti the Mystic and the King of Golf, together somewhere on a heavenly golf course, smiling at this news. In the meantime, I’m doubling down on the things I’ve learned from my unexpected journey. To judge less and love more. To thank my maker and see the birds up in the air. Who knows? Maybe someday this budding grandpa may even shoot his age.

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 53

A happy place to call home At Bank of America, we are committed to improving financial lives. We focus on issues that fundamentally connect to economic mobility — like workforce training, affordable housing and addressing basic needs. By partnering with organizations that drive local solutions, we can help people build better lives and create strong, sustainable local communities. Visit us at bankofamerica.com/thetriangle

This year’s Diwali, I am still learning love by RISHI JANAKIRAMAN — with a line from Michelle Li illustration by SAMPADA KODAGALI AGARWAL The fireworks muscle their way through the sky like bad memories breaking the surface. Bad coffee, bad boyfriend, bad college essay: this syllabus of small disasters I swore I’d exhaled months ago, now laced with the diesel breath of semis hauling Christmas trees east, plastic tigers west, you know everything looks holy when you drive fast enough. I balance a diya on the dashboard cupholder, ghee trembling like a small animal. I think of Mary Oliver, but the soft animal of my body loves everything incorrectly. My mother tells me to keep the diya’s light alive. You know, in America, even the shadows are rented. The motel’s vacancy sign burns the same orange as a marigold but colder. The atmosphere, like a rainstorm from three states away. It’s Diwali & this whole world is loving everything too late. Somewhere, a row of sparklers fizzes out on the curb like bright martyrs, a paper plate cartwheels down the empty lot, my hands still smell of cardamom from the sweets I ate in the car. I think of the boy who, here, kissed me like he was testing a microphone, his hands searching my jacket for pockets that didn’t exist, and how I wanted to tell him that all my pockets are imaginary, stitched into the lining of the night.

THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 55

Sara Abernethy and Chris Borreson of Wye Hill Hospitality serve up a meal — with a little help from their friends

rooted in

hospitality by HAMPTON WILLIAMS HOFER photography by FORREST MASON

ara Abernethy and Chris Borreson know good hospitality. At their Boylan Heights gastropub, Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing, they like to sit in every chair, saddled up to hightop tables Borreson built and welded himself, just to see what each diner sees. Their mutual background in theater no doubt informs their commitment to the whole dining experience. “When you think about it, restaurants are theater,” Abernethy says. “Opening the doors each night is like putting on a performance, where you hope the details of what a guest sees, tastes and hears transport them, even just for two hours, away from whatever burdens they carry.” 56 | WALTER

A budding sommelier, hospitality queen, mother of two small children and casual opera singer, Abernethy recently launched a podcast, Her Seat At The Table, highlighting female leaders in food and beverage. Her zone of genius lies in translating vision to reality, and in finding the right people to help her do it. “I have two hands and now two babies. I can’t do it all!” she says. “But anyone should feel permission to delegate.” This is just as true than on her all-time favorite holiday: Thanksgiving. Every Thanksgiving, Abernethy and Borreson host a robust buffet; some years extra chairs are brought in, and some years it’s more intimate, but one thing that’s sacred is it always starts with bubbles. A self-proclaimed stemware addict,

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Abernethy believes champagne offers the right enchantment to kick off any celebration — preferably with a saber. As per tradition, someone in the family will sword off the top of a champagne bottle on the back deck. Corks are labeled with dates and kept as keepsakes. Abernethy often whips up three kinds of stuffing, including oyster stuffing from Borreson’s family, cornbread stuffing with sausage (hello, Southern roots) and the good stuff inside the turkey. There will be mushroom gravy from her aunt Betty’s recipe, and Borreson typically smokes a full salmon and roasts some oysters. The couple is a hospitality match made in heaven: back in 2017, Abernethy and Borreson left San Diego, where La Jolla Playhouse had been the backdrop of their lives, him as a technical director and set creator, and her working in development and on stage. They packed their belongings into a Sprinter van and drove to Abernethy’s hometown of Raleigh, where the plan was to flip a house in Durham and turn it into a wedding venue, utilizing Borreson’s skills with power tools and Abernethy’s proclivity for putting on a good show. But they kept their ears to the ground, and by the time they got married 58 | WALTER

in their home’s front yard, they were already in conversation with the owner of the former Boylan Bridge Brewpub, who was looking for someone to breathe new life into the storied spot. “We had a lot of heart, free labor and a vision to maintain that local independent Raleigh vibe,” Abernethy says. Friends and family arrived from near and far, most crashing with the couple, to work around the clock flipping the space into what became Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing. The building was already full of unique industrial elements, so the main work was in removing the facade that had been built over them. They repainted every square inch, built furniture, stained wood and cleaned relentlessly. “We had a lot of people in our lives warning us about restaurant statistics,” Abernethy recalls. But seven years later, they’ve beaten the odds. Large block letters painted across the brick side of Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing proclaim: People. Plates. Pours. Inside, chef Bobby McFarland whips up his twist on bar food, like filet mignon skewers and dill pickle pimento cheese. Meanwhile, on a patio that features a panoramic view of downtown, brew-

masters serve crisp, modern ales and IPAs. Wye Hill is named for the unique formation of the train tracks beside the building that diverge into a “wye,” which allows locomotives to change direction. The wye in the tracks is rife with meaning for its owners, “This special place marks a turning point in our personal lives and our careers,” says Abernethy. “And as a Raleigh native, being on this perch watching the evolution of the city has been transformative. The skyline has changed dramatically even since we opened in 2019.” With the gastropub’s success, the couple formed Wye Hill Hospitality, which opened Glasshouse Kitchen in Research Triangle Park in 2022. That idea came from boots on the ground, too: for the first three years of Wye Hill Kitchen & Brewing, Abernethy was still working a full-time job in the Salesforce ecosystem for a company in RTP. She would often search for places to have business meetings and events, but found the options in RTP to be extremely limited. “Fifty thousand people working in the park, and where do they eat?” she says. “It seemed like an obvious proposition, and we ran with it. This time, with Glass-

Abernethy believes champagne offers the right enchantment to kick off any celebration — preferably with a saber.

Abernethy opens a bottle of champagne with a saber. It’s engraved with the names of the places she and Borreson have lived together. Opposite page: The first course includes a charcuterie plate (Trader Joe’s is a favorite place to find fixings), beverages from Wye Hill and oysters.

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The family’s dining room. Abernethy loves to collect glassware, and the painting is by Father & Son Antiques owner Brian Ownbey, a family friend. Opposite page, clockwise from top: The turkey on the smoker; Sweet Potato Spears with Thanksgiving Chili Crisp; Jalapeño Popper Stuffins; Mushroom Gravy.

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SARA ABERNETHY’S THANKSGIVING WINE PAIRINGS Abernethy loves to find the perfect wine to go with a meal. For Thanksgiving, she suggests asking your local wine shop for a bottle with great acidity. “There’s such a range of dishes around the table at Thanksgiving that a wine that refreshes your palate will serve you well,” she says. “And when in doubt, go with Champagne. Bubbles go with everything!”

house Kitchen, we went much more contemporary, with an elevated, cosmopolitan dining experience based on the North Carolina agricultural landscape.” Everything the couple does starts and ends with a talented, dynamic team. At Glasshouse Kitchen, chef de cuisine Kyle Fletcher serves up seasonal offerings like Oysters Rockefeller, NC Wagyu NY Strip, and Fall Vegetable Tagine, accompanied by a rotation of signature cocktails and wines. Abernethy and Borreson also worked with graphic designer Mike Rosado at MRC branding studio in Raleigh to translate their vision into a brand. “Yes, we had grit and courage in this business, but we do not do everything,” Abernethy says. “We definitely believe in asking for help.” Although she loves to cook and establish eateries, Abernethy does not consider herself a chef. The wines are where she thrives, in her restaurants and when welcoming guests at home. She’s a certified wine slinger and holder of a Level 3 Certification from the Wine, Spirit & Education Trust, as well as a French Wine Scholar award. As their family has grown, Abernethy’s role has shifted away from day-to-day operations toward 62 | WALTER

big-picture planning as co-founder. It comes as no surprise that Thanksgiving is Abernethy’s favorite holiday: it’s rooted in hospitality, brimming with connection and focused on the lifegiving joy of good food and drink. But even so, Abernethy doesn’t believe in doing it all. “So often, people save their most intricate and difficult recipes for Thanksgiving, when there is already so much going on,” she says. “You don’t need to have your hands on every detail of your meal for it to be great and memorable.” That’s why alongside their family recipes, the couple will serve NC sweet potatoes from chef McFarland (made with a chili crisp infused with cranberry and aromatics), produce-forward side dishes from chef Fletcher and a showstopping pumpkin crumb cake from pastry chef Bonnie Cameron. Looking back on the journey thus far, Abernethy is most proud of their growth — the fact that they opened Wye Hill in the first place, soldiered through the pandemic and are thriving today. “I’m just excited to have a place in the developing culinary land scape of Raleigh,” she says. “As a native, to watch it all unfold… it’s an honor.”

LELARGE-PUGEOT CHAMPAGNE Abernethy loves this true champagne from Vrigny a Premier Cru village in France. “This producer makes a vibrant, fruity and flirty expression of Champagne that is scrumptious on its own, but also incredibly flexible when paired with foods,” she says. CHATEAU YVONNE SAUMUR BLANC A Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley in France, this choice is lighter to medium in body with gorgeous minerality. “I love how it complements and cuts through richer dishes, like stuffing,” Abernethy says. “This wine is great for those who love Sauvignon Blanc but might want to be a bit more adventurous.” CRISTOM PINOT NOIR “When it comes to Pinot Noir, there are so many to choose from, and the Willamette Valley in Oregon is one of my favorite regions,” says Abernethy. “Pinot noir is lighter in body with great acidity, and I love the smoky and black pepper notes that come from this terroir.”

Abernethy with the turkey! Opposite page, left to right: Classic Stuffing; Stuffed Squash; Smoked Brisket.

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ON THE ME NU CHARCUTERIE BOARD & RAW OYSTERS Easy, elegant crowd-pleasers SMOKED TURKEY & SMOKED BRISKET Done low and slow by Lawrence BBQ MUSHROOM GRAVY Made with a mix of white and portobello mushrooms CLASSIC STUFFING Abernethy’s traditional recipe, featuring Union Special bread JALAPEÑO POPPER STUFFINS A take on cornbread stuffing by Bobby McFarland, company chef for Wye Hill Hospitality STUFFED SQUASH A seasonal showstopper from chef Kyle Fletcher of Glasshouse Kitchen SWEET POTATO SPEARS WITH THANKSGIVING CHILI CRISP A spicy, creamy creation from McFarland ROASTED OYSTERS A Borreson family tradition PUMPKIN CRUMB CAKE WITH ORANGE ESPRESSO MARSCAPONE A decadent streusel from Bonnie Cameron, pastry chef at Glasshouse Kitchen APPLE PIE Made using Ashley Christensen’s pie crust recipe TO DRINK Champagne, wine and a selection of beverages from Wye Hill Brewing Find recipes on waltermagazine.com

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Clockwise from top: Abernethy, Borreson, their parents and children, and chef Bobby McFarland share a toast; Pumpkin Crumb Cake; Apple Pie; one of Abertnethy’s favorite wines for the meal. Opposite page: The full spread.

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DAISY AND JUNETTA grew up in the same Raleigh neighborhood. Daisy had four siblings and Junetta had five, so they could easily field a good game of kickball. They attended Fuller Elementary followed by Ligon Junior High, but went to different high schools. Junetta treasures her longtime and new friends at Friendship Cafe, as well as the monthly Library on the Go visits from Wake County Public Libraries.

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The Meals on Wheels Friendship Cafe at Redeeming Love Missionary Baptist Church brings together seniors who have become a tight-knit community

brewing

FRIENDSHIP by KATHERINE SNOW SMITH photography by JILLIAN CLARK THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 67

MAE was despondent after her husband Percy died a few years ago, so her daughter encouraged her to try out the Friendship Cafe at church. “The first day, I fell in love with it and started coming every day,” she says. “I knew I was going to miss something if I didn’t show up.” She always wears an outfit with a little flair because some there call her “the dressing-est thing they ever saw.”

aisy and Junetta have known each other since their days at Fuller Elementary in Raleigh. And they still get to see each other most days — now, as part of a tight-knit community of 15 to 20 seniors who gather for lunch at the Meals on Wheels Friendship Cafe at Redeeming Love Missionary Baptist Church. “When you come here, you know you’re cared about,” says Anthony, a church member who was asked to come unlock the doors to the fellowship hall a few years ago. “And I never left!” Meals on Wheels of Wake County hosts 10 Friendship Cafes, serving lunch and offering programming for 300 people, Monday through Friday.

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Anyone 60 or older, regardless of income, is welcome. At Friendship Cafes, it’s also about connecting people who become friends, even family. “Meals on Wheels is much more than a meal,” says Amy Akroyd, assistant director of development and communications for MOW. The organization is best known for delivering hot food to homebound seniors — in Wake County, they visit 1,100 residents every day. While those recipients get a burst of one-on-one connection, Friendship Cafes offer it in large supply. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., programming starts at 10 a.m. and friends dine after that. Eloise Best is the site manager for the Redeeming Love Friendship Cafe and

has worked for Meals on Wheels for 12 years. She arranges games and activities for the seniors, as well as speakers to talk about relevant topics, such as how to avoid scams and advice about estate planning. She also organizes a popular Spades and Dominos tournament against the Raleigh Police Department and Raleigh Fire Department. “They are so fun, they come every year,” says Deborah, another frequent Friendship Cafe guest. “They say they want to come all the time — and we have to remind them they aren’t old enough.” Photographer Jillian Clark visited the Redeeming Love Friendship Cafe recently to take portraits of some of its regular guests.

KATIE has fished all her life, in bodies of water from small ponds and creeks to Topsail Beach. She remembers catching crickets and worms for bait as a child. Her trophy fish, pictured here, weighed in at 2 pounds 14 ounces. “I love the people here,” she says of Friendship Cafe. “It’s somewhere to go every day.”

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HENRY first saw his wife GENA 25 years ago. “She was dressed all in blue. Everything matched. And I said: That’s my girl right there,” he recalls. They usually sit at different tables for dining and programs. “That’s the purpose. We are together most of the time,” Gena says, chuckling. “This way we are together, but not together.” “Sometimes you have to take time apart,” Henry agrees. “But she’s still my girl.”

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“I came over here to see what it was all about. I’m a regular now. I come every day. It keeps my mind busy.” — DOROTHY W.

After DOROTHY W.’S husband died in 2022, she started shopping every day just to leave the home that was so empty without him. “I was running from store to store, not for any particular things I needed, just to get out of the house,” she says. “I came over here to see what it was all about. I’m a regular now. I come every day. It keeps my mind busy.”

When LINDA joined the group two years ago, someone asked her if she lived alone. “I said, Why, because I talk all the time? And she said, Yeah, that’s it. I thought that was so funny,” she recalls. “We laugh so much here.” The Buffalo native thinks Buffalo Brothers in Raleigh makes wings like her favorite spot back home. “Somebody there is from Buffalo and knows how to make wings like they do at La Nova.”

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DEBORAH, who used to be a lobbyist in Boston, heard about Friendship Cafe through her cousin after moving here. She loves meeting new people and learning about all the different experiences people had growing up, whether in New York or North Carolina. “This is a place that stimulates your mind and it’s about friendship,” she says.

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A dyed-in-the-wool Wolfpack fan, DOROTHY T. worked at NC State for 32 years before retiring from her job as a cashier at the Atrium Food Court in 2008. She treasures her university friends and has photos of her sendoff party ready to share. Friendship Cafe offers her another family and keeps her busy. “We’ve learned how to make lap quilts and made jewelry,” she says.

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Before enjoying Friendship Cafe, JAMES says all he was doing was sitting on his porch. Now he loves playing cards and giving the crowd a chuckle when he calls Bingo. “I say I-19 in a real high voice, then I say it again and put the bass in it,” he says.

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SYLVIA started coming to Friendship Cafe three years ago. “They tell me I’m the youngest one at the table. I tell them: Y’all keep me rolling, laughing every day. They are really open, that’s what I like about everybody here,” she says. Eloise is always looking for new activities, so Sylvia found a good word search game. “We like everything as long as there’s no algebra in it,” Sylvia says, laughing.

ELOISE BEST is the site manager for the Redeeming Love Friendship Cafe. Guests sing her praises: “Eloise gets the best speakers,” “Eloise is always looking for new games,” “Eloise, puts the ‘friend’ in Friendship Cafe,” they say.

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Soft, organic colors and rich textures bring elevated comfort to a family home

DESERT ESSENCE

by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE

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photography by ABIGAIL JACKSON

THE HIGH LIFE Interior designer Liz Goldberg created a living room that’s elegant enough for guests, but comfortable for family time. “This room is all about entertaining, so we wanted lots of different types of seating,” says Goldberg, pointing out the extra-long sofa, two pairs of chairs and ottomans. The centerpiece is a cascading chandelier made of strips of leather. “It’s a showstopper,” says the homeowner.

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PREP MODE Opposite page: In the kitchen, Goldberg replaced cabinetry, countertops, tile and lighting. The terra-cotta chandeliers are natural on the inside and glazed white on the outside. “I love the way they reflect the light,” says the homeowner.” Goldberg designed the island to be held up with wooden pedestals. They topped it with white marble with flecks of green and purple. Near the kitchen is a pantry finished with hand-glazed tiles. This page: A seating area mixes velvet, marble and different metal tones.

n this Sunset Hills home, the tones are subtle — cream, stonewashed green, flax, camel — nuanced hues inspired by the Southwest, where the homeowners lived for a time before moving to Raleigh. But the materials are rich, like velvet, boucle, linen and marble, lending an elegance to even the most utilitarian spaces. “I love sticking within a color palette of similar tones, but then adding lots of different textural elements,” says Liz Goldberg, founder and creative director of Raleigh interior design firm CAROLYNLEONA, who designed the space. These clients, a couple with three young children, are the second owners of this two-story home by Dixon Kirby. They’d lived in North Raleigh for years, but wanted to be inside the beltline and were familiar with the builder. They moved into the house in 2020, just before the pandemic, and, in retrospect, being stuck at home gave them plenty of time to really understand their space. “I noticed where the light was coming in, or would think, If the floors were lighter, the whole room would seem bigger,” says the homeowner. They enlisted Goldberg and her team to help them make the space their own. “It already had beautiful bones, but we were able to problem-solve based on their lifestyle,” says Goldberg. She and project manager Michelle Silvis worked with general contractor Sigmon Construction to update the home, leaving the floor plan intact but adding strategic storage and decorative details to suit their needs and style. In the primary bathroom, for example, they built a linen closet with an arched top and integrated wooden handles to store towels and hampers. They added custom lockers to one hallway so it could function as a mudroom to hold the kids’ shoes and gear. The team restained the floors in a lighter shade “for a light, airy feel” and tore out built-ins in the living room to emphasize the tall ceilings. They traded out the previous kitchen cabinets for custom ones from Cardinal Cabinets and installed an island with furniture-style accents on its corners. In the adjacent dining room, they added wooden paneling to the ceiling to create a cozier feel. In terms of paint colors and furnishings, “they didn’t want strong colors or wild patterns — they wanted a soft, peaceful feel,” says Goldberg. The couple agreed that their style was “organic modern” and that they preferred a minimalist approach. “Not too many colors, neutral tones, soft hues — we love those desert colors,” says the homeowner. Based on this, Goldberg worked with a base of creamy white and layered on the earth tones. With such subtle colors, the home could have felt boring — so Goldberg made sure that each room included interesting materials and nuances in the furniture. In the pantry, for example, the backsplash tile is handmade and intentionally imperfect, for an organic feel. In the dining room, the legs of the table have carved-in stripes that are a visual nod to the fluting on the sideboard nearby. In the living room, two paintings from Alabama artist William McClure drive the point home, says Goldberg: “These abstract pieces seem neutral, but when you get close-up, there are all sorts of interesting details, like little squiggly lines and pops of colors.” For the homeowners, their space is now the perfect balance between elegant and casual, calm and welcoming. “It feels comfortable, but also elevated,” says the homeowner. THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 79

FORM & FUNCTION Clockwise from top: In the hallway leading to the kids’ bedrooms, Goldberg installed a blush wallpaper and a vintage rug. “It ties the house together,” she says. They covered the stairs in neutral carpeting to make it safer for the children. Goldberg created a mudroom by installing custom lockers with scalloped detailing for each of the kids (the interiors are painted blue or pink for their respective occupants). “They needed a place for backpacks and everyday things,” she says.

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FINE DINING Goldberg added the wood planks on the ceiling to make it feel more architectural. “I loved the idea of a warm, cozy glow as the sun sets,” she says. Goldberg used a lime wash on the walls for more texture and movement. A little carved detail on the legs of the whitewashed wood table is a nod back to the fluted sidebar. “Having anything white in a house with three kids is terrifying, but we have family dinners here,” the homeowner says.

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SPA MOMENT They kept the primary bath the same, structurally, but added functionality. Goldberg added a metal mesh to the inside of the glass in the cabinets — “It blocks the eye and adds texture,” she says — and painted them and added new hardware. They replaced the one large mirror behind the sinks with two smaller oval ones. Opposite page, bottom left: Goldberg carved out a space in the bathroom for a custom linen closet with an arched top (inside are hampers and storage).

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INTIMATE SPACES In the primary bedroom, Goldberg added wainscoting and a bench within an alcove, with drawers below for extra storage. The bed was done in a custom floral print. “I’d told them that I didn’t like florals, but Liz asked me to trust her — and she was so right. I love the bedroom so much,” says the homeowner. “It’s so calm and elegant, everything works so well together.” In the closet, they added shelving for the husband’s sneaker collection, plus drawers with leather pulls for a masculine touch.

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MOODY HUES Goldberg painted the walls in the office a deep gray and added molding, painted the same dark color, to give the space some gravitas. The art is from ArtSource in North Hills; the antique cars and sports memorabilia belong to the husband. The Eames chair is a family piece.

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ENTRY POINTS Clockwise from top: The pool and spa took up much of the backyard, so Goldberg sourced furnishings to finish the space. “It’s a small space, so we found two chairs that tucked perfectly behind the hot tub to make it functional,” says Goldberg. She covered the walls in the powder room in a stone green lime wash. “With all of these light, soft colors in the rest of the space, we felt like we could go bold here,” she says. A trio of mirrors hang in the entryway.

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through the

LENS

A gallery of the winning images from the Capital City Camera Club’s annual competition

by AYN-MONIQUE KLAHRE photographs by CAPITAL CITY CAMERA CLUB 86 | WALTER

As fall turned to winter, photographer Juli Leonard visited the J.C. Raulston Arboretum. North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green created poetic vignettes inspired by the images she captured.

Y CAME

CIT

CAP

Four Steeples by Dawn Willis

T IN SHO

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FIRST PLACE COLOR Courting Anhingas by Neva Scheve

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FIRST PLACE MONOCHROME Sentinels in the Mist by Jim Trull

aleigh is a city of creatives, and sometimes the best way to see that spirit is through a lens. For more than 40 years, the Capital City Camera Club (CCCC) has been a gathering place for local photographers — hobbyists, professionals and those somewhere in between — who share a passion for capturing the world in still images. What began as a small group of enthusiasts has grown into a vibrant nonprofit, complete with twice-monthly meetings, speakers, competitions and field trips. “We’re a close-knit group — we do outings and pull in speakers, and we challenge each other to improve our photography,” says longtime member Lynne Necrason. This fall, the group held its first Digital Juried Competition. Designed to cele-

brate the art of digital photography in all its forms — from vibrant color to moody monochrome — the competition welcomed entries from across the Triangle. Participants could submit up to three images, each evaluated by professional jurors with an eye toward both technical excellence and artistic vision. They received close to 200 submissions with photographs that covered a range of subjects, including nature, portraiture and architecture. “It was hard to decide what to submit, but I think the judges can tell when your heart is really in it,” says Necrason, whose image of red crown cranes on a frigid morning in Japan won second place in the color category. “It was so ethereal, I was out there for hours in below-zero temperatures because I was so wrapped up in the beauty of the scene.”

The competition was juried by Ray Pfeiffer, the founder/director of A Photographers Place, a gallery, maker and community space; Susan Bailey, a photographer and former coordinator of the Triangle chapter of the Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association; and Laura Wall, the creative director of WALTER magazine. “I was very impressed by the quality of the submissions for the CCCC competition,” says Bailey. Adds club member William Blaine, “It was amazing being able to sit in on the conversation of the final judging. I learned a lot!” Over the following pages, you’ll find the winning photographs — a gallery of work that demonstrates the skill and diversity of Raleigh’s photo community. Through Dec. 2, these photographs can also be viewed in-person at NoRa Cafe (12333 Strickland Road, Suite 100). THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 89

SECOND PLACE MONOCHROME Rehoboth Beach Jetty by Henry Rinne

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SECOND PLACE COLOR The Frozen Breath of Dawn by Lynne Necrason

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THIRD PLACE MONOCHROME Oregon Inlet Life Saving Station and Milky Way by Minnie Gallman

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THIRD PLACE COLOR Spanish Moss Autumn by Edie Melson

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HONORABLE MENTION COLOR Frosty Bison by Felix Hernandez

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HONORABLE MENTION MONOCHROME Whistle Blower by Uttam Shah

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Penguin in Falling Snow by Keith Kennedy

Milky Way over Coast Guard Station by Robert Cassanova

Magic Mountain by Michael Blaisdell

Crowned in Nature by Cathy Maready Let the Light Shine by Raymond Tice

Lake O’Hara by Dennis Oakley

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Burma by Dennis Oakley

INK by Kandice Drizake

JUST A FEW MORE... While the jurors had to choose winners, there were many, many fine photographs that were submitted. Here are some additional finalists for Color (opposite page) and Monochrome.

Time for Reflection by Thomas Latham

Urban Waterfall by Judith Winkler

The Passion of Cuban Ballet by Pat Anderson

Hands that Create by Raymond Tice

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Look what just sold! 1023 Cowper Drive | Raleigh NC 27608

$4,650,000 | 1.14 acre lot

JUST SOLD!

LEAVE IT TO

LAURA

Laura Bromhal laura.bromhal@bhhsysu.com Office: (919) 601-1616

Carolina’s Realty York Simpson Underwood Realty Yost & Little Pinehurst Realty Group

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Guide to GIVING As you begin planning for the holidays, please consider how you can help the organizations that are working to make our community a better place to live. The following pages offer a sampling of nonprofits in our area that rely on annual fundraising. With your help — be it monetary or hands-on — we can support their missions and have a hand in bettering Wake County. The WALTER Guide to Giving is made possible through sponsors from our local business community. THe Art & Soul of Raleigh | 99