Lisa Jeffries Nobling – Raleigh, NC

Category: Cocktails

  • 24 Hours in Charlotte: The Road to Van Gogh and Back

    Johnnie Bud and I hit the road Saturday morning for ~noon arrival to Van Gogh Exhibit Charlotte: The Immersive Experience and when I write “road” I Highway 64 and not I-40 because when you have the option to cruise the more comfortable and relaxed of westward bound routes, you should always choose it.

    As a professional in the events space, I could not have been more pleased with the Van Gogh experience. From pre-arrival messaging (which answered all of the FAQs and more) to parking to staffing to photo ops to the exit, this Charlotte-based crew had it nailed. We enjoyed the preview of the history of the space (who knew that Charlotte was once home to a Ford Motor Company assembly plant that later become a site for missile development?!), the friendly bar service (what’s an immersive art exhibit without wine?), and the 90,000,000 pixels that span a 40-minute, 360-degree visual arts experience that is Van Gogh with a modern twist.

    Photo Op in a Real, Working Ford Model T

    We purchased two basic tickets, $50 each, that allowed timed entry within a 20-minut window—a nice accommodation for social distancing measures that I hope will stay around as a new mainstay for event ticketing and guest flow. While it was by no means a low-cost art experience, the site itself clearly required a massive investment in upfit for the event and the abundance of well-trained, friendly staff were much appreciated. We lucked out in that our pre-show stroll landed us walking into the video portion of the day right during the closing credits so we grabbed two open chairs together and moments later, were experiencing the show in its full glory.

    It looks like the show has been extended through the end of October, so if you have the chance to get tickets, I highly encourage you to treat yourself to this one-of-a-kind experience in Charlotte. While it would be ideal for a quick day trip, we made a night of it…

    After departing the exhibit, we headed to Uptown Charlotte and checked in to our favorite boutique hotel in the city: The Dunhill Hotel. (Full Disclosure: The Dunhill is on our client roster at RMG+REG. I’d still stay here even if it wasn’t!)

    About The Dunhill: “The Dunhill Hotel, located in Uptown Charlotte, is the city’s only historic and boutique hotel. Our location puts you within walking distance of art galleries, museums, the full spectrum of dining experiences, nightlife, shopping, and much more. Experience sophisticated, full-service accommodations enhanced by genuine Southern hospitality, an historic setting, and ideal location.”

    Learn more at https://dunhillhotel.com/.

    Timing was really on our side this weekend, netting us an early check in to drop our stuff, grab an Uber, and head out to progressively eat and drink our way back to the hotel later in the evening. Our next destination: The Crunkleton! A Chapel Hill whiskey bar favorite of ours, Gary Crunkleton opened his Charlotte outpost just a year a ago with one major difference… a full restaurant attached. Johnnie and I enjoyed a few proper mid-day cocktails, Beignets, and Avocado Toast (for one, JB isn’t quite on that veg level yet) because once again, we lucked into two seats at the bar just before the kitchen was closing for a mid-day break. Named among Garden & Gun’s “40 Best Southern Bars”, get yourself to Chapel Hill or Charlotte for a sip or two and you’ll see why for yourself!

    While waiting for our next Uber to arrive, we stuck our head into Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find… a real deal comic book shop. We weren’t treated to any surprise visits by the cast of The Big Bang Theory but it is still so cool to find unique, independent retailers like this alive and well.

    Back in the Uber, we were Charlotte Beer Garden bound for a round then walked to Stir—two more concepts with Triangle-based variations. (It’s nice to be able to support our friends in the hospitality industry when we’re out and about, no matter where we roam. But if you are looking for decidedly Charlotte destinations, these are not for you.) Our final outpost of the evening prior to our return to The Dunhill was for a round of drinks at The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, where Johnnie was hoping to catch one of his favorite local bartenders. (Said bartender didn’t happen to be on-shift during our visit, the first and only missed timing of our whole weekend adventure!)

    Our return to the hotel was an opportunity to share another round of drinks at The Dunhill’s lobby bar which offers dinner service from The Asbury. We shared a few small plates and were even able to talk to brief guests stopping in on their Haunted Charlotte walking tour! The hotel originally opened in 1929 so it has its fair share of ghost stories but I’ll let you save those for your next visit rather than spoiling the surprises for you. ?

    Thanks to a great night’s sleep, we were up and at ’em in time for brunch at The Asbury. If you dine here and don’t give yourself the chance to take home leftovers, you’re missing out. The Southern fare lives up to its reputation and the portions are generous. Located next door to Discovery Place, we had no agenda for Sunday so we grabbed two tickets so we could explore the current Apollo exhibit and got lost in even more immersion for the better part of two hours. (I left my phone charging in the car, so alas, no pics here.)

    Our drive back to Raleighwood was a windows down, music cranked up kind of perfect. We remembered seeing a scenic overlook stop near Uwharrie Forest and paused for just a bit to enjoy the sunshine and snap a pic. (That’s one of our goals this year—to better document our best days. ? We didn’t do too bad this weekend!)

    About halfway through our ride home we were ready for a late lunch. Knowing Asheboro was about 15 minutes ahead, Johnnie hopped on Yelp and found an “Open Now” listing for The Flying Pig Food and Spirits where we sat on a covered patio and enjoyed a casual Sunday late lunch. We strolled around Downtown Asheboro which has lots of new live and businesses coming soon, a place that we’ve earmarked for another overnight visit soon… perhaps after a visit to the Zoo!

    A glass of wine on the porch at Lumina Wine & Beer capped off our weekend adventure and soon after, we were back at home in Raleighwood, relaxing and ready to take on this week.

    I hope this travel guide inspires you to hit the road in NC this fall and enjoy exploring like a local… cheers, y’all!

  • Neighborhood Drinks at Sidebar in Cary Downtown

    Downtown Cary, formally known as “Cary Downtown”, is starting to grow up beyond banks and longtime storefronts and is now attracting a variety of tenants including the newest: Sidebar Drinks + Company.

    Proprietor Matthew Bettinger, who you might recognize as the general manager from Downtown Raleigh’s C. Grace and Empress Room, has paired his cocktail savvy with his wife’s talented eye for aesthetics and put together a beautiful 21+ gathering space with an experienced cocktail menu and bountiful behind-the-bar selections.

    Located at 215 East Chatham Street, Sidebar is open Wednesday-Friday at 4 p.m. (closing at midnight Wednesday-Thursday, 2 a.m. Friday) and opens at noon on Saturday and Sunday (closing at 2 a.m. and midnight, respectively).

    We visited on a brisk Sunday afternoon and since we had Delta Dog along for the visit (our consistent Sunday companion), enjoyed a few rounds on the patio.

    Sidebar is a pretty little corner bar that neighbors Pro’s Epicurean Market & Cafe as well as Bond Brothers Beer Company. Since we visited on a Sunday afternoon, the other neighboring businesses (brewery excluded) were closed, so there was ample parking in the surrounding business center lots.

    Be sure to plan a visit on an evening when Pro’s is open and grab an incredible charcuterie plate to enjoy with your cocktails, but a word of note, the brewery was hoppin’ while we were there, which means lots of unattended minis making the business center sidewalks their personal playspaces and they were not using their “inside voices”. Buyer beware. 😉

    While there, I selected two of the “House Cocktails” to enjoy and both were downright delightful:

    Seven Amazing Benefits – $10
    Vodka, Lemon Syrup, Tamarind, Cucumber

    Bruleed Greyhound – $10
    Gin, Grapefruit, Burned Sugar, Lime, Salt

    I’m definitely a garnish girl as it is, but that “Burned Sugar” on the Bruleed Greyhound was stupid good. I’d come back again for that itself. Cocktail on the side, please.

    snoop dogg that's delicious

    Final Take: Do check out Sidebar in Cary when you get the chance. It makes for a nice afternoon stop. Tell Matt that Lisa sent you!

    PS: Yes, I found a way to work TWO Snoop Dogg gifs into one blog post. Perfection!

  • Cocktail Experiments: Tuscan Orange Honeysuckle

    My manfriend works for a company that represents spirits brands in the state of NC and as a result, he occasionally brings home “innovation” or new flavor products for us to try. Earlier this year he brought Smirnoff’s “Wild Honey” vodka home for us to try and I’ve been racking my brain for tasty options for this *almost*-too-sugary-sweet flavor. I say *almost* because I was confident we could find some complementary flavors that needed to be balanced by the vodka’s honey sweetness… and we did!

    More on that to come… but first, what didn’t work. I started with our usual go-to house mixer of Ginger Ale but the combination was just too sweet for my palate. So I started researching what flavors pair best with honey and found the mention of blood orange. I hopped on my Instacart app* (more on that soon!) and found that although it’s November, Whole Foods carries blood oranges fresh in store. I also ordered Whole Foods’ Blood Orange Italian Soda and waited for the delivery!

    I have been a longtime fan of blood oranges because of their vibrant color and since my days in the South of France where they were pretty prevalent. If you can find them fresh here stateside, grab a few and enjoy.

    The Result: Tuscan Orange Honeysuckle

    Orange Honeysuckle Cocktail

    Ingredients (So simple!):

    • One fresh blood orange, sliced
    • Smirnoff Wild Honey
    • Whole Foods Blood Orange Italian Soda
    • Ice

    Directions:

    Squeeze a few slices or muddle a few slices of fresh blood orange in a glass with lots of ice. Add equal parts vodka and Italian soda, or vary proportion to taste preference. Stir and enjoy – preferably, poolside.

    Overall, this drink was still sweet and tasted much like summer in a glass. Although not perfect for our first fall chill, I’m glad I have a simple go-to recipe for this sweet spirit to keep top of mind and I can absolutely tone the sweetness down with a blood orange sparkling water instead of Italian soda. (I actually had ordered one from Whole Foods, buy my Instacart* shopper said it had been discontinued. Womp, womp.)

    Since I love drinking “appropriate for the season” cocktails, my next venture will be into a whiskey cocktail that calls for vodka and honey and see where it takes me. I’m thinking a boozy apple cider is where it’s at. Stay tuned!

     

    *Please Note: The Instacart links I’ve used above give me a referral credit if you sign up to try the service based on my recommendation. You get a credit, too… so sign up for the free trial if you like the idea!

  • Fireside Cocktails: Warm Peppermint Patty

    It’s officially Day 1 of snow and we’ve just started the fireplace… and our third movie since last night. This calls for a hot cocktail!


    Warm Peppermint Patty

    This thing literally tastes like a melted York Peppermint Patty. Rich, tasty, and boozy. Cheers to all of that, y’all.

    The Necessities:

    • 8 ounces warm almond milk
    • 1 packet hot chocolate mix
    • 2 shots (about 3 oz.) Smirnoff Peppermint Twist

    Mix warm milk and hot chocolate mix thoroughly. Add Smirnoff and gently stir to combine. Top with marshmallows or cookie crumbles.

  • Get Snowed In with This Wintry Cocktail

    Bailey’s has released a vegan almond milk liqueur and with the impending snowmaggedon coming for Raleigh, I decided it was a great option for experimenting with to come up with a cocktail that I’m going to enjoy from the comfort of the couch.

    I blended a shot of Ketel One vodka, a shot and a half of Bailey’s Almande, and several heaping spoonfuls of Talenti Hazelnut Chocolate Chip gelato. (Garnished with a shake of nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.)

    I’m calling it “Chance of Accumulation” in the spirit of tonight’s forecast.

    Helllllloooooo, snowy weekend!

  • I’m Finally Going to Pepper Fest!

    I have wanted to go to this event for years, but something has always come up that’s kept me from snagging tickets ($30 here)… until this year, y’all! Can you imagine how excited I was when my girl Cherith from Clairemont Communications gave me a buzz to ask to me to volunteer as a beer judge? Well dang, Cher… twist my arm, why don’t ya? (PS: Thanks for the invite, giiiiiirl!)

    Billed as, “(The Amazing Pepper Festival is) a celebration of sustainable agriculture, farmers, renewable energy, and the creativity of the Piedmont’s chefs, brewers and artisans. An afternoon of fun, food, children’s educational workshops, breweries, distilleries, music and entertainment!”, I’m pumped to make the 20 minute trek over to Chapel Hill for my first taste of the fest. Be sure to tune in on Instagram and see just how much heat this girl can sample in one afternoon.

    So here’s what you need to know – especially if you might be able to find yourself in Chapel Hill on the afternoon of Sunday, September 27th!

    Tickets get you:

    • The most delicious pepper-themed dishes from some of the Piedmont’s best chefs and food artisans using locally grown and produced food.* (Alcoholic drinks not included – bring some extra $$.)
    • Live music – The Stacks are playing! Tania Elizabeth (of the Avett Brothers) and Andy Stack.
    • Participation in fun activities for kids and adults about local farms, renewable energy, and the abundance of great local food in and around the Triangle!
    In addition to spending the afternoon enjoying flavorful, and occassionally spicy, dishes and drinks, you can feel pretty darn good knowing that all proceeds benefit Abundance NC, 
    Who is Abundance, you might ask? They’re “About Us” page reads: “At Abundance, we aim to be a hub of community resilience in central North Carolina, sourcing out the abundant local opportunities for us all to live and act sustainably, and bringing people together to exchange ideas and build the communities we want to live in.” Quite simply put, the group believes: “We don’t have to rely on goods and services brought in from elsewhere to eat well or to live fulfilling lives. We have everything we need to create a flourishing and interdependent community, right here at home.”
    Local and sustainable. I am definitely down with that. Add peppers and afternoon cocktails? I’m in.
    Hope to see y’all there! 

  • What’s in your perfect Bloody Mary?

    Last week my family and I took an impromptu vacation (our first in 8 years according to Little Sister) to Topsail Island and I ordered a few Bloody Mary cocktails to take full advantage of the beachy state of mind.

    An extra spicy Bloody Mary at Beach Shop was a tasty start:

    We found ourselves at Beach Shop in search of breakfast until 11am and a wifi (I mistakenly booked the one house on the island without internet access… which is the reason I got a real vacation in for four days!), but stayed for finding the bottom of the glass. Two thumbs up. (Note: If it had been a bottomless cocktail special, it would have taken us MUCH longer to find the bottom of the glass. We found the bottom of bottomless Mimosas at Carter’s Kitchen in Charleston a few months ago. More on that at another time…)

    For a Sunday afternoon early dinner, we made it to Rick’s, where sorority sister and beach joiner DG joined in on the Bloody Mary action. We ordered them “extra spicy” (notice a pattern here?) but at Rick’s, that meant extra horseradish, rather than extra Tabasco sauce and/or black pepper. While they were good, DG and I agreed we’d be more specific about our next “extra spicy” request.

    Fast forward to tonight – Wednesday. I’m back from the beach and busting my hiney at work (per the usual) and decided I deserved a cocktail with dinner. I had Ketel One in the freezer (is there any other kind of vodka?), V8 in the fridge, pickled okra, pickles, and giant olives stuffed with pimientos. Oh, and cracked black pepper. It all went right in the glass with ice. #nom

    So that brings me to the question of the day… how do you make for or ask for what you consider to be the perfect Bloody Mary? I like ’em spicy and the more pickled vegetables you can fit in the glass, the better. #vegetarianlife

    My WRAL.com cohort Jodi recently published her Five Faves: Best Bloody Mary article about places to get a good version in the Triangle. You know, just throwing that out there for your reading pleasure while we’re discussing the reddest of vegetable cocktails.

  • March Madness is Coming!

    Ok, so it’s not here yet… but things sure are heating up on Tobacco Road!

    After doing some fun event research for a postcard at work, I decided that I want to have a March Madness party this year. Either at the townhouse or at Buckhead. I mean, this is NC people… if you can’t enjoy ACC basketball then you have no business being in close proximity to NCSU, UNC, Duke, and Wake Forest all at once.

    I think I’ll make this drink I found on eVite’s March Madness party ideas:

    “Beer and sports are a perfect match, so have a fridge full of brew. But if you want to shoot long for a 3-pointer, try this cocktail with three different rums (one for each point).

    3-Point Basket (Zombie)

    • 1 shot dark rum
    • 1 shot white rum
    • 1 shot gold/spiced rum
    • 1/2 shot apricot brandy
    • 1/2 shot lime juice
    • 1/2 shot pineapple juice
    • a dash of sugar

    Stir and serve.”

    Sounds yummy!