Category: Raleigh

  • 💣 Bomb Smoothies & Bigger Life Updates: From Behind the Scenes to All-In

    💣 Bomb Smoothies & Bigger Life Updates: From Behind the Scenes to All-In

    Hey y’all—Lisa here! It’s been a minute since I checked in on the blog, but I’m back with a little life update, a lot of excitement, and some smoothie-powered goodness to share.

    💼 From Event Partner to Investor & Ambassador

    You might know me as the founder of Raleighwood Media Group + Raleighwood Event Group, where my team and I have helped launch, grow, and celebrate dozens of incredible brands and businesses across the Triangle. One of our favorite recent projects? Producing the grand opening event for The Bomb Co.’s first brick-and-mortar store, The Bomb Bar, here in Raleigh!

    You can get a peek behind the curtain here:
    👉 Planning a BOMB Grand Opening Event (With a Bang)

    But that event ended up being more than just a gig—it was the beginning of a deeper connection with a brand I truly believe in. After seeing how their team operates and diving into the product myself, I became not just a customer, but a small investor in their most recent fundraising round… and I’ve officially joined the affiliate ambassador program!

    🫐 Why I’m All In on Blender Bombs

    Let me be real: I’m not a lifelong smoothie stan. In fact, for most of my life, I found smoothies to be either too chalky, too sugary, or just not filling enough to be worth the effort.

    But The Bomb Co. totally changed that for me.

    What drew me in—and keeps me hooked—is how their products are made from real food. There’s no health-washed nonsense here. No unpronounceable ingredients. No powders promising magical results. Just whole-food-based Blender Bombs and plant protein, created to fuel your day without the sugar crashes or supplement fog.

    As a business owner, foodie, and someone who gets tired of the same ol’ routine, I’ve found that using these bombs in my smoothies adds just the right amount of nutrition and variety to my mornings. It’s been a super easy lifestyle upgrade that doesn’t require a ton of brainpower during busy weeks (yes, please 🙌).

    💣 Want to Try? Here’s 20% Off

    If you’ve been curious about trying The Bomb Co. products, now’s the time! When you shop through my affiliate link, you’ll get 20% off your entire order:

    👉 thebombco.com/LISA10977
    Or just enter code LISA10977 at checkout.

    📍 Local to Raleigh? You’re in Luck.

    If you’re in the Raleigh area, head to Gateway Plaza (right off Capital Blvd!) to visit The Bomb Co.’s Bomb Bar. It’s a gorgeous space with major good vibes—and here’s the best part:

    Every time you buy Blender Bombs or plant protein in-store, you get a FREE smoothie.

    Yes, seriously. Buy the good stuff, and they’ll whip up a smoothie for you on the spot. What a damn deal, y’all.

    🗺️ Learn more about Gateway Plaza →

    🍓 Smoothie Recipes You’ll Actually Look Forward To

    Blender Bomb Smoothies

    While I’d love to take credit for these recipes, they come straight from the brilliant team at The Bomb Co.—and they’re truly next-level. I’ve curated and shared some of my favorites on my new Pinterest board:

    👉 Blender Bombs Away

    Whether you’re into energizing coffee blends, antioxidant-rich berry bowls, or festive fall flavors like Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread, there’s something here to fit your mood, your cravings, and your calendar.

    Every recipe includes a full ingredients list and links to grab what you need, including your 20% discount.

    💌 So What’s Next?

    Honestly, I’m just excited to be back to sharing things I love—from local business wins to personal wellness tools that actually make life smoother (again, pun intended). Thanks for sticking with me and cheering me on through every phase of this wild entrepreneurial adventure.

    Whether you’re a smoothie skeptic or a superfood junkie, I hope you’ll check out The Bomb Co., give a recipe a try, and let me know what you think.

    Now go forth, blend boldly, and don’t forget to drop a bomb in your blender. 💣
    — LJN

  • Do This Next Weekend: Stamp Out Hunger

    I’m pretty passionate about this topic because I personally feel that food insecurity and hunger are the most embarrassing issues facing North Carolina right now. We aren’t lacking food. (Thanks, farmers!) We aren’t lacking the money, resources, and science to solve this problem. (Like cancer, etc.) This is a fixable issue facing hundreds of thousands of NC families, children, seniors and individuals.

    This is literally the easiest food drive you’ve ever participated in. Simply pick up some extra canned items when you grocery shop this weekend or next week and just leave the extras at your mailbox. So plan on joining in on Saturday, Nay 9 – no matter where you live!
    How easy is it?
    Pack a bag of food and set it by your mailbox on Saturday, May 9! Your local letter carrier will do the rest.
    What should I give?
    Check this list of most needed items and take it with you on your grocery shopping trip! (No glass, please.)
    Where does my food go?
    Although this is a national food drive, all donations made within our region come to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC. Donated items are provided to the more than 651,000 children, families, and seniors in our 34 counties who are food insecure.

  • SuperKids Capes

    The MeFine Foundation is an NC non-profit that does a lot of good for children with serious illnesses. Check out how you can support this great program and their latest efforts below…

    The Foundation has recently launched the SuperKids Cape program for children with critical illnesses. According to board member and all around good guy Richard Averitte, “The Me Fine Foundation wants to bring attention to these unbelievable little people and their superpowers by adorning them with garments fits for a superhero; so we provide them with SuperKids Capes.”


    Me Fine Cape in Action

    The capes are hand-sewn by the Sewing Guild at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. They are customized capes that are awarded to a child after he/she undergoes a major procedure as part of their treatment, or upon discharge from the hospital. Me Fine is constantly in awe of the strength and determination of these kids, and the capes are a small way to recognize their inner superhero.

    On Sunday, March 1st at the Oak City Comic Con Me Fine will have a table with information on the Foundation and the SuperKids Capes program. A donation of $20 will go to the purchase a cape for one of these brave children. In addition, the donor will have an opportunity to write a short message of encouragement on a MeFine card. Three cheers for Oak City Comic Con donating space during their inaugural event. On top of hosting an abundance of comic book professionals and the best local comic book stores and vendors from across the state, the Oak City Comic Con will be a great activity for family this weekend.

    More details at http://www.mefinefoundation.org/events-posts/fine-takes-oak-city-comic-show-superkids-capes/. Be cool and share this Raleigh event with fellow cool people.

  • The Point Launches 12 Days of Christmas Contest for Local News Readers

    The Point, a weekday newsletter service that delivers a quick morning read of the things you need to know to get your day started in the Triangle (current events, politics, sports, weather and local entertainment), is kicking off a 12-day contest on Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, awarding readers with truly local gifts and experiences – and a new chance to win each day.

    Contest prizes include local coffee shop gift cards, apparel from local brands and retailers, and even concert tickets. Prizes will be announced each weekday in the morning newsletter sent to subscribers and readers will have until 11:59 p.m. to register at the unique link provided to win.

    To get in on the first day of reader giveaways – and to get a reminder for each of the following 11 prizes – register at http://www.ReadThePoint.com to receive The Point direct to your email inbox on Monday morning.

  • Brunch at Tazza Kitchen: No Syrup Needed

    Johnnie Bud and I have been big fans of Tazza Kitchen since it opened in Cameron Village earlier this year. They’ve got a great cocktail menu and and a foodie menu made for sharing each other’s plates, so of course we were excited to hear they were adding Sunday brunch to their tasty lineup.

    We called ahead around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday and were thrilled to hear there was no wait to seat two, so we drove over to Cameron Village, sat at the bar, and quickly ordered a Sunday afternoon staple – mimosas, please! (Very happy to report that they used fresh squeezed orange juice and a very generous pour of prosecco at $6. Next time, we’ll go for the $12 1/2 liter carafe option.)

    The brunch menu wasn’t super vegetarian-friendly, but still super appealing nonetheless.

    • Johnnie Bud ordered the French Toast: house-made brioche, cashew praline butter, blueberry vincotto sauce, basil, whipped mascarpone – $9.5
    • I chose the Broccoli Rabe & Smoke Mozzarella Sandwich: oven roasted tomatoes, smokey tomato mayo – $9.5

    Neither disappointed, but Johnnie’s choice was clearly the brunch champ this go around. The blueberries and praline butter made a great sweetener – no syrup required!

    My sandwich was a good choice with the mayo on the side, but would have been a better breakfast item with a fried egg or egg over medium/well added in between the ciabatta slices.

    We got plate envy watching the Huevos Rancheros (corn tostadas, chorizo, sofritto, baked eggs*, salsa verde, pico de gallo, crema, cranberry beans, hash browns – $10.5) and Breakfast Pizza (béchamel, bacon, mozzarella, grana padano, baked local eggs – $13) being delivered to nearby tables, so you can bet we’ll be back in the coming weekends to try those options A.S.A.P.

  • Raleigh People: Check out the Raleigh Beer Guide Launch Party on Thursday

    Consider this your official invitation from me!

    On Thursday evening, my WRAL Out & About team will be co-hosting the official launch party for the hot off the press Raleigh Beer Guide, which is a new print guide to be distributed throughout Wake County and across travel rest areas across NC, helping beer lovers find their way to the 16 Wake County craft breweries.

    The thing that I think is pretty cool about this event is that for the very first time I have working knowledge of, all 16 breweries will have a product on tap at the same place at the same time. So a big thank you goes out to the breweries, the gang from Raleigh Beer Guide, and the folks at Tyler’s Taproom in Raleigh’s Seaboard Station for making this happen.

    There will be some cool prizes up for grabs throughout the evening, so fast track your way through the welcome table when you RSVP in advance here: Eventbrite.com.

  • Sometimes the easiest way to help is by just showing up

    My colleague Kathy (@Raleighwood) told me about this event earlier, but the thought of exercising for two hours was a little more than I was mentally prepared to commit to on that day. I must have been tired at the time, because when I read her post about tomorrow’s event, I was totally re-energized to be a part. So I emailed my girls and was surprised to hear so many had friends and family affected by MS.

    So, if you’re so inclined to spend two hours and $10.00 to work out and help out, then email and call YOUR pals and join us tomorrow. Here’s the scoop from Kathy’s blog post:

    “My favorite Zumba teacher, Giannina Scattolin, and her crew will be teaching a two-hour Zumba dance party on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Longbranch of Raleigh, 608 Creekside Dr., in Raleigh. The fun is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

    Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Eastern North Carolina chapter of the National MS Society. Kids under 12 get in free.”

    According to the National MS Society website, “multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another”.

    Hope to see you tomorrow for a little (ok: a lot) of Zumba!
  • Hey Raleighs, What Are You Doing Friday Night?

    One of my gal pals (and fellow local nightlife/restaurant/retail rockstars), Christina G., was kind enough to invite me to Yelp.com’s second annual Open Party, so I thought I’d keep the kindness going and share it with you all, as well!

    This year’s theme is Athletes vs. Mathletes (ummm LOVE it) and from what I hear, Yelp’s local events take good time a whole new level. So as you might imagine, I’m very excited to check out my first event with this group of locals.

    Date: Friday, May 6th
    Time: Public Party Starts at 8pm
    Venue: Crabtree Tavern

    Nick and I went to Crabtree Tavern once during football season to check out their offerings. I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t get a chance to blog about it, so I don’t really remember much about the experience – except that I was still working when we got there and I was really impressed when the hostess was able to quickly seat us at a table with a power outlet so I could keep working with my laptop plugged in. I’m a sucker for great service! I’m sure I had a salad, and I would have remembered if it wasn’t good, so I’m looking forward to getting back there on Friday and giving them another try. I’ll make sure to post a review on Yelp after (which will sign up in my blog sidebar here now, too), so I won’t go so long that I forget how it was!

    Do you yelp? If so, here I am. Help me get past the “0” yelp friends icon, please?! 🙂

    PSFullsteam Brewery and LoneRider are part of the Friday night shenanigans. If you’re a local beer drinker, that’s likely what I should have started with – because that’s all you needed to hear, right?

    PS #2 – You know I love a good cause! Make a donation to Southern Siberian Rescue while you’re there for a chance to win great door prizes and to collect great Yelp swag. (I can attest to the fine quality of their swag, btw.)

    Cheers!

    (And last, no blog post is complete without a disclaimer these days. I was not contacted by Yelp to blog about this. But, I do know Christina and she did personally invite me out. Personal invitations don’t count as spiffs… at least I don’t think. ;-))

  • Happy First Friday, Everyone!

    I love First Friday in Downtown Raleigh – it’s a shame I’m usually busiest on Fridays and don’t get to participate in the fun more often.

    I am tonight however!

    On my list:

    Half-price menu at Sauced Pizza from 4:30pm until 6:30pm and $5.00 Three Olives cocktails (this happens every Friday, by the way).

    Rhapsody art show at CityGate from 6:00pm until 8:00pm (don’t you just love the dog paintings?).

    Cupcake Shoppe for sure after.

    And adding vino into that mixture somewhere 🙂 I haven’t been to Mosaic or Amra’s in ages… maybe those will be the wine destinations!

    {Images: Rhapsody image via Pizer Fine Art, Cupcake Shoppe image via LusterStudios}

  • My Durham Friends Just Got Real Lucky!

    If you’ve been around for a while, then you’ve certainly read a post or two from me about one of my Raleigh favorites… Tobacco Road.

    Well guess what Durham kids… you just got reaaaaaal lucky!

    From an American Tobacco Campus facebook update:

    Tobacco Road Sports Cafe opens today in Diamond View II, 11am-2am, 7 days a week. Great food, a champion view of the ballpark and the coolest wall of TVs anywhere: http://www.tobaccoroadsportscafe.com/about/index.html
    And if you’re a Durham Bulls fan who has no taste for stadium food (like myself), then you will certainly enjoy being able to catch the games right from the Tobacco Road patio overlooking the Durham Bulls field!

    Maybe Nick and I will “catch” dinner there tomorrow afternoon or Thursday – we already have plans for trivia and $0.25 wings at Sauced Pizza tonight in Raleigh with the gang!

    {Image: http://www.tobaccoroadsportscafe.com/atmosphere/index.html}