Lisa Jeffries Nobling – Raleigh, NC

Category: Travel

  • Welcome to Alum Status, Sis!

    I swear NCSU made the grad attire red just so she couldn’t reuse mine (which was black).

    And while she may be an undergrad alum, she’s heading back to NCSU in the fall for four more years. At the end of those four years and a board certification or two, you may call her Dr. Mandy and you will take your puppies and kitties to her for all their TLC and veterinary needs… when she’s not taking care of the Army’s animals!

    If you didn’t know, I’m her official part-time paparazzi. You can peruse 153 photos here 🙂

    PS – I realize I’m a weekend and some change late on this post, but the day after graduation she and her pals hopped on a cruise from Florida to Mexico, then she came home and hopped in a car bound for Atlantic City, and then flies back tomorrow and then goes to D.C. for the weekend… so she won’t see this until next week (or today on facebook) anyways. Who knew she’d graduate and become a lady of leisure?

  • Vegas – Round Two

    Remember Round 1? That was bachelorette party style.

    Round 2 this past weekend was “couples style”, if you will.

    Hotel: Mandalay Bay. They pump a smell into Mandalay Bay. Whatever it is, I’d like to buy it… by the gallon!

    {Image: About.com travel}
    Hotel Pool: Beach at Mandalay. 99 degrees F, no humidity!
    Dinner #1: 9 Fine Irishmen (at New York, New York). Good, but way too much food went to waste. (Portions are out of control in Vegas dining.)

    Show: Ka. If you do anything in Vegas, go see Ka at MGM Grand!

    {Image: Ka official site.}
    Daily Distraction: Auto Collection at the Imperial.

    		Dinner #3: VooDoo Steak & Lounge. Kick ass view of the Vegas Strip from the rooftop bar at Rio (That’s for you, Ashton!).

    Rivals the view from Mix at THE hotel at Mandalay Bay.

    A few pics on facebook, mostly of cars from The Auto Collections at the Imperial.

    By the way, a lady won $700,000+ on a slot machine at Monte Carlo while we were there. It wasn’t this girl. I lost $2.00 on slots – playing a whopping two times. Bummer.

    PS: I’m sick now (thank you crappy recycled air on the 5-hour flight home), another bummer.

    Ok, someone take me back to Vegas!

  • Red, Merlot, or Muscadine?

    Lisa S. shared Old North State Winery with those of us in her networks on facebook this week and I thought I’d pass it along here, too. She swears by Restless Soul and says it makes a great table red.

    Restless Soul
    This blend of Malbec, Tannat, and Cabernet Sauvignon is combined in just the right proportions to emphasize the wonderful fruity character of this complex Bordeaux style red wine. – $10.00    Have any of you NC people sampled any of their wide selection of wines or dined at the bistro in Mt. Airy?

    Share the details!

    PS – In case you might not have noticed, NC has a wonderful state-wide wine industry. Check out the Visit NC Wines website and find out where you can check out some local offerings near home, vacation, or even make day trips out of!

  • Day Trip to Boone?

    I’d probably be too scared to take the plunge, but this seems like the cooooooolest thing ever. (Especially after watching last week’s episode of Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory where he installed his own zip line in his massive warehouse/office complex).

    From Garden & Gun via email:

    GO SOUTH
    Zipping Along

    Believe it or not, zip lines (those cables youth campers attach themselves to to go whizzing across a lake or valley) have grown up. This spring, Scream Time Ziplines just outside of beautiful Boone, North Carolina, will send adult riders (and kids, too) zooming above some of the prettiest topography in the South.

    You start out by taking a 1972 six-wheel-drive army transport vehicle to the top of a local peak. From there you don a harness and attach yourself to a series of zip lines (the longest east of the Mississippi River) that crisscross down the valley. On the way you’ll have a bird’s-eye view of Boone, Appalachian State University, and all manner of flora and fauna. Just remember to open your eyes.

    Sweeeeeeet!

    Check out Canopy Tours in NC, SC, and FL!

    Maybe I’ll make this my push my boundaries experience for the year…

    PS – YouTube videos from the experience!

  • Such Cool News for Downtown Raleigh

    This past weekend the R-Line* was launched. This week, NC State ties into the R-Line with WolfProwl.

    Via The Howl – an email from NCSU’s Student Body President

    WolfProwl – NC State’s connection to downtown Raleigh
    For years, students have been seeking a way to access the incredible entertainment district that is downtown Raleigh. Starting this Thursday, WolfProwl will make that connection for thousands of NC State students.

    Service will run 9pm-3am every Thurs.-Sat. and tie into the “R-line” downtown circulator serving:
    -Glenwood South
    -Convention Center
    -Fayetteville Street
    -Moore Square & more

    Tapping existing Werewolf routes, service will include:
    -Main Campus
    -Hillsborough St.
    -Greek Village
    -Wolf Village
    -Avent Ferry Rd.
    -Gorman St. & more

    Service will run approximately every 30 minutes. Until more definitive arrival/departure times are known, riders can use the online Transloc service to find their bus. For more info, maps, & rules, click here: http://ncsu.edu/wolfline.

    Student government is hosting a kickoff event will at 8:30pm Thursday on the steps of Talley – click here for info: http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=50513004804.

    There are already tons of online updates about R-Line, so check those out, too!

    *Here’s a quick definition of the R-Line from the City of Raleigh:

    “The R-Line will connect employees, residents, conventioneers and other visitors in the central business district to retail and entertainment venues, restaurants and parking. Two environmentally friendly hybrid electric buses, both with 36 seats, will be used on the route.

    The R-Line will run every 10 to 15 minutes. Hours of operation for the new service will be 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 2:15 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.“

    Yay!

  • Viva Las Vegas!

    The girls and I had a blast!


    (Click to enlarge)    Here’s my list of don’t miss places and sights (note: it’s mostly bars – which I figure is ok, because since there are so many, you’ll need to know which are worth going to).

    Sigfried & Roy’s Secret Garden
    Located at Mirage
    Only $15 and some very, very cool creatures. Lions, tigers, dolphins… all in a non-performing environment.

    Forty-Deuce
    Located at Mandalay Bay
    A hidden gem in the nightlife scene. Literally – hidden. Luckily, the Director of VIP Services found us wandering Mandalay and offered us a round of champagne. I wish we had started the night at this place!

    Stack
    Located at Mirage
    A very cool steak house with lots of delicious choices for people like me who don’t want steak all the time. Also had some affordable $30 three-course options, etc. which is important in a town where you could easily spend $100 on dinner for one.

    Mix
    Located at Mandalay Bay… on the 64th floor.
    One of the best views in town – period. And not painfully over-crowded like super-trendy Pure and Tao bars/clubs.

    Playboy Club / Moon
    Located at Palms
    Fun bars, personable bartenders. I was shocked how many people in the service industry who were working for tips just sucked in this town. Not at the Playboy club, though! The Bunnies are dealers, but the male bartenders were cool, too! Moon would have been awesome had the retractable roof been open.

    Minus 5 (-5) Lounge
    Located at Mandalay Bay
    There are a few located around the world. I didn’t get to go there, but walked past it enough to want to. The front is very lodge bar looking and the other part is surrounded by ice. I hate the cold, so the free drink passes that were being passed out by the promoter and PENGUIN that Lisa S. and I walked by would have to hook up a lot of anti-freeze (drinks) for me to stay long.

    Hard Rock Hotel
    Very cool music industry displays… everywhere. Kenny Chesney will be having a concert in their in-house concert hall (The Joint) at the end of April – I bet it will be awesome.

    Christian Audigier
    Located at TI (Treasure Island)
    Fashionable rock n’ roll-themed bar . This was in our hotel and we didn’t get a chance to go, but based on seeing it in passing and it’s branding/image… I will for sure next time. I’ll also be dropping my business card for Buckhead because they apparently have an awesome service industry night.

    All in all, Forty Deuce and Mix were my favorites for bars.

    PS – We HAD to go to Coyote Ugly because as all 80’s babies, we love the movie. Everyone who told me it sucked… was right. It was one of those “Cool, I’ve been there. Once was enough.”

    PS #2 – I can’t believe I forgot the crowd favorite. O’Sheas. Count on my friends to find the beer pong in Vegas!

    (All images linked to sources.)

  • Rehab…

    ….is where I will need to check myself into when I return to Raleigh next Monday night.

    Can you guess where I’m going? Here’s a hint:

    That was one of the more exciting videos I could find in my 30 second YouTube search.

    Well, other than:

    …but if I come back hitched, I’m willing to bet my tail is grass!

    I’m heading out at the crack of down on Thursday and meeting in lovely Las Vegas with 8 of my favorite girls (and sisters) from college for E. Riley’s bachelorette party – including fellow blogger, Adrianne! Lisa S. is coming in this weekend for a industry event next week and will be hopefully joining in with our 20-something shenanigans on Saturday night!

    The nights have pretty much been planned out (Palms, Playboy Club, Coyote Ugly *I hear it’s a sausage party, but what girls who grew up in the 90’s/early 2000’s didn’t love that movie?*, Thunder from Down Under *sorry Mom!*, and Pure), but what do any of you former Vegas visitors recommend during the day?

    In case you didn’t know, my other blog is titled “I Like My Money Right Where I Can See It… Hanging In My Closet“, so gambling is not ranking very high for me on the “I could do that all day” scale. Other suggestions?

    I’m SO excited. AND a little worried about my liver.

    Crap, I should’ve asked my Red Bull rep if he knew any of the Vegas team. I can see that coming in handy.

  • Calling All Region 2 Pi Phis!

    I’m super excited to see that the power and ease of use of blogging technology is making its way up the Pi Phi ladder!

    Just for you Region 2 alums (here’s the map if you need to figure out just what region you’re in), our quarterly newsletter just informed me that we have a blog for staying updated… sweet! Check out “Ring Ching” here.

    For all other Pi Phis, here’s hoping I’ll see all of you in Texas this summer!

  • It’s Always the Little Ones

    I never participate in the tags and awards that social bloggers do (I really do appreciate you all for including me, but I try and keep this blog content-based so that each post is about more than just me), but when I saw this on Green Magsterpie’s blog today… I just couldn’t resist. Maybe it’s my ridiculous love of pictures.

    I also wanted to illustrate something very important: I’m a little girl (5′ 2”)… so I can get away with a lot of things that some people never notice.

    Case in point: my fourth picture album, the fourth picture in it:



    Location    : Bristol, TN/VA
    Event: NAAAAAASCAR race with the boyfriend, Cole, Lindsey, and Cameron
    Image: Me getting away with not having to carry my gravy biscuit.    I think people underestimate me sometimes. Need proof? I also took this picture of my tactic… unnoticed.

  • Guess What Just Crossed the Mason-Dixon…


    (Firefly Distillery)

    Oh yes, that’s right. All of you who hail from (or have moved) north of NC can now enjoy what we’ve been raving about all summer and fall: Firefly’s sweet tea vodka!

    Via text message from one of my favorite bride-to-be sisters, E. Riley (soon to be E. Riley-Dorn):

    They’re selling sweet tea vodka up here now!!!

    (To which I replied – “Yes!!! Now I can come visit again!”)

    Haha yeah they sell it by the half gallon so come on!

    By “up here”, she means near Baltimore. And by half gallon, she means Little Lisa-sized (which she totally agrees is true, too).

    Looking SO forward to some DC/MD visits!

    PS – Yes, I know where wiki defines the Mason-Dixon line, but who are we kidding?