Are you getting married or know of anyone getting married this year? I can remember my wedding like it was yesterday. Well…not exactly. But I can go down memory lane if I just flip through my wedding albums, scrapbooks, and hat box full of memories. I do remember at the time of planning it was like a SECOND job. Finding the right EVERYthing and then coordinating it all, took hours on end. I’m sure you brides-to-be (and the few active-wedding planning grooms-to-be), KNOW what I’m talking about!

Did you see Old Navy’s article in the Raleigh paper today? Old Navy is one of my favorite fun, comfortable, and colorful clothing store places to shop. I like to look around for scarves, shoes, sweaters, pants, tops. They usually have a $5 section that you just can’t beat. Oh, and remember ‘Old Navy!, Old Navy!’…those commercials advertising their fleece. They’ve got some of the best fleece selection for a good price.

Time Warner Cable is such a racket. Their customer service experience has not been good with me.  I wish there was a better local alternative. I’ve spent countless wasted hours on the phone with them for service issues from DVR movies that stopped playing in the middle of a movie to all kinds of road runner issues. And I’m sure I’m not the only one with these frustrations. Not JUST the service issues but the way the service issues are handled…I.E. customer service. In TWC’s case, they haven’t learned what customer service is. If they weren’t the main game in town, I’d leave ‘em in a heartbeat if things didn’t change. And the funny and sad thing is, that’s what some of their customer service technicians think too if you ask ‘em.

Boy, I got MY exercise to-day…I just got back from Kroger’s so I could make a stew tonight. People always ask me how I stay in shape. Well, there’s a lot that goes into it besides working out and yoga.  But I’m gonna share a fitness tip with you that involves shopping for groceries…

You can take home North Carolina’s famous vinegar base barbecue from Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q carry out. We first experienced this…well… right in Smithfield! A few years ago, we were coming back from Eddie Money’s free concert performance at Smithfield’s annual “Ham and Yam Concert”. That’s just the catchy name they gave it. I’d been to an Eddie Money concert before.  He played at the Waterfront Festival in Old Town Alexandria. That was kinda wild to have a celebrity musician perform in such a down home suburban way…but I guess he does a lot of these town concerts. Well…the one in Smithfield, if you’ve never been to Smithfield is a country town outside Raleigh. It’s closer to the I-95 Carolina Premium Outlet Malls and there’s a bunch of car dealerships and businesses out that way. But to us Raleigh-ans, it’s still out in the country. It’s a good thing in many ways… you picture that’s where June Cleaver would’ve lived. A simpler life where people live in mostly ranch and traditional homes with alotta land and they take care of their neighbors. There’s appreciation for hard work. And people don’t get caught up with techno-gadgets and buzzing around here and there.

Love barbecue?…don’t miss Raleigh’s Red, Hot, and Blue!

We went to Raleigh’s Red, Hot, and Blue Restaurant…one of our favorite barbecue places in Raleigh. Even though it’s a chain, they serve darn great food with good value! Their BBQ platters are really filling. I can usually make two meals out of them. And it’s just like mom’s home cooking. I love their red skin potato salad! It’s not too heavily or lightly dressed. They also have the best pulled chicken that’s SUPER moist. …And they don’t hold back! They give you a very generous portion that fills up half your plate. For around $9…now that’s restaurant eating value!

Pulled Chicken Platter

Need a Triangle area appliance repair? Call DK Appliance at 821-7104. No, they are not friends of mine. But they are NOW new appliance repair friends of mine! I called them in an repair emergency after being fed up with GE.

Finding the RIGHT hair colorist in Raleigh is no easy task! I tried several hair colorists that just didn’t cut it. Let’s see the first one almost killed my hair by overprocessing, and bleaching. Bleaching as many know in the hair world, is a big no-no, but I think she was really old-school. There are so many other gentler hair processes these days. I think Redken is one of the big modern hair color manufacturers.

When you’re out furniture shopping in Raleigh, do you only think about new furniture? What about antiques? When I hear that word, the first couple things that come to mind for me are auctions and $$$$.

Well, Glenwood South Antiques is neither of those things really. They sell furniture in the store with prices marked right on the furniture. No haggling or bidding. Though, I wonder if you could negotiate…everything is negotiable, right? But the written price on tags are comparable to Raleigh furniture stores that sell new furniture. You can buy this lovely Victorian Mahogany Love Seat for $600.

So Eric tried the Lemon Zinger Cupcake from the The Cupcake Shoppe…finally!!!

I talked about The Cupcake Shoppe in an article I wrote a few days ago.  In case you missed it, it’s here… Raleigh’s Cupcake Shop

We’ve had Russell Stover’s chocolate (a gift), oatmeal raisin cookies, and chocolate covered pretzels lying around that he had to help finish first! But anyway, the cupcakes from the Cupcake Shoppe are like most cupcakes where they only have a certain shelf life, ya know!