Down in Apex where things are still developing, you’ll find some new shopping centers. In one there is a place called Sparks Wings and Ribs. It’s a neat restaurant joint. It has a new but really rustic feel with the wooden benches at the booths. There’s a bar room separated with a door. And you can order all kinds of wings and barbecue. I love North Carolina barbecue! With the wings you can get any of 20 or more sauces including Panther sauce, Knock Ya’ Block Off, Louisiana Bacon, or Miami Madness sauce. It would be hard to get bored with all the choices.

You wanna know where soccer moms and roller hockey dads are on the weekends? They’re at the Dream Sports Center in Apex watching their kids. We were cheering on Jack who is # 21 pictured here. He’s an ice and roller hockey star and has a garage full of sticks. Oh and what a surprise…he also plays lacrosse.

But roller hockey unlike ice hockey is more relaxed. The rules aren’t nearly as strict. And roller hockey is not nearly as intimidating as there’s some padding on the floor compared to hard ice. It’s amazing to see how agile the kids are making their hockey stops on their inline skates. I remember when they had back stops on rollerblades but they were only really helpful on a flat surface. If you were going downhill, well…you were pretty much S.O.L. Trust me, one time I was rollerblading with Eric and his wheels fell off…

Feel like having a spicy evening with your friends and family?… then visit Carmen’s Cuban Café and Lounge. It’s an adult kid friendly restaurant . They have great Cuban food…probably the only Cuban restaurant in Raleigh. It’s a small place but has two different rooms. I love how intimate it is and how the open bar sits in the middle of the main room when you walk in.

I like the name Carmen. It reminds me of the opera Carmen. Once upon a time I used to love to go to operas. Wonder if there are many opera lovers in the Triangle?? I just love the passionate music and singers. I still do I guess, I just have other ways to express my music appreciation.

Apollo meets a Great Dane

Want to get some gourmet treats for your pooch? Raleigh is a super dog friendly town with all the dog parks and all kinds of outdoor places where dogs can go. Lucky for my Apollo!

There used to be a free standing Just Dogs! Barkery that looked like a dog house (how cute)…

Here in the Triangle we do have gourmet shops. My favorites are located in Chapel Hill. And one that stands out is A Southern Season. It’s a large grocery store that has the neatest stuff. Right now they have a big inventory clearance sale where everything is 15-75% off. That includes coffees, teas, seasonings, pastas, sauces, mixes and anything else you see. They have a lot of gift, entertaining, and housewares stuff also. And pre-made gift baskets. I like pushing around their little grocery carts. Those are the ones you usually see in a city since the aisles and stores are smaller.

The sweets section is my fav’rite! That shouldn’t come as a shock…

Eric taking a break!

Boy, did I use some woman power yesterday lifting some furniture. …yeah that would be a man’s job but my husband seems to think I’m she-woman (…and granted I’m not a big woman). We were donating a couch and some tub chairs and needed to move them out of our house.  So my husband recruited me.  Lucky me.

I know it looks like office furniture but it’s actually hotel furniture from back in the day when I worked in that business.

Anyway, I’ve always donated furniture to the Salvation Army.  And they’ll come pick it up.  No desks though.  Here’s an army lieutenant checking out the comfortability of the tub chair.  He seems to like it.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, usually someone from the military doesn’t come to pick up the stuff. This army guy happens to be on another mission (long story

Raleigh's Apple Store

On any given Saturday, the Apple store in Raleigh is full of people young and old. Where do they all come from??  It’s amazing… for so many of the past years, the store is still buzzing! I mean you wonder what more is there that these people don’t have? (Don’t the Apple fans have everything they could possibly need at this point?) Apparently not but there’s more it to it I’m sure. Perhaps that’s you and you can help me answer that… I haven’t turned myself onto the iPhone yet. I guess I’m just happy without complicating my life at this point. But I guess, it’s suppose to make life easier. 

I am, though, a big IPOD fan. I carry my IPOD (“Poddy”) with me everywhere. She needs a new pink paint job. And maybe a trip to the spa! And she’s an older model but still slim and sleek. In fact she’s an old retired “mini” but she’s far from small in my eyes as she carries all my tunes. And she’s classy and well dressed with all the accessories! Now that’s my kind of girl!

Boutiques are all over the Triangle. But one that’s very popular and stylish in Raleigh is Scout and Molly’s. There are several locations but I do know the one in Raleigh is very chic. I never feel intimidated walking in there as I do other boutiques that are less busy that I usually end up walking out with nothing because I couldn’t find what I was looking for.

Von Kekel in North Hills is one of the Aveda salon and spas in Raleigh. When you walk in you see all the Aveda products they sell which are also found in some of their Aveda stores. The name Aveda is short for ayurveda which means life +science. And Von Kekel is named after the salon and spa owner.

I was getting my haircut there for the first time. My hair stylist was Katey. There are two of them named Katie there that share the same station on different days but my hair stylist had short to medium brown hair. Her name is spelled with a “y”.

If you like eclectic contemporary and vintage clothing, Anthropologie could be your place. The one in the Raleigh area at the outdoor section of Southpoint opened this past spring. When you first enter, you kinda get the sense that you’re in a very big store that winds around. It’s the type of place that is visually stimulating to browse and shop around at. For some reason I always start on the left hand side…