Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Raleigh

What food do I need to experience in Raleigh?

Roman Graves — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:56:00 -0800

Where to eat in Raleigh? I'll be in Raleigh this weekend so please tell me about your favorite restaurants. Specifically soul food/homestyle, but really just any place you love. If there's some event happening I shouldn't miss, throw that in too.

Moving to Raleigh, Need Apartment Suggestions!

my_impermanence — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:35:45 -0800

What districts/streets/apartment buildings do you suggest I check out on my mini-vacation to Raleigh, North Carolina. I plan on moving there in the near future and I want to find a place that's in the middle of the action. Hi there. My girlfriend and I are planning on moving to Raleigh, NC this spring when she gets done with her Masters of Architecture. We are both 23 years old. We’re looking to move to Raleigh for a few reasons:

•We’re sick of Ohio
•I can’t find work in Ohio (I graduated 7 months ago with a degree in marketing)
•Raleigh is within driving distance from home (9 hrs)
•It’s supposed to be a great city to live and work
•We need a little more excitement (but a city like New York or Chicago would probably be too overwhelming) I grew up with a cornfield in my backyard, and she grew up in the burbs.

I’ve done quite a bit of research on Raleigh and the surrounding communities so not much input is needed regarding the character of those places. My main question resides on what area/district street/apartment complex would be right for me? I wish to live INSIDE the belt line.

1)I want to be able to literally walk out of my apartment and grab a bite to eat or go to a nice music bar. In other words, I’d like to find a spot that’s SAFE but in the middle of everything Raleigh has to offer. So far Glenwood South sounds about ideal.
2)We don’t have a lot of money now, but we’re willing to pay the extra cash to live in the downtown area if it fits our budget (preferably 1 bedrooms under $800).

We’re going to take a mini vacation to Raleigh in a few weeks here, so any suggestions as to apartments or areas that you would recommend living at/near would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

PS. I found a lot of affordable apartments located at 740 Small Wood Dr. They include Wedgewood, Raleigh Apartments, and Glenwood Gradens... are these worth checking out?

How can a beginner restore a vintage bike?

mippy — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:56:49 -0800

I'm learning to ride a bike and have a vintage Raleigh Caprice. How do I ensure it's roadworthy and get it all ship-shape? I bought the bike second-hand and from what I can see it just has a few spots of rust, some inside the oval bit between the back wheel hub and the frame). I tried scooting along on it and everything turns fine. But is there something I need to do to ensure things run smoothly? It feels like the perfect height and shape for me (previously I was trying to learn on a diamond-frame which was too high for me and felt really awkward) and is gorgeous (the picture linked to is not my bike, by the way - mine is blue).

I'd also like to touch up the scratches on it but it's a kind of metallic turquoise-y blue which would be hard to match. I remember my dad used to get these little paints to match cars - can you still get these, preferably online or somewhere easily accessible in the UK?

Can you incorporate a "jump to conclusions" mat, maybe?

Stewriffic — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:50:27 -0800

Help me plan a (fun!) scavenger hunt for my organization. I'm in charge of planning a staff team building retreat at the non-profit I work for. We're a small organization, and there would be fewer than 15 people attending the retreat.

An external facilitator will run the morning's activities, and then we'll have a "just for fun" afternoon. I polled all the employees about what they'd specifically like to do in the afternoon, and the consensus is a scavenger hunt.

I'm going to avoid the "follow the clue" type of scavenger hunt and go for more of a points-for-finding-something-or-doing-something approach.

Considerations:
1) I want to avoid or limit driving if at all possible.
2) At the same time as avoiding driving, I want to keep the scavenger hunt inside as much as possible. August in NC is hot.
3) There is a pretty big discrepancy in education level among staff. We have many MD/PhD level staff as well as high school graduates.
4) Has to be free--no buying q-tips or whatever
5) Three hour time limit, approximately
6) As fun as possible.
7) What do I put on the list of things to "get?"

I've looked online at some of the lists that have been used for other scavenger hunts, but they seem to be either way difficult, require driving, or are just plain inappropriate for the context.

I thought of perhaps doing the scavenger hunts in museums. There are 3 free state museums in the area--art, history and natural sciences. Two are in the same block. Is this uncool for the museum staff? We'd be well-behaved.

This previous question gives some ideas about the planning, but doesn't address many of my questions.

So, summary: Where to have a scavenger hunt in or around Raleigh, NC and what to put on the list of things to find. Fun, free, mostly inside, little driving,

Van Halen in Raleigh, NC

littleredwagon — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:51:54 -0800

Van Halen opener in Raleigh? Just found my long lost tickets for tonight's show in Raleighwood. Does anyone know if they have an opener for this leg? Thanks for any and all info!

Racquetball equipment stores in the Triangle?

rachelpapers — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:46:02 -0800

Where can I shop for racquetball racquets in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area? I have been playing racquetball for about six months with an entry-level racquet. Now that my game has improved somewhat, I am starting to see that I could benefit from some better quality equipment.

I have been to the big sporting goods chains like Dick's, and even that big golf and tennis place north of Crabtree Valley mall on Glenwood, but they only stock a few low quality racquets. Is there anywhere in the Triangle that has a good selection of quality equipment? I am willing to spend some money for the right racquet but would like to spend under $150 as I'm not ready to go pro.

Help get us out of this long term hotel!

razdrez — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:38:06 -0800

We've just moved to Raleigh with nothing set up but a mailbox. Can someone give me a stereotyped guide to Raleigh neighborhoods? I'm looking for a resident's candid view of the areas to consider and/or avoid. Something like "this area: newlyweds and newly deads" or "avoid these neighborhoods if you don't drive an SUV to soccer practice" and the like. :)

Or maybe Raleigh isn't so split up that way? We moved from Seattle, where people tend to clique together quite a bit and the neighborhoods reflect that.

We're in our 30s, no kids at the moment, no jobs right now if that gives some perspective on us. Thanks!

Rutty McRutterson

Stewriffic — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:33:41 -0800

Help me find new and/or offbeat things to do in central North Carolina--any suggestions? Bonus if it's just as easily enjoyed alone as with company. I'm finding I'm spending more and more time alone and online, due to my close friends mostly being wrapped up in their own stuff. I've also made a conscious decision recently to avoid a group of friend/acquaintances I have who have become more and more drama-filled. They're the ones, however, who are available for hanging out.

So this is my mission: finding ways to spend my time not on the damn internet, mostly on weekends, that don't require others (but could be done with others if they're available), where there could be the possibility of meeting new people, that are somewhere in the greater Triangle area, and that are on the inexpensive side.

Some things I do and/or like to do: 1) birding 2) gardening in my yard 3) crochet 4) camping 5) communing with nature 6) cooking. I'm 37 and silly but chill. I'm not particularly into going to shows/bars. Early to bed and all that.

General suggestions that would work anywhere are also welcome, but I'm mostly looking for specific-to-Central NC goodness.

Romantic weekend in central North Carolina

monkeystronghold — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:41:02 -0800

My roommate is heading to central North Carolina for a few days this month for a romantic getaway with his long distance girlfriend, and they are looking for some romantic getaway ideas. Neither has been to North Carolina before, so they have no idea what to look for in and around Raleigh/Durham. They've decided to exclude a couple of obvious travel options (Asheville and Outer Banks) because they don't want to spend what little time they have driving around (but they are open to small day trips). I was hoping the mefi community might have some local info. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, wineries, etc. Cute, small towns where they can stay and get around on foot would be a big draw.

Neither of these people are high rollers, but they aren't against spending money to have fun. I don't think they want to go to the most expensive restaurant in the area just because it is the most expensive restaurant. They'd rather go somewhere with great atmosphere.

I've never seen him so smitten, so help my roomie have the best weekend ever!

Things to do in Raleigh before you're dead

bove — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:07:07 -0800

Help me come up with an "experience" gift around Raleigh, NC. Yes, this is the beginning of Christmas Giftfilter here at AskMe. I have done prior searches, but haven't been able to find anything useful. My wife and I are looking to get a gift for my brother-in-law and his wife. He makes a decent income, so it is difficult to buy him "things" that he would like that he doesn't already have. There have been some great threads in the past about buying experience based gifts. The major problem is that we have never been to Raleigh, and we have no idea what is around there.

Our budget is flexible, but we will definitely spend less than $200. The couple are just turning 30, they have a 6 month old baby boy. He works in the software industry, she is a stay-at-home mom. We don't get to spend a lot of time with them, so we are unsure about their other big interests. I do know that they like movies, restaurants, music, travel, etc. However, we are hoping to do better than a generic gift certificate to a movie theater.

Any reason to visit Raleigh, NC?

seinfeld — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:28:01 -0800

Is there anything to do for two days in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham areas? Coming from DC, my wife and I want to take a little two-day trip south.. But we don't know, nor can we tell, if there's much to do. We enjoy walking around cities, seeing local shops and attractions.. We'd love to rollerblade, but I'm afraid it may be a bit cold for that.. Thanks

Raleigh downtown?

A189Nut — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:41:15 -0800

Specific Raleigh NC downtown question Hi,
First thanks for answers on a previous about Charlotte - as a result I decided to fly in Raleigh-Durham instead (first base for a 2 week holiday driving around bits of the South - the one part of the US I've never been to.)

To the specific (I have done a search but nothing too detailed on this.)

Any Raleigh wise folk tell me if it is worth staying in downtown? I arrive in the late afternoon and expect to spend the night, the next day and night in Raleigh just generally mooching around before touring around. I will have a car, but in a totally European way would prefer walking for some of the day/walk to restaurants. From on line searches there seem to be some downtown hotels/motels said to be near to sights, dining, etc. Glenwood Avenue gets mentioned. Is it pleasant downtown? Is it safe downtown?

thanks

Thoughts?

Raleigh Real Estate

jasondigitized — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:36:16 -0800

My fiance and I just returned from Raleigh. We went to check out the culture, climate, shopping, food, etc. in hopes of possibly living there. We were so impressed that we are thinking of buying some real estate there as an investment. My gut tells me this is a good move, but I would like to be a little more objective about the decision. How do I go about performing due-diligence on real estate markets? Forbes ranked Raleigh #2 for the best place to do business this year. I want more information than that. Are there good websites were people talk about this kind of stuff? Is there a Morningstar for real estate? How can I get the skinny on a market without talking to a biased real-estate agent? Anyone want to chime in about real estate in the Triangle?

Vis a Vis Living in the Triangle

spitbull — Wed, 09 May 2007 10:05:28 -0800

North Carolinian MeFites: Please fill me in on the treasures of the Raleigh-Durham area in preparation for a visit . . . So I'm going to the Triangle area of North Carolina for a week in late May-early June, and hoping to check into some things that might make living there worthwhile (not just touristy stuff).

I am especially interested in a) live music scenes; b) explorable natural wonders within a 2-hour drive or so of RDU; c) the visual arts scene in the area; d) great places to eat, especially Southern food; e) ways to experience the local climate of cultural tolerance and/or conflict honestly on a brief visit (especially post-Duke-lacrosse-scandal, I'd love to see places or events where town/gown, black/white/Latino, and rich/poor interact every day). If there's something you hate about living there, that's helpful too. Muchas gracias, y'all.

Where to get an old ring?

greta simone — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 15:57:02 -0800

Where can I find estate/antique jewelry in the Triangle area? My friend is coming into town (Chapel Hill) to seek my help in picking out an engagement ring for his girlfriend. I have been put in charge of finding places to take him. He wants to look at vintage/estate/antique rings and my google-fu isn't too stong on this one, nor is my yellow-pages-fu, or my craigslist-fu. I would prefer actual stores and not online stores or online listings.
Also, seeing as how I hate driving, I would like for these places to at least try and be limited to Chapel Hill/Carrboro, Pittsboro (which we are definitely going to hit up--I'm thinking with all the antique stores down there this would be a good idea, right?), Hillsborough, and the lower end of Durham (I get lost in north Durham).
Also I hate driving to Raleigh. But if there is somewhere in Raleigh that we absolutley have to go to because there is a huge selection with reasonable pricing, then by all means, let me know.
Also keep in mind that this is going to be about a $4,000 kind of buy not a $100,000 kind of buy, so don't send me to an auction house or something.
Thanks in advance for the help-

Raleigh or Iowa City?

MarshallPoe — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 04:52:41 -0800

Where should we live? Raleigh, NC or Iowa City, IA? My wife, an academic, has job offers in Raleigh (NC State) and Iowa City (U of Iowa). We don't know much about either. We currently live in Ann Arbor and like it just fine. But we lived in DC and liked it too. No kids yet, but there probably will be in the not too distant future. Looking to settle down. I'm a writer. So, what’s life like for young couples Raleigh and Iowa City?

Pinball in Durham

ootsocsid — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 10:36:44 -0800

Where can I play pinball in Durham, North Carolina? I am looking for any public pinball machines in Durham (or Raleigh or Chapel Hill) North Carolina (near Duke is best). Bonus points for Attack from Mars or Medieval Madness, but anything else is fine too.

What's the real estate market in Raleigh doing?

clearlynuts — Tue, 30 May 2006 05:10:41 -0800

What's the real estate market in Raleigh doing? I'm living (with my wife and young child) in Alexandria, VA, and we are considering a relocation to Raleigh, NC. I've been to the area a few times before, but not with the thought that I'd be moving there. There's no denying that real estate here in the DC is a vastly different monster than it was last year. There's been a stark shift from sellers' market to buyers' market.

But what's the condition of the market in Raleigh? Is the same thing going on? Quick cooling of a overheated market, maybe? Or just to a lesser degree. Or is it steadier footing?

Sure, I can talk to a real estate agent in NC (in fact, I have), but my experience has been that in the agents' zeal to separate you from your money while doing the least amount of work, they'll tell you that market is hot hot hot, no matter what the reality is.

Anyone with knowledge of the two markets care to toss in their two cents?

Psychologist looking for work with children in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

abbyladybug — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 10:56:31 -0800

Help a child psychologist find a job working with children in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. While Ask MeFi seems like a longshot place to get this kind of advice, I've never struck out once here. So with that... I recently received my doctorate in School Psychology. Right now I'm working as a pediatric neuropsychologist doing assessments with children in Boston. It's too cold and expensive here for me, and after a lot of research, I'm thinking I might like to move to the Triangle area of North Carolina. I am qualified to do assessment, therapy, and consultation with children. I also have a lot of experience as a college instructor. If you're familiar with the area, tell me about public and private agencies serving children in that part of the country. Even if you're just a knowledgable parent, I'd be interested in what you know.

Raleigh/Durham/Chapel hill opinions.

toastchee — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 10:36:41 -0800

What do you think of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill? I have a programming job interview in Raliegh and would like to know what the Mefiers say about the area. I used to live in Greensboro, and went to college in Asheville, but spent very little time in the Triangle.

I am married, 32, with 2 kids. What's it like culturally? Crime-wise? Schools?

I'd also like the ability to commute by bicycle. What is the transit system like?

thanks!

Where should I go, within a 2 hour drive of Durham, NC?

fionab — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 10:32:42 -0800

Where should I go next weekend? I live in Durham, NC and would like to keep the drive under two hours. Key points would include: really great B&B or eco-hotel (treehouse? massive windows looking outside?), great walks or cute town nearby, a body of water (lake, ocean, inlet) or nice woods, clean lines rather than frilly, or luxurious rather than old-lady-B&B. It would be great if you could recommend a specific place (Asheville is too far away for this weekend), or better yet, a specific hotel/B&B/inn. Pretend that money is no object, but I'd like to keep this under $200 a night (less is better) if possible; if a really unique place came up, I'd splurge. Where should I be looking? Winston Salem? Beaufort? Jordan or Kerr Lake? I know there must be something unique out there that I just haven't found yet. Help us have a weekend away!

Or, if you have something in mind that isn't within two hours, post it here anyway for future reference.

Negotiation on new homes

SeanCier — Mon, 23 May 2005 14:14:35 -0800

Is it possible to negotiate prices on a new construction -- specifically, a small-to-medium builder in a somewhat-hot market (Raleigh NC)? We don't have a buyer's agent, which would make such negotiation more difficult for us amateurs but also reduces the builder's costs by 2-3% (assuming they would have paid the agent fee). We'd be expected to put a contract down before picking options (including major options like a basement), so there's the worry that if we did negotiate they'd just bump up option prices to compensate. There's plenty of competition from big builders in the area, but not many other options for this type of thing (~1-acre wooded lots, $~350 base price), unless we go for buying our own land and a very small custom builder, which seems more expensive and difficult, especially as we're not local; moreover, there's only 1 decent lot left in this particular neighborhood, so we don't have a tonne of leverage if we decide this is what we want. How should we approach this -- and what should we shoot for, if anything?

Cheap transportation from RDU airport to ECU campus

vignettist — Mon, 25 Apr 2005 09:40:17 -0800

I am looking for an easy and cheap way to get from Raleigh (RDU airport) to the ECU campus in Greenville, NC, the weekend before Labor Day weekend. Appreciate any ideas you can offer. Caveats: I am not an ECU student. Cheapest rental car from the airport at the moment is +$100, and getting to Greyhound seems too convoluted. Do you know of a shuttle between the airport and the campus / greyhound terminal / off-site rental agencies? Thanks.

Raleigh on a shoestring

Aster — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 19:28:12 -0800

RaleighFilter: I'm heading to Raleigh, NC for the summer. How do I find a sublet, and what should I do while I'm there? I'm going to be in Raleigh for 10 weeks working on a research project. I have the option of staying in the NCSU dorms, but I'd like to try to find a reasonably priced sublet first. NCSU doesn't seem to have any off-campus housing resources on the web, and raleigh.craigslist.org isn't particularly hopping. Where else should I check?

I've never been to NC before, so I'm also interested in getting suggestions for things to do and places to see. I won't have access to a car, so I need to be able to get there on public transit. I'm already planning to check out the museums and take in a Bulls game - what else shall I add to the list?

Travel to NC Beaches

repoman — Wed, 28 Jul 2004 10:38:28 -0800

I have two days and two nights to spend on the beach along the N.C. coast. The optimal place would be no more than 2.5 hours from Raleigh. Not remote and not like Myrtle Beach. What city/beach would you choose? Any suggestions much appreciated.