Downtown Cityscapes Part II -

 

This week we were back in downtown Raleigh for another overnight.

No dodging the rain as we did two weeks back, still very hot but we

managed to walk about quite a bit without trouble. Good times and

opportunities to take more photos of our ever-growing cityscape.

More 'City of Oaks' decor.  There are four of these interesting towers

 on each corner of a plaza and they actually play music!

Back home the figs are almost over and the bees are feasting furiously.

Instead of figs I baked a plum galette - always a favorite and seeing them

in the stores makes me think that Autumn is getting closer. . . . . . . thankfully!

I've already stored the pink early summer flower art and

 dug out from storage this more autumnal feeling oil painting.

Tea cups and saucers I purchased in Thailand.

We had torrential rain here again overnight and early this morning, 

in fact that was what woke me up before 7 AM. Cloudy all day

and we only reached 79F - the coolest day we've had all

Summer. 

Tomorrow will be warmer again, with full sun all day. We've been invited

 over for drinks on a neighbor's beautiful new screened-in porch (no 

mosquitoes!) with overhead fans and comfortable furniture. . . . hope he

 chills the rosé well then it will be a perfect evening!

 

Enjoy your weekend and take care, especially those of you in those

hot spots in the UK, Germany, France - 103F/39C today in my brother's

 village in the south of France!!!

Cityscapes -

 

Raleigh is the capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte, tenth-most populous city in the Southeast, 41st-most populous city in the U.S., and the largest city of the Research Triangle metro area. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city. The city covers a land area of 147.6 square miles (382 km²). The U.S. Census Bureau counted the city's population as 474,069 in 2020. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The city of Raleigh is named after Walter Raleigh, who established the lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County.   via Wikipedia

We did enjoy the city staycation despite torrential rain and winds in the afternoon hours. We still managed to visit a few places of interest including the fairly new train station and saw one train arriving; a 'food hall'; and one of our always liked, though offbeat, coffee shops where the iced coffee was the best and served in a lovely glass tumbler rather than a paper cup!  We were however the only seated people not on laptops, so we actually talked to one another while seeking shelter from the storm!  Dinner later was at our favorite Greek taverna, and delicious.

We have another downtown staycation planned in the near future - hopefully not so hot and humid, no scary thunderstorms, and the chance to see other new parts of the city.  Surprises seem to be around every corner. . . .the old Raleigh of our days working downtown is being obliterated by new buildings looming over everything!

Apparently it's called progress!

Quick hello........while fluttering by!

I need to take a little break.

All is good but always a lot going on here.

Am I slowing down?

Does it just take longer to do things?

Do I have too much on my plate?

I feel like I'm always 'chasing my tail' and can't catch up!

House and garden chores call me every day.

I need to get away for a break, but that's impossible now.

More major back yard tree felling planned for this week,

 if the rains stay away.

But next month will be different - planning to get on a plane and

head north after such a long time tethered to the ground.

I really need a vacation - this 'staycation' has become far too

long. I'm so ready to fly off. . . . . .not just flutter around!!!

First view this season of a beautiful Painted Lady checking the

 hydrangeas before she flew away!

Toward the east -

Yesterday morning brought an amazing sunrise.

The start of a very warm day. We were out by mid-morning to 

drive a friend to the airport and able to leave jackets at home.

Today is much different, awoke to thick fog, but there's a promise of 

some sunshine around noon and 75F so warm again.

March is such a fickle month, and this year with all that's happening

due to the Corona virus, this March is particularly unnerving!

A few store stops on the way home yesterday found me somewhat nervous - for

 the first time I did not feel really safe shopping!  

The LADIES room in Target, although empty and spotlessly clean, found me

 perhaps overly cautious regarding hand washing and then having to touch things

 again - such as the drier and exit door. Noting the long store shelves totally devoid 

of anything antibacterial felt strange. I haven't stock-piled anything yet!  Now, after

 yesterday's official pandemic news, and the huge changes regarding international 

travel, even cancelations of all the St. Patrick's Day parades (we have a huge 

one here and always attend), I'm feeling life is changing quickly.

We must all be alert and careful, especially those of us who are elderly and

have compromised immune systems.

I realize 'gloom and doom' is not a good way to think, negativity doesn't get

you anywhere. . . . . . but blowing caution to the wind is perhaps not sensible

 in the current atmosphere.

So, for me, the house and garden will become my 'Staycation' location!  

I have plenty to fill my hours and keep me busy here!  My thoughts go out

to several dear friends who are having to cancel overseas travel plans, 

hopefully they will still be able to take those long awaited trips later.

Take care dear friends and readers.

Staycation, morning after, and theatre. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . a morning walk around Midtown where, tucked 

between the hi-rise buildings with offices and parking decks, are some

really neat, colorful spaces for exercising, relaxing, eating lunch, having a 

coffee etc.

Being Saturday morning it was quiet and peaceful. We've decided 

to try to pop over here early mornings more often to walk.

With several new buildings completed this year, many more shops are

 setting up for business on the street level - this one is new to me and

  already open. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . and this sign hopefully means we'll get a really good place to relax, 

in a wine bar/art gallery which is more to my liking than noisy sports bars,

 of which there are several nearby.

This area of our city has definitely changed over the past few years,

mostly for the good thankfully.

So we headed home from our night in Midtown then, last evening, 

thoroughly enjoyed a hilarious theatre production of 

'Don't Dress for Dinner' - I don't think I've ever laughed so much!

Photos via iPhone

Staycation time. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . yes, we're doing another one just a few minutes from home!  

An overnight at very nice hotel tucked in between the new 'Midtown' area

of hi-rise office and apartment buildings, shops, restaurants, breweries,

 coffee shops, and cinema - you name it, they have it here.

 It's not a tourist location we'd choose of course, but as we had a free night 

to use from a national hotel chain, and it was about to expire, we 

checked in this afternoon.

The pool area was a magnet for the usual - families with young children - we are
 enjoying it from our window rather than out in the hot sun and 88F.

I'm sipping a nice chilled rosé right now and dinner plans are decided. 

We've not had Indian in some time so will be heading 10 minutes north
 a bit later to the Taj Mahal (no, not THAT Taj Mahal unfortunately!).
Hopefully some tasty vegetarian fare is on the menu.

Tomorrow we'll enjoy the included breakfast here, check out, and head
 back home down the street with our overnight bags.  

Photos via iPhone

Downtown, where all the lights are bright. . . . . . .

. . . . . . and enjoying a new bakery was fun!

Clear and cool Friday evening , l'heure bleu just kicking in, and we headed 

downtown for a quick 'staycation'. 

We had to use up an about to expire free Hilton Honors voucher award and, with 

no time to head out of town, we decided to stay in town and enjoy the lovely

evening with the locals. 

Our later evening included a delicious dinner at a popular restaurant, followed 

by an outdoor nightcap on the terrace of an Irish pub close by the hotel. . . . . . . . . 

but prior to that we discovered this brand new Patisserie which opened last week.

Lucette and Grace, daughters of the owner/chef, have their names up in lights in the city! 

Their daddy named his very attractive French patisserie after them.

The offerings here are fantastic, plenty for the sweet tooth and some tasty-sounding 

breakfast savories when you stop by in the morning. We managed to slip in a late 

teatime treat - and shared this fabulous marzipan and raisin apple tart with excellent coffee.

Bob got comfy in the window. The ambience is definitely bright and welcoming, 

exposed brick walls, bright yellow Tolix-style French chairs/stools, a large 

wood communal table if you bring in your own group of friends, or just to sit at

 and meet new friends. The staff was very pleasant and helpful.

While I was enjoying my tart, I just couldn't help thinking how wonderful this 

place would have been years back. . . . . .  .when both of us worked literally a 

stone's throw away, my office on the left, Bob's around the corner to the right.

Raleigh was so different then, a French bakery was unheard of here. . . . . and 

other than a few good typically southern breakfast biscuit places, suddenly I found 

myself, an Englishwoman no less, in a part of the country where tea seemed only 

available in a huge glass, and it was iced - which of course was definitely not my 

way to enjoy a teatime cuppa!

If you're in our area be sure to stop and enjoy a sweet treat here at LucetteGrace.