To Bee or Not To Bee

Your Walls Can Talk - New Paintings by Laura Lacambra Shubert

The moment you began debating ecru vs. beige, you should have seen the writing on the wall...You're surrounded by boring!

Replace the proverbial with actual Laura Lacambra Shubert paintings that exude bravura and capture movements and the moment.  Her paintings are simple, direct, rich and lush.  As visual panaceas, they demand little from the viewer and offer a quiet haven for the stressed.

Gallery C will be showing Laura's works starting Friday, February 15th with an opening reception from 7:00 to 9:00 in the evening.  The artist will fly up from Florida with her husband John to talk about her art and sign books.  Click Here to view her book.  The exhibition runs through March 20th.

It's Perfect Harmony:  Laura is a mother of three, two boys and a girl, and does a beautiful job of balancing her career and her family life.  Sh e was born in Durham, NC but has lived most of her life in FL and Spain.  Her artwork reflects subjects that derive from family travels to Spain and Europe.  You'll smile at her choice of subject:  waiters, caught mid-torso purposely omitting faces so not to distract from the overall message; a pair of shoes, kicked off in haste or waiting for a fun night out; the sun-dappled fa�ade of a Provencal house; a leggy pre-adolescent cart wheeling on the beach, bathed in sunshine.  Her paintings are highly evolved, yet convey the ordinary elements of everyday life.

Good taste...It doesn't come easy: Laura Lacambra Shubert is a master of mixing the best qualities of oil and acrylic paint (highly unusual to use both) and her wide swaths of color look like frosting on a cake.  

Mark your calendar to visit Gallery C at 540 N. Blount Street, downtown Raleigh in the historic Russ-Edwards House.

Laura Lacambra Shubert Exhibit: February 15 through March 20.  Opening Reception - Feb. 15th, 7-9pm.

Gallery C Hours: Tues. - Sat. 12-6pm and Sun. 1-5pm. (Closed Mon.)

Phone: 919-828-3165, Website.  

You have only two weeks to break out of that eggshell.

Latest Buzz on...

Fashion, Food & Fun  

 'American, Widdout' - South Philly Steak & Dogs Opens in North Raleigh

Wit or Widdout:  Aahh, the true Philly Cheesesteak!  It's a cultural icon in both form and function (how to order).  And it's the cause of passionate arguments (who's better - Pat's, Geno's, Jim's...etc).  Anyone who grew up in South Philly knows what we're talking about and has searched the Triangle for years looking for a suitable sandwich.  Well, now the true taste of South Philly is in the heart of North Raleigh.  Anthony Luise has just opened South Philly Steak & Dogs at Falls of Neuse Road (close to Stein Mart).  A Philly transplant, he literally puts "Brotherly Love" in the cheesesteak by sourcing all his main ingredients (Amoroso's  rolls, special meat, Philly Pretzel Factory  soft pretzels, Keller's  mustard, Nathan's dogs) direct each day.  The combination of the right roll, marinated / shaved meat, cheese, and toppings makes all the difference.  The simple menu (cheesesteaks, sandwiches, dogs, pizza) is done right - and tastes truly authentic.  Experience the caramelized onions (& the Wiz).  Menu

No Cheesesteak for You!?   Remember your first cheesestake pilgrimage?  You were standing in a long  line amidst a flurry of cryptic orders, chopping blades and activity.  The time honored, sacred ritual was  going smoothly until some idiot broke the code (see below) causing verbal chaos and work stoppage.  Not unlike the infamous "Soup Nazi", the offender was sent away in humiliation.  But if you followed the code, you were rewarded with a culinary delight that peaked your taste buds and cemented your arteries.  So, when ordering ... remember these simple rules: 

• Don't say Philly.  You're in Philly (or wish you were there).  So that part goes without saying, and it makes you sound like a tourist.
• Less is More.  The rule of thumb is to minimize the words you need to convey what you want.  So don't bother saying the word "cheesesteak".   Just focus on the specifics: Example: "Whiz wit" means Cheez Whiz with fried onions, and "prov widdout" means (yes, you guessed it), provolone cheese without fried onions.
• Focus.  No chatting on your cell phone or to your friends in line.  When it's your turn, be ready.
• Don't ask for Swiss Cheese.  You have three cheese choices: Cheez Whiz, American, and Provolone cheese.  That's it.
• Don't ask Questions.  If you really need to know more, ask someone else in line, but don't bother the busy guys behind the counter.  Just wing it.  Even if you mess up, you'll end up with something delicious.

Philly Man Cave:  South Philly Steak & Dogs is decorated with all forms of Philly sports memorabilia       (courtesy of Anthony's personal collection - which we're sure his wife was happy to donate).  He describes the motif as a "family friendly, man cave" and he is in the process of ordering the cable sports package so Philly fans can follow their teams 24/7.  He'll even train you to speak like a true Philly native with phrases like:

South Philly Steak & Dogs: Location: Falls Centre - 4412-109 Falls of Neuse Road; Hours: Mon-Thurs 10am - 10pm, Fri-Sat 10am - Midnight, Sun noon - 8pm; Contact: 919.878.0069, Website.  Specials: Every week (but time sensitive so follow on   or )

The Insiders - Would you like to know the activity in your neighborhood, specific to your home?  Sign up for automated email reports of homes for sale in your neighborhood, prices of recently sold homes as well as overall market stats for homes comparable to your specific home.  This report includes interactive maps, charts and home details.  You can choose to receive the email every 2, 4, or 8 weeks, or just view it one time. Want to Get IN the Know for the real estate market in your neighborhood?  Sign up for your free report. Click Here 

Core Results Personal Training is teaching people from all over the Raleigh, Cary and Triangle area how to meet their fitness goals. From kettlebells to TRX, everything is top of the line and brand new at the private Core Results studio. Call and make your first appointment for a Complimentary Session!

20th Annual Triangle Wine Experience - February 7-9 - Supporting the Frankie Lemmon School for children with special education needs, The 20th Annual Triangle Wine Experience is happening February 7-9 throughout the Triangle.  Winery Dinners are on February 7 and pair some of the world's finest wines with some of the Triangle's hottest Restaurants and Chefs (Listing).  The Sponsor and Partner's breakfast in on February 8 and includes a tour of the Frankie Lemmon School.  Sip, Shop & Sign is also on Friday, February 8th from 4pm-6pm: Retail Restaurants and trade buyers will provide their venues for Winery Partners to showcase wines for consumers to taste, buy and have signed. This event is open to the public.  The Grand Gala and Auction is on Saturday, February 9th. The weekend culminates with world-class wines and Silent and Live Auctions of fine wine, exotic travel and luxury merchandise at our Grand Gala. Enjoy entertainment, dancing and libations. Click Here  

Auditions for the 2013 Performance Edge Summer Showcase will be held on Sunday, February 10 @ 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 23 @ 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
The audition site is at Raleigh Boychoir Centre, 1329 Ridge Road, Raleigh, 27607.
For the Audition: Students will be asked to sing one prepared song of their choice (Pop, Broadway, Classical, Country, etc.). An accompanist will be provided; please bring sheet music. Also, students may use an accompaniment track, or sing their selection a capella.

The 2013 Performance Edge Summer Showcase week is:  June 17-22. Cost for the week is $450.00. The camp is currently designed for students, rising ninth thru college. For complete information see Website.  

St. Timothy's School (Pre-Kindergarten-Eighth Grade) - Located in the Heart of Midtown.  OPEN HOUSE - Tuesday, February 12 - 4:00-7:00 pm Bring the family to tour the campus and meet with faculty and administration. They look forward to showing you their school. Phone: 919-781-053, Website.  

Bogey Flights: Top Gun 3D IMAX Experience (6 Days Only starting Feb. 7) 

"I feel the need. The need for speed." Top Gun - the story of an elite group of pilots competing to be the best in their class (both with and without their shirts on). Of course, the real stars of the movie were the fighter jets blasting off the aircraft carrier and engaging in aerial dogfights. And the music! Top Gun captured the imagination of a generation and is now being released for a 6-day, limited engagement in 3D at the Wells Fargo IMAX Theatre (Marbles Museum, Raleigh) starting February 7. The film stars Tom Cruise as Maverick with Anthony Edwards (Goose), Val Kilmer (Iceman), Kelly McGillis, and Meg Ryan.  Click Here

Kenna Custom Painting, Inc.  is available to tackle your residential painting needs.  With their great crews that perform very professional jobs on residential homes, you won't believe how quiet and unobtrusive they are.  So if you have that "itch" to freshen up your home, interior or exterior before springtime, contact them now.  Call 919-855-0082 or Email: kennapaint@bellsouth.net.  Website. 

Join My Blog Simply-Refined: We are an Interior Design team that can inspire and help you with your designs and decorating needs.  We have been designing and decorating homes for over 20 years.  Please call for a consultation. We can serve with a whole design package, or just consulting only...no job is too small.    

Call  Zaytoun Interiors if you're finally ready to decorate or re-decorate your home or office.  What's your style?  If you're not sure, we can help you tap into your inner self and find what makes you want to come home again.  Website, Email, Phone: 305-793-8510.  

An Invitation to Consign - Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, LTD is proud to announce that their Three-Day Winter Estate Catalogued Auction was a great success, selling over $1 Million in Fine Art, Jewelry, Antiques, Fine Wine, and other collectible objects to buyers around the world.  This exciting auction was in pace with their previous catalogue-level sales and marks their eighth consecutive $1 Million+ auction. The complete auction results for most recent sales can be found online.

Specialists are now evaluating estate collections and other fine objects for inclusion in the Three-Day Spring Estate Catalogued Auction to be held March 14-16, 2013.  Please contact the gallery to schedule an appointment with one of their specialists today, or tell them about your object or collection by completing this online consignment form.   

Did You Know?  For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $68 stays in the local economy compared to only $43 if spent at a national chain. Please support our local business!  This is what The Beltline Buzz is all about.   

For More Bargain Buzz ... Click Here