Time Capsule: First Night Raleigh 2014

Your New Year's Eve memories are always fuzzy at best. But that doesn't mean the entire year has to be a wash. Gather friends and family for 2013's last hurrah at First Night Raleigh 2014. Get a jump start on your resolutions and excise those "push send" social media snafus.

More Than Acorns & Fireworks: First Night Raleigh 2014 is a community celebration featuring  nearly 100 performances in over 3 dozen indoor and outdoor venues throughout downtown Raleigh. From Ball Room Dancing (sponsored by the Beltline Buzz) to Juggling Bowling Balls (& Fire Torches) to celebrating the New Year's Falling Ball (err Acorn), First Night Raleigh is one rockin' good time.  The December 31 festival includes the early afternoon (2 - 6pm) Children's Celebration, rides (Rock Around The World, Carousel, Sleigh), Early & Late Countdowns, Music, Dance, Theatre, Food, and Fireworks. The Countdown to Midnight truly comes alive at 10:45 with the main stage performance of Big Sam's Funky Nation; a high voltage, urban funk legend that defines powerhouse tight. What better way to bring in the New Year!  Performances and Activities

How to "First Night": Plan in advance by visiting their website for full schedules and to purchase online  passes ($10) up to December 30th. You can also buy them at area Harris Teeter stores, Rite Aid Pharmacy, etix.com, and other listed sites. At the event, Adult passes are $13, Children (ages 6-12) $10, and Children 5 and under, free. The First Night "Button" is your all access pass to all events and shows.  Food vendors are located on Bicentennial Plaza and in several locations along Fayetteville Street. Ample parking is available throughout downtown and there are plenty of information tents (selling passes and official First Night T-Shirts) and security to provide directions and keep you safe.  Online Passes

Information: Box Office Phone: (919) 832-8699 or email info@artsplosure.org; Website    

Button Bonuses:  Present your First Night Raleigh 2014 Admission Pass (Button or Wristband) at any of the following Raleigh area arts organizations for discounts from mid-December through the first half of 2014! Click Here

To Bee or Not to Bee

Appy Holidays! The Best Apps to Give and to Get

Not only are apps easy, last-minute gifts that never look late, the instant gratification they deliver lasts all year. Here's the lowdown on what to download.  

Tick - A Customizable To-Do, Reminders & Sync App. Bright and cheery icons and simple navigation make this list app the next best thing to giving your busiest friend a personal assistant.

Tick is a next generation incredibly-customizable to-do app. You can customize the entire interface with your favorite colors. Set reminders and have them synced to your Mac or iPad. Tick changes its colors as you move from a bright to a dark environment.  

• Customize colors, fonts, icons, and even the cursor's color in your lists.
• Reminders, including repeating reminders (daily/weekly/monthly...etc).
• Due dates. Set deadlines for your to-dos.
• iCloud and reminders sync. Background fetch. Tick will update its badge and content even when it isn't active.
• Ambience-aware night and day modes. In a dark room, Tick automatically switches to a dark user interface yet still preserves your color choices. It works like magic!
• Animated icons. When you add a to-do or mark one as done, lists' icons comes to life!  

Modernist Cuisine at Home - Just in time for the holidays, here's your chance to test drive The Modernist Cuisine at Home as an eBook. Fresh on App Store, Inkling has put together the 'Lite Version' with all the fixings for a three-course Modernist meal, including recipes, photos, videos, techniques, and even the recipe finder and shopping list features.    

Using videos, high-res photography, and thoughtful new tools developed for the interactive eBook, you'll discover the science behind the techniques of your favorite avant-garde chefs, and learn how to elevate 400 classic "comfort" food recipes like chicken noodle soup and mac-and-cheese with Modernist Cuisine's signature tips, tricks, and hacks.    

It's been designed, not as a book, but as your personal sous chef. The world's most beautiful cookbook is now a beautiful app! Give it a try before gifting the full version to yourself or your favorite foodie.

eBook Edition: Modernist Cuisine at Home - Order here. Cost:$80.

Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking Hardcover Website to order.    

Weather Line - A weather app that's so detailed, the climate-obsessed friends in your life will be able to layer according to its hourly, weekly, and monthly charts.

Hourly

36 hours of the most accurate weather data. Just swipe.

Individual hourly icons show the exact condition and temperature

Surrounding hours provide context

Details for the selected hour

Daily

Best way to view your week ahead. Hands down.

One vibrant line with daily high temperature and conditions. It's like seeing the future.

Gray line shows nightly data. Centered between the correct days.

Details for the selected day

Monthly

Perfect for vacation planning

Average Hi and Lo temperatures

Average rainfall

Details when you need more

Dark Sky Rain Prediction

State-of-the-art forecasting to predict when it will rain or snow - down to the minute

Clear text summary

Beautiful graph shows precipitation intensity

Weather Line is so accurate it's scary.  Order app here.  Cost: $2. 

So Many Stars - Art buffs of all ages will spend more than the allotted fifteen minutes of fame inside the world of Andy Warhol's interactive, animated illustrations.

A cheerful app is born through the collaboration between the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and Bugaboo. This interactive adaptation of Andy Warhol's 'So' book, explores the concept of the 'So' series and invites children to discover what happens inside the 'So' animations. That discovery starts when touching objects on the different pages, such as making dogs grow, eating spaghetti and letting fish jump out of the water. There's no right or wrong, it's purely about discovering Andy Warhol's world in a playful graphical way.   

App is created by Bugaboo International B.V. Click here to order. Cost: Free.

The Human Body - Created as a teaching tool for kids to learn anatomy. It's also handy for your hypochondriacs interested in adding a graphic element to their complaints of aches and pains. (We all know and love at least one of them!) 

Appy, appy, joy, joy! It's the gift that keeps on giving! Merry Christmas!

Cameron Clothing Co. - the Amy Kahn Russell jewelry Trunk Show now till Christmas.  

Amy Kahn Russell was the first important designer in the naturalistic trend in jewelry design. Her distinctive pieces incorporate fossils, natural minerals, pearls, and semi-precious stones with sterling silver. Amy painstakingly designs every piece herself, often using rare and unusual materials which make duplication impossible.

Cameron Clothing Co.  4351-111 The Circle at North Hills, Raleigh, 27609, Phone: (919) 420-0411, Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10am - 6pm. Website. 

Three Homes For Sale In Olde Raleigh

3800 City of Oaks Wynd: $599,900

4308 Johnston Busbee Wynd: $1.195 or Executive Rental @

$5000/mo.

7,214 SF, Transitional w/ All Hardwoods, Gracious Formals, Keeping Room, Master Wing w/Gentleman's Office, 6 bdrs/5.5 baths, Children's Study, Fin. 3rd Floor, 3-garage, .57 Acre. (photo right)

4101 John S. Raboteau Wynd: $699,000

4,012 SF, Large Living Areas, Sunroom,4 bdrs/3.5 baths, Bonus,.52 Acre. (photo left)

Olde Raleigh features three beautiful lakes with centerpiece fountains, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, clubhouse, veranda and two tennis courts. 

Contact: Jill Rekuc, Owner-Olde Raleigh Real Estate

Website: www.olderaleighrealestate.com

Email: Jill@olderaleighrealestate.com

The Knitty Gritty at Certain Things - Fall and Winter Sweaters galore! Come see the variety of sweaters in all weights, colors and sizes. Pair them up with slenderizing jeans, leggings, and skirts to make that cute holiday outfit for work, parties or play.  

Certain Things of Cameron Village - 404 Daniels St. Raleigh, NC 27605, (919) 828-5055Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 1-5pm.  Website.

CT Weekends - Looking for a great fitting jean? Look no further. Jag and Liverpool jeans are available in many colors and sizes at CT Weekends in Cameron Village. Liverpool Jeans are now on Sale for only $50! Take advantage of some already "After Christmas Sales" before Christmas with some 30% to 50% off on selected tops, pants and dresses.   

New Holiday Hours Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sunday, Dec 15th Noon - 4pm, and Sunday Dec 22nd Noon - 4pm. 

To accommodate your shopping needs CT Weekends is available by appointment for additional hours. Call for an appointment: 919-787-9073 or email ctweekends@aol.com. Website. 

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!

Core Results: 1330 St. Mary's Street, Suite A00, Raleigh, 27605, Phone: (919) 946-1737, Email:info@coreresults.net, Website.   

Kenna Custom Painting 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.

How to Decorate When You're Starting Out or Starting Over

A Young Entrepreneur - Please Support! 

Car Wash Service