Features

One Year In: What’s Up, Wake Celebrates 50 Episodes

The What's Up, Wake podcast debuted on March 4, 2025, with "Recipe for Success: Cooking up Conversations with Scott Crawford." Over the ensuing year, host Melissa Wistehuff has sat down with dozens of people who shape the Western Wake community, from politicians and performers to business owners and nonprofit leaders. To celebrate the first anniversary,... Read More

Game On!

Over the first weekend of March 2025, Linda Pelnik and Sue Dohm visited New York City. The longtime friends, along with more than 25,000 other people, were in Manhattan to attend Toy Fair 2025 — the largest toy show in the Western Hemisphere and the industry’s most iconic event. There, thousands of toys and games... Read More

Find Your Next Favorite Trail with Wander

Everyone should have a favorite place to walk, hike, or bike. For some of us, that’s the Neuse River Trail at sunrise. For others, it’s an easy loop where the kids can burn off energy and you get to grab coffee. For Vimal Vyas, the Downtown Cary Park tops the list for “just the different... Read More

Pay It Forward: United Arts Wake County

Lee Pike was spending her birthday at work, listening to students read poetry at the High School Spoken Word Contest, an event organized by United Arts Wake County, where she is vice president of development. She planned to duck out early to celebrate her special day, but instead, she sat transfixed, brought to tears by... Read More
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Now + Next

Long-Term Fosters Seeking Furever Homes

All animals deserve a loving home and couch to call their own. Unfortunately, sometimes they struggle to make it out of the shelter and foster system. These two long-timers with the Wake County Animal Center want to steal your heart, Love Island style. Capone At 5 years old, Capone has been with WCAC since... Read More

Getting Frank about the Wienermobile

When the Wake Living team learned the Wienermobile driver is a local, we relished the opportunity to send him all our burning questions! A 2021 graduate of Green Hope High School, Trey O'Shea, aka Tailgate Trey, has landed in the driver's seat of one of the most recognizable vehicles on the road. He recently rolled... Read More
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Food + Dining

Brunch Bliss

Rise and dine, brunch lovers! Whether you’re hungry for a flavorful twist or a tried-and-true classic, we’ve rounded up some of the best spots around town to satisfy your morning (or afternoon) munchies. Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen 150 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Delicious flavors are nestled in... Read More

Recipes from Readers: Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

An absolute family favorite! The hardest part is peeling and chopping the apples. 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar ¾ cup white sugar 4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder... Read More
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Home + Garden

Garden Adventurer: Voodoo Gardening

In the dying light of an early spring day last year, I was giving stubborn weeds in my garden their long-overdue last rites with a sling blade when something out of the corner of my eye froze me in my tracks. There, below a vitex tree with bare limbs that reached out like bony fingers,... Read More

Garden Adventurer: Better Witches

When winter has area gardens in its chilled grip, it is tough to imagine the glory that will be the coming spring. So why not summon a witch to help cheat the consuming cold and create comforting thoughts that, yes, a new, balmy growing season is on the way? That’s right, I said a witch.... Read More
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travel

Mountain Air

Vibrant towns, mountain landscapes, cascading waterfalls, and outdoor exploration — you can find it all in the North Carolina High Country. Destinations such as Asheville, Boone, and Blowing Rock often headline a visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains, but there’s a quieter alternative overflowing with small-town charm that deserves a place in the spotlight. The... Read More

Escape to Edenton

“Edenton’s waking up,” says Inner Banks Inn proprietor Susan Martin Cyr about the scenic town tucked into the Albemarle Sound and surrounded by water on three sides in the state’s northeastern region. While it has long been considered a historical gem, Edenton has also been what Susan “would call a sleeper.” But now, she says,... Read More
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