Consider this a mic drop 🎤

CreativeMornings RDU celebrates 10 years

Entrepreneur Johnny Hackett Jr.'s theme was Critical. | Photo by RALtoday

The CreativeMornings RDU chapter is celebrating a decade of community-driven speakers, making local connections + good talks.

What is CreativeMornings? It’s a free monthly breakfast and short, conversational presentation by a creative member in the community. Ten years ago, host Matt Tomasulo started the Raleigh chapter as the first in NC. Now headed by Alysse Campbell, the group’s numbers have steadily risen and there are chapters in Charlotte, Asheville, and 225 other cities across 67 countries.

Each speaker is selected from the community and given a global theme to connect to their talk. Past themes include Critical, Anxiety, and Lost. Speakers weave the theme into their presentations, relating it to their career and everyday life. Notable past speakers include six-time Grammy Award nominee Nnenna Freelon, A Place at the Table’s Executive Director + Founder Maggie Kane, and Durham country musician Rissi Palmer.

To celebrate 120 talks, 7,000+ community members, and ~24,000 cups of coffee shared over 10 years, the chapter is hosting an anniversary bash at The Factory on Thurs., Oct. 20. The night will feature live art battles with help from Munjo Munjo, brews from Ponysaurus Brewing, bites from Benchwarmers Bagels + Pineapple Sol, and charcuterie boards to go around.

Create an account to start connecting with the Raleigh community or nominate yourself to become a speaker.

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Today

Karaoke on the Roof | Mon., Oct. 17 | 8-11 p.m. | Raleigh Beer Garden, 614 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh | Free | Grab a cold beer and show off your chops.

Tuesday

Bands at Brookside Bodega | Tue., Oct. 18 | 5-8 p.m. | Brookside Bodega, 1000 Brookside Dr., Ste 119, Raleigh | Free | Listen to live music on the patio and enjoy tasty bites + brews.
Greta Van Fleet | Tue., Oct. 18 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Road, Raleigh | $45.00+ | Watch this Grammy Award-winning rock band perform on the Dreams In Gold Tour.

Wednesday

Fall Cookie Decorating Class | Wed., Oct. 19 | 7-9 p.m. | The Willard Rooftop Lounge, 9 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh | $60.00 | Learn cookie decorating basics from Taylor Whitworth of Oakwood Cookie Co. as you take in skyline views and enjoy a glass of wine.

Thursday

Arts on the Hill | Thu., Oct. 20 | 5:30 p.m. | Dix Park, 1030 Richardson Dr, Raleigh | Free | Strengthen your community ties through films with NC roots and spoken word poetry — presented by Raleigh Film and Art Festival.

Plan Ahead

10th Annual STEAM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities | Thurs., Oct. 27 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | NC Museum of Natural Sciences | Free, but register in advance | Students grades 6-12 can connect with role models with disabilities (who have thriving careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), engage with community partners, and enjoy a keynote presentation + panel discussion.*

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Apply to UNC Asheville for free this week

Apply to UNC Asheville now through Fri., Oct. 21 for free. | Photo provided by UNC Asheville

With the flurry of back-to-school season over, now is the time for high school seniors to look ahead.

For the month of October, the College Foundation of North Carolina is holding their Countdown to College (C2C) campaign — a program seeking to make higher education more accessible by helping NC students complete college enrollment steps.

This week is College Application Week and to celebrate, UNC Asheville is waiving their application fee. (Read: you can apply for free through Fri., Oct. 21.) 📚*

APPLY TO UNCA (FOR FREE)

Weather

78º | Partly cloudy | 20% chance of rain 🌦️

Development

A mixed-use tower is slated to rise 30 stories near Marbles Kids Museum. The VeLa Longview is being developed by VeLa Development Partners. Plans include 373 multifamily units and 10,000 sqft of retail space — construction is anticipated to start mid-2023. (Triangle Business Journal)

Cause

Roll on over to Crank Arm Brewing for the Crank for a Cause fundraiser on Sun., Oct. 30. The annual bike ride is a 12-mile route with stops at three downtown breweries. The event will feature raffle drawings with proceeds supporting biking advocacy organization Oaks and Spokes. 🚲

Sports

UNC and Duke football battled it out last weekend with the Tar Heels coming out on top 38-35 at Wallace Wade Stadium. UNC (6-1) now sits in first place in the ACC Coastal Conference. 🏈 (The News & Observer)
Recently, we shared a survey where our number one fans can let us know what sports content to cover. By completing the survey, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a chance to win team-branded swag up to $100 in value.

Job

As Las Ramblas approaches its opening, the Spanish tapas restaurant is hosting a job fair on Wed., Oct. 19. They are looking to fill positions like bartenders, servers, and kitchen managers. Stop by in person (141 Park at North Hills) or send in your resume.

Try This

It’s almost the season of giving. Tickets are now on sale for Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar’s Turkey Ball on Thurs., Nov. 17. Tickets ($45) include a turkey donation to someone in need + admission to the celebration featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket. 🦃

Shop

Since its founding in 1994, Larry’s Coffee has become a mainstay in kitchens across the country. The Raleigh-based coffee company offers 100% organic and fair-trade coffee beans and is continuously experimenting to better its product and company standards. For these reasons, we love all things Larry’s — especially the Cowboy Blend. ☕*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

We love this mural a bunch 🌸

The Willard reveals “From the Ashes” mural

People gathering in front of a new bright floral mural at a rooftop bar.

Enjoy a special cocktail while viewing Taylor White’s new mural. | Photo by RALtoday

Last week, we celebrated a bright new mural at The Willard Rooftop. “From the Ashes” is a colorful piece created by local artist Taylor White. The 664-sqft mural, which wraps around the rooftop bar, was inspired by the botanical collection of the late William Willard Ashe.

William was born in Raleigh in 1872 + was a forester, botanist, and UNC graduate who made thousands of plant discoveries. William grew up in the historic Elmwood estate, which can still be viewed behind the AC Hotel on Willard Place. More than 2,300 of his specimens were donated to the UNC Chapel Hill Herbarium. Today, his work can be viewed at the NC Botanical Garden.

Check out the mural for yourself and see if you can spot some of his botany discoveries (and a hidden hummingbird). Pro tip: Try the “From The Ashes” cocktail — it’s only available through Sun., Nov. 13.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Cat.

Editor’s pick: I am all for a seasonal drink. Last weekend, I tried the Ghost Pumpkin latte from Cup A Joe and it did not disappoint (it’s made with white chocolate pumpkin). Pro Tip: Pair your latte with a bourbon chocolate pecan pie. 🥧

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Raleigh is running slightly behind on its affordable housing goal.

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Editorial: Cat George, Anne Tate, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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