Rocks + Acid features 2,000 bottles of wine. | Photo by Daniel Turbert
Wine can be fancy — but it doesn’t have to be. Award-winning sommelier Paula de Pano wants tomake wine fun and accessible at Rocks + Acid, her wine shop and tasting room opening today in Chapel Hill.
Wine-lovers may recognize Paula from her nine years atFearrington House Inn, or even from her time as senior sommelier at Eleven Madison Park, a three-Michelin star restaurant in New York City. After more than 15 years in the wine world, Paula has kicked off her first solo venture with a curated collection of 350+ labels, meant to be enjoyed by customers with all levels of wine knowledge.
“People’s palates are each very different, so it’s important to keep an open mind when discovering wines — it’s a continuous journey, even for professionals,” Paula said.
When you step into the shop at 712 Market St., you’ll be greeted with a floor-to-ceiling array of bottles from around the world. There are no labels on the walls, and that’s intentional. Paula wants to spark conversations and educate, inviting anyone who’s interested to ask questions and learn. Paula and her partner in wine, Laura Francis, will guide guests based on their personal tastes.
Paula is interested in the people andstories behind the wines — their production is just as important to her as their flavor profiles. She favors ethical and sustainable wines, handmade by families, not factories.
We had to ask: If Raleigh were a wine, what would it be?Ca’n Verdura Supernova, a red wine from Mallorca, an island in Spain, Paula said. “It reminds me of Raleigh because it’s very vibrant,” she said. “It’s not mainstream and it has unique characteristics.”
Want to dive deeper into the vino?Take a class, such as as Champagne + French Fries (a collaboration with the shop’s neighbor Al’s Burger Shack) or Getting Into Wine: 101, to learn from Paula.
Rocks + Acid pours a rotating selection of 12 seasonal wines, focusing on Paula’s favorite lesser-known styles, that can be sipped in-store. Plus, artisan cheeses, charcuterie, conservas, and caviar will be available for pairings. Cheers.
Bird Walk | Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Prairie Ridge, 1671 Gold Star Dr., Raleigh | Free | Meet at the front entrance to search for birds using binoculars (provided).
Thursday, Dec. 8
Champagne Tasting | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 6-8 p.m. | Westgate Wine Bar, 6405 Westgate Rd. #111, Raleigh | $20-$30 | Taste and discuss unique and distinctive champagnes.
Friends of James Beard Foundation Holiday Soiree | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 6-10 p.m. | Milburnie Fishing Camp, 1308 Old Milburnie Rd., Raleigh | $300 | Step back in time for an intimate, 1960s-inspired holiday party, hosted by chef Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue.
Friday, Dec. 9
Holiday Pops | Friday, Dec. 9-Saturday, Dec. 10 | 12 p.m. | Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh | $20-$39 | Listen to the North Carolina Symphony perform festive holiday favorites and traditional carols.
Jingle & Mingle | Friday, Dec. 9 | 7:30-11 p.m. | City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville St., Raleigh | $30-$40 | Wear your best holiday outfit for a night of music, food, prizes, and games.
Saturday, Dec. 10
Movement and Mimosas | Saturday, Dec. 10 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Whitaker & Atlantic, 1053 E. Whitaker Mill Rd., Ste. 111, Raleigh | $20 | Dress in your most festive yoga ‘fit and you could win a free brunch after this one-hour flow.
Geek and Grub Market (Festivus Holiday Edition) | Saturday, Dec. 10 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Fred Fletcher Park, 820 Clay St., Raleigh | Free | Shop from 50+ geeky vendors, enjoy food, and play giant games.
Carolina Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” | Saturday, Dec. 10-Sunday, Dec. 11; Friday, Dec. 16-Sat., Dec. 24 | Times vary | DPAC (Dec. 10-11); Raleigh Memorial Auditorium (Dec. 16-24) | $72+ (DPAC); $27+ (Raleigh Memorial Auditorium) | Enjoy Zalman Raffael’s Robert Weiss-inspired interpretation of “The Nutcracker,” performed with the live score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.*
Friday, Dec. 16
GingerBuild Houses and Hops | Friday, Dec. 16 | 7-9 p.m. | Marbles Kids Museum, 201 East Hargett St., Raleigh | $25 | The perfect date night or friend group activity — build and decorate your own edible gingerbread house at Marbles’ 21+ holiday event.*
Saturday, December 31
Heritage Glitz & Glam New Year’s Eve Dinner | Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022 | 6 p.m.-1 a.m. | The Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave, Asheville, NC | Dinner included in package price | Enjoy a plated dinner Old Hollywood style with a live Rat Pack Era band — part of the NYE Package.*
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Chido Tacois opening a second location on Fayetteville Street early next year. The new spot will serve the same menu as the Bale Street location (think: tortas and tacos), with a bar featuring various cocktails. It will be participating in Raleigh’s social district. (Triangle Business Journal)
Development
Construction of a bike and pedestrian path along Blue Ridge Road, including a new bridge over Wade Avenue, has begun. The path will make it easier to walk or ride to and from the NCMA, NC State Fairgrounds, and PNC Arena. The project is expected to take 15 months to complete. (The News & Observer)
Arts
The deadline for the fall cycle of SEEK Raleigh — anartist call for installation and performance artworkin Raleigh parks — is today, Dec. 7. All submissions will be reviewed and considered for project budgets ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Apply. 🎨
Eat
This month, Poole’s Diner is celebrating its 15th anniversary with different macaroni and cheese features. Every Monday, you can find mac made with different ingredients on the menu (think: mac with pork belly and caramelized shallots). Psst... next week’s special features truffles. 🧀
Raleighite
Local historian Carmen Cauthen will release “Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh” on Jan. 9, 2023. The book tells the story of African American communities in the City of Oaks, beginning before the Civil War. Preorder your copy.
Ranked
Two Triangle bands made The Bitter Southerner’s list of the Best Albums of 2022. Sylvan Esso’s “No Rules Sandy” came in at No. 12, followed by “The Revelators” by Revelators Sound System at No. 15. We’ll have these on repeat. 🎶
Cause
Did you know blood donors always make Santa’s Nice List? Donate blood this December at The Blood Connection, and you’ll be entered to win a variety of prizes — including a five-night vacation rental on the SC coast. Sign us up. 🩸 *
Wellness
Escape from the stress of the holiday season with a massage from The NOW. Its massage menu includes three Swedish-inspired services with additional enhancements available to help you fully relax + recharge. Pro tip: Now through Saturday, Dec. 31, get $20 added to every $100 gift card purchased. Christmas gift, anyone?*
Shop
In the holiday-mood for fantastic shopping and fine dining?At Fentonyou can do both. Fuel your shopping with meals from chef-driven restaurants and browse a wide variety of retailers. Think: Sephora, Lululemon, Williams Sonoma, Altar’d’ state, Nike Live, Pottery Barn, Athleta, The Gatorbug, Vestique and more.*
Acorn crossing. Yesterday morning, Raleigh’s very own 1,250-pound copper and steel acorn was moved from Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts to local artist David Benson’s studio. Why?It’s being polished to prepare for its big moment during First Night Raleigh, Artsplosure’s New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown.
Raleighites have gathered in City Plaza every year on New Year’s Eve (since 1992) to watch the acorn drop to ring in the new year. This year, the acorn will drop twice on Saturday, Dec. 31 — once at 7 p.m. and again at 12 a.m.
Editor’s pick: Last weekend, I previewed Rocks + Acid with a winetasting. Cat couldn’t make it, so of course I had to buy her a bottle of my new favorite Riesling. (A great birthday gift, if I do say so myself). 🎈
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