Plus, a Sriracha shortage and local alternatives
 
06.30.2023 6AM-Top banner logo-small.png

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

51º | Cloudy | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:25 a.m. | Sunset 5:17 p.m.
 

Food

Get excited to Drink Up in July
A hand holds a cocktail in a martini glass above colorful plants.
Sitti’s Saz-Arak is a Lebanese twist on a classic cocktail. | Photo by Sitti
Are you ready for a second round? This July, we’re back hosting Drink Up, a celebration of beverages and beverage-makers in Raleigh. From summer slushies to spicy margaritas, local bartenders are mixing it up all month long so you can start planning your happy hours. Here’s a preview of just a few drinks we’re featuring — but don’t worry, there’s more to come throughout the rest of July.

10th and Terrace, 616 S. Salisbury St., Floor 10, Raleigh | “Up on the Roof” | 10th and Terrace is featuring a spicy, summery cocktail with Lunazul Blanco, triple sec, mango nectar, muddled cilantro, and serrano pepper with a black salt rim. Enjoy this drink while gazing at the Raleigh skyline.

The Burnt Pot, 8604 Falls of Neuse Rd., Ste. 105, Raleigh | “Sunset Sherbet” | This is a cannabis-infused drink with cherry syrup, pineapple puree, lemonade, and seltzer, topped with a scoop of orange sherbet. Choose your infusion from CBD, delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, HHC, or plain.

Hummingbird, 1053 E. Whitaker Mill Rd. Ste. 111, Raleigh | “The Maize Margarita” | This unique take on a margarita features blanched corn kernels, blanco tequila, triple sec, agave, lime, cilantro, and tajin. Well shucks, we’ve never had corn in a cocktail before.

Peck & Plume at The Mayton, 301 S. Academy St., Cary | “Wata-melon Splash” | Peck & Plume’s offering is a fresh, fruity drink made with watermelon puree, vodka, peach schnapps, and lemon juice, the perfect summery drink.

Sitti, 137 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh | “The Saz-Arak” | This drink is a spin on the classic Sazerac cocktail using Arak, a native Lebanese liqueur. Pair this with some authentic Lebanese cuisine like beef and lamb shawarma and baba ghanouj.
Ambiente Modern Furniture
 
Events
Friday, June 30
  • Resin Poured Sea Turtle Charcuterie Board | Friday, June 30 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Wine & Design, 510 W. Martin St., Raleigh | $80 | Join Wine & Design for this resin pouring class and take home a turtle-shaped charcuterie board.
  • Go Fish Scavenger Hunt | Friday, June 30 | 7:30-9 p.m. | Nash Square, 200 S. McDowell St., Raleigh | $0-$32 | Compete to win prizes from local businesses during this nautical-themed hunt through the city.
  • Greek Night at Taverna Agora | Friday, June 30 | 8-11 p.m. | Taverna Agora, 326 Hillsborough St., Raleigh | Free | Enjoy live entertainment, including belly dancing and bouzouki music, while dining on an authentic Greek meal.
Saturday, July 1
  • True Crime & Curious Tales Walking Tour | Saturday, July 1| Times vary | Raleigh Walking Tours, LLC, 109 E. Jones St., Raleigh | Free | Go on a journey back in time to Raleigh’s most interesting true crime stories and other quirky tales.
  • Glitter Hour: Amateur Drag and Queer Stage Show | Saturday, July 1 | 7-10 p.m. | Ruby Deluxe, 415 South Salisbury St., Raleigh | $5 | Come support local up-and-coming Queer performance artists or jump on stage yourself.
  • The Raleigh Market | Saturday, July 1| 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | N.C. State Fairgrounds, 4285 Trinity Rd., Raleigh | Free | Visit hundreds of local vendors of all kinds at the State Fairgrounds.
  • Summerfest: Cirque Cinema | Saturday, July 1 | 8 p.m. | Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Pkwy., Cary | $42-$51| Watch e Troupe Vertigo perform dazzling feats of strength and grace with their group of acrobats, contortionists, and aerialists.
Sunday, July 2
  • Live Animal Feeding – Snapping Turtle | Sunday, July 2 | 11-11:15 a.m. | 11 North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, W. Jones St., Raleigh | Free | Watch a live feeding of the common snapping turtle, the largest of NC’s freshwater turtles, in the Bottomland Hardwood Forest exhibit.
Plan even more
Click here to have your event featured.
euphoria
 
News Notes
Civic
  • The City of Raleigh clarified new parking citation rules, going into effect tomorrow, July 1. Lower impact fines like expired parking meters are going down to $15 if paid within five days, while higher impact fines like blocking sidewalks, fire hydrants, and residential permit zones are going up.
Sports
  • The Hurricanes selected Bradly Nadeau as the 30th pick in the first round of this year’s NHL Draft. Nadeau scored 45 goals and had 113 points in the 2022-23 season with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League. Keep up with the rest of the Canes’ 2023 draft picks.
Try This
Arts
  • The City of Raleigh is one of 17 finalist cities in the running to receive up to $1 million as part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge. The proposed project addresses the Black history and culture of Raleigh through installations and symposiums. Up to 10 winners will be selected this fall.
Drink
  • Raleigh Water ranked as having the third best water in the world at the ACE23 conference by a group of trained water profilers in a blind taste test. Raleigh Water is treated at Dempsey E. Benton Water Treatment Plant. This good news came just in time for Drink Up month.
Fun Fact
Theater
  • Theatre Raleigh announced more dates for its new concert series featuring Tony Award winners, Grammy nominees, and Broadway stars. “Dear Evan Hansen” actress Rachel Bay Jones will join the stage on Friday, July 7, and Matthew Scott of “Sondheim on Sondheim” and “Jersey Boys” will be in town in September.
Ranked
  • Raleigh ranked as the No. 5 best city for Gen Z by Commercial Cafe. The City of Oaks ranked No. 3 in the economic category with high scores for cost of living, jobs accessible to recent graduates, and unemployment rate.
Wellness
  • The HydraFacial: You know it, you’ve heard about it — but have you tried it? The newly opened Woodhouse Spa North Hills offers the popular treatment that’s perfect for all ages and skin types. Pro tip: it’s the must-have facial treatment to achieve that summer glow. Book yours or browse other offerings.*
Listen
  • Want to learn how to win friends and influence people? Listen to the latest episode of The Urban Truth podcast hosted by Merz Aesthetics. The managing partner of Dale Carnegie of Greater North Carolina, Neville De Lucia shares his thoughts on building business relationships + establishing trust.*
Seasonal
  • Ready for some Fourth of July fun? Join Brier Creek Commons on Tuesday, July 4 for a Star-Spangled Block Party from 8-9 p.m., featuring an evening full of festivities (read: a DJ and giveaways) + one of the area’s largest fireworks shows, kicking off after dark.*
Finance
  • Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*
Outdoors
  • Decorating tip: Show your patio some love with a cute and colorful area rug. We love this outdoor-friendly geometric green one.*
Giveaway
  • To celebrate our revamped referral program, we’re hosting a special giveaway until Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. The top referrer will receive $500, and one additional person who refers at least one friend will automatically be entered for another $100 giveaway. Find the referral section at the bottom of this newsletter.
 
Did you know?

Food

Where has all the Sriracha gone?
Three shelves full of sriracaha bottles.
And to think we took this sight for granted last year. | Photo by Paul Narvaez via Wikimedia Commons
Last year, we heard word from Huy Fong Foods that a sriracha shortage was on the horizon. Now, it seems we’re in for another sriracha drought — quite literally.

Droughts in Mexico — where Huy Fong Foods sources its chilis — have affected supplies. In an interview with Food & Wine, the company recently revealed that the sauce shortage comes as a result of an “unexpected crop failure from the spring chili harvest.”

So what about those who crave capsaicin? (Think: the chemical that gives spicy food that burning sensation.) Unfortunately, there’s no end to the shortage in sight. And — since it doesn’t sell to stores directly — Huy Fong Foods can’t predict when products will return to shelves.

But you could try your luck on a site like Amazon, where Forbes reported a pack of two 17-ounce bottles recently was listed for $94.99. We’ve also seen bottles listed for over $40 on eBay.

Our advice? Go local. Here are three Raleigh hot sauces to keep all your food just as spicy, with a little sweetness.
 
The Wrap
 
Allie Remhof.jpg

Today’s edition by:
Allie
From the editor
I’m celebrating my Fourth of July weekend with a baseball game between the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and Chinese Taipei at DBAP as part of the International Friendship series — what’s more patriotic than that? Tickets were also a steal at $12 to $15.
Missed our previous newsletter?     ›
Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback     ›
Subscribe     ›
Advertise     ›
Shop     ›
 
Share RALtoday
 

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

{{profile.vars.rh_reflink_21}}
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_21}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.
Claim your rewards
 
 

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY