To the Beach!

One of my favorite questions has to be, "You want to go to the beach for the day?" Day trips to the beach are so much fun! (And so much cheaper than staying for the weekend.) I usually invest in a new swimsuit every other summer or so, and this is my year to buy a new one. This nautical striped one-piece from Boden is definitely at the top of the list. If I could, I would take all these pieces with me to the beach! (Note: when I wrote this post, I had planned a day beach trip with my sister....but it is just too darn cold! I am so ready for a good North Carolina summer.)

Pom-pom Beach Tunic

Sorento Swimsuit 

Embroidered Baseball Cap

Straw Tote

Ruby Mint Beach Towel

Gold Leather Sandals

Why "Wilmington and South"?

Several people have asked me why I chose to call my blog "Wilmington and South," so let me explain.

When I first decided to start a blog, I knew I wanted to write about life in Raleigh - favorite places, new places, settling into an apartment, and some thoughts on personal style thrown in here and there. As I tried to come up with a name for the blog, my good friend, Julie, asked me two questions: What do you love most about Raleigh, and do you have a favorite place downtown?

Answer #1 - I love that Raleigh is only a few hours from the beach, and I love that it is in the South. So many of my favorite memories are family trips to the beach, and I love the tradition and culture of the South, especially the Carolinas.

Answer #2 - My favorite place downtown is the Memorial Auditorium (now known as the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts - kind of a mouthful, no?). Music and ballet have always been part of my life, and I love going to see Carolina Ballet's productions or to hear the North Carolina Symphony downtown. The Memorial Auditorium happens to be at the corner of Wilmington Street and South Street.

And thus, Wilmington & South was named. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what my blog is all about (thanks for sticking around to find out with me!), but at least I have a name that I love.

Spring Pieces

I have been scouring the internet for a rehearsal dinner dress to wear this summer (no luck so far...). But in doing so, I've come across some great pieces for spring! If only I needed them...

Love the simplicity of this trench coat from Ann Taylor - perfect for cool days and spring showers.

This monogramed leather tote from Tuckernuck would be a fantastic staple year-round! 

It took me a little while to get used to the tassel trend, but I really like this classic gold necklace from Baublebar.

Love this light, long-sleeved dress from Ralph Lauren.

How fun are these loafers from Joe Fresh?! So cute with dark skinny jeans.

I've been rotating between pearl and gold studs for the last few months, so these turquoise earrings from Tuckernuck would be a nice change.

12 in 12 - Joule Coffee and Table

So, February kind of snuck past while I wasn't paying attention, and I completely forgot to visit one of my 12 restaurants in 12 months! I mean, lets be real - February is significantly shorter than every other month, it's kind of easy to blink and miss it! (I know - excuses, excuses...) Since I dropped the ball in February, I'm planning to try two places from my list during the month of March.

First up: Joule (and a bonus trip to the Yellow Dog Bread Company).

This trip started as a spontaneous "lets go with Jeanne to get some bread - she wants to show us around downtown" kind of day. Sweet friends of ours, John and Jeanne, own one of the most amazing places in Raleigh: Sola Coffee Cafe. Seriously, if you haven't been, please do yourself a favor and grab lunch with a friend, or bring a good book and get a cup of coffee, or get dinner there during the live music they have EVERY Friday and Saturday night! Anyway, Jeanne offered to take my mom and me on a little tour of her favorite places downtown if we went with her to pick up bread for Sola at The Yellow Dog Bread Company. So we started the morning there with some coffee and spelt bread and a rosemary scone (amazing, by the way).

After pointing out some of her favorite places to eat downtown, Jeanne directed us to Joule. Joule is one of Ashely Christensen's five restaurants in downtown Raleigh. She is about to open three more, one of which is going into a space that used to house a bank, and a funeral home, and law office (all at different times in the past). Sounds a little strange, I know, but she's calling it "Death and Taxes," and I can't wait to try it!

Lunch at Joule was so fun! The atmosphere is almost what I would call "upscale diner." The floors are tiny black and white tile, and the chairs are orange lacquer to match the old diner coffee pots that line the shelves behind the bar. 

Jeanne ordered "Uncle Alex's Cubano" with a side salad:

My mom got the "Joule Cobb" salad:

(Check out that avocado!)

While I tried the "Peppered Chicken Club:"

Everything was so good! I would definitely go back to try their "Endive + Radicchio Salad." Someone at another table ordered it while we were there and it looked wonderful.

After seeing so many of the places that Jeanne recommended, I'm thinking I'm going to have to switch out a few on my list for the rest of the year. I'll keep you posted!

Any other places in Raleigh I should be checking out?