Umstead Chef Takes the Helm at An New World Cuisine in Cary

Chef Steven Devereaux Greene, chef de cuisine of Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, North Carolina has a dream. To operate an Asian-inspired restaurant. And the owners of the hotel are helping him realize that dream by naming him Executive Chef of their Asian-inspired restaurant, An New World Cuisine.

Located just down the street from The Umstead, An, which means "to dine or to eat" in Vietnamese, specializes in signature "New World" cuisine blended with Southeast Asian flavors and European influences and will continue to present a comprehensive sushi menu and the freshest seafood and meats under Greene's tutelage. Featured for its acclaimed  international flavors in Southern Living and Food Arts, An has also been honored with Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence in 2010 and 2011.

As chef de cuisine of Heron's, Greene was instrumental in helping The Umstead's signature restaurant achieve its first AAA Five Diamond Award and Forbes Five-Star Rating, just one of 25 restaurants worldwide to receive the prestigious honor. Now he will take his polished and creative culinary style, innate talent, and passion for local foods and incorporate them into the robust flavors of Southeast Asia.

An New World Cuisine is open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Monday through Saturday.

Old Edwards Inn is the Perfect Mountain Getaway

We know, we know....mountain getaways are a dime a dozen. But we've found one that truly raises the bar for that uber-special getaway. Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina has thought of everything for the perfect romantic getaway for you and that special someone, a girls weekend for some much-needed female gossiping and pampering, or a family get-together to reconnect and rejuvenate.


Nestled in the southwestern plateau of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, the Forbes four-star European-style resort sprawls across several blocks in the charming town of Highlands, a cultural mountain village. There is plenty to do at Old Edwards Inn and everything focuses on what's truly important about a special getaway. There's the stunning outdoor heated pool (pictured above), a world-class spa with dozens of idyllic treatments and therapies, a state-of-the-art fitness center with complimentary fitness classes throughout the day, tasty dining at Madison's Restaurant and Wine Garden, The Rooftop Terrace (seasonal), the Spa Cafe, and the Poolside Bar and Bistro (seasonal), cooking classes and golf at the private Old Edwards Club. And it that's not enough to keep you occupied, the town sits right outside their doors and offers strolling along the charming streets, plenty of shopping at unique art galleries and boutiques (including Old Edwards Inn's own Acorns Boutique and Acorns on Church), and gourmet dining.


But we've saved the best for last. The Old Edwards Inn uber-luxury accommodations. Oh my! They have so many extra touches that make you feel like royalty including plush rooms with king-sized beds, club chairs facing the toasty gas fireplace, gigantic bathrooms with enormous walk-in showers for two, heated bathroom floors, Molton Brown bath amenities, ultra-cozy robes and slippers, balconies, and a 24-hour butler's pantry with coffee and tea, fruit, and the ever-popular Dove Ice Cream Bars. We've been in a hotel room or three in our lifetime and these were some of the most luscious accommodations that we've ever seen. We found ourselves regretting having to leave our room to enjoy all of the other awesome activities the resort had to offer.


No wonder Old Edwards Inn was ranked #2 in the Top 10 Hotels for Romance in the United States in TripAdvisor Reader's Choice Awards for 2011 and #1 Hotel Spa in the United States for 2010 in Conde Nast Traveler. Not all mountain getaways are created equal. Next time you are looking for the ultimate getaway, be sure to check out Old Edwards Inn and Spa. 

Cele Talks Baseball in Wilmington, NC

When we moved from Richmond to the coast of North Carolina, the one thing I thought I’d  lose was my husband’s fanatical obsession with his season tickets to the Richmond Braves. Now don’t get me wrong….I thoroughly enjoy baseball. If my husband had to follow one sport, baseball would be my choice. From the intellect and strategy behind the game to the lack of brutal clashes and posturing to the downright attractiveness of the players, I’m a fan.

But when you have season tickets to a minor league team and live 5 minutes from the stadium, baseball becomes an almost nightly event. I used to get so excited when the Braves left on a road trip because it meant that I had a window for a normal life. Romantic dinners at home, staying late at the office, running errands after work…..whatever it was, I knew that I wouldn’t be sitting at the ballpark those evenings.

Well…..eight years later, it looks like the Braves organization has followed us to North Carolina. And not only North Carolina, but they’re thinking about opening up shop in Wilmington…..our nearest town! Did they miss us at the games or something? Have they just not been the same since we left?

Actually, I’m kidding. It would be a great thing if the Atlanta Braves decided to move their Advanced Single-A team from Lynchburg (the Lynchburg Hillcats) to Wilmington. And it looks like that might happen. After the Atlanta Braves (including former manager Bobby Cox) and Mandalay Baseball Properties came to Wilmington last fall to meet with local leaders and talk about bringing a professional team to the Port City, the Wilmington City Council voted unanimously to start negotiations that could lead to Wilmington getting a minor league team. They now have six months to figure out how much it would cost to build a stadium, how it would be funded, potential locations, and what level of public support would garnered from such a decision.

Although it’s seems a long way off with a ton of hurdles, a minor league team (and an Atlanta Braves affiliate) would be great for the city….and Lynn.

Celebrate Black History Month in Greensboro, North Carolina

What better place to celebrate Black History Month than in the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement in Greensboro, North Carolina. On the afternoon of February 1, 1960, four black freshmen from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College (now North Carolina A&T State University) came to the F.W. Woolworth store to do some shopping. After making some purchases, the four men sat down at the store's lunch counter and asked to be served. At the time, the store's counter only served white patrons and the black customers had to stand in a separate area or order take-away.

Although the young men did not get served, this simple gesture of civil disobedience was to be the cornerstone for the civil rights movement across the country. With the publicity that it, and other sit-inns  generated, the lunch counter finally changed its policy on July 26 and began the change in equality that America enjoys today.

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum, housed in the old Woolworth store where the original sit-in took place, celebrates the nonviolent protests of the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins that served as the catalyst in the civil rights movement. The museum immerses the visitor in the sights, sounds and struggles of this defining time with exhibits, galleries, and artifacts (including the original lunch counter and stools of the Greensboro four).

Opened in 2010, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum has created a unique environment for promoting and understanding the struggles for social justice and equality in the United States. Seems like a great place to celebrate Black History Month and the significant gains in social equality that these men started. 

Ivan Lendl Brings His Game to South Carolina

It was so great seeing Ivan Lendl back in the court at the Australian Open. Even if it was as a spectator (he's now coaching Andy Murray). What an amazing player and an incomparable career. We're talking holding the world's No. 1 ranking for 270 consecutive weeks, eight Grand Slam singles titles, a Davis Cup championship for his homeland of Czechoslovakia, appearing in eight consecutive US Open Finals (still the record) and, of course, being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001.

And now Ivan Lendl has brought his game to South Carolina with his International Junior Tennis Academy. Located in Hilton Head, South Carolina, The Ivan Lendl IJTA helps to develop great tennis players and future champions through a progressive curriculum and holistic training approach. Lendl is intimately involved in developing players in grades 5 through 12 and focuses on the philosophies he followed to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time: classic tennis fundamentals; cutting edge biomechanics; strength training and fitness; and the demands of mental preparation. Students also maintain their academic studies through Ivan Lendl's IJTA academic partner, Heritage Academy.

The new session started last month and enrollment tripled from its inaugural season. So now's the time to start thinking about the next session starting in August and get your child enrolled. And if you can't wait, there are after school, weekend, Spring Break and Summer options and classes to pick from. Tennis, anyone?

Welcome to South Carolina, Ivan!

Wilmington, North Carolina Inns Earn Diamonds

What's better than diamonds for Valentine's Day? Absolutely nothing! At least to the folks at two of Wilmington, North Carolina's premier bed and breakfast inns who were awarded AAA's prestigious 2012 Four Diamond rating for superior customer service and facilities.

The Graystone Inn earned its thirteenth consecutive AAA Four Diamond rating and The Verandas Bed & Breakfast Inn earned its tenth. Not bad! Especially when you consider that there are only 2,000 properties nationwide that earn the AAA Four Diamond rating and that there are only 34 in all of North Carolina. What's more....only 3.4% of 58,000 annual inspections conducted nationally result in a Four Diamond rating. Now that's impressive!

The Graystone Inn (pictured) is a landmark in the heart of Wilmington's historic river district that was originally built in 1905-1906 and has been lovingly remodeled and restored to its original grandeur over the years. Today, the mansion features nine stunning rooms and suites, offers a magnificent venue for weddings, receptions and other events, and has appeared in several movies and television shows.

The Verandas, two blocks from the downtown Wilmington waterfront, is a Victorian Italianate Mansion originally built in 1853. Extensively restored in 1995 (for which it received numerous awards) with American, French and English antiques and original artwork, each of the eight rooms creates a sanctuary of comfort and warmth, not to mention the four verandas and the award-winning garden for places to get away from it all.

Two inns and eight diamonds. Sounds like a girl's best friend.

Venus Williams Enters South Carolina Family Circle Cup

Venus Williams, former World No. 1 and 2004 Family Circle Cup Champion, has thrown her hat (or should we say racket) in the ring for the 2012 Charleston event coming to the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina March 31-April 8.


With 43 singles titles, including 14 majors, and the World No. 1 ranking on three separate occasions, Venus Williams still maintains top dog status in the Women's Tennis Association. Although sidelined for all of 2011 and the 2012 Australian Open with health issues, according to her website, Williams seems poised to return to the circuit in full force in February. So we can expect great things from her at her 5th Family Circle Cup appearance.


What began in 1973 as Family Circle became the first women's magazine to fully underwrite a professional sporting event, has now become one of the most traditional events in women's tennis boasting a prize money purse over $700,000 and a roster of past champions that include some of the biggest names in the history of women's tennis including Chris Everett, Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Justine Henin, and Serena Williams.


And the Family Circle Cup is more than just a tennis tournament. It's a week-long festival from tennis instruction to shopping for tennis equipment and merchandise to family fun and activities to entertainment and food, and, of course, world-class tennis. With convenient hotels and restaurants on Daniel Island and nearby North Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, it's the perfect getaway for the tennis enthusiast in your family or a spring break vacation.

Insider View of the Vanderbilts in Asheville, North Carolina

Travel in North Carolina wouldn't be complete without at least one visit to Biltmore, the legendary 250-room French Renaissance home of George and Edith Vanderbilt located in Asheville. And this spring, visitors will have the unique opportunity to learn more through a new exhibit of rarely displayed treasures collected by the Vanderbilt family.

"The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad" explores the personalities of this intriguing couple and their only child, Cornelia, through achival letters, documents, personal items and exotic treasures. From intimate details and descriptions of the Vanderbilt courtship and wedding to Cornelia's birth to grand parties at Biltmore and their various travels through Europe and the Far East, some of the family's cherished possessions that will be displayed include: a collection of Samurai armor and weapons; an intricate Cartier vanity and lipstick case; a 12-sided Tiffany & Co. coffee pot given to the Vanderbilts as a wedding gift from President Theodore Roosevelt's sister; and a set of gilded book volumes called The Holland House Books that contain letters, prints, etchings and drawings that span British history.

The exhibit opens April 7 in Antler Hill Village at Biltmore and is included in estate admission. Just one more reason that Biltmore tops our list of a North Carolina travel must-see.

Official Guide to Greater Raleigh Wins Gold

Kudos and congratulations go out to the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau for winning the Gold Award by the North American Travel Journalists Association in the category of Visitors' Guide for Destination Marketing Organizations for their Official Guide to Raleigh, Cary and Wake County. The 76-page bible is Greater Raleigh's primary leisure marketing guide available to give visitors an inside look at some of the attributes, experiences, people and places that make the Raleigh area a top North Carolina travel destination.


The unique editorial vision of the publication (of which we were thrilled to contribute to) gives you great suggestions on how to craft your own visitor experience based on your own personality and interests. Called Destination ID, their seven travel personalities (including foodie, fashionista, creative genius, adrenaline junkie, music maniac, lifelong learner, and free spirit) give you tips and suggestions on attractions, dining, shopping, accommodations, sports and recreation, and special events that suits your preferences (no matter how quirky).


So if you are planning to travel to the Raleigh area, be sure to pick one up at their Visitor Information Center, order one by mail or view the interactive online version for tons of travel ideas that make Greater Raleigh so great.

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition Celebrates 30 Years in South Carolina

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!

Okay...not really lions, tigers and bears but lots of varied wildlife will be on display at the 30th Annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition February 17-19 in Charleston, South Carolina. The nation's largest wildlife art and nature event will showcase the work of 120 painters, carvers and sculptors in various locations throughout Charleston.

Art exhibits, decoy makers, flight demonstrations by the Center for Birds of Prey (pictured), conservation exhibits, DockDogs competitions,fly fishing and cast net tossing lessons, live-animal presentations by renowned animal expert Jack Hanna and exhibits by outdoor outfitters, boat & equipment vendors and fishing, hunting and safari guides will be going on throughout the weekend, along with children's activities, food vendors, and live bluegrass music.

Day tickets are $10-$20, 3-day passes are $40, and children 10 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. VIP packages are available (and usually sell out quickly) and offer extra perks and after-hours activities including: art previews, an opening reception, black-tie gala and auction, Saturday breakfast, a casual party with live music and a Lowcountry feast, and access to the hospitality suites throughout the weekend.

So, maybe you will see lions, tigers and bears. And bison, ducks, elk, dogs, hawks....Oh my!

Plan Your Summer Travel in North Carolina

Planning on a summer vacation in North Carolina? Maybe the Outer Banks? Hard to come up with a more idyllic vacation spot than Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, or Nags Head. With great ocean access, lots of outdoor sports and adventures, tasty shopping and dining, and fantastic weather with cool summer breezes, a weekend, a week or even longer in OBX is a great way to spend a family vacation.

When our summer travels have us headed to the Outer Banks, we can always rely on local in-the-know companies like Joe Lamb, Jr. and Associates to help us find the perfect accommodations for our escape. From cute little seaside shacks for just the two of us on a weekend getaway to massive oceanfront mansions for the extended family or reunion, they seem to have just the right house to call home.

The calendar may only say February but summer is right around the corner. See you at the beach!

Blowing Rock's Green Park Inn wins Battle NC Catfish

Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge is in full swing and we were fortunate enough to serve as judges during last night's Battle NC Catfish at Crippen's Country Inn and Restaurant in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. As the second heat of the eight bracket competition, Chef James Welch of The Laurel Room at Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock narrowly beat out Chef Nate Curtis of Rowland's Restaurant at Westglow Resort & Spa also in Blowing Rock.

The secret ingredient, selected by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, was catfish. All of the secret ingredients for the entire competition will be chosen from indigenous NC items available from local purveyors, farmers and fisherman. The judges found out what the secret ingredient was at noon and had to create three courses incorporating the catfish without the aid of cell phones, computers or recipes.

With 30% of the final scores coming from the four judges and the other 70% coming from the diners, the judges favorite dish was the Soy Glazed Catfish with Vanilla Basil Sorbet from Chef Curtis and the audience favorite was the Catfish Crusted Petite Filet with Asparagus and Fresh Mozzarella Gratin (pictured) from Chef Welch. And don't even get us started on the Catfish Napolean for dessert! Judging was state of the art (and seriously real time) with QR codes and mobile applications for all judges and diners. For those less inclined, however, paper and pencil were available upon request.

The remaining heats will take place at Crippen's Country Inn & Restaurant throughout February and March with the finale of the two remaining chefs taking place on Wednesday, April 11 as the kickoff to the Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival. Other competitions are scheduled throughout the state including Fire on the Dock in Wilmington, Fire in the Triangle in Raleigh and Fire in the Triad in Greensboro later in the year, culminating in a state-wide battle for Best Chef bragging rights.

Bon Appetit and may the best chef win!