Features

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Spam and Scams: The Digital Bogeymen

If you feel like there has been an uptick in spammy content coming across your devices lately, you’re not alone. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so it’s the ideal time to refresh your understanding of what these scammers are capable of. The internet is passing junk form responses and emails at an unprecedented pace. Spam... Read More
Vote now for the Wake Living Readers' Choice Awards

Vote Now: 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards

The Readers’ Choice Awards are back! Honor the Best of Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Knightdale in dozens of categories, all decided by YOU! Voting is open for the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards — the contest that lets you show your appreciation for the local businesses and organizations that help make life great in the community.... Read More

Starry Night

“It’s our birthright,” says Cary-based astrophotographer Elizabeth Quinlan about our inclination to look up at the night sky in search of understanding about ourselves and our place in the universe. At a time of year when we purposely slow down and seek deeper connection with ourselves and others, the sky — ripe for viewing in... Read More

Out & About in Wake County: November/December 2024

1. The ninth annual NC Chinese Lantern Festival will once again take to the skies of Cary. Offering multiple ticket options — any-night, date-specific, group, sensory-friendly, and twilight — the event will illuminate the winter night with more than 40 new larger-than-life displays. Cultural arts performances and food and fun meet magnificent craftmanship at this... Read More
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Food + Dining

An Old Fashioned Fall Day

The Old Fashioned is a versatile cocktail that prominently features the whiskey complemented by fresh ingredients that highlight the season. This variation speaks to the flavors of the fall: cinnamon, brown sugar, black walnuts, and Granny Smith apples, all coming together for a crisp, refreshing cocktail to be enjoyed at the bar, by a fire,... Read More
Sweet potato donut holes with sugary exterior

Sugar and Spice Sweet Potato Doughnut Holes

Did someone say fresh, warm, doughnut holes? These lovely morsels feature warm, autumn spices including allspice, cinnamon, and cardamom. And, since they are made with sweet potatoes, they’re almost healthy, right? We love making these bite-sized treats at home because we can enjoy them by the handful and not feel guilty. Now you can too!... Read More
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Life + Style

Erica Chats: Surviving Holiday Stress

The holidays are here again! This season is filled with cheer, fancy parties, family, gifts … and stress. No matter how joyful this time of year is, the endless to-do lists and disruptions to our regular routines take their toll. Between navigating interesting family dynamics, trying to magically budget for gifts, and the pressure of... Read More

Erica Chats: Go Ahead and Spoil Them!

Aren’t pets just the best? They bring an abundance of joy to our lives, reduce stress, and never leave our side when they sense we aren’t doing well. They even take on some of their owners’ personalities over the years, which can be hilarious once we realize that side-eye mimics the sass of their owner!... Read More
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Home + Garden

Garden Adventurer: The Ins and Outs of Amaryllis

The scramble to find perfect Christmas presents has begun, and for gardeners, the beautiful amaryllis (Hippeastrum sp.) is always a classic go-to gift. Whether as a bulb-in-a-box or a full-blown flowering plant, amaryllis can deliver much-needed cheer to comfort backyard growers through the winter blahs. But when its flowers fade and warming temperatures entice you... Read More

Garden Adventurer: Peony Patience

This time of year, the poster child for patience is a potential backyard peony grower. That’s because many of the peonies now for sale come in the form of tubers, which can take a few years to mature enough to put on bodacious bloom shows in the spring. But, boy, are they worth the wait!... Read More
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travel

Staunton: The Gem of the Shenandoah Valley

Staunton, Virginia — known as the Queen City of the Shenandoah Valley — can best be described as a Hallmark movie come to life. Surrounded by rolling hills and scenic farmland, this fantastically walkable town is known for its magnificently preserved architecture, idyllic main street, and proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Over the years,... Read More

Road Tripping for Success

Since 2019, my husband George and I have logged over 50,000 fun miles traversing the beautiful continental United States. We have traveled in SUVs, rental cars, a 1982 Volkswagen Westfalia, and a 2020 Dodge Ram ProMaster conversion van. Getting out on the road is life-changing; each trip has rewards and challenges. You will realize how... Read More
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On Trend

On Trend: Caroling

Joy to the world — it’s caroling season! Which means that comfort, community, and celebration will once again be found in songs with themes of joy, goodwill, and togetherness. Caroling may have originated in the Middle Ages but, according to director of the American Caroling Company Jaclyn Brown, feels “both special and timeless.” “Any time... Read More

On Trend: The Sandwich Method

For a style hack that’s simple, saves time, and requires nothing more than the staples already in your closet, think sandwich. We may not be talking about an actual meal made with two slices of bread, but this is the analogy that guides the transformative Sandwich Method of dressing. The technique for building a balanced... Read More
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