cary | The Plaid Pladd Blog

Posts Tagged ‘cary’

Reasons You Should Visit Me

August 6th, 2014 by pladd

I know Cary might not seem like a great vacation destination, but that’s just because you don’t know it like I know it. Let me take you on a virtual journey of the for-real journey we could take if you came here.

1. Steven is a master cook

I don’t think I can stress that enough

Steven treats good food with an almost religious respect, and so you can be sure your trip will be expertly/adventurously catered. Or maybe we’ll go out. Whatever. The point is, you will never have to eat at Chili’s. Which was also part of Steven’s wedding vows to me, I’m pretty sure.

2. Company=Time for Pie

I’m not too modest to tell you that I rock at pie

Pie is awesome, but it’s impossible for Steven and I to eat a whole pie by ourselves before it gets all mushy and sad. And there’s nothing sadder than having to throw away uneaten pie. So I only bake it for special occasions. Like you! You are a special occasion.

3. The Umstead

If you’re feeling fancy

The Umstead is North Carolina’s only five star hotel, and it’s right here in Cary! See? We have things here! I’m telling you. It has an awesomely extravagant spa and fancy restaurant too. We went one time.

3a. Fancy Tea

This takes place at the Umstead, but I felt like it needed its own entry because FANCY AFTERNOON TEA WITH A LIVE HARPIST. Here is the fancy menu. Unfortunately, I’ve never been because Steven says he “doesn’t like tea” like they won’t let him have a Coke or something. ONE DAY.

4. Crosswords

Ignore his face, he likes it

Every Sunday we go to Panera and (try to) do the two crosswords in The News and Observer (oh yeah I get the paper, because I am totes an adult). The people who work that shift know us and are pretty great, and sometimes I try to dress up because everyone else there is in church clothes and crossword times are serious times. Plus, most Sundays the Triangle Greyhound Owners Club seems to be meeting on the outside patio tables at the same time, so that’s awesome. You too could join this ritual (actual crossword expertise optional–just ask Steven).

5. Scavenger Hunts

SCAVENGER HUNTS!

I wrote up a full post about this here. Basically, museum scavenger hunts are the most fun way to visit any museum, and we have a lot of great free ones around here, including the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, NC Museum of History, and NC Museum of Art.

6. Free concerts

Let’s say I know a guy

Okay, but if, for some reason, that’s not enough for you, Cary also has just a plethora of free concerts and events, plus some not as free. For instance, we’re the summer home of the North Carolina Symphony.

7. Cary History Museum

I literally make everyone who visits me take a picture with this guy

This museum is in the attic of the historic Page-Walker Hotel, and it is literally the museum your grandmother would build with her sewing circle in her spare time. It is awesome. Plus, taking a picture with the slightly ominous Doc Templeton mannequin is kind of a tradition.

8. Farmer’s Market

This picture maybe doesn’t capture the scope well

Cary actually has a local farmer’s market twice a week, but I usually go to the state farmer’s market, which is only about ten minutes away and open seven days a week. There’s a giant fruits and vegetables pavilion, another that’s just for plants, and a third that has a bunch of local wines, jams, nuts, snacks, and what have you. Plus, there’s a restaurant. And a place where you can buy bouquets of fresh flowers! And different bakeries have kiosks! Including the German bakery! Hello kuchen for breakfast!

9. Hunt Library

This library is amazing

About 15 minutes away, on NC State’s Centennial Campus, the Hunt Library is new and shiny and full of technology and walls that are actually screens and freaky book robots. They give tours, or you can wander around yourself marveling at everything like my boss and I did one day last winter. She had it on her “Things To Do in America” list, and I don’t think she was disappointed.

10. Servery Challenge

This is the picture I always use for Servery Challenges, always and forever

Servery Challenges actually began in the actual servery at Wiess, but our most famous since then have usually involved Chocovine. I can’t guarantee you a new Chocovine flavor, but I can guarantee you a fast-paced, loosely-judged cooking competition based on skill, presentation, and bullshit artistry. And Rob trying to game the vote. We can all count on that.

11. Steven needs someone to make fancy drinks for

His dream is to have a dedicated drinks cabinet

I can’t drink alcohol anymore. Steven is a total lightweight who loves pretending to be a bartender. It’s a tough combination, which you could reap the rewards of. I’m just saying.

12. The Cary

Also, the snack bar has hummus

The Cary is an awesome restored olde timey theater that just opened up in downtown Cary! It shows old movies and indie movies, as well as musical acts and stage shows. Plus, tickets range between free and $5, less than half the price of going to another theater.

13. Bollywood movies

Samosas are the best movie snack

Cary has a big Indian population, so all the theaters around are usually playing one to two Bollywood titles at any given time. It’s twice the length of a normal movie, but also twice the awesome.

14. Corn Mazes

I claim this corn maze, in the name of tie dye

I don’t know why, but this area has a ton of corn mazes. Haunted night corn mazes, treasure hunt corn mazes, trivia corn mazes, regular old corn mazes… It’s not a successful autumn if Steven and I don’t have a big argument inside at least one corn maze! We didn’t have them in Florida, so I definitely consider it an area attraction.

15. La Farm

La Farm is an actual French bakery started by an actual French dude filled with actual deliciousness. The reason I don’t have any pictures of their breads, sandwiches, pastries, or macarons is because I always eat them immediately.

16. Trixie

Trixie is cooler than me and she knows it

Trixie makes personalized playlists for guests. Okay, James Fox once got All Boybands All the Time, but their relationship has always been fraught with discord.

17. You can become Internet famous

People who visit me tend to end up on my blog

It just happens, okay? It’s because I’m pretty boring on my own and I’ve vowed to update at least once a week. And if nothing exciting happens to me, I have to think up some filler post like this!

In conclusion, Cary is the ultimate vacation destination, so you should totally visit me. Fact.

Tagged: cary

Posted in lists |

The Cary Listserv Needs Your Help Catching 10-year-old hooligans

May 21st, 2014 by pladd

Guys, I got the best email from the Cary Listserv yesterday!

Cary PD Wants Help in Wiping the Nose of Taggers Who’ve Sprayed “Snot” and “Booger” Throughout Town

CARY, NC – The graffiti that has covered at least 20 Cary businesses, apartment complexes, roadside signage and parks is nothing to sneeze at, and the Town of Cary Police Department is hoping the public can help sniff out the vandals. From January through April, citizens reported “Booger” and “Snot” tagged at locations inside or just outside of the Maynard Loop, including multiple Project PHOENIX communities, Lexie Lane Park, Dunham Park, and the bridge on NW Maynard Road. No graffiti caused permanent damage, and the phrases are not believed to be gang-related markings.

I just find it hard to believe that anyone over the age of 10, when deciding to graffiti a building, would go with “snot”. Maybe a gang of really sheltered teens, finally trying to rebel but with no idea how? Either way, love it.

Tagged: cary

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life |

Town of Cary Public Works

April 25th, 2014 by pladd

You guys. Wednesday I got a tour of the Town of Cary Public Works department and it was the best thing ever. There were garbage trucks, snow plows, a garage just full of traffic lights, a camera on a rope that takes video of sewers, SNOW COMMAND… If these things don’t excite you, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life, but probably having less fun than me. Check it:

Me inside Snow Command!!!!

I told you it was the best day ever. It started with a talk by the water guys.

Fire hydrants whaaaaat

Then I got to try my hand at emptying the trash with the automatic arm of a garbage truck.

Spoiler alert: I was terrible at it

It was joystick controlled, and I guess I was a little too excited to be in an actual garbage truck controlling the actual giant arm. I asked the guy if he would give me a job and he said he would be fired so another prospective career path is closed to me.

In a room full of traffic lights!!!

We got to see the computer systems that the road sensor data feeds into: how many cars in the last hour went through a certain intersection in town, what the lane capacity was, etc. Plus cameras to check for accidents and icy conditions!!!

This is one of the trucks that cleans the sewers!!

And here’s the sewer robot camera to look for problems!!!

All the Town of Cary vehicles chillin

Yes, that is definitely a fire truck up on a jack!

Giant igloo of road sand/salt!!!

Me in front of Town of Cary’s massive stack of road sand/salt!!!

I don’t know why they still have so much in April. ALWAYS PREPARED

Ready to load up the trucks at Snow Command’s call!

Apparently, one of Cary’s priorities is to look better than Raleigh, which, naturally, we always do because if relocated yankees know one thing it is how to wage unceasing war against winter’s fury. That, and loving the shit out of tennis apparently.

ALSO THERE WERE AMAZING PRIZES!

I got a cool Town of Cary hat, which I will absolutely wear with pride, and an awesome Town of Cary glass stein.

What an amazing trip!!!

Tagged: cary, public works, snow command

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life |

Snow!!

February 13th, 2014 by pladd

So maybe you’ve heard about North Carolina’s recent duel with icy winter death. Which isn’t just me being overly dramatic–Cary has sent me like 5 emails a day with titles like “SNOW COMMAND ACTIVATED: IT’S GO TIME” because that’s how the Town of Cary rolls. And I’m totally okay if you want to take this time to say something like “Why are people panicking over six inches of snow? Where I’M from we don’t cancel school unless children are eaten by polar bears and also I’m an ice road trucker and you are a wuss.” That’s fine. I get that saying things like that is the one consolation you get when you choose to live somewhere that turns into a barren frostscape of despair for half the year, so you do whatever you gotta do to avoid falling into a pit of Seasonal Affective Disorder or whatever. Call me if climate change brings another hurricane to the Northeast and you need tips. No hard feelings.

Anyway, Steven and I have both been safely at home for most all of it. The power’s been going off and on, and I definitely heard some transformers are Maynard blow up last night, but if you’re not immediately worried about freezing to death, it can be really pretty:

This was the view out my window yesterday around 5

It had slowed down by then (started around noon), although it continued to periodically rain icy pellets throughout the night.

Our apartment complex’s ancient AC units bedded down in the snow!

Of course, I had to go out to check on Trixie. Earlier we’d had the harrowing experience of driving home from the community center in the first blast of the storm, and she still might be traumatized.

We’re both from Florida, okay?

Which is probably why I couldn’t figure out how to get my windshield wipers to stand up like that. I actually tried this time, though, which is a first.

Clearly it means I’m becoming a Northerner

Yesterday evening when I went for a walk (to get the mail! Which had arrived! Neither snow nor rain nor glom of nit! Good job, USPS!) the snow was still all soft and crunchy and mostly pristine. Here it is near the mailbox, coming up around my ankles in my nice snow boots:

I don’t often get to use them for their intended purpose

This morning when I went out, the ice-rain overnight had hardened everything. Now instead of crunching down on the snow, your feet punch through a layer of ice:

That’s what it feels like, too, a punch. It makes for slow going

But I still walked around and took some pictures of things

Here’s Trixie, all covered in icicles

And here’s a pine tree, needles all icy and pretty when the wind blows

Here’s some dude’s truck all full of snow

Here’s the main road leading into my apartment complex!

It was looking pretty good this morning, thanks to Snow Command and Town of Cary’s A-Team (I have yet to really figure out the relationship between the two. The emails give clues, but nothing definite). Unfortunately, my apartment complex’s parking lot was still a sheet of ice:

Maybe it cleared up after I went back inside

Although I kind of doubt it because then this afternoon:

More snow!

Bring it, I hate leaving the house anyway.

Well, it’s true

Tagged: cary, snow

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life |

Art-o-Mat

January 17th, 2014 by pladd

I like to take people to the Cary Arts Center when they visit me, because there’s usually something cool in their art gallery. Right now, it’s “Coded Responses” by Mark Nystrom, an interesting collection of artistic data visualization, mostly of wind measurements. But, no matter what’s currently showing in the gallery, the best part of the visit is just outside, at the Art-o-Mat.

It’s a vending machine for art!

Art-o-mats repurpose old cigarette vending machines to dispense art! They’re really cool and retro-looking, and there are a bunch of different locations nationwide. Maybe there’s one near you! At the Cary Arts Center, you pay $5 to get a token from the desk, and select your artist. Each of the slots normally taken up by brands is for a different artist (most local), plus one “mystery surprise” slot, which is, of course, always tempting. Last time I went, there were clay beads, abstract painting, kits for folding paper monsters, and wire sculptures as choices. But I had to pick the one tab that just said “Crystal Ladd”:

This is what you get–they come in little boxes just like cigarettes

It turns out Crystal Ladd is someone’s name! She makes earrings:

They’re cute!

The box usually has the name, email address, and maybe other contact info on it for the artist. In this case there was a link to her etsy store. Also, unlike on other occasions, the box also had candy and a fortune inside!

I’m bad at taking pictures

I was really happy with this outcome–sometimes the Art-o-mat can vary in terms of quality and/or weirdness, but it’s always worth it for entertainment value alone. For instance, I was able to drag Steven to the “Coded Responses” exhibit because it was about data, and he chose the “Mystery” art slot, to receive:

A block with a drawing of Abraham Lincoln?

Truly, the ways of the Art-o-mat are mysterious and fascinating. You should come to Cary to experience them for yourself!

Tagged: art, cary

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life |

Spotted: Town of Cary Star Spot

May 2nd, 2013 by pladd

During one of my frequent civic field trips in Cary, I discovered this amazing addition to the town hall parking garage!!!

Why don’t I have this at my apartment?

I don’t know who gets to park here–maybe visiting celebrities?? I hope one day I can become famous enough to earn a Town of Cary Star Spot.

Tagged: cary

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life |

The 4 Best Emails I’ve Ever Received from Town of Cary

January 22nd, 2013 by pladd

We all know I can’t get enough municipal government, which is why I signed up for every listserv the Town of Cary puts out when I moved here. There was a long list of them, and I just clicked “Select All” thinking, whatever, I live here so everything they put out will be relevant to me. I rethought this position around the third time I got an email seeking contractors to fix sidewalks, but I’ve stuck it out, and Town of Cary rewards me, pretty much weekly. I don’t know who writes these emails, but I’m pretty sure they’re bored, because they often have subjects like:

1. Who’s Grabbing Cary’s Stormwater Grates?

This one arrived January 4th and the first sentence is:

Weighing several hundred pounds, stormwater grates serve to prevent people, vehicles, bikes and other objects and debris from falling into stormdrains, but in Cary, a heavyweight is stealing them and creating serious safety issues in parking lots.

Apparently 10 storm grates went missing from parking lots in the five day period of 12/31/12–1/4/13, bringing total thefts since last July to over 30. This is a ridiculous crime because why are you doing this and also how???. And I love that the email I got about it was not “Rash of stormwater grate thefts plagues Cary” but “Who is stealing these grates? Answer: a heavyweight”. I’ll keep a look out for really muscley people walking around Food Lion, Town of Cary Listserv, don’t you worry.

2. Rogue “Red Ryder” Strikes Again in Cary: Parked Vehicles Fall Victim to BB Gun

I got this one December 11th (hence the Christmas Story reference, I guess), and, once again, the first sentence really shows that this person is serious about informing the public about safety issues:

Someone has received their BB gun early and is hitting the streets in Cary causing vandalism that’s sure to put them on Santa’s naughty list.

Forty separate reports of BB gun related car vandalism, and the email suggested that I park in my garage to save Trixie. Which I would totally do if I had a garage. Whatever, she’s tough.

Which is good because it’s only a matter of time before they start shooting eyes

3. Town of Cary’s A-Team Ready for Quick Flirt with Winter Weather

It probably goes without saying that the e-mail refers to our public works employees as “Cary’s A-Team” throughout the email. Once “Cary’s Snow Fighters” are also mentioned, and I’m not sure if that’s still the A-Team or some kind of winter superhero group they teamed up with for our bad weather last week. I’m leaning towards the latter because the next email I got the same day had this lead sentence:

The Town of Cary will activate Snow Command at 6:30 p.m. today as forecasts continue to call for minor snow accumulation overnight.

What is Snow Command and how do you activate it, Town of Cary?? Is it with a set of rings worn by the mayor, the director of public works, and a lovable teen boy and his pet monkey?? Do you fight the evil super villain Jack Frost using the powers of friendship and civic pride?? Unfortunately, I never found the answers to these questions because in the wee hours of the morning I received:

Cary Snow Command Closes Due to Winter Storm Fizzler

NEXT TIME, Snow Command! Next time!

And lastly:

4. Tamale Thursday Cancelled Due to Lack of Interest

Did I say best emails? I meant worst. This was a sad day for us all. I mourn you in my heart, Tamale Thursday. And I will remember you always.

Tagged: cary, emails

Posted in Let Me Tell You About My Life, lists |