Hi Raleigh Lover!

Yesterday, I had the absolute joy of sharing my story, From Backpack to Boardroom, at the Raleigh Professional Women’s Forum. As I spoke about my journey—traveling the world, building a business, and ultimately choosing to call Raleigh home—I was asked a question that always makes me pause and smile:

Of course, there are a million reasons I love this city. There’s an energy here that spoke to me the moment I arrived—something that felt like home long before I had even unpacked my bags. But when I really think about it, the thing that makes Raleigh so extraordinary is simple: the people.

I have never felt more welcomed or wanted than I do here. Some might think I say that because of This is Raleigh, but the truth is, we created This is Raleigh because of how much we love this city and the people in it. Raleigh is full of warmth, friendliness, and genuine connection—something I’ve rarely experienced elsewhere in my travels. Sure, no place is perfect, and everyone has different experiences, but my encounters here are overwhelmingly positive.

Take this past weekend, for example.

We had dinner at Madre for the first time (OMG—amazing!). Picture it: a Brit, two Aussies, and an American walk into a Spanish tapas restaurant—there’s gotta be a joke in there somewhere! The conversation and laughter flowed effortlessly, the food was divine, my Spanish Chardonnay was equally delicious, the server exceptional, and the ambiance? Pure magic.

And then, because Raleigh nights always have a way of surprising you, we wandered across the street to a darkened doorway, pulled back the curtain, and stepped into Moon Room—a buzzing jazz bar (also by the Madre owners), filled with people soaking up the music and good vibes.

We spent the evening not just listening to incredible live jazz but also chatting with everyone—Tyler, the owner of Madre and Moon Room, Maggie Kane from A Place at the Table, Gary (who we randomly met a few weeks ago at Crafty in Five Points), a young 22-year-old saxophonist who’s helping shape Raleigh’s jazz scene, and even a couple of This is Raleigh readers who stopped by to say hello.

That’s what I love about Raleigh. It has this small-town sense of connection and community, yet it’s a thriving capital city. That’s not something I’ve experienced anywhere else.

I chose Raleigh over my home country of Australia and over countless other places we could have settled. And every single day, I’m grateful for this city and the life we’ve built here.

I love sharing that love with you, and I hope, whether you’re new here or a lifelong local, you feel it too. ❤️

Cheers,
Caroline

P.S. Happy St Patrick’s Day weekend - see you at the parade or the Hibernian street party! Here are more ways to celebrate it! 

💖 FAVORITE FINDS

• Madre - they hype is warranted. Don’t miss the roasted cauliflower, salchipapas and vanilla flan with blueberry compote

• Moon Room - is it too early to call it Raleigh iconic? I don’t reckon so.

• Brunch at the Village Tavern in North Hills - don’t miss the shrimp and grits. Craig also really enjoyed their espresso martini and the service was excellent

• Foxtail Coffee Co is a new cafe in Downtown Apex. It has a great open space, with a lovely modern design, gelato, and lots of different coffees. My cappuccino was ok. I want to go back and try a flat white.

• NC State University Club I spoke at the Raleigh Women’s Professional Forum here and it was my first time visiting this great club located on a golf course, with lots of amenities. But you do need a membership.

• OrcaBlue - a local family-owned company helping residents have cleaner water. We just had a demonstration in our house and it was a real eye-opener!

⭐DID YOU HEAR?

• A very inspiring travel entrepreneur of ours, recently opened a Wine Spa in Portland, and it was just featured in Time Magazines’ World’s Greatest Places of 2025. I just have to celebrate and share that for her! If you’re visiting Portland, and want to soak in wine while drinking a glass, this is your place!

• Just announced: The BBQ & Bubbly festival will debut May 31, 2025 at Fenton in Cary. As Fenton's first BBQ event, this elevated culinary experience aims to make a lasting impact on the local food scene.

• Rooftop bar, Urban Oak is open on 14th floor of the new Tempo by Hilton hotel in downtown.

🖋 ON THE BLOG

📆THIS WEEKEND

You may like…

1. St Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Raleigh on Saturday morning Follow it up with lunch and a pint of Guinness at the Hibernian and their hugely fun street party. 

2. Raleigh Roasts is in Moore Square on Sat where you can enjoy samples from Raleigh's best roasters and coffee shops.

3. Away with the Fairies celebration at Mordecai Historic Park with activities, performers, shows and of course fairies. Bring your wings! 

4. Art in Bloom Community day in the NC Museum Park free unveiling of the 20 ft coneflower inflatable, lawn games, dance party, creative workshops, food trucks and more.

🗣JOIN THE CONVERSATION

The social posts that have everyone talking (click image to join)

👍ON THE GRAM

• LISTENING: Mr Beast on Diary of a CEO - I love that he’s from NC and does so much good for the world!

• READING: The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett (my book club pick)

• WATCHING: Watching ACC semi-final UNC Vs Duke

• DOING: celebrating St Patrick’s Day, getting an exclusive sneak peek at new restaurant (stay tuned), catching up with friends, enjoying a week with Kalyra in London on school trip, and Savannah in Miami with friends - but desperately missing both of them, and so very jealous I’m not in their suitcases!