Hi Raleigh Lover!

The other night, Craig and I were enjoying a drink at one of our favorite Raleigh bars an Instagram follow came up to say hi. Two words. That’s all it took before I blurted out, “Oh my God, you’re Australian!”

His accent transported me back in an instant—a sound so familiar and yet rare to hear in Raleigh. Suddenly, I was wrapped in a warm blanket of home, filled with the unmistakable Aussie humor, banter, and shared experiences that only someone from “Down Under” would understand.

We spent the rest of the conversation reminiscing about life in Australia, swapping stories about how we ended up here in Raleigh, and marveling at how small the world feels when these kinds of encounters happen. It was a moment that reminded me of the incredible power of connection—how something as simple as an accent can transport you across oceans and time zones, back to the heart of where you came from.

Living in Raleigh has given us so much to love and cherish, but moments like these remind me how much my Aussie roots remain a part of me. And, even better, they remind me of the beautiful community that exists here, full of people from all over the world who’ve made Raleigh their home.

That’s part of what makes Raleigh so special—it’s a city where we’re all connected, where stories intertwine, and where a simple “hello” at a bar can spark a moment of shared joy and understanding.

Have you ever had a moment like this in Raleigh? An unexpected connection that made you feel seen, heard, or just… at home? I’d love to hear your story—reply to this email.

And if you’re foreign aliens like us or are from out of state and really missing your home and loved ones this holiday season, we see you and wrap you up with love!

Cheers to all the moments that bring us together and happy holidays!
Caroline

P.S. If you’re new to Raleigh or looking to connect, stay tuned! We’re planning more meetups and events next year to help everyone in this amazing community come together.

💖 FAVORITE FINDS

• The Chicken Pot Pie from Fount Coffee & Kitchen. 100% gluten free and delicious!

• Desert Bloom cocktail from La Veladora - the coolest mezcal bar that’s hidden on N Person St (back of Wilco)

• Beltline sunsets through my rear-view mirror

• Gluten free pizza from Oak City Pizza on Hillsborough St

• Great Blue Heron flying right over my head on my afternoon walk.

• Crispy Potato Brekkie from Drift Kitchen

• North Hills from the drone at Christmas time!

⭐DID YOU HEAR?

• The Bend Bar opens up on Saturday night on W Morgan St. It’s the latest venture from the Trophy Brewing Crew (and just down the road from their pizza joint!) This is the first of three bungalows opening along this stretch! Reminds me of Glenwood Ave cottages!

• Scott Crawford’s new restaurant, Crawford Brothers Steakhouse has finally opened in Fenton. He started planning for this restaurant in 2017!!

• The SPCA of Wake County is reducing adoption fees by 50% for adult dogs through the holidays (until Dec. 31). We adopted all three of our kitties from here and LOVE them. As some of you know we lost our Ivy earlier this year. I’m seriously contemplating getting another kitten. I just love cats.

• Bongiorno & Son in Raleigh's Lafayette Village will be opening grab-and-go meals and Italian pastries in the 1000 Social tower at The Exchange Raleigh in 2025.

• Naming rights are coming to WakeMed Soccer Park. It will now be known as First Horizon Stadium at Wake Med Soccer Park. As if it wasn't already a mouthful!

• We’ve started Instagram Lives where we’ll have conversations around what is in this newsletter and ask your questions. See you on our Instagram at 12pm today! Hoping to make it the same time every Friday.

• North Hills gets lucky this weekend. Fount Coffee (our favorite) will be popping up to serve up shoppers in the new expanded Main District on Friday and Saturday 10am-2pm

🖋 ON THE BLOG

Including holiday posts as well to help you embrace this final week!

🗣JOIN THE CONVERSATION

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

👍ON THE GRAM

• LISTENING: Spiritually Hungry Podcast

• READING: Lots of information on Raleigh - job market, job finding resources, fun stats and so much more! Coming soon.

• WATCHING: Meet me Next Christmas - Savannah and I love watching Christmas movies every year. She chose this one. It was light and easy to watch.

• DOING: Tax stuff (ugh), Checking out the Bend Bar (Follow IG), (2 giveaways on IG coming), creating a business mindset product with a good friend and fellow travel creator, Enjoying Christmas!