Exploring North Carolina with KathieyV

For weeks all my daughter, from  MomUnglued ,  has talked about is  Buoy Bowls .  She would go on about how wonderful they were.  She would stalk them to find out where they would be on what felt like a daily basis.  I finally gave in and said "Ok, I want to give them a try".  So off we went and I was not  disappointed. They were amazing. You will see quotes from their website in purple print, to match their truck:-) "Buoy Bowls is the end result of an obsession with Acai Bowls  that first started on a surf trip to San Diego, California in 2005. " "...he discovered the Acai Bowl- a bowl of frozen purred acai berries topped  with a variety of fresh fruit and honey. It was absolutely love at first bite!" "Our acai bowls and smoothies are made using the freshest organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible." As you can see Maggie loves them too... My favorite was the Surfs Up Bowl.  ...

Cindy and I were out and about again looking for adventure.  We came across the  World Famous Frisbee Dog/DiscConnected K9s  that were displaying their skills at the Freedom Balloon Fest in Fuqua-Varina NC.  Here is what they say on their website... "The Disc-Connected K9s began rescuing dogs in 1992. All of our current performing dogs are rescued; meaning they have all come from either homeless, sheltered, rescued, adopted or abandoned backgrounds. We make the determination (and have all most stayed true) about whether or not we are personally going to keep a dog, or process them through our program and find them new homes. With few exceptions, this has been successful for us." You can also adopt some of their dogs.  They do their best to find the dog and the family a good adoption match.  These dogs are skilled and amazing to  watch. I found in watching the show that it was not just the dog that was agile.  Look at this trainer showing ...

It has been a while since I have visited a new restaurant.  I did a google search and came up with Rye Bar and Southern Kitchen in Raleigh NC.   Sounded wonderful so I called Cindy and off we went on a restaurant adventure.  Here is a quote from their website.... "A refined take on traditional Southern cuisine. That's the essence of Rye Bar & Southern Kitchen, our onsite restaurant in the heart of Raleigh's vibrant downtown. Executive Chef Michael Rigot's seasonal menus feature the freshest, healthiest produce and meats, all from local North Carolina farms. A main dining room, private dining room, and outdoor patio provide an abundance of seating options. Craft beers, uncommon cocktails, and premium wines head the liquid refreshment line-up." The restaurant itself is located in downtown Raleigh in  Raleigh Marriott City Center . The Bar was lovely.  The night we were there it was packed.  Lively place to be. They brought this lovel...

They were hosting the  Freedom Balloon Fest  in  Fuquay-Varina  a couple of weeks ago so Cindy and I decided to check it out.  We set our GPS and began our journey.  We parked in downtown Fuquay-Varina and walked to the venue.  There were several places closer to the event to park with prices ranging from $10-$20.   We did not mind the walk, you have to burn calories where you can:-) From their website... Project Uplift USA, Inc.  is a North Carolina 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation responsible for producing the  Freedom Balloon Fest . We are led by an all volunteer board with no paid employees, which means we can direct all of our sponsor funding and contributions directly to our key program services.  Project Uplift USA, Inc.  has three primary service program focus areas:  outreach to military families and children with mobility challenges, educational programs, and remembering and honoring those who paid the ult...

A couple of weeks ago Cindy and I decided to go on an adventure.  I searched the internet for things to do and came across the  Raleigh Rum Company  in Raleigh NC.  They have free tastings and tours every Saturday so off we went.   If you asked me what I know about rum, the answer would be next to nothing.  The only thing I do know is that I love tropical drinks that contain rum.   Here is a quote from their website.... "Born of our love for craft beer and cocktails; we marveled at all of the amazing craft beer in NC.  However, in January 2014 we looked around at the liquor shelf and couldn't find nearly as many options for the liquor end. So we decided to help fix that and Raleigh Rum Company was born." They have a  white and a spiced rum....  Tours and tastings every Saturday at 2pm.  It is free.  Click  here  for details and directions.  We were treated to drinks and a mini lesson on th...