Category: Photo of the Week

Mighty Mentors & Pepper Proteges

Cherith AndesBlog, Photo of the Week, Real Estate PR, , , , ,

WHAT is that?

On October 2, Briar Chapel‘s 9th Annual Pepper Festival is spicing up the agenda with its inaugural Kid Chef Competition! Six of the Triangle’s top chefs pair up with aspiring kid chefs to compete for title of “Pint-Sized Pepper King or Queen.”

We snapped this shot at the first meet and greet between chefs and kiddos as they sliced, diced, tasted and tried the gamut of pepper flavors and plotted their recipes for the festival. Teddy Klopf (left), executive chef of Provenance in downtown Raleigh, mentors his protege (and the protege’s excited sibling!)…and those expressions said it all!

Feeling zesty? Nab your tickets to the Pepper Festival, or find out once and for all: how spicy is your personality?

 

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Whetstone Wine Cellars

Dana PhelpsBlog, Photo of the Week, Travel

Last week’s photo post was about my sadness that summer is coming to an end and with the official start of fall next week, I’m sharing another photo from my recent trip to wine country. As we were visiting Whetstone Wine Cellars, a beautiful leaf floated down to our table signaling that yes indeed, the changing of the seasons is near.

In addition to the wine, I loved learning the Whetstone story including the connections to North Carolina, and I especially adored Ace the greeter who as not stingy with his dog kisses. If you are planning a trip to Napa, I highly recommend making sure you stop at Whetsone.

Whetstone dog Pucker Up

 

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Plum Crazy! Labor Day Stress?

Dana PhelpsBlog, Photo of the Week, Travel, , ,

I always dread the end of summer simply because it is my favorite season. This morning on a call with a colleague, she mentioned the sense of “now we’ve got to get back to work” because Labor Day has come and gone. We know that holiday stress rises in November and December, but it never occurred to me that Labor Day stress could be a thing.

Two years ago, Mars Drinks commissioned a study that confirms that this is a legit issue and offered the following tips on helping employees ease the anxiety and remain productive:

Get inspired.

  • Maintain the activities that energize you outside of your work. Find a way to keep attending that yoga class even though the summer is over. (This is why we have Well Wednesday at Clairemont!)
  • Savor your morning coffee while reading an inspirational article before diving into your email.

Manage your time.

  • Book time for short breaks throughout the day. Even taking time for a cup of coffee between meetings will help you to relax and refresh.
  • Keep a longer term calendar of your projects so that when new requests emerge, you can determine what’s possible and communicate.

Stay connected.

  • You still have a few days of sunshine – take meetings outdoors if possible.
  • Keep up the volunteering – it’s a great way to stay connected to the things you love the most outside of work.
I don’t like that summer is over, but I love these tips. What do you do to help maintain productivity during stressful times? Share your ideas on the Clairemont Facebook page.
Story behind the photo: This summer I had the opportunity to visit wine country for the first time. In addition to taking some amazing winery tours, I simply loved picking and eating fresh fruit. Plums don’t look like this in North Carolina! They were delicious.
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Photo of the Week: Opus One Wine

Dana PhelpsBlog, Photo of the Week, Travel, , , ,

If you ask me where to go to enjoy a glass of wine with friends in Raleigh, that’s a no-brainer. Clairemont client, Vita Vite opened at the end of last year and has quickly become a downtown hot spot. Best place for dinner with wine in Chapel Hill? Oh, pick me! I know that one, too. Il Palio, also a Clairemont client, is the absolute best at pairing regional Italian cooking with wine from Italy’s 20 regions and vintifications produced in every corner of the Italian Peninsula.

Ask me to pick a bottle of wine outside of the doors of these establishments with no expert help from our clients and I might hesitate. However, my recent trip to Napa certainly provided a strong foundation for my wine knowledge. What better place to start than Opus One! I captured this shot during a tour and was intrigued to learn that Opus One hand-harvests and hand-sorts all grapes, and after about a year and a half in these beautiful barrels, the wine is bottled.

Can learning about wine really help me be a better public relations counselor? Many of our clients would say so. Read more about our restaurant PR work, and let me know if you agree.

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#DTR Entrepreneurs

Dana PhelpsBlog, In Our Community, Photo of the Week, , ,

While it seems we are documenting every moment in photos these days, sometimes an awesome snapshot doesn’t get shared. I’m glad I held on to this gem of Grayson and Tina Haver Currin when they were with us at the Wendell Falls (Clairemont client) Hoedown Showdown earlier this year.

As a fellow downtown Raleigh entrepreneur and Oakwood neighbor, I couldn’t help but get a little goosebumpy when I read today that Raleigh Agenda has completed its fourth week in operation. I’m posting this photo now in recognition of Grayson’s accomplishment. I know firsthand how daunting it can be to start a new venture, and I’m thankful to be in a city that embraces entrepreneurial spirit and creativity — and to have a new source that features the best things about our Oak City.

Here’s the story of the shot: Just as I was taking the photo, Grayson caught a glimpse of the floating glitter in my phone case. It amuses me because I didn’t take him for the kind of guy who would appreciate excessive sparkle, and Tina’s expression is so different from his. Together they are simply adorable. (And you should see them square dance!)

Congrats again!

 

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