the city of oaks (raleigh, nc)

Hey ya'll! I've officially fallen in love with the South. Right now I'm currently in Savannah, Georgia. It is so gorgeous and charming, and I'm already doubting that I'll ever want to leave. But I think I'm getting ahead of myself... just yesterday I was in the midst of a love affair with Raleigh.

I stayed with the ever-wonderful Rachel, who bravely offered to host crazy ol' me earlier this summer :). I got in late on Tuesday; just in time to eat her leftover pizza, get to know her a little better, take some Benadryl because I was allergic to her sweet cat, and pass out on her couch. As a result of my fun-loving antics I awoke quite early on Wednesday morn, and later enjoyed a bowl of homemade oatmeal with cashew butter. She is the most generous of hosts, I tell ya!

Our first stop of the day was the farmer's market. It was huge! 

Each and every day, farmer's from the Carolina countryside ride on in with the freshest of produce. I was blown away.

 

Peaches were the most plentiful of all, so after much deliberation (I am the most indecisive person ever) I bought a bundle to bring along with me.

We also stopped by the lu Mil Vineyard stand. It is one of many North Carolina wineries (news to me!) that harvests Muscadine grapes (the only vine native to the United States). They were incredibly interesting and unlike anything I've tasted before. I bought a bottle of their Harmony Hall as a small token of my appreciation for my new blend Rachel.

Then we stopped by the seafood building for some fresh NC scallops. It probably wasn't the healthiest of lunches (okay, it definitely wasn't) but it was delicious. We split a scallops lunch plate served with potato fries, cole slaw, and hush puppies. Oh my, oh my, hush puppies. If fried cornbread it wrong, then I don't want to be right.

Feeling satisfied and somewhat bloated, we drove on over to Museum Park for a walk. The outdoor sculptures were quite impressive.

I also found the size of the flowers in the small gardens to be quite amazing. So much so that I made Rachel take a picture with 'em, placing her hand in it so you could compare :). I'm weird, I know it.

Within the North Carolina Museum of Art, we were treated to free air conditioning and an eclectic mix of collections ranging from African textiles 

to Contemporary paintings and installations.

There were even some ancient Roman and Egyptian pieces.

Oh and a special Rodin exhibition complete with outdoor sculpture garden and all. I adore his work.

This art museum definitely exceeded my expectations.

Following our busy morning and early afternoon, we went back to her apartment for a nap and a snack. I had a juicy peach, Chobani yogurt, and a side of Bring it On 3 viewed in a horizontal position.

Fast-forward three and a half hours though, and we were out and about once again. This time with her friends in tow. We walked through City Market (the historic area of Raleigh) and had a yummy dinner at Woody's. Want to know the only thing better than beer? Beer-battered cod served in a flour tortilla with hot sauce, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and onion. Mmm, Spicy Fish Wrap.

We walked off another meal, light in greens, with a downtown tour. There was a preppy bar, the post office, the Progress Energy Performing Arts Center, the State Capitol building, an atrium, and this glass tree. The installation is made of tiny tiles and changes colors throughout the day. In a little less than 48 hours, I discovered a new city, new foods, and new friends. Road Trip USA is going swimmingly so far...  

and I'm off to explore Savannah! See you in a while, crocodiles.