Tag Archives: hometown

Playing tourist in your own hometown

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Two years ago, I shared a post with you about my first trip back to Raleigh after the big move to California. As I prepare for the same trip this year, I find myself eager to go home but anxious about not being able to see everyone or visit all the places I love. To my friends and family there, please know that I’d love to sit with each one of you for several hours and catch up. This trip simply does not allow for that luxury. I hope you understand.

I’ll see a few beloved people and eat biscuits and drink sweet tea, and that will have to be enough until the next time.

Trying to figure out which places I absolutely must visit while I’m there has me pondering: do you ever play tourist in your own hometown? What are the top three places you always take family or friends when they visit you? Is it a beautiful place? Something fun? Maybe a favorite restaurant or cafe?

I’d love to hear your top three must-see spots in your hometown or where you live now. Will you share them in the comments below?

In the meantime—though my Raleigh list would change each time I made it—here are my top pics for scenery, fun and treats.

For beauty, JC Raulston Arboretum

For fun, Pullen Park

For chocolate, Videri Chocolate Factory

I’m looking forward to hearing your favorite hometown tourist destinations!

Snapshots from home

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Plenty of folks may say you can’t go home again, and I understand what they mean. But I went home to North Carolina for a bit of rest a few weeks ago anyway. Here are some snapshots and brief thoughts of my visit home.

It’s hard to balance the need to rest with the desire to catch up with dear friends and family, and so I ended up not doing as much of either as I had hoped. I am slowly realizing that it may always be this way on the visits home, the pull of the heart to spend time with those I love and the pull of the body to rest and soak up the nature of this beautiful place.

The cows came up to the near pasture on my hike through this most favorite of places:

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I always love this view but especially when the field is full of cows.

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Fields of gold

I almost missed my chance at taking this hike, so busy hiking and running and walking in other loved places, but if I hadn’t gone, I would have missed the lilies blooming: Continue reading →

A love letter to my hometown, part 2

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Dear Raleigh,

You host some great parties every year, and one of the biggest arrives tomorrow: the State Fair.

I have fond memories of the fair growing up, but somewhere between childhood and adulthood, I lost some of the thrill of joining the crowds there year after year. Last year, I couldn’t ignore your invitation to go to the fair for free during lunchtime. I made two trips in two days and had so much fun. I hope to fit in one last visit this year.

First, I’m not sure you as a city can take all the credit, but thanks for making this year’s fair feel a little safer for me (and many others) by continuing to ban guns. I would say to anyone who feels the need to carry a gun at the fair, well, if you feel that unsafe, maybe the fair just isn’t the place for you.

The fair is a place for fun, not fear, a place for games and rides and food and livestock and quilting competitions and giant pumpkins and pig races and walking until your feet hurt. Raleigh, I thank you for providing that all these years.

Best,
One of your native daughters

For those of you who can’t make it to the fair this year, here’s a virtual tour of some of my favorite (mostly quieter) spots at the fair.

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You’ll notice I’m on the ground looking up, but I used to love to ride the ferris wheel.

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You can’t have too many kinds of ferris wheels at the fair.

I love looking at the arts and crafts competitions. These quilts make me wish I was crafty. They’re beautiful:

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The Village of Yesteryear is probably my favorite place at the fair. This building is filled with craftsmen and craftswomen demonstrating traditional arts and crafts. Among my favorite stops last year were a wood carver and a candle maker.

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Tucked away in a far corner of the fairgrounds is a flower exhibit. Nurseries and other groups set up floral displays for competition and teaching. There’s always a bonsai display, and last year, gorgeous sunflowers stole the show (for me anyway).

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Bonsai tree

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Towering sunflowers

Ever since that one trip to the fair when I got violently ill afterward, I’ve steered clear of much of the food. But I can’t visit without getting a caramel apple. This one was perfect: granny smith apple coated in caramel and peanuts. Delish! I hope I can find this same vendor this year.

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An annual treat

If you only had two hours at the fair, what would be on your must-see, must-do, must-eat lists?