Raleigh Downtown Living Advocates

Category: Art/Music/Entertainment (Page 6 of 8)

Faces of Downtown Raleigh: Meet Kalesia Kuenzel

March 3, 2010 /

What’s situated between the Joel Lane House and Bloomsbury Estates, nearly a hundred years old, yet new this month?  It’s ARTHOUSE, the first of many creative projects housed in architects, Chris and Nasim Kuenzel’s newly renovated 1920’s  home, they call  “Post Suburbia Project”.  Curious?  So were my wife and I as Kalesia Kuenzel, the daughter of Chris and Nasim and director of ARTHOUSE, greeted us this week.

 

The old and new theme continues…  “Post Suburbia Project” is a reference to the movement back Downtown after the massive migration to the suburbs starting back in the 1950s.  Kalesia shares her parents’ dedication to Downtown life, which until now has focused in Fayetteville where the family supports the arts through projects like the ten year old art theater, Cameo.  Yet with ties to Raleigh through Kalesia and Nasim’s graduate degrees at NC State, their presence in Raleigh is a natural.

Walking through the front door at 716 W. Hargett, we find their vision evident.  The perfect blending of old (highly polished original floors, doors and fireplaces restored in a way that reveals their history), and new (streamlined modern track lighting and cabinetry, fresh white walls), functions as the perfect backdrop for creativity.  ARTHOUSE, the art studio where Kalesia works with children (ages 4 – 12), offers a bright, inviting, spacious environment, where kids may not at first notice the details of scented candles and specially selected music, but find themselves approaching art through all their senses.  For Kalesia, this is a celebration of the way she herself was raised, with creativity always at the center of her experience.

Kalesia Kuenzel and Jim BeltWhy Hargett St., we ask?  Kalesia beams talking about the sliver of neighborhood which is home to gathering spots like Boylan Bridge Brewpub and Moonlight Pizza Company, the history of the Joel Lane House, the promise of Bloomsbury Estates; and neighbor to the well organized, eclectic, artsy and activist Boylan Heights.  To this, she adds the “unique mixture of living and working” that all add up to a buzz that’s bound to spread even further, with the arrival of the proposed new transportation or multimodal center in the nearby Warehouse District.

Drop in and meet Kalesia.  You’ll be inspired by her, the setting and the view of Raleigh’s skyline.  You may want to schedule art lessons, or like my wife, you may dream of moving in!  With apartment units available for rent, this could be arranged.


FACES OF DOWNTOWN RALEIGH – Megg Rader of the Mahler and Collectors Galleries

February 19, 2010 /

Megg Rader and Jim BeltWhen my wife and I dropped in to meet Megg this week, conversation sparked from her delight in discovering the UPS store behind the Hudson, to her pleasure in the well-attended reception the Mahler Gallery had hosted for the local lawyer, Wade Smith, whose artwork is currently displayed in the windows of the N.C. State Bar Building (228 Fayetteville St.).  Through her eyes, we were quickly able to see the networking, support and vision that have made Megg and her business partner, Rory Parnell long time Downtown enthusiasts. 

 

Whether it’s lending their space for yoga classes, sharing their art with 18 Seaboard or the American Institute of Healthcare and Fitness, their sense of community expresses itself in ways that make all of Raleigh a more creative, vibrant, engaging place to live.

With conversations fresh in my mind from recent neighborhood meetings focusing on the city’s development codes, I asked Megg the same questions that the DLA presented to the residents.

What do you see as a positive trend in your neighborhood (Downtown)?

  • I’m glad to see more people!  The growth in number of residents, visitors, and people who make Downtown restaurants an evening destination has really increased the foot traffic in Raleigh.
  • The Downtown Raleigh Alliance has done a fabulous job with the R Line, street-scaping and planning.  They’re working hard for the Downtown community.
  • The influence of people like the Mayor Charles Meeker and the developer Greg Hatem, has gone a long way to shape Downtown in a way that preserves its historical buildings and socio-economic diversity, yet invites in new vision, as well.
  • Having parking decks in central locations with development around them works well.

What is needed to improve the Downtown?

  • More services!  We need pharmacies, copy stores, dry cleaning, book stores…
  • Stitch and Collectors Gallery are not enough.  We need other small, unique shopping options that offer a wide range of price points.  It’s critical that we listen to what people want so that everyone can find something to love.
  • My husband and I enjoy coming Downtown to the IMAX and then out to dinner.  We’d like to see another theater so there are more choices of movies.
  • The renovation of Moore Square will also be helpful in drawing in visitors and businesses to Downtown, especially the City Market area.  

What needs to be preserved?

  • The historic buildings Downtown and in the Warehouse District 
  • Parks and green space

My wife and I left our visit with Megg, feeling like we’d met not just a business person, but a neighbor. We’re grateful that visionaries like her and Rory have held out, when it would have been easy for them to move to more lucrative environs like North Hills.  But they’ve stayed, and they’re holding out the welcome lamp for others like us who appreciate a Downtown with history, character and variety that can’t be manufactured in the suburbs.

We thank you, Megg and Rory!


What do you get when you mix national and international talent with wine??? Mosaic’s Spring Music Fest

February 15, 2010 /

Mosaic Wine Lounge offers a sexy, sophisticated and romantic atmosphere with their Moroccan inspired décor with numerous couches, hanging lamps and candles.  The owner reports the clientele to be 75% professional women, with the crowd generally over 25 years of age.

Established in 2006 in Raleigh’s Glenwood South entertainment district (517 W. Jones Street), Mosaic attracts an array of national and international DJ talent, with live Salsa and Samba Bands after 10:00pm.  You will not find any Televisions or Hip Hop music in this joint.

Each night of the week Mosaic features a different theme and speciality drink.  Wednesday nights they host a free wine tasting at 7:30pm.  And, if you do not wish to sample the wine Mosaic offers, all other wine on Wednesdays (by the bottle or the glass) are available at half price.  

Mosaic recently added an outdoor lounge which is quite beautiful.  At night a DJ plays inside and outside (weather permitting).  

Mosaic will be hosting the Spring Music Fest, offering eleven days of music from close to fifty local national and internationals DJ’s and artists representing a broad range of musical styles.  The event runs from May 28th through June 7th, 2010, so be sure to mark your calendars.  

You can visit the Mosaic Wine Lounge on the web at www.mosaicwinelounge.com. or join the Mosaic Facebook Group.


Downtown Raleigh: Friendly for Kids AND Your Wallet!

January 18, 2010 /

Having moved Downtown in August of 2008, my husband and I are still discovering new things to love.   Most recently, though we have no children (being Double Income No Kids – D.I.N.Ks) we had the opportunity to find many amazing things to do with our 3 and 4 year old niece and nephew within Downtown Raleigh.  During their first visit, it was cold and rainy, so we took them to see Under the Sea at the IMAX Theater before heading next door to the Marbles Museum.  (They currently offer Story Time every other Wednesday at 10:30.)  We found this indoor museum for children to be everything a child could hope for – on a rainy day, or any day!  To top off the visit, we took advantage of: Kids Eat Free at Tobacco Road offered on Tuesday nights. 

During their next visit, we took a ride on the R Line. They had never been on a city bus.  My sister and her husband (from the DC area) were surprised to find that the bus was FREE.  We made our way to the Ice Rink on Fayetteville Street.  Although it was too cold and windy that day for them to take a loop around the ice rink, they did  enjoy the Krispy Kreme Kiosk across the street.  We stepped inside out of the cold and picked out 2 Mini doughnuts each.  (I didn’t even know they had mini doughnuts!)  It was 3:30 so we had time to head over the NC Museum of History.   We were all pleasantly surprised over the appeal of this museum.  However, it should be noted, never head to the museum with your 3 and 4 year old niece and nephew on a sugar rush!  I’m glad the Museum closed at 5:00.  It was Monday evening so we headed over to Sauced Pizza for Cheese Pizza by the slice for $1.00.  

The kids had so much fun.  When it was time to load the car and head back to Maryland, they both cried and said, “We don’t want to leave!”  

So next time you’re on kid duty and it’s a rainy or cold day, you’ll know where to head.  Downtown Raleigh.  It’s not just for DINKS!


My First Friday Art Tour

December 2, 2009 /
Glenwood South
Usually on First Fridays I start off gallery hopping on the east side of town, beginning with Artspace.  But this December 4th I’m going to kick off the festivities on the west side of town, at SpiritWorks Studio (608 Glenwood Ave. [behind 610] where my friend Donna is exhibiting her new series “Interfaith Children”.  Next, I’ll peek next door, (behind the carpet store) to check out the studio recently opened by my very talented friend, Jason.
 
Next I’ll go up the street and stop by Lee Hansley’s Gallery at 225 Glenwood to see his Christmas Show of over 200 pieces,  each under $1000.  Then I’ll go across Glenwood to Lee Hansley’s new temporary gallery on the corner of Glenwood and Jones Streets to see a new exhibition of some large contemporary pieces of art.
 
Working a little south, there is always lots of art for me to see at the Carter Building.
 
Warehouse District
Then I’d cross Hillsborough St. and walk down to the Warehouse District to see the very new and exciting Flanders Gallery at the corner of West and Martin.  
 
Just down the street from Flanders is Judy Jones’ print exhibition space at 311 West Martin Street Galleries.
 
Fayetteville Street
From there it’s just a short walk east to the beautiful Mahler Gallery and the new glass enclosed Collectors Gallery, both on Fayetteville St.
 
From there I’ll to stop off at the Sosta Cafe, 130 E. Davie St., to see that new painting show.
Then on to Artspace at Blount and E. Davie Streets.
 
After that, I’ll go around the corner to Blake St. across from Vic’s Restaurant to see the instructors’ show (instructors for RICA, the upcoming Raleigh Institute of Contemporary Art).
 
And then I’ll cross over to The Visual Arts Exchange to see what new amazing show Sarah Powers has put together this month.  
 
Then I’ll stop in to the Dechen Gallery of Tibetan art and the craft gallery a few doors down for some Christmas gifts.
 
I’ll top the evening off with a leisure walk back to Glenwood by way of Hargett St. and  stop in at the Adam Cave and the popular cafe galleries.
 
I hope it’s a lovely evening for all that walking.  But with all the inspiration offered by Raleigh artists, the weather won’t make a bit of difference! 
 
Boylan Heights (Dec. 6)
And a reminder, no one should forget the December 6th Sunday afternoon Art Walk, around the Boylan Heights neighborhood to see an exhibition of over 100 artists.  
« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 Raleigh Downtown Living Advocates

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑