October 2009

At long last an authentic, independently owned, family-style Italian restaurant has arrived in the Western Wake vicinity, and it’s the real deal in every sense. Mambo Italiano has only been open a few short months, but patrons have quickly taken to the Apex establishment that stands behind its “We Feed You Like Family” motto.

“Bella (my wife) and I searched for more than a year for the perfect location to open a restaurant, and we fell in love with the Cary/Apex area,” co-proprietor Ron Mancuso said. “Our place is reminiscent of what you would find in Little Italy.”

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For those of us with fast-paced lifestyles and jam-packed holiday schedules, it’s not always easy to pull everything together and successfully usher in the celebratory spirit.

That’s why the good folks at Cary Magazine have decided to help point you toward several places where you can pick up the perfect dessert for your company party or special gathering at home.

If you’re looking for something different that will help put everyone in a jolly mood this season, consider one of these dazzling delights available at three of Western Wake’s finest food purveyors. Just be sure to tell them we sent you.

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Less Frost is More Frost
This holiday season represents the first time in a long time that many Caryites will be splurging on jewelry, according to Donna Hankin, of Joint Venture Estate Jewelry.

“The economic conditions this year have caused many to rethink their spending. When it comes to jewelry (a luxury item), we believe many will be frugal or at the very least a ‘value’ shopper,” she said. “That makes the choice for estate jewelry a natural — you’re getting much more for your money, going green by ‘recycling’ and enjoying the craftsmanship and history of time past.”

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While America’s recent economic situation may be holding Cary families back from eating at their favorite restaurants, the Deen brothers don’t think the size of a wallet should keep families from eating a delicious meal.

Jamie and Bobby, the sons of the Southern Food Network star Paula Deen, have released their third cookbook, Take It Easy, for those who want to save time and money in the kitchen. They were in town recently to sign copies of the new book at the Cary Barnes and Noble.

“The forefront of the cookbook is the economy. Not many people are eating out and need to eat at home,” stated Bobby. All of the recipes featured in Take It Easy are just that: easy. And there is no need to search high and low for special ingredients.

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Time to get those decorations — and decorating ideas — out of the box.

For clever ideas to use in your holiday decorating this year, we sought advice from designing women Linda Giglio, owner of Table of Contents in Raleigh, and independent interior designer Susan Chapman, of Cary.

Giglio encourages clients to embrace their own creativity for simple yet sophisticated style.

“My goal is to get people away from hurricanes, or three candles with rose petals around them,” she said.

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Deborah Fox always thought she would spend her retirement traveling to Key West.

Instead, she retired a few years early from her work as a software tester with IBM and cashed out her company stock to found Cat Angels Pet Adoptions in 2006.

“It was a real leap of faith,” she said, because she wasn’t entirely sure how she would fund her retired life without the nest egg she’d been building for nearly a quarter-century.

She was determined to make it work, though, and even with the threat of financial uncertainty, she’s found unwavering support from her husband, Michael J. Fox (who, much to the confusion of ever-younger restaurant waitstaff, is not the actor of the same name).

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Sharon Bigelow spent more than 25 years as an oncology nurse practitioner in Texas and most recently with Duke University Medical Center and the University of North Carolina Hospital.
When her career began, patients spent upward of three hours at an appointment when they learned they had some form of cancer. That time was used to explain specifics about the disease and treatment options.

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When George Scheer is asked the common question “How are you?” he never fails to say, “Probably better than I deserve.”

Scheer’s selfless answer stems from his volunteer work as chief pilot for Children’s Flight of Hope, a nonprofit organization with eight pilots who donate their time and skills to fly children in need to hospitals within a 600-mile radius of Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

“What they do is really amazing. There have been times when I’ve seen the kids here and I’ve just wondered how George does it. He has a heart of gold,” stated Cheri Swanson, who works at Sanford-Lee County Regional Airport, where the Children’s Flight of Hope aircraft is kept.

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Whether through her business or philanthropy endeavors, Leah Brown aims to make the situation better for others. Sometimes it’s in Cary, but many times it involves a situation with someone halfway around the world.

Business opportunities with her company, A10 Clinical Solutions, allowed Brown the chance to travel to South Africa two years ago. The trip not only cultivated development for her company that orchestrates clinical trials, but it also ignited Brown’s passion to mentor minorities and women who operate their own businesses. Brown said what she experienced on that trip affects her to this day.

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Aaron Ward knows the importance of balance. When he was a kid in Ontario, that meant learning to navigate a sheet of ice atop two razor-thin blades of steel. Now that he’s got that down, he has to prioritize his growing family, volunteer work and all the travel, practice and other demands of being a professional hockey player.

Phoebe, Ward’s third child, was born in March. He and his wife, Kelly, have appreciated having the summer to settle in and establish a routine with their 6-year-old son, Liam, and 3-year-old daughter, Libby.

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Cary Visual Art will host its 13th Annual Art Ball sponsored by Atlantic Tire and Service at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 at Prestonwood Country Club.

Cary Visual Art aims to promote, inspire and support visual art for uplifting the human spirit in the Cary community. Each year, community and corporate leaders gather at the Art Ball to benefit Cary Visual Art and help promote the commission and placement of public art in Cary.

The black-tie affair will raise awareness and support for local artists and their work. Guests will enjoy a raffle for a ladies’ Rolex wristwatch, cocktails, gourmet dinner and dancing to live music by The Entertainers.

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Cary Magazine and Cary Family Dental teamed up to provide one lucky winner a complete dental upgrade through the Cary Smile Makeover. Watch as Dr. Allan Acton, of Cary Family Dental, transforms the smile of contest winner Pat Mitchell. Visit www.carymagazine.com or www.caryfamilydental.com for further information on the 2009 contest and to find out more about the 2010 contest.

 

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 Event Agenda

11:30 A.M. -12 P.M.          Check in and Networking

12 P.M.                                Opening Remarks by Cary Magazine Editor Danielle Caspar

12-12:35 P.M.                    Lunch Served

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Herons Executive Chef Scott Crawford will gather in the kitchen with some old friends on Oct. 23 for a Guest Chef Dinner.

Southeastern chefs Ken Vedrinski from Trattoria Lucca in Charleston, S.C.; Steven Greene from Devereaux’s in Greenville, S.C.; Colin Bedford from The Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro; and Daniel Zeal from Georgian Room at The Cloister in Sea Island, Ga., will all cook dinner. The Umstead’s Pastry Chef Daniel Benjamin will offer the dessert course.

Crawford has worked with each of these chefs throughout his career. The chefs will each prepare a dish using one of their favorite local ingredients for a special five-course wine-paired chef’s tasting dinner.

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This year’s 2009 honorees share candid answers to questions about their tough challenges, professional success and passion for our community.

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Children’s Flight of Hope, a charity that flies children in need of medical attention to hospitals in the Southeast, will be holding two special charity events in the upcoming months.

The 17th Annual Children’s Flight of Hope Golf Classic reception will be held at the Raleigh Country Club on Oct. 18 followed by a golf tournament on Oct.19.

The Carolina Hurricanes General Manager and President Jim Rutherford and the Hurricanes Head Coach Paul Maurice will be among the special guests attending the event. The tournament is open to anyone who would like to participate, and registration ends this week.

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Men and women have undeniable differences. Women in the workplace have sometimes been labeled as passive, soft and emotional, whereas men were seen as aggressive and edgy. But recently, those gender stereotypes have been challenged, and women have taken the reins in the business world.

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Photos Courtesy Belk Inc.

Summer may be over, but beauty doesn’t stop when the temperature drops. New cosmetics and fragrances are arriving now, to make autumn your new favorite season.

Here’s a sampling of the latest products, courtesy of Belk.

Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation Primer
For all skin types, this liquid-to-powder primer is a blend of vitamins and minerals that improves the appearance of skin, and helps makeup, such as loose Mineral Powder Foundation or Mineral Pressed Powder Foundation SPF 15, stay fresh and true. 1.7 ounces, $30

 

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