LIfestyle

I hadn’t seen a $2 bill for years when I noticed schoolmate Rip Black tipping with them. Having loved them since attending its 1976 re-introduction, I adopted Rip’s paean to Mr. Jefferson, tipping with them since. I gave one to an Uber driver recently – he stared at it, announcing, “This one’s going in the wallet!”

In six months, you’ll be close to touching the clouds when the largest traveling Ferris wheel in North America comes to the 2019 N.C. State Fair Oct. 17-27.

Diners in downtown Raleigh have a huge appetite for eating well and doing good. Need proof? A little over a year after opening, A Place at the Table, the pay-what-you-can cafe, is expanding to meet the demand.

After taking over Instagram feeds in New York and Boston, Japanese sweet treat Koiyaki has finally made its way downstream to the Triangle.

Did you know car tires would last a lifetime if they stayed in a climate-controlled warehouse? But since we use them in the real world, there are several factors impacting the life of your tires:

Lately, safety concerns related to ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft have increased. These apps offer so much convenience, but they also demand extra responsibilities. Remember these safety tips:

The season for poolside get-togethers with friends and family is quickly approaching, and with it the need for parents and caregivers to keep water safety top of mind.

For three years, I’ve written the same words on Airbnb’s reservation field that says “tell your host why you’re in town.”

Get ready to put the smackdown on the Easter Bunny as you and your friends race to find 15,000 eggs at Spring Fling at Dorothea Dix Park on Saturday, April 13.

Asking people to name their favorite barbecue joint is like discussing religion, money and politics during Sunday supper; you just don’t do it. But, we’re pushing past politeness and laying out our list of the Triangle’s best barbecue (we’re sure you’ll let us know if we’ve forgotten your favorite):

“You’ve tasted the world, now taste local,” at Brewgaloo, North Carolina’s largest craft beer festival, April 26 and 27.

Every state has its symbols, and North Carolina has some interesting ones. There’s the official state frog (Pine Barrens treefrog) and official state carnivorous plant (Venus flytrap). Soon, we may have an official frozen treat.

If you’re thinking about becoming a first-time homebuyer in Raleigh, you’re in one of the best cities in the country for people looking to break into the housing market.

Our carnivorous prayers have been answered with the announcement that Shake Shack will open its first Triangle location. The New York City-based chain plans to open in Cary’s Waverly Place in fall 2019.

Spring is time to tidy up and deep clean. Pay attention to your car, too, because it’s probably been neglected this winter.

Here are our favorite apps to make travel easier, more affordable and more fun.

Accidents happen to everyone, including our pets. It’s important to keep a pet first-aid kit in your home in case of emergency.

Parents across America continue to worry about the apps their children and teens download. Here are two apps that can give parents peace of mind.

If you are like most of us, you probably wish you could spend less and save more. It is easier than you think with a few simple changes.

Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. This year it falls on Sunday, meaning there’s more time to celebrate. Here are some Triangle festivities to get your shamrocks shaking:

Another Triangle chef has nabbed a nomination for a national James Beard Foundation Award. Raleigh’s own Ashley Christensen is a semifinalist for one of the awards, also known as the Oscars of food.

Fantastical flora and fauna are fashioned into show-stopping works of art during the North Carolina Museum of Art’s fifth annual Art in Bloom.

A pink squirrel may sound like a drink Sandra Dee from “Grease” would guzzle before transforming into the vampy Sandy, but the citizen-scientists who run North Carolina’s Candid Critters know a real pink squirrel when they see one. And it flies.

If you live for the ‘gram, spring is the perfect time to beautify your page. Luckily, the ‘gram gods have smiled on the Triangle with tons of gorgeous spots to get outside and ‘gram:

We’ve all felt it – that unmistakable shaking in your car’s steering wheel as you cruise down the road. There are a few things that could be causing your jittery ride.

Set on 614 acres at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in Ireland, Ballyfin may be the most elegantly appointed place I’ve ever stayed. It’s the kind of setting where no ottoman or pillow goes unfringed, you’ll encounter a full suit of armor on the staircase and the 20 bedrooms have names, not numbers.

Charlotte toddler Annie was watching “Sesame Street” late December when her mom, Amanda, thought she heard Grover say the “F” word. Annie’s dad (my son Thomas) replayed the segment, agreed it was debatable, posted it to Reddit, launching a top listing, 124,000 views, 3,400 comments and an international sensation.

On Valentine’s Day, make your heart happy by attending one of these feel-good events supporting local nonprofits:

Movement, grace and energy are hallmarks of the paintings of Ernie Barnes, a professional football player-turned-artist whose iconic work “Sugar Shack” was featured on a Marvin Gaye album cover and in the credits of the sitcom “Good Times.”

Just in time for Heart Month, KFC is testing its new Cheetos Sandwich in select Triad restaurants.