Features
As the Triangle continues to grow, the Parade of Homes offers a rare look inside the houses, communities, and design ideas defining the future of the region
For home lovers, design enthusiasts, and anyone who loves to peek inside a beautifully built house, the Triangle Parade of Homes is one of the region’s most anticipated annual events. What began decades ago as a showcase for local builders has grown into North Carolina’s largest open house, drawing thousands of visitors eager to explore the newest homes, communities, technologies, and design ideas shaping the future of Triangle living. The event, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025, is a testament to the remarkable growth of our region.
Fall Fashion: Dressed up, dialed in, and ready for wherever the season leads
Fall style doesn’t have to mean choosing between polished and practical. To create these looks, we brought together men’s and women’s pieces from some of the city’s standout local vendors.
How Chef Michael Lee turned early food memories into a thriving restaurant group across the Triangle
By Dathan Kazsuk | Long before M Sushi became one of the Triangle’s most talked-about restaurants, and before Durham became the center of his growing M Restaurants world, Lee was a 10-year-old kid who came to the United States from Korea with his family in the mid-1980s. His parents brought him and his older brother here for “better education” and “more opportunity,” but that opportunity came with long factory hours and parents who were out the door before the boys woke up and not home again until evening.
The local bakeshops that are skipping the hype and sticking to what works
By Deanna Martinez | In a world filled with towering milkshakes, glitter-drenched cupcakes, and desserts designed more for Instagram feeds than plates, some bakers are sticking to the classics, proving that simple desserts still have plenty of magic.
Departments
The Houses That Looked Like the Future
By Dathan Kazsuk | George Smart is the founder and CEO of USModernist, a nonprofit educational archive that documents, preserves, and promotes modernist residential design.
Girls on the Run Celebrates 30 Years
By Taylor Bowler | This year marks the 30th anniversary of Girls on the Run, a youth development program that helps girls build confidence and resilience through running.
Apex singer-songwriter’s music strikes the right notes
By Kurt Dusterberg | Emma Fornes, who grew up in Apex, admits that writing lyrics is still a bit of a hurdle. “I’m a very music-first person,” she says.
The Drink Less, Drink Better Era
By Taylor Bowler | Puerto Rico native Doreen Colondres has built a career around making food and wine feel approachable, joyful, and deeply connected to culture.
How a café in downtown Raleigh feeds our hunger for human connection
By Amanda Lamb | In this column, I’ll focus on stories about people that are shrinking the space between us—people who have consciously decided to meaningfully connect in a digital age. It takes effort, but it’s worth it. I promise.
Raleigh Salon Earns National Honor for Giving Back
Bacio Salon in north Raleigh earns national recognition for work that goes beyond cuts, color, and everyday beauty-industry glamour.
