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ONE STOP DESIGN SHOP

ck and co.

  • Design.
  • Social.
  • Shop.
  • Best Sellers
  • weddings.
  • Blog.
  • Contact me.
  • Meet CK.
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  • The fine print.
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Top 5 places to feel like a local in Raleigh

February 22, 2017 Christin King

Whether you are new to Raleigh, traveling or a well-established local (myself included), you can appreciate a well-rounded food, shopping and entertainment experience in the heart of southern tradition and innovation. I have composed a list of my personal favorite Raleigh staples that will make you feel like you own the town. 

1. Jubala a local coffee shop where freelance designers and photographers set up camp. With two convenient locations-one in North Raleigh's Lafayette Village and the other on the cusp of downtown-these shops give you a quality buzz and a modern place to socialize. Jubala uses Counter Culture for lattes, pour-over and drip coffee to ensure the highest quality caffeine experience. This is also my go-to spot for a light sunday brunch. The nutella banana waffle and almond latte are my signature sweet orders. It is also a great midday work pit stop for panini press sammys with fresh local ingredients. I'd give this spot a 10/10 in location, quality and gram-worthy. 

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2. Trophy Brewing Company What started out as a micro-brewery has turned into a local competitor for the best pizza in Raleigh. Original brews with notes of funky flavors like banana, milky way and piña colada allows this place to have a taste for everyone. My favorite savory snack is the "Most Loyal" (a title I have truly earned) which is a pesto-based pizza with mozzarella, tomatoes and chicken (try subbing in soppressata) and finished with a honey-glazed crust. Pair that with the Trophy Wife (their most popular beer) and sit outside on the patio for a truly memorable experience. There is a well-rounded menu with vegan and veggie friendly items like the Farmer's Market pizza that rotate seasonal veggies into circulation. Trophy's other locations include a taproom where they brew all the beer for their other locations ( a great saturday night hangout spot) and a downtown tap + table with rotisserie chicken menu items and authentic soft tacos. Trophy makes the list for its diverse selection of beers and great eats. 

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3. The Flourish Market Shopping never felt so good. This sweet shop-new to the Raleigh scene-is in the Glenwood South neighborhood and sells ethically made goods like apparel, accessories, decor and gifts. Each line of goods is tied back to helping women be successful in their communities and part of each proceed goes towards a cause. They have such good taste in selecting trendy pieces for both your wardrobe and your home. It also makes a thoughtful gift to share the sentiment that you helped someone in need while selecting a special item for the one you love.

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4. Lucettegrace The "sweetest" spot in town is an adorable pastisserie with freshly-made macaroons, croissants and other pastry perfections. The coffee is so underrated. There are lattes in cute camping-like mugs and it has recently started having succulent creations for every season. The decor is a chic yet cozy shop that makes you feel transported to modern-day paris. Last time I was there I had an iced vanilla latte and a maple waffle macaroon and I was reborn. This is a great place to pick up treats with a friend, for a meeting or just to stop in and enjoy the darling atmosphere. 

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5. Raleigh Times Giving a nod to Raleigh's one-time afternoon newspaper, this local watering hole and music venue smack dab in the middle of downtown will have you in hipster heaven with its historic context and exposed brick. It is the perfect spot for a first date in good weather because of its rooftop seating with a spectacular view. Tuesdays are for Beer & Banjos, an event that showcases the best brews and musical talent in the area. My favorite order: the pulled pork nachos and a carafe of seasonal sangria (perfect for sharing). 

Matt Phillips Music performing at Beer & Banjos at Raleigh Times

Honorable Mentions: Crawford & Son, Art Deco, Virgil's, Yellow Dog Bakery, Farmer's Market, Father & Sons Antiques, Rise Biscuits, Cafe Carolina, Red Hat Amphitheater, Calavera and Raleigh Brewing Company.

If you need any more suggestions I would love to give you my complete list of #ckapproved places in Raleigh and the Triangle. Be looking out for my Top 5 places to feel like a local in Durham. 

all photos taken by me and more of my lifestyle photos available on my instagram

 

In lifestyle, about raleigh, about durham, travel, #ckapproved Tags lifestyle, local, raleigh, durham, chapel hill, design, foodie, local eats, travel, good eats, coffee, pastries, shopping, local goods, shop raleigh, shop local
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Testimonials
Testimonials

“Christin is professional, timely and SUPER talented. She hand painted over 150 sea shells for our beach wedding in 2016, and they have been such a fun and personal keepsake that our guests still bring up 3 years later. Hire her, to add a personal artists touch to your wedding.”

-CAMILLA JOHNSON, CK BRIDE

Testimonials

“Christin went above and beyond to make our wedding day feel complete with the perfect personal touches. She made a chalkboard sign for our ceremony with our wedding party listed since we decided against programs, and directional signs for our ceremony and cocktail hour locations. She was willing to work off of some photos I found on Pinterest, but I felt confident in giving her free reign with what she felt looked the best - and I'm glad I did! She had her own supplies and a few chalkboards that she let us use for the occasion - which was great since it saved us from having to buy our own for a single use! She's professional, so easy to work with (which is a huge plus during what can be a stressful time) and a complete sweetheart. We were lucky to have her as one of our vendors and highly recommend!”

- JESSICA ROGERS, CK BRIDE

Testimonials

“Christin is AWESOME. She did a LOT of lettering for our wedding, including chalkboards, table numbers, table lists, and other personal touches. She was super easy to get in contact with and bounce ideas off of. She was also able to help us design some printed items and got them printed for us, too...which was SO helpful! She is literally human sunshine and I was so happy to have her on my team!”

-ABBEY MAXWELL, CK BRIDE

Testimonials

“Christin really helped make our vision for our wedding come to life. She is willing to do whatever it takes to make your design dreams come true- from taking a trip to a craft store with you to pick out the perfect signs to use, to hand-making quality favors for each of your guests. She truly is a one-stop shop when it comes to weddings- we loved her work on our Save the Dates, invitations, wedding day programs, signs, decor, and favors. There really isn't anything she can't do. I recommend her to everyone I know who is getting married!”

-EMILY MCWHIRTER, CK BRIDE

Testimonials

“Christin did a wonderful job hosting a watercolor class for our friend group! Her teaching style is down to earth and she made everyone feel included, while also giving each of us the chance to embrace our individuality. I can’t wait to frame the piece I walked away with! I’m looking forward to seeing how Christin’s business grows!”

- QUINN OSTENDARP

Testimonials

“Christin has been a dream to work with! I worked with her to make some custom Christmas party invitations and they totally exceeded my expectations. I can't wait to send them out to everyone! I will definitely be using Christin again!!”

-ALI OLSEN

Testimonials

“We did a workshop with House of Hops for Mother’s Day. No one in my family is artistically talented, yet our paintings turned out amazing and we had the BEST time creating them. Highly recommend”

- KATHARINE WAREN

Testimonials

“Christin is amazing!! She painted my pup and her work was sooooo beautiful! She really captured the life of Mako, by seeking out Mako’s Instagram and pulling pictures from their to really take hold of Mako’s true character!
Mako tends to take pictures with a serious nature because she’s focused on treats or the task at hand, but Christin was able to take a random photo of mako smiling and a properly posed photo of Mako and combine the two, giving me a well painted water color of Mako! She was tongue out, wide eyed and full of energy! She even got Mako’s signature bandana and one of my favorites at that!!

Obviously she’s a one woman show so time is going to be a constraint on her, so bare with her when she’s busy, but she’s dedicated to making sure you love the outcome! She’s also super sweet and got a wonderfully and inviting personality! Like she’s your been your best friend your whole life! Working with Christin, on Mako’s Watercolor has been a great experience and I’ll definitely use her again!

Thanks again Christin! Can’t wait to frame Mako’s painting!!”

- KELLIE MCDONALD

Testimonials

“We trusted CK Creations to create a new logo/Brand for our business and she DELIVERED. This was a big investment for our small business and we are so thankful for Christin’s dedication to make our dream a reality! She was willing to meet with us multiple times and really listened to our vision. The final product exceeded our expectations! Thanks to Christin we now have a brand we are proud of. I would highly recommend working with her and we will definitely go CK first for future design projects.”

-SARAH MOODY, TRIANGLE POP UP

Testimonials

“My friend Crystal had Christin create a watercolor portrait for us as a wedding gift and we are BEYOND obsessed!!!!! I have gotten so many compliments on the piece! I loved it so much that I decided to do the same thing for a friend of mine for her wedding gift! Christin really pays attention to the details of the pictures you send her and really makes an effort to include all of that in her paintings - from hair color & style to prints on dresses/clothing. I love her abstract, unique style! She is ridiculously talented and not to mention SO sweet and accommodating! You can tell she really enjoys/loves what she does and loves making her customers happy!!! Thank you Christin!”

-JEN TYNER

Check out our social media | Refund Policy: Please note that any custom project will not receive a full refund due to the creative and custom design process. All projects are the intellectual property of CKCreations Copyright 2022 and may be used for email and social media marketing purposes or any other creative use with the sole proprietor’s discretion.