Top 5 reasons.

I'm not going to lie...after our recent trip to Raleigh, I am getting SUPER EXCITED about the move there.  Seriously, I have only heard great things about the area (although don't misunderstand that to mean that I am welcoming negatives about the area).  We signed a lease on a little (and I mean little) house in a really cool area.  We're so close to everything...downtown, the Y, Whole Foods, the mall, etc. etc.  Now the house is totally a downgrade (in luxuries and size) from where we are now, but we figure it'll do for a bit while we save up money for a house (ahem...did I actually just say that?!).  Some of the items in the house that sold us on it...gas stove, washer and dryer (which he threw in with our discounted rent), fenced in yard, driveway, eliminated pet deposit!  It doesn't sound like much but those are major ticket items for us.  Considering that continuing to pay rent on our Athens house and planning a wedding party and tripping it to Aruba, a security deposit, pet deposit, and first month's rent is a shit ton of money to come up with quickly (thank you government for tax returns?).  I'm not sure where we are going to fit all of our stuff from our three bedroom in Athens (with a huge living room/dining area and tons of storage) to a two bedroom with a much smaller living room and very little storage.  Considering the fact that within the next year or so we want to upgrade back to a larger house of our own, I don't necessarily want to throw away/donate all of our stuff.  Ugh things to do and think about!  Anyway, I'm happy that we got the NC housing marked off our list!

So I wanted to do a list of the top 5 things I am looking forward to about living in Raleigh.  They're pretty general things, but after growing up in Athens all of my life, they're amazing novelties to me. 

 

5.  BBQ.  Now Georgia has some good BBQ, but NC is where the BBQ is.  I promise you, this whole vegetarian thing will be left on the doorstep at least once/month for some barbeque.  I don't know what it is about barbeque that make me love it.  I love some vinegary sauce (not sure if that's the "NC style") and top it with some coleslaw and a sweet tea on the side.  Ugh...I guess I am really southern at heart.

  

4. Crabtree Valley Mall.  Don't get me wrong, this mall is nothing amazingly spectacular.  Trust me, when Georgia Square Mall is the closet "good" shopping center within 30 minutes, Crabtree Valley is like a dream come true.  I've never been a huge mall shopper, but I would certainly guess this could be attributed to my crappy experience with my hometown mall.  D and I ventured in Crabtree Valley before we headed out of Raleigh, and I about fainted.  J Crew.  Omfg...H&M is coming this spring.  Wow.  Banana Republic. Dippin Dots. Forever 21 (um, I need some cheap deals in my life).  Bobbi Brown. Sephora. PF Changs.  Dying.

 

3.  WHOLE FUCKING FOODS.  I am not even kidding...this could possibly #1 on the list.  Whole Foods is actually like a thing of fiction...a celebrity...to me...something I've only ever seen on Top Chef and on TV.  I can't wait to just go in there and soak it in.  The isles of organic goodness.  Perusing the isles of Whole Food branded goods.  I almost feel high just thinking about it.  I just signed up for their newsletter.  I am officially obsessed.  Let's just hope this poor girl and her husband can afford the Whole Food luxuries. 

 

2. YMCA.  That's right.  The YMCA is like a freaking block or two from our house.  I'm a dork and checked out their group fitness class list today....it is fucking awesome.  Seriously.  Athens YMCA has the crappiest class list I have ever seen compared to theirs.  My hopes for the YMCA are for 2 things...1) D and I will join together and make working out more of a habit and 2) I can utilize it to make friends in the area (although I hope they aren't all stay at home moms).  My appeal of the Y is that it is not the gym that primarily consists of rich, skinny, blonde college students.  Go YMCA!  I am officially a grown-up.

1. "City Life."  I'm using this phrase very loosely.  We all know Raleigh is no NYC.  We all know Raleigh is no Atlanta (thank goodness).  But Raleigh has some kick-ass restaurants, pubs, and bars.  It has a sweet downtown area.  I'm looking forward to being able to show my Georgia friends around Raleigh.  I'm looking forward to getting to know the different roads and "hip" places to be.  I mean I know I'm not going to be in a big city by any stretch of the imagination.  Coming from Athens though, this is big for me.  I'm moving to a city where I really know no one other than my husband and pets.  I like to think Raleigh is welcoming me with open arms.