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Instagram Travel: The Best of NC for 10 Days

There is always something nostalgic about attending a State Fair. This Instagram photo was taken by me about this same time last year.



North Carolina has a great fair. It opens Friday, October 17 and will run through Sunday, October 27 in Raleigh.

I am not really into the rides, or the fried foods at the fair. A sloppy joe doughnut,which is debuting this year, makes my stomach do a nasty flip at the thought of it. I love a Krispy Kreme doughnut, but I'll take it alone, please!  But, many NC residents will be lining up to try this new delicacy.



I also like my Oreo cookies plain; not fried. The only foods I want fried are chicken and okra.

We took our kids last year to the fair for the first time last year. We had a great time, and I certainly recommend the experience. The part of the fair I enjoyed most was the showcase of North Carolina artisans, and culinary talent.


We certainly have some talented people in the Tar Heel state. I'm not sure if I will make it out to the fairgrounds this year, but I have two Instagram accounts for you follow, and it will seem like you are there, too.


@NCStateFair joined Instagram at fair time last year. This account is most active during the fair season, of course.

A local blogger at Gadabout Food, and personal friend of mine @Knbaughman will also be at the fair showcasing all that fried stuff that fairgoers just seem to love.



I'll take a piece of cake over a fried Oreo, giant turkey leg, or a sloppy joe doughnut any day. Kristen says the pinata is a cake. I think the cake with its own table is cute.

 The North Carolina State Fair has a "Homecoming" theme this year. The agriculture fun will run in Raleigh through October 27. Last year 965,297 people attended the fair. 

 Visit http://www.ncstatefair.org/2013/ for the daily schedules and to download the NC State Fair free mobile app via iTunes and Google Play. This app has it all: Daily Schedule, Fair map, Hours of Admission, Map Directions, Food & Ride Finder and much, much more. You can even purchase your tickets directly through the app!

If you have a blog, link up with us.  If you don't, just use the hashtag #IGTRAVELThursday on Instagram. Take a look at the link-up rules below before linking, and please link back to a host so others can find everyone's links. 



Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.

Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.
The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.
Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms.  Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most.  My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.



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The Company Store "National Family Pajama Night" Giveaway to Support Ronald McDonald Houses in the U.S.

I am excited to partner with one of my favorite stores to give you the opportunity to win cozy pajamas for your family (up to six pairs of pajamas for two winners) to celebrate the 3rd annual National Family Pajama Night™ on Saturday, November 2, 2013.



As in years past, families staying at Ronald McDonald Houses, a “home-away-from-home,” across the U.S. will gather in The Company Store PJs for a night to remember. The Company Store will be donating 3,000 pairs of pajamas to RMHC guest families caring for a sick child. In addition, The Company Store will donate $1 to RMHC for every pair of pajamas purchased from October 2 through to December 2, 2013. This year, a record-setting 54 Ronald McDonald Houses across the country will be participating.

“That feeling of home is something that we all look for during the holiday season,” said Karen Feldman, Director of Marketing, The Company Store. “This is why we began National Family Pajama Night three years ago. As a company constantly focused on giving back, we truly love creating a feeling of warmth, fun and comfort for these families who are dealing with illnesses while they are away from home. And who doesn’t love a comfy pair of PJs?”

Family pajamas are available in an array of six different holiday-themed styles, including The Company Store’s most popular “Woodbridge Plaid” and “Winter Forest” family pajama lines. Sizes are offered for the entire family, including the family dog. To participate, visit The Company Store’s National Family Pajama Night™ website to purchase pajamas and support care for RMHC children and their families.

I chose the Night Watch Family Pajamas for the Hines. I love all the patterns, but my daughter has a special fondness for owls.


We'll see you in your pajamas for a good cause on November 2.  Winners for this giveaway will be drawn at random on Thursday, October 24. 

About The Company Store:

The Company Store and Company Kids are renowned for providing 100 years of quality, comfort and care through the best US-crafted comforters, fashion bedding, home décor, and apparel for adults and children. Six-generation experts in comfort, The Company Store produces its signature LaCrosse down comforters in LaCrosse, WI, while sourcing the latest trends and styles from around the world. The Company Store and CompanyKids offer comfort and style at every price point for the quality-minded consumer. To learn more, visit www.thecompanystore.com.

This giveaway will end at 12 a.m. on October 24. Two winners will be selected. Rafflecopter will be managing entries.

For those needing extra help with Rafflecopter
1. Click on "Use Your E-mail" or "Sign in with Facebook"
2. A box will pop up. Enter your name. Enter your e-mail address or Facebook ID.
3. Click on "Log In".
4. A box will pop up with choices to enter.  Put your mouse on the +1 button. Click it.
5. Hit "Enter" and your e-mail address should be in the system, and you will have one entry. You will have several ways to earn entries. 



a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Disclosure: The Company Store is sponsoring this giveaway. I also received pajamas for my family. The Company Store is a favorite store of mine, and no other compensation was provided for this post. 
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North Carolina Travel: Get Cozy in the Mountains of Western North Carolina

This week is the first time in Raleigh when it has felt like the fall season. The ironic thing is that I posted this photo on Instagram when it still felt like summer at my home due to the unusual warm spell this October in North Carolina.


Apparently, you are ready for chilly, fall fireplace weather, too because this Instagram photo has become one of my most popular photos in my feed since I've been using the social media tool.

The photo was taken at the Inn on Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina earlier this year. And yes, I waited a long time for someone to get out of those seats so my photo could be people free. Was it worth the wait? Yes, it was. I just enjoyed another cup of coffee at the complimentary beverage station while waiting. People who know me know that I have no problem lingering in a hotel lobby. I hardly ever want to go home.


In fact, I recommend one of these delights by the fire at the Inn on Biltmore.  It's a Toffee Coffee, a specialty drink made up by the Inn's bartender. Yes, I had to have one. Delicious!

The North Carolina mountains are beautiful in the fall.  My home state has one of the longest color seasons in the world due to so many tree species.

Photo courtesy of FallintheMountains.com

I have a great travel idea.  Do a fall "cozy up to the fire" fall tour in my state. Here are a few other great fireplaces that you don't want to miss.  The Omni Grove Park Inn, also in Asheville, has a fireplace that just says, "Wow!" It's huge.  I've not written a "Pack Your Bags" on this historic hotel and spa yet, but it's on my list for the blog. My last stay there was in 1998. It became an Omni Resort this year.


Here is Will beside the same fireplace in the summer of 2009 when we did a quick lobby visit on our way back to Raleigh.


The Boone-Valle Crucis-Blowing Rock area of North Carolina is just charming. I can't think of a better place to call home after a day of sightseeing than a cabin at the luxurious Mast Farm Inn.  This cozy cabin that I stayed in last year makes me want to make my own Toffee Coffee, and watch a movie. The Inn has great in-room coffee, by the way.  When I snapped this photo, it was during the spring season so we did not have the gas logs in use, but we could have easily that time of year. It still gets chilly at night in the mountains even in early May sometimes.


One of my favorite hotels in North Carolina is the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands. So far, it is the most gorgeous hotel property I have visited in the mountains. Let me just say that sitting at this fireplace in the new Lodge area surrounded by the fall color would be spectacular. This photo was in the hotel's Instagram feed last week.



No doubt, the fall is a special time in North Carolina. Explore Asheville has always done a fabulous job with its weekly fall color reports, but this year, tourism officials added a great site which goes into the science behind the fall color. I found it fascinating. You may, too.

Photo credit: FallintheMountains.com






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What is Parked in the Umstead Hotel and Spa Lobby?

It's not everyday that you see a Porsche, valued close to four million dollars, in a luxury hotel lobby.



I got the thrill of seeing this classic beauty when I visited the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary yesterday. It was small enough to fit right through the front doors

 this 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder was checked in at the hotel to help celebrate the fall  opening of "Porsche By Design: Seducing Speed" exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh.

 I am not really a car buff, but I could certainly appreciate this car's beauty. It's difficult to see the detail in the photo, but the back section of the vehicle opens via a perfectly positioned leather buckle.



There were few Porsche Spyders made in 1955. It was marketed as a race car.  Legendary actor, James Dean, owned a Porsche Spyder for just 9 days before he was killed in a car crash in the same model Porsche.  He was only 24-years-old.

Photo  Credit: The Daily Telegraph




The Umstead Hotel and Spa is always a lovely place to be no matter if there is a Porsche in the lobby or not.
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Post by Hines-Sight Blog.





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Tom Ford Vs.Bond No. 9 #RaleighSaksEvents

I'm having a little fun this week in my house. It's Saks Fall 2013 Beauty Week.  Raleigh is home to the only Saks Fifth Avenue in North Carolina, and I struck the beauty product lottery this week. Saks gave me all of these fabulous products to try at my leisure.

Saks Beauty Tote

Yep, all these great items. In my home. Right now. Pinch me. This tote, filled with samples from Tom Ford, Chanel, Sisley, Bobbi Brown, Bond No. 9, Kiehls and much more, is available to Saks customers with a $100 purchase as long as supplies last through October 6.  It is available online as well.

I am always buying makeup and skincare as needed, but I rarely buy fragrances. I guess that is more of a splurge in my life right now as opposed to a necessity.  Hair appointments to cover my gray hair, which seems to be sprouting all over my head these days, cosmetics, and skincare essentials are priorities for me in my overall budget, but fragrances are not.

When I opened my tote, I went right to the fragrances because it felt like a splurge item. I'm taking it slow, and have tested these two fragrances.

 Tom Ford Violet Blonde versus Bond No. 9 New York

Perfumes react differently on everyone. So what may not work for me may be great for you. I also do not have a strong sense of smell, and I tend to like a lighter scent. My Mom and 3-year-old daughter, on the other hand, can smell something three houses away. My daughter makes me eat greek yogurt in another room. Her smell is that keen.

Based on sampling these two perfumes by wearing each one daily, I would buy Tom Ford Violet Blonde.  I really like this perfume. I had never sampled a Tom Ford scent before this week. It's light. It's not overpowering, and that is important to me.

Bond No. 9 did not work for me at all. It's just not my scent. Again, perfumes react differently on everyone, but this one overpowered my nose, and remember, I can't smell well at all.  Bond No. 9 has many other scents, and I still have two other ones left to try in my sample tote.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde Wins My Scent Battle

In my opinion, outrageously expensive is not always better. Tom Ford wins the scent battle for me.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde is priced at $110 compared to Bond No. 9 New York at $240 for the same 1.7 ounce size.  That's a HUGE difference in price.

My 3-year-old daughter did not like Bond No. 9 New York at all. Tom Ford was just mediocre to her, but she was OK with it. I could stay in the same room. Honestly, she likes my $10 small bottle of Paul Mitchell hair spray. Maybe that smells more like mommy on a daily basis. I'll keep wearing Tom Ford, and if she doesn't complain then I say it's a keeper.

Bond No. 9 has a new scent, Perfumista Avenue. This scent will be the guest of honor for a Happy Hour event in the Raleigh Saks on October 3. This perfume was not in the tote to sample. It's even more expensive at $260 per 1.7 ounce.


Are you a Bond girl or a Tom Ford girl?

Beauty Week is in full swing at Saks in Raleigh. On October 4-5, learn how to master the latest 2013 Fall trends.

I'll keep you posted on some of the other scents in the beauty box, and I'll let you know if Tom Ford stays on top.

Photos courtesy of Chana Lynn of  Raleigh What's Up, and  Saks. I was not able to make the blogging event in person due to a conflict in schedule.  And that's probably a good thing because they took bloggers into a secret purse closet at Saks where I could afford nothing.  I might have hyperventilated because I love a designer purse. I still have my first Gucci purse from 1980. 

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