Talk of the Triangle

In this insightful episode of "Talk of the Triangle," hosts Melissa and Adam explore the fascinating world of equine therapy. The conversation starts with a light-hearted discussion about goats, leading to the main topic: horses and their therapeutic role. The episode features an in-depth interview with Amanda Graham, founder of Unbridled Way Forward in Rougemont, North Carolina. Amanda, a licensed clinical mental health c...

Our guest is David Harris, Founder of the Raleigh Ringers with Cindy Cave. In this festive episode, we delve into the enchanting world of handbells. We explore personal Christmas traditions, the evolution of handbell music, and the unique blend of classical and contemporary styles that characterize the Raleigh Ringers' performances.

Key Points:

1. Personal Christmas Traditions:
   • Adam and his wife enjoy decorating their Ch...

Introductions
- Hosts Adam and Melissa share their excitement about today's episode, which promises to be a treat for music enthusiasts.

Musical Roots
- A walk down memory lane reveals Adam's classic rock-infused childhood, while Melissa's musical background is steeped in jazz and folk, courtesy of her parents' diverse record collection.

**Introducing Christian Tamburr**
- Jazz musician extraordinaire, Chris...

  - Adam starts the podcast with gratitude for the warm introduction and an announcement: Melissa, the regular co-host, is not able to attend today. In her stead is Beth Shugg, Editor of Midtown, 5 West and Triangle Family, is on the show.
  - Lineup of guests: Co-founders of The Ghost Guild: Nelson Knauss and Kelly McConkey, are introduced. A third featured guest is Ira David Wood III, star of "A Christmas Carol." He h...

Meet Foodie and Former D1 College Athlete: Joy Caracciolo

• Joy's backstory: She is a local food influencer who lives in Durham.
• Joy began supporting local restaurants during COVID by getting takeout and blogging about the food, then sharing her content on social media.
• She is also a former NCAA women's basketball player for Boston College and the University of Delaware.
• Currently, she works in public relations for a glo...

In this episode, hosts Adam and Melissa welcome two talented romance novelists, Samantha Chase and Dolly Sickles (writing under the name of Becky Moore), who both reside in the Triangle area. Hear a discussion about the art of romance writing and the authors' love for books and reading. Chase and Sickles delve into the intriguing world of romance novels, its ups and downs, heartbreaks, and endearing love affairs that make ...

Our Guest, Nick Eakes, a science education specialist for Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, discusses the best places to stargaze in the Triangle and the many space education resources available here.

Show Highlights

• [00:05:44] Meet Nick Eakes and learn about his background in space science education. Nick shares how he stumbled upon his career through volunteering at...

Explore the Carolina bays with South Carolina author Tom Poland, who takes a deep dive into this southern mystery. Plus, listen to his summary of a nonfiction article he wrote called "How a Mule Kick Killed 8 People."

Introduction:

• Tom Poland is a true Southern gentleman and writer.
• Tom's career is focused on telling stories about the South's people, culture and land.
• Tom has written 14 books and over 2,000 magazine featur...

This month, meet two local fashionistas and boutique owners: Mandy Becker of Swagger and Catherine Carter of The Gatorbug. Mandy and Catherine share their experiences in the fashion industry and list the wardrobe staples every woman should have. We discuss:

• The leather pants trend currently prevalent in Europe—and catching on in the U.S.—and Europe's influence on fashion.
• Mandy's trip to Barcelona and the Mediterranean, ...

• Guest Lauren Kennedy Brady, local theater star and Theatre Raleigh's Producing Artistic Director.
• Lauren's early beginnings in the theater were influenced by her family's love for the arts.
• Lauren attended Broughton High School, where she participated in the school's performing arts programs, including show choir. 
• Lauren was mentored by the founder of North Carolina Theater, which led to opportunities for her to work wit...

• Adam Cave and Melissa Wistehuff discuss their experiences with old homes—including dealing with mice and snakes.
• George Smart is CEO of and Rebekah Laney handles development for NCModernist and USModernist, which documents and protects modernist homes across North Carolina and the U.S.
• George and Rebekah talk about their involvement in modernist architecture and their roles in the organization.
• They also offer tips for fi...

Chasta Hamilton is an entrepreneur who believes everyone has the power to reach their fullest potential. She is also an author, owner of Stage Door Dance and creator of the Girls Geared for Greatness nonprofit.

• Originally from Tennessee, Chasta relocated to North Carolina as a Park scholarship student at North Carolina State University, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2007 with a degree in Arts Applications (thea...

• We discuss New Year's Resolutions and how they often pertain to fitness. 
• Paul and Elizabeth, both fitness experts, explain why TRX Freestyle offers a unique approach to fitness.
• TRX combines many different types of exercises. Learn about why TRX is like a multitool, and why having a balanced and fit lifestyle takes more than just one modality. Focusing on just yoga, cardio, strength or any single modality is not enough....

• A fun, loving and talented entertainment personality, Erica has been delighting audiences for nearly two decades. She is host of The Erica Show on G105 and an Influencer for ABC 11 – WTVD.  
• Listen to Erica from 1–5 p.m. in the afternoon for lifestyle entertainment and contemporary hits radio. Melissa joins her every Friday for her "What's Up Weekend" segment.  
• Find out who picks the songs she plays.
• Hear our conversatio...

Ira David Wood III (born November 19, 1947) is an American actor, author, singer, theater director and playwright. He is the Executive Director of Theatre in the Park, a community theatre company in Raleigh, North Carolina. Wood is the father of actress Evan Rachel Wood. Wood is best known for conceiving, producing, and headlining (as "Scrooge") a popular musical comedy adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" that has been perfo...

Nelson Nauss's first exposure to the paranormal came at a very young age in his childhood home, and it forever changed how he viewed the world around him. It wasn't until 2007 that his avid interest saw him join two other paranormal groups to seek answers. In 2016, Nelson met Kelly McConkey, and together they founded The Ghost Guild.

Al Parker has created several Ghost, Legends, and Lore tours and enjoys digging into resea...

Ernest A. Dollar Jr. is the director of the City of Raleigh Museum, as well as the director of the Pope House in Raleigh. He is also the author of "Heart's Torn of Thunder Trauma and the Civil War's Final Campaign in North Carolina."

• A Durham native, Ernest was born here in the Triangle and has been involved in local history since he was the director of the Orange County Historical Museum in Hillsborough in 2001.
• We disc...

From Executive Chef Oscar Gnapi's delicious Italian cuisine at Colletta Italian Food & Wine, to Master Blender Brandon McCraney's honey cask finished bourbon at Olde Raleigh Distillery, you'll be yearning for one—or BOTH—of these fine offerings after listening to this episode of Talk of the Triangle.

• Executive Chef Oscar Gnapi, originally from Paris, France, honed his craft over decades at restaurants and hotels in ...

Did you collect baseball cards? There’s a good chance Gregg Forwerck was behind the camera that took your favorite athletes’ photos. In this episode, the Charlotte-based photographer, who also covers the Carolina Hurricanes, shares some of his favorite memories about life as a baseball card photographer and discusses how baseball card photos have changed over the years. 

• Baseball card collecting and trading made a huge ...