LOCAL: LOCOPOPS & LUCKY STRIKE VINTGE

Hillsborough Street is one of those classic Raleigh spots that has no lack of dining, shopping, or entertainment. But be warned--Hillsborough Street is the main drag of the NC State campus. The traffic during school hours is horrendous, so go late or on a weekend (or better yet go during the summer when the students are all at home). On a steamy day last week, we chose to hit up an old favorite, Locopops, and explore a new-to-Raleigh shop, Lucky Strike Vintage.

If you dig creative popsicle flavors and bright colors, you must visit Locopops. They have a few staple flavors plus rotating specials. Our favorites include the Mango Chile, Rasberry Hibiscus, and Cookies & Cream flavors. This trip we opted for Mighty Mojito (it's very lime-y, but yummy if you like that) and Mexican Chocolate.

For your (awkward) amusement, here are a few accidental "Oh, You Were Taking A Picture? I Was Eating This Popsicle" pictures:

Second stop on our Hillsborough Street romp was the new Lucky Strike Vintage shop. This location opened fairly recently, and we'd heard good things about the Winston Salem shop. They had tons of cowboy boots, vintage hats, and a lot of vinyl among their offerings. We had some fun trying on an awkwardly tiny 70's wedding dress and an obscenely peach bridesmaid's dress (sorry, we won't bless you with photo evidence...although..it does exist). The owner of the shop was able to fit tons of things into a small space in a fun way, and I'm certain that if anyone dug long enough, they'd find pieces worth purchasing. Sarah found a pair of Steve Madden oxfords that she would have snapped up in a heartbeat, but alas!, they weren't her size. Sigh. We're looking forward to going back occasionally for records & neat wardrobe finds.