via Cassidy Boneham via Julia Tilly Arts & Entertainment Best BBQ in town? Sarah Cullen, Staff Writer via Sarah Cullen If you are a local like me, then you grew up eating (in my opinion) the best BBQ in the country. Nothing beats that Eastern- style, vinegar-based BBQ right off of the pig. When I moved from my small town to Raleigh, I wondered if amazing BBQ would be lost to the big city, so this past week I decided to explore the three of the BBQ places we have located right here in downtown Raleigh: Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque, Dickie’s Barbeque Pit and The Pit Authentic Barbeque. I started on Friday night with a trip up to the very popular Clyde Cooper’s Barbeque. This place has quite the reputation, as it should since it has been a downtown staple since 1938. The Carolina-style barbeque place boasts of their specialized barbeque sauce and cholesterol- free oil. I must admit, I was very impressed by their BBQ and their delicious coleslaw as I bit into my BBQ sandwich. The only thing missing at this Raleigh classic was the option of mash potatoes for my side. Overall, a delicious four out of five stars. Monday night I went to the brightly- colored Dixie’s Barbeque Pit which is a chain restaurant located quite close to Clyde Cooper’s. The pulled pork sandwich was pretty good, especially with all of the different BBQ sauces that you get to choose from at Dixie’s. My only complaint was that they did not include coleslaw, so I had to have an additional charge added (not too big of a deal). Overall, another four out of five stars because of all the amazing sauce options. My favorite BBQ place out of the three was saved for last - The Pit. If you have lived in Raleigh for a little while then you have most- likely heard of the popular place. It satisfies with a wide array of southern cooking, and a grea.t selection of delicious pork, chicken, and turkey barbeque. They have a huge selection of sides, and your meal begins with some of the most delicious hushpuppies I have ever had. It was a little (crazy) busy, but the wait and crowd was definitely worth it. The Pit would be my pick for the best Raleigh BBQ, but honestly all of these places are worth a try. Cheers and enjoy. via Sarah Cullen Canaan Smith Comes To Meredith College Kat Bonner, Staff Writer On Mar. 3, Mr. Doug Spero’s “Media, Culture, and Society” students had a surprise guest come visit: country artist Canaan Smith. This was an unexpected surprise as Meredith girls normally don’t see boys on campus, especially not boys that are famous! Cassidy Boneham, one of Dr. Spero’s students, works for the country radio station 94.7 QDR. Smith had performed at QDR earlier that day. While Cassidy spent the performance with Smith, she convinced him to come visit class with her. Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the break from class. But Smith is no stranger to Meredith’s campus. Two years ago, he performed at Meredith College’s annual Sizzlin September Concert with guest artist Love and Theft. Since then, Smith has become very successful. He is a rising country artist who recently released a new hit single and finished his first album. Canaan’s first EP, which is basically a small version of a CD, will be released on Mar. 24. Currently, Smith is making his debut tour with country artists Dan & Shay. Part of the tour included a performance at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh. During the class visit. Smith told the students about the concert and performed his hit single, “Love You Like That.” Members of the Meredith College Communication Club attended the concert and saw a great show. Although Smith is a celebrity, he showed Dr. Spero’s students that he is down-to-earth. After class, he stayed for a few minutes to take selfies with students. Smith’s class visit was enjoyed by everyone, including Dr. Spero. Dr. Spero said, “I hope you all loved Canaan as much as I did. It was cool to see how his business relates to our class.” For more information about Canaan Smith and about his upcoming tour dates, go to www.canaansmith.com.