Category Archives: Weekend Picks

Weekend Picks! March 28-30th

Untitled

March 28-30th

 

As the last week of March wraps up I am looking forward to warmer weather, spending more time outside, and of course NC Beer Month kicking off in April. There are several cool things going on this weekend. For more suggestions about upcoming NC Beer Month related activities check out my recent post here. If beer is not your thing I have several other suggestions for the weekend below. Hope you have a great weekend. Here’s to warmer temps!


Friday March 28th
Jazz Trumpeter at Beyu Café in Durham Beyu Caffe is honored to present the city of Atlanta’s Jazz Hero of the national JJA Jazz Award, Danny Harper. Sure to be a fun evening of Jazz and good food & drink at Beyu. Located in the heart of downtown this is a great way to end an evening in Durham taking in some incredible jazz. Mr Harper will play two sets (8pm and 10pm). Tickets are $12 per show or $20 to attend both.
http://beyucaffe.com/events/atlanta-jazz-hero-danny-harper/

White Street “Koschei the Deathless” Bottle Release
White Street Brewery in Wake Forest is having their first bottle release as part of their new “Back Alley Series”. This Russian imperial stout is aged in bourbon barrels and bottled in 750ML cork & caged bottles at 13% ABV. Bottle sales begin at 2pm in the taproom ($13.99 each). Samples available for $2.
http://www.whitestreetbrewing.com/happenings/


Saturday March 29th
Fairview Garden  Flora & Food Trucks After a highly successful inaugural run, local retail garden center, Fairview Greenhouses & Garden Center, Inc. will host the second annual “Flora and Food Trucks” series this spring. The Flora and Food Trucks series promotes the idea that local food and local plants go hand in hand.  Event attendees will have the opportunity to attend classes on vegetable gardening, herbs, perennials and container gardening.The events are family friendly and admission is free.  The food trucks will be charging their regular prices for the food offered. This Saturday 11am-2pm they things off with American Meltdown, Chick-N-Que, Baguettaboutit, Sympathy for the Deli, Sweet Traditions by LeAne. http://www.fairviewgardencenter.com/2013/02/events/floraandfoodtrucks/

LoneRider Showdown
LoneRider is taking over Blount Street for another evening of great music, food and of course a ton of great beer. This is a ticketed event – follow the link for more details and ticket info.
http://loneridershowdown.com


Sunday March 30th
Serving Up Spring – A Pop-Up Brunch at HQ Raleigh Check out HQ Raleigh’s new space in downtown Raleigh and support a great cause! For $19 you can enjoy a PopUp brunch at HQ Raleigh this Sunday featuring crepes, chicken, pastries, coffee, a juice sampling from Raleigh Raw, and more delicious brunchy goodness! Each brunch ticket also includes free admission to to the Contemporary Art Museum, conveniently located right next door. Online registration required. Dine anytime between 10 AM and 2 PM. Proceeds benefit Activate Good’s Activate Schools program, empowering teens to lead and serve to make an impact. Tips humbly encouraged and contribute to funds raised. Register online at http://activategood.org/servingupspring.


Picture of the Week – Functional Art!

Bike Rack in front of Bad Daddy’s Burger – Raleigh

I grabbed this photo yesterday while visiting Tyler’s Taproom in Seaboard Station last night for the Raleigh Beer Guide Launch Party. Apparently this bike rack has been around for a while but it just caught my eye last night. You may have noticed that recently there are some creative looking bike racks poppin up around downtown. This is one of my favorites so far. As you can see, it is located right in front of Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. Moments after I took this shot somebody came up and locked their bike to it. Functional art. I like it!

 

2 Comments

Filed under Weekend Picks

Weekend Picks! March 7-9th

Untitled

Friday March 7th

Coffee Cupping & “Sustainable Spring” Beekeeping Info Session
Counter Culture Coffee will be holding their weekly FREE coffee cupping at the training facility in Durham this Friday at 10am. The cuppings provide a great opportuntiy to learn more about the different flavors and profiles expressed by different coffee. The tasting is followed by a tour of the roastery. As an added bonus Counter Culture is kicking off their “Sustainable Spring” series and will have an iformation session about Beekeeping after the cupping and tour.
https://www.facebook.com/events/503795603064143/

Saturday March 8th

Public House at The Cookery in Durham
Belly Up to The Cookery’s bar for is their second Public House Night this Saturday from 6-11pm! Sympathy for the Deli is roasting a pig and providing delicious dinner, and Iced Cupcakes will be serving sweet treats! The Duke vs. UNC basketball game will be shown on a 15 foot HD big screen. Great beer, wine and cocktails for sale at the bar. FREE ENTRY.
https://www.facebook.com/events/727847107240580/

Sunday March 9th

Durham Food Truck Rodeo w/ PitchBlak Brass Band
The Spring Durham Food Truck Rodeo is this Sunday from 12-4pm. The rodeo will host over 40 Triangle Food Trucks. Local beer will also be available for sale. Musical Performance by PitchBlak Brass Band out of Brooklyn. The weather looks to be beautiful on Sunday and it is sure to be a great time. After the rodeo head down the street to two of my favorite spots: Cocoa Cinnamon for coffee and Fullsteam Brewery for more great beer!
http://durhamcentralpark.org/event/food-truck-rodeo-4/

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Weekend Picks

Valentine’s Day Recommendations

Untitled

Valentine’s Day Ideas ~ February 14, 2014

I know things are getting down to the wire but I wanted to share some resources to those of you still working on your Valentine’s Day plans. Andrea Weigl, the awesome food writer at the News & Observer, has put together a great list of Valentine’s Day offerings across the Triangle here. The folks at WRAL Out & About have also shared a great list of suggestions.

I share a few of my own Valentine’s picks below. Whatever you end up doing I hope it is a great one!

Special Valentine’s Day Dinners

  • La Farm Bakery in Cary – http://www.lafarmbakery.com 
    The French bakery in Cary is offering a special four-course dinner on Feb. 14 and 15 (menu below). They are offering seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Feb. 14 and at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15. Costs is $75 per couple. Limited reservations are available. Call 919-657-0657 for reservations.

    La Farm Valentine’s Dinner for Two
    Menu

    Soup L’Oignon Gratinee

    topped with a gruyere cheese crostini 

    Individual Main Course

    (choice of:)    

    STEAK & MUSHROOM “au poivre” with BRANDY, MUSTARD PEPPERCORN SAUCE

    Grilled steak and sautéed mushrooms on La Farm bread with our rich Brandy, Dijon mustard and peppercorn sauce, topped with steamed asparagus

    CHICKEN CORDON BLEU

    Chicken Paillard layered with local City ham and gruyere cheese with a light marsala sauce, topped with steamed asparagus 

    SALMON MOUTARD

    Roasted salmon with mustard shallot sauce and haricot verts  

    Fromage et Salad for Two

    A selection of

    Chapel Hill Creamery & Goat Lady Dairy cheeses,

    along with a salad and La Farm breads

    Decadent Dessert Board

    A delicious selection of our signature desserts,

    Including our chocolate layer cake,

    chocolate covered strawberries, and French macaroons.

     

  • Sola Coffee & Cafe in North Raleigh – http://solacoffee.com
    Join Sola for a special Valentine’s Evening with a night of live Jazz music and dinner for two for just $29.95. Neapolitan pizza, salad, dessert and two drinks of choice. Reservations encouraged. Email: solacoffee@gmail.com

    Local Chocolatiers 

    • Videri Chocolate Factory – viderichocolatefactory.com
      Videri Chocolate Factory in downtown Raleigh will be open on Valentines Day until 11pm. They are offering a complimentary glass of Champagne to enjoy while browsing their shops for chocolates to purchase. Videri also has great chocolates and a special Valentines gift pack offer. If you plan to buy chocolates, make sure you stop by early this week to avoid the rush on Friday.

    • Escazu Chocolates – http://www.escazuchocolates.com/
      Escazu is another great bean to bar chocolatier in Raleigh that has wonderful dark chocolate bars and confections. Here is a post I did about Escazu back in 2010. Again, if you plan to buy some of these great local chocolates make sure you stop by before Friday as I garuntee there will be a line out the door for last minute shoppers!

     

1 Comment

Filed under Events, Weekend Picks

Weekend Picks! Dec. 6th – 8th

solabike

We are in the throws of holiday activites and there is a ton going on each week. The Oakwood Candlelight Tour & the Downtown Raleigh Winterfest Celebration are my top holiday picks this weekend. You can keep tabs on all the local holiday events by checking out my recent post on “Triangle Christmas Parades, Tree Lightings, & Holiday Concerts“. In addition to those events here are some other great things going on that I think would be fun to explore this weekend:

Friday December 6th

First Friday at Oak City Cycling Project & Slingshot Coffee HQ
This Friday swing by Oak City Cycling Project and Slingshot Coffee Company HQ for an evening of Art, Beer, Coffee, Bikes and Massage. Local art will be on display, Slingshot Coffee’s window will be open and serving up tasty cold brew coffee drinks.10 minute chair massage sessions will be available (first 5 minutes are free). Big Boss Brewing Company will be providing beer with all beer donations going to a local cycling charity.
https://www.facebook.com/events/421878427941128/

Saturday December 7th

Elf Fair in Carrboro
The 7th Annual Elf Fair, a magical festival of holiday arts and crafts, will take place at The ArtsCenter on the first Saturday in December! Featuring over 35 local artists offering jewelry, pottery, clothing, accessories, candles, toys, and lots of unique, affordable items for all ages. The bar will be open for holiday beverages, and festive foods will be available during the event. A kids’ zone will feature hands-on art projects and classic holiday films.
http://www.artscenterlive.org/events/elf-fair/

Pop-Up Market at Sola Coffee
Sola Coffee will play host once again to local artisans in a “pop-up” market set up in their cafe’ this Saturday from 10am-2pm. This is a great opportunity to support local businesses as you do your holiday shopping. Look for special musical guest Jo Gore from singing live Christmas music from 10-12! Don’t forget to grab some great coffee and their famous mini donuts!
http://solacoffee.com/

Sunday December 8th

Boylan Heights Artwalk – POSTPONED TO DECEMBER 15th DUE TO WEATHER
The ArtWalk is a great way to start the holiday season and is always a popular event. Over a hundred artists and craftspeople will sell a wide range of glasswork, metalwork, woodwork, textiles and clothing, ceramics, drawings, photography, and painting from the neighborhood’s porches, yards, and sidewalks. Spend the day and check out what the local art scene has to offer. Also a great way to explore the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood! Admission is free. Food will be available throughout the day, including burritos (vegetarian and meat), pulled pork, wraps, and more.
http://artwalk.boylanheights.org/

Brunch at The Parlour
I haven’t been to The Parlour in Durham yet, but I hear the ice cream and food are amazing. This Sunday they are holding a special brunch from 11am-2pm. The menu features vegan and gluten free offerings. Definitely something to check out!
The Menu:
-Gluten-free almond pancakes with vanilla ice cream and poached pears
-Vegan french toast with vegan orange ice cream and quince jam
-Blueberry scones
-Vegan apple crumb muffins
-Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, espresso drinks
https://www.facebook.com/events/746797098667073/

3 Comments

Filed under Weekend Picks

Weekend Picks! Nov. 22-24th

Videri Chocolate ~ Raleigh, NC

Videri Chocolate ~ Raleigh, NC

Holiday festivities begin in the Triangle this weekend with the Tree Lighting at North Hills and the Raleigh Christmas Parade downtown. See my recent post for a full list of holiday events going on now through December. Don’t worry though, there is plenty of other non-holiday stuff happening this weekend if you aren’t quite in the holiday spirit just yet! I’ll be taking a break from the blog next week to enjoy time with family and hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Here are my picks for the weekend:

Friday November 22nd

Coffee Brewing Demo & free tasting at Videri Chocolate
Stop by Videri Chocolate in the Raleigh Warehouse District this Friday between 6-8pm for a cool coffee brewing demonstration using the innovative Impress Coffee brewer. There will be free samples (tastings). You can also take a self guided tour of there chocolate making operations at Videri. Bonus: Make sure you stop by the bottle shop Tasty Beverage next door while you are down that way.
http://viderichocolatefactory.com

Jo Gore Performs at Sola Coffee & Cafe’– North Raleigh
This Friday Sola plays host to musical guest Jo Gore. I’ve seen Jo and her partner Bo perform as an acoustic duo several times. They are a truly amazing duo and are not to be missed. Music by Jo Gore along with dinner at Sola makes for the perfect Friday evening date night. Get there early for the best seating! Music starts around 7:30pm.
http://solacoffee.com

Saturday November 23rd

Raleigh Christmas Parade
Yes it’s still November, but the Raleigh Christmas Parade is not to be missed. Fantastic Floats, music, and entertainers cruise through downtown to huge crowds. My favorite spot to watch is on Fayetteville Street near the capital building.
http://grma.org/christmas-parade/

Pipe-Band Pub-Night w/ Bag Pipers at Tir Na Nog
Yeah Bag Pipers! Join the members of the Wake & District Public Safety Pipes and Drums as they celebrate yet another tremendous year together. This year the “Pipe-Band Pub-Night” will feature performances by members of Wake and District, the NCSU Pipe Band and My Three Kilts. It will be an evening full of piping, drumming, dancing, singing and meriment. They will have special edition FOR OUR FALLEN t-shirts, hats and mason-jar pint glasses available for sale. A $4 cover charge is being requested with proceeds for our fallen; there will be a toast to our fallen at 10:00 pm.
http://www.tnnirishpub.com/

North Hills Tree Lighting
Stop by North Hills this Saturday from 4-8pm for a day of Holiday activities. Vendor Village, Live Music, Train Rides, and Santa. The highlight of the night will be the lighting of the Christmas Tree. You may even see me out there playing my trombone!
http://www.northhillsraleigh.com/event/annual-tree-lighting-celebration/

Rent Party at The Cookery in Durham
Housing for New Hope’s Inaugural Rent Party will gather the community together for a night of live music and the city’s best culinary creations to raise funds to help families and individuals move from homelessness to home. All funds raised will help support security deposits, rent, utility deposits and associated costs of establishing sustainable housing for the homeless.
http://durhamcookery.com/rent-party

Sunday November 24th

Carrboro Film Festival
The idea behind the Carrboro Film Festival is to promote local area shorts films that are twenty minutes or less. The first year, the response was incredible, with nearly 100 entires. From those, a day filled with fabulous films was created, and that tradition has continued over the years. Saturday, November 23rd. at the ArtsCenter and the Century Center and Sunday, November 24th. at the Century Center! One day ticket is$10 and 2 day pass: $15
http://carrborofilmfestival.com/schedule.shtml

Sunday Night Swing Dancing – Raleigh Elks Lodge
The biggest weekly swing dance party in the Triangle. Celebrating 8 years of great Lindy, West Coast Swing and Slow Blues dancing. You can expect lots of friendly dancers who are supportive and welcoming to first time attendees. Cash bar, great air conditioning, set in a comfortable, smoke free atmosphere. No partner is necessary – all welcome.
See website for more info

Bonus Pick for Monday November 25th

“All Souls” Presented by NC Opera & CAM Raleigh
Falling somewhere between the categories of melodrama, radio play and opera, All Souls is a setting of nine excerpts from the novel All Souls Day. It will be performed by the New Music Raleigh chamber orchestra under conductor Timothy Myers and featuring Canadian vocalist Ashleigh Semkiw. Seating in this venue is limited, so get your tickets today! Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or over the phone at 919.792.3850. Performance is Monday, November 25 at 7:30 pm. CAM Raleigh @ 409 W. Martin Street, Raleigh, NC 27601.

For more information, visit http://www.ncopera.org/performances/all-souls

1 Comment

Filed under Weekend Picks