• You can’t go wrong with a pizza date. With over 40 pie places waiting for you, we’re sure you can find one with toppings you both agree on.
• Want an excuse to sit and talk? Grab a drink + app while waiting for a table at the reservation-free (read: score-able V-Day table) at the Stanbury.
• Gaze at the skyline + stars from The Willard Rooftop Lounge while grabbing a bite and cocktail.

• Do some good on your date and pick up litter with The Great Raleigh Cleanup.
• Raleigh company Trailblazing Love creates couples activity boxes; we think the Adventure Awaits box would be perfect to enjoy at any of Raleigh’s parks.
• The new Downtown Cary Park is open, and it’s stunning. Explore as a couple or bring your furry friend to test the Bark Bar.

• Try a Heights House event like afternoon tea, supper club, or visit The Parlor for drinks during a luxurious historical staycation.
• See world class art at no price at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Explore the Museum Park, take photos together, and enjoy pieces from Picasso, Monet, and other influential artists.

• Open Mic At Goodnights | Tuesday, Jan. 30 | 7:30 p.m. | Goodnights Comedy Club, 401 Woodburn Rd., Raleigh | Free | Sign up before showtime to step on stage or sit back and watch local comedians.

• Blind Bubbles | Wednesday, Jan. 31 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Westgate Wine Bar, 6405 Westgate Rd., Ste. 111, Raleigh | $15-$30 | Taste through bubbles from cava, Prosecco, and Champagne and see if you can spot the differences.
• For You and the LGBTQIA+ Teen in Your Life | Wednesday, Jan. 31 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Learn more about the LGBTQIA+ teens in your life and how to best support them with Equality NC.

• Backlash Blues II: Nina Simone and Langston Hughes | Thursday, Feb. 1 | North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh | $10 | NC State professor Dr. W. Jason Miller will share his research linking two soulful icons.

• Studio Tours and Shopping | Friday, Feb. 2 | Times vary | Designed For Joy, 517 W. Cabarrus St., Raleigh | Free | As part of First Friday, explore the studio providing employment to women in crisis.
• Live Music | Friday, Feb. 2 | 7-10 p.m. | Sir Walter Coffee, 145 E. Davie St., Raleigh | Free | Band Whatever the Heck will perform covers + original songs while you sip expertly crafted cocktails or coffee.
• UNC-Chapel Hill vs. Icepack | Friday, Feb. 2 | 8-11:30 p.m. | Invisalign Arena, 111-100 Competition Center Dr., Morrisville | $0-$11 | Head to the ice for a classic Tobacco Road matchup.

• Stanley Quencher | $45 | The internet’s favorite tumbler
• Owala FreeSip | $37.99 | Patented straw design to sip upright
• Owala Tumbler | $37.99 | Car cup-holder friendly
• Hydro Flask Tumbler | $44.95 | Flexible straw + dishwasher safe

• Head to Unlikely Professionals next Thursday, Feb. 8 for a Stupid Cupid Shindig. Sip complimentary wine from the bar, have your tarot read, and get permanent jewelry pieces.

• Support the South’s largest LGBTQ+ library at the LGBT Center of Raleigh‘s Re(a)d to Filth Ball on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. This event will feature dancing, drag performances, and a dessert bar draped in red for Valentine’s Day. Tickets start at $50.

• Cheers to Durham Distillery which won big at the World Gin Awards. The Conniption Navy Strength, Kinship, and Barrel-Aged gins won Best in the US in each of their respective categories. Read about our spirited night at Durham Distillery + its bar, Corpse Reviver.

• The Carolina Theatre in Durham is celebrating Black History Month with a civil rights exhibit called “Confronting Change,” discussing its history as a segregated theater and the role the Civil Rights Movement had in desegregating the historic space. The exhibit will also screen a short documentary on weekdays throughout February.

• Viral Chapel Hill-based sensation Saxsquatch — a horn-playing musician in a Bigfoot costume — is going on a raving tour complete with lasers and a stop at Motorco in Durham on Feb. 15. Read The News & Observer’s whole conversation with the melodic cryptid.

• If you’re not feeling ready for Valentine’s Day, have no fear: WalletHub ranked NC as the No. 15 best place for single folks. For those looking to change their relationship status, meet new people over a cup of joe in Raleigh’s coffee shops.

Winner: Autumn at Yates Mill