Business

• Raleigh scored the No. 2 spot on the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities list — the City of Oaks has landed in the top 20 of these rankings for 12 years in a row.
• Business site Quartz named Raleigh No. 3 on its list of US cities where jobs are growing fastest.
• College ranking and information site Niche named the US’s top colleges, and five NC colleges are top tier. Duke University, Davidson College, UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, and NC State University all landed in the top 100, each with an A or A+ ranking.

Real Estate

• Raleigh and Cary jointly ranked as the No. 1 metro for first-time homebuyers in the US by ConsumerAffairs.
• Travel site Far & Wide named Raleigh as one of the safest large cities in the US.

Culture

• WalletHub named NC as the No. 15 best place for single folks.
• NC ranked No. 6 on WalletHub’s list of the best states to drive in.
• The 2024 James Beard Award semifinalists were announced with Ajja, Crawford and Son, Preeti Waas, and Bittersweet all earning recognition.
• Savannah Miller, the chef de cuisine of M Tempura in Durham, will compete on Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 21. Manuel Barella, culinary director for the soon-to-open Jaguar Bolera, will also be a competitor on the show which premieres on March 20.
• As of Friday, Feb. 9, Tamasha Modern Indian was trending in Raleigh on Google... probably due to its highly anticipated weekend grand opening.

• Chef-led Date Night — Chocolate Truffles & Wine Tasting | Monday, Feb. 12 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Joy Worthy Co., 131 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh | $75 | Learn how to create truffles with different profiles, then match them with the perfect wines.

• LANY — a beautiful blur: the world tour 2024 | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 7 p.m. | The Ritz, 2820 Industrial Dr., Raleigh | $75-$130 | Sing along to songs like “Malibu Nights” with this pop duo.
• Valentine’s Macaron Pop-Up | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Village District, 2068 Clark Ave., Raleigh | Free | Stop by the Village District for a free heart-shaped macaron at Little Blue Macaron’s Valentine’s Macaron Pop-Up. Enjoy a tasty treat while you shop, or indulge in an assorted box for that special someone.*

• Love Potions | Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 7-9 p.m. | City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville St., Raleigh | $24-$30 | Hear tales of Raleigh’s most famous love stories while you sip on old-fashioned cocktails.
• Andrea Bocelli: 2024 Valentine’s Tour | Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 8 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $98-$450 | Listen to this Italian singer perform a romantic Valentine’s Day show with the NC Symphony.

• “She’s The Man” Networking & Movie Night | Thursday, Feb. 15 | 6-9 p.m. | Paragon Theaters, 21 Fenton Main St., Ste. 110, Cary | $10 | Join this fun night of woman empowerment featuring a panel on navigating a male-dominated industry, dinner, drinks, networking, and a screening of “She’s The Man.”

• The Dix Park dog park will reopen tomorrow, Feb. 13 at 1800 Umstead Dr. after briefly closing to let the grass rest and recover. Bonus: If you’re looking for dog-friendly businesses, we’ve got a guide for that.

• The Triangle Business Journal reported Lori+Lulu announced in an email to customers that it will close April 1 in the Village District. The laid-back boutique’s lease is up, and the store won’t be renewing — grab some digs during close-out sales.

• Durham’s Brightleaf Square just welcomed a flavorful new restaurant. Out of Sanford, Fonda Lupita opened its second location with a rotating menu featuring homemade Mexican cuisine like gorditas and menudo. (Eater Carolinas)

• Ashworth Drugs, Cary’s oldest downtown pharmacy + hotdog stop circa 1957, closed its doors on West Chatham Street. The store will reopen on Feb. 21 to sell its remaining inventory. Under state law, patients have to be moved to another pharmacy in the event of closure — Ashworth patients’ info + prescriptions will move to Walgreens. (The News & Observer)

• Raleigh Arts is looking for 8-12th grade Raleigh students to express how they would protect streams from water pollution through a video or drawing/painting. The Capture it! Stormwater Arts Contest will have two category winners receive a $500 prize — the application deadline is Friday, Feb. 23.

• The Dix Park team has been hard at work transforming three 100-year-old stone houses into a visitors center, office + education space, and public restrooms on the property. Check out the progress and stay tuned for a ribbon cutting in late spring.

• Getting to the airport early to make your flight try RDU’s expansive dining, drinking + shopping options? Some of our favorite reasons to arrive at Raleigh-Durham International Airport early: live music and dining at Whiskey River, coffee and baked goods at La Farm, market-style shopping at Root & Branch. Explore more dining + shopping options.*

• Discover a brighter financial future with Money Pickle, your gateway to personalized financial advice. Connect with vetted financial advisors, handpicked to provide fiduciary guidance that directly aligns with your goals for investments, retirement, and beyond. Schedule your complimentary video consultation.*

• Did you know that one donation has the potential to save up to three lives? Share the love this February when you donate blood at your community blood center, The Blood Connection. Make an appointment online or find a donation center near you.*

Pick up a thoughtful gift

• Curate | 15 W. Hargett St. + 4325 Glenwood Ave., Ste. 2079
• Deco | 207 S. Salisbury St.
• Edge of Urge | 215 E. Franklin St. Ste. 110
• Pop-Up Shops at Martin Street featuring works by Sarah Rosa Glickman Art + Needle & Thread Co. | 17 E. Martin St.
• The Green Monkey | 215 S. Wilmington St.
• Unlikely Professionals | 212 E. Franklin St.

Go stargazing

• Dorothea Dix Park | 1030 Richardson Dr.
• Fred Fletcher Park | 820 Clay St.
• The Willard Rooftop Lounge | 9 Glenwood Ave. | Bonus: This rooftop bar is hosting its next stargazing event with the Raleigh Astronomy Club on Wednesday, Feb. 21.