February 7, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

54º | Clear, periodic clouds | 0% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:10 a.m. | Sunset 5:48 p.m.

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🎉 Life of the Mardi

Break out the beads + colorful sprinkles: Mardi Gras is almost here. | Photo by La Farm Bakery

Mardi Gras is Tuesday, Feb. 13, and while Raleigh might not be as bustling as New Orleans on Fat Tuesday (or the week-long celebration leading up to it), the City of Oaks still knows how to party. Keep reading for plenty of ways to party for Mardi Gras in Raleigh.

Local celebrations

The Big Easy’s Mardi Gras, 222 Fayetteville St. | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | Free to attend | Sip on $8 Hurricane Easys, participate in giveaways, and get beads on beads on beads.

Hardli Gras, starts at Tasty Beverage Co., 327 W. Davie St., Ste. 106 | Saturday, Feb. 10 | 11 a.m. | Free to attend | Hosted by Crank Arm Brewing Co., there will be a parade through the Sip n’ Stroll district with The Second Line Stompers and an afterparty featuring live music, tasty bites, and king cake.

Mardi Gras celebration, John Chavis Memorial Park, 505 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 4-7 p.m. | Free to attend | This family-friendly celebration includes food trucks, music, mask making, and bead giveaways.

King cake + tasty treats

Great Harvest Bread Company, 8801 Lead Mine Rd. | This bakery offers king cake year-round for those who want to get a taste of Mardi Gras any time. Plus, they offer six variations, including Zulu-style king cake made with chocolate and coconut.

La Farm Bakery, various Triangle locations | Delicate brioche is filled with cinnamon chips and topped with rich icing and sprinkles for a classic king cake.

Layered Croissanterie, 911 N. West St., Ste. 107 | Looking for something more personal sized? Layered has a King Amann, a variation on the pastry Kouign-amann, made with pecan praline cream cheese filling and topped with traditional green, yellow, and purple sprinkles.

Lucettegrace, 235 Salisbury St. | If you’re looking for a refined, patisserie-crafted option, this cake is topped with candied cherries, candied orange, and almonds — there are no sprinkles, but there is a feve and a crown.

Events

Wednesday, Feb. 7

NCMA Matinee: “A Raisin in the Sun” | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 2 p.m. | North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh | $5-$7 | Sidney Poitier stars in this play-turned-film.
Gardening 101: Tissue Culture 101 | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 3-3:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Learn more about generating plants from tiny samples to produce quality plants, presented by JC Raulston Arboretum.
NC State Men’s Basketball vs. Pitt | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 7-9 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $20-$50 | Watch the Wolfpack ball against the Panthers.

Thursday, Feb. 8

“Hymn” by Lolita Chakrabati | Thursday, Feb. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Burning Coal Theatre Company, 224 Polk St., Raleigh | $5-$20 | Explore the joy of family, brotherhood, and music with this heartfelt play.

Friday, Feb. 9

Dealing with Houseplant Pests | Friday, Feb. 9 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Hartwell, 620 W. South St., Raleigh | $35 | Tackle pesky bugs right at the source with this class from Urban Pothos.
The Love Party: A Night to Celebrate Love n’ Friendship | Friday, Feb. 9 | 7-10 p.m. | Transfer Co. Food Hall, 500 E. Davie St., Raleigh | Free | This vibey party will feature vendors like Hellbent, Amelia’s Flowers, and Heir Permanent Jewelry.

Tuesday, Feb. 13

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 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.*

100+ more events

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News Notes

Civic

This is the last week to register to vote or change a party affiliation before the primary elections. Make changes to your status before this Friday, Feb. 9 to vote accurately — registration can be accessed online, via mail, or in person at any Wake County library.

Biz

Raleigh scored second on the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities list for 2024, measuring the cities with top-tier economic development. Job + wage growth made the City of Oaks stand out from the rest. (Triangle Business Journal)

Holiday

The Lunar New Year begins this Saturday, Feb. 10. Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at Raleigh Iron Works with local AAPI vendors and food trucks, including Golden K Dog, Lao Lao, and Southern Fried Lumpia Co.

Sports

Goalkeeper Nicholas Holliday has become the first North Carolina FC player to transfer directly to an MLS first team, Charlotte FC. The 18-year-old boasts a 61% save percentage on the field and started in NCFC’s youth program at age 12.

Drink

Carolina Brewery, the oldest craft brewer in the Triangle, is celebrating 29 years of great beer this Friday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. at its Chapel Hill location. Come for the celebration + good times, stay for high-quality craft brews.

Try This

Calling all singles in their 30s and 40s. Umbrella Dry Bar is hosting a dating mixer on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. using the app Shipp, which is currently available on iPhone only. This event is free to attend — you never know who you might meet.

Wellness

Are you the same age as your skin? Through February, new patients receive a complimentary Skin Analysis at Synergy Face + Body, which analyzes sun damage, pigmentation, pore size, and oil production and even determines your skin’s true age based on a database of over 40,000 faces. Learn + book.*

Travel

Getting to the airport early to ~~make your flight~~ try RDU’s expansive dining, drinking + shopping options? Some of our favorite reasons to arrive to 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.*

Finance

Get trusted financial advice with Money Pickle, the service that connects you directly with experienced financial advisors to help with your investment + retirement planning needs (all through a complimentary video meeting). Take control of your financial future in 2024 by scheduling a free consultation.*

Asked

💬 What do you miss in Raleigh?

Here’s to hoping for lots of pasta nights in Figulina’s reimagined space. | Photo by RALtoday

Over the years, many beloved businesses in Raleigh have shuttered. We want to know: Which closed Raleigh businesses do you miss most? Here are a few we tearfully said goodbye to for your gears to start turning.

C. Grace | 11 years | This Glenwood Avenue jazz bar opened in 2011 alongside Empress Room with craft cocktails and an inviting, cozy space. Plus, we learned through our local love story map that RALtoday reader Laura J. met her husband here in 2014. The bar closed for good in 2022.

Humble Pie | 33 years | This Warehouse District eatery served good eats from 1990 to 2023 and will soon become Figulina.

K&W Cafeteria at Village District | 52 years | This nostalgic cafeteria shut its doors in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The space has since been torn down to make way for the Oberlin Hotel.

Tell us which biz you miss most

The Buy

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Allie

From the editor

Check out the Carolina Hurricanes’ special Black History Month sweaters designed by NC native Mike Jones, who drew inspiration from Tupac Shakur’s poem “The Rose That Grew From Concrete.”

New NHL guidelines prohibit players from sporting these during warmups or game time, but the exclusive sweaters can still be sold to support local charities.

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