by Lauren Kruchten | Dec 17, 2018 | December 2018 / January 2019, Do
The Meadow Lights
Benson
11/16 – 12/31
The oldest and largest Christmas light show in eastern North Carolina takes place every year in Benson, with a light display that covers over 30 acres. The annual event, put on by The Old Country Store, also features four trains that take visitors of all ages through 10 acres of the display, though the millions of lights are still visible from the road. Enjoy a 16-horse carousel, Santa visits and concessions as well. meadowlights.com
Tin Cup Joe
Chapel Hill
Housed in an old camper, Tin Cup Joe is unlike any coffee shop you’ve ever visited. Chris Jordan started the business in 2016 in Carrboro, but recently reopened in a new location at Midway, next to Al’s Burger Shack on W. Franklin Street. The camper is famous for its Dr. Pepper Latte, an unconventional yet addicting beverage you won’t find at your average local cafe. Tin Cup Joe offers coffee from Carrboro Coffee Roasters and local dairy from Maple View Farm and Homeland Creamery. tincupjoe.weebly.com
RnB & Paint
Durham
12/8 – 12/9; $35
This creative cultural event in the Bull City features R&B musicians performing live, a DJ and a secret celebrity guest host, all while you paint your very own artistic masterpiece. Proceeds from the event support Mission Epilepsy, Music Is Life, Big Sister Talk and Motive 8 Inc., four local nonprofits. nbandpaint.com
Saint & Co.
Durham
Durham’s newest cafe and bakery boasts artisan pastries, toasts and coffee drinks in the morning and Neapolitan style pizza and North Carolina craft brews in the evening. There’s also a focus on sourcing local ingredients, including Carolina Ground flour for breads and pizza dough. Along with pizza and baked goods, Saint & Co. offers sandwiches, salads and charcuterie, as well as freshly baked breads by the loaf to take home. Enjoy the assorted menu items in a welcoming, open dining area comprised of cozy couches, wooden tables and high top seating, perfect for getting work done away from the office or for meeting up with friends. facebook.com/saintandcodurham
Lauralee Gifts
Cary
Recognized by local media outlets as one the Triangle’s best gift shops, Lauralee Gifts offers a delightful selection of small batch jewelry, distinctive handbags, books, locally made candles and more, as well as a variety of North Carolina food products, including Killer Toffee from Cary, sea salt from Wilmington and Asheville’s Postre Artisan Chocolate Chews. The friendly gift shop is a great place to go for holiday gift shopping, or to find some unique goods for yourself. lauraleegifts.com
by Adrienne Fouts | Jul 23, 2018 | Do, July 2018 / August 2018
1.) Augmentality Labs
Durham
Open Tues-Thurs 3-10pm; Fri 3pm-12am; Sat 10am-12am; Sun 12-8pm.
Augmentality Labs
Bored of your usual weekend activities? Look no further than Augmentality Labs, Durham’s first virtual reality arcade. Augmentality Labs offers a wide variety of games for visitors to become completely immersed in, from sports and arcade games to exploratory environments. You can play against your friends or by yourself, and there’s something for everyone, even those who don’t consider themselves video game fans. A standard session is 30 minutes, but you can book back-to-back sessions if you can’t get enough of the fun! augmentalitylabs.com
2.) Belltree Speakeasy
Carrboro
Open Tues-Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 5pm-12am
Belltree Speakeasy
For a unique bar experience and one-of-a-kind cocktails, check out Carrboro’s Belltree Speakeasy. Tucked away behind a car wash in downtown Carrboro, Belltree transports visitors back to the Prohibition era with its “hidden” location and cozy, antique feel. Bartenders get creative with Belltree’s specialty craft cocktails that can be tailored to fit each customer’s individual taste. Look for the sign with a tree on it over the entrance! facebook.com/belltreespeakeasy
3.) Honeysuckle Tea House
Chapel Hill
Open Thursday & Sunday 9am-8pm,
Friday & Saturday 9am-9pm
Honeysuckle Tea House
The Honeysuckle Tea House is a tranquil outpost in the countryside west of Chapel Hill. Built from repurposed materials, the tea house is an open-air building surrounded by 17 acres of farmland with berry fields, herb gardens, a greenhouse, a hammock garden and more. Simply relax with a cup of tea and enjoy the peaceful setting or participate in one of Honeysuckle’s workshops, yoga classes or garden tours. honeysuckleteahouse.com
4.) El Restaurante Ixtapa
Hillsborough
Open Wed-Mon 9am-9pm
El Restaurante Ixtapa
Located in a small building on the banks of the Eno River, the family-owned and operated El Restaurante Ixtapa takes pride in offering delicious, authentic Mexican food made from fresh ingredients. The restaurant hand-makes its tortillas, and the menu includes staples like tacos, burritos and quesadillas, as well as seafood options, sandwiches, fresh fruit juices and even breakfast. Check out this local favorite the next time you’re in Hillsborough! ixtapa.homestead.com/homepage.html
5.) Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
Cary
July 27-28
This tasty festival at Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre features more than 60 beers and 40 bourbons as well as a wide selection of barbeque, including pulled pork, chicken, ribs, brisket and more. With the admission ticket, guests receive a souvenir glass for unlimited beer and bourbon tastings and access to all barbeque vendors, live music and seminars with brew and barbeque masters. Visit the website for ticket options and more information about the festival. beerandbourbon.com/cary/show-info
by Kasey Murphy | Jun 23, 2018 | Do, June 2018
1.) Vecino Brewing Company
Chapel Hill
Vecino Brewing Company is a new remodel of YesterYears Brewery & Taproom that arose out of a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student-led fundraising effort to save the local brewery. After a rebranding and update, Vecino Brewing Company was born and brought nine original brews with it. In addition, Vecino welcomes guest taps and offers a food menu with snacks, small plates and sandwiches. Welcome Vecino Brewing Company into North Carolina at Wednesday Trivia Nights, or any other night of the week except Tuesdays! vecinobrewing.com
2.) NC Hip-Hop Festival
Durham
Friday, June 22- Sunday, June 24
General Admission $49
This is the only music festival on the East Coast dedicated solely to Hip-Hop. More than 100 different stage locations will showcase old-school to contemporary Hip-Hop artists, with 24 national recording artists in attendance, along with several on-the-verge artists. More than 22,000 people are expected to turn out for this event where the Hip-Hop just won’t stop! nchiphopfestival.com
3.) 
Postmaster
Cary
This exquisitely modern, Southern eatery adds a rustic touch to downtown Cary with its often-changing menu and handpicked matching beverages. Postmaster is a restaurant and bar that embodies three themes: local, seasonal and Southern. The menu consists of small plates, large plates, desserts and drinks – all of which are handpicked with the changing seasons. This spot makes for a great evening with flavorful options for everyone, and Sunday Brunch will be offered soon. postmastercary.com
4.) Pink Magnolia Boutique
Morrisville
The owners of Pink Magnolia Boutique wanted to create a place where mothers, daughters and granddaughters could all shop together, and the boutique is the epitome of Southern chic. Clothing and accessories are curated by stylists, and the store hosts sip-and-shop events every third Thursday each month from 5-7 p.m., with wine and giveaways. This cute store is definitely worth checking out for your best summer looks. lovepinkmagnolia.com
5.) Coffee Tasting Around The World
Carrboro
June 2 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.; $30
If your coffee addiction needs some education, this event is definitely for you. Carrboro Coffee Roasters hosts a tasting and discussion event featuring coffees from all around the world and focusing on how climate, culture and marketplace can affect the taste of your favorite energy-boosting drink. With samples from each major region, your taste buds will educate you on what type of coffee you really like the best. carrborocoffee.com/education/workshops/
by Kasey Murphy | Mar 26, 2018 | Do, March 2018
Just outside Raleigh
1.BroadSlab Distillery
Benson
Benson is the moonshine capital of North Car- olina’s “Broadslab” region, known for its high-quality home-brewed whiskey. BroadSlab Distillery is the first farm distillery in the state to craft premium whiskey and moonshine, a family legacy that owner and master distiller Jeremy Norris has continued into modern times. BroadSlab offers five diff erent, uniquely-crafted authentic spirits. Distillery tours are $12 and take place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.; learn exactly how these once covert, always delicious spirits are made. broadslabdistillery.com
2. Rumors
Rumors
Chapel Hill
Best friends Casey and Marshe opened this trendy thrift store off of West Franklin Street in 2013, and it’s a unique spot to buy, sell and trade your clothing. At Rumors, you can shop around for high quality secondhand clothes, consign your clothes for handpicked sale in the store or donate your clothes for a good cause. Open daily, Rumors offers a variety of stylish, vintage clothing for men and women and it’s an interactive way to get involved with the Chapel Hill community on a student’s budget. shopatrumors.com
3. Beau Caffe’s Latin Vibe on Thursday Nights
Durham
Thursdays at 9 p.m.
Get a head start on the weekend and dance the night away every Thursday evening with live music at Beyu, downtown Durham’s most stylish and sophisticated cafe and live music venue! The CoboBrothers Dance Co. offers Salsa dancing lessons followed by a dance party to Latin-inspired music, including a deep blend of Salsa, Bachata and Kizomba. Entry costs $8—$10. beyucaffe.com
4. Family Wilderness Survival
Bond Park, Cary
March 16, 5–7 p.m.
With our modern reliance on technology to guide us through the trappings of our daily lives, do you ever stop to wonder what would happen if you somehow got lost in the wilderness? This month, bring the whole family to navigate survival in the great outdoors when all devices fail. Learn shelter- and fi re-building and other hands-on skills that, for anyone planning to go off the grid any time soon, are sure to come in handy. townofcary.org
Acme Restaurant
5. Acme Restaurant
Carrboro
Acme is a cozy neighborhood restaurant that, due to its support for local, sustainable farms, gives customers lots of reasons to come back for more. Open for dinner nightly at 5:30 p.m. and for brunch on Sundays, Acme offers cocktails, appetizers, entrees, and desserts that everyone can enjoy. Gluten-free options such as spaghetti squash and pan-roasted duck breast are crowd favorites, and the menu is filled with takes on traditional Southern fare, including soft shell crab, fried chicken, pulled pork, pickles and slow-churned peach ice cream. Located in historic downtown Carrboro, Acme’s menu changes seasonally. acmecarrboro.com
by Alexandra Drosu | May 8, 2017 | Eat, May 2017
If you haven’t made the trip to Cary to check out Hmart, a Korean-inspired supermarket based out of Queens, NY that opened at the end of last year, it’s time to make the trek. The name comes from the Korean phrase–—“Han Ah Reum”—which translates as “one arm full of groceries.” But your arms might not be able to carry it all, and you’ll quickly fill your basket with interesting International finds.
Make no mistake: Hmart doesn’t just stock Asian specialties. It’s huge (about 46,000 square feet), and you can find many things you usually buy at your regular supermarket from coffee creamer to deli meats. Plus, they have a food court with myriad options for lunch or dinner—Korean BBQ, noodles, chocolate-filled pastries and more. Check out some of our favorite finds!
Japanese Choco Boy mushroom-inspired chocolate treats and Korean sweet crackers.
Korean cuisine staple fermented-cabbage kimchi.
The sweet and sour star fruit.
Taffy-like White Rabbit creamy candy.
Apple Oligo syrup substituted for corn syrup.
Enoki mushroom is known for several health benefits
