Hi Raleigh Lover!

Did you know we’ve just stepped into the month of JOY? Yep—Pisces season is here, and I only just learned that this time of year is believed to be a powerful portal for activating joy, abundance, and even miracles. Not just for today, but for the entire year ahead!

Think of this month as your JOY storehouse. The energy you fill it with now could ripple out and shape the rest of your year. How cool is that?

So, how will you dedicate this month to collecting and expressing that joy? It doesn’t have to be big or complicated—joy often thrives in the simple moments:

🌞 Start the day with gratitude
💌 Share a kind word or a thoughtful gesture
😂 Laugh until your stomach hurts
💃 Move your body in a way that feels good
🌳 Hug a tree (yes, really—it’s magic!)
❤️ Embrace your loved ones like you mean it
🎨 Do something that fills you up inside

JOY. JOY. JOY.

But here’s the thing—life isn’t always joyful. Yesterday, I received heartbreaking news that shook me to the core. A dear friend from our Australian travel blogging community lost her beautiful 14-year-old daughter. We’ve watched her grow up through their family’s incredible travels, and this tragic loss feels devastating and deeply unfair.

It’s a painful reminder of how fragile and precious our lives are. We never know how many moments we’ll get with the ones we love. This is why joy matters—it helps us find light again when darkness inevitably arrives.

And yes, even here in Raleigh—where sometimes things feel chaotic, messy, or like the world is shifting in ways we don’t understand—joy can still be found. It’s in the laughter shared at a local coffee shop, the peace found walking through Dorothea Dix Park, or the magic of stumbling upon a vibrant mural that makes you smile.

This month, I invite you to connect with Raleigh in joyful ways. Explore something new. Hug your people tight. And soak up every little moment, even the ordinary ones—because those often become the memories that shine the brightest.

Here’s to choosing joy, no matter what. How are you going to choose it today?

With love and light,
Caroline

P.S. My daily walks with Peach brings me so much joy, especially watching her shake off the snow from her paws and cleverly find ways to navigate around it.

💖 FAVORITE FINDS

• Orangette mocha latte from Fount Coffee & Kitchen

• Snowy Walks in Downtown Raleigh and Bond Lake

• Birria tacos from Chido Tacos

• Foxcroft Wine Dinner - I loved this dinner with food crafted especially to pair with wines from Bookwalter Wines in Columbia Valley, Washington State. It was a wonderful evening learning more about wines from one of my favorite wine regions in the US! A great addition to North Hills!

⭐DID YOU HEAR?

• Peregrine Restaurant has released renderings of their coming-soon-to-Midtown-Raleigh restaurant.

• FREE 2-hour parking has been extended in downtown Raleigh through 2025 by city council by a vote of 8-0.

• North Raleigh’s favorite bakery, Paul and Jack opened its second location on North West Street (the old Layered Croissanterie) Very keen to visit!

• Two new coffee shops coming to our region I'm excited to try. (Yemini) Haraz Coffee House on Western Blvd, and Coffee Studio in Downtown Cary.

• Apex Restaurant Week runs Monday, February 24–Sunday, March 2. Enjoy three-course dinner menus for $30 at participating restaurants, and lunch specials for $15.

• After eight years, Cortez on Glenwood Ave will close March 2. Something new will take its place in April - we eagerly await and lament the loss of this great restaurant!

• Tucker Street Diner has opened in Smoky Hollows (Same owner Shiner Diner on Buck Jones Road) Expect American fare with a modern twist.
  

🖋 ON THE BLOG

Ready to Ditch the Dinner Drama?

Tovala’s here to help. Their meals and smart oven are the easiest way to say goodbye to exhaustive shopping, extensive prep, and oh-so-many kitchen nightmares (no one should ever microwave fish. EVER.) Instead, say hello to freshly-cooked meals designed by our chefs to cook perfectly (and effortlessly) in your Tovala Smart Oven, every time.

Ditch the dinner drama now and eat well without the work.

📆THIS WEEKEND

You may like…

1. Arthouse Golden Hour Gala at CAM Raleigh with live performances by Cirque de Vol, open bar, hors d’eoeuvres and a silent auction

2.  Body Mind Spirit Celebration at NC State Fairgrounds There’ll be psychics and mediums, information on alternative health, wellness tools and more.

3. 21Marbles Play On at Marbles Kids Museum. Play games, do arts and craft, enjoy wine tasting and just let your inner kids shine.

4. Trophy Brewing & Taproom on Maywood Ave will have their CASA Chilli cookoff championship on Saturday - supporting King's Ridge, who provides affordable and accessible housing

5. Juniper Level Gardens has their winter open weekend this weekend (and next). We love it there. Read more in our guide. 

🗣JOIN THE CONVERSATION

The social posts that have everyone talking (click image to join)

👍ON THE GRAM

• LISTENING: Othership breathwork journeys, Ziggy Alberts new album (Aussie artist playing in Wilmington in June!!)

• READING: Night Road and the Cove

• WATCHING: Yellowjackets Season 3!

• DOING: Attending Arthouse Gala, enjoying dinner with friends, celebrating Irregardless 50th birthday, applying for college scholarships, attending Shop Local Raleigh’s annual event.