This week I've been loving:

-Pineapples in excess a la @lux113.  My husband takes to these /slightly/ better than he does to ceramic Staffordshire dogs.  By which I mean, not at all.

- Friday night I hung out with one of my best friends and we had a perfect girl's night: a few spring seasonal beers and the 2016 World Championship Figure Skating Finals.  Doubting me on this? Just check out the performance by repeat champ Javier Fernandez. 

- Looking for deals and doings around Raleigh? The new app Pockeyt connects you directly to some of the most popular independent stores, restaurants, and bars in the Triangle.  It's such an easy, simple way of finding new local businesses to support, and getting that "Raleigh insider" experience.

Let's talk about the tasting menu for the event because that's truly how you should view the Triangle Foodie Adventure meet-up.  The portions are small but thoughtful; it's about experiencing the food more than gorging yourself.  You're probably not going to have leftovers unless you just had gastric bypass surgery or you overate at lunch.  But if you're like me, you'd never order 6 courses at a typical night out, so the small samplings provide you with a way to try a little of everything.  That's why this event might be better for a girl's night though than a date night.  If my husband had been with me, I would have been harassed to stop at McDonald's on the way home because he definitely wouldn't have been full.

Starter: Your choice of beer or wine (I recommend the Aquilo pinot noir whole-heartedly!) and samples of head cheese. Which by the way I tried before I knew it was head cheese, and yes, the texture is as peculiar as you think it will be.

Course 1: Nickelpoint Vienna lager bread with farm butter

Ok I had 3 slices of bread so it was good.  The best part was the fresh butter topped with coarse ground salt, an irresistible combo that made me want to run out to Whole Foods to get some salt for my butter ASAP.

Course 2: Beet Salad

A great winter salad with the interesting addition of small bits of deviled egg.  Would definitely recommend.

Course 3: NC Black Bass

The fish was cooked impeccably and doused in a healthy portion of "Johnson County Country Ham Broth." My eyes saw fish, but my mouth tasted ham.  It was like some sort of culinary mental puzzle. I would file this under "interesting" because I'm a simple girl that just so happens to like how fish tastes, but I can appreciate a chef thinking outside the box.  Not my favorite, but I respect what was happening there.

Course 4: Lamb Roulade

One word: fantastic.  I would come back for this dish alone.  Tender and decadent, the few slivers of meat we got were pure heaven.

Course 5: Dark Chocolate Bar

This was kind of like a foodie version of a Snickers bar.  My only complaint was that it was sooo rich.  I could have done with a much more generous entree portion and a smaller bite-size version of the chocolate bar.

Course 6: Peppermint Panna Cotta

Beautifully presented, this was another mental foodie challenge for me.  Peppermint paired with blood orange is a combo that's both refreshing and disruptive to the taste buds.  But I'm a person that really hates drinking orange juice after brushing my teeth, and there was just that little hint of similarity that left me feeling a little more uncomfortable than purely palate-cleansed.

In sum, I would definitely go back for a full meal at Cave 1912 and would eagerly order the lamb if it was on the menu.  The place has a great vibe and a chef who is innovative and experimental.  What's not to love with a combo like that?

Arranging magnolia clippings in silver vases, trophies, or mint julep cups was a huge trend this year. 

And if you are wanting some inspiration for your holiday decor, check no further than their Instagram account.  That's the owner's den mantel, all done out in magnolia garland splendor with a little pheasant feather thrown in for good measure.

And around town you'll be sure to spot designers using these great garlands and wreaths in their holiday decorating.  

For local readers, you can always purchase Weston Farms greenery at their booth at the Farmer's Market.  When we were at High Point Market we were told the discounted price given to designers that day is the same one that's available year round at the Farmer's Market booth, so if you are shopping there know that you are getting a great local discount.

Jess at Ramble Supply had the place decorated so beautifully to set the mood for a terrarium class.  Check their website  because she often hosts classes from a variety of different local artisans, so you can make everything from your own soap to wreaths and flower crowns with a group of friends for a fun and creative night out downtown.

If you have a chance to catch a class by Megan George, she is a fantastic speaker and teacher. Obviously she knows what she's doing (the arrangement she made below on grapevine wood won first place at the N. C. State Fair!), but she's also great at making sure you feel free to channel your inner whimsy.  Terrariums are so of-the-moment because they are a full-fledged embodiment of bohemian freedom, and her class encouraged you to experiment and get creative.  Even though all of us bloggers started with the same supplies, no two terrariums looked alike when we were done.


She started off by giving us a few basics.  Succulent plants store water in their leaves, so over-watering is the biggest reason people kill them.  Here's a great example of your plant telling you to lay off the water:


They also need well-drained soil, so if you are watering too much or leaving them wet for too long, your plants can start looking like the one above.  Once a week is a good rule of thumb on watering. 


There's no shortage of varieties of succulents that will be at home in an open-air terrarium.  And these plants can root almost anywhere, so they are easy to propagate just by pinching off a branch and shoving the broken end into soil.  Most of Megan's plants are from her own propagation, but she also likes to buy new varieties from Raleigh's own J & C Greenhouses at the Raleigh Farmer's Market.


2. Fill with Sand
Fill your container about 10% with regular old playground sand.  It's hard to come by a small bag, so again, easiest to share this with a group unless you are making a ton of terrariums.  Sand is a great way to promote water drainage in your terrarium because your succulent plants do not like wet roots.

3. Fill with Rocks
Now put a layer of rocks over your sand to fill another 10% of your terrarium. You can buy a bag of rocks at Lowe's or Home Depot, but pet stores are also a great option in the aquarium department. Remember to wash your rocks before putting them in your terrarium (especially if you got them at a garden supply company) because they could have been cleaned with chemicals prior to packaging that might be toxic to your plant.  You can use your brush to spread things evenly.  Rocks are an extra source of drainage which is why they are so commonly found in terrariums.

4. Sprinkle with Charcoal
A little charcoal goes a long way.  A vase this size needs about a gram of charcoal to do the trick. Charcoal helps prevent bugs or pests from wanting to nest in your cute little terrarium biosphere, and acts as a natural "air freshener" in case you watered a little too much and your terrarium starts smelling a little musty.  Charcoal for planting can be found in the plant sections at most gardening/home stores.


5. Fill with Soil
The best soil for a terrarium is a fast-draining variety.  Don't get your regular garden potting soil variety because it retains moisture.  Cactus soil or "quick draining" soil is your best bet.  You want about a 2-3" layer of soil spread evenly over your rocks at this stage.


6. Add Some Decor
Now's the time to branch out.  You can add natural element like stones or pieces of grapevine wood (seen here), or really think outside of the box and add quirky elements like old toys or plastic animals.  This is your little terrarium world -- think of it like a plant aquarium.  Personality encouraged.


7. Time for the Plants
There's no real right or wrong, but an easy step for terrarium success is to pick a short, medium, and tall variety of succulent to add height and texture to your vase.  A vase this size can hold three or four single plants, but stuffing in more won't give them much room to grow.


The hardest part of terrarium making for me was planting the succulents without breaking the delicate stems and leaves.  For best success, use your wooden dowel to dig a little hole.  Then put your succulent roots inside this depression and let go.  Gently use the dowel to press the soil around the plant and firmly bury the root downwards.  If you are holding onto the plant while you do this, or try to push the plant downwards with your hands, you are much more likely to break a part off.


8. Top with Pebbles, Stones, or Rocks if desired.  Or don't.  

<Evelyn Henson makes really cute prints and she finally has a Raleigh one. Need this in my life>


<This article on Essential Southern Girl Style from Lonny is so true.  I love everything mentioned on there!>

<Have y'all seen these? I love skin masks but I do know it is a little bit scary for the hubby and my dog.  But what if my mask was an animal print? Ha! Here are some cat ones>


<Made this soup last night, and it was tasty.  Definitely going on my list of soups to make again when it gets colder!>


<This Kate Spade watch is cute. Love the scallops>