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Looking for a little international flavor in your Valentine's Day dinner? Then check out the Brazilian steakhouse Chamas over in Brightleaf Square. With the most distinct and varied salad bar around and an all-you-can-eat array of meats, this is one place that is definitely worth its somewhat expensive prices at 30 dollars per person.
905 W Main Suite 115 682-1309
A cheddar burger, fries and the candy-bar inspired shake of your choice from Cookout drive-thru will add 1,000 calories to your waistline and some spice to your night. Pick a side at the drive-up or take your date on a stroll up to the window, but make sure to mind your p's and q's; this isn't Waffle House, and the rest of your night will be decided on how you treat these classy folks.
If you are interested in the best value in town?or are dating an alcoholic?The Federal will provide an unexpected culinary thrill. Chef Andy Magowan uses garden-fresh ingredients to prepare his docket of staples along with a host of inventive specials in a cozy yet classy atmosphere, with no reservations required. There are twenty-five beers in the bottle, fourteen on tap, five reds, four whites, one sparkling. ?Nuf said.
914 W. Main St. 680-8611
For those of you without a budget, go eat at Bakus, the tapas bar on Ninth Street. It has a quiet European atmosphere that is very romantic, and the food is delicious. For Valentine?s Day, they offer a $45 per person five-part meal including a glass of rose champagne. Reservations suggested.
746 9th St. 286-0777
Unbeknownst to many students, there is more to Chapel Hill than Franklin Street. Tucked in away in a shopping center on Weaver Dairy Road is a scrumptious little vegetarian restaurant, Sage Café. Sage is no sprouts-and-granola veggie dive. There is the obligatory tofu, although it is nearly unrecognizable in its tasty cloak of feta, veggies, and tortilla. The menu is adventurous but not ridiculous, boasting such specials as black bean hummus with warm pita points, tempeh wraps and gooey, cheesy lasagna. With its pleasantly dim lights and flickering candles, Sage offers the perfect V-day atmosphere. (Tip: After dinner, head over to the Chelsea Theater for an arthouse flick and show off your sensitive, contemplative side).
(919) 968-9266
1129 Weaver Dairy Rd Chapel Hill, NC 2751
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If you're afraid that your date will realize that you can't crack a joke, bring your Valentine to Charlie Goodnight's to see comedian Greg Morton. Comedy starts at 8:30 p.m. with dinner seatings two hours prior to showtime. If things go well on Valentine's Day, plan a second date for Feb. 18 or 19 when Pauly Shore will be performing.
Go to www.charliegoodnights.com for more information or call 828-5233.
861 Morgan St. Raleigh
For high-flying fun this Valentine?s Day check out Ringling Bros. And Barnum and Baily Circus. The big cats and little clowns are the perfect thing to get your date?s heart racing. Together you can recapture all the magic of childhood, and if things don?t work out, at least you?ll have the lasting image of that table juggler taking one on the chin to lighten your spirits.
RBC Center call 861-2300 for tickets
You and your date could always pass by The Cat?s Cradle for its Flicker Film Fest. Local filmmakers will be baring their hearts and souls, proving Flicker to be the perfect destination for cinephiles all. Get cozy and enjoy the best of what Triangle film has to offer.
300 E. Main Street
Carrboro 967-9053
Weather permitting, what better outing than the short trip out to experience the subdued majesty of Jordan Lake? Exit 270 on I-40 takes visitors a world away to the epitome of North Carolina, naturally. After hours the park may be closed, but that shouldn't stop you from bringing a flashlight, a bottle of wine, some figs and a blanket to the shore for a night neither of you will soon forget.
The Duke Jazz Ensemble, the North Carolina Central University Jazz Band and the UNC Jazz Band have all prepared a small surprise for music lovers this Valentine?s weekend. The Second Annual Valentine?s Jazz Festival, which will unite faculty and students from the three universities, will feature a showcase concert on Feb. 12th, at 8 p.m., at the Carolina Theater in Durham. As the founder of this festival, Duke Jazz Ensemble director John Brown, eloquently put it, ?Jazz is all about bringing people together and breaking down barriers.? Just as in love.
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Mobile couples might enjoy the short drive up 85 to the Virginia state line. Never underestimate the aphrodisiacal effects of the wind coursing through your hair, Dido coming through the speakers and locking lips in two states at once. If your date is game, you can also hit up 7-Eleven for White Cherry Slurpees and lottery tickets.
Nothing says romance like cold champagne and steaming hot water, and there's no faster way to get your date down to skivvies than firing up the hot tub in the hotel suite that you two have gotten together at the Doubletree Inn. Scatter rose petals over the hotel comforter for extra points.
2515 Merridian Parkway 361-4660
Nestled within Raleigh's Cameron Village is a sexy coffee bar infused with a shot of liqueur. With its dim lights and smooth, heart-thumping music Café Cyclo offers the perfect post-dinner wind-down or wind-up. Cyclo's beverage menu boasts a plethora of creative coffee drinks (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic), cocktails, beer, mixed drinks and wine. Take your date to the bar or use the limited space on the comfy couches as an excuse to get extra close.
202 Cameron St
Raleigh, NC 27605 (919) 829-3773
Instead of heading out to face the holiday crowds, why not head back to your dorm room. Fire up the old lava lamp and crank up the "I'mma gon? get some" mix on iTunes. Tell your new friend that he/she really needs to come back to your place to check out your pog collection (everyone loves pogs), or just be real and say you made your bed (that?s hot too).
Tucked away in a cosy little nook on Main Street is a little Irish pub frequented by many a Duke student. But for those who haven?t had the pleasure of drinking at the James Joyce, take it from us that this is a perfect place to share a tall stout or just a Miller Light Draught. The lightign is low and the small tables provide just the right amount of privacy to really get to know that special someone.
912 W. Main St. 683-3022
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