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Table Toppers - Best in Show at Dinner in the Village

Tablescapes are more than just a popular Board on Pinterest.  Quit the dreaming and pinning.... It's your turn to shine and create a table with a theme, ambiance and style for Dinner in the Village on Saturday October 13th.

What's Dinner in the Village?  A unique and fun filled dining experience destined to become one of Raleigh's most popular outdoor parties.  Enjoy dinner and music under the stars in Cameron Village at a themed table decorated as simple or elaborately as you choose. Gather your friends, family or co-workers to dine with you under the stars and benefit Canine Companions for Independence.  Act now and purchase early for best seating.  It's just $200 for a table of 8! ($25/person)

You may create and bring your own meal and alcohol, or buy meals from participating restaurants.  Each table can be purchased by a business or individual and there will be a competition for the best themed tables of the night in the following categories: Best in Show (Most Original), Top Dog (Most Elegant), Man's Best Friend (Most Colorful) and Tailwagger (Best Dog Theme).

Every dinner party deserves a festive table decked out in unusual ways.  Take some risks with the essentials and some innovative ideas that will have your guests eager to sit down at your table as soon as they arrive, and talking about the table long after the night ends.

Fabric - Use some kind of fabric that furthers the theme. Tablecloths, runners, placemats, napkins and chair covers fall under this category. Do not limit yourself to the tried and true: think wild, whimsical or sublime. Feather boas, scarves, handkerchiefs, doilies, or a carpet remnant may serve your purpose.

Lighting - Lighting creates a mood, whether it's the soft romance of candlelight or the flashing strobes of disco dazzle. Make certain your tablescape includes the element of light. Step it up with lamps or lanterns. Create a soft glow of color by placing fabric over a lamp to create an in-the-pink mood or a dark, somber atmosphere.

Hard Accents - Common items used in unusual ways define hard accents. Frames, hats, shoes, baskets, boxes, balls or bottles can become unique table decorations, as long as they follow the theme and provide the right touch. Think outside the box as you search your attics for your table accents.

Something Botanical - The finishing touch to a tablescape comes from nature. Add flowers, plants, foliage, fruit or vegetables to the assemblage. But don't stop there: flowering branches, painted bare branches in interesting shapes, mosses, sod and even soil can transform a tabletop into something special, from a fairy wonderland to an artistic setting.

Create Levels - You could simply set each element on the table and call it good, but why not add more interest and a sense of movement by varying the heights of components? Place votive candles, which represent the lowest elements, all about the scene.

Add Textures - Blend soft with hard and sleek with rough for a fascinating vignette. The textures of the items you use further the story. Spiky spider mums coupled with a silk table runner says elegantly oriental with textures and symbolism.

Event Details: Dinner in the Village, Saturday October 13th, from 6-10pm. Table Set Up 6:00-7:00pm. At Cameron Village, 1900 Cameron St. Raleigh. Judging begins 7:00-10:00pm. Fees: Table: $200.00

The cost includes a 60 inch round table covered with a white tablecloth and 8 folding chairs. Click Here to purchase tables and sponsorships.

Want Someone Else to Design Your Table?  The non-profit Green Chair Project of Raleigh can do it! For a $95 donation designers will create a theme for you or work to achieve your design idea and provide the use of table settings and decorations. Call 919-322-0474 or send them an e-mail with any questions.

Canine Companions for Independence provides highly-trained assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities, free of charge. The most advanced technology capable of transforming the lives of people with disabilities has a cold nose and a warm heart!

To Bee or Not To Bee    

Kid Links - New Books for the Generations

Turning Over A New Page:  Let's face it ... The books that got you fired up to read as a kid may not inspire the new crop of learners.  Not that the classics (i.e. Curious George) are dead ... but this is a generation that will teeth on I-Pads.   Here are some new reads that may become the "new classics" for your library ... no matter if they are stored on a bedroom shelf or in the cloud.   Check out these titles at your local book store or online retailers like Amazon.

The Insomniacs, by Karina Wolf:   A family suffers from jet lag only to realize that staying up all night is    more fun than trudging through the day. Eerily cool illustrations look like they could have popped from a Tim Burton movie.

I'm Bored, by Michael Ian Black: Any kid who's complained that life's a snooze fest should read the comedian's latest, in which a girl is challenged by a potato to prove she's not boring.

The Frank Show, by David Mackintosh:  On show-and-tell day, the story's young narrator brings his grandpa, expecting yawns. Little does he know that grandpa has a surprise - er, a tattoo - up his sleeve and plenty of stories to go with it. 

The Amazing Hamweenie, by Patty Bowman:  In a city apartment, a tubby tabby cat is doted on by his owner. But he has other plans: rising to fame and fortune. Kids will love the wackiness; adults will dig the sarcasm.

Bad Apple, by Edward Hemingway:  Ernest Hemingway's youngest grandson pens and illustrates a    sweet moral tale about an apple that rises against bullying because he's befriended a worm.

Bananas in My Ears, by Michael Rosen: Stories, rhymes, riddles, and poems collide in a whimsical book about little life moments. The big takeaway: It's okay to be silly.

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs, retold by Mo Willems: Willems mines prehistoric times to reinvent a classic fairy tale. It gives kids giggle fits, so we think it's dino-mite.

The Tooth Mouse, by Susan Hood: Say bonjour to the French version of the Tooth Fairy. Gentle   watercolor illustrations (courtesy of Janice Nadeau) swirl around the page, while the story incorporates French phrases that will roll off their tongues.

The Scariest Thing of All, by Debi Gliori:  When a rabbit gets lost in the woods, he imagines the worst (gobblers, wood trolls, leggy wigglers) and gets braver by facing his fears. It's a good lesson wrapped into a vibrant mini epic.

Elephant Joe, Brave Knight, by David Wojtowycz:  An armor-clad zebra and elephant go on a quest   to save a damsel in distress - only things aren't what they seem. The duo is so cute they deserve their own cartoon series.

It's a Tiger, by David LaRochelle:  As a tiger creeps throughout this adventure tale, you'll be inspired to act out the growls and squeals. Go wild with the storytelling and relish the sweet ending.

Too Noisy, by Malachy Doyle:  Home is where the ruckus is. That's the positive message for little Sam Bungle, who ventures into the forest for peace and quiet, only to miss his loud, clamorous family.

The Insiders - Would you like to know the activity in your neighborhood, specific to your home?  Sign up for automated email reports of homes for sale in your neighborhood, prices of recently sold homes as well as overall market stats for homes comparable to your specific home.  This report includes interactive maps, charts and home details.  You can choose to receive the email every 2, 4, or 8 weeks, or just view it one time. Want to Get IN the Know for the real estate market in your neighborhood?  Sign up for your free report. Click Here 

2012 Wake County Parade of Homes:  Calling all Snoop-Dogs ... your time is coming!  The 47th    Annual Parade of Homes, NC's largest open house, will run over three weekends (September 29-30, October 5-7, 12-14) from 12-5 pm. It will showcase the newest design trends and home features in over 200 homes in Wake County!  The tour is free and open to the public.  Website 

Raleigh Irish Festival - Saturday, September 29 - Moore Square, Raleigh across from Tir na Nog:  Here's   your chance to "bag it".   An event that started out as an Irish family picnic has grown into a festival ... complete with Irish music & literature, children's entertainment, venders with a large assortment of celtic treasures, and Irish food and beverages.  Continuous entertainment starts as 11am and includes pipes and drums, Irish bands and Irish dancers.  Admission free ... Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the day!  Website 

Trash or Treasure?  Joel Lane Museum House will present its fourth Antiques Appraisal Fair on Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 10 am to 4 pm. Come join Joel Lane House's own version of a popular television show as Claire Fraser from Leland Little Antiques and Estate Sales and C. Edward Alexander examine your beloved objects and tell you if they are treasures or trash.  Their appraisals will be non-binding and are verbal-only estimates.

The fee is $20 for a non-binding, verbal appraisal for up to 3 items.  Advanced purchase is required.  Please call 919-833-3431 with your MasterCard or Visa, or mail a check to P O Box 10884, Raleigh NC 27605.  For more info Click Here.

Certain Things in Cameron Village says to come on in and get all wrapped up in Tolani scarves! You can never have too many... and they have plenty to pick from. Certain Things: 404 Daniels St., Raleigh, 27607, Phone: 919-828-5055, 

The NC Museum of History invites you to an evening of laughter and stories with Jeanne Robertson, humorist and former Miss North Carolina. Sunday, October 28, from 7pm - 9 pm.  Please respond by October 19th to 919-807-7835.  (Limited seating available.)  Tickets cost $50/person.  All proceeds will benefit the NC Museum of History and the Miss NC Scholarship Fund.

Tour the Miss NC exhibit, meet former winners of the crown, enjoy a coffee and dessert reception, chat with Jeanne, and receive one of her DVD's.  Jeanne Robertson is an expert in humor, whether sharing her experiences as a 6'2" Miss Congeniality winner in the Miss America Pageant or stories of her life in North Carolina.  Join her for a memorable evening as she takes southern humor to new heights.  

Adult floats at Tir Na Nog - Check out these great drinks. Car bomb float with chocolate Baileys ice cream and Jameson Carmel. Crispin Cider Float with honey ice cream and fireball whiskey caramel sauce. Yum! Give them a try at Tir Na Nog, 218 S. Blount St. Raleigh 27601 Website 

CT Weekends You're Invited to... CT Weekends Fall Fashion Show and Luncheon - at Mandolin Restaurant on Wednesday, October 3rd at 12 noon. Supporting Interact, an agency that provides safety, support and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault. Tickets are $25 and include lunch and fashion show. For Reservations please contact CT Weekends at 919-787-9073, or Email.  Please RSVP by Sept 28th. Website.  'Like Us' on Facebook and keep up with the new fashions arriving daily.       

Hunt & Gather on Bernard Street holds a Save After Six Shopping Night on the third Thursdays of each month.  On the third Thursday of each month you will find great markdowns, refreshments, and friendly faces at Hunt & Gather, 1910 Bernard Street, Raleigh 27608.  

From 6:00 to 8:00 pm, many dealers will have 20% and more off on selected items. Don't miss this opportunity!  Website. 

The Making of Gone with the Wind now open.  The N.C. Museum of History is the only venue in the Southeast to feature this exhibit highlighting one of the most famous films in Hollywood history. The true story of how Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel became a record-breaking movie is revealed in Real to Reel, showcasing authentic memorabilia - costumes, scripts, screen tests, scene props, Vivien Leigh's Academy Award and more.   Website  
 

Kenna Custom Painting, Inc.  is available to tackle your residential painting needs.  With their great crews that perform very professional jobs on residential homes, you won't believe how quiet and unobtrusive they are.  So if you have that "itch" to freshen up your home, interior or exterior before springtime, contact them now.  Call 919-855-0082 or Email: kennapaint@bellsouth.net.  Website. 

Join My Blog Simply-Refined:  I am an Interior Designer that can inspire and help you with your designs and decorating needs.  Call  Zaytoun Interiors if you're finally ready to decorate or re-decorate your home or office.  What's your style?  If you're not sure, I can help you tap into your inner self and find what makes you want to come home.  Website, Email, Phone: 305-793-8510. 

Did You Know?  For every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $68 stays in the local economy compared to only $43 if spent at a national chain. Please support our local business!  This is what The Beltline Buzz is all about.   

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