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TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2018

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KIDS TOWN on page 2 for fun events!

STILL TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

RESTAURANT WEEK DEALS Alex Lewontin for Triangle Today

If you’ve been searching for an excuse to try somewhere new to eat in downtown Raleigh, this is your moment.

Some participants will also offer $5 or $10 lunch specials, so if you work downtown and are sick of brown-bagging it, here’s your opportunity to switch it up.

Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week returns to the city center from Aug. 13-19, for its 10th year, bringing with it a variety of meal specials.

The list includes restaurants that have opened in the past year or so, including Trophy Tap + Table, Growler USA, NY Bagel and Deli and Tonbo Ramen.

“As both the Triangle region and the downtown Raleigh food scene grow, Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week offers the opportunity to try out a variety of restaurants, introducing diners to new places so they have new venues to add to their regular rotation of restaurants,” said Stacey Simeone, director of marketing for the Downtown Raleigh Alliance in a news release. More than 40 downtown restaurants — from fast-casual to sit-down restaurants —will participate in the event, offering three-course prix-fixe dinners for either $20 or $30, depending on the restaurant.

Of note, MOFU Shoppe, the brick-andmortar spin-off of Raleigh’s Pho Nomenal Dumpling Truck, will be offering a $30 dinner menu, including pork and chive dumplings, a short-rib udon bowl and a Vietnamese coffee mousse with chocolate Kahlua pecan crumble.

Herons’ eight-course tasting menu “The Art Tour” treats diners to an epicurean flight of fancy, where each course is inspired by a work of art in the hotel. Juli Leonard

For lunch, you might go to Xoco Raleigh Mexican Grill where $5 will buy three tacos or Carolina Ale House for a double pimento cheeseburger. A list of participating restaurants and menus can be found at DineDowntownRaleigh.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST15, 2018

fun finder Today, Wednesday, Aug. 15 11 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2 p.m. Creative Corner Wednesdays Crabtree Valley Mall Enjoy a Build-A-Bear activity, story time, games and painting from 11 a.m.-noon and 1-2 p.m Thursday, August 16, 3 - 4 p.m. Meet Captain Action! Crossroads Plaza Omega Sports store, Cary Take photos with Captain Action and get your face painted. We’ll have goodie bag giveaways and information on how to enter to win one of two backpacks by The North Face! More info at facebook.com/ kidstownnc Thursday, August 16 8:30 a.m Discovery Table: National Tell a Joke Day Historic Yates Mill County Park 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd. Raleigh Celebrate National Tell a Joke Day by sharing some jokes with the park community. Meet in the Exhibit Hall. Drop-in program. All ages. Registration not required.

Find details for these events and more fun stuff at

kidstownnc.com

TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER

Cirque du Soleil brings acrobatic wonder to the ice David Menconi for Triangle Today It’s been a while since Cirque du Soleil was in North Carolina, thanks to House Bill 2, the so-called “Bathroom Bill” that prompted the company to cancel performances in Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte in 2016. But Cirque is back this month with “CRYSTAL,” which is the first time the 34-year-old Montreal-based company has taken to the ice. “CRYSTAL” plays Raleigh’s PNC Arena Aug. 15-19, and also Greensboro Coliseum Aug. 22-26. Here are four things to know about the show.

1. It ain’t “Ice Capades.” “Oh, it’s very different from that,” said Madeline Stammen, 24, a skater/actress who plays the title role. “When we were creating the show, we definitely wanted to do something that wasn’t ‘Ice Capades.’ It’s just as much acrobatics as skating, a blend of both disciplines.”

3. Some cast members had to learn skating. While Stammen has a background in competitive skating (which she began at age 8), “CRYSTAL” acrobat Lkhagva-Ochir had never been on the ice before. He had to learn from scratch. “I did not know how to skate before this, and it was so hard,” said Ochir, a 30-year-old native of Mongolia. “I usually work my upper body, and skating is in the legs. It’s totally different from my usual discipline.” Ochir is renowned for his handstands and balancing routines, often involving multiple chairs. Some of his stunts are highlights of the show.

To that end, “CRYSTAL” has a fairly elaborate storyline that takes the title character into “a world of self-exploration,” said Cirque du Soleil tour publicist Julie Desmarais. “After venturing onto a frozen pond, Crystal dives into an imaginary world and meets various characters who guide her,” said Desmarais. “She meets her Reflection, who helps her retrieve the strength she does not know she has within herself. As she meets these other characters, she becomes a confident and strong young lady.”

2. It demands versatility from the cast. Stammen earned her spot in “CRYSTAL” through a casting notice that Cirque du Soleil posted on social media. But since the beginning of the tour, she has gone from playing one major character to another. “There’s Crystal, and Reflection,” said Stammen. “Once Crystal falls through the ice, she meets her own Reflection beneath the surface. I was originally cast as Reflection. But the original Crystal was injured, so I’m playing her now.” Cirque being Cirque, “CRYSTAL” is a physically demanding show for its cast to pull off, so it’s not surprising that it’s primarily younger. But it does have some skaters in the show who are in their mid-40s.

Cirque du Soleil’s “Crystal” is the first time a Cirque production involves ice skating in the company’s 34-year history. The performance combines skating and acrobatic feats. “CRYSTAL” has a fairly elaborate storyline that takes the title character into “a world of self-exploration.” Matt Beard

Cirque du Soleil presents “CRYSTAL: A Breakthrough Ice Experience” When: Aug. 15-19 Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh Cost: $34-$130 919-861-2300 or thepncarena.com