Last year we became a part of The Scout Guide, a network of city guides that feature the best local and independently owned businesses in each respective city where the guide is published. Hopie Avery is the editor of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill edition of this guide for "scouting the best of local." As a celebration of the second volume, Hopie got together the Scout Guide crew for an event last week at the Wine & Design studio in Raleigh. Scout Guide members spent the evening meeting, greeting, painting, sipping wine, and generally enjoying the company of all the local, independent business owners this area has to offer. Check out some of our snapshots from the event, and be sure to pick up a Scout Guide at any featured business! You can see which businesses are members by checking out their online listings. And while you're there, take a look at Hopie's Scout Guide blog.

Hopie and William mugging for the camera phone.

The Wine & Design space and various business owners of the Triangle.

Hopie and her husband, painting away.