title: Eloquent - how to do "where" without the quotes appearing in the SQL and breaking it?
body: <p>Here is the Laravel code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$plays_in_period = $partner-&gt;plays()-&gt;where('plays.created_at', '&gt;=','DATE(now()) - interval '.$periodDays.' day')-&gt;count();
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Here is the SQL this produces:</p>
  
  <pre><code>select count(*) as aggregate 
  from `plays` inner join `promotion` on `promotion`.`id` = `plays`.`promotion_id` 
  where `promotion`.`partner_id` = 1 
  and `plays`.`created_at` &gt;= 'DATE(now()) - interval 100 day'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Note the quotes around <code>'DATE(now()) - interval 100 day'</code>.</p>
  
  <p>This is a syntax error, it should be:</p>
  
  <pre><code>select count(*) as aggregate 
  from `plays` 
  inner join `promotion` on `promotion`.`id` = `plays`.`promotion_id` where `promotion`.`partner_id` = 1 
  and `plays`.`created_at` &gt;= date(now()) - interval 100 day
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Any ideas how I can get eloquent to drop the quotes around the final date part so it is executed?</p>
  
  <p>I specifically need to use the <code>now()</code> in the DB, as I want it to be relative to the database timezone settings, not whatever the current client is using, so using Carbon, etc., is not an option.</p>