Chapel Hill Magazine July/August 2024

CHAPEL HILL

JULY/AUGUST 2024

EDITOR Jessica Stringer

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR

Amanda MacLaren

EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Morgan Cartier Weston

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Anna-Rhesa Versola

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Leah Berry

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Margaret Batchelder, Izabella Counts, Shea McIntyre, Olivia Paul, Lauren Rouse, Katie Scherner and Tara Thurman

CONTRIBUTORS

Alana Bleimann, Sinclair Holian, Hannah Lee, Natalie McCormick, Lena Miano and Martha Zaytoun

ART & PRODUCTION

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE OPERATIONS Ashlin Acheson

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Kevin Brown

GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Lindsay Scott

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Khadijah Weekes-Nolan

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Michael Simpson

CONTRIBUTORS

Sarah Martin, Susan Murray and Cornell Watson

ADVERTISING

For advertising inquiries, email advertising@chapelhillmagazine.com

Melissa Crane melissa.crane@trianglemediapartners.com

Sarah Davis sarah.davis@trianglemediapartners.com

Lauren Godwin lauren.phillips@trianglemediapartners.com

Lucinda Poole lucinda.poole@trianglemediapartners.com

CORPORATE FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN

Dan Shannon

PRESIDENT, TRIANGLE MEDIA PARTNERS

Ellen Shannon

PRESIDENT, TRIANGLE DIGITAL PARTNERS

Rory Kelly Gillis

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Amy Bell

ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Cassady Orsini

VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER, CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Chris Elkins chris.elkins@trianglemediapartners.com

PUBLISHER, HEART OF NC WEDDINGS Jenna Parks

HEART OF NC WEDDINGS MANAGING EDITOR/DIGITAL CONTENT SPECIALIST

Renee Ambroso

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, TRIANGLE DIGITAL PARTNERS

Sally Scruggs

DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER

Brian McIndoo

DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR

Morgan Cartier Weston

DISTRIBUTION

Matt Bair

ARRANGED

AND CONTEMPORARY PAINTINGS MAY 17 - SEPTEMBER 1 , 2024

Peter Halley, American, born 1953, Arranged, 2007, acrylic, fluorescent acrylic, and Roll-a-Tex on canvas, 82 × 67 in. (208.3 × 170.2 cm). Ackland Fund, 2020.20. © 2024 Peter Halley.

PHOTO BY CORNELL WATSON

PHOTO BY SUSAN MURRAY

Living the Dream

This one, our 13th annual Best of Chapel Hill issue, is for the dreamers. First, there’s Scott Maitland, who served in the military and then attended law school at UNC. Here, he thought up the idea for Top of the Hill. He saved Franklin Street from a TGI Fridays and forever cemented Bell Tower Blueberry Wheat as a beloved beer that, for so long before it was served year-round, signaled the start of spring.

For years, Lisa Joyner taught English at Carolina Friends School. These days, the learning happens in her Fireside Farm garden beds as she’s accompanied by three fluffy Great Pyrenees. Lisa grows beautiful blooms, but her roots are never far – she sometimes crafts bouquets for her former students’ weddings.

When Karen Cunningham founded Simply Audrey, she fulfilled the lifelong dream that was printed inside her eighth grade yearbook – to own a clothing boutique. “It’s something I wanted to do my whole life,” Karen says.

Jemel Sutton sat at the feet of his grandmother as a kid, picking up cooking tips and preparing dinners for his siblings. As an adult, he’d bring plates of food to Ephesus Elementary School, where his wife, Danielle Sutton, was assistant principal. That soon snowballed into a full-fledged catering business that the duo runs together.

Breadman’s began with the hard work of the Piscitello family, who opened the doors 50 years ago. Now, Omar Castro, who started working at the beloved omelet joint when he was in high school, is continuing the legacy alongside his own family.

Share your ideas for Best of Chapel Hill categories you’d like to see next year!

PUT A RING ON IT

If you’d like your recent wedding or engagement featured in Chapel Hill Magazine, share it with us!

’GRAM WORTHY

Follow our sister publication, The Triangle Weekender, for news, giveaways and countless ways to explore the Triangle.

jessica.stringer@chapelhillmagazine.com

Read on for more stories of people who had a vision and stuck with it through ups and downs. They are the heart and soul of our community and our readers’ favorites businesses. CHM THE COVER By Kevin

Brown

Illustrations by Lindsay Scott

ABOUT TOWN

EVENTS NOT TO MISS

‘The Prom’ playmakersrep.org

PlayMakers Repertory Company’s Summer Youth Conservatory

Compiled

by

Tara Thurman

EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE; CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS PRIOR TO ATTENDING

BY

Tomato Day

JULY 17-28

– made up of talented local high school students – presents this heartwarming production directed by Chauntee’ Schuler Irving. The musical celebrates love, acceptance and standing up for what’s right as the story follows the journey of a high school student trying to take her girlfriend to prom.

Movies on the Green

Saturday nights, July 6-Aug. 31

carolinacinemas.com

Watch cinematic favorites both new and old amid the trees on the Southern Village Green hosted by The Lumina Theater. This year’s movie selections include “Jaws,” “Anyone But You,” “The Princess Bride” and more. Get comfy by bringing a blanket or cushions, and arrive early to find seating.

July 13, 7 a.m. to noon carrborofarmersmarket.com

Enjoy a raffle with prizes, live music and all things tomato at the Carrboro Farmers Market. Savor freshly sliced tomato samples from over 50 varieties grown by the market’s farmers, and grab some recipes in the gazebo.

FC Series: Clash at Carolina

July 23, 7 p.m.

goheels.com

UNC welcomes another elite international club soccer competition at Kenan Stadium as Scotland’s Celtic FC takes on England’s Manchester City in an electric matchup.

Romance in Bloom

July 27, 6 p.m. flyleafbooks.com

Enjoy an evening full of conversation and charm during this panel with six romance authors at Flyleaf Books

Bring questions for Serena Kaylor, Libby Hubscher, Sarah Grunder Ruiz, Mazey Eddings, Ginny Baird and Samantha Markum as they discuss all things love.

‘Earth and Sky’

Weekends, Aug. 9-Sept. 29

paperhandpuppet.org

Paperhand Puppet Intervention presents its 24th annual show featuring giant puppets, masks, illuminated beings, shadows and more at the Forest Theatre CHM

PHOTO

HUTH PHOTO

Livia McIntyre and the cast of “Drowsy Chaperone” during the Summer Youth Conservatory’s 2023 production.

Women of Achievement

Chapel Hill Magazine, Durham Magazine and Chatham Magazine hosted the annual Women of Achievement Luncheon at The Carolina Inn on May 31. The event celebrates the outstanding female community leaders featured in our publications. Attendees enjoyed networking and mimosas followed by lunch and dessert catered by Crossroads Chapel Hill Keynote speaker Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, the James L. Vincent Professor of Leadership at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, utilized her research on the intersection of leadership, gender and race to guide an enlightening discussion on how stereotypes and bias affect present-day organizations. Triangle Media Partners’ Lauren Phillips, Melissa Crane and Lucinda Poole recognized the 2024 magazine honorees and then Triangle Media Partners President Rory Gillis and Triangle Media Partners Vice President Chris Elkins encouraged attendees to get involved in mentoring programs, especially those catered toward young girls. By Leah Berry | Photography by John Michael Simpson CHM

1 Karen Graves and Chapel Hill Magazine’s Melissa Crane.

2 Cindy Salazar, 2024 honorees Susana Benites and Barbara Lee Smith.

3 Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee, Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson and Indira Everett.

4 Chapel Hill Magazine’s Anna-Rhesa Versola, Debra DuBose, 2024 honoree Jeanne Langley and Shenandoah Nieuwsma. 1 2 3

6

7

5 Sarah Persia, Ryan Gardner, Cat French, Rebecca Scott and Krista Camp of Cat French Design.

Dolores Clark, 2024 honoree Neveah Hodge and Lorie Clark.

Dr. Lisa Ishii, Kim Forster, Garrett Forrest and Corynn Newman of Aesthetic Solutions.

Public School Foundation 5K

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation held its annual 5K for Education on March 9, which, despite the rainy weather, saw more than 2,200 registrants and 1,200 participants from all Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. The event also included a 1K fun run, which allowed younger students to join the fun. About $10,000 of the funds raised went directly to the schools, while additional money raised will support teacher awards, classroom grants and the annual Teacher Supply Store.

By Olivia Paul | Photography by Nina Merklina Photography CHM

1 Culbreth Middle School eighth grade counselor Matt Straub finished in third place.

2 Howard Dinglenut and Leo Fortson run toward the finish line.

3 Allison Worthy and Culbreth Middle School chorus teacher Michael Jones.

4 9-10 Female winner Gwendolyn Ayers closes in on the finish line.

5 Karina Kohls races close to the finish line.

6 Margaret Sept, the top overall women’s finisher, and Ethan Hutt.

7 Silas Wildeman and Christopher Wildeman.

8 Winner Neal Duncan.

We are committed to making Chapel Hill a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable place to work, live, play, and shop.

Small businesses, innovators, artists, industry leaders, collaborators, entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers, and dreamers. Visit our website to connect with us!

TABLE’s Spring Fundraiser

TABLE’s annual spring fundraiser on April 19 raised $376,600 to provide healthy food and nutrition education for approximately 1,000 children in Orange County. For the third year, Kirk Streb and Deanie Wilcher generously offered up their home as a venue space and Heels4Life board member Vaughn Moore hosted the event. Former UNC Football players Sam Howell and Drake Maye made special guest appearances. Iza Whiskey & Eats offered Japanese-style cuisine while The Crunkleton and Steel String Brewery brought delightful cocktails and refreshing beer. Attendees also had the chance to bid on auction items like a signed photo of UNC Basketball player Armando Bacot, a customized game day jacket by artist Katie Porterfield, an art piece by Loren Pease and more. By Lauren Rouse | Photography by Kyle Tippins CHM

1 UNC Football Head Coach Mack Brown, Former UNC quarterbacks Drake Maye and Sam Howell and Heels4Life board member Vaughn Moore.

2 Former UNC Basketball players Marcus Ginyard and Tyler Hansbrough, Vaughn Moore and Director of Basketball Operations Eric Hoots.

3 TABLE Executive Director Ashton Tippins.

Mama Dip’s 95th Birthday Celebration

The community gathered at Mama Dip’s Kitchen on April 11 to celebrate what would’ve been the 95th birthday of Mildred Cotton Council aka Mama Dip. Family and patrons were invited to enjoy either a breakfast or wing dinner for just $5.95 – commemorating the prices from 1976 when she first opened the restaurant. The breakfast option included classics like scrambled eggs and blueberry pancakes, while the dinner included wings, two sides and bread. Both meal options also offered birthday cake, making it a true celebratory feast to honor Mama Dip’s birthday and legacy. By Katie Scherner | Photography by Melissa Crane CHM

2

3

4

1 Cissy CouncilGreen, Anderson Green, Annette Council, Joe Council, Evan Council, Sandra Council and Caroline Green.

Nancy Johnson, Erin Adkins and Duane Adkins.

Yvonne Howard and Charles Howard.

Christa Heilig and Charles Heilig.

Golden Horizon Gala

Guests donned their best ’70s outfits at the Haw River Ballroom on March 16 to commemorate The ArtsCenter’s 50-year anniversary of fostering creativity and providing arts education for people of all ages. Attendees indulged in hors d’oeuvres and a buffet dinner and placed their bids in the live and silent auctions that featured over 100 items, including a bourbon event at The Crunkleton, a shopping party at Whilden and a variety of art pieces. The evening’s honorees included The ArtsCenter founder Jacques Menache, Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee, Orange County Arts Commission Director Katie Murray and author and filmmaker MK Asante. The event raised an impressive $130,000, which allows The ArtsCenter to continue its mission to create inclusive programs that celebrate the unique backgrounds of all in our communities. By Lauren Rouse | Photography by Barbara Tyroler and Lindsay Metivier CHM

1 Stairs: Annalise Bocko, Rachel Pottern Nunn, Wendy Smith, Munsie Davis, Anne Waters, Caroline Haller, Charlotte Walton, Alton Tisino, Paulette Garcia, Tracy Francis, Standing: Ryan Young, Rachel Manconi, Lynn Lee, Micky Hickey and Tyler Dennis.

2 Hathaway Pendergrass, Emily Evens, Becky Woodruff, Bernadette Pelissier, Johanna Foster, Rebecca Moore, Riza Jenkins, Helen Kalisher, Mark Otter and Mark Kleinschmidt.

3 Lisa Beisser, Becky Woodruff and Steve Beisser.

Drs. Fox and Pearlstein bring over 15 years of experience in academic medicine where they served as educators, researchers, and clinicians. At Morgan Creek Dermatology, they bring this expertise to create a space where patients are heard, supported and cared for.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Recognition Celebration

Seawell Elementary School kindergarten teacher Roxana Rojas was named the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Teacher of the Year at its annual recognition celebration on May 9. Roxana has eight years of teaching experience and earned her master’s degree in education from UNC. She was awarded a $1,000 check from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation for her accomplishment. Two additional teachers were honored as District Teacher of the Year finalists – Raquel Harris, a creative writing and English teacher at Carrboro High School, and Linda Kroger, a seventh grade English teacher at Culbreth Middle School – who were each awarded $500.

Lonnie Hatley, a bus driver with the transportation department and Robin Nucilli, a communications specialist in the communications division, were named the award recipients for the Mary Scroggs Award for Excellence in Providing Support Services, which recognizes classified (or hourly) staff members across the district. Mayra Menjivar, a teacher assistant at Carrboro High School, was also recognized as a finalist for this award. (Read about more award winners from the celebration on page 24 in Noted.)

By Lauren Rouse | Photography courtesy of CHCCS Communications CHM

1 CHCCS Chief Operations Officer André Stewart, Classified Employees of the Year Robin Nucilli and Lonnie Hatley, CHCCS Deputy Superintendent for Operations Al Ciarochi.

2 Teacher of the Year Roxana Rojas alongside finalists Linda Kroger and Raquel Harris.

Just west of Raleigh, and close to everything that matters, you’ll find a neighborhood built on connectivity. Woven with nature and neighbors. Where backyard barbecues, outdoor concerts and trail walks are as commonplace as shorter commutes and quick mountain getaways. If you’re ready to re-envision community as an experience instead of a place, Chatham Park is waiting.

Habitat CEO Build

Nearly 50 executives and business leaders in the Triangle, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, plus Durham and Wake County affiliates, came together to sponsor and build three homes at Weavers Grove on April 26. The CEO Build was the first one held since 2019 and increases corporate visibility while encouraging community engagement. The homes represent Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building the foundation for strong communities that will last a lifetime. By Olivia Paul | Photography by Tom Fuldner CHM

Teacher Supply Store

1 Habitat volunteer Paul Hodulik, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County president/ CEO Jennifer Player and Leland Little, president of Leland Little Auctions.

2 Creighton Blackwell, Coastal Credit Union chief community and public affairs officer, and Jeff Benson, executive vice president at Investors Title Insurance Company.

3 Habitat for Humanity of Orange County president and CEO Jennifer Player and Maurice Malfatti, Blue Heron Asset Management manager, co-founder, and president/CEO.

4 Rick Woods, Hamilton Point Investment Advisors president and CEO.

PSF has partnered with East Chapel Hill Rotary for 17 years to kick off the new school year with a Teacher Supply Store.

Teachers on average spend $750 of their own funds to buy supplies. This is one small way we can support our amazing teachers.

Make a donation or purchase items from our wish list

Books on Break

Bold Companies supported the annual Books on Break initiative, spearheaded by the Chatham Education Foundation, on April 25 at Pittsboro Elementary School. The program focuses on supporting Chatham County Schools in low-income areas, providing reading materials for students to foster future positive reading habits, especially during the summer. The Bold team helped with setup and teardown and assisted kids as they selected their next reads. Bold also donated $5,000 to purchase financial literacy and mindset-focused books, ones that Bold Companies CEO Chris Ehrenfeld believes are essential skills to success.

By Katie Scherner CHM

1 Bold Construction owner Jason Dell and Bold team members Jessie Quinones and David Zizzi.

2 Bold Foundation Executive Director Jana Ehrenfeld, Bold Companies CEO Chris Ehrenfeld and Bold team members Dana Harshaw, Christine Weise and Mel Bartosik.

3 Bold Construction Operations Coordinator Sheen Hosseinpour.

4 Bold Commercial Real Estate Property Manager Cindy Covington.

NOTED .

BIZ BRIEFS

Moxy Fox Salon celebrated its grand opening on May 10 at 102 E. Main St. The new salon, next to Speakeasy Carrboro, offers services for men and women in a relaxed, art deco environment. Every month, Moxy Fox features the work of a new local artist.

Nonprofit LGBTQ+ flower farm and community center Rainbow Gardens opened in May in Chapel Hill. The farm serves as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community to gather and connect with nature through farming and gardening. It also offers a number of social events, including a July Fourth Picnic and Pride parties, plus the chance for visitors to buy bouquets and potted plants.

Hallmark Homecare, an aging homecare provider bringing compassion-driven services to the area, opened a new office in May. Owner Tim Leow and his wife, Jami Princ (pictured below), were inspired by

BLANK CANVAS

Carrboro artist Renzo Ortega debuted his mural, “Destiny,” at Umstead Park’s basketball court in April. “The mural is about whatever directions people take, going north, south, west or east,” Renzo says. “There will always be something unexpected on the horizon that will give a new meaning to their lives.”

WHAT WE’VE HEARD AROUND OUR TOWNS …

Compiled by Sinclair Holian

their family’s personal challenges in managing elder care. Hallmark Homecare specializes in live-in and 24/7 care that caters to clients’ individual needs. “Our goal is to empower other families with the peace of mind that comes from knowing their loved ones are cared for with the utmost dignity and respect,” Tim says.

Wentworth & Sloan, Chapel Hill’s oldest jeweler, moved from 400 S. Elliott Rd. to 710 Market St. in Southern Village on June 1. The company has been offering custom fine and

silver jewelry, estate jewelry timepieces and repair services since 1945.

Glass Box Shop, a home boutique located inside Moshi Moshi Salon, opened its doors in May. Operated by interior designer Gaussen Hamner, the shop sells a unique, curated selection of lighting, decor, books and pillows.

Lune Spark Center for Creativity, which offers music, film, drama, dance classes and camps to nurture a love of

arts, opened a new Chapel Hill location at 250 S. Elliott Rd. on June 1. The center celebrated with a family-friendly kickoff event, featuring food trucks, live music, karaoke, drawing, face painting, animal balloons and a magic show. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHAPEL HILL COMMUNITY ARTS & CULTURE

A WalletHub study ranked Chapel Hill as the No. 4 best small city for basketball fans, when comparing more than 290 cities. The study also ranked Chapel Hill No. 1 for basketball fan engagement.

ON THE MOVE

Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership welcomed Carter Hubbard as the new director of operations and business services in April. Carter serves as the facilitator between downtown merchants and other organizations and oversees special beautification projects.

Lamar Joyner was selected as Carrboro’s new town clerk, stepping into the role after serving six years as clerk for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and the deputy director for Forsyth County’s Board of Elections for more than a decade prior to that.

Patrice Toney, former assistant city manager for the City of WinstonSalem, was selected by the Carrboro Town Council as the new town manager. “Accepting the role as town manager of Carrboro is truly an honor, and I look forward to providing leadership in carrying

out the progressive policies and program directives of the mayor and town council, while being responsive to the needs of the residents of Carrboro,” Patrice says.

Libbie Hough joined the Orange County Health Department as communications manager in April. Libbie transitioned from her previous role as community stability manager at the Orange County Housing Department

SHARE YOUR NEWS!

Submit noteworthy items, from award and scholarship winners to new book and album releases.

marketing and operations in early July. Rebecca brings six years of experience as vice president for membership and operations at The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro to the organization led by CEO Patrick Jeffs

WHAT AN HONOR

On April 11, the Town of Carrboro was honored with two awards at the North Carolina City & County Communicators 2024 Excellence in Communications Awards. The town received a second-place award in the category of Citizen Participation for the Bolin Creek Greenway community engagement project and another second-place award for its bilingual calendar, featuring free community events.

Rebecca Dickenson joined The Resiliency Solution – an organization working to combat the impact of chronic stress and burnout in the workplace – as vice president of sales,

Chapel Hill High School was named the 2023 School of the Year in a national competition that seeks out programs that help elevate the next generation of automotive technicians. North Carolina Rep. Allen Buansi, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education Chair George

Griffin, administrators and local industry leaders like Chapel Hill Tire gathered for a celebration of the program on April 11. CHHS Automotive Instructor Robert Ballard (pictured) accepted a $10,000 check for the automotive program.

Carol Woods Retirement Community president and CEO Marianne Ratcliffe was elected to the board of directors of Raleighbased nonprofit LeadingAge, an advocate for continuing care retirement communities in North Carolina.

Duke University Professor Emeritus of Public Policy Robert Korstad and UNC Julia Cherry Spruill Professor Emeritus Jacquelyn Dowd Hall were honored with the 2024 John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities at the North Carolina Stories Luncheon, hosted by North Carolina Humanities, on May 17. Robert and

BY

PHOTO

RACHEL TAYLOR

Jacquelyn were recognized for their lifelong contributions to the state as award-winning historians. Robert’s most recent works use history to address contemporary policy issues, and Jacquelyn is the founding director of UNC’s Southern Oral History Program.

Orange High School’s varsity lacrosse team defeated Croatan High School 14-9 to win the East Regional Championship title on May 13. After back-to-back years of losing in the state semifinal, the win advanced the team to the lacrosse state championship game, where they were defeated 16-7 on May 18.

Four high school seniors from Orange County received the Morehead-Cain Scholarship to UNC Chapel Hill High School’s Elise Joy Chang, Emmaline Phillips and Tanvi Gaur, as well as Orange High School's Riley Addison White (all pictured right, in order) were selected for their outstanding accomplishments and leadership.

Real estate sales and property management company Gates Management and Realty is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Beyond serving clients and tenants over the decades, Vickie McDaniel, owner/broker in charge, has served as a commissioner for the local Burwell School Historic Site and on the Orange Chatham Association of Realtors board. The company is requesting $30 donations to Orange Congregations in Mission in honor of the anniversary.

place in the Fourth Congressional District High School Art Competition sponsored by U.S. Rep. Valerie Foushee. Caroline’s portrait, “E Pluribus Unum: Portrait of Patriotism,” will be displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Child Care Services Association – a statewide and national leader in early childhood education – celebrated its 50th anniversary with a gala at The Cloth Mill at Eno River on May 18. The festivities included a special message from Gov. Roy Cooper, a speech from North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and an auction of children’s art donated by child care centers. The organization awarded the annual James and Carolyn Hunt Early Childhood Award to the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation and Sue Russell, the organization’s first president. President Kristi Snuggs announced a new name for the organization –Early Years – which will be rolled out over the next year.

of 60 teams from 22 states, the teams took home first place (Skills Champion) and third place in the skills category. William and Jaden are the founders of the Triangle Aerial Drone Association, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing drone education in the community.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools honored staff with awards at its annual recognition Celebration on May 9. The event was hosted by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation in collaboration with Pinnacle Financial Partners, Chapel Hill Rotary Club and Jersey Mike’s. Some of the awardees included Becky Brown, the school counselor at Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe Elementary, who received the School Support and Wellness Employee of the Year Award. Tiffany Cheshire of Phillips Middle School was named the Principal of the Year, and Shelba Levins of Chapel Hill High School was named the district’s Assistant Principal of the Year.

Joshua Kelley of Chapel Hill High School, Brooke Harrison of East Chapel Hill High School and Nevaeh Hodge of Carrboro High School were honored with the 2024 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Peacemaking Scholarships. The seniors were each awarded $1,200 for their leadership and service on May 5 at the United Church of Chapel Hill

Laci McDonald, an instructor at the Ballet School of Chapel Hill, was awarded the Servant’s Heart Award by the Triangle Luncheon Civitan Club for her service as the liaison between Durham Academy and Durham County Special Olympics. The award also recognized Laci for creating DanceAbilities, a program at the school that increases access to dance for those with disabilities.

Simon Komlos, a 2013 graduate of East Chapel Hill High School, was featured in Forbes 30 under 30 as the co-founder of financial education company Zogo. Simon created the company with two friends as a student at Duke University to make financial literacy education accessible and fun. Zogo partners with more than 205 financial institutions across the country to help them educate and empower their communities.

ARTS & CULTURE

East Chapel Hill High School student Caroline Eckblad, pictured with her family, won first

East Chapel Hill High School students William Zhou and Jaden Mu led two teams of local students from 5th to 8th grade to compete in the 2024 Middle School Aerial Drone Championship competition in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Out

Writer and podcaster Molly Stillman published her memoir, “If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry: How Death, Debt and Comedy Led to a Life of Faith, Farming and Forgetting What I Came Into This Room For,” in March. Molly’s funny and heartwarming debut takes readers on an emotional ride, detailing the tragic loss of her mother, how she squandered a massive and unexpected inheritance, an attempt to launch a comedy career that landed her on a farm instead – and how she found faith, hope and joy throughout it all. CHM

PHOTO COURTESY OF XI CHEN

WHAT WE ’ RE EATING

NEWS FROM OUR RESTAURANT COMMUNITY, PLUS A DISH WE LOVE

WBreadman’s

261 S. Elliott Rd., Chapel Hill breadmens.com

hen you walk into the “new” Breadman’s, you get the same nostalgic feeling that you did at the former location on Rosemary Street – the same wooden chairs, the same black tables with plaques commemorating customers and employees alike, and of course, UNC sports posters plastered on every inch of the walls. Even the menu is almost identical to the one that former co-owners Bill Piscitello and Roy Piscitello crafted in 1974. And the current owner, Omar Castro, wouldn’t dare to change it – especially not as the restaurant celebrates its 50th anniversary this fall (with an event to mark the big occasion currently in the works for July).

Breakfast and Comfort Food/Southern Cuisine

“I’m only 34, so when I think about 50 years, it’s a long, long time,” Omar says, though he himself has a long history at the restaurant having started working there in high school. “I’m just trying to keep the tradition going.”

What that tradition entails? Largely, classic breakfast options, with a menu that spans multiple pages. But their lunch is just as good, as Omar is quick to point out. And his favorite – the Reuben – is just as decadent as it looks. But grab some napkins because this saucy, layered sandwich is melty, gooey, and as he likes to put it: “pretty straightforward.” Pair it with the crispy, hand-battered onion rings, and you’ll get a taste of the restaurant’s longstanding legacy. – By Hannah Lee

NEWS BITES

Big Spoon Roasters won a 2024 Good Food Award for its Lum Lum Thai Curry Peanut & Cashew Butter. The Hillsborough-based company was among 215 winners announced on April 29. This is the second year in a row that Big Spoon Roasters won in the annual contest’s pantry category.

Dingo Dog Brewing Company’s Suzie’s Strawberry Cider was named the best-in-show cider and received a gold medal at the 2024 North Carolina Mead & Cider Competition while its Suzie’s White Tea Peony Mead took home a silver medal.

Village Diner owners Sarah Bohlin and Joel Bohlin opened the doors of West Hillsborough Pizzeria located in the adjacent dining room on March 19 at 600 W. King St. Guests can enjoy pizza, burgers, wings, salads and a full bar with 10 beers on draft and TVs.

Carolina Brewery announced in April that its Sky Peach Kölsch will be available this summer. The brew is a sweetened version of its awardwinning Sky Blue Kölsch, made with real peach. Find the beer on tap and in stores.

Southern Village New American restaurant Market and Moss announced the hiring of two new executive chefs to lead its kitchen in April. Chefs Danny Vacca and Chuck Jones bring experience in industry-leading restaurants across the country and will cocreate menus together.

Hillsborough sports bar Hot Tin Roof closed on April 30 after 11 years.

“Thank you to all the regulars, the ‘this is our first time in’ customers, our past employees, all of our current employees and everyone who has made an impact on what The Hot Tin Roof ends as,” the business said via a social media post.

The Chapel Hill location of Great Harvest Bread Co. closed on April 19 after more than two decades in town. A social media post from the location’s leadership duo Amy Kelley and Brandy Corbett said the decision was the result of “long discussions with franchise headquarters.”

– Compiled by Leah Berry CHM

DINING GUIDE

INCLUDES RESTAURANTS, DELIS AND BISTROS IN CHAPEL HILL, CARRBORO, HILLSBOROUGH AND NORTHERN CHATHAM COUNTY

CHAPEL HILL

East Franklin Street

1922 Coffee cafe with grab-andgo options. 140 E. Franklin St.; carolinacoffeeshop.com

Bandido’s Mexican Cafe Burritos, salads, quesadillas, tacos. 159 ½ E. Franklin St.; 919-967-5048; bandidoscafe.com

Bonchon Korean fried chicken. 205 E. Franklin St.; 984-234-0788; bonchon.com

Carolina Coffee Shop Casual American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 138 E. Franklin St.; 919-942-6875; carolinacoffeeshop.com

Cosmic Cantina Burritos, salads, quesadillas, tacos. Open late night. 128 E. Franklin St.; 919-960-3955; cosmiccantina.com

Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews Independent bookstore and Mexican-style chocolatería. 109 E. Franklin St., Ste. 100; 919-913-5055; epiloguebookcafe.com

Four Corners American fare, nachos, wings, pasta. 175 E. Franklin St.; 919-537-8230; fourcornersgrille.com

Hibachi & Company Hibachi- and teriyaki-style dishes. 153 E. Franklin St.; 919-903-8428; hibachicompany.com

Imbibe Bottle shop and restaurant serving pizza, salads and appetizers. 108 Henderson St.; 919-636-6469; 108henderson.com

Möge Tee Bubble tea shop offering cheese foam fruit tea, fresh milk tea, fruit parfaits and fruit yakult. 151 E. Franklin St.; 984-234-3278; mogeteechapelhill.com

Momo’s Master Made-to-order Himalayan dumplings. 110 N. Columbia St.; 919-903-9051; momosmaster.com

Pirate Captain Ramen, seafood, smoothie bowls. 163 E. Franklin St.; 919-968-2098; piratecaptainch.com

Raising Cane’s Beloved chicken fingers. 101 E. Franklin St.; raisingcanes.com

Sup Dogs Creative hot dogs and sides like jalapeño popper tots and funnel cake sticks. 107 E. Franklin St.; 919-903-9566; supdogs.com

Sutton’s Drug Store Old-fashioned diner known for its hot dogs, burgers and sandwiches like “Roy’s Reuben.” 159 E. Franklin St.; 919-942-5161; suttonsdrugstore.com

Time-Out Southern comfort food 24 hours a day. 201 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-2425; timeout247.com

Top of the Hill A Chapel Hill brewery that also offers American food like burgers and flatbreads. 100 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-8676; thetopofthehill.com

Tru Deli & Wine Bar Build-your-own sandwiches and wine. 114 Henderson St.; 919-240-7755; trudeli.com

Wheat Chinese noodles, rice dishes, desserts. 143 E. Franklin St.; 919-240-4155

Yaya Tea Japanese cafe with a variety of bubble teas and imported snacks. 157 E. Franklin St.; 919-914-6302; yayatea.com

COMING SOON – Zayka Indian Grill & Bar Authentic Indian cuisine. 105 E. Franklin St.; zaykauncchapelhill.com

West Franklin Street

411 West Fresh pasta, seafood and pizzas inspired by the flavors of Italy and the Mediterranean, with a healthy California twist; outdoor dining. 411 W. Franklin St.; 919-967-2782; 411west.com

Al’s Burger Shack Gourmet burgers and fries. 516 W. Franklin St.; 919-904-7659; alsburgershack.com

Ay Por Dios Oaxacan food, steak, ceviche. 431 W. Franklin St.; 919-240-4154

Beer Study/Boot Room Bottle shop with in-store drafts and growlers to go, plus soccer pub and sandwich shop. 504 W. Franklin St.; 919-240-5423; beerstudy.com

Blue Dogwood Public Market Food hall with individually owned food stalls including Asian fusion, a bottle shop and a nutrient-dense weekly pre-order menu. 306 W. Franklin St., Ste. G; 919-717-0404; bluedogwood.com

Blue’s on Franklin North Carolina barbecue, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and salads. 110 W. Franklin St.; 919-240-5060; bluesonfranklin.com

*DETAILS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CHECK RESTAURANT WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS PRIOR TO VISITING.

ADVERTISERS HIGHLIGHTED IN BOXES

Boro Bodega Locally made kombucha and craft sodas on tap. 422 W. Franklin St.; borobeverage.com

Brandwein’s Bagels Classic New York bagels and breakfast sandwiches. 505 W. Rosemary St.; 919-240-7071; brandweinsbagels.com

Bul Box Flavors and dishes inspired by Asia in handcrafted signature boxes with limitless customizability. 200 W. Franklin St. #130; 919-240-4159; bul-box.com

Buns Gourmet burgers, fries and shakes made from fresh ingredients. 107 N. Columbia St.; 919-240-4746; bunsofchapelhill.com

Carolina Brewery The Triangle’s oldest brewery restaurant features Carolina cuisine. 460 W. Franklin St.; 919-942-1800; carolinabrewery.com

Cat Tales Cat Cafe A two-story coffee/ beer/wine cafe home to 12 adoptable cats. 431 W. Franklin St., Ste. 210; 843-345-5289; cattalescatcafe.com

Chimney Indian Kitchen + Bar Traditional Indian dishes and unique options like pista korma and lobster pepper masala. 306 W. Franklin St., Ste. D; 984-234-3671; chimneyindiankitchen.com

CholaNad Restaurant & Bar Contemporary and traditional South Indian cuisine. Catering available. 310 W. Franklin St.; 800-246-5262; cholanad.com

Crossroads Chapel Hill at The Carolina Inn New American cuisine and seasonal specialties; all ABC permits; outdoor dining. 211 Pittsboro St.; 919-918-2777; crossroadscuisine.com

Crumbl Cookies Baked-from-scratch, home-delivered cookies featuring six different flavors each week. 133 W. Franklin St., Ste. 50; 984-261-2222; crumblcookies.com

The Dead Mule Club Sunday brunch, tacos and barbecue. 303 W. Franklin St.; 919-969-7659; deadmule.squarespace.com

Franklin Motors Beer Garden A rooftop and fully licensed ABC bar. The Roquette at Franklin Motors serves hand-cut fries and sliders. 601 W. Franklin St.; 919-869-7090; franklinmotors.net

Heavenly Buffaloes Chicken wings and vegan wings with more than 25 rubs and sauces. 407 W. Franklin St.; 919-914-6717; heavenlybuffaloes.com/chapel-hill

Italian Pizzeria III Pizza, Italian entrees, calzones and subs. The “place to be” in Chapel Hill for 43 years. 508 W. Franklin St.; 919-968-4671; italianpizzeria3.com

Kurama Sushi & Noodle Express Dumplings, salads, noodle dishes. 105 N. Columbia St.; 919-968-4747; kuramasushinoodle.com

Lantern Pan-Asian cuisine. 423 W. Franklin St.; 919-969-8846; lanternrestaurant.com

Lapin Bleu Bar meets art gallery. 106A N. Graham St.; 919-969-7157

La Résidence French-inspired cuisine. 202 W. Rosemary St.; 919-967-2506; laresidencedining.com

Le Macaron French pastries. 140 W. Franklin St., Ste. 120; lemacaron-us.com

Mama Dip’s Kitchen Traditional Southern specialties, brunch and dinner classics like fried chicken and Brunswick stew. 408 W. Rosemary St.; 919-942-5837; mamadips.com

Mediterranean Deli Offers healthy vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free Mediterranean options. 410 W. Franklin St.; 919-967-2666; mediterraneandeli.com

Merritt’s Grill Famous BLTs, breakfast sandwiches, burgers. 1009 S. Columbia St.; 919-942-4897; merrittsblt.com

Might As Well Bar & Grill Bar favorites. 206 W. Franklin St.; 984-234-3333; chapelhill.mightaswellbarandgrill.com

The Northside District Specialty cocktails and international small plates. 403 W. Rosemary St.; 919-391-7044; thenorthsidedistrict.com

Perennial Cafe Serving Carrboro

Coffee Roasters coffee, tea and pastries. 401 W. Franklin St.; 919-914-6045; perennial.cafe

Pho Happiness Pho noodle soup, vermicelli plates and vegetarian/glutenfree options. 508-A W. Franklin St.; 919-942-8201; phohappinessnc.com

The Purple Bowl Acai bowls, toast, smoothies, coffee. 306-B W. Franklin St.; 919-903-8511; purplebowlch.com

Que Chula Authentic Mexican food, tacos and craft tequilas. 140 W. Franklin St., Ste. 110; 919-903-8000; quechulatacos.com

Roots Natural Kitchen Salads and grain bowls. Children 12 years old and younger eat free all day, every day. 133 W. Franklin St., Bldg. A-115; 984-322-5600; rootsnaturalkitchen.com

Saturni Sandwiches, coffee and baked goods. 431 W. Franklin St., Ste. 120; 984-234-3497; saturni-nc.com

Spicy 9 Sushi Bar & Asian Restaurant Sushi, Thai curries, bibimbap and other Asian entrees. 140 W. Franklin St., Ste. 150; 919-903-9335; spicy9chapelhill.com

Talullas Authentic Turkish cuisine; all ABC permits. 456 W. Franklin St.; 919-933-1177; talullas.com

Tea Hill Made-to-order Taiwanese teas and street food. 318 W. Franklin St.; 984-999-4580; teahillusa.com

Trophy Room A Graduate Hotels concept serving up shareable plates, salads and burgers. 311 W. Franklin St.; 919-442-9000; graduatehotels.com/chapel-hill

Vimala’s Curryblossom Café Traditional Indian tandoori and thali. 431 W. Franklin St., Ste. 415; 919-929-3833; curryblossom.com

YoPo of Chapel Hill Frozen yogurt, treats and shakes with unique flavors since 1982. 106 W. Franklin St.; 919-942-7867; yogurtpump.com

Village Plaza/East Franklin Street/Eastgate Crossing/ Rams Plaza

Alpaca Peruvian rotisserie chicken and sides like maduros and tostones. 237 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-338-2962; alpacachicken.com

Breadman’s

A variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads and grilled meat, with daily soup and specials. All-day breakfast; catering available. 261 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-967-7110; breadmens.com

Caffé Driade Carrboro Coffee Roasters coffee, bowl-size lattes, local baked goods, beer and wine. 1215-A E. Franklin St.; 919-942-2333; caffedriade.com

The Casual Pint Upscale craft beer market with beer, appetizers and icecream sandwiches. 201 S. Elliott Rd., Ste. 5; 919-967-2626; chapelhill. thecasualpint.com

Cava Customizable Mediterranean bowls, salads, pitas and soups. 79 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-636-5828; cava.com

Chopt Unique salads, grain and quinoa bowls. Eastgate Crossing; 919-240-7660; choptsalad.com

Clean Juice Certified organic juices, smoothies, bowls and snacks. Eastgate Crossing; 919-590-5133; cleanjuice.com

Genji Sushi Bar at Whole Foods Market Fresh Pan-Asian rice bowls made to order. 81 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-968-1983; wholefoodsmarket.com

Guglhupf Bake Shop European-style breads, pastries and coffee. Eastgate Crossing; 919-914-6511; guglhupf.com/ chapel-hill-bake-shop

Il Palio at The Siena Hotel Italian specialties like butternut squash ravioli. 1505 E. Franklin St.; 919-918-2545; ilpalio.com

Japan Express Hibachi-style meals and sushi. 106 S. Estes Dr.; 919-903-8050

Jersey Mike’s Subs Jumbo subs filled with cold cuts and toppings. 1800 E. Franklin St., Ste. 21; 919-918-7827; jerseymikes.com

Kipos Greek Taverna Greek cuisine in a relaxed, upscale setting with outdoor dining. Eastgate Crossing; 919-425-0760; kiposchapelhill.com

La Hacienda Burritos, salads, quesadillas, tacos. 1813 Fordham Blvd.; 919-967-0207; lahaciendamex.com

The Loop Pizzas, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers. Eastgate Crossing; 919-969-7112; thelooprestaurant.com

MinGa Authentic Korean cuisine like bibimbap, bulgogi and a variety of homemade kimchi. 1404 E. Franklin St.; 919-933-1773; min-ga.com

Monterrey Mexican Grill Tacos, quesadillas, burritos and more. Rams Plaza; 919-969-8750; letsgotomonterrey.com

Mr. Tokyo Japanese Restaurant Unlimited sushi and hibachi. Rams Plaza; 919-240-4552; mrtokyojapanese.com/chapel-hill

Osteria Georgi House-made pasta, braised meat dishes and antipasto. 201 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-375-0600; osteriageorgi.com

Piero’s Pasta & Wine A variety of pasta dishes, soups and salads. 1502 E. Franklin St.; 984-999-4826; pierospasta.com

COMING SOON – Pocha Korean Pub & BBQ Korean barbecue and street food. 116 Old Durham Rd.

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Biscuits, donuts, chicken and coffee. Eastgate Crossing; risebiscuitschicken.com

Shake Shack Fast-casual chain serving up 100% Angus beef blend burgers, crinklecut fries and hand-spun shakes. Eastgate Crossing; shakeshack.com

Snooze, An A.M. Eatery Breakfast, comfort food lunches and brunch cocktails. Eastgate Crossing; snoozeeatery.com 

Squid’s Fresh seafood options include woodgrilled fillets, Maine lobster, fried seafood and oysters. 1201 Fordham Blvd.; 919-942-8757; squidsrestaurant.com

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen Drivethru biscuits, sandwiches. 1305 E. Franklin St.; 919-933-1324; sunrisebiscuits.co

Sutton’s in the Atrium A cafe version of Sutton’s Drug Store with its famous hot dogs, salads and more. 100 Europa Dr.; 919-240-4471; suttonsdrugstore.com

Tandoor Indian Restaurant Traditional Indian cuisine, vegan options. 1301 E. Franklin St.; 919-967-6622; tandoorindian.com

Thaiphoon Bistro Thai cuisine, curry, stirfry, soups and salads. 1704 E. Franklin St.; 919-869-7191; thaiphoonbistro.com

Tonya’s Cookies & Bake Shop Freshbaked cookies, pies, cakes and snacks. 400 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-903-8087; tonyascookies.com

Twisted Noodles Thai noodle soups, pan-fried noodles. Eastgate Crossing; 919-933-9933; twistednoodlesch.com

University Place

Alfredo’s Pizza Villa Pizzas, calzones, salads, subs, pasta, desserts. 919-968-3424; alfredospizzavilla.com

bartaco Tacos, fresh-juice cocktails, poke and mole options. 910-807-8226; bartaco.com

Flying Biscuit Cafe All-day breakfast and Southern favorites like shrimp and grits. 919-537-8974; flyingbiscuit.com

Hawkers Inspired by Southeast Asia’s street fare, this eatery features homemade favorites, from dumplings to curries. 919-415-1799; eathawkers.com

Maple View Mobile Ice-cream outpost of the iconic Hillsborough shop. 919-244-1949; mapleviewmobile.com

Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill Southern favorites like deviled eggs meet steakhouse mainstays like the legendary 12 oz. filet. 919-914-6688; stoneyriver.com

Silverspot Cinema Restaurant Chefinspired menu of freshly made food, craft beers, signature cocktails and wines to pair with your movie. 919-357-9887; silverspot.net

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (Airport Road)

Bombolo Brunch, pasta dishes and small plates. 764 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-914-6374; bombolochapelhill.com

Hunam Chinese Restaurant Cantonese cuisine. 790 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-967-6133; hunamrestaurant.net

Lucha Tigre Latin-Asian cuisine and sake-tequila bar. 746 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-914-6368; luchatigre.com

The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering Sandwiches, salads, soups, desserts and more for breakfast and lunch. 750 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-967-3663; rootcellarchapelhill.com

Timberlyne/Chapel Hill North Area

Beau Catering Full-service and dropoff catering, meal delivery and graband-go meals. 630 Weaver Dairy Rd.; 984-312-5485; beaucatering.com

Chapel Hill Wine Company Wine store with bottles from all over the globe. 2809 Homestead Rd.; 919-968-1884; chapelhillwinecompany.com

Farm House Restaurant Steaks, salads, potatoes. 6004 Millhouse Rd.; 919-929-5727; farmhousesteakhouse.com

Jersey Mike’s Subs Jumbo subs filled with cold cuts and toppings. 1802 M.L.K. Jr. Blvd.; 919-903-8946; jerseymikes.com

Joe Van Gogh Coffee, tea and pastries. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-967-2002; joevangogh.com

Magone Italian Grill & Pizza Italian mains. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-904-7393; magoneitaliangrillpizza.com

New Hope Market Breakfast and daily specials like burgers, soups and more. 6117 N.C. Hwy. 86 S.; 919-240-7851

OiShii Specialty rolls, teriyaki, stir-fry, sushi. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-932-7002; oishiiroll.com

The Pig Barbecue, fried tofu, collards and more. 630 Weaver Dairy Rd., Ste. 101; 919-942-1133; thepigrestaurant.com

PiggyBack Classic cocktails, beer and wine and unexpected, creative bar food. 630 Weaver Dairy Rd., Ste. 102; 919-240-4715; thepigrestaurant.com/piggyback

Pop’s Pizzeria & Ristorante Pizzas, calzones, stromboli, pasta. 1822 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-932-1040; pops-pizzeria.com

Rasa Indi-Chinese Authentic North Indian and Chinese cuisine, with fusion and Thai dishes. Weekly specials. 1826 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-929-2199; rasachapelhill.com

Sal’s Pizza & Ristorante Thin-crust and deep-dish pizzas plus an array of Italian comfort food. 2805 Homestead Rd.; 919-932-5125; salspizzaofchapelhill.com

Siam Zap Pho Thai fried rice, curry, pho. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-903-8280

Yopop Frozen Yogurt Frozen yogurt shop featuring 14 flavors, bubble tea and smoothies. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-537-8229

N.C. 54 East/Raleigh Road

Amante Gourmet Pizza Create-your-own pizzas. 6209 Falconbridge Rd.; 919-493-0904; amantepizza.com

BIN 54 Steaks, seafood and other fine American food. Everything made in-house. Glen Lennox Shopping Center; 919-969-1155; bin54chapelhill.com

Brenz Pizza Co. Specialty pizzas, subs, salads. 3120 Environ Way, East 54; 919-636-4636; brenzpizzaco.com

Coco Espresso, Bistro & Bar Plant-based, fresh, locally sourced dishes, as well as classic comfort food, cocktails and mocktails, plus coffee, espresso bar, baked goods and pastries. The Gwendolyn, 101 Glen Lennox Dr., Ste. 180; 919-883-9003; cocochapelhill.com

elements Cuisine combining classical and modern Asian and European cooking techniques for lunch and dinner; check out the wine bar with full menu next door. 2110 Environ Way, East 54; 919-537-8780; elementsofchapelhill.com

El Tesoro Mexican Grill Homemade Mexican breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus traditional Tex-Mex. 6118 Farrington Rd., Ste. G; 919-237-2229; eltesoromex.com

First Watch French toast, pancakes and specialty omelets. 1101 Environ Way, East 54; 919-537-8488; firstwatch.com

Hawthorne & Wood

Fine dining cuisine with an outdoor patio, a fully stocked bar and an extensive international wine list. 3140 Environ Way, East 54; 919-240-4337; hawthorneandwood.com

Jersey Mike’s Subs Jumbo subs filled with cold cuts and toppings. 6118 Farrington Rd.; 919-908-7641; jerseymikes.com

Jujube Eclectic, modern cuisine inspired by the flavors of China and Vietnam. Glen Lennox; 919-960-0555; jujuberestaurant.com

Nantucket Grill & Bar Clam chowder, lobster rolls and more. 5925 Farrington Rd.; 919-402-0077; nantucketgrill.com

Thai Palace Soup, curries, pad thai. Glenwood Square Shopping Center; 919-967-5805; order.thaipalacechapelhill.com

Meadowmont Village

Bluebird French bistro-style restaurant. 601 Meadowmont Village Circle; bluebirdnc.com

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza Specialty pizzas and salads. 501 Meadowmont Village Circle; 919-929-1942; brixxpizza.com

Kahlovera Mexican bar and grill. 504 Meadowmont Village Circle; 984-999-4537; kahloveratacos.com

Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar Northern and southern Indian specialties including gobi manchurian, paneer tikka, chicken tikka and hariyali murg kebab. 101 Meadowmont Village Circle, Ste. 101; lnlrestaurant.com

Meet Fresh Taiwanese desserts and teas. 407 Meadowmont Village Circle; Ste. 101; 984-999-4983; meetfresh.us

Quickly Hot and cold tea drinks in addition to Asian street food. 503 Meadowmont Village Circle; 984-234-0401; quicklychapelhill.com

Southern Village

Al’s Burger Shack Gourmet burgers and fries. 708 Market St.; 919-914-6694; alsburgershack.com

La Vita Dolce Pastries, sorbet, gelato, coffee. 610 Market St., Ste. 101-C; 919-968-1635; lavitadolcecafe.com

Market and Moss American cuisine made with fresh local ingredients. 700 Market St.; 919-929-8226; marketandmoss.com

Rasa Malaysia Authentic Malaysian dishes. 410 Market St.; 984-234-0256; rasamalaysiach.com

Rocks + Acid Wine Shop A wine shop and tasting room from awardwinning sommelier Paula de Pano. 712 Market St.; 919-428-3564; rocksandacidwineshop.com

The Tap Room at The Lumina Draft beer and wine by the bottle or glass. 620 Market St.; 919-969-8049; carolinacinemas.com/lumina

Town Hall Grill Sandwiches, steak, seafood, Italian dishes. 410 Market St.; 919-960-8696; thetownhallgrill.com

Weaver Street Market Food bar items, plus grab and go. 716 Market St.; 919-929-2009; weaverstreetmarket.coop

CARRBORO

Downtown

401 Main Upscale dive bar and sandwich shop serving shareable bar snacks, local brews and po’boys. 401 E. Main St.; 919-390-3598; 401main.com

Acme Food & Beverage Co. Entrees with a Southern touch. 110 E. Main St.; 919-929-2263; acmecarrboro.com

Akai Hana Japanese cuisine including sushi, tempura and teriyaki. 206 W. Main St.; 919-942-6848; akaihana.com

Armadillo Grill Tex-Mex burritos, enchiladas, tacos, nachos. 120 E. Main St.; 919-929-4669; armadillogrill.com

Atlas Bar Uptown drinks in downtown Carrboro. 118 E. Main St.; atlascarrboro.com

Belltree Cocktail Club Prohibition-inspired speakeasy serving creative cocktails, beer and wine. 100 Brewer Lane, A; 984-234-0572; belltreecocktailclub.com

Breakaway Carrboro A casual cafe serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee. 410 N. Greensboro St.; breakawaync.co

Carrburritos Burritos, tacos, nachos and margaritas. 711 W. Rosemary St.; 919-933-8226; carrburritos.com

Cham Thai

Authentic Thai, Siamese and Chinese cuisine. 370 E. Main St., Ste. 190; 984-999-4646; chamthainc.com

The Cheese Shop at Glasshalfull Cut-to-order cheese shop offering a diverse selection of cheese, meat and provisions. 106 S. Greensboro St.; 919-893-9979; cheeseshopnc.com

Glasshalfull Mediterranean-inspired food and wine; outdoor dining; all ABC permits. 106 S. Greensboro St.; 919-967-9784; glasshalfull.net

Gourmet Kingdom Sichuan cuisine. 301 E. Main St.; 919-932-7222; thegourmetkingdom.com

Krave Kava Bar & Tea Lounge Offers a wide range of tea and herbal drinks, all made from kava, a type of plant root. 105 W. Main St.; 919-408-9596; kravekava.com

Lanza’s Cafe Coffeehouse serving tea and meads in addition to local pastries, small plates and daily specials. 601 W. Main St., Ste. C; 919-967-9398; lanzascafe.com

Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas

South American cuisine meets the American South. 307 E. Main St.; 919-537-8958; lunarotisserie.com

Mel’s Commissary & Catering Lunch, snacks and pop-up dinners. 109 W. Main St.; 919-240-7700; melscarrboro.com

Napoli Wood-fired pizza, espresso, artisanal gelato made from scratch, teas and local craft beer and wines. 105 E. Main St.; 919-667-8288; napolicarrboro.com

Neal’s Deli Buttermilk biscuits on Saturdays and traditional deli fare. 100 E. Main St.; 919-967-2185; nealsdeli.com

Oakleaf “Immediate” cuisine like pastas and seafood using ingredients from the chef’s own garden. 310 E. Main St.; 984-234-0054; oakleafnc.com

Open Eye Cafe Freshly roasted coffee by Carrboro Coffee Roasters, tea, beer, wine and baked goods. 101 S. Greensboro St.; 919-968-9410; openeyecafe.com

Pelican’s Snoballs Offers over 100 flavors of shaved ice. 505 W. Main St.; pelicanssnoballs.com

Pizzeria Mercato Pizza, antipasto, soups, fritti and gelato. 408 W. Weaver St.; 919-967-2277; pizzeriamercatonc.com

Speakeasy on Main Cocktail lounge with live music. 100 E. Main St.; facebook.com/ speakeasyonmainstreet

Spotted Dog Vegetarian- and vegan-friendly entrees. 111 E. Main St.; 919-933-1117; thespotteddogrestaurant.com

Tesoro 18-seat neighborhood restaurant with house-made pasta, seasonal plates and classic sweets. 100 E. Weaver St.; 919-537-8494; tesorocarrboro.com

Wings Over 27 flavors of wings. 313 E. Main St.; 919-537-8271; wingsoverchapelhill.com

East Main Square

Amante Gourmet Pizza Create-your-own pizzas, salads and pasta. 300 E. Main St.; 919-929-3330; amantepizza.com

Bru’s Public House Southern handhelds, pizzas and shareables with craft cocktails. 370 E. Main St.; bruspublichouse.com

Gray Squirrel Coffee Co. Roastery and espresso bar. 360 E. Main St., Ste. 100; graysquirrelcoffee.com

Haw River Tap & Table Craft beer and flavorful small plates. 300 E. Main St., Ste. C; 919-391-6788; hawrivercarrboro.com

Iza Whiskey & Eats Japanese fusion cuisine serving small plates, sushi, ramen, whiskey, sake and cocktails. 370 E. Main St., Ste. 140; 919-537-8645; izaeats.com 

La Montaña Latin-Asian inspired coffee shop, tequila cocktail bar and all-day kitchen. 370 E. Main St., Ste. 170; 919-899-9854; eatatlamontana.com

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Biscuits, doughnuts, chicken and coffee. 310 E. Main St.; 919-929-5115; risebiscuitschicken.com

Carr Mill Mall/ North Greensboro Street

B-Side Lounge Small plates, like fondue, and inspired cocktails. Carr Mill Mall; 919-904-7160; b-sidelounge.com

The Flying Pierogi Family-owned restaurant offering Polish and German street food. 101 Two Hills Dr.; flyingpierogi.com

Grata Diner From scratch breakfast and lunch. Carr Mill Mall; 919-240-7000; gratadiner.com

Oasis Organic coffee, tea, beer and wine. Carr Mill Mall; 919-904-7343

Pizza Factory Pizza, cheesesteaks, baked ziti. Carr Mill Mall; 919-904-7040; pizzafactorync.com

Tandem Farm-to-table, modern American cuisine with full service bar. Carr Mill Mall; 919-240-7937; tandemcarrboro.com

AND

Thai Station Authentic, fresh Thai dishes. 201 E. Main St., Ste. C.; 984-234-3230; thaistationnc.com

Venable Rotisserie Bistro Upscale comfort food with a heavy emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Carr Mill Mall; 919-904-7160; venablebistro.com

Weaver Street Market Hot food bar items are available as grab-and-go. Carr Mill Mall; 919-929-0010; weaverstreetmarket.coop

N.C. 54 West/Carrboro Plaza

Aidan’s Pizza Pizza, wings and salads. 602 Jones Ferry Rd., Ste. D; 919-903-8622; aidanspizza.hungerrush.com

Anna Maria’s Pizzeria Italian cuisine. Carrboro Plaza; 919-929-1877; annamariasnc.wordpress.com

Fiesta Grill Burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, tacos. 3307 N.C. Hwy. 54 W.; 919-928-9002; fiestagrill.us

Jersey Mike’s Subs Jumbo subs filled with cold cuts and toppings. 104 NC-54, Ste. GG; 919-913-9130; jerseymikes.com

Monterrey Mexican Grill Traditional Mexican cuisine. Carrboro Plaza; 919-903-9919; letsgotomonterrey.com

Wingman Wings and hot dogs. 104 N.C. Hwy. 54 W.; 919-928-9200; bestwingman.net

HILLSBOROUGH

Antonia’s Italian cuisine. 101 N. Churton St.; 919-643-7722; antoniashillsborough.com

Big Bob’s City Grill Fresh-made burgers and chicken with country sides. 584 Cornelius St.; 919-732-2953

The Colorado Burrito Burritos, quesadillas, fajitas. 122 S. Churton St.; 336-269-8613

Cup-A-Joe Coffee and pastries. 112 W. King St.; 919-732-2008; hboro-cupajoe.com

El Restaurante Ixtapa Authentic fromscratch Mexican dishes. 162 Exchange Park Ln.; 919-644-6944; ixtapa.homestead. com/homepage.html

Hillsborough Bakeshop & Pasta Company Baked goods, coffee, wine and all-day cafe offering pasta, sandwiches and salads. 110 S. Churton St.; 919-732-6261; hillsboroughbakeshop.com

Hillsborough BBQ Company Barbecue plates and sandwiches, sides and desserts. 236 S. Nash St.; 919-732-4647; hillsboroughbbq.com

Hillsborough Wine Company Wine store with bottles from all over the globe. 118 S. Churton Street; 919-732-4343; chapelhillwinecompany.com

Hot Tin Roof Games and specialty cocktails. 115 W. Margaret Ln.; 919-296-9113; hottinroofbar.com

The House at Gatewood Supper club and special events venue. 300 U.S. 70; 919-241-4083; houseatgatewood.com

Jay’s Chicken Shack Chicken, buffalo wings, breakfast biscuits. 646 N. Churton St.; 919-732-3591; jayschickenshack.com

J&F Kitchen Italian, American and Balkan dishes. 155 Mayo St.; jandfkitchen.weebly.com

Jersey Mike’s Subs Jumbo subs filled with cold cuts and toppings. 115 Oakdale Dr. Ste. 5; 919-296-9316; jerseymikes.com

Kim’s Bake Shop Homemade baked goods from brownies and doughnuts to “whookies” and pie. 111 N. Churton St.; 919-932-0134; downtownpies.com

La Muñeca Ice Cream Paletas, esquites and dorilocos. 131 Mayo St.; la-muneca-ice-cream.business.site

Los Altos Mexican dishes, such as tacos and chiles rellenos. 126 W. King St.; 919-241-4177; losaltosmexicanrestaurant.com

Lupita’s Meat Market and Taqueria Authentic Mexican food including tamales, barbacoa and carnitas. 633 Cornelius St.; 919-296-9000

Maple View Farm Country Store Homemade ice cream. 6900 Rocky Ridge Rd.; 919-960-5535; mapleviewfarm.com

Matthew’s Chocolates Gourmet chocolates, frozen treats and baked goods. 104 N. Churton St.; 984-245-9571

Nomad International street food-inspired eatery. 122 W. King St.; 984-217-0179; thenomadnc.com

Pizza Cornicione Neapolitan pizzeria and gelateria. 230 S. Nash St.; 919-245-8566; pizzacornicione.com

Pueblo Viejo Traditional Mexican food. 370 S. Churton St.; 919-732-3480

Radius Pizzeria & Pub Wood-fired pizzas, housemade pastas, salads and desserts. Outdoor dining. 112 N. Churton St.; 919-245-0601; radiuspizzeria.net

Saratoga Grill New England-style cuisine. 108 S. Churton St.; 919-732-2214; thesaratogagrill.com

Steve’s Garden Market & Butchery Sandwiches, baked goods, pimento cheese. 610 N. Churton St.; 919-732-4712; stevesgardenmarket.com

The Village Diner Southern fare and takeout pizza. 600 W. King St.; 919-245-8915; villagedinernc.com

Vinny’s Italian Grill and Pizzeria Italian favorites. 133 N. Scottswood Blvd.; 919-732-9219; vinnyshillsborough.com

Weaver Street Market Food bar items are available as grab and go. 228 S. Churton St.; 919-245-5050; weaverstreetmarket.coop

West Hillsborough Pizzeria

Scratch-made pizza, wings, burgers and salads. 600 W. King St.; 919-245-8915; westhillsboroughpizzeria.com

Whit’s Frozen Custard Rotating flavors of frozen custard, treats, pints to go. 240 S. Nash St.; 919-245-8123; whitscustard.com

Wooden Nickel Pub Pub fare and rotating craft beer. 113 N. Churton St.; 919-932-0134; thewnp.com

Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew Beer, wine, frose and more. 114 W. King St.; yonderbarnc.com

NORTH CHATHAM

Briar Chapel

Breakaway Cafe A casual cafe serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee. 58 Chapelton Ct., Ste. 100; 984-234-3010; breakawaync.co

Capp’s Pizzeria & Trattoria Traditional Italian cuisine including fresh pastas, pizzas and more. 79 Falling Springs Dr., Ste. 140; 919-240-4104; cappspizzeria.com

O’YA Cantina Latin cuisine from all over the world. 72 Chapelton Ct.; 984-999-4129; oyacantina.com

Town Hall Burger & Beer Burgers plus tacos, wings and salads. 58 Chapelton Ct.; 984-234-3504; townhallburgerandbeer.com

Governors Village

Ciao Bella Pizzeria Pizza, pastas, sandwiches. 1716 Farrington Point Rd.; 919-932-4440

Flair Restaurant & Wine Bar Frenchinfluenced food, coffee and Sunday brunch. 50100 Governors Dr.; 919-967-9990; flairfusionrestaurant.com

Gov’s Fusion Cantina Americana meets traditional Mexican cuisine. 50050 Governors Dr.; 919-240-5050; govsfusioncantina.com

Sal’s NY Pizza Italian specialties seven days a week. 50010 Governors Dr.; 919-903-8091; salsnypizzachapelhill.com

Tarantini Italian Restaurant Italian cuisine. 50160 Governors Dr.; 919-942-4240; tarantinirestaurant.com

North Chatham Village/ Cole Park Plaza/Polks Landing

501 Pharmacy Maple View Farm ice cream, plus malts and shakes. 69 Knox Way, Ste. 110; 984-999-0501; 501rx.com

Captain John’s Dockside American seafood dishes. 11550 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 N.; 919-968-7955; docksidechapelhill.com

Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant Mexican dishes with vegetarian options. 11552 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 N., Ste. 205; 919-929-8012; guanajuatomexicanrestaurant.net

Jersey Mike’s Subs Jumbo subs filled with cold cuts and toppings. 11312 US Hwy. 15 501 N., Ste. 102; 984-528-8750; jerseymikes.com

Panda Garden Chinese dishes like chow mein and egg foo young. 11312 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 S., Ste. 303; 919-960-8000; chapelhillpandagarden.com

Szechuan Village Bold Chinese flavors and bubble tea. 111 Knox Way; 919-869-7894; szechuanvillagechapelhill.com

Ta Contento Mex

Fresh Food Authentic Mexican food, like tacos, burritos, guacamole and fajitas. 11620 US 15-501 Hwy. N. Chapel Hill; 919-945-4819; ta-contento.com

Village Pizza and Pasta A neighborhood pizza place serving up subs, calzones, pastas and salads. 11312 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 S., Ste. 300; 919-960-3232; villagepizzapasta.com 

PITTSBORO

Fearrington Village

The Belted Goat Lunch, dinner and wine shop, offering salads and sandwiches. 919-545-5717; fearrington.com/belted-goat

The Fearrington House Restaurant

Contemporary fine dining. Reservations are needed. 919-542-2121; fearrington.com/thefearrington-house-restaurant

Galloway’s Wine and Beer Bar Beer, wine and snacks. 919-545-5717; fearrington.com/ galloways-wine-beer-bar

Roost Beer Garden Wood-fired pizza and local brews April through October. 919-542-2121; fearrington.com/roost

U.S. 15-501/Mosaic at Chatham Park

Allen & Son Bar-B-Que North Carolina barbecue. 5650 U.S. 15-501; 919-542-2294; stubbsandsonbbq.com

Cafe Root Cellar American cuisine and “go big or go home” seasonal dishes. 35 Suttles Rd.; 919-542-1062; caferootcellar.com

Carolina Brewery The Triangle’s oldest brewery restaurant features Carolina cuisine. 120 Lowes Dr. #100; 919-5452300; carolinabrewery.com

Compadres Tequila Lounge Mexican restaurant with a variety of classic dishes. 193 Lowes Dr., Ste. 107; 919-704-8374; compadresnc.com

Greek Kouzina Hummus, gyros, kebabs and more. 367 Freedom Pkwy, Ste. 100,; 919-542-9950; greekkouzina.com

House of Hops Bar and bottle shop with a large craft beer selection on tap. Outdoor seating available. 112 Russet Run; 919-542-3435; houseofhopsnc.com

Mi Cancun Classic Mexican cuisine with a modern twist. 114 Russet Run; 919-542-3858; micancunmx.com

New Japan Hibachi-style Japanese cooking. 90 Lowes Dr.; 919-542-4380

People’s Coffee Coffee from Black and White Roasters, breakfast and lunch. 60 Mosaic Blvd., Ste. 100; pplscoffee.com

East Street

BMC Brewing Beers brewed on-site and cookies made with the byproducts. 213 Lorax Lane; 919-759-1206; bmcbrewing.com

China Inn Chinese dishes. 630 East St.; 919-545-0259

Dillinger’s Diner Classic American food in a 1950s-inspired diner. 987 East St., Suite G; 919-542-1312

Fair Game Beverage Co. Spirits, wine, beer and cider tastings plus snacks. 220 Lorax Ln.; 919-548-6884; fairgamebeverage.com

Kingston 99 Kitchen Authentic Jamaican cuisine with a twist. 192B Lorax Lane; kingston99kitchen.com

Metal Brixx Cafe Vortex Roasters’ coffee and espresso plus tea, lemonade and gelato. 213 Lorax Ln.; 919-444-2202

Small Cafe B and B Offbeat, eco-friendly eatery offering farm-to-table fare for breakfast and lunch. 219 East St.; 919-228-8817; smallcafebandb.com

Starrlight Mead Tastings of honey wines and honey. 130 Lorax Ln.; 984-312-5820; starrlightmead.com

West Street

Al’s Diner Traditional American classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 535 West St.; 919-542-5800; alsdiner.net

Havoc Brewing Company Global tap list, from the “Hey Bonnie!” English brown ale to the “Havoc Actual” Mexican lager. 39 West St.; havocbrewing.com

Ni Armor’s Hawaiian & Polynesian BBQ Drive-thru barbecue plates, sandwiches and rice bowls. 517 West St.; 907-704-8055

The Phoenix Bakery Small-batch and seasonal baked goods and specialty cakes. 664 West St.; 919-542-4452; thephoenixbakerync.com

Thirsty Skull Brewing Hazy, pale ales and experimental brews. 684 West St.; thirstyskullbrewing.com

West End Kitchen & Catering Farmto-fork comfort food. 23 Rectory St.; westendpittsboro.com

Hillsboro Street/Downtown

Aromatic Roasters Small-batch coffee shop. 697 Hillsboro St., Unit 101; 919-228-8345; aromaticroasters.com

The Beagle Classic and innovative cocktails and small plates like chilled seafood, charcuterie and a selection of sandwiches. 53 Hillsboro St.; 919-533-6589; beaglebarnc.com

Co-op Cafe at Chatham Marketplace

Sandwiches, daily changing hot bar, sushi, salads and baked goods. 480 Hillsboro St.; 919-542-2643; chathammarketplace.coop

Carolina Cravings Co. Bakery serving traditional treats like pie bars, muffins and no-bake peanut butter-chocolate cookies as well as Hispanic favorites like flan, bolillos and tres leches cakes. 84 Hillsboro St.; 919-444-2023; carolina-cravings.com

The City Tap Classic bar food and regular live music. 89 Hillsboro St.; 919-545-0562; thecitytap.com

Davenport’s Café Diem Carrboro Coffee Roasters coffee and espresso offerings. 439 Hillsboro St.; 919-704-4239; davenports-cafediem.com

Elizabeth’s Pizza Pizza, calzones, salads and pasta. 160 Hillsboro St.; 919-545-9292; elizabethspizzapittsboro.com

Marcel’s Pizzeria Pizzas, pastas, subs, calzones and strombolis. 122 Sanford Rd.; 919-542-5027; marcelspizzeria.com

The Mod Wood-fired pizza, salads, small plates and a full bar. Outdoor seating available. 46 Sanford Rd.; 919-533-6883; themodernlifedeli.com

Postal Fish Company Fresh seafood from North Carolina’s coast. Serving dinner only. 75 W. Salisbury St.; 919-704-8612; postalfishcompany.com

S&T’s Soda Shoppe Soda fountain, American fare. 85 Hillsboro St.; 919-545-0007; sandtsodashoppe.com

The Sycamore at Chatham Mills

Upscale steakhouse. 480 Hillsboro St., Ste. 500; 919-704-8731; thesycamoreatchathammills.com

Virlie’s Grill Soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches. 58 Hillsboro St.; 919-542-0376; virliesgrill.com

Willy’s Cinnamon Rolls Etc. Bakery selling cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins, cookies and bread with ’40s and ’50s flair. 35 W. Chatham St.; 252-305-9227; willysrolls.com CHM

once a Tar Heel …

Scott Maitland, owner and founder of beloved Chapel Hill institution Top of the Hill, talks law school, his go-to order and returning to UNC to teach

By Natalie McCormick

Brewery, Craft Beverage & Place to Watch the Game

When were you a student at UNC?

I came to UNC for law school after I got out of the Army. I started school in August 1992 and graduated in May 1995.

What made you want to attend UNC School of Law?

I wanted to start my own business and got the advice to go to law school, so I picked law schools in the South and was lucky enough to be selected for a Chancellors Scholars [Award]. In March 1992, I came to Chapel Hill as part of a competition for the scholarship, just thinking it was a fun trip. And I just fell in love with Chapel Hill and realized I really wanted the scholarship and I really wanted to come, so I got it and I came.

What organizations or activities were you involved with on campus while you were a law school student?

I was class president for two years, 1993-94 and 1994-95. My buddies and I had a very successful intramural team composed of a bunch of ex-college athletes. ... When you won your division in intramurals (in our case, grad students), they gave you a T-shirt. We won seven: three for Ultimate Frisbee, three for softball and one for basketball

Where was the best hangout spot or restaurant at the time?

From the restaurant side, 411 West was clearly the hot thing. Henderson Street [Bar & Grill] was sort of the grad student bar, and then there were a bunch of other places like Hell, Spanky’s and He’s Not, of course.

What did you do after graduation?

I’d gone to law school to be a small business person. I came up with the idea for Top of the Hill while I was in law school, and I spent my third year of law school creating Top of the Hill, gearing my education around it. So I never left [Chapel Hill].

At what point did you imagine planting full-time roots in Chapel Hill? Right when I was trying to figure out where to live, Money Magazine named this area the No. 1 place to live in the United States, and I decided I wanted to stay. A week after making that decision, it was announced that a TGI Fridays was going where Top of the Hill is now, and I couldn’t stand the idea of a chain restaurant dominating downtown Chapel Hill, so I came up with that idea for Top of the Hill. 

What was the inspiration for Top of the Hill?

I realized that there was no place where faculty, grad students and undergrads could get together, so that became a formative idea behind Top of the Hill – a need for social crossroads. I was also familiar with brewpubs; at the time, it was a brand-new concept. Top of the Hill is the fifth oldest [brewpub] in the state, and I knew that it would work well, in terms of accomplishing that idea of [being] the place where everybody can come and hang out.

How did the restaurant get its name?

Top of the Hill is the highest point in downtown, although The Carolina Inn is a little taller, so it depends how you classify downtown. But we are definitely at the top of the hill, so it just made sense.

When did Top of the Hill get its nickname, “TOPO”?

Early in the 1999/2000 era, we saw people calling us TOPO, which I think is a play on YoPo, also known as The Yogurt Pump.

What would you tell a first-time visitor?

We’ve been around long enough that I think we are a part of the fabric of the community. Some have called The Carolina Inn the living room of the university; I think that’s true, and I like to think we’re the front porch. You can really get a feel and a taste for the town and the gown, because that’s where it comes together, right there.

What’s your go-to meal at the restaurant?

I have a lot of them. We change our menu quite a bit, but the grit cakes are a classic. The Southwestern pasta is quite nice, and I love the chicken burger Caesar salad. The new salmon dish is fantastic, but they are all good – it wouldn’t be on the menu if it wasn’t good!

[The location where] Top of the Hill [is now] used to be a gas station called Top of the Hill and the Happy Store. In 1984, it was the largest retailer of beer in the state of North Carolina.

– Scott Maitland

You have a unique and beautiful space – tell me about it. People don’t realize this, but our bar is shaped like a tar heel, and a lot of work went into making that happen. It’s a really cool and interesting bar, because you can see people from across [the bar], and I’ve always been proud about the way that it facilitates interaction.

How long has Top of the Hill hosted the Monday night coach shows – now with current UNC head coaches Hubert Davis and Mack Brown during their respective seasons – and why do you think they are such a draw? We started doing the coaches’ show between 2005 and 2008. The attendees skew older, and students don’t typically come to the show, but it’s a powerful social event for a very distinct group of people in our community, and they will reserve seats months ahead of time. You get to hear these incredible coaches and their life philosophies through a different lens, and you realize just how good these people are as people, not just as coaches.

What’s next or new for TOPO?

Starting in 2009 and 2010, we launched a whole wave of innovation – the Great Room, the Back Bar, the Distillery – and all of that wound down in conjunction with the end of COVID-19 as well. So, to be frank, my partner, Guy Murphy, and I are happy to just focus on what we do at the Top of the Hill.

What classes do you teach at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School? How did you become a professor of practice?

I teach BUSI 500: Entrepreneurship and Business Planning every year. I have also taught a lot of other courses throughout the years such as ideation, business law and negotiation. I [was] also an entrepreneur in residence at and on the board of Launch Chapel Hill. CHM

Carrboro Elementary School’s second graders recently raised $300 for Table. Every donation helps the nonprofit in its mission of providing students with bags of food that include 50% fresh produce – 30% of which is sourced from local farms – and 50% healthy nonperishables that meet dietary guidelines overseen by nutritionists.

table bringing food to the

By Lauren Rouse

Photography courtesy of TABLE

hapel Hill Magazine presents its second Social Impact Award to Table, recognizing its dedicated staff and volunteers who provide healthy meals and nutrition education for children across Orange County.

“It means so much to Table to be recognized for impacting the community,” says Table Executive Director Ashton Tippins. “Our hearts behind our work are to serve, share and improve the health of our kids and community.”

Table was established in 2008, serving 12 kids at the time. Today the nonprofit reaches more than 1,000 kids a week. Table has grown in its impact thanks to its 11 staff members and hundreds of volunteers. Table distributed food through the schools prior to the pandemic, but since 2020, volunteers have delivered nutritionally sound produce and nonperishables to students’ homes, a change that benefits the children and their families as Table is now able

to serve kids year-round rather than just through the school year.

“We are also able to provide more variety and a larger amount of food,” Ashton says. Table’s food delivery program, Table@Home, includes nonperishables and locally grown fruits and vegetables that kids enjoy and can prepare themselves.

Table’s newer, fully customizable program, Table Marketplace, gives families the opportunity to try new foods and increases dignity around food assistance, allowing them to choose the types of foods they like and the quantities they need, taking into account cultural preferences and special diets. “We customize as best we can so that the food is something they like and will eat,” Ashton says. “Otherwise, the food cannot be eaten, and it’s not impactful.”

Table furthers its mission of providing nutrition education via its program Chefs@Home, a monthly cooking club where families receive a meal kit with a recipe, ingredients and a kid-friendly activity.

In January, Table moved into a new 8,000-square-foot space at 311 E. Main St , which is four times the size of its previous warehouse. The move was made possible thanks to the nonprofit’s four-year Room to Grow capital campaign, which raised $3.25 million. “It marks a milestone for us to be able to have this space and to be able to serve more kids more effectively,” Ashton says.

Table’s core values revolve around trust, teamwork, commitment and people. The nonprofit works to create an environment of loyalty, friendship, compromise and cooperation while supporting every staff member and volunteer.

“Believe it or not, we have almost filled it up within a couple of months [of moving in].”

In addition to its staff, volunteers and new space, Table relies on several partners to carry out its vision of building a community where all children have equitable access to nutritious food. Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, PORCH Chapel HillCarrboro and Meals on Wheels Orange County meet with Table regularly to determine the best ways to collaborate. Table currently works with IFC and PORCH to create a shared enrollment form so families can easily sign up for multiple services. It also supports the community and a sustainable food system by partnering local and Blackowned farms, Ashton says, including Wildflower Lane Farm, Sankofa Farms, Elysian Fields Farm and Gabor Farms.

Table’s primary goal is to serve even more families; more than 200 kids are currently on its waitlist. Table is also always in need of delivery drivers, funds and volunteers to host food drives to help sustain the 1,000-plus children it serves each week. CHM

More than 60,000 votes came in, and the winners have been crowned, chosen completely by our readers. You shared your preferred spots for the perfect slice of pizza, who you trust to watch your furry best friend, where to shop for the thrill of a thrift find and so many more.

made with love

Healing a heavy heart with food and hospitality

By Anna-Rhesa Versola

an Jackson is emerging from a dense fog of grief and heartbreak after losing his beloved wife, Stephanie McIntyre Jackson, in February 2023 to brain cancer.

“She was just always happy to see you,” he says of his late wife’s warmth, attention to detail and optimism. “One of the hardest things for me over the past 18 months is being comfortable in my own shoes, because I don’t have my right-hand person there.”

Dan grew up in Chapel Hill, graduating from Chapel Hill High School in 1998,

Photography by Cornell Watson

and went on to excel in New York City, where he met Stephanie in 2010. She herself was entrenched in the hospitality industry, working for heavy hitters such as Union Square Hospitality Group and the worldrenowned Eleven Madison Park. Dan, now the executive chef and partner at Osteria Georgi, credits much of his success as a chef and a father to Stephanie, who was the embodiment of enlightened hospitality, he says.

If I grow, the team grows, and I think we’re in a place where we’re all ready to do that!

– Dan Jackson

Stephanie was often insightful, too.

“She was like, ‘Dan, the best is yet to come for you and the kids, but the first year is gonna really suck,’” he says.

“She was right, and she’s been gone for 18 months. Not to say that all of a sudden things don’t suck anymore, but they have gotten better. The kids are doing great. I’m able to be a little less of a shell of myself in a lot of ways.”

Their children, Eliot Jackson, 9, and twins, Camille Jackson, 7, and Leon Jackson, 7, cope with the help of family and friends. “They’re Stephanie’s gifts to me,” Dan says. “They’re my biggest responsibility. They give me reasons – I don’t want to be too dramatic – but they give me purpose and hope.

My oldest son has really just blossomed in a lot of ways, among really incredibly hard circumstances.”

In 2021, Dan was a contestant on “Chopped,” a chef competition on the Food Network, and he also appeared on “Beat Bobby Flay.” He likens preparing meals for his three kids to “Chopped,” because he creates a meal based on what’s available in the kitchen. “Let’s make the best of it,” he says, holding back tears. “I think that’s kind of my attitude toward the restaurant, maybe life in general.”

These days, he has family backing him up in the cooking department – his mom, Ronnie Jackson, often leaves meals in the refrigerator. “If there’s any chef in the family, it’s her,” Dan says, adding that she makes delicious homemade meatballs. Ronnie also

Celebrated chef Dan Jackson and his children, Camille Jackson, 7, Leon Jackson, 7, and Eliot Jackson, 9, enjoy a snack together at Osteria Georgi in Chapel Hill.

Chef, Italian Food, Overall Service, Overall Restaurant and Spot for a Business Lunch

regularly makes the floral centerpieces for the restaurant. Dan admits that he and the kids eat out more often now, too, at places like Monterrey or Grata Diner in Carrboro or The Town Hall Grill in Southern Village

“The last year has been really, really tough,” he says. “But you know, I’ve had this amazing, amazing support system that has really allowed me to not only live, but [also] thrive and feel like we’re moving forward. The team here [at Osteria Georgi] has been through every ebb and flow of me and has always had my back. I have a family, I have my parents, and I have my mother-in-law, who moved down from Toledo, [Ohio]. And I have the kids. Really, when I say there’s power in numbers, I can’t say that enough. What I’m learning as a widower is that there is real power in having multiple kids, because you rely on one another. I see a lot of other widowers in this area, because that’s sort of my field now. And I’m very visible. And it’s part of my story now.” 

Dan goes in for a group hug with his favorite people.

rowing up in Kinston, North Carolina, Jemel Sutton discovered his love for cooking at a young age, watching his granny create meals for the family. “That’s who really inspired me to start cooking,” Jemel says. “I used to cook full-course meals on my own for my brother and sister at 7 or 8 years old, making all the foods my granny taught me how to cook. I would fry chicken, and I would bake chicken, and I was really good at making burgers.” She also showed him the secrets to her cabbage, greens, macaroni and cheese and pork.

Stepping into the food business was serendipitous. Jemel, who earned his undergrad degree at UNC, started by bringing plates of food to Ephesus Elementary School where his wife, Danielle Sutton, was assistant principal. “After doing it one time, people started asking for it,” Jemel says. In 2012, Jemel was invited to cook for a Christmas party of 100 people by someone at the school, which led to continuous requests for him to cater other events. “It just sort of

up

cookingSuccess

By Olivia Paul

Photography by John Michael Simpson

Jemel Sutton and Danielle Sutton’s journey from family meals to a flourishing catering company

happened, and it spread through word of mouth,” says Danielle, who has her doctorate from UNC. “And we realized it could be a business.”

JMS Catering has provided meals for everything from small office get-togethers to weddings with 300 attendees for the past 12 years. Jemel co-owns the business with Danielle, who handles emails, billing, marketing and social media. She is also the executive director of professional learning at Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. They have a small staff to deliver orders to clients and help as servers and bartenders at larger events.

Jemel starts early, waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. to prepare food three days a week at the Piedmont Food Processing Center. Sometimes he listens to audiobooks, podcasts and music – he has an affinity for Wu-Tang Clan – all before the sunrise. “Going to the kitchen is already therapeutic for me,” Jemel says. “I don’t always need anything extra, music or anything, to really boost me, because going in there to cook is the boost. My mind is so clear while I’m cooking.”

JMS Catering’s most popular dish is herb-roasted chicken alongside the bacon-wrapped chicken bites appetizer. Offerings primarily encompass American cuisine like eggplant pinwheels – a take on eggplant Parmesan – and herb-roasted honey-glazed salmon, but Jemel says their style doesn’t fit into one specific box. “People ask for so many different things from you, and we’ve been able to provide so many different types of food,” he says.

Full-Service Catering

The husband-and-wife duo pride themselves in providing quality food and service for any event. “We are also very budget friendly,” Danielle says. “So, if you come to me and say, ‘I want to do a birthday party, and here is my budget and here’s how many people,’ we can put something together that meets your budget needs. That is something else that I think has helped us be successful, because I don’t know that other companies are offering that level of flexibility.”

JMS Catering is contracted to supply meals for students at schools such as KidSCope Early Learning Center, which it does every weekday, and Immaculata Catholic School every Tuesday. On the weekends, they continue to cater events along with the occasional soul food brunch at Melanated Wine in Durham on Sundays. That menu includes fried chicken and waffles with honey-pecan butter as well as collard greens and roasted red potatoes with onions and peppers. They have also catered events for various UNC departments as well as for the Orange County Department of Social Services, the Rotary Club of Chapel Hill and Cedar Ridge High School’s booster and athletic groups. “We pride ourselves on saying, ‘No event is too small,’” Danielle says. “The most rewarding part about running JMS Catering is the consistent positive feedback from our clients. I can honestly say that the pros outweigh the cons. It’s hard work, but it’s all worth it.”

Outside of running their business, the couple enjoys spending time with their 12-year-old daughter, Laila Sutton, who also has a knack for cooking, often preparing dishes such as chicken breast and corn on her own. The family has taco night once a week and always enjoys their meals together around the dinner table. “[JMS Catering] embodies family,” Jemel says. “It provides for my family, it’s everything. For my wife and I to be able to build this business from the ground up – it’s a job, per se, but it’s a job we all do together.”

What’s New & Next for our readers’ Full-Service Catering favorites

Deli, Bakery and Catering continues to rebuild after a fire broke out at the restaurant in July 2023. Owner Jamil Kadoura hopes the space will open again by November. In the meantime, catering operations are run from The Story venue at 450 W. Franklin St. Customers can also order online from a limited to-go menu from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Jamil says The Story itself is doing great, and business has tripled over the past year. He is optimistic about the restoration of Med Deli and says he’s expanding both its kitchen and the gluten-free bakery in the basement. Counter service will resume when the restaurant reopens, but the ambience will have a different feel after they install wood ceilings. 

Mediterranean

Chapel Hill Restaurant Group is working on adding new items to the catering menu for LuLuBangBang, its Asian and sushi restaurant located in Research Triangle Park. Co-owner Greg Overbeck says that, despite sales taking a hit during the pandemic, business has improved during the past year. Meanwhile, its beloved Chapel Hill eateries, Squid’s and 411 West, turn 38 and 33 years old, respectively, this year. Greg says CHRG is also developing a plan to provide on-site sushi chefs for private events.

Beau Catering’s grab-and-go location has offered up delicious meals to reheat at home alongside soups, salads, desserts and more, plus wine and beer, since it opened in September 2023 on Weaver Dairy Road. The menu changes seasonally, but they offer variations of the most popular meals –including the lasagna, and the chicken or sweet potato enchiladas with salsa verde – year-round. This summer, look for pies made with blueberries from Bahama Bluebs as well as tomato pies – get ’em while you can! Beau Catering owner Lauren Erickson Bennett says the store will also soon offer a communitysupported agriculture flower pickup. 

go with the flow

Recess Yoga is the culmination of a lifelong passion

By Lena Miano

hen 14-year-old Tom Sowders attended his first yoga class in 1994, he was immediately struck by the uniqueness of the corpse pose.

The Chapel Hill native dabbled in the relaxing practice here and there, and by 2014, Tom was taking yoga classes multiple

Tom finds a moment of zen in tree pose outside Recess Yoga. The mural behind him, titled “Carrboro Man” and painted by Scott Nurkin, was designed by Amanda Barr, owner of Bowbarr, which is downstairs from the studio. “It is definitely the landmark I give people when describing our location,” Tom says. “I absolutely love it.”

Photography by Susan Murray

times each week. “The poses are just one part of a greater way of life; it’s spiritual and healthy and meditative,” Tom says, adding that he has always been passionate about community health.

The 2004 NC State graduate who earned a degree in creative writing has maintained this routine during the last decade. Then for a year, he thought hard about getting his teaching certification. It was an eight-month process which culminated in the fall of 2018. “I think that if something takes a longer time commitment, it kind of sets you up for a more committed relationship with that thing,” Tom says.

New Businesses

During the certification, he was inspired by an exercise in which he envisioned owning his dream yoga studio. “As soon as I did that, that little twinkle never left,” Tom says. Meanwhile he worked as a yoga instructor at Raleigh’s Trophy Brewing Co. After moving back to Chapel Hill in 2019, Tom split his time between Carrboro Yoga Company and UNC Children’s where he is the director of communications.

In the spring of 2023, Tom heard the one-room space above Bowbarr was being vacated, and the avid yogi jumped at the

Tom excels at building relationships with students and creating an approachable, community-focused atmosphere in the studio.

• Remove sagging skin without surgery with Ellacor Micro-coring technology.

• Accure Laser for Acne. Effective treatment for acne without medication.

• Bothered by Unwanted Sweat? Not anymore with the Brella 3-minute SweatControl Patch.

Chris G. Adigun, MD is a board certified dermatologist and a recognized leader in dermatology. Dr. Adigun’s team is comprised of top notch, dermatology-trained professionals, offering the latest technology and treatments for all your skincare needs.

Visit DLC today and experience the difference for yourself!

Chris G. Adigun, MD, FAAD

Karlee Wagoner, ANP-BC

Diana Walker, PA-C

Amy Rodriguez, PA-C

Jenny Jahoo, LME

I love Chapel Hill as much as you do. And as your local Allstate Agency, I understand the unique needs of our community, and the Allstate products and services that can help keep you protected. Contact me today to secure your peace of mind with someone you can trust.

Let me help protect all that’s good in your life.

Thank you, Chapel Hill! We are honored to be recognized as Best Insurance Agency!

opportunity. The name itself was inspired by fellow attendees of the Orange County Social Club who championed “recess” as an approachable and welcoming word. In October 2023, Recess Yoga opened its doors as a place for everyone to experience a wide array of up to 20 accessible yoga classes – from relaxation options like yin and meditation to more rigorous sessions like vinyasa and pilates – taught by Tom and 10 other yoga instructors, including his ex-wife, Sarah Atashi, who also manages the studio. One of Tom’s favorite things about owning Recess Yoga is having that personal relationship as part of the studio environment, and being able to watch attendees’ friendships stem from classes and bloom into the real world. “I think our relationship really embodies what I hope will happen for the relationships of all my students,” Tom says. 

Get to Know three more favorite New Businesses

Award-winning tattoo artist and founder Sam Castro, pictured above, alongside apprentice Jordyn Bury and myriad other Triangle-based guest artists, bring an artsy and welcoming environment to the area with Gold Hand Gallery. Stop by the space on East Winmore Avenue for consultation days on the second Sunday of each month, talk all things tattoos and get your questions answered while enjoying live music from local musicians. Sam’s inspiration for the gallery’s name came from her love of gold, its representation of beauty and quality, and serves as an ode to tattoo artists’ yielding of their hands as tools to craft body art.

For Park Real Estate Management

owner Nicole Galiger, the goal has always been to offer tailored services for landlords and homeowners and to establish the company as the go-to for concierge property management services in the area. Since opening in September 2023, the company’s team of six dedicated employees has managed both properties for all lease durations from their office in a coworking space off Environ Way Park Real Estate Management recently began offering services to furnished midterm rentals, which requires Nicole to adapt the business and bring in new systems – all while juggling three sons and three cats at home.

Partner and owner Dr. Keri Reeves, pictured second from right, founded Kindred Heart Animal Hospital in 2022 off South Greensboro Street in Carrboro. The veterinarian had no plans to expand, but that November, Keri discovered that another veterinary hospital in Governors Village was closing and the space was up for lease. Much of Kindred Heart’s clientele live in the nearby neighborhoods and had been expressing a desire for this location to reopen, offering more convenient pet care. Keri journeyed through four months of negotiations, permitting and an overall face-lift before opening in May 2023. Now the hospital’s team of 20 staff – which started out as just four in 2022 – move back and forth between the two locations with one vet present at each at a time, caring for furry family members.

STAYCATION, ALL I EVER WANTED

By Morgan Cartier Weston

Spend a night at one of our readers’ favorite hotels

The Carolina Inn

The iconic inn, nestled right on the edge of UNC’s campus, offers a timeless experience. The historic hotel is celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2024 and pulling out all the stops to provide a memorable blend of Southern charm and elegance befitting the occasion. In the fall, be sure to book a table for the Centennial Dinner in the Old Well Ballroom to enjoy food, music, cocktails and decor from the 1920s.

Day 1 Steeped in History

The Carolina Inn is known for its afternoon tea. Once you’ve checked into your room, indulge in a refined afternoon filled with delicate pastries and a selection of fine brews from around the world. Next, head to Top of the Hill for dinner and drinks. This rooftop restaurant offers stunning views and a menu stacked with locally sourced ingredients and, of course, North Carolina craft beers like the popular Bell Tower Blueberry Wheat.

Day 2 Take a Walk

The Inn’s central location means you can easily walk to Franklin Street’s shops and restaurants. Begin your morning with a leisurely breakfast at Sutton’s Drug Store, a beloved eatery that’s also 100 years old and known for its nostalgic ambiance and hearty sandwiches that will fuel plenty of steps. Next, pick up a Carolina blue tie at Julian’s or take a stroll through McCorkle Place, a picturesque green space on campus noted for its beautiful landscaping and historic landmarks. Grab a cone piled high with frozen yogurt and toppings at old school spot The Yogurt Pump End the day with a visit to the Ackland Art Museum, which showcases a diverse collection of works from around the world and across several millennia.

AC Hotel by Marriott

Chapel Hill Downtown

This sleek hotel provides modern comfort in a chic contemporary atmosphere, and its West Rosemary Street location means the AC Hotel is perfectly situated for exploring the vibrant food and drink scenes in downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

Day 1 Rock and Roll

Drop your bags and take a five-minute walk to Cosmic Cantina – a UNC student favorite that recently moved a few doors down from its longtime location – for a hearty burrito. Next, browse the eclectic offerings at Rumors – you’re sure to find something fun to wear on your night out. Pop back to the hotel for a pre-dinner cocktail in the luxe lobby bar before you hit Cat’s Cradle, one of the Southeast’s premier live music venues. Whether you’re into indie rock, hip-hop or folk, there’s always something exciting happening here. After the show, grab a cozy drink at Bowbarr or challenge a friend to an arcade game showdown at The Baxter

Day 2 Unwind and Recharge

Head to Epilogue for your new favorite coffee and browse their great selection of books and gifts. Then experience classic comfort food for lunch at Mama Dip’s or a giant slice of pizza at Italian Pizzeria III Round out your visit with a Big Mon IPA or Dad Fuel lager on Steel String Brewery’s patio and watch the town pass you by. Still hungry? We recommend a cheese plate from The Cheese Shop 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CAROLINA INN hotels

PHOTO COURTESY OF AC HOTEL

The Siena Hotel

Named after the small Italian city, The Siena offers an exquisite stay with a focus on fine dining and relaxation – with a touch of European elegance. You’ll feel transported to a Mediterranean villa from the moment you arrive – don’t miss a game of bocce!

Day 1 A Taste of Tuscany

Relax in your room or head to Caffe Driade, a charming coffeehouse just up the road that’s nestled in the woods – perfect for a quiet break with a cup of expertly brewed coffee. For dinner, enjoy a gourmet meal at Il Palio, The Siena’s acclaimed on-site Italian restaurant known for its sophisticated dishes and extensive wine list.

Day 2 Shop Local

Start your morning at the delicious Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, a Chapel Hill staple that promises a substantial – and satisfying – breakfast (be sure to order a hash brown!) Next, head over to the Saturday farmers market at University Place, where you can browse fresh produce, artisanal goods and enjoy the lively community atmosphere. After your shopping is done, escape the heat and enjoy an elevated movie experience at Silverspot Cinema This theater offers plush seating, gourmet snacks and a curated selection of films, making it an ideal way to end your stay.

The Fearrington House Inn

The inn is nestled in a tranquil farm setting just a short drive from Chapel Hill. The belted Galloway cows grazing on the property and walkable nature of the village provides a serene escape that feels like it was plucked from the English countryside.

Day 1 A Slice of Heaven

Readers will enjoy a visit to McIntyre’s Books, a charming bookstore offering a wide selection of titles, an overflowing children’s book section and an entire room dedicated to mysteries. On Thursday and Friday afternoons throughout the summer, enjoy pizza and a pint at Roost beer garden while you tap your feet to lively tunes by local bands. End your day with a cocktail and dessert back at the inn, savoring the elegant ambiance and impeccable service the Fearrington House is renowned for.

Day 2 Chickens and Goats and Cows, Oh My!

Begin your day at The Belted Goat, where you can enjoy classic breakfast dishes like eggs Benedict, loaded omelets and avocado toast with a view of the belted Galloway cows grazing outside. Next, take a peaceful stroll through the Fearrington gardens and admire the beautifully landscaped grounds and vibrant blooms – a perfect photo op. Round out the day by treating yourself to a relaxing massage at the Fearrington Spa, ensuring you feel completely rejuvenated before you head back to the real world. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SIENA HOTEL

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

asavingmaterialworld

The Consignors’ online estate sales serve as a sustainable model for creating less waste and more savings

Words and Photography by Anna-Rhesa Versola

overs quickly unload vintage furniture and boxes of kitchenware from inside a truck to a storage bay in Chapel Hill, where The Consignors practice sustainability one auction at a time.

“Our slogan is, ‘Don’t buy new,’” says Elizabeth Hirsh, owner and founder of The Downsizers, the parent company of The Consignors. 

Elizabeth Hirsh and her fun crew at The Consignors: Christina Pasiewicz, Angela McGinn, Lee Johnson, Nancy Roemer and Lori Rukamp.

The spinoff venture launched in March 2023 to consign items acquired through The Downsizers’ decluttering process. “I think the mission of the business is, from a sustainability perspective, getting high-quality, unique items into other people’s hands. That is really a huge reason why we do what we do.”

Consignment/Resale Store and Home Furnishings & Accessories

Elizabeth says the downsizing industry roughly estimates that a 3,000-square-foot home contains approximately 300,000 individual items. The Consignors typically post a new auction every two weeks, with each one containing about 350 lots that could include midcentury modern pieces, retro housewares, art prints and paintings, books, jewelry, porcelain, pottery, glass, crystal, antiques, collectibles and curiosities. The online auction industry, which includes estate and tag sales, is expected to generate $9.7 billion this year, according to a recent IBISWorld report.

It’s a full circle – it’s not just the buyers, and it’s not just the sellers; it’s sharing the stories between the two so that everyone can just feel good. [The item] is being reused by somebody who really wants it. I think the very special part of this is that we connect the two.

– Elizabeth Hirsh

The Process

Elizabeth says The Downsizers is the largest senior management company in the Carolinas and one of the Triangle’s leading professional home organizers. In her experience, many homeowners want to liquidate anywhere between 70% and 100% of their belongings in a very, very short period of time. “It is extremely difficult,” she says. “Probably one of the most difficult things you could ask someone to do.”

When a homeowner dies and their possessions are liquidated, this is known as an estate sale; if the homeowner is living, then this would be called a tag sale. In either case, The Consignors can place items for sale using an online platform to attract bidders for each lot. Anyone interested in a particular item would simply register for a free account on the website and place a bid, which often starts at $1. Winning bidder collect their item(s) in person.

“I always ask people if they got everything they wanted, and it’s fun to hear their responses,” says Auction Manager Angela McGinn. She recalls one gem of a story about six months ago when a UNC student was the highest bidder on one lot of three first edition Mark Twain books. Angela says that a local book buyer passed on the lot. The student had previewed the books prior to the auction and discovered a printing error.

“[The student] figured out that first editions with errors in them are incredibly rare and valuable,” Elizabeth says. “He had done his research and actually ended up winning it, and he has a very valuable book.”

Angela adds that costume jewelry is an unexpected draw for bidders. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a fine gem or a precious metal,” she says. “It can just be something really vintage. And they will do very, very well. We have a lot of people who come to the auction just for the vintage jewelry.”

Elizabeth says people find a way to connect across time and place. “What they’re more excited about is the fact that someone wants their items,” she says. “Because they’re very special, [sellers get] really excited when they see multiple people bidding on their items … and that gives them a tremendous amount of joy.” 

Helping to save the planet is serious business, but Lori Rukamp and Nancy Roemer still find time to enjoy themselves while doing good.

style and substance

Simply Audrey celebrates five years of empowering through fashion

By Lauren Rouse Photography by John Michael Simpson

on West Franklin Street, she fulfilled a lifelong dream that was printed inside her eighth grade yearbook – to own a clothing boutique.

“It’s something I wanted to do my whole life,” Karen says. “It’s scary to take that leap, but I’m so glad I did.” Karen left her career in marketing and communications in 2019 to pursue her new venture. She wanted to create a curated designer boutique unlike ones she had visited – one that was organized, affordable and inclusive. “Designer clothing

hen Karen Cunningham founded Simply Audrey, tucked inside DB Sutton & Company

shouldn’t be just for the rich or skinny,” Karen says. “It is the same thing with customer service. Everyone should be treated equally and be treated well.

“Maybe you’ve had an instance where you couldn’t find your size or you didn’t feel good enough in what you found, or maybe you couldn’t afford it, so you had to turn around and walk out,” she says.

“I want to provide an experience that combats that.”

Simply Audrey’s classic style is inspired by Audrey Hepburn and was also named after one of Karen’s two daughters.

“I definitely gravitate toward sheath dresses,” Karen says. “When you think of Audrey Hepburn, you think of a

button-down belted dress that comes down to your shins.” However, being located near UNC, Simply Audrey caters to all styles. Crop tops are very popular with students. Brands like Alice + Olivia, Reformation, Tory Burch and Halston are all big sellers, too.

Karen stocks new and vintage clothing in flawless condition. “I love finding the vintage pieces,” she says.

“My favorite thing is to find, like, a 1980s Karl Lagerfeld dress.” The very first piece that Karen purchased was a white Badgley Mischka dress with gorgeous beading and jewels. “It was one of the most incredible pieces,” Karen says. “It was art. I picture the woman who ends up with it and the statement she’s making in it. It just brings me joy.”

The boutique typically has 150-200 pieces in store at any given time, but

Karen handpicks every item at Simply Audrey, from clothing items to accessories like sunglasses, hats and bags.

Women’s Boutique

YESTERDAY AND TODAY FRAME SHOP

Framing yesterday’s memories and today’s treasures since 1974

if you don’t see exactly what you’d like, Karen encourages customers to ask. She is always sourcing inventory and keeps a healthy number of items in storage. Online shoppers as far away as Australia have stumbled upon her boutique. “Our sales are about 50-50 between our website and our storefront,” Karen says.

Simply Audrey’s got a busy summer ahead. A kids pop-up collection will debut in August, and a sidewalk sale will be held in September to celebrate five years in business. Karen will also be continuing her personal styling service, and there may be a blog on the horizon. “I have always thought that what you wear is an extension of your personality,” Karen says. “I want the women who come in to feel empowered and beautiful.” 

Karen shares a glass of wine with David Sutton, who owns DB Sutton & Company hair salon and its wine shop.

celestial celebration

By Anna-Rhesa Versola

Photography by Cornell Watson

orehead Planetarium and Science Center, the world’s first planetarium built on a university campus and the first in the South, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Millions of earthlings have benefited from Morehead’s science resources, including 62 NASA astronauts, since its opening on May 10, 1949.

Under director Anthony “Tony” Jenzano, the planetarium became part of NASA’s training program for astronauts in 1959, according to Chris Katella, marketing and communications manager at Morehead. He says training in Chapel Hill focused on celestial navigation, which helped astronauts reorient themselves in space by sighting specific stars.

“There was an infamous thing that took place during liftoff of the Saturn V, where only a few [seconds] after launch lightning struck the rocket, which caused a whole bunch of electrical problems in the command module,” Chris says of the Apollo 12 mission in November 1969.

Museum and Place to Host a Children’s Birthday Party

“Of course, the most famous [example] would be the following mission of Apollo 13, in which everybody who’s seen the movie knows what happened on the way to the moon,” Chris says, adding that astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert applied their celestial training from Morehead to help regain navigational control in space during their mission in April 1970. “In those early missions where the technology didn’t exist as it does today, astronauts had to use very primitive means to orient themselves in space, and Morehead helped provide them with the training to be able to do so.”

Inside, visitors can see the actual trainer that the Mercury astronauts used and sit in a version of the Gemini trainer to get a sense of its

ABOVE RIGHT Christy Graves brings her three sons – Kenan Graves, 4, Griff Graves, 9, and Joe Graves, 7 – and family friend Connor Price, 8, (second from left) on a tour at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. They explored the recently renovated exhibit spaces, science lab and upgraded digital fulldome theater.

claustrophobic dimensions. “I would say that the Gemini spacecraft was no bigger than a phone booth, and I know that’s an outdated reference, but in many ways, we’re talking very, very small,” Chris says. “When astronauts would come to Morehead, we would dim the lights and fire up the Zeiss projector because we didn’t have digital projection back in the ’60s.”

As better technology became available, Chris says Tony ensured the planetarium kept pace, and his decadeslong impact on growing the planetarium into a statewide institution supporting all facets of science learning is still felt today.

Every year in April, the planetarium hosts a monthlong, statewide marquee event –NCSciFest. This year, thousands of attendees watched via video as astronaut Christina Hammock Koch kicked off the festivities as the featured speaker at the annual UNC Science Expo, one of NCSciFest’s many programs. Christina, who attended the North Carolina School of Science and Math and graduated from NC State, holds the record for the longest continuous time in space by a woman – 328 days. She was part of the first all-female spacewalk in October 2019. Now, she is part of the crew of Artemis II, which will make her the first woman to go to the moon when it launches in September 2025.

morehead through the years

1947 Construction begins.

1949 Morehead Planetarium opens to the public; Roy K. Marshall named director.

1951 Anthony “Tony” Jenzano becomes Morehead’s second director.

1959 NASA astronauts begin training at Morehead.

1969 New Zeiss VI star projector replaces the Zeiss II. Apollo 11 lands on the moon.

1973 The east wing of the building is complete and includes the Morehead Observatory.

1975 As NASA shifts to the space shuttle and navigational computers become more reliable, astronaut training at Morehead comes to an end.

1982 Lee Shapiro becomes the planetarium’s third director.

1984 Computer automation of programs is introduced to Star Theater.

1989 Astronauts return to Morehead to celebrate the planetarium’s 40th anniversary, 30th anniversary of the Mercury program and 20th anniversary of the moon landing.

1999 Morehead Planetarium celebrates its 50th anniversary as it welcomes its 5 millionth visitor.

2001 Holden Thorp becomes the planetarium’s fourth director.

2002 The planetarium is renamed Morehead Planetarium and Science Center to reflect an expanded mission to educate North Carolinians about all sciences.

2003 Morehead collaborates with James Watson to produce the film, “DNA: The Secret of Life.”

2006 Todd Boyette becomes the planetarium’s fifth director.

2008 Morehead partners with GlaxoSmithKline to bring ‘Science In The Summer’ to North Carolina.

2010 Morehead installs a new fulldome digital projection system, renames Star Theater as GlaxoSmithKline Fulldome Theater.

2010 Morehead creates the North Carolina Science Festival.

2011 Morehead decommissions its Zeiss VI star projector after 42 years of service.

Christy and the boys pay attention during a chemistry demonstration before continuing their science safari through the center.

Looking Toward the Future

Throughout the year, visitors can climb the grand entrance facing McCorkle Place and step into the Gateway Gallery to see aspects of Morehead history. “They can learn about the impact of UNC’s research on real world issues in our breakthrough hub,” Chris says. “They can learn to fail, which is an interesting way of learning about the scientific process in our lab. It’s a way that people can see a question and try to answer it through building [or] ideating something to help create what that could be.”

A recent major renovation expanded the gift shop and rotating exhibit spaces, as well as upgrading the fulldome theater experience. “What we have provided is a more dynamic visitor experience that I think is engaging for all ages,” Chris says, adding that a cultural astronomy program was launched last year called One Sky, Many Eyes.

“When people come to Morehead, they see a very Eurocentric, Roman Greek mythology, and this [new program] tells it from a different lens through African American storytelling, Central American storytelling and Indigenous storytelling,” Chris says. “Not one person has the only view of the night sky [when] so many people have so many different ways of interpreting what they see.”

Chris emphasizes Morehead’s educational and economic value in the regional community. “We are one of the important building blocks of building a sustainable STEM pipeline here in North Carolina to spark curiosity,” Chris says. “If you get somebody who comes in from any background whatsoever, and they come into a place like Morehead and see the potential in these careers to make a difference and leave a lasting impact, [then] we’ve done our part to make the world a better place for the future, and everybody has a place in it. Science truly is for all.”

Morehead Planetarium holds a special place in aerospace history for its part in providing celestial navigation training to NASA astronauts. Learning to identify stars and constellations can help astronauts know where they are in outer space.

ABOVE Heels 2

Transition, a program that offers strengthsbased support for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, recently visited Cat Tales Cat Cafe. Here, H2T staff member Ali Marx entertains a kitty.

LEFT The cats have free range of the space at Cat Tales, even overnight. “Exactly what they do during the day is what they do at night,” says Cat Tales manager and co-owner Katy Poitras (pictured right).

Purrfect Playtime

Cat Tales Cat Cafe offers a feline-friendly experience for the whole group

By Leah Berry

Photography by Susan Murray

ntering into Cat Tales Cat Cafe, you’re greeted by smiles, cat art and miscellaneous cushions that double as napping thrones. Then proceed upstairs, where you’ll find feline friends eagerly awaiting company.

Manager and co-owner

Katy Poitras (Ilene Speizer is the other half of the duo) judders a box of treats, and a mass of kitties emerge – even

Pretzel, who can otherwise be found purring peacefully in the corner.

Katy opened Cat Tales on West Franklin Street on Valentine’s Day 2019. “The concept originated overseas where people live in high density areas and weren’t allowed to have pets,” Katy explains. “These local neighborhood cafes were a draw for people.”

When the trend came to the United States, though, it became more adoptionfocused. Katy moved to Chapel Hill from Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, the same year The Holy City landed a cat cafe.

“I got here from Charleston and was watching them on social media, and they were doing such amazing work,” Katy says. “Cat cafes tend to do well in university

towns, so it seemed like a natural fit to bring one to Chapel Hill.”

Katy knew the location was perfect from the get-go. It’s filled with big windows and natural light and is especially conducive to sunbathing kitties who like to observe the hustle and bustle of a busy downtown.

“Once I learned about the cat cafe concept, I felt like it was something I had the capacity to do,” she says.“It was the cushy side of rescue, which, at the time, was where I was comfortable.”

The cafe launched its sister rescue, Cat Tales Rescue NC, in February. The nonprofit works to lower the euthanasia rate of healthy cats in North Carolina by preventing litters, facilitating adoptions, managing a TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) program, supporting community cat caretakers and more.

“A lot of people thought Cat Tales was already a rescue,” Katy says. “We are basically the storefront … kind of a glorified foster home for a nonprofit rescue. Our mission is to help the helpers.

“We take cats from neighboring county shelters, smaller rescues and organizations working really hard and doing really great things. A lot of the organizations don’t have a way to showcase cats … so we’ll bring them here where people can get to know them and interact with them, and it helps [the cats] find their person.”

The cafe currently has 15 rescue partners – primarily rural, underfunded county shelters nearby. “Wherever the help is needed is where we’ll put our efforts,” Katy says.

As of June 4, 850 cats have been adopted out from the cafe. “The reception from the community has been amazing,” Katy says. “It’s just been really cool to see that change over the course of five years. … When we opened, people were unfamiliar with the concept.”

ABOVE Katy shows Heels 2 Transition participant

how the kittens prefer to be pet. All of the cats on the adoption floor are fully vetted and ready for adoption – they spend two to three weeks in a foster home before coming to the cafe to ensure they are relaxed and in good health. Katy says she’s always looking for fosters!

LEFT The cafe doesn’t have a set menu, but they do keep a number of cold beverages in the fridge, including Carolina Brewery’s Sky Blue Kölsch, one of our readers’ favorite local craft bevvies. It also features cat-related retail items, like these adorable magnets from Amy May Pop Art.

Now, the cafe stays almost fully booked. She highly recommends making a reservation if you want to stop by for some feline cuddles – eight or nine visitors are allowed in the cat room for a one-hour reservation at a time. And if you want to see some particularly active kitties, she says to try the noon session. In keeping with the “cafe” portion of its name, Cat Tales Cat Cafe has a small retail section for your choice of bevvy –from beer, wine, coffee, tea and more – or you can cool off with popsicles or an ice-cream cone.

Katy, who has two cats herself – Zippy and Primrose (both adopted from Cat Tales, of course) – and a dog named Minnie, is thrilled with where everything stands now. “It was really exciting to see that we were recognized as a best group outing,” she says. “That was one of our goals from the beginning … to be a place for you to just pop out somewhere and have some relaxing cat therapy time … and be a resource for especially the university community. We want to be a resource that is fun and restorative.” 

group outing

Gabby Frazier

no place like home

Four winning interior designers share a recent project

By Alana Bleimann

Cat French Design

The team at Cat French Design believes in personalized home design that aligns with each client’s unique personality. One of their recent favorite projects is a stunning formal parlor filled with deep mauve tones, custom-designed for a client in Meadowmont. Inspired by a meaningful piece of art, they curated the entire room around its colors, which are subtly echoed throughout the home.

Neighborhood Meadowmont

Project Timeline Spring 2024

Design Highlights The room serves as a “beautiful little jewel box of a space,” says owner Cat French The clients’ art, pottery and book collections blend seamlessly to create visual appeal rich with warmth and comfort, a hallmark of Cat’s design philosophy.

Trending “Color!” Cat says, “Especially earth tones and more pattern and texture.” She notes this is an exciting time to be a designer, as more clients are embracing personal expression in their homes. 

Interior Designers

Chartreuse Design

Chartreuse Design merges classic styles with touches of luxury to create a sophisticated retreat for each client. They aim to help the Chapel Hill community through personal projects like their recent renovation of a home owned by two UNC doctors. “It is the combination of functionality and aesthetics that we respond to, often on an unconscious level,” says Catherine Clamage and Laura Robertson, co-owners and design partners of Chartreuse Design. Their goal is to find what clients don’t yet know is missing from their space.

Neighborhood Old Lystra Road, near Founders Ridge

Project Timeline March-October 2023

Design Highlights The clients embarked on a comprehensive renovation of their kitchen and primary bathroom, seeking a fresh look after spending more than two decades in their home. Tasked with reflecting their personal style, the Chartreuse Design team collaborated with TriPlus Homes and Cabinet Creations to revamp the kitchen. They lightened the space visually while ensuring durability by choosing Taj Mahal quartzite for countertops and backsplash. The integration of lowered outlets and switches discreetly maintained the stone’s prominence. Classic white cabinetry contrasted with a walnut island, offering warmth and functionality while the glass-front cabinets showcased the clients’ collections and enhanced the room’s openness. Refinished hardwood floors and brass fixtures throughout further brightened and added elegance to the space, completing the timeless transformation.

Trending Both say choosing materials that will last a lifetime but still feel unique is in right now. They say textures like “moody marble” and “dramatic quartzite” will never look dated when paired with open shelving and other statement focal points. “While these trends are popular right now, they are actually all timeless on their own,” Catherine and Laura say. “This is exactly why we love them!” The designers are seeing less stark white kitchens and more woody tones. “These shifts highlight a broader movement towards warm, authentic spaces that offer longevity and greater sustainability in interior design.” 

Sloan Polish Design

Designing a new space is all about listening. “It is my job to listen keenly to what my clients are saying they need and want in their spaces,” says Allison Sloan Polish, principal and designer of Sloan Polish Design. For Allison, designing anything should prioritize functionality, ensuring each space serves its purpose effectively. Recently, she completed a basement renovation that enabled the client to utilize a dated area of their home. Her approach emphasizes color and pattern mixing while ensuring family-friendly, approachable designs. She tailors her designs to reflect the homeowner’s tastes and lifestyle, leaving a unique mark on every project.

Neighborhood Lake Forest

Project Timeline February-November 2023

Square Footage 550+

Design Highlights The client initially wanted to remove some existing materials – like terracottatiled floors and wall paneling – but opted to keep them and allocate money for custom cabinetry and furniture instead. By changing the wall color to a deep indigo blue, Allison created a midcentury vibe that complements the warm natural tones of the tile and wood. Painting the trim the same color as the walls helped visually elongate the space, along with swapping old recessed can lights for flush-mount LEDs, resulting in a brighter and cozier basement.

Trending According to Allison, bouclé, a popular design trend, needs to make its exit. Despite its initial appeal, this bumpy, scratchy fabric lacks durability and is hard to clean, making it unsuitable for most projects, but especially if the clients have pets. 

Emma Delon

The team at Emma Delon is known for taking cramped spaces and transforming them using a keen eye for detail during every part of the process. The team brings creativity and expertise to every project from luxurious residential projects to stylish commercial spaces, ensuring a harmonious balance of aesthetics and practicality.

Neighborhood North Elliott Road

Project Timeline December 2021-May 2023

Square Footage 45

Chapel Hill Companies Involved Zurbuch

Construction, Custom Stone and Marble, Kitchen & Bath Galleries and Wilkinson Supply Co.

Design Highlights One of last year’s standout projects was a first-floor guest bath redesign. “With the addition of a transom window in the shower, what was once a dark, cramped space became a bright, open and inviting room,” associate designer Monica Hyde says. Reworking the adjacent guest room’s closet and converting a traditional door into a pocket door allowed for increased storage without sacrificing accessibility. Low beveled shower curbs were used in the bathroom for safety, while raising the shower ceiling, swapping the vanity and removing a soffit brought even more light and open space into the area.

Trending “Our clients LOVE color!” Monica says. The designers are also getting more requests for level entry showers or low-beveled curbs over traditional curbed showers. These modern entries, when tiled with vibrant colors, such as greens, create an inviting, restful atmosphere in any bathroom. 

in full bloom

Fireside Farm has grown from an ambitious hobby to a bustling business during the past decade

By Martha Zaytoun

by Sarah Martin

isa Joyner has gardening in her blood. She was born to avid gardeners, dedicated to homesteading in a novel way for the time: they grew much of their own food and cultivated flowers – sunflowers, zinnias and other annuals.

Lisa’s childhood home in Durham was filled with them, and it was her mother’s practice to take jars full to friends. Her paternal grandmother, too, had an affinity for flowers and floral design.

The UNC grad moved with her husband, Randall Williams, to land that borders the Cane Creek Reservoir in 2007 and started laying the groundwork for a bustling business. The property, now known as Fireside Farm, was already very lush and green, but a bit unkempt and overgrown. “It’s taken us about 17 years to wrangle it into shape,” Lisa says.

At the time, Lisa and Randall still taught English at Carolina Friends School; the farm was just an “ambitious hobby.” They loved teaching but found themselves looking longingly out the window on

Photography

weekends. “We wished we had more time for the outdoor spaces,” Lisa recalls.

The first step toward a full-time business came in 2017. “On Friday nights, we would get every flower we had grown, lay [them] all out on the dining room table and outside on the porch and just make all the arrangements that we could until late in the night,” she says.

The next morning, the couple loaded the bouquets into their 1969 Dodge A100 and drove to different locations, selling flowers from the back of the truck.

Around the same time, they began planting specialty cut flowers. “The really beautiful flowers that people use for events, [like] ranunculus and anemone,” Lisa says.

In 2018, she retired from teaching and gave full attention to the floral business: cultivating the fields, running the flower truck, designing for events and selling to local florists. That year, Lisa and Randall converted an entire

ABOVE Lisa and Randall have fully embraced farm life and are expanding Fireside Farm to include a sawmill and floral education classes this year.

BELOW Lisa collects yarrow, which grows in an array of colors and blooms from spring through summer. Its fluffy texture makes it perfect for arrangements.

florist

south-facing field into 150-foot flower rows. “It had beautiful soil and got sun all day,” she says, making it perfect for cultivating flowers.

Designing wedding flowers came along somewhat by happenstance. Just before the pandemic, a pair of friends asked Lisa to make the arrangements for their wedding. It was her first time designing for such a big ceremony, and she was hooked. “There’s really nothing like watching people come down the aisle at this pivotal moment in their life – and they’re holding flowers that you designed for them,” Lisa explains. “You can name every single variety in there, and you placed [them] carefully and you thought about it. It’s a really transcendental moment.”

Business picked up quickly after that. This year, she’s designing floral arrangements for 70 weddings, including for some of her former middle school students now in their 20s and 30s. Lisa encourages clients to work with flowers that are seasonal and local for the sake of sustainability, and provides them a list of what will be in bloom on their wedding date.

During early conversations, Lisa takes diligent notes. “I write down their dog’s name, I write down where they met, all the little details that they’ve told me,” Lisa says. “I really want to be thinking about them when I make all of the designs.”

Some of her design inspiration comes from social media, but other ideas come more organically. “Sometimes the night before a wedding, I dream about the bouquet,” she says. “I’ll wake up sometimes and know what it’s supposed to look like.”

The couple’s ambitions for the farm are vast, and she and Randall are currently expanding the sawmill side of their business. “We just opened a new facility in Saxapahaw that takes logs that would have gone to the landfill and turns them into lumber to make more affordable homes,” she says. And, in the barn that they just built on the property, she plans to start teaching floral design classes this year. “I’m excited about blending teaching and floristry,” Lisa says, “and bringing more people out here to tour the farm.” 

ABOVE Lisa snips a snapdragon stem.

BELOW Farm dogs Ollie (left), Junebug (right) and puppy Roscoe (not pictured), all Great Pyrenees, take their jobs very seriously.

*All

DINING

Asian Cham Thai

Elements

Jujube

Thai Station

Barbecue

Acme Food & Beverage Company

Hillsborough BBQ Company

Mama Dip’s Kitchen

The Pig

Biscuits

Flying Biscuit Café

Neal’s Deli

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen

Breakfast

Brandwein’s Bagels

Breadman’s

Breakaway Cafe

Flying Biscuit Café

Brewery

Carolina Brewery

Haw River Tap + Table

Steel String Brewery

Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery

Brunch

Acme Food & Beverage Company

Bluebird

Breakaway Carrboro

Carolina Coffee Shop

Burger

Al’s Burger Shack

Buns

Hawthorne & Wood

Town Hall Burger & Beer

Chain Restaurant

Alpaca Peruvian Charcoal Chicken

Bartaco

Cava

Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill

Chef Andrea Reusing, Lantern

Brandon Sharp, Bluebird/Hawthorne & Wood

Brendan Cox, Oakleaf

Dan Jackson, Osteria Georgi

Sera Cuni, The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering

Cocktails

Atlas

Belltree Cocktail Club

Bowbarr

The Crunkleton 

2024

winners

Carly Erickson sources all the produce for her Boro Beverage Company kombucha, one of the favorite craft beverages, from local farmers.

Photo by John Michael Simpson

Comfort

Acme

Merritt’s

Craft

Boro

Carrboro

Top

Desserts/Pastries

Even

Nantucket

Starfish

Snooze, named one of Chapel Hill’s favorite new eateries, offers up a multitude of egg dishes, French toast, creative pancakes and brunch cocktails into early afternoon.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SNOOZE

You knew us as a locally renowned catering company for weddings and larger events. Then many of you came to know us more intimately with meal delivery.

The community we love rallied around us and cheered us on. Now even more of you know us as Beau To Go!

Dog-Friendly Restaurant or Patio

Dingo Dog Brewing Company

Merritt’s Grill

The Spotted Dog Weaver Street Market

Draft Beer Selection

Beer Study

Carolina Brewery

The Casual Pint

Franklin Motors

The Wooden Nickel Public House

Food Truck

Chirba Chirba Dumpling Truck

Merritt’s Grill

Roquette at Franklin Motors

Ta Contento Mex Fresh Food

Fried Chicken

Acme Food & Beverage Company

Bonchon

Mama Dip’s Kitchen

Time-Out Restaurant

Fries

Al’s Burger Shack

Bluebird

Buns

Heavenly Buffaloes

Full-Service Catering

Beau Catering

Chapel Hill Restaurant Group

JMS Catering

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering

Gluten-Free Options

Coco Bistro & Bar

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering

The Purple Bowl Weaver Street Market

Host/Server

Alex Mendez, Governors Club

Britton Murray, The Wooden Nickel Public House

David Wood, Governors Club

Heather Hayes, Bluebird

Paula Gilland, The Purple Bowl

Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt

La Vita Dolce

Maple View Farm Country Store

Whit’s Frozen Custard

The Yogurt Pump

Indian

CholaNad Restaurant & Bar

Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar

Tandoor Indian Restaurant

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe

categories.

Italian

Italian Pizzeria III

Osteria Georgi

Pizzeria Mercato

Tesoro

Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Al’s Burger Shack

Italian Pizzeria III

The Loop Restaurant

Weaver Street Market

Late-Night Eats

Cosmic Cantina

The Northside District

Sup Dogs

Time-Out Restaurant

Local Food Product

Chapel Hill Creamery cheese

Chapel Hill Toffee

Maple View Farm ice cream

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering’s pita bread

Mediterranean Cava

Kipos Greek Taverna

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering

Talulla’s

Mexican/Latin American

Carrburritos

Fiesta Grill

Monterrey Mexican Grill

Que Chula Tacos

New Eatery or Bar

Eno River Brewing

Haw River Tap + Table

Snooze

Tonya’s Cookies

Outdoor Dining

Caffè Driade

Hawthorne & Wood

Kipos Greek Taverna

Weaver Street Market 

BY

PHOTO

LEAH BERRY

Open for lunch and dinner, Elements earned a nod in both the favorite seafood and Asian cuisine

GRAYSQUIRRELCOFFEE.COM

Overall Restaurant

Bluebird

Hawthorne & Wood

Oakleaf

Osteria Georgi

Overall Service

Bluebird

Governors Club

Hawthorne & Wood

Osteria Georgi

Pizza

Alfredo’s Pizza Villa

Italian Pizzeria III

Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria

Pizzeria Mercato

Place for a Date Night

Bluebird

Hawthorne & Wood

Lantern

Market and Moss

Oakleaf

Place to Watch the Game

Carolina Brewery

The Casual Pint

Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery

The Town Hall Grill

Queso

Armadillo Grill

Carrburritos

Monterrey Mexican Grill

Que Chula Tacos

Restaurant Catering

Brandwein’s Bagels

Flying Biscuit Café

The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe

Sandwiches

Coco Bistro & Bar

Jersey Mike’s Subs

Merritt’s Grill

Neal’s Deli

Seafood

Elements

Hawthorne & Wood

Kipos Greek Taverna

Oakleaf

Squid’s

Spot for a Business Lunch

Crossroads Chapel Hill at The Carolina Inn

Glasshalfull

Osteria Georgi

Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill

Steak

Bin 54 Steak & Cellar

Farm House Restaurant

Hawthorne & Wood

Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill 

Italian Pizzeria III, a readers’ favorite in the Italian, kid-friendly and pizza categories, offers a full menu of Italian classics, from bright salads and antipasto to hearty oven-baked pastas and pizzas made with fresh dough.

BY

PHOTO

JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

*All

Sushi

Akai Hana

Iza Whiskey & Eats

Mr. Tokyo Japanese Restaurant

Spicy 9 Sushi Bar & Asian Restaurant

Takeout

Carrburritos

Cham Thai

Jade Palace

Thai Station

Tea

Caffè Driade

Coco Bistro & Bar

The Fearrington House Restaurant

Tea Hill

Upscale Restaurant

Bin 54 Steak & Cellar

Bluebird

Hawthorne & Wood

Oakleaf

Vegetarian/Healthy Food

Coco Bistro & Bar

Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering

The Spotted Dog

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe 

*All results listed in alphabetical order

**The presence of five winners is the result of a tie

Wine Selection at a Restaurant

Bin 54 Steak & Cellar

The Fearrington House Restaurant

Glasshalfull

Hawthorne & Wood

Wine and/or Beer Shop

Beer Study

The Casual Pint

Chapel Hill Wine Company

Rocks + Acid Wine Shop

Winestore. Chapel Hill

Wings

Bonchon

Heavenly Buffaloes

The Town Hall Grill

The Wooden Nickel Public House

HOME & GARDEN

Architect

Paces and Roehm Architecture

Shaw Design Associates

Sophie Piesse Architect

Szostak Design

Commercial Builder

Choate Construction

Kennedy Building Co.

Resolute Building Company

Szostak Design 

Contact our team of experienced agents today for a full evaluation and best options for your business and family.

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

The Kersh family sought assistance from readers’ favorite architect and interior designer, Sophie Piesse Architect and Sloan Polish Design, respectively, in creating their new house.

Commercial Real Estate Company

Bold Commercial Real Estate

Chapel Hill Realty Group

Morris Commercial

Triangle Real Estate Services

Florist

Fireside Farm

Purple Puddle

University Florist

Victoria Park Florist

Garden & Hardware Store

Fifth Season Gardening Company

Fitch Lumber & Hardware

Southern States Cooperative

Town & Country Hardware

Home Maintenance & Repair

Boer Brothers Heating & Cooling

Bud Matthews Services

Carrboro Plumbing Inc.

Sparrow & Sons Plumbing & Heating

Home Painter

CertaPro Painters

Ramirez Painting & Pressure Washing

Silvestre Painting

Tar Heel Painters

Interior Designer

Cat French Design

Chartreuse Design

emma delon

Sloan Polish Design

Kitchen/Bath Designer

Cederberg Kitchens + Renovations

Emma Delon

Kitchen & Bath Galleries

Will Johnson Building Company

Landscaper

Amy Strunk Designs

Farmhouse Lawn & Landscape

O’Mara Landscaping and Lawn Care

Tarheel Turf Services

Large-Scale Residential Builder

David Weekley Homes

Garman Homes

Homes by Dickerson

Neighborhood

Briar Chapel

Governors Club

Hillsborough Historic District

Southern Village

Real Estate Agent

Alex Nickodem, Terra Nova + Compass

Erika Buchholtz, Erika & Co.

Gretchen Castorina, Compass

Scott Kelley, Governors Club Realty

Seth Gold, Bold Real Estate

BY LONG YAU

Real Estate Company

Bold Real Estate

Erika & Co.

Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty

Inhabit Real Estate

Shenandoah Realty

Residential Builder

Bold Construction

Groundstone Homes

Szostak Build

Will Johnson Building Company

Zinn Design Build

RETAIL

Bike Shop

Back Alley Bikes

The Bicycle Chain

The Clean Machine

PARcycles Inc.

Bookstore

Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews

Flyleaf Books

Golden Fig Books

McIntyre’s Books

Children’s Store

Ali Cat Toys

Glee Kids

Lucky Dancewear

Puddle Baby

Consignment/Resale Store

The Consignors

Paws4ever Resale Store

Rumors

The Stock Exchange

Fashion Jewelry

Light Years

SallyMack Life Furnishings

Sofia’s Boutique

Whilden

Fine Jewelry

Creative Metalsmiths

Melissa Designer Jewelry

Olmaz Jewelers

Wentworth & Sloan

Gift Store

Peel

SallyMack Life Furnishings

This & That Gift Gallery

WomanCraft Gifts 

PHOTO

Andrew Meriwether and Larkin Johnson solicited Fireside Farm, voted one of our readers’ favorite florists, to design the florals for their wedding.

*All results listed in alphabetical order

**The presence of five winners is the result of a tie

Home Furnishings & Accessories

The Consignors

Dwell

SallyMack Life Furnishings

Whitehall Antiques

Pet Store

Chapel Hill Wild Bird

Feeders Pet Supply

Hollywood Feed

Paws at the Corner

Picture Framing Services

The Frame & Print Shop

Higgins & Myers Custom Framing & Fine Art Gallery

Studio 71

Yesterday and Today Frame Shop

Place for Beauty Products

Aesthetic Solutions

Medical Day Spa Chapel Hill

Monarch Brow & Facial Studio

Ulta Beauty

Place for Glasses

20/20 Eyeworks

Carrboro Family Vision

Chapel Hill Eyecare

Chapel Hill Ophthalmology

Shopping Experience

Carr Mill Mall

Downtown Franklin Street Eastgate Crossing

Fearrington Village

Store for UNC Gear

Chapel Hill Sportswear

Johnny T-shirt

The Shrunken Head

UNC Student Stores

Women’s Boutique Dovecote Style

Simply Audrey

Sofia’s Boutique

Uniquities Whilden

SERVICES

Accounting Firm

Adkin CPA PLLC

Blackman & Sloop

Citrin Cooperman

(Coleman Huntoon & Brown)

Joel L. Levy CPA, PLLC

Alterations

A Cleaner World

Anna’s Tailor and Alterations

Cynthia’s Tailor Shop

MTHU Oriental Tailors

Automotive Services/Repairs

Auto Logic

Brown’s Automotive

Chapel Hill Tire Car Care Center

Sturdivant’s Tire Pros & Auto

Bank

Bank of America

Coastal Credit Union

State Employees’ Credit Union

Truist

Barbershop

Blake’s on Elliott

Clark’s Barber Style

Edge Salon & Wellness

Friendly Barber Shop

Boutique Fitness barre3

CrossFit HTS

Eat the Frog Fitness

F45 Training East Chapel Hill

Child Care

Chapel Hill Cooperative Preschool

KidSCope Early Learning Center

Mi Escuelita Spanish Immersion Preschool

Primrose School of Chapel Hill at Briar Chapel 

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

Cynthia Lennon owns Cynthia’s Tailor Shop, one of our readers favorite places to go for alterations, where she relishes transforming garments into something that customers can truly enjoy.

Chiropractor

Carolina Spine Specialists

Ignite Wellness Chiropractic Center

Partners in Health & Wellness

Swiss Chiropractic Clinique

Cleaners

A Cleaner World

Cole Park Cleaners

Deluxe Cleaners

McPherson Cleaners

Perfect Image Cleaners

Dance Studio

The Ballet School of Chapel Hill

Monarch Movement Company

Renner Dance Company

To The Pointe Dance & Kids Care

Triangle Youth Ballet

Dermatologist/Cosmetic Services

Aesthetic Solutions

Central Dermatology Center

Chapel Hill Dermatology

Dermatology & Laser Center of Chapel Hill

Event Planner

Bess and Beau Event Design

The Carolina Inn

I Do Weddings by Michele

Michele Leighton, Governors Club

Event Space

Blue Hill Event Center

The Carolina Inn

Fearrington Village

Governors Club

Financial Advisor/Investment Firm

Atlantic Private Wealth

Edward Jones

Woodward Financial Advisors

Zenith Retirement Planning

Fitness Facility

Chapel Hill Training

CrossFit Chapel Hill

Duke Center for Living

Governors Club Wellness Center

UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont

General Dentistry

Bostian Dental

Dr. Jessica Bishop Funk

Holman Family Dental Care

Milltown Family Dentistry

Studio G Aesthetic & Family Dentistry

Hair Salon

Ceremony Salon

Citrine Salon

Mina’s Studio

To The Woods

Hearing Care Provider

North Carolina Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat

UNC Hearing and Communication Center

UNC Hospitals Audiology at Meadowmont

UNC Hospitals Hearing and Voice Center at Carolina Crossing

Home Health Care

Aegis Home Care

Home Instead

Homewatch CareGivers of Chapel Hill

UNC Home Health

Hotel

AC Hotel by Marriott Chapel Hill Downtown

The Carolina Inn

The Fearrington House Inn

The Siena Hotel

Insurance Agent / Firm

High & Rubish Insurance Agency

James Dallesandro, Allstate Insurance

Pam Herndon State Farm Insurance Agency

Robbie Norris, NC Farm Bureau

Seagroves Insurance

Martial Arts

Beacon Mixed Martial Arts and Fitness

Chapel Hill Gracie Jiu Jitsu

Chapel Hill Quest Martial Arts

United Tae Kwon Do Academy 

Optometrist/Ophthalmologist Carrboro

A talented cast of kids and teens performed “Disney’s Newsies Jr.” last spring at Center Theater Company, voted a favorite performing arts venue.

*All results listed in alphabetical order

**The presence of five winners is the result of a tie

Pediatrician/Family Medicine

Avance Care South Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill Children and Adolescents’ Clinic

Chapel Hill Pediatrics & Adolescents

North Chatham Pediatrics & Internal Medicine

Pet Boarding

Doggie Spa & Day Care

Dogwood Veterinary Hospital & Pet Resort

Green Beagle Lodge

Love Overboard Kennels & Grooming

Pet Sitting

Daisybelle’s Dog Walking & Pet Sitting

Kimie’s Kritters

Laughing Dog Pet Care

Walk & Wag

Pet Trainer

Cheery Dogs Dog Training

Green Beagle Lodge

Hickory Hounds

Paws4ever

Pharmacy

501 Pharmacy

Carrboro Family Pharmacy

CVS

Southern Village Pharmacy

Physical Therapy

CORA North Chapel Hill

EmergeOrtho Chapel Hill

Empower Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont

Pilates Studio

Carolina Core Pilates

Club Pilates

Conscious Strong FlowCORPS

Plastic Surgeon

Finn Plastic Surgery

H/K/B Cosmetic Surgery – Chapel Hill

UNC Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Spa

Hillsborough Spa and Day Retreat

Medical Day Spa of Chapel Hill

The Spa at Fearrington

Wild Beauty Organic Skin Care

Sports Club

Chapel Hill Country Club

Chapel Hill Tennis Club

Governors Club

UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont

Urgent Care

Duke Urgent Care Hillsborough

UNC Urgent Care at The Family Medicine Center

UNC Urgent Care at Hillsborough

Veterinarian

The Animal Hospital of Carrboro

Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic

Meadowmont Animal Hospital

VCA Timberlyne Animal Hospital

Waxing Salon

The Little Wax Shop at Spa Breeze

Mina’s Studio

Monarch Brow & Facial Studio

Waxing the City

Wax Poetic 

WILL

Yoga Studio

Dogwood Studio

Earth Yoga Studio

Franklin Street Yoga Center

Recess Yoga

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Art Gallery

Ackland Art Museum

Frank Gallery

Higgins & Myers Custom Framing & Fine Art Gallery

Peel

Group Outing

The Baxter

Cat Tales Cat Cafe

Tar Heel Escapes

Wine & Design Chapel Hill

Live Music Venue

Cat’s Cradle

The Kraken

Memorial Hall (Carolina Performing Arts)

Southern Village

Movie Theater

Chelsea Theater

The Lumina

Silverspot Cinema

Varsity Theatre

Museum

Ackland Art Museum

Carolina Basketball Museum

Kidzu Children’s Museum

Morehead Planetarium & Science Center

Music School or Instructor

Chapel Hill School of Musical Arts

Sara Zaleta

School of Rock Chapel Hill

Skylark Music School

Performing Arts Venue

Center Theater Company

Forest Theatre

Memorial Hall (Carolina Performing Arts)

PlayMakers Repertory Company

Photographer

Amy Stern Photography

Fancy This Photography

Heba Salama Photography

Lindsay Metivier

Place to Host a Children’s Birthday Party

1870 Farm

Blue Skies of Mapleview

Kidzu Children’s Museum

Morehead Planetarium & Science Center

Summer Camp

Blue Skies of Mapleview

Bouncing Bulldogs

Chapel Hill Tennis Club

School of Rock Chapel Hill CHM

Twin brothers Max Ehrenfeld and Mason Ehrenfeld, both 12, jump onto the skim boards in their backyard pool in Governors Club. If they’re not splashing in the water, they can be found playing among the hidden spaces inside their home, like the elevated loft space that connects their bedrooms.

HOME & GARDEN

the bold and the

beautiful

The Ehrenfeld family built a dream house in Governors Club

Jana Ehrenfeld grew up in a country known for its castles. She never imagined she would be living the American dream in a castle of her own in the Governors Club community.

Jana left her home in the Czech Republic to work as an au pair in North Carolina. She befriended a Czech woman in 2006 who lived next door to her host

Words and Photography by Anna-Rhesa Versola

ABOVE The main three-car garage connects to the three-level home, with a second three-car garage accessible on the lower level. Thirty-four Tesla

efficiency.

family. Jana accompanied her friend and her friend’s husband to Chris Ehrenfeld’s birthday party on April 20 that same year. Jana and Chris hit it off when they discovered they share that same birthday.

The couple married three years later and are now raising twin sons, Max Ehrenfeld and Mason Ehrenfeld, who turned 12 on July 4, and a 3-year-old mini labradoodle, Rocky Chris, who owns Bold Companies, is a regional builder and developer of commercial and residential real estate, while Jana is a bookkeeper for Bold Companies.

Architect, Neighborhood and Residential Builder

Their 9,652-square-foot home –the fourth custom home they’ve built together – is a modern marvel designed by architect Abbie Lee Roehm. “I didn’t imagine that I would be living in a mansion like this,” Jana says. “I came from a humble little condo.” The manse includes five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, two three-car garages,

rooftop panels capture solar energy, increasing the home’s

RIGHT Max descends into Mason’s room from the loft that sits between their bedrooms, where the boys often play with their Legos.

BELOW The twins say they love being identical brothers and best friends.

an indoor movie theater, weight room, game room and wine cellar. An elevator provides wheelchair access to all three levels.

Jana’s preference for a sleek European aesthetic influenced Chris in a profound way. “So we built a modern home for ourselves back in 2013,” he says. “At the time, it was probably the only modern home in Governors Club or one of the few modern homes around. Subsequently, we got a ton of business from that because the market is shifting more toward modern homes.” 

ABOVE Mason wears his favorite color, which matches the Jeep portrait above his bed.

MIDDLE Max’s preferred color is blue, and the Jeep above his bed features the Carolina blue logo of his father’s alma mater.

ABOVE Mason curls weights while Max confidently repeats a set of pullups. The whole family enjoys a fully equipped home gym downstairs.

NATURAL SURROUNDINGS

Chris says Governors Club, a private residential community, was started in the late ’80s. The 2.6-acre lot they chose to build on presented challenges in its terrain, as their property sits on a steep hillside on Edwards Mountain near Jordan Lake.

“We brought in an unbelievable number of truckloads of dirt to make the driveway as nice as it is now,” Chris says. “If not, it would have been like a cliff. That’s why nobody built here for as long as they did. … But what’s cool about it is we have a level backyard. 

We have a swimming pool. And when you’re here, you’re up in the trees. I think it makes the views that much more beautiful.”

The home also features an impressive amount of glass, Chris says. “[We are] secluded in the privacy we have here. And having all these trees, you’re seeing nature, and we get a ton of natural light, which I love.”

CREATIVE SPARK

A massive front door pivots on a hidden hinge, revealing a spacious entryway with an open staircase leading both up and downstairs. The neutral color palette

Large windows usher in natural light and provide scenic views throughout the home. The main living room (above) looks out onto the backyard pool, and the second floor sitting room (left) has a treetop panorama at the front of the property.

Being new to the area, my husband and I were fortunate to be referred to Chan Wright Insurance Agency and couldn't be happier. Chan took the time to assess our needs, and offered plans to insure home, auto, and life. We never felt pressured and felt that we made a new friend versus a sales agent. We highly recommend Chan Wright Insurance Agency.

- MARIE M.

We are so honored to be recognized as a Best of Chapel Hill insurance agency. Thank you to our clients who have made this possible for us!

throughout the home allows vibrant artwork to pop into view; there is a wondrous depiction of jungle creatures, rainforest critters and familiar farm animals at every turn.

Chris and Jana do more than collect art; they also do what they can to actively support local artists. In April, the couple hosted a party featuring the work of Durham-based artist Tyrone “Ty” Smalls. One of Chris’ favorite pieces is “Lion Hearted,” Ty’s portrait of a majestic lion, which hangs in the vestibule leading from the main hall to the eastern side of the house. 

ABOVE The primary bedroom suite features Jana’s colorful artwork on the far wall. The golden lips are by Siler City artist Roger Person.

RIGHT Rocky sits in his usual perch by the dining room window to watch for arrivals.

BELOW Another painting by Jana decorates the wine cellar downstairs by the game room.

Holden, Housing Solutions owner named:

• Kitchen and Bath Renovation, Room Additions, Screened-in Porches and Decking

• Authorized Dealer for Wellborn, Waypoint, Diamond, Green Forest, Kountry Kraft Cabinetry plus Hardwoords and Luxury Vinyl Plank, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Carpeting and More.

• In-house Design Utilizing CAD Software

• In-house Trade Teams

• 5.0««««« Google-Rated Home Renovation and Review Rating

I love cooking here – I just open the doors, and after we eat, the boys frequently run and jump in the pool, sometimes fully dressed.

– Jana Ehrenfeld

An acrylic painting of another lion by Raleigh artist Leticia Mendes, a native of Brazil, looks across the hallway from the kitchen to the dining room.

Yet another treasured piece, “The Chatham Rabbit” is mounted next to the granite fireplace in the two-story living room. Chris says he and Jana were exploring Siler City when they met the artist behind the work, Roger Person. Chris is drawn to the bold lines, colors and humor in Roger’s work, like his painting of a cow with a side-eyed gaze that hangs in the upstairs sitting room.

THE HEART OF THE HOME

Arriving home from school, Max and Mason drop their backpacks and kick off their shoes by the door before heading into the kitchen for a snack. Jana pulls fresh strawberries,

ABOVE “The Chatham Rabbit” painting hangs in foreground of the piece entitled “Lion Hearted.”

MIDDLE Max and Mason race around the front circle to release energy after school.

BELOW Chris stands on the threshold of the scullery, which the family often utilizes to prepare food for larger gatherings.

Tammy R. Severt, DDS, MS (L) Laura Jacox, DMD, PhD (R)

grapes and blueberries from the main refrigerator. A second fridge sits in the storage pantry adjacent to the scullery – a space where food can be prepared, usually with smaller appliances. A sliding pocket door hides the separate room whenever necessary.

Jana, who enjoys cooking and gardening, says the kitchen is her favorite part of the house; the Ehrenfelds often use the large island as a buffet table when family and friends gather for a party. The breakfast nook lies across from a cocktail seating area with its own gas log fireplace. A sliding glass door connects the kitchen area to another desirable space – the outdoor pavilion, complete with a wide wood-burning fireplace and plenty of seating, with a long picnic table and large cushioned wicker chairs overlooking the pool and backyard. The entire space can be protected from insects with the click of a button, which brings down screens on three sides of the outdoor living room.

“I love sitting in these chairs just looking across the water,” Chris says. “[Having] the privacy is just relaxing.” CHM

LEFT Chris and Jana enjoy a moment together on the outdoor pavilion.

MIDDLE Jana visits Rocky as he lounges in a conversation corner by the kitchen.

BELOW Boulders from the lot create a natural stairway from the pavilion to the pool area.

SHANNON KENNEDY

SERVICE AS ELEVATED AS YOUR STANDARDS. Broker | 919.448.6664 | Shannon.Kennedy@SothebysRealty.com

“Shannon recently completed a transaction for us selling a townhouse in Chapel Hill. She is extremely professional and reliable. From the beginning she helped us set the price, developed a marketing strategy and was able to get us under contract quickly. After the contract she followed up on all the inspection report requests and handled the needed repairs. She even dropped off the check personally with a bottle of champagne. We highly recommend Shannon.”

– Sally and Mack Brown, Chapel Hill

PET RESOURCES

animal house

A

guide to area vets, animal hospitals, groomers, boarders, pet sitters, dog parks and rescue organizations

Compiled by Alana Bleimann | Photo by John Michael Simpson

VETERINARY SERVICES

The Animal Hospital of Carrboro 112 W. Main St., Carrboro theanimalhospitalcarrboro.com 919-967-9261

Boarding and self-washing

Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic 104 N.C. Hwy. 54, Ste. M, Carrboro carrboroplazavet.com 919-929-0031

Chatham County Mobile Veterinary Services chathamcountymobilevet.com 919-239-9362

Equine and farm animal care

Chatham Veterinary Service 1114 Greensboro Ave., Siler City chathamveterinaryservice.com 919-742-4441

In-clinic diagnostics and digital radiography

Cole Park Veterinary Hospital 55 Woodbridge Dr., Chapel Hill coleparkvet.com 919-929-3352

Acupuncture, laser, Chinese herbs, dental care, wellness and grooming. Boarding and day care for current clients only.

Dogwood Veterinary Hospital & Pet Resort 51 Vickers Rd., Chapel Hill dogwoodvethospital.com 919-942-6330

Dental care, laser therapy, boarding, day care and grooming

Dr. Adriano Betton Mobile Veterinary Care Serves Chatham and Orange counties drbetton.com 919-602-4291

Dental care

Fearrington Veterinary House Calls fearringtonveterinaryhousecalls.com; fvhc.doctor@gmail.com 919-548-8413

Senior pet care, annual exams and vaccinations, home euthanasia and pet hospice, skin and ear problems, and much more

Four Paws Animal Clinic 1216 Raleigh Rd., Chapel Hill chapelhillsvet.com

919-942-1788

Friendship Mobile Veterinary Services

Serves eastern Chatham and western Wake counties friendshipmobilevet.com

919-267-3572

At-home euthanasia

Haw River Animal Hospital

40 Ramseur Rd. Suite 103, Pittsboro hawrivervet.com

919-726-3088

Dental care, in-house radiology and surgery

Healing Paws Veterinary Hospital 540 Hampton Pointe, Hillsborough healingpawspetcare.com 919-245-3437

Dental care and acupuncture

Hill Creek Veterinary Hospital 75 Old Graham Rd., Pittsboro hillcreekvet.com

919-542-1141

Dentistry, laser therapy, ultrasound, acupuncture, Chinese and Western herbal medicine, grooming, preventative and wellness care, and senior and hospice care

HomeVet Mobile Veterinary Care

Serves Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Durham and Efland homevetmobilenc.com 919-644-6400

Hope Crossing Animal Hospital

58 E. Cotton Rd., Pittsboro hopecrossing.com 919-542-1975

Laser therapy.

Jordan Lake Animal Hospital

50-B Chatham Corners Dr., Pittsboro jordanlakeanimalhospital.vetstreet.com

919-542-5424

Dental care and limited boarding and bathing

Luna, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, lounges on the ottoman of her humans’ favorite napping chair.

Kindred Heart at Governors Village

50150 Governors Dr., Chapel Hill kindredheartvet.com

919-756-7680

Veterinarian care and grooming

Kindred Heart Animal Hospital

101 Two Hills Dr., Ste. 110, Carrboro kindredheartvet.com 919-525-1962

Meadowmont Animal Hospital

190 Finley Golf Course Rd., Chapel Hill meadowmontah.com 919-951-7851

Dental care and exotic pet care

North Churton Animal Hospital

636 N. Churton St., Hillsborough northchurtonanimalhospital.com 919-644-7387

Piedmont Veterinary Clinic

210 Millstone Dr., Hillsborough piedmontvet.com 919-732-2569

Wellness and sick visits, dental care and routine surgery

Pittsboro Animal Hospital 1065 East St., Pittsboro pittsboroanimalhospital.com 919-542-5712

Acupuncture, cold laser therapy, wellness visits, sick visits, dental care and routine surgeries

Polaris Equine Mobile Veterinary Clinic

Serves multiple counties within a one-hour radius of Pittsboro polarisequine.com 919-429-9492

Equine and other farm animal care.

Tysor Veterinary Clinic 1401 N. Second Ave., Siler City tysorvet.net 919-742-3646

Dental care, cold laser therapy, routine and specialized surgeries

UrgentVet Pet Care Clinic 1728 Fordham Blvd., Ste. 161, Chapel Hill urgentvet.com/location/chapel-hill 984-261-2323

After-hours service for non-life-threatening care

VCA Timberlyne Animal Hospital 110 Banks Dr., Chapel Hill vcahospitals.com/timberlyne 919-968-3047

Dental care

Vine Veterinary Hospital 1217 E. Franklin St., Ste. 2, Chapel Hill vineveterinaryhospital.business.site 919-942-5117 

BOARDING & GROOMING

Awbreys Ark Mobile Pet Spa

Serves the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area awbreysark.com 919-292-7397

Pet grooming

Companion Camp

3408 Castle Rock Farm Rd., Pittsboro companioncamp.net

919-545-2267

Boarding for dogs and cats

Doggie Dude Ranch

5821 Hwy 87 N., Pittsboro doggieduderanchkennel.com 919-930-7614

Boarding, grooming and day care

Doggie Spa & Day Care 1101 Dawson Rd., Chapel Hill doggiespa.com 919-932-4738

Boarding, day care, bathing and pet transportation

Green Beagle Lodge

6805 Millhouse Rd., Chapel Hill, and 120 Lodge Ln., Pittsboro greenbeaglelodge.com 919-929-7387

Offering award-winning boarding, day care, bathing and training services

Hair of the Dog Grooming Studio 11312 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 N., Chapel Hill hotdogch.com

919-968-6000

Full-service grooming for dogs, self-wash stations and nail trims, all by appointment

Love Overboard Kennels & Grooming 710 W. Rosemary St., Carrboro loveoverboardkennels.com

919-942-6870

Boarding and grooming for dogs and cats

Noah’s Ark Kennel and Cattery 1217 E. Franklin St., Ste. 3, Chapel Hill noahsarkkennel.com

919-932-7322

Grooming and boarding for dogs, cats and exotic pets

Petco

Eastgate, 1800 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill stores.petco.com/nc/chapelhill 919-929-8891

Nail trimming and full grooming services only for dogs

Pettsboro Groom and Room 117 Elf Way, Pittsboro facebook.com/pettsboro.groomnroom 919-542-6214

Dog boarding, grooming, training and day care

Top Dog Training & Resort 2112 Orange Grove Rd., Hillsborough topdogtrainingandresort.com 919-423-8954

Training, boarding, grooming and day school for dogs

Tysor Veterinary Clinic 1401 N. Second Ave., Siler City tysorvet.net

919-742-3646

Boarding and grooming for dogs and cats and retail store with pet food and supplies

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Chapel Hill

1112 Environ Way, Chapel Hill woofgangbakery.com

919-869-7265

Pet boutique featuring gourmet treats, toys and grooming services

PET SITTERS & WALKERS

Hickory Hounds

Serves the Triangle hickoryhounds.com

919-240-7148

Dog behavior rehabilitation, pack walks and training sessions

Kimie’s Kritters Professional Pet Sitting & Dog Walking

Serves Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Efland and parts of Mebane facebook.com/kimieskrittersllc 919-818-7319

Dog walking, daily visits and pet transportation

Laughing Dog Training + Care

Servers Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Briar Chapel laughingdognc.com; info@laughingdognc.com

Dog training and pet care

Marley’s Angels Dog Walking & Pet Sitting Service

125 Ellsworth Manor Dr., Hillsborough marleys-angels-dog-walking-petsitting-service. business.site 770-316-4923

Dog walking and daily visits

Nose, Toes & Tails Pet Care

Serves Chapel Hill, Durham and Hillsborough nosetoestails.com

919-418-3899

In-home vacation care, daily dog walks, pet taxi/shuttle, online client accounts and customized care packages

Steph’s Exotic Pet Sitting

Serves Orange County exoticpetsitting.com

407-252-6458

Daily visits

Two Girls and a Leash

Serves Hillsborough and Hurdle Mills twogirlsandaleash.com 919-471-4597

Dog walking, daily visits, local petsitting, and horse and farm care

Walk & Wag

Serves the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area walkandwagchapelhill.com; lisa@walkandwagchapelhill.com

Dog walking, trail walks, daily pet visits, overnight stays and pet transportation

Wing Hoof and Paws

Serves Orange County facebook.com/pg/winghoofandpaws 919-818-5013

Dog walking, daily visits and overnight stays

PUBLIC DOG PARKS

Gold Park Dog Park 415 Dimmocks Mill Rd., Hillsborough visithillsboroughnc.gov

Henry Anderson III Community Park

302 N.C. Hwy. 54 West, Carrboro townofcarrboro.org

Homestead Dog Park 100 Aquatic Dr., Chapel Hill townofchapelhill.org

The Park at Briar Chapel 1015 Andrews Store Rd., Pittsboro chathamcountync.gov

Southern Community Dog Park

1000 Dogwood Acres Dr., Chapel Hill townofchapelhill.org

ADOPTION AND RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS

Beautiful Together Animal Sanctuary beautifultogethersanctuary.com

Nonprofit building out an animal sanctuary village on 83 acres of land in Chapel Hill. They will open their Pet Adoption Center and Sanctuary

Cat Cafe & Lounge in late summer 2024 and welcome visitors and potential adopters to meet rescue puppies, dogs, kittens and cats in need of their own homes and families. They host frequent adoption events and programs (puppy yoga, kitten parties, brewery pup meetups, etc.) throughout the Triangle. They are always looking for temporary foster caregivers for homeless pets, as well as volunteers!

Cat Tales Cat Cafe 431 W. Franklin St., Ste. 210, Chapel Hill cattalescatcafe.com

The beautiful light-filled, two-story space is the temporary home to 12 adoptable cats waiting to find their purrfect purrson. Guests can sip coffee, wine, beer and more while relaxing and playing with kitties.

Chatham Animal Rescue and Education chathamanimalrescue.org

CARE is a county leader that is fostering animals and helping them find their forever homes. The organization works extensively to make spay/ neuter surgeries available for pet owners that need assistance and is dedicated to bettering the lives of cats and dogs in Chatham County.

The Goathouse Refuge 680 Alton Alston Rd., Pittsboro goathouserefuge.org

Nonprofit animal sanctuary, dedicated for 20 years, providing cage-free care for cats regardless of age or medical issues and to find great families to adopt them or live the rest of their lives with us.

Orange County Animal Shelter 1601 Eubanks Rd., Chapel Hill orangecountync.gov/AnimalServices

Adopt or foster your new best friend, volunteer or donate to help shelter pets, and take advantage of no-cost or low-cost spay and neuter programs.

Paws4ever 6311 Nicks Rd., Mebane paws4ever.org

A nonprofit offering cat and dog adoptions, dog training, a dog park, a pet supply pantry and other financial and educational resources to support pet owners. Volunteer, foster, donate or shop at the Paws4ever ReSale Store in Hillsborough to support pets in need. CHM

adopt a pet

Take home one of these wonderful pets from Orange County Animal Services or Paws4ever today

LUCY

This 6-year-old tabby is a sweet, shy cat who treads softly through life. Lucy is a staff favorite at Paws4ever and loves to hang out in a lap or find a cozy spot to nap in!

Paws4ever, located at 6311 Nicks Rd. in Mebane, is dedicated to creating and growing lifetime relationships between pets and people through adoption, training, education and care. Visit paws4ever.org, email adopt@paws4ever.org or call 919-241-8438 ext. 103.

BO

This very good, handsome boy is looking for a loving owner. He loves walks on a leash, knows some basic commands and enjoys showing off his skills for treats.

Orange County Animal Services is responsible for animal sheltering and animal control activities within Orange County. Visit orangecountync.gov/287/availablepets or call 919-942-7387 for more information on available pets, adoptions and meet-and-greets.

Photo by Amber Byrd Photography

Arlotto & Keech

BY MARGARET BATCHELDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDSEY CASH, LINDSEY-CASH.COM

East Chapel Hill High School grad Sarah Arlotto thought she was working a typical March day in her New York City office, but little did she know, she would meet her forever partner, Connor Keech. Both were working in advertising sales but met for the first time when they were placed on the same team. Although the pair began dating in October 2017, the couple kept their relationship a secret from coworkers until December, only to find out that it came as no surprise.

Connor proposed in Hawaii’s Volcano National Park lookout point, volcanoes erupting behind them. “I was hoping that he would propose on this trip, but he did a lot of things to throw me off,” Sarah says. The couple spent the rest of the day hiking and laughing as Connor described the step-by-step details of his planning, from buying the ring to getting down on one knee.

The couple will tie the knot legally at Durham City Hall but will celebrate with a wedding on Oct. 12 in Siena, Italy, on their seventh anniversary. CHM

Poole & Shell

BY TARA THURMAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIELLE JAMES, DANIELLEJAMESPHOTO.COM

Chapel Hill native and Carrboro High School alumna Melissa Poole met Steven Shell at the University of Tennessee in 2014. They were set up by a mutual friend for a fraternity date party and immediately hit it off. Countless dates, UT football games and vacations later, they were inseparable. The couple moved to Georgia in 2018 and bought their first home together in 2021.

After a perfect day exploring the north Georgia mountains – complete with wine tasting, Christmas lights and dinner – Steven proposed in their living room, the place they cherish the most. The occasion was a delightful surprise to ring in Melissa’s birthday on Dec. 12, 2021.

Melissa and Steven tied the knot during a “Christmas at the Plaza”-themed celebration on Dec. 9, 2023. The ceremony was held at University United Methodist Church – the same church that Melissa’s parents, Robbins Poole and Dale Poole, were married in –and the festivities continued with a reception at The Carolina Inn. The wedding featured a sophisticated palette of dark blue-green and included personal touches like a custom crest featuring the state flowers of North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, a custom art deco pattern that adorned invitations, table numbers and more. The couple ensured guests enjoyed a full Chapel Hill experience, from a speakeasy-inspired welcome party at Carolina Coffee Shop to a lively postreception celebration at Top of the Hill.

Melissa and Steven live in Atlanta with their miniature Australian shepherd, Maverick, and two cats, Oliver and Lola. CHM

Fernandez & Stringer

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEBA SALAMA PHOTOGRAPHY, HEBASALAMA.COM

Four years after graduating from UNC, Jessica Stringer moved back to Chapel Hill to start a new job at Chapel Hill Magazine. Mutual friends put her in contact with Jason Fernandez, a fellow out-ofstate Tar Heel who had also returned to town for a job. The two met up for their first date at The Crunkleton on April 12, 2014, and immediately hit it off. Over the years, they would take an epic vacation to Scandinavia, countless stops at MLB ballparks and theme park visits each fall to Orlando. Though they agree the best thing they did together was adopt their beloved spunky bichon-poodle mix, Olive, from Orange County Animal Services. Cheap flights lured them to France for Thanksgiving 2023, and Jessica and Jason explored Disneyland Paris, breweries, dozens of perfume shops and the Christmas market in Strasbourg. On the last day, the pair wandered into Jardin du Luxembourg where Jason got down on one knee. They later watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the steps of Sacré-Cœur Basilica and had a celebratory dinner at La Maison Rose in Montmartre.

The couple tied the knot on April 12, 2024, the 10th anniversary of their first date. Photographer Heba Salama captured the first look at The Crunkleton and the small ceremony at Eno River Farmers Market Pavilion with their siblings, parents, three grandmothers and Jessica’s best

friend, Josalyn Lamoureux. Morgan Moylan of West Queen Studio crafted a gorgeous bouquet plus a matching collar for Olive. Hillsborough Town Commissioner Kathleen Ferguson officiated, and the group spent the evening at Eno River Brewing with snacks from The Cheese Shop and pizza from West Hillsborough Pizzeria

The next day, the couple celebrated with more family and friends back at the pavilion with food from Italian Pizzeria III and Smokehouse at Steve’s, plus Key lime pie bars from Kim’s Bake Shop and a cake from The Cupcake Shoppe. The low-key festivities continued at The Wooden Nickel Public House a few blocks away.

In lieu of a honeymoon, the couple is plotting their next opportunity to watch the Yankees play. CHM

Flood & Komada

BY SHEA MCINTYRE PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERICA SERRANO PHOTOGRAPHY, ERICASERRANOPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

In the heat of a North Carolina August and the pandemic, Chapel Hill High School alum Leah Komada and Will Flood added each other to their COVID-19 “bubbles” and instantly hit it off. The couple met when they relocated to Charlotte after graduating from college – Leah from UNC and Will from Elon University, connecting over many outdoor dates. They bonded over their love for Philadelphia, where Will grew up and where Leah regularly visited her dad’s family. It was this same city where Will got down on one knee and popped the question to Leah before dinner with both families in 2022.

The couple tied the knot at The Terrace at Cedar Hill in Charlotte on Oct. 14, 2023. Honey + Thyme Events planned and designed the wedding – which featured a color palette of cranberry, chartreuse, caramel, mauve and taupe – while Unspoken Designs created custom fabrications. Leah says the day was exactly how they wanted it to feel: authentic, comfortable and full of love. Personal touches – like W&L tags on the side of their wine glasses and cocktail napkins with hand-drawn images of their pup, Finley – made the celebration unique.

Leah still daydreams about the florals by Seeded Events and Designs, while Will remembers the first dance to “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne. “It turned into all of our friends and family joining us on the dance floor,” he says. The couple celebrated with Orange County natives and wedding party members Kelly Archer, Addy Rigdon, Rachel Baker, Melissa Hu, Anna Grace Komada and Alex Komada Leah and Will live in Charlotte. CHM