Chapel Hill Magazine Sept/Oct 2021

chapel hill • carrboro • hillsborough • orange county

Food T h e 1 2t h A n nual

Relish the Moment

Samantha cheek Swan how a beloved family recipe led to an award-winning line of condiments

Page 64

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september/october 2021

drink Issue

omar of Breadman’s

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ackland artinspired dishes

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CHAPELHILL S E P TE M B E R /O C TO B E R 2 021 C H A P E L H I L L M AG A Z I N E .CO M

Come see why Hillsborough is Chapel Hill Magazine’s Readers’ favorite place to be!

E DITOR

Jessica Stringer E DITORIAL

Hillsborough BBQ Favorite Barbecue

Whit’s Frozen Custard Favorite Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt

E X E C U T IV E MANAGING E DITO R

Hillsborough Gallery of Arts Favorite Art Gallery

Paws at the Corner Favorite Pet Store

ASS ISTANT E DITOR

Orange County Sportsplex Favorite Sports Club

E DITORIAL ASS ISTANT & DIGITAL E D I TO R

Eno River Farmers’ Market Favorite Farmers Market Napoli Wood-Fired Pizza Favorite Pizza

Say Wear Boutique Favorite New Business

Purple Crow Books Favorite Bookstore

Re-Invintaged Home Decor & More Favorite New Business

My Secret Closet Favorite Consignment/Resale Store

The House at Gatewood Favorite Outdoor Dining, Place for Date Night, Chef (Ron Spada) & Upscale Restaurant

Marley’s Angels Dog Walking & Pet Sitting Service Favorite Pet Sitting

Amanda MacLaren Hannah Lee Marie Muir

MANAGING E DITOR, C H ATH A M MAG A Z I N E

Anna-Rhesa Versola

E DITORIAL ASS ISTANT

Renee Ambroso

E DITORIAL INT E RNS

Elizabeth Egan, Chiara Evans, Delaney Galvin, CC Kallam, Grace Miller, Kelli Rainer, Isabella Reilly, Brooke Spach, Makayla Williams, Tajahn Wilson and Caitlyn Yaede CONT RIB U TORS

Matthew Lardie, Moreton Neal, James Stefiuk, Anne Tate and J. Michael Welton ART C RE AT IV E DIRE C TOR

Weaver Street Market Favorite Desserts/Pastries & Favorite Wine, Beer and/or Spirits Shop

Kevin Brown

P H OTOGRAP H E R

John Michael Simpson

www.Hillsboroughnc.gov

2021

JU NIOR GRAP H IC DE S IGNE R & P RODU C T ION COORDINATO R

Lauren Wilkinson CONT RIB U TOR

Jean Carlos Rosario-Montalvo, Cornell Watson ADV E RT IS ING For advertising inquiries, email advertising@chapelhillmagazine.com

Bringing Healthy Smiles to Chapel Hill

Melissa Crane melissa@chapelhillmagazine.com Chris Elkins chris@chapelhillmagazine.com Lauren Phillips lauren@durhammag.com Lucinda Poole lucinda@chapelhillmagazine.com Kem Johnson kem@durhammag.com P RODU C T ION MANAGE R

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Rory Kelly Gillis P RE S IDE NT

Dan Shannon V IC E P RE S IDE NT OF P L ANNING & DE V E LO PM E N T

Ellen Shannon

P U B L IS H E R, H EA RT OF NC WED D I N G S

Jenna Parks

V IC E P RE S IDE NT OF F INANC E & ADMIN I STR AT I O N

Amy Bell

C U STOME R S E RV IC E S P E C IAL I ST

Brian McIndoo

DIST RIB U T ION

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Chapel Hill Magazine is published 8 times per year by Shannon Media, Inc. 1777 Fordham Blvd., Ste. 105, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 tel 919.933.1551 fax 919.933.1557 Subscriptions $38 for 2 years – subscribe at chapelhillmagazine.com

Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon:

Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society October 8, 2021– January 9, 2022

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 101 S. Columbia St. at Franklin St. Chapel Hill, NC 27514 919-966-5736 | ackland.org

This exhibition is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and Asia Society Museum.

The national tour of the exhibition is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

The Ackland gratefully acknowledges Bank of America for major support of the Ackland’s presentation of Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society. Additional funding comes from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Ackland’s Ruth and Sherman Lee Fund for Asian Art, and Betsy Blackwell and John Watson.

Made in India, Tamil Nadu, Shiva as Lord of the Dance (Shiva Nataraja), Chola period, ca. 970, Copper alloy, Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.20, Photography Synthescape, Courtesy of Asia Society and American Federation of Arts.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

CO NT EN TS

CHAPELHILLMAGAZINE.COM

VOLUME 16 NUMBER 6

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Rise & Shine Longtime breakfast restaurant Breadman’s enters a new day

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The Spice of Life Cottage Lane Kitchen’s founder reflects on a decade of business

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Lavender Fields Forever A visit to Lavender Oaks Farm

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New Kids on the Block Four recent restaurants add flavor to our dining scene

PHOTO BY CORNELL WATSON

T HE FOOD, DRINK AND FARM ISSU E

FA LL ARTS 36

Fall Arts Checklist Can’t-miss concerts, events and more

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Garden Galleries View stunning sculptures en plein air

56

The Local Palette Chefs dream up dishes inspired by a new Ackland exhibit

D E PA R TME N TS & CO LUM NS

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Carolina on Our Mind Two Morehead-Cain scholars from Chapel Hill share their experiences

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Gotta Getaway Find inspiration for your own fall trips as a few of our neighbors share their recent and upcoming regional travels

H OME & GA RDE N 90

Right Plant, Right Place Our readers’ favorite landscapers talk planting roots in Chapel Hill, design philosophies and how to add curb appeal to your home

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Back to the Future A Chapel Hill change agent renovates a 1965 prefab home, keeping its soul and story

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

F EATURES

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Letter From the Editor

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About Town Events not to miss

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Noted What we’ve heard around town …

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What We’re Eating News from our restaurant community, plus a dish we love

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Dining Guide

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Joyous Cooking Crook’s Corner: yesterday and tomorrow

110

Weddings Fisher & Lucha Kait & Vlaar Kenny & Martin

P E O P L E & P L AC E S 10

The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Women’s Social

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Triangle Bikeworks

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Juneteenth Celebration

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scoured Nextdoor at the beginning of the pandemic for someone with an extra coffee machine to use for a few weeks of working from home. A neighbor named Paul had one to spare and left it in his garage for me. But as we all know by now, those weeks became months. Thanks to the borrowed Keurig and bags of Little Waves Coffee Roasters beans, those months were blissfully caffeinated. When we returned to the office last fall, Paul’s machine was relegated to a closet. And on a shelf it remained for an embarrassingly long time (though Paul, by now, insisted I keep it). I finally returned the Keurig to its rightful owner this summer along with a thank-you note and gift certificate.

In late July, I received a letter in my mailbox from Paul, who used the Antonia’s certificate for lunch – a Caesar salad and fettuccine con salsicce – on a day where 10% of revenue was donated to a nonprofit. “Today’s fundraiser [benefited] the Exchange Club of Hillsborough and our continuing work with The Exchange Club’s Family Center of the Central Piedmont,” he wrote. “So not only [did] your kind gift help feed this old guy, but it will also help us work with families in crisis and hopefully prevent some child abuse. Pretty good twofer.”

You are too kind, Paul – the “thanks” really goes to you and your extended generosity. For another example of someone paying it forward, turn to page 66 and read about the women of WE Power Food – cover subject Samantha Cheek Swan of Cottage Lane Kitchen is a member – who share their knowledge with new entrepreneurs. Elsewhere in our 12th annual food and drink issue, dig into Ackland art-inspired dishes from local chefs, four new restaurants and a changing of the guard at Breadman’s, starting on page 56. But first, coffee. CHM T HE COVER P h o to by J o h n Mic ha el Sim pson

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September/October 2021

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A B O UT TOWN

Compiled by Kelli Rainer EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE; CHECK WITH ORGANIZERS PRIOR TO ATTENDING

EVENTS NOT TO MISS

Hog Day hogday.org This annual festival in SEPT. downtown Hillsborough features live music, local food and drinks, a 5K run, an antique car show, barbecue contest and a “Pigs on Parade” art project with decorated life-sized pig statues.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG LLOYD

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Hog Day festivities take place each year in downtown Hillsborough.

SECU Family House Gala Sept. 10, 6 p.m. secufamilyhouse.org/TheGala Held at the SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals, the 14th annual black-tie fundraiser includes a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, dinner by Rocky Top Catering, live music by Bounce! and dancing, all while supporting the nonprofit’s mission.

Baby Shower for The Nest Sept. 23, 6-8 p.m. kidzuchildrensmuseum.org Kidzu Children’s Museum hosts a baby

shower for The Nest, its brand-new, state-of-theart early learning space for ages 0-3 adjacent to the museum. The event will feature a private screening of “No Small Matter” at Silverspot Cinema and light refreshments from Trilogy, plus an opportunity to donate toward the items needed to complete the Nest for opening.

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Freedom Fund Banquet Oct. 17, 6 p.m. naacpbanquet.com Support the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP’s racial equity and justice efforts by attending virtually, or in-person at The Drive-In at Carraway Village, featuring keynote speaker Nsé Ufot, CEO of The New Georgia Project and the New Georgia Project Action Fund. The branch’s primary fundraiser supports its ability to provide programs, activist efforts, student scholarships and internships, and more.

Oktoberfest

Oct. 23, 3-6 p.m.

rmhch.org Come out to the Southern Village Green for live music, Bavarian-inspired food, beer tastings from local establishments, a raffle and

September/October 2021

a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, which serves as a home away from home for families with a child facing illness or injury.

Hillsborough Halloween Spirits Tours Oct. 29-30, 5-9 p.m. visithillsboroughnc.com Embrace the mayhem and mystery of the spooky season and join The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough – along with the Orange Community Players – on its annual tour through the historic district of the oldest town in Orange County. CHM

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PEOP LE & P LACES

Chamber Women’s Social

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The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro brought together about 75 women for drinks, hors d’oeuvres and catching up at the Rizzo Center on July 20. It was the first in-person women’s networking event since February 2020 for the group, which had been holding virtual quarterly meetings. Dawn Wagner of Wine & Design Chapel Hill and Wine & Design Durham was the winner of a gift basket. They will meet next during a Friendsgiving luncheon at The Carolina Inn on Nov. 12. CHM 2

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1 Melissa Chappell and Chapel Hill Magazine’s Melissa Crane, Ellen Shannon and Lucinda Poole.

2 Susan Thomason, Trisha Selby and Cher Liu. 3 Terry Jones and Charlotte White.

4 Kristen Young and Spring Council.

5 Chapel Hill Magazine’s Jessica Stringer and Courtnei McWilliams.

6 Chela Tu, Zoë Dehmer and Jasmine Berry.

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Triangle Bikeworks 1 Yanaj Massey, 12, Rowan Crites, 15, and DJ Massey, 14.

On July 3, 14 kids, four coaches and three support staff from Triangle Bikeworks hopped on their bikes and rode the 150 miles to Wilmington, North Carolina. From there, they biked down the coast all the way to St. Augustine, Florida, covering a total of 770 miles in two weeks. During the ride, the group traveled south on the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, camping along the way, and learned about the history of the land and culture of the Gullah Geechee people, who are descendants of enslaved Africans brought to U.S. plantations along the South’s coastline. The group arrived in St. Augustine on July 15 and on the way back they returned to Georgia and took the ferry to tour Sapelo Island before packing up their bikes and driving home. CHM

2 Monica Green, 16, and Niko Strauss, 18.

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P EO PLE & PLACES

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PEOP LE & P LACES

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Juneteenth Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s inaugural Juneteenth celebration began June 18, with a virtual program that included local figures like former Chapel Hill Mayor Howard Lee and Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP President Dawna Jones. Festivities continued on June 19 with remarks made by historian Danita Mason-Hogans, Carrboro Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Foushee, Orange County Board of Commissioners Chair Renee Price and North Carolina Senator Valerie Foushee on the Carrboro Town Commons. A motorcade proceeded through historically Black communities with some drivers starting at the Hargraves Community Center and continuing through the Northside neighborhood while others rode from the Eubanks Road Park-and-Ride through the Rogers Road neighborhood. The celebrations continued on Saturday with the Save the Music series featuring performances such as XOXOK at Peace and Justice Plaza and Allie Capo at Blue Dogwood Public Market. Photography by SP Murray CHM

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chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2021

1 The motorcade drove down West Rosemary Street to the Northside neighborhood.

2 Allie Capo performs.

3 Dawna Jones, president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro chapter of the NAACP. 4 Orange County Board of Commissioners Chair Renee Price. Photo by Town of Carrboro and Catherine Lazorko 5 Marilyn McClain and Deborah Stroman.

6 Delores Bailey and Paris Miller-Foushee.

7 Danita Mason-Hogans and Quinton Harper.

Photo by Town of Carrboro and Catherine Lazorko

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N OT E D. ON THE MOVE Chapel Hill Deputy Town Manager Florentine “Flo” Miller retired on June 1 after nearly 32 years on the job. She joined the town as assistant manager in 1989, became deputy town manager in 2004 and has served under three different town managers. Flo received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from UNC Greensboro and a master’s of public administration from UNC, before working for governments in Leesburg, Virginia, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, before returning to Chapel Hill. Last year, the Florentine Miller Leader in Public Service Diversity Scholarship Endowment was created in her honor to benefit students in traditionally underrepresented groups entering the master’s of public administration program at the UNC School of Government.

Orange County named Corey Root as its housing and community development director in June. Corey had been the coordinator of the Orange

WHAT WE’VE HEARD AROUND TOWN …

Compiled by Elizabeth Egan

In June, Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Orange County attorney Joal Broun as a district court judge in Judicial District 15B, which includes Chatham and Orange counties.

Joal is a former member of the Carrboro Town Council and a current member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Joal, who received her law

degree from Wake Forest University, filled the seat vacated by Beverly Scarlett, who retired and had served since 2007. Most recently, Joal was the director of the lobbying compliance division in the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office.

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Orange County Commissioner Mark Dorosin resigned on July 31 after he accepted a job teaching at the Florida A&M University College of Law. To replace him, the Board of County

Bold Construction hired Megan Cone as

Commissioners

accepted applications for the vacancy up until July 19, which were then sent to the Orange County Democratic Party. The OCDP will review the four applications from Marilyn Carter, Rani Dasi, Penny Rich and Anna Richards and send three nominees to the commissioners, who are slated to fill the seat Sept. 2.

County Partnership to End Homelessness since 2016 and has

UNC Athletics hired two new head coaches in June. Aimee Neff is the new head coach for women’s golf, while Danna Durante leads

partnered with local government officials and community advocates to advance affordable housing in Orange County and implement programs for those experiencing homelessness. She holds an undergraduate degree in film and television from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and a master’s in public administration from NC State University.

the gymnastics program. Aimee held the position of associate head coach of women’s golf at UNC before becoming head coach of women’s golf for the past three seasons at Florida Atlantic University. Aimee is the fourth head coach in Carolina women’s golf history. Danna has more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. She was the head gymnastics coach at the University

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of California, Berkley from 2011 to 2012, and then went on to lead the University of Georgia’s gymnastics program from 2012 to 2017. Then she served as operations director for What Drives Winning. Danna became UNC’s fourth head gymnastics coach after Derek Galvin, who retired in June 2020.

September/October 2021

hired a new home repair manager this summer. Mason Neiman is originally from Wyoming and now works with Habitat homeowners to complete repairs and teaches classes on home maintenance.

selections coordinator and interior design expert. Megan has a bachelor’s in construction management and interior design from East Carolina University and six years of experience working with clients to achieve their ideal homes.

Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce hired Danielle Shepherd as

its member success and operations coordinator.

Danielle and her family moved to Hillsborough in February 2020 to be closer to family. Danielle is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in business management and human resources.

In August, the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce hired Whitney Corn as the office administrator and event

coordinator. Whitney was born and raised in Hillsborough, and her family has been in the town for five generations. She says she is excited to be working in the same area that her parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents owned their own businesses.

Blue Ridge Power, a solar construction company headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, hired Chapel Hill resident Clint Lloyd as its new general counsel. Clint is a graduate of the UNC School of Law and will work remotely.

BOOKIN’ IT Carissa Byrne Hessick, author and law professor at UNC, will release her newest

book, “Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal,” on Oct. 12. In the book, Carissa illustrates how plea bargaining keeps defendants from their constitutional right of receiving a fair trial and turns

In June, Corporate Investors Mortgage Group hired Ben Griffin, a Chapel Hill

native and graduate of UNC, as a loan officer.

At UNC, he was a member of the men’s golf team and became a two-time All-American player. Ben spent three years playing in PGA-affilated tours before returning to Chapel Hill.

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NOTED

the legal system into a machine of mass incarceration.

GIVING BACK With support from local faith communities, including Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill Kehillah, University Baptist Church, University Presbyterian Church and United Church of Chapel Hill, the Refugee Support Center’s annual

On July 10, Hillsborough author Susan Dennis released her first memoir, “The Swing: A Muse’s Memoir About Keeping the Artist Alive.” The book, published by Atmosphere Press, follows Susan’s 24-year marriage to her late husband, photographer Charlie Dennis, from their first date to his death.

Michael Hanson, a

Chapel Hill-based author and librarian at UNC’s Davis Library, released his latest book, “Nate’s New Age,” in December 2020. The book follows 28-year-old skydiving instructor Nate’s attempts to get his feet on solid ground while he struggles with substance abuse. The novel was published by Austin, Texas-based Atmosphere Press.

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In June, Carolina Performing Arts received a $3 million gift from an anonymous donor in honor of the retirement of UNC Chancellor Emeritus and CPA founder James Moeser, and his wife, Susan Moeser.

James spent more than 20 years of service at CPA and helped establish its prominence in the arts community in North Carolina. The gift will be used to endow CPA’s executive and artistic director position and ensure that CPA has financial stability as it transitions back to in-person events.

IN OUR SCHOOLS In June, the Orange County Schools Board of Education approved new names for two of its schools. Cameron Park Elementary School was renamed River Park Elementary School, and C.W. Stanford Middle School was renamed Orange Middle School. The board voted on several names which were proposed by a School Renaming Committee formed earlier in the year.

The decision to Send us your change the name noteworthy moments! of CPES was made unanimously From births by the board in to awards to new biz February, due to and more – the fact that the noted@ school’s namesake, chapelhill

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On June 15, writer and photographer John Rosenthal released his latest book “Searching for Amylu Danzer.” The novel was published

by The Waywiser Press and is available in hardback and e-book locally at Flyleaf Books and online. The memoir focuses on John’s childhood friendship with Amylu, who ended her life when she was a 20-year-old student at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1965. Throughout the book, John attempts to answer some questions that have troubled him since her death.

school supply drive surpassed the target number of 321 backpacks. The nonprofit was able to distribute supply-filled backpacks to 344 refugee kids from Afghanistan, Burma, Congo, Rwanda and Syria.

Paul Carrington

September/October 2021

magazine.com

Cameron, owned around 1,900 slaves before

his death. Community members suggested changing the name of C.W. Stanford because at the time of C.W. Stanford’s leadership of the board of education in the 1960s, Black and minority community members were not allowed to participate in school board meetings.

The Orange County Schools Board of Education approved Jason Johnson as the principal of Orange High School at a

meeting on June 7.

Jason served as the principal of Orange High School for four years from 2012 to 2016 before becoming the executive director of student support and school improvement for Orange County Schools.

Joyce Hatcher began

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Previously, she held human relations positions in four different public school districts in North Carolina and served as the human resources director for Alamance County, North Carolina. She received a master’s in human resources and business industries from North Carolina A&T State University.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools named Minnie Goins the principal of Seawell at its meeting on Aug 3. Minnie will be returning to the district on Oct. 4, after serving as an assistant principal and principal in Orange County Schools. Most recently, she was the principal of EflandCheeks Global Elementary School, and in 2019 she was named OCS Principal of the Year. Minnie has a bachelor of arts in elementary education from North Carolina Central University and a master’s in school administration from UNC. Ryan Ellefsen, the

director of bands and orchestras at East Chapel Hill High School, was recognized

by the North Carolina Symphony and received the Jackson Parkhurst Award for Special Achievement for his service and commitment to students at ECHHS. Ryan directs two concert bands, two orchestras and two jazz combos. In addition, he is the faculty advisor for the East Chapel Hill High Chamber Society, a group of students devoted to the lifelong pursuit of chamber music. He is also the faculty advisor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society and the co-founder of the Music Mentorship Program, which pairs high school and middle school students across the district. In 2015 he was selected as the North Carolina Eastern Regional Orchestra Director of the Year.

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Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a locally owned franchise owned by Amy Lin and Jong Park, hosted a grand

reopening of the store in May in Chapel Hill, which moved from Meadowmont to 1112 Environ Way. The business provides professional pet grooming and sells a variety of healthy pet foods and treats.

apartments and amenities including a fitness center, yoga studio, pool, private theater room, coffee bar, bistro and outdoor terrace.

Sensored Vibes, a

Elementary School

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NEW IN TOWN

unique sensory club for children, had its grand opening in Governors Village on July 17. Co-owner Tynisha Doe has been a practicing occupational therapist for nine years, and at the club Tynisha provides hands-on therapy to help with sensory processing issues. Open playtime is also available by appointment, and memberships will be offered for those who may want regular open playtime. The gym will also serve as a coworking space for other sensory-therapy professionals to use.

Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews is opening a sister business called Prologue Used & Rare Books in the next-door space on Franklin Street. It will double Epilogue’s

retail and seating square footage. The space will include two areas for speakers and music events as well as a private meeting room to house rare and collectible books. Co-owner Jaime Sanchez says he has had the idea for Prologue in the back of his mind for a while, inspired by the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris which has a new book section and a rare and collective location right beside it.

Overture Chapel Hill, a 55+ apartment complex on Farrington Road, held their

ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 30. The complex offers one- and two-bedroom

September/October 2021

Stephanie Woodbeck opened Monarch Movement Company, a dance and yoga

community for all ages, in Hillsborough in April. Stephanie is a classically trained dancer, teacher, choreographer and performer originally from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The studio offers dance, yoga and wellness, family dance and movement classes. Dance class styles include tap, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, jazz, musical theater and pointe. Participants can enroll in the full class session, which runs Oct. 1 through Dec. 17 or choose to dropin to individual class sessions. However, kids’ dance classes are only available for enrollment for the whole season.

Charlotte-based Grubb Properties began the second phase of its 70-acre redevelopment of the historic Glen Lennox community in Chapel Hill in June. Phase two will include a number of components to be built over the next five years, including up to 650 residential units, 90,000 square feet of retail space, 275,000 square feet of office space and a hotel with up to 150 rooms. Grubb has

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also hired the urban retail and development consultant Of Place to find a grocery market partner as one of the main retail projects.

RECENT RELEASES Chapel Hill-based folk duo Watchhouse – formerly known as Mandolin Orange – released a self-titled album on Aug. 13, the first since the name change. Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz co-produced the album alongside Josh Kaufman, and with it explore themes of parenthood, isolation and venture into new musical territory. The band is currently on tour, with concerts scheduled at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, and at Durham Performing Arts Center.

Longtime member of the Red Clay Ramblers and UNC’s Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing

larger picnic shelter, restrooms, an amphitheater and a new park entrance and parking area.

Bland Simpson

The Town of

celebrated the 50th anniversary of his country rock quartet’s album, “Simpson,” which featured David Olney, Steve Merola and Rob Rothstein alongside the pianist. A remastered version of the 1971 record was released in August via Bandcamp, and proceeds of its sales will benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

IN OTHER NEWS Blackwood Farm Park in Hillsborough

Hillsborough

launched a new logo at the end of May. The Orange County Historical Courthouse

clock tower, which has long been a symbol of the town, is featured on the updated logo, designed by UNC graduate Alison Duncan of Duncan Design. The project to standardize the town’s branding started in 2019, and the new logo was selected by the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners out of four options chosen by respondents to a community survey in February 2020. CHM

closed July 5 for construction and is expected to remain closed for one year.

The construction will upgrade the park in a variety of ways including building a

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W H AT WE’RE EATING NEWS FROM OUR RESTAURANT COMMUNITY, PLUS A DISH WE LOVE

411 WEST 411 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill 919-967-2782 411west.com

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n late-summer evenings when the sun crawls slowly toward the horizon, light pours through the greenhouse-style glass ceiling of the “sunroom” at 411 West.

Plenty of plants – both live and splashed across canvases – accompany the restaurant’s mix of Italian, Mediterranean and California-casual menu full of pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven and handmade pastas.

At the front door, a small stone figurine of a woman greets guests. Inspired by the Flower Ladies, women who once hawked flowers on Franklin Street, the piece was created by muralist Michael Brown, and patrons know her as “Stella.” She shares the name with a type of Italian Gorgonzola and also a salad that has been a menu staple since 411 West opened in 1991.

Crisp cucumber, tomatoes, walnuts roasted in the pizza oven and smoky grilled onions are tossed with mixed greens to make the Stella. “Everything on the plate that could be local was,” says Chapel Hill Restaurant Group partner Tommy O’Connell. The bold blue cheese adds richness to the salad that is dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Another CHRG partner, Greg Overbeck, says, “What I love about the salad [is that] … Jon [Dowse], our chef, actually raises some of the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes that we use. We’re a local company that’s locally owned … the Stella salad is a great example of that.” In addition to Jon’s produce, area farmers such as Latta Family Farms supply 411’s kitchen. Since its inception, the restaurant has sought out locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, even the white oak that fuels the pizza oven.

Sourcing ingredients from nearby farms means working with the seasons, so the salad varies slightly from week to week. “Sometimes we might put arugula, and sometimes we might use cress for a more peppery taste,” Greg says. “Sometimes the tomatoes are a little sweeter … it changes as the season goes along.” Stella Salad, $7-$10 – By Renee Ambroso September/October 2021

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W HAT WE’RE EAT I N G

➾ NEWS BITES In May, Botanist and Barrel opened a second location called Botanist and Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop in downtown Asheville. It offers a wide selection of hard ciders as well as a “Bites” menu featuring cheeses, crackers, tinned seafood and other appetizers.

Chef and restaurateur Baptist Knaven opened Mosaic Café & Bistro in Carrboro on June 16. Located in the space of his former fine dining restaurant, Provence, it is a two-part concept. By day, the space operates as a cafe and pastry shop specializing in baked goods. By night, it transforms into a modern, casual tapas-style bistro.

At press time, Mike Benson was slated to open the Franklin Motors Bar Lot beer garden in late summer or early fall at the corner of West Franklin and South Graham streets. The fully licensed ABC bar includes a rooftop deck, picnic tables and parking.

Chef John Smith, hailing from Austin, Texas, oversees the on-site food truck, Roquette at Franklin Motors, which serves sliders, burgers and vegetarian options.

Brandwein’s Bagels announced on June 14 the expansion of its shop to include the former Bread & Butter Bakery location and the parking lot next door. Brandwein’s will continue to operate at its current location at 505 W. Rosemary St. during renovations.

“We want to take a moment to recognize the closing of Bread & Butter Bakery,” Brandwein’s owner Alex Brandwein stated in a post on Instagram. “The Chen family owned and operated [the bakery] since 2011, having run Oriental Garden for 20 years before that. Bread & Butter leaves an indelible imprint on our community. The most delicious breads, croissants and ... those scones!”

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Osteria Georgi chef/partner Dan Jackson won Food Network’s “Chopped” during an episode that premiered on June 15. This summer, the restaurant’s menu featured a clam and squash toast inspired by the first round dish that Dan created on the fly during the competitive cooking show.

The restaurant also announced in June that bartender Sarah McCabe was chosen for the 2021 LEE Initiative “Women Culinary and Spirits Program.” This marks the fourth year of the program, now expanded to award 15 women from the culinary and spirits world nationwide the opportunity to learn from successful culinary and spirit leaders with hands-on experience and leadership skill building opportunities. In honor of Sarah’s mentee opportunity with LEE Initiative, Osteria Georgi is donating a portion of proceeds from her featured monthly cocktail to LEE Initiative (through November).

In June, Carolina Brewery debuted an updated logo and redesigned cans and packaging. Executive Brewer Becky Hammond says, “On our six packs, we eliminated the plastic pack rings in favor of packaging our beer in cardboard, which can always be recycled.” Additionally, the brewery launched a collection of sauces and rubs, as well as a summertime beer called Costero Mexican Lager.

In May, Rise Southern Biscuits and Righteous Chicken was named No. 22 on the 2021 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list. The restaurant started out in Durham in 2012 and has grown to 16 locations across seven states. – Compiled by CC Kallam CHM

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CAROLINA ON OUR MIND HAP P ENIN G S AT U N C

LEFT During his time in Croatia at the Plitvice Lakes National Park, Antonio Díaz investigated the phthalate contamination in Zagreb drinking water. RIGHT The summer before her freshman year at UNC, Carolina Coch (center) spent four weeks in the Yukon territory, taking hikes, sleeping outdoors, making new friends and being pushed out of her comfort zone. “It’s a really interesting environment to get to know someone!” she says. Photography courtesy of Antonio Díaz and Carolina Coch

Wo rl d C la ss Two Morehead-Cain scholars from Chapel Hill share their experiences

T

By B rooke Spach

he Morehead-Cain Foundation established the United States’ first merit-based scholarship at UNC in 1945. The program is one of the most selective educational opportunities in the country, accepting just 3% of applicants using the key selection criteria of leadership, character, scholarship and physical vigor. The scholarship covers all expenses for four years of undergraduate study at UNC and features summer enrichment activities. We asked two local recipients about growing up in Chapel Hill and their summer research and internships.

In high school, Carolina Coch stayed busy with the Habitat for Humanity club and played on the Chapel Hill High School tennis team. She thought about looking out of state for college, but then, she says, “Morehead offered me an opportunity I couldn’t really refuse.”

For Carolina, Chapel Hill is home to family and friends – new and 30

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September/October 2021

old. She’s grateful to still live near her parents, Beatriz Plaza and Gabriel Coch, and not solely because she can take her laundry home.

“Chapel Hill provided an incredibly supportive system for me going into UNC because a lot of the people that grew up in my area also ended up [attending] UNC, which was super cool,” she says.

Through the program, the rising junior has met unique people and created countless new relationships within the Morehead community. “[The Morehead-Cain Foundation] pays a lot of attention to how authentic people are and what makes them interesting individuals, so everyone is super well-rounded,” she says.

One vital aspect of the scholarship is the summer enrichment program. Between school years, Morehead scholars participate in a fully-funded educational experience of their choice as it relates to

their personal and professional goals. In summer 2019, Carolina went on a backpacking trip in Canada. Travel was limited last summer due to the pandemic, but her small group chose to donate to the All Nations Help Center in Missoula, Montana, with the support of the Morehead-Cain Foundation.

This past summer, Carolina interned in Guatemala City with the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund, where they partnered with a tech startup to provide electricity to rural communities through a prepaid service.

Carolina is double majoring in economics and public policy and hopes to work in international development and public health after graduation.

Similar to Carolina, Antonio “Connor” Díaz spent many of his formative years in Chapel Hill after moving from Spain in 2008. He says that growing up in the area gave him an appreciation of the extent of UNC’s influence and inspired him to attend a large research institution. Antonio graduated from East Chapel Hill High School, where he participated in the astronomy and sustainability clubs. He says that he was thrilled that

the Morehead program had opportunities for him to bring those interests with him to UNC. “Morehead opens a lot of doors for you in different fields,” Antonio says. “I guarantee you, a lot of Moreheads will agree that it really drives you to live up to the name.”

During his time in the program, he’s worked for the South African Astronomical Observatory and visited the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This summer, he conducted climate research at the geothermal beaches of Iceland and compared their findings to those in Croatia, where Antonio spent the last week of his trip at the University of Zagreb.

Now a rising senior, Antonio is studying geophysics and math while completing environmental research. He hopes to enter a Ph.D. program after graduation and focus on paleoclimate research.

“The thing that Morehead does nicely is provide the opportunity to be the product of your success,” Antonio says. “You can gear your experiences to what you want to do, whether it be career advancement or exploring an area that’s always interested you.” CHM

“

You can gear your experiences to what you want to do, whether it be career advancement or exploring an area that’s always interested you.”

– Antonio “Connor” Díaz

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September/October 2021

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One of the first travel destinations I went to when vaccinations made it easier and safer to travel more freely was Wilmington, [North Carolina]! It’s one of my favorite North Carolina destinations. There’s something about digging your bare feet into the sand and hearing the waves roll in and out. Not to mention, Wilmington’s food scene is just amazing. On my last visit, I managed to hit up new restaurants like Seabird and old favorites like Indochine. Outside of North Carolina, I recently went on a road trip to Dollywood located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and I’m still riding that high. I had no idea such a magical theme park was just a short five-hour drive from Chapel Hill. Asheville, North Carolina, is on the way, and I loved stopping there for lunch. We are so lucky to have such lovely travel destinations easily accessible by car.”

– Li nda N guyen, Carrboro

gotta

I will visit Richmond, Virginia, [in August].

Richmond is a wonderful city, with great restaurants, a funky vibe, and some of the best urban white water in the country. I lived there for 20 years, a block off the James River. My mother, [Diane Barbour], retired to Richmond, and she loves it, too, mostly for the food and art scenes. I am headed there to visit with Mom, connect with my brother, and celebrate our birthdays.”

We live in the Claremont/ Winmore neighborhood of Chapel Hill but enjoy packing up and heading to Wilmington, [North Carolina], because there’s a lot to do but you don’t have to drive far to do it.

No matter the season, a wonderful weekend in Wilmington might begin Johannes Gerz-Escandón early in the morning and Jennifer Gerzwatching [the] sunrise over Escandón in downtown Wilmington.

Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier on Wrightsville Beach.

Our next stop is either historic Wilmington for a bite at Beach Bagels on North Front Street or to the artsy South Front neighborhood for pumpkin chocolate chip bread at Bodega Market. A stroll down the boardwalk along the Cape Fear River offers a great view of the Battleship North Carolina on one side and award-winning downtown architecture on the other. We also love to wander in and out of vintage clothing stores or shop for used records in the Castle Street District. Recently we bought concert tickets at the brand-new Live Oak Bank Pavilion and look forward to enjoying local and nationally known performers under the stars. From beaches to breweries, there is always something to do in Wilmington!

– S u zan n e Bar bour, Greenwood, C h ap e l H ill

– J enni fer Gerz -Escandón, Cl arem ont / Wi nm ore, Chapel Hi ll

getaway Find inspiration for your own fall trips as a few of our neighbors share their recent and upcoming regional travels

By Re n e e A mb ro s o

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

GOT ART? WE DO.

From top left: New Voices by Victoria Primicias, Photo by Miriam McSpadden; Successions by Renzo Ortega; Florifauns by J Massullo; Have A Great Day by Jermaine Powell, Photo by Jermaine Powell; Refreshing Connections by Holly Felice; Elizabeth Cotten by Scott Nurkin, Photo by S.P. Murray

chapelhillarts.org

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It was nice to return to Topsail Island, [North Carolina] this year – we’ve visited annually for the past five summers. It’s an easy enough ride from [Orange County] with two little ones, our daughters, Cora and Mary, in the car. Mary hadn’t yet seen the ocean, which she loved. We spent the week playing in the sand, jumping the waves as they rolled in and eating fried shrimp. It’s nice to leave home but also to return; a week at the beach was just enough time to reset for the fall.”

– E l iz ab e t h Po in d ex ter, h i sto r i c H ills b o ro u g h

We are thrilled that we will be welcoming a large group of Chapel Hill friends to our beach house in Atlantic Beach, [North Carolina], the first weekend in August for the annual Atlantic Beach Music Festival. We started this tradition in 2015, and of course, we had to miss it last year. It starts with just a few of us for the Thursday night Mark Berendsen, Sarah Johnston, Nora Berendsen, Leslie Mackowiak, Mark Oakley, Laurie Oakley, pub crawl, and then Friday John Mackowiak, Beth Deacon, Eric Johnston, Tim Johnson, afternoon, we stake out our Kem Johnson, Debi Wolf and Bill Wolf at Atlantic Beach. spot on the beach at The Circle. Friday night we all meet at [our former neighbors in The Oaks] Leslie and John Mackowiak’s house on the White Oak River near Swansboro, [North Carolina]. We have a big group dinner there. Saturday morning, we head out around 10 a.m. for our chosen beach spot and spend the day listening to the beach music bands, dancing, catching up and people-watching. On Sunday, we’ll take out whoever is still around in our boat. The festival is usually held in mid-May, but we’ll take August! The Chapel Hillians who join us are: Kem and Tim Johnson, Laurie and Mark Oakley, Sarah and Eric Johnston, Beth and Dan Deacon and Nora and Mark Berendsen. I’ve been vacationing in Atlantic Beach since the ’70s, and my husband, [Bill Wolf], and I have had a home there since 1991. It’s just a great, family-friendly beach town with good boating, fishing and a beautiful wide beach.”

– D ebi Wol f, Cub Creek Est ates CHM

Let your imagination go!

Come visit the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Historic Downtown Wilson, NC, featuring whimsical iconic metal sculptures that move with the wind and learn about the artist at the Museum across the street.

Spend the day exploring art studios and galleries, gift shops, a brewery and great restaurants.

Visit Lake Wilson for a nature and walking trail. The NC Whirligig Festival is planned for November 6 & 7th.

For more information contact the Wilson Visitors Center 800-497-7398

Advertisement in co-op Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and Museum and Wilson County Tourism Development Authority

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2021 We Thank You, Best Community!

fall arts checklist

Can’t-miss concerts, events and more Co mp i le d by Ke l li Rain e r Events are subject to change; check with organizers prior to attending

Head to University Place with chairs and blankets to enjoy live music in the parking lot. Each show will feature two bands from Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture’s Tracks Music Library with themed nights such as jazz, bluegrass and hip-hop. Thursdays in September; chapelhillarts.org Read (or re-read) the classic novel “Invisible Cities” by Italo Calvino and then go experience James McNeill Whistler’s 1879 etchings of Venice, which will be on display at the Ackland Art Museum in the “Visions of Venice” exhibit, and engage in art and literature discussions with Carolyn Allmendinger, the Ackland’s director of education and interpretation, and UNC Professor Emerita of art history Mary Pardo on Sept. 9. Exhibit runs through Sept. 12; ackland.org An exhibition of screenprints by Bob Goldstein, a UNC professor and Carrboro-based screenprinter, will be on display at Peel. The opening reception is Sept. 10. Sept. 10-Oct. 17; peel.gallery Experience the art scene of downtown Carrboro and Chapel Hill by participating in the art walk on the second Friday of each month, featuring new exhibitions and artists at every event.

Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12; 2ndfridayartwalk.com The seventh annual Bluegrass Festival at Moorefields returns this fall for an afternoon of listening to bands, including The Carolina Cutups, GrassStreet, Vintage Blue and Counterclockwise String Band. The event features lawn seating, food trucks, free parking and on-site sale of beer and wine. Sept. 18; moorefields.org Margaret Lane Gallery presents “Deep Roots, High Hopes: Young, Promising Artists of Talent,” in which Kennedy Lytle and Sol Ramirez, both members of the local NAACP Youth & College Division, provide an artistic exploration of their roots and hopes.

Through Sept. 19; margaretlanegallery.com Check out the “Architectural Angles” exhibit at Margaret Lane Gallery to see artists’ depictions of buildings and other structures.

Artists featured include Terri Gibson, Katherine Jennings and Carly Joy. Through Sept. 19; margaretlanegallery.com Rhiannon Giddens joins fellow musician Tift Merritt on her Carolina Performing Arts podcast, “The Spark.” Rhiannon has performed at the White House and is a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant.” Sept. 23; carolinaperformingarts.org Walk through historic Hillsborough the last Friday of each month to experience all the art and music the town has to offer throughout the downtown area and Nash Street’s West End. Sept. 24, Oct. 29, Nov. 26; hillsboroughartscouncil.org 36

chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2021

The NC 10by10 Play Festival returns to The ArtsCenter for its annual show, presenting ten of the best 10-minute plays submitted by writers in North Carolina. Featuring a 10-actor format, the festival is the most attended short play festival in the region and is slated to host both in-person and livestreamed theatrical events.

Sept. 17-19, 23-26; artscenterlive.org The exhibit “Dreamscapes” at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts features paintings by Lolette Sudaka Guthrie, the photography and digital art of Eric Saunders and blown glass made by Pringle Teetor. Through Sept. 19; hillsboroughgallery.com “Unmuted” features work from Marcy Lansman, Ellie Reinhold and Lynn Wartski at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 24. Sept. 20-Oct. 24; hillsboroughgallery.com Michigan Rattlers, a rock band formed from a group of high school friends, showcases its Midwestern roots and folk-rock sound at Local 506. Sept. 25; local506.com The Carrboro Music Festival, a free two-day event which showcases artists from the area, returns for its 24th year featuring a variety of musical styles. Sept. 25-26; carrboromusicfestival.com The music duo of 75 Dollar Bill opens for Superchunk frontman Mac McCaughan at Cat’s Cradle. Oct. 2; catscradle.com Studio 71 Frame Shop hosts a “Zombie Frame” giveaway, offering gently used frames for local artists and community members to repurpose at no cost. Oct. 2; gallery71nc.com For its 21st annual performance, Paperhand Puppet Intervention presents the giant puppet show titled “Unfolding Seeds: Invocations of Transformation,” sharing stories of love for the community and the Earth at the Forest Theatre. Weekends through Oct. 3; paperhand.org The Ackland Art Museum presents “Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society,” an exhibition that shines light on the artistic impact and evolution associated with Buddhism and Hinduism. Beginning Oct. 8; ackland.org The 11th annual Off the Wall Fundraising Gala is coming back to the Frank Gallery, with limited seating available in the gallery and virtual tickets available for Friends of Frank. Oct. 9; frankisart.com The 16th annual West End Poetry Festival features readings from poets and celebrates various poetic styles. Poets are invited to engage with audiences and share in the reading, writing and listening of poetry. The festival may take on a hybrid format with both virtual and in-person events at multiple venues.

Oct. 14-16; westendpoetryfestival.com The rockabilly and swing trio, The Straight 8s, play a live concert at Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew. Oct. 15; yonderbarnc.com Chapel Hill’s annual Festifall returns, now as a multi-day event featuring 20 to 30 local artists and craftspeople selling their works. The festival will also host dance performances, poetry readings and live music. Locations TBD. Oct. 15, 23, 30; chapelhillarts.org/festifall Theatermakers 600 HIGHWAYMEN return to Carolina Performing Arts this fall to perform “A Thousand Ways Part Two: An Encounter” at CURRENT ArtSpace + Studio. Challenging the traditional definition of theater, the performance invites the audience to also be the actor. Oct. 1-17; carolinaperformingarts.org

MULTILAYERED APPROACH Production and exhibits happen under one roof at Carrboro art gallery Peel

B

urlington, Vermont, native Lindsay Metivier (right) was 25 years old when she opened her first gallery, Aviary, in Boston in 2011. Aviary showed a diverse range of pieces made by artists – many emerging and mid-career – working in all mediums. “One wonderful thing that came from my time at Aviary was all of the relationships that were fostered and the creative network that was built,” she says. “And I learned how hard it is to run an art space when you aren’t a business- or money-minded person.”

Five years later, Lindsay moved to Chapel Hill to attend graduate school at UNC. She graduated “It’s really exciting to be part of a with a master’s in studio art with a photography community that’s so heavily invested concentration and went on to become an adjunct in the arts,” Lindsay says. photography professor at UNC and UNC Peel’s spot on West Rosemary Greensboro. The combination of long-distance Street is 2,000 square feet, nearly management, rent increases and the onset of four times the size of Aviary, with a COVID-19 made Aviary difficult to maintain, so designated gallery, retail and lab space.

Lindsay closed up shop after nearly 100 exhibitions.

It provides artists with a place to meet, But she wasn’t done encouraging artists and fostering attend workshops and have their work art in local communities. photographed. “The hope is that we’ll “I’ve seen a lot of great art spaces close” during her promote accessibility, inspire creativity time in Chapel Hill, she says. So she set out to fill the and enable and empower the whole void and opened Peel, a space similar to Aviary, in community,” Lindsay says. “We’re PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDSAY METIVIER Carrboro on March 5. “Opening an art space during hoping to attract every medium and a pandemic when the pandemic closed your other artists in all points of their careers.” art space seems a little risky,” Lindsay says. “But it just The gallery is doing well in its first felt like something the neighborhood could use.” six months – 187 masked visitors came As a photographer, Lindsay has collected and to Peel’s first opening reception for its captured images of oranges and their peels her entire debut exhibition, “Local Produce,” life. It was only natural that while landing on a name in May. “There hasn’t been a single for her new gallery, she took inspiration from her day that somebody hasn’t emailed or own artwork, plus the variety of artists she hoped to come in with work for me to look at,” attract and the type of space she dreamed it would be Lindsay says. “I didn’t even realize how – an art gallery, digital photography lab, community necessary this space was until the day event space and retail store promoting contemporary that we opened the doors.” art. “I wanted some name that would reflect the Upcoming exhibitions include layers that the space was going to be,” she says. “And printmaker Bob Goldstein and painter Chieko Murasugi. Peel will also it also doesn’t hurt that it exists in Orange County.” host an orange-themed group show beginning in November, filling its walls Its opening was not the grand event Lindsay imagined and was instead with peel-related artwork. Lindsay hopes to host an outdoor art fair in the gradual due to the pandemic. She figured out new outreach approaches, parking lot, and the gallery is already booked for exhibitions through the like virtual tours and outdoor events, to connect with audiences. When money got tight, Lindsay started a fundraiser and raised more than $31,000. end of 2023.  September/October 2021

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PHOTO BY MARQUELL MCKINNEY

By A n n e Tate

FALL A RTS

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR Carolina Performing Arts welcomes the public back for interactive art installation ‘Atmospheric Memory’

By M ar ie M uir | P h o to g rap hy by M ar ian a Yan ez

I

magine standing in an enclosed sound tunnel beneath a ceiling of 3,000 custom-made speakers attached to LED lights. Now picture those lights flickering on and off based on what sound emanates – wind, water, insects and birds – each recording triggering a unique light show. Visitors will get to experience that and 19 other interactive works at Memorial Hall during “Atmospheric Memory” running Dec. 2-17.

Co-presented by Carolina Performing Arts and co-commissioned with the Manchester International Festival, the exhibit premiered two years ago at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum. It was a brainchild of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, a Mexico City-born and Canada-based artist who is known for using robotics, lights, water and phantasmagoria to create interactive artwork. Rafael’s “Atmospheric Memory” is inspired by 19th century “father of computing” Charles Babbage and his idea that the atmosphere records everything we say and a computer could potentially rewind the motion of molecules to recreate voices.

To some people, the concept of recreating voices is romantic; to others, it’s a frightening infringement of privacy. Rafael lets his audience decide for themselves through interactive artworks. One 38

chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2021

piece converts your voice into clouds while another converts spoken language into ripples of water. “Atmospheric Memory” aligns with CPA’s dedication to building spaces for co-creative experiences in which the audience has agency. The installation will take up the entirety of Memorial Hall, from the lobby to the seats to the stage.

“What people end up saying is not something I control,” Rafael explains. “I really like that because it means people take an opportunity to express themselves through the artwork … You see everything from marriage proposals to shoutouts to political messages.”

Rafael hopes to highlight that the atmosphere is a limited resource filled with our histories and that the air inside of our lungs is private, but becomes public as it goes out while we speak. “It’s humbling to be connected in this way to everybody else,” he says.

“Atmospheric Memory” is a campuswide effort with partners ranging from Ackland Art Museum and North Carolina Botanical Garden to the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History. Visitors will be able to purchase tickets online for a timed entry. Amy Russell, CPA director of programming, looks forward to reuniting in-person again with the community through art. “There’s

FALL ARTS

Inspired by Charles Babbage’s 19th century idea that the atmosphere holds every word ever spoken, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer asks his audience: If we could rewind the movement of the air to recreate voices of the deceased, whose voice would we want to hear?

so much value in encountering new things and having that sense of wonder. I’m really excited to give that back to people,” Amy says. “I think the space between art and technology is really special. It’s a way to present really serious, important, critical conversations but kind of invite people to play at the same time and really engage in a space where they feel comfortable and curious.” 

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fall arts checklist Whitehall, an indie rock band from Charleston, South Carolina, and Carver Commodore, an Alabama-based rock ’n’ roll band, come to Local 506 for a live concert. Oct. 18; local506.com Studio 71 Frame Shop welcomes guests for a Halloween art showing and party complete with costumes, spooky displays for photo ops, gift bags for kids and vintage horror movie posters for sale. Oct. 20; gallery71nc.com Film Fest 919 highlights the best feature films and the artists behind them over five days of screenings at The Drive-In at Carraway Village and Silverspot Cinema. Past years have included dozens of movies that go on to be nominated for Oscars.

Oct. 20-24; filmfest919.com The founders of Culture Mill – Tommy Noonan and Murielle Elizéon – join Tift Merritt virtually for an episode of “The Spark.” Tommy and Murielle’s “Eclipse,” will be performed at CPA in the spring of 2022. Oct. 21; carolinaperformingarts.org Chapel Hill-based painter and co-director of Basement gallery, Chieko Murasugi shows new paintings at Peel. An opening reception will be held on Nov. 12. Oct. 22-Nov. 28; peel.gallery Higgins & Myers Custom Framing and Fine Art Gallery hosts an exhibition of the work done by folk artist Mark Cool, who makes artful furnishings with reclaimed wood and found objects.

An opening reception will be held on Oct. 22. Oct. 22-Nov. 30; higginsandmyers.com/fine-art-gallery The kids of School of Rock Chapel Hill take the stage to show off their new skills and present a midseason preview show at a venue TBD. Oct. 24; locations.schoolofrock.com/chapelhill Saturn Leaves, featuring Brianna Tam on the electric cello, will play live hip-hop, rock and R&B fusion at Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew. Oct. 29; yonderbarnc.com Studio 71 Frame Shop will exhibit art from Wes Flanary and Christy LaGuardia. Oct. 29; gallery71nc.com More than 80 artists will submit work to the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts for a preview show in anticipation of the annual Orange County Artists Guild Open Studio Tour held in November. The preview allows attendees to get an idea of the studios they might want to visit during the tour. The reception is held Oct. 29. Oct. 29-Nov. 14; hillsboroughgallery.com Jimmie Ray Swagger & the Fussy Eaters returns to Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew for a rollicking live show. Oct. 30; yonderbarnc.com Artists come from all over to spend a few days in Orange County and participate in the fifth annual Paint it Orange event.

Participants create a work inspired by what they see around them anywhere in the county. The opening and Wet Paint Sale is slated for Nov. 5 at Eno Arts Mill Gallery. Nov. 3-5; artsorange.org Toshi Reagon, a Brooklyn-based musician, continues her residency virtually at Carolina Performing Arts with an appearance on “The Spark with Tift Merritt.” Toshi aims to explore conversations on critical issues in the Black community, and she wants to establish a “creative exchange” program, which connects artists in the region to those based in New York. Nov. 4; carolinaperformingarts.org

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Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew’s Jazz Nights series features Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad. Nov. 4 and 18; yonderbarnc.com Theater artists Marcella Murray and David Neumann, alongside collaborator Tei Blow, combine imagery, short dances and digitized distance, for their new online theater work, “Primer for an Impossible Conversation,” for Carolina Performing Arts.

Nov. 5; carolinaperformingarts.org Drive around the county and pop in artists’ workshops during the Orange County Artists Guild Open Studio Tour, a chance to connect with fellow art lovers during the first two weekends in November. Nov 6-7, 13-14; ocagnc.org PlayMakers Repertory Company’s full-company, in-person production of Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth” in the Paul Green Theatre is directed by PlayMakers’ Producing Artistic Director Vivienne Benesch. Nov. 10-28; playmakersrep.org Imbibe hosts Grewen & Griffanzo Jazz – Danny Grewen joins pianist Robert Griffin – on Monday evenings in November. Nov. 15, 22, 29; imbibenc.com Don’t miss Songwriters in the Round at Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew as Kirk Ridge hosts two musicians who each take a turn sharing their passions for songwriting and music and perform their own music. Nov. 17; yonderbarnc.com The ArtsCenter hosts the 16th annual Carrboro Film Fest, celebrating film and video creativity. Work from established professional filmmakers and beginners is featured. The festival may take a hybrid format with virtual and in-person screenings.

Nov. 19-21; carrborofilm.org All 21 artists and co-owners of the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts come together for this show, “The Art of Giving,” featuring handmade ornaments for the holidays. Nov. 19-Dec. 31; hillsboroughgallery.com After the show went virtual in 2020, Be Loud! returns to Cat’s Cradle for the sixth time as a one-night-only, in-person concert supporting the nonprofit Be Loud! Sophie Foundation. Four bands – Preesh, Pipe, John Howie Jr & The Rosewood Bluff and Snatches of Pink – come together, each to perform a side of The Clash’s seminal record “London Calling.” Special guests will appear throughout the evening. Nov. 20; catscradle.com The bi-annual Arts on Market at Southern Village offers art and gifts for sale from local artists, artisans, bakers and makers, plus live music. Nov. 21; southernvillage.com Basement presents a new show, “Loose Footing,” which will feature the work of Felicity Palma, Kate Robinson and Peat Szilagyi. The exhibit explores the human response to places and the implications that introduces. Through Dec. 5; basementartspace.com In the fourth long-term installation with pieces from the collection of Rhonda Morgan Wilkerson, the Ackland Art Museum displays “Beads of Distinction: Yoruba Royal Caps from the Collection of Rhonda Morgan Wilkerson, Ph.D.” The exhibit will feature headgear from the Yoruba peoples of southwestern Nigeria and nearby regions. Through Dec. 26; ackland.org 

FALL 2021

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FALL A RTS

STAGE DIRECTION We chat with Carolina Performing Arts’ new executive and artistic director, Alison Friedman, about growing up in D.C., her work in Hong Kong and making her mark in Chapel Hill

By J essi ca St ri nger

When do you move back to the United States?

that was still around today. And then [for] extracurriculars, I did dance and theater and music; Brown University had a West African dance program that I was very involved in, and I did a lot of school plays. And then I had opportunities to study abroad in China. In 2002, when I graduated, I went to Beijing on a Fulbright fellowship to research performance in China ... and I never left.

I read that you completed an arts management fellowship program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Growing up in the city, did you ever attend any performances at venues like that one?

Totally. I was really lucky to be able to do some projects with the [Kennedy Center] as a high school student. One was when my high school choir teacher, Rickey Payton, got a bunch of [us] students to sing backup for Jessye Norman in the Kennedy Center Honors awards the year she was honoring Sidney Poitier. It was absolutely one of the most phenomenal things to witness how that entire production happened.

How did you think growing up in D.C. and having those early exposures to the arts affected your career path?

I went to Sidwell Friends, which is a private school, and what a lot of Rickey’s programs did was try to get private school kids and public school kids to do collaborations together. It was essentially using the arts to build bridges, and that’s what my entire career has been about. So I think seeds were definitely planted. And then I also had opportunities to do summer programs and to study abroad in college.

Any time I traveled, to be able to see what local arts practices were, was crucial in getting an insight beyond the surface. All of those really influenced the trajectory of my career, which is using the arts to build bridges and bring people together.

How were you involved in the arts in college?

My major was comparative literature [in the Chinese language]. I always loved writing poetry as a kid, and I knew that China had this ancient history of literature, one of the oldest literature canons in the world

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PHOTO COURTESY OF UNC-CHAPEL HILL

Sept. 1. First I fly to D.C. [where] I’ll be with my parents for probably about a week or so.

And then we’ll drive down to Carolina. I haven’t figured out housing yet. It’s typhoon season in Hong Kong, so there are some perfect days coming up to huddle up in a cozy cafe somewhere and just do a deep dive on real estate links.

Wow, so accepting the position and returning to the U.S. is a big change for you after all these years. What was it about the role that attracted you?

So many things. I think what’s so exciting about CPA is both what it does and where it is in its evolution. In 15 years, which really is not a very long time, it’s built this phenomenal reputation nationally, even internationally – people are aware of the work that Emil [Kang] and the team have done. [CPA is] known for doing work that’s not about one-off wonders, where some [group or artist] comes in and then leaves; instead [CPA is] really invested in process, in artistic residencies and engagement. So already, the mission of CPA is in alignment with the kind of work that I’m interested in. And what’s really exciting about where it is, is at 15 years, it’s no longer a startup. And it’s not yet a calcified institution. We’re at this moment where we get to ask and then together answer the question, what’s next?

Will you jump right into planning the current season, or the one after that?

I won’t touch the existing season, because they’ve done an amazing job planning it; [I’ll be] looking at where we can augment opportunities. My favorite exercise coming into any situation or in reviewing anything is your basic add, subtract, keep. So what do you keep that’s working? What do we need to add, and what’s maybe not working anymore [that] we need to get rid of. Actually, that’s how I used to do all post-production reflections with teams.

So what have you heard about Chapel Hill and the area that excites you about moving here?

I love the outdoors, being on hikes or in the water. And I’m excited by how much accessibility there is. [You drive] in one direction, you

FALL ARTS

can be at the beach; you go in the other direction, there are lakes and mountains and hiking trails.

My aunt and uncle actually live in Durham, so my cousins grew up in the area. The two longest times that I’ve spent [here] were both with the American Dance Festival. I went myself in 2002, right after graduating [college], and then in 2011, I brought a Chinese modern dance company to perform in the festival. So I’m definitely new, but not 100% a stranger. I’ve been amazed how many people say they know somebody in the area, and every single person I talked to has raved about quality of life there.

Nobody said ‘Chapel Hill?’ Surprising numbers of people from different walks of life, from different countries and backgrounds, [have] all said, ‘Oh, yeah, we know about North Carolina.

We know about Chapel Hill.’

Favorite city or town: Oh, that’s too hard. I’m hoping it will be Chapel Hill.

Favorite food: Anything spicy or gummy candy. One of my favorite things when traveling is trying gummy candy in different countries.

Book you’ve finished recently: “Educated” by Tara Westover.

Favorite unexpected city for the arts: Vilnius, Lithuania. It’s a gorgeous city, and it has a phenomenal dance festival. And [also] D.C. I think people think of it as a politics city. Between all the theaters, all of the Smithsonian’s 19 different museums and galleries and a ton of festivals in the summer, I think it’s actually a surprisingly artsy city.

Favorite visual artists: Hilma af Klint, Wu Guanzhong and Gordon Parks.

Favorite museum: Growing up, I loved going to the National Museum of Women in the Arts in D.C. I think my new favorite is getting to finally go see the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Three dream dinner party guests: For a night of the mind rooted in relevance: Bayard Rustin, Muriel Rukeyser and Sun Zi (Sun Tzu).

For hearing another history: Wu Zetian, Hypatia of Alexandria and Pauli Murray.

And for the best dinner party of the decade: Dolly Parton, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Oumi Janta.

Getting back to the role you’re leaving, how long have you been in your position as artistic director for performing arts for the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong?

Just under four years. I came at the end of 2017.

What was that like?

The West Kowloon Cultural District is unique because it’s one of the largest arts and cultural developments in the world. There’s 100 acres of land right on Victoria Harbour where it’s been designated to be a cultural district. So we’re building five performing arts centers, two museums, a huge outdoor public park space, and then a bunch of commercial real estate that I’m not involved in. We opened the first performing arts venue, a big Chinese opera house, in January 2019. I came at the end of 2017, and that first year

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FALL A RTS

was really [spent] planning the opening seasons with my teams. But it was also a lot of construction, making sure that the architects and actually, at that point, the engineers, were delivering what they said they would, so the stage, the acoustics, the equipment, the seating, the bathrooms and the accessibility. And then in June 2019, we opened our second venue called Freespace, which is a big black box theater.

We invited [artists] like Wayne McGregor from the U.K. and [Ryuichi] Sakamoto, who’s a really well-known Japanese musician based in New York. And then, the protests in Hong Kong started, which disrupted a lot of our planning ... and then the whole thing shut down because of COVID-19. So my job as an artistic director these last four years has been very different than what a usual artistic director’s job would be – working with your programming team to come up with the artistic vision and identity of a building and then curate a season of performances, workshops and community engagement activities that deliver that vision and mission for your community.

How did the pandemic affect your work?

Hong Kong had a much more fortunate experience than a lot of places. Hong Kong is a city of 7 million people, and so on Jan. 29, 2020, the government shut all the theaters, all the gymnasiums, public swimming pools, libraries – anything that was a public space was shut down. Hong Kong had gone through SARS, so the city responded so rapidly. Everybody wears masks. And so the cases really didn’t

get incredibly out of control. … Actually, I’m proud to say that West Kowloon [was] the first organization in Hong Kong to go digital as a response to COVID. Theaters shut Jan. 29, and on Feb. 7, we were livestreaming three shows a week for six weeks [at cafe restaurants that had theaters].

Like lots of places, we were experimenting with different things.

One of the programs that a local theater director launched was really, I thought, beautifully relevant to what was going on. Even though the theaters were shut, we were still allowed to use them as long as there was no public. He created these portraits of 30 different Hong Kong theater, film and TV stars, who were [one at a time] brought into the theater, facing the audience in pitch black, and then they just banged on the house lights. They were confronted with this empty theater, and they had a few minutes to improvise their response. The film is shot from behind them. And it was so raw, so relevant, and it was also the moment where we realized digital could help introduce artists to other audiences who weren’t in Hong Kong. That was one of the examples of using the time and the digital space to make relevant work.

What food from Hong Kong are you going to miss most?

I’m going to miss spicy Sichuan and Hunan food, two of the spiciest cuisines. I’m hoping that [Chapel Hill will] have good Southern spices. But I’m excited to learn about the right kind of North Carolina barbecue. CHM

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fall arts

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View stunning sculptures en plein air

rtist Mike Roig’s work fills the wooded backyard of his home in Carrboro, where his sculptures temporarily reside until they find permanent homes or travel to exhibitions. Over the two-thirds of an acre, a few of Mike’s stainless steel sculptures whirl and spin as the breeze passes by – his kinetic designs are meant to be in motion.

“There’s always a fair amount of engineering involved,” he says.

Mike’s garden showcases steel, his preferred material, in fluid shapes, polished to a glittering sheen. Many are silver, but Mike achieves a range of

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PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

By Re n e e Amb ro so

Mike Roig and Clay Carmichael are husband-and-wife artists living and working in Carrboro. Mike, once a painter and printmaker, now spends his time on sculpture, and Clay writes and illustrates children’s books.

September/October 2021

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PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

FALL A RTS

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

LEFT Mike welds one of the recessed seams on a piece called “Stride.”

ABOVE His sculptures often include kinetic elements that move with the wind.

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finishes, from golden brown to deep bronze, even purple or blue tinges, by heating the material to varying degrees. For other pieces, he mixes pigments with a clear base or marine paints to ensure the colors stay vibrant even in the elements.

One sculpture, standing next to the workshop that Mike built himself, is part of a series that he’s been focused on through this summer. “I think of them as forms in motion,” he says. Some only need a week to take shape in the studio, while others take as many as three months, depending on size and complexity.

Beyond Carrboro, Mike’s work is on display publicly at locations including John Chavis Memorial Park and UNC REX Hospital in Raleigh,

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Home of the Triangle Youth Ballet Performing Company, a Regional Dance America Member.

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The Triangle Youth Ballet admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all programs and activities.

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FALL A RTS

P

laced across several grassy acres of Tinka Jordy’s garden, sculptures of molded clay, shining steel and stone are on display each year during the first two weekends of May. Art in the Garden began 27 years ago, when Tinka invited other sculptors to add their creations to the collection of her own work that had begun to sprawl across the 16-acre property, located just south of Hillsborough. Now, the annual exhibit draws about 10 artists, with around half hailing from Orange County.

“Everybody’s work is meant for the garden … It’s a very intimate setting,” Tinka says. Instead of viewing art against stark white gallery

PHOTO BY DONN YOUNG

ABOVE A large steel sculpture sits in front of Mike’s studio where he works daily.

BELOW A child visits one of Tinka’s sculptures called “Hare” in her sculpture garden during Art in the Garden.

Georgia Tech in Atlanta and the Museum of Life and Science in Durham.

This fall, Mike’s studio and sculpture garden will be open to the public during the Orange County Artists Guild’s annual Open Studio Tour on Nov. 6-7 and 13-14. More than 60 artists allow the public into their studios and workshops during this event that began in 1995. At other times of the year, Mike and his wife, Clay Carmichael, welcome visitors by appointment to view the garden or discuss commissions and sales.

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September/October 2021

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walls, “you can see what it would look like in your space,” she says.

A native of New Orleans, Tinka began working with clay as a potter but found herself designing pieces for the yard once she moved to her current home in the ’90s. “My work evolved with the garden,” she says. Her kiln and workshop sit seconds from her front door.

“I’ve always loved clay,” she explains. “Clay is such a natural thing to have outside. … It kind of emerges from the earth.”

Tinka uses a strong, brick-based clay to withstand the wear of being outdoors without cracking or fading. Her highly textured sculptures avoid colored glazes and are instead coated in earthcolored slips.

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PHOTO BY DONN YOUNG

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This high-fired stoneware clay figure titled “Safe” is representative of the highly textured and earthy appearance of much of Tinka’s work.

chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2021

Tinka’s sculptures can be viewed by appointment year-round, but other artists’ work arrives only for the show and takes about a week to install. In spring 2020, the show was canceled due to the pandemic, and guests were asked to sign up for a time slot to view the May 2021 exhibit. Tinka is hoping next year’s show, slated for May 7, 8 and 14, will mark a return to the traditional format.

I

t started with a 5-foot ceramic vase made by Carrboro artist Kathy Buck.

“When exhibited indoors, [it] just looked horrible,” Kathy said in a 2008 interview with the North Carolina Botanical

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FALL A RTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA BOTANICAL GARDEN

ABOVE Several small floral sculptures from the 2020 Sculpture in the Garden exhibit. RIGHT A large sculpture that was on display during the 2020 show.

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FALL ARTS

Garden about her work of art made twenty

years earlier.

Recalling her art student days at UNC in 1988, Kathy said she envisioned an outdoor setting that would suit the scale and tone of her creation. Kathy’s husband, Ken Moore, who was then the assistant director of the garden, saw the opportunity to showcase art outside in a way that wasn’t offered elsewhere in the region. So that fall, Kathy invited 22 other artists to join her in exhibiting work at the garden. Sculpture could be catered to the space, some playing with the garden’s features such as the pond and trees, while others could utilize the garden to add another layer of meaning; Ken remembers a monument plastered with tobacco leaves that one artist pointedly placed in the Poisonous Plants Garden.

“The exhibit changes over time,” Ken said in 2008, when the show was celebrating its 20th anniversary. “The pieces themselves actually change,” he said, during the months of the show as the plants in the garden bloom, adding another dimension for viewers.

This year, the 33rd annual Sculpture in the Garden will feature work from Tinka Jordy and Mike Roig, Greensborobased Jim Gallucci, Pittsboro artists Hamidou Sissoko and Forrest Greenslade, and Roberta Wood from Durham, among others. More than 35 artists will contribute sculptures of all sizes, materials and themes. Sculptures are nestled into the curated landscape of the garden, offering a view of art intertwined with nature. In September, installation of 50 to 60 sculptures will take about a week, with each piece needing anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours to be settled in place within the 12 acres of the garden’s grounds.

The show kicks off with a preview party on Saturday, Sept. 11, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. There’s opportunities to meet artists, take a first peek at the show and purchase pieces while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres provided by Marcel’s Catering Cafe. Sculpture in the Garden can be viewed from Sept. 12 to Dec. 5. CHM

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH CAROLINA BOTANICAL GARDEN

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the

local palette

Chefs dream up dishes inspired by a new Ackland exhibit

By J e ss ic a St r i n g er Ph o to g rap hy by J o h n M ich ae l S imp so n

ckland Art Museum visitors can view

nearly 70 works of Asian art at the exhibit “Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society,” which runs Oct. 8 through Jan. 9 and is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and Asia Society Museum. We asked three chefs to create a dish inspired by a piece from the exhibit, and Ackland Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs Peter Nisbet shared his insights on all three works as well.

This spectacular bottle is a fine example of how seemingly modest functional objects will hold their own in a major exhibition that also includes several dozen masterpieces of Buddhist and Hindu sculpture. Though not large, this piece will be a commanding presence in the Ackland galleries.

The bold peony patterns were made by covering the robust form of this vessel with two layers of clay wash, first white and then black. The artist then shaved away black areas to reveal the white underneath. Surely the original owner, some nine centuries ago in northern China, derived as much pleasure from its visual beauty as from the wine it probably stored.” – Peter Nisbet Made in North China Bottle, Northern Song period, 12th century Stoneware with graffito design in slip under glaze (Cizhou ware, probably from Xiuwu or Cizhou) Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.141 Photography by Synthescape Courtesy of Asia Society and American Federation of Arts

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Forbidden rice risotto with pan-fried oyster mushrooms, poached local duck egg, soy balsamic reduction, Parmesan tuile and nasturtium. Pair with pinot noir or oaky chardonnay.

Earthy would be the word I’d use to describe my inspiration for this dish.

I chose to use forbidden rice not only for its color, but also only those belonging to the upper class in ancient China could afford to eat it, much like owning pottery and art. An oaky chardonnay would pair well with the dish because of the buttery risotto and earthy grilled mushrooms.”

– Mark Hornbeck, elements  September/October 2021

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Experts tell us that the images on this colorful bowl carry certain meanings: the specific combination of flowers, rocks and fungus adds up to birthday or New Year greetings, and the Chinese words for the paired quails evoke the phrase “peace and prosperity.” When I imagine turning this small bowl in my hands, allowing the composition of delicate colors and exquisite precision to reveal itself like a scroll painting, I can indeed feel a suitable sense of auspicious and celebratory wellbeing – but not without an acquisitive, somewhat greedy edge, wishing the Ackland could have such a beautiful object for much, much longer than a few short months.” – P.N.

​​Made in China, Jiangxi Province Bowl, Qing period, Yongzheng era, 1723–35 Porcelain painted with overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware) Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.186 Photography by Synthescape Courtesy of Asia Society and American Federation of Arts

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Idli sambar, a rice-and-beanfermented-batter dumpling floating in a lentil and vegetable stew.

This is a dish from southern India eaten at breakfast, as an appetizer or a small meal. The ancient Chinese bowl inspired this dish with its beautiful, stately and mysterious patterns. The textures, colors and the depth of flavors of the meal will reflect the art it was inspired from.”

– Vimala Rajendran, Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe 

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When you visit the exhibition, look closely at all sides of this jar for the touches of silver and gold that add exquisite refinement to the vivid realism in the depiction of standing, flying and squabbling mynah birds. Although functional in materials and shape (with lugs on its shoulders to hold a lid), this jar was surely made primarily for aesthetic appreciation during a formal Japanese tea ceremony. And while we admire its enduring beauty today, we should remember that the jar is also special for a historically specific reason: it was made by one of the few 17th century Japanese potters whose name is recognized today.” – P.N. Nonomura Ninsei (active ca. 1646–94); made in Japan, Kyoto Prefecture Tea Leaf Jar, Edo period, 1670s Stoneware painted with overglaze enamels and silver (Kyoto ware) Asia Society, New York: Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection, 1979.251 Photography by Synthescape Courtesy of Asia Society and American Federation of Arts

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Caramelized duck, Yin Zhen teasmoked potatoes, foraged mushrooms, aromatic duck jus, pea shoots.

I chose the teapot because I was drawn to the motif of the birds and also as a functional piece that speaks to me as a cook. I immediately thought of tea-smoked duck but didn’t want to try to copy a quintessential Chinese dish. Smoking a different component of a dish with similar ingredients as an homage felt more appropriate. This dish has varying textures and multiple levels of flavor. And duck is one of my absolute favorite proteins to work with because of its versatility.”

– Brendan Cox, Oakleaf CHM

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our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

RISE & SHINE

Longtime breakfast restaurant Breadman’s enters a new day

By M at t h ew L ard i e | P h o to g rap hy by Jo h n M ichael Si m pson

or decades, Omar CastroJuarez and his family have been

ABOVE Luz Castro-Lopez, Cristina CastroJuarez, Omar Castro-Juarez, Yesenia CastroJuarez and Francisco Juarez-Vazquez.

BELOW Dane Hupman has been working at Breadman’s for 35 years.

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as important to Breadmen’s as the restaurant has been to Chapel Hill. In 2020, Omar stepped out from behind the scenes to take over as owner. The restaurant has a new location (261 S. Elliott Rd., near Whole Foods) and a slightly new name (Breadman’s, instead of Breadmen’s), but other than that, longtime customers will find little has changed.

“We have really tried to keep things the same as much as we can,” Omar says. There were some changes to accommodate the new space, but the Breadman’s experience will be familiar to regulars, from the all-day breakfast menu to the UNC sports photos adorning the walls.

“People come to Breadman’s because it’s a place where they feel comfortable,” Omar explains. “I can say that most of my customers know the menu very well and know what they are having by the time they pull up to the parking lot.”

Omar moved to Chapel Hill with his family in 2000, when he was 10 years old, and got his start at the original Rosemary Street location working weekends after he graduated from Southern Alamance High School. “I really didn’t have a lot of background in the restaurant industry [when] I started working at Breadmen’s,” he says. But he stayed, eventually leaving other jobs at Fearrington Village and Subway. “I can say that I did every job at Breadmen’s from washing dishes to working the line and worked my way up to manager,” he says.

Today the new Breadman’s is a family affair. “My family plays a big part of this journey,” Omar insists. “I get a lot of credit

Peggy Hollingsworth and Tom Hollingsworth have lived in Chapel Hill since 1966 and been going to Breadman's since 1995. They visit the restaurant three to four times a week.

for keeping the restaurant going, but I could not have done this without them.”

Omar’s father, Luz Castro-Lopez, has worked at the restaurant for more than 20 years, and Omar credits him with keeping the kitchen running smoothly and serving as the go-to problem solver. “He can fix just about anything,” Omar says.

Omar’s two sisters, Cris Castro-Juarez and Yesi Castro-Juarez, work as servers, and his grandfather Francisco Castro-Vazquez helps out in the kitchen with food prep.

“We are truly a family-run business and are very thankful for all the support we have received from our customers during the pandemic

and [for] sticking by us after we relocated,” Omar says. He notes that while the new space is smaller than the original location, the large outdoor patio space was a lifesaver during the pandemic.

When it comes to the future, Omar plans to continue to build on the legacy that former owner Roy Piscitello started back in 1974.

“We’re so happy that we have this new space. We’re really happy with the location as there are a lot of new buildings going up around us,” Omar says. “We hope that all the new people moving to Chapel Hill will call Breadman’s their new favorite restaurant.”

“I don’t know what the future holds,” Omar adds, “but I know that Breadman’s will be part of Chapel Hill for many years to come.” CHM September/October 2021

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our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

THE SPICE OF LIFE Cottage Lane Kitchen’s founder reflects on a decade of business

By Re ne e A mb ro s o | P h o to g rap hy by Jo h n M ichael Si m pson

s a girl, Samantha Cheek Swan often visited her The recipe took shape with the same ingredients her family had always grandparents in Chapel Hill during the summer. She used – chile peppers and onions, plus apple cider vinegar and sugar to would watch her grandfather, Junius Paul Cheek, balance out the heat. “When we cooked it down, it was as delicious as I harvest a bounty of cayenne peppers from the backyard remembered it,” she says. of his house on Cottage Lane. He’d then pull out Samantha’s husband, Roby Swan, was the one who first suggested she a meat grinder and clamp it to the edge of the kitchen jar the condiment for others to buy. With no food production experience, table; in went the peppers, crushed together with sweet Samantha began Cottage Lane Kitchen in 2011. She sold the relish, onions, bell peppers and spices. The mixture simmered called “Get Me a Switch," at farmers markets and to friends before in apple cider vinegar on the stovetop before he canned it. The result expanding through retail partnerships and pop-up demonstrations. She was a spicy condiment that was evercredits the Got to be NC Agriculture's present on the family’s table and eaten annual trade show, “Flavors of with collards, pinto beans, hot dogs, Carolina,” for connecting her with hamburgers and – Samantha’s favorite – grocery retailers. piled atop slices of pizza.

This October will mark the 10th Four generations of the Cheek anniversary of the first commercial family learned the relish recipe, batch of relish. Cottage Lane Kitchen which is credited to Samantha’s greatnow offers a habanero-based version grandmother, Elizabeth Durham of the spicy sauce called “Cape Cheek, and all prepared it in the Fear” with pineapple and orange kitchen of the home in downtown oil, which won a 2021 Good Food Chapel Hill. “It probably goes further Award – presented by the Good Food back in the family than [her], but Foundation – in the pantry category.

The Cheek family relish recipe is a throw-it-oneverything condiment. Turn up the heat on any dish, she’s the last one that anyone can ever In total, Samantha’s products have like a bowl of shrimp and grits, above. remember making it in the kitchen at received more than 30 international Cottage Lane,” Samantha says. and local awards.

Samantha, who was born in South Africa and had lived in three different The latest addition to her product line is a Louisiana-style, vinegarstates by the time she graduated high school, periodically made her way based hot sauce called “Hissy Fit,” which Samantha developed last year. “I back to Cottage Lane for visits and went on to study art history at UNC. don’t know what mild is,” she jokes. “I’ve thought about [selling] a mild She was there with her grandfather in 1990 when he canned his last batch one, but I’m not so sure it fits our ethos.” of pepper relish. The jars held her over for a while after his death, but when To fulfill higher demand and bulk retail orders, she’s hired a co-packer the supply got low, it was time for another Cheek to step in. After working and works with fulfillment and distribution centers to make and sell the for several years in Houston and at commercial art galleries in London, relish on a larger scale. This frees Samantha up to focus on face-to-face Samantha returned to Orange County in 2010. She found herself right interactions with customers during demonstrations. back in the family kitchen, working alongside her father, J. Paul Cheek Jr. The Cheek family still owns the house on Cottage Lane. These days, “Nothing was ever written down,” Samantha explains. “[The recipe] was Samantha grows peppers for her own use in the backyard of her Chapel always an oral tradition or passed down through making it together. So I Hill home near Meadowmont. Her green thumb, she admits, isn’t as asked my father to help me learn how. … He eyeballed everything. I was strong as that of her grandfather, but she thinks of him fondly when she weighing and measuring everything and writing it all down.” puts on her gardening gloves.  64

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our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

Food for the Soul When Samantha served as the president of the NC Specialty Foods Association a few years ago, she met a kindred spirit in fellow Chapel Hillian Sue Ellsworth at one of the organization’s conferences.

Sue managed LunaPops out of the commercial kitchens at Piedmont Food Processing Center in Hillsborough. Five years in, she joined the center as a manager. Sue met dozens of entrepreneurs over the years in PFPC’s kitchens, but after following up with them in her new role, she learned that many women didn’t maintain their food-based businesses for long.

“There were a lot of different reasons,” she says. Together with Hillsborough resident Dani Black, owner of Bigger Tables Culinary and Service Consulting, the concept of a female-focused food entrepreneur organization took shape.

“When Sue and I first sat down over tacos and margaritas to lament the closing of yet another outwardly successful womanowned business, we knew we had to start digging into [the] root causes,” Dani says.

Sue and Dani conducted roundtable discussions among entrepreneurs, elected officials and other members of the community for six months, brainstorming a process to help women who wanted to start or were struggling to manage their own food-based businesses.

They launched WE Power Food in 2017, operating out of PFPC, and began hosting monthly meetings that offer support,

networking opportunities and a chance for women to share resources and experience to aid one another. Sue says that many women at PFPC test recipes or develop products solo, so WE Power Food offers a vital sense of community.

Membership is now more than 100 strong, including Annette Council of Sweet Neecy all-natural cake mixes and Samantha of Cottage Lane Kitchen. Members’ artisanal food products are sold in combined sets on WE Power Food’s website; profits from these sales are slated to fund a scholarship to help a female food entrepreneur get her business going.

Sue says that many members have struggled to maintain their operations for various reasons during the pandemic – from a shortage of glass jars for packaging purposes to dealing with financial stress. “Women just need a safe space to talk about their issues and people to network and collaborate with,” she says.

A major step for the organization is filing for nonprofit status, which they completed in mid-August. “Some of our bigger goals are focused on the reasons why women are closing their businesses, and we will need to bring on a staff member,” Sue says. As a nonprofit, WE Power Food will be able to solicit needed funds through grants and donations.

“When we work together to change the systems that can hold people back, we all benefit from vibrant, healthy, eclectic business communities," Dani says. “WE Power Food is uniquely positioned to do this work.”

The hope is for WE Power Food to expand to chapters in other regions to accommodate membership across the state.

Branching out will help address the specific needs members have, accounting for varying access to resources. “Ultimately, the goal is that we’re forming an ecosystem [of support],” Sue explains. CHM

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our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

LAVENDER FIELDS FOREVER nspired by a trip to Provence, France, Karen Macdonald and Robert Macdonald bought land just west of Chapel Hill for their own lavender farm in 2015. Today, Lavender Oaks Farm occupies nearly 60 acres and hosts events including weddings and farm dinners. Its on-site shop is stocked with homemade goods, from honey and balsamic vinegar to lotion.

Pictured here at the end of the growing season in July, Karen and Robert say that one of their favorite animals to spot is the yellow finch, which easily stands out in the fields. Photo by John Michael Simpson CHM

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PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

After a 17-year culinary career in New York City, Chapel Hill native Dan Jackson returned home to open Osteria Georgi.

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Four recent restaurants add flavor to our dining scene

By Mat t hew Lardi e

o say the past year and a half has been challenging for restaurants would be the understatement of the century, but despite a global pandemic and all it entailed, a few brave souls pushed forward and opened new eateries that have quickly become community favorites. These “new kids on the block” are a mix of fresh faces and old hands at the restaurant game, but each has brought something exciting to the dining scene.

Osteria Georgi

The newest restaurant from longtime area restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias, Osteria Georgi serves classic Italian fare with signature hospitality. The restaurant is located in the Elliott Road development, something that Giorgios was particularly happy about.

“We have loved that neighborhood in Chapel Hill for a long time,” Giorgios says. “Osteria Georgi sits on a beautiful corner, and we love the walking traffic around it and so many guests living and shopping nearby.

This space has great structure with lots of light and a garden patio, too

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Dame’s Chicken & Waffles

Dame’s has garnered a reputation for delicious chicken and waffles, and each of its locations is chock-full of hungry diners on a near daily basis.

Its fourth (and newest) spot at 147 E. Franklin St. is no different. Co72

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LEFT Dan recently won an episode of Food Network's "Chopped" competition show.

BELOW Dame’s Chicken & Waffles is known for its "shmears," unique flavored butters that range from maplepecan to chocolate-hazelnut.

PHOTO BY CORNELL WATSON

– something that is always important to us – to connect the indoors with the outdoors whenever possible.”

After stints at Eleven Madison Park and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Culinary Institute of America-trained Dan Jackson returned to his hometown of Chapel Hill to serve as executive chef Osteria Georgi. His menu features dishes like zuppa di zucca (a zucchini and buttermilk soup); a grilled steak with cannellini beans, spinach and salsa verde; and a selection of homemade pastas.

“We take a seasonal approach to Italian cooking and try to honor the history of Italian cooking while also taking a modern approach to recipes and techniques,” Dan says.

He points to one dish in particular that has become an Osteria Giorgi classic. “We are best known for our sformato,” he says. “It has become a signature dish. It’s a Parmesan custard. It’s a sweet and savory dish. We use the best Parmigiano-Reggiano and local eggs from Latta’s Egg Ranch. It’s a very simple and a beautiful, light but flavorful way to begin, but we also have customers who like to end the meal with it in place of dessert, sort of like a cheese course.”

Both Dan and Giorgios have enjoyed becoming a part of the community of new restaurants and residents along South Elliott Road. “It’s … so well-situated and easy to access if you’re coming from outside of Chapel Hill,” Giorgios says. “We have always loved being part of this joyful community and look forward to many, many years to come.”

Dan adds, “I want guests to leave saying that they can’t wait to come back. I love hearing that they enjoy the food, but what I really love is to hear they enjoyed the whole experience – that the food, service and ambiance all worked so well together to create a memorable experience – and they want to come back!”

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

founder Damion “Dame” Moore and his team are offering the same menu available at the other locations, with the big draw being what they call their world famous waffle inspirations.

Customers can choose from a selection of chicken-and-waffle combos like The Carolina Cockerel (three fried chicken wings on a blueberry waffle with peach-and-apricot “shmear,” a flavored butter) or the Orange Speckled Chabo (a chicken cutlet on a sweet potato waffle with orangehoneycomb shmear and a honey-Dijon drizzle), or they can create their own by choosing from any combination of chicken, waffle flavor and house-made shmear.

Other menu items include Mimi’s Sassy Shrimp, a take on shrimp and grits that sees jumbo shrimp sauteed alongside smoked chicken sausage in

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AlfredosPizzaNC.com T hank you to all our dedicated staff, customers and friends for helping us through the pandemic. We couldn’ t do this without you!

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September/October 2021

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PHOTO BY CORNELL WATSON

our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

Chapel Hill marks the fourth location for Damion “Dame” Moore, who opened the first Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Durham in 2010 with co-founder Randy Wadsworth.

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a house spice blend, served over cheese grits.

A Hot Mess, Seriously? are two eggs served in a bowl with cheese, turkey bacon or sausage, and grits, served in a bowl and drizzled with ketchup and hot sauce (“no exceptions” reads the menu).

To accommodate the rush of students and downtown lunchtime diners, given its prime location on East Franklin Street, the Chapel Hill Dame’s is a counter-service restaurant as opposed to sit down. But other than that, the Dame’s experience remains the same as it was when Damion and his co-founder, Randy Wadsworth, opened the first Dame’s Chicken & Waffles in Durham in 2010.

Tesoro

After stints with some of the area’s best chefs and a three-month research tour of Europe with stops in Italy, France, Spain and a visit to his ancestral hometown of Karlovac, Croatia, David Peretin returned to Carrboro to pour all that experience into Tesoro, a Europeanstyle cafe and restaurant built around a core menu of handmade pastas.

“The cafe culture that is all over [Europe] felt like something I wanted to execute here in Carrboro,” David says. “A casual atmosphere, warm, friendly service and seasonal food that was approachable but confident.”

The 18-seat, pasta-focused restaurant opened on East Weaver Street, across from Weaver Street Market, in midAugust. Here in his own restaurant, David will use the French techniques he picked up from all the chefs he’s worked under (including Gabe Barker at Pizzeria Mercato, Matt Kelly at St. James and Colin Bedford at Fearrington House Restaurant) to put his own spin on traditional Italian pastas, with a bit of Croatian flair tossed in. “The Croatian component is something that felt very necessary after the trip,” David says. “My great-grandfather emigrated from Karlovac, Croatia, when he was 12. Some of my earliest connections to food are from that side of my family, and I knew I wanted to pay homage to that.

“The commonality between French, Italian and Croatian cuisine felt like an

appropriate blend that fit the ethos I was after for my own place.”

The menu is a combination of small plates like arancini (fried rice balls with risotto, Parmesan and salsa Calabrese), bruschetta and homemade meatballs, along with the pasta. That section is slated to feature a classic spaghetti with tomato, basil and olive oil; a

The commonality between French, Italian and Croatian cuisine felt like an appropriate blend that fit the ethos I was after for my own place."

- David Peretin

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our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue torchietti pasta with pancetta and Grana Padano cheese; and a gnocchi dish with lamb ragu sauce and Paški Sir, a sheep’s milk cheese from the Croatian island of Pag. David plans to import the casual vibe of European cafes as well. “Our servers won’t have ‘uniforms,’” he says. “We will cook in T-shirts, and sometimes the music might get a little loud late at night. We’ll only be open five days a week so our team members can have balance and be in a space where they know their life as a whole is valued.”

“Overall, I want Tesoro to feel personal for people,” David adds. “I want it to be a place where people gather and genuinely feel like their day is better when they leave.”

Mosaic Cafe & Bistro

The place and the people might be familiar, but Mosaic offers a whole new dining experience in Carrboro. The team behind the renovated millhouse’s former occupant, the upscale French restaurant Provence, decided to use the time during the pandemic to reimagine what the community might need.

“We should use this opportunity to turn the restaurant into something more ‘Carrboro,’” general manager Brian Cansler remembers thinking. “It kind of became a rebirth.”

The team, including owner and restaurateur Baptist Knaven and executive chef David Arrington, decided to do away with the more formal, fine dining experience of Provence and turn Mosaic into a cafe and bistro, with coffee and pastries available during the day alongside sandwiches, soups and wraps. They

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remodeled the whole interior with new floors, paint, furniture and kitchen equipment.

“I would say we’ve done a 170, not quite a full 180,” Brian laughs. Fans of Provence’s classic French cuisine needn’t fear too much – some old favorites like the onion soup, escargot and mussels make an appearance on the new menu. Other popular items include the fried olives and the unique take on the traditional bread-and-butter basket – homemade naan served with homemade paneer cheese.

With a nearly $50,000 investment in the outdoor patio space, Brian hopes Mosaic becomes more of a neighborhood joint as opposed to a special occasion restaurant. There are plans to reinstate the popular wine dinner series, as well as have regular live music on the patio.

“I want people who live down the street to come every week,” Brian says. CHM

PHOTO BY MEGAN Q. DANIELS

our FOOD, DRINK & FARM issue

General manager Brian Cansler, executive chef David Arrington and owner/restaurateur Baptist Knaven hope the patio space encourages more outdoor diners this fall.

C H A P E L H I L L R E S TA U R A N T G R O U P INTRODUCING THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR RESTAURANT FAMILY Patio Dining Two Private Rooms

Serving Pan-Asian Street Food from Nationally Acclaimed Chef William D’Auvray

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5418 Page Rd., Durham lulubangbangnc.com

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CONTEMPORARY MEXICAN

mezdurham.com

Fresh, Local Ingredients

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squidsrestaurant.com

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C AT E R I N G

Restaurant & Oyster Bar

pageroadgrill.com

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chrgcatering.com

THE KEY with Sheri Castle

PBS North Carolina is excited to introduce The Key Ingredient with Sheri Castle.

Join us weekly as Sheri welcomes a variety of guests and shares approachable recipes using local ingredients, tracing their way from land or sea to kitchen and table.

PREMIERES THURSDAY, 9/23, 7:30 PM

thekeyingredient.com

D I NING GUIDE

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

CHAPEL HILL East Franklin Street Bandido’s Mexican Cafe Burritos, salads, quesadillas, tacos. 159½ E. Franklin St.; 919-967-5048; bandidoscafe.com Benny Cappella’s Pizza by the slice or whole pie. 122 E. Franklin St.; 919-240-5062; bennysva.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. 128 E. Franklin St.; 919-960-3955; cosmiccantina.com

Cat Tales Cat Cafe A two-story coffee/beer/ wine cafe home to 12 adoptable cats.

431 W. Franklin St.; cattalescatcafe.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

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

TRU Deli & Wine Bar Build-your-own sandwiches and wine. 114 Henderson St.; 919-240-7755; trudeli.com Yaya Tea Japanese cafe with a variety of bubble teas and imported snacks. 157 E. Franklin St.; 919-914-6302; yayatea.com

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

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

Beer Study Bottle shop with in-store drafts and growlers to go. 106 N. Graham St.; 919-240-5423; beerstudy.com

Imbibe Bottle shop and restaurant serving pizza, salads and appetizers. 108 Henderson St.; 919-636-6469; imbibenc.com Jed’s Kitchen Gyro pitas, shawarma wraps, subs and other Moroccan dishes. 105 E. Franklin St.; 919-240-7003; jedskitchen.com Linda’s Bar & Grill Local beer, sweet potato tots, cheese fries and burgers. 203 E. Franklin St.; 919-933-6663; lindas-bar.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

Blue Dogwood Public Market Food hall with individually-owned food stalls including Asian fusion, a bottle shop, North Carolina barbecue 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 West Franklin St.; 919-240-5060; bluesonfranklin.com Boro Beverage Co. Locally made kombucha and craft sodas on tap. 400 W. Rosemary St., Ste. 1005; 919-942-1110; borobeverage.com Brandwein’s Bagels Classic New York bagels and breakfast sandwiches. 505 W. Rosemary St.; 919-240-7071; brandweinsbagels.com BUNS Gourmet burgers, fries and shakes made from fresh ingredients.

107 N. Columbia St.; 919-240-4746; bunsofchapelhill.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 80

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

West Franklin Street

Down Time Craft beer, pizza, tacos, wraps, paninis and more. 201 E. Franklin St.; 919-240-7008; downtimechapelhill.com

Hibachi & Company Japanese fast-casual spot serving healthy hibachi- and teriyakistyle dishes. 153 E. Franklin St.; 919-903-8428; hibachicompany.com

A DVERTI S ER S H I GH L I GH T E D I N B OX E S

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

Curry Point Express Indian fare including curry, biryani and wraps. 118 E. Franklin St.; 919-903-9000; currypointexpresstogo.com

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

* DE TAI L S ARE S U B J E C T TO C H A N G E .

C H E C K RE STAU RANT W E B S I TE S AND S OC I AL ME DI A C H A N N E LS P RI OR TO V I S I T I NG.

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 Elaine’s on Franklin Fine regional American cuisine, made with the freshest local ingredients. 454 W. Franklin St.; 919-960-2770; elainesonfranklin.com Heavenly Buffaloes Chicken wings as well as 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 41 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 La Résidence French-inspired cuisine made from fresh ingredients. 202 W. Rosemary St.; 919-967-2506; laresidencedining.com Lantern Pan-Asian cuisine. 423 W. Franklin St.; 919-969-8846; lanternrestaurant.com Lime & Basil Vietnamese fare. 200 W. Franklin St.; 919-967-5055; limeandbasil.com

Carolina Brewery The fifth-oldest brewery in the state featuring Carolina cuisine. 460 W. Franklin St.; 919-942-1800; carolinabrewery.com

September/October 2021

Mama Dip’s 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

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

Min Ga 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; monterreychapelhill.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

Might As Well Bar & Grill Bar favorites.

206 W. Franklin St.; 984-234-3333; chapelhill.mightaswellbarandgrill.com

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

Mint Indian Cuisine North Indian subz korma and chicken jalfrezi. 504 W. Franklin St.; 919-929-6188; mintunc.com

Casa Maria Latin Cuisine Street tacos, nachos, burritos and salads. 1502 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-6566; casamariacuisine.com

The Northside District Specialty cocktails and international small plates.

403 W. Rosemary St.; 919-391-7044; thenorthsidedistrict.com

The Casual Pint Upscale craft beer market with beer, wine and ice-cream sandwiches.

201 S. Elliott Rd., Ste. 51; 919-967-2626; chapelhill.thecasualpint.com

Perennial Cafe Serving Carrboro Coffee Roasters coffee, tea and pastries.

401 W. Franklin St.; perennial.cafe

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

Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen Drive-thru biscuits, sandwiches. 1305 E. Franklin St.; 919-933-1324; sunrisebiscuits.com

Pho Happiness Pho noodle soup, vermicelli plates and vegetarian/gluten-free options.

508-A W. Franklin St.; 919-942-8201; phohappiness.com

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

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

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 Sôst A build-your-own-pizza concept, plus other options like macaroni and cheese, traditional pastas, sandwiches and wraps.

133 W. Franklin St., Ste. 120; 984-234-0081; kpanns.com/sost 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 Summit Coffee Cold brews, lattes, teas, special blends and more. 140 W. Franklin St., Ste. 120; 704-895-9090; summitcoffee.com Talulla’s Authentic Turkish cuisine; all ABC permits. 456 W. Franklin St.; 919-933-1177; talullas.com Trolly Stop - The Beach on Franklin Specialty hot dogs and burgers.

104 W. Franklin St.; 919-240-4206; trollystophotdogs.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/restaurant Vimala’s Curryblossom Café Traditional Indian tandoori and thali. 431 W. Franklin St.; 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

Clean Juice Certified organic juices, smoothies, bowls and snacks. Eastgate Crossing; 919-590-5133; cleanjuice.com Crab House Company Fresh, flavorful seafood. 237 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-903-9015; crabhouseco.com Dunk & Slide at Whole Foods Market Allday breakfast, sushi and more. 81 S. Elliott Rd.; 919-968-1983; wholefoodsmarket.com The Ghost Kitchen & Delivery Co. Deliveryonly restaurant group consisting of two virtual restaurants, Bistro 501 and The BBQ Company of Chapel Hill. 1322 N. Fordham Blvd.; ghostkitcheneats.com Guglhupf Bake Shop European-style breads, pastries and coffee. Eastgate Crossing; 919-914-6511; guglhupf.com/ chapel-hill-bake-shop

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

Tandoor Indian Restaurant Traditional Indian cuisine, vegan options.

1301 E. Franklin St.; 919-967-6622; tandoorindian.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. 919-9683424; alfredospizzanc.com

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

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

Japan Express Hibachi-style meals and sushi. 106 S. Estes Dr.

Hawkers Inspired by Southeast Asia's street fare, this eatery features homemade favorites, from dumplings to curries.

Outdoor seating available. 919-415-1799; eathawkers.com

Just Salad Salads, wraps, smoothies, soups, grain bowls and more. 111 S. Elliott Rd.; 984-999-3700; justsalad.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 The Loop Pizza Grill Pizzas, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers. Eastgate Crossing; 919-969-7112; looppizzagrill.com

Maple View Mobile Ice cream outpost of the Hillsborough dairy farm. 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 Trilogy American cafe featuring innovative twists on classic dishes. Outdoor seating available. Silverspot Cinema; 919-357-9887; silverspot.net

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DINING GUIDE

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (Airport Road) Hunam Chinese Restaurant Cantonese cuisine. 790 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-967-6133; hunamrestaurant.net

Farm House Restaurant Steaks, salads, potatoes. 6004 Millhouse Rd. (N.C. 86 N.); 919-929-5727; farmhousesteakhouse.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; magone-italian-grill-pizza.business.site

Kitchen Bistro-style dining with a seasonal menu that always includes mussels. 764 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-537-8167; kitchenchapelhill.com Lucha Tigre Latin-Asian cuisine and sake tequila bar. 746 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-904-7326; luchatigre.com The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering Sandwiches, salads, desserts and more.

Weekly prepared meals, groceries to-go box and Friday night specials. 750 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-967-3663; rootcellarchapelhill.com Timberlyne/Chapel Hill North Area Chapel Hill Wine Company Wine store with bottles from all over the globe.

2809 Homestead Rd.; 919-968-1884; chapelhillwinecompany.com Deli Edison Neighborhood deli with bagels, sandwiches, salads. 630 Weaver Dairy Rd.; 919-929-7700; deliedison.com

Taste of the South

Margaret’s Cantina Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-942-4745; margaretscantina.com New Hope Market Breakfast and daily specials like burgers, soups and more.

6117 N.C. Hwy. 86 S.; 919-240-7851

Rasa Indi-Chinese Authentic North Indian and Chinese cuisine, with fusion and Thai dishes. Weekly specials. Patio dining. 1826 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-929-2199; rasachapelhill.com Sage Vegetarian Cafe Vegetarian fare. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-968-9266; sagevegetariancafe.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

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

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

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

N.C. 54 East/Raleigh Road

Piggyback Classic cocktails, beer and wine and unexpected, creative bar food.

630 Weaver Dairy Rd.; 919-240-4715 Pop’s Pizzeria Pizzas, calzones, stromboli, pasta. 1822 MLK Jr. Blvd.; 919-932-1040; pops-pizzeria.com Queen of Pho Vietnamese offerings like banh mi and, of course, pho beef noodle soup. Timberlyne Shopping Center; 919-903-8280; queenofphochapelhill.com

BEST BURGER BEST NEW RESTAURANT • BEST FRIES

Amante Gourmet Pizza Create-your-own pizzas. 6209-B 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

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2021 2021

voted best comfort southern food and best barbecue

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Take-Out Family Meals • Dine-In Outside Dining • Curbside Pick-Up ChowNow Online Ordering Takeout Central Delivery

408 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill 919.942.5837 mamadips.com Lunch & Dinner Wed-Sun 11 am - 7 pm

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LOCAL CRAFT BEER • WINE • COCKTAILS PATIO SEATING • PET FRIENDLY DINE IN & TAKE OUT

Governors Village 50050 Governors Drive • Chapel Hill (919) 240-5050

G O V S B U R G E R A N D TA P. C O M

September/October 2021

o.com r o b r r a c e www.acm ro St, Carrbo 110 E. Main

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D I NI NG GUI D E

J OYO U S COO K ING MORETON NEAL IS AN AUTHOR AND INTERIOR DESIGNER WHO LIVES IN CHAPEL HILL. SHE IS A LIFELONG FOODIE, HAVING CO-FOUNDED LA RÉSIDENCE IN 1976.

CROOK’S CORNER: YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW

PHOTO BY JAMES STEFIUK

Crook’s Corner suddenly closed its doors on June 9.

The announcement came out of the blue, sending a shock wave through our food-loving community. No explanation, no celebration, no chance for a last plate of shrimp and grits – just lights out.

My three children, who practically grew up there, went into mourning as if they’d lost a family member.

The question on everyone’s mind: What happened to cause such an abrupt end of an era?

Among the many circulating rumors was my own presumption – good staff, like real estate in the area, is not easy to find these days. Why else would Crook’s not capitalize on serving legions of devoted patrons one final dinner at their beloved hangout?

As it turns out, I was wrong.

There were too many cooks in Crook’s kitchen – debt restructuring by the new owners became an issue, according to a reliable source. The good news is the restaurant may well rise from the ashes. Gene Hamer, the original owner, manager and backbone of Crook’s, says, “There’s a good possibility of Crook’s reopening. I’m very hopeful about it.”

So much has been written about Crook’s legendary two Bills, I won’t repeat the stories here, except to dispel the longlived rumor that I am or ever have been a part-owner of Crook’s. (Full disclosure, I am Bill Neal’s ex-wife and Bill Smith’s friend and former employer.)

Gene and Bill Neal took over Cam Hill’s barbecue joint, already named Crook’s Corner, on the site of Rachel Crook’s fish market. The two of them transformed the joint into a Southern regional restaurant in the same wave as Alice Waters, Mark Miller, Jasper White and Paul Prudhomme were developing produce-oriented regional restaurants in other areas of the U.S. Bill Neal sold out to Gene early on and temporarily left Crook’s to embark

chef Bill Fiss in 1993. Through his cooking, his cookbooks (“Seasoned in the South” and “Crabs and Oysters: A Savor the South Cookbook”), his many charitable endeavors and his courageous activism, Bill Smith has become one of the most well-known and beloved chefs in the South. Though he retired from Crook’s in 2019, we haven’t seen the last of him. His charming cake-baking videos lifted the spirits of thousands stuck at home during the pandemic. Watch for him to pop up regularly as guest chef for benefit dinners. He also has not one but two books under contract. I’m hoping he’ll find time to run for governor.

Crook’s history features prominently in my own UNC Press cookbook/memoir, “Remembering Bill Neal: Favorite Recipes from a Life in Cooking.”

A third of the book is devoted to Crook’s best recipes, which Gene generously shared with me.

Old-timers will remember Cajun steak, one of the most popular items from the original menu and one of my own favorites.

on a writing career which, over nine years, produced “Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking,” “Biscuits, Spoonbread and Sweet Potato Pie,” “Good Old Grits Cookbook,” (co-authored with David Perry), and “Gardener’s Latin.” He returned to supervise the kitchen until his death in 1991, leaving behind an unfinished manuscript for “Southern Vegetarian Cooking.”

Bill Smith, who followed in Bill Neal’s footsteps to become chef at La Résidence, the restaurant Bill Neal and I founded in 1976, took over the Crook’s kitchen from

CAJUN STEAK

6 Tbsp. sweet paprika 4 Tbsp. black peppercorns 3 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. cumin seeds 2 ½ Tbsp. red pepper flakes 1 ½ Tbsp. dry mustard 1 ½ Tbsp. fennel seeds 1 tsp. allspice 4 cloves fresh garlic 4 rib-eye steaks Olive or vegetable oil In a small food processor, grind together all the ingredients. Expect some of the ingredients will grind more coarsely than others, particularly the fennel seeds.

About 30 minutes before grilling, rub the seasoning mix onto each steak, covering both sides thoroughly.

Heat a little oil in a skillet and panbroil the steaks to your taste. CHM

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DINING GUIDE

COMING SOON – Coco Full menu of dinein 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

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

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

COMING SOON – Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar Northern and southern Indian specialties including Gobi Manchurian, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Tikka and Hariyali Murg Kebab. 101 Meadowmont Village Cir.; lnlrestaurant.com

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

Meet Fresh Taiwanese desserts and teas.

407 Meadowmont Village Circle; 984-999-4983; meetfresh.us/en

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

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

Jujube Eclectic, modern cuisine inspired by the classic flavors of China and Vietnam.

Glen Lennox Shopping Center; 919-960-0555; jujuberestaurant.com Nantucket Grill & Bar Clam chowder, lobster rolls and more. 5925 Farrington Rd.; 919-402-0077; nantucketgrill.com Old East Tavern Elevated food, wine, craft beer and cocktails. 1118 Environ Way, East 54; 919-903-8699; oldeasttavern.com Thai Palace Soup, curries, pad thai.

Glenwood Square Shopping Center; 919-967-5805

Southern Village

Al’s Burger Shack Gourmet burgers and fries. 516 W. Franklin St.; 919-904-7659; alsburgershack.com La Vita Dolce Pastries, sorbet, gelato, coffee. 610 Market St.; 919-968-1635; lavitadolcecafe.com

breakawaync.co | 984.234.3010

Breakfast, lunch, dinner & sunday brunch

58 Chapelton CT, Chapel HilL The veranda at briar chapel

2021

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DINE-IN TAKEOUT DELIVERY

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BEST PIZZA

AlfredosPizzaNC.com September/October 2021

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 Town Hall Grill Sandwiches, steak, seafood, Italian dishes. 410 Market St.; 919-960-8696; thetownhallgrill.com Weaver Street Market Food bar items available as 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 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

D I NI NG GUI D E

Armadillo Grill Tex-Mex burritos, enchiladas, tacos, nachos. 120 E. Main St.; 919-929-4669; armadillogrill.com Carrburritos Burritos, tacos, nachos and margaritas. 711 W. Rosemary St.; 919-933-8226; carrburritos.com Cham Thai Cuisine Authentic Thai, Siamese and Chinese cuisine.

370 E. Main St., Ste. 190; 984-999-4646; chamthaicuisineatcarrboro.com Coronato Pizza Roman-style pizza, snacks and salads. 101 Two Hills Rd., Ste. 140; 919-240-4804; coronatopizza.com Craftboro Brewing Depot Bottle shop and brewery with taps of craft beer.

101 Two Hills Dr., Unit 180; 919-240-4400; craftborobrewing.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

The Honeysuckle Cafe & Bar Coffeehouse serving tea and meads in addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner. 601 W. Main St.; 919-967-9398; thehoneysuckle.org/cafe-bar

Open Eye Cafe Locally roasted Carrboro Coffee and espresso, tea, beer, wine and baked goods. 101 S. Greensboro St.; 919-968-9410; openeyecafe.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

Paco’s Tacos Steak, chicken, seafood and vegetarian tacos. Located in Mel’s Commissary & Catering. 109 W. Main St.; 919-240-7700

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

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

Mel’s Commissary & Catering Changing lunch-only menu of comfort food. 109 W. Main St.; 919-240-7700; melscarrboro.com Mosaic Café & Bistro A pastry shop specializing in baked treats by day and a casual tapas-style bistro by night. 203 W. Weaver St.; mosaicbistro.com Napoli Cafe 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

Spotted Dog Vegetarian- and veganfriendly 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.; tesorocarrboro.com Wings Over Has 27 flavors of wings.

313 E. Main St.; 919-537-8271; wingsoverchapelhill.com East Main Square

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

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

Gray Squirrel Coffee Co. Roastery and espresso bar. 360 E. Main St., Ste. 100; graysquirrelcoffee.com Hickory Tavern Burgers, sandwiches and build-your-own salads. 370-110 E. Main St.; 919-942-7417; thehickorytavern.com

Eat Healthy. Be Happy!

Authentic North Indian and Chinese Cuisine, with Fusion, Thai and Vegan/Vegetarian dishes.

Thanks for an amazing first eleven years!

RASA Indian & Chinese Restaurant The One & Only Chapel Hill Location!

C U R B S I D E • PAT I O • D I N E - I N • D E L I V E R I E S

Chapel Hill North – Timberlyne

1826 MLK Jr. Blvd. • 919.929.2199 • 919.942.6365

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DINING GUIDE

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

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

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Biscuits, doughnuts, chicken and coffee.

310 E. Main St., Ste. 100; 919-929-5115; risebiscuitschicken.com

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

Vecino Brewing Co. Dozens of craft beer choices plus flavorful small plates.

300 E. Main St., Ste. C; 919-537-9591; vecinobrewing.com

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

Carrboro Pizza Oven Pizza, calzones.

Carr Mill Mall; 919-904-7336; carrboropizzaoven.com

The House at Gatewood Supper club serving comfort food 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

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

Los Altos Serving Mexican dishes, such as tacos and chiles rellenos, for breakfast and lunch six days a week and dinner on weekends. 126 W. King St.; 919-241-4177

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-D Jones Ferry Rd.; 919-903-8622; aidanspizza.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 Monterrey Mexican Grill Traditional Mexican cuisine. Carrboro Plaza; 919-903-9919; monterreychapelhill.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 COMING SOON – C&B Community Store Breakfast and lunch five days a week and wood-fired pizzas on weekends.

5515 N.C. Hwy. 86; 336-425-6230 Cup A Joe Coffee and pastries. 112 W. King St.; 919-732-2008; hboro-cupajoe.com 86

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

CHATHAM COUNTY Ciao Bella Pizzeria Pizza, pastas, sandwiches.

1716 Farrington Point Rd.; 919-932-4440

Dingo Dog Brewing Company The nanobrewery/nonprofit features 16 taps and outdoor seating. 410 N. Greensboro St., Ste. 150; dingodogbrewing.com

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

Wooden Nickel Pub Pub fare. 113 N. Churton St.; 919-643-2223; thewnp.com

Governors Village

Carr Mill Mall/North Greensboro Street B-Side Lounge Small plates like flatbread, bacon-wrapped dates and fondue. Plus, inspired cocktails. Carr Mill Mall; 919-9047160; b-sidelounge.com

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

Maple View Farm Country Store Drive-up or window service for homemade ice cream and milk. 6900 Rocky Ridge Rd.; 919-960-5535; mapleviewfarm.com Matthew’s Chocolates Gourmet chocolates, frozen treats and baked goods. 104 N. Churton St.; 919-732-0900

Flair Restaurant & Wine Bar Frenchinfluenced food, coffee and Sunday brunch.

50100 Governors Dr.; 919-967-9990; flairfusionrestaurant.com Gov’s Burger & Tap Burgers, hot dogs, salads, milkshakes, wraps and sandwiches. 50050 Governors Dr.; 919-240-5050; govsburgerandtap.com Tarantini Italian cuisine. 50160 Governors Dr.; 919-942-4240; tarantinirestaurant.com North Chatham 501 Pharmacy Maple View Farm ice cream, plus malts and shakes. 98 Chapelton Ct., Ste. 300; 984-999-0501; 501rx.com

Napoli Hillsborough Neapolitan pizzeria and gelateria. 230 S. Nash St.; 919-245-8566; napolihillsborough.com Nomad International street food-inspired eatery. 122 W. King St.; 984-217-0179; thenomadnc.com Panciuto Locally sourced, sustainably raised, Southern-influenced Italian dining. 110 S. Churton St.; 919-732-6261; panciuto.com Pueblo Viejo Traditional Mexican food.

370 S. Churton St.; 919-732-3480 Radius Wood-fired pizzas, housemade pastas, sandwiches, 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; saratogagrill.com Steve’s Garden Market & Butchery Local meat, baked goods, pimento cheese. 610 N. Churton St.; 919-732-4712; stevesgardenmarket.com 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

September/October 2021

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 Captain John’s Dockside Fish & Crab House American seafood dishes.

11550 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 N.; 919-968-7955; docksidechapelhill.com Moon Asian Bistro An Asian fusion restaurant offering sushi, ASIAN BISTRO Chinese dishes like sweet-and-sour chicken, Thai curry dishes, rice and noodles.

111 Knox Way, Ste. 100; 919-869-7894; moonasianbistroch.com O’YA Cantina Latin cuisine from all over the world. 72 Chapelton Ct.; 984-999-4129; oyacantina.com Town Hall Burger and Beer Burgers plus tacos, wings and salads. 58 Chapelton Ct.; 984-234-3504; townhallburgerandbeer.com

D I NI NG GUI D E

PITTSBORO Al’s Diner Traditional American classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 535 West St.; 919-542-5800; alsdiner.net Allen & Son Bar-B-Que N.C. barbecue.

5650 U.S. 15-501; 919-542-2294; stubbsandsonbbq.com Angelina’s Kitchen Greek and Southwestern dishes including gyros. 23 Rectory St.; 919-545-5505; angelinaskitchenonline.com Aromatic Roasters Small-batch coffee shop specializing in Aztec mochas, chai lattes and Thai teas. 697 Hillsboro St.; 919-259-4749; aromaticroasters.com The Belted Goat Lunch, dinner and wine shop, offering salads and sandwiches.

Fearrington Village Center; 919-545-5717; fearrington.com/belted-goat Buzz Cafe at Chatham Marketplace Sandwiches, daily changing hot bar, sushi, salads and baked goods. Chatham Mills; 919-542-2643; chathammarketplace.coop

The City Tap Classic bar food. 89 Hillsboro St.; 919-545-0562; thecitytap.com Compadres Tequila Lounge Mexican restaurant with a variety of classic dishes.

193 Lowes Dr., Ste. 107; 919-704-8374; compadresnc.com Copeland Springs Farm & Kitchen Grains and greens bowls, small plates and bar snacks. 193B Lorax Ln.; 919-261-7211; copelandspringsfarm.com

John’s Pizza Restaurant Pizzas, pastas, wraps, calzones and strombolis. 122 Sanford Rd.; 919-542-5027; johnspizzarestaurant.com The Mod Wood-fired pizza, salads, small plates and a full bar. Outdoor seating available. 46 Sanford Rd.; 919-533-6883; themodernlifedeli.com

Davenport’s Café Diem Carrboro Coffee Roasters coffee and espresso offerings.

439 Hillsboro St.; 919-704-4239; davenports-cafediem.com

New Japan Hibachi-style Japanese cooking.

90 Lowes Dr.; 919-542-4380 Elizabeth’s Pizza Pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, salads and pasta.

160 Hillsboro St.; 919-545-9292; elizabethspizzapittsboro.com The Fearrington House Restaurant Contemporary fine dining. Reservations are needed. Fearrington Village Center; 919-542-2121; fearrington.com/house

Carolina Brewery The fifth-oldest brewery in the state featuring Carolina cuisine. 120 Lowes Dr., Ste. 100; 919-545-2330; carolinabrewery.com

House of Hops Bar and bottle shop with a large craft beer selection on tap. Outdoor seating available. 112 Russet Run, Ste. 110; 919-542-3435; houseofhopsnc.com

Greek Kouzina Made from scratch hummus, gyros, kebabs and more. 964 East St.; 919-542-9950; greekkouzina.com

ODDCO An art and design store and music venue featuring regional craft beers. 684 West St.; 919-704-8832; realoddstuff.com Postal Fish Company Fresh seafood from North Carolina’s coast. Serving dinner only. 75 W. Salisbury St.; 919-704-8612; postalfishcompany.com The Phoenix Bakery Small-batch and seasonal baked goods and specialty cakes. 664 West St.; 919-542-4452; thephoenixbakerync.com Roost Beer Garden Wood-fired pizza, local brews and live music. Open April through October. Fearrington Village Center; 919-542-2121; fearrington.com/roost

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The Root Cellar Cafe & Catering Sandwiches, prepared salads, desserts and more. 35 Suttles Rd.; 919-542-1062; rootcellarpbo.com S&T’s Soda Shoppe Soda fountain, American fare. 85 Hillsboro St.; 919-545-0007; sandtsodashoppe.com Small B&B Cafe Offbeat, eco-friendly eatery offering farm-to-table fare for breakfast and lunch. Offering outdoor dining. 219 East St.; 919-537-1909; smallbandbcafe.com Starrlight Mead Tastings of honey wines and honey. 130 Lorax Ln.; 919-533-6314; starrlightmead.com The Sycamore at Chatham Mills Upscale steakhouse. 480 Hillsboro St., Ste. 530; 919-704-873; thesycamoreat chathammills.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 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

ALSO CHECK OUT THESE DURHAM RESTAURANTS …

Annexe The sister bar of Bar Vigile features a dance floor, a menu of snacks, turntables built into the bar and pink Champagne on tap. 105 S. Mangum St., Ste. 1; 919-973-3000; annexedurham.com Bar Virgile Artfully crafted beverages with an ever-changing lunch, dinner and small plates menu. 105 S. Magnum St.; 919-973-3000; barvirgile.com Burger Bach Signature New Zealand grass-fed beef burgers and fresh-cut fries. 737 Ninth St., Ste. 220; 919-9734416; theburgerbach.com Dram & Draught Upscale cocktail bar featuring craft beer, wine, whiskey and more. 701 W. Main St.; dramanddraught.com The Honeysuckle at Lakewood Wine, beer and mead as well as chef-driven, elevated bar food.

1920 Chapel Hill Rd.; 919-748-4687; thehoneysucklelakewood.com LuLuBangBang Chapel Hill Restaurant Group’s newest venture features

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handcrafted Pan-Asian street food with fresh local ingredients. 5418 Page Rd.; 919-908-1851; lulubangbangnc.com MEZ Contemporary Mexican Creative Mexican dishes, based on traditional recipes with a fresh, healthy twist. 5410 Page Rd.; 919-941-1630; mezdurham.com NanaSteak Offers various cuts of beef and steaks, plus other meats like salmon and tuna steaks and pastas like beef short rib ravioli. 345 Blackwell St.; 919-282-1183; nanasteak.com Page Road Grill Traditional American dishes, from housemade soup and bread to burgers to vegetarian options. 5416 Page Rd.; 919-908-8900; pageroadgrill.com Sitar Indian Cuisine Homemade Indian dishes at affordable prices; new outdoor seating. 3630 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.; 919-490-1326; sitar-indiancuisine.com

We are grateful for all of our customers and look forward to continuing to serve you!

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All Together For Justice: The Power of Community Join us virtually or in-person at The Drive-In Theater at Carraway Village (with optional boxed dinner) to support the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP’s efforts to work toward racially just and equitable communities through organized and accountable advocacy.

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right plant,

right place Our readers’ favorite landscapers talk planting roots in Chapel Hill, design philosophies and how to add curb appeal to your home

AM Y STR U N K DE S I G N S While Amy Strunk’s friends were getting their first summer jobs as lifeguards, she chose to work at Merrifield Garden Center in northern Virginia. Her fascination with sun and soil led to a landscaping career in Washington, D.C., where she planted the seeds for a growing clientele. Small-scale residential installations evolved into large-scale commercial projects over the years, and Amy even co-hosted a local television show, “Merrifield’s Gardening Advisor.”

Amy and her two children moved to Chapel Hill in 2014, where she BEF OR E founded Amy Strunk Designs the next year.

With 26 years of experience, Amy helps residents add value to their properties with sustainable landscape designs and functional outdoor entertaining spaces. “Many [of my] clients are becoming more focused on sustainable options like water management and using native plants and pollinators,” Amy says. “Which is an area that I am passionate about.”

One of Amy’s recent clients wanted to expand the natural habitat that already surrounded their property. She enhanced the landscape by removing nonnative plants such as nandina and barberry and adding native plants such as woodland phlox and perennial geranium.

Amy added value to another local resident’s property by designing a paver patio and built-in fire pit. The project extended the client’s space by approximately 300 square feet and gave them the opportunity to invite friends and family over for socially distanced gatherings.

“With such long seasons, a fire pit is a great investment in this area,” Amy says. “I just added one to my backyard, and my kids and I have been enjoying our evenings catching up after dinner and of course, s’mores!”

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A F TE R

LANDSCAPE LOG IC Brian Popp’s father taught him how to landscape, and he has since carried on the family legacy by teaching his own sons, Julian Popp and Luke Popp, how to work with the land. He has owned and operated Landscape Logic for 30-plus years, offering services from aerating and seeding to landscape redesign and renovation.

Brian takes great pride in the recommendations he gives clients.

“Generally when I am helping a customer prioritize needs and making recommendations based on the condition of their lawn or landscape, I thoroughly enjoy educating them to the facts and exactly what they’re up against from an economic and practical standpoint,” he says. Brian’s philosophy allows customers to make their own informed decisions. He will only accept payment when customer expectations have been met.

Today, Brian is in his 41st season working in the landscape industry, Luke works alongside him and Julian recently started his own landscaping company in Pittsboro.

O’M A R A L A N DSC A PIN G & L AW N C A R E James O’Mara’s love for landscape design was cultivated at an early age. Born in Ireland, James practically grew up in the vegetable garden, harvesting food for his family and selling leftovers to the local grocery store. After completing his horticultural studies at Warrenstown College, James taught an agricultural studies curriculum at a high school in Swaziland, Africa, through the Agency for Personal Service Overseas.

BEFORE In the mid-1980s, James married his wife, Kate O’Mara, and they moved to the U.S. where he worked for a small lawn care company in Chapel Hill. He and Kate purchased the business upon the owner’s retirement, and O’Mara Landscaping & Lawn Care was established in 2000. Twenty-one years later, James leads a team of 35 employees and a fleet of 21 trucks.

James considers curb appeal from two different perspectives. The first, and the most obvious, is the view of the landscape from the curb, and the second is the view of the landscape as a whole.

“Landscaping is not only about the customer’s personal enjoyment, but it’s also about creating an area that is functional and beautifies their abode; particularly in the backyard where they can create an outdoor living space for visits with family and friends,” he says.

To achieve this, O’Mara Landscaping wields A F TE R a wide selection of perennials, shrubs and trees.

“Seasonal plantings can provide blooming bursts of color throughout the year, along with textured leaves of various shades of yellow to red to green,” James shares. He also says outdoor lighting can accentuate the beauty of the landscape by highlighting hardscapes, shrubs and trees.

says. “That means not planting a shade-loving plant in the sun or planting [something] that will grow to 8 feet tall in front of a window, so it is constantly needing to be trimmed.”

WA R D L A N DSC A PES & HA RDSC A PES INC. Catherine Ward is a groundbreaker. She was the first woman to become a licensed landscape contractor in North Carolina and has owned and operated Ward Landscapes & Hardscapes Inc. since 1976. Catherine’s love of plants and the outdoors attracted her to the male-dominated industry. She has worked with many Chapel Hill residents over the years, installing stone walls, designing patios, sculpting pathways, potting plants and more. But her favorite part of the job is creating beauty where there was none.

“When I design a yard, I have always done it with this in mind: If the property owner had an unexpected dinner guest, they could walk out into their yard, no matter the season, and cut something to make an arrangement for the table.”

Catherine’s business motto, “right plant, right place,” guides her work. She begins a project by assessing the client’s soil quality and drainage systems. “Chapel Hill has heavy clay soil, so we usually plant in raised beds,” she says.

She holds herself to a certain standard, thinking long-term. “I want the job I do to look as good in 10 years as it does when we leave,” Catherine

WRIG HT B ROTHERS’ TREE SERV I C E Tim Wright and Jeremy Wright’s shared passion for landscape design and tree protection led to the establishment of Wright Brothers’ Tree Service in 2008. The brothers’ business focuses on the care of trees within the landscape, and they accomplish this by helping property owners understand their health, vulnerabilities and value.

“Trees add substantial value to a property while also providing beauty and shade in the landscape,” Tim says. “We often assist potential homebuyers with a tree assessment prior to the closing. This allows them to understand the benefits and potential risks of the trees on a particular property.”

The Wright brothers also offer pruning and science-based care to ensure that a tree will be less susceptible to pests and diseases and more equipped to coexist with a house, driveway or sidewalk. These assessments help trees to reach their full potential.

“The right tree in the right place will add curb appeal [to a property] and will also be enjoyed by future generations,” Tim says. “We love helping clients choose the right trees to beautify their properties.” CHM September/October 2021 chapelhillmagazine.com

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HOME & GARDEN

Back to the

Future A Chapel Hill change agent renovates a 1965 prefab home, keeping its soul and story

By J. M ic h ael Wel ton | Photography by J ohn Mi chael Si m pson

S

hannon Tennyson is a change management consultant with a passion for design and architecture. Those were precisely the qualities needed to fulfill her role as the second owner of a 1965-era home on Franklin Street. She bought it in November 2020, sensing that it was no ordinary midcentury modern ranch. This one, she felt, was different. She was right. Thought by some to be a Sears kit home, it’s actually

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Chapel Hill High School junior Callie Tennyson, Shannon Tennyson and Carter Tennyson, a freshman at UNC Charlotte, in front of their 1960s-era home.

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H OME & GARDEN

a prefab structure marketed

by Kingsberry Homes out of Chamblee, Georgia, as the Kennington model.

Kingsberry specialized in low-cost homes that could be shipped, with plans, across the country.

Shannon was introduced to the home by a mutual acquaintance of one of the adult children who grew up there, and it made a strong first impression. “There’s something about how it perches up on the hill,” she says of the house tucked into its lot on two-thirds of an acre.

“When I visited it, I couldn’t get it out of my head – it stuck with me.”

The home likely arrived in Chapel Hill in parts, on the back of a tractor-trailer. It had been ordered by Frank Fearrington, a native of Chapel Hill who worked at UNC for 42 years, including a stint as purchasing director. An amateur draftsman, Frank modified the home’s plans to fit his Franklin Street lot.

When he died at 90 in 2017, Frank’s obituary noted his inquisitive mind and capable hands – and called out that he and his friends had 94

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ABOVE The Tennysons play the trivia game Wits & Wagers with friends Jill Brown, Michael Brown, Brent Stonebraker and Cecilia Stonebraker.

BELOW Abundant light and comfortable chairs make for a cozy seating area.

The author writes about architecture, art and design for national and international publications.

His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Metropolis and Dwell magazines. He is the author of “Drawing from Practice: Architects and the Meaning of Freehand,” and editor and publisher of a digital design magazine at architects andartisans.com.

catherine french design Full-Service Interior Design Studio | catherinefrenchdesign.com | 919.537.8148

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Shannon says a favorite part of the process was choosing light fixtures like the showstopping gold one in her room. “I love to experiment with lighting by selecting different style lights that can work together, but also lend a unique personality to each space,” she says.

built their own boat and skis to water-ski at Hogan Lake. “He could fix any and everything; loved to tinker and invent helpful gadgets, and was a talented craftsman, architectural sketcher and oil painter,” it read.

His daughter, Jan Ammons, has a photo of her father drawing, along with original plans of the house and promotional materials from Kingsberry advertising the model. She recalls conversations with her father about it. “I remember him saying that parts of it came in on a truck, but that some parts and pieces also came from Lowe’s Hardware,” she says. “Also, he drew plans on the side – he was a pretty good draftsman and did several homes in Chapel Hill.”

Jan’s brother, Steve Fearrington, remembers his father working on the home as it was being built but doesn’t

2021

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HOM E & G A R D E N

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When designing a room, Shannon says, “I like to bring in elements that are unexpected – hence an indoor swing and the occasional use of exterior lights indoors.”

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believe he did it all himself. “He had some others involved, like for the footings,” he says.

Whatever the details were, this much is certain: When Jan and Steve’s mother, Jeanette Fearrington, died two years ago, Shannon stepped up to buy the home before they could put it on the market.

It needed updates, so she initiated a renovation. Shannon wanted to modernize it but keep its 1960s soul and story. “I intend to keep it intact in terms of architectural style and do that as economically as possible,” she says.

Shannon’s no stranger to home design and construction. She was heavily involved in the development of her former home in Chapel Hill. “I helped design a custom home with an architect 10 years ago – a

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H OME & GARDEN

Shannon painted the original brick fireplace black for a dramatic effect.

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September/October 2021

contemporary, barn-style house on 10 acres,” she says. “I have an appreciation for details like exposed rafters, mitered corners on siding instead of corner boards, and highpitched rooflines.”

With the Franklin Street home, she and her contractor had their work cut out for them. The foundation, roof trusses and bones were solid, but there were serious issues elsewhere. “Copper pipes had led to many microleaks behind the walls, so there was actually a lot of mildew in areas with water connections,” she says.

To date, she’s only updated the main level, with the basement to follow. Interior walls around the stairs have been removed, while drywall and subflooring near water connections have been replaced. The original Lennox furnace in the basement was replaced with a modern unit in the attic.

They replaced and widened the stairs to meet code, added a new master bath configuration and updated the hall bath.

“In terms of the footprint, the old ‘family room’ became the dining room, and I reconfigured the entry from the garage into the home by moving the doorway over to enter the home via the utility room,” she says. “An additional three feet were taken from both sides of the garage, on one side to expand the kitchen and [on] the other side for a new mechanical room for the furnace.”

Her material palette consists of hardwood flooring, shiplap siding, wood cabinetry and painted wood floors. “I chose finishes in a way that I won’t have to update anything, even 10 years from now,” she says. “I used modern, neutral and classic tones that are not too bold in finish, color or pattern – I typically chose Farrow & Ball colors for interiors.” She leaned on local vendors from Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery and Kitchen & Bath Galleries to Sherwin Williams and Fitch Lumber & Hardware for fixtures and supplies.

Outside, she’s cleaned up the landscape, tearing out 50-year-old shrubs with roots the size of tree trunks, replacing the flower beds and trimming the vegetation. She painted

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H OME & GARDEN

Before & After Shannon took great care when making decisions during the renovation. “For this home, it felt important to maintain its 1960s character as it was being modernized [as] I didn’t want it to become an unrecognizable version of its former self,” she says. When it came to paint, Shannon gravitated to light and medium shades as she prefers wall colors to harmonize, and she filled the home with meaningful items.

BEFORE

AFTER

Shannon replaced the rotted decking and power-washed the original brick patio and retaining wall. “This exterior space is quite charming so it quickly became a favorite spot when the kids have friends over,” she says.

BEFORE For the front of the property, Shannon trimmed trees and replaced older shrubs with smaller plants that would not obscure the view through windows or entrances. The roof, windows, gutters and garage door were replaced, too. “I chose to paint the exterior brick and large fascia boards [a] light color in order to visually create more height to the home. There are additional landscaping and other exterior improvements still planned,” she says.

AFTER

AFTER

For her bathroom, Shannon says she removed extra walls and a closet to open up the space and kept all plumbing in its existing location to save on costs. She splurged on a curbless shower to maximize the footprint and create an uninterrupted visual flow. “The 1960s-style vanity is a nod to the home’s age, and I chose a natural alderwood piece to add warmth,” she says.

BEFORE

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H OME & GARDEN

In the kitchen, Shannon chose light colored cabinets and quartz countertops to brighten up the space and picked subway tile backsplash laid in a herringbone pattern.

the exterior, power-washed the patio, replaced decking and windows, and added a new path to the front door.

Her vision for the lower level is to convert the existing garage space into a music room for her college-age son, Carter, who’s a drummer, and add an office and another room that can be used as a family room, bedroom or as part of an in-law suite.

“My intent is to maximize the use of a furnished in-law suite as a flex space, suitable for my guests or for short- or long-term rental possibilities,” she says. “When my kids are [both] off to college, I could also envision using the in-law suite myself, in order to live part of the year abroad and renting out the upper level as a short-term, furnished rental.”

Whatever the outcome, Jan and Steve fully approve of what Shannon’s doing with the home they grew up in. “She has a really good appreciation for it and has brought it to a whole other level,” Jan says.

“I’m amazed at what Shannon is doing with it,” Steve says. “It needed a facelift, and it’s really getting one now.”

More than that, it’s getting a new lease on life. CHM

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W EDDIN GS

Fisher & Lucha

BY GRACE MILLER PHOTOGRAP HY BY CON N ECTION PHOTOG R A P HY, CONNE C T IONPH OTOB LOG.COM

F

or Carrboro native Amelia Fisher and Chris Lucha, a native of Chesapeake, Virginia, love came quickly. Amelia, a UNC alumna, and Chris, a Virginia Tech alumnus, matched on a dating app and met up for their first date in August 2018 at Whit’s Frozen Custard. It was on this day that they both found the qualities that they were looking for in a partner: laughter, fun and honesty.

After dinner at Acme on Jan. 24, 2020, the day before Amelia’s birthday, Chris proposed to her at The Parlour at Manns Chapel. It had always been a special place for the couple, who had scouted the venue 110

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many months before the engagement.

Amelia recalls that “[I] got the same feeling visiting The Parlour for the first time as I did meeting Chris, just a sense of OK, this is the one.”

Rain on their wedding day, April 24, 2021, allowed the couple to have a unique umbrella photo shoot with their photographers. Guests, including the maid of honor, Alexis Mutter, the best man, Morgan Schultz, and the couple’s parents, Deborah Mayer, Graeme Fisher, Roxann Lucha and Paul Lucha, enjoyed food from the couple’s favorite Durham pizza spot, Pie Pushers, as well as a PB&J-inspired cake by Edible Art. The floral arrangements were created by Color Fields. At the end of the night, the couple departed with a sparkler exit.

“Then we said goodbye to our guests and hopped into our getaway car and pinched ourselves that we were actually married!”

Amelia says.

They live in Hillsborough with their three dogs, cat and two ducks. CHM

WED D I NGS

Kait & Vlaar

BY CC KALLAM PHOTOGRAP HY BY M EL I SSA M AU R EEN , ME LISSAMAU REE N.COM

N

ew York native Jason Kait first met Canadian-born Leigh-ann Vlaar at Parker and Otis in 2014. Leigh-ann was new to Chapel Hill, having recently moved from Chicago with her sons, Trey and Nik, who at the time were 10 and 8. Jason, who came to the area in 1995 to study at Duke, and Leigh-ann connected instantly.

In July 2020, the foursome enjoyed a family dinner on the patio at Tandem, their first meal out at a restaurant during the pandemic. “Afterward, we made our way to Maple View Farm,” Leigh-ann says. It was then that Jason told the boys how much he had grown to love not only their mother, but them as well, and popped the question.

The wedding was held on April 17, 2021, at The Colonial Inn with eight loved ones in attendance and more watching on Zoom. “After the ceremony, we enjoyed the beautiful spring day with our guests,” the couple says. “As the sun set, we gathered on the balcony of the inn at a single table for conversation and dinner. It was perfect.”

Since 2009, Jason has studied head and spine injury as a research and development engineer at the Injury Biomechanics Lab at Duke, while Leigh-ann runs a home day care and is a certified pediatric sleep consultant. The family lives in Chapel Hill. CHM September/October 2021

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Kenny & Martin

BY DELANEY GALV I N PHOTOGRAP HY BY HEL EN HON G ; HEL E NHONG .MYP ORTF OLI O.COM

H

illsborough residents Katelyn Martin and Keilani Kenny could immediately tell they were right for each other after they met through a dating app during the pandemic.

They had both been in long-term relationships before, but Katelyn says they “just knew” that this one was unique.

One night in February 2021, after dating for nearly a year, Katelyn opened her front door to find rose petals and tea lights forming a path to Keilani, who was on one knee with a ring in her hand. “Our engagement was an absolute surprise,” Katelyn says.

The couple married on April 20, 2021, at a private waterside residence in Hillsborough offered up by a friend. Katelyn says their community rallied around them to help put it all together. The event featured plenty of DIY touches, including dried petals from the proposal decorating the outdoor space. Although COVID-19 only allowed for two guests – Katelyn’s best friend, Kylie Huber, and Keilani’s sister, Kailey Muñoz – plus their beloved pup, Parker Wayne, the pair loved the intimate feeling.

“My wife and I are breaking toxic generational curses by being ourselves and bettering ourselves,” Katelyn explains. They say they are excited to start their marriage off on “an absolutely amazing foot,” represented by their pairs of rainbow wedding shoes. After the ceremony, Katelyn and Keilani got matching tattoos from Rosemary Van Dyke at Naiad Craftworks in Carrboro.

They spent their honeymoon at a secluded cabin in the woods in Asheboro, North Carolina. CHM 112

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Start

In a rich and fully-lived life, everything is connected to everything else. Inspired by these connections, the possibilities for life will only become more exciting with each year at Chatham Park’s first residential community, the Vineyards.

If you’re ready for a home you love in a community you feel connected to, there’s a place for you here.

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MILES OF TRAILS | PRIVATE POOL | 10-ACRE PARK | PICKLEBALL | CLOSE TO JORDAN LAKE | WALKABLE TO DOWNTOWN PITTSBORO SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES FROM THE $300S | CUSTOM HOMES FROM THE $600S | NEW BUILDERS NOW SELLING

Prices and amenities subject to change without notice. © 2021 Chatham Park Investors.

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