Durham Magazine December/January 2023

DECEMBER 2022 / JANUARY 2023 VOL 15 NO 6 durhammag.com   

EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR Amanda MacLaren amanda.maclaren@durhammag.com

EDITORIAL

EDITOR, CHAPEL HILL MAGAZINE & EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CHATHAM MAGAZINE Jessica Stringer

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Renee Ambroso renee.ambroso@trianglemediapartners.com Brooke Spach brooke.spach@trianglemediapartners.com

MANAGING EDITOR, CHATHAM MAGAZINE Anna-Rhesa Versola

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Ellison Beaver, Valeria Cloës, Sam Edge, Sinclair Holian, Abigail Keller, Katie MacKinnon, Haley Pineles, Isabella Reilly and Caitlyn Yaede

CONTRIBUTORS

Elizabeth Kane, Matthew Lardie, Shane Snider and Morgan Cartier Weston

ART

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Kevin Brown

GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Lindsay Scott

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Khadijah Weekes-Nolan

PHOTOGRAPHER John Michael Simpson

Advertising

For advertising inquiries email advertising@durhammag.com Melissa Crane melissa.crane@trianglemediapartners.com Lauren Phillips lauren.phillips@trianglemediapartners.com Kem Johnson kem.johnson@trianglemediapartners.com Lucinda Poole lucinda.poole@trianglemediapartners.com Dana Statkun dana.statkun@trianglemediapartners.com

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE OPERATIONS Ashlin Acheson

Corporate FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN

Dan Shannon

PRESIDENT,

PUBLISHER,

Durham Magazine is published by Triangle Media Partners Subscriptions, $38 for two years, are available at durhammag.com. To purchase copies, call 919.933.1551.

Be of Good Cheer

Iwas feverishly putting the finishing touches on my potatoes au gratin and butternut squash soup while bouncing between emails and internal company pings, trying to put this issue to press and simultaneously get ready for my first holiday event of the season. (Both dishes for our Friendsgiving turned out just fine, thank goodness. And thanks, Instant Pot.) I felt overwhelmed and realized I was letting the stress of the holidays get to me before they’d really even begun. I stepped back, let out a few deep breaths and returned to cooking.

I’ve never been a fan of the cold, and so for me, winter’s most redeeming quality is that it’s a time for gathering – for slowing down and taking time to visit with loved ones. I fondly look back on years of watching American Tobacco Water Tower lightings with my partner and our friends, and shopping for gifts at Indio, The Artisan Market at 305, Parker and Otis, Vaguely Reminiscent and Mode Consignment (formerly Fifi’s Fine Resale Apparel), among other stellar local gift stores. I remember the snow days living in Old West Durham, when we’d join our neighbors and march up Englewood Avenue toward Ninth Street and a much-needed pint with our favorite bartenders at Dain’s Place

It was these warm memories that, in part, inspired the illustration featured on our cover. Artist Nick Cook captured this vision of “A Bull City Holiday” in the form of a snow globe –an idea that came to me from my dad, Robert MacLaren, who would bring back snow globes as presents from his travels. In this scene, Major the Bull seems to have gotten wrapped up in some holiday high jinks – I like to think he was busy making merry at Queeny’s or Jack Tar & The Colonel’s Daughter before returning to his pedestal on a blustery winter’s night.

However you’re planning on spending these next couple of months – whether you’re headed for hibernation or have a calendar that’s chock-full of get-togethers – I hope you take the time to rest and recuperate after a long year (years, really). Maybe just curl up with this issue on a cold night and flip through content that’s both heartwarming and celebratory. We’ll see you back here in a brighter 2023.

Illustration by Nick Cook; design by Kevin Brown

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THE HOLIDAY ISSUE

A Very Merry Meal Put a bit of the Bull City on your holiday table this year

The Most Wine-Derful Time of the Year Toast to the season with four expertly sourced bottles

Season’s Readings Cozy up with some wintery recommendations from a few of our local bookstores

WELLNESS

40 Forward Progress

It’s the season of hope, joy and love. We found it all – plus plenty of determination –in these three wellness journeys. 50 Mission to Serve

A married couple reflect on their recent volunteer work providing medical services in Ukraine

WEDDINGS

82 Wedding Guide

Modern museums, lush gardens, renovated industrial spaces in the heart of the city –no matter what kind of celebration you’re hosting, you’re sure to find the perfect venue for your wedding in Durham 87 Engagement & Wedding Tying the knot, Bull City-style

DURHAM INC.

70 The Next Generation of Work Companies look to attract and retain new employees while commercial real estate firms develop office spaces that improve workforce experiences 76 Hot Shots

The Alonsos tell their story – and want you to share one, too 79 Biz Briefs 81 Networking Horseshoe at Hub RTP Groundbreaking

DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

tailored to fit your needs

• Financial planning to help you achieve your dreams and goals

Discover the benefits of knowing when to start collecting social security, how you’ll pay the bills after the paycheck stops, or how rising healthcare costs might impact your financial future.

• Investment analysis and recommendations with a client first approach

Empower yourself with up-to-date analysis and recommendations in investment accounts or 401(k)s from previous employers, whether you invest with us, or prefer to invest on your own.

• Strategic consultant for family, estate or business planning Maximize your value as we partner with you and/or your attorneys in crafting your financial legacy for your family, or business succession plan, using sophisticated estate and investment strategies.

Holidays in the Park

EVENINGS IN DECEMBER

Bundle up and take a stroll through festive light displays at the Museum of Life and Science. Enjoy its indoor and outdoor exhibits, warm up inside the Magic Wings Butterfly House and visit its fluttering inhabitants, twirl in your socks on the synthetic ice rink and hop on the Ellerbe Creek Railway for a magically illuminating train ride.

Hanukkah Festival

DEC. 11

Jewish for Good hosts a celebration for the Festival of Lights with giant inflatables, face painting, crafts, festive foods such as sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) and latkes, and more. Bring the family out to see an 8-foot-tall menorah lit for each night of Hanukkah, and enjoy a showstopping spectacle co-produced by Chabad at Duke University & Durham Chapel Hill.

do see go

A Christmas Carol

DEC. 14-18

Theatre in the Park’s critically acclaimed musical comedy adaptation of the Dickens classic, starring Ira David Wood III, returns to the Durham Performing Arts Center for the 49th anniversary of the show. This family favorite reminds audiences of the importance of generosity and compassion during the holidays through its feel-good story and a lively cast performing Christmas tunes with humor and heart.

CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH WONDERFUL WINTER EVENTS

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

Compiled by Katie MacKinnon

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet

DEC. 15

Experience a timeless holiday tradition that dazzles audiences with larger-than-life puppets, incredible acrobatics and breathtaking costumes. The 30th anniversary tour of the ballet features an international cast – including star Ukrainian dancers – performing on stage at Fletcher Hall inside The Carolina Theatre.

Durham Holiday Parade

DEC. 17

Dynamic floats, bands, drill teams, staff and students from local schools, and members of other community groups make their way down Main Street during this spirited parade presented by Durham Parks and Recreation. The event concludes with an appearance by Santa.

Holiday Concert

DEC. 18

Take in the sights and sounds of the holidays as the North Carolina Jazz Ensemble performs its annual event at Hayti Heritage Center. Hayti Executive Director Angela Lee will serve as emcee for the concert, which celebrates the season with a theme of “Back Together Again.”

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

JAN. 3-8

The Durham Performing Arts Center hosts the touring show, which celebrates the prolific singer and 12-time Grammy Award winner’s greatest achievements throughout her career as well as her resilience and triumph over the hurdles of racism, sexism and ageism. The performance features “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine,” “Let’s Stay Together,” “Open Arms” and more of Tina’s most beloved songs.

Kwanzaa Fest

JAN. 1

The African American Dance Ensemble’s annual festival focuses on family, friends and the fruits of the Earth. The celebration of community and culture takes place on the seventh day of Kwanzaa, which is dedicated to imani, or faith, at the Durham Armory. Enjoy delicious food, dancing, children’s activities and local artists. Bring canned foods and toiletry items to donate to Urban Ministries of Durham.

Mozart and His Contemporaries

JAN. 15

The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle brings to life the forgotten talents of those who brushed shoulders with the great musical genius. The program at The Carolina Theatre’s Fletcher Hall includes Marianna Martines’ “Il Primo Amore,” Cartellieri ’s “Symphony No. 1” and Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante.”

Poulenc Trio

FEB. 4

Duke Performances presents, for the first time in its Chamber Arts Series’ 77-year history, an ensemble that uniquely combines the melodies of piano, oboe and bassoon. The group’s distinct sound was the inspiration for more than 20 works of music produced specifically for them, including the Poulenc Trio and Poulenc Oboe Sonata, which are two of a halfdozen pieces in the program for this concert at Baldwin Auditorium

(Clockwise from top left) Page 8: Holidays in the Park photo courtesy of the Museum of Life and Science; "A Christmas Carol" photo by Catherine Davis Photography; Page 10: "Tina: the Tina Turner Musical" photo by Matthew Murphy of MurphyMade; Holiday Concert photo by Chuck Ruffin Photography.

people &places

Feel-Good Fundraiser

BY BROOKE SPACH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRIS ALVAREZ

More than 250 community members attended El Futuro’s second annual Fall Fundraiser and Art Auction, “Expresiones,” at The Rickhouse on Oct. 8. Co-hosts Monica Alvarez and El Futuro board member Luis Alvarez donated the space after their wedding reception was canceled due to COVID-19. Guests enjoyed a Mexican-American fusion dinner, a silent auction, and art and vendor displays. The event raised $120,000 to further the organization’s mission to provide mental health support for Latino families in North Carolina.

1 Brian McGiverin and Kim King.

2 El Futuro advancement manager Mary Coffman and executive director Dr. Luke Smith with event co-hosts Luis Alvarez and Monica Alvarez.

3 Rhiannon Ludington, Heart of NC Weddings Publisher Jenna Parks, May Wahdan-Lloyd and Daria Drake.

4 LILA executive director Alex Córdova with featured artists Cornelio Campos and Antonio Alanís. 5 Rocio Lopez and Sonya Lopez. 6 Meena Bhatia and Justin Gettings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNA PARKS

Street Scenes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CALLI WESTRA

The Durham Arts Council hosted its 47th annual CenterFest in September. Crowds of people returned to downtown for a beautiful weekend celebrating our creative community. Paintings, jewelry, photography, wooden sculptures and even people pretending to be sculptures were in abundance at the two-day street festival, which featured 110 juried fine arts and craft vendors from 14 states. This year, more than 75 acts performed on five stages, kids got creative with hands-on activities, and attendees enjoyed a beer garden at Bull McCabes Irish Pub as well as fare at several local food trucks and classic festival food vendors. The event also highlighted the city’s civic functions, with representatives from dozens of nonprofits and state and local government services.

1 WUNC’s Jeanene Thompson and her daughter, Ariel Thompson, 9.

2 Solar CrowdSource founder Don Moreland and Triangle Media Partners Vice President Chris Elkins. 3 Durham Coca-Cola Citizen’s Choice winner, painter Candy Carver.

3

3622 Lyckan Parkway, Suite 1001 Durham, NC 27707

PHOTO BY AMANDA MACLAREN

PHOTO BY AMANDA MACLAREN

Visual Artist Merit Award Best in Show winner, sculptor Andrew Lonon. 5 Visual Artist Merit Award Best Durham Artist winner, pop artist L. Jámal Walton. 6 Visual Artist Merit Award third-place winner, jeweler Anabella Zagura. 7 N.C. Sen. Mike Woodard, Durham Arts Council board president Constanza Gómez-Joines, and Durham Arts Council Executive Director Sherry DeVries.

PHOTO BY AMANDA MACLAREN

Proud Return

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN DELGADO

Thousands marched down West Main Street in front of Duke’s East Campus, led by Grand Marshall Kimora Lee Brooks, during the LGBTQ Center of Durham’s Pride: Durham, NC parade in September. Weather conditions were ideal for flying rainbow flags high as folks walked around the Ninth Street district. Some donned rainbow face stickers, tutus and unicorn horns. The fifth annual celebration of love, community and activism centered on a theme of “IRL,” which held two meanings this year, standing for both “in real life” – marking the return of the in-person event – and “inspiring real love,” highlighting the event’s mission of leaving attendees “inspired by the abundance of love made real.” People came together “in real life” – whether they waited in line for food trucks, checked out local queer vendors, or simply hugged and reconnected with one another after two long years apart – during the festival, evening concert at Durham Central Park and after-party at The Fruit.

1 Batala Durham brings the beats.

2 The House of Coxx float. 3 Kelsey Dawson holds her pal, Fruit, as they watch the parade pass. 4 Ann Jones. 5 Jaylan Rhea and Brandon Martin. 6 Kimora Lee Brooks after leading the first Pride parade in two years.

7 Leslie Perez and Adi Perez.

noted.

ON THE MOVE

Suzanne Barbour was appointed dean of the graduate school and vice provost for graduate education at Duke University, overseeing graduate programs, leading long-term graduate program strategic planning and holding a faculty appointment in the Duke University School of Medicine

American Dance Festival named Nile H. Russell as its new director of education, supervising and developing all school programs. “Nile brings a wealth of experience as an educator and artist, and we are very impressed by his vision for the future,” says ADF Executive Director Jodee Nimerichter.

Al Strong was named the new director of Durham Arts Council’s Creative Arts in the Public/Private Schools and Community Arts Partnerships. Al is a Grammy Award-nominated artist, cultural innovator and co-founder of the Art of Cool Project as well as a longtime advocate for the arts in Durham; he’s been involved with the CAPS program as a teaching artist for the past six years. Most recently, Al served as music department chair and music team lead at Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts and Science in Wilson, North Carolina.

WHAT WE’VE HEARD AROUND OUR CITY …

Send us your news!

From births to awards to new biz and more –Email editorial@durhammag.com Compiled by Ellison Beaver

Ashley McCumber, the former executive director of Meals on Wheels San Francisco with 35 years of nonprofit leadership experience, returned to his home state of North Carolina to join the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina as its president and CEO on Oct. 17.

Education-focused nonprofit Durham Children’s Initiative appointed Charleita Richardson as its new CEO. Charleita brings extensive experience in programming, finance, administration, fundraising and more to her new role.

The Museum of Life and Science’s red wolves, Eno and Ellerbe, were moved to the Red Wolf Center in Columbia, North Carolina, in October as a part of a nationwide program to rebuild populations of the endangered species. The museum has been home to almost 50 red wolves and recently welcomed two new wolves, Niko and Oak, to its campus.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport launched four new nonstop destinations in November. Flights to Cancun, Mexico; the Bahamas; Fort Meyers, Florida; and Kansas City, Missouri, were added to the flight rotation. The airport also underwent preservation of its primary runway, which wrapped in December, in preparation for the additional flights.

WHAT AN HONOR

WalletHub ranked Durham as the No. 9 best midsize sports city after comparing the sports scene of 392 small- to large-sized cities and the most popular sports in the U.S.: football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.

Hayti Heritage Center Executive and Artistic Director Angela Lee received the Emerging Leader Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for her impactful work to preserve and promote African American culture and experiences through arts programming, fundraising, outreach and more.

Duda|Paine Architects, which celebrates 25 years of business this year, received The American Institute of Architects Healthcare Design Award for its design of the Center for Health and Wellbeing in Winter Park, Florida. The award is bestowed on a project that displays conceptual strength in solving civic, social and sustainability concerns connected with health care settings.

The Durham Bulls won their fourth Triple-A National Championship, defeating the Reno Aces in Las Vegas in September to secure the title. Left-fielder Bligh Madris earned MVP honors with four hits and four runs, and

PHOTO COURTESY OF DUKE GRADUATE SCHOOL

PHOTO BY CHRIS CHERRY

Tristan Gray made a critical play in the ninth inning to secure the victory. The Durham Bulls begin their 2023 season on March 31 with a three-game set against the Norfolk Tides.

Jeremy Tucker, Durham Public Schools director of K-12 arts education, received the North Carolina Music Educators Association’s annual Honor Administrator Award, which is given to administrators who are “uniquely aware of the cultural arts (particularly music) as an indispensable part of the school curriculum.”

Gov. Roy Cooper named six North Carolina Arts Council Heritage Award recipients, including muralist Cornelio Campos (pictured), in recognition of his significant impact on cultural life in the community as a storyteller sharing his own immigrant experience. The artists will perform and give demonstrations during the Heritage Award ceremony in Raleigh on May 31, 2023.

The Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties announced the winners of its 2022 Parade of Homes, an annual home tour that showcases trends and exceptional new construction in homes priced from the $400,000s to more than $2 million. Two Durham builders won gold for their home designs: Homes by Dickerson’s Maison Des Fleur model ($1-$1.2 million range), Eastwood Homes’ Cary model ($500,000$550,000 range) and Eastwood’s Norman model ($451,000-$500,000 range).

News Bites

NOW OPEN

Bull City Bake Shop celebrated its grand opening at 3604 Witherspoon Blvd., Ste. 109, on Sept. 24. The new bakery, owned by Lydia Ricks, offers treats like apple cinnamon rolls, specialty cookies, banana bread, brownies, blondies and more.

Ma’s Diner opened as a late-night, home-cooked food delivery service in September. Chef-owner John Riggs provides generational, comfort food meals to the greater Durham area on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. John has extensive experience in the restaurant industry, and his recipes, like Ma’s burger, French toast casserole and buffalo wings, draw from his past experiences and family.

Bul Box opened a fifth location – its first in University Hill in November. The restaurant offers signature and customizable meal boxes inspired primarily by Asian cuisines, such as the Bangkok Curry with curried chicken and vegetables or the Malibu Poke that offers a choice of tuna, salmon or spicy tuna.

Mezcalito, a Mexican-inspired restaurant “with a Tex-Mex heart,” opened its first Durham location – with a stunning, greenery-filled dining room and larger-than-life cocktails crafted at its impressive bar (which features more than 300 bottles of tequila) – at 706 Ramseur St. in October.

Latin American street food franchise Sabor Latin Street Grill opened its first Durham restaurant at 105 West NC Hwy. 54, Ste. 201 on Oct. 24.

After closing its doors on East Main Street in 2020, neighborhood wine bar Bar Brunello reopened in the former Jeddah’s Tea space at 123 Market St., Ste. A, in October.

Chef Chick’s Bakery – which features traditional European treats such as Polish kolaczki (filled cookies), Polish crumb cake, mini mazurki (Polish shortcake) makowiec (poppyseed rolls), scones and more, along with espresso and coffee drinks – celebrated its grand opening at 2500 Meridian Pkwy., Unit 135, on Oct. 8.

Small-batch bakery Ashleigh Bakes Daily opened a small shop at 3117 Guess Rd., Ste. E, behind the building that contains the Fillaree and businesses. Owner Ashleigh Ratchford is known for her unique, made-from-scratch cookie flavors like sweet potato casserole and lemon ginger.

SHIFT CHANGE

Saladelia moved to 3604 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., less than a mile from its previous location, in November.

Part & Parcel opened its new location at 1901 Chapel Hill Rd. in September. The move came after the business vacated its first storefront next to Ellen Cassilly Architect in August due to the “significant construction and development” that would begin to impede access to the shop, Part & Parcel shared in an Instagram post. The packagefree grocer is operated by the Autism Support and Advocacy Center and continues to employ neurodivergent people at its new location, which is open Tuesday through Saturday.

Beloved sandwich and charcuterie shop Old North Meats and Provisions closed its space in the Durham Food Hall on Nov. 27 after reaching the end of its lease.

COMING SOON

Chef-owner Matt Kelly and chef de cuisine Nate Garyantes, a longtime chef at Matt’s Mateo Bar de Tapas, plan to renovate beloved fine dining restaurant Nana’s and curate a menu inspired by what was served for the past 25 years under its previous chef-owner Scott Howell, who closed Nana’s due to the pandemic. It’s slated to reopen in the spring with dinner service five times a week and a bar that will feature classic cocktails and a foodinspired wine program.

Los Angeles-style Mexican food restaurant Birrieria El Patron 323 is slated to open its first Durham location in the former Dos Perros space at 200 N. Mangum St. in early 2023. 

PHOTO BY BAXTER MILLER

PHOTO BY PAXTON REMBIS

ARTS & CULTURE

The Museum of Durham History opened a new exhibit, “The Life and Legacy of Floyd B. McKissick Sr.,” in November. The expansive, innovative project is on view until April 2023

at the museum, at Hayti Heritage Center and at the North Carolina Central University Turner Law School Building, with each location displaying different elements of the attorney’s civil rights advocacy, legal career, family life and legacy. A children’s portion of the exhibit, called “L is for Legacy,” is also on view.

Music promoter, producer and artist Treee City released “Good Job,” his first full-length album,

via Raund Haus Records on Nov. 11. Treee City performed alongside Queen Plz, FootRocket and Brydecisive during the album’s release party at The Pinhook on Nov. 4.

IN OUR SCHOOLS

Helping You Build a Be er Home

Durham Public Schools Board of Education named Wilma Jordan (pictured above left) as its director of construction and capital planning, Cicily McCrimmon (pictured middle left) as director of teaching and learning and Gregory Mitchell (pictured below left) as interim principal of Club Boulevard Elementary School following his tenure as assistant principal for more than seven years.

Durham Academy students Aamer Husain, Mukta Dharmapurikar and Brian Zhou competed and won against a team from California’s Notre Dame High School on the Spectrum News Challenge, in which high school students representing their home state face off during a virtual, team-based quiz show.

Former Duke University Blue Devil mascots returned to campus during homecoming weekend to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the mascot. The group reunited and was recognized on Brooks Field during a football game at Wallace Wade Stadium. Former mascots who hadn’t met before bonded over

PHOTO BY BRAN FORTNER

PHOTO BY LISA WEISTART

their time as the famous figure. “That was the magical part,” event organizer Lisa Weistart says. “The shared experience brought us together, and we were instantaneous friends.”

The Durham Academy girls golf team won its first North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association championship after placing second five times over the course of the team’s 12-year history. Eighth-grader Jenna Kim earned medalist honors – the youngestever student to win the NCISAA girls golf championship as an individual. “Being able to help these ladies win their first state title in school history as a new coach is a true honor,” says head coach Kevin Wicker, who joined DA in 2022. Pictured are Jenna Kim, Riley Kim, Chloe French, Saia Rampersaud, Kayley Kim, Evelyn Guyer and Ona Lukes.

Duke University was ranked No. 1 in North Carolina on WalletHub’s 2023 Best College and University rankings report, an accolade based on measures including student selectivity, cost and financing, and career outcomes.

GIVING BACK

Edward Jones employees joined nonprofit Keep Durham Beautiful in planting 70 trees along Chapel Hill Road in the West End and Tuscaloosa-Lakewood neighborhoods, a part of Edward Jones’ broader partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 10,000 trees in 2022.

IN MEMORIAM

Brian Horton, assistant professor in North Carolina Central University’s Department of Music and director of NCCU’s Jazz Studies program and the NCCU Jazz Ensemble, passed away on Sept. 16. An accomplished

News Bites

(continued)

Wine bar and bottle shop Navigator Beverage Co. is slated to open its doors at 3219 Watkins Rd., Ste. 200 in November.

Asheville-based brewery DSSOLVR will open a second location at Atlas Durham on Rigsbee Avenue. Construction is set to begin in early 2023, and the taproom will offer unique beers that mirror its Asheville selection while remaining committed to using locally sourced ingredients.

Friends Nick Singh and Buddy Maynard look to open upscale cocktail bar The Waiting Room – “a spot to relax while waiting for a table at Durham’s hottest restaurants” – at American Tobacco Campus in early December.

composer and saxophonist, Brian brought decades of performance experience to his teaching and led the NCCU Jazz Ensemble to a topthree finish during the 2022 Jack Rudin Jazz Championship in New York City in January.

Milklab is set to open a new location in the Durham Food Hall and, as of press time, plans to serve its boba tea, coffee and desserts (like rolled ice cream) by mid-December. Founders Sandy Puishan Lam and Bin Chen opened Milklab’s first shop in Cary and now operate three other locations in Durham and Raleigh.

As of press time, The Daily Beer Bar is slated to open in late November at 108 E. Main St. The craft beer bar and cafe founded by John Paradiso and Rosa Paradiso will offer pastries and Yonder coffee until noon, and a menu of sandwiches, salads and shareable snacks along with craft beer, nonalcoholic drinks and wine in the afternoon.

RAISE A GLASS

Durty Bull Brewing Co. won top prizes for its two Amateur Hour Series smoothiestyle seltzers, Painkiller and Hurricane, at the 2022 U.S. Hard Seltzer Championship in Ohio. “When we tasted our very first batch of seltzer last summer, we knew we created something special,” says owner Matt Pennisi. “Our seltzers have been a big hit with our customers, and we are incredibly proud to receive recognition in a national seltzer competition.”

321 Coffee is slated to open its Durham location at 300 Morris St. within the Durham ID development in early December. The shop serves its own roasted coffee and a selection of baked goods and light bites, and sells wholesale coffee.

321 Coffee is known for its inclusive business model and currently employs more than 40 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Zinc House Winery & Brewery, an 82-acre wedding and event venue near Falls Lake, celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 29. It features 14,000 square feet of climate-controlled space, outdoor roof decks and a pavilion with vaulted ceilings and large windows that fully open to the exterior. A 2,700-square-foot carriage house and covered terraces overlook Falls Village Golf Club.

Mayor Elaine O’Neal presented the owners of fried chicken restaurant The Chicken Hut with a key to the City of Durham and proclaimed Oct. 3, 2022 as “The Chicken Hut Day.” The restaurant is the second-oldest continuously operating and oldest Black-owned restaurant in Durham, and was named one of the best fried chicken spots in the nation by Eater in June.

Mateo Bar de Tapas celebrated its 10th anniversary in October. Chefowner Matt Kelly featured some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, such as goat cheese-stuffed dates and duck rice, on a special Greatest Hits menu that runs through the end of the year.

PHOTO BY BAXTER MILLER

PHOTO BY ANDY POGACH

Sticking with the tried-andtrue classics is always a safe bet when deciding what to make for the holidays, but adding a new dish or two is a sure way to spice things up and make spirits even brighter. We reached out to a handful of Durham’s favorite chefs and mixologists to craft a fresh seasonal menu that has all the bases covered, from starters to desserts, and everything in between. Prepare every course or pick out the recipe that excites you most – either way, you can’t go wrong with this festive feast.

Amerry meal Very

Put a bit of the Bull City on your holiday table this year

BY MATTHEW LARDIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

Mulled Wine Pear Salad

This salad, from Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke Hotel’s executive chef Troy Stauffer, is an elegant start to any meal. Fresh pears poached in North Carolina sweet red wine are the star, although you’d be forgiven for making a double batch of the recipe’s spiced pecans for some late-night snacking. (This recipe has a lot of components, but all can be made a day or two ahead of time and assembled right before serving.)

Mulled Wine Pears

• 3 cups sweet red wine (Troy says any local red muscadine wine would work well)

• 1 cup water

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 orange peel strips (equals about 1/3 of an orange, in total)

• 2 whole cloves

• 1 star anise

• 2 whole allspice berries

• 1 oz. fresh ginger, sliced

• 2 tsp. salt

• 4 pears, peeled, stem left on

Combine all ingredients except for pears in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat until liquid is just under a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, and let sit for 30 minutes to infuse the wine with the spices.

Add pears, cover, and bring the liquid back to a simmer for 45 minutes, turning the pears every 10-15 minutes. When pears reach a deep burgundy color and are al dente, they are ready.

Remove the pears from the mulled wine. Reserve the wine for further poaching needs.

When pears have cooled, cut them in half. Remove the core and seeds using a measuring spoon or melon baller. Remove the stem, if desired. Set the pears aside, and continue with the other salad components. 

Visit our website for the recipe!

Get your holiday party started with a Rosemary Diamond Fizz cocktail by Jason McCoon, restaurants director at the JB Duke Hotel.

Chevre Toast

• ½ baguette, cut thin on the bias, for crostini

• 1 oz. olive oil

• 1 tsp. salt

• 4 oz. chevre (fresh goat cheese), room temperature or slightly warmed

• 1 pinch chopped parsley

• 1 pinch lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay the cut baguettes on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil equally across the bread and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes until crisp. Remove from the oven, and set aside to cool.

When crostini have cooled, schmear goat cheese equally across each crostini. Sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes to slightly toast the goat cheese. Remove, and set aside.

Spiced Pecans

• 1 cup pecans

• 1 oz. canola oil

• 1½ tsp. blackening spice blend (store-bought or homemade)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Toss all ingredients together in a mixing bowl, then dump on to a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes until pecans toast and you can smell the spices. Remove from the oven, and set aside.

Membrillo Vinaigrette

• 4 oz. membrillo (quince paste)

• 1 oz. Dijon mustard

• 4 oz. white balsamic vinegar

• 1 pinch salt

• 8 oz. canola oil

Combine membrillo, Dijon mustard, white balsamic vinegar and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend at low speed to start, and work up to medium speed within 60 seconds. With the blender running at medium-high speed, pour the canola oil in an even stream to emulsify. Set aside.

Assemble: 6-8 cups baby arugula 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Toss arugula, cranberries and half of vinaigrette together. Add more vinaigrette as desired.

Build salad on four plates or shallow bowls. Top with spiced pecans, 2 pieces of chevre toast and 2 halves of poached pears, and serve.

Seafood-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Succotash chef Juan DiGiulio’s recipe is such an elegant main course that your guests will be reaching for their phones to get that perfect Instagram photo before diving into the roasted acorn squash chock-full of rich seafood, cheeses and spices. Juan makes his own lobster stock base from scratch to bolster the sauce, but storebought stock base (like Better Than Bouillon) makes life a bit simpler here. 

Seafood Stuffing

• 2 medium to large acorn squash

• Salt and pepper to taste (at least

1 Tbsp. salt and ½ Tbsp. pepper)

• ½ stick unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 poblano pepper, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 medium onion, diced

• Olive oil

• 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

• 1 small yellow squash, diced

• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

• 2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped

• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

• 1 Tbsp. Cajun spice blend (Paul Prudhomme’s recommended)

• 2½ cups raw shrimp, diced

• 2 cups jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for any shell fragments

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

• 2 cups Gruyere, grated

• 2½ cups panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Halve each squash, and scoop out seeds. Lightly salt the insides of each half and place face down on a wellbuttered sheet pan. Add hot water to pan, about ¼-inch deep. Bake squash until soft (but not so soft that the skin starts to wrinkle excessively – start to check after 20 minutes). Remove from oven, flip cut side up and allow to cool. Once cool, scoop out most of the squash meat, leaving enough so that squash doesn’t fall apart (¼- to ½-inch-thick layer of flesh left). Add the scooped-out squash to a mixing bowl. Mash squash meat with a fork until mostly smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, saute peppers and onion in some olive oil. Add garlic and yellow squash once onions begin to appear translucent, then saute 2-3 minutes more and add herbs, spices and shrimp. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and add to the bowl with the mashed squash. Add the crabmeat, egg, lemon juice, cheeses and breadcrumbs to the bowl. Fold in lightly to avoid breaking up crabmeat.

Taste a bit of the stuffing and add hot sauce, salt and pepper, more herbs or lemon juice, etc., if necessary or desired. A little Worcestershire sauce is also optional. Put stuffing into the fridge to fully cool.

Seafood Sobrino Sauce

• ½ cup yellow onion, diced

• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced

• Olive oil

• 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

• 1½ Tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 1½ cups dry white wine

• ½ lemon, juiced

• 1 Tbsp. green onions, chopped

• Pinch of cayenne

• Pinch of salt and pepper

• Pinch Cajun spice mix

• 1 tsp. paprika

• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

• ½ Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

• 1½ cups cream

• 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon lobster base

• 1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon chicken base

• 1 pound raw shrimp

• ½ stick butter

• 1 pound cooked crawfish tails

Saute onion and pepper in a little olive oil in a skillet until onions are translucent. Add garlic, and saute for a minute more. Add the flour and stir. Cook for a minute while stirring. Add the white wine, lemon juice, green onions, and all spices and herbs. Stir well until flour is completely incorporated.

Once wine is reduced to half, add the cream. Allow to simmer until reduced to half (it should be a bit thicker than gravy). Add the lobster base and chicken base along with a ¼ cup of water; stir to fully incorporate and dissolve the stock bases.

Add the shrimp, and simmer for 2 minutes. The desired consistency is a thin gravy. If too thick, add a bit of butter. (You can add butter anyway, as it never hurts.)

Add the crawfish tails, and allow to simmer for just a minute. Turn off flame, adjust seasonings to taste.

Topping

• Handful of panko breadcrumbs

• Handful each of mozzarella, Gruyere and ParmigianoReggiano, grated

• Garnish of shredded fried leeks or fried sage leaves (optional)

Assemble:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Remove the stuffing from the fridge, and divide it among the four acorn squash shells. Place the shells onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and top with all three cheeses.

Bake until the cheese is brown and the edges of squash are bubbling, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, place each half onto a dinner plate (or onto one large serving platter), top with Seafood Sobrino Sauce, and dust with breadcrumbs and a little extra Parmigiano. Sprinkle on the fried leeks or sage, if using, and serve immediately.

Creme Brulee

Classic desserts are often the best, and pastry chef and owner Djamila Bakour of newly opened La Recette Patisserie suggests an impressive, yet deceptively simple to make, creme brulee. Just a few ingredients come together to make a deliciously creamy custard with that crackable caramelized crust. Djamila suggests using a scale to weigh your ingredients, a common practice in professional pastry kitchens that will help your homemade desserts turn out perfectly every time.

Ingredients

• 500 grams heavy cream

• 10 grams vanilla extract

• 6 large egg yolks

• 70 grams sugar

Preheat the oven at 325 F. In a heavy-bottomed pot, stir together the heavy cream and vanilla, and place over high heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Once the cream is hot (but not boiling), slowly pour it over the egg mixture while constantly whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour the mixture through a finemesh sieve into a large measuring cup or other pourable container.

Put a pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, divide the custard into six oven-safe ramekins (6- to 8-ounce size) and place them into a high-sided baking pan or Pyrex dish. Add enough boiling water to come about three-quarters up the sides of the ramekins (this is called a water bath). Bake for 35-40 minutes until just set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and chill in the fridge for at least four hours, but preferably overnight, before serving.

Once cooled and ready to serve, preheat your oven’s broiler to high. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of sugar evenly over each custard and caramelize the sugar under the broiler, being sure to keep an eye on them to prevent burning. (Conversely, you can use a kitchen blowtorch.) Crack the top, and enjoy! 

Pecan Bourbon Pie

Durhamites know where to go when it comes to finding some of the best German baked goods and desserts (and have for nearly 25 years). For this year’s season of sweets, Guglhupf owner Claudia Cooper shares a recipe for pecan bourbon pie that amps up the flavors of a holiday classic and supplies its baker with not one, but two deep-dish pies –one for the table, and one for the freezer. (Trust us, an extra pie in the freezer is always a good idea.) Here the shortcut to deliciousness is found in the form of store-bought deep dish pie crusts, but by all means, use your own recipe if you have one. (Claudia also suggests, for more experienced bakers, trying a chocolate pâte sucrée crust.)

Ingredients

• 2 deep-dish pie shells

• 12 oz. unsalted butter (3 sticks)

• 4 cups light brown sugar

• ½ pound bittersweet chocolate

• 1 cup dark corn syrup

• ¼ cup bourbon

• 12 eggs

• 1 Tbsp. salt

• 4 cups pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the empty pie shells for about 1015 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and set aside to cool while you make the filling.

In a large saucepan over low heat (or in a double boiler), gently melt together the butter, brown sugar, chocolate, corn syrup and bourbon, stirring often to prevent the chocolate from burning.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Pull the saucepan off the heat, and slowly add one ladleful of the melted mixture to the eggs, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Then slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the filling, again whisking constantly.

Fold in the salt and the pecans, and then divide the filling

between the prepared pie shells (you may have a little extra left over).

Reduce the oven heat to 330 F, and bake the pies for 35-45 minutes, until the filling feels firm to the touch and barely jiggles. If the crust begins to darken, you can cover the pie with a bit of foil.

Let the pies cool completely (preferably overnight) before slicing and serving.

See how far your child can go.

Celebrating 75 years in progressive education. Inquire today for three-year-olds through eighth grade www.dukeschool.org/apply

PHOTO BY GUGLHUPH

Cranberry Gin Fizz

Whether you start your holiday meal with a cocktail or end it with one, this tart and refreshing concoction from Taylor McClintock, head bartender at Durham Distillery’s Corpse Reviver Bar & Lounge, is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The homemade cranberry syrup will last for weeks in the fridge and can be added to club soda to make mocktails, too.

Cranberry Syrup

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups white sugar

• 2 cups cranberries

• 1 each star anise pod, clove, cardamom pod and cinnamon stick

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Zest of one lemon

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove and gently bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes to cool and infuse. Strain out the solids and save the syrup in a jar or squeeze bottle in the fridge.

• 2 oz. Durham Distillery

Conniption Gin (Navy Strength, if you’re feeling brave)

• ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice

• ¾ oz. cranberry syrup

• 1 egg white

Combine the first three ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake hard until cold. Strain the mixture into a second cocktail shaker, add the egg white, and again shake hard. Strain it into a chilled Collins glass (or glass of your choice) and garnish with rosemary and/or fresh cranberries. 

Cranberry Gin Fizz

‘Visions of Sugarplums’ Latte

Spice up the post-meal coffee with this joyful spin on a gingerbread latte from Addison Yarbrough, owner of Omie’s Coffee Shop and Roastery. A molasses-based syrup brings the holiday cheer, and a sprinkling of edible glitter really makes the drink sparkle. Of course, if you don’t have an espresso machine at home, you can always head over to Omie’s to get one straight from the source (that goes for most of the recipes featured here, too!).

“Gingerbread” Syrup

• ½ cup water

• ½ cup molasses

• ½-inch piece of ginger, peeled

• 3 whole cloves

• 1 stick cinnamon

In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients over medium-heat, and stir until combined. Bring the syrup to a simmer, cover and remove from the heat. Let cool for 30 minutes to infuse, strain out the solids, and then pour into a jar or squeeze bottle and store in the refrigerator.

For the latte, combine espresso (single or double shot, your choice), with syrup in a mug, to taste. Top off with hot steamed milk and, if so desired, sprinkle with some edible glitter.

Raleigh’s Village District 510 Daniels St. 919 803 5414

Mon-Sat10am-7pm Sundays 12-6pm

BY MATTHEW LARDIE

PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

The Most Wine-Derful Time of the Year ’T

’Tis the season for gathering, and with all the holiday parties and get-togethers to both host and attend, figuring out what to drink (or bring as a host/hostess gift) can get a little overwhelming. Well, breathe easy, because we reached out to a handful of the Bull City’s best wine shops for their expert recommendations. Whether you’re looking for a white, a red, or a bottle of bubbles to pop, they’ve got you covered.

“Champagne is synonymous with celebration and is a classic option for the holiday season in and of itself,” says The Wine Feed’s Kayla Eakin, “but Diebolt-Vallois’ Blanc de Blancs is an especially fantastic bottle that punches far above its price point.” Whether toasting the end of the year or the beginning of the new one, a glass of bubbles is pretty much a prerequisite. At $51, it’s far more affordable than some of the well-known Champagne houses, but delivers the same creamy, luscious notes. This bottle would make an excellent gift, but let’s be honest – you deserve to treat yourself.

Want to be a little fancy for the holidays without breaking the bank? Cam Davis at LouElla Wine, Beer and Beverages has the bottle for you. He recommends the Cave des Vins de Bourgueil 2020 Lieu-dit Beauregard. The name might be a mouthful, but the price certainly isn’t hard to swallow. “In a world of ever-increasing prices, it is getting harder to find this kind of quality Loire Valley cabernet franc under $20.” Cam says. With rich notes of red currant, this bottle rings in at $18.99 and will pair beautifully with turkey, holiday ham and everything in between.

South Durhamites have depended on Hope Valley Wine & Beverage’s Drew Lazarus to recommend the perfect bottle for years. This holiday season, he’s pointing his customers toward a gorgeous Tuscan wine called “Gertrude” from La Maialina winery. Don’t let the old lady name fool you – this blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot is no musty throwback. “This is our bestselling Italian wine, but even more, it is our bestselling red wine and, just to put a cherry on top, it is also the bestselling wine in our store, period,” Drew explains. Gertude pairs well with pastas, meat dishes, roasted root vegetables and more. At just $15.99 a bottle, it punches well above its class, offering the experience of a “Baby Super Tuscan” – a lighter version of a Super Tuscan – at a fraction of the price point.

The colder weather conjures images of hearty glasses of red wine, but what to serve for the white wine drinkers? Craig Heffley at Wine Authorities suggests setting your sights on Spain – more specifically a bottle of 100% godello, a stunning white wine from the northwestern Galicia region. The area borders the Atlantic ocean, and its wines pair perfectly with seafood. If your celebration involves a few dozen oysters on the half shell, then this is the wine you want. With the structure of a more expensive Burgundian white and a crisp minerality that really hits the spot, Craig insists that this bottle from winemaker

Bodegas Pazo das Tapias “really overdelivers in every way.” The $11.99 sticker makes this ideal for a host/hostess gift or just everyday drinking.

h lidaygiftguide

RANDOLPH COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

500 Albemarle Rd., Asheboro 336-626-0364, ext. 102 heartofnorthcarolina.com

North Carolina Zoo Society Membership, $59 Make memories with your family and friends at the North Carolina Zoo with an annual membership; discounts available on other Association of Zoos & Aquariums-accredited facilities, too. Membership pricing as low as $59/year; find additional details at nczoo.org/become-zoo-member.

CITRINE SALON

3110 Environ Way, Chapel Hill 919-929-2209 citrinesalonnc.com

JEWELSMITH

2200 W. Main St., Durham 919-286-2990 jewelsmith.com

Mountain Laurel Earrings, $1,150 These 18-karat yellow gold earrings were created in-house by goldsmith Patrick King using recycled gold and inspired by Durham’s Eno River State Park.

DELORES

POTTERY

1601 E. Geer St., Ste. C, Durham delorespottery.com

Blue Tree Bark Vase, 15-inches tall, $150 Created using a locally sourced clay body, this vase is handmade with a warm, dark clay and colored slip for a striking contrast. Enhance the design of any living space with this unique piece.

Eminence Organic Skin Care Starter Sets, $79 Establish or enhance your skin care routine with these Eminence Organic Skin Care sets, either by targeting your specific needs, creating an ageless look or keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

MODE

1000 W. Main St., Ste. 1B, Durham 919-806-3434 modeconsignment.com

MAX HUGO INTERIOR DESIGN

5850 Fayetteville Rd., Ste. 104, Durham 919-806-3638 maxhugointeriors.com

Rose Quartz Barware

Set of three, $235.50

Ideal for a hostess gift, stocking stuffer or gift exchange item, this barware set adds a unique pop of glam. All you need is a holiday beverage!

THE FRAME & PRINT SHOP

University Place

201 Estes Dr., Ste. 400C, Chapel Hill 919-942-7306

Timberlyne Village

1129 Weaver Dairy Rd., Ste. W, Chapel Hill 919-942-3291 frameshopchapelhill.com

$100 gift certificate for framing and a complimentary “Doors of Chapel Hill” art print by Catharine Carter (19-by-26 inches), $50 value

Give the gift of framing this holiday season and receive a complimentary print, the “Doors of Chapel Hill” by Chapel Hill artist Catharine Carter. (No other discounts apply.)

WHITEHALL ANTIQUES

1213 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill 919-942-3179 whitehallantiques.com

Octagonal Bamboo Two-Tier Side Table, $795

Crafted around 1870 and now with decoratively decoupaged surfaces, this English two-tier side table is an example of the bamboo furniture items carried at Whitehall – perfect accent pieces for any home!

The Regulator Bookshop

The staff at The Regulator Bookshop recommends “Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em” by Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake with photography by Denny Culbert. This book tells the story of New Orleans – known for its drinking scene – through 100 different cocktails, highlighting the spirited city’s past, present and future. Celebrate the holiday season by cracking open “Cure” to learn how to craft your own Sazerac or Ramos Gin Fizz, which will transport you right to the Big Easy.

Bookstore staff also suggest “Dogs on the Trail: A Year in the Life” by Blair Braverman and Quince Mountain in part because of their love for dogs. Enjoy a stunning photographic look at the experiences of a sled dog team through this book, inspired by Blair’s wildly popular Twitter account.

Season’s

readings

BY VALERIA CLOËS

Another highly rated book is “Winter Recipes from the Collective” by Louise Glück. Don’t let the title fool you – this is a collection of poems that ponders a lifetime worth of experiences. Named Best Book of the Year by NPR, Literary Hub, Financial Times and Library Journal, “Winter Recipes” from the contemporary poet is best read curled up next to a fireplace.

Letters Bookshop “D

rive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” by Olga Tokarczuk is not your typical holly jolly read, thanks to its light gore factor. Without giving too much away, the book incorporates hot chocolate, crunching snow and an old lady, and is mainly structured as a thrilling murder mystery. “It’ll leave you in a place that’s uplifting and loving, if also perhaps a tad unsettling,” says Letters Bookshop’s Kyra Rathmann.

Cozy up with some wintery recommendations from a few of our local bookstores

Letters Bookshop also hosts an author meet-and-greet with Durham-based Culley Holderfield for a live reading from “Hemlock Hollow,” which tells a story about a ghost who haunts a cabin bequeathed to protagonist Caroline McAlister. Culley will also sign copies of his debut novel, which will be available for purchase, at the event on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.

Perfect for short-story aficionados, “An Elderly Lady Is up to No Good” by Helene Tursten mixes in mystery novel tropes, steering away from some of the more kitschy holiday tales. Social gatherings with family and friends will have to wait: Pick up this book, and you won’t be able to put it down.

Rofhiwa Book Café “R

est is Resistance: A Manifesto,” authored by The Nap Ministry founder Tricia Hersey, is the book for that someone you know who is always working (maybe that someone is you!). It encourages readers –those of us living in a society that values productivity above all else – to step back, learn to take breaks (and yes, take a nap!) as a way to resist that aspect of capitalism and reclaim power by asserting the most basic level of humanity.

And mark your calendar for Rofhiwa's bookshop events during December:

• Live music session with UNC graduate and musician XOXOK. Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.

• Black Christmas Movie Night – a screening of a few favorite Black Christmas movies – all chosen by Rofhiwa customers – paired perfectly with chocolate charcuterie boards. Dec. 11 at 5 p.m.

• Durham-based Bible teacher and writer Yana Jenay delivers a Christmas service. Dec. 18 at 4:30 p.m.

FORWaRD

PROGReSS

It’s the season of hope, joy and love. We found it all –plus plenty of determination – in these three wellness journeys.

BY ELIZABETH KANE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

Bold and Bright

Harper Harrell is the epitome of bravery.

“Harper sparks joy,” Heather Hindin says of her 9-year-old daughter. “She’s a kid who’s resilient.”

Harper is strong for a reason. On Oct. 14, 2021, the then 8-year-old was told she had acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“Harper was sitting on my lap,” Heather says, recounting the day they learned the diagnosis at Duke University Hospital. “Thankfully, she couldn’t see my face.” Heather says it was important to her to manage the gravity of that moment, “not losing control or mak[ing] her feel even more fearful.”

Harper remembers that day clearly as well. “I was feeling frustrated and kind of mad at myself,” she says. “[I thought], ‘What did I do wrong? What could I have done to change this?’”

She turned to her mother for answers. “Her immediate questions were, ‘Am I going to die?’”

“I’ve gotten so much love and support; I have so many friends,” Harper says. “I can’t name all of them because there’s so many of them.”

Heather says. “And I said, ‘No, you’re in the right place. We’re going to take care of you. The doctors know what they’re doing.’ Then, shortly after that, she asked if she was going to lose all of her hair. … And it’s these questions that just feel heartbreaking, and nobody ever prepares you for how to answer them.”

So, what do you do when you’re a young girl and cancer comes for you? Harper decided to be courageous. She helped raise $27,000 for The V Foundation for Cancer Research through her “Brave Like Harper” campaign, in which she sold T-shirts that featured her own bright, cheery design that read, “Peace Out, Cancer.”

“Harper … embodies the ‘don’t ever give up’ spirit that Jim Valvano introduced during his own battle,” says V Foundation CEO Shane Jacobson. “The way she continues to fight leukemia is admirable. She has become a champion for cancer

Harper with Lauren Dermott, her nurse at Duke, Marcelle Scheyer and Gerald Henderson Jr. at a recent Duke men’s basketball game for Duke Children’s Charity Stripe Challenge, a fundraising initiative to benefit the children’s hospital. Gerald stepped up to the “charity stripe” to take a free throw, which he made, thereby winning $1,000 for Duke Children’s.

Harper inbounded the ball to Gerald for the shot, and she got to keep the ball after the game. To learn more about the challenge, scan the QR code.

BY NAT LEDONNE

Harper and Heather visit Parker and Otis often – it’s one of Harper’s favorite places. Owner Jennings Brody is also a big supporter of Harper’s journey.

research, raising money for the V Foundation during her battle. We are all better because of the inspiration that Harper is every day.”

Heather echoes the sentiment. “I think [Harper] really embodies that ‘never give up’ attitude.” Battling cancer and pushing through chemotherapy treatments is incredibly challenging on the body and the spirit. “[Harper] would be in excruciating pain for days,” Heather says. “You could see her gather her strength and psych herself up to get out of bed or get into bed or … get up and go into the bathroom … battling nausea and vomiting in the middle of the night. I mean, it’s terrifying, and it’s upsetting. [And] every day she wakes up, and she’s happy and sunshiny and ready to do it all over again. Whatever it takes to get better.”

Dr. Hutton Chapman, Harper’s primary physician on her care team and one of the pediatric hematology-oncology fellows at Duke Children’s Hospital, sees her spirit, kindness and strength up close while Harper continues to receive therapies, though her cancer is now in remission. “Harper is just a really bright and lively individual who is wise beyond her years,” he says. “Even when she’s going through hard days herself, [Harper] frequently asks about our other patients, and she’ll still seek out patients who she has met on her own accord [or] who she’s met in the hallway, [and] tries to cheer them up when she sees them.”

Harper has another big fan cheering her on: Mike Krzyzewski, the legendary former head coach of Duke University men’s basketball team and a close family friend. He calls Harper to see how she’s doing and offers his support.

“Harper is awesome,” Mike says. “I’ve had the pleasure to get to know Harper through her mother, Heather, who worked at The Emily Krzyzewski Center. They are a great family and have handled Harper’s battle with strength and perseverance. The way Harper fights leukemia is inspiring. She fights hard, while showing selflessness and passion in fundraising for cancer research to help people like her in the future. Truly incredible.”

RIGHT

PHOTO

“Harper did a couple of events with the Duke basketball team in the Duke University Hospital in the past month or so and has gotten to know the team pretty well,” Heather says.

“I’ve been a huge fan forever, but I haven’t gotten to be, like, sitting or standing right in front of them … looking all the way up – they’re so tall!”

Harper says. “I feel like they’re my besties now.”

Harper has some sage advice for anyone facing challenging times: “If you’re going through something scary, you just need to be as brave as you’ve always been.” 

Durham Internal Medicine Associates

A Service Line of EmergeOrtho, P.A.

Serving Our Durham Community Since 1955

Durham Internal Medicine Associates is proud to announce our return to independent practice. Through new partnerships, we are strengthening our ability to bring you the highest quality care. Physician-led. Patient-centered. 4205 Ben Franklin Blvd Durham, NC 27704 919.477.6900 5107 Southpark Dr, Suite 104 Durham, NC 27713 919.477.6900 Take charge of your health and schedule

Healing Power

“I

woke up in extreme back pain,” says Meredith Mooney, recounting the September morning in 2018 when she was roused from her sleep by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back that went all the way down to her left foot. “I’m not one to go to the doctor for just a little sniffle, but [with this pain], I was like, ‘I can’t tolerate this.’”

The road to healing would be a long, frustrating and tedious journey that took years. She visited neurologists, rheumatologists and spine specialists, one referring her to the next, with no end in sight. She says some physicians “dismissed” her.

“What I heard a lot was, ‘You’re young. Your body will heal. It will be fine,’” says Meredith, who was a 28-year-old assistant director at The Goddard School preschool in Durham when she first started experiencing symptoms. “[One] doctor [told me], ‘I don’t think the pain that you’re in coincides with what the X-ray is showing.’ … She essentially thought it was all in my head.”

LEFT

“Walking is a big deal for me,” Meredith says.

“I go on walks now versus only walking if absolutely necessary.

My husband, [Tyson Mooney], and I like to frequent [Sarah P.] Duke Gardens.“

case, her foot. That September, she had a spinal cord stimulator implanted, which worked – until it didn’t. “[In September 2021], I had an incident where someone stepped on my foot,” Meredith says. “It just ruined my CRPS, [leaving me] all out of whack.”

Dr. Aashish Jay Kumar, who worked at Duke Health’s Duke Raleigh Hospital Pain Clinic at the time, could see how all the discomfort and frustration was wearing on Meredith. “She was struggling a lot,” Dr. Kumar says.

He began talking to Meredith about considering a StimRouter procedure in November 2021. “The StimRouter would help target her chronic pain symptoms, which were complex in nature,” he says. Using the visual guidance of an ultrasound, the stimulating leads would be placed in her thigh, and an external pulse generator that powers the StimRouter system would be placed over her skin, which she could remove, depending on her activities. Unfortunately, the procedure wasn’t covered by insurance. Dr. Kumar worried that if this didn’t work for her, Meredith would be stuck with large medical bills on top of her pain and disappointment.

Meredith would undergo test after test; sadly, her suffering would only get worse. “[One day], I came out of an MRI not able to feel my left leg,” Meredith says. “ ... That pain led [me] to a four-day stay at WakeMed. … [T]hen, my foot turned a black-purple color [and] would change temperature. … It felt as if it had just come out of the freezer.”

Her husband, Tyson Mooney, also noticed that her foot was swelling up. “That’s finally when I got doctors to look at me and say, ‘OK, you’re not making this up,’” Meredith says. “‘Something’s actually wrong with you.’”

Meredith’s fears – compounded by the constant, debilitating pain and still no answers as to why she had these symptoms – began to escalate. “I lost feeling in my leg, and it was, ‘Will I ever walk again?’” Meredith says. “I was leaving the hospital in tears … [thinking], ‘What am I going to do? How am I going to live my life?’”

Meredith was finally diagnosed in 2020 with complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, a type of ongoing pain that often affects a patient’s leg, arm or, in Meredith’s

But Meredith was desperate. “[During that conversation], I didn’t really ask Dr. Kumar any questions when he said [the StimRouter] was an option,” she says. She gave him the go-ahead, “because I already had the spinal cord stimulator, [and] nothing really phase[d] me at this point. I [was] just looking for relief.”

In February 2022, Meredith went forward with the procedure. She was fully awake throughout, as only local anesthesia was used on her left thigh. “When my toes felt the stimulation for the first time, I felt almost a release,” Meredith says. “My toes began to relax, and I could feel [them] move for the first time in two years. … Those were glorious minutes of my life.” Meredith finally experienced genuine relief, and confidence in her decision. “It made me feel like I made the right choice,” she says.

The 32-year-old is now an administrative assistant to the executive director of research and accountability for Durham Public Schools and a part-time caregiver for a child with special needs; she’s regained her sense of independence and, rather than dreading what the future might look like, she looks forward to it with optimism. She loves going to N.C. State sporting events with her husband and caring for her pet tortoise, Philip “Phil” Charles. Meredith and Tyson are also active in their church, Bethesda Baptist, where he is a deacon, she’s involved in the youth programming and both are choir members. “Now, I don’t have to think about what I can and cannot do,” Meredith says. “My life is not determined by my pain anymore.” 

Gabriel (center) with several engineering club students –Daniel Stepp, 17, Ben Shoenbill, 17, Andrew Hartemink, 17, James Salemson, 17, David Nolen, 16, and Wesley Wadman, 18 –and teacher Kym Gardner at Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill.

Strength of Spirit

Gabriel Tempest lets nothing stand in his way when he decides he wants to do something. “He’s a young guy with a really great sense of adventure,” says Kym Gardner, Gabriel’s former middle school teacher and an assistant to the facilities manager at Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill. “He’s smart, [and] he’s witty.”

Gabriel met Kym when he was in sixth grade at Trinity School. Kym later taught him in an information technology and logic class in eighth grade. Through the years, the two became friends.

“I think because I lost my father to cancer in 2013, [Kym] kind of filled that role,” Gabriel, now 20 and a student at East Carolina University studying business administration, says. “He was adventurous like my dad.”

One such lifechanging experience that Kym often talked to Gabriel about were his travels on the Camino de Santiago – a network of pilgrimages in Spain leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain – that he took with his wife, Susan Gardner. “Even before the time of Christianity, it was a trail that was understood to have some sort of great spiritual powers,” Kym says.

Gabriel was fascinated by Kym’s accounts and announced his intentions in 2017 to make his own pilgrimage there. Kym was determined to help his young friend, who has a moderate form of cerebral palsy, make it happen. “[Gabriel] just has … a sense of himself that is not defined by his disabilities,” Kym says.

It would take time and creativity for Gabriel to complete his 500-mile journey. Staff members and students in Trinity School’s engineering club pitched in to create a specially designed canopy for Gabriel – one that could assist him in navigating the terrain and combating the weather during his travels. A team of friends and Kym’s family members, including his wife, Susan, would lend a hand if needed as he ventured across the Spanish countryside in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

“There are many routes to Santiago,” Kym says. “… The most popular one and the most historically relevant one … is called Camino Francés – ‘The French Route’ or ‘The French Way.’ It starts on the French side of the Pyrenees, goes over the Pyrenees and then right across northern Spain to Santiago. That’s the route that we took Gabriel.”

“The project was littered with challenges,” Gabriel says. “[But] everyone was ready and willing to contribute. It wasn’t even a question.”

A crowd cheers as Gabriel takes the final steps of his journey in Spain on his own two feet, with some assistance from Kym and Susan.

Gabriel says it was hard explaining his trip to others, at times, because not everyone who practices Christianity understands pilgrimage in the same way. “I’ve been told, ‘Enjoy your vacation,’” Gabriel says. “I’m like, ‘Hold on – this is not a vacation!’”

“[Gabriel] takes his religious faith really seriously,” Kym says. “He is very conscientious about parsing out what it means to have faith from all the cultural trappings … the stuff that can get mixed up with faith,” Kym says.

“[The experience] showed me what real community is in terms of how the Christian church is supposed to function,” Gabriel says.

PHOTO BY TIMOTHY RINGERING

MISSIOn TO SERVE

Isee a billowing plume of smoke outside the third-story window as the sun rises on my fifth consecutive night shift in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit of a Lviv, Ukraine, hospital. A Russian bomb just exploded 6 kilometers from where I stood. Air raid sirens blared. I only had a minute to internalize my shock and disbelief. There are four children in the ICU, three on a single oxygen tank and one on life support. How do I keep these critically ill children safe? I’m a nurse, not a soldier. I’m trained to care for sick children, not war! Is there a bomb shelter in the hospital? Will there be more bombs? How far away from the window is safe from glass blast? The Ukrainian nurse I'm working with tells me not to worry – the bomb is far away. This is their world, their everyday life. It’s normal to be bombed and have air raid sirens go off day and night. A missile is no big deal unless it hits your home.

One week ago, I was safe, sitting on my comfortable couch, scrolling social media.

MELISSA BABB IS A PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER FOR DUKE URGENT CARE.

BY MELISSA BABB AND MITCH BABB

I was mesmerized by a post from Novick Cardiac Alliance pleading for nurses willing to travel into a war zone in three days to perform cardiac surgeries on Ukrainian children. My husband and I had been searching for opportunities to help Ukraine. I had the skill set for this mission. Within five minutes of seeing the post, I had complete support from my husband and my job. I was on the team. Russia had spared Lviv from war – it was a place of refuge for fleeing Ukrainians. I felt a little fearful, but mostly excited to serve.

While I was flying over the Atlantic, Russia bombed a military base on the outskirts of Lviv. Landing in Poland, I realized this was war, and no place is safe. One nurse traveling from Los Angeles landed and decided to board a plane back home. After praying and speaking with my husband, I felt

a wave of peace. I boarded a bus with 12 international team members and crossed Poland’s border into Ukraine. We drove past hundreds of Ukrainian refugees crossing the border at 2 a.m. with small children and only what they could carry.

One of the nurses on our team was Serbian. Ukrainians often consider Serbians as enemies. After a heated altercation at the border crossing, she was thankfully allowed into Ukraine. Our interpreter was Belarusian, also a Ukrainian enemy, and thus not allowed into Ukraine and had to remain in Poland. I communicated with families, patients and local providers using Google Translate. The photo function on the app helped me navigate medications and dosages, IV pumps and monitors that were all in Russian.

Due to safety concerns, we lived in the hospital. Air raid sirens were constantly alarming, making sleep difficult and mentally paralyzing, wondering if there was an inbound missile. Monitors and IV pumps would spontaneously shut off, stopping lifesaving medications. I functioned as the pharmacist, calculating dosages and mixing medicine to appropriate concentrations and doses. I worked with an international team of health care providers with different backgrounds, perspectives and methods of providing patient care. Our third case, a 17-day-old, came back from the operating room very sick. We called the Ukrainian interventional cardiologist at 2 a.m., requesting he come to the hospital immediately to image the baby’s heart so we could figure out why she was so ill. He was recently displaced from the Kharkiv area, where he awoke one morning to see a Russian missile shooting through the sky from his back window. He could not travel until 8 a.m. due to a governmentmandated curfew. If he were caught traveling during curfew, he said he would be sent to the border to fight for Ukraine. We miraculously kept that baby alive until he could assist the next morning. She is now home with her mother. – Melissa Babb 

A married couple reflect on their recent volunteer work providing medical services in Ukraine

hile Mel and I watched the developments in Ukraine, we both felt a calling. I reached out to several organizations in March 2022, seeking opportunities to serve. Shortly after Mel’s tour of duty, I was asked by Baptists on Mission if I would travel to Hungary to work with refugees. Without question, and with full support of Mel, I said yes.

Within two weeks, I was on a plane, with little knowledge of our specific mission or what I was going to face. My long trip included a missed flight and a 12-hour layover in Paris before I arrived in Budapest at 12:30 a.m., and then drove four additional hours to a location about 100 kilometers from the Hungarian/Ukrainian border. I took a brief nap before gathering with a diverse group of colleagues, ready to serve.

I was one of two nurses. The needs on the ground were rapidly changing, with a distinct demand for medical personnel to travel into Ukraine and assess medical needs for internally displaced people (IDP). We left the next morning to travel across the border. My nurse colleague and her daughter, who were originally from Ukraine and spoke the language, appeared nervous. They had Russian visas in their passports. Sources inside Ukraine said it was very risky to cross and that we could all be detained. We decided, after thoughtful consideration and

MITCH BABB IS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT DUKE REGIONAL HOSPITAL.

prayer, that the need exceeded the risk, and we developed a plan to split the group at the border. Our colleagues with Russian visas would walk across, while the remaining group would travel by vehicle. We could not acknowledge one another – a tactic to prevent all of us from being detained if something happened. Thankfully, all team members were able to cross.

We quickly went to work. We spent our first weekend meeting locals at shelters, partnering and building relationships with members of Hungarian Baptist Aid, who had teams and connections on the ground. There were so many tragic and disturbing stories. It was palpable how psychosocially impacted every IDP in our care were by recent events. But it was just as common to see their strength and spirit in making the best of what they had.

In one room, we encountered a lively group of Ukrainian ladies who built their own parlor and were playing music while doing one another’s hair and makeup. We’d leave and find a concerned mother requesting a health assessment for her 12-year-old son; he was withdrawn and had not spoken in over a week. I built a rapport with him, and he finally spoke.

I learned this young man and his mother were leaving their eastern Ukraine home via train when a Russian missile hit

the station. He couldn’t sleep because all he could see were the injured and murdered. He questioned why he and his mother survived and could not think about anything else. I still think of this young man to this day. While I can’t change what happened, I can provide him, and others like him, with much-needed support. This is exactly why I went.

After my return, I continued keeping up with subsequent teams who carried out our medical mission within Ukraine during the spring and summer. While standing to board my flight home from vacation in July, I received a call from one of the coordinators I served with, asking if I’d be willing to return. I looked at Mel and quickly said yes. A few days prior to departing, however, the U.S. state department issued a warning asking all Americans to leave Ukraine due to heightened risk. I was disappointed, but I knew returning to Ukraine was in God’s plan for me. I let the organization know I was willing to go regardless of risk concerns. I was notified a few days later that several team members declined to go, including our provider and pharmacist. Still, Hungarian Baptist Aid’s special international rescue team, Rescue 24, was willing to partner with whomever still wanted to go. I was asked to be the team leader of this small group, and boarded a plane returning to Ukraine two days later. We provided medical care to more than 200 IDPs –making lifelong friends in the process – during the 10-day mission. – Mitch Babb

As we move into winter, political and military tactics continue to inflict destruction on Ukrainian life and infrastructure. Our hearts and minds are with those in Ukraine. These trips forever changed our lives. It was some of the hardest physical and mental work we have endured, yet we are both prepared and ready to return, which we hope to do in the new year.

This is just a glimpse of our journey and how we chose to make a difference in the lives of our fellow humans, but there are many ways to serve and give back. What will yours be?

Mission statement

Habitat for Humanity of Durham works to eliminate substandard housing in Durham and to help foster thriving communities. We envision a Durham where decent, affordable, and sustainable housing is available to all.

Background

Habitat for Humanity of Durham believes that access to safe and adequate shelter is a basic human right. Founded in 1985, Durham Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing through constructing, rehabilitating, and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.

Wish list

• Give a gift – go to durhamhabitat.org/donate

• Volunteer – check out durhamhabitat.org/volunteer for more information

• Donate to a ReStore - donate gently used household items to a Triangle ReStore location

• Visit durhamhabitat.org/ways-to-give for more ways you can support Durham Habitat!

Upcoming events

• $100,000 Critical Repairs Matching Challenge: Through Dec. 31, 2022 your contribution to our Critical Repairs program can have double the impact!

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Durham Habitat brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. In partnership with the Durham community, we lift up our neighbors through the transformative power of home ownership. Durham Habitat has built more than 450 new homes and completed critical repairs on more than 500 non-Habitat homes. As our city rapidly grows and changes, the need for the affordable homeownership opportunities Durham Habitat makes possible is greater than ever!

215 N. Church St. Durham, NC 27701 919-682-0516 durhamhabitat.org

Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved

Sponsored Content

Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved Sponsored Content

Mission Statement

Exchange Family Center makes children’s lives better by strengthening their families, teachers, and communities through proven counseling, coaching, and training. Our guiding principles:

• We believe that caring adults are essential to developing resilience in children so they thrive now and as they grow.

• We build up the skills and capacities of the caring adults children rely on.

• We create safe spaces and responsive environments.

Background

Exchange Family Center was established in 1992 by the Exchange Clubs of Durham and Greater Durham to build a future for Durham by assuring families and adults help children thrive and fully engage as community members.

Through three main programs-Early Childhood Outreach, Family Support, and Parenting of Adolescents--Exchange Family Center encourages and reinforces strong, healthy relationships to better prepare Durham children for school, work, and life. All services are bilingual and offered free of charge.

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In Exchange Family Center’s 30 years of service, they have helped more than 10,000 children and families who needed support and continue to help 500 families each year in Durham County. EFC focuses on creating healthy relationships and environments through evidence-based models that positively impact families and the community for generations to come. EFC receives referrals from 23 different sources including doctors’ offices, schools, DSS and self-referrals.

Upcoming Events:

• Giving Tuesday Campaign: $30 for 30 Years!

Starting on Giving Tuesday through the end of December, we are promoting our “$30 for 30 Years Campaign” to celebrate 30 years of service to the Durham community. Our goal for the campaign is to receive $30 from 300 donors. As a fun addition to our campaign, we are raffling off a pair of pearl hoop earrings (valued at $1,000) from Diamonds Direct. For every $30 an individual donates to the campaign, they will receive one entry into the raffle ($30 = 1 entry, $60 = 2 entries, etc.)

• Adopt-A-Family: Adopt a family through the end of December by purchasing items off of a wish list for families and children we serve.

• Child Abuse Prevention Month: Participate in Child Abuse Prevention Month activities in April.

Wishlist

• New laptops

• Children’s hats, gloves, and outerwear

• Gift cards to department stores for families to purchase wish list items

Get in Touch!

3400 Croasdaile Dr., Ste. 206 Durham, NC 27705 919-403-8249 exchangefamilycenter.org

Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved Sponsored

Mission

• Financial donations to support Threshold members and programs

• Garden volunteers to help implement and maintain our vegetable and herb gardens

• If you, a loved one or a friend is living with a severe mental health diagnosis, reach out to learn about our program

• Help your legislators understand the importance of mental health care and the need for access to community resources (housing, food, employment), access to quality mental health services and the need for Medicaid expansion

Background

The Clubhouse model is based on the belief that members are partners in their own recovery rather than merely the passive recipients of treatment, and that meaningful work and relationships are integral parts of their recovery. Members work side by side with staff to organize and administer every aspect of the program including administration of Threshold, culinary workshops and meal production, housekeeping, career services (including employment and education), maintenance of the gardens, and recreational and social programming.

Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved

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Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved Sponsored Content

Sponsored By:

Mission Statement

To enrich the lives of Durham seniors 55+ by promoting healthy, active and independent lives.

Background

Founded in 1949, the Durham Center for Senior Life (DCSL) is a nonprofit organization designated as a Senior Center of Excellence. DCSL’s reach spans across Durham County with its main center located in downtown Durham, and two satellite centers targeting rural residents. The organization’s mission is carried out by providing a wide array of programs and services that positively impact the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of Durham’s older adults and seniors. At all locations, services, activities, programs and events are offered by DCSL completely free of charge.

Upcoming Events:

• December 22, Jingle and Mingle at DCSL

• December 30, Happy Noon’s Day Eve

Wish list

• Hygiene supplies (adult briefs)

• Cleaning products

• Protein drinks

• Toiletries (lotion, shampoo, toothpaste)

• Healthy snacks

• Small bingo prizes

• Arts and craft supplies

• Socks/gloves

• Kettlebell weights (20lbs-30lbs)

• Hand-held musical instruments

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For more than 70 years, DCSL has offered free activities, events, programs and supportive services for older adults in Durham County. DCSL also provides community resources and assistance navigating challenges relating to health, food instability, the lack of socialization, housing and more. Additionally, DCSL operates the only Adult Day Health Center in Durham.

In 2021-2022, DCSL:

• Provided 570 active members with a warm nutritious meal daily through its congregate meal program

• Served 1,367 seniors at our complimentary grocery store

• Supplied 780 older adults with hygiene and health supplies

• Offered more than 1,500 instructor-led classes, such as yoga, computer basics, line dancing, painting and African drumming

Get in Touch!

406 Rigsbee Ave., Ste. 202 Durham, NC 27701 919-688-8247 dcslnc.org

Background

Duke Children’s serves patients in the Triangle and beyond and strives to provide the highest quality care through advanced treatment, compassionate support, and full family participation. Duke Children’s is recognized for its clinical programs, research initiatives, educational opportunities for medical students, residents, and fellows, and strong advocacy efforts for children. Duke Children’s is affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine.

Our Mission

Duke Children’s is committed to achieving and maintaining a standard of excellence in all we do. Most importantly, we consistently strive to make the patient experience a model of quality care through advanced treatment, compassionate support and full family participation and communication. Our mission is to provide:

• Excellence in the clinical care of infants and children

• Innovation in basic and applied research

• Leadership in the education of health care professionals

• Advocacy for children’s health

• Patient- and family- centered care

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• US News andWorld Report ranks Duke Children’s as the No. 1 children’s hospital in North Carolina and the 4th in the southeast. Duke Children’s is nationally-ranked in nine pediatric specialties, and is ranked 7th nationally for cardiology and heart surgery.

• Duke Children’s ranks #1 nationally in NIH funding for pediatric medical research; five Duke researchers are among the top 50 for individual funding, including three of the top four.

• Duke Children’s is a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center, the top ranking designated by the American College of Surgeons.

• Duke Children’s is your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

Wish List

Your options for supporting Duke Children’s are as varied as the children we treat. Options for giving include:

• Annual and monthly gifts to help the greatest needs of our patients and families

• Corporate partnerships to increase community awareness and support

• Estate and planned gifts to leave a legacy that can support medical discoveries

• Transformational gifts to underwrite research and education

We are happy to work with you directly! For more information on giving to Duke Children’s, please visit giving.dukechildrens.org

Signature Events

• Season of Hope Radiothon on MIX 101.5 giving.dukechildrens.org/ events/soh-radiothon

• Duke Children’s Charity Stripe Challenge with Duke Men’s Basketball giving.dukechildrens.org/ events/charity-stripe

• Over the Edge for Duke Children’s giving.dukechildrens.org/ events/over-the-edge

Get in Touch!

Websites: giving.dukechildrens.org dukehealth.org/dukechildrens

Social: facebook.com/DukeChildrens twitter.com/Duke_Childrens instagram.com/duke_childrens

Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved

Sponsored Content

Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved

Sponsored Content

Mission Statement

The Carolina Theatre of Durham drives the cultural, educational and economic vitality of the region and serves as a hub for diverse arts and entertainment experiences, presenting live events, film and educational programs to enrich and celebrate the region.

Background

In the heart of downtown Durham since 1926, the Carolina Theatre has become one of the city’s most beloved institutions. Offering live events, film and educational programs nearly 365 days a year, the theater brings the best of international, national and local performances to Durham. In addition to bringing high-quality events to the Bull City, the Carolina Theatre also offers three historical exhibits which are open to the public.

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The Carolina Theatre of Durham is a cultural institution saved by local volunteers. As historical buildings were imploded around her, volunteer Connie Moses rallied volunteers to help restore the Carolina Theatre to its 1920s glory. Today, the theater is known as one of the cultural jewels of North Carolina, offering multiple honored film festivals and performances. Additionally, the theater’s educational programs bring the arts to more than 17,000 school children each year.

Upcoming Events

•

•

•

•

• 1/21 Family Saturday Series: 123 Andrés

• 1/30 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band: Trouble Is…25th Anniversary Tour

Wish List

• Volunteers

Get

309 W. Morgan St. Durham, NC 27701 919-560-3030 carolinatheatre.org

Frances Presma and Will Wilson worked with Raleigh Reclaimed to fabricate the custom butcher block kitchen island.

Farmhouse Fixer-Upper

A couple preserves the past in North Durham

BY MORGAN CARTIER WESTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

Down a gently curving driveway, tucked behind centuries-old oak trees, the home of Frances Presma and Will Wilson stands as a present-day example of what Durham looked like 150 years ago. Also known as the Giles Latta House, the historical structure was built

ABOVE Frances and Will were going to update the fireplace facade, but then learned the mantel was salvaged from Giles Latta’s parents’ 1830s home. LEFT The couple met in Calgary, Alberta, and moved to Durham in 1996 when Will got a job at Duke University.

in 1875 and incorporates several facets of older buildings that once stood on the land as well as newer additions attached later in the 19th century. The property was home to seven generations of the Latta family, but today only a handful of buildings and 5.4 acres of the original 294-acre farmstead conveyed to James Latta in 1756 remain.

By the time Frances and Will took ownership of the parcel in 2016, it had changed hands a few times and fallen into

RIGHT Will used the wood salvaged from the home’s old floors to build tables for the front porch.

disrepair from neglect, and needed quite a bit of love to make it livable again. “We spent years driving past this house with our daughters, [Ella Wilson and Hannah Wilson], who we raised around the corner in Greymoss,” Frances says. “One day we drove past, saw a ‘for sale’ sign and made an offer on the same day. When we called the girls to tell them we’d bought the white house on Bivins Road, they knew which one we meant right away.”

The two-story farmhouse and its surrounding land may have served as a landmark for travelers decades ago, too. Until her death on May 1, 2022, at age 100, Beulah Latta was among the few Latta descendants who could still remember what the home was like before electricity and other modern conveniences were installed in the 1950s.

Beulah was also witness to a century of changes throughout Durham County, as new home developments continued to encroach toward the farmland. So, when she learned that Frances and Will would preserve the home rather than tear it down, Beulah gave them a special gift: a caned chair that belonged to her ancestor Giles. It now has pride of place in the couple’s living room. “We were excited to get to meet her,” Frances says. “One of the recent owners was planning to develop homes on the site, and she was just so grateful we would be restoring it instead.”

Before any aesthetic changes could be made to the home’s interior, practical repairs needed to be made to the roof, insulation, windows and flooring. All of the joists below the home needed

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replacement and repair. Will – who did much of the restoration work himself – crawled under the house to discover the first of many surprises: a warren of groundhog tunnels, years of termite damage and what looked like an arrowhead.

“After I found the first one, I just kept going,” he says. Though the added step of sifting through bucket loads of dirt significantly added to his workload, Will says it was more than worthwhile; he has discovered dozens of prehistoric tools that date to about 7,000 years ago.

Once the floors were level and the walls and windows were sufficiently sealed, Frances and Will turned their attention indoors to what would be the home’s biggest renovation challenge: swapping the kitchen and bedroom.

The previous layout made sense to the home’s earliest owners, positioning the bedroom near the warm parlor in front and providing easy access to a log kitchen structure out back. That log building still stands, but the doorway that once led outside has been replaced by Frances and Will’s bedroom closet. More importantly, the kitchen and living spaces, once separated by the dining room and bathrooms, are now connected. “That change has just been vital to our enjoyment of the space,” Will says.

Frances says their tastes aligned well with the home’s age when it came to the design for the new kitchen. “It’s an older house, so sleek and shiny wouldn’t have worked even if we wanted it to,” she explains. “We’re casual people, and this is a casual house.”

ABOVE The couple recently completed the upstairs guest bedroom, which has its own bathroom and closets. BELOW Will preserves surplus veggies from his garden to enjoy all year long.

Instead of modern fixtures and granite countertops, she and Will selected simple white cabinets and a maple butcher block island, and kept as much of the rest of the room intact and as authentic as possible.

A previous owner put drywall over the original walls and ceiling, too – once it was taken down, it revealed slatted wood walls and hand-hewn ceiling

LEFT Will grew the pumpkins in the center of the dining room table.

BELOW Ella Wilson, Lynette Keyes-Elstein, Frances, Will and Laura Grisham enjoy seasonal treats and one another’s company on the front porch.

RIGHT Will and Frances discoverd this calendar from 1894 in the home’s attic.

boards, still in perfect condition. “We’re so glad we decided to remove the drywall; what is under it has so much more character,” says Frances, who also added on fresh coats of paint and creative touches elsewhere to warm the home.

Will additionally hand-dug a gravity sewer hundreds of feet down to tap into the city waterline before the couple moved in in August 2021. That labor of love also ensured the farm continues to operate as it once did – albeit on a much smaller scale – as Chickpea Farm. (You can find Will and his vegetables – he’s selling mostly greens right now – at the weekly Durham Roots Farmers Market in the North Carolina Farm Bureau office parking lot at 1901 Hillandale Rd.)

Over the past year, they’ve filled the walls and shelves with local art, and of course, plenty of preserved veggies. And while they aren’t back to their pre-pandemic levels of entertaining, Will and Frances still make good use of their large front porch. “This has been the perfect place to weather the pandemic,” Frances says. “We’ve made some mistakes in the process [of renovating], but none we can’t live with.”

As for future projects, a few odds and ends remain, like finishing the staircase to the second-level guest room. But for now, Will and Frances are content to enjoy their home and continue its long history as a notable North Durham landmark.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF WORK

BY SHANE SNIDER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

orkplace dynamics have forever shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, creating a mobile workforce eager for new opportunities and no longer bound by geography.

That’s left many companies searching for ways to recruit and retain workers with beefed-up incentives, perks, benefits, attractive workplace cultures, policies and other lures. The technology industry, which added positions at a feverish pace during the pandemic lockdown days to cope with remote work demand, is now starting to soften. Big-name companies are reducing head count, including Google, Amazon and Meta.

Conventional wisdom would suggest that the balance of power shifts toward the employer if the national economy appears headed in the direction of a recession. But the “great resignation” has changed that dynamic – putting power back into workers hands as they have more flexibility with career choices. Durham and the Triangle at large have a rich depth of career choices for workers and a large roster of major employers.

Despite mounting fears about a global economic recession, employment statistics remain strong. The state’s unemployment rate was about 3.8% in October, according to

the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Durham and Chapel Hill’s unemployment rate in September was about 2.7%. That said, the technology sector is showing signs of slowing, with companies either cutting back or freezing hiring.

Even with a fluid economic backdrop, the job market may be forever changed.

While some companies take a harder line stance on the hybrid office – with at least partial in-office presence required – experts say the appetite for remote work and the need for employers to get creative with incentives will continue.

In addition to its central downtown location with free parking or train pass, Seguno Software covers 100% of all health benefits for employees and their dependents (with no waiting period), offers 12 weeks of PTO for new parents, biological or otherwise, and unlimited PTO plus flex hours, among other benefits.

Gleb Tsipursky, a cognitive scientist and CEO of hybrid and remote work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts, believes the demand for hybrid work is no passing fad – it’s simply the future of the workplace.

“In surveys, two-thirds of employees would rather quit

than return to the office full time,” he said. “In order to retain people, we’re seeing more employers choosing to offer remote work. Leaders are choosing to offer remote work as an incentive rather than salary. The best workers will flock to those companies.”

BONUS BENEFITS

Aside from hybrid work policies, employers are getting creative with perks to keep workers happy. Chris Geiss, co-founder

and CEO at Seguno Software, which offers automated email marketing software, is on board with the remote work needs of his 13 employees, but he tries to make sure the office is an attractive option as well.

“We’re rising to meet expectations for prospective and current employees – trying to rise to the occasion of the times we’re living in,” Geiss said. “Ultimately, these have been positive changes. We started growing the team during the

Companies look to attract and retain new employees while commercial real estate firms develop office spaces that improve workforce experiences

Christina BlackwellAlbright, Katherine Riemen and Marc Baumbach gather by the office mural – painted by Candy Carver – for doughnuts and coffee that are available every Wednesday. Employees also receive a free membership to DoorDash.

pandemic, so we already had a remote-first type of mentality. We had to be very flexible. The challenge is to make the remote employee feel just as welcome as one coming into the office.”

Seguno offers perks like doughnuts on Wednesdays, which has turned into a fun way for workers to get face time with one another. “A doughnut becomes this way to grab some one-on-one time with someone just to have a chat and relax,” Geiss said. “It just gives you another way to connect with your co-workers.”

The company also does a “meal-of-fortune” on Fridays, a business-paid lunch where a random employee is chosen to offer a teachable moment while co-workers are treated to a DoorDash meal. “We still leverage the office as a great place to come together,” Geiss said.

And then there are the tacos. Not the kind you eat. These are golden statue tacos earned through Slack. Employees can give one another up to five virtual “tacos” a day as a way to show appreciation for work-related achievements, and at the end of the month, the employee with the most tacos gets a trophy to hold on to until the next month. “It’s just a fun way to recognize people and

another way to connect,” Geiss said. “And that’s something both people in the office and remote employees can participate in.”

Christina BlackwellAlbright, a customer service representative at Seguno, enjoys the company’s mix of

hybrid opportunities, which gives her the chance to spend quality time with her young daughter or come into the office when needed.

“I definitely look forward to going into the office … when I do,” she said. “They really try

to make it a place people want to be.”

That said, the option for remote work was extremely important to BlackwellAlbright, who worked in retail before the pandemic. “It’s incredibly flexible,” she said. 

A new, vibrant RTP.

Research Triangle Park celebrated a historic milestone with the groundbreaking of Horseshoe at Hub RTP in October. Set to open to the public in 2024, Horseshoe will feature office and retail overlooking 16 acres of green space featuring a central plaza with a splash pad, outdoor terraces and connections to streamside trails.

BURDEN’S CREEK

EVENT LAWN

“I can go in if I want and be home when I want, and I don’t have to check in with anyone about it. We are able to put our families first – that’s something the company does a really good job with.”

FOCUS ON THE HUMAN ASPECT

It’s not just employers who have to think about ways to make things interesting for the new workforce. Commercial real estate companies are rethinking how office spaces are used. Longfellow Real Estate Partners, which focuses on lab space in the life sciences field, had to ensure the office was still attractive for employees who can’t accomplish work tasks in a home setting.

“Life sciences have flourished in collaborative environments – our team understands this fundamentally by helping curate experiences that allow our clients to engage with one another, creating unexpected connections and unique opportunities,” said Greg Capps, Longfellow’s managing director. “This collaboration helps a workplace go beyond the typical 9-to-5 and will help to continue to drive the future.”

BELOW CEO Chris Geiss presents Scott Vaughn the monthly Golden Taco Award in recognition of his work and appreciation from his colleagues, yet another way Seguno keeps its staff engaged and motivated. Other perks include a $50 monthly stipend for wellness, 15 holidays and an employee’s birthday off plus $50 to spend, 401(k) with up to 5% 1:1 match (eligible from start date) and charity matching.

Commercial real estate companies like Longfellow learned to take a creative approach to building a more home-like experience for employees, offering amenities like gym access, day care, food trucks and more. “Longfellow has pioneered a hospitalitylevel approach to the client experience that goes beyond amenities,” Capps said. “More than ever, this is important, with a renewed focus during and after the pandemic.”

Offering those amenities has allowed Longfellow to forge new partnerships with local businesses. “Our team is committed to connecting our clients to the communities they work within – integrating local businesses like coffee shops and breweries into our spaces.” For instance, 321 Coffee, a Raleighbased coffee shop and roaster that focuses on employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is slated to open within a 1,200-square-foot space inside Longfellow’s Durham ID location at 300 Morris St. in December.

Seguno’s Geiss said perks and amenities are great, but companies are going to need to think outside the box to stay competitive and retain talent. It’s not just about rewards. Employers are going to have to dig deeper.

Seguno tried to address the mental stress of the pandemic on employees, creating an “employee assistance program” that gave workers access to mental health professionals, financial professionals and other life resources that went beyond the standard employerworker obligations. “Going through that experience of the pandemic together, we just saw the mental health aspect as really important – we spent money on that program before we even bought logo T-shirts for the company,” Geiss said. “That was just more important to us.”

ABOVE Kestrel Lemen, Will Henline and Cameron Roy take a break in the arcade room. Seguno provides its employees with $25/month allowance for education and entertainment in addition to a free Spotify Premium family membership.

HOT SHOTS

BY SHANE SNIDER | PHOTO BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

or Brian Alonso and Alexina Alonso, places are not just about buildings and streets – it’s more about the words and experiences that connect us. It’s the story.

The couple co-founded Built Story in 2020. It was the Alonsos answer to a world locked down by COVID-19. Businesses were closed, and workers were sent home, but the roads were open, and stories still needed to be told. Billed as a marketplace for self-guided tours, Built Story offers users a platform for interaction and tools to create their own travel stories. The app provides turn-by-turn walking instructions, stories, audio, text, video and more to provide an immersive experience.

Give us a brief summary of your personal and professional lives.

Alexina We are husband and wife, and co-founders, too. We both grew up in Miami –it’s where we met each other, started a family and started Built Story. We have since moved to Durham, and we love every minute of it here.

Brian I studied biomedical engineering at Duke University, where my familiarity and love for Durham began. I earned my master’s degree in civil engineering from George Washington University. My appreciation for storytelling and historic preservation began while I was a principal at our family-owned department store, La Epoca, whose roots date back to 1885 in Havana, Cuba. My brother and I took the reins in 2005, long after the business had relocated to Miami, in a historic downtown building. … [And] as president of Dade Heritage Trust [in Miami], I worked alongside earnest community members

to preserve historic buildings, rich with stories.

Alexina After graduating with a history degree from the University of Central Florida, I worked in higher education for several years.

At Florida International University in Miami, I earned my master’s degree and managed key external partnerships while in the university’s Office of Engagement. Interested in making my small corner of the world better, volunteerism, amplifying voices and education are important to me.

Tell us about Built Story. Alexina Connecting people and places is Built Story’s mission. The Built Story platform is the world’s first selfguided tour marketplace, connecting tour takers and tour creators. Anyone can build and publish self-guided tours from home, and anyone can purchase those tours with the app, [which] provides the tour and all of its created content – audio, video, text, photos –along with turn-by-turn walking or driving directions to each of the stops along the way. You’re not walking with an in-person tour guide.

Brian Creators have written history tours, architecture tours and true crime tours on Built Story. Passionate people have published bar-hopping tours and scenic bicycle tours. Built Story allows creators to share the rich history and stories of the communities they know best, while tour takers explore in a unique, new way. Stories, via tours, are documented and shared in a sustainable way.

How did your stories add up to Built Story?

Brian Like all things in life, I suppose, it’s a combination of forces. Alexina is passionate about history and community engagement.

Alexina Brian and his brother, while leading La Epoca department store in Miami, were focused on the tourists who made up a large percentage of their customers. A focus on tourism was born. But the ability to share the stories that those walls held, to help customers connect with the place around them, always proved a challenge to Brian –something that stuck with him for years. When life shifted and there was time to focus on connecting people to place, Built Story was born.

What makes the business unique? How do you stand out from the competition?

Alexina Built Story is versatile, scalable, nimble. It amplifies other people’s voices. Sure, there are other companies and

The Alonsos tell their story –and want you to share one, too

Holiday light tours are popular on Built Story, the brainchild of Brian Alonso and Alexina Alonso that received $100,000 in funding from Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund.

apps here and there that offer self-guided tours. But none offer the marketplace platform like we do. We allow anyone, free of charge, to build, create and publish self-guided tours – all from their home, office or public computer. Those creators, when their tours sell, earn revenue for their knowledge, creativity and time spent.

Brian Launching in 2020, just as the world shut down for COVID-19, we responded. Travel slowed, but locals still need things to do. Selfguided driving tours to the most enchantingly decorated Halloween- and Christmaslit homes were born! The technology we’ve built works for all of this.

Give us an idea of the business structure and workforce.

Alexina We are a revenue share company. Free of charge to create and publish tours, anyone can be a tour creator. Tour creators then earn revenue each time their tours sell. It’s just about a 50-50 split.

Can you share some of the company’s successes since its founding?

Alexina More than 120 individuals and nonprofits have registered as tour creators across the country, but a handful internationally, too. More than 140 tours have been published. With our newest Christmas light tours this holiday season, this number will move to more than 200.

Brian This summer, Google named Built Story as a recipient of the Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund – an immense boost that came with $100,000 in funding.

What has been the biggest challenge since founding the business? How did you overcome it?

Alexina COVID was a big one. … But creativity bloomed with the refocus and rethinking that came from trying to help people when travel had come to a halt. Our selfguided tours to the best-decorated Christmas homes around towns were a direct result of COVID. We are thrilled to be a part of bringing happiness to people.

Since the holidays are upon us, tell us a little about the self-guided Christmas tours.

Alexina Holiday light tours are a wonderful way to explore and learn about the community you live in. The personality among towns becomes evident, too, in lights tours!

The decorated, Christmas-lit homes along the Raleigh tours, for example, are stunningly brilliant, and maximalist. Every square inch of the exterior of the home is sparkling, no corner is lacking in a cheery (and likely two-storytall) inflatable Santa or a dancing snowman. A couple of homes along

WE ALLOW ANYONE, FREE OF CHARGE, TO BUILD, CREATE AND PUBLISH SELF-GUIDED TOURS – ALL FROM THEIR HOME, OFFICE OR PUBLIC COMPUTER. THOSE CREATORS, WHEN THEIR TOURS SELL, EARN REVENUE FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE, CREATIVITY AND TIME SPENT.

– ALEXINA ALONSO

the Raleigh routes have won national recognition.

And the Durham lights tour is magically different. You’ll experience a cozier drive; homes on this tour are located nearer to one another. No one here has won an ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight” award. But the Durham tour features homes that are so special, cheerful and jolly. The merry houses along this tour are not “minimalist” exactly – they are bright and fun enough to be on a tour after all – but they somehow also embody a “less is more” vibe. … In a uniquely Durham way. The wonder of the season is here. You’ll just have to experience it to see exactly what I mean.

How has the business evolved, and where do you see Built Story going in the future? Is changing technology (i.e., virtual reality and metaverse) adjusting your planning for the future at all?

Alexina We actually joke that we are not the metaverse. Because, we aren’t. And we are not trying to be! We believe that people

are happiest with their feet on the ground … the actual ground. We are connecting real people to real places, in a physical way. The Built Story app delivers the tour and all of its content –audio, video, text, photos – via technology. But you are outside, you are seeing things. Perhaps you are walking along with friends as you are enjoying your self-guided tour. Sharing the experience of exploring the world around you with friends and family – what a wonderful thing.

Brian But do stay tuned! Augmented reality is coming very soon. What an exciting thing, to experience AR elements, as you explore the stories of the world around you.

What is the legacy you’re hoping to build?

Alexina We want to make our corners of the world a better place. We want to bring a smile to people’s faces. What individuals do, what businesses do – it all matters.

Brian We want to amplify people’s voices. Anyone can create a tour and share the stories of their own community. We want to be a part of sharing that story.

Which is your favorite tour and why?

Alexina I love the holidays, and I love Durham. How can I not answer with a Durham tour?

The Durham holiday lights tour is my favorite.

Brian The “UNC Chapel Hill – Most Terrifying and Mysterious Ghosts, Haunts and Legends,” written by Raleigh local and UNC alum, Al Parker, immediately comes to mind. It is an eerily fun walk through campus. It’s a genuinely unique and intriguing way to experience Chapel Hill.

BIZ BRIEFS

ON THE MOVE

Dr. A. Eugene Washington, chancellor for health affairs at Duke University and president and chief executive officer for the Duke University Health System, will step down from both roles on June 30, 2023. During his tenure, Dr. Washington oversaw the establishment of Duke’s Population Health Management Office and the Department of Population Health Sciences within Duke’s School of Medicine, in addition to the university-wide program Healthy Duke, which aims to improve quality of life for students, faculty and staff. Dr. Washington also helped to establish the Center for Nursing Research and a multidisciplinary program to accelerate medical research called Translating Duke Health.

Behavioral scientist and Duke University Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Gary Bennett was appointed as the new dean of Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. Bennett begins his term on Feb. 1, succeeding Valerie Sheares Ashby, who stepped down in summer 2022 to become president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and interim dean Mohamed A. F. Noor

Avaya, which helps customers implement communication

Compiled by Sinclair Holian

solutions, announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kieran McGrath on Nov. 9 as the company continues a transition to subscription and cloud-based services. Global consulting firm AlixPartners Managing Director Becky Roof stepped in as interim CFO, while McGrath remained with the company in an advisory capacity through Dec. 1.

AWARDS & HONORS

A 42Floors study named Durham the No. 6 best place to start a business among U.S. cities, citing a high concentration of coworking spaces relative to population size, relative affordability and a high proportion of highly educated professionals.

For the second year in a row, the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area ranked No. 6 in technology innovation among the 100 largest metros by population in the nation. The Tech Innovation Index analysis released by the NC Tech Association compares technology worker supply and demand, and innovation. The Durham-Chapel Hill region ranked No. 1 in business-funded higher-education research and development, No. 3 in innovation, No. 7 in work demand and No. 9 in tech worker demand.

The Durham-Chapel Hill area ranked as the No. 2 affordable mid-sized metro area (where the cost of living is below the national average) with the most workers in occupations paying a median wage of more than

$100,000 annually. The study, conducted by How to Home, found that 15.3% of workers in the area are in jobs with salaries that average six figures or higher.

Durham ranked No. 37 among the top U.S. cities with resilient economies in a report by financial news site SmartAsset. On a 0 to 100 scale, Durham scored 75.81 for employment, 79.22 for housing, 43.02 for social assistance and health care, and 63.38 for economic stability.

The Healthcare Technology Report named Thomas Denny, a Duke University School of Medicine professor and chief operating officer of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology and Immunogen Discovery, one of 2022’s top 25 health care technology COOs.

MOVEMENT & DEVELOPMENT

Durham County voters approved a $112.7 million bond referendum that will enable Durham Technical Community College to construct two state-of-theart health care and life sciences training facilities and expand its Main Campus; $74 million is allocated toward constructing an 86,000-square-foot building for health care training programs and a pedestrian connector across East Lawson Street to the Educational Resources Center, with $35.2 million to be put toward a 35,280-square-foot life sciences building. The remaining $3.5 million will be used to purchase new land parcels.

FUNDING

Durham-based digital health company Pattern Health closed a $3.3 million series A funding round

in September. The round was led by the Dr. William H. Joyce Family Office, with contributions from existing funders The Launch Place, Cofounders Capital and Triangle Tweener Fund. Pattern intends to use the funds to improve its technology and fuel company growth.

NC IDEA, a private foundation that supports entrepreneurship in the state, awarded $10,000 each to 15 startups during its ninth NC IDEA MICRO grant cycle in October, including Durham-based startup Committees, a web application to help grad students stay organized during their dissertation and thesis process.

Tech platform Roobrick received a $3 million series A investment from Durham-based growth equity firm Jurassic Capital

The Roobrick platform, which currently serves more than 1,300 senior living communities and more than 10,000 consumers monthly, helps older adults and caregivers navigate age-related care and lifestyle decisions.

Research Triangle Park’s Fennec Pharmaceuticals secured a closing of $20 million in funding from Petrichor Healthcare Capital Management in September, following a $5 million closing between the entities in August, and approval of sodium thiosulfate injection PEDMARK by the Food and Drug Administration. PEDMARK is used to reduce the risk of drug-induced hearing loss associated with chemotherapy drug cisplatin in pediatric patients with localized, nonmetastatic solid tumors. 

The Durham Small Business Opportunity Loan Fund – a partnership among Durham County, the City of Durham and the Carolina Small Business Development Fund – surpassed a $1 million lending milestone in its mission to aid entrepreneurs and small businesses in the county. The fund has distributed low-interest loans to 45 small businesses that are 71% minorityowned and 43% women-owned.

often have no approved treatments.

Aceragen CEO John Taylor became chief executive officer of the company, succeeding Idera’s former CEO Vincent Milano, who was named to the company’s board of directors.

LaunchPad network, which helps schools provide resources to support entrepreneurial endeavors and career readiness. An NCCU Blackstone Launchpad Ideas Competition, which allowed students from across campus to present their business ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs and vie for cash prizes, was held in October.

BY JILLIAN CLARK

Artist Maya Freelon (pictured left) was one entrepreneur who benefited from the fund after COVID-19 closures hindered her business. A loan helped Freelon hire assistants for large-scale art installations, purchase new equipment and host community workshops.

PARTNERSHIPS & ACQUISITIONS

Biopharmaceutical company Chimerix announced the closing of its sale of oral antiviral medication TEMBEXA to Emergent BioSolutions in September. Cimerix received $238 million at the sale’s closure and will receive royalties on sales of the drug and up to $12.5 million upon achievement of additional developmental milestones.

IBM announced plans to acquire Dialexa, a Chicago- and Dallas-based digital product engineering services firm. Dialexa is the sixth company IBM has bought in 2022, and is expected to increase “product engineering expertise and provide end-to-end digital transformation services for clients,” according to a statement from IBM. The transaction is expected to close in 2023.

Pennsylvania’s Idera Pharmaceuticals acquired Aceragen, a biotechnology company working to develop therapies for rare pulmonary and rheumatic diseases that

Affordable housing developer Lincoln Avenue Capital acquired Avon Crossings apartments in October, financed through a National Equity Fund loan. The property’s 160 units are restricted to tenants whose income is 60% less than the area median income, and Lincoln plans to continue to offer housing at affordable rates. The developer also plans to invest in upgrading community amenities like a clubhouse and pool, and install sustainability features such as plumbing fixtures that will help conserve water.

Canadian technology firm TELUS International acquired app developer WillowTree in a $1.2 billion deal expected to close in January 2023. The move will allow WillowTree, which employs more than 1,000 people internationally, to increase hiring in Durham while enabling TELUS to add mobile development capabilities and digital product resources to meet client demand.

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at North Carolina Central University is one of four historically Black colleges and universities partnering with the Blackstone

ProcessMaker, a business process management company, acquired intelligent document processing specialist Doculayer in September. Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, Doculayer processes and manages structured and unstructured information from documents like images, chats, emails and more. ProcessMaker hopes the acquisition will expand its comprehensive approach to process orchestration and automation.

IN OTHER NEWS

Durham’s Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More celebrated a record sales month in August after relocating to Triangle Village off N.C. 54 in April 2022. Store owners David Riddell (pictured) and Christina Riddell take pride in community involvement and contributing to organizations including El Centro Hispano and Vets to Vets United

Drone delivery company Flytrex is now operating in south Durham. Delivery is available

from several restaurants and food vendors at The Streets at Southpoint shopping mall. Customers can order through the Flytrex mobile app, and a drone will arrive at a public location of their choice in 40-50 minutes. Flytrex drones can fly up to 5 miles round-trip at up to 35 mph.

Real estate company CASTO announced that home furniture store Havertys will open its ninth location in the state in a 30,000-square-foot space at Renaissance Village in spring 2023.

Nailed It DIY Studio celebrated the grand opening of its Greenwood Commons Shopping Center location on Nov. 11. The studio offers classes, private events and open studio time with guidance in transforming raw wood materials into one-of-akind projects.

Bronto Software founder and tech entrepreneur and investor Joe Colopy and Karalyn Colopy endowed a philanthropic gift of $1.5 million to establish a technology entrepreneurship program at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, where their daughter, Ximena, graduated from in 2020. Joe said he hopes the gift will foster an entrepreneurial spirit in the residential school’s students and teach them to think experimentally across academic disciplines.

PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLYTREX

PHOTO BY TRACE BOW

PHOTO BY KEN BRANSON OF MASTERMIND PRODUCTIONS

HORSESHOE AT HUB RTP GROUNDBREAKING

BY BROOKE SPACH

orseshoe, a trio of buildings with 125,000 square feet of experiential retail and office space at Hub RTP, held a groundbreaking ceremony and an exclusive sneak peek to Hub RTP’s outdoor space on Oct. 18 with breakfast, mimosas, networking and live music. Among the more than 400 people in attendance were those influential in the project,

including representatives from the Research Triangle Foundation and its board of directors, local transit authorities and chambers of commerce, real estate partners and Durham County officials. A spoken word piece, “This is Hub RTP,” by Joshua Rowsey, director of Blackspace, was streamed at the end of the event. On Nov. 2, Horseshoe at Hub RTP announced its first office tenant, Data443, a cybersecurity company moving its headquarters to the park.

Breaking ground at Horseshoe at Hub RTP are: Seth Ellington of Choate Construction; Jack Cecil, development committee chair of the Research Triangle Foundation board and president and CEO of Biltmore Farms; RTF Director of Marketing and Communications Jan Mactal; RTF Vice President of Real Estate Carolyn Coia; White Point co-founder Erik Johnson; RTF President and CEO Scott Levitan with his pup, Gizmo; Durham County Commissioner Brenda Howerton; White Point co-founder Jay Levell; RTF Board Chair Jud Bowman; RTF Vice President of Strategic Engagement Ray Trapp; RTF board member Barbara Mulkey; and RTF emeritus board member Smedes York.

Entrepreneurs Building Entrepreneurs

Echo - a new entrepreneurial hub formed by the merger of Helius and Audacity Labs - empowering the community through entrepreneurship.

We are a collective of individuals, businesses, and resources pooling together to support a common goal: social mobility through entrepreneurship. As a community center, ECHO helps people achieve self-sufficiency through the power of entrepreneurship.

Modern museums, lush gardens, renovated industrial spaces in the heart of the city – no matter what kind of celebration you’re hosting, you’re sure to find the perfect venue for your wedding in Durham

COMPILED BY ISABELLA REILLY

venues

21c Museum Hotel Durham Located in the heart of downtown and voted one of the top hotels in the South by Condé Nast Traveler, this multi-venue contemporary art museum offers more than 10,500 square feet of art-filled exhibition and event space. Its large, classic ballroom with wooden paneled walls and columns accommodates as many as 250 guests. The full-service boutique hotel is also home to Counting House restaurant and bar, led by executive chef Jeff Seizer

Arrowhead Inn Set on 6 acres in North Durham, the inn’s on-site event coordinator will help you plan every aspect of your event. Ideal for smaller affairs of 30 guests or fewer, this lovely inn specializes in garden weddings and can provide space for an indoor reception as well as accommodate sleeping for up to 18 guests in its nine rooms.

Bay 7 Nestled within downtown’s American Tobacco Campus, Bay 7 accommodates up to 400 guests inside its 10,000 square feet of event space, which features exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and steel girders. In-house catering is provided by Angus Barn.

Belt Line Station This unique industrial-chic venue set inside downtown’s historic Golden Belt Campus was once a train station. Today, it’s a fully covered outdoor space designed to host ceremonies and receptions. The venue can accommodate any weather with its retractable panels, while heaters and cooling apparatuses are available for extreme weather conditions, and can hold up to 100 seated guests and 175 standing. Triangle Catering offers a variety of Southern food options, full liquor bars, nonalcoholic beverages and more.

The Cookery Once the historic Durham Food Co-op building, this venue features an expansive ballroom, cobblestoned garden, courtyard and front room with 20-foot ceilings and a mezzanine.

Its 12,000-square-foot grounds can accommodate up to 500 guests for cocktail-style events and 330 people for seated gatherings. Built and designed with exposed brick walls and industrial pieces of Durham’s history, The Cookery is a unique setting for myriad wedding celebrations.

The Cotton Room Located near its sister venue Belt Line Station in the Golden Belt Campus, The Cotton Room is an elegant, distinctive industrial venue situated on the third floor inside a historic cotton factory. The dynamic space – with beautiful exposed brick, floorto-ceiling windows and timeless architecture – is large enough to accommodate 400 guests and offers all-inclusive services such as event management, a large catering menu designed by its awardwinning executive chef, a libations menu and much more.

Duke University Chapel Standing at 210 feet in the center of Duke University’s West Campus, the chapel’s English Gothic architecture features the distinctive “Duke stone,” vaulted ceilings, 77 colorful stained-glass windows, intricate woodwork and a long aisle in the middle of the sanctuary. A Duke affiliation is required to be married at the chapel.

The Durham Exchange The perfect blend of intimate and industrial – with textured, white brick walls, large windows that let in plenty natural light and double bar doors – this venue invites couples to decorate and personalize the space. Its open-vendor policy also allows spouses-to-be to enjoy all their favorites on their special day.

Durham Armory The recently renovated 8,000-square-foot ballroom features exposed brick walls and a parquet floor, and is located in the heart of the city on the corner of Foster and Morgan streets. The ballroom comfortably seats 400, and the overlooking balcony adds an additional 314 seats. Amenities include a coat room, snack

bar, tables, chairs, audiovisual equipment and parking for loading and unloading is permitted under the carport in the back of the building.

Durham Arts Council Plan your special day at Durham’s favorite art-filled event space. Choose from a combination of spaces, like two unique galleries filled with rotating, curated exhibits, the sun-filled Pavilion and other meeting areas throughout the building. Rooms can be rented alone or combined to create your ideal wedding space.

Durham Central Park The Pavilion at Durham Central Park is a 9,000-square-foot, open-air venue with smooth concrete floors, surrounded by a lush lawn with access to water, electricity, bathrooms and storage. It can accommodate up to 300 guests. On the east side of the park is The Leaf, a more intimate space with a 50-person capacity next to Mount Merrill playground and the Great Lawn

Durham Food Hall The mezzanine offers more than 2,000 square feet of private event space in three beautiful venues, each with views of the

hall below. The Loose Leaf Event Gallery is an open, 1,350-squarefoot space with modern chandeliers (seating capacity is 150 with a 200-person standing capacity) and a 10-foot, bi-fold door that opens into the Riggs Lounge, a 650-square-foot room with luxe finishes and a large, copper top bar with additional plush banquette seating for 26 people (up to 60 standing). The Walker Stone Room is the most intimate space at 410 square feet and features a 14-foot custom brass and maple table made by Bull City Designs (seated capacity is 10-20, with up to 40 standing). All three spaces are available individually or packaged together. Bar packages and catering from Food Hall vendors is available.

The Durham Hotel This mid-century downtown venue offers seasonal menus and locally sourced drinks. A combination of the Mezzanine Private Dining Room, The Restaurant at The Durham and rooftop lounge can accommodate 150 seated or standing guests. Catering, beverage service, staffing, tables, chairs and some decor is available in-house. 

PHOTO BY MORGAN CADDELL PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark James and Austin Harbison celebrated their June 2021 wedding at The Rickhouse and took portraits overlooking the American Tobacco Campus.

Forest Hills Neighborhood Clubhouse This large clubhouse is located in the heart of the Forest Hills neighborhood and can accommodate up to 80 people. It features a large lawn, a spacious kitchen, restrooms, heating and air conditioning, and comes equipped with eight 60-inch round tables, ten 8-foot banquet tables and 60 chairs. Outside catering is welcome, and there is a kitchen available.

The Fruit This 22,000-square-foot warehouse-turned-venue is often used for musical performances, art shows and more, and all areas of the space include a state-of-the-art sound system and bar service. The black box theater side of the venue can seat up to 300 people, with enough standing room for 600 people. The warehouse section of the building offers a “flexible use” area, which can be divided into different sizes and similarly holds up to 600 for large dances. Finally, there’s a basement bar and dance area that includes artsy lounge rooms, great for up to 150 people, but only accessible by stairs.

Historic Durham Athletic Park Located just a mile north of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, this is an ideal venue for baseball fans and movie lovers alike, as the 1988 hit romance/ sports film “Bull Durham” was filmed here. It can host events for up to 5,000 people on the playing surface or around the ballpark.

Hope Valley Country Club The historic country club offers multiple spaces with golf course views, including the 1926 Tudor-designed Club Room, a main dining room with crystal chandeliers and a terrace patio. The newly renovated French, Terrace and Renaissance rooms offer flexible configurations and classicyet-modern style. Country club staff help guide in the planning process, and a culinary team provides the cuisine.

Hill House Durham This 1911 Spanish Colonial Revival features original hardwood floors and millwork, detailed fireplaces and a sweeping main staircase. The interior is perfect for intimate gatherings of up to 56, while ample outdoor spaces and a covered porch, pergola and lush grounds can host larger events of up to 150. Hill House Durham underwent extensive restoration projects in 2021 and opened for weddings following an upgrade of its catering kitchens, multi-stall restroom and several bedrooms, which now serve as getting-ready spaces.

best dressed

JB Duke Hotel Conveniently located on Duke University’s campus, the AAA four-diamond rated hotel offers a tranquil retreat distinguished by its first-class service, attention to detail and beautiful setting. Seasoned consultants can assist in planning every detail of the day, which includes a complimentary suite for the couple on the night of the wedding.

Millennium Durham The hotel’s Brightleaf ballroom is 3,864 square feet, can hold up to 500 people and is accessible from the hotel’s main lobby. On the second floor of the hotel is the Greenbriar ballroom, which is the same size and capacity as the Brightleaf.

Morehead Manor The bed and breakfast can host an intimate wedding for up to 50 guests in its newly landscaped garden, inn or carriage house. It provides tables, chairs and linens, and offers the option of professional catering and other wedding services.

Bernard’s Formalwear The only in-stock tuxedo warehouse in Durham, Bernard’s can fit celebrants and wedding party members in rental suits or tuxedos in all of the latest fashions. The store also offers formalwear for purchase. General Manager Keith Smith is a go-to resource on upcoming wedding formalwear trends. 734 Ninth St.; 919-286-3633

Gavin Christianson Bridal This bridal shop encourages shoppers to truly embrace their personal bridal style. It carries a variety of styles from KittyChen Couture, Élysée and Carrington Collection – a bridal line designed in-house. Inclusive sizing is available in-store and gowns currently range between $1,000 and $5,000. 125 E. Parrish St.; 919-797-0028

Hushed Commotion Offering subtle but striking styles, Hushed Commotion values beauty in design, and bold intricacy and craftsmanship in all its wedding accessories. The store stocks essentials such as veils, jewelry, hair pieces, cuff links and more, and also offers unique items like decorated bridal sneakers, gloves and crystal-beaded face masks. All accessories are handmade in Durham, and in-store visits are by appointment only. 1405 N. Duke St.; 347-549-9709

Museum of Life and Science Tie the knot in a treehouse, wed among butterflies or party next to a spaceship at this iconic local museum. Four different “Wonder Wedding” themed packages are available, and each package features different selections of museum exhibits, with the option of fun add-ons (like liquid nitrogen margaritas or a train ride along the Ellerbe Creek Railway). Up to 150 guests can be accommodated for a seated reception. Limited tables and chairs are included. The museum also offers “Intimate Wonder,” a micro-wedding option that includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, cake and flowers.

Mystic Farm & Distillery Enjoy idyllic views of the 22-acre working farm and distillery with 3,800 square feet of indoor space (with a capacity of 200) that features full audiovisual facilities, mesh seating, a kitchen and coffee service. The venue includes outdoor areas and a large, covered porch overlooking the pond and fields. There is an option to add an interactive distillery tour and tasting to your event.

Parizade Incorporate an elegant Mediterranean feel into your wedding with two distinct event spaces and a variety of plated dinners. The outdoor courtyard features a stunning garden and water feature, with room for a seated ceremony of 120 or up to 80 for a seated reception. The club room can hold 50 (seated ceremony) and up to 72 (reception). 

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAVIN CHRISTIANSON BRIDAL

Pine & Poplar This 2,500-square-foot downtown venue attached to The Wine Feed seats up to 130 guests and features a large garage door that lets in ample natural light for beautiful wedding portraits. The modern space features a map wall of Durham from 1914, a handmade metal tree sculpture branching across the ceiling and a 1,000-square-foot patio area that can be tented for year-round indoor and outdoor events. A wall can be opened to include the store and wine bar area, increasing the venue’s total capacity to 210.

The Pit Durham Event Venue The Pit Authentic BBQ transitioned from a dine-in restaurant to full-time event venue in 2022. While The Pit is known for its signature authentic North Carolina barbecue, this historic venue also boasts one of the largest rooftops in downtown and space for more than 500 guests across two floors and multiple rooms. In addition to in-house catering, the venue offers bar and beverage services, tables, chairs, glassware, silverware, china and linens.

PNC Triangle Club A perfect venue for baseball fans, the entire stadium, outdoor picnic areas, stadium concourses and luxury suites at the PNC Triangle Club at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park are available to rent for your event on non-game days. The Triangle Club can accommodate up to 250 people and features full views of the field, audio and visual components and a full bar. Bull City Hospitality handles all catering needs, ranging from ballpark favorites to fine dining entrees. Suites can accommodate 12-16 people.

The Rickhouse This stunning warehouse venue right in the heart of downtown boasts an open-air roofed balcony that overlooks the Historic Durham Athletic Park and an indoor space that can host up to 300 guests. Features include exposed brick walls, a large chalkboard, a furnished private suite and floor-to-ceiling glass windows that showcase gleaming distilling equipment for a unique wedding backdrop.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens The public botanical garden boasts gorgeous locations for weddings and rehearsal dinners. No matter the season, the gardens offer spectacular views and a perfect setting for special events. The Doris Duke Center offers space for an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception and can accommodate up to 100 guests.

Sheraton Imperial Hotel Raleigh-Durham Airport at RTP This hotel has a total of 32,000 square feet of event space, including its 1,750-square-foot Crystal Coast Ballroom and 11 other event rooms. In-house catering professionals are available to prepare and serve meals.

Spruce Pine Lodge This vintage 1940s log building in the Lake Michie recreation area is located just 14 miles from downtown, making for a convenient and beautiful outdoor venue. The 2,500-square-foot lodge accommodates up to 120 guests.

University Club Located on the 17th floor of University Tower, this private club is best known for its spectacular views and elegant touches. It can accommodate up to 120 guests seated or 200 reception-style with additional space available for ceremonies.

Washington Duke Inn Nestled on 300 acres that overlook the Duke University Golf Club, the AAA four-diamond inn is known for beautiful grounds, award-winning dining and unparalleled service. In addition to 271 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, the inn can accommodate groups of 2 to 600 among its event spaces. Seasoned wedding consultants can assist in planning every detail of the special day, which includes a complimentary suite for the couple on the night of the wedding.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA EVERETTE PHOTOGRAPHY

engagement

Hannah Lee & Brendan Marks

BY VALERIA CLOËS

Wedding Date Sept. 9, 2023

Occupations Hannah works in marketing at CBRE | Raleigh, and Brendan covers Duke and UNC basketball for The New York Times

Crossed Paths The couple met at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media in fall 2016. They were enrolled in two classes together, and on the first day of class, Brendan moved seats to be beside Hannah. It was raining the next day when Brendan caught up with Hannah and walked alongside her –both underneath his umbrella – to the Student Recreation Center. Their relationship became official five months later.

Popping the Question The proposal was not a complete surprise for Hannah – Brendan accidentally left a browser tab open for engagement photographers in spring 2021. That August, the couple set off on a trip to Boston and Maine to celebrate Hannah’s birthday. While hiking in Acadia National Park, Brendan kept insisting that Hannah take pictures with the camera and tripod he’d brought along. As they climbed Gorham Mountain, Hannah was exasperated when he asked for a photo for the 10th time, just as the sun was setting. That’s when he proposed a much more important question, and asked her to marry him.

Now, “I Do” The couple’s ceremony and reception, in the hands of event planner Michele Workman, will take place at Old Lystra Inn with catering by Rocky Top Catering and drinks by Carolina Party Partners. The couple currently lives in Woodcroft

Samantha Everette Photography

wedding

Grace Bowser & Beau Rowe

BY CAITLYN YAEDE PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIMMESTER PHOTOGRAPHY, TIMMESTERPHOTO.COM

Date Sept. 3, 2022

Occupations Grace is a critical care nurse practitioner at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, and Beau is a certified registered nurse anesthetist at Duke University Hospital

Crossed Paths Grace and Beau met on the dating app Bumble in 2019, shortly after Grace, a Virginia native, relocated to North Carolina for work after completing her master’s degree at Vanderbilt University. Meanwhile, Beau was busy completing a doctoral program in nurse anesthesia at Duke University.

The Proposal During a trip to University of Georgia, where Grace attended undergrad, the pair posed at UGA’s Arch – a campus landmark – and Grace approached a nearby photographer, whom she recognized, to ask him to snap a photo of her and Beau on her phone. Unbeknownst to Grace, the photographer was actually there at Beau’s request to capture the moment he popped the question.

The Big Day Beau and Grace planned to tie the knot on Sept. 3, but learned in April that Beau’s father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Within two weeks, the couple pulled together a small, familyfocused ceremony in Beau’s native Hickory, North Carolina, on May 14. Beau’s father passed away several weeks later, but, as he wished, Grace and Beau moved forward with their September ceremony and reception at The Cookery. Their “I do, part two” took place after a rehearsal dinner at The Pit. Wedding decor in gray and gold tones – matching Grace’s engagement ring – was paired with greenery and florals from Fireside Farm. The couple hired American Party Rentals to

provide linens and tabletop rentals while DJ Ryan the DJ supplied the tunes and Snap Pea Catering crafted the menu. Rock Paper Scissors Salon styled Grace’s hair for the big day. “We were so lucky to work with vendors who got to know us as a couple and ran with our ‘vibe’ and helped create a beautiful and wildly fun event,” Grace says.

Favorite Moments Beau says he cherishes the memory of Grace walking out for their first look. “She was exactly as I imagined and somehow still full of surprise,” he says. Grace loved walking down the aisle after exchanging vows with Beau for the second time. “Not many people are lucky enough to marry their person twice,” she says.

Do you live in Durham and want your wedding or engagement featured in our magazine?

Email amanda.maclaren@durhammag.com.