We Love Durham NC

Durham Wine

Off to dinner last night, I realized we hadn’t picked up a bottle of wine. I also realized it was a perfect excuse to visit the Wine Authorities on University Drive (beside Little Gym). Turns out it was their Grand Opening. The experience was perfect for a non-wine person like me. Not that I don’t drink it; I’m just not particularly knowledgeable or picky. Anyway, they are super-nice & quickly picked out a perfect wine to pair with what our guests were serving, and it didn’t cost more than the grocery store. I heard they will have classes, so there’s even potential to be able to pick out my own wine in the future.

A Fresh Coat of Asphalt

All those potholes that were a big part of the discussion last election? Going, going,… The roads are looking better. I see new pavement almost every day, both on city roads and highways. Maybe ’tis the season.

Durham Web Cams

I was curious if there were any web cams in Durham.

Durham Bulls Ballpark

North Durham Traffic Cameras

South Durham Traffic Cameras

WXDU DJ Cam

Wildlife Clinic

Duke University PoliSciÂ

Wiiiiiii

There are 3 wii at the Durham Toys-R-Us. Limit 1 per customer. They won’t last the day.

Animals in the Butterfly House

There are butterflies, of course. You can also find a covey of partridges, a lone blue-colored bird, a few tree frogs, and maybe a chameleon. “Maybe” because they haven’t seen the chameleon in a while, but that’s understandable.

Meeting Space in Durham

I had a meeting at Sips Coffee and Tea this morning at the intersection of University Drive and Chapel Hill Boulevard. What a location! The back room is a complete business meeting room, with a white board and large table. Middle room has a large table and a couch/coffee table. Front room has lots of little 2-tops and 4-tops, plus couches and chairs (and a play area for kids). All with Fair Trade coffee from Larry’s Beans in Raleigh and baked goods from 9th Street Bakery. My meeting partner commented that in his home state of CA, coffee shops didn’t have near this amount of space. I said I didn’t think most did here.

Twins or Triplets in Durham, Fall Multifamily Sale

The Mothers of Multiples of Chapel Hill and Durham is having their fall sale on Saturday September 22nd, 7am to noon. I have found very good items there in the past, both clothing and equipment. Last time I got there just in time to see another mom buying the last jogging stroller at an obscenely low price, and kicked myself for days for not getting up earlier. There’s coffee and cake there; just slip your shoes on and go!

The Baron Returns

Baron von Rumblebuss returns to Broad Street Cafe this fall: “BROAD ST. CAFE DATES Sunday Afternoons at 4:30! Enjoy libations and victuals courtesy of the Cafe’s kitchen. 10/14 11/11 12/16 1/20 $3 per child or unaccompanied adult. kids under 3 are FREE! 1 parent per paid admission is FREE!”

Little River Park in North Durham

We went to a picnic at Little River Park in North Durham, about 10 miles out of town up Guess Road… you actually go into Orange County on the road to get there–the park was created by both Durham and Orange Counties. Looking at the Little River park map, I see that we didn’t enjoy half of what is available. The field and playground are great, and the shelter looks new. There are bathrooms and water fountains, and historical buildings (a corn crib, for example). There is a Bluegrass Festival at Little River at the end of September.
See more Durham parks here.Â

Durham Sudoku

Exercise your brain with the Durhamite sudoku.

Shiny and New

A few weeks ago, I was at the dump, in line, waiting my turn to pay, when all of a sudden (isn’t that how these always start?), the dump truck in front of me starts backing up without warning. I couldn’t get out of the way fast enough, and the truck’s trailer hitch poked a hole in my front bumper. Maybe “poked” is too light a term for what happens when a loaded deuce and a half slams into a small sedan. Slammed, that’s more like it.

Dealing with State Farm, not too bad. Dealing with the Brown Brothers body shop, excellent. I had to go there for an estimate, but it was scheduled and quick. Professional at every turn. They even suggested that State Farm would pay for a rental, so I rode around in style for 2 days–Enterprise really does “pick you up.” My bumper is shiny and new.

50 Books at a Time

The Durham County Library updated their policies on September 4th to allow you to check out 50 books at a time. They reinstated the grace period and lowered fines.
And this! RosettaStone online free (English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Russian, Latin American Spanish, Spain Spanish) with your card barcode. I’m experiencing serious library love here.
More Durham Services here.

Lakewood YMCA

There is a group working to delay the closing of the Lakewood YMCA until more neighborhood input can be gathered. It is called the Committee to Save the Lakewood YMCA (CSLY). More info here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/save-the-lakewood-ymca/ and the petition is here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-lakewood-ymca/

Sunday

Another successful Family Day at the Nasher. The people in charge of art activities never cease to amaze with their creativity. On today’s agenda was making NC-themed postcards with magazine clippings and markers, to slip into a mailbox for posting. We addressed ours to the grands, who will be pleased with their pop-art-with-geese. On the other table were squares of corrugated cardboard, to dip the edges in tempera and print lines. The Boy printed a symmetrically designed grand flying machine, and the girl deviated by smearing her purple and red paint on a paper plate.
Speaking of geese, also thrilling us were the Rags to Riches folks with Jack and the Beanstalk. The Boy had worked on the same piece with them last summer at a camp, so he was excited to see how “real” actors did it. We have songs stuck in our heads… “heeee-eeeey.” Two new (to us) actors… Kelly and Cody… both delightful.

On leaving the museum, I tumbled off my shoes and the sidewalk edge to land hard on my left knee (breaking the fall of the girl, who I was holding). Durham-related because Durham people are so darned nice. A whole family stopped to see if we were okay, if we needed help or bandaids from the car.

But even knee-quite-bleeding could not stop us from stopping by Taqueria la Vaquita (you know, the foodstand on Chapel Hill Road with the cow on the roof) for lunch. The kids chose (surprise) quesadillas, which should always be on corn tortillas. For the adults, the Cubana (second choice) which was big enough for sharing. While waiting for the order, I noticed they have chilaquiles, which will be on the table for next weekend. Good find; Gourmet mag was not wrong.

Critical Mass in Durham

A reported success for the Critical Mass in Durham, with video.