We Love Durham NC

The Colonel is Hiring

That new building going up outside the South Square Target is a KFC. Fried chicken on this side of town! It’s going up pretty fast, too, and there’s a sign out that “The Colonel is Hiring.”

Char-grill is indeed open

The smoke pouring out of the top of the building, packed parking lot, and streams of balloons all announce that Char-Grill is indeed open. Smells good.

Kekkon kinenbi omideto!

A Sign of Dunkin Donuts Opening

What’s that in the distance? Why, it’s a crane. What’s it holding? A sign!

Southwest Subs

No donuts yet. No Char-Grill yet. But the Jimmy Johns at Hope Valley Commons is open now. The guys had dinner from there; subs are $3.50. Hubby discovered if you get a “plain” no toppings (AKA kid-friendly) sub with just meat & cheese, it is only $2.99. Not bad for a “Actually, I didn’t make any dinner plans” evening. (Note, it’s located in the outparcel behind the Jiffy Lube, facing 751.)

Farmer’s Market at Your Door

There’s a new service for Southwest Durham folks… local and organic produce delivered to your door. The coordinator of all this goodness is Papa Spud’s. They set up a box from their supply on Friday, and you have until Monday to go online and make any adjustments, staying within your allotted credits. I looked at the offerings for this week, and saw a good variety of fruits (oranges, apples) and vegetables (green, squash). Maybe not as fun as pick-your-own or the Farmer’s Market, but it’s great to have another option for busy families.

Weight Watchers in Durham

Eve at the Durham Weight Watchers comes highly recommended, and for good reason. She gives an inspirational sermon. You leave thinking, I can do this!

I met Eve this week. I didn’t have to stand up and identify myself as a newbie. I didn’t have to stand at a podium and say, “Hi! I’m Valerie, and I’ve been over a healthy weight since my second pregnancy.” The other newcomer and I had a private session at the end to learn about the magic that is Flex Points.

Today I found two loopholes in this Points thing… there are things that are zero points. Celery, yes, but also broccoli! Yummy, yummy broccoli. And if you work up a sweat, you get more points! Which brings me to my next post…

Broad Street Cafe Photos

On Saturday, we walked over to Broad Street Cafe and my first thought was somebody burned something. Then I saw the wood stove and remembered why it smelled like that.

Here’s the old play area. A lot cleaner, but no puzzles. When I first got there on Saturday, though, there were more kids than adults in the cafe. They were sitting at the bar playing Nintendo DSs. The kids’ music and storytelling events will return in November.

Other impressions: there are a fair number of vegan options on the menu, but not pastries because those are from Guglhupf. It looks very upscale in the cafe now, but still comfortable. The stage is flanked by black velvet theater curtains, looking more like a stage.

Daisy Cakes Cupcakes Day Two

I asked Ms. Daisy Cakes what time the pop’t arts sold out. She said last Saturday they sold out at 10:30. For today, they had made a double-batch, and they sold out at 10:30. So next week, perhaps a triple batch. Or perhaps we’ll roll ourselves out of bed a little earlier.

I did try a little sample of the pop’t art trimmings (no filling). It tasted like a crispy butter cookie. Yeah, next week earlier for sure.

We’ve tasted all the cupcakes now except the banana. The best is the Pink Lemonade.

A friend had the special of the day (pictured below), a cupcake with maple/brown sugar crumble topping.

Two other additions this week: a pop-up tent for shade and a seating area (2 tables with chairs). People were grabbing all other shady areas to be found, on the stairs near Central Park School, beside nearby buildings, and on the Old North Durham playground.

Tacos y Tortas

There is a new grill inside the convenience store at the corner of University and Dixon, called Tacostumbras. The convenience store cashier said, yes, they have lunch and dinner but also breakfast, from 9am to 9pm, and that the sandwiches are the best, yes, ham and turkey but also some nice “Mexican sandwiches” with spices. I am not sure if a Mexican sandwich is a sandwich as I would define it (that is, having two slices of bread) or if that was his description of what I would call a burrito or quesadilla, but I do know I will be finding out soon.

I am sad sometimes we no longer live in walking distance of a convenience store. There are always so many good stories inside.

Daisy Cakes Taste Test

After a morning of yard sales in the Fairfield neighborhood (very well organized with printed directions from house to house in the large subdivision off Herndon Road), we headed downtown for a cupcake snack.

The Daisy Cakes airstream–”A Handful of Goodness”–was set up in the lot across from King’s Sandwich Shop near Central Park School for Children on Foster Street. We got in line quickly, hoping to taste a Pop’t Art but they had already sold out. Today they were just testing the market, they said, in preparation for the grand opening next Saturday.

Instead, the kids chose chocolate/chocolate and I had a Pink Lemonade (lemon cake with raspberry frosting and sprinkles). The ‘cakes were moist and tasty with a dollop of flavored frosting and decorations on top. The coffee, served from a portable push-button thermos with cream options of half & half, 2%, and whole milk plus a variety of sweeteners, was nicely strong.

I had the kids rate the cupcakes from 1 to 10. The Boy gave them a 9 (he’s a tough customer). The Girl rated them a 40. It’s not clear if she understood the scale system, but it’s possible!

Friday Night Pizza: Amante

Amante Pizza: fresh vegetables cut on site, hand-thrown all-natural crust (in both white and wheat), a huge list of toppings to choose from, and a clever list of specialty pizzas. Here are just two family favorites: The Ameatza (variety of meats with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses) and the Pollo Resistance (BBQ chicken pizza with red onions and cilantro).

Happy 56th Anniversary, Bullocks

My Durham Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Historical Durham calendar tells me that on this date in 1952, Bullock’s BBQ on Hillsborough Road was opened. The best Eastern-style* BBQ in Durham, cheap and fast; and it’s fun to see the photos on the walls.

*Eastern-style BBQ is pulled pork with a vinegar sauce. South Carolinians would insist the sauce should have mustard, to which North Carolinians say yuck. If you want meat-that-is-cooked-on-a-grill-with-BBQ-sauce in North Carolina, you must qualify your order by saying, “BBQ chicken” or “BBQ beef.”

Cupcakes Near the Farmer’s Market

Daisy Cakes, a cupcake-and-more bakery, will have a presence near the Durham Farmer’s Market starting tomorrow, from 8am to 1pm. Look for their Airstream one block north of the market. Both bakers are chefs, one the pastry chef at the Washington Duke Inn. See the Daisy Cakes menu here.

Tomato Sandwiches

I bet if you are Southern and I whisper tomato sandwiches, you will want to run to the Wednesday Farmers’ Market to see if there are fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes left.