We Love Durham NC

In which we drive, and eat, and shop, and socialize

I crammed together a ton of errands-activities today on the other side of Durham.

Our first errand was in way North Durham, to pick up some yarn in delicious colors for winter hats. I noticed there were several signs indicating you should not dump your agricultural waste on the side of the road. This is an excellent preemptive measure. (Anyone remember the PCB mess in Warren County? People are still suffering there from poor water supply. Yes, please do not dump your agricultural waste in Durham.)

While there, I took advantage of the Staples on that side of town (it’s usually too far to drive).

Kids were hungry, so we next drove to the Biscuitville beside Northgate Mall. There is no drive-through, and it was crowded inside the small space. It was a treat to see biscuits being made, though. Above the observation window was a plaque listing the award-winning biscuit maker for the last 8 years–the same person each year! Will have to return when she is on duty.

The boy was thrilled to see his first spiky (purple) mohawk on the man in front of us. Another man took a cell phone snapshot of him, which made me laugh because he was trying to be sly, and failing. That Biscuitville is tucked right into a residential neighborhood, so close you could hop on one foot from at least two of the houses.

In the corner of the Biscuitville lot, someone had posted a sign against the prepared food tax. It listed a website for No Durham Food Tax, which describes itself as a grass-roots effort, but interestingly appears to be a project of the nonlocal Americans for Prosperity, NC Division. Now why would someone in Raleigh have an opinion about a Durham tax?

We had 45 minutes before the boy’s playdate drop-off, so we quickly popped into the NCMLS Wild About Animals event, where the kids colored animal masks and dressed up in animal costumes. The museum had a table set up to promote A Taste for Durham’s Future in support of the prepared food tax. We gathered a couple stickers to show our support.

A few yard sales (books, winter tights, a Beanie baby) lured us in on the way to Tru-Value for pinebark mini-nuggets. I dropped the girl at home and went back out to meet and greet at an alumni event.

Tomorrow, nothing out of the house on the agenda, woohoo.

Costco Mattresses

Costco was full of back-to-school items today, including mattresses for outfitting new apartments. Someone did not tie their twin set to the top of their car well this afternoon, and it landed on 15-501, the mattress on the shoulder and the box spring in the middle lane. Ouch. I narrowly avoided a crash navigating between these and another vehicle.

Walking Tour of Durham

Lost in Durham Trying to Find Beer

Couldn’t find the Triangle Brewery. I think I must have gotten there 5 or 10 minutes past 6:30, but all I found was lots of TROSA moving vans, a big open warehouse with Southern States feed bags but no people, and lots of chain link fences. Did see the SEEDS kids working in the garden. No local brew for our friends this time. I saw some photogenic silos but, sadly, did not have a camera. Maybe next time.

It’s a Pickle… It’s a Rocket… It’s the University Club!

The boy was beside himself to learn that mama was going into the rocket building, and, you know, I try to be cool and all, but I was pretty tickled to party in the swankness. Quick 17-floor ride in the shiny elevator to the wood-paneled, low-lighted, teeny tiny hors d’oeuvre-tempted opening reception took the edge off how old I must be to go to this number reunion. Too bad it was dark so I couldn’t see how far the view extends, but I’d bet it’s most of Southwest Durham. I could see an awful lot of lights.

Duke Gardens

The little one wanted to feed ducks today, so we grabbed some bread from Whole Foods and headed over to Duke Gardens. Not many ducks today, and it looks like there’s a new barrier in the water blocking them from the sunny bank. We saw two baby geese and a few ducklings. Two brave black ducks with orange eyes nearly sat in our laps to get more bread. The mama mallards were more shy. I didn’t realize until today that further down the path there is a floating dock you can bounce on, and also that our book about ducks is correct; ducks don’t just quack. They also squeak, mew, and chirp.

Feeding the ducks video: Agitated GeeseÂ

Northgate Basement?

Innovative new Durham schools an schools-within-schools next fall, but what caught my eye was that there’s a basement in Northgate Mall. Field trip!

Fake Trees

Off of Garrett Road there is a cell phone tower disguised as a very tall pine tree (the height is what gave it away). We walked close to it today to inspect; appears to be metal or fiberglass. Are these everywhere and I don’t see them?