Durham #1 for Large-Sized Fourth Economy Communities in 2013

Durham residents know that their county is a hotbed of economic activity and is poised for growth in all the right ways, but it's always nice to be recognized.

Durham was recently recognized for being #1 in the nation by the Fourth Economy Community Index's top 10 large-sized Fourth Economy Communities. The recognized communities are ideally positioned to attract modern investment and managed economic growth.

The “fourth economy” characterizes the most recent phase of our nation’s economy, reflecting a combination of the previous three to include agrarian, industrial, and technological. This new index is intended to serve as a dashboard for community stakeholders to gauge their capacity to attract and retain modern investment.

“There has never been a more important time for economic and community developers to rethink how we measure economic success,” said Rich Overmoyer, CEO of Fourth Economy Consulting, the economic development firm that created the index in 2011.  “As a country, it is critical that we position our communities to take advantage of the long term economic prosperity and impact that both the public and private sectors can have on their respective economies.  This index begins to point to the data and assets that help to influence and monitor progress toward that goal,” Overmoyer added.

Fourth had this to say about Durham:

"Leading the large county index is highly popular Durham County, North Carolina, home to Duke University, a historic downtown center, and a booming technological prowess, all with an unmistakable Southern charm.

Durham County has been long ahead of the game when it comes to research and development, capitalizing upon its wealth of academic resources and potential for discovery. Home to one of the nation’s most competitive universities and major technology playground, Research Triangle Park, companies such as IBM, Cisco, NetApp, and their research teams have taken root in the area, creating a demand for manufacturing expertise and a technology industry that supports that growth.

The city mobilized its efforts in attracting entrepreneurs by creating a built environment that facilitates investment, bringing a newfound vitality to downtown Durham. Focusing upon Durham’s potential as a prime start-up environment, the city invested in marketing to the businesses, offering services like Smoffice and The Bull City Startups. These tactics have been incredibly successful, bringing eighty start-ups in three years and creating 600 jobs.

“We do entrepreneurial activity much better than most. Our secret sauce is—create the environment, invite them to try it, and get out of the way. We play in keeping the ecosystem vibrant and allow them to use it to grow organically,” says Casey Steinbacher of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce. “We are an incredibly diverse and welcoming community that values diversity of people and thoughts so new ideas do well here”.

Durham County boasts a quality of life that many counties of its size envy. As the economy diversifies, focus swings to improvements for charter schools and more youth programs. As a result, those unconnected to business lead better lives as well, creating a well-rounded approach to fourth economy development."

About the Index:

The Fourth Economy Community Index (www.fourtheconomyindex.com  or  #FECIndex) categorizes counties based on their Census 2010 population.  Micro counties are those less than 25,000.  Small counties range from 25,000 to 49,999.  Mid-sized counties are 50,000 to 149,999.  The large counties are between 150,000 and 499,999.  The FEC Index then considers several county-level measures within five areas: 1) Investment, 2) Talent, 3) Sustainability, 4) Place, and 5) Diversity. These five areas serve as a foundation for future economic success.  Specific indicators include wage and employment growth, education levels, drive times, home values, minority business ownership, agricultural and manufacturing capacity and population density. The measures are then weighted based on the level of influence they have on both internal and external investment decisions.

For more information on economic growth in Durham, read more at the Durham News Service. For a current inventory of new developments happening in Durham, click here.

Durham Funds Public Art Grant

Durham has always been a vibrant and welcoming place for artists to create and show their work. That's why it should come as no surprise that the City of Durham would be giving its support to make art accessible to all through a public art project.

Passersby on Durham’s West Main Street will soon be enjoying a new Civil Rights mural thanks to a recent grant from the City of Durham to a renowned artist.

The City of Durham, in the scope of the Durham City and County Cultural Master Plan and in fulfillment of the purposes of the Public Art Grant Initiative Pilot Project, have awarded a grant to artist Brenda Miller Holmes to oversee the design, creation, and delivery of a mural to be located on the eastern exterior wall of a building located at 112 W. Main St.

According to Renee Leverty, chair of the Durham Cultural Advisory Board, this mural will honor not only an important part of Durham’s history, but also give an opportunity for true community participation. “The project includes many aspects that make it so appealing,” Leverty said. “The aesthetics of her work, a strong community and educational outreach, and a mentorship that will give a local artist the opportunity to gain expertise in the area of public art, which are all good things for Durham.”

Holmes will lead a process for public input into the design of a painted mural commemorating the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Durham. Project coordination will begin this month and continue through January 2013. Holmes is looking for 15 Durham youth (between 15-20 years old) and 15 Durham adults (age 21 and older) to participate in the creation of the project between February and June 2013. Applications to participate are available for interested residents and are due by January 15, 2013.

According to Holmes, there are several educational components that will be included in the mural creation, including four educational workshops, scheduled once weekly during February’s Black History Month, as well as six design workshops to be held between March and mid-April 2013.

About Brenda Miller Holmes 
Brenda Miller Holmes is a muralist and art educator that has been facilitating collaborative community mural projects throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally for the last 10 years and has studied and worked with Master Muralist Susan Cervantes of Precita Eyes Muralists from 2005-2011. Holmes was trained in an artistic approach mirroring that of popular education, and her interest lies in the intersection of art, community empowerment, and social justice. She is passionate about sharing this unifying and transformative creative experience. Beyond mural making, her art teaching experience spans a variety of media and she has facilitated workshops with people of all ages, from toddlers through adults. Holmes can be reached by email at Brenda@BrendaMillerHolmes.com

About the Office of Economic & Workforce Development
Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the Office of Economic & Workforce Development helps ensure that Durham has a strong and diverse economy by increasing the city’s tax base through several revitalization initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area. The department also plans and promotes cultural awareness and events, identifies and recruits target industries as well as assesses and trains Durham residents to fill new jobs. For more information go here, “like” on Facebook, or “follow” on Twitter.

To find out more about Durham's thriving art scene, click here. Fore more information about arts events in Durham, click here.

First Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience at DPAC

Durham has long been on the culinary map as a place where great food and drink happens, so it's only fitting that the Bull City would be hosting an annual food & beer event.

DPAC - Durham Performing Arts Center is partnering with Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom and Sam’s Quik Shop to host the First Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience from 4-8pm February 24, 2013 at DPAC.

The Bull City Food & Beer Experience is designed to stimulate and educate your palate and mind through pairing of local food showcasing 20 Durham restaurants, unbelievable beer from 20 North Carolina Breweries in addition to another 30+ craft and specialty import breweries, and appearances by the owners of three of the premier craft breweries in the United States, Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Kim Jordan (New Belgium) and Dale Ketechis (Oskar Blues). All three breweries have chosen North Carolina for their East Coast expansion bringing hundreds of jobs to the Tar Heel State. Keynote Speakers include Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Kim Jordan (New Belgium) & Dale Katechis (Oskar Blues). This event is a fundraising event to benefit the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.

Admission into the Bull City Food & Beer Experience includes:

• Souvenir Glass and Tasting Notebook 
• Food sampling from 20 of Durham's finest restaurant's & Beer Tastings from over 50 breweries. 

Tickets go on sale Friday December 21, 2012 at 10 AM and can be ordered online, by calling the the DPAC Ticket Center at 919.680.2787, or in person at 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800.745.3000

With so many exciting events and festivals happening in Durham, it can be easy to lose track of them all. Use the Durham Event Calendar to find out more about what's going on. Learn more about Durham's dining scene online.

Durham BBQ Restaurant Offers Help in Aftermath of the Sandy Hook Incident

The food scene in Durham, NC is filled with high-quality product, and high-quality people, too. The events of December 14 in Newtown, CT shook people the world over, and propelled many to action.  Dan Ferguson, owner of The Original Q Shack in Durham, NC is a business-owner and father, and he realizes that this - and every - community needs to help.

Ferguson is donating 100% of the proceeds from The Original Q Shack on January 2 (11 AM to 9 PM) to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which has an office in Durham.  

“I feed people for a living and knew this is how I could give back to my community,” said Ferguson.  He feels NAMI is the right fit because everyone needs to know that there is help for families who have a family member with mental illness.  “I wanted to help raise money for services and resources that are needed to support these families.  They are not in this alone.  Our community is here for them,” he added.  

“My youngest son is 6 and a half and in first grade....he could have been one of those babies our country lost last week,” said Ferguson who believes that the perpetrator of the incident was in need of mental health care.  “I have three kids and feel for all those parents that have experienced such a devastating loss.  Like our whole community, I felt so helpless watching the news.  I wanted to do something to try and help,” he said.

Among Durham’s most popular restaurants, The Original Q Shack, not to be confused with other restaurants in the area bearing a similar name and with which Ferguson used to be associated, has its sole location in the Rockwood District of Durham at 2510 University Drive. Ferguson is planning on offering limited menu on Wednesday, Jan 2nd 11 AM -9 PM. All of the proceeds from the day will go to NAMI, a move made possible in part by the generous support of one of Ferguson’s vendors, US Foods.

Durham is home to hundreds of great restaurants.  Learn more about all of them here.

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

WHEN & WHERE
Greenwood Commons
5410 NC Hwy 55
Durham, NC 27713
Saturdays, 8am-12pm (April-November)
10AM-1PM (December-March)
Year-Round, Rain or Shine

THIS WEEK
Fickle Creek Farm •  Berenbaum's • Alfred's Farm • Ninth Street Bakery • Prodigal Farm •  Bushy Tail Farm •  4m Farm • Pine Knot Farm •Walters Unlimited • Parker Farm & Vineyard • Four Leaf FarmHappy Holidays - come on out to market to prepare for some warming, winter dishes, to live music and the company of local producers!

Market Hours/Information
Winter hours:  Our hours are now 10AM-1PM (December-March)!

Reminder: We will be CLOSED on Saturday, December 29th.

Market Swag
Get your local stocking stuffers!!!

We have t-shirts, at last! Our t-shirts were made by TS Designs in Burlington, NC, and are made of organic cotton grown right here in NC, and sewn here as well. Keep your money in the local economy by buying a market shirt, and show off your favorite farmers' market, wherever you go in the world! All sizes S-XXL are available at market on Saturday for $20! We also have bumper magnets! Be one of the first two people to find me and tell me the last three mayors of Durham! Otherwise, they will be on sale for $3.

Volunteering & Spreading the Word
Farmer Foodshare is rolling! The Durham Crisis Response Center was incredibly thankful for your donations and support, cheers to a great community! We still need volunteers for our FF donation station to be sustainable, as well as general market volunteers! Love food? Love people? Perfect. By being a volunteer, you can get to know our farmers and vendors even better, and get to understand all the goings-on in food and agriculture in the area. We need help with event planning, the donation station, market breakdown, marketing, community engagement, or you could probably even pitch me a great idea for what you could do to help the market and community grow together.  You can email me at: manager@southdurhamfarmersmarket.org  

Be sure to check out our seasonal recipe of the week at the bottom of the newsletter, and here on our Pinterest provided by our super, fantastic, equestrian, amazing community member, Rhiannon, as well as one of our new interns, Samantha! We will be adding more photos and seasonal inspiration to our Pinterest!

You are the community, and you know better than anyone else, where to find more people like YOU. Please consider posting this flyer in your work, favorite cafe, gathering space, or wave it in the streets, to spread the word about our market! Click here! (inverted the poster so there is not a ton of black ink!)

As a reminder, please bring a reusable bag if you can. Big thank you from vendors and the environment! Thank you for being a part of the market, and for letting us be a part of your community. Remember to spread the word, and tell your friends to buy local.

Sincerely,
Ben
Your Market Manager

Most City of Durham Offices Closed for Christmas and New Year’s Holidays

Most City of Durham administrative offices will be closed Monday, December 24, Tuesday, December 25, and Wednesday, December 26, 2012 as well as Tuesday, January 1, 2013 in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Police, fire, and rescue services for life-threatening or in-progress emergencies may be reached by calling 911. Non-emergency problems or concerns may be directed to (919) 560-4600. Durham residents are also asked to take note of the following changes in City services and programs.

Solid Waste, Recycling, Yard Waste, and Bulky Item Curbside Collections
The City’s Solid Waste Management Department will be closed on Tuesday, December 25. Collection for all services, which includes solid waste, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items, will be delayed by one business for the remainder of this week. Customers who would normally receive their bulky item and yard waste collection on Friday, December 28 will instead receive their collection on Monday, December 31.

The department will also be closed on Tuesday, January 1. All collections for solid waste, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items will again be delayed by one business day for the remainder of this week. Customers who would normally receive their bulky item and yard waste collection on Friday, January 4 will instead receive their collection on Monday, January 7. For more information, click here.

Residents are reminded to place their carts at the curb by 7 a.m. the day of their scheduled collections and to return garbage, recycling, and yard waste containers back to their home, away from street, curb, and sidewalk. As traffic increases during the holiday season, motorists are also asked to be aware of collection crews working in neighborhoods and other high-traffic areas.

Waste Disposal and Recycling Center
The City's Waste Disposal and Recycling Center (Transfer Station) will close at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 24 and will also closed on Tuesday, December 25 and Tuesday, January 1. It will operate under its normal schedule on all other dates. For more information, click here.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
The City's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center will be closed on Tuesday, December 25 and Tuesday, January 1. Since the center is normally closed on Mondays, it will operate under its normal schedule on all other dates. For more information, click here.

Curbside Christmas Tree Collection
The Solid Waste Management Department will collect Christmas trees from all solid waste customers beginning Wednesday, January 3 until Friday, March 1. Trees should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on residents’ normal household garbage collection day. Residents are asked to leave the tree at the curb for one week before contacting Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200 to report a missed tree collection. Trees taller than six feet should be cut in half. Residents should remove all decorations and hardware, including tinsel, lights, garland, ornaments, nails, and stands. Residents are also asked to not place trees in bags. Christmas trees may also be dropped off at the City’s Waste Disposal & Recycling Center at 2115 E. Club Blvd., Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon at no charge until March 1. Customers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before closing. Trees delivered after March 1 will be subject to the usual disposal fees.

Remember To Recycle
Residents are encouraged to recycle year-round and particularly during the holiday season when the amounts of trash generated increases. Paper holiday waste, including wrapping paper (non-metallic only), cardboard boxes, and greeting cards may be placed in the blue recycling cart. To learn more about recycling, click here.

Durham Parks and Recreation
Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) will close its administrative office, all recreation centers, and all indoor rental sites from Monday, December 24 through Wednesday, December 26. The administrative office, all recreation centers, and all indoor rental sites will reopen under their normal operating schedules on Thursday, December 27.

DPR will also close its administrative office, all recreation centers, and all indoor rental sites on Tuesday, January 1. Recreation centers will close at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 31.The administrative office, all recreation centers, and indoor rental sites will reopen under their normal operating schedules on Wednesday, January 2. For more information, click here, “like” DPR on Facebook, or call (919) 560-4355.

Durham Area Transit Authority
On Monday, December 24, Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) and DATA ACCESS will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Bull City Connector service will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Tuesday, December 25, DATA, DATA ACCESS, and the Bull City Connector will not operate and DATA and DATA ACCESS administrative offices will be closed.

On Wednesday, December 26, all fixed route service on DATA and DATA ACCESS will operate from 5:30 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. The Bull City Connector will operate from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. However, DATA and DATA ACCESS administrative offices will be closed.

On Monday, December 31, all fixed route service on DATA and DATA ACCESS will operate from 5:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Bull City Connector service will operate from 7 a.m. until midnight.

On Tuesday, January 1 all fixed route service on DATA and DATA ACCESS will operate from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The Bull City Connector will operate from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. However, DATA and DATA ACCESS administrative offices will be closed.

For more information on DATA and DATA ACCESS, click here, “like” DATA on Facebook or call (919) 485-RIDE. For more information on the Bull City Connector, click here or “like” BCC on Facebook, or “follow” them on Twitter.

Durham One Call
Durham One Call will be closed on Monday, December 24 through Wednesday, December 26 as well as Tuesday, January 1. The center will also close one hour early on Monday, December 31 at 5 p.m. Residents may complete an online service request by clicking here, or by leaving a message at (919) 560-1200. Durham One Call will forward all requests for City services to the appropriate department on the next business day. For information about the City’s holiday schedule and the services that may be affected, residents should contact (919) 560-1200 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or click here.

Music Scene Sounding Better in Durham, NC

Durham, NC is rapidly emerging as a hotbed of independent music.  With several venues open just in the last couple of years, there are many choices for acts of all kinds to show off in front of their fans.  But performance venues are only part of the picture.

With the addition of a a great support ecosystem, a place like Durham becomes a destination to not only perform, but to get instruments and to record, too.  With an announcement from SoundPure, Durham just took a huge leap forward toward that ecosystem being a reality.

SoundPure, an Independent, Durham-based professional audio business, recently announced the expansion of its guitar and drum retail storefront. “When we acquired Indoor Storm and all of their fantastic staff last year out of Raleigh, this meant one less music store for the Triangle.  We knew that a local retail operation would be in our future, so we purchased the building next door to our existing facility and started building this gorgeous guitar and drum space,” said Todd Atlas, president of Sound Pure.  “There's such a vibrant music community in the Triangle, and the only full service alternatives to musicians are big-box, international chain stores.  Unlike the big box stores, SoundPure represents products made by smaller, independent luthiers and artisans, which means better quality, and better value to our customers.”

In 1997, Todd Atlas started Sound Pure out of a dorm room at Duke University. Sound Pure has since developed an international reputation in the music equipment industry by representing boutique, small-production, and highly sought-after artisan brands of guitars, drums and audio equipment. The company has primarily served its market online, however, the retail expansion will allow SoundPure to better serve the Triangle’s music community. Sound Pure's retail location will be the newest addition to Durham’s the thriving Central Park District.  “Despite this economy, we believe in the neighborhood, we believe in the Triangle, and we believe musicians need a better place to shop locally,” said Atlas.

With the highest percentage of creative class jobs in the US, Durham is a place where the arts are held in exceptionally high regard. SoundPure is yet another business to help deliver on that promise.

Learn more about Durham and all it's creative outlets online.

This Week at the Farmers' Markets

South Durham Farmers' Market

Happy Holidays - come on out to market to prepare for some warming, winter dishes, to live music and the company of local producers!

I was fortunate enough to see this amazing woman talk this week, at the NC Choices Carolina Meat Conference, check out what she has to say about animals, livestock management, and more.

Market Hours/Information
Winter hours:  Our hours are now 10AM-1PM (December-March)!

Market Swag
We have t-shirts, at last! Our t-shirts were made by TS Designs in Burlington, NC, and are made of organic cotton grown right here in NC, and sewn here as well. Keep your money in the local economy by buying a market shirt, and show off your favorite farmers' market, wherever you go in the world! All sizes S-XXL are available at market on Saturday for $20! We also have bumper magnets! Be one of the first two people to find me and tell me the last three mayors of Durham! Otherwise, they will be on sale for $3.

Volunteering & Spreading the Word
Farmer Foodshare is rolling! The Durham Crisis Response Center was incredibly thankful for your donations and support, cheers to a great community! We still need volunteers for our FF donation station to be sustainable, as well as general market volunteers! Love food? Love people? Perfect. By being a volunteer, you can get to know our farmers and vendors even better, and get to understand all the goings-on in food and agriculture in the area. We need help with event planning, the donation station, market breakdown, marketing, community engagement, or you could probably even pitch me a great idea for what you could do to help the market and community grow together.  You can email me at: manager@southdurhamfarmersmarket.org

Be sure to check out our seasonal recipe of the week at the bottom of the newsletter, and here on our Pinterest provided by our super, fantastic, equestrian, amazing community member, Rhiannon, as well as one of our new interns, Samantha! We will be adding more photos and seasonal inspiration to our Pinterest!

You are the community, and you know better than anyone else, where to find more people like YOU. Please consider posting this flyer in your work, favorite cafe, gathering space, or wave it in the streets, to spread the word about our market! Click here! (inverted the poster so there is not a ton of black ink!)

As a reminder, please bring a reusable bag if you can. Big thank you from vendors and the environment! Thank you for being a part of the market, and for letting us be a part of your community. Remember to spread the word, and tell your friends to buy local.

Sincerely,
Ben
Your Market Manager

Durham Farmers Market

As the Market Manager, one of the most frequently asked questions that I get is: "Are there any vegetables available at the Market during the winter?".
You probably know that the answer is an emphatic "Yes!".  If you look at the list below, you'll see that there is a wide variety of vegetables available.  In the past few years, a good number of our farmers have started to shift their focus to growing more vegetables during the winter, so now there is a good supply of vegetables during the colder months.  Some of the winter vegetables are easy to cook with and highly sought after like brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and carrots.  There are others that are a bit less sought after, but just as delicious.  Turnips, for example, are the work horse of a winter farmers' market.

Turnips are very fast growing and cold hardy vegetables.  Farmers can grow and harvest them through the winter.  When the temperatures get very cold, all winter crops grow slowly.  Turnips, once established, will hold in the ground during the cold months. Farmers can harvest only what they need to harvest and then leave the rest in the ground until they need to harvest more. Turnips, unlike other crops, won't go bad when left in the ground during the winter months, they just sit their and wait in nature's refrigerator. More ephemeral crops, such as broccoli, need to be harvested as soon as they are ready, other wise the broccoli will start to flower and then deteriorate. Turnips are quite a hardy crop and if you try to eat locally grown food all year long, they are a definite winter vegetable staple.

It hasn't been until recently that I've learned how to cook turnips and really love them.  My favorite is roasting them with sweet potatoes.  Turnips and sweet potatoes, I've learned roast at the exact same rate! To roast them, I dice both the turnips and sweet potatoes into the same size, coat them with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a sprig of rosemary or thyme.  Put them on a cookie sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (or until I can stick a fork in them).  Roasting turnips brings out their sweetness and subtle flavor.

A few weeks ago, at the Pre-Thanksgiving Market, Chef Katie Coleman came to the Market and did a cooking demonstration.  She made honey glazed carrots and turnips.  It's another great way to incorporate more turnips into your cooking repertoire!

See you at the Market!
Erin Kauffman
Market Manager

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES:  CRESS aka CREASY GREENS, Asian Greens, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collards, Daikon Radish, Escarole, Fennel, Fresh Herbs (Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Ginger, Green Onions, Garlic, Gourds, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peppers - sweet and hot, Potatoes, Pea Shoots, Pumpkins, Rutabega, Radishes, Rapini, Salad Mix, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Turnip Greens, Turmeric Root, Greenhouse Tomatoes,  Winter Squash and more
MEATS AND EGGS: VEAL, Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Turkey
Duck Eggs & Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged cow and goats milk cheeses.
FLOWERS & PLANTS: Asian Lilies, Wreaths & Greenery, Landscaping Plants, House Plants
SPECIALTY ITEMS: PECANS, Raw Honey, Flour, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Breads, Cookies & Pastries, Fermented Foods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Handmade Baskets, Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Soaps, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions

DCVB Earns Awards For Its Work, and Workplace

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) is Durham, NC.'s official marketing agency. Funded by a portion of the visitor-paid occupancy tax collected by hotels in Durham County, the organization is charged with getting people to visit Durham for both work and play.  Since its inception in 1989, DCVB has won nearly 140 awards and citations for its work, practices, policies.  In short, working at DCVB means producing top quality results in a top quality environment.

For the fourth time since the award's inception in 2005, DCVB has been recognized by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for its excellence in workplace flexibility. 

"Flexibility in the workplace is as much about helping employees be effective and productive as it is about yielding positive business results for an organization," said Shelly Green, DCVB's President and CEO.  "We see great benefits (as do our employees) from the policies and practices we have in place that promote work/life balance."

The awards are part of a research-based initiative called "When Work Works."  The Foundation surveys employees and employers about the flexibility programs and practices at their workplace as well as the perceived level of  support fostered in their workplace culture.

“Our research consistently finds that employees in effective and flexible workplaces have greater engagement on the job and greater desire to stay with their organization. In addition, they report lower stress levels and better overall health,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of Families and Work Institute.  According to Galinsky, DCVB ranks in the top 20% of employers nationally in terms of its programs, policies and culture for creating an effective and flexible workplace.

The organization has also been recognized with several honors for its creative work - all of which is done in-house at DCVB. "The creative team at DCVB is outstanding.  Whether it's publications, direct-mail, or websites, these folks consistently produce innovative, award-winning work," said Green. 

The work they have done this past year has received two 2012 MarCom Creative Awards and three honorable mentions.  To date, DCVB has won four platinum awards and nine golds from MarCom, along with numerous honorable mentions.  This year the awards were:

• Platinum (highest award): 2010-11 Annual Report
• Gold: Mini-Meeting Planners Guide
• Honorable Mentions: 2011-12 Preservation Durham Fundraising Campaign
  2012 Visitor & Relocation Guide
  Durham LGBT Travel Portal

The MarCom Creative Awards are part of an international competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communications practitioners. Entries were judged by industry professionals who looked for companies and individuals whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

DCVB was also recognized recently by the Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina (DMANC) with Platinum awards for the same two publications.  

In addition to the Sloan Awards, DCVB was the first CVB in the nation to achieve Green Plus certification  recognizing organizations that have achieved a high level of commitment to people, performance and the planet.  

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau is Durham's primary point of contact for visitors.  They operate the Visitors Information Center at 101 E. Morgan Street in Downtown Durham, and maintain the Durham Event Calendar, among many other resources.

This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

As is usually done for the Durtham Farmers' Market, these reports for the South Durham Farmers' Market will aso be published in the Durham News Service.

South Durham Farmer's Market

Market Hours/Information
Winter hours:  10AM-1PM (December-March)

Market Swag
The Farmers' Market has T-shirts made by TS Designs in Burlington, NC, and are made of organic cotton grown and sewn in NC. Keep your money in the local economy by buying a market shirt, and show off your favorite farmers' market, wherever you go in the world! All sizes S-XXL are available at market on Saturday for $20! Bumper magnets are also available. Be one of the first two people to find Ben the Market Manager and tell him the last three mayors of Durham. Otherwise, they will be on sale for $3.

Volunteering & Spreading the Word
Farmer Foodshare is rolling! The Durham Crisis Response Center was incredibly thankful for your donations and support, cheers to a great community! We still need volunteers for our FF donation station to be sustainable, as well as general market volunteers! Love food? Love people? Perfect. By being a volunteer, you can get to know our farmers and vendors even better, and get to understand all the goings-on in food and agriculture in the area. We need help with event planning, the donation station, market breakdown, marketing, community engagement, or you could probably even pitch me a great idea for what you could do to help the market and community grow together.  You can email me at: manager@southdurhamfarmersmarket.org

Be sure to check out our seasonal recipe of the week at the bottom of the newsletter, and here on our Pinterest provided by our super, fantastic, equestrian, amazing community member, Rhiannon, as well as one of our new interns, Samantha! We will be adding more photos and seasonal inspiration to our Pinterest.

You are the community, and you know better than anyone else, where to find more people like YOU. Please consider posting this flyer in your work, favorite cafe, gathering space, or wave it in the streets, to spread the word about our market! Click here! (inverted the poster so there is not a ton of black ink)

As a reminder, please bring a reusable bag if you can. Big thank you from vendors and the environment. Thank you for being a part of the market, and for letting us be a part of your community. Remember to spread the word, and tell your friends to buy local.

Keep Durham Beautiful Awards Twelve Community Grants

Residents of Durham value the way this place looks. By a ratio of almost four to one, Durham residents rate appearance and physical upkeep a high community priority. Destinations hoping to attract visitors and newcomers understand that curb appeal is an essential investment that delivers a high rate of return. In the coming months, Durham will see a dozen new volunteer beatification projects accomplished thanks to grants from Keep Durham Beautiful (KDB).

Through its semi-annual community grant program, Keep Durham Beautiful assists those organizations and volunteers that take responsibility for their community environments and agree to engage other volunteers to create more beautiful and vibrant places in Durham.

Keep Durham Beautiful grants are funded entirely through individual and corporate donations and fundraising activities. Donors and volunteers share its vision for a litter-free, healthy community, filled with green and attractive spaces.

”The impact to roadside appearance and public spaces will make our city more welcoming for everyone. It is very gratifying to see so many dedicated volunteers working together to identify needs and complete projects with fantastic results for very little money,” says Tania Dautlick, Director, Keep Durham Beautiful.

Keep Durham Beautiful selected 12 projects from grant applications submitted in the fall of 2012, awarding a total of $5,683:

• Birchwood Heights Homeowners Association: Neighborhood: entrance signs and planting - $450 
• Bountiful Backyards Cherry Grove Park: edible garden, mulch, plants, seeds, soil - $500 
• Briggs Avenue Community Garden: 20 fruit trees for community orchard - $500 
• Build a Better Block with Tootie: planters, benches, trash cans, paint - $500 
• Creekside Elementary PTA: topsoil, sand and plants for school landscaping - $500 
• Durham Community Land Trustees: supplies and landscape materials for 2012 Make a Difference Day - $500 
• Epworth United Methodist Church: curbside landscaping - $250 
• Hope Valley North Neighborhood Association: entrance signs and planting - $400 
• Kestrel Heights School: courtyard beautification - $583 
• Ninth Street Bakery: planters, plants and compost for courtyard - $500 
• Scrap Exchange: soil and plants for landscape of building front - $500 
• Top Teens of America: sign, garden bed, landscaping for historic Pauli Murray House - $500

Each grant recipient completes a post-project report that measures success by detailing the project’s accomplishments, budget, volunteer contributions and time with Keep Durham Beautiful reimbursing grant recipients for expenses after project completion.

More information can be found on Facebook or on Twitter with updates and photos of completed projects.

The next deadline to submit applications for a Keep Durham Beautiful Community Grant is January 31, 2013 which will be preceded by a community information session (TBA) in early January.

To learn how to apply for a grant and other ways to make a positive impact in Durham, visit the KDB website and register to receive their newsletter.

DPAC Celebrates Fourth Birthday

The entertainment industry got a wake up call from Durham, NC with the opening of DPAC - the Durham Performing Arts Center in 2008.  The venue started off with a bang, and it continues to roll forward with the determination of a, well, Bull.

DPAC will celebrate its fourth Birthday this week and continues to set new attendance milestones as one of the top five ranked theaters in America. DPAC opened November 30, 2008 with a sellout concert with Blues legend BB King and has been breaking records ever since. Four years to the date of that first show, this Friday, November 30th, the venue will host Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, DPAC's 223rd sellout since opening. In total, DPAC has hosted 704 performances and welcomed 1.5 million guests over the past four years.

"Before we opened our doors, we knew we wanted to be known for one-of-a-kind live entertainment experiences and to be our guests favorite place for live events. Triangle audiences quickly caught on, that not only did the really big shows play at DPAC, but guests also noticed there was an attention to customer service that was both authentic and extra special." said Bob Klaus, General Manager.

Pollstar, the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry with tour schedules and sales results, listed DPAC #4 in the U.S., and #5 internationally in their recent report for "2012 Worldwide Ticket Sales - based on 2012 attendance through September.  DPAC was also recently ranked as the #1 Performing Arts Organization in the region by Triangle Business Journal for the third consecutive year. Other DPAC accolades include:

• Billboard Magazine 2012 ranking - 4th highest grossing venue in the world in the capacity category of 5,000 or fewer seats 
• The Independent Weekly’s “Best of” winner for Best Theater Venue - 4th Consecutive Year
• The Herald Sun’s Reader’s Choice Award for Best Live Entertainment - 4th Consecutive Year 
• Raleigh's Metro Magazine’s Standing Ovation for Best Theater - 3rd Consecutive Year
• Durham Magazine - Best Place for Live Music and Best Place for Live Theater - 2nd Consecutive Year
• TripAdvisor.com Certificate of Excellence 

There are lots of great theaters in Durham, as well as many other exciting things to do.  Learn more about them online.

History Hub Teams With Duke and NCCU for Dec. 6 Pop-Up

Durham is a place rich with history and great stories. Fortunately, it is also a place with a strong sense of preservation and a desire to know and catalog the past as it barrels ahead to an exciting future.  The Museum of Durham History is helping make that desire a reality now.

The Museum of Durham History’s second Pop-Up Museum, scheduled for 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on Thursday, December 6, will exhibit a dozen local history projects completed by Duke and NCCU students. Located at the Museum’s History Hub at 500 West Main Street, the event is free of charge and open to the public.

Two NCCU graduate students in Dr. Rhonda Jones’ Museum Interpretation class are taking an in-depth, multi-media look at the Piedmont Blues. Duke undergraduates working with Dr. Joshua Clark Davis will display mini-projects ranging from movie-going in Durham and the origins of our Bull City nickname to school desegregation.

This pop-up museum is the second in a series designed to invite the community into the process of creating a history museum in Durham. Currently a work-in-progress, the Museum’s History Hub is slated to open in 2013.

“We’re raising the money needed to design and install some top-flight, engaging exhibits about Durham’s past,” said the Museum’s Executive Director Katie Spencer. “But until we can open our doors, we’re hosting temporary, pop-up museums to bring people into the Hub and start telling some of Durham’s stories. Our first pop-up in September featured ‘Tools of the Trade’ that Durhamites used in their jobs or homes in years past.”

Food trucks will be on site for the Dec. 6 event. See the museum website for more information about this and upcoming events, as well as History Hub plans.

Durham Bulls Athletic Park To Host 2013 ACC Baseball Championship

One of the ways Durham is known is as the City of Champions.  So then it would only seem fitting to be host to the ACC Baseball Championship in 2013 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.


The round-robin, pool-play tournament will showcase the top eight ACC teams and will feature three games on May 22-25 (Wednesday through Saturday). The championship game between the two pool winners will be played on Sunday afternoon.

The ACC Baseball Championship annually features many of the nation's top-ranked teams. The ACC placed seven teams in the 2010 NCAA Tournament field, and a total of 15 ACC teams have reached the College World Series over the past six seasons. The 2012 season marked the ninth straight year that at least six ACC teams had been selected for NCAA postseason play and the 11th consecutive year that at least five conference teams were chosen.

Located in Downtown Durham with a seating capacity of 10,000, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) serves as home to the Tampa Bay Rays Triple-A affiliate and has been the host venue for the ACC Baseball Championship on five prior occasions (1996, 1998, 1999, 2009 and 2011).

Passes for this tournament are available now online here.  Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date.  To get more information about planning a visit to Durham for this sports spectacle, have a look at Durham online.

Downtown Durham Dec. 5 Annual Meeting to Feature Game Show with Crowd Participation and a Performance

The 2012 Downtown Durham Inc. (DDI) Annual Meeting, presented by American Tobacco, will be held on December 5th, at Bay 7 at the American Tobacco Campus in Downtown Durham.  The program will begin at 11:30am and run until 1:30pm, featuring the usual high-energy entertainment the DDI meeting is known for.

The program will begin with lunch and proceed with a presentation of the Annual Downtown Awards, including awards for Outstanding Downtown Business, Development Project, Renovation Project, Board Member and Downtown Visionary. There will also be a special holiday performance from Downtown Durham resident and Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon.

The main event will feature a game show titled “The Amazing Downtown Showdown!”  To kick off the show, six tables will be randomly selected and each of these tables will choose a contestant to compete on their behalf. Three contestants will compete in Round 1, and another three in Round 2, with the highest scoring contestant from each round going on to the Final Downtown Showdown.  Highlights of major projects and openings over the past year, as well as a broad overview and future challenges will be interspersed between the questions during the show.

The table that wins the Grand Prize will walk away with a special “Night out in Downtown” package, which includes tickets to the Nutcracker at DPAC, tickets to Nnenna Freelon and John Brown at the Carolina Theatre, and a gift certificate to a Downtown restaurant.  DDI will also provide a giveaway item to all attendees. For more information and for tickets, contact Matthew Coppedge at DDI.

Durham is 299 square miles of great things.  Learn about more of them here.

Sustain-a-Bull Presents Third Annual Holiday Shop Independent Durham Week

Durham loves its hometown and independent businesses, that's for sure.  It's a place where all sorts of people from all walks of life come together to make a diverse community that welcomes everyone.

That same spirit of community and inclusion helped to drive the creation of SustainABull, a consortium of independent businesses.

Through Dec. 2 over 40 local businesses throughout Durham will participate in Sustain-a-Bull, Durham's annual shopping event. The event will feature special discounts and promotions at over 40 locally owned businesses throughout the city of Durham. Participating businesses are offering deals and exclusive offers on everything from restaurants to art galleries, clothing, home and garden supplies, and beyond.

Also new this year, Sustain-a-Bull has partnered with Bull City BUCK$ to create a Shop Independent Durham Week SCANvenger Hunt, creating even more incentives to visit participating locally owned businesses. Customers can download the free Bull City BUCK$ app onto their smart-phones, and scan special QR codes that will be posted in every participating business to earn BUCK$ redeemable for prizes, such as a free cup of coffee from Respite Café or a free concert ticket from Casbah. In addition, all SCANvenger Hunt participants will be entered into daily drawings where they can win gift certificates to Sustain-a-Bull Member Businesses. There will also be a Grand Prize awarded to the SCANvenger Hunt participant that scans the most codes during this event, including a one-night stay at the Morehead Manor Bed & Breakfast and a signed copy of Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen.  Get more information about this event, including a full list of discounts and promotions  online.

Durham Tech To Receive $215,000 Grant

Durham Technical Community College (DTCC) has been selected as one of only four community colleges in the nation to participate in the new Catalyst Fund Program and will receive a $215,000 grant.

The Catalyst Fund grants are administered by Achieving the Dream, Inc. (AtD), a national nonprofit leading the nation’s most comprehensive non-governmental reform network for community college student grants with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AtD will assist the college in the process of scaling effective interventions to reach a significantly large population of students. Durham Tech was chosen because of its known commitment to student-centered, evidence-based reforms and outstanding increases in student outcomes.

"The name of this grant is particularly appropriate, as this initiative is a real catalyst in bringing to scale some of our most promising student success efforts,” says Dr. Bill Ingram, president of Durham Tech. “Students who complete our College Transfer Success course are far more likely to persist from one semester to the next and also perform better academically than those who don’t enroll in or complete the course. We are delighted and honored that Achieving the Dream and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have decided to invest in Durham Tech and in our students."

For 50 years, Durham Technical Community College has provided high-quality, affordable, and convenient technical and career education in Durham; served as the springboard to a bachelor’s degree; enabled tens of thousands of Durham and Research Triangle-area residents to enjoy continuing education offerings; and given many thousands more a second chance at success through adult literacy programs.

Durham's Washington Duke Inn Ranked In South's Top 50 By Conde' Nast Traveler

There is a gentility for which the south is known; fine settings, service, food, and accommodations are all part of the package. In Durham, The Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club doesn't disappoint on any of those accounts.

The readers of top travel magazine, Conde' Nast Traveler, noticed, too.

The magazine recently announced the results of its 25th annual Readers' Choice Awards, ranking the best cities, islands, cruise lines, airlines, hotels, and resorts worldwide. Both the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham, N.C. made the grade emerging as winners this year.  A record 46,476 readers participated, rating 370 hotels, resorts, and cruise lines worldwide. In total, the readers elected a grand total of 1,306 winners—so many, in fact, that the magazine had to make it easier for readers to locate by separating the United States into regions—the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club was within United States/South which included Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia based on rooms, service, food, location and design.

The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is located on the campus of Duke University, only twenty minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and ten minutes from Research Triangle Park, and is the only AAA Four Diamond hotel in Durham, N.C. Nestled on 300 acres filled with tall pines and hardwoods, the Inn is known for its beautiful facility and grounds, 271 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, extensive meeting and event facilities, a Four Diamond Award-winning restaurant, a Robert Trent Jones-designed 18-hole championship golf course, and convenience to local points of interest. 

Durham is an easy place to get to by car, plane, and train.  Learn more about ways to enjoy Durham online.

NC Museum of Life and Science Santa Train Tickets On Sale On Nov. 12

Durham is a great place to celebrate the holidays, and the Museum of Life and Science has a special way to set the season's mood.

The Santa Train, as they would have children believe, takes a "festive ride to the North Pole."  The reality is a fun spin through a few acres of woods on the museum property in the cool and crisp evening air.  As the train chugs along, holiday lights twinkle and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer magically flies by. Upon returning to the station, riders enjoy an evening of crafts, complimentary hot chocolate and face painting plus holiday music.

This year is the 35th anniversary of the the Santa Train at the Museum of Life and Science. This holiday tradition is also a fundraising event for the whole family.  Learn more about the train on the museum's website where reservations can be made, and the schedule is posted. Advance registration for the train is required.

Visit Durham online before visiting in person, there are many tools to help with trip planning located  on the official visitors website.

Duke's Nasher Museum of Art Presents Modern Masterpieces Exhibition

Durham, NC is no stranger to great art exhibits, and now the area will play host to yet another major art event at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.

An exhibition featuring more than 50 masterpieces by Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, Camille Pissarro and others will be presented at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, beginning Nov. 4.

The exhibition, “Collecting Matisse and Modern Masters: The Cone Sisters of Baltimore,” tells the story of two Victorian-era sisters whose collection was financed by their brothers’ textile empire in North Carolina during the first half of the 20th century. The Nasher Museum is the third and final venue for the exhibition, which is on view through Feb. 10, 2013.

Matisse called Claribel and Etta Cone “my two Baltimore ladies.” The Cone sisters bought art directly out of the Parisian studios of avant-garde artists, starting in 1905. At a time when critics disparaged Matisse, and Picasso was virtually unknown, the Cones supported them and eventually amassed one of the world’s greatest collections of modern art.

“We are thrilled to present this stunning exhibition, which tells a very special North Carolina story,” said Sarah Schroth, interim director and the Nancy Hanks Senior Curator of the Nasher Museum. “For the first time, visitors will be able to comprehend the complete and fascinating picture of the Cone sisters as collectors through their incredible purchases of master paintings, prints and drawings, as well as fabrics, laces and jewelry from around the world, personal letters and diaries.”

The exhibition, which originated at The Baltimore Museum of Art, includes textiles and decorative arts from Europe, Asia and Africa that the Cones collected, as well as archival materials that highlight the sisters’ remarkable lives. It features an interactive virtual tour of the sisters’ adjoining Baltimore apartments, showing the collection as it was displayed in their home.

The exhibition will be complemented by programs at the Nasher Museum, including two free family day events; talks by art historians; French wine tastings and musical performances; gallery tours and drawing sessions; teacher workshops and more. In addition, UNC-TV is producing a 30-minute documentary about the exhibition.

Additional information about visiting the museum can be found on their website.  Information  about planning a visit to Durham can be found online.

Durham Farmers' Market Announces Winter Schedule and Cheese Event

The Durham Farmers' Market will be open Saturdays 8am-Noon and will be closed on Wednesdays until the spring.The effects of Hurricane Sandy will most likely be felt tomorrow as it moves along the eastern seaboard, but the Market is open rain, shine or hurricane and will be open tomorrow morning.

After the hurricane passes, the weather is forecast to turn cooler and there will be a real chance for frost near the end of next week.  With a possibility of frost, that means an end to tender summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, squash, basil, eggplant, beans and okra.   Hardy fall greens, root vegetables and brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts) can survive and even thrive through frosts and produce late into December and  beyond. So now is the time to enjoy the remaining summer vegetables!

Tomorrow morning, the Durham Farmers' Market will be celebrating American Cheese Month!  American Cheese Month is dedicated to celebrating the diverse cheeses produced by American dairy farmers and cheesemakers! The Durham Farmers' Market is lucky to have three great farmstead cheese makers -- Celebrity Dairy, Chapel Hill Creamery and Elodie Farms!  Their cheeses are nothing like what is found in the dairy section of the grocery store. These cheesemakers make their cheeses in small batches using time-honored traditions to ensure quality and character. On these farms, the animals that supply milk are raised on pasture and have a healthy diet in order to get the highest quality milk possible.

To celebrate our cheesemakers, we will have our first "Meet the Cheesemakers" event from 10-11am.  Patrick Coleff from Durham's Reliable Cheese Company will kick off the event (on the lawn, depending on the weather) by giving brief introductions of the three farms and then chat with cheese maker and farmer Portia McKnight from Chapel Hill Creamery about her experiences.  After that,  Portia will give a mozzarella stretching demonstration. Patrick will be on hand to answer any cheese questions and Celebrity Dairy and Elodie Farms will have samples of their cheeses at their booths!  For more information about the farms and the event, click here.

Fresh this Week....
VEGETABLES:   FENNEL, CAULIFLOWER, PUMPKINS,  Asian Greens, Arugula, Beets, Beans, Bitter gourd, Broccoli, Butterbeans, Cabbage, Carrots, Celeriac, Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, Collards, Cucumbers, Daikon Radish, Escarole, Eggplant, Edamame, Fresh Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Parsley), Galangal, Ginger, Green Onions, Garlic, Gourds, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lambs Quarter, Lemongrass, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Peppers (Sweet, Hot, and Padron), Potatoes, October Beans, Okra (Red and Green), Onions (Red, Yellow, White), Ornamental Gourds, Pea Shoots, Purple Hull Peas, Pumpkins, Salad Mix, Shiitakes,  Sweet Potato Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Summer Squash, Turmeric, Turnips, Tomatoes,  Winter Squash - Butternut, Acorn, Delicata, Kabocha, Long Island Cheese, Spaghetti and more, Zucchini
FRUITS:  PERSIMMONS - Asian, Asian Pears, Apples, Scuppernong and Muscadine Grapes
MEATS AND EGGS: Beef, Bison, Chicken, Cornish Game Hens, Duck, Goat/Chevon/Cabrito, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit
Duck Eggs and Chicken Eggs
CHEESES: Fresh and aged cow and goats milk cheeses.
FLOWERS and PLANTS: Dahlias, Lisianthus,  Sunflowers, Zinnias, Mixed Bouquets,
FALL BEDDING PLANTS - PANSIES, MUMS and SNAPDRAGONS, Vegetable & Herb Seedlings, Landscaping Plants, House Plants
SPECIALTY ITEMS: NEW ITEM: GRAPE JUICE! No sugar added! Raw Honey, Flour, Pecans, Cornmeal, Grits, Baked Goods including Pies, Pasta, Breads, Cookies, Pastries, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool
CRAFTS: Pottery, Jewelry, Stained Glass Art, Handmade Baskets,  Woodwork, Photographs, Hand-dyed Clothing and other items, Handmade Clothing, Soaps, Yarn, Roving, and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions

Zagat Guide Surveying Durham Restaurants

For many, the Zagat Guide is a trustworthy source of restaurant information culled from the input of those who dine at those properties.  Previously, the guide had been largely for major markets only, but now, the publishers are looking nationwide for commentary.

The guide, purchased by Google in September, 2011, is viewed by the owners as a great tool to generate content for it's social media channel, Google +, as well as a tool to help it compete with websites like OpenTable and Yelp.

Now, Zagat is looking for information about Durham, and the Triangle area overall.  As Durham is widely known for its food scene, and people in Durham are extremely engaged, it's time to put those two things to use.

Zagat has an online survey which includes just about every property in the Triangle listed alphabetically, by cuisine, or by location.  Reviewers rate food, service, and decor, list an approximate price per person, and then can add comments.  The site takes measures to ensure that the reviews are not "ballot stuffing" by those with something to gain by doing so. Diners can feel certain that the information is objective and from other diners like themselves.

So, Durham food fans, now is the time to speak up.  Follow the link and review away.  For those that do, there are even rewards.

This survey closes on November 30, so people are encouraged to contribute now.

Durham's Frightful Family Fun Coming Up

Residents, families, and visitors looking for a unique way to celebrate Halloween, while raising money for local charities, should mark their calendars now for the first-ever Durham Monster Dash.

The event, scheduled for Friday, October 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., will include a costumed charity run/walk through the historic streets of downtown Durham followed by food trucks, costume prizes, music, and the “Thriller Dance” in front of City Hall on 101 City Hall Plaza.

The Durham Monster Dash is a three-mile course through the streets of downtown and another kid-friendly one-mile course through the alleys and open spaces in downtown. Durham City-County Planning Department staff and community volunteers will set up “monster zones” to provide extra thrills along the route.

The event is being organized by the Durham City-County Planning Department as part of the City’s Culture of Service Initiative and 7 Stars, which is the annual City employee giving campaign. Planning staff will also be using this event to test the use of the City’s public open spaces and pedestrian accessibility and connectivity downtown.

“For the Planning Department’s staff, the Durham Monster Dash is a fun way to help charities that enrich children’s environments. We also look at the event as an opportunity to invite people to explore our beloved downtown’s architecture, streets, alleys, and open spaces,” said Steve Medlin, director of the Durham City-County Planning Department. “The event is a way for planning staff to engage with the community around a charitable event while developing new skills to meet an unusual challenge.”

Sponsors of this event include the Durham Police Department, WXDU 88.7 FM, and Road ID. WXDU will also be hosting a costumed dance after-party at The Pinhook, located at 117 W. Main St.

Participants are asked to register for this event online and provide a monetary donation. Proceeds collected from this event will be benefit Kidznotes, The Scrap Exchange, Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc., and Girls Rock, N.C.

For more information, including a registration form and route map, visit the event website. Participants may also keep up with the latest news on the Durham Monster Dash by “liking” their Facebook page. 

Durham is also home to a Zombie Lurch which might be appealing for those looking for more ghoulish fun. The event is in its sixth year, and it never disappoints.  Get more details at the link.

Durham always has fun and interesting things to do.  Stay up to date on all that is happening by signing up for the Durham Event Calendar emails or visiting the calendar online, liking Durham on Facebook, and with the official Durham visitors website.

Bull Durham Blues Festival Rain Date Announced

The Bull Durham Blues Festival (BDBF)is widely known as a must-see for blues aficionados.  In fact, it drew a NY-based travel writer who has visited 22 countries to Durham.  According to the article she wrote about her experience in Durham - she had a blast in part due to the BDBF.

As many know, the Saturday schedule of this years' show was disrupted by bad weather.  Well, if you were one of the hundreds of people kept away by the rain then read on.

The St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, Inc. is presenting the Blues Festival Redo on December 7, 2012 at 7 p.m.

And it's FREE.

"We're excited to be able to offer this free Blues Festival Redo or makeup performance to our loyal patrons and festival lovers who've come to count on us for a great Blues show," said Interim Director Janella Sellars. "We were so disappointed that the weather prevented three fantastic groups and performers from entertaining those who showed up for a good time, as well as those who couldn't make it out that Saturday due to the massive storm. But now is our chance to make it up to everyone, and let them know how much we appreciate their continued support."

Artists who were unable to go on stage due to the weather during the September festival are scheduled to perform at the December show. They are:

7:00 p.m. -- Bullfrog Willard McGhee
                  2011 Triangle Blues Society Blues Challenge winner (solo artist)
                  "McGhee is one of the great characters of modern-day
                  North Carolina Piedmont blues..." -- Dave Menconi, Our State Magazine

8:15 p.m. -- E-train and the Rusted Rails
                  The Rusted Rails ignite local audiences with a captivating mix of familiar and
                  original rock-a-billy, swing, and blues. They were voted best band by the
                  Triangle Blues Society in 2011 and the Cape Fear Blues Society in 2010.

9:30 p.m. -- Stanley Baird
                  Acclaimed jazz musician, composer and entertainer.  He's has shared the concert
                  stage with his mentor Donald Byrd, Najee, Alex Bugnon, Regina Belle,
                  Richard Elliot, Brian McKnight, Kirk Whalum, Kim Waters, The O'Jays,
                  and the late George Howard.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Hayti Heritage Center, and vendors will also be on hand. The Hayti Heritage Center is located at 804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27701.  Seating is limited, so get there early.  For more information about the performances, contact Janella Sellars at jsellars@hayti.org, or call 683-1709.

Honoring Durham's "Curb Appeal" Champions

By a ratio of almost four to one, Durham residents rate appearance and physical upkeep a high community priority. Destinations hoping to attract visitors and newcomers understand that curb appeal is an essential investment that delivers a high rate of return.

The Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden 

Golden Leaf Award Winner - Landscaping and Maintenance

Photo by Rick Fisher

For some, appearance means removing litter and planting flowers.  From a destination marketing standpoint, it’s more about creating and maintaining a community’s unique sense of place.  

Landscaping –particularly around gateways—is a part of that, but it’s also about historic preservation, urban forestry, attractive streetscapes with wayfinding, and well-maintained, weed-free medians. 

Keep Durham Beautiful, the Durham City-County Appearance Commission and Durham City-County Environmental Affairs joined together last week to present the Gold Leaf Awards, an annual event recognizing properties that illustrate the value that Durham puts on community appearance.   

The 2012 Golden Leaf Award Winners are to be commended for raising the bar for excellence in design and maintenance of commercial, residential and community properties.  They have shown leadership in  raising community awareness of the value of good appearance and stewardship.