Delightful Durham

I like to take all my guests, friends, and family to Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke Chapel. Those are my most favorite places here and I enjoy revisiting them. Ninth Street is known for its funky style and relaxed atmosphere. Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the site for geniuses, upstarts, and PhDs. Francesca's is THE place for desserts and Foster's Market is the best place for smoothies and tons of other goodies (owned by Sara Foster--she used to work w/Martha, as in Stewart, back in the catering days).

Quick Tips:

Weather here is pretty temperate. You get the four seasons, but nothing harsh (if you don't count last year's 21" of snow, but they say it is a rarity--it was my first year here after being in the Midwest!)

Best Way To Get Around:

You'll need a car if you want to do it all and do it efficiently. Also, Durham is part of the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), so you'll want to visit the neighboring cities if your time allows for it.

I think I'm the only one who doesn't/didn't like this place. And again, it probably comes back to my being a vegetarian. I unfortunately went to this restaurant on my birthday, which made it memorable, but not for the reasons I wanted.

We walked in and were ignored for about five minutes and weren't even acknowledged as restaurant personnel chatted with each other and walked back and forth in front of us. They didn't look busy, but even if they were, a quick, "we'll be right with you" would have sufficed.

When we finally were seated, it was smack next to tables that weren't close enough to be part of our party of two, but not far enough that as soon as another party was seated, we'd all be way too close for my comfort. Again, I'm not unreasonable. The place looked deserted so I didn't understand why we were seated where we were. And as I suspected, another couple was seated at the table one and a half inches from ours.

The menu changes daily (I think), so it's kind of like Russian roulette for someone like me. For dinner, all I could select from was one item: the omelette. It was gross. And if I wanted breakfast, I would've gone to IHOP or Denny's. I'm sure it was well made for someone less picky, but I can't help it--it was really bland. The dish was not accented with anything else.

Service during the meal wasn't bad, wasn't good. It was just mediocre. The dessert was excellent and if I didn't have a problem with the snootiness of the staff when we first arrived, I'd come by just for dessert all the time.

I got a delicious cake filled with fudge and accompanied by fresh strawberries. It was scrumptious.

Anyhow, I wouldn't tell anyone not to go there, but I made the mistake of not asking to see the menu and risking embarrassment of just walking out after seeing the French food does not favor vegetarians. Anyhow, everyone who is not a vegetarian raves about this restaurant, which is supposed to make you swoon and savor.

I have been to Foster's several times. Sometimes, it's a creamy, hit-the-spot smoothie, other times, it's a delish sandwich, and yet other times a muffin craving. Oh, and the brunch bites are not bad at all.

I like Foster's because it's casual and laid-back, but the food is gourmet and tasty, but not too tricky to pronounce. It's just a great place to hang out too. I could spend hours in the atmosphere, just catching up with a good friend. It's a great place and doesn't discriminate by type of person or age, which is cool. Anything goes and no one feels out of place.

One of the cool things hanging on the wall at the Chapel Hill Foster's (two convenient Triangle locations--Durham and Chapel Hill) is the several-page spread in Martha Stewart's Living magazine. Sara Foster used to work with Martha Stewart in their catering days.

Now, to the details about the food: dine-in or take-out, catering or wholesale, hostess gifts and more, there is a multitude of good stuff to try. Deli sandwiches include, but are not limited to Tarragon Chicken Salad; Bacon, Avocado & Sprouts (herb cream cheese, tomato, cucumbers, basil mayo on sunflower); Greek Vegetarian (artichoke hearts, cucumbers, tomato, spinach, grilled onions, feta spread on Syrian bread); California Veggie (grilled onions, green chiles, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, avocado, muenster and honey mustard on a dill roll). Sorry, I can only vouch for the vegetarian stuff, but I can assure you I polished off every meal, every time.

Next, let's venture into the world of market wraps. Southwestern Jalapeno Cheddar Wrap (black bean spread, avocado, green chiles, romaine, grilled onions, salsa and cheddar), Thai Chicken Wrap (sliced grilled chicken breast with cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, scallions and peanut sauce), and others. The Chapel Hill store offers some fantastic pizzas. TRY THEM. Try them all.

Good breakfasts (what I like to call healthy, but fun) include bagels, fruit, wraps, sandwiches, eggs, biscuits, etc. Soups and salads are available here as well as cookies, muffins, rolls, pies, cakes, and breads. Keep in mind that while each Foster's offers many, many items, they do change seasonally.

Drinks--for the child in all of us: Wabbit Juice (carrot, apple and celery). If you don't want to walk up to the counter and actually order this, try a super milkshake (chock full of tastiness and fruit) or a smoothie (my favorite) of just about any fruits you want. And what's a great hangout without coffee? You can get it here.

Foster's is also a mini, chic shop for nifty gifts, mostly stuff that you like at houseware stores (coffee items, gift baskets, jams & jellies, etc.) And just like any hip gourmet food place, Foster's Market is coming out with a cookbook (in 2002).

Want to see/know more? Check them out at http://www.fostersmarket.com/

My preferences? Durham for atmosphere (very rustic and countryside setting) because you can sit outdoors and enjoy the sun. Chapel Hill has the pizzas. You really can't go wrong.

I love the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. I proudly share these gardens with everyone who visits me, as if I have anything to do with the tending, I just can't help but boast.

Duke Gardens is part of the beautiful sprawling campus of Duke University and is one of the most popular sites in Durham and, being such a romantic location, often voted the place for the most proposals in all of the Triangle. Duke Gardens is also where people go to relax, retreat, escape, enjoy beauty, time alone, picnic, romance someone, take photographs, to name just a few.

Thanks to a lack of funds (sounds like a paradox) in the 1920s, what was to be a lake with elaborate fountains became an area for plants. Dr. Frederic M. Hanes, (part of the original faculty of Duke Medical School) focused on the mission of transforming the seemingly-hopeless land into a garden. Dr. Hanes asked his friend, Sarah P. Duke (widow of one of the University's founders, Benjamin N. Duke) to contribute the sum of $20,000 for a garden in her name. After the vibrant gardens became a lush display in the 30s, forceful rains destroyed them.

Dr. Hanes did not despair. He asked Mary Duke Biddle, Sarah P. Duke's daughter, to help create a memorial to her mother. Ellen Shipman, reknown in landscape design, was chosen to start anew.

Duke Gardens is open daily from 8am until dusk and admission is free. Free public tours are available on most days and pre-arranged private docent-led tours are available for a nominal fee. They also accommodate with special tours for the physically handicapped. Pets are welcome, as long as you follow the rules--dogs on a leash, not permitted on narrow pathways or in the Blomquist Gardens of Native Plants, and clean up after your pet.

Enjoy something new each visit: rose bushes, azaleas, dogwoods, redbuds, crabapple and cherry trees, hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, peonies, wisteria, petunias, daylilies, begonias, chrysanthemums, berries, and evergreens. Something for everyone!

Duke Gardens is the absolute ideal setting for weddings, receptions, and other occasions. Approximately 300,000 visitors see the Gardens annually, which relies on funding from contributions and Duke University.

For more information, visit the Duke Gardens Web site: http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/dukegardens.html call 919-684-3698, or e-mail: gardens@duke.edu

Photos to come soon.

Duke University Chapel is constructed of stone from the Duke Quarry. The architecture is Gothic and the stained glass windows are simply beautiful. I really love the Chapel. It's a place to sit in solitude and ponder deep thoughts. I like the peace it gives me. I think James B. Duke would be pleased to hear that--he wanted the Chapel to have a presence and a deep impact on the spirituality of those who visited.

The Chapel exists for several faiths and is meant to serve the entire university. The Chapel is used for weddings, funerals, convocations, etc., in addition to worship services on Sunday. Rev. Billy Graham, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Reverend Charlene Kammerer, Rev. Dr. Peter Gomes, and Dr. Samuel Proctor have all preached at the Chapel. Musical performances have been given by the Duke University Chapel Choir include Handel's MESSIAH and other groups.

When you tour, you'll notice everything, but I encourage you to drink in the details of the spires, the windows, the stone statues, the architecture, the setting, and the Chapel itself (210'), against a blue sky. Note the Memorial Chapel, the organs, and everything that you can.

Some of the recurring events include University Service of Worship held each Sunday morning at 11:00. Services are ecumenical. Also offered at the Chapel are the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper on Sundays, ecumenical service of evening prayer in the tradition of the Brothers of Taizé on Tuesdays, Choral Vespers by candlelight Thursdays (Choral music is provided by a twelve-voice a cappella ensemble), Chapel carillon and organ recitals, and much more.

If you have a direct affiliation to Duke University, you are privileged to attempt to have your wedding there. I saw attempt because the waiting lists are long and it's not always easy to get the site for your wedding.

I want to tell you more, but I think it's best if you just visit and walk around. You can read (in great detail) about the Chapel at http://www.chapel.duke.edu Let me know what you think.

Durham, where Research Triangle Park (RTP) is located, is one of the prime places to be for leaders in technology, research, and academics. RTP is 7,000 acres large and the largest research park in the nation.

It's the home of start-ups, pharmaceutical companies, dot coms, global organizations, etc. It's impressive to drive around and see the businesses (136 of them). When you do take a driving tour, you will want to avoid early morning and late afternoon--work hours. The traffic is a nightmare.

Some of the top employers in RTP include IBM, Nortel Networks, Glaxo Wellcome, Ericcson, and Cisco Systems. The number of employees in RTP--45,000. And their average salary is approximately $54,000. About 99.4% of the employees work for Research & Development organizations and 40% of RTP businesses employ less than 10 people.

So take the drive, it's just an 8-mile park. It's impressive just hearing the different facts and figures. And if you're interested in Information Technologies, Research, Public Health, Materials Science, Pharmaceuticals, etc., check out their Web site for employers and send your resume.

Contact the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau if you want a map to take the driving tour--http://www.durham-nc.com.

http://www.rtp.org