Following Foliage to Umstead Park

Our 30 for 30 is officially over, but we're still trying to check out new spots and new things to do around the Triangle.  Today, we headed to William B. Umstead State Park in Wake County to check out some of the foliage.

The trees are just starting to peak around here, and it's the perfect temperature for walking (mid-60's).  We hiked Sal's Branch Trial which is about 2.8 miles.  It intersects with Big Lake where people can rent canoes in the summer (sorry, Mom, no swimming allowed.  What's with that?  Maybe there are snakes.)

It was another place that reminded us of some of the parks we used to walk in Massachusetts.  It's nice to still be in a place that changes with the seasons and has quiet trails that are not that dissimilar from what we're used to.  The three of us are big fans of fall and all the parks are perfect places to go this time of year.

30 Days of Turning 30 Recap

It's not easy celebrating a birthday for a whole month.  I think it falls under the category of "too much of a good thing."  I do, however, think it was good for me and Tommie to push ourselves to get out more, keep track of local events, try new things, and to be more conscious of how we spend our days--before we're so old we can't remember anymore.

It's no surprise that a lot of what we do involves eating.  At least half of our 30 posts included some kind of food.  It's also promising to see that the majority of things we did cost little to no money--even some of the events we attended were free.  There are a lot of cool free things to do around Durham if you look.  Our most expensive days were spent at big events like a concert and the state fair.  

I'm sad October is over, but we can't force ourselves to have fun forever--it's tiring.  This was good practice for the upcoming months when we have a couple weeks around the holidays to do fun things with guests, and now we know a little bit more about the place we live.

30/30: Floats Between Failures

October 29th

We couldn't decide what to do last night after dinner.  We tried finding a highly-rated Mexican frozen treat shop but failed, so we landed at The Parlour with a root beer float made with malted cinnamon ice cream.  They do make really good, creamy and flavorful handmade ice cream here. 

After that, we tried to get fries at a local hamburger joint but it was just closing so we failed at that too.  We must be running out of steam.

30/30: Ice Cream Sunsets

October 28th

Today was a miserable day to be 30--new and unwanted medical experiences, doctors with needles, a lot of pain, and many tears (on my end) reminded me that getting older really sucks.

For being so brave (sadly, that was me being brave) I later needed to treat myself to a pumpkin and carmel apple ice cream sundae from Maple View Farm.

Afterwards, we opened the hatchback of our Subaru and watched the sunset over the open fields in Hillsborough.  Getting older sucks, but ice cream and calming sunsets are some of the little things that attempt to make it slightly more tolerable.

30/30: Taste Test

October 23rd

Geer St. Garden gets mixed reviews among our friends but it's a popular spot in Durham so we thought it was high time we check it out for ourselves.

Tommie ordered a burger and fries and I went with the grilled fish tacos.  We both think the tacos (which come with three--a couple small fillets in each) is a good deal and it was tasty.  Everything is priced moderately--a little on the high side with $5 sides, so I can see where some people would shy away in favor of another spot.  Still, the food is well-prepared and the atmosphere is casual/contemporary.  We sat outside on the patio that has pretty string lights and picnic tables.  With the weather cooling down it may be one of the last nights we can dine al fresco.

30/30: Checking out City Parks

October 20th

Durham's city parks are great--and there are a lot of them.  Sandy Creek Park is close to where we live but we hadn't been to it yet assuming it was small and too close to a busy road, but we decided to venture there today and were pleasantly surprised to find a nice field with picnic areas (even a bocce court) and multiple trails to walk along the creek and woods.  

 It was the perfect fall morning to be out in the sun and crisp air.

30/30: Art and Baking

October 18th

On the third Friday of every month, Golden Belt downtown has open art studios.  We also stopped by a gallery on Foster Street that was promoting a new documentary about Patrick Dougherty--he creates the coolest art from sticks.  He had an installation at our old college campus (Wheaton College in Massachusetts) several years ago which we saw with my cousin.

 (Below: Patrick Dougherty's work at Wheaton.)

The rest of the night was spent party prepping.  I got a jumpstart on my baking.  The cupcake-to-person ratio will be about 4-1, so according to my standards, just right.

30/30: Good Food Makes 30 Easier to Swallow

October 17th 

(Amber's Birthday)

A couple minutes from our house, in between intersecting roads, there is a small "island" of delicious food.  Nana Taco is one of those places--we end up there a lot, but NT's mother restaurant, Nana's, is a fancier restaurant across the street.  We hadn't gone there yet because we didn't have a good excuse, but turning 30 seemed like a good one.

The entrees in particular were very good.  Nana's has seasonal menus to keep things fresh and local (it changes monthly).  Our night involved smoked salmon, shrimp risotto, maple leaf duck, maine halibut, and poached pear crisp.

I might officially be 30, but I still have the rest of the month to let it settle in.

30/30: A Poetic Evening

October 13th 

After some light house projects and a couple rounds of bowling for Tommie with his guy friends, we spent the evening at a free poetry reading by Richard Blanco (Obama's inaugural poet) at The Carolina Theatre.  

I always enjoy poetry readings because you get to learn about the backstory of the poet and it givers greater depth to their poems.  Blanco's poems (and stories) were very entertaining and funny, and explored concepts of culture, identity, and family, which are universal themes, therefore, easy to relate to.  It's great to see a poet like him gaining traction and interest.

After the reading, I had my book signed and told him that he ironically lives in the same small town in Maine as my parents (I did tell him, Dad, that you two have yet to meet.  He said that eventually it seems everyone there does end up meeting, so don't worry there's still time.)

30/30: Past, Present, Future

October 12th

We did a few 30 for 30 activities today.  First, we checked out the opening of Durham's History Hub.  It makes great use of a central spot downtown and showcases Durham's past in a contemporary way.

Next, we made a stop in Cary to get some authentic Turkish food at Bosphorus Restaurant.  Sometimes we really miss the food we enjoyed on our honeymoon in Turkey, so when we read the positive reviews for Bosphorus, which is about 25 minutes away, we couldn't wait to try it...especially Tommie--he has a serious love affair with Lahmacun (a kind of pizza with ground beef and spices/herbs on it).  

Here he is enjoying it in Turkey...

And here in North Carolina; reunited at last...

I had chicken pide which is a kind of pizza made with authentic Turkish pide--the kind of bread we loved to eat during Ramadan in Istanbul.  It was delicious.

We ended the evening in my weird world of writing by listening to a panel discussion about memoir writing at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh.  I love memoirs and would like to write one someday so I find it interesting/fun to listen to different writers' stories and how they came to publish them.  Tommie is good sport to go with me though I'm pretty sure he'd rather be stuffing his face with another Lahmacun.

30/30: Hidden Oasis

October 11th

After forcing Tommie to do some evening errands with me, we went to Straw Valley Cafe for chai lattes.  They also have a beer & wine barn so there's something for everyone here.

People have been telling us about this funky little spot sandwiched between the 15/501 and a bunch of strip malls, but it's hard to believe it until you see it with your own eyes.

This zen-like compound is complete with cozy rooms, bamboo bordered grounds, and all kinds of cool indoor/outdoor nooks to sit in.  It doesn't feel like it belongs where it is; probably because it was built in the 1950's as a residence before all the roads and stores were built up around it.  It's tucked quietly behind all the chaos so that you feel like you're somewhere completely removed from it all.

We sipped chai on the open patio, listened to a good soundtrack of music, and decided that we'll definitely be coming back.

30/30: Night at the Museum

October 10th

Since it was free admission night at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University and we hadn't been since last spring, we thought we'd check out what kind of new exhibits were cooking. 

I liked everything, but I really enjoyed Doris Duke's Shangri La exhibit.  I had no idea about her private collection of Islamic art and the five-acre estate in Hawaii (now a cultural center) where she housed it.  

Several beautiful photographs of the estate were lit up in large light boxes.  The 3D effect made me feel like wish I was there.  I really appreciate the style and the architecture--maybe because it reminds me of our honeymoon in Turkey, or because it involves a lot of pretty lanterns, and you know I'm a sucker for that.

30/30: Hot Chocolate on a Cold Night

October 9th

The temps have dropped here in NC so we thought it would be a good night to try a cup of hot chocolate from Coco Cinnamon.  It's a cool spot for a hot beverage.

30/30: Dessert Before Dinner

October 8th 

We stopped by Hummingbird Bakery for a little dessert before dinner, which I'd probably do every night if I wasn't such a responsible adult.

We split a lemon drop and pumpkin cupcake.  I love anything lemon and everyone loves anything pumpkin this time of year.  The cake and frosting on the pumpkin was delish.  I should have gotten another one for dessert after dinner.

30/30: Suspended

October 6th 

We checked out the Eno River State Park today (I'd been to the West Point on the Eno so it was nice to see the "other side").  

We walked a trail along a quiet creek then went over to the suspension bridge.

While it's sometimes hard to tell it's fall in Durham, here in the park the leaves were falling and it seemed more like October.  Part of what we like about where we live is that we can drive 15 minutes and feel like we're in another state--maybe even pretend we're in New England for a little while.

30/30: Birthday Books

October 5th 

The day started off with a trip to the Durham Farmer's Market followed by a stop by Durham County Library's fall book sale.  

I bought a book of poems by writer's dogs, which reminds me of the time my mom wrote me a postcard in college from our cat.  I also got a book with ideas for day trip ideas from the Raleigh-Durham area.  We're still learning the area so it might help give us some good ideas for exploring.

30/30: The Elves

October 3rd 

We took Maya for a walk in Forest Hills tonight.  This is a historic neighborhood with really pretty houses and nice open fields.

Ironically, earlier in the day, I came across this article from USA Today about The Tiny Door Project.  Inspired by those "evil" little elves from Keebler, itty-bitty doors are popping up on trees across the country. They list one in Elmira Park in Durham, but it's not a park we frequent.  With elves on the brain, I was excited when I spotted this tiny door tucked into a tree in Forest Hills.  

Of course, I would have been more excited if it was filled with cookies, 

Duke Basketball

I'm not a sports person.  I spend more time pointing out the funny outfits of fans in the background than I do actually watching the game itself.

Basketball, at least, is on a short list of sports I don't completely mind watching.  It's fairly easy to follow, the game moves quickly, and the uniforms don't involve helmets and pads so I can actually distinguish one player from another.

We got to do something that's a pretty big deal in Durham...go to one of Duke's basketball games.  People go nuts around here for college basketball.  I'm hardly worthy, but it was fun to be able to see a game in the small student-filled stadium and pick out my favorite player with big arm muscles...that's how everyone watches a game isn't it?

Day at Duke Gardens

During past trips to Durham we would make a stop at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens--a beautiful, vast park/garden on the Duke campus that does not charge an entry fee (only pay to park during some daytime hours). It's weird to know that we are now living five minutes away!

The garden has made a lot of cosmetic and structural improvements since the last time we visited. There are more stone walls, maintained pathways, and shady benches. There is a Japanese Tea House now, and an overlook above the expanded terrace and koi pond.

One lucky couple was getting married there today. As with our garden wedding, I think about the pretty photo ops they have.

These lily pads are about five feet wide...I wish I could sit in them.

Maya is even allowed in the garden on a leash. She loves gardens...buses never drive through them.

I can see us spending some time in this place.

This Weekend Around Durham

On Saturday I bought herbs to plant in pots on our deck (basil and mint) from Durham's weekly farmer's market. Not only are they good for cooking, but they are also supposed to ward off misquotes!

We stopped for lunch at a modern French restaurant/bakery downtown: Rue Cler. Tommie had muscles and frites (fries) and I had a salad with chicken, brie, and crispy onion frites. They have unique breakfast options as well so it's a good place to go with guests who like either. The food was fresh, tasty, and affordable.

Later we stopped at Sugarland in Chapel Hill for gelato. Mango and peach for my tutti-fruity man, and blood orange and lemon for me. Always a nice treat on these hot, summer days.

Sunday morning we took Maya for a walk in Northgate Park. We drove past it the weekend before and wanted to come back to explore. The park itself is quiet and shaded with play areas, picnic tables, and a bridge over the creek. We discovered that it connects easily to a trail that follows alongside Ellerbee Creek and continues to the Museum of Life and Science and beyond. The paths are shaded and flat...Maya approved.