CARRBORO -- Author Elizabeth Edwards will be a guest DJ on WCOM's The Placeholder Show with program host Tom Arnel from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Edwards will take a break from the rigors of book touring and furniture store ownership to share some of her favorite music with listeners.
Edwards is the wife of former U.S. Sen. John Edwards and had a New York Times non-fiction bestseller this year with her memoir "Resilience." Last summer she opened a furniture store in Chapel Hill called Red Window.
On The Placeholder Show, Arnel regularly welcomes guest DJs from all walks of life, including local politicians and officials, sports figures, musicians, and Tom's friends and acquaintances. This makes for an eclectic mix of music reflecting a wide variety of individual tastes.
WCOM, an all-volunteer community radio station at 201 N. Greensboro St., airs on 103.5 FM in Carrboro and Chapel Hill, and streams worldwide on the Internet at wcomfm.org.
Hillsborough food is favorite
HILLSBOROUGH -- Bob Garner's "Our Favorite Foods" article in the November issue of "Our State" magazine featured the country-style steak at Hillsborough's Riverside Cafe prepared by Dorothy Lea. Garner says "she deftly cooks up an amazing dish swimming in robust beef flavor and heavenly homemade gravy."
Brewery signs distribution deal
CHAPEL HILL -- Carolina Brewery, the Triangle's oldest brewery, recently signed a distribution deal with Harris Inc. that will bring its craft beers to Harris Teeter stores throughout the Triangle.
The deal also brings the brew to more bars, restaurants and retail joints, so be on the lookout. Harris is focusing on the Sky Blue Golden Ale, Flagship IPA and Copperline Amber Ale, as well as a few seasonal beers.
Irish pub will open Dec. 10
CHAPEL HILL -- Kildare's Irish Pub on West Franklin Street is tentatively scheduled to open on Dec. 10. The 5,000-square-foot pub will seat 218 and have 50 taps in two bars including a sports bar in the back.
Free parking will be expanded
CHAPEL HILL -- Parking is always free on Sundays in Downtown Chapel Hill, but this holiday season parking will be free on Saturdays as well.
The Town of Chapel Hill will be offering downtown patrons and visitors free parking on Saturdays in December at all municipal lots, the parking deck, and at street meters.
At 5 p.m., the Wallace Deck and Rosemary/Columbia Lot will begin charging at their normal rate. Parking will continue to be free at the meters and other lots.
Chapel Hill part of travel feature
CHAPEL HILL -- Chapel Hill is featured in the November/December issue of AAA Go Magazine.
Author Trish Fitzgerald, a Washington, D.C., travel writer, visited the area in April.
Article features Orange towns
CHAPEL HILL -- Chapel Hill and Hillsborough are featured prominently in a recent New York Post article highlighting North Carolina.
"50 States: North Carolina -- Searching for a Home in the Tarheel State" was written by Douglas Rogers. He visited The Carolina Inn in June. Other mentions included the Lantern.
Mama Dips' is 2nd best diner
CHAPEL HILL -- Mama Dip's Kitchen with Mildred "Mama Dip" Council's signature dish "community nurse macaroni and cheese" was tapped as the second best southern diner in the November issue of "Southern Living" magazine, on newsstands now.
Call them meat-and-threes, cafeterias, mom-and-pops or diners. Whatever the name, these local spots serve great Southern food. Southern Living had this to say about Mama Dip's Kitchen:
"Mildred Edna Cotton Council grew up watching her mother use the 'dump cooking' method that measures ingredients by sight and taste instead of by recipe. Luckily Mildred, also known as Mama Dip, wrote down her recipes. Otherwise, the family members who helped her open Mama's Dip Kitchen in 1976 near the University of North Carolina campus wouldn't be able to make dishes such as Mildred's succulent pork chops and fried chicken.
"Don't Miss: Community Nurse Macaroni and Cheese (named for the traveling public health nurses who once showed young mothers how to make nutritious meals)."
For the full story go to: http://www.southernliving.com/travel/southern-diner-restaurants-00400000058329/
Southern Living (www.southernliving.com) is the sixth-largest monthly consumer magazine in the U.S., reaching more than 16 million readers each month.
Gas station to hold celebration
CHAPEL HILL -- The White Cross Shell station invites the public to a free celebration at its shop, 3233 Hwy. N.C. 54 West, right next door to the Fiesta Grill and across from Harry's Market, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.
"This is not just another gas station. It's not your ordinary convenience store -- we have good old-fashioned service," said owner Vernon Davis. "Our mechanic, Steve O'Daniel, has a lot of customers and friends in town and they know he brings over 40 years' experience. They trust their vehicles with him and today, since we all have to keep our cars running longer, that's a good thing to know."
"We want to thank and invite all of our customers and the local public to visit us and celebrate our first year of business. . . . We want to give something back to the community."
There will be free food, gifts and service coupons while they last, tours of the service bay, an ask-the-mechanic session and restored vintage cars on display.
White Cross Shell has been under new management since Nov. 4, 2008. Davis and Kevin Ray are co-owners.
Chain to expand recycling in N.C.
CHAPEL HILL -- Harris Teeter is expanding its in-store recycling program and wants its customers to join in.
Starting this month in all Harris Teeter locations in Chapel Hill and throughout North Carolina, you will start seeing recycling bins in the lobby of each store designated for bottles and cans. These bins are in addition to the plastic and paper bag recycling bins currently in the lobby of each Harris Teeter store.
Now, if a customer chooses to enjoy a bottled or canned beverage during a shopping trip, they may take advantage of the new in-store recycling program to recycle the item.
Holiday lights to be brighter
CHAPEL HILL -- The holiday season will shine brighter this year in Downtown Chapel Hill now that The Downtown Partnership and Friends of the Downtown are providing businesses with strands of LED lights to illuminate their store fronts.
The 33-foot strands are free for the downtown businesses to hang up and create a warm and inviting atmosphere for their patrons. Both organizations appreciate how much the downtown businesses contribute to our community all year long and want to make their holiday season a little brighter.
The glowing lights in shops, along with the snowflake decorations and 22-foot Community Tree, will add to the holiday cheer and spirit all season long in Downtown Chapel Hill.
Firm sought for master plan
CHAPEL HILL -- Downtown Partnership Executive Director Jim Norton and Town of Chapel Hill Economic Development Officer Dwight Bassett have issued a request for a funding proposal (RFP) to solicit a firm to create a Downtown Master Plan to guide the vision for Franklin Street.
The Master Plan would be a long-term, comprehensive document that would guide the future of the downtown with regards to development concepts and potential property uses.
Pride stickers offered free
CHAPEL HILL -- The Downtown Partnership has created "CH" stickers for your car, bike, laptop, notebook ... or anywhere you want to show off some downtown Chapel Hill pride.
The stickers are oval shaped with black lettering and the Partnership's Web site (www.downtownchapelhill.com) and resemble the famous OBX stickers. Stickers are available in downtown businesses and at the Partnership office for free.
Trip to China meeting topic
CHAPEL HILL -- The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce will hold a free information session about its April 2010 trip to China from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Chamber office, 104 S. Estes Drive.
At the information session, Chamber staff will give an overview of the trip, as well as share photos and stories from Chamber President and CEO Aaron Nelson's October China trip. Chamber staff will answer questions from potential travelers. RSVP to wmurphy@carolinachamber.org.
The Chamber has partnered with Citslinc International, Inc., a company with more than 25 years of experience in China tours, to offer Chamber and community members an incredible opportunity to explore China. Travelers will visit China April 3-11, 2010. The Chamber group will travel to Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Travelers will visit sites including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the National Embroidery Institute.
The trip is $2,099 per person for Chamber members and guests. Space is limited, and non-members are charged an additional $100 fee.
Learn more about the trip, download registration forms, and register online at www.carolinachamber.org/China. Registration closes Dec. 1, 2009.
The Tuesday information session is free and open to the public.
Fearrington Inn gets top rating
PITTSBORO -- The Fearrington House Country Inn and Restaurant has earned the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award for 2010 for both lodging and dining. This is the 16th consecutive year that The Fearrington House has received AAA Five Diamonds and it is the only property in North Carolina to receive Five Diamonds in both categories.
"It is an honor for us to receive this award once again," said Theresa Chiettini, general manager. "I am so proud to see our staff's commitment to providing the very best service and amenities to our guests. This achievement is a testimony to their efforts."
A Diamond Rating is recognition that the property has undergone a rigorous evaluation process. More than 40,000 properties are evaluated by AAA each year. Approved properties are included in AAA's popular TourBook® travel guides, and also have the opportunity to be included in many of the 200 travel books published by AAA each year. For more information about AAA and the evaluation process, visit http://www.aaanewsroom.net/Main/Default.asp?CategoryID=8&ArticleID=727.
