Triangle in the national media

[ChiefJoJo]

This morning on the Today show, Amy Sedaris (of Strangers with Candy fame) was on pimping her new cookbook. Lots of southern fare with some Greek influences... they mentioned she was from the south "Alabama?" and she responded "Raleigh, NC" to which they asked "it must have been interesting growing up in a Greek family in Raleigh, NC." Can't remember what she said, but anyway, it's worth mentioning.

It's kind of funny seeing what people's perception of the south is. TV personalities are generally NY/LA centric and think anywhere outside of the northeast or CA is hicksville.

[Redman84]

Don't leave out Bull Durham!! (one of my personal favorites)

Everytime I watch it, it takes me right back to going to games at the DAP in my childhood.

Durham street scenes are shown throughout the movie as well as some other things you may pick up on. The bar scene was filmed at Mitch's Tavern on Hillsborough St. and well it still looks just about the same as it did in the movie, in there now.

[dmccall]

Ah yes! And the one that started it all, Brainstorm. It was Natalie Wood's last movie and it was terrible, but mainly because they rewrote it around the few scenes she had actually filmed. This house (1918 St. Mary's St.) was featured for a second (it's where the guy had looped the risque tape). They also showed the excellent Burroughs-Wellcome building (now Glaxo) in RTP (back when you could see the darned thing from the road).

Edited October 17, 2006 by dmccall

[davidals]

Wow, Lantern one of the top 50 restaurants in the country??? There are probably 50 restaurants in New York alone better than Lantern. Magnolia might be a top-50, but not Lantern. Does Lantern even crack the top 5 restaurants in RTP?

This is a head-scratcher...

Maybe yes, but I somewhat agree. My own faves tend to not be quite so highfalutin

That Thai place on 54 east in Chapel Hill isn't gonna be on anyone's top 50, but the place still rocks, and the staff remebers their regulars...

[Jerseyman4]

Two really good restaurants ive been to were Wasabi Sushi off US 64 in Cary and Char-Grill by the RBC.

[kickazzz2000]

Two really good restaurants ive been to were Wasabi Sushi off US 64 in Cary and Char-Grill by the RBC.

Cookout on Western Blvd!!!!

[DigitalSky]

I've never been to either of the places but that's really awesome news for the Triangle.

[tjoad]

I just went to AN in Cary and enjoyed it very much. I highly recommend it.

[DanRNC]

Article on Magnolia Grill. Didn't realize it was 20 years old.

Story

[tjoad]

Some friends and I went to Lantern last night and I have to say the food was outstanding for the most part (a couple of miscues). Every dish was unique, well-prepared and flavorful. The service was top-notch as well.

What I didn't really care for was the actual place. I kind of felt like I was in one of those cookie-cutter, dime-a-dozen Chinese places. Their furniture, carpet, silverware, plates, glassware were old, plain, and worn out. These details take away from the overall experience. You would think a 'Top 50' restaurant would have the food match the atmosphere/details .

[DanRNC]

Here is the actual list. I wouldn't be surprised to see the new restaurant at the Umstead Hotel on this list in the next couple of years.

Top 50

[rfreitag]

It's good to see Durham getting some national press coverage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/13/realesta...70&emc=eta1

[urbanesq]

VERY cool

[NCMike1981]

Is it just me or has the NY Times been writing a lot of stories about the Triangle recently?

[JDC]

^ Seems that way.

This was an excellent read. It's refreshing to get some good press from one of the biggest and best papers in the nation. Certainly beats having the N&O slinging mud at us.

[nowensone]

Is it just me or has the NY Times been writing a lot of stories about the Triangle recently?

They're going to - New York is the single largest transplant state for NC as whole, a sizable chunk of that going to the Triangle, not to mention the readers from the metro areas in NJ and Conn. that have also relocated here in high numbers.

[ncwebguy]

I used to work with Mike Lemanski in college at State's student newspaper and met Carl Webb recently in a seminar class at UNC in October. If they pull off their plans, that area (including the CCB/Sun Trust tower) will have an even bigger impact than the American Tobacco project for the CBD. Mr. Webb was at the "High Cost of Free Parking" lecture and is interested in revitalizing the urban core.

They seem to want to do what is best for the community and create sustainable developments. The road realignment will help, but it will all be for nothing if there is nothing *on* those streets. Jo and Joe's didn't survive the road repair/war zone, but hopefully five other places will take its place in a year or so.

[NCMike1981]

How much longer do u think parrallel parking will remain meter free in downtown Durham?

[JDC]

Jo and Joe's didn't survive the road repair/war zone, but hopefully five other places will take its place in a year or so.

Jo and Joe's didn't go "out of business" in the traditional sense. The owner, Jo Ann, sold the place due to family obligations in Belize.

[RaleighRob]

This is a good article and it's great hearing what Greenfire has been doing there. They are awesome.

I think they just might be on to something about no putting the ground-floor retail spaces on the market one at a time, but waiting till the residents are in, and then putting the retail spaces on the market all at once. It will be fascinating to see how that works out.

[bullcity76]

This is a good article and it's great hearing what Greenfire has been doing there. They are awesome.

I think they just might be on to something about no putting the ground-floor retail spaces on the market one at a time, but waiting till the residents are in, and then putting the retail spaces on the market all at once. It will be fascinating to see how that works out.

Greenfire and other property owners are working on not having overlapping retail/restaurant concepts also. You know like having 5 Asian Bistros and 8 pizza parlors in the CBD.

[RaleighRob]

Greenfire and other property owners are working on not having overlapping retail/restaurant concepts also. You know like having 5 Asian Bistros and 8 pizza parlors in the CBD.

Heh, what a concept. Maybe they can teach the Hillsborough Street folks a thing or two....cuz we really need a dozen pizza, wings, and coffee places, each.

[danclever]

Jo and Joe's didn't go "out of business" in the traditional sense. The owner, Jo Ann, sold the place due to family obligations in Belize.

Just wanted to add that it actually thrived, despite perceptions of crime and the ongoing streetwork.

[ncwebguy]

The ground floor retail/residents issue is a "chicken and egg" problem. Residents won't move downtown if there are no shops, and shops won't move downtown if there are no people.

If I owned a business, I would be happy to know my landlord owned several other buildings in the area *and* wanted to ensure my success by keeping out the competition as I was establishing my establishment.

[urbanvb]

What I have noticed happing in cases such as this is the retail is left undevelopment on the ground floor but the condos/hotels above are built until the density/pedestrian traffic is met.