Raleigh-Durham North Carolina

For as long as I can remember I dreamed about visiting the great state of North Carolina. Why? I have no idea. I suppose I could blame one of my favorite artists, James Taylor, for his romantic song “Carolina in my Mind,” but the origin of my fascination has never been confirmed. I didn’t know what to expect other than imagining the typical picture of a southern home with a wraparound porch and substantial lush greenery like I had seen in Georgia. I can say after my whirlwind weekend getaway and glimpse into the lives of the locals that it was as pleasant as I could hope for.

Any seasoned jet setting business traveler understands the expanded schedules involved with trekking from coast to coast and the drag that accompanies it. The purpose of my visit was to attend one of my favorite cousin’s wedding, which brought me to the Raleigh-Durham area for only two full days. What’s interesting is that I wrote an article outlining the best cities in America for work-life balance and Durham was on the list. This minimal research gave me a peek at its underlying culture and heritage before diving in.

Jetlag Is Always Better With Food

Vin Rouge Restaurant

Our first night there we ventured to a small downtown area near the famous Duke University to grab some dinner. It was still summertime so there were only a few college kids lingering near the local bars but not many. The weather was only slightly humid, providing a pretty nice atmosphere to the evening. Although I suppose we should have initiated ourselves in southern cuisine, we ended up at Vin Rouge Restaurant, a casual but elegant French restaurant on Hillsborough Road.

Although I am the farthest away you can get from claiming to be a chef, my guilty pleasure is listening Anthony Bourdain’s satiric commentary as he pairs travel with culinary adventures. My long-time, near fanatical regard for the man’s work, combined with my latest television interest, The Mind of a Chef, implores me to share commentary on my amateur foodie experience.

While sipping my cold glass of Guinness we ordered a nice array of dishes and filled up on some carbs and an extremely delightful olive dipping mixture. My dad started out with escargot which I did indulge in to find that it was one of the more earthy tastes than those I’ve had before but still flavorful. I caved to one of my favorite starters a bubbling over cheesy goodness of the ultimate French onion soup. I should have known not to order more but the restaurant’s Gratin de Macaroni, or in layman’s terms a pound of bacon, noodles and gruyere cheese, who could resist that? Especially after hearing the lovely waitress announce that it was featured on the Food Channel’s “To Die For” list. It lived up to its reputation – rich and delicious, what I imagine the heart attack side of southern cooking to be.

The Beauty Of Blue Devils

Sarah P. Duke Gardens in bloom

Shifting towards the healthier side of southern food, the next day we ventured into the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the prestigious local campus. I assumed it would be nice given the school’s reputation but I had no idea just how beautiful it would be. Walking through the maze of vibrant flowers and plants I found myself wondering what was around the next bend.

We began in the vegetable garden where my cousin volunteers at every so often and found pumpkins prepping for the fall harvest. Bumble bees nearly the size of horses pollinated large sunflowers around a pond speckled with the most perfect Lilly pads. And just when you think it can’t get better, we walk around the corner to find massive terraces filled with plants that look like the brightest of paint strokes that form into a giant Monet mural. It was like the grand finale of the best 4^th of July fireworks show you’ve ever experienced.

As we left the gardens we passed by a large fountain where I imagined clusters young students reviewing their materials before class in this peaceful nook. Before departing, we took a short walk around the campus, which lived up to the Ivy League scenery with tall stone buildings and some with the symbol of the school system draped along the corners. Our destination was the Duke University Chapel, its elegance and importance prominent with its tall steeples and house-size wooden double doors. Although our perspective from the ground hardly revealed it, the entire church was shaped in the reflection of a giant cross, a unique and thoughtful architectural detail.

The interior of Duke Chapel was indeed impressive. Walking down the aisle I humbly found myself in awe while being transported back to my time in Europe many years ago. The symmetrical layers of arches that lined the inner walls, ornamented midway by dim lanterns, reached high overhead and delicately touched at the top. Straight down the middle, behind the altar and wooden regal seats there was a vibrant stained glass mosaic. Even on the humid gloomy day, it still lit up the sanctuary and easily drew our eyes into focus. Sitting in a pew, taking in the sight, I sent up a silent prayer of thanks and well wishes for both my cousin’s and soon after my own upcoming nuptials to our chosen life partners. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be a part of this honored church community, even as a visiting party.

There was a prayer room, statues along the wall and a crypt holding the remains of some of the most important people in Duke University’s history. The scene was easily comparable to a church in Rome with holy saints preserved to be honored in their white, carved cases for all to appreciate.

NC Nature Revealed

As my extended family parted ways in preparation for my cousin’s big day the following morning, my parents and I went on to explore a new area of the region, taking full advantage of our few vacation days. Some of those who are familiar with my interests know that I love visiting national parks and monuments any time I get the chance. Although the ones in North Carolina were a little too far for a quick trip, we did run into nearby Eno River State Park which was a pleasant surprise.

Our view on the Eno River Trail

We surveyed our options and found a short trail that faded into deep forestry. It was what my cousins would call a “mom trail,” no match for the mountain goat type but still nice. The surroundings looked like a picture out of Ansel Adam’s private collection, tall moss-covered tree trucks as far as you could see and a lush canopy of leaves above with small openings where light sprinkled through. We could hear children playing a little farther down and as soon as the river came into focus we saw them splashing and playing with their parents lounging nearby. It was like a frame from a true country song’s music video recalling childhood memories at the river. I couldn’t help but smile.

Mushroom Hunting

Eno River Mushrooms

Continuing along the short loop we found that most of our interests navigated our eyes toward the ground. We officially entered an impromptu mushroom hunt! They came in all different shapes, colors and sizes and grew on everything from trees, fallen branches and moss. My favorites were of course probably the most poisonous which you could tell by the cliche tint they wore. They were the tiniest of shrooms and were nearly glowing neon orange, projecting stark brightness among the mossy earthy tones. I took some extra pictures and sent them to my sister in law who simply loves (safe) mushroom hunting up in Washington State and she instantly noticed which ones held the venom.

After we came full circle and the family had gone we finished our walk by climbing up to a wooden suspension bridge that ironically reminded me of Olympia national park. Standing above the water we could hear the click clacking of rocks rolling around as the current pushed along. It was a nice finish to the trail.

Cityscape

It was pretty late in the day but we still weren’t finished, after all it was our only true tourist day. To hit as many cultural dimensions as we could, we drove to downtown for some grub. We had lunch at a local fish restaurant which even with my effort to describe the culinary aspect of the trip was decent but not memorable. The most notable commentary would be that the atmosphere was quaint with picnic-like benches covered in checkered table cloths and the food filled us up enough to keep walking a bit longer.

Just across the street was Brightleaf Square, a cute courtyard made up of brick buildings and cafes. Although it was a work day I was surprised just how quiet the area was, with many of the shops even closed during the time. There was a small stage set up, presumably for a local artist to entertain passerbys later that evening, which made me imagine just how charming the scene would be if we were there for the stars to come out.

Lucky Strike Water Tower

The Tobacco District

It was late in the day but we continued forth to find the Historic Tobacco District, which represents the heritage of North Carolina. It felt strange having cigarette logos and water towers serving as symbols of a culture’s identity, especially in modern day when the act of smoking is so greatly frowned upon. The city recently renovated the area to include an extended water feature that flowed through the district which was pretty neat. One of the local restaurants called Mellow Mushroom, fitting for our experience back at the Eno River, had one of my favorite water fountains though I must say. It was made up of beer taps and turned on and off as you pulled and pushed the tall handles. I just thought it was awesome, plus it made me want a cold brew which is always a good thing!

It was overall a pretty pleasant stroll through downtown Durham. I tend to take note of the little things along the way like hints of an alternative world as we walked under an overpass that had a discarded item hidden in a paper bag beside every other foundation pillar. The train and bus station was filled of commuters and one notable little hotdog stand that bellowed music from its umbrella for those passing, attracting spirited hollers nearby. It was lively and I felt that I was able to get a glimpse even for just a few minutes in passing of some of the true residents of the town.

Country Road

The next day we woke up ready for the biggest day in my little cousin’s life – when he would marry the love of his life. I hd met his future wife briefly the night we arrived at our hotel and she seemed just as sweet as you would expect from a southern girl. Driving to the destination I heard my James Taylor sing “Country Road” and took mental snapshots of the farms and fields that I was seeing, feeling like I was with him as he wrote the original song. The trees were lush and the air was thick. Even mid-day I could hear the buzzing serenades of the crickets and critters trying to make their statements of claim to the land.

Southern Charm

The Ceremony Site

The wedding was small and beautifully quaint in a setting that you could only imagine represented the image of North Carolina that you see in postcards and in dreams. The ceremony took place on the grounds of an old country home with a wraparound porch and huge grassy area that Californians could only see in pictures of far off lands. There was even a little playground set in the middle of the lawn for kids to enjoy after they release their burst of energy that was bound to come out after sitting through a “mushy” event such as this.

The scene was picturesque as “Carolina in my Mind” could be, and even perfectly complete with two brown horses that trotted at their own free will in the background. Our other cousin would have reveled at the sight as a veterinarian of large animals and a barrel racer herself. The weather was unpredictable just as the late summer season there tends to be. We expected rain, which we did get lightly, but it held off just long enough to keep the bride and groom dry for their holy vows. The reception was a backyard BBQ complete with pulled pork and potato salad. It was so simple and charming that I couldn’t think of any improvements that could be made to the southern experience.

I finally achieved my dream to visit the great state of North Carolina and although brief, gave me many wonderful memories to pin to my map. From the small town feeling, to the historic industrial success, any traveler can appreciate the diverse and humble surroundings that are embedded in the region.