The Elizabeth Cotten Mural honors the Blues legend. Scott Nurkin painted the mural as part of the…read moreNorth Carolina Musicians Mural Trail. This mural grabbed my attention right away. I see Cotten and her guitar, but the closer I look I see how remarkable this mural is with all the windows and the window AC units. This mural was not on a solid wall so that was likely more challenging. So who is Elizabeth Cotten? She was born in Chapel Hill back in 1893. She taught herself how to sing and play her brother's banjo. She was left-handed, and the guitar was for someone right-handed, so she learned to play the guitar upside down. The distinct sound of the guitar playing became her trademark, known as "Cotten Picking" She wrote "Freight Train" back when she was 11 or 12 years old as she could see and hear the railroad from her home. Her musical talents were not discovered until the 1940s when she was living in Washington, DC. Mike Seegar recorded some of her songs, and she started singing her own. She released her first album at age 65 back in 1958. Her songs are about her early life in NC. In 1984, she won a Grammy Award at 91 years of age for her album "Elizabeth Cotten Live!". She was inducted into the North Carolina Musical Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, both posthumously. It is a shame they didn't do this while she was alive, but at least she got the recognition she deserved..

The Betty Davis Mural was painted by Scott Nurkin for the North Carolina Musicians Mural Trail…read more This mural really gets Davis' essence and I like the bold colors. This one is at a busy shopping center at U Hill. It is on the side of O2 Fitness building. Parking is free and easy enough to find. Betty Davis is referred to as the "Queen of Funk". Besides funk, Davis also sang soul and rock music. She was born Betty Mabry but got her last name from a short marriage to Jazz legend Miles Davis. The marriage ended because of his violence. Davis was a protagonist and led the way for others. She was the first woman to write, produce and perform her songs herself. She sang what was on her mind rather than having men tell her what to think so she developed a bad reputation. Davis was barred from performing on television and radio because of her sexual liberation. She was ahead of her time. Check this mural and others in the shopping center if you find yourself in Durham and want to learn about this pioneer.

Scott Nurkin used his talents again for a mural for Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. This mural is in…read moreHillsborough on the side of the side of the Orange County Sportscomplex. There is plenty of parking but the sports complex is busy so be mindful of the traffic. Murray was born in Baltimore but later moved to Durham, NC. She was denied access to getting a Ph.D in Sociology at University of North Carolina because of her race. But that didn't stop her, from becoming a Civil Rights Activist, advocate, legal scholar, author and priest. She was first in her class at Howard Law School. The first African American to earn a JSD from Yale. She co-founded the National Organization for Women. She also was the first African American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest. Murray was ahead of her time and wanted the 14th Amendment to protect everyone and include women. Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Murray was one of her heroes and was influenced by Murray's work with Jane Crow to Ginsburg's Reed v. Reed at the Supreme Court in 1971. Make sure you stop here while in Hillsborough, NC as the Rev. Pauli Murray is an activist to learn about.

Likely overlooked often because both Morgan and McDowell are busy streets, so most folks don't stop…read morehere often. This small "green space" next to the parking deck is also ignored by walkers. But here at the corner is an interesting piece of art. "Hedron" (stainless steel, 2004) by local artist Carl Billingsley was created in 2004 and purchased by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission. About eight feel tall, the sculpture is interesting. Matte steel and angled, it looks almost robotic. The artist's web page: http://billingsleyatelier.com/ [Review 12480 overall, 2269 of 2019.]

Located in front of the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough, this 15 foot tall sculpture…read morelooks like a ribbon to me. Titled "Embrace the Moment", it is by artist Wayne Trapp. I was able to find some information about the artist, "Wayne Trapp was an American Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1935." He died in 2016. Some of his works were recently displayed at the Appalachian State University Turchin Center. https://tcva.org/event/wayne-trapp-a-life-in-the-arts/ I don't get "Embrace the Moment" from it, but I did appreciate the artistry and certainly the effort it would take to achieve such an artwork. [Review 17988 overall - 3312 in North Carolina - 1509 of 2022.]

Sometimes in life, you just have to embrace the moment. Sit back relax take a breath and realize…read morewhat you're doing. And that is what this is representation of.

This parade is held each December in Apex's charming and historic downtown. We just recently moved…read moreto the Raleigh, NC area, so we were curious to check it out and see what it was about. I don't know the whole parade route, but I'd suggest finding a spot to watch near the Apex Chamber of Commerce. A lot of people watching brought beach chairs along, which is an excellent idea. Unfortunately, it was rainy on the night of the event, but it was still fun. I was quite surprised by the size of the parade. We saw one marching band, various local dance groups, karate schools, color guard from the local school, Girl Scout troops, church groups, firetrucks, antique vehicles, an Elvis impersonator, Santa and much more. I felt like I had stepped into a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting, it's all very cute and idyllic. Be sure to arrive early so you have enough time to find a parking spot, a lot of the roads were closed off for the event. There are other Christmas festivities planned in that area for that weekend, so check out the town website for more info. https://www.apexnc.org/428/Special-Events-Festivals This is a great family friendly activity! I think most kids will love this parade.

The mural for John Prine is in Downtown Raleigh near the bus station. It was painted in 2018 by…read moreScott Nurkin, but it is not part of the Musicians Mural Project. It is just one I happened to find while trying to find those. This mural was completed in 2018 for the Wide Open Bluegrass International Festival that was held in Raleigh. Prine is an underappreciated country and folk musician. His songs are known for their storytelling and protest commentary. You likely know his music even if you don't recognize his name. Other musicians are still singing the songs he wrote. His record label commissioned the mural be painted in Raleigh.

We had a fun four years in Chapel Hill. This is a quintessential college town with some beautiful…read moreneighborhoods. Being from Atlanta, we found Chapel Hill very easy to get around. I will use this Yelp review to list my top 10 restaurants in Chapel Hill from our time here, June 2020 through July 2024. To qualify for this list, the restaurant must have a Chapel Hill address. 1. Bin 54 Steak & Cellar - I loved this place. A great local steakhouse for special occasions or if you just want to treat yourself. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bin-54-steak-and-cellar-chapel-hill-2 2. Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar - My wife and I, and our close Indian friends, ordered takeout from here a lot. Lime & Lemon was consistently excellent. Their Indian food is among the best we've had anywhere. We wish we had an Indian place like this in Atlanta. https://www.yelp.com/biz/lime-and-lemon-chapel-hill-chapel-hill 3. Osteria Georgi - Very good, higher-end, modern Italian restaurant. https://www.yelp.com/biz/osteria-georgi-chapel-hill 4. Hawthorne & Wood - Great New American restaurant with creative dishes. https://www.yelp.com/biz/hawthorne-and-wood-chapel-hill 5. Bluebird - Very good French restaurant/bistro with a stylish vibe. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bluebird-chapel-hill 6. Kipos Greek Taverna - Solid Greek food and wonderful service. https://www.yelp.com/biz/kipos-greek-taverna-chapel-hill 7. Mediterranean Deli - Fantastic Mediterranean food and salads. https://www.yelp.com/biz/mediterranean-deli-chapel-hill-2 8. Merritt's Grill - Chapel Hill institution with outstanding sandwiches. https://www.yelp.com/biz/merritts-grill-chapel-hill 9. Bangkok 54 - One of our go-to restaurants and a bit of a sentimental pick. The food and service here was always solid, especially the noodles. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bangkok-54-chapel-hill 10. 411 West Italian Cafe - Reliable, more-casual Italian restaurant. https://www.yelp.com/biz/411-west-italian-cafe-chapel-hill Honorable mentions: * bartaco - This was one of our go-to spots. Fun and tasty. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bartaco-chapel-hill-chapel-hill * Bonchon - Chapel Hill is lucky to have a Bonchon for yummy Korean fried chicken. https://www.yelp.com/biz/bonchon-chapel-hill-4 * Brenz Pizza Co. - Like Bangkok 54, another bit of a sentimental pick. We ordered pizza delivery from Brenz a lot. https://www.yelp.com/biz/brenz-pizza-co-chapel-hill-5 * Elements - Modern Asian fusion and New American in a nice atmosphere. https://www.yelp.com/biz/elements-chapel-hill * Kahlovera Mexican Bar & Grill - Like bartaco, Kahlovera at Meadowmont Village was another one of our go-to spots for tacos and margaritas. https://www.yelp.com/biz/kahlovera-mexican-bar-and-grill-chapel-hill-3 * Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery - Another Chapel Hill institution. You must sit on the patio overlooking Franklin Street. https://www.yelp.com/biz/top-of-the-hill-restaurant-and-brewery-chapel-hill * Wegmans - Technically, not a restaurant, but they have a dining room and lots of freshly-made, ready-to-eat foods. We ate a lot of Wegmans sushi. https://www.yelp.com/biz/wegmans-chapel-hill * Wheat - Great place for "authentic" Chinese food on Franklin Street. https://www.yelp.com/biz/wheat-chapel-hill-2