Carolina Capers: Vicars, Trains & More

VIEWING: VICARS AND CRIME

Grantchester Season 9 (PBS)

On set, Robson Green (Geordie) & Rishi Nair (Vicar Alphy Kottaram) (pbs.org)

Life in the village of Grantchester rolls on, and Vicar Will Davenport, with some hesitation, accepts a new job offer.  He and Bonnie and their kids will move to Newcastle.  

The Chief Penguin and I watched the entire season of eight episodes, and we think it’s an excellent one. Episodes 1 and 2 do provide murders to solve, but they more significantly focus on Will’s decision to leave and how that is unveiled to Geordie and others in the community.  These episodes present a wonderful depiction of male friendship, both the complex yet deep relationship between Will and Geordie and Will’s strong bond with former curate Leonard.  

From this poignant and moving departure, the series continues with the arrival of new vicar, Alphy Kotteram, whose initial welcome is cool to tepid.  Women’s roles, or more specifically, women’s place in society, come to the fore as evidenced by cantankerous yet devoted Mrs. C. demonstrating her loyalty, Cathy struggling with midlife issues, and Miss Scott in the police department assisting in the murder investigations.  

Grantchester has been renewed for yet another season.  Recommended!

TRAIN RIDE THROUGH THE WOODS

New Hope Valley Railway

This past week, we went on an outing to nearby Bonsal about 20 miles south of Cary.  From Bonsal, you can ride a train on historic track for 4 miles to nearby New Hill.  A locomotive pulls airy passenger cars through leafy woods of pines and deciduous trees.  There is not a lot to see, but the trip is a pleasant meander.  

The most action is at New Hill when the locomotive engine uncouples from the front of the train, runs on a parallel track, and then couples up with what was the back of the train for the return to Bonsal.  The whole trip takes just under an hour.

Engine on the parallel track

An all-volunteer enterprise, the railway goes all out for holidays with flying witches at Halloween and Frosty the Snowman and Santa around or on board in December.  Gina, the brake woman in our car, overflowed with details about the these preparations.

Also on site is a gift shop, of course, a range of antique train cars, and an elaborate G Scale model train layout that is mesmerizing for all ages.  We enjoyed sampling this North Carolina attraction and know that it would appeal to many folks’ grandchildren!

READING—NOT ON MY SUMMER LIST

A Poet’s Memoir

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

(nytimes.com)

I like memoirs and read a good review of this book, so put it on my birthday wish list. Prior to reading it, I had not heard of poet Maggie Smith nor was I aware of her 2016 poem, Good Bones, that went viral after the horrible shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando.

Other memoirs have dealt with marriage break-ups and the challenges of parenting as one and not two.  What Smith does in You Could Make This Place Beautiful is unique; her memoir is made up of snippets of life, questions one could pose, and a play within the memoir.  

The reader gets raw, painful episodes of hurt and anger along with accounts of the joys she shares with her young daughter and son.  She discovered her husband’s infidelity on a postcard; she dubs herself the Finder in her drama scenes and he The Addressee.  Throughout her musings are some sections that recur like “A Note on Plot”, or “A Friend Says Every Book Begins with an Unanswerable Question” where one time the text reads: “Then what is mine? how to forgive or “how to remain myself.”

Smith reiterates that this is not a tell-all book, but rather a “tell-mine.”  She omits certain scenes and specifics yet delves into her early life, their courtship, and their marriage.  Ultimately, she believes her view of her professional life and his view of it, her work vs. his work, colored their relationship, and ignited its fracturing.  

None of this is written in a linear way as she reflects, revisits issues, revises her thinking, consults and quotes other writers, and shares her experiences with her therapists. At one point, she states that she had hoped to have more levity on the page to offset the sadness and hurt.  She studies and revises her view of herself again and again as she works to become, I would phrase it, a more fully integrated person.  

There is an immediacy here; some issues, such as finalizing the divorce drag on in litigation as she writes.  Her children also take turns on take center stage as she ponders their futures, mourning the fact that their father moved out of state, limiting their access to him. The depth of her love for these two resilient kids is clear.  

There is pain on the page and yet, there is a magnetic quality about the writing (her poet’s eye for precision, e.g.) that kept me glued to the text.  Highly recommended!  (~JWFarrington)

Note: Unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Carolina Capers: A Novel & More

THE BIG MOVE

Ready to move!

After a decade of retirement living on the west coast of Florida, the Chief Penguin and I moved to eastern North Carolina!  We spent two days on the road with a night in Brunswick, Georgia, before arriving in our new state.  Move-in day was just a week ago, but we’ve made great progress toward getting settled. 

We have a spacious, light-filled apartment in a retirement community.  The daily calendar offers a raft of activities and events plus a complete range of exercise and fitness classes—if you’re bored, it’s your own fault!  Among the several dining venues, we have become fans of the small plates and tapas in one area.  In another venue, stations for salads and sandwiches, wok offerings, pizza, and soups provide additional tempting fare.  With so much good food and all the choices, there’s the risk of adding a “freshman fifteen.”  Not part of our plan!

We’ve been out and about on foot to the new downtown park and then on to the noteworthy La Farm Bakery. The bakery stop was a must for the Chief Penguin, and it passes muster.  Just a few miles down the road by car are both CVS and Walgreens and a Harris Teeter supermarket.  Thus far, we are most pleased with this new adventure!

NOVEL OF THE WEEK

Leaving by Roxana Robinson

(roxanarobinson.com)

Leaving is Roxana Robinson’s latest novel.  I thoroughly enjoyed several of her earlier works including the highly praised Cost. This book too stayed with me.  Sarah, a museum curator, is divorced, lives in Manhattan, and has two grown children.  Warren, an architect, is from Boston, married, but unhappily so, and has an adult daughter.  Theirs was a college romance which Sarah broke off without seeming to give him a reason.  When they meet again thirty years later, they reconnect and have an affair.  

Emotions can be messy and when they become entangled and entwined with an existing family, the fallout can be disastrous.  How much sway should adult children hold over the actions of their parents?  How obligated is a spouse who wants a divorce to heed the wishes of an adult daughter?  What are the consequences and conflicts of being the other woman?

Sarah and Warren are depicted as decent people, individuals with a conscience.  Sarah knows she’s involved in an adulterous affair but rationalizes that she’s continuing a relationship that began long ago.  Warren is a man of honor with a strong moral code.  

The events of the novel unfold over several decades with a twist at the end; it may surprise some, but I thought it was in keeping with these characters.  Recommended!  (~JWFarrington)

SHOUT OUT TO ARTS & CENTRAL

This is for my Florida friends.  Arts & Central is a hot new dining venue in Sarasota’s Rosemary District.  We dined here with friends just before leaving the area.  It’s an expansive space with great patio seating, a large interior with scattered tables, and a long bar with plenty of seating for walk-ins.  Lots of wood and some metal make for a casual slightly industrial vibe. 

There are fish, beef, and other entrees, but we mostly stuck to the small plates for sharing.  The lamb sliders, piquillo peppers with goat cheese, and sticky ribs were all excellent.  We also sampled the Brussels sprouts and the green goddess shrimp salad.  Only real disappointment was the tater tots.  Only open for 3 weeks, the place was full!  We wouldn’t hesitate to return, so make a reservation if you’re tempted.

Note: Unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

November Interlude: Dining Out in North Carolina

We spent Thanksgiving week in North Carolina enjoying relaxing times with family, but also dining out with my sisters and brothers-in-law. Chapel Hill and Greensboro offer a range of choices; here are several we tried. I also admired the last of the fall colors, here and there spectacular red and blazing yellow foliage.

IN GREATER CHAPEL HILL

Tarantini

An inviting casual Italian restaurant in the Governors Club development. The menu offers pasta, pizzas, and both veal and chicken dishes. The house and Greek salads were good, and, our table had several orders of lasagna and one of the beef short ribs. I had their chicken piccata with capers in a nicely thick lemony sauce. Service was very friendly, but our waitress was too eager to clear the plates.

Flair

Flair Fusion Restaurant (TripAdvisor)

Flair is a sister restaurant to Tarantini in the same complex and somewhat more elegant in its décor. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu that has some Asian touches. We had dinner and the food was delicious.

The entrée menu runs the gamut from sophisticated salmon and chicken dishes to shrimp and grits, lobster ravioli, and lamb osso bucco with risotto. There are also burgers, Asian noodle and rice dishes, and a wide range of starters including a tasty duck confit egg roll which I ordered. For my main course, I opted for rice vermicelli with veggies and shrimp in a scallion ginger sauce. A pleasant vibe and professional service make this appealing for a return visit.

PITTSBORO

The Modern Life Deli & Drinks

We always look forward to lunch and shopping in historic Pittsboro, just down the road from Chapel Hill. Our usual place is the S & T’s Soda Shoppe, but they are often closed around Thanksgiving. They were this time too, so we returned to The MOD for their good sandwiches, salads and pizzas. Noteworthy were the grilled cheese and bacon sandwich and the soft pretzels accompanied by mustard and an addictive queso which we all dipped into.

CARY

Academy Street Bistro

Exterior & courtyard of Academy Street Bistro (The Triangle Explorer)

Located in old downtown Cary in Ashworth Village, Academy Street Bistro is an attractive casual place serving both lunch and dinner. For summer days, there’s lovely patio seating. We had lunch here and appreciated the warm welcome and the delicious salads. My Caesar salad with grilled chicken was just perfect; the thin strips of chicken did not overwhelm the greens. Others in our group had their salads with a tasty crab cake on top. 

Ashworth Village is a charming set of shops including an olive oil and vinegar store and a gallery featuring works by local artists. This part of Cary is very walkable. We checked out the impressive new regional library and a grand red brick elementary school that is now a performing arts center.

GREENSBORO

Green Valley Grill

Located in the same area as the Proximity Hotel and its Printworks restaurant which we have enjoyedthe Green Valley Grill is adjacent to the O. Henry Hotel, Proximity’s sister property.  The dining room is spacious and attractive with dark wood and high ceilings. The menu is creative, and the chef has upped the ante on some standards with intriguing twists.  We began with za’atar spiced crispy cauliflower for the table.  

The Chief Penguin and I each ordered chicken salads; he the peasant variation with a tomato vinaigrette and I, the grilled chicken Cobb with Gorgonzola dressing.  A and P sampled the farro salmon salad and the white flatbread topped with several cheeses, mushrooms, and broccolini.  Everything was very good. I’d be happy to explore the menu further!

BACK HOME IN SARASOTA

Bijou Garden Café

Under new ownership for a about a year now, the formerly named Bijou Café revamped and redecorated and became the Bijou Garden Café.  Recently, we came to celebrate our anniversary. The new décor is lovely, even elegant.  One of the dining areas, which we liked, has been given over to the bar and bar seating and seems to be very popular. 

Swordfish

The menu has been streamlined, shortened actually, and a couple of my favorites like the chicken paillard and the trout are among the missing.  The entrees emphasize meat—beef, lamb, and duck, with prices ranging from $38 to $43.  I ordered the grilled swordfish on orzo with spinach which was delicious and less expensive at $30.  The Chief Penguin’s chicken Provencal with roast potatoes was a bit under seasoned.  This was our second dinner here, and we still miss the old Bijou.  I don’t think we’ll hurry back.

Fall foliage in Cary

Note: Photos of fall color in Cary and swordfish photo ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Tidbits: Watching & Chapel Hill

WATCHING

Still Relevant 60’s Musical

Hair

It’s hard to believe that I’d never seen a stage production of Hair until this week.  I certainly knew many of the songs and something about the basic premise.  Seeing it at the Asolo Theatre was a powerful experience.  

The time is 1968, the place the streets of Greenwich Village, and the Vietnam War is raging.   This gang of hippies, or wolf pack as they dub themselves, celebrates peace and love while promoting and participating in anti-war protests.  Individually like Claude, or collectively, they must struggle with the realities of the draft.   

The performance is energetic and almost electric, and the singing boisterous.  It set my toes to tapping. The magnificently disordered set appropriately reflects both the inner and outer disruption in these young people’s lives.  Despite its age, I found parts of Hair relevant to today.  The show runs until January 1.  Highly recommended!

Black & White in the 1920’s

Passing (Netflix)

Clare & Irene (okayplayer.com)

This black and white film is being aired both in movie theaters and on Netflix.  Irene and Brian are a well-off Black couple living in Harlem with their two sons.  Claire is Irene’s sort-of friend from school days who’s married to a white man and living her life as if she were white.  When the two women encounter each other in a restaurant, Clare builds upon their previous relationship and inserts herself into Irene’s life.  She regularly travels up to Harlem to visit and to go out with Irene and Brian.  How each woman deals with her multiple roles (wife and mother) and creates her place in society makes for a complex and haunting film.  Shadows abound while tension lurks beneath the surface.  Recommended!

CHAPEL HILL AND ENVIRONS

Shopping

We spent several days in the Chapel Hill area over Thanksgiving, and both shopped and ate well.  A frequent outing is browsing the art galleries and shops in Pittsboro.  Established in 1785, Pittsboro is a charming small town, and soon became the Chatham County seat. 

Chatham County Courthouse (en.wikipedia.org)

One main shopping street runs into a traffic circle around the historic county courthouse, built in 1881.  The building has been altered and renovated several times but remains an imposing and attractive example of late Victorian architecture.  Many stores were closed because of the holiday, but our family group still browsed and bought. 

Another must stop on this visit was a trip to McIntyre’s Books in Fearrington Village.  Founded in 1989, it is truly a booklover’s paradise.  The store’s multiple rooms and alcoves are inviting, and the inventory includes the latest fiction and nonfiction, classics, cookbooks galore, many, many mysteries, and a room devoted to just children’s books.  It’s a real treasure, and true to form, I made several Christmas purchases.  

Eating

Wednesday lunch was at The Mod, short for The Modern Life Deli & Drinks.  The menu at this Pittsboro café included a wide selection of sandwiches and pizzas.  My turkey rosemary pesto panini was very satisfying as was the Caesar salad on the side.  Very good value! 

Appealing fare at The Mod (tripadvisor.org)

On our last night, we dined at Mosaic Café & Bistro in Carrboro. As its name suggests, Mosaic offers a mix of small plates and larger entrees, some vegan or vegetarian, others what we might call regular cuisine (here that meant gluten-free).  The Chief Penguin boldly ordered Ethiopian roasted parsnips and carrots as well as the vegan meatballs.  The meatballs were made of seitan and served in a slightly spicy tomato sauce.  If you didn’t know, you’d think they were really meat!  These were small plates, but not truly small portions.  Also popular with our companions were the sea scallops, escargots, and French onion soup.  Playing it safe, I ordered the shrimp skewers and avocado.  Mosaic is an attractive space with rust-colored walls and framed art.

In downtown Greensboro earlier in the week, we had a tasty lunch at Jerusalem Market on Elm.  They offer takeout or ordering at the counter for eating in.  Among the four of us, we sampled the shawarma, chicken kebab, falafel, and hummus.  Flavors were fresh, portions ample, and we were happily satisfied.  The restaurant is an affiliate of a local food market founded in 1989; when customers wanted more prepared foods, the sons of the owner decided to create this downtown restaurant.  It’s a recent addition to the dining scene.

Jerusalem Market offerings (happy cow.net)

Note: Header photo of the Asolo Theatre set for Hair is courtesy heraldtribune.com.