RDU On the Rise: Dreamville, José Andrés’ BBQ stop & medical marijuana

Hey there! This is Drew Jackson, The N&O’s food and dining reporter, delivering this week’s RDU On the Rise.

This newsletter marks my (triumphant?) return from a two-month stretch of paternity leave. As I emerge from this hyperbaric baby bubble, I’m reentering a time where apparently Bojangles has a boozy tea and there’s a Cheerwine beer. Meanwhile my already crippling caffeine addiction has escalated. But shoutout to Cocoa Cinnamon, Counter Culture and Liturgy for keeping me alive.

Here’s the little sir on one of our many Downtown Durham walks with a fresh afternoon iced coffee in the cup holder.

One time in the pre-baby land we went to Picnic in Durham kind of on the early side, around 5:00 p.m., because we had to make it to Broken Spoke for soft service ice cream before the sun went down. Picnic was packed with exclusively young parents having beers and barbecue at this seemingly geriatric dining hour and I GET IT NOW.

I admit, we bought into the whole playing classical music for babies thing. Many mornings were spent introducing our guy to the musical canon: Willie, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Sam Cooke, the Beatles AND the Stones because it’s absurd to think you can’t love both. I don’t know of any scientific way of telling what kind of music a baby is into, but he seems pretty intrigued when Doc Watson plays the harmonica.

Anyway, it’s great to be back. Here’s what life looks like in the Triangle this week:

Dreamville countdown

Dreamville is a month away and this week dropped a stunning lineup. Reporter Anna Johnson has covered Dreamville for years and has the rundown on what to expect April 1-2 in Dorthea Dix Park. J. Cole of course headlines his home-state music festival and will be joined by Drake, Usher, Burna Boy and a dozen other hip hop artists.

The great outdoors

I’ve seen enough, winter is officially over. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that other than some midnight sleet as I took the dog out one time in December, I won’t see a single snowflake, drop of wintry mix or even freezing rain all winter. Now I’m wearing shorts and sipping lemonade and honestly not hating it.

▪ We have a new updated list of the Triangle’s best outdoor patios, rooftops and beer gardens, basically the best places to reacquaint yourself with sunshine and joy.

▪ Lately I’ve been into Raleigh’s Standard Beer+Food, which feels like having a beer in a friend’s backyard, only that friend makes perfect crisp pilsners and really fancy tater tots.

Now that spring is springing, there’s still time for some gardening, but only just, according to a fun piece by Kimberly Cataudella on spring seedlings.

• I’m currently concerned about a gardenia in my yard that’s looking rather brown. But I’ll try to instead think about the glorious camellia that blooms tried and true every March, pictured below.

• That bush bloomed even earlier this year and I’m thankful to Korie Dean for tracking down answers to what this warm February will mean for spring.

Extremely tasty bites

José Andrés, BBQ fan

Imagine you’re Original Q Shack owner Dan Ferguson, on your restaurant’s cutting line, just going about your usual day in barbecue paradise and in walks one of the most famous chefs in the world, unannounced and hungry.

▪ That’s what happened in Durham this week, when José Andrés, renowned chef, humanitarian and seemingly one of the great humans, stopped by Q Shack on the way to Greensboro. Andrés got a second round of brisket.

Two new restaurants

There’s been a lot of big restaurant news while I’ve been away, including the latest round of James Beard semifinalists. Thanks to Kimberly Cataudella and Korie Dean for keeping everyone informed and hungry.

▪ I published a couple new restaurant stories this week, including a scoop on what’s replacing the popular Locals Oyster Bar in Raleigh’s Transfer Co. Food Hall. Look for sushi from one of the Triangle’s top Mexican restaurateurs. Also, the longtime chef of Raleigh’s Bida Manda and Brewery Bhavana will depart to open a new Laotian restaurant in Cary.

Blue plate bummer

The modern diner seems alive and well, with lots of new restaurants embracing the comforting Americana of blue plate specials.

But one of the top spots for all-day dining will close this month, as Durham bids farewell to Jack Tar & the Colonel’s Daughter.

Thanks for the many meals and the excellent aged egg nog.

An official cookie

My introduction to Moravian sweets came from my former editor and Stokes County native Scott Bolejack, who gifted me a Moravian cake, which was a spiced and sticky bit of wonderful.

▪ The North Carolina General Assembly is currently considering naming the Moravian cookie as North Carolina’s official state cookie.

▪ A state should have a cookie and newly promoted Capitol Bureau Chief Dawn Baumgartner Vaughn has a delicious story on everything you need to know about NC’s likely state sweet, the Moravian Cookie.

Make sure you know about this

Wilmington Riverwalk: Perhaps best known (by me) as downtown Capeside in Dawson’s Creek, Wilmington’s river district has been nominated as one of the country’s best riverwalks. Kimberly Cataudella has the story on the Cape Fear’s front porch.

Theater closing: It’s a tough time for movie theaters and Kristen Johnson has the story on Apex losing its only one.

Foxes among us: It’s baby fox season, which sounds pretty cute. Korie Dean has a story on leaving fox families alone.

4:20 anyone? It’s unclear if this was on purpose, but the NC State Senate voted to pass a medical marijuana bill at exactly 4:20 p.m. Politics reporters Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Avi Bajpai have the story on why the bill still stands a hazy chance of ever becoming law.

More outdoor hockey: The Stadium Series game was incredible. I even managed to land a ticket myself. Luke DeCock has a great piece on Raleigh’s options for more outdoor hockey.

That’s all for now

As I get back up to full restaurant beat speed, let me know if there’s any dining news or features you’d like to see, I’m at jdjackson@newsobserver.com.

I’ve heard a lot of horror stories from friends with zero or scant parental leave, so I have to say I’m endlessly grateful to McClatchy for recognizing the importance of a generous leave policy. It’s been far from a vacation, but I can’t imagine how dire things would be without that time.

Next week, you’ll hear from breaking news reporter Colleen Hammond, so I know things will be far more entertaining.

Have a great weekend!

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