Peach Tea Tyler’s Taproom, Carrboro www.tylerstaproom.com I was drawn to the Peach Tea cocktail while out with friends last weekend to celebrate my husband’s birthday.  I’m a big fan of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, which is saying a lot since I don’t like sweet tea in its natural form at all, by which I mean
Read more

Rockbridge Lexington & Concord Other words on the label:  Virginia Sweet Red Table Wine The label on this wine, featuring sketches of impressive buildings and people who I am sure are fine patriots, leads me to believe that drinking it will cause me to rise up and fight for the right to duck taxes. It
Read more

Disclaimer: I went to Bavarian Brathaus with a German friend who thinks it is fantastic and has tried many things on the menu. I think if I were a bigger lover of meat, I may have liked it more. Also, portions are large!

This traditional German restaurant, complete with servers in traditional dress and beer steins and flags decorating the indoors, is a very welcoming environment. The owners and several workers are actually German, which delighted my companion as she could speak her language freely. The outdoor seating area is gorgeous.

Hanover Park Mourvedre 2005 Other words on the label:  Yadkin Valley, Alcohol Content 13% This is another wine from our recent trip to the Yadkin Valley wine region and fortunately, this one lived up to the tasting room sample!  We have not been so lucky with some of our other choices from the trip. It
Read more

Cancun Cocktail Bandido’s Mexican Café Woodcroft, Durham http://www.bandidoscafe.com The Cancun Cocktail, served in a hurricane glass, is the color of a salmon fillet.  Unappetizing description aside, it’s a great drink with dark rum, peach schnapps; orange, pineapple and papaya juices.  Peach schnapps would overpower a lighter base but it serves to mellow out the dark
Read more

El Paraiso *CLOSED* 111 S. Alston Street East Durham (Note, I only think this is the East Durham area.  Feel free to correct me!) Lunch/Dinner:  $2-7 per item I’ve been dying to try one of Durham’s taquerias for quite some time, as they have been heavily praised.  On my way back from the Animal Protection
Read more

Fiesta Bandido’s Mexican Cafe 4711 Hope Valley Road Woodcroft Shopping Center, Durham www.bandidoscafe.com The Fiesta is a tropical cocktail made with Malibu rum, crème de banane, and pineapple juice.  The noxiously yellow drink came in a hurricane glass with plenty of ice.  The banana is apparent on first sip but is overpowered by the pineapple
Read more

Thai Cafe 2501 University Drive Durham http://www.thaicafenc.com Entrees:  $11-19 Thai Cafe is a restaurant that I’ve read lots of good things about on Eclectic Glob of Tangential Verbosity and so has been on my gigantic list of places to try for a while.  It is located across the street from Nana’s, Rockwood Filling Station and
Read more

Mandarin Crush Thai Cafe 2501 University Drive Durham http://www.thaicafenc.com The Mandarin Crush is a cherry brandy cocktail served in a martini glass with two cherries at the bottom.  It resembles a golden and pink-tinged sunset, which certainly set me up to enjoy its flavors. And enjoy it I did.  The cocktail is mildly sweet with
Read more

My famed wanderlust has been in overdrive lately and after days of pestering, the husband relented and I booked us for a one day getaway to the Yadkin Valley for some wine tasting madness.  As most of the valley is within 2-4 hours of the Triangle, you could easily make a day trip out of
Read more