Eat Where You Are + Losing a Community Champion + 300 Drones on the Fourth

Today is Bourdain Day. Anthony Bourdain spent his life proving that food isn’t just fuel—it’s the quickest way to understand the soul of a place and the people who survive there. He could sit across from a president or a stranger in a neon-lit alley, making both feel like neighbors. His whole philosophy boiled down to four words: eat where you are.

Now, I am obviously not Anthony Bourdain. I’m not embarking on a high-stakes cultural deep dive into the pavement of Eastgate Shopping Plaza. But I am someone who watches where the community gathers.

Nearly a year ago, Tropical Storm Chantal tore through here, leaving Eastgate underwater. It was a devastating blow to our local business owners, who were suddenly forced to make incredibly hard choices in the face of sudden hardship. We are so incredibly grateful for those whose passion for serving food to our local community drove them to fight their way back onto our local palate. They overcame massive obstacles to get back open and keep their people employed. They are cooking right now, and we’re lucky to have them. This is my small way of saying thank you for staying.

If you treat breakfast as a transactional grab-and-go affair, Snooze will correct you. It’s the kind of place that forces you to slow down and treat a random Tuesday morning like an event. You can see the care on the plate before you even take a bite. But let’s skip the small talk: you are here for the sweet potato pancakes. If you haven’t had them, drop whatever you are doing and go. It’s a brief, unapologetic trip to heaven. I refuse to tone down the hype on this one—they’re that good.

We often forget why we actually bother going out to restaurants until a place like Kipos reminds us. My niece took me there for my birthday, and it was such a wonderfully nice, quaint spot for Sunday brunch. The magic was sitting out on that beautiful patio, enjoying the excellent service, and taking in the thoughtful presentation of the food itself. The servers were incredibly patient, even taking the time to talk through the menu with us. If you go, ask for CJ. Kipos is exactly where you take someone when you want to show off the best of what Chapel Hill can be.

Clean Juice has always been that rare, reliable spot where you walk in knowing you’re going to leave feeling good about what you ordered. They’ve updated the menu recently—for instance, my usual peanut butter banana toast has transitioned to an almond butter version. Even with the new adjustments, the menu absolutely holds up. The core of what makes Clean Juice great hasn’t changed at all.

There is a specific anxiety that comes with a massive restaurant menu. You take a gamble on something new, it disappoints you, and you spend the rest of the meal bitter about the money you wasted. The Loop is the antidote to that fear. It doesn’t matter what you order; it’s going to hit the mark. I’ve been back enough times now to confirm this isn’t a fluke. From comfort classics to new risks, they earn your trust with every single plate. I’m already plotting my next order.

Eat where you are. For me, that’s Eastgate. It’s a strip mall that took a beating, stood its ground, and just keeps giving back to the community.

P.S. Ulta is back open, too. Don’t underestimate the pure joy of having your favorite spots right around the corner.

Orange County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford died Sunday at the age of 67, following complications from surgery at UNC Hospital. She represented District 1, which covers Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and was serving her second term. She had won the March Democratic primary and was headed to a third.

Before the Board of Commissioners, she served 12 years on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. She was an accountant by profession and an advocate for residents with disabilities and families on the autism spectrum. Commissioners chair Jean Hamilton called her "a tireless advocate for our community."

The family has asked that donations be made to the Autism Society of North Carolina's Camp Royall in Moncure.

This is a loss that will be felt for a long time.

Thu, Jun 25 Ol’ Joey Scrums with The Rattletraps and Eric Lee Hardt | Cat’s Cradle Back Room, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Fri, Jul 4 MC Chris with Swell Rell | Cat’s Cradle Back Room, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Tue, Jul 7 The Bug Club with Golomb | Cat’s Cradle Back Room, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | catscradle.com

Every Wed Wine Down Wednesday at La Vita Dolce | Southern Village, 610 Market St., Chapel Hill | 5–8pm, music at 6pm | Live music, wine specials, and a perfect midweek reset. Now in its 10th year.

Fri-Sat, Jun 26–27 Dex Fest | Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 6pm, Show 7pm each night | Two-night tribute to late Carrboro music legend Dexter Romweber. Two-night passes available. | catscradle.com

Fri, Jun 26 Last Fridays Art Walk and Makers Market | Downtown Hillsborough | 5:30–9pm | Free. Galleries, artist studios, live music on the courthouse lawn, outdoor vendors. One of the best free nights out in Orange County. | hillsboroughartscouncil.org

Ongoing through Jul 12 Jen Clay: Soft Night, Watching | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill | Free. Open Wed–Sun. Closed July 4. | ackland.org

Mon, Jun 30 New Member-Artist Gallery Show | The ArtsCenter, 400 Roberson St., Carrboro | Featuring Natalie Boorman, Nerys Levy, emerging artist Lah Boh, and the Youth Art Group. | artscenterlive.org

Fri, Jun 26 Carrboro Pride Dance Party | Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. | 5–9pm | Food trucks, drag shows, music, crafts for the kids. Co-organized with El Centro Hispano. Everyone welcome. | carrboronc.gov

Sat, Jul 4 Carrboro Fourth of July Celebration | Weaver Street Market Lawn, 9:30am. People’s Parade kicks off at 10:50am, led by the Bulltown Strutters to Carrboro Town Commons. Festivities on the Commons 11am–1:30pm with contests, food, and live music. 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck emcees. Then the 13th Annual Community Reading of Frederick Douglass’s “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro” at the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St., 2–4pm. Keynote by Dr. Ajamu Dillahunt-Holloway of NC State. Remarks by Mayor Barbara Foushee. | townofcarrboro.org

Sat, Jul 4 Chapel Hill Drone Show | Chapel Hill High School, 9217 Seawell School Rd. | 7–9:45pm | Free. New this year: 300 synchronized drones replace fireworks at a new, more central location. Don’t show up at the old spot. | chapelhillnc.gov

Sat, Jul 4 Old-Fashioned Fourth of July | Horace Williams House, 610 E. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill | 1–3pm | Free. Performance by The Village Band, ice cream, lemonade. Bring a lawn chair. | preservationchapelhill.org

Sat, Jul 4 Fourth of July at The Plant | The Plant, 220 Lorax Lane, Pittsboro | 2–9pm | Free (pay for food and drink). Cookout, yard games, sprinklers for kids, live music.

Every Sat Carrboro Farmers’ Market | Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. | 7am–noon | Everything sold is grown or made within 50 miles. July 4 special hours: 7–10:30am, relocated to W. Main St. in front of Carrboro Town Hall. | carrborofarmersmarket.com

Every Sat Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market | University Place, 201 S. Estes Dr. | 8am–noon | Local produce, pottery, prepared foods, all from within 60 miles. | thechapelhillfarmersmarket.com

Sun, Jun 28 School of Rock Chapel Hill Mid-Season Preview Show | Cat’s Cradle Back Room, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro | Doors 11:30am, Show noon | $10 suggested donation. | catscradle.com

Sun, Jul 5 Pittsboro First Sunday Artisan Market | Downtown Pittsboro Pop-Up Park, 50 W. Salisbury St., Pittsboro | Noon–4pm | Family-friendly market with food trucks and local vendors.

Tue-Sat, Jul 1–5 Durham Bulls vs. Gwinnett Stripers | Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham | July 4 first pitch at 6:45pm, followed by the City of Durham’s official fireworks celebration. | durhambulls.com

Sat, Jul 4 PORCH Food Drive at Carrboro’s July 4th Events | Bring non-perishable items to donation bins at Weaver Street Market and Carrboro Town Commons. Support PORCH’s hunger-relief work right here in Chapel Hill-Carrboro.

Chapel Hill’s July 4th celebration has changed. No fireworks this year. Instead, 300 synchronized drones at a new location: Chapel Hill High School on Seawell School Rd. If you’ve been going to Southern Community Park, update your plans now.

Carrboro Town Council is on summer hiatus until September 15, 2026.

July 4 closures: Town and county offices, the Orange County landfill, and most government services will be closed. Trash and recycling schedules may be delayed.

Coming up after this window: PlayMakers’ Summer Youth Conservatory presents “Hello, Dolly!” July 16–26 at the Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Art, 120 Country Club Rd., Chapel Hill. Worth planning ahead for.

The NC Music Hall of Fame announced its 2026 class on June 18, and Orange County has two names on the list. Billy Strayhorn, raised in Hillsborough, was Duke Ellington’s longtime collaborator and the man behind “Take the ‘A’ Train” and “Lush Life.” And Arrogance, the Chapel Hill rock band that formed in the fall of 1969 in room 301 of Aycock Hall when roommates Robert Kirkland and Mike Greer were joined by Don Dixon for a first-day-of-class jam session. Dixon went on to produce R.E.M.’s early albums. Induction is October 15 in Mooresville.

Carolina lost Game 3 of the College World Series to Oklahoma on Monday night, 13-2. It wasn’t close. But Game 2 was. Down a game and facing elimination on Sunday, the Heels won 6-2 behind Caden Glauber, who threw five scoreless innings on one hit to force the decider. Thirteen trips to Omaha. No title yet. But this team hosted Regionals and Supers in Chapel Hill, beat ECU and USC on the way, and made it to the final game of the season. Be proud of them.

Caleb Wilson heard his name called fourth overall in the NBA Draft on Tuesday night. The Chicago Bulls. He’s the highest UNC pick since Marvin Williams went second in 2005, and the third Tar Heel drafted by Chicago after Michael Jordan and Coby White. Wilson averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in one season in Chapel Hill. The Bulls are getting someone special.

The Carrboro Town Council unanimously adopted a $44.8 million budget for FY2026-27 on June 2, holding the property tax rate flat at 56.53 cents per $100 of valuation. No increase. The budget includes a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for staff and recovery funding from Tropical Storm Chantal. The council held its final meeting before summer recess on June 16 and won’t meet again until September 15.

The Orange County Health Department released its 2026 State of the County Health report. The big takeaway: officials are watching the local impact of national trends, including cuts to SNAP food benefits and stricter immigration enforcement that they say has left residents skipping medical appointments out of fear. Not much has changed since the last report two years ago, but the direction concerns them.

Amid the worst national measles year in three decades, the Orange County Health Department says a person with measles recently visited a public place while contagious. The CDC has reported over 2,100 confirmed cases nationally as of mid-June. The county is promoting MMR vaccinations and encouraging anyone unsure of their status to check with their provider.

A 44-year-old Chapel Hill man, De Gui Yuan, drowned at Jordan Lake on June 15 after entering the water to retrieve a boat that had drifted from shore near Martha’s Chapel Church Road. Yuan and three friends had beached their boat when it began drifting. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences to the family.

You don’t have to cross an ocean. Sometimes you just have to cross the parking lot. Walk into the place around the corner. Try the thing you haven’t tried. That’s the whole thing.

Until next time,

Be in the know!