THE CHAPEL HILL INSIDER
FROM THE INSIDE…
Inside This Issue: This week, we're introducing you to a financial advisor whose journey from Nigeria to Chapel Hill taught her that the best answers come from asking the right questions. We're also checking out an eatery that will have those with meaty and meatless appetites smiling. Plus, the Inter-Faith Council is providing holiday meals through December, and we've got your guide to what's happening around town.
LET’S STEP INSIDE →
Feature Story
From Nigeria to Chapel Hill: How Lili Engelhardt Planned Her Way to Purpose
A conversation at Coco Bistro and Bar with the Edward Jones financial advisor who's lived on four continents—and chose the Triangle on purpose
Englehardt, financial planner with Edward Jones
I knew I wanted to interview Lili Engelhardt the moment she asked about my life.
We were at a networking event, surrounded by people ready to pitch themselves, and Lili wanted to know about me. It reminded me of Stephen Covey: seek first to understand before being understood. That's apparently how she moves through the world.
So we met at Coco Bistro and Bar on a Wednesday morning—everything 100% vegan, and trust me, you'd never know it. (The vegan bacon? So crunchy you'd never know. And the chipotle? Unexpected and delicious.) Between bites, Lili told me a story I wasn't expecting.
Community Spotlight
NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: IFC HOLIDAY MEALS
The Inter-Faith Council for Social Service is providing holiday meals this month to families experiencing food insecurity in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The IFC's Community Market at 110 W. Main Street in Carrboro offers fresh produce, pantry staples, and hygiene items at no cost to households where someone lives or works in Chapel Hill or Carrboro. During November and December, they also provide special holiday meals.
The Community Kitchen, also at IFC Commons, prepares hot meals for anyone who's hungry every day of the year—including holidays. Nearly all the food served is donated by local restaurants, campus groups, farmers, and businesses.
Ways to Help:
Donate canned goods and pantry staples (check ifcweb.org for current needs)
Volunteer to cook, serve, or sort food donations
Make a financial contribution at ifcweb.org
IFC Commons: 110 W. Main Street, Carrboro (on the J Bus Line)
LOCAL BITE: COCO BISTRO & BAR
If you want a place where your vegan and non-vegan friends can both be happy, check out Coco Bistro & Bar in Glen Lennox. I have to credit our local financial advisor, Lili, for this recommendation—it's where we sat down for her interview, and the food did not disappoint.
Vegan “bacon” is delicious—Coco Bistro’s version of a BLT
Coco is a family-owned, 100% plant-based restaurant where owners Tamara and Steve Lackey (along with all three of their kids) have built something special. Their menu is "deeply rooted in kindness," and almost everything—from the pesto to the cheeses to the baked goods—is made in-house from scratch.
The vibe is bright, airy, and welcoming. The food is the kind that makes meat-eaters forget they're eating vegan. Try the Impossible Burger with housemade beer cheese, the Mediterranean salad, or their famous feta fig toast. They also do dinner Thursday through Saturday and have a full bar with creative cocktails.
Coco Bistro & Bar | 101 Glen Lennox Dr, Suite 180 | cocochapelhill.com Mon-Wed 7 am-5 pm, Thu-Fri 7 am-9 pm, Sat 8 am-9 pm, Sun 8 am-4 pm
SCAM ALERT: VIBE SCAMMING
Protect yourself online this holiday season.
You’ve probably seen the warnings about phishing emails and sketchy links. But there’s a newer kind of scam that doesn’t look obviously fake—it just feels close enough to the real thing. In this piece, we unpack how criminals are using AI to spin up convincing “almost right” websites that trick you into handing over passwords, payments, and personal info. If you’ve ever clicked a link and thought, “Hmm…something feels off, but I can’t quite name it,” this is the article you need to read next.
Upcoming Events
EVENTS THIS WEEK
EVENTS: DECEMBER 11-15
Thursday, December 11
Grace Church Family Christmas Service, 200 Sage Rd., Chapel Hill, 6:30 PM - Live worship, Christmas message, Grace Kids programming, hot cocoa and photo booth.
Pop Up Chorus Holiday Special, The ArtsCenter, Carrboro
The Grim Bobs & Duncan Donuts, The Cave, 8 PM
A Christmas Carol, DPAC, Durham - Ira David Wood III's beloved musical comedy (runs through Dec 14)
Friday, December 12
Sundaes with Santa, Maple View Ice Cream, Hillsborough, 3-7 PM - Collecting diapers and baby wipes for Sam's Wish Fund. AuthoraCare
Elfland Christmas Festival, Farm at Lloyd's Dairy, Efland, 6-9 PM - Christmas Village, Santa's workshop, hayrides. $5/child, $10/adult. (Also Saturday)
Robert Lester Folsom, Cat's Cradle, 8 PM
Cliff B Worsham, Local 506, 7 PM
Scrape & Brad Fan, The Cave, 8 PM
Spencer LaJoye: "To the World" Holiday Concert, 11098 US Hwy 15-501 N, 7 PM
Saturday, December 13
Elfland Christmas Festival, Farm at Lloyd's Dairy, Efland, 6-9 PM
Southern Culture on the Skids, Cat's Cradle, 7 PM
Big Cedar Band, The Cave, 8 PM
Wild Mind Improv Holiday Special, The ArtsCenter, Carrboro
Sunday, December 14
Grace Church Family Christmas Services, 200 Sage Rd., Chapel Hill, 8 AM, 9:30 AM & 11:15 AM
United Church of Chapel Hill: Third Sunday of Advent, 10:30 AM - Bilingual Lessons & Carols followed by Las Posadas party.
Holiday Cookie Bake-Off, La Vita Dolce, Southern Village
Holiday Gathering on the Green, Southern Village
Carolina Inn Holiday Market, 12-4 PM - European-style market, Bier Garten with craft beers and mulled wine.
Max Child & Adriana Walsh, The Cave, 8 PM
ONGOING
A Christmas Carol, Center Theater Company, 300-G E. Main St., Carrboro - Through December 21. Jock Brocki as Scrooge, performed in the round.
Honeycutt Christmas Tree Lot, Southern Village - Daily through December 24
Homes for the Holidays Gingerbread Display, Downtown Hillsborough - Through January 5. Theme: "Candy."
NC Chinese Lantern Festival, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary - Through January 11. 10th year with 40+ new displays. boothamphitheatre.com+1
Weekly at The Cave (100 W. Franklin St.)
Monday Jazz Night with The Moon Unit, 9 PM
Weekly at The Speakeasy (Carrboro)
Karaoke w/ Empress (Mon & Thu)
Carrboro Open Mic (Tuesdays)
Beer & Banjos (Wednesdays)
Weekly at Steel String Brewery (Carrboro)
Tuesday Trivia
Holiday Ornaments for Refugee Community Partnership (through Dec 24)
Community Update
FROM AROUND TOWN
Photo credit: Ava Sharon
Forum on the Hill Happening This Week
97.9 The Hill and Chapelboro.com are hosting the annual Forum on the Hill through Friday, December 12. Today's panels cover school enrollment trends, local food banks' community work, and research funding cuts. Listen live from 3-6 PM on 97.9 FM or catch panels on-demand at Chapelboro.com.
Carolina Hunger Initiative Fights Food Insecurity
Based at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Carolina Hunger Initiative connects communities across North Carolina with state and federal food assistance programs. Their annual N.C. Child Hunger Leaders Conference is moving to Asheville in 2026 to support the western region, still recovering from recent storms.
ROAD CLOSURES & TRAFFIC
Carrboro: Maple Avenue Extension Closed
The Maple Avenue Extension, located near the new Drakeford Library Complex (203 S. Greensboro St.), is closed for regrading and repaving, with an estimated duration of approximately four weeks. Access to houses on Maple Avenue and businesses on East Braxton Foushee Street is maintained—detour via Braxton Foushee Street and Roberson Street.
Good news: East Braxton Foushee Street has reopened to two-way traffic for the first time in months.
Carrboro: 2025 Street Resurfacing Project
Carrboro's biennial road work is underway on various residential and downtown streets. The project covers nearly 28,000 square yards of roadway and includes curb ramp improvements and accessibility upgrades. Avoid parking on affected streets when you see signage, and drive slowly around crews.
New Hope Church Road Bridge Closure (Orange County)
The bridge over I-40 is temporarily closed for NCDOT work. You can still access I-40 EB and WB ramps—you just can't cross the bridge. Detour via Old NC 86, Eubanks Rd, and NC 86.
I-40 Widening Project
The 11.4-mile widening project continues through Orange County. Traffic has shifted to new inside lanes while crews work on outside shoulders. Expect periodic overnight ramp closures.
Greenway Trail Updates (Post-Chantal)
Several greenway sections were closed for months following Tropical Storm Chantal flooding in July. Bolin Creek Trail, Morgan Creek Trail, and the Fordham Boulevard greenway were among the hardest hit but have now reopened.
Chapel Hill Insider is your weekly guide to the people, places, and stories that make our community special. Know someone we should feature? Have a story tip? Reply to this email.
A Final Note
INsight FROM THE INSIDER
"Everything takes time."
— Lili Engelhardt
Chapel Hill Cartoon Map
Big news: Ed King's beloved hand-drawn Chapel Hill Cartoon Map is now available digitally! In partnership with the original artist, we've brought this charming map—capturing every quirky corner and beloved business in our town—into the digital age.
Click to view the map online!
Until next time,
Be in the know!