This is the first letter I’ve written at 40,000 feet in the air, from my aisle seat on a Southwest flight. I felt a familiar thrill as we ascended into the clouds on my way to Colorado in June. Denver isn’t my inaugural post-pandemic trip, though – I got choked up at Progressive Field while watching fans’ feeble attempt to start “the wave” at a Cleveland Indians baseball game in May. There was just something about having a live, shared experience again.
Someone who shares my love of adventure is 99-year-old Lois Ann Hobbs. She regaled me with stories about her international bike rides in her 70s and trips with her grandkids during our in-person interview (another “first” in what feels like forever) at her Carol Woods apartment. Lois Ann lives by the motto, “Audace sempre audace,” which means, “Be daring, always be daring.” I left inspired by her vim, with a loaf of her homemade bread and a promise I’d take advantage of any trips with my own grandmother. (Lois Ann, we’re all booked for September!) Get to know this amazing nonagenarian for yourself on page 68.
Of course, the thing about being away from home for a week is that you miss home. This, our 10th annual Best of Chapel Hill issue, celebrates our readers’ favorites around our towns. I’d like to think that the uptick in voting this year reflects your excitement to be out and about, frequenting these picks in person. You can find the list of all the winners starting on page 52, and our coverage of local faves like Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering (which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year!), the Carolina Basketball Museum and Chapel Hill Tennis Club.
By the time you read this, I’ll have hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park and given my maid of honor speech at my best friend’s wedding. After nearly a year-and-a-half in quarantine and with a newfound urge to get out and explore, I encourage all of you to, as my new friend Lois Ann would say, “Audace sempre audace!”
BEST OF CHAPEL HILL
32 Thirty Years of Med Deli
How Jamil Kadoura went from running a falafel stand to owning a beloved deli, bakery and catering company
34 Sugar Rush
Four restaurants and bakeries took home the cake for best desserts and pastries
36 Lights, Camera, Action
Born out of pandemic necessity, The Drive-in at Carraway Village keeps the films rolling
38 Exhibition Game
Hubert Davis makes history as the first Black head coach of UNC’s men’s basketball team; the Carolina Basketball Museum will soon unveil a section that follows his journey
42 Denizens of Downtown Carrboro
Residents share what they love about living in this bustling neighborhood
44 A Nice Ring to It
Olmaz Jewelers owners reflect on opening their dream store
48 Fitness Goals
Chapel Hill Training offers personal guidance for clients’ physical and mental goals
50 Love of the Game
A snapshot from the courts of Chapel Hill Tennis Club
52 Best of Chapel Hill 2021 Winners
FEATURES
68 A Lifetime of Adventure
In her 99 years, Lois Ann Hobbs owned two millhouses, biked across the world and raised six kids
72 I Won’t Get My Knickers in a Twist at ‘OK, Boomer’
Author Steven Petrow considers the insult from millennials in an excerpt from his new book
74 Going for the Gold
Meet four older adults who competed in the Orange County Senior Games
94 The Beat Goes On
Chapel Hill-based party band Liquid Pleasure performs globally and gives back locally
98 Contemporary Craftsman
A thoughtful renovation means a new chapter in a 100-year-old story
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
8 About Town
Events not to miss
20 Noted
What we’ve heard around town …
28 What We’re Eating
News from our restaurant community, plus a dish we love
125 Engagement
Brett Baker & Kandace Taylor
126 Weddings
Jordan Blackwood & Corey Frye
Jackie Carter & Katie Pope
Alex Bockman & Greyson Ray
PEOPLE & PLACES
10 Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill’s Beats & Eats Music Festival
12 The Chamber’s Regional Economic Development Forum
13 The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s Virtual Women’s Luncheon
14 Orange County’s Class of 2021
16 Hope Renovations’ Mothers, Makers and Mentors
