Alley 26 to offer "Kitchen Lab" menu

Alley Twenty Six has launched a test menu they call “Kitchen Lab.” New dishes and snacks will be tested with nightly specials available Tuesday through Thursday in addition to the regular bar snack menu and weekend specials.The menu will change weekly and be based off customer feedback and seasonality of food. 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article62485972.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article62485972.html#storylink=cpy

Carolina Glazed Donuts now open

Carolina Glazed donuts offers yeast and cake donuts, fritters and an option for filled doughnuts, you can pick your donuts and the filling, and get it filled on the spot. The options include cream, raspberry, lemon, and blueberry. The store is located at 5400 South Miami Blvd. 

Competition Dining to hold battle in Durham

Competition Dining is a series that pits chefs against one another in "Iron Chef-style" battles. The audience and a set of celebrity judges dine and then vote on several rounds to determine the winner. This year’s competitions will be held in Durham, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Wilmington, Raleigh and Charlotte. The Durham competitions will be held at Bay 7 at American Tobacco Campus April 18, 19 and 21.

DCABP welcomes new chairman

The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, DCABP, welcomed new chairman Omar Beasley at Community Baptist Church Sunday. Beasley, who was elected by the committee’s members earlier this month, was sworn in as the replacement for former state senator and retiring Chairman Ralph Hunt.

New startup, Dog Friendly Durham to start tours February 27

Jason Parker has created a business called Dog Friendly Durham. They organize dog friendly tours of local establishments; all while helping local shelters in the process. Participating businesses for the first tour include Bull City Burger and Brewery, Pompieri Pizza, Geer Street Garden, Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ninth Street Bakery and Beer Durham, though Parker said the list has not been finalized. The first tour is set for Saturday, Feb. 27.

DPAC announces 2016-17 season

DPAC has just announced its "DREAM BIG" Season. Seven of eight shows are currently or have recently played on Broadway and the eighth is a hit from London's West End.

Durham restaurants featured in national publication's 'Trending Tables'

For the first time the Triangle has been included among the "large cities of culinary influence" that Nation's Restaurant News' features in each quarterly summary. Andrea Reusing's Restaurant at The Durham Hotel and Scott Howell's Bar Virgile are featured among four Triangle restaurants.

Local chefs and restaurants names semi-finalist for James Beard Foundation awards

Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Bakery and Matt Kelly of Mateo Tapas have been named semi-finalist for the annual James Beard Foundation awards.

Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce announces new President & CEO

The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Geoff Durham as its new President and CEO. Durham succeeds Casey Steinbacher who resigned in August of 2015 after eight years as Chamber president to pursue independent consultant work. Durham’s first day with the Chamber will be April 1.

British Indian gastropub to take over Beyú Caffe space

The owners of Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub are teaming up with an Indian food truck owner to open an English gastropub featuring British and south Asian cuisine in the current Beyu Caffe.The new restaurant, will offer a wide range of English, European and local craft beers and a selection of single-malt scotch. Patel will serve up South Asian flavors with such dishes as curried Shepherd’s pie, chicken tikka masala and kabobs, as well as such pub classics as fish and chips and Scotch eggs.

NCCU experienced a 23 percent increase in enrollment for 2014-15 academic year

Enrollment growth at the North Carolina Central University , NCCU,  School of Education expanded by 23.3 percent for the 2014-15 academic year. Enrollment in NCCU’s bachelor’s and master’s degree teaching programs grew by the largest percent of all Schools of Education at the University of North Carolina System.

84 percent of survey respondents said Durham is a good place to live and work

Results of the joint city-county resident survey, which included 479 survey respondents, found the city to be a pleasant place to live, with 84 percent of respondents rating it a good place to live and work and 81 percent were satisfied with the quality of life in neighborhoods.The survey also showed respondents believe the city needed to improve on matters of transportation, including traffic flow, quality of public transportation and overall street maintenance.

Change in water taste and color possible in March

Beginning Saturday, Feb. 27, through Thursday, March 31, the City of Durham’s Department of Water Management will temporarily stop adding ammonia as a part of the water treatment disinfection process to meet annual state and federal water requirements. Residents may notice a change in the taste and color of their water during this time. Most of the flushing will be conducted Sundays through Thursdays between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. to minimize the impact.

Visitor spending up 8.5 percent since 2012

More than nine million people visited Durham over the last year, spending approximately $831 million in the area, generating about $47 million in tax revenue for local government, according to the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau’s annual report. Of those visitors, approximately 5.4 million visited Durham for day leisure, 2.6 million for day business, 1 million for overnight leisure and 300,000 for overnight business.

Southbound Durham Freeway traffic to shift on Friday

Traffic on the southbound Durham Freeway near, Briggs Avenue (Exit 10) and just north of Ellis Road (Exit 8), will need to pay attention to the new pattern beginning Friday, February 12. Motorists should use extra caution while traveling through the work zone as the new traffic alignment will include having barrier rails on both sides of the roadway in some sections.

Duke will be first major tenant in the 27 story Durham tower

Duke University has signed on as the first tenant in the 27 story One City Center tower. The lease includes 55,000 square feet of the building's 130,000 square feet of office space. The building project has about a 27-month construction timeline and is now on track to open the street-level retail spaces and the office floors by late 2017. 

Big Bundts to take over Hummingbird Bakery space

Big Bundts, a baked goods business, will be taking over the Hummingbird Bakery space at 721 Broad St.starting March 1. 

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/mouthful-blog/article59132318.html#storylink=cpy

Picnic now open

Picnic Durham, is now open. They specialize in whole hog barbecue, fried chicken, and classic southern sides, along with progressive Southern restaurant fare such as North Carolina Crab Beignets, and Braised Short Ribs. Picnic will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and is located at 1647 Cole Mill Road.

Lucky Chicken opens at Northgate Mall

Lucky Chicken, a Peruvian chicken restaurant, has opened its third location at Northgate Mall. Owner Esther Ortiz has been serving her Peruvian rotisserie chicken and other dishes in the Triangle since 2008. In 2011, Lucky Chicken was named as the best Peruvian restaurant in the Triangle.

Durham and The Durham Hotel featured on the Today Show

Jacqui Gifford of Travel & Leisure recognized Durham and The Durham Hotel as a best weekend getaway for Valentine's Day romance or family time, on the Today Show  this morning.

Durham Parks and Recreation offers free programs to city residents

Durham Parks and Recreation is offering free programs, activities, and events to city residents as part of a new pilot program designed to encourage residents to get out and recreate more.The fitness center, open gym and computer lab offered at the Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver St., is now open free to city residents. 

Durham seeks 2016 Golden Leaf Award nominations

The Durham City-County Appearance Commission, Keep Durham Beautiful, and the Durham City-County Environmental Affairs Board are now seeking 2016 Golden Leaf Awards nominations, which recognize new developments, buildings, and landscaping in Durham County that provide positive attributes to the built environment. Nomination categories, criteria, and deadlines can be found on Golden Leaf Awards website. 

Only Burger to start serving breakfast

Only Burger will start serving breakfast on weekdays from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Monday-Friday at the American Tobacco Campus location, 529 Blackwell St.

Cocoa Cinnamon II has opened

Cocoa Cinnamon II has opened using a “beta phase” approach; fewer hours and smaller menus. They are located at 2627 Hillsborough Road. Visit their website for current hours and updates.