Penny’s Bend rooftop concert (photo by Briana Brough)
When my husband Patrick first broached the subject of moving to downtown Durham, I remember responding skeptically with: “What will that offer us, exactly, besides close proximity to Durham Bulls games and great restaurants? I mean, baseball isn’t a year-round sport, and we can only go out to eat so much.”
How laughably wrong I was. In four months of living downtown, my biggest issue has been grappling with a constant fear of missing out – FOMO.
And though I miss out on plenty because I haven’t yet figured out how to be in seven places at once, I’ve also made a lot of memories in a short period of time. In no particular order, here’s a list of some of my favorite experiences since May:
- Urban Axes Durham: Patrick threw axes here with his co-workers in December, shortly after this place opened. I resisted going for months. Something about it intimidated me. But when my cousin Laura, a lifelong resident of New Orleans, visited over Memorial Day, her ears perked up when we mentioned this place. A coach guides you through the rules, the scorekeeping and the mechanics of your throw, eliminating most of the intimidation factor. A beer from the bar helps soothe any remaining nerves. I hit a “clutch” shot, which means I was trailing my opponent during one round by such a large margin that I had no choice but to declare that I would go for the smaller target above the bullseye, worth seven points. I nailed it right in the middle. How? I will never know. But the whole place went wild, we documented the occasion with a photo, and I won’t soon forget that adrenaline rush.
-
My cousin Laura taking her best shot at Bull City Mini
Bull City Mini: Play seven holes of mini golf – and sip on a beverage while you do it – just a few steps away from Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The owners asked the community to submit Durham-based designs, and the community delivered in a charming way. Durham landmarks like the Eno River, Duke Chapel and the infamous Can Opener Bridge are represented on this fun course.
- Rosé Fest: I would have been at The Wine Feed’s Rosé Fest even if Penny’s Bend, my band, hadn’t been hired to play the event! A $10 ticket allowed you to taste more than 30 rosé wines from all over the world, play a few games and enjoy some rosé-themed treats (hello, rosé jello shots!). While I was singing, Patrick made some new friends, and we ended up having an after party on our rooftop terrace just a few feet away!
- ACC Baseball Tournament: Before UNC’s heartbreaking loss to Auburn in June, the Diamond Heels won the ACC tournament, and I was there to witness their path to victory. I have a lot of wonderful memories from this tourney taking place in Durham over the years. (Did anyone else attend the iconic 18-inning game in 2013? UNC finally defeated N.C. State in the wee hours of the morning.) I am bummed that it will be moving to Charlotte next year – Durham is made to host events like this! Let’s hope it returns soon.
-
Dinner at Littler — delicious!
Dinner at Littler: I’d heard rave reviews about this place and had experienced Amanda Orser’s abundant culinary talent through her participation in the TerraVita Food & Drink Festival in Chapel Hill, but I hadn’t been until Patrick and I recently headed there for a date night. It’s such an intimate atmosphere, and I won’t soon forget the scallops, the cauliflower gratin or the strawberry shortcake (my favorite dessert of all time!).
- “Beautiful” at DPAC: As magical as this musical – based on the life of singer/songwriter Carole King – is, our experience seeing it stands out because Patrick and I decided to buy tickets via StubHub about two hours before the show. Ah, the perks of living a few hundred feet from DPAC! We ended up on the front row – and I was mesmerized watching the musicians in the pit. A Type A planner, I am not known for my spontaneity, so this was pretty thrilling!
-
Watching the World Cup at Bull McCabe’s
Penny’s Bend Rooftop Concert: I set out to have an “open band rehearsal” on a recent Friday night, a way to entertain friends and prepare for two three-hour gigs that were just days away. What I got instead was a full-blown rooftop extravaganza with close friends, neighbors, and friends of friends and neighbors. The Bulls were hosting Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, blowing them out during one of the minor league team’s best-attended games ever. The weather was unseasonably cool for mid-June, in the 70s. The sunset was stunning. All of this made for a pretty sweet backdrop for a humble cover band’s practice session.
- The FIFA Women’s World Cup Final: A year ago, I would have watched this sporting event at home, in relative quiet. But the fact that I live within walking distance of a great soccer bar like Bull McCabe’s coupled with game day coinciding with my friend’s birthday meant I was standing in a line outside of the pub at 9:45 a.m. Totally worth it! USA! USA!
After a decade as an editor with various NC magazines, Andrea Cash launched her own creative services company, Andrea Cash Creative, in 2017. She helps small businesses and organizations in Durham and Chapel Hill with content strategy and creation, branding, PR, social media, and video and event production.
Andrea is passionate about community building, doing work that benefits the greater good and helping entrepreneurs grow their business in a purposeful way. Outside of work, Andrea sings in her cover band Penny’s Bend, plays tennis as often as she can, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County and Book Harvest, and runs communications for grassroots progressive group FLIP NC.
