Durham recognized for creative and crafty downtown preservation

"Sell historic districts, but sell them well. Don’t try to compete with the suburbs head to head. You can’t. Economically disadvantaged historic areas will need to be creative and crafty. Think a little bit like Durham. Retailers have tremendously complicated needs.The healthiest historic communities are the ones that mix residential with a variety of retail, dry cleaners, hair salons, drug stores as well as chain stores and restaurants."

—"Preservation is a Journey and a Destination" Karen Gardner, The Frederick News Post

Durham recognized as the "cooler cousin"

"Once Raleigh’s avoidable sidekick, this resurrected railroad town is now Raleigh’s cooler cousin. Herein, every time I pass New York’s Penn Station (Amtrak), I know that another groovy walkable downtown is just a train ride away."

—Durham, NC: Mills as Lofts, Food as Craft, Life as Good Bruce Northam, Johnny Jet

World of Fine Wine awards Vin Rouge top rating

"Its insightful wine list spans a staggering compilation of leading producers, emerging and established vintages, by-the -glass options, with larger formats including choices from half the bottle and up. This rating is quite an accomplishment, as it illustrates Vin Rouge’s passion and tenacity when it comes to wine’s sprawling and historical culture."

— "2016 World of Fine Wine Winners", World of Fine Wine

Interview with Michael Maller of Vin Rouge

"To me, good wine lists are full of enticing, delicious, food-friendly, authentic wines at fair and varied prices. I think there needs to be a balance of familiar wines, well-known wines, up and coming wines, obscure wines and some geeky wines too. The layout and organization don’t matter as much to me as long as it makes sense and compliments the type of restaurant or bar. It should be obvious that the restaurant takes great care in its wine program while looking at a wine list - it’s usually a sign that they take great care in other things too."

—"Interview with Michael Maller, Vin Rouge North Carolina" Fine Wine

Time Magazine recognized Picnic as a "Top 8 Best BBQ Spot in the Carolinas"

"Pitmaster Wyatt Dickson and farmer Ryan Butler have joined forces to return to barbecue’s roots, with heritage-breed pigs raised for the smokehouse. The distance from pasture to Picnic’s pit is only about 12 miles."

—"The 8 Best BBQ Spots in the Carolinas" Rien Fertel, Time Magazine