RESEARCH TRIANGLE REQUEST!

Oh my god. Cary is the most evil city in the world. I get a chill down my spine just thinking about it.

I would hang out, but I left NC before it killed me.

I was just in CHapel Hill two weeks ago (to catch the Tall Dwarfs show at Local 506.)

There are a gazillion free Chapel Hill-based buses that take you around town.

Otherwise, if you want to check out Raleigh, there's TTA (Triangle Transit Authority.) I'm sure there are a few express buses that run every half-hour or hour at least that will take you there and back. TTA is pretty good. Just be careful if you have to transfer at the RTP/Park Dr. station. The people inside the waiting room are really nice, but sometimes they're wrong. (I almost missed my flight out of RDU because they told me a bus was coming, when it in fact was outside already, and took off without me knowing it.)

If you want a really good tofu dish, there's that Lime and Basil place on Franklin St. that has an awesome Stuffed Tofu in Tomato sauce dish, and a great Tofu salad roll dish. Or go to Pepper's pizza... the most FUCKIN' RAWK pizza place ever.

Otherwise, walk around the campus. It's a beautiful area.

Chapel Hill is pretty dead in the summer, although I guess UNC students will probably be showing up in the next week or so (not that it helps you too much ;)). Fairly nice bars in Chapel Hill / Carrboro: Tallulah's on Franklin Street (which normally has a Euro dance night on a Friday), Fuse (Rosemary Street), and I have a soft spot for the Spotted Dog in Carrboro because some of my friends work there (nice place to have a meal; possibly a bit small for an extended drinking session). The Local 506, also on Franklin (a bit further down and on the other side of the road from CD Alley) normally has live acts playing every night, as does The Cave which is nearby.

Cheap transport? Well the Chapel Hill buses are free, but to get from there to Durham/Raleigh/RTP, you'll need to use the TTA bus service which costs $2 per ride or $4 for an all day pass. Stops and schedules are listed on http://www.ridetta.org.

Hope that helps a tiny bit; I'd hang out, but I'm sadly back in the UK again :(

Oh, also, if you can somehow get to the Udupi Cafe in Cary, do so. Order a dosai at random, and gaze in marvel at the size of the food you get.

hello, may i suggest LANTERN on franklin for a lovely dinner? its a little pricey but *so* worth it. ORANGE COUNTY SOCIAL CLUB is a good place for a drink, post-cat's cradle.

while we're asking, may i also request someone give me season tickets for tarheels basketball for the rest of my lifetime?

oh, i forgot my favorite bar in all of North Carolina, ORANGE COUNTRY SOCIAL CLUB.

Pete, I'm in Cary several times a year but not there now. . .

Four Eleven West (CH, on Franklin) is my fave restaurant in the Triangle -- there's a sister restaurant in Raleigh, forget the name of it now. . .in Cary, there are a couple decent Italian places downtown (Vespa and another one that begins with an A), also Mama Fu's (at Harrison and Weston Parkway) is better than you'd expect it to be.

There's another Schoolkids on Hillsborough in Raleigh (near NC State) that I've found to be a bit better than the one in CH.

i had mama fu's last night! i knew i made the right choice when i heard "i cant go for that (no can do)" as soon as i sat down to some crispy noodle chicken. the meal was good, but i think i might get some ACTUAL vietnamese tonight.

if you're in chapel hill again you should probably eat the shrimp and grits at crook's corner (west end of franklin almost to carrboro)

There's plenty to do in Durham; a lot of restaurants have live music at night and other activities:

http://www.durham-nc.com/visitor/things_see_do/nightlife.php

Also the Triple-A Durham Bulls are playing at home Friday night (7pm). You can check out other events at:

http://www.durhameventcalendar.com

i enjoy crook's as well. im blanking on the southern restuarant on rosemary... i want to say its mama dip's but i could be wrong.

Pete, I work at S@S (in a field office in Ohio) -- just saw you in our training database. Enjoy PROG2.

Other nearby options: Bonefish has never really wowed me but I know people who like it a lot. The southwestern place in the plaza right across Harrison used to be OK but has recently changed hands. If you have a car, there are some decent places in the Cary Parkway/High House Rd. area. Then there's always Ruth's Chris if you're on an expense account.

yeah, im totally pwning sas camp right now, jeff.

went back to chapel hill tonight - got some great records again at cd alley. total haul:
- arthur russell - world of AR cd (finally!)
- horace andy - dance hall style cd (on wackie's for my brother)
- superchunk - tossing seeds cd (it seemed like the right place to finally get this)
- soul-jazz acid comp cd
- moby grape s/t cd
- these two club-looking 12"s from tampa by this guy/group called "whatt kastle". im hoping theyre totally booty-bass and raw, but i have no way of knowing till im home.
- delia/gavin 12" of el monte/rise

also, i went to lime&basil for dinner and had SO MUCH lemongrass-grilled pork, and then i went to reservoir and then to orange co soc. club. reservoir had nicer folks and a cool metal band playing; ocsc had a GREAT jukebox, but the crowd seemed more aloof (maybe cause i knew no one...).

thanks again, ILX.