Your Carolina Inn

"Ms. Cox did a fantastic job!  The difference in the sky and the brightness of color in the before and after pictures of the painting are incredible.  Ms. Cox skillfully repaired the "divet" in the canvas as she rebuilt the stretcher on the back" said the Inn's Historian, Dr. Kenneth Joel Zogry.

Ruth Cox is one of the best conservators in the country--she was trained in Old Masters and does work for the Metropolitan Museum in New York CIty, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Ackland Museum in Chapel Hill, and the Nasher Museum in Durham. 

Dr. Zogry says that with the new custom-made frame, the painting will look terrific hanging in the lobby.  It will really be a centerpiece of the Inn's collection of historic furnishings and art.  

“There are notable distinctions between college towns and other American cities. In the student-centric spots, bicycles seem to outnumber cars. Affordable restaurants serve up authentic cuisines from all around the world. The streets are densely packed with businesses, making for a highly pedestrian-friendly environment. Nature is usually accentuated: the shimmering Lake Champlain, back dropped by a saw tooth silhouette of peaks, forms the western edge of Burlington. Madison, WI, is situated on an isthmus between two lakes that draw hordes of hikers and bikers. Boulder, CO, is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream.

And don’t forget the bars. Each of these locales offers plenty of opportunities for imbibing, many of them ideal for both people-watching and soaking in the scenery. It’s hard to beat sunset cocktails at Austin’s Oasis, where tiered decks jut from a 450-foot-high cliff over Lake Travis.

These attractions are mainly geared toward the students, naturally, but they can be readily enjoyed by those with no homework assignments or college connections. After all, few sports experiences can top the rafter-shaking raucousness in Chapel Hill, NC, during a Tar Heels basketball game. Many schools benefit from world-class art collections in glittering facilities designed by marquee architects; Chapel Hill’s Ackland Art Museum, featuring a wing by Polshek Partnership, tempts visitors with Warhols, Titians, and Dalís in a way that many university-less cities cannot.”

From September 2009 By C. J. Hughes Travel & Leisure

I can count on one hand the number of times I've won anything in my lifetime - and nothing more exciting than the centerpiece at a luncheon I had attended.  But winning a meal at Crossroads Restaurant at The Carolina Inn for my Signature Secret submission was the best, by far. 

My husband and I planned our trip to Chapel Hill during an especially hectic time in our lives.  Our daughter was getting married in a month, and a family member was seriously ill. Each day, our emotions ranged from being happy to feeling sad, and dinner at Crossroads Restaurant was the respite we needed. 

The Carolina Inn is located in the heart of the University of North Carolina campus, and, because it was mid-October, the streets bustled with students.  We strolled into the historic Carolina Inn and stopped to admire several antique furnishings before heading to the bar.  We sat in comfortable leather chairs as we sipped our drinks in the glow of the fireplace.  If not for our dinner reservations, we would have stayed in that cozy room for a while longer.  We then proceeded to Crossroads, a charming restaurant with pristine white tablecloths and blue-and-white-fabric-covered cushions on the chairs.

Executive Chef Jimmy Reale changes the menu at Crossroads seasonally.  We made our choices from an autumn menu that included items like butternut squash risotto, broccoli rabe, and sweet potato spoon bread.

We began with the she-crab soup and, while my husband enjoyed a mixed green salad, I couldn't resist trying the port wine poached pear with arugula, spiced walnuts, goat cheese, and cranberry vinaigrette.  With our after-dinner coffee, we shared a tiramisu, served in a crystal goblet that enhanced the surprising lightness of the dessert.  Everything was delicious.

We had made our reservations for an evening during the week and were rewarded with a quiet, relaxing dinner in a cozy yet elegant atmosphere.  The food was top-notch, and the service impeccable.  We left Chapel Hill that Tuesday night, relaxed and ready for what tomorrow might bring our way. 

Thank you, North Carolina Signature, for this memorable break from reality. 

Roxann Larotonda, Raleigh.  March/April Issue 2009.

How To Post Your Entry

All you have to do to enter is tell us through photo, video, essay, haiku, etc. why YOU are #1 Fan of Fridays on the Front Porch. Post your stuff on this blog and use the title: "#1 FOFP FAN - Your Name".

What's the Grand Prize?

The Carolina Inn is awarding the #1 FOFP FAN:

- 2 months (8 Fridays) of FOFP buffet and drink tickets for you and four guest $1,040 value).  Each Friday, you will receive: 10 drink tickets and 5 southern picnic buffet tickets

- Reserved, front row table seating for 5 (priceless!)

- Valet parking for 1 car for all 8 Fridays ($80 value)

- 5 FOFP t-shirts ($100 value)

How We Will Select the Lucky Winner

Our executive team will select the winner based on the creativity, originality and quality of the entry.

When Is The Deadline?

Deadline for entry is Monday, November 2, 2009 at 12PM.
The grand prize winner will be officially announced November 7, 2009 at the Tailgate Party on the Front Porch 3 hours prior to the UNC vs. Duke homecoming game.

Good luck Everyone, and Happy Uploading!

More Details:

- To enter, users need to be Facebook FANS of The Carolina Inn.

- If you are a Carolina Inn employee, you may not participate in this competition.

- Winner will be contacted via a facebook message within 7 days after the competition end-date.

- Should the winner not respond to their Facebook communication within 3 days, the prize will be forfeited and given to the next runner-up.

- Winners should allow 30 days for prize delivery after winner announcement.

- FOFP tickets must be used by November 30, 2010.

- Prize is valid for 1 year! Tickets may be used for FOFP or Tailgate Party on the Front Porch.

- The Carolina Inn shall have the right to terminate the competition immediately and without notice. In the event of such termination, all participants agree to waive any rights that they may have in terms of this promotion and acknowledge that they will have no recourse against The Carolina Inn.

- Submissions must not contain material which is violent, pornographic or otherwise obscene, illegal or racially or otherwise morally offensive.

Entering this competition indicates acceptance of all the above rules.

For more information on our special events click here

View our FOFP 2009 Season Band Line-Up

Business organizers in Chapel Hill have started a campaign to bolster the community with economic activity and Tar Heel spirit on game-day weekends.

The goal of “Touch Downtown Chapel Hill” is to encourage football fans – locals and visitors – to come early and stay late after the games to enjoy local restaurants, specialty stores and other cultural attractions.

According to a recent economic impact study conducted by Dr. Nathan Tomasini of the VCU Center for Sports Leadership, the 2008 North Carolina-Notre Dame football game generated $6.4 million for the Chapel Hill and Orange County economies plus $325,000 in local and state tax revenue.

Chapel Hill hopes football will boost economy

With seven home games on the schedule for this year, the total economic impact could be more than $40 million and more than $2 million in local and state tax revenue, according to officials.

Managers said the campaign helped encourage people to stop by their business downtown on Saturday for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s season opener against The Citadel.

As part of the effort, local merchants and restaurants were encouraged to have employees where clothing with UNC logos and put UNC and Citadel flags in front of their businesses.

For the second year, the Carolina Inn hosted a tailgate party on its front porch.

“UNC football…it’s huge,” said Allal Kartaoui, assistant food beverage director for the Carolina Inn.

For the entire Labor Day weekend, managers at Carolina Inn say they're fully booked.

Peggy Fitzgerald traveled from Florida to join the party in Chapel Hill. Fitzgerald said there is a family rivalry – her cousin, Stokes Fishburne, is a graduate of Citadel.

“They rag on me all the time. I’m used to it,” Fishburne said.

Managers at restaurant and bar Top of the Hill hope the city’s marketing campaign attracts people days before the big games.

While the restaurant and bar has long played host to the game day crowd, manager Steven Torchio said they have felt the effects of the economy.

“Nobody is immune. I don’t think there’s any business or any place in this town,” Torchio said.

Reporter: Beau Minnick
Photographer: Geof Levine
Web Editor: Kathy Hanrahan

Bluegrass Comes to Carolina Inn on Fridays
by Lucie Shelly
Friday, September 4, 2009 

When Fridays on the Front Porch began at the Carolina Inn in 2003, the free event quickly garnered popularity among bluegrass enthusiasts and those looking for outdoor summer music.

This season looks to be no exception, as the crowd is bigger than ever, said Laurence BĂ©zy, marketing manager for the Carolina Inn.

With the advent of the 2009 football season, organizers have decided to continue Tailgate Party on the Front Porch, an event they began last year.

The tailgate program also features live music just as Fridays on the Front Porch does. But it takes place on home game days and begins three hours prior to each football game.

Both events offer food and beverages for purchase from the bar.

“If you like Fridays on the Front Porch, you will definitely like it,” Bezy said of the tailgate series.

The performances this season will feature mostly recognizable local bands, such as Big Fat Gap and the Gravy Boys.

The organizers also are looking to introduce a few new groups.

“Most of the bands are local, but we have two new bands from the Asheville area,” Bézy said.

But for regulars of the event who have picked their favorites, don’t fear: they will return.

“The ones that come back every year are the local bands, and they will be back again for this season,” she said.

Local favorites the Gravy Boys will perform at Saturday’s tailgate.

The band has been a staple at the Carolina Inn for the past two years.

Steve Celestini, the lead vocalist, said the series is one of the group’s absolute favorite events to play.

“From the three-year-olds kickin’ up dirt and dancing to college kids and local folks with a few years on them — it’s a great atmosphere,” he said.

Celestini described the music of the Gravy Boys as “acoustic Americana.”

With bluegrass infusions, twangs of country and covers of musicians such as Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, the Gravy Boys cater to a variety of tastes.

“We take a lot of pride in our crowd rapport and engaging in what the fans call shenanigans,” he said.

Today’s show will feature event-regulars Big Fat Gap, who play strictly Carolina bluegrass.

Lead singer Miles Andrews said that in recent years the concerts have become packed events.

“It’s such a great venue with a large lawn where you can sit up close for the music or hang around the back for socializing and soak it in,” he said.

If you go:

Fridays on the Front Porch: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays through Oct. 9.

Tailgate Party on the Front Porch: Saturdays of home football games, 3 hours before kickoff.

Click here for a link to the article.