>> AND NOW FOR ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES
FROM LAST YEAR.
ANYONE WHO HAS EVER SAMPLED THE CUISINE OF
ANDREA REUSING KNOWS WHY SHE IS ONE OF NORTH
CAROLINA'S JAMES BEARD AWARD-WINNING CHEFS.
NOW, SHE'S INFUSED HER CULINARY TALENT AND
DESIGNING EYE IN A NEW BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN DURHAM
THAT MERGES RETRO STYLE WITH AN OPEN-FLOOR CONCEPT
AND ROOFTOP DINING TO CREATE A DIFFERENT KIND OF
NEIGHBORHOOD ATTRACTION.
LET'S CHECK OUT THE FOOD AND THE FLAIR AT THE
DURHAM AFTER DARK.
>> THE DURHAM HOTEL IS A UNIQUE ONE-OF-A-KIND PROPERTY HERE IN
DOWNTOWN DURHAM.
WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND A BEAUTIFUL MID-CENTURY MODERN
BANK BUILDING THAT WAS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONVERT
INTO A 53-ROOM HOTEL WITH A ROOFTOP BAR AND A UNIQUE GROUND
FLOOR RESTAURANT AS WELL.
THE BUILDING ITSELF REALLY DETERMINED WHAT WE WERE GOING TO
DO DECOR-WISE.
IT'S SUCH AN ICONIC MID-CENTURY BUILDING THAT WE REALLY ALLOWED
THAT TIME OF AMERICAN DESIGN TO FUEL WHAT WE DID.
SO A LOT OF BRIGHT AND VIBRANT COLORS, A LOT OF GEOMETRIC
PATTERNS, A LOT OF REALLY COOL AND CLEAN LINES
IN THE FURNISHINGS.
>> Deborah: THE DURHAM'S PERSONALITY AS AN INDEPENDENT
HOTEL COMES THROUGH IN BOTH DESIGN AND TOUCHES OF LOCAL
CULTURE THAT TELL YOU THIS PLACE IS DIFFERENT, LIKE WAKING UP TO
YOUR CHOICE OF COFFEE BY DURHAM'S OWN WORLD-CLASS COFFEE
ROASTER COUNTER CULTURE, FRESHLY GROUND OVERNIGHT AND DELIVERED
TO YOUR DOORSTEP, OR THE WELCOME AMENITY THAT EVERY GUEST
RECEIVES FROM NORTH CAROLINA'S OWN BURT'S BEES.
EVEN THE BLANKET ON YOUR GUEST ROOM BED IS HANDCRAFTED IN NORTH
CAROLINA, A COLLABORATION OF THE COMMUNE DESIGN TEAM
AND RALEIGH DENIM.
>> THERE ARE 53 GUEST ROOMS.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR ROOMS ARE KING-BEDDED.
WE DO HAVE A HANDFUL OF ROOMS, A LITTLE OVER A DOZEN, THAT ARE
TWO DOUBLE BEDS, AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME SMALL SUITES.
AND THEN, ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE OUR PENTHOUSE SUITE, WHICH IS A
GREAT SPOT FOR WEDDING NIGHTS, FOR BRIDAL PARTIES,
FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO CELEBRATIONS UP THERE BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE
ITS OWN PRIVATE TERRACE, WHICH HAS REALLY BEEN VERY POPULAR
FOR US.
>> Deborah: THE DURHAM'S POPULAR ON SEVERAL COUNTS.
BESIDES ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO ATTRACTIONS LIKE THE DPAC, BULLS
STADIUM, AND THE AMERICAN TOBACCO CAMPUS, THEY'RE
COMMITTED TO SERVING THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE GUEST LIST, FROM
TRANSIENT BUSINESS TRAVELERS TO LOCALS LIKE JESSICA COLLETTE,
WHO OFFERS A DROP-IN YOGA CLASS FOR A FEE SEVERAL MORNINGS A
WEEK ON THE ROOFTOP.
WITH HEATING UNITS FOR COOLER WEATHER AND FANS WHEN IT'S WARM,
YOU CAN ELEVATE AND TAKE IN THE VIEW YEAR-ROUND FROM DAYLIGHT
INTO THE EVENING.
IN FACT, THAT'S WHEN THE DURHAM REALLY COMES ALIVE THANKS TO THE
VISION AND CULINARY TALENTS OF ANDREA REUSING.
>> WE HAVE A RAW BAR ON THE ROOF.
FEATURES A LOT OF OYSTERS FROM FRIENDS IN VIRGINIA, NORTH
CAROLINA, AND SOME NORTHERN OYSTERS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE DO A LOT OF FISHERMAN'S FAVORITE, SEAFOODS
AND DIFFERENT SHRIMP COCKTAILS AND SEAFOOD COCKTAILS THAT WE
SERVE UP THERE.
WE ALSO SERVE HOT DOGS, CARROT DOGS, GUACAMOLE.
SO IT'S REALLY FUN BAR FOOD WITH A GREAT VIEW.
>> Deborah: ANDREA IS THE JAMES BEARD AWARD-WINNING CHEF AND
OWNER OF THE FOODIE-APPROVED LANTERN RESTAURANT IN CHAPEL
HILL, AND SHE APPLIES HER CULINARY ETHIC TO THE ENTIRE
FOOD PROGRAM AT THE DURHAM.
>> THE DURHAM IS AN AMERICAN RESTAURANT, AND BY THAT WE MEAN
IT'S AN AMERICAN RESTAURANT IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
SO A LOT OF OUR INGREDIENTS COME FROM RIGHT AROUND HERE.
ALL OF OUR BEEF IS GRASS-FED.
WE DRY-AGE IT INHOUSE FROM FARMS THAT ARE REALLY CLOSE BY.
MOST OF OUR SEAFOOD COMES JUST, YOU KNOW, FROM TWO HOURS AWAY
AT THE COAST.
>> Deborah: THE DINING ROOM AT THE DURHAM IS THE MAIN FLOOR AND
WELCOME SPACE OF THE HOTEL.
IT'S LIKE A LARGE LIVING ROOM YOU CAN EAT IN AND PERFECT
FOR GROUP EVENTS.
>> MY HUSBAND AND I ARE HAVING A BOOK PARTY, AND WE CHOSE THE
DURHAM HOTEL BECAUSE WE LOVE IT.
WE LOVE THIS RESTAURANT.
WE LOVE ANDREA'S FOOD.
IT'S COMFORTABLE.
IT'S SMALL.
BUT IT'S ALSO -- UM, IT HAS A GRAND FEELING TO IT, AND WE JUST
LOVE THIS SPACE.
>> Deborah: YOU'LL PROBABLY LOVE IT, TOO.
I CERTAINLY DID.
FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND AFTER DARK," I'M
DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.