message from the vice president · 2014. 3. 23. · message from the vice president our fearless...
TRANSCRIPT
MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT
Our fearless President Jim Carroll is way down under (as in New Zealand), so as Vice President I get to write this month’s message. I am also the Membership Chair for the Alliance. You may have noticed that we are really pushing neighbors to join this year. So far, our success is mixed and we need to change that!
More than 220 households in Falconbridge have joined the Alliance. That is good news! But it also means that about the same number in the neighborhood have NOT joined. I hope it is not for lack of information—we have used flyers, yard signs, mailed notices and newsletters, and email blasts to get the word out.
Maybe some neighbors just don’t understand what the Alliance does for them. An important example is in this newsletter. Ed Holland’s article lets you know about a church that will be built adjacent to Falconbridge. We try to keep you informed about zoning and other governmental actions that will affect our neighborhood. We also sponsor Neighborhood Watch, maintain the Farrington Road entrances into the neighborhood and assist neighbors with issues affecting their property, not to mention sponsoring social events nearly every week.
I think we need to change our EXPECTATIONS. We should expect that anyone living in Falconbridge will be a member of the Alliance. It is just the right thing to do. Many of us volunteer our time and energy to serve on the board or do other neighborhood activities. That is not for everyone. But each of us can join the Alliance and make it as strong as possible.
It’s YOUR neighborhood. Please help us raise our expectations by encouraging everyone to join the Falconbridge Alliance. And many thanks to our neighbors who have again joined our neighborhood organization. Thank you for your support. Please ask your friends and neighbors if they have joined. Tell them why you think it’s important to support the Falconbridge community.
Nancy Laney
JoinTOdAY!
QUESTIONS? falconbridgemembership@gmail .com
FalconbridgeALLIANCE
21 Charrington PlaceChapel Hill, NC 27517
PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE
P A I DRALEIGH, NC
PERMIT NO. 60
MAR2014
N E W S l E T T E R
By The Way, Did We Mention MEMBERSHIP ?Trying to decide if you should join the Falconbridge Alliance this year? Not sure if it’s worth it for you? More than half of your neighbors have already joined for many different reasons, among those reasons are:
• They appreciate what the Alliance does for Falconbridge (Neighborhood Watch, city liaison, community landscaping, social events, etc.) and feel they should do their part to support it.
• They want to join in the community organizations sponsored by the Alliance or join the pool and know they must be a member to participate.
• They use their community directory all year long and couldn’t live without it.
• They’ve joined the FCA and FVCA in past years and want to see their work continue.
Whatever your reasons, you need to join by March 15 to enjoy all of the benefits in 2014. Your membership
form is enclosed with this newsletter. You can also get one from the website at FalconbridgeAlliance.org. You might
even win the $100 gift certificate from Nantucket Grill.
The point being: All of this and more, for less than 14 cents a day. Anticipate a warm glow after you send your check.
JOIN THE ALLIANCE AND WIN A $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE AT
NANTUCKET GRILL!
We are ending the membership drive with a bang! Everyone who joins the Falconbridge Alliance by March 15, 2014 (including those who joined already) will be included in a drawing to win a $100 dining certificate at Nantucket Grill, our neighbor at NC-54 and Farrington. This is a great way to support your neighborhood and have a chance to win a great dining experience for you and your family or friends. It’s your neighborhood—and every member matters!
Join Today!
FALCONBRIDGE NEIGHBORS P R O F I l ES
This is a new feature we are introducing to the newsletter, profiles of some of the very remarkable people living in our community -- writers, painters, dancers, doctors, scientists, educators – people who have distinguished themselves by their special contributions within their profession, within the larger community and within our community. These profiles will be written by various contributors, in various formats. All of which should make for great reading and a sense of pride in the company we keep. This first profile is by Bolton Anthony.
Entering Vincent daddiago’s modest townhome is like entering a gallery of lovingly selected art. Your attention is focused; your spirit, refreshed. Colorful abstract paintings fill the wall spaces. Fanciful sculpted forms occupy the room corners. Small metal sculptures, delicately wrought candlesticks, and porcelain pieces line mantels, mounted shelves, and narrow tables. Everywhere, evidence of an unquenchable drive to fill the world with beautiful, lovingly wrought things. To share his gift with the world…
Continued at SecondJourney.org/Heronbridge.htm
Join TodayIt’s YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOd!
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH COMMITTEE
despite my fretting over the kids who smoke weed in the woods behind my house on warm nights, the most serious crime threat that we face in Falconbridge
is break-ins. These are usually accomplished by the would-be thief kicking in the front door. That weakness can be overcome with a relatively simple and inexpensive fix: a high security strike plate.
The strike plate is the metal piece inside the doorframe. If a conventional strike plate is replaced with a heavier high security strike plate and longer (3+”) screws, kicking in the door is much more difficult. A recent attempted break-in on Paddington was unsuccessful because the home owner had made the upgrade. If you doubt the effectiveness of this simple fix, go to YouTube. Search “install high security strike plate” and watch Mark lofgren’s video.
The hardware costs about $5 for those who prefer to do it themselves. Normally, a home improvement outfit will charge around $45 to do the work. But Neighborhood Watch Captain darren Byerly has made an arrangement with a local company to give Falconbridge residents a discount to $30 if we can sign up ten households.
Conni Rivers and I are coordinating the work.We are currently offering this service to the town home residents and will then focus on the single family homes. For anyone who has a scheduling conflict, one of us will stay with the workers while they install the strike plate. Call or email either of us.
Welcome N E I G H B O R
Kristi Foster and her 4 daughters: Riley (17), Jane (15), Quinn (13), and Lulu (10) moved in at 6504 Falconbridge Rd, in February. They relocated here from Franklin Street, Chapel Hill where she lived for 20 years. Kristi is originally from Princeton, NJ. She lived in California getting a degree at UC Berkley, then move to Chapel Hill to attend UNC getting her Masters in Public Health. They already love the neighborhood having made friends with their neighbors, and Kristi is looking forward to checking out the Traveling Pub and other community activities. Kristi works at Planned Parenthood. Her interests include running, participating in Half Marathons, knitting and reading.
Notes FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Falconbridge Web Access: www.falconbridgealliance.org (Falconbridge
Alliance) –Newly launched, constantly being improved, an increasingly vital source of information – progressive and historical. do visit and often.
http://talismanagementgroup.com (Town Homes)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/falconbridge (listserve)
http://www.falconbridgefca.org/pool.html (CCF – Pool & Clubhouse)
Conni Rivers [email protected] 919-294-6703
Mike [email protected]
CRIME PREvENTION TIPSCrime Prevention Tips: Residential Burglary from the durham Police
department (With Mike’s comments in parentheses.)
• lock all doors even when you are gone “only for a minute.” It takes a burglar mere seconds to enter through an unlocked door.
• Install a wide-angle—180 degree plus—peephole lens in your front door. Never open the door to an uninvited stranger.
• Never allow uninvited people into your home. If you have any doubt, check the authenticity of their identification by checking the Id through the peephole or calling their employer.(Or you can simply say “No thank you” loudly through the door and call 911 if they don’t leave immediately.)
• Give your home the appearance of occupation when you’re gone for an extended stay. When on vacation, have newspaper and mail discontinued or picked up daily. Place lights, a radio or television on a timer so they go on and off on a staggered schedule.
• (Notify your Neighborhood Watch captain that you’re going to be gone.)
• Have your lawn mowed and keep automatic sprinklers turned on. Have a neighbor park a car in your driveway to indicate that the home is occupied.(Or leave your car in the driveway.)
MORE TIPS NEXT MONTH
FIRE PREvENTION AWARENESS“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” is a wonderfully romantic song; there is nothing romantic or pleasant about it as an experience. Several weeks ago Carol and I decided to fight the cold weather by using the fireplace, which do not use with any frequency. The first few minutes were fine; we settled down to a glass of wine and watch the mesmerizing flicker of flames. Adding another log, the quality of the event shifted quickly. Some smoke began to billow from the fireplace, then more. Soon the smoke alarms were screeching and the house was filling with smoke. Alarmed and slightly panicky, our attempts to adjust the misaligned flue failed. We couldn’t move it and the flames made it almost impossible to approach. We called 911 and within 5 minutes the fire engine rolled up in front of our house. In came Captain dawn J. White and Firefighters Gabe Messengale and Sean Readon. Within a few minutes they had everything under control (with the possible exception of Carol and my emotional responses to the incident). They put out the fire and took the smoldering logs into a metal can, took it outside and hosed them down. They then opened all the windows, brought in an exhaust fan and were able to reestablish an inhabitable environment. Efficient, friendly and very supportive, these members of Engine 16B saved the night, if not our home.This is by way of introduction to working more closely with Engine
Company 16B. After my “smoke got into our eyes” incident I decided to reach out to the fire station across the road and had a very informative meeting with Capt. david A. Young on fire prevention and the EMS system. He is very eager to work with the Falconbridge Community and has offered to open the fire station to us on Saturday, April 26, from 10:30 – 12:00, to talk about fire safety and invite children to get a tour of the station house and its equipment. We will have more information on this event as well as some fire safety tips in the April newsletter.
Capt. David A. Young, Firefighters Dan Morgan, Mario Herrera
Adapted from Ripples of Peace: 111 Ways You Can Create Peace in the Worldby Rae Thompson
On September 11, 2001, I was working alone in my Virginia office as the twin towers in New York City crumpled to the ground and sections of the Pentagon collapsed in crimson flames. I was sublimely unaware of the devastation that, over the next few days, would be indelibly imprinted onto our national psyche. After hearing the astonishing news from a friend, I found myself both mesmerized and repelled by the televised images of the terrorist attacks.
My disbelief and dismay eventually gave way to a search for what I, as one person, could do to help create peace in the world. I wrote Ripples of Peace (it felt like the book wrote me) as food for thought to anyone interested in helping to replace the fear, despair, hatred, and terror felt by so many people of all ages around the globe with faith, joy, love, and peace –- one person and one day at a time.
Peace begins with me...and you.I believe the most important single thing any of us can do to help create peace in the world around us is to create and sustain peace within ourselves. This is indeed fortunate since each one of us is the only person whose life we can trulychange. Once we are peaceful within, we are poised to help foster and promote peace among our families and friends, in our communities and countries, and around the world.
Inner peace, for me, is a sense of contentment and well-being, along with an awareness that all is well. It most frequently involves feelings of calmness and serenity, as well as freedom from negative thoughts and emotions. Inner peace is often characterized by a sense of oneness or a deep love and compassion for others. At times, it is accompanied by considerable energy and genuine enthusiasm for being in the universal flow of life.
The cultivation of inner peace is a lifelong process. It involves making choices and taking actions consistent with peace on a day-by-
day and, occasionally, a minute-by-minute basis. As such, the experience of inner peace is a journey, rather than a destination, requiring occasional re-routes, reversals, and recommitments.
The more peaceful we become, the greater peace we offer the people around us, especially those who are close to us on a regular basis. As such, we become both champions and role models for peace.
Peace with family and friends centers on maintaining an awareness of our common humanity and our loving connections. It thrives on our ability to keep our hearts open and to consistently act from love in these important relationships.
Peace begets peace.The earth is a living organism on which all of life is interconnected. No single part can be injured without affecting the rest of the body. likewise, whatever enhances or heals one part contributes to the health of the whole.Overlaid on the natural body of the earth are the invisible boundaries between nations, states, counties, municipalities, and neighbors. These divisions add a geo-political, economic, and cultural dimension to our interdependence, with all the concomitant differences in language, customs, and religious beliefs. Yet the survival of each entity still depends on the activities and health of the people next door. And the world body remains viable only with the cooperation of all its parts.
The good news is that, because we are all interconnected, the positive actions of a small number of people can have tremendous impact on the lives of many more. Therefore, in addition to sustaining inner peace and joining with neighbors and friends, we can each play an important role in creating peace in our community, nation, and the world.
The peace we give is equal to the peace we live.
vOXPOPUlI
This part of the newsletter offers Falconbridge residents a place to have their voices heard. The theme of the pieces should relate to the idea of community -- particular or global. It is not a venue for partisan political statements or a product / service sales pitch. Each piece should be your original work (fiction or non-fiction) between 500-600 words. Please email your submissions to:
larry Charny ([email protected]).
Police remind us that if you are called to
your door, do not oPen it, but answer
through the door or let the Person see
you, with a cordless or cellular
telePhone clearly visible in your hand.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH COMMITTEE
despite my fretting over the kids who smoke weed in the woods behind my house on warm nights, the most serious crime threat that we face in Falconbridge
is break-ins. These are usually accomplished by the would-be thief kicking in the front door. That weakness can be overcome with a relatively simple and inexpensive fix: a high security strike plate.
The strike plate is the metal piece inside the doorframe. If a conventional strike plate is replaced with a heavier high security strike plate and longer (3+”) screws, kicking in the door is much more difficult. A recent attempted break-in on Paddington was unsuccessful because the home owner had made the upgrade. If you doubt the effectiveness of this simple fix, go to YouTube. Search “install high security strike plate” and watch Mark lofgren’s video.
The hardware costs about $5 for those who prefer to do it themselves. Normally, a home improvement outfit will charge around $45 to do the work. But Neighborhood Watch Captain darren Byerly has made an arrangement with a local company to give Falconbridge residents a discount to $30 if we can sign up ten households.
Conni Rivers and I are coordinating the work.We are currently offering this service to the town home residents and will then focus on the single family homes. For anyone who has a scheduling conflict, one of us will stay with the workers while they install the strike plate. Call or email either of us.
Welcome N E I G H B O R
Kristi Foster and her 4 daughters: Riley (17), Jane (15), Quinn (13), and Lulu (10) moved in at 6504 Falconbridge Rd, in February. They relocated here from Franklin Street, Chapel Hill where she lived for 20 years. Kristi is originally from Princeton, NJ. She lived in California getting a degree at UC Berkley, then move to Chapel Hill to attend UNC getting her Masters in Public Health. They already love the neighborhood having made friends with their neighbors, and Kristi is looking forward to checking out the Traveling Pub and other community activities. Kristi works at Planned Parenthood. Her interests include running, participating in Half Marathons, knitting and reading.
Notes FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Falconbridge Web Access: www.falconbridgealliance.org (Falconbridge
Alliance) –Newly launched, constantly being improved, an increasingly vital source of information – progressive and historical. do visit and often.
http://talismanagementgroup.com (Town Homes)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/falconbridge (listserve)
http://www.falconbridgefca.org/pool.html (CCF – Pool & Clubhouse)
Conni Rivers [email protected] 919-294-6703
Mike [email protected]
CRIME PREvENTION TIPSCrime Prevention Tips: Residential Burglary from the durham Police
department (With Mike’s comments in parentheses.)
• lock all doors even when you are gone “only for a minute.” It takes a burglar mere seconds to enter through an unlocked door.
• Install a wide-angle—180 degree plus—peephole lens in your front door. Never open the door to an uninvited stranger.
• Never allow uninvited people into your home. If you have any doubt, check the authenticity of their identification by checking the Id through the peephole or calling their employer.(Or you can simply say “No thank you” loudly through the door and call 911 if they don’t leave immediately.)
• Give your home the appearance of occupation when you’re gone for an extended stay. When on vacation, have newspaper and mail discontinued or picked up daily. Place lights, a radio or television on a timer so they go on and off on a staggered schedule.
• (Notify your Neighborhood Watch captain that you’re going to be gone.)
• Have your lawn mowed and keep automatic sprinklers turned on. Have a neighbor park a car in your driveway to indicate that the home is occupied.(Or leave your car in the driveway.)
MORE TIPS NEXT MONTH
FIRE PREvENTION AWARENESS“Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” is a wonderfully romantic song; there is nothing romantic or pleasant about it as an experience. Several weeks ago Carol and I decided to fight the cold weather by using the fireplace, which do not use with any frequency. The first few minutes were fine; we settled down to a glass of wine and watch the mesmerizing flicker of flames. Adding another log, the quality of the event shifted quickly. Some smoke began to billow from the fireplace, then more. Soon the smoke alarms were screeching and the house was filling with smoke. Alarmed and slightly panicky, our attempts to adjust the misaligned flue failed. We couldn’t move it and the flames made it almost impossible to approach. We called 911 and within 5 minutes the fire engine rolled up in front of our house. In came Captain dawn J. White and Firefighters Gabe Messengale and Sean Readon. Within a few minutes they had everything under control (with the possible exception of Carol and my emotional responses to the incident). They put out the fire and took the smoldering logs into a metal can, took it outside and hosed them down. They then opened all the windows, brought in an exhaust fan and were able to reestablish an inhabitable environment. Efficient, friendly and very supportive, these members of Engine 16B saved the night, if not our home.This is by way of introduction to working more closely with Engine
Company 16B. After my “smoke got into our eyes” incident I decided to reach out to the fire station across the road and had a very informative meeting with Capt. david A. Young on fire prevention and the EMS system. He is very eager to work with the Falconbridge Community and has offered to open the fire station to us on Saturday, April 26, from 10:30 – 12:00, to talk about fire safety and invite children to get a tour of the station house and its equipment. We will have more information on this event as well as some fire safety tips in the April newsletter.
Capt. David A. Young, Firefighters Dan Morgan, Mario Herrera
Adapted from Ripples of Peace: 111 Ways You Can Create Peace in the Worldby Rae Thompson
On September 11, 2001, I was working alone in my Virginia office as the twin towers in New York City crumpled to the ground and sections of the Pentagon collapsed in crimson flames. I was sublimely unaware of the devastation that, over the next few days, would be indelibly imprinted onto our national psyche. After hearing the astonishing news from a friend, I found myself both mesmerized and repelled by the televised images of the terrorist attacks.
My disbelief and dismay eventually gave way to a search for what I, as one person, could do to help create peace in the world. I wrote Ripples of Peace (it felt like the book wrote me) as food for thought to anyone interested in helping to replace the fear, despair, hatred, and terror felt by so many people of all ages around the globe with faith, joy, love, and peace –- one person and one day at a time.
Peace begins with me...and you.I believe the most important single thing any of us can do to help create peace in the world around us is to create and sustain peace within ourselves. This is indeed fortunate since each one of us is the only person whose life we can trulychange. Once we are peaceful within, we are poised to help foster and promote peace among our families and friends, in our communities and countries, and around the world.
Inner peace, for me, is a sense of contentment and well-being, along with an awareness that all is well. It most frequently involves feelings of calmness and serenity, as well as freedom from negative thoughts and emotions. Inner peace is often characterized by a sense of oneness or a deep love and compassion for others. At times, it is accompanied by considerable energy and genuine enthusiasm for being in the universal flow of life.
The cultivation of inner peace is a lifelong process. It involves making choices and taking actions consistent with peace on a day-by-
day and, occasionally, a minute-by-minute basis. As such, the experience of inner peace is a journey, rather than a destination, requiring occasional re-routes, reversals, and recommitments.
The more peaceful we become, the greater peace we offer the people around us, especially those who are close to us on a regular basis. As such, we become both champions and role models for peace.
Peace with family and friends centers on maintaining an awareness of our common humanity and our loving connections. It thrives on our ability to keep our hearts open and to consistently act from love in these important relationships.
Peace begets peace.The earth is a living organism on which all of life is interconnected. No single part can be injured without affecting the rest of the body. likewise, whatever enhances or heals one part contributes to the health of the whole.Overlaid on the natural body of the earth are the invisible boundaries between nations, states, counties, municipalities, and neighbors. These divisions add a geo-political, economic, and cultural dimension to our interdependence, with all the concomitant differences in language, customs, and religious beliefs. Yet the survival of each entity still depends on the activities and health of the people next door. And the world body remains viable only with the cooperation of all its parts.
The good news is that, because we are all interconnected, the positive actions of a small number of people can have tremendous impact on the lives of many more. Therefore, in addition to sustaining inner peace and joining with neighbors and friends, we can each play an important role in creating peace in our community, nation, and the world.
The peace we give is equal to the peace we live.
vOXPOPUlI
This part of the newsletter offers Falconbridge residents a place to have their voices heard. The theme of the pieces should relate to the idea of community -- particular or global. It is not a venue for partisan political statements or a product / service sales pitch. Each piece should be your original work (fiction or non-fiction) between 500-600 words. Please email your submissions to:
larry Charny ([email protected]).
Police remind us that if you are called to
your door, do not oPen it, but answer
through the door or let the Person see
you, with a cordless or cellular
telePhone clearly visible in your hand.
Can’t get your car in the garage?Attic filled to the brim?
Are your closets hazard zones?or maybe ...
You wAnt to shop!
FALCONBRIDGE COMMUNITY YARD SALE Saturday - May 17, 2014
8 am 12 pm
You may hold your own sale at your home. The Falconbridge Alliance will provide its members with signs, publicity, and distribute maps to shoppers as they enter the neighborhood listing your address. We are also working to arrange for a charity truck at the end of the sale that will pick up anything you have left and would like to donate.
lots more details later – but be sure and save May 17 on your calendar – both to sell and shop!
Alliance-Sponsored
S OCIAL GROUPSTRAvELING PUB
Every other Friday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Barb Carroll [email protected]
WINE TASTING GROUP* Every other month
Ron Hutchinson [email protected]
GOURMET DINNER CLUB* Quarterly
liz Hallgren [email protected]
GAME NIGHT GROUP* Quarterly
Barb Carroll [email protected]
MAHJONGG PLAYERS* Paula Clarke [email protected]
WOMEN’S COFFEE KLATCH* Every other Thursday, 9:30-11:00 a.m. Nancy laney [email protected]
BOOK GROUP*Monthly
Karen Fitzhugh [email protected]
*must be a member of the Alliance to participate
ALLIANCE-SPONSORED S O C I A l E V E N TS
ST. PATRICK’S POTLUCKSunday - March 16, 2014
5 – 7 pm at the Clubhouse
Join your friends and meet new neighbors at our St. Patrick’s Potluck. Bring a main dish, vegetable, salad or dessert to share. Wear your “green” (so you don’t get pinched!)
Next potluck: Clubhouse on Sunday, April 27 at 5 pm.
STATE FARMER’S MAKET-RALEIGHFEILD FOLLY
Friday - March 14, 201410 am -3 pm
Alliance Members – don’t miss this fun day at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh as they host their Spring Craft Sale. lots of local homemade crafts including ornamental garden accessories, hand woven baskets, baked goods, stained glass, pottery, woodworking, jewelry, hand painted items, furniture, handbags and more!
We will carpool to this event. In addition to the Spring Craft Sale, you might want to have lunch at either the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant (known for its southern/soul food) or the NC Seafood Restaurant. You will also have the opportunity to browse at Market Imports which specializes in garden statuary. Everything is in close proximity to each other and within easy walking distance.
Contact Conni Rivers ([email protected] 919-294-6703) or lisa Anthony ([email protected] 919-402-1814) to sign up!
THE EASTER BUNNY WANT YOU!Easter Egg Hunt
(for the children & grandchildren of Falconbridge residents)Saturday - April 19, 2014
11 am at Clubhouse Grounds
The Easter Bunny plans to leave lots of eggs all around the clubhouse grounds for your children and grandchildren! You won’t want to miss this fun event for children up to 10 years of age.
But the organizers need your help. It has been a looooong time since the Easter Bunny visited lisa or Conni’s home. They need guidance as to the division of age groups and what to put inside those cute plastic eggs! So please call or email us and give us your ideas. We also need a preliminary headcount so the Easter Bunny leaves enough eggs. drop us an email or call with the number of children or grandchildren you will be bringing to the Hunt. lisa ([email protected] 919-402-1814 or Conni ([email protected] 919-294-6703).
JIM CARROLL, President, Neighborhood Liaison [email protected] 919-419-0519
NANCY LANEY, Vice President, Membership Chair [email protected] 919-378-1457
LISA ANTHONY, Secretary, Social Co-Chair [email protected] 919-402-1814
JOHN NOBLE, Treasurer, Finance [email protected] 770-313-0194
LARRY CHARNY, Communications Chair [email protected] 914-294-6929
PAULA CLARKE, Neighbor Services Chair [email protected] 919-608-8560
ED HOLLAND, Architecture Review/Landscaping Chair [email protected] 919-489-9809
MIKE MAYO, Safety/Neighborhood Watch Chair [email protected] 973-722-4722
CONNI RIvERS, Social Co-Chair [email protected] 919-294-6703
2014 Alliance Board of DirectorsNew location for
Baptist Church Behind Knotty Pine
The Farrington Road Baptist Church is expected to break ground this summer at its new location on a 7.9-acre parcel adjacent to 10 backyards along Knotty Pine drive, which is located toward the southernmost portion of the Falconbridge neighborhood. The durham City Council annexed the property on February 17th, and the City-County Board of Adjustment approved a Minor Special Use Permit on February 25th. With most of the regulatory hurdles now cleared, the property sale is expected to close shortly, the developer will submit detailed construction plans for review by the City, and construction will likely begin in mid to late summer. Additional information about this project is available online at http://durhamnc.gov/ich/cb/ccpd/documents/BOA/Agenda/2014/February/B1300045.pdf.
New facilities will include 125 parking spaces, sanctuary seating for 240, an education building, and an outdoor basketball court. Most of the site clearing and construction will occur on the eastern half of the property (closest to Farrington Road). The remainder of the site will
remain largely undisturbed, except for a 0.6-acre “constructed wetland” stormwater facility located toward the western end.
Several Knotty Pine residents offered comments at the February 25th Board of Adjustment meeting. Paul Brimfield requested clarification about the 6-foot high masonry buffer wall to be built behind his backyard property line and along the backyards of three other neighbors. John Barry expressed concern about spillover lighting from the parking lot, and Ed Holland asked the Board of Adjustment to include a specific limit to any offsite noise from amplified or percussive music. The applicant and City staff believed that these concerns were already addressed adequately by the proposal and/or by existing City ordinances.
The Board of Adjustment unanimously approved the permit without modification.
For more information about this project, please see the link shown above, or feel free to contact Ed Holland at [email protected] or phone (919-489-9809).Your Alliance board will continue to monitor this and other area developments on behalf of the residents of Falconbridge.
ARCHIECTURAL REvIEW COMMITTEE
The PORCH InitiativeThe February PORCH collection in Falconbridge happened on Monday, February 17. Fifteen donors contributed, which is an increase over January -- many thanks to all who gave. Special thanks, too, to Eston Campbell & Peggy Pratt, who picked up the bags of groceries and took them to their destination. I’ve added a half-dozen or so names to the mailing list of those interested in donating to the program, too, as a result of the publicity given the program in the Falconbridge listserv & Newsletter, so I’m hoping for further increases in participation during the upcoming months. The next collection date is Monday, March 24. PORCH is an easy (almost painless) way to get nonperishable
food to those in Chapel Hill who need it. If you’re already a donor you’re doing a good thing. If you’re not & would like to be, get in touch with me (Paul Griffiths, [email protected]) -- I can tell you more about the program, and add you to the list. If you are a donor, please talk about the program to your friends & neighbors and persuade them to participate, too. A ten-minute video recently made by the founders of the program, available at www.porchnc.org/movie, is a good & moving introduction to the program.
Falconbridge FriendsNew volunteers are welcomed to Falconbridge Friends at any time. Volunteers are needed to assist with the
Falconbridge transportation development committee which is soon to convene. The goal is to provide routine transport assistance for those who cannot drive for shopping and medical appointments. Call Paula at 919-489-0133.
Interested volunteers as well as those needing assistance can call or email Paula Clarke, 919-489-0133, [email protected]; Ronit Weingarten, 489-9975; Nona Saling, [email protected]. New members and any request for assistance are always welcome. donations of any kind may be made to Falconbridge Village and sent to John Noble at 2112 Ridgefield drive.
DOING GOOD WORK IN THE FALCONBRIDGE COMMUNITY
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT available for loan to Falconbridge
Alliance through Falconbridge Aging In Place and Falconbridge Friends. Includes
walkers, bedside commodes, shower chairs. Please contact Claudia Stephens at 919-490-1397
or Paula Clarke at 919-489-0133.
Can’t get your car in the garage?Attic filled to the brim?
Are your closets hazard zones?or maybe ...
You wAnt to shop!
FALCONBRIDGE COMMUNITY YARD SALE Saturday - May 17, 2014
8 am 12 pm
You may hold your own sale at your home. The Falconbridge Alliance will provide its members with signs, publicity, and distribute maps to shoppers as they enter the neighborhood listing your address. We are also working to arrange for a charity truck at the end of the sale that will pick up anything you have left and would like to donate.
lots more details later – but be sure and save May 17 on your calendar – both to sell and shop!
Alliance-Sponsored
SOCIAL GROUPSTRAvELING PUB
Every other Friday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Barb Carroll [email protected]
WINE TASTING GROUP* Every other month
Ron Hutchinson [email protected]
GOURMET DINNER CLUB* Quarterly
liz Hallgren [email protected]
GAME NIGHT GROUP* Quarterly
Barb Carroll [email protected]
MAHJONGG PLAYERS* Paula Clarke [email protected]
WOMEN’S COFFEE KLATCH* Every other Thursday, 9:30-11:00 a.m. Nancy laney [email protected]
BOOK GROUP*Monthly
Karen Fitzhugh [email protected]
*must be a member of the Alliance to participate
ALLIANCE-SPONSORED S O C I A l E V E N TS
ST. PATRICK’S POTLUCKSunday - March 16, 2014
5 – 7 pm at the Clubhouse
Join your friends and meet new neighbors at our St. Patrick’s Potluck. Bring a main dish, vegetable, salad or dessert to share. Wear your “green” (so you don’t get pinched!)
Next potluck: Clubhouse on Sunday, April 27 at 5 pm.
STATE FARMER’S MAKET-RALEIGHFEILD FOLLY
Friday - March 14, 201410 am -3 pm
Alliance Members – don’t miss this fun day at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh as they host their Spring Craft Sale. lots of local homemade crafts including ornamental garden accessories, hand woven baskets, baked goods, stained glass, pottery, woodworking, jewelry, hand painted items, furniture, handbags and more!
We will carpool to this event. In addition to the Spring Craft Sale, you might want to have lunch at either the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant (known for its southern/soul food) or the NC Seafood Restaurant. You will also have the opportunity to browse at Market Imports which specializes in garden statuary. Everything is in close proximity to each other and within easy walking distance.
Contact Conni Rivers ([email protected] 919-294-6703) or lisa Anthony ([email protected] 919-402-1814) to sign up!
THE EASTER BUNNY WANT YOU!Easter Egg Hunt
(for the children & grandchildren of Falconbridge residents)Saturday - April 19, 2014
11 am at Clubhouse Grounds
The Easter Bunny plans to leave lots of eggs all around the clubhouse grounds for your children and grandchildren! You won’t want to miss this fun event for children up to 10 years of age.
But the organizers need your help. It has been a looooong time since the Easter Bunny visited lisa or Conni’s home. They need guidance as to the division of age groups and what to put inside those cute plastic eggs! So please call or email us and give us your ideas. We also need a preliminary headcount so the Easter Bunny leaves enough eggs. drop us an email or call with the number of children or grandchildren you will be bringing to the Hunt. lisa ([email protected] 919-402-1814 or Conni ([email protected] 919-294-6703).
JIM CARROLL, President, Neighborhood Liaison [email protected] 919-419-0519
NANCY LANEY, Vice President, Membership Chair [email protected] 919-378-1457
LISA ANTHONY, Secretary, Social Co-Chair [email protected] 919-402-1814
JOHN NOBLE, Treasurer, Finance [email protected] 770-313-0194
LARRY CHARNY, Communications Chair [email protected] 914-294-6929
PAULA CLARKE, Neighbor Services Chair [email protected] 919-608-8560
ED HOLLAND, Architecture Review/Landscaping Chair [email protected] 919-489-9809
MIKE MAYO, Safety/Neighborhood Watch Chair [email protected] 973-722-4722
CONNI RIvERS, Social Co-Chair [email protected] 919-294-6703
2014 Alliance Board of DirectorsNew location for
Baptist Church Behind Knotty Pine
The Farrington Road Baptist Church is expected to break ground this summer at its new location on a 7.9-acre parcel adjacent to 10 backyards along Knotty Pine drive, which is located toward the southernmost portion of the Falconbridge neighborhood. The durham City Council annexed the property on February 17th, and the City-County Board of Adjustment approved a Minor Special Use Permit on February 25th. With most of the regulatory hurdles now cleared, the property sale is expected to close shortly, the developer will submit detailed construction plans for review by the City, and construction will likely begin in mid to late summer. Additional information about this project is available online at http://durhamnc.gov/ich/cb/ccpd/documents/BOA/Agenda/2014/February/B1300045.pdf.
New facilities will include 125 parking spaces, sanctuary seating for 240, an education building, and an outdoor basketball court. Most of the site clearing and construction will occur on the eastern half of the property (closest to Farrington Road). The remainder of the site will
remain largely undisturbed, except for a 0.6-acre “constructed wetland” stormwater facility located toward the western end.
Several Knotty Pine residents offered comments at the February 25th Board of Adjustment meeting. Paul Brimfield requested clarification about the 6-foot high masonry buffer wall to be built behind his backyard property line and along the backyards of three other neighbors. John Barry expressed concern about spillover lighting from the parking lot, and Ed Holland asked the Board of Adjustment to include a specific limit to any offsite noise from amplified or percussive music. The applicant and City staff believed that these concerns were already addressed adequately by the proposal and/or by existing City ordinances.
The Board of Adjustment unanimously approved the permit without modification.
For more information about this project, please see the link shown above, or feel free to contact Ed Holland at [email protected] or phone (919-489-9809).Your Alliance board will continue to monitor this and other area developments on behalf of the residents of Falconbridge.
ARCHIECTURAL REvIEW COMMITTEE
The PORCH InitiativeThe February PORCH collection in Falconbridge happened on Monday, February 17. Fifteen donors contributed, which is an increase over January -- many thanks to all who gave. Special thanks, too, to Eston Campbell & Peggy Pratt, who picked up the bags of groceries and took them to their destination. I’ve added a half-dozen or so names to the mailing list of those interested in donating to the program, too, as a result of the publicity given the program in the Falconbridge listserv & Newsletter, so I’m hoping for further increases in participation during the upcoming months. The next collection date is Monday, March 24. PORCH is an easy (almost painless) way to get nonperishable
food to those in Chapel Hill who need it. If you’re already a donor you’re doing a good thing. If you’re not & would like to be, get in touch with me (Paul Griffiths, [email protected]) -- I can tell you more about the program, and add you to the list. If you are a donor, please talk about the program to your friends & neighbors and persuade them to participate, too. A ten-minute video recently made by the founders of the program, available at www.porchnc.org/movie, is a good & moving introduction to the program.
Falconbridge FriendsNew volunteers are welcomed to Falconbridge Friends at any time. Volunteers are needed to assist with the
Falconbridge transportation development committee which is soon to convene. The goal is to provide routine transport assistance for those who cannot drive for shopping and medical appointments. Call Paula at 919-489-0133.
Interested volunteers as well as those needing assistance can call or email Paula Clarke, 919-489-0133, [email protected]; Ronit Weingarten, 489-9975; Nona Saling, [email protected]. New members and any request for assistance are always welcome. donations of any kind may be made to Falconbridge Village and sent to John Noble at 2112 Ridgefield drive.
DOING GOOD WORK IN THE FALCONBRIDGE COMMUNITY
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT available for loan to Falconbridge
Alliance through Falconbridge Aging In Place and Falconbridge Friends. Includes
walkers, bedside commodes, shower chairs. Please contact Claudia Stephens at 919-490-1397
or Paula Clarke at 919-489-0133.
The good times rolled! A lively crowd in beads, masks and Mardi Gras finery enjoyed the February 23 potluck at the clubhouse. Red beans, sausage and rice (how New Orleans can we get!) along with many other tasty dishes (the brussels sprout coleslaw was the hit - yes, brussels sprouts!) made for a leisurely evening of good food and great conversation. donations for PORCH were accepted and more than 5 grocery bags of food will
be given to this grassroots organization, which helps eliminate hunger in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area.
Of course, to make the events WORK, we need volunteers to help with each event. If you can help with even just ONE event—e.g., setting up a potluck, or helping hide Easter eggs, or helping kids learn how to make a fishing pole—please contact Conni or lisa and we will welcome your help and participation!
We look forward to an active and fun 2014 here in
Falconbridge!
Social Co-Chairs:
Conni Rivers: 919-294-6703 [email protected]
lisa Anthony: 919-402-1814 [email protected]
NOTES FROM THE SOCIAL EvENTS PLANNING COMMITTEE
BEYOND FALCONBRIDGE…Sensible Lives, Sustainable NeighborhoodsAn Evening with Dave WannAuthor of Superbia!andAffluenzaTuesday, March 18, 2014; 7:00 PM
Author and filmmaker dave Wannchampions a “New Suburbanism,” a creative, incremental approach to reinventing the existing suburban landscape, one neighborhood at a time. Start by creating a more active, neighborly culture, he urges, a “we” rather than “me” mentality. Instead of just remodeling your home, remodel the neighborhood, tapping a powerful, little-used resource — cooperation. Then leverage neighborhood skills and strengths to create significant changes in landscape, architecture, resource use, traffic patterns, and overall function of the neighborhood. As Wann’s many success stories from all over the country show: in neighborhoods built to pro==vide “housing”, “community” can also flourish.
David Wann is an author, filmmaker, and speaker on the topic of sustainable lifestyles and designs. Superbia! 31 Ways to Create Sustainable Neighborhoods was published in 2003. His recent books — Affluenza (now in its third edition and translated into nine languages), Simple Prosperity, and The New Normal — form a “trilogy” about creating a more sensible way of life that can shift our culture in a more sustainable direction. He has also produced 20 videos and TV programs, including the award-winning TV documentary “designing a Great Neighborhood,” about the Holiday neighborhood in Boulder. david, a singer/song writer and master gardener, is president of the Sustainable Futures Society and a Fellow of the National Simplicity Forum. He worked more than a decade as a policy analyst for U.S. EPA and co-designed the cohousing neighborhood where he lives, in Golden.
The UNC Friday Center for Continuing Education, the venue for the program in the spring series, is located at 100 Friday Center drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, approximately three miles east of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, just off Highway 54 East (Raleigh Road). Cost: $10.00. To register, go to http://www.charleshouse.org/aic.series.htm.
The long-awaited American Tobacco Trail Bridge over Interstate 40 is now open and trail lovers and bicyclists are invited to come and take a stroll over this unique structure –- only the second of its kind in the United States. The new 270-foot-long pedestrian bridge is located just west of Fayetteville Road and the connection to the trail heading south is located in the parking lot near Southpoint Cinemas at The Streets at Southpoint. The design is an arch supported stress-ribbon bridge and is currently only the second bicycle/pedestrian bridge of this type in the United States. Overseen by the City of durham’s Public Works department, construction on the bridge began in 2012, and was set to be completed in the summer of 2013. However, due to a number of factors ranging from the wet summer weather to issues with the safety fencing, completion was delayed for eight months. While the bridge portion of the project was delayed, approximately 4.2 miles of new trail opened to the public in October 2013, and the overall project is within its $11 million budget. With the bridge now completed, the American Tobacco Trail now extends from N.C. Highway 54 at Fayetteville Road to the Chatham County line and beyond, completing a missing link in the East Coast Greenway, which links communities from Florida to Maine. To learn more, visithttp://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/pwd/consproj/Pages/SW-24-ATT.aspx.
“I saw pedestrian traffic on the bridge today.” -Rosemarie Kitchin
FALCONBRIDGE FOODIESBob Jackson
One thing I have realized over my 18 years in Falconbridge is that you neighbors love to eat --whether a picnic or potluck at the clubhouse, special meals with the gourmet club, or meals out at the really fine restaurants in the area. So to highlight our interest in food, our Falconbridge Alliance Newsletter will feature a regular column on good eats and go-to-places in the area. We will focus on favorite restaurants, entrees, desserts, and appetizers; various ethnic establishments; and favorite seafood, romantic dinners, bistros, etc.
Recognizing that one person’s taste is only one person’s taste, we will be asking for your feedback and favorites. The “Indy” has its “best of” categories and so too shall Falconbridge. After all, our longevity (re: aging and still eating) and years of tasting across the world qualify us to make such judgments and recommendations.
For the inaugural food column, belly up
to the table and check out these ethnic favorites of mine. First, I am going to El Salvador and a little hole in the wall on Garrett Rd., just off 15-501. El Cuscatleco is a charming little dive started by a couple of Salvadorians about 15 years ago. I have been eating there since and love their simple atmosphere, variety, freshness and taste. This is a place where you mix with Hispanic/latinos from across Mexico and Central and South America. Workmen flock here for lunch because of their specialty meals from El Salvador and Mexico. And on weekends, especially Sundays, families come to celebrate together. El Cuscatleco is comfortable, bright, the staff is very friendly and they do speak some English. One concern for some might be that they do have three televisions on featuring Univision and various soccer games, but the sound has never been intrusive to me.
So, you might ask, what is Salvadoran food? I enjoyed my first pupusa (a cornmeal pancake stuffed with cheese, pork, beans or both; tamald’elote (a sweet cornmeal tamale), fried yucca and chicharron (pork with a delicious cabbage slaw) in several restaurants in the Arlington, Virginia area. El Cuscatleco serves these traditional Salvadoran and Mexican items plus many other specialties and does a fine job with beef, chicken, and shrimp dishes and excellent soups. Its website is www.elcuscatleco.com.
Next on my list is the marvelous and well-loved Indian restaurant, Vimala’sCurryblossom Café in Chapel Hill (located in the courtyard behind Kipos Greek Restaurant on West Franklin). Vimala has a loyal following and with good reason. Her regular menu items and daily specials are fresh, creative, and ever so tasty with many gluten free items or specially adapted as requested. She serves some standard Northern Indian items like curries and paneers but always has some great Southern Indian dishes like uttapoms, dosas, and idli puffs. And if you like or want to try some wonderful goat curry, this is the place. The chai pot de crème for dessert is a real treat as is the cardamom brownie. The website is http://curryblossom.com/vimala/. Please email me at [email protected] with your suggestions and comments.
FURTHER FALCONBRIDGE FOODIES FORAYS
Falconbridge’s dining Car gourmet group has been traveling from home to home in our neighborhood for nearly six years. The 16-member group (couples and singles) does more than chug along: it brings together neighbors who like to cook and enjoy food, and stretches their cooking-comfort zone by assigning recipes to members who would never ever have thought of attempting to cook “that.” It has developed close friendships with people who might not have met each other if they didn’t like to cook. The closely knit social group provides an excellent example of why living in Falconbridge is a good, perhaps delicious, thing.
Neighbors who have a common interest can become cherished friends.
The Falconbridge gourmet group is one of the first special-interest groups in our neighborhood’s effort to become a community. After the Traveling Pubs began to introduce neighbors to each other, focus groups identified common interest areas. One was cooking/food: that led to the gourmet group. Other interests were wine, reading, painting, gardening, attending performances, and walking.
The cooking/food dining Car group (aptly named by Ralph Wikstrom as a takeoff on Traveling Pub) first met every second Saturday. Soon, the group slowed its speed to six times a year—the december meeting being a New Year’s Eve celebration on december 31, no matter the weekday.
Every dinner has a theme—cuisine of a certain country (2014 February’s dinner was Cuban), an event (Titanic’s menu), or a cook like Julia Child.
The dining Car group sometimes dines in two homes because of home space limitations (not all of us can host 16 diners comfortably), but always convenes for an afterglow dessert.
Falconbridge’s dining Car group proves that a common interest can lead to valued friendships with neighbors. dining Car will help other Falconbridge neighbors who want to get on board with other- foodie or family-dining car. Falconbridge Alliance membership is required to participate. Contact liz Hallgren ([email protected]) to get your engine going.
The Children’sCorner
The March Lowes Build and Grow workshop will be on Saturday, March 8 at 10am and will be a Birdhouse.Every month, kids of all ages can build a free project at Lowe’s on select Saturdays from 10a-11a (local time) during the Build & Grow workshop.
Their website says that the “clinics are free, but online registration is required”. We typically don’t register in advance. But even if you do register, you need to get there early because once they run out of kits, they’re done! For further information go online to the Lowes website
If you are interested in learning more about activities or have suggestions for events, please contact Anna [email protected] .
Please remember that 100% of FA’s work is done by volunteers, and
FA always needs the help of other neighbors who
are willing to provide their expertise and time for the benefit of our community
The good times rolled! A lively crowd in beads, masks and Mardi Gras finery enjoyed the February 23 potluck at the clubhouse. Red beans, sausage and rice (how New Orleans can we get!) along with many other tasty dishes (the brussels sprout coleslaw was the hit - yes, brussels sprouts!) made for a leisurely evening of good food and great conversation. donations for PORCH were accepted and more than 5 grocery bags of food will
be given to this grassroots organization, which helps eliminate hunger in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area.
Of course, to make the events WORK, we need volunteers to help with each event. If you can help with even just ONE event—e.g., setting up a potluck, or helping hide Easter eggs, or helping kids learn how to make a fishing pole—please contact Conni or lisa and we will welcome your help and participation!
We look forward to an active and fun 2014 here in
Falconbridge!
Social Co-Chairs:
Conni Rivers: 919-294-6703 [email protected]
lisa Anthony: 919-402-1814 [email protected]
NOTES FROM THE SOCIAL EvENTS PLANNING COMMITTEE
BEYOND FALCONBRIDGE…Sensible Lives, Sustainable NeighborhoodsAn Evening with Dave WannAuthor of Superbia!andAffluenzaTuesday, March 18, 2014; 7:00 PM
Author and filmmaker dave Wannchampions a “New Suburbanism,” a creative, incremental approach to reinventing the existing suburban landscape, one neighborhood at a time. Start by creating a more active, neighborly culture, he urges, a “we” rather than “me” mentality. Instead of just remodeling your home, remodel the neighborhood, tapping a powerful, little-used resource — cooperation. Then leverage neighborhood skills and strengths to create significant changes in landscape, architecture, resource use, traffic patterns, and overall function of the neighborhood. As Wann’s many success stories from all over the country show: in neighborhoods built to pro==vide “housing”, “community” can also flourish.
David Wann is an author, filmmaker, and speaker on the topic of sustainable lifestyles and designs. Superbia! 31 Ways to Create Sustainable Neighborhoods was published in 2003. His recent books — Affluenza (now in its third edition and translated into nine languages), Simple Prosperity, and The New Normal — form a “trilogy” about creating a more sensible way of life that can shift our culture in a more sustainable direction. He has also produced 20 videos and TV programs, including the award-winning TV documentary “designing a Great Neighborhood,” about the Holiday neighborhood in Boulder. david, a singer/song writer and master gardener, is president of the Sustainable Futures Society and a Fellow of the National Simplicity Forum. He worked more than a decade as a policy analyst for U.S. EPA and co-designed the cohousing neighborhood where he lives, in Golden.
The UNC Friday Center for Continuing Education, the venue for the program in the spring series, is located at 100 Friday Center drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, approximately three miles east of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, just off Highway 54 East (Raleigh Road). Cost: $10.00. To register, go to http://www.charleshouse.org/aic.series.htm.
The long-awaited American Tobacco Trail Bridge over Interstate 40 is now open and trail lovers and bicyclists are invited to come and take a stroll over this unique structure –- only the second of its kind in the United States. The new 270-foot-long pedestrian bridge is located just west of Fayetteville Road and the connection to the trail heading south is located in the parking lot near Southpoint Cinemas at The Streets at Southpoint. The design is an arch supported stress-ribbon bridge and is currently only the second bicycle/pedestrian bridge of this type in the United States. Overseen by the City of durham’s Public Works department, construction on the bridge began in 2012, and was set to be completed in the summer of 2013. However, due to a number of factors ranging from the wet summer weather to issues with the safety fencing, completion was delayed for eight months. While the bridge portion of the project was delayed, approximately 4.2 miles of new trail opened to the public in October 2013, and the overall project is within its $11 million budget. With the bridge now completed, the American Tobacco Trail now extends from N.C. Highway 54 at Fayetteville Road to the Chatham County line and beyond, completing a missing link in the East Coast Greenway, which links communities from Florida to Maine. To learn more, visithttp://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/pwd/consproj/Pages/SW-24-ATT.aspx.
“I saw pedestrian traffic on the bridge today.” -Rosemarie Kitchin
FALCONBRIDGE FOODIESBob Jackson
One thing I have realized over my 18 years in Falconbridge is that you neighbors love to eat --whether a picnic or potluck at the clubhouse, special meals with the gourmet club, or meals out at the really fine restaurants in the area. So to highlight our interest in food, our Falconbridge Alliance Newsletter will feature a regular column on good eats and go-to-places in the area. We will focus on favorite restaurants, entrees, desserts, and appetizers; various ethnic establishments; and favorite seafood, romantic dinners, bistros, etc.
Recognizing that one person’s taste is only one person’s taste, we will be asking for your feedback and favorites. The “Indy” has its “best of” categories and so too shall Falconbridge. After all, our longevity (re: aging and still eating) and years of tasting across the world qualify us to make such judgments and recommendations.
For the inaugural food column, belly up
to the table and check out these ethnic favorites of mine. First, I am going to El Salvador and a little hole in the wall on Garrett Rd., just off 15-501. El Cuscatleco is a charming little dive started by a couple of Salvadorians about 15 years ago. I have been eating there since and love their simple atmosphere, variety, freshness and taste. This is a place where you mix with Hispanic/latinos from across Mexico and Central and South America. Workmen flock here for lunch because of their specialty meals from El Salvador and Mexico. And on weekends, especially Sundays, families come to celebrate together. El Cuscatleco is comfortable, bright, the staff is very friendly and they do speak some English. One concern for some might be that they do have three televisions on featuring Univision and various soccer games, but the sound has never been intrusive to me.
So, you might ask, what is Salvadoran food? I enjoyed my first pupusa (a cornmeal pancake stuffed with cheese, pork, beans or both; tamald’elote (a sweet cornmeal tamale), fried yucca and chicharron (pork with a delicious cabbage slaw) in several restaurants in the Arlington, Virginia area. El Cuscatleco serves these traditional Salvadoran and Mexican items plus many other specialties and does a fine job with beef, chicken, and shrimp dishes and excellent soups. Its website is www.elcuscatleco.com.
Next on my list is the marvelous and well-loved Indian restaurant, Vimala’sCurryblossom Café in Chapel Hill (located in the courtyard behind Kipos Greek Restaurant on West Franklin). Vimala has a loyal following and with good reason. Her regular menu items and daily specials are fresh, creative, and ever so tasty with many gluten free items or specially adapted as requested. She serves some standard Northern Indian items like curries and paneers but always has some great Southern Indian dishes like uttapoms, dosas, and idli puffs. And if you like or want to try some wonderful goat curry, this is the place. The chai pot de crème for dessert is a real treat as is the cardamom brownie. The website is http://curryblossom.com/vimala/. Please email me at [email protected] with your suggestions and comments.
FURTHER FALCONBRIDGE FOODIES FORAYS
Falconbridge’s dining Car gourmet group has been traveling from home to home in our neighborhood for nearly six years. The 16-member group (couples and singles) does more than chug along: it brings together neighbors who like to cook and enjoy food, and stretches their cooking-comfort zone by assigning recipes to members who would never ever have thought of attempting to cook “that.” It has developed close friendships with people who might not have met each other if they didn’t like to cook. The closely knit social group provides an excellent example of why living in Falconbridge is a good, perhaps delicious, thing.
Neighbors who have a common interest can become cherished friends.
The Falconbridge gourmet group is one of the first special-interest groups in our neighborhood’s effort to become a community. After the Traveling Pubs began to introduce neighbors to each other, focus groups identified common interest areas. One was cooking/food: that led to the gourmet group. Other interests were wine, reading, painting, gardening, attending performances, and walking.
The cooking/food dining Car group (aptly named by Ralph Wikstrom as a takeoff on Traveling Pub) first met every second Saturday. Soon, the group slowed its speed to six times a year—the december meeting being a New Year’s Eve celebration on december 31, no matter the weekday.
Every dinner has a theme—cuisine of a certain country (2014 February’s dinner was Cuban), an event (Titanic’s menu), or a cook like Julia Child.
The dining Car group sometimes dines in two homes because of home space limitations (not all of us can host 16 diners comfortably), but always convenes for an afterglow dessert.
Falconbridge’s dining Car group proves that a common interest can lead to valued friendships with neighbors. dining Car will help other Falconbridge neighbors who want to get on board with other- foodie or family-dining car. Falconbridge Alliance membership is required to participate. Contact liz Hallgren ([email protected]) to get your engine going.
The Children’sCorner
The March Lowes Build and Grow workshop will be on Saturday, March 8 at 10am and will be a Birdhouse.Every month, kids of all ages can build a free project at Lowe’s on select Saturdays from 10a-11a (local time) during the Build & Grow workshop.
Their website says that the “clinics are free, but online registration is required”. We typically don’t register in advance. But even if you do register, you need to get there early because once they run out of kits, they’re done! For further information go online to the Lowes website
If you are interested in learning more about activities or have suggestions for events, please contact Anna [email protected] .
Please remember that 100% of FA’s work is done by volunteers, and
FA always needs the help of other neighbors who
are willing to provide their expertise and time for the benefit of our community
MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT
Our fearless President Jim Carroll is way down under (as in New Zealand), so as Vice President I get to write this month’s message. I am also the Membership Chair for the Alliance. You may have noticed that we are really pushing neighbors to join this year. So far, our success is mixed and we need to change that!
More than 220 households in Falconbridge have joined the Alliance. That is good news! But it also means that about the same number in the neighborhood have NOT joined. I hope it is not for lack of information—we have used flyers, yard signs, mailed notices and newsletters, and email blasts to get the word out.
Maybe some neighbors just don’t understand what the Alliance does for them. An important example is in this newsletter. Ed Holland’s article lets you know about a church that will be built adjacent to Falconbridge. We try to keep you informed about zoning and other governmental actions that will affect our neighborhood. We also sponsor Neighborhood Watch, maintain the Farrington Road entrances into the neighborhood and assist neighbors with issues affecting their property, not to mention sponsoring social events nearly every week.
I think we need to change our EXPECTATIONS. We should expect that anyone living in Falconbridge will be a member of the Alliance. It is just the right thing to do. Many of us volunteer our time and energy to serve on the board or do other neighborhood activities. That is not for everyone. But each of us can join the Alliance and make it as strong as possible.
It’s YOUR neighborhood. Please help us raise our expectations by encouraging everyone to join the Falconbridge Alliance. And many thanks to our neighbors who have again joined our neighborhood organization. Thank you for your support. Please ask your friends and neighbors if they have joined. Tell them why you think it’s important to support the Falconbridge community.
Nancy Laney
JoinTOdAY!
QUESTIONS? falconbridgemembership@gmail .com
FalconbridgeALLIANCE
21 Charrington PlaceChapel Hill, NC 27517
MAR2014
N E W S l E T T E R
By The Way, Did We Mention MEMBERSHIP ?Trying to decide if you should join the Falconbridge Alliance this year? Not sure if it’s worth it for you? More than half of your neighbors have already joined for many different reasons, among those reasons are:
• They appreciate what the Alliance does for Falconbridge (Neighborhood Watch, city liaison, community landscaping, social events, etc.) and feel they should do their part to support it.
• They want to join in the community organizations sponsored by the Alliance or join the pool and know they must be a member to participate.
• They use their community directory all year long and couldn’t live without it.
• They’ve joined the FCA and FVCA in past years and want to see their work continue.
Whatever your reasons, you need to join by March 15 to enjoy all of the benefits in 2014. Your membership
form is enclosed with this newsletter. You can also get one from the website at FalconbridgeAlliance.org. You might
even win the $100 gift certificate from Nantucket Grill.
The point being: All of this and more, for less than 14 cents a day. Anticipate a warm glow after you send your check.
JOIN THE ALLIANCE AND WIN A $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE AT
NANTUCKET GRILL!
We are ending the membership drive with a bang! Everyone who joins the Falconbridge Alliance by March 15, 2014 (including those who joined already) will be included in a drawing to win a $100 dining certificate at Nantucket Grill, our neighbor at NC-54 and Farrington. This is a great way to support your neighborhood and have a chance to win a great dining experience for you and your family or friends. It’s your neighborhood—and every member matters!
Join Today!
FALCONBRIDGE NEIGHBORS P R O F I l ES
This is a new feature we are introducing to the newsletter, profiles of some of the very remarkable people living in our community -- writers, painters, dancers, doctors, scientists, educators – people who have distinguished themselves by their special contributions within their profession, within the larger community and within our community. These profiles will be written by various contributors, in various formats. All of which should make for great reading and a sense of pride in the company we keep. This first profile is by Bolton Anthony.
Entering Vincent daddiago’s modest townhome is like entering a gallery of lovingly selected art. Your attention is focused; your spirit, refreshed. Colorful abstract paintings fill the wall spaces. Fanciful sculpted forms occupy the room corners. Small metal sculptures, delicately wrought candlesticks, and porcelain pieces line mantels, mounted shelves, and narrow tables. Everywhere, evidence of an unquenchable drive to fill the world with beautiful, lovingly wrought things. To share his gift with the world…
Continued at SecondJourney.org/Heronbridge.htm
Join TodayIt’s YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOd!
MeMbership ApplicAtion
Annual DuesJanuary1st- December 31st
Single Family Homes - $50.00Townhomes - $20.00
Mail To: Falconbridge Alliance21 Charrington PlaceChapel Hill, NC 27517
HandDeliver:
Nancy LaneyMembership Chair2403 Ridgefield Dr.919-378-1457
FalconbridgeAlliAnce
Please print clearly-- this information will be included in the neighborhood directory { provided ONLY to residents who are Alliance members }
Street Address
Landline Phone
Name of Adult Resident 1
Cell Phone
Name of Adult Resident 2
Cell Phone
Names and ages of children in the family { optional }
Comments:
Questions There are many ways for you to get involved with
your neighborhood.
For More information, please contact:
Jim Carroll, Alliance President 919-419-0519
Conni Rivers, Social Event Chair 919-294-6703
Lisa Anthony, Social Event Chair919-402-1814
nancy Laney, Membership Chair 919-378-1457
2014MEMBERSHIPD r i V e