WEB EXCLUSIVE Going out into the world looks a bit different nowadays. In the time of COVID, stores, restaurants, bars and other public-facing businesses are taking extra precautions to ensure all of their patrons—and employees—are kept as safe from the virus as possible, whether ensuring all staff members are equipped with masks and gloves or sanitizing equipment more thoroughly and regularly.
At Killjoy, a newly opened cocktail and small plate lounge, the owners have gone the extra mile to ensure safety by stationing a digital scanner right outside the doors that takes each patron’s temperature and ensures they’re wearing a mask before they can enter.
Guarav “G” Patel, a local entrepreneur and Killjoy partner, says that the state of the art technology ensures anyone who comes into the lounge is healthy, so as not to compromise anyone else in the building. “For us, being in the food and beverage space, we need to make sure we’re taking every necessary step in our power for the safety of our patrons,” Patel says. “It’s probably an overkill but we would rather have this in place than not.”
When a guest comes to Killjoy’s door, the scanner first checks their ID to make sure they’re of age, while logging them into their system. With this step–in case the staff needs to follow up on a COVID case in the building–there is a log of everyone who has entered.
The scanner then takes a digital scan of the guest’s face to determine whether or not they’re wearing a mask. If they are not, the scanner will tell the guest to put a face mask on; patrons can take their masks off once they are seated inside. Lastly, guests hold their wrist up to a non-contact infrared scanner that takes their temperatures. If a high fever is detected, the guest will not be allowed in.
Patel says he feels the scanner isn’t intrusive and does away with the need for an employee to screen each guest. In the few weeks that Killjoy has been using the technology, Patel says patrons have responded positively, understanding that it’s for the betterment of everyone. “We all have to adapt to the way things will work,” Patel says. “This is not to invade anyone’s privacy, it’s to conduct business safely.”
Killjoy is open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight.
WEB EXCLUSIVE The City of Raleigh may have cancelled its Fourth of July fireworks this year, but there’s still plenty to do around town to enjoy the holiday with family and friends, including the Triangle’s first-ever food truck cinema experience. This Saturday evening, enjoy the movie classic “Independence Day” at a drive-in event with food trucks in northeast Raleigh.
Food Truck Flix was founded by a group of local food truck owners eager to host unique events in the City of Oaks. They drew inspiration from similar food truck cinema project elsewhere in the country and have more events planned for the summer.
Each will feature rotating food trucks and a film you can watch from the comfort of your car and enjoy with a delicious meal. Order your food on location or up to 72 hours in advance through Street Food Finder.
On July 4th, enjoy Korean BBQ from Bulkogi and chopped barbecue chicken sandwiches and burgers from Chick-N-Que while you watch Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum take on alien invaders on the big screen at Focus Church. The cost of entry is $20 and this month, Food Truck Flix will donate all profits from passes to Emancipate NC, a nonprofit seeking to demolish structural racism and mass incarceration in North Carolina.
Also this holiday weekend, the Durham Bulls are hosting Movies on the Monster, a movie screening event at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. “Captain America: The First Avenger” will play on the Bulls’ Blue Monster videoboard, followed by a virtual fireworks show.
Pods will be spaced six feet apart across the outfield so groups of up to ten people can maintain a safe distance from one another while watching the film. Each pod will get popcorn delivered upon arrival, and additional snacks are available to buy at DBAP’s concessions stand. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 8:00 p.m.
Melissa Lowery’s gorgeous turquoise jewelry catches your eye and it can be hard to look away. A self-taught jewelry artist who founded SSD Jewelry in 2003, Lowery creates the bright hues from a homemade patina—or oxidation, a process involving natural ingredients such as salt, wood and vinegar that colors her metals to make them appear naturally aged.
Lowery says her jewelry is very much inspired by the ocean; she grew up in Sarasota, Florida but now lives in Zebulon. “Nature, color and landscapes have always been my muses,” Lowery says. Lowery’s love for nature melds with a desire to care for the environment and practice her craft sustainably; she aims to leave as little of an environmental footprint as possible in her jewelry-making process.
Lowery utilizes recycled materials, including reclaimed metals and organic materials such as repurposed leather, wood and natural fibers, to make her unique pieces along with eco-friendly packaging to transport them. These materials and processes mean Lowery’s pieces of jewelry are one-of-a-kind works of art—no two are ever the same.
“Being able to have the opportunity to create artwork that also serves as a meaningful keepsake for my customers is always the underlying purpose for what I do,” Lowery says. “Being able to pursue [my passion] in a career is so fulfilling.” ssdjewelry.com
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area HILLSBOROUGH The highest point in the Triangle, Occoneechee Mountain offers a 350-foot-high expansive view. Four hiking trails flow through the park alongside the Eno River, Eno Rock Quarry, Mountain Laurel and lush oak forests, ranging from .10 miles to 2.2 miles long. Fishing is allowed on the Eno River’s banks and shallows or in the surrounding ponds. Popular catches include bass and panfish. Pack a picnic for lunching on the grassy lawns underneath large, shady oak trees. ncparks.gov/occoneechee-mountain-state-natural-area/home
Photo courtesy of @betterwithju on Instagram
Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen CARY Tucked inside the H-Mart food court in Cary, Love Bao has a cult following for its soft, steamy bao buns stuffed with a variety of traditional and unique fillings. There’s the original pork belly gua bao with braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, powdered peanuts, brown sugar and cilantro, a popular street food in Taiwan. Then there’s an Americanized chicken filet bao and crispy fish bao along with a vegetarian soy steak bao. Soups, Taiwanese cold noodles, rice plates and small bites like basil popcorn chicken round out the menu. lovebaokitchen.com
Summer Patchwork Market DURHAM | August 23 The Patchwork Market was founded in 2014 in order to create a space where local vendors and creatives could sell their goods directly to the community. “Desiring to put a face, name and story with what we buy, the Patchwork Market wants to promote mindfulness and intentional relationships with each other and consumer goods,” the market’s website states. The summer market offers a unique shopping experience where guests will discover one-of-a-kind pieces of art and original goods. Past vendors include Veronica Blue, Feather and Mountain (pictured), Free Sparrow Co. and Heart + Hustle. The Summer Patchwork Market is free to enter and takes place from noon to 5 p.m. in the Durham Armory. thepatchworkmarket.com
Cloche Coffee DURHAM This Durham coffee shop aspires to be just like a cloche—a bell-shaped glass covering that encourages plant growth—by facilitating good energy and inspiring community within its airy, plant-filled space. Cloche serves Larry’s Coffee in lattes, macchiatos, cortados and other coffee and espresso creations, along with matcha lattes, chai and other teas. Cloche offers freshly baked pastries, such as cookies and croissants, that pair perfectly with a hot or cold brew. Currently, food and drinks are available for takeout only, though Cloche’s patio is open with social distancing. (919)748-3333; clochecoffee.com
Apex Eats APEX On the last Saturday of each month, chef Ana Tapioca of Global Comfy, a food blog focused on international comfort foods, creates delicious community meals using fresh ingredients from the Apex Farmers Market. One of Tapioca’s most popular dishes is shrimp and grits made with North Carolina-caught shrimp, tomatoes from Hilltop Farm in Willow Springs and okra from Sweet Flowers and Fruits, a small farm just outside of Pittsboro. Place meal orders on the Thursday prior to the Saturday pickup day. feedapex.org
The night of Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of former slaves, kicked off the emancipation of Raleigh from housing Confederate statues on public property.
Demonstrators scaled a 75-foot tall, bronze Confederate soldier that stood in front of the North Carolina State Capitol, pulled it down with a strap, dragged it through downtown’s streets and hoisted it up a light pole at at the intersection of Salisbury and West Hargett, where they left it hanging. Another downed soldier statue was deposited on the steps of the Wake County Courthouse.
By the next morning, crews on the Capitol grounds worked to dismantle remaining Confederate statues under orders from Governor Roy Cooper. It’s not clear what, if anything, will replace the statues at the Capitol but the events mark an end to displays of “monuments to white supremacy,” in Cooper’s words, in North Carolina’s capital city.
Before last month’s events, Tony Cope, co-owner of Raleigh creative marketing agency Myriad Media, was working on a project to honor the histories of former slaves and other Civil War figures whose stories to this day remain largely untold. The project, called Hidden in Plain Sight, is an online portal that uses augmented reality to overlay stories of real people, in real time. The original plan was to have historical figures come to life to tell their stories in four to five short video segments at the sites of Confederate monuments.
Although in Raleigh many of the monuments are now gone—potentially to be relocated to museums where important moments in history can be preserved in more appropriate, contextualized settings—Cope says he is still moving forward with his project.
“These are crucial stories and history that will always be relevant,” he says.
So far, Cope’s website shares the stories of two former slaves: Lunsford Lane and Harriet Jacobs. Cope says he hopes to have a total of 35 to 40 characters in order to create an experiential documentary with an overarching story.
Lundsford Lane
Anyone anywhere in the world can use the platform, which aims to share the accounts of an enslaved and subjugated population that’s often overshadowed by glorified Confederate messaging.
A born and raised Southerner, Cope says he hopes the project will help reframe the South’s often troubling history and help to ensure that that history doesn’t repeat itself.
“We need to learn who we were and who we are right now in order to truly be better and get closer to who we want to be,” he says. “We can’t escape who we are; we can’t escape our history. It’s a great reminder that we’ve got a lot of work to do.” untoldstoriesar.org
