The New Napa?

Last week, iVillage’s “Supermarket Guru,” Phil Lempert, said on national TV (the Today Show, to be exact, as well as his website), that North Carolina is the new Napa.  That’s one bold statement.  To be fair, I think what Mr. Lempert was trying to say is that some areas of the state, the Yadkin Valley in particular, have the necessary attributes (i.e. climate and soil) to produce notable wines (perhaps, someday, even those considered to be world-class) and he feels like wines from the Tar Hill State “will be hot this year.”  I think that’s a more down-to-Earth assessment. 

Otis, my man!

So I was in Durham, NC the other day scouting locations for an upcoming story on Amy Tonrquist, the super-talented chef/owner of Watts Grocery (a hip new restaurant near Duke's east campus).  I left Birmingham on a 6am flight (which meant rollin’ outta the rack shortly after 4am) with little more than a granola bar and flavored water in my tummy.  By lunchtime I was ready to chow down.

My tour guides, Zavi and Babs, whisked me away to Parker and Otis, a gourmet grocery store, restaurant, wine store, and all round cool place to hang and be seen.  I don’t know who Parker is, but Otis is a regal looking pug who shows up in photos throughout the store.  Located in a jazzed up downtown warehouse, Parker and Otis has only been open a few months, but appears to already have quite a following.  I reckon if I lived in Durham, I’d spend a lot of time here too.