3rd Annual Bluegrass for Babies benefiting the NC Children's Hospital

Please mark your calendar for the 3rd Annual Bluegrass for Babies!!!

This special edition of The Carolina Inn's "Friday's on the Front Porch" will be held on Friday, May 29 to benefit NC Children's Hospital Newborn Critical Care Center. The event will take place from 5pm-7pm and will feature the live bluegrass music from The Gravy Boys.

This event provides the perfect atmosphere for kicking back, relaxing and getting a jump on the weekend. The Inn offers its classic southern buffet as well as Tiny Vittles menu with full bar service (including sodas and Shirley Temples), and plenty of comfortable seating under the shady oaks and magnolias on the Inn's front lawn. There is no cover charge for the event.

Please go support this wonderful cause!!

I cannot be there the May 29 weekend, but we would like to invite the EQ to join us for a Friday in June (for Dining Out--we'll narrow down a date soon). "Friday's on the Front Porch" runs from April 2 to October 9th, and is usually a good mix of Alumni, Chapel Hill fixtures, families, staff, and some students, rocking on the porch enjoying good food and fun music. Check out a list of bands here. I'll have more details for June's dining out shortly, but until then. . . Rock (as in rocking chair) On. They may even play some Skynyrd!

T's Chapel Hill (and Carrboro) Top 5

I have been dining in and around Chapel Hill's Franklin Street now for five years (well working on West Franklin for that long). Here are my top 5 on Franklin Street (and a few on Weaver/Main St.). . .

1. Peppers - Best Franklin Street Pizza, hands down. Add artichoke heart and feta or chicken and bacon. Try a white or pesto slice. The spinach calzone is to die for, and I love the stromboli. I've even heard their salads are good. As a plus, you can even get pizza dough to go! Say, "Hi!" to Hannah if she is your server--she's awesome!

2. Sandwhich - Eclectic, European-feeling, Sandwhich is the restaurant that has made me like sandwiches again. Order a change-your-life Tuna or an O.B.L.T. (O stands for Outrageous - A BLT with jalapenos and avocado), and you'll never know what hit you. Stop by the bathroom for a cool spacial experience. As an added bonus The Courtyard also has a LocoPops and the succulent delights of the new Bliss Bakery--try a chocolate bliss cupcake and let your taste buds take you to heaven.

3. The Spotted Dog - Just order the Spinnin' Dip. Order it and die happy.

4. Trilussa - Just a fresh, little, Italian slice of heaven. Tiny, out of the way, delicious, enjoy!

5. It's a toss up, Med Deli? Acme? Can't decide. . .

Experience one or all of these Chapel Hill or Carrboro treasures, and you'll have many mouth-watering moments. There are a bunch of others I haven't been to on East Franklin (price is also a factor), but any one of these will be a great dining experience. I keep threatening a take-out party where I send a bunch of people to pick up my favorite dishes or appetizers from many places around the Triangle. Maybe it will be the result of a blog post.

ETA ("edited to add" for future reference): I take it back. #5 is Carrburritos. Have the nachos. Add the sweet potato puree--I know, I said it, too. "Sweet potatoes on nachos???" with a look of incredulous derision. Don't knock it--it is amazing!