Local Love List: Dasan Ahanu’s Favorite Durham Spots

Hi there! My name is Dasan Ahanu. I am a Durham-based poet, performing artist, playwright and cultural organizer who also helps organizations and institutions strategize and develop creative approaches to realizing goals, internally and externally. Yeah I know, that was a mouthful. Essentially, I am a creative who does imagination work with whoever needs an effective thought partner to make ideas tangible. That is, when I am not bringing my own artistic ideas to life. I love the Bull City and I truly believe it loves me back. We have been partners in dreaming for 20 years now and I love to share how wonderful the city is with all my friends and colleagues.

Come to Durham and I will make sure you get a good taste of what the city offers. Come back again and you start to realize the depth of engagement that is possible. Come back some more and you fall in love. Then, Durham will either become your new home or your favorite escape.

Don’t worry, let the writer show you what that means.

A Durham Love - Book One

Durham is a beautiful love story continuously rewriting itself. Each installment is full of flavor, characters, plot twists, and lessons learned. This place, affectionately known as the Bull City, is rich in experiences. A journey to Durham is a pick your own adventure where each decision impacts your next step and your choices determine the impact of the final outcome. There is no end to what you can gain, what you can explore or what you can come to understand. All you have to do is be open to the possibilities. Soon, you will realize that Durham is your favorite book. Not one that you can sit with at home under a blanket, sipping a drink, glasses on, with text in hand. No, you have to lose yourself in Durham. You have to open your heart and mind to Durham. You have to get out and feel Durham. Trust me, it’s more than worth it.

Prelude: Friday Chill

Friday evening is a celebration. Well, for me it is. The way I see it, we have made it through most of the week and that in itself deserves reward. What could be a better treat than a plate from Saltbox Seafood Joint, where James Beard-nominated chef Ricky Moore serves up fresh, locally sourced seafood inspired by North Carolina’s coastal cuisine? Exactly! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. I like to add some hush-honeys and a glass of lemonade to my order.

One of the things I appreciate about Durham is that there are some really cool hangs to check out. I’m talking about places with the perfect atmosphere to have a drink, talk and catch up with friends. One spot I love to take folks to is The Waiting Room at American Tobacco Campus. There is a variety of seating there, the staff is great and they are one of two places (psst... the other is Alley Twenty Six) in Durham that make the best goldrush I have ever had. You can get caught up talking for hours there and not notice how time is flying by. You also never know who else in Durham might drop in for a drink as well.

After this I am good and done for the day. I can’t late night out in these streets like I used to, though I could be enticed to a burrito from Cosmic Cantina. The tempting burritos don’t require a lot of coaxing, but I will truly be done after a late-night snack.

Chapter One: Let’s Start Saturday Right!

I don’t drink coffee, but so many of my folks do. They can’t function without it. So I try to find a place that has good coffee and drinks that I can enjoy. One place I go on the regular is Triangle Coffee House. If it’s the afternoon, then I am a Tropic Gold or Matcha Lemonade guy. This is the morning, though, and this time of the year, when the weather starts to finally shift in North Carolina, my go to is the White Chocolate. It hits the spot every time. I get my fix and my folks are way easier to deal with for the rest of the day. Not to mention their 8am open time means that I can’t be forced to get up earlier than I want to. I am not a morning person.

That’s it for the morning. I did mention that I am not a morning person right? Just checking. If more morning activity is required (and my arm is twisted), then a stop by the Durham Farmers’ Market in Durham Central Park can be added to the itinerary. The market features a variety of vendors selling everything from fresh produce to handmade goods.

Chapter Two: Lunch and Shop

One place I get excited to introduce people to is Banh’s Cuisine on Ninth Street. This family-owned restaurant never disappoints. I get wonderful service and the owners and staff recognize me when I come in. If it is a Wednesday or a Saturday, then I am coming for the Sate Chicken. This is one of the most consistently delicious plates in Durham.

The holidays are a time for shopping. That means a trip to The Streets at Southpoint mall. Now, I make sure to put spots like Ngozi Design on the route as well. I usually pick up jewelry for family members, but the clothing pieces are also amazing. I have found a couple pieces for myself and my mom. I also try to keep up with holiday markets like the ones at Golden Belt and Earthseed Land Collective, because I love to get gifts from local vendors. Still, everyone has different tastes so sometimes you can’t avoid navigating the shopping traffic at the mall. The Macy’s, Nordstom, and Belk there are popular stops. You also have opportunities to check out brands like H&M, Gap, and Aldo. Me personally, I like to pick up gifts at Paper Source and I probably shouldn’t stop at IT’SUGAR as much as I do (but I can’t help it). There are lots of options at the mall so you just brace for all the people and get to it!

Chapter Three: Art and Culture

Saturday night kicks off with an early dinner at Zweli's, a Black-owned restaurant specializing in authentic Zimbabwean cuisine. Zwelis is the first authentic Zimbabwean restaurant in the country! Of course something like that would happen in Durham. Their new location on West Main Street is beautiful. My go-to order is the Piri Piri Grilled Wings with Jollof Rice and Curried Cabbage. Yum! I am hungry just thinking about it.

Afterward, we are heading over to the Hayti Heritage Center for a poetry slam (shameless plug). The Center is a Durham treasure. It has been a cultural and arts institution committed to preserving the legacy of the Hayti community for almost 50 years now. I host a poetry slam each month on the third Saturday where poets from all over the area come to take the stage and compete for a cash prize. It is truly one of the best nights of art and culture in the city. You should make plans to come out and join us (bring friends!). I will be waiting at the door to say hi to you when you arrive.

Chapter Four: A Glorious Sunday Morning

Yeah, so about this morning thing – it’s a real problem. Not only am I not a morning person, but being an artist has further acclimated me as a night owl. So, I tend to push the limits of morning activity. I mean, what is morning anyway?

About mid-morning (see what I did there?) I enjoy brunch at It’s A Southern Thing. The food is equally good at the downtown and Ellis Road locations. Sometimes the wait isn’t as long at the Ellis Road location, but you never know. Then, of course, there are mimosas.

Now, this only works if my folks already got up before me and had their coffee. Otherwise, this could be a very hostile brunch. I’m going to enjoy my food anyway, but my company may be grumpy.

Chapter Five: Art and Farewell

Before my folks head out, we can make a stop at Duke University’s Nasher Museum. Sherril Rolan has an exhibition there called Processing Systems: Numbers. Sherrill is an amazing artist and his work is so powerful. His exploration and interrogation of incarceration and the prison system is brilliant. There is also an installation curated by Sherrill that accompanies his exhibition. Local retail shop Parker & Otis runs the Nasher’s Gift Shop, so there is a good opportunity for folks to pick up something to remember the outing.

Epilogue

Bull City is a love affair that never ends, an embrace you never get tired of. It is a joy that fills your spirit, a magic you can never forget. Leaving is never a goodbye. Just the ending of a moment necessary to make room for another later. This is an ongoing romance, so novel that you can’t wait for the next installment.