Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Oct. 7, 1993, edition 1 / Page 10
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10 Thursday, October 7,1993 Country Village Offers ‘Vacation for a Day’ BY ROSS TAYLOR STAFF WRITER They’re big. They’re plump. They’re not in a hurry. They’re a pack of roaming, mooing Oreo cow-pets, and they’ll be the first to greet visitors to Fearrington Village. Just eight miles south of Chapel Hill lies a village of an almost-forgotten time, where the pharmacist knows people by name, and a stop by the bookstore could turn into a few hours curled in a couch by a fire. And the cows, of course, are always there for you to moo with. “Cows make you smile, they’re funny,” said R.B. Fitch, president of Fitch Cre ations Inc. “It sets a tone. It’s a very relax ing thing to see, driving into the village.” Once in the village, one easily can pass an hour or a whole day wandering around the grounds and visiting the shops. There’s a market for grabbing lunch or some coffee, a fine-print gallery featuring art from the late 19th and early 20th centu ries, a garden store with unique garden accessories and gardens with enough flow ers to decorate a wedding. Not to mention a housing development of 600 families, a medical center, a fine crafts store, a bank, one of the best inns in the Southeast and a four-star Southern restaurant rated one of the nation’s best. v', y ■•*';-.... jllllPlj %jjik iil. BKj taL-,. 6 iSSx'”^ 1 ” w "- *> asSH'Sir. ; S VBnR ij .-.; < .‘*a*f' 4 r : >v qfsS&K?v.-’i t'H >-i.v< K „... / agggipsssrg '- t - ' ill -IB *-<noc .&*ss.;. •ig;?-.;■ ■■ -fry ;■. S WM# ,s. <, ", \ iw~My.;.- BB'¥™rlJßßM ~:jß|As maBBRBF, , DTH/ROSS TAYLOR Mclntyre s Fine Books and Bookends of Fearrington Village offers a warm fireplace and comfy couches to curl up on during the cool autumn days ahead. The bookstore also schedules weekly book readings. Rising Movie-Ticket Prices Help Set Box-Office Records THE ASSOCIATED PRESS “Jurassic Park” may have broken the all-time box-office record, but it owes a lot of its financial success to soaring ticket prices. With movie patrons faced with $7.50 admissions in some cities and the average movie ticket costing more than $5, this summer’s “Jurassic Park” grosses are mis leading: Both 1939’s “Gone With the Wind” and 1982’s “E.T. The Extra-Ter restnal” totaled more admissions in do mestic theaters. Thanks to the rising prices, discount theaters—called “dollarhouses” in indus try parlance—suddenly have become fash ionable, and one studio chief says ticket prices must come do wn or the industry will suffer. The theater owners, meanwhile, say they will lower their prices as soon as the studios give them better deals on movie rentals. Wcnry'c / j4XD&: JZZMj^^jtty+mm . I f Oft, $A>- I + fre^ j.-i-'^.jj All just off U.S. 15-501 within a 20- minute drive from Chapel Hill. Fearrington Village was created about 20years ago when Fitch and his wife bought the former dairy farm and decided to de velop a community with small-town feel, without changing too much of the existing farm. A few of the shops are renovated struc tures used in the farm The granary is the market, the milking parlor is the garden shop, the com crib is a shop selling plants and flowers, and the old farm house is the restaurant and the inn. And the bam is still the bam. “What we’re trying to do here is to build a country village, ’’ said Fitch, a 1960 grad uate of the University. “Having grown up in Chapel Hill, I knew a lot of the merchants, which I really enjoyed. “I relate to a small town. There’s some thing to be said about a small town.” Fitch likens Fearrington to a big neigh borhood where everyone knows each other. “A lot of waving goes on here. People are happy here, and I think it’s contagious. “I think basically people of all ages are attracted to flowers, cows and fields it’s something that cuts across generations.” Strolling between the shops, resting in the gardens behind the inn or sipping cof fee behind the market, a variety of people can be found. From retirees to teachers, What makes the ticket prices more re markable is that the trend in home video runs completely in the opposite direction. Not too long ago, video renters had to join a club (often at SSO) and pay several more dollars for each tape rented. These days, rental clubs are nonexistent and thousands of tapes can be rented for just sl. Video retail prices are equally cheap. Combined with a $5 rebate, cassettes for “Aladdin” are selling in some mass mer chant stores for about $ 11. Since 1979, movie-ticket prices have more than doubled, according to the Mo tion Picture Association of America, out pacing inflation. At the same time, movie admissions have declined from 21.6 mil lion a week to a little more than 18 million a week. “Movies are too expensive right now,” says Tom Pollock, chairman of the MCA Motion Picture Group, whose Universal Pictures produced the blockbuster "Juras sic Park.” “We think there’s a value problem,” Pollock says. “If the customer perceives that he’s not getting value, that’s not good for the business, and we’d like to see some thing done about it. Clearly people are going to the movies at dollar houses be cause they are cheaper. “They could also wait another month and see the movie on home video even cheaper than that. But that’s a different experience: in your house vs. going out and seeing the movie." >O\V O|MWI 111 riii|i< k i iiiii sit Tlip Omni Kuropii Isle treasure the experience! -Robert Louis Stevenson UVE COMEDY EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY Show Times at both locations 8:30 P.M. Doors Open at 7:45 P.M. ComedtSiw RESERVATIONS 829-0822 Novel Comedy! ARTS & FEATURES from children to recent UNC graduates, they’re out in the country enjoying them selves, working or just relaxing. “It’s not like going to work in the tradi tional sense,” said Gilda McDaniel, man ager of the market and a 1989 UNC gradu ate. "It’s very much of a family feeling. It’s an extremely pleasant place to work.” The market, a small grocery with spe cialty and basic foods, also houses a fish market and an oyster bar downstairs, along with a deli and espresso bar. A fine selection ofbottled beer and wine is available, and upstairs an informal cafe provides indoor and outdoor seating. “Students can come out here to have a really good inexpensive meal,” McDaniel said. “I think many people, including stu dents, have the misconception that the only thing out here is the (Fearrington House) restaurant. Students are more than welcome to come out and just be. “They don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy themselves.” McDaniel urged students not only to visit the market, but also to enjoy all of the shops and the farm in general. “It’s a wonderful place to come out just to study,” McDaniel said. “It’s only a 15- minute drive into the country to get a vacation fora day.” Listening to anyone out at the farm, it’s clear McDaniel isn’t the only one who Energetic Kravitz Show Captivates Sold-Out Crowd ,z' // / Barfg. Ml WBL. jJ&L : MBj Hr • * HHHHHHHH: .DDOHHv tHB DTH/IAYSON SINGE Lenny Kravitz rocked Carmichael Auditorium on Tuesday night with a varied mix of songs from Let Love Rule, Mama Said and Are You Gonna Go My Way? TAR HEEL SPORTS SHORTS * THIS WEEKEND Men’s Tennis—Tar Heel Invitational Featuring Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, UVA, South Carolina, Virginia Commonwealth, Ole Miss and others! Thur 3:00 pm-8:00pm, Fri B:3oam-Bpm, Sat B:3oanvßpm, Sun 9:ooam Men’s Soccer vs. Maryland Sunday 2:00 pm Tennis at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center Soccer at Fetzer Field UNC Students admitted H'B ful flfffß L FREE with ID! 1 IfllOKlfJi A feels this way about the village. “It’s such a beautiful place, ” said Dawn Weniger, director of public relations and advertising for Fearrington Village. “You can’t beat the environment. From my win dow, I watched a baby cow bom. It’s pretty amazing. “You can’t beat the gardens if you just want to escape for a while,” Weniger said. “It’s a fun place to be for everyone, and it’s certainly a great place to bring your par ents.” If the parents are in town for the week end, the restaurant and the inn are wonder ful places to take them. They are the only inn and restaurant between Charleston, S.C., and Washington, D C., listed by the Relais and Chateaux, which rates the fin est inns and restaurants in the world. Many people also hold their weddings at Fearrington House. “There’s at least one a week, especially during the summer,” said Elizabeth Harrison, who works with guest services at the inn. “One weekend, we even had five. That weekend was crazy. “I think the people who get married here want something elegant, but love the country feel,” Harrisonsaid. “It’skindofa special place.” Even if you don’t want to get married next weekend, Fearrington is also a won derful place to bring a friend or a date. Cozy Atmosphere Draws Book Browsers BYROSSTAYLOR STAFF WRITER As long as it’s warm enough, the doors stay open to bring in the fresh air. The windows, tall and wide, gather in as much sunlight as possible, spilling it onto the plush green carpet. The comfy couches and inviting chairs rest empty. And when it’s cold enough, there is a fire waiting to curl in front of, reminiscent of the winter days of childhood. It’s not your home from the old neigh borhood, noryourbest friend’s house down the street, but a country bookstore where visitors devote hours to browsing and read ing books, listening to authors read from their works or simply escaping into an other world. Mclntyre's Fine Books and Bookends has a lot more to offer than the average bookstore. “It’s a real relaxed place to come and look for books,” said Keebe Fitch, man ager of the bookstore and a 1988 UNC graduate. “You’re welcome to come on in and make yourself at home. We always have plenty of seats.” Mclntyre’s is one of the shops in DTH/ROSS TAYLOR Much of Fearrington Village echoes the dairy farm it replaced about 20 years ago. The village's founder says he keeps the cows for their 'relaxing' feel. The gardens are open to the public, and people are always out walking around, smiling and waving hello. To quote R.E.M.’s “Flowers of Guatemala,” “People here are friendly and content, people here are colorful and bright.” Fearrington Village, south of Chapel Hill onU.S. 15-501. What separates Mclntyre's from most other bookstores is not just its extensive collection, but its environment. “One of the first things you notice when you walk in here is how much it feels like a home,” said Ingrid Keller, a Chapel Hill resident who frequently visits Mclntyre’s. “It’s a feeling of warmth. One of the things I like is if I need help, I can get it; but if I want, I can be in my own thoughts. I really just love this place.” Three couches await people looking to rest and take in a book on a lazy afternoon, and there are enough chairs to “set a spell” and chat with an old friend. Fitch emphasized the relaxed atmo sphere. “It’s a general, full-service inde pendent bookstore. “We’ve got all kinds of things for differ ent people,” she said. “And if we don’t have something someone wants, we’ll do our best to try and get it for them.” Trying to get to know the people who come into the store and what they like is part of what Fitch tries to do, she said. “It seems to make people so happy when you think of them, saving books for them, or ordering something we might not have. “It makes all the difference knowing you made someone happy,” Fitch added. When Lenny Kravitz and his band en tered Carmichael Auditorium on Tuesday night, they looked like they were from another planet, or at least from another decade. But when the music began, it was clear that the sold-out crowd felt no cultural or generation gaps. Lenny Kravitz, wearing a skin-tight, flare-legged red lame suit and platform shoes, blasted onto the stage singing “Is There Any Love In Your Heart?” with a | WENDY MITCHELL | Concert Review Lenny Kravitz with Blind Melon burst of energy that continued until his final toss of the guitar pick after the encore. His band, consisting of a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist, trumpeter and saxo phone player, also werebizarrely clad and featured extraordinarily large hairdos. Kravitz stormed through his set, includ ing favorites such as “Fields of Joy,” “Stop Draggin’ Around” and “Come On and Love Me." The show offered a refreshing mix of older material from Let Love Rule and Mama Said, demonstrating that Kravitz wasn’t just trying to cash in on his current success, Are You Gonna Go My Way? Through such a variety of tunes and moods, Kravitz displayed his enormous vocal range, from the throaty “Mr. Cab Driver” to the soulful “Sister.” At times, Kravitz seemed to immerse himself in the music, unaware of the audi ence, with his trademark dreadlocks flail ing and his hips shaking. But his resonating voice and the powerful rhythm of the songs kept the crowd enthralled. The show mellowed a bit with tunes such as “Heaven Help.” His lingering vo cals conveyed personal connotations de spite the large crowd. “Let Love Rule” was the first time Kravitz made any statements other than a few cordial “thank yous.” He used the song’s theme as a backdrop for his philo- TROLLEY FROM PAGE 3 “Cemeteries are getting more popular these days. There is a favorite epithet of mine: I was Tar Heel bom, and I was Tar Heel bred, and here I lie a Tar Heel dead,” she said. Durham resident Doris Folton said she thought the tour was great “My husband’s grandfolks, his ances tors are from Chapel Hill. That was more fun. You just need a cushion for your seat, ” Folton said. The trolley also passed by many of the University’s libraries. When the trolley’s passengers heard that UNC boasts 17 libraries, they were sur prised. As the trolley passed Wilson Library, Courtier explained that the N.C. Collec tion showed the way the first gold rush Saily ®ar Mppl Fearrington is home to lots of friendly folk, but it also makes a quiet retreat. The only interruptions are an occasional honk “hello” of a hom, or of the Oreo cows as they moo to the world from the little coun try village of Fearrington. “I really enjoy it out here. I love it.” In addition to the selection and service at Mclntyre’s, an important aspect of the bookstore is readings by authors. Readings are held one to three times a week, usually at 11 a.m. Saturdays. Last week, Bland Simpson read from his new release, “The Mystery ofßeautiful Nell Cropsy,” a nonfiction murder mys tery about a young woman living in Eliza beth City at the turn of the century. Although this was the first reading he had given at the bookstore, Simpson, who teaches creative writing at UNC, has been to Mclntyre’s before and enjoys the atmo sphere of the shop. “It’s a wonderful bookstore, and a won derful place for a reading,” Simpson said. “It’s so much like someone’s house, like their living room.” Fitch encourages students to come for the readings and meet the authors. “It’s a great way to spend part of your Saturday, ” Fitch said. Another attraction of Mclntyre’s is the fireplace, especially on the really cold days, where people can come in from the biting cold and get the color back in their face. “The fireplace is great,” Fitch said. “I have people who call me up and ask if the fire is kindled before coming.” sophical inteijections: “We can’t wait for the responsibility ofthe nextperson. We’ve got to start with ourselves.” He asked the sea of concertgoers: “But are we really ready to become brothers and sisters, people?” Judging by their fervent response, they were ready to “become one.” Kravitz built on their eagerness with his venture (ac companied by minimal security) into a roped-offarea ofthe bleachers, which was quickly flooded by fans. The first encore started, appropriately enough, with “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over,” from Mama Said. In “Believe,” his voice continued to show no signs of strain, even after a long, consistent performance. For a second encore, Kravitz burst back onstage, full of energy, and ended the show on an upbeat note with a rousing “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” Due to Kravitz’s charisma, the show seemed fairly intimate despite Carmichael’s size. The lighting during Kravitz’s set was quite complementary, setting a pleasant mood and accentuating the music. Other than a few minor technical problems, the sound was of good quality, letting his pow erful voice resonate throughout the arena. Blind Melon’s hour-long opening set was less glamorous, but the band’s relaxed approach captured the crowd’s attention. During the performance of their hit single “No Rain,” lead singer Shannon Hoon conducted and cued the crowd as they sang along. Hoon was the focus of both the stage and sound, his voice overpowering the instruments and his energetic antics taunting the crowd. Blind Melon’s set had a down-home appeal, with a barefoot Hoon telling the crowd that the group had once lived in Durham. “There’s a whole lot of soul here in North Carolina,” Hoon said. The audience would have to agree, there was definitely a whole lot of soul here Tuesday, primarily courtesy of Lenny Kravitz. happened in North Carolina. “A boy found a nugget in the forest, and his family used it as a door stop, ” Courtier said. One English man, who was visiting his brother, said he thought the tour was inter esting. “It’s always good to get the basics, to know what’s behind it all.” The tour is offered as a joint project between the Downtown Commission and the historical society. The town owns the trolleys, and the Downtown Commission exclusively con trols them. The tour runs until Nov. 17. To reserve one of the trolley’s 24 spots, call the historical preservation society at 942-7818. In honor of the Bicentennial Celebra tion, two tours are scheduled at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Oct. 13.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Oct. 7, 1993, edition 1
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