Friday on the Front Porch

The quinticential Chapel Hill way to spend your Friday Happy Hour in the summer is at The Carolina Inn for FOFP (Friday on the Front Porch). It's a fairly recent happening in town that started when I was a junior in college. Instead of the typical watering hole, a bluegrass band plays for the hippy children dancing on the lawn, the yo-po's (young professional) fresh off work, the wealthy alumni that don't need to work, and the occassional toolbag resident physician that wears their scrubs out of the hospital (my personal pet peeve-- it's gross-- please don't do it med school and nurse friends!).

I intentionally blocked my work schedule so I could start my weekend off right. Some pretty big moments have happened at FOFP.

- I shared my first FOFP with my beloved college best, Biz (Alicia), which became a weekly staple.
In college we would get home from class and prepare our special concoction of Cheerwine and take the long hike up Cameron Ave to the porch. Sweat dripping from out legs, we always arrived to a packed house, literally standing room only. It's the perfect catapult to a night on Franklin-- start with dinner outside (think Los Pos, R&R, TopO) and stay cool in the night air (weather pending) (think He's Not, Lucy's, Goldie's).

- I wished Chapel Hill good-bye before heading up to New England for a summer. Meet Nasty (Andrew). He's the Starsky to my Hutch, the Blue Steel to my Zoolander, the Lilo to my Stich.

- I officially met Meg, whose friendship would change my way of life in a big way. Keep a look out for our friendiversary coming up.

I remember when we first hung out and after a few short minutes, we both thought, "Um. Why are we not friends yet? That will have to change. This is kind of a big deal."

- Celebrated my first LDOC from Dook. I know, I know. But let's be serious. I'd rather hang out in Chapel Hill than with the antisocialites of Dook.

-Reunion with D.C. after his long drive home. I had no clue what I was in for.

You too could experience Southern culture at its towniest. 5 pm, every Friday. Bring a blanket and an empty belly.