Durham’s Tiny New Cafe (hold the Wifi, please)

Few things are more annoying than someone going on about how awesome something in Europe is, but allow me, for a moment: Cafes and bars in Spain have got something good going on. You can go buy a shot of espresso and just … be, without it being wildly off-putting. You can do the crossword or chat with the person next to you. 

This seems to be becoming more socially acceptable. I recently went to the Daily Beer Bar to do work on a Saturday and sat at a table where one woman was doing a puzzle, another was journaling, and another man was reading Antigone. I was charmed. 

This seems to be the vibe that Jesse Gerstl, the owner of local wine bar Delafia, is going for in his new spot, Soif, which opens this month at 331 Main Street in Durham’s Snow Building. There’s no WiFi in the tiny space and there are only 13 seats, a balance that encourages lingering but not gathering. (And certainly not lingering or gathering with a laptop!) 

“I think how we structure coffee shops in the U.S., where you walk in and you wait in line, and order at a cash register and then wait on the other side for your drink to be ready—it doesn’t create the atmosphere for, like, ‘let’s share this morning ritual together,’” Gerstl told writer Lena Geller, explaining Soif’s order-at-the-bar format. 

Read all about Soif here.

Thanks for reading! Catch up on my colleagues’ extensive reporting from the primary here, and have a nice weekend.

Soif in Durham. Photo by Joshua Paterni.

You still have one more day (plus tonight!) to catch some of the programming at the Hayti Heritage Film Festival. Writer Russ Campbell spoke to curator Monèt Marshall about her vision for this year’s event and what it means to celebrate Black cinema in Durham. (This is a great conversation!)

Justin Laidlaw visited BOOM (Build Our Own Music) Club, an organization that just moved into 600 Foster Street, formerly PS37. What is it, exactly? A space for “freaky, semi-disreputable but open-hearted” people to come and experiment with synthesizers and other resources, says co-founder Nick Williams: 

“It’s really hard to be a professional musician,” Williams said. “It’s almost impossible for most people, and we can’t really change that, but we can create a place where people can be seen and appreciated and part of a local musical culture. Because once you’re a part of something like that, nothing feels better in the world.”

Macbeth, whose lead actors we interviewed several weeks ago, is now playing at PlayMakers through March 27. 

ICYMI: Clyde’s Critters. A new cookbook-memoir about Mama Dip’s and Chapel Hill. 

Local musician Tift Merritt is interviewed in this AP piece about the harm caused by AI song generators. Rhiannon Giddens has a new concert series. Durham’s Rissi Palmer has a new EP out, ahead of a longer project later this year. 

Via Axios, how the upcoming THC ban will affect local business owners like Shawn Stokes’ newly-opened spot, Hops & Flower in Durham. In Kinston, Vivian Howard reopened her Chef & Farmer restaurant. 

Lastly, some news from the Eno River Association, which is making a change this year to its festival, long held around July 4 and famous for string bands, very cool posters, and, lately, some sweltering hot weather. The latter is one reason organizers say that it is being held in downtown Durham, on September 12, as a 60th anniversary event, rather than at West Point on the Eno. Read more here.

— Sarah Edwards —
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