Small Details, Big Impact!

We thought we would take this post to point out some of the inside custom upgrades which are unique to 7 Silverbush Court.

Custom Clean Modern Paint Throughout Entire Home
(No Scratchy and Dusty Builder's Beige Found Here!)

Custom Art Niches

Real Hardwood Floors instead of Builder's Standard Engineered Hardwood Floors

Custom Moldings Framing Dining Room Entrance and Surrounding Wainscoting.  

Custom Suede Paint.

 Bright and Open Stairway with Black Wrought Iron Spindles

  Glass Front 48' Maple Cabinet with Tumbled Marble Back-splash

Stainless Steel Appliances

 Full Under-Stairwell Storage

High Efficiency Over-sized Front Loader Washer and Dryer

Custom Mudroom Organizer

Custom Kitchen to Living Room Cut-Out

Private Second Floor Office

Master Bedroom Tree-house View

Kitchen Views

Kitchen Nook View

Private Garden and Tree-house Views Across the Entire Rear of the Home

What's For Dinner? Spotlight: Rockwood Restaurants 27707

In 2.2 miles and in less than 5 minutes, you will arrive at what is arguably one of the triangle’s best restaurants.  Nana’s is the perfect date night location.  The ambiance and staff are amazing.  The restaurant has a cozy, warm, and imaginative feel.  Reservations are helpful, but you can usually come in and sit at the bar area if you decide you want to come by at the spur of the moment.  The menu is constantly changing, but I love it when their risotto appetizer and scallops entrée are featured.

http://www.nanasdurham.com/about-nanas

It looks like Nana’s Chef Scott Howell will be opening a new restaurant (previously Fish Shack and Rockwood Filling Station) right next door to Nana’s.  According to the N&O “Nanataco” will open on August 16^th to provide the area with classic taqueria with a twist in order to satisfy area foodies.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/food/chef-scott-howell-to-open-nanataco-in-durham-on-aug-16

Upon moving to Durham, we quickly realized that we needed to become acquainted with North Carolina BBQ and fixings.  And after tasting pork from barbeque pit after barbeque pit, not many places top The Q Shack.  Great hush puppies, too!    

http://www.theqshackoriginal.com/

Local Yogurt, or “Loyo” as the kids say is a great place to enjoy locally created frozen yogurt.  Their yogurt is environmentally and figure friendly.  You have to try their plain yogurt with strawberries and honey. Mmm!

www.localyogurt.com

Reasons To Fall in Love with 7 Silverbush Court

We feel that Forest Brook is a gem and secret find hidden in the heart of Hope Valley, Durham.   We have found its location to be truly perfect and are not sure we would have found Durham to be so charming if we had opted to live in some of the other locations we were initially considering.  Being that we moved here without knowing Durham really that well, I’d say we really got lucky!  It is great to have equally quick access to Chapel Hill and Downtown Durham.  The small triple cul-de-sac neighborhood of different colored craftsman homes is tucked behind Hope Valley Downs (different builder) near Martin Luther King Blvd. and Old Chapel Hill Road.  The cul-de-sac lay-out provides lots of privacy and street traffic is limited to its residents.  It’s a close knit neighborhood of friendly and welcoming folks, where everyone knows everyone. Many Saturday and Sunday afternoons were spent in our backyard cooking out with neighbors.  Tall pine trees surround the neighborhood and backyard of the home, really providing the feeling that you are “away from it all”.

What's Close By? Spotlight: The Streets at Southpoint

If you are in need of a shopping trip, at 3.4 miles away you will arrive at the Streets at Southpoint.  7 Silverbush Court is perfectly located to easily take advantage of the great shopping the mall has to offer, but far enough away to avoid the congestion that the mall creates.  We can easily and quickly slip over for a trip to the mall, but on a daily basis we are not bogged down by mall traffic.  The mall has a great array of indoor and outdoor shops including; Macys, Nordstrom, Apple, Crate and Barrel, Ann Taylor, Anthropologie, Coach, etc.

http://www.streetsatsouthpoint.com/

What's Close By? Spotlight: Franklin Street

Once leaving the neighborhood, if you take a quick left hand turn onto Old Chapel Hill Road, in 6 easy miles you will find yourself on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.  Franklin Street is home to the University of North Carolina and with that you will find tons of shops and great restaurants to explore.  Franklin Street is a pretty street to visit and will definitely bring you back to your undergraduate days as a college student.  Franklin Street at UNC Chapel Hill is the quintessential “college town”.  But, unless your a Tarheel through and through, you may want to avoid Franklin Street after a big win or on Halloween!

http://www.downtownchapelhill.com/

What's Close By? Spotlight: RTP

The Research Triangle Park is home to more than 170 global companies spread across 7,000 acres.  “RTP” employs roughly 48,000 employees.  7 Silverbush Court is conveniently located for those employees who are RTP based, at just 5.5 miles away.
www.rtp.org

What's Close By? Spotlight: Durham Farmer's Market

If buying local, fresh, and organic food is your thing...  Drive 4.8 miles and check out the Durham Farmer's Market on a Saturday morning and stock up for the week.

http://www.durhamfarmersmarket.com/

What's Close By? Spotlight: Brightleaf Square

Similar to American Tobacco, at 4 miles from Forest Brook, Brightleaf Square features a unique blend of restaurants and shops tucked between historic tobacco warehouses.  We tended to come on Friday nights in the summer, as they host a Summer Concert Series.  Good food and good times. 
www.historicbrightleaf.com

What's Close By? Spotlight: American Tobacco

Brian’s architecture firm was located at American Tobacco.  There were occasions where Brian ran home from American Tobacco after a post-work YMCA visit.  Admittedly, these were rare.  At 4 miles away, the American Tobacco is a great entertainment district.  This is the site of the Durham Bulls Triple-A baseball park, the Durham Performing Arts Center “D-Pack”, Music on the Lawn, and restaurants with outdoor seating and water views.  Tyler’s Taproom is a great place to kick back and have a drink after a Broadway play, baseball game, or a long day at work.  The architecture combines historic 1800s tobacco factories and modern urban chic. 

http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com

What's Close By? Spotlight: Sarah P Duke Gardens

At 3.5 miles away you will find the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.  Southern living named Duke Gardens #6 Best Public Garden.  This is a great place to take in Carolina gardening at its best or for a picnic at the lawn on a Sunday afternoon.  The Sarah P. Duke Gardens provided inspiration for 7 Silverbush Court’s personal backyard perennial paradise.
http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/

What's Close By? Spotlight: Duke Forest Al Buehler Cross Country Trail

Great gravel running and walking course located on the perimeter of the Washington Duke Golf Course.  Within 2 miles of 7 Silverbush Court.

What's Close By? Spotlight: Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club

During our time in Durham, we spent many evenings relaxing and enjoying a drink at “Wa-Duke”.  At just 2 miles away from 7 Silverbush Court, we highly recommend zipping over around dusk to enjoy the southern-style sophistication and ambiance.   From slowing sipping your cocktail of choice under their majestic oak trees in the thick of summer to snuggling up near their wood burning fire place with hot totties when the winter weather hits, it’s a spot that can’t be missed.
www.washingtondukeinn.com

What's Close By? Spotlight: Hope Valley Country Club

Just around the corner and in less than 1 mile walking, you will arrive at Hope Valley Country Club.  Hope Valley Country Club is Durham’s original country club and it is thought to be the most traditional and prestigious.  Amazing homes line the golf course, which provides a nice backdrop for the avid runner or casual stroller from Forest Brook.  I know a few neighbors have joined the club, as it provides tons of amenities for some of the great promotional rates they have been offering as of late.  Check it out!

http://hvcc.org

Bon Appetit Durham

What’s for dinner near 7 Silverbush Court?

Over the past few years, Bon Appetit has named Durham America’s Foodiest Small Town.  During our time at 7 Silverbush Court we were sure to take full advantage of our nearby treasures.  If large chain restaurants are your thing, you can be at the Southpoint mall (27713) in 10 minutes or less and you will have every large large chain restaurant you can imagine at your disposal. Think, Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys, Ruth Chris, California Pizza Kitchen, Maggianos, Olive Garden, P.F. Changs.  Or at 7 Silverbush Court, you can be just around the corner from where the true foodies dine.  Let me know what your craving and we will let you know where you can best get your fix.  We loved being so close to so many of our favorites!

Many of meals were enjoyed at the following:

(Note: Check back, as the list keeps getting longer as people keep saying, "what about"...)

Nana’s: http://www.yelp.com/biz/nanas-durham

Foster’s Market:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/fosters-market-durham

Four Square: http://www.yelp.com/biz/four-square-restaurant-durham

Magnolia Grill: http://www.yelp.com/biz/magnolia-grill-durham

Guglhupf Bakery: http://www.yelp.com/biz/guglhupf-bakery-and-patisserie-durham

The Original Q Shack: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-q-shack-durham

Six Plates: http://www.yelp.com/biz/six-plates-durham

Sushi Love: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-love-durham

Rue Cler: http://www.yelp.com/biz/rue-cler-durham

Vin Rouge: http://www.yelp.com/biz/vin-rouge-durham

Revolution: http://www.yelp.com/biz/revolution-durham

Toast: http://www.yelp.com/biz/toast-durham
Alivia's: http://www.yelp.com/biz/alivias-durham-bistro-durham
Metro 8: http://www.yelp.com/biz/metro-8-durham

Only Burger: http://www.yelp.com/biz/only-burger-durham-2
Tutti Frutti: http://www.yelp.com/biz/tutti-frutti-durham
Piper's: http://www.yelp.com/biz/pipers-deli-durham

The Original Q Shack: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-q-shack-durham

Local Yogurt: http://www.yelp.com/biz/local-yogurt-durham

Pop’s Backdoor: http://www.yelp.com/biz/pops-backdoor-durham

Tyler’s Restaurant and Taproom: http://www.yelp.com/biz/tylers-restaurant-and-taproom-durham
The Federal: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-federal-durham


IndyWeek Best of the Triangle Guide: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/best-of-the-triangle-2011-readers-choice-poll-winners/Content?oid=2522344&storyPage=6

New Backyard Photos