Made in Durham
Waxing Gibbous Pottery is proudly made in Durham, North Carolina. In fact, my pottery is made from the foundation of Durham: clay gathered in Durham and the surrounding counties. There are so many wonderful things made in Durham and I want to share some of my favorites with you:
For drinking & eating:
One of the original coffee roasters to source their beans directly from farmers, Counter Culture has been making really great coffee since maybe the 90’s. Their coffee isn’t just fair trade, it’s direct trade meaning they buy directly from farmers and farming co-ops around the world. This increases the profit for small farms and invests in the cultivation of higher quality beans. My favorite offerings from them are the Hologram blend and their African single origin beans.
You have never tasted PB like this before. The Chai Spice is my personal favorite and their energy bars are my absolute favorite for camping and travel.
The name says it all. Made by Durham Distillery, who also makes my favorite gin, these dessert sippers are fabulous in coffee or straight out of the bottle. They use locally made cold brew coffee and Videri chocolate in their mocha liqueur, which is the bottle I usually grab at the store.
For listening:
This is one of the first podcasts I ever listened to and I still await new releases every week or two. It was started by former WUNC radio employees and has become a true crime favorite. They also have a sister podcast, This Is Love.
A product of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, this has been one of the most eye-opening (ear-opening?) listens for me on topics of white privilege, the origins of racism in the US, changes in masculine identity, and the questionable foundations of democracy in this country. A very well-researched podcast that is also very intriguing. I wish my history classes back in high school were this good.
These artists live and record their catchy, make-you-dance, electronic music right here. If you haven’t listened yet, just do it.
Others:
While not filmed or set in Durham, this show is born out of a childhood spent by two brothers in Durham. There are Durham references throughout the series that only locals will catch: Kerley Rd., Loch Nora, etc.
The only lip balm I’ll ever use started here in Durham, NC. Of course you can find Burt’s Bees everywhere now, but the HQ is still in downtown Durham.
The best clay face masks, natural bug spray, and more are made in Durham by the hands of Lo & behold. They have simple ingredients and the absolute best scents (from pure essential oils). I prefer that my husband wear their beard oild over cologne any day.
North Carolina has a long history of furniture production, although I’m sure that nothing produced over the past few hundred years has ever been as much fun as the Nugget. They started in Durham and are now made just up the road in Butner, NC at a bigger facility to keep up with the sky-high demand for these couches.
Yep, the calming hug shirt for dogs scared of thunderstorms was born in Durham. Maybe they need to start making them for dogs’ humans too. Fun fact: the head offices are on the same road as my dear Lucy’s vet.