After this past Spring Break, I can say with certainty that one of life's most necessary experiences is hanging out in a Waffle House for two hours because New Orleans' buses aren't running and you don't have storage space for Lyft on your phone.
Between the hours of 3 and 5 a.m., I met a bartender who serves Solange Knowles at his gay bar sometimes. Two people got in a fight outside. Someone fell asleep while eating hash browns. That last person was me.
A lot goes down during Late Night at Waffle House, and probably no one knows that better than UNC graduate and finance services pro James Adams. He's the author behind "Waffle Street," which combines weird anecdotes from working at a 24-hour diner with information about the 2008 economic recession.
— Danny
QUICK HITS
- North Carolina baseball is continuing its up and down performance, suffering a series sweep by Wake Forest over the weekend.
- Student activists are constantly battling burnout in the realm of activism and academics at UNC.
- In light of Prince's death last week, Tar Heels across generations are remembering him and his 1983 performance in Carmichael Arena.
- The case against House Bill 2 was just joined by its youngest plaintiff — UNC School of the Arts high school student Hunter Schafer.
- The University explained the rationale behind handing over Student Stores to Barnes and Noble College at a forum for students and faculty on Friday.
IN SPORTS NEWS
More than 600 people have signed up for the Chapel Hill pickleball league. It's apparently one of the fastest-growing sports in America, and Ephesus Elementary School just opened up six new courts.
IN CURRENCY
Harriet Tubman is kicking Andrew Jackson off the front of the $20 bill, and it's kind of historic. We spoke with UNC professor Glenn Hinson about the significance of the first woman of color on our currency — and also how Broadway helped keep the $10 bill the way it is.
IN UNC ALUMNI
UNC graduate James Adams wrote a book of economic essays framed by stories he has from working the graveyard shift at Waffle House during the Great Recession. It's now a movie, and he's played by Nathan from "One Tree Hill."
IN THE BLOGS
We compiled four celebrities from the 2000s who deserve documentaries more than Chris Brown does. Note: That did not take long to do.
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