Dispatches from an alma mater

+ Join me LIVE next Wednesday for a Yesteryear chat

Jun 26, 2026

I’m writing this week’s letter from the pseudo English countryside, or a place where as a college student I vowed, “I’ll go back one day when I’m all grown up and have money,” and guess what? That time finally came.

Today’s newsletter: A Yesteryear Substack Live next Wednesday, July 1st at 5 p.m. ET, and revisiting my alma mater

I’m at The Fearrington House, a Relais Chateaux property close to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where I came to celebrate my mentee’s graduation from UNC, but also to conduct research for upcoming food-related articles in the Research Triangle Park area.

The last time I visited was ~2009.

Back then, I thought everything looked so nice; landscapes were manicured, buildings were maintained.

L-R, T-B: Greenlaw English building (I'm an English major), me and Jenny, Davis Library (where I did work study and learned Dewey Decimal), my old apartment, UNC student union, Old Well

This time?

On the outside, the buildings are looking more dated and showing signs of wear and tear, but structurally everything is as it was.

Stepping back inside the student union building however, where I spent time writing for The Daily Tar Heel, was unrecognizable to me, as it’s seen a complete interior gut refresh.

And of course, given it’s summertime, there were groups of orientation students and walking tours milling about.

During my orientation many years ago, all the weed smokers found each other, and then you might hang out for a little bit once school started, and then, not at all.

Franklin Street, the town’s bustling main street, was also almost unrecognizable, especially as it leads toward Carrboro.

While the legendary Cat’s Cradle nightclub is still there, as is neighboring Amante’s Pizza, two new large brewery/bar restaurants have popped up — one in the space of the former indie video store where I worked and learned about Derek Jarman and Jim Jarmusch, and had my fill of French films, Hollywood blockbusters, and other obscure European titles and directors.

There has been so much development in the form of new hotels, parking decks, and restaurants — progress!

Back at the farm, the author (and N.C. native) David Sedaris was signing copies of his latest book The Land and its People at indie bookstore McIntyre’s Books, so I managed to get his signature on two books. He’s a doodler!

I’m Shindy. I sold my financial content company and now I write this weekly culture, money, and lifestyle Substack. I’m a journalist and bestselling author featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Bankrate, Cheddar TV, and HuffPost. If you haven’t yet, and would like to join more than 7,200 people on the internet who I call my “shin-siders” then tap this button right hee-ya:

Which makes me the recent recipient of signed books by two prominent authors (the other being Ann Patchett earlier this month.)

Also, this is a great segue to mention that next Wednesday, July 1st at 5 p.m., Leigh Weingus and I will be on a Substack Live to discuss all things Yesteryear.

I’ll schedule it a day before so you should get a reminder, but if there’s any burning question you have about the book or would like to join in the conversation, then please do.

We’d love to have you!

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