Greensboro Daily Photo

Bilingual Day of Children... El Día de Niños

Today, from 12:30- 5:00,  is the Día de los Niños Celebration at Festival Park in downtown Greensboro. This is the fifth year for the event for children and their families, especially those from Spanish speaking families or those who want to be in a bilingual atmosphere. Salsa dancers will perform, as will students from the Jones Spanish Immersion Program. The day is filled with dancing, crafts, poetry readings, art activities, music, and so much more.* As with so many of our festivals, IT IS FREE!

In this photo of a crowd scene, downtown, the child in red tennis shoes was entertaining everyone while his family looked on. We hope he is at the event this year, again winning the hearts of onlookers. Head on down and brush up on your Spanish and celebrate reading and literature.

 

 

*Here is the link to the schedule of events, if you are interested. Here is a photo from a previous year. Here is a great photo of the event.

Get Fit Guilford

Get Fit Guilford, a service learning event from the Youth Council, was held this past Saturday at the Ragsdale YMCA on High Point Road. Attendees learned about healthy living habits from community resources like Earth Fare, the YMCA, the Children's Museum (with its Edible Schoolyard), and the Vitamin Shoppe. The GCS students involved did a fabulous job of making this event a success. We took this photo of the events in the gym as the day was winding down. By the time we arrived, the majority of the crowd had filtered through and already participated in the informational events and demonstrations. 

Congratulations to everyone who helped make this event a reality and congratulations to everyone who made the effort to attend. Service learning is an opportunity for organizers to learn from participants and participants to learn from organizers. Everybody benefits in service learning events. Guilford County Schools has an easy-to-use way for students to find out about service learning opportunities and to document their involvement online. Let's hope Guilford County just got a little healthier and we can hereby conclude that we got fit, are getting fit, will get fit, and will have gotten fit....

Follow the Turquoise and Orange Road

February 1st Place, a crossover street of Elm Street and stretching from Greene to Davie Streets, just got painted. This little section of street in downtown Greensboro is now a pop up promenade beside the International Civil Rights Museum. This will be a place for people to gather, enjoy food from food trucks and hang out from 6-11 pm on Friday and Saturday nights. The promenade was painted turquoise and orange, representing the seat colors of lunch counter chairs at Woolworth, where the sit-ins were held. Those iconic colors of the 1960's were also the colors of Howard Johnson Restaurants. Turquoise and orange are so old, they're trending again and just perfect for this outdoor gathering space.

What a great idea! We predict that this street will hold special events long after June. For now, follow happenings at Pop Up Promenade's Facebook page! Let's hope it remains a fun, safe place to bring the community together.  Downtown, at dusk, never looked better!

New Highway 220

Above, you see a photo of the widening of Highway 220 (North Battleground) at Lake Higgins, between Greensboro and Summerfield- near Strawberry Road. This is how you turn a little rural road into a highway-- one load of gravel at a time. The process is fascinating. First you cordon off the lake to protect the water supply; then you clear the land; next, you fill and grade, fill and grade. An engineer would be a lot more articulate about the process. Our explanation is the perspective of the curious bystander. Before you know it, this road will be a four-lane, limited access highway. If you are local and ever want to see how close a proposed highway will be to your house, go here for an interactive map.

Well, on a totally unrelated note, today is national carry-a-poem-in-your-pocket day. So grab a copy of your favorite poem, carry it in your pocket and read it to everyone from friends to innocent bystanders (a grocery store line would be great).  Ideally, roads and bridges connect people. May your poem connect you to others in a positive way!

The Zinc Kings

Banjo + Bass + Fiddle + Mandolin = String Band!  The Zink Kings are an old-time music band that plays around Greensboro at places that appreciate acoustic music- like Tate Street Coffee House. This past weekend, the Zink Kings performed at Earthfare Organic and Whole Foods Super Market on Battleground Avenue. They provided the entertainment during the supermarket's 'Burgers for Bucks' event. 

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, we will start to see more and more outdoor music events in Greensboro. And, the best part is that many of them are free. So, keep a lawn chair and your dancing shoes in your trunk. You never know when you will stumble upon one of these great events.

If you want to hear what the Zink Kings sound like, here is a link to a you tube video.

 

While You Were Sleeping...

            While You Were Sleeping was a 1995 romantic comedy, featuring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. This photo shows a scene of what was happening on North Battleground Avenue last night, likely, while you were sleeping. Road crews worked through the night as part of the multi-million dollar highway project taking place on Highway 220, or North Battleground. Fortunately, the police were on the scene making sure that traffic made it through the intersection smoothly. It will be interesting to see how the intersection looks today. We wonder if that giant mound of dirt/sand that is beside the road is still there. Whether you are a day or night sleeper, it is interesting to think about what is going on in the community while you are resting. 

    

            Between the widening of Horse Pen Creek Road, The Urban Loop (formerly known as Painter Boulevard), and the widening of 220 and at the rate property has and is being acquired. We probably won't recognize the area a few years from now. Hopefully, the empty drug store, partially visible below the green traffic lights, will be replaced by another store. As for the current construction, it looks eerily attractive in the still of the night. The site would make an interesting photo shoot for someone who is in the position to stay up all night. The lighting, ranging from green to blue to purple to white is very attractive.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse

The Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse is happening this weekend. If you are local, head over to the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park and see a living history event, FOR FREE. Everything from the music to the lectures to the battles to the talking to reenacters is educational and free to the public. The reenactors will be there rain or shine. People who like to reenact usually go to the same events as their uniforms are expensive and costly to maintain. If you have committed to outfitting yourself as a redcoat, likely you will play that role when and where you can. 

This year is the 232nd anniversary of a battle that was said to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War (see more here). Greensboro's namesake, Nathanael Green fought in this war. If you can't attend on Saturday, they'll be back on Sunday. As a matter of fact, they camp out in the park in tents that haven't changed much in the last two hundred years. We love the way, in the above photo, that the woman seems to be giving the men their marching orders.

Between ACC basketball and the battle, we don't know how we'll fit everything in! If you are out and about, please make our out of town guests feel welcome!

ACC Men's Basketball Tournament 2013 Underway in Greensboro

March Maddness is well underway. Greensboro is  hosting the 2013 ACC Championships at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. We are also lucky to live in a state with such great basketball teams: Duke, Carolina, NC State, and Wake Forest (to name a few [in alphabetical order]).  The above photo was taken yesterday, Day 1. Today, Day 2 is a big one because both Duke and the University of North Carolina are playing. Those are the the much-coveted tickets- especially the Carolina game. Tickets get more expensive as the field narrows. We can't imagine what people will actually be paying for these tickets.

If you are local, you should try to go see a game. It is so much fun to be part of the excitement. Plus, next year, the ACC Tournament is in Atlanta, GA. We will really miss what has come to feel like a backyard brawl. While our town doesn't have any professional sports teams, we make a mighty fine host when golf and basketball tournaments come to town and we are gaining a national reputation for hosting great swim meets. Let's all be good sports and do what we can to keep people using Greensboro as a tournament town!

Say a Little Prayer.........

Sunday is the day we call for pause and a moment of silent reflection on Greensboro Daily Photo. Often we show a church building or some other religious image. Today, we're showing a photo of the American flag flying at half mast above the Battleground Avenue post office this week. As diverse as our Greensboro community is with respect to religious beliefs, for sure, we are united in our love of our children. As we enter this next week, many of our readers will celebrate Christmas. During this much-loved time, let us pause for a minute and remember the 26 people of Shady Hook Elementary School who are no longer with us...who will not be celebrating.

While we are being reflective, let's all remember the victims of Hurricane Sandy. We hope neither a man-made or nature-made disaster of such magnitude will ever strike Greensboro. However, we all know that, if something does happen, the only way to cope and to start to heal is with a well-established support system firmly in place. Nurturing a sense of community is the greatest safety net. Do you feel vested in our community? If yes, do share. If not, keep reading and we'll try to help you feel connected to Greensboro.

 

Centenary United Methodist Church

        Centenary United Methodist Church on Friendly Avenue is located on the northern edge of the Sunset Hills neighborhood, where the light balls are hoisted into the trees for all to enjoy. In the foreground, you see members of Centenary Church out caroling last Sunday evening. The voices were lovely and the carolers were as pleasant as could be. They thanked us for taking their photo and invited us to come to church. Tonight will be very different from the quiet streets with just the carolers and cars as thousands of people will descend on this part of town for the 5K run under the lighted Christmas balls. The streets will be closed to vehicles and the run is sold out. Fun will be had by all. The neighborhood's Christmas balls even have their own website.

        With Duke Energy's recent trimming of the trees in nearby Westerwood, Sunset Hills residents are running a little bit scared. The power company says that they need to trim trees to keep neighborhoods safe during inclement weather; however, we can't imagine Sunset Hills without their giant trees, with or without decorations. Let's hope that the trees of Sunset Hills don't suffer the same fate as the ones in Westerwood.

        Oh and to the youth group at Centenary Methodist, we bet that if you sell hot chocolate tonight, you will make LOTS of money to fill all of those empty stockings of the people you work so tirelessly to help. Here's to a great evening for the church AND for a great evening for Sunset Hills' giant, family-friendly fundraiser. Also, since Sunday is the day we reserve for something spiritual, we'd like to send condolences out to Billy Jones and his family. Billy Jones, East Greensboro's most vocal advocate on the blogosphere and frequent commenter on GDP, lost his son last week. Losing a child is never easy. Billy, our heart goes out to you and your family. Let's all pause for a few minutes of silent meditation and run a few steps for Jason Alan Jones....

                                                                          

Deep Roots Market

Today's post-Thanksgiving-feasting photo showcases Deep Roots Market, Greensboro's only healthfood cooperative store. The seed for the co-op was sewn in a dorm room at Guilford College in the 1960's*;  the retail store has been in its present location since 1990- with a different location in between. This little treasure, on Spring Garden at Wendover, boasts the largest sales per retail square foot of any grocery store in town (reference). Deep Roots Cooperative has a board of directors, by-laws, policy governance, and member owners; however, if you are in search of good-for-you-food in a pleasant atmosphere, you can shop here without a membership.

Construction is underway for the new Deep Roots store to be located North Eugene Street, providing downtown Greensboro with a full-service grocery store of more than 10,000 square feet. That's almost ten times larger than the current location. So far, more than 100 owners have loaned the store over $400,000 to help with this initiative. Here's to a successful transition to their expanded location and to providing downtown residents with a much-needed grocery store. Here's to having enough residents in Greensboro, who value eating healthy food, to support Deep Roots, Earthfare, and Whole Foods. Deep Roots will be on the greenway. Let's hope they install a LARGE bike rack! 

* read the history here.

Field of Honor 2012

Today we are celebrating Veterans Day 2012, a day when we honor all Americans who have served in the U.S. military. The above photo takes us back to the campus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on the west lawn of the Elliot University Center. Last Thursday, a flag was placed on the lawn for each U.S. soldier who lost his or her life on active duty since September 11th, 2001. We are in the twelfth year since that event and over 6,500 soldiers have died. That is a lot of flags; that is a lot of lives.

Many of UNCG's Veterans Day events have passed; however, today, they will be one of 200 campuses participating in the National roll call of all 6,500 men and women who have given their life in service. A minute of silence will be observed nationally at 2:00 pm. Hopefully, you will be in a position to do so, too. At 2:01, taps will be played and the UNCG Remembrance Day Ceremony will begin at 2:02 p.m. A moment of silence is a meaningful gesture, especially for the families who are left with an emptiness, a void, and eternal silence of a loved one who left this earth prematurely.

In the background of the above photo, we see a young man repositioning a recent purchase and a young couple walking to class. They are as dynamic as the flags are still, representing those for whom... day is done.......

Election Day 2012: Have you Voted?

You are here; you have been here; or you need to be 'here.' In case your forgot, today is election day in the United States. Please vote and vote wisely. Government offices and most public schools are closed today so that you can go vote. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, as of 11/05/ 2012, North Carolina has a total of 6,647,246 voters; 2,869,679 are registered Democattic; 2,051,796 Republican; 19,276 Libertarian; 1,706,495 Unaffiliated. It will be interesting to see how many of us vote and how we vote.

The above photo was taken at the First Lutheran Church on Friendly Avenue, a place committed to being as open as possible for the public at large. From 12 step meetings to voting, something is always going on at First Luthern. Today they will have their doors open to voters in their precinct. As for today's election, regardless of who wins, let's try our hardest to be respectful and civil. To be civilized, a society must be civil. 

Happy 85th Birthday, Carolina Theatre

Last night, hundreds of people braved the winds of Hurricane Sandy to watch and celebrate the premiere of Paula Damasceno's documentary film about the Carolina Theatre. Carolina 85 features the glamourous as well as the rocky history of the theater. At the time it opened on October 31st, 1927, the 2,200-seat Carolina Theatre was the showcase of the Carolinas. In the documentary, one patron called it, a "palace for the poor." People could go and bask in the "light of the dark" to enjoy a movie. Damasceno documents the theater's transformation from a seggreated venue to one one that embraces diversity. The film documents the theater's many other obstacles, including surviving the decline of downtown Greensboro, financial struggles, structural setbacks, and extensive fire damage. 

The above photo features the reception and partaking of the birthday cake onstage, at the conclusion of the documentary. All were invited to the afterparty, a befitting gesture appropriate for Damasceno's humble demeanor. She made it clear that, for her, "The community, who support this theater, make it beautiful." Thank you, Paula Damasceno, and all involved, for documenting the history of one of Greensboro's cultural treasures. In the above photo, Damasceno, second from the left, has her right arm extended in conversation with an attendee (quite possibly the youngest) who was extremely interested in film.

                                                                    

Food Truck Festival

Greensboro's Food Truck Festival, held yesterday on Spring Garden Street, was a giant success. The above photo shows only a small corner of the festival and, as you can see, it was truck-to-truck people waiting patiently in line to sample some of Greensboro's delicacies served out of windows. From tacos to turkey to crêpes, there was something for everybody.

Since it was the first time the festival was held, the city must not have known how much traffic to expect. The area could have benefitted from a closed off street or two- like Saturday's nearby Tate Street Festival. Also, the event could have used more places to sit and another dozen or so food trucks- as the wait in line was extremely long. Of course having the cooperation of Mother Nature, as well as the Central Carolina Fair and the Hispanic Heritage Celebration both right around the corner, likely contributed to the turnout. Additionally, social media breathed great life into Greensboro's inagural Food Truck Festival.*  In addition to enjoying the food, attendees seemed pleased to explore this end of town. Lets hope the local brick and mortar shops will continue to see increased business once the food trucks have pulled back their awnings and rolled on home.

Spring Garden @ Chapman has a lot to offer!

*Follow the blog for Greensboro's food trucks, here.

 

114th Central Carolina Fair

As of yesterday, it is Central Carolina Fair Time at the Greensboro Coliseum Grounds. This is the 114th year for this grand event. We suggest heading over as soon as possible to see all of the exhibits while they are still fresh and newly judged. Who will have grown those blue ribbon vegetables? Who will have the best chili? Who will the judges be? Will the rainbow rooster be back? What will be new this year? Here is a list of the exhibits. The Charlie Daniels Band will be playing on Sunday.

The fair will be going strong until 11pm tonight and for eight more days, closing at 8pm on September 23rd. This is such a great family tradition, we suggest you give it a try. Who knows, Mr. Zuckerman and his famous pic might even be there.

First Day of School

All was quiet at Jefferson Elementary yesterday afternoon. Classrooms were crisp and fresh with the newness of the beginning of the school year. By the time you read this, teachers and students will be filling the building with great anticipation about the new school year. Students will be greeted with open arms by smiling teachers. The smell of fresh crayons and new books will will fill the air, and the quiet hum of computers and white boards is a prelude to a new year of learning. A new curriculum is being rolled out and we think you will like it.

To all the parents of Kindergarteners who are having their first day of school. Be happy for your child as s/he begins the school adventure. Volunteer every chance you get. The more you give the more you will feel connected. And please DO NOT SPEED in the school zone. First and foremost, you want to keep the students safe. And......the fine is $438; not exactly pocket change. Equally important.... stop for those stopped school busses. Welcome back everyone!

View from East Greensboro

Sometimes you can find beauty and visual interest where you least expect it. Here we are at an Exxon station captivated by the geometric, clean lines of the red, white, and blue scene. The station is located in East Greensboro, on East Market Street, near NC A&T. As you can see, it is still possible to make a pay phone call here. Pay phones and university campuses just seem to go together. The only other one we've located in Greensboro is beside UNCG (here). Do you know of others? 

This photo also documents the price of regular gas on July 28th (the day the photo was taken). Already, the price is higher. We plan to return to this same spot next year to compare the price of gas from one year to the next. Do you think it will be higher or lower?

On another note, if you notice, the Jefferson Standard/Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial Building is peeking out above the red roof of the Exxon outbuilding. When the "JP Building" is in a photo, you know it was taken in Greensboro.

High Point Road

Were you out shopping on tax-free weekend? High Point Road was busy with people coming and going from the mall to take advantage of sales without sales tax. North Carolina is one of only 21 states planning tax-free events in the USA. As a State, we are committed to seeing that children return to school as ready as possible.

Another big event to help students get what they need for school is the Bright Beginnings Program through the local YMCA's. They will issue backpacks, school supplies, and fund clothes-shopping trips for children in need so that they can start their school. With many individuals and businesses on board helping with the Bright Beginnings Program, the Y plans to help 500 children this year. Hats off to all involved. It won't be long until children will be needing coats.... oh, and we have a program for that (the Give a Kid a Coat Campaign). 

Emilio Rojas-- Artist in Residence

Emilio Rojas is an artist in residence this month at the Elsewhere Artist Collaborative on Elm Street. Rojas, originally from Mexico City, comes to Greensboro via Vancouver. Rojas is an interdisciplinary artist who works a lot as a performer, photographer and videographer. The day we met Emilio, we were drawn to his work through the film he has compiled on Patricia Allison-- an environmentalist very involved in sustainable agriculture and permaculture. (You can see the film about Patricia Allison being shown against a backdrop of hardback books on the little table to Emelio's right in the above photo).

The project he is currently working on while in Greensboro involves exploring issues of racism and homophobia through a surreal narrative film. He hopes to collaborate with local community members, especially those who are socially active or personally affected by civil rights issues and issues of marginalized populations. If you are interested in meeting Emelio or helping him with his research, contact him through Elsewhere this month. He will present his work while in Greensboro at the August First Friday (8/3). 

Widening Highway 220

This is the view of the point where the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway comes to a screeching halt.... for now. Once the widening of Highway 220 is complete, the greenway will extend under 220 to the north of the old railroad bed, just north of Summerfield Elementary School. It will continue on NC Highway 150 West. For now, the best a trail-user can do is to turn around and enjoy the greenway in the opposite direction. When we were on the greenway (on the Fourth of July), this location was a birdseye view of the current construction process. We were enjoying a federal holiday; the construction workers were working tirelessly to meet completion deadlines.

With protected watershed areas nearby, this project has been a complicated one. Great care is being taken to ensure that the lakes are impacted minimally. Greensboro, while known for being green, doesn't have large lakes and is without a major river.*  We value every drop of water that we DO have. If you are local and want to take a drive the weekend, head up North Battleground on Highway 220. You just might not recognize it! Happy Friday, dear readers.

*read about the Haw River here and the tiny Deep River doesn't have a Wiki site (yet).

Day 180, 2012

Day 180 is here again. By 5 pm, most busses will be parked and quiet for the summer and the 2011-2012 school year will have come to a screeching halt. Most students, teachers, parents, administrators are ready to bring closure to the year and have a break. After all, it is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. It is a chance for everyone to relax, recalibrate, and have a chance to start out fresh again at the end of August. In North Carolina, there was a push to add five more days to the calendar. However, with no additional funding to pay for the cost of the days, it was determined that 180 days would be sufficient in the 2012-2013 academic year.

In some schools, all the teachers, staff, and administrators follow the students and ring out the school year with noisemakers and farewell waves. Then, they will dash back inside to put the cumulative folders in order, make sure their rooms are packed up, and double check that books are inventoried, technology is inventoried and stored and that their checklists are finished. While the students finish today, teachers have several more days of work. Hats off to a great finish to the school year and a happy new beginning....... in August. We suspect summer will fly by.

The above photo was taken at the bus hub at Grimsley High School.

See you at the Pool

In Greensboro, Memorial Day weekend is a huge weekend for swim and racquet clubs. With only 8 days of school left, many families opt to stay in town for this last three-day weekend before the start of summer vacation. In the above photo, we feature the pool at Starmount Forest Country Club, just off Holden Road at Market Street. Starmount Forest, dating back to 1930, is a private country club on 150 acres.* Starmount is the English translation of Sternberger. It may have been quiet on the day we took this photo; however, if you drive by this weekend, during the day, it will be teeming with joyful children thrilled to have a three day weekend and to have a chance to hang out at the pool.

We hope you are having a great weekend. Will you be swimming? Last time we checked, the water was above 80 degrees-- swimmable! See you at the pool.

We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections.

*their website here.

West Market UMC: Sin and Salvation on One Street

While the Edwards trial is in session next door at the federal building, West Market Street United Methodist Church is surrounded by media vans and tents full of news reporters. Fortunately they haven't been around on the weekends. Can you imagine needing to dodge news reporters to go pray? The verdict should be handed down very soon so, likely, this is the last week that we will see the media frenzy. 

Every Sunday, we post something religious or spiritual on GDP. And, once every year or so, we find something that evokes the notion of sin and salvation in one spot. August 2009, it was a tobacco field in the front yard of a local Baptist church (here). Today, it is infidelity and the misappropriation of funds (maybe), being argued passionately, in the back yard of the church. Here we see almost the same view of West Market Street UMC on a day that trial followers aren't in town. Also, read church history, here. Perhaps Mr. Edwards can stop by and... reflect.... once the verdict is handed down, regardless of whether it is guilty, or not. Happy Sunday, all. Enjoy the weather. Enjoy the peace and quiet.

In the News.............

Today, we take you "on location" to West Market Street where all eyes and all cameras are on the Preyer Building, Greensboro's post office and federal courthouse. The above photo is a picture of the news station's TV screen, monitororing the coming and goings for the John Edward's trial. The inside area of the news vans is so interesting. Definitely, it is the newscasters' home-away-from-home. They sit there eating bananas, drinking coffee, and discussing their schedule for the day,  perched in their early-bird location awaiting activity related to the trial. The picture in the upper right corner of the Sony screen is the federal courthouse and the main entrance.

If you get a chance, head downtown and watch this process-- especially if you home-school and are in a position to take your children to see how news is reported. This is history-in-the-making. Since the closing arguments were delivered yesterday, a verdict could be reached today. Stay tuned! A special thanks to our citizens who are doing their civic duty and serving on this jury. They have been seated since the end of April. Both Mr. and Mrs. GDP were called for jury duty within the past year, but didn't have to serve. The judicial process, however, makes you feel connected to the legal system in a positive way, as does attending trials and watching the seamless work of the news reporters.

Go, Dogs. Go!

Today's title is a nod to P.D. Eastman's book about a group of highly mobile dogs. The inaugural afternoon of the South Elm Urban Market this past Sunday was quite a success. Not only was it well attended by humans, the event brought out many, highly-mobile, well-behaved, dogs. There were more large dogs than small. All, were all on the go. In the above photo, we see two standard poodles and a harlequin great dane entering from the western side of the market, from the direction of Sunday's greenway event. The walk to the urban market from the Spring Garden Street side of the greenway was a hearty walk. We're guessing a little more than half a mile.  Likely, these dogs enjoyed the trek as much as their owners.

The open-air market will be a weekly event through the end of November. Many of the sellers thought they might try to set up every other week. Some also sell at Yanceyville on Saturday and others are at the Farmers' Market at Sandy Ridge.  It was nice to see so many people, and their canines, out enjoying a Sunday afternoon in the city.

Sunday in the Park at the Opening of the Downtown Greenway

We had the good fortune of spending Sunday afternoon in Morehead Park at the grand opening of the hub of the Downtown Greenway. This section of the greenway is inviting to pedestrians and bikers alike. From humans to leashed canines, fun was had by all. In the above photo, you see two of the gates inside the 1928 underpass of a railroad trestle that has been abandoned since the 1970's. The gates, have LED lights that change color before your eyes. Between the colorful light show and the diverse patterns in the art-deco inspired gates, the space is a visual feast. Jim Gallucci designed the gates, finding inspiration in the Southern Bell office building located, nearby, in downtown Greensboro. Scott Richardson is the brilliant designer of the interactive lighting effects.

Above, you see several people involved with the event. They are listening to the very inspiring speech of Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), who was praising Greensboro for its public art. The project was partially funded by an NEA grant.* Mayor Pro Tem, Yvonne Johnson is seated in the purple suit. Artists Jim Gallucci and Scott Richardson are immediately to the right of the photographer (with Jim wearing a hat). Churk Cornelio is in the front row wearing a red shirt. He served as speaker and emcee. Mr. Cornelio is an executive at Lincoln Financial Group, one of the major donors for the project. To his left is Linda Carlisle, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.

If you get a chance, make this park one of your weekend destinations. We hope organizations will continue to use this space and hold events here. Parking is readily available and it is a great way to bring the community together. Greensboro......... come on down!

*read more here.

Church and State

Today, we are standing in Commerce Place beside West Market Street United Methodist Church. Directly ahead, you can see the Guilford County Court House. Earlier in the week, we brought you a photo of the federal court house which is located on the same block as the above buildings. Lately, with the primary election only two days away, we've been thinking a great deal about the interface between religion and politics.

In spite of the fact that the very creation of The United States was brought about in an effort to keep church and state separate, it can be very hard to do so. If you reflect on your spirituality, how comfortable are you with people of different belief systems? How comfortable are you with efforts to legislate morality? Where do laws to keep people safe, and society orderly, begin and end? When do laws go too far?

Recently, we received a post of a family friend who said, not only did she lack respect for friends of a different political party, she no longer even wanted to be their friends. She sent "unfriend" requests. As a nation, have we reached a point where we can no longer be friendly and civil with people of different beliefs? Where is this dichotomy taking us? My beliefs or yours; all or none. Is their room for diplomacy? We hope so. We owe it to our children. Their seeing adults being civil to each other is the only hope that the future will be better than the present. 

Just a little something to ponder.............

Painting the Town: Downtown Greenway Event

While doing a little urban exploring this week, we stumbled upon a pile of technicolor garbage and just had to investigate. We were struck by the fact that from this riot of colorful garbage, we could see the Center for New North Carolinians peeking through (from behind the orange paint roller). The juxtaposition of the rainbow and the house serving immigrants represents the diversity of our citizens. As we investigated the history behind our urban archeological find, we learned the following:

Above, you see the used paint rollers from the Spring Garden Street Mural Project. You have a chance to tour this area on Sunday, May 6th, from 2-5 pm.  Downtown Greensboro will be celebrating an amazing Downtown Greenway Project with, among other activities, a ribbon cutting for Morehead Park at Lee and Spring Garden Streets at Freeman Mill Road. Also, nearby Moorehead Linear Park will be unveiled. An abandoned railroad tressle that has been upcycled with a gate by Greensboro's Jim Gallucci and interactive lighting by Scott Richardson will be unveiled. To top it all off, Laurelyn Dossett will bring out her band to play music. For three hours, community art extending to Warnersville will come alive before our eyes. This downtown area will be the hub of Greensboro's entire bike and walking trail system. Sunday's celebration will be  quite a community event. Read more here.

If you are feeling a little blue, come on down and add some red, orange, yellow, green, purple, black, and white to your life!

On the John Edwards Trial....... and Marriage

Here we see a woman (court reporter?) being interviewed by a journalist about the John Edwards trial. In the background, you see Greensboro's Federal Court House, the L. Richardson Preyer Building.

The trial of the former U.S. senator and presidential candidate, John Edwards, is being held in Greensboro, in the Preyer Building. Edwards is accused of failure to disclose money in violation of campaign finance disclosure laws.* He is NOT on trial for maritial infidelity; his betrayed wife is dead.

However, consider this irony:

Throughout the United States, marriage is generally considered to be not only a legal commitment but also a physical and emotional commitment. On May 8th, North Carolina will vote on whether or not a domestic legal union will be valid and recognized by the State if other than between one man and one woman.** Presently, former Senator Edwards has the legal right to vote on how marriage is defined in our State, in spite of the fact that he grossly violated the sanctity of marriage himself. However, there are those North Carolinians who diligently adhere to the sanctity of marriage whose union may never be recognized by the State and who may soon find themselves with even fewer rights. It is a lot to process.

 

*timeline of trial events here.            ** read actual amendment here.

El Día de los Niños

Center City Park will be brimming with families today. The Greensboro Public Library and Casa Azul are bringing us another great day in the park from 12- 6 pm. Mexican children's author and illustrator Marcos Almada Rivero will be reading over the course of the weekend. His books look like so much fun, rather like Maurice Sendack's Where the Wild Things Are meets Indiana Jones....full of adventure with a message-- delightfully illustrated.

There will be salsa dancing, art activities, food, face paining and more. Likely, the library will have their fancy bus open for perusal. This is the fourth year of the event that celebrates the diversity in our community and to brings people of all ethnicities together.

See a photo from the first year of the event here and another photo of the event here and read more about the event here. Head on out and let us know what you think!

R & M Strawberry Farm

Strawberry picking is an early spring tradition in North Carolina. This weekend, we had a chance to visit R&M Strawberry Farm, right across the county line, on Highway 150. Although it is in Forsyth County, it is not too far from Oak Ridge Military Academy. To many Guilford County residents, R&M Farm is closer than the strawberry farms in the eastern and southern ends of the county. They all resemble each other: A central barn or check-in point, an opportunity to pick your own or pay more for pints already picked. Here is a website to find a strawberry farm in NC, get picking tips, and learn how to use the strawberries in your kitchen.

The first garden strawberry was cultivated in France in the late 1700's and, over the years, the fruit continues to be cultivated to make it redder, bigger and juicier. Strawberries are a low-in-calorie, excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids.

In the above photo, other than the clothing of the pickers, the scene hasn't changed much over the centuries.We were very impressed at how well behaved the children were. They were very respectful of the delicate strawberry plants. If you could see what was beyond the lens, you would see that so much of this rural land in the Greensboro area is being converted to housing. Get your strawberries while they last! Happy Monday, dear readers.

100 x 100

Last night, there was a lot happening in downtown Greensboro. From people playing keyboard in Center City Park, to a baseball game in the new stadium, to people enjoying dinner outside at Cafe Europa to artists and patrons at the one hundred for one hundred art show and sale and the Center for Visual Artists on Davie Street. The gallery, in downtown Greensboro, is a great venue for artists to show and sell their work. We're featuring the post today because it is the most time sensitive. These wonderful pieces of art will be available today and after that, the gallery will hang a new show. This summer, the Center will offer some spectacular summer art camps. Perhaps you can stop by and give a 100 "donation" and leave with a work of art.

We loved being out mingling among the students. Tattoos and stretched earlobes were extremely peopular with the younger generation artists. Their art was refreshing and affordable, and worth looking at. Many young artists were having great discussions about art. In the case of the man in the tye-dyed shirt, and the tatooed arm, he was so vibrant and colorful.... body art.

If you haven't been to the Center for Visual Artists in the Cultural Arts Center, stop by and see this great show.

Cranes for Japan

The Greensboro Origami Project is trying to make 1,000 cranes for Japan. Today, we share a window full of origami cranes, seen in the window of the Green Bean Coffee House at 341 South Elm Street. The Origami Peace Memorial is intended to be a memorial for the Japanese families and businesses that are rebuilding and trying to move forward after the tsunami. The one year anniversary of this terrible event was March 11th. See the project's facebook page here. If you have time, read the stor of Sadako Saski, The Thousand Origami Cranes, to further appreciate the cultural significance of cranes in Japanese society. In the meantime, if you have a minute, head to 341 South Elm Street and fold a crane or two. It looks like Greensboro has a little way to go in the folding department. We're not at 1,000.... yet. Regardless, such a nice gesture.

We're sharing this photo with weekend reflections because nobody appreciates a storefront window more than our friends at this meme!

Whole Foods Market Opens Today!

Twas' the night before Whole Foods was opening their store.... not a creature was stirring from register to door. We locals have been waiting to see something new...... so ready for another grocery store we don't know what to do. Down each aisle, likely, will be something to sample and aggregate nutrient density index (ANDI) scores will be ample. Come over to Friendly and be part of the crowd; no doubt about it, we're sure to be wow-ed. With Deep Roots, Earth Fare, and Whole Foods, competition is good; especially if it means we'll eat like we should. Drop us a line, let us know what you found, we're all mighty grateful you're getting around!

Friend Whole Foods on Facebook, they'll keep you updated. Friend GDP too......... albeit belated!

M is for Music

Today is ABC Wednesday and 'M' is for 'music'. Local musician Laurelyn Dossett makes beautiful music! Laurelyn performs weekly at Lucky 32 Restaurant. Each Tuesday, in addition to their regular menu, Lucky 32 serves up a traditional, southern meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, cornbread, and collards. Nothing goes with fried chicken better than Laurelyn's clear voice and acoustic music. Laurelyn has gained national attention for her local projects, grounded in the lore of North Carolina. 

In the above photo, Laurelyn, Scott Manring and Molly McGinn are performing the "Vote Against Amendment One" song. Listen to it  here on Monkeywhale Productions' website. From Rabbi Guttman to Mayor Robbie Perkins to restaurateurs Mr. and Mrs. Quaintance, many prominent citizens of Greensboro appeal to voters to vote against Amendment One on May 8th. Read about Amendment 1 here. 

Civic Threads on Elm St.

First Friday started out a little slow last night; however, by the end of the eveing, Elm Street was PACKED. Especially busy was the new kid in town, CIVIC THREADS. Civic Threads, located at 527 South Elm Street, is part clothing store, part silk screening shop, part handmade-etsy-like shop. Clothing is mostly unisex, soft cotton and cotton blend. The store seems to be attracting a broad demographic-- from the artsy, urban, tattooed crowd to suburban moms with children in strollers. Everyone loves a comfy T and warm hoodie. Our personal favorites were the shirts and mugs that said "I heart-icon GSO." Modeled after the NYC logo, Greensboro's version has our airport 3-letter code and a GREEN heart!

Civic Threads is located in the building that originally housed Coe Grocery and Seed, an Elm Street institution. Now, Coe is located in the building next door and Civic Threads is in the two-story "Coe" Building. We're sharing this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection. We'd love to see the video the man in the black suit was making. Who knows, we may even be in it!

Earth Fare to Go

Since yesterday's GDP post was about diabetes and food choices that aren't the best, today, we thought we'd share a photo of a woman who was eating a colorful salad at the reenactment event. She had assembled a salad from Earth Fare's salad bar. If we understood the sign correctly (last time we were at Earth Fare), the container for her salad bar is wheat-based packaging. This biodegradable product is an environmentally friendly way to package to-go food. 

On April 12th, Earth Fare will get a some competition as Whole Foods is opening in Greensboro. Hopefully, having two large supermarkets that make a commitment to selling healthy food to the general population will foster healthful eating. Greensboro will have 34,000 square feet of pure nutrition available, in the heart of Friendly Center. Here's to saying goodbye to processed foods with unnecessary  additives.

J is for Juvenile Diabetes

Juvenile Diabetes, or Type 1/insulin dependent diabetes, usually presents itself before age twenty. Diabetes affects the body's ability to use glucose. In healthy bodies, insulin-- a hormone--  helps glucose enter cells where it is used for energy. 

The above photo, taken at the Reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, is somewhat misleading as being overoverweight and eating excessive fat and sugar is not a cause of juvenile diabetes. However, a balanced diet and weight control are helpful for diabetes management.* Additionally, avoiding empty calories and excessive caloric intake does help prevent Type II, adult-onset diabetes which is presenting itself in younger and younger children. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta estimates that one in three children born in the year 2000 or later will develop diabetes at some point in their lifetime (reference). As a society, we have got to do a better job of modeling healthy eating for our children; seeing that they eat nutritious food, exercise, and maintain a healthy weight.

We're sharing today's post with ABC Wednesday and our cause for J is Juvenile Diabetes. Consider getting involved with or donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

* Get more information on diabetes, from a local Guilford County source here. If you are interested in the cuisine of the original 13 colonies, start here.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse-- Reenactment 2012

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse was reenacted at Country Park this past weekend. Thanks to The Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department, the volunteers, the Guilford Battleground Company, the reenactors who came from all over, and the sponsors, the 2012 event was a huge success. By day, the weather was cooperative; however, when asked if the weather bothered her, a sutler (non-miliatry participant) smiled and said, "It doesn't bother me. It is always wet at Guilford". Soggy ground and mud did not dampen the spirts of the enthusiastic participants.

The purpose of the reenactment it to teach attendees about life in the colonial period, specifically in Guilford County. To be invited back, participants wares and demonstrations must be authentic; they must interact well with visitors and other participants; and they must obey site rules and guidelines. There are three categories of participants: Military, sutler (non-military), and craftsmen/demonstrators.

When the above photo was taken, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse was well under way and the Redcoats were just up the hill. The reenactment site is tucked neatly behind the Spencer Love Tenis Facility, in the location where Pow-Wow is held. We feel sorry for anyone who was out walking or driving nearby who didn't know the event was a reenactment. Cannons and guns firing made quite a ruckus. If you did not attend this year, put it on your calendar for next March. Stop back to GDP and see more photos of the event over the next few days.

.......... Alas, it is back to the 21st century for our family!