Greensboro Daily Photo

Jenn's Diner

The cold, battleship-gray little place at 3929 North Battleground Avenue, formerly known as Waffle House, just got a facelift and is now Jenn's Diner. Since opening a few weeks ago, it has been non-stop busy and has added life to a little section of Highway 220 that was starting to look and feel empty.  If someone can build on the Laddie and Dukes lot and replace the corner drug store, there will be a nice oasis of activity at the corner of Battleground and Horse Pen Creek.

Looking inside and seeing the warm, orange walls, the artwork, and the TV, it is hard to believe that the place used to be a Waffle House Chain. The home-style, country-cooked entrees and classic diner breakfasts are a hit. This photo, taken at night, reflects the warm, inviting, glow of Jenn's Diner. 

Here's to this young couple making a go of their dream. Nothing beats an on-site proprietor. We've spotted enough of a reflection on the ceiling to feel worthy of Weekend Reflections!

Coffee Shop Temperatures

The crisp air makes it perfect coffee shop weather. Time to download a good book and head out for a fresh cup of java. The above photo was taken in the Starbucks at Jefferson Village. We like to feature the independent coffee shops at Greensboro; however, Starbucks provides their employee with benefits and the customers with a good dose of personal service. We stopped by to try the blonde, light-roast, coffee-- something fun to do. 

In Greensboro, a high of 41 and low of 25 is predicted for today. At least we're not dealing with record snowfall like in Alaska. As a matter of fact, we really haven't had any snowfall at all, just a little cold snap. Perfect coffee weather. Do you know the temperature of an average cup of coffee?  From about 165-185 degrees-- perfect for warming you up quickly. Have a great weekend and let us know how you are spending this three day weekend.

I, Sears, take thee Whole Foods..........

STOP and take notice! In spite of the closing of several Sears stores nationwide, including the one at Oak Hollow Mall in High Point, the sears in Friendly Center is getting a facelift. With the new signage, the store looks inviting and is highly visible. Here we see a view of the Pembroke Road side from the Qdoba Restaurant parking lot. 

Greensboro is getting a little greener as Sears is leasing 34,000 square feet to Whole Foods. For sure, Whole Foods will add more choice for people who like to eat fresh, nutritious, additive-free food. Both Sears and Whole Foods have loyal shoppers and brand recognition-- a brilliant marriage.  

Sears has considerable history with Greensboro as the 900,000 square ft. Distribution Center at 2,600 Lawndale Drive opened in 1960. While that facility is closed, Sears still has distribution and call centers in Greensboro. Next time you are at Friendly Center, come see the softer side of Sears and the nutritious side-- Whole Foods! Let's hope both stores thrive under the arrangement and stay together for a very long time.

R Twining and Company

R Twining and Co., located at 2812 Twining Road, can be seen on the east side of Highway 421, just south of Greensboro. According to a business information website, Twinings manufactures tea, food, beverage and tobacco products. We stopped by the day after New Year's and the gates were closed so we didn't get inside for an interview. We're curious as to whether they are related to the Twinings Tea that got its start in England in 1706. If you know about the business, post something in the comment section.

In the meantime, we're sharing this with Skywatch Friday. Here's to the bright white building perched high on "Twining Hill" south of Greensboro. When we see scenes like this one, we are reminded that Greensboro is not completely flat. Have a great weekend everyone!

Some Like It Cold....Camellias...Brrrrr

In Greensboro, the camellia bushes are in full bloom and we are thrilled that something so delicate and colorful thrives in this cold weather. The camellia bush is a small evergreen shrub native to Asia. Not only are the flowers delightful, the glossy leaves have a polished and waxed appearance. There are as many as 250 described species of camellia. In the proper environment, these acid loving plants can live for 100-500 years. Camellia sinensis is the most famous member because its leaves are harvested for tea. However, tea can be made with other species as well. While we haven't heard of any camellias being poisonous, talk to an expert before brewing tea from the camellias in your yard! Have you ever done so?

The little North-Carolina-pottery container above, with a metal frog inside, is perfect for bringing a few sprigs of nature inside. We try to keep it filled with something from the yard.

Of course today's title is a play on words for what some consider to be one of the greatest American comedy films of all time (Some Like it Hot). You might want to rent this old classic and watch it while you are trying to stay in from the cold! 

Tri-City Fish Market

For years, Tri-City Fish Market and the painting of the siren/mermaid adorned Lee Street near Elm Street downtown-- a central section of town bringing together patrons from east and west Greensboro. It was conveniently located with parking to the side. Tri-City was the main place in town for fresh fish, seafood and oysters.  It predated the big box stores like Wal-Mart and Costco and made fresh seafood available when grocery stores didn't have the large, iced seafood sections. A few years ago, Tri-City Fish Market relocated to Florida Street just south of the Warnersville community. As seen in the above photo, the siren-mermaid resumed her spot on the right-hand side of the building.  While you may be able to get your seafood elsewhere, for sure, you can't get Tri-City's freshness, expertise, and personal service. 

One time Mrs. GDP developed an English course for immigrants who worked at a similar fish market in another city. After several days of on-site observation, we were teaching new employees to ask customers, "Do you want the heads left on the fish?" and to understand when the customers requested in English, "fillet the fish, remove the heads but save them for me." Then, the person working at the counter would shout back to the person cutting the fish, "Fillet, no heads, save all."  On a busy afternoon, you can hear similar lingo at Tri-City. Stop by, learn to speak 'fish-market-ese' and leave with the makings of a savory meal. If you are like us and you've made one of the 'eat-healthier' pacts for New Year's, visit Tri-City sooner, rather than later.

Southern Lights on Winter Nights

Winter is a time when light becomes precious. From Diwali to Hanukkah to Christmas to Kwanzaa, these fall-winter holidays incorporate light into their celebrations at a time when nature is stingy with daylight. Above, we see guests dining at Southern Lights at 2415-A Lawndale Avenue. Including the former location just off Friendly Avenue, Southern Lights has been open for twenty five years. Chef John Drees brought the restaurant to its current location, June 2010.

While we enjoy the ever-changing menu, the superb soups are perfect for a cold winter night. Their texture and consistency are melt-in-your-mouth perfect. Their featuring of local artwork is a nice touch. Presently, they are featuring the art of local artist Al Narizzano. We're not sure if the triptych is his work; however, its muted colors enhance the supper scene. Happy Thursday!

Elizabeth's Pizza @ North Battleground

Elizabeth's Pizza has been serving up New York/Italian Style food since 1978. Each location makes a real effort to maintain a Cheers/ensemble cast feel, like the 1928-1993 sit-com set in Boston. If you are an Elizabeth's regular, it feels like "everyone knows your name," the staff is family, and you are a recurring character. It is as if Sam, Rebecca, Diane, and Carla expect Cliff, Norm, Lilith and Frasier to come bolting through the door at any minute. The above photo features the Elizabeth's on North Battleground Avenue.

Each location has it's own character and flavor. At the Battleground/Horse Pen Creek location, it is common for customers to call in orders and go to another Elizabeth's to pick them up. Waiters on the phone verify, "You know we're the Elizabeth's on North Battleground, the one across from Laddies and Dukes?" The one beside Waffle House? The one next to the little white house with the gravel drive? Well, Laddies & Dukes, Waffle House, and the little white house are long gone. The only enduring neighbor is the Goodwill Store.  Who will be their new neighbors? Who will claim the spot on the phone for take out orders?  

For sure, we hope this Elizabeth's, as well as the ones in the other locations, will be around for a very long time. Happy Monday........ and......... golden, Tuscan cheers!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

"Over the river and through the wood to grandfather's house we go... we would not stop for doll or top for this is Thanksgiving Day...."  No poem evokes the memory of Thanksgiving more than Lydia Maria Child's 1844 poem about the holiday. If you have time, read it with your family (here). So many of us have fond memories of visiting our grandparents or, perhaps, being the grandparent making those memories of holiday fellowship with family. Coming together, breaking bread, and celebrating the generations is at the core of who we are as North Carolinians.

The house above peeks out beyond a make-shift dirt parking lot, waiting to be filled with the vehicles full of travelers arriving for a Thanksgiving feast. Beyond the old oak tree, you see  Early Farms  on Bethel Church Road in Gibsonville. The Earlys are fifth generation farmers; so we imagine they'll be serving up some savory, Guilford-County-grown vegetables. Who knows, living in a rural part of the county, they may have procured a wild turkey.

McWarhol at Westridge Square

Happy Monday, dear readers........today, we take you to:

Westridge, a common name in Greensboro. In addition to Westridge Road and Westridge Court, we have the Westridge Heights neighborhood and Westridge Forest. The above photo was taken inside the McDonald's Restaurant at Westridge Square at the corner of Westridge and Battleground. When Westridge Square was built on 16 acres in 1983 in Northwest Guilford County, this area was considered far from town-- out on the "western ridge." Today, clearly, it is been absorbed by the city.

On a recent visit, we noticed this art print at the McDonald's Restaurant and chuckled at the reference to the creative, modern prints of artist Andy Warhol. We wonder how McDonald's negotiated this print and who is repsonsable for it. Now that McDonald's is at the Louvre in Paris (2009), perhaps the restaurant is taking its association with the art world seriously. You may remember from an earlier post, Greensboro does have the first McDonald's built in North Carolina-- and it is still in operation today. If you made an iconic, Warhol, 4-square print to represent your household, what would be in the picture? 

Mother Murphy's Laboratories

Right here in Greensboro, we've got the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory of flavoring and Mother Murphy is the Willie Wonka of our taste buds. For 65 years, Mother Murphy's Laboratories has been concocting flavors. The very beginning of the business can be traced to the early 20th century when college student Richard Stelling worked his way through college making and selling flavorings. In the 1920's, as a Greensboro physician, Dr. Richard Stelling continued to experiment with making flavors in an in-home basement laboratory. Eventually, Dr. Stelling teamed up with his patient, Jefferson Standard Life insurance agent, Kermit L. Murphy, Sr. to form a business. By 1947, they opened Southern Laboratories which, in 1955, became Mother Murphy's Laboratories, Inc. In 1965, Mother Murphy's moved into the above South Elm Street facility where they are still located and in the hands of the Murphy family (more company history here). 

Mother Murphy's makes not only flavors for bakeries but also for just about anything that contains a laboratory-made flavor including: candies, drugs, sodas and tobacco products. Since the 1980's, they have been adding flavors like vanilla and chocolate to cigarettes. There are days in South Greensboro when the winds are just right and wonderful scents waft through town. We're never quite sure if they are coming from Mother's Murphy's or from Lorillard Tobacco. Vanilla is a signature flavor for Mother Murphy's; however, they are also known for some very creative flavor combinations-- 5,000 in all, 400 of which are vanilla!. On the day we were hunting for this building, we smelled it before we saw it. Watch this 2 minute video to learn more, here.  It would be wonderful if every student in Guilford County could take a tour of this facility and see great science at work!

Q is for Quaintance, Dennis (& Nancy)

Here we see Dennis Quaintance on the Green Valley side of the O. Henry Hotel . Mr. Quaintance, President of Quanitance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels, is dressed casually because he walks the three miles from home to work at the O. Henry. Sustainable practices and reducing the carbon footprint are important to Mr. Quaintance personally and are embedded into the fabric of his business model. Another passion for Mr. Quaintance is building community-centered hotels that, unlike the national chains, are in and of the community (read more here). Above all, he values keeping guests satisfied and personalizes their hotel and dining experience as much as possible.

Earlier this month, The National Conference for Community and Justice named Mr. Quaintance as the 2011 recipient of the 45th Annual Brotherhood/Sisterhood Citation Award for his ongoing efforts to respect the inherent worth and dignity of people of all backgrounds.  Mr. Quaintance attributes his passion for equality to early childhood when he saw his mother endure gender bias.

Having lived in Greensboro since 1978, Mr. Quaintance is an integral part of the fabric of our community. His hard work and collaborative efforts, between wife Nancy and business partner Mike Weaver, enhance our community in so many ways: The O. Henry Hotel, Proximity Hotel, Printworks Bistro, Green Valley Grill, Lucky 32 Restaurant, to name a few. From his humble beginnings as a housekeeper's assistant in a Montana hotel at age 15 to his rise to the presidency of Quaintance-Weaver, Mr. Quaintance has worked hard every step of the way.

Today is ABC Wednesday and, for our People of Greensboro series, Q is for Quaintance. See earlier entries here. 

Vegetable Carving Alive and Well in Greensboro

The ancient art of Kai Su Luk, or friut and vegetable carving, is alive and well on Tate Street. These cut vegetables were on display in front of Tate Street's Thai Garden which has been open since 1995. One of the proprietors was advertising his carving talent at the Tate Street Festival last weekend. Taro root and melon are especially popular for carving. However, passersby last weekend seemed to be taken by the red peppers above which were sliced to look like flower petals with seeds as the center of the flowers. They were attached to small dowels and could actually be placed in a vase.

In addition to edible centerpieces, Thai carvers are experts at carving soap and are known worldwide for their high-quality carving knives. If you are interested in learning to carve, you can take a class locally through GTCC's Culinary Tech classes. Their students and, a carver or two, set up each year at the Parisian Promenade at the Tanger Bicentennial Garden. Alternatively, you can attend a school in  Bangkok (see this website).

The above arrangement is displayed on top of a mirror, the perfect touch to allow us to share the photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection.

Greek Festival

Greensboro's Greek Festival is upon us! It will be held all day today and tomorrow at the Dormition of the Theotokos Church at 800 Westridge Road. If predictions are correct, 13,000 people will visit the festival that has been going strong since 1974. Music and dancing will be available all weekend. There is a Greek Market (The Agora), a Taverna with food, food, food, and RAFFLES galore. Last year, the church sponsored a session of "Orthodoxy 101" and taught guests about the orthodox faith. We're sure Father Newlin would love to answer your questions about his church. 

In addition to the many other activities in Greensboro, The Tate Street Festival is also happening this afternoon. Next weekend the Liberty Antiques Festival will be held. There is so much to do in mid-late September in Greensboro. We can't wait to get more photographs to share with you! Have a great weekend and start practicing your Greek. Google translate is a great place to start. Learning a few words from someone at the festival is even better.

Giacomo's Italian Market

Giacomo's Italian Market is as close as you can get to Little Italy right here in Greensboro. Homemade sausage, pepperoni, seafood salad, insalata caprese, homemade pasta, and so much more. They make and serve up food the old-fashioned way: handmade and fresh; friendly and efficient. Whether you are looking for something for your Labor Day picnic or want to feel like you are in New York without leaving town, Giacomo's is a great place to visit. This photo was taken at the 2109 New Garden Road location, near Brassfield. There is also a High Point Road location as well as the option to order by mail. It seems like just yesterday we discovered their great sandwiches and pasta. Hard to believe they've been in Greensboro for about a decade.

We've been saving this photo for a Saturday Weekend Reflection shot. Have a great weekend everyone. A special thank you to our Facebook fans who doubled our pageviews on the day we posted the blue house on Alamance Church Road this week. Friend us on Facebook for an easy way for your friends and family to keep up with our posts.

Produce Stand

It is late summer and makeshift produce stands around Greensboro are becoming less frequent. However, this one at the Citgo/Quik Mart on Battleground Avenue near Target is still quite busy. And, the melons and heirloom tomatoes look tasty. About 4:15 yesterday afternoon, a strong thundershower hit Greensboro. We don't know if the vendors at this produce stand had to batten down the hatches; however, all seemed in good order when we drove by just after the storm. The couple in the middle sat down, likely to weather the storm together. To see two people sit a minute and truly enjoy each other's company was a good, grand finale to a busy work day.

If you like these makeshift, roadside produce stands,  here is a link to a directory of pick-your-own farms, roadside farm markets, and farmers markets throughout North Carolina. Eat Wild is another great resource. The first thing we thought about this photo was that it was a "Norman Rockwell moment." As it turns out, that is the name of a business, licensed by the Norman Rockwell Estate, to turn your portraits into "Norman Rockwell Moments." 

Summer Bounty of Figs

Sundays, we usually post something related to religion. Often the photo is one of a church building, but not always. We didn't start out with this photo of common figs from our yard as a "Sacred Sunday" post; however, the more we read about figs, the more we realized that many religions make references to figs (see here).

Fig trees were one of the first plants cultivated by humans with their fossils dating to 9,000 B.C.  The book of Genesis (Adam and Eve are wearing fig leaves) has one of several references to figs in the Bible-- Old & New Testament. Did you know, the fig is the third tree mentioned in the Bible, after the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge?  Buddha achieved enlightenment underneath a fig tree. The Qur'an also references the fig as one of the fruits that descended from paradise. Figs were an important fruit to the Ancient Greeks and Romans.

Figs are a great summer harvest with an extended season for producing fruit. They are high in calcium, fiber, minerals, & antioxidants.  The Middle East and Mediterranean Region are known for fig production, with Turkey and Egypt being the top producers. However, we've had great luck growing figs in Greensboro. Above you see a small part of yesterday's bounty from our two fig trees and yes, they do taste heavenly!

 

Tea Time at the O. Henry Hotel

The O. Henry Hotel, located at 624 Green Valley Road, makes an effort to evoke an era when hotels were much more community centered.  Tea time at the O. Henry Hotel is summer afternoon perfect for locals and visitors alike! Beyond this revolving door is a room full of old-world charm... a social lobby with warm paneled walls, oil paintings, upholstered chairs, cordial attentive staff, and china fit for royalty. Each afternoon from 2-5pm, people stop in for tea and a bite to eat. Is tea at the O. Henry considered "high" or "low" tea? The distinction between high and low tea usually is determined by whether the event is served around "low" coffee tables or "high" dinner tables. Also, the former tends to be served in the 5-7 pm time slot and the latter from 2-5 pm. In the USA, it is not uncommon to center the distinction around level of social formality (reference). 

At the O.Henry, one can enjoy something as simple at tea and scones with clotted cream or as filling as truffled egg salad on brioche and a ham and brie croissant with fig preserves. From $7- $22, there is a price point for most budgets. If you are looking for something to buy the friend who has EVERYTHING, consider the gift of afternoon tea.  And remember, tea, high or low, tastes better with a big splash of friendship.

 

Brightwood Inn Family Style Restaurant

Brightwood Inn Family Style Restaurant is located at 6501 Burlington Road, east of Greensboro. While still a rural restaurant and lounge, it is an oasis of the past, the way Burlington Road used to be. New construction is all around. There is the Brightwood Farm Subdivision, the Brightwood Eye Center, Brightwood Self Storage, Brightwood Crossing Apartments; however, Brightwood Restaurant with its awnings and neon signs has been lighting up Whitsett since before many of the new residents were born.

This mom and pop establishment is where Elvis Presley once dined. The original booth is still in use. Stop in to this time-warp establishment and order up a plate of nostalgia with your sizzling steak and fries. (Read the one review we were able to find here). And don't get the wrong impression about the little dose of southern humor, a sign on the "couples only" side that reads, "no entrance, no shirt, if locked, knock hard." In searching the internet, it seems that this fabulous place needs a little more publicity. Then again, maybe the owners are happy just the way things are now. We'll have to head back out and ask.

This past week, we've posted Bestway, Bellemeade, and now Brightwood and Burlington Road. What "B's" will be left for tomorrow on ABC Wednesday when "B" is the letter of the day? Please Be Back to find out!

Bestway Grocery Store

Bestway, located near the corner of Walker and Elam Avenues, is the longest continuously-running grocery store in Greensboro. The location has been a grocery store since 1947. In 2008, Roger and Nancy Kimbrough purchased Bestway and have been renovating and sprucing it up ever since. They have kept the touch of nostalgia by doing things like leaving the old-font lettering and old-school shelving as well as carrying nostalgic food items (like boar and castle sauce) that can be hard to find elsewhere. However, new to Bestway is the expanded drink cooler as well as the commitment to keeping the store looking clean, well-organized, and local, when possible. Here we see an employee pulling cans and boxes forward so that the shelves will look orderly and full. If the buzz in the neighborhood is correct, the Kimbrough's major investment on renovation is paying off! You know you have a good thing when customers range from high school students to retired professors!

This little slice of updated nostalgia at 2113 Walker has a Facebook page. How 21st century is that?? We're sharing this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflections. Wouldn't it be great to feature it in a 60's or 70's movie?!

Jake's Diner

Jake's Diners in Greensboro are restaurants that provide, among other things, a homecooked breakfast 24/7.  Waiters and waitresses know your name if you are a regular-- especially if you arrive at the same time every day and sit at the counter. During our last visit to Jake's Diner on West Wendover, a man came in and sat beside us at the counter. Without prompting, the waitress brought him three glasses of tea-- each glass 1/2 sweet and 1/2 unsweet. 

Allen Blythe and his wife Mary have owned Jake's for a good while but the Blythe family has been in the diner business since about as long as Allen can remember. He grew up helping his parents who owned Jan's House in the Guilford College area. Jake's is a place where bologna omelets, fried flounder, hamburgers, onion rings, salads, and blue plate specials are affordable and tasty comfort foods! Since we at GDP don't seem to be getting out of town for a vacation this summer, we go to Jake's and imagine we're at the beach (our stay-cation).

The above photo is a picture of the Jake's on West Wendover, at the corner of Big Tree Way. As you can see from the man trimming the grass at the curb, Jake's pays attention to detail; from the way you like your eggs and whether your water glass is full to how the property looks when you arrive. There is also a Jake's diner on the corner of South Holden/High Point Road and at New Garden Road. If you stop by, ask one of the guys, "Are you Jake?"  It seems to be an inside joke.........

What Does It Mean to Be Southern?

Need a summer conversation starter? Consider.... What does it mean to be southern? Some people joke that it means you are from a place in the US where kudzu grows; where "ya'll" and "might could" are used; where "sweet tea" is about half syrup and is the drink of choice (if not always, at least)  with fried chicken and BBQ. To some, the south is the Bible Belt. ..... the land of religious television and Baptists. To others, the south is a place where you pledge allegiance to a college sports team before you can walk. The south is so much more than these stereotypes.

Above, we see a cut glass pitcher of ice water with mint and lemon. This pitcher of infused water is a gesture, indicating the importance of friendship and making your guests feel special. Fresh mint and lemon add a crisp flavor to the water and imply extra effort. The pitcher is probably an heirloom--  in your family for a few generations. Southern means taking time to sit and enjoy fellowship with colleagues, friends and love ones. Southern means caring and paying attention to details and giving your guests your best-- materially, socially, and spiritually. Southern means taking time to smell the roses in concert with others. To you, what does it mean to be southern? To ponder the question, why don't you make some icy lemon-mint infused, water to sip? Let us know if you get it figured out!

 

Peach Time in North Carolina

As seen in this photo taken two weeks ago, local peaches are ripening at this very moment! Many peach orchards can be found in North Carolina, especially the Sandhills region (southeast of Greensboro). Peach trees love the well-draining soil of the Sandhills and many varieties are grown there; Greensboro is the Piedmont region and our soil contains more clay. If you live in Greensboro, you can purchase peaches at the farmers' markets or make a day trip to Montgomery, Richmond, or Moore County to get peaches directly from the source. Peach Day at the Farmers' Market in Colfax was last week; however, if you are interested, learn about other July peach events throughout the state here. 

An estimated 11 million pounds of peaches are grown each year in NC on about 2,500- 3,000 acres of bearing-age peach trees.  Dedicated peach farmers grow many different varieties of peaches so that they have peaches ripening all summer long. We leave you with a list of twenty seven varieties of peaches found in North Carolina: Derby, Candor, Dixired, Surecrop, Pekin, Reliance, Redhaven, Clayton, Norman, Carolina Belle, Raritan Rose, Topaz, Sunglo, Nectar, Winblo, Redglo, Ellerbe, Contender, Summer Pearl, Biscoe, Belle of Georgia, Elberta, Encore, Monroe, Emery, Legend, and Parade. If you want to brush up on "peachology," knowing if one of the above varieties is freestone or clingstone, its size and attributes, when it ripens, and more, read here. Add a peach question to your poolside summer trivia (Name ten varieties of peaches-- and the beloved freestone is a cultivated characteristic, not a variety!).

Coffeology

Coffeeology, open since 2009 and located at 423-A Tate Street, is a great place to visit especially if you are in the College Hill neighborhood. The coffee-panini-gelato shop is conveniently located between UNCG and Greensboro College. Since we at GDP only drink black coffee, to us, coffee is like sushi, every minute makes a difference. We stopped in the other day at 4:30 pm which is a tough time slot to find fresh coffee anywhere, ESPECIALLY on a hot summer day. The coffee was absolutely perfect-- fresh with a sweet and clean aroma, buttery, and medium-bodied (approaching full-bodied). Mouthwatering....

Coffeology is a nice place to stop and use the Internet or, in our case, drink coffee and review photos. As we were exiting the back door, we couldn't resist taking a picture of this man, lost in reading. He looked so comfortable, as if sitting in this window seat were part of his routine. (We'll have to stop back and see). Through the glass, you can capture a soft-focus glimpse of Tate Street.

We're sharing this one with Weekend Reflections.

Butter Steak Sandwich & Green Drink

Those of you old enough to remember the Boar & Castle Drive-In Restaurant on West Market Street (at Walker Avenue) will know all about butter steak sandwiches, green drink and Boar & Castle sauce. In the above photo, these items have just been served up at Fincastle's DIner (215 South Elm Street) in downtown Greensboro. Fincastle's owners, nostalgic for a taste of the old Boar & Castle as well as filled with great ideas of their own, have been preparing meals like the one above since opening downtown in 2005. The sandwich was great and just the way it would have been served in the 1960's: lots of special sauce, loaded with melted butter, a bun that was soft on the outside and crispy on the inside and, last but not least, a generous chunk of steak. The drink, with strong undertones of pineapple, likely would have been smaller in portion but equally sweet and GREEN!

We wanted to feature this iconic Greensboro meal today because  both The Fresh Market stores in Greensboro are having a food event today where you can purchase Boar & Castle sauce. This Greensboro-invented sauce is the tangy condiment that gives butter steak sandwiches their unique flavor. Had we been true to history, we would have ordered fries or onion rings to dip in the sauce! If you want to learn more about Boar & Castle sauce, read this Jeri Rowe article. Between his article and all of the follow-up comments, you'll begin to understand why Grimsley and Curry High students flocked to the Boar & Castle Drive-In Restaurant for lunch and would return at night to hang out with friends.  

Dear Wendy's: Here's the Beef!

Are you old enough to remember Wendy's 1984 advertising slogan, "Where's the beef?" with actress Clara Peller staring at a big, fluffy bun with a miniscule hamburger? Over the last 27 years, Wendy's has built their empire of selling "good old-fashioned hamburgers,"  square and substantial, and offering customers a choice of condiments on their burgers. Yesterday, we were in disbelief that now the default "single" is the cheeseburger. If we understood the woman at the drive-through window, the customer pays cheeseburger price and at your request, they will omit the cheese; however, the cheeseless burger costs the same as one with two slices of cheese. To quote the person who waited on us. "It is just like when we leave the pickle off."  

This situation upsets us for two reasons. First, obesity is epidemic in North Carolina (in much of the USA). Also, a single with cheese on the top and the bottom adds approximately 140 extra calories. That is a lot of calories, especially if people eat the sandwich without even thinking about it and they don't even really like cheese. Secondly, cheese is not free. The sandwich price has cheese costed in. So, the consumer of a single hamburger is making mandatory  donation to Wendy's every time they opt out of cheese. For each million served, that is a lot of PROFIT. What if Wendy's gives the that money to the U.S. government to help underwrite health care costs associated with obesity.

What would Dave Thomas (the founder of Wendy's) have to say about this situation? Finally, sorry if you saw this post previously. It accidentally published ahead of schedule.

Stephanie's (World's Smallest) Restaurant

Stephanie's Restaurant has two locations on Randleman Road. You can barely see it on the sign but, clearly, this location is labeled "restaurant." We think it is just a drive-through, an extension of the other sit-down location.  At any rate, the little red and white building on Randleman Road is quite prominent in this location. Stephanie's is known for their good southern-cooked, soul food: fried chicken, ribs, meatloaf, collards, hush puppies, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread & banana pudding. (These are the items mentioned most frequently in the reviews). Of course, the seasoning adds to the southern flavor. Stephanie's doesn't  have a website or we would link to it. 

Today's post is linked to Ruby Tuesday, where the only requirements are to have red in your photo and to make it available on Tuesday. Since the world loves diminutives and superlatives, the title, "world's smallest restaurant," will bring viewers for sure. However, we're guessing Solo per Due takes the prize as the smallest. Located about an hour's drive north of Rome, Italy, "Solo per Due" only serves two guests at a time!

Now there's an idea for Greensboro... for Stephanie!

Dining for Friends 2011

This photo was taken on Lawndale in the window of Affordable Scrubs where they sell everything from plain, subtle uniforms to wildly colorful ones, like the kind pediatric hygienists wear. Affordable Scrubs is advertising the community event, Dining for Friends. We were struck at how well the DIning for Friends poster to the right matches the scrubs in the window. Dining for Friends is an event where hundreds of host households around the triad serve dinner as fundraisers for the Triad Health Project. For the grand finale dessert, participants meet at the Coliseum. The event will be held on May 14th. This is the 25th anniversary and the celebratory cake-poster has 25 layers decorated to look like the previous posters. We've featured this event before as it is such a worthy cause. Each the poster design and the event itself seem just perfect.

Well, it is Saturday and we're donning hats and heading out to photograph Kentucky Derby Parties. Today's photo is being shared with our friends at Weekend Reflections.

Downtown Farm Market

Today would be a great day to head to the DOWNTOWN FARM MARKET! The market is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) market where you can get food that is not only grown locally but also is good for you. The foods come from eco-friendly farms in North Carolina. This CSA market is located at 505 North Greene Street, between the Marriott Hotel and the First Presbyterian Church. On Saturday's, it is open from 8:00am - 5:00 pm. We  were there the day Tracey from nearby Riva's Trattoria took a group of Girl Scouts to the market so that they could purchase the food for a meal she would teach them to prepare for themselves. All kinds of new aromas and all of the visual appeal made shopping there an interesting adventure for the scouts.

If you are trying to make more healthy food choices, stop by and talk to the people working at the market. If you can't find what you are looking for, you can always head over to the Yanceyville Farmers' Market or the one on Sandy Ridge Road.

Happy Birthday, Jane

This weekend, we celebrated the birthday of a dear friend and faithful reader of Greensboro Daily Photo. If you are local and follow our blog, chances are you were introduced to the site by Jane. Jane loves living in Greensboro and learning everything she can about her city. She reads the blog diligently, helps us research information, calls immediately if she finds a misspelling or slip of grammar. She also comes up with great ideas about places to photograph and has been known to join us for afternoons of photographing Greensboro. Everyone needs a friend like Jane.

Jane is also a fan of all things French, an inference that can be made upon seeing the cake above. The Eiffel Tower/Fleur de Lis cake is the colors of her soleil yellow Quimper/French dinnerware. Since Jane's birthday comes so close to the anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, next year, we're planning a Nathanael Greene in the round-a-bout cake. Get out the blue and bronze cake gel. Seriously, readers like you and Jane make our 365-days-a-year effort all worthwhile.

Add to Mellow YELLOW Monday.

Grandover Resort

More "G's" for the week, Grandover Parkway intersects with Guilford College Road near yesterday's farmhouse. The imposing, literally-grand, 1,500 acre Grandover Resort is visible from I-85 in the southwest end of Greensboro. Grandover Resort was built to feel castle-like and to evoke a European sense of history. It endeavors to be grand in every way: 45,000 square feet of meeting space, 36 holes of golf, full spa services, and more. Opening in the late 1990's, Grandover was a 30-year dream realized for Greensboro's most prolific developer Joseph Koury. Koury is also known for building the Four Seasons Mall and Convention Center, over 8,000 homes, 14 residential neighborhoods, and seven shopping venues (Koury Corp.).

While we have not had the opportunity to stay there, we would be negligent to omit Grandover from Greensboro Daily Photo. Grandover is North Carolina's effort to be a destination vacation in much the same manner as West Virginia's Greenbrier Resort. This post is long overdue!

IHOP; He Bikes; We all Go for Pancakes

Greensboro has three International House of Pancake (IHOP) Restaurants. This one is located at 1430 Westover Terrace at the corner of Green Valley Road and Battleground Avenue, making the restaurant a virtual peninsula surrounded by busy roads and a railroad track. IHOP opened in 1958 in California and has expanded to 1,500 restaurants in all 50 US States and beyond. It is known for breakfast foods and was originally going to be called IHOE (International House of Eggs), a name that did NOT prove popular (Wiki)! Rumor has it, IHOP workers are inside gearing up for the March 1st National Pancake Day when they will offer a short stack of pancakes to customers for free in the hopes that donations will be left for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities. Mark your calendars for the event.

Today's photo in the fourth in our Guy Noir Series. These photos offer a little intrigue and could possibly serve as inspiration for a short story. What does the guy on the bike see? Why is he stopped? What is he waiting for. What if the person taking the photo were a private detective? Just what kind of international intrigue can you think up about the scene? We'll pose those questions to our friends at Weekend Reflection. Yes, Monsieur Noir noticed the reflection of a vehicle in the front window and door of the always-open restaurant..... See more of our original Guy Noir series here, here and here.

Country BBQ

BBQ is to North Carolina what oranges are to Florida, rodeo to Texas, and Pizza to New York. Generally, North Carolina BBQ is chopped pork on a sandwich or a platter served with vinegar-based slaw and hush puppies. Here we see a behind-the-counter scene from Country BBQ on Wendover Avenue. Nothing completes the BBQ experience like prompt service, a friendly waitress with a southern accent, and a good cup of sweet tea. All of the above was provided during our recent visit to Country BBQ. Do you have a favorite BBQ place in Greensboro? In a different city? Greensboro's "Greensboring" blogger, votes, hands down for Country BBQ (read here). 

 This is our contribution to Weekend Reflection.

Alice in Wonderland Says, "Buy Girl Scout Cookies, Please!"

Greensboro Daily Photo is helping a local Girl Scout troop sell cookies this week. Their sales are a little low and we said we'd help. If you live in the Greensboro area post a comment below telling us the cookies you want and we'll follow up via e-mail confirming your order, getting your address, and verifying that we can, indeed, deliver them to your area. For your safety, DO NOT put your contact information directly in the comment box. WAIT for our follow up e-mail.

Cookies will be delivered the week of Valentine's Day (around February 14th) and you do not pay until you get cookies. Cookies are $4 a box. If you buy five boxes, you get a chance to win a free box of cookies a week for a year! The top purchaser will be given the option to be featured on Greensboro Daily Photo-- as long as we can reach consensus on a family friendly photo and post! Please order by Wednesday, January 12 at midnight.

Local doll maker Kim McEntee made the Alice in Wonderland doll, featured above. The Alice doll was purchased at the Yanceyville Arts and Crafts Fair this past December. Alice is considering the following cookies to serve at her next tea party. You too, can pick from: 

Thanks-A-Lot-- chocolate dipped shortbread

Shout-outs-- Belgian-style carmelized cookies

Lemonades-- Shortbread with lemon icing

Shortbread-- Shortbread, pure and simple

Thin Mints-- Chocolate wafers dipped in chocolate with peppermint flavor

Peanut Butter Patties-- vanilla cookies with peanut butter and a chocolate coating

Peanut Butter Sandwiches-- peanut butter sandwiched between crunchy oatmeal cookies

Caramel deLites-- vanilla cookies drenched in caramel, coconut & cocoa.

 

If you want to learn more about Girl Scout Cookies, go here to "meet the cookies." 

Oops, almost forgot to link to Ruby Tuesday and this has RED all over! 

 

The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

... but reading GDP is delightful! With the lights turned way down low, Tate Street Coffee does glow, glow, glow.

In this photo, take last week, UNCG students are inside Tate Street Coffee House finishing up the fall semester. Just about everybody had a laptop open typing a paper. The two women directly in front of our table were decked out in red and green and seemed happy to be in from the cold. Recently, we featured Tate Street and gave a little background on their 18 year history (here). Follow the link to see an exterior view. Nothing beats a busy coffee shop on a cold winter night. 

With over 1,000 City Daily Photo blogs, we spend a lot of time reading the posts of our fellow bloggers. This photo of long and skinny Tate Street reminds us of a recent diner shot on Long Island Daily Photo (scroll past the Menorah and look here). We're not really sure how the weather will play out in Greensboro this weekend; however, we do know that the mirror in the upper right side of this photo qualifies today's post for Weekend Reflection.

Tate Street Coffee House

Having opened in 1993, Tate Street Coffee House (TSCH) is 18 years old. While other coffee houses have come and gone on Tate Street, TSCH has thrived and continues to be one of the main anchor businesses on this street, just east of UNCG. Over the years, the menu has expanded to include light sandwiches and they now take credit cards.

Last night was perfect for stopping by for a cup of hot tea. The inside is decorated with colored lights for Christmas and students from nearby UNCG and Greensboro College were hanging out finishing research and writing papers. This time of year, just about every other table has a college student glued to a laptop hugging a hot cup of caffeine. While requently, TSCH features live music, mid-week during finals crunch time is not exactly the time to offer entertainment.

Although their names are not featured on the Facebook page for TSCH, as far as we can tell, Matt and Ann Russ are still the owners. We used to get by for coffee a lot and remember Matt greeting his regulars and having their 'usual' ready when the customer got to the front of the line. We hope he is still at it because it feels great greeted and served efficiently. The coffee shop is also very involved in Tate Streets visual and performance arts festivals each fall and spring (see here and here). See another scene of Tate Street and TSCH here. Here's to another 18 + years to TSCH. They have been a good neighbor!

Giant Playgrounds

On the weekends, in the fall, college campuses turn into veritable playgrounds-- in a good way. Between intramural leagues, fall festivals, football games, concerts, plays, and art exhibits, there is plenty for students to do. Such was the case at Guilford College this weekend. It was homecoming and students, present and former, of all ages were on campus. In the photo above, students had queued up to Cameron's Funnel Cakes at an arts festival held on the Friendly Center side of campus. The Quakers have been in the Guilford College Road/Friendly Avenue area of Guilford County since the mid-1700's, long before these roads existed! Guilford College is the only Quaker founded college in the southeastern United States. Fall is an impressive time to be on this campus!

If you like college sports, the Guilford College Quakers have some impressive sports facilities for a private school of its size. Unfortunately, the football team's last regular-season game is away next weekend, at Emory & Henry. If you want, you can listen to it on free live audio. Even better, head over to campus and take a brisk walk while the weather is still walker-friendly. The little red camper is not a permanent fixture so don't expect to find it there this weekend. Do expect to find some beautiful brick buildings brimming with history! The funnel-cake-mobile was snapped especially for our friends at Ruby Tuesday! Go Quakers!

Open Space Café Theater

The Open Space Cafe Theater is another place to go in Greensboro to be entertained. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago so Jimmy Dean has left the building! Up next, at the end of November is PEEPERS by Walt Vail, the winner of the Open Space Café Theater's  (OSCT) first annual new play competition. The OSCT has been featuring live, professional theater in Greensboro for four years now. Inside is a foyer where you can buy beverages and snacks. Beyond the foyer is a small stage and also an area with cafe seating where desserts and beverages can be enjoyed while being entertained. The actors are VERY close to the audience during these performances. Sometimes they even build you, the audience, into the performance. Literally, you can reach out and touch them!

At times, the proprietor, Joe Nierle, books music acts too. This December, back by popular demand, he will be showing TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS in December. We really enjoyed the New Year's Eve event we attended here!

Potty Humor @ Green Bean Coffee House

Green Bean Coffee House in downtown Greensboro on Elm Street actually encourages its patrons to write on bathroom walls. They also insist that the chalked words remain family friendly. This chance for self expression is all great fun-- unless someone is waiting desperately to use the restroom! We resisted writing on the walls because we were anxious to get back to drinking our great cup of coffee! This coffee shop is known as a downtown community center because of all the art exhibitions, concerts, and gatherings that take place at the Green Bean. We've featured it before ( here  and here). We've also featured toilets before, here! Let's play "where's Waldo." Time yourself and see how long it takes you to find the quote, "All women are beautiful except Joan Rivers."

Enjoy this lighthearted Saturday post which we are sharing with Weekend Reflections!

Fall Harvest Time in Greensboro

Here we see our native persimmons, diospyros virginiana (translates as fruit of the gods). The leaves on this particular specimen are more leathery than we are accustomed to seeing and the plant looked more bush than treelike. Most persimmons are best eaten when fully ripe and after the first frost when the tannic acid taste is less pronounced. The female trees produce fruit and, of course, they need a male tree nearby to produce fruit. Isn't nature fascinating? Some trees are self-fertile, producing a fruit that ripens as early as August. 

In North Carolina, we are famous for our persimmon pudding. Making it is hard work; between the skin and the bulky seeds, not much flesh is extracted from each fruit. One has to sieve and sieve and sieve to get enough pulp for persimmon pudding. However, nothing tastes more like fall or earthier than persimmon pudding. Persimmon trees are hardy, adaptable, and drought resistant. Let's all run out and plant some today! For more information and a map of the growing area in the US, look here.