Greensboro Daily Photo

Mapping Out Fun Fourth... Beginning at the Biltmore Greensboro Hotel

Last night, all was quiet in downtown Greensboro, on the eve of the Fourth of July. We were walking along Washington Street, in front of the Biltmore Greensboro Hotel. Today, the Biltmore Hotel will be in the middle of all of the Fun Fourth Activities. As of 5:00 am this morning, Elm Street will be blocked off and all cars must be off the street or they will be towed. The Fun Fourth will be fabulous this year. HERE is a list of all the activities for today. It will start with the Freedom Run, the Triad's longest running race tradition. The 10K starts at 7:30 am and the rest of the races at 8:00 am at 211 North Davie Street. If you are not running, you are encouraged to stand along the route and cheer people on (even if you don't know then). Freedom Fest this year is broken off into 4 zones, with activities going from 12noon- 6:00 pm. The zones are primarily from Tanger Center & LeBauer Park in the north to Lewis Street in the south &  between Greene and Davie Streets. The Fun Fourth committee made a real effort to see that each zone has vendors, music, attractions, food, and plenty to do. We are hoping to roller skate in Zone 2.

The Biltmore is between Zone 2 and 3. The simple bunting looks so elegant; it is the kind of decoration that you might have found when the building was constructed in 1895. Looking at the facade of the Biltmore, it is as if one has stepped back in time over 100 years ago. Yet, step into the hotel and everything you need for the 21st century is at your fingertips.*  This is the reason Greensboro is such a great city. We honor the past, especially in architecture; value traditions; and come together to to enjoy each other, on events like Fun Fourth. None of this could be done without a strong business community, good leadership, and a passel of great volunteers. As a grand finale, tonight, there is a Greensboro Grasshoppers game at 6:30 pm and fireworks at First National Bank Field after the game. Regardless of how you spend your time today, have a great day!

* If you follow Greensboro Daily Photo, you already know that we featured the Biltmore 13 years ago, the first year of Greensboro Daily Photo. As you can see from this photo, the awning has changed and the word "Greensboro" has been added to the name, likely to avoid confusion with the Vanderbilt's Biltmore in Asheville. 

Stained Glass Window, From When the Building Was a Church...

Stained glass windows are so beautiful regardless of whether they are religious or not. Today's window is in the main building of the Greensboro Performing Arts Center in Summerfield. The window is a holdover from the days the facility was a church. We remember it as The Cathedral of Faith Christian Center, but may even have been a different church before then.* In the room photographed above, the pews are gone and the center of the floor has been cleared. Likely there is dance practice inside. The entrance door requests people who enter to remove their shoes. That seems like it would be a good practice for any house, house of worship, or performance place. Imagine, as is done in some cultures, we always took off our shoes...

According to the Coldwell Banker Realty site, the property at 7200 Summerfield Road sold in February 2021 at a little over $600,000, which seems like a great bargain considering the size of the lot and the fact that it has an outdoor stage, two buildings, and lots of parking. The owners seem to have so much planned for the lot. There is a pop up Christmas tree lot, a Saturday farmers market, a coffee hut on site. Also, the greenway will eventually go in front of the property. Summerfield continues to add interesting activities and venues, making it quite the destination. As an added bonus, the town, the performing arts center, and this stained glass window are located just a few miles north of Greensboro, tucked away, just off Highway 220. Drive by 7200 Summerfield Road, just south of the fire station, and see for yourself what they've done to the property! We had a friend take a friend to the Mary Poppins musical held in the venue and gave it rave reviews. Any place that brings people together for meaningful fellowship is a win-  be it a church or a performing arts center.

Happy Sunday! Thank you for being on this GDP journey with us. Yesterday, made 13 1/2 years of a photo a day. We are so thankful for your readership.

 

*See here when we featured the exterior on Friday.

Happy July!

Can you believe it is already July? In two days, it will be the Fourth of July and many people will be celebrating. During holidays, it is fun to drive around and see how houses are decorated. The above colonial home on Fleming Road is holiday ready. The white, colonial Williamsburg home, with its simple framework, symmetry, and two stories, really stands out with the flags and red, white, and blue banners. The home was built in 1985, just as Greensboro was starting to experience a housing boom. The one-acre lot looks well maintained, without being overly manicured. The current owners have been in the house for a little over a year and it looks like they are taking good care of it. The architecture is such that the home could be as easily 100 years old as it is 37!

If you are out and about today, don't forget to go to one of the many farmers markets in and around Greensboro. Produce is coming on strong. You should see lots of peppers, cucumbers, squash, figs, blueberries, and more. Buy local and buy today so that you will have plenty to share on the Fourth! Oh, and don't forget, today is Day 2 62 days that Cookout will be selling watermelon milkshakes! There is another destination for you!

Greensboro Performing Arts

Greensboro Performing Arts is located at 7200 Summerfield Road. The building was formerly a church (Cathedral of Faith Christian Center) and still had the shape and the stained glass window to prove it. However, now, it is the new home of the Greensboro Performing Arts Center and great things are happening there this summer. Currently, the musical "Mary Poppins" is currently in production. There will be a showing tonight and tomorrow night at 7:00 pm. If you are looking for something to do in the North Greensboro/Summerfield part of town, this is a great option. 

Every time we drive by, something new has been added to the property or to what they offer. In addition to the Jumping Bean Coffee Shop being on property, for a year now, there is also a farmers market on Saturday mornings. Plus, Greensboro Performing Arts continues to add classes, and performances. The most recent addition we've noticed is the signage and the metal tree. Consider brushing up on your spelling of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, grabbing your parrot handle umbrella, carpet bag, favorite kids and experience some wholesome fun and great local performing.

For those who choose to stay closer to town, remember that it is First Friday and there are lots of businesses hoping you will start celebrating downtown even earlier than the Fun Fourth! Let us know what you decide to do.

Time to Harvest Squash in the GDP Garden 2022

Squash in growing in the the Greensboro Daily Photo yard. We planted a little late and just got our first mess to eat this week. And, oh it was yummy. In Greensboro, you can plant squash several times; however, the later you plant in the season, the worse the bugs are. According to the botanical classification, squash is a flower and in the same family as pumpkins and zucchini. When it is on our dinner table, squash is a vegetable. You should be able to get squash in all of the farmers markets this weekend. If you like to visit farms directly, here is a website that tells you which farms have U-Pick options and what they are offering at the moment (see HERE).  You can really get to know Greensboro by visiting the various farms, and farmers markets. You might want to have this southern squash casserole recipe handy in case you bring some home with you. If you want to be part of a community garden, it is a little late in the season, but places like the Keeley Community Garden (McLeansville) are great places to start. At Keeley, you can learn a lot from other gardeners. Most are generous with their knowledge, and often with their produce.

In a couple of weeks, your friends will be offering you zucchini bread! If YOU are the bearer of "all things zucchini", here is an informative segment on zucchini from Southern Living.

Happy gardening and happy last day of June!

SE Systems

It is so fun to shop at locally owned businesses. Recently, we went to SE Systems to purchase some equipment for making music. The business was founded in 1973 (as Sound Engineering Systems). They are located at 2605 Phoenix Drive. This location is not too far from the Coliseum which is very convenient when big acts come to town to perform and they have a lighting issue or need a piece of equipment. They also offer video and staging services. With all of the live music happening in Greensboro over the summer, you never know what kind of equipment performers will need.

SE's prices are very competitive with online stores and you have an actual person to help you with your entertainment needs. Given the extra hours of light, summer is such a good time to drive around Greensboro and find new sights, sounds, and businesses.

Glorious Sunset over Greensboro- No Filter Needed!

Last night's sunset was nothing short of glorious. The above photo was taken off of Carlson Dairy Road, after the rain and as the sun was low to the horizon- at about 8:30 pm. The temperature  yesterday ranged from 67- 86º. We hope your part of town got some rain yesterday, as there is none predicted again until Saturday. Here is an explanation of factors that contribute to making a colorful sunrise and sunset. You can't always predict when the sunset will be spectacular; however, we found a photographer's blog that helps explain. First, the sun must be shining and low to the horizon. Then,  Stephen Bay, points out you need high clouds to catch the sun's rays, and a clear horizon so sunlight is not blocked. Those two factors are visible in the above photo 1) far-reaching clouds and 2) a clear horizon. We always post photos with a landscape orientation. However, yesterday's sky would have been even more interesting from a portrait orientation to showcase those lovely blues.

Happy Tuesday! May our summer days be filled with spectacular events, including vibrant sunsets!

Cadillac Service Garage

The Cadillac Service Garage is an event venue at 304 East Market Street in downtown Greensboro. The building was built as a Cadillac dealership in 1921. From high ceilings to checkered floors and everything in between, so much detail remains from the design 100 years ago. There were a lot of years this building sat empty. Then there were the years it housed Design Archives, between the time Kit had her store on Tate Street and now in the 300 block of South Elm Street. How wonderful that the vintage feel of the building rings true loud and clear. Instead ov covering the brick walls, they are celebrated.

The event space accommodates up to 225 guests and there is outdoor space as well as indoor. The day we walked by last week, some of the signage was still visible for Meredith Murray and Dylan Cunningham's wedding on June 18th. How fun to see the place tidied up, but with some remnants of a super special event. We love the Cadillac Service Garage because it expands the footprint to downtown Greensboro east of Church Street. If you get a chance, drive by and have a peek inside. You will see echoes of 1921 blended with conveniences of 2022!

Happy Monday! Happy exploring east Greensboro! The changes are many.