Greensboro Daily Photo

US Figure Skating Championships 2011

The 2011 US Figure Skating Championships were held in at the Coliseum in Greensboro this past week. The above photo of Kelsey Traunero was taken during the sold-out women's finals on Saturday night.  Even if you were not passionate about figure skating, you couldn't help being engaged and attentive at the venue. Fans from all over the United States came to Greensboro to see this event and they knew the names and moves of skaters as well as football fans know names of Super Bowl players. Many of the spectators seated near us attend this event annually.  Thousands attended the sessions over the last four days; many visiting Greensboro for the first time. Over 9,300 tickets were sold for the Saturday evening session alone.

Next year the national championships will be in San Jose, CA. Let's hope they can return to Greensboro soon. Look closely and you will see that Kelsey is pointing to the words, "Greensboro, NC." Look even more closely and you may see someone you know.

Congregational United Church of Christ

Congregational United Church of Christ is tucked on 400 Radiance Drive between Friendly Center and a cut-through from Aycock/Westover Terrate. While the featured building was constructed in 1952, the congregation's history dates back to 1900 in Greensboro. The origins of the religion and its membership date back to Pilgrims, Puritans, Germans and reformers in England and Europe in the 16th century.

The sanctuary of the above property was remodeled in 1993. This Congregational UCC only has an active membership of about 300.  Given its somewhat hidden location, it is hard to find the church at first but, people who attend say, the effort is all worthwhile. The ever-popular Rev. Julie Peeples is the dynamic pastor who has been leading the church since 1991.

Today's post is part of our religious Sunday series. If you are a new visitor, see earlier entries here.

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.

Moonrise over Greensboro

Last week's full moon rose early, huge in the winter sky. Here we see a view of the moon and stars sparkling in Northwest Guilford County. It isn't very often that we get to see stars in the night sky. According to Darkstar Astrology, "The full moon on 19 January 2011 at 29 degrees Cancer is trine Jupiter, sprinkling much needed luck and laughter upon us after the dramas and chaos of the Christmas holidays" (read more here). Do you speak astrology-ese? Whether you do or not, you probably fell in love with the night sky last week.

The moon is the only natural satellite of the earth and the same side of the moon always faces the earth. After the sun, the moon is the brightest object in our night sky. The brightness is due to a similar reflectance as coal (Wiki). The moon plays a large part in culture, lore, and language. To end your work week, here are some popular sayings that incorporate the word moon:

Once in a blue moon; it's only a paper moon; ask for the moon, to moon over something; many moons ago; promise the moon; to be over the moon (reference).

We're sharing this with our fellow skywatchers at  Skywatch Friday.

The Bulldog Resides in Greensboro

"Who let the dogs out?"   Mack Truck, Inc., that's who... and the above photo is an 8-foot-tall gold statue of Mack Truck's trusty mascot, the bulldog. Just as the bulldog is a heavy dog, Macks are heavy vehicles.

Last year was the Year of the Dog in the Chinese Zodiac and the first full year of Mack World Headquarters in Greensboro on National Service Road. Their headquarters, just down the street from Volvo Truck, rolled into Greensboro, September 2009. Mack Truck is a Volvo Group Company so this move, during a time of corporate restructuring, was a financially sound one for Mack/Volvo. Mack vehicles are sold in over 45 countries worldwide. This is a business we can be proud to have housed in Greensboro. If you ever have a chance, thank this company for being here.

Oh, and for you Georgia and NC State fans, now you don't have to leave town to get a photo with your favorite mascot! Since this IS actually a sign, I'm sharing it with the sign, sign meme.

B is for (East) Bessemer Avenue

Out of the 234 Greensboro streets beginning with the letter "B", this week's featured street is East Bessemer Avenue. Prior to the 1957 annexation into Greensboro, Bessemer was actually a town east of Greensboro. Bessemer School was a 1st- 12th grade public school for the Bessemer community. (Read its fascinating history with great links here). Until the eastern section of Wendover Avenue was constructed in the 1960's, Bessemer Avenue was the main artery to and from the east side of town. The Summit/Bessemer Avenue intersection was just north of the homes of some of Greensboro's most prominent citizens.

Bessemer residents billed themselves as blue-collar and working-class families. Many were mill workers. These families formed a tight knit community that valued the education of their children, almost above all. Teachers were respected community members and school athletics did a lot for uniting the community. Graduates of Bessemer schools remain active today, meeting in person as well as on Facebook. In the WWII era, a great community memory was built when actor Charleton Heston spent part of his military career at the army's Overseas Replacement Depot (O.R.D.), located in the East Bessemer/Huffman Street/Winston Street area.

East Bessemer Avenue has 86 homes; West Bessemer has 65 homes. Today's photo, located at 932 E. Bessemer Avenue, is a curb market in the business section. It has been an E. Bessemer landmark since 1955. For our friends at ABC Wednesday, "B" is for Bessemer!

Kindermusik

Reaching America in 1978, Kindermusik is a music/music-education concept developed in Germany in the 1960's.  The corporate headquarters is located at 203 South Church Street in Greensboro. Kindermusik introduces children to the world of movement and music as young as newborns. They have a well developed curriculum, great instruments, and talented teachers. 

With the recent news that American Express is closing its call center in Greensboro, we need to celebrate, support, and thank businesses like Kindermusik, that are headquarted in our city! Kindermusik is established in over 60 countries and home base is right here. 

Well, when life throws you lemons, make lemonade. When red cars park in the way of your picture, save them for Ruby Tuesday!

Main Post Office

Greensboro's main post office is located on Murrow Blvd. just east of Elm Street. The long silver building is easily identifiable. While this location is considered our main post office, the 9-5 Monday-Friday hours aren't any more generous than the branch offices. There is a Saturday collection at 2pm for the on-site mailboxes. The main post office has great parking. The US Postal system has an identifier for all of their post offices and you can find the webpage for the main post office here.

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago when the flag was at half mast a lot that week in honor of the victims of the Tucson, AZ tragedy as well as the death of former North Carolina auditor Ralph Campbell, Jr.  Mr. Campbell was the first African-American elected to a statewide executive office in North Carolina. He died of lung cancer on Tuesday, January 11, 2011. Campbell's whole family was known for their many efforts and actions that advanced desegregation and the civil rights movement (read more here).

Inside Westover Church

Recently, we featured the exterior of Westover Church (here). Today, we take you inside to get a scope of the modern architecture and symmetry as well as the large scale of this facility. This is a non-denominational church, located at Muirs Chapel Road. The church has ministry, fellowship, and and choir opportunities for people at all stages of life from children to seniors, from married to single. If you are interested, a new membership class starts January 30th.

The facility is so large that they offer tickets to many music venues through Ticketmaster. Upcoming concerts include two Greensboro symphony events. The photo was taken through the main window looking into the foyer. This is our religious, Sacred Sunday, photo for the week. 

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.

Winter Sunsets

Leafless trees in winter make beautiful, silhouetted sunset fotos. The above trees, photographed from the parking lot of the Battleground Wal-Mart, are dense with neglect. Dormant vines are patiently in place, waiting for spring when they can put out shoots and continue their invasion of the trees. The kudzu vine, which can grow up to a foot a day in the summer, competes for nutrients with trees and blocks sunlight, eventually choking the host tree to death. While the vine adds drama to a winter landscape, since it was first imported from Asia in 1876, kudzu has become quite an invasive menace. For today, however, we're gonna sit back and enjoy the view. If you are longing for summer, see some bloomin' kudzu here.

This is our contribution to Skywatch Friday where you can see a little slice of the sky above from just about every continent.

MERGE Green Goods

The latest green business in town is MERGE Green Goods at 527 South Elm Street. This woman-owned, local company bills itself as providing sustainable materials and design solutions for a greener lifestyle. They offer zero-VOC Mythic paint,  Earthtone recycled granite pavers, and more (website). MERGE is located just west of yesterday's Arlington Street and in an area of the city that is still being renovated and rebuilt. The store view above was taken through the front window of this building in one of the most historic part of town.

Next time you want to "paint the town red," head to MERGE and pick a hue! Even better Greensboro, let's adopt this Cincinnati initiative where volunteers take a day and literally paint the town by rejuvenating homes in need of TLC. Maybe we could even get MERGE to help out. We'll paint if you will!

A is for Arlington Street

Arlington Street is the western border for the Southside neighborhood of Greensboro. According to public records, Arlington Street has 37 properties on it, two of which is are historic homes: the William Fields House at 447 Arlington and nearby Kesler House at 437. Arlington Street begins at Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive downtown and ends at Butner Street, just before the Elm/Eugene confluence.

This house, located at 631, while less glamorous than the historic homes, is typical of the houses in the section south of Lee Street. Although humble in size, the house is JUMBO in enthusiasm. This may well be the purplest house in Greensboro. Pampas grass grown on the border of the yard also defines the property.

For our ABC Wednesday group (Round 8), we're featuring a street-a-week in Greensboro that begins with the given letter of the week. So many streets that begin with the letter "A" are on our list to photograph. Some, we have done already (see, for example, Arcadia here).  Arlington was chosen, partially for convenience as we were at the MLK parade in the neighborhood on Monday. However, this street has been a part of the fabric of Greensboro since the 1800's. Can you guess how many streets in Greensboro begin with the letter "A"?  We will tell you that five streets that begin with "A" are listed as having only one property. They include: Addison Point Drive, Airport Road, Albert Pick Road, Allerton Circle and Aspen Drive. The "A" street with the most residences is the lengthy Alamance Church Road, with 296 listings. Now, for your office trivia, taa daaa, in Greensboro, we have 182 streets that begin with the letter A. That's a half a year of a photo a day of streets that begin with the letter "A"!

Martin Luther King, Jr.-- Parade 2011

The Greensboro Chapter of the NAACP hosted yesterday's 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. Here we see Grand Marshals,  Maurice "Mo" Green and Sandra Hughes. Mr. Green is the superintendent of Guilford County Schools and Ms. Hughes is a retired WFMY news anchor. The parade route was held along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, just east of downtown Greensboro. In spite of the cold weather, spirits were high as onlookers reflected on the parade's purpose and Rev. King's impact on civil rights in not only our city but also our country. The parade was an intergenerational experience. Adults talked, embraced, and greeted people they knew as they rode by. Children waited patiently for the next group that would toss candy into the crowd. People in cars drove with windows down not just waiving but reminding kids to stay in school, go to college, and to believe in their dreams. The weather was gray; the enthusiasm was technicolor!

Last year's photo for MLK Day was the MLK, Jr. bust, found at the corner of MLK, Jr Drive and Elm Street (see here). We forgot to link to it yesterday.

L. Richardson Memorial Hospital

L

Today, as we reflect on the great life of Rev. Martin Luther King,Jr.  we bring you the following:

L. Richardson Memorial Hospital, at 603 South Benbow Road at the corner of Washington Street, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1992. In May 1969, the history of the facility appeared in an article in the Journal of the National Medical Association (available here). According to the article, it was  a "Negro hospital to serve the needs of the city" (p. 205). Before it opened, Greensboro only had six hospital beds for African American patients. The history of the hospital and the benefactors is fascinating. If you are interested in the history of health care or African-Americans in Greensboro, please read the article.

The Mission Revival Style facility, shown above, was formally dedicated as a hospital May 27, 1927 with "a baby show, track meet, and May Pole dance at World War Memorial Athletic Stadium" (p. 207). During its time as a hospital, Richardson Memorial trained nurses and had several important clinics, including one for nutrition of newborns, one for artificial sun therapy to treat rickets, and one to treat tuberculosis. In June, 1966, this facility ceased being a hospital when patients were transferred to a new, nearby facility. Babies were transported in station wagons. The elderly were transported by ambulances supplied by local funeral homes. The transition, like the hospital was a grand community effort. The facility is named after its first major benefactor, Lunsford Richardson of Vicks Salve Fame. Back in the day, it was the only fire-proof hospital in Greensboro and was an impressively supplied and staffed facility.

Today, L. Richardson Hospital Apartments, the 32-apartment facility is intended for residents 55 or older. Rent prices start at $419 a month. Kudos for retaining the façade and the name, lest its history fade forever. (See more pictures with a dash of yellow on Mellow Yellow Monday).

True Vine Baptist Church

True Vine Baptist Church is located across from the McIver Education Center at the Corner of Textile Drive at 1404 Summit Avenue. The ranch-house church is readily identifiable as a Christian institution by the cross nailed to the brick on the north side of the facility. The congregation is led by Pastor Jerry A. and First Lady Vanessa Allred. The congregation's motto is, "We are family; we care, we share and work in love together" (see website). While in existence since 2000, True Vine has only been in the present location since they purchased the property in 2003.

Surrounded by this past week's icy, crisp snow, the church has the illusion of being located in rural, peaceful silence when, in reality, it is located in a bustling area of East Greensboro not too far from Highway 29 and Wendover Avenue. The scene evokes the lyrics from George Bennard's Christian hymn, "Old Rugged Cross." "On a hill, far away stood an old rugged cross.." Read the lyrics and isten to the piano part at HymnSite.com (Scroll through GDP's previous religious photos  here).

A Bennett Belle en Route

We're thinking this young woman is a Bennett Belle as she was walking down Pastor Anderson Way in the direction of Bennett College with a backpack in tow. Belles are the mascot of Bennett College, a small historically-black, women's college established in 1873. Belles have many great traditions and a very rich history. One of their next big events is a January 28th dance at Proximity Hotel which they are co-sponsoring with UNCF. Bennett College is one of the great institutions of higher education mentioned in a 2008 YES! Weekly article about "boutique" schools in the Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem region-- the Triad (read more here).

As we reflect on this week at Greensboro Daily Photo, we are thankful that Sheryl Lieb taught us more about her father's life in the produce and deli business in Greensboro. We are glad to have chatted with a Proximity Public School alumna, as she inspired us to photograph the school. Finally, we enjoyed the Lawrence Welk dialog evoked in the comments for the ZINK post.

We're glad that the weather has eased up a little bit and it is not so cold and icy out today. Stop back tomorrow for our Sacred Sunday feature. Thanks to those who helped a local scout troop with cookie sales. Our biggest order was one for twenty boxes.

McIver Education Center

Today, we are at Charles D. McIver Education Center, located at 1401 Summit Avenue at the corner of Textile Drive. McIver Ecuation Center is part of the Guilford County School System and, according to their website, serves students from age 5-22 with moderate to several developmental delays, autism, and other educational needs. Our local system is just digging out from four snow days. Today, students, teachers, and staff, at McIver included, will be readjusting to the faster-paced, and more-structured schedule of being back in school.

In earlier years, the above facility was built as Proximity Public School for children of the local textile mill community of which Proximity Manufacturing Mill was a part. Proximity was the first mill of the Cone Brothers and, the school was in close proximity to the mill as the Cone family valued education.  According to local historian, Gayle Hicks Fripp, in her book GREENSBORO NEIGHBORHOODS, Volume II, this building was constructed in 1928 and the architect was Charles C. Hartman. As Frick points out, noteworthy is the brick and stone checker motif on the wings.

Also nearby is Proximity United Methodist Church. For sure, when Proximity was Proximity Public School, many students lived close enough to this neighborhood school that they could go home for lunch. Still chiseled on the header, at the center of the school, are the words, "PROXIMITY PUBLIC SCHOOL."

For Facebook users, Proximity School has started a community page, although it doesn't appear to have been discovered yet. If you attended Proximity Public School check the page out. This post is part of our 2011 Skywatch Friday series where we show a slice of the sky above Greensboro whether is vibrant blue, dull gray, or anything in between.

M. Lieb and Son Gourmet Foods

The back view of a brick building, located at the corner of Washington St. and Pastor Anderson Way in East Greensboro, reads "Deli M.LIEB & SON Gourmet Foods." The business must have come and gone as an internet search produced no results. One reference to a local "Lieb" is Paul Lieb.  Paul Lieb partners with Jeff Gorelick in the Foster-Caviness Produce Business and formerly, he owned Greensboro's Best Wholesale Foods with his father. We're betting M. Lieb was the grandfather. The building looks like it supported a business around three generations ago and appears to have been built in the early 20th century. It is amazing what one uncovers walking around Greensboro on a snowy day. The van and trucks have owners who were at a nearby business, Thermal Controls Corp, which we will feature soon.

Z is for ZINK

Z is for Zink Imaging!

ZINK is located on I-85/I-40 between Greensboro and Burlington in the building that used to house Konica. As a matter of fact, ZINK is located on Konica Drive. ZINK stands for zero ink and is a technology in which color is embedded in printer paper and so no ink cartridges are needed for digital printing. What a great idea. No cartridges for landfills. No mess. Images appear almost magically.

Zink was founded in 2005. According to their website, the zero ink technology has taken years to develop and is the collaborative effort of many different professionals including many scientists. ZINK has over 100 patents and more in the pipeline. The Chairman of the Board/President/CEO is Wendy Frey Caswell. We've been waiting since August to post this photo for the last letter this round of ABC Wednesday.  See GDP's Y-A efforts here.

If we sign on for another series, we're thinking of featuring streets for each letter of the alphabet. A is for Arcadia Drive, B is for Battleground, C is for Caldwell Street..... Let us know if you like that idea AND if you want your street/house/business featured! Remember, we're looking for architecture, history, and buildings that showcase Greensboro.

 

 

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! 

 

War Eagle(s) Spotted in North Carolina

Auburn University is not the only home of the "war eagle" mascot. War Eagles are soaring in nearby Davie County! Knowing that Auburn University plays Oregon in football for the National Championship today, Mr. and Mrs. GDP drove over to Davie County, home of the Davie County War Eagles to take this photo. While the Davie County War Eagles fell to the Hillside Hornets for the North Carolina 2010 4-A Championship in December, they still represent quite a Cinderella Story, making it all the way to the finals for the first time in the school's history.

We're hoping that Auburn's War Eagles can represent the South and beat Oregon tonight. Regardless, here's to a good game, everyone staying healthy, and record viewership for a Monday game! Many TV sets in Greensboro, including those in the local sports bars, will be tuned to this nationally televised game.

Garden of Prayer in Jesus Christ Apostolic Church

Garden of Prayer in Jesus Christ Apostolic Church is located, just across the street from the Sportsplex,  at 2401 16th Street in Greensboro North Carolina. The Apostolic Church is a Pentecostal Christian denomination. The denomination was formed in the early 1900's (more here) and has its roots in Wales. The religion is popular in the US South and in Greensboro as well. A Google search reveals several churches in Greensboro with "Apostolic" in their title: New Bethel, End Time Harvest, Friendship Temple, Garden of Prayer, United Apostolic Church of Prayer, Christ Apostolic CHR-MT Bethel, Zion Apostolic Church, and Yahweh. The tiny church featured above seems to honor the religion's expectations for simplicity. This is our contribution for our weekly photo of something religious in Greensboro.

 

American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO, Local 711

A little ranch house with an A-line roof and a carport is home to Branch 711 of Greensboro's Americal Postal Worker's Union, AFL-CIO. The building is located on 109 South Dudley Street, just south of of Market Street, between Bennett College and A&T State University. The house, itself, is reminiscent of many of its contemporaries built along Friendly Avenue. 

The APWU can trace its roots back to the 1870's and the Railway Mail Mutual Benefit Association. Currently, it represents approximately 220,000 employees and the president is Cliff Guffey. Learn more about the organization here. Benjamin Franklin became America's first Postmaster General in 1775, before we were officially a country! Greensboro has its share of interesting postal workers, including one postal worker who always wears shorts.... and then there is the crew at Friendly Center.

We're sharing this with the folks at Weekend Reflection. This type of window makes great reflections! 

 

 

Near the Airport and I-40

Beep, beep! This California Sidecar truck on the left, licensed in Virginia, could be hauling trikes, side cars, accessories or after-market trike conversions. Recently, it was spotted near the airport and I-40, on Galimore Dairy Road, adding some great color to the winter landscape. Likely, it was refueling as this area is a popular spot for trucks to purchase fuel. To the right, you see the sign for Marathon fuel as well as Kinder Morgan. Kinder Morgan is a private company that stores and transports petroleum products, CO2 and natural gas. According to their website, the company has approximately 37,000 miles of pipeline and 180 terminals in North America. Here we see a Greensboro terminal. Kinder Morgan is an interesting company as they don't actually own fuel but transport it for others. Also, the CEO is paid $1 a year with the rest of his income tied to what he earns for shareholders.

Even though this side of town has an industrial look, one can still find great scenes to photograph, including Skywatch Friday shots (see here & here too). Over the last two years, Skywatch Friday has been one of GDP's most popular features. It is uplifting to monitor the sky above one's city. If you want a quick scroll through all GDP's sky photos go here. We've spent a lot of time counting clouds and chasing rainbows around town!

 

ARTMONGERZ

ARTMONGERZ is a collective gallery/studio located at 610 South Elm Street, beside Yew Tree Gallery and across the street from Mellow Mushroom. ARTMONGERZ is a must for your First Friday visit tomorrow. The gallery is very accessible, the art is affordable, and often, they have entertainment and snacks to share with their visitors. The above photo, taken in December, is a view of the gallery from the front door. The gallery is deceptively large as it extends through several viewing spaces from front to back. 

The fish on the left is made by scrap metal artist Frank Russell. ARTMONGERS features many of Mr. Russell's three-dimensional pieces, most of which are thematically related to the sea. Mr. Russell's art has great appeal to children. Last year, he collaborated with nearby Jones Elementary School (read more here) to build an art piece from scraps. Another example showing how accessible Mr. Russell's art is to children is seen in this four-panel, found-object assemblage, Journeys, installed at Carolina Pediatrics. 

Please come out and enjoy this gallery and all the other businesses participating in Downtown Greensboro's First Friday event from 6-9 tomorrow night. Looking is free. Affordable, original artwork will be readily available. Gallery owners and artists will be milling around ready to talk to you about their creative technique. 

Y is for Yew Tree

Y is for Yew Tree Gallery, located at 604 South Elm Street across from Mellow Mushroom Restaurant. The breast-cancer-awareness ribbons on the front gates represent a very important challenge to our society. They are also in remembrance of artists and clients whose lives have been touched by the disease.

Yew Tree is a subsidary of Jackson Mayshark's Ambleside Gallery up the street. Yew Tree is an artists' collaborative with approximately 20 artists and potters showing their work at the gallery. Buying local, original art does wonders for boosting the local economy. A good time to sample the art available at Yew Tree and the rest of downtown is to attend the First Friday event.  Go here to map out your plans to attend, this Friday, January 7th from 6-9. From artistically decorated cupcakes, to goat-milk soap to oil paintings, First Friday has creative items at all price points. Hope to see you there!

Y is for Yew Tree is our next to the last entry for our ABC Wednesday Series. Next week's Z promises to be an INFORMATIVE grand finale. Only Greensboro has this Z! View GDP's  A-X here!

Resolution #2: The RUSH to Get Fit

With the new year comes resolutions, dreams, hopes. Many make a resolution to be more fit, physically and mentally. Whether you join a fitness center, the Y, or start exercising on your own, you will find something to meet your needs. Some insurance companies will charge more to overweight subscribers. Let's all avoid that!  From her book "Four Word Self Help,"  North Carolinian, Patti Digh has a simple philosophy: Move More, Eat Less. That's a start.

Featured in today's photo is The Rush Fitness Complex which has swept Greensboro by storm. This is the Brassfield location. The Rush is open 24 hours a day and at their Sportsplex location, you can pay a $5 per visit fee and start working out without a long term commitment. If only to walk around the block, or on our fabulous Greenway,  grab a friend and start moving! The News & Record reminded us recently, if you join something, read the contract carefully!

Resolution #1: Cleaning out Closets

American Flag Self Storage has at least seven sites in Greensboro. The one in the photo is located at 3910 Battleground Avenue. American Flag Self Storage is a great business. They have managers who live on site, often retired couples who are friendly and eager to get to know people in their new community. The managers usually own people-friendly cats to keep rodents out of the units.  However, if you are in need of a self storage unit, likely, you own too much STUFF! While it is hard to declutter all at once, how about working on it over time?  For 2011, if you want to declutter your house and life for that matter, North Carolina is the place to be.

North Carolina is home to two powerful influences in decluttering. First, the ever popular internet-hit "FlyLady" is from North Carolina. She coaches you to start organizing and bringing more order to you home by keeping the kitchen sink spotless and working outwards in the cleaning campaign. Read more about Marla Cilley and her program here. Another influential North Carolinian is Patti Digh who lives with her family in Asheville, NC. Her recent books Four Word Self Help and Life is a Verb, get us thinking about life in simpler terms. Likely, there are similar and equally-inspirational people right here in Greensboro, North Carolina. If you know anyone personally, please let us know by commenting below.

In Need of Spire & Year Three of Greensboro Daily Photo

The First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro is a downtown landmark. Over the last two years, we have shown grander views of this beautiful structure, including this inside view. The above photo, taken several months ago, shows the missing spire on the left. The missing section disturbs the symmetry of this beautiful house of worship. Perhaps the congregation has plans to replace this section of the roof. Perhaps, an interesting story is behind the absence of this section. Even better would be if it has already been replaced. However, the deeper message is that everything can't be perfect, we can't have everything the way we want it, exactly when we want it. Also, communities, from congregations to whole cities, can work together to make things better for everyone. 

Today, Greensboro Daily Photo begins Year 3 of bringing you a photo a day of Greensboro. We usually shy away from controversy and issues that tend to polarize communities. However, perhaps we can begin to do a little advocacy for things that will enhance Greensboro. Perhaps next time we drive by First Pres., the spire will have been replaced. Spires point to heaven. In the Gothic style, multiple spires evoke strongholds....military fortresses. Perhaps, with a little nudging, we can inSPIRE the Presbyterians to replace this spire. If you are involved in this effort, please provide details in the comment line below.

Happy 2011-- Greensboro, North Carolina

Happy New Year! The City Daily Photo Community encouraged us to post our favorite 2010 photo on New Years Day. For Greensboro, we keep coming back to this photo of Elm Street, the main street downtown. Elm Street, the heart of the city, runs from north to south, dividing Greensboro into east and west. This rainy twilight shot is the quieter side of Elm. We also like the festive, busy view (here).  Did you know Greensboro Daily Photo is one of about 1,300 cities worldwide who have people volunteering to publish a photo & comment a day about their city?

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

We hope your New Year's Resolution is to read GDP every day! As you recruit new readers, we suggest referring them to this January 1 post to get an idea of the breath of our effort. In reflecting on 2010, here are some of our highlights:

Each week, we posted an ABC Wednesday photo featuring something unique to Greensboro. Y and Z will spill into 2011; however, to work your way back from X to A, see here. Fridays, we participated in the Skywatch Friday meme.  Scroll through a year of skies over Greensboro here. Our vehicle transportation series was pretty popular (see the year here) and did manage to capture just about every mode of transportation from train to segway. One of our favorite efforts was the Weekend Reflection series. See a couple of those photos here and here. Each Sunday, we posted something spiritual here. Curiously, our most frequently searched photo is still this ornamental cabbage! Happy New Year!