Greensboro Daily Photo

High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association

The High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association is a group of local musicians that meets to play bluegrass music. The organization is open to anyone with an acoustic instrument who is interested in the bluegrass genre. People of all playing abilities are welcome to join. The group meets once a month; in fall and winter, they meet on the bottom floor of the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center at 200 N. Davie Street. Members bring a an instrument and jam, jam, jam!. In May, they sponsor Pickin' in the Park at Hagan Stone Park in Pleasant Garden, where they meet from April-September.

On Sunday, some members were playing in the hallway, in the above circle. Others were in the concert room to the right, seated and playing. Somebody was selling CD's. Great fun was had by all. Seeing everyone standing around in a near-perfect circle, it reminds us of the song, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken". Grab your fiddle, rosin up your bow, and head on down. Nothing beats hanging out with people who share your common interests. Greensboro's bluegrass community is comprised of great people who will make you feel welcome.

Swan Song for Winterfest 2012

Piedmont Winterfest 2012 officially closed yesterday. The above ice-skating rink will be drained and, hopefully, like Frosty the Snowman, come to life again next year. The postcard-perfect, Winterfest was a successful, public-private partnership involving many local entities*. It was located in Festival Park on Davie Street near the Greensboro Central Library. We're not sure how the unseasonably warm weather impacted attendance; however, on the days we visited, there were many skaters.  Yesterday, many children were out trying their hardest to master skating. One of the most determined children was a little boy who was out there all afternoon. You can see him in the middle of the rink, next to the girl with blue pants. We're hoping next year's rink can be even bigger.

If you still want to ice skate in Greensboro, you can head to the Ice House off of West Wendover Avenue. They were one of the sponsors of this event and will be more than happy to see you on their home turf...ice. Skating is great exercise. Happy last-Monday-in-January, dear readers.

*read more here.

Eller Memorial Baptist Church

We took this photo of Eller Memorial Baptist Church late Tuesday afternoon as we were leaving the parking lot of McDonald's Restaurant on Summit Avenue. However, when we came home and began researching the church, we're thinking that the church-looking building behind this one, on 4th Street, is actually Eller Memorial Baptist and this is simply an office building. This flat-roofed structure circa 1960, we're guessing, was formerly an office building. We cannot find a website for Eller Memorial Baptist; however, the name Eller  is connected to the church history of Greensboro in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

William Hamilton Eller was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1842. His parents moved their family, by covered wagon, to Iowa in 1852 to be with relatives and to distance themselves from slavery. William was quite precocious and had the good fortune of being surrounded by people who saw to it that he received a formal education. William served in the military, became a minister, teacher, editor, lawyer and judge. He objected strongly to drinking alcohol and at one time was part owner in Keeley Institute, a national organization, based in North carolina that treated alcoholics and drug addicts. In 1896, he entered the baptist ministry in Greensboro. Eller loved establishing churches and was instrumental in starting eleven churches. In 1923, the year after Eller's death, Cherry Street Baptist Church was renamed "The Eller Memorial Baptist Church"  In 1925, the new building was built on the corner of Walnut and Fourth Streets with 24 of the 25 thousand dollars for Eller Memorial Baptist being donated by Cone Mills. Herman Cone, while Jewish, was an ardent supporter of religious freedom and wanted to fund a church that served his mill community. Read more about the Ellers published by Lynn Eller in 1990 (reference).

Now, we're anxious to return and photograph what we're guessing is the main church building. In the meantime, enjoy today's photo, and, if you have any information, please post it in the comment section.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

When the winter weather is nice in Greensboro, nothing beats heading to one of our parks or the greenway for a bike ride. Here we are at the entrance of Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. The signage marks the 2 1/4 mile bike trail, clearly.  

Next month will be time for the reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. We recommend riding the trails this month to learn the lay of the land, so that on reenactment weekend, you will be able to move from point A to point B efficiently. Greensboro has many active cycling groups, check with one of the bike shops if you want to find a group of cyclists at your level. Have a great weekend everyone. Hope to see you out on the trail. 

Greenway Fisher Park Apartments

Construction is officially underway for a downtown apartment complex in the Northwest corner of the city. The Greenway Fisher Park Apartments (GFPA) are located on 4.2 acres at the former North State Chevrolet site near the baseball stadium. It is also adjacent to the Greenway loop and historic, Fisher Park. The Jones brothers are building five, three-story brick apartment buildings that will have a clubhouse, fitness center, a saltwater pool, and more. Costing about 10 million dollars, the facility is a major investment on a piece of property that has been dormant for a long time. It will be interesting to monitor the progress of this newest addition to the skyline. At least until the empty showroom/garage across the street is developed, GFPA residents will have a great view of the ballpark and the historic Jefferson Standard Building. To further orient you, notice the Paisley Street sign. We were standing here when the photo was taken.

We love seeing the insides of buildings before they get covered up by their façades. Right now, the construction site is looking beautifully green-- especially striking when the sun is low in the sky. See media coverage of the 196 high-end apartment complex here. We're sharing this with Skywatch Friday. It would be really nice to have some of those wires, lacing through the skyline, go underground.  Have a great weekend, dear readers!

Glenwood Coffee & Books

Glenwood Coffee & Books, located at 1310 Glenwood Avenue, is a great resource and retail space in the heart of the Glenwood community. Not only can you get a good cup of coffee there and find a great book to to buy, you can enjoy music and get involved in community events. Occupy Greensboro made many posters in the back room and continues to meet there. The space is likely to appeal more to the arts-loving, liberal-minded crowd. Every community needs good, independent bookstores. If you are interested in learning more about the bookstore, "like" their Facebook page or stop by when you get a chance. We hope to get by, soon, and interview the owner. He has been involved in indie bookstores for several, several decades. 

The bookstore is located very near the community garden in Glenwood (featured here in 2009). Where do you go to learn what is happening in Greensboro? 

B is for Blindness

Today's photo takes us to the Industries of the Blind (IOB), Inc. on West Lee Street. This building houses a stalwart group of people committed to being self sufficient and having a good quality of life even with being visually impaired. In our recent post, we mentioned that IOB has been doing great work in Greensboro for over seven decades. The above photo, taken with the bright, end-of-day sun behind us, contrasts greatly with our previous glaring, night shot. Above, a woman is turning because something caught her eye. We could tell by the pace at which she was walking and her quick, furtive look that she could see.

If you are reading this post without an adaptive device, count your blessings. If you are reading this with an adaptive device, count your blessings! According to the National Federation of the Blind, 1.3 million Americans are blind, 93,600 of whom are school-aged children. Over 20 million Americans have cataracts; 9 million have age-related macular degeneration; and over two million have glaucoma (reference). For Round 10 of ABC Wednesday, GDP us featuring A-Z causes; this week is B for blindness. In the previous post on the topic, Janis (of Southern California) typed a testimonial for the important work of IOB. CA Janis says........

"For each of the people IOB employs, a bucket full of self esteem is brought home. A productive job means the world to their well being. I know this for a fact because my Dad was almost totally blind. Since this was the result of a baseball injury at age 17 he knew what it was to work, to drive,to go to the movies on a Saturday night. First he groomed race horses and took them for their cool down walks at Santa Anita, later he was a Taxi cab dispatcher which was really perfect work for him since he knew the town well and everybody who lived here, after that he worked at a mobile home factory and the local school district.

His blindness was a gift to me. I learned to read aloud before I ever entered Kindergarten by reading him the sports pages and local news. He would tell me what to look for and sound out words with me. I learned geography and to love travel even though we rarely left California because he would pull out the big Map Book from Rand McNally and we would take armchair trips all over the world, gauging mileage, times, what to see, where to dine-- every little detail was planned. I was probably the only second grader who could navigate the way to Ames, Iowa but could not find the restrooms for the upper playground at lunch."

Revolution Cotton Mills

We've featured Revolution Cotton Mills previously; however, we love this view of the red tower at the end of the street. Revolution Cottin Mills were built in 1899 and were part of a 2 million square foot complex in northeastern Greensboro and harken back to the day when Greensboro was a national center of the textile industry. If you ever get a chance to walk around the structure, you will be amazed at the strength and durability of the construction. For the safety of the workers and for insurance purposes, the mills needed to be built according to "slow-burning" specifications: Watertight floors, spaces separated by brick firewalls, and extra sturdy support timbers (read more here).

The facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and with the help of Historic Preservation tax credits, it continues to be renovated and repurposed. We owe you a look of the inside of the facility. We owe OURSELVES a look on the inside and we'll put it on our to do list. In the meantime, if you are looking for office, event, or meeting space, this is a great place to start! This brick facility is solid as a rock, and, with proper care, should last at least another century!

Old Guilford County Barn

Here we see a barn in Northwest Guilford County on a cold, colorless winter day. At one time, this wooden building was a full-service barn on a thriving farm. Now, it looks like most structures in the holding pattern of "tear down" status; the land is more valuable than the buildings on it. Before you know it, this acerage will be a new neighborhood, named by a naming consultant for what used to be on the property (Falling Barn Trace, Weather Vane Estates, Grassy Meadow Farms, Gatewood Estates etc.). Regardless, the barn exudes a haunting, poetic aura and the scene looks like something Andrew Wyeth would paint-- especially if someone were walking towards the horizon..............

Happy Monday folks. This week starts the first of about eight weeks in a row without a holiday or teacher work day. However, it is starting to seem like old-man winter has a weather event in his back pocket. If it snows, we're heading back to this barn to get some snow photos. 

The Y Bus

Happy Sunday, the day we like to post something spiritual, religious, or reflective-- essentially, living a life that is meaningful beyond ourselves. Today, we've chosen a photo of children riding the YMCA bus during the 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. 

YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association. According to their website, the YMCA was founded in London in 1844 by George Williams and 11 of his friends. Initially, they provided a Bible-study/refuge to get young men off of the streets. The unique aspect of the early YMCA was that it the crossed rigid social lines of English society. In 1851, ten years before the Civil War, Thomas Valentine Sullivan, a retired Boston sea captain, formed a YMCA in Boston, the first in the USA. 

In 2010, the Chicago-based, non-profit organization changed its name to "Y" in an effort to clarify their mission of strengthening communities by "focusing on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility" (reference), regardless of gender (M/men's) or religious background (C/christian). They have grown to serve 10,000 neighborhoods. Today, the Y  programs enhance the health and well-being of people from all walks of life; from cradle to grave. From the looks on the faces of these young members, the Y accomplishing its mission is a positive, nurturing place. 

 

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!

Paisley Street... Quietly Endures

Paisley Street is located downtown, near the Smith Street Diner and the First Presbyterian Church-- vestige of early 20th century Greensboro. The street is named for the Reverend William Paisley who was born in Guilford County in 1767, forty one years before Greensboro became a city. The Rev. Paisley was involved in early real estate transactions in the county. He purchased lots on West Market Street from Thomas Caldwell. The lots were located just beyond the western town limit, perhaps not too far from this street that bears his family name.  

If you look closely, you will notice the JP Building peeking through in the background. If you are local, likely when you were little, you believed that all roads led to the JP Building, the city's time-and-temperature revealing epicenter. This sleepy little residential area of downtown is quite charming. Hopefully, it will survive the current construction boom at nearby Eugene Street. We're sharing this with Skywatch Friday, so that the world can see the sky over Greensboro.

Pet Dairy Building on Summit Avenue

Here we see the old Pet Dairy Building on Summit Avenue near the overpass down to Morrow Blvd. In an interview with John Schlosser, John Kincaid, Sr. remembers the 1930's when there was not only a plant, but also a retail dairy bar here. Kincaid and his (male) friends walked there for 10-cent milk shakes. Another option to go for a dairy treat here would be to come to the plant by taking electric street cars from nearby textile mill villages (reference). The plant was still thriving in the 1960's and we found this archived legal document regarding their efforts to furnish dairy products to a NC veterans' hospital in 1963. More recently, Kavanagh Homes purchased the building and 8-acre site in 2006, with plans to develop it for residential units (more here). We're not sure about the current plan for the building and site; however, it would be nice if the façade of the historic building remained. The architecture and signage on the building are worthy preservation. Additionally, Pet Dairy is a link to our city's textile-mill-village life.

Post a comment if you know anything else or have memories of this building east of downtown in a little area that reminds us that Greensboro's terrain is not completely flat. (By the way, we hope we're linking and referencing in a way that shows integrity. We love the ease of accessing information through the internet).

A is for AIDS

In this week's parade, the Challenged by HIV/AIDS Ministry marched along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive making people aware of the fact that people who are HIV positive in Greensboro can find a warm and inviting community to not only help them work through issues related to the disease, but also to live a full and productive life once diagnosed. The ministry educates, trains, supports, loves, and ministers to people affected and/or infected by the disease. Additionally, they offer over a dozen opportunities for service and community involvement. In an nutshell, they teach people HOW 2 LIVE POSITIVE. The group meets in Greensboro and in Kernersville (info here). Higher Ground, the Triad Health Project and Winter Walk for Aids (info here) are other interfaith ways to get involved and to find support. 

As for GDP, we're starting another ABC Wednesday Round. Previously, we've featured A-Z streets of Greensboro. For the last series, we shared A-Z people of Greensboro. This round, we're not so sure we can commit to a theme. Themes require EXTENSIVE preplanning, as opposed to random photos one stumbles upon while walking through life. Having said that, if we can loosely translate "causes" to mean anything worthy of caring about, we might try A-Z causes. For A, we could have featured adoption, (public) art, animals, alumni associations. A-Z Causes?......!

At any rate, Aids awareness, support, community involvement, and quality of life are causes worthy of featuring. So, drumroll, for ABC Wednesday, Round Ten, Week #1, A is for AIDS. (Go here for GDP's previous posts and HERE to see what others around the blogosphere are posting). This week, there are some FABULOUS entries for the letter "A" from angels to aviation; however, at least for the first 65 entries, we are the only blog to pick "AIDS" (or to commit to a theme)-- all the more reason to do so. 

MLK, Jr. Parade at Southside

Here is the tail end of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade yesterday with the iconic Jefferson Standard/Pilot/Lincoln Financial building in the background. The parade route took us north on MLK Drive, through Ole Asheboro and Southside and then downtown. The air was brisk but it kept everyone energized. Organizations were generous with tossing candy to children; the bands sounded great; and it was a nice way to remember our city's efforts towards equality. From church groups to postal workers to scouts to high school marching bands, to bystanders, a memorable time was had by all. 

These events are so good for community building. It would be nice to find a way to plan for these days with all public school children out and doing something with/for the community.

Dudley High School Marching Band

Here we see a photo of the Dudley High School Marching Band marching its heart out at the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade. If you are local and can be there by 11 a.m., RUN to Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive to attend the parade this year. You will see many bands from Guilford County Schools marching their hearts out; floats with participants tossing candy; adept equestrians on their horses; fraternities and sororities walking and riding with their brothers and sisters; inspirational drum lines with their cadence;  and people from all walks of life out showing respect. Participants and onlookers will be rallying for the dream of equality in America. Today is one of the top service learning days in Greensboro and, while teachers and students are out of school for this holiday, many are out making  civic contributions. Perhaps we should consider monthly service learning days. People working in concert to help those in need and combining their effort for the good of the whole community would be wonderful!

Dudley High School, located on East Lee Street and not too far from today's parade route, was founded in 1929 as the first black high school in Guilford County. Since 1971, the school has been integrated. We wish Dudley High had more history archived on their website. Dudley High School is located just down the street from Bennett College and North Carolina A&T University, two historically black institutions of higher education. Often aligned with Bennett and A&T's efforts, Dudley High School has participated significantly in some of the civil rights milestones in the city. Also, Dudley's faculty and administration have made significant contributions in our city's efforts towards intigration. Read a, now retired, former principal's narrative here. And, here is a Wiki entry listing the names of people you will recognize who attended Dudley. Go Panthers!

St. Phillip AME Zion Church on Ashe Street

Saint Phillips African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is located at 1330 South Ashe Street, in the heart of the historic Warnersville community. The church was organized in 1908 and rebuilt in 1966. Pastor James Robertson, Jr. has his name carved on the cornerstone. Likely, he was pastor in 1966, at the time the above church was built. The Warnersville community itself was established in 1867, about the time the AMEZ movement was taking hold in the USA and about a half of a century before the above church was organized.

According to AME's website, the religion began in 1796 and the Black denomination being chartered in 1801. Zion was added in 1848 to distinguish the group from the Philadelphia Black Methodist movement. Since its beginning, the AMEZ church has worked to nurture the whole person-- mind, body, spirit. The crux of the ministry is spirituality, sharing the gospel, racial justice, peace and harmony. Also, the denomination emphasizes education of its members. An early member is quoted as saying "In order to succeed in American society as productive citizens, we [the newly freed slaves] need to become an educated citizenry" (reference).

We wish this church had its history available online as it has been in the heart of a community that was the first to allow people of color to own their own homes, build their own churches, run their own businesses and educate children. The community attracted many African American professionals. Today, many of the businesses are gone, but St. Phillips  Church is here in all of its glory. Look at those stained glass windows that make you feel as if you are sitting in heavenly clouds when you are inside. If you are local, Rev. .J. Shuford, Jr. delivers his message Sundays at 11:00.

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.

The Softer Side of UNCG

We close out the week with this photo of UNCG, near the railroad tracks that parallel Lee Street and and Oakland Avenue. The "softer side" in the title is reference to yesterday's photo of Sears. This is the softer side of campus because it is one little nook that has remained relatively unchanged over the last half century. UNCG has undergone a period of considerable growth and construction-- from new dorms to the New School of Education, Music Building, Moore Humanities and Research Building, and on and on (map here). If you haven't been on campus in a while, you should start your visit at one of the old landmarks, like the Foust Building or the Steam Plant & Sink Building (above) or you just might not recognize the place. Even Spring Garden Street has changed.

Enjoy your Friday the 13th and stop by Skywatch Friday to see the blue skies above your favorite cities around the world. In the meantime, we're busy planning our our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities for Monday. For sure, we will be at the parade (more here). As for the UNCG Campus, Monday's holiday will be a HUGE day for service learning projects in honor of Dr. King.

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.

Z is for Zenke, Otto Zenke

Today is ABC Wednesday and we're closing out our People of Greensboro Series with Z is for Zenke, Otto Zenke (1904-1984). In the current issue of O. Henry Magazine, Deborah Salomon writes that Otto Zenke is the "hottest" interior designer North Carolina has produced and he has left his imprimitaur on many of the homes of his day. While the Zenke legacy endures, it is unfortunate that that he lived and worked in the pre-internet era. There is simply not enough written about him, nor enough available photos of his interiors for the public to enjoy. His elegant,English, estate-inspired style, infused with relaxed tones and motifs of the American south are as relevant today as they were when Zenke was at the peak of his career. One interior can be seen in a UNCG article on design (here). Additionally, his name lives on in the Otto Zenke Competition, sponsored by the Carolinas Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.

In 1939, Otto Zenke moved to Greensboro from New York with his brother Henry to start Otto Zenke Interiors and they lived and worked in Greensboro until their death. Henry's wife Virginia was also a designer in the business. Today, Chris and Ginia, the son and daughter of Henry and Virginia, work tirelessly to oversee the needs of the estate, which have included relocating Zenke houses (see here and here).

The above room is not attribited to the now-deceased interior decorator; however, since we haven't been able to photograph any rooms that were decorated by Zenke, we found one arranged around a "fireplace", a Zenke hallmark. (The photo is  a grouping currently on display at Printer's Alley, at Westover Terrace). 

http://www.myspace.com/gborocollegeart

 

UNCG's Mighty Steam Plant Building

From the back yard of Beef Burger on West Lee Street, one can get a great view of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro's  Mighty Steam Plant (constructed in 1924). From the steam plant, heat lines/pipes travel all across campus. Through manholes and steam tunnels, the steam shop maintains all steam and condensate lines once they leave the steam plant. The steam shop also maintain all steam equipment for hot water and building heat (reference). Steam travels to about 62 buildings on campus where it is used for heating, humidification, and to heat water (reference).  There is a whole world underground providing energy for UNCG. 

We wish more were written about this intriguing building. For example, we would love to know the height of the stack and how it has withstood high winds for 88 years. We'd love to know if the tiles on the main building are from Greensboro's own Pomona tile factory. What is the carbon footprint of the facility? What UNCG building uses the most steam? A retired faculty member remembers taking her laundry there to be cleaned in the 1960's and recalls that linens for the dorms and dining services were laundered there. Is that still done?

Do you have any stories about the building? It seems to us that it would be a great setting for a novel. And, oh, how different it would be to tell someone to meet you in the stacks of the library vs. meeting you in the stack of the steam plant building!

 

Facelift on Lee Street

(Some of you may have seen this photo already. We had a little glitch in preparing it last night).

The above photo of Lee Street was taken in the front yard of Grace Community Church near the Glenwood Neighborhood, UNCG, and College Hill. The buildings on the right are part of a new housing complex in the back yard of where Newman Machine Company was formerly located. See the northern side of this new housing complex here.

Between Gateway Gardens and University Research Park on East Lee Street, The Greensboro Aquatic Center, the ACC Hall of Champions and The White Oak Ampitheater at the Coliseum Complex, and NOW all of the new construction between Glenwood and UNCG, you just might not recognize Lee Street/High Point Road if you haven't been to Greensboro in a few years. 

This photo was taken on January 6th. We're wondering how long this beautiful weather will hold out. Not that we're hoping for snow and ice!  Have a great week everybody.

The Al-Ummil Ummat Islamic Center of Greensboro

Allah.Prayer.Charity.Fasting. Pilgrimage... reads the sign beside the door.

The Al-Ummil Ummat Islamic Center above is located on Martin Luther King Drive. It was established in Greensboro in 1987. Its mission is to serve and propagate the teachings in the Holy Qur'an. From Saturday school for children to worship services on Friday, meetings and study groups for men and for women, and more, the Islamic Center is a dynamic place that attracts Muslims from around Greensboro.

The above building, at one time, must have been a business and appears to be of the same vintage as this Greensboro building.The goal of this congregation is to build new community center on site. Since they own two acres on the above site, they have the room as soon as they have the resources.

Visit Greensboro Daily Photo each Sunday if you want to see our religious/spiritual posts.

Pretty Birdie..... Spreading Wings on Elm Street

Pretty Birdie is an Elm Street business owned and operated by seamstress/designer Stephanie Teague. She uses sustainable and organic fabrics, new and vintage, to make clothing for not only local clients but also clients worldwide through her etsy site. Stephanie is a good example of a current business trend in the USA.

The older generation of Americans has seen the two-way dismantling of corporate loyalty-- to companies and to employees. The younger generation is realistic in knowing that they can't count on graduating from college and signing on to work for a corporation until retirement. Instead, many have transitioned to a model where they develop a product, service or skill and market it themselves. They take an idea from concept to completion. A global market is merely a URL or social network away.

Walking by Stephanie's shop at 612 South Elm Street, you see piles of fabric, two sewing machines and clothing racks filled with special orders-- many one-of-a-kind pieces waiting to be united with their purchasers. Stephanie is a self-taught seamstress who grew up in Charlotte making clothes for her Barbie dolls. Recently, her husband Sanders Trippe (who works at the Bass Violin Shop downtown) has started making rings and bracelets out of broken musical instruments and vintage melmac dishes. Stephanie and Sanders, working in concert, have a growing business that is winning awards and developing faithful followers, worldwide. Say hello to the 21st-century, mom and pop, global-enterprise model. Read more about Stephanie's business here. Don't plan on running in to browse on your lunch hour; her door reads, "by appointment only". Kudos to this 21st-century entrepreneur who sets her own schedule!

Speaking of going global, we're sharing this post with the world through Weekend Reflections.

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! 

Y is for Yvonne...... Yvonne Johnson

In the above yard of a Buddhist household in the Glenwood neighborhood is a re-election sign for Yvonne Johnson who, in November, successfully ran a campaign for city council at-large. Prior to this current term, Yvonne Johnson served on city council for 14 years-- part of that time as mayor pro tem. Additionally, she was mayor of Greensboro from 2007-2009. She was the city's first African-American mayor and second female mayor, testimony to her appeal across Greensboro's sub-groups of voters. She is known for being fair and for holding people accountable for their words and actions. Yvonne Johnson, who is both a Bennett College belle and an A&T University aggie, has been politically active since her teen years when she marched in protest and to support the Greensboro sit-in movement.*

Today is "Y" on ABC Wednesday and, in our People of Greensboro series, we are featuring Yvonne Johnson. We're using the letter for her first name instead of her last because rarely do you hear her last name without her first; Yvonne and Johnson are almost as likely to colocate as O. with Henry. Also, as we researched this post, we learned that, among her many endeavors, Yvonne Johnson is Executive Director of One Step Further, a non-profit United Way Agency in Greensboro that provides mediation and court alternative programs to Greensboro's youth (reference)-- an effort started by Judge Elreta Alexander, the first person in this GDP series.

* read this News & Record article from a few years ago where Yvonne Johnson is referred to as a Steel Magnolia (here).

Photo of Yvonne Johnson from:

http://opportunitygreensboro.com/learning/the-bennett-college-choir-mentors-through-music/

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.

Year Four Begins on Greensboro Daily Photo

January 2nd, 2009, Greensboro Daily Photo began-- quietly with a photo of Downtown Greensboro (here). 1,096 photos and paragraphs later, we felt it was fitting to share a scene on Elm Street to kick off Year 4. Last night, Elm Street was beautiful, quiet and aglow; the JP building was blinking the time and temperature and cars were returning. Indeed, the city appeared to be waking up from an extended holiday season to face the new year. 

We don't know how long you have been following Greensboro Daily Photo, but we are extremely happy that you are here. We hope  you will continue reading our blog for a very long time and that you will encourage your friends to follow us. We'd love to hear your comments and suggestions. If you want to learn more about GDP, yesterday's post is a good place to start. Also, Day 1,000 we share a photo of the two of us (Mr. and Mrs. Greensboro Daily Photo). For 2012, we are looking forward to sharing new places and events in Greensboro. Let's borrow from President Kennedy and say, "Ask not what Greensboro can do for us but what we can do for Greensboro."

Happy New Year...... Happy 2012

Happy New Year! In the City Daily Photo community, January 1st's theme is Best of 2011. As we scanned the GDP archives, we kept coming back to this shot of Fourth of July in Kirkwood. It shows a snapshot of a decades-old, homegrown neighborhood celebration. The inter-generational nature of the event makes it extra special. See the original post here.

As we reflect on 2011, our third year of this daily photo effort, we are most proud of the People of Greensboro Series. Through meeting all of these fine people in Greensboro, we saw just how the fabric of a community is woven. Greensboro is the warp yarn holding us together. The people are the weft, weaving through to create community: Fitting metaphor for this once-textile-dominant community. To all of the named and unnamed people, Greensboro is a fine community and we are honored to be a part of it. (See GDP's 2011 photo of the year here). Here's to a great 2012!

Regarding the Best of City Daily Photo sites around the world: Click here to view thumbnails for all participants