Greensboro Daily Photo

Snow Day and Solving the Mystery of the Longest Kiss

Greensboro received its first snow on February 16th. When this photo was taken on Tuesday, it was 36 degrees out and the sun was shining.  The main roads were navegable by daylight, but not when the sun went down. Where trees blocked the sun, ice remained. Locally, school has been cancelled for students since Monday afternoon, so traffic is greatly decreased and families are getting an unanticipated vacation.

The above photo was taken on the golf course of the Greensboro Country Club, the course at Carlson Farms. Needless to say, nobody has been out golfing this week. If you have a chance, find some open space in Greensboro and get out and enjoy the winter weather. Remember, it will be spring in less than a month!

****** News alert, just in!! Andrea Cooper, Promotions Director for KISS 100.3 FM, iHeart Media, called to inform us of the winners of the longest kiss contest. As it turns out, it was the couple featured in the front of our photo-- which was the back of the line in the contest. Their sustained kiss lasted from 10:10am- 1:28 pm, earning them several great gifts, including a $500 gift certificate to a jewelry store, a SPA package, flowers, and more. Local sponsors were very generous in supporting this competitive kissing event. Even the runner-up couples received gifts. The radio station is not allowed to publish names; however, here is their photo of the happy couple and here is our photo of their kissing in process. A big thank you to, Daniel, a faithful reader in Wisconsin, who tracked down the iHeart Media phone number for us to call. And a big thank you to Andrea, in High Point, for returning our call. Mystery solved. Case closed. Maybe Daniel and his lovely bride can fly down from Wisconsin to participate next year. Maybe I can even recruit Mr. GDP to compete. Perhaps they can add an "over 25" category. Those kissing couples were young! Surely, that is a competitive advantage!

F is for The Forge

The Forge is a non-profit makerspace, funded by members, donations, and sponsors. It is a collaborative workshop area that provides tools for woodworking and metal fabrication. According to the sign in their window, "[t]he collaborative area can be used for everything from software development to just reading a book." They work with local entrepreneurship groups to help bridge the gap between idea and product. Thanks to The Forge, there are three new businesses, an internship, four new jobs and a patent (pending).*

Located at 115 West Lewis Street, they call themselves a Makerspace and a Hackerspace. Members have 24/7 access; so, those of you who don't sleep well, always know you have a place to go to nurture creative genius, even if it is 2:00 am! They even have a patio and a conference room. Membership is $45 a month. They have been open since July 2014. Previous events have included a build-your-own-guitar workshop; a presentation on the history of art and technology; and a 3-D printing workshop. It sort of seems like a giant playground for adults where great things happen through collaboration and trial and error!

Today is ABC Wednesday and, for our 2015 ABC local series,  F is for FORGE!

*Reference and more information, here.

 

Bold Hawk at Bennett College

We saw this hawk on the lawn at Bennett College this past weekend; and he was not about to move, no matter how close the camera lens got to him. He was enjoying a squirrel for lunch and was staying for the last drop.  He seemed pretty content to be hanging out in the large grassy area in the middle of Bennett's campus. We wonder if he lives there. It appears to be a red-tailed hawk, which is the most common hawk in North America. The red-tailed hawk is one of 473 species of birds found in North Carolina. (See the list, here). How many have you spotted? It would be fun to keep track!

Update on the "kissing couples" from yesterday. Hard as we've tried, we can't find a winner. We can't even find a phone number for 100.3 FM in High Point. We did post a query on their Facebook page. It is times like this that we miss a good old fashioned phone book! If you find out who won, and for how long they kissed, please let our readers know! Thank you and stay warm!

Greensboro's Longest Kiss

Love was in the air and on the plaza! On Valentine's Day, 100.3 Kiss FM sponsored Greensboro's longest kiss. Couples and radio DJ's camped out at Friendly Shopping Center for this romantic venture. A little after 10 am on Saturday morning, in the chilly winter air, couples lined up, locked lips and the kissing contest commenced. Some couples brought blankets; some wished they had. Some brought friends to photograph the challenge.

All were off to a strong start, knowing that they would get one 15-minute break every two hours. Unfortunately, we weren't able to stick it out until the end (nor were all of the couples). However, we cheered everyone on as we headed off to see how the rest of Greensboro was celebrating the day for loved ones! If you missed Greensboro's longest kiss event this year, mark your calendars and start practicing for next year!

Pfeiffer Chapel

Yesterday afternoon turned cold and blustery in Greensboro and so our tour of Bennett College was abbreviated. Bennett College was founded in 1873 by Albion W. Tourgee as a school to educated emancipated slaves. In 1926, it became a college for African-American females. Current enrollment is just under 800 students. Bennett College has a rich history and it played a significant role in the civil rights movement in Greensboro. 

The above photo features Pfeiffer Chapel. The chapel was built in 1941 and is located on the northern end of the campus. It was named for the Canadian-American philanthropist Annie Merner Pfeiffer, who was awarded an honorary degree from Bennett College in 1941- the same year the chapel was built. From commencement services to church services to campus meetings, Pfeiffer Chapel is a hub of activity. Yesterday, however, seemed to be a quiet day on campus. Hopefully, the co-eds, known as Bennett Belles, were enjoying special Valentine's Day activities. It has been just over six years since we featured the chapel (see here). It was good to be back on campus.

Happy Sunday, dear readers!

Reference and additional information, here.

Art Exhibit for Guilford County Art Teachers

Last night was opening night of the 4th annual show featuring art 35 visual arts teachers from the Guilford County Schools. The event was held at Irving Park Art & Frame, at the corner of Battleground Avenue and Cornwallis Drive. The artwork was fabulous and Irving Park Art & Frame had a grand assortment of food and beverages for all who attended. The event, which was free and open to the public, was well received by the community. The art ranged from thought provoking to whimsical. Especially noteworthy were the framed, pencil drawings on paper bags by Steve Cozart who teaches at Weaver Academy.* Mr. Cozart explains the paper bag test and its relevance to the Jim Crow South, here.

This collaborative venture gives the public school teachers a chance to take their art beyond the walls of the classroom and model the North Carolina Visual Arts Standards for their students. It gives art teachers a chance to develop a relationship with a gallery. If you get a chance, stop by the exhibit and support the efforts of Guilford County's hardworking art teachers and thank the frame shop for hosting the event. If you go today, you just might find a piece of art for that special someone in your life.

The exhibit will be on display until February 27th. 

 

The Photo Shoot

With all of the events and activities, downtown Greensboro can be so much fun. There is almost always something completely unanticipated happening, too. Last weekend, we stumbled on this photo shoot on the railroad tracks at the old train depot on South Elm Street. The photographer was working hard and the models seemed to be cooperating. Fortunately, no trains interrupted the shoot! We’d love to see the finished product which probably has the Bennett water tower in it. The red brick building in the background is one that has been neglected and the community is trying to save. If the building is restored, it will help maintain that bygone-era look that movie directors and photographers alike find appealing about Elm Street.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. While it is not First Friday, many of Greensboro’s businesses have something your special someone would appreciate. But remember, nothing says “I love you” like spending time with your special someone. Take them on an adventure, exploring pleased with their photos!

General Nathanael Greene

The above photo is a west-facing scene of the Nathanael Greene statue at Holliday Circle and McGee Street. It looks deceptively rural, when in reality, it is a city scene in the heart of downtown. Greene was a major general in the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War in the 1700's. He fought in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15th 1781. Greene was born in Rhode Island and died in Georgia However, for his time he fought in North Carolina, Greensboro remembers him fondly; so much so that we named our city after him. Greenville, SC and Greenville TN are also named for him.

See another view of the above statue, here. Finally, this photo of the statue, that we featured in 2009, is linked from the Wikipedia entry for Nathanael Greene. We regret our not finding out the name of the sculptor. If you know, please tell us. Next time we are nearby, we'll look. As for now, please enjoy the monument's beautiful silhouette with General Greene looking out over Greene Street. He almost looks real.

E is for Entrepreneurship

Recently, Susan Ladd of the News and Record wrote an article on entrepreneurship in Greensboro. Above, we feature one of the entrances to the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship on South Elm-Eugene Street. This is a private, non-profit corporation, founded in 1987. The business incubator offers space and support services to entrepreneurs whose businesses are in the early stage of growth. Their Entrepreneur Assistance Support and Education (EASE) program is a partnership between the Nussbaum Center and the Bryan School of Business and Economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

As you can see by the sign in the upper, left-hand corner, the center is located in the offices of the former Carolina Steel building. With programs like EASE to scaffold the success of start-up businesses, the time has never been better for trying to follow one's dreams and opening a business. "Local" is the new "big." Today is ABC Wednesday and E is for Entrepreneurship. See more of our ABC Local series, here.

Greensboro's Once Thriving Cigar Industry

Did you know Greensboro used to have a thriving cigar industry? The above historical marker is found on South Elm Street, just north of the railroad tracks at Barnhardt Street. It denotes the existence of the cigar industry, dating it between 1903- 1955. At one time, there were 14 shops along South Elm Street. Greensboro's tobacco industry is well documented; however, google searches do not yield information about the cigar industry.

The O.Henry Magazine wrote about the industry in their November 2013 edition (p. 45, see here). In the article, the demise of the cigar industry is attributed to the rising popularity of cigarettes around the time of the world wars and the notion that "old men" smoked cigars. To appreciate the scope of the industry, in 1912, Roger Lang's cigar production company made over 20,000 cigars in April of that year. The O.Henry article goes on to say that Greensboro preferred to be known as a textile community and that the cigar industry likely lost their labor to the textile mills.

Mill Houses on Maple Street

The above photo is of Maple Street, near East Cornwallis Drive, is in the heart of the textile mill communities. The scene exemplifies the mill house communities that were built around the mills. The neighborhood has a friendly atmosphere, and yesterday, families were sitting on their porches and children were playing in their back yards. Given it was close to 70 degrees yesterday, likely, a lot of people in Greensboro were out celebrating the unseasonably warm weather.

In 2009, UNCG had a project to record the history of Greensboro's Cone Mill Villages, of which Maple Street would have been an integral part. The project was led by Dr. Benjamin Filene, director of UNCG's public history program. Materials related to this project are archived at the Greensboro Historical Museum and the UNCG University Archives. The Cone Mill Villages were built by Cone Corp. in the early 1900's to house mill employees. UNCG graduate students, professors and Greensboro residents worked hard to document and celebrate the history of the mill workers and their communities. It would be wonderful to have a Memory Map, like the one developed for this project, gathered for all the neighborhoods of Greensboro. Our city is fortunate to have a public history program!

* reference and read more, here.

Triad Jewish Film Festival

The Triad Jewish Film Festival started yesterday. As seen on the above poster, the films will continue through February 21st and they are being shown at the Regal Grande Stadium at Friendly Center. Additionally, one film will be shown at Beth David Synagogue and one for children will be shown at Geeksboro Coffee House today as a matinee. The children's movie, a Spielberg film, is "An American Tale," about a Russian-Jewish mouse family's escape from Russia in the late 1800's. To his horror, the protagonist arrives in New York only to learn there are "cats" in America, too. It is a great film, regardless of your religion or ethnicity.

The Greensboro Jewish Federation is presenting the event. The mission of the festival is to "Enlighten, Educate, and Entertain." How wonderful to have such wonderful films shown on the big screen in Greensboro this month. Greensboro's Jewish community has always contributed significantly to our city. It is nice to see so many local businesses and groups underwriting this event. If you are planning to see a movie in the next couple of weeks, please consider seeing one of these films.

An Early Valentine's Day in Downtown Greensboro

Last night was First Friday in downtown Greensboro. By about 6:00, people were starting to come out to enjoy the event. While the Indie Market was not set up this month, there were plenty of opportunities to find things to do and purchase. The above photo features a pop up flower cart at the corner of South Elm and Washington Streets from last night. Next Saturday is Valentines Day, so it is not too early to buy flowers for that special someone in your life. Notice Thousands O'Prints in the upper left-hand corner. They are famous for changing their window displays daily and for having them relate thematically. We're betting they will have some good Valentine's Day posters featured. Their window display would make a great backdrop for a romantic Valentine's Day photo.

While the above pop-up stand featured traditional colors, recently, we found a bouquet of taupe roses at Costco on Wendover. Wonder how people would react if they received taupe roses for Valentine's Day. What do you think? 

 

Changing of the Guard

We meant to post this in January when U.S. Congressman Coble retired. He served North Carolina for thirty years. The Greensboro native has been an insurance agent and practicing attorney; however, he is best known for his public service. It has been said that Congressman Coble prided himself on representing everyone in his district. When constituents called needing passports quickly, he didn't ask if they were registered as a Democrat or Republican. He just helped. When college students called to intern in his office in Washington, he didn't ask if they were registered Democrats or Republicans. He took someone he thought would good for the job. Hopefully, his successor, Mark Walker will continue to serve the 6th district well. Walker, born in Alabama and a pastor by profession, has never held public office before. He has big shoes to fill. We're not sure where his office is located; however, to be sure, Congressman Coble has left the building (located on the southeast corner of Elm and Cornwalis).

Remember, tonight is First Friday. Try to get out and explore downtown! Finally, thanks to those who helped us correct yesterday's post. Nice to know people are reading! Without you, we couldn't keep up this daily pace!

Weekend of Southern Literary Stars

Once again, the O. Henry Hotel will feature a literary event, an entire weekend celebrating North Carolina authors. This is the second annual free and open-to-the-public event in which guests will be able to mingle with local authors. Additionally, the event has been expanded with weekend packages including opportunities to dine with the writers on the weekend of February 21-22. 

The photo above is Greensboro author Fred Chappell, former poet laureate and UNCG professor of creative writing emeritus. View our photo of last year's literary event here to get an idea of how many people came out to support our authors. With 2 universities and several colleges colleges in the area, Greensboro has access to many great writers and we love to support them. The O. Henry Hotel has a European flair and, likely, tea will be served. Mark your calendar and don your Downton Abbey best. Doing your homework and reading beforehand makes the event even more meaningful. Hope to see you there!

D for Doughnut-cruiser

Krispy Kreme is an American/global doughnut company with its headquarters the next county over in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Vernon Rudolph began selling the doughnuts as an 18 year old in 1933. Over the years, the business has expanded and they are now sold in Australia, Africa, Asia, and in many other parts of the world, with over 90 stores in Japan alone. If they turn on their signature "hot" sign when they have hot doughnuts for sale, they will be a hit in Japan, where sometimes sushi can be so fresh that its muscles quiver while you are eating it.

The Krispy Kreme cruiser was recently spotted at the Greensboro Coliseum in the exhibit hall during the US National Figure Skating Championships. It is known for traveling all over the United States and delivering donuts to people and places in need of a little sweetness in their life. It even has its own twitter account @KKDCruiser. The cruiser came about as a means of celebrating the company's 77th birthday and the paint job  is meant to evoke the company's delivery trucks from the 1940's.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our "Keep it Local" round, D is for Doughnut-cruiser. We know, last week we featured cake and this week doughnuts. We're not planning to focus on food this entire round; however, for our friends with dietary restrictions over Lent, you have exactly two weeks to partake. How about having the last person at work today treat the office! Better yet, find someone worthy and nominate them for a visit from the Doughnut-mobile!

Rob Bates Illustration

Professional freelance illustrator, Rob Bates, is the artist behind the above poster, which was featured in conjunction with the 2015 US Figure Skating Championships last month. Forty-four works by forty artists were on view at the poster exhibit. This one, entitled America in Motion, took 5th place in the People's Choice Award. We love the sense of movement, clean lines and the red, white, and blue outfits worn by the skaters. We would love to see this poster be used in some way to celebrate and promote the sport.

While Bates is from Concord, NC and currently working on a degree at UNC Charlotte, he has published in many media outlets locally as well as nationally. According to his website, his work resides in the permanent collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the American Embassy in Beijing, China.*  How fortunate we were in Greensboro to have artists of this caliber submitting artwork in conjunction with the figure skating event. Greensboro's own Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art  played a key role organizing this art contest. A big thank you goes out to them, too. Finally, if you get a chance, have a look at Mr. Bates' website (referenced below). We have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of his artwork.

*reference and read more, here.

Meet Greensboro Author Mary Flinn

Continuing on yesterday's theme of the people of Greensboro, today, we present Greensboro author, Mary Flinn.*  Our book club just finished reading one of her most recent novels, The Nest, and Mary was nice enough to come to our book club meeting and join in on the discussion. As we sat in the private event room at Vida Pour Tea, sipping everything from Earl Gray, roasted chestnut, and silver needle jasmine tea to an apple pie herbal infusion, Mary explained her writing and publishing processes to the group. Additionally, she shared the inspiration for her characters. Mary's chapters read like you are talking to a friend at lunch; the writing flows and the storylines unfold in a comfortable, realistic way.  Our book club loved the fact that Greensboro is the setting for the Nest. One of the characters even worked at Natty Greene's Pub and another started a seafood stand, modeled after the one at the corner of Highways 150 and 220. 

Mary is starting to have quite a social media presence and is getting public recognition and media coverage.**  In addition to a Fox 8 segment, this past fall, she had a book release party at Scuppernong Books for her latest novel, Breaking Out. Mary's books are available locally, as well as through Amazon, Nook, and Kindle. As for us, we're glad she still has time to make a few guest appearances. Sitting in a tea shop on State Street, talking to a Greensboro author, well, it doesn't get any more local than that. Our only dilemma is trying to figure out which of her books to read next. 

* see her website, here.

** see a Fox 8 feature on Mary, here.

What Would We Miss?

The people make Greensboro a great place to live. The above photo features a night tour on Elm Street and it says so much about our city. First, about fourteen people were participating in the tour, showing how comfortable we are being out at night. Second, most are wearing blue jeans and the Cone brothers turned Greensboro into a jeans/denim empire. Third, our city takes on a beautiful patina at night; and look at the intensity of the denim under the glow of the streetlights. The night of the photo, Carolina History & Haunts was offering a tour called Nightmares Around Elm Street, a play on words from the famous movie Nightmare on Elm Street. 

Today, we're faced with a dilemma, because it is a double theme day. The City Daily Photo community's 1st of the month theme day for February 2015 is to show a photo of what we would miss most about our city if we moved. Also, on Sundays, at GDP, we always post something of a religious/spiritual nature. Now... to combine the two themes. Were we to move from Greensboro, above all, we would miss the PEOPLE, and what is more spiritual than spending time in fellowship with others?  All places of worship depend on people to fill them and to do good deeds in their name. So, would miss you, dear Greensboro residents, if we left! 

Happy February 1st to all y'all-- our local visitors as well as to our friends from the City Daily Photo community.

Ozone Contact Room

Today's feature on GDP is the ozone contact room at the Greensboro Science Center in the newly constructed Sciquarium wing. The science center, located on Lawndale Avenue, has become quite an interactive and educational science resource for the community. Gone are the days when all of the equipment is hidden away as the pipes, tanks, and equipment are part of the science and a great opportunity for teaching and learning.

Since ozone is a trioxygen molecule that is soluble in water, likely, the ozone equipment is related to aeration and water quality of the 23,000 square foot LEED designed aquarium.*  The man (featured above) was working diligently, filling out a log book; and children were looking through the window, speculating on what he might have been doing. We're sure had someone asked, he would have explained. The Sciquarium offers so many special events throughout the day, such as shark feedings, otter enrichment, and a stingray talk. There is plenty of time to ask questions. See the activity schedule, here.  Visiting the science center is a great thing to do on a cold day like today!

*Here is a photo of the aquarium.

Winter View of Lake Brandt

Today's view is of the westernmost part of Lake Brandt where it meets up with Lake Higgins on Highway 220 at Hamburg Mill Road and very near Bur-Mil Park. Ever in search for an Andreas Gursky* scene, we took this photograph emphasizing bands of color and water. Greensboro's four lakes- from west to east, Lake Higgins, Brandt, Jeanette, and Townsend-  are all located at about the same parallel, just north of the city. We're sure Gursky could find some really interesting way to capture the four bodies of water in some amazing photographs.

While this photo was taken in January, the sunny sky gives the illusion of a warmer time of year. Greensboro's winter weather can fluctuate through about three seasons in the same week. It looks like the temperature will remain mostly under 50 degrees in Greensboro this weekend. Let's all hope for a little sunshine on these last two days of January.

 

GSO

GSO is the three-letter code for the Piedmont Triad International Airport. This is the ticketing area of the terminal. As seen above, GSO is under renovation. The multi-million dollar renovation will improve the ceiling and office space. Additionally, the airport plans to enhance the travel experience for passengers. Wireless internet, charging stations for devices, and interactive kiosks are also in the plans.

The airport, located eight miles west of Greensboro, has been serving our community since 1927. Here is a great timeline for the history of events, significant to the airport. This is not your grandpa's airport! If you get a chance, stop out for a visit. They have great artwork displayed downstairs. As for the orange, plastic construction fence, it is kind of fun to navigate. Welcome to GSO!

C is for Cake

Banana pudding cake or chocolate layer cake, which would you pick? The above photo was taken at Maxie B's cake shop on Battleground Avenue. Featured are a few of the over two dozen cake-by-the-slice offerings at the store. We cropped out the customers, thinking that at the end of a busy work day people might want a little anonymity in their celebratory cake purchasing. One man was going to surprise his wife with a slice of cake and we didn't want to spoil the surprise! Maxie B's is truly a Greensboro success story, which owner, Robin Davis outlines nicely on the company website.

Maxie B's dates back to 1985 when, in the first iteration, it was a frozen yogurt shop. Robin tells of the serendipitous nature of her shop's transformation to focusing on cakes. She was in search of the perfect chocolate cake. Combing through old recipes, she found one that hit the spot. Fast forward, nearly 30 years, and she has built an award winning business by baking old-timey cakes that please the 21st-century palate- local farm eggs, pure vanilla, and fresh ingredients. From cupcakes to cake-by-the-slice to whole cakes to cakes for special occasions (especially weddings), Robin built a business that fits nicely with the current trend for owners to specialize and to provide services and products for their local community. For a future post, we'll try to interview Robin. We want to know if she has a 30-year anniversary planned and what cake she will select for the occasion! For now, today is ABC Wednesday. For our A-Z Local series, C is for Cake! 

US Figure Skating Championships 2015

The 2015 Prudential US Figure Skating Championships have come and gone from Greensboro. Greensboro was lucky to have this event in 2011 and 2015. We think that Greensboro was a very good host and we hope to have the opportunity to host the event again. In the above photo, you see the champtionship pairs warming up. Guests had the opportunity to watch skaters warming up (for free) on one rink while others were at an earlier session performing. 

In the special exhibit area, there was a rink where young skaters had the opportunity to practice. How nice to have a chance to nurture the dreams and aspirations of the children in our community. The US Figure Skating Champtionships 2015 were held January 17-25. Greensboro had nine days of amazing skating. Our only regret was we didn't attend earlier so that we could have featured the event in time for you to attend.... Happy Tuesday, dear readers!

Coliseum Was a Busy Place this Past Weekend

This past weekend, the Coliseum was a vibrant, lively place. The Guilford County Schools held their magnet fair where parents could learn more about the district's many schools of choice. The National Figure Skating Finals were there  and, related to the figure skating , an exhibit with history, costumes and interactive stations, related to the sport, were set up. Finally, there was an exhibit of skating artwork from the community. All four events were well worth attending.

In the above photo, you can see one of the entrance hallways. The blue bags were give-aways from the magnet fair. The child on the stairwell had balloon art from the ice skating exhibit halls. We will post more about these events throughout the week. We'll have more photos from Saturday, stop back often. It is such a point of pride to see how smoothly everything ran.

The Word of Hope Fellowship

The Word of Hope Fellowship is located at 3512 East Wendover Avenue, Suite G. This address is a relatively new mini-strip mall located across from GTCC's East Wendover campus. The beliefs of Word of Hope are Bible-based and Christian; however, form their website, they do not appear to affiliate with any specific denomination. Pastor Dallas Scales and Lady Angela, his wife ("for life" as he says), provide the spiritual leadership for this religious community. 

This photo was taken on Saturday night, when all was quiet and locked up and the whole parking lot was vacant. However, today at 10:00 am, the lot will fill, Pastor Scales will preach and his congretation will come, to hear him deliver a sermon meant to bring his church community closer to their mission, which is "to develop, train and equip individuals toward a whole-hearted commitment to Christ, community and family."*  Pastor Scales has been a spiritual catalyst since 1988. We're pretty sure his current congregation will outgrow this facility and have a giant stand-alone church!

Regardless of your religious beliefs, whether you observe a Saturday Sabbath, a Sunday Sabbath, or no Sabbath, we hope you have a pleasant, peaceful, and meaningful Sunday!

*reference.

Brightwood Inn

Those of you who follow Greensboro Daily Photo know that we like night photography, because it is so challenging. Last night, when returning from dinner in Burlington, we drove past the Brightwood Inn. With so much construction on Burlington Road, it is hard to remember how a trip to Brightwood must have been several decades ago, when it was seemingly the only thing to appear on the horizon for several miles during this east/west trek- a giant oasis on the deserted country highway. The inn's fifteen minutes of fame came when Elvis was once there. The booth he occupied is still there.

On another note, every year or so, we find what call a "Guy Noir" moment. Guy Noir is a fictional private detective who parodies pulp fiction novels and the film noir genre. Garrison Keilor voiced the character whose segments first aired in 1995.* When the camera serendipitously captured a guy walking in to the Brightwood, we realized we had another Guy Noir moment. Wonder what Garrison would have to say about the scene. At any rate, it was something to think about on a dark and rainy ride back to the Gate City.

See a picture of the inn, by day, here.

* Guy Noir reference and information, here.

 

Inside the Old Mill of Guilford

The Old Mill of Guilford, located on Highway 68 near Oak Ridge, has been a Greensboro institution since 1764. The mill is often photographed from the outside, but not so often on the inside. Above, we see current owner Alice Klug who has owned the mill since 2008.* The photo was taken on the last day they were open before Christmas. Alice was working tirelessly to take phone orders and help people shopping in the store. Additionally, the Old Mill has a web presence where orders can be placed online. From buckwheat flour to grits to sweet potato muffin mix, the store has many delicious options.

When the previous owners, the Parnells, died in 2007, the community was concerned that the mill might not continue to operate. However, Annie Laura Perdue became the miller and the Klugs stepped forward to purchase the mill. Additionally, community members volunteer there. Characteristic of the south's great love of tradition and history, Greensboro is happy to see this 240-year-old mill still going strong. As for The Klugs and Ms. Perdue, likely they realize they are just keepers of this great place. It is obvious they pour their time, effort and hearts into seeing that this great place is around for the next generation... and the next. It is worth visiting, if you haven't yet made the trip.

* history, here.

Wendover at Dusk

We never dreamed that Wendover at dusk could be so intriguing. Wendover is a heavily traveled road flanked by retail establishment after retail extablishment and busy intersections. Dating back to the 1960's, Wendover today is one of the busiest intersections of I-40 and, at its widest, is 6-8 lanes.*

As we were waiting at the intersection near Costco earlier this week, we looked up and noticed the vastness overhead. If you look closely at the upper 1/3 of the photo, you start to see a few stars. Maybe because of all the NASA photos from space, that are circulating on social media, we find ourselves looking at the night sky more and more. Last night was a waxing crescent moon, so perhaps the sky seemed darker and the stars brighter. If you love the night sky, be sure to attend the current exhibit at the Weatherspoon Art Museum on UNCG's campus, entitled, "Skyward,"  in which four artists "search and observe the skies for the subjects of their work."**  The Skyward exhibit is being held in conjunction with a university-wide celebration of the 450th anniversary of the births of William Shakespeare and Gallileo.

Do we dare call the above photo Skyward, Too?

* reference.

** more about the Skyward exhibit and reference, here.

B is for Bridal

The season of the brides, grooms, and weddings is upon us. Brides especially are gearing up for spring and summer weddings. David's Bridal is a company that started as a boutique in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 1950. It is now based out of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. They have one store in Greensboro (photographed above) on West Wendover Avenue. However, today's "bridal" post celebrates all the start-up businesses and events in Greensboro.

One example is a magazine, available for free in stores around the Triad, called "Triad Weddings," based locally in Jamestown. The spring/summer 2015 issue (featured to the left) contains 170 pages of information about local services, venues, and places to purchase items for weddings. Tonight, from 5:30- 9:00 pm, the Elm Street Center, located at 203 South Elm Street, will host the"Marry Me Wedding Event."  The area's top wedding professionals will be there. Brides who make an effort to "keep it local" now have more choices than ever. From dresses to cakes to venues to photographers to wedding planners, and so much more, Greensboro has everything from A-Z for making a wedding special... and local.

Today is ABC Wednesday and "B" is for bridal in our ABC Greensboro Local round! 

Air Harbor Airport ~W88~

 Air Harbor Airport, FAA identifier W88, is an asphalt-strip runway located six miles north of Greensboro. This privately owned airfield has a runway that is 2460 feet long and 65 feet wide with an elevation of 822 feet. While the runway is too short for commercial airlines, it does accommodate twin engine planes; perfect for general aviation pilots. Flying lessons are also given there.

Open since the 1940's, Air Harbor represents a slice of Americana that is quickly disappearing due to urban sprawl. Many of these rural landing strips are being sold for housing developments, strip malls, and other commercial ventures. As for now, Air Harbor appears to be safe from development. As a matter of fact, land is being cleared for upgrading hangars. In the above photo, a Piper Cherokee has just landed and the pilot is getting ready to park it on the turf.

Just to the left and beyond the photo, is the airport's FBO (fixed based office) where you can pay for gas or just sit around and make hangar talk. Telling hangar tales comes with the territory and, in Greensboro as well as the south in general, we love to sit around talking to people with common interests. At the FBO, time stands still, as pilots spend the afternoon talking about life in the friendly skies.

Big Sky Country

Montana is known as the Big Sky County; however, when we have days like the one photographed above, it makes wonder why North Carolina isn't known as Big Sky Country. The above photo was taken yesterday at the perimeter of Greensboro Country Club's Farm Course, off Carlson Dairy Road. Greensboro has several golf courses and they are a fabulous place to visit, even if you don't golf. Just being on the streets, surrounding the courses, brings a great sense of inner peace and appreciation of the infinite beauty of nature.

If you are lucky enough to have today off of work, to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, please take time to look at the beauty of Greensboro and reflect on what we can do to ensure that all of our citizens are treated equally, feel safe and protected. Today is a great day for community service. Let us know if you have been able to do something for the community today, regardless of where you live.

(Sorry for the delay in publication over the last two days. Hopefully, we've got the glitch worked out).

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

The above Seventh-day Adventist Church is located at 1320 Fleming Road, between Price Park and the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Seventh-day Adventists are Protestant Christians who worship on Saturday, the original seventh day, also celebrated as the Sabbath in the Jewish faith. Many of the practices of the Seventh-day Adventists are like those in the Jewish tradition, especially relevant to kosher food practices. Adventists believe in keeping the body healthy by eating healthy. 

The name of the religion is derived from the belief that Christ's second coming is imminent- the advent.  Founded in the United States in 1863, the religion currently has over 18 million members worldwide. (Read more about the doctrine, here). There even appears to be a Greensboro Montagnard Seventh-Day Adventist Group affiliated with the above congregation. We hope to learn more about this group.

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Greensboro. When we arrived to the above property, late in the afternoon, there were still people at church. 

 

Wrangler

American rodeo champion Trevor Brazile is sponsored by Wrangler, which explains the sign hanging at Wrangler's headquarters in Downtown Greensboro. Born in Amarillo, Texas, Brazile loves being a cowboy and is known as rodeo's most decorated professional. Wrangler loves outfitting cowboys and Brazile's long sleeve plaid shirts are particularly popular with the rodeo-loving crowd. Bazile also appears in the company's ads for jeans. His wife Shada designs baby clothes for Wrangler; she rides horses and barrel races, too. The only thing that would make this story sweeter would be if Trevor and Shada were from Greensboro.

Wrangler's connection to Greensboro dates back to the late 1800's (read history, here). The name Wrangler came about, back in the 1940's, when the Blue Bell Overall Company named a line of jeans- intended for cowboys, "Wrangler." Their early cowboy jeans are still in production today.  However, Wrangler doesn't just rely on past success.  They bank on keeping their look fresh and contemporary. In 2011, Wrangler started a design contest for someone to design the next best thing in jeans. North Carolina's own Song Anh Nguyen was the first winner.* While we may not have the Braziles in Greensboro, we have talented designers, some of whom are creating great product lines for our hometown company. 

*see her winning product and a photo of her, here.

War Memorial Monument Relocation

Above is the War Memorial Monument that was moved from War Memorial Auditorium to Downtown Greensboro last fall. As the auditorium is slated to be torn down soon, Greensboro needed to relocate the monument. Plaques name people from Greensboro who died in wars during the last century and through Operation Iraqi Freedom. Benches for sitting, reflecting and paying respect to loved ones are seen above. Also, the monument faces the Metaphor sculpture by Ogden Deal. It is a nice space.

The plaque in the middle reads, "Dedicated 1959 to the memory of the men and women of Greensboro who gave their lives in the wars of our country." Sorry for the delay in sharing this photo, way back when leaves were still on the trees; it is important to share the new location of the monument. If you get out this weekend, stop by to see it. It is overwhelming the number of men from Greensboro who died in World War II. If we counted right, there were 456 names listed under WWII. Please go count and let us know if we got it right! 

If you are on Twitter, our Twitter name is @GDPhoto. It would be nice to add another 1,000 subscribers this year! Happy weekend, dear readers! 

View of Downtown

 Every month or so, we like to publish a photo of Downtown Greensboro. This was taken from the front lawn of Greensboro College, looking east on West Market Street at the 20-story addition to the Jefferson Standard Building. In the photo, it towers above all but the evergreen in the foreground. This addition was known as the Jefferson-Pilot Building when it was finished in 1990. Now, the complex belongs to the Lincoln Financial Group.*

Longtime readers of Greensboro Daily Photo know that we like to photograph this building and catch the "JP Building" from as many angles in the city as possible. We even have a tag for the building so we can track our digital captures. Just since we've started tagging, we have 28 photos, some with the building more obvious than others. (See them all, here). In the 6 years we have been trekking through Greensboro, taking photos of the city, we have yet to go to the top of this building. Does anyone know if it is open to the public? If not, does anyone know anyone who can take us as their guest? If we take as many photos this year as we did last- 13,000 to be exact-- we'd like at least one of them to be from the top of Greensboro's iconic skyscraper! Help us realize this dream, dear readers!

*history of the building, here.

A is for AZ Development

The above photo shows an exciting new venture in Downtown Greensboro on Lewis Street, an area of Greensboro dubbed, "The Railyard." While it might not look like much now, this 10,000 square ft. space, formerly a stable from 1898, will be transformed into a shared workspace for entrepreneurs. It will include offices, meeting and conference spaces, outdoor patios, cafe space, co-working space, and soft space.

HQ Greensboro's "sibling", HQ Raleigh, is collaborating on the project with Andy Zimmerman, the AZ of AZ Development.* The goal for this project is to create cross-state opportunities for economic growth. Andy Zimmerman, himself an entrepreneur, started one of the world's largest kayak and canoe companies and is owner of Greensboro's "Get Outdoors." Andy is approaching this project with a great sense of adventure and is by no mean relying on past success. He plans to remain true to his dad's advice, if  "you want something, you earn it."**

Today is ABC Wednesday and it is time for a new round. We're calling this series A-Z Local and will feature local businesses, entrepreneurs and innovative development in Greensboro. We hope we can live up to that goal! Good things are happing in Greensboro and the time has never been better for turning a dream into reality!

* informative article, here.

** informative article and reference, here.

Dame's Chicken and Waffles

Dame's Chicken and Waffles opened in Southside, August 2012, a couple of years after the original location opened in Durham. In the two and a half years that the Greensboro location has been open, Damion (Dame) Moore has amassed quite a following. According to Dame, the restaurant is where "crispy, Southern fried perfection meets deliciously sweet European decadence."  Perhaps their greatest recognition came by having been mentioned in the latest edition of The New York Times book, "36 Hours USA & Canada." The book explores and touts places to go and things to do in a weekend. 

Dame's is a family-friendly place to go to sit and soak up the jazz-filled atmosphere, talk to friends, and eat good breakfast food all day long. The above photo features the front side of the restaurant and the bar. There is another room around the side. On Saturday it was a full house and Southside was hopping!

Corner of St. Andrews Road and Country Club Drive

Greensboro has some lovely homes and the one featured today is located at the corner of Country Club Drive and St. Andrews Road in Irving Park. Even in the dead of winter, the area looks inviting. Irving Park, developed between 1910 and 1940, has always been known as a scenic part of Greensboro. The neighborhood is anchored by a beautiful golf course which provides great open space and the feel of a rambling European estate. Tudor Revival and Colonial Revival are common architectural styles in the neighborhood. The above home is an example of the ample lots and neighborhood charm. While you can't tell from the photo, the hilly Irving Park roads curve through the neighborhood, deterring cut-through traffic and speeding. If you are looking for a little stress relief, a drive through a beautiful neighborhood can do the trick!

We hope you have a great week, and, with the days gaining a few minutes more light each day, perhaps you can get out and explore neighborhoods, regardless of where you live. Happy Monday!

Church Street Baptist on Church Street

Church Street Baptist Church bills itself as a "Haven for Hurting Hearts." According to their website, this independent Baptist church was organized in 1967 by Rev. J. William Kanoy. The congregation moved into the above church building, when it was newly constructed,  in 1970. Rev. Kanoy lead the congregation for 46 years, until his death in 1995.

Did you know Greensboro has a Bible institute? Well, we do! Located on site, off to the right of the main sanctuary in the above photo, is the Greensboro Bible Institute. The institute was started in 1967 so that people can attend a Bible college locally, when they can't affort to leave their jobs and families to become a minister. They offer areas of study ranging from a 4-hour Foundational Church Ministries Certificate to a 5-year, 70 hour Diploma in Theology. Their first graduating class was 1972, over 40 years ago!

In an era when so much comes and goes, Church Street Baptist and the Bible Institute seem to have great stability; something appealing when one is looking for a spiritual home or a place to learn to preach.