Greensboro Daily Photo

Spring Garden Street Garden

 It is officially fall and days are getting noticeably shorter. People have their fall gardens filled with kale, collards, broccoli, and lettuce. In the above photo, a small house on Spring Garden Street has taken the notion of planting edibles seriously. The side of their house, facing Spring Garden Street at the entrance to Lindley Park, is full of plants in raised beds. It is the epitome of eating from a local source. What we can't figure out is how they keep all of the critters away. It doesn't look like they've had any problem with groundhogs or deer. 

We smiled seeing the satellite dish on the right of the house: The priorities of the residents are good vegetables and good TV! What are your priorities in home living? What does your front yard say about you? We love the diversity of Greensboro's neighborhoods and yards. If you have something you want to share in your yard, let us know and we'll drive on over! Happy Thursday!

Sweet Magnolia

Magnolia, azalea, dogwood, and holly are the harmonious quartet of southern landscaping. Magnolia blooms were glorious a couple of weeks ago in Greensboro. The blooms on these evergreen trees are so beautiful and, while leathery to the touch, they are extremely fragile. Little scrapes quickly turn brown and, once cut, they don't last long. In the above photo, the translucent quality shines through.

If you have a mature magnolia tree in your yard, chances are, you have a lot of beetles, too. Magnolias pre-date bees and their original pollinators were beetles. The friendship remains. If you have a magnolia in your yard, you also know they are always shedding something. Sometimes at night, we hear a rustling in the tree and realize it is just a leaf or seed pod dropping to the ground. We have, however, seen an opossum in the tree. Likely, there is a lot more than a few beetles and a lone marsupial living in the tree.

Those beautiful white blooms are the visual "palate cleansers" of the flower world and, fortunately, are plentiful in Greensboro's older neighborhoods. Happy, happy, Thursday!

 

Y is for Yum Yum

Yesterday, during Greensboro's torrential downpour, we had the pleasure of waiting out the deluge at Yum-Yum Better Ice Cream and Hot Dogs at 1219 Spring Garden Street. Clint was there to wait on us. He is a member of the Aydelette family that started Yum-Yum in 1906. How incredible to have a family business that is 109 years old! Generations of Aydelettes have been serving ice cream to generations of Greensboro residents. Not only do people who live in Greensboro love Yum-Yum, but when people move away, this little ice cream shop, on the western edge of UNCG's campus, becomes a must-visit destination. Yesterday, we were also lucky enough to get a scoop of watermelon ice cream. If you like watermelon ice cream, hurry, they will only have it for about three weeks.

Today is a double theme day for Greensboro Daily Photo. First, we're participating in ABC Wednesday. Today's letter for our ABC Local Series is "Y" and "Y" is for Yum-Yum! Also, for the City Daily Photo community, the July 1st theme is "upside down."  Clint very graciously agreed to our seemingly-silly request to be served a watermelon ice cream cone upside down. So, we've got both themes covered, and we had the pleasure of spending a little time at very special business that works so hard to serve Greensboro with a smile. By the way, if you order an ice cream cone, it will be served to you right side up (see below)!  By the way, that giant portion is only one scoop! Follow Yum Yum on Facebook to keep up with news, like what seasonal flavors are being featured.

Colt

With this little colt and its mom, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. It was born recently at the High Silver Paint Farm (HSPF) on Pleasant Ridge Road at the corner of Stanley Huff Road. A horse farm has been on this corner for as long as we can remember. Also, Guilford County has the distinction of having the most horses of any of North Carolina's 100 counties. The paints at HSPF are especially beautiful.

HSPF gives riding lessons and has several students training; some students use the farm's horses and some ride their own. Students learn first to love, respect, care for and saddle horses; then, they learn to ride. With enough practice, students will be ready to barrel race and to ride either western or English. When we drove by the farm yesterday, someone else was out taking photos of this colt and its mom. Right now, they don't want to leave each other's side. It is really easy to get a photo of the two of them together. Before you know it, the little one will be grown; just like the young teens out in the ring learning to ride. Summer is the perfect time to learn to ride and to enjoy all of the horse farms in Guilford County.

 

 

MUSEP & the Zinc Kings

Last night, the MUSEP Concert was at Lake Higgins and the Zinc Kings (above) played to a full house. As a matter of fact, every single bit of space, not in use by spectators, was used for parking and they ran out of places to put cars. Last night was a double act as the group, Warren, Bodle & Allen played after the Zinc Kings. We don't know if it was the location of the venue, the type of music, the specific groups, or the fact that MUSEP is so popular, but, as seen in the photos below, the park was a sea of people. Many groups bring picnic dinners and snacks to enjoy while listening to music. 

The City of Greensboro and many local sponsors provide these wonderful concerts free and open to the public. From the record crowds, it is clear that these concerts are a hit with the Greensboro community. This week's concert will be the July 4th concert at the White Oak Amphitheatre at the Coliseum on Gate City Boulevard. Remember, that is a Saturday, not a Sunday. Hope to see you there.

First Presbyterian/Greensboro Historical Museum

The former First Presbyterian Church is not the Greensboro Historical Museum. We know we've featured it recently. However, this unobstructed view from North Elm Street is just so beautiful, we thought you should see it, before construction on the performing arts center begins. This romanesque revival brick structure was the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro from 1824- 1927. This expansive view shows the building in all of its glory. If you are local, and out and about today, go have a look for yourself.

We would love for the entire congregation of the First Presbyterian Church to have their picture taken in front of this building. There is plenty of room! This would also be a great backdrop for a wedding party! Happy last Sunday in June! It is officially summer!

Rainbow Spotted in Glenwood

This colorful wall was found in the Glenwood neighborhood, on Glenwood Avenue between Grove and Florida Streets. It evokes a rainbow, with the rainbow colors from red to purple. While the above mural is not in rainbow order, all of the colors are present. The following symbolism is often attributed to the individual colors, especially in rainbow flags: green- nature; orange- healing; red- life; yellow- sunlight; blue- harmony; and purple/violet- spirit. 

There has been so much in the national news this week. The displaying of the confederate flag in public, especially on state buildings, is being challenged. The Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act.  The Supreme Court declared that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states.

Rarely does our Nation have so much national news to parse collectively.  Regardless of what you feel about each of these issues, it is fair to say that we all strive for more love and less hate in the world.  It looks like one little building in Greensboro is reminding us of that fact. 

Happy Saturday! 

 

Downtown Street Scene

There were some beautiful days in downtown Greensboro, this past week. The above photo features a street scene in the 300 block of South Elm Street. People are coming and going, the train has just passed, and cars have the green light. The hanging baskets have just been watered and flags have been unfurled in preparation for the Fourth of July and the Fun Fourth Festival to take place downtown next week. Everything looks so clean, tidy, and fresh.

If you haven't been downtown lately, it is well worth the trip. It is fun to walk in the early morning before it the streets get hot and crowded. It is fun to walk after 10 am when the shops are open. For those who won't be taking out-of-town vacations this summer, it is pretty easy to plan a Greensboro stay-cation. There is plenty to see and do. Between the music events, museums, greenway, public libraries, city parks, there is plenty to see and do. Happy Friday! Hope to see you out and about; and have a great weekend, regardless of where you are and what you decide to do .

Just Who Is He?

Vanity tags add to the fun of summer road trips. Which passenger in the car will find the most interesting vanity tags? The North Carolina license plate on the above Nissan states, LOOKN4HM. Sometimes, on Greensboro Daily Photo, it may seem like we take ourselves a little too seriously. Our heart is in the right place. We want to represent our city well and we don't ever want to make fun of people. But, it looks like the owners of this vehicle don't take themselves too seriously. So we will piggy back off of their fun and have fun along WITH them.

Looking for him? Just who is he?

For this Thursday, we leave you with food for thought. Someone in Greensboro, North Carolina is looking for him. So you know who he is? If so, do share the backstory!

Lavender Blue

Sunday afternoon, in Northern Greensboro, the skies turned an interesting shade of blue. As we drove by the intersection of North Battleground and Old Battleground Avenue, the above scene caught our attention. All we could think of were the lyrics of a 17th century nursery rhyme, "Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green......"*

Some days, we plan ahead in our photographing for Greensboro Daily Photo. Other days, serendipity takes over and a scene just grabs the eye. We aren't even sure of the name of this bush. For sure, it isn't lavender. We do know that, for a brief few minutes this weekend, this blooming shrub in Greensboro blended in with the late-afternoon sky.

*This folk song has a really interesting history and a lot of versions. Read more, here.

Summer Solstice Festival 2015

Summer Solstice 2015 has come and gone and, for those who attended, it was great fun. The inner child comes out in everyone. Even when buckets of rain fell late afternoon, people made the most of it. Children splashed and splashed in the puddles, not once asking to play video games! In the above photo, on the left, Patika Starr is entertaining the crowd with hula hoops. Later, in the evening, she mesmerized the audience with her amazing fire dancing skills. Patika is an extremely talented performer and costume designer who is a regular at the Summer Solstice Festival. When you attend Summer Solstice every year, you get to know these great performers by name and look forward to seeing what they dream up for us.

As you can see, the solstice event is a great mix of people; young and old, and of many different ethnicities. If you missed Summer Solstice 2015, mark your calendar for Fun Fourth 2015, another great,  family-friendly, summer  event. It has been Greensboro tradition since 1975. Organizers expect over 90,000 for Fun Fourth. 

Newlyn Street United Methodist Church

Newlyn Street United Methodist Church is located at 212 East Newlyn Street very near State Street and at the eastern end of McAdoo Heights. It is located close to downtown and between Irving Park and the old mill villages of Greensboro. Newlyn Street UMC has a diverse congregation. The cornerstone, visible in the bottom right-hand corner of the photo, says that the church was completed and dedicated in 2006. Somehow, we're pretty convinced that the church is more than nine years old. Maybe the addition was completed in 2006. If you know, please send us a message. The church has a Facebook page, but not an online history, that we could find.

At any rate, from their Facebook page, it seems like this congregation has some fun traditions, like monthly hotdog and fried pie Saturdays. The white house, to the left in the distance, will give you an idea of the flavor of the neighborhood. Happy Sunday! Happy Father's Day! Happy Longest Day of the Year!

Summer 2015

Welcome, glorious summer. Tomorrow is the official first day of summer; however, Greensboro will be celebrating today. Many residents will be basking in the glory of the Summer Solstice Festival in the Greensboro Arboretum and Lindley Park. This year, they are asking for a suggested $2 donation. That is a small price to pay for all of the effort that goes in to this annual summer kickoff event.  Summer Solstice begins at 2:00 pm and ends at 9:00 pm with the Fire Finale. It will happen rain or shine. Make sure you wear festive clothing. Glitter and fairy wings are always popular. Blankets are nice and, while food will be available for purchase, you are welcome to take a picnic basket. Dogs in costume and on leashes are always a highlight. Come out and spread and soak in some summer warmth. See one of our solstice photos from a couple of years ago, here. See what the grand finale fire event looks like, here.

En route, be sure to stop by Holden Road, across from Starmount Country club and enjoy the above seasonal sign! Ah, SUMMER!

 

Summer Fun

Ode to Joy, summer is upon us! School is out, and Greensboro's children are excited about the start of summer vacation, The unidentified young person in the above photo was engaged in a very fun Frisbee tossing session during the MUSEP concert at Blandwood Mansion. Somebody had donated Frisbees and adults were helping children perfect their catching and tossing skills. 

While Greensboro has already had some oppressively hot days, officially, summer doesn't arrive until Sunday. To celebrate the solstice, tomorrow is Greensboro's Summer Solstice event at the Greensboro Arboretum and Lindley Park. Weather permitting, over 7,000 people are expected to attend. And then, in two weeks, it will be the Fourth of July. Let's all do the happy dance, don our fairy wings, and dust off our Frisbees. Tis the season!

 

MUSEP 2015

Sunday afternoons in Greensboro are delightful once Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP) has started. The above photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at the MUSEP event at Blandwood Mansion. Blandwood, located at 447 West Washington Street,  is the restored home of North Carolina governor John Motley Morehead. The house, constructed by Charles Bland in 1795, was expanded and altered and ultimately completed in 1846. According to Preservation Greensboro, it has the distinction of being the oldest standing example of Italianate architecture in the United States. On the evening of the MUSEP concert, Blandwood volunteers allowed concert-goers to step inside and get a mini-tour of the mansion. For many, this was their first view of this very historic Greensboro building.

Every Sunday until August 23rd, a different musical group will be featured at a different venue in the city. It is a way to get people to visit all of the different corners of our city. This Sunday, the concert will start at 6:30 pm at Hester Park, 3906 Betula Street. The Greensboro Philharmonia will play classical and pops. BYOC- Bring your own chair and come out and be part of a great Greensboro tradition. As you can see from the above photo, these free MUSEP concerts are quite popular in our community.

*here is the schedule for the venues and they type of music.

W is for Wrangler

Featured in the above photo is the headquarters for Wrangler Jeans, a brand owned by VF Corporation. The office is located at 400 North Elm Street. Wrangler jeans were launched in 1947 by the Blue Bell Company, thirty nine years before it merged with VF Corp.* Wrangler's hallmark has always been rugged, outdoor clothing, especially jeans, that can hold up even with the rugged work of cowboys. Wrangler is the opposite of  the currently-trending "fast fashion."

How fitting that in the above parking lot, we see cyclists taking to the street after work on a Tuesday afternoon. The bi-weekly meet up, spearheaded by Mark G., leaves from the Wrangler parking lot. This group understands that part of being tough and rugged is by being in great physical shape. Riding bicycles is a great way to stay fit. Wonder if Wrangler, or another VF Corp. label, makes rugged clothing for the avid cyclist? 

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our ABC Local Round, W is for WRANGLER! Think positive thoughts as we struggle with our dreaded end-of-the-alphabet X-Y-Z local ideas!

*see a company timeline, here.

 

Noé Katz

 Today's photo was also taken at the Piedmont Triad International Airport at the north end of the terminal, on the second floor near security. It features a piece of artwork on display, entitled Conversation, by Noé Katz. If you look closely, the four red figures are heads, facing each other, as if in conversation. Somehow, the lighting on the floor transitions from green to yellow. The effect, combined with the black furniture and white trim looks even lovelier in person. Unfortunately, we only had our cell phone on the day this was taken.

Katz was born in Mexico City in 1953.  He is known for drawing, sculpting, and painting human figures. Last spring, with John Beerman, Katz co-presented a show at Green Hill Gallery in Downtown Greensboro. The show was called Two Artists, One Space. We are really lucky to have this work of art. We are also really lucky that, after having traveled, lived, and shown his art in many countries, Katz is now a resident of Greensboro. At least, hopefully, what Green Hill reported last year * is still the case. If you get a chance, stop out to PTIA and enjoy the artwork.

* see, here.

Welcome to the Piedmont Triad

Welcome to the Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA). This is the welcome wall at the main entrance between the two terminals. Construction is complete and the facility is an extremely attractive place for the community to enjoy. If you are local and haven't been out to Lindley Field lately, you should go have a look upstairs as well as downstairs. A lot of public art is displayed. The porch with rocking chairs for the public to enjoy, is still there. A couple of restaurants are before the security checkpoint and open to the non-flying public.

PTIA got its start in 1927 on 112 acres. When it first opened, it was literally, just a field: no runways, lights, hangars, or passenger station. However, that wasn't enough to stop Charles Lindberg, who landed here in PTIA's first year with his plane, the "Spirit of Saint Louis." That was the talk of the town! PTIA  has seen a lot of change since those early years.* Not to endorse cigarettes, but the airport reminds of the 1968 Virginia Slims ad, "You've come a long way, baby."

Happy Monday!

*Wikipedia has a nice history, here.

 

Korean First Presbyterian Church

The Korean First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro is located in a brick church on Stage Coach Trail. Other congregations also meet there, too. From traditional to contemporary, increasingly, churches are offering multiple services that cater to different congregations. The church-within-a-church is also a common model. The Korean Presbyterian has a great website, unfortunately, it is in Korean so we can't tell you what it says (see for yourself, here). The Korean Presbyterian Church in America was founded in 1976. According to Wikipedia, it has approximately 55,000 members. 

In the six, plus, years of Sundays that we have been posting on religion in Greensboro, the religious diversity of our city continues to amaze us. Happy Sunday, and enjoy the beauty of the day, regardless of what you celebrate.

 

B.B. EATON, WATCHMAKER

At 302 South Elm Street, if you look through the window, you can see the nameplate of Greensboro watchmaker, B.B. Eaton. In the early 20th century, downtown Greensboro was more of a vertical city. It was not uncommon to have professional offices on the second and third floors of downtown buildings. Dentists, lawyers, watchmakers, and other people, who took appointments and worked directly with clients/patients, would put their nameplates on the riser so that people could confirm that they were in the right location. While Mr. Eaton is no longer alive and there is no longer a watchmaker in the building, the signage allows Greensboro residents a chance to connect to our past.

The October/November 2011 issue of O. Henry Magazine did a nice article on some of these nods to yesteryear still found in downtown. Do you like looking at old signs? We so, and we're sharing this post with Weekend Reflections. If you look closely, you can see the building across the street in the upper right corner.

 

Shelf Life Art and Supply Company

Shelf Life is a new and used art supply store that opened in the alley behind Geeksboro Coffee Shop in 2014. In the above photo, owner, Cassandra Liuzzo is helping us with our purchase. Her small shop is filled with items, her knowledge is extensive, and her willingness to help is noteworthy. We went in trying to find a grease pencil to use on photographs since they are the best for archival purposes. We called a big-box art supply store and an office supply store. Neither sold them. Fortunately, Cassandra had one. She purchased supplies from Davis Art Supply, formerly on South Elm Street, when it closed and therefore had them in stock. Finding a grease pencil was like the ultimate scavenger hunt. 

Cassandra is a graduate of Grimsley High School and earned a B.S. in art education from Appalachian State University. She is committed to having an art store where she not only sells product, but also helps artists by offering her expertise. Additionally she has gallery shows of local artists and she plans to offer classes and to expand her retail inventory. Business is going so well, that, in July, Cassandra will relocate Shelf Life to 2178 Lawndale,  two doors down from Walgreen Drug Store. She will be taking over a location that has been a frame shop for a long time. Cassandra plans to continue the tradition and also offer framing services.

How wonderful to see yet another young adult in Greensboro living her dream and starting her own business. So many twenty-somethings have opted out of the corporate world and are opting in to being entrepreneurial about their careers. We wish her well and are extremely grateful to be in possession of a grease pencil. Thanks to Shelf Life, let the archiving begin!

Art in the Park

The second Tuesday of the month, Center City Park hosts an Art in the Park* event for adults. The above photo shows two people who came to participate in the event. It is very well organized, with a lead artist who brings not only expertise but also supplies for those who attend without their own materials. When we were there this past Tuesday, unfortunately, the event was not very well attended. Perhaps the 5-7 pm timeslot on Tuesday is difficult for people are working. However, if you are interested in art, it is a wonderful opportunity and another fine example of a great, free activity available in Greensboro.

Does anybody know of a place that consolidates a list of these monthly events?  Greensboro has First Friday Downtown, First Tuesday Art in the Park, and Third Thursday at South End. We bet there are fun, free activities every day. It is just a matter of hearing about them, and finding the time to participate. Hopefully, with the long, warm days of summer, we will all have an opportunity to get out more than we did this past winter!

Here is a link to some events on a Greensboro NC travel and tourism site. It is a start! 

 * here is the Facebook link for the Art in the Park event. 

V is for Volunteers

The Volunteer Center of Greensboro, located at 1500 Yanceyville Street, has been serving Guilford County since 1963. They do so much for the community. For example, in a couple of weeks, they are offering a Service Learning Leadership Camp for rising 9th-12th graders. The camp provides high school students with a way to engage in service learning projects that impact the local community. What a fabulous way for students to spend the summer. 

In the above photo, on the left is Carley Swaim, Executive Director. Hope Tyler, on the right is the director of volunteers and community engagement. You can visit the organization's website to learn more about opportunities to serve our community. Or, you can contact Hope directly.*  While we were on site, Hope and Carley explained about the beautiful, vibrant, giant works of art. They were made at the 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. "Day of Service" event, hosted by the Volunteer Center.

For the project, local artist Denise Landi designed paint-by-number giant boards that children could turn in to works of art. The masterpieces in the above photo were made from adhering paint strips to the giant paint-by-number board. The collaborative works of art are still open for bid. Both would look great in a public or private collection, especially in a place frequented by children and teens. If you know Denise and her art, it is amazing how her sense of style and color come through on these giant canvases, ultimately executed by children. The bids we saw were less than $200; so, it appears they can be had for a very reasonable price and it is for a good cause.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z local round, V is for Volunteers! Hats off to the Volunteer Center of Greensboro for doing so much for our community.

*volunteergso.org   or    [email protected]  

El Torito Taquería

 El Torito Taquería can be found on Battleground Avenue, near Rice Toyota in the CITGO gas station parking lot. It is tasty, authentic Mexican food at unbelievably low prices. Tacos are $1.00 each, add 50 cents for cheese. You can get pork, chicken, or beef tacos, including tongue. They also sell quesadillas and a few other items. To drink, are horchatas and tamarind. Come prepared to order in Spanish. Or to say the one phrase that you recognize off of the menu (e.g., taco con pollo).  The truck looks so charming at night, and just after a rain. 

Greensboro has many food trucks and we have heard good things about all of them. Maybe because street food is a relatively new concept for Greensboro, owners of the food trucks try extra hard to please customers. Likely, brick and mortar restaurants have concerns about this mobile form of competition; however, we'd like to think there is room for everybody and that having the food-truck alternative just makes people want to eat out more often. 

Have you eaten food truck food in Greensboro?

Field of Poodles

Yesterday Greensboro Beautiful hosted the Parisian Promenade in the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden. The above photo shows the field of poodles waiting to go in the ring to be judged. Poodles of all sizes and colors took their run around the ring of people in the park on Hobbs Road. There was even an "honorary poodle." The event also featured music performances, people selling art, and The GTCC Culinary Arts School demonstrating the art of French cooking. But most of all, in the fashion of New York City's Easter Parade, it was a chance for the public to get out to stroll and spend time with each other. While there was a free Wi-Fi tent, for the most part people were about as unconnected to their phones as an event can get these days.

These free events really do have a way of bringing people together and, in the summer, Greensboro is full of fun things to do for free. Remember, when we participate, it is up to us to help make the event as pleasant as possible for all in attendance. This message was brought to you by the above field of poodles, whose ages ranged from about 18 months to 13 years, and who were all on their best behavior!

Kirtan Music and Chanting

Kitran is an ancient way to meditate using the call-and-response singing of sacred Sanskrit mantras while calming music is playing. In the above photo, you see the group meeting at Vida Pour Tea on State Street this past Friday night. Debra Warren (Magmata devi), second from right, led the group in the spiritual chanting. While there is no religious belief connected to Kirtan, the practice is known for quieting the mind and helping humans connect to our divine source. People who practice Kirtan are very inclusive and don't ask about your religious beliefs, but greet all those who participate.

If you missed the Kirtan event at Vida Pour Tea, the group will be at Eclectic by Nature Saturday, June 13th. Also, you can log on to the Greensboro Triad Kirtan on Facebook or contact Deborah Warren * if you would like to arrange an event at your own venue. Jumpstart your visit and practice the chants, here.  We like to use Sundays on Greensboro Daily Photo to share religion, relaxation, and spirituality in Greensboro. Thank you Deborah; your voice and guitar playing is incredibly relaxing.

Happy Sunday, whatever you believe.

*[email protected]

Drum Circle in Center City

Last night at First Friday, a drum circle was assembled in Center City Park. Every indication is that it was a success. At least 40 people brought their drums and actively participated. Too many people to count, stood around taking photos, enjoying the music, and even dancing. The percussive beat could be heard two blocks away. The gathering was multi-ethnic and multi-generational. Ages ranged from about ten to retirees. The facilitator in the middle was quite skilled at helping everyone feel welcome and at making sure that everyone worked well together.

Drumming the Triad was the group that made this event happen last night. Let's hope they can keep it going.While they stopped around 9pm, Center City still had a lot of people in it at 9:45. It was so nice to have a First Friday that was not interrupted by rain. People were ready! As always, we're happy when we can fit the JP building in a photo! Happy Saturday!

Cheesecakes by Alex is Expanding

Cheesecakes by Alex has been at 315 South Elm Street since 2002. Now, in 2015, the business is expanding into 317 South Elm, next door. As seen in this photo, taken yesterday, painters are working diligently to move the job along. Owner Alex Amoroso is standing right behind the white truck. He is answering questions about the project and providing direction as needed. HICAPS has the contract for the almost half a million dollar expansion project.* This will triple kitchen capacity and expand the retail space from the current 1,300 foot space to 3,300.

Tonight is First Friday and there will be so much to do downtown. The Indie Market will be in full swing, galleries will be open, Chakras Spa is having a reception with live music to feature the art of Steven Silverleaf. Drumming the Triad will be drumming at Center City Park from 7-9 pm. Anyone with a drum can participate. Vida Pour Tea on State Street will have Kirtan music starting at 6:00, if you need something more relaxing. You could start out at Vida Pour, advance to the drum circle, stroll Elm Street, stop by Chakras, venture down to the Indie Market, and end up at Cheesecake by Alex. There will be no shortage of things to do in Greensboro today. Whatever you decide, we hope you enjoy yourself. Happy First Friday in June!

*reference and read more, here. See the HICAPS project at PTI Airport, here.

Hydrangea Time

Greensboro is so beautiful in the spring and we don't want to let us get away from us without showcasing some of this beauty. In the above photo, you see a oak leaf hydrangea. The blooms turn pink as they age.  The green foliage and red brick wall help showcase its delicate beauty even more. It is one of the few hydrangeas native to the United States, it loves North Carolina's hot summers and cold winters. This deciduous shrub loves the woodland habitats around Greensboro. Also, this species tolerates dryer conditions than its more ornamental cousin, often referred to as the "mophead." * Another appealing fact about the oak leaf hydrangea is that it doesn't attract bugs.

If you are local, head out of doors and enjoy the beauty of springtime in Greensboro. 

*reference, here.

U for Unicorn Press

Unicorn Press is tucked away inside the Glenwood Coffee and Books Co-op at 1310 Glenwood Avenue. As stated on their website, Unicorn Press was founded in 1966 in Santa Barbara, CA and was relocated to Greensboro in 1972. Al Brilliant, one of the three founders, continues to run the press, today. (Reference, here).

Unicorn is especially known for the poetry it publishes as well as its contest to publish a book of poetry for poets who have not previously published one. Greensboro poet Mark Smith-Soto served as the final judge for last year's contest. The submission period for 2015 has just ended and we will know on December 1st who won for this year.

We wish Al had been around the day we were in Glenwood. With fifty years of experience in publishing, Al is known as a preeminent small press publisher and known for publishing high quality works of poetry. By 2004, Al had published the work of six Nobel Prize winning poets* Greensboro is lucky to have such a talented and unassuming publisher in our midst.

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Local series, U is for Unicorn Press!

* reference and Al's fascinating background.

2015 Spring Craft Fair

This weekend was the 2015 Spring Craft Fair at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market on Sandy Ridge Road. The three-day show is held every spring and attracts people from miles around. The above booth, The Wash Bucket Soap Company, is based out of Thomasville. They rely on their Pinterest pins, Facebook page, attendance at local shows, and repeat customers to help their business grow. Theirs was one of many booths set up and cars were lined up at the entrance waiting to get in and shop.

This past weekend in Greensboro, the weather was great for roaming the Farmers Market. In addition to arts and crafts, we saw people carrying bags and bags of produce to their cars. The Sandy Ridge Farmers Market does a great job of helping people of all ages feel welcome. Children get a chance to talk to farmers and see where their food comes from. They also get to see people like the folks at the Wash Bucket Soap Company and learn that they, too can make their own soap and, with a lot of hard work, they can open a business someday.

If you missed the event at the Farmers Market, put this Sunday's Parisian Promenade on your calendar. It will be from 12:00- 5:00 pm in the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden on Hobbs and is another opportunity to stroll with family and friends. BYOP (Bring your own poodle)!

Glenwood Mural

The above community-based mural is located at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Grove Street. The mural is a collaborative effort between UNCG's Center for Community-Engaged Design and the Glenwood community. The Glenwood neighborhood, bordering Lee Street and UNCG, dates back to 1906 and has seen many changes over its 100+ year history. The wide spectrum of social experience of Glenwood is depicted on the wall, some of which is light and uplifting and some a bit dark and serious.

In addition to the involvement of community members, about 120 UNCG students worked on the project. Isolated, uninvolved professors and students who are not linked to practical, real-life experiences, are definitely not the reality of today's higher education experiences in Greensboro. North Carolina has an impressive system of higher education and the Glenwood mural is one example of how collaboration and community engagement are expectations of higher education today. Way to go UNCG & Glenwood. If you are local, drive by and see the mural for yourself. And, for more information, read here.

Happy Mural Monday! What a brilliant idea for a meme.

Faith Action House

Faith Action International House connects diverse groups of people across lines of culture and faith. The organization celebrates the cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity of Greensboro. According to their website, FaithAction International House began 15 years ago as an idea of Rev. Dr. Mark Sills and other community leaders. The inspiration comes from the diverse influx of immigrants in the community. Their headquarters, featured above, is located at 705 North Greene Street.

Some of the fine work FaithAction House does for the immigrant community includes: Legal assistance, language classes, computer and job readiness classes and healthcare. FaithAction work with the many faith communities of the immigrants they serve. They rely on volunteers; so, if it seems like something of interest to you, contact them at your earliest convenience and they'll put you to work. Happy Sunday!

Greensboro Recycles

Today, we're in front of Recycles Bike Shop on Spring Garden Street at Mendenhall. Featured in the photo is a BMW R1200GS Adventure motorcycle. Notice, mounted on the back of the motorcycle is a custom made bicycle rack. This rack comes in handy for motorcyclists who want to be able to ride a bike off road on the trails upon reaching a destination. The above configuration is perfect for those day trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway that we have featured this week.

We're betting the bicycle on the back of the motorcycle has been recycled from the parts of old bikes. Recycles Bike Shop has been around since 2005 and they are known for taking cast off bike parts and reassembling them into bikes, extending the life of miscellaneous bike parts that might otherwise be taking up space in a landfill. Recycles is located between UNCG and Greensboro College and not too far from the Downtown Greenway. Seems like a perfect location for buying and selling bicycle parts. And, as for the custom motorcycle/bike racks, if you talk to the guys at Recycle, they should be able to outfit you with a rack for your motorcycle. You can probably even find out about a touring adventure.

Happy Saturday and remember to share the road!

Cone Memorial Park

We're closing out the week with another photo from the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Moses Cone Memorial Park, Visitor Center, and Parkway Craft Center are located near Blowing Rock at milepost 294. Photographed above is Flat Top Manor. The 13,000 sure foot summer home of Greensboro's textile entrepreneur was built in 1901. The twenty-room abode now features a craft center that is part of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

Moses Cone took great interest in nature and conservation and he planted white pine forests, hemlock hedges, and a 10,000 tree apple orchard.* The house is located on 3600 acres. Moses Cone and his wife had no children, so it is fitting that their property ended up in the National Park System. 

If you have not already scheduled all of your summer vacation, we urge you to consider heading to the parkway and enjoying this fabulous stop. If you go, read as much as you can about Moses Cone and you will appreciate his mountain home all the more. To give you an idea of the vastness of the estate, find below the view from the porch at Flat Top Manor.

* Learn more about the manor and the man behind the manor from our reference, here.

Driving Hope

Twenty years ago, in 1995,  Martha Kaley founded earlier.org, an organization dedicated to detecting breast cancer earlier and finding a biological method for detecting the disease. Martha, featured above and a breast cancer survivor herself, plays an active role in helping get breast cancer research funded. Breast cancer can be in the body for eight years before a machine can detect it and one in eight women will be diagnosed with the disease. Those are alarming statistics.

We caught up with Martha on Tuesday, at Chic-Fil-A in Friendly Center, where she was helping with the fundraiser for earlier.org. For the suggested donation of a dollar, you could sign the above pink, DRIVING HOPE mobile. It was donated by Crown Automotive and will be auctioned off to help Martha and earlier.org find an earlier breast cancer test. If you recognize the Kaley name, it may be because Martha's husband (James) and son (Mark) are both orthodontists in Greensboro. It is inspiring to see how committed the whole family is to the cause.  Martha and her family are a prime example of how individuals can make a difference. 

T is for Triad Homebrew Supply

Triad Homebrew Supply, located on 105 Guilford College Road, is one stop shopping for wine, cheese, and beer equipment and supplies. From the different grains that go in to making beer to high capacity stills, fermenters, and everything in between, they have it all. Triad Homebrew Supply has over 50 varieties of hops alone. Additionally, you can take classes for making wine, cheese, and beer.

Home brewing has taking North Carolina by storm. Appalachian State University even offers a Bachelor of Science degree program in fermentation sciences. This degree reflects the growing importance for institutions of higher education to bring "real world" experiences into the classroom. Colleges are providing a more direct link to vocational training and the art of fermentation is one such example.

Greensboro has Red Oak, Natty Greene's, Gibb's Hundred, Pig Pounder, and Preyer's breweries. Red Oak has been brewing in Greensboro since 1991- and  has has a very interesting history, here. The other pubs came along since, with Preyer's being the new kid on the block- opening in 2015. Wonder if the local breweries get supplies from Triad Homebrew! Today is ABC Wednesday, and for our ABC LOCAL Series, T is for Triad. A lot of businesses in Greensboro use the term "triad" in their title and Triad Homebrew reflects a niche market that is trending! Behind that unassuming storefront is the complex world of crafts that have been passed down for generation after generation.

 

Blue Ridge Parkway

While this website focuses on Greensboro, North Carolina, we also feature places that one can easily drive to in a day from Greensboro. The parkway is a unit of the National Park System. The above photo was taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The above view is of the Walnut Mountains out from the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center at milepost 370 on the Parkway, near Zebulon Vance's birthplace. 

This 469 mile linear park was started in 1935 and built to connect the Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It was started under the tenure of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The buildings, structures, and the scenic views are absolutely breathtaking. An unanticipated pleasure is how pleasant the people are that you meet along the way. We had people telling us about their motorcycles, dogs, hiking adventures, and their other experiences on the scenic highway. On the parkway, it is as if time stands still. It is easy to forget about social media, texting, and elsewhere to focus on the beauty all around you. We will feature a few more photos from our day trip along the parkway this past Memorial Day weekend. We hope that you will plan a trip there this summer, whether you live in Greensboro or elsewhere. You won't regret taking this road less traveled, unless you are in a hurry! Can you see how the Blue Ridge Mountains get their name?

Memorial Day 2015

The above photo was taken at the Triad Park at the Carolina Field of Honor on the Guilford/Forsyth County lines, near Kernersville. It will be a good place to visit if you do not have plans today. Since today is Memorial Day, likely, the picnic facilities will be taken; however, there is plenty to do, see, and learn in the park. Visiting is a great way to show respect for those who have fought to defend the United States. From a playground to monuments, there is something for people of all ages.

Below, we feature some of the signage at the park. If you are having trouble seeing the bottom sign, it reads, "The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten." President Calvin Collidge Greensboro has many monuments and places dedicated to veterans. The News & Record published a great article yesterday, if you are looking for other options.

Remembering the Life of Marty Sheets

The above photo was taken at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant on Mendenhall Street as people were arriving to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of  Special Olympian, Marty Sheets.* Marty, age 62, was a pioneer in Special Olympics, a N.C. Sports Hall of Fame athlete, and one of Greensboro's most decorated athletes. Marty participated in the inaugural Special Olympics games in 1968 and is depicted with Eunice Kennedy Shriver in a portrait that hangs in the Smithsonian.  Marty's life was a life well lived and he has been an inspiration to many. He was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina's highest civilian honor. 

* Read more about Marty's life in this News & Record article, here.